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March 18th, 2024 Update: 2024 U.S. Presidential Election, U.S. Constitution, Human Rights, Civil Rights, Women's Rights, The Survival of American Democracy and the American Republic, and Easter 2024. Part 2/6: Hope, Alaska. Chapter 3/4: The MAGA Cult Messiah and The Events Leading Up To The October 7th, 2023 Israel Terrorist Attacks.

trump: אָדָם עָדִיף Oh, more blood: אָ דָם עָדִי ף Oh my God: אָ דָ ם עָדִי ף

trump: חֶברְמַן Regret: חֶ Son: ברְ From: מַן

trump: חֶברְמַן Border: מַןברְחֶ

September 28, 2023: Thursday: Two business days before the Anti-American MAGA Nazi cult of donald trump sabotaged the United States Congress' ability to respond to such an attack:

The US intelligence community produced at least two assessments based in part on intelligence provided by Israel warning the Biden administration of an increased risk for Palestinian-Israeli conflict in the weeks ahead of Saturday’s seismic attack on southern Israel, according to sources familiar with the intelligence. One update from September 28 warned, based on multiple streams of intelligence, that the terror group Hamas was poised to escalate rocket-attacks across the border. https://www.cnn.com/2023/10/13/politics/us-intelligence-warnings-potential-gaza-clash-days-before-attack/index.html

Around this same time, before October 1, 2023, Saudi Arabian Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman sent his delegation to meet with Palestinian Authority chief Mahmoud Abbas in Ramallah after a rare interview with Fox News where he stated that normalization with Israel was "getting closer every day," and that the kingdom could join the Abraham Accords "with the support from President [Joe] Biden's administration to get to that point."

United States President Joe Biden would've gotten the credit for what donald trump believed was rightfully his accomplishments. donald trump and all of his anti-American MAGA Nazi cult watches Fox News, and donald trump can't even survive someone flicking or tossing a hat the same way he does…

Saudi Arabia owns donald trump in so many ways and that influence peddling has been in the news with donald trump's $1.5 billion over-valuation of mar-a-lago and jared kushner's $2 billion dollar Saudi gift. As a member of the Arab League who had contact with Palestinian Authority chief Mahmoud Abbas a week before the attack, and with Egypt, a fellow Arab League member, warning Israel about the pending attack before it happened, how interesting is it that Saudi Arabia immediately called for Israel to stand down and Saudi Arabian asset, donald trump, and his anti-American MAGA Nazi cult continues to sabotage and cripple the U.S. Congress to this day to deny Israel any forms of aid and support?

The House on Tuesday, October 3, 2023 voted 216 to 210 to remove California Republican Kevin McCarthy from his position as House speaker, a historic move that comes days after he reached an 11th-hour deal to avert a government shutdown with the help of House Democrats. The ouster came after Republican Rep. Matt Gaetz acted Monday night, October 2, 2023, to force a vote on a motion to vacate the office of the speaker, following through on a threat he made last week to take the gavel from the California Republican while the threat of a shutdown loomed. https://www.cbsnews.com/news/kevin-mccarthy-removed-house-speaker-what-happens-next/

Another suit to disqualify trump under the Constitution’s ‘insurrection’ clause is filed in Michigan By NICHOLAS RICCARDI Updated 9:48 AM PDT, September 29, 2023 A liberal group on Friday filed a lawsuit in Michigan contending that former president donald trump is disqualified from regaining his old job based on a rarely used, post-Civil War provision in the U.S. Constitution. This is the first time an organization with significant legal resources has sought to block the GOP frontrunner’s campaign in a swing state. Free Speech For People argued that trump’s attempt to overturn his 2020 election loss and encouragement of the Jan. 6, 2021 attack on the U.S. Capitol violated section three of the 14th Amendment, which holds that anyone who swore an oath to uphold the constitution and then “engaged in insurrection or rebellion” against it is barred from holding office. The case is the second the organization has filed to block the GOP presidential frontrunner’s bid, following one in Minnesota. Dozens of cases have been filed nationally but the Free Speech For People cases and one filed in Colorado by another liberal group are the first brought by organizations with significant legal resources. https://apnews.com/article/trump-14th-amendment-insurrection-jan-6-michigan-b5b5b90fa5a4dc916ff8ba4e727626e3

trump co-defendant takes plea deal, agrees to testify in Georgia election case The plea deal, by defendant Scott Hall, is the first in the case. ByOlivia Rubin September 29, 2023, 1:44 PM Hall, a Georgia bail bondsman, was charged in relation to the alleged breach of voting machine equipment in the wake of the 2020 election in Coffee County, Georgia. During the hearing, the allegations surrounding the voting breach were laid out. It was said that Hall and several of his co-defendants "entered into a conspiracy to intentionally interfere" with the 2020 election results and that their goal was to "unlawfully" access voting machines in Coffee County in order to obtain data. "The conspiracy also included obtaining images of ballots," they said in court. trump and 18 others pleaded not guilty to all charges in a sweeping racketeering indictment for alleged efforts to overturn the results of the 2020 presidential election in the state of Georgia. https://abcnews.go.com/US/trump-defendant-charged-georgia-election-interference-case-takes/story?id=103610288

Gen. Mark Milley says the military doesn’t swear oath to a ‘wannabe dictator’ in apparent swipe at trump Katie Bo Lillis By Katie Bo Lillis, CNN Updated 5:22 PM EDT, Fri September 29, 2023 “We are unique among the world’s militaries,” Milley said. “We don’t take an oath to a country, we don’t take an oath to a tribe, we don’t take an oath to a religion. We don’t take an oath to a king, or a queen, or a tyrant or a dictator.” “And we don’t take an oath to a wannabe dictator,” he spat. “We take an oath to the Constitution and we take an oath to the idea that is America – and we’re willing to die to protect it.” Although he was appointed by trump in 2018, Milley has in many ways been shadow-boxing with the former president since the summer of 2020, when Milley appeared briefly alongside trump as he walked to a church outside of Lafayette Square for a photo op during the George Floyd protests. Milley, who was in uniform, later apologized publicly for “creat[ing] a perception of the military involved in domestic politics.” The apology outraged trump. Their relationship became even more contentious in the wake of the January 6, 2021, attack on the US Capitol. Milley took a number of extraordinary actions to safeguard against what he feared were trump’s more outlandish instincts, as well as the general chaos of the moment. On Friday, as he handed over the reins of the chairmanship to Gen. CQ Brown, the embattled Army general gave a fierce defense of his view of the military’s defining ethos: to defend, if necessary with the life’s blood of those in uniform, the Constitution of the United States. Throughout, Milley’s suggestion, both implicit and explicit, was that the Constitution’s greatest enemy came from within. “It is that document that all of us in uniform swear to protect and defend against all enemies, foreign and domestic,” Milley said, emphasizing the words “all” in “all enemies” and the “and” between “foreign and domestic.” “The blood we spill pays for our freedom of speech,” Milley thundered. “Our blood pays for the right to assemble, our due process, our freedom of press, our right to vote, and all the other rights and privileges that come with being an American.” Milley also appeared to take a subtle shot at the US Congress, which is riven by political division and poised to trigger a government shutdown this weekend. Milley praised “the tremendous service” of the late Sen. Dianne Feinstein and then pointedly addressed “all of her colleagues on the Hill.” “You collectively demonstrate the American will,” Milley said. “We are viewed as either unified or divisive, that is your choice. But everybody watches.” “To our allies and partners, your presence demonstrates our shared interest and common values – and our robust network of allies and partners is a key source of our collective strength,” he said. https://www.cnn.com/2023/09/29/politics/milley-trump-wannabe-dictator/index.html

Special counsel notes trump’s gun store visit and Milley remarks in push for gag order Katelyn Polantz By Katelyn Polantz, Senior Reporter, Crime and Justice Updated 7:46 AM EDT, Sat September 30, 2023 Federal prosecutors have told a federal judge that if donald trump had bought a gun earlier this week during a campaign stop, he would be violating his release conditions as a criminal defendant and breaking the law, according to a Friday court filing. A campaign spokesman for trump had posted on social media that trump bought a Glock in South Carolina on Monday, then removed the post and clarified to CNN the former president hadn’t purchased the firearm. Prosecutors pointed to the moment, as well as the former president’s recent attacks on departing Joint Chiefs Chairman Gen. Mark Milley, in asking a federal judge to place more restrictions on trump, particularly on what he can say, as he awaits trial in Washington, DC, on federal charges of 2020 election interference. “The defendant either purchased a gun in violation of the law and his conditions of release, or seeks to benefit from his supporters’ mistaken belief that he did so,” the prosecutors wrote on Friday. “It would be a separate federal crime, and thus a violation of the defendant’s conditions of release, for him to purchase a gun while this felony indictment is pending.” The prosecutors note that trump re-posted a video asserting he bought the weapon, and that a video shows him with the gun. “The defendant should not be permitted to obtain the benefits of his incendiary public statements and then avoid accountability by having others—whose messages he knows will receive markedly less attention than his own—feign retraction,” the prosecutors argue. The gun discussion catching prosecutors’ attention doesn’t mean trump will be charged with any additional crimes. Yet if the judge were to look into violations of his release and find he broke his bail terms, trump could face consequences including having to await his trial in jail. “In the defendant’s opposition—premised on inapplicable caselaw and false claims—he demands special treatment, asserting that because he is a political candidate, he should have free rein to publicly intimidate witnesses and malign the Court, citizens of this District, and prosecutors. But in this case, donald j. trump is a criminal defendant like any other,” the prosecutors write. They are asking for Chutkan to limit trump’s ability to speak about witnesses and others involved in the case against him. https://www.cnn.com/2023/09/29/politics/trump-gag-order-special-counsel-gun-store-milley/index.html

House Embraces Bipartisanship as trump Influence Wanes By Bob Hennelly | September 30, 2023, 9:18 pm Just as the nation was on the very verge of being taken hostage via a government shutdown engineered by the MAGA House Republicans, a massive bi-partisan coalition voted to pass a continuing resolution that kept the government open for 45 days. And with that key vote, 126 Republicans joining 209 Democrats, versus 90 Republicans and one Democrat voting no, you can make a case that the nation’s MAGA fever that’s been raging since the start of the trump presidency has now finally broken. Earlier this week, trump took to social media to instruct Republican House members to hold out “UNLESS YOU GET EVERYTHING, SHUT IT DOWN! Close the Border, stop the Weaponization of ‘Justice’, and End Election Interference.” While trump has been indicted four times, it may be that his growing irrelevance is a product of time marching on past his grievance which defines him. The prospect of the employment of millions of federal workers being upended and the public’s access to important government services being disrupted was just a lot more consequential than the latest trump rant. The U.S. Senate was set to take up the House’s continuing resolution this evening and act in time enough for President Biden to sign the measure, ahead of the midnight deadline. “This spending bill was a complete and total victory for the American people. And a total defeat for the extreme MAGA Republicans,” Democratic Minority Leader Rep. Hakeem Jeffries (D-NY) told reporters after the vote. “Well, it was a strange few hours but Democrats have successfully prevented a shutdown AND stopped draconian cuts to vital programs,” tweeted Rep. Bonnie Watson Coleman, when her united caucus, though in the minority, had helped to carry the day. https://www.insidernj.com/house-embraces-bipartisanship-as-trump-influence-wanes/

trump calls for police to shoot shoplifters as they leave the store Candy Woodall USA TODAY Published 5:14 am ET October 1, 2023 Updated 6:42 pm ET October 1, 2023 Former president donald trump recently gave a glimpse into how his next administration would urge law enforcement to handle shoplifters if he wins the White House in 2024 − by shooting them in the store. "We will immediately stop all of the pillaging and theft. Very simply: If you rob a store, you can fully expect to be shot as you are leaving that store," he said Friday during a speech to California Republicans. But these words were his most provocative in calling for the crime of retail theft to be punished with being shot. His words on shoplifters also came days after he called for Army Gen. Mark Milley − one of the top military officers in his administration − to be executed for what trump described as treasonous phone calls to China and Milley described as a routine part of his job. trump calling on shoplifters to be shot also comes after he admired a Glock during a South Carolina campaign stop and said he wanted to buy one. The latter led prosecutors to say he may have broken the law. "The word that they shoot you will get out within minutes and our nation, in one day, will be an entirely different place," trump said Friday of shooting shoplifters. "There must be retribution for theft and destruction and the ruination of our country." trump has also called for shooting migrants to try and deter them from crossing the border. As president, he allegedly asked his Defense Secretary Mark Esper about shooting people who were protesting the death of George Floyd, Esper has said in his book and interviews. trump has also said drug dealers, human traffickers and anyone convicted of killing a police officer should face the death penalty. https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/politics/elections/2023/10/01/trump-police-shoot-shoplifters-california/71021289007/

S. Korea says N. Korea will never be recognized as nuclear-weapon state 13:43 October 01, 2023 SEOUL, Oct. 1 (Yonhap) -- North Korea will never be recognized as a nuclear-weapon state and its pursuit of nuclear weapons will only lead to more sanctions against the regime, South Korea's foreign ministry said Sunday. The ministry made the comments in response to a statement issued the previous day by North Korean Foreign Minister Choe Son-hui, which claimed the North's possession of nuclear weapons was a legitimate exercise of sovereignty. "The international community clearly bans North Korea's nuclear and missile development and provocations," the South Korean ministry said in a statement. "Regardless of North Korea's actions and claims, its possession of nuclear weapons will never be recognized, and the sanctions of the international community will further deepen." https://en.yna.co.kr/view/AEN20231001001900315

Ukraine war: vladimir putin marks one year since illegal 'annexation' of Ukrainian regions By Euronews with AP Published on October 1, 2023 - 08:55 Russian President vladimir putin on Saturday insisted that the residents of four Ukrainian regions that Moscow illegally annexed one year ago “made their choice - to be with their Fatherland.” In an address released to mark the first anniversary of the annexation, putin insisted that the annexations were carried out “in full accordance with international norms.” He also claimed that residents of the Donetsk, Luhansk, Zaporizhzhia and Kherson regions had again expressed their desire to be part of Russia in local elections earlier this month. Russia’s Central Election Commission said the country’s ruling party won the most votes. The West has denounced both the referendum votes carried out last year and the recent ballots as a sham. The votes were held as Russian authorities attempted to tighten their grip on territories Moscow illegally annexed a year ago and still does not fully control. A concert was held in Red Square on Friday to mark the anniversary, but Putin did not participate. https://www.euronews.com/2023/10/01/ukraine-war-putin-marks-one-year-since-illegal-annexation-of-ukrainian-regions

Israel adds hundreds of millions of shekels in aid to the Palestinians Accounting measures, drop in gas tax boost P.A. coffers. Ariel Kahana (October 1, 2023 / Jewish News Syndicate) Israel recently slashed the gasoline tax it had been collecting from the Palestinian Authority by 50% as well as taken other measures to ease the financial situation in Ramallah. The 1994 Protocol on Economic Relations (aka the Paris Protocol) between Israel and the PLO stipulates a 3% rate but Israel has recently decided to collect only 1.5%, as shown in a recent document signed by the Defense Ministry’s Coordinator for Government Activities in the Territories office several days ago. This will save some 80 million shekels ($21 million) for the Palestinian Authority on an annual basis. Other measures that Israel has taken to help the Palestinians financially since the start of 2023 add up to some 270 million shekels ($71 million). This includes more transfers of taxes collected on behalf of the P.A., amounting to a major increase compared to about half a million shekels only three years ago. This, despite many of the goods ostensibly being sent to the P.A. never making it there because of a fraudulent ploy by importers. Other financial measures have totaled some 350 million shekels ($92 million) since the new Netanyahu government was sworn in. https://www.jns.org/israel-adds-hundreds-of-millions-of-shekels-in-aid-to-the-palestinians/

Saudi Arabian Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman sent his delegation to meet with Palestinian Authority chief Mahmoud Abbas in Ramallah after a rare interview with Fox News where he stated that normalization with Israel was "getting closer every day," and that the kingdom could join the Abraham Accords "with the support from President [Joe] Biden's administration to get to that point."

US says 'basic framework' for Israel-Saudi peace in place "All sides have hammered out, I think, a basic framework for what we might be able to drive at," White House official John Kirby says, amid ongoing efforts to bring the Sunni kingdom into the Abraham Accords. By JNS and ILH Staff Published on 10-01-2023 12:00 Last modified: 10-01-2023 13:31 Jerusalem and Riyadh have "hammered out" the contours of a possible American-mediated normalization agreement, US National Security Council spokesman John Kirby said on Friday. "All sides have hammered out, I think, a basic framework for what, you know, what we might be able to drive at," he said, amid an ongoing effort to bring the Sunni kingdom into the Abraham Accords. "As in any complex arrangement, as this will inevitably be, everybody is going to have to do something. And everybody is going to have to compromise on some things," Kirby added. Saudi Arabia is not conditioning a peace deal with Israel on the establishment of a Palestinian state, Reuters reported over the weekend. As part of an agreement, the Palestinians could nonetheless receive a huge influx of Saudi aid as well as Israeli concessions that would fall short of statehood, said the report, citing three unnamed regional officials. Several days ago, Tourism Minister Haim Katz became the first Israeli cabinet minister to be granted an entry visa by the Saudi government, arriving in Riyadh to participate in a conference of the United Nations World Tourism Organization and mark World Tourism Day, celebrated annually on Sept. 27. Concurrently, a delegation headed by Saudi Ambassador to Jordan Nayef al-Sudairi, Riyadh's first-ever non-resident envoy to the PA and consul general to Jerusalem, traveled to Ramallah for a meeting with Palestinian Authority chief Mahmoud Abbas. The developments came shortly after Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman said in a rare interview with Fox News that normalization with Israel was "getting closer every day," and that the kingdom could join the Abraham Accords "with the support from President [Joe] Biden's administration to get to that point." The interview aired the same day that Biden met with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly in New York. "I think that under your leadership, Mr. President, we can forge a historic peace between Israel and Saudi Arabia," Netanyahu said. "And I think such a peace would go a long way first to advance the end of the Arab-Israeli conflict, achieve reconciliation between the Islamic world and the Jewish state, and advance a genuine peace between Israel and the Palestinians." The Wall Street Journal reported the same week that Netanyahu instructed his country's leading nuclear and security specialists to work with US negotiators to find a compromise that lets Saudi Arabia enrich uranium. Israeli officials are "quietly working" with the White House to develop a "US-run, uranium-enrichment operation" in Saudi Arabia for a civilian nuclear program, a key condition of the kingdom for accepting a normalization agreement with Israel, officials from both countries told the Journal. Netanyahu has repeatedly said that bringing Saudi Arabia into the Abraham Accords would constitute a "quantum leap" for peace in the Middle East. In his address to the UN General Assembly, he said that a deal with Riyadh would have far-reaching implications, including encouraging other Arab nations to normalize relations with Israel. He called the Abraham Accords "a pivot of history" and said the whole world is reaping their benefits. "All these are tremendous blessings," said the premier. https://www.israelhayom.com/2023/10/01/us-basic-framework-for-israel-saudi-peace-in-place/

Iranian president criticizes normalization with Israel Middle East News October 1, 2023 09:32 Iran's President Ebrahim Raisi stated on Sunday, October 1, 2023, that the approach that should be adopted towards Israel is "resistance" instead of "normalization and surrender," indirectly referring to agreements between countries in the Arab and Islamic worlds and the State of Israel. https://www.lbcgroup.tv/news/middleeastnews/725537/iranian-president-criticizes-normalization-with-is/

Iran’s President Raisi slams normalization with Israel as ‘reactionary and regressive’ Iranian president claims establishing ties with Jewish state is a ‘foreigners’ desire,’ as Saudi Arabia and Israel move toward agreement By AFP 1 Oct 2023, 7:09 pm TEHRAN, Iran – Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi on Sunday denounced any attempts by regional countries to normalize relations with its arch-enemy Israel as “reactionary and regressive.” The remarks came amid ongoing US-brokered negotiations between Israel and Saudi Arabia to establish formal ties, with the United States saying on Friday that the two countries are moving toward the outline of a deal. “Normalizing relations with the Zionist regime is a reactionary and regressive move by any government in the Islamic world,” Raisi said during an international Islamic conference held in Tehran. An Israeli delegation is expected in Saudi Arabia on Sunday, days after the first official visit by an Israeli minister to the kingdom. https://www.timesofisrael.com/irans-raisi-slams-normalization-with-israel-as-reactionary-and-regressive/

Normalization with Israel a sign of regression: Iranian President Raisi Tehran Times October 1, 2023 - 20:32 Speaking at the 37th International Islamic Unity Conference in Tehran on Sunday, President Raisi said liberating al-Quds is the most important question of the Islamic world. In his speech, the president underlined the need for unity among the Islamic Ummah, saying, “The Islamic Ummah unity has always been important in the history of Islam.” Stating that unity is taking on further importance by the day in the Muslim world, Raisi said, “Paying attention to unity is not an individual matter and a fleeting view, but a system of thought centered on the truth and centered on belief in the Quran, the Holy Prophet of Islam and his pure progeny.” He added, “Unity does not mean the unification of religions or the geography of Muslim countries, but unity and cohesion to protect the interests of the Islamic Ummah. In the effort for unity and ecumenism, all our thinking should be aimed at preserving and promoting the interests of the Islamic Ummah.” Praising the message of the Prophet Mohammad (PBUH), Raisi said ignoring the words and life of the Prophet is the starting point of the humanity’s regression and backwardness. “For the Islamic Ummah, the benchmark for regression is to not follow the Messenger of God and follow infidels. The reason for the victory of Muslims throughout history has been the unity of the Islamic Ummah centered on obedience to the Prophet and the Holy Quran.” President Raisi said following foreigners and paying heed to their wishes is another sign of backwardness. “The arrogant powers know that the most important obstacle in front of them is the Islamic Ummah who believe in the Prophet of God, resurrection, dynamics and moving towards the divine destination,” he continued. Also, Raisi considered attention to the freedom of al-Quds and Palestine as the most important indicator of the Islamic Ummah. He warned, “Moving in the direction of normalizing relations with the Zionist regime [Israel] is another indicator of moving in the direction of backwardness and regression for every government and official in Islamic countries.” President Raisi pointed out that the option of normalizing relations with Israel has been taken off the table. “Today, everyone has a common view that the way to deal with the enemy is not surrender and compromise, but resistance. The option of compromise has been removed from the table and today no concerned people in Palestine, Lebanon and other Islamic countries are talking about compromise. The choice of all Mujahideen of the Islamic world is to resist and stand against the enemy, and this choice will force the enemy to retreat,” he averred. Raisi also said that the enemy has installed puppet regimes in some Islamic countries with the purpose of advancing normalization with the Zionist regime of Israel. “The Muslims of these nations have proven that they are people of standing, resistance, and knowing and countering the enemy.” https://www.tehrantimes.com/news/489642/Normalization-with-Israel-a-sign-of-regression-Raisi

On Monday, October 2, 2023. The Anti-American MAGA Nazi cult of donald trump coordinated their attack on the Congress of the United States of America to prevent the United States Congress from authorizing any aid to Israel, thereby green-lighting the October 7, 2023 attack. In donald trump's own words: “The Israeli attack was made because we are perceived as being weak and ineffective and with a really weak leader”. Look how weak donald trump looks, and is, and how dismal his presidential campaign and election chances are. Neither donald trump, or apparently any Republicans, are demanding to restore the U.S. Congress to working order in order for Israel to receive the aid it needs. Not a good plan for securing the Evangelicals/Christian vote. The House on Tuesday, October 3, 2023 voted 216 to 210 to remove California Republican Kevin McCarthy from his position as House speaker, a historic move that comes days after he reached an 11th-hour deal to avert a government shutdown with the help of House Democrats. The ouster came after Republican Rep. Matt Gaetz acted Monday night, October 2, 2023, to force a vote on a motion to vacate the office of the speaker, following through on a threat he made last week to take the gavel from the California Republican while the threat of a shutdown loomed. https://www.cbsnews.com/news/kevin-mccarthy-removed-house-speaker-what-happens-next/

The New York Times Putin’s Next Target: U.S. Support for Ukraine, Officials Say Julian E. Barnes October 2, 2023 WASHINGTON — Russia’s strategy to win the war in Ukraine is to outlast the West. But how does President Vladimir Putin plan to do that? U.S. officials said they are convinced that Putin intends to try to end U.S. and European support for Ukraine by using his spy agencies to push propaganda supporting pro-Russian political parties and by stoking conspiracy theories with new technologies. The Russia disinformation aims to increase support for candidates opposing Ukraine aid with the ultimate goal of stopping international military assistance to Ukraine. Russia has been frustrated that the United States and Europe have largely remained united on continued military and economic support for Ukraine, U.S. officials said. That military aid has kept Ukraine in the fight, put Russia’s original goals of taking Kyiv, the capital, and Odesa out of reach and even halted its more modest objective to control all of the Donbas region, in eastern Ukraine. But Putin believes he can influence American politics to weaken support for Ukraine and potentially restore his battlefield advantage, U.S. officials said. Putin, the officials said, appears to be closely watching U.S. political debates over Ukraine assistance. Republican opposition to sending more money to Ukraine forced congressional leaders to pass a stopgap spending bill Saturday that did not include additional aid for the country. https://news.yahoo.com/putin-next-target-u-support-173151349.html

State Department First Denies Iranian Spy Infiltration, Then Confirms Ongoing Investigation Jake Smith / October 02, 2023 The Biden administration doesn’t “have any reason to believe” that Iran infiltrated the State Department, an agency spokesman said. During a press conference Monday, spokesman Matthew Miller first said no evidence suggests an Iranian influence network had infiltrated the State Department, then immediately confirmed that an investigation into Rob Malley, the department’s special envoy for Iran, is ongoing. In July, Malley was suspended from his role over questions about his handling of classified information and his ties to Iranian intelligence. Critics said he surrounded himself with individuals who allegedly worked for an Iranian influence network. “I do not have any reason to believe an Iranian influence operation infiltrated the United States government. However, as it relates to Rob Malley, that remains an ongoing investigation,” Miller told reporters Monday. “Not specifically about him, but about the other people?” Associated Press reporter Matt Lee asked. ‘My comment pertained to that. I do not have any reason to believe that,” Miller responded. Last week, it was discovered that Ariane Tabatabai, Ali Vaez, and Dina Esfandairy, three academics close to Malley, were working for the Iran Experts Initiative, an operation created to bolster Tehran’s international image by recruiting Western academics and researchers to influence U.S. and European media and government. https://www.dailysignal.com/2023/10/02/state-department-first-denies-iranian-spy-infiltration-then-confirms-onging-investigation/

trump Gripes It’s ‘Unfair’ He Doesn’t Have A Jury—But He Never Asked For One In N.Y. Fraud Case William Skipworth Forbes Staff October 2, 2023, 06:05pm EDT Twice impeached president donald trump said Monday afternoon that "I think it's very unfair I don't have a jury” in remarks made after exiting the courtroom for his New York fraud trial, even though the reason he has no jury is because his lawyers elected not to. trump’s attorneys, acting on his behalf, waived his right to a jury trial earlier this year, according to online court records. trump also falsely said on Monday “we’re not entitled to a jury, which is pretty unusual in the United States of America.” trump was entitled to a jury, but his lawyers chose to have a bench trial, meaning the judge will make the final determination. The New York Attorney General’s office is asking the judge to hand down $250 million in fines, bar trump from making commercial real estate acquisitions for five years and ban him and his children from leading companies in New York. Before the trial began, Judge Arthur Engoron, who is presiding over the case, found trump and his business liable for fraud. He issued a ruling last week declaring that trump and the trump Organization had misstated the value of the company’s assets and ordered Trump’s business certificates to be canceled. https://www.forbes.com/sites/willskipworth/2023/10/02/trump-gripes-its-unfair-he-doesnt-have-a-jury-but-he-never-asked-for-one-in-ny-fraud-case/

Statement from Attorney General James on the Trial Against donald trump October 2, 2023 NEW YORK – New York Attorney General Letitia James released the following statement on the first day of trial in her case against donald trump for engaging in years of financial fraud to unjustly enrich himself and cheat the system: “For years, donald trump falsely inflated his net worth to enrich himself and cheat the system. We won the foundation of our case last week and proved that his purported net worth has long been rooted in incredible fraud. In this country, there are consequences for this type of persistent fraud, and we look forward to demonstrating the full extent of his fraud and illegality during trial. “No matter how rich or powerful you are, there are not two sets of laws for people in this country. The rule of law must apply equally to everyone, and it is my responsibility to make sure that it does.” Letitia James New York State Attorney General https://ag.ny.gov/press-release/2023/statement-attorney-general-james-trial-against-donald-trump

Prosecutors Probe trump’s Efforts to Steal Arizona’s Election — Years After He Lost Investigators are asking about trumpworld efforts to undermine Arizona’s 2020 election results as recently as last year By Adam Rawnsley, Asawin Suebsaeng October 2, 2023 Prosecutors in Arizona are probing the extent to which donald trump and his allies were still working behind the scenes to reverse the results of the 2020 presidential election — years into Joe Biden’s presidency. According to two people with knowledge of the situation, investigators with the Arizona attorney general’s office are inquiring about efforts to overturn the election that continued well into 2021 and 2022. The sources say that investigators have asked about a 2022 pressure campaign from trump allies aimed at decertifying the state’s electors, and inquired about how deeply the former president and his senior advisers were involved in supporting Arizona Republicans’ privately run 2021 election audit. In May, Arizona Attorney General Kris Mayes’ office opened an investigation into a trump-backed effort by Arizona Republicans to put forth a bogus slate of electors sworn to support the former president when it came time to cast Arizona’s Electoral College votes. But investigators have recently been asking questions that indicate an interest in efforts to overturn the 2020 election that took place well after Biden’s inauguration. In the months since Mayes’ office began investigating the “fake electors” plot, sources say officials have interviewed individuals with intimate knowledge of internal trumpworld discussions, and solicited and reviewed documents circulated by trump lieutenants and local allies related to those later efforts. https://www.rollingstone.com/politics/politics-features/trump-overturn-arizona-election-2020-1234836684/

Raisi: Islamic Revolution’s view rejects western approach By Iran Front Page Editorial Staff October 2, 2023 Ebrahim Raisi made the remark in a meeting with participants in the International Khorsheed Media Festival. Raisi reiterated that the West is not a defender of the rights of women, noting that the Islamic Revolution’s view is not an instrumental one nor does it support the notion that women must stay at home. The Iranian president went on to say that the Israelis occupied Palestine for 70 years, while the US and its allies were in Afghanistan for 20 years without any positive result for the country’s people. Raisi added that Iran believes that a media hegemony exists that depicts righteousness as falsehood and vice versa. He said what is happening today is a war of narratives in which all people must follow the right narrative which is based on enlightenment. While underlining the need for cooperation between independent media in order to shed light on the crimes of the West in the name of freedom and human rights, Raisi said the desecration of the Quran happens in the name of defending freedom of speech but such an act is actually a violation of human rights. He stressed that what the West wants is not freedom of thought but it is a way of thinking that is useful to their domineering system. Female media activists from 40 countries took part in the first Khorshid (sunshine) Media Festival held on Sunday in Mashhad, southeast of Iran. https://ifpnews.com/raisi-islamic-revolution-view-western-approach/

Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi felicitates Islamic world on birth anniversary of Holy Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) October 2, 2023, 7:45 PM News ID: 85246159 Tehran, IRNA - Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi has sent separate messages to leaders of Islamic countries, extending his felicitations to them and the Islamic world on the auspicious occasion of the birth anniversary of Prophet Mohammad (PBUH). The Iranian president emphasized that the invaluable life and ethical virtues of Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) have always been a guiding light for humanity and served as the most prominent model leading individuals towards divine proximity. “Islam is a religion of freedom and equality, and the Holy Quran, the book of mercy, wisdom, and divine words. Insulting the heavenly Quran as the miracle of Prophet Mohammad (PBUH) is an insult to humanity, freedom, values, and spirituality,” President Raisi noted. “The Islamic Republic of Iran strongly condemns such hateful and malicious actions that are taking place in some parts of the world against Islam, hurting the feelings of Muslims worldwide,” he concluded. The president also expressed hope that this blessed occasion, coupled with reliance on the Holy Quran and the valuable tradition of the revered Prophet of Islam, will help strengthen unity among Muslim nations.

donald trump Drops Off The Forbes 400 For Second Time In 3 Years October 3, 2023, 06:00am EDT As the New York attorney general accuses donald trump of fraud, Forbes answers the question at the heart of the case: What is he really worth? By Dan Alexander, Forbes Staff donald trump is no longer rich enough for the country’s most exclusive club. With an estimated $2.6 billion fortune, he is $300 million shy of the cutoff for The Forbes 400 ranking of America’s richest people, the annual measurement that trump has obsessed over for decades, relentlessly lying to reporters to try to vault himself higher on the list. His net worth is down more than $600 million from a year ago. The biggest reason: Truth Social, his social-media business. trump once envisioned a significant percentage of the country logging onto the platform. But that never happened. Roughly 6.5 million have signed up so far, about 1% of the total on X (né Twitter). trump’s 90% stake in Truth Social’s parent company has plummeted in value from an estimated $730 million to less than $100 million. If trump’s platform were thriving, he would probably have no trouble finding alternate financing. But it’s not, and there is little reason to be optimistic about Truth Social’s future. After all, if people are not logging on to Trump’s platform to hear what he has to say now—while he is simultaneously facing a series of indictments and steamrolling the Republican presidential primary—they probably never will. Also in trouble: his office buildings, which are down by an estimated $170 million. The majority of that decline comes from 555 California Street, a 1.8 million square-foot complex in the heart of San Francisco, where trump holds a 30% stake alongside publicly traded Vornado Realty Trust. trump’s interest at 555 California is down by an estimated $100 million or so. In New York, trump holds another 30% stake in a Vornado-controlled building at 1290 Avenue of the Americas, which is down by roughly $60 million. https://www.forbes.com/sites/danalexander/2023/10/03/donald-trump-drops-off-the-forbes-400-for-second-time-in-3-years/

Mahmoud Abbas: Israel's independence is a sham, US occupying Palestine By TOVAH LAZAROFF Published: OCTOBER 3, 2023 19:35 Updated: OCTOBER 3, 2023 21:29 PA's Abbas: "The Palestinian people will achieve victory and achieve the independence of Palestine with Jerusalem as its capital." Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas charged that “America is occupying Palestine” just as Secretary of State Antony Blinken was reportedly planning to visit Israel and the West Bank. “When Israel says that it is celebrating its independence day, it has gained independence from whom?,” he said during a public speech in Ramallah. “Who was occupying the State of Israel so that it celebrates the anniversary of its freedom from this occupation, this is a big lie.” He noted the religious tensions in Israel, pointing to the attack against the Yom Kippur scuffle that broke out in Tel Aviv’s Dizengoff Square when activists tried to enforce gender-segregated prayer. His attack on the Biden administration and Israel comes amid work on a security arrangement between Washington and Riyadh, including an Israeli-Saudi normalization deal and a possible interim agreement with the Palestinians. https://www.jpost.com/middle-east/article-761533

PA denies Israel offered economic measures to prevent its collapse October 3, 2023 at 1:02 pm The Palestinian Authority denied on Monday reports in the Hebrew-language media that the Israeli government has offered economic incentives and financial aid to prevent its collapse. “Contrary to what was reported in the Israeli press, the current Israeli government has doubled its illegal unilateral deductions from Palestinian taxpayer funds in an unprecedented way,” explained Louay Hanash, a senior official at the ministry of finance in Ramallah. He pointed out that the deductions were equivalent to 25 per cent of the PA’s revenues from taxes collected by Israel on behalf of the authority. The occupation state did not give reasons for this. Moreover, he said that Israel deducts three per cent of the clearing funds as a collection commission, the monthly average of which exceeds NIS 35 million ($9.1m). According to Hanash, Finance Minister Shukri Bishara has called for a reduction in the collection commission that Israel generally charges on all other goods, so that it is based on the cost. In one report, the World Bank estimated that it should not exceed 0.6 per cent. “This reflects the extent of the Israeli theft in relation to this issue alone,” said the PA official. He explained that the Israeli occupation authorities deduct what they claim are payments which encourage Palestinians to carry out attacks on the apartheid state. In fact, the PA provides social security-style payments to Palestinian families affected directly by the Israeli occupation, as well as the families of the martyrs, prisoners and wounded. In addition to its monthly deductions that have been ongoing for many years in violation of all agreements, the apartheid state has recently added a monthly deduction at the rate of NIS20-30 million to cover debts due to the Israel Electricity Company. Hanash stressed that these deductions demonstrate clearly that the occupation is responsible for the stifling financial crisis from which the PA is suffering, and the main obstacle to the development of the Palestinian economy. https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/20231003-pa-denies-israel-offered-economic-measures-to-prevent-its-collapse/

Dr. Hannibal Lecter is a character created by the American novelist Thomas Harris. Lecter is a serial killer who eats his victims. Before his capture, he was a respected forensic psychiatrist; after his incarceration, he is consulted by FBI agents Will Graham and Clarice Starling to help them find other serial killers. In her book Evil Serial Killers, Charlotte Greig asserts Lecter was inspired at least in part by the serial killer Albert Fish. Greig also states that, to explain Lecter's pathology, Harris borrowed the possibly apocryphal story of serial killer and cannibal Andrei Chikatilo's brother Stepan being kidnapped and eaten by starving neighbors. Hannibal Lecter is a cannibalistic serial killer. He is highly intelligent and cultured, with refined tastes and impeccable manners. He is deeply offended by rudeness, and often kills people who exhibit bad manners; according to the novel Hannibal, he "prefers to eat the rude". Hopkins described Lecter as the "Robin Hood of killers", who kills "the terminally rude". (Wikipedia)

trump-Owned Saudi LIV Golf Tournament Site Security Fence Breached October 4, 2023 (the same day Egypt warned Israel of imminent Gaza "explosive escalation": Generator thieves go to town at trump’s Doral resort — was it an inside job? Layron Livingston, Reporter Published: October 4, 2023 at 6:11 PM Updated: October 4, 2023 at 9:43 PM DORAL, Fla. – Authorities say a group of thieves made off with at least 60 generators from the trump National Doral Miami golf resort and now they’re looking for the culprits. They hit the resort twice in the same day, raising the question: did they have help from the inside? On first look at surveillance video, a white Ford F-150 pick-up seen pulling through the resort’s maintenance area would not appear to be out of place, except it is, and so is whoever’s driving it. Doral police Chief Edwin Lopez said at around 5 p.m. Monday, whoever was in that truck made off with some 30 generators from the resort. ‘The incident that occurred in the daylight was an area that was not secured,” Lopez said. “These individuals posed as construction workers that were able to enter and gain access to the area.” Police said they came back about five hours later — this time in a white panel van — and stole more than 30 more generators. “During the evening hours, they actually cut some fencing and were able to access the same area,” Lopez said. Police provided a photo of one of the hauls filling the bed of the pick-up. The resort is set to host a Saudi LIV Golf tournament in just a couple of weeks; police said the generators and equipment were being stored on-site for the tournament. https://www.local10.com/news/local/2023/10/04/generator-thieves-go-to-town-at-trumps-doral-resort-was-it-an-inside-job/

October 4, 2023: Egypt warned Israel of Hamas strike days before attack: GOP chair by Miranda Nazzaro - 10/12/23 2:16 PM ET House Foreign Affairs Committee Chairman Michael McCaul (R-Texas) says that lawmakers were told Egypt had warned Israel of a potential attack from Palestinian militant group Hamas before its deadly strike over the weekend. “We know that Egypt had warned the Israelis three days prior that an event like this could happen,” McCaul said Wednesday following a closed-door intelligence briefing with lawmakers about the ongoing conflict. He did not provide any specific details about the warning, but he noted it appeared there was a failure of intelligence from both Israel and the U.S. government. “We’ve heard from the administration, there seems to be a failure of intelligence as well. We’re not quite sure how we missed it. We’re not quite sure how Israel missed it,” McCaul said. Earlier this week, The Associated Press (AP) said it was told by an Egyptian intelligence official that Egypt — which often serves as a mediator between Israel and Hamas — spoke repeatedly with Israelis about “something big” without elaborating. https://thehill.com/policy/international/4252561-egypt-warned-israel-of-hamas-strike-days-before-attack-gop-chair/

October 5, 2023: An October 5 wire from the CIA warned generally of the increasing possibility of violence by Hamas.

trump allegedly discussed US nuclear subs with foreign national after leaving White House: Sources trump allegedly discussed the information with an Australian billionaire. By Katherine Faulders, Alexander Mallin, and Mike Levine October 5, 2023, 4:31 PM Months after leaving the White House, impeached former president donald trump allegedly discussed potentially sensitive information about U.S. nuclear submarines with a member of his Mar-a-Lago Club -- an Australian billionaire who then allegedly shared the information with scores of others, including more than a dozen foreign officials, several of his own employees, and a handful of journalists, according to sources familiar with the matter. The potential disclosure was reported to special counsel Jack Smith's team as they investigated trump's alleged hoarding of classified documents at Mar-a-Lago, the sources told ABC News. The information could shed further light on trump's handling of sensitive government secrets. Prosecutors and FBI agents have at least twice this year interviewed the Mar-a-Lago member, Anthony Pratt, who runs U.S.-based Pratt Industries, one of the world's largest packaging companies. In those interviews, Pratt described how -- looking to make conversation with trump during a meeting at Mar-a-Lago in April 2021 -- he brought up the American submarine fleet, which the two had discussed before, the sources told ABC News. According to Pratt's account, as described by the sources, Pratt told trump he believed Australia should start buying its submarines from the United States, to which an excited trump -- "leaning" toward Pratt as if to be discreet -- then told Pratt two pieces of information about U.S. submarines: the supposed exact number of nuclear warheads they routinely carry, and exactly how close they supposedly can get to a Russian submarine without being detected. In emails and conversations after meeting with trump, Pratt described trump's remarks to at least 45 others, including six journalists, 11 of his company's employees, 10 Australian officials, and three former Australian prime ministers, the sources told ABC News. While Pratt told investigators he couldn’t tell if what trump said about U.S. submarines was real or just bluster, investigators nevertheless asked Pratt not to repeat the numbers that trump allegedly told him, suggesting the information could be too sensitive to relay further, ABC News was told. It's unclear if the information was accurate, but the episode was investigated by Smith's team. Sources said another witness, one of trump's former employees at Mar-a-Lago, told investigators that, within minutes of Pratt's meeting with trump, he heard Pratt relaying to someone else some of what trump had just said. According to the sources, the former Mar-a-Lago employee also told investigators he was "bothered" and "shocked" to hear that the impeached former president had provided such seemingly sensitive information to a non-U.S. citizen. https://abcnews.go.com/US/after-white-house-trump-allegedly-discussed-potentially-sensitive/story?id=103760456

trump drops suit against former lawyer Michael Cohen The impeached former president, facing a scheduling conflict with a campaign rally, insisted he’s simply pausing his case seeking $500 million from the attorney who turned on him. By Josh Gerstein October 5, 2023 09:10 PM EDT Impeached former president donald trump late on Thursday abruptly dropped a lawsuit against his former personal lawyer Michael Cohen as a conflict loomed between the litigation and trump’s campaign to win back the White House. trump claimed through a spokesperson that he was simply pausing the litigation, but seemed to concede that it had become complicated by the four criminal cases the former president now faces. Cohen said in a statement that the move indicated trump feared the prospect of a deposition where he would be required to answer questions from Cohen’s attorney under oath. “As I have said from the beginning: this case was nothing more than a retaliatory intimidation tactic, and his attempt to hide from routine discovery procedures confirms as much,” Cohen said. “Mr. trump’s cowardly dismissal spells the end of this latest attempt to deter me from providing truthful testimony against him. My legal team and I now look forward to turning our full attention to holding Mr. trump accountable for his latest abuse of the legal system.” https://www.politico.com/news/2023/10/05/trump-drops-michael-cohen-00120297

Judge orders trump to provide list of companies to be dissolved By Peter Charalambous ABCNews Thursday, October 5, 2023 11:02AM As the questioning of witnesses continued this morning at impeached former president donald trump trial in New York where he is accused of "numerous acts of fraud and misrepresentation" to inflate trump's net worth while lowering his tax burden, Judge Arthur Engoron issued an order outlining the next steps to dissolve trump's companies. Last week, Engoron found that trump and his adult sons used fraudulent documents to conduct business and ordered the cancellation of his business certificates. trump appealed that ruling yesterday. In today's order, Engoron asks the defendants to provide a list of "entities controlled or beneficially owned by donald j. trump" and the other co-defendants to the Hon. Barbara S. Jones, the independent monitor overseeing trump's business activities. trump is also required to notify Jones of any news business applications or changes to preexisting entities. During a court conference last week, trump's attorney Chris Kise asked Engoron for clarity about which specific entities would be impacted by the cancellation of business certificates. While Engoron declined to address the matter further during the conference, this order appears to be a step towards gaining that clarity. Though the order also gives the parties 30 days to recommend a receiver to oversee the dissolution of trump's corporate assets, both parties previously suggested that they plan to recommend Jones. https://abc7chicago.com/donald-trump-new-york-business-fraud-trial-dissolve-companies/13867573/

Iran: Regime fears upcoming uprising amidst increasing public dissent By Mohsen Aboutalebi Published On: October 5, 2023 On September 24, the Iranian regime’s president, Ebrahim Raisi, convened a high-profile security meeting with top regime officials, addressing the escalating social crises and the potential for uprisings. The frequent nature of these meetings indicates a heightened sense of urgency within the regime. Attendees of the meeting included key figures such as intelligence minister Ismail Khatib, interior minister Ahmad Vahidi, Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) Commander-in-Chief Hossein Salami, Basij Commander-in-Chief Mohammad Reza Naghdi, among other senior officials from IRGC and State Security Forces. This heightened sense of caution is echoed by Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei who, on September 11, warned against an “armed and prepared enemy”. In his public address, he cautioned supporters, stating that complacency could be exploited by adversaries. There’s a mounting undercurrent of dissent in Iran. Economic hardships, coupled with repressive policies, have resulted in the youth clashing more vehemently with regime forces. A recent claim by IRGC-affiliated News Agencies revealed unprecedented intense clashes between regime forces and protesters in July. The regime’s law enforcement command described recent months as particularly challenging. In an attempt to counteract this, the regime is using tactics of intimidation. Announcements of arresting protest leaders and members are being made to deter the youth from participating in uprisings. On September 24, the Ministry of Intelligence even encouraged citizens to report any “suspicious movements”, potentially aiming to sow seeds of distrust within communities. Ebrahim Jabbari, advisor to the Commander-in-Chief of the IRGC, acknowledged the growing public resentment against the regime. As reported by ISNA news agency on September 24, he commented on the regime’s adversaries, asserting that they are consistently turning the Iranian populace against the ruling power. The regime seems to be grappling with uncertainty. With reference to the 2022 uprising, Esmail Khatib, the Minister of Intelligence, expressed concerns about the narrative presented by opposition channels regarding Iran’s youth. However, despite the regime’s efforts, the spirit of rebellion remains unbroken. The actions of the Resistance Units and the ongoing protests by the country’s courageous youth showcase their unyielding spirit. The growing discontent among the masses, especially regarding the erosion of freedoms, has instilled a profound sense of apprehension within the top echelons of the Iranian regime, from the Supreme Leader to the heads of various intelligence and defense institutions. https://mek-iran.com/2023/10/05/iran-regime-fears-upcoming-uprising-amidst-increasing-public-dissent/

Rent In Iran Up by 60% As Cost Of Living Soars Thursday, 10/05/2023 Rents in Iran have surged by 60% over the past year, with 12 provinces experiencing increases exceeding 70%. The figures were released by the Eco Iran website, citing statistics from the government-run Statistical Center of Iran for the Iranian year up until March 2023. In the previous year, 20 provinces, equivalent to 64.5% of Iran's provinces, witnessed rent growth rates surpassing the national average. The report also highlighted that rent inflation in Tehran province exceeded 52%, resulting in the average monthly household rental cost in Tehran province rising from $105 in 2021 to $160. Additionally, data from the Statistical Center of Iran indicates that the average expenses for housing, water, sewage, fuel, and electricity surged by nearly 60% during the same period. For around one year, both the Statistical Center and the Central Bank have ceased publishing regular reports on developments in the housing market, drawing criticism from economic experts and the construction and real estate sectors. Recently, officials from the Ministry of Roads and Urban Development have prioritized restricting property buying, selling, and renting platforms with real estate consultants and property transaction platforms having been accused of contributing to price hikes. The situation coincides with a report from the Donya-e-Eqtesad newspaper, indicating that the nationwide growth in rent prices from March to September 2023 has reached its highest level in 12 years, surging to 38.5%. Reports from mid-2022 previously highlighted a staggering increase of over 300% in Tehran's rental prices within a three-year timeframe. Additionally, statistics released in December 2021, around six months after Ebrahim Raisi assumed the presidency, revealed that food and housing costs had surged by 300% to 740% over the preceding six years. https://www.iranintl.com/en/202310058093

Putin says Russia’s mission is to create ‘new world’ By AFP 5 Oct 2023, 7:05 pm Russian president vladimir putin says that Russia’s mission is to create a “new world” and blames Western hegemony for Moscow’s grinding offensive in Ukraine. putin has portrayed Russia’s full-scale military intervention in Ukraine — launched in February 2022 — as part of a long-standing confrontation with the West. “We are tasked, essentially, with building a new world,” putin says, adding the West is aiming for global “hegemony.” “The West always needs an enemy,” he says. As Moscow grows more isolated in the West and faces unprecedented sanctions over its Ukraine campaign, putin accuses the West of trying to create a “new Iron Curtain” with Russia. “Europe is fencing itself off from us and creating a new Iron Curtain,” says putin, who served in the Soviet KGB. “We are not the ones shutting the door. It’s Europe that’s shutting the door,” he adds. https://www.timesofisrael.com/liveblog_entry/putin-says-russias-mission-is-to-create-new-world/

October 6, 2023: On October 6, the day before the attack, US officials circulated reporting from Israel indicating unusual activity by Hamas — indications that are now clear: an attack was imminent. https://www.cnn.com/2023/10/13/politics/us-intelligence-warnings-potential-gaza-clash-days-before-attack/index.html

The New Voice of Ukraine North Korea begins supplying Russia with artillery — report The New Voice of Ukraine Fri, October 6, 2023 at 1:30 PM PDT North Korea has decided to start providing Russia with artillery for its war against Ukraine, CBS News reported on Oct. 6, citing an unnamed U.S. official. “It was not immediately clear whether the transfer is part of a new, long-term supply chain or a more limited consignment, or what North Korea is getting in return for the weapons,” the report reads. https://news.yahoo.com/north-korea-begins-supplying-russia-203000827.html

putin says Ukraine would last ‘a week’ if Western military support stops putin’s prediction comes as concerns mount about future of US funding for Ukraine amid political turmoil in Washington. 6 Oct 2023 Russian president vladimir putin said Ukraine could not survive for more than “a week” without Western military and financial aid, a claim made on the same day as a European Union official warned that the bloc could not replace the funding gap if support for Kyiv from the United States dried up. https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2023/10/6/putin-says-ukraine-would-last-a-week-if-western-military-support-stops

Kim Jong Un receives flower basket from Palestinian President October 7, 2023 Mahmoud Abbas, president of the State of Palestine, sent a basket of flowers to the respected Comrade Kim Jong Un on October 5 on the occasion of the 78th anniversary of the founding of the Workers’ Party of Korea. Written on the ribbon of the flower basket were letters reading: “I sincerely wish the respected Marshal Kim Jong Un good health”. http://www.pyongyangtimes.com.kp/blog?page=politics&subpage=p_others&blogid=6521272412bfdc05d5d20cdd&num=1

Frustration bubbles among Palestinians over Israeli-Saudi normalization In contrast to the Palestinian Authority’s position, Palestinian public opinion is mostly against the Saudi-Israeli normalization talks, as the PA seeks to obtain some political and economic gains. October 7, 2023 RAMALLAH, West Bank — As the US-brokered talks on a potential Saudi-Israeli normalization agreement gain traction, the Palestinian Authority (PA) has yet to comment on the developments as it awaits the outcome. Speaking to Al-Monitor on condition of anonymity, a PLO official said that after the conclusion of the 2020 Abraham Accords, the Palestinian public sharply criticized Arab countries that normalized relations with Israel, namely the United Arab Emirates and Bahrain. Although the PA initially criticized the agreements, the official said PA President Mahmoud Abbas urged officials to refrain from publicly bashing the deals to avoid harming the PA’s relations with the Arab countries. “This would explain the silence currently prevailing in the Palestinian leadership’s corridors regarding the Saudi-Israeli talks,” the official added. It seems that the PA has also kept mum on the current Saudi-Israeli talks amid reports that Saudi Arabia is pushing Israel to accept some concessions in favor of the Palestinians before reaching any normalization deal with the Jewish state.

Radio silence from PA According to the official, the PA and the Saudi side have been engaged for months now in discussions to include Palestinian conditions in any future normalization deal between Israel and Saudi Arabia. The source noted that the secretary general of the PLO’s Executive Committee, Hussein al-Sheikh, and other figures close to Abbas are currently in charge of this file. The PA has also remained radio silent on the visit of Israeli Tourism Minister Haim Katz to Riyadh last month — the first public and official visit by an Israeli Cabinet minister to the kingdom. Katz’s visit to Saudi Arabia coincided with the arrival of a high-level Saudi delegation to Ramallah on the same day, Sept. 26, in the first such visit by Saudi officials since the 1993 Oslo Accords. The delegation was led by the first-ever Saudi ambassador to Palestine, Nayef al-Sudairi, who presented his credentials to Abbas during the visit. At this point, signs on the ground seem to indicate that the PA does not oppose any Saudi-Israeli normalization as long as it receives concessions in return, including economic support. However, the Palestinian public does not feel the same. Mohammad Barghouti, a resident of Ramallah who works as an accountant in a private company, told Al-Monitor, “It is unthinkable for the most prominent Arab country to normalize relations with Israel under the leadership of a far-right Cabinet. It would seem that Saudi Arabia wants to offer [Security Minister Itamar] Ben-Gvir and [Finance Minister Bezalel] Smotrich a gift and save [Prime Minister Benjamin] Netanyahu from the political and internal crises he is facing.” “We as Palestinians do not rely on the Arab countries’ positions, and Saudi Arabia has no right to lie and claim that an agreement [with Israel] will be in our interest. The Palestinian people reject all forms of normalization with the occupation, and we do not want our interests to be protected through such deals,” he added. Speaking to Al-Monitor, Alaa al-Atrash, a student at Birzeit University, criticized Saudi Arabia for seeking a normalization deal with Israel in light of the increasing violations at Al-Aqsa Mosque in recent days. “Saudi Arabia is the site of the two holy Mosques and claims to be the Islamic world’s leader and protector of Muslims. But at the same time, it turns a blind eye to what is happening in Al-Aqsa Mosque and the threats it is facing by extremist settler groups and the so-called Temple Mount groups who are performing Jewish rituals and prayers inside the mosque’s complex and calling for the establishment of the ‘third temple’ [on the ruins] of Al-Aqsa. Despite these threats and violations, Saudi Arabia is looking to normalize relations with Israel, which is very strange,” Atrash said.

Continued distrust Islam Rimawi, who works in trade, did not seem surprised by the Saudi normalization efforts as he believes Arab nations, including Saudi Arabia, have always helped Israel in the past. “Today’s public normalization [between Arab countries and Israel] is a continuation of the secret relations that have been ongoing for decades,” he told Al-Monitor. Rimawi also blamed Saudi Arabia for abandoning the Palestinian cause. “During the 2002 second intifada, when Israel invaded the West Bank and besieged Yasser Arafat in his office in Ramallah, Saudi Arabia put forward the Arab Peace Initiative. Today, 20 years later, the kingdom is abandoning this initiative,” he said. “Today, in light of the escalating resistance in the West Bank against Israel, the lack of a political solution [to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict], and the presence of an Israeli extremist government that wants to displace and kill us, Saudi Arabia is close to concluding a normalization deal with Israel,” he continued. Mohammad Natsheh, a shop owner in Ramallah, believes the Palestinian cause no longer concerns the Arab countries because they are now more focused on their own personal interests. “Saudi Arabia wants to benefit from a potential agreement [with Israel] as much as possible, whether at the security, military or economic levels. It will try to achieve some gains for the Palestinians as a consolation, to have them agree and keep them silent,” he told Al-Monitor. An opinion poll conducted in September by the Palestinian Center for Policy and Survey Research showed that 56% of Palestinians believe Saudi-Israeli normalization is harmful and would impose a de facto Palestinian-Israeli peace; 72% of those polled were against the PA engaging in talks with Saudi Arabia and the United States on normalization with Israel. On the Palestinian conditions that Saudi Arabia may request as part of a normalization deal, 53% of respondents rejected any sort of condition, as they believe that normalization with Israel is not permissible before the resolution of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. However, 12% of respondents chose the release of prisoners as a condition to include in the normalization deal; 10% opted for Israel recognizing the two-state solution based on the 1967 borders; 8% chose to have lands in Area C under Palestinian control; and 8% chose the release of tax funds owed to the PA and currently withheld by Israel. In a report earlier this week, the Israeli Haaretz newspaper revealed tensions between the Biden administration and the Netanyahu government over the concessions to be offered to the Palestinians as part of any Saudi-Israeli deal. According to the paper, the US administration informed Israel that without significant steps toward the Palestinians, it will be difficult for the US Senate to approve a security-military deal with Saudi Arabia, which includes the normalization agreement. https://www.al-monitor.com/originals/2023/10/frustration-bubbles-among-palestinians-over-israeli-saudi-normalization

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