Thursday, October 2, 2025

EU Split Over Palestinian Aid.

The European Union’s pledge to suspend €691 million ($728 million) worth of aid to Palestinian territories following the Hamas terror raid on Israel appears to have unravelled, with the governments of France and other EU member-states voicing public opposition.

Hungary’s Oliver Varhelyi, the European Commissioner for Neighbourhood and Enlargement, had said all payments to Palestinian territories, comprised of Hamas-controlled Gaza and the West Bank, were “immediately suspended” due to the “scale of terror and brutality against Israel and its people” over the weekend, which Varhelyi called a “turning point”.

France, which along with Germany is the European Union’s dominant power, appears to disagree, however, with Emmanuel Macron’s government announcing on Tuesday it is “not in favour of suspending aid which directly benefits the Palestinian populations” and has “made this known to the EU Commission.”

The Irish government, too, seemed surprised by Verhelyi’s announcement, saying: “Our understanding is that there is no legal basis for a unilateral decision of this kind by an individual Commissioner and we do not support a suspension of aid.”

They were backed up by Belgium, Luxembourg, and Spain.

Notably, Verhelyi put out his announcement through his own social media, not the European Commission’s central communications office. The European Commission now says “[t]here will be no suspension of payments” – though it claims a review of the aid portfolio will still be carried out.

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The European Union's pledge to suspend €691 million ($728 million) worth of aid to Palestinian territories following the Hamas terror raid on Israel appears to have unravelled, with the governments of France and other EU member-states voicing public opposition. show more

Editor’s Notes

Behind-the-scenes political intrigue exclusively for Pulse+ subscribers.

RAHEEM J. KASSAM Editor-in-Chief
I said after the European Commission announced aid to Palestine was suspended after the terror attacks that it was “a big step for the Europeans, considering their ability to morally obfuscate in such situations
I said after the European Commission announced aid to Palestine was suspended after the terror attacks that it was “a big step for the Europeans, considering their ability to morally obfuscate in such situations show more
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canadians debanked

REPORT: Over 800 Canadians ‘Debanked’.

More than 800 Canadians have had their bank accounts arbitrarily removed over the last five years, with many never receiving an explanation for the closures, according to figures obtained by a recent access-to-information request.

The request revealed over 250 supporters of last year’s Freedom Convoy in Ottawa were ‘debanked,’ another 170 had Bitcoin wallets taken away. The total amount confiscated is estimated at 7.8 million Canadian dollars ($5.7 million).

Canadian federal law only permits banks to cancel the accounts of those suspected of criminality. However, the Financial Consumer Agency of Canada admitted that the closures excluded cases involving crimes, such as terrorism and money laundering, and was unable to provide a reason as to why the accounts were closed.

General counsel for the Bankers Association in Canada, Angelina Mason, explained at a hearing at the Commons financial committee last year, “We primarily relied upon the names provided by the [Royal Canadian Mounted Police],” before admitting that there were a number of people who had their accounts frozen who did not appear on lists provided by the authorities.

“Debanking” has become more prominent across a number of advanced nations following the closure of Brexit leader Nigel Farage‘s private bank account earlier this year because of his friendship with former President Donald Trump. The co-chairman of Alternative for Germany was similarly debanked due to his political affiliations last week.

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More than 800 Canadians have had their bank accounts arbitrarily removed over the last five years, with many never receiving an explanation for the closures, according to figures obtained by a recent access-to-information request. show more

Oil Prices Are Now Rising, & Biden Already Drained The Strategic Petroleum Reserve.

Global benchmark Brent crude futures soared to $87.20 per barrel on Monday morning, while West Texas Intermediate futures in the United States landed on $85.7 per barrel, having initially passed $86. This represents an increase in oil prices of over 3.1 percent globally and over 3.5 percent domestically, as the markets react to Israel declaring war over the weekend in response to an armed incursion from Gaza.

The United States is particularly exposed to the price surge. President Joe Biden drained much of the nation’s Strategic Petroleum Reserve last year in an effort to hold down the price of gas, after the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) openly snubbed him and cut production despite his begging them no to do so.

Worse still, in August, the Biden regime delayed plans to restock the reserve, hoping prices would fall.

U.S.-led efforts to embargo or cap the price of Russian oil in order to starve Moscow of revenue, which have proved unsuccessful, have also left America and its allies more exposed to price shocks caused by events in the Middle East. Anti-energy independence policies such as the cancellation of the Keystone XL pipeline and pauses on gas and oil leases, too, have undermined national resilience.

Analysts believe the current spike in prices may just be a “knee-jerk” response to the attack on Israel, and markets can recover – but this could change if Iran is drawn into the conflict, disrupting oil shipments through the Strait of Hormuz.

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Global benchmark Brent crude futures soared to $87.20 per barrel on Monday morning, while West Texas Intermediate futures in the United States landed on $85.7 per barrel, having initially passed $86. This represents an increase in oil prices of over 3.1 percent globally and over 3.5 percent domestically, as the markets react to Israel declaring war over the weekend in response to an armed incursion from Gaza. show more

U.S. Economy Added 336,000 Jobs in September.

The U.S. government’s Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) is reporting the economy added 336,000 jobs in September, far exceeding the 170,000 forecasted. On Wednesday the ADP National Employment Report indicated private sector payroll increased by just 89,000 jobs month, well below their forecast of 150,000.

While on the surface the BLS data for September may look strong, there are some concerning indicators the U.S. job market is weakening. Last month’s job gains were driven entirely by an increase in part-time employment, with 151,000 jobs added. Full time employment actually decreased, shedding 22,000 jobs. Over the last three months, part-time employment has increased by nearly 1.2 million while full time employment has decreased by an estimated 700,000. Additionally, the labor force participation rate remained depressed at 62.8 percent.

The number of foreign born workers in the U.S. is at an all-time high, making up 18.5 percent of the nation’s workforce. While the rate of employment for foreign workers has recovered to pre-pandemic levels, the same cannot be said for native-born workers. Compounding the employment gap, BLS data shows since March of 2022 jobs have disproportionately gone to non-native workers.

Economist and President of Queens’ College, Cambridge (UK) Mohamed A. El-Erian said he believes the jobs report is “bad news for markets and for the Fed.” It is widely speculated the better-than-expected jobs numbers for September will increase pressure on Federal Reserve Bank chairman Jerome Powell to raise interest rates further before the end of the year. The Federal Reserve committee which sets interest rates is set to meet at the end of October.

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The U.S. government's Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) is reporting the economy added 336,000 jobs in September, far exceeding the 170,000 forecasted. On Wednesday the ADP National Employment Report indicated private sector payroll increased by just 89,000 jobs month, well below their forecast of 150,000. show more

Bidenomics: Mortgage Rates Surge to Highest in 23 Years.

Mortgage costs have hit their highest level in 23 years under Joe Biden, with prospective buyers now having to submit to an average rate of 7.5 percent for a 30-year home loan, up from 7.3 percent just last week and an average of 6.7 percent last year.

The rate rise puts the archetypal house and white picket fence so associated with the old-fashioned notion of the American Dream further out of reach for many young Americans, who are becoming homeowners progressively later in life, or not at all.

Home ownerships are falling across the country, with Virginia currently the worst-impacted U.S. state, with an 8.8 percent drop. North Dakota, North Carolina, Connecticut, Georgia, and Ohio have also been hit hard, seeing drops of 7.3 to 7.5 percent.

People now have to be able to put up over $2,000 a month to cover their mortgage costs in 31 states, with Hawaii the most expensive of all with costs over $5,000 a month.

Americans who give up on their home ownership dreams in favor of renting are scarcely better off, with the average single-family home costing at least $1,900 a month.

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Mortgage costs have hit their highest level in 23 years under Joe Biden, with prospective buyers now having to submit to an average rate of 7.5 percent for a 30-year home loan, up from 7.3 percent just last week and an average of 6.7 percent last year. show more
womply

China-Linked Firm Raked In $2bn Of YOUR Tax Dollars With Fraudulent PPP Loans.

Womply, a Silicon Valley-based financial technology company, is alleged to have pulled in $2 billion in U.S. taxpayer dollars during the COVID-19 pandemic through defrauding the U.S. government by processing blatantly fraudulent Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loans. An ongoing court battle over Womply’s complicity in financial fraud has now revealed that some of those tax dollars were likely passed on to one of the company’s key investors, Chinese tech conglomerate Tencent.

The Paycheck Protection Program was set up in the early days of the pandemic in an effort to prevent mass layoffs and an economic recession. The $800 billion program allowed American businesses to secure loans to keep workers on payroll despite commerce being essentially shut down by state governments. All-in-all 11 million loans were issued through PPP.

Financial technology companies like Womply served as middlemen, supposedly aiding business in filing out and filing paperwork to receive a PPP loan – with most profiting by collecting a processing fee based on the loan amount. The relatively ‘easy’ money these companies could make from processing large loans, however, became a major vector for fraud and abuse. Womply’s fraud prevention mechanisms were described by Florida-based lender Benworth as having been “put together with duct tape and gum.”

Womply’s activities raise even more questions and concerns now that it has come to light that China’s Tencent, which owns WeChat and TikTok, is one of its stakeholders. In 2020 the U.S. Central Intelligence Agency determined Tencent was backed financially by the Chinese government’s Ministry of State Security. Not only may Womply have defrauded the U.S. government, it may have ultimately helped the China profit from U.S. taxpayers at the height of the pandemic.

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Womply, a Silicon Valley-based financial technology company, is alleged to have pulled in $2 billion in U.S. taxpayer dollars during the COVID-19 pandemic through defrauding the U.S. government by processing blatantly fraudulent Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loans. An ongoing court battle over Womply's complicity in financial fraud has now revealed that some of those tax dollars were likely passed on to one of the company's key investors, Chinese tech conglomerate Tencent. show more
big tech

DATA: Most Don’t Mind a Shutdown, Want Border Security in Any Deal.

New polling shows that a plurality of Americans are supportive of at least a ‘partial government shutdown’ until Congressional Republicans and Democrats can either agree to cut spending or at least keep it at its currently level.

The Rasmussen Reports poll of 1,020 Likely Voters found that only 40 percent of respondents opposed a government shutdown, while 48 percent were supportive. In addition, 63 percent of voters believe that any new spending bill should include provisions to increase border security.

Negotiations among Republican members of the House of Representatives have come to a standstill after a temporary spending measure negotiated by Reps. Byron Donalds (R-FL) and Dusty Johnson (R-SD) – and backed by Freedom Caucus stalwart Chip Roy (R-TX) – fell apart with several other conservative factions still opposing.

Members of the Freedom Caucus who opposed the temporary spending bill, like Rep. Ralph Norman (R-SC), remain committed to returning spending to pre-COVID-19 levels. Another faction, lead by Rep. Matt Gaetz (R-FL), argue that Congress must engage in a regular budget process and take up each appropriations bill separately instead of passing temporary spending bills that eventually lead to an “omnibus” – a massive, single budget bill that would fund the government into the next year.

Last Thursday, Speaker Kevin McCarthy adjourned the House after he was unable to bring the Defense appropriations bill to the floor for a vote – some Republicans objected to the bill containing additional funding for Ukraine. Congress returns to session today with just five days left to try and move the twelve budget appropriations bills before government funding runs out at 11:59pm on September 30th.

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New polling shows that a plurality of Americans are supportive of at least a 'partial government shutdown' until Congressional Republicans and Democrats can either agree to cut spending or at least keep it at its currently level. show more
chicago government run groceries

Chicago Floats Govt-Owned Grocery Stores As Crime Drives Retailers Out.

A retail theft epidemic sparked by soft-on-crime policies has driven stores like Walmart and Whole Foods out of Chicago. Now, the city’s radical left-wing mayor, Brandon Johnson, is taking a page out the socialism handbook and exploring the idea of government-owned grocery stores to replace the departing retail giants. According to Johnson, the goal of the city-owned groceries would be to promote “equitable” food access.

Critics say Mayor Johnson is ignoring Attorney Kim Foxx’s soft-on-crime policies as part of the conversation – policies that have drawn sharp criticism from Illinois Republican and Democrat lawmakers, and even Johnson’s predecessor, former-Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot.

Mayor Johnson joined a growing list of Democrat-run localities in exploring lawsuits against auto manufacturers, blaming them for the spike in carjackings and burglaries because their cars are apparently too easy to break into.

When Walmart announced they were departing Chicago’s South and West side neighborhoods, the store pointed to rapidly increasing losses those locations have suffered as crime in the city increased:

“The simplest explanation is that collectively our Chicago stores have not been profitable since we opened the first one nearly 17 years ago – these stores lose tens of millions of dollars a year, and their annual losses nearly doubled in just the last five years”

Johnson’s allies on the city council, meanwhile are pushing drastic cuts to policing, surveillance, and other public safety measures as the they grapple with an over half-a-billion dollar budget gap.

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A retail theft epidemic sparked by soft-on-crime policies has driven stores like Walmart and Whole Foods out of Chicago. Now, the city's radical left-wing mayor, Brandon Johnson, is taking a page out the socialism handbook and exploring the idea of government-owned grocery stores to replace the departing retail giants. According to Johnson, the goal of the city-owned groceries would be to promote "equitable" food access. show more
uaw

United Automobile Workers Strike Against Ford, General Motors, and Stellantis.

United Automobile Workers (UAW) members are taking unprecedented strike action against Ford, General Motors, and Stellantis at three plants across the Midwest, demanding wage increases on par with recent hikes in compensation for the chief executives of the three automakers as inflation bites.

Thousands of workers are striking at plants in Michigan, Missouri, and Ohio as bosses remain at loggerheads with UAW president Shawn Fain, offering workers roughly half the wage increase he is demanding and rejecting his other proposals on healthcare, pensions, and other issues of concern outright.

UAW workers have never downed tools at plants for all three companies at once, but the strikes are still targeted fairly narrowly, with the vast majority of the 150,000 unionized workers for the automakers continuing to work elsewhere – at least for now.

The prospect of a broader strike is worriesome for Joe Biden, who claims to be the “most pro-union president in American history,” especially as the UAW has not yet endorsed him for 2024 and members seem dissatisfied with his efforts – or lack thereof – to resolve the dispute.

“I don’t know what he’s done,” remarked Garry Quick Quick, UAW president in Fain’s hometown of Kokomo, Indiana.

“Ask him. I don’t think he knows what he’s done. Seriously. I’m not trying to be mean,” Quick added.

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United Automobile Workers (UAW) members are taking unprecedented strike action against Ford, General Motors, and Stellantis at three plants across the Midwest, demanding wage increases on par with recent hikes in compensation for the chief executives of the three automakers as inflation bites. show more
bidenomics

BIDENOMICS: Inflation Up in August.

Inflation in the United States rose by an annual rate of 3.7 percent in August, the second consecutive month of rising costs. The Consumer Price Index, which tracks a basket of goods and services typically purchased by consumers, increased by 0.6 percent from July. The so-called core CPI, which excludes volatile fuel and food costs, rose by 4.3 percent from a year ago. Gasoline prices were the primary contributor to the increase, with housing also playing a role.

The release of the latest inflation data comes just prior to the Federal Reserve’s two-day policy meeting, during which officials will assess price and wage trends to decide whether to raise interest rates or keep them stable. While inflation remains higher than the Fed’s target of 2 percent, analysts believe the cooling trend may influence the central bank to maintain steady rates. Gasoline prices at the pump rose from an average of $3.60 per gallon in July to $3.84 in August, with housing costs also contributing to the overall increase.

Experts note that rent growth is slowing, with median rents falling year-over-year last month. However, it may take several months for these trends to be reflected in the CPI measures that the Fed considers when determining interest rate policy at their upcoming meeting.

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Inflation in the United States rose by an annual rate of 3.7 percent in August, the second consecutive month of rising costs. The Consumer Price Index, which tracks a basket of goods and services typically purchased by consumers, increased by 0.6 percent from July. The so-called core CPI, which excludes volatile fuel and food costs, rose by 4.3 percent from a year ago. Gasoline prices were the primary contributor to the increase, with housing also playing a role. show more