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Hundreds of French Citizens Suffer Cardiac Events After Bivalent Boosters

By Dr. Peter McCullough, March 31, 2023

I have served on or chaired two dozen data safety monitoring boards for randomized trials of novel experimental drugs or devices. I …

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Diagnosed with autism at the age of nine, Amit Smuchi managed to join the IDF, thanks to the Special in Uniform program, becoming the lead singer of an army band.

By TPS

The IDF offers people with developmental disorders such as autism an opportunity to serve in the military, giving them a chance to integrate into Israeli society along with everyone else through a program called “Special in Uniform” (SIU).

And, as countries around the world mark World Autism Awareness Day Sunday, April 2, the IDF provided an opportunity for one such soldier on the autism spectrum with “astounding musical talents” to sing with celebrities, and, with others like himself, raise awareness about developmental disorders while proving themselves to be integral, contributing members of society.

By the time he was two- years-old, Amit Smuchi was singing complex songs, complete with lyrics. His astounding musical talents, combined with other behavioral patterns, caused his parents to suspect that something wasn’t quite right with their son. At the age of 9, Amit was diagnosed as on the autism spectrum.

Amit made a major breakthrough for people on the spectrum when he came of age and became a lead singer in a military band featuring soldiers with disabilities in the framework of the IDF’s SIU program.

Twenty years ago, Moshe and Dorit Smuchi were ecstatic about the birth of their firstborn son. “Amit was born naturally following a normal pregnancy, and until he was 2 years old, developed according to the book,” recalled Moshe.

“But slowly, we began noticing developmental blips and the daycare staff pointed out that he preferred to play alone and would often mumble to himself. He loved watching TV and movies, and he could repeat an entire show verbatim after a single viewing.”

Such total recall is one of the aspects of autism. People on the spectrum tend to have remarkable memories sometimes described as “photographic.”

Moshe and Dorit had no clue where this was all leading them.

“We guessed that something was wrong, and we did everything in our power to support his development. We tried sending him to a range of extracurricular activities, from swimming to horseback riding, from choirs to music lessons, but nothing seemed to help,” they explained.

They noticed that Amit had remarkable musical talents and were determined to help him maximize those strengths. But at the same time, it was difficult for them, as parents, to accept the fact their son was neurodivergent, a term that no one even heard of when Amit was a baby. This was why, they explained, it took until Amit was 9 years old to get him a proper diagnosis.

Eventually, they enrolled him in the Democratic School where Amit was given the tools and stage to develop himself musically. Throughout his years in elementary and high school, Amit was involved in a range of school events and ceremonies, and despite his differences, was popular and well-accepted among his peers.

And as a musician, Amit has shattered societal stigmas and proven both to himself and the world that men and women with disabilities can go far and contribute to society just like everybody else.

“We did everything we could to help Amit feel accepted, like an equal—and he really was. We had no doubt that when he’d graduate, he’d go on to the army together with his class,” added Moshe.

This is why Amit’s entire family was shocked and hurt when he first received an automatic military exemption due to his autism.

“We didn’t want the exemption, and neither did our son, and we were determined to fight it!” said Dorit. “Moshe recalled that he’d once heard of a JNF-USA-sponsored program that integrates young people with disabilities and autism into the IDF. We researched it, and discovered SIU.”

Begun in 2014, Special in Uniform is a Jewish National Fund-USA program that integrates young adults with disabilities into the IDF and, in turn, into Israeli society. Its core belief is that everyone belongs and has the right to reach his or her full potential.

SIU gives people with disabilities the chance to give back to their country in a role that is fit for their skills. Once they complete their training, they receive their soldier IDs and are placed in military bases across Israel, where they have an amazing opportunity to integrate with fellow soldiers and fulfill meaningful service in the IDF.

The musical program of SIU aims to help these recruits experience the military while expanding their social skills. The goal of the music program is to expose those with autism and other disabilities to an environment where individual differences are celebrated and where no one will be embarrassed.

According to medical research, music stimulates areas of the brain that, in people with disabilities, are weak or damaged. Music builds and strengthens the auditory, visual/spatial, and motor cortices of the brain. These areas are tied to speech and language, social skills, reading and reading comprehension.

Studies indicate that when young people with disabilities learn a musical instrument, improvements are seen in attention span, concentration, impulse control, social functioning, self-esteem, self-expression, motivation, and memory. Studies have also shown that children and young adults who have difficulty focusing when “background noise” is present are particularly helped by music.

All of the above issues are experienced by people on the autism spectrum.

During the initial screening process for acceptance, SIU’s staff was impressed by Amit’s rare musical talents, and even before he was officially accepted into the program, they decided to incorporate him into the SIU Band.

“Today, I work in Logistics on the Julis Base (near Ashdod) as part of the Yahalom (diamond) Unit, which is the special unit of the Combat Engineering Corps. This is a dream come true for me, to contribute my part to the IDF and to also use my musical talents to make people happy,” said Amit.

The person behind the SIU Band is a former producer of the IAF military band Ido Dekel, who directs three separate bands, each comprised of 8 musicians with a range of disabilities. The SIU Band has experienced record-breaking success, and many of its performances have gone viral, moving audiences around the world to tears. In the two years since its inception, the musicians have performed in over 350 events and ceremonies in Israel.

The band has performed with some of Israel’s biggest celebrities such as Eden Ben Zaken.

“The Band weaves a professional and emotional blanket of support around the special soldier and imbues him with confidence to appear on stage and utilize his or her musical talents,” said Dekel. “Members of our band who previously felt shy singing at home in their living rooms are now singing confidently before audiences of thousands.”

“With a little more training, Amit’s band will soon be competing with traditional military bands,” said Ido. “These kids are special—and not only because they’re disabled. They’ve got superb talents, and they deserve opportunities to succeed. Time and again, SIU Band reinforces the powerful lesson that they can succeed, and that they’re no different than anyone else. It’s an integral message in accepting social diversity, and it makes the IDF and Israeli society a kinder, more accepting society.”

Since its inception, SIU brought together 950 volunteers with disabilities, approximately 50% of whom were diagnosed on the autistic spectrum, into varying capacities in the IDF. The demand to expand the program is great, and there are hundreds of adolescents on the waiting list vying to be accepted.

Ahead of International Autism Day, Rabbi Mendy Belitzky, CEO of Lend A Hand to A Special Child, noted, “This is the time to convey a message to Israelis and to the world that every child and adult—neuro-typical or neuro-divergent—can accomplish incredible things. Amit is one of 950 young people who received an automatic exemption from military service, but who fought the exemption in order to contribute their strengths and talents to our country. Today, all these kids are serving or volunteering in the IDF in a range of capacities and on bases across Israel, proving that with willpower, you can shatter any stigma and accomplish anything you dream.”

The United Nations General Assembly unanimously declared 2 April as World Autism Awareness Day to highlight the need to help improve the quality of life of those with autism so they can lead full and meaningful lives as an integral part of society.

Autism is a lifelong neurological condition that manifests during early childhood, irrespective of gender, race, or socio-economic status. The term Autism Spectrum refers to a range of characteristics. Appropriate support, accommodation and acceptance of this neurological variation allow those on the Spectrum to enjoy equal opportunity, and full and effective participation in society.

Autism is mainly characterized by its unique social interactions, non-standard ways of learning, keen interests in specific subjects, inclination to routines, challenges in typical communications and particular ways of processing sensory information.

The stigmatization and discrimination associated with neurological differences remain substantial obstacles to diagnosis and therapies, an issue that must be addressed by both public policymakers in developing nations, as well as donor countries.

The post IDF’s ‘Special in Uniform’ program gives disabled Israelis a chance to serve appeared first on World Israel News.

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Singer-songwriter and actress Montana Tucker is tapping into the power of social media to teach the next generation about the Holocaust.

By Shiryn Ghermezian, The Algemeiner

An American social media activist and influencer with over 12 million followers on her combined social media platforms said she is inspired by her maternal grandparents who are Holocaust survivors to use her online presence to teach the younger generation about antisemitism and all forms of hatred, she told The Algemeiner.

Montana Tucker — an award-winning singer-songwriter, actress and former professional backup dancer who describes herself as a “proud Jewish woman” — recently shared on social media her visit to the White House to speak with Jewish Second Gentleman Doug Emhoff about combating hate and bias, and how their respective trips to the site of the former Auschwitz concentration camp in Poland changed their lives.

The 30-year-old also created a video series last year for TikTok, which went viral, about her trip to Auschwitz and now visits schools to talk to students about Holocaust education.

“I find that a lot of times on social media, when people are passionate about something, they start attacking the other side, and that’s just continuing to fuel the fire,” she said. “It’s really important to say you’re educating, these are the facts, this is what’s going on, versus attacking the other side. We did the [Holocaust] series and it’s definitely not stopping there.”

Tucker used to post mostly dance videos on her popular TikTok page until she visited the former Auschwitz concentration camp in late 2022 to chronicle her grandparents’ experiences during the Holocaust and share their story with her social media followers, in order to educate them about the Nazi atrocities of World War II.

Tucker’s grandfather, who died three years and a half years ago at the age of 97, survived a Nazi labor camp and her grandmother, who survived Auschwitz, is 94 but has been suffering from Alzheimer’s disease for 14 years.

“Their goal was always to educate, educate, educate,” Tucker said about her grandparents. “It wasn’t until my Zaidy passed away and I rewatched their testimonials … that we decided ‘OK, we’re going to go to Poland and to Auschwitz … and I have millions of followers. The potential of people actually learning and seeing this series is pretty high. If we can make a difference, why not use my platform for that?

“We really wanted to make sure we were getting to the younger generation because there is so much Holocaust denial and kids are just generally not learning about it. We said, if we can be that education – let’s do it.”

Tucker recorded her trip and has over 100 hours of footage from the visit to Auschwitz.

She posted some of the footage as a 10-part video series on TikTok, entitled “How To: Never Forget,” and told said that the short videos were made solely for social media and catered to the “social media generation,” who are used to scrolling quickly on various social media channels and watching quick, short videos.

Her Holocaust series has since been viewed by millions and was repackaged and combined as one, short documentary that is now also available on YouTube. Also because of the series and her continuing efforts to combat hatred, she will be honored by the Auschwitz Jewish Center Foundation at its upcoming gala in June.

Tucker added that she was nervous at first to post her video series on TikTok. “It was risk to take over my social media for 10 days and not post anything for 10 days and solely post something that is a heavy serious matter,” she noted, explaining that in the past when she posted a photo with her grandmother, she had thousands of people unfollow her and send her hateful messages.

But overall the response for her Holocaust series has been positive, she added.

“A lot of people didn’t know I was Jewish, so [they] were really shocked and thankful,” Tucker said. “A new pride has been instilled in the community. I was getting messages from people saying ‘I was really ashamed to be Jewish and now seeing you come out and seeing you post this, I’m proud.’ And from the non-Jewish community, people being like ‘I just genuinely didn’t know this. Thank you for sharing.’”

Tucker hopes to make a second part of the Holocaust video series and continue using her platform to address the rise in antisemitism. She also encourages everyone to visit Auschwitz, calling the trip “the hardest thing but the most important thing anyone can ever do. If anyone has the opportunity to go – please go. It changes you forever.”

The post Social media influencer uses her online platforms to educate millions on Holocaust appeared first on World Israel News.

The small town of Olivehurst, California, is reeling in the wake of a tragic death. A fourteen-year-old middle school student was found hanged inside Lindhurst High School less than an hour after reportedly running away from home.

Yuba County Sheriff Wendell Anderson has confirmed the incident is believed to be suicide. The 14-year-old was found just before 7 am by a school employee. According to police the teen was a student at the high school.

The Marysville Joint Unified School District Superintendent, Fal Asrani, released a statement expressing the trauma detected in the community upon hearing the news. Sheriff Wendell Anderson stated, “I know I can speak of your entire department when I say we are incredibly heartbroken from this tragedy. This will undoubtedly impact our community and I urge anyone suffering with suicidal thoughts to seek help immediately.”

The name of the teen has not been released. The Yuba County Sheriff’s Office is still investigating the incident.

For those struggling with suicidal thoughts, the tragedy in Olivehurst serves as a reminder that help is available and resources are at our disposal. We must accept and break down the stigma of communicating our mental health struggles.

President Ronald Reagan despised mutually assured destruction – the doctrine that if the Soviets attacked the United States with a nuclear weapon the United States would retaliate with nuclear weapons. The fear of nuclear retaliation would then dissuade the Soviets from employing nuclear weapons and maintain deterrence. That was the basic formula Reagan inherited, yet in practice the efforts to maintain credible deterrence in the minds of the Soviets was more complicated than that. 

Reagan affirmed the previous administration’s approach toward the strategy of nuclear deterrence, which was characterized as counterforce, as opposed to countervalue. The United States would seek to deter the Soviet Union from attacking the United States by holding at risk what the Soviets valued most, the infrastructure necessary to perpetuate the communist regime, and would not target the society as such.

President Jimmy Carter’s Single Integrated Operational Plan (SIOP), according to Presidential Directive 59 (PD-59), would provide nuclear targeting options against the Soviet Union and its allies in a variety of contingencies. The targeting plans would be characterized by flexibility and reliance on reserved forces that could bolster and help execute the Carter strategy. PD-59 also went on to outline the categories of the possible targets. These counterforce targets included strategic and theater nuclear weapons and storage; military command, control, communications, and intelligence capabilities; all other military forces including stationary and mobile; and industrial facilities that would sustain the war effort.

At the time Carter’s policy, as with Nixon’s, stoked fears among some that the focus on flexibility, targeting the adversary’s weapons, means of regime control and warfighting meant that the United States was preparing for “nuclear warfighting” and thereby making nuclear war more likely. The preferred alternative to flexible and discriminate targeting was a force that had fewer options and targeted cities so that nuclear war remained maximally horrific. To them, this increased the likelihood that deterrence would hold. But nuclear strategists inside the Pentagon, charged with the responsibility to seek to prevent the Soviets from employing a nuclear weapon, the logic of the critics would undermine rather than strengthen the credibility of deterrence. 

If the Soviets did decide to launch a nuclear weapon, American strategists determined that potential US responses would seek to retaliate in such a way as to convince the Soviets to stop escalation and end the conflict with the lowest levels of destruction possible. Would the Soviets necessarily respond to US retaliation with more nuclear escalation? Possibly, but the US had an obligation to prepare to end the conflict and for that the President would need a spectrum of options. Having fewer nuclear response options that did not hold at risk what the adversary valued, including his ability to carry out his military and political objectives, risked maintaining a nuclear force that was not credible in the minds of the Soviets and therefore had an unacceptable degree of risk that deterrence would fail. Threatening the Soviets with societal destruction was not credible; it was also immoral. 

President Ronald Reagan embraced the Nixon and Carter paradigms to calibrate a force and policy that would optimize the success of US deterrence, cementing American deterrence and establishing what strategists have accurately labeled the “canonical categories” that provide the United States with what it has long believed at necessary to maximize the potential success of American deterrence options.

Although Reagan embraced the canonical categories and maintained the non-targeting of cities policy, he also famously sought to bolster some aspects of the strategic posture – notably, improving active defenses to reduce “the likelihood of coercion and increased prospects for postwar recovery of the United States.” This was one of Reagan’s greatest contributions to statecraft and strategic thought: not only was it immoral to target cities as such, but in Reagan’s mind it was immoral to intentionally permit American cities to remain vulnerable when we had the ability as a nation to better protect them. To strengthen the credibility of US deterrence, the United States should not only seek to advance its offensive forces, but also invest in the technologies to blunt a Soviet attack and shield the American people.

The Strategic Defense Initiative (SDI) speech, which Reagan delivered 40 years ago on March 23rd, 1983, articulated an American defense program, but it also added to, rather than undermined, the bipartisan US nuclear deterrence policy that had evolved since WWII. Yet beyond that, when President George W. Bush withdrew the United States from the Anti-Ballistic Missile (ABM) Treaty in 2003, he opened the door to building on Reagan’s ideas and the technologies that had only been developed (and then shelved) since SDI.

Today, the United States has limited missile defense architecture. Our existing defenses are designed to protect the American people, allies and deployed forces from shorter-range missile threats and rogue states like North Korea. But there is no longer a treaty that prohibits the United States from investing in technologies to expand missile defense closer to the more robust vision Reagan had in mind. Commercial technologies have developed, the cost of space launch has significantly decreased, and the threat from two major nuclear powers—China and Russia— looms.

There is no silver bullet to guarantee the protection of the American people. But increasing the credibility of deterrence and thereby improving America’s ability to protect its civilian population points to the wisdom of Ronald Reagan and the moral and strategic assumptions he so eloquently articulated in his SDI speech. 

The post The Wisdom of Reagan’s Strategic Defense Initiative appeared first on Providence.

For the first time ever, a former American president has been criminally indicted, after Manhattan grand jury charges Trump with over 30 counts of business fraud.

By World Israel News Staff

Former President Donald J. Trump has been indicted by a grand jury in Manhattan, marking the first time ever in American history that a president or former president has faced criminal charges.

While details of the indictment have yet to be released, it appears the charges stem from payments made by Trump to adult film star Stephanie Gregory, better known as Stormy Daniels, and model Karen McDougal.

Both Gregory and McDougal claimed to have had affairs with Trump in 2006, with former Trump attorney Michael Cohen later saying he paid the women $130,000 and $150,000 in hush money prior to the 2016 presidential election.

After the payments were revealed in 2018, the Federal Election Commission and the U.S. Attorney’s Office in the Southern District of New York investigated the payouts for possible wrong-doing.

Both the F.E.C. and the U.S. Attorney’s Office declined to file charges against Trump, dropping the cases in 2021 and 2019 respectively.

On Thursday night, however, following an investigation by Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg, Trump was charged with more than 30 counts of business fraud, with authorities saying they expect Trump to be taken into custody in New York sometime next week.

“This evening we contacted Mr. Trump’s attorney to coordinate his surrender to the Manhattan D.A.’s Office for arraignment on a Supreme Court indictment, which remains under seal,” Manhattan District Attorney’s Office spokesperson said.

“Guidance will be provided when the arraignment date is selected.”

It is unclear if Trump, a resident of the state of Florida, will comply with the indictment and travel to New York to surrender himself.

Florida Governor Ron DeSantis, a likely contender for the 2024 Republican presidential nomination, slammed the indictment as “un-American,” and vowed not to cooperate in extraditing Trump, should the former president refuse to surrender himself to New York authorities.

“The weaponization of the legal system to advance a political agenda turns the rule of law on its head. It is un-American,” DeSantis said, according to The Hill.

“The Soros-backed Manhattan District Attorney has consistently bent the law to downgrade felonies and to excuse criminal misconduct. Yet, now he is stretching the law to target a political opponent.”

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