Switch to Water From Diet Sodas May Boost Diabetes Remission

 Regularly substituting water for diet beverages contributed to greater weight loss and was associated with a twofold increase in the diabetes remission rate among women with type 2 diabetes (T2D) and obesity or overweight.

METHODOLOGY:

• Diet sodas, despite being calorie-free, may affect the body differently from water, and their regular consumption is linked to potential health risks, including cardiovascular disease, T2D, and obesity.
• Researchers conducted an 18-month study to evaluate the effects of replacing diet beverages with water.
• The study included 81 adult women with T2D and obesity or overweight who participated in a weight-management program and regularly consumed diet beverages.
• Participants were randomly assigned to replace diet beverages with water or to maintain their usual intake of five diet drinks per week, consumed after lunch.
• All participants underwent a 6-month weight-loss program, followed by a 12-month maintenance program.

TAKEAWAY:

• Women in the water group experienced a greater average weight loss (-6.82 ± 2.73 kg) than the diet beverage group (-4.85 ± 2.07 kg; P < .001).
• Diabetes remission was achieved by 90% of participants in the water group compared with 45% of those in the diet beverage group (P < .0001).
• Significant improvements were noted in BMI, fasting glucose, postprandial glucose, insulin, triglyceride levels, and insulin resistance in the water group.

IN PRACTICE:

"These findings challenge a common belief in the US that diet drinks have no potential negative effects for managing weight and blood sugar," Hamid R. Farshchi, MD, PhD, CEO of the digital platform D2Type, said in a press release. 

"However, with most of the women in the water group achieving diabetes remission, our study highlights the importance of promoting water, not just low-calorie alternatives, as part of effective diabetes and weight management. It’s a small change with the potential for a big impact on long-term health outcomes."

SOURCE:

The study was led by Hamid R. Farshchi, MD, PhD, of D2Type, and former associate professor at the University of Nottingham, School of Life Sciences. It was presented as a poster on June 22, 2025, at the 85th Scientific Sessions - American Diabetes Association held at the McCormick Place Convention Center, Chicago (June 20-23, 2025).

LIMITATIONS: 

No limitations were discussed in the press release.

https://www.medscape.com/viewarticle/switch-water-diet-sodas-may-boost-diabetes-remission-2025a1000gkq

Trump administration suspends enforcement of Biden-era farmworker rule

 President Donald Trump's administration said on Friday it was suspending enforcement of a "burdensome" farmworker rule from former President Joe Biden's administration.

The 2024 rule provided protection for workplace organizing to foreign farmworkers in the U.S. on H-2A visas. The U.S. Department of Labor said the rule had already been suspended because of federal injunctions.

"The decision provides much-needed clarity for American farmers navigating the H-2A program, while also aligning with President Trump's ongoing commitment to strictly enforcing U.S. immigration laws," the department said in a statement.

"As multiple federal court injunctions have created significant legal uncertainty, inconsistency, and operational challenges for farmers lawfully employing H-2A workers, this field assistance bulletin clarifies that the department will not be enforcing the 2024 final rule effective immediately."

The H-2A visa program allows farmers to bring in an unlimited number of foreign seasonal farmhands if they can show there are not enough U.S. workers willing, qualified and available to do the job.

The program has grown over time, with 378,000 H-2A positions certified by the Labor Department in 2023, three times more than in 2014.

That figure is about 20% of the nation's farmworkers, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture.

Trump said last week he would take steps soon to address the effects of his immigration crackdown on the country's farm and hotel industries, which rely heavily on migrant labor.

https://www.marketscreener.com/news/latest/Trump-administration-suspends-enforcement-of-Biden-era-farmworker-rule-50298059/

Defense Takes Center Stage At Paris Air Show As Goldman Bullish On JDAM Bombs

 The 2025 Paris Air Show, Europe's biggest air show, is nearing an end as Airbus announced a flurry of new plane orders while Boeing dialed back its presence to focus on last week's Air India 787 Dreamliner crash. 

Reuters estimates Airbus has secured $21 billion in sales through Thursday morning, led by 132 firm orders on Monday alone from buyers including Saudi lessor AviLease, Japan's ANA, and Poland's LOT. That compares to just 41 for Boeing and 15 for Brazil's Embraer, according to aviation advisory firm IBA.

So far, in Boeing's absence, Airbus has seized center stage in the commercial aviation space. The show was defense-heavy, and the most yet, according to aviation blog AeroTime:

Yet even this early flurry of orders couldn't shift the broader impression: the 2025 edition is a defense show. More specifically, a show shaped by war and the enduring demands it places on production, logistics, and inventory. Organizers revealed that approximately 45% of this year's show was dedicated to defense and security, marking a record-high share for Le Bourget. Air and missile defense systems, ISR platforms, and drone technologies dominated both floor space and conversations.

The wars in Ukraine and Gaza continue to influence both the tone and content of announcements across the board. This year, exhibitors seemed more preoccupied with the gritty realities of supply chains, industrial base readiness, and attrition warfare.

It is a telling shift. The idea that high-end systems alone win wars has been challenged repeatedly over the past two years. In Ukraine, Russia's reliance on quantity over quality has exposed the limits of boutique arsenals. In Israel, stockpiles have proven just as essential as sensors or networked command.

Lockheed Martin captured this mood directly. It announced a production ramp-up across its missile portfolio, with a 40% increase in tactical missile deliveries year-on-year. While many eyes were looking for flashy unveilings or next-gen prototypes, Lockheed's real message was about scale and delivery capacity, two areas militaries increasingly care about.

Beyond missiles, a clear narrative emerged around the transformation of legacy platforms. Gone are the days when new drones or sixth-generation fighter mockups dominated every conversation. Instead, the focus has shifted toward how existing assets, some of them decades old, can be adapted to fight in tomorrow's networked environment.

Take Airbus's A400M, which was presented not just as a transport aircraft but as a future "mothership" platform capable of deploying UAVs and integrating into a system-of-systems battlefield. Similarly, Sikorsky gave a briefing in which its Black Hawk was showcased with concepts for integration with unmanned systems and autonomous missions, proof that even established workhorses are being reimagined for collaborative combat scenarios.

 

The language surrounding these announcements has changed, too. Buzzwords like "interoperability," "modularity," and "attritability" featured heavily, but so did references to reliability, sustainment, and production guarantees. It seems that militaries are asking fewer questions about what might be possible, and more about what will actually be delivered, on time and in quantity.

In a separate note, a team of Goldman analysts, led by Noah Poponak, attended the air show and met with 15 companies across the aviation industry. 

Given the Paris Air Show's heavier defense focus this year amid escalating global conflicts, we'll narrow the focus to Poponak's discussions with several key defense firms:

RTX Corp. (RTX; Neutral):

We attended the RTX investor event on 6/16. The company discussed its key platforms in the commercial and defense businesses, the opportunities it sees to expand and improve content, and how it can leverage data and AI to improve manufacturing efficiency and part effectiveness.

• Defense: The leadership team from RTX is focused on its missile defense systems and military engines. Management noted that production on its Coyote product has recently ramped from 40 to 100 and will reach 150/mo by the end of the year. The company described different layers of missile defense and its products (35 systems in use in combat today) within each that are set to grow with initiatives such as Golden Dome. RTX spoke to the success of the F35 in recent missions and how its work on the engine enables that. The company also highlighted it builds propulsion for the B21 bomber, the first sixth gen application, and is ready to provide commercial off the shelf engines for CCA depending on requirements.

Woodward Inc. (WWD; Buy - on Conviction List):

We hosted a group dinner meeting with Woodward Director of Investor Relations - Daniel Provaznik. Investor conversation spanned WWD's portfolio, covering LEAP content gains, JDAM, the industrial businesses, and the recent Airbus announcement. We also hosted an investor meeting with CFO Bill Lacey, Daniel Provaznik, and Market Analysis and Stratety Manager Scott Davis on 6/16.

• JDAM: In the last three quarters, Defense OE revenues have grown ~40%, ~21%, and ~52% yoy, with some of that momentum attributable to increased JDAM order activity. WWD expects to deliver JDAM components under a new contract structure beginning in ~F4Q25, where it has negotiated price increases, which should meaningfully improve the program margin.

GE Aerospace (GE; Buy):

We hosted Rahul Ghai (CFO) and Blaire Shoor (Head of IR).

• New engine technology & defense: GE believes the open fan approach to the engine it is developing under CFM's RISE program is the best way to achieve the 20%+ fuel efficiency gain over the current generation of engines (LEAP, GTF). That said, it will likely be several years before an OE makes a decision on what engine to move forward with, and the RISE engine would likely not see EIS until the mid 2030s if it were chosen. In GE's defense portfolio, the company believes its backlog, programs, and U.S. defense spending will sustain MSD% growth over the medium to long term.

CAE Inc. (CAE; Buy):

We hosted Andrew Arnovitz (Senior VP Investor Relations).

• Defense: Management sees large opportunities for its defense business to grow as non-US budgets increase. The company noted that 50% of its defense business is U.S. vs international. It identified Canada as a strong opportunity, as the country has under invested in defense for decades, and it needs many types of systems that CAE is well positioned to provide training on. The company believes it has a competitive advantage because it is not a prime and it has the ability to partner with disruptive defense tech companies to offer new products. Management reiterated its expectation for 8-8.5% margins this year and LDD% margins in the future.

Howmet Aerospace Inc. (HWM; Buy):

We hosted Ken Giacobbe (CFO) and Paul Luther (VP Investor Relations).

• Defense: HWM's defense business is strong. F35 is a big part of the business, as the company is sole sourced on critical components of the engine. The fleet currently stands at ~1,100 aircraft, and will to continue to grow at ~150 planes/year, so the company is optimistic about both OE and spares growth for the platform. On next generation capabilities, HWM is agnostic to who wins given its expertise in the hot parts of the engine, and the lack of a strong competitor.

On a related note, we flagged the emergence of a "hemispheric defense" theme last month—marking the rise of all things defense as the world fractures into an increasingly dangerous bi-polar state. 

https://www.zerohedge.com/military/defense-takes-center-stage-paris-air-show-goldman-bullish-jdam-bombs

'SF Fed’s Daly Says Next Rate Cut More Likely in the Fall'

 

Federal Reserve Bank of San Francisco President Mary Daly said an interest-rate cut this fall looks more appropriate than moving when policymakers gather in July.

“For me, I look more to the fall,” Daly said Friday in an interview on CNBC. “By then, we’ll have quite a bit more information, and businesses are telling me that’s what they’re going to look to for some resolution.”

https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2025-06-20/fed-s-daly-says-next-rate-cut-more-likely-in-the-fall

'Boelter’s letter to FBI claims he needed to kill Sen. Klobuchar for Gov. Walz, sources say'

 In a rambling, conspiratorial letter addressed to the FBI, alleged assassin Vance Boelter claimed Gov. Tim Walz instructed him to kill U.S..Sen. Amy Klobuchar.

https://www.startribune.com/vance-boelter-letter-klobuchar-walz-mn-assassination/601376682

Rickards’ Birthright Thesis -- Phase II Begins

 by Adam Sharp

The Alaska Petroleum Reserve is a 23 million acre area rich with petroleum and mineral resources.

In 2024, Joe Biden tried to make it impossible to drill and mine there.

As its name implies, the Petroleum Reserve was created to support America’s energy independence and economy.

But with the stroke of a pen, Biden attempted to nix all future development.

Now, the Trump administration is unlocking this vital asset. The move alone stands to boost domestic oil and gas production and create many thousands of high-paying jobs.

Here’s an excerpt from an official U.S. Department of the Interior press release dated June 2nd, 2025:

The Department of the Interior has proposed rescinding a rule put in place last year that added new restrictions on oil and gas development in the National Petroleum Reserve in Alaska.

The Reserve, encompassing approximately 23 million acres on Alaska’s North Slope, was set aside by Congress for oil and gas exploration and development as a matter of national energy security and policy in reaction to the oil crisis in the 1970’s. The BLM administers the reserve pursuant to the Naval Petroleum Reserves Production Act, which mandates an “expeditious program of competitive leasing” while balancing the protection of surface resources.

With a competitive lease bidding process, this single move will unleash a vast area of natural resources for responsible development.

Trump is doing things in such a way that will create long-term operational certainty for companies looking to drill and mine in these areas.

It will simultaneously boost: government revenues, the economy, and the outlook of certain oil and gas stocks.

The Alaska Petroleum Reserve is 23 million acres of valuable land to be developed. But it’s just a small part of Trump’s ambitious plans.

Unlocking Federal Lands

Critics of Trump’s plan claim that he’s going to sell off our National Parks. That we’re going to see drilling rigs in Glacier Park.

Ridiculous. These vital areas are off-limits. Wilderness areas and wildlife refuges will remain protected.

These people apparently have no idea just how much land the Federal government owns. Here’s a map. Everything in red is federally-owned (surface and subsurface):

Source: Bureau of Land Management via Wikipedia

As you can see, out West and in Alaska, the Federal government owns tremendous swaths of valuable land.

These states out West, which joined the Union much later than the eastern part of the country, were given far less land to control. The federal government kept a much larger stake.

As a whole in the United States, the federal government owns about 28% of land. But in Nevada, for example, it owns a whopping 80%.

Much of this land is currently not being developed due to red tape and restrictions from previous administrations. Now we’re about to see a resource boom of epic proportions.

America will boost already substantial petroleum production, and regain its rightful place as a major producer of mineral wealth.

Jim Rickards’ Birthright Thesis

My colleague and friend Jim Rickards has famously argued that Trump’s actions stand to unlock $150 trillion worth of American mineral wealth over the next 4 years.

Now his thesis is going mainstream. On a recent All-In Podcast, the most influential investment podcast in the country, well-known investor and venture capitalist Chamath Palihapitiya supported Jim’s claims, “I do think we own $100-$150 trillion of assets. All of us, as citizens. We own that.”

The good news is we still have time to prepare for this shift. The majority of investors are still unaware it’s happening. They’re too wrapped up in current events and big tech gains.

But we’re already seeing pops in the gold and silver mining space. Copper is heating up, and platinum is on fire.

Oil is spiking, and with the Middle East on the verge of another major war, it has plenty of room to run.

Eventually the Federal Reserve will have to cut rates and institute a new QE (money printing) program.

In other words, the mineral and hard asset space has durable catalysts in place to support it for the next decade-plus. The opportunity here is significant.

One of our primary goals over the coming months and years is to help readers capitalize on it. Stay tuned.

https://dailyreckoning.com/rickards-birthright-thesis-phase-ii-begins/

U.S. Ramps Up Surveillance Amid Fears Of Iran-Backed Sleeper Cells

 President Trump stated Thursday that a potential U.S. strike on Iranian nuclear targets could occur within a two-week window. This announcement aligns with an uptick in U.S. military activity across the USNORTHCOM, USEUCOM, and USCENTCOM theaters, including airlift missions, the deployment of aerial refueling tankers, and the repositioning of naval assets—indicators consistent with pre-strike staging. While officially framed around countering Iran's nuclear program, the operation so far suggests regime change. 

Simultaneously, in the Homeland, concerns are flourishing over the possible activation of Iran-backed operatives. According to CBS News, intelligence and law enforcement officials remain focused on Hezbollah-linked sleeper cells and IRGC proxy networks, which could be directed to carry out retaliatory actions if the U.S. initiates kinetic attacks against Iran to support Israel. 

Here's more from CBS News, citing multiple sources... 

As President Trump is contemplating potential U.S. strikes on Iranian nuclear facilities, law enforcement officials have stepped up surveillance of Iran-backed operatives in the United States, multiple sources told CBS News.

FBI Director Kash Patel has increased efforts to monitor possible domestic sleeper cells linked to Hezbollah — a U.S.-designated foreign terrorist organization backed by Iran — since Israel's Operation Rising Lion offensive began earlier this month, U.S. officials said.

. . . 

The threat from Iranian operatives has worried current and former administration officials since Iranian General Qasem Soleimani was assassinated on Mr. Trump's orders in January 2020.

 

CBS noted:

Late last year, federal prosecutors charged an operative of Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps and two U.S.-based people with plotting to surveil and assassinate critics of the Iranian regime. The IRGC operative allegedly told investigators he was pushed by unnamed IRGC officials to plan an attack against Mr. Trump.

The threat on the Homeland has never been graver given the Biden-Harris regime of globalists facilitated the greatest invasion this nation has ever seen on the southern border, with millions of unvetted migrants, criminals, cartel gangsters, and terrorists. 

In late 2024, former CIA targeting officer Sarah Adams spoke on the Shawn Ryan Show about Al-Qaeda terrorists on American soil. 

Ryan asked Adams: "I just want to clarify. You are 100% certain that there are 1,000 plus Al-Qaeda-trained fighters within the U.S. borders?"

Adams, currently a global threat advisor with extensive experience in Middle Eastern affairs, responded: "Well, Al-Qaeda says they trained and deployed a thousand for this attack. First off, I think there are more than a thousand Al-Qaeda members in the United States, but for the Homeland Attack, that number is based on what Al-Qaeda is saying, so they could exaggerate it; however, they did have about 1,400 in the Hamas Attack so the number is not off from what they did in the first round of attacks." 

The overlap between the Israel-Iran conflict and an elevated U.S. counter-terrorism posture signals a rising domestic threat environment should President Trump decide on direct military action. Open southern borders over the past four years via the globalists in the Biden-Harris regime have markedly increased uncertainty about the number of IRGC- or Hezbollah-linked operatives inside the country. In the event of a U.S. strike on Iran, these terror networks could conduct retaliatory attacks against high-visibility or soft targets.

https://www.zerohedge.com/geopolitical/us-ramps-surveillance-amid-fears-iran-backed-sleeper-cells