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We start with a winter snowstorm warning for millions across the Northeast and in California. We'll tell you what the US is saying about its strike on ISIS in Nigeria. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky says he plans to meet with President Donald Trump on Sunday. A mother charged in the killing of her nine-year-old daughter appeared in court today. Plus, authorities are investigating who's responsible for an explosion at a Syrian mosque. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
Health authorities say the number of deaths from an explosion that struck a mosque in the central Syrian city of Homs has risen to eight.
Today on America in the Morning Christmas In America America celebrated Christmas Day, which included President Trump taking calls from kids on Christmas Eve, to kids across the nation finding gifts under the tree. Around the world, it was the first Christmas for Pope Leo as Pontiff. Severe California Weather Deaths Severe thunderstorms moved into California on Christmas Day, with areas north of San Francisco dealing with 70 mile per hour winds, and around Los Angeles, evacuations due to mudslides that buried some cars up to their windshields. Lisa Dwyer reports that some areas received as much as 10 inches of rain, with rockslides, mudslides, and overflowing rivers washing out roads as California Governor Gavin Newsom declared a state of emergency. US Attacks ISIS In Nigeria President Donald Trump announced he authorized the launch of a “powerful and deadly strike” against alleged-Islamic State forces in Nigeria, after he spent weeks decrying the group for targeting Christians. We Have A Winner There's one lucky person in the United States who decided to purchase a Powerball ticket at a Murphy USA gas station in the small town of Cabot, Arkansas, located just off Interstate 57 with population of 23 thousand 575. Correspondent Donna Warder reports someone who went to that gas station in that town known for its strawberries is holding the only winning ticket in the Powerball $1 point 8 billion dollar jackpot. Charity Concerns ‘Tis the season for giving gifts, but this year, charity seems to be both starting and ending at home. Correspondent Julie Walker reports most US adults aren't making year-end charitable contributions, according to a new poll. Missing Lobsters There were a number of disappointed people around Illinois and Minnesota who were planning on a lobster dinner for the holidays. As Katie Clark reports, the FBI is looking into how a truckload of lobsters was hijacked on their way to the Midwest. US Attacks ISIS In Nigeria The US has launched military strikes against alleged-ISIS positions in Nigeria, in an assault that President Trump called a reaction to ongoing attacks and murders by terrorists against the Christians. Christmas Day Negotiations Ukrainian and US negotiators spent Christmas Day on the phone talking to end the ongoing war launched by Russia against Ukraine. As John Stolnis reports from Washington, the talks were heralded by Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky as “very good,” but comes as Russia turned down a holiday truce offer and fighting continued in Eastern Ukraine. A Millionaire's Tax It's a state that currently doesn't have one, and for nearly a century, voters in the state of Washington have rejected establishing an income tax. Now, with Washington State facing a mammoth projected $4 point 3 billion dollar deficit, the governor wants to try again – but only to tax people with seven-figure incomes. Details on a proposed millionaire's tax from correspondent Rich Johnson in Seattle. Alito's Response In an unusual move, Justice Samuel Alito criticized the Supreme Court's majority in a sharp dissent after the high court decided 6–3 to temporarily block President Trump from deploying the National Guard in Chicago. Turkey Terror Attack Thwarted Overseas, the government in Turkey announced it has detained dozens of suspects allegedly planning attacks on non-Muslims during holiday events. Correspondent Mike Hempen reports the Turkish government said the attacks were imminent and took immediate action. Guardsmen Return The remains of two Iowa National Guard members killed in an attack in the Syrian desert were welcomed back to Des Moines. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
In this comedy special, The World takes you around the globe where artists find humor in unconventional places. Chinese-language open mic events become a place for activists to meet, get group therapy and share pointed views on life back home in China. Also, Syrian comedians embrace a new era in which social critiques are no longer shunned. And, a Ukrainian comic uses comedy as a way to process war. Plus, a linguistic look at why some words sounds funny. Learn about your ad choices: dovetail.prx.org/ad-choices
As we look back at our international reporters' most memorable stories of the last year, we revisit a report from a remote corner of southeastern Syria near the border with Jordan. There some 7,000 people were trapped in a refugee camp for years. They had fled Syrian regime forces and ISIS attacks and had nowhere else they could go. Our reporter was the first person to visit the camp, after the Syrian regime fell. We get an update on where those residents are now.Support our non-profit journalism by joining NPR+ at plus.npr.orgLearn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy
Merry Christmas! Producers for MMO #199 Associate Executive Producers Nail Lord of Gaylord Fiat Fun Coupon Producers Sam S. of Beargrass and Bourblandia Cottongin Plaidpotion Preator Porrecca of Peoria Doiceses: Hempress Emily M. ChuckyChuckles Praetor Wiirdo of the not so flat lands Booster Producers ericpp | 3,333 | BAG DADDY BOOSTER! boolysteedfountain.fm | 1,234 wiirdofountain.fm | 1,000 Sir Jared of South Burien | 333 fairvoltyfountain.fm | 198 NostrGang | 111 Creative Producers: Episode Artwork End of Show Song Song: Artist: Follow Us: X/Twitter MMO Show John Dan Youtube (while it lasts) MMO Show Livestream Rumble MMO Show Livestream Twitch MMO Show Livestream Shownotes: Dan's Sources Little Rock mayor responds to neo-Nazi group sighting in city OU removes teaching assistant who gave failing grade on essay Denmark demands US respect its sovereignty after Trump deploys Greenland envoy Albania Protests: Protesters Hurl Petrol Bombs at PM Edi Rama's Office Building | WION News How long can Belgrade balance between Brussels and Moscow? Blockade on Venezuela: US intercepts third oil tanker off Venezuelan coast | DW News Trump Recalls Nearly 30 Career Ambassadors in Major “America First” Shake-Up | WION Moscow car bomb kills Russian general, investigators say Clashes between Syrian army, Kurdish-led SDF break out in Aleppo Little Rock mayor responds to neo-Nazi group sighting in city OU removes teaching assistant who gave failing grade on essay Denmark demands US respect its sovereignty after Trump deploys Greenland envoy John's Shownotes Shownotes Ep 199 Weather Coast to Coast NBC Blood Rain Iran LA Evacuations SF Power Out GMA Outage Coming Back On CBS The Base Right Wing Group Brown, MIT Shooting Paul Mauro on Shooting Tanker Wars 3rd Tanker Washington Examiner Effects on Cuba FOX Business Big Beautiful Ships Bill To Allow American Privateers Syria US Strikes BBC Russia Russian General Bombing DW Killing Christmas Taiwan Weapons Sale PBS Knife Attack AI France Coup F24 Bitcoin Samourai Wallet Co-Founder Imprisoned SIGN THE PETITION Welfare Fraud Minnesota Charges CBS MN Fraud Report FOX 9 Maine Whistleblower NN Hellthcare Aaron Bean Organ Transplant Loophole Energy Windmills Axed Automation Autoland Surveillance Surveillance Pricing PBS RESOURCE: SimpleLogin.io RESOURCE: Privacy.com RESOURCE: Proton Services 2026 Hiring Trend Companies are Hiring Storytellers – Workfluence Education NY School Box NBC English Only CBS
5. Symbolic Strikes: US and Jordan Target Resurgent ISIS in Syria. Following an attack on US personnel, the US and Jordan conducted airstrikes against ISIS strongholds, likely with Syrian regime consultation. Ahmed Sharawi questions the efficacy of striking desert warehouses when ISIS cells have moved into urban areas, suggesting the strikes were primarily symbolic domestic messaging. 1898 DAMASCUS
SHOW 12-22-25 THE SHOW BEGINS WITH DOUBTS ABOUT FUTURE NAVY. 1941 HICKAM FIELD 1. Restoring Naval Autonomy: Arguments for Separating the Navy from DoD. Tom Modly argues the Navy is an "underperforming asset" within the Defense Department's corporate structure, similar to how Fiat Chrysler successfully spun off Ferrari. He suggests the Navy needs independence to address critical shipbuilding deficits and better protect global commerce and vulnerable undersea cables from adversaries. 2. Future Fleets: Decentralizing Firepower to Counter Chinese Growth. Tom Modly warns that China's shipbuilding capacity vastly outpaces the US, requiring a shift toward distributed forces rather than expensive, concentrated platforms. He advocates for a reinvigorated, independent Department of the Navy to foster the creativity needed to address asymmetric threats like Houthi attacks on high-value assets. 3. British Weakness: The Failure to Challenge Beijing Over Jimmy Lai. Mark Simon predicts Prime Minister Starmer will fail to secure Jimmy Lai's release because the UK mistakenly views China as an economic savior. He notes the UK's diminished military and economic leverage leads to a submissive diplomatic stance, despite China'sdeclining ability to offer investment. 4. Enforcing Sanctions: Interdicting the Shadow Fleet to Squeeze China. Victoria Coates details the Trump administration's enforcement of a "Monroe Doctrine" corollary, using naval power to seize tankers carrying Venezuelan oil to China. This strategy exposes China's lack of maritime projection and energy vulnerability, as Beijingcannot legally contest the seizures of illicit shadow fleet vessels. 5. Symbolic Strikes: US and Jordan Target Resurgent ISIS in Syria. Following an attack on US personnel, the US and Jordan conducted airstrikes against ISIS strongholds, likely with Syrian regime consultation. Ahmed Sharawi questions the efficacy of striking desert warehouses when ISIS cells have moved into urban areas, suggesting the strikes were primarily symbolic domestic messaging. 6. Failure to Disarm: Hezbollah's Persistence and UNIFIL's Inefficacy. David Daoud reports that the Lebanesegovernment is failing to disarm Hezbollah south of the Litani River, merely evicting them from abandoned sites. He argues UNIFIL is an ineffective tripwire, as Hezbollah continues to rebuild infrastructure and receive funding right under international observers' noses. 7. Global Jihad: The Distinct Threats of the Brotherhood and ISIS. Edmund Fitton-Brown contrasts the Muslim Brotherhood's long-term infiltration of Western institutions with ISIS's violent, reckless approach. He warns that ISISremains viable, with recent facilitated attacks in Australia indicating a resurgence in capability beyond simple "inspired" violence. 8. The Forever War: Jihadist Patience vs. American Cycles. Bill Roggio argues the US has failed to defeat jihadist ideology or funding, allowing groups like Al-Qaeda to persist in Afghanistan and Africa. He warns that adversaries view American withdrawals as proof of untrustworthiness, exploiting the US tendency to fight short-term wars against enemies planning for decades. 9. The Professional: Von Steuben's Transformation of the Continental Army. Richard Bell introduces Baron von Steuben as a desperate, unemployed Prussian officer who professionalized the ragtag Continental Army at Valley Forge. Washington's hiring of foreign experts like Steuben demonstrated a strategic willingness to utilize global talent to ensure the revolution's survival. 10. Privateers and Prison Ships: The Unsung Cost of Maritime Independence. Richard Bell highlights the crucial role of privateers like William Russell, who raided British shipping when the Continental Navy was weak. Captured privateers faced horrific conditions in British "black hole" facilities like Mill Prison and the deadly prison ship Jersey in New York Harbor, where mortality rates reached 50%. 11. Caught in the Crossfire: Indigenous Struggles in the Revolutionary War. Molly Brant, a Mohawk leader, allied with the British to stop settler encroachment but became a refugee when the British failed to protect Indigenous lands. Post-war, white Americans constructed myths portraying themselves as blameless victims while ignoring their own Indigenous allies and British betrayals regarding land rights. 12. The Irish Dimension: Revolutionary Hopes and Brutal Repression. The Irish viewed the American Revolutionas a signal that the British Empire was vulnerable, sparking the failed 1798 Irish rebellion. While the British suppressed Irish independence brutally under Cornwallis, Irish immigrants and Scots-Irish settlers like Andrew Jackson fervently supported the Continental Army against the Crown. 13. Assessing Battlefield Realities: Russian Deceit and Ukrainian Counterattacks. John Hardie analyzes the "culture of deceit" within the Russian military, exemplified by false claims of capturing Kupyansk while Ukraine actually counterattacked. This systemic lying leads to overconfidence in Putin's strategy, though Ukraine also faces challenges with commanders hesitating to report lost positions to avoid forced counterattacks. 14. Shifts in Latin America: Brazilian Elections and Venezuelan Hope. Ernesto Araujo and Alejandro Peña Esclusapredict a 2026 battle between socialist accommodation and freedom-oriented transformation in Brazil, highlighted by Flavio Bolsonaro's candidacy against Lula. Meanwhile, Peña Esclusa anticipates Venezuela's liberation and a broader regional shift toward the right following leftist defeats in Ecuador, Argentina, and Chile. 15. Trump's Security Strategy: Homeland Defense Lacks Global Clarity. John Yoo praises the strategy's focus on homeland defense and the Western Hemisphere, reviving a corollary to the Monroe Doctrine. However, he criticizes the failure to explicitly name China as an adversary or define clear goals for defending allies in Asia and Europe against great power rivals. 16. Alienating Allies: The Strategic Cost of Attacking European Partners. John Yoo argues that imposing tariffs and attacking democratic European allies undermines the coalition needed to counter China and Russia. He asserts that democracies are the most reliable partners for protecting American security and values, making cooperation essential despite resource constraints and political disagreements.
How will the Syrian government deal with its growing security challenges? Renewed fighting between the army and Syrian Democratic Forces is highlighting the volatility facing the country. A truce is now in place, but will it lead to an agreement to integrate the SDF militia into the army? In this episode: Haid Haid, Researcher, Chatham House. Steven Heydemann, Professor and Middle East Studies Program Director, Smith College. Omer Ozkizilcik, Nonresident Fellow, Syria Project, Atlantic Council's Middle East Program. Host: Dareen Abughaida Connect with us: @AJEPodcasts on Twitter, Instagram, Facebook
Discover the interconnectedness of peddling and factory work, the surprising origins of the Aloha shirt, and the key role Syrian workers played in major labor actions like the 1912 Bread and Roses strike in Lawrence, Massachusetts. Associate Professor of History at the University of California and author of "Unmentionables: Textiles, Garment Work, and the Syrian American Working Class" Dr. Stacy D. Fahrenthold discusses her work which offers a class-conscious history of the Syrian-American diaspora, a community of about half a million people in the 1910s, 1920s and 1930s. While the "peddler" is often the central figure and icon of this diaspora's economic history for over a century, Fahrenthold shifts the focus to the new immigrants who came to the U.S. and found work in the textile industries. The conversation explores the hidden role of Syrian-American garment workers, particularly young women, who produced goods like "kimonos", undergarments, stockings, and household textiles. 0:00 Introducing Unmentionables & Shifting the Icon from Peddler to Laborer0:40 Lawrence, Massachusetts: The Second Largest Arab-American Community1:48 Who Was The Syrian American Working Class?2:41 The Gap in Arab-American Diaspora History3:14 Textiles and Garment Work4:50 The Peddler: Icon vs Reality7:12 Labor Experience In The U.S. vs Greater Syria8:50 Skilled Silk Weavers and First-Time Proletarians10:14 Syrian Workers and Global Labor Movements11:27 The Bread and Roses Strike of 191215:09 Dynamite, Arrests and Militarization of the Syrian Neighborhood19:16 Scale of Syrian Immigration Compared to Other Groups22:14 The Majority of Textile Workers Were Women24:43 The Connection to the Silk Industry in Mount Lebanon27:28 A Look Inside a Syrian-American Garment Factory29:04 The Kimono: Branding and Orientalism31:50 The Effacement of Origins in the Marketplace35:36 Economic and Social Mobility For Syrian-American Families39:03 The Legacy of Syrian-American Textile Companies40:01 The Lebanese Origins of The Aloha Shirt43:14 Marghab Linen and Racial Stereotyping44:22 Geographic Dispersion of Syrian Communities47:09 Illicit Activity and Contraband in the Diaspora49:22 Recommended Readings In Arab-American History Stacy Fahrenthold is a historian of the modern Middle East specializing in labor migration; displacement/refugees; border studies; and diasporas within and from the region. Her new book "Unmentionables: Textiles, Garment Work, and the Syrian American Working Class" examines how Syrian, Lebanese, and Palestinian immigrant workers navigated processes of racialization, immigration restriction, and labor contestation in the textile industries of the Atlantic world. It recently received the Middle East Studies Association's 2025 Nikki Keddie Award for "outstanding scholarly work in religion, revolution, and/or society." Her award-winning first book, "Between the Ottomans and the Entente: The First World War in the Syrian and Lebanese Diaspora" examines the politics of Syrian and Lebanese migration to the Americas during the First World War, the fall of the Ottoman Empire, and the rise of European Mandates in the Middle East. Fahrenthold is Associate Editor of Mashriq & Mahjar: Journal of Middle Eastern and North African Migration Studies. Connect with Stacy D. Fahrenthold
Joining me once again is Vanessa Beeley, here to follow up yesterday's interview with a more in-depth discussion on those issues as well the topics of censorship, Epstein, and the transgender movement. Overall, we focus on the rapidly encroaching globalist agenda, but without ignoring one of the most relevant, influential, and often omitted aspects of that discussion: Zionism. We also discuss the truth about ISIS and its US/Israeli connections, the way it is being used to destabilize and divide, and the weaponization of immigration alongside the demonization of Muslims at large. !function(r,u,m,b,l,e){r._Rumble=b,r[b]||(r[b]=function(){(r[b]._=r[b]._||[]).push(arguments);if(r[b]._.length==1){l=u.createElement(m),e=u.getElementsByTagName(m)[0],l.async=1,l.src="https://rumble.com/embedJS/u2q643"+(arguments[1].video?'.'+arguments[1].video:'')+"/?url="+encodeURIComponent(location.href)+"&args="+encodeURIComponent(JSON.stringify([].slice.apply(arguments))),e.parentNode.insertBefore(l,e)}})}(window, document, "script", "Rumble"); Rumble("play", {"video":"v714no6","div":"rumble_v714no6"}); Source Links: The Wall Will Fall | Where mainstream media fears to tread (1) Vanessa Beeley (@VanessaBeeley) / X Vanessa Beeley | Substack New Tab (1) Attorney General Pamela Bondi on X: "President Trump is leading the most transparent administration in American history. By moving to unseal these documents, we hope to give the American people more answers about that fateful day in Butler, Pennsylvania." / X (21) Jason Bassler on X: "Worst cover-up in U.S. history: -Selective omissions -Missed legal deadline -550 pages fully blacked out -Government officials redacted -3,500 out of the 200K documents -16 files pulled post release, incl. 2 Trump pics... -DOJ re-redacted Trump's "pert nip" fetish report
Send us a textIn the fourth and final week of our Advent journey, Tim and Steve explore the central theme of the Gospel: Love.From ancient church fathers to modern humanitarian action, this episode draws a line from God's self-giving nature to our call to love those in need.This episode includes:Why Advent is a time to receive, not striveInsights from St. Isaac the Syrian on God's immeasurable loveThe Trinitarian rhythm of love, inclusion, and invitationStories of rescue and restoration made possible by love in action1 John's call to love not just with words, but in truth and actionA poem to close our series with beauty and wonder
What St Isaac exposes here is not a technique but a diagnosis. He is ruthless because the sickness is deep. The soul is meant to be good soil but soil is not neutral ground. It either receives the seed with vigilance or it becomes choked. Remembrance of God is not a poetic feeling but a sustained pressure on the heart a vigilance that does not sleep. When this remembrance is alive the soul becomes a place where God Himself shades and illumines. There is no romance here. Light appears inside darkness not because the darkness is denied but because the soul has chosen to stand watch within it. St Isaac refuses to let us spiritualize our way around the body. The belly is not incidental. What enters the mouth reaches the heart. He speaks bluntly because self deception thrives in vagueness. Excess dulls perception. Pleasure thickens the air of the soul. Wisdom is not stolen from us by demons alone but smothered by our own indulgence. A full belly does not merely weaken resolve it fuels lust because the body has been trained to demand satisfaction. This is not moralism. It is anthropology. The knowledge of God does not coexist with a body that has been enthroned. Here asceticism is revealed as truth telling. It strips away the lie that discipline is punishment. Labor is not opposed to grace. Labor is the ground where grace becomes intelligible. St Isaac compares it to labor pains because knowledge of God is not an idea grasped but a life brought forth. Without toil there is no birth only fantasy. Sloth does not simply delay holiness it gives birth to shame because the soul knows it has avoided the cost of truth. This is where the inner disposition becomes decisive. Asceticism without remembrance hardens into pride. Asceticism without humility becomes violence against the self. But remembrance without discipline dissolves into sentimentality. St Isaac holds them together because life demands it. The question is not how much one fasts or how little one sleeps but whether the heart is consenting to be trained. Discipline embraced with resentment breeds bitterness. Discipline embraced with attention becomes wisdom. In an age starved of living elders this teaching cuts even deeper. We are tempted either to abandon asceticism entirely or to turn it into a private project shaped by personality and preference. St Isaac offers neither comfort. He places responsibility back into the hands of the one who desires God. The absence of elders does not absolve us. It makes inner honesty more urgent. The body becomes the first elder. Hunger teaches restraint. Fatigue teaches humility. Failure teaches mercy. If these are ignored no amount of reading will save us. Christ's closeness to the mouth of the one who endures hardship is not sentimental reassurance. It is promise and warning. He draws near to the body that has consented to the Cross. Not to the body pampered under the language of balance or self care. The care Christ offers is not the removal of hardship but His presence within it. Asceticism then is not heroic excess but fidelity to reality. It is the refusal to live divided. Priceless indeed is labor wrought with wisdom because it produces not control but clarity. The soul begins to see. And once it sees it can no longer pretend. --- Text of chat during the group: 00:01:50 Fr. Charbel Abernethy: Page 170 paragraph 5 00:06:54 susan: how is lori hatari? 00:14:30 Fr. Charbel Abernethy: Page 170 paragraph 5 00:27:40 Eleana Urrego: the brain register emotional and physical pain in the same way. 00:29:59 Jessica McHale: A question about ascetic disciplines of the body: I discerned monastic life with an order of nuns that wouldn't let me fast.(3 times a week was all I was asking) and wouldn't allow me to exercise more than a contemplative walk (which is not exercise to me). I feel very much called to fast for spiritual reasons and called to bodily stewardship as well. It's very personal. I coudl never understand how monastic nuns could discourage this and encourage--in my opinion--indulging in food too much. 00:31:48 Una's iPhone: Reacted to "A question about asc…" with
While humanitarian organizations and media outlets often reduce Syrian refugees to statistics or brief anecdotes, the real story of displacement unfolds in the intimate spaces of family life. Through the interwoven narratives of five middle-aged sisters from Damascus, Lines of Flight, Assemblages of Home reveals how Syrian women navigate war, exile, and the profound transformation of their families and identities. Drawing on extensive interviews conducted between 2015 and 2017, this book follows an extended Sunni Muslim family as they flee their homes in Damascus's Eastern Ghouta suburbs and scatter across Lebanon, Jordan, Turkey, Egypt, and eventually Europe. As these women move through an increasingly hostile landscape of border controls, refugee camps, and human trafficking networks, they must reinvent themselves—from stable middle-class mothers to resourceful survivors, from guardians of tradition to architects of change. Their journeys challenge conventional assumptions about refugee experiences, revealing how displacement reconfigures family networks, religious practices, and gender roles. Leila Hudson's intimate portrait of Syrian displacement offers vital insights for researchers and practitioners working in humanitarian assistance, refugee resettlement, and forced migration. It provides essential reading for anyone seeking to understand how ordinary families navigate extraordinary circumstances, and how women in particular bear both the burdens and opportunities of displacement. Roberto Mazza is currently a visiting scholar at the Buffett Institute for Global Affairs at Northwestern University. He is the host of the Jerusalem Unplugged Podcast and to discuss and propose a book for interview can be reached at robbymazza@gmail.com. Blusky and IG: @robbyref Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/new-books-network
While humanitarian organizations and media outlets often reduce Syrian refugees to statistics or brief anecdotes, the real story of displacement unfolds in the intimate spaces of family life. Through the interwoven narratives of five middle-aged sisters from Damascus, Lines of Flight, Assemblages of Home reveals how Syrian women navigate war, exile, and the profound transformation of their families and identities. Drawing on extensive interviews conducted between 2015 and 2017, this book follows an extended Sunni Muslim family as they flee their homes in Damascus's Eastern Ghouta suburbs and scatter across Lebanon, Jordan, Turkey, Egypt, and eventually Europe. As these women move through an increasingly hostile landscape of border controls, refugee camps, and human trafficking networks, they must reinvent themselves—from stable middle-class mothers to resourceful survivors, from guardians of tradition to architects of change. Their journeys challenge conventional assumptions about refugee experiences, revealing how displacement reconfigures family networks, religious practices, and gender roles. Leila Hudson's intimate portrait of Syrian displacement offers vital insights for researchers and practitioners working in humanitarian assistance, refugee resettlement, and forced migration. It provides essential reading for anyone seeking to understand how ordinary families navigate extraordinary circumstances, and how women in particular bear both the burdens and opportunities of displacement. Roberto Mazza is currently a visiting scholar at the Buffett Institute for Global Affairs at Northwestern University. He is the host of the Jerusalem Unplugged Podcast and to discuss and propose a book for interview can be reached at robbymazza@gmail.com. Blusky and IG: @robbyref Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/gender-studies
While humanitarian organizations and media outlets often reduce Syrian refugees to statistics or brief anecdotes, the real story of displacement unfolds in the intimate spaces of family life. Through the interwoven narratives of five middle-aged sisters from Damascus, Lines of Flight, Assemblages of Home reveals how Syrian women navigate war, exile, and the profound transformation of their families and identities. Drawing on extensive interviews conducted between 2015 and 2017, this book follows an extended Sunni Muslim family as they flee their homes in Damascus's Eastern Ghouta suburbs and scatter across Lebanon, Jordan, Turkey, Egypt, and eventually Europe. As these women move through an increasingly hostile landscape of border controls, refugee camps, and human trafficking networks, they must reinvent themselves—from stable middle-class mothers to resourceful survivors, from guardians of tradition to architects of change. Their journeys challenge conventional assumptions about refugee experiences, revealing how displacement reconfigures family networks, religious practices, and gender roles. Leila Hudson's intimate portrait of Syrian displacement offers vital insights for researchers and practitioners working in humanitarian assistance, refugee resettlement, and forced migration. It provides essential reading for anyone seeking to understand how ordinary families navigate extraordinary circumstances, and how women in particular bear both the burdens and opportunities of displacement. Roberto Mazza is currently a visiting scholar at the Buffett Institute for Global Affairs at Northwestern University. He is the host of the Jerusalem Unplugged Podcast and to discuss and propose a book for interview can be reached at robbymazza@gmail.com. Blusky and IG: @robbyref Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/gender-studies
Monte Judah reports on escalating threats facing Israel, Hezbollah in Lebanon, Hamas in Gaza, and rising global antisemitism from a Messianic perspective.00:00 — Introduction and Opening (Shalom, IDF preparations in Lebanon/Syria/Gaza, terrorist attacks increasing)01:15 — Lebanon and Hezbollah Situation (Government not disarming Hezbollah, Israeli airstrikes, potential ground operation)04:30 — Syria and Druze Protection (IDF presence, new Syrian leader, protecting Druze villages)07:00 — Gaza Update (Ran Gvili hostage body, ceasefire issues, Yellow Line status quo, probing attacks, tunnels)11:45 — Trump's Peace Plan and Stabilization Force (Phase two delays, rebuilding Gaza, overstatements of peace)13:20 — Worldwide Terrorist Attacks (Sydney Australia Chanukah attack, Brown University shooting rumor, "Globalize the Intifada")15:10 — Broader Commentary and Parallels (Banning terrorists, Rob Reiner story analogy, ongoing threats)15:50 — Closing (Netanyahu-Trump meeting, Chanukah wishes, Shabbat Shalom)• What's really happening in Israel and the Middle East? Monte Judah breaks it down on Messianic World Update. Watch on LionandLamb.tv
While humanitarian organizations and media outlets often reduce Syrian refugees to statistics or brief anecdotes, the real story of displacement unfolds in the intimate spaces of family life. Through the interwoven narratives of five middle-aged sisters from Damascus, Lines of Flight, Assemblages of Home reveals how Syrian women navigate war, exile, and the profound transformation of their families and identities. Drawing on extensive interviews conducted between 2015 and 2017, this book follows an extended Sunni Muslim family as they flee their homes in Damascus's Eastern Ghouta suburbs and scatter across Lebanon, Jordan, Turkey, Egypt, and eventually Europe. As these women move through an increasingly hostile landscape of border controls, refugee camps, and human trafficking networks, they must reinvent themselves—from stable middle-class mothers to resourceful survivors, from guardians of tradition to architects of change. Their journeys challenge conventional assumptions about refugee experiences, revealing how displacement reconfigures family networks, religious practices, and gender roles. Leila Hudson's intimate portrait of Syrian displacement offers vital insights for researchers and practitioners working in humanitarian assistance, refugee resettlement, and forced migration. It provides essential reading for anyone seeking to understand how ordinary families navigate extraordinary circumstances, and how women in particular bear both the burdens and opportunities of displacement. Roberto Mazza is currently a visiting scholar at the Buffett Institute for Global Affairs at Northwestern University. He is the host of the Jerusalem Unplugged Podcast and to discuss and propose a book for interview can be reached at robbymazza@gmail.com. Blusky and IG: @robbyref Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/middle-eastern-studies
From Megachurch Disillusionment To Hope.Josiah the inquirer sits down with Cloud of Witnesses, Mario Andrew and Jeremy Jeremiah.A skull on a thumbnail, bells in the background, and a monk's voice quoting Saint Isaac changed everything. Josiah didn't set out to find ancient Christianity; he just needed something more honest than a forced smile and a quick fix. What he discovered was not an edgy aesthetic for its own sake, but a fearless way of naming reality: remember death, confront the passions, and be made new in Christ.We trace the unlikely path from hardcore shows to holy tradition, exploring why Orthodoxy can feel “metal” without the nihilism. The conversation dives into Saint Paul's call to be a living sacrifice, Saint Isaac's searing inventory of the passions, and the strange relief that comes from a church that looks you in the eye and tells you the truth. Icons and martyrdom aren't there to shock; they give shape to hope, showing lives that died to the world so that love could live. Along the way we talk Kat Von D, Holy Name, and the kind of inclusivity that rescues, not indulges—come as you are, but don't expect to stay there.• first contact with Orthodoxy through a stark video• megachurch cynicism versus honest talk about death• Saint Isaac the Syrian on the passions• Scripture's call to die to self• icons, skulls, and martyrdom as truthful symbols• baptizing subculture without baptizing sin• real inclusivity as rescue and transformation• providential friendships and cigar night community• practical next steps toward catechesis• lighthearted barber stories to closeWhat ultimately makes the search real is community: providential friendships, a cigar night, and a Clouded Witnesses feature that turned curiosity into courage. We share practical insights on taking first steps toward Orthodoxy, why asceticism answers modern anxiety, and how subculture can be baptized without baptizing sin. And yes, we close with a few unforgettable barber tales, because joy and humility are part of the medicine.If you're hungry for a faith that can hold sorrow and still make it sing, press play, share this with a friend, and tell us the moment that hit you hardest. Subscribe for more journeys, leave a review to help others find the show, and drop your questions—we're listening.Questions about Orthodoxy? Please check out our friends at Ghost of Byzantium Discord server: https://discord.gg/JDJDQw6tdhPlease prayerfully consider supporting Cloud of Witnesses Radio: https://www.patreon.com/c/CloudofWitnessesFind Cloud of Witnesses Radio on Instagram, X.com, Facebook, and TikTok.Please leave a comment with your thoughts!
While humanitarian organizations and media outlets often reduce Syrian refugees to statistics or brief anecdotes, the real story of displacement unfolds in the intimate spaces of family life. Through the interwoven narratives of five middle-aged sisters from Damascus, Lines of Flight, Assemblages of Home reveals how Syrian women navigate war, exile, and the profound transformation of their families and identities. Drawing on extensive interviews conducted between 2015 and 2017, this book follows an extended Sunni Muslim family as they flee their homes in Damascus's Eastern Ghouta suburbs and scatter across Lebanon, Jordan, Turkey, Egypt, and eventually Europe. As these women move through an increasingly hostile landscape of border controls, refugee camps, and human trafficking networks, they must reinvent themselves—from stable middle-class mothers to resourceful survivors, from guardians of tradition to architects of change. Their journeys challenge conventional assumptions about refugee experiences, revealing how displacement reconfigures family networks, religious practices, and gender roles. Leila Hudson's intimate portrait of Syrian displacement offers vital insights for researchers and practitioners working in humanitarian assistance, refugee resettlement, and forced migration. It provides essential reading for anyone seeking to understand how ordinary families navigate extraordinary circumstances, and how women in particular bear both the burdens and opportunities of displacement. Roberto Mazza is currently a visiting scholar at the Buffett Institute for Global Affairs at Northwestern University. He is the host of the Jerusalem Unplugged Podcast and to discuss and propose a book for interview can be reached at robbymazza@gmail.com. Blusky and IG: @robbyref Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/anthropology
While humanitarian organizations and media outlets often reduce Syrian refugees to statistics or brief anecdotes, the real story of displacement unfolds in the intimate spaces of family life. Through the interwoven narratives of five middle-aged sisters from Damascus, Lines of Flight, Assemblages of Home reveals how Syrian women navigate war, exile, and the profound transformation of their families and identities. Drawing on extensive interviews conducted between 2015 and 2017, this book follows an extended Sunni Muslim family as they flee their homes in Damascus's Eastern Ghouta suburbs and scatter across Lebanon, Jordan, Turkey, Egypt, and eventually Europe. As these women move through an increasingly hostile landscape of border controls, refugee camps, and human trafficking networks, they must reinvent themselves—from stable middle-class mothers to resourceful survivors, from guardians of tradition to architects of change. Their journeys challenge conventional assumptions about refugee experiences, revealing how displacement reconfigures family networks, religious practices, and gender roles. Leila Hudson's intimate portrait of Syrian displacement offers vital insights for researchers and practitioners working in humanitarian assistance, refugee resettlement, and forced migration. It provides essential reading for anyone seeking to understand how ordinary families navigate extraordinary circumstances, and how women in particular bear both the burdens and opportunities of displacement. Roberto Mazza is currently a visiting scholar at the Buffett Institute for Global Affairs at Northwestern University. He is the host of the Jerusalem Unplugged Podcast and to discuss and propose a book for interview can be reached at robbymazza@gmail.com. Blusky and IG: @robbyref Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/sociology
The Trump administration's more aggressive approach to Latin America is welcomed by many in the Cuban diaspora. They see one of their own – Secretary of State Marco Rubio – as an architect of the shift that, for them, has been a long time coming. Also: today's stories, including how Australian Jews are reacting to a mass shooting that targeted Bondi Beach's Jewish community; what's next for U.S.-Syrian relations following an Islamic State attack on U.S. soldiers; and how the fragile peace in Gaza affords an opportunity for Palestinian families whose relatives have gone missing to search for them. Join the Monitor's Christa Case Bryant for today's news.
The Trump administration's more aggressive approach to Latin America is welcomed by many in the Cuban diaspora. They see one of their own – Secretary of State Marco Rubio – as an architect of the shift that, for them, has been a long time coming. Also: today's stories, including how Australian Jews are reacting to a mass shooting that targeted Bondi Beach's Jewish community; what's next for U.S.-Syrian relations following an Islamic State attack on U.S. soldiers; and how the fragile peace in Gaza affords an opportunity for Palestinian families whose relatives have gone missing to search for them. Join the Monitor's Christa Case Bryant for today's news.
Daily Dose of Hope December 18, 2025 Scripture – Acts 20 Prayer: Dear Heavenly Father, We are so grateful that your mercies are new every single morning. No matter what our week has been like, we can come to you today afresh and anew. Lord, forgive us for our many failings. We want to do better. In these next few moments of silence, Lord, hear our prayers...In Your Name, Amen. Welcome back to the Daily Dose of Hope, the devotional and podcast that complements the New Hope Church daily Bible reading plan. We are getting close to finishing this reading plan after going through the Gospels and now the book of Acts. Today, we walk through Acts 20. We start with more of Paul's travels. He stops by a number of the churches to encourage them but also has to take a number of circuitous routes to avoid those who wished him harm. Paul relies so much on the Spirit here. He knows where to go and when to go, based on where God is leading him. At his stop in Troas, Paul spends a lot of time preaching. I mean, he basically preaches all day and night. One young man, Eutychus, nods off and then falls out of the third floor window and dies. Paul sees this happen and rushes outside, grabs him, and through the power of Jesus, brings him back from the dead. Then, Paul keeps on preaching. Does not miss a beat. Anyone who ever thinks I preach too long needs to read this passage. Towards the end of the chapter, Paul is leaving the elders at the church of Ephesus, people he has worked and preached alongside for quite some time. These are people he has grown to love and who love him dearly. They are brothers and sisters in Christ. They are family. And they know they will never see one another again in this earthly life. When I was traveling in Germany with my Doctorate cohort in 2018, I met a pretty extraordinary South African couple who dedicated their lives to witnessing to Syrian refugees in some of the most dangerous places on earth. Our little group shared, prayed, laughed, and cried with them. My own life journey is forever changed because of the one day I spent with them. I say all of that to make this point. As we left each other's company that day, we were sad because we knew that chances were we would never see each other again this side of heaven. But, we also rejoiced because we knew that we knew that we would spend eternity together. I think about this as I read about Paul leaving his dear friends. They know that life circumstances will never allow them to be together again in this world. But friends, we aren't simply citizens of earth, we are citizens of heaven! Our time apart is short compared to the eternity we will spend together in heaven. I try to remember this when I officiate a funeral of a loved brother or sister in Christ. Yes, it is very painful to say good-bye. We miss them. But if we know Jesus, then it isn't really good-bye. It's simply "See ya later! Until we meet again!" The pain and sadness are real. We must acknowledge that. But we can trust that God will turn our mourning into dancing. Thank you, Jesus. Blessings, Pastor Vicki
More slop but hey it's detailed. That's nice. 00:25 – Hanukkah, Bondi and a terror attackJoel (Jack the Insider) opens the Christmas‑eve episode by recounting the Hanukkah celebration at Bondi Beach that turned into a mass‑shooting, with 16 dead including Holocaust survivor Alex Kleitman and 10‑year‑old Matilda.He notes that one gunman, Sajid Akram, was killed and his son Naveed faces 59 charges including 15 murders and a terrorism offence, while funerals proceed under a cloud of grief.02:05 – Anti‑Semitic threats and the rise of Jew hatredThe Jacks detail an anti‑Semitic threat on a Virgin Australia flight from Denpasar to Sydney, where a 19‑year‑old allegedly made violent gestures and threats toward a Jewish passenger.They discuss how contemporary anti‑Semitism in Australia and the West feels broader and deeper than before, increasingly visible on progressive and left‑wing fringes as well as the far right.04:55 – Jenny Leong's “tentacles” remark and Greens politicsJoel quotes NSW Greens MLC Jenny Leong's 2023 comments about the “Jewish lobby” and “Zionist lobby” having “tentacles” infiltrating community groups, likening the rhetoric to classic Nazi tropes in Der Stürmer.Jack notes Leong is part of NSW's hard‑left “watermelon” Greens and argues such language shows how anti‑Jewish narratives have crept into mainstream progressive politics in Australia, the UK and the US.07:25 – Apologies, anti‑Zionism and the limits of definitionsThey note Leong apologised two months later for “poor choice of words” with anti‑Semitic implications, but Joel says the tentacle imagery hung “like a bad smell” over public debate.The Jacks criticise semantic wrangling over definitions of anti‑Semitism and suggest calling much of it what it plainly is: old‑fashioned Jew hatred, often masked as anti‑Zionism.10:25 – Who failed after 7 October? Government responses under fireJack argues federal and state leaders failed from “October 8th on” by not responding strongly enough to anti‑Jewish rhetoric and protests, suggesting Labor tried to balance Jewish concerns against Western Sydney Muslim votes.Joel pushes back, citing Sean Carney's column outlining how Naveed Akram's jihadist associations, ASIO assessments and gun‑licence decisions date back to the Morrison/Dutton era and pre‑Albanese security failures.13:55 – ASIO, gun licensing and unanswered questionsThe Jacks highlight ASIO's prior knowledge of Naveed's extremist links and question how Sajid Akram obtained a semi‑automatic shotgun with only an AB licence when B/C categories are needed for that weapon.They call for frank explanations from ASIO and NSW firearms licensing about assessments, paper trails and whether bureaucratic or resourcing failures allowed Akram to amass an arsenal worth around $30,000.17:55 – Under‑resourced counter‑terror units and a fearful Jewish communityJoel cites a retired AFP counter‑terror investigator who says counter‑terror units are stacked with officers fresh out of the academy instead of seasoned detectives.Jack reflects on three decades of Jewish institutions in Sydney's east needing armed guards, and shares conversations with Jewish friends who now quietly contemplate leaving Australia because they no longer feel safe.20:35 – “Don't bring your old hatreds here”The Jacks trace anti‑Jewish attacks in Sydney back to the 1982 Hakoah Club car bombing and the simultaneous attack on the Israeli consulate, arguing Jewish Australians have lived with this threat for over 40 years.They say successive governments failed to hammer home a core Australian expectation: migrants must not import centuries‑old religious or ethnic hatreds into their new home.23:05 – Segal anti‑Semitism strategy and hate‑speech lawsThey briefly canvass the Gillian Segal anti‑Semitism strategy; Jack dismisses it as “word salad” and window dressing, while Joel notes the government has been slow to act on its recommendations.On hate‑speech laws, Jack argues bans on offensive political opinions tend to drive hatred underground and make it more dangerous, but both agree incitement to violence must remain a prosecutable offence, possibly with updated legislation.26:00 – Policing protests and the limits of crowd controlThe Jacks explain why police sometimes tolerate ugly slogans at protests: wading in for arrests can inflame crowds that already vastly outnumber officers.They stress the need to balance immediate public safety and officer safety with the longer‑term risk that demonstrators feel they can incite hatred with impunity.29:00 – Bondi's stain and its heroesJoel laments that Bondi Beach, an iconic Australian destination, will now always be associated with a massacre, describing a moment of nausea as the death toll climbed on that Sunday night.Jack reminisces about Bondi's 1990s mix of Kiwis, working‑class locals and a relaxed Jewish presence, and fears that openness has been permanently damaged.32:05 – Old‑school cop and a Syrian‑Australian heroThey praise the middle‑aged, tie‑wearing NSW officer who initiated the “beginning of the end” of the attack and commend off‑duty police who rushed to Bondi and threw on uniforms.Joel celebrates North Bondi tobacconist Al Ahmad, a Syrian‑born resident who tackled the gunman with astonishing courage, noting he now seems certain to receive Australian citizenship along with his parents.35:10 – Patrol strength, long guns and local station realitiesThe Jacks relay reports that only three officers were on duty at Bondi police station, which Joel describes as a relatively minor station compared to Rose Bay or Maroubra.They question why frontline police responding to long‑gun threats were not issued rifles of their own and suggest NSW should review access to long arms for first responders in high‑risk scenarios.38:00 – Multiculturalism, old enmities and what really matters nextJack argues that, in an immigrant nation, the most important response is cultural: reinstilling the norm that old tribal feuds must be left behind, not accommodated.Joel agrees this message should be central in citizenship education and public rhetoric, more important than technocratic hate‑speech tweaks or reactive gun‑law posturing.42:05 – National Cabinet, ASIO and the demand for competenceThey criticise the National Cabinet's muted post‑Bondi meeting, which produced little beyond talk, and suggest the Prime Minister's cautious style leaves a leadership vacuum in national crises.The Jacks insist Australians accept that security agencies cannot be omniscient, but say they must be properly resourced, competent and transparent when they make mistakes.45:25 – Around the world: headscarves, condoms, climate and Reddit vs CanberraThe Jacks whip around global headlines: Austria's ban on headscarves for under‑14s, China's 13% tax on condoms and contraceptives to boost fertility, Denmark listing the US as a security risk, and the US government quietly deleting “fossil fuels” as a named cause of climate change from official websites.They note Reddit's legal challenge to Australia's under‑16 social media ban and question whether Reddit is the ideal platform to front that fight given its often unpoliced content.47:35 – Venezuela, the ICC and the limits of international lawVenezuela moves to withdraw from the International Criminal Court as investigations into alleged Maduro‑regime crimes against humanity advance.Jack says the episode encapsulates international law's limits: states happily sign the Rome Statute until it becomes inconvenient, then walk away.48:55 – Ireland rearms and Russia blocks “unfriendly” callsIreland announces a 55 per cent jump in defence spending to protect undersea data cables and deter drones, reflecting its geostrategic importance as a trans‑Atlantic communications hub.Russia, meanwhile, moves to block incoming calls from “unfriendly” states; the Jacks mock the performative toughness and note how easily scammers will route around any such ban.51:15 – Rob Reiner's murder and a towering film legacyThey react with shock to the murder of legendary director Rob Reiner and his wife, allegedly by Reiner's troubled son, whose earlier violence was itself the subject of a film.Jack runs through Reiner's extraordinary run—This Is Spinal Tap, The Princess Bride, Stand By Me, When Harry Met Sally, A Few Good Men—and argues that if you'd made only those, you'd still have had a remarkable career.54:45 – “This one goes to 11” and Trump's gracelessnessThe Jacks recall how Spinal Tap helped invent the mockumentary form and embedded lines like “this one goes to 11” into pop‑culture vocabulary.They condemn Donald Trump's statement calling Reiner “a terrible human being” after his death, with conservative actor James Woods publicly rebuking Trump and praising Reiner's personal kindness despite political differences.57:40 – Carl Reiner, Mel Brooks and comedy royaltyJoel outlines Rob Reiner's upbringing in a house full of comedic giants, with father Carl Reiner and close friend Mel Brooks holding weekly movie nights together well into old age, as captured in Jerry Seinfeld's Comedians in Cars Getting Coffee.They reminisce about Carl and Mel's influence on Jewish humour and lament the passing of a generation of comic geniuses.01:01:05 – EVs, hybrids and a Two Jacks lunch betThe Jacks revisit their running argument over electric vehicles, prompted by Ford CEO Jim Farley's plan to pivot the F‑150 towards hybrids instead of pure EVs.Joel, a hybrid owner, sees hybrids as a transition technology in countries like Australia where fast‑charge infrastructure is patchy; he cites global EV sales rising to roughly 18–20 per cent of new car sales in 2025, with internal‑combustion shares steadily shrinking.01:03:05 – Charging reality vs theory in AustraliaJoel recounts his in‑laws' BMW EV trip from central Victoria to Sydney using free or cheap NRMA/RACV chargers, but notes fast chargers are often the first to break or get switched off by retailers facing high electricity costs.They swap anecdotes about BYD and Chinese Maxus taxis—fast‑improving but sometimes uncomfortable—and admit they can no longer remember the exact terms of their EV lunch wager, though Joel insists Jack owes him.01:06:10 – Worst political year: Trump, Macron, Starmer, Albanese, Li, PutinThe Jacks playfully debate which leader had the worst year—Donald Trump, Emmanuel Macron, Keir Starmer, Anthony Albanese, Chinese Premier Li or Vladimir Putin.They characterise Albanese as the “Stephen Bradbury” of Australian politics, a cautious survivor whose luck and endurance have mattered as much as brilliance.01:18:40 – Ashes update: England's fragile top orderIn a late segment, they revisit England's Ashes woes: repeated collapses leaving them three‑for‑not‑many and a top three of Crawley, Duckett and Pope exposing the middle order to the new ball.Joel notes England dropped a bowler as a scapegoat while leaving the misfiring batting unchanged, and questions how long they can justify Ollie Pope at three ahead of the more solid Will Jacks.01:21:15 – Hong Kong racing, Kooring Rising and Japanese fanboy jockeysJack describes Hong Kong's International Racing Day—four Group 1s and 80,000 people—and the rise of sprinter Kooring Rising, winner of The Everest and now on a long winning streak.He shares footage from Japan's Nakayama track where every jockey stopped circling and sat still so they could watch Kooring Rising's race on the big screen, a measure of the horse's star power.01:23:00 – Listener mail, Howard's gun laws and the Shooters lobbyJoel reads a note from listener Ray pointing out that 300 legally obtained guns are still attributed to “Howard's gun laws”, reminding listeners gun‑law reform was necessary but later watered down under pressure from the Shooters and Fishers political lobby.01:24:00 – Christmas, loneliness and a surprise lunch guestThe Jacks close with Christmas reflections: acknowledging how joyful and stressful the season can be, especially for those who are lonely or estranged from family.Joel recalls his mother inviting a homeless man to Christmas lunch—an act of charity met with teenage grumbling from him and his brother—and urges listeners to look out for those doing it tough without necessarily going to that extreme.01:25:45 – Holiday plans and the show's return in JanuaryJack outlines Hanukkah parties and family Christmas plans in Hong Kong, while Joel describes a quieter Highlands Christmas with a Boxing Day visit from the grandkids.They thank listeners for their support through 2025, wish everyone a Merry Christmas, and promise to return in the second week of January after a short break.00:25 – Hanukkah, Bondi and a terror attackJoel (Jack the Insider) opens the Christmas‑eve episode by recounting the Hanukkah celebration at Bondi Beach that turned into a mass‑shooting, with 16 dead including Holocaust survivor Alex Kleitman and 10‑year‑old Matilda.He notes that one gunman, Sajid Akram, was killed and his son Naveed faces 59 charges including 15 murders and a terrorism offence, while funerals proceed under a cloud of grief.02:05 – Anti‑Semitic threats and the rise of Jew hatredThe Jacks detail an anti‑Semitic threat on a Virgin Australia flight from Denpasar to Sydney, where a 19‑year‑old allegedly made violent gestures and threats toward a Jewish passenger.They discuss how contemporary anti‑Semitism in Australia and the West feels broader and deeper than before, increasingly visible on progressive and left‑wing fringes as well as the far right.04:55 – Jenny Leong's “tentacles” remark and Greens politicsJoel quotes NSW Greens MLC Jenny Leong's 2023 comments about the “Jewish lobby” and “Zionist lobby” having “tentacles” infiltrating community groups, likening the rhetoric to classic Nazi tropes in Der Stürmer.Jack notes Leong is part of NSW's hard‑left “watermelon” Greens and argues such language shows how anti‑Jewish narratives have crept into mainstream progressive politics in Australia, the UK and the US.07:25 – Apologies, anti‑Zionism and the limits of definitionsThey note Leong apologised two months later for “poor choice of words” with anti‑Semitic implications, but Joel says the tentacle imagery hung “like a bad smell” over public debate.The Jacks criticise semantic wrangling over definitions of anti‑Semitism and suggest calling much of it what it plainly is: old‑fashioned Jew hatred, often masked as anti‑Zionism.10:25 – Who failed after 7 October? Government responses under fireJack argues federal and state leaders failed from “October 8th on” by not responding strongly enough to anti‑Jewish rhetoric and protests, suggesting Labor tried to balance Jewish concerns against Western Sydney Muslim votes.Joel pushes back, citing Sean Carney's column outlining how Naveed Akram's jihadist associations, ASIO assessments and gun‑licence decisions date back to the Morrison/Dutton era and pre‑Albanese security failures.13:55 – ASIO, gun licensing and unanswered questionsThe Jacks highlight ASIO's prior knowledge of Naveed's extremist links and question how Sajid Akram obtained a semi‑automatic shotgun with only an AB licence when B/C categories are needed for that weapon.They call for frank explanations from ASIO and NSW firearms licensing about assessments, paper trails and whether bureaucratic or resourcing failures allowed Akram to amass an arsenal worth around $30,000.17:55 – Under‑resourced counter‑terror units and a fearful Jewish communityJoel cites a retired AFP counter‑terror investigator who says counter‑terror units are stacked with officers fresh out of the academy instead of seasoned detectives.Jack reflects on three decades of Jewish institutions in Sydney's east needing armed guards, and shares conversations with Jewish friends who now quietly contemplate leaving Australia because they no longer feel safe.20:35 – “Don't bring your old hatreds here”The Jacks trace anti‑Jewish attacks in Sydney back to the 1982 Hakoah Club car bombing and the simultaneous attack on the Israeli consulate, arguing Jewish Australians have lived with this threat for over 40 years.They say successive governments failed to hammer home a core Australian expectation: migrants must not import centuries‑old religious or ethnic hatreds into their new home.23:05 – Segal anti‑Semitism strategy and hate‑speech lawsThey briefly canvass the Gillian Segal anti‑Semitism strategy; Jack dismisses it as “word salad” and window dressing, while Joel notes the government has been slow to act on its recommendations.On hate‑speech laws, Jack argues bans on offensive political opinions tend to drive hatred underground and make it more dangerous, but both agree incitement to violence must remain a prosecutable offence, possibly with updated legislation.26:00 – Policing protests and the limits of crowd controlThe Jacks explain why police sometimes tolerate ugly slogans at protests: wading in for arrests can inflame crowds that already vastly outnumber officers.They stress the need to balance immediate public safety and officer safety with the longer‑term risk that demonstrators feel they can incite hatred with impunity.29:00 – Bondi's stain and its heroesJoel laments that Bondi Beach, an iconic Australian destination, will now always be associated with a massacre, describing a moment of nausea as the death toll climbed on that Sunday night.Jack reminisces about Bondi's 1990s mix of Kiwis, working‑class locals and a relaxed Jewish presence, and fears that openness has been permanently damaged.32:05 – Old‑school cop and a Syrian‑Australian heroThey praise the middle‑aged, tie‑wearing NSW officer who initiated the “beginning of the end” of the attack and commend off‑duty police who rushed to Bondi and threw on uniforms.Joel celebrates North Bondi tobacconist Al Ahmad, a Syrian‑born resident who tackled the gunman with astonishing courage, noting he now seems certain to receive Australian citizenship along with his parents.35:10 – Patrol strength, long guns and local station realitiesThe Jacks relay reports that only three officers were on duty at Bondi police station, which Joel describes as a relatively minor station compared to Rose Bay or Maroubra.They question why frontline police responding to long‑gun threats were not issued rifles of their own and suggest NSW should review access to long arms for first responders in high‑risk scenarios.38:00 – Multiculturalism, old enmities and what really matters nextJack argues that, in an immigrant nation, the most important response is cultural: reinstilling the norm that old tribal feuds must be left behind, not accommodated.Joel agrees this message should be central in citizenship education and public rhetoric, more important than technocratic hate‑speech tweaks or reactive gun‑law posturing.42:05 – National Cabinet, ASIO and the demand for competenceThey criticise the National Cabinet's muted post‑Bondi meeting, which produced little beyond talk, and suggest the Prime Minister's cautious style leaves a leadership vacuum in national crises.The Jacks insist Australians accept that security agencies cannot be omniscient, but say they must be properly resourced, competent and transparent when they make mistakes.45:25 – Around the world: headscarves, condoms, climate and Reddit vs CanberraThe Jacks whip around global headlines: Austria's ban on headscarves for under‑14s, China's 13% tax on condoms and contraceptives to boost fertility, Denmark listing the US as a security risk, and the US government quietly deleting “fossil fuels” as a named cause of climate change from official websites.They note Reddit's legal challenge to Australia's under‑16 social media ban and question whether Reddit is the ideal platform to front that fight given its often unpoliced content.47:35 – Venezuela, the ICC and the limits of international lawVenezuela moves to withdraw from the International Criminal Court as investigations into alleged Maduro‑regime crimes against humanity advance.Jack says the episode encapsulates international law's limits: states happily sign the Rome Statute until it becomes inconvenient, then walk away.48:55 – Ireland rearms and Russia blocks “unfriendly” callsIreland announces a 55 per cent jump in defence spending to protect undersea data cables and deter drones, reflecting its geostrategic importance as a trans‑Atlantic communications hub.Russia, meanwhile, moves to block incoming calls from “unfriendly” states; the Jacks mock the performative toughness and note how easily scammers will route around any such ban.51:15 – Rob Reiner's murder and a towering film legacyThey react with shock to the murder of legendary director Rob Reiner and his wife, allegedly by Reiner's troubled son, whose earlier violence was itself the subject of a film.Jack runs through Reiner's extraordinary run—This Is Spinal Tap, The Princess Bride, Stand By Me, When Harry Met Sally, A Few Good Men—and argues that if you'd made only those, you'd still have had a remarkable career.54:45 – “This one goes to 11” and Trump's gracelessnessThe Jacks recall how Spinal Tap helped invent the mockumentary form and embedded lines like “this one goes to 11” into pop‑culture vocabulary.They condemn Donald Trump's statement calling Reiner “a terrible human being” after his death, with conservative actor James Woods publicly rebuking Trump and praising Reiner's personal kindness despite political differences.57:40 – Carl Reiner, Mel Brooks and comedy royaltyJoel outlines Rob Reiner's upbringing in a house full of comedic giants, with father Carl Reiner and close friend Mel Brooks holding weekly movie nights together well into old age, as captured in Jerry Seinfeld's Comedians in Cars Getting Coffee.They reminisce about Carl and Mel's influence on Jewish humour and lament the passing of a generation of comic geniuses.01:01:05 – EVs, hybrids and a Two Jacks lunch betThe Jacks revisit their running argument over electric vehicles, prompted by Ford CEO Jim Farley's plan to pivot the F‑150 towards hybrids instead of pure EVs.Joel, a hybrid owner, sees hybrids as a transition technology in countries like Australia where fast‑charge infrastructure is patchy; he cites global EV sales rising to roughly 18–20 per cent of new car sales in 2025, with internal‑combustion shares steadily shrinking.01:03:05 – Charging reality vs theory in AustraliaJoel recounts his in‑laws' BMW EV trip from central Victoria to Sydney using free or cheap NRMA/RACV chargers, but notes fast chargers are often the first to break or get switched off by retailers facing high electricity costs.They swap anecdotes about BYD and Chinese Maxus taxis—fast‑improving but sometimes uncomfortable—and admit they can no longer remember the exact terms of their EV lunch wager, though Joel insists Jack owes him.01:06:10 – Worst political year: Trump, Macron, Starmer, Albanese, Li, PutinThe Jacks playfully debate which leader had the worst year—Donald Trump, Emmanuel Macron, Keir Starmer, Anthony Albanese, Chinese Premier Li or Vladimir Putin.They characterise Albanese as the “Stephen Bradbury” of Australian politics, a cautious survivor whose luck and endurance have mattered as much as brilliance.01:18:40 – Ashes update: England's fragile top orderIn a late segment, they revisit England's Ashes woes: repeated collapses leaving them three‑for‑not‑many and a top three of Crawley, Duckett and Pope exposing the middle order to the new ball.Joel notes England dropped a bowler as a scapegoat while leaving the misfiring batting unchanged, and questions how long they can justify Ollie Pope at three ahead of the more solid Will Jacks.01:21:15 – Hong Kong racing, Kooring Rising and Japanese fanboy jockeysJack describes Hong Kong's International Racing Day—four Group 1s and 80,000 people—and the rise of sprinter Kooring Rising, winner of The Everest and now on a long winning streak.He shares footage from Japan's Nakayama track where every jockey stopped circling and sat still so they could watch Kooring Rising's race on the big screen, a measure of the horse's star power.01:23:00 – Listener mail, Howard's gun laws and the Shooters lobbyJoel reads a note from listener Ray pointing out that 300 legally obtained guns are still attributed to “Howard's gun laws”, reminding listeners gun‑law reform was necessary but later watered down under pressure from the Shooters and Fishers political lobby.01:24:00 – Christmas, loneliness and a surprise lunch guestThe Jacks close with Christmas reflections: acknowledging how joyful and stressful the season can be, especially for those who are lonely or estranged from family.Joel recalls his mother inviting a homeless man to Christmas lunch—an act of charity met with teenage grumbling from him and his brother—and urges listeners to look out for those doing it tough without necessarily going to that extreme.01:25:45 – Holiday plans and the show's return in JanuaryJack outlines Hanukkah parties and family Christmas plans in Hong Kong, while Joel describes a quieter Highlands Christmas with a Boxing Day visit from the grandkids.They thank listeners for their support through 2025, wish everyone a Merry Christmas, and promise to return in the second week of January after a short break.
The Jews' final victory was due to the political disintegration of the Syrian state at that time
Syrian and Palestinian Authority passport holders will not be able to enter the U.S. as of the beginning of the year, the latest in a series of bans. President Trump is ramping up the pressure on Venezuela. Police are combing through hundreds ...
Syrian and Palestinian Authority passport holders will not be able to enter the U.S. as of the beginning of the year, the latest in a series of bans. President Trump is ramping up the pressure on Venezuela. Police are combing through hundreds ...
Syrian and Palestinian Authority passport holders will not be able to enter the U.S. as of the beginning of the year, the latest in a series of bans. President Trump is ramping up the pressure on Venezuela. Police are combing through hundreds ...
Syrian and Palestinian Authority passport holders will not be able to enter the U.S. as of the beginning of the year, the latest in a series of bans. President Trump is ramping up the pressure on Venezuela. Police are combing through hundreds ...
Syrian and Palestinian Authority passport holders will not be able to enter the U.S. as of the beginning of the year, the latest in a series of bans. President Trump is ramping up the pressure on Venezuela. Police are combing through hundreds ...
Syrian and Palestinian Authority passport holders will not be able to enter the U.S. as of the beginning of the year, the latest in a series of bans. President Trump is ramping up the pressure on Venezuela. Police are combing through hundreds ...
On the 14th of December, as an antisemitic mass shooting targeted a Hanukkah festival at Bondi Beach, several heroes emerged, most notably Ahmed al-Ahmed, a Muslim man of Syrian origin who courageously disarmed one of the attackers. But he was not the only Middle-Eastern Muslim to risk his life to put a stop to the attack. There was another Middle-Eastern Muslim man who risked his life to disarm the other shooter. However, his lawyer says due to his Middle-Eastern appearance and all-black attire, he was thought to be one of the shooters. As a result, he was shot at by police, then set upon by a small crowd of people.
Humanitarian fashion is more than a trend — it is a movement built on empathy, cultural preservation, and collective healing. Shahd Alasaly is a sociology instructor at the University of South Florida. Her work focuses on trauma, displacement, and collective healing through an anti-colonial lens. She is the founder and creative director of Blue Meets Blue, a slow-fashion label employing refugee women and partnering with Syrian textile producers. She is also the author of A Kids Book About Humanitarianism and is currently writing a new book series on refugee journeys. In this episode, Shahd shares how fashion became a tool for art therapy, empowerment, and cultural preservation — and why teaching empathy to children may be the most powerful humanitarian act of all. What you will learn from this episode: Why slow fashion can support trauma healing, dignity, and empowerment for refugee women. Why children are naturally wired for humanitarianism — and how to nurture it. Why storytelling is essential for preserving marginalized voices and histories. Topics Covered: 02:11 – Founding Blue Meets Blue as a response to the Syrian civil war and collective trauma. 05:03 – How slow fashion and artisan work became art therapy for refugee women. 06:10 – Blue Meets Blue relaunching with textiles sourced from newly freed Syria. 07:02 – Bestselling A-line skirts, brocade dusters, and the storytelling behind each piece. 08:40 – Why Shahd wrote A Kids Book About Humanitarianism and how kids understand empathy. 10:48 – Teaching children about refugees through simple, actionable language. 12:30 – Shahd's upcoming book From There to Here following refugee children's journeys. 15:52 – How Shahd's research explores trauma, resilience, and community healing. 17:20 – Humanizing refugee experiences through stories of everyday motherhood and dignity. Key Takeaways: "Kids don't complicate relationships. Adults add politics, fear, and layers that make empathy harder." — Shahd Alasaly "These women weren't just sewing. They were healing together in a safe, trusted space." — Shahd Alasaly "You don't have to wait until you're older or important to be a humanitarian. You can start with a simple smile." — Shahd Alasaly "Community resilience comes from holding space for each other through trauma." — Shahd Alasaly Ways to Connect with Shahd Alasaly: Website: www.bluemeetsblue.com Instagram: @bluemeetsblue Book: https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/782300/a-kids-book-about-humanitarianism-by-shahd-alasaly/ Ways to Connect with Sarah E. Brown: Website: https://www.sarahebrown.com Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/DrSarahEBrown LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sarahebrownphd To speak with her: bookachatwithsarahebrown.com
AHmed Sharawi reports on a "blue-on-green" attack in Syria where an infiltrated security officer killed Americans. He attributes this to the Syrian leadership's reckless integration of jihadist militias into security forces without vetting. Sharawi and Roggio argue this proves terrorists cannot be trusted to police other terrorists. 1931
PREVIEW: Jonathan Schanzer describes Syrian leader Al-Sharaa as a "wolf in sheep's clothing," comparing him to Yasser Arafat for pretending to be a moderate while directing violence. Schanzer warns that Al-Sharaa, a jihadist whose forces murdered US personnel, is untrustworthy and operates strictly from a terrorist playbook.
SOMALIA PUNTLAND 2022 Ambassador Hussein Haqqani and Bill Roggio discuss global terror outbreaks, including ISIS-linked attacks in Australia and Afghanistan. Haqqani argues the West prematurely declared victory, ignoring radical ideologies. He notes Pakistan's internal power struggles and failure to track jihadists, warning the region remains a launchpad for international terrorism. Bill Roggio analyzes the ISIS allegiance of Australian shooters, distinguishing ISIS's immediate caliphate goals from Al-Qaeda's patient state-building. He warns that while Al-Qaeda focuses on consolidating control in places like Somalia (Al-Shabaab), they remain a potent global threat capable of launching external attacks when strategically advantageous. John Hardie discusses US pressure on Ukraine to withdraw from Donetsk and drop NATO bids for peace. He details Russian advances near Pokrovsk but doubts their ability to capture remaining fortress cities. Hardie notes Ukrainian resistance to territorial concessions despite Russian battlefield initiative and Western diplomatic maneuvering. David Daoud reports on Hezbollah's regeneration in Lebanon, aided by Iranian funding and weapons. He criticizes the Lebanese government's inaction and the international community's appeasement strategy. Daoudargues that failing to disarm Hezbollah to avoid civil war only guarantees Lebanon's slow deterioration into a failed state. Malcolm Hoenlein condemns the Bondi Beach terror attack as part of a global pattern of Islamist violence fueled by appeasement. He highlights the Australian government's failure to address warning signs, including anti-Semitic marches, and notes Iranian influence, warning that ignoring these threats invites further radicalization and violence. Malcolm Hoenlein expresses skepticism about Syria's leader, Al-Sharaa, calling him a "terrorist in a suit" despite Washington's support. He details Israel's concerns over weapons flowing into southern Syria and Hezbollah'srearmament, warning that Iran continues to build missile capabilities and destabilize the region despite economic ruin. Cleo Paskal critiques the UK's deal to hand the Chagos Islands to Mauritius, endangering the strategic US base on Diego Garcia. She warns that China's influence in Mauritius could compromise the base. Paskal argues the deal ignores Chagossian rights and leaves the region vulnerable to Chinese expansionism. Akmed Sharawi reports on a "blue-on-green" attack in Syria where an infiltrated security officer killed Americans. He attributes this to the Syrian leadership's reckless integration of jihadist militias into security forces without vetting. Sharawi and Roggio argue this proves terrorists cannot be trusted to police other terrorists. Edmund Fitton-Brown warns that the West's premature "retirement" of counterterrorism efforts has allowed threats to incubate in conflict zones like Afghanistan. He argues that ignoring these regions inevitably leads to attacks in the West, as terrorists seek attention by striking "peaceful" environments, necessitating renewed forward engagement. Edmund Fitton-Brown argues the Muslim Brotherhood creates an environment for violent extremists like ISIS. He criticizes Western governments, specifically Australia, for appeasing Islamists and recognizing Palestine, which he claims fuels anti-Semitism and radicalization. He warns of "copycat" attacks spreading to the US and Europe due to this permissiveness. Alejandro Pena Esclusa and Ernesto Araujo celebrate the Nobel Peace Prize for Venezuela's Maria Corina Machado, viewing it as recognition of peaceful resistance against the Maduro regime. They discuss the regional struggle against a "project of power" linking Marxist socialism, drug trafficking, and authoritarian allies like Russiaand Iran. Ernesto Araujo and Alejandro Pena Esclusa analyze Latin America's rightward shift, citing Chile's rejection of a leftist constitution and election disputes in Honduras. They attribute leftist defeats to the failure of socialism and credit the "Trump Corollary" to the Monroe Doctrine for encouraging democratic changes against regional narco-regimes. Professor Jonathan Healey details King Charles I's failed 1642 attempt to impeach and arrest five MPs, a move driven by Queen Henrietta Maria calling him a "poltroon." This "cinematic" blunder, betrayed by Lady Carlisle, unified Parliament against the King, marking a decisive step toward the English Civil War. Professor Jonathan Healey explains how the plague and volatile London crowds, including "Roundhead" apprentices, eroded King Charles I's authority in early 1642. The King's failed arrest attempt alienated moderates, shifting support to Parliamentarian John Pym, while the atmosphere of fear and disease accelerated the nation toward inevitable conflict. Professor Jonathan Healey describes the collapse of royal authority as King Charles I flees London after facing hostile crowds and biblical threats. While Queen Henrietta Maria seeks foreign aid, Charles establishes a court in York, accepting that armed conflict is necessary to subdue Parliament's radical legislative challenges. Professor Jonathan Healey recounts the humiliating refusal of Hull's governor to admit King Charles I, a key moment signaling open warfare. He discusses the irreconcilable ideological split over whether power derives from God or the people, illustrating the tragedy through figures like John Bankes who sought futile compromise.
Hate researcher Matteo Vergani and orthodox Rabbi Nomi Kaltmann examine the rise of antisemitism in Australia, as police continue to investigate the deadly attack on a Hanukkah celebration at Bondi Beach on Sunday. Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said the father and son suspects were motivated by Islamic State ideology.And, in Syria over the weekend, a gunman ambushed a U.S.-Syrian joint patrol, killing two members of the Iowa National Guard and their American interpreter. President Trump has vowed to retaliate. The Washington Institute for Near East Policy's Andrew Tabler explains what this shows about Islamic extremism.Then, for many immigrants, oath ceremonies mark the final step in becoming a U.S. citizen. But across the U.S., those ceremonies have been postponed or canceled. Gail Breslow from the nonprofit Project Citizenship details what this means for hopeful Americans.Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy
//The Wire//1500Z December 14, 2025////PRIORITY////BLUF: TERROR ATTACK STRIKES AUSTRALIA AS 12X KILLED IN BONDI BEACH MASS SHOOTING. VEHICLE RAMMING ATTACK FOILED IN GERMANY. MASS SHOOTING REPORTED AT BROWN UNIVERSITY IN PROVIDENCE.// -----BEGIN TEARLINE----- -International Events-Australia: A few hours ago, a complex terror attack took place at a Hanukkah event in Bondi Beach. Multiple gunmen approached a gathering of people at a picnic area on the east side of the park, and began engaging those taking part in holiday celebrations. At least two gunmen took up a tactical position on the pedestrian bridge at grid coordinate: 56H LH 40786 48784 // 61.2 ft MSL. From there, the gunmen began firing at event participants in the park below. After a few minutes, these two shooters were eventually neutralized by armed police on this bridge.At least one other gunman was present at the shooting, but was disarmed by a bystander who attacked the shooter with his bare hands and took the weapon from him. This disarmed-shooter was later detained by police on the pedestrian bridge with the others.Analyst Comment: Concerning casualties, right now the number stands at 10x killed during the attack, with a few dozen wounded. At least two of the attackers were wounded/killed by armed police, however their status is not known. The total number of shooters involved in this attack is also not known, but right now the count stands at 3x shooters taking part in the attack. At least one shooter did survive, as indicated by the videos of the incident taken by observers. Regarding the identities of the attackers, official confirmation of their name and status will take some time. However, photos of some of the shooter's drivers licenses have circulated social media in the hours after the attack. At least one of the attackers appears to be Naveed Akram, who had a NSW driver license.Germany: Yesterday a vehicle ramming attack was foiled by police, which involved a local terror cell in lower Bavaria. Local authorities state that 5x suspects have been arrested after they planned to carry out a vehicle ramming attack at a Christmas Market in the Dingolfing-Landau area.Analyst Comment: The suspects have not been identified by name, however their nationalities are: 1x Egyptian, 3x Moroccans, and 1x Syrian. All are currently being held in pre-trial detention, and more documents are expected to be released regarding how this plot was alleged to have been planned. -HomeFront-Rhode Island: Yesterday evening a mass shooting was reported at Brown University after a shooter opened fire during final exams near the Barus and Holley Engineering building on campus. 2x people were killed and 9x were wounded during the attack.Analyst Comment: The assailant egressed from the area after the shooting, which triggered a manhunt for several hours and prevented the scene from being secured for medical personnel to provide aid to the wounded. As of this morning, police state that they have one "person of interest" in custody regarding the case, however they stopped short of calling this person a suspect. Officially, the shooter has not been captured yet. No weapon was recovered from the scene, and the assailant was wearing a mask during the attack.-----END TEARLINE-----Analyst Comments: In Germany, it must be noted that if this terror cell was rolled up by police, there are probably others which have not yet been detected. Five terrorists is NOT a lone-wolf-style attack, and heavily indicates a more hierarchical organization structure. Depending on how well this cell was organized and commanded, this could mean that other terrorists that haven't been detected yet might be motivated to accelerate their attack planning. Considering the success of the horrific attack in Australia, it's possible that other attacks are coming down the pipeline. As such, inc
It's Tuesday, December 16th, A.D. 2025. This is The Worldview in 5 Minutes heard on 140 radio stations and at www.TheWorldview.com. I'm Adam McManus. (Adam@TheWorldview.com) By Kevin Swanson Chinese Communists arrested 18 pastors over evangelism online Chinese Pastor Ezra Jin and 17 other pastors have been arrested by Chinese Communist authorities on charges of using illegal information networks. Translation? Putting the Gospel message on Zoom is now illegal in China. The pastors are facing three years in prison. A pastor's wife described the situation on the Christian Broadcasting Network. WIFE: “China opened the door for the Western society and then grow their economy. I grew up from that period of time. So, I thought we weren't gonna be put in jail because of our Christianity or our faith.” Chinese officials convicted liberty advocate Jimmy Lai Not surprisingly, those Chinese communists have convicted Hong Kong's pro-liberty advocate, Jimmy Lai, with conspiracy to collude with foreign forces. It's a charge that could put him in prison for life. This was the highest profile case since Hong Kong was turned over to the communists in 1997, and Hong Kong's democratic elections halted in 2020. China to eliminate out-of-pocket expenses for childbirth China is planning to eliminate all out-of-pocket medical costs for childbirth with the hopes of encouraging more births. China's fertility rate is dismal, hovering around 1.0. In fact, Chinese deaths have outnumbered births for three years in a row now. The countries with the lowest fertility rates in the world are Hong Kong, China, Taiwan, South Korea, Singapore, Ukraine, and Chile. Two Muslim men killed 16 Jews in Sydney, Australia On Sunday, two Muslim men, a father and son, have been identified as suspects in the killings of 16 people at a Jewish celebration of Hannukah in Sydney, Australia on Bondi Beach, reports the Associated Press. That's the worst mass shooting in Australia since the Port Arthur massacre of 1996 where 35 people were killed and 23 were injured. Providentially, a bystander of Muslim background, 43-year-old Syrian fruit shop owner, Ahmed Al-Ahmed, happened on the scene. He tackled and disarmed one of the gunmen during the deadly massacre, preventing further carnage. Ahmed was shot in the shoulder and arm while hiding behind a tree after confronting the gunman. Australia's Prime Minister Anthony Albanese is promising “tougher gun laws” in response. Actor Rob Reiner and wife allegedly killed by son Director and actor Rob Reiner and his wife Michele were found dead Sunday, apparent victims of foul play at their home in Los Angeles, reports The L.A. Times. Sadly, Rob Reiner was an atheist, as was his father, Carl Reiner — another famous movie director. Rob Reiner will be best remembered in the political realm for his leftist views, especially in his opposition to California's Proposition 8, and efforts to introduce homosexual marriage to the state and the country. At last report, Rob and Michele's son Nick, age 32, has been taken into custody by the Los Angeles Police Department, charged with the murder of his parents. He has a long history of drug addiction. Exodus 21:15 speaks to this sort of crime, as do Jesus's words in Matthew 15:4: “And he who strikes his father or his mother shall surely be put to death.” Little Sisters of the Poor vs. Obamacare continues After 14 years, Little Sisters of the Poor, comprised of Roman Catholic nuns, continues to object to the Obamacare mandate to provide coverage for abortifacients for their organization. Back on July 8, 2020, the Supreme Court ruled 7–2 in favor of the Little Sisters, upholding federal rules that exempted religious organizations from the contraceptive mandate. But now, Pennsylvania and New Jersey have refused to drop their efforts to take away the Little Sisters' protection in the lower courts. Last August, a rogue federal district court in Philadelphia ruled against the Little Sisters and vacated the religious exemption rules that had protected them. The case is in appeal to the Third Circuit Court. Bill Clinton unresponsive to Congressional subpoena over Epstein GOP House Oversight Committee Chairman James Comer announced he will initiate contempt of Congress proceedings against Bill and Hillary Clinton. At issue is the Clintons' decision to ignore the committee's subpoenas issued back in August, in relation to investigations of the Jeffrey Epstein sex trafficking scandal. Epstein visited the White House 17 times in 1993 after Bill Clinton's inauguration. Artificial Intelligence: Time Magazine's “Person of the Year” Time Magazine's Person of the Year goes to Artificial Intelligence or rather, the architects of AI. Spending on Artificial Intelligence development has increased from $40 billion to $400 billion in just the last ten years. Nvidia's stock has increased 60-fold, while Microsoft and Alphabet, Inc. have increased 7-fold over the same timeframe. Kirk Cameron advocates unbiblical theology of annihilationism Actor and Christian celebrity Kirk Cameron suggested in his recent podcast that hell is not forever — a departure from the long-held position of an eternal punishment for those who do not trust Christ, reports The Christian Post. CAMERON: “Eternal judgment or eternal punishment doesn't necessarily mean that we are being tormented and punished forever and ever, every moment for eternity. It means that the punishment we deserve is irreversible. It's permanent; it's eternal. You're dead. You've been destroyed. You have perished. You're gone, and you're never coming back.” This theological position is called annihilationism, a belief that all damned humans and fallen angels – including demons and Satan -- will be totally destroyed and their consciousness extinguished. CAMERON: “I actually think this is a really good argument for annihilationism. Just because the righteous go to eternal life, which is the gift of God, not that the wicked are granted an eternity of punishment. The punishment of the wicked is final. It is irreversible.” Rev. Al Mohler, President of Southern Baptist Theological Seminary in Louisville, Kentucky, called the admission “sad.” And in his words: “The admonition to confess Christ or risk non-existence just doesn't pass the New Testament test, and there is a good reason it doesn't work in a sermon either. The stakes are just too low, and the fires of hell hold no eternal consequence.” At the final judgment, as recorded in Matthew 25: 41-43, Jesus said to those on His left hand: “Depart from Me, you cursed, into the everlasting fire prepared for the devil and his angels: for I was hungry and you gave Me no food; I was thirsty and you gave Me no drink; I was a stranger and you did not take Me in, naked and you did not clothe Me, sick and in prison and you did not visit Me.' … And these will go away into everlasting punishment, but the righteous into eternal life.” Imprisoned fathers reunited with daughters at dance And finally, the “God Behind Bars” organization links local churches to prisons, and reunites families, especially children with their incarcerated parents or grandparents. This Christmas season, the organization sponsored its first Father-Daughter Dance at the Angola Louisiana State Penitentiary. Twenty-nine fathers were reunited with their daughters that night, many of whom had not seen their daughters for years — some over a decade. The ministry calls these events "moments of restoration … and the Gospel in motion." Close And that's The Worldview on this Tuesday, December 16th, in the year of our Lord 2025. Follow us on X or subscribe for free by Spotify, Amazon Music, or by iTunes or email to our unique Christian newscast at www.TheWorldview.com. I'm Adam McManus (Adam@TheWorldview.com). Seize the day for Jesus Christ.
A cousin of a rabbi killed in the Bondi beach attack says Eli Schlanger devoted himself to bringing joy and love to others -- and his family plans to continue that tradition. A Syrian father of two who risked his life to disarm one of the alleged shooters is being hailed as a hero; our guest sat with his family as they waited for news. Hong Kong pro-democracy campaigner Jimmy Lai faces a possible life sentence for sedition and foreign collusion; a fellow activist is crushed -- but not surprised. A Scotland fan was excited to buy tickets to the FIFA World Cup -- before he learned prices were, in his words, "extortionate". Former "As It Happens" co-host Jeff Douglas takes us gliding down a quiet frozen river -- when we air his annual holiday his reading of the poem "The Skater."A group of linguists urge the Prime Minister to stop messing with Canadian identity by relying on British spellings that use an "s" -- not a zed -- in words like "analyze".As It Happens, the Monday Edition. Radio that hits you like a ton of Brits.
The juxtaposition of the administration's handling of the Syrian massacre of our troops with immigration from Syria in light of the Sydney terror attack is appalling. Today, I go through the details and policy outcomes that should flow from the deaths of Iowa Guardsmen at the hands of Jolani-allied thugs to show how our Syria policy is completely backward. Rather than pulling our troops out, banning Syrian immigration, and allowing Israel to take care of business, we are doubling down on serving as Qatar's lapdog, continuing immigration from Syria and most Islamic countries, and hamstringing Israel from its much more effective effort on combatting terrorism emanating from Syria. At the end, I touch on Trump's losing economic message promoting inflation and data centers and how the data-center agenda is actually harming the electronics market and crowding out more necessary and efficient technology investments. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
As Australia mourn the victims of a shooting, during a Jewish holiday gathering at Bondi Beach, its prime minister pledges solidarity.Anthony Albanese says the attackers were not part of a terror cell, but "clearly, they were motivated by this extremist ideology". The father of a Syrian bystander who was filmed wrestling a gun off an attacker has told the BBC he was driven by "conscience and humanity"Also in the programme: Ukraine's President Zelensky comes under more pressure to compromise at peace talks in Berlin, Chile elects a far-right leader who is an admirer of the dictator, Augusto Pinochet, and police in Los Angeles investigate the suspected murder of the celebrated Hollywood director, Rob Reiner.(Photo shows Australian prime minister Anthony Albanese speaks to the media during a press conference in Sydney, Australia on 15 December 2025. Credit: Steven Markham/EPA)
[00:30] A Weekend of Bloody Crimes (55 minutes) Violent murders dominated the news cycle this weekend—an anti-Semitic terrorist attack in Australia, a shooting at Brown University in Rhode Island, a son who murdered his famous parents in Los Angeles, and a Syrian government agent who killed two U.S. servicemen and an American translator in Syria. Dialogue about peace is at fever pitch right now, but our world is full of bloody crimes. Is this God's world?
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A shepherd calls in from Syria to talk about the trajectory of his life moving forward, a caller blows up his life forever, a caller drives across the country for love, and a final caller finds themselves home alone for the first time ever. I love diet root beer. I am a gecko. Get notified for when I come to your city to do a live gecko show: therapygeckotour.com GET BONUS EPISODES: therapygecko.supercast.com FOLLOW ME ON GECKOGRAM: instagram.com/lyle4ever GET WEIRD EMAILS FROM ME SOMETIMES BY CLICKING HERE.Follow me on Twitch to get a notification for when I’m live taking calls. Usually Mondays and Wednesdays but a lot of other times too. twitch.tv/lyleforeverSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit andrewsullivan.substack.comShadi is a Washington Post columnist and a senior fellow at Georgetown University's Center for Muslim-Christian Understanding. He runs a substack with Damir Marusic called Wisdom of Crowds, and his new book is The Case for American Power. It's the third time Shadi has been on the Dishcast. We hashed out the National Security Strategy and the future of US leadership in the world, if any.For two clips of our convo — on Bush's idealism leading to anarchy in Iraq, and whether Trump's amorality is stabilizing the Middle East — head to our YouTube page.Other topics: Shadi raised with a mixed identity (American/Muslim/Arab); both parents from Egypt where he spent summers; the reinvention of immigrants; the peace and prosperity of the ‘90s; our innocence shattered on 9/11; external and internal jihad; religion in public life; the Koran; blasphemy laws in the UK; Charles Taylor and the loss of enchantment; political cults like MAGA and SJW; Deneen and other post-liberals; Obama's realism in the Mideast; the Arab Spring; Islam's tension with liberalism; how Israel undermined Obama; the settlements; Gaza; Muslim views of women and gays in the West; the US intervening in Bosnia, Kosovo, and the Persian Gulf; oikophobia; elites opening up China and creating a rival; Taiwan; Russia after the USSR; the invasion of Georgia and Crimea; the Syrian war and refugee crisis; the war in Ukraine; Vance in Munich; and Trump's pressure on NATO to arm itself.Browse the Dishcast archive for an episode you might enjoy. Coming up: Simon Rogoff on the narcissism of pols and celebrities (from Diddy to Churchill to Trump), Laura Field on the intellectuals of Trumpism, Arthur Brooks on the science of happiness, Vivek Ramaswamy on the right's future, and Jason Willick on trade and conservatism. Please send any guest recs, dissents, and other comments to dish@andrewsullivan.com.
SHOW 12-8-2025 CBS EYE ON THE WORLD WITH JOHN BATCHELOR 1895 KHYBER PASS THE SHOW BEGINS IN THE DOUBTS ABOUT THE FEDERAL RESERVE BOARD OF GOVERNORS. FIRST HOUR 9-915 The DC Shooter, the Zero Units, and the Tragedy of the Afghan Withdrawal: Colleagues Husain Haqqani and Bill Roggio discuss recent violence in Washington, D.C. involving an Afghan immigrant that has drawn attention back to the chaotic U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan in 2021; the shooter, Ramanula Lakanal, was a member of the elite "Zero Units" of the Afghan National Army, a force that demanded priority evacuation for their families in exchange for providing security at the Kabul airport during the U.S. retreat, and while these units were stalwart allies against enemies like al-Qaeda and ISIS, they fought a "dirty war" and were accused of human rights violations, highlighting the broader failure of the withdrawal which occurred because political will faded across multiple administrations. 915-930 The Vetting Failure and the Lack of an Exit Strategy in Afghanistan: Colleagues Husain Haqqani and Bill Roggioexplain that the chaotic withdrawal from Afghanistan was exacerbated by the lack of a methodical exit strategy, unlike the British who organized their departure and evacuation lists well in advance; critics argue that the U.S. imported significant security risks by rushing the evacuation, bringing in over 100,000 Afghans without adequate vetting, and while there was a moral obligation to help those who served, experts suggest that wholesale importation of citizens from a war-torn country was not the only solution and that better vetting or resettlement in third countries should have been considered. 930-945 Martial Law in South Korea and the Shadow of the North: Colleagues Morse Tan and Gordon Chang discuss South Korea facing severe political turmoil following President Yoon's declaration of martial law, a move his supporters argue was a constitutional response to obstructionist anti-state forces; the opposition, led by figures previously sympathetic to North Korea, has been accused of attempting to paralyze the government, while accusations of "insurrection" against President Yoon are dismissed as nonsensical, with the political infighting fracturing the conservative party and leaving South Korea vulnerable to the North Korean regime in a way not seen since the Korean War. 945-1000 Japan Stands Up for Taiwan While Canada Demurs: Colleagues Charles Burton and Gordon Chang report that Japanese Prime Minister Takaichi recently declared that a Chinese invasion of Taiwan would be a "survival threatening situation" for Japan, authorizing the mobilization of self-defense forces; this statement has triggered a massive propaganda campaign from Beijing demanding a retraction, as a successful invasion of Taiwan would likely require violating Japanese sovereignty, while in contrast Canada remains reluctant to support Tokyo or criticize Beijing, hoping to secure trade benefits and diversify exports away from the U.S., leaving Japan isolated by its allies. SECOND HOUR 10-1015 The Survival of UNRWA and the Flow of Terror Finance: Colleagues Malcolm Hoenlein and Thaddeus McCotterreport that despite investigations revealing corruption and ties to terrorism, the UN has renewed the mandate for UNRWA for another three years; the organization's facilities have been used by Hamas and its schools have been implicated in radicalizing children, yet international efforts to replace it have stalled, while Hamas leadership refuses to disarm or accept international oversight, demanding a Palestinian state as a precondition for any change, with financial support for terror groups continuing to flow through networks in Europe and the Middle East. 1015-1030 Greece's "Achilles Shield" and Israel's Iron Beam Laser Defense: Colleagues Malcolm Hoenlein and Thaddeus McCotter report that Greece is undertaking a historic modernization of its armed forces, unveiling a new national defense strategy focused on long-range missiles and a modernized air defense system dubbed "Achilles Shield," allowing Greece to project power more flexibly in the Eastern Mediterranean and counter threats from Turkey; in Israel, a major defensive breakthrough is imminent with the deployment of the "Iron Beam," a laser defense system capable of intercepting threats at approximately $50 per shot, expected to rewrite the rules of air defense by effectively countering drone swarms and missiles. 1030-1045 Hezbollah's Quiet Regeneration Under Naim Qassem: Colleagues David Daoud and Bill Roggio report that since the ceasefire began, Hezbollah has received at least $2 billion from Iran and is actively rearming and regenerating its forces in Lebanon; the terror group is focusing on acquiring drone swarms and other asymmetrical weapons that are cheap to produce and difficult for Israel to counter, while Hezbollah's new leader Naim Qassem is leveraging his "bookish" and underestimated persona to lower the temperature and allow the group to rebuild without attracting the same level of scrutiny as his predecessor. 1045-1100 Fragmentation in Yemen: The Southern Transitional Council Advances: Colleagues Bridget Tumi and Bill Roggio report that the civil war in Yemen is fracturing further as the Southern Transitional Council, which advocates for southern secession, advances into eastern governorates to secure territory and combat smuggling; this move has heightened tensions within the anti-Houthi coalition, as the STC is backed by the UAE while other government factions are supported by Saudi Arabia, weakening the collective effort against the Houthis who control the capital Sanaa and maintain ambitions to conquer the entire country. THIRD HOUR 1100-1115 The Druze National Guard and Internal Strife in Southern Syria: Colleagues Ahmad Sharawi and Bill Roggio report that instability is growing in Syria's Druze-majority Suwayda province, where a newly formed "National Guard" militia has begun arresting and killing political opponents; the militia is spiritually guided by Sheikh Hikmat al-Hijri, who has consolidated power by sidelining other Druze leaders who were open to reconciliation with the Assad regime, with Turkey expressing support for the anti-Assad Druze factions against both the Syrian government and Kurdish forces, while recent violence suggests a hardening of anti-regime sentiment. 1115-1130 The "Variable Geometry" of the Muslim Brotherhood and Its Global Affiliates: Colleagues Edmund Fitton-Brown and Bill Roggio explain that the Muslim Brotherhood operates as a "mothership" for various Islamist movements, utilizing a strategy of "variable geometry" to adapt to local political environments while aiming for a global caliphate; Hamas functions as the Palestinian branch of the Brotherhood and despite being severely damaged by the war with Israel remains the dominant force in Gaza, with the Brotherhood finding state sponsorship primarily in Qatar, which provides funding and media support via Al Jazeera, and Turkey, where President Erdogan acts as a leader for the organization. 1130-1145 Ukraine Negotiations Hit a Cul-de-Sac Amidst Infiltration Tactics: Colleagues John Hardie and Bill Roggio report that peace talks regarding Ukraine are currently at a standstill, with the U.S. and Ukraine at odds over Russia's demands for territory in the Donbas versus Ukraine's need for meaningful security guarantees; while the U.S. has pressured Ukraine to concede territory, the security assurances offered are viewed skeptically by Kyiv, and Russia refuses to accept any Western military presence in Ukraine, while on the battlefield Russia employs infiltration tactics using small groups, sometimes single soldiers, to penetrate deep into Ukrainian positions. 1145-1200 The Trump Corollary: Reviving the Monroe Doctrine in Latin America: Colleague Ernesto Araújo discusses a new "Trump corollary" to the Monroe Doctrine reshaping U.S. policy in the Americas, signaling a more assertive stance against foreign influence and authoritarian regimes; this shift is evident in Venezuela, where President Maduro appears to be negotiating his exit in the face of U.S. pressure, while in Brazil the administration of Lula da Silva faces significant instability due to a massive banking scandal linking the government to money laundering and organized crime, with the new application of the Monroe Doctrine suggesting the U.S. will favor political figures aligned with its security strategy. FOURTH HOUR 12-1215 Devil's Advocates: Robert Stryk, Rudy Giuliani, and the Business of Influence: Colleague Kenneth P. Vogel discusses how in the power vacuum created by Donald Trump's arrival in Washington, unconventional lobbyists like Robert Stryk rose to prominence by marketing access to the new administration; Stryk, described as an "anti-hero" with a checkered business past, hosted a lavish event at the Hay-Adams Hotel to legitimize the regime of Joseph Kabila of the Democratic Republic of Congo, successfully delivering Rudy Giuliani as Trump's personal attorney, signaling a new informal channel for foreign diplomacy and highlighting how foreign regimes utilized large sums of money and unconventional intermediaries to seek favor. 1215-1230 The Accidental Diplomat: Robert Stryk and the New Zealand Connection: Colleague Kenneth P. Vogel explains that Robert Stryk's rise in the lobbying world was fueled by serendipity and bold bluffs, exemplified by a chance encounter with a New Zealand diplomat at a cafe; the diplomat revealed that New Zealand, having prepared for a Clinton victory, had no contacts within the incoming Trump team and could not arrange a congratulatory call between their Prime Minister and the President-elect, and Stryk, leveraging a connection to a former Trump campaign field director, provided a phone number that successfully connected the embassy to Trump's team, establishing his credibility and launching his career in high-stakes foreign lobbying. 1230-1245 Hunter Biden, Chinese Spies, and the Monetization of Political Connections: Colleague Kenneth P. Vogel reports that following his father's departure from the vice presidency, Hunter Biden faced financial pressure and sought lucrative foreign clients, leading to risky entanglements; one venture involved a corrupt Romanian real estate magnate who hired Hunter along with former FBI Director Louis Freeh and Rudy Giuliani to resolve his legal troubles, with the proposed solution involving selling land including the site of the U.S. Embassy in Romania to a Chinese state-linked fund, and Hunter Biden was aware of the nature of his associates, referring to one as the "spy chief of China." 1245-100 AM FARA: From Fighting Nazi Propaganda to Modern Transparency: Colleague Kenneth P. Vogel explains that the Foreign Agents Registration Act was originally enacted in 1938 to counter Nazi propaganda in the United States before World War II; at the time, the Third Reich was paying well-connected American consultants to whitewash Hitler's image and keep the U.S. out of the war, operating without public knowledge, and Congress passed FARA to create transparency, requiring those paid by foreign principals to influence the U.S. government or media to register their activities, with the law remaining today the primary vehicle for accountability in foreign lobbying
PREVIEW — Jonathan Schanzer — "Darkness Visible": The Dangerous Power Vacuum and Rivalries in Syria. Schanzer characterizes contemporary Syria as chaotic "ungoverned territory" systematically attracting dangerous transnational actors including Hamas military operatives and Russian military and intelligence personnel establishing operational footprints. Schanzer documents that while the United States strategically lifts economic sanctions to encourage pragmatism and behavioral moderation from the new Syrian leadership, regional powers including Saudi Arabia and Turkey simultaneously compete for geopolitical influence over Damascus decision-making, creating overlapping and contradictory leverage efforts. Schanzer emphasizes that this fractured geopolitical landscape is further complicated by armed militia networks, Kurdish separatist forces, and foreign fighter contingents remaining throughout Syrian territory, resembling a "shattered chessboard" where multiple external powers attempt simultaneous influence operations while internal actors pursue autonomous agendas, creating a dangerously unpredictable and volatile strategic environment. DAMASCUS 1920
The Druze National Guard and Internal Strife in Southern Syria: Colleagues Ahmad Sharawi and Bill Roggio report that instability is growing in Syria's Druze-majority Suwayda province, where a newly formed "National Guard" militia has begun arresting and killing political opponents; the militia is spiritually guided by Sheikh Hikmat al-Hijri, who has consolidated power by sidelining other Druze leaders who were open to reconciliation with the Assad regime, with Turkey expressing support for the anti-Assad Druze factions against both the Syrian government and Kurdish forces, while recent violence suggests a hardening of anti-regime sentiment. 1914 SYRIA
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