Lubos Blaha has questioned the move against Moscow, noting that US funds were not targeted when it attacked Iraq | The blocking of sovereign Russian funds in the West amounts to “theft,” Slovak MEP Lubos Blaha has said. He called on the EU authorities to stop pumping Ukraine with money and weapons in the conflict with Moscow. ● The US, EU, and their allies have frozen an estimated $300 billion in assets belonging to the Russian state since the Ukraine conflict escalated more than two years ago. The bulk of the funds, around €197 billion ($214 billion), is being held at Brussels-based clearinghouse Euroclear.

💬 “The freezing of Russian assets is theft and robbery. You can find hundreds of justifications for this, but this is theft,” Blaha said at a European Parliament plenary session in Strasbourg on Monday. “Europe didn’t steal American assets at the time of unjustified aggression against Iraq, Will we do the same with Israeli assets?” the lawmaker asked, referring to the latest escalation of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.

Blaha, who visited Moscow earlier this month, also called on EU lawmakers to use “common sense,” stating that Brussels should “stop sending Ukraine weapons and billions of euros” that are needed in the bloc. “This is unfair to our own citizens,” the MEP insisted. ● On Tuesday, the European Parliament backed the allocation of a loan of up to €35 billion ($38 billion) for Ukraine, using immobilized Russian assets as collateral for the repayments.

Check out this video of Emmanuel Macron at the biggest Zionist event of the year in France, the infamous “CRIF dinner”. If you don’t now what the CRIF is, do not bother with the Wikipedia article – it’s all sanitized – but think of the French CRIF like (AIPAC+JINSA+ADL+B’nai B’rith)2: all the power of the Israel Lobby in the USA, but squared (yeah, I know, hard to imagine, but true). (FYI – the guy holding Macron’s wrist is the CRIF’s President)

The BRICS Summit, attended by heads of state, is held in Kazan, Russia, on 22-24 October. | The 16th annual BRICS summit began on Tuesday in the Russian city of Kazan, in the Republic of Tatarstan. The three-day summit will bring together officials from 36 countries, including 22 top ones, as well as leaders of six international organizations. [...] The summit will be devoted to discussions on strengthening multilateralism, integrating new members of the bloc and addressing regional challenges. Russian President Vladimir Putin will host the summit.

⚡ Dumping US dollar ‘keeps politics out of economic development’ – Putin (RT.com)
■ BRICS not aiming to ‘defeat the dollar’ – Kremlin (RT.com)
■ Putin to have a series of bilateral meetings on sidelines of BRICS Summit (TASS)
■ Developments on payment mechanisms expected in BRICS — Russian Foreign Ministry (TASS)
■ BRICS Economic Dominance Taking Shape, West Can Do Nothing About It - French Politician (Sputnik)

❗️ FOUR PEOPLE KILLED, 24 INJURED IN ISRAELI STRIKE NEAR RAFIK HARIRI UNIVERSITY HOSPITAL – LEBANESE HEALTH MINISTRY

According to preliminary data, an Israeli strike near Rafik Hariri University Hospital in southern Beirut has killed four people, including a child, and injured… https://t.co/AB5fyqJUd6

— Sputnik (@SputnikInt) October 21, 2024

(Hitting Hospitals...just like they did in Gaza.) | Casualties have been reported at the Site of the Israeli Airstrike earlier at Hariri University Hospital in Downtown Beirut, with Civil Defense Teams searching through the Rubble for Survivors. UPDATE 5:09 PM EDT -- The attack near Rafic Hariri Hospital targeted Al-Mekdad Street, a busy and densely populated neighborhood in Jnah. Civil defense teams are on the scene searching for survivors under the rubble. Despite no evacuation orders being issued, the area was targeted and has suffered numerous casualties. This part of Beirut, rarely attacked, still holds a large civilian presence.

■ Live blog: Death toll from Israeli strike on Beirut hospital climbs to 18 (TRT World)
■ Beirut: Israeli strike near Rafik Hariri government hospital kills four, including child (The New Arab)
■ Israeli raids target residential areas, hospitals threatened: Beirut (Al Mayadeen)

Iran will hold the United States accountable for the coming Israeli attack. | The Iranian Embassy at the United Nations in New York City said this afternoon, "President Biden’s remarks in Berlin on Friday, stating he knows “when and how” Israel will attack Iran, amount to “tacit approval and explicit support” for Israel’s “illegal aggressive actions” against Iran. They added, “The United States will bear full responsibility for its role in any Israeli act of aggression against Iran.” It is widely believed that this means Iran WILL make good on its word to "hit all U.S. Bases in the Middle East" if/when Israel attacks.

■ Iran ready to deliver 'crushing blow' to Israel: Army chief (Mehr News)

Israel expanded the scope of its attacks from the devastated Gaza Strip to Lebanon last month, carrying out a ground offensive against Hezbollah forces in the southern border areas, along with relentless daily airstrikes. | US Secretary of State Antony Blinken has embarked upon a Middle East tour as Washington makes a last-ditch attempt at pushing Israel towards some semblance of a negotiation process before the US presidential election. The itinerary of the week-long visit takes Blinken first to Israel on Tuesday, then on to Jordan and Qatar. ● Blinken has been tasked with discussing how to bring an end to Israel’s war on Hamas in Gaza, humanitarian assistance for the devastated enclave, and "day after" plans, such as security, governance, and reconstruction for the region after the fighting ends, a senior State Department official told reporters.

The ex-lawmaker’s presence on the campaign trail will anger Arab-Americans, the former US president has claimed | Former US President Donald Trump has hammered Vice President Kamala Harris for campaigning with Liz Cheney, a prominent neoconservative whom Trump accused of wanting “to go to war with every Muslim country known to mankind.” ● Cheney, a former member of Congress and the daughter of former US Vice President Dick Cheney, endorsed Harris last month, and will tour the swing states of Michigan, Pennsylvania and Wisconsin this week in a bid to drum up establishment Republican support for the Democratic nominee. Michigan is home to around 250,000 Arab-Americans, who reportedly favor Trump, due to their opposition to Harris' position on the Israel-Hamas war. ● In a post on his Truth Social platform on Monday, Trump predicted that Ms. Cheney’s appearance will further infuriate the cohort.

💬 “Arab Voters are very upset that Comrade Kamala Harris, the Worst Vice President in the History of the United States and a Low IQ individual, is campaigning with ‘dumb as a rock’ War Hawk, Liz Cheney, who, like her father, the man that pushed Bush to ridiculously go to War in the Middle East, also wants to go to War with every Muslim Country known to mankind,” he wrote.

If Kamala gets four more years, the Middle East will spend the next four decades going up in flames, and your kids will be going off to War, maybe even a Third World War, something that will never happen with President Donald J. Trump in charge,” he continued.

Russia needs to be discouraged from launching new operations against its neighbor once a ceasefire is reached, Defense Minister Sebastien Lecornu says | The West should seriously consider placing “conventional deterrence” assets, which could include long-range missile sytems, on Ukrainian soil once the hot phase of the conflict is over, French Defense Minister Sebastien Lecornu has said. In an interview with the broadcaster TF1/LCI on Monday, Lecornu weighed in on Vladimir Zelensky’s much-touted “victory plan,” which the Ukrainian leader presented to the national parliament last week.

lsrael blows up tens of houses in al-Nussairat Camp, Central Gaza Strip. pic.twitter.com/ercFe3n14D

— TIMES OF GAZA (@Timesofgaza) October 21, 2024

Northern Gaza Strip. pic.twitter.com/ShFvr6mofm

— TIMES OF GAZA (@Timesofgaza) October 21, 2024

■ Israel bans humanitarian aid into northern Gaza amid onslaught: UN (aNews)

The former US president says he warned the Russian leader not to “go after Ukraine” | Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump has claimed that he threatened to strike Moscow if Russian President Vladimir Putin launched an attack on Ukraine. ● Asked in a wide-ranging interview with the Wall Street Journal on Friday whether he would use military force to respond to a potential blockade of Taiwan by Beijing, Trump said he would not have to, as his Chinese counterpart, Xi Jinping, “respects me and he knows I’m f**king crazy.” ● Pivoting to Russia, Trump said the same is true of Putin, who he claimed to have an excellent relationship with. He added that at one point, he told him: “Vladimir, if you go after Ukraine, I am going to hit you so hard, you’re not even going to believe it. I’m going to hit you right in the middle of fricking Moscow… We’re friends. I don’t want to do it, but I have no choice.” According to the former president, Putin reacted with disbelief, saying “no way.” “Way,” Trump responded. “You’re going to be hit so hard, and I’m going to take those f**king domes right off your head,” he reportedly said, apparently referring to the Russian leader’s Kremlin residence.

■ Medvedev doubts that Trump threatened Putin with striking Moscow (TASS)

Israel has begun massive air strikes against Lebanon, including hitting BANKS, Airports, Shipping Ports. | All under the Israeli claim that "economic activity supports Hezballah." By that logic, all of Lebanon could be bombed, including farms because maybe they feed Hezballah. The Israelis are out of control. They need to be directly confronted and stopped. Israeli drones and fighter jets launched more than 11 consecutive airstrikes on the Lebanese capital of Beirut's Southern Suburb and its surrounding areas.

■ Israel gives the US its demands for ending war in Lebanon (L'Orient Today)
■ Israel Lays Out Conditions For Ending Aggression Against Lebanon in Paper Handed to US (Sputnik)

Jonathan Cook | The raid on investigative journalist Asa Winstanley isn’t about terrorism – except the UK government’s. It is about scaring us into staying silent on Britain’s collusion in Israel’s genocide | The UK government and police – the British state – made clear today they are waging a war of intimidation against the country’s independent journalists in a desperate attempt to silence them. ■ Ten Metropolitan police officers made a dawn raid on the home of investigative journalist Asa Winstanley and seized his electronic devices under the UK’s draconian Terrorism Act. A letter from the Met indicates that the associate editor of the Electronic Intifada is being investigated by the force for “encouraging terrorism”. ■ Winstanley is the latest – and most high profile – independent journalist to be targeted by counter-terrorism police in recent weeks. Earlier, Richard Medhurst was arrested at Heathrow airport on returning to the UK from a trip abroad. Then Sarah Wilkinson was arrested and her home ransacked. Winstanley has repeatedly embarrassed the British establishment by exposing its covert and deep ties to Israel and its collusion with the Israeli lobby.

He praised the Russian president for being the first world leader to speak out in the publisher’s defense | John Shipton, the father of WikiLeaks co-founder Julian Assange, has said that he is grateful to Russian President Vladimir Putin for supporting his son amid his persecution by Western authorities. Shipton arrived in Moscow on Sunday at the invitation of Russian journalist Mira Terada, the co-chair of the BRICS Journalists’ Association.

💬 “In 2012, President Putin became the first head of state to speak out in defense of Julian’s interests as a publisher and citizen,” Shipton told RIA-Novosti news agency. Putin came forward when only “defamatory lies” were spread about his son in the media, Assange’s father said. “For this, I express my sympathy to your president,” he added.

Assange spent five years in Belmarsh high-security prison in the UK as he fought extradition to the US, which had accused him of unlawfully obtaining and disclosing classified information, much of which was related to American war crimes. He was placed in the facility over breach of bail, after living in the Ecuadorian Embassy in London, which had granted him asylum, between 2012 and 2019. In June, he struck a plea bargain with the US Justice Department, formally acknowledging some guilt and waiving his right to legal recourse in exchange for freedom. “I pled guilty to journalism,” Assange explained later.

🩸The #Israeli fighter jets hit tonight a densely-populated residential block, targeting the homes of the Al-Sharif, Al-Hindi, Al-Kahlot, Al-Dariwi, and Obaid families Beit Lahia in northern #Gaza. pic.twitter.com/XhISHJaNqZ

— PalYouth (@PalYouth4News) October 20, 2024

Israeli air strikes target densely populated residential complex in northern Gaza town, killing and wounding scores | An Israeli attack on Beit Lahiya, a town in northern Gaza, killed at least 73 Palestinians on Saturday evening, according to the enclave's government media office. More than 100 others were wounded and several people missing. Israeli air strikes targeted a multi-floor building and damaged a number of nearby houses, medics in the Gaza Strip reported. The government media office said that Israeli forces had bombed overcrowded residential areas in Beit Lahiya, adding that women and children were amongst the casualties. "This is a war of genocide and ethnic cleansing. The occupation has conducted a horrifying massacre in Beit Lahiya," the media office said.

■ At least 87 killed in Israeli airstrike on Gaza’s Beit Lahia (Anadolu)
■ Update 2: Gaza Day 379: Israeli Bombs Kill 73 Palestinians (IMEMC)
■ Genocide in north Gaza worse than what 'Israel' did all year: Factions (Al Mayadeen)
■ Israeli extermination plan underway in northern Gaza (Electronic Intifada)

The documents posted on Telegram describe IDF’s alleged preparations to strike Iran | The US has launched an investigation after highly classified intelligence reports about Israel’s preparations for possible strikes on Iran were leaked online, CNN reported on Saturday, citing three people familiar with the matter. ● The apparent security breach occurred amid an intense standoff between Iran and Israel – which has vowed to respond to a barrage of missiles fired by Tehran earlier this month. ● On Friday, two documents were posted to the anonymous Telegram channel Middle East Spectator, which covers events in the region and is critical of Israel. ● The first of the files, apparently prepared by the Pentagon’s National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency, says the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) “continued key munitions preparations and covert UAV activity on October 16 almost certainly for a strike on Iran.” The second document contains a detailed report about a “large-force employment exercise” conducted by the Israeli Air Force on October 15-16.

■ US Probing Intelligence Leak on Israel's Preparations to Attack Iran - Reports (Sputnik)
■ US intelligence documents outlining Israel's potential attack plan on Iran leaked (Jerusalem Post)

Metropolitan Theodosius of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church suffered a concussion and burns during a violent raid on St. Michael’s Cathedral in Cherkasy, carried out by armed men, mostly from the Orthodox Church of Ukraine. | The UN Human Rights Office reaffirmed that freedom of religion is a fundamental right after a raid on St. Michael’s Cathedral in Cherkasy, Ukraine. Videos show armed men in military-style clothing clashing with worshippers from the Ukrainian Orthodox Church (UOC). The attackers reportedly used tear gas, stun grenades, and fired a gas pistol, stealing icons, documents, and $60,000. The UOC blamed “schismatics” from the Kiev-backed Orthodox Church of Ukraine (OCU) for the attack against worshippers. The UN stressed, "Attacks on civilian believers are prohibited under international human rights and humanitarian norms."

■ Ukrainian diocese ‘goes underground’ after raid on cathedral (10/18/24)

French Foreign Minister Jean-Noel Barrot is on a two-day visit to Kyiv | Paris is in talks with NATO allies about the chance of inviting Ukraine to the bloc immediately, French Foreign Minister Jean-Noel Barrot said on a visit to Kyiv. "As for Ukraine's invitation to NATO, we do not rule it out and are holding discussions on this issue with our partners," he said. ● The day before, in an interview with Le Journal du Dimanche newspaper, Minister-Delegate for European Affairs at the French Foreign Ministry Benjamin Haddad said that Paris believes it is a priority to agree on Ukraine's official invitation to NATO. He conceded that the process of joining the alliance could take a fairly long time. But, according to Haddad, the invitation is the first political signal that can be made right now.

While Ukraine still keeps resisting, that resistance is getting weaker, Andrey Kelin says | Russian Ambassador to the UK Andrey Kelin told the BBC that the UK government is using Ukraine to wage a proxy war against Russia.

💬 "The UK government is waging aggressive war against Russia at the hands of Ukrainians. This is a proxy war led by the United Kingdom’s government by providing lethal weapons, with which the UK government is killing Russian soldiers and civilians," he said in an interview with the broadcaster, an excerpt of which the BBC posted to its website. (According to Kelin, Ukrainian President Vladimir Zelensky is not showing any interest in peace talks. This stance means only that Ukraine will lose more territory, he said.) "You [...] heard Zelensky yesterday. He was desperate. He fully understands that he is losing not only terrain, but he is losing the conflict," the ambassador said.

The North Korea Army has downed a South Korean military recon drone, over the skies of North Korea's Capital, Pyongyang. That drone, pictured above has caused massive trouble. | The Drone crashed landed in a tree in Pyongyang. North Korea has issued a communique to the South telling them that if any other South Korean military drones enter North Korea air space, North Korea will take it as a "Declaration of War" and commence military action. The North Korean People's Army has been placed on Combat Alert. Artillery from North Korea has been moved toward the border of South Korea. Islands off the coast of Korea and under control of the North, have opened the blast doors of artillery emplacements, and activity by soldiers preparing those artillery emplacements is now seen.

■ North Korea to Consider Repeated Intrusion by South Korean Drone a Declaration of War (10/19/24)

German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock said civilian sites in Gaza lose protected status because ‘terrorists abuse it’ | The Palestinian Islamic Jihad (PIJ) movement released a statement on 16 October strongly condemning comments made by Germany’s foreign minister in defense of Israel’s killing of Palestinian civilians.

💬 “These statements represent a dangerous justification for targeting civilian sites under the pretext of the presence of armed elements in these sites, cover up the crimes of the occupation that targets civilians, and provide an immoral justification for indiscriminate attacks,” PIJ said.

The statement goes on to say that civilian infrastructure must never lose its protected status, regardless of what Israel claims.

■ Hamas Slams German FM’s Remarks on Israel’s Right to Kill As “Self-Defense” (Days of Palestine)
■ Pathetic Europeans Green-Light Israel To Continue War Crimes (Finian Cunningham)

Giora Eiland's brutal vision for Gaza, as laid out in his writings, suggests a future where the region is systematically emptied of its Palestinian population, either through displacement or deprivation. | The Guardian on Thursday published an opinion piece detailing the Machiavellian worldview of Israeli officials, particularly that of Giora Eiland, a retired general and former head of "Israel's" police council. ● According to writer Owen Jones, Eiland's approach to the war on Gaza epitomizes a ruthless, pragmatic strategy that prioritizes military objectives above humanitarian concerns. In a series of public statements and writings, including an article in Fathom journal, Eiland has unapologetically advocated for extreme measures to depopulate Gaza and render it uninhabitable. These measures include blockading essential resources like water and fuel, enforcing mass displacement, and creating conditions so intolerable that Palestinians would have no choice but to leave, effectively carrying out a project of ethnic cleansing.

Leo Hohmann | The timing of Federal Directive 5240.01 is interesting in light of the upcoming election and the government's narrative about right wing extremists being the 'biggest threat' to US national security. | A video clip has resurfaced from May of 2019 in which Kamala Harris advocates weaponizing the DOJ against speech the government doesn’t like, and the platforms that allow it. ■ In the meantime, one month before a tense presidential election, the U.S. Department of Defense has authorized U.S. military “defense intelligence components” to use “lethal force” against American citizens if requested by state or local law enforcement in an emergency situation. More on this in a minute, but first let’s get to the May 2019 video showing Kamala Harris unleashing her inner dictator. Speaking at the annual NAACP ‘Fight for Freedom Fund’ dinner in Detroit, Harris threatened: “We will put the Department of Justice of the United States back in the business of justice. We will double the civil rights division, and direct Law Enforcement to counter this extremism.”

🇺🇸 American Doctor: "The bombing doesn't explain children being shot in the head. Every Day I was there, I saw children shot in the head. That's not an accident. That's deliberate targeting of children for death. That's murder." pic.twitter.com/0Lj5UQ9sFl

— Khalissee (@Kahlissee) October 13, 2024

A South Korean drone was found in one of the districts of Pyongyang, and the Defense Ministry of North Korea has said a repeated intrusion by South Korean military assets will be considered a declaration of war and lead to retaliatory strikes, the Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) reported. | Recently, the Korean Peninsula saw another round of escalation, with the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) ratcheting up deployment of artillery units along the border. North Korean leaders explained that the move was due to South Korea launching drones with anti-North Korean propaganda over Pyongyang.

■ North Korea threatens to declare war (RT.com)

The office of the Israeli regime's premier confirmed that a drone hit Benjamin Netanyahu's residence place on Saturday. | Netanyahu's office, while confirming that the Hezbollah drone hit the house of the prime minister of this regime, claimed that Netanyahu was not present at his residence at the time of the drone strike. Earlier on Saturday morning, Zionist sources reported the explosion of a drone near the residence of the Israeli regime's premier Benjamin Netanyahu. Several people were injured following the incident, the initial reports indicate.

■ Netanyahu's Private Home Struck by Hezballah Drone (Hal Turner Show)

Religious and political figures in Iraq mourned the martyrdom of leader Yahya Sinwar, praising his significant role in the Palestinian resistance and reaffirming the continuation of the battle until victory is achieved. | The head of the Islamic Supreme Council of Iraq, Sheikh Hammam Hamoudi, mourned the martyrdom of Yahya Sinwar, the head of the political bureau of Hamas, who was martyred during armed confrontations with the Israeli occupation forces in Rafah, southern Gaza Strip. ● In a statement, Sheikh Hammoudi described Sinwar as "a remarkable model of bravery, courage, and defiance against occupation, injustice, and bloodthirsty arrogance," emphasizing that the Resistance will continue to escalate.

■ Sinwar's storm continues (Tehran Times)
■ Iranian Leader Issues Message over Sinwar's Martyrdom (Mehr News)

■ Silver Bullet (Dr. Mike Yeadon )(Substack)(VIDEO)

Rubble and death | Gaza City. pic.twitter.com/TP8CoeNfQm

— TIMES OF GAZA (@Timesofgaza) October 17, 2024

Hamas leader killed during a field confrontation with Israeli army while clad in full military uniform, directly contradicting earlier assertions that he had been hiding among Israeli captives in Gaza tunnels. | Yahya Sinwar, the political leader of Hamas, was killed in a gunfight during Israeli army raid, with no prior intelligence, Israeli media has revealed. ● Reports indicated that Sinwar, Israel's top target, was killed during a field confrontation, where he was dressed in full military uniform, contradicting previous Israeli claims that he had been hiding among Israeli prisoners in tunnels for months in tunnels in Gaza. ● Israel’s official public broadcaster noted on Thursday that Sinwar's constant movement explained his readiness for combat, as he was armed and wearing military gear. ● Earlier Thursday, the army said, in cooperation with the Shin Bet security agency, it carried out dozens of operations in recent months, which restricted Sinwar's movements and eventually led to his killing. ● It added that a unit from the 828 Brigade spotted and killed three Hamas members during a clash in southern Gaza. After completing DNA tests, it was confirmed that Sinwar was among the dead.

■ 'Fearless leader': Netizens pay tribute to Yahya Sinwar as he goes down fighting (PressTV)
■ Hamas confirms leader Yahya Sinwar martyred in Israeli strike (PressTV)
■ Netanyahu Promises More War, Dashing Peace Hopes After Hamas Leader Killed (DD India)
■ Khaled Mashal becomes new Hamas leader after Sinwar’s death (TASS)

Donald Trump has slammed Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy for failing to seek peace with Russia | Donald Trump has blamed Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky for helping start that nation’s war with Russia, a comment that further suggests Trump is likely to radically shift US policy toward Ukraine if he wins the US election. ● The Republican former president has frequently criticised Zelensky on the campaign trail, repeatedly calling him “the greatest salesman on Earth” for having solicited and received billions of dollars of US military aid since the war broke out in 2022.

■ Former Russian president praises Trump over Zelensky remark (RT.com)