JEWISH KING JESUS IS COMING AT THE RAPTURE FOR US IN THE CLOUDS-DON'T MISS IT FOR THE WORLD.THE BIBLE TAKEN LITERALLY- WHEN THE PLAIN SENSE MAKES GOOD SENSE-SEEK NO OTHER SENSE-LEST YOU END UP IN NONSENSE.GET SAVED NOW- CALL ON JESUS TODAY.THE ONLY SAVIOR OF THE WHOLE EARTH - NO OTHER.
1 COR 15:23-JESUS THE FIRST FRUITS-CHRISTIANS RAPTURED TO JESUS-FIRST FRUITS OF THE SPIRIT-23 But every man in his own order: Christ the firstfruits; afterward they that are Christ’s at his coming.ROMANS 8:23 And not only they, but ourselves also, which have the firstfruits of the Spirit, even we ourselves groan within ourselves, waiting for the adoption, to wit, the redemption of our body.(THE PRE-TRIB RAPTURE)
MACRON CLAIMES THE DEVIL MADE ME DO IT.WHEN HE DECLARED A PALESTINIAN STATE.OH WAIT HES NOT LYING FOR A CHANGE.
STORMS HURRICANES-TORNADOES
OZONE DEPLETION JUDGEMENT ON THE EARTH DUE TO SIN
ISAIAH 30:26-27
26
Moreover the light of the moon shall be as the light of the sun, and
the light of the sun shall be sevenfold,(7X OR 7-DEGREES HOTTER) as the
light of seven days, in the day that the LORD bindeth up the breach of
his people,(ISRAEL) and healeth the stroke of their wound.
27 Behold,
the name of the LORD cometh from far, burning with his anger, and the
burden thereof is heavy: his lips are full of indignation, and his
tongue as a devouring fire:
MATTHEW 24:21-22,29
21 For then shall be great tribulation, such as was not since the beginning of the world to this time, no, nor ever shall be.
22
And except those days should be shortened,(DAY LIGHT HOURS SHORTENED)
there should no flesh be saved: but for the elect’s sake (ISRAELS SAKE)
those days shall be shortened (Daylight hours shortened)(THE ASTEROID
HITS EARTH HERE)
29 Immediately after the tribulation of those days
shall the sun be darkened, and the moon shall not give her light, and
the stars shall fall from heaven, and the powers of the heavens shall be
shaken:
REVELATION 16:7-9
7 And I heard another out of the altar say, Even so, Lord God Almighty, true and righteous are thy judgments.
8 And the fourth angel poured out his vial upon the sun; and power was given unto him to scorch men with fire.
9
And men were scorched with great heat, and blasphemed the name of God,
which hath power over these plagues: and they repented not to give him
glory.
EZEKIEL 32:6-9
6 I will also water with thy blood the land wherein thou swimmest, even to the mountains; and the rivers shall be full of thee.
7
And when I shall put thee out, I will cover the heaven, and make the
stars thereof dark; I will cover the sun with a cloud, and the moon
shall not give her light.
8 All the bright lights of heaven will I make dark over thee, and set darkness upon thy land, saith the Lord GOD.
9
I will also vex the hearts of many people, when I shall bring thy
destruction among the nations, into the countries which thou hast not
known.
REVELATION 16:3-7
3 And the second angel poured out his
vial upon the sea; and it became as the blood of a dead man: and every
living soul died in the sea.(enviromentalists won't like this result)
4 And the third angel poured out his vial upon the rivers and fountains of waters; and they became blood.
5
And I heard the angel of the waters say, Thou art righteous, O Lord,
which art, and wast, and shalt be, because thou hast judged thus.
6
For they(False World Church and Dictator and baby murderers by abortion)
have shed the blood of saints and prophets, and thou hast given them
blood to drink; for they are worthy.
Heat index expected near 100
in Green Bay, Appleton areas on Monday; heat advisory issued-Hope
Karnopp, Green Bay Press-Gazette-Sun, July 27, 2025 at 8:53 PM EDT
Get
ready for more humid and stormy weather.On Monday, July 28, heat
indexes will ramp up, nearing or reaching 100 degrees throughout
northeast Wisconsin. The heat index combines air temperature and
relative humidity to measure what the heat feels like to the human
body.The National Weather Service in Green Bay predicts a peak heat
index of 101 in Green Bay and 98 in Appleton. The high temperature in
Green Bay is expected to be near 90 and, in Appleton, near 89.A heat
advisory has been issued for much of northeast Wisconsin from noon to 7
p.m. July 28.The NWS advises to drink plenty of fluids, stay in an
air-conditioned room, stay out of the sun and check up on relatives and
neighbors.Thunderstorms are possible Monday night through Tuesday night,
the NWS said.This article originally appeared on Green Bay
Press-Gazette: Heat index expected near 100 in Green Bay, Appleton areas
Monday
Dangerously high temperatures in store for much of US
this week-KYLE REIMAN and BILL HUTCHINSON-Sun, July 27, 2025 at 9:49 PM
EDT
More than 130 million people across most of the United States
are on alert for widespread, dangerous heat on Sunday and into the new
work week, and parts of the Southeast coast could experience the brunt
of the sweltering conditions.The highest temperatures on Sunday will be
focused between Savannah, Georgia, and Virginia Beach, Virginia, where
extreme heat warnings are in effect as heat indices -- that is, what the
temperatures feel like when humidity is factored in -- are forecast to
be between 108 and 116 degrees.Extreme heat is also expected to continue
on Sunday in the Midwest, where temperatures will feel between 97 to
111 degrees from Lincoln, Nebraska, up into Minneapolis.Charleston, West
Virginia, and St. Louis, Missouri, are in store for hot and sticky
weather on Sunday, with both cities under extreme heat warnings for
feels-like temperatures between 102 and 112.Elsewhere, heat advisories
have been issued for Dallas, Texas; Oklahoma City, Oklahoma;
Indianapolis, Indiana; Tampa, Florida; Little Rock, Arkansas; Kansas
City, Missouri; and Washington, D.C. Heat indices in those cities are
forecast to range from the 90s up to 110 degrees.Looking ahead to the
work week, heat advisories are expected to be in effect on Monday and
Tuesday for parts of the I-95 corridor from Boston down to New York City
and are forecast to stretch into Tuesday, with heat indices expected in
the mid-90s to 105 degrees.The potentially life-threatening heat and
humidity are expected to continue across the eastern half of the country
through Wednesday. Major cities including St. Louis, Memphis,
Charlotte, Savannah, Tampa, and Jackson, Mississippi, are all likely all
see actual temperatures in the upper 90s to low 100s. A prolonged heat
wave is forecast for those regions as an abundance of tropical moisture
settling in is expected to drive the feels-like temperatures up to
between 105 to 115 degrees over multiple consecutive days.Nighttime and
early mornings are not expected to provide relief from the sweltering
conditions. Overnight and early morning lows are expected to fall only
to the 70s or higher.Between Monday and Wednesday, large portions of the
Southeast are expected to be under an extreme heat risk at a
four-out-of-four level, including the cities of Atlanta, Charlotte, and
Jacksonville and Tallahassee, Florida.Meanwhile, parts of southern and
central Minnesota and eastern South Dakota are under a severe
thunderstorm watch until midnight. Parts of northern Minnesota and
northweatern Wisconsion are under a severe thunderstorm watch until 1
a.m.Later on Sunday, more severe storms are possible for parts of
Minnesota, Wisconsin, and Michigan's Upper Peninsula.As thunderstorms
hit the northeast on Sunday, 1,105 flights have been canceled nationwide
and 8,320 flights are delayed as of 9:30 p.m. ET.
Heat warning
issued for Toronto as temperature, humidity soars-Temperature highs are
expected in the mid-30s, but could feel closer to 40 with
humidity-Arrthy Thayaparan · CBC News · Posted: Jul 27, 2025 3:53 PM EDT
|
Toronto residents are in store for yet another round of
soaring temperatures from Sunday to Tuesday, Environment Canada says.The
federal weather agency issued a heat warning Sunday, which says daytime
high temperatures are expected to be in the mid-30s, but could feel
closer to 40 C after humidity is factored in.The evenings won't provide
much relief with temperature lows expected around 19 to 23 C.The hottest
conditions are expected on Monday, Environment Canada says, but there
is "some uncertainty" how long the heat could last for some regions. It
also suggests wearing light-colored clothing and limiting exposure to
the heat.Signs of heat stroke can include red and hot skin, dizziness
and nausea.Over 500 spaces across Toronto are available for residents
looking for relief during a heat warning, including the following
air-conditioned facilities: North York Civic Centre,Scarborough Civic
Centre,Etobicoke Civic Centre ,York Civic Centre,East York Community
Centre,Metro Hall lobby-The buildings will be open until 9:30 p.m. every
day that a warning is in effect, with the exception of the Metro Hall
lobby which is open 24 hours a day.
Heat warning issued for
Toronto, with humidity set to make it feel hotter than 40 C | CBC News
Loaded-Vyusti Magan Shroff · CBC News · Posted: Jul 23, 2025 2:59 PM EDT
| Last Updated: July 23
Toronto is headed into a "two-day heat
event" with scorching temperatures exceeding 30 C, Environment Canada
says.The federal weather agency has issued a heat warning in Toronto for
Thursday and Friday, with the possibly continuing into the weekend for
some areas in the city. Thursday will see temperatures hitting the
mid-30s, said Steven Flisfeder, a meteorologist with Environment and
Climate Change Canada. With the humidity, Flisfeder says it will feel
more like the mid-40s.He said people should ensure they stay hydrated,
especially if participating in outdoor events or strenuous
activities."Make sure you are replenishing all your bodily fluids by
drinking lots of water and finding a cool place to rest," Flisfeder
said. As the GTA’s heat wave rages on, some residents have been
struggling to stay cool. CBC’s Dale Manucdoc speaks to Torontonians
living in buildings without air conditioning and those who have no
choice but to work outside.Friday will see a slight dip in temperature,
but the mercury will still fall in the low 30s range. Night time
temperatures are expected to be in the low 20s.People hoping for a break
from the intense heat and humidity might have to wait, as the federal
environment agency predicts higher-than-average temperatures in the
coming weeks. "We do expect above seasonal temperatures to continue
through the latter half of the summer," Flisfeder said.People are
advised to periodically cool down by seeking air-conditioned
environments or to get away from the sun to regulate body temperature,
Flisfeder said. There is some respite over the weekend, with
temperatures expected to drop to the mid-20s on Sunday. The temperature
should be back up to near 30 C on Monday, Flisfeder said.
As heat
waves become more common, air conditioning use is rising: StatCan-By
Ari Rabinovitch Global News-Posted July 8, 2025 3:56 pm
As heat
waves become more common in certain parts of the country, Canadians are
relying more and more on air conditioning and similar cooling equipment,
says new Statistics Canada data.The increasing frequency and intensity
of heat waves is at least in part due to the changing climate, as
experts have noted. This is also leading to heat waves in places that
may not be as prepared, like was the case with the British Columbia heat
dome in June 2021, which led to the deaths of 619 people.The report
from Statistics Canada shows that as of this year, 68 per cent of
households use air conditioning and related methods like heat pumps to
offset the summer heat.That’s up from 64 per cent in 2021.The usage of
air conditioning varies by region, according to the report, with 83 per
cent of households in Ontario reporting having an air conditioner, while
British Columbia was the least likely with 45 per cent.Statistics
Canada says the contrast between regional use of air conditioning is
likely due to the differences in regional climate. For instance,
southern Ontario typically sees higher average summer temperatures than
other regions in Canada, according to the agency citing historical
environmental data.This means that since British Columbia historically
has summers that are less intense than southern Ontario, air
conditioning may not be considered as necessary.In the case of the 2021
heat wave, this meant that many suffered from the effects of extreme
heat when temperatures soared as fewer residents had access to air
conditioning in their homes.Why don't more people have AC? The simplest
reason households may not have air conditioning units or other equipment
is cost, with the hardware, installation and servicing, as well as
consumption, adding up and weighing on budgets.Statistics Canada says
that in 2025, 82 per cent of households earning more than $150,000 per
year before taxes reported having an air conditioner.This means that
even in cooler parts of the country where AC may not be considered as
necessary as typically hotter regions, higher-income households are far
more likely to invest in the equipment anyway.Not all households have
that option in their budgets. The report shows only 55 per cent of those
households earning $50,000 per year before taxes had air conditioning
readily available.Those who owned their homes were also more likely to
have air conditioning with 76 per cent versus 52 per cent of renters,
according to the report.In other cases, it may actually be the age of
the building that explains why some households don’t have air
conditioning. The report says 80 per cent of homes originally built
after 2001 had air conditioners, while 58 per cent of homes built before
1960 did not.Statistics Canada also describes how many users said they
adopt various strategies to attempt to reduce energy consumption, save
money, and even prolong the lifespan of their equipment.For example, the
agency says just over half of respondents reported regularly turning
their air conditioner down or off when away from home for a week or
longer, and in some cases even making adjustments when away for a
weekend.The report also described how among those aged 15 to 64 (noted
as being “working aged”), 26 per cent reported adjusting or turning off
their air conditioners while at work or school on a given day.Who needs
AC access? In a separate report, Statistics Canada identifies four of
what it calls “heat-vulnerable” population groups.These include older
adults, older adults who live alone, older adults with at least one
health condition (i.e. high blood pressure, obesity, cardiovascular
disease, diabetes), and older adults who live alone with at least one
health condition.Several provinces and service providers, as well as
local community advocates across the country, are pushing to make air
conditioning more financially accessible, and in some cases even a human
right.In British Columbia, BC Hydro announced last year that some
low-income and vulnerable customers could apply to receive a free air
conditioning unit.A group called Climate Justice Edmonton is working to
address the impacts of extreme heat on the health and safety of renters
and is aiming to get more protections for those who can’t afford AC
units.In Ontario, the provincial government declared “access to cooling”
as a human right.
The Eiffel Tower is closed to tourists due to
searing heat. Here’s why it’s happening-By Laura Paddison, Andrew
Freedman-Updated Jul 1, 2025
A marine heat wave in the
Mediterranean Sea is combining with a powerful heat dome to cause Europe
to swelter under a brutal early summer heat wave.It’s a pattern that’s
popping up frequently as the planet warms: The influence of
Mediterranean marine heat waves has been more pronounced in recent
summers, with the ocean heat playing a role in spiking temperatures on
land, contributing to deadly floods and stoking devastating fires.Water
temperatures in the Mediterranean Sea are up to 9 degrees above average
for this time of year amid a significant marine heat wave. The most
intense warming is present in the western Mediterranean, including just
south of France.This is helping to cause high humidity to surge north
and to keep temperatures elevated at night across the heat wave-affected
regions.The heat wave, which also involves hot air flowing north from
Africa, is also reinforcing the marine heat wave in a feedback
cycle.Temperatures have broken records in Spain and Portugal as swaths
of Europe brace for more records to fall through Wednesday as the heat
wave intensifies.The town of El Granado in Spain saw temperatures spike
to 46 degrees Celsius (114.8 Fahrenheit) on Sunday, a new national
record for June, according to Spain’s national meteorological service
AEMET. Last month was Spain’s hottest June in recorded history, as
temperatures “pulverized records,” Aemet said Tuesday.In Portugal, a
provisional temperature of 46.6 degrees Celsius (115.9 Fahrenheit) was
recorded in the city of Mora, about 80 miles east of Lisbon, according
to the country’s weather service IPMA, which would be a new national
record for June.Scorching heat is sweeping almost the entirety of
France. Multiple towns and cities endured temperatures above 100 degrees
on Monday, according to provisional recordings from Météo France.A red
heat wave warning, the highest designation, is in place for 16 French
départements Tuesday, including Île-de-France, where Paris is located.
The Eiffel Tower summit is closed to tourists Tuesday and Wednesday,
with staff asking their would-be visitors to take precautions during the
searing heat.“We apologize for the inconvenience caused, Eiffel Tower
staff wrote on the landmark’s website. “During this period of high
temperatures, please remember to protect yourselves from the sun and
stay hydrated regularly.”The United Kingdom is also baking, currently
enduring its second heat wave of the summer. Temperatures pushed above
90 degrees on Monday, making for very uncomfortable conditions in a
country where fewer than 5% of homes have air conditioning.“The current
June-July heatwave is exposing millions of Europeans to high heat
stress,” Samantha Burgess, strategic lead for climate at the European
Centre for Medium-Range Weather Forecasting, said in a statement.“The
temperatures observed recently are more typical of the months of July
and August and tend to only happen a few times each summer.”Wildfires
are sweeping several countries as the temperatures spike. Fires broke
out Sunday in Aude, in the southwest of the country, burning nearly 400
acres. In Turkey, 50,000 people have been evacuated as firefighters
tackle fierce blazes mostly in the western Izmir and Manisa
provinces.Temperature records are also poised to fall Tuesday and
Wednesday in Germany as the heat dome expands east, and before a series
of relief-providing cold fronts begin to swing into northwestern Europe
from the west.Human-caused climate change is causing heat waves to be
more frequent, intense and long-lasting. Europe is the fastest-warming
continent, and is warming at twice the rate of the rest of the world.
Climate change is also leading to more frequent and intense marine heat
waves.
THIS CLIMATE
CHANGE SCAM IS JUST THAT. ITS BECAUSE OF CULTS, SIN, AND THE EARTH IS
STARTING IN THE BEGGING OF JUDGEMENTS ON GODLESS ISRAEL JESUS HATERS.
NOTICE THE MORE THESE NUTCASE LIBERAL CULTIST COME AGAINST ISRAEL. THE
WORST THE JUDGEMENTS GET ON THE WORLD.THERES YOUR WARNING CLIMATE
NUTJOBS.
Swapping weather bombs for real bombs: The
debate over climate change as national security heats up-What role
should the military play as climate-related disasters become more
frequent? Murray Brewster · CBC News · Posted: Jul 24, 2025 4:00 AM EDT
|
There was a remarkably salient moment at a recent journalism
conference in Seoul where participants from 50 countries debated climate
change and its effect on both the literal and political landscape of
the world.The consensus, albeit a rough one, was that the public — from
Azerbaijan to Zimbabwe — was exhausted by the issue. It was tough to get
their attention and people increasingly tuned out, even though in some
cases their homes had literally been blown away.As the matter was
debated, the hills outside of the Journalists Association of Korea hall
last spring were being ravaged by wildfires — only weeks after the
ground had been clawed back from winter.This week, from Western Canada
to Newfoundland, thousands of people were forced to flee their homes and
communities in the face of intense wildfires. While it was an organized
exodus, it's not much of a stretch to suggest the evacuees, bundled
into their cars and buses with their belongings, resembled civilians
fleeing an advancing enemy force.Those people are also exhausted, but in
a different way.When we talk about climate it usually falls into a few
select bins — science, policy, protests and politics.Canada is already
experiencing the effects of climate change. But global climate issues
can affect Canadians, too. Geography professor and TikToker Robert
McLeman joins About That with Andrew Chang to explain.Rarely is it
spoken about in terms of its effects on the national security of nations
— something that was evident when you listened to journalists from all
over the world describe what was going on in their individual countries
(I was one of those journalists in attendance).Climate as a national
security threat is hardly top of mind.Yet, here we are.Buried deep
within a recent wildfire briefing, there was a particularly stark
admission from a senior federal official who suggested the ability of
the government to respond is close to the breaking point."What we're
seeing today with these disaster-driven events, they're increasingly
outpacing the capacity of the Canadian emergency management system,"
said Matt Godsoe, the director of the Emergency Management Strategy
Implementation Office."A key example is the increasing reliance on the
Canadian Armed Forces for disaster response and support. Which long term
is unsustainable, and it can hinder the Canadian forces' ability to
respond to other threats, both at home and abroad."It's not like the
warnings haven't been there for years.The U.S. National Security and
Intelligence Assessment, in 2008, noted that climate change "will have
wide-ranging implications" for national security, whether it's the
opening of Arctic sealanes, the ravages of unpredictable weather or the
forced migration of whole populations.Ten years ago, in the waning days
of the Obama administration, the White House produced another more
pointed warning in its national security strategy."Climate change is an
urgent and growing threat to our national security, contributing to
increased natural disasters, refugee flows and conflicts over basic
resources like food and water," said the 2015 review."The present day
effects of climate change are being felt from the Arctic to the Midwest.
Increased sea levels and storm surges threaten coastal regions,
infrastructure and property."Sound familiar? Many governments, including
Canada, have delivered similar warnings. But as participants in that
journalism conference last spring noted, the prophesies appear to have
fallen on deaf ears.An overhead shot of a flood zone.Part of the problem
is that many in the political, environmental and defence communities
don't consider the impact of climate change to be purely a national
security issue.Extreme weather or natural disasters are not bombs,
missiles or malware. It's tough to defend against, even though, for
example, the effect of wildfires laying waste to entire towns is the
same manner as someone dropping explosives.Perhaps more menacingly,
climate change is becoming a driver of geopolitics. Would anyone be
talking about annexing Greenland if the retreating ice sheets didn't
present the tantalizing prospect of resource extraction? In this
country, for several years natural disasters have prompted a military
response. However, as the argument goes, while the military is helping
with evacuations or clearing hurricane-downed trees it is not training
for its regular day job. A House of Commons committee, a couple of years
ago, took a stab at trying to define whether soldiers should be
wielding chainsaws as often as rifles. If anything, it was instructive
in illustrating that in Canada we still have trouble defining what role
the military plays in our society.If anyone was hoping for some
wholesale reorganization, something that would ease the burdens on
ravaged communities — or exhausted troops — they came away from the
parliamentary exercise disappointed.The effort, it seems, has been put
into the intangible.At the 2021 NATO summit, Canada offered and has
subsequently established the NATO Climate Change and Security Centre of
Excellence in Montreal.It is, however, focused on the long term such as
finding ways to reduce the impact of military activities on climate.
Big, heavy pieces of military equipment produce a lot of carbon. So do
battles.One of the biggest aspects of the centre's research is
mitigating the effect of climate change on military institutions.As the
centre noted: "Climate change tests the resilience of military
installations and infrastructure, with strategic sites being vulnerable
to rising sea levels, melting permafrost and extreme weather
events."There have been signs, however, that some interesting and
innovative ideas about how the federal government could reorganize
itself to better mitigate disasters and deliver relief more swiftly are
gaining traction.It's been a hazy few weeks for parts of western and
central Canada, as smoke from wildfires burning in Saskatchewan and
Manitoba has carried across North America. While the immediate danger of
the blazes is often clear, it's not always obvious how wildfire smoke
affects human health. Medical columnist Dr. Melissa Lem spoke to CBC
about measures to take to breathe easy this wildfire season.Eleanor
Olszewski, the Minister of Emergency Management and Community
Resilience, recently said the federal government is considering the
formation of an agency to better co-ordinate the federal response — an
organization that could have a strategic reserve of waterbombers and
perhaps even a mechanism to deploy a humanitarian task force."We think
that the formation of such an agency could have a very positive impact
on our ability to co-ordinate how we respond to national disasters
across the country," Olszewski said. "We're working out what the details
of that might look like."Given the overlap of jurisdictions with
provincial governments, which are responsible for crisis response and
management, careful reflection is a probably good idea. But hopefully no
one in the federal bureaucracy tries to re-invent the wheel.A number of
other countries, notably Germany, have robust civil defence structures
and systems in place.Eva Cohen, of Civil Protection Youth Canada, has
been arguing for years for the establishment of a volunteer-based civil
protection agency in Canada to complement the country's emergency
management system.Cohen has testified before the Commons defence
committee. However, until recently, her ideas seem to have fallen on
deaf ears.The bottom line: the federal government already has a good
idea what such a civil protection agency should, and could, look
like.Cohen, in an interview with CBC News, suggested a key element of
the federal government's mindset should involve not just disaster
response, but anticipation."To me, resilience is more than bouncing
back," Cohen said. "It is really about avoiding getting hit in the first
place and being able to stay in control when things go wrong."That,
however, would involve heeding warnings and redefining the lens through
which we look at climate-driven disasters.In a step beyond earlier
red-flag reports, the Council on Foreign Relations last fall declared in
exceptional detail how climate change is increasingly a driver in
conflict.In other words, weather bombs could be swapped for real bombs
in certain places."Within individual countries, climate change increases
the likelihood that civil war could break out," said the
report."Research has found that a rise in average temperatures by 1.8°F
is linked to a 4.5 per cent increase in the incidence of civil war that
year. Climate is also linked to making such wars last longer."
Rains intensify around Beijing, 4,000 evacuated-Reuters-Sun, July 27, 2025 at 9:08 PM EDT
HONG
KONG (Reuters) -Heavy rain intensified around Beijing and nearby
provinces in northern China on Monday, exacerbating the risks of
disasters including landslides and flooding, authorities said, as they
relocated more than 4,000 people.Colossal rain continued to pound the
northwestern suburban area of Miyun in Beijing causing flash floods and
landslides, and many villages were affected, state broadcaster CCTV
reported.Northern China has seen record precipitation in recent years,
exposing densely populated cities, including Beijing, to flood risks.
Some scientists link the increased rainfall in China’s usually arid
north to global warming.The storms are part of the broader pattern of
extreme weather across China due to the East Asian monsoon, which has
caused disruptions in the world's second-largest economy.Xiwanzi Village
in Shicheng Town, near Miyun Reservoir, was severely affected, CCTV
said on Monday with an additional 100 villagers transferred to a primary
school for shelter.It comes after the maximum flood peak flow into the
Miyun reservoir reached a record high of 6550 cubic meters per second,
Beijing authorities said on Sunday.In neighbouring Shanxi province,
videos from state media showed roads inundated by strong gushing
currents and submerged vegetation including crops and trees.Authorities
are carrying out search and rescue work across cities including Datong,
where a driver in a Ford car has lost contact while driving in the
floods, the People's Daily reported.China’s Water Resources Ministry has
issued targeted flood warnings to 11 provinces and regions, including
Beijing and neighbouring Hebei, for floods from small and midsize rivers
and mountain torrents.Two were dead and two missing in Hebei province,
CCTV said on Sunday morning. Overnight rain dumped a record 145 mm (5.7
inches) per hour on Fuping in the industrial city of Baoding.Chinese
authorities closely monitor extreme rainfall and severe flooding are, as
they challenge the country's ageing flood defences, threaten to
displace millions and wreak havoc on China's $2.8 trillion agricultural
sector.(Reporting by Farah Master and the Beijing newsroom; Editing by
Michael Perry)
And here are the bounderies of the land that
Israel will inherit either through war or peace or God in the future.
God says its Israels land and only Israels land. They will have every
inch God promised them of this land in the future.
Egypt east of the
Nile River, Saudi Arabia, Israel, Jordan, Syria, Lebanon, The southern
part of Turkey and the Western Half of Iraq west of the Euphrates. Gen
13:14-15, Psm 105:9,11, Gen 15:18, Exe 23:31, Num 34:1-12, Josh 1:4.ALL
THIS LAND ISRAEL WILL DEFINATELY OWN IN THE FUTURE, ITS ISRAELS NOT
ISHMAELS LAND.12 TRIBES INHERIT LAND IN THE FUTURE.
Joel 3:2-King
James Version (YOU DIVIDE JERUSALEM IN HALF - YOUR POKING GOD IN THE
EYE - GOD SAYS AN EYE FOR AN EYE AND A TOOTH FOR A TOOTH- YOU WANNA
DIVIDE JERUSALEM IN HALF - HALF OF EARTHS POPULATION 4 BILLION DIE ON
EARTH.
2 I will also gather all nations, and will bring them down
into the valley of Jehoshaphat, and will plead with them there for my
people and for my heritage Israel, whom they have scattered among the
nations, and parted my land.
DEUTORONOMY 18:10-12
10 There
shall not be found among you any one that maketh his son or his
daughter to pass through the fire,(OCCULT SACRIFICES) or that useth
divination,(NEW AGER AND CRYSTALS ETC) divination n. The art or act of
foretelling future events or revealing occult knowledge by means of
augury or an alleged supernatural agency.) or an observer of
times,(Meaning of observer. ... for sketching it. horoscope - Comes from
Greek hora, hour, time, and skopos, observer.) or an enchanter,(The
word enchant is derived from the Latin word incantare which refers to
uttering an incantation or casting a spell). or a witch,(WITCH.
Definition: [noun] a female sorcerer (SORCERY IN THE BIBLE IS DRUGS OR
OCCULT ACTIVITY) or magician.)
11 Or a charmer,(charmer means a
dealer in spells, especially one who, by binding certain knots, was
supposed thereby to bind a curse or a blessing on its object.) or a
consulter with familiar spirits,(function as mediums or psychics) or a
wizard,(MALE WITCH)-influence; a magical spell WITH WANDS) or a
necromancer.(one seeking unto the dead.)
12 For all that do these
things are an abomination unto the LORD: and because of these
abominations the LORD thy God doth drive them out from before thee.
REVELATION 9:20-21
20
And the rest of the men which were not killed by these plagues (NUKES)
yet repented not of the works of their hands, that they should not
worship devils,(OCCULT) and idols of gold, and silver, and brass, and
stone, and of wood: which neither can see, nor hear, nor walk:
21
Neither repented they of their murders, nor of their sorceries,(DRUG
ADDICTIONS OR SELLING DRUGS) nor of their fornication,(SEX OUTSIDE OF
MARRIAGE)(PROSTITUTION FOR MONEY) nor of their thefts.(STEALING)
ISAIAH 30:26-27
26
Moreover the light of the moon shall be as the light of the sun, and
the light of the sun shall be sevenfold,(7X OR 7-DEGREES HOTTER) as the
light of seven days, in the day that the LORD bindeth up the breach of
his people,(ISRAEL) and healeth the stroke of their wound.
27 Behold,
the name of the LORD cometh from far, burning with his anger, and the
burden thereof is heavy: his lips are full of indignation, and his
tongue as a devouring fire:
MATTHEW 24:21-22,29
21 For then shall be great tribulation, such as was not since the beginning of the world to this time, no, nor ever shall be.
22
And except those days should be shortened,(DAY LIGHT HOURS SHORTENED)
there should no flesh be saved: but for the elect’s sake (ISRAELS SAKE)
those days shall be shortened (Daylight hours shortened)(THE ASTEROID
HITS EARTH HERE)
29 Immediately after the tribulation of those days
shall the sun be darkened, and the moon shall not give her light, and
the stars shall fall from heaven, and the powers of the heavens shall be
shaken:
REVELATION 16:7-9
7 And I heard another out of the altar say, Even so, Lord God Almighty, true and righteous are thy judgments.
8 And the fourth angel poured out his vial upon the sun; and power was given unto him to scorch men with fire.
9
And men were scorched with great heat, and blasphemed the name of God,
which hath power over these plagues: and they repented not to give him
glory.
EZEKIEL 32:6-9
6 I will also water with thy blood the land wherein thou swimmest, even to the mountains; and the rivers shall be full of thee.
7
And when I shall put thee out, I will cover the heaven, and make the
stars thereof dark; I will cover the sun with a cloud, and the moon
shall not give her light.
8 All the bright lights of heaven will I make dark over thee, and set darkness upon thy land, saith the Lord GOD.
9
I will also vex the hearts of many people, when I shall bring thy
destruction among the nations, into the countries which thou hast not
known.
REVELATION 16:3-7
3 And the second angel poured out his
vial upon the sea; and it became as the blood of a dead man: and every
living soul died in the sea.(enviromentalists won't like this result)
4 And the third angel poured out his vial upon the rivers and fountains of waters; and they became blood.
5
And I heard the angel of the waters say, Thou art righteous, O Lord,
which art, and wast, and shalt be, because thou hast judged thus.
6
For they(False World Church and Dictator and baby murderers by abortion)
have shed the blood of saints and prophets, and thou hast given them
blood to drink; for they are worthy.
GEN 12:2-3
2 And I will make of thee a great nation, and I will bless thee, and make thy name great; and thou shalt be a blessing:
3
And I will bless them that bless thee,(ISRAELIS) and curse (DESTROY)
him that curseth thee:(DESTROY THEM) and in thee shall all families of
the earth be blessed.
RUSSIA,GERMANY, ARAB MUSLIMS COME AGAINST ISRAEL.
EZEKIEL 38:1-23
1 And the word of the LORD came unto me, saying,
2
Son of man, set thy face against Gog,(RULER) the land of Magog,(RUSSIA)
the chief prince of Meshech (MOSCOW) and Tubal,(TOBOLSK) and prophesy
against him,
3 And say, Thus saith the Lord GOD; Behold, I am against
thee, O Gog,(LEADER OF RUSSIA) the chief prince of Meshech(MOSCOW) and
Tubal:TOBOLSK)
4 And I (GOD) will turn thee back, and put hooks into
thy jaws,(GOD FORCES THE RUSSIA-MUSLIMS TO MARCH) and I will bring thee
forth, and all thine army, horses and horsemen, all of them clothed with
all sorts of armour, even a great company with bucklers and shields,
all of them handling swords:
5 Persia,(IRAN,IRAQ) Ethiopia, and Libya with them; all of them with shield and helmet:
6
Gomer,(GERMANY) and all his bands; the house of Togarmah (TURKEY) of
the north quarters, and all his bands: and many people with
thee.(AFRICAN MUSLIMS,SUDAN,TUNESIA ETC)
7 Be thou prepared, and
prepare for thyself, thou, and all thy company that are assembled unto
thee, and be thou a guard unto them.
8 After many days thou shalt be
visited: in the latter years thou shalt come into the land that is
brought back from the sword, and is gathered out of many people, against
the mountains of Israel, which have been always waste: but it is
brought forth out of the nations, and they shall dwell safely all of
them.
9 Thou shalt ascend and come like a storm, thou shalt be like a
cloud to cover the land, thou, and all thy bands, and many people with
thee.(RUSSIA-EGYPT AND MUSLIMS)
10 Thus saith the Lord GOD; It shall
also come to pass, that at the same time shall things come into thy
mind, and thou shalt think an evil thought:
11 And thou shalt
say,(RUSSIA-ARAB-MUSLIMS) I will go up to the land of unwalled
villages;(ISRAEL) I will go to them that are at rest, that dwell safely,
all of them dwelling without walls, and having neither bars nor gates,
12
To take a spoil,(OIL IS IN SPOIL) and to take a prey; to turn thine
hand upon the desolate places that are now inhabited, and upon the
people that are gathered out of the nations, which have gotten cattle
and goods, that dwell in the midst of the land.
13 Sheba, and
Dedan,(SAUDI-ARABIA) and the merchants of Tarshish,(SPAIN) with all the
young lions thereof,(ENGLAND,AND ALL ITS ASSOCIATES-CANADA,AUSTRALIA-NEW
ZEALAND, USA, AND WESTERN ENGLISH SPEAKING NATIONS) shall say unto
thee, Art thou come to take a spoil? hast thou gathered thy company to
take a prey? to carry away silver and gold, to take away cattle and
goods, to take a great spoil?(OIL IS IN SPOIL-I BELIEVE THATS WHY
RUSSIA,ARAB/MUSLIMS MARCH TO ISRAEL)
14 Therefore, son of man,
prophesy and say unto Gog, Thus saith the Lord GOD; In that day when my
people of Israel dwelleth safely, shalt thou not know it?
15 And
thou shalt come from thy place out of the north parts, thou, and many
people with thee, all of them riding upon horses, a great company, and a
mighty army:
16 And thou shalt come up against my people of Israel,
as a cloud to cover the land; it shall be in the latter days, and I
will bring thee against my land, that the heathen may know me, when I
shall be sanctified in thee, O Gog, before their eyes.
17 Thus saith
the Lord GOD; Art thou he of whom I have spoken in old time by my
servants the prophets of Israel, which prophesied in those days many
years that I would bring thee against them?
18 And it shall come to
pass at the same time when Gog shall come against the land of Israel,
saith the Lord GOD, that my fury shall come up in my face.
19 For in
my jealousy and in the fire (atomic bomb) of my wrath have I spoken,
Surely in that day there shall be a great shaking in the land of Israel;
20
So that the fishes of the sea, and the fowls of the heaven, and the
beasts of the field, and all creeping things that creep upon the earth,
and all the men that are upon the face of the earth, shall shake at my
presence, and the mountains shall be thrown down, and the steep places
shall fall, and every wall shall fall to the ground.
21 And I will
call for a sword against him throughout all my mountains, saith the Lord
GOD: every man’s sword shall be against his brother.
22 And I will
plead against him with pestilence (biological,chemical,nuclear) and with
blood; and I will rain upon him, and upon his bands, and upon the many
people that are with him, an overflowing rain, and great hailstones,
fire, and brimstone.(NUKED,THEN MIGRATING BIRDS EAT RUSSIA/ARAB/MUSLIMS
FLESH)
23 Thus will I magnify myself, and sanctify myself; and I
will be known in the eyes of many nations, and they shall know that I am
the LORD.
EZEKIEL 39:1-29
1 Therefore, thou son of man,
prophesy against Gog,(LEADER OF RUSSIA) and say, Thus saith the Lord
GOD; Behold, I am against thee, O Gog, the chief prince of Meshech
(MOSCOW) and Tubal: (TUBOLSK)
2 And I will turn thee
back,(RUSSIA-ARAB MUSLIM ISRAEL HATERS) and leave but the sixth part of
thee,(5/6TH OR 300 MILLION DEAD RUSSIAN/ARAB/MUSLIMS I BELIEVE) and will
cause thee to come up from the north parts,(RUSSIA) and will bring thee
upon the mountains of Israel:
3 And I will smite thy bow out of thy left hand, and will cause thine arrows to fall out of thy right hand.
4
Thou shalt fall upon the mountains of Israel, thou, and all thy bands,(
ARABS) and the people that is with thee: I will give thee unto the
ravenous birds of every sort, and to the beasts of the field to be
devoured.
5 Thou shalt fall upon the open field: for I have spoken it, saith the Lord GOD.
6
And I will send a shall come to pass in that day, that I will give unto
Gog (RUSSIA/ARAB/MUSLIMS) a place there of graves in Israel, the valley
of the passengers (EAST OF THE DEAD SEA IN JORDAN VALLEY) on the east
of the sea: and it shall stop the noses of the passengers: and there
shall they bury Gog (RUSSIAN) and all his multitude:(ARAB/MUSLIM HORDE)
and they shall call it The valley of Hamongog.(BURIEL SITE OF THE 300
MILLION,RUSSIAN/ARAB/MUSLIMS)
12 And seven months shall the house of Israel be burying of them, that they may cleanse the land.(OF ISRAEL)
13
Yea, all the people of the land (OF ISRAEL) shall bury them; and it
shall be to them a renown the day that I (GOD-JESUS) shall be glorified,
saith the Lord GOD.
14 And they shall sever out men of continual
employment,(NUCLEAR ATOMIC BOMB EXPERTS) passing through the land to
bury with the passengers those that remain upon the face of the earth,
to cleanse it: after the end of seven months shall they search.
15
And the passengers that pass through the land, when any seeth a man’s
bone, then shall he set up a sign by it,(WON'T TOUCH IT) till the
buriers have buried it (PROPERLY) in the valley of
Hamongog.(RUSSIA/ARAB/MUSLIMS NEW BURIEL SITE)(EAST OF THE DEAD SEA IN
THE JORDAN VALLEY)
16 And also the name of the city shall be Hamonah. Thus shall they cleanse the land.(OF THE ISRAEL-GOD HATERS)
17
And, thou son of man, thus saith the Lord GOD; Speak unto every
feathered fowl,(500 MILLION MIGRATING BIRDS THREW ISRAEL EVERY
SPRING,FALL) and to every beast of the field, Assemble yourselves, and
come; gather yourselves on every side to my sacrifice that I do
sacrifice for you, even a great sacrifice upon the mountains of Israel,
that ye may eat flesh, and drink blood.(OF THE RUSSIAN/ARAB/MUSLIM
ARMIES)
18 Ye shall eat the flesh of the mighty, and drink the blood
of the princes of the earth, of rams, of lambs, and of goats, of
bullocks, all of them fatlings of Bashan.
19 And ye (MIGRATING BIRDS
IN ISRAEL) shall eat fat till ye be full, and drink blood till ye be
drunken, of my sacrifice which I have sacrificed for
you.(RUSSIAN/ARAB/MUSLIM ISRAEL HATERS)
20 Thus ye shall be filled at my table with horses and chariots, with mighty men, and with all men of war, saith the Lord GOD.
21
And I (GOD-JESUS) will set my glory among the heathen,(WORLD NATIONS)
and all the heathen (WORLD NATIONS) shall see my judgment that I have
executed,(AGAINST ISRAELS ENEMIES) and my (GODS) hand that I have laid
upon them.(ISRAELS HATER ENEMIES)
22 So the house of Israel shall know that I am the LORD their God from that day and forward.
23
And the heathen shall know that the house of Israel went into captivity
for their iniquity: because they trespassed against me, therefore hid I
my face from them, and gave them into the hand of their enemies: so
fell they all by the sword.
24 According to their uncleanness and according to their transgressions have I done unto them, and hid my face from them.
25
Therefore thus saith the Lord GOD; Now will I bring again the captivity
of Jacob, and have mercy upon the whole house of Israel, and will be
jealous for my holy name;
26 After that they have borne their shame,
and all their trespasses whereby they have trespassed against me, when
they dwelt safely in their land, and none made them afraid.
27 When I
have brought them again from the people, and gathered them out of their
enemies’ lands, and am sanctified in them in the sight of many nations;
28
Then shall they know that I am the LORD their God, which caused them to
be led into captivity among the heathen: but I have gathered them unto
their own land, and have left none of them any more there.
29
Neither will I hide my face any more from them: for I have poured out my
spirit upon the house of Israel, saith the Lord GOD.
CHINA AND KINGS O F THE EAST MARCH TO ISRAEL 2ND WAVE OF WW3 (200 MILLION MAN ARMY)
REVELATION 16:12-16
12
And the sixth angel poured out his vial upon the great river
Euphrates;(WERE WW3 STARTS IN IRAQ OR SYRIA OR TURKEY) and the water
thereof was dried up, that the way of the kings of the east might be
prepared.(THE TURKEY ATATURK DAM ON THE EUPHRATES CAN BE SHUT AND DRIED
UP ALREADY BY TURKEY)
13 And I saw three unclean spirits like frogs
come out of the mouth of the dragon,(SATAN) and out of the mouth of the
beast,(WORLD DICTATOR) and out of the mouth of the false prophet.(FALSE
POPE)
14 For they are the spirits of devils, working miracles, which
go forth unto the kings of the earth and of the whole world, to gather
them to the battle of that great day of God Almighty.(WERE 2 BILLION DIE
FROM NUKE WAR)
15 Behold, I come as a thief. Blessed is he that watcheth, and keepeth his garments, lest he walk naked, and they see his shame.
16
And he gathered them together into a place called in the Hebrew tongue
Armageddon.(ITS AT THIS TIME I BELIEVE WHEN AMERICA GETS NUKED BY RUSSIA
ON THE WAY TO THE MIDEAST)
DANIEL 11:44 (2ND WAVE OF WW3)
44
But tidings out of the east(CHINA) and out of the north(RUSSIA, MUSLIMS
WHATS LEFT FROM WAVE 1) shall trouble him:(EU DICTATOR IN ISRAEL)
therefore he shall go forth with great fury to destroy, and utterly to
make away many.( 1/3RD OF EARTHS POPULATION)
REVELATION 9:12-18
12 One woe is past; and, behold, there come two woes more hereafter.
13 And the sixth angel sounded, and I heard a voice from the four horns of the golden altar which is before God,
14
Saying to the sixth angel which had the trumpet, Loose the four(DEMONIC
WAR) angels which are bound in the great river Euphrates.(WORLDWIDE
WAR)(TURKEY-IRAQ-SYRIA)(EUPHRATES RIVER CONSISTS OF 760 MILES IN
TURKEY,440 MILES IN SYRIA AND 660 MILES IN IRAQ)
15 And the
four(DEMONIC WAR) angels were loosed,(WORLDWIDE WAR) which were prepared
for an hour, and a day, and a month, and a year, for to slay the third
part of men.(1/3 Earths Population die in WW 3 2ND WAVE-2 billion)
16
And the number of the army of the horsemen were two hundred thousand
thousand:(200 MILLION MAN ARMY FROM CHINA AND THE KINGS OF THE EAST) and
I heard the number of them.
17 And thus I saw the horses in the
vision, and them that sat on them, having breastplates of fire, and of
jacinth, and brimstone: and the heads of the horses were as the heads of
lions; and out of their mouths issued fire and smoke and
brimstone.(NUCLEAR BOMBS)
18 By these three was the third part of men
killed, by the fire, and by the smoke, and by the brimstone, which
issued out of their mouths.(NUCLEAR BOMBS)
Bongino vows to
uncover ‘truth’ in cryptic message: ‘We cannot run a Republic like
this’Filip Timotija-Sat, July 26, 2025 at 3:41 PM EDT-THE HILL
FBI
Deputy Director Dan Bongino vowed on Saturday to uncover the “truth” in
a cryptic post on the social platform X, proclaiming that “we cannot
run a Republic like this.”Bongino said that he and FBI Director Kash
Patel are committed to “stamping out public corruption and the political
weaponization of both law enforcement and intelligence operations.”“It
is a priority for us. But what I have learned in the course of our
properly predicated and necessary investigations into these
aforementioned matters, has shocked me down to my core. We cannot run a
Republic like this. I’ll never be the same after learning what I’ve
learned,” the deputy director wrote.It is unclear what Bongino was
referring to. The Hill has reached out to the FBI for additional
comment.Bongino, a former Secret Service agent and podcaster, was at the
center of the debate over the files related to disgraced financier and
convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein earlier this month.The FBI and
Department of Justice (DOJ) said in a joint, unsigned memo that Epstein
died by suicide in 2019 in prison while awaiting trial and that he did
not keep a “client list.”Bongino was frustrated with leaders at the DOJ
and the handling of the Epstein files earlier in July. He clashed with
Attorney General Pam Bondi over the issue and has reportedly considered
resigning from his post.A few days later, despite the infighting,
President Trump told reporters he still has confidence in Bongino and
that he is in “good shape.”Bongino also wrote Saturday on X that the FBI
will conduct “these righteous and proper investigations by the book and
in accordance with the law.”“We are going to get the answers WE ALL
DESERVE,” Bongino wrote. “As with any investigation, I cannot predict
where it will land, but I can promise you an honest and dignified effort
at truth. Not ‘my truth,’ or ‘your truth,’ but THE TRUTH.”
Egypt,
Qatar: US and Israel only withdrew from Doha temporarily-Apparently
accepting talks impasse, Trump says Israel will have to ‘get rid of’
Hamas-US president says terror group not interested in deal; echoing
Witkoff, PM says Jerusalem weighing ‘alternative options’ to free
hostages By Jacob Magid-25 July 2025, 9:49 pm
US President Donald
Trump declared Friday that Hamas isn’t interested in reaching a hostage
deal and signaled backing for Israel advancing its military operations
against the terror group.“Hamas didn’t really want to make a deal. I
think they want to die,” Trump told reporters outside the White House a
day after the US and Israel announced that they were pulling their
respective negotiating teams from Doha, where proximity talks with Hamas
had been taking place for nearly three weeks.Washington and Jerusalem
fumed at Hamas over the response it submitted Thursday to the latest
proposal for a 60-day Gaza truce and hostage release deal. Egypt and
Qatar took a more nuanced approach, while indicating that the Hamas
response indeed contained too many requests for changes to the proposal.
However, they maintain that the gaps are bridgeable, an Arab diplomat
and a source involved in the mediation effort told The Times of Israel
on Friday.Trump painted a far more bleak outlook and appeared to even
accept that the US may not be able to secure the release of the
remaining 50 hostages — 20 of whom are believed to still be alive.“I
said this was going to happen,” Trump told reporters, claiming to have
predicted the current impasse.“We got a lot of hostages out. But when
you get down to the last 10 or 20, I don’t think Hamas is going to make a
deal because that means they have no protection. And basically that’s
what happened,” he said.“I think what’s going to happen is they’re going
to be hunted down,” Trump continued. “It [has] gotten to a point where
[Israel is] going to have to finish the job.”Israel is “going to have to
fight, and going to have to clean it up. You’re gonna have to get rid
of [Hamas],” he said, acknowledging that the situation is “sort of
disappointing.”More of the same? It is unclear, however, whether
additional fighting will lead to the total destruction of Hamas that
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has declared as an essential goal of
the war.The IDF has been fighting the terror group for nearly 22 months,
and Israeli officials had asserted that Trump’s entry to the Oval
Office would allow for the IDF to deliver a knock-out blow.Trump allowed
Israel to collapse the previous hostage deal, in March, instead of
entering the second phase that included a permanent end to the
war.Israel then launched and is now nearing the conclusion of a new
offensive aimed at occupying 75 percent of the Strip in order to
pressure Hamas.For nearly three months, Israel blocked all aid from
entering the Strip, in what aid organizations say helped create the
current famine crisis.The US then helped Israel establish the Gaza
Humanitarian Foundation, which was designed to try and box Hamas out of
the aid distribution process when Israel finally began to allow aid
again into Gaza in late May. But GHF’s work was quickly marred by
near-daily reports of deadly shootings of Palestinians seeking to pick
up boxes of food.The US- and Israeli-backed organization still touts its
delivery of roughly 90 million meals, but the boxes of aid it
distributes are dry food products that need to be prepared elsewhere in
the Strip where clean water, cooking gas and kitchen equipment are
increasingly scarce. Moreover, GHF doesn’t track who is picking up its
aid, so there is no way to confirm that Hamas fighters aren’t benefiting
from it as well.On top of the guardrails that Trump removed regarding
Israel’s military campaign, the US also adopted Netanyahu’s approach for
a phased hostage deal in the latest negotiations.Hamas has offered to
release all of the hostages in one batch in exchange for Israel agreeing
to permanently end the war, but Netanyahu has refused, arguing that
doing so would leave Hamas in power.Instead, the sides have been engaged
in months of painstaking negotiations during which Hamas has agreed to
release roughly half of the hostages in exchange for a temporary, 60-day
ceasefire, but in return has demanded a long list of conditions that
aim to prevent Israel from resuming fighting even after the truce
expires.‘Muscle flex’Trump’s comments on Friday indicated that he has
all but given up on the negotiations in Doha — which would mark a major
shift for the US president, who for months has expressed his desire to
quickly end the war and who just a week earlier prematurely announced
that 10 hostages would soon be released.Israel was quickly falling in
line on Friday, with Netanyahu’s office issuing a statement that said
Jerusalem and Washington were “considering alternative options to bring
our hostages home.”The statement echoed one issued a day earlier by US
special envoy Steve Witkoff.But a senior Israeli official told The Times
of Israel Friday that there are no new ideas for securing the release
of the hostages and that the only military strategies that haven’t been
pursued would put the captives at risk.Earlier Friday, the families of
several hostages still in Gaza met with US Secretary of State Marco
Rubio at the White House in order to receive an update regarding the
negotiations.One hostage relative told The Times of Israel that during
one of their earlier meetings this week with Trump officials, the
families were assured that the decision to withdraw the US negotiating
team from Doha was a “muscle flex” tactic aimed at coaxing Hamas to come
down from some of its demands, particularly ones regarding the number
of Palestinian security prisoners it wants released in exchange for the
10 living hostages and 18 bodies of slain hostages who would be released
in five batches during the two-month ceasefire under discussion.When
the hostage families pressed Trump aides as to why they weren’t
promoting a comprehensive deal, as opposed to the staged framework on
the table, the US officials insisted that the administration is
committed to securing the release of all hostages, the relative said,
confirming a Channel 12 report.Staying the course-Meanwhile, Egypt and
Qatar issued a joint statement on Friday asserting that they were
continuing their mediation efforts to secure a ceasefire, and explaining
that the US and Israel had merely recalled their negotiators “to hold
consultations before resuming dialogue.” They added that the practice
was “normal in the context of these complex negotiations.”The two Arab
countries insisted that some progress was made in the last round of
negotiations and that they remain committed to securing a Gaza ceasefire
and hostage release deal.Egyptian media reported earlier Friday that
talks would still pick back up next week, and Hamas official Bassem Naim
told reporters the same.However, the source involved in mediation
efforts and the Arab diplomat denied that hostage negotiations were
scheduled to resume next week. The two sources said nothing has been
scheduled yet and that Egypt and Qatar were still awaiting directions
from Witkoff.
Israel was moving to 'topple regime' when Trump
called truce-Strikes on Iran thwarted fission and fusion nukes, and
‘electronic pulse’ bomb – report-Israeli sources tell WaPo killing of
top scientists halted development of EMP device, complex nuclear fusion
warhead; half of ballistic missiles, 80% of launchers were destroyed By
ToI Staff 26 July 2025, 12:24 pm
Israeli sources believe US and
Israeli strikes in Iran last month hampered the Islamic Republic’s
development of two types of nuclear warheads and an “electromagnetic
pulse (EMP) weapon that could cripple Israel electronically,” the
Washington Post reported Saturday.According to the report, the 12-day
war with Iran also destroyed roughly half of Tehran’s 3,000 ballistic
missiles and 80% of its 500 missile launchers. Unnamed Israeli sources
were cited as saying Tehran was planning to raise its ballistic missile
stockpile to at least 8,000, meaning any further delay to the strike
against Iran would have exposed Israel to much greater damage from
missile strikes.However, along with Israel’s successes, Jerusalem was
dealt an “unwelcome surprise” when it discovered Iran had more
solid-fuel missiles than previously expected, the report said. Such
missiles are more difficult to shoot down, according to an Israeli
source cited by the Post.The damage to Iran’s nuclear and missile
programs was compounded by Israel’s assassination of the first tier,
second tier and most of the third tier of Iranian physicists and nuclear
scientists, sources cited by the Post said. Israeli officials were
cited as saying it was expected that younger Iranians would be deterred
from pursuing careers in those fields as a result of the killings.The
revelations were reported in an opinion piece by Washington Post foreign
affairs columnist David Ignatius.Ignatius also writes that when US
President Donald Trump declared a ceasefire, “Israel was moving into a
final phase of attacks intended to topple the regime,” but does not
elaborate. Hours after Trump announced the ceasefire, on June 24, he
ordered Israel to recall planes that Israel had said would “forcefully
strike the heart of Tehran” after a post-ceasefire Iranian missile
attack, and publicly castigated Israel for ostensible ceasefire
violations.The assassinations reportedly halted Iran’s development of
the EMP device. Such weapons emit powerful bursts of electromagnetic
energy that can paralyze electrical networks. Development of an EMP
device was said to have been promoted by Iran’s Revolutionary Guard as
an alternative to nuclear arms, since atomic weapons are nominally
banned under a religious decree by Iranian Supreme Leader Ali
Khamenei.Despite the fatwa, Israeli sources said they believe Iran was
making progress on two types of nuclear warheads: a standard fission
warhead, which splits atoms, and a more complex fusion warhead, which
forces atoms together. According to the Post, the fusion-warhead project
was halted as a result of Israel’s strikes against Iranian nuclear
scientists.A well-informed Israeli source cited in the report said “Iran
is no longer a nuclear threshold state” — echoing a similar assessment
by IDF Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Eyal Zamir — and would require one to two
years to build a nuclear weapon, if it could do so covertly. The source
was also cited, saying Israel would likely be able to detect and
destroy a potential Iranian effort to quickly build a crude nuclear
device.Israel has said its June 13 opening strike against Iran came as
the Islamic Republic, which is sworn to destroy Israel, was taking steps
toward nuclear weaponization. Though Iran denies seeking nuclear arms,
it has amassed uranium enriched to 60% — far beyond what is needed for
civilian use, and a short step away from weapons-grade.US and Israeli
sources speaking to the Post on condition of anonymity said the White
House had okayed Israel’s opening strike, but signaled that US forces
would intervene only if the Israeli campaign proved successful.Iran
retaliated to the Israeli strikes with deadly ballistic missile attacks
that killed 28 people, caused heavy damage in Israeli cities and
displaced thousands of people.On June 24 — a day before a US-brokered
ceasefire ended the Israel-Iran war — US bombers struck three key
Iranian nuclear sites, including the underground facility at Fordo,
which was thought to be penetrable only with US “bunker-buster”
bombs.While US President Donald Trump has said the attack set Iran’s
nuclear program back “decades,” Western intelligence has indicated the
damage was more limited and that Iran was may have been able to relocate
its stockpile of highly enriched uranium ahead of the US and Israeli
strikes.
Three drones detected in Japan nuclear plant.
Tokyo,
July 27 (AFP) Jul 27, 2025-Three drones were detected in a Japanese
nuclear power plant where two reactors are being decommissioned, the
country's nuclear watchdog said Sunday.The unmanned aerial vehicles were
spotted Saturday night by the operator of Genkai Nuclear Power Station
in the southwestern Kyushu region, the Nuclear Regulation Authority
(NRA) said.Unauthorised drone flights over and near nuclear power plants
are prohibited in Japan, the NRA and police said."No abnormalities were
detected after the incident was reported, while drones have not been
found inside the premises of the power plant," a spokesman for the NRA
told AFP.Police spokesman Masahiro Kosho said they have not located the
drones and do not know who flew them or for what purpose.Kyushu Electric
Power Co operates the Genkai plant in Saga prefecture where two of its
four reactors are being decommissioned.The plant's other reactors
resumed operation after strict safety standards were introduced
following the 2011 Fukushima disaster, which was triggered by a
devastating earthquake and tsunami in northeast Japan.A law allowing
nuclear reactors to operate beyond 60 years took effect in Japan last
month, as the government turns back to atomic energy 14 years after the
Fukushima catastrophe.
Israeli startup aims to revolutionize
security screening with AI-powered weapons scanner-Scanary says its
radar-based tech, developed by a former radar engineer of Iron Dome, can
screen 25,000 people per hour to detect threats in stadiums, transit
hubs and airports By Sharon Wrobel-25 July 2025, 1:38 pm
Security
at publicly crowded places, from busy airport terminals to open-air
venues and stadiums, is one of the main bottlenecks for long lines,
delays and disruptions.Asking individuals to stop, remove some of their
clothing and belongings, and pass walk-through security scanning
stations impedes traffic flow in airports and other highly populated
venues, such as stadiums, shopping malls, bus and train stations, and
schools.What if you could significantly reduce the time and hassle it
takes people to arrive at their seats at a mass venue, such as a concert
or a sports stadium, from the moment they park their car, while
ensuring public safety? This is the goal of Israeli startup Scanary.The
Tel Aviv-based startup came out of stealth this week with a mass
security human screening system led by Dr. Gideon Levita, a former chief
radar engineer at Rafael Advanced Defense Systems, where he helped
develop Israel’s Iron Dome air defense system as well as the Trophy
system designed to protect tanks and other armored vehicles from
missiles and rockets.The idea for the startup originated in developing
technology to help prevent terror attacks in open spaces, venues and
transportation hubs, which were more frequent in the 1990s in Israel.The
patented radar-based screening technology vows to secure crowded places
such as airports, stadiums and shopping malls without the need to stop
visitors at tedious checkpoints, having them remove shoes and belts, and
take out phones or keys, as is the case today.“Current security
screening methods are simply not working well enough,” Scanary CEO and
co-founder Ronen Yashvitz told The Times of Israel. “There are growing
challenges in public spaces like airports, terminals, retail centers and
transportation hubs, on how to detect threats effectively without
disturbing people’s movements and without infringing privacy or the
experience.”“Checkpoints at airports or other transportation hubs often
cause delays and frustration, and worst of all, they still at times miss
the threats,” the serial entrepreneur added.Scanary’s AI-powered system
is designed to detect concealed weapons and other non-metallic threats
in crowded public spaces, with the ability to screen 25,000 individuals
per hour as they are moving around, the startup said.“By combining AI,
advanced imaging, augmented reality and computer vision, we enable
threat detection from a distance — without stopping people, without
creating lines, and without compromising privacy,” said Yashvitz, a
former 8200 military intelligence officer. “The idea is that people
won’t need to go through any gated checkpoints in the future when
entering crowded public venues.”Founded in 2024, Scanary uses spatially
deployed radar sensors to generate dozens of high-resolution 3D
electromagnetic scanning images of an individual from different angles.
The AI platform, powered by algorithms, can determine an object’s shape
and identify its material, such as metal, plastic or liquids. The system
can be seamlessly integrated into existing security infrastructure,
such as CCTV cameras.“The system deploys two sensors that face each
other from a distance of up to 10 meters (33 feet) to detect concealed
weapons even if they are beneath clothes or in pockets on the human
body,” Yashvitz explained. “That creates a scanning area of 200 square
meters.”“Once a person enters the scanning zone, it triggers the radar,
and as the person walks, 10 images per second, per person are
generated,” he said.Yashvitz noted that scans are completed in less than
two seconds. The AI-powered object classification system is trained to
distinguish between common personal items such as phones or keys, and
dangerous weapons and items, in order to reduce false alarms.Once a
dangerous item is identified, an immediate alert is sent to security
personnel. The system is tailored to identify firearms — handguns and
rifles — improvised explosive devices (IEDs), and pyrotechnics such as
flares and firecrackers, as well as knives and other sharp items.“I
believe that we will be a game changer in identifying pyrotechnics with
the rise in the use of pyrotechnics at soccer matches, which present a
real risk to fans in stadiums,” said Yashvitz. “The technology allows us
to shape the system for other public safety use cases, including
schools in the US, in the future.”To operate the system, security guards
use a tablet or smartphone, which generates immediate visual alerts
when it detects a threat. The alert includes a video clip of the
suspect, marking the type of threat — such as gun or knife — and
pinpointing the physical location on the body (e.g., pockets, inside a
shoe).Unlike facial recognition or traditional body scanners, it does
not collect visual images or reveal body shape, and it operates without
biometric tracking, to comply with personal privacy regulations,
Yashvitz emphasized.Scanary, which currently employs 10 people,
including AI and algorithm experts from the medical device industry, has
raised $3.5 million from several angels and investors.The startup has
been granted CE and GDPR certifications in Europe and is currently
pursuing regulatory approval in the United States.Scanary is tapping
into a global security screening market, which is expected to grow from
$9.92 billion in 2025 to $13.8 billion by 2030, according to a report by
Markets and Markets. Demand has been driven by the increase in gun
violence and the rise in terror threats and attacks at crowded public
spaces, including schools and campuses, airports, and transportation
hubs such as subway train stations.One of the companies that has made
headlines in the area of non-invasive AI-based screening technology is
Nasdaq-listed Evolv Technologies Holdings. The company was investigated
last year by the US Federal Trade Commission over allegations that it
made false claims about the capabilities of its security screening
system to detect weapons while ignoring harmless personal items.Scanary
still needs to showcase its technology. The startup is set to start
pilot deployments of its mass scanning system in Israel in the coming
weeks, with US-based pilots to follow.“One venue for our pilot is an
airport, and another is public transport, probably a train station in
Israel,” said Yashvitz. “The main segment that we are looking at
initially is public transport because there is currently no suitable
technology that can scan that many people at the same time.”
Humanoid robots embodiment of China's AI ambitions.
Shanghai,
July 27 (AFP) Jul 27, 2025-Serving craft beer, playing mahjong,
stacking shelves and boxing, the dozens of humanoid robots at Shanghai's
World AI Conference (WAIC) this weekend were embodiments of China's
growing AI prowess and ambition.The annual event is primed at showcasing
China's progress in the ever-evolving field of artificial intelligence,
with the government aiming to position the country as a world leader on
both technology and regulation as it snaps at the United States'
heels.Opening the event on Saturday, Premier Li Qiang announced China
would set up a new organisation for cooperation on AI governance,
warning the benefits of development must be balanced with the risks.But
in the cavernous expo next door, the mood was more giddy than
concerned."Demand is currently very strong, whether in terms of data,
scenarios, model training, or artificial construction. The overall
atmosphere in all these areas is very lively," said Yang Yifan, R&D
director at Transwarp, a Shanghai-based AI platform provider.This year's
WAIC is the first since a breakthrough moment for Chinese AI this
January when startup DeepSeek unveiled an AI model that performed as
well as top US systems for an apparent fraction of the cost.Organisers
said the forum involved more than 800 companies, showcasing over 3,000
products -- the undeniable crowd pleasers being the humanoid robots and
their raft of slightly surreal party tricks.At one booth, a robot played
drums, half a beat out of time, to Queen's "We Will Rock You" while a
man in safety goggles and a security vest hyped up a giggling
crowd.Other droids, some dressed in working overalls or baseball caps,
manned assembly lines, played curling with human opponents or sloppily
served soft drinks from a dispenser.While most of the machines on
display were still a little jerky, the increasing sophistication
year-on-year was clear to see.The Chinese government has poured support
into robotics, an area in which some experts think China might already
have the upper hand over the United States.At Hangzhou-based Unitree's
stall, its G1 android -- around 130 centimetres (four feet) tall, with a
two-hour battery life -- kicked, pivoted and punched, keeping its
balance with relative fluidity as it shadowboxed around a ring.Ahead of
the conference's opening, Unitree announced it would launch a full-size
humanoid, the R1, for under $6,000.- 'Digital humans' -Most high-tech
helpers don't need hardware though.At the expo, AI companions -- in the
form of middle-aged businessmen, scantily clad women and ancient
warriors -- waved at people from screens, asking how their day was,
while other stalls ran demos allowing visitors to create their own
digital avatars.Tech giant Baidu on Saturday announced a new generation
of technology for its "digital humans" -- AI agents modelled on real
people, which it says are "capable of thinking, making decisions, and
collaborating".The company recently ran a six-hour e-commerce broadcast
hosted by the "digital human" of a well-known streamer and another
avatar.The two agents beat the human streamer's debut sales in some
categories, Baidu said.Over ten thousand businesses are using the
technology daily already, the department's head Wu Chenxia told
AFP.Asked about the impact on jobs -- one of the major concerns raised
around widespread AI adoption -- Wu insisted that AI was a tool that
should be used to improve quality and save time and effort, which still
required human input.In China, the integration of AI into everyday life
is beginning to pick up pace.At WAIC, Baidu also announced it had been
granted a permit to operate fully driverless robotaxis in parts of the
massive Pudong district, the service's first foray into downtown
Shanghai.For now, few visitors to the WAIC expo seemed worried about the
potential ramifications of the back-flipping dog robots they were
excitedly watching."When it comes to China's AI development, we have a
comparatively good foundation of data and also a wealth of application
scenarios," said Transwarp's Yang."There are many more opportunities for
experimentation."reb/sco
Russia launches Iranian communications
satellite into orbit-Rocket booster carrying Iranian satellite
successfully lifts off into space; launch highlights warm ties between
the two countries months after signing partnership pact-By AP 25 July
2025, 2:50 pm
MOSCOW — A Russian rocket successfully put an
Iranian communications satellite into orbit Friday, a launch that
highlighted strong ties between the two countries.The Soyuz rocket
lifted off as scheduled from the Vostochny launchpad in far eastern
Russia. It carried two Russian Ionosphere-M Earth observation
satellites, along with Iran’s Nahid-2 satellite and 17 smaller Russian
satellites, and put them into designated orbits.The 110-kilogram (242
lb) Iranian satellite is supposed to circle the Earth on a 500-kilometer
(310-mile) orbit and has a service lifetime of two years.In November,
Russia launched a pair of Iranian satellites named Kowsar and Hodhod,
the first launched on behalf of the country’s private sector. It
followed two previous Russian launches of Iranian satellites in 2022 and
2024.Russia, which signed a “strategic partnership” treaty with Iran in
January, strongly condemned the Israeli and US strikes on Iran last
month against the Islamic Republic’s nuclear and ballistic missile
programs.Russian President Vladimir Putin has suggested that Moscow
could help negotiate a settlement that could allow Tehran to pursue a
peaceful atomic program while assuaging the security concerns of Israel,
which Iran regularly vows to destroy.At the same time, Putin has
emphasized that Tehran hasn’t asked Moscow for military assistance and
noted that the partnership treaty doesn’t envision such aid.Russia has
maintained a delicate balancing act in the Middle East for decades,
trying to maintain warm relations with Israel even as it developed
strong economic and military ties with Iran.
China urges global consensus on balancing AI development, security.
Shanghai,
July 26 (AFP) Jul 26, 2025-China's Premier Li Qiang warned Saturday
that artificial intelligence development must be weighed against the
security risks, saying global consensus was urgently needed even as the
tech race between Beijing and Washington shows no sign of abating.His
remarks came just days after US President Donald Trump unveiled an
aggressive low-regulation strategy aimed at cementing US dominance in
the fast-moving field, promising to "remove red tape and onerous
regulation" that could hinder private sector AI development.Opening the
World AI Conference (WAIC) in Shanghai on Saturday, Li emphasised the
need for governance and open-source development, announcing the
establishment of a Chinese-led body for international AI
cooperation."The risks and challenges brought by artificial intelligence
have drawn widespread attention... How to find a balance between
development and security urgently requires further consensus from the
entire society," the premier said.He gave no further details about the
newly announced organisation, though state media later reported "the
preliminary consideration" was that it would be headquartered in
Shanghai.The organisation would "promote global governance featuring
extensive consultation, joint contribution and shared benefits", state
news agency Xinhua reported, without elaborating on its set-up or
mechanisms.At a time when AI is being integrated across virtually all
industries, its uses have raised major questions, including about the
spread of misinformation, its impact on employment and the potential
loss of technological control.In a speech at WAIC on Saturday, Nobel
Prize-winning physicist Geoffrey Hinton compared the situation to
keeping "a very cute tiger cub as a pet".To survive, he said, you need
to ensure you can train it not to kill you when it grows up.- Pledge to
share AI advances -The enormous strides AI technology has made in recent
years have seen it move to the forefront of the US-China
rivalry.Premier Li said China would "actively promote" the development
of open-source AI, adding Beijing was willing to share advances with
other countries, particularly developing ones."If we engage in
technological monopolies, controls and blockage, artificial intelligence
will become the preserve of a few countries and a few enterprises," he
said.Vice Foreign Minister Ma Zhaoxu warned against "unilateralism and
protectionism" at a later meeting.Washington has expanded its efforts in
recent years to curb exports of state-of-the-art chips to China,
concerned that they can be used to advance Beijing's military systems
and erode US tech dominance.Li, in his speech, highlighted "insufficient
supply of computing power and chips" as a bottleneck to AI
progress.China has made AI a pillar of its plans for technological
self-reliance, with the government pledging a raft of measures to boost
the sector.In January, Chinese startup DeepSeek unveiled an AI model
that performed as well as top US systems despite using less powerful
chips.- 'Defining test' -In a video message played at the WAIC opening
ceremony, UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said AI governance would
be "a defining test of international cooperation".The ceremony saw the
French president's AI envoy, Anne Bouverot, underscore "an urgent need"
for global action and for the United Nations to play a "leading
role".Bouverot called for a framework "that is open, transparent and
effective, giving each and everyone an opportunity to have their views
taken into account".Li's speech "posed a clear contrast to the Trump
administration's 'America First' view on AI" and the US measures
announced this week, said WAIC attendee George Chen, a partner at
Washington-based policy consultancy The Asia Group."The world is now
clearly divided into at least three camps: the United States and its
allies, China (and perhaps many Belt and Road or Global South
countries), and the EU -- which prefers regulating AI through
legislation, like the EU AI Act," Chen told AFP.At an AI summit in Paris
in February, 58 countries including China, France and India -- as well
as the European Union and African Union Commission -- called for
enhanced coordination on AI governance.But the United States warned
against "excessive regulation", and alongside the United Kingdom,
refused to sign the summit's appeal for an "open", "inclusive" and
"ethical" AI.
EU says China's links with Russia now 'determining factor' in ties By Mary Yang and Oliver Hotham.
Beijing
(AFP) July 24, 2025-EU chief Ursula von der Leyen warned on Thursday
that China's ties with Russia were now the "determining" factor in its
relations with the European Union, as she wrapped up a tense summit in
Beijing that also saw China agree to speed up exports of rare earth
minerals to the bloc.China's leadership has sought to draw the European
Union closer as it positions itself as a more reliable partner than the
United States and a bedrock of stability in a troubled world.But while
nominally intended to celebrate 50 years of diplomatic ties, the EU has
made clear there are deep divisions over trade, fears that cheap,
subsidised Chinese goods could overwhelm European markets and Beijing's
tacit support for Russia's war against Ukraine.Brussels says China's
deepening political and economic relations with Moscow since the 2022
invasion have helped Russia's economy weather sweeping Western
sanctions. Beijing denies that claim.Wrapping up that summit, von der
Leyen told a news conference in Beijing that the bloc had made clear
that the issue was now the "determining" factor in its relations with
China.She and European Council President Antonio Costa expressed "our
expectations that China would follow up on our concerns and the
expectation that it would use its influence to bring Russia to accept a
ceasefire, to come to the negotiation table, enter peace talks and put
an end to the bloodshed", von der Leyen said.She also said the bloc
agreed with Beijing to an "upgraded" mechanism for Chinese exports of
rare earth minerals -- another key sticking point in ties.China
dominates the global industry for extracting and refining rare
earths.Since April, it has required licences to export some of the
strategic materials, triggering anxiety among businesses worldwide."If
there is a delay... we have now established a mechanism where the
companies can immediately ask us to mediate and to find out why there's a
delay on the delivery of the critical raw materials," von der Leyen
said.And Costa said the officials had raised human rights concerns with
Chinese counterparts.- 'Deepen cooperation' -China, in contrast, framed
Thursday's summit as a way for the bloc and Beijing to deepen trust in a
turbulent world.Welcoming von der Leyen and Costa at Beijing's ornate
Great Hall of the People, President Xi Jinping said "the more severe and
complex the international situation is, the more important it is for
China and the EU to strengthen communication, increase mutual trust and
deepen cooperation"."The challenges facing Europe at present do not come
from China," he said, calling on both sides to "make correct strategic
choices".Costa also stressed to the Chinese leader that the EU wanted to
see "concrete progress on issues related to trade and the economy, and
we both want our relationship to be... mutually beneficial".Chinese
Premier Li Qiang told the EU leaders in a separate meeting that "close
cooperation" was a "natural choice" for the two major economies."As long
as both China and the EU earnestly uphold free trade, the international
economy and trade will stay dynamic", he said.- Climate agreement -In
rare agreement, China and the EU vowed to "step up" efforts to address
climate change.The warming planet is historically an area of convergence
between Brussels and Beijing, with both willing to cooperate on
combating climate change.Chinese and European leaders agreed on
enhancing bilateral cooperation in energy transition and committed to
accelerating global renewable energy deployment, a joint statement
said.The EU also flagged its yawning trade deficit with China that stood
at around $360 billion last year and which von der Leyen described as
"unsustainable".Beijing dismissed those concerns, insisting that
Brussels must "rebalance its mentality", not its economic ties with
China.If EU concerns were not addressed, "our industry and citizens will
demand that we defend our interests", von der Leyen told Premier Li.The
EU has imposed hefty tariffs on electric vehicles imported from China,
arguing that Beijing's subsidies unfairly undercut European
competitors.China has rebuffed that claim and announced what were widely
seen as retaliatory probes into imported European pork, brandy and
dairy products.
Thailand says open to 'dialogue' with Cambodia to end conflict.
Turnberry,
United Kingdom, July 26 (AFP) Jul 26, 2025-Thailand said late Saturday
it agrees in principle to entering a ceasefire with Cambodia and
beginning a "bilateral dialogue" to end days of fierce fighting that has
left at least 33 people dead.The statement from Thailand's ministry of
foreign affairs came after US President Donald Trump said he had spoken
with the leaders of both Southeast Asian nations and that the two sides
have agreed to meet and "quickly work out" a ceasefire.The Thai ministry
confirmed a phone call between Trump and acting Prime Minister Phumtham
Wechayachai, and said in a statement posted on X that "Thailand agrees
in principle to have a ceasefire in place.""However, Thailand would like
to see sincere intention from the Cambodian side," it added.The
ministry said Phumtham requested Trump to "convey to the Cambodian side
that Thailand wants to convene a bilateral dialogue as soon as possible
to bring forth measures and procedures for the ceasefire and the
eventual peaceful resolution of the conflict."Earlier Saturday, Trump
posted on his Truth Social platform during his visit to Scotland that he
spoke to the leaders of Cambodia and Thailand and that the two sides
"have agreed to immediately meet and quickly work out a Ceasefire and,
ultimately, PEACE!"Thai and Cambodian military forces have clashed for
three straight days along their shared border, in fighting that has also
displaced more than 150,000 people.
Netanyahu didn’t tell Ben
Gvir, Smotrich about Gaza aid boost, IDF ‘humanitarian pauses’Far-right,
Orthodox ministers were excluded from cabinet call because decision was
taken on Shabbat; Ben-Gvir said to be ‘furious,’ brands move ‘a big
mistake’By ToI Staff 28 July 2025, 1:06 am
Prime Minister
Benjamin Netanyahu’s decision to have the military enact daily
“humanitarian pauses” in fighting and increase aid delivery to the Gaza
Strip was made without the input of his far-right coalition partners,
according to a report published Sunday.The decision to increase aid
supply, including through air drops made directly by the IDF and several
other countries, as well as to pause fighting for 10 hours daily, was
made during a Saturday meeting of a small number of senior cabinet
ministers via a conference call, the Ynet news site reported.Since the
meeting was held on Saturday, it was not attended by the two far-right
senior ministers, National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir and Finance
Minster Bezalel Smotrich, who both observe Shabbat.The report said
Defense Minister Israel Katz, Foreign Minister Gideon Sa’ar, and senior
defense officials were on the call with the prime minister.According to
Ynet, Ben Gvir, who is a staunch opponent of humanitarian aid deliveries
to Gaza, was informed of the decision on Saturday evening by the Prime
Minister’s Office, and is “furious.”According to a statement put out by
Ben Gvir’s office, the reason the PMO gave him for not including him in
the meeting was that they “didn’t want him to desecrate Shabbat.”“I am
available all Shabbat, 24/7, because I am the national security minister
and receive updates all the time. These are just excuses,” he said.Ben
Gvir said that the decision was “a big mistake,” and that Netanyahu
“didn’t include me in the conversation because you knew I was opposed.
This is very serious.”“This is a capitulation to Hamas’s deceitful
campaign,” he said, repeating his call to choke off all aid to Gaza,
conquer the entire territory and encourage its Palestinian population to
leave. He stopped short of threatening to quit the government.Smotrich,
for his part, did not immediately comment on the decision to increase
aid flow, or that it was made without his input.Both ministers have
consistently called to not allow any aid into Gaza, arguing that it
helps Hamas and prevents the terror group’s surrender.Saturday’s
decision to dramatically increase aid into the Strip, facilitate pauses
in fighting and begin air drops of aid packages came amid growing global
outrage over reports that significant portions of Gaza’s population are
severely malnourished and experiencing famine-like conditions.Gaza’s
Hamas-run health ministry said Friday that at least 56 people died of
causes related to malnutrition in the previous three weeks, including 22
children. That was up from 10 children who died from such causes during
the five previous months, according to the ministry. The figures cannot
be verified.Israeli authorities have denied claims of widespread famine
in the enclave, but acknowledged issues with food access, blaming
shortages on a “lack of cooperation” by the UN and other international
organizations.Nearly 60,000 Palestinians have been killed since the
start of the war, according to the Hamas-run health ministry, which
doesn’t differentiate between civilians and combatants.Israel has said
it seeks to minimize civilian fatalities and stresses that Hamas uses
Gaza’s civilians as human shields, fighting from civilian areas
including homes, hospitals, schools, and mosques.Israel’s toll in the
ground offensive against Hamas in Gaza and in military operations along
the border with the Strip stands at 459.The war began with the Hamas-led
October 7, 2023, invasion massacre, in which terrorists killed some
1,200 people in southern Israel and took 251 hostages. Terror groups in
the Gaza Strip are holding 50 hostages, at least 20 of whom are thought
to be alive.
IDF takes over pro-Palestinian activist boat
attempting to break Gaza blockade-Livestream by those aboard Handala
shows Navy forces boarding vessel 100 km west of Strip; Israel to deport
hunger strike-threatening activists after towing boat to Ashdod Port By
Emanuel Fabian-and ToI Staff Today, 4:08 am-JUL 27,25
Israeli
forces took over a boat that was attempting to break Israel’s maritime
blockade of the Gaza Strip on Saturday night, and began towing it toward
the Ashdod Port.The boat, Handala, had been carrying pro-Palestinian
activists and small amounts of humanitarian aid supplies. It set sail
from Sicily earlier this month, weeks after Israel intercepted a
different vessel that made a high-profile attempt to break the
blockade.Handala is operated by the Freedom Flotilla Coalition, which
also dispatched the previous boat, the Madleen, on a mission to
challenge Israel’s blockade on the Strip. According to the Freedom
Flotilla Coalition’s website, the Handala was carrying 19 activists as
well as two Al Jazeera journalists. The organization did not disclose
the contents or quantity of the humanitarian aid aboard the ship.The
activists’ own live broadcast from the vessel showed them sitting on
deck, holding their hands up and whistling the Italian anti-fascist song
“Bella Ciao,” as Israeli Navy soldiers took control of the boat.Three
video live feeds of the scene, which had been broadcast online, were cut
minutes later.An online tracking tool set up to plot the Handala’s
course showed the boat’s position as roughly 50 kilometers (30 miles)
from the Egyptian coast and 100 kilometers west of Gaza when
intercepted.The boat was being towed toward Ashdod Port by the Navy, and
the activists were then set to be deported from the country.While the
IDF did not issue an official comment on the incident, the Foreign
Ministry confirmed the takeover, stressing that everyone on board was
safe.In a statement, using the original name of the vessel, the ministry
said the forces “stopped the vessel Navarn from illegally entering the
maritime zone of the coast of Gaza.”“The vessel is safely making its way
to the shores of Israel. All passengers are safe,” it added.
“Unauthorized attempts to breach the blockade are dangerous, unlawful,
and undermine ongoing humanitarian efforts.”The Freedom Flotilla
Coalition earlier said it was altering course, heading south toward
Egypt, due to the Israeli Navy vessels and a drone approaching the boat
at sea.“At this time, the Handala does not intend to enter Egyptian
waters but plans to sail parallel to the coastline. Should the threat
from Israeli authorities escalate, the crew will attempt to contact the
Egyptian Coast Guard to request emergency entry based on the threat to
their lives,” the Freedom Flotilla Coalition said.After the
interception, the Freedom Flotilla Coalition declared in a message on
social media: “‘Handala’ has been intercepted and boarded illegally by
Israeli forces whilst in international waters.”Two far-left French
lawmakers, Emma Fourreau and Gabrielle Cathala, were among those
detained. Their party leader, Jean-Luc Melenchon of France Unbowed
(LFI), condemned Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.“Netanyahu’s thugs
boarded Handala. They attack 21 unarmed people in territorial waters
where they have no right. A kidnapping in which two French
parliamentarians are victims,” he posted on X, demanding the French
government take action.According to several activists aboard the
Handala, the group had decided that it would begin a hunger strike
immediately upon interception by the IDF.“If the Israeli military
attacks our vessel and prevents us from getting to Gaza, we will go on
hunger strike immediately,” Huwaida Arraf said in a social media post on
Friday.“We are not interested in receiving any food or water [from
Israel…] and certainly not in the ways that they use it for propaganda,
while at the same time they are starving to death Palestinian children,”
she added.The IDF, in response to an earlier query about the ship, said
it was “enforcing the maritime security blockade on the Gaza Strip and
is prepared for a range of scenarios, which it will implement in
accordance with the directives of the political echelon.”The previous
ship launched by the Flotilla group, the Madleen, was intercepted by
Israeli authorities on June 9, about 100 nautical miles (185 kilometers)
west of Gaza’s coast, after it defied repeated warnings by Israel to
turn around.Israel towed the boat to Ashdod Port and detained the 12
activists on board — including climate activist Greta Thunberg — before
deporting them over the following days. Jerusalem, which described the
venture as a publicity stunt, said the small amount of aid on that boat
was then transferred to Gaza using approved overland channels.Several
other attempts have been made over the years to approach Gaza by sea,
not all of which fared as well as the Madleen.In May, a vessel
dispatched by the Freedom Flotilla was attacked by two drones while
sailing in international waters off Malta. The group blamed Israel for
the attack, which damaged the front section of the ship. Israel did not
comment on the incident.Past attempts to break the blockade have also
failed, most notably the Mavi Marmara incident of 2010, which saw
Israeli commandos board a Turkish-led flotilla bound for Gaza. The
violence that ensued when those aboard the ship attacked the soldiers
resulted in the deaths of 10 activists and left a soldier badly wounded,
sparking international condemnation and a severe diplomatic rift
between Israel and Turkey.Israel and Egypt have imposed varying degrees
of blockade on Gaza since Hamas seized power from rival Palestinian
forces in 2007 in a violent coup. Israel says it is necessary to limit
Hamas’s ability to smuggle in arms with which to attack the Jewish
state. Critics of the blockade say it amounts to collective punishment
of Gaza’s roughly 2 million Palestinians.Nearly 60,000 Palestinians have
been killed since the start of the war, according to the Hamas-run Gaza
health ministry, which doesn’t differentiate between civilians and
combatants.In recent weeks, as the humanitarian situation has
deteriorated severely, the ministry says at least 56 people have died of
causes related to malnutrition in Gaza, including 35 adults and 22
children. That’s up from 10 children who died from such causes during
all five previous months of 2025, according to the ministry.Israeli
authorities have maintained that while the humanitarian situation in
Gaza is difficult, there is no widespread famine. On Saturday, they
announced new airdrops of aid and “humanitarian pauses” starting Sunday,
aimed at facilitating the safe delivery of goods by the United
Nations.Agencies contributed to this report.
InterviewOnly
'flooding the zone' can reverse humanitarian crisis-Ex-US humanitarian
envoy pans Israeli claim that UN allowing aid to amass on Gaza
border-David Satterfield, who served during early months of war, says
dangerous transport routes, looting from desperate Palestinians severely
hinder ability to pick up aid, deliver aid By Jacob Magid Today, 3:11
am-JUL 27,25
After long dismissing global alarm about the
humanitarian crisis in Gaza, Israeli officials have shifted in recent
days to acknowledging a degree of hunger that has crept into the
Strip.But while certain areas of the war-town enclave are lacking food,
this is because the United Nations has failed to distribute hundreds of
pallets of aid that are sitting at the Gaza border, Israel claims.A
senior officer from Israel’s Coordinator for Government Activities in
the Territories even brought journalists to the Gazan side of the
Strip’s Kerem Shalom Crossing on Friday, where he declared that aid
piling up there was “due to a lack of cooperation from the international
community and international organizations.”David Satterfield, who
served as the US humanitarian envoy during the early months of the Gaza
war, hit back at the Israeli claim in a recent interview.“It is
disingenuous – knowingly false – for any party to assert that it is
failure, lack of courage, or deliberate conspiratorial withholding of
aid by the UN or international organizations that is responsible for the
humanitarian suffering in Gaza,” Satterfield said.But when aid
transport roads become too badly damaged by Israeli military operations,
when there are insufficient deconfliction mechanisms in place to ensure
that aid workers don’t accidentally get hit by IDF fire, when
authorizations aren’t given by the army for aid to be picked up and
delivered, and when looting becomes so widespread due to widespread food
insecurity; an environment is created where the UN is physically
prevented from doing its job, the former US envoy explained.While still
blaming the UN, Israel appeared to tacitly recognize its complicity in
the humanitarian crisis on Saturday, by announcing a series of steps it
planned to take in order to alleviate the situation; including
establishing new corridors for the UN to safely deliver aid, instituting
humanitarian pauses to its military operations in densely populated
areas, reconnecting the power line to Gaza’s only desalination and
launching its own airdrops of food and medicine for the first
time.Although those steps are critical, Satterfield maintained that if
they’re not fused with a broader surge of aid into the Strip from as
many crossings as possible, the hunger crisis will not be fully
mitigated.Desperation breeds violence-Since Israel lifted its aid
blockade in late May after 78 days, assistance has primarily been
delivered through the newly-established Gaza Humanitarian Foundation and
existing mechanisms operated by the UN and international
organizations.Both mechanisms have been prone to violence, with UN
trucks repeatedly looted by thousands of desperate Palestinians, unsure
when they’ll receive their next meal for themselves and their
families.GHF boasts that it manages to transport aid to distribution
sites without facing the same violence, but that is because it is
delivering assistance through areas that the IDF has largely cleared of
Palestinians.Moreover, while trucks haven’t been looted en route to GHF
sites, the scenes at those sites aren’t radically different from those
at looted UN convoys, where aid workers fall back to allow thousands to
frantically rummage through boxes of assistance, rather than try to
distribute it in an orderly fashion.GHF has also faced criticism for
forcing Palestinians to walk long distances, often coming under deadly
fire when crossing IDF lines to pick up aid.“You have a population in
desperate straits — more desperate than at any point since the October 7
massacre and when the initial cut-off of assistance began,” Satterfield
said.That desperation breeds violence — either from civilians
themselves who don’t comply with directives aimed at ensuring an orderly
distribution process, and who then have faced gunfire from what reports
have indicated are trigger-happy Israeli soldiers or American
contractors.The other form of violence has come from criminal gangs or
Hamas operatives, whom the IDF accuses of trying to induce chaotic
scenes near aid distribution sites.‘Flooding the zone’“There is an
established, proven way of confronting and overcoming these problems,
and it has been demonstrated repeatedly in Gaza since the Fall of 2023,
which is to ‘flood the zone,'” Satterfield said. “You deliver assistance
at scale and you do so on a sustained basis to wherever populations are
present.”Giving a rough estimate, the former US humanitarian envoy said
at least 350 trucks of aid need to come through multiple crossings each
day.Since Israel partially lifted its aid blockade on May 19, an
average of just about 70 aid trucks have entered Gaza each day.Even if
Israel reaches the 350 mark, Satterfield explained that there still will
be an initial period of looting that could last up to two weeks until
Palestinians have more confidence that they will be able to continue
securing food for their families in the future.Moreover, looting carried
out for purposes of commoditization will also dissipate because the
value of assistance in the marketplace will drop due to the rise in
supply.“This is not theory. It’s what happens,” Satterfield said.While
the UN has refused to cooperate with GHF, arguing that the US- and
Israeli-backed organization is a tool of the Israeli government to
displace and endanger Palestinians, the former US envoy argued that the
GHF can and should continue to operate as an additive to international
organizations in a “flood the zone” scenario.UN risk calculus-Addressing
the Israeli criticism of the UN for not adequately picking up aid that
has amassed at Gaza crossings, Satterfield agreed with the UN retort
that the Kerem Shalom and Zikim platforms at the Gaza border are not
“McDonald’s drive-throughs” that can be accessed at will.Moreover, aid
transport routes, which became complex and difficult to maneuver once
the war started, have become severely damaged since the IDF’s May 2024
takeover of the southern Gaza city of Rafah.“The high level of civilian
unrest, lack of law and order, the presence of gangs and criminal
elements and a desperate population makes movement off these platforms
exceedingly difficult,” Satterfield said. “Deconfliction and
coordination with the IDF is a complicated process in itself, as most
moves by the humanitarian community require explicit approval from the
IDF regarding timing and routes.”The UN and international organizations
take all of these factors into consideration when assessing their
ability to pick up aid from the Kerem Shalom platform in south Gaza and
the Zikim platform in north Gaza.They are not risk-averse and are
willing to put their staff in a high degree of danger in order to
deliver aid, Satterfield said, noting that some of those workers have
even lost their lives in the process.“They only halt movements when they
believe they would put their trucks and their drivers into absolutely
certain harm’s way,” the former US humanitarian envoy
maintained.Satterfield pointed out that the past week isn’t the first
time that Israel highlighted the large quantity of aid at the Gaza
border that isn’t picked up, adding that the pallets at earlier points
in the war reached over 1,500 truckloads.“It’s not the tragic fact of
starvation and deprivation that drives movement off the platforms,” he
said. “It is the physical ability to [transport]… without violence.
That’s always been the calculus.”Is Hamas stealing aid? Over the
weekend, The New York Times — citing two senior military officials —
reported that Israel has never found evidence that Hamas has
“systemically” stolen aid from the UN. The IDF denied the story.For his
part, Satterfield said “there’s no question” that the terror group has
worked to take “political advantage and certainly some physical
substantive advantage out of the aid distribution process.”Hamas
operatives have made a point of “flaunting” their presence at aid sites
in a message to Palestinians that the terror group has no intention of
ceding its role in the distribution process.However, Satterfield
maintained that “the bulk of all assistance delivered by the UN and by
the international organizations has gone to the population of Gaza and
not to Hamas. Full stop.”The former US envoy made an exception for aid
delivered by the Egyptian and Palestinian branches of the Red Crescent,
which has “zero international accountability,” exposing the
organization’s trucks to a much higher degree of Hamas
diversion.Notably, Red Crescent trucks were among those seen entering
Gaza on Sunday as Israel took steps to increase aid entering the Strip.
The organization did not immediately respond to a request for
comment.Satterfield said Red Crescent aid is distinct from assistance
from the UN, which is accountable to funding states, including the
US.“This doesn’t mean assistance hasn’t gone to Hamas. It has. Or that
that’s a bad thing. It is. Or that withholding all assistance hurts
Hamas. It does. But it hurts Israel more because of the international
opprobrium and the ultimate strategic inelasticity for Israel of this
situation — of two million people suffering and now starving,” the
former US envoy argued.Headlines shouldn’t shape policy, but mainstream
media reports about mounting hunger “are not the product of journalist
invention or Hamas propaganda,” Satterfield said.“The problem Israel
confronts is real and must be dealt with in the manner that proved
relatively successful in the past. That means ‘flood the zone’ with
assistance,” he asserted.
Trump: Israel will ‘have to make
decision’ on Gaza war, images of starvation ‘terrible’Netanyahu says
Israel has allowed aid to enter Gaza throughout the war, otherwise
‘there would be no Gazans,’ insists that Hamas stole supplies, then
blamed Israel for scarcity By Jacob Magid,Emanuel Fabian,Lazar
Berman,Nava Freiberg,Agencies and ToI Staff Today, 2:54 am-JUL 27,25
US
President Donald Trump weighed in on Sunday on the humanitarian crisis
and reports of starvation-related deaths in the Gaza Strip as Israel
took steps to increase the flow of aid into the enclave, even while
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu denied Jerusalem had any part in
widespread shortages there.At the same time, Trump and other leaders
acknowledged that they did not know what lay in store for the devastated
Palestinian enclave, after the apparent collapse of ceasefire and
hostage deal negotiations on Friday, when Israel and the US pulled their
negotiating teams from Doha, and accused Hamas of not being serious
about wanting a truce deal.Trump, who is on a four-day visit to
Scotland, was asked by a reporter on Sunday about the images that have
been coming out of Gaza of starving children, which he said he thought
were “terrible.”But he promptly pivoted to say, “They’re stealing the
food,” without specifying who he was talking about, although he was
likely alluding to the Hamas terror group, which Israel has regularly
accused of stealing aid for its own benefit.The US president lamented
that the US had supposedly donated $60 million to the Gaza Humanitarian
Foundation while “no other country gave anything.”“It makes you feel a
little bad when you do that and, you know, you have other countries not
giving anything,” he said, sitting alongside European Commission
President Ursula von der Leyen. “Nobody gave but us. And nobody said,
Gee, thank you very much. And it would be nice to have at least a thank
you.”“We’re giving a lot of money, a lot of food, a lot of everything,”
he said. “If we weren’t there, I think people would have starved,
frankly. They would have starved, and it’s not like they’re eating
well.”The actual figure given to the controversial GHF by the US is $30
million, and the US is also far from the only country to donate
humanitarian aid. It is not even the largest donor, as the United Arab
Emirates has given a larger percentage of assistance.Netanyahu hits back
against starvation claims-Amid the slew of changes that he approved to
the aid system in Gaza on Saturday night amid widespread criticism over
the reports of starvation-related deaths, Netanyahu, like Trump,
insisted that if not for him, Gazans would have starved long
ago.Speaking at a Christian conference in Jerusalem hosted by Trump
adviser and prominent Evangelical pastor Paula White, Netanyahu told a
listening audience that “there is no policy of starvation in Gaza, and
there is no starvation in Gaza.”He claimed that Israel had “enabled the
amount required by international law” to enter the Strip, which he said
equated to some 1.9 million tons of aid since the start of the war in
October 2023.Israel “enabled humanitarian aid throughout the duration of
the war…Otherwise, there would be no Gazans,” he asserted, blaming
Hamas for intercepting supplies and then “accusing Israel of not
supplying it.”In an effort to explain away the sudden changes to
Israel’s aid policies, Netanyahu said the decision to implement 10-hour
humanitarian pauses in densely populated parts of the Strip came after
some “well-intended” agencies, as well as the United Nations, made
“excuses” not to deliver aid behind combat zones, despite there having
been “safe corridors.”“So we’ve just announced that formally,” he said,
claiming that there have always been safe routes for UN convoys to
travel on.“Here are safe corridors, and the UN has no excuses left. No
excuses left. Stop lying… Stop accusing Israel deliberately of this
egregious falsehood,” he said.During the same conference, Netanyahu
thanked evangelical zionists for standing with Israel against what he
said were false allegations surrounding the war in Gaza.“We have an
eighth front — the battle for truth. And I can think of no one who can
carry this battle alongside with us… better than [our] many Christian
friends.”He warned that the Israeli-Christian alliance was “being
challenged today by… Islamist fundamentalism that seeks to subjugate all
Muslims they view as infidels, eradicate the American — and obviously
the Israeli — presence in the Middle East.”Earlier on Sunday, the
premier had similarly dismissed the UN’s claims about Gaza aid
deliveries during a visit to the Ramon Air Force Base in the Negev
Desert.In what appeared to be an appeal to his far-right coalition
allies and supporters, who believe that allowing aid to enter the Strip
hinders Israel’s progress, Netanyahu pledged that even while Israel
would “continue to fight, we will continue to act until we achieve all
of our war goals — until complete victory,” it would have to continue
allowing supplies into Gaza no matter where the war goes from here.“We
will eliminate Hamas,” the premier said, adding that Israel is “making
progress in fighting and negotiating.”But “in any path we choose, we
will have to continue to allow the entry of minimal humanitarian
supplies,” he continued, claiming that “we have done this until
now.”Contrary to Netanyahu’s claim, however, Israel has not always
allowed supplies, minimal or otherwise, to enter the war-torn Gaza
Strip, as it implemented a total blockade on the territory and barred
all aid from entering between March and May of this year.Even once aid
resumed, it was in a markedly decreased manner, with much of it being
disturbed by the controversial US- and Israel-backed GHF, in a manner
that has drawn international backlash over reports of hundreds of
aid-seekers being shot dead in near-daily incidents.Only last week, amid
accusations that Israel was starving Gazans, did Netanyahu drastically
increase the amount and channels of aid entering Gaza.IDF Spokesman
Brig. Gen. Effie Defrin similarly insisted that Israel had not
subjugated the Palestinian population in the Gaza Strip to starvation,
and maintained that Israel cares more about Gazan civilians than Hamas
does.“We are continuing to lead a process of bringing humanitarian aid,
while continuing the fighting. Israel is the one that initiated the
[GHF] aid distribution sites… This is to prevent famine in Gaza,” Defrin
said in a press conference, listing the ways in which Israel was
allowing aid to enter and be transported across the Strip.Defrin
repeated the claim that Hamas is stealing aid from civilians, hiding it
in tunnels, and at the same time carrying out a “false campaign on
starvation in the Gaza Strip.”“The photos emerging from Gaza are
difficult, and they are part of this false campaign,” he said,
reiterating that there is “no starvation in the Gaza Strip,” and that
Israel was “operating according to international law.”“We care about the
nutrition of the residents of Gaza more than Hamas does,” he declared.
“Hamas works intentionally to worsen the condition of the population.
Hamas tries with all its might to sabotage the [GHF] aid distribution
sites and the arrival of the aid to the Strip.”Future uncertain after
ceasefire talks stall-While speaking to reporters in Scotland on Sunday,
Trump turned to the decision to pull negotiators from Qatar amid anger
at Hamas’s response to the ceasefire and hostage deal proposal that had
been offered to it.He acknowledged that “Israel will have to make a
decision” regarding the war against Hamas and the remaining 50 hostages
still held by Gaza’s terror groups.“I know what I would do, but I don’t
think it’s appropriate to say it,” Trump said.He claimed that he
predicted the breakdown in talks, asserting Hamas would not want to
release the final hostages because it would lose its last bargaining
chip.Taking a more blunt approach than Trump on Sunday was leading
Republican senator Lindsey Graham, who suggested in an interview with
NBC News that Israel would not be able to negotiate a satisfactory end
to the war in Gaza, and would have no choice but to take over control of
the Strip.Graham is a longtime supporter of Israel who frequently
visits the country and is a friend of Prime Minister Benjamin
Netanyahu.“I think President Trump has come to believe, and I certainly
have come to believe, there’s no way you’re going to negotiate an end of
this war with Hamas,” said the South Carolina senator, insinuating that
the president had soured on the prospect of a deal.“They’re going to do
in Gaza what we did in Tokyo and Berlin, take the place by force and
start over again, presenting a better future for the Palestinians,
hopefully having the Arabs take over the West Bank and Gaza,” he said,
referring to the US-led allied occupation of the Japanese and German
capitals after World War Two.Growing pressure to recognize Palestinian
state-Even as Israel weighs its next steps in the Gaza Strip, pressure
has been growing among its European allies to follow France’s lead and
unilaterally recognize a Palestinian State.French President Emmanuel
Macron announced last Thursday that his country would formally recognize
a Palestinian state during a UN meeting in September.The decision made
Paris the most powerful European nation to advance such a move, after
Norway, Spain, Ireland and Slovenia all announced their recognition in
the months following the outbreak of the Gaza war.Among those under
pressure to follow Macron’s lead was British Prime Minister Keir
Starmer, who was planning to recall his cabinet from their summer break
to discuss the situation in Gaza, the Financial Times reported
Sunday.Starmer’s office did not immediately reply to a Reuters request
for comment on the report.The UK parliament and cabinet are currently in
a summer recess until September 1.The recall, planned for next week,
was reportedly decided on after Starmer said Friday the British
government would recognize a Palestinian state only as part of a
negotiated peace deal, disappointing many in his Labour Party who want
him to follow France in taking swifter action.More than 220 members of
parliament in the UK, representing about a third of the House of Commons
and mostly Labour members, wrote to Starmer on Friday, urging him to
reconsider the issue.Separately, a spokesperson for Downing Street said
on Sunday that Starmer would discuss the stalled ceasefire negotiations
in a meeting with Trump in Scotland on Monday.Starmer is expected to
“welcome the president’s administration working with partners in Qatar
and Egypt to bring about a ceasefire in Gaza,” the spokesperson said.“He
will discuss further with him what more can be done to secure the
ceasefire urgently, bring an end to the unspeakable suffering and
starvation in Gaza and free the hostages who have been held so cruelly
for so long,” they added.Also under the spotlight is German Chancellor
Friedrich Merz, after Berlin declined to join its European allies
earlier this month in signing a letter condemning Israel’s restrictions
on Gaza aid.Merz said Sunday that he had spoken to Netanyahu by phone,
and had urged him to do “everything in his power to bring about an
immediate ceasefire… and allow urgently needed humanitarian aid to reach
the starving civilian population in Gaza without delay.”“We will
closely monitor developments and, in coordination with France, the UK,
other European partners, the United States, and Arab states, decide in
the coming days how we can contribute to improving the situation,” he
said.
Inside story-Officials duel over conflicting accounts of
50 Jewish youth forced off Spanish plane-Investigators still trying to
determine whether Vueling had fair reason for removing summer camp
participants from flight to France, or whether they were victims of
antisemitism By Zev Stub-27 July 2025, 8:58 pm
Four days after
more than 50 Jewish summer camp participants from France were forcibly
removed from an airplane at an airport in Spain, it is still not clear
exactly what happened, as dueling narratives of the incident paint
starkly different pictures of the sequence of events.Officials in Spain,
France, and Israel have taken to social media to spar publicly, even as
witnesses and airline officials dispute whether the youths deserved to
be removed from the flight, or whether they were the victims of
antisemitism.Vueling, the low-cost Spanish airline on whose aircraft the
incident happened, has stated that the youths acted recklessly on the
plane, mishandling emergency equipment, disrupting the pre-flight safety
demonstration, and putting the flight’s safety at risk.However,
numerous testimonies from members of the camp said they were doing
nothing more than singing, and stopped immediately after they were
warned by the crew, raising accusations that their forced disembarkation
was motivated by anti-Jewish bias.Those accusations were later stoked
by the revelation that the captain of the plane, Iván Chirivella, was
the aviation instructor who had trained two of the terrorists
responsible for the September 11, 2001 attacks on the United
States.Vueling acknowledged Chirivella’s history, but denied any
connection to the disembarkation. Chirivella has been cleared of having
any knowledge that he was training terrorists at the time.Video from
last Wednesday’s incident showed a woman, said to be the Jewish group’s
director, being violently pinned down and handcuffed by security
agents.On Saturday, French Foreign Minister Jean-Noël Barrot said he
contacted the CEO of Vueling, Carolina Martinoli, to demand an
explanation as to why 44 minors and eight adults were removed from
flight V8166 on July 23, and whether it was connected to their being
Jewish.“Ms. Martinoli assured Mr. Barrot that a thorough internal
investigation was underway and that its findings would be shared with
the French and Spanish authorities,” the ministry said.Barrot has also
contacted Spain’s ambassador to France.Spanish transport minister:
‘Israeli brats’On Friday, Spain’s transport minister, Oscar Puente,
referred to the French Jewish teenagers as “Israeli brats,” in a post on
X that was later deleted.Yad Vashem Spain corrected Puente in a
response.“They are French Jews. Europeans,” the account noted in a post.
“Oscar Puente, confusing religious identity with a foreign nationality
is antisemitism. While thousands of Jewish families under threat flee
Europe each year, a public official is expected to show respect and not
incite hatred.”The Bureau National de Vigilance Contre l’Antisémitisme, a
French organization dedicated to fighting antisemitism, also slammed
Puente for his post.“By assigning these young French citizens a
nationality they do not possess, and by publicly stigmatizing them with a
hostile tone, you have crossed a red line,” the organization said in a
letter. “We demand an explanation. And a public apology. Because your
words are not a mere slip — they constitute a political, moral, and
historical fault.”Disputing the facts-In a statement released on
Thursday, Vueling said that the decision to remove the members of
Kineret Camp was due to safety considerations, and was not motivated by
anti-Jewish or anti-Israel beliefs.“The actions of the onboard staff
were solely in response to behavior that compromised the integrity of
the flight, as well as the safety of the passengers and the operation as
a whole,” the statement said. “We categorically deny any suggestion
that our crew’s decision related to the religion of the passengers
involved.”In a recorded audio statement shared on Enfoque Judio,
Chirivella, the captain of the plane, also said the youths were
misbehaving, and that removing them from the plane was the proper
protocol.A spokesman for Spain’s Civil Guard said the agents who removed
the youth from the plane were not aware of the group’s religious
affiliation.However, numerous eyewitness accounts from camp members and
other passengers on the plane have given a different version of the
story in which the campers did nothing out of the ordinary. According to
this narrative, the campers were singing Hebrew songs on the plane, but
stopped after a flight attendant asked them to.Julie Jacob, a lawyer
representing the Kineret Camp, told i24 News that there was no evidence
of any dangerous activity by the youth.“No act threatening safety has
been observed. Vueling’s statements are false, fanciful, and without
evidence,” she said Friday.Several of the campers have required
psychological support since the incident took place, she told i24. Jacob
plans to file a complaint against Vueling, she added.Several reports in
Jewish media claimed that airline staff members made incendiary
statements toward the group, and allegedly called Israel a “terrorist
state.” Those claims have not been verified.The campers and their
families have also said that Vueling staff threatened them for using
Hebrew, according to Yad Vashem Spain, the local branch of Israel’s
Holocaust museum and memorial.Karine Lamy, a woman identifying herself
as the mother of one of the kids, told i24 that only one of the children
had started singing and that after a warning from the crew, the
children calmed down and behaved. However, she alleged, security was
called anyway and instructed the group to disembark.She said security
personnel then told everyone to place their mobile phones on the floor
so videos they recorded could be deleted. According to Lamy, the
counselor then objected, saying they had no right to do so, leading to
her forcible detainment.A passenger named Damian, who was not connected
to the group, told the Spanish Jewish site Enfoque Judio that he had not
seen the group do anything that warranted such harsh treatment.“Nothing
happened that required them to get off,” Damian was quoted as saying.
“The kids were polite, calm. They were excited, yes, but they weren’t
doing anything wrong. I don’t understand what happened.”A woman whose
17-year-old son was on the flight told AFP on condition of anonymity
that the group was returning home from a two-week summer camp.She said
she “could not see what could have justified” the incident, which
affected children as young as 12 and 13. “They were disembarked like
dogs,” she said.Some of the youth were reportedly wearing Jewish
religious clothing and symbols such as yarmulkes, tzitzit, and Stars of
David.A video shared by Enfoque Judio showed camp members being
instructed by a group leader to hide all religious symbols during their
detention, for fear of complicating matters.On Sunday, Yad Vashem Spain
called on Vueling to conduct a thorough and unbiased investigation.“The
company has not yet provided a single piece of evidence to support its
version of events,” it said in a statement. “It is strange that, at a
time when every incident is recorded, especially on an airplane, not a
single video or photo has emerged showing the group’s allegedly
dangerous behavior,” particularly given the contradictory versions of
the story, it added.As of Thursday, all of the detained campers and
staff had returned to their destinations in France, Israel’s Foreign
Ministry said. The ministry, along with the Israeli embassy in Madrid,
“maintained continuous contact” with authorities at the airport
following the incident, it said in a Hebrew-language
statement.Historical precedents-On Friday, Diaspora Affairs Minister
Amichai Chikli noted that Vueling had confirmed that the airplane’s
pilot was the flight instructor of two of the 19 terrorists who carried
out the 9/11 attacks by al-Qaeda against the United States in
2001.“Reality surpasses all imagination,” he wrote on X.Chirivella’s
connection with the 9/11 attackers has been well documented over the
years, including in his own 2003 book, “Innocent Accomplice.”While
Chirivella was well paid by the terrorists, Marwan al-Shehhi and Mohamed
Atta, he has been cleared of any connection with them or prior
knowledge of the attack. The connection between the two events is merely
a coincidence, Vueling indicated.Antisemitic sentiments have
skyrocketed around the world since Hamas launched its war against Israel
on October 7, 2023. Spain has been singled out as one of the worst
offending countries.The number of antisemitic incidents reported in the
country has risen nearly six-fold since 2022, according to a recent
report by the Antisemitism Observatory, a joint initiative of the
Federation of Jewish Communities of Spain and the Movement Against
Intolerance.Agencies contributed to this report.
ZAKA volunteers
help guide search for victims of Texas Hill Country flooding-After July 4
flash floods, Israeli search and rescue team is using AI-based model to
identify most likely locations of bodies-By Zev Stub-27 July 2025, 4:58
pm
In the sweltering summer heat, search teams are still
scouring the Guadalupe River in central Texas for the bodies of dozens
of people who have missing since flash floods devastated the Hill
Country earlier this month.A search and rescue team of ZAKA volunteers
from Israel is using a unique set of skills to help find them faster.“We
arrived about two weeks ago after authorities made a request for us to
provide assistance,” ZAKA International commander Nachman Dyksztejn told
Times of Israel. “People here know and appreciate that Israel is here
helping, and the entire community has been very supportive of us.”ZAKA’s
team is using an AI-based model for mapping flood behavior. Employing
tools developed by Prof. Barak Fishbein from the Technion, it can
identify where bodies are most likely to be, so rescue teams can
concentrate their efforts.Hydrodynamic modeling and artificial
intelligence (AI) algorithms enable the reconstruction of flood dynamics
in both space and time, based on terrain features, weather conditions,
elevation data, and other environmental factors.“Our simulations take
into account factors like the path the flood water took, the velocity
and depth of the water, maps of the debris, and the age and weight of
the people known to be missing,” Dyksztejn explained. “Others have
created similar technology, but we have unique insights that allow us to
do this more effectively.”More than 135 people died when the flash
flood swept through the Hill Country on the morning of July 4, including
dozens of campers and counselors at a local summer camp. The region,
located about 70 miles northwest of San Antonio and dotted with small
towns and summer campgrounds, is considered a high-risk area for flash
flooding due to its shallow rivers and rugged hills and valleys.An
overnight downpour caused the Guadalupe River to rise by more than 25
feet within a span of less than 90 minutes before dawn, causing massive
damage throughout the area. Several weeks later, search teams are still
working 12-hour shifts to sort through the damage in an effort that is
expected to take months.ZAKA is focused on finding the corpses of
victims, similar to its role at Israeli disasters, in order to provide a
dignified burial of the dead. Three weeks after the flood, it is
virtually impossible that any of the missing are still alive, Dyksztejn
said.“In Jewish tradition, we are commanded not to abandon the dead,” he
said. “We go wherever we are needed to help families reclaim their
loved ones and ensure they are treated with the respect they
deserve.”Dyksztejn, who has managed ZAKA operations in disasters around
the world, has spent most of his days in a command center analyzing data
and sending it to response teams to guide their efforts.The mission is
coordinated with Texas A&M Task Force 1 and is under the supervision
of the Texas Division of Emergency Management (TDEM), ZAKA said.The
team of three people comprises Dyksztejn and his wife, Valerie
Dyksztejn, a software engineer and trained ZAKA responder, and Zaka
director of international relations Marnix van Ede.The team is not
allowed to provide details on the success of the operation, Dyksztejn
said.“This has been a huge kiddush Hashem [sanctification of God’s
name],” Dyksztejn said. “People are grateful that we came from Israel to
help, and they are constantly thanking us, hugging us, and cooperation
with local authorities has been phenomenal.”The team has been told it
will be called back if future disasters happen, Dyksztejn said. ZAKA has
more than 3,800 volunteers in 42 countries, providing assistance at
more than 10,000 emergencies a year, according to the nonprofit’s
website.The effort was funded by a variety of supporters, including
Bridges for Peace, Kenneth Copeland Ministries, and representatives of
the Jewish communities in San Antonio. The Israeli Consulate General in
Houston and the Israeli government also helped facilitate the mission,
ZAKA said.“This mission is unlike any other,” said ZAKA CEO Dubi
Weissenstern. “We are not just bringing advanced tools and trained
responders. We are bringing a commitment to uphold the sanctity of life
and death. Our role is to ensure that every person who perished is
found, recovered with care, and, where possible, laid to rest in
accordance with their faith and traditions. That is the essence of
dignity, and it is what we owe to every human being.”
Report
links US anti-Israel groups to Beijing-backed network aiding China-Study
by George Washington University’s Center on Extremism outlines ties
between pro-Palestinian protest groups and a tech mogul who works to
help China weaken the US By Luke Tress-27 July 2025, 12:41 pm
In
November 2023, just weeks after the Hamas invasion of Israel, thousands
of anti-Israel protesters rallied in Washington, DC, to call for a halt
to the war in Gaza.The crowd, the largest pro-Palestinian protest in the
US capital in years, chanted for an intifada and smeared red paint
reminiscent of blood on concrete posts outside the White House.While it
looked like a wholly grassroots effort reflecting growing American anger
over Israel’s counteroffensive following the massacre, the protest was
actually backed by a financial network linked to the Chinese Communist
Party, or CCP, and to pro-China propaganda, according to a report
released earlier this month.The report, “CCP Influence in US
pro-Palestinian Activism,” by George Washington University’s Program on
Extremism, describes a propaganda network with a central role in
anti-Israel protest movements in the US.The author of the report, former
FBI agent Jennifer Baker, outlined the network’s finances, anti-Israel
activism, and messaging that dovetailed with positions held by the
Chinese government. Baker is a retired federal agent with 25 years of
experience in counterintelligence, national security, and criminal
investigations.The network centers around Neville Roy Singham, an
American living in Shanghai. Singham has long had ties to China, and in
2017, sold his tech company ThoughtWorks for about $785 million.His
engagement with China strengthened following the sale as he backed US
nonprofits that organize against Israel and for positions in favor of
the CCP, the report said, citing previous reporting on Singham,
including by the nonprofit Network Contagion Research Institute, along
with publicly available documents such as nonprofit tax filings.The New
York Times reported in August 2023 that it had “tracked hundreds of
millions of dollars to groups linked to Mr. Singham that mix progressive
advocacy with Chinese government talking points.”“Singham works closely
with the Chinese government media machine and is financing its
propaganda worldwide,” reported the broadsheet.Singham’s wife, Jodie
Evans, is a prominent activist and the co-founder of CodePink, a
far-left group that campaigns against Israel. Evans has written a book
titled “China is Not Our Enemy.”One of Singham’s media platforms has
collaborated with Shanghai’s propaganda office, some of his other
outlets have partnered with a Chinese university to disseminate
pro-China messaging, and he has joined CCP workshops, the report
said.“While individual protesters may be motivated by genuine outrage
over the war in Gaza, the infrastructure surrounding their activism
reveals deeper strategic intent,” the report said. “At its core,
Beijing’s involvement is about power and positioning: using domestic
dissent in the US to project weakness abroad, while casting China as a
principled champion of peace and justice.Far-left activist groups, the
People’s Forum, the ANSWER Coalition, and the International People’s
Assembly have ties to Singham’s network. The three groups, along with
CodePink, organized the Shut It Down for Palestine campaign that took
off after the start of the Gaza war, according to the report.Funding
linking the groups is difficult to track because donors can contribute
to nonprofits through funds that shield their identity, but the People’s
Forum acknowledged its support from Singham in 2021. The funding
network runs through nonprofits with nondescript names like the Justice
and Education Fund and the United Community Fund.The People’s Forum, the
most prominent of the groups, is based in New York City and often
organizes anti-Israel events, such as protests and free courses on
Zionism. On October 8, 2023, the People’s Forum, the ANSWER Coalition,
and several pro-Palestinian groups applauded the Hamas attacks as they
rallied against Israel in Times Square.The two groups and the Chinese
embassy did not respond to requests for comment. Singham himself is
unreachable, with even Congressional inquiries saying they are unable to
serve him a subpoena.“We mobilize in the belly of the beast because we
understand that we have a unique role to play in combating material
support for Zionism, and weakening the handmaiden of US global
imperialism,” the groups said in a joint statement regarding the protest
at the time.BreakThrough News, a digital media outlet that has received
funding from the People’s Forum, operates out of the same building and
shares some of the same staff, has more than 1 million subscribers on
YouTube, and publishes content that is in line with CCP positions. After
October 7, the outlet shifted its focus from leftist, pro-China talking
points to coverage of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, leading to a
surge in its viewership, the George Washington University report
said.The activist network frames the Israeli-Palestinian conflict as
“part of a broader struggle against US ‘imperialism’ — rhetoric that
mirrors CCP propaganda,” the report said. “This anti-US, anti-Israel
stance is precisely in line with Beijing’s messaging that the US and its
allies are the source of global conflict.”The report argued that the
pro-China messages surrounding the war “are part of a bigger Chinese
strategy to influence global opinion, discredit the West, and expand
China’s power.”“This alignment is not coincidental, but reflects how CCP
propaganda efforts amplify themes that are already prevalent in
anti-Israel, anti-Western circles worldwide,” the report said.The goal
is to undermine US influence in the Middle East and to stoke division
between the West and countries in the Global South like Brazil and South
Africa. The messaging surrounding the Palestinian cause also helps
China’s image in those regions and Arab and Muslim countries. At the
same time, activism in the US amplifies internal domestic divisions as
the protest groups often espouse anti-government and anti-capitalist
positions, the report argued.“China and the protest movement support
each other’s claims that the US and Israel are in the wrong, while China
presents itself as standing for peace and justice,” it said.In addition
to Evans, Singham has other family ties to leftist groups in New York.
His niece is the political director of Jews for Economic and Racial
Justice, a progressive group that is backing Zohran Mamdani’s run for
city mayor, The New York Post reported this month.Code Pink has denied
receiving funding from the CCP.Last month, the US House Committee on
Oversight and Government Reform demanded that Singham provide documents
on his funding and control over far-left groups, saying his activities
may violate the Foreign Agents Registration Act.US Rep. Anna Paula Luna
said this month that Singham was “hiding” from the inquiry.Some members
of Congress have been accused by critics of launching agenda-driven
investigations claiming nefarious funding sources of progressive groups
based on little evidence or discredited conspiracies.Last year, Sen.
Lindsey Graham and Marco Rubio, who was then a senator and the vice
chairman of the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence, requested that
the Justice Department investigate Singham due to his reported
anti-Israel activism and ties to China.The Coalition for a Safer Web, an
advocacy group led by Marc Ginsberg, former US ambassador to Morocco
and ex-White House adviser for the Middle East, called for a crackdown
on the Singham network in a report released last month.
IDF
shoots down Houthi missile; sirens triggered in West Bank, Dead Sea
area-No injuries or damage reported in attack, the second launched by
the Iran-backed Yemen group in 3 days-By Emanuel Fabian-26 July 2025,
12:32 am
A ballistic missile launched at Israel Friday night by
the Iran-backed Houthis in Yemen was intercepted by air defenses, the
Israel Defense Forces said.There were no reports of impacts or injuries
in the attack, which triggered sirens in several settlements in the
southern West Bank and communities near the Dead Sea in southern
Israel.The Houthis took responsibility for the attack, claiming to have
aimed at a “sensitive target” in the Beersheba area, dozens of
kilometers away from where sirens sounded.It was the second ballistic
missile the Houthis launched at Israel in the past three days, after a
missile fired on Wednesday night fell short outside the country’s
borders, according to military officials. The IDF identified that
launch, but no sirens sounded in Israel because the missile did not pose
a threat.On Monday, Israeli Air Force drones struck Yemen’s
Houthi-controlled Hodeida port in response to the Iran-backed group’s
continued attacks on Israel.The army said in a statement at the time
that the airstrikes destroyed “military infrastructure of the Houthi
terror regime” at the western Yemen port, after attempts were made by
the Houthis to repair areas previously targeted by Israel in response to
missile and drone attacks.Monday’s sortie marked the thirteenth time
Israel has attacked Yemen, located some 1,800 kilometers away.The
Houthis — whose slogan calls for “Death to America, Death to Israel,
[and] a Curse on the Jews” — began attacking Israel and maritime traffic
in November 2023, a month after the October 7 Hamas massacre.Traffic
through the Red Sea, a critical waterway for the world’s oil and
commodities, has markedly dropped due to the targeting of ships, which
the Houthis claim are linked to Israel.The group, which agreed to a deal
with the US in May to stop targeting American ships, appeared to step
up attacks on maritime traffic earlier this month, destroying two ships
and killing several sailors.The Houthis held their fire when a ceasefire
was reached between Israel and Hamas in January 2025. By that point,
they had fired over 40 ballistic missiles and dozens of attack drones
and cruise missiles at Israel, including one that killed a civilian and
wounded several others in Tel Aviv in July 2024, prompting Israel’s
first strike in Yemen.Since March 18, when the IDF resumed its offensive
against Hamas in the Gaza Strip, the Houthis have launched 65 ballistic
missiles and at least 17 drones at Israel. Several of the missiles have
fallen short.
Syria’s Druze, once cautiously optimistic, fear
the future under new Damsacus regime-‘After the massacres in Sweida,
there is not a single person there that wants anything to do with this
government,’ says Druze professor, once hopeful about Assad’s ouster By
Kareem Chehayeb and ABDULRAHMAN SHAHEEN 25 July 2025, 1:38 pm
DAMASCUS,
Syria (AP) — Before the eruption of sectarian violence in southern
Syria, Saber Abou Ras taught medical sciences at a university in the
city of Sweida and was somewhat hopeful of a better future for his
country as it emerged from nearly 14 years of civil war.Now, like many
others in the Druze-majority city in southern Syria, he carries arms and
refuses to give them up to the government. He sees little hope for the
united Syria he recently thought was in reach.“We are for national
unity, but not the unity of terrorist gangs,” Abou Ras, a Druze, told
The Associated Press in a phone call from the battered city.Clashes
broke out last week that were sparked by tit-for-tat kidnappings between
armed Bedouin clans and fighters with the Druze religious minority. The
violence killed hundreds of people and threatened to unravel Syria’s
fragile postwar transition. Syrian government forces intervened to end
the fighting, but effectively sided with the clans.Disturbing videos and
reports soon surfaced of Druze civilians being humiliated and executed,
sometimes accompanied by sectarian slurs. One showed gunmen in military
uniform asking an unarmed man about his identity. When he replies that
he is Syrian, the gunmen demand, “What do you mean Syrian? Are you Sunni
or Druze?” When the man says he is Druze, the men open fire, killing
him.Hossam Saraya, a Syrian-American Druze from Oklahoma, was shown in
another video, kneeling with his brother, father, and at least three
other relatives, before a group of men in military garb sprayed them
with automatic fire and celebrated.Israel intervened in the conflict
earlier this month on behalf of the Druze, who are seen as a loyal
minority within Israel and often serve in its military. The week of
fighting appeared to end with a ceasefire negotiated by Washington and
announced on Saturday.The Druze religious sect is an offshoot of
Ismailism, a branch of Shiite Islam. Outsiders are not allowed to
convert, and most religious practices are shrouded in secrecy.There are
roughly a million Druze worldwide and more than half of them live in
Syria. The others live in Lebanon and Israel, including in the Golan
Heights, which Israel captured from Syria during the 1967 Six-Day War
and annexed in 1981.Though a small community within Syria’s population
of more than 20 million, Sweida’s Druze take pride in their involvement
in liberating the country from Ottoman and later French colonial rule,
and establishing the present-day Syrian state.During the
uprising-turned-civil war that started in 2011, Druze leaders reached a
fragile agreement with former president Bashar al-Assad that gave Sweida
semi-autonomy, leaving the minority group to protect its own territory
instead of serving in the Syrian military.The Druze largely welcomed the
fall of Assad in December in a rebel offensive that ended decades of
autocratic rule by the Assad dynasty.Cautious optimism about the new
regime squashed-The Druze were largely skeptical of the Islamist
background of Syria’s interim president Ahmad al-Sharaa, especially as
he once led the al-Qaeda-linked Nusra Front. But many, including
influential clerics, supported diplomatically engaging with the new
leadership.Among those more hostile toward Sharaa is spiritual leader
Sheikh Hikmat al-Hijri and a faction of Druze militias called the Sweida
Military Council. There were intense divisions between them and others
in the Druze community for months.Previous clashes between Druze armed
groups and government forces were resolved before the violence could
escalate. A security agreement was reached between the Druze and
Damascus in May that was intended to bring about long-term calm.But the
recent clashes and sectarian attacks in Sweida have upset that balance,
and many Druze appear to have lost hope in reaching a fair settlement
diplomatically.Many Druze see the government’s attacks as an extension
of a wave of sectarian violence that broke out months ago on Syria’s
coast. Clashes between the new government’s forces and Assad loyalists
spiraled into revenge killings targeting members of the Alawite minority
to which Assad belongs.A government investigation into the coastal
violence found that more than 1,400 people were killed, mostly
civilians, and that members of the security forces were implicated in
the attacks.The difference in Sweida, as Abou Ras, the Druze medical
sciences professor, sees it, is that the Druze had their own armed
factions that were able to fight back.“They talked about respecting
minorities and the different components of Syria,” he said. “But what
happened at the coast was a hard lesson for Syrians, and we learned from
it.”After the violence in Sweida, Sharaa vowed to hold perpetrators to
account, and restated his promises since taking power that he will not
exclude Syria’s minority groups.He and other officials have insisted
that they are not targeting the Druze, but armed factions that are
challenging state authority, namely those led by al-Hijri.Sharaa also
accused Israel of trying to exacerbate divisions in the country by
launching airstrikes on government forces in the province, which Israel
said was in defense of the Druze.The tensions have already created new
challenges to forging national unity.Other minority groups —
particularly the Kurdish forces controlling Syria’s northeast, who have
been in negotiations with Damascus to merge with the new national army —
are reconsidering surrendering their weapons after seeing the violence
in Sweida.A Syrian Druze who lived abroad for over 20 years was in Syria
when Assad fell and celebrated with friends and family on the streets
of Sweida. He quit his job to move back and become involved with the
community. He joined in with people who waved Syria’s new flag that
symbolized the uprising, danced, and stepped on torn portraits of
Assad.He said he wanted Sharaa to be successful, but now he doesn’t see a
peaceful future for Syria’s different ethnic and religious groups with
him at the helm.“In every household [in Sweida], someone has died,” he
told the AP. The Associated Press could not confirm that independently,
as there was no official death toll. However, it was a sentiment
frequently shared by Syrians from Sweida. He asked to have his name and
other identifying details withheld out of fear for his and his family’s
safety.“I think after the massacres that happened, there is not a single
person in Sweida who wants anything to do with this government,
unfortunately,” he said. “This government butchered people, and
butchered any possibility to [bring] reconciliation and harmonize the
south.”Times of Israel staff contributed to this report.
'The
ring must have belonged to a little girl'Roman-era gold jewelry found at
Hippos testifies to wealth of city likely visited by Jesus-Although
found out of context, unearthed ring and earrings shed light on ancient
Galilean affluence in the first centuries of the Common Era By Rossella
Tercatin-25 July 2025, 9:24 am
An exquisite golden ring and a
pair of earrings dating to the Roman period (1st-3rd centuries CE) have
recently been unearthed during archaeological excavations at the Sussita
(Hippos) National Park, the Israel Nature and Parks Authority announced
Thursday.The artifacts help shed light on the affluence that once
defined this ancient city overlooking the Sea of Galilee – one of the 10
cities of the Decapolis alliance where, according to the Gospels, Jesus
preached, Dr. Michael Eisenberg told The Times of Israel in a phone
interview.“The ring was found a few days ago, while the earrings were
uncovered a few months ago,” said Eisenberg, co-director of the Hippos
(Sussita) Excavations Project with Dr. Arleta Kowalewska, both from the
University of Haifa.Founded by the Greek Seleucids on the eastern shore
of the Sea of Galilee in the 2nd century BCE, Hippos flourished as a
major urban center during the Roman and Byzantine periods. It endured
even after the Arab conquest in the 7th century, until a devastating
earthquake in 749 CE leveled the city, which was then permanently
abandoned.“This is one of the most complete, beautiful, and diverse
Roman-period necropolises in Israel,” Eisenberg said. “It included
burials of the most simple, poorest people, who dug a small pit and
buried their relatives, and of the wealthiest aristocrats, who built
enormous basalt mausolea.”The necropolis is one of the key areas
currently under excavation.“We’re trying to learn more about burial
customs — how people laid their dead to rest,” Eisenberg said.The
earrings were likely intended as burial offerings, but they weren’t
found inside a grave. Instead, they were uncovered just outside several
tombs.“Because the earrings were found out of context, we have no way of
knowing anything about who owned them,” Eisenberg said. “They were just
lying there—we’re fortunate that antiquities robbers didn’t get to them
first.”The ring was uncovered in a different part of the city,
currently under excavation — a residential neighborhood.“We’re currently
excavating both the cathedral and residential quarters in what was the
heart of Hippos,” Eisenberg said. “Progress is relatively slow — we’re
dealing with thousands of basalt blocks that collapsed into the houses,
and most of them have to be removed by hand. The ring was found right
next to one of them.”“In light of its size, the ring must have belonged
to a little girl, who probably lost it,” he speculated. “I hope she was
not punished for it,” he added.Both the ring and the earrings were dated
to the Roman period based on their stylistic features.Eisenberg noted
that the presence of gold, along with other discoveries — such as the
elaborate architecture of some buildings — attests to the considerable
wealth Hippos once possessed.“The Roman period was characterized by a
peak of wealth in Hippos and many other cities of the region,” he said.
“We can see it not only because they had enough money to buy gold, but
also based on the impressive building materials they used: massive
monolithic shafts of granite and marble imported from Egypt, Asia Minor,
the Greek islands, and beyond.”The dwellings also revealed dozens of
fragments of finely crafted stucco, painted in vibrant colors.According
to Eisenberg, two mausolea unearthed by the expedition rank among the
most luxurious from the period in the region.“They are a few stories
high, with magnificent decorations, sculptured flowers, the best
artisanship in basalt that we have in the land of Israel,” the
archaeologist said. “This gives us a lot of information about the
financial abilities of the deceased.”While the Gospels do not explicitly
mention Hippos, they refer to Jesus visiting the Decapolis.“Jesus went
throughout Galilee, teaching in their synagogues, proclaiming the good
news of the kingdom, and healing every disease and sickness among the
people,” reads a passage in Matthew. “Large crowds from Galilee, the
Decapolis, Jerusalem, Judea, and the region across the Jordan followed
him.” (Matthew 4:23-25)-Eisenberg said that in recent years, his team
has determined that the main streets of the settlement, paved with
basalt blocks, date back to precisely the time of Jesus.on pottery,
coins, and stratigraphy, the main plaza, or what we call the forum, the
main axis that crosses the city east to west, or the Decumanus Maximus,
and the other main street crossing it, the Cardo, that we are now
excavating from both sides, are dated not later than the middle of the
1st century CE,” Eisenberg said. “There is another street, plastered,
not paved with basalt, which was built around the year 0.”“Without
exaggerating, Jesus probably walked on those basalt slabs, and if not on
the slabs, on the plaster under them,” he added.According to Eisenberg,
this connection with Jesus likely made Hippos a very exciting site for
early Christians.While archaeological evidence suggests that the city
experienced a decline toward the end of the 3rd century CE, by the 6th
century Hippos had again become an important center, with at least seven
churches, including the cathedral.“Many people today are not aware that
Hippos was a main Christian city in Byzantine times, with the best
panoramic view of Jesus’ ministry,” Eisenberg said.The Israel Parks
Authority opened the site to the public in 2023, and Eisenberg, who has
been excavating there since 2000, hopes that this will bring more
attention to Hippos.The archaeologist noted that the Hippos (Sussita)
Excavations Project has recently been awarded a government research
grant to continue excavations at the necropolis.“This is what we are
going to do in the next few years,” he said.Meanwhile, the current
excavation season will continue until July 31, also thanks to the work
of volunteers from both Israel and abroad, some of whom make it a point
to return every year, including this year, despite the
war.Coincidentally, both the ring and the earrings were discovered by
the same person, Eddy Lipsman, an Israeli volunteer who also often joins
the team when it excavates on select Fridays throughout the
year.“Michael [Eisenberg] assigned me a specific excavation area,”
Lipsman said, according to the Parks Authority’s statement. “I walked
the area with a metal detector, and suddenly I heard a distinctive beep,
the kind that usually differentiates between regular and special
metals. I started digging and suddenly saw something golden. I continued
digging and saw this small, special gold ring. I was stunned.”
FINALLY THE EUROPEAN UNION IS TALKING ABOUT HAVING THEIR OWN ARMY.AND IT MUST HAPPEN.
REVELATION 19:16-21
16
And he hath on his vesture and on his thigh a name written, King Of
Kings, And Lord Of Lords.(JESUS RETURNG TO EARTH LITERALLY ON A WHITE
HORSE WITH THE RAPTURED CHRISTIANS 7 YEARS EARLIER)
17 And I saw an
angel standing in the sun; and he cried with a loud voice, saying to all
the fowls that fly in the midst of heaven, Come and gather yourselves
together unto the supper of the great God;
18 That ye may eat the
flesh of kings, and the flesh of captains, and the flesh of mighty men,
and the flesh of horses, and of them that sit on them, and the flesh of
all men, both free and bond, both small and great.(2ND TIME GOD-JESUS
TELLS THE 500 MILLION MIGRATING BIRDS TO GET READY TO EAT HUMAN
FLESH.THE FIRST TIME WAS WHEN GOD TOLD THE 500 MILLION MIGRATING
BIRDS-TO EAT RUSSIA,GERMAN,ARAB, MUSLIM BODIES FOR 7 MONTHS IN EZEK 38 @
39.
19 And I saw the beast,(E.U WORLD LEADER) and the kings of the
earth, and their armies,(HERE IT SAYS THE E.U WILL HAVE ITS OWN ARMY)
gathered together to make war against him that sat on the horse, (JESUS)
and against his army.(RAPTURED CHRISTIANS)
20 And the beast (E.U
WORLD LEADER) was taken, and with him the false prophet (POPE FRANCIS)
that wrought miracles before him, with which he deceived them that had
received the mark of the beast, and them that worshipped his image.
These both were cast alive into a lake of fire burning with brimstone.
21
And the remnant were slain with the sword of him that sat upon the
horse, which sword proceeded out of his mouth: and all the fowls were
filled with their flesh.
Zephaniah 2:1-15
1 Gather together, yes, gather,O shameless nation,
2
before the decree takes effect[a] -before the day passes away like
chaff—before there comes upon you the burning anger of the Lord, before
there comes upon you the day of the anger of the Lord.
3 Seek the
Lord, all you humble of the land, who do his just commands;[b] seek
righteousness; seek humility; perhaps you may be hidden on the day of
the anger of the Lord.
4 For Gaza shall be deserted, and Ashkelon
shall become a desolation; Ashdod's people shall be driven out at noon,
and Ekron shall be uprooted.
5 Woe to you inhabitants of the
seacoast, you nation of the Cherethites! The word of the Lord is against
you, O Canaan, land of the Philistines; and I will destroy you until no
inhabitant is left.
6 And you, O seacoast, shall be pastures, with meadows[c] for shepherds and folds for flocks.
7
The seacoast shall become the possession of the remnant of the house of
Judah, on which they shall graze, and in the houses of Ashkelon they
shall lie down at evening. For the Lord their God will be mindful of
them and restore their fortunes.
8 “I have heard the taunts of Moab
(JORDAN) and the revilings of the Ammonites, how they have taunted my
people and made boasts against their territory.
9 Therefore, as I
live,” declares the Lord of hosts, the God of Israel, Moab shall become
like Sodom, and the Ammonites like Gomorrah, a land possessed by nettles
and salt pits, and a waste forever.The remnant of my people shall
plunder them, and the survivors of my nation shall possess them.”
10 This shall be their lot in return for their pride, because they taunted and boasted against the people of the Lord of hosts.
11
The Lord will be awesome against them; for he will famish all the gods
of the earth, and to him shall bow down, each in its place, all the
lands of the nations.
12 You also, O Cushites, shall be slain by my sword.
13
And he will stretch out his hand against the north and destroy
Assyria,(SYRIA) and he will make Nineveh a desolation, a dry waste like
the desert.
14 Herds shall lie down in her midst, all kinds of
beasts;[d] even the owl and the hedgehog[e] shall lodge in her
capitals; a voice shall hoot in the window; devastation will be on the
threshold; for her cedar work will be laid bare.
15 This is the
exultant city that lived securely, that said in her heart, “I am, and
there is no one else.” What a desolation she has become, a lair for wild
beasts! Everyone who passes by her hisses and shakes his fist.Sa'ar: No
free meals; talks possible if more hostages freed Israel halts aid into
Gaza, citing Hamas refusal to extend first phase of truce
Footnotes-a
-Zephaniah 2:2 Hebrew gives birth, b-Zephaniah 2:3 Or who carry out his
judgment, c-Zephaniah 2:6 Or caves, d-Zephaniah 2:14 Hebrew beasts of
every nation, e-Zephaniah 2:14 The identity of the animals rendered owl
and hedgehog is uncertain
DANIEL 2:37-45
37 Thou, O king, art a king of kings: for the God of heaven hath given thee a kingdom, power, and strength, and glory.
38
And wheresoever the children of men dwell, the beasts of the field and
the fowls of the heaven hath he given into thine hand, and hath made
thee ruler over them all. Thou art this head of gold.
39 And after
thee shall arise another kingdom inferior to thee, and another third
kingdom of brass, which shall bear rule over all the earth.
40 And
the fourth kingdom shall be strong as iron: forasmuch as iron breaketh
in pieces and subdueth all things: and as iron that breaketh all these,
shall it break in pieces and bruise.
41 And whereas thou sawest the
feet and toes, part of potters' clay, and part of iron, the kingdom
shall be divided; but there shall be in it of the strength of the iron,
forasmuch as thou sawest the iron mixed with miry clay.
42 And as the toes of the feet were part of iron, and part of clay, so the kingdom shall be partly strong, and partly broken.
43
And whereas thou sawest iron mixed with miry clay, they shall mingle
themselves with the seed of men: but they shall not cleave one to
another, even as iron is not mixed with clay.
44 And in the days of
these kings shall the God of heaven set up a kingdom, which shall never
be destroyed: and the kingdom shall not be left to other people, but it
shall break in pieces and consume all these kingdoms, and it shall stand
for ever.
45 Forasmuch as thou sawest that the stone was cut out of
the mountain without hands, and that it brake in pieces the iron, the
brass, the clay, the silver, and the gold; the great God hath made known
to the king what shall come to pass hereafter: and the dream is
certain, and the interpretation thereof sure.
DANIEL 7:17-26
17 These great beasts, which are four, are four kings, which shall arise out of the earth.
18 But the saints of the most High shall take the kingdom, and possess the kingdom for ever, even for ever and ever.
19
Then I would know the truth of the fourth beast, which was diverse from
all the others, exceeding dreadful, whose teeth were of iron, and his
nails of brass; which devoured, brake in pieces, and stamped the residue
with his feet;
20 And of the ten horns that were in his head, and of
the other which came up, and before whom three fell; even of that horn
that had eyes, and a mouth that spake very great things, whose look was
more stout than his fellows.
21 I beheld, and the same horn made war with the saints, and prevailed against them;
22
Until the Ancient of days came, and judgment was given to the saints of
the most High; and the time came that the saints possessed the kingdom.
23
Thus he said, The fourth beast shall be the fourth kingdom upon earth,
which shall be diverse from all kingdoms, and shall devour the whole
earth, and shall tread it down, and break it in pieces.
24 And the
ten horns out of this kingdom are ten kings that shall arise: and
another shall rise after them; and he shall be diverse from the first,
and he shall subdue three kings.
25 And he shall speak great words
against the most High, and shall wear out the saints of the most High,
and think to change times and laws: and they shall be given into his
hand until a time and times and the dividing of time.
26 But the judgment shall sit, and they shall take away his dominion, to consume and to destroy it unto the end.
THE WORLD IN 10 WORLD TRADE BLOCS LEAD BY THE EUROPEAN UNION THE WORLD LEADER, NOT AMERICA.I PREDICT.
THE EUROPEAN UNION AND REVIVED ROMAN WORLD GOVERNMENT
DANIEL 2:31-33,36-43, DAN 7:3-8,17
First From Daniel Chapter 2
1 EGYPT
2 ASSYRIA
3 BABYLON (HEAD OF GOLD) DAN 2:31-32,36-38, DAN 1:1
4 MEDO-PERSIANS (CHEST & ARMS OF SILVER) DAN 2:32,39, DAN 9:1
5 GREECE (WAIST & HIPS OF BRONZE) DAN 2:32,39, DAN 11:2
6 ROME (2 LEGS OF IRON) DAN 2:33,40, ROM 1:6
7 REVIVED ROME (EU) (FEET IRON & CLAY) DAN 2:33,41-43,10 TOES
Now From Daniel Chapter 7
1 EGYPT
2 ASSYRIA
3 BABYLON (LION WITH EAGLES WINGS) DAN 7:4, DAN 1:1
4 MEDO-PERSIANS (BEAR ON HIND LEGS) DAN 7:5, DAN 9:1
5 GREECE (LEOPARD 4 WINGS, 4 HEADS) DAN 7:6, DAN 11:2
6 ROME (HUGE IRON TEETH) DAN 7:7 (10 HORNS), ROM 1:6
7 REVIVED ROME (EU) DAN 7:8,19-20,23-25 10 HORNS, 10 KINGS
REV
17:9,12, 10 HORNS, 10 KINGS, 7 HILLS ROME. REV 13:1 BEAST WITH 7 HEADS.
THE E.U LEADER OF WORLD GOVERNMENT DAN 2:40-45, 7:7-8,23-25,27, 8:23,
REV 13:3,7,8,12,14,16
REVELATION 17:10-12
10 And there are
seven kings (7TH WORLD EMPIRE IN HISTORY) five are fallen, (EGYPT,
ASSYRIA, BABYLON,:MEDO-PERSIAN,GREECE and one is,(IN POWER IN JOHNS
DAY-ROME) and the other is not yet come; and when he
cometh,(FUTURE-REVIVED ROMAN EMPIRE-EUROPEAN UNION TODAY) he must
continue a short space.(7 YEARS OF WORLD DOMINATION-BUT 3 1/2 YEARS OF
NEW WORLD ORDER OR ONE WORLD GOVERNMENT)
12 And the ten horns (10
WORLD TRADE BLOCS OR REGIONS) which thou sawest are ten kings, which
have received no kingdom as yet; but receive power as kings one hour
with the beast.
REVELATION 17:12-13
12 And the ten horns (10
WORLD TRADE BLOCS-NATIONS) which thou sawest are ten kings, which have
received no kingdom as yet; but receive power as kings one hour with the
beast.
13 These have one mind,(WORLD SOCIALISM) and shall give their power and strength unto the beast.
We
shall have World Government, whether or not we like it. The only
question is whether World Government will be achieved by conquest or
consent.James Paul Warburg appearing before the Senate on 7th February
1950
Like a famous WWII Belgian General,Paul Henry Spock said in
1957:We need no commission, we have already too many. What we need is a
man who is great enough to be able to keep all the people in subjection
to himself and to lift us out of the economic bog into which we threaten
to sink. Send us such a man. Be he a god or a devil, we will accept
him.And today, sadly, the world is indeed ready for such a man.
DICK
MORRIS-This truly creates a global economic system. From now on, don’t
look to Washington for the rule making, look to Brussels.
THE CLUB OF ROME FOUNDER AURELIO PECCEI WANTS THE WORLD IN 10 REGIONAL TRADING BLOCKS.
REVELATION 16:1-2
1
And I heard a great voice out of the temple saying to the seven angels,
Go your ways, and pour out the vials of the wrath of God upon the
earth.
2 And the first went, and poured out his vial upon the earth;
and there fell a noisome and grievous sore upon the men which had the
mark of the beast, and upon them which worshipped his image.
REVELATION 13:16-18
16
And he(FALSE POPE) causeth all, both small and great, rich and poor,
free and bond, (SLAVE) to receive a mark in their right hand, or in
their foreheads:(CHIP IMPLANT)
17 And that no man might buy or sell, save he that had the mark, or the name of the beast, or the number of his name.
18
Here is wisdom. Let him that hath understanding count the number of the
beast: for it is the number of a man; and his number is Six hundred
threescore and six.(6-6-6) A NUMBER SYSTEM
I KNOW THIS MARK WILL
BE A MICROCHIP IMPLANT UNDER THE SKIN. LETS LOOK UP WHAT THE WORD MARK
SAYS IN REVELATION 13:16-18, 14:9,11, 15:2, 16:2, 19:20, 20:4-ALL THESE
VERSES FROM THE BOOK OF REVELATION SPEAK OF THIS DICTATORS MARK. NOW
LETS SEE WHAT IT MEANS FROM STRONGS EXAUSTIVE CONCORDANCE OF THE BIBLE.
UNDER MARK PAGE 684.MARK UNDER MARK. THE OLD TESTAMENT IS UNDER HEBREW
AND THE NEW TESTAMENT IS UNDER GREEK. SO WHEN WE LOOK UNDER REVELATION
13:16-17 WE SEE IT IS UNDER GREEK, SO WE GO TO GREEK IN THE BACK SECTION
AND GO TO 5480 TO SEE WHAT IT SAYS THIS MARK WOULD BE. SO LETS GET TO
IT.MARK IN STRONGS GREEK 5480 XAPAYUA CHARAGMA, KHAR-AG-MAH: FROM THE
SAME AS 5482: A SCRATCH OR ETCHING, I.E STAMP (AS A BADGE OF SERVITUDE),
OR SCULPTURED FIGURE-(STATUE):-GRAVEN, MARK FROM 5482 XAPAE CHARAX,
KHAR-AX; FROM XAPAOOW CHARASSO (TO SHARPEN TO A POINT; AKIN TO 1125
THROUGH THE IDEA OF SCRATCHING); A STAKE, I.E (BYIMPL.) A PALISADE OR
RAMPART (MILITARY MOUND FOR CIRCUMVALLATION IN A SIEGE): - TRENCH FROM
1125 YPAPOE GRAPHO, GRAF-0; A PRIM. VERB; TO "GRAVE", ESPEC. TO WRITE;
FIG. TO DESCRIBE:-DESCRIBE, WRITE (-ING, -TEN).G5516-GO TO G4742-666 -
STRONGS NT 4742: στίγμα - στίγμα, στιγματος, τό (from στίζω to prick;
(cf. Latinstimulus, etc.; German stechen, English stick, sting, etc.;
Curtius, § 226)), a mark pricked in or branded upon the body. According
to ancient oriental usage, slaves and soldiers bore the name or stamp of
their master or commander branded or pricked (cut) into their bodies to
indicate what master or general they belonged to, and there were even
some devotees who stamped themselves in this way with the token of their
gods (cf. Deyling, Observations, iii., p. 423ff); hence, τά στίγματα
τοῦ (κυρίου so Rec.) Ἰησοῦ, the marks of (the Lord) Jesus, which Paul in
Galatians 6:17 says he bears branded on his body, are the traces left
there by the perils, hardships, imprisonments, scourgings, endured by
him for the cause of Christ, and which mark him as Christ's faithful and
approved votary, servant, soldier (see Lightfoots Commentary on
Galatians, the passage cited). (Herodotus 7, 233; Aristotle, Aelian,
Plutarch, Lcian, others.)
THE INVENTOR OF THE MICROCHIP IMPLANT-CARL SANDERS MICROCHIP ENGINEER LEADER
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rgH9D6n4ZWo
THE MICROCHIP IMPLANT IN YOUR RIGHT HAND OR FOREHEAD.
LEVETICUS 19.28
Ye shall not make any cuttings in your flesh for the dead, nor print any marks upon you: I am the LORD.
HERES WHAT THE WORLD WOULD LOOK LIKE (SINCE THERE WILL BE WORLD GOVERNMENT IN THE FUTURE)-UPDATED VERSION
01 CANADA, U.S.A, MEXICO
02 EUROPEAN UNION,WESTERN EUROPE
03 JAPAN
04 AUSTRALIA,NEW ZEALAND, S AFRICA, ISRAEL AND PACIFIC ISLANDS
05 EASTERN EUROPE
06 SOUTHERN, CENTRAL AND LATIN AMERICAS
07 NORTH AFRICA, AND MIDEAST (MOSLEMS)
08 CENTRAL AFRICA
09 SOUTH AND SOUTHEAST ASIA
10 CENTRAL ASIA
THE
CLUB OF ROME WANTS A WORLD CHARISMATIC DICTATOR (EITHER RELIGIOUS,
POLITICAL OR SCIENTIFICAL) TO HEAD THIS WORLD GOVERNMENT. REV 13:3,7-8,
DAN 7:23-24
WORLD POWERS IN THE END TIME
NORTH - RUSSIA EZEK 38:1-2, 39:1-2
SOUTH - EGYPT DAN 11:42
EAST - CHINA DAN 11:44,REV 16:12
WEST - EUROPEAN UNION DAN 7:23-24 (NOT THE U.S.A)
http://israel7777777.blogspot.ca/2012/03/10-world-trade-blocs-one-world.html
http://israndjer.blogspot.ca/2006/09/how-eu-takes-world-control.html
http://israndjer.blogspot.ca/2012/05/one-world-religion-crislam.html
FINALLY THE EUROPEAN UNION IS TALKING ABOUT HAVING THEIR OWN ARMY.AND IT MUST HAPPEN.
REVELATION 19:16-21
16
And he hath on his vesture and on his thigh a name written, King Of
Kings, And Lord Of Lords.(JESUS RETURNG TO EARTH LITERALLY ON A WHITE
HORSE WITH THE RAPTURED CHRISTIANS 7 YEARS EARLIER)
17 And I saw an
angel standing in the sun; and he cried with a loud voice, saying to all
the fowls that fly in the midst of heaven, Come and gather yourselves
together unto the supper of the great God;
18 That ye may eat the
flesh of kings, and the flesh of captains, and the flesh of mighty men,
and the flesh of horses, and of them that sit on them, and the flesh of
all men, both free and bond, both small and great.(2ND TIME GOD-JESUS
TELLS THE 500 MILLION MIGRATING BIRDS TO GET READY TO EAT HUMAN
FLESH.THE FIRST TIME WAS WHEN GOD TOLD THE 500 MILLION MIGRATING
BIRDS-TO EAT RUSSIA,GERMAN,ARAB, MUSLIM BODIES FOR 7 MONTHS IN EZEK 38 @
39.
19 And I saw the beast,(E.U WORLD LEADER) and the kings of the
earth, and their armies,(HERE IT SAYS THE E.U WILL HAVE ITS OWN ARMY)
gathered together to make war against him that sat on the horse, (JESUS)
and against his army.(RAPTURED CHRISTIANS)
20 And the beast (E.U
WORLD LEADER) was taken, and with him the false prophet (POPE FRANCIS)
that wrought miracles before him, with which he deceived them that had
received the mark of the beast, and them that worshipped his image.
These both were cast alive into a lake of fire burning with brimstone.
21
And the remnant were slain with the sword of him that sat upon the
horse, which sword proceeded out of his mouth: and all the fowls were
filled with their flesh.
COUNCIL FOR EUROPE ON DEFENCE
https://defence-industry-space.ec.europa.eu/document/download/6d6f889c-e58d-4caa-8f3b-8b93154fe206_en?filename=SAFE%20Regulation.pdf
MACRON CLAIMES THE DEVIL MADE ME DO IT.WHICH IS CORRECT. WHEN MACRON WANTS A LEECH PUPPET ARAB DEATH CULT DIVISON OF JERUSALEM.
Frustration,
domestic anger drove Macron to go it alone on Palestine
recognition-French president’s solo move came after UK, Canada nixed
joint announcement over fear of retaliation from US and Israel,
diplomats say: ‘We could not wait to get partners on board’By Reuters
and ToI Staff 26 July 2025, 2:38 pm
French President Emmanuel
Macron’s announcement that France would become the first Western member
of the United Nations Security Council to recognize a Palestinian state
in September has caused diplomatic ructions from the Middle East through
Europe to Washington.But it did not come out of the blue.When Macron
visited the Egyptian town of El-Arish on the border with Gaza in April,
he was struck by the mounting humanitarian crisis and made clear on his
return home that Paris would soon opt for recognition.Working with Saudi
Arabia, Macron came up with a plan to have France, plus G7 allies
Britain and Canada, recognize Palestinian statehood, while pushing Arab
states to adopt a softer stance toward Israel through a United Nations
conference. But despite weeks of talks, he failed to get others on
board.Three diplomats said London did not want to face the wrath of the
United States, and Ottawa took a similar stance, leaving Macron to go it
alone.“It became increasingly apparent that we could not wait to get
partners on board,” said a French diplomat, adding that France will work
to get more states on board ahead of the conference on a two-state
solution in September.Domestically, Macron was under rising pressure to
do something amid widespread anger at the harrowing images coming out of
Gaza. Although with both Europe’s biggest Muslim and Jewish communities
and a polarized political landscape, there was no obvious course of
action that would satisfy all sides.Israel and the United States have
blasted France’s move, branding it a reward for the Hamas onslaught of
October 7, 2023, which triggered the war in Gaza.Macron had discussed
the matter in advance with both Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and US
President Donald Trump. On Friday, Trump said Macron’s decision to
recognize Palestinian statehood didn’t “carry any weight,” but added
that the French president was “a good guy.”Conference plan-French
officials previously considered an announcement at a conference
scheduled for June at the United Nations, co-hosted by France and Saudi
Arabia, to sketch out a roadmap to a viable Palestinian state while also
ensuring Israel’s security.But the conference was postponed following
Israel’s June 13 assault on Iran’s nuclear program and missiles,
triggering a 12-day war, and amid intense US diplomatic
pressure.Macron’s announcement on Thursday is linked to a rescheduled
and rejigged version of the UN conference, now planned to take place
Monday and Tuesday.That meeting will be at the ministerial level, but
Paris decided it would hold a second event with heads of state and
government on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly in
September, where Macron will announce formal recognition.Some analysts
say Macron has used the carrot of recognition to extract concessions
from regional players, including Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud
Abbas, head of the secularist Fatah.“Macron here is acting as a
catalyst to get the Palestinians to deliver on the needed reforms, to
get the Arabs to deliver on a stabilization force and the disarming of
Hamas,” said Rym Momtaz, editor-in-chief of the Strategic Europe blog
run by the Carnegie Europe think tank.Others say that while recognition
has symbolic value, there will still be no functioning Palestinian state
whenever the war in Gaza comes to an end.“Recognition by a European
heavyweight like France is indicative of the rising frustration with
Israel’s intransigent policies,” said Amjad Iraqi, senior analyst at
International Crisis Group. “What’s the point of recognizing a state if
they’re doing little to stop it from turning into ruins?”French
officials point to months of intense Israeli lobbying to try to prevent
Macron’s move — and Netanyahu’s fierce criticism of it — as evidence
that it matters a lot to Israeli leaders.Sources familiar with the
matter say Israel’s warnings to France had ranged from scaling back
intelligence-sharing to complicating Paris’s regional initiatives — even
hinting at possible annexation of parts of the West Bank.But French
officials concluded that Netanyahu would do whatever he thought was in
his interests in the West Bank anyway, regardless of what France did on
recognition.Israel’s parliament voted on Wednesday in favor of a
non-binding declaration urging the government to apply Israeli law to
the West Bank, widely seen as a de facto annexation of the territory.
That added to the urgency in Paris.“If there is a moment in history to
recognize a Palestinian state, even if it’s just symbolic, then I would
say that moment has probably come,” said a senior French official.
Meloni:
Italy will not recognize Palestinian state, move could be
counterproductive-Like UK’s Starmer, Italian PM says Rome won’t follow
Macron’s lead, supports Palestinian statehood but will only recognize
once it has been established-By Reuters and ToI Staff 26 July 2025, 5:30
pm
MILAN, Italy — Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni said on
Saturday that recognizing a Palestinian state before it is established
could be counterproductive.“I am very much in favor of the State of
Palestine, but I am not in favor of recognizing it prior to establishing
it,” Meloni told Italian daily La Repubblica.“If something that doesn’t
exist is recognized on paper, the problem could appear to be solved
when it isn’t,” Meloni added.France’s announced decision to recognize a
Palestinian state at the United Nations General Assembly in September
drew condemnation from Israel and the United States, amid the war in
Gaza between Israel and the Palestinian terrorist group Hamas.According
to sources familiar with the matter, Israel’s warnings to France have
ranged from scaling back intelligence sharing to complicating Paris’
regional initiatives — with several ministers urging the annexation of
the West Bank.France, home to Europe’s largest Jewish and Muslim
communities, will become the first major Western country to recognize a
Palestinian state, potentially giving greater momentum to a movement so
far dominated by smaller nations that are generally more critical of
Israel.On Friday, Italian Foreign Minister Antoni Tajani said
recognition of a Palestinian state must occur simultaneously with
recognition of Israel by the new Palestinian entity.British Prime
Minister Keir Starmer said Friday that recognizing Palestinian statehood
should be part of a wider plan for lasting security for Palestinians
and Israelis.Starmer said in a video statement that he was working with
allies of the UK to advance a “pathway to peace” in the region and that
recognizing a Palestinian state is part of that process. “But it must be
part of a wider plan which ultimately results in a two-state solution
and lasting security for Palestinians and Israelis. This is the way to
ensure it is a tool of maximum utility to improve the lives of those who
are suffering – which of course, will always be our ultimate goal,” the
British premier added.A German government spokesperson also said on
Friday that Berlin was not planning to recognize a Palestinian state in
the short term, adding that its priority now is to make “long-overdue
progress” toward a two-state solution.Some opponents of countries
unilaterally recognizing a Palestinian state maintain that the move is
merely symbolic when done without cooperation with Israel, adding that a
Palestinian state can only be the result of negotiations between both
sides of the conflict. But supporters of the move say the current
Israeli government is uninterested in such talks or in a two-state
solution and that the framework can therefore only be advanced through
diplomatic pressure.At least 142 countries now recognize or plan to
recognize Palestinian statehood, according to an AFP tally. Several
countries have announced plans to recognize statehood for the
Palestinians since the outbreak of the Gaza war, which was sparked by
Hamas’s October 7, 2023, onslaught.Norway, Spain, Ireland and Slovenia
all announced recognition following the outbreak of the Gaza conflict,
along with several other non-European countries.The October 7 massacre
saw Hamas-led terrorists kill some 1,200 people, mostly civilians, and
kidnap 251. Of the 50 hostages remaining in Gaza, the IDF has confirmed
the deaths of 28.The Hamas-run Gaza health ministry says more than
58,000 people in the Strip have been killed or are presumed dead in the
fighting so far, though the toll cannot be verified and does not
differentiate between civilians and fighters. Israel says it has killed
some 20,000 combatants in battle as of January and another 1,600
terrorists inside Israel during the October 7 onslaught.Israel’s toll in
the ground offensive against Hamas in Gaza and in military operations
along the border with the Strip stands at 456.Israel has said it seeks
to minimize civilian fatalities and stresses that Hamas uses Gaza’s
civilians as human shields, fighting from civilian areas including
homes, hospitals, schools and mosques.
'A slap in the face to
Oct. 7 victims and the hostages'‘Abandonment’: French Israelis fume as
Paris prepares to recognize Palestinian state-Israelis of French origin
say Macron’s move in September won’t help Palestinians, but will
encourage further terrorism and put Jews in France at risk of heightened
antisemitism By Michael Blum 25 July 2025, 3:23 pm
AFP —
Israelis vented their anger at French President Emmanuel Macron for his
decision, announced Thursday, to recognize a Palestinian state in
September.The anger was particularly acute among French Israelis, who
called it a “slap in the face” and an “abandonment.”In Sderot, a city
just a few hundred yards from the Gaza border, David Brodey, a
75-year-old retired teacher, said later Thursday: “I feel betrayed,
totally betrayed by the European countries. I hope that others do not
follow Macron’s lead here.”He called the move “totally unproductive for
reaching any solution between us and the Palestinians.”Ross Singer, 57,
and a tour guide, said that while he hoped for “a better future” for the
Palestinians, he worried recognition “may send the wrong message to the
Palestinian leadership about the repercussions of October 7.”Hadass
Zakai, an occupational therapist, said the move was “more antisemitic…
than supportive of Palestinians,” questioning why Macron was focused on
Gaza and not other crises.Macron’s move came amid a worsening
humanitarian crisis in Gaza, with aid agencies warning of widespread
hunger, and failed efforts to bring an end to the war sparked by Hamas’s
October 2023 attack and to free the hostages still held by the terror
group.Netanyahu and much of the Israeli right have long opposed the
creation of a Palestinian state, insisting it would be a security threat
and a haven for terrorists.Since the Hamas onslaught in 2023, Jerusalem
has also said that recognizing a Palestinian state now would
incentivize further violence, acting as a reward for the rampage, in
which terrorists killed some 1,200 people and took 251 hostages, of whom
50 are still held, including at least 28 who are confirmed
dead.French-Israeli political analyst Myriam Shermer said that “French
Jews and French Israelis feel abandoned by Macron.”“They feel punished
by Macron, who multiplies his criticisms of Israel, whereas France, in
their view, should have stood by Israel in the fight against Islamist
terrorism,” she said.Some French Israelis expressed fear for the impact
on Jews in France, where there has been a rise in antisemitic incidents,
including multiple synagogue arsons and the rape of a 12-year-old
girl.“This announcement will have no impact on our lives here but could
have grave consequences for Jews in France,” said Ariel Kandel, head of
Qualita, an organization that helps French Jews immigrate to Israel.“We
are worried, this announcement puts our brothers in France in danger and
could encourage antisemitism,” he said.Around 50,000 French Jews have
moved to Israel in the past 10 years.Israeli politicians were forthright
in their condemnation of the French decision.Lawmaker Dan Illouz
denounced it as “a gift to the terrorists of October 7, a day on which
French citizens were also killed.”Illouz, who is a member of Prime
Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s Likud party, co-sponsored a symbolic
motion adopted by the Knesset on Wednesday urging the government to
impose sovereignty over the West Bank.“Macron is following the Vichy
path by collaborating with the new Nazis of Gaza,” he said, referring to
France’s World War II-era puppet regime.The decision also drew
criticism from the center of Israeli politics.“Recognizing an imaginary
Palestinian state, without defined borders or a government, amounts to a
message of support to Hamas,” said Karine Dana, the head of Francophone
outreach for the opposition Yesh Atid party.“It is the abandonment of
the hostages held in inhumane conditions in Hamas tunnels and the memory
of the victims of October 7,” she added.Pierre Lurcat, a legal expert
and author, called Macron’s announcement “a slap in the face to the
victims of October 7 and the hostages still held by Hamas in
Gaza.”“France is decisively positioning itself at the forefront of the
anti-Israel camp by seeking to create a fantasy ‘Palestine,'” Lurcat
added.David Chaouat, a tour guide and author of a book on the Jewish
people, said: “The difference between Macron and Israel in the face of
terrorism is that Israel, when we get slapped, we don’t turn the other
cheek.”Times of Israel staff contributed to this report.
U.S., EU agree to trade deal framework that puts 15% tariffs on European goods-JUL 27,25
The
United States has struck a trade deal framework with Europe, imposing a
15 per cent U.S. import tariff on most EU goods and averting a
spiralling row between two allies who account for almost a third of
global trade.The announcement came after European Commission President
Ursula von der Leyen travelled for talks with U.S. President Donald
Trump at his golf course in western Scotland to push a hard-fought deal
over the line."I think this is the biggest deal ever made," Trump told
reporters after an hour-long meeting with von der Leyen, who said the 15
per cent tariff applied "across the board.""We have a trade deal
between the two largest economies in the world, and it's a big deal,"
she said. "It will bring stability. It will bring predictability."The
deal also includes $600 billion US of EU investments in the United
States and significant EU purchases of U.S. energy and military
equipment.The White House released the formula used to calculate Trump's
'Liberation Day' tariffs. Andrew Chang explains why the math doesn't
add up. Then, Trump says he's 'not joking' about potentially running for
a third term in office — can he do it? However, the baseline tariff of
15 per cent could be seen by many in Europe as a poor outcome compared
to the initial European ambition of a zero-for-zero tariff deal,
although it is better than the threatened 30 per cent rate.The deal
mirrors parts of the framework agreement the United States clinched with
Japan last week.U.S. and Canada might not reach trade deal, Trump
says"We are agreeing that the tariff ... for automobiles and everything
else will be a straight-across tariff of 15 per cent," Trump said.
However, the 15 per cent baseline rate would not apply to steel and
aluminum, for which a 50 per cent tariff would remain in place.Trump,
who is seeking to reorder the global economy and reduce decades-old U.S.
trade deficits, has so far reeled in agreements with Britain, Japan,
Indonesia and Vietnam, although his administration has failed to deliver
on a promise of "90 deals in 90 days."He has periodically railed
against the European Union, saying it was "formed to screw the United
States" on trade.Arriving in Scotland, Trump said that the EU wanted "to
make a deal very badly" and said, as he met von der Leyen, that Europe
had been "very unfair to the United States."His main bugbear is the U.S.
merchandise trade deficit with the EU, which in 2024 reached $235
billion US, according to U.S. Census Bureau data. The EU points to the
U.S. surplus in services, which it says partially redresses the balance.
Trump also talked on Sunday about the "hundreds of billions of dollars"
that tariffs were bringing in.On July 12, Trump threatened to apply a
30 per cent tariff on imports from the EU starting Aug. 1, after weeks
of negotiations with the major U.S. trading partners failed to reach a
comprehensive trade deal.The EU had prepared counter-tariffs on 93
billion euros ($150 billion Cdn) of U.S. goods in the event there was no
deal and Trump pressed ahead with 30 per cent tariffs.Some member
states had also pushed for the bloc to use its most powerful trade
weapon, the anti-coercion instrument, to target U.S. services in the
event of a no-deal.
Trump’s revival of WWII era alien registration law sparks privacy, legal battles-Jul 27, 2025, 10:28 pm EDT | Anthony Kimery
The
Trump administration’s unexpected reactivation of a forgotten wartime
law requiring noncitizens to register with the U.S. government and carry
registration documents has launched intense controversy. What began as a
little‑known provision from the early 1940s has quickly morphed into a
flashpoint of fear, legal challenge, and civil liberties debate.The move
has triggered significant alarm about privacy and the potential for
expanded government surveillance. The centralized collection of
biometric and personal data – including fingerprints, addresses, and
travel histories – has raised red flags among privacy advocates. There
are growing concerns about how securely this data will be stored, what
limits exist on its dissemination across federal agencies, and whether
such a system could be used to justify future surveillance of immigrant
communities far beyond its original scope.With lawsuits testing both the
transparency and constitutionality of the move, the registration rule
is shaping up as a major test of American legal norms, privacy
protections, and the balance of power in immigration enforcement.It all
erupted on January 20 when President Donald Trump issued Executive Order
14159 (EO), Protecting the American People Against Invasion, directing
the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) to enforce the long-dormant
immigrant registration requirement under Section 262 of the Immigration
and Nationality Act (INA), which was codified in the 1940 Alien
Registration Act.The law originally required noncitizens aged 14 and
older to register, be fingerprinted, and to carry what used to be known
as an “alien registration” document. This requirement continued through
the mid-20th century, with physical documents like the AR-3 form and
later the Form I‑151 (Green Card) serving as proof of
registration.Although registration and fingerprinting remained part of
the immigration process, by the late 1970s and early 1980s the
requirement to always carry alien registration documents and the penal
enforcement of that mandate were largely abandoned as a matter of
federal policy and practice.While the INA still technically makes it a
misdemeanor for a noncitizen to willfully fail to carry their
registration document, this provision has rarely been invoked in modern
times and the government had not required routine re-registration or
re-fingerprinting of already-present immigrants since the mid-20th
century.All that changed in March when DHS published an interim final
rule mandating that virtually all noncitizens over age 14, including
undocumented immigrants, to register within 30 days of arrival, submit
to fingerprinting, and always carry evidence of registration.
Noncitizens who register must submit personal data while those who
refuse to register face criminal consequences under the revived statute,
punishable by up to six months in prison and fines of up to $5,000.The
Congressional Research Service (CRS) pointed out in May that Trump’s EO
“directs agencies to treat alien registration requirements ‘as a civil
and criminal enforcement priority.’” CRS also noted that, “Despite the
seemingly broad reach of Sections 262 and 264 [of the INR], U.S.
Department of Justice data show that prosecutions under them have been
rare.”Not anymore. As of May 31, the Washington Post reported that
dozens of individuals have been criminally charged under INA § 262 for
failure to register. Of those cases, at least six prosecutions were
either dismissed by courts or withdrawn by prosecutors. Meanwhile, over a
dozen individuals had already pleaded guilty to § 262-related charges
by that date. While still in the early stage and involving
misdemeanor-level charges, these actions mark a significant shift from
prior enforcement and reflect the real impact of EO 14159.Civil rights
advocates warn that the policy effectively forces immigrants into a
“lose‑lose” decision by either exposing themselves to deportation or
facing criminal penalties for noncompliance, even those undergoing
immigration benefit applications.Critics argue it may amplify racial
profiling and deter cooperation between immigrant communities and
police, noting parallels to historical “freedom papers” and Japanese
American registration during World War II. The rule’s vague enforcement
provisions have reportedly disrupted even U.S.–born citizens, who faced
delays or cancellations of immigration-related documents.American
Oversight, a government accountability nonprofit group, filed a Freedom
of Information Act (FOIA) lawsuit on July 24 against DHS, Customs and
Border Protection (CBP), Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), and
U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services seeking internal documents
regarding the policy’s conception, implementation, expected impacts, and
whether it is being used to facilitate mass detentions.American
Oversight Executive Director Chioma Chukwu described the revival of the
law as “a deliberate and dangerous attack on the rights of undocumented
immigrants and U.S. citizens alike,” stating that it turns families and
neighborhoods into “living in fear” and strips away due process and
dignity.“This administration’s revival of a discredited, 85-year-old
wartime law isn’t just a policy decision, it’s a deliberate and
dangerous attack on the rights of undocumented immigrants and U.S.
citizens alike,” Chukwu said.In a separate lawsuit filed in March by the
American Immigration Council, American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU),
National Immigration Law Center, and allied nonprofits challenged the
rule itself. The groups argued that the Trump administration did not
abide by the required public notice and comment process before
implementation, and that it violates due process and civil rights
protections.The lawsuit asserted that the decision to classify the
regulation as a “procedural” rule bypasses standard rulemaking and
deprives millions of people of formal public input. American Immigration
Council Executive Director Jeremy Robbins said the Trump administration
is attempting to create a “show me your papers state” in which law
enforcement may harass individuals based on language, race, or
neighborhood.On April 10, however, federal Judge Trevor N. McFadden, a
Trump appointee to the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia,
denied the coalitions’ request for a preliminary injunction, allowing
the Interim Final Rule on immigrant registration to go into effect as
planned. He concluded that the plaintiffs lacked legal standing as they
failed to demonstrate concrete injury from the registry policy. He also
reasoned that modern enforcement is simply reviving statutory
obligations that have existed for decades, and that historical precedent
legitimizes the rule.Meanwhile, privacy advocates continue to voice
grave objections over the massive data collection that’s involved under
Trump’s EO, which includes biometrics, address histories, country of
origin, employer details, and travel histories being centralized in DHS
databases with potential cross-agency access, including ICE and
CBP.Under the federal Privacy Act, agencies are generally prohibited
from disclosing personal records without consent, except under narrow
exceptions like FOIA, court orders, or law enforcement requests, giving
rise to concerns about how DHS will share, store, and guard this
sensitive information.Observers draw uneasy comparisons to earlier eras
of state surveillance and internment. The original 1940 Alien
Registration Act powered mass registration of millions of noncitizens,
notably Japanese Americans who were later interned after Pearl Harbor.
Critics argue that Trump’s Executive Order echoes those dark precedents,
creating a registry with unclear limits, potential racial targeting,
and punitive enforcement for non‑compliance.Legal scholars note that
invoking wartime authorities like the Alien Enemies Act and potentially
the Insurrection Act, represents a sweeping expansion of executive power
over immigration enforcement beyond norms established over
decades.Policy takeaways and ongoing questions surrounding the revived
registration provision reveal a host of legal, procedural, and ethical
concerns.At the heart of the transparency issue is American Oversight’s
lawsuit, which seeks to uncover the origins of the policy, including how
it was conceived, whether any internal impact assessments were
conducted, and whether the registration directive is part of a broader
effort to facilitate mass deportations. The organization has repeatedly
emphasized the urgent need for public access to records that could
clarify the administration’s intentions and implementation strategy.On
the matter of procedural validity, several civil rights groups,
including the American Immigration Council, argue that the rule is
fundamentally flawed. They contend that it was enacted without following
the standard notice-and-comment rulemaking procedures required under
the Administrative Procedure Act and further point out that the
regulation lacks clarity regarding who it applies to and how it will be
enforced. This ambiguity, they say, creates a dangerous climate of legal
uncertainty for millions of noncitizens.From a constitutional
perspective, legal challenges are expected to continue to examine and
question whether the enforcement of a rarely used immigration statute
from over 70 years ago can survive contemporary scrutiny. Courts will
likely be asked to determine if the policy complies with modern
standards of due process, the protections guaranteed under the Fourth
Amendment, and principles of equal protection under the law.
Government biometrics contracts present opportunity now, attribute claims soon-Jul 26, 2025, 12:28 pm EDT | Chris Burt
Demand
for biometrics in established applications like national ID programs
and border control is strong, as seen in several of the week’s most-read
articles on Biometric Update, but newer applications like facial age
estimation and deepfake detection are just taking off. Contracts are
being tendered or at least considered for airport biometrics in the
U.S., a digital identity consultant in the Philippines, and digital
credential issuance in New Zealand, while Sri Lanka expects to have
revenue to reinvest in its digital transformation soon.An RFI from the
TSA indicates a shift in its Screening Partnership Program towards
turnkey biometrics and digital ID screening solutions fully integrated
and delivered by the private sector. The SPP has a 10-year, $5.5 billion
contract vehicle to use when replacing the current round of contracts,
which expire midway through next year.The Philippines is looking for a
consultant to help it manage transactions for its national digital
identity program under a public-private partnership. The opportunity is
worth up to $390,000, and it open to firms from Asian Development
Bank-member countries.In reflections on ID4Africa 2025, Jean Lindner of
Thales and Stéphanie de Labriolle of the Secure Identity Alliance each
brought up international standards like OSIA, as well as the diversity
of African nations. Lindner points out the choice the standards can
unlock, while de Labriolle warns that policymakers need to engage with
technical experts before consulting governments to properly apply the
technology to their situation.New Zealand’s advance notice of an RFP for
digital credential issuance expires next Tuesday, so more details about
the DIA’s planned tender should come soon. It will be the latest in a
series of contracts as the country builds around its Digital Identity
Services Trust Framework.Sri Lankan government officials believe the
GovPay digital payments platform it launched earlier this year can bring
more than $3 billion over the next four or five years. GovPay is one of
the major applications the country is in the process of building up
around its digital ID, the SL-UDI.Some consider it “Censorship Day” and
others about time someone finally thought of the children, but there is
little arguing that the Online Safety Act altered the way the internet
works in the UK when it came into force this week. It also ushers in a
new market for age verification and biometric facial age estimation that
appears to be growing rapidly around the world.A new potential market
for facial age estimation may have been discovered, as another input for
people performing age assessments of migrants to the UK. Children are
handled differently by the system, so misrepresentations and disputes
are common. A policy suggestion in Parliament this week will be followed
by a tender in August.U.S. lawmakers have requested the FBI review the
inclusion of biometric devices from dozens of Chinese companies on its
Certified Products List and consider removing them. Each vendor is
connected to Chinese intelligence, sanctioned entities or repression,
they say, and cite national security concerns, as well as consistency in
messaging in asking for their removal.The White House dispelled any
worries among AI developers that regulation could impede the development
and commercialization of the technology with the release of its “Action
Plan.” The plan also commits America to spend vast sums on energy, data
centers and chips to win a race to a breathlessly-described “golden age
of human flourishing.”Socure’s Jordan Burris noted in an interview last
week with The Federal Drive with Terry Gerton that a lot of agencies
are leaning into AI, but what is really needed is a federal strategy for
digital identity. He also highlights the importance of AI to curb
threats, including from other nations.Startup IdentifAI has raised $5.8
million in funding to scale its deepfake detection for the international
market, while Keyless has introduced a Biometric Attack Prevention
technology, and Reality Defender has appointed a new CTO. The threat is
all too real, as shown by a wave of fraudulent applicants for an
engineering job at Pindrop – who turned out to be North Korean
hackers.An Australian bank treated the use of on-device biometrics to
log into its app to authorize a payment as proof that a dispute of that
payment was fraudulent. BixeLab CEO Ted Dunstone points out that native
device biometrics are not identity-bound, and the community needs to
make that clear.Police in New York City and Cleveland have botched a
pair of investigations by violating rules with their use of Clearview
AI’s facial recognition. The former case has been thrown out, and
prosecutors say the other is a “lost cause.” The failures damage the
reputations of their departments, but also erode public trust in the
technology more generally.Please let us know if you spot any podcasts,
columns or other content you think we should share with the people in
biometrics and the digital identity community in the comments below or
via social media.
Hopae joins govt digital ID wallet initiative
as Korea targets global interoperability-Jul 25, 2025, 4:29 pm EDT |
Lu-Hai Liang
Hopae has won major backing as it collaborates on a
joint research institute with the South Korean government in building
digital identity standards with an internationalist view.The start-up
will join a research project in the development of interoperability and
global standards of digital identity wallets. The initiative is part of
the “Information and Communication Broadcasting Standard Development
Support Project” in collaboration with the Ministry of Science and ICT,
and the Institute of Information and Communications Technology Planning
and Evaluation (IITP).The main aim is to develop a standard framework to
ensure interoperability between digital identity systems. This includes
ensuring technical compatibility with global standards, setting out a
standard technological framework for digital identity wallets,
developing open source-based linkages and establishing industry-specific
verification projects.The project will last from April 2025 to December
2029. “The core of digital identity wallets is interoperability between
systems and international compatibility,” said Hopae CEO and Co-founder
Ace Jaehoon Shim. “We hope that this project will be an opportunity for
Korea to leap forward as a global standardization leader in the field
of digital identity technology.”It’s a notable development in chasing
open source solutions and interoperability. While neighboring Japan was
known for advanced technology, analysts eventually noted that the
country lagged the likes of the U.S. in software (and hardware) as the
country failed to embrace platforms, but instead developed siloed,
bespoke technology. Perhaps South Korea does not want to fall into the
same trap.Hopae and the participating organizations will develop a
domestic standard framework while accounting for major global standards
such as the European Union’s EUDI Wallet ARF and ISO/IEC Mobile
Driver’s License Standard (18013-5/7). International integration is very
nascent, and a kind of holy grail for those who have long worked in the
identity space, but so far there is limited interoperability between
national systems.Hopae’s business plan for its identity verification API
hConnect is very much set on this. The South Korean company has
launched a $1 million digital ID developer challenge to award coding
solutions that integrate eIDs into one network. For hConnect to work on a
global scale, however, as many eIDs as possible must be integrated into
the unified verification network enabled by Hopae’s single API.Hosted
by the Electronics and Telecommunications Research Institute (ETRI) and
the Financial Security Institute, Hopae’s new collaboration will see
promotion of practical applications in sectors including finance, travel
and public services.“Korea is a country with excellent e-government
infrastructure in the world, and now is the time to lay the foundation
for overseas expansion through contributions to global standards and the
open source ecosystem,” said Jeon Jin-yeong, co-founder of Hopae.
Google Cloud partners with ZKP identity verification protocol Self-Jul 25, 2025, 12:44 pm EDT | Masha Borak
Google
Cloud has entered a partnership with zero-knowledge proof-based
identity verification protocol Self.Self says that the collaboration
will “support the Web3 developer ecosystem with new AI capabilities,
including exploring ways to integrate the Self Protocol with new AI
search tools in its Web3 Portal,” without elaborating further.The
protocol is developed by Self Labs and is used for privacy-preserving
identity verification, location or age verification and decentralized
finance (DeFi) integrations. The company was founded by former members
of blockchain firm Celo, which launched the protocol after the
acquisition of zero-knowledge proof (ZKP) project OpenPassport.Celo has
previously worked with Google Cloud on running a validator on the Celo
network, helping to strengthen the overall security of the network.“Our
work with Celo and Self to bring together ZKP-enabled identity
technology with our Web3 developer tools on the Google Cloud Web3 Portal
is a perfect opportunity to demonstrate the value and timeliness of
these technologies,” says Richard Widmann, Google Cloud’s head of
strategy for Web3.Google Cloud’s Testnet Faucet will also integrate with
Self’s proof-of-humanity ZKP for sybil resistance. The tech giant’s
upcoming Mainnet Faucet will use the exclusion proofs developed by Self,
which are based on the U.S. Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC)
Sanctions List, according to a press release.Google has been embracing
ZKP cryptography, integrating it into Google Wallet for age assurance.
Earlier in July, the company announced a collaboration with public
savings bank network Sparkasse to offer wallet-based digital age
verification.Thanks to its zk-SNARK cryptography technology, Self allows
users to prove they are human and selectively disclose attributes: A
person can reveal their age without giving out sensitive information
such as date of birth. The platform currently has 8 million users.The
company says one of the main benefits of its system is that it doesn’t
rely on biometric hardware. Users can verify their identity by scanning
their biometric passports or IDs with NFC technology. The system
supported passports from 129 countries and ID cards from 27 EU states,
Turkey, Ukraine, Vietnam, Ghana and Saudi Arabia.“We are honored that
Google chose our SDK to provide secure, privacy-first identity
solutions, and to further drive AI and Web3 innovation for real people,”
says Self Co-Founder Marek Olszewski.
THE FALSE VATICAN POPE LEO 14TH
ISAIAH 23:15-17
15
And it shall come to pass in that day, that Tyre shall be forgotten
seventy years, according to the days of one king: after the end of
seventy years shall Tyre sing as an harlot.
16 Take an harp, go
about the city, thou harlot that hast been forgotten; make sweet melody,
sing many songs, that thou mayest be remembered.
17 And it shall
come to pass after the end of seventy years, that the LORD will visit
Tyre, and she shall turn to her hire, and shall commit fornication with
all the kingdoms of the world upon the face of the earth.(COULD THIS BE
70 YEARS AFTER ISRAEL BECAME A NATION IN 1948)(IF SO THIS SATANIC ONE
WORLD WHORE CHURCH WILL MINGLE TOGETHER BY 2018)(AND NOW ISLAM AND
CHRISTIANITY AND ALL RELIGIONS ARE MINGLING AS ONE PEACE-LOVE-JOY-GET
ALONG RELIGION LEAD BY THE VATICAN RIGHT NOW 4 YEARS FROM THE 70 YEAR
TIME WHEN ISRAEL BECAME A NATION).AND IN CONTROL OF JERUSALEM.
REVELATION 13:11-18
11
And I beheld another beast coming up out of the earth;(FALSE VATICAN
POPE) and he had two horns like a lamb,(JESUS IS THE LAMB OF GOD) and he
spake as a dragon.(HES SATANICALLY INSPIRED,HES A CHRISTIAN DEFECTOR
FROM THE FAITH)
12 And he exerciseth all the power of the first beast
before him,(WORLD DICTATOR) and causeth the earth and them which dwell
therein to worship the first beast, whose deadly wound was healed.(THE
WORLD DICTATOR CREATES A FALSE RESURRECTION AND IS CROWNED LEADER OF THE
NEW WORLD ORDER).
13 And he doeth great wonders, so that he maketh fire come down from heaven on the earth in the sight of men,
14
And deceiveth them that dwell on the earth by the means of those
miracles which he had power to do in the sight of the beast; saying to
them that dwell on the earth, that they should make an image to the
beast, which had the wound by a sword, and did live.
15 And he had
power to give life unto the image of the beast, that the image of the
beast should both speak, and cause that as many as would not worship the
image of the beast should be killed.
16 And he(FALSE POPE) causeth
all, both small and great, rich and poor, free and bond, to receive a
mark in their right hand, or in their foreheads:(CHIP IMPLANT)
17 And that no man might buy or sell, save he that had the mark, or the name of the beast, or the number of his name.
18
Here is wisdom. Let him that hath understanding count the number of the
beast: for it is the number of a man; and his number is Six hundred
threescore and six.(6-6-6) A NUMBER SYSTEM
REVELATION 17:1-18
1
And there came one of the seven angels which had the seven vials, and
talked with me, saying unto me, Come hither; I will shew unto thee the
judgment of the great whore that sitteth upon many waters:(VATICAN)
2
With whom the kings of the earth have committed fornication,(VATICAN IN
POLITICS) and the inhabitants of the earth have been made drunk with
the wine of her fornication.(THATS PEDOPHELIA-FORNICATION IS SINGLES
HAVING SEX OUT SIDE OF MARRIAGE)(AND SINCE PREISTS CAN NOT MARRY IN THE
CATHOLIC CHURCH. WHAT HAPPENS WHEN THIS FALSE CHURCH GOES AGAINST THE
BIBLE.THE CATHOLIC CHURCH BECOMES A HOMOSEXUAL HAVEN OF PEDOPHILIAS
FACTORY).
3 So he carried me away in the spirit into the
wilderness: and I saw a woman sit upon a scarlet coloured beast, full of
names of blasphemy, having seven heads and ten horns.
4 And the
woman (FALSE CHURCH) was arrayed in purple and scarlet colour,(VATICAN
COLOURS)(ANOTHER REASON WE KNOW THE FALSE POPE COMES FROM THE VATICAN)
and decked with gold and precious stones and pearls, having a golden cup
in her hand full of abominations and filthiness of her fornication:(THE
VATICAN GOES AGAINST A PRIEST MARRING A WOMAN-LIKE THE BIBLE SAYS-AND
WHATS AN ABOMINATION AGAINST GOD-HOMOSEXUALITY AND PEDOPHILIA JUST LIKE
THIS SCRIPTURE SAYS-FORNICATION IS THE SINGLE HOMOSEXUAL PRIESTS IN THE
CATHOLIC CHURCH HAVING UNMARRIED FORNICATION OR SEX WITH SINGLES-IN THIS
CASE ITS SEX WITH CHILDREN OR PEDOPHILIA)
5 And upon her forehead was a name written, MYSTERY, BABYLON THE GREAT, THE MOTHER OF HARLOTS AND ABOMINATIONS OF THE EARTH.
6
And I saw the woman drunken with the blood of the saints, and with the
blood of the martyrs of Jesus: and when I saw her, I wondered with great
admiration.
7 And the angel said unto me, Wherefore didst thou
marvel? I will tell thee the mystery of the woman, and of the beast that
carrieth her, which hath the seven heads and ten horns.
8 The beast
that thou sawest was, and is not; and shall ascend out of the bottomless
pit, and go into perdition: and they that dwell on the earth shall
wonder, whose names were not written in the book of life from the
foundation of the world, when they behold the beast that was, and is
not, and yet is.
9 And here is the mind which hath wisdom. The seven
heads are seven mountains, on which the woman sitteth.(THE VATICAN IS
BUILT ON 7 HILLS OR MOUNTAINS)
10 And there are seven kings: five are
fallen,(1-ASSYRIA,2-EGYPT,3-BABYLON,4-MEDO-PERSIA,5-GREECE) and one
is,(IN POWER IN JOHNS AND JESUS DAY-6-ROME) and the other is not yet
come; and when he cometh, he must continue a short space.(7TH-REVIVED
ROMAN EMPIRE OR THE EUROPEAN UNION TODAY AND THE SHORT SPACE IS-THE
EUROPEAN UNION WILL HAVE WORLD CONTROL FOR THE LAST 3 1/2 YEARS.BUT WILL
HAVE ITS MIGHTY WORLD POWER FOR THE FULL 7 YEARS OF THE 7 YEAR
TRIBULATION PERIOD.AND THE WORLD DICTATOR WILL BE THE BEAST FROM THE
EU.AND THE VATICAN POPE WILL BE THE WHORE THAT RIDES THE EUROPEAN UNION
TO POWER.AND THE 2 EUROPEAN UNION POWER FREAKS WILL CONTROL AND DECIEVE
THE WHOLE EARTH INTO THEIR DESTRUCTION.IF YOU ARE NOT SAVED BY THE BLOOD
OF JESUS.YOU WILL BE DECIEVED BY THESE TWO.THE WORLD POLITICIAN-THE
EUROPEAN UNION DICTATOR.AND THE FALSE PROPHET THAT DEFECTS
CHRISTIANITY-THE FALSE VATICAN POPE.
11 And the beast that was, and is not, even he is the eighth, and is of the seven, and goeth into perdition.
12
And the ten horns which thou sawest are ten kings, which have received
no kingdom as yet; but receive power as kings one hour with the beast.
13 These have one mind, and shall give their power and strength unto the beast.
14
These shall make war with the Lamb, and the Lamb shall overcome them:
for he is Lord of lords, and King of kings: and they that are with him
are called, and chosen, and faithful.
15 And he saith unto me, The
waters which thou sawest, where the whore sitteth, are peoples, and
multitudes, and nations, and tongues.(VATICAN-CATHOLICS ALL AROUND THE
WORLD OVER 1 BILLION)
16 And the ten horns which thou sawest upon the
beast,(WORLD DICTATOR) these shall hate the whore, and shall make her
desolate and naked, and shall eat her flesh, and burn her with fire.(GOD
HIMSELF GIVES THE OK TO NUKE THE VATICAN)
17 For God hath put in
their hearts to fulfil his will, and to agree, and give their kingdom
unto the beast, until the words of God shall be fulfilled.
18 And the woman which thou sawest is that great city, which reigneth over the kings of the earth.(VATICAN)
HOW THE FALSE POPE IS ELECTED
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Nj3Qnr_30Z4
POPE FRANCIS SISTER (PEDOPHILIA WAY WORSE THEN THOUGHT) (CARDINAL MATEO TERESCO-THE NEXT COVERUP POPE OF PEDOPHILIA)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=usFshfmBPmY
FALSE POPE LEO 14TH 2012 INTERVIEW
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QXVkJ5TQi1s
POPE 14TH WILL BE WORSE THAN FRANCIS.
https://banned.video/watch?id=681cf97a22a2c8ae0e09b5d0
THIS
POPE BETTER READ THAT BIBLE HE CLAIMES HE READS. THE LAND IS ISRAELS
LAND. NOT THE DEATH WORSHIPPING PUPPETS OF YOU LEO AND THE REST OF THE
WORLD.THE ARAB DEATH CULTS. THESE ARAB CULTISTS SHOULD LOVE STARVING TO
DEATH AS MARTYRS FOR SATAN. THEY CAN GET THEIR 72 VIRGINS TO HAVE
PEDOPHILA SEX WITH FOREVER. AND SPEAKING OF THE ARAB, MUSLIM PEDOPHILIA.
THE VATICAN IS THE CURRENT WORST PEDOPHILIA CULT ON EARTH RIGHT NOW. NO
WONDER THE FALSE POPE SUCK HOLES UP TO ARAB, MUSLIM INTERFAITH CULTS.
Pope
Leo XIV Urges ‘Full Respect for Humanitarian Law’ in Gaza-Leo
emphasized ‘the very grave humanitarian situation in Gaza, where the
civilian population is crushed by hunger and remains exposed to violence
and death.’July 27, 2025
Pope Leo XIV called for peace
negotiations and respect for humanitarian law in Gaza, 10 days after an
Israeli strike caused the death of three people at the only Catholic
church in the enclave.“I renew my heartfelt appeal for a ceasefire, for
the release of hostages, and for the full respect for humanitarian law,”
the Pope said, speaking of the nearly two-year-old war between Israel
and the Palestinian militant group Hamas.Speaking as is customary at
midday on Sunday from a window of the Vatican’s Apostolic Palace, Leo
emphasized “the very grave humanitarian situation in Gaza, where the
civilian population is crushed by hunger and remains exposed to violence
and death.”Leo called on the parties in all conflicts around the world
to recognize the God-given dignity of every person and “put an end to
all actions contrary to it.”The Pope specifically voiced his concern
over the escalation of violence in southern Syria and over the situation
on the border between Cambodia and Thailand, where violent clashes have
broken out in a territorial dispute.He made his remarks after leading a
crowd in St. Peter’s Square in a recitation of the Angelus. Before the
prayer, he offered a short catechesis on the Our Father.“We cannot pray
to God as ‘Father’ and then be harsh and insensitive towards others.
Instead, it is important to let ourselves be transformed by his
goodness, his patience, his mercy, so that his face may be reflected in
ours as in a mirror,” he said.The Pope reflected on the day’s Gospel in
which Jesus teaches his disciples the Our Father and explained that this
passage “invites us, through prayer and charity, to feel loved and to
love as God loves us: with openness, discretion, mutual concern, and
without deceit.”Leo also said that this part of the Gospel shows “the
characteristics of God’s fatherhood” through evocative images such as
“that of a man who gets up in the middle of the night to assist a friend
in welcoming an unexpected visitor”; and also “that of a parent who is
concerned about giving good things to his children.”The Pope explained
that these images remind us that God “never turns his back on us when we
come to him, even if we arrive late to knock at his door, perhaps after
mistakes, missed opportunities, or failures.”In the great family of the
Church, “the Father does not hesitate to make us all participants in
each of his loving gestures,” Leo said.He added: “The Lord always
listens to us when we pray to him. If he sometimes responds in ways or
at times that are difficult to understand, it is because he acts with
wisdom and providence, which are beyond our understanding.”Following the
prayer, the Pope greeted, among other groups, participants in the EWTN
Summer Academy, an intensive training program in Catholic communication
organized by EWTN News and aimed at young people between 21 and 35 years
old with prior experience in digital content creation.Leo also recalled
that this Sunday marks the Fifth World Day for Grandparents and the
Elderly under the theme “Blessed are those who have not lost hope.”“Let
us look to grandparents and the elderly as witnesses of hope, capable of
illuminating the path of new generations. Let us not leave them alone,
but join them in an alliance of love and prayer,” he said.Finally, the
Pope spoke in Spanish to greet the thousands of young people who will
participate in the Jubilee of Youth from July 28 to August 3, one of
the biggest events of the current Holy Year.Leo said: “I hope it will be
for everyone an occasion to encounter Christ and to be strengthened in
faith and in the commitment to follow him with consistency.”
Pope: Catholic Migrants Save Countries That Welcome Them From ‘Spiritual DesertificatioN-July 25, 2025
Pope
Leo XIV in a message released Friday pointed out that Catholic migrants
and refugees “can become missionaries of hope today in the countries
that welcome them.”“With their spiritual enthusiasm and vitality, they
can help revitalize ecclesial communities that have become rigid and
weighed down, where spiritual desertification is advancing at an
alarming rate,” the Pope noted July 25 in his message for the 111th
World Day of Migrants and Refugees, which will be celebrated Oct. 4-5,
coinciding with the Jubilee of Migrants and the Jubilee of the
Missions.Link Between Hope and Faith-The Pontiff focused his reflection
on the link between Christian hope and migration and praised the faith
with which immigrants “defy death on the various contemporary migration
routes.”“Many migrants, refugees, and displaced persons are privileged
witnesses of hope. Indeed, they demonstrate this daily through their
resilience and trust in God, as they face adversity while seeking a
future in which they glimpse that integral human development,” the Pope
noted in the statement.He emphasized that their presence “should be
recognized and appreciated as a true divine blessing, an opportunity to
open oneself to the grace of God, who gives new energy and hope to his
Church.”The Holy Father pointed out that “in a world darkened by war and
injustice, even when all seems lost, migrants and refugees stand as
messengers of hope. Their courage and tenacity bear heroic testimony to a
faith that sees beyond what our eyes can see and gives them the
strength to defy death on the various contemporary migration
routes.”“Migrants and refugees remind the Church of her pilgrim
dimension, perpetually journeying toward her final homeland, sustained
by a hope that is a theological virtue,” he added.Thus, the Pope called
for hope for “a future of peace and of respect for the dignity of all”
despite the “frightening scenarios” of “wars, violence, injustice, and
extreme weather events.” Arms Trade and Current Climate Crisis“The
prospect of a renewed arms race and the development of new armaments,
including nuclear weapons, the lack of consideration for the harmful
effects of the ongoing climate crisis, and the impact of profound
economic inequalities make the challenges of the present and the future
increasingly demanding,” the Pontiff noted in the message.Pope Leo
warned the Catholic Church against the temptation of “sedentarization”
and, therefore, of ceasing to be a civitas peregrine, since as St.
Augustine points out in The City of God, the people of God are
“journeying toward the heavenly homeland,” because otherwise she ceases
to be “in the world” and becomes “of the world.”“This temptation was
already present in the early Christian communities, so much so that the
Apostle Paul had to remind the Church of Philippi that ‘our citizenship
is in heaven, and it is from there that we are expecting a savior, the
Lord Jesus Christ. He will transform the body of our humiliation that it
may be conformed to the body of his glory, by the power that also
enables him to make all things subject to himself’ (Phil 3:20-21),” Leo
XIV emphasized.He also called for a move beyond individualism, which he
defined as a “serious threat” to the “sharing of responsibilities,
multilateral cooperation,” and “the pursuit of the common good.”In this
regard, he criticized the “widespread tendency to look after the
interests of limited communities” and pointed out that there is “a clear
analogy” between immigrants and “the experience of the people of Israel
wandering in the desert, who faced every danger while trusting in the
Lord’s protection.”Finally, Pope Leo expressed his desire to entrust
every migrant, and those who accompany them with generosity and
compassion, “to the maternal protection of the Virgin Mary, comfort of
migrants.”This story was first published by ACI Prensa, CNA’s
Spanish-language news partner. It has been translated and adapted by
CNA.
Pope Leo’s Words ‘I Am a Son of Augustine’ Thrilled Algeria,
Home of the Saint’s Diocese-For Bishop-elect Guillaud, St. Augustine is
a 'living' figure who continues to speak to the entire country
today.July 23, 2025
The Diocese of Constantine-Hippo, located in
Algeria and a suffragan of the Archdiocese of Algiers, is proud to have
had as its bishop — appointed in 395 — one of the most illustrious
doctors of the Church: St. Augustine of Hippo.Endowed with a fervent
intellect, he transformed this vibrant port city, nestled on the coast
of present-day Algeria, into a nexus of theological debates that forever
shaped the Catholic Church. In this diocese, St. Augustine wrote some
of his major works, such as “Confessions” and “The City of God.”The city
was besieged by the Vandals in 430, during which the saint died. The
current seat of the diocese is in the coastal city of Annaba, near
ancient Hippo. It is one of the four ecclesiastical districts of Algeria
and was officially established on July 25, 1866.After more than a year
of vacancy — since the departure of the previous bishop, Nicolas
Lhernould, who was appointed archbishop of Tunis in April 2024 — on July
11 Pope Leo XIV appointed Father Michel Guillaud to head the Algerian
diocese.For Bishop-elect Guillaud, St. Augustine is a “living” figure
who continues to speak to the entire country today. “All of Algeria was
thrilled when Pope Leo XIV said, ‘I am the son of Augustine.’ Many even
wondered, ‘Could he be Algerian?’ Some even told me, ‘I knew Mohamed
Prévost, his grandfather,’” the bishop jokingly told ACI Prensa, CNA’s
Spanish-language news partner.Bishop-elect Guillaud — who has served as a
pastor in several Algerian cities: Batna (2006–2014); Constantine
(2014–2016); and Skikda (2016–present) as well as vicar general of the
Diocese of Constantine-Hippo (2020–2024) — does not consider himself an
expert on St. Augustine but recognizes that the saint offers a clear
model of life and mission.“He was a tireless truth-seeker. Although he
received a Christian education from his mother, that was not enough for
him. He sought other answers through philosophy but returned to the
faith with solid convictions. Today, where so much fake news and
manipulation circulate, Augustine’s passion for the truth is very
important,” he noted.As could not be otherwise, the teachings of St.
Augustine continue to resonate in the daily life of this small and
humble Church, yet one filled with spiritual vigor and desire for
communion. In times of division, the shepherd of Hippo speaks again of
unity.Making mercy prevail over rigorism“When he became bishop in 395,”
the French priest related, “the Church was divided by the Donatist
schism. The Donatists [who believed the validity of sacraments depended
on the moral purity of the clergy administering them] outnumbered the
Catholics. But with theology, spirituality, and mercy, he managed to
reunite the Church. This effort for unity and to make mercy prevail over
rigorism seems fundamental to me in a society marked by mistrust and
polarization.”Guillaud, who is the secretary-general of the Bishops’
Conference of the North African Region (CERNA, by its French acronym),
emphasized the way in which, as early as the fifth century, St.
Augustine embodied fraternity: “He did not live alone. He wanted to live
with his brother priests. This fostered a simple, pure, and active
life. Many congregations today follow his rule. I love this call to
shared life among those who have a common mission.”A future trip by Leo
XIV to Algeria? After his appointment, Guillaud sent a letter to Pope
Leo XIV thanking him for his “trust” in him and extended an invitation
to “make a pilgrimage to Algeria in the footsteps of Augustine.”“I know
that the Algerian authorities have also let you know that you would be
well received,” he added, although he clarified that, for the moment,
there is no official confirmation. The pontiff will receive Algerian
President Abdelmadjid Tebboune at the Vatican on July 24, and Tebboune
will likely extend an official invitation.A small but vibrant Church-The
Catholic community of the Diocese of Constantine-Hippo in Algeria is a
small but vibrant presence. “It is a fraternal presence that is inserted
into the Algerian Muslim world. Creating ties, we recognize ourselves
as children of God, called to bear witness to his name together, to live
in peace and mutual respect. This is what we experience on a regular
basis,” the bishop-elect emphasized.But it wasn’t always this way.
During the French colonial period (1830–1962), the Catholic Church grew
considerably. However, after Algeria’s war of independence from France,
which ended in 1962, most French Catholics left, fearing
violence.According to its website, in 2019 the diocese had approximately
620 Catholics, mostly foreign university students from sub-Saharan
Africa. “They represent perhaps 80% of our faithful. So we have a young
Church, made up primarily of students,” Guillaud explained.The Diocese
of Constantine-Hippo represents the entire northeast of the country and
encompasses seven cities: Annaba, Skikda, Bejaïa, Constantine, Sétif,
Batna, and Tébessa. As Guillaud explained, Catholics seek above all to
live the Gospel through service, friendship, and dialogue.Fraternal
coexistence with Muslims, albeit with adjustments-However, coexistence
with Muslims has required some adaptation. “For example, we don’t
celebrate Sunday Mass on Sunday, because it’s a workday. We celebrate it
on Friday or Saturday, when it’s a day of rest, because otherwise, no
one would come,” he explained.The bishop-elect emphasized that dialogue
with Islam is not a sporadic initiative but a daily reality. “Eight or
nine out of 10 people who enter our communities are Muslims. They come
to bring us some of the couscous they’ve prepared, to ask us how we are
doing, to ask for our help, to share something personal. The vast
majority of those we meet every day are Muslims,” he noted.There is a
spiritual openness that profoundly influences the mission.“Algerians
have a very strong spiritual and religious sensibility. It’s more
pleasant to live here than in a country where religion is marginalized.
For us, interreligious dialogue is, above all, a daily experience,” he
emphasized.
