Monday, October 27, 2025

Misleading Words

 Critical Listeners,


  (You have to watch Trump, not take his word.) John Helmer, TAKING TRUMP AT HIS WORD LEAVES ONLY THE RUSSIAN GENERAL STAFF OPTION
"We're just gonna kill people ... OK , we're gonna kill them. You know, like, they's gonna be like, dead."
  With these new words, President Donald Trump has now obliterated – his word for the US attack on Iran on June 22, 2025  – whatever President Vladimir Putin and Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov have been calling the “understandings” they negotiated at the summit meeting in Anchorage, Alaska, on August 16.  
  Capitulate or obliterate.  That is, and always has been, Trump’s foreign policy for all states, but especially the states capable of defending themselves by effective force – Russia, Iran, the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea, Venezuela, Houthi Yemen, Hamas Palestine, Hezbollah Lebanon, India, China.   What Trump has just said of his regime-change offensive against Venezuela applies to all. What stops such a policy is no longer words, especially not the words, “red line”. Only counterforce – and that means, to use Trump’s term, “kill them dead”.   
https://johnhelmer.net/taking-trump-at-his-word-leaves-only-the-russian-general-staff-option/#more-92626

  Gilbert Doctorow,  Transcript of ‘Daniel Davis Deep Dive’ interview 24 October 2025
Putin: (English voice over) "Regarding the new sanctions. First of all, there is nothing new here. Yes, of course, they are serious for us. That is clear. And they will have certain consequences, but they will not significantly affect our economic well-being."
  Trump questioner: President Putin basically said today that Russia is immune from US sanctions. He said that it would not impact the Russian economy in any serious way. Is he wrong?
Trump: "I’m glad he feels that way. That’s good. I’ll let you know about it in six months from now, okay? Let’s see how it all works out."
  Doctor, how do you assess the difference between the two portrayals there?
Doctorow: Somewhere in between. I’m about to say, with respect to the bigger picture on how the war is being conducted, I think that Vladimir Putin is whistling in the dark. How these sanctions will affect Russia is still unclear. At the same time, I also look at the financial markets, and the Russian market has taken this bad news very well. There’s the– the Russian ruble even gained a little bit today on the euro. It is now about 10 or 15 percent stronger than it was, say, two months ago. So it has withstood this dire news fairly well, suggesting that Russian business people don’t think it will be so damaging.
  However, nobody knows. Surprisingly, the “Financial Times” had a very detailed analysis of the oil, of the structure of Russian oil sales, which made clear at once where the impact will hit. And I could share that now with you. The point is that Russian export of oil is 80% to two countries, China and India.
  In the case of China, the greatest part of the oil that’s going to China from Russia is via pipelines. The new sanctions are significant and dangerous for seaborne oil. So as regards China, which is already, as I say, about 50% of Russia’s total exports, I see no appreciable damage to Russia’s exports.
  India is a different question. India is much more vulnerable to US tariffs and sanctions. India does not have a strong economy and unlike China, it has nothing to withhold from the United States as a counter move. As we’ve seen in the tariff negotiations with China so far, the United States has been very careful, because if the Chinese absolutely cut off the United States and its allies from rare earths, they will do enormous damage to the Western economies at once, not in six months. Therefore the cudgel that Trump thinks he is using against China is totally ineffective. However, the cudgel that he has against India is much more problematic. And it serves the purpose, the bigger purpose of Trump, to break up BRICS. Because if the Indians have to submit to these demands coming from Washington, it will put a big dent in the solidarity of the founding members of BRICS.   
https://gilbertdoctorow.com/2025/10/25/transcript-of-daniel-davis-deep-dive-interview-24-october-2025/

Cause for Russia to declare war on Britain: Ukraine Says It Struck a Chemical Plant Inside Russia With British-Provided Storm Shadow Missiles   https://scheerpost.com/2025/10/23/ukraine-says-it-struck-a-chemical-plant-inside-russia-with-british-provided-storm-shadow-missiles/

  Belgium could not accept the risk alone. Moon of Alabama: EU Commission Plan Of ‘Russian Assets’ Loan To Ukraine Ends In Defeat
The Russian money would be used to finance a EU ‘reparation loan’ to Ukraine which would only have to be paid back when Russia would pay war reparations to Ukraine. That at least was the official pronunciation which turned out to be a quite obvious fake...
..Why would this scheme, as [German Chancellor] Merz says‘require budgetary guarantees from member states’? Doesn’t that mean that the tax-payers of those member state will eventually have to pay it? Who’s money is at risk when Russia wins its litigation? Who pays if something goes wrong?
  Russia will of course never pay reparations to Ukraine. Nor would the loan be spend on repair or rebuild things in Ukraine. Instead the money would be used to buy weapons from Europe to continue the war for another two years.   
https://www.moonofalabama.org/2025/10/eu-commission-plan-of-russian-assets-loan-to-ukraine-ends-up-defeated.html

  'I'm not a bad boy': Belgium’s De Wever defends Ukraine loan veto
The country refused to back a proposed €140 billion EU loan to Ukraine at Thursday’s summit in Brussels

  Orbán vows Hungary will remain ‘island of peace’ and ‘migrant-free’ as he likens Brussels to Soviet oppressors
The Hungarian prime minister marked the 1956 Revolution anniversary 
with a fiery speech attacking EU "warmongers" and pledging to keep Hungary out of the war in Ukraine   
https://rmx.news/article/orban-vows-hungary-will-remain-island-of-peace-and-migrant-free-as-he-likens-brussels-to-soviet-oppressors/

The Battle of Pokrovsk: Ukrainian Armed Forces units request orders to withdraw, while the General Staff demands a fight to the death.   https://en.topcor.ru/65387-bitva-za-pokrovsk-chasti-vsu-prosjat-prikaza-na-othod-genshtab-trebuet-stojat-nasmert.html

Zelensky Touts Successful Test Of 'Flamingo', Homegrown Cruise Missile Which Can Hit Moscow   https://www.zerohedge.com/geopolitical/zelensky-touts-successful-test-flamingo-homegrown-cruise-missile-which-can-hit-moscow

  The Americans he talks to are not all of the "interested parties". Putin envoy Dmitriev says US, Ukraine and Russia close to ‘diplomatic solution’ on war
 Speaking to CNN after arriving in Washington for talks with US officials, Dmitriev said that a meeting between Donald Trump and Putin had not been canceled, as the US president described it, and that the two leaders will likely meet at a later date.
  The planned summit was put on hold on Tuesday, as Russia’s rejection of an immediate ceasefire cast a cloud over attempts at negotiations. Trump said he canceled the planned meeting with Putin in Budapest because of a lack of progress in diplomatic efforts toward ending the war and a sense that the timing was off...
..However, Dmitriev on Friday said, “I believe Russia and the US and Ukraine are actually quite close to a diplomatic solution.”...
..“It’s a big move by President Zelensky to already acknowledge that it’s about battle lines,” Dmitriev said. “You know, his previous position was that Russia should leave completely — so actually, I think we are reasonably close to a diplomatic solution that can be worked out.”   
https://www.arabnews.com/node/2620161/world

  It's more mixed, I think: A round in Russia's favor: Washington's new sanctions have boomeranged on the United States and Ukraine.
 For the US, the risk lies in rising gasoline prices, which have only just begun to fall. As a car-loving nation, Americans dislike this. Washington will also be unable to replenish its depleted strategic petroleum reserve at a reasonable price...
..The expert is confident that a significant rise in global oil prices will not only offset Moscow's losses but also make Russia one of the beneficiaries of the situation. In this case, the expert concludes, the Russian treasury will benefit, while American citizens and US allies will face increased costs and inflation risks.   https://en.topcor.ru/65415-raund-v-polzu-rf-novye-sankcii-ssha-bumerangom-udarili-po-ssha-i-ukraine.html

  Not pipeline oil, but seaborne: China’s State Oil Giants Cut Back on Russian Crude After New U.S. Sanctions
 According to industry sources, PetroChina, Sinopec, CNOOC, and Zhenhua Oil have all suspended new spot purchases or significantly cut import volumes of Russian oil in recent weeks. Together, these companies had been importing between 250,000 and 500,000 barrels per day (bpd) earlier in 2025 — a modest share of China’s total 1.4 million bpd Russian intake, but a key component of Moscow’s energy exports to Asia...
..While state firms are stepping back, independent refiners — commonly known as “teapot refiners” — are expected to continue buying Russian oil through intermediaries. These smaller players often operate outside mainstream financial systems, using yuan settlements, barter trade, or ship-to-ship transfers to secure discounted barrels of Urals and ESPO crude...  Analysts say the pause by major Chinese importers could temporarily reduce Russia’s seaborne oil exports.   https://www.thedefensenews.com/news-details/Chinas-State-Oil-Giants-Cut-Back-on-Russian-Crude-After-New-US-Sanctions/

  Weapons, warlords, and wasteland: Israel's strategy for post-war Gaza
In post-war Gaza, Israel is supporting four main criminal militias in order to provoke internal chaos, collect intelligence, and enforce control   
https://www.newarab.com/analysis/weapons-warlords-and-wasteland-israels-new-strategy-gaza

  UN rapporteur releases new report on Israeli genocide in Gaza
Gaza Genocide: A Collective Crime, by Francesca Albanese, was released on Wednesday,
  She argued that continued destruction of Palestinian life in the coastal sliver had been enabled through military, economic, diplomatic, and even so-called humanitarian channels provided by states that had consistently prioritized political and strategic interests over human rights.
  Diplomatically, Western powers, led by the United States and the European Union, have consistently shielded the Israeli regime from accountability, she noted.
  The UN Security Council’s resolutions demanding ceasefires have been vetoed or diluted, while the regime’s military barbarity has been framed as “legitimate self-defense,” the official said.   
https://en.mehrnews.com/news/237999/UN-rapporteur-releases-new-report-on-Israel-genocide-in-Gaza

Gaza truce plan insufficient against 'genocide': UN's Albanese   https://www.rfi.fr/en/middle-east/20251022-gaza-truce-plan-insufficient-against-genocide-un-s-albanese

  Israel's genocide in Gaza impossible without global complicity, UN report says
Report shows how 63 states, largely European, sustained the genocide against Palestinians while
 Arab states failed to take ‘decisive action’   https://www.middleeasteye.net/news/israel-genocide-gaza-impossible-without-global-complicity-un-report

UN reports 61 million tons of debris blanket Gaza after two-year war   https://en.yenisafak.com/world/un-reports-61-million-tons-of-debris-blanket-gaza-after-war-3709720

  Trump admin., Israel planning to divide Gaza into two zones to undermine Hamas - WSJ
 Multiple Arab nations argue that dividing Gaza would lead to a full Israeli occupation of the Gaza Strip, and are unlikely to commit troops to be a part of the peacekeeping force under those terms.   
https://www.jpost.com/israel-news/defense-news/article-871393

  Israel’s parliament advances bill to annex occupied West Bank
The bill passed 25-24
, despite opposition from PM Netanyahu, in the first of four votes it will face to become law.   
https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2025/10/22/israels-parliament-advances-bill-to-annex-occupied-west-bank

Vance In Israel Blasts 'Stupid Political Stunt' Which Was An 'Insult' By Knesset   https://www.zerohedge.com/geopolitical/vance-israel-blasts-stupid-political-stunt-which-was-insult-knesset

  Trump Vows to Pull Israel Support if it Annexes West Bank
President Donald Trump has said that Israel would lose “all support” from the United States if it tried to move ahead with annexing the occupied West Bank.
 “It won’t happen because I gave my word to the Arab countries... Israel would lose all of its support from the United States if that happened,” Trump told TIME magazine in an interview published on Thursday.   
https://english.aawsat.com/arab-world/5200714-trump-vows-pull-israel-support-if-it-annexes-west-bank

Netanyahu Asked About Trump Opposing Israel's Annex of West Bank: 'We Are an Independent Country'   https://rumble.com/v70qmli-netanyahu-asked-about-trump-opposing-israels-annex-of-west-bank-we-are-an-i.html?e9s=src_v1_upp_a

Lasting peace in Gaza hinges on Palestinian statehood, not temporary ceasefires: Experts   https://english.alarabiya.net/News/middle-east/2025/10/22/lasting-peace-in-gaza-hinges-on-palestinian-statehood-not-temporary-ceasefires-experts

Gaza humanitarian crisis worsening despite Israel, Hamas ceasefire   https://www.aljazeera.com/news/liveblog/2025/10/23/live-un-urges-israel-to-allow-medical-evacuation-from-gaza-amid-ceasefire?

  She might get deeply despondent suddenly, and...  Pro-Palestine Irish president-elect called Israel 'terror state'
Ireland elects pro-Palestine president Catherine Connolly, who has called Israel a "terrorist state" and vowed to be a "voice for peace".   https://www.newarab.com/news/pro-palestine-irish-president-elect-called-israel-terror-state

Int’l Court of Justice Finds Israelis Broke Law by Starving Palestinians of Gaza   https://scheerpost.com/2025/10/24/intl-court-of-justice-finds-israelis-broke-law-by-starving-palestinians-of-gaza/

  Ultra-Orthodox Shas party quits Netanyahu's coalition
 The ultra-Orthodox Shas party has withdrawn from Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's ruling coalition in a dispute over military conscription exemptions for Haredi Jewish men. The party, which holds 11 critical seats in the 120-member Knesset, resigned after the government failed to advance the exemption law, further destabilizing the Israeli government.   https://en.yenisafak.com/world/ultra-orthodox-shas-party-quits-netanyahus-coalition-3709728

  Israeli media slams Netanyahu over Turkish presence in Gaza ceasefire
 Israeli media outlets have sharply criticized Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's government over the Gaza ceasefire agreement that enables Turkish humanitarian presence in the territory. Analysts describe the development as a strategic failure that strengthens Türkiye's regional influence at Israel's expense.   https://en.yenisafak.com/world/israeli-media-slams-netanyahu-over-turkish-presence-in-gaza-ceasefire-3709770

  Inside Israel's prisons, Ben-Gvir drives campaign to kill Palestinian detainees
Israel's Itamar Ben-Gvir continues to incite and lead a campaign of genocide against Palestinian prisoners, openly calling for their killing and torture.   
https://www.newarab.com/news/ben-gvir-drives-campaign-kill-palestinian-detainees-israel

15 Arab, Muslim states condemn Israel bid to annex West Bank   https://en.mehrnews.com/news/238024/15-Arab-Muslim-states-condemn-Israel-bid-to-annex-West-Bank

  Far-right Israeli finance minister Bezalel Smotrich has dismissed Saudi Arabia’s demand that Tel Aviv must first recognize a Palestinian state as a precondition for normalization, mocking the Arab kingdom by saying they should “keep riding camels in the desert” instead.   https://www.presstv.ir/Detail/2025/10/23/757460/Palestine-Israel-Gaza-Bezalel-Smotrich-Saudi-Arabia-camels-Abraham-Accords-West-Bank-US

Schools targeted, two killed as massive Israeli strikes hit Lebanon's Bekaa Valley   https://www.presstv.ir/Detail/2025/10/23/757449/Lebanon-Israel-Bekaa-Hezbollah-US-Sheikh-Naim-Qassem

US Bombs 9th Alleged Drug Boat in Latin America US War Secretary Pete Hegseth said the bombing campaign will continue 'day after day'   https://news.antiwar.com/2025/10/23/us-bombs-9th-alleged-drug-boat-in-latin-america/

  Hegseth sends aircraft carrier in major escalation amid new ‘drug boat’ strike: ‘We will treat you like we treat Al-Qaeda’
Pentagon boss claims boat targeted in latest strike was operated by Tren de Aragua   
https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/americas/us-politics/trump-drug-boat-strikes-caribbean-b2851653.html

  Just one would do a world of hurt to the USS Ford: Venezuela’s Supersonic Anti-Ship Missiles Are A Real Threat To American Warships
Fired by Su-30MK2V Flankers, the Russian-supplied Kh-31 anti-ship missiles are still a danger to U.S. warships operating near Venezuelan shores.   
https://www.twz.com/sea/venezuelas-supersonic-anti-ship-missiles-are-a-real-threat-to-american-warships

Venezuela Showcases Su-30 Fighter Jets Firing Kh-31A Missiles, Warns U.S. Navy   https://www.thedefensenews.com/news-details/Venezuela-Showcases--Su-30-Fighter-Jets-Firing-Kh-31A-Missiles-Warns-US-Navy/

Venezuela has S-300 systems: Sovereignty and Defense: Venezuela’s Unique Air Shield in South America   https://www.telesurenglish.net/venezuelas-unique-air-defense-shield/


  Trump says anti-drug operations by military could extend to land targets without congressional approval
'I’m not going to necessarily ask for a declaration of war,' 
says US president, adding that Congress would be notified before any ground operations  
https://www.aa.com.tr/en/americas/trump-says-anti-drug-operations-by-military-could-extend-to-land-targets-without-congressional-approval/3725607

Sitting-ducks for S-300s: U.S. Marines Mobilize: MV-22B Osprey Fly Caribbean Routes Near Venezuela   https://www.thedefensenews.com/news-details/US-Marines-Mobilize-MV-22B-Osprey-Fly-Caribbean-Routes-Near-Venezuela/#google_vignette

  Trump aims to ‘reshape the global economic order’ on Asia trip and will sit-down with China’s Xi, White House says
Chinese leader has not met with an American president since he visited San Francisco and met with Joe Biden in November 2023   
https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/americas/us-politics/trump-asia-trip-china-xi-economy-b2851879.html

South Korea says 'considerable' chance Kim, Trump will meet next week - The US and North Korean leaders last met in 2019.   https://www.channelnewsasia.com/east-asia/south-korea-north-kim-jong-un-trump-meet-5422616

  North Korea says tested 2 hypersonic weapons, a 'clear proof of upgrading self-defense'
Pyongyang's activities 'evidently aimed to continue to bolster the war deterrent and their purpose is to strengthen self-defense,' says ruling party official Pak Jong Chon   
https://www.aa.com.tr/en/asia-pacific/north-korea-says-tested-2-hypersonic-weapons-a-clear-proof-of-upgrading-self-defense/3724340

  Brilliant PR: China creates Day of Taiwan’s Restoration as part of sovereignty claims over island
The National People’s Congress, said the new holiday will mark Oct. 25, the day in 1945 when Taiwan, then a Japanese colony, was handed over to an official of the then-Republic of China.
  “Establishing Taiwan Restoration Day and holding commemorative activities at the national level will help highlight the indisputable historical fact that Taiwan is an inalienable part of China.”   
https://apnews.com/article/china-creates-national-taiwan-holiday-f80b98e8edbc938ae6d3e2b2f8830de8

  Carrying assault troops, choppers, fighter-bombers and drones: China’s Type 076 blurs line between carrier and assault ship
Type 076’s hybrid role bridges China’s carrier and landing ship gap, addressing its limited sealift capacity for a cross-strait invasion   https://asiatimes.com/2025/10/chinas-type-076-blurs-line-between-carrier-and-assault-ship/

  China Envisions 'Dry Canal' To Compete With Panama Canal
  In response to the Trump administration’s new U.S. policy of reasserting control over the Panama Canal, China and Brazil are exploring the possibility of building a transcontinental railway to provide an advantageous alternative to the Panama Canal. The proposed rail system would potentially run from Brazil’s Atlantic coast, perhaps Ilhéus, Bahia, to Peru’s Pacific coast at Chancay.
  The project, known as the Central Bi-Oceanic Railway Corridor (CRBC), has been in consideration since at least 2017. Other proposed projects of a similar nature and objectives have been considered since at least 2013. There are other terms applied to the transoceanic railway project, but essentially, the system would cut across the Amazon rainforest and go over—and likely tunnel through—the Andes mountain range, linking Atlantic and Pacific port facilities...
..Beijing would reasonably be able to shape trade terms, shipping standards, customs operations, and logistics norms in the region, and much of the rest of the world. If Beijing succeeds in its CBRC plans, it could elevate the blighted Belt and Road Initiative up to a new level and lift China to the pinnacle of global power. The United States, on the other hand, would find itself out-hustled, out-traded, out-funded, and out-gunned by China in the Americas.  https://www.zerohedge.com/geopolitical/china-envisions-dry-canal-compete-panama-canal

Why BRICS Is Speeding Up Its Dollar Sell-Off and What China’s $51.8 Billion Dump Signals for the Global Economy   https://www.thedefensenews.com/news-details/Why-BRICS-Is-Speeding-Up-Its-Dollar-Sell-Off-and-What-Chinas-518-Billion-Dump-Signals-for-the-Global-Economy/#google_vignette

  Trump slams 'dirty' Canada despite withdrawal of Reagan ad
The Canadian province of Ontario said it would pull the offending anti-tariff ad on Monday so that negotiations could restart, after Trump alleged that the ad misrepresented the views of fellow Republican Reagan.
  But Trump showed no sign of backing down, saying Ontario should not have let it air during the first two games this weekend of baseball's World Series.   
https://finance.yahoo.com/news/trump-says-canada-trade-talks-070356802.html

Trump Sanctions About to Cause a Serious Auto Chip Shortage   https://mishtalk.com/economics/trump-sanctions-about-to-cause-a-serious-auto-chip-shortage/

I knew this would be the result of exporting LNG. Competition for Natural Gas Sends U.S. Prices Skyward   https://oilprice.com/Energy/Gas-Prices/Competition-for-Natural-Gas-Sends-US-Prices-Skyward.html

Surging energy prices drive inflation to 3% for first time in 8 months   https://san.com/cc/surging-energy-prices-drive-inflation-to-3-for-first-time-in-8-months/

  The $US is global reserve currency:  U.S. ‘Purchased’ Musharraf and Oversaw Pakistan’s Nuclear Arsenal with Millions in Aid, Says Ex-CIA Officer John Kiriakou   https://www.thedefensenews.com/news-details/US-Purchased-Musharraf-and-Oversaw-Pakistans-Nuclear-Arsenal-with-Millions-in-Aid-Says-Ex-CIA-Officer-John-Kiriakou/

Mike Shedlock. Fed Misses Its Inflation Target in Nine Out of Nine Key Measures   https://mishtalk.com/economics/fed-misses-its-inflation-target-in-nine-out-of-nine-key-measures/

  AI Security System Mistakes Bag of Doritos for Gun, Triggers Police Response to School in Baltimore
On Monday, Taki Allen was waiting for his ride outside of Kenwood when all the sudden police officers wth their weapons drawn demanded Allen to get on the ground.
  Allen completely confused by the situation heeded the officers commands and was searched by the officers only to find no weapon on him rather only a bag of Doritos.
  The teen told WBRC,  “They said that an AI detector or something detected that I had a gun. He showed me a picture. I was just holding a Doritos bag like this.”   
https://www.thegatewaypundit.com/2025/10/ai-security-system-mistakes-bag-doritos-gun-triggers/

​  Google's AI Called Conservative Star A Rapist. Now He's Suing Them.
Conservative activist Robby Starbuck has launched a $15 million defamation lawsuit against tech giant Google, accusing its AI tools such as Bard, Gemini, and Gemma of spreading "outrageously false" claims that paint him as a criminal. Filed in Delaware Superior Court, the suit alleges Google's AI falsely accused Starbuck of heinous acts, including sexual assault, rape, harassment, stalking, drug charges, resisting arrest, murder, and even ties to Jeffrey Epstein’s illicit activities. These smears, Starbuck claims, reached an estimated 2.8 million users, threatening his reputation and safety.​   https://www.zerohedge.com/political/googles-ai-called-conservative-star-rapist-now-hes-suing-them

It'll be better with brain implants. Caitlin Johnstone, Capitalism Is Shoving AI Down Our Throats Because It Can't Give Us What We Actually Want   https://www.caitlinjohnst.one/p/capitalism-is-shoving-ai-down-our

  The AWS Outage Bricked People’s $2,700 Smartbeds
When Amazon Web Services went offline, people lost control of their cloud-connected smart beds, getting stuck in reclined positions or roasting with the heat turned all the way up.   https://www.404media.co/the-aws-outage-bricked-peoples-2-700-smartbeds/

  Doctors on key US health task force accused of prioritizing DEI over evidence-based medicine
RFK is reportedly planning to dismiss all 16 members of the Preventative Services Task Force for being too 'woke'   
https://www.foxnews.com/politics/doctors-key-us-health-task-force-accused-prioritizing-dei-over-evidence-based-medicine

  Jane Orient MD, Health Watch: What Will Happen to Medicare Doctors?
  The Medicare payment has to cover the total expense of the practice, which has increased with inflation. And additional costly administrative burdens have been imposed. Thus, physicians’ take-home pay is decreasingMany are unable to keep their independent practice open and have become employed.  The emphasis is on “productivity”—submitting enough RVUs to MedicareRushed visits, often with a “midlevel provider,” have become the norm.
  Another change since the 1970s is the enormous burden of debt that most medical graduates face.
Not surprisingly, doctors are exiting Medicare, or medical practice altogether. Or the most ambitious college graduates are choosing a different career...
..Is it better for physicians to “burn out” and leave entirely? Or should they be conscripted and forced to work? Or should we encourage the development of a free-market model, in which doctors ask, “How can I help you?” instead of “What’s your insurance?”   https://aapsonline.org/health-watch-what-will-happen-to-medicare-doctors/

  Don't worry, "Safe And Effective", Mom!  California Medicaid Provider Pays Parents Hundreds of Dollars to Vaccinate Their Kids
An investigation by The Defender revealed that one of the largest Medicaid plans in the U.S. offers parents hundreds of dollars in gift cards when their children get certain vaccines. Critics say the program is undermining informed consent by turning important medical decisions into financial ones for low-income families.   https://childrenshealthdefense.org/defender/california-medicaid-provider-iehp-pay-parents-incentives-vaccinate-kids/

  Don't watch the creepy video before bed. New Gates-Funded Microneedle Patch Implant Installs Both mRNA and Quantum Dot Markings Into the Body
Planned for deployment during the next plandemic — a biological "vaccine" passport controlling who can shop, dine, or travel.   https://www.thefocalpoints.com/p/new-gates-funded-microneedle-patch

  Jessica Rose Ph.D. on what looks like engineered injectable viruses: Genetic delivery of computationally designed protein nanoparticle immunogens
I don't like the sound of this at all.   https://jessicar.substack.com/p/genetic-delivery-of-computationally

  "I'll take the Big Mac with Zyrtec, please."  Florida Governor Slams Proposal to Engineer Meat Allergies in Humans to ‘Save the Planet’
Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis criticized a bioethicist’s video suggesting humans could be engineered to develop a red meat allergy
, linking the idea to the World Economic Forum and World Health Organization. “Genetically engineering humans to become allergic to meat because some elites think people eat ‘too much’ of it is insane,” DeSantis wrote.   
https://childrenshealthdefense.org/defender/florida-governor-desantis-slams-red-meat-allergy-ticks-human-geoengineering/

  Blood tests show highest levels of forever chemicals in those living near New Mexico plume
 PFAS — or perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances — resist breaking down and as a result have found their way into drinking water, soil, air and the bloodstreams of 99% of Americans.
This is certainly true for people who live or work near a plume of contamination that has seeped beyond the boundaries of Cannon Air Force Base, where PFAS-laden firefighting foam was used for years...
..The research shows 99.7% of participants had one or more PFAS in their blood, with the most common being associated with firefighting foams.   
https://www.bastillepost.com/global/article/5309377-blood-tests-show-highest-levels-of-forever-chemicals-in-those-living-near-new-mexico-plume

  Shocking UFO files hidden in presidential library claim US made successful contact with an alien race
A trove of unearthed government documents has detailed a secret face-to-face encounter with aliens beings more than 60 years ago.
  More than 50 pages of CIA files, which the FBI continues to say are fakes, claimed that a secret government program established communications with UFOs in 1959.
  Project Sigma, started in 1954, used a binary computer language sent along radio signals into space to make contact with alien life.
Just five years after the interstellar connection, an official from the US Air Force met the extraterrestrials who received these messages.
  The files claimed that on April 25, 1964, a single intelligence officer met with two aliens at a prearranged location in the New Mexico desert - the same state that the famous Roswell UFO crash allegedly took place.
  The meeting lasted for about three hours, during which time the intelligence officer and the extraterrestrials shared 'basic information' about their respective races.
  The documents also detailed  how a secret government group called the Majestic 12 used their incredible power to keep top secret information on UFOs away from the military and the even White House.
  Several classified projects focused on alien communication and UFO research allegedly fell under the Majestic 12's control - with the group revealing to the CIA that they succeeded in their goals of finding alien life... (plenty more)  https://www.dailymail.co.uk/sciencetech/article-14704863/Shocking-UFO-files-hidden-presidential-library-claim-US-successful-contact-alien-race.html

  38 Days to Impact? Astronomers Baffled by Coordinated Objects Escorting 3I/ATLAS Toward Earth
Interstellar object 3I/ATLAS and its 'escort' are 38 days from Earth, sparking intelligent contact theories.
  
  3I/ATLAS was already a puzzle. Its trajectory, originating from far beyond our solar system, was unusual. But its inexplicable, almost rhythmic light variations kept astronomers glued to their monitors, unable to form a consensus.
  Now, high-frequency telescopes and deep-space arrays have detected something far more baffling: the object has an entourage. Researchers have identified patterned electromagnetic pulses emanating from its vicinity. More startlingly, they have tracked the coordinated movements of several nearby, unidentified objects.
  The findings, shared by concerned astronomers, paint a picture that is difficult to comprehend. These smaller objects appear to be moving with 3I/ATLAS, matching its velocity and trajectory changes with impossible precision. It looks less like a random cluster and more like a 'squadron' or 'escort', perhaps even communicating with the primary visitor via the observed pulses...They suggest the 'coordinated' objects could be fragments of 3I/ATLAS itself, breaking apart in a way we have never witnessed, or an illusion caused by complex gravitational lensing.
  However, other experts argue that this explanation is insufficient. The precision and mathematical regularity of the signals defy any random, natural explanation. The 'escort' objects seem too numerous and too intelligently guided to be simple debris.   
https://www.ibtimes.co.uk/38-days-impact-astronomers-baffled-coordinated-objects-escorting-3i-atlas-toward-earth-1749948

  Interstellar visitor now hurtling toward NASA spacecraft's path in a once-in-a-lifetime encounter

On Tuesday, officials with IAWN admitted that the object was causing 'unique challenges' for predicting its trajectory and decided to add 3I/ATLAS to the Comet Astrometry Campaign.
  The object has displayed several unusual features that defy the typical behavior of comets, including an 'anti-tail,' a jet of particles that points toward the Sun rather than away from it.
  According to the release, scientists will be running a special training exercise from November 27, 2025, to January 27, 2026. 
  https://www.dailymail.co.uk/sciencetech/article-15223893/interstellar-visitor-3I-ATLAS-NASA-spacecraft.html

  NASA group launches defense probe to protect Earth from 3I/ATLAS
  A NASA-backed coalition has launched a targeted campaign against comet 3I/ATLAS, a Manhattan-sized interstellar object displaying bizarre traits that hint at possible extraterrestrial origins.  [Er, "extraterrestial" just means not-from-earth, y'all.]
  First spotted on July 1, 2025, and imaged by Hubble on July 21, the comet defies norms with an anti-tail pointing toward the sun and emissions of nickel tetracarbonyl—an alloy unseen in nature, only produced industrially.
  Harvard astrophysicist Dr. Avi Loeb noted, “The alloy, nickel tetracarbonyl, has only been previously witnessed in human manufacturing.”
 Its non-gravitational acceleration and path near Jupiter, Venus, and Mars fuel speculation of alien tech. Loeb suggested it could be “a massive mothership” using solar gravity for maneuvers, adding, “If 3I/ATLAS is a massive mothership, it will likely continue along its original gravitational path and ultimately exit the Solar system.”   
https://endtimeheadlines.org/2025/10/nasa-group-launches-defense-probe-to-protect-earth-from-3i-atlas/

Earthling (pictured watering in some fall/winter transplants after long-anticipated rains)


Friday, October 24, 2025

Days Of Reckoning

 Waiting For It,


  Surplus Energy Economics, Building the Biggest Bang  COULD AI MANIA CRASH THE WORLD FINANCIAL SYSTEM?
 Most people presumably know by now that we’ve been building a gigantic bubble in AI, and that this bubble is destined to burst. The scale of risk involved is large, and some of the characteristics of that risk are extraordinary.
  Its denouement – perhaps in conjunction with the bursting of the contemporaneous bubble in cryptocurrencies – might prove very much more value-destructive than the global financial crisis of 2008-09.
 But what very few seem to have noticed, however, is the sequential character of these ‘bouts of irrational exuberance’.
As we shall see – and beyond its sheer size – the AI craze has some distinctive features all of its own.
  But the dynamic at work here is one of successive attempts to delay and disguise the inflexion of the underlying economy of material products and services from growth into contraction.
  The operative myth is that monetary innovation can reinvigorate a flagging material economy...
​..The mechanism at work here is one by which the consequences of each bout of financial excess lead on to ever-greater exercises in recklessnes​s.
We can trace a sequence which began in the 1990s with attempts to reinvigorate a flagging economy with the super-rapid creation of credit.
 When this culminated in the GFC, the authorities were more or less compelled to respond with ultra-loose monetary policies.
​  These sequential processes have been described here as an arc of inevitability.
​  At the same time, 2008 was a massive exercise in moral hazard – investors who have once been rescued from the consequences of their follies or misfortunes naturally assume that they will be bailed out from any future excesses, even though a repeat of the rescue of 2008 has long since ceased to be a practical possibility.
​  Once these processes are understood – as a self-driving dynamic of excess in conflict with material economic contraction – it becomes self-evident that the creation of bubbles in a climate of recklessness cannot end until the global financial system collapses.​   
https://surplusenergyeconomics.wordpress.com/2025/10/23/313-building-the-biggest-bang/#like-45307

This is how it is routinely done: America’s Sixth Default Is Coming—What It Means for Gold and Your Wealth​   https://internationalman.com/articles/americas-sixth-default-is-coming-what-it-means-for-gold-and-your-wealth/

  Hollowed out, rehypothecated and stacked up financial commitments: The Bezzel: Is it 1925 All Over Again?
​  During a conference call with investors last week, JPMorgan CEO Jamie Dimon made a memorable response to a question from Wells Fargo analyst Mike Mayo about the collapse of a subprime auto lender called Tricolor that cost the bank $170 million. Tricolor went bankrupt due to allegations of fraud, including double-pledging of collateral, which led lenders to halt financing.
​  “Mike, you should assume that whenever something like that happens, we scour all process, all procedures, all underwriting, all everything, and we think we’re okay in other stuff,” said Dimon. “But I – my antenna goes up when things like that happen. And I probably shouldn’t say this, but when you see one cockroach, there are probably more.”
​  Dimon’s instinct about there being more big credit problems lurking beneath the surface of the US economy is correct, but even he may not fully appreciate the scale of the threat. The collapse of auto parts maker First Brands has revealed an enormous fraud at the center of the $2 trillion market for leveraged loans. Based on losses reported so far and the numerous acts of fraud emerging, half of the leverage loan market may end up being lost to investors.   
https://dailyreckoning.com/the-bezzel-is-it-1925-all-over-again/

​  Interesting move to stabilize some risky, and potentially useful, companies: 
"As If Millions Of Shorts Suddenly Cried Out In Terror": Trump Admin To Take Equity Stakes In Quantum Computing Firms​   https://www.zerohedge.com/markets/if-millions-shorts-suddenly-cried-out-terror-trump-admin-take-equity-stakes-quantum

​Can't make cars without them? What do you mean?  Nexperia-Linked Chip Shortages Ripple Through Global Auto Supply Chain, From Germany To Japan   https://www.zerohedge.com/technology/nexperia-linked-chip-shortages-ripple-through-global-auto-supply-chain-germany-japan

  Thanks Kultsommer: Mikey McCoy, Charlie Kirk's friend and Manager at Turning Point USA, rode with him to his last engagement, video-recorded him there until he was shot, then immediately, calmly walked away. Jimmy Dore presents the video sequence of this unusual behavior, as everybody else freaked out.   https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9jCy5KrxQqo

  Simplicius, EU Declares War On Its Own Members
..Two near-simultaneous acts of sabotage saw explosions ripping through oil refineries in both Hungary and Romania. In Hungary it was the MOL in Százhalombatta, which reportedly receives Russian oil, while in Romania the Petrotel-Lukoil, a subsidiary of the Russian parent company.
​  As one commentator writes, these attacks came literally hours after the European Council had just approved to ban Russian gas starting in 2026...
..The real attacks on Romania and Hungary came just days after Europe essentially gave carte blanche for terror attacks across the EU by way of several top European officials openly condoning not only the Nord Stream attacks, but even attacks against Hungarian oil pipelines...
​  A post from an X user summarizes the situation well:
​  It looks like the UK and the EU started a terrorist war against their own members, al​lais with the help of a non-EU country. Yep. That’s how far this madness has gone. And it is pure madness, make no mistake. Anyone who thinks this is a coincidence after a few days ago Polish PM Donald Tusk declared on X that all “Russian targets” in the EU are legitimate is retarded. Unfortunately, this madness and these words of a madman lead to the first victims among innocent civilians in the EU.
​  On the night of October 20-21, 2025, an explosion occurred at the MOL refinery in Százhalombatta, Hungary, followed by a significant fire. The company confirmed the fire was contained with no casualties, and the cause is under investigation. Prime Minister Viktor Orbán has assured that the country’s fuel supply remains secure. The refinery mainly processes Russian oil, an exception in the EU, where most countries have reduced Russian energy imports since the 2022 invasion of Ukraine.
​  A few hours earlier, on October 20, another explosion occurred at the Lukoil refinery in Ploieşti, Romania. The incident resulted in at least one death. Lukoil is a Russian oil company, and Romania is a member of NATO and the EU.
​  Now these explosions, within the days of Putin and Trump’s meeting in Hungary to discuss the Ukrainian conflict, come after Trump’s refusal to sell Tomahawk missiles that would allow attacking the Russian Federation from a distance. Ukraine’s SBU waited no longer to act, at a stage when the Ukrainian issue approached an unfavourable epilogue to the Ukrainian dictatorship. With these terrorist attacks in “allied” countries, they pressure the Hungarian and Romanian entities to reject Russian fuels, critical to their economy, as a sort of “indirect attack on Putin”, a “power play” that only resulted in the death of innocent people.​   
https://simplicius76.substack.com/p/eu-declares-war-on-its-own-members

​  Andrew Korybko,  Hungary Has Good Reason To Be Enraged About Poland’s Ruling On The Nord Stream Suspect
​ Polish Judge Dariusz Lubowski ruled against extraditing a suspect in the Nord Stream attack to Germany on the grounds that this act of sabotage occurred in the context of a “just, defensive war”, Germany doesn’t have jurisdiction over the international waters in which it occurred, and the Ukrainian state would be responsible if it really orchestrated this attack, not the conspirators who carried it out. That enraged Hungarian Foreign Minister Peter Szijjarto despite his country having no direct stake in this.
​  He then wrote on X: “Scandalous: according to Poland, if you don’t like an infrastructure in Europe, you can blow it up. With this, they gave advance permission for terrorist attacks in Europe. Poland has not only released but is celebrating a terrorist—this is what European rule of law has come to.”​   
https://korybko.substack.com/p/hungary-has-good-reason-to-be-enraged

​  Sundance, from Rusty:  EU Is Going to Have Their NATO War Against Russia – With or Without President Trump – And It Gets Worse
​ On Monday and Tuesday, Russian oil refineries in NATO countries Hungary and Romania suddenly, and simultaneously, have mysterious explosions and catastrophic fires {citation}}. On Wednesday, NATO head Mark Rutte comes to visit President Trump in the White House, and at the end of the day, the same Russian company, Lukoil, whose refinery exploded in Romania, suddenly becomes sanctioned by the U.S. Treasury {citation}. These events are not disconnected.
​  President Trump then disputes a Wall Street Journal report 
{citation}, further saying he did not give approval, nor does he know where NATO long-range missiles are coming from that were launched from Ukraine into Russia...
​..Alarmingly, both the Wall Street Journal and President Trump are seemingly correct.
​  President Trump did not give authorization; however, he did cede authority to NATO to make independent decisions about long-range missiles. The U.K. provided the British storm shadow missiles, and Ukraine launched them with NATO support for targeting deep into Russia.
  President Trump saying, “wherever they may come from,” is alarming in itself.  We all know that British PM Starmer, French President Macron, German Chancellor Merz and NATO Secretary Mark Rutte are all in alignment to push NATO into a direct conflict with Russia using the non-NATO state of Ukraine to do it.
​  The frustrating part is not the obtuse deflection by President Trump – perhaps he really doesn’t know – but rather the alarming issue of questioning whether President Trump is getting accurate information from the U.S. intelligence apparatus to make sound decisions.  President Trump has abdicated the conflict decision-making to the NATO “coalition of the willing”, while the USA remains in NATO as a sideline observer.
​  The European members of NATO want war with Russia.  President Trump does not want war with Russia, yet remains tied to NATO as they push toward war with Russia.  This is not going to end well.​   https://theconservativetreehouse.com/blog/2025/10/22/eu-is-going-to-have-their-nato-war-against-russia-with-or-without-president-trump-and-it-gets-worse/

  ​Andrew Korybko, Germany Stands To Lose & Poland To Gain From The EU’s Latest Energy Move
​ Poland’s role in providing more US LNG to Central & Eastern Europe is expected to erode Germany’s influence in this region and accelerate Poland’s revival of its lost Great Power status.
​  The European Council decreed that the import of Russian gas will be banned across the bloc next year, but with varying lengths of grace periods for countries with short- and long-term contracts, the longest of which will last till 1 January 2028.​   
https://korybko.substack.com/p/germany-stands-to-lose-and-poland

​Purely coincidental timing: Putin Oversees Major Russian Nuclear Drill, Launches ICBMs   https://www.zerohedge.com/geopolitical/putin-oversees-major-russian-nuclear-drill-launches-icbms

  Mike Mihajlovic explains the usage of and defenses against a critical war-of-attrittion weapon:  Gliding FABs - The True Menace [i]​                                     Renaissance of the Bomb - Gliding FABs Part II   https://bmanalysis.substack.com/p/gliding-fabs-the-true-menace-i

This morning, for the first time; motor-assisted for extended range? Russian forces have attacked the Odessa region with guided bombs for the first time   https://odessa-journal.com/russian-forces-have-attacked-the-odessa-region-with-guided-bombs-for-the-first-time

To whom should we send the bill?  Zelensky Signs Letter Of Intent To Acquire Whopping 150 Swedish Fighter Jets Over Next 10-15 Years   https://www.zerohedge.com/geopolitical/zelensky-signs-letter-intent-acquire-whopping-150-swedish-fighter-jets-over-next-10-15

3 days ago:  Lavrov and Rubio Expected to Meet Oct. 30 – FT   https://www.themoscowtimes.com/2025/10/21/lavrov-and-rubio-discuss-putin-trump-summit-a90875

  Helena Glass, The Billionaire Club Stalls Russia Peace Negotiations. “More Sanctions on Russia”
Marco Rubio’s talks with Lavrov hit a wall when Rubio demanded a freeze which Russia has denied as an option for two years.
​  An obvious US blitzkrieg to deflect from the true intent.
 Despite the non-action of a ‘freeze’ having been quite vocally renounced multiple times, Rubio was scripted to offer it again knowing it was a petty level of strategy. But then Rubio’s entire career has been a mottled version of political entanglements with little accomplishments to garner him the prestigious title he was bestowed by Trump – Secretary of State.
  Given the fraught tactics, discussions between Trump and Putin fell apart and the pro-Russia stance was once again derailed. Why? Both Colombia and Venezuela have insinuated a desire to join BRICSTrump is desperately attempting to coup both countries with western puppets in order to intervene in a BRICS alliance that could further disrupt America’s hegemony, and Russia is a central opponent to that end. Rubio was likely scripted to assure disruption of Russian Peace.
  As long as Russia is at war with Ukraine, BRICS expansion is slowed. And undermining the stability of countries looking to join begs for time... 
​..Timing is everything. With the assault on Palestine fading, US military weapons can be diverted to destroying other countries in hopes of bullying submission similar to the acumen of Israeli assaults – kill civilians and blame the Government as justification. Yet, the value of US munitions and intel in Israel is minimal when compared to the hundreds of billions lost on Ukraine – a despot of illegal trafficking as a minion of The Greater Israel initiative.
​  The goal is to destroy Russia’s economy, bring Putin to his knees ​in defeat, and divvy up the spoils of war just as the west did subsequent to WWI and WWII. Which of course managed to ensure future conflicts and wars as a direct result.
​   Given France, the UK and Germany are losing their footholds in Africa, being literally kicked out of various colonized subsets and left floundering for resources to rape, Russia is their last bastion of thievery. IF they can take Russia, the South America enclaves will collapse easily. The idea being to divide the Russia into colonies based on equivalent resources. The end result would succeed in turning the current citizens into slave peasants in line with the globalization agenda stipulated in the 2030 deadline.
​  Why did Trump succumb to these protocols? The Billionaire Club. The Club George Carlan loved to discuss in his comedy routines. The Club we will never be admitted to. The Club wherein every patron envisions themselves as one of the tribe of pagan gods of Earth.​   
https://www.globalresearch.ca/billionaire-club-stalls-russia-peace/5903582

​  Moon of Alabama, Trump Fails To End His Proxy War With Russia
​ At the August summit in Anchorage with President Vladimir Putin of Russia Trump had aimed at a ceasefire along the frontline in Ukraine. But Putin made clear that the war required a long term solution of the underlying problem, NATO enlargement, and that a preliminary ceasefire would not be helpful in that regard. Russia also demanded full control of the Donbas and other regions.
​  Trump did agree to that and announced it as the brilliant result of the talks. 
This was his first turn on the issue.
​  But Ukraine’s (former) President Zelenski rejected any retreat from the regions Russia intends to acquire. European politicians, who fear losing the war against Russia, chimed in. Republican war hawks in Congress likewise put pressure on Trump.
​  A month after the talks in Alaska Trump again changed his position. This was his second turn. He criticized Putin and threatened Russia with new sanctions. Talk about sending Tomahawk cruise missiles to Ukraine crept up.
​  A day before Zelenski was supposed to visit the White House Putin preemptively intervened by holding a phone call with Donald Trump. There followed another, the third, change in mind. Trump announced that there would soon be another summit. The Kremlin was more cautious with that claim. It said that a summit would need extensive preparation.
​  The Europeans, Zelenski and Republican hawks immediately renewed their campaign against any agreement with Russia.
​  phone call between the Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov followed. After the call any further preparations for another summit were called off.
​  Trump turned again – the fourth time – and again demanded a ceasefire in Ukraine. The Russians said that this constitutes a breach of the agreements reached during the Anchorage talks.​   
https://www.moonofalabama.org/2025/10/trump-fails-to-find-a-way-out-of-his-war-with-russia.html

​  John Helmer, NOW THE NEW PHASE OF THE ELECTRIC WAR
​ The daily record of Russian drone and missile strikes across the Ukraine shows not only an escalation in the scale and firepower of the electric war but also a new strategy of targeting designed by the General Staff​ .​..“The General Staff goal appears to be blackout east of the Dnieper and excess or lack of power generation in the west,” comments an expert source; he is an electrical engineer and veteran of NATO electric war campaigns“If the Ukrainians can’t make up for the generation losses in the east via transfers from the west — which they won’t be able to do as the switch stations and transmission lines are being destroyed —  then it’s black-out in Dniepropetrovsk, Chernigov, Poltava, Sumy, and Kharkov. West of the Dnieper River, this could create a situation where the Kiev government will be forced to shut down reactors. The reason is that generating too much electricity can be almost as bad as not generating enough in terms of the effect on frequency. ”​   https://johnhelmer.net/now-the-new-phase-of-the-electric-war/

​  Bibi thought the "ambushed by Hamas" excuse would work: Israeli premier says 153 tons of bombs dropped on Gaza, admits breach of ceasefire deal
At least 44 Palestinians killed in Israeli strikes in Gaza on Sunday despite ceasefire​   
https://www.aa.com.tr/en/middle-east/israeli-premier-says-153-tons-of-bombs-dropped-on-gaza-admits-breach-of-ceasefire-deal/3722145

​An illegal Israeli "settler"-operated armored bulldozer hit live ordnance:  US knew fatal Rafah blast cause was not Hamas op.   https://en.mehrnews.com/news/237904/US-knew-fatal-Rafah-blast-cause-was-not-Hamas-op

​  ‘The Era of International Mediation is Over’ -- Israel & US attempt to Impose a New ‘Reality’ on Gaza, Syria & Lebanon
​ Security developments suggest Israel is preparing new forms of covert warfare … According to informed sources, Israel’s demands from Lebanon mirror those made to Damascus: a public and complete disarmament of Hezbollah, the establishment of a demilitarized zone south of the Awali River, and the exclusion of UN supervision, effectively turning Lebanon’s south into a security belt under Israeli control.
​  Israeli concern over Hezbollah’s resilience is mounting (Ibrahim Al-Amine, Al-Akhbar):
Washington is leading a campaign to choke off every possible flow of funds to Hezbollah by targeting money transfer networks and curbing expatriate remittances … a full-scale security operation extends into Beirut’s airport, port, and border crossings, where Western intelligence units have expanded their presence. The UAE, fully aligned with the US approach, has adopted parallel steps.
​  Israeli concern over Hezbollah’s resilience is mounting … Israeli media outlets describe the northern front as “highly sensitive”. Despite heavy losses, Hezbollah continues to rebuild its strength, recover weapons from damaged depots, and reinforce its offensive and defensive capacities.​   
https://conflictsforum.substack.com/p/the-era-of-international-mediation

Zionists Push Islamophobia Because It's Easier Than Getting People To Like Israel​   https://www.caitlinjohnst.one/p/zionists-push-islamophobia-because

​  Israel seizes 70,000 square meters of West Bank's land: Report
53 military seizure orders issued by Israel to expand control over West Bank since beginning of 2025
, according to Colonization and Wall Resistance Commission​   
https://www.aa.com.tr/en/middle-east/israel-seizes-70-000-square-meters-of-west-banks-land-report/3721699

​  “We Estimate That Nearly One Million of Gaza’s 1.1 Million Olive Trees Have Been Destroyed”
Gaza’s olive groves have been bulldozed by the Israeli military, dried up from lack of water, or remain inaccessible
, leaving Palestinian farmers with little to harvest.​   
https://www.dropsitenews.com/p/gaza-olive-groves-oil-farmers-israel-war

​  Martin Jay, Gaza ceasefire is an illusion – starvation and killings still continuing
 The ceasefire is really all about boosting Trump’s credibility as a statesman and giving Netanyahu breathing space to re-equip his army, ahead of an inevitable war with Iran. It is anything but a peace deal with the Palestinians but more of a bluff which was really about giving Netanyahu a shot in the arm amongst voters as he gets the credit for bringing back the hostages. But what is the real story? What is behind all this and reports of ISIS fighters being shipped in to take on Hamas?
​  What we are witnessing is an illusion on a grand scale. Israel has not really stopped its military campaign against the Palestinians there and is still killing Gazans on a daily basis. It is also not feeding them as legacy media likes to assert but in reality the starvation policy is still in place.
​   https://strategic-culture.su/news/2025/10/21/gaza-ceasefire-is-an-illusion-starvation-and-killings-still-continuing/

​  Reviving UNRWA’s Remit: The ICJ, Israel and Humanitarian Aid in Gaza
​  The topics have been sanguinary and cruel in their consistency: starvation, the restriction of humanitarian aid, policies of racial segregation and apartheid, population displacements masquerading as evacuation orders and the possibility (to be officially ruled upon) that Israel has committed genocide in the enclave.
​  The October 22 advisory opinion is the first to be handed down after the ceasefire centred on the straining 20-point peace plan of President Donald Trump. The view of the Court was sought by the United Nations General Assembly in December on Israel’s obligations as both a UN member and an occupying power, towards the body’s agencies and other relevant international entities operating in Gaza and the occupied West Bank, including East Jerusalem.
​  The request was prompted by Israel’s passage of two laws on October 28, 2024 banning any activity by the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA) on Israeli soil and areas of its control and prohibiting state agencies from having contact with UNRWA​ These actions effectively excluded an aid body familiar with the vicissitudes and problems of supplying assistance to Palestinian civilians, leaving the way open for the murderous invigilating model of distribution run by the US-Israeli backed Gaza Humanitarian Foundation​...
​..Of enormous irritation to the Israeli authorities is the continued insistence on cooperation with UNRWA. Israel’s obligations, along with other Member States, to cooperate with the UN “with respect to the question of Palestine is of paramount importance in addressing the critical situation on the ground since October 2023, in which the United Nations, together with other actors, plays a crucial role in delivering and co-ordinating humanitarian aid and development assistance to the Occupied Palestinian Territory, in particular through UNRWA in the Gaza Strip”.
​  While Israel was, as an occupying power, free to pick the humanitarian organisations of its own choosing, Article 59 of the Fourth Geneva Convention limited “an occupying Power’s discretion in so far as it requires that Power to allow and facilitate sufficient relief to ensure that the population is adequately supplied.” UNRWA, in that regard, has shown itself to be “an indispensable provider of humanitarian relief in the Gaza Strip” thereby obligating Israel to deal with it.
​  In brutal contrast, the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation, along with the private security firm Safe Reach Solutions, had overseen a constricted aid system characterised by “chaotic and militarized distribution centres unable to deliver aid at the scope and scale needed.” As of September 2025, over 2,100 Palestinians had been killed seeking humanitarian assistance at or in proximity to the distribution sites.​   
https://www.globalresearch.ca/unrwa-icj-israel-humanitarian-aid-gaza/5903588

​  Trump Says China Doesn’t Want to Invade Taiwan
The president will meet with Xi on the sidelines of a summit in South Korea later this month​  
https://news.antiwar.com/2025/10/20/trump-says-china-doesnt-want-to-invade-taiwan/

UN Condemns Trump's 'Extrajudicial Executions, Covert Action' Against Venezuela​   https://www.zerohedge.com/geopolitical/un-condemns-trumps-extrajudicial-killings-covert-action-against-venezuela

Rand Paul Again Slams Trump Over Strikes: 'If We Don't Blow Up Boats Off Miami, Why Do It Off Venezuela?'​   https://www.zerohedge.com/geopolitical/rand-paul-again-slams-trump-over-strikes-if-we-dont-blow-boats-miami-why-do-it

Hegseth Announces Another 'Narco-Boat' Attack After Trump Insists No Declaration Of War Needed​   https://www.zerohedge.com/geopolitical/hegseth-announces-another-narco-boat-attack-after-trump-insists-no-declaration-war

​This will seriously hurt a LOT of Americans:  What Are The Chances Of A Food Stamp Collapse In November?   https://www.zerohedge.com/economics/what-are-chances-food-stamp-collapse-november

  Escape Key says this is like "vaccine passports", Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism​  How carbon-backed CBDCs will come to be
​ When the European Union’s Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism (CBAM) levies begin on 1 January 2026, most people will see it as just another tariff — a border charge on imports based on their carbon footprint.
​  What they won’t see is that CBAM is the first layer of a complete control architecture that, when fully deployed, will condition every transaction on carbon compliance — and eventually, any other parameter governments choose to encode.​   https://escapekey.substack.com/p/carbon-border-adjustment-mechanism

​  More from ESC:  The Financialisation of Compliance
​ Imagine your payment for a product doesn’t go through until a third party confirms the item meets certain criteria — carbon footprint, ‘ethical sourcing’, regulatory compliance… whatever. Not a voluntary check you choose to make, but a programmed condition built into the payment itself.
​  The infrastructure to make this work is being built right now by the world’s most powerful financial institutions, and they’re surprisingly explicit about it. What’s more: it’s no longer just pilots and prototypes.​ Parts of this system are already operational.​   
https://escapekey.substack.com/p/the-financialisation-of-compliance

​  It's hard to get it to the floor. ‘We’re going to have a vote’ on member stock trading, key GOP hard-liner says
Rep. Chip Roy said there’s still bipartisan interest in forcing a floor vote on congressional trading.​   https://www.politico.com/live-updates/2025/10/20/congress/chip-roy-stock-trading-vote-00615272

Rare Earths Stocks Soar After Mega US-Australia Minerals Deal To Slash Dependence On China​   https://www.zerohedge.com/commodities/rare-earths-stocks-soar-after-mega-us-australia-minerals-deal-slash-dependence-china

​Mostly lithium they can pump water down into and extract as brine: New Generation Of Industries Emerges In Texas As Rare Earths Race Ignites   https://www.zerohedge.com/commodities/new-generation-industries-emerges-texas-rare-earths-race-ignites

Not so long ago "infection" was not known as a thing: How Germ Theory Sparked The Sanitary Revolution... And Life Expectancy Skyrocketed   https://www.zerohedge.com/markets/how-germ-theory-sparked-sanitary-revolutionand-life-expectancy-skyrocketed

  Really, exactly, to completely replace physicians ASAP:  AI Is Coming For Your Doctor
​ IM Doc has been giving regular reports from the front, particularly on the accelerating crapification of medical care in the US. You may recall his horrorshow experience with AI, as in having it forced on him for the transcription of patient notes and having the output not simply have many important errors but even complete fabrications. He has a new report below about how his hospital plans to roll out sweeping changes implemented via the widely-used billing/records system Epic, that amount to turning diagnosis and care decisions over to AI.​   https://www.nakedcapitalism.com/2025/10/ai-is-coming-for-your-doctor.html

​Take good care of your health and keep your old Toyota well-maintained: A New Car vs. Health Insurance? Average Family Job-Based Coverage Hits $27K   https://www.nakedcapitalism.com/2025/10/a-new-car-vs-health-insurance-average-family-job-based-coverage-hits-27k.html

  We don't want to offend our benefactors. A Midwestern Doctor,  How Vaccine Brain Injuries Were Rebranded and Erased From Memory
Exposing the games they always play to hide vaccine injuries
​  For over a century, vaccination has been repeatedly linked to severe neurological injuries including brain damage—with many modern studies showing a 3-10 fold increase in common chronic illnesses.
​  To dodge this massive liability, all research into vaccine injuries (and many other catastrophes like Agent Orange) was suppressed so that health authorities could claim there was “no evidence” of vaccine harm.
​  Another scheme was to redefine the brain injury as “autism” rather than encephalitis (which the US government was legally required to provide injury compensation for).​   
https://www.midwesterndoctor.com/p/how-vaccine-brain-injuries-were-rebranded

​  If you do the tests... NEW STUDY: 91% of Moderna mRNA Shot Recipients Develop Cardiovascular Side Effects with Measurable Arterial Dysfunction
Spectral pulse-wave analysis revealed significant post-vaccine cardiovascular dysfunction consistent with increased arterial stiffness and impaired vascular function.​   https://www.thefocalpoints.com/p/new-study-91-of-moderna-mrna-shot

​  STUDY: Childhood Vaccines Contain Trillions of Human Fetal DNA Fragments Capable of Genomic Integration
Peer-reviewed study found human DNA fragments in fetal cell–derived vaccines exceeding the FDA limit by up to 2,760% and mapped their potential integration sites to genes associated with autism.​   
https://www.thefocalpoints.com/p/study-childhood-vaccines-contain

  Thinning the human herd:  2.23 Million-Person Study Finds Pneumococcal Vaccines Increase Risk of Pneumonia and Death
The vaccines given to nearly every U.S. child and senior were linked to higher pneumonia and death rates in one of the largest real-world studies ever conducted.​    https://www.thefocalpoints.com/p/breaking-223-million-person-study

​Sweat the Lead Out:  Health Benefits of Sweating​ - Embarrassing perspiration has many redeeming properties.   https://www.thefocalpoints.com/p/health-benefits-of-sweating

  A Midwestern Doctor advises fresh vegetables, exercising outdoors, squatting to poop, and relaxing: Why You’re Constipated—and How to Fix It Naturally
Tools for ending the silent epidemic of constipation​   https://www.midwesterndoctor.com/p/why-youre-constipatedand-how-to-fix

​  Whither Food in the Twenty-First Century?
​  Our so-called “food system” is a complete mess, one that must be set to rights if the people are to have a chance of thriving in the coming years, which are likely to be stressful because of other messes.  This dire situation has been described in Food Fight: From Plunder and Profit to People and Planet by Stuart Gillispie (September 2025).​..
..The problem we face now is the simple fact that our global food system is an anachronism.  In the last century it has performed miracles [1], but in this one it’s a source of jeopardy.  We should not speak of reform and repair, because it’s not actually broken.  The system we have is working just the way those who control it want it to work.  For capitalism to sustain itself, it needs to generate (continually increasing) profit (through growth instead of development).  And in 2025, after nearly fifty years of neoliberalism, the most profitable food system is the one that manufactures ultra-processed products which are marketed aggressively across the world.​   https://www.nakedcapitalism.com/2025/10/whither-food-in-the-twenty-first-century.html

​Avoiding Industrial Foolike Products (pictured mowing a green spot recently)