The Widow in the Woods: Part 2

Biden Challenger Lays Off Most Staff -- But Vows to Continue

NY Post: Nikki's Last Stand in SC?

The Amazon rainforest could soon be reaching a tipping point‚ according to a new study‚ with a combination of human-induced pressures such as global warming and deforestation pushing it towards either partial or‚ in the worst-case scenario‚ total collapse‚ by 2050."We are approaching a potential large-scale tipping point‚ and we may be closer (both at local scales and across the whole system) than we previously thought‚" said lead author Bernardo Flores‚ speaking to Agence France-Presse.To reach this conclusion‚ researchers took data from computer models and past observations to identify the five key stressors to the world’s biggest rainforest – global warming‚ annual rainfall‚ the intensity of rainfall seasonality‚ the length of the dry season‚ and deforestation.They then analyzed these stressors to determine where their individual thresholds that could trigger local‚ regional‚ or total collapse might be‚ and at what point they could combine to produce a “tipping point”‚ where even a small stress could cause a drastic ecosystem shift.It was the combination of triggers that the researchers found to be the real kicker; they estimated that by 2050‚ 10 to 47 percent of the Amazon rainforest would be exposed to enough compounding stresses that it could trigger “unexpected ecosystem transitions and potentially exacerbate regional climate change‚” the authors write.“Compounding disturbances are increasingly common within the core of the Amazon‚” Flores explained in a statement. “If these disturbances act in synergy‚ we may observe unexpected ecosystem transitions in areas previously considered as resilient‚ such as the moist forests of the western and central Amazon.”If such a situation occurred‚ it would not just affect the rainforest itself. The vast swathes of trees in the Amazon act as an enormous carbon sink‚ which impacts the climate on a global scale. However‚ with deforestation and climate change‚ the forest could end up spitting out more carbon than it sinks – something which a 2021 study suggested may already be happening.This could lead the Amazon rainforest to end up in a particularly vicious cycle.“We have evidence showing that rising temperatures‚ extreme droughts and fires are can affect how the forest functions and change which tree species can integrate the forest system‚” said study co-author Dr Adriane Esquivel-Muelbert. “With the acceleration of global change there’s an increasing likelihood that we will see positive feedback loops in which‚ rather than being able to repair itself‚ the forest loss becomes self-reinforced.”The study is published in Nature.

After outspoken Vladimir Putin critic Alexei Navalny was murdered on Friday‚ Washington Post associate editor Jonathan Capehart joined PBS NewsHour to claim that former President Donald Trump “emboldened” Putin and clearly looks forward to a Trump win in November.  Host Geoff Bennett began by reporting “President Biden said today there's “no doubt” that Vladimir Putin's government is behind the death of the outspoken dissident Alexei Navalny. I want to start with your reaction and your assessment of the implications.”     Capehart began by noting the timing‚ “Well‚ it was shocking‚ just because of who Navalny was‚ in terms of opposition‚ a well-known opponent of Vladimir Putin‚ but also because of its timing‚ to my mind.” He noted that‚ “The Munich Security Conference is happening right now. It is the most important gathering of national security and foreign policy leaders from around the world. And the announcement of Navalny's death comes — came a few hours before Vice President Harris was supposed to speak‚ which was known.” If Capehart had ended there‚ he would have been fine‚ but he kept going‚ “Mrs. Navalny was there to do a panel with Secretary — former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton. This comes after we have been listening to Donald Trump saying‚ if NATO doesn't pay its bills‚ well‚ then Russia can — quote — ‘do whatever the hell they want.’” Vladimir Putin has been killing his opponents long before Trump came along‚ but Capehart continued‚ “And so this sends an — I think‚ an incredibly chilling message‚ chilling message to the world that Vladimir Putin‚ for lots of reasons‚ probably feels very‚ very emboldened. And when there's a major candidate running for president of the United States saying the things that he's saying‚ Putin probably feels confident that‚ maybe come November‚ he will have a friend in the White House and he can do whatever the hell he wants.” Back in the real world‚ Putin said‚ just this week‚ that he prefers Biden because he is “more experienced‚ more predictable.” PBS viewers can decide for themselves just how seriously they take such claims‚ but somebody should have at least mentioned them. Here is a transcript for the February 16 show: PBS NewsHour 2/16/2024 7:42 PM ET GEOFF BENNETT: President Biden said today there's “no doubt” that Vladimir Putin's government is behind the death of the outspoken dissident Alexei Navalny. I want to start with your reaction and your assessment of the implications. JONATHAN CAPEHART: Well‚ it was shocking‚ just because of who Navalny was‚ in terms of opposition‚ a well-known opponent of Vladimir Putin‚ but also because of its timing‚ to my mind. The Munich Security Conference is happening right now. It is the most important gathering of national security and foreign policy leaders from around the world. And the announcement of Navalny's death comes — came a few hours before Vice President Harris was supposed to speak‚ which was known. Mrs. Navalny was there to do a panel with Secretary — former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton. This comes after we have been listening to Donald Trump saying‚ if NATO doesn't pay its bills‚ well‚ then Russia can — quote — "do whatever the hell they want." And so this sends an — I think‚ an incredibly chilling message‚ chilling message to the world that Vladimir Putin‚ for lots of reasons‚ probably feels very‚ very emboldened. And when there's a major candidate running for president of the United States saying the things that he's saying‚ Putin probably feels confident that‚ maybe come November‚ he will have a friend in the White House and he can do whatever the hell he wants.

Residents of a neighborhood in Long Beach‚ California‚ are shocked after police said they followed a trail of blood into an abandoned building and found a homeless man stabbed to death. Long Beach police said they responded to a call for help from firefighters who were attending to a man who needed medical attention on Thursday morning on Long Beach Boulevard near East Anaheim Street. Police said they followed a trail of blood into an abandoned building‚ where they found the dead body of a 35-year-old man with multiple stab wounds to his upper body. The man was pronounced dead at the scene by Long Beach Fire Department paramedics. An initial investigation indicated that the homeless man might have gotten into an altercation with another man who fled from the scene. People from the neighborhood told KABC that the man was homeless. Some said that homelessness had become a serious problem. "They come‚ scream and they scare you‚ and you don't know how to react or how they're going to react when they get angry‚" said Alma Iniguez‚ who works at a cellular wireless tent near the scene of the crime. "This is a very conflict area. I heard after all the business closes‚ a lot of things happen." Martha Orellano‚ a street vendor‚ told KABC the neighborhood had worsened since the pandemic. "In today's day and age‚ people are displaced with some many drugs and a lot of other things happening‚" she explained. "My advice is that when you see someone like that‚ if they harass you‚ call police." Police said their investigation is ongoing‚ and they are asking for help from the public for information about the case. Here's a news report about the incident: Like Blaze News? Bypass the censors‚ sign up for our newsletters‚ and get stories like this direct to your inbox. Sign up here!

One week after a jury convicted former Baltimore City State's Attorney Marilyn Mosby of fraud‚ the federal judge overseeing her case denied a defense motion for acquittal‚ meaning that Mosby's conviction will stand‚ at least for now. The charges against the controversial prosecutor stem from false statements made by Mosby on a mortgage application on a Florida condo in order to lock in a lower interest rate. Separately‚ she was charged and convicted in November 2023 with two counts of perjury for lies she told to investigators who were looking into the transaction. In the most recent criminal case against her‚ Mosby faced two charges of mortgage fraud‚ and was convicted of one of those charges by the jury.In their arguments and briefs‚ Mosby's defense attorneys argued that the prosecution had charged Mosby in an improper venue‚ claiming they failed to sufficiently prove that she was in Maryland at the time she wrote and sent the "gift letter" document that formed the basis of the fraud charges. U.S. District Judge Lydia Kay Griggsby disagreed‚ upholding Mosby's conviction and ordering Mosby to surrender her passport. During the hearing‚ the courtroom was packed with Mosby's supporters‚ who perhaps predictably claimed that Mosby was being persecuted because of her race and/or gender. "You're going to come after this one Black woman over a gift letter? Come on now‚ that is ridiculous‚" said one supporter to WJZ-TV. Another‚ who identified herself as Nia 2X of the National Action Network‚ said‚ "We know her soul. We know her spirit. She is our sister‚ our leader." Mosby made national headlines in 2021 when she announced that her office would respond to a crime surge in Baltimore by refusing to prosecute prostitution‚ drug possession or other 'low level' crimes‚ on the theory that this approach would somehow lead to less crime. Perhaps unsurprisingly‚ this approach was not successful‚ as these so-called 'low level' crimes promptly began to run even more rampant in Baltimore‚ leading to a crisis as a number of Baltimore businesses refused to pay taxes until order was restored in certain parts of the city. The situation became so dire that in November 2021 Maryland governor Larry Hogan threatened to withhold funding for Mosby's office if they did not begin to actually prosecute crime in the city. Mosby's tenure as prosecutor was so ineffective that she was ultimately defeated in the Democratic primary in 2022‚ thus ending her tenure as prosecutor.

The Russian prison service said 47-year-old Nalavny had passed away after feeling uneasy after a walk.

Dana Loesch Has Reality Checks for (and About) Rich Celebs Who Lecture You About Guns