GOLD PRICE CLOSED: UP 1.50   TO $2064.50

SILVER PRICE CLOSED: DOWN 9 cents  AT $23.73

Access prices: closes 4: 15 PM

Gold ACCESS CLOSED 2058.45

Silver ACCESS CLOSED: 23.68

Shanghai gold closed last night at  or $2066.70 /oz DEC 29

shanghai premium over usa $3.00

SHANGHAI GOLD PREMIUM OVER NY: 3 DOLLARS

Bitcoin morning price:, 45,392  UP 3392 DOLLARS

Bitcoin: afternoon price: $45,133 UP 3133 dollars

Platinum price closing  $987.60 DOWN  $5.80

Palladium price;     $1080.60 DOWN $24.40

END

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Due to the huge rise in the dollar, we must look at gold and silver in currencies other than the dollar to understand where we are heading

I will now provide gold in Canadian dollars, British pounds and Euros

4: 15 PM ACCESS

*CANADIAN GOLD: $2,743.54 UP $10.43 CDN dollars per oz( * NEW ALL TIME HIGH 2,795.90 CDN DOLLARS PER OZ//DEC 1 272023)

*BRITISH GOLD: 1631.35 UP 10.80 pounds per oz// *(NEW ALL TIME HIGH//CLOSING///1655.17 BRITISH POUNDS/OZ) OCT 2/2023

*EURO GOLD: 1881.55 UP 11.79 euros per oz //* (ALL TIME CLOSING HIGH: 1903.75 EUROS PER OZ//DEC 1.2023)

DONATE

Click here if you wish to send a donation. I sincerely appreciate it as this site takes a lot of preparation

EXCHANGE: COMEX

EXCHANGE: COMEX
CONTRACT: JANUARY 2024 COMEX 100 GOLD FUTURES
SETTLEMENT: 2,062.400000000 USD
INTENT DATE: 12/29/2023 DELIVERY DATE: 01/03/2024
FIRM ORG FIRM NAME ISSUED STOPPED

---

159 C MAREX CAPITAL M 1
365 H MAREX CAPITAL M 1
435 H SCOTIA CAPITAL 4
624 H BOFA SECURITIES 46
661 C JP MORGAN 15 6
737 C ADVANTAGE 31 3
905 C ADM 3

---

TOTAL: 55 55
MONTH TO DATE: 2,201

 JPMorgan stopped 6/55 contracts.

FOR JAN.:

GOLD: NUMBER OF NOTICES FILED FOR JAN/2023. CONTRACT:  55 NOTICES FOR 5500 OZ  or  0.1710 TONNES

total notices so far: 2201 contracts for 220100  oz (6.846 tonnes)

FOR  JANUARY:

SILVER NOTICES  9 NOTICE(S) FILED FOR 45,000 OZ/

total number of notices filed so far this month : 37  for 185,000 oz

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Click here if you wish to send a donation. I sincerely appreciate it as this site takes a lot of preparation

END

BOTH GLD AND SLV ARE FRAUDULENT VEHICLES

GLD

WITH GOLD UP $1.50//

INVESTORS SWITCHING TO SPROTT PHYSICAL  (PHYS) INSTEAD OF THE FRAUDULENT GLD/ : / HUGE CHANGES IN GOLD INVENTORY AT THE GLD: //A WITHDRAWAL OF 1.44 TONNES OF GOLD FROM THE GLD//

INVENTORY RESTS AT 879.11 TONNES

SLV//

WITH NO SILVER AROUND AND SILVER DOWN 9  CENTS  AT  THE SLV// HUGE CHANGES IN SILVER INVENTORY AT THE SLV: A WITHDRAWAL OF 915,000 OZ FORM THE SLV//

INVESTORS ARE SWITCHING SLV TO SPROTT’S PSLV.

CLOSING INVENTORY: 437.350 MILLION OZ

Let us have a look at the data for today

SILVER//OUTLINE

SILVER COMEX OI ROSE BY A  SMALL  SIZED 85 CONTRACTS TO 134,072 AND CLOSER TO  THE  RECORD HIGH OI OF 244,710, SET FEB 25/2020 AND THIS HUGE SIZED GAIN IN COMEX OI WAS ACCOMPLISHED DESPITE OUR LOSS OF  $0.29  IN SILVER PRICING AT THE COMEX ON FRIDAY. WE HAD A ZERO LONG LIQUIDATION WITH CONSIDERABLE T.A.S. LIQUIDATION (WITH HUGE SHORT COVERING BUT AT LOWER PRICES) AT THE COMEX SESSION.  WE HAD A HUGE 807 T.A.S ISSUANCE AND THESE WILL BE USED FOR MANIPULATION LATER THIS MONTH/AS WELL AS TODAY.

CRAIG HEMKE HAS POINTED OUT THAT THE CROOKS USE THE MID MONTH FOR MANIPULATION AS THEY SELL THEIR BUY SIDE OF THE CALENDAR SPREAD FIRST AND THEN KEEP THE SELL SIDE TO LIQUIDATE AT A LATER DATE.  THUS WE HAVE TWO VEHICLES THE CROOKS USE FOR MANIPULATION AND BOTH ARE SPREADERS:  1) AT MONTH’S END/SPREADERS COMEX AND 2/ TAS SPREADERS, MID MONTH. TOTAL TAS ISSUED ON FRIDAY NIGHT: 807 CONTRACTS. DESPITE MANY COMPLAINTS THAT THE CROOKS HAVE VIOLATED POSITION LIMITS DUE TO THE FACT THAT THE TAS ISSUED HAVE A VALUE  OF ZERO (AS TO POSITION LIMITS FOR OUR CROOKED BANKERS). THE PROBLEM OF COURSE IS THAT THE CROOKS DO NOT LIQUIDATE THE TAS TOGETHER BUT SELL THE BUY SIDE FIRST AND THEN LIQUIDATE THE SELL SIDE TWO MONTHS HENCE. IT IS OBVIOUS MANIPULATION TO THE HIGHEST DEGREE BUT IT NATURALLY FELL ON DEAF EARS WITH OUR REGULATORS (OCC) WHEN THEY RECEIVED OUR COMPLAINTS. IT THUS LOOKS LIKE THE FED (GOV’T) IS BEHIND ALL OF THESE TRADES.

WE HAVE NOW SET ANOTHER RECORD LOW AT 114,102 CONTRACTS ///JULY 3.2023//  OUR BANKERS WITH THE HELP OF SPECULATORS AND HIGH FREQUENCY TRADERS WERE SUCCESSFUL IN KNOCKING THE PRICE OF SILVER DOWN (IT FELL BY $0.29), BUT WERE UNSUCCESSFUL IN KNOCKING ANY SILVER LONGS AS WE HAD A GOOD SIZED GAIN OF 562  OI CONTRACTS ON OUR TWO EXCHANGES. 

WE  MUST HAVE HAD:

A SMALL SIZED 331 ISSUANCE OF EXCHANGE FOR PHYSICALS) iiii) AN  INITIAL SILVER STANDING FOR COMEX SILVER MEASURING AT 6.650 MILLION OZ (FIRST DAY NOTICE)    FOLLOWED BY TODAY’S SMALL 15,000 OZ QUEUE JUMP//

//NEW STANDING FOR SILVER IS THUS 6.665 MILLION OZ 

//SMALL  SIZED COMEX OI GAIN/ GOOD SIZED EFP ISSUANCE/ VI)   HUGE  SIZED NUMBER OF  T.A.S. CONTRACT ISSUANCE 807 CONTRACTS)/

 I AM NOW RECORDING THE DIFFERENTIAL IN OI FROM PRELIMINARY TO FINAL – REMOVED – 146 CONTRACTS (the cme will no longer provide preliminary no to be except through a paywall)

HISTORICAL ACCUMULATION OF EXCHANGE FOR PHYSICALS DEC. ACCUMULATION FOR EFP’S SILVER/JPMORGAN’S HOUSE OF BRIBES/STARTING FROM FIRST DAY/MONTH OF JAN

TOTAL CONTRACTS for 1 days, total 331 contracts:   OR 1.655MILLION OZ  (331 CONTRACTS PER DAY)

TOTAL EFP’S FOR THE MONTH SO FAR:  1.655 MILLION OZ

LAST 23 MONTHS TOTAL EFP CONTRACTS ISSUED  IN MILLIONS OF OZ:

MAY 137.83 MILLION

JUNE 149.91 MILLION OZ

JULY 129.445 MILLION OZ

AUGUST: MILLION OZ 140.120

SEPT. 28.230 MILLION OZ//

OCT:  94.595 MILLION OZ

NOV: 131.925 MILLION OZ

DEC: 100.615 MILLION OZ

YEAR 2022:

 JAN 2022-DEC 2022

JAN 2022//  90.460 MILLION OZ

FEB 2022:  72.39 MILLION OZ//

MARCH 2022: 207.140  MILLION OZ//A NEW RECORD FOR EFP ISSUANCE

APRIL: 114.52 MILLION OZ FINAL//LOW ISSUANCE

MAY: 105.635 MILLION OZ//

JUNE: 94.470 MILLION OZ

JULY : 87.110 MILLION OZ

AUGUST: 65.025 MILLION OZ

SEPT. 74.025 MILLION OZ///FINAL

OCT.  29.017 MILLION OZ FINAL

NOV: 134.290 MILLION OZ//FINAL

DEC, 61.395 MILLION OZ FINAL

TOTALS YR 2022: 1135.767 MILLION OZ (1.1356 BILLION OZ)

JAN 2023///   53.070 MILLION OZ //FINAL

FEB: 2023:       100.105 MILLION OZ/FINAL//MUCH STRONGER ISSUANCE VS THE LATTER TWO MONTHS.

MARCH 2023:  112.58 MILLION OZ//FINAL//STRONG ISSUANCE

APRIL  118.035 MILLION OZ(SLIGHTLY GREATER THAN THAN LAST MONTH)

MAY 66.120 MILLION OZ/INITIAL (MUCH SMALLER THIS MONTH)  

JUNE: 110.395 MILLION OZ//MUCH LARGER THAN LAST MONTH

JULY 85.745 MILLION OZ (SMALLER THAN LAST MONTH)

AUGUST: 171.43 MILLION OZ (THIS MONTH IS GOING TO BE HUGE //2ND HIGHEST ON RECORD

SEPT: 72.705 MILLION OZ (SMALLER THIS MONTH)

OCT: 97.455 MILLION OZ

NOV.  50.050 MILLION OZ 

DEC. 66.140 MILLION OZ//

TOTAL 2023: 1,104.10 MILLION OZ/

JAN: 1.655 MILLION OZ

RESULT: WE HAD A  SMALL SIZED INCREASE IN COMEX OI SILVER COMEX CONTRACTS OF 85  CONTRACTS WITH OUR STRONG LOSS IN PRICE OF SILVER PRICING AT THE COMEX//FRIDAY.,.  THE CME NOTIFIED US THAT WE HAD A GOOD EFP ISSUANCE  CONTRACTS: 331  ISSUED FOR FEB AND 0 CONTRACTS ISSUED FOR ALL OTHER MONTHS) WHICH  EXITED OUT OF THE SILVER COMEX  TO LONDON  AS FORWARDS.  WE HAVE A GOOD INITIAL SILVER OZ STANDING FOR JAN. OF  6.665 MILLION  OZ

NEW STANDING  6.665 million OZ   /// WE HAVE A GOOD SIZED GAIN OF 416 OI CONTRACTS ON THE TWO EXCHANGES DESPITE THE LOSS IN PRICE. THE TOTAL OF TAS INITIATED CONTRACTS TODAY:  A HUGE SIZED 807 CONTRACTS//CONSIDERABLE FRONT END OF THE TAS CONTRACTS WERE LIQUIDATED   DURING THE FRIDAY  COMEX SESSION WITH HUGE SHORT COVERINGS FROM OUR SPEC SHORTS.   THE NEW TAS ISSUANCE FRIDAY NIGHT  (807) WILL BE PUT INTO “THE BANK” TO BE COLLUSIVELY USED AT A LATER DATE., .

WE HAD 9 NOTICE(S) FILED TODAY FOR 45,000  OZ

THE SILVER COMEX IS NOW BEING ATTACKED FOR METAL BY LONDONERS ET AL.

GOLD//OUTLINE

IN GOLD, THE COMEX OPEN INTEREST FELL BY A FAIR  SIZED 1970 CONTRACTS  TO 498,192 AND FURTHER FROM THE RECORD (SET JAN 24/2020) AT 799,733  AND  PREVIOUS TO THAT: (SET JAN 6/2020) AT 797,110.

THE DIFFERENTIAL FROM PRELIMINARY OI TO FINAL OI IN GOLD TODAY:  +ADDED 74 CONTRACTS

WE HAD A FAIR  SIZED DECREASE  IN COMEX OI ( 1970 CONTRACTS) WITH OUR  $10.25 LOSS IN PRICE//FRIDAY. WE ALSO HAD A RATHER STRONG INITIAL STANDING IN GOLD TONNAGE FOR JAN. AT 8.214 TONNES ON FIRST DAY NOTICE  FOLLOWED BY TODAY’S 2800 OZ QUEUE JUMP//NEW STANDING: 8.3017 TONNES // ALL OF..THIS HAPPENED WITH OUR $10.25 LOSS IN PRICE  WITH RESPECT TO FRIDAY’S TRADING. WE HAD A SMALL SIZED LOSS  OF 298 OI CONTRACTS (0809) PAPER TONNES) ON OUR TWO EXCHANGES.

E.F.P. ISSUANCE

THE CME RELEASED THE DATA FOR EFP ISSUANCE AND IT TOTALED A FAIR SIZED 1745 CONTRACTS:

The NEW COMEX OI FOR THE GOLD COMPLEX RESTS AT 498,192

IN ESSENCE WE HAVE A SMALL SIZED DECREASE IN TOTAL CONTRACTS ON THE TWO EXCHANGES OF 225 CONTRACTS  WITH 1970  CONTRACTS DECREASED AT THE COMEX// AND A FAIR SIZED 1745 EFP OI CONTRACTS WHICH NAVIGATED OVER TO LONDON. THUS  TOTAL OI LOSS ON THE TWO EXCHANGES OF 225 CONTRACTS.. WE HAD THE FOLLOWING TAS CONTRACTS INITIATED (ISSUED):  A  FAIR 1607 CONTRACTS. 

CALCULATIONS ON GAIN/LOSS ON OUR TWO EXCHANGES

WE HAD A FAIR SIZED ISSUANCE IN EXCHANGE FOR PHYSICALS (1745 CONTRACTS) ACCOMPANYING THE  FAIR SIZED LOSS IN COMEX OI (1970) //TOTAL LOSS FOR OUR THE TWO EXCHANGES: 225 CONTRACTS. WE HAVE ( 1) NOW RETURNED TO OUR FORMER FORMAT OF BANKERS GOING LONG AND SPECULATORS GOING SHORT  ,2.) STRONG INITIAL STANDING AT THE GOLD COMEX FOR JAN AT 8.214 TONNES FOLLOWED BY TODAY’S 2800 OZ QUEUE JUMP//NEW STANDING 8.3017 TONNES.  / 3) LITTLE LONG LIQUIDATION AND  CONSIDERABLE TAS LIQUIDATION WITH SOME SHORT LIQUIDATION AT THE LOWER PRICES//    4)  FAIR SIZED COMEX OPEN INTEREST LOSS/ 5)    FAIR ISSUANCE OF EXCHANGE FOR PHYSICAL PAPER///6:  FAIR T.A.S.  ISSUANCE: 1607 CONTRACTS

HISTORICAL ACCUMULATION OF EXCHANGE FOR PHYSICALS IN 2023 INCLUDING TODAY

DEC

ACCUMULATION OF EFP’S GOLD AT J.P. MORGAN’S HOUSE OF BRIBES: (EXCHANGE FOR PHYSICAL) FOR THE MONTH OF DEC. :

TOTAL EFP CONTRACTS ISSUED: 1745 CONTRACTS OR 174,500 OZ OR 5.527 TONNES IN 1 TRADING DAY(S) AND THUS AVERAGING: 1745  EFP CONTRACTS PER TRADING DAY

TO GIVE YOU AN IDEA AS TO THE  SIZE OF THESE EFP TRANSFERS :  THIS MONTH IN 1 TRADING DAY(S) IN  TONNES  5.527 TONNES

TOTAL ANNUAL GOLD PRODUCTION, 2022, THROUGHOUT THE WORLD EX CHINA EX RUSSIA: 3555 TONNES

THUS EFP TRANSFERS REPRESENTS  5.527/3550 x 100% TONNES  0.154% OF GLOBAL ANNUAL PRODUCTION

ACCUMULATION OF GOLD EFP’S YEAR 2021 TO 2023

JANUARY/2021: 265.26 TONNES (RAPIDLY INCREASING AGAIN)

 FEB  :  171.24 TONNES  ( DEFINITELY SLOWING DOWN AGAIN)..

MARCH:.   276.50 TONNES (STRONG AGAIN/

APRIL:      189..44 TONNES  ( DRAMATICALLY SLOWING DOWN AGAIN//GOLD IN BACKWARDATION)

MAY:        250.15 TONNES  (NOW DRAMATICALLY INCREASING AGAIN)

JUNE:      247.54 TONNES (FINAL)

JULY:        188.73 TONNES FINAL

AUGUST:   217.89 TONNES FINAL ISSUANCE.

SEPT          142.12 TONNES FINAL ISSUANCE ( LOW ISSUANCE)_

OCT:           141.13 TONNES FINAL ISSUANCE (LOW ISSUANCE)

NOV:           312.46 TONNES FINAL ISSUANCE//NEW RECORD!! (INCREASING DRAMATICALLY)//SIGN OF REAL STRESS//SURPASSING THE MARCH 2021 RECORD OF 276.50 TONNES OF EFP

DEC.           175.62 TONNES//FINAL ISSUANCE//

TOTALS: 2,578.08 TONNES/2021

JAN:2022   247.25 TONNES //FINAL

FEB:           196.04 TONNES//FINAL

MARCH/2022:  409.30 TONNES //FINAL( THIS IS NOW A RECORD EFP ISSUANCE FOR MARCH AND FOR ANY MONTH.

APRIL:  169.55 TONNES (FINAL VERY  LOW ISSUANCE MONTH)

MAY:  247.44 TONNES FINAL//

JUNE: 238.13 TONNES  FINAL

JULY: 378.43 TONNES FINAL

AUGUST: 180.81 TONNES FINAL

SEPT. 193.16 TONNES FINAL

OCT:  177.57  TONNES FINAL ( MUCH SMALLER THAN LAST MONTH)

NOV.  223.98 TONNES//FINAL ( MUCH LARGER THAN PREVIOUS MONTHS//comex running out of physical)

DEC:  185.59 tonnes // FINAL

TOTAL: 2,847,25 TONNES/2022

JAN 2023:    228.49 TONNES FINAL//HUGE AMOUNT OF EFP’S ISSUED THIS MONTH!!

FEB: 151.61 TONNES/FINAL

MARCH: 280.09 TONNES/INITIAL (ANOTHER STRONG MONTH FOR EFP ISSUANCE)

APRIL: 197.42 TONNES

MAY: 236.67 TONNES (A VERY STRONG ISSUANCE FOR THIS MONTH)

JUNE: 172.667 TONNES (WEAKER ISSUANCE THIS MONTH)

JULY:  151.69 TONNES (WEAKER THAN LAST MONTH)

AUGUST:  195.28 TONNES (A STRONGER MONTH)//FINAL

SEPT: 254.709 TONNES (WILL BE LARGER THAN LAST MONTH AND A STRONG MONTH)

OCT. 248.09 TONNES. LIKE SILVER, THIS MONTH IS GOING TO BE A STRONG E.F.P. ISSUANCE.

NOV.   239.16 TONNES//WILL BE STRONG THIS MONTH,

DEC. 213.704 TONNES. A STRONG MONTH//

TOTAL FOR YEAR 2023: 2,569.57 TONNES VS  2578 TONNES LAST YEAR

JAN ’24: 55.27 TONNES

SPREADING OPERATIONS

(/NOW SWITCHING TO GOLD) FOR NEWCOMERS, HERE ARE THE DETAILS

SPREADING LIQUIDATION HAS NOW COMMENCED   AS WE HEAD TOWARDS THE  NEW  ACTIVE FRONT MONTH OF DEC. WE ARE NOW INTO THE SPREADING OPERATION OF  GOLD

HERE IS A BRIEF SYNOPSIS OF HOW THE CROOKS FLEECE UNSUSPECTING LONGS IN THE SPREADING ENDEAVOUR ;MODUS OPERANDI OF THE CORRUPT BANKERS AS TO HOW THEY HANDLE THEIR SPREAD OPEN INTERESTS:HERE IS HOW THE CROOKS USED SPREADING AS WE ARE NOW INTO THE  NON ACTIVE DELIVERY MONTH OF NOV HEADING TOWARDS THE  ACTIVE DELIVERY MONTH OF FEB., FOR  GOLD: AND MARCH FOR SILVER

YOU WILL ALSO NOTICE THAT THE COMEX OPEN INTEREST  STARTS TO RISE BUT SO IS THE OPEN INTEREST OF SPREADERS. THE OPEN INTEREST IN WILL CONTINUE TO RISE UNTIL ONE WEEK BEFORE FIRST DAY NOTICE OF AN UPCOMING  ACTIVE DELIVERY MONTH (FEB), AND THAT IS WHEN THE CROOKS SELL THEIR SPREAD POSITIONS BUT NOT AT THE SAME TIME OF THE DAY.  THEY WILL USE THE SELL SIDE OF THE EQUATION TO CREATE THE CASCADE (ALONG WITH THEIR COLLUSIVE FRIENDS) AND THEN COVER ON THE BUY SIDE OF THE SPREAD SITUATION AT THE END  OF THE DAY. THEY DO THIS TO AVOID POSITION LIMIT DETECTION. THE LIQUIDATION OF THE SPREADING FORMATION CONTINUES FOR EXACTLY ONE WEEK AND ENDS ON FIRST DAY NOTICE.”

WHAT IS ALARMING TO ME, ACCORDING TO OUR LONDON EXPERT ANDREW MAGUIRE IS THAT THESE EFP’S ARE BEING TRANSFERRED TO WHAT ARE CALLED SERIAL FORWARD CONTRACT OBLIGATIONS AND THESE CONTRACTS ARE LESS THAN 14 DAYS.  ANYTHING GREATER THAN 14 DAYS, THESE MUST BE RECORDED AND SENT TO THE COMPTROLLER, GREAT BRITAIN TO MONITOR RISK TO THE BANKING SYSTEM.  IF THIS IS INDEED TRUE, THEN THIS IS A MASSIVE CONSPIRACY TO DEFRAUD AS WE NOW WITNESS A MONSTROUS TOTAL EFP’S ISSUANCE AS IT HEADS INTO THE STRATOSPHERE.

The crooks also use the spread in the TAS  account  (trade at settlement).  They buy the spot TAS (e.g. June) and sell the future TAS two months out (e.g. August). Then they unload the front month (i.e. unload the buy side first so the price of gold/silver falls. This occurs in the middle  of the  front delivery month cycle. They unload the sell side of the equation, two months down the road.  The crooks violate position limits as the OCC refuse to hear our complaints.

First, here is an outline of what will be discussed tonight:

1.Today, we had the open interest at the comex, in SILVER ROSE BY A SMALL SIZED 85  CONTRACTS OI  TO  134,072 AND CLOSER TO THE COMEX HIGH RECORD //244,710(SET FEB 25/2020).  THE LAST RECORDS WERE SET  IN AUG.2018 AT 244,196 WITH A SILVER PRICE OF $14.78/(AUGUST 22/2018)..THE PREVIOUS RECORD TO THAT WAS SET ON APRIL 9/2018 AT 243,411 OPEN INTEREST CONTRACTS WITH THE SILVER PRICE AT THAT DAY: $16.53). AND PREVIOUS TO THAT, THE RECORD  WAS ESTABLISHED AT: 234,787 CONTRACTS, SET ON APRIL 21.2017 OVER  5 YEARS AGO.  HOWEVER WE HAVE NOW SET A NEW RECORD LOW OF 114,102 CONTRACTS JULY 3.2023

EFP ISSUANCE  331  CONTRACTS

OUR CUSTOMARY MIGRATION OF COMEX LONGS CONTINUE TO MORPH INTO LONDON FORWARDS  AS OUR BANKERS USED THEIR EMERGENCY PROCEDURE TO ISSUE:

MARCH  331  and ALL OTHER MONTHS: ZERO. TOTAL EFP ISSUANCE:  331  CONTRACTS. EFP’S GIVE OUR COMEX LONGS A FIAT BONUS PLUS A DELIVERABLE PRODUCT OVER IN LONDON.  IF WE TAKE THE  COMEX OI GAIN  OF 85 CONTRACTS AND ADD TO THE 331  OI TRANSFERRED TO LONDON THROUGH EFP’S,

WE OBTAIN A GOOD SIZED GAIN OF OPEN INTEREST CONTRACTS FROM OUR TWO EXCHANGES OF 416 CONTRACTS

THUS IN OUNCES, THE GAIN  ON THE TWO EXCHANGES  TOTAL 2.810 MILLION OZ 

OCCURRED DESPITE OUR $.29 LOSS IN PRICE …..

END

OUTLINE FOR TODAY’S COMMENTARY

1a/COMEX GOLD AND SILVER REPORT

(report Harvey)

b, ) Gold/silver trading overnight Europe,//GOLD COMMENTARIES

(Peter Schiff)

c) Commentaries from: Egon von Greyerz///Matthew Piepenburg via GoldSwitzerland.com, Pam and Russ Martens

ii a) Chris Powell of GATA provides to us very important physical commentaries

b. Other gold/silver commentaries

c. Commodity commentaries//

d)/CRYPTOCURRENCIES/BITCOIN ETC

2.ASIAN AFFAIRS//

TUESDAY MORNING/MONDAY  NIGHT

SHANGHAI CLOSED DOWN 12.66 PTS OR 0.43%  //Hang Seng CLOSED DOWN 259.88 PTSOR 1.52%          /The Nikkei CLOSED  //Australia’s all ordinaries CLOSED UP .48%    /Chinese yuan (ONSHORE) closed DOWN AT 7.1422   /OFFSHORE CHINESE YUAN CLOSED DOWN TO 7.1468 /Oil UP TO 73.35 dollars per barrel for WTI and BRENT  UP AT 78.81/ Stocks in Europe OPENED ALL MIXED// ONSHORE YUAN TRADING ABOVE LEVEL OF OFFSHORE YUAN/ONSHORE YUAN  TRADING WEAKER AGAINST US DOLLAR/OFFSHORE WEAKER

A)NORTH KOREA/SOUTH KOREA

outline

b) REPORT ON JAPAN/
OUTLINE

3  CHINA
OUTLINE

4/EUROPEAN AFFAIRS
OUTLINE

5. RUSSIAN AND MIDDLE EASTERN AFFAIRS
OUTLINE

6.Global Issues//COVID ISSUES/VACCINE ISSUES
OUTLINE

7. OIL ISSUES
OUTLINE

8 EMERGING MARKET ISSUES
9. USA

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

1. COMEX DATA//AMOUNTS STANDING//VOLUME OF TRADING/INVENTORY MOVEMENTS

GOLD

 LET US BEGIN:

THE TOTAL COMEX GOLD OPEN INTEREST FELL  BY A FAIR SIZED 1970 CONTRACTS  TO  498,192 WITH OUR LOSS IN PRICE OF $10.25 WITH RESPECT TO FRIDAY TRADING. WE MUST HAVE HAD MINOR LONG SPEC LIQUIDATIONS IN THE  COMEX SESSION WITH SOME SPEC SHORT COVERINGS DURING FRIDAY’S  FALL IN PRICE.

EXCHANGE FOR PHYSICAL ISSUANCE

WE ARE NOW IN THE NON  ACTIVE DELIVERY MONTH OF JAN..…  THE CME REPORTS THAT THE BANKERS ISSUED A FAIR SIZED  TRANSFER THROUGH THE EFP ROUTE AS THESE LONGS RECEIVED A DELIVERABLE LONDON FORWARD TOGETHER WITH A FIAT BONUS.,

THAT IS 1745  EFP CONTRACTS WERE ISSUED: :  FEB 1745 & ZERO FOR ALL OTHER MONTHS:

TOTAL EFP ISSUANCE: 1745 CONTRACTS

ON A NET BASIS IN OPEN INTEREST WE LOST THE FOLLOWING TODAY ON OUR TWO EXCHANGES: A SMALL SIZED TOTAL OF 225  CONTRACTS IN THAT 1745 LONGS WERE TRANSFERRED AS FORWARDS TO LONDON AND WE HAD A  FAIR SIZED LOSS OF 2044 COMEX  CONTRACTS..AND  THIS SMALL LOSS ON OUR TWO EXCHANGES HAPPENED WITH OUR LOSS IN PRICE OF $10.25//FRIDAY COMEX.  AS PER OUR NEWBIE TRADE AT SETTLEMENT (TAS) MANIPULATION OPERATION (WHICH CRAIG HEMKE HAS POINTED OUT HAPPENS DURING MID MONTH IN THE DELIVERY CYCLE), THE CME REPORTS THAT THE TOTAL T.A.S. ISSUANCE FOR FRIDAY NIGHT WAS A GOOD SIZED   1607 CONTRACTS.  THROUGHOUT THE PAST SEVERAL WEEKS, THE BANKERS SOLD OFF THE LONG SIDE OF THE SPREAD WHICH  OF COURSE CONTINUES TO MANIPULATE THE PRICE OF GOLD SOUTHBOUND. (THEY KEEP THE SHORT SIDE OF THE CALENDAR SPREAD WHICH WILL BE LIQUIDATED TWO MONTHS HENCE)//. 

// WE HAVE A LIGHT AMOUNT OF GOLD TONNAGE STANDING:   JAN  (8.301 TONNES)  ( NON  ACTIVE MONTH)

HERE ARE THE AMOUNTS THAT STOOD FOR DELIVERY IN THE PRECEDING 12 MONTHS OF 2021-2022:

DEC 2021: 112.217 TONNES

NOV.  8.074 TONNES

OCT.    57.707 TONNES

SEPT: 11.9160 TONNES

AUGUST: 80.489 TONNES

JULY: 7.2814 TONNES

JUNE:  72.289 TONNES

MAY 5.77 TONNES

APRIL  95.331 TONNES

MARCH 30.205 TONNES

FEB ’21. 113.424 TONNES

JAN ’21: 6.500 TONNES.

TOTAL  YEAR  2021 (JAN- DEC): 601.213 TONNES

YEAR 2022:

JANUARY 2022  17.79 TONNES

FEB 2022: 59.023 TONNES

MARCH: 36.678 TONNES

APRIL: 85.340 TONNES FINAL.

MAY: 20.11 TONNES FINAL

JUNE: 74.933 TONNES FINAL

JULY 29.987 TONNES FINAL

AUGUST:104.979 TONNES//FINAL

SEPT.  38.1158 TONNES

OCT:  77.390 TONNES/ FINAL

NOV 27.110 TONNES/FINAL

Dec. 64.000 tonnes

(TOTAL  YEAR 656.076 TONNES)

2023:

JAN/2023:    20.559 tonnes

FEB 2023: 47.744 tonnes

MAR:  19.0637 TONNES

APRIL: 75.676  tonnes

MAY: 19.094 TONNES + 1.244 tonnes of exchange for risk =  20.338

JUNE: 64.354 TONNES

JULY: 10.2861 TONNES

AUGUST: 38.855 TONNES(INCLUDING .6842 EXCHANGE FOR RISK)

SEPT: 15.281 TONNES FINAL

OCT.    35.869 TONNES + 1.665 EXCHANGE FOR RISK =37.0355 tonnes

NOV: 18.7122 TONNES + 16.2505 EX. FOR RISK   = 34.9627 TONNES

DEC. 47.073 + 4.634 TONNES OF EXCHANGE FOR RISK =  51.707TONNES

TOTAL 2023 YEAR : 436.546 TONNES

JAN ’24. 8.301 TONNES

THE SPECS/HFT WERE SUCCESSFUL IN LOWERING GOLD’S PRICE( IT LOST $10.25) //// BUT WERE UNSUCCESSFUL IN KNOCKING ANY  SPECULATOR LONGS AS  WE HAD ONLY SMALL SIZED LOSS OF 225 TOTAL CONTRACTS ON OUR TWO EXCHANGES. WE HAD A GOOD T.A.S. LIQUIDATION ON THE FRONT END OF FRIDAY’S TRADING .   THE T.A.S. ISSUED ON FRIDAY NIGHT, WILL BE “PUT INTO THE BANK” TO BE USED AT A LATER DATE AT THE COLLUSIVE CHOOSING OF OUR BANKERS. WE ALSO EXPERIENCED  CONSIDERABLE SPECULATOR SHORT COVERING 

WE HAVE LOST A TOTAL OI OF 0.9300 PAPER TONNES FROM OUR TWO EXCHANGES, ACCOMPANYING OUR INITIAL  GOLD TONNAGE STANDING FOR JAN. (8,214 TONNES) ON FIRST DAY NOTICE FOLLOWED BY TODAY’S  2800 OZ QUEUE JUMP (.0809 TONNES)/ ALL OF THIS WAS ACCOMPLISHED WITH OUR LOSS IN PRICE  TO THE TUNE OF $10.25.  

WE HAD = added 74 CONTRACTS  TO THE  COMEX TRADES TO OPEN INTEREST (CROOKS)

NET LOSS ON THE TWO EXCHANGES 225 CONTRACTS OR 22500 OZ OR 0.6998 TONNES.

Estimated gold volume today:// 158,164 dreadful

final gold volumes/yesterday  116,666 dreadful

//speculators have left the gold arena

JAN 2  INITIAL

/ /// THE JAN  2023 GOLD CONTRACT

Gold	Ounces
Withdrawals from Dealers Inventory in oz	nil
Withdrawals from Customer Inventory in oz	nil OZ           .
Deposit to the Dealer Inventory in oz	nil
Deposits to the Customer Inventory, in oz	nil oz
No of oz served (contracts) today	55  notice(s) 5500 OZ 0,1710 TONNES
No of oz to be served (notices)	468  contracts    46,800 oz 1.455TONNES
Total monthly oz gold served (contracts) so far this month	2201  notices 220,100 oz 6.846 TONNES
Total accumulative withdrawals of gold from the Dealers inventory this month	NIL oz
Total accumulative withdrawal of gold from the Customer inventory this month	x

0 dealer deposit:

total dealer deposits:  nil oz

customer deposits: 0

we had  0 withdrawals

total withdrawals nil oz

Adjustments; 1

i)Brinks//customer removal 578.718 oz (18 kilobars) why is this not a withdrawal?

CALCULATIONS FOR THE AMOUNT OF GOLD STANDING FOR JAN.

For the front month of JANUARY we have an oi of 523  contracts having LOST 2118 contracts.  We had 2146 notices served on Friday, so we gained

28 contracts or an additional 2800 oz will stand for delivery at the comex  

FEB LOST 2212 CONTRACTS FALLING TO 379,406

March gained its initial 3 contracts to stand at 3.

APRIL GAINED 2429 CONTRACTS RISING TO 64,431,

We had  55 contracts filed for today representing  5500    oz  

Today, 0 notice(s) were issued from J.P.Morgan dealer account and 12  notices were issued from their client or customer account. The total of all issuance by all participants equate to  55   contract(s) of which 0   notices were stopped (received) by  j.P. Morgan dealer and 6 notice(s) was (were) stopped  ( received) by J.P.Morgan//customer account   and 0 notice(s) received (stopped) by the squid  (Goldman Sachs)

To calculate the INITIAL total number of gold ounces standing for the JAN. /2023. contract month, we take the total number of notices filed so far for the month (2,201 x 100 oz ), to which we add the difference between the open interest for the front month of  JAN. (523 CONTRACTS)  minus the number of notices served upon today  55 x 100 oz per contract equals  266,900 OZ  OR 8.301 TONNES 

thus the INITIAL standings for gold for the JAN. contract month:  No of notices filed so far (2,201) x 100 oz +  (523) {OI for the front month} minus the number of notices served upon today (55)  x 100 oz) which equals  266,900 oz standing OR 8.301 TONNES 

TOTAL COMEX GOLD STANDING FOR JAN: 8.301 TONNES WHICH IS GREAT FOR AN INACTIVE DELIVERY MONTH IN THE CALENDAR.  

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

COMEX GOLD INVENTORIES/CLASSIFICATION

NEW PLEDGED GOLD:

241,794.285 oz NOW PLEDGED /HSBC  5.94 TONNES

204,937.290 PLEDGED  MANFRA 3.08 TONNES

83,657.582 PLEDGED JPMorgan no 1  1.690 tonnes

265,999.054, oz  JPM No 2 

1,152,376.639 oz pledged  Brinks/

Manfra:  33,758.550 oz

Delaware: 193.721 oz

International Delaware::  11,188.542 oz

total pledged gold: 1,571,592.770  OZ   48.88 tonnes

TOTAL OF ALL GOLD ELIGIBLE AND REGISTERED GOLD:  20,040,436.014 OZ  

TOTAL REGISTERED GOLD 10,253,267.729  (318,91  tonnes).

TOTAL OF ALL ELIGIBLE GOLD: 9,787,168.285 OZ  

REGISTERED GOLD THAT CAN BE SERVED UPON: 8,681.000 oz (REG GOLD- PLEDGED GOLD) 270,01 tonnes

END

SILVER/COMEX

JAN 2/INITIAL

//2023// THE JAN 2023 SILVER CONTRACT//INITIAL

Silver	Ounces
Withdrawals from Dealers Inventory	NIL oz
Withdrawals from Customer Inventory	4,127.629 oz Delaware Brinks .
Deposits to the Dealer Inventory	nil OZ
Deposits to the Customer Inventory	587,810.200  oz Manfra
No of oz served today (contracts)	9 CONTRACT(S)    (45,000 OZ)
No of oz to be served (notices)	1296 contracts  (6,480,000 oz)
Total monthly oz silver served (contracts)	37 Contracts  (185,000 oz)
Total accumulative withdrawal of silver from the Dealers inventory this month	NIL oz
Total accumulative withdrawal of silver from the Customer inventory this month

i)  0 dealer  deposit

total dealer deposit: nil oz

i) We had  0 dealer withdrawal

total dealer withdrawals: 0 oz

We had  1 deposits customer account:

i) Into Manfra 587,810.200 oz

total customer deposits:  587,810.200   oz

JPMorgan has a total silver weight: 133.1390  million oz/278.453 million  or 47.84%

Comex withdrawals

Out of Delaware: 3045.269oz

ii) Out of Brinks 1,081.369 oz

total withdrawals 4,127,629 oz

TOTAL REGISTERED SILVER: 44.193 MILLION OZ//.TOTAL REG + ELIGIBLE. 278,653 million oz

CALCULATIONS FOR THE NEW STANDING FOR SILVER FOR DECEMBER:

silver open interest data:

FRONT MONTH OF JAN. /2023 OI: 1305  CONTRACTS HAVING LOST 25  CONTRACT(S).  WE HAD 28 NOTICES SERVED ON FRIDAY, SO WE GAINED 3 CONTRACTS OR AN ADDITIONAL 15,000 OZ WILL STAND FOR DELIVERY AT THE COMEX.

FEB GAINED 14 CONTRACTS TO STAND AT 639

MARCH LOST 457 CONTRACTS TO 110,653

TOTAL NUMBER OF NOTICES FILED FOR TODAY: 9 for 45,000  oz

Comex volumes// est. volume today   47,633// poor

Comex volume: confirmed yesterday 50,310 fair

To calculate the number of silver ounces that will stand for delivery in JAN. we take the total number of notices filed for the month so far at 37 x  5,000 oz = 185,000 oz 

to which we add the difference between the open interest for the front month of JAN. (1305) and the number of notices served upon today  9  x (5000 oz) equals the number of ounces standing.

Thus the  standings for silver for the DEC/2023 contract month:  37 (notices served so far) x 5000 oz + OI for the front month of JAN. (1305) – number of notices served upon today (9 )x 500 oz of silver standing for the JAN  contract month equates to 6.665 MILLION OZ.   

 New total standing: 6.6650 million oz.

There are 44.193 million oz of registered silver.

The record level of silver open interest is 234,787 contracts set on April 21./2017 with the price on that day at $18.42. The previous record was 224,540 contracts with the price at that time of $20.44

END

GLD AND SLV INVENTORY LEVELS//

BOTH GLD AND SLV ARE MASSIVE FRAUDS!

JAN 2/WITH GOLD UP $1.50  TODAY: HUGE CHANGES IN GOLD INVENTORY AT THE GLD: A WITHDRAWAL OF 1.44 TONNES OF GOLD INTO THE GLD///. // INVENTORY RESTS AT 879.11 TONNES

DEC 29/WITH GOLD DOWN $10.25  TODAY: HUGE CHANGES IN GOLD INVENTORY AT THE GLD: A WITHDRAWAL OF 1.16 TONNES OF GOLD INTO THE GLD///. // INVENTORY RESTS AT 880.55 TONNES

DEC 28/WITH GOLD DOWN $8.35  TODAY: HUGE CHANGES IN GOLD INVENTORY AT THE GLD: A DEPOSIT OF 1.45 TONNES OF GOLD INTO THE GLD///. // INVENTORY RESTS AT 881.71 TONNES

DEC 27/WITH GOLD UP $23.25  TODAY: HUGE CHANGES IN GOLD INVENTORY AT THE GLD: A DEPOSIT OF 2.01 TONNES OF GOLD INTO THE GLD///. // INVENTORY RESTS AT 880.26 TONNES

DEC 26/WITH GOLD UP $1.25  TODAY: NO CHANGES IN GOLD INVENTORY AT THE GLD:/. // INVENTORY RESTS AT 878.25 TONNES

DEC 22/WITH GOLD UP $17,85  TODAY: NO CHANGES IN GOLD INVENTORY AT THE GLD:/. // INVENTORY RESTS AT 878.25 TONNES

DEC 21/WITH GOLD UP $5.10  TODAY: HUGE CHANGES IN GOLD INVENTORY AT THE GLD:A DEPOSIT .58 TONNES OF 2.02 TONNES OF GOLD INTO THE GLD//. // INVENTORY RESTS AT 878.25 TONNES

DEC 20/WITH GOLD DOWN $3.60  TODAY: HUGE CHANGES IN GOLD INVENTORY AT THE GLD:A WITHDRAWAL OF 2.02 TONNES OF GOLD FROM THE GLD//. // INVENTORY RESTS AT 877.67 TONNES

DEC19/WITH GOLD UP $12.15  TODAY: NO CHANGES IN GOLD INVENTORY AT THE GLD:. // INVENTORY RESTS AT 879.69 TONNES

DEC18/WITH GOLD UP $5.50  TODAY: HUGE CHANGES IN GOLD INVENTORY AT THE GLD:. /A DEPOSIT OF 173 TONNES INTO THE GLD// INVENTORY RESTS AT 879.69 TONNES

DEC14/WITH GOLD UP $47.35  TODAY: HUGE CHANGES IN GOLD INVENTORY AT THE GLD:. /A DEPOSIT OF 2.42 TONNES FROM THE GLD// INVENTORY RESTS AT 877.96 TONNES

DEC13/WITH GOLD UP $3.90  TODAY: HUGE CHANGES IN GOLD INVENTORY AT THE GLD:. /A WITHDRAWAL OF 2.89 TONNES FROM THE GLD// INVENTORY RESTS AT 875,65 TONNES

DEC12/WITH GOLD DOWN $0.60  TODAY: HUGE CHANGES IN GOLD INVENTORY AT THE GLD:. /A WITHDRAWAL OF 2.01 TONNES FROM THE GLD// INVENTORY RESTS AT 878.54 TONNES

DEC11/WITH GOLD DOWN $21.20  TODAY: NO CHANGES IN GOLD INVENTORY AT THE GLD:. // / / // INVENTORY RESTS AT 880.55 TONNES

DEC 8/WITH GOLD DOWN $30,80  TODAY: SMALL CHANGES IN GOLD INVENTORY AT THE GLD:. // / / // A WITHDRAWAL OF .28 TONNES OF GOLD FROM THE GLD/// INVENTORY RESTS AT 880.55 TONNES

DEC 7/WITH GOLD DOWN $.20  TODAY: NO CHANGES IN GOLD INVENTORY AT THE GLD:. // / / // // INVENTORY RESTS AT 880.83 TONNES

DEC 6/WITH GOLD UP $11.70  TODAY:SMALL CHANGES IN GOLD INVENTORY AT THE GLD: A WITHDRAWAL OF 0.29 TONNES OF GOLD FROM THE GLD. // / / // // INVENTORY RESTS AT 880.83 TONNES

DEC 5/WITH GOLD DOWN $5.85  TODAY:HUGE CHANGES IN GOLD INVENTORY AT THE GLD: A DEPOSIT OF 2.30 TONNES OF GOLD FROM THE GLD. // / / // // INVENTORY RESTS AT 881.12 TONNES

DEC 4/WITH GOLD DOWN $43.15  TODAY:HUGE CHANGES IN GOLD INVENTORY AT THE GLD: A DEPOSIT OF 2.31 TONNES OF GOLD FROM THE GLD. // / / // // INVENTORY RESTS AT 878.82 TONNES

DEC 1/WITH GOLD UP $32.05  TODAY:HUGE CHANGES IN GOLD INVENTORY AT THE GLD: A WITHDRAWAL OF 2.02 TONNES OF GOLD FROM THE GLD. // / / // // INVENTORY RESTS AT 876.51 TONNES

NOV 30/WITH GOLD DOWN $8.70  TODAY:HUGE CHANGES IN GOLD INVENTORY AT THE GLD: A WITHDRAWAL OF 2.02 TONNES OF GOLD FROM THE GLD. // / / // // INVENTORY RESTS AT 878.53 TONNES

NOV 29/WITH GOLD UP $7.20 TODAY:HUGE CHANGES IN GOLD INVENTORY AT THE GLD: A WITHDRAWAL OF 1.73 TONNES OF GOLD FROM THE GLD. // / / // // INVENTORY RESTS AT 880.55 TONNES

NOV 28/WITH GOLD UP $26.45 TODAY:NO CHANGES IN GOLD INVENTORY AT THE GLD: // / / // // INVENTORY RESTS AT 882.28 TONNE

NOV 27/WITH GOLD UP $9,85 TODAY:NO CHANGES IN GOLD INVENTORY AT THE GLD: // / / // // INVENTORY RESTS AT 882.28 TONNES

NOV 24/WITH GOLD UP $11.20 TODAY:HUGE CHANGES IN GOLD INVENTORY AT THE GLD: A WITHDRAWAL OF 1.15 TONNES OF GOLD FROM THE GLD// / / // // INVENTORY RESTS AT 882.28 TONNES

NOV 22/WITH GOLD DOWN $8.45 TODAY:NO CHANGES IN GOLD INVENTORY AT THE GLD / / // // INVENTORY RESTS AT 883.43 TONNES

NOV 21/WITH GOLD UP $21.65 TODAY:NO CHANGES IN GOLD INVENTORY AT THE GLD / / // // INVENTORY RESTS AT 883.43 TONNES

NOV 20/WITH GOLD DOWN $4.15 TODAY:HUGE CHANGES IN GOLD INVENTORY AT THE GLD A MAMMOTH DEPOSIT OF 12.98 TONNES INTO THE GLD:/ / // // INVENTORY RESTS AT 883.43 TONNES

GLD INVENTORY: 879.11 TONNES

Now the SLV Inventory/( vehicle is a fraud as there is no physical metal behind them

JAN 2/WITH SILVER DOWN 9 CENTS TODAY HUGE CHANGES IN SILVER INVENTORY AT THE SLV/: A WITHDRAWALOF 915,000 OZ FORM THE SLV././/////INVENTORY RESTS AT 437.35 MILLION OZ

DEC  29/WITH SILVER DOWN 29 CENTS TODAY NO CHANGES IN SILVER INVENTORY AT THE SLV/: //////INVENTORY RESTS AT 438.265 MILLION OZ

DEC  28/WITH SILVER DOWN 25 CENTS TODAY NO CHANGES IN SILVER INVENTORY AT THE SLV/: //////INVENTORY RESTS AT 438.265 MILLION OZ

DEC  27/WITH SILVER UP 20 CENTS TODAY:HUGE CHANGES IN SILVER INVENTORY AT THE SLV/: A WITHDRAWAL OF 1.374 MILLION OZ FROM THE SLV//////INVENTORY RESTS AT 438.265 MILLION OZ

THIS IS THE 3RD STRAIGHT DAY THAT THE SLV HAS ENGAGED IN WITHDRAWALS

DEC  26/WITH SILVER DOWN 14 CENTS TODAY:HUGE CHANGES IN SILVER INVENTORY AT THE SLV/: A WITHDRAWAL OF 1.465 MILLION OZ FROM THE SLV//////INVENTORY RESTS AT 439.639 MILLION OZ

DEC  22/WITH SILVER UP 0 CENTS TODAY:HUGE CHANGES IN SILVER INVENTORY AT THE SLV/: A WITHDRAWAL OF 2.289 MILLION OZ FROM THE SLV//////INVENTORY RESTS AT 441.104 MILLION OZ

DEC  21/WITH SILVER DOWN 2 CENTS TODAY:NO CHANGES IN SILVER INVENTORY AT THE SLV/: NO CHANGES IN SILVER INVENTORY AT THE SLV//////INVENTORY RESTS AT 443.393 MILLION OZ

DEC  20/WITH SILVER UP 28 CENTS TODAY:NO CHANGES IN SILVER INVENTORY AT THE SLV/: NO CHANGES IN SILVER INVENTORY AT THE SLV//////INVENTORY RESTS AT 443.393 MILLION OZ

DEC  19/WITH SILVER UP 27 CENTS TODAY:BIG CHANGES IN SILVER INVENTORY AT THE SLV/: A MASSIVE DEPOSIT OF 2.747 MILLION OZ INTO THE SLV////INVENTORY RESTS AT 443.393 MILLION OZ

DEC  18/WITH SILVER DOWN 9 CENTS TODAY:BIG CHANGES IN SILVER INVENTORY AT THE SLV/: A WITHDRAWAL OF 0.794 MILLION OZ FROM THE SLV////INVENTORY RESTS AT 440.646 MILLION OZ

DEC  14/WITH SILVER DOWN 8 CENTS TODAY:BIG CHANGES IN SILVER INVENTORY AT THE SLV/: A MASSIVE WITHDRAWAL OF 3.00000 MILLION OZ FROM THE SLV////INVENTORY RESTS AT 441.470 MILLION OZ

DEC  13/WITH SILVER DOWN 8 CENTS TODAY:BIG CHANGES IN SILVER INVENTORY AT THE SLV/: A DEPOSIT OF 10.326 MILLION OZ FROM THE SLV////INVENTORY RESTS AT 444.470 MILLION OZ

DEC  12/WITH SILVER DOWN 5 CENTS TODAY:BIG CHANGES IN SILVER INVENTORY AT THE SLV/: A WITHDRAWAL OF 594,000 OZ FROM THE SLV////INVENTORY RESTS AT 434.144 MILLION OZ

DEC  11/WITH SILVER DOWN 19 CENTS TODAY:NO CHANGES IN SILVER INVENTORY AT THE SLV/: A ////INVENTORY RESTS AT 434.735 MILLION OZ

DEC  8/WITH SILVER DOWN 80 CENTS TODAY:NO CHANGES IN SILVER INVENTORY AT THE SLV/: A DEPOSIT OF 1.648 MILLION OZ INTO THE SLV////INVENTORY RESTS AT 434.735 MILLION OZ

DEC  7/WITH SILVER DOWN 15 CENTS TODAY:NO CHANGES IN SILVER INVENTORY AT THE SLV/: // //://// //INVENTORY RESTS AT 433.090 MILLION OZ

DEC  6/WITH SILVER DOWN 25 CENTS TODAY:NO CHANGES IN SILVER INVENTORY AT THE SLV/: // //://// //INVENTORY RESTS AT 433.090 MILLION OZ

DEC  5/WITH SILVER DOWN 34 CENTS TODAY:SMALL CHANGES IN SILVER INVENTORY AT THE SLV/: A WITHDRAWAL OF 0.305 MILLION OZ FROM THE SLV// //://// //INVENTORY RESTS AT 433.090 MILLION OZ

DEC  4/WITH SILVER DOWN 90 CENTS TODAY:HUGE CHANGES IN SILVER INVENTORY AT THE SLV/: A WITHDRAWAL OF 0.7333 MILLION OZ FROM THE SLV// //://// //INVENTORY RESTS AT 433.395 MILLION OZ

DEC  1/WITH SILVER UP 15 CENTS TODAY:HUGE CHANGES IN SILVER INVENTORY AT THE SLV/: A WITHDRAWAL OF 1.923 MILLION OZ FROM THE SLV// //://// //INVENTORY RESTS AT 434.128 MILLION OZ

NOV 30/WITH SILVER UP 20 CENTS TODAY:NO CHANGES IN SILVER INVENTORY AT THE SLV/ //://// //INVENTORY RESTS AT 436.051 MILLION OZ

CLOSING INVENTORY 437.350 MILLION OZ//

PHYSICAL GOLD/SILVER COMMENTARIES

1:Peter Schiff/Mike Maharrey

END

2,c) Commentaries from: Egon von Greyerz///Matthew Piepenburg via GoldSwitzerland.com, Pam and Russ Martens, John Rubino

END

3. CHRIS POWELL//GATA GOLD COMMENTARIES:

A must read…

Ted Butler

Ted Butler: No letup yet in silver price suppression

Submitted by admin on Fri, 2023-12-29 09:41Section: Daily Dispatches

By Ted Butler
SilverSeek.com
Friday, December 29, 2023

It seems to me that the forces at play in silver, both working for and against sharply higher prices, show no signs of letting up. However, common sense and logic dictate that such diametrically-opposed forces point to an eventual end to the stalemate — with the only real question being when. Since these opposing forces have been in play for 40 years, they have taken on a life of their own and the purpose of this review is a brief overview and summary.

Let me start with the forces that have worked to suppress and manipulate the price of silver to be much lower than any objective analysis would suggest, both on an absolute basis and relative to just about any other commodity or asset, most specifically, gold. 

The direct cause of silver’s 40-year price suppression is collusive commercial (mostly bank) paper positioning on the Comex, the world’s leading precious metals derivatives exchange. …

… For the remainder of the analysis:

https://silverseek.com/article/no-let

No Let Up

December 29, 2023

Ted Butler

Butler Research

482Shares

It seems to me that the forces at play in silver, both working for and against sharply higher prices, show no signs of letting up. However, common sense and logic dictate that such diametrically-opposed forces point to an eventual end to the stalemate – with the only real question being when. Since these opposing forces have been in play for 40 years, they have taken on a life of their own and the purpose of this review is a brief overview and summary.

Let me start with the forces that have worked to suppress and manipulate the price of silver to be much lower than any objective analysis would suggest, both on an absolute basis and relative to just about any other commodity or asset, most specifically, gold. The direct cause of silver’s 40-year price suppression is collusive commercial (mostly bank) paper positioning on the COMEX, the world’s leading precious metals derivatives exchange.

So pervasive is the influence of silver pricing on the COMEX, that it has become the sole price-setter for silver throughout the world. Now there are suggestions that the world silver price-setting mechanism may be shifting (say, to China), so I would agree the moment the control of the COMEX changes in any meaningful way, the decades-old price suppression will have ended – although I don’t personally suspect it will be due to China.

The key to the control and suppression of silver prices on the COMEX by the collusive commercials has been the willingness of their principal counterparties, the managed money traders, to be led into and out from futures contract positions by contrived and rigged-price signals. So, while there have been significant and quite sharp silver price rallies from time to time over the scope of 40 years, the collusive COMEX commercials have mostly prevailed with the end result being that that the price of silver is near-universally considered to be extremely under-valued.

But the collusive COMEX commercials have not succeeded in dominating and controlling silver prices for 40 years in a vacuum, as they have enjoyed critically-important assistance from none other than those whose main mission is to ensure markets, such as COMEX silver futures, are free from the practices and manipulation clearly evident to have occurred. Sad as it is to say, not only has the primary federal regulator, the Commodity Futures Trading Commission, looked away and sanctioned the decades-old COMEX silver price manipulation, but over time, assistance to the forces of price suppression has come to include the Department of Justice and the US Treasury Dept., among other government agencies – all of which require an oath of office to uphold the law by key officials. Plus, there is the designated industry self-regulator, the CME Group, which has also been highly negligent and complicit in not ending the blatant COMEX silver price manipulation, but, at least, no one there ever took an oath to uphold the law.

I still maintain that those supposed to enforce and uphold the law and have failed to do so for decades can’t do so now because that would bring great shame on all these organizations, government and otherwise, for failing to have done so previously. That plus the fact that the principal agents of the COMEX silver manipulation over time, like JPMorgan, just happen to be systemically-important financial institutions, generally treated with kid gloves by the regulators. All these supposed-regulators are just as responsible and guilty as a primary force in not letting up on the continued price suppression of silver – along with the collusive COMEX commercials.

Admittedly, the forces intent on keeping a firm cap on silver prices are not only powerful, but show no signs of letting up and if there were any other plausible explanation for why silver prices have remained so depressed for decades, I’m sure those explanations would be apparent  by now. Instead, as I’ve indicated, there is now a near-universal agreement that silver prices are too low – with more than ever pointing to an artificial price control emanating from the COMEX. As powerful as this growing consensus should prove to be, there are other remarkably strong forces clashing against the forces of continued silver price suppression, which also feature every sign of not letting up.

The strongest force pointing to sharply higher silver prices just happens to be the strongest primal force in economics – the law of supply and demand. The law of supply and demand dictates that whenever the current supply of any commodity is insufficient in meeting current demand, then it is only a matter of time before the depletion of existing inventories required to meet the shortfall between current supply and demand is complete. At the point of true inventory depletion, then the law of supply and demand dictates that prices must rise sufficiently to increase supply and decrease demand to the point of inventory replenishment.

Since there can be no question that the law of supply and demand in silver cannot possibly “let up”  until prices rise sufficiently (sharply), once the ongoing inventory depletion is complete – the only wild card is when will silver inventories reach the maximum level of depletion. Not coincidently, this issue has been of prime interest to me, as readers should be aware.

In silver, there are two kinds of bullion inventory (in 1000-oz bar form) – recorded and unrecorded. Together, I believe the two categories total around two billion oz in total world inventories, currently worth less than $50 billion (as compared to more than $6 trillion in gold bullion inventories). Recorded silver bullion inventories amount to 1.3 billion oz, or 65% of the 2 billion oz in total inventories, and are in the form of all the silver ETF and investment vehicles, plus the holdings in the COMEX warehouses. Unrecorded silver bullion inventories (700 million oz) are held by those outside the recorded inventories.

Over the past three years, after increasing to all-time high levels of 1.7 billion oz in early 2021, recorded silver bullion inventories have fallen by 400 million oz, to 1.3 billion oz currently. By definition, it cannot be known as to what occurred in unrecorded silver inventories, but documented flows of many hundreds of millions of silver oz to India, for instance (not included in world bullion inventories) suggest no increase, but also a decrease in unrecorded silver bullion inventories. About 4 months ago, the dramatic 400 million oz reduction in recorded silver bullion inventories that began in early 2021, came to an end. This wasn’t a surprise to me, as I (somewhat prematurely, as it turned out) speculated earlier this year that the massive reduction in recorded silver bullion inventories would end.

While, I suppose, there still may some room for additional drawdowns in recorded silver bullion inventories, I don’t think so, and, regardless, wouldn’t alter the reasoning behind my belief that we’ve seen the end of the silver inventory reduction. Quite simply, I believe that the remaining recorded silver inventories are owned by investors which are not inclined to sell their holdings until silver prices are sharply higher. As such, I believe we are at the effective end of maximum silver inventory depletion and at the point at which, according to the ironclad dictates of the law of supply and demand, that silver prices must rise and rise sharply. This is a force that shows no sign of letting up at current suppressed prices.

But here is where it gets tricky, in a good way. Because silver is also a basic investment asset, it is subject to the same forces that apply to all other investments, namely, collective investment interest (buying) becomes most apparent as the price of any investment asset rises. It is because the price of silver has been so thoroughly suppressed for so many decades that investors, as a whole, have refrained from buying it – with only those who have taken the time to look below the price surface choosing to buy it.

So, while it has not kicked-in for most of the nearly 40 years I have been immersed in silver (saving for a brief spell into the run-up in prices in early 2011), the basic collective investor buying demand for assets increasing in price has yet to take place in earnest in silver – because its price has been suppressed so successfully. But since I see no indication that this general investment behavior hasn’t applied to all other investment assets,  I have no reason to believe it won’t apply to silver when prices rise in earnest. Once initiated, it’s hard for me to imagine how investment demand for silver will let up on ever-increasing prices until great price highs are achieved.

At the same time, this new coming collective investment demand for silver on higher prices will not cause any reduction in basic silver industrial demand until prices rise very sharply. In fact, since silver industrial demand will continue, suddenly augmented by  new investment demand, there will be a shocking increase in overall total demand, not at all typical under the basic law of supply and demand. That’s because silver is the only commodity with a true dual-demand profile – industrial and investment. This creates the highly-unique circumstance that once the silver price rise starts in earnest, it will take shockingly higher prices before the law of supply and demand fully kicks in and demand falls and supply increases. Once started, it will take some great time and price increase to  fully burn out and increasing silver prices will not let up until it does.

In summary, silver faces two strongly opposing price forces, neither of which shows signs of letting up. But the forces of price suppression, even though led by those at the pinnacle of power, have been so successful in suppressing silver prices that this success is now in place to work against them. No one, no matter how powerful and well-connected they may be, can prevail against the forces of the law of supply and demand indefinitely. Once a physical shortage has come into existence, as has been evident in silver for quite some time, only further depletion of existing inventories can hold off the inevitable turn up in prices. By all appearances, we are at, or past that point of maximum inventory depletion in silver.

Lastly, given the extreme power behind the force suppressing the price for decades and the even greater power of the force behind the law of supply and demand, when the matter is resolved in favor of the law and supply and demand , as it must, the price resolution cannot be any less than epic and historic.

Ted Butler

December 28, 2023

www.butlerresearch.com

end

Nigeria\s naira collapses, down 96% on the year

(Business Day/Nigeria)

Another rich country insisting on being poor watches its currency collapse

Submitted by admin on Sun, 2023-12-31 20:54Section: Daily Dispatches

Nigerian Naira Ends Year with 96.5% Loss to U.S. Dollar on Official Market

By Hope Moses-Ashike
Business Day, Lagos, Nigeria
Sunday, December 31, 2023

The foreign exchange market trading closed for the year on Friday with the naira losing 96.55% of its value against the dollar at the official market.

At the end of 2023 trading, the naira depreciated by 96.55% percent year-on-year as the dollar was quoted at N907.11 on Friday compared to N461.61 quoted at the end of 2022 at the Nigeria Autonomous Foreign Exchange Market, data compiled by BusinessDay from the Financial Markets Dealers Quotations indicated. …

… For the remainder of the report:

Naira ends year with 96.55% loss to dollar at official market

*

… From 11 months ago:

Nigeria Bets on New Gold Project to Attract More Miners

By William Clowes
Bloomberg News
Wednesday, February 22, 2023

Carved from forested hills by excavators and explosives, Nigeria’s only industrial gold mine yielded 98,000 ounces of the precious metal last year — a key step in the efforts of Africa’s biggest crude producer to pivot away from oil.

“The more formal operations like this that we have, the better for the country,” Minister of Mines Olamilekan Adegbite told Bloomberg in December during a tour of Thor Explorations Ltd.’s Segilola mine. The project ramped up production in late 2021 and is located about 155 miles from the commercial hub of Lagos

Nigeria has sizable untapped deposits of metals including gold, zinc, lithium and iron ore, but nearly all extraction is done by so-called artisanal miners on a small-scale or manual basis, meaning the government misses out on tax revenue. These informal activities also finance some of the armed criminal groups that operate across large swathes of Nigeria and the authorities periodically arrest Chinese nationals for illegally trading in minerals. Crude sales account for about 90% of export earnings.

“Mining in Nigeria has largely been ignored for years but the sector is now a strategic priority for the federal government,” Martin Lokanc, a senior mining specialist with the World Bank, said in an interview. “This first proper industrial scale mine, to my mind, is a very important proof of concept — It demonstrates that attractive deposits exist, and can be developed to a high technical and governance standard.” …

… For the remainder of the report:

https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2023-02-22/nigeria-bets-on-new-gold-project-to-attract-more-miners

* * *

end

4. OTHER GOLD/SILVER //COMMENTARIES//PODCASTS

end

5 a. IMPORTANT COMMENTARIES ON COMMODITIES /WHEAT

5 B GLOBAL COMMODITY ISSUES/FOOD IN GENERAL//FREIGHT

END

6.CRYPTOCURRENCY//DIGITAL CURRENCY// COMMENTARIES/

end

1.YOUR EARLY CURRENCY VALUES/GOLD AND SILVER PRICING/ASIAN AND EUROPEAN BOURSE MOVEMENTS/AND INTEREST RATE SETTINGS FRIDAY MORNING.7:30 AM

ONSHORE YUAN:   CLOSED DOWN AT 7.1422

OFFSHORE YUAN: DOWN TO 7.1468

SHANGHAI CLOSED  DOWN 12.66 PTS OR 0.43%

HANG SENG CLOSED DOWN 259.88 PTS OR 1.52%

2. Nikkei closed  

3. Europe stocks   SO FAR:   ALL  MIXED 

USA dollar INDEX UP  TO  101.66 EURO FALLS TO 1.0965 DOWN 79 BASIS PTS

3b Japan 10 YR bond yield:FALLS TO. +.625 Japan buying 100% of bond issuance)/Japanese YEN vs USA cross now at 142.05/JAPANESE YEN NOW RISING AS WELL AS LONG TERM 10  YR. YIELDS RISING //EVENTUALLY THIS WILL BREAK THE JAPANESE CENTRAL BANK

3c Nikkei now  ABOVE 17,000

3d USA/Yen rate now well ABOVE the important 120 barrier this morning

3e Gold UP /JAPANESE Yen DOWN  CHINESE ONSHORE YUAN: DOWN//  OFFSHORE: DOWN

3f Japan is to buy INFINITE  TRILLION YEN worth of BONDS. Japan’s GDP equals 5 trillion USA

Japan to buy 100% of all new Japanese debt and NOW they will have OVER 50% of all Japanese debt.

3g Oil UP for WTI and UP  FOR Brent this morning

3h European bond buying continues to push yields lower on all fronts in the EMU. German 10yr bund UP TO +2.0898***/Italian 10 Yr bond yield UP to 3.757** /SPAIN 10 YR BOND YIELD UP TO 3.053…**

3i Greek 10 year bond yield UP TO 3.101

3j Gold at $2067.30 silver at: 23.89 1 am est) SILVER NEXT RESISTANCE LEVEL AT $30.00

3k USA vs Russian rouble;// Russian rouble DOWN 0 AND 00 /100        roubles/dollar; ROUBLE AT 90.36//

3m oil into the 73  dollar handle for WTI and 78  handle for Brent/

3n Higher foreign deposits moving out of China//  huge risk of outflows and a currency depreciation. This can spell financial disaster for the rest of the world/

JAPAN ON JAN 29.2016 CONTINUES NIRP. THIS MORNING RAISES AMOUNT OF BONDS THAT THEY WILL PURCHASE UP TO .5% ON THE 10 YR BOND///YEN TRADES TO 142,05//  10 YEAR YIELD AFTER FIRST BREAKING .54% LAST YEAR NOW EXCEEDS THAT LEVEL TO 0.625% STILL ON CENTRAL BANK (JAPAN) INTERVENTION

30 SNB (Swiss National Bank) still intervening again in the markets driving down the FRANC. It is not working: USA/SF this 0.8499 as the Swiss Franc is still rising against most currencies. Euro vs SF:   0.9306 well above the floor set by the Swiss Finance Minister. Thomas Jordan, chief of the Swiss National Bank continues to purchase euros trying to lower value of the Swiss Franc.

USA 10 YR BOND YIELD: 3.959 UP 10 BASIS PTS…

USA 30 YR BOND YIELD: 4.105  UP 9 BASIS PTS/

USA 2 YR BOND YIELD:  4.324UP 7 BASIS PTS

USA DOLLAR VS TURKISH LIRA: 29.73…(TURKEY SET TO BLOW UP FINANCIALLY)

GREAT BRITAIN/10 YEAR YIELD: UP 16  BASIS PTS AT 3.695

end

2.a  Overnight:  Newsquawk and Zero hedge.

Futures Stumble On First Day Of 2024 As Oil, Yields, Dollar Jump

TUESDAY, JAN 02, 2024 – 08:10 AM

After a blockbuster year for stocks, one which saw an $8+ trillion surge in the S&P 500 and a 55%+ explosion in the Nasdaq, its best year since 1999 (everyone knows what happened next), markets have started the new 2024 on the back foot with US equity futures sliding 0.7% as tensions in the Middle East sent oil surging, while Chinese data came in weak. As oil jumped, treasury yields rose more than 7bps while the dollar rose the most in 3 months as rate cut odds got slashed by a market that clearly got carried away by euphoria in 2023 Santa Rally. As of 7:40am, S&P futures dropped 0.7%, while Nasdaq 100 futs lost 1% as shares of Apple fell in US premarket trading after a downgrade by Barclays. Yields on 10-year US bonds and German bunds added more than seven basis points as money markets wagered on fewer than 150 basis points of easing by the Federal Reserve.

In premarket trading, Apple dropped 1.8% as the stock got itself a new bear, with expectations of soft demand for its latest iPhone prompting analysts at Barclays to downgrade the stock. Cryptocurrency-linked stocks like Marathon Digital (MARA) and Riot Platforms (RIOT) rallied on Tuesday morning as Bitcoin rose past the $45,000 mark to touch its highest level since April 2022, amid anticipation that US regulators will soon approve an exchange-traded fund that will invest directly in the token. Here are some other notable premarket movers:

• Shares in US-listed Chinese electric-vehicle makers drop after China’s BYD posted a record sales quarter thanks to aggressive discounting amid an industry price war, stoking worries over rising competition. Li Auto Inc. (LI) and NIO Inc. (NIO) are among stocks trading lower.
• Unity Software (U) drops 3.3% after Piper Sandler downgrades the graphic-tools provider to underweight from neutral following its chunky gain last month. Overall, the broker has a more optimistic outlook for the broader application-software sector for 2024.

According to Oppenheimer Asset Management’s Chief Investment Strategist John Stoltzfus, US stocks are due a breather, but the next earnings season could see the advance resume. “It’s not uncommon for markets to pause to digest a bull run of the magnitude experienced in the fourth quarter just ended,” said Stoltzfus. “In fact it would appear to us to make good sense for markets to pause considering the run-up in stock prices.”

Brent crude surged more than 2% after Iran dispatched a warship to the Red Sea after the US Navy destroyed three Houthi boats, a move that risks ratcheting up tensions in the Middle East. Oil surged.

Meanwhile, Chinese stocks were hammered – again – after the Dutch chipmaking giant ASML canceled some of its shipments to China at the request of the Biden administration. ASML had licenses to ship three top-of-the-line deep ultraviolet lithography machines to Chinese firms until January when new Dutch restrictions take full effect. China accounted for nearly half of ASML’s sales in the third quarter — compared with 24% in the previous quarter and 8% in the three months ending in March — as companies there rushed to import its machines. China’s Huawei produced a smartphone advanced enough to rival Apple’s iPhone last year using made-in-China chips produced with ASML’s equipment, alarming the US. In his New Year speech, Chinese President Xi Jinping Xi touted Chinese “manufacturing prowess” and rattled off a list of homegrown projects.

More than 45 people were killed in an earthquake that hit Japan’s northwest coast. And passengers were evacuated from a Japan Airlines aircraft that caught fire at Tokyo’s Haneda airport after colliding with a coast guard plane carrying aid. Elsewhere, Israel’s Supreme Court overturned a highly contested law aimed at weakening the justices’ own power in a blow to Benjamin Netanyahu’s right-wing coalition.

In Europe, the Stoxx 600 Index pared earlier gains to trade 0.2% lower, tracking drop in US futures as risk-on mood is challenged by economic data and geopolitical tensions. Telecoms +1% and energy +0.7% lead, while consumer -1% and tech -0.9% lag. Here are the most notable European movers:

• European defense, shipping and oil stocks climb after Iran dispatched a warship to the Red Sea following the US Navy’s sinking of three Houthi boats, raising shipping rates and the oil price
• Sartorius advances as much as 4.7% alongside French subsidiary Sartorius Stedim Biotech, which is up as much as 5.2%, with JPMorgan flagging earnings upside for the shares in 2024
• Ferrovial extends its winning run to a fifth day as the infrastructure operator hits a record high after announcing higher toll rates for the 407-ETR highway in Canada, rising as much as 3.2%
• Iberdrola gains as much as 1.7% after its US unit Avangrid terminated a $4.3b agreement to buy a local rival PNM Resources Inc., ending three years of legal and regulatory wrangling
• Wise falls as much as 6.6%, their worst day since last May, amid worries over greater competition in the fintech industry as HSBC readies to unveil its payments app Zing
• ASML drops as much as 1.8% after the Dutch semiconductor equipment maker canceled shipments of some of its machines to China at the request of the US
• Etablissements Maurel & Prom falls as much as 7.5% after Gabon’s interim president announced the government would increase its stake in Assala, an energy firm that the French firm had planned to buy

In Asia, sentiment was dented after Chinese President Xi Jinping acknowledged some companies and citizens had endured a difficult 2023 in a rare admission. Asian equities declined the most in nearly three weeks after key markets returned from the New Year holiday, as sentiment soured after weak economic data from China. The MSCI AC Asia Pacific Excluding Japan Index fell as much as 0.7%, with Alibaba Group, AIA Group and MediaTek among the biggest drags. Mainland and Hong Kong stocks were the worst performers in the region after China’s factory activity shrank in December to the lowest in six months. Markets in Japan and New Zealand remained closed for a holiday. Chinese shares also took a hit amid worries over a resurgence in geopolitical tensions as ASML Holding canceled shipments of chip manufacturing equipment to China at the request of the US. A gauge of semiconductor stocks in the region declined as much as 0.8%. The December factory data reinforces “tough growth conditions in the world’s second-largest economy,” Jun Rong Yeap, market analyst at IG Asia, said. “Until economic conditions offer a sustained trend of recovery to provide conviction for markets that the worst is over, the divergence with global equities may be set to continue.”

In FX, the dollar gained 0.5%, rising the most in 3 months with all emerging-nation currencies except the Brazilian real trading lower against the greenback. The yen weakened against almost all of its Group-of-10 peers in thin trading as investors monitored conditions after an earthquake in Japan on Monday. The US dollar gained against all major peers.

• USD/CHF rose 1% to 0.8491, the highest level since Dec. 27
• EUR/USD dropped 0.6% to 1.0979, the lowest level since Dec. 21
• NZD/USD fell 0.6% to 0.6285, one-week low

In rates, treasury yields gained across the curve following wider bear steepening move seen in gilts where UK long-end yields are cheaper by up to 13bp on the day. US yields are cheaper by 5bp to 7bp across the curve with spreads broadly within one basis point of Friday session close; 10-year yields rise to around 3.95%, extending through Friday’s range while gilts underperform by additional 7bp in the sector. The rally in oil adds to downside pressure in Treasuries. In front-end, rate cut pricing fades slightly with swaps pricing in around 150bp of cuts by the end of the year. Treasury supply resume next week with 3-, 10- and 30-year auctions.

In commodities, oil rose in New Year trading after Iran sent a warship into the Red Sea, escalating Middle East tensions, and as the outlook for Chinese crude demand brightened. Brent crude climbed more than 2% to as high as $79. The deployment of an Iranian warship comes after the US Navy said it was fired upon when responding to a distress call from a vessel in the Red Sea, the latest flashpoint on the key maritime corridor over the past few weeks. Defense and shipping stocks were also trading higher on Tuesday.  Spot gold rises 0.6%.

Looking at the day ahead, economic data includes December S&P manufacturing PMI (9:45am) and November construction spending (10am); this week also includes ISM manufacturing, JOLTS. FOMC minutes, ADP employment change, factory orders, ISM services index and December jobs report. No Fed members scheduled to speak on the day; Barkin and Logan are scheduled for the week.

Market Snapshot

• STOXX Europe 600 up 0.3% to 480.42
• MXAP down 0.4% to 168.66
• MXAPJ down 0.5% to 526.33
• Nikkei down 0.2% to 33,464.17
• Topix up 0.2% to 2,366.39
• Hang Seng Index down 1.5% to 16,788.55
• Shanghai Composite down 0.4% to 2,962.28
• Sensex down 0.4% to 71,973.44
• Australia S&P/ASX 200 up 0.5% to 7,627.79
• Kospi up 0.5% to 2,669.81
• German 10Y yield little changed at 2.09%
• Euro down 0.1% to $1.1031
• Brent Futures up 2.1% to $78.64/bbl

Top Overnight News

• China’s NBS PMIs for Dec fall slightly below expectations, with manufacturing coming in at 49 (down from 49.4 in Nov and below the Street’s 49.6 forecast) and services at 50.4 (up from 50.2 in Nov, but below the Street’s 50.5 forecast). China’s Caixin manufacturing PMI for Dec rises to 50.8 in Dec, up from 50.7 in Nov and ahead of the Street’s 50.3 forecast.  RTRS
• China’s Xi says reunification with Taiwan is inevitable (“The reunification of the motherland is a historical inevitability…China will surely be reunified”). RTRS
• Russia facing energy pressures as China reimposes coal import tariffs and Moscow struggles to arrange payments from India for oil. BBG
• Japan issued a string of tsunami warnings after a powerful earthquake with a preliminary magnitude of 7.6 struck the west coast on Monday, triggering widespread blackouts and evacuations during new year celebrations. FT
• Israel said it was shifting thousands of troops out of Gaza in the first significant drawdown since the war commenced, a sign that fighting is starting to be scaled back. NYT
• Israel’s Supreme Court on Monday struck down (in an 8-7 ruling) a law passed by Netanyahu’s gov’t in July limiting the power of the judiciary, a move that could trigger a constitutional crisis and catalyze another round of domestic discord. NYT
• Crude +2% — recouping most of last week’s losses — after Iran sent a warship to the Red Sea in response to the US Navy’s sinking of three Houthi boats. Maersk suspended all transit through the route. BBG
• The private equity industry has entered 2024 with record amounts of unspent investor cash and an unprecedented stockpile of ageing deals that firms must sell in coming years. Private equity firms were sitting on a record $2.59tn in cash reserves available for buyouts and other investments as of December 15, according to S&P Global Market Intelligence. Nearly a quarter of that cash was held by 25 of the industry’s largest groups, including Apollo Global, Blackstone, KKR, CVC Capital and Advent International. FT
• Apple faces a legal reckoning in 2024, with a series of regulatory decisions by US and EU authorities over the coming months set to determine the future of its $85bn-a-year services business. The biggest hit to the iPhone maker could come from a US antitrust trial against Google, where it emerged that the fellow tech giant had paid more than $26bn in 2021 to make its search engine the default on Apple devices and other smartphones and browsers. FT
• Global equities logged +$172B worth of inflows in 2023. This is the least amount of inflows in the past 4 years despite the rally, even a down tape in 2022 saw larger inflows.

A more detailed look at global markets courtesy of Newsquawk

The region traded with modest pressure, Shanghai Composite -0.4%, as the official NBS Manufacturing PMI for December came in softer than expected despite the Services figure lifting from the prior modestly and the Caixin Final seeing an unexpected upward revisions. Newsflow has been light as desks return from the New Year break with focus primarily on geopolitics going into a week headlined by key data points in the US. Antipodean bourses are the relative outperformers, ASX 200 +0.5%, supported by industrial metals given the Caixin print and as desks expect steel mills to begin restocking raw materials for production requirements during the February Lunar New Year break.

Top Asian News

• A magnitude 7.6 earthquake occurred in the Noto peninsula, Japan at 07:10GMT on January 1st, resulting in Tsunami warnings being issued though this have since been downgraded but saw 1 metre high waves impact on the western coast.
• Earthquake with an intensity of upper-5 on Japan’s scale hits Ishikawa, Japan; no tsunami warning, via NHK
• BYD (1211 HK) sold 3.02mln vehicles in 2023, +61.9% Y/Y; selling 1.6mln battery EVs.
• Fitch Ratings: growth headwinds and policy shifts weigh on Greater China sector outlooks

European equities, Eurostoxx50 (+0.4%), are on firmer footing, with Defensive and Energy names benefitting from recent Red Sea flareups; the FTSE 100 is in the red having lagged throughout the session. European sectors have a positive tilt; Autos and Telecommunications are found towards the top of the pile whilst Financial Services lags. US equity futures are mixed, unable to share some of the positive sentiment seen in European trade; ES -0.1%, RTY +0.4%. Nokia (+1.8%) shrugs off initial weakness despite anticipating missing FY23 targets due to delayed license renewals and a more challenging than expected Q4. ASML (-0.1%) is modestly weaker as it cancels shipments of some machines to China after a US request, via Bloomberg; additionally, their license has been partially revoked by the Dutch government. Pharma names: Major pharmaceutical companies like Pfizer (PFE), Sanofi (SAN FP), and Takeda (4502 JT) intend to increase prices on over 500 drugs in the US in January, Reuters reported citing data by healthcare research firm 3 Axis Advisor.

Top European News

• ECB’s De Cos says uncertainty over data remain high; inflation is expected to continue its downward trend
• Defense, Shipping, Oil Stocks Up as Red Sea Tension Rises
• European Stocks Kick Off 2024 With Gains as Oil Companies Climb
• Top Court Overturns Netanyahu’s Judicial Oversight Law (1)
• BNP to Pay Up to €600M in Swiss Franc Loan Case: Parisien
• Airbus Set to Exceed Annual Delivery Goal With December Surge

FX

• DXY holds onto modest gains and edges towards the upper end of today’s range between 101.71-33 in a quiet start to a packed week of Tier 1 data.
• EUR is weaker and circulates around the 1.10 mark, with the EZ PMI and M3 data unable to sway sentiment.
• The JPY is the G10 laggard; USD/JPY trades towards the top end of today’s ranges, approaching Dec 29th highs of 141.91.
• Antipodeans diverge with the AUD the best G10 performer, benefitting from the AUD/NZD cross, which has led the Kiwi lower.

Fixed Income

• USTs conform with the bearish EGB action with the belly of the yield curve leading, though still shy of 4.0%.
• Bunds are pressured amid marked upside in the Energy space and potentially as market participants re-evaluate pronounced action towards end-2023; EZ Flash HICP due later in the week.
• Gilt price action is in-fitting with the broader risk tone with UK newsflow light as the year begins.

Commodities

• WTI and Brent are bid as geopolitical tensions remain in-focus; recent flare ups in the Red Sea region has led Maersk to pause shipping in the area.
• Spot Gold is firmer as the risk tone is contained Stateside ahead of a busy week; Base metals hold onto a mixed bias, ultimately capped by varied Chinese PMI data.
• China announces 179mln/MT (prev. 118.8mln) of crude import quotas for 2024, via Reuters citing sources; +60% Y/Y.
• Outokumpu (OUT1V FH) intends to temporarily restrict production of Ferrochrome due to weak market conditions. Intend to keep furnace and sintering plant closed until autumn 2024, ferrochrome production will continue at 80% of full capacity during this. Stainless steel market has slowed significantly, negatively impacting ferrochrome deliveries.
• LME Stocks: Aluminium +17.33k (prev. -2k)

US Event Calendar

• 09:45: Dec. S&P Global US Manufacturing PM, est. 48.4, prior 48.2
• 10:00: Nov. Construction Spending MoM, est. 0.5%, prior 0.6%

2 B) NOW NEWSQUAWK (EUROPE/REPORT)

European bourses firmer, US futures tilt lower, DXY bid and Crude soars on geopolitical tensions – Newsquawk US Market Open

TUESDAY, JAN 02, 2024 – 06:05 AM

• European equities are firmer, though have significantly pared much of their initial gains; US equity futures are mixed and generally more contained.
• DXY holds onto modest gains above 101.50, JPY lags
• Fixed benchmarks hold onto a negative bias ahead of a busy slate throughout the week
• Crude soars amid geopolitical tensions; Gold also gains whilst base metals are mixed
• Israel says it will pull out thousands of troops from Gaza. However, PM Netanyahu has cautioned that the war will go on for many more months
• Looking ahead, Canadian & US Manufacturing PMI, US Construction Spending

More Newsquawk in 3 steps:

1. Subscribe to the free premarket movers reports

2. Listen to this report in the market open podcast (available on Apple and Spotify)

3. Trial Newsquawk’s premium real-time audio news squawk box for 7 days

EUROPEAN TRADE

EQUITIES

• European equities, Eurostoxx50 (+0.4%), are on firmer footing, with Defensive and Energy names benefitting from recent Red Sea flareups; the FTSE 100 is in the red having lagged throughout the session.
• European sectors have a positive tilt; Autos and Telecommunications are found towards the top of the pile whilst Financial Services lags.
• US equity futures are mixed, unable to share some of the positive sentiment seen in European trade; ES -0.1%, RTY +0.4%.
• Nokia (+1.8%) shrugs off initial weakness despite anticipating missing FY23 targets due to delayed license renewals and a more challenging than expected Q4.
• ASML (-0.1%) is modestly weaker as it cancels shipments of some machines to China after a US request, via Bloomberg; additionally, their license has been partially revoked by the Dutch government.
• Pharma names: Major pharmaceutical companies like Pfizer (PFE), Sanofi (SAN FP), and Takeda (4502 JT) intend to increase prices on over 500 drugs in the US in January, Reuters reported citing data by healthcare research firm 3 Axis Advisor.
• Click here and here for the sessions European pre-market equity newsflow, including earnings.
• Click here for more details.

FX

• DXY holds onto modest gains and edges towards the upper end of today’s range between 101.71-33 in a quiet start to a packed week of Tier 1 data.
• EUR is weaker and circulates around the 1.10 mark, with the EZ PMI and M3 data unable to sway sentiment.
• The JPY is the G10 laggard; USD/JPY trades towards the top end of today’s ranges, approaching Dec 29th highs of 141.91.
• Antipodeans diverge with the AUD the best G10 performer, benefitting from the AUD/NZD cross, which has led the Kiwi lower.
• Click here for more details.
• Click here for the Option Expires for the NY Cut.

FIXED INCOME

• USTs conform with the bearish EGB action with the belly of the yield curve leading, though still shy of 4.0%.
• Bunds are pressured amid marked upside in the Energy space and potentially as market participants re-evaluate pronounced action towards end-2023; EZ Flash HICP due later in the week.
• Gilt price action is in-fitting with the broader risk tone with UK newsflow light as the year begins.
• Click here for more details.

COMMODITIES

• WTI and Brent are bid as geopolitical tensions remain in-focus; recent flare ups in the Red Sea region has led Maersk to pause shipping in the area.
• Spot Gold is firmer as the risk tone is contained Stateside ahead of a busy week; Base metals hold onto a mixed bias, ultimately capped by varied Chinese PMI data.
• China announces 179mln/MT (prev. 118.8mln) of crude import quotas for 2024, via Reuters citing sources; +60% Y/Y.
• Outokumpu (OUT1V FH) intends to temporarily restrict production of Ferrochrome due to weak market conditions. Intend to keep furnace and sintering plant closed until autumn 2024, ferrochrome production will continue at 80% of full capacity during this. Stainless steel market has slowed significantly, negatively impacting ferrochrome deliveries.
• LME Stocks: Aluminium +17.33k (prev. -2k)
• Click here for more details.

NOTABLE EUROPEAN HEADLINES

• ECB’s De Cos says uncertainty over data remain high; inflation is expected to continue its downward trend

DATA RECAP

• UK S&P Global/CIPS Manufacturing PMI Final (Dec) 46.2 vs. Exp. 46.4 (Prev. 46.4)
• EU HCOB Manufacturing Final PMI (Dec) 44.4 vs. Exp. 44.2 (Prev. 44.2)
• Spanish HCOB Manufacturing PMI (Dec) 46.2 (Prev. 46.3)
• Italian HCOB Manufacturing PMI (Dec) 45.3 (Prev. 44.4)
• French S&P Global Manufacturing PMI (Dec) 42.1 (Prev. 42)
• German HCOB Manufacturing PMI (Dec) 43.3 (Prev. 43.1)
• EU Money-M3 Annual Growth (Nov) -0.9% vs. Exp. -1.0% (Prev. -1.0%); EU Loans to Households (Nov) 0.5% (Prev. 0.6%); EU Loans to Non-Fin (Nov) 0.0% (Prev. -0.3%)

NOTABLE US HEADLINES

• Click here for the US Early Morning Note.

GEOPOLITICS

• Israel says it will pull out thousands of troops from Gaza. However, PM Netanyahu has cautioned that the war will go on for many more months.
• US is to bring the USS Gerald R. Ford aircraft carrier back from the eastern Mediterranean Sea.
• On the 31st of December, Danish shipping giant Maersk suspended transits in the Red Sea for 48 hours following an attack by Houthis over the weekend. Further ahead, Maersk’s latest schedule shows it intends to transit over 30 container vessels through Suez Canal/Red Sea “in the time ahead”. Elsewhere, Hapag-Lloyd is scheduled to provide an update on Tuesday; currently, the Co. is diverting vessels away from the region.
• Most recently, Iran dispatched a warship to the Red Sea after the US Navy destroyed three Houthi boats.

CRYPTO

• Bitcoin, +4.5%, tops USD 45k for the first time since April 2022 whilst Ethereum, +2.5%, posts gains though to a lesser degree.

APAC TRADE

• The region traded with modest pressure, Shanghai Composite -0.4%, as the official NBS Manufacturing PMI for December came in softer than expected despite the Services figure lifting from the prior modestly and the Caixin Final seeing an unexpected upward revisions. Newsflow has been light as desks return from the New Year break with focus primarily on geopolitics going into a week headlined by key data points in the US. Antipodean bourses are the relative outperformers, ASX 200 +0.5%, supported by industrial metals given the Caixin print and as desks expect steel mills to begin restocking raw materials for production requirements during the February Lunar New Year break.

NOTABLE HEADLINES

• A magnitude 7.6 earthquake occurred in the Noto peninsula, Japan at 07:10GMT on January 1st, resulting in Tsunami warnings being issued though this have since been downgraded but saw 1 metre high waves impact on the western coast.
• Earthquake with an intensity of upper-5 on Japan’s scale hits Ishikawa, Japan; no tsunami warning, via NHK
• BYD (1211 HK) sold 3.02mln vehicles in 2023, +61.9% Y/Y; selling 1.6mln battery EVs.
• Fitch Ratings: growth headwinds and policy shifts weigh on Greater China sector outlooks

DATA RECAP

• Chinese Caixin Manufacturing PMI Final (Dec) 50.8 vs Exp. 50.4 (Prev. 50.7)
• Chinese NBS PMIs (Dec): Manufacturing 49.0 vs Exp. 49.5 (Prev. 49.4); non-Manufacturing 50.4 (Prev. 50.2)

2C ASIA AFFAIRS

TUESDAY MORNING/MONDAY  NIGHT

SHANGHAI CLOSED DOWN 12.66 PTS OR 0.43%  //Hang Seng CLOSED DOWN 259.88 PTSOR 1.52%          /The Nikkei CLOSED  //Australia’s all ordinaries CLOSED UP .48%    /Chinese yuan (ONSHORE) closed DOWN AT 7.1422   /OFFSHORE CHINESE YUAN CLOSED DOWN TO 7.1468 /Oil UP TO 73.35 dollars per barrel for WTI and BRENT  UP AT 78.81/ Stocks in Europe OPENED ALL MIXED// ONSHORE YUAN TRADING ABOVE LEVEL OF OFFSHORE YUAN/ONSHORE YUAN  TRADING WEAKER AGAINST US DOLLAR/OFFSHORE WEAKER

2 d./NORTH KOREA/ SOUTH KOREA/
//

NORTH KOREA/SOUTH KOREA

END

2e) JAPAN

JAPAN

3 CHINA

CHINA/IRAQ

Seems China is well suited to help in the new construction in the middle East.  Today China and Iraq sign a deal for new construction near Baghdad.  Where is our hero, Biden, the Magnificent?

(zerohedge)

China & Iraq Begin Construction Of New City Near Baghdad

FRIDAY, DEC 29, 2023 – 10:30 PM

Via The Cradle,

On Friday Iraq broke ground on 30,000 housing units near Baghdad, as part of a $2 billion project in partnership with Chinese firms to build five new cities across Iraq, Bloomberg hasreported.

The government of Prime Minister Mohammad Shia al-Sudani is seeking to build 250,000 to 300,000 housing units for poor and middle-class families. The new city on the outskirts of Baghdad will include universities, commercial centers, schools and health centers and should be completed in four to five years.Aerial view of Baghdad, via Reuters

Contracts to build the housing units were awarded to East China Engineering Science and Technology Co., Ltd. and China National Chemical Engineering Co., Ltd along with their Iraqi partner Shams al-Binaa. 

Contracts to build four more cities are expected to be awarded soon and another 10 will be announced next year, including in Karbala, Anbar, Nineveh and Babel governorates.

Chinese firms have increased their presence in Iraq in recent years, in part due to a deal between Baghdad and Beijing.

In 2019, Iraq signed a 20-year contract, agreeing to supply Chinese firms with 100,000 barrels per day (bpd) of crude oil, with the revenue earmarked for funding various development projects in Iraq undertaken by Chinese firms.

Following the deal, Chinese firms built 1,000 schools, developed the Nasiriya city airport, erected power plants, and completed several other infrastructure projects.

China has accelerated its investment in Iraq and other West Asian nations as part of its Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) announced in 2013. 

China seeks to maintain stability in West Asia, given the region’s energy resources and geo-strategic location, to safeguard Beijing’s energy imports and shipment of manufactured goods to foreign markets.

end

CHINA/TAIWAN

end

4.EUROPEAN AFFAIRS//UK /SCANDINAVIAN AFFAIRS

GERMANY

end

5 RUSSIA//UKRAINE AND MIDDLE EASTERN AFFAIRS

IRAN/HAMAS//ISRAEL

IDF gains control of chief intelligence in Khan Younis

Jerusalem Post)

IDF raids Hamas intelligence chief’s base in Khan Yunis

The raid was done by the IDF’s 7th Brigade Combat Team and the Givati Brigade Combat Team.

By JERUSALEM POST STAFFDECEMBER 30, 2023 15:02Updated: DECEMBER 30, 2023 15:12

•  
•  
•  
• 

IDF raids Hamas intelligence chief’s base in Khan Yunis on December 30, 2023.(photo credit: IDF SPOKESPERSON’S UNIT)

The IDF raided a Hamas military headquarters base belonging to the terrorist group’s military intelligence chief on Saturday.

The raid was done by the IDF’s 7th Brigade Combat Team and the Givati Brigade Combat Team.

The Hamas military intelligence commander is responsible for all the intelligence operations of the terrorist organization in the area.

PIJ headquarters location uncovered in raid

During the raid, Israeli forces also uncovered the location of a Palestinian Islamic Jihad headquarters.

Video documentation of the raid by the IDF’s 7th Brigade and the Givati Brigade in Khan Yunis can be seen below:

https://www.jpost.com/israel-hamas-war/2023-12-30/live-updates-780072

The raid by the IDF’s 7th Brigade and the Givati Brigade into the Hamas intelligence chief’s base in Khan Yunis (Credit: IDF Spokesperson’s Unit)

The Givati Brigade also raided many Hamas infrastructures in the area and eliminated terrorists who were preparing to attack Israeli forces through sniper and tank fire.

The brigade carried out several attacks using aerial vehicles in which armed terrorists were eliminated and targets such as a weapons production site and another stronghold for the terror organization were also destroyed.Advertisement

Also, as a preliminary step before the entry of ground forces, the IDF’s 98th Division, in cooperation with the IAF, carried out about 50 airstrikes on a variety of targets which included underground targets and terrorist infrastructures.

end

ISRAEL/HAMAS/

70% if Gazan homes destroyed

(Wall Street Journal/Jerusalem post)

WSJ claims that 70% of Gaza’s homes, half of all buildings damaged or destroyed

Israel states that their target in their airstrikes is Hamas, who is responsible for the murder of 1,200 civilians on October 7 and has also said that they take steps to avoid killing civilians.

By JERUSALEM POST STAFF

Israeli soldiers operating in Beit Lahia, in the northern Gaza Strip, December 28, 2023(photo credit: YONATAN SINDEL/FLASH90)

The Wall Street Journal reported on Saturday that 70% of all Gaza homes and about half of all its buildings have been either damaged or destroyed due to Israeli airstrikes during its war with the Hamas terror organization.

The report states that Gaza contained about 439 thousand homes. Israel states that their target in their airstrikes is Hamas, who is responsible for the murder of 1,200 civilians on October 7, and has also said that they are taking steps to avoid killing civilians.

Buildings destroyed, the WSJ claims, include “Byzantine churches and ancient mosques, factories and apartment buildings, shopping malls and luxury hotels, theaters and schools.” Furthermore, the infrastructure used for water, healthcare, electricity, and healthcare is “beyond repair.”

The WSJ’s extensive report also mentioned the health services in the Gaza Strip and claimed that most of the hospitals in the Gaza Strip are closed, with only 8 out of 36 hospitals receiving patients. It also stated that more than two-thirds of the schools in Gaza were damaged, and many orchards, greenhouses, and agricultural areas were “completely wiped out.”

The WSJ also cites the Hamas-run Health Ministry’s claim that 21,000 Palestinians have been killed since October 7, but notes that the number “doesn’t distinguish between civilians and militants.”

Israeli soldiers operating in Beit Lahia, in the northern Gaza Strip, December 28, 2023 (credit: YONATAN SINDEL/FLASH90)

It will take a while for Gaza to rebuild – N12

Around the Journal‘s publication came out on these statistics, N12 cited an estimate by aid organizations stating that it would take at least a year after the war to clear the rubble, and would take approximately seven to ten years to rebuild destroyed houses, with the overall cost at restoring Gaza to be estimated at $3.5 billion.Go to the full article >>

end

ISRAEL/HAMAS

IDF now deep into Khan Younis

(Jerusalem Post)

Israeli forces push deeper into central and southern Gaza amid airstrikes

Palestinian residents report heavy air, artillery fire; IDF says it killed dozens of terror operatives, raided Hamas intel HQ in Khan Younis; Ground op death toll rises to 170

By EMANUEL FABIAN, TOI STAFF and AGENCIESToday, 3:05 pmUpdated at 9:14 pm  34

Israeli troops maneuver in the Gaza Strip on December 30, 2023. (IDF Spokesperson’s Unit)

Israeli tanks pushed deeper into districts in central and southern Gaza Friday overnight and Saturday under heavy air and artillery fire, pressing forward with the ground campaign in Israel’s war against Hamas terrorists.

Fighting late on Friday and early Saturday was focused in al-Bureij, Nuseirat, and Maghazi in central Gaza, and Khan Younis in the southern part of the Strip, backed by intensive air strikes.

A Hamas health official alleged the strikes had killed 100 Palestinians and injured 150 in the central Gaza Strip over the past 24 hours. The terror group does not differentiate in its reports between civilians and combatants.

The Israel Defense Forces on Saturday announced the death of a soldier killed during fighting in the Gaza Strip over the weekend, and another who succumbed to his wounds from earlier fighting, bringing the toll of slain troops since the start of the ground offensive in late October against Hamas to 170.

They are: Master Sgt. (res.) Constantine Sushko, 30, of the Combat Engineering Corps’ 7086th Battalion, from Tel Aviv, and Cpt. Harel Ittah, 22, a team commander in the Givati Brigade’s reconnaissance unit, from Netanya.

Sushko was killed in central Gaza over the weekend, during a battle that seriously wounded another reservist.

Ittah was seriously wounded on December 22 in southern Gaza, and succumbed to his wounds over the weekend, the IDF said.

Master Sgt. (res.) Constantine Sushko (left) and Cpt. Harel Ittah, whose deaths in Gaza were announced by the IDF on December 30, 2023. (Israel Defense Forces)

At Nasser Hospital in Khan Younis, the biggest and most important medical facility in the south of the territory, Red Crescent images posted online showed ambulances operating amid smashed streets, carrying injured children.

The IDF said troops of the 7th Armored Brigade had advanced further in southern Gaza, while raiding Hamas sites in Khan Younis, including the headquarters of the terror group’s intelligence division in the city.

The intelligence headquarters was responsible for all of Hamas’s intelligence activity in the Khan Younis area, the IDF said, adding that it also located a command center belonging to the Palestinian Islamic Jihad terror group in the same complex.

According to the IDF, the troops recovered “very valuable” intelligence materials from the sites.

In central Gaza’s al-Bureij camp, the IDF detailed the operations of the 188th Armored Brigade, including an incident in which troops battled Hamas gunmen hiding in a school that was being used as a shelter for Palestinian civilians.

On Thursday, the 188th Brigade received intelligence of dozens of Hamas operatives hiding in a school where civilians were sheltering.

“The terrorists took advantage of the presence of civilians in the school area in order to fire RPGs and small arms at the forces, while hiding behind women and children,” the IDF said, adding that the troops raided the school, capturing the operatives who were holed up inside and killing others near the complex.

In other operations in al-Bureij, the IDF says the 188th Brigade has encountered many more Hamas gunmen who attacked forces from civilian sites.

The brigade has also located and destroyed three rocket launchers and nine tunnel shafts, the IDF said.

Meanwhile, troops of the Givati Brigade raided several more Hamas sites in southern Gaza, killing operatives in the process with sniper fire and tank shelling, the IDF said.

It said that the Givati troops also directed several airstrikes on Hamas gunmen in the area, along with other infrastructure belonging to the terror group.

Before the troops maneuvered deeper into Khan Younis, the IDF said the 98th Division and Air Force carried out some 50 strikes on targets in the area, including tunnels and other infrastructure used by Hamas to attack troops.

Palestinians reported fierce Israeli tank fire and aerial bombing in Khan Younis in southern Gaza overnight. Planes also carried out a series of air strikes on the Nuseirat camp in central Gaza, according to medics and Palestinian journalists.

Intensive battles

Israeli forces have been pounding Khan Younis in preparation for an anticipated further advance into the main southern city, swaths of which they captured in early December.

IDF forces operate in the Gaza Strip, in a handout photo released on December 29, 2023. (Israel Defense Forces)

Earlier, the IDF said that troops killed dozens of terrorists on Friday in a series of strikes and battles across the Strip.

Multiple battles occurred in Gaza City, where troops from the 14th Reserve Armored Brigade eliminated dozens of terrorists with air force support, the IDF said on Saturday morning. Forces on the ground helped to direct air force strikes as navy vessels provided additional firepower from the sea, it said.

The update came amid reports in Hebrew media, which the IDF has not confirmed, of a decrease in the intensity of the fighting in Gaza in recent days. Egyptian and Qatari mediators have been trying to secure a framework for a new ceasefire, though the sides do not appear to be close to an agreement.

The IDF said troops in Gaza City identified four cells of gunmen Friday, leading to aerial strikes that killed 15 gunmen within the space of three hours. Additional gunmen were killed in gunfights with the troops, according to the IDF, which characterized the battles as “intensive.”

North of Gaza City, in Beit Lahiya, reservists of the 551st Brigade demolished two buildings that the IDF said were used by Hamas. The troops found large amounts of military equipment in the buildings, including explosives and weapons.

Meanwhile, soldiers of the Border Defense Corps’ 414th Combat Intelligence Collection unit identified a detachment of gunmen in Shejaiya in the northern Gaza Strip, with one toting an RPG launcher. An aircraft eliminated them in a strike that troops on the ground helped direct.

Palestinians salvage belongings from the rubble of a building of the Hamad family destroyed in an Israeli strike in Deir al Balah, Gaza Strip, Friday, Dec. 29, 2023. (AP Photo/Adel Hana)

On Friday, the IDF said that its troops had demolished a hideout apartment belonging to Hamas’s Gaza leader Yahya Sinwar in northern Gaza along with a large tunnel system underneath it.

Sinwar continues to evade capture as the IDF says that it is closing in on him. Sinwar’s capture or elimination would give Israel a morale-boosting operational victory that it has desperately sought since the war began three months ago.

Reservists from the 14th Armored Brigade located Sinwar’s hideout on the outskirts of Gaza City Friday. The elite Yahalom combat engineering unit subsequently found in the hideout a 20-meter tunnel shaft, which they demolished along with the hideout. The shaft led to a 218-meter-long tunnel with several branches, according to the IDF.

This image from video shows a Hamas tunnel under an apartment near Gaza City believed to have been used as a hideout by Yahya Sinwar, in a video published by the IDF on December 29, 2023. (Israel Defense Forces)

The underground passages featured electricity, air filtration systems, plumbing, resting and prayer rooms, and other equipment aimed at allowing senior Hamas members to remain hidden for long periods.

On Monday, Sinwar issued his first public statement since October 7, expressing defiance while inflating his terror group’s achievements in the war.

Yahya Sinwar, head of Hamas in Gaza, greets his supporters upon his arrival at a meeting in a hall on the sea side of Gaza City, on April 30, 2022. (AP Photo/Adel Hana, File)

Sinwar has been accused of overseeing the preparations and planning for the October 7 onslaught, during which thousands of Hamas-led terrorists poured into Israel from the land, air and sea, brutally killing more than 1,200 people and seizing some 240 hostages.

In response to the attack, the deadliest in the country’s history, Israel vowed to eliminate Hamas from Gaza and end its 16-year rule, and launched an aerial campaign and subsequent ground operation.

A Palestinian woman wounded as a result of fighting in the Gaza Strip receives treatment at the Nasser hospital in Khan Younis, southern Gaza Strip, Friday, Dec. 29, 2023. (AP Photo/Mohammed Dahman)

Gazans ‘exhausted’

The Hamas-run health ministry in Gaza said Friday that at least 21,507 people have been killed in the Palestinian territory since war with Israel broke out nearly 12 weeks ago, including 187 fatalities over the past 24 hours. A statement from the ministry added that 55,915 people had been wounded in Gaza during the fighting.

Figures issued by Hamas cannot be independently verified and include both civilians and terror operatives killed in Gaza, including as a consequence of terror groups’ own rocket misfires.

Israel says it is making an effort to avoid harm to civilians while fighting a terror group embedded within the civilian population. It has long accused Gaza-based terror groups of using Palestinians in the Strip as human shields, operating from sites, including schools and hospitals, which are supposed to be protected.

IDF troops of the 5th Reserve Brigade operate in southern Gaza’s Khuza’a, in this undated photo published by the military on December 29, 2023. (Israel Defense Forces)

According to IDF assessments, some 8,500 terror operatives have been killed in Gaza since the start of the war.

UN chief Antonio Guterres on Friday reiterated his call for “an immediate humanitarian ceasefire,” while the World Health Organization warned of the growing threat of the spread of infectious diseases among Gazans.

United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres speaks during a news conference at the COP28 UN Climate Summit, Monday, December 11, 2023, in Dubai, United Arab Emirates. (AP Photo/Kamran Jebreili)

With the war dragging on, Palestinians in Gaza are suffering a reality of hardship and uncertainty.

Umm Louay Abu Khater, a 49-year-old woman who had fled to Rafah from Khan Younis, told an AFP reporter: “Enough with this war! We are totally exhausted,” adding: “We are constantly displaced from one place to another in cold weather. The bombs keep falling on us day and night.”

Ahmed al-Baz, a 33-year-old Palestinian displaced from Gaza City, said this year had been “the worst in my life,” and was “a year of destruction and devastation.” Speaking in Rafah, surrounded by tents in a makeshift camp, he added: “We just want the war to end, and start the new year at home, with a ceasefire declared.”

The Wall Street Journal reported that around half of Gaza’s buildings had been damaged or destroyed in the war, a figure that also accounts for almost 70 percent of homes. The report cited analysis of satellite photography of the Strip and other remote sensing methods.

The paper noted buildings hit include factories, houses of prayer, schools, shopping malls and hotels. Israel has said many schools, mosques and other buildings have been hit after being used for military purposes and as bases of operation by Gaza terror groups.

WSJ added that only eight of Gaza’s 36 hospitals can accept patients, and that most basic infrastructure including water, electricity and communications is demolished.

“The word ‘Gaza’ is going to go down in history along with Dresden and other famous cities that have been bombed,” Robert Pape, a political scientist at the University of Chicago who has written about the history of aerial bombing, told the paper.

Israeli soldiers take up positions near the Gaza Strip border, in southern Israel, Friday, Dec. 29, 2023. (AP Photo/Ariel Schalit)

Eighty-one trucks carrying humanitarian aid entered Gaza through Israel’s Kerem Shalom and Egypt’s Rafah crossings Friday, the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs said.

Kerem Shalom had been closed for three days due to what OCHA said were security incidents, including an IDF drone strike, the seizure of aid by desperate locals and unannounced and uncoordinated prisoner and casualty transfers.

“The volume of aid remains woefully inadequate,” OCHA said in a statement. “This is an impossible situation for the people of Gaza and for those trying to help them. The fighting must stop.”

Israel maintains that it is inspecting hundreds of trucks every day and that the reason for the bottleneck is the failure of UN facilitators to keep up with the pace. The UN has argued that mass aid delivery is impossible amid the IDF’s aerial and ground operations in Gaza.

Israel reopened its Kerem Shalom Crossing on December 17 for aid to enter Gaza directly from Israel for the first time since the war’s outbreak. However, the move hasn’t led to the desired increase in aid delivery.

Two hundred trucks entered Gaza each day of last month’s week-long truce. The daily figure has not come close to that number since. Before the war and the massive humanitarian crisis that it has sparked, roughly 500 trucks of aid were entering Gaza each day.

US news outlet Axios and Israeli website Ynet, both citing unnamed Israeli officials, reported that Qatari mediators had told Israel that Hamas was prepared to resume talks on new hostage releases in exchange for a ceasefire. A Hamas delegation was in Cairo on Friday to discuss an Egyptian plan proposing renewable ceasefires, AFP reported.

Publicly, Hamas has said it will not consider any ceasefire before Israel announces an end to the Gaza campaign, a non-starter for Jerusalem.

END

ISRAEL/HAMAS/TUESDAY

IDF gains control of second key Hamas intel centre. Israel has the chief of the tunnel digging and he is providing intelligence on where everybody is

Jerusalem Post

IDF gains control of second key Hamas intel center in northern Gaza

The IDF did not specify whether their findings in Gaza were helping in finding or tracking Hamas’s top leaders who have evaded capture for nearly three months.

By YONAH JEREMY BOBJANUARY 2, 2024 14:00

•  
•  
•  
• 

Smoke rises after Israeli airstrikes, of the city of Rafah in the southern Gaza Strip, on October 19, 2023(photo credit: ABED RAHIM KHATIB/FLASH90)

The IDF has completed its takeover of the second most important Hamas intelligence center in northern Gaza, as it finishes ousting the terror group from its last spot in Daraj-Tuffah.

Fighting over the area has gone on for weeks, with soldiers Yaron Eliezer Chnitz, Efrayim Yachman, and Itai Boton all falling in battle last week.

Those units involved included Brigade 401 of Division 162, including Shaldag special forces, Yahalom, Engineering Battalion 601 and Battalion 52.

After the Hamas intelligence center found near the Gaza City military quarter, this intelligence center is considered the most important in northern Gaza, including 37 structures, a vast tunnel network dropping 20 meters underground, three tunnel elevators, extensive stairs, and blast doors.

Wide array of communications platforms 

Moreover, the complex included a diverse array of communications platforms which allowed directing the war with Hamas forces both in northern and southern Gaza as opposed to other command center positions focused merely on a specific more narrow area.

In addition, the Hamas fighting to keep the IDF away from the intelligence center was far more extensive and extended than for a regular less important command center.

Multiple rounds of Hamas defenders with higher than normal numbers of more advanced anti-tanks, mortars and other weapons were deployed against the IDF by Hamas.

Also, mid-battle, Hamas altered its tactics in a coordinated fashion, including sending soldiers to run along rooftops to make it harder for the IDF to spot and battle them.

The battle went on underground where Hamas had a variety of rooms for conducting different aspects of war and intelligence collection.

The tunnel network was also connected to a nearby mosque, where Hamas held meetings, to a nearby school, where massive arms were found, including mixed in with boxes of Lego toys, and was hooked into a tunnel network that traveled around 1.5 kilometers to Rantisi Hospital.

In addition, the IDF succeeded in arresting and taking alive the main Hamas operative responsible for digging and directing the digging of the tunnel network connected to the intelligence center.

This digger has provided extensive intelligence to the IDF which it still will not yet share with the media.

Recovery of dead bodies 

During the various battles, the partial remains of a soldier who was killed on October 7, and whose earlier partial remains had already been buried, were also recovered.

The IDF did not specify whether the findings were helping in finding or tracking Hamas’s top leaders who have evaded capture for nearly three months, nor any specific help with locating the remaining approximately 130 hostages held by Hamas, though the IDF made some vague statements about obtaining intelligence.

END

ISRAEL/HAMAS/TUESDAY

IDF captures Hamas stronghold in heart of residential neighborhood in Gaza City

By EMANUEL FABIAN

This infographic released by the IDF on January 2, 2024, shows a Hamas stronghold in Gaza City’s Sheikh Radwan neighborhood. (Israel Defense Forces)

The IDF says troops recently captured a Hamas stronghold in Gaza City’s Sheikh Radwan neighborhood, with special forces battling terror operatives inside tunnel networks beneath the site.

Hamas’s so-called Eastern Outpost is made up of 37 buildings “in the heart of the civilian population,” surrounded by residential buildings, a school, and a hospital, with a mosque in the complex used as a meeting point for Hamas operatives, according to the IDF.

It says the “strategic” stronghold was used by Hamas’s intelligence division and other units of the terror group to “manage the fighting in the entire Gaza Strip.”

The 401st Armored Brigade raided the stronghold’s main building, locating a 20-meter deep bunker used by Hamas as a command center, the IDF says.

It says the bunker had resting areas for Hamas commanders to remain hidden for long periods. Troops also found weapons and other equipment inside the underground hideout.

In other areas of the stronghold, the IDF says troops of the Givati Brigade’s Shaked Battalion located five tunnel shafts, each dozens of meters deep, which all connect via an underground network. The IDF says the tunnel network also connects to the main underground bunker.

Forces of the Air Force’s elite Shaldag unit entered one of the tunnels and battled Hamas gunmen underground, the IDF says, adding that “at the end of the fighting, all the terrorists were eliminated.”

The tunnel network was later destroyed by the Combat Engineering Corps’ 601st Battalion and elite Yahalom unit.

Also during the operation, troops of the 401st Brigade’s 52nd Battalion raided another building in the Eastern Outpost, where they encountered Hamas gunmen opening fire at them from the upper floor, the IDF says.

The IDF says the troops engaged the Hamas operatives while working to evacuate wounded soldiers under fire. The gun battle then expanded to other areas of the stronghold.

All the Hamas operatives were killed in the battle, according to the IDF, along with three Israeli soldiers of the Shaked Battalion: Lt. Yaron Eliezer Chitiz, Staff Sgt. Itay Buton, and Staff Sgt. Efraim Jackman.

end

WEST BANK/ISRAEL/

TUESDAY

IDF kills four terrorists, arrests seven wanted persons in West Bank overnight

One IDF reserve officer was moderately wounded during the exchange of fire. He has been taken to a hospital for treatment, and his family has been informed. 

By JERUSALEM POST STAFFJANUARY 2, 2024 06:25Updated: JANUARY 2, 2024 10:25

•  
•  
•  
• 

A counter terrorism raid by the Israeli army, in the West Bank city of Jenin, December 13, 2023.(photo credit: Nasser Ishtayeh/Flash90)

IDF reserve soldiers under the command of the Ephraim Brigade killed four armed terrorists Tuesday morning who barricaded themselves in a house during an operation in the town of Azzun in the northern West Bank, the IDF said in a statement.

During the operation, terrorists shot and threw explosives at the soldiers, who engaged them in a firefight and, after killing four, confiscated three ‘Carlo’-type submachine guns.

One IDF reserve officer was moderately wounded during the exchange of fire. He has been taken to a hospital for treatment, and his family has been informed. 

Separately, during an IDF raid to locate and confiscate weapons in the city of Kalkilya, a terrorist fired at IDF forces and was killed, with no Israeli casualties. Soldiers confiscated the terrorist’s gun. 

Three ‘Carlo’-type weapons seized by the IDF during operations in the West Bank, Tuesday, January 2, 2024. (credit: IDF)

Seven arrested throughout the West Bank

Meanwhile, the IDF, Shin Bet (Israel Security Agency), and Border Police arrested seven wanted persons overnight throughout the West Bank. Confiscated weapons were transferred to security forces. 

Israeli media reported an exchange of fire in Jenin as well as operations in Jericho. 

Since the beginning of the war, more than 2,550 wanted persons have been arrested in the West Bank, of whom about 1,300 are associated with Hamas, the IDF said on Tuesday.

END

LEBANON//HEZBOLLAH//ISRAEL

Amazing 80% of Hezbollah rockets do not reach Israel

(Jerusalem Post)

IDF: 80% of Hezbollah’s rockets don’t reach Israel, land inside Lebanon

Since the beginning of the Israel-Hamas War, more than 160 Hezbollah members have been killed. 

By JERUSALEM POST STAFFDECEMBER 30, 2023 16:38Updated: DECEMBER 30, 2023 16:41

•  
•  
•  
• 

IDF forces seen on Mount Dov(photo credit: ANCHO GOSH/FLASH90)

The IDF’s Arabic spokesperson Avichay Adraee announced on X on Saturday that about 80% of Hezbollah rockets launched from Lebanon fall within Lebanese territory.

Adraee then attacked the terror organization for violating UN resolution 1701 and called on them to stop using the Lebanese people as hostages. 

“In response to his attacks, we continue to strike Hezbollah’s positions and its deployment in #South_Lebanon, which will never be the same as it was before October 7.”

This comes the same day as a drone attack struck the Mount Dov area, which Lebanon claims as its territory.

Failed launches from Lebanon towards Israel, December 30, 2023. (credit: IDF SPOKESMAN’S UNIT)

Hezbollah targeted in response

Hezbollah also announced that four of their operatives were killed by Israeli strikes in Lebanon, on Saturday.

Since the beginning of the Israel-Hamas War, more than 160 Hezbollah members have been killed. 

The 80% failure rate is a huge increase in rocket failures, earlier in December the IDF reported that only 20% of the rockets failed to reach Israel.

END

LEBANON/HEZBOLLAH/ISRAEL/sunday

Large Israeli Airstrikes On Southern Lebanon, US Warplanes Hit Iraq-Syria Border In Escalation

SUNDAY, DEC 31, 2023 – 01:45 PM

The situation on Israel’s northern border has become increasingly volatile and the IDF has been ramping up airstrikes not only on Hezbollah positions in southern Lebanon, but in Syria as well.

This continued over the weekend into Sunday, after recent days of a series of attacks on Syria, which in one instance reportedly killed a group of high-ranking Iranian IRGC officers at Damascus international airport. Often Israeli warplanes use Lebanese airspace to attack near Damascus and in southern Syria.Via Reuters

The IDF announced it hit targets in the Lebanese village of Ramyeh on Sunday morning, which included military buildings, according to the statement.

Israel alleged that Hezbollah “operates from the area of the village, which is used as a terror center for the group to observe and carry out terror acts.”

The IDF said further the Iran-backed militant group launched missiles from Ramyeh, while “exploiting the civilian population in the village area and using it as a human shield.”

On Saturday, The Wall Street Journal documented of the heightened tit-for-tat in Israel’s north:

The Israeli military said it returned fire following a strike from Syria overnight and launched extensive strikes against the militant Hezbollah movement in Lebanon amid a rise in hostilities with Iranian-backed militia groups across the region.

An increase in tensions among Israel, Iran and its militant allies throughout the Middle East is raising concerns about the opening of a second front in the nearly three-month-old war between Israel and Hamas in Gaza.

The conflict also threatens to expand even further east, given over the weekend there were reports of major aerial attacks on pro-Iran militant positions along the Iraq-Syria border.

The Sunday morning IDF airstrikes on Lebanon appeared very large in scale…

There are conflicting reports as to whether it was the Americans or Israelis behind the attack on Al-Bukamal, but the Pentagon has long been known to occasionally go after targets there, especially after rocket and drone attacks on US bases in Syria and the region.

According to a Mideast-based outlet:

An aerial attack on Syria’s eastern sector near the Iraqi border in the early hours of December 30 resulted in the killing of at least seven people, Al-Mayadeen reported.

The air raids targeted the city of Al-Bukamal in the Deir Ezzor countryside, striking the al-Hajana building and Badr Hospital in the southern part of the city. 

The Lebanon-based outlet implied the possibility that the attacks were carried out by Israel, as the Israeli army said it carried out strikes in retaliation to a rocket volley that allegedly was fired from Syrian territory targeting the occupied Golan Heights on Friday evening.  

The report added, “However, Sham FM and Safa (Palestinian Press Agency),as well as local Iraqi sources, said that the attack was carried out by US warplanes.”

The Gaza War has already begun spilling over into the Red Sea region where Iran-backed Houthis and US warships are trading fire. And there are continuing fears the conflict could spiral out of control in Lebanon too if Hezbollah and Israel open a full war front. Already it seems they are on the cusp of a bigger fight, which could spread to Syria and into Iraq, setting the whole region on fire.

END

ISRAEL/LEBANON/HEZBOLLAH/TUESDAY

TIMES OF ISRAEL

Israeli strikes blast sites outside Damascus as border tensions grow

IDF says it hit Syrian Army targets in response to rocket fire on Golan Heights; Syria says ‘material losses’ caused

By EMANUEL FABIAN and TOI STAFFToday, 10:33 amUpdated at 10:50 am  0

Illustrative: Smoke billows above buildings after an Israeli strike on the outskirts of Damascus on November 22, 2023. (AFP)

The Israel Defense Forces said it carried out strikes on Syria early Tuesday morning in response to rocket fire on northern Israel a night earlier.

In a short statement, the IDF said it struck “infrastructure” belonging to the Syrian Army. It did not elaborate on where the targets were located, or how the strikes were carried out.

Syrian state media claimed the airstrikes hit sites outside Damascus.

A Syrian military statement cited by official mouthpiece SANA said the air attack came from the direction of the Golan Heights at 4:35 a.m., and that “material losses” were caused to the targeted sites.

The IDF said the strike came after five rockets had been fired from Syria at northern Israel on Monday night, falling in open areas and causing no injuries or damage. Sirens sounded in the southern Golan Heights communities of Avnei Eitan and Nov.

Israel said it had also shelled the launch sites with artillery immediately following the attack.

UK-based war monitor Syrian Observatory for Human Rights claimed that the Israeli strike Tuesday morning targeted a Hezbollah position in the town of Kanaker, some 25 kilometers (16 miles) from the Israeli border on the Golan Heights, resulting in unspecified casualties.

The information from the opposition watchdog, which has been accused of inflating losses of Syrian regulars and allied forces, could not be verified.

Recent days have seen several alleged sorties carried out against sites in Syria as part of Israel’s ongoing efforts to prevent Iran from supplying arms to its proxy Hezbollah, which has stepped up attacks on northern Israel over the past several months amid the ongoing war in Gaza, including on Tuesday morning, when missiles fired from Lebanon damaged a building in the Israeli border town of Shlomi.

On Saturday, munition warehouses belonging to Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps’ Quds Force were reportedly targeted near Aleppo International Airport in northern Syria.

Illustrative: This image circulating online purports to show flames and smoke rising from a site in Damascus following an alleged Israeli airstrike in Syria, early July 19, 2023. (Social media; used in accordance with Clause 27a of the Copyright Law)

Also on Saturday, airstrikes in eastern Syria near a strategic border crossing with Iraq killed four Hezbollah members and two other Iran-backed fighters, according to the terror group and its allies.

Alleged Israeli airstrikes also hit the Syrian capital of Damascus and other areas of southern Syria on Thursday night.

Last week, senior IRGC officer Brig. Gen. Razi Mousavi was killed in an alleged Israeli airstrike in Damascus, drawing Iranian threats of retaliatory action.

Mourners attend the funeral of Razi Moussavi, a senior commander in the Quds Force of Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) who was killed on December 25 in an alleged Israeli strike in Syria, in Tehran, on December 28, 2023. (Atta Kenare/AFP)

The stepped-up strikes have coincided with the planned departure of a US aircraft carrier strike group sent to the Eastern Mediterranean to deter Hezbollah and other Iran-backed groups from attacking Israel, even as the northern border has become increasingly volatile.

Lebanese terror group Hezbollah has fired rockets at northern Israel and carried out attacks along the border on a near-daily basis, saying it is acting in support of Hamas amid the ongoing war.

Tens of thousands of northern residents have been displaced to other areas of Israel due to the incessant attacks, with Israeli officials making increasingly bellicose threats as they face pressure to order the military to shift its attention toward the northern border.

File: A soldier walks near a car destroyed in a strike by Lebanon’s Hezbollah terror group in Kibbutz Manara, northern Israel near the Lebanon border, on November 27, 2023. (jalaa marey / AFP)

On Tuesday morning, two anti-tank guided missiles were fired from Lebanon at the border town of Shlomi, with one landing near a building and causing slight damage, local authorities said.

“This is a very serious incident and miraculously no physical damage was caused to the residents. The [attack] this morning illustrates the great danger of the current situation for the residents of Shlomi,” said Mayor Gabi Naaman.

The IDF said it had carried out strikes on Hezbollah positions in the Lebanese village of Yaroun, close to the border, on Tuesday morning amid the cross-border attacks.

War erupted in Gaza and southern Israel on October 7, sparked by a devastating surprise attack by Palestinian terror group Hamas. Some 1,200 people, mostly civilians, were killed in Israel during the onslaught. At least 240 people were also abducted and taken as hostages into Gaza.

Israel responded to the attack with a military campaign, including a ground incursion, aimed at removing Hamas from power and freeing the hostages.

END

LEBANON/ISRAEL/HAMAS/HEZBOLLAH

Large strike Tuesday afternoon, kills a major Palestinian official plus 4 others, many wounded

(zerohedge)

Israel Conducts Large UAV Strike Against Beirut Suburb, Multiple Dead & Injured

BY TYLER DURDEN

TUESDAY, JAN 02, 2024 – 11:27 AM

There are breaking reports via Lebanese state media and AFP saying that Israel has conducted a strike against a Hamas office in a Beirut suburb. 

Lebanese security sources have said a senior Palestinian official was killed in an explosion in Beirut’s southern suburbs, which is also considered a Hezbollah stronghold. However, there is little that is verified at this point. According to breaking news wires:

DEPUTY HEAD OF HAMAS POLITBURO KILLED IN BEIRUT: MAYADEEN TV

Washington Post Beirut correspondent Sarah Dadouch has confirmed there was a large explosion in Beirut’s Dahieh neighborhood, writing that “a Hezbollah spokesman told me a Palestinian official headquarters was targeted in Dahieh.”

At statement in Lebanese state media further says it was an Israeli drone that targeted the Hamas office in Dahieh. Lebanese News Agency is reporting 4 dead and several wounded in the attack, as emergency personnel continue responding to the scene.

In prior major flare-ups in fighting between Palestinians and Israel, Israel’s military has conducted such targeted operations on offices in Beirut, but this certainly will be seen as a major escalation by Hezbollah, which offers these Palestinian groups protection.

developing…

end

Just the start: Major head of Hamas killed in drone attack on Beirut suburb

(zerohedge)

Israel Assassinates Deputy Head Of Hamas In Drone Attack On Beirut Suburb

TUESDAY, JAN 02, 2024 – 12:15 PM

Update (1215ET): Hamas has now officially confirmed the death of high-ranking political official Saleh al-Arouri. There was previous confirmation through various sources, including in Israeli media, yet the IDF has yet to take responsibility for the attack:

Hamas’s deputy leader abroad Saleh al-Arouri was killed in an Israeli strike in the Beirut suburb of Dahiyeh, the Hezbollah-linked al-Mayadeen reports.

…Based in Lebanon, al-Arouri, 57, was deputy head of the terror group’s political bureau and considered the de facto leader of Hamas’s military wing in the West Bank.

Israeli intelligence officials believe that al-Arouri also helped plan the June 2014 kidnapping and murder of three Israeli teens — Gil-ad Shaar, Eyal Yifrach and Naftali Fraenkel — as well as numerous other attacks.

He had served several terms in Israeli jails, and was released in March 2010 as part of efforts to reach a larger prisoner swap for Gilad Shalit, an IDF corporal kidnapped by Hamas in 2006

As both the founding commander of Hamas military wing, the Qassam Brigades, and as Deputy Chairman of the Political Bureau of Hamas, Arouri is among the highest ranking Hamas figures to have ever been assassinated by Israel. Hamas has also said two other members of the Qassam Brigades were killed in the attack.

An Al-Mayadeen correspondent in the southern suburbs of Beirut has said that six people in total were killed as a result of three missiles that struck the building from a low-flying Israeli drone.

This escalatory event has sparked new fears that Iran is about to get more deeply involved, as its Lebanese proxy Hezbollah has already escalated attacks on northern Israel, and is expected to further.

Israel is vowing more such targeted assassinations of top Hamas leadership to come…

* * *

end

IRAN/ISRAEL//SYRIA/IRAQ//SATURDAY

Israel is fighting the enemy on 7 fronts

Saturday, 6 Iranian backed terrorists were killed in strikes over Syria/Iraq border

(Jerusalem Post)

Six Iran-backed terrorist killed in strikes over Syria-Iraq border

Some reports state that the airstrikes have been attributed to Israel, and that four Hezbollah terrorists were among those killed.

By JERUSALEM POST STAFFDECEMBER 30, 2023 13:49Updated: DECEMBER 30, 2023 14:51

•  
•  
•  
• 

A member of the Iraqi security forces stands guard on the Iraqi side of Iraq-Syria border, January 27, 2022.(photo credit: REUTERS/KHALID AL-MOUSILY)

Airstrikes killed at least six Iran-backed terrorists at the Syria-Iraq border, two members of Iraqi militia groups told The Associated Press on Saturday.

Hours before the Associated Press report, the Hezbollah terrorist organization announced that four operatives within their ranks were killed by Israeli attacks around the same time, according to Walla, which states that they were among the six that were killed in eastern Syria. The other two were reportedly Syrian fighters, the Iraqi militia members said.

Since the beginning of the Israel-Hamas War, more than 160 Hezbollah members have been killed. 

Arab media also reported that airstrikes were carried out against sites identified with pro-Iranian militias in the Boukamal region of Syria near the Iraq border. Some of the reports, such as the Lebanese source Al-Mayadeen, state that the airstrikes have been attributed to Israel.

Further insight into the strikes’ target

The attacks hit a weapons depot, a militants’ convoy that had arrived from Iraq to Syria, and a training complex belonging to the pro-Iranian militia, according to The Syrian Observatory For Human Rights, which states that the number killed at the border is actually nine, saying that three of them were Syrian nationals, and said that that strike was done by US forces. The organization also said that the “death toll is likely to increase due to the presence of more than 27 injured members of the militias.”

A pair of US Air Force F-15E Strike Eagles fly over northern Iraq after conducting airstrikes in Syria (credit: REUTERS)

The Press report stated that the attack on the border came hours after an “umbrella group of Iran-backed Iraqi militants — known as the Islamic Resistance — claimed an attack on a US military base in the city of Irbil in northern Iraq.” The militant group has conducted attacks on over 100 US positions in Iraq and eastern Syria since the start of the Israel-Hamas war.

These reports come only days after Iran announced that Sayyed Razi Mousavi, a senior commander in the Iranian Revolutionary Guards Corps, who was responsible for coordinating between the IRGC and Syria, was killed in an Israeli attack in Damascus.

END

ISRAEL/SYRIA TUESDAY

Israeli attack on outskirts of Damascus caused material damage, Syrian military says

By REUTERSJANUARY 2, 2024 07:01Updated: JANUARY 2, 2024 07:19

•  
•  
•  
• 

A Syrian military statement said an Israeli air strike early on Tuesday that came from the direction of the Golan Heights targeting positions in the outskirts of Damascus caused some material damage, Syrian state news agency (SANA) reported.

There was no immediate comment from Israeli officials.

END

IRAN, US/ HOUTHIS/RED SEA.//SUNDAY

Huge! USA responds to attack on the Dutch owned Maersk.  They sink 3 out of 4 boats and kill all the Iranian backed terrorists

This is a first as the battle intensifies in this important region

(JERUSALEM POST)

Iranian-backed Houthis launch new escalation in Red Sea – analysis

Two Houthi attacks on the Maersk Hangzhou commercial ship in the Red Sea between Saturday and Sunday represent a new escalation by the Iranian-backed Houthis.

By SETH J. FRANTZMANDECEMBER 31, 2023 13:58Updated: DECEMBER 31, 2023 15:15

•  
•  
•  
• 

A HOUTHI TERRORIST guards the deck of the ‘Galaxy Leader’ cargo ship in the Red Sea last month.(photo credit: Houthis/via Reuters)

Two Houthi attacks on the Maersk Hangzhou commercial ship in the Red Sea between Saturday and Sunday represent a new escalation by the Iranian-backed Houthis. It also represents a forceful new approach by the US to stop small boats from trying to interdict the ship.

It is important to note that the Danish company Maersk said last week it was going to resume shipping via the Red Sea after several companies had paused shipping via the important waterway due to Houthi attacks. The BBC reported on December 27 that “Danish shipping giant Maersk has said it is preparing to resume shipping operations through the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden. The move follows the deployment of an international military operation to prevent attacks on commercial ships by Yemen’s Houthi rebels. Several firms have paused shipments via the Red Sea following the attacks.”

US Central Command said that at 8:30 pm in the evening in Yemen, the Houthis first attempted to attack the Maersk Hangzhou. The ship “reported that they were struck by a missile while transiting the Southern Red Sea. The Singapore-flagged, Denmark-owned/operated container ship requested assistance, and the USS Gravely (DDG 107) and USS Laboon (DDG 58) responded to the ship. The vessel is reportedly seaworthy, and there are no reported injuries.”

The Gravely is one of the numerous US ships now protecting ships in the Red Sea. It has joined the Laboon, USS Mason and others that have played a key role over the last month. “While responding, the USS Gravley shot down two anti-ship ballistic missiles fired from Houthi-controlled areas in Yemen toward the ships,” the US said. Central Command also specified that “this is the 23rd illegal attack by the Houthis on international shipping since November 19.”

A view of ballistic missiles during a military parade held by the Houthis to mark the anniversary of their takeover in Sanaa, Yemen September 21, 2023 (credit: REUTERS/KHALED ABDULLAH)

Continued Houthi aggression

What’s interesting is that the Houthis did not stop with the missile attack. They then dispatched a number of small boats to attack the ship. US Central Command was blunt in its language about the second incident, which occurred at 6:30 am on December 31. “Iranian-backed Houthi small boats attack merchant vessel and U.S. Navy helicopters in Southern Red Sea,” the US said. This is an important statement blaming the Houthis and mentioning Iran.

The Maersk Hangzhou issued a distress call saying it was being attacked by four small boats. “The small boats, originating from Houthi-controlled areas in Yemen, fired crew-served and small arms weapons at the Maersk Hangzhou, getting to within 20 meters of the vessel, and attempted to board the vessel.”The US ships in the area then sent helicopters, which represents a new tactic they are using to confront the Houthis. The statement by US Central Command says the helicopters came from the US aircraft carrier the USS Eisenhower and the Gravely. The Gravely is a destroyer. “The small boats fired upon the US helicopters with crew-served weapons and small arms. The US Navy helicopters returned fire in self-defense, sinking three of the four small boats and killing the crews. The fourth boat fled the area. There was no damage to US personnel or equipment.”

The incident is unique in several ways. First of all, it is interesting the Maersk had decided to resume shipping, and the Houthis then targeted this specific ship. It is not clear if the Houthis chose the ship, but it does send a message that a company that sought to resume shipping was then attacked.The US response to the attack was robust. The sinking of the small boats is an important development. The Houthis are trying to escalate, and they are being matched with the defensive capabilities of the US Navy. They are not yet deterred, but the incident illustrates that they can take losses in these encounters.

END

zero hedge on the above story/

SUNDAY NIGHT

Maersk now states that they will not travel up the Red Sea.  This will hurt Egypt badly as the Suez Canal will go quiet.(zerohedge)

Red Sea Chaos: Maersk Ship Hit By Missile; US Attack Helicopters Annihilate Houthi Rebel Boats

SUNDAY, DEC 31, 2023 – 09:55 AM

Maersk, one of the largest shipping companies in the world, suspended all container ship sailings in the Southern Red Sea after Iranian-backed Houthi militants attacked one of its vessels. This comes a day after the shipper reportedly attempted to restart sails in the critical waterway under the US’ Operational Prosperity Guardian security umbrella. 

US Central Command wrote in a post on X that the Maersk Hangzhou container ship was struck by a missile while transiting the Southern Red Sea. The vessel requested assistance from the US military, to which two Arleigh Burke-class destroyers, USS Gravely (DDG 107) and USS Laboon (DDG 58), responded.

“While responding, the USS GRAVELY shot down two anti-ship ballistic missiles fired from Houthi-controlled areas in Yemen toward the ships,” CENTCOM said, adding this is the 23rd “illegal attack” by Houthi rebels on commercial vessels on the critical waterway since Nov. 19. 

In a separate X post, CENTCOM described the attack more in-depth, indicating Houthi rebels were on four small boats, attempting to board Maersk Hangzhou. Fortunately, the vessel had a private security team, which repelled the rebels. 

CENTCOM said attack helicopters from the nuclear-powered aircraft carrier USS Dwight D. Eisenhower and USS Gravely quickly responded to the distress call. Houthi militants from the small boats fired on the helicopters, and in self-dense, the helicopters unleashed a barrage of firepower, killing the crew of the three boats. A fourth boat evaded the area. 

According to Bloomberg data, Maersk Hangzhou’s last known position was on Friday, in the Gulf of Aden, before the Bab al-Mandab Strait. 

Maersk was reportedly restarting sails through the critical waterway that connects to the Suez Canal, which handles about 12% of global trade and is a major maritime route between Asia and Europe. We’re sure other major shipping companies will rethink their restart plans for the highly contested waterway. 

As of Sunday morning, only a handful of container ships with destinations to Asia, Europe, and North America are transiting the Red Sea. Vessels are being rerouted to the Cape of Good Hope. 

UBS analysts have said more than 400 cargo ships have been rerouted on the 6,000-nautical-mile detour, effectively reducing the capacity of Asia-to-Europe trade by a quarter. This drives up shipping costs at a time when global central banks have aggressively raised interest rates to curb inflation.

So much for the hope that Operational Prosperity Guardian would unfreeze the Red Sea.

END

HOUTHIS, IRAN/ISRAEL/USA/TUEDAY

Whether Biden, the  Weak, likes it or not, the USA is in this war;  Houthis attack American warship in Red sea.

(Jerusalem Post)

Yemen’s Houthis attack American warship in Red Sea – report

By JERUSALEM POST STAFFJANUARY 1, 2024 21:03

•  
•  
•  
• 

Houthi rebels in Yemen attacked an American warship in the Red Sea, Israeli media reported. 

The two groups engaged in an intense exchange of fire on the scene.

end

Ayelet Frisch..

END

Lt. Col. Richard Hecht

Defying the Normalcy of Routine

Weapons in children’s rooms, Sinwar’s hideout and new IAF wings

LT. COL. RICHARD HECHTDEC 31

READ IN APP

Humans have a remarkable capability to get used to anything. As a matter of fact, someone on my team recently showed me research that scientists stuck in Antarctica – an environment so hard and unforgiving that people that it can be used to train for space – get used to it and retain the same level of happiness over the sunny winter.

This is why, 85 days into this horrific war, it’s important for me not to normalize the situation that we are in. To emphasize what we’re up against and where things stand.

Thanks for reading Mission Brief from LTC Richard Hecht (Official IDF Substack)! Subscribe for free to receive new posts and support my work.

Subscribed

There’s no better way to do this than with the three stories below:

1. What the Kfir Combat Team discovered in a child’s bedroom in Gaza
2. A massive tunnel network destroyed late last week
3. The most recent Israeli Air Force cadet graduation

Let’s start with Khan Yunis.

Last week the soldiers of the Kfir Brigade Combat Team, together with forces from the 98th Division, fought deep in the Khan Yunis area, a Hamas hub in central Gaza. The soldiers eliminated numerous terrorist cells that they encountered, frequently relying on cooperation with artillery, air and armored forces which has proven to be so effective in the war so far. Acting on precise intelligence, the soldiers conducted operational activity in the residences of dozens of Hamas operatives, where they discovered explosives that were ready to be used.

Like other areas in Gaza, many weapons and tunnel shafts were also located, as was a doll dressed in an olive green one-piece snowsuit – most likely an attempt to lure IDF soldiers into an ambush.

Speaking of which, the soldiers also located weapons in a child’s bedroom in a house, including a grenade discovered in a furry pink children’s bag, as well as vests, other weapons, cartridges and material that the IDF intelligence will find quite useful.

During the searches, the soldiers also located an explosives laboratory.

We’ve grown used to this. We’re blase when it comes to explosives laboratories in residential areas, weapons in children’s bedrooms, and dolls used to lure soldiers into ambushes. But it’s a grim reminder of who we are up against.

Which brings us to the tunnels.

Hamas tunnels have proven to be an enormously expansive engineering project, with many excavated under sensitive civilian sites throughout Gaza. So again, it was unfortunately not surprising when the IDF revealed another massive tunnel in the middle of Gaza.

While operating in Gaza City, the 14th Reserve Brigade Combat Team located and destroyed a hideout apartment used by Hamas’s leader in the Gaza Strip, Yahya Sinwar.

In addition to the intelligence troves discovered, soldiers from the Yahalom Unit, the combat engineering corps that has run point on contending with the tunnel challenge, carefully examined the apartment using some of the capabilities at their disposal.

And that’s where they found a strategic tunnel shaft in the basement. Check this out.

Sinwar’s hideaway apartment was connected to a 218-meter-long tunnel of reinforced concrete, dug some 20 meters underground. Like the other strategic tunnels, the tunnel had an electrical network, ventilation and sewage infrastructure, as well as prayer rooms and resting rooms. It had bathrooms with ceramic tiles. It had an elevator. And it had access to other tunnels. This was not a tunnel used for laying low for a day or two – it was built to stay in and fight from for extended periods of time.

You really need to see the tunnels to understand how serious they are:

The tunnel system is no more. Following careful examination, the tunnel system was destroyed by Yahalom soldiers. Here’s what that looked like:

And that brings us to the last part of today’s post:

The Israeli Air Force Pilot Graduation Ceremony

We’re in the routine of a war…but that doesn’t mean that we have the luxury to hold off on planning for what the future of Israel’s defense requires. So after three years, the Israeli Air Forces’ 187th Pilot Cadet Course came to an end, with 36 cadets officially receiving their wings in a ceremony attended by the Israeli Air Force Commander, Major General Tomer Bar, and the Chief of the General Staff, LTG Herzi Halevi.

A number of accommodations were made to mark the strange times in which this ceremony took place. The ceremony itself was smaller than usual and included a moment of silence for the war’s fallen soldiers, pierced by the sounds of aircraft doing a flyover tribute to them.

As Maj. Gen. Bar said:

Now is a time of war. You are here, on the ceremony grounds having finished your course during a historic time, in the midst of battle. We are standing here while brave soldiers are fighting in Gaza, door-to-door and alley-to-alley; while helicopters, UAVs, cargo planes and fighter jets are providing support from above and our helicopters and soldiers from 669 are evacuating wounded soldiers from the field …your generation is one that will now shape the State of Israel’s security concept for the years to come.

It is on us to not normalize these events. To make sure that we recognize the evil of hiding weapons in children’s rooms, that we don’t normalize Hamas’ reprehensible tactics of defending themselves by using the civilians they claim to be there to defend, and that we don’t forget – for even one second – that while we wage a war of defense today, we must continue to prepare to defend Israel for the generations to come.

Here’s to a much, much better 2024.

Lt. Col. Richard Hecht

Operational update

• IDF soldiers continue to operate in northern and central Gaza, including Shati, Khan Yunis, Beit Lahia, Shejaiya and more.
• Following ongoing attacks from Hezbollah, including rocket fire, IAF fighter jets targeted Hezbollah terror infrastructure in the area of Kfarkela in southern Lebanon, in a series of two extensive strikes on numerous targets on Saturday. Hezbollah has used infrastructure in the area for terror purposes, exploiting civilians as human shields for its activities. Since the beginning of the war, Hezbollah carried out a large number of launches from Kfarkela toward Israeli territory.
• The IDF officially updated the families of two IDF soldiers that their loved ones were killed in action, Sergeant Major (res.) Eliraz Gabai and Sergeant First Class (res.) Liav Seada, bringing the total number of IDF killed in action to 506 this war.

END

RUSSIA/USA/UKRAINE./SATURDAY

Ukraine Mounts Massive Series Of Attacks On Russian City, Killing At Least 14

SATURDAY, DEC 30, 2023 – 11:05 AM

Russia’s Belgorod region, which lies just north of Kharkiv in Ukraine, was rocked by Ukrainian drone and missile fire which killed at least 14 people, with over 100 injured, according to revised updates. “According to updated information, 12 adults and two children were killed in Belgorod. Another 108 people, including 15 children, were injured,” Russia’s defense ministry said.

The death toll was so high due to the strikes on a residential area, the region’s governor Governor Vyacheslav Gladkov indicated. While this Russian border region has throughout the war come under repeat cross-border attack, it has been relatively quiet of late, with only smaller sporadic mortar or drone attacks. In one instance a centrally located Christmas attraction, said to be (according to unverified reports) a skating rink with many children, came under fire…

Russia’s defense ministry described a broader attack on Russian territory Saturday during which time the military intercepted and destroyed dozens of inbound missiles and drones.

Ukrainian media sources said that the armed forces launched some 70 drones on Russia in the series of deadly attacks, however, Kiev officials claim they only targeted military sites, including a direct hit on a electronic factory in Bryansk region where missile system components are made.

This major assault appears ‘retaliation’ by Ukraine for the major nationwide aerial strikes on Ukrainian cities that took place the day prior, where the rising death toll is at 39 Ukrainians killed.Via Reuters

The Ukrainian Armed Forces had cited that in the Friday Russian assault, up to 158 missiles and drones were launched, describing that this was a “record number” and the “most massive missile attack” of the conflict, excluding the very opening few days of the invasion.

The Saturday attacks on Russia were rare for their size and scope, and likely Russian forces are preparing another wave of attacks on Ukraine. President Putin was reportedly briefed on the wide-ranging assault, detailed further as follows:

An initial statement from the Russian defence ministry on Saturday said 13 missiles were destroyed over the wider region overnight. Later, it said 32 drones had been shot down in the Bryansk, Oryol, Kursk and Moscow regions.

The governor of Bryansk region meanwhile said two villages were targeted and a child, born in 2014, had been killed. He said the attacks had damaged 55 homes, two private businesses, a football ground, a leisure centre and a pre-school.

The below photo of Belgorod city shows that the attacks were on a large-scale not seen in many months…City of Belgorod, Telegram

“This offence will not go unpunished,” the Russian MoD said further. And spokesman Dmitry Peskov told a press briefing, “President Vladimir Putin has been informed about the Ukrainian armed forces’ strike on residential neighborhoods in Belgorod.”

Russian state media detailed that the shelling “targeted the central city district, which hosts regional government buildings, as well as the ‘Mayak’ city mall – a popular gathering place for locals that traditionally holds festive events on New Year’s Eve. Some reports also claimed that a local ice-skating rink was hit in the strike.”

But Ukraine’s military asserted it avoided civilian areas, which isn’t born out by the video evidence. “Unlike Russian terrorist attacks on the territory of Ukraine, the Security and Defense Forces have exclusively hit enemy military targets,” a military source told Ukrainian media.

Belgorod lies merely 20 miles from the Ukraine border, on the other side of which has witnessed two years of heavy fighting. Air raid sirens and the occasional inbound drone have become ‘normal’ for Russian residents in the region, however, the scale of Saturday’s attack was unprecedented in intensity and the rate at which the missiles and drones hit central areas.

end

RUSSIA/UKRAINE

RUSSIA RESPONDS!

(ZEROHEDGE)

Russia Pummels Ukraine’s 2nd Largest City With 50 Drones In ‘Retaliation’ For Attack On Belgorod

SUNDAY, DEC 31, 2023 – 05:15 PM

“This crime will not go unpunished,” Russia’s Defense Ministry had announced Saturday in response to the massive Ukrainian cross-border attacks on Belgorod, which according to the revised death killed at least 24 people and wounded at least 108, including many children at a Christmas market.

Starting Saturday, Russia unleashed its promised ‘retaliation’ on Ukraine, hitting the Ukrainian city of Kharkiv – which lies just across the border from Belgorod city – with some 50 drones. The Kharkiv Palace hotel following the overnight Saturday attack. Global Images Ukraine/Getty Images

Ukraine’s air force said that its anti-air defenses shot down 21 of those drones, but that central buildings were hit and damaged, including apartments, a central hotel, a school, and government buildings.

Regional Gov. Oleh Syniehubov said that 28 people were wounded in the attack on Kharkiv, which is the country’s second-largest city. There are reports that a British journalist was among the wounded at the Kharkiv Palace Hotel when it was struck.

According to a statement from Ukraine’s military:

The missile strikes, which came as Kharkiv prepared for new year celebrations, were followed by waves of drone attacks on housing blocks. On Sunday, the Ukrainian air force said it had destroyed 21 of 49 Iranian-made Shahed drones that Russia had used to target “the frontline of defense, as well as at civilian, military and infrastructure facilities in the frontline territories.”

A Russian military statement claimed the overnight assault only targeted military facilities, including what it called a hotel which housed “foreign mercenaries”. 

Kiev responded by calling Russia’s version of events “yet another delusional fantasy from the terrorist regime waging a genocidal war against Ukraine,” as cited in Euromaidan News.

The Kremlin has meanwhile demanded answers from the Czech government, citing that recovered ammunition and debris from the Belgorod strikes included Czech-made Vampire rockets and Olkha missiles fitted with cluster-munition warheads, according to Associated Press reporting.

It seems Russia may be sending a message suggesting that if Ukraine hits a Russian holiday market, it will hit a Ukrainian hotel just ahead of New Year’s celebrations…

Russia has throughout nearly two years of war warned that countries externally supplying weapons to Ukrainian forces would be treated as direct participants in the conflict if their weapons are found to be used against Russia. The US in particular has been the biggest supplier of heavy weaponry, followed by NATO and EU countries.

Moscow has all the while underscored the proxy war nature of the conflict and showdown with NATO, but so far a WW3-style escalation has been narrowly avoided, but this worst case scenario certainly looms large.

END

RUSSIA/UKRAINE/USA

“No Stomach” In US To Keep Funding Ukraine As ‘War Is Over’: Ex-Pentagon Official

TUESDAY, JAN 02, 2024 – 04:15 AM

Former Pentagon official Michael Maloof is predicting that Congress and the Pentagon are in for a “tumultuous” start of 2024, as the ongoing standoff over Biden’s billions more in Ukraine defense aid highlights the reality that there’s “no stomach” any longer to fund Ukraine. 

The ex-senior security policy analyst in the Office of the Secretary of Defense issued the words in a fresh interview with Russian media, wherein he also emphasized that the only way out for Kiev is through negotiations based on the current dire realities of the battlefield, which has seen setback after setback for Ukraine forces. Source: WaPo/Getty Images

This dire state of things has also been seen in the increasingly gloomy and negative coverage of Ukraine on the part of major mainstream media. For example the NY Times ran this surprising headline over the weekend: ‘People Snatchers’: Ukraine’s Recruiters Use Harsh Tactics to Fill Ranks. Weeks prior, in early December, the same publication issued this headline: U.S. and Ukraine Search for a New Strategy After Failed Counteroffensive.

Maloof issued his own even more pessimistic assessment, painting a picture of a domino effect spilling over into the halls of a tense and divided Congress which must belatedly acknowledge “the war is over”. 

According to Maloof’s assessment in the interview: 

“The United States has their appropriations hung up. The US government could shut down by January 17 if the administration and Congress can’t negotiate and work out an arrangement for funding Ukraine and Israel, but at the same time to enforce the border. I think the Republicans to date have held firm, and we’ll see if they’ll hold on. But there’s no stomach right now any longer to fund the Ukrainians.

Frankly, the people see that the war is over. Basically, the [Ukrainian] counteroffensive failed, and there’s no way that they can pick it back up and turn things around, because they’ve gone into total defensive mode. The so-called counteroffensive just does not exist,” said Maloof.

Michael Maloof, YouTube screengrab

This is a moment long past due where the American people and their leadership are being forced to put America first given the NATO’ization of Ukraine project has failed.

“We have got to worry about our whether our government is even going to be open for business,” he continued, and added: “there is a second tranche in February that would shut down as well if they have not reached a resolution on funding the government agencies the way the House has dictated.”

American public support for funding Ukraine amid the Russian invasion was already slipping as early as last summer…

And looming heavily in the background is the unpredictability of other global flashpoints which threaten to stretch US forces and resources thin. Speaking of Israel’s escalatory policies in Gaza, Maloof said, “I guess he [Benjamin Netanyahu] thinks he can go ahead and start raising all kinds of havoc not only with Iran, but also with Hezbollah up north. So are we going to help fund all of that?“

“I mean, that’s the big question. And I don’t think there’s any stomach for that, considering that, you know, we are entering an election year,” emphasized Maloof again.

END

GLOBAL VACCINE/COVID ISSUES

END

ROBERT H:

Canadian Government Admits 48,780 Excess Deaths in 2022 (17% Increase in Mortality). There Is No Evidence COVID-19 Vaccines Saved a Single Life in Canada During 2021-2022 – Global Research Global Research – Centre for Research on Globalization

https://www.globalresearch.ca/canadian-government-admits-48780-excess-deaths-2022-17-increase-mortality-no-evidence-covid-19-vaccines-saved-single-life-canada-during-2021-2022/5844539

Forwarded this email? Subscribe here for moreIn memory of children who “died suddenly” in the United States in 2023: Children under 2From the archive of this year’s weekly posts, the names and, often, faces of the dead, representing just a fraction of the total. (This is the first of 4 such compilations of child deaths this year)MARK CRISPIN MILLERDEC 30 READ IN APP In memory of children who “died suddenly” in the United States in 2023: Children under 2MARK CRISPIN MILLER·10:37 PMUNITED STATES Bachelor Nation’s Sarah Herron and Fiance Dylan Brown Reveal Newborn Son Oliver Died ‘In His Dad’s Arms’ February 1, 2023 No cause of death reported.News from Underground by Mark Crispin Miller is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber.Read full story

DR PAUL ALEXANDER/DR PANDA

New Variant Could Cause a ‘heart failure pandemic’?

…or is it cover for the ongoing effects of the COVID-19 vaccines?

DR PANDADEC 30

READ IN APP

Scientists have a new warning out. The JN.1 variant could cause a global “heart failure pandemic.”

Research into the new strain known as JN.1, could cause “global healthcare risk” related to COVID-19, stating that it could start a “heart failure pandemic.”

Researchers in Japan reported that ACE2 receptors, targets for the COVID-19 virus, are abundant in the heart which suggests a potential risk of “reduced cardiac function” for infected individuals. It warns those at risk of future heart failure due to ‘persistent infection of SARS-CoV-2 is expected to exponentially increase’.

While the findings from the Japan study raise concerning possibilities, conclusive clinical evidence directly linking persistent SARS-CoV-2 infection and declined cardiac function in humans is still lacking.

Anything But the Vaccine

People are dying from cardiac events at rates unseen before this particular variant even showed up. This is great cover for vaccine induced heart failure.

Non-COVID excess mortality is up 42% in young people ages 0-24!

Upgrade to paid

Dr. John Campbell Questions the Rise in Heart Disease: Curiosity Deficit Disorder or Something More?

Dr. John Campbell wonders if we’re suffering from a national curiosity deficit. He’s digging into a recent Lancet paper that shows a whopping 44% jump in ischemic heart disease among middle-aged adults, along with similar spikes in other heart problems. Older adults are facing higher mortality rates, but what’s really causing these heart issues? We’ve got the immediate reasons, but the bigger picture—what led to this mess—is still a mystery and no one seems to care to investigate.

Watch:

END

BREAKING: COVID virus heart failure pandemic? Role of the mRNA technology vaccine too? Did Fauci, Francis Collins, Birx, Baric, CDC, FDA, NIH, Bourla, Weissman etc., all those linked to the COVID

virus inception & the mRNA vaccine (DNA) know all along the poison pills? Are we now facing a global ‘heart failure pandemic’? Frightening question based on new reporting in CELL (SCIENCE)

DR. PAUL ALEXANDERDEC 30

READ IN APP

My subscriber AwakeNotWoke shared this and brought us up to steam and it is incredible to wrap your mind around this as it crystalizes a key question around persistence of the virus (and COVID mRNA vaccine) and what that could mean to those infected and those who took the vaccine. I am reading up on this recent publication to fully report.

Read also The Naked Emperor substack below for additional remarks (support Naked).

END

SLAY NEWS

The latest reports from Slay News

WHO Demands End of Public Meat ConsumptionThe World Health Organization (WHO) has been accused of declaring “war on meat and traditional agriculture” after the unelected United Nations (UN) agency demanded that governments “transform food systems” to tackle the “global burden” of “climate change.”READ MORE

Prince Andrew ‘Totally Tormented’ over Name Being Exposed as Epstein’s ‘Client List’ Made PublicBritain’s Prince Andrew is said to be “totally tormented” after a U.S. federal judge ordered that Jeffrey Epstein’s “client list” be unsealed and made public in the new year.READ MORE

Denver’s Democrat Mayor Admits Migrant Crisis Will Force More Cuts than RecessionThe Democrat mayor of Denver has admitted that President Joe Biden’s migrant crisis will force the Colorado “sanctuary city” to make more cuts to public services than during past major recessions.READ MORE

Record Number of Chinese Nationals Caught Illegally Crossing Southern BorderAuthorities have revealed that a record number of Chinese nationals have been caught illegally crossing the Southern Border into the United States.READ MORE

Florida Thug Shot & Killed during Failed Robbery with Fake GunA Florida thug made a fatal error when he tried to use a fake gun to rob a man armed with a very real pistol.READ MORE

Jack Smith Files Frantic Motion in D.C Court to Limit and Silence Trump’s Defense during TrialThe Democrats’ Special Counsel Jack Smith is making desperate moves to try to suppress President Donald Trump’s ability to legally defend himself in court.READ MORE

Comer: James & Hunter Biden Will ‘Eventually’ Testify in DepositionsHouse Oversight Committee Chairman James Comer (R-KY) has warned Democrat President Joe Biden’s family members that they will not be able to escape congressional testimony.READ MORE

Calls Mount for Maine SOS Bellows’ Disqualification on Ballot Ruling as Past Displays of Anti-Trump Bias EmergeMaine’s Democrat Secretary of State Shenna Bellows issued a ruling Thursday to ban President Donald Trump from appearing on the state’s 2024 primary election ballot.READ MORE

Brother Shoots & Kills Sister during Deadly Christmas Eve Family SpatA Christmas Eve brawl over presents soon turned deadly for one Florida family, leaving one person dead and another one injured. READ MORE

Democrat Voters in Biden’s Home State Are Flipping to Republican in DrovesDemocrat voters in President Joe Biden’s home state of Pennsylvania are flipping to the Republican Party in droves, new registration data shows.READ MORE

The latest reports from Slay NewsTop Cardiologist: Vax-Pushers Are ‘Complicit in Crimes Against Humanity’One of the world’s leading cardiologists has spoken out to warn those behind the push to vaccinate the public with Covid mRNA injections that they are “complicit in a crime against humanity.”READ MORERepublican Moves to Impeach Maine SOS Bellows after Trump Removed from BallotA Maine Republican lawmaker has moved to impeach his state’s radical Democrat Secretary of State Shenna Bellows after she removed President Donald Trump’s name from the GOP 2024 primary ballot.READ MOREIllegal Aliens Will Qualify for Taxpayer-Funded ‘Free’ Healthcare in California from Jan 1The Democrat-controlled, crime-infested, cash-strapped state of California will begin the new year by giving illegal aliens taxpayer-funded “free” healthcare.READ MORENYC Calls on Judge to Dismiss Lawsuit Filed by Ex-Bodega Worker Wrongly Accused of Murder by Alvin BraggNew York City is calling a judge to dismiss a wrongful arrest lawsuit filed by a former bodega worker who was accused of murder in a self-defense case by Manhattan’s George Soros-funded Democrat District Attorney Alvin Bragg. READ MOREBoeing, FAA Call for Emergency Inspections of All 737 MAX Jets over Discovery of ‘Loose Hardware’The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and Boeing are calling for emergency inspections after discovering “loose hardware” on a model of aircraft.READ MORERussian Politician Vladimir Egorov Dead at 46 after ‘Falling’ from Home’s Third Floor WindowA top Russian politician has died after apparently “falling” from a window of his home.READ MORERepublican Gov Vetoes Ohio’s Ban on Gender Treatments for ChildrenOhio’s Republican Gov. Mike DeWine has vetoed a bill to ban life-altering gender treatments for children.READ MORECalifornia’s Democrat SOS Refuses to Remove Trump from BallotCalifornia’s Democrat Secretary of State Shirley Weber has refused to bow to pressure from the Left and remove President Donald Trump from the Republican primary ballot.READ MORE

EVOL NEWS

Churches Across Canada Destroyed by Arson over ChristmasREAD MORE… LATEST NEWS:Hours After Maine Bans Trump from Ballot – Top Democrat Exposed for 1 Insane StatementREAD MORE… LATEST NEWS:What the framers said about the 14th Amendment’s disqualification clause: AnalysisRead more…Legal scholar Jonathan Turley becomes latest ‘swatting’ victimRead more…CNN Legal Analyst Breaks Down How Pro-Trump Attorney Could Tank Fani Willis’ CaseRead more…Ex-DePaul player, coach Joey Meyer dies at 74Read more…California is Implementing $2.6 Billion Plan to Give Illegal Immigrants Free HealthcareRead more…CNN’s Top Legal Expert Slams Maine Official for Undemocratic Removal of Trump from 2024 BallotRead more…Professor and Legal Analyst Jonathan Turley Gets Swatted at His DC Area HomeRead more…Whistleblower Reveals Evidence US Gov. Stalked Journalist Tayler Hansen For 2 YEARS After Reporting on Jan 6Read more…WEF’s ‘Net Zero’ Agenda Will Kill Billions, Experts WarnRead more…Rick Scott: Florida Home ‘Swatted,’ ‘Sick Attempt to Terrorize My Family’Read more…WATCH: Tucker Carlson Defends Chauvin: 21-Year Sentence for ‘Crime He Didn’t Commit’Read more…‘Don’t mess with Venezuela’: Nicolas Maduro warns Britain over Navy warship sent to protect GuyanaRead more…Maine’s top election official removes Trump from 2024 ballotRead more…BREAKING: Maine’s Secretary of State BARS President Trump from ballotRead more…Huge surf pounds West Coast and Hawaii, flooding some low-lying areasRead more…Clinton-Appointed Judge Strikes Down Idaho’s Ban on Gender Transition For ChildrenRead more…

NEWS ADDICT

LATEST REPORTS FOR NEWS JUNKIES

WEF’s ‘Net Zero’ Agenda Will Kill Billions, Experts WarnThe World Economic Forum (WEF) is pushing for governments worldwide to comply with its globalist agenda that will reduce the global population by billions.READ THE FULL REPORT

Churches Across Canada Destroyed by Arson over ChristmasChristian churches have become a major target of arson attacks in Canada, with several being completely destroyed by fires over Christmas.READ THE FULL REPORT

Leo Terrell Blasts Maine’s SOS Who Banned Trump from Primary Ballot: ‘Her Political Career Is Over!’Civil rights attorney Leo Terrell responded today after Maine Secretary of State Shenna Bellows banned President Donald Trump from the state’s primary ballot.READ THE FULL REPORT

Trump Campaign Fires Back After ‘Virulent Leftist’ Maine SOS Rules 45th President Ineligible to Appear on the State’s Primary BallotThe Trump campaign today fired back after “virulent leftist” Maine Secretary of State Shenna Bellows ruled that the 45th president is ineligible to appear on the state’s primary ballot.READ THE FULL REPORT

Former Obama Advisor Says It’s ‘Too Late’ for Biden’s 2024 Campaign: ‘Really Scary’Jennifer Palmieri, a former Obama adviser and MSNBC contributor, cautioned on Thursday that President Joe Biden does not have a strong hand against Trump ahead of the 2024 election.READ THE FULL REPORT

———- Forwarded message ———
From: News Addicts<mail@newsaddicts.com>
Date: Sat, Dec 30, 2023 at 11:04 PM
Subject:  Leaked Pfizer Docs Expose Plan to Depopulate Earth by 2025
To: Milan Sabioncello <sabioncello@gmail.com>

LATEST REPORTS FOR NEWS JUNKIESLeaked Pfizer Docs Expose Plan to Depopulate Earth by 2025A leaked batch of documents from the pharmaceutical giant Pfizer has exposed a disturbing plan that seeks to massively reduce the population of humans on Earth by the year 2025.READ THE FULL REPORTCNN’s Top Legal Expert Slams Maine Official for Undemocratic Removal of Trump from 2024 BallotCNN’s senior legal expert Elie Honig expressed serious questions about the fairness and legality of Maine Secretary of State Shenna Bellows’ decision to remove President Donald Trump from the state ballot.READ THE FULL REPORTCalifornia is Implementing $2.6 Billion Plan to Give Illegal Immigrants ‘Free’ HealthcareThe People’s Republic of California will start the new year by providing free health care to all illegal immigrants who are eligible for the state’s government-run health insurance program.READ THE FULL REPORTCNN Legal Analyst Breaks Down How Pro-Trump Attorney Could Tank Fani Willis’ CaseCNN’s senior legal expert Elie Honig said Friday that Kenneth Chesebro, a co-defendant in the Georgia election case, might be “poison” to prosecutors. In October, Chesebro reached a plea agreement with Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis, admitting guilty to one felony count of conspiracy to file fraudulent paperwork. Prosecutors dismissed six other criminal counts against him that he had …READ THE FULL REPORTMaine GOP State Rep Puts Secretary of State on Notice, Files Request to Impeach Her For Banning Donald Trump From the BallotMaine GOP State Rep John Andrews yesterday filed a request to impeach Democratic Secretary of State Shenna Bellows after she banned Donald Trump from the GOP primary ballot. In a social media statement, Andrews declared, “This is hyper-partisanship on full display. A Secretary of State APPOINTED by legislative Democrats bans President Trump from the 2024 ballot so that she can …READ THE FULL REPORT

LATEST REPORTS FOR NEWS JUNKIES

MICHAEL EVERY/PHIL MAREY/OR OTHER EXECS //RABOBANK

END

7//OIL ISSUES//NATURAL GAS ISSUES//ELECTRICAL GRID ISSUES// RENEWABLE ENERGY ISSUES//USA AND GLOBE

END

8. EMERGING MARKETS//AUSTRALIA NEW ZEALAND ISSUES//

VENEZUELA/

END

YOUR EARLY CURRENCY/GOLD AND SILVER PRICING/ASIAN CLOSING MARKETS AND EUROPEAN BOURSE OPENING AND CLOSING/ INTEREST RATE SETTINGS TUESDAY MORNING 7;30AM//OPENING AND CLOSING

EURO VS USA DOLLAR:  1.0965 DOWN .0071 

USA/ YEN 142.05 UP 0.951  NOW TARGETS INTEREST RATE AT 1.00% AS IT WILL BUY UNLIMITED BONDS TO GETS TO THAT LEVEL…//YEN  STILL FALLS//

GBP/USA 1.2655 UP  .0009

USA/CAN DOLLAR:  1.3257 DOWN .0072 (CDN DOLLAR UP 72 BASIS PTS)

 Last night Shanghai COMPOSITE CLOSED DOWN 12.66 PTS OR  0.43%

 Hang Seng CLOSED DOWN 259.84 PTS OR 1.52% 

AUSTRALIA CLOSED UP .48%   // EUROPEAN BOURSE:  ALL MIXED 

Trading from Europe and ASIA

I) EUROPEAN BOURSES:  ALL MIXED 

2/ CHINESE BOURSES / :Hang SENG DOWN 259.85 PTS OR 1.52%

/SHANGHAI CLOSED DOWN 12.66 PTS OR 0.43%

AUSTRALIA BOURSE CLOSED UP  .48% 

(Nikkei (Japan) CLOSED  DOWN 75,48  PTS OR 0.22%

INDIA’S SENSEX  IN THE RED

Gold very early morning trading: 2066.45

silver:$23.88

USA dollar index early TUESDAY  morning: 101.61  UP 64 BASIS POINTS FROM FRIDAY’s CLOSE.

TUESDAY  MORNING NUMBERS ENDS

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

And now your closing TUESDAY NUMBERS 11: 30 AM

Portuguese 10 year bond yield: 2.787%  UP 3  in basis point(s) yield

JAPANESE BOND YIELD: +0.625% DOWN 0 AND  3//100   BASIS POINTS /JAPAN losing control of its yield curve/

SPANISH 10 YR BOND YIELD: 3.013 UP 3  in basis points yield

ITALIAN 10 YR BOND YIELD 3.695 UP 1 points in basis points yield ./ THE ECB IS QE’ ING ITALIAN BONDS (BUYING ITALIAN BONDS/SELLING GERMAN BUNDS)

GERMAN 10 YR BOND YIELD: 2.053  UP 3 BASIS PTS

END

IMPORTANT CURRENCY CLOSES FOR  TUESDAY  

Closing currency crosses for day /USA DOLLAR INDEX/USA 10 YR BOND YIELD/1:00 PM

Euro/USA 1.0944 UP  0.0092 or 92  basis points

USA/Japan: 141.93 UP 0.850 OR YEN DOWN 85 basis points/

Great Britain/USA 1.2624 DOWN .0092  OR 92  BASIS POINTS //

Canadian dollar DOWN .0070 OR 70 BASIS pts  to 1.3314

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

The USA/Yuan,  CNY: closed    ON SHORE  CLOSED    (DOWN) …7.1441

THE USA/YUAN OFFSHORE:    (YUAN CLOSED (DOWN)…. (7.1460)

TURKISH LIRA:  29.74 EXTREMELY DANGEROUS LEVEL/DEATH WATCH/HYPERINFLATION TO BEGIN.//ON DEATH WATCH

the 10 yr Japanese bond yield  at +0625…VERY DANGEROUS

Your closing 10 yr US bond yield UP 8 in basis points from FRIDAY at  3.934% //trading well ABOVE the resistance level of 2.27-2.32%) very problematic

 USA 30 yr bond yield  4.081 UP 6  in basis points   ON THE DAY/12.00 PM

USA 2 YR BOND YIELD: 4.320  UP 7 BASIS PTS.

Your  12:00 AM bourses for Europe and the Dow along with the USA dollar index closing and interest rates:  TUESDAY: CLOSING TIME 12:00 PM

London: CLOSED DOWN 11.72 PTS OR .15%

German Dax :  CLOSED UP 17.72 PTS OR .11%

Paris CAC CLOSED DOWN 12.32 PTS OR .16%

Spain IBEX CLOSED UP 80.00 PTS OR .79%

Italian MIB: CLOSED UP 172.01 PTS OR .57%

WTI Oil price  71.57   12: EST

Brent Oil:  77.06 12:00 EST

USA /RUSSIAN ROUBLE ///   AT:  90.36;   ROUBLE DOWN 0 AND  00//100      

GERMAN 10 YR BOND YIELD; +2.053 UP 3  BASIS PTS

UK 10 YR YIELD: 3.6640 UP 10  BASIS PTS

CLOSING NUMBERS: 4 PM

Euro vs USA: 1.0946  DOWN   0.0090   OR 90 BASIS POINTS

British Pound: 1.2623 DOWN .01048   or 105 basis pts

BRITISH 10 YR GILT BOND YIELD:  3.6780%  UP 12 BASIS PTS//

JAPAN 10 YR YIELD: 0.625%

USA dollar vs Japanese Yen: 141.85 UP 0.0076 //YEN DOWN 76  BASIS PTS//

USA dollar vs Canadian dollar: 1.3330 UP 0.0076 CDN dollar DOWN 76   basis pts)

West Texas intermediate oil: 70.60

Brent OIL:  76.03

USA 10 yr bond yield UP 9  BASIS pts to 3.9444%  

USA 30 yr bond yield UP 9  BASIS PTS to 4.084%

USA 2 YR BOND: UP 8 PTS AT  4.337%

USA dollar index: 101.88 UP 85  BASIS POINTS

USA DOLLAR VS TURKISH LIRA: 29.74 (GETTING QUITE CLOSE TO BLOWING UP/

USA DOLLAR VS RUSSIA//// ROUBLE:  90.36 DOWN 0  AND  00/100 roubles

GOLD  2059.80 3:30 PM

SILVER: 23.65 3:30 PM

DOW JONES INDUSTRIAL AVERAGE: UP 25.50 PTS OR 0.07%

NASDAQ DOWN 281.99 PTS OR 1.68%

VOLATILITY INDEX: 13.41 UP .96 PTS 7.71%

GLD: $190.72 DOWN 0.45 OR 0.24%

SLV/ $21.65 DOWN .12 OR 0.60%

end

USA AFFAIRS

TODAY’S TRADING IN GRAPH FORM

2024 Starts With Bitcoin Breakout, Crude Collapse, Mega-Cap Meltdown

TUESDAY, JAN 02, 2024 – 04:00 PM

Weaker than expected construction spending data and a dismal (final) Manufacturing PMI print for December suggested 2024 is not off to the ‘goldilocks’ start so many hoped for.

However, despite the ‘weak’ data, Treasury yields were higher and the dollar stronger.

Treasury yields were up across the board with the short-end underperforming (2Y +9bps, 30Y +5bps). Yields gapped higher to open and then traded in a narrow range from the European open…

Source: Bloomberg

The 10Y yield gapped up to three-week-highs, hovering at the post-FOMC plunge levels…

Source: Bloomberg

The dollar ripped higher to start 2024 – its biggest daily gain since March 2023…

Source: Bloomberg

Mega-Cap stocks took a beating (not helped by AAPL downgrade), erasing all of December’s gains…

Source: Bloomberg

…and that dragged Nasdaq down to its biggest drop in over two months, underperforming the rest of the US Majors. A late-day mini-melt-up added a little lipstick to this pig and The Dow was the least ugly horse in today’s glue factory…

Major u-turn in ‘most shorted’ stocks too today. Gap down open immediately squeezed higher, only to rapidly give it all back after Europe closed…

Source: Bloomberg

Bitcoin broke-out today above the early December highs to its highest since April 2022, coming within a few ticks of $46,000…

Source: Bloomberg

Ethereum also rallied on the day, above $2400 intraday, but underperformed Bitcoin, dragging ETH/BTC down

Source: Bloomberg

The strength of the dollar weighed on gold which ended down only modestly on the day (after losing overnight gains)…

Source: Bloomberg

But, perhaps the most notable move today was in the energy patch.

Oil prices surged overnight amid growing tensions in the MidEast but then, at around 9amET, WTI was unceremoniously dumped as if any war/geopl risk premium was entirely worthless. And then it legged down again despite headlines that Israel had killed a senior Hamas official in Beirut (potentially drawing Iran even more explicitly into the melee)…

Finally, President Biden’s stock market performance continues to lag that of President Trump’s…

Source: Bloomberg

…but just you wait until March or April when the Biden admin will crow at their outperformance (compared to Trump’s COVID collapse)

Investors are back at ‘Extreme Greed’ levels…

Source

Doesn’t look good for Santa-Rally support… and for the last five years, as goes the first 5 trading days, so goes the year…

Source: Bloomberg

With 150bps of rate-cuts priced in for 2024, there is not much room for error.

END

MORNING  TRADING//

end

AFTERNOON TRADING

TUCKER CARLSON

II USA DATA.

Important data point: USA manufacturing sector slumps again

(zerohedge)

US Manufacturing Sector Slump Accelerates In December: Orders Down, Prices Up

TUESDAY, JAN 02, 2024 – 09:55 AM

US Manufacturing saw only two months in 2023 that were not in contraction and ended on a decidedly poor note with the final December print dropping to 47.9 (from 48.2 flash and 49.4 prior).

Source: Bloomberg

Across the board it was ugly with:

• Renewed contraction in output as orders fall at sharper pace
• Rates of inflation pick up
• Joint-fastest drop in employment since June 2020

Chris Williamson, Chief Business Economist at S&P Global Market Intelligence, said:

“US manufacturers ended the year on a sour note, according to S&P Global’s PMI survey. Output fell at the fastest rate for six months as the recent order book decline intensified. Manufacturing will therefore likely have acted as a drag on the economy in the fourth quarter.

“The slowdown is spreading to the labor market. Payrolls were cut for a third month running as increasing numbers of firms grew concerned about the development of excess operating capacity. The fourth quarter has consequently seen factories reduce employment at a pace not seen since 2009 barring only the early pandemic lockdown months.

“With factories also cutting back sharply on their purchases of inputs in December, suppliers were also less busy on average, again hinting at the development of spare capacity.

“While there was some uplift in the rate of both raw material and factory gate selling price inflation, firms’ costs notably continued to rise at a pace below the survey’s long-run average to hint at historically subdued industrial price pressures.

“Given current order book trends, the overall picture from the survey is one of supply exceeding demand for many goods, which points to downside risks to production, employment and prices as we head into 2024. Potential supply chain disruptions need to be monitored, however, notably in terms of shipping, as the survey has clearly demonstrated in the past how supply chain tensions quickly feed through to higher prices.”

Not exactly the ‘goldilocks’ soft-landing every one is hoping for.

end

As expected: after year end window dressing

This is extremely important!

Reverse Repo Plummets By $314 Billion In First Massive Liquidity Injection Of 2024

TUESDAY, JAN 02, 2024 – 02:33 PM

Last Friday, as is customary on the final day of the quarter and year, banks engaged in rather aggressive liquidity “window dressing” as a result of which the Fed’s Overnight reverse repo facility shot up above $1 trillion for the first time since early November, up from $830 billion the day prior, and up $300+ billion from the $683 billion low hit on Dec 15. It was this sudden spike in reverse repo – which is a drain on liquidity – that sent the spread between SOFR and the effective Fed Funds rate to the highest level since the March 2020 repo crisis, signaling an immediate blockage in the plumbing of the US financial system if not resolved within days if not hours.

That, we said, was “the bad news.” However, we noted that “the good news is that come 2024 in a few hours, and specifically the first day of trading on Jan 2, we expect the reverse repo facility to plummet back to $700 billion once the year-end window dressing is over (especially with total US debt rising above $34 trillion to start the year), and floods the system with fresh liquidity which will stabilize the monetary plumbing at least until reverse repo dips below that key level of $700 billion at which point we expect the SOFR spikes to become a daily occurrence, and one which the Fed will no longer be able to ignore.”

And this was the chart we proposed to explain the funding journey in the next few days:

Fast forward to today when we learn that our first prediction for 2024 was spot on, because moments ago the NY Fed reported that in the first reverse repo operation of the year, a whopping $314 billion in liquidity was released as the reverse repo balance collapsed from $1,018 billion to – drumroll – $705 billion, just as we had predicted (ok, so we were off by $5 billion). As for the chart what actually happened, it is a carbon copy of what we said would happen (see above):

What to make of this move? Two things.

First, after hitting a record 5.40% on the last day of 2023, SOFR has dipped but only just modestly, down 2bps to 5.38%. This could be a delayed response to today’s reverse repo operation, and if so, tomorrow we expect SOFR to slide back to 5.30%. If it doesn’t, then we really have a liquidity problem, even with the reverse repo facility at $700BN.

Second, the plunge in the reverse repo facility is once again back on, and we expect that a reversion to the liquidity draining mean would result in reverse repo sliding to $500BN in a few weeks and all the way to 0 some time in March. And, as regular readers are aware, while stocks can and will buoyant as long as the reverse repo serves as a source of liquidity, once it is tapped out and bank reserves rediscover gravity (as QT supposedly still has a ways to go), that’s when the rubber will hit the road, especially if as some speculate, the Fed will be unable to extend the BTFP program which matures in March and which as we documented last week, is now being gamed by banks to arb a risk-free revenue stream courtesy of the Fed, guaranteeing major political pushback against its extension in the coming months.

III  USA ECONOMIC COMMENTARIES

San Francisco continues to fall into total bankruptcy!

(EpochTimes)

San Francisco Small-Business Owners Calling For Help

SATURDAY, DEC 30, 2023 – 09:00 PM

Authored by Siyamak Khorrami via The Epoch Times,

A long-time small-business owner in San Francisco is on the verge of losing his business because, he says, no bank will make him a commercial loan.

Mark E. Sackett, who owns The Box SF, a meeting and events space in a historic building in the city’s South of Market district, said a loan on his business is due in February, but dozens of lenders are turning him down.

“Six have said [they] are not even willing to make a commercial loan in San Francisco,” he said during a recent one-hour episode of EpochTV’s “California Insider.”

Others have told him they won’t make a loan for less than $30 million while another made him an offer, but under poor terms.

“I was grateful to get the offer, but I would be out of business in six or seven months because it [was] an interest-only loan, and my payments would … almost triple from what they are now,” he said.

Such a climate is not only impacting him, but others in the city, such as mom-and-pop corner store owners. Some are already gone.

“It’s whole areas boarded up. Those were all [once] viable businesses,” he said.

Mr. Sackett started his business in 1990. Over the years Apple, Intel, other major tech companies, and even the governor of California—multiple times—have hired him to stage events at The Box SF.

He says he has impeccable credit and kept his business, with two employees, afloat during the pandemic by dipping into his retirement savings, after many, he said, called it quits.

“They just gave up on San Francisco,” he said.

Pedestrians walk by a closed Whole Foods store in San Francisco on April 12, 2023. (Justin Sullivan/Getty Images)

Now, starting to finally recover from the pandemic, he said his business has picked back up, which keeps hundreds of vendors employed—like caterers, florists, bartenders, and tech teams.

“I’m a blip on the radar,” he said. “But I would argue that I am a critical part of the economy, for those hundreds of others that I help stay employed.”

Mr. Sackett says the lenders have become “selfish,” lack the motivation to help smaller entrepreneurs, and may see working with him as too risky, as so many businesses have recently called it quits—or shuttered outlets—in the city, including Walgreens, Nordstrom, Old Navy, and Whole Foods.

He said such thinking is misguided.

“Big companies are now tumbling,” he said, “and I am still here. In my mind, if I was a banker, that would be a pretty good bet for me.”

He also said that the lack of willingness from lenders may have something to do with the media’s current hyper-focus on the city’s ills.

“The national story is San Francisco is crumbling with drugs, crime, car break-ins, homelessness, mental illness and . . . other things,” he said.

“I believe when you have a world-class city that is suffering, the spotlight’s going to be there.”

And then there is all the shoplifting.

Each of the problems, he said, are interrelated, and are contributing to more people and businesses leaving the city. He thinks of the issues in a ranking of severity: drugs and drug dealers are at the top, followed by addicts on the streets, then mental illness issues, and finally the homeless.

Overlaying all of this, he said, is crime.

“If we don’t get a handle on [these issues], we are going to lose more businesses. There’ll be more people exiting California in bigger numbers,” he said.

Frustrated by a lack of progress by nonprofits and politicians, he said he got involved with a local coalition to try and improve conditions in his neighborhood.

The group planted greenery and installed new lights. He also painted a 300-foot mural on the side of his building at 1069 Howard St., where the late publisher William Randolph Hearst printed the San Francisco Examiner in the 1920s.

But now, he says, he has to paint out graffiti every day on the mural, and the plants were stolen—yanked out of the ground.

He said he was also attacked, not long ago, by a man with a switchblade near his business, and a couple of days later someone took a sledgehammer to one of his businesses’ windows. Often, he says, there are people passed out from fentanyl in front of his doorway. And more recently, he intervened—when security guards wouldn’t—to stop a woman from stealing merchandise from a local drug store.

“She was livid at me because I interrupted her robbery,” he said.

“The criminal element has always been [here], but they’re a lot more emboldened now.”

Fentanyl, he said, is a key part of the issue, and goes hand-in-hand with homelessness.

A homeless person in San Francisco on Feb. 23, 2023. (John Fredricks/The Epoch Times)

They are “basically saying ‘screw you’ to the government, ‘screw you’ to the resources offered, because they are dealing drugs out of these tents,” he said. “It’s all over the West Coast.”

At the root of the issue, Mr. Sackett said, is the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals ruling in 2018, that said cities in the Western U.S., which the court oversees, could not clear homeless encampments unless shelter was provided.

Since then, the issue has worsened, he said, even after the city has spent billions.

“We have become, politically in San Francisco, a culture of ‘let’s throw money at it and see if it solves a problem,’” he said.

But the business community, he argued, which took so many hits during the pandemic, has been ignored.

“We’re not getting that kind of money for small businesses,” he said. “We’re not getting that kind of support.”

According to Mr. Sackett, such is the city’s tax base, its economy, and it’s why—along with San Francisco’s natural beauty—tourists the world over visit.

“I don’t even know if the city is aware of businesses like mine,” he said.

“They have not reached out to me. They have not offered to help.”

He said he used to be homesick for San Francisco and couldn’t wait to get home after traveling to places like London, or New York, or even his hometown of Kansas City.

But not anymore.

“I am not thinking like that right now and that saddens me,” he said.

“I want to not have to worry that I have to watch myself when I go out and be worried about my safety … see broken glass on the ground … to see a guy who’s not able to stand because he has foil and a straw and he’s high on fentanyl. I don’t want to see all my neighbors gone and everything boarded up.”

To change things, he said, people need to get more involved and need to vote. Politicians, he said, need to stop thinking about the party, the left, the right, or the middle.

“Vote and hire good people. That’s how I would hire in my business,” he said.

“People are suffering and we need to figure out how to end that suffering.”

He said there is hope.

“Don’t give up. Don’t give up on San Francisco. It’s a world-class city. We have so much good going for us.”

END

Sanctuary cities are now in a total mess with that mass migration of migrants.

((Mish Shedlock)

Sanctuary Cities Seek More Money For Migrants, But Is Money The Problem?

TUESDAY, JAN 02, 2024 – 07:20 AM

Authored by Mike Shedlock via MishTalk.com,

Chicago, New York, and Denver all seek more money to address the surge of migrants. However, money sent to sanctuary cities will only make things worse.

10,000 Per Day

The sanctuary cities seek more money to address the migrant issue.

New York City Mayor whines the problem will cost $12 billion. Denver’s mayor said the problem will consume 10 percent of its budget.

But what about Texas? On many days in December, there were 10,000 or more illegal entries.

Mayors Call for Action

CNN reports December migrant surge at Southern border largest in more than two decades as mayors call for action.

A new surge of migrants at the US-Mexico border is overwhelming already-stretched resources and prompting urgent talks with Mexican officials as December border crossings reached a record monthly high.

Border authorities encountered more than 225,000 migrants along the US-Mexico border this month, marking the highest monthly total recorded since 2000, according to preliminary Homeland Security statistics shared with CNN. Over the course of the month, authorities dealt with more than 10,000 migrants crossing daily until more recently, when the numbers began to drop.

Since last year, Texas Republican Gov. Greg Abbott has bused more than 92,000 migrants to cities across the country, according to his office. Those cities include Los Angeles, Denver, Chicago, Philadelphia, New York City and Washington, DC – all of which are led by Democratic mayors.

“The international crisis that we are experiencing right now is being subsidized by local economies,” Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson told “CNN This Morning” Friday.

“That is not sustainable, and that’s why we need Congress to actually have appropriations to make sure that what refugees from Ukraine receive, we have to ask … why aren’t those same support services being provided for individuals who are coming from the continent of Africa and Central and South America?”

The shelter system for migrants in Chicago has reached capacity, the mayor said. And without a coordinated solution, the migrant crisis “is going to crush local economies,” Johnson said.

Denver is expected to spend about 10% of its entire city budget on migrant shelter and aid next year, Mayor Mike Johnston said.

New York City has received more than 161,000 migrants since 2022, and the influx will likely cost an estimated $12 billion over three years, Mayor Eric Adams said. “Every agency and delivery of service in my city is going to be drastically impacted by the actions of picking up the tab of $5 billion this fiscal year, $12 billion of three years,” Adams said.

How Can Money Possibly Help?

Is the problem lack of money or is the problem 10,000 illegal entries into the US every day?

If you want to double the problem, double the money thrown at it. We can easily have 25,000 illegal crossing a day if we just spend enough.

New York City moans about accepting 161,000 migrants since 2022. At 10,000 a day or even 3,000 a day on average, how many does Texas have?

The blue, big-city mayors don’t like Abbott bussing migrants to their cities. But do you see any of them helping out Texas?

Biden vs Trump

1. “The reality is that Donald Trump has no plan to build a humane and secure immigration system,” Biden campaign spokesman Kevin Munoz said in a statement to CBS News. “He only cares about himself and will prey on our country’s most vulnerable if he thinks it will help him regain power.”
2. Trump campaign spokesperson Steven Cheung said Mr. Biden and Democrats were “directly responsible for the completely lawless and open border, allowing deadly drugs to flow into communities, giving safe passage to human traffickers, and empowering cartels to spread their violence.” 

The above quotes from CBS News.

Trump says immigrant are ‘poisoning the blood of our country’ Such talk is not only inflammatory, it’s counterproductive. Independents will not be pleased with such statements. And independents will decide the election.

We should all be offended.

Trump would be better served with simple, accurate statements as in point #2 above.

Both Trump and Biden are doing everything they can to offend the independents. One of them will lose because of it.

No Plans

As for point number 1, It’s true that “Trump has no plan to build a humane and secure immigration system.” 

The reality is neither does Biden. Worse yet, Biden refuses to do anything to stem the tide.

And this is happening on Biden’s watch not Trump’s.

Biden Seeks $14 Billion

On October 25, Immigration Impact reported Biden’s Emergency Funding Proposal Seeks $14 Billion for Immigration System From Congress

On October 20, the Biden administration renewed its request for emergency supplemental funding for border management from Congress. This new $14 billion request represents more than a $10 billion increase from the administration’s original August proposal and includes a sizeable investment in areas of the immigration system often forgotten by years of deterrence-heavy policy. Nevertheless, despite several positive requests, the president’s proposal still relies on increased detention and enforcement to address migration at the border.

Another notable increase is for U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), the enforcement arm of the Department of Homeland Security (DHS). The proposal includes $2.5 billion in emergency funding compared to $759 million in August. The previous proposal vaguely indicated that the money would be used to “respond to migration surges” along the border. This time around, an accompanying DHS Fact Sheet suggests that this will partially fund additional detention beds due to the administration’s increased use of expedited removal and to “offer necessary surge capacity for any periods of elevated encounters.”

Currently, the Biden administration is detaining more than 36,000 individuals. This is an all-time high for his administration and the highest amount since the beginning of the pandemic. The requested funding would reportedly increase ICE detention capacity to 46,000, potentially the highest level Congress has ever funded.

Hooray Biden wants to expand ICE detention capacity by another 12,000 persons. That would last less than two days at the December rate.

Money for Ukraine vs the US Border

Since the beginning of the war, the US has given Ukraine about $113 billion.

Biden now wants another $61.4 billion for Ukraine, but only $14 billion for the US border according to NPR.

The entire package counting Israel is $106 billion.

But this is not really about money, it’s about attitudes. Biden does not really want to do anything about the border and his priorities prove it.

Doubling or even tripling money for the border won’t do anything until there is a clear admission that the flow needs to stop.

And extra money for cities will make matters worse.

The primary problem is one of attitudes. Biden does not want to address the problem.

END

New Jersey Mayor Boots Bussed Migrants Over ‘Major Security Risk’ While Biden Busted Giving Chinese Illegals Huge Break

TUESDAY, JAN 02, 2024 – 01:45 PM

Edison, New Jersey’s Democrat Mayor Sam Joshi (D) says he turned a bus full of illegal migrants around because there was no way for local police to know “if any of those 40 individuals were carrying weapons,” adding that “they couldn’t be identified.”

According to Joshi, this poses “a major security risk. It’s a health risk. And we’re just not going to tolerate that.”

Joshi instead plans to send migrants back to the border as opposed to burdening other mayors, Breitbart reports.

WABC New Jersey Reporter Toni Yates stated, “The town of Edison, however, has its own answer: A charter bus to send migrants back to the southern border. The bus that arrived the other night was simply ordered to leave.”

She then played a clip of Joshi saying, “Edison Township Police officers did not know if any of those 40 individuals were carrying weapons, they couldn’t be identified. And that is a major problem. That’s a major security risk. It’s a health risk. And we’re just not going to tolerate that.”

Meanwhile, the Daily Caller reported on Tuesday that the Biden administration ‘drastically simplified the vetting process for Chinese illegal immigrants‘ in April of 2023, according to a US Customs and Border Protection (CBP) email leaked to the outlet.

The April 2023 email, which was sent by a CBP supervisor to a “master list” of about 500 Border Patrol agents, instructs CBP officials to radically reduce the number of interview questions for Chinese migrants apprehended after illegally crossing into the country from roughly 40 to just five. The “headquarters guidance” came as border agents were overwhelmed with near-record numbers of illegal crossings.

“This policy change has accelerated the time it takes to process Chinese illegal immigrants — this doesn’t make America safer,” said J.J. Carrell, a retired CBP deputy patrol agent in charge, in a statement to the Caller. “The final result is that dangerous Chinese illegal immigrants will still be released into the U.S.”

“This is just the government covering their ass, so they can say they vetted,” Carrell continued. “I believe the government recognizes the threat of Chinese soldiers and spies that are pouring into America, and they want to try and identify these individuals. However, the same government does not want to stop the flow of illegal aliens or Chinese nationals — just the ‘bad ones,’ which is impossible.”

According to the new guidance, the number of questions that agents are required to ask have been scaled back, thus ‘speeding up the flow’ of Chinese illegal immigrants into the country, Carrell said, adding that human trafficking operations quickly adapted to the new guidelines, coaching Chinese illegals on how to answer the new, shorter list of CBP questions.

Read the rest of the report here…

So for 5 years the MSM insisted that Trump was a Russian puppet thanks to lies fabricated by Democrat / establishment operatives, yet the Bidens take millions from Chinese entities, and nobody bats an eye when the administration helps funnel unvetted Chinese migrants – an actual national security risk – into the country.

IIIB USA COMMENTARIES RE ISRAEL/HAMAS WAR/ and  PERVASIVE ANTISEMITISM/WOKISM

Potential Pro-Palestinian Mob Threatens To “Flood” JFK Airport On New Year’s Day

SUNDAY, DEC 31, 2023 – 06:25 PM

Days after hundreds of pro-Palestinian protesters surrounded the World Trade Center in New York City and screamed “Allahu akbar,” a flyer circulating social media platform X shows a possible rally at John F. Kennedy International Airport on New Year’s Day. 

Joel Mowbray, a former columnist for the Foundation for Defense of Democracies, a non-partisan institution focusing on national security and foreign policy, pointed out the protest flyer is full of hate:

Pro-Palestinian “protesters” are now openly embracing Hamas. Key word is “flood.” Hamas calls 10/7 massacres “Operation Al Aqsa Flood.” 

So “Flood JFK for Gaza” is an open support for Hamas’ campaign of raping, murdering and beheading Jews — and Muslims & Christians. Vile.

Organized protesters are expected to arrive by foot and vehicles at JFK Terminal 4 (departures) around 1400 ET Monday. The terminal serves several international airlines, including El Al Israel Airlines Ltd.

“On New Year’s Day, pro-Hamas mobs plan on shutting down JFK airport, but don’t worry, New York’s governor @GovKathyHochul and @NYCMayor Eric Adams will be hard at work nursing their New Year’s Eve hangover. Once they’re over it, they’ll pretend it did not happen,” one X user said in response to the flyer. 

Another person said: “Ah yes, disrupt people trying to get home for the holidays for your cause. I’m sure they will agree with you and support it now.” 

Marxist groups appear to be funding these anti-Israel protests, as some point out. What’s troubling, just like when Marxist groups supported Black Lives Matter, the federal government appears to be ignoring these folks who are shutting down highways, bridges, business districts, and airports nationwide. 

Last Wednesday, anti-Israel protesters blocked critical roadways to JFK. 

Where is the Biden administration denouncing these rogue organized protesters shutting down critical infrastructure? There should be zero tolerance for any group attempting to disrupt airports. Maybe Biden’s federal government is too busy weaponizing agencies against Trump supporters to actually care about real threats to the nation. 

END

SWEDEN/EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT/IRELAND

Swedish MEP Slams Anti-Semitic Accusations Of Israeli ‘Terrorism’ By “Batshit Crazy Left”

TUESDAY, JAN 02, 2024 – 02:00 AM

Authored by Catherine Salgado via PJMedia.com,

A Swedish member of the European Parliament (MEP) ripped apart a “batsh*t crazy” colleague who falsely accused Israel of terrorism and apartheid. The Israel-hating left “does not belong in any elected chamber,” the MEP argued.

Researcher Dr. Eli David shared a clip on Dec. 31 from the European Union’s Parliament, featuring Sweden’s Sara Skyttedal calling out an Irish MEP’s anti-semitism. Even as the Irish people angrily protest the woke globalism ruining their country and filling it with violent Muslims, Ireland MEP Mick Wallace is spewing lies about Israel. As Israel continues to fight Hamas after the horrific and heinous Oct. 7 attack that left over 1,400 Israelis brutally massacred, many Western leftists still pretend Gaza is the victim and Israel is the eeeevil aggressor.

Skyttedal had had enough of Wallace’s propaganda, however.

“I am deeply concerned about my Irish colleague from the left group,” Skyttedal began. “Anti-Semitism is on the rise throughout Europe, and an elected official continues to spread anti-Semitic messages.”

It’s a dangerous prejudice, liable to lead to violence.

Skyttedal went on, “Also, this is a war that started because of terrorism, a war between a democratic state and a terrorist group.” Israel is the free and legitimate state, Hamas is the jihadi group.

“But in your upside-down world,” Skyttedal told Wallace, “you are calling the democratic state the terrorists, and not even mentioning the atrocities committed by Hamas. This, my dear colleagues, is a clear example of the batsh*t crazy left that does not belong in any elected chamber, let alone this one.”

Dr. David’s clip also included part of Wallace’s nonsensical response to Skyttedal.

Wallace, who was dressed almost as well as John Fetterman and whose hair-styling appears to consist of sticking his finger in a light socket, babbled, “You’re calling Israel a democratic state. Let me tell you something, right. But democratic states don’t behave like an apartheid state.”

Israel IS NOT an apartheid state. The so-called “Palestinians,” an invented people, have no right to Israeli land and they have been refusing peace in favor of trying to obliterate Israel for decades (not to mention they have their own Arab state already: Jordan). The majority of Gazans support jihad against Israel (even the children), and the war was triggered by shocking Hamas atrocities, unprovoked and entirely unjustifiable. Hamas then engaged in their usual practice of hiding behind human shields, even aggressively preventing civilian evacuations to try and ensure Israeli strikes would kill more Gazan civilians. Not to mention Islamic scriptures demonize Jews, as PJ Media’s Robert Spencer explained, and Palestinian leadership has long insisted that killing Jews is a holy work, a service to Allah and Islam.

Mick Wallace is a shameless anti-Semite, spouting terrorist propaganda because he has been brainwashed by leftist ideology. As Skyttedal said, such men should not be in any elected chamber.

*  *  *

As the left goes all-out in propagandizing citizens, it’s important to have news sources you can trust. Use the code MERRYCHRISTMAS to get a 60% off discount on a PJ Media VIP or VIP Gold membership!

END

Harvard’s Gay Hit With New Plagiarism Allegations As Egregious Double-Standards Exposed At More Than A Dozen Universities

GAY RESIGNS!!

TUESDAY, JAN 02, 2024 – 10:25 AM

Scandal plagued Harvard President Claudine Gay has been hit with an additional six allegations of plagiarism Monday night in a complaint filed with the university, the Washington Free Beacon‘s Aaron Sibarium reports.

This brings the number of allegations against Gay to just under 50 – with seven of Gay’s 17 published works already impacted by the scandal, and now, an eighth!

In a 2001 article, Gay lifts nearly half a page of material verbatim from another scholar, David Canon, a political science professor at the University of Wisconsin.  

That article, “The Effect of Minority Districts and Minority Representation on Political Participation in California,” includes some of the most extreme and clear-cut cases of plagiarism yet. At one point, Gay borrows four sentences from Canon’s 1999 book, Race, Redistricting, and Representation: The Unintended Consequences of Black Majority Districts, without quotation marks and with only minor semantic tweaks. She does not cite Canon anywhere in or near the passage, though he does appear in the bibliography. -Free Beacon

Via the Washington Free Beacon

While Gay’s footnotes are copied verbatim from Canon’s endnotes. 

Canon, pledging fealty, insisted that Gay had done nothing wrong.

“I am not at all concerned about the passages,” he told the Beacon. “This isn’t even close to an example of academic plagiarism.“

Oh really?

As journalist Paul Thacker of The Disinformation Chronicle reports, students are held to a much higher standard than Claudine Gay and other academics caught plagiarizing.

In just one example, Thacker found a Yale professor who literally sighed their name to a GalaxoSmithKline paper to promote Paxil.

To ensure the professor erased the PR company’s writing involvement, STI prompted her on the cover page: “STI Cover Page – To be removed before submission.”

Thacker then lists over a dozen examples of plagiarism and other malarkey he collected from universities in the United States and Canada.

Head on over to The Disinformation Chronicle to check them out.

END

Harvard President Claudine Gay resigns amid plagiarism, antisemitism scandals: Crimson

Harvard University President Claudine Gay has resigned from her position after multiple controversies clouded her short-lived administration.  The Harvard Crimson, the school’s newspaper, reported Gay resigned on Tuesday afternoon, only six months after she was hired and going down in school history as its shortest presidency.

Read the developing story here

FREIGHT ISSUES/USA

END

VICTOR DAVIS HANSON

end

USA// COVID//VACCINE/

end

SWAMP STORIES

END

THE KING REPORT

The King Report January 2, 2024 Issue 7150

Independent View of the News

ESHs traded mostly higher but sideways during Asian trading on Friday.  After the 1 ET Nikkei close, ESHs rallied modestly.  After the 3 ET European opening, ESHs rallied five handles to a daily high of 4841.00 at 3:27 ET.  ESHs then intractably declined to 4827.00 at 9:27 ET.   Traders then poured into ESHs for the expected NYSE opening rally.  ESHs hit 4834.25 at 10:06 ET and then tumbled to a daily low of 4796.75 at 12:23 ET.  ESHs then plodded higher on 2023 performance gaming.  The rally halted when they hit 4823.00 at 15:10 ET.  ESHs then traded sideways until they broke lower at 15:45 ET.  ESHs fell to 4809.00 at 15:55 ET but bounced to 4822.75.   Fangs led the early tumble, which implies larger operators were liquidating on yearend.  The NY Fang+ Index was -1.25% at 11:25 ET.  Tesla was -1.82% and Meta was -1.67% at the time.   Treasuries Fall on Heavy Futures Volume at Month-End Index Close – BBG Treasuries fell – and future volume surged – after the month-end index pricing at 2pm New York time, three hours earlier than normal because SIFMA recommended a 2pm close of trading for USD-denominated cash bonds on the last trading day of the year…   USHs declined as much as 27/32.  USHs tumbled from 125 5/32 at 12:54 ET to 124 10/32 at 13:01 ET on frantic liquidation ahead of the 1pm ET index pricing close.  USMs bounced to 124 26/32 and then fell.   The Chicago PMI for December plunged to 46.9 from 55.8; 50.0 was expected.   @RealEJAntoni: Chicago PMI takes nosedive from Nov solid growth to Dec contraction, biggest M/M index drop since ’20 w/ index falling almost to Sep/Oct level; very stagflationary report w/ input prices rising fastest since Aug, new orders and employment down again; production growth slowing: https://twitter.com/RealEJAntoni/status/1740773262186209434   Repo Benchmark Hits All-Time High in Volatile Funding Market https://t.co/NW5O3tz57U     SOFR fixed at record of 5.40% on Dec. 28, from 5.39%: NY Fed     General collateral repo now trading around 5.50%: ICAP As volatility returned to the funding markets ahead of year-end, the Secured Overnight Financing Rate rose to an all-time-high of 5.40% as of Dec. 28, up from 5.39% a day earlier, Federal Reserve Bank of New York data published Friday show. That’s the highest fixing since the benchmark made its debt…     Pressure in US short-term interest rates abated Friday following several days of year-end funding scarcity.  The rate on overnight general collateral repurchase agreements — a key metric for US funding markets — first traded at 5.625% at the open on the final trading day of December before dropping to 5.45%, according to ICAP. It has since climbed back to 5.50%. But that’s still lower than where repo rates for Dec. 29 were trading during the prior session.      Overnight rates typically move higher at the end of the quarter as some dealers curb activity in money markets to shore up their balance sheets…  (Yes, Virginia, this is a measure of system leverage) https://ca.finance.yahoo.com/news/repo-benchmark-hits-time-high-132353998.html   Repo’s Era od Claim IS Over as Fed Pullback Reignites Volatility – BBG “With months of balance-sheet runoff and massive Treasury issuance, we are at the point when supply is creating more volatility in the market.  I think 2024-2025 will have the volatility of 2018-2019.”…      Volatility in short-term funding markets can hinder central bankers’ ability to manage monetary policy, for example. Funding dysfunction also poses risks to the broader economy by potentially pressuring borrowing costs for the government and beyond — at a time when benchmark interest rates in the US are already at two-decade highs… https://finance.yahoo.com/news/repo-benchmark-hits-time-high-132353998.html   Positive aspects of previous session Precious metals declined moderately Equities rallied on 2023 performance gaming in the afternoon   Negative aspects of previous session USHs were -20/32 at the NYSE close The DJTA, Nasdaq, the Nasdaq 100, and NY Fang+ index declined moderately Gasoline rallied sharply   Ambiguous aspects of previous session Who did the aggressive liquidation on Friday?   First Hour/Last Hour Action [S&P 500 Index]: 1st Hour from NYSE Open: Up; Last Hour: Down   Pivot Point for S&P 500 Index [above/below indicates daily trend to traders]: 4770.08 Previous session S&P 500 Index High/Low: 4788.43; 4751.99     For 2023: The DJIA +13.9%, Nasdaq +43.42%, and the S&P 500 Index + 24.23%; Info technology, Communication Services, and Consumer Discretion were the top S&P groups.           @charliebilello: 2023 Commodity Returns… Gold: +13%, Coffee: +13%, Sugar: +3%, Copper: +2%, Aluminum: +0.4%, Silver: +0.2%, Cotton: -3%, Brent Crude: -10%, WTI Crude: -11%, Soybeans: -15%, Gasoline: -15%, Wheat: -21%, Heating Oil: -23%, Corn: -31%, Palladium: -38%, Natural Gas: -44%   @charliebilello: Dow component returns in 2023…  https://twitter.com/charliebilello/status/1741125732393173401     The S&P 500 gained 13.9% in the last 2 months of the year, the 12th biggest 2-month rally since 1950. https://twitter.com/charliebilello/status/1741117898746114421      The 8.5% gain for the US bond market in November-December was the best 2 months we’ve seen since September-October 1982.    https://twitter.com/charliebilello/status/1741105606600069562      The top 3 country equity ETFs in 2023:1) Argentina $ARGT: +53.7%, 2) Poland $EPOL: +50.8%, 3) Greece $GREK: +42.7%     https://twitter.com/charliebilello/status/1741093982602477975      2023: The Year of the Magnificent Seven… Nvidia: +239%, Meta: +194%, Tesla: +102%, Amazon: +81%, Google: +58%, Microsoft: +58%, Apple: +49%   NBC: U.S. intelligence officials determined the Chinese spy balloon used a U.S. internet provider to communicate – An American intelligence assessment found that the balloon used a commercially available U.S. network to communicate, primarily for navigation, U.S. officials say https://www.nbcnews.com/news/investigations/us-intelligence-officials-determined-chinese-spy-balloon-used-us-inter-rcna131150   Business leaders, residents fed up with Oregon’s out-of-control drug laws issue ultimatum. Oregon voters decriminalized drugs in 2020. Now, a coalition of critics say a majority are ready for change. https://t.co/AbP3djbDrG   Pfizer, big drugmakers expected to hike prices on at least 500 drugs in January https://trib.al/8mGlp2w Drugmakers have largely kept increases at 10% or below – an industry practice followed by many big players since they came under fire for too many price hikes in the middle of the last decade…   Good thing CPI is constructed to NOT show medical care inflation.  It tabulates healthcare insurance premium inflation by measuring healthcare insurers’ retained earnings.   Undocumented immigrants will qualify for free health care in California on Jan. 1 https://trib.al/isvvgIH   @CollinRugg: The U.S. government is dropping six charges against crypto scammer Sam Bankman-Fried including campaign finance violations and conspiracy to commit bribery charges.  Making bribes with stolen money is fine as long as that money is going to U.S. politicians.      SBF donated $100 million during the 2022 midterms, pouring tens of millions into dark money groups with customers’ funds.  Some of these groups were linked to Senate leaders including Mitch McConnell and Chuck Schumer.  Here is Maxine Waters blowing him a kiss. https://twitter.com/CollinRugg/status/1741100200465183034   DOJ torched after prosecutors announce Sam Bankman-Fried will not face trial on illegal political donations – “So we won’t know which politicians he bribed or who’s campaigns he influenced? That collective sigh of relief you are hearing is from the DEEP STATE,” Rep. Tim Burchett, R-Tenn., wrote… https://www.foxnews.com/politics/doj-torched-prosecutors-announce-sam-bankman-fried-face-second-trial   @paulsperry_: What they want covered up, what risked coming out at trial, is how dirty FTX funds were laundered into DNC thru something called Mind the Gap, a Democrat dark $$ op, and how the whole op was run by SBF’s mom, a radical Democrat activist working under cover of academia (Stanford)   @gaborgurbacs: 3 weeks after JP Morgan CEO says Bitcoin is for criminals, drug traffickers and money launderers in front of congress, his firm is named authorized participant for the BlackRock Bitcoin ETF… perhaps it’s time to retract that statement? (Dimon is as Dimon does!)   Chinese military purge exposes weakness, could widen     China ‘purges’ 9 PLA generals, clampdown seen widening     Upheaval weakens PLA, including in strategic rocket force     More time needed to clean up corruption – analyst     Problems may dissuade PLA from risking major clashes in near term https://www.reuters.com/world/china/sweeping-chinese-military-purge-exposes-weakness-could-widen-2023-12-30/   Today – The Santa Rally window is still open but about to close.  Usually, the first day of a new year is positive.  Nasdaq has been positive on 18 of the past 26 first sessions of the new year.   Though the usual suspects have been trying to goose stocks the past three sessions, someone has been liquidating into the rallies.  Traders will try to ascertain ASAP if the equity liquidation that appeared on Wednesday through Friday is present or absent.   ESHs are +1.50; USHs are -26/32; and Feb AU is +5.50 at 20:11 ET.   Expected economic data: Dec S&P Global US Mfg. PMI 48.4; Nov Construction Spending 0.6% m/m   S&P 500 Index 50-day MA: 4503; 100-day MA: 4449; 150-day MA: 4440; 200-day MA: 4354 DJIA 50-day MA: 35,292; 100-day MA: 34,774; 150-day MA: 34,640; 200-day MA: 34,299 (Green is positive slope; Red is negative slope)   S&P 500 Index – Trender trading model and MACD for key time frames Monthly: Trender and MACD are positive – a close below 4026.83 triggers a sell signal Weekly: Trender and MACD are positive – a close below 4482.88 triggers a sell signal Daily: Trender and MACD are positive – a close below 4703.38 triggers a sell signal Hourly: Trender and MACD are negative – a close above 4789.86 triggers a buy signal   @paulsperry_: As federal agents closed in on Hunter Biden in 2019, the D.C. accountant who prepared his tax returns–including income from Ukraine and China–died unexpectedly and some documents disappeared with him. Hunter used his “sudden passing” as an excuse for unfiled returns.      BREAKING: Federal investigators say Joe Biden’s sister-in-law Sara intervened in the preparation of Hunter’s tax returns by calling his CPA to discuss payments from a shell firm Hunter used as a pass-through for funds wired from China, making Sara a potential witness in his trial   @JonathanTurley: Maine Secretary of State Shenna Bellows has decided to add her name to the ignoble list of Democratic officials claiming to defend democracy by preventing its exercise for millions of Trump supporters…   The Democrat-controlled Maine legislature appointed Shenna Bellows to be Secretary of State.  She was NOT elected.  Yet, Shenna dictatorially decides Trump is an insurrectionist and is unqualified to be on Maine’s ballot.  And Shenna is NOT a lawyer.  Fascism is alive and proliferating in the USA!   Democrat Secretary of State Kicks Trump Off Maine Ballot, Takes MSM ‘Victory Lap’ The usual suspects in the mainstream media were more than happy to invite Maine Secretary of State on air to discuss her “brave” decision to unilaterally remove Republicans’ democratic rights…     CNN senior legal analyst Elie Honig reminds readers that Bellows “based her ruling on a lot of documents, but also YouTube clips, news reports, things that would never pass the bar in normal court. She’s not a lawyer, by the way…”…      Bellows gleefully tells MSDNC “I could not, unfortunately—or fortunately—wait for the Supreme Court to make a decision.”…      As Ben Shapiro wrote earlier, that “2024 is going to be the most insane and ugly presidential election in American history. And that’s saying a lot, since 1968 and 2020 are both years that existed. Under what circumstances, precisely, would Democrats accept the result of a Trump election? Under what circumstances, precisely, would Republicans accept the result of a Biden election?”      “The weaponization of the legal system creates an all-consuming fire, burning everything in its path. There is simply no 2024 result likely to result in anything but complete—and perhaps violent—chaos at this point.” https://www.zerohedge.com/political/democrat-secretary-state-kicks-trump-maine-ballot   Maine Democrat who barred Trump from ballot met with Biden twice (in 2023), called Electoral College ‘white supremacy’ https://t.co/I6ytPnnfNI   Noted attorney @pnjaban: Democrats are conspiring to commit the biggest election interference fraud in world history, right before our eyes, as government officials avert their eyes to the mockery of the constitution and our laws. This is a low point in American history.   Ex-DoD intel operative @T_S_P_O_O_K_Y: Let me clarify a fact that the morons like @shennabellows  &the left cannot comprehend.  One cannot have an “insurrection” against their own government…Trump was President on the 6th of January & he did not seek to overthrow his own government…the events of that day could ONLY be an insurrection if they meant to remove the legitimate elected officials of the federal government – therefore the events of 6 January do not even meet the most basic definition of what this moron Ms Bellows is blathering about. And Trump left office and did not attempt a “coup”….the left did – Obama and the entire Democrat Party did attempt to remove Trump via a slow burning coup from Jan 2017 to the end of Trump’s term…the insurrection is all on the progressive left and the Maine Secretary of State now channels Joseph Stalin in her Marxist attempt to remove the candidate from her opposition’s party as an act of communist power…   GOP Sen. @BasedMikeLee: Not one person has been charged with insurrection in connection with Jan. 6th.  Not. Even. One.  Libs STILL insist on keeping Trump off the ballot under Section 3 of the 14th Amendment. Even if he were guilty of insurrection—he isn’t—that provision STILL wouldn’t apply to him.   Boomerang? Trump aims to flip ‘extremism’ label on Democrats in 2024 Just the News review of recent Trump speeches shows an effort to test a messaging platform that paints Biden and Democrats into an extreme corner on more than a dozen issues, based on their own words and actions…  https://justthenews.com/politics-policy/all-things-trump/boomerang-trump-plots-turn-extremism-label-around-democrats-2024   WaPo’s @MerylKornfield: At this Haley event, a voter held up his ballot and said he’s torn between her & Christie but wants her to say she won’t be Trump’s VP, telling her “this is your chance to redeem yourself” after the Civil War answer. She said she’s telling her truth/she’s not playing for 2nd.     “I could say what you categorically want to hear and you could go check that box and go do whatever but I’m going to continue to tell you my truth,” she said. He shouted at her that she didn’t answer his question, but she moved on to the next questioner.   Why does Nikki Haley keep invoking “my truth?”  When will someone ask her what that means?    CBS’s @NidiaCavazosTV: Nikki Haley was pressed by reporters, after her first campaign stop in New Hampshire, on why she failed to mention slavery as a cause of the civil war during Wednesday’s town hall.  “Yes, of course, slavery can never happen again, but going forward, doesn’t that mean we should focus on the freedoms of people to live their life, not to have government, not to have any other person tell them what they can and can’t do?”   Haley reflexively spews word salad when off script.  She’s the Republican Kamal Harris.   @tallytina27: This is a flyer for people attending Nikki Haley’s “Ask a Woman” event.  Her flyer reads, “Too brown. Too female. Too conservative.”  It then goes on to state that “proof of Covid 19 vaccination is required for entry.”  This was in November 2022.  Tell me she is not a Democrat. https://twitter.com/tallytina27/status/1740766629330366951   @WallStreetSilv: This is why you only see illegal migrants with small backpacks.  This driver carries all the people’s bags across the border, so when the migrants are illegally crossing into the USA, they don’t have to carry anything.  It’s a whole operation. This footage is in Eagle Pass, Texas… https://twitter.com/WallStreetSilv/status/1740578779607531899   Leftist Politician in Germany Says Migrants Are “Entitled” to Mass Loot Grocery Stores A shop owner in Germany was denounced as a racist for complaining about migrants mass looting his store, while a left-wing politician sided with the criminals, saying they were “entitled” to steal…  However, he was denounced as a “racist” for complaining about the mass looting and subsequently criticized by Ferat Koçak, a member of the Berlin House of Representatives for The Left party.     Siding with the criminals, Koçak suggested that the migrants were “entitled” to steal because the government wasn’t giving them enough free money in welfare payments… https://modernity.news/2023/12/28/leftist-politician-in-germany-says-migrants-are-entitled-to-mass-loot-grocery-stores/   @Techno_Fog: A few weeks back, a federal judge noticed attorneys for Michael Cohen (ex-DJT atty.) were using fake cases – and demanded an explanation.  It turns out Cohen was using AI to help write his own motions – and was apparently misleading his lawyer about the source of those cases. https://twitter.com/Techno_Fog/status/1740795281653039176   @ByronYork: ‘The revelation could have serious implications for the Manhattan criminal case against Mr. Trump, in which Mr. Cohen is expected to serve as the star witness. The former president’s lawyers have long attacked Mr. Cohen as a serial fabulist; now, they will have a brand-new example.’   @SubxNews: New @Chicago_Police directive saying youth should not be arrested … encouraging officers to avoid taking youths and children into secure custody unless no other effective alternatives exist … General Order G02-05 Chicago Police Department – INTERACTIONS WITH YOUTH AND CHILDREN… https://t.co/Ffau2EeM9D   Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson calls for reparations funding to reduce violent crime https://t.co/QjFvhSDuQr   @ShirionOr: Hezbollah: Spotted in Chicago – Hezbollah headbands shown. These don’t look like “protestors.”  They are wearing official attire.  https://twitter.com/ShirionOr/status/1741629252359901452?s=02   Bill Clinton will be “John Doe 36” on the Epstein list about to be published and he’s mentioned over 50 times  https://t.co/E2IiHRHf2T   @jimiuorio: If they’re giving up Bill Clinton it probably means there’s something bigger being hidden… reality is Bill is old and irrelevant and, most importantly, we all already knew this…   @TonyClimate: Arctic Sea ice extent yesterday was scarcely different from 1990.  Experts predicted the ice would be gone by 2008, and 2010 and 2012 and 2013 and 2014 …. https://twitter.com

GREG HUNTER  INTERVIEWING CATHERINE FITTS

Pushback to Tyranny & Control Increases in 2024 – Catherine Austin Fitts

Pushback to Tyranny & Control Increases in 2024 – Catherine Austin Fitts

By Greg Hunter On December 30, 2023 In Political Analysis43 Comments

By Greg Hunter’s USAWatchdog.com (Saturday Night Post)

Catherine Austin Fitts (CAF), Publisher of The Solari Report, financial expert and former Assistant Secretary of Housing (Bush 41 Admin.), says the top story (out of 20 top stories) of 2023 was massive, documented pushback to tyranny and control by the evil Deep State globalists.  CAF explains, “Our top story of 2023 is ‘The Year of Pushback.’  It was so long, and it was so big, we had to make a special page and move the other 19 top stories to a whole different section on another page.”

Just a few of the 2023 stories that documented this massive pushback, according to CAF, are, “Stories on Constitutional protections, different litigations on the First Amendment and the Second Amendment, and we have one on information sovereignty and infrastructure.  We have stories on all the pushback against the media, including litigation to hold people accountable and stopping emergency powers.  We have culture wars about saying no to international organizations.  Woke capital controls and ESG (Environmental, Social and Governance investing) is toast.  The state AGs have gone after ESG and Larry Fink (BlackRock CEO), and he’s had to publicly backpedal.  They are steamrolling him.  We had another story about taking it to the streets and have a whole section on ‘Pushback Heros.’ . . . In 2023, people started to realize that it is kill or be killed.  We have to push back because there is no going along with this.  They are trying to kill us, number one.  Then they are trying to take all of our stuff, and we can’t let them.

CAF also talks about what she calls “massive collateral fraud.”  CAF goes on to say, “The collateral fraud is enormous, and we have talked about the money (trillions of dollars) that has gone ‘missing’ for years from the federal government.  This is what’s been going on in the United States and around the world for years.  You issue debt, you get a whole bunch of money, and then the money disappears. . . . So, there is an extraordinarily fraudulent system going on around the debt markets.  The reality is if you are going to run a bubble like that, you need very strict control of the collateral.  This is what “The Great Taking” is all about.  2024 is the year the pushback can put us over the top.”

CAF thinks gold is a “must have” investment for the coming years.  The US dollar is being weakened, but it is still “dominant and dangerous.”

In closing, CAF says, “I think we are going see collisions at a spiritual, legal, financial and physical level increasing all over the planet.  This is a real war, and we are in World War III now.

The US is going to defend the dollar. . .”

There is much more in the 1-hour and 2-minute in-depth interview.

Join Greg Hunter of USAWatchdog.com as he goes One-on-One with the Publisher of The Solari Report, Catherine Austin Fitts for 12.30.23.

(To Donate to USAWatchdog.com Click Here)

Pushback to Tyranny & Control Increases in 2024 – Catherine Austin Fitts

(Tech Note: If you do not see the video, know it is there. Unplug your modem, and plug it back in after 30 sec.  This will clear codes that may be blocking you from seeing it.  In addition, try different browsers.  Also, turn off all ad blockers if you have them.  Finally, clear your Cashe, and that might help too.  https://its.uiowa.edu/support/article/719   All the above is a way Big Tech tries to censor people like USAWatchdog.com.)

After the Interview:

HAPPY NEW YEAR TO YOU ALL;

SEE YOU ON WEDNESDAY