🌊 Massive rainfall has triggered severe flooding across Australia, turning streets into rivers.

Footage from social media

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📹 Bulldozers have entered the village of Tamun in the northern West Bank as the Israeli army begins demolishing infrastructure.

The Israeli Defense Forces announced the launch of a new operation in the area.

Hamas condemned the attack, saying: "The barbaric bombing of the West Bank is clear evidence of the occupation's aggressive approach and its determination to stop the tide of resistance."

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🔍How much has Big Pharma paid Senate’s loudest RFK Jr. critics?

The fiery exchange between RFK Jr and Bernie Sanders on Big Pharma money in politics has cast a new light on the Trump HHS pick’s uphill confirmation battle.

Among senators grilling Kennedy hardest, here’s who’s gotten the most pharma money via PAC contributions and employee donations between 1990-2024, per OpenSecrets:

🟠Bernie Sanders – $1.9M
🟠Elizabeth Warren – $1.2M
🟠Ron Wyden – $1.2M
🟠Raphael Warnock – $1.76M
🟠Patty Murray – $1.6M
🟠Chuck Schumer – $1.55M
🟠Bill Cassidy – $1.2M

Bipartisan consensus

It’s not just Democrats. The GOP also has its share of industry-backed figures:

🟠Mitch McConnell – $2M
🟠Mitt Romney – $3.3M
🟠Richard Burr – $1.6M
🟠The late John McCain – $1.4M
🟠Roy Blunt, John Cornyn, Tim Scott – $1.1M each

A 2021 STAT study found two-thirds of Congress got pharma money in 2020, with Pfizer alone donating to 228 federal campaigns. By mid-2024, Big Pharma’s PAC war chest hit $37M, per BioSpace.

Beyond donations: insider trading & media influence

🟠A 2021 BI report found 75 lawmakers profited off Covid-related stock trades while shaping policy.
🟠The broader healthcare industry (pharma, insurance, medical devices, etc.) has paid lawmakers even more: $23M to Sanders, $14.7M to Warnock, $10.4M to Warren, $6.7M to Wyden, etc.
🟠The media plays along too: WaPo anti-RFK hit piece author Dr. Leana Wen has received $1.1M from Big Pharma, while Big Pharma cheerleader Bill Gates has funneled $320M to media over the years, per MintPress News.

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Musk’s treasury access sparks backlash

Elon Musk and his DOGE team now have full access to the US federal payment system, which processes $6 trillion yearly, including Social Security and government salaries.

Approved by Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent, the move gives Musk’s Department of Government Efficiency the power to monitor and potentially limit spending. Critics warn this could let the Trump administration restrict Congress-approved funds.

Musk has reportedly claimed that starting Monday, DOGE will block federal payments they consider wasteful, even if legally approved. Concerns are growing over their unchecked influence.

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