Block: 862,115
DTG/ICOD: 1200Z 20Sep24
Precedence: Routine (RR)
Controls: Public Release
QQQQ
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BLUF: Israel-Hezbollah Ramp Up Conflict / US, UK Poised to Let Ukraine Strike Deep / KY Sheriff Kills Judge / Teamsters Fret Over Non-Endorsement / Alaska Man Arrested for Threatening SCOTUS Judges / Many New Gun Owners Are Progressives / Louisiana Now Accepts Bitcoin / Canada Scraps CBDC / BlackRock Amends Coinbase Agreement / Stocks Up, Mortgage Rates Down / Original BTC Miners Move BTC
Market Data: Price: 1 BTC= $63,441, 24.27 oz Gold, .15 Median US House
24hr Hi: $64,119 / Lo: $62,630
Vol: $41B (Down 12%)
Mkt Cap: $1.25T (Up 1%)
HashRate: 737 EH/s
Avg Fee Rate: 3 sats/vBtye (Even)
Nodes: 18,824
---Reports---
-International Events-
1. Israel says 100 Hezbollah rocket launchers hit in Lebanon: Israel has carried out extensive air strikes on southern Lebanon, saying its warplanes have hit more than 100 Hezbollah rocket launchers and other "terrorist sites" including a weapons storage facility. The IDF said the launchers were ready to be fired against Israel. It was not immediately clear if there were any casualties. Earlier, Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah said deadly (electronics) explosions earlier in the week "crossed all red lines", accusing Israel of what he said represented a declaration of war. Israel has not said it was behind the attacks - which saw pagers and walkie-talkies explode simultaneously across the country - on Tuesday and Wednesday, and which Lebanese authorities said killed 37 people and wounded 3,000. (BBC)
2. Biden Poised to Approve Ukraine’s Use of Long-Range Western Weapons in Russia: President Biden appears on the verge of clearing the way for Ukraine to launch long-range Western weapons deep inside Russian territory, as long as it doesn’t use arms provided by the United States, European officials say. The issue, which has long been debated in the administration, is coming to a head on Friday, as Britain’s new prime minister, Keir Starmer, visits the White House. (NYTimes)
-US Events-
1. Kentucky sheriff charged in killing of judge at courthouse: The preliminary investigation indicates Letcher County Sheriff Shawn M. Stines shot District Judge Kevin Mullins multiple times following an argument inside the courthouse, according to Kentucky State Police. Mullins, who held the judgeship for 15 years, died at the scene, and Stines surrendered without incident.(AP) (AC-It might be enlightening to learn what they were 'arguing' about. There's more to this story.)
2. Former Teamsters leader criticizes non-endorsement of Harris for president: James P. Hoffa, who led the Teamsters for 23 years, said it was a mistake for the union not to endorse Vice President Kamala Harris, the “correct choice for labor.” (WaPo)
3. Alaska man charged with threats to torture, murder conservative Supreme Court justices: Panos Anastasiou, 76, was nabbed Wednesday in Anchorage and is facing 22 federal charges stemming from 465 alarming messages he sent via the Supreme Court’s website between March 10 and July 16, prosecutors say. The justices are not identified in the indictment, but details about Anastasiou’s messages indicate he targeted Justices Samuel Alito and Clarence Thomas. (NYPost)
4. The Most Surprising New Gun Owners Are U.S. Liberals: American gun culture has long been dominated by conservative, white men. Now, in a marked change, a burgeoning number of liberals are buying firearms, according to surveys and fast-growing gun groups drawing minorities and progressives. Now, today’s Democrats are rediscovering guns. One new owner said he mostly talks about guns with other liberal or progressive gun owners, many of whom welcome gun restrictions. He sees no reason to own a military-style, semiautomatic rifle like the AR-15, and supports universal background checks. But the country’s sharp partisan divide renders compromise on guns extremely unlikely, he believes. (WSJ) (AC-An intriguing article, even if heavily slanted to portray Trump and conservative white men as dangerous.)
-Regulatory and Legal-
1. Louisiana Announces Crypto Payment Options for State Services: The U.S. state of Louisiana has announced that residents can now use bitcoin, bitcoin lightning, and USD Coin to pay for state services through private, secure crypto wallets. “By introducing cryptocurrency as a payment option, we’re not just innovating; we’re providing our citizens with flexibility and freedom in interacting with state services,” said Louisiana’s State Treasurer. (BitcoinCom)
-Central Bank Digital Currencies-
1. Canada Scraps Plan to Launch 'Digital Loonie' CBDC: After almost five years of research, the Bank of Canada has decided to shelve its plans for a central bank digital currency (CBDC), also known as a "digital loonie." The central bank had launched a research project in 2019 and conducted a public consultation in 2022. While a CBDC was seen as a way to maintain monetary sovereignty and financial stability, the idea faced strong opposition from Canadians and prominent figures in the government. (Decrypt)
-Institutional Concerns-
1. US spot bitcoin ETFs rebound to daily net inflows of $158 million; BTC hovers at $63,500 (TheBlock)
2. BlackRock amends Coinbase custody agreement to require 12 hour withdrawals amid debt rumors: The modifications shorten Coinbase Custody withdrawal processing time when handling withdrawals from the Vault Balance to a public blockchain address while Trade Credits remain unpaid. his development comes amid recent allegations against Coinbase, claiming the exchange was not using BlackRock’s funds to purchase actual bitcoins for the ETF. Social media rumors suggested that Coinbase was issuing letters of debt instead of backing the ETF with Bitcoin and manipulating Bitcoin’s price using BlackRock’s funds. (CryptoSlate) (AC-Blackrock simply making sure the BTC is available.)
-Economic Indicators-
1. S&P 500, Dow Close at Records High: Wall Street rallied on Thursday as sentiments boosted about a "soft landing" for the US economy after the Federal Reserve’s 50 basis point rate cut. The Dow Jones closed 522 points higher, the S&P 500 gained 1.7%, both hit new record highs. The Nasdaq 100 also spiked 2.5%, (TradingEconomics)
2. US 30-Year Mortgage Rate Eases to 6.09%: The average rate on a 30-year fixed mortgage dropped to 6.09% as of September 19th, reaching its lowest level since early February 2023. (TradingEconomics)
-Security Incidents and Concerns-
1. Maryland Police Warn Gmail Users of Phishing Scam Demanding Bitcoin: Maryland State Police have warned of a scam targeting Gmail users, using phishing tactics to extort money through unsettling threats. Scammers are sending victims emails with Google Maps photos of their homes and demanding bitcoin payments, falsely claiming they possess incriminating evidence. The police are investigating, urging caution and providing resources for reporting these incidents. (BitcoinCom)
-Technology and Science-
1. Apple Faces EU Antitrust Challenge: The antitrust regulators of the European Union have launched an action against Apple as it seeks to force the tech giant to open its closed ecosystem up to other competitors. If Apple does not comply, major financial losses are imposed by the newly implemented Digital Markets Act (DMA) on it. The Cupertino-based firm has argued for quite some time that its closed system is safer through the control of peripheral devices and their software entering the system. (TechTImes)
-Bitcoin Community-
1. Bitcoin miner wallets awaken after over 15 years — Is this Satoshi?: Wallets belonging to early Bitcoin miners who received coins as rewards shortly after the blockchain’s launch by its pseudonymous creator, Satoshi Nakamoto, have recently been observed moving their BTC. On Sept. 20, five miner wallets that received 50 Bitcoin each as block rewards in 2009 started to move their funds. Given the BTC was mined only weeks after the launch of the Bitcoin blockchain, the wallets likely belonged to people present at its inception. (CoinTelegraph)
-Bitcoin Sentiment-
1. Fear(0)/Greed(100) Index: 54/100 (Up 6 pts)
Analyst Comments (AC): Find the encouraging news today, be encouraging today.
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Analyst: BV2A
END REPORT
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*NSTR-Nothing Significant To Report
