Greta Thunberg is apparently no longer fighting for renewable energy. The planned wind farms in Norway is the latest quixotic battle in which the "Fridays for Future" initiator is engaged. | The Swede, together with other climate protectors, blocked access to the Norwegian Ministry of Energy in Oslo. They are protesting against the construction of wind turbines in the west of the country, reported the AFP news agency. ● The reason for their resistance is the indigenous peoples who live in the area. “We cannot use the so-called climate change as a cover for colonialism,” said Thunberg, according to TV2, outside the ministry’s doors. “A climate transition that violates human rights is not a climate transition worthy of the name.”

A branch of UBS Bank, located at Tellplatz 12, Basel, Switzerland, gave a written notice to a Depositor today explaining why they CANNOT GIVE HIM HIS WITHDRAWAL: "Liquidity Challenge." | Yes, you read that right: The largest Bank in Switzerland told a Depositor IN WRITING, they cannot give him his withdrawal due to "Unforeseen liquidity challenges." As most readers already know from prior stories this week, UBS is the largest bank in Switzerland, and the largest PRIVATE BANK in the world.

Dani Naveh, chief executive of "Israel Bonds", says that most of the investment was derived from the US and Europe. | Since October 7, $6 billion has been borrowed by “Israel” through international debt investors, which included $5.1 billion across three new bond issues and six top-ups of existing dollar-euro-denominated bonds, and more than $1 billion of fundraising through a US firm. ● According to investors, they were issued in so-called private placements, during which securities are not provided to the public market but to select investors instead. The choice for private placement could be to increase funds for the war quickly or without garnering unwanted attention. ● Of two dollar bonds issued this month, “Israel” is paying coupons of 6.25% and 6.5% on bonds maturing in 4 and 8 years, which are much higher than benchmark US Treasury yields ranging between 4.5% and 4.7%, arranged by Goldman Sachs and Bank of America respectively when the bonds were issued. [...] It is significant to note that Galit Altstein wrote for Bloomberg News that the ongoing war on Gaza is causing the Israeli economy significant losses, estimated at about $260 million daily.

Felicity Arbuthnot and Prof Michel Chossudovsky | Israel has launched an invasion (October 7, 2023) of the Gaza Strip. As outlined by Felicity Arbuthnot with foresight 10 years ago in a December, 30 2013 article: “Israel is set to become a major exporter of gas and some oil, “If All Goes to Plan”." In the current context, Israel’s “All Goes to Plan” option consists in bypassing Palestine and “Wiping Gaza off the Map”, as well confiscating ALL Gaza’s maritime offshore gas reserves, worth billions of dollars. The ultimate objective is not only to exclude Palestinians from their homeland, it consists in confiscating the multi-billion dollar Gaza offshore Natural Gas reserves, namely those pertaining to the BG (BG Group) in 1999, as well the Levant discoveries of 2013.

"This is a continuation of the policy of inflicting as they call it - a strategic defeat on us," Maria Zakharova, a spokeswoman for the Russian foreign ministry, told Russian state television when asked about the new U.S. sanctions. "They will have to wait in vain forever before that happens." Zakharova said. | Russia on Friday dismissed new U.S. sanctions over the war in Ukraine, saying that the United States would never defeat Moscow, while the boss of Russia's fastest growing natural gas company quipped the sanctions were a badge of success. The United States on Thursday targeted Russia's future energy capabilities, sanctions evasion and a suicide drone that has been a menace to Ukrainian troops and equipment, among others, in sanctions on hundreds of people and entities. ● Western leaders and Ukraine have repeatedly said they seek to defeat Russia on the battlefield, though some Western leaders have denied what President Vladimir Putin says is a Western plot to carve up Russia and steal its natural resources. Putin is girding the $2.1 trillion economy for a long war and Western hopes of stoking a swift Russian economic crisis with some of the toughest sanctions ever imposed have not been realised. The International Monetary Fund forecasts Russian growth of 2.2% this year - faster than either the United States or the Euro area - though the Fund last month lowered its forecast for 2024 growth to 1.1%. The West has frozen hundreds of billions of dollars of Russian money, but Putin has joked that the sanctions have not stopped the import of Western goods such as luxury Mercedes to Russia and that Moscow will work to undermine the sanctions by buying what it wants on global markets.

Russian President Vladimir Putin has arrived in the Chinese capital of Beijing to participate in the 3rd Belt and Road Forum for International Cooperation, a Sputnik correspondent reported. | On Monday, the Kremlin said that Putin would pay an official visit to China from October 17-18. The Russian leader is expected to hold negotiations with Chinese President Xi Jinping to discuss further development of the Russian-Chinese comprehensive partnership and strategic cooperation, as well as topical regional and international issues. ● According to Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov, Putin and Xi Jiping will exchange detailed opinions and coordinate positions. ● The Kremlin added that Putin would also hold a number of bilateral meetings with the leaders of the participating states of the forum. Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov also arrived in Beijing on Monday and met with his Chinese counterpart, Wang Yi.

■ Xi, Putin to conduct in-depth dialogue on bilateral relations — Chinese Foreign Ministry (TASS)
■ 'One of the Most Important Diplomatic Events': China Belt and Road Forum Review (Sputnik News)

Qatar threatened that if the bombing of Gaza does not stop, it will stop the export of gas to the countries of the world. | Palestinian resistance fighters launched Operation Al-Aqsa Flood against the positions of the Zionist regime in the occupied territories on Saturday morning from the Gaza Strip, which shocked the regime, because such an inclusive and unprecedented operation is occurring for the first time in the 75 years of occupation. ● Retaliating the operation, The Israeli regime cut off water and power to the Gaza Strip from yesterday Tuesday and banned the entry of food and fuel to the strip where 2.2 people were living. Palestine's Ministry of Health also reported 1,100 people dead in Gaza and 27 others in the West Bank.

■ Jordan Moving Tanks and Troops to Israel Border (The Gateway Pundit)

Top stories from the Russian press on Thursday, October 12th | Experts mull scenarios of how the conflict between Israel and Palestine may unfold; the US national debt hits a new record high; and the purported blast near a Baltic Sea gas pipeline raises suspicions of a false narrative concocted for pushing further anti-Russian sanctions. These stories topped Thursday’s newspaper headlines across Russia.

Low energy prices make Russian industry more competitive than its European rivals, a Sber official has said | Electricity costs for Russian consumers are nearly ten times lower than in the UK, and are roughly four times less than in the EU, a leading banker stated on Wednesday, referring to prices for households and businesses. ● Anatoly Popov, deputy chairman of the board of Russia’s largest lender, Sber, was speaking at the Russian Energy Week forum in Moscow. 💬 “Electricity is cheap in Russia. If you take the price in Russia and the price that British industries pay, I do not know if there is any industry left with such prices, but the price is almost ten times lower in Russia than in the UK. In the EU, the prices for industrial consumers are four times higher per kilowatt/hour, and for households also 4-4.5 times higher,” Popov explained. ● According to the British government website, floor unit prices for electricity for households averaged £0.34 ($0.41) per kWh over the past year. Russian consumers pay on average $0.04 per kWh.

In the past 150 years, the US Money Supply has only contracted five (5) times; and they were Recessions and the Great Depression. It is happening again. | Two U.S. money supply metrics that investors tend to pay close attention to are M1 and M2. The former accounts for the cash and coins in circulation, as well as the demand deposits within an individual's checking account. Meanwhile, M2 factors in everything in M1 and adds money market accounts, savings accounts, and certificates of deposit (CDs) below $100,000. The main difference is that M2 factors in cash that takes a little extra work to get your hands on. ● For as far back as the eye can see, M2 has been climbing. Since the U.S. economy steadily grows over the long run, it's only natural that more cash/capital is needed to facilitate transactions. In fact, M2 rising is so common that some economists may not even be paying attention to it as a monthly reported datapoint. But in the rare event that M2 meaningfully declines, pay attention!

While the US role in looting Syria’s resources is well-documented, less is known about the complicity of Iraq's Kurdistan region in its transportation and distribution | Although the porous Iraqi-Syrian border stretches for over 600 kilometers, about half of it – in practice – is not subject to the authority of either state. Over the years, this lack of comprehensive border control has given rise to a number of security threats to both nations, not least the persistent presence of ISIS elements in border regions. ● From the Iraqi side, there has been a pro-active approach in countering this low-level terrorism with the establishment of two defensive lines by the Joint Operations Command, in addition to concrete barriers and watchtowers. ● Smuggling from Syria into Iraqi border towns is another salient feature of current border activities, and one which presents both a threat and an opportunity for the US-led international coalition whose forces operate on both sides of the border.

■ US Ramps Up Systematic Looting of Syrian Oil, Ships 35 Tankers Out of Country (07/17/23)
■ China [correctly] accuses US of oil theft (01/19/23)

💬 Colleagues, It has been a year since the sabotage in the Baltic Sea and almost as much since the Security Council convened on this issue for the first time. During that time, we have heard numerous assertions that national investigations by Germany, Denmark, and Sweden would allow to identify the perpetrators very soon. However there have been no results so far despite the seven UNSC meeting in both open and closed formats. ● At the same time, more and more evidence is emerging in the expert community that it is Washington who stood behind the disruption of the Nord Stream pipeline and went ahead with this outrageous criminal act guided by a narrowly self-interested desire to consolidate its dominance in Europe, which is in dire need of Russian energy. ● The sad anniversary today is a good opportunity to recover the timeline. Let’ briefly recall the major developments.

■ Seymour Hersh: A YEAR OF LYING ABOUT NORD STREAM (09/27/23)

Seymour Hersh | The Biden administration has acknowledged neither its responsibility for the pipeline bombing nor the purpose of the sabotage | I do not know much about covert CIA operations—no outsider can—but I do understand that the essential component of all successful missions is total deniability. The American men and women who moved, under cover, in and out of Norway in the months it took to plan and carry out the destruction of three of the four Nord Stream pipelines in the Baltic Sea a year ago left no traces—not a hint of the team’s existence—other than the success of their mission. ● Deniability, as an option for President Joe Biden and his foreign policy advisers, was paramount. No significant information about the mission was put on a computer, but instead typed on a Royal or perhaps a Smith Corona typewriter with a carbon copy or two, as if the Internet and the rest of the online world had yet to be invented. The White House was isolated from the goings-on near Oslo; various reports and updates from the field were directly provided to CIA Director Bill Burns, who was the only link between the planners and the president who authorized the mission to take place on September 26, 2022. Once the mission was completed, the typed papers and carbons were destroyed, thus leaving no physical trace—no evidence to be dug up later by a special prosecutor or a presidential historian. You could call it the perfect crime.

■ Nord Stream Blast: Why the West Still Can't Name the Culprit (09/26/23)

Top stories from the Russian press on Monday, September 18th | Moscow is forming a kind of society of sanctioned countries, the EU bans entry to Russian vehicles and Eastern Europe reinstates the embargo on Ukrainian grain. These stories topped Monday’s newspaper headlines across Russia. Nezavisimaya Gazeta: Moscow building fraternity of sanctioned countries North Korean leader Kim Jong Un has completed his six-day visit to Russia’s Far East. This coming after he discussed issues of military cooperation with Russian Defense Minister Sergey Shoigu. Kim inspected Russian bombers, which are capable of carrying nuclear arms, and warships. The US and South Korea have cautioned that if something becomes of this interaction, Moscow and Pyongyang will pay a dear price. Washington also insists that Kim’s visit has alarmed Beijing because it heightened instability near Chinese borders, potentially hindering China’s ability to normalize relations with the US and its allies in East Asia.

“Germany does not import Russian oil from India!”, or How a non-commissioned officer’s widow flogged herself | The hypocrisy of Germany, which is commonly called the locomotive of the European Union, knows no bounds. Information leaked to the media by the Federal Statistical Office of Germany about the supply of Indian oil caused a real stir in public circles. Imports of petroleum products (gasoline, diesel fuel, fuel oil, bitumen and kerosene) to Germany from India over the 7 months of 2023 increased by as much as 12 times compared to the same period last year - from €37 million to €451 million. This looks more than strange because India itself has traditionally been perhaps the largest oil importer in the world. So, we are dealing with resale. [...] The Germans, who are, for a moment, the initiators of the fuel and energy blockade of Russia, “turn on the fool,” they say, products imported from India are not affected by the sanctions. However, such “fairy tales for the faint of heart” will not dissuade the expert community.

Myanmar uses the yuan to pay for supplies of Russian petroleum products, Minister of Investment and Foreign Economic Relations of Myanmar Kan Zaw told Sputnik, adding that the parties are preparing an agreement on the mutual conversion of national currencies. | 💬 "We are using yuan and not [paying] with rubles at this moment. But we are trying to make the kyat-ruble agreement [on the mutual conversion] … [the agreement] is going [to be signed] very soon," Kan Zaw said on the sidelines of the Eastern Economic Forum (EEF) in Vladivostok. In addition, Kan Zaw expressed hope that Myanmar would conclude an agreement with Russia on tourism on the sidelines of the EEF. ● Last September, Prime Minister of Myanmar Min Aung Hlaing told Sputnik that the country had begun purchasing Russian petroleum products. Myanmar will begin accepting cards of the Russian Mir payment system in October, Kan Zaw said. The 8th EEF is taking place on the campus of the Far Eastern Federal University in the Russian city of Vladivostok from September 10-13. RIA Novosti is the official media partner of the forum.

■ Yuan Bounces Back From 16-Year Low After People's Bank of China Steps In (Sputnik News)
■ Moscow boosts ruble settlements with NATO country (RT.com)

Leaders and representatives of the world’s 20 largest economies met in New Delhi Saturday, reaching a compromise on a joint declaration on global priorities by leaving out Western-proposed criticism of Russia over its military operation in Ukraine. Sputnik spoke to experts to get a sense of what the declaration's "consensus language" really means. | Day one of the two-day G20 summit in New Delhi, India wrapped up on Saturday, with the intergovernmental forum’s members reaching a consensus on economic development, climate change, and pledging to work together toward peace, security and conflict resolution. ● A Russian official told journalists that “very complex” talks took place on formulating the consensus-based joint statement, with the BRICS bloc and its partners “refusing to accept Western narratives” on the crisis in Ukraine. ● The text of the 83-point statement refrained from condemning Russia’s military operation in Ukraine, instead underscoring the need for “all states” to “act in a manner consistent with” the UN Charter, and highlighting the negative global economic and security impact of the ongoing crisis. The text of the document called for a resumption of the Black Sea Grain Deal, but also measures to ensure the “immediate and unimpeded deliveries of grain, foodstuffs, and fertilizers/inputs from” from both Russia and Ukraine, including “to meet the demand in developing and least developed countries, particularly those in Africa.”

■ What’s in the G20 leaders’ declaration? (RT.com)

Berlin cites sanctions in order to justify the confiscation of vehicles owned by ordinary people | The Russian Embassy in Berlin has warned its citizens against bringing their cars into Germany, citing the instances of confiscation of vehicles with Russian license plates.💬 “We continue to note that German customs authorities are occasionally seizing private vehicles that were registered as property of Russian nationals and temporarily imported into Germany for personal use or transit purposes,” the embassy wrote in a statement on Telegram on Monday. It added that Moscow had repeatedly lodged protests over the measure, but to no avail. “Until the situation is clarified, Russian nationals are strongly advised against importing vehicles with Russian license plates into Germany,” the embassy wrote.

Igor Kolomoisky was detained for two months on charges of fraud, with bail set at $13.5 million | Ukrainian oligarch Igor Kolomoisky, whose support is widely believed to have helped Vladimir Zelensky secure the country’s presidency, was detained pending trial for alleged money laundering. ● Kolomoisky was brought to Kiev’s Shevchenko district court on Saturday, after the Security Service of Ukraine (SBU) accused the billionaire of legalizing and transferring abroad more than 500 million Ukrainian hryvnia ($13.5 million) through the “infrastructure of banking institutions controlled by him.” ● The pretrial detention hearing was held behind closed doors, as requested by Kolomoisky, who reportedly did not want the media to share photos of him in the courtroom. Several Ukrainian media outlets still captured photos and videos from the proceeding.

Hungary has vetoed the European Union's intent to give more money to Ukraine until such time as Ukraine accounts for the 50-70 Billion EUROS already given! | Hungarian Foreign Minister Peter Szijjarto said today "Of course, I won't give in to pressure. Until we get a detailed, clear account of what the approximately 50-70 billion EUROS spent on Ukraine, was spent on, and until the OTP Bank is removed from the list of so-called International Sponsors of the War, there can be no question of making a decision about additional funds to finance armaments, or anything related to Ukraine."

■ Hungary vetoes EU aid for Ukraine, bloc delays decision on funds for Budapest (Reuters)

Germany is expected to fall far short of its ambitious “climate change” goals and will fail to comply with the globalist green agenda, according to reports. | Reuters is reporting that the German government is failing to meet the climate goals despite having spent more than $500 billion to reach them. Unfortunately for the taxpaying German public, the country isn’t even close to complying with the green agenda targets, even after the epic spending. Germany had pledged to meet targets to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 65 percent before 2030. The country also vowed to reach “Net Zero” carbon dioxide emissions by 2050. By 2025, the German government will have spent the equivalent of at least $580 billion toward achieving the goals that it is now forecasted to miss, according to Bloomberg.

In July, reports surfaced that India and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) signed an agreement that allowed the BRICS member (India) to use rupees instead of the US dollar when trading with the Middle Eastern nation. Last week, the first sale took place. | Energy company Indian Oil made payments in rupees for purchasing one million barrels of oil from the state-owned Abu Dhabi National Oil Company. ● India is not the only BRICS nation to purchase energy from the UAE without going through the US dollar. In March, the oil and gas company China National Offshore Oil Corporation reportedly paid in yuan to import 65,000 tons of liquified natural gas from the UAE. ● Meanwhile, in May, China revealed that it signed $582.3 billion worth of global currency settlement agreements that will exclusively use the yuan. The UAE is one of the countries that inked the deal with the Asian giant along with Russia, Venezuela, Oman, Bahrain, Qatar, Kuwait and Saudi Arabia. The recent moves of China and India underscore BRICS’ global effort to abandon the US dollar.

■ The Western propaganda machine claims BRICS is a ‘challenge to NATO’ and a ‘mortal threat’ – is this true?

Bigger BRICS family serves as powerful response to West-led hegemony, advocates for fair, multi-polar world | The BRICS countries welcomed six new members from three different continents on Thursday, marking a historic milestone that underscored the solidarity of BRICS and developing countries and determination to work together for a better future, officials and experts said. The expansion of the BRICS, as a new starting point for multilateral cooperation, will play a positive role for more equitable and just global governance, experts said. ● The BRICS countries have decided to invite six countries - Argentina, Egypt, Ethiopia, Iran, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates - to become new members of the grouping, South African President Cyril Ramaphosa said on Thursday. It will be the first expansion since 2010 and the new candidates will be admitted as members on January 1, 2024, according to media reports.

■ Western countries not welcome at BRICS – Moscow (RT.com)
■ Johannesburg BRICS declaration (FULL TEXT) (RT.com)

The BW Lesmes tanker carrying liquefied natural gas has collided with the Burri oil products tanker in the Suez Canal, the Marine Traffic tracking service said on Tuesday, citing an eye-witness. 💬 "MarineTraffic has received eye-witness report from the #SuezCanal that 2 tankers have collided. The reported incident involves the Burri, a Cayman island tanker, and the BW Lesmes, a Singapore flagged LNG tanker," the service said on X, formerly known as Twitter. ● The tracking service has also posted a video showing towing operations monitoring data, which revealed that Burri has already been towed away from BW Lesmes after the collision. As of 5:43 Moscow time (02:43 GMT), the vessels were located next to each other in the southern part of the Suez Canal.