The United States Federal Reserve’s condition on reaching maximum employment before raising interest rates “could be met relatively soon” if the labor market continues to improve “at the recent pace,” most policymakers present at the December 2021 meeting of the Federal Open Market Committee (FOMC) and the Board of Governors had stated, according to the meeting minutes made public on Wednesday. Central bankers “generally noted that… it may become warranted to increase the federal funds rate sooner or at a faster pace than participants had earlier anticipated.” Some Fed officials suggested adopting “a less accommodative future stance” on monetary policy using “a measured approach” to keep flexibility and that the FOMC “should convey a strong commitment to address elevated inflation pressures.” Policymakers’ projections for the first interest rate hike have moved from the first quarter of 2023 to June 2022, the document said. “At some point” after that first interest rate increase, a reduction in the size of the Fed’s balance sheet “would likely be appropriate,” according to “almost all participants” of the meeting.
France struck with record 335,000 COVID-19 cases…… Virus cases in Italy rise by record 189,109 in one day…… Netherlands sees record 24,490 COVID-19 cases
French Health Minister Olivier Veran confirmed on Wednesday the country registered a new record of about 335,000 new COVID-19 cases over the last 24 hours. The update comes as the government is about to hold a meeting on the health situation in France and discuss potential new restrictions to curb the worst outbreak to date. However, President Emmanuel Macron insisted yesterday there won’t be any new curbs after today’s meeting.
Virus cases in Italy rise by record 189,109 in one day
Italian health officials reported on Wednesday that record-high 189,109 cases have been detected in the previous 24 hours, taking the total number of coronavirus infections to 6,756,035. Over the same time span, the COVID-19 death toll in the country rose by 231 to 138,276. A total of 5,196,642 patients have been cured of the disease since the beginning of the pandemic, data also showed.
Netherlands sees record 24,490 COVID-19 cases
The Netherlands registered record 24,490 new COVID-19 cases and 39 coronavirus-related deaths over the previous day, according to the official data updated on Wednesday. Despite the number of daily recorded infections declining through most of December, the spreading curve turned up again following the Christmas and New Year holidays. However, children will return to classrooms in primary and secondary schools from next week despite record figures, the government confirmed earlier this week.
Chicago cancels school as record-setting Omicron wave spurs more disruptions
CHICAGO, Jan 5 (Reuters) – Chicago officials canceled classes in the nation’s third-largest school district on Wednesday amid a dispute with the teachers’ union, the latest disruption to U.S. education and life as the Omicron variant spurs a record-setting COVID-19 surge. The move came after the teachers’ union voted late on Tuesday to return to remote learning and pushed for more rigorous safety protocols, citing concerns about the rapid spread of the highly infectious Omicron variant that has upended air travel, Broadway shows and back-to-office plans in recent weeks. The rolling seven-day average number of new COVID-19 cases in the United States hit 540,000, a new high for an eighth consecutive day on Tuesday. The country shattered global records for a single day with nearly 1 million new infections on Monday, according to a Reuters tally.
WHO Official Downplays Coronavirus Variant Found in France…. like they did all the other killer varients
The World Health Organization said a coronavirus variant found in France hasn’t become much of a threat since it was first identified in November. The variant “has been on our radar,” Abdi Mahamud, a WHO incident manager on Covid, said at a press briefing in Geneva on Tuesday. “That virus had a lot of chances to pick up.” The variant was identified in 12 people in the southern Alps around the same time that omicron was discovered in South Africa last year. The latter mutation has since traveled the globe and kindled record levels of contagion, unlike the French one that researchers at the IHU Mediterranee Infection — helmed by scientist Didier Raoult –nicknamed IHU. The first patient identified with the variant was vaccinated and had just returned from Cameroon, IHU researchers wrote in a paper published on the medRxiv server in late December where they first drew attention to the atypical mutations.
It’s “too early to speculate on virological, epidemiological or clinical features of this IHU variant based on these 12 cases,” they wrote in the article, which hasn’t been peer reviewed.
The WHO monitors multiple variants, and when it finds one may pose a significant risk, it declares it a “variant of concern.” This one is only under investigation. NN: The WHO also downplayed the Delta and Omicron and you saw how that turned out. Come to think of it they also told us covid19 was nothing to worry about
Brent Oil Near $80 as OPEC+ Adds More Crude to Tightening Market
(Bloomberg) — Oil was steady after OPEC and its allies agreed to a scheduled increase in production for next month, and an industry report pointed to another decline in U.S. crude inventories. Futures in London traded near $80 a barrel. OPEC+ on Tuesday stuck to its plan to add 400,000 barrels a day for February after it cut estimates for a surplus in the first quarter. The American Petroleum Institute reported U.S. stockpiles fell by 6.43 million barrels last week, according to people familiar with the data. Official government figures are due Wednesday. Oil finished 2021 on a strong footing as a string of global supply outages boosted sentiment. Consultant Facts Global Energy said the disruption — which in recent weeks has included Ecuador, Libya and Nigeria — totaled close to 1 million barrels a day. Though concerns about the hit to demand from the omicron virus variant have eased and major economies continue to rebound from the pandemic, there’s still some uncertainty in Asia. Hong Kong announced tighter curbs on Wednesday. Earlier this week, the small Chinese city of Yuzhou went into lockdown after a few virus cases, while Xi’an has seen prolonged restrictions after a flare-up. While oil is trading near $80, “the market is clearly concentrating on the price supportive news,” said Barbara Lambrecht, an energy analyst at Commerzbank AG. “Whether the optimism will suffice to ignore the looming supply surplus in any lasting fashion will presumably depend chiefly on the omicron wave.” The actual volume that OPEC+ adds to the market in February could be less than planned, due to some members struggling to hit production targets. Energy Aspects Ltd. co-founder Amrita Sen predicts the alliance will increase output by 250,000 barrels a day next month. NN: See we took profits at $70…… So let them get all hysterical and drive prices higher so we can do a play it again Sam number on them……
Mercedes warns owners of fire risk it can’t fix…
Iran believes that maneuvering missiles, drones will evade air defense
https://youtu.be/KnRpDytQv0k
The Islamic Republic is seeking to improve its missile and drone capability to tap into the latest technology from Russia and China and learn how to get around the latest air-defense systems, according to Iranian military analysts who were cited in a long article published by Iran’s Tasnim News Agency. The interesting article was transparent in laying out where Tehran seeks to go next in its offensive military technology. Iran already has a plethora of drones and missiles and is seeking greater impact in the realm of space. Tehran now says it wants to learn from the experience of history how missiles have defeated air defense. “It should be noted that maneuvering ballistic warheads are just one step away from Hypersonic Gliding Vehicles (HGVs), which are now the cutting edge of missile technology in warheads,” the report said. “This type of projectile differs from maneuvering warheads only in design and flight path, and its speed varies from Mach 5 to 20 [3,836 mph-15,345 mph] depending on the design and opinion of the manufacturer,” it said. “Instead of gaining altitude, such as ballistic missiles, HGV projectiles travel at much lower altitudes with the possibility of frequent reorientation, and as a result, the early defense radars of the enemy defense have difficulty detecting them and may surprise the enemy missile defense complex.” Iran’s interest here is in learning from Chinese military technology. It openly says the Chinese have moved in the direction of HGV projectiles; Iran likely wants the same weapons. Tehran and Beijing recently signed a 25-year cooperation agreement. This may not involve missiles yet, but Iran could be seeking more technology from North Korea, China and Russia in the coming years. Iran also says its rockets have improved maneuverability. It references the Qadr rocket and what it says is a detachable warhead on the Qiam and Sajil missiles. “The new warhead has a higher height and volume in the lower conical part, which can be the location of a propellant,” the report said. “To compare the simple guided type of three-cone warheads with control wings… Despite the dimensional differences, the new warhead is designed to be compatible with existing missiles. As a result, all Qadr, Sajil and Qiam missiles will be able to be used effectively against targets protected by missile defense systems such as Patriot, Arrow and Aegis with the help of the new warhead.” IRAN IS thus openly saying it seeks to get around Israel’s Arrow air-defense system. Israel has a multilayered air-defense system with Arrow, David’s Sling and Iron Dome; it also has Patriot batteries. Israel and the US cooperate closely on these issues. “The country’s missile scientists have overcome these problems only six years after the unveiling of [the] Emad [missile] and have taken a very important step toward increasing the impact of the country’s missile capability,” the report said. “Missile defense systems have significant weaknesses due to their dependence on the same path prediction, which is even more acute than the problems of interference and saturation of their radars,” it said. Iran cited the failure of Patriots to stop Iraqi Scud missiles in 1991 as an example. “In that system, due to the dependence of the accuracy of the radar calculations on the duration of the [missile’s flight], a small computational error” will cause a “cumulative effect… over time,” causing the radar “to err in predicting the next point of presence of the missile in the path and the inappropriate area,” the report said. “Until now, Iranian missiles have relied on increasing maximum speed and decreasing geometric dimensions and radar reflection to overcome the enemy missile defense systems. Methods of reducing radar reflection or interfering with radars” is one challenge, it said. “There is always the possibility of being hit by warheads, especially at low speed.” The report openly discussed the difficulties Iran has had and how it is overcoming the need for better missiles. This is obviously aimed at threatening Israel, the US and Saudi Arabia, among other countries. “Prior to the unveiling of the Emad missile, the warheads of Iranian long-range missiles only reached the accuracy obtained from the navigation systems and the overall guidance and control of the missile, after separation from the missile body could no longer correct the path and increase accuracy,” the report said. It cited the Fateh family of missiles, “which were capable of being guided to the end of the route.” It also discussed the detachable warhead on the Emad missile and increasing accuracy. “This capability was then extended to the Ghadr, Qayam [Qiam] and Khorramshahr family of missiles, and even the Shahab 2 missiles were not spared,” the report said. “In recent years, long-range missiles have taken on anti-ship missions in addition to reaching a point-to-point range of 2,000 km.,” the report said. “This aspect of the missile capability guarantees the role of thwarting the enemy’s crude plans in attacking the borders of the Islamic homeland of Iran.” The report discussed recent Iranian drills using kamikaze drones and missiles. The new Iranian strategy combines drone and missile threats. “Our long-range missiles, including Sajil, Qadr and Emad, were also fired during the exercise,” the report said. “It should be noted that the number of missiles present at the scene of the operation was more than this, but their [lack of public use] caused suspicion. “In an exercise, different units are used at different levels. Four of the at least seven missiles… were prepared for firing and were operatively used. Other missiles simply were trained and prepared for the targeting process with teams of new and old officers, while other launchers at the missile bases may have simply completed the preparation before entering the battlefield.” The point the article was trying to make is that the decision not to test all the missiles was not due to failure. It is unclear if this is true. Overall, the point of this latest report was to raise the curtain on Iran’s strategy. More missiles, more drones and better precision, combined with maneuvering missiles, precision-guided munitions and perhaps a decision to look into glide vehicles and new technologies with China or Russia, means that air defenders in the region will need to up their game against these increasingly dangerous Iranian threats. NN: The hyper sonic missile that travels at 15,000 miles per hour is a game changer. Radars car barely pick them up. And their is no system to stop them. Russia and China are far ahead in this technology. They will soon be deploying them in their arsenals. Like in most things the once mighty empire America is sleeping. When we make a killing in the markets you need to make a very deep bomb shelter…..
North Korea’s Ballistic Missile Launch ‘Regrettable’: Japan’s PM Kishida
North Korea has fired a suspected ballistic missile off its east coast in what would be the first of the New Year, with reports of an “unidentified projectile” being launched. Japan’s Coast Guard first stated what it believed to be the firing of a ballistic missile on Wednesday by the nuclear-armed state. “Since last year, North Korea has repeatedly launched missiles, which is very regrettable,” Japan’s Prime Minister Fumio Kishida said after the launch. An “unidentified projectile” was fired towards the East Sea from North Korea, was also reported by South Korea’s Joint Chiefs of Staff. There are no reports of damage or casualties.It comes days after leader Kim Jong Un vowed to continue developing the military to counter an unstable international situation. United Nations Security Council resolutions ban all ballistic missile tests by North Korea, and have imposed sanctions over the programmes. North Korea is under international sanctions over its nuclear weapons programme but since the start of the pandemic it has become even more isolated, imposing border lockdowns that have slowed trade to a trickle and choking off any in-person diplomatic engagements. It has also stuck to a self-imposed moratorium on testing its largest intercontinental ballistic missiles (ICBMs) or nuclear weapons. The last tests of ICBMs or a nuclear bomb were in 2017, before Kim launched a diplomatic overture to the United States and South Korea that has since stalled. But the country has continued test firing new, short-range ballistic missiles including one last October as tension continues to simmer in the region.
North Korea is under international sanctions over its nuclear weapons programme. The rogue state was test-firing a new type of submarine-launched ballistic missile, adding to concerns over its technological advances in hard-to-intercept weapons.
Pyongyang has been steadily developing its weapons programme amid a standoff over talks aimed at dismantling its nuclear and ballistic missile programmes in return for US sanctions relief. Analysts say North Korea is seeking to normalise its defence activities with the aim of eventually winning international acceptance of its nuclear weapons and ballistic missile arsenals. Much of North Korea’s large conventional artillery force is deployed along the fortified border with South Korea, where they have the range to reach as far as the heavily populated capital city of Seoul. At a regular news briefing on Monday, US State Department spokesperson Ned Price reiterated the United States desire for dialogue with North Korea aimed at increasing the security of the United States and its allies in the region. He repeated that Washington had no hostile intent towards North Korea and was prepared to meet without preconditions. NN: THE world is really fucking up here. This animal must be stopped. The longer we wait the uglier it will be. Soon he will have supersonic highly maneuverable misses that can not be stopeed and then he will attack.
North Korea appear to have fired off a ballistic missile North Korea at it again to kick off 2022
Developing Story
TOKYO (Reuters) – North Korea has fired what could be a ballistic missile, the Japanese Coast Guard said in a statement on Wednesday.
Dow closes at new record, Nasdaq sinks 200 points
Major stock markets in the United States traded mixed at Tuesday’s closing bell after a volatile session marked by underperforming data and rising pandemic-related concerns.
On the COVID-19 front, the federal government ordered an additional 10 million doses of Pfizer’s treatment Paxlovid. Meanwhile, Senator Joe Manchin revealed he hasn’t yet held discussions with Democratic legislators on passing the $1.75 trillion Build Back Better Act.
The Dow Jones soared 0.59% or 214 points at the close. The S&P 500 stood flat, with Ford Motor’s shares soaring to a twenty-year high. On the other hand, the Nasdaq 100 tumbled 1.35% or 222 points, pulled by plunging tech stocks. The euro lost 0.12% against the greenback to sell for 1.12830 at 3:52 pm ET.
How the Omicron mutation affects the fully vaccinated: source NYC ER doctor
A growing body of scientific evidence suggests the omicron variant of COVID-19 is less severe than the delta variant — but according to one prominent New York City emergency room physician, it all depends on what shots you’ve had. Omicron is surging out of control in the city, with the rolling daily average up 79% over the averages for the prior four weeks and hospitalizations up 64% by the same parameters. Nearly one in three tests conducted in the city are coming back positive, while severe cases are doubling or more as of late, particularly in children. Against that backdrop, the city’s emergency rooms are seeing a huge spike in patients – the asymptomatic seeking tests, the symptomatic who don’t know where else to go and those in the ER for other reasons altogether who end up having COVID anyway. Craig Spencer, a Manhattan ER doctor affiliated with Columbia University who became a Twitter superstar in the early days of the pandemic for his running commentary on the battle against the virus, recently shared a detailed breakdown of what the omicron cases he and his colleagues have encountered look like so far.
“Every patient I’ve seen with Covid that’s had a 3rd ‘booster’ dose has had mild symptoms. By mild I mean mostly sore throat. Lots of sore throat. Also some fatigue, maybe some muscle pain. No difficulty breathing. No shortness of breath. All a little uncomfortable, but fine,” Spencer wrote.
From there, it goes downhill – slowly, though. “Most patients I’ve seen that had 2 doses of Pfizer/Moderna still had ‘mild’ symptoms, but more than those who had received a third dose. More fatigued. More fever. More coughing. A little more miserable overall. But no shortness of breath. No difficulty breathing. Mostly fine,” he said. For those who just had the one shot of the J&J vaccine and never took a booster, the situation isn’t as good. “Most patients I’ve seen that had one dose of J&J and had Covid were worse overall. Felt horrible. Fever for a few days (or more). Weak, tired. Some shortness of breath and cough. But not one needing hospitalization. Not one needing oxygen. Not great. But not life-threatening,” he tweeted.
And then there are the unvaccinated, who by all data are being hospitalized at a rate 15x or more the vaccinated.
Hospitalizations are increasing as Omicron cases reach record highs in NYC and all across the country.
But as I noticed on my recent ER shifts, take a look at who needs admission to the hospital for severe Covid? 👇
TL;DR It’s the unvaccinated. https://t.co/MRypDyCcVk pic.twitter.com/xlaRsV8HWn
— Craig Spencer MD MPH (@Craig_A_Spencer) December 31, 2021
“And almost every single patient that I’ve taken care of that needed to be admitted for Covid has been unvaccinated. Every one with profound shortness of breath. Every one whose oxygen dropped when they walked. Every one needing oxygen to breath regularly,” he said. Spencer’s recommendations were straightforward — get vaccinated if you haven’t, get a second dose of something else if you’ve had one J&J shot, and if you’re eligible, get a booster. “So no matter your political affiliation, or thoughts on masks, or where you live in this country, as an ER doctor you’d trust with your life if you rolled into my emergency room at 3am, I promise you that you’d rather face the oncoming Omicron wave vaccinated,” Spencer concluded.