Hamas & IDF Ground Forces Clash For 1st Time Inside Gaza: Israeli Soldier Killed, Others Wounded
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Hamas & IDF Ground Forces Clash For 1st Time Inside Gaza: Israeli Soldier Killed, Others Wounded

Update(1515ET): Hamas has claimed to have repelled a brief Israeli ground incursion, in what marks the first such reported direct ground fight between two sides in Gaza. The Al-Qassam Brigades announced its fighters destroyed two Israeli military bulldozers and a tank as part of an ambush amid the IDF's conducting 'limited' incursions into the strip.

"The soldiers of the Zionist force that fell into the Khan Younis ambush left their vehicles and fled east of the fence on foot," the Hamas wing said on social media. The IDF as expected did not confirm the claims, saying only that "shots were fired at IDF soldiers operating west of the Gaza Strip security fence, in the area of Kissufim." Instead, the IDF said only that "An IDF tank struck the terrorist cell who fired at the soldiers" - but did confirm its forces were operating inside Gaza at the time of the incident. 

The IDF appears to have begun taking casualties, and the major ground offensive has yet to even begin. Importantly, an IDF statement cited in a fresh Times of Israel update appears to back Hamas' account of repelling the IDF tank and bulldozers:

A soldier was killed and three others were hurt on Sunday after Hamas attacked troops carrying out an operation on the western side of the Gaza border fence, near the southern community of Kissufim.

The operation was part of the military’s searches for bodies of missing Israelis, and to clear the area for Israel’s upcoming ground offensive.

The Israel Defense Forces said an anti-tank guided missile was fired at an Israeli tank and engineering vehicle, and troops responded by shelling the terror cell. Terror group Hamas claimed responsibility for the attack.

Elsewhere the IDF announced it conducted a very rare airstrike in the West Bank. It said its jets hit a mosque allegedly used as a "Hamas and Islamic Jihad terrorist compound" in Jenin. 

Meanwhile, Israel has issued a formal apology to Egypt for inadvertently hitting an Egyptian border outpost, which injured a number of Egyptian military border guards. Al Jazeera describes:

Shell fragments from an Israeli tank have hit the Egyptian border, injuring at least seven people including several Egyptian border guards, according to the militaries of both countries.

The incident occurred late Sunday, with the Israeli military confirming that it “accidentally” hit the Egyptian position near the border with the Gaza Strip.

Israeli forces have struck the Rafah crossing area multiple times at this point, with Palestinian officials alleging that it is an intention al act.

In Washington, US Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin said the US is "concerned about potential escalation" in the Middle East, and confirmed that US assets were deployed to the region to ensure troop safety:

“We're concerned about potential escalation. In fact, what we're seeing is a — is a prospect of a significant escalation of attacks on our troops and our people throughout the region, and because of that, we're going to do what's necessary to make sure that our troops are in the right — in a good position, and they're protected, and that we have the ability to respond,” he said on ABC’s “This Week.”

All eyes continue to be on Israel's northern border, where the tit-for-tat strikes with Hezbollah continue ramping up.

* * *

A spokesman for the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) has announced over the weekend that Hezbollah has escalated its attacks against northern Israel which risks "dragging Lebanon into a war."

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Sunday issued the same words in his own warning for Hezbollah, saying it must avoid making "the mistake of its life" by deciding to join the war in partnership with Hamas.

"If Hezbollah decides to enter the war, it will long for the Second Lebanon War," Netanyahu said in comments made before a unit of elite commando forces in northern Israel. "It will be making the mistake of its life. We will hit it with a force it cannot even imagine, and the meaning for it and the Lebanese state will be devastating."

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu meets with IDF soldiers on the border with Lebanon on Sunday, via GPO/JPost

Since the Oct.7 Hamas attack on southern Israel there have been a handful of casualties on either side of the Lebanese border. In at least one instance so far, Hezbollah scored a direct hit on an IDF military vehicle, which likely resulted in Israeli troop deaths and injuries. The group backed by Iran uploaded the video to the internet in order to show off its advanced capabilities. 

Israel has in response sent artillery and missiles against Hezbollah positions, as well as against some residential areas of south Lebanon. Americans and other foreigners have been heeding warnings to get out of Lebanon while they still can.

Typically if a broader conflict involving Lebanon opens up, Israel strikes Beirut–Rafic Hariri International Airport, the only commercial airport in Lebanon, as it did in 2006.

Hawks within Israel and the US want to use this to deliver a 'death blow' to Hezbollah, which is by all accounts a more formidable and better-armed force than Hamas in Gaza, as The Guardian underscores, "The Israeli government is coming under growing pressure from security establishment hawks to launch a pre-emptive strike on Hezbollah in Lebanon – but is facing strong opposition from the US, which fears a two-front war would risk igniting a major regional conflict."

Others want Israel to focus on Gaza, in order not to get bogged down in a conflict that could overwhelm Israel's military:

But President Biden used his time in Tel Aviv on Wednesday and visits by top US defence officials in the days before, to urge the Israeli leadership not to risk such a pre-emptive strike on the Iran-backed militia, the New York Times reported, and prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu ultimately cooled on the idea.

Still, Israel is clearly taking measures to prepare for a possible all-out fight on its northern border, at this point having evacuated dozens of communities which lie within two kilometers of the border. 

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.

An active battlefront...

Hezbollah has not only been using anti-tank missiles, but has rolled out with guided missiles amid ongoing fire exchanged between both sides. Israel has lately stood accused of using controversial white phosphorus shells as well.

A broader war would likely bring Iran and Israel into a direct clash, and possibly Syria too. On Sunday Israel attacked Damascus and Aleppo international airports for the third time this month.

The scenario becomes all the more dangerous given the presence of US carrier strike groups in the region, and more recently some six Chinese warships in Mideast waters, watching the situation closely. And Russia has of course long had a strong military presence in Syria.

Tyler Durden Mon, 10/23/2023 - 05:23
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Bloomberg Terrified At The Prospect Of America Exporting Its Gun Culture
[4:21 PM | 0 comments ]

Bloomberg Terrified At The Prospect Of America Exporting Its Gun Culture

Submitted by Gun Owners Of America.,

Bloomberg, the news media company named after and owned by prominent anti-gun billionaire Michael Bloomberg, is terrified of a worldwide gun culture.

In a recent series of articles, Bloomberg journalists detail how firearms companies are "fueling violence across the world" through sales to other countries. While the articles certainly attempt to frame gun ownership in other countries as the cause of violence, two key points are left out.

First, many firearms exports worldwide are specifically for law enforcement and military contracts, not civilian sales. So, while Sig Sauer (the target of a Bloomberg hit piece on firearms exports) does export firearms overseas, many of these are for arming police officers and soldiers in foreign militaries.

Second is that violence isn't caused by firearms. Violence is a human problem. An article in the series asserts that Sig Sauer is somehow responsible for the black-market firearms trade in Thailand and violent acts committed by those who used Sig products. It's very likely that if Sig Sauer was not able to sell their firearms in Thailand, the purported acts of violence would still have occurred with a different brand that Bloomberg journalists may not have been as interested in.

A newer article in the series highlighted Brazil as being a major importer of US-made firearms, but failed to mention the fact that after former Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro made firearms permits easier and cheaper for law-abiding citizens to acquire, homicides fell 34%, according to the Wall Street Journal.

Brazil, one of the most violent nations on earth (with cities like Salvador and Fortaleza having homicide numbers in the thousands), is plagued by crime and gang violence. Firearms are routinely stolen from police armories and sometimes even manufactured right in the favela. Why not mention that American-style civilian firearm ownership helped to decrease homicides?

Interestingly, this detail is left out of the Bloomberg reporting, and maybe it doesn't fit the anti-gun progressive narrative by corporate media. 

Lastly, a question that must be posed in the face of this reporting is why Bloomberg fears an American-style gun culture in other countries.

An American style of gun ownership allows citizens to defend themselves without reliance on government entities like the police or military. It will enable citizens to be truly independent. For a billionaire like Michael Bloomberg, who can afford private security 24/7, this can be hard to understand. Still, for someone living in a Brazilian favela or a cartel-controlled territory in Mexico, firearm ownership could be the determining factor between life and death.

It's very telling that at the end of the Bloomberg article, a disclaimer reads: Everytown for Gun Safety, which advocates gun-safety measures, is backed by Michael Bloomberg, founder and majority owner of Bloomberg News parent Bloomberg LP.

*    *    *

We'll hold the line for you in Washington. We are No Compromise. Join the Fight Now. 

Tyler Durden Sat, 10/21/2023 - 18:05
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"Cardboard Box Recession" An Ominous Sign Of Faltering Consumer, Schwab Warns
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"Cardboard Box Recession" An Ominous Sign Of Faltering Consumer, Schwab Warns

Earlier this year, Charles Schwab analyst Jeffrey Kleintop said the US was sliding into a "cardboard box" recession as consumers and small businesses were pressured by soaring interest rates and elevated inflation.

On Tuesday, Kleintop joined Morningstar's The Long View podcast to warn, yet again, that slowing demand for cardboard boxes is an ominous sign of a coming recession. The reason behind this view is that cardboard boxes are used to transport nearly every good in modern society. So when box demand falls, it's reflective of slowing purchases by consumers and businesses. 

"Often, I find, in maybe nontraditional measures, I find more comfort in things that just make sense to me. Like the downturn that's currently indicated in official manufacturing and trade data. Some of that's kind of abstract. I find comfort looking at the plunging demand for cardboard boxes," Kleintop told the podcast hosts. 

The analyst said, "I've been referring to this as a cardboard box recession because things that are manufactured and shipped tend to go in a box and because demand for corrugated fiberboard, which is what most cardboard boxes are made from, has fallen just like it did in past recession. So, literally, cardboard boxes are in a recession." 

Last week, former Walmart CEO Bill Simon, who now serves on the Board of Directors for Darden Restaurants and Hanesbrands Inc., told CNBC that headwinds are mounting for consumers as inflation, high interest rates, and global tensions make consumers wary. He said, "For the first time in a long time, there's a reason for the consumer to pause." 

If Simon is correct, this could spell disaster for Biden's economy. Consumers are a significant driver in the US economy, accounting for about two-thirds of US GDP. 

It appears the music has already stopped, and the party for consumers is grinding to a halt. 

Last month, we laid out the various reasons why - according to JPMorgan and Goldman - sentiment on US consumer stocks had cratered and would continue to worsen in the months ahead. 

A recent Citi note (full report available to pro subs) revealed consumer card spending is downright recessionary. 

Also, a recent Barclay's Global Rates Weekly note showed card spending has taken another leg lower as consumers falter. 

And back to the cardboard boxes, FreightWaves has been warning all year about this alarming development:

Ending it with Kleintop, he told The Long View podcast: "So, I think all these signs are indicating that we're seeing a bit of a slowdown in the services sector. And that's important because there are 10 times as many services jobs as manufacturing jobs in the US So, if we start to see the service sector reflect more signs of this slowdown in demand, well, we might see a weakening labor market and then that could feed into the retail space and construction and so many other areas." 

... and then there is this: "Trucking Recession Deepens As Bezos, Gates-Backed Convoy Cancels All Shipments, Load Board Is Empty." 

Tyler Durden Sat, 10/21/2023 - 16:55
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Census Data Shows 871,000 Californians Left The Imploding State In 2022
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Census Data Shows 871,000 Californians Left The Imploding State In 2022

California has sustained massive population declines since the Covid pandemic. Residents have been fed up with radical authoritarian progressive politicians, as well as shit-covered streets, imploding metro areas, out-of-control homelessness, open-air drug markets, soaring violent crime and thefts, high inflation, out-of-reach home prices, and much much more.

AP News, citing new Census figures, highlighted that a staggering 817,000 individuals left the Golden State in 2022. However, with the addition of 475,000 people moving into California that year, the state saw a net loss of approximately 342,000 residents. 

Texas continues to be the biggest beneficiary of the California exodus. About 102,000 ex-Californians moved to the Lone Star State last year for cheaper cost of living, lower crime, and a friendlier tax environment. 

"We are losing younger folks, and I think we will see people continuing to migrate where housing costs are lower," Manuel Pastor, a professor of sociology and American Studies & Ethnicity at the University of Southern California, said in an interview with AP. 

Pastor said, "There are good jobs in California, but housing is incredibly expensive. It hurts young families, and it hurts immigrant families."

Besides seeking cheaper shelter elsewhere, many folks are leaving the state because of violent crime. The latest FBI data shows Gov. Gavin Newsom's progressive playground is erupting in violent crime following disastrous 'defund the police' policies. Meanwhile, crime is sharply falling in Florida, where 'law and order' is embraced. 

Democrats have transformed California into a third-world-like state in a matter of years. 

Wait until the exodus of people and businesses starts crushing tax revenue for cities... 

As for 2023 trends, John Burns Real Estate Consulting recently shared a new report that showed the exodus contined this year. 

Tyler Durden Sat, 10/21/2023 - 15:45
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GM Raises Offer To UAW Ahead Of Union Boss' Bargaining Update
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GM Raises Offer To UAW Ahead Of Union Boss' Bargaining Update

United Auto Workers boss Shawn Fain will update members about ongoing labor contract negotiations with Detroit's three automakers on a regularly scheduled Facebook Live event around 1600 ET. 

Ahead of Fain's update, AP News reports General Motors released a statement detailing how it made "substantial movement in all key areas in an effort to reach a final agreement with the UAW and get our people back to work." 

GM said the offer increases pay to around $40.39 per hour, or about $84,000 by the end of the four-year labor contract. From current levels, that's a 23% pay hike from $32.32 per hour. Compounded annually, it's 25%.

"It is time for us to finish this process, get our team members back to work and get on with the business of making GM the company that will win and provide great jobs in the U.S. for our people for decades to come," GM said.

UAW told AP that Fain's update comes after a "week of intensive negotiations" with GM. He's expected to speak at 1600 ET. 

Watch Live

Across six vehicle assembly plants and 38 parts distribution warehouses of GM, Ford, and Stellantis plants, UAW has more than 34,000 workers on strike. 

Tyler Durden Fri, 10/20/2023 - 16:02
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