Science post. Starting with UAE MOMENTS:
For everyday life, these changes are not noticeable in the short term. However, they highlight how dynamic Earth is. By studying rotation shifts, scientists gain valuable insights into the planet’s structure, climate, and long term evolution.
Modern technology depends on precise timing. Systems like GPS rely on exact measurements of time and Earth’s position. Even small changes in rotation must be accounted for to maintain accuracy in navigation and communication.
Melting ice and shifting ocean currents redistribute mass across the planet. When mass moves closer to or farther from the axis, it changes rotation speed. This is similar to how a spinning object speeds up or slows down depending on how its weight is arranged.
The movement of molten material inside Earth affects its rotation. Changes in the speed or direction of this flow can slightly alter how mass is distributed. This internal activity is one of the key reasons rotation is not perfectly stable.
Meanwhile, QATAR MOMENTS notes:
Advancements in technology may allow for more detailed scanning in the future. Scientists hope to gain clearer images of what lies beneath without causing damage. Continued research will determine whether the Sphinx is hiding something extraordinary or simply natural formations.
It is important to separate scientific findings from popular theories. While anomalies have been detected, no definitive evidence of hidden chambers has been confirmed. Researchers emphasize careful analysis before drawing conclusions.
The idea of secrets beneath the Sphinx continues to capture global attention. Documentaries, studies, and debates keep the topic alive. The combination of mystery and history makes it one of the most discussed archaeological subjects.
If hidden structures are confirmed, they could reshape understanding of ancient Egyptian engineering. Discoveries beneath the Sphinx may reveal new details about how the site was used. This could provide deeper insight into the civilization that built it.
Is anything under the Sphinx? We might know some day but Octavio Curiel (BLUSHER ME) reports on what's been discovered under a pyramid:
Beneath one of Mesoamerica’s most iconic ancient cities lies a discovery that continues to spark curiosity, debate, and speculation. Deep inside a hidden tunnel, researchers uncovered a strange substance that challenges conventional interpretations of ritual, technology, and symbolic architecture. What was once considered a purely ceremonial site now raises deeper questions about the knowledge and intentions of its builders.
Deep below the ancient city of Teotihuacan, archaeologists uncovered a sealed tunnel stretching more than 300 feet, leading to hidden chambers that had remained untouched for centuries. This underground passage revealed artifacts and materials that suggest deliberate design and symbolic intent, pointing to a space that may have held spiritual or political significance within the civilization.
Among the most surprising findings was the presence of large quantities of liquid mercury, a rare and highly toxic substance. Its shimmering, reflective surface immediately drew attention, not only because of its unusual appearance but also due to the effort required to produce and transport it in ancient times, making its presence both intentional and meaningful.
In Mesoamerican belief systems, reflective surfaces often symbolized gateways to other realms, including the underworld. The liquid mercury may have been used to create mirror-like pools, reinforcing the idea of a ritual space designed to connect the physical world with the spiritual dimension, possibly serving as a ceremonial path for rulers or priests.
The architecture and materials found in the tunnel suggest a carefully constructed environment rich in symbolism. Water and reflection were commonly associated with divination and communication with unseen forces, indicating that the chamber may have been designed not just for burial or storage, but for transformative rituals tied to belief and power.
Going from a pyramid in Mexico to the pyramids of Egypt, Melissa Ait Lounis (DAILY GALAXY) reports:
For centuries, the Great Pyramid of Giza has been shrouded in mystery, with its origins tracing back to the Fourth Dynasty of ancient Egypt. However, a growing body of controversial evidence is challenging the long-accepted timeline, raising new questions about the pyramid’s true origins. British author Graham Hancock has been at the forefront of this challenge, claiming that the Great Pyramid was not built by Pharaoh Khufu around 4,500 years ago, but instead by a lost civilization as far back as 12,500 years ago.
Hancock recently appeared on the American Alchemy podcast, where he discussed his theory in depth. According to him, both geological and astronomical clues suggest the monument predates the reign of Khufu, contradicting traditional views that place its construction firmly in the Old Kingdom period.
“There’s no doubt that parts of the Great Pyramid were completed and finished by the ancient Egyptians,” Hancock told podcast host Jesse Michels. “I don’t seek to take it away from them, but I think they were inheriting a very ancient tradition and completing a monument that already stood in basic form on the Giza Plateau.”
One of Hancock’s central arguments revolves around the erosion patterns of the nearby Great Sphinx. He asserts that only heavy rainfall over thousands of years could have caused the deep weathering visible on the monument today. “No such rains were on the Giza Plateau 4,500 years ago, but they certainly were at the end of the last Ice Age,” Hancock said. This theory has raised eyebrows in the archaeological community.
However, not everyone agrees with Hancock’s interpretation. Dr. Zahi Hawass, the renowned Egyptologist who has spent decades studying the Giza Plateau, vehemently disputes these claims. In an interview with the Daily Mail, Hawass rejected the idea of a lost civilization. He instead attributes the Sphinx’s weathering to natural wind erosion over millennia.
And let's wrap up in the US with Lena H. Sun (WASHINGTON POST) who reports:
The Trump administration’s decision to drop the long-standing recommendation that newborns receive a hepatitis B vaccine within 24 hours of birth will likely lead to hundreds of additional infections among children, along with more cases of liver cancer, deaths and millions in added health care costs, according to studies published Monday in JAMA Pediatrics.
Federal vaccine advisers to Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. voted in December
to replace the universal birth dose with a recommendation to delay the
first shot until at least two months of age for infants born to mothers
who test negative for the virus — a change later approved by the then-acting director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Pediatricians and dozens of medical groups strongly opposed the move, saying it was not based on evidence, and warned it could harm children and their families. Although medications can control hepatitis B, there is no cure for chronic infection.
The JAMA studies are the first to model the policy’s potential impact. One estimated that delaying the first hepatitis B vaccine dose by two months for babies born in a single year to mothers who tested negative — about 80 percent of the 3.6 million U.S. births annually — would increase lifetime health-care costs by at least $16 million.
"The Snapshot" (THE COMMON ILLS):
President Donald Trump canceled a planned trip to Pakistan by his top envoys for negotiations over the Iran conflict, raising questions about the durability of the current ceasefire.
The president on Saturday told his son-in-law Jared Kushner and special envoy Steve Witkoff to skip the trip, adding in a social media post that there has been “Too much time wasted on traveling.”
Americans are growing more pessimistic about the economy, according to a new Gallup poll.
Of the people polled, 47% say the current economic conditions are "poor." That's 7% higher than the results from Gallup's poll in March.
21% say they think the economy is "excellent" or "good." 23% of respondents felt that way last month.
Gallup says 73% feel the economy is getting worse, as opposed to better. That number is also higher than it was in March.
The University of Michigan's Consumer Sentiment Index dropped to 49 points in April, down from 53 points in March.
The April reading is the lowest ever recorded by the index.
The disconnect between official economic data and how ordinary Americans feel about their finances has led experts to describe the current environment as a "K-shaped economy."
What they're saying:
"A K-shaped economy is when a majority of the population has reduced their spending as if feeling the effects of a recession, yet the wealthiest of the population have actually increased their discretionary spending," said Brie Mason, a financial advisor with Authentikos Advisory Group. "That keeps the economy moving forward."
In the eight weeks since the Iran war started, the conflict has driven gas prices above $4 a gallon, strained homebuyers and pushed inflation to its highest level in nearly two years. Even if the war ends soon, Americans are likely to feel the financial sting for months, economists say.
"I think the damage has already been done, in part because there's no going back on oil prices, at least not any time in the near future," Mark Zandi, chief economist at Moody's Analytics, told CBS News.
The war has disrupted traffic through the Strait of Hormuz, a strategic waterway through which one-fifth of the world's oil supply normally flows. Oil prices have jumped as a result, creating widespread consequences for Americans as they fuel their cars and book travel. As of midday Friday, Brent crude, the international benchmark, was trading at $105 a barrel, up 44% since before the war started.
[. . .]
Economists told CBS News they expect inflation to come in hot in April and remain elevated throughout 2026. Last month, the Consumer Price Index reached 3.3% on an annual basis, the highest level since May 2024, driven by a jump in energy prices.
Another key inflation gauge, the Personal Consumption Expenditures price Index, could hit 4% by the end of the year, double the Federal Reserve's target rate of 2%, according to Scott Lincicome, vice president of general economics at the Cato Institute, a nonpartisan think tank. The measure rose by 2.8% on an annual basis in February.
"Consumers, of course, want deflation, and we're definitely not getting that," he said. "We should expect things to remain higher than what people want."
At MS NOW, Julia Jester and David Rohde observe:
A race is on to see whose economy breaks first in the war with Iran.
President Donald Trump is using a U.S. naval blockade to slowly strangle Iran’s economy to force the country’s leaders to relent — a process that could take weeks or even months. Meanwhile, Iran is betting that its closure of the Strait of Hormuz will send oil prices soaring and inflict enough pain on the U.S. economy to force Trump to back down — a risk that oil analysts say could be just a few weeks away from playing out.
Who blinks first in the standoff could determine whether the eight-week war ends soon or escalates into something worse. It is a new stage of a conflict that points to prolonged pain for Iranians, Americans and a global economy that is being starved of critical energy supplies.
“The battlefield has moved from the military to the economy, for right now,” said Dan Pickering of Pickering Energy Partners, an energy-focused financial services platform. “We’ve stopped dropping bombs, and now we’re just trying to squeeze each other. And I think both sides are probably showing more resilience than you would have expected.”
Oil prices rose and stocks were mixed on Monday after President Trump called off a trip to Pakistan by two of his top negotiators for a new round of peace talks with Iran.
His latest change of heart leaves the countries locked in a stalemate, still under a cease-fire agreement but without a clear path to ending the war.
In the meantime, the United States and Iran are trying to inflict economic damage on each other by strangling shipping through the Strait of Hormuz, a vital shipping artery that connects the Persian Gulf to buyers around the world.
King Charles III and Queen Camilla will arrive in Washington on Monday afternoon during Week 8 of President Trump’s war with Iran. This time, Britain’s refusal to take part in what Prime Minister Keir Starmer has characterized as the United States’ latest war of choice has infuriated Mr. Trump, and deeply strained relations between the two governments.
Officially, the king’s four-day visit has nothing to do with that dispute. Government officials say the monarch is above day-to-day politics and does not have a role in policy or commenting on affairs of the state.
Rep. Ro Khanna (D-Calif.) on Sunday urged King Charles III to acknowledge the victims of the convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein during his address to Congress this week, when the monarch will make his first state visit to the U.S.
“I am hopeful that King Charles, when he speaks to the Congress, will acknowledge the Epstein survivors, will call for justice, will call for investigations and prosecutions,” Khanna said during a Sunday appearance on NBC’s “Meet the Press.”
“It would be an enormous gesture if when he’s speaking at the Congress, he does that. And I’m hopeful that he will,” he added.
The family of Virginia Giuffre has made a desperate plea for King Charles to meet them during his US tour.
Sky Roberts, Ms Giuffre's brother, said the monarch would "show unity with survivors" if he were to see them, and survivors of paedophile financier Jeffrey Epstein. Charles and Queen Camilla are due to arrive in the US on Monday for a four-day visit during which they will meet President Donald Trump.
And Mr Roberts and his family see this as an ideal opportunity for Charles to spend just 10 minutes with them for the relations "to show him that we're real people, with real feelings".
And Luke Alsford (METRO) notes:
Epstein survivors will hold high-profile meetings and protests in Washington DC to mark King Charles’ state visit, Metro has learned.
Virginia Giuffre’s family will join a meeting with survivors and a top US lawmaker hours before the King addresses Congress on Tuesday.
Separately, Epstein survivor Rina Oh and other advocates will hold a ‘live art protest’ in front of the White House as the Monarch meets Donald Trump inside.
The events could pile more pressure on the Monarch over his brother Andrew’s links to the paedophile financier and the Royal Family’s response to the scandal.
Donald Trump was not happy with Norah O'Donnell during a segment of her 60 Minutes interview regarding Saturday's shooting at the White House Correspondents' Dinner.
[. . .]
Less than 24 hours into the aftermath, Trump sat down for his first interview about the third attempt on his life since the 2024 presidential campaign. 60 Minutes correspondent Norah O'Donnell, who has interviewed Trump on several occasions, spoke to the president on a wide range of topics regarding the shooting, from accusations of poor security to Melania's reaction, and — to his fiercest resistance — the alleged shooter's intentions in his own words.
NBC News quoted the alleged manifesto on Saturday, which an unnamed senior administration official told the outlet Allen had sent to family members within minutes of the shooting. On Sunday, the New York Post published the alleged manifesto in full.
O'Donnell pointed the president to one particular section, which follows Allen's alleged apologies to family and friends, in which he notes, "I am no longer willing to permit a pedophile, rapist, and traitor to coat my hands with his crimes."
"I was waiting for you to read that because I knew you would, because you're horrible people. He did write that. I'm not a rapist, I didn't rape anybody," Trump responded. O'Donnell noted that Allen doesn't refer to Trump by name in that section, but the president cut in: "Excuse me. I'm not a pedophile. You read that crap from some sick person. I get associated with stuff that has nothing to do with me. I was totally exonerated."
Robert Davis (RAW STORY) notes online reaction to Chump's lies:
Observers offered the president a swift fact-check on social media.
"A jury and a judge adjudicated him as a rapist," Norman Ornstein, a contributing editor at The Atlantic, posted on X. "A woman credibly accused him of rape when she was 13. He bragged about walking into a dressing room with naked teenagers. He bragged about grabbing women by the p----."
"Trump is a clinical-grade psychopath," journalist Nancy Levine Sterns posted on X.
"Trump is literally a court adjudicated rapist," novelist Patrick S. Tomlinson posted on X.
"Wow. This interview was epic. Trump’s nastiness and consciousness of guilt were off the f------ charts," podcaster Andy Ostroy posted on X.
In 2023, a jury found Trump liable in a civil sexual abuse and defamation case filed by E. Jean Carroll. A judge later clarified that the jury's guilty verdict meant Trump had been found liable for rape, the Washington Post reported at the time.
And his "exonerated" remark? He's been saying that since the January releases by the Justice Dept of some of The Epstein Files. He maintained that they proved he was innocent. He has not addressed the later release prompted by NPR's reporting -- the woman who gave four interviews to the FBI in 2019 ad stated in three of them that Chump had assaulted her when she was underage. He's never been asked about that -- not why did the Justice Dept not release those, not for his response to the accusations.
