Podcasts about syrian

Canadian journalist Nora Loreto reads the latest headlines for Monday, June 23, 2025.TRNN has partnered with Loreto to syndicate and share her daily news digest with our audience. Tune in every morning to the TRNN podcast feed to hear the latest important news stories from Canada and worldwide.Find more headlines from Nora at Sandy & Nora Talk Politics podcast feed.Help us continue producing radically independent news and in-depth analysis by following us and becoming a monthly sustainer.Sign up for our newsletterLike us on FacebookFollow us on TwitterDonate to support this podcast

The UN Security Council is holding an emergency meeting to discuss the US airstrikes on Iran's nuclear sites. The UN chief, Antonio Guterres, said that diplomacy and dialogue must prevail to prevent the Middle East from falling into a cycle of retaliation. We'll hear from a former security official in President Trump's first administration and assess the extent of the damage to Iran's nuclear operation caused by the US attacks.Also in the programme: We speak to the wife of the Belarusian dissident Siarhei Tsikhanouski who has been released after five years in prison; and Syrian rescue workers say at least fifteen people have been killed in a suicide bombing at a church in the capital Damascus.(Picture: UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres addresses delegates during a meeting of the United Nations Security Council. Credit: Eduardo Munoz/Reuters)

Welcome to The Times of Israel's newest podcast series, Friday Focus. Each Friday, join diplomatic reporter Lazar Berman and host deputy editor Amanda Borschel-Dan for a deep dive into what's behind the news that spins the globe. Israel has experience in attempting to stop a nuclear weapons program. Twice before striking Iran on June 13, 2025, Israel attempted to thwart two neighboring nations' nascent nuclear programs. This week on the Friday Focus, we’re talking about the covert surprise 1981 Operation Opera in Iraq and the 2007 Israeli airstrike on Syria, called Operation Outside the Box or Operation Orchard. Berman fills us in on the back story of both, and weighs in on how successful they were — of course, with an eye to the current Israel-Iran war and Israel’s goal to stop Iran from reaching a nuclear bomb. We learn how Operation Opera, also known as Operation Babylon, took place under prime minister Menachem Begin on June 7, 1981, at 16:00 when 14 fighter jets departed from Etzion (Efrat) Airport in Israel. At approximately 17:30, they struck and destroyed the Osirak nuclear reactor in Iraq, and within about 90 seconds of bombing, they successfully completed their mission. Berman speaks about the resultant "Begin Doctrine," which, since 1981, guides Israel in how it reacts to imminent threats of weapons of mass destruction. We then turn to the second preemptive strike that Israel carried out to stop the bomb in 2007, under prime minister Ehud Olmert. Ten Israeli Air Force (IAF) F-15 fighter jets, along with F-16 fighters and electronic-warfare aircraft, bombed a Syrian radar site and took over Syrian air defenses, feeding them a false picture of empty skies. We discuss the overriding themes of both operations and compare them with what is currently happening in the Israel-Iran war. Friday Focus can be found on all podcast platforms. This episode was produced by the Pod-Waves and the video was edited by Thomas Girsch. IMAGE: The IDF pilots who participated in the Operation Opera bombing of Saddam Hussein's nuclear reactor at Osirak in 1981. (Israel Defense Force archive)See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Dmitri Alperovitch talks with Israeli Gen Amos Yadlin (Ret.), perhaps the world's only person who has participated in the destruction of three Middle Eastern nuclear weapons programs: first, as an F-16 pilot in 1981 against Iraqi nuclear reactor at Osirak, as Head of Military Intelligence in 2007 against Syrian nuclear reactor Al Kibar, and in various IDF roles for the last nearly 20 years planning the current operation against Iran. 00:00 Introduction 01:29 Strategic Objectives of the Operation Against Iran 07:30 How to Deal With Fordow Enrichment Facility 08:16 Shocking Success 11:20 Danger of Euphoria 14:08 Where Are the Iranian Proxies? 15:40 Threat to the Strait of Hormuz 18:00 Khamenei's Psychological State and Strategic Decisions 20:56 Likelihood of Regime Change 23:38 Implications for the Broader Middle East

The fall of Bashar al-Assad last December did not erase the deep-rooted prejudices within Syrian society. Identity and political divisions remain vivid, and since January, sectarian clashes have been increasing. In a country as fragmented as Syria, old grudges are simmering, with many taking justice into their own hands – driven by a thirst for revenge against those they view as traitors or internal enemies. Amid this escalating violence, the authorities insist they are committed to holding those responsible accountable. Meanwhile, civil society is doing what it can to keep hope alive by calling for dialogue and pushing for national unity. Our correspondent in Syria, Jenna Le Bras, reports.

June 18th, 2025:  St Ephrem the Syrian - Mindful of the Justice & Mercy of God; St Ephrem of Syria - Harp of the Holy Spirit; St Ephrem of Syria, the Holy Spirit & the Sacred Heart; St Ephrem - Humility for the Knowledge of Truth

FAN MAIL--We would love YOUR feedback--Send us a Text MessageWhat happens when a nation faces an existential threat and decides to act alone? The 2007 Israeli strike on Syria's nuclear reactor provides a powerful case study in preemptive action and strategic courage.When Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert received intelligence about a Syrian nuclear reactor being built with North Korean assistance near the Euphrates River, he faced a momentous decision. Despite U.S. President George W. Bush's hesitation following intelligence failures in Iraq, Olmert ordered Operation Soft Melody (also called Operation Orchid) to neutralize the threat. The elite Shaldog unit (Unit 5101) infiltrated the area to laser-designate targets, enabling a precision strike that completely destroyed the Al-Kabar facility before it became operational.Fast forward to today, and Iran's dispersed nuclear infrastructure presents a far more complex challenge than the single-facility targets in Syria and Iraq. With sites buried deep underground in multiple locations, many analysts believe only American bunker-buster bombs can effectively neutralize the threat. But Israel has repeatedly demonstrated innovative capabilities that surpass expectations. As tensions escalate, we're left wondering: will Israel again find a way to act when diplomacy fails? The shadow war continues, with the security of millions hanging in the balance.our book of the day is "Shadow Strike:   Inside Israel's Secret Mission to Eliminate Syrian Nuclear Power"Key Points from the Episode:• Iranian-controlled drone carrying explosives into Israel in 2018 showed Iran's willingness for direct confrontation• Operation Soft Melody destroyed Syria's Al-Kabar nuclear reactor in 2007, which was built with North Korean assistance• Prime Minister Ehud Olmert ordered the strike despite U.S. President George W. Bush preferring diplomacy• Elite Israeli unit Shaldog (Unit 5101) likely laser-designated the Syrian target for precision airstrikes• Iran presents a more complex challenge with multiple fortified nuclear sites scattered throughout the country• The Begin Doctrine states Israel will not allow nuclear threats capable of reaching its homeland to existKeep fighting the good fight and pray for Israeli success to eliminate the evil in our time.Other resources: Israel's Sept 11thLM#38--Israel's 9-11, part 1LM#39--Israel's 9-11, part 2--Don't look awayLM#54--Black Saturday, October 7th -- One Year LaterWant to leave a review? Click here, and if we earned a five-star review from you **high five and knuckle bumps**, we appreciate it greatly, thank you so much!

This week we talk about tit-for-tat warfare, conflict off-ramps, and Israel's renewed attacks on Iran's nuclear program.We also discuss the Iron Dome, the Iran-Iraq War, and regime change.Recommended Book: How Much is Enough? by Robert and Edward SkidelskyTranscriptIn late-October of 2024, Israel launched a wave of airstrikes against targets in Iran and Syria. These strikes were code-named Operation Days of Repentance, and it marked the largest such attack on Iran by Israel since the 1980s, during the height of the Iran-Iraq War.Operation Days of Repentance was ostensibly a response to Iran's attack on Israel earlier than same month, that attack code-named Operation True Promise II, which involved the launch of around 200 ballistic missiles against Israeli targets. Operation True Promise II was itself a response to Israel's assassination of the leader of Hamas, the leader of Hezbollah, and the Deputy of Operations for Iran's Revolutionary Guard.If you feel like there might be a tit-for-tat pattern here, you're right. Iran and Israel have been at each other's throats since 1979, following the Islamic Revolution when Iran cut off all diplomatic relations with Israel; some backchannel relations continued between the two countries, even through part of the Iran-Iraq War, when Israel often supported Iran in that conflict, but things got tense in the early 1980s when Iran, partnering with the Syrian government, started backing Hezbollah and their effort to boot Israel out of Southern Lebanon, while also partnering with Islamist militants in Iraq and Yemen, including the Houthis, and at times Hamas in Gaza, as well.Most of these attacks have, until recently, been fairly restrained, all things considered. There's long been bravado by politicians on both sides of the mostly cold war-ish conflict, but they've generally told the other side what they would be hitting, and signaled just how far they would be going, telling them the extent of the damage they would cause, and why, which provides the other side ample opportunity to step off the escalatory ladder; everyone has the chance to posture for their constituents and then step back, finding an off-ramp and claiming victory in that specific scuffle.That back-and-forth in late-2024 largely stuck to that larger pattern, and both sides stuck with what typically works for them, in terms of doing damage: Israel flew more than 100 aircraft to just beyond or just inside Iran's borders and struck a bunch of military targets, like air defense batteries and missile production facilities, while Iran launched a few hundred far less-accurate missiles at broad portions of Israel—a type of attack that could conceivably result in a lot of civilian casualties, not just damage to military targets, which would typically be a no-no if you're trying to keep the tit-for-tat strikes regulated and avoid escalation, but because Israel has a fairly effective anti-missile system called the Iron Dome, Iran could be fairly confident that just hurling a large number of missiles in their general direction would be okay, as most of those missiles would be shot down by the Iron Dome, the rest by Israel's allies in the region, and the few that made it through or struck unoccupied land in the general vicinity would make their point.While this conflict has been fairly stable for decades, though, the tenor and tone seems to have changed substantially in 2025, and a recent wave of attacks by Israel is generally being seen as the culmination of several other efforts, and possibly an attempt by the Israeli government to change the nature of this conflict, perhaps permanently.And that's what I'd like to talk about today; Operation Rising Lion, and the implications of Israel's seeming expansion and evolution of their approach to dealing with Iran.—In mid-June of 2025, Israel's military launched early morning strikes against more than a dozen targets across Iran, most of the targets either fundamental to Iran's nuclear program or its military.The strikes were very targeted, and some were assassinations of top Iranian military leaders and nuclear scientists, like the Commander of the Revolutionary Guard, along with their families, including twenty children, who were presumably collateral damage. Some came from beyond Iran's borders, some were conducted by assets smuggled into Iran earlier: car bombs and drones, things like that.More attacks followed that initial wave, which resulted in the collapse of nuclear sites and airport structures, along with several residential buildings in the country's capitol, Tehran.This attack was ostensibly meant to hobble Iran's nuclear program, which the Iranian government has long claimed is for purely peaceful, energy-generation purposes, but which independent watchdog organizations, and pretty much every other non-Iranian-allied government says is probably dual-purpose, allowing Iran to produce nuclear energy, but also nuclear weapons.There was a deal on the books for a while that had Iran getting some benefits in exchange for allowing international regulators to monitor its nuclear program, but that deal, considered imperfect by many, but also relatively effective compared to having no deal at all, went away under the first Trump administration, and the nuclear program has apparently been chugging along since then with relative success; claims that Iran is just weeks from having enough fissile material to make a nuclear weapon have been common for years, now, but they apparently now have enough nuclear weapons-grade materials to make several bombs, and Israel in particular is quite keen to keep them from building such a weapon, as Iran's leaders, over the years, have said they'd like to wipe Israel off the face of the Earth, and nuclear weapons would be a relatively quick and easy way to make that happen.Of course, even without using such a weapon, simply having one or more is a sort of insurance policy against conventionally armed enemies. It ups the stakes in every type of conflict, and allows the nuclear-armed belligerent to persistently raise the specter of nuclear war if anyone threatens them, which is truly terrifying because of how many nuclear-related failsafes are in place around the world: one launch or detonation potentially becoming many, all at once, because of Dr. Strangelove-like automated systems that many militaries have readied, just in case.So the possibility that Iran might be on the brink of actually, really, truly this time making a nuclear weapon is part of the impetus for this new strike by Israel.But this is also probably a continuation of the larger effort to dismantle Iran's influence across the region by the current Israeli government, which, following the sneak attack on Israel by Hamas on October 7, 2023, and the subsequent invasion of the Gaza Strip by Israeli forces, has been trying to undermine Iran's proxies, which again, include quite a few militant organizations, the most powerful of which, in recent years, have been the trio of Hamas in Gaza, the Houthis in Yemen, and Hezbollah in southern Lebanon, right on Israel's border.Israel's invasion of Gaza, which has led to an absolutely catastrophic humanitarian situation for Gazan civilians, but has also led to the near-total collapse of Hamas as a functioning militant organization in the Strip, could be construed as a successful mission, if you ignore all those civilians casualties and fatalities, and the near-leveling of a good portion of the Strip.Israel was also able to take out a significant portion of Hezbollah's leadership via conventional aerial attacks and ground-assaults, and a bizarrely effective asymmetric attack using bombs installed in the pagers used by the organization, and it's been able to significantly decrease the Houthis' ability to menace ships passing through the Red Sea, using their own military, but also through their relationship with the US, which has significant naval assets in the area.Iran has long projected power in the region through its relationship with these proxies, providing them training and weapons and money in exchange for their flanking of Israel. That flanking was meant to keep Israel perpetually off-balance with the knowledge that if they ever do anything too serious, beyond the bounds of the controllable tit-for-tat, Cold War-style conflict in which they were engaged with Iran, they could suffer significant damage at home, from the north via Lebanon, from their southwestern flank via Gaza, or from a little ways to the south and via their coast from Yemen.Those proxies now largely hobbled, though, Israel found itself suddenly freed-up to do something more significant, and this attack is being seen by analysts as the initial stages of what might be a more substantial, perhaps permanent solution to the Iran problem. Rather than being a show of force or a tit-for-tat play, these might be the beginning days of an assault that's meant to enact not just a dismantling of Iran's nuclear program, but full-on regime change in Iran.And regime change means exactly what it sounds like: Iran's government is Islamist, meaning that it wants to enforce a fairly brutal, repressive version of Islam globally, and it already does so against its people. There have periodically been successful protests against these measures by Iranian citizens, especially by severely repressed women and minority groups in the country, including folks of different religions and LGBTQ identifying folks, among others, almost always these protests, and any other attempts to attain more rights and equality for people who aren't strictly Islamist men, generally result in violence, the black-bagging of protest leaders, extrajudicial killings and lifetime imprisonment and torture; a whole lot of really authoritarian, generally just villain-scale behavior by the Iranian government against anyone who steps out of line.So the Iranian government is pretty monstrous by most modern, democratic standards, and the Israeli government's seeming desire to crush it—to cry false on the regime's projection of strength, and create the circumstances for revolution, if that is indeed what they're doing—could be construed as a fairly noble goal.It perhaps serves the purposes of Israel, as again, Iran has said, over and over, that they want to destroy Israel and would totally do so, given the chance. But it arguably also serves the purpose of democratic-leaning people, and perhaps even more so folks who are suffering under the current Iranian regime, and maybe even other, similar regimes in the region. Which again, in terms of spreading democracy and human rights, sounds pretty good to some ears.That said, Israel is killing a lot of Iranian civilians alongside military targets, and its efforts in Gaza have led to accusations that it's committing genocide in the region. Israeli leaders have themselves been accused of anti-democratic actions, basically doubling-down on the nation's furthest-right, most militant, and most authoritarian and theocratic impulses, which makes any claims of moral superiority a little tricky for them to make, at this point.There's a chance, of course, that all this speculation and analysis ends up being completely off-base, and Israel is really, truly just trying to hobble Iran a bit, taking out some of their missile launchers and missile- and drone-manufacturing capacity, while also pushing back their acquisition of nuclear weapons by some meaningful amount of time; that amount of time currently unknown, as initial reports, at least, indicate that many of the attacks on Iran's most vital nuclear research and development facilities were perhaps not as effective as Israel had hoped. There's a chance that if enough overall damage is done, Iran's government will enthusiastically return to the negotiating table and perhaps be convinced to set their nuclear program aside willingly, but at the moment both Iran and Israel seem committed to hurting each other, physically.On that note, so far, as of the day I'm recording this, Iran has launched around 100 missiles, killed a few dozen Israelis, and injured more than 500 of the same. The Iranian government has said Israel's strikes have killed at least 224 people and wounded more than 1,200; though a human rights group says the death toll in Iran could be quite a bit higher than official government numbers, with more than 400 people killed, around half of them civilians, so far.It's been nearly a week of this, and it looks likely that these strikes will continue for at least another few days, though many analysts are now saying they expect this to go one for at least a few weeks, if indeed Israel is trying to knock out some of Iran's more hardened nuclear program-related targets; several of which are buried deep down in the ground, thus requiring bunker-buster-style missiles to reach and destroy, and Israel doesn't have such weapons in their arsenal.Neutralizing those targets would therefore mean either getting those kinds of weapons from the US or other allies, taking them out via some other means, which would probably take more time and entail more risk, or doing enough damage quickly than Iran's government is forced to the negotiation table.And if that ends up being the case, if Israel is really just gunning for the nuclear program and nothing else, this could be remembered as a significant strike, but one that mostly maintains the current status quo; same Iranian leadership, same perpetual conflict between these two nations, but Israel boasting even more of an upper-hand than before, with less to worry about in terms of serious damage from Iran or its proxies for the next several years, minimum.It does seem like a good moment to undertake regime change in Iran, though, as doing so could help Israel polish up its reputation, at least a little, following the reputational drubbing it has taken because of its actions in Gaza. I doubt people who have really turned on Israel would be convinced, as doing away with an abusive, extremist regime, while doing abusive, extremist regime stuff yourself the homefront, probably won't be an argument that convinces many Palestinian liberation-oriented people; there's a chance some of those people will even take up the cause of Iranian civilians, which is true to a point, as many Iranian civilians are suffering and will continue to suffer under Israel's attacks—though of course that leaves out the part about them also suffering, for much longer, under their current government.That said, taking Iran out of the geopolitical equation would serve a lot of international interests, including those of the US—which has long hated Iran—and Ukraine, the latter of which because Russia has allied itself with the Iranian government, and buys a lot of drones, among other weapons, from Iran. That regime falling could make life more difficult for Russia, at least in the short term, and it would mean another ally lost in the region, following the fall of the Assad regime in Syria in late-2024.There's a chance that these same geopolitical variables could pull other players into this conflict, though: Russia could help Iran, for instance, directly or indirectly, by sending supplies, taking out Israeli missiles and drones, maybe, while the US could help Israel (more directly, that is, as it's apparently already helping them by shooting down some of Iran's counterstrike projectiles) by providing bunker-buster weapons, or striking vital military targets from a distance.Such an escalation, on either side, would probably be pretty bad for everyone except possibly Iran, though Israel has said it wants the US to join in on its side, as that would likely result in a much quicker victory and far fewer casualties on its side.The US government is pretty keen to keep out of foreign conflicts right now, though, at least directly, and Russia is pretty bogged down by its invasion of Ukraine; there's a chance other regional powers, even smaller ones, could act as proxies for these larger, outside forces—the Saudis taking the opportunity to score some damage on their long-time rival, Iran, for instance, by helping out Israel—but any such acts would expand the scope of the conflict, and it's seldom politically expedient to do anything that might require your people make any kind of sacrifice, so most everyone will probably stay out of this as long as they can, unless there are serious benefits to doing so.Show Noteshttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/June_2025_Israeli_strikes_on_Iranhttps://www.politico.com/news/magazine/2025/06/13/israel-iran-regime-attack-goal-column-00405153https://www.foreignaffairs.com/israel/real-threat-iran-tehran-most-dangerous-option-responding-israelhttps://www.twz.com/news-features/could-iran-carry-out-its-threat-to-shut-the-strait-of-hormuzhttps://www.jpost.com/israel-news/defense-news/article-857713https://kyivindependent.com/israel-asks-us-to-join-strikes-on-irans-nuclear-sites-officials-told-axios/https://www.timesofisrael.com/liveblog-june-15-2025/https://www.twz.com/air/israel-escalates-to-attacking-iranian-energy-targets-after-ballistic-missiles-hit-tel-avivhttps://www.cnn.com/world/live-news/israel-iran-strikes-news-06-14-25https://www.timesofisrael.com/idf-confirms-irgc-air-force-chief-top-echelon-killed-in-israeli-strike/https://time.com/7294186/israel-warns-tehran-will-burn-deadly-strikes-traded-nuclear-program/https://www.nytimes.com/live/2025/06/14/world/israel-iran-newshttps://www.nytimes.com/2025/06/13/opinion/israel-iran-strikes.htmlhttps://www.nytimes.com/2025/06/14/world/middleeast/drones-smuggled-israel-iran-ukraine-russia.htmlhttps://www.nytimes.com/live/2025/06/15/world/iran-israel-nuclearhttps://www.nytimes.com/2025/06/15/world/middleeast/iran-military-leaders-killed.htmlhttps://www.nytimes.com/2024/04/14/world/europe/israel-iron-dome-defense.htmlhttps://www.nytimes.com/2025/06/14/world/middleeast/israel-iran-missile-attack.htmlhttps://www.nytimes.com/2025/06/14/world/middleeast/iran-israel-energy-facility-strikes-tehran.htmlhttps://www.cnn.com/world/live-news/israel-iran-strikes-news-06-15-25https://www.lawfaremedia.org/article/was-israel-s-strike-on-iran-a-good-idea--four-questions-to-askhttps://apnews.com/article/israel-iran-missile-attacks-nuclear-news-06-16-2025-c98074e62ce5afd4c3f6d33edaffa069https://www.nytimes.com/2025/06/16/world/middleeast/iran-israel-war-off-ramp.htmlhttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/October_2024_Iranian_strikes_on_Israelhttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/October_2024_Israeli_strikes_on_Iranhttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Axis_of_Resistancehttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2024_Lebanon_electronic_device_attacks This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit letsknowthings.substack.com/subscribe

When a Syrian siege of Samaria leads to great suffering among the people of the northern kingdom, the LORD mercifully promises deliverance through the prophet Elisha, even as one of the king's captains mocks the LORD's name. Four lepers are the unlikely witnesses of the LORD's miraculous victory over Syria, and these same lepers share the gospel of salvation with all of Samaria. Although the king is skeptical, his servants convince him to go and see that the LORD's Word of victory has proved true. In the same way, the LORD's Word against the scoffing captain proves true, and he enjoys none of the spoils of the LORD's victory.  Rev. Sean Daenzer, director of worship for The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod and chaplain for the International Center in St. Louis, MO, joins host Rev. Timothy Appel to study 2 Kings 7:1-20.  "A Kingdom Divided” is a series on Sharper Iron that goes through 1-2 Kings. The division in the kingdom of Israel in this part of history was greater than a matter of north and south. The biggest division was between the people and their God. Yet even as the people rebelled against the LORD as their King, still He remained faithful to call them back to Himself through His prophets, working through history to send the good and gracious King, Jesus Christ. Sharper Iron, hosted by Rev. Timothy Appel, looks at the text of Holy Scripture both in its broad context and its narrow detail, all for the sake of proclaiming Christ crucified and risen for sinners. Two pastors engage with God's Word to sharpen not only their own faith and knowledge, but the faith and knowledge of all who listen. Submit comments or questions to: listener@kfuo.org

The economic and political landscape between the United States and Europe is undergoing a seismic shift as Trump's tariff threats create ripples across the Atlantic. Our expert guests, Professor Veronica de Romanis from Rome and journalist Fraser Myers from London, provide fascinating insights into how European countries are responding to this new economic reality.De Romanis characterizes Europe's reaction as one of profound uncertainty, noting that while this instability threatens short-term growth, it might ultimately strengthen the EU's collective resolve. Meanwhile, the UK government appears more optimistic about negotiating favorable terms with Trump, despite potentially devastating impacts on key British industries like automotive manufacturing and pharmaceuticals.The conversation reveals striking contrasts between American and European economic structures. While the US struggles with twin deficits (both trade and fiscal), Europe grapples with slower growth and demographic decline. Germany's momentous shift away from its traditional debt brake policies signals a recognition that increased public spending on infrastructure, healthcare, and technology has become essential to prevent recession.Perhaps most alarming is Europe's demographic crisis, with birth rates plummeting to unsustainable levels—just 1.3 children per woman across the EU and a shocking 1.01 in Italy. This population decline threatens everything from pension systems to workforce availability. De Romanis advocates increasing female employment (currently just 50% in Italy) as a critical part of the solution.The migration debate reveals another fascinating divergence across Europe. While Germany's substantial investment in integrating Syrian refugees has yielded impressive results (80% now employed and German-speaking), less managed approaches in countries like the UK and Italy have fueled political backlash. As Myers notes, migration has become Britain's number one political issue, even surpassing economic concerns.As diplomatic tensions simmer between the US and Europe, the podcast captures a continent at a crossroads—torn between embracing strategic autonomy and maintaining vital economic relationships with America. For leaders like Italy's Giorgia Meloni, this creates a complex balancing act between ideological alignment with American conservatives and protecting an export-led economy that would suffer severely from tariffs.Don't miss this thoughtSupport Our WorkThe Center for Demographics and Policy focuses on research and analysis of global, national, and regional demographic trends and explores policies that might produce favorable demographic results over time. It involves Chapman students in demographic research under the supervision of the Center's senior staff.Students work with the Center's director and engage in research that will serve them well as they look to develop their careers in business, the social sciences, and the arts. Students also have access to our advisory board, which includes distinguished Chapman faculty and major demographic scholars from across the country and the world.For additional information, please contact Mahnaz Asghari, Associate Director for the Center for Demographics and Policy, at (714) 744-7635 or asghari@chapman.edu.Follow us on LinkedIn:https://www.linkedin.com/company/the-feudal-future-podcast/Tweet thoughts: @joelkotkin, @mtoplansky, #FeudalFuture #BeyondFeudalismLearn more about Joel's book 'The Coming of Neo-Feudalism': https://amzn.to/3a1VV87Sign Up For News & Alerts: http://joelkotkin.com/#subscribeThis show is presented by the Chapman Center for Demographics and Policy, which focuses on research and analysis of global, national and regional demographic trends and explores policies that might produce favorable demographic results over time.

The LORD continues to work through the prophet Elisha in Israel. A sunken ax head is not too small for the LORD's attention, as the prophet restores this valuable possession to one of the sons of the prophets. When the king of Syria learns that Elisha is behind the foiled attempts to raid Israel, the Syrian king foolishly thinks he can capture the LORD's prophet. The LORD allows Elisha's servant to see the angelic army protecting Elisha from the Syrian army. Nonetheless, the LORD shows mercy upon those who intend His prophet harm, and He delivers His people from the Syrian threat for a time.  Rev. Andy Wright, pastor at St. John's Evangelical Lutheran Church in Topeka, KS, joins host Rev. Timothy Appel to study 2 Kings 6:1-33.  To learn more about St. John's, visit www.stjohnlcmstopeka.org. "A Kingdom Divided” is a series on Sharper Iron that goes through 1-2 Kings. The division in the kingdom of Israel in this part of history was greater than a matter of north and south. The biggest division was between the people and their God. Yet even as the people rebelled against the LORD as their King, still He remained faithful to call them back to Himself through His prophets, working through history to send the good and gracious King, Jesus Christ. Sharper Iron, hosted by Rev. Timothy Appel, looks at the text of Holy Scripture both in its broad context and its narrow detail, all for the sake of proclaiming Christ crucified and risen for sinners. Two pastors engage with God's Word to sharpen not only their own faith and knowledge, but the faith and knowledge of all who listen. Submit comments or questions to: listener@kfuo.org

FAN MAIL--We would love YOUR feedback--Send us a Text MessageThe drumbeat of conflict reverberating through the Middle East has drawn global attention, but behind the headlines lies a methodical strategy that deserves deeper understanding. Following the catastrophic events of October 7th, 2023—Israel's own 9/11—we've witnessed the systematic dismantling of Iran's proxy network throughout the region.This episode examines Israel's calculated response to Hamas and other Iran-backed groups, tracing how Israeli forces have degraded Hamas's military capabilities, decimated Hezbollah's leadership, curtailed Iraqi and Syrian militias, and contained Houthi threats from Yemen. We explore how this campaign has now reached Iran itself, with Israel targeting military infrastructure to prevent nuclear capabilities while facing reprisals against civilian areas. The contrast between these approaches speaks volumes about the conflict's moral dimensions.What does it mean that only two theocracies in the world—Iran and Yemen—are actively exporting religious violence? How might Israel's campaign against Iran's military effectiveness create conditions for expanded peace in the region? As we witness history unfold, understanding these dynamics helps us grasp not just the headlines, but the profound shifts reshaping the Middle East's future. our book of the day is "Sledgehammer" by David FriedmannKey Points from the Episode:• The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia unexpectedly endorsed President Trump's Middle East peace plan, alongside many other nations• Turkey was historically cooperative with Israel until President Erdogan's leadership beginning in 2003• Iran has been exporting hate and violence in the region for nearly 50 years through proxies like Hezbollah and Hamas• Since October 7th, 2023, Israel has systematically degraded Hamas, weakened Hezbollah, and curtailed Iraqi and Syrian militias• Israel is now directly confronting Iran's military capabilities, particularly its nuclear program• Of all world theocracies, only Iran and Yemen are actively exporting violence through physical means• The 2020 Abraham Accords created unprecedented peace agreements between Israel and UAE, Bahrain, Sudan and Morocco• These agreements achieved peace without requiring Israel to make territorial concessionsOther resources: Israel's Sept 11thLM#38--Israel's 9-11, part 1LM#39--Israel's 9-11, part 2--Don't look awayLM#54--Black Saturday, October 7th -- One Year LaterWant to leave a review? Click here, and if we earned a five-star review from you **high five and knuckle bumps**, we appreciate it greatly, thank you so much!

[39:59] In this insightful and timely episode, host Greg Gazin delves into the realities of the refugee experience with accomplished entrepreneur, advocate and author, Dalton T. Sirmans. They unpack the common myths and misconceptions surrounding refugees, moving beyond the headlines to reveal stories of incredible resilience, ingenuity, and significant economic contribution. Dalton introduces the core message of his book, "The Refugee Advantage," highlighting the remarkable strengths and hidden potential of those forced to flee their homes. Dalton shares his personal journey from the fintech industry to becoming a passionate advocate for refugee empowerment, a path that led him to at 60, pursue a Master's in International Relations at Harvard University to better understand the global challenges of displacement. He discusses the work of his firm, Amplio Ventures, which invests in refugee-led businesses and aims to create remote work opportunities for those in camps. Throughout the conversation, Dalton provides powerful examples and statistics that counter the narrative of refugees as a burden. He shares inspiring stories taken from his book of refugee entrepreneurs who have achieved remarkable success, including: Andrew Ly, a Vietnamese refugee who, along with his brothers, reimagined a corner coffee shop the Sugar Bowl Bakery, now one of the largest Asian-owned bakeries in the United States. The Haddad Family, Syrian refugees in Canada who started the internationally recognized chocolate company, "Peace by Chocolate," becoming a major employer in their new community of Antigonish, Nova Scotia. "JB," a former gymnast from Central Asia who, after becoming a Christian, facing persecution and imprisonment, built a successful set of gyms in Texas. TesfaMichael Yohannes's twin daughters, who fled Eritrea and later founded the successful 2•4•1 Cosmetics company, featured on Oprah's Favourite Things. Dalton explains that refugees often possess unique entrepreneurial qualities honed by their experiences, such as profound resilience, resourcefulness, and a refusal to accept failure. Statistics from a 2005-2019 U.S. study are shared, indicating that refugees contribute billions to the economy and become net-positive taxpayers faster than any other immigrant group. The conversation also touches on the quiet, yet significant, social and cultural impacts refugees have on the communities where they resettle, like in Clarkston, Georgia, known as the most diverse square mile in America. Dalton T. Sirmans is an accomplished entrepreneur, author, and advocate for refugee empowerment. He co-founded Amplio Ventures, an investment firm supporting refugee-led businesses, and previously served as the CEO of Main Street Technologies. He holds a Master of Liberal Arts in International Relations from Harvard University and is the author of The Refugee Advantage, a book that blends research and storytelling to highlight the resilience and contributions of refugees. To learn more about these inspiring stories and the research behind them, visit TheRefugeeAdvantage.com where you can pre-order Dalton's book, The Refugee Advantage. Dalton lives in Palm Coast, Florida, where he lives with his wife Margie. He can be reached at Dalton@AmplioVentures.com.  

Send us a textShow notes:0:00 Dr. Fiona Greenland discussing collabarative work with Curia co-founder Dr. Michelle Fabiana 2:00 Dr. Michelle Fabiani's background3:40 Dr. Greenland's background5:40 collaboration between Greenland and Fabiani7:10 overview of Curia Lab9:40 Informatics, the science of information11:30 Syrian project - how robust and reliable data on scope of Syrian looting was with a review of remote sensing imagery 15:10 participants in Syrian project  17:20 Syrian project – evidence on whether there is a connection between Syrian civilian fatalities/casualties and cultural heritage looting22:45 prelude hypothesis 27:50 war in Ukraine and its effects on Ukrainian culture32:00 how the data is used to inform accountability 34:30 Greenland's work with Conflict Observatory Ukraine36:00 Ukrainians' current restitution, reparations and accountability efforts37:50 user guides for each area 42:30 Fabiani's PhD project on Egyptian archeological looting 44:00 current project that builds on PhD project 46:00 impact of technology on their approach, including disinformation 50:00 complications created by AI, including generative AI54:00 perspective of skepticism required 56:30 online risks and need for mitigation58:15 how their work speaks to justice58:30 Miranda Fricker's book Epistemic Injustice: Power and the Ethics of Knowing1:02:30 questions of justice for whom 1:05:30 Lauren Stein: question on the role of universities in Curia Lab1:07:50 hope for their work to establish frameworks of cooperation and collaboration that cherish equal access to knowledge/information that would then lead to equal access to accountability 1:09:10 hope for their work to facilitate a shift to a multi-disciplinary approach Please share your comments and/or questions at stephanie@warfareofartandlaw.comMusic by Toulme.To hear more episodes, please visit Warfare of Art and Law podcast's website.To leave questions or comments about this or other episodes of the podcast and/or for information about joining the 2ND Saturday discussion on art, culture and justice, please message me at stephanie@warfareofartandlaw.com. Thanks so much for listening!© Stephanie Drawdy [2025]

This week, John and Elliot discuss the updated Enforcement Guide from the Financial Conduct Authority, the changes to the EU money laundering blacklist, the latest on the trafficking of Syrian antiquities, FinCEN's Advisory on Iranian illicit oil smuggling, and other issues affecting the financial crime prevention community.

FCA Guidelines, EU Blacklist, Syrian Antiquities, and a FinCEN Advisory by AML RightSource

Since the fall of the Assad regime in December 2024, 1.9 million Syrian refugees have headed home to Syria. After 14 years of civil war, much of the country is in ruins, while over 90 per cent of the population lives below the poverty line.Yet, Syrian refugees are not losing hope: UN refugee agency, UNHCR, has found that more than 80 per cent of the diaspora hope to return one day, a major shift compared to surveys conducted before the fall of the old regime.  There are more than six million Syrian refugees, and over seven million are internally displaced. UNHCR is committed to helping all those who want to return home.UN News' Emma Trager-Lewis spoke to agency spokesperson in Syria Céline Schmitt, who's just returned from a field visit to Dara'a, birthplace of the Syrian revolution in 2011. 

A Moment in the Reeds (dir. Mikko Mäkelä) is a 2017 romantic drama about a gay poet returning to his hometown to help his father fix up their family summer home and also fall madly in love with a Syrian architect. Join Hal, Z, and guest host Rae as they discuss European cinema, language barriers, and the inherit queerness of French Romantic poetry. You find Rae's published work here https://milkcandyreview.home.blog/2020/05/28/galatea-by-r-a-matteson/and herehttps://themolotovcocktail.com/about/archive-vols-1-3/vol-8/flash-hero/story-of-a-witch/We'd like to thank EnoffMusic for our theme song.TW: this film contains homophobia, xenophobia, the death of a parent, full frontal male nudity, and sexual themes.

Saint Isaac for Syrian proves himself once more to be one of the most beautiful and poetic of teachers. He describes for us the nature of the human person and the fragmentation that has taken place because of sin. On the level of the flesh, the body has certain needs and will seek to satisfy them. Yet, sin often brings a disorder to this desire as well as a weakness of will.  In other words, we can begin to seek to satisfy the flesh in a sinful fashion and in a way contrary not only to Divine revelation but also to reason. The soul also is invested with its own particular nature that allows us to perceive the realities of the world around us and to understand them. This understanding, however, is not necessarily going to act in concert with the desires of the flesh. It is for this reason that we so often experience conflict within ourselves. We may see what is good and true and beautiful and yet by the weakness of our will embrace the opposite. Likewise, we may have the strength of will to embrace what is good and yet because of the darkness of our thoughts and our understanding we embrace that which does not conform to the truth or our real needs.  Due to our being in a constant state of receptivity through our senses, our thoughts can be shaped by the will of the flesh, the imagination from what we have seen or heard, our predisposition to think in a certain way where our minds are filled with inconsistencies and, finally, by the demons who wage war on us and seek to enliven the passions.  Purity of mind is to be rapt in things Divine and this comes about, Saint Isaac tells us, after a man has long practiced the virtues.  He warns us, however, that we cannot be so bold to think that we have achieved this without the experience of evil thoughts or that we are outside the reach of them while we are still in the body.  Again, Isaac is seeking to lay a foundation for us that allows us to see the inner workings of the mind and the heart. We must seek this purity of mind and struggle against the multitude of passions and the thoughts associated with them.  Isaac teaches us this not simply that we might understand it on an intellectual level, but that within it we might also find hope. The more clearly we see this the more freely we can pursue purity of mind. We can grow in our capacity to direct our thoughts to those things that are virtuous and create within the human heart a greater desire for God. It is from this vantage point that we can begin to see and enter the path that leads to purity of heart. --- 00:08:34 Bob Čihák, AZ: P. 131, paragraph 15, first on page 00:14:49 Catherine Opie: Apologies what page are we on today? 00:14:59 Bob Čihák, AZ: P. 131, paragraph 15, first on page 00:15:14 Catherine Opie: Reacted to "P. 131, paragraph 15..." with

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Power in Real Faith (1) (audio) David Eells 6/11/25 Here is the faith Jesus told us to use always for anything. Mar 11:24 Therefore I say unto you, All things whatsoever ye pray and ask for, believe that ye received (In Greek) them, and ye shall have them. As we will see Jesus and His disciples did not use men's methods and works. When we don't believe we have received, we rely on our own works. (Isa 38:21) Now Isaiah had said, Let them take a cake of figs, and lay it for a plaster upon the boil, and he shall recover. Why does it appear that God is using a physical means to bring healing here when normally Jesus and His disciples would just pronounce a healing? It's because those figs symbolize something in the Scriptures and that's why it was a “cake of figs,” or, I might say, even a “congregation” of figs. There is power in numbers. Deu 32:30 How should one chase a thousand, And two put ten thousand to flight… Mat 18:19 Again I say unto you, that if two of you shall agree on earth as touching anything that they shall ask, it shall be done for them of my Father who is in heaven. You see, the figs there represent the body of Christ, or Israel, such as in Jesus' warnings about bearing fruit. (Luk 13:6) And he spake this parable; A certain man had a fig tree planted in his vineyard; and he came seeking fruit thereon, and found none. 7 And he said unto the vinedresser, Behold, these three years I come seeking fruit on this fig tree, and find none: cut it down; why doth it also cumber the ground? The fig tree is a physical parable of a spiritual people, the people of God, and He's calling His people the “figs,” which means we have to bear fruit. That's very clear in Revelation, where it talks about a great falling away. (Rev.6:13) And the stars of the heaven fell unto the earth… The “stars of the heaven,” represent Abraham's seed in (Gen 22:15) And the angel of the Lord called unto Abraham a second time out of heaven, 16 and said, By myself have I sworn, saith the Lord, because thou hast done this thing, and hast not withheld thy son, thine only son, 17 that in blessing I will bless thee, and in multiplying I will multiply thy seed as the stars of the heavens, and as the sand which is upon the seashore. And thy seed shall possess the gate of his enemies. Today we are Abraham's seed by faith, as the Bible says. (Rom 4:16) For this cause it is of faith, that it may be according to grace; to the end that the promise may be sure to all the seed; not to that only which is of the law, but to that also which is of the faith of Abraham, who is the father of us all. And in (Rev 6:13) And the stars of the heaven fell unto the earth, as a fig tree casteth her unripe figs when she is shaken of a great wind. The unripe figs are God's people who don't bear ripe fruit, but (Joh 1:47) Jesus saw Nathanael coming to him, and saith of him, Behold, an Israelite indeed, in whom is no guile! 48 Nathanael saith unto him, Whence knowest thou me? Jesus answered and said unto him, Before Philip called thee, when thou wast under the fig tree, I saw thee. Jesus identified Nathanael as an Israelite without guile, and where did He see him? Jesus saw him under the fig tree, as one who is among those who bore fruit. That's where we are. All of us who are true disciples of Christ are “under the fig tree.” Now if we go back to the previous verse in Isaiah, it says, (Isa 38:20) The Lord is [ready] to save me (They added in the word, “ready,” but it actually says, “The Lord is to save me.”): Therefore we will sing my songs with stringed instruments All the days of our life in the house of the Lord. So there's the “cake of figs,” the people of God, and they were singing praises to God for healing Hezekiah. It wasn't the cake of figs that healed him, that was just a physical symbol who exorcised their faith for his healing. It's similar to what happened with Naaman the Syrian when he came to Elisha to be healed of leprosy. (2Ki 5:9) So Naaman came with his horses and with his chariots, and stood at the door of the house of Elisha. 10 And Elisha sent a messenger unto him, saying, Go and wash in the Jordan seven times, and thy flesh shall come again to thee, and thou shalt be clean. 11 But Naaman was wroth, and went away, and said, Behold, I thought, He will surely come out to me, and stand, and call on the name of the Lord his God, and wave his hand over the place, and recover the leper. 12 Are not Abanah and Pharpar, the rivers of Damascus, better than all the waters of Israel? may I not wash in them, and be clean? So he turned and went away in a rage. 13 And his servants came near, and spake unto him, and said, My father, if the prophet had bid thee do some great thing (his own works), would Est thou not have done it? how much rather then, when he saith to thee, Wash, and be clean? 14 Then went he down, and dipped [himself] seven times in the Jordan, according to the saying of the man of God; and his flesh came again like unto the flesh of a little child, and he was clean. Naaman was offended when Elisha told him to dip seven times in the dirty old Jordan, but it was a matter of obedience and faith. An act of faith was required because faith without corresponding action is fruitless. When his servants turned him around and Naaman obeyed, he received the healing, but a person doesn't get healed from leprosy by any kind of water, so the water and the seven times must represent something. What does the water represent? (Eph 5:26) That he might sanctify it, having cleansed it by the washing of water with the word. The water represents the Word. What does “seven” represent? It represents the “seventh day,” the “Sabbath rest.” “Seven” represents entering into the rest, which is ceasing from your own works through faith as we can read in Hebrews chapters 3 and 4. (Heb 3:18) And to whom sware he that they should not enter into his rest, but to them that were disobedient? 19 And we see that they were not able to enter in because of unbelief. Paul goes on to talk about how the “rest” is to cease from your works. (Heb 4:3) For we who have believed do enter into that rest… (Heb 4:9) There remaineth therefore a sabbath rest for the people of God. 10 For he that is entered into his rest hath himself also rested from his works, as God did from his. In other words, stop trying to save yourself; believe God has done it. So, Naaman dipped in the water seven times. The water represents the Word of God, and seven represents the rest, and he received his healing. Nobody would say the river water healed Naaman, and nobody would say the cake of figs healed Hezekiah, either. The “cake of figs” that healed him was the saints, who were praising the Lord for the healing. Praise is the language of faith. I'd like to share a testimony from a brother that fits this so well. B.A. said to us, I'm pretty partial to that story in the scriptures of Naaman, when he came to the prophet for to heal the leprosy he had. I guess it was about three years ago when I had a growth that was on my forehead, and I was reading that Scripture in a morning meditation. I had been reading it for a couple of days and studying it, and when I was in the shower, the Lord just really spoke to me very clearly. I was actually going to ask the Bible study group to pray over this growth that was on my head, and the Lord just said, “Why don't you just wash it seven times?” See, it was just like it was with Naaman. I said, “Okay, Lord.” So, I started counting, and on the seventh day, it was gone. Unbelievable! There was no trace of it. It was just a wonderful miracle. It was like, on the seventh day, “Okay, today's the day!” And sure enough, that was the end of that. Well, praise You, Father! You know, when you trust God with real faith, you're going to praise Him; you're going to give thanks to Him. I think healing is 99% giving thanks and praising the Lord for the answer, and only 1% prayer. Because it says in (Mar 11:24) Therefore I say unto you, All things whatsoever ye pray and ask for, believe that ye received (The Greek word there is in the past tense, although a lot of Bible versions translate it as “receive.”) them, and ye shall have them. How would you behave if you believe you have received? Well, you're going to be joyful and full of thanks toward God. And you're going to confess Him before men. (Rom 10:10) For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation. What does it mean to “confess” Him before men? “Confess” in Greek means “speak the same as,” so you'll thank God and confess that He's healed you and delivered you (1Ti 6:12) …Confess the good confession in the sight of many witnesses. Now, people might look at you funny, but if you'll confess Him before men, the Bible says He'll confess you before His holy angels and His Father in heaven. What are we actually doing when we confess our healing, our deliverance, our salvation, and so on, before men? We're using “the things that are not...to bring to nought the things that are.” (1Co 1:26) For behold your calling, brethren, that not many wise after the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble, [are called:] 27 but God chose the foolish things of the world, that he might put to shame them that are wise; and God chose the weak things of the world, that he might put to shame the things that are strong; 28 and the base things of the world, and the things that are despised, did God choose, [yea] and the things that are not, that he might bring to nought the things that are: 29 that no flesh should glory before God. And how do we use “the things that are not...to bring to nought the things that are”? We do what God does. (Rom 4:17) … God, who giveth life to the dead, and calleth the things that are not, as though they were. By faith, God calls the things that “are not, as though they were.” Notice that's past tense: “as though they were.” We can see this all through Scripture, for example, before Christ's sacrifice we see in (Isa 53:5) … and with his stripes we are healed, and after His sacrifice, (1Pe 2:24) … by whose stripes ye were healed. It's not “by whose stripes you are going to get healed,” it's “were healed.” We call the things that are not, as though they were. We consider it done at the Cross, and that's the whole point. Since it was done at the Cross, God's not going to say, we have to do it ourselves, in our own works. One thing we must have is a clear conscience towards God in order to have faith. It's not that God doesn't offer His provision to you. Think about all the people who boldly came to Jesus; they were stiff-necked, hard-hearted Jews, and yet they all received their healing. But, you see, there's a big difference when a person has something on their heart that they need to get off their heart. The difference is that you can't have boldness towards God when you're in that state. The Bible says in (1Jn 3:21) Beloved, if our heart condemn us not, we have boldness toward God; 22 and whatsoever we ask we receive of him, because we keep his commandments and do the things that are pleasing in his sight. A clear conscience is what you need when you go to God. Why do you confess your sins? It helps you to have a clear conscience so you can exercise faith the way you should. God is faithful. Jas 5:16 Confess therefore your sins one to another, and pray one for another, that ye may be healed… There are other places in the Bible where people have considered that maybe Jesus used physical methods, such as when He healed the man who was blind from birth. (Joh 9:6) When he had thus spoken, he spat on the ground, and made clay of the spittle, and anointed his eyes with the clay, 7 and said unto him, Go, wash in the pool of Siloam (which is by interpretation, Sent). He went away therefore, and washed, and came seeing. I asked the Lord about that one time and He told me, “He didn't get healed when I smeared the mud in his eye; he got healed when he washed the mud out of his eye.” Then the thought came to me that mud represents our human nature. Adam came from the dust of the earth. As long as we see according to the way of man, the way of Adam, we don't get what we received from God at the Cross. We have to wash that out of our eyes. We have to be able to see clearly and to accept what the Word says about our condition. For instance, health doesn't come through any of man's methods. Health comes from the fact that Jesus already bore our curse on the Cross. It's past tense as we see here. (Gal 3:13) Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law, having become a curse for us; for it is written, Cursed is every one that hangeth on a tree. It comes from the fact that (1Pe. 2:24) … by whose stripes ye were healed, and not from herbs or vitamins or supplements. Some of those things are expensive and besides that, they're not available to everybody. All over the world, people eat different things. It makes no difference to God. All they have to do is believe in the Gospel of healing, and they will receive it. The Lord says in (Exo 15:26) I will put none of the diseases upon thee which I have put upon the Egyptians, for I am the Lord that healeth thee. Those Egyptians and Egypt, in type, represent the world, and the whole world is under the curse, but we are not under the curse because of what Jesus did. If we're trying to earn God's gift through our own works, then we are not being weak. When we're trying to negotiate with the curse by our own strength, then God's power is not going to be there. We need God's power, so we need to glory in our weaknesses in order to have God's power. That's what Paul said in 2 Corinthians 11:30, and 12:5,9. Paul said to call “the things that are not, as though they were,” and give up all your efforts to save yourself, heal yourself, deliver yourself. It is a free gift. Jesus told His disciples, (Mat 10:8) Heal the sick, raise the dead, cleanse the lepers, cast out demons: freely ye received, freely give. He sent them out to give these gifts to God's people freely, so believe the Lord and accept His free gift. Now look in (Act 19:11) And God wrought special miracles by the hands of Paul: 12 insomuch that unto the sick were carried away from his body handkerchiefs or aprons, and the evil spirits went out. Why were they procuring handkerchiefs from Paul and touching people with them? Handkerchiefs don't heal people, do they? And why does God command us to lay hands on the sick? Is it because our hands are special? No, the laying on of hands is something that helps us to imagine the healing, just as baptism is something to help our imagination because we're doing something physical. Also, we who are filled with His Spirit have His power in us and it flows through our hands. When we get baptized, we're able to imagine that we were buried with Christ when we go down in the water, and that we're a new creature in Christ when we come up. It's an act of faith. The water doesn't do anything. It's not the cleansing of the flesh with the water, it's the faith and obedience. The same thing applies to the laying on of hands. When we lay hands on somebody for healing, we imagine that the power God has put in us is being transferred into the other person. I do that. As a matter of fact, quite often I feel something like electricity running through my arm and going into people, but you don't have to touch anybody for them to get healed; you can just speak the Word for them to be healed. It's a point of contact to release the power of faith. God uses these physical things to help you because your imagination is something that connects your mind, your tongue, and your actions. The Bible says in (Rom 10:10) For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation, so there's a real connection with our imagination. If you can't imagine something, you are not going to be able to believe for it. You may be saying with your mouth that you're healed, but if your mind can't even imagine it, then you're not exercising any faith. Your imagination helps you come into the Image of God. (2Co 3:18) But we all, with unveiled face beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are transformed into the same image from glory to glory, even as from the Lord the Spirit. That “image” is an imagination. If you're seeing Jesus in the mirror, that's imagination. And if you're seeing Jesus in the mirror, is that Person in the mirror sick? Is He demon-possessed? Is He sinful? Absolutely not! He's delivered from all of those things, which is exactly what the Bible says about us. We're delivered from all of those things. We accept those free gifts by faith, and because our works are not involved in it, man doesn't get any credit. God alone gets the glory. God's power is there. A lot of people imagine the worst and speak the worst, and they destroy themselves by doing that. But if you use that same energy in the opposite direction, it's amazing what you can do. You know, everything that a man creates has to first be seen in his imagination before he can create it, so we need a renewed imagination, we need a renewed mind. We're told in (Rom 12:2) And be not fashioned according to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, and ye may prove what is the good and acceptable and perfect will of God. Your imagination is in your mind, so you see yourself as healed, you see yourself as delivered, and so on. It doesn't matter what you feel, because the truth is that the devil can manipulate your feelings. The devil is going to tell you that you're not healed, that you're not delivered, that you're not saved from sin. He's going to tell you all of those things, but we need to have a renewed mind where we do not accept those lies. (2Co 10:3) For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war according to the flesh 4 (for the weapons of our warfare are not of the flesh, but mighty before God to the casting down of strongholds), 5 casting down imaginations, and every high thing that is exalted against the knowledge of God, and bringing every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ. If we do that, and if we receive in our mind only the thinking of the Lord and the Word of the Lord, it doesn't matter what we feel. It matters what we believe and what we accept. We need to do the warfare and cast down those vain imaginations and thoughts. Brother B.A. tells us this story. One time we got an email from somebody that we had counseled with, and the person was talking about some of the sinful nature that he was dealing with in his walk, and he started rattling off a lot of things, and then in the next email, he said them again. I had written him about trying to walk by faith and taking authority over the devil, but he sent me a second email and said, “No, these are not my present sins, these are my sins from before.” I wrote him back and said that he must not believe that these sins are forgiven if he's still talking about these sins as if they're not forgiven. Why are these sins anymore if they are as far as the east is from the west? These should be far from his mind because of what the Lord has done for him. True forgiveness with true repentance means it's over. And you can understand that it's the devil's work that would bring these things back to our remembrance, and what happens is, and it was what this young man was dealing with, he didn't believe he was forgiven, and he didn't have any faith to walk by faith. He was not able to exercise authority over the devil and was continually in bondage. So, it's the devil's work when we don't receive forgiveness, and we don't recognize how perfect the sacrifice at the Cross was. Well, we know the Bible says in (Rom 8:1) There is therefore now no condemnation to them that are in Christ Jesus. The King James version adds in there, “who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit,” but that's not in any of the ancient manuscripts. If you have to walk in the Spirit in order to have God's blessings, you're in real trouble. No, you have to accept God's blessings by faith, even in your failure. You have to call “the things that are not, as though they were.” It's all by grace, it's all by “unmerited favor.” We are not good enough, and we can never be good enough to receive the blessings of God. As we've seen, we need to confess your sins so that we have a clear conscience. (1Jn 3:21) Beloved, if our heart condemn us not, we have boldness toward God; (But walking according to our conscience is powerful.) 22 and whatsoever we ask we receive of him, because we keep his commandments and do the things that are pleasing in his sight. But even if you do confess your sins, the devil is going to tell you that you're still guilty. Who are you going to believe? Are you going to believe the devil, or are you going to believe God? The Bible says, (1Jn 1:9) If we confess our sins, he is faithful and righteous to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. If you have confessed your sins, God has forgiven you. Accept that. When condemnation goes past the time of repentance and confession of sin, you need to know it's coming straight from the devil. He knows that if you're in condemnation, then you won't have any faith. You can't have faith and condemnation at the same time, so if you have condemnation, you're no threat to him. The devil can continue to curse you and keep you in bondage. When you confess and repent of your sins, God removes them as far as the east is from the west (Psa.103:12) and casts them into the depths of the sea (Mic.7:19), so why are you remembering them? Accept His forgiveness, go on, and walk by faith. Don't pay any attention to what you feel; the devil manipulates that. Pay attention to what the Bible says and be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Cast down the vain imaginations that are against the knowledge of God, and you will win the victory. None of those people whom Jesus healed, delivered, and gave provisions to were worthy. They weren't what you would call “born again” people, but they had the Covenant with God. They were in Covenant and that's why Jesus said that He'd only been sent to the lost sheep of the house of Israel. Today we have a better Covenant, based on better promises (Heb.8:6), and as Jesus said in (Luk 7:28) … Among them that are born of women there is none greater than John: yet he that is but little in the kingdom of God is greater than he. Can you receive a healing just by confessing your sins and accepting by faith what God said? Of course. If we have a better Covenant, based on better promises, and He healed every one of those Jews who came to Him by faith, what's He going to do today? The Bible says, (Heb 13:8) Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and to-day, yea and forever. So He's going to do the same thing today. The problem is that so many of God's people have different doctrines today, even though the Scripture tells us in (1Jn 2:24) As for you, let that abide in you which ye heard from the beginning. If that which ye heard from the beginning abide in you, ye also shall abide in the Son, and in the Father. One of those different doctrines is that “These days, sometimes God heals, and sometimes He doesn't,” but that's completely wrong. God has already healed. It has nothing to do with what God will do and what God won't do. The Bible says, (1Pe 2:24) … by whose stripes ye were healed, so it's already done. You can stop praying for hours trying to get God to heal you, because you're not saved by works. If you're going to convince anybody, you need to convince yourself. The Word of God is true. He already healed you. That's why it's called the “rest.” (Heb 4:3) For we who have believed do enter into that rest; even as he hath said, As I sware in my wrath, They shall not enter into my rest: although the works were finished from the foundation of the world. When you believe what God says, you can rest and not worry about it anymore, because God has already taken care of it and you believe it. God says He has saved you and when you believe it, then you're not continually having to be good enough, as some religions teach. I was raised in the Catholic church, and it was all about salvation by works. In other words, you had to be good enough. Jesus administered these gifts of God to His people and He told His disciples, (Mat 10:8) Heal the sick, raise the dead, cleanse the lepers, cast out demons: freely ye received, freely give. “Freely ye received.” You can't pay for it. But, for example, if you have to go buy a bunch of expensive herbs to try and get healing, or if you have to go to an expensive doctor, that's not free. If you have to buy those expensive drugs, that's not free. Herbs, doctors, drugs…those are all things that are, they aren't things that are not. The things that are not are for the purpose in (1Co 1:29) that no flesh should glory before God. God doesn't want anybody to be able to take the credit. He's a very jealous God. We should just accept this free gift from God and be healthy. I remember a lady who used to come to our Bible study years ago, who understood everything we're talking about, and she ministered to a lot of the people who came to her business. She would tell people about healing and deliverance and all that God does, but people were rejecting her. In fact, in some cases, she lost business telling people that. So she started dealing with them on a level that they could accept and got heavily into this herbal healing business to the point where, if you could say anyone was a real guru of herbal healing, this lady became one. She did all the studying and she knew what was naturally better for this and naturally better for that. Sometimes her herbs backfired on her and made a person sick. I'm not saying that there aren't some natural things that are much better than drugs. When I came to the Lord, I had inherited from my dad and his dad, a generational curse of sinus problems and chest congestion. I'd get pneumonia and had all kinds of sinus problems. That was just normal for me. And I had taken so much penicillin that it didn't do me any good anymore. Then I switched to vitamin C and found out that it worked way better than penicillin. Then I came to the Lord one day, and I threw down my Neo-Synephrine, which I was carrying year-round to try to keep my sinuses open. My sinus linings were finally burned out from that stuff, and I threw it in the garbage when I realized that Jesus Christ already healed me at the Cross. So now my nose and sinuses haven't stopped up in fifty four years. Well, there's something that's better than vitamin C, folks. Do you want a miracle, or do you want to keep paying with your own efforts to deliver yourself? This lady was using her own efforts, her own works, because it was more acceptable to her clients and she could help them on that level. I told her, “You don't have permission, nor a commission, to save people from the curse through that method. The Great Commission is when you offer them the Gospel, and if they don't accept it, then let them stay under the curse.” Of course, she thought that was kind of harsh, but let me point something out to you. If you read Deuteronomy 28, you'll see that God instituted the curse to bring men to repentance. I said to her, “What you're really doing by all your works is trying to take the curse away from those people so they won't have to repent to get healed.” We are to offer people the Good News, and if they don't want that, then let them stay under the curse to bring them to repentance. God Almighty is the One Who sent the curse. Some churches teach that the devil sent the curse, but the devil is not sovereign. Read Deuteronomy 28, which says that God sent the curse. The devil just administers it. God is Sovereign. He said to us, (Exo 15:26) … If thou wilt diligently hearken to the voice of the Lord thy God, and wilt do that which is right in his eyes, and wilt give ear to his commandments, and keep all his statutes, I will put none of the diseases upon thee, which I have put upon the Egyptians: for I am the Lord that healeth thee. God might use the devil to do what He wants to do, but He's still Sovereign. (Php 2:13) For it is God who worketh in you both to will and to work, for his good pleasure. Just as He works in you, He does the same thing with all of His creation, and He has His vessels of honor and His vessels of dishonor. (2Ti 2:20) Now in a great house there are not only vessels of gold and of silver, but also of wood and of earth; and some unto honor, and some unto dishonor. 21 If a man therefore purge himself from these, he shall be a vessel unto honor, sanctified, meet for the master's use, prepared unto every good work. So you see, God uses the devil. He works in him to will and to do of His good pleasure, too. (Deu 32:39) See now that I, even I, am he, And there is no god with me: I kill, and I make alive; I wound, and I heal; And there is none that can deliver out of my hand. The prosperity teachers think all the bad comes from the devil and only the good comes from God, but when you need a whipping, that's good, and it comes from God (Job 2:10). People need a whipping when they go their own way. God has to get our attention before we come to the end of this road, and the truth is that the curse gets our attention better than anything else in the world. The apostle Paul turned men over to Satan for the destruction of their flesh so that their spirit would be saved in the day of the Lord. He used the curse to save men. We're supposed to let the curse do its work, but we're also supposed to offer people the only real cure, and that's the Gospel. One caveat, if others are under our authority, like children or the elderly or even under our roof, we can give them a gift of healing. Back to this herbal guru who was offering her clients a cure that didn't have anything to do with the Gospel, or bringing people to the knowledge of repentance and faith. She wanted to help them to live comfortably under the curse so that they'd have no need for God and would eventually fall off into hell at the end of their lives. If you stop and think about it, folks, that's what you're doing if that's what you're preaching. It's another gospel, not the Gospel of the Kingdom. God has done it this way on purpose. All of our salvation is past tense because, if you believe it, you have to cease from your works and enter into the rest. (Heb 4:1) Let us fear therefore, lest haply, a promise being left of entering into his rest, any one of you should seem to have come short of it. 2 For indeed we have had good tidings preached unto us, even as also they: but the word of hearing did not profit them, because it was not united by faith with them that heard. 3 For we who have believed do enter into that rest; even as he hath said, As I sware in my wrath, They shall not enter into my rest: although the works were finished from the foundation of the world. … 9 There remaineth therefore a sabbath rest (Notice that the Greek word there is sabbatismos and it means “a continual rest.” This is the only place in the Bible where sabbatismos is used.) for the people of God. 10 For he that is entered into his rest hath himself also rested from his works, as God did from his. 11 Let us therefore give diligence to enter into that rest, that no man fall after the same example of disobedience. So you see, the “rest” is not one day of the week anymore. When you believe the promises of God, you enter into the rest. You're supposed to stay in the rest by believing all of the promises concerning all the curse and concerning all of your problems. You're supposed to abide in the rest because you believe the great promises, and that's what the Old Testament Sabbath pointed to as a shadow of the good things to come. The Bible says Jesus Christ is the Lord of the Sabbath in Matthew 12:8. If you abide in Him, then you are keeping the Sabbath, and to “abide in Christ” means you believe the promises and you are obeying Him. Since you were healed, you were “delivered out of the power of darkness,” you were saved from sin and perfected at the Cross (Heb 10:14), what can you do to bring it to pass? Nothing. If you try to bring it to pass yourself, it proves that you are an unbeliever. God's people are not receiving the blessings that were given through Jesus Christ because they are unbelievers. Repent, cease from your works, and enter into the rest. Accept the free gift of God. It's really Good News, because we don't have to do anything except believe. That's our part of the Covenant. God's part is to supply the power, the deliverance, the healings, and supply the sanctification. That's God's part. Our part is to believe. We have the easy part of this. What can you add to what Jesus did without dishonoring His sacrifice? These principles cannot be imposed by law for they only work through personal faith.

Israeli and Palestinian banks are no longer able to work together. A new Syrian dress code is drawing mixed reactions. The US and China say they have agreed to a plan for de-escalating trade tensions. On today's episode of Trending Middle East: Bezalel Smotrich blocks Israeli and Palestinian banks from working together Syria tells women to dress modestly on public beaches A fragile truce reached during US-China trade talks This episode features Mina AlDroubi, Senior Foreign Reporter; and Manus Cranny, Geo-Economics Editor. Editor's Note: We want to hear from you! Help us improve our podcasts by taking our 2-minute listener survey. Click here.

Israel says it's "outraged" by sanctions imposed by the UK and four other countries on ministers Ben-Gvir and Smotrich for "inciting violence." Also: Assad's Syrian prison enforcers, and recording the sounds of glaciers.

PREVIEW: Key Details of the Rocket Attacks When: Two rockets were fired from Syria into Israel on June 3, 2025, marking the first such attack since the fall of Bashar al-Assad's regime in December 2024 The Times of IsraelFDD. Target: The rockets were fired at the Golan Heights, landing in open areas near the community of Ramat Magshimim with no injuries reported Rockets fired from Syria for first time in a year; Israel holds Sharaa responsible | The Times of Israel. Two Terror Groups Responsible Ahmad Sharawi's FDD analysis identifies two distinct groups that claimed responsibility: 1. Mohammed Deif Brigades This group was reportedly founded on May 30, 2025, according to its Telegram channel and is named after the slain Hamas military chief Mohammad Deif, who was killed in July 2024 Syria Archives. The group first surfaced on social media just a few days before the attack Israel says rockets fired from Syria for the first time since Bashar Assad's fall - The Washington Post, with Syrian researcher Ahmed Aba Zeid noting "Until now, it's just a Telegram channel. It's not known if it is a real group" Israel says rockets fired from Syria for the first time since Bashar Assad's fall - The Washington Post. 2. Islamic Resistance Front in Syria - Awli al-Bas This is a militant faction that claims affiliation with Iran's so-called Axis of Resistance and has claimed multiple attacks against Israeli forces operating inside Syrian territory since December 2024 Syria Archives. Its logo mimics the emblem of Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps (IRGC)—a raised arm holding an AK-47—indicating alignment with Iran-linked "resistance" groups From Al-Qaeda Commander to Syrian President: Ahmad Al-Sharaa's Ascent. Israeli Response and Syrian Accountability Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz declared that Syria's interim president Ahmad al-Sharaa was "directly responsible for every threat and [rocket] fire toward the State of Israel" Rockets fired from Syria for first time in a year; Israel holds Sharaa responsible | The Times of Israel. Israel responded with artillery fire on the source of the rockets and carried out a series of airstrikes throughout southern Syria targeting weapons belonging to the regime Rockets fired from Syria for first time in a year; Israel holds Sharaa responsible | The Times of Israel. Analysis from Ahmad Sharawi Sharawi noted this represents "another testament to Ahmad al-Sharaa's failure to fully control all armed groups and ensure that Syrian territory will not be used as a launching point for attacks against Israel" Sharaa ‘Responsible for Every Threat': Terrorists in Syria Launch Rockets Into Israel. He emphasized that while Sharaa may not yet have full control over all armed actors, Washington should make clear that further cooperation on sanctions relief hinges on Sharaa quietly and fully cooperating with Israel to neutralize any Palestinian factions capable of launching attacks from Syrian soil Rocket Attacks on Israel Underscore Continuing Threat from Syria. The incident highlights ongoing security challenges in post-Assad Syria and the difficulty the new Syrian leadership faces in controlling various militant groups operating within its territory.

FRONTLINE investigates the Assad regime's arrest, torture and execution of detainees during the Syrian war. Former prisoners, guards, soldiers and intelligence officials shed new light on atrocities carried out during Bashar al-Assad's reign.

Professor Samer Abboud from Villanova University is an expert on Syrian politics. He joins us to discuss the intricacies of Syria's political history from 1946 to the present, including the impact of French colonial rule, frequent coups, the United Arab Republic, the rise and governance of the Ba'ath Party, and the shift towards crony capitalism in the 2000s. Abboud shares insights on the lived experiences of Syrians through various political changes, the role of the military, and the economic philosophies underpinning different regimes. He also delves into the contemporary relevance of this history and offers a reading list for those interested in learning more about Syria.00:00 Introduction 02:27 Overview of Syrian Political History02:56 French Colonial Rule and Frequent Coups08:21 United Arab Republic (UAR) and Its Impact16:43 Ba'ath Party and the 1963 Coup30:55 Brutality and Efficiency of the Regime33:36 21st Century Syrian Politics41:16 Role of Security Apparatus and Loyalty47:38 Journalistic Perspectives on Syria57:49 Recommended Readings and Films on SyriaSamer Abboud is Associate Professor of Global Interdisciplinary Studies at Villanova University and the author of Syria (Polity, 2018), a book that explores the outbreak and trajectory of the Syrian uprising. His research is broadly interested in warfare in Syria and the emergence of an illiberal post-conflict order in the country. He has recently published articles in journals such as Citizenship Studies, Peacebuilding, Middle East Policy, and The Journal of Intervention and Statebuilding that explore themes of illiberalism, post-conflict order, knowledge production, and Syrian reconstruction. His current research project is interested in the production of fear as a central mechanism of political rule prior to, and during, the period of the conflict, and how Syrians have differentially envisioned and acted upon this fear in cultural production. Samer sits on the Editorial Board of Security Dialogue and is a co-editor of Jadaliyya's Syria page. Hosted by: Mikey Muhanna

Editors - Todd Downing ACE and Amelia Allwarden ACE OVERCOMPENSATING editors Todd and Amelia often leaned on each other for perspective throughout the post process. As Todd recounted, "You lose perspective, but there are other jokes that you always, always laugh at, and then you know it's a gem."  Editing comedy, as Amelia noted, involves understanding the micro-timing of jokes — knowing precisely when to cut away or linger, to maximize comedic impact.  Todd echoes this sentiment, explaining that edits can drastically influence the pacing and timing essential for landing a joke. Ultimately, the collaborative dynamic between the two allowed them to strike a balance between comedy and the series' more serious undertones. OVERCOMPENSATING tells the story of Benny, a former high school football star and valedictorian from Idaho, as he begins his freshman year of college at the fictional Yates University, where his sister Grace is a junior. He is closeted and masks his true identity by aping the machismo of his male peers, particularly that of Peter, Grace's jock boyfriend. On his first day on campus, Benny befriends Carmen, a freshman from New Jersey who was an outsider in high school. Together, Benny and Carmen navigate their first year of college, which includes new relationships, pledging the college's secret society, and figuring out their true selves. TODD DOWNING, ACE Todd Downing, ACE edits television series, films, and documentaries across a wide range of genres, from arthouse animation to slapstick comedy to documentaries about the Syrian civil war.  His credits include Russian Doll, Difficult People, Frontline, and Mrs. America.  He's worked in both the U.K. and the U.S.A., and has been nominated for three BAFTAS, an ACE Eddie, and won two Royal Television Society awards. AMELIA ALLWARDEN, ACE Amelia Allwarden, ACE is a Los Angeles-based film and television editor.  Originally from New Hampshire, she earned a highly coveted spot in the American Cinema Editors (ACE) internship program in 2015. She then spent a season and a half as an assistant editor on TNT's Good Behavior, before being promoted to editor in season 2. Amelia worked as an assistant editor on season 2 of HBO's Westworld under showrunners Jonathan Nolan & Lisa Joy. During this time, Amelia edited Evan Rachel Wood's debut short film Queen. In 2021, she reunited with Nolan & Joy as an editor on Westworld season 4. She most recently edited Dune: Prophecy for HBO, and the Marvel Studios series Echo. Amelia edited six episodes across all seasons of the Emmy nominated Hulu series Pen15. She collaborated with writer/director Aubrey Plaza on Cinema Toast, a Duplass Brothers anthology series on Showtime. The Credits Visit ExtremeMusic for all your production audio needs Listen to Todd talk about editing MRS. AMERICA, RUSSIAN DOLL and CLIPPED Hear Amelia discuss cutting LITTLE FIRES EVERYWHERE, PEN15 and DUNE: PROPHECY Check out what's new with Avid Media Composer Subscribe to The Rough Cut podcast and never miss an episode Visit The Rough Cut on YouTube  

Happy feast of St. Ephrem the Syrian! On today's show, Matt Swaim and Anna Mitchell welcome Dr. Matthew Bunson to discuss this great theologian and poet of the early Church. Other guests include Fr. John Gavin to discuss St. Gregory the Great on sin, and Kevin Schmiesing with This Week in Catholic History. Plus news, weather, sports, and more...

Happy feast of St. Ephrem the Syrian! On today’s show, Matt Swaim and Anna Mitchell welcome Dr. Matthew Bunson to discuss this great theologian and poet of the early Church. Other guests include Fr. John Gavin to discuss St. Gregory the Great on sin, and Kevin Schmiesing with This Week in Catholic History. Plus news, weather, sports, and more… ***** From a Prayer of St. Ephrem of Syria O LORD, Master of my life, grant that I may not be infected with thespirit of slothfulness and inquisitiveness, with the spirit of ambition and vain talking. Grant instead to me, your servant, the spirit of purity and ofhumility, the spirit of patience and neighborly love. O Lord and King, grant me the grace of being aware of my sins and of not thinking evil of those of my brethren.For you are blessed, now and ever, and forever. Amen. ***** Dr. Benjamin Reinhard, author of The High Hallow: Tolkien’s Liturgical Imagination Full list of guestsSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Who listens to you? In this message, VFC house church pastor, Tom Van Gundy shares how you can be a person that impacts lives for God. 2 Kings 5:1-8[1] Naaman, commander of the army of the king of Syria, was a great man with his master and in high favor, because by him the LORD had given victory to Syria. He was a mighty man of valor, but he was a leper. [2] Now the Syrians on one of their raids had carried off a little girl from the land of Israel, and she worked in the service of Naaman's wife. [3] She said to her mistress, "Would that my lord were with the prophet who is in Samaria! He would cure him of his leprosy." [4] So Naaman went in and told his lord, "Thus and so spoke the girl from the land of Israel." [5] And the king of Syria said, "Go now, and I will send a letter to the king of Israel." So he went, taking with him ten talents of silver, six thousand shekels of gold, and ten changes of clothing.  [6] And he brought the letter to the king of Israel, which read, "When this letter reaches you, know that I have sent to you Naaman my servant, that you may cure him of his leprosy." [7] And when the king of Israel read the letter, he tore his clothes and said, "Am I God, to kill and to make alive, that this man sends word to me to cure a man of his leprosy? Only consider, and see how he is seeking a quarrel with me."[8] But when Elisha the man of God heard that the king of Israel had torn his clothes, he sent to the king, saying, "Why have you torn your clothes? Let him come now to me, that he may know that there is a prophet in Israel."This little maid lived a life that made others listen to her. Your walk talks louder than your talk. Her life exhibited characteristics that enabled God to move with power through her. 1) Selfless compassion - This little servant girl demonstrated love. She wanted the best for her owner. 2) Steadfast Conviction - The servant girl had faith. She had absolute expectancy. Luke 4:27 None were cleansed except Naaman the Syrian. She believes even though she hadn't seen it. 3) Servant Consistency - She served well as she waited in Naaman's wife. 

In this riveting episode, Rabbi Joey Haber sits down with Nachi Gordon for an unfiltered, thought-provoking conversation that tackles some of the most pressing—and often taboo—questions in the Jewish world today. What does it really mean to live a Torah life in a world obsessed with status? How can we tell the difference between true mitzvah and materialism? Are we setting up our youth for failure by defining success through narrow expectations—like the 3-to-5-year Kollel rule? From the Syrian and Ashkenazi community dynamics to financial pressures, lavish weddings, and the emotional toll of the shidduch process, Rabbi Haber addresses it all—with clarity, humility, and refreshing honesty. This is more than a conversation—it's a mirror for our values and a wake-up call for our assumptions.   This episode was made possible thanks to our sponsors: ►Blooms Kosher   Bring you the best Kosher products worldwide.   https://bloomskosher.com   ____________________________________________________ ► PZ Deals - Download the app and never pay full price again! https://app.pz.deals/install/mpp _____________________________________________________ ►Toveedo Visit- www.toveedo.com   Use Promo Code MM10 for 10% off! __________________________________________________ ► Superior CS Group Looking to cut overhead and boost productivity without sacrificing quality? Superior CS Group helps U.S. companies build high-performing remote teams with vetted global talent — at up to 50% less cost than local hires. From tech and marketing to admin and customer support, they handle hiring and day-to-day oversight.

Next up in the Middle East series is Syria. They're enjoying a calm period right now, but the new President, Ahmed al-Sharaa, is walking on eggshells to avoid the deep-rooted problems that have plagued Syria for ages.Join the Patreon here: https://www.patreon.com/PeterZeihanFull Newsletter: https://mailchi.mp/zeihan/whats-up-with-the-middle-east-syrian-dysfunction

TURKEY'S INTERNAL CHALLENGES AND EXTERNAL INFLUENCEHEADLINE 1: Israel's defense exports increased 13 percent in 2024. HEADLINE 2: Israel is arming jihadi criminals in Gaza.HEADLINE 3: The Syrian government agreed to give the International Atomic Energy Agency access to former Assad regime nuclear sites.--FDD Executive Director Jon Schanzer delivers timely situational updates and analysis, followed by a conversation with Sinan Ciddi, director of FDD's Turkey Program.Learn more at: www.fdd.org/fddmorningbrief/

Orthodoxy and Orthopraxis (right belief and right practice) are intimately tied together. All of the fathers and, in particular, Saint Isaac the Syrian want us to understand that our perception of revelation, who God is to us and what we have become in his Son through the Paschal mystery, and how we live our life are inseparable. God has revealed himself to us in a unique and distinctive fashion, and has made known to us our dignity and destiny in Christ. Therefore, having a clear understanding of our human nature, the sickness of sin and the passions that follow and the healing that takes place through Grace is imperative. Isaac pushes us to understand that virtue is the natural health of the soul and the passions are an illness of the soul that follow and invade our nature and despoil its proper health. One can see how essential this is when looking at our life in this world and the struggles of the spiritual life. We can attribute sin and the hold that passions have upon us simply to human nature. However, when we do this, we lose sight of the fact that we have been created in the image and likeness of God and that sin is antecedent to that reality. We have been created for love and to manifest this love through virtue. A faulty or incomplete understanding of human anthropology and psychology, has often been the pretext that the Evil One uses to distort our vision to the point that we willingly embrace that which enslaves us.  To understand that we have been created good, conversely, establishes a firm desire within the human heart for that which is of God. It also establishes confidence and hope in the grace of God who tells us precisely that he has come not to judge the world but to save it!  One of the beautiful things that the desert fathers would have us understand is that Christ is the divine physician who has come to heal us. He is the Good Samaritan from the gospel who takes our burden upon himself in order that we might be nursed to the fullness of health.  Again, if Isaac makes us work to understand this, we must see it as a labor of love. To grasp these truths allows us to give free expression to our desire for God and to run towards Him with the freedom of those aided by His Grace. --- Text of chat during the group: 00:01:52 Fr. Charbel Abernethy: Page 128 paragraph 6 00:10:40 Anthony: I just read that there is a "Holy Transfiguration East" in Burnsville, NC. 00:11:43 Anthony: Gotcha thanks 00:26:20 Joshua Sander: I've missed the last couple of weeks, and so you may have already explained this, but when Isaac uses the term "passions," what exactly does he mean? I've heard the term used roughly in the sense of "emotions" (i.e. anger, sadness, etc.), but does Isaac mean it more in the sense of "temptations"? I think you may have just explained this now, but in that case, could you briefly restate this? 00:30:04 Suzanne Romano: Does Isaac distinguish between original nature and fallen nature? 00:33:15 David: I found this helpful from Fr. Maximos- So, we have five stages in the evolution of a logismos,” he concluded, spreading out the five fingers of his right hand. “Assault, interaction, consent, captivity/defeat, and passion/obsession. These are more or less all the stages. While they use the same word in translation it helped me to realize the different stages in context. 00:37:23 Myles Davidson: Reacted to "I found this helpful..." with

In this episode of The PDB Afternoon Bulletin A potential civil war is brewing in Gaza. A new armed militia is now openly challenging Hamas's dominance in the southern part of the Strip, raising the stakes in an already unstable region. Tensions between Israel and Syria are heating up. After rockets were launched into the Golan Heights, Israel responded with a wave of airstrikes deep inside Syrian territory. We'll break down what we know. To listen to the show ad-free, become a premium member of The President's Daily Brief by visiting PDBPremium.com. Please remember to subscribe if you enjoyed this episode of The President's Daily Brief. YouTube: youtube.com/@presidentsdailybrief Birch Gold: Text PDB to 989898 and get your free info kit on gold TriTails Premium Beef: Visit https://TryBeef.com/PDB for 2 free Flat Iron steaks with your first box over $250 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The day immediately following Pesach, Shavuot or Sukkot is referred to as "Isru Chag" and is observed as a quasi-festival. Some people make a point of wearing their Shabbat clothing and conducting a special festive meal on Isru Chag. Rabbi Chayim Palachi (Turkey, 1788-1868), in his work Mo'ed Le'kol Chai (8:43), writes that Isru Chag Shavuot is a particularly significant day, more so than Isru Chag Pesach and Sukkot, and must therefore be observed with special festivity. He goes so far as to assert that Isru Chag Shavuot is of such importance that in principle it should warrant "Issur Melacha" – a prohibition against work similar to Shabbat and Yom Tov. In practice, of course, Halacha permits Melacha on Isru Chag Shavuot, but it nevertheless should be observed as a festive day, even more so than Isru Chag of the other festivals. There is a debate among the authorities as to when we resume the recitation of Tachanun during Sivan. We of course omit Tachanun on the first of Sivan, in honor of Rosh Chodesh, as well as on the second day of Sivan, which is when God declared that we will become "a kingdom of Kohanim and a sacred nation" (Shemot 19:6). The next three days – the third, fourth and fifth of Sivan – are known as the "Yemei Hagbala," the days of preparation for the giving of the Torah, a festive period in which we omit Tachanun. We do not recite Tachanun on Shavuot – the sixth and seventh of Sivan – or on Isru Chag Shavuot, the eighth of Sivan. During the times of the Mikdash, those who were unable to bring their sacrifices on the day of Shavuot itself – which in Israel is celebrated only on the sixth of Sivan - were allowed to do so during the six days following Shavuot, through the twelfth of Sivan. In commemoration, we omit Tachanun during this period, as well. According to some authorities, however, since in the Diaspora Shavuot is observed on both the sixth and seventh of Sivan, we begin the six-day period on the eighth of Sivan, rather than the seventh, and thus Tachanun is omitted on the thirteenth, as well. For the Syrian Jewish community, this debate bears no practice relevance, as Syrian Jews in any event observe the thirteenth of Sivan as a quasi-festival to celebrate the "Musan" miracle when the Jews of Halab were saved from a planned pogrom. Syrian communities therefore omit Tachanun on the thirteenth of Sivan regardless of the aforementioned debate. Many other communities, however, have the practice to resume the recitation of Tachanun on the thirteenth of Sivan. Later in this chapter in Mo'ed Le'kol Chai (Halacha 48), Rav Chayim Palachi writes that on the fifteenth of Sivan, it is proper for the Chazan to read aloud after the morning service Yaakov's blessing to Yehuda (Bereishit 49:8-12) and Parashat Ve'zot Ha'beracha. Reading these sections on this day, he writes, has the capacity to hasten the arrival of the final redemption. Summary: Isru Chag Shavuot (the day following Shavuot) must be observed as a festive day, even more so that the day following other festivals. Tachanun is omitted from Rosh Chodesh Sivan through the twelfth or thirteenth of Sivan, depending on communal custom. It is proper on the fifteenth of Sivan for the Chazan to read after the morning prayer Yaakov's blessing to Yehuda and Parashat Ve'zot Ha'beracha.

For the first time since the fall of the Assad regime, two rockets were fired from Syrian territory at the Golan Heights, prompting a retaliatory strike from Israel's Air Force. Middle East expert Prof. Eyal Zisser, Vice Rector of Tel Aviv University, spoke to KAN reporter Naomi Segal about the developments. (Photo: Israel-Syria border. Michael Giladi/Flash90)See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

QATAR'S MALIGN INFLUENCE AND ANTI-ISRAEL PROPAGANDAHEADLINE 1: The Trump administration okay-ed the integration of foreign fighters into the Syrian army.HEADLINE 2: Rumors are swirling about who will replace Muhammed Sinwar as Hamas's commander-in-chief. OK, maybe not swirling. We think we know who it is.HEADLINE 3: Chaos is festering on the Gaza aid front.--FDD Executive Director Jon Schanzer delivers timely updates and sharp analysis, followed by a conversation with writer and Middle East analyst Eitan Fischberger.Learn more at: https://www.fdd.org/fddmorningbrief/

PREVIEW: Colleague Jonathan Schanzer comments on the motives of the powers to accept the untrustworthy new Syrian government as credible stability. More later. 1870 DAMASCUS

The US is planning to scale down its military presence in Syria from eight bases to one. We also take a look back at survivors of chemical attacks conducted by Assad regime forces during the Syrian civil war. And, exit polls show center-left Lee Jae-Myung winning the snap election in South Korea by a wide margin. Also, as officials in the US suspend visa interviews for all international students looking to study in the country, those from Latin America may be looking at other options. Plus, Japanese American musician Tina Johnson, known as Shima, is shifting from being in a J-Pop band in Tokyo to becoming an electronic solo artist.Listen to today's Music Heard on Air. Learn about your ad choices: dovetail.prx.org/ad-choices

In this jam-packed episode of The Daily Herold, Jon Herold returns with sharp analysis and plenty of side-eye for the headlines dominating the week. He breaks down Trump's proposed “One Big Beautiful Bill,” highlighting its sweeping budget cuts, border security measures, and efforts to defund woke nonsense, while questioning Congress's willingness to pass it. Jon also dives into the murky world of government secrecy, discussing explosive revelations that the FBI's case system has been used to hide key documents, raising serious questions about Mueller, Crossfire Hurricane, and Biden family corruption. Also in the spotlight: the Mike Lindell defamation trial, voter fraud investigations in multiple states, and the bizarre math behind the so-called “Doge Check” stimulus idea. International updates include Syrian and Saudi cooperation, Ukraine's bridge attack, and the U.S. quietly backing jihadist integration. With updates on digital censorship efforts by the UN, a shady ethics complaint against D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser, and more media narrative spin, Jon serves up a fast-paced, no-nonsense breakdown of what matters, and what's just a distraction.

My guest for this episode is flautist, vocalist, and composer Naïssam Jamal. Born in Paris to Syrian parents, she entered a conservatory at age six to study classical flute. We discuss her early life in Paris and issues surrounding her cultural background; she talks about her experiences in the conservatory and her subsequent travels throughout the Middle East and Africa. Master musicians whom she's met along the way have been major influences. Her latest album is Souffles, French for “breaths.” It's composed of eight pieces, all duets, and features jazz saxophone legend Archie Shepp. Join us. https://naissamjalal.com

In August 2008, Brad Johnson first began communicating with a Syrian extraterrestrial entity called Adronis and has since communicated with other non-human entities, including Athena from the Inner Earth. Johnson employs a range of psychic tools to enhance his communication, while ensuring that no deceptive entities compromise his efforts, a common issue among many inexperienced channelers.In his first Exopolitics Today interview, Johnson describes his personal journey of communicating with Adronis and Athena, as well as the information he has gained over the years on a range of esoteric topics. Johnson explains that 12-strand DNA is something possessed by maha-avatars such as Babaji after much spiritual work, and that advanced technology, such as medbeds, is incapable of restoring/replicating 12-strand DNA in normal humans. Johnson explains that most extraterrestrials have 3 or 4-strand DNA, and this will be similar to much of humanity as we transform into a galactic society.Johnson has also learned that Canada, Greenland, and Mexico are destined to join the US in a North American Union over the next decade. In addition, he explains how many countries are going to experience widespread rebellions/revolutions over the next few years as the machinations of elite politicians are exposed. Finally, he discusses how plans to stage a fake alien invasion and salvation event have been overtaken by humanity's steady and gradual awakening to the Truth.Brad Johnson's website is https://www.wisdomtransmissions.com

Welcome to The Times of Israel's Daily Briefing, your 20-minute audio update on what's happening in Israel, the Middle East and the Jewish world. Military reporter Emanuel Fabian joins host Amanda Borschel-Dan for today's episode. The IDF confirmed last night that an Israeli airstrike earlier this month killed top Hamas leader Muhammad Sinwar while he was in a tunnel underneath a hospital in the southern Gaza Strip. What information is the IDF basing the confirmation on? The IDF claims that Hamas’s hold is slipping, along with its stronghold on food supplies. However, the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation effort is being accused of wounding and even killing Gazans who are attempting to secure aid. Fabian weighs in on this increasingly murky endeavor. A 19-year-old Defense Ministry civilian contractor, David Libi, was killed by an explosive device Thursday during Israel Defense Forces operations in the northern Gaza Strip. We learn why the IDF is employing Israeli civilians in the Strip. The IDF carried out airstrikes on Friday near the coastal Syrian city of Latakia, saying its fighter jets targeted weapon depots used to store anti-ship missiles. It was Israel’s first reported strikes in Syria in nearly a month, but the IDF is not being forthcoming as to which terror group -- or state -- was the owner of the missiles. Finally, we learned recently that the Israeli Air Force intercepted 35 drones launched by the Hezbollah terror group using a new laser interception system. The new system used during the fighting is a lower-powered version of the Iron Beam laser interceptor, which is set to be delivered to the Israel Defense Forces later this year. We hear about the IDF's beta-testing of the new system. Check out The Times of Israel's ongoing liveblog for more updates. For further reading: Following Netanyahu, IDF confirms Hamas leader Muhammad Sinwar killed in May 13 strike Israel claims Hamas losing control over Gaza civilians as GHF ramps up aid operations IDF chief said to tell communities near Gaza he will ‘not let war drag on indefinitely’ Defense Ministry civilian contractor killed during IDF operations in northern Gaza IDF says it targeted anti-ship missile depots near Syria’s Latakia; one said killed IDF reveals it used laser system to intercept dozens of Hezbollah drones last year Subscribe to The Times of Israel Daily Briefing on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube, or wherever you get your podcasts. This episode was produced by the Pod-Waves and video edited by Thomas Girsch. IMAGE: A laser interception system deployed to northern Israel, in an undated photo published by the Defense Ministry on May 28, 2025. (Israel Defense Forces)See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Three years ago, Russian troops and tanks invaded Ukraine and started the largest land war in Europe since World War II. And like the Second World War, the war in Ukraine has drawn in money, weapons, and even troops from around the world, from the United States to North Korea. The invasion served as a wake-up call to many in the West about the threats posed by Vladimir Putin's revanchist Russia, even while it drained the Kremlin's war chest and depleted its military—including a march on Moscow by disgruntled mercenary forces. John Sullivan served as the U.S. ambassador to Russia from February 2020 to September 2022, and in his book Midnight in Moscow, he related the behind-the-scenes activity in Moscow and the West in the lead-up to the war. It is a war that many have come to see—and that Putin has declared it to be—a struggle against the West itself, not just Ukraine. Has Russia been weakened by the collapse of its Syrian ally Bashar al-Assad? How extensive is Russian involvement in attacks on Western European infrastructure? How has Russia been able to evade harsh sanctions? And how is the West doing—under President Joe Biden and next under President Donald Trump—in meeting the threat? Join us for an in-person talk with John Sullivan. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This week we're excited to present a conversation from the 2025 edition of Rendez-Vous with French Cinema with Ghost Trail director Jonathan Millet. Ghost Trail is currently playing at Film at Lincoln Center. Get tickets at filmlinc.org/ghost This conversation was moderated by FLC Vice President, Programming, Florence Almozini. Two years after being released from Syrian jail, Hamid (Adam Bessa) is making ends meet as a construction worker in the French city of Strasbourg, where, haunted by the memory of his imprisonment, the young man searches tirelessly for the man who tortured him, determined to get his revenge—but what's the real price of vengeance for the person seeking it? Inspired by true events, Jonathan Millet's deeply researched thriller excavates the too-little-examined moral dilemmas and political negligence that traumatized migrants must confront amid the struggle to rebuild their lives and take control of their destinies at the margins of contemporary French society, inviting audiences to better empathize with France's newest residents, and to better understand their place in the world—and our own. A Music Box Films release.

The new Syrian government has had to deal with a bewildering array of internal and external challenges. How it deals with these will determine the future integrity and progress of the country. Today we welcome back onto the show historian Dr Diana Darke who told us previously that she will return back to the country and her house in the old city of Damascus after a period of being barred from entering. She tells us about the new Syria, its hopes and challenges. You can find Dr Diana Darke here:X: https://x.com/dianadarkeYou can also support The Thinking Muslim through a one-time donation: https://www.thinkingmuslim.com/DonateListen to the audio version of the podcast:Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/7vXiAjVFnhNI3T9Gkw636aApple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/the-thinking-muslim/id1471798762Purchase our Thinking Muslim mug: https://www.thinkingmuslim.com/merchFind us on:X: https://x.com/thinking_muslimLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/the-thinking-muslim/Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/The-Thinking-Muslim-Podcast-105790781361490Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thinkingmuslimpodcast/Telegram: https://t.me/thinkingmuslimBlueSky: https://bsky.app/profile/thinkingmuslim.bsky.socialThreads: https://www.threads.com/@thinkingmuslimpodcastFind Muhammad Jalal here:X: https://twitter.com/jalalaynInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/jalalayns/Sign up to Muhammad Jalal's newsletter: https://jalalayn.substack.comWebsite Archive: https://www.thinkingmuslim.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Israeli forces fired shots at a food distribution site in Gaza after people, many of whom face the threat of starvation, had overrun the place. The incident happened on the first day that a new U.S.-based system distributed humanitarian aid. The U.S. government has updated its COVID-19 vaccine guidelines. The shot is no longer recommended for healthy children or healthy pregnant women. But independent health experts are voicing concerns. And thousands of children of ISIS fighters are stuck in Syrian detention camps.Want more comprehensive analysis of the most important news of the day, plus a little fun? Subscribe to the Up First newsletter.Today's episode of Up First was edited by Carrie Kahn, Rebecca Davis, Barrie Hardymon, HJ Mai and Alice Woelfle. It was produced by Ziad Buchh, Nia Dumas and Christopher Thomas. We get engineering support from Neisha Heinis and our technical director is Carleigh Strange.Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy

In this episode of the Umayyad Caliphate, we continue our exploration of Caliph Hisham ibn Abdul Malik's reign as the Umayyad Caliphate faces mounting crises across its vast empire. The year is 110 AH (728 CE), and the empire's edges are on fire. In the Caucasus, Maslamah ibn Abdul Malik leads a grueling campaign against the Khazar Khaganate through the treacherous Darial Pass. Despite claiming victory, his retreat is chaotic, marked by ambushes, torrential rain, and widespread exhaustion. Meanwhile, cracks appear in the empire's eastern front. In Khurasan, a well-intentioned tax policy by Governor Ashras unleashes a wave of conversions among non-Arab Muslims—but when the policy is reversed, these new converts revolt. Their rebellion draws in the powerful Turgesh Khaganate, sparking a devastating loss for the Umayyads at the Battle of Baykand and the bloody Siege of Karmajah. We also examine the collapse of Muslim authority in India, the chaotic military campaigns in Anatolia led by Hisham's sons, and the shocking fall of Ardabil to the Khazars—a disaster that results in the death of a Muslim governor and the capture of tens of thousands of civilians. As we move through these events, we see a common theme: a once-dominant caliphate now overstretched, undermanned, and increasingly reactive. The Muslim armies are no longer conquering; they're fighting to survive. Strategic missteps, overreliance on loyalist Syrian troops, and a refusal to adapt military policy are setting the stage for further instability. This episode paints a grim but necessary portrait of an empire entering a period of sustained decline. From Armenia to Transoxiana, we witness the human cost of imperial overreach—and the resilience of those left to defend a collapsing frontier.

Welcome to The Times of Israel's Daily Briefing, your 20-minute audio update on what's happening in Israel, the Middle East and the Jewish world. Legal correspondent Jeremy Sharon and health editor Diana Bletter join host Jessica Steinberg for today's episode. The controversy over the appointment of a Shin Bet chief continues, says Sharon, discussing the implications of Attorney General Gali Baharav-Miara's instructions to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu as he continues to disregard the instructions about appointing a new Shin Bet chief. Sharon reviews the potential for a constitutional crisis as the situation comes to a head. Sharon also reviews some of the statements made by the attorney general and President of the Supreme Court Isaac Amit during Monday's Bar Association conference, as they both accused the government of quietly advancing far-reaching changes to Israel’s form of government. Bletter speaks about several Israeli medical centers and how hospitals prepared for and responded to the needs of returning hostages in the earlier stages of the war and more recently. She discusses the particular care given to children and the expectation that hospitals will care for released hostages and their families for months and years to come. The Druze community in Israel is in touch with and actively supports relatives in Syria, reports Bletter, with concerns over the future of Druze in Syria, given the new government in place. They're also questioning the strength of their own Druze identity in Israel. Check out The Times of Israel's ongoing liveblog for more updates. For further reading: AG tells Netanyahu that choosing Zini to head Shin Bet ‘invalid and unlawful’ AG: ‘Not a warning, but reality – under cover of war, regime change has sped up greatly’ Netanyahu’s appointment of David Zini as Shin Bet chief is fraught with obstacles Facing a hostage situation without precedent, Israeli hospitals innovate to rehabilitate ‘Maybe God put Druze in Israel to save the Druze there’: Minority fights for Syrian cousins Subscribe to The Times of Israel Daily Briefing on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube, or wherever you get your podcasts. This episode was produced by the Pod-Waves and video edited by Thomas Girsch. IMAGE: A billboard showing Attorney General Gali Baharav-Miara, 'The judicial seamstress to the government! in Tel Aviv on December 6, 2024 (Photo by Miriam Alster/Flash90)See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.