March 6, 2025
Bhattacharya in Hot Seat, Blackrock Buys Panama Ports for U.S., Abbey Gate Justice, Houthis Terrorists Again
Bhattacharya in Hot Seat, Blackrock Buys Panama Ports for U.S., Abbey Gate Justice, Houthis Terrorists Again
• Analysis of the NIH confirmation hearing and its implications for scientific discourse
• Details of the $23 billion Panama Canal deal and its significance for U.S. interests
• Discussion on the capture of terrorism mastermind Mohammad Sharifullah and its impact on justice
Today’s episode has everything from political appointments to global trade reconfiguration. We start by exploring the NIH confirmation hearing featuring Dr. Jayanta Bhattacharya, who doesn't shy away from discussing his experiences with censorship. His insistence on free speech within science could pave the way for new paradigms in public health discussions. Transitioning to the Panama Canal, we’re excited to dissect a monumental $23 billion deal that shifts port control and raises questions about U.S. and Chinese influence on this strategic waterway. The discussion doesn't stop there, as we report on the capture of Mohammad Sharifullah, the brain behind the Kabul bombing, detailing the emotional impact on victims' families and the importance of accountability in military operations. The episode concludes with the U.S. designation of Yemen’s Houthi rebels as a terrorist organization, emphasizing the complex balance of security measures and humanitarian concerns.
Join us for an engaging discussion that challenges what you think you know while providing the clarity you need to understand today's political landscape. Subscribe, share, and leave a review to keep these crucial conversations going!
Source Credits:
https://nypost.com/2025/03/05/us-news/trumps-nih-pick-recounts-censorship-by-biden-for-views-on-covid-science-needs-free-speech/ https://apnews.com/article/hong-kong-panama-canal-beijing-hutchison-blackrock-rubio-d02a8439cc63d9e740e5154d4e0c56f6 https://nypost.com/2025/03/05/us-news/mohammad-sharifullah-mastermind-of-abbey-gate-bombing-in-kabul-brought-to-us/ https://www.reuters.com/world/us/us-state-designates-yemens-houthis-foreign-terrorist-organization-2025-03-04/
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Chapters
00:00 - Introduction to Today's Headlines
12:00 - NIH Confirmation Hearing: Free Speech vs. Censorship
30:00 - Major Shifts in Panama Canal Control
Transcript
WEBVTT
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Hello America.
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Joc, here with your Ranting Politics headline updates, where we are diving into today's most explosive political stories that you need to know about Coming up.
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We're diving into the drama at the NIH confirmation hearings, where Trump's pick is making waves about scientific freedom and calling out Biden-era censorship.
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Then we'll break down a massive deal that's putting American hands on the Panama Canal's ports, and boy does this one have some interesting players involved.
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But wait, there's more.
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We've got breaking news about the capture of the mastermind behind the devastating Abbey Gate bombing in Kabul.
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And we'll wrap up with the latest on those Houthi rebels causing chaos in the Red Sea.
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Spoiler alert.
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They've just earned themselves a special designation.
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That's raising some eyebrows.
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Stick around for all this and more in your daily dose of unfiltered news and common sense commentary.
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This is Ranting Politics Headline Updates.
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In a Senate confirmation hearing that had everything from vaccine debates to Elon Musk's influence, dr Jayanta Bhattacharya, trump's pick to lead the National Institutes of Health didn't pull any punches.
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Trump's pick to lead the National Institutes of Health didn't pull any punches.
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The Stanford epidemiologist laid bare his personal experience with what he calls Biden administration censorship during the pandemic, when his social media account landed on Twitter's notorious Trends blacklist.
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But here's where it gets really interesting.
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Bhattacharya's vision for the NIH isn't just about managing a $48 billion budget.
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He's on a mission to transform how we handle scientific discourse.
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Science to succeed needs free speech, he declared, pushing back against what he sees as the suppression of alternative viewpoints during the COVID-19 pandemic.
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Speaking of COVID, the good doctor didn't shy away from some spicy takes on vaccine mandates.
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While he confirmed he got the jab himself, he threw some serious shade at the scientific community's push for widespread mandates, pointing to Florida as a tremendous success story for its more relaxed approach.
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The hearing took an interesting turn when senators started grilling him about his connections to newly minted Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F Kennedy Jr.
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Patacharya played it diplomatic, praising Kennedy's commitment to public health while carefully navigating questions about vaccine safety and potential NIH budget cuts.
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Now here's where the plot thickens.
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The whole confirmation process is happening under the shadow of Elon Musk's Department of Government Efficiency team, which is pushing to cap research overhead costs at 15%.
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That's got both Republicans and Democrats clutching their pearls over the future of biomedical research funding.
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According to the New York Post, bhattacharya's stance boils down to this Science should be an engine for freedom, not a hammer for control, and while he's promising to follow the law on funding decisions, he's made it clear the days of scientific censorship at the NIH might be numbered if he gets the top job.
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Breaking news on a massive shakeup at the Panama Canal.
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Folks, a deal worth a whopping $23 billion just shifted control of critical ports from Hong Kong-based hands to American control.
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And let me tell you, this is bigger than just moving some shipping containers around.
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Ck Hutchison Holdings is selling its entire stake in ports operations to a BlackRock-led consortium, including control over 43 ports across 23 countries.
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But the real story here?
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The ports of Balboa and Cristobal, sitting pretty at both ends of the Panama Canal, where about 70% of the traffic either heads to or comes from US ports.
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This deal comes right after President Trump raised some serious concerns about Chinese influence over this crucial waterway.
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Remember when Trump said Carter foolishly gave away the canal?
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Well, now we're seeing some major moves to address those worries.
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Senator Ted Cruz didn't mince words about it either, warning that China could potentially block passage through the canal.
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And when Secretary of State Marco Rubio flew down to Panama recently, he laid it out pretty clear Either reduce Chinese influence or face potential consequences from the United States.
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The timing here is fascinating because Panama just backed out of China's Belt and Road Initiative after Rubio's visit, which, as you can imagine, didn't exactly make Beijing jump for joy.
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But Hutchison's Frank Sixt is insisting this is just business as usual, calling it a purely commercial transaction, with numerous bids and expressions of interest.
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Blackrock, with its massive $11.6 trillion in assets under management, is staying pretty quiet about the whole thing.
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But let's be real when you're taking control of ports that basically guard America's maritime jugular, it's about more than just dollar signs.
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This move effectively puts American hands on the wheel at one of the world's most strategic waterways, and that's exactly what the Trump administration has been pushing for.
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In a major counterterrorism breakthrough, the mastermind behind one of the darkest days in recent American military history is now in US custody.
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Mohammad Sharifullah, the ISIS-K leader responsible for the devastating Abbey Gate bombing that claimed the lives of 13 US service members and 168 Afghans in August 2021, touched down at Dulles Airport early Wednesday morning.
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President Trump broke this news during his joint session address to Congress, marking a significant victory in the pursuit of justice for the families who lost their loved ones in that tragic attack.
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Before the public announcement, trump personally reached out to the Gold Star families delivering the news.
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They've been waiting three and a half years to hear.
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The impact on these families has been profound.
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Darren Hoover, father of fallen Marine Corps staff Sergeant Taylor Hoover, described it as the best news they'd received.
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Staff Sergeant Taylor Hoover described it as the best news they'd received, noting that President Trump delivered on his promise to hold people accountable in less than 40 days after taking office.
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Cheryl Jules, aunt of Marine Corps Sergeant Nicole Gee, revealed how the news left family members in tears, providing a glimpse of long-awaited accountability.
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Sheriff Willis' capture isn't just about the Abbey Gate bombing.
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The terrorist has admitted to the FBI his role in both the Kabul attack and the recent Crocus City Hall concert venue bombing near Moscow that claimed 145 lives.
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He confessed to scouting the route for the suicide bomber at the Kabul airport, providing crucial intelligence about the attack's planning.
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This operation came together through a coordinated effort involving FBI Director Kash Patel, cia Director John Ratcliffe, attorney General Pam Bondi and the National Security Council.
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The terrorist now faces US charges for conspiring with a designated terror organization to carry out deadly attacks, marking a significant step toward justice for the families who've been waiting for answers since that tragic day in Kabul.
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The timing of this capture, coupled with Pete Hegseth's recent confirmation as Secretary of Defense and his commitment to investigating the Afghanistan withdrawal, signals a renewed focus on accountability for both the attack itself and the circumstances that led to it.
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As Cheryl Jules poignantly noted, if similar investigations had followed previous incidents, like Saigon or Benghazi, perhaps the outcome at Abbey Gate might have been different.
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The State Department has made a decisive move in the ongoing Red Sea crisis, officially designating Yemen's Houthi rebels as a foreign terrorist organization organization.
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Secretary of State Marco Rubio announced the implementation, citing the group's repeated threats to American civilians, regional partners and global maritime security.
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This designation comes in response to an alarming surge in Houthi aggression, with over 100 attacks on commercial vessels since November 2023.
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These aren't just numbers on paper.
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We're talking about real incidents that have resulted in two vessels sunk, one seized and, tragically, the deaths of at least four seafarers.
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The Houthis claim these attacks are in solidarity with Palestinians, but their actions have wreaked havoc on global shipping routes.
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The implications of this designation are far-reaching and complex.
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While it strengthens the US stance against the Iran-backed group, humanitarian organizations are raising red flags about potential consequences.
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The UN has expressed serious concerns about the impact on Yemen's civilian population, where approximately 19 million people depend on life-saving assistance.
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The worry is that fears of US sanctions could deter importers from delivering essential goods to the region.
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This move marks a significant shift from the Biden administration's earlier approach.
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Back in 2021, biden had removed the terrorist designation to address humanitarian concerns.
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However, faced with escalating attacks in the Red Sea, his administration implemented a softer, specially designated global terrorist label.
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Trump's administration has now taken a harder line, with the full foreign terrorist organization designation.
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Global shipping patterns have already been disrupted, with many vessels forced to take longer, more expensive routes around southern Africa.
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Bimco's chief safety officer warns that the security situation could deteriorate further, especially given the uncertain future of the Gaza ceasefire and potential for US or Israeli strikes against the Houthis.
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It's a delicate balance between security measures and humanitarian needs, with major implications for global trade and regional stability.
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And that wraps up today's rundown of the biggest stories moving markets and shaping policy.
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What a day it's been, from groundbreaking developments in scientific freedom to major shifts in global shipping security.
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As always, we're committed to bringing you the unfiltered truth, cutting through the noise to deliver the news that matters most to you, the American citizen.
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If you found today's coverage valuable, make sure you're following us across all platforms.
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You can catch us on X at Ranting RP, subscribe to our channel on YouTube, stream us on Spotify and iHeartRadio, or download our latest episodes on Apple Podcasts.
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For deep dives into these stories and exclusive content, head over to RantingPoliticscom.
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This is J-O-C signing off and thank you, our loyal listeners, for choosing Ranting Politics Headline Updates.
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We'll be back soon with the updates you need to navigate these interesting times.
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Until then, stay tuned, stay informed and, as always, stay free.
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