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)
WAR WITH IRAN - DAY 162 AUGUST 08,26 - 130 WILD FIRES RAGE IN BRITISH COLUMBIA.
THE
NEXT US-ISRAEL HIT ON IRAN SHOULD BE VERSE 37. ALL OFFENSIVE NUKE SITES
MISSLES,DRONES,AND OF COURSE KHEMENI AND THE IRGC GUARDS.THEN AFTER
IRANS REGIME CHANGE. MUSLIMS COME TO JESUS BY THE MILLIONS.
JEREMEIAH 49:32-39 (IN IRAN AT THE BUSHEHR OR ARAK NUKE SITES AND ALL OFENSIVE WEAPONS DESTROYED IN IRAN)
Jeremiah 49:32-39
32
Their camels shall be a booty, and the multitude of their cattle a
spoil: and I will scatter to all winds those who have the corners [of
their hair] cut off; and I will bring their calamity from every side of
them, says Yahweh.
33 Hazor shall be a dwelling-place of jackals, a
desolation forever: no man shall dwell there, neither shall any son of
man sojourn therein.(Location & Size: It was strategically located
along the Via Maris (Way of the Sea), a major trade route connecting
Egypt with Syria and Mesopotamia.)
34 The word of Yahweh that came to
Jeremiah the prophet concerning Elam,(IRAN) in the beginning of the
reign of Zedekiah king of Judah, saying,
35 Thus says Yahweh of
Hosts: Behold, I will break the bow of Elam,(IRANS OFFENSIVE WEAPONS)
the chief of their might.(MISSLES AND NUKE SITES)
36 On Elam (IRAN)
will I bring the four winds from the four quarters of the sky, and will
scatter them toward all those winds; and there shall be no nation where
the outcasts of Elam shall not come.(SINCE 1979 IRANIANS HAVE GOTTIN OUT
OF IRAN BECAUSE OF KHEMENI AND HIS APOCOPOLIPTIC DEATH CULT
BELIEF-BLACK HATER 12ERS)
37 I will cause Elam (IRAN) to be dismayed
before their enemies, and before those who seek their life;(ISRAEL THE
LITTLE SATAN AND THE U.S THE BIG SATAN) and I will bring evil on them,
(MISSLES) even my fierce anger,(FIRE) says Yahweh; and I will send the
sword after them,(IRANS OFFENSIVE WEAPONS) until I have consumed them;
(DESTROYED THEM ALL NUKE SITES,MISSLES ETC)
38 and I will set my
throne in Elam,(IRAN WILL BECOME A CHRISTIAN NATION) and will destroy
from there king (KHEMENI, ISLAM) and princes, says Yahweh.(IRANIAN ARMY
GUARDS)
39 But it shall happen in the latter days, that I will bring
back the captivity of Elam,(IRAN) says Yahweh.(WERE IN THE LATTER DAYS
NOW)
WHEN ARE THE 500 MILLION MIGRATING BIRDS IN ISRAEL IN THE SPRING TIME.(GET READY ISLAM TO BE BIRD SEED FOR THESE BIRDS)
https://www.youtube.com/shorts/m0bXU5Xqc5M
The
500 million migratory birds in Israel during the spring arrive from
Africa and head toward Europe and Asia, with the peak migration
occurring in March and April. While migration starts in late February,
the most intense movements, particularly of birds of prey, storks, and
pelicans, occur during the third week of March and continue into April.
Key Details on the Spring Migration
Peak Period: Mid-March through April.
Main
Migration Route: The birds use the Great Rift Valley, which includes
the Hula Valley and Eilat, acting as a "bottleneck" where millions of
birds fly through the narrow land bridge.
Best Spots: The Hula Lake
Park (Northern Israel) and the Eilat Birding Center (Southern Israel)
are primary locations for observing the migration.
Key Species:
Hundreds of thousands of white storks, along with black kites, raptors,
and pelicans, pass through over these months.
uration: The spring migration runs from late February and continues into June, though the heaviest traffic is in March/April.
The
500 million migratory birds fly over Israel in the fall between late
August and mid-December. The peak migration period for the autumn, when
the highest volume of bird traffic occurs, is typically October and
November.
Key Fall Migration Details
Location: The Hula Valley (Agamon Hula Park) in northern Israel is the premier spot to witness this phenomenon.
Timing: Migration starts as early as late June with some waders, but intensifies from mid-August through November.
Peak Festival: The "Annual Hula Valley Bird Festival" is usually held in November to align with the peak migration traffic.
Key
Species: Many birds of prey (raptors), including honey buzzards and
steppe eagles, cross during this time, along with massive flocks of
storks and cranes.
While roughly 500 million birds pass through in
the autumn on their way to Africa, the same number crosses again in the
spring (mid-February to May) on their way back to Europe and Asia.
JEREMEIAH 49:23-27
23
Concerning Damascus.(SYRIA) Hamath is confounded, and Arpad: for they
have heard evil tidings: they are fainthearted; there is sorrow on the
sea;(WAR SHIPS WITH NUKES COMING ON SYRIA) it cannot be quiet.
24
Damascus is waxed feeble, and turneth herself to flee, and fear hath
seized on her: anguish and sorrows have taken her, as a woman in
travail.
25 How is the city of praise not left, the city of my joy!
26
Therefore her young men shall fall in her streets, and all the men of
war shall be cut off in that day, saith the LORD of hosts.
27 And I
will kindle a fire (NUKES OR BOMBS) in the wall of Damascus, and it
shall consume the palaces of Benhadad.(ASSADS PALACES POSSIBLY IN
DAMASCUS)
THESE ISLAMIC
DEATH CULTS (ALL ISLAM MOON GOD ALLAH-MAUDI WORSHIPPERS-SHIITE AND
SUNNIS) ARE A BUNCH OF HYPOCRITES JUST LIKE THE IRANIANS (PERSIAN
TERRITORIAL DEMON OVER IRAN) AND THE DEMOLIBNUTS IN NORTH AMERICA.
Analysis-In
risky gamble, Iran bets control over Strait of Hormuz can force Trump
to bend-Tehran believes US munitions shortages and voter discontent over
high energy prices give it upper hand, but prolonged war and economic
pain could turn its leverage into a liability-By Joseph Krauss and
AMIR-HUSSEIN RADJY Today, 7:44 pm
The Strait of Hormuz is, by
some accounts, named for a Zoroastrian deity destined to emerge
victorious after a 9,000-year standoff with an adversary.Iran’s leaders
feel their own victory is at hand and won’t require the same epic
patience.They are betting that military pressure will ultimately force
the United States to accept their control over the crucial waterway for
global energy — and that time is on their side.They know about the
diminishing stockpiles of key US weapons such as advanced missile
interceptors. They know the war is deeply unpopular with Americans. They
know that as long as the strait is largely closed, the price of gas and
other goods will stay high ahead of US congressional elections in
November. They know that trying to open it by force would be costly and
may require American ground troops. They know their Houthi allies in
Yemen could widen the war and disrupt another major trade route.By that
logic, US President Donald Trump has no choice but to capitulate.But
Iran’s strategy carries risks.Trump points to strikes that have
decimated Iran’s top leadership, navy and air force. He alternates
between threatening escalation and saying talks are going well. Iran’s
own economy has been battered, in part because of a US blockade.
Iranians rose up in mass protests just months ago and could do so
again.And Iran’s leaders need only look to how Trump’s “short-term
excursion” to the Middle East has bogged down to be reminded that wars
rarely turn out as expected.An evolving deal could give Iran a major
win-Iran says it is close to reaching a deal with Oman to manage the
strait, which runs between the two countries. But it would be
conditioned on the US lifting its blockade, so even if there are no
direct negotiations — as Iran says — Trump would have to approve.It’s
unclear whether the deal would allow Iran to charge fees. But it would
formalize its control over what had been an open international waterway
before the war, one that carried a fifth of the world’s traded oil and
gas.Abdolreza Davari, an analyst who once advised former President
Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, said Iran’s effective control of the strait has
given it leverage with the US and regional countries that can help
guarantee its security.“More than revenue from the strait, Iran wants to
confirm its management and sovereignty over the strait,” he said by
phone from Tehran.Formal control over even part of the strait would be a
clear win for Iran and a loss for the US, which has yet to accomplish
some of its various and shifting goals in the war.It would also deal a
blow to global norms on freedom of navigation and set a precedent that
much of the world would find disturbing — that nations can shut down
trade choke points at will.China, which buys oil from Iran and has
influence over it, said as recently as May that “normal and safe
passage” through the strait should be restored.Iran feels time is on its
side-To borrow a phrase from Trump’s own theory of geopolitics, Iran
believes it holds the cards.“They started the war, but its end was never
with them. We always decide for ourselves when it ends,” Mahdi
Mohammadi, an adviser to Iran’s chief negotiator, posted on social
media. “Iran is going after the enemy’s defeat — not an agreement.”He
said a surprise Iranian attack on Jordan in July “compensated” for a
drop in oil prices. That contributed to the collapse of an interim
agreement reached in June that had offered significant concessions to
Iran, including a US waiver to sell oil internationally and the promise
of broader sanctions relief.Iran has repeatedly said the Strait of
Hormuz will not go back to being an open waterway, and that it will keep
attacking ships trying to transit without its permission. Iran’s joint
military command has called it an “unbreakable red line.”“For Iran, the
Strait of Hormuz has become a strategic lever for deterrence,
maintaining the regional balance of power, and reshaping the security
rules in the Persian Gulf,” said Mostafa Najafi, a Tehran-based security
analyst.That poses a major obstacle to ending the war, much less
resolving the even more complex, long-standing dispute over Iran’s
nuclear program.“The atomic issue, because of the conflict in the Strait
of Hormuz, has been pushed to the side, and in reality, that is in
Iran’s interests,” said Rahman Ghahremanpour, an Iran-based analyst.
Control of the strait would give Iran leverage if the nuclear talks
resume, he added.It’s still a risky gamble-The economic fallout from the
war has spread worldwide but is particularly acute in Iran.US and
Israeli strikes have pummeled its industrial base. The US blockade has
choked off much of its oil exports. Iranians are grappling with
triple-digit food inflation. Trump has repeatedly threatened major
strikes on civilian infrastructure like water and electricity.In
December, a currency crisis sparked some of the biggest anti-government
protests in the 47-year history of the Islamic Republic. Authorities
responded with a bloody crackdown in which thousands were killed and
tens of thousands detained.Many in Iran, including those close to its
moderate President Masoud Pezeshkian, fear it may go too far.Mohammad
Javad Zarif, who as foreign minister helped negotiate the 2015 nuclear
deal, wrote in a recent essay that Iran’s achievements in the war had
opened “an exceptional window for diplomacy.” But he warned that if it
doesn’t strike a deal soon, then “economic recovery will be difficult,
and the possibility of internal unrest or renewed aggression, especially
after the US elections, cannot be ruled out.”The war has already been
marked by surprises.After the first wave of US and Israeli airstrikes on
February 28 killed Iran’s supreme leader and other top officials, Trump
suggested it would be over in a matter of weeks.Instead, the conflict
has emboldened Iran’s leaders and mobilized their supporters. Tehran is
using the strait “to show that it has not been defeated,” Ghahremanpour
said. “It can increase its legitimacy at home.”But the strategy could
also backfire. Iran’s resilience has limits, and there are concerns that
an economic crash could trigger unrest. “Iran cannot continue with this
strategy forever, and at a certain point, in reality, it has to reach a
deal with America,” he said.But Davari said that for now, Iran can
withstand the pressure. “It’s unlikely, despite the difficulties of the
economic situation, that Iran will retreat from its positions,” he said.
Vance:
Iran told US it has ‘no plans’ to charge Hormuz toll-Tehran issues
drastic new demands for deal to reopen Hormuz, says US must ‘correct its
behavior’Washington doesn’t immediately respond to new demands, which
include a permanent end to the conflict and withdrawal of American
forces from Mideast, ‘complete compensation’ for war damage-By Agencies
and ToI Staff Today, 11:40 pm-AUG 8,26
Iran’s politburo-like body
known as the Supreme National Security Council on Saturday declared the
Strait of Hormuz will not open until the United States “corrects its
behavior,” issuing new demands that could shake up talks on a deal to
manage the waterway and traffic on it.Iran’s state broadcaster published
the statement by the council’s secretary, Mohammad Bagher Zolghadr, who
is also a commander in the powerful Islamic Revolutionary Guard
Corps.The United States must never threaten Iran again, the statement
said, and must permanently end the war with Iran and its armed allies in
the region. The US must lift the naval blockade of Iranian ports and
withdraw its military from the area. It also must “completely
compensate” Iran for war damage, lift sanctions and “unconditionally”
release frozen assets.The new list of demands reflected the demands Iran
was previously making as a condition for a permanent accord with the
US. That envisaged accord was intended by the US as also resolving the
threat posed by Iran’s rogue nuclear program and its stockpile of
60%-enriched uranium. Instead, the demands were being issued as
conditions for an accord under which Iran would merely consent to reopen
the Strait of Hormuz.Barak Ravid, Washington correspondent of Israel’s
Channel 12 news, told the network that “clearly the US cannot accept”
those demands and that they could potentially push US President Donald
Trump back toward the military option that he shelved only days
ago.There was no immediate comment from the US, which has wanted an
acceptable deal first on the strait before ending the blockade.
According to the interim deal signed in June, a schedule to end
sanctions and plan for compensation would be part of the final deal, and
negotiations would address frozen assets.The 60-day period to negotiate
a final deal will end in just over a week but could be extended.Iran
has said it was close to reaching a separate deal with Oman to manage
the strait, which runs between the two countries.Iranian Foreign
Minister Abbas Araghchi earlier Saturday said they were close to
reaching an agreement on navigation, “specifically the determination of a
transit route.” But the waterway’s reopening was contingent on other
conditions, he said in remarks shared on social media, and blamed the
situation on what he called the US violation of the interim deal.The
IRGC also said earlier Saturday that reopening Hormuz was unrelated to
the negotiations with Oman and would depend on Washington accepting
Tehran’s conditions.“The enemy is forced to accept Iran’s conditions for
the opening of the strait and to refrain from the interference that it
is currently making in the negotiations — which have almost reached
their end — between Iran, Oman and other countries,” the IRGC said.Oman,
a mediator Gulf Arab country which has said relatively little on the
talks, said in a statement that the discussions were ongoing “in a
positive and constructive atmosphere,” and condemned attacks on ships on
the strait, where the United Arab Emirates reported that one of its
vessels was targeted Saturday by an Iranian missile.The strait, crucial
to global supplies of oil and natural gas, had been considered an
international waterway before the war. Ship transits remain low.‘No
plans to toll Hormuz’As the Islamic Republic issued its new demands, US
Vice President JD Vance said to Fox News that Tehran told Washington it
had “no plans” to impose tolls on the Strait of Hormuz.“Some people
within the Iranian system” have talked about tolling the waterway, he
said, adding that “the Iranians have told us they have no plans to toll
the Strait of Hormuz.”“But again, we’re going to see what actions
actually happen,” Vance said.According to Vance, the expectation of the
Trump administration was that “we see the same amount of oil and gas
come out of the Gulf that you saw before the conflict.”“The one problem
of course is that the Iranians laid a large number of mines at the
beginning of the war and so what we’re really working through is how you
can actually set up a traffic scheme so ships that pass can pass
through safely,” Vance continued. “That of course includes de-mining, it
also includes a commitment from the Iranians that they are not going to
fire at commercial vessels.”A diplomat from one of the mediating
countries told The Times of Israel that Vance was correct in stating
that the temporary deal to reopen the Strait of Hormuz will bar either
side from charging tolls.Iran, however, has not ruled out the imposition
of tolls once that deal expires, with state-owned news outlet Press TV
reporting Friday that a parliamentary committee was reviewing a
preliminary bill that would introduce fees for transiting the waterway,
while barring US, Israeli and other “hostile” vessels from passing
through.Vance further said in the Fox News interview that Iran was
“hurting in a big way,” and was pushing hard for a deal to end the war,
adding: “I think we have made some progress in the last few days.”“We’ve
destroyed their nuclear program. We’ve destroyed their conventional
military. We’ve radically reduced what you might call their asymmetric
military capabilities,” Vance claimed, “and right now we’re trying to
see if they’re willing to make the kind of long-term changes that would
be necessary to have a better relationship with the United States. If
not, that’s fine too. We are just going to keep on applying the kind of
pressure that we can apply.”
Iran MPs said to weigh bill to bar
US, Israeli from strait-Iran said awaiting top council’s okay for Hormuz
accord; US official: ‘We expect a deal soon’Report says that under
temporary deal, Iran and Oman will oversee transit in strait, and ships
will not be charged tolls; opposition outlet claims Mojtaba Khamenei in
critical condition By Jacob Magid and ToI Staff 7 August 2026, 9:33 pm
A
US official claimed Friday that progress had been made in talks between
Iran and Oman aimed at fully reopening the Strait of Hormuz.“We expect a
deal soon,” a US official said in a statement sent to querying
reporters.US President Donald Trump has been asserting a deal was
imminent since Saturday, when he called off a major military strike
against Iranian energy sites.“Once a deal is announced to restore
commercial shipping without impediments, the US will lift the blockade
of Iranian ports,” the US official said.“US actions will continue to be
performance-based and tied to Iran’s implementation of its commitments,”
the official added.Axios reported Friday that Iran was waiting for its
Supreme National Security Council to approve a temporary agreement with
the US and Oman on opening the strait, and expected that okay to come
shortly. It cited a diplomat from one of the mediating
countries.Earlier, MS Now (formerly MSNBC) had reported that a framework
deal had been reached for Iran and Oman to jointly control the key
waterway that Iran has obstructed since the beginning of its war with
the US and Israel in late February.Under the deal, ships would not be
charged tolls. However, US support for the agreement was not guaranteed,
it said.An unnamed Iranian government official said the deal would
establish a new Iran-controlled entry route and an Oman-controlled exit
route from the waterway, a critical oil trade route.The same official
added that the United States and the United Nations International
Maritime Organization would be involved in the deal’s formal
announcement if approved, although the timing isn’t yet known.A US
official was quoted by MS Now as saying Washington will only support the
deal if it includes no fees and also no “impediments — meaning no
approvals or permissions.” The report didn’t say if the framework
includes such provisions.The members of the Gulf Cooperation Council
have also endorsed the agreement, the report said, citing an unnamed
Gulf government official.Various outlets have reported progress in the
talks and details of the deal for about a week. It is said to set a
60-day period in which the US and Iran will negotiate long-term
arrangements and an end to the war that began in late February — similar
to the memorandum of understanding signed in June, which later
collapsed.Parliament said to weigh banning US, Israel from
waterway-Meanwhile, Iran’s state-owned news outlet Press TV reported
Friday that a parliamentary committee was reviewing a preliminary bill
that would introduce fees for transit of the Strait of Hormuz, while
barring US, Israeli and other “hostile” vessels from passing the
waterway.The report cited lawmaker Alireza Salimi, who said the bill
would also place restrictions on any ships or cargo deemed to have been
involved in “hostile actions” against Iran’s regional allies, including
Lebanon’s Hezbollah terror group.“It would also prohibit the entry and
exit of military or warships, as well as vessels involved in espionage,
spying, or actions deemed contrary to Iran’s national security,” he
said.The draft bill would impose fines of up to 20 percent of a ship’s
cargo value for violations of the proposed restrictions.The lawmaker
said the legislation was still under expert review and that parliament
had invited specialists to submit recommendations before the draft was
finalized.Unconfirmed opposition report claims Mojtaba in critical
condition-Also on Friday, the opposition-aligned IranWire outlet
reported that Iranian Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei hasn’t met any
Iranian cabinet members since the US-Israeli strikes on February 28 that
killed his father and predecessor, Ali Khamenei.It cited two unnamed
sources close to President Masoud Pezeshkian’s administration.The
sources claimed that “rumors that he is in extremely critical condition
and could pass away at any moment are circulating widely within the
highest levels of the regime.” One of the sources was quoted as saying:
“We would not be surprised if we heard news of his martyrdom soon.”There
was no outside corroboration for the report.Mojtaba Khamenei has not
made any public appearances since he became supreme leader, and no
recordings of him speaking have been aired — only written statements
attributed to him by state media. He was reportedly injured and possibly
deformed in some manner during the attack that killed his father, and
has remained in hiding, reportedly communicating with other senior
regime figures via a slow array of intermediaries to avoid being
targeted.Pezeshkian himself said in an interview aired by state TV on
Wednesday that interaction with Khamenei was currently “very
difficult.”On Thursday, US President Donald Trump said that a deal had
not yet been reached with Iran to reopen Hormuz, but that such an
agreement could be inked soon.Trump on Saturday said he’d called off a
major offensive against Iranian energy sites, claiming that Mideast
mediators had assured him that a deal to reopen the Strait of Hormuz was
imminent. Then on Monday, he claimed that a deal could be signed on
Tuesday. On Tuesday, he told reporters a deal could be signed on
Wednesday or Thursday.“We’re doing very well. I’m involved in the
negotiation. I think we’re doing fine. It could be soon,” Trump said on
Thursday while speaking to reporters in the Oval Office. In the
meantime, the US will maintain its blockade of Iranian ports, he
said.Meanwhile, Iran’s chief negotiator in talks with the US, Mohammed
Bagher Ghalibaf, posted a tweet mocking Trump for repeatedly threatening
large attacks and then calling them off while citing a breakthrough in
negotiations.“‘Massive attack coming… wait, never mind, they want to
negotiate.’ That’s theater diplomacy on loop,” Ghalibaf wrote. “Using
bullying + broken promises + fake news as leverage is a failed strategy.
Acknowledge the facts and fulfill your commitments. We don’t need more
theater.”Iran said Wednesday that no talks with the US have been held in
recent days, but that it was finalizing a deal with Oman regarding
Hormuz that could restore a ceasefire with Washington.Officials who were
briefed on the negotiations portrayed the agreement as a temporary
solution to the dispute over the strait, but said it would pave the way
for the US and Iran to resume negotiations on Tehran’s nuclear
program.Jacob Magid contributed to this report.
Iran MPs said to
weigh bill to bar US, Israeli from strait-Iran said awaiting top
council’s okay for Hormuz accord; US official: ‘We expect a deal
soon’Report says that under temporary deal, Iran and Oman will oversee
transit in strait, and ships will not be charged tolls; opposition
outlet claims Mojtaba Khamenei in critical condition-By Jacob Magid and
ToI Staff 7 August 2026, 9:33 pm
A US official claimed Friday
that progress had been made in talks between Iran and Oman aimed at
fully reopening the Strait of Hormuz.“We expect a deal soon,” a US
official said in a statement sent to querying reporters.US President
Donald Trump has been asserting a deal was imminent since Saturday, when
he called off a major military strike against Iranian energy
sites.“Once a deal is announced to restore commercial shipping without
impediments, the US will lift the blockade of Iranian ports,” the US
official said.“US actions will continue to be performance-based and tied
to Iran’s implementation of its commitments,” the official added.Axios
reported Friday that Iran was waiting for its Supreme National Security
Council to approve a temporary agreement with the US and Oman on opening
the strait, and expected that okay to come shortly. It cited a diplomat
from one of the mediating countries.Earlier, MS Now (formerly MSNBC)
had reported that a framework deal had been reached for Iran and Oman to
jointly control the key waterway that Iran has obstructed since the
beginning of its war with the US and Israel in late February.Under the
deal, ships would not be charged tolls. However, US support for the
agreement was not guaranteed, it said.An unnamed Iranian government
official said the deal would establish a new Iran-controlled entry route
and an Oman-controlled exit route from the waterway, a critical oil
trade route.The same official added that the United States and the
United Nations International Maritime Organization would be involved in
the deal’s formal announcement if approved, although the timing isn’t
yet known.A US official was quoted by MS Now as saying Washington will
only support the deal if it includes no fees and also no “impediments —
meaning no approvals or permissions.” The report didn’t say if the
framework includes such provisions.The members of the Gulf Cooperation
Council have also endorsed the agreement, the report said, citing an
unnamed Gulf government official.Various outlets have reported progress
in the talks and details of the deal for about a week. It is said to set
a 60-day period in which the US and Iran will negotiate long-term
arrangements and an end to the war that began in late February — similar
to the memorandum of understanding signed in June, which later
collapsed.Parliament said to weigh banning US, Israel from
waterway-Meanwhile, Iran’s state-owned news outlet Press TV reported
Friday that a parliamentary committee was reviewing a preliminary bill
that would introduce fees for transit of the Strait of Hormuz, while
barring US, Israeli and other “hostile” vessels from passing the
waterway.The report cited lawmaker Alireza Salimi, who said the bill
would also place restrictions on any ships or cargo deemed to have been
involved in “hostile actions” against Iran’s regional allies, including
Lebanon’s Hezbollah terror group.“It would also prohibit the entry and
exit of military or warships, as well as vessels involved in espionage,
spying, or actions deemed contrary to Iran’s national security,” he
said.The draft bill would impose fines of up to 20 percent of a ship’s
cargo value for violations of the proposed restrictions.The lawmaker
said the legislation was still under expert review and that parliament
had invited specialists to submit recommendations before the draft was
finalized.Unconfirmed opposition report claims Mojtaba in critical
condition-Also on Friday, the opposition-aligned IranWire outlet
reported that Iranian Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei hasn’t met any
Iranian cabinet members since the US-Israeli strikes on February 28 that
killed his father and predecessor, Ali Khamenei.It cited two unnamed
sources close to President Masoud Pezeshkian’s administration.The
sources claimed that “rumors that he is in extremely critical condition
and could pass away at any moment are circulating widely within the
highest levels of the regime.” One of the sources was quoted as saying:
“We would not be surprised if we heard news of his martyrdom soon.”There
was no outside corroboration for the report.Mojtaba Khamenei has not
made any public appearances since he became supreme leader, and no
recordings of him speaking have been aired — only written statements
attributed to him by state media. He was reportedly injured and possibly
deformed in some manner during the attack that killed his father, and
has remained in hiding, reportedly communicating with other senior
regime figures via a slow array of intermediaries to avoid being
targeted.Pezeshkian himself said in an interview aired by state TV on
Wednesday that interaction with Khamenei was currently “very
difficult.”On Thursday, US President Donald Trump said that a deal had
not yet been reached with Iran to reopen Hormuz, but that such an
agreement could be inked soon.Trump on Saturday said he’d called off a
major offensive against Iranian energy sites, claiming that Mideast
mediators had assured him that a deal to reopen the Strait of Hormuz was
imminent. Then on Monday, he claimed that a deal could be signed on
Tuesday. On Tuesday, he told reporters a deal could be signed on
Wednesday or Thursday.“We’re doing very well. I’m involved in the
negotiation. I think we’re doing fine. It could be soon,” Trump said on
Thursday while speaking to reporters in the Oval Office. In the
meantime, the US will maintain its blockade of Iranian ports, he
said.Meanwhile, Iran’s chief negotiator in talks with the US, Mohammed
Bagher Ghalibaf, posted a tweet mocking Trump for repeatedly threatening
large attacks and then calling them off while citing a breakthrough in
negotiations.“‘Massive attack coming… wait, never mind, they want to
negotiate.’ That’s theater diplomacy on loop,” Ghalibaf wrote. “Using
bullying + broken promises + fake news as leverage is a failed strategy.
Acknowledge the facts and fulfill your commitments. We don’t need more
theater.”Iran said Wednesday that no talks with the US have been held in
recent days, but that it was finalizing a deal with Oman regarding
Hormuz that could restore a ceasefire with Washington.Officials who were
briefed on the negotiations portrayed the agreement as a temporary
solution to the dispute over the strait, but said it would pave the way
for the US and Iran to resume negotiations on Tehran’s nuclear
program.Jacob Magid contributed to this report.
Turkish FM:
Defense pact like NATO Article 5; Egypt may join-Pakistan’s defense
minister threatens ‘illegitimate’ Israel after inking pact with Saudis,
Turkey-Khawaja Asif urges Muslims to form ‘united military front’
against Jewish state, which he calls ‘a product of the Balfour
Declaration’ while ignoring UK role in his own country’s creation-By ToI
Staff Today, 7:43 pm-AUG 8,26
Pakistan’s Defense Minister
Khawaja Asif on Saturday told a news outlet in his country that “Israel
is a threat to the entire Muslim world,” and called for “a united
military front” against it, just a day after Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, and
Turkey signed a joint defense agreement.“In the context of Israel, all
Muslim countries must unite. I have no doubt about this,” Asif
said“Israel is a product of the Balfour Declaration, which was
established in the 1940s as an illegitimate state, and it could pose a
direct threat to any of the countries in the region,” he continued,
referring to the 1917 British declaration of support for the
establishment of a homeland for the Jewish People in the Land of Israel,
setting the stage for Israeli independence three decades later.
Pakistan was similarly established on the basis of a British declaration
in 1947, just a year before the founding of Israel.Asif, who has in the
past called Israel “evil and a curse for humanity,” and a “cancerous
state,” told the interviewers that his fierce opposition to Israel will
not change even if Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is defeated in this
year’s elections, which are set for October 27.“No matter who comes to
power in Jerusalem – whether it’s [former premier Naftali] Bennett or
any other leader – the differences are only marginal,” Asif said.“Their
attitude towards the Palestinians and their anti-Islamic mindset will
not disappear. They continue to incite Muslim countries against each
other,” he charged, “and as long as the Palestinian issue is not
permanently resolved, the Islamic world must stand against them as
one.”Pakistani Defense Minister Khawaja Asif on Israel: When it comes to
Israel, all Muslim countries should come together. There is absolutely
no ambiguity in my mind about that. Advertisement Given Israel’s current
conduct, as well as the historical evidence of what it has been
doing—at one… pic.twitter.com/3Uqzo1cdnR — Clash Report (@clashreport)
August 8, 2026-There was no immediate Israeli reaction to Asif’s threat.
After his since-deleted social media post earlier this labeling Israel
“cancerous,” in which he also called “to get rid of European jews
[sic],” Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said his “call for Israel’s
annihilation is outrageous,” particularly coming from a member of a
government “that claims to be a neutral arbiter for peace,” referring to
Islamabad’s role as a mediator in talks between Washington and Tehran
on ending the US-Israel war against Iran. Israel is not a party to those
negotiations.Nuclear-armed Pakistan has no diplomatic relations with
Israel. It voted against the establishment of modern Israel at the UN in
1947, does not recognize Israeli sovereignty, and says it will not do
so until a Palestinian state is established along the pre-1967 lines
with East Jerusalem as its capital. During a visit to India in 2018,
Netanyahu said: “We are not enemies of Pakistan and Pakistan should not
be our enemy either.”That same year, the Mossad spy agency seized a
trove of nuclear documents from a Tehran warehouse in 2018, detailing
Iran’s program to build nuclear weapons, which reporters from the New
York Times who viewed the archive said was carried out with foreign
assistance, “Much [of which] was clearly from Pakistan.”Separately
Saturday, Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan said the trilateral pact
that Turkey, Pakistan and Saudi Arabia signed a day earlier is
technically the same as NATO’s Article 5 mutual defense agreement,
meaning that an attack on any of the three countries would be considered
an attack on them all.Speaking to the state-run Anadolu news agency,
Fidan said a committee of ministers similar to that within NATO would be
formed as part of the alliance, as well as a general secretariat based
in Saudi Arabia. Egypt could potentially join the pact once certain
technical matters are resolved, he said.Fidan added the accord was not
targeting Iran and declared the safety of commercial ships in the Red
Sea was a Turkish interest, therefore requiring Ankara to be involved in
a Saudi-led military coalition aimed at thwarting attacks by Yemen’s
Tehran-backed Houthi rebels.He stated that the allies would decide
through consultations what degree, form, and format of support they
would ask for in the event of an attack, but that no country would be
considered a threat as long as a member state is not attacked.Turkey,
which has NATO’s second-largest army, has said the pact was open to
expansion to other regional countries and did not seek to replace any
existing alliances.“NATO is a giant military alliance where there are 32
countries. We have started here as three countries and we have to take
very humble but concrete steps,” Fidan said, adding efforts to finalise
the pact had been underway for two years and eight months.Agencies
contributed to this report.
Saudi Arabia, Turkey and Pakistan
sign joint defense deal in shadow of Iran war-Pact links NATO member,
nuclear state and host of Muslim holy sites; three Sunni countries say
deal not directed at any particular country, but all are wary of Iran
and Israel-By Reuters 7 August 2026, 3:20 pm
RIYADH/KARACHI/ANKARA
— Saudi Arabia, Pakistan and Turkey signed a joint defense agreement in
Mecca on Friday, wedding Sunni Muslim US allies alarmed at a regional
conflagration that has rained missile fire onto Gulf oil exporters.Iran
and its allies have been firing on Saudi Arabia and other Gulf states,
and blockading their energy shipments, since the US and Israel attacked
it on February 28 in a major escalation of years of regional tumult.The
agreement is intended to strengthen collective deterrence against any
act of aggression and stipulates that an armed attack against any of the
three would be regarded as an attack on all, they said in a joint
statement.While the statement did not give specifics on the commitments
or obligations each had accepted under what it called the Mecca Joint
Defense Agreement, it said the pact was aimed at strengthening their
collective security and promoting peace, security and stability in the
region and beyond.A Turkish official said the agreement was defensive in
nature, was not directed against any specific actor, was open to other
regional countries, and did not abrogate or replace any existing
bilateral or multilateral arrangements.However, the three nations are
particularly concerned by the increasingly aggressive military stances
of both Israel and revolutionary Shiite Iran, even as their longtime US
ally struggles to contain regional upheaval.“The political symbolism of
the summit is significant. Three of the Muslim world’s most influential
states are convening at a moment of heightened uncertainty,
demonstrating a growing willingness among regional and middle powers to
coordinate more closely on security matters,” said Abdulaziz Sager,
chairman of the Gulf Research Center, a Saudi-based think tank.“If
institutionalized and translated into concrete cooperation, the
trilateral framework could strengthen the three countries’ collective
diplomatic and defense weight while contributing to the emergence of a
more regionally driven security architecture,” Sager added.Turkey has
NATO’s second-largest military. Saudi Arabia, the strongest Gulf state,
is home to Islam’s holiest sites and one of the world’s top oil
exporters, while Pakistan is the only nuclear-armed Muslim
country.Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, accompanied by powerful
army chief Asim Munir, performed the Umrah pilgrimage in Mecca before
Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan’s arrival.They met Saudi Crown Prince
Mohammed bin Salman, whose country has been repeatedly struck by Iran,
as well as by Tehran’s Houthi allies in Yemen and Shi’ite militia in
Iraq, since the war began on February 28.The conflict has also upended
the security of Riyadh’s Gulf allies and shut down most shipping in the
Strait of Hormuz, the route for about a fifth of global energy supplies
before the war.Their pact follows nearly a year of negotiations,
reported by Reuters in January, when Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan
Fidan said Ankara favored a broader regional security platform to
promote cooperation and stability.Pact builds on longstanding military
ties.The Middle East has been in flames for nearly three years since the
October 7, 2023, Hamas attack on Israel, with nearly every country in
the region experiencing cross-border attacks or missile or drone fire.
Israel has waged war in Gaza, invaded southern Lebanon and seized
territory in Syria as well as launching two air campaigns against
Iran.Tehran has attacked US bases and civilian infrastructure in Saudi
Arabia, Kuwait, Bahrain, Qatar, the United Arab Emirates, Oman, Jordan
and Israel.While Turkey and Pakistan, on the borders of the Middle East,
have avoided significant direct attacks, both are anxious to calm
conflicts that threaten their own security and economic health.For Saudi
Arabia, the consequences of three years of Middle East conflicts have
been more severe — imperiling its oil exports and ambitious development
plans and drawing big questions over the reliability of its longstanding
US security umbrella.Sealing Friday’s agreement in Mecca, the holiest
site in Islam, adds symbolic heft to a pact that builds on longstanding
bilateral military ties among the three countries.Mansoor Ahmed, of the
Australian National University’s Strategic and Defence Studies Centre,
said Pakistan and Turkey bring strong defense industries to the table,
while Saudi could contribute with technological spending.However, the
accord would likely not include a nuclear component with Pakistan’s
atomic deterrent focused on what it sees as the threat from India, Ahmed
added.Pakistan has provided training and technical assistance to Saudi
forces for decades, while Turkey and Pakistan have exchanged warships
and training aircraft. In 2023, Riyadh agreed to buy Turkish drones in
what Ankara called its largest defense export contract.Pakistan has
since deployed about 8,000 troops, fighter jets, drones and an
air-defense system to the kingdom, Reuters reported in May, and has
pursued wider Gulf security ties. It has opened negotiations with Kuwait
over an expanded pact in exchange for energy cooperation and
investment, Reuters reported in July.
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 (10 WORLD TRADE BLOCS)
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
In
Daniel 10 of the Bible, Daniel prayed and fasted for 21 days. An angel
told him that God heard his prayer on day one, but a demonic force
called the "prince of the kingdom of Persia" (TERRITORIAL DEMON) delayed
the angel's delivery for 21 days until the archangel Michael helped
him.(ISRAELS WAR ANGEL)
THE
ONLY WAY THESE SO CALLED PEACE DEALS WILL SUCCEED IS IF THE EUROPEAN
UNION GETS INVOLVED.HERE THE TALKS WERE IN ROME.I GUESS THE EUROPEAN
UNION ARE TO MIXED UP RIGHT NOW TO AGREE ON AN E.U REAL TIME ARMY. AND
TAKE THEIR ROLE AS ECONOMIC WORLD LEADER AND IN NEGOTIATIONS ALSO.
AMERICA IS KILLING ITSELF THREW INTERNAL CORRUPTION. COMMUNISM,
SOCIALISM LIKE THE OLD ROMAN EMPIRE DID.BUT THE BIBLE CLEARLY SAYS THE
E.U NOT AMERICA WILL BE THE WORLD ECONOMIC AND CONTROLLER. BECAUSE THE
WORLD SOCIALIST, COMMUNIST DICTATOR MUST COME FROM ONE OF THE E.U
NATIONS.AND BETWEEN HIM AND THE FALSE PROPHET (THE POPE).ALL HELL WILL
BREAK LOOSE. AND 50 % OF EARTHS POPULATION (8 BILLION) WILL BE KILLED
OFF BY NUKES AND OTHER NATURAL DISASTERS.AFTER THESE 2 THE E.U DICTATOR
AND THE VATICAN (ROMAN POPE) GET THROWN IN THE LAKE OF FIRE ALIVE (BY
JESUS-SO HE CAN RULE FROM JERUSALEM ON DAVIDS THRONE FOR HIS 1,000 YEAR
RULE OF PEACE). AT THE END OF THE 7 YEAR TRIBULATION PERIOD. WERE 4
BILLION WILL BE LEFT ON EARTH TO GO INTO JESUS' JEWISH, CHRISTIAN NEW
WORLD ORDER FOR 1,000 YEARS-THEN FOREVER-NEVER ENDING. AFTER THE GODLESS
SATAN AND LOST AND BILLIONS OF FALLIN ANGELS.AND HELL WERE THE CURRENT
LOST ARE. ARE ALL CAST INTO OUTER DARKNES OR THE LAKE OF FIRE
FOREVER-NEVER ENDING. AND ON EARTH (NOT IN HEAVEN) JESUS RULES OVER THE
JEWISH, CHRISTIAN NEW WORLD ORDER FOREVER-NEVER ENDING.
Lebanon,
Israel agree on countries that could verify Hezbollah disarmament —
official-Lebanese official says the US will ultimately choose the
nations whose troops will oversee the process from the shortlist
compiled in Rome talks-By Reuters and ToI Staff 7 August 2026, 11:59 pm
Lebanon
and Israel have agreed on a shortlist of countries that could send
troops to verify the disarmament of Hezbollah under a US-brokered
agreement, a Lebanese official said on Friday, with the United States
due to pick countries from the list.The official declined to identify
any of the countries on the shortlist or say how many there were.
Another Lebanese official and two foreign diplomats have previously told
Reuters that Israel and the United States had vetoed France.The list
was produced during meetings between Lebanon and Israel at the US
embassy in Rome this week, the latest round of talks on how to implement
a June 26 deal that links Israel’s progressive withdrawal of troops
from Lebanon to the disarmament of Hezbollah, which would be “verified”
by a third party.Hezbollah is not a party to the agreement and has
refused to give up its arsenal.“We have reached a short list of
countries. We decided which parties were impossible for each and set the
potential actors,” the Lebanese official said. “The Americans will now
decide, and could pick more than one country.”There was no immediate
response from Israel’s Foreign Ministry to Reuters questions on the
shortlist. When asked about the shortlist, a US State Department
spokesperson said the talks were “productive on the technical and expert
levels” but did not provide further details.Lebanon rejects private
security firms-The United States has been trying to broker an end to
fighting between Israel and the Iran-backed Hezbollah, which has raged
since March in parallel with the wider US-Israeli war against Iran.Two
days after the US and Israel attacked Iran on February 28, Hezbollah
fired at Israel in solidarity with Tehran. Israeli forces responded with
aerial bombardments and a ground assault, seizing a strip of land
extending about 10 km (6 miles) deep into southern Lebanon. More than a
million Lebanese civilians were forced to flee their homes. Israel has
been destroying significant terror infrastructure in the captured
areas.The Lebanese official said Beirut had rejected an earlier proposal
for private security companies to serve as third-party verifiers of
Hezbollah’s disarmament.“All of the actors proposed are countries. We
still need to discuss exactly how this would work, how many forces would
be deployed and how they would work with the Lebanese army,” the
official said.A framework for the presence of foreign troops in Lebanon
would also need to be agreed, possibly by housing them under a UN
peacekeeping force in Lebanon, UNIFIL, whose mandate is due to expire at
the end of this year.The Lebanese official said that would require a
new UN Security Council resolution, which the US and Israel were now
willing to consider in what he called a breakthrough. Other
possibilities include housing the troops under a separate UN agency or
through a memorandum of understanding with Lebanon.The talks did not,
however, produce an agreement on the next area from which Israeli troops
would withdraw so that Lebanese troops could take control. Beirut had
proposed Bint Jbeil and Khiam, two large towns that have been hit hard
by air strikes and where Israeli troops have razed entire
neighborhoods.The next round of talks is set for early September, the
official said.A State Department spokesperson said Thursday that the
sides were “a lot closer on what needs to be done to advance and expand
the pilot zone process,” after Jerusalem and Beirut wrapped up their
seventh round of direct talks.The negotiations picked up amid the
heaviest cross-border fighting in weeks, with the IDF striking Hezbollah
targets in southern Lebanon after two IDF soldiers were killed by an
explosive on Wednesday.But a Lebanese presidential source told AFP on
Thursday that Israel had refused in talks to withdraw from more areas of
south Lebanon unless the Lebanese army had full control of the initial
two “pilot zones.”The Lebanese source told AFP, on condition of
anonymity, that the talks had “not yielded definitive results regarding
the pilot zones.”“Lebanon is keen to move on to new areas, whereas the
Israeli side insists on verifying [the implementation in] the first two
zones before proceeding to the next stage,” the source added.According
to the Saudi Asharq News network, this week’s meetings in Rome had three
parallel tracks: legal, political and military.The political track
reportedly addressed the proposed pilot zones, while the military track
aimed to agree on common definitions of military operations.The legal
track dealt with Lebanese prisoners held by Israel, according to Asharq,
which called the atmosphere on the issue “positive.” Lebanese civilians
detained by Israel will be handled separately from Hezbollah operatives
captured by Israel, according to the report.Jacob Magid and Lazar
Berman contributed to this report.
New framework argues
government AI depends on strong DPI-CDPI says trusted digital public
infrastructure must come before AI can transform public services-Aug 6,
2026, 12:35 pm EDT | Lu-Hai Liang
The Centre for Digital Public
Infrastructure says governments must build trusted digital
infrastructure before AI can scale across public services.As governments
rush to adopt generative AI, the Centre for Digital Public
Infrastructure (CDPI) argues many risk repeating the mistakes of the
blockchain era by treating AI as a shortcut rather than building the
digital infrastructure it depends on.Daniel Abadie had seen the pattern
before. Years after blockchain was promoted as a shortcut to modernizing
government, he believes generative AI is generating similar
expectations that countries can leapfrog foundational digital
infrastructure.The DPI–AI Framework, developed over multiple years, was
created to challenge that idea. Abadie and the Centre for Digital Public
Infrastructure created it to bring home the idea that without strong
digital public infrastructure, AI cannot function reliably inside
government systems. “You can’t skip the basics,” Abadie argues. “AI
needs the rails before it can run.”Abadie leads digital transformation
efforts from his base in Buenos Aires, Argentina, and is head of
technology and partnerships at the Centre for Digital Public
Infrastructure (CDPI). He’s been a consultant for both the public and
private sector, and has held the role of undersecretary of digital
government under Argentina President Mauricio Macri (2015–2019).The CDPI
head, after years of experience embedded in various government
departments, says that rebuilding every legacy system is not financially
possible. Governments work within a budget, so they must modernize
strategically. The framework is designed to help people see DPI as a
direct path to AI maturity.Governments may begin with AI and discover
they need DPI to progress, or they may already be building DPI and later
connect it to AI capabilities. Additionally, without shared data
protocols and clear consent rules, AI models will have nothing stable to
stand on.“It’s about how you architect the technology,” Abadie says,
adding that he’s not “married to technology” and that it’s a
short-to-medium-term vision paper they’ve created that’s really designed
for those with more limited resources, advising them on how to move
forward.Three layers of government AI-To make things practical the
framework breaks government AI into three layers: AI blocks, DPI
workflows and agents. AI blocks include capabilities such as
voice‑to‑text, optical character recognition (OCR) and digital public
goods (DPGs) like MOSIP for digital identity verification.DPI workflows
are layered above them and define how these blocks are combined for
specific use cases. Agents — the “chefs,” in Abadie’s analogy — execute
the workflows. The orchestration layer between them reduces
hallucinations and ensures human‑controlled decision points.The
framework is deliberately technology‑agnostic. Governments can use
commercial or open‑source models and swap them out without locking
themselves into a single vendor or cloud provider.The Centre for Digital
Public Infrastructure plans to support governments as they adopt and
adapt the framework. There’s an upcoming webinar, and on the CDPI’s
website numerous resources, including a nine-step implementation guide.A
key ambition is accessibility. The framework supports countries with
limited budgets. Abadie points to Trinidad and Tobago, which is already
using AI agents for service delivery despite its smaller economy. The
goal is to embed AI into productive government processes; to reduce
service delivery times, improve efficiency and smooth bureaucratic
friction.Tools like voice‑to‑text, which India has deployed across its
DPI with further work on its numerous dialects, can help those who speak
minority languages or who struggle with text. Verifiable credentials
that do not require smartphones can widen access. “Exclusion usually
comes from how services are designed,” Abadie says, “not from the
technology itself.”Moving beyond theory-To move beyond theory, the
framework includes design tools and an implementation sandbox.
Governments can prototype services using full‑code or no‑code DPGs such
as OpenFn, making it easier to scale small concepts into national
systems.In practice, AI agents act as interpreters rather than data
stores. In a tax payment scenario, for example, the agent verifies
identity through DPI blocks, triggers the relevant workflow and connects
to the payment gateway — without holding the data itself.The framework
also outlines a nine‑step implementation process: from self‑assessment
and use‑case definition to workflow creation, metrics, deployment and
iteration. Abadie warns that skipping steps risks excluding
citizens.Countries are already approaching digital transformation in
different ways. Rwanda, India, Colombia, Kazakhstan, Trinidad and Tobago
have each taken distinct paths, proving there is no single model. To
support continued learning, Abadie announced a series of webinars in
September, held with 50-in-5 and the Digital Public Goods Alliance,
leading up to the Global DPI Summit in Bali next year.The message is
simple, even if the framework is a bit tricky to wrap one’s head around,
at least on the first go. The series of forthcoming webinars could be
vital to explaining and educating policymakers and stakeholders, moving
from concept to practice. But the core is this: AI could potentially
transform government, and service delivery, for the better, but only if
the foundations are in place. DPI is the road to get there.
Pakistan
fast-tracks digital identity as Digital Nation Act takes
effect-Government pushes unified digital ID, sovereign infrastructure
and digital governance-Jul 30, 2026, 3:48 pm EDT | Lu-Hai Liang
Pakistan
is moving to speed deployment of core digital infrastructure. The
GSMA’s Digital Pakistan 2030 report urges a shift while the Digital
Nation Pakistan Act 2025 gives the Pakistan Digital Authority the legal
mandate to build national digital plumbing. At the same time, PTA’s
fines over flawed SIM issuance highlight risks in the country’s
biometric SIM system, which is central to KYC, authentication and
financial inclusion.Pakistan PM wants faster digital
transformation-Pakistan is speeding up its digital transformation and
wants to deploy a unified digital identity on a faster timeline. Prime
Minister Shehbaz Sharif has called for an acceleration of Pakistan’s
national digital transformation agenda.Chairing a review meeting on the
country’s integrated digital policy framework, he said digitalization
was essential for improving service delivery and building a more
connected society. The unified digital ID would allow Pakistanis to
verify documents, access banking and healthcare. One platform would
facilitate financial transfers and other public services.Sharif directed
officials to fast‑track deployment in health, agriculture, utilities,
housing and SMEs. The argument is that these sectors should deliver
early, visible benefits. The housing component will assign a central
identification number to every public and private property, officials
said, while the SME track will introduce a unified legal identity for
businesses to boost productivity and growth.Sharif also called for an
early meeting of the National Digital Commission to align federal and
provincial stakeholders on the rollout strategy. Separately, he
instructed authorities to grant all federal institutions immediate
access to the new Sky 47 central data center. This is an 8.5‑megawatt
facility to consolidate government data and reduce the need for
individual departments to build their own infrastructure.The Prime
Minister’s Office said legal and institutional preparations for
nationwide deployment are advancing, with international experts advising
on best practices. The Pakistan Digital Authority is leading efforts to
modernize services and strengthen digital governance.The government
expects improvements in transparency, decision‑making and Pakistan’s
international digital standing. Work is underway across 14 additional
sectors, with reforms expected to support economic activity and trade.In
parallel, PDA chairperson Dr. Sohail Munir met National
Telecommunication Corporation chief Maj. Gen. (R) Ali Farhan to advance
collaboration on core digital infrastructure. Discussions covered
government‑wide directory services, secure email and sovereign cloud
hosting. In addition, identity management, SSO, secure communications
and sovereign AI systems were among the priorities. Both organizations
are committed to accelerating work on foundational layers of Pakistan’s
digital sovereignty.GSMA believes delivery should now be Pakistan’s
focus-Pakistan has built early momentum in digital transformation, but
the GSMA argues progress should now shift from policy to delivery,
strengthening coordination across federal and provincial governments,
and creating a stable investment environment.The Digital Pakistan 2030
report identifies five priorities. These are unlocking long‑term digital
infrastructure investment, and accelerating digital inclusion
(especially for women and rural users). Building trusted digital
infrastructure through stronger cybersecurity and data
governance.Preparing for an AI‑enabled economy with better spectrum,
fiber and data center capacity, and, lastly, improving national
coordination across government and industry. The GSMA notes Pakistan’s
advances in spectrum reform, mobile internet adoption and women’s
digital inclusion.However, the global organization for mobile ecosystems
warns that high taxes and spectrum pricing continue to constrain
investment, and in addition with regulatory uncertainty, risks hampering
5G rollout and broader digital growth.Digital Nation Pakistan Act 2025
sets out end goal-Pakistan’s Digital Nation Act 2025 created the
Pakistan Digital Authority (PDA). This is the legally empowered
institution to plan, regulate and deliver the country’s digital
transformation.The law sets a national direction built on three pillars:
a digital society, a digital economy and modern digital governance.
This gives the PDA authority over standards, data governance, digital
public infrastructure and emerging technologies.The PDA is established
as an independent statutory body with a five‑year, non‑renewable
leadership term allowing it to sign contracts, enforce regulations and
oversee citizen‑facing digital services. A National Digital Commission,
chaired by the prime minister, sets strategy.An Oversight Committee
monitors delivery and the PDA executes the build. The Act, the PDA and
the Digital Nation Pakistan vision have distinct functions. The law is
the rulebook, the PDA is the implementing institution, and Digital
Nation Pakistan represents the end goal.The legislation gives Pakistan,
for the first time, a durable institutional mechanism to build the
foundational digital infrastructure — identity, data exchange, cloud
systems — needed for a modern state, according to a release.SIM issuance
and biometric checks result in fines for Pakistan telcos-Pakistan’s
telecom regulator fined all mobile operators in July 2026 for failures
in how SIMs were issued. It was not for data breaches, reports
TechBullion. The Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) imposed
about Rs 740 million in cumulative penalties, around US$2.7 million, on
cellular licensees in its enforcement orders.Investigations showed SIMs
were activated without genuine consent, biometric checks were poorly
supervised, and controls like liveness detection and geofencing were
bypassed. As SIM owner details in Pakistan are tied to NADRA’s national
ID through mandatory biometric verification, weak enrollment practices
create systemic risk.Pakistan has more than 204 million active SIMs,
with strict limits on how many each CNIC can hold, but these controls
are sometimes circumvented. The integrity of SIM records is important
for finance. KYC, SMS‑based authentication and financial inclusion are
backed by mobile SIMs.Fraud risks rise when SIMs are swapped or issued
improperly, and banks are advised to monitor SIM‑change signals. Delayed
beneficiary updates and sudden loss of signal are treated as security
events. Enforcement records show failures at retail counters and misuse
of biometric devices, not breaches of central databases.Meanwhile,
illegal markets advertise “Pak SIM data” and “fresh SIM data,” but no
lawful channel provides SIM owner details by number. Such activity
involves fabrication or trafficking.Pakistan requires biometric SIM
registration but still lacks a data protection law, leaving strong
collection mandates without corresponding privacy safeguards. Regulators
elsewhere can learn from Pakistan’s enrollment audits and citizen
self‑check tools, but not from its sequencing, which created space for
criminal markets. Trust in SIM owner details is created at enrollment,
and that is where the system is most vulnerable, argues TechBullion.
Kazakhstan
bets DPI will drive its next phase of growth, private sector
innovation-Can the Central Asian country leverage digital public
infrastructure for economic development? Jul 29, 2026, 1:24 pm EDT |
Lu-Hai Liang
Kazakhstan has a fast-growing economy and one of the
most mature DPI ecosystems in Central Asia. The country has a National
Digital Strategy, which emphasizes public-private partnerships to foster
financial inclusion and innovation, it is developing a national
biometric authentication system under Prime Minister Oljas Bektenov, and
has built biometrics-based digital IDs for users to navigate digital
government as well as private services.Kazakhstan is moving fast to make
DPI a unified digital trust infrastructure — is it a basis for a
national economic infrastructure? There are good numbers. Kazakhstan
ranked 24th in the UN’s 2024 global e-government development index.
“This ranking is a significant indicator of our digitalization and
public administration progress. The survey, conducted every two years,
looks at key areas such as e-services, human capital, and
telecommunications infrastructure,” said Minister of Digital
Development, Innovations, and Aerospace Industry Zhaslan Madiyev.The
eGov Mobile platform is used by more than 90 percent of the economically
active population. The Digital Family Card supports more than six
million families as it provides access to digitized social protection.
It’s estimated that it has contributed US$65 million in economic
impact.Daulet Bekmanov, chairman of NITEC, operator of the eGov
ecosystem, noted a surge in use of digital IDs. “The consistent annual
growth in services accessed via the eGov Mobile application proves the
effectiveness of [digitalization efforts],” he said at the end of last
year.Rules introduced earlier this year under the country’s new Digital
Code allow banks and other businesses to access government-held digital
documents through the national Digital Documents service, provided
citizens give fresh consent for each transaction and organizations meet
strict privacy and security requirements. The move transforms digital
identity from a government service into a shared trust ecosystem that
can support KYC, customer onboarding and digital commerce.“I would like
to note that the ‘Digital Documents’ section has proven especially
popular, users can access 39 digital documents, such as ID cards,
driving licenses, student IDs, and other socially important documents,”
Bekmanov added.Online banking contributed to a massive increase in
digital transactions, from 7 percent in 2014 to 89 percent in 2024.
Mobile broadband covers 89 percent of the vast country, and more than 92
percent of the population access the internet. This is fertile ground
for the country’s expansion of DPI into banking, business identity, AI
and private-sector services.Kazakhstan’s central bank and its finance
regulator have set rules governing how financial institutions must
verify customers using state-held biometric data. This has formalized
biometric login and identity checks across banking apps, remote
onboarding and high-risk financial transactions. It’s also embedded one
of the most secure biometric modalities, palm-print and palm-vein
authentication, into banking.The latest rules require banks to verify
customers through the National Biometric Authentication System, using
face biometrics matched against government‑held reference images. The
rules mandate liveness detection with at least three random prompts to
prevent spoofing, and authentication fails after three unsuccessful
attempts. Financial institutions must also follow strict procedures for
collecting, storing, processing and documenting biometric data, ensuring
it is protected from unauthorized access throughout its entire
lifecycle.The government has also moved to require biometric identity
verification for tax records of individuals deemed high-risk, advancing
from a pilot to production requirement at the beginning of this
year.Investment in physical and digital infrastructure-Kazakhstan’s push
to reinforce its digital backbone is evident in large‑scale
infrastructure projects. The Data Center Valley development in Ekibastuz
shows intent to become a regional hub for data processing, cloud
computing and AI workloads.Renate Strazdine, NTO North Europe
Multi-Country Cluster at Microsoft, observed that with its size, power
capacity and geographic advantages, the project could support economic
diversification, draw foreign investment and strengthen national
resilience.Kazakhstan is rolling out a broad digital transformation
program covering AI, public‑sector digitalization, telecom upgrades and
workforce training. The government expects these efforts to add about
1.5 percentage points to annual GDP through 2029, with projected
investments of $10.5–$16.5 billion.If successful, Kazakhstan would offer
an important example for countries participating in the 50-in-5
initiative: demonstrating that DPI can evolve from improving government
services into supporting economic growth, private-sector innovation and
national competitiveness.2026 has been designated the Year of
Digitalization and AI, backed by the Digital Qazaqstan strategy and new
laws codifying digital rights and regulating AI use. Kazakhstan now
delivers over 90 percent of public services electronically and is
expanding its IT ecosystem, aiming to train 10,000 AI specialists and
grow IT exports to $5 billion by 2030.Major projects include a national
AI platform, smart city systems, the alem.ai center and the eGov AI
assistant. Telecom investment has boosted mobile speeds and will extend
high‑speed internet to 3,000 rural settlements by 2027. Autonomous taxi
pilots and wider AI deployment across public administration, industry,
transport, healthcare and education are planned for 2026.Private-sector
innovation and entrepreneurship, the missing pieces? Deputy Prime
Minister, and Minister of Artificial Intelligence and Digital
Development of Kazakhstan, Jaslan Madiyev, believes the country is
accelerating toward a fully-fledged digital country. “We are talking
about the transition to a new model of development, where data,
artificial intelligence and modern technologies become the foundation of
public administration, economics and social policy,” he said.“We are
moving from the digitalization of individual services and processes to
the creation of an integrated digital architecture of the country. For
citizens, this means a more convenient, proactive and personalized
state.”“For businesses – productivity growth, cost reduction and new
development opportunities. For the economy – the emergence of new
industries, attraction of investment and strengthening of Kazakhstan’s
competitiveness.”While Kazakhstan has done much to become a leading DPI
player in its region, it remains to be seen whether this will translate
into wider innovation, entrepreneurship, and growth in services and
products that drive the economy. The ground is certainly being laid, but
it will take individual dynamism and investment of capital and
imagination to achieve the country’s ambitious goals.
From behavior to payment: Visa builds trust across the customer lifecycle-Aug 7, 2026, 4:30 pm EDT | Ashok Singal
Visa’s
agreement to acquire BioCatch for $2.4 billion raises an important
strategic question: Why would a global payments network invest so
heavily in behavioral and device intelligence? The answer lies in what
happens before a payment reaches Visa’s network. Visa already has
extensive visibility into transactions. BioCatch provides intelligence
about the identity, device, behavior and intent behind them. Combined
with Visa’s acquisition of Featurespace, the deal shows Visa building
trust infrastructure across the consumer lifecycle.Visa acquired
Featurespace in 2024. The company develops real-time AI
payment-protection technology designed to prevent and mitigate payment
fraud and financial-crime risks. Its platform processes more than 100
billion events annually for banks, payment processors and other
financial institutions.Featurespace helps determine whether a
transaction is legitimate. But a payment is often the final stage of an
attack that began earlier. A criminal may open an account with stolen
information, compromise an existing account or manipulate a legitimate
customer into authorizing a transfer. In an authorized push-payment
scam, the correct customer can pass authentication and personally
approve the payment. By the time it reaches the network, the fraud has
already succeeded.This is the gap BioCatch fills. It strengthens
identity proofing by identifying suspicious application, device and
behavioral signals during onboarding, including indications of stolen or
synthetic identities, automation and mule-account creation. It then
supports continuous authentication by evaluating whether the device,
behavior and apparent intent remain consistent with the legitimate
customer throughout the digital session. Identity assurance therefore
continues beyond account opening and login.BioCatch’s platform combines
several capabilities to deliver this protection. DeviceIQ creates a
persistent device identity, evaluates the device environment and detects
spoofing, emulators, jailbroken devices, cloaked browsers, agentic AI
and deepfake-injection tools. BioCatch Align collects more than 3,000
behavioral, device, application, network and transactional signals
through one SDK. Behavioral models analyze how customers type, navigate
and handle their devices to detect account takeover, coercion and
scammer manipulation. The platform also detects malware and
remote-access activity, while BioCatch Link maps relationships among
users, devices, accounts and payments to uncover mule networks and
coordinated financial crime. Real-time scoring helps banks allow,
challenge, block or investigate activity as it occurs.Featurespace sees
the movement of money. BioCatch interprets the identity, behavior and
intent preceding it. Visa connects that intelligence across its global
network.Scale strengthens the proposition. BioCatch analyzes 19 billion
digital sessions monthly, protecting 760 million users across 1.8
billion devices for more than 350 financial institutions.This creates
network effects: devices and fraud patterns identified at one
participating institution can help expose related risks elsewhere,
subject to privacy and data-governance controls.The technology is also
largely passive. Device, behavioral and transactional signals are
evaluated in the background without requiring every customer to complete
another identity check. Financial institutions can intervene
selectively, reducing fraud without creating unnecessary friction for
legitimate customers.For Visa’s financial-institution customers, the
combination delivers earlier fraud detection and a more unified view of
identity, device, session and payment risk. It also reduces fragmented
vendor integrations and extends protection across card,
account-to-account and real-time payments.The deal strengthens Visa’s
Value-Added Services business, which it described in 2025 as a $9
billion global business that had delivered annualized revenue growth of
approximately 20 percent since 2021. Because several Visa fraud and risk
services support non-Visa transactions, BioCatch also expands Visa’s
opportunity beyond its traditional card rails.The acquisition means Visa
is moving upstream—from protecting payments to establishing trust in
the identity, device, session and intent behind them. Featurespace
protects the movement of money; BioCatch protects the journey leading to
it. Together, they position Visa to provide continuous trust from
onboarding through payment.
Australia’s national face matching
system expands with NSW participation-Legislation enables secure sharing
of driver licence photos through the National Driver Licence Facial
Recognition Solution-Aug 8, 2026, 10:19 am EDT | Joel R. McConvey
New
South Wales (NSW) is joining Australia’s national face matching
network, allowing driver licence and photo card images to be shared
through the National Driver Licence Facial Recognition Solution (NDLFRS)
to combat identity fraud and organized crime.Per the release, “if a
person’s driver licence, Medicare details or other identity information
are exposed in a data breach and obtained by organized criminals, the
Face Matching Service can help prevent those documents being used to
create fraudulent identities.”Western Australia and South Australia are
already connected to NDLFRS, which launched in October 2025 after years
of discussion and development. The national system has been in
development since at least 2019, when Victoria and Queensland first
announced plans to contribute driver licence images.Biometrics provider
Cognitec was involved in the initial stages of the contract, and Fujitsu
was contracted to manage the system until mid-2026.Tasmania was also
connected to the biometrics database – but requested its images be
pulled from the database, saying they were uploaded without the consent
of license holders and that Tasmania had not entered into a
participation agreement with the Australian government.NSW’s
participation comes as part of a larger state package to address
organized crime. The bill in Parliament also introduces new rules
allowing police to compel an individual to supply access information for
digital devices suspected to be associated with organized crime, and
gives police access to unredacted images captured by toll cameras on
public toll roads.Identity theft remains a significant concern in
Australia. In April, the government announced plans to contract a
biometric liveness detection capability to support the country’s
national digital ID and protect it against advanced spoof attacks and
emerging fraud threats.
Post-quantum identity expands beyond
cryptography-Daon introduces a new identity architecture as vendors and
governments prepare for quantum computing's impact on digital
credentials and biometrics-Aug 7, 2026, 1:03 pm EDT | Chris Burt
As
governments and enterprises prepare for practical quantum computing,
the focus has largely been on post-quantum cryptography. IBM is
targeting 2029 for the launch of a large-scale, fault-tolerant quantum
computer. DARPA wants the U.S. government to be able to use one by 2033.
Daon argues that securing digital identity will require more than
quantum-safe signatures, introducing a new architecture designed to
verify the authenticity of identity evidence itself.The problem in the
meantime is that when Q-Day comes, it will allow malicious actors to use
post quantum computing to crack the cryptographic protections of data
they have already captured in “harvest now, decrypt later”
operations.“The public debate tends to focus on when quantum computers
will break today’s cryptography,” says Veridos Director of Innovation
Projects Armin Reuter. “But for identity systems, the more pressing
question is what happens to documents issued now – passports, national
IDs, and trust anchors – whose lifetimes may well extend beyond the
point at which the cryptography protecting them ceases to be secure.
Such documents often remain valid for many years, so today’s decisions
have long-term implications.”If the cryptography protecting these
identity credentials is broken, then criminals can create fraudulent
versions that appear to be legitimate.Industry efforts to prepare for
the post-quantum era have so far therefore mostly focussed on
post-quantum cryptography (PQC) to protect the signatures that confirm
the validity of biometrics and other sensitive data. AuthID recently
added PQC support to its biometric digital signature platform,
STMicroelectronics introduced a chip with a hardware accelerator for PQC
algorithms and Toppan launched smart cards with PQC this week.Veridos
has published a white paper on “The Quantum Risk in Identity Ecosystems”
to help organizations understand the risks quantum computing poses to
identity systems and help them formulate a plan to migrate to
quantum-secure technologies.Cryptographic evidence cannot be sufficient
to prove that biometric evidence is genuine or presented by the person
on the other end of the transaction, Daon says in announcing its new
technology to protect digital identity systems on the way to Q-Day and
beyond.Daon’s new Quantum Identity architecture-Daon says its Quantum
Identity architecture, backed by five U.S. patents, takes a data-plane
approach to evaluating the identity evidence entering digital identity
systems.Daon says its architecture complements post-quantum cryptography
rather than replacing it. PQC protects keys, signatures and records,
while Quantum Identity evaluates whether the biometric and identity
evidence entering the system is genuine before trust decisions are
made.The five patented technologies behind Daon’s post-quantum
protection system relate to quantum-enhanced biometric morphing
detection, quantum identity verification, quantum biometric liveness
detection, and quantum injection attack detection and replay resistance.
That latter two were issued by the USPTO within the past two
months.“Quantum Identity is not a single algorithm, and it is not simply
PQC,” says Daon President and CPO Ralph A. Rodriguez, who is the sole
inventor of each of the five patents. “PQC strengthens the cryptographic
control plane: keys, signatures, certificates, and protected records.
That’s essential, but it secures the messenger, not the message. An
identity system also needs confidence that the evidence itself is
genuine. Our five issued patents establish that complementary data-plane
foundation, detecting manipulation, evaluating high-dimensional fraud
signals, and determining whether evidence is live, current, and bound to
the transaction taking place rather than injected, cloned, or
replayed.”Daon intends to bring the modular architecture to regulated
markets like financial services, the public sector, healthcare,
telecommunications and travel to support high-assurance onboarding,
account recovery and high-value authorization.The company has a
portfolio of over 320 patents through its Daon Labs.
Smarter
stadium ingress reshapes venue security and fan experience-Venues are
redesigning ingress as security requirements tighten and biometric,
mobile and AI-enabled access technologies mature-Aug 7, 2026, 9:31 am
EDT | Lu-Hai Liang
Stadiums are tightening security as new UK
rules take effect, with Liverpool FC shifting to full‑search entry and
reworking ingress to balance safety with fan experience. Technology
vendors are pushing mobile, biometric access tools such as Janam’s GTX+
to speed up screening, while Australian venues are expanding facial
authentication ticketing through Wicket.On changing legislation and
guest expectations-On a webinar Peter Evans, CEO of Xtract One, and
Chris Markey, Liverpool Football Club’s vice president of safety,
security and operations, spoke on the challenges facing stadiums and
arenas in a new era of mandatory security standards.In “Safe, Seamless,
Sold Out: Reimagining Security for Modern Sports Venues,” Markey
explained that UK venues are in flux as legislation brought in following
the 2017 Manchester Arena bombing is implemented. The rules stipulate
that premises will need a security regime ready to be inspected by the
Home Office and the Security Industry Authority (SIA).Liverpool FC has
spent a great deal of time reviewing its security posture and this
season made a big change — moving to 100 percent searching of supporters
entering the stadium. Not every football stadium does 100 percent
searching, Markey said. “It’s a culture change for supporters and
everyone coming to the stadium.”The challenge is balancing safety,
security and service, which is a widely used framework across the UK and
Europe. Safety covers infrastructure and management plans; security
includes stewarding and physical measures; service is how fans are
treated. As Markey noted: “Security and guest experience kind of butt
heads.”The club saw long queues outside the stadium after kickoff when
additional screening steps were added to the ingress process. “We don’t
want to negatively impact the event experience, but we have to keep
people safe,” Markey said. “That balance is the biggest
challenge.”Liverpool has adjusted its ingress plans to improve flow,
which includes moving Xtract One scanners about five meters away from
turnstiles. “It gives us breathing space — individual scan through, then
straight to the turnstile, scan the ticket and into the
stadium.”Adapting ingress to needs, operational efficiency and
pilots-Evans noted that venue preferences differ between North America
and Europe. Some operators prefer ticket scanning first to create an
orderly flow into screening lanes. Others put security screening further
out to ensure no one with a weapon reaches the venue.But ticket‑first
approaches can create complications, such as if a fan scans their ticket
and is later stopped at screening, staff must digitally “uncancel” the
ticket if the person needs to return to their car. “There are benefits
to both,” Evans said. “It comes down to what’s best for the venue,
because every venue is different.”Markey said deploying scanners at one
of Liverpool’s main stands has allowed the club to redeploy staff to
other parts of the stadium to reduce queues and respond to issues. “It
hasn’t necessarily made it more financially efficient, but it’s made it
operationally more efficient,” he said. “We can put resources where we
need them without further investment.”Evans emphasized that Xtract One
“almost insists” on pilots or demonstrations before full deployment.
“What we can write on paper — staff saved, ingress speeds, increased
security — is just a paper exercise until someone tests it in their
environment,” he said.Pilots help venues understand flow, concept of
operations, and whether ticketing should come before or after screening.
“Whether you’re a 6,000‑person stadium or 60,000, it may or may not be
financially viable, it may or may not be more secure,” Evans said.
“Until you run it in the real world, it’s just theory. Give it a go —
you never know what you’ll learn.”Janam unveils GTX+ for mobile entry
powered by face authentication-Janam Technologies has launched GTX+, a
new mobile entry pedestal designed to help stadiums and event venues
adopt facial authentication more easily and at lower cost.-The HID-owned
company pitches the mobile entry system as a flexible alternative to
fixed biometric infrastructure. GTX+ gives venues the option to deploy
face authentication at busy entry points without wired networking or
permanent installations.“It gives venues a single platform to validate
every major credential type, including face biometrics, while leveraging
the same Janam hardware many of them already use for handheld ticket
scanning,” says Harry B. Lerner, CEO at Janam.GTX+ expands its existing
GTX platform with a taller design optimized for biometric verification
but it still supports rapid validation of barcodes, QR codes, NFC wallet
passes, wristbands and other modern credentials.The unit is powered by
Janam’s XT4 rugged mobile computer and integrates Wicket’s facial
authentication system. It uses the same XT4 devices already common in
handheld ticket scanning so venues can extend functionality without
replacing existing hardware, according to the company.“By supporting
Wicket’s facial authentication platform on GTX+, Janam is giving venues a
practical way to deploy privacy-first biometric access across a wide
range of environments,” says Alastair Partington, CEO at Wicket.The
pedestal also includes advanced NFC support for fast tap‑and‑go
validation of Apple Wallet and Google Wallet passes.Australia expects
more face biometric ticketing-Facial recognition ticketing is expanding
in Australia as AFL clubs and event venues test technology that lets
fans enter using their face rather than a paper or digital ticket. The
system, supplied by Wicket, has been available at the Australian Open
since 2024 and is now in use at Geelong’s GMHBA Stadium, where members
can opt in to “express entry” lanes.Fans link their Ticketmaster
account, submit a selfie and use facial authentication for the rest of
the season. Images are converted into mathematical templates and deleted
at season’s end, according to the company.Wicket says facial entry
speeds up queues and reduces congestion, noting every NFL team in the
U.S. uses the technology for some form of access. The company is in
discussions with several other AFL clubs and plans to expand into
concerts and conferences.Privacy experts, however, warn that incentives
such as loyalty‑point rewards may undermine genuine consent under the
Privacy Act. Lauren Perry of the University of Technology Sydney said
biometric data is highly sensitive and valuable, raising concerns about
future “scope creep” if venues retain control of the information.Wicket
says venues, not the company, own the data and that its product would
need significant changes to be used for surveillance. The Geelong Cats
say the program is fully optional and designed to improve match day
experience. As facial ticketing becomes widespread in the U.S., industry
figures believe adoption will spread across Australian live events in
the coming years.
Glide brings SIM-based authentication to all
major US carriers-Platform replaces SMS one-time passwords with
SIM-based cryptographic authentication backed by AT&T, T-Mobile and
Verizon-Aug 7, 2026, 8:02 am EDT | Abhishek Jadhav
Glide.id has
launched public beta availability of its MagicalAuth platform across
AT&T, T-Mobile and Verizon, making SIM-based cryptographic
authentication available nationwide for iOS and Android users in the
United States.The platform authenticates users through their mobile
carriers using carrier-issued cryptographic credentials instead of SMS
one-time passwords or authenticator apps.The launch reflects a broader
industry shift toward network-based identity signals, where mobile
carriers, operating systems and digital wallets increasingly provide
trusted authentication instead of passwords and SMS codes.“SMS OTPs were
never designed to withstand AI. They were built for a world where the
biggest threat was a forgotten password. That world is gone,” says Eran
Haggiag, founder and CEO of Glide.id.MagicalAuth uses a cryptographic
verification tied to the user’s SIM. The system uses credentials
associated with the subscriber’s SIM and mobile carrier to confirm
possession of the phone number.Each SIM contains a carrier-issued
cryptographic key. During authentication, MagicalAuth sends a
mathematical problem that can only be answered using the key associated
with the SIM.“With SIM-anchored protection, enterprises can move from
older authentication methods to network-embedded, carrier-authenticated
protection,” says Scott Lawrence, chief product officer at Verizon
Business.The platform first creates an authentication session through
Glide. The user’s device then obtains a carrier-issued credential.Glide
passes the credential to the carrier for validation, which returns a
cryptographically signed result confirming the phone number associated
with the SIM.MagicalAuth can use the Digital Credentials API to request a
temporary TS.43 credential issued by the carrier on Android
devices.“Our work with Glide.id and the use of APIs help protect digital
identities and financial transactions at scale by embedding security
directly into the network,” says Shawn Hakl, SVP of product at AT&T
Business.The U.S. rollout builds on deployments in Germany, the UK and
Spain, with Glide planning expansion into Canada and additional markets
in 2026 as carriers take a larger role in passwordless authentication.
Unit
42 finds attacks targeting Google-synced passkeys on Windows-Research
targets cloud synchronization and device trust rather than the
cryptography underlying passkeys-Aug 7, 2026, 8:01 am EDT | Abhishek
Jadhav
Researchers at Palo Alto Networks’ Unit 42 have identified
three attacks against Google Password Manager’s synced passkeys on
Windows, highlighting implementation risks in cloud-synchronized
passkeys rather than weaknesses in passkey cryptography.Unit 42 says the
attacks exploit Google’s device trust, onboarding, and cloud
authenticator implementation.The researchers describe them as
Pass-ta-key, Silver Pass-ta-key, and Golden Pass-ta-key, with each
targeting a different assumption about how synced passkeys are
protected.Pass-ta-key targets the device identity key that tells
Google’s cloud authenticator that the request is coming from a trusted
computer.According to the researchers, malware running with user
privileges can use wrapped key material stored in the local passkey
state to generate a valid authentication request.The attack produces a
WebAuthn authentication assertion without the user verification (UV)
flag.Unit 42 found different outcomes among the services tested. For
instance, GitHub rejected the attack because the required UV signal was
absent. But eBay accepted the assertion despite requesting user
verification.eBay subsequently changed its implementation to validate
the flag correctly, according to the researchers.Silver Pass-ta-key
overcomes that limitation.Unit 42 says malware can force Chrome to
re-onboard the device and register a new key that cloud authenticator
treats as evidence that the user completed Windows Hello
verification.This can allow the attacker to produce assertions with the
UV flag set without reproducing the user’s biometric or PIN.Golden
Pass-ta-key targets the security domain secret (SDS), which Unit 42
describes as a 32-byte symmetric master secret used to protect the
private keys.The researchers found the SDS displayed in plaintext in
Chrome’s FIDO diagnostic logs during registration with Google’s cloud
authenticator.Google removed the value from those logs after Unit 42
reported the issue. But the researchers say Chrome still receives the
SDS during device enrollment.Pass-ta-key and Silver Pass-ta-key rely on
cloud authenticator to produce valid assertions using credentials
associated with the victim. But Golden Pass-ta-key allows the attacker
to obtain the private keys in a portable form.Unit 42’s findings do not
show that an attacker can break public key cryptography passkeys.The
researchers do not extract a private key from the public key stored by a
website, forge a signature without access to trusted key material, or
identify a weakness in the WebAuthn challenge response protocol.The
attacks exploit systems responsible for storing, synchronizing, and
using passkey credentials. Unit 42 says the findings expose gaps between
the security assumptions around passkeys and their implementation.FIDO
Alliance has pushed back against broad claims that attacks involving
compromised browsers or endpoints mean passkeys themselves are
broken.The findings do not show that passkeys or WebAuthn cryptography
are broken. Instead, they target the systems responsible for storing,
synchronizing and presenting passkey credentials on compromised
endpoints. The research reinforces FIDO Alliance’s longstanding position
that organizations should evaluate both the security of passkey
providers and the devices on which synchronized credentials are stored,
particularly for higher-assurance use cases.
Walmart sued over
alleged voiceprint collection from customer calls-Proposed Illinois
class action alleges retailer created biometric voiceprints from
customer calls without the consent required under BIPA-Aug 6, 2026,
12:23 pm EDT | Anthony Kimery
Walmart has been accused of
secretly converting Illinois customers’ telephone calls into biometric
voiceprints, using AI to recognize callers and analyze their behavior
without obtaining the written consent required by state law.The proposed
class action lawsuit was filed Tuesday in the U.S. District Court for
the Northern District of Illinois by Carol J. Krupke and Jeanne
Thomas.The 15-page lawsuit alleges that Walmart records calls to
individual stores, extracts distinguishing vocal characteristics, and
creates mathematical templates that can later be used to identify
callers.The complaint, filed as Krupke et al. v. Walmart Inc., Case No.
1:26-cv-09305, has been assigned to U.S. District Judge Martha M.
Pacold. Walmart has not yet answered the allegations, and the court has
made no findings regarding the company’s practices.According to the
plaintiffs, callers hear an automated message stating that the call and
their voice “may be recorded for business purposes, including fraud
prevention.”The lawsuit argues that this warning is inadequate because
it does not explain that Walmart allegedly creates and stores
voiceprints, disclose how long they will be retained, or identify any
third parties that may receive them.The complaint alleges that,
“Unbeknownst to consumers, such as Plaintiffs and Class Members … when
consumers call into a Walmart customer service line, Walmart creates a
voice print or biometric identifier which can be used to identify them
in the future.”“Specifically,” the suit alleges, “when a call connects,
Walmart’s artificial intelligence system records the audio and isolates
the speaker’s vocal characteristics. The AI then measures the physical
and behavioral identifiers of a person’s voice, such as pitch, cadence,
tone, and frequency spectrums which enables Walmart to build a unique
mathematical template of the caller’s voice.”The complaint further
claims that Walmart’s system monitors changes in speech, modulation, and
volume to assess frustration or urgency through what the complaint
describes as “emotional tracking.”Those technical allegations are made
largely “upon information and belief.”The complaint does not name
Walmart’s alleged voice biometric vendor, identify the system supposedly
creating the templates, or attach technical records demonstrating that
calls to stores are converted into biometric identifiers.Walmart’s June
18 privacy notice lists voiceprints among the biometric information it
may collect.It also states that Walmart collects personal information
through call recording technology when customers speak with customer
service and will process sensitive personal information with consent
where required by law.The notice, however, does not itself establish
that every recorded customer service call is used to create a
voiceprint.Thomas alleges that she frequently calls Walmart stores in
Vandalia and Effingham about prescriptions, automobile servicing, and
product availability.Krupke says she called the Freeport Walmart on
February 18 and July 2, 2025, and May 1, 2026, and responded verbally
rather than selecting options with a telephone keypad.Both women allege
that Walmart converted their voices into templates and used those
templates during later calls. They say they never signed releases
authorizing the collection, storage or disclosure of their
voiceprints.The proposed class includes Illinois citizens whose
biometric information Walmart collected, obtained, or disclosed during
the applicable limitations period.Although the lawsuit centers on
customer telephone calls, its proposed class definition is not expressly
limited to voiceprints or callers.The complaint also alleges that
Walmart disclosed biometric information to third parties without consent
and for profit. It does not identify a particular recipient,
transaction, or payment involving either plaintiff’s
voiceprint.Illinois’ Biometric Information Privacy Act (BIPA) expressly
defines a voiceprint as a biometric identifier. Before collecting
biometric identifiers, a private company must provide written notice
explaining what is being collected, its specific purpose, and the length
of time it will be retained.It must also obtain a written release.The
law separately prohibits companies from profiting from biometric
information and generally bars disclosure without consent.Companies must
publish a retention policy and destroy biometric data when its original
purpose has been satisfied or within three years of the person’s last
interaction, whichever comes first.The plaintiffs seek class
certification, an injunction requiring Walmart to comply with BIPA,
destruction or return of improperly retained information, attorneys’
fees, and damages of $1,000 for negligent violations or $5,000 for
intentional or reckless violations.A 2024 amendment limits the potential
accumulation of damages. Repeated collection of the same person’s
biometric information through the same method is treated as one
violation of the collection provision, rather than a separate violation
each time the person interacts with the system.Repeated disclosures to
the same recipient through the same method are similarly treated as a
single violation.The plaintiffs estimate that the proposed class
contains hundreds of people and contend that the amount in controversy
exceeds $5 million.Whether the case can proceed on behalf of a class,
whether Walmart actually created identifying voiceprints, and whether
its notices and consent procedures complied with BIPA will have to be
established through litigation.
PROOF HALF ON EARTH DIE DURING
THE 7 YR TRIBULATION PERIOD (8 BILLION ON EARTH) (DO NOT EVER LISTEN TO
ANYBODY THAT SAYS THE WORLD IS ENDING.ITS NEVER GONNA HAPPEN-4 BILLION
WILL BE LEFT ON EARTH TO GO INTO JESUS" 1000 YEAR RULE)(THAT DOES NOT
SOUND LIKE THE END OF THE WORLD TO ANY ONE, DOES IT-NOT ME.THE EARTH IS
JUST RENOVATED.NEVER ENDED.
REVELATION 6:7-8 (8 BILLION- 2 BILLION = 6 BILLION)
7 And when he had opened the fourth seal, I heard the voice of the fourth beast say, Come and see.
8
And I looked, and behold a pale horse:(CHLORES GREEN) and his name that
sat on him was Death, and Hell followed with him. And power was given
unto them over the fourth part of the earth,(2 BILLION) to kill with
sword,(WEAPONS) and with hunger,(FAMINE) and with death,(INCURABLE
DISEASES) and with the beasts of the earth.(ANIMAL TO HUMAN DISEASE).
REVELATION 9:15,18 (6 BILLION - 2 BILLION = 4 BILLION)
15 And the four(DEMONIC WAR) angels were loosed,
18
By these three was the third part of men killed,(2 BILLION) by the
fire, and by the smoke, and by the brimstone, which issued out of their
mouths.(NUCLEAR ATOMIC BOMBS)
HALF OF EARTHS POPULATION DIE DURING THE 7 YR TRIBULATION.(THESE VERSES ARE JUDGEMENT SCRIPTURES NOT RAPTURE SCRIPTURES)
LUKE
17:34-37 (8 TOTAL BILLION - 4 BILLION DEAD IN TRIB = 4 BILLION TO JESUS
KINGDOM) (HALF DIE DURING THE 7 YR TRIBULATION PERIOD JUST LIKE THE
BIBLE SAYS)(GOD DOES NOT LIE)(AND NOTICE MOST DIE IN WAR AND
DISEASES-NOT COMETS-ASTEROIDS-QUAKES OR TSUNAMIS)
34 I tell you, in
that night there shall be two men in one bed; the one shall be taken,(IN
WW3 JUDGEMENT) and the other shall be left.(half earths population 4
billion die in the 7 yr trib)
35 Two women shall be grinding together; the one shall be taken,(IN WW3 JUDGEMENT) and the other left.
36 Two men shall be in the field; the one shall be taken,(IN WW3 JUDGEMENT) and the other left.
37
And they answered and said unto him, Where, Lord? And he said unto
them, Wheresoever the body is, thither will the eagles be gathered
together.(Christians have new bodies,this is the people against
Jerusalem during the 7 yr treaty)(Christians bodies are not being eaten
by the birds).THESE ARE JUDGEMENT SCRIPTURES-NOT RAPTURE
SCRIPTURES.BECAUSE NOT HALF OF PEOPLE ON EARTH ARE CHRISTIANS.AND THE
CONTEXT IN LUKE 17 IS THE 7 YEAR TRIBULATION OR 7 YR TREATY PERIOD.WHICH
IS JUDGEMENT ON THE EARTH.NOT 50% RAPTURED TO HEAVEN.
MATTHEW 24:37-42 (THESE ARE JUDGEMENT SCRIPTURES-SURE NOT RAPTURE SCRIPTURES)
37 But as the days of Noe were, so shall also the coming of the Son of man be.
38
For as in the days that were before the flood they were eating and
drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day that Noe
entered into the ark,
39 And knew not until the flood came, and took them all away; so shall also the coming of the Son of man be.
40 Then shall two be in the field; the one shall be taken,(IN WW3 JUDGEMENT) and the other left.
41 Two women shall be grinding at the mill; the one shall be taken,(IN WW3 JUDGEMENT) and the other left.
42 Watch therefore:(FOR THE LAST DAYS SIGNS HAPPENING) for ye know not what hour your Lord doth come.
WORLD TERRORISM
GENESIS 6:11-13
11
The earth also was corrupt before God, and the earth was filled with
violence.(WORLD TERRORISM,MURDERS)(HAMAS IN HEBREW IS VIOLENCE)
12 And God looked upon the earth, and, behold, it was corrupt; for all flesh had corrupted his way upon the earth.
13
And God said unto Noah, The end of all flesh is come before me; for the
earth is filled with violence (TERRORISM)(HAMAS) through them; and,
behold, I will destroy them with the earth.(CAN YOU SAY
TORNADOES,HURRICANES,VOLCANOES,EARTH QUAKES,LANDSLIDES,FLASH
FLOODING,EXPLOSIONS,SNOW STORMS,THEN FINALLY NUKESAND ANY OTHER
JUDGEMENTS THE EARTH CAN VOMIT THE SINNERS OFF THE FACE OF THE EARTH
WITH.
MARK 13:8
8 For nation shall rise against nation, and
kingdom against kingdom:(ETHNIC GROUP AGAINST ETHNIC GROUP) and there
shall be earthquakes in divers places, and there shall be famines and
troubles: these are the beginnings of sorrows.
LUKE 21:11
11
And great earthquakes shall be in divers places,(DIFFERNT PLACES AT THE
SAME TIME) and famines, and pestilences; and fearful sights and great
signs shall there be from heaven.
2 Peter 3:6-7 Amplified Bible (AMP) (HOT SUN, NUKES ETC)
6 By these waters also the world of that time was deluged and destroyed.
7
By the same word the present heavens and earth are reserved for fire,
being kept for the day of judgment and destruction of the ungodly.
LUKE 21:25-26
25
And there shall be signs in the sun,(HEATING UP-SOLAR ECLIPSES) and in
the moon,(MAN ON THE MOON-LUNAR ECLIPSES) and in the
stars;(ASTEROIDS-PROPHECY SIGNS) and upon the earth distress of nations,
with perplexity;(MASS CONFUSION) the sea and the waves roaring;(FIERCE
WINDS)
26 Men’s hearts failing them for
fear,(TORNADOES,HURRICANES,STORMS) and for looking after those things
which are coming on the earth:(DESTRUCTION) for the powers of heaven
shall be shaken.(FROM QUAKES,NUKES ETC)
GENESIS 16:11-12
11
And the angel of the LORD said unto her,(HAGAR) Behold, thou art with
child, and shalt bear a son, and shalt call his name Ishmael;(FATHER OF
THE ARAB/MUSLIMS) because the LORD hath heard thy affliction.
12 And
he (ISHMAEL-FATHER OF THE ARAB-MUSLIMS) will be a wild (DONKEY-JACKASS)
man;(ISLAM IS A FAKE AND DANGEROUS SEX FOR MURDER CULT) his hand will be
against every man,(ISLAM HATES EVERYONE) and every man's hand against
him;(PROTECTING THEMSELVES FROM BEING BEHEADED) and he (ISHMAEL
ARAB/MUSLIM) shall dwell in the presence of all his
brethren.(LITERAL-THE ARABS LIVE WITH THEIR BRETHERN JEWS)
ISAIAH 14:12-14
12
How art thou fallen from heaven, O Lucifer,(SATAN) son of the
morning!(HEBREW-CRECENT MOON-ISLAM) how art thou cut down to the ground,
which didst weaken the nations!
13 For thou hast said in thine
heart, I will ascend into heaven, I will exalt my throne above the stars
of God: I will sit also upon the mount of the congregation, in the
sides of the north:
14 I (SATAN HAS EYE TROUBLES) will ascend above
the heights of the clouds; I will be like the most High.(AND 1/3RD OF
THE ANGELS OF HEAVEN FELL WITH SATAN AND BECAME DEMONS)
JOHN 16:2
2
They shall put you out of the synagogues: yea, the time cometh, that
whosoever killeth you will think that he doeth God service.(ISLAM
MURDERS IN THE NAME OF MOON GOD ALLAH OF ISLAM)
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.
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.
LUKE 19:40
40 And He answered and said unto them, “I tell you that if these should hold their peace, the stones would immediately cry out.”
UK
probes major Muslim charity after director charged with funneling aid
to Hamas-FBI alleges Al-Khair Foundation head worked with senior Hamas
leader to transfer cash and divert humanitarian supplies to terror group
while concealing that it was the beneficiary By ToI Staff 9 August
2026, 12:13 am
The United Kingdom’s Charity Commission announced
on Friday that it was probing one of the UK’s largest Muslim charity
organizations for allegedly providing financial and material support to
Hamas in the wake of the October 7, 2023, massacre.The probe into the
Al-Khair Foundation came after its director, Mohammad Yousef Hasna, was
arrested in the UK last week on US charges alleging he conspired to
funnel money and supplies to Hamas through his senior role in what
prosecutors said was a sham global humanitarian organization.Hasna, a
45-year-old Turkish national, was ordered held pending extradition to
New York, where he will face a federal court.Hasna worked closely with
Hamas’s senior leadership to deliver supplies, food and funding to Hamas
under the guise of humanitarian aid, said the US federal prosecutor
assigned to the case.The US Justice Department accused Hasna of using
“his senior role at a purported global humanitarian organization to
raise funds and provide financing and commodities to Hamas.”The
indictment alleged that he also “manipulated photographs and documents
to conceal from the public and potential donors that Hamas was the
actual beneficiary of his fundraising and to obfuscate the true nature
of his purportedly humanitarian work.”The U.S. Department of Justice
announced today that Mohammad Yousef Hasna, 45, of Istanbul, was
arrested in the United Kingdom and is awaiting extradition to New York.
Prosecutors allege he used his position as the global director of a
UK-registered charity to deliver cash and… pic.twitter.com/fGXWpNFnoc —
Joe Truzman (@JoeTruzman) August 1, 2026-According to the indictment,
AKF’s income ballooned from $41 million in 2023 to $81 million in 2024,
before further growing to around $100 million in 2025.Hasna was accused
by the US of having close ties with Hamas leader Ghazi Hamad, with the
two exchanging several messages regarding the transfer of millions of
dollars of funds directly to the terror group.Hasna allegedly arranged
cash transfers to Hamad, with a ledger exchanged between the two showing
nearly £4 million ($5.4 million) in incoming funds and £2.3 million
($3.1 million) in expenses, including more than £500,000 ($674,500) that
the FBI concluded was “personally received” by Hamad.The FBI also
alleged that Hasna and Hamad coordinated the transport, storage and
distribution of aid and other supplies to Hamas in Gaza while concealing
the terror group’s role. In one exchange, Hamad allegedly asked Hasna
to film aid parcels inside a storage facility without showing
identifying signs or markings linking the location to Hamas, while days
later Hasna allegedly discussed diverting 5,000 food parcels to
Hamad.Hasna even asked the senior terror leader for contacts with
international organizations during a 2024 exchange: “I know that you
have contact with the United Nations, the Red Cross, and details like
that. Is it possible to share their numbers with me?”Hasna was also
accused of “sending truckloads of purported humanitarian aid into Gaza
under the name of the Sham Charity, to be sent to warehouses controlled
by Hamas’s sham charity network before onward distribution into Gaza for
the benefit of Hamas.”In a statement, the Al-Khair Foundation said it
was cooperating with the British probe “with a view to answering
questions posed, addressing concerns raised, and taking remedial action
if needed.”“We are a proudly British humanitarian organization, a
registered charity with a distinguished record spanning more than two
decades of delivering humanitarian assistance and alleviating poverty,”
it added.The IDF has previously said the Al-Khair Foundation transfers
funds to terror groups in Gaza “under the guise of humanitarian
activity” and that the organization has employed at least one senior
Hamas official.
Hamas urges US pressure on Jerusalem over Gaza
plan; Israel said to warn of ‘ambush’Terror organization claims it’s
ready to disarm under Board of Peace roadmap; Israeli security officials
reportedly warn that Hamas only signed to prevent renewed IDF action-By
ToI Staff and AFP 8 August 2026, 6:21 pm
As the US-backed Board
of Peace seeks to push ahead with its roadmap for postwar Gaza, Hamas
asserted Saturday it remained ready to proceed with the plan and urged
Washington to pressure Israel to implement it, while Israeli officials
warned that the terror organization was exploiting the process to
prevent renewed Israeli military action.Hamas informed US President
Donald Trump’s Board of Peace that it stood by the latest stage of the
plan, under which its operatives would hand over weapons to a nascent
Palestinian governing committee in the war-battered territory.“Hamas and
other factions have confirmed to mediators their readiness to begin
implementing the agreement and move to the second phase, provided it
receives Israeli approval and that Israel begins implementing the
agreement,” a Hamas official told AFP.“Hamas is urging the US
administration to exert pressure on Israel to compel it to abide by the
agreement and move to the second phase,” the official said on condition
of anonymity.Trump last week hailed as a breakthrough that Hamas had
agreed to disarmament under the plan, with the Board of Peace saying
Israel would in tandem carry out a phased withdrawal from much of
Gaza.Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu met Monday with the Board of
Peace’s high representative for Gaza, Nickolay Mladenov, who backtracked
and said Israel would withdraw only after a full disarmament by
Hamas.Israeli officials, however, have cast Hamas’s acceptance of the
roadmap in starkly different terms, warning that the terror group is
seeking to use the diplomatic process to buy time and prevent Israel
from resuming military operations in Gaza.Ministers and security chiefs
reportedly met Thursday to discuss how Israel should respond to the
plan, which Jerusalem opposes.While the security cabinet approved having
an International Stabilization Force enter Gaza to disarm Hamas and
assume control of the territory, Netanyahu has said that Israel did not
agree to the terms of the disarmament plan, which was accepted by the
terrorist group last week.Some ministers have publicly urged the premier
to openly declare that Israel will not abide by the terms.“Hamas agreed
to the 15-point plan, but hasn’t abandoned the vision of destroying
Israel,” warned Brig. Gen. Ofir Mizrahi-Rozen, head of the Israel
Defense Forces’ Military Intelligence Directorate’s Research Department,
according to the Israel Hayom daily.“It is apparent that there is a
Hamas effort to put the ball in our court,” he reportedly added, warning
the conflict could be internationalized if foreign forces from hostile
states such as Turkey and Qatar — which have expressed interest in
sending troops — were deployed close to Israeli border towns.Shin Bet
chief David Zini reportedly said that for Hamas, the agreement “is a
process of strategic deception aimed at buying time and ensuring we
don’t return to [military] action in Gaza before the [October 27]
election.”“This is a strategic ambush by Hamas,” he reportedly
asserted.According to the Ynet news site, Zini also said Hamas views the
roadmap signing as a “diplomatic October 7,” equivalent to the military
success of the 2023 invasion.The Israel Hayom report added that
National Security Adviser Shmuel Ben Ezra said Israel has handed the US a
list of corrections it is demanding to the roadmap, which he said
contradicts understandings that Netanyahu claimed to reach with
Washington in November 2025. It was not clear, however, what purported
understandings the report was referring to, and Netanyahu himself
cheered the UN’s adoption that month of Trump’s 20-point plan for Gaza —
which mandates the disarmament of Hamas and the Israeli withdrawals.He
added that Israel was facing intense pressure to withdraw to the
original Yellow Line set last year — which handed Israel control of 52
percent of the Strip, which it has since expanded to 70% — and to stop
targeted strikes on terror officials.Minister Ze’ev Elkin was quoted as
calling for Israel to resume operations in Gaza in a way that makes
clear that it does not accept the recent developments, which include a
near-total 14-day freeze on military operations and strikes.“If Israel
doesn’t carry out offensive action for two weeks, the meaning is that we
have accepted and entered the process. That’s why we need to publish
that we are not signing these 15 points,” Elkin said.Israel Hayom
reported that ministers Bezalel Smotrich, Orit Strock and Avi Dichter
backed this demand.Smotrich was quoted as telling Netanyahu: “You are a
master at maneuvering, but now that there is an official document, we
must delegitimize this document. We can’t maneuver.”The IDF has vowed to
keep hitting Hamas, which carried out the worst attack ever against
Israel on October 7, 2023, when Palestinian terrorists who invaded the
south killed some 1,200 people and took 251 hostages.But Israeli
operations in Gaza, while ongoing, appear to have decreased in intensity
in recent days. On Saturday, the Nasser hospital in Khan Yunis reported
three people injured by Israeli army gunfire.Israeli operations in Gaza
have killed 1,257 Palestinians since October last year, when the two
sides agreed to a ceasefire backed by Trump, according to the
territory’s health ministry, which operates under Hamas authority.The
Israeli army has reported five deaths in its ranks during the same
period.
Rome airport said to drop Israeli Rafael anti-drone
system after court ruling-Report says equipment was deemed military
rather than civilian and lacked permits; cancellation comes amid
strained Italy-Israel ties By ToI Staff 8 August 2026, 12:03 pm
Rome’s
Leonardo da Vinci–Fiumicino International Airport, the Italian
capital’s main airport, has canceled a contract with Israeli state-owned
defense contractor Rafael Advanced Defense Systems to operate an
anti-drone system following a court ruling, Italian newspaper Il
Messaggero reported Thursday.The contract with Rafael to operate an
anti-drone system designed to detect and counter unauthorized drones was
invalidated after government technicians determined that the system
installed at the airport was military rather than civilian and therefore
lacked the necessary permits, according to the report.The airport
authority defended its use of the system, saying similar technology was
deployed elsewhere in Europe.The agreement, signed in 2022, will be
transferred to an Italian contractor, Il Messaggero said.The
cancellation comes during a period of growing strain between Italy and
Israel.In April, Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni’s government
declined to renew a longstanding defense cooperation agreement with
Israel, due to the ongoing conflict in the Middle East.“In consideration
of the current situation, the government has decided to suspend the
automatic renewal of the defense agreement with Israel,” she said at the
time.The memorandum, first signed in 2003 and ratified in 2005,
provided a framework for cooperation in defense and scientific research
and had been renewed automatically every five years.Israel downplayed
that decision at the time, with the Foreign Ministry saying the
memorandum had never contained “any substantive content” and that its
expiration would not affect Israeli security.Relations were further
strained in May this year after National Security Minister Itamar Ben
Gvir posted footage of himself taunting detained activists from a
Gaza-bound flotilla, several of whom were Italian citizens. Meloni
called the video “unacceptable,” demanded an apology over their
treatment and summoned Israel’s ambassador to Rome.National Security
Minister Itamar Ben Gvir taunts detained flotilla activists at Ashdod
Port on May 20, 2026. (Screen grab/Ben Gvir’s X account.In addition, she
wrote on X that her government was taking immediate steps at the
highest levels to secure the release of all Italian citizens who were
detained.Meloni’s right-wing government had previously maintained
particularly close ties with Israel, but with many Italians taking to
the streets to denounce Israel since the October 7, 2023, Hamas-led
massacre and ensuing war in Gaza, Meloni’s right-wing government has
been under pressure over its position on the conflict.
Houthi
attacks kill 10 in Yemen as UN warns of return to full-scale civil
war-Tensions surrounding war with Iran threaten 2022 truce between
Tehran-backed rebels and Saudi-backed government forces; Riyadh says
attacks on strategic Marib province a ‘red line’By AFP 8 August 2026,
11:28 am
DUBAI, UAE — Houthi attacks on a strategic Yemeni
province killed at least 10 people Friday, according to a minister and
military source, as the rebels escalated strikes on the oil-rich
region.A 2022 truce between the Iranian-backed Houthis and the
Saudi-supported Yemen government unravelled last month and at least 58
government troops were killed in rebel missile attacks on Marib province
on Thursday.The UN special envoy for Yemen, Hans Grundberg, said in a
statement that the country “today faces a greater risk of renewed
large-scale conflict than at any point since the UN-brokered truce of
April 2022.”Amid the showdown between the United States and Iran, he
called on both sides to show “restraint” and to return to “good faith
negotiations.”A Yemeni military source told AFP that the latest Houthi
attacks in Marib killed eight members of government forces and wounded
12 others.The health minister for the Saudi-backed government said the
rebels shelled residential areas and displacement camps in Marib city,
killing at least two civilians and wounding 14.The rebels said they had
attacked a government military camp in Marib province.Oil province at
centre of attacks“The Saudi enemy continued to mobilise and incite its
forces… these forces were attacked along with their arsenals, vehicles
and military equipment in the Sahn al-Jinn camp with a large number of
missiles and drones,” Houthi spokesman Yahya Saree said in a
statement.Health minister Qasim Buhaibeh said in a post on X that
“shelling by the terrorist Houthi militia today, Friday, targeting
residential neighbourhoods and displacement camps in the city of Marib,
has resulted — according to an initial toll — in the deaths of two
civilians and injuries of varying severity to 14 others.”The Houthis
also launched “more than 10 missiles and seven one-way attack drones
targeting military camps” in Marib province, the Yemeni military source
told AFP, requesting anonymity to discuss sensitive matters.A source
close to the Saudi military told AFP that the Saudi-led coalition
supporting the Yemeni government since 2015 would not stand “idly by”
against the Houthi attacks and that Marib was a “red line.”The source
warned that “the coalition does not seek escalation” but the Saudi
authorities would not accept a Houthi takeover of Marib
province.Strategic province-The rebels said that they had attacked
several sites Thursday in response to a Saudi-backed build-up of
government forces.The missile and drone attacks killed at least 58
government troops, mainly in Marib, an army source told AFP.The Yemeni
military source had previously said artillery exchanges and clashes were
taking place in Sirwah and on the Al-Kasara front, north of Marib
city.The rebels also hit an arms depot in the region.Marib province is
split between the Houthis and the Yemeni government, which controls
Marib city as well as the area’s oil fields and facilities.The Houthis
in 2021 resumed an offensive on the energy-rich province, but the
fighting largely halted with the 2022 truce.Yemen, which has been
embroiled in more than a decade of war, last month became the latest
front to be sucked into the US-Iran conflict, as the Tehran-backed
Houthis upended the 2022 truce.The rebels welcomed an Iranian plane
directly to the Yemeni capital Sanaa, triggering tit-for-tat attacks.
They later announced a maritime blockade of Saudi Arabia and began
hitting its tankers.Last month, the Houthis killed 16 soldiers in an
attack on government-aligned forces south of the port city of Hodeidah,
medical officials said.
CENTCOM chief visits Israel, meets with Zamir, senior IDF officials – report-By Emanuel Fabian-8 August 2026, 10:43 pm
US
Central Command chief Adm. Brad Cooper was in Israel today and met with
IDF Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Eyal Zamir and other senior military
officials, the Kan public broadcaster reports.Cooper, who arrived from
Bahrain, has since departed for the United States.There is no immediate
comment from the IDF or CENTCOM.
US sanctions Dubai crypto
exchange for aiding Iran’s Revolutionary Guards-Treasury Department also
blacklists founder of Shelbit, which Reuters identified as the hub of a
$4 billion Iranian sanctions evasion scheme-By Reuters 8 August 2026,
3:33 am
The United States on Friday sanctioned an unlicensed
multi-state cryptocurrency exchange, alleging it processed millions of
dollars of crypto for Iran’s elite Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps and
other groups linked to the Iranian state.The designation follows a
Reuters investigation published on July 31 that identified the
Dubai-based exchange, Shelbit, as the hub of a $4 billion Iranian
sanctions evasion scheme. The investigation found that Shelbit moved
crypto on behalf of Iran’s central bank, one of the world’s largest
illegal online gambling networks, and to addresses linked by the Israeli
government to the IRGC.The US Treasury also sanctioned the expatriate
Iranian who founded Shelbit and a network of other companies, Siavash
Kayvanpour, for providing material support to the IRGC and Nobitex,
Iran’s biggest cryptocurrency exchange. The US sanctioned Nobitex on
June 2 for enabling the Iranian government to circumvent Western
sanctions, also after a Reuters investigation.“Treasury will hunt down
and dismantle the illicit financial networks that keep the regime
afloat,” Secretary of the Treasury Scott Bessent said in a
statement.Also on Friday, the US Treasury announced it had sanctioned
Aban Tether, an Iran-based crypto exchange, for processing millions of
dollars of transactions for sanctioned Iranian entities including
Nobitex.Shelbit’s website had been down for months, with no way for
customers to carry out transactions, but the exchange continued to
process money, even during the US and Israeli war against Iran. The site
reactivated the day after the Reuters investigation was
published.“Shelbit LLC categorically rejects any suggestion that the
company knowingly participated in money laundering, terrorist financing,
illegal gambling activity, sanctions evasion, or activity on behalf of
any sanctioned, military, or governmental organization,” Shelbit said in
a statement on its reactivated website on August 1. Shelbit also said
it had ceased operations in January 2026.Shelbit and Kayvanpour did not
immediately respond to a request for comment.Tens of millions of dollars
of the crypto that passed through Shelbit came from a suspected Iranian
bitcoin mining operation, which mints new digital coins. Many millions
of dollars more were linked to the illegal gambling network operated by
two high-profile Iranian social media influencers, Reuters reported.“The
Iranian regime’s willingness to allow this gambling network to operate
highlights its hypocrisy and corruption,” Treasury said in the statement
published on its website.The OFAC designation comes soon after Dubai’s
Virtual Assets Regulatory Authority, or VARA, issued a notice saying
Shelbit was in violation of money-laundering and terrorism financing
laws.“The exposure identified by VARA extends beyond consumer protection
to more egregious cross-border transactions with the propension to
impact the integrity of the UAE financial system,” VARA said in a notice
on its website on July 24, shortly after Reuters approached the
authority for comment.VARA did not respond to a request for comment.The
IRGC is a US-designated terrorist organization.
Foreign Ministry,
Huckabee pan WSJ report on harassment of Christians in Israel-Jerusalem
argues story on rise in attacks on clerics ‘took radical voices,
extreme cases and turned them into the face of a country’; US envoy:
Attacks ‘occasional but rare’By Lazar Berman and ToI Staff 7 August
2026, 11:11 pm
A Wall Street Journal article about harassment
suffered by some Christians in Israel drew a furious response from
Israel’s Foreign Ministry on Friday, which called it “disingenuous,
misleading and shameful.”US Ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee, who is a
Christian pastor, also criticized the article.The WSJ piece, published
earlier this week, focused on the rise in harassment of Christian
clerics.Christians in Israel say they are increasingly coming under
assault, including in a series of incidents in recent years in which
mostly young Orthodox Jews made a habit of spitting on the ground in
front of clergy and other Christians, mainly in Jerusalem’s Old City —
an act that may be prosecuted in Israel as a hate crime.There have also
been acts of vandalism against churches and cemeteries, and physical
assaults, including actions that bear the hallmark of extremist Jewish
settler violence familiar from the West Bank.The publication of the
article comes as Israel finds itself in repeated fiascos around its
relationship with Christians.However, the Foreign Ministry is leading a
push to change the conversation around Israel’s Christian community and
to get ahead of potential tensions.Foreign Minister Gideon Sa’ar
appointed Ambassador George Deek as the first special envoy to the
Christian world. The ministry’s social media has been highlighting
Christian sites and citizens in recent weeks, none of whom, it said,
were included in the piece.The Journal “took radical voices and extreme
cases and turned them into the face of an entire country, while ignoring
nearly 200,000 Christians whose lives tell the opposite story,” said
the Foreign Ministry.The ministry said The Journal “has now repeated the
same formula: find those most willing to condemn Israel, present them
as so-called ‘authentic’ Christian voices, and reduce the Christian
experience here to the disgraceful actions of a tiny extremist
fringe.“Israel is the only country in the Middle East where the
Christian population is consistently growing,” said the Foreign
Ministry, noting Christian representation on the Supreme Court and
across the country’s professional industries.“Churches operate freely.
Christians participate at the highest levels of Israeli society,” it
said.Huckabee, an outspoken Christian Zionist, also pushed back on
X.Huckabee acknowledged there were “occasional but rare” attacks that he
added were condemned by Israel’s leadership.“Occasional challenges?
Sure,” wrote Huckabee. “I’ve been throughout the Middle East & know
of no place where there is much religious diversity as there is in
Israel.”He added, “Israel protects Christian Holy sites & Muslim
Holy sites just as they do Jewish Holy sites.”The Journal’s report
documented various instances in which Orthodox Jews harassed and spat at
Christian clerics.“We are supposed to hate them,” one teen was quoted
as saying.Benedictine Abbot Nikodemus Schnabel told the paper that
things had become considerably worse in recent years. In 2000, when he
first came to the city, spitting incidents were rare, he said, but “now
there is no day that people are not spitting at me.”Yisca Harani, an
Israeli scholar who tracks and documents anti-Christian sentiment, said:
“This is the reality: Whomever is a Christian — visibly a Christian —
is becoming a target. “There are a growing number of religious Jews who
do this, and it is not being taken seriously by Israeli authorities.
They are turning a blind eye, and that is an encouragement.”Harani also
noted that her organization, the Religious Freedom Data Center, had
recorded 107 incidents targeting Christians in the first half of this
year, more than twice the number for the same period in 2024.The Journal
noted that harassers and attackers were, in the end, “a small number of
extremists,” but argued they represent an alarming trend of growing
intolerance in local society.
New Colombian president, who has
pledged to restore ties with Israel, takes office-Abelardo de la
Espriella meets with Gideon Sa’ar, who thanks him for vow to move
embassy to Jerusalem; inauguration held in Cali to signal harder line
against illegal armed groups-8 August 2026, 6:52 am
Conservative
Abelardo de la Espriella was sworn in as Colombia’s president Friday,
not in the capital as is the tradition, but in the volatile southwestern
city of Cali in a move meant to signal his hard-line approach to
illegal armed groups operating in the region.De la Espriella, 48,
succeeds Gustavo Petro after winning a close runoff election on June 21
against the outgoing president’s ally, Senator Iván Cepeda.De la
Espriella, who has never held public office before, ran as an outsider,
financing his campaign with the fortune he amassed as a lawyer and
businessman. His inauguration, held at a university auditorium before
Congress, marks a further shift to the right in the region.Israel’s
Foreign Minister Gideon Sa’ar, King Felipe VI of Spain, acting US
Attorney General Todd Blanche, FIFA President Gianni Infantino and Latin
American presidents including Argentina’s Javier Milei, Ecuador’s
Daniel Noboa and Chile’s José Antonio Kast all attended.After the
ceremony, de la Espriella plans to travel to a military battalion in
Cali to address the troops. He aims to boost the morale of the service
members and simultaneously warn the illegal armed groups operating in
the area that they must surrender or face being declared “military
targets.”De la Espriella, who calls himself “El Tigre” or “The Tiger,”
has pledged to tackle the persistent violence in Colombia by breaking
with Petro’s policy of negotiating with armed groups, arguing that the
peace process has failed.Security became the main challenge of the
swearing-in ceremony. Authorities deployed several checkpoints to search
vehicles, looking for potential suspects or explosives.Illegal
economies, such as drug trafficking and illegal mining, are disputed
among groups like the dissident factions of the now-defunct
Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia that did not accept the peace
agreement signed a decade ago, the Clan del Golfo cartel, and the
National Liberation Army guerrilla group.Impact on the region-De la
Espriella, a Colombian-American citizen, comes to power after receiving
the backing of US President Donald Trump and as regional concerns grow
about crime, immigration and the economy.“His rise to power will
reinforce this rightward shift across much of Latin America and
consolidate a regional bloc of conservative governments against a
dwindling number of left-wing administrations,” Glaeldys González, an
analyst with the International Crisis Group for the Andes, told The
Associated Press.De la Espriella has said that his government will unite
Colombia with the “Shield of the Americas,” a regional coalition to
fight drug trafficking that emerged from the summit held by Trump in
March.He also announced that he will resume diplomatic relations with
Israel — which were cut by Petro amid the Israel-Hamas war in Gaza — and
sever them with Cuba and Nicaragua, which de la Espriella considers
“tyrannies.”Mi amigo, @ABDELAESPRIELLA, quien asumirá mañana como
presidente de Colombia, es un líder decidido e inspirador. Su elección
es una gran noticia para su país, pero también para la relación entre
Israel y Colombia. De la Espriella es un gran amigo del pueblo judío y
del Estado de… pic.twitter.com/6HVLKj3LHM — Gideon Sa'ar | גדעון סער
(@gidonsaar) August 7, 2026-Ahead of the inauguration, de la Espriella
met with Sa’ar, whose office said they held a three-hour private meeting
and lunch at de la Espriella’s office in Barranquilla.They discussed
ways to strengthen bilateral diplomatic, security and economic
relations, according to the Israeli readout.Sa’ar thanked de la
Espriella for his decision to move Colombia’s embassy to Jerusalem,
telling him, “You have laid a brick in the walls of Jerusalem.”The two
last met in Buenos Aires in November.In Sa’ar’s Washington, DC, meeting
with Colombia’s incoming Foreign Minister last month, Omar Bola Escobar,
the two agreed on restoring full diplomatic relations, appointing
ambassadors, lifting visa requirements, and relocating Colombia’s
embassy to Jerusalem.They also agreed to renew Colombian coal shipments
to Israel and for Bogota to withdraw from South Africa’s case against
Israel at the International Court of Justice.Sa’ar also held a meeting
in Cali with freshly inaugurated Vice President Jose Manuel Restrepo,
which senior members of the new Colombian cabinet unexpectedly
joined.The new foreign, defense, finance, justice, environment and trade
ministers showed up at the meeting, Sa’ar’s office told The Times of
Israel.“You designated 2026 as a year for expanding its ties with Latin
America,” said Restrepo. “For Colombia, 2026 will be marked by the
deepening and strengthening of its relationship with the State of
Israel.”Petro vows fierce opposition-De la Espriella will face robust
opposition from Petro, who at first refused to recognize his electoral
victory and insisted on alleged fraud, claiming that results from
thousands of tally sheets were manipulated by programmers. The
accusations of fraud have been dismissed by international observers as
well as electoral authorities in Colombia.However, the outgoing
president left the presidential palace Friday saying he would respect
the popular will.Petro, who did not attend, will be “relentless” and
“acerbic” as an opponent, seeking to strengthen his leadership, said
political analyst Sergio Guzmán.Petro has urged social movements in the
southwest of the country to organize “people’s militias” to defend
themselves against potential attacks from what he called the “fascists,”
and called on his supporters to prepare for a general strike should
they try to imprison him after he leaves office. Petro was named a
“priority target” by the US Drug Enforcement Agency, the AP reported in
March.These kinds of calls from Petro, coupled with the hard-line
approach de la Espriella intends, increase the likelihood of
“confrontations during demonstrations or more forceful responses from
the authorities,” according to Andrés Macías, a researcher specializing
in conflict and peace at Externado University.In Cali, where Petro has a
large following and most voted for Cepeda, social and student
organizations protested. Demonstrations also took place in Bogotá and
Barranquilla.“Here we are defending dignity, resisting and making it
clear that he (de la Espriella) did not win here and we are letting him
know it,” Sebastián Ocampo, 25, told the AP while demonstrating in
Puerto Resistencia, a residential area of Cali that was the epicenter of
massive anti-government protests in 2021.“There are very divided
opinions in Cali … we are just hoping that the demonstrations will be
peaceful,” said Amanda Castro, a 29-year-old merchant from southern
Cali.
US Senate passes Russia sanctions championed by late
senator Lindsey Graham-Bill also expands sanctions on Iran sought by
White House; lawmakers’ concerns about tarriff authorizations could
threaten legislation’s passage in House By Patricia Zengerle 8 August
2026, 9:12 am
WASHINGTON (Reuters) — The US Senate easily passed
sweeping Russia sanctions legislation on Friday, advancing a
long-delayed measure backed by late Senator Lindsey Graham and setting
the stage for consideration by the House of Representatives within
weeks.Graham, a South Carolina Republican who died last month, was among
Kyiv’s most outspoken allies in Congress in its four-year-long war with
Russia, and the bill aims to increase economic pressure on Moscow over
its invasion of Ukraine.It also includes expanded sanctions on Iran
sought by US President Donald Trump as lawmakers pushed for a vote on
the measure well over a year since it was introduced in 2025.The
Senate’s Republican leaders had not brought the bill up because of
resistance from Trump, who had kept decisions on sanctions at the White
House, not Congress, since starting his second term in January 2025.The
Senate voted 86-11 to pass the “Lindsey O. Graham Sanctioning Russia and
Iran Act of 2026,” to sanction Russian officials and authorize stiff
tariffs on China, India and other countries to reduce their dependence
on Russian oil and gas.In a statement, the Ukrainian embassy in
Washington welcomed passage, calling it “a timely and significant step
that strengthens pressure on Russia.”However, broad support may not be
enough to secure House passage, with some lawmakers and industries wary
that new tariff powers for Trump could raise costs for US importers and
consumers while exposing Republicans to political blowback.Skepticism in
the House-Representatives Gregory Meeks of New York and Don Beyer of
Virginia said in a statement they still had “fundamental concerns” about
the tariff powers for Trump, who has made them a central piece of his
“America First” approach to foreign policy.“What the bill does grant …
are sweeping new tariff authorities that the president could weaponize
with abandon, as he has repeatedly done in the past,” said Meeks, the
top Democrat on the House Foreign Affairs Committee, and Beyer, the
senior Democrat on the Joint Economic Committee.Trump’s fellow
Republicans control only slim majorities in both the House and
Senate.Only one Senate Republican, Rand Paul of Kentucky, voted against
the bill, likening tariffs to taxes on American consumers.The chamber
erupted into applause after Graham’s sister, Darline Graham, who was
appointed to fill his seat, read out the final tally.The Senate rejected
an amendment sponsored by Paul and Democratic Senator Ron Wyden of
Oregon that would have removed the tariff powers.Democratic Senator
Raphael Warnock of Georgia, who also sought to change the tariff
language, said he had received a written commitment from Trump’s US
trade representative, Jamieson Greer, to put guardrails on the tariff
authorities.If it is approved by the House and signed into law by Trump,
the measure would allow the president to impose tariffs of up to 100%
on countries that are major consumers of Russian energy, including
India, Japan and some countries in the European Union, and leave it to
his discretion to lift them.The legislation’s backers insist that the
tariffs are narrow enough that they would do their intended job of
reducing Russian energy revenue that funds its war on Ukraine without
negative consequences.Supporters called the legislation the best
opportunity to support Ukraine, and the strong bipartisan Senate vote
provided momentum for it to pass the House after it returns from its
summer recess on August 31.Graham had announced shortly before his
sudden death on July 11 that he and Trump agreed finally to move forward
with the legislation.The legislation lets the president impose targeted
tariffs on imported goods from countries that buy the vast majority of
Russian oil or gas and enable Russia’s evasion of sanctions.The bill
limits these tariffs to the five largest importers of Russian crude oil
or gas and the top five countries that aid Russia’s energy sanctions
evasion. The measure includes a provision to prevent a lapse in
sanctions authority that restricts funding for Iranian energy and
weapons.
After centuries in India, the last Cochin Jews try to
keep their history alive-‘Every Jew has a dream that his last breath
should be in Israel,’ a Kochi resident says. ‘I believe my last breath
should be inside this synagogue’By DEEPA BHARATH 7 August 2026, 8:00 pm
KOCHI,
India (AP) — As the sun set over Kochi’s historic Jew Town
neighborhood, Keith Hallegua donned a gray kippah and began a solitary
walk to the synagogue at the end of his cobbled street.It was Shavuot,
the Jewish holiday commemorating God giving the Torah to Moses. Hallegua
reached the 458-year-old Paradesi Synagogue where he knew he would pray
alone — without a minyan, the quorum of 10 males required for a
communal service there.Hallegua is the synagogue’s last local congregant
— the only Jew left in Jew Town.Across the city at the centuries-old
Kadavumbagam Synagogue, Elias “Babu” Josephai remembered the “chukkunda”
— fried dough balls his grandmother used to make for Shavuot.“It wasn’t
much,” he said, wiping away tears. “But at that time, it was
everything.”They ache for what’s already gone and work to preserve
what’s left.In the 1950s, much of the Jewish community in Kochi
(historically known as Cochin), a seaport on India’s southwestern coast,
immigrated to Israel, leaving behind their homes, synagogues and
cemeteries.The burden of being the last Jews-Hallegua and Josephai
stayed. Now they represent the final chapter for the Cochin Jews who
have lived peacefully — and without fear of antisemitism — for centuries
alongside Hindu, Muslim and Christian neighbors. There are now fewer
than 5,000 Jewish citizens in all of India, the world’s most populous
country.But the Cochin Jewish community’s complex history includes both
religious freedom and internal divisions over class and colorism.
Hallegua is a Paradesi Jew, the once-dominant group whose fair-skinned,
Sephardic ancestors from Spain and Portugal fled the Spanish Inquisition
in the 16th century. They brought enslaved people with them, and their
freed descendants, known as the Meshuchrarim Jews, were relegated to a
lower social status and had to fight for religious equality.Josephai is a
Malabari Jew. The group’s darker-skinned ancestors trace their roots
back more than 2,000 years to King Solomon’s time. They also faced past
discrimination from the Paradesi community. While these divisions didn’t
survive after the Cochin Jews migrated to Israel and elsewhere, the
bitter remnants still haunt the community’s legacy.Though Hallegua and
Josephai rarely meet, both are intensely proud of their ancient
heritage.Josephai spent years resurrecting Kadavumbagam Synagogue, the
last functioning Malabari house of worship. Services are rare; it’s up
to Josephai to light the lamps and keep the prayers going, often alone.
He weeps for the past, when the synagogue was filled with people,
prayers and songs.“That will never come back,” he said.Hallegua is the
last local member of Paradesi Synagogue, which now relies on tourists
and visitors to have a quorum for services.“Quite often, I walk to the
synagogue and I ask HaShem (God), why have you done this?” Hallegua
said. “I never hear a response.”An effort to preserve history-On a
recent morning, tourists crowded the Paradesi Synagogue and Synagogue
Lane, the street it anchors. Former homes are now occupied by spice
warehouses and stores selling antiques and handicrafts. Historically,
the Jewish community played a major role in the spice trade in Kochi, a
hub for black pepper, cardamom and nutmeg.The synagogue’s entryway leads
to a main hall with blue and white Chinese porcelain tile floors.
Nineteenth century Belgian crystal chandeliers and colorful glass
lanterns adorn the sanctuary. A carved teakwood Torah ark stands at the
western wall facing Jerusalem. As in other Kochi synagogues, the women’s
section is upstairs. Visitors slip off their shoes, in keeping with
regional etiquette.Synagogue trustee M.C. Praveen says his life’s
mission is protecting Cochin Jewish history. Praveen, a Hindu, spent his
childhood in Jew Town, attending school with Hallegua’s family members,
eating Shabbat dinners, playing cricket near the synagogue.“I want to
make sure future generations know the history of this town and the
people who lived here,” said Praveen, who seeks guidance from the
community’s former residents and their far-flung children.The
connections transcend geography. Trustee Shulamit Kotzer, 55, was born
in Jew Town and spent vacations there after moving to Israel at age 2.
She dreams of opening a hotel in the neighborhood.“I consider Cochin not
a second home, but my home,” she said.Earlier this year, synagogue
leaders opened a museum showcasing Kochi’s Jewish history. It features
the settlement’s original deed: two copper plates bearing a Hindu king’s
charter from 1000 CE granting the community religious
freedom.Preservation efforts transcend religious ties-Praveen is not the
only non-Jew trying to ensure the community’s culture survives.Thaha
Ibrahim, a Muslim, forged a profound connection with the late Sarah
Cohen, one of the neighborhood’s Jewish matriarchs. He now runs her
embroidery shop on Synagogue Lane. Cohen, or “Sarah aunty” as he calls
her, taught him how to do Cochin Jewish embroidery.“I’m teaching my son
to do this embroidery so he can continue Sarah aunty’s legacy,” he
said.Ibrahim lights Shabbat candles on Fridays and closes his shop on
Saturdays. Muslim-Jewish tensions elsewhere in the world are not a
deterrent, he says.“This is not about religion, it’s about human
connection.”Across the city in Ernakulam, Josephai shoulders the
preservation of Malabari Jewish heritage. The 12th century Kadavumbagam
Synagogue, which he saved after vandals destroyed it, is tucked behind
the store where he sells aquarium fish and plants. The renovated
interior features hand-crafted tile and a red-and-gold Torah
ark.Josephai is proud that people of different faiths helped him
rebuild. A Muslim donated the lamps, a Christian gave a Ten Commandments
plaque, a Hindu foundation paid for the chandeliers.An oil lamp hangs
in front of the ark, its flame kept burning by Josephai. He also keeps
the synagogue prayers going, a promise made to his grandmother after his
siblings moved to Israel in 1972.“Every Jew has a dream that his last
breath should be in Israel,” he said. “I believe my last breath should
be inside this synagogue.”Josephai, 70, hopes a Jewish organization will
take over the synagogue, along with the library and museum he is
building.“Once I’m gone, there is no one who can tell these stories,” he
said. “But this is our fate and that’s how it is.”Thapan Dubayehudi, a
Malabari Jew who moved to Vienna in 2022, called Josephai “a one-man
army” keeping the history alive. He remembers sitting with Josephai as
they assembled and lit hundreds of lamps in the sanctuary during
Hanukkah.“I’d carry that memory with me if God gives me 90 years of
life,” he said.Keith Hallegua also stayed to fulfill family
responsibilities.“Never did I ever think that I would be the last Jew in
Jew Town,” said Hallegua, who remained to care for his brother and
mother.His mind teems with memories. Singing the Paradesi Jewish tunes
that blended Sephardic chants with local folk elements. The aroma of his
mother’s chili chicken. His grandmother’s frantic cleaning ahead of
Passover, Hallegua’s favorite season. The new clothes for Rosh
Hashanah.“That’s never going to come back,” Hallegua said.He realizes
his memories will vanish with him. It’s deeply painful, and some days he
wants to leave Jew Town.But he is grounded by his homeland and its
history.As he once explained, “I was born a Jew in India and I shall die
in India, a Jew.”
Canada, U.S. shadow Chinese research ships in the Arctic as concern grows over Snow Dragons' presence | CBC News Loaded
Both
Canada and the U.S. have been quietly shadowing two Chinese icebreaking
research ships in Arctic waters off Alaska over the last couple of
weeks.The Xue Long (Snow Dragon) and Xue Long (Snow Dragon) 2 sailed
north through the U.S. exclusive economic zone in the Bering Sea in
July, according to the U.S. Coast Guard.The appearance of Chinese
research ships every summer in the Arctic Ocean over the last few years
has been a subject of growing concern among security and defence
officials. Data compiled by Steffan Watkins, an independent research
consultant and ship tracker, shows a Royal Canadian Air Force CP-140
surveillance plane has been operating out of Alaska since early
July."The Canadian Joint Operations Command is actively monitoring
maritime traffic in the Arctic, including the vessels Xue Long and Xue
Long 2," defence spokesperson Cheryl Forrest said in a written
statement."Both vessels are currently operating outside of Canada’s
exclusive economic zone," Forrest added, referring to the area of ocean
beyond territorial waters where the country has sovereign rights to
resources and jurisdiction over activities like research and protection
of the marine environment.The Canadian military and possibly the Coast
Guard are closely monitoring a Chinese research vessel that has breached
Arctic waters for the second year in a row. CBC's Murray Brewster says
the Coast Guard was 'following a parallel course' of the vessel, despite
denying any 'shadowing.'Last year, the Canadian military began a
focused effort to better monitor northern waters and co-ordinate with
allies in the Pacific Ocean, including the Bering Sea off Alaska, under
the banner of Operation Latitude.The Royal Canadian Navy has committed
the frigate HMCS Ottawa and the Arctic offshore ships HMCS Max Bernays
and HMCS Robert Hampton Gray, in addition to the air force's
surveillance aircraft.The defence department says Canadian Special
Operations Forces Command personnel and the icebreaker CCGS Des
Groseilliers are also taking part.Buoys can track submarine activityWhen
asked about the Chinese ships on Thursday, Defence Minister David
McGuinty said the Canadian military actively monitors the country's
waters.China, which has declared itself a near-Arctic state, has
repeatedly said the deployment of its icebreakers to the region is
strictly for peaceful scientific research, environmental monitoring and
global climate change studies.Both research ships, however, have been
known to deploy advanced sonar and telemetry buoys. Western defence
officials say these devices not only track environmental changes and
undersea topography, but are also useful in tracking submarine
activity."Those research ships could do so many different things," said
Richard Shimooka, a defence researcher at the Ottawa-based
Macdonald-Laurier Institute.Analysis-Is the promise of military
icebreakers political theatre or sensible policy? There are no major
international undersea fibre-optic cables in the Bering Sea region, but
there is a regional subsea network vital to Alaska. Shimooka said he
wonders how much time the Chinese are devoting to mapping that grid, in
the same way the Russians are doing in the Baltic Sea and the North
Atlantic.Many people in blue overalls and white helmets stand on a dock
in front of a large red and white ship.Canada, Shimooka said, is playing
an increasingly important role in the western Pacific at a time when
the U.S. Navy is occupied with the Iran war. But, he cautioned, given
the age of the Canadian navy's frigates and coast guard ships, the
country can't do much more than it's currently doing. "I wouldn't say
we're stressed, but it certainly is kind of reaching the limits that we
can sustain comfortably given the age of the Halifax class," he
said.Described as the "backbone of the Royal Canadian Navy," the
Halifax-class patrol frigates are now between 30 and 40 years
old.'Testing our capabilities to respond' Members of the House of
Commons defence committee travelled to the Arctic in mid- to late July
and Conservative defence critic James Bezan left convinced that the
region needs more surveillance."We know we've had to have more assets in
the Arctic to ensure that we are monitoring the movements of the
People's Republic of China as they continue to increase their interest
in our Arctic," said Bezan, who noted that China has also been
increasingly co-operating and co-ordinating its air activity in the
Arctic with Russia."They are definitely challenging and testing our
capabilities to respond to these incursions."A Chinese research vessel
returns to Arctic waters — and Canada is watching-The federal government
has begun investing heavily in the construction of new destroyers and
begun the process of acquiring Arctic-capable submarines. It also plans
to deploy an undersea network of sensors.Bezan said time is of the
essence because the country's sovereignty is at stake."Russia and China
do not recognize our maritime claims" in the Far North, including the
Northwest Passage, Bezan said."So, we need to be investing in the
Arctic. When you look at the vast amounts of resources, a high
percentage of energy resources that are locked in the Arctic, including
in the Beaufort Sea, we have to do more to protect it and defend against
these adversaries."
U.S. Senate committee votes to hold Dr.
Anthony Fauci in contempt-Fauci invoked the Fifth Amendment in response
to over 100 questions at a hearing last week-Chris Iorfida · CBC News ·
Posted: Aug 06, 2026 10:01 AM EDT |
Dr. Anthony Fauci was held
in contempt of Congress on Thursday by a Republican-led Senate
committee, just over a week after the longtime federal health official
invoked the Fifth Amendment, declining to answer questions about his
guidance during the COVID-19 pandemic.Fauci, 85, said last week the
decision to not answer questions pained him, but that he was acting on
the advice of his counsel. The right to plead the Fifth to avoid
self-incrimination is protected under the U.S. Constitution under most
circumstances.Fauci made at least 20 appearances before congressional
committees after the emergence of the coronavirus, and his lawyers
argued he had already appeared well past his retirement in mid-2024,
with no substantial COVID-19 developments since then.More pointedly, his
team cited threats before the hearing by committee chair Sen. Rand Paul
and others, that Fauci faced possible prosecution if he perjured
himself."The only conclusion I can reach is that the sole reason he is
calling me before this committee is to prompt me to say something,
anything, that could vindicate his repeated public pledges that I end
up, in his words, 'behind bars,'" Fauci said in a brief opening
statement last week.A man in a blue suit with rimless glasses is shown
mid-speech, seated behind a table with a small microphone and
nameplate.David Schertler, a lawyer for Fauci who was ejected by Paul in
last week's contentious hearing, said Thursday that if comes up for a
full chamber vote, the "Senate should reject Senator Paul's meritless
and politically motivated contempt resolution.""Today's partisan
committee vote is a crude political stunt intended to punish Dr. Fauci
for exercising his constitutional rights," Schertler said in a
statement.But Paul said he intends to send the referral directly to the
Justice Department, rather than to the full Senate first, despite
Democratic questions over whether that would be legal.Steve Bannon and
Peter Navarro — longtime advisers to U.S. President Donald Trump — each
served prison sentences of about four months in 2024 after contempt
findings from a Democratic-led committee for refusing to appear before a
House of Representatives panel examining the 2021 riot at the U.S.
Capitol. The Bannon and Navarro matters were each voted on by the entire
House membership after committee recommendations.While the U.S. Justice
Department is not duty bound to follow a criminal referral from
Congress, Democrats have accused the department in Trump's second term
of pursuing politically motivated prosecutions.Another federal health
official, Dr. David Morens, was indicted earlier this year, accused of
concealing federal records during the pandemic.Paul, trained as an
ophthalmologist, has helped lead the charge against Fauci for six years.
The first U.S. senator to contract the coronavirus, Paul has questioned
nearly everything about COVID-19 from its inception, from masking to
excess death totals.The Kentucky Republican also fended off criticism of
his belated disclosure, by congressional rules, that his wife in
February 2020 had invested in Gilead, maker of Remdesivir, which was
often used as a COVID-19 treatment after previously being given to some
hepatitis C patients.Fauci received what was viewed as a somewhat
unprecedented pardon from then-president Joe Biden, covering the
immunologist's activities in government between 2014 and Biden's last
day in office in January 2025."We are voting on whether a witness who
has received the benefit of a sweeping pardon can be ordered by this
committee to answer questions and then defy that order without
consequence," Paul said Thursday.Sen. Richard Blumenthal, of
Connecticut, and other Democrats said holding Fauci in contempt would
set a bad precedent. Blumenthal pointed out that Trump pleaded the Fifth
hundreds of times during a deposition in New York state between the
presidencies.Ongoing debate in U.S.Despite a reputation for public
health and medical research excellence, the U.S. suffered many more
COVID-19 deaths overall, including on a per capita basis, than other G7
countries — more than 1.2 million people at last comprehensive count.The
U.S. has also seen more intense partisan divides over the years about
the origins and handling of the pandemic, which was declared by the
World Health Organization in March 2020.Fauci has served as a lightning
rod and frequent target of ire among Republicans after he served as
Trump's chief medical adviser in 2020, taking on a more prominent
public-facing role than the officials who were then at the helm of
Health and Human Services and the Centers for Disease Control. To
supporters, Fauci has been a provider of sound scientific expertise. He
received the Presidential Medal of Freedom from President George W. Bush
for his work on HIV/AIDS research from its earliest days of discovery
in the 1980s to helping implement the President’s Emergency Plan for
AIDS Relief, considered one of the most impactful U.S. global health
initiatives of all time.Republicans have accused Fauci of lying and
evasiveness with respect to statements he made in 2020 regarding masks,
distancing, the emerging COVID vaccines and the origins of the virus.
They've accused the longtime head of the National Institute of Allergy
and Infectious Diseases (NIAID) of imperiousness, with Sen. Ron Johnson
of Wisconsin on Thursday derisively referring to him to as "Saint
Fauci."Fauci and his defenders have said that any shifting statements
were made in the face of an unknown, rapidly evolving virus, and that
any mistakes were made on a good-faith basis.Paul in his opening
statement last week sought to build the case that Fauci helped produce
the COVID-19 pandemic by approving funding of research on virus
mutations and then covered up his complicity.Many scientists believe the
COVID-19 virus most likely emerged in nature and jumped from animals to
people, but Paul and many Republicans contend the virus might instead
have leaked from a laboratory.The National Institutes of Health, where
NIAID is housed, for years gave grants to a New York non-profit called
EcoHealth Alliance, which used some of the funds to work with a Chinese
lab studying coronaviruses commonly carried by bats.Fauci has been
adamant that his government institute didn't directly fund risky
gain-of-function research, and that it would be "molecularly impossible"
for the work being done at the Wuhan Institute of Virology to be the
original source of the virus. In a public letter weeks ago, more than
150 infectious-disease experts and other scientists wrote that "no
credible evidence has been produced to support these absurd charges" and
that they are "urging our elected representatives in Congress to stop
these witch-hunts."With files from The Associated Press
DISEASES-ANIMAL TO HUMAN.
REVELATION 6:7-8
7 And when he had opened the fourth seal, I heard the voice of the fourth beast say, Come and see.
8
And I looked, and behold a pale horse:(CHLORES GREEN)(SICKLY) and his
name that sat on him was Death, and Hell (TORMENTS) followed with him.
And power was given unto them over the fourth part of the earth,(2
billion) of (8 billion) to kill with sword,(WEAPONS)(500 million) and
with hunger,(FAMINE)(500 million) and with death,(INCURABLE
DISEASES)(500 million) and with the beasts of the earth.(ANIMAL TO HUMAN
DISEASE)(500 million).
DRUG PUSHERS AND ADDICTS
1 PET 5:8
8
Be sober,(NOT DRUGED UP OR ALCOHOLICED) be vigilant; because your
adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he
may devour:
REVELATION 18:23
23 And the light of a candle
shall shine no more at all in thee; and the voice of the bridegroom and
of the bride shall be heard no more at all in thee: for thy merchants
were the great men of the earth; for by thy sorceries (DRUGS) were all
nations deceived.
REVELATION 9:21
21 Neither repented they of
their murders,(KILLING) nor of their sorceries (DRUG ADDICTS AND DRUG
PUSHERS), nor of their fornication,(SEX OUTSIDE MARRIAGE OR PROSTITUTION
FOR MONEY) nor of their thefts.(STEALING)
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.
MARK 13:8
8 For nation
shall rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom:(ETHNIC GROUP
AGAINST ETHNIC GROUP) and there shall be earthquakes in divers places,
and there shall be famines and troubles: these are the beginnings of
sorrows.
LUKE 21:11
11 And great earthquakes shall be in
divers places,(DIFFERNT PLACES AT THE SAME TIME) and famines, and
pestilences; and fearful sights and great signs shall there be from
heaven.
2 Peter 3:6-7 Amplified Bible (AMP) (HOT SUN, NUKES ETC)
6 By these waters also the world of that time was deluged and destroyed.
7
By the same word the present heavens and earth are reserved for fire,
being kept for the day of judgment and destruction of the ungodly.
REVELATION 16:21 80-120LB HAIL ON HUMANS
21
And there fell upon men a great hail out of heaven, every stone about
the weight of a talent:(80-120 LBS) and men blasphemed God because of
the plague of the hail; for the plague thereof was exceeding great.
LUKE 21:25-26
25
And there shall be signs in the sun,(HEATING UP-SOLAR ECLIPSES) and in
the moon,(MAN ON THE MOON-LUNAR ECLIPSES) and in the
stars;(ASTEROIDS-PROPHECY SIGNS) and upon the earth distress of nations,
with perplexity;(MASS CONFUSION) the sea and the waves roaring;(FIERCE
WINDS)
26 Men’s hearts failing them for
fear,(TORNADOES,HURRICANES,STORMS) and for looking after those things
which are coming on the earth:(DESTRUCTION-HEAVENLY OBJECTS) for the
powers of heaven shall be shaken.(FROM QUAKES,NUKES ETC)
THIRD ANGEL: EUROPE
Then
one of the angels with wings showed me Europe from one end to the other
- from the north all the way down to Spain and Portugal. In his hand he
had a scale of measurement. I saw him fly over Europe, and I heard the
words: "I am grieved. I am grieved. Unrighteousness, uncleanness,
ungodliness - all over Europe. The sin has risen to heaven. The Holy
Spirit is grieved."I saw the rivers of Europe flooding and covering
millions of houses. Millions drown. After seeing this, I read the news a
few weeks ago: Czechoslovakia had the worst flooding ever. I also heard
that the big river in China is in tremendous danger of thousands of
houses being destroyed in flooding. I didn't know all this news until
after I had seen the vision and heard what the angels told me.Suddenly I
heard earthquakes all over Europe."Countries that have had no
earthquakes shall be shaken," said the angel.And suddenly, in my spirit,
I saw the Eiffel Tower in Paris crumbling and falling down. A great
part of Germany destroyed. The great city of London - destruction
everywhere. I saw floods all over Scandinavia. I looked to the south and
saw Spain and Portugal passing through hunger and great
destruction.Many will die from hunger all over Spain and Portugal. I was
disturbed by all this news, and I said:" Lord, what about your
children?"The angel said: "I shall prepare them. They shall be looking
for the appearing of the Lord. Many will cry to me in those days and I
will save them. I shall perform mighty miracles for them and show them
My power."So in the midst of great destruction, there will be the grace
of God in those countries. I was happy that God has His protection over
His children.
FIRES AND EXPLOSIONS
REVELATION 8:7
7 The
first angel sounded, and there followed hail and fire mingled with
blood, and they were cast upon the earth: and the third part of trees
was burnt up, and all green grass was burnt up.
B.C. wildfire forces entire District of Summerland to evacuate-Aug 8, 2026 | 12:55 AM
A
dangerous new wildfire west of Summerland, B.C, has triggered an
evacuation order for the entire district.District officials issued the
order, which went into effect at 12:10 a.m. local time, along with a
declaration of a state of emergency.The order states that the Bald Range
Wildfire is a significant threat to the health, safety, and welfare of
persons in the evacuation area. The district lists its population as
12,042, as of 2021.The blaze was first reported at 5:30 p.m. Friday, but
it has since exploded in size, burning 50 square kilometres.The
region’s emergency information officer, Erick Thompson, said it was one
of the “quickest-moving, fastest-growing” wildfires the area had
seen.While waiting for their property to be added to the evacuation zone
earlier Friday night, Summerland homeowner Kerry Gold and her husband,
Mike Elsinga, said they could see flames licking the skies beyond the
mountains.With the evacuation order now given, Gold’s preparations —
their bags packed, cat-carrier standing by and plans to help a disabled
friend in town — should help ease their escape.Elsinga added that you
can’t carry much, and after looking out for family, friends and pets,
everything else is replaceable.Early Saturday morning, Central Okanagan
Emergency Management issued an evacuation order covering an area south
of Peachland, from Highway 97 to Darke Lake Park.The BC Wildfire Service
say 104 active blazes are burning across the province this morning, and
the cause of the Bald Range fire remains under investigation.This
report by The Canadian Press was first published Aug. 8, 2026.by The
Canadian Press
Entire community of Summerland, B.C., ordered to
evacuate due to fast-moving wildfire-The Bald Range wildfire grew
rapidly to 50 square kilometres in size within hours0Jacqueline Gelineau
· CBC News · Posted: Aug 08, 2026 12:15 AM EDT |
The entire
municipality of Summerland, B.C., home to more than 12,000 people, has
been ordered to evacuate as the nearby Bald Range wildfire spreads.The
wildfire has been declared "out of control" by authorities and covers 50
square kilometres, according to available estimates.There are currently
104 active blazes in B.C. The cause of the Bald Range fire isn't yet
known.The entire municipality of Summerland has been ordered to evacuate
as the Bald Range wildfire continues to grow.The District of Summerland
declared a state of emergency on Saturday, stating the wildfire poses a
risk to life and safety.The fire started about 15 kilometres northwest
of Summerland, which is on the southwest end of Okanagan Lake, around
250 kilometres east of Vancouver.The Bald Range fire grew to 50 square
kilometres in three hours after it was first detected at 5:30 p.m. PT on
Friday, said Erick Thompson with the Regional District of
Okanagan-Similkameen's emergency operations centre.people watching
fire-Evacuation orders have been issued by the Regional District of
Central Okanagan, the Regional District of Okanagan-Similkameen and the
District of Summerland.-In a video briefing, Thompson said the fire
poses an immediate threat to those in the evacuation zone, which now
encompasses all of Summerland.He said at least 55 people have been
rescued by air support.Plumes of smoke arise from behind a hill.Thompson
said the fire is showing aggressive Rank 5 behaviour, meaning that it
has a fast-moving flame front with "long-range spotting" that can ignite
new fires.He added it was one of the "quickest-moving, fastest-growing"
wildfires the area had seen.B.C. Wildfire Service currently has the
wildfire stage characterized as "out of control."The regional district
spokesperson said people should prepare for Highway 97 to be closed.The
B.C. Wildfire Service said that winds were carrying embers up to a
kilometre ahead of the main body of the fire.'Embers on the seats'In an
interview with CBC News, Ashley Jestin said her house burned in the
fire. Her home was located at the corner of Fish Lake Road and Princeton
Summerland Road.She said when her husband came home from work at about
4:30 p.m., he saw flames and smoke on the hill by their home, and they
began getting packed."By the time we got out, we had embers on the seats
of our car," Jestin said.Jestin said they had only minutes to leave
before their home was surrounded by flames, and they left before she
heard any evacuation alerts or orders had been issued.A sign with an
apple on it says 'Welcome to Summerland' as plumes of smoke rise in the
background.Taylor Colman, a fire information officer with the B.C.
Wildfire Service, said the fire is spreading up slope, and its growth
was accelerating on Friday evening."The conditions on site are extremely
dry and the forest fuels are very receptive to ignition and there's
wind coming out of the south and southwest — which is driving the fire
to the north and northeast," said Colman.The B.C. Wildfire Service has
deployed air tankers, helicopters and ground personnel. Tactical
evacuations were initiated as the fire moved toward structures, said
Colman.According to the 2021 census, Summerland's population is over
12,000.The Bald Range wildfire is just one of 104 active blazes in the
province, and officials say an investigation into its cause remains
ongoing.Plumes of orange smoke from a wildfire.With files from The
Canadian Press.
What you need to know about B.C. wildfires on
Aug. 8-Bald Creek fire near Summerland displays explosive growth on
Friday evening-Arden McLeod · CBC News · Posted: Aug 08, 2026 8:00 AM
EDT |
THE LATEST:A state of emergency was declared by the
District of Summerland just after 10:30 p.m. PT due to the growing Bald
Range wildfire, discovered Friday afternoon.As of late Friday evening,
the wildfire was 50 square kilometres in size and prompted numerous
evacuation orders.On the northwest end of Okanagan Lake, growth has
slowed on the Bradley Creek wildfire, but preliminary estimates from the
Okanagan Indian Band indicate at least 230 properties were destroyed in
the fire.Provincewide, there were 7,000 properties under evacuation
orders and 3,500 under alerts as of Friday morning.Since Thursday, the
Ainslie Creek fire near Boston Bar has grown more than 50 square
kilometres.According to DriveBC, major highway and road closures from
Friday are still in place.Summerland declares state of emergency-A state
of emergency was declared by the District of Summerland just after
10:30 p.m. PT due to the Bald Range wildfire burning near Okanagan Lake,
around 15 kilometres west of Summerland.Summerland had a population of
over 12,000 people in 2021.The wildfire grew aggressively to 50 square
kilometres in the span of a few hours on Friday night.In an update late
Friday night, the BCWS said "conditions combined with elevated gusty
winds out of the southwest resulted in rapid growth of wildfire to the
northeast." Rapid growth was expected overnight on Saturday, the service
says, as winds carried embers from the fire up to a kilometre
away.Numerous districts issued evacuation orders and alerts Friday
evening as a result of the new wildfire. The Central Okanagan Regional
District issued an evacuation order for properties in the Brent Road
area, south of Peachland.The Regional District of Okanagan-Similkameen
has issued an evacuation order for anyone in the Princeton-Summerland
Road area.Plumes of orange smoke are seen on hills across a lake.The
exact cause of the Bald Range wildfire is still under investigation as
of Friday evening. (Submitted by Shannon Bedford)-Summerland resident
Shannon Bedford said she noticed a lot of smoke drifting in, thinking it
was from fires north of Summerland. "It literally came in like a
curtain," she explained.She said she and her husband overheard
firefighters directing residents to be ready to leave at a moment's
notice, before she got her cat and husband in the car and headed to
Kelowna."We've got ourselves, our animals and our son actually out in
Penticton — so that [is] a bit nerve-racking trying to figure out how we
[are] going to deal with that too."Other major evacuations-Evacuation
orders have been issued for residents south of Lillooet as the
out-of-control Pear Lake wildfire continues to grow.On Friday, the
Squamish-Lillooet Regional District issued an evacuation order for 16
properties in the Texas Creek area. The T'it'q'et First Nation also
issued an evacuation order for five homes located on T'it'q'et Indian
Reserve #2 Towinock.Meanwhile, the Thompson-Nicola Regional District
issued a new evacuation order for 57 properties south of Merritt in the
Nicola Valley on Friday due to growth on the Ainslie Creek wildfire.The
district also issued an evacuation alert for 783 properties southwest of
the city.Other large fires-On the northwest end of Okanagan Lake, the
Bradley Creek wildfire did not display significant growth this week,
with the B.C. Wildfire Service saying the fire was 28.5 square
kilometres in size as of Friday night. The exact scale of the damage
from the Bradley Creek fire is still being estimated, but the Okanagan
Indian Band says at least 230 homes have been destroyed on its
reserve.Staying on the west bank, farther south, the Quilpituk Creek
wildfire is burning at just over one square kilometre as of Friday
night. The Pear Lake wildfire near Clinton — currently the largest in
the province at roughly 1,364.5 square kilometres — has destroyed
structures on around 120 properties in the area.Since Thursday, the
Ainslie Creek wildfire, part of the Brunswick Complex, has grown more
than 50 square kilometres.The BCWS said it continues to see active fire
in the area above Highway 1 around Hell's Gate.With files from Sia
Foryoh.
45,000 Wildfires In US This Year-August 8, 2026 at 8:46 AM EDT
A
powerful El Niño is building. From the Gulf Coast to California, here's
what it could mean for weather in your state.Evidence is growing that
this year's El Niño could rank among the strongest on record.Jasmine
Andersson-Scientists have warned that this year's El Niño could become
one of the strongest — if not the strongest — on record.Analysis
released by Berkeley Earth, a nonprofit climate research group, on July
23 found a 90% chance that El Niño will push tropical Pacific
temperatures beyond anything recorded in about 150 years of
observations. That would increase the likelihood of higher global
temperatures and more extreme weather.El Niño — which officially formed
in June — is a natural climate pattern that can bring extreme weather to
many parts of the world, including the U.S.It can dramatically reshape
weather across North America, increasing the likelihood of wetter
conditions in the South, milder temperatures in the North and a quieter
Atlantic hurricane season.The deadly heatwaves experienced across much
of North America and Europe already this summer can not be directly
linked to El Niño, climate scientists say, with its worst effects yet to
come.The World Meteorological Organization expects El Niño to persist
well into late 2026, and its most significant impact on U.S. weather is
likely to emerge in the fall and peak during the winter.What will this
mean for the weather in the U.S.? The severity of El Niño's impacts
depends on where you live. "El Niño tends to increase the storm track
over the southern tier of the United States, increasing the chances of
above-average precipitation," Michelle L'Heureux, a physical scientist
at NOAA's Climate Prediction Center, told Yahoo News.Northern parts of
the country could see warmer temperatures, while other regions may
experience drier conditions.She said the southward shift in the storm
track also leaves parts of the northern U.S. drier than normal and
increases the likelihood of above-average temperatures.How will El Niño
impact where you live? Each El Niño event is unique in terms of its
evolution, spatial pattern and impacts.The South and the Gulf Coast-A
strong El Niño typically brings wetter and cooler-than-normal conditions
from late fall through winter. Thunderstorm activity often increases
along the Gulf Coast and in the lower Mississippi and Tennessee valleys.
Spring and summer wildfire risk also tends to decrease across the
Southeast.California and the Southwest-El Niño often brings
wetter-than-normal conditions, especially during midwinter, although the
signal is less consistent than in the Southeast. Increased
precipitation can also reduce spring and summer wildfire risk across
parts of the Southwest, including the Great Basin and southern
Rockies.The Pacific Northwest and Northern Rockies-A strong or very
strong El Niño typically brings milder conditions and below-normal
snowfall as Pacific air limits the buildup of cold air over western and
central Canada. Parts of the Rockies can receive above-normal snowfall,
while the northern U.S. tends to be warmer and drier, increasing spring
wildfire risk in the Northern Rockies.Tennessee and Ohio Valleys-Winters
are often drier than average, particularly across the Ohio and
Tennessee valleys. At the same time, El Niño can increase thunderstorm
activity from the lower Mississippi Valley into the Tennessee Valley.The
Northeast-A strong El Niño generally brings a milder winter with
below-normal snowfall across much of the region. Despite the warmer
pattern, the risk of powerful coastal storms, including nor'easters, can
still be elevated.What will it mean for storms? A strong or very strong
El Niño typically strengthens the subtropical jet stream during the
fall and winter, steering more storms across the southern U.S. and
suppressing Atlantic hurricane activity, according to Steven DiMartino,
chair of the American Meteorological Society's Board of Digital
Meteorologists."While you only need one hurricane to have significant
impacts, a very strong El Niño produces significant wind shear in the
tropical Atlantic," he said. "That prevents most tropical waves from
forming and threatening the U.S.""The biggest impacts from El Niño tend
to occur in the winter months, though the effects may linger beyond the
winter," Nat Johnson, a physical scientist at NOAA's Climate Prediction
Center and lead of the El Niño Southern Oscillation team, told Yahoo
News.Johnson added that during the following spring and summer, El Niño
can increase or reduce the wildfire risk depending on where you live.How
strong will this El Niño be? Forecast models increasingly point to a
powerful event, as a large reservoir of heat remains beneath the
tropical Pacific and the atmosphere is now reinforcing the ocean warming
rather than suppressing it.Berkeley Earth analyzed 14 forecast models
to make its predictions, which project that sea surface temperatures in
the El Niño region — central and eastern equatorial Pacific Ocean —
will peak at around 3.6°C above average, potentially surpassing the
previous record of 2.75°C. Whether or not 2026 is the hottest year on
record is to be decided, but 2027 is far more likely to break any
previous high. As climate scientist Zeke Hausfather of Berkeley Earth
told the Associated Press, "It's going to keep getting worse.""The
current trends and developments support that this El Niño will surpass
the 1997-98 and 2015-16 events, which are considered the strongest on
record," DiMartino told Yahoo News. "Given that El Niño's peak is in
late November, the potential to rise as much as +3.0°C or +4.0°C is
becoming increasingly likely."NOAA is also forecasting a major El Niño,
giving it an 81% chance of reaching "very strong" status. However, the
agency has stopped short of predicting it will become the strongest on
record."NOAA is not saying there is a 90% chance of becoming the
strongest in 150 years," L'Heureux said. "In our monthly discussion
update, we also wrote that we are referring to our historical record
going back to 1950. We do not have enough confidence in the record prior
to 1950 to be making comparisons before then."
Challenging fire
weather returns to Pacific Northwest as crews battle destructive Spokane
blazes-Meteorologist Mary Gilbert, CNN-Fri, August 7, 2026 at 10:48 PM
EDT
A new round of flame-fueling winds and low humidity is
escalating wildfire danger once again in the Pacific Northwest as fire
crews work tirelessly to contain destructive blazes in Spokane,
Washington, and across the region.A short-lived reprieve from adverse
weather over the past several days gave crews a chance to make
considerable progress on taming the flames, but weather conditions on
Friday and Saturday threaten to undo some of that hard work or fan
sparks into new blazes.A complex of three fires near Spokane in the
eastern portion of the state has scorched more than 10,000 acres of land
and destroyed hundreds of homes and structures since igniting on
Saturday. At one point, the fires forced tens of thousands of people to
evacuate. Some have since returned to find treasured memories turned to
ashes.And for those whose homes survived the fires but are in immediate
affected areas, "it is going to be weeks before we can safely let you
in," Spokane County Sheriff John Nowels said during a news conference
Thursday, warning of air quality concerns in the area.Nowels said
evacuations will remain in place due to the incoming fire conditions
expected this weekend. "There will likely not be any changes to the
evacuation zones until the weekend is over and this weather event has
passed us," he said.Authorities have arrested and charged a Spokane
resident with first-degree arson in one of the fires. The man admitted
to igniting the blaze and more than two dozen others since last year,
Thursday court documents show.Fires aren't just raging near Spokane:
There are dozens of active blazes across the West, including Washington,
Oregon and California. These are producing smoke that's creating
abysmal air quality in parts of the Northwest. It's the worst fire
season in more than 30 years for Washington and Oregon, one fueled by
human-caused climate change.With no rain in the forecast, here's what to
expect from the wind and heat in the coming days.Greater Spokane
area-Increasing winds, low humidity and hot temperatures are combining
to elevate fire danger on both Friday and Saturday, with the worst
conditions expected in the afternoon.A red flag warning is in effect for
both days in Spokane and other parts of eastern Washington. Red flag
warnings are issued by the National Weather Service to warn of weather
conditions that could lead to dangerous wildfire spread.Winds ramped up
Friday afternoon with gusts around 20 mph in some areas, including
Spokane International Airport. Gusts this high are strong enough to blow
around embers and keep fire crews on their toes but aren't close to the
nearly 50 mph gusts that fueled the fires' initial explosive spread
last weekend.High temperatures reached the mid-90s on Friday, which is
several degrees hotter than normal during the area's hottest time of the
year.The area will see an ebb and flow of breezy winds this weekend
into early next week. Winds will ease overnight Friday, but another bout
of stronger winds will arrive Saturday, once again ramping up around
noon local time and lasting through the afternoon. High temperatures
will drop to 88 degrees, which is closer to the average for Spokane this
time of year, but winds between 20 and 30 mph will make Saturday
another challenging day for fire crews.Winds will ease up again
overnight and then increase to gusts of 15 to 20 mph during the
afternoon Sunday, but the overall threat of fire spread will be less
than Saturday's peak.That pattern of wind change is something first
responders are working to prepare for, Maj. Gen. Gent Welsh, commander
of the Washington National Guard, told CNN's Omar Jimenez on Thursday.
"They want to get those containment lines in now before that wind
hits."Almost 400 members of the guard are deployed across the state,
Welsh said.From left, Al Acosta, his son Louis Acosta, daughter Renee
Stewart and son-in-law Jamie Stewart look through the remains of Al's
home in Spokane, Washington, on August 3. - Lindsey Wasson/AP-Pacific
Northwest-Hot and windy conditions are not confined to eastern
Washington. Central Washington is seeing the strongest winds, with gusts
between 30 and 40 mph reported in a few locations just east of the
Cascades.Winds of that strength start to present a greater risk of
erratic wildfire behavior and spread, and a red flag warning has been
issued in central Washington for both Friday and Saturday.Similar to
Spokane, the windiest periods will be during the afternoon from Friday
through Sunday, with weaker winds each night.In western Washington, a
wildfire started north of Mount Rainier and has burned more than 200
acres as of Friday evening. Named the Grand Park 2 Fire, it remains
uncontained.Central and eastern Oregon will also deal with periods of
gustier winds each day. Many areas where fires are already burning could
see gusts up to 20 mph, while the lower Columbia River Basin in
northern Oregon could get up to 35 mph, especially on Saturday.Over 40
large fires are burning in Washington and Oregon — more than half of the
nationwide total, according to the National Interagency Fire
Center.Several fires are also raging in California, including the Gann
Fire in the Sierra Nevada foothills, which has burned more than 10,000
acres since it ignited Monday and left one person dead.On Thursday, Gov.
Gavin Newsom declared a state of emergency for Calaveras County due to
the fire. A man was arrested in connection to the blaze, which
investigators believe was accidentally started by sparks from a chain
saw, according to the Associated Press.Another fire ignited Friday
afternoon in the outskirts of Los Angeles County near Gorman, which has
burned over 1,000 acres, according to CalFire.The fast-moving brush
fire, named the Ridge Fire, rapidly spread down the hill, prompting
evacuations before the flames jumped Interstate 5, which was shut down
in both directions, according to CNN affiliate KABC.In southwest Utah, a
firefighting helicopter crashed near a wildfire in the Fishlake
National Forest on Friday in "remote terrain under unknown circumstances
during firefighting operations," the Great Basin Incident Management
Team said.There were two people on board, The Associated Press reported,
saying the agency and the NTSB could not confirm their conditions as it
was difficult to reach the crash site."Wildland firefighting is among
the most dangerous jobs in the world," Utah Gov. Spencer Cox wrote in a
social media post about the crash. "Today is a painful reminder of the
extraordinary risks these brave men and women accept to protect
us."Smoke and air quality issues-Smoke and its literal chokehold on air
quality continue to be the most widespread impact of the ongoing
fires.Air quality in the Pacific Northwest has reached unhealthy or very
unhealthy levels since the start of the week, but some areas are seeing
changes because of a wind shift.Air quality has improved west of the
Cascades, including in Seattle and Portland, Oregon, after a wind shift
Thursday pushed smoke east. Any remaining smoke in the region should
completely loosen its grip on Friday.Those same winds will keep parts of
Washington and Oregon east of the Cascades shrouded in smoke, with poor
air quality through the weekend. The smoke will also affect air quality
in parts of Idaho, Montana and Wyoming.Smoke higher in the atmosphere
will also spread farther east into the Northern Plains and Midwest,
especially this weekend.But this smoke is forecast to stay high enough
that it's unlikely to cause a repeat of the widespread smoky conditions
and poor air quality that affected many areas in the central and eastern
US in July.This story has been updated with additional
information.CNN's Maria Aguilar and Meteorologist Chris Dolce
contributed to this report.
Over 20,000 flee intense wildfire in Canada as emergency declared-By Reuters 9 August 2026, 1:53 am
PENTICTON,
British Columbia — British Columbia declares a state of emergency after
thousands of people in the western Canadian province are ordered to
flee a fast-moving wildfire that nearly doubled in size overnight.The
Bald Range wildfire is burning out of control and has grown rapidly to
about 9,500 hectares (23,500 acres), prompting evacuation orders in
Summerland, Peachland and other districts west of Okanagan Lake in the
province’s southern interior. The region produces most of BC’s wine and
is Canada’s second-largest wine-producing area.Premier David Eby tells a
news conference that one fire official had likened the fire to “a bomb
going off.”“He described flames on 100-foot tree, flames going 200 feet
above that, and the fire creating its own weather system, which creates
lightning, which then feeds on itself,” Eby says.“Homes have been lost,
and properties have been destroyed. Some people became trapped as
conditions changed very quickly, and needed to be rescued,” the premier
says, adding it remained a very dynamic and threatening
situation.Summerland has a population of about 12,000 people, according
to the 2021 census, and Peachland is home to about 6,500 residents.A
state of emergency grants the provincial government immediate access to
special powers, including travel restrictions and supply protections to
prevent price gouging, and specific tools to coordinate rescue
work.Officials say the Bald Range wildfire triggered the largest
evacuation event so far this summer, and more than 20,000 people across
BC have been forced to evacuate their homes.“A lot of farms have been
affected. We don’t know how many structures have been lost. They’re
still busy fighting the fire,” Summerland Mayor Doug Holmes says in a
phone interview from Penticton. “We have to brace ourselves for the
worst.”Summerland, British Columbia, Canada – August 7, 2026 – A forest
fire affected parts of the area as fire activity continued near the
community pic.twitter.com/3nxVTJuUWr — Disaster Update
(@DisasterUpdate2) August 8, 2026
