End Times Headline News. August 7 2024

Middle East On The Brink. Iran reconsidering attack on Israel. Sinwar chosen to replace Haniyeh as Hamas leader. Tim Walz Set Up Covid ‘Snitch Line’ in Minnesota. The U.K. is heading to CIVIL WAR.

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Middle East On The Brink: Goldman Heads Discuss 'Interconnected Realities' Of Markets & Geopolitics Amid Looming Iran Strike 

"The primary market nexus through which Middle Eastern tensions could have global growth impact would be via the oil market (as was the case in the 1970s)." 

The war drums in the Middle East are getting louder by the hour as the world braces for an imminent Iranian (or Iranian proxy forces) strike on Israel. The US faces the daunting task of defending Israel from Iranian strikes if deterrence missile defense shields fail, which could potentially ignite a regional conflict. Jared Cohen, President of Global Affairs and Co-Head of the Goldman Sachs Global Institute, and Sam Morgan, Global Head of FICC Sales and Co-Head of One Goldman Sachs, discussed Tuesday the latest developments in the Middle East, structural changes across the region, and how markets are responding to the overseas crisis as war risks soar. 

White House sources: Iran reconsidering attack on Israel

US warned of 'serious consequences' for new Iranian government if tensions in Middle East escalate, Iran delaying attack on Israel due to US pressure, report says.

White House officials on Tuesday said they believe that Iran may be reconsidering its planned attack on Israel, Washington Post columnist David Ignatius reported. According to Ignatius, Iran may be "reconsidering a plan for major retaliation" for the assassination of Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh in Tehran last week. However, the officials stressed that Hezbollah "is still a wild card." Initially, it was believed that Israel eliminated Haniyeh. However, the Iranian government has recently concluded that Haniyeh was eliminated by a concealed bomb.

Blinken to both Iran and Israel: No one should escalate this conflict

US Secretary of State calls on both Iran and Israel to avoid escalating conflict in the Middle East: Our commitment to Israel's security is ironclad but further attacks only perpetuate conflict.

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken on Tuesday said that both Iran and Israel should avoid escalating conflict in the Middle East. "No one should escalate this conflict. We've been engaged in intense diplomacy with allies and partners, communicating that message directly to Iran. We communicated that message directly to Israel," Blinken told reporters, according to the AFP news agency. "Our commitment to Israel's security is ironclad. We will continue to defend Israel against attacks from terrorist groups or their sponsors, just as we'll continue to defend our troops," Blinken stressed.

Report: Israel told US it took out Haniyeh; White House enraged by hit

Israel informed the US immediately following the assassination of Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh that it was behind the killing, the Washington Post reports, citing sources familiar with the White House’s thought process.

According to the newspaper, Biden administration officials were livid about the decision to take out Haniyeh, worrying it could upend months of careful negotiations toward a truce in Gaza. The newspaper reports that US officials are also outraged over Israel failing to inform them before launching other operations to assassinate Hezbollah or Iranian commanders.

US sends more missile defense warships to Middle East amid Iran tensions

Austin stressed that the United States “remains intensely focused on de-escalating tensions in the region,” he said.

The United States sent additional warships to the Middle East that are capable of defending against missiles amid an increase in tensions between Iran and Israel. “We've adjusted our military posture to strengthen our force protection,” USSecretary of State Lloyd Austinsaid at a press conference in Maryland.This will “reinforce our ironclad commitment to the offense of Israel” and allow the US to “remain prepared to respond to any contingency.” 

After attack on US troops in Iraq | Austin: We will not tolerate attacks on our personnel

US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin responds after rocket attack on the Ain al-Asad base in Iraq, which houses US troops, wounded seven US personnel.

The United States will not tolerate attacks on American troops in the Middle East, Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin said Tuesday, as quoted by the AFP news agency. His comments came after a rocket attack on the Ain al-Asad base in Iraq, which houses US troops, wounded seven US personnel. "Make no mistake, the United States will not tolerate attacks on our personnel in the region," Austin told a news conference in Annapolis. A US defense official said earlier in the day that the attack wounded five American military personnel and two contractors, all of whom are in stable condition.

October 7 mastermind Yahya Sinwar chosen to replace Haniyeh as Hamas leader

IDF spokesman repeats vow to kill Palestinian terror leader; Israeli analyst says group’s promotion of Gaza chief ‘returns the formal center of Hamas power’ to the Strip

The Hamas terror group on Tuesday named Yahya Sinwar as the new head of its “political bureau,” the highest-ranking position in the organization, following the assassination of Ismail Haniyeh in Tehran last week. The leader of Hamas in Gaza since 2017, Sinwar is widely considered the architect of the October 7, 2023, invasion and massacre in southern Israel, in which thousands of Hamas-led terrorists killed some 1,200 people and took 251 hostage, sparking the ongoing war in Gaza. It is believed that 111 of the hostages abducted on October 7 remain in Gaza, including the bodies of 39 confirmed dead by the IDF. Hamas avowedly seeks to destroy Israel.

‘Hostage deal fate in Sinwar’s hands,’ Blinken says

“We're doing everything we can, both to avoid escalation” and “to bring the ceasefire agreement to a conclusion,” Blinken said adding that “We won't stop until we get there.”

Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar has the final say over whether the terror group would accept a hostage and ceasefire deal, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken told reporters in Maryland on Tuesday. “As has been the case for some time, it really is on him,” Blinken said, just after Hamas agreed that Sinwar would replace the group’s assassinated leaderIsmail Haniyeh.“The negotiations have reached their final stage, and we believe strongly that they should come across the finish line very, very soon,” Blinken said.

UN says 9 UNRWA employees ‘may have been involved’ in Oct 7 attack, have been fired

Israeli ambassador to UN calls investigation a ‘disgrace,’ alleges that ‘thousands’ of UNRWA employees are ‘involved to various degrees in Hamas’s terror activities’

The United Nations announced on Monday night that nine employees of the UNRWA agency for Palestinian refugees “may have been involved” in Hamas’s October 7 attack on Israel and will be fired from the organization. The Office of Internal Oversight Services (OIOS), an independent body of the United Nations Secretariat, said in a terse press release that it had completed its investigation into 19 UNRWA staff members alleged by Israel to have taken part in the October 7 atrocities and concluded that in nine cases, the evidence obtained by the organization “indicated that the UNRWA staff members may have been involved in the armed attacks of 7 October 2023.”

The Post-Coup Political Violence In Bangladesh Bodes Ill For Its Future Direction

...rioters also attacked symbols and sites associated with the Father of the Nation who led Bangladesh to independence, which sends a chilling message about what they have in mind for the future...

The resignation of Bangladeshi Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on Monday and her government’s replacement with a military-led interim administration was followed by a spree of political violence. The parliament was taken over, Hasina’s palace was stormed, some of the former ruling party’s offices and the homes of its members were looted, and minority Hindus were attacked. Despite being regrettable, retributive political violence and the targeting of minorities are predictable in “revolutionary” situations.

UK travel alerts issued worldwide

Australia, Malaysia, Nigeria, Indonesia, the UAE and India have all advised their citizens to stay away amid riots

Several countries, including Australia, Malaysia and Indonesia, have issued safety warnings to their citizens about travelling to the UK in light of widespread anti-immigration protests across the country. Multiple demonstrations turned violent across Britain over the weekend, as anti-immigration protesters clashed with police following the murder of three children by a teenager of African descent last week. According to media reports, at least five countries have now issued travel warnings to their citizens.

Armed Muslims Take Over England’s Second City, Chase Out Journalists.

Mobs of armed Muslims, many waving Palestinian flags, took over swathes of Birmingham, England’s second city, on Monday, and pursued journalists from the areas under their control “for miles.”

Fraser Knight, a reporter for LBC, described how he was “chased out of an area of east Birmingham by groups of Asian men who had come out to ‘protect their community’ against a planned far-right demonstration” in a post on X (formerly Twitter), referring to men of South Asian rather than Far Eastern heritage. “The security guard with me decided immediately it wasn’t safe for us—it was clear we weren’t welcome—but there wasn’t a safe place for us to go for miles,” he continued, noting how cars followed them and that “at one point a group of around six men ran after us down a road with what looked like a weapon.”

BE OUR GUEST! Former Scottish Leader Humza Yousaf Threatens to Leave Britain Over ‘Rising Islamaphobia’ (VIDEO)

Scotland’s former First Minister Humza Yousaf has said he is considering leaving Britain over “rising Islamaphobia.”

In an interview with the News Agents, Yousaf weighed in on the recent wave of protests across Britain against mass immigration, which has raised fears the country may be heading towards a civil war. He explained: You cut me open, and I’m about as Scottish as they come. But the truth of the matter is, I don’t know whether the future for me and my wife and my three children is going to be here in Scotland, or the United Kingdom, or indeed in Europe and the West, because I have for some time really worried about the rise of Islamaphobia.

Pakistani National With Alleged Iranian Ties Charged In Plot To Assassinate US Officials

Asif Merchant met with undercover FBI agents who he believed were hitmen...

A Pakistani national with alleged ties to Iran has been charged in connection with a foiled plot to assassinate a politician or U.S. government officials on U.S. soil, according to a Department of Justice (DOJ) press release and indictment unsealed on Tuesday. Asif Merchant, also known as “Asif Raza Merchant,” 46, was charged with murder-for-hire as part of a scheme targeting public figures within the United States. He was apprehended and is currently in federal custody in New York.

Kamala Harris Campaign Confirms Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz As Running Mate

Welcome to the race, Tim Walz.

Vice President Kamala Harris' campaign has confirmed via text message that Minnesota Governor Tim Walz (D) will be her running mate, according to a Bloomberg headline…Walz, 60 - emerged as a contender for the number two spot while discussions about other high-profile names, particularly Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro (D) and Arizona Senator Mark Kelly (D), dominated the news. "But the Minnesota governor saw his profile rise considerably over the last week, especially after a viral cable news interview in which he derided some Republicans as "weird" — a line of attack later adopted by national Democrats," The Hill reported, adding," Walz was also seen by many as a safer choice for Harris thanks to his liberal bona fides and the fact that some of the other contenders had come under fire from certain segments of the left." 

Kamala Running Mate Tim Walz Set Up Covid ‘Snitch Line’ in Minnesota. 

Minnesota Governor Tim Walz, selected as Vice President Kamala Harris‘s running mate on Tuesday, set up a dedicated hotline for people to inform their neighbors for violating the stay-at-home order he imposed on the state in 2020 during the Wuhan virus pandemic.

The North Star State’s top Republican at the time, Paul Gazelka, pleaded with Walz to take the “snitch line” down, saying, “It’s not necessary and it’s not how Minnesotans want to treat each other.” He argued, “We can all show a bit of kindness to our neighbors as we manage our times and needs differently in the stay-at-home efforts.” However, Walz stood by his Soviet-style informant apparatus, declaring, “It’s for their own good.”

EMF Alert: World Council for Health calls for an immediate and thorough investigation into the deaths of the children at primary school in Liverpool

On 10 July The Guardian reported on the tragic deaths of two young children at a special needs primary school in Liverpool, UK. The school had been dealing with an outbreak of giardia, which causes diarrhoea and stomach cramps, but the UK Health Security Agency (“HAS”) said it was unlikely the deaths were linked to the outbreak.

Michelle Beard, the headteacher of Millstead primary said, “The entire Millstead school community is devastated to have learned of the sad recent passing of two of our younger children. We have sent our sincerest condolences to both of their families.” To date, the deaths remain unexplained.

New York City commercial real estate in trouble as major building sells at 97.5% discount

The pandemic marked a seismic shift in the way business is conducted, and while many companies discovered the cost savings and other benefits associated with remote working, commercial real estate is paying the price.

As restrictions were lifted and life returned to normal, many businesses found that the new way of doing things worked far better for them, and this has seen a huge drop in demand for pricey office buildings in major cities. But one recent transaction in particular is getting a lot of publicity for illustrating just how bad the situation has become in New York City by selling at a 97.5% discount. The building in question is at 135 West 50th Street in Midtown Manhattan. The 23-story structure was previously the headquarters of Sports Illustrated and has counted jewelry retailer Zales and the New York Telephone Company (now Verizon) among its previous occupants.

Jamie Dimon says the American dream is disappearing—and half the public no longer believe in it

A beacon of hope has long buoyed Uncle Sam’s workforce: the idea that, if a person works hard enough, they can achieve success no matter where they come from.

But the American dream is slowly slipping out of sight—in fact, nearly half the nation no longer believes it’s attainable at all. This is a point of concern for JPMorgan Chase CEO Jamie Dimon. The Wall Street veteran, who earned a record $36 million for his work in 2023, has withheld endorsement of either Kamala Harris or former President Donald Trump. Instead, in an opinion piece for the Washington Post, the 68-year-old laid out what he believes the policies of the next administration should be. The self-proclaimed “full-throated, red-blooded, patriotic, unwoke, capitalist CEO” said he wanted to see the next president focus on “smarter policies that provide protection, progress, and prosperity to all.”

Rumble Joins X In Massive Lawsuit Against ‘Advertising Cartel’

Social media platform X has filed a lawsuit against an ‘advertising cartel’ who have colluded to control online speech, as revealed on last month by an interim staff report released by the House Judiciary Committee.

In a Tuesday filing against the Global Alliance for Responsible Media (GARM) and several members – including CVS Health, Mars, Orsted and Unilever, X alleges that the group abused its influence over marketers and ad agencies to unfairly discriminate against X, prompting an ad boycott. “These actions were all against the unilateral self-interest of the advertisers; they made economic sense only in furtherance of a conspiracy performed in the confidence that competing advertisers were doing the same,” reads the complaint.

Federal Judge Declares Google a Monopolist, Setting the Stage for Major Industry Shakeup

On Monday, a pivotal ruling from a federal judge declared that Google had breached antitrust regulations in its quest to dominate the online search and advertising sectors.

Judge Amit Mehta’s decision noted that Google had perpetuated its monopoly through specific strategies that violated section 2 of the Sherman Act. We obtained a copy of the ruling for you here. The lawsuit, which commenced in 2020, later expanded to include multiple states and territories, encapsulating the gravity and scale of the legal scrutiny Google faces. Early in the trial, government attorney Kenneth Dintzer articulated that the proceedings would significantly influence the future of internet governance.

Undeterred, CCP To Ignore Risks Of AI Weapons, Experts Say

"The implications are quite dramatic..."

Cutting-edge weapons powered by artificial intelligence are emerging as a global security hazard, especially in the hands of the Chinese Communist Party (CCP), according to several experts. Eager to militarily surpass the United States, the CCP is unlikely to heed safeguards around lethal AI technologies, which are increasingly dangerous in their own right, the experts have argued. The nature of the technology is prone to feeding some of the worst tendencies of the regime and the human psyche in general, they warned.

Harvard To Offer Class Examining Medieval Texts Through Lens Of 'Queer Theory'

...explorations of gender, sexuality, race, power, narrative, trauma, and time.

Harvard University will be offering a course examining medieval texts by using “queer theory.” Harvard’s English department will be featuring a “Queer/Medieval” class in the upcoming spring 2025 semester. The course will be an “introduction to queer theory as an intellectual tool with which to read texts far removed from the political, cultural, and social discourses from which queer theory emerged,” specifically, in this case, medieval texts. “We will ask: what can queer theory offer readers of medieval literature in its explorations of gender, sexuality, race, power, narrative, trauma, and time?” the course description states.

Scientists have spotted unexplained X and C shaped structures in the atmosphere

Each day, radio signals from key communications and navigation satellites travel freely through a layer of Earth’s atmosphere known as the ionosphere.

Floating 50 to 400 miles (80 to 643 kilometers) above our heads, directly beneath the lowest reaches of space where some communications satellites orbit, this zone in the upper atmosphere is also home to many unsolved puzzles — including an alphabet-shaped one that has the potential to thwart all that those radio signals do to keep life on our planet running smoothly. Astronomers have known for some time that X-shaped crestlike formations can appear in the ionosphere’s plasma — a sea of charged particles — after solar storms.

"The U.K. is heading to CIVIL WAR" This is clearest sign yet

The U.K. government says that it has arrested the first person for ""using threatening words"" in relation to the ""violent public disorder across the UK.""