China Complains Trump's TikTok Ban Violates WTO Rules

A federal judge may have temporarily stopped the Trump Administration from unilaterally shutting down TikTok's business in the US, but the Trump Administration's battle with the company isn't over yet, though Bloomberg reported a few days ago that the TikTok issue will likely take a back seat until after Election Day, leaving the company free to operate as normal - at least for now.

But as Trump's trip to Walter Reed shakes up not just the campaign but the prospects for a stimulus deal and other items on the administration's agenda, Beijing is asserting that Trump's attempt to give China a taste of its own medicine - as some have described it - violates WTO rules.

Reuters reports that during a closed-door meeting at the WTO involving representatives from both China and the US, China's representative complained that Trump's heavy handed tactics violate WTO trade rules.

The fact that the White House hasn't produced any evidence that TikTok has transmitted private data on American users to Beijing - a claim that's central to the admin's argument for banning the app on "national security" grounds - shows that the administration is in the wrong.

A representative for China said at the closed-door meeting on Friday that the measures “are clearly inconsistent with WTO rules, restrict cross-border trading services and violate the basic principles and objectives of the multilateral trading system,” a trade official familiar with the matter, who did not wish to be identified, said.

The official said the delegate described the U.S. failure to provide concrete evidence of the reasons for its measures a “clear abuse” of rules.

The US representative at the meeting pushed back.

In the same meeting, the United States defended its actions, saying they are intended to mitigate national security risks, the trade official said. The government has previously said data from American users is being accessed by the Chinese government.

The office of the U.S. Trade Representative had no immediate comment. An official at the Chinese mission to the WTO did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

The Chinese statement will not have any consequences on its own although China could launch an official legal complaint about it to the Geneva body.

While this doesn't necessarily mean that China will pursue another action against the US via the WTO if Trump doesn't drop his pursuit of TikTok, it's certainly a possibility. And it wouldn't be the first time China has manipulated the international trade body to Beijing's advantage.

https://www.zerohedge.com/technology/china-complains-trumps-tiktok-ban-violates-wto-rules

Ex-Reddit CEO On Ghislaine Maxwell: “We Knew About Her Supplying” Children For Sex

The Facts:

Earlier this year former Reddit CEO tweeted that she was at a party in 2011 where Maxwell was in attendance, and that "we" knew about her supplying children for sex.

Reflect On:

How prevalent is elite level child trafficking? Where do these children come from? What happens to them after? Why is this not being covered more by mainstream media and heavily and openly investigated?

What Happened: Earlier this year the former CEO of Reddit, Ellen K. Pao, tweeted that Ghislaine Maxwell “was at the Kleiner holiday party in 2011” but she “had no desire to meet her much less have a photo taken with her. We knew about her supplying underage girls for sex, but I guess that was fine with the “cool” people who managed the tightly controlled guest list.” After the tweet, Pao removed it and then made her profile private.

According to the National Pulse, the 2011 list of guests at that party included many “high profile” individuals alongside Pao and Maxwell. This doesn’t mean that they are in any way involved in the sex trafficking business. Today, it’s easy to see someone standing next to someone like Jeffrey Epstein or Ghislaine Maxwell and assume they are somehow involved, especially if they are figures of great notoriety.

For example, the picture used for this article does shows television personality Piers Morgan next to Maxwell. This means nothing when it comes to the world of proof and evidence. That being said, there is nothing wrong with speculation.

For those of you who don’t know, Maxwell is currently awaiting trial for sex trafficking and abusing children, as well as grooming children to become sex slaves. She was apparently Jeffrey Epstein’s right hand person in the business, often compromising powerful people at the behest of intelligence agencies for blackmail and other purposes, according to multiple “credible” people. Christopher Mason, a TV host and journalist/reporter has gone on record and said he was told that Epstein rigged his multiple homes with cameras and kept tapes of everyone/everything. He says Ghislaine Maxwell has access to this footage, and again is one of multiple sources for these types of accusations.

Why This Is Important: Cindy McCain, the wife of late politician John McCain, stated in an interview that “we all knew what he was doing” when asked about Jeffrey Epstein. The tweet from Pao, which was referring to a party as far back as 2011 also alludes to that. My question is, why are/were so many people who apparently “knew” remaining silent? How many people out there have access to information they’d like to share, but do not do so out of fear for their life or career?

We know that the trafficking of women and children is a reality, one that doesn’t seem to get the attention it quite deserves. We know that this type of activity is quite prevalent in places of high power, and among many who have influential positions in the world like the Vatican, big politics, Royal Families and more. If you’d like to go more in depth, and read about multiple examples with proper sources you can do so he here, here, and here, as well as many other articles on our website as we have covered this subject for many years.

https://www.collective-evolution.com/2020/10/05/former-reddit-ceo-says-we-knew-about-her-supplying-children-for-sex/

Lebanon And Israel Agree To Hold Negotiations Over Disputed Maritime Boundary

Israel and Lebanon announced on Thursday that they have agreed to hold US-mediated negotiations on their maritime border. Israel and Lebanon have been in a state of war since 1982. The discussions will be held at the headquarters of the UN Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) in Naquora, on the Israel-Lebanon border.

The talks are scheduled to begin next week, and they will be the first-ever direct negotiations between Israel and Lebanon on non-security matters. They will involve the dispute over an area of approximately 860 sq. km. in the Eastern Mediterranean extending out from the western-most point of the border between the two countries.

Although Lebanese Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri said the sides had agreed to work out disagreements about the Blue Line, in addition to the maritime border, this has subsequently been denied by senior Israeli officials.

Although Israel has not ruled out Blue Line negotiations, Israeli media has reported that they would have to be held separately, and that different people would be involved. The Energy Ministry is deeply involved in the maritime border talks, because there is natural gas in that part of the Mediterranean, which both sides want to develop.

The Blue Line is the land border between Israel and Lebanon after Israel withdrew from southern Lebanon in May 2000. UNIFIL marked the line with blue barrels, giving the line its nickname.

Land border negotiations with Lebanon would likely focus on Mount Dov, an area of the Golan Heights at the intersection of the Lebanese-Syrian border. Lebanon and Syria had a dispute over the territory. Israel took control of the Golan Heights, including Mount Dov, in 1967, and asserted sovereignty over the area in 1981.

When Israel pulled out of southern Lebanon in 2000, the UN certified the departure, but Hezbollah and others in Lebanon consider Israel to be occupying Mount Dov, which they call Shaba Farms. LINK

Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah has announced that he will be making a televised address on Wednesday, which may include a statement on the scheduled maritime border negotiations.

https://southfront.org/lebanon-and-israel-agree-to-hold-negotiations-over-disputed-maritime-boundary/

Third child DIES in Germany due to MASKS

Dr Bodo Schiffmann reports that a third child has just died in Germany due to masks

https://www.investmentwatchblog.com/third-child-dies-in-germany-due-to-masks/

Chicago Suffers 81 Homicides Last Month, Deadliest September In 25 Years

Chicago saw its deadliest September in a quarter-century last month with 81 homicides, and at least three more people were killed in a rash of gun violence over the weekend — an ominous sign for October.

The Chicago Tribune reports that last month, there were 81 homicides in the city of Chicago, just two fewer than there were in the same month in 1993 when the city suffered through 83 homicides. The record, the Tribune notes, was set in 1992, during the heat of a gang war, when 109 people lost their lives to violence.

Previously, the city was comparing 2020’s numbers to 2016, when the city was also in the midst of a violent gang war and casualties were high. Now, the city seems poised to break those records.

“Overall, homicides are up 50% from last year as 2020 continues to be on pace as deadlier than 2016 when the city was hit with its worst violence since the 1990s,” the Tribune noted.

“So far this year, there have been 588 homicides in Chicago compared with 392 last year, according to police statistics. The data does not include killings that occurred in self-defense or on expressways. More than 3,100 people have been shot this year, compared with just under 2,000 during the first nine months of 2019, a 56% jump, the statistics show,” the outlet continued.

Like many major cities, Chicago saw an explosion in violence following the end of coronavirus-related restrictions and trailing the start of massive, national anti-racism and anti-police brutality protests. Other cities that played host to large protests, including New York City and Minneapolis, Minnesota, are now home to similar homicide spikes, though police in all three cities report that crime, overall, is down.

Chicago’s police department tried to put September’s violence in context Monday, noting that although it was the most violent September in 25 years, casualties are actually down compared to earlier summer months.

“At least 400 people were shot across the city last month,” the Tribune continued. “But the Police Department noted that the number of both shooting incidents and victims was down 19% in September, compared with August. There were also declines in robbery, theft, and vehicle theft.”

“This has been an unprecedented year in policing, as a global pandemic and civil unrest have converged to present law enforcement with a crisis on multiple fronts,” Chicago Police Superintendent David Brown. “And yet, our officers remain committed to improving public safety despite these challenges. Murders and shootings continue to decline as we make inroads within the community and adjust our strategies to prevent crime before it occurs.”

The city also remains hopeful that cooler weather will usher in a further decline in violence. Over the weekend, though, 3 people were killed and 34 were shot in the city, per Fox News. Two of the three fatal shootings happened in the same south side neighborhood within hours of each other according to police reports.

http://www.scoopyweb.com/2020/10/chicago-suffers-81-homicides-last-month.html

CDC Re-Releases Guidance Claiming COVID-19 'Airborne' Transmission Is Possible, But Less Common

As CDC head Dr. Robert Redfield told Congress last week, the CDC has re-released its "updated" guidance on coronavirus transmission via "aerosols" - tiny particles that, research shows, can infect people over long distances given poor ventilation.

Notably, the updated guidance on the CDC's website is nearly identical to guidance that it published, then almost immediately pulled, last month.

Though the CDC claims COVID-19 is primarily spread through "close contact" - ie within 6 feet - with an infected person, it is "sometimes" spread via "airborne" transmission - but even these types of infections typically happen at close range.

Here's the bulk of the revised statement, which can be found here.

COVID-19 can sometimes be spread by airborne transmissionSome infections can be spread by exposure to virus in small droplets and particles that can linger in the air for minutes to hours. These viruses may be able to infect people who are further than 6 feet away from the person who is infected or after that person has left the space.

This kind of spread is referred to as airborne transmission and is an important way that infections like tuberculosis, measles, and chicken pox are spread.

There is evidence that under certain conditions, people with COVID-19 seem to have infected others who were more than 6 feet away.

These transmissions occurred within enclosed spaces that had inadequate ventilation. Sometimes the infected person was breathing heavily, for example while singing or exercising.

Under these circumstances, scientists believe that the amount of infectious smaller droplet and particles produced by the people with COVID-19 became concentrated enough to spread the virus to other people. The people who were infected were in the same space during the same time or shortly after the person with COVID-19 had left.

Available data indicate that it is much more common for the virus that causes COVID-19 to spread through close contact with a person who has COVID-19 than through airborne transmission.

The CDC added that it was "much more common" for the virus to spread via close contact rather than airborne transmission.

With nearly 30 White House staffers laid up with coronavirus, and President Trump sick himself over at Walter Reed, some suspected that the CDC was pushing through a change in defiance of the White House's wishes.

BREAKING: Last month CDC website said airborne transmission was "possible," then removed the reference.https://t.co/Nfj18HWBuK

Now it says people can sometimes be infected with the coronavirus through airborne transmission.https://t.co/uTmVSM84Xm

— Aaron Blake (@AaronBlake) October 5, 2020

But readers may recall that it was the WHO, not the administration, which successfully pressured the CDC to retract the prior guidance on aerosols and sub in some more measured language.

Hundreds of scientists from around the world have been pressing WHO to change its guidance on aerosol transmission amid a growing body of research suggesting that aerosols might be a much more common "vector" for infection than previously believed. The WHO, for whatever reason, has refused to change its guidance, and continues to insist that while aerosol infection is one vector, evidence for spread over long distances is scarce, and it's more likely that these tiny particles can only infect individuals who are within six feet of an infected person, unless ventilation is poor, and/or the individuals are indoors in an environment where heavy breathing, shouting or singing - like a gym or a concert hall - is taking place.

One study even suggested that aerosols could infect people at a range of up to 30 feet.

https://www.zerohedge.com/political/cdc-re-releases-guidance-claiming-covid-19-airborne-transmission-possible-less-common

==

Coronavirus

New Technology Refuses Entrance to Shops if You’re Not Wearing a Face Mask==

Viral Twitter threat celebrates corona restriction measure.

A new technology being used in shops in Thailand and other countries to enforce coronavirus restrictions conducts a face scan to check if the customer is wearing a mask and refuses entry if they don’t have one.

“My local shops in Thailand. In 2 seconds scans my temperature and to see if wearing mask. Doors don’t open if not. 3 cases in 100+ days here. Removes awkward mask arguments for staff as well,” tweeted Niall Harbison.

The system resembles something you’d see as part of airport security. The customer walks up to a screen which displays the words ‘Face Detector’. The system then scans to check if the customer is wearing a mask before allowing them to pass through a barrier.

My local shops in Thailand. In 2 seconds scans my temperature and to see if wearing mask. Doors don’t open if not. 3 cases in 100+ days here. Removes awkward mask arguments for staff as well. pic.twitter.com/4Eac5fMsLR

— Niall Harbison (@NiallHarbison) October 4, 2020

Many of the respondents in the Twitter thread supported the idea, but others warned that this was another example of how people are being forced to accept the “new normal.”

“I wish people would stop championing and normalising this nonsense,” commented one user. “We will never get back to 2019 Normal if we continue down this road. A global over-reaction of epic proportions – we’ve been utterly played by the Chinese over this one. I bet they can’t believe it themselves.”

Another respondent pointed out that a similar system was also being used in Scotland.

Some schools have them here in Scotland pic.twitter.com/iurh5Q80wr

— Gav Gordon (@GavGordonToGo) October 4, 2020

With the world increasingly heading towards a Chinese-style social credit score system, it’s possible that in the longer term, the technology will be used beyond masks to refuse entry to people whose faces have been entered into a database.

It could also be used to enforce a myriad of other restrictions, such as forcing people to face scan before they use the Internet (already being introduced in China) and refusing access if their social credit score has dropped.

China has already combined its COVID-19 track and trace system with the Communist country’s social credit score program.

In August 2019, the Communist state bragged about how it had prevented 2.5 million “discredited entities” from purchasing plane tickets and 90,000 people from buying high speed train tickets in the month of July alone.

https://summit.news/2020/10/05/new-technology-refuses-entrance-to-shops-if-youre-not-wearing-a-face-mask/

Justices Thomas, Alito slam Obergefell same-sex marriage decision as Supreme Court denies Kim Davis case

Alito and Thomas both dissented from the original Obergefell ruling

Justices Clarence Thomas and Samuel Alito said Monday that Obergefell v. Hodges, the Supreme Court case that mandated all states recognize same-sex marriages, is "found nowhere in the text" of the Constitution and threatens "the religious liberty of the many Americans who believe that marriage is a sacred institution between one man and one woman."

The statement was written by Thomas and joined by Alito about the case of Kim Davis, a former Kentucky county clerk who said she would not give same-sex couples marriage licenses. The two justices said they agreed with the consensus of the court that it should not take Davis' case, but only because it did not "cleanly present" the "important questions about the scope of our decision in Obergefell."

Thomas and Alito dissented from the original Obergefell decision and their statement Monday could indicate that they would vote to overturn it if presented the chance.

"[T]his petition provides a stark reminder of the consequences of Obergefell. By choosing to privilege a novel constitutional right over the religious liberty interests explicitly protected in the First Amendment, and by doing so undemocratically, the court has created a problem that only it can fix," Thomas wrote. "Until then, Obergefell will continue to have 'ruinous consequences for religious liberty.'"

Obergefell was decided in 2015 by a 5-4 court, with then-Justice Anthony Kennedy writing the majority opinion joined by Justices Ruth Bader Ginsburg, Sonia Sotomayor, Elena Kagan and Stephen Breyer.

Thomas said Obergefell forced Davis to choose "between her religious beliefs and her job. When she chose to follow her faith, and without any statutory protection of her religious beliefs, she was sued almost immediately for violating the constitutional rights of same-sex couples."

The Obergefell opinion authored by Kennedy aimed to balance the rights of religious people with those of gay couples, saying that "[m]any who deem same-sex marriage to be wrong reach that conclusion based on decent and honorable religious or philosophical premises."

Kennedy added: "[I]t must be emphasized that religions, and those who adhere to religious doctrines, may continue to advocate with utmost, sincere conviction that, by divine precepts, same-sex marriage should not be condoned."

But Thomas argued Monday that Obergefell is highly flawed and marginalizes those who do not believe in same-sex marriage.

https://www.foxnews.com/politics/thomas-alito-kim-davis-obergefell-decision-same-sex-marriage

https://iamethanlucas.tumblr.com/post/631164826504364033/trying-to-show-qanon-deniers-what-theyre

Trying to show #QAnon deniers what they’re missing, at this point, is like trying to shine a light in the eyes of a blind person to show them what they can’t see. Stop wasting your time. As Jesus said, Let the blind lead the blind. They’ll both fall in the ditch. #WWG1WGA 🐇👁‍🗨🇺🇸

https://www.instagram.com/p/CF-S_ijH2uw/?igshid=1s7aub7y5h01h

Proud Boys group furious after gay community takes over #ProudBoys hashtag ‘to reclaim our pride’

Over the weekend, gay Twitter executed a glorious plan to use the tag #ProudBoys to share uplifting stories and images of love rather than hatred.

It’s been less than a week since President Donald Trump name-dropped the far-right Proud Boys group, an organization known for their political violence against left-wingers. And now, the group is trending for reasons entirely out of their control.

And after having their name hijacked by the gay community on Twitter, the surly group of boys are less proud than they are supremely pissed off.

Over the weekend, gay Twitter executed a glorious plan to use the tag #ProudBoys to share uplifting stories and images of love rather than the sort of hatred and violence the far-right group has become known for.

Star Trek star and LGBTQ activist George Takei was one of the first to suggest the subversive trend, writing in a Thursday tweet:

“I wonder if the BTS and TikTok kids can help LGBTs with this. What if gay guys took pictures of themselves making out with each other or doing very gay things, then tagged themselves with #ProudBoys. I bet it would mess them up real bad. #ReclaimingMyShine”

https://themindunleashed.com/2020/10/proud-boys-group-furious-after-gay-community-takes-over-proudboys-hashtag-to-reclaim-our-pride.html

Dan Bongino Has Hilarious Message For “A**hole Who Stole My 2 Trump Signs”

Stolen or destroyed Trump signs are a commonplace occurrence in many cities and rural towns across America.

Last week, an elderly man donated a handmade Trump sign to the home of Women For Trump National Advisory Board member, Meshawn Maddock, and her husband, State Representative Matt Maddock (R-MI). 100 Percent Fed Up reports – Only two days after their homemade sign was placed in their front yard, the couple woke up to discover that someone had destroyed it with a baseball bat.

Matt and Meshawn, two of the hardest working conservatives in Michigan, are used to having Trump signs vandalized in front of their home in a rural Michigan town. Instead of getting angry, they shared photos of virtue-signaling signs frequently found in the front yard of liberals, including a sign promoting Matt’s Democrat opponent, Denise Forrest. The virtue-signaling signs, that are frequently found in the front yards of Democrats, are a great example of the hypocrisy of liberals, who claim to possess characteristics like, “civility, respect, and kindness,” and then take a baseball bat to someone else’s personal property because they can’t accept that anyone might have a viewpoint that doesn’t align with theirs.

Some respectful, kind, civil, peaceful protestors took a baseball bat to our Trump sign last night. This sign was made…

Posted by Matt Maddock on Saturday, October 3, 2020

Former NYPD officer and Secret Service agent, Dan Bongino, who regularly appears as a guest on Fox News, posted a hilarious message to the person or people who stole his Trump signs, giving them fair warning about what would happen if they steal his signs again.

Dear Asshole Who Stole My 2 Trump Signs,

I’ve replaced them with 4 more and made a $500 donation to the campaign too. Steal these and I’ll add 8 more signs and I’ll double the donation. Thanks for playing!

-Dan pic.twitter.com/C944LR7ZpR

— Dan Bongino (@dbongino) September 29, 2020

…And that is how positive, good-natured Trump supporters deal with nasty, the laws don’t apply to me liberals—with humor.

https://www.thegatewaypundit.com/2020/10/dan-bongino-hilarious-message-ahole-stole-2-trump-signs/

Washington Post’s Jennifer Rubin Irate that Trump Returning to White House

President Donald Trump announced Monday afternoon that he would be returning to the White House that evening from Walter Reed National Military Medical Center — and the Washington Post‘s Jennifer Rubin tweeted frantically in opposition.

If he falls ill and relapses or infects anyone else his doctors will be responsible.

— Jennifer ‘Vote Early’ Rubin (@JRubinBlogger) October 5, 2020

Is there no one at Walter Reed with the nerve to speak out publicly to warn others and express they objected to this dangerous course of conduct? After election there’s going to need to be a thorough review and AMA will need to consider discipline if appropriate

— Jennifer ‘Vote Early’ Rubin (@JRubinBlogger) October 5, 2020

No way in HELL can debate commission allow Oct 15 debate to go forward. They will be responsible for exposing people to a deadly disease.

— Jennifer ‘Vote Early’ Rubin (@JRubinBlogger) October 5, 2020

Here is the test: What Senate R’s speak up to say this is a danger to others?

— Jennifer ‘Vote Early’ Rubin (@JRubinBlogger) October 5, 2020

Imagine being a WH worker. Typhoid Mary is coming back and you are expected to come to work each day

— Jennifer ‘Vote Early’ Rubin (@JRubinBlogger) October 5, 2020

Mike Pence will have to defend this as will every R. If they do not condemn, voter every last one out of office. Trump is willing to infect or kill people to maintain his ego

— Jennifer ‘Vote Early’ Rubin (@JRubinBlogger) October 5, 2020

If Trump hadn’t lost every college educated and female voter in America, leaving Walter Reed with a deadly communicable disease might just do it

— Jennifer ‘Vote Early’ Rubin (@JRubinBlogger) October 5, 2020

She pinned the following tweet to her profile:

If Trump is “able” to debate Biden must insist he be in a separate room. This is a constitutional crisis if Trump infects him. The Debate Commission should be held legally responsible if they hold this thing

— Jennifer ‘Vote Early’ Rubin (@JRubinBlogger) October 5, 2020

Rubin, once noted as a conservative commentator, was a Never Trump pundit in 2016 and changed many of her views on politics after he won. She appears regularly on MSNBC.

https://www.breitbart.com/the-media/2020/10/05/washington-posts-jennifer-rubin-irate-that-trump-returning-to-white-house/

Hyper TDS

>>10935221

kek

Israel under diplomatic fire over arms to Azerbaijan

According to data from the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute , over the past five years, Israel has been the top supplier of arms to Azerbaijan, with sales of more than $740 million, putting it ahead of Russia

A major supplier of arms to Azerbaijan, Israel has come under diplomatic fire from Armenia over the struggle between the Caucasus neighbours in disputed Nagorno-Karabakh.

Armenia, a country long-seen as close to Israel's nemesis Iran, only opened an embassy in Tel Aviv on September 17, but Yerevan recalled its ambassador barely two weeks later, citing weapons sales to Azerbaijan.

While President Reuven Rivlin on Monday spoke with his Armenian counterpart and attempted to smooth the waters, Jerusalem's weapons exports to Baku will be difficult to give up.

The diplomatic rift came shortly after press reports, based on data from flight tracing site Flightradar 24, cited the takeoff of an Azerbaijani cargo plane from southern Israel.

The site said the aircraft, operated by Azerbaijani carrier Silk Way, took off from Ramon Airport, located near the Ovda military base, on the eve of the outbreak of hostilities.

Beyond this single example, Azerbaijan has a long track record of buying Israeli arms – to the extent that Iran in 2012 summoned the former's ambassador to voice its concerns.

And while the Israeli defense ministry does not publish details of sales by country, Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev in 2016 said his country had bought $4.85 billion in defense equipment from the Jewish state (4.1 billion euros at current prices).

Israeli media say that Israel's Elbit Systems sold Azerbaijan, a Shiite country, armed drones – weaponry which has shifted the military balance in the decades-old dispute in which Armenian fighters long held the advantage of manning mountain outposts.

https://www.ynetnews.com/article/H15sqnd8P

Bipartisan Bill Would Give Israel Veto Powers Over US Arms Sales

Bill would require the president to consult with Israel over Middle East weapons sales

A group of bipartisan lawmakers introduced a bill in the House that would effectively give Israel the power to veto US arms sales to countries in the Middle East. Since the UAE and Israel agreed to normalize relations, a possible F-35 sale to Abu Dhabi has caused concern in Congress over Israel’s Qualitative Military Edge (QME).

The QME is mandated by US law and means Washington will ensure Israel maintains military superiority over its neighbors. Currently, it is up to Congress to ensure Israel’s QME. The new bill would require Israel to be consulted before any arms sales are made that could jeopardize the QME.

The bill was introduced by Rep. Brad Schneider (D-IL). In a press release, Rep. Schneider said the bill would “require the President to consult with the Israeli government to ensure QME concerns are settled” regarding arms sales to Middle Eastern countries.

“Israel is our single most important ally in the Middle East, and Congress will not let any President undermine her security with unapproved weapons sales,” Schneider said. Seventeen other members of Congress sponsored the bill alongside Schneider.

Israel initially objected to the F-35 sale to the UAE, but has since submitted a wishlist of over $8 billion in advanced weaponry if the deal goes through. Israeli Defense Minister Benny Gantz met with US Secretary of Defense Mark Esper in September about the deal. Esper vowed the US would maintain Israel’s QME.

https://www.jpost.com/american-politics/bipartisan-bill-would-give-israel-a-veto-on-middle-east-arms-sales-644326

https://news.antiwar.com/2020/10/05/bipartisan-bill-would-give-israel-veto-powers-over-us-arms-sales/

Schneider Introduces Bipartisan Legislation to Guarantee U.S. Commitment to Israel’s Qualitative Military Edge

Joining Schneider on this bipartisan legislation were several senior members of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, including Middle East Subcommittee Chairman Ted Deutch (D-FL), Congressman Brian Fitzpatrick (R-PA), and Congressman Brad Sherman (D-CA). Cosponsors also included Reps. John Katko (R-NY), Debbie Wasserman Schultz (D-FL), Tom Reed (R-NY), Josh Gottheimer (D-NJ), Ami Bera (D-FL), Ted Lieu (D-CA), Stephanie Murphy (D-FL), David Trone (D-MD), Jimmy Panetta (D-CA), Tom Suozzi (D-NY), Elaine Luria (D-VA), Max Rose (D-NY), Gil Cisneros (D-CA), and Xochitl Torres Small (D-NM).

https://schneider.house.gov/media/press-releases/schneider-introduces-bipartisan-legislation-guarantee-us-commitment-israel-s

Thousands Protest Against COVID-19 Restrictions in Germany

Thousands of demonstrators in southern Germany protested the federal government’s new social distancing restrictions over the weekend, reported Reuters.

Demonstrators were seen in Konstanz, a city on Lake Constance, in southern Germany, on Saturday and Sunday, were displeased by Chancellor Angela Merkel’s new restrictions to limit the size of gatherings.

“We want to act regionally, specifically and purposefully, rather than shutting down the whole country again – this must be prevented at all costs,” Merkel told a virtual news conference on Tuesday.

Merkel said she wants to avoid a full national lockdown as infection numbers are rising again in Europe’s largest economy. The lockdown from earlier this year crushed Germany’s economy into the worst recession on record, decimating small- and medium-sized businesses.

Police said counter-demonstrators were also seen in Konstanz. These folks showed their support for the government’s virus response efforts to mitigate further spreading.

Between both groups, police said upwards of tens thousand demonstrators hit the streets over the weekend. By Sunday afternoon, the situation remained calm in southern Germany.

“So far, the situation is calm,” a police spokesman said.

Reuters said, “civil rights activists, anti-vaxxers, neo-Nazis and members of far-right groups, including the opposition party Alternative for Germany (AfD), were in attendance” this weekend.

Germany’s total cases surpassed 300,000 on Sunday as the reproduction value rose above 1.0 for the first time in about a week. Health Minister Jens Spahn recently announced new plans for rapid tests in critical areas, such as hospitals and nursing homes.

https://www.activistpost.com/2020/10/thousands-protest-against-covid-19-restrictions-in-germany.html

7 bodies discovered along France-Italy border in wake of Storm Alex’s wrath, EU pledges support

Major search and rescue operations continue along the French-Italian border after torrential flooding ravaged the mountainous areas near Nice. Seven bodies have been discovered as fears mount of more missing and dead.

At least 1,000 emergency services personnel, four military helicopters and a number of troops were dispatched to search for people in the mountainous region after Storm Alex struck on Friday.

The flash flooding swept away houses and roads, left some 10,500 homes without power and stranded dozens of people in high mountain passes who needed to be rescued via helicopter in a major cross-border operation by French and Italian emergency services.

To make matters worse, there are fears that far more people may be dead or missing than official figures might indicate, as mobile phone services are down in the region, hampering rescue efforts.

#Maltempo#Pavia, aerosoccorritori dei #vigilidelfuoco impegnati a Palestro nella ricerca dell’uomo disperso da ieri sera. Nella clip viene scandagliata l’area intorno all’abitazione sommersa dall’esondazione del Sesia #4ottobrepic.twitter.com/pPAk4BBu21

— Vigili del Fuoco (@emergenzavvf) October 4, 2020

Five of the bodies have been discovered in north-western Italy, four of whom were found between the towns of Ventimiglia and Santo Stefano al Mare. Another body was found in a vehicle which had been swept away during a flash flood in the village Saint-Martin-Vesubie.

A total of nine people have been found dead after flash flooding hit the area on Friday, with almost a year's average rainfall hitting the region in less than 12 hours.

Nice Mayor Christian Estrosi claimed over 100 homes had been severely damaged or completely destroyed in the floods. Italian firefighters rescued some 25 people who became trapped on the French side of a mountain pass due to flooding.

Des images impressionnantes nous parviennent des vallées de la Tinée et de la Vésubie. J’en appelle à la responsabilité des valléens : restez à l’abri ! #TempeteAlex#Meteo06pic.twitter.com/SwtzFBXQE6

— Marine Brenier (@marinebrenier) October 2, 2020

Meanwhile, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, self-isolating after contact with a Covid-19 positive person, tweeted her support for all of those affected by Storm Alex in France and Italy, adding that both nations had the full support of the EU.

“Solidarity with all those affected by bad weather in northern Italy. The European Copernicus satellite has been activated. We are ready to provide further assistance in this difficult time. Italy can count on our full support,” she said.

Je survole actuellement avec @ca_ginesy et le colonel Riquier les zones sinistrées par les intempéries d’hier dans les #AlpesMaritimes Situation terrifiante plusieurs dizaines de maisons ont été emportées! pic.twitter.com/5gJT5CboEA

— Eric Ciotti (@ECiotti) October 3, 2020

"The Alpes Maritimes were severely affected by storm Alex. The European Union is wholeheartedly with France. The European Copernicus satellite was activated to help the civil protection authorities on the ground. We are ready to provide further assistance as needed,” von der Leyen added.

https://www.rt.com/news/502567-storm-alex-italy-france-bodies/

Caitlin Johnstone: WaPo publishes paranoid screed cautioning readers not to let Russia make them paranoid

“Russia and other adversaries may not need to hack the election if they can hack something else: our minds.”

So begins a crazy, paranoid Washington Post editorial titled, “The U.S. may be safe from foreign interference in this election. But what about perception hacking?” cautioning readers not to let Russia make them crazy and paranoid.

“Perception hacking.” Apparently this term is the latest fad for the elite liberal commentariat in the category of noises one can make with one’s face in order to sound well-informed about Russian influence operations, from the same line as “kompromat,” “dezinformatsiya,” and “useful idiot.”

Before we begin, I must clarify that this maniacal screed was not authored by some random unmedicated lunatic to whom WaPo mistakenly granted a spot in its Opinion section due to a Nyquil-induced filing error. It was authored by the actual editorial board of the Washington Post (Democracy Dies in Darkness™️). They sat down, they consciously wrote it out, probably re-wrote it a few times, and then knowingly published it as a representation of the esteemed outlet’s official position, completely on purpose.

WaPo starts off by saying America is safe from Russian influence operations, which would be news to the US politicians who’ve been breathlessly shrieking the exact opposite. It then goes on say that what Russia is now doing is tricking Americans into thinking they’re not safe from Russian influence operations.

Don’t think about it too hard. You’ll hurt yourself.

More

https://www.rt.com/op-ed/502606-caitlin-johnstone-wapo-paranoid/

The Law: State Sovereignty

Retired Sheriff and CSPOA President Richard Mack quotes some sections from Justice Antonin Scalia in his landmark supreme court ruling, cited in his booklet, “The Victory for State Sovereignty”. Sheriff Mack concludes with “The Federal Government is not in charge of enforcing state sovereignty.”

https://cspoa.org/the-law-state-soveregnty/

While the Federal Reserve Keeps Interest Rates Near Zero, Retail Store Credit Cards Charge High Rates

The average annual interest charged by retail credit cards now amounts to 24.43%

The average rate on store-only credit cards fell from 27.52% to 25.9%

Customers often open up retail credit cards during the holiday season

Despite historically low interest rates from the Federal Reserve, many retail store credit cards still charge inordinately high annual percentage rates, or APRs.

While the Fed’s benchmark fed funds rate has remained near zero all year, as of September 2020, the average annual interest charged by retail credit cards now amounts to 24.43% – down from 26.01% last year, according to CreditCards.com.

The average rate on store-only credit cards fell from 27.52% to 25.9%, and the average rate on co-branded cards (which can be used in more than one retailer) dropped to 22% from 23.39%.

Meanwhile, the national average rate for all non-retail cards fell from 21.1% last year to 19.69%.

Out of 84 retail credit cards surveyed by CreditCards.com, 67 have lower APRs than last year, 15 have the same rates and two actually increased their rates.

A number of store-only cards’ interest rates are as high as 29.99% – including those issued by Big Lots; Discount Tire; Jared, The Galleria of Jewelry; Kay Jewelers; Piercing Pagoda; Sterling Family of Jewelers; and Zales.

A survey by CreditCards.com also revealed that some 62% of U.S. adults have applied for retail credit cards at some point in their lives. Typically, retail credit cards often provide large discounts to customers on their first purchases – helping to reel them in as borrowers.

Howard Dvorkin, chairman of the website Debt.com, explained that high APRs are designed for high-risk borrowers – which also means that qualifying for and receiving a retail credit card is easier than obtaining a “regular” general purpose credit card.

Another problem with high-APR retail credit cards has to do with deferred interest – that is, when interest payments on a loan are deferred for a specific period of time.

“Even if a single dollar is left unpaid after the deferred interest period is up, you’ll pay interest accrued from the moment you made your purchase – and this can add up, especially if you use 12 months of deferred interest or longer,” said Adem Selita, CEO and co-founder of The Debt Relief Company.

https://www.ibtimes.com/while-federal-reserve-keeps-interest-rates-near-zero-retail-store-credit-cards-charge-3057055