Economy
Australia is advancing toward a cashless society with the development of a wholesale central bank digital currency (CBDC). The Reserve Bank of Australia (RBA) announced the launch of Project Acacia, aiming to develop a wholesale CBDC within three years. Assistant Governor Brad Jones stated that the initial focus will be on wholesale applications, with retail methods to be explored later. The RBA has partnered with the Digital Finance Cooperative Research Center to study various aspects of transitioning from hard currency, including corporate bond settlements and tokenized FX settlements. Industry forums are set to begin in 2025 to further refine deployment strategies. This move aligns with global trends, as 134 countries are exploring CBDCs, which some experts believe could potentially increase tax revenues by up to 35% due to the elimination of off-grid money.
Politics
In the United States, former San Diego Sector Border Patrol Chief Aaron Heitke testified before Congress, alleging that the Biden-Harris administration has concealed a significant rise in encounters with suspected terrorists at the U.S.-Mexico border. Heitke claimed that arrests of Special Interest Aliens (SIAs) surged from 10-15 annually before 2021 to over 100 in 2022, with even higher numbers in 2023. He criticized the administration for allowing some illegal border crossers to settle in local communities, which he said burdens local taxpayers. U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) has faced scrutiny, but CBP Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas defended the administration’s actions, citing efforts to address a backlog in asylum hearings. The rising number of terror-linked arrests has led to increased pressure on the administration to enhance border security and transparency.
Relatedly, Bloomberg’s recent map of migrant distribution across the U.S. in 2023 reveals significant clusters in the eastern half of the country, particularly in counties that voted for Biden in the last election. The data suggests that the federal government and non-governmental organizations may have strategically placed migrants in small towns and cities to replace native blue-collar workers. This has led to demographic changes and strained local resources, as seen in Charleroi, Pennsylvania, where a 2,000% increase in Haitian migrants has impacted local schools and employment. The phenomenon, termed the ‘Great Job Replacement,’ has seen 1.4 million native-born workers lose their jobs since October 2019, while foreign-born workers have gained 3 million jobs, causing significant contention among blue-collar workers.
Health
A new Spanish study has raised concerns about the potential risks of Covid vaccinations for heart attack patients. Conducted at a Madrid hospital, the study followed nearly 1,000 heart attack patients and found that vaccinated individuals who had previously contracted Covid had a 50% higher risk of death or heart failure compared to unvaccinated patients who had been infected. The increased risk persisted even after adjusting for factors like smoking and age. The study suggests that the combination of vaccination and prior Covid infection might predispose individuals to severe heart failure, with vaccinated patients showing 31 times more anti-spike protein antibodies than their unvaccinated counterparts. Despite these findings, American interest in researching the potential side effects of mRNA Covid vaccines has waned, with most current studies coming from Europe and East Asia. The Centers for Disease Control still recommends Covid vaccinations and boosters for everyone over six months old, but the study indicates that the potential risks are not being adequately addressed in the United States.
Sources
Australia Fast-Tracks Wholesale CBDC with Project Acacia Launch
The Reserve Bank of Australia (RBA) is rapidly developing a wholesale central bank digital currency (CBDC) as developed nations move toward a cashless society.
Source | Submitted by rhollenb
Ex-Border Patrol Chief Alleges Biden-Harris Admin Suppressed Data on Terrorist Encounters
“I was told I could not release any information on this increase in SIAs or mention any of the arrests,” Heitke testified. “The administration was trying to convince the public there was no threat at the border.”
Source | Submitted by AaronMcKeon
Bloomberg Map Reveals Migrant ‘Great Job Replacement’ Across US Counties
In the battleground states that will decide this November’s election, about 72% of migrants in 2023 went to Biden counties while less than a third went to Trump counties, the Bloomberg analysis found.
Source | Submitted by Redneck Engineer
New Study Suggests Covid Vaccines May Double Risk of Death or Heart Failure Post-Heart Attack
Being vaccinated against Covid sharply increased the risk heart attack patients would die or suffer heart failure after heart attacks, a new Spanish study shows.
Source | Submitted by richcabot
