Back to Work; End of Tsunami Alert in the Pacific; Prison for Counterfeiting Coins.

Friday, August 1, 2025. Back to Work After Time Away: Why It’s Always Tough Getting back to work after being out for a month is no small feat, whether that time was spent recovering from surgery or enjoying an unforgettable vacation with family. Either way, the return is tough. The reasons may differ, but the challenge is real. When you come back from a meaningful vacation, especially one with people you don’t get to see often, it’s the emotional adjustment that hits hardest. Your mind is still somewhere else, lingering in moments of laughter, shared meals, or quiet sunsets. The inbox and routine waiting for you at work feel jarring by comparison. You’ve had a taste of something refreshing, maybe even healing in its own right, and letting go of that isn’t easy. Coming back after surgery is a different kind of difficult. Your body may still be in recovery mode, and the forced stillness of healing creates a rhythm that’s hard to shake. The pain might still be there, sometimes dull, sometimes sharp, and pushing through that to sit at a desk, stay focused, or move with energy feels like a marathon in slow motion. You’re working with less than full capacity, and every task takes more out of you than it normally would. This week was my first full week back after a month of surgical recovery, and it was rough. I started off with determination, but by hump day I hit a wall. I had to take the day off just to catch my breath and stay in the swing of things. That break wasn’t a sign of weakness; it was part of the process.  Or maybe I’m just a wimp like my queen says.  Whether you’ve been away for rest or for healing, getting back isn’t just about showing up. It’s about recalibrating your mind, your body, and your expectations. You’re not who you were before the break, not yet, maybe not ever in quite the same way, and that’s okay. You’re finding your way back, and that takes time. So if you’re struggling to get back into the groove after time away, give yourself some grace. The path may not be smooth, but taking it one step at a time is more than enough.  I’ll let you know how next week goes! Brett MikkelsonDirector, B.M. Investigations, Inc. TOP NEWS and TIDBITS: President Mulino Promotes Joint Commission with the Panama Canal for Major Projects The President of the Republic, José Raúl Mulino, reported that he held a key meeting with the Panama Canal administrator, the Board of Directors, the Minister for Canal Affairs, and his team of advisors, with the goal of aligning the investment plans of the interoceanic waterway with those of the central government. President Announces Bilateral Project CommissionAs a result of the meeting, it was agreed to create a bilateral commission to jointly evaluate and promote the Canal’s strategic projects. Although the four projects were not specified, they are expected to have a significant impact on national infrastructure and the economy. Mulino was clear in stating that this new coordination does not mean the Executive Branch will interfere in the Canal’s decisions: “By this, I do not mean that the government will interfere in the Canal’s decisions. The Canal is part of the Panamanian State, which I happen to lead as head of government,” the President affirmed. He also criticized the disconnection that has existed between the two entities: “It was unheard of for the President of the Republic not to know the details of each of the Canal’s projects, and for the Canal to walk its own separate path while the government walked another, as if we had nothing to do with each other.” READ ORIGINAL ARTICLE HERE Millions Return Home After Tsunami Alerts Lifted in the Pacific Tsunami alerts issued after a powerful earthquake in Russia — one of the strongest ever recorded — were lifted on Wednesday along the Pacific coast, allowing millions of temporarily evacuated residents to return home. The magnitude 8.8 earthquake struck Wednesday morning (23:24 GMT Tuesday) at a depth of 20.7 km, about 126 km off the coast of Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky, the capital of Russia’s Kamchatka Peninsula, according to the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS). More than a dozen countries — from Japan and the United States to Ecuador, Mexico, and Colombia — warned residents to stay away from coastal areas. Forecasts predicted storm surges up to four meters in some parts of the Pacific, causing widespread disruption. Peru closed 65 of its 121 Pacific ports, and authorities in Maui canceled flights to and from the Hawaiian island. Japan’s Fukushima nuclear power plant, destroyed by a massive earthquake and tsunami in 2011, was shut down as a precaution. However, fears of a major disaster did not materialize. One by one, countries lifted or downgraded their warnings and told coastal residents they could return home. Japan, which had initially issued an evacuation alert for nearly two million people, lifted it on Wednesday night. The only reported fatality was a woman who died in Japan when her car fell off a cliff as she tried to escape, according to local media reports. “All Calm Now” In Chile, authorities ordered the evacuation of 1.4 million people in coastal areas — “perhaps the most massive evacuation” so far in the country, according to the Ministry of the Interior. On Easter Island, a Chilean territory about 3,500 km from the mainland and home to around 7,000 people, waves reached up to 70 cm. In Ecuador’s Galapagos Islands, about 1,000 km from the mainland, where waves of up to three meters had been expected, there was relief when the navy’s oceanographic institute declared the danger over. Local residents reported that the sea level dropped and then suddenly rose again — a phenomenon common with an approaching tsunami. But only a surge just over one meter was recorded, without causing damage. “We’re all calm now, back to work. Restaurants have reopened, and visitor sites