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Yield on 10-year US government bonds rises above 5% for first time since 2007
Image Credit: Pixabay
The yield on 10-year US government bonds rose above 5.0 percent for the first time since 2007 during the height of the subprime mortgage crisis.
The rate on 10-year Treasury bonds hit 5.008 percent in morning at 0910 GMT as investors worry the US Federal Reserve will need to keep interest rates higher for longer in the face of stubborn inflation and a resilient US economy.
-Insider Paper
Why the soaring cost of government borrowing matters for everyone
Except on rare occasions - last year's post-Liz Truss mini-budget episode being one of them - the bond market rarely garners as much attention as other financial sectors.
Yet these markets, where companies and governments come to borrow, are the foundations for the global economy.
In particular, the value of government bonds - and hence their imputed interest rates - have an enormous bearing on all our lives. Higher bond yields, as these interest rates are called, imply that we will all be paying more interest on that debt for years to come.
So the fact that these interest rates are shooting up rapidly around the world in recent weeks is no trivial matter. On Monday morning, the yield on US 10-year debt (typically seen as a benchmark for this market) broke through the 5% mark.
The UK's own 10-year government debt is, at 4.7%, now above the highs it hit following last autumn's mini-budget.
The 30-year UK government bond yield just hit the highest level since 1998. This is big stuff - and indeed the degree of yo-yoing in recent weeks has been unprecedented.
Something is clearly going on in these markets, but what?
This is where things get a little murkier, because it turns out there is no single, definitive explanation for these fluctuations. That comes back to a broader point, which is that the price of a given country's debt is telling you lots of things at the same time.
It could be telling you about future expectations for where central bank interest rates are heading in future. At one and the same time, it could be signalling how much demand there is in capital markets for a given country's debt. It could equally be caused by supply: if a government is issuing lots of debt, you might reasonably expect people to ask for higher interest rates to lend them that money.
And the explanation for the recent rise in bond yields could well be all of the above.
-Ed Conway, Sky News
Blowblack: Coca-Cola Quietly Removes Black Lives Matter Support On Its Website
By Jack Phillips of The Epoch Times
Coca-Cola appeared to delete a paragraph on its website that supported Black Lives Matter, coming as Black Lives Matter drew controversy for backing Hamas.
"Earlier this month, Sprite announced a $500,000 contribution to the Black Lives Matter Global Network in a social post committing action in the fight for racial justice. On June 28, the brand debuted a new TV commercial during the 2020 BET Awards telecast showcasing Black America’s resilience, excellence and optimism. The 60-second spot titled ‘Dreams Realized’ emphasizes Sprite’s commitment to making young Black creators’ dreams a reality and to inspire the next generation to do more and dream bigger," an archived version of the Coca-Cola-owned Sprite website page says.
A current version of the web page omitted that paragraph, suggesting the beverage giant deleted it. It appears changes were made to the web page on Oct. 20 and Oct. 21, according to Archive.org records. The Epoch Times has reached out to Coca-Cola, which has not addressed the matter publicly, for comment on Sunday.
It came after Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas) made reference to the Coca-Cola website and tied its support of Black Lives Matter to backing Hamas, a U.S. State Department-designated terrorist group that carried out multiple attacks on Israel earlier this month that left hundreds of civilians—including children—dead. Israel has responded by embarking on a bombing campaign of Gaza, where Hamas operates.
"CAUGHT RED-HANDED. [Coca-Cola] deletes its support for BLM. One screenshot is of [Coca-Cola's] website before BLM supported Hamas parachuting into a concert to kill Israeli civilians," Mr. Cruz wrote on social media website X. "The other is from this morning. Editing your website is not enough. Americans DEMAND an apology."
On his podcast, "The Verdict," he criticized Coca-Cola and other companies days before that for their support of Black Lives Matter in the wake of the Hamas attacks.
Last week, he also made reference to the corporate support in another post on X: “For every corporate donor who sent millions to BLM—including Amazon, Apple, BlackRock & Bank of America—do you regret supporting such a virulently antisemitic organization?”
It came after a Black Lives Matter group wrote on X---days after the Hamas attacks---that it backed the group and Palestinians.
"As Black people continue the fight to end militarism and mass incarceration in our own communities, let us understand the resistance in Palestine as an attempt to tear down the gates of the world’s largest open-air prison," BLM Grassroots wrote on Oct. 9. "As a radical Black organization grounded in abolitionist ideals, we see clear parallels between Black and Palestinian people. For lasting peace to come, the entire apartheid system must be dismantled."
“Do you support Black Lives Matter’s Marxist agenda supporting Hamas? Are you antisemites? Do you support that we need to end Israel?” the Texas senator asked.
Around the same time, a Black Lives Matter chapter in Chicago posted a more supportive backing of Hamas. It stated, "I stand with Palestine," and included an image of a parachuting individual with the Palestinian flag. That post was later deleted.
There have been reports and video footage of Hamas terrorists using parachutes and other airborne devices in a series of surprise attacks on Oct. 7.
After deleting the post, the group wrote that "we sent out [messages] that we aren’t proud of. We stand with Palestine [and] the people who will do what they must to live free. Our hearts are with the grieving mothers, those rescuing babies from rubble, who are in danger of being wiped out completely."
-Tyler Durden, Zerohedge
Bill Ackman covers bet against Treasurys, says ‘too much risk in the world’ to bet against bonds
Image Credit: Bill Ackman, Pershing Square Capital Management CEO, speaking at the Delivering Alpha conference in NYC on Sept. 28th, 2023. Adam Jeffery | CNBC
Pershing Square’s Bill Ackman revealed Monday he covered his bet against long-term Treasurys, believing that investors may increasingly buy bonds as a safe haven because of growing geopolitical risks, the latest of which being the Israel-Hamas war.
“There is too much risk in the world to remain short bonds at current long-term rates,” Ackman said in a post on X, formerly known as Twitter, on Monday morning. “We covered our bond short.”
The billionaire hedge fund manager first disclosed his bearish position on 30-year Treasurys in August, betting on elevated yields on the back of “higher levels of long-term inflation.” The 30-year Treasury yield has risen more than 80 basis points since the end of August, making Ackman’s bet profitable.
Bond prices move inversely to yields, so Ackman’s bet against bonds was, in effect, a gamble on higher rates.
The 30-year Treasury yield fell 6 basis points to 5.01% on Monday after Ackman’s comments.
Bond prices have continued to decline and yields have increased lately, with the benchmark 10-year rate topping the key 5% threshold. The economy and labor market have consistently outperformed expectations, according to recent data, keeping yields elevated.
Ackman has been a vocal supporter of Israel following the Hamas attacks earlier this month, posting frequently about the conflict. Normally, growing global tensions push investors into Treasurys for safety reasons. That’s what occurred during the Russia-Ukraine war, but that has not been the case so far with these latest Middle East tensions.
Economic risk
Ackman also added that he removed the short because of concern about the economy.
“The economy is slowing faster than recent data suggests,” he wrote.
The Fed has raised rates 11 times for a total of 5.25 percentage points, taking the benchmark rate to its highest level in some 22 years. A slowing economy typically leads to lower bond yields.
Fed Chairman Jerome Powell recently said inflation is still too high and lower economic growth is likely needed to bring it down. Data has shown that while inflation remains well above the target rate, the pace of monthly increases has decelerated and the annual rate has slowed to 3.7% from more than 9% in June 2022.
JPMorgan Chase CEO Jamie Dimon recently issued a stern warning about the perils the world faces from multiple threats, saying this may be “the most dangerous time the world has seen in decades.”
-Yun Li, CNBC
Ruble surges as comeback against dollar continues
The Russian ruble gained ground against major currencies on Monday, edging above 94 rubles to the US dollar for the first time since September 13, trading data from the Moscow Exchange (MOEX) showed.
The ruble also rose against the European single currency, trading at 99.9 rubles to the euro as of 09:30 GMT, also a six-week high.
Analysts link the ruble’s rebound to a recent regulation ordering Russian exporters to sell their foreign currency revenues and repatriate the proceeds. The measure was announced on October 12 to support the currency, which saw its value drop to its lowest since March 2022 earlier this month. The regulation covers 43 Russian exporters from the energy, metals, chemical and forestry industries, as well as farming.
“The Russian ruble has finally come out of last week’s decline. The market needed that week for consolidation after the introduction of the foreign currency earnings repatriation regulation,” BKS Express market analyst Michael Zeltser told Forbes Russia. In his view, the ruble’s surge against the dollar “is not over yet” and after some stabilization Western currencies “risk continuing to fall, while the ruble will be ready for an offensive.”
Analysts note that high global oil prices also lend support to the Russian currency, as do the upcoming tax payments by Russian exporters.
“The ruble is likely to continue strengthening on the payment of taxes, which will support prices of government securities. We expect that tax payments will allow the ruble to consolidate in the range of 90-95 rubles to a dollar,” Dmitry Gritskevich, head of banking and financial markets analysis at PSB, predicted.
-RT News
India’s trade with Russia at all-time high
Trade between Russia and India skyrocketed this year, with the turnover of goods in January-August already surpassing the total for the previous year.
According to data from the Indian Ministry of Commerce and Industry, total trade between the two countries in the first eight months of the year reached $43.8 billion, an all-time high.
Exports of Russian goods in particular surged to $41.2 billion against $17.1 billion during the same time last year. Russian imports from India reached $2.6 billion, a 50% increase.
Russia is currently among India’s top five trading partners in terms of goods turnover.
The substantial growth in bilateral trade came amid the ‘pivot to the East’ Moscow has pursued as a result of the unprecedented economic sanctions placed on Russia by Western states over the conflict in Ukraine. The loss of traditional Western trade partners has forced Russia to seek out new markets, especially for its abundant energy exports. According to media reports, in September alone, India’s imports of Russian oil surged by 80% year-on-year, to an average of 1.56 million barrels per day (bpd).
India has also increased purchases of Russian diamonds, having bought gems worth $886.5 million in the reporting period, a 26% increase year-on-year.
“Mutual trade turnover over the past year and a half is an unprecedented story,” Valentina Matvienko, speaker of the upper house of the Russian parliament, said earlier this month.
“It has grown five-fold. It used to be about $10 billion, now it is already closer to $50 billion… Yet the potential of our countries is much greater; we need to continue to develop it,” she told reporters on the sidelines of the G20 Parliamentary Speakers’ Summit (P20) in New Delhi. She noted that the growth of mutual economic cooperation between the two countries is evident in the energy sector, agriculture, and in IT, while India continues to express an interest in further strengthening trade ties with Russia.
-RT News
Vista Outdoor to sell sporting products unit in $1.91 bln deal, cuts sales forecast
Oct 16 (Reuters) - Vista Outdoor (VSTO.N) said on Monday it would sell its sporting products business in a $1.91 billion deal, although its shares tumbled about 20% in early trading after it cut its full-year sales forecast.
The all-cash sale of the sporting products unit, which includes its guns and ammunition business, to privately held Czechoslovak Group a.s. (CSG) is expected to close next calendar year, Vista Outdoor said.
The outdoor recreation and shooting sports products maker also lowered its fiscal 2024 revenue forecast, citing tight consumer spending on its big-ticket discretionary goods in the face of higher interest rates.
"The reduction in sales from our previous guidance coupled with pricing and promotional pressures across our categories is driving down profitability," said Vista's CFO Andy Keegan.
Vista now expects revenue to range between $2.73 billion and $2.86 billion for the year ending March 2024, compared with its previous forecast of $2.85 billion to $2.95 billion.
Earlier this month, Vista spun off its outdoor products segment, which includes helmets and water bottles, into a separate publicly traded company called Revelyst as part of its previously announced plan.
Vista said in a call with analysts and investors that the separation of its sporting and outdoor goods units will be formalized at the closing of its deal with CSG.
Czech-based CSG has seen its revenue and profits rise since Russia's invasion of Ukraine as demand for heavy military equipment and ammunition to ship to Ukraine soared.
It had a consolidated revenue of 25 billion Czech crowns ($1.07 billion) in 2022 and has been on the lookout for more acquisitions since it took a 70% stake in Italian small-calibre ammunition maker Fiocchi Munizioni last December.
CSG said it plans to take $1.11 billion of debt financing to fund the deal with Vista Outdoor.
($1 = 23.4040 Czech crowns)
-Reporting by Juveria Tabassum, Additional reporting by Jason Hovet and Jan Lopatka in Prague; Editing by Savio D'Souza and Shweta Agarwal, Reuters
Feds Charge Four in Heist of 2 Million Dimes in Transport From U.S. Mint in Philly
Federal authorities have revealed additional details and unsealed charges related to the theft of over 2 million dimes earlier this year from a tractor-trailer that had collected the coins from the U.S. Mint in Philadelphia.
The truck driver was en route to Miami when, on April 13, he pulled into a parking lot to rest. During the night, thieves absconded with a portion of the cargo, which amounted to $750,000 in dimes, weighing approximately six tons, as authorities previously reported.
The parking lot in northeast Philadelphia was left strewn with thousands of coins. According to The Philadelphia Inquirer, prosecutors now allege that the theft, which they estimate to be $234,500 in stolen dimes, was part of a series of robberies involving tractor-trailers passing through the region. These thefts also included frozen crab legs, shrimp, meat, beer, and liquor.
Detectives revealed at the time that surveillance footage captured six individuals, dressed in gray hoodies and armed with bolt cutters, approaching the truck during the night. They broke into it and transferred the coins into smaller bags before loading them into a waiting truck.
The recently unsealed indictment claims that following the theft, thousands of dimes were converted into cash using coin machines in Maryland or deposited into at least four different suburban Philadelphia banks.
Four individuals from Philadelphia—Rakiem Savage, aged 25; Ronald Byrd, aged 31; Haneef Palmer, aged 30; and Malik Palmer, aged 32—face charges including conspiracy, robbery, theft of government funds, and other related offenses.
-Breaking 911
Bitcoin suddenly rockets past $34K as ETF excitement grows
The price of Bitcoin (BTC) quickly surged to $34,000 as excitement swelled over developments in the Bitcoin ETF space.
Uptober may have finally arrived, with the price of Bitcoin breaking through the $34,000 mark for the first time since May last year, marking a staggering 14% gain in the past 24 hours.
The price of Bitcoin suddenly spiked upwards on Oct. 23, with BTC gaining more than 10% from $31,000 to briefly touch $34,000 before settling down to a current price of $33,349 according to data from TradingView.
The sudden uptick in price for Bitcoin comes amid a fresh wave of interest in upcoming spot ETF approvals and a significant increase in overall trading volumes across spot markets.
The surge also ca amid developments relating to BlackRock’s proposed spot Bitcoin ETF.
On Oct. 23, an X (formerly known as Twitter) post from Analyst Scott Johnson, pointed to two new pieces of information that could hint a spot Bitcoin ETF approval is getting closer for investment giant Blackrock.
Johnson pointed out that investment giant Blackrock had secured a specific "CUSIP" licence and may soon begin the process of "seeding" their spot ETF product with cash as early as this month.
In response to this post, Senior Bloomberg ETF analyst Eric Balchunas wrote that seeding an ETF is "typically not a lot of money" and would be just enough to get an ETF going, however admitted that it is overall a good sign and marks "another step in the process of launching."
The sudden surge in price also came with a significant growth in Bitcoins spot trading volumes. At the time of publication, spot trading volume had surged to more than $35 billion over the past 24 hours, a gain of 241% in the same time period, according to data from Coinmarketcap.
-Tom Mitchelhill, Coin Telegraph
REPORT: Biden Could Face “Severe Consequences” If He Doesn’t Show Receipts From $200,000 “Loan”
Former White House ethics lawyer Richard Painter says Joe Biden MUST provide confirmation of his $200,000 loan to his brother James after Republicans disclosed a personal check they claim is evidence of influence peddling by the Biden family.
On Friday, the House Oversight Committee published evidence that the President’s brother James Biden received a $200,000 loan from a healthcare company he was working for in March 2018 – and on the same day wrote a check for the same amount to Joe, designating it as a “loan repayment.”
It is the first evidence of significant direct payments to the President from Biden family members involved in shady international transactions, and it was obtained through a congressional subpoena of James and First Son Hunter Biden’s bank records.
In an exclusive interview with DailyMail.com, former White House ethics chief Richard Painter of the Bush administration stated that the President could face “severe consequences” if he is unable to produce proof that the alleged loan is genuine, and demanded that his subordinates produce the receipts.
Painter stated, “What is absolutely critical here is to find documentation of the original loan from the President to his brother, and the President should produce that.”
“If there was no loan, there are serious questions about whether this was income for tax purposes in 2018. That’s really a huge problem,” he continued. “I’ve seen plenty of families make short term loans. There’s absolutely nothing wrong with that. But there needs to be a loan on the other side,” he added.
The White House did not immediately respond to the former White House lawyer’s insistence that documentation of the loan be provided.
Painter also questioned why Biden’s government ethics forms did not reflect payments on the alleged loan. In 2019, Biden was required to file a statement with the Office of Government Ethics (OGE) detailing his income, assets, and liabilities dating back to 2017.
-Kyle Becker, Trending Politics
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US rejects Mideast ceasefire calls, says would benefit Hamas
Image Credit: Pixabay
The United States warned Monday that any Gaza ceasefire by Israel would benefit Hamas, as the European Union considers a call for a humanitarian pause.
A ceasefire would “give Hamas the ability to rest, to refit and to get ready to continue launching terrorist attacks against Israel,” State Department spokesman Matthew Miller told reporters.
“You can understand perfectly clearly why that’s an intolerable situation for Israel, as it would be an intolerable situation for any country that has suffered such a brutal terrorist attack and continues to see the terrorist threat right on its border,” he said.
Miller said that the United States was separately working to ensure a flow of humanitarian relief into Gaza, with a US envoy, David Satterfield, on the ground working “intensively” on aid.
EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell said earlier Monday that he expected the bloc’s leaders to back a call for a pause in fighting to let in aid.
“I believe that the idea of a humanitarian pause to facilitate the arrival of humanitarian aid, which would allow displaced persons to find shelter, is something that the leaders will support,” Borrell said after talks with EU foreign ministers in Luxembourg.
-Insider Paper
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BREAKING: Pentagon Puts Troops on “Prepare-to-Deploy” Status Amid Attacks on US in Middle East
The United States Department of Defense is putting additional troops on “prepare-to-deploy” status amid escalating tensions in the Middle East. The Pentagon had earlier put military forces on “high alert” after the surprise attack carried out by Hamas against Israel on October 7.
On Tuesday, Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin “placed approximately 2,000 personnel and a range of units on a heightened state of readiness through a prepare-to-deploy order,” Pentagon spokeswoman Sabrina Singh said.
In addition, as reported by the open source military intelligence X account OSINT Defender, a Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) Battery and additional Patriot Surface-to-Air Missile Batteries are now being sent to the region to assist in aerial defense.
Two U.S. Navy carrier groups were dispatched to the region in an effort to deter Iran and offer support to regional allies.
On October 8, the USS Gerald R. Ford Carrier Strike Group was dispatched to the eastern Mediterranean. Then, on October 14, the USS Dwight D. Eisenhower Carrier Strike Group was likewise sent to the eastern Mediterranean.
The Pentagon on Saturday issued a public briefing on its current military preparations, should the U.S. be drawn further into the armed conflict.
First, I redirected the movement of the USS Dwight D. Eisenhower Carrier Strike Group to the Central Command area of responsibility. This carrier strike group is in addition to the USS Gerald R. Ford Carrier Strike Group, which is currently operating in the Eastern Mediterranean Sea. It will further increase our force posture and strengthen our capabilities and ability to respond to a range of contingencies.
I have also activated the deployment of a Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) battery as well as additional Patriot battalions to locations throughout the region to increase force protection for U.S. forces.
Finally, I have placed an additional number of forces on prepare to deploy orders as part of prudent contingency planning, to increase their readiness and ability to quickly respond as required.
There have been a number of attacks involving U.S. military forces and its allies this week.
-Kyle Becker, Trending Politics
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US says Iran assisting base attacks, confirms advisors in Israel
Image Credit: Pixabay
The United States accused Iran on Monday of “actively facilitating” attacks on US forces in the Middle East as it confirmed it had sent a small number of military advisors to Israel.
US concerns have been rising about the potential for escalation of the war between Israel and Hamas militants, although Washington has rejected calls for a ceasefire as it says that ally Israel has a right to self-defense.
“Iran continues to support Hamas and Hezbollah, and we know that Iran is closely monitoring these events and, in some cases, actively facilitating these attacks and spurring on others who may want to exploit the conflict for their own good or for that of Iran,” National Security Council spokesman John Kirby told reporters at the White House.
“We know Iran’s goal is to maintain some level of deniability here, but we’re not going to allow them to do that,” Kirby added.
Until the flareup in violence, President Joe Biden’s administration had hailed a period of relative calm with pro-Iranian militias in the region following quiet talks between US and Iranian officials.
But since Wednesday, at least five rocket and drone attacks have targeted three Iraqi military bases where American troops are stationed as part of the international coalition set up to fight the Islamic State group.
Iran’s Shiite clerical leaders support Hamas as well as the Lebanese Shiite movement Hezbollah, Shiite paramilitary groups in Iraq and Yemen’s Huthi rebels.
The United States has promised major defense aid to Israel since the October 7 assault by Hamas militants. Kirby confirmed that the United States has also sent a “few” military advisors to Israel.
The officers have experience in “the sorts of operations that Israel is conducting, and may conduct in the future” and were “over there to share some perspectives,” Kirby said.
Israeli officials say more than 1,400 people have died, mostly civilians, in the worst attack since Israel’s creation in 1948.
In Gaza, the Hamas-run health ministry says more than 5,000 people, most of them also civilians, have been killed during Israel’s retaliation.
-Insider Paper
BREAKING: China Deploys Six New Warships to the Middle East Amid Escalating Israel-Gaza War
According to a report from the South China Morning Post, as many as six Chinese warships were sent to the Middle East in the past week.
The 44th Naval Escort Task Force has been conducting regular operations in the area since May. Last week, they made a multi-day visit to Oman, during which they conducted a joint naval exercise with the Omani Navy, as reported by the Chinese defense ministry.
On Saturday, following their visit, the task force left the capital, Muscat, on October 14, and set sail for an undisclosed destination, according to state media.
Also on Saturday, Defense Secretary Lloyd J. Austin III unveiled a series of measures designed to strengthen the United States military presence in the Middle East.
Secretary Austin detailed three significant actions to bolster the position of the U.S. military in the Middle East.
Statement From Secretary of Defense Lloyd J. Austin III on Steps to Increase Force Posture:
Following detailed discussions with President Biden on recent escalations by Iran and its proxy forces across the Middle East Region, today I directed a series of additional steps to further strengthen the Department of Defense posture in the region. These steps will bolster regional deterrence efforts, increase force protection for U.S. forces in the region, and assist in the defense of Israel.
First, I redirected the movement of the USS Dwight D. Eisenhower Carrier Strike Group to the Central Command area of responsibility. This carrier strike group is in addition to the USS Gerald R. Ford Carrier Strike Group, which is currently operating in the Eastern Mediterranean Sea. It will further increase our force posture and strengthen our capabilities and ability to respond to a range of contingencies.
I have also activated the deployment of a Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) battery as well as additional Patriot battalions to locations throughout the region to increase force protection for U.S. forces.
Finally, I have placed an additional number of forces on prepare to deploy orders as part of prudent contingency planning, to increase their readiness and ability to quickly respond as required.
I will continue to assess our force posture requirements in the region and consider deploying additional capabilities as necessary.
-Conservative Roof
Russia Accuses US Of Stoking "Escalation" By Mideast Force Build-Up As Pentagon Blames Iran
Update(1845ET): Russia has weighed in strongly against the additional US warships recently sent by the Pentagon to the Middle East region, saying this heightened US presence only serves as a risk of "escalation" of the conflict in Gaza.
Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said Monday during a meeting Tehran that "the more a state takes this kind of proactive measures, the greater the risk and the danger of an escalation of the conflict". He called out Washington as "already among the countries intervening the most" since the October 7 Hamas terror attack.
The same day, the Pentagon said it believes Iran-backed groups in the region are planning to ramp up attacks on US forces in the region. This came amid continuing sporadic drone and missile strikes against US bases in Syria and Iraq. According to a fresh CNN report:
There are “red lights flashing everywhere,” a US official in the region told CNN.
Officials said that at this point, Iran appears to be encouraging the groups rather than explicitly directing them. One official said Iran is providing guidance to the militia groups that they will not be punished – by not getting resupplied with weaponry, for example – if they continue to attack US or Israeli targets.
On Monday, National Security Council spokesperson John Kirby said there is “a very direct connection between these groups” and the Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps, and he said the US is “deeply concerned about the potential of any significant escalation of these attacks in the days ahead.”
Kirby added in his comments, “Iran’s goal is to maintain some plausible deniability here, but we are not going to allow them to do that.”
Meanwhile, yet more confusing statement and mixed signals from the US Commander-in-Chief at these crucial and dangerous moments...
And there was this strange moment during a press briefing Monday:
China also weighed in Monday, offering that it is willing to "do anything" to restore peace, but emphasized that "prospects are worrying" - according to China's Middle East special envoy Zhai Jun.
-Tyler Durden, Zerohedge
Vladimir Putin 'suffers cardiac arrest' sparking massive 'alarm' in Kremlin inner circle
Image Credit: Putin Attends the Belt and Road Forum, Getty Images
Vladimir Putin is alleged to have suffered a "cardiac arrest" in his private Moscow apartment on Sunday evening.
A Telegram Channel believed to be run by a former Kremlin insider reported that incident saying the Russian leader was found by guards on the floor of the bedroom "lying on the floor, rolling his eyes."
Doctors were reportedly called immediately and they later diagnosed the 71-year-old as having suffered a "cardiac arrest."
Putin was then moved to a special medical facility built in the apartment where he underwent intensive care, the source claims.
The unverified report comes following persistent speculation surrounding Putin's health amid rumours of a long-hidden medical condition.
The Telegram channel General SVR, reportedly run by a former Russian lieutenant-general, declared in a post:"Security officers of Russian President Vladimir Putin, who were on duty at the residence, heard noise and sounds of falling coming from the president's bedroom.
"Two security officers immediately followed into the president's bedroom and saw Putin lying on the floor next to the bed and an overturned table with food and drinks."
General SVR continued: "Putin convulsively arched while lying on the floor, rolling his eyes."
Doctors later reportedly arrived and "resuscitated" Putin having "previously determined that the president was in cardiac arrest."
The reported heart attack, which is yet to be independently confirmed, is said to have seriously spooked Putin's inner circle.
General SVR frequently claims that Putin used body doubles that were swapped in for the Russian leader for public events and foreign visits.
A lookalike, it is claimed, was used by Kremlin officials during the recent trip to China during a meeting with Xi Jinping, according to SVR.
However, the reported body double is said to have suffered a facial malfunction.
General SVR wrote: "The fault is again with the double's 'floating' cheekbones, which do not stay in place and move in different directions.
"The double initially had less expressive cheekbones, which, as a result of plastic surgery, were 'enlarged' and made similar to Putin's cheekbones.
"But it was impossible to make sure they stayed stationary in the right places."
General SVR's claims have not been verified though recent Japanese AI analysis and various media reports have raised speculation about Putin's potential use of body doubles for public appearances.
-Tim McNulty, Daily Express US
Fighting Has Erupted On Multiple Fronts As Israel Braces For A War Of National Survival
It is becoming clear that Israel is going to have to battle enemies on multiple fronts, and that means that this war is going to look a whole lot different than a lot of people thought that it would. If the fighting could have been confined to just Israel and Hamas, there still would have been a lot of death and destruction, but everyone knows that Hamas is no match for the IDF.
But if Hezbollah, Syria, Iran, and the Palestinians in the West Bank all jump into the conflict, all of a sudden this becomes a war of national survival for Israel, and in such a scenario it is much more likely that weapons of mass destruction will be used. So it should deeply alarm all of us that fighting has now erupted on multiple fronts.
On Sunday, IDF troops clashed with Hamas terrorists inside the Gaza Strip…
Hamas fighters and Israeli forces engaged in limited clashes inside Gaza on Sunday as the Israeli military ramped up airstrikes on the Palestinian enclave ahead of what its spokesperson described as the “next stage” of its war on the militant group.
Hamas claimed its fighters had destroyed two Israeli military bulldozers and a tank in an ambush near the Gazan city of Khan Younis, forcing Israeli troops to retreat without their vehicles. The Israel Defense Forces confirmed its forces had been operating inside Gaza during the incident, and said an IDF tank struck militants who had fired on its troops.
The episode appeared to be one of the first skirmishes between the two sides on the ground inside the strip since war broke out after Hamas’ deadly October 7 attack on Israel which killed more than 1,400 people. On October 13, the IDF said it had carried out raids inside Gaza.
According to the IDF, this raid was part of the preparation for a full-blown ground invasion.
And I think that we are very close to the moment when that full-blown ground invasion will be launched.
Meanwhile, the Israelis have evacuated more towns and villages near the northern border in anticipation of a war with Hezbollah…
On Sunday, the defense minister confirmed that another 14 towns and villages have been told to evacuate, in addition to the 28 initially ordered to do so last week. “According to the IDF and Defense Ministry, the 14 communities being added to the list are: Snir, Dan, Beit Hillel, She’ar Yashuv, Hagoshrim, Liman, Matzuva, Eylon, Goren, Gornot HaGalil, Even Menachem, Sasa, Tziv’on and Ramot Naftali,” Times of Israel details.
Evacuating those areas is a wise move because fighting along the northern border just continues to escalate…
Fears mounted Sunday that the Israel-Gaza war could swell into a wider conflict amid rising cross-border attacks on Israel’s north from Iranian-backed Hezbollah militants in Lebanon and expanding Israeli airstrikes across the region.
On Sunday, Hezbollah released a video of a particularly disturbing attack on the Biranit barracks that happened on Friday…
-Michael Snyder
Philippines summons Chinese envoy after sea clashes
The Philippines has lodged a diplomatic protest with China and summoned its ambassador over maneuvers by Chinese maritime police vessels that it says led to collisions with ships of the Philippine Navy and Coast Guard in the South China Sea, officials in Manila said on Monday.
The Philippine government's National Task Force said the incidents occurred during a rotation mission for personnel stationed on the WW2-era Sierra Madre tank-landing ship on Sunday.
As a result of the "dangerous blocking manoeuvers of [a] China Coast Guard vessel," it collided with a Philippine naval resupply boat, the task force said. In a related incident, a Chinese coast guard craft allegedly collided with a Philippine one in the Ayungin Shoal area.
"Ayungin Shoal is part of our exclusive economic zone and continental shelf, and we have sovereign rights and jurisdiction over it," the Philippine foreign affairs spokeswoman Ma. Teresita Daza, said at a press conference.
She added that Chinese Ambassador to the Philippines Huang Xilian was summoned to the foreign ministry over the incident, but as he is not currently in Manila, the note was transferred to his deputy, Zhou Zhiyong.
Beijing has blamed the clashes on Philippine vessels. A Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson claimed they "intruded the waters of Ren’ai Jiao (Chinese name for Ayungin Shoal)'' and "bumped dangerously" with the Chinese Coast Guard and fishing vessels. He emphasized that Ren'ai Jiao is part of China's Nansha Qiongdao Province and is Chinese territory.
"We once again urge the Philippines to take seriously China’s grave concerns, honor its promise, stop stirring up trouble and making provocations at sea", a Foreign Ministry statement said.
According to AFP, Beijing has also "lodged a complaint" about the incident.
The Philippines and China have a long history of contesting ownership of atolls and islands in the South China Sea. China claims sovereignty over almost the entire South China Sea – and Malaysia, Brunei, Philippines, and Taiwan have also challenged Beijing’s claims. While a tribunal in The Hague ruled in favor of the Philippines on the issue in 2016, rejecting China’s claims, Beijing has allegedly ignored the ruling.
In August, while escorting ships carrying supplies for Filipino military personnel stationed on the ship Sierra Madre on the Ayungin Shoal, a Chinese coast guard vessel used water cannons while maneuvering dangerously close to the Philippine ships, the Armed Forces of the Philippines said.
In 1999, Philippine authorities deliberately ran the World War II-era US amphibious assault ship Sierra Madre aground on disputed reefs in the South China Sea to monitor Chinese activities in the region. A small contingent of military personnel is constantly present on the ship. China has repeatedly demanded that the vessel be removed, and has threatened to tow it away.
-RT News
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Trust In Mass Media Craters To Record Low As Americans 'Wake-Up' From Matrix
Americans' confidence that mass media - such as newspapers, TV, and radio - will report the news fairly and balanced plummeted to historic lows not seen since 2016, according to the latest annual Gallup survey of trust in US institutions.
Gallup survey from Sept. 1-23 reveals:
29% of US adults have "not very much" trust in the media.
A record-high 39% of US adults have "none at all" trust in the media.
The current 39% with no trust is the highest on record, surpassing the previous by one percentage point. This percentage is 12 points higher than the 2016 reading.
In 2016, sharp criticism of the media came from then-presidential candidate Donald Trump.
The current view of the media is the grimmest in Gallup's history.
In 2016, the most common sentiment among US adults was "not very much" trust at 41%.
A half-century of Gallup data shows Americans' trust in the media has rapidly declined.
There is a massive political gap in the trust of corporate media. About 58% of Democrats trust the media, while only 11% of Republicans feel the same.
"This low confidence reading for the fourth estate comes at a time when trust in each of the three branches of the federal government is also low," Gallup pointed out.
In June, Gallup survey data for trust in TV news and newspapers also slid to a near-record low, as well as a survey last December that found record-low-tying ratings of the honesty and ethics of journalists.
Souring distaste for mass media reflects that Americans are learning their news flow has been manipulated by the censorship-industrial complex, which is run by political and technological elites.
The Twitter Files, state attorneys general lawsuits, and investigative reporters have revealed the expanding network of government agencies, academic institutions, and nongovernmental organizations that actively censor citizens for talking about non-approved government narratives, such as Covid, vaccines and Hunter Biden's business deals. These elites use corporate media to twist the truth and keep the masses locked in the 'matrix.'
These Six Companies Control Much of US Media
However, the days of censorship in mass media are limited. The emergence of the parallel economy is fostering new capital that is seeding new media ventures, such as the Tucker Carlson on X. The success already on X has CNN and even Fox News envying Carlon's views in the hundreds of millions.
-Tyler Durden, Zerohedge
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"You Can't Cancel All of Us": Dave Chappelle Criticizes Israel During Performance in Boston
A man on Facebook shared the hilarious details of Dave Chappelle's show in Boston where he told off arrogant audience members who told him to "shut the F up" for criticizing Israel.
Via Twitter:Dave Chappelle's stand-up routine triggered a walk-out by some audience members on Thursday evening, after he spoke out about the Israel-Gaza conflict.
The Wall Street Journal reports that the comedian aired his views during his performance at the TD Garden Arena in Boston, during which he condemned Hamas attacks of October 7th, and also slammed Israel's bombing of Gaza.
The paper reports that Chappelle also said the US was guilty of aiding the slaughter of innocent civilians, and said war crimes were occurring. Chappelle went on to criticise the Israeli government for cutting off supplies to Gaza's population, and blocking humanitarian aid. He concluded by saying that two wrongs don't make a right.
Bizarrely, the Daily Mail reports that Chappelle had asserted, through a spokesperson, that he was not in Boston on Thursday evening, but other spectators have come forward with reports of what he said.That's not bizarre, it's funny.
The WSJ reports that, while one audience member told Chappelle to shut up, others cheered and shouted "Free Palestine." Some audience members walked out and later posted on social media, saying how Chappelle's words had made them feel unsafe.
One wrote:"The audience was cheering Chappelle on during his tirade. I was sick. We were sick. I turned to my friends and wife and said I think it is time to go.
"We walked out and met up with many other Jews leaving the show. Never in my life have I felt so unsafe and so fearful of what I was witnessing."When Chappelle was bashing whitey it was all fun and games but now it's a terroristic threat?
As a reminder, Chappelle delivered an edgy monologue on SNL last year defending Kyrie Irving and Kanye "Ye" West after the ADL organized to have them both canceled.-Chris Menahan, Information Liberation
The Worst EVER Illegal Border Crossing Numbers Were Quietly Announced On Saturday Morning
Customs and Border Patrol (CPB) Data has revealed that in September the highest ever number of encounters with illegal immigrants attempting to cross into the country was recorded, and that close to 2.5 MILLION have crossed the border this fiscal year, also the highest number ever.
The figures were released Saturday morning, in what appears to be a blatant attempt to draw the least scrutiny possible.
169 probable terrorists were encountered, more then all previous years combined, but with 1.6 million ‘gotaways’, how many just slipped across unnoticed?
The San Diego Field Office Intelligence Division of Customs and Border Protection released a memo warning that Hamas, PIJ and Hezbollah terrorists are likely crossing into the country:
-Steve Watson, Infowars
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Maryland judge shot dead in his driveway, troopers sent to homes of other judges
A Maryland judge was shot dead at his home Thursday night and police have not announced any arrests in the shocking crime.
Washington County Circuit Judge Andrew Wilkinson, 52, was found in the driveway of his Hagerstown home around 8 p.m., according to local reports and the Washington County Sheriff’s Office.
Wilkinson, who suffered gunshot wounds, was taken to Meritus Medical Center, where he was pronounced dead, authorities said.
The sheriff’s office has not yet reported any arrests or released any suspect description.
A motive for the slaying is unclear.
A former state representative, Neil Parrott, confirmed the judge’s death on X.
“Horrible news in Washington County tonight. It appears that Judge Andrew Wilkinson was shot multiple times and has passed away,” he tweeted.
“Police are actively searching for the murderer. Please pray for our police and for Judge Wilkinson’s family at this time.”
Maryland state troopers have been dispatched to the homes of other judges to provide protection, according to ABC 7 News.
-Allie Griffin, New York Post
US Travel To Europe Will Require Prior Approval, Biometric Scanning
By Zerohedge
Traveling to most European countries is about to get more complicated and invasive for American citizens: In spring 2025, you’ll have to first request permission. And you’ll be saying adieu to passport stamps and ciao to facial and fingerprint scans –and having your biometric data stored in an enormous government database.
On Friday, an agency of the European Union announced the updated timing for the European Travel Information and Authorization System (ETIAS), which has first set to roll out in 2024. It applies to travelers from more than 60 countries that are currently exempt from visa requirements. Those countries have an aggregate population of 1.4 billion.
As is the case today, Americans won’t need a visa, but they will need to apply in advance for permission to visit any of 30 EU countries for stays lasting up to 90 days. It will cost about $8 to apply, with requests submitted via the official ETIAS website or ETIAS mobile app. With activation of the process more than a year away, neither is yet configured to collect applications. ETIAS assures the public that most applications will be processed in minutes.
The approval will be tied to your passport, and will be valid for up to three years or until your passport expires, whichever comes earlier. Once you have it, you’ll be able to visit as much as you want, so long as it’s a “short-term stay,” which generally means up to 90 days in a 180-day period.
ETIAS recommends applying for permission “well in advance” of your trip, but doesn’t specify what that means. The agency does caution that the approval period “could be extended by up to 14 days if you are requested to provide additional information or documentation, or up to 30 days if you are invited to an interview.” There’s no indication where such interviews would be conducted or by whom.
-Infowars
Israel tells citizens to stockpile food for four months while WAR is being waged
Israeli authorities reported that at least 1,400 people have died and 3,400 others have been injured in Israel after Hamas launched an unprecedented incursion from air, land and sea on Oct. 7. In Gaza, 3,000 people have been killed and another 12,500 were injured, according to the Palestinian Ministry of Health.
Israel Defense Forces (IDF) have also urged “all residents of Gaza City to evacuate their homes” and “move south for their protection” last week. As per the IDF, it plans to “operate significantly in Gaza City in the coming days” and wants “to avoid harming civilians.” A spokesman said that Israel is prepared on its own both in the north and in the south. And as if getting ready to embark on a bigger endeavor, the Israel Ministry of Health already told its people that “the war may last a long time, prepare an emergency stock of food for four months.”
It has been obvious to global observers that the conflict is not going to end soon and worse, it is set toward continued escalation, which could explode well beyond the Gaza crisis. According to Iranian Foreign Minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian, the expansion of the war to other fronts has begun to reach unavoidable stages. An Israeli military spokesman countered, “If [the Iranian-backed] Hezbollah commits a grave mistake, we will respond with devastating force never seen before.”
At the moment, exchanges of fire between IDF and militants in south Lebanon, especially the Hezbollah, have become a daily occurrence. However, according to ZeroHedge, a full assault from the militant group has been avoided because Israel could be holding off its expected major ground invasion of Gaza precisely to avoid provoking a “northern front” from opening up. (Related: Hezbollah threat in the north delays Israel invasion of Gaza.)
But Hezbollah has issued new claims it has destroyed an IDF tank and other military assets. “Hezbollah carried out a number of attacks yesterday in order to try to divert our operational efforts [away from the Gaza Strip], under the direction and backing of Iran, while endangering the state of Lebanon and its citizens,” an IDF spokesman said Monday. “We have increased our forces on the northern border and will respond aggressively to any activity against us. If Hezbollah dares to test us, the reaction will be deadly. The United States is giving us full backing.”
On Tuesday, Hezbollah announced that its fighters launched an anti-tank guided missile at a gathering of Israeli soldiers, which resulted in “a number of casualties.” Israel has in response shelled militant positions in Lebanon but has also hit Lebanese residential areas, prompting people in the area to flee. The Lebanese Shia Islamist group’s main state backer, Iran, has continued ratcheting the threats against Israel:
-Belle Carter, Survival News
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WHO director Tedros blames ‘misinformation’ for ‘undermining faith in our institutions’
Image Credit: Photo by Alexandros Michailidis/Shutterstock
(Reclaim The Net) — Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, the director-general of UN’s World Health Organization (WHO) – and one on whom the pandemic has not been kind, but not from the health, rather, from the diplomatic/political integrity point of view – is complaining again.
It’s by now the old song-and-dance that various global groups, official or otherwise, are constantly trying to push on the world’s nations. Their message: it’s not “institutions” that are crooked to begin with – it’s that “misinformation” just “made them” look like that.
And now, the problem is not the crooked institutions, and the task is not in improving them, but simply in how to convince people there’s nothing wrong. So we “combat misinformation” – with… more censorship.
That does appear to be the stance Ghebreyesus is taking as he expressed it in a video call over the weekend with WHO’s summit, held in Germany.
Ghebreyesus’ remarks are telling even when he’s not speaking directly to the issue of “spread of misinformation” and what some might call the (fake) “benevolent” global elite is proposing to do.
The WHO chief positions the organization and its “summits” representing (quote) as people from “government, multilateral organizations, development banks, civil society, academia, industry, and more.”
Wait, there’s more? Do tell, Mr. WHO – who can they possibly be??
(Narrator: He does not).
But, here’s what Ghebreyesus did say, specifically about the ever-present issue of “misinformation” – all too often, that’s just free people expressing their free opinion as the law allows them to, yet getting persistently maligned as basically the equivalent of a nuclear bomb that will wipe out all humankind. (Such is the language of propaganda and censorship.)
When Ghebreyesus was done with expressing his obligatory “grave concerns” about civilians suffering in the latest Middle East flare-up of hostilities – he had this to say:
“We cannot let the painful lessons of the pandemic go to waste.”
Indeed. We cannot. But could it be that what a lot of people perceive as painful: poorly explained, poorly justified, yet draconian, unheard-of restrictions of movement, work, travel, life in general – and what Ghebreyesus here refers to – might be two different things?
“We saw a lack of coordination between nations and between health actors; and the politicization of science and the undermining of faith in our institutions from the spread of misinformation,” said Ghebreyesus.
But who, and how, “politicized science” here in order to undermine our institutions?
So, basically – how many more empty, misleading speeches can Ghebreyesus make before getting fired?
If one were a betting person, one would say – MANY MORE.
-Didi Rankovic, Life Site News
Tyson Foods partners with Netherlands-based Protix BV to push BUGS and INSECTS as protein replacement for meat
Despite crumbling economic conditions taking a toll on its bottom line, Tyson Foods Inc. has reportedly purchased a stake in Dongen, Netherlands-based Protix BV to form a joint venture in building and operating a new United States facility that produces bug-based meal and oil for the new meat-free protein market.
The partnership marks Tyson's first foray into the insect-based protein industry, which is being heavily pushed by the climate change crowd as a replacement for meat, which Klaus Schwab and other globalists claim is "warming" the planet.
"It's a multibillion-dollar industry opportunity that has tremendous growth potential," commented John Tyson, Tyson's chief financial officer. "And we see Protix as being a leader there."
"In the long run, insect-protein inclusion in animal-feed diets can be a real thing that exists and can be one that is good for people, planet and animals."
Cargill, Archer-Daniels-Midland also interested in profiting from bug production
Formed in 2009 and back by Aqua-Spark Management BV and Cooperatieve Rabobank UA's private equity arm, Protix is an established insect-based protein manufacturer that supplies its products mostly for pet foods made by companies like Nestle SA and Mars Inc.
"It is definitely a huge way to establish ourselves into an international context," commented Protix founder and CEO Kees Aarts. "This was really the tipping point we have been working for."
The new U.S. plant does not even have a site location yet and reports indicate it will not be ready for use at least until 2025. Once completed, the factory will be four times as large as Protix's existing facility in The Netherlands.
Every step of the bug protein production process will take place at the new facility once it is finished. This includes the breeding of the bugs, as well as the incubation and hatching of insect larvae. Waste from Tyson's meatpacking operations will also be used to feed the bugs.
Other corporate U.S. food producers such as Cargill and Archer-Daniels-Midland Co. (ADM) are also trying to get involved in bug production as they face what Bloomberg describes as "greater environmental scrutiny."
These two corporate food giants are particularly interested in the black soldier flies farmed by Protix, which are supposedly a "lower carbon" source of protein than meat.
Tyson's move into bugs is concerning for meat eaters as the Springdale, Ark.-based company produces about 20 percent of the nation's beef, chicken, and pork. Tyson will still continue producing meat, and plans to also feed its billions of chickens and hogs the bugs it and Protix plan to produce.
Once completed, the new U.S.-based Tyson-Protix joint facility will have the capacity to produce "up to 70,000 tons of live larvae equivalent (LLE) annually, with capacity to convert 250,000 metric tons of waste into high-quality nutritional products."
ADM, meanwhile, is partnering with the French insect protein company Innovafeed. The two companies are collaborating to construct and operate an insect production site in Decatur, Ill., that will be located alongside ADM's existing Decatur corn processing complex.
The ADM-Innovafeed partnership will commercialize insect protein production for pet food customers in North America now that U.S. regulators have decided to allow the use of black soldier fly components in food products for dogs.
In June 2022, Cargill announced that its three-year global partnership with Innovafeed will now last 10 years, giving the companies more time to develop and market insect meal for "sustainable" aqua feed companies.
Will you agree to eat crickets and other bugs instead of meat for dinner?
-Ethan Huff, News Target
Teenager Collapses And Passes Away After Finishing Cross Country Competition
A Texas teenager collapsed and died shortly after crossing the finish line in a cross country race earlier this month.
Angel Hernandez, a sophomore, had completed his personal best time for the Chisholm Trail High School track team on October 13th.
“Witnesses remember seeing Hernandez collapse to the ground right after he crossed the finish line. Many of his friends were concerned as they helped him over to a water station, where he collapsed again,” KHOU 11 reports.
The high school athlete was rushed to Medical City Alliance and died about an hour later.
KHOU 11 reports:
“He was the kind of student-athlete you wanted,” said Brent Brevard, the retired Chisholm Trail High School track coach, who oversaw Hernandez’s efforts on the team last year. “He worked hard and cared about the teammates. But then he also acted right in school and took care of his grades.”
Brevard was deeply saddened after learning about Hernandez’s untimely death.
“It was tragic, it was terrible news,” Brevard said. “He’s such a great kid, a likable kid, a good student, and it was awful news.”
At his funeral on Friday, Oct. 20, Eagle Mountain-Saginaw ISD athletic director Brent Barker said Hernandez’s family was presented with the teen’s varsity letter jacket meant to honor his hard work and dedication to the school.
“A lot of people attended [the funeral], a lot of his teammates made it, and they encouraged everyone to wear [the school color] purple,” said Brevard.
At the Chisholm Trail High School homecoming game hosted later that night, a moment of silence was held in Hernandez’s honor.
-Danielle, 100 Percent Fed Up
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