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Read Online  |  Nov. 12, 2024  |  E-Paper

Good morning. It’s Tuesday. Thank you for reading the Morning Brief. Send me a line—Ivan Pentchoukov.

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Former acting ICE Director Tom Homan testifies at a House hearing in front of the Committee on Oversight and Reform, in Washington on July 12, 2019. (Charlotte Cuthbertson/The Epoch Times)

President-elect Donald Trump filled key roles in his incoming administration over the weekend.

Homan and Miller served in the first Trump administration and are returning with the same item at the top of their portfolio: the border.

Waltz is a hawk on communist China. Stefanik has criticized the United Nations over anti-semitism. Zeldin left Congress to pursue an unsuccessful run for New York governor.

A source close to the campaign told The Epoch Times that Trump has already named his choice for the Treasury.

If Trump continues at the current pace, he’ll have filled all his key cabinet roles by the end of the week…

READ: 8 Things to Know About Tom Homan, Trump’s New Border Czar

and …

9 Things to Know About Elise Stefanik, Trump’s Pick for UN Ambassador

More politics:

A woman fired by Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan over a lack of COVID-19 vaccination has been awarded more than $12 million in damages.

What they are saying:

“Clearly, the religious accommodation process was meant to stamp out religious beliefs of employees and promote COVID-19 vaccination within the company,” Noah S. Hurwitz, an attorney representing Domski, told The Epoch Times in an email.

Blue Cross Blue Shield statement: “While Blue Cross respects the jury process and thanks the individual jurors for their service, we are disappointed in the verdict. Blue Cross is reviewing its legal options and will determine its path forward in the coming days.”

More U.S. news

Trump Says He’ll End Birth Citizenship on Day One

Currently, under U.S. law, a person is granted U.S. citizenship if they’re born in the country. Trump argues this creates an incentive for illegal immigration. Join me for the discussion. —Josh

The Kremlin has denied that Russian President Vladimir Putin and U.S. President-elect Donald Trump spoke in the days following Trump’s election win, disputing reports byin Western media outlets.

The Washington Post first reported on Nov. 10, citing anonymous sources, that Trump and Putin had spoken in recent days. The report stated that Trump had urged Putin not to escalate the ongoing Russian invasion of Ukraine and that the two discussed ways to end the ongoing war soon.

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov altogether denied the reports.

“There was no conversation,” Peskov said in remarks published by Russia’s state-sponsored TASS news agency on Nov. 11.

“This is completely untrue; it’s pure fiction.”

The Trump team did not respond to a request for comment.

More world news:

Men and Their Meat Smokers

By Jeffrey A. Tucker

People were out and about this weekend in ways I’ve not seen in years, and there was the rarest of things happening that I thought was a thing of the past. People were smiling. And laughing. And talking with each other expansively and without fear. It’s like some kind of dark cloud has been lifted, even in areas of the country that show up as blue on the voting map… (More)

Looking for a different columnist? Browse the Opinion Section ➞

Vinegar was used by the Babylonians for cooking, as a preservative, and as a medicine. Today, it is still valued for a range of health benefits:

1. Relieves Fatigue

Vinegar can help break down lactic acid buildup in the body, effectively relieving fatigue, restoring energy, and alleviating shoulder and lower back pain. A randomized clinical trial found that apple cider vinegar functions similarly to sports drinks by reducing lactic acid buildup after endurance exercise, thereby delaying muscle fatigue.

2. Promotes Glucose Metabolism

Vinegar can promote calorie burning and boost metabolic rate. Aclinical study published in Nature found that adding a bit of vinegar to foods with a high glycemic index, such as mashed potatoes, can help lower post-meal blood sugar levels in patients with Type 2 diabetes.

3. Reduces Risk of Kidney Stones

Regular vinegar consumption can increase the alkalinity of urine, lowering the risk of uric acid stones. A study published in eBioMedicine indicated that people taking 15 ml of vinegar daily had a lower risk of developing kidney stones. Urine samples showed higher pH levels, lower uric acid and calcium concentrations, and elevated citrate levels—known to suppress kidney stone formation. (More)

A detail of “The Black Brunswicker,” 1860, by John Everett Millais. (Lady Lever Art Gallery, Liverpool)

Seventeenth-century English poet Richard Lovelace celebrated all those who go to war for love of country and honor, even when it involves painful separations.

In his poem, “To Lucasta, Going to the Wars,” the speaker seeks to console his beloved as he rides off to battle, explaining to her that his love of honor and duty does not lessen his love for her—on the contrary, these various loves complement rather than compete with one another.

It is his devotion to honor that enables him to love his lady so profoundly.

Lovelace likely wrote this poem to his fiancée Lucy Sacheverell when he was preparing to fight on behalf of the king during the English Civil Wars.

“Lucasta” is thus a kind of sobriquet for “Lucy” and a combination of the Latin words “lux” (meaning “light”) and “casta” (meaning “pure” or “chaste”).

Thus, the lady’s name suggests that she is an embodiment of “pure light.”

Enjoy the poem here:

To Lucasta, Going to the Wars

Tell me not (Sweet) I am unkind,

That from the nunnery

Of thy chaste breast and quiet mind

To war and arms I fly.

True, a new mistress now I chase

The first foe in the field;

And with a stronger faith embrace

A sword, a horse, a shield.

Yet this inconstancy is such

As you too shall adore;

I could not love thee (Dear) so much,

Lov’d I not Honor more.

Read the full analysis of the poem by writer Walker Larson here.

Spot the Difference is our readers’ favorite. Play it here.

Play more games at Epoch Fun ➞

Thanks for reading.

Have a wonderful day.

—Ivan Pentchoukov, Madalina Hubert, and Kenzi Li.

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Our mailing address is: The Epoch Times. 229 W. 28 St. Fl. 7 New York, NY 10001 | Contact Us

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Read Online  |  Nov. 11, 2024  |  E-Paper

Good morning and Happy Veterans Day. Thanks for reading Morning Brief.

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Caption: Democratic presidential nominee, Vice President Kamala Harris arrives to speak on stage as she concedes the election, at Howard University on Nov. 6, 2024, in Washington, D.C. (Andrew Harnik/Getty Images)

Voters who chose former President Donald Trump over Vice President Kamala Harris were most likely to cite inflation as one of the reasons for their decision, according to a national poll conducted two days after the election.

“In the end, Harris couldn’t outrun her past or her party—perhaps it was a lack of time, but it was certainly a vice grip that proved impossible to escape,” the polling report’s authors wrote.

The poll’s findings were published as top Democrats reel from Tuesday’s election results, point fingers, and assign blame for who’s responsible for Trump’s sweep of the seven battleground states.

“In this election, Americans have made their voice clear: Democrats need to focus more on issues Americans care about, like wages and benefits, and less on being politically correct,” Rep. Tom Suozzi (D-N.Y.) wrote in a Nov. 7 post on X.

More politics:

With the holiday shopping season around the corner, small businesses across the United States could face challenges, with more than 50 percent of Americans planning to spend less at smaller establishments, according to a recent study. Experts say personalized service could be the key to survival in this crucial sales period.

To get those shoppers back, small businesses need to focus on individualized service to stand out this holiday season, said Dave Charest, Constant Contact’s director of small business success.

“There’s more to thriving than just competing on price. Take a local retail shop, for example—it may not match the low prices of big-box stores, but it can offer a personalized shopping experience that big chains just can’t match,” he told The Epoch Times.

READ: Small Businesses Focus on Value, Customization to Succeed in Challenging Holiday Sales Season

Exposing an Illegal Chinese Immigration Hub Run by a CCP Police Officer: Philip Lenczycki

“In the last four years, there has been an unprecedented surge in Chinese illegal immigration…There is a large underground economy tied to this network,” says Philip Lenczycki, a senior investigative reporter at the Daily Caller News Foundation. —Jan

A Global Threat

By Alexander Liao and Sean Tseng

The Russia–Ukraine war has reached another milestone: North Korea’s elite troops recently clashed with Ukrainian forces for the first time.

But this alliance raises the stakes considerably: other countries, such as Iran, Syria, and even Poland, might be drawn in. Consequently, the current regional war could escalate into a much larger global conflict.

Is history somewhat repeating itself? (Full Column)

Looking for a different columnist? Browse the Opinion Section ➞

With just 71 days to go before leaving office, President Joe Biden will continue to push for more military aid to Ukraine in its conflict with Russia while also pushing for a cease-fire in Gaza, according to one of his top advisers.

“Our approach remains the same as it has been for the last two and a half years, which is to put Ukraine in the strongest possible position on the battlefield so that it is ultimately in the strongest possible position at the negotiating table,” National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan said on CBS’s “Face the Nation.”

Trump and Biden are scheduled to meet on Nov. 13 to speak about the transition process, as well as about “what is happening in Europe and Asia and the Middle East,” Sullivan said. (More)

More world news:

Forever Chemicals

A group of man-made substances known as forever chemicals are found in everything from soil and food to common household items and water. An overabundance of these compounds has been detected in U.S. drinking water and that of other industrialized nations, sparking discussion on control and mitigation among experts.

This year, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) said it has observed forever chemicals in America’s groundwater at alarming levels, prompting the first-ever national, enforceable standard for drinking water, meant to protect people from dangerous amounts of PFAS exposure…

READ: Forever Chemicals in US Drinking Water: A Growing Problem

Author Jeff Minick’s father (R) was a World War II veteran who fought with the 88th Division, the “Blue Devils,” against the Germans in Northern Italy. (Biba Kayewich)

In a tribute to the men and women who have served or are currently serving the United States, author Jeff Minick reminds us to treasure and love our country.

Minick honors the war veterans he has met growing up who told him stories about their World War II escapades, including those of his own father, who fought against the Germans in Northern Italy.

Minick himself attended the U.S. Military Academy from 1969 to 1971. He and his fellow recruits spent the summer of 1970 training at nearby Camp Buckner, where their instructors were veterans of the ongoing fighting in Vietnam.

Minick reminds us to stand up to defend our nation in the event of an enemy attack.

“When that happens, we the people must be mentally and spiritually prepared to defend and protect the country that President Abraham Lincoln once called ‘the last best hope of earth,’ Minick writes.

Read his full article here.

Spot the Difference is our readers’ favorite. Play it here.

Play more games at Epoch Fun ➞

Trump and Biden are scheduled to meet on Nov. 13 to speak about the transition process, as well as about “what is happening in Europe and Asia and the Middle East,” Sullivan said. (More)

Thanks for reading. Have a wonderful day.

—Ivan Pentchoukov, Madalina Hubert, and Kenzi Li.

Did someone forward this email to you? Subscribe here.

Have feedback? Write to us here.

Copyright © 2024 The Epoch Times, All rights reserved.

Our mailing address is: The Epoch Times. 229 W. 28 St. Fl. 7 New York, NY 10001 | Contact Us

Our Morning Brief newsletter is one of the best ways to receive the most up-to-date information. If you no longer wish to receive these emails, unsubscribe here.