Podcasts about syrian

On Tuesday's Mark Levin Show, ‘On Power' discusses negative power, which is defined as coercion, control, and force, acting as the antithesis to individual liberty, consensual government, and civil society. It rejects biblical teachings of individual sovereignty and Enlightenment principles of distributed power, favoring centralized authority as seen in ideologies like Marxism, fascism, and authoritarian democracy. Wokeism is a modern authoritarian tool that enforces specific language and behavior, punishing non-conformity with social and professional consequences. Negative power dehumanizes individuals, viewing them as part of a collective to serve the ruling class or state, undermining personal well-being and autonomy. We need to confront and debate negative power to protect liberty and representative government. A new ruling class, the new bourgeoisie, is emerging in the U.S. and the West, defined not by wealth but by their pursuit of power. Soft negative power drives policies like controlling grocery stores, housing, or targeted taxation to consolidate influence, often at the expense of others' freedom. This creates an authoritarian democracy, where democratic appearances mask authoritarian control. Recognizing these dynamics is key to understanding today's power struggles. Also, former President Barack Obama should face a criminal investigation for his alleged role in efforts to undermine the 2016 election and the Trump presidency, despite claims of immunity based on a Supreme Court decision.  While official presidential acts are protected, crimes like attempting a coup are not immune from prosecution after leaving office. Afterward, a look back at March 2017 when Mark Levin broke the Obama spygate scandal wide open. Later, Special Envoy Thomas Barrack told Reuters there is no evidence the Syrian government is involved in the horrendous atrocities committed against the Druze and Christians and other minorities in Syria.  This is a disgrace, the evidence is everywhere. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Over the past few weeks, Southern Syria has been engulfed in violence, between the Al-Sharaa regime, local Druze militias, and even Israel joining the fray. In season 5, we spoke to Nour Salam, a member of the Druze community from Suwayda, who explained the complex dynamics of the region. So this week, we're returning to that episode, to help you make sense of the events going on there today... Nour Salam is a Druze and a human rights and women's rights activist whose family are originally from Suwayda, where she has been living since fleeing there in 2013. Through the war she worked as a field coordinator for Syrian civil society groups, and she is also a member of the Syrian Women's Political Movement and many Suwayda-based initiatives supporting women's rights. In this episode, Nour shares her unique perspective as a Druze woman from Suwayda, discussing her identity, the history of the Druze community, and the impact of the Syrian civil war on her life and activism. She reflects on her family's experiences under the Assad regime, and her involvement in the revolution, highlighting the complexities of Druze identity and their relationship with other communities in Syria. Thomas and Nour later explore the arrival of ISIS in Suwayda, and the subsequent rise of factional conflicts from local militias formed to protect against ISIS, who are still controversially playing their part in the ongoing instability of the region, alongside Israel, today. Season 5 has ended, but if you still want to have your Conflicted fix , then you'll have to join our Conflicted Community. Subscribers will get bonus episodes every other week, and can also join our Conflicted Community chatroom, where you can interact with fellow dearest listeners, discuss episodes past and future, get exclusive messages from Thomas and Aimen, ask future Q&A questions and so much more. All the information you need to sign up to the Conflicted Community is on this link: https://conflicted.supportingcast.fm/  Conflicted is proudly made by Message Heard, a full-stack podcast production agency which uses its extensive expertise to make its own shows such as Conflicted, shows for commissioners such as the BBC, Spotify and Al Jazeera, and powerfully effective podcasts for other companies too. If you'd like to find out how we can help get your organisation's message heard, visit messageheard.com or drop an email to hello@messageheard.com! Find us on Twitter: https://twitter.com/MHconflicted And Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/MHconflicted Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

[00:30] Exposing the Treasonous Russiagate Ruse (46 minutes)Former President Barack Obama declares that the allegations against him as the Russiagate mastermind are “bizarre,” “ridiculous” and “weak.” The latest files released from the Office of the Director of National Intelligence tell a far different story. Obama, the news media, a cabal of federal officials and the intelligence community are all culpable in this worst scandal in U.S. government history.[46:40] U.S. Citizen Killed in Syrian Massacre (10 minutes)A young American citizen from Oklahoma was one of the innocent Druze civilians slaughtered by Syrian government forces last week. But Axios reports that officials in the Trump administration are portraying Israel as the problem, calling Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu a “madman” and “a child who just won't behave.”

It has been more than six months since Syrian dictator Bashar Al Assad was overthrown, ending a bloody civil war and his family's 54-year rule over the Arab nation.

Should America or Christians in general be actively seeking to defend the nation of Israel? What is to be said for the Seed of Abraham inheriting the world? The rising tide of anti-semitism and wars in the Middle East bring the question of the nation of Israel to the forefront in the minds of many Christians. We ask the question, "What does the Bible say about that?" But, our real task here, is to train us all how to handle the trunk and the leaves, the quarrelsome and the questionable, the divisive and the controversial, the camels and gnats in theology. While we may not answer all the questions that various Christian sects would prefer us answer, we stick to core issues here as a matter of principle. This program includes: 1. The World View in 5 Minutes with Adam McManus (Christian golfer says priorities are faith, family, then golf; Muslims kill Syrian pastor and 20 members of family; Japan to invest $550 billion into America) 2. Generations with Kevin Swanson

On Monday's Mark Levin Show, what's going on in Syria is the ethnic cleansing and slaughter of the Druze and Christians by groups like ISIS, now operating under different names within the Syrian regime. Israel is the only county to help protect the Druze and Tom Barrack, an envoy to Syria, Turkey, and Lebanon, is a disaster for condemning Israel's defensive actions as complicating the situation. Barrack's stance motivates terrorists, and he needs to be fired. Zuhdi Jasser calls in to explain that the Islamist regime in Syria and its alliances with Iran and Hezbollah have fueled sectarian violence, targeting these minority groups. There needs to be greater attention to the suffering of Christians and Druze under Syria's government. Also, Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard declassified documents which revealed that Obama administration officials fabricated the Russia collusion narrative to undermine President Trump after his 2016 election win. These revelations confirm, again, that Mark Levin was right in 2017 when he first broke this news. Levin's March 3, 2017 broadcast was the key to everything, that all of the Obama government was being used against Trump. Later, USAID, the State Department and other federal agencies under the Biden administration let more than $900 million in taxpayer funds go to opposing PM Benjamin Netanyahu and to support terror groups. This is why trump got rid of USAID - it was a left-wing bank. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

This week we talk about the PKK, Turkey, and the DEM Party.We also discuss terrorism, discrimination, and stateless nations.Recommended Book: A Century of Tomorrows by Glenn AdamsonTranscriptKurdistan is a cultural region, not a country, but part of multiple countries, in the Middle East, spanning roughly the southeastern portion of Turkey, northern Iraq, the northwestern portion of Iran, and northern Syrian. Some definitions also include part of the Southern Caucasus mountains, which contains chunks of Armenia, Georgia, and Azerbaijan.So this is a sprawling region that straddles multiple nations, and it's defined by the presence of the Kurdish people, the Kurds, who live all over the world, but whose culture is concentrated in this area, where it originally developed, and where, over the generations, there have periodically been very short-lived Kurdish nations of various shapes, sizes, and compositions.The original dynasties from which the Kurds claim their origin were Egyptian, and they governed parts of northeastern African and what is today Saudi Arabia, Yemen, Israel, Lebanon, Syria, and Jordan. That was back in the 8th to 12th century, during which Saladin, who was the sultan of both Egypt and Syria, played a major historical role leading Muslim military forces against the Christian Crusader states during the Third Crusade, and leading those forces to victory in 1187, which resulted in Muslim ownership of the Levant, even though the Crusaders continued to technically hold the Kingdom of Jerusalem for another hundred years or so, until 1291.Saladin was Kurdish and kicked off a sultanate that lasted until the mid-13th century, when a diverse group of former slave-soldiers called the mamluks overthrew Saladin's family's Ayyubid sultanate and replaced it with their own.So Kurdish is a language spoken in that Kurdistan region, and the Kurds are considered to be an Iranian ethnic group, because Kurdish is part of a larger collection of languages and ethnicities, though many Kurds consider themselves to be members of a stateless nation, similar in some ways to pre-Israel Jewish people, Tibetan people under China's rule, or the Yoruba people, who primarily live in Nigeria, Benin, and Togo, but who were previously oriented around a powerful city-state in that region, which served as the central loci of the Ife Empire, before the Europeans showed up and decided to forcibly move people around and draw new borders across the African continent.The Kurds are likewise often politically and culturally powerful, and that's led to a lot of pushback from leaders in the nations where they live and at times operate as cultural blocs, and it's led to some very short-lived Kurdish nations these people have managed to establish in the 20th century, including the Kingdom of Kurdistan from 1921-1924, the Republic of Ararat from 1927-1930, and the Republic of Mahabad, which was formed as a puppet state of the Soviet Union in 1946 in northwestern Iran, following a Soviet push for Kurdish nationalism in the region, which was meant to prevent the Allies from controlling the region following WWII, but which then dissolved just a few months after its official formation due to waning support from the Kurdish tribes that initially helped make it a reality.What I'd like to talk about today is the Kurdistan Worker's Party, and why their recently declared ceasefire with Turkey is being seen as a pretty big deal.—The Kurdistan Worker's Party, depending on who you ask, is a political organization or a terrorist organization. It was formed in Turkey in late-1978, and its original, founding goal was to create an independent Kurdish state, a modern Kurdistan, in what is today a small part of Turkey, but in the 1990s it shifted its stated goals to instead just get more rights for Kurds living in Turkey, including more autonomy but also just equal rights, as Kurdish people in many nations, including Turkey, have a long history of being discriminated against, in part because of their cultural distinctiveness, including their language, manner of dress, and cultural practices, and in part because, like many tight-knit ethnic groups, they often operate as a bloc, which in the age of democracy also means they often vote as a bloc, which can feel like a threat to other folks in areas with large Kurdish populations.When I say Kurdish people in Turkey have long been discriminated against, that includes things like telling them they can no longer speak Kurdish and denying that their ethnic group exists, but it also includes massacres conducted by the government against Kurdish people; at times tens of thousands of Kurds were slaughtered by the Turkish army. There was also an official ban on the words Kurds, Kurdistan, and Kurdish by the Turkish government in the 1980s, and Kurdish villages were destroyed, food headed to these villages was embargoed, and there was a long-time ban on the use of the Kurdish language in public life, and people who used it were arrested.As is often the case in such circumstances, folks who support the Kurdish Worker's Party, which is often shorthanded as the PKK, will tell you this group just pushes back against an oppressive regime, and they do what they have to to force the government to backtrack on their anti-Kurdish laws and abuses, which have been pretty widespread and violent.The PKK, in turn, has been criticized for, well, doing terrorist stuff, including using child soldiers, conducting suicide bombings, massacring groups of civilians, engaging in drug trafficking to fund their cause, and executing people on camera as a means of sowing terror.Pretty horrible stuff on both sides, if you look at this objectively, then, and both sides have historically justified their actions by pointing at the horrible things the other side has done to them and theirs.And that's the context for a recent announcement by the leader of the PKK, that the group would be disarming—and very literally so, including a symbolic burning of their weapons in a city in northern Iraq, which was shared online—and they would be shifting their efforts from that of violent militarism and revolution to that of political dialogue and attempting to change the Turkish government from the inside.Turkish President Erdogan, for his part, has seemed happy to oblige these efforts and gestures, fulfilling his role by receiving delegates from the Turkish, pro-Kurd party, the DEM Party, and smilingly shaking that delegate's hand on camera, basically showing the world, and those who have played some kind of role in the militant effort against the Turkish government, that this is the way of things now, we're not fighting physically anymore, we're moving on to wearing suits and pushing for Kurdish rights within the existing governmental structures.The founder of the PKK, Abdullah Ocalan, got in on the action, as well, releasing a seven-minute video from prison, which was then broadcast by the PKK's official media distribution outlet, saying that the fighting is over. This was his first appearance on camera in 26 years, and he used it to say their effort paid off, the Kurds now have an officially recognized identity, and it's time to leverage that identity politically to move things in the right direction.Erdogan's other messages on the matter, to the Kurdish people, but also those who have long lived in fear of the PKK's mass-violence, have reinforced that sentiment, saying that the Kurds are officially recognized as a political entity, and that's how things would play out from this point forward—and this will be good for everyone. And both sides are saying that, over and over, because, well, child soldiers and suicide bombings and massacres conducted by both sides are really, really not good for anyone.By all indications, this has been a very carefully orchestrated dance by those on both sides of the conflict, which again, has been ongoing since 1978, and really picked up the pace and became continuous and ultra-violent, in the 1980s.There was an attempted peace process back in the 20-teens, but the effort, which included a temporary truce between 2013 and 2015, failed, following the murder of two Turkish police officers, the PKK initially claiming responsibility, but later denying they had any involvement. That led to an uptick in military actions by both groups against the other, and the truce collapsed.This new peace process began in 2024 and really took off in late-February of 2025, when that aforementioned message was broadcast by the PKK's leader from prison after lawmakers from the pro-Kurdish DEM Party worked to connect him and the Turkish government, and eventually helped negotiate the resulting mid-May of 2025 disarmament.Turkey's military leaders have said they will continue to launch strikes against PKK-affiliated groups that continue to operate in the region, and the PKK's disarmament announcement has been embraced by some such groups, while others, like the Syrian Democratic Forces, which is tied to the PKK, but not directly affiliated with them, have said this truce doesn't apply to them.Most governments, globally, have heralded this disarmament as a major victory for the world and Turkey in particular, though the response within Turkey, and in Kurdish areas in particular, has apparently been mixed, with some people assuming the Turkish government will backtrack and keep the DEM Party from accomplishing much of anything, and worrying about behind-the-scenes deals, including a reported agreement between Erdogan's government and the DEM Party to support Erdogan's desire to transform the Turkish government into a presidential system, which would grant him more direct control and power, while others are seemingly just happy to hear that the violence and fear might end.Also notable here is that a lot of Turkey's foreign policy has revolved around hobbling and hurting the PKK for decades, including Turkey's initial hindering of Sweden's accession to NATO, which was partly a means of getting other nations to give the Turkish government stuff they wanted, like upgraded military equipment, but was also a push against the Swedish government's seeming protection of people associated with the PKK, since Sweden's constitution allows people to hold all sorts of beliefs.Some analysts have speculated that this could change the geopolitics of the Middle East fundamentally, as Turkey has long been a regional power, but has been partly hobbled by its conflict with the PKK, and the easing or removal of that conflict could free them up to become more dominant, especially since Israel's recent clobbering of Iran seems to have dulled the Iranian government's shine as the de facto leader of many Muslim groups and governments in the area.It's an opportune time for Erdogan to grab more clout and influence, in other words, and that might have been part of the motivation to go along with the PKK's shift to politics: it frees him and his military up to engage in some adventurism and/or posturing further afield, which could then set Turkey up as the new center of Muslim influence, contra-the Saudis' more globalized version of the concept, militarily and economically. Turkey could become a huge center of geopolitical gravity in this part of the world, in other words, and that seems even more likely now that this disarmament has happened.It's still early days in this new seeming state of affairs, though, and there's a chance that the Turkish government's continued strikes on operating PKK affiliated groups could sever these new ties, but those involved seem to be cleaving to at least some optimism, even as many locals continue hold their breath and hope against hope that this time is different than previous attempts at peace.Show Noteshttps://www.pbs.org/newshour/world/heres-what-to-know-about-turkeys-decision-to-move-forward-with-swedens-bid-to-join-natohttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2025_PKK%E2%80%93Turkey_peace_processhttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2013%E2%80%932015_PKK%E2%80%93Turkey_peace_processhttps://carnegieendowment.org/emissary/2025/05/turkey-pkk-disarm-disband-impacts?lang=enhttps://www.middleeasteye.net/news/pkk-claims-deadly-suicide-bombing-turkish-police-stationhttps://web.archive.org/web/20161016064155/https://hrwf.eu/wp-content/uploads/2016/07/Child-soldiers-in-ISIS-PKK-Boko-Haram%E2%80%A6.pdfhttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kurdistan_Workers%27_Partyhttps://www.theguardian.com/world/video/2025/jul/11/kurdistan-workers-party-pkk-burn-weapons-in-disarming-ceremony-videohttps://www.aljazeera.com/news/2025/7/18/turkiye-pkk-analysis-recalibrates-politicshttps://time.com/7303236/erdogan-war-peace-kurds/https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2025/7/19/unidentified-drone-kills-pkk-member-injures-another-in-iraqhttps://www.reuters.com/world/middle-east/unidentified-drone-kills-pkk-member-injures-another-near-iraqs-sulaymaniyah-2025-07-19/https://www.aljazeera.com/video/inside-story/2025/7/11/why-has-the-pkk-ended-its-armed-strugglehttps://archive.is/20250718061819/https://www.haaretz.com/opinion/2025-07-17/ty-article-opinion/.premium/how-the-possible-end-to-turkeys-kurdish-problem-could-become-israels-turkey-problem/00000198-1794-dd64-abb9-bfb5dbf30000https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kurdistanhttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kurdshttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Kurdish_dynasties_and_countrieshttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Early_Kurdish_nationalism This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit letsknowthings.substack.com/subscribe

Christian civilians and other religious minorities – particularlythe Druze – are facing a nightmare right now in Syria. Whole families have been wiped out – in their homes, their cars and even the streets. One evangelical pastor was even taken out, along with 14 members of his family. Suwayda (Sweida) is the epicenter of the current madnesssweeping Syria. Scenes of ethnic and religious cleansing are emerging, as Islamists aligned with the Syrian government are carrying out these atrocities. Despite the scale of violence – which truly arise to war crimes or even crimesagainst humanity – mainstream media outlets are largely silent about these matters. Worse, many western leaders have openly embraced the Islamist leaders of Syria's regime.What is going on? Joining the Christian Emergency Podcastis “Hal,” a Druze-background Christian from Suwayda. He explains who the Druze are, how many Druze have come to Christ, and the shocking details behind this evil development. If you find this episode helpful, please give us a positive rating and review wherever you listen to your favorite podcasts. Also share this episode with a friend so they too can be blessed by these insights. To learn more about resources mentioned in this episode, see the following:“Hal” (X / Twitter): @jraidan Christian Emergency Alliance (Website): https://www.christianemergency.com/ Christian Emergency Alliance (Twitter / X): https://x.com/ChristianEmerg1 Christian Emergency Alliance (Facebook): https://www.facebook.com/christianemergency Christian Emergency Alliance (Instagram): https://www.instagram.com/christianemergencyalliance/ The Christian Emergency Podcast is a production of the Christian Emergency Alliance.Soli Deo Gloria

Ozzy Osbourne, the frontman of heavy metal band Black Sabbath, has died in the UK at the age of 76. The band's co-founder and guitarist Tony Iommi said Black Sabbath "have lost our brother". Osbourne's death comes just weeks after the band played their farewell gig in his home city of Birmingham. We hear from two other musical legends who knew and performed with Ozzy.The Syrian government has promised to investigate killings carried out in Sweida. As a ceasefire in the region holds, the BBC's Jon Donnison has visited and spoken to worried Druze.And as the Edinburgh Fringe scraps its "Funniest Joke" award, we speak to a former winner about how it helped her career.

Syrian refugee Nashat Aljerwan, his wife and their children were set to arrive in the U.S. in February as part of a U.S. State Department resettlement program. But days before their travel date, President Donald Trump issued an executive order that suspended refugee resettlement. Since then, St. Louisan Anne Ross has not stopped fighting for the Aljerwans to receive an exception to the order. Aljerwan and Ross share their respective journeys, their work together on his family's case and their hopes for meeting, in-person, if or when resettlement in St. Louis finally becomes a reality.

07/21/2023 PODCAST Episode #2064 GUEST: Sen. Doug Mastriano, Rabbi Yaakov Menken - YOUR CALLS! at 1-888-480-JOHN (5646) and GETTR Live! @jfradioshow #GodzillaOfTruth #TruckingTheTruth

AP correspondent Charles de Ledesma reports that the Syrian government have started evacuating Bedouin families from Sweida, in bid to end week-long clashes.

AP correspondent Charles de Ledesma reports evacuations are taking place in a troubled Syrian province; Save The Children say the situation in Gaza has never been so bad; Russia pummels Ukraine's capital again; and rescuers save hundreds of Indonesians from a stricken ferry.

Sheik Merwan Abu-Hamzy (Mike) joins the show to discuss the massacre of Christians & Druze by the Syrian regime. July 21st 2025 --- Please Like, Comment and Follow 'The Ray Appleton Show' on all platforms: --- 'The Ray Appleton Show’ is available on the KMJNOW app, Apple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube or wherever else you listen to podcasts. --- 'The Ray Appleton Show’ Weekdays 11 AM -2 PM Pacific on News/Talk 580 AM & 105.9 KMJ | Website | Facebook | Podcast | - Everything KMJ KMJNOW App | Podcasts | Facebook | X | Instagram See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

A tenuous truce appears to be holding in southern Syria, after a week of deadly fighting. But leaders from Syria's minority Druze community say their people have been killed, homes looted, and women raped.

Amid reports of a fragile calm in Syria's Sweida governorate, the UN World Food Programme (WFP) confirmed on Monday that it is helping to provide assistance to those displaced by the violence – and the country's many returnees.The development follows deadly clashes between Bedouin and Druze communities in Sweida that has drawn in Syrian government forces and the Israeli military, highlighting the regional implications of unresolved tensions inside Syria.With more on the crisis and the challenges facing Syrians returning home after well over a decade of civil war, here's WFP's head of emergency communications, Jonathan Dumont, with UN News's Daniel Johnson in Geneva. 

A tenuous truce appears to be holding in southern Syria, after a week of deadly fighting. But leaders from Syria's minority Druze community say their people have been killed, homes looted, and women raped.

A tenuous truce appears to be holding in southern Syria, after a week of deadly fighting. But leaders from Syria's minority Druze community say their people have been killed, homes looted, and women raped.

Welcome to The Times of Israel's Daily Briefing, your 20-minute audio update on what's happening in Israel, the Middle East and the Jewish world. Military reporter Emanuel Fabian joins host Amanda Borschel-Dan for today's episode. The Israeli military said this morning that it was set to begin ground operations in Deir al-Balah for the first time since the start of the war, issuing an evacuation order for Palestinians in the southwest of the city in the central Gaza Strip. Deir al-Balah is one of the few places in the Strip where the military has not yet operated with ground troops because it believed Hamas to be holding hostages there, though it has conducted airstrikes in the city. Fabian spells out scenarios why the IDF is now ready to operate there. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office issued a statement late Thursday expressing its regret after IDF tank fire killed three civilians in Gaza’s only Catholic church, heeding a demand from US President Donald Trump, who angrily phoned the Israeli premier over the incident. Following the fatal strike, the Latin patriarch, Cardinal Pierbattista Pizzaballa, the highest-ranking Catholic official in Jerusalem, entered the Gaza Strip on Friday alongside Theophilos III, the Greek Orthodox patriarch of Jerusalem. Fabian describes the events that led to the accidental shelling. Dozens of Gazans were reportedly killed near aid distribution sites in the past few days. The Israeli military said it had fired warning shots at suspects who approached its troops after they did not heed calls to stop, about a kilometer away from an aid site that was not active at the time.The Gaza Humanitarian Foundation, a US-backed group that runs the aid site, said there were no incidents or fatalities there on Saturday and that it has repeatedly warned people not to travel to its distribution points in the dark. Fabian discusses the refusals from the IDF and the GHF for reporters to visit the sites and help clear up the tangled narratives. Israel is preparing to send medical equipment and medicine to a hospital in the Druze-majority city of Sweida, in southern Syria, after days of violence left an estimated 900 people dead and the medical facility badly damaged, the Health Ministry announced on Saturday. We hear about the IDF's involvement in the Syrian province over the past week and how hundreds of Israeli Druze have breached the border -- sometimes repeatedly. What does this mean about Israel's security along the border? Check out The Times of Israel's ongoing liveblog for more updates. For further reading: IDF set to begin ground operations in central Gaza’s Deir al-Balah for first time More deaths reported near aid sites; Mossad chief, Witkoff said to discuss relocating Gazans Palestinians say at least 26 killed near Gaza aid sites; IDF says troops fired warning shots After angry call from Trump, PM says Israel deeply regrets mistaken shelling of Gaza church Jerusalem’s highest-ranking Christian officials enter Gaza to visit church hit by IDF Israel preparing to send medical gear to Sweida as clashes persist despite ceasefire Subscribe to The Times of Israel Daily Briefing on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube, or wherever you get your podcasts. This episode was produced by the Pod-Waves. IMAGE: Members of Hamas's armed wing, the Ezzedine al-Qassam Brigades, take part in a military parade along a street in Deir al-Balah, in the central Gaza Strip, on January 19, 2025. (BASHAR TALEB / AFP)See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Syria is facing perhaps its gravest crisis since the fall of the Assad regime last December. It began with sectarian clashes between Druze and Bedouins in the southern province of Sweida. Hundreds of people are reported to have been killed since sectarian clashes between Druze militias and Bedouin tribes erupted in the province on Sunday. The Druze religion is an offshoot of Shia Islam with its own unique identity and beliefs. In addition to Syria, there are sizeable communities of Druze in Lebanon, Jordan, Israel and the occupied Golan Heights. Edward Stourton speaks to Dr Omar Imady, Senior Fellow, Centre for Syrian studies.Roman Catholic Cardinal Pizzaballa and the Patriarch of the Greek Orthodox Church of Jerusalem have been visiting the Christian communities in Gaza and delivering 500 tons of aid after the Church of the Holy Family was hit by an Israeli Strike. Two women aged 84 and 69 were killed along with the 60-year-old janitor of the church. Nine others were injured including the parish priest Fr Gabriel Romanelli. The office of the Israeli PM issued a statement saying it regrets that stray munition hit the church and that it is committed to protecting civilians and holy sites. Sunday hears from Anton Asfar of the Catholic relief agency Caritas - he's based in Bethlehem but works closely with the Holy Family parish as well as Cardinal Vincent Nichols.One hundred years ago, the trial of John T Scopes began, where a US high school teacher was charged by the state of Tennessee for teaching the theories of evolution. Nick Spencer, is senior fellow at the Christian think tank Theos. He joined the commemorative events, and, speaking from Dayton Tennessee, he told Edward Stourton why the trial attracted so much attention.Presenter: Edward Stourton Producers: Bara'atu Ibrahim & Catherine Murray Production Coordinator: Liz Poole Studio Managers: Jack Morris & Olivia Miceli Editor: Tim Pemberton

Our resident constitutional expert Bruce Fein joins to make the case for impeaching the Supreme Court AND the President, and what we—as citizens—can do to make it happen. Then we welcome Lori Wallach of Rethink Trade to evaluate Trump's tariff policy. Are these trade deals bringing manufacturing back to the US? Or is Trump just using tariffs as a cudgel to punish countries that annoy him?Bruce Fein is a Constitutional scholar and an expert on international law. Mr. Fein was Associate Deputy Attorney General under Ronald Reagan and he is the author of Constitutional Peril: The Life and Death Struggle for Our Constitution and Democracy, and American Empire: Before the Fall.This has real consequences for you people all over the country because one of their shadow docket decisions (without explanation or hearing) briefs just very recently said that Trump can fire all these people in the IRS or the Education Department or EPA and get away with it. And, in fact, paralyze the workings of his (statutorily-established-by-Congress) Cabinet Secretary and Department…So this is devastating to your health, economic safety, environment, workplace safety, education, all kinds of things that are being ridden into the ground.Ralph NaderIn my judgment, the court has basically abandoned its role as a check on executive power…It's actually become an appendage of the executive branch. Nothing placing any kind of serious or material handcuff on what the President can do on his own. And the President is taking full advantage of that.Bruce FeinLori Wallach is a 30-year veteran of international and U.S. congressional trade battles— starting with the 1990s fights over NAFTA and WTO when she founded the “Global Trade Watch” group at Public Citizen. She is now the director of the Rethink Trade program at the American Economic Liberties Project, and a Senior Advisor to the Citizens Trade Campaign.What these guys are doing [with Trump's tariff policy] it's basically trying to build a house with just a hammer—we are against saws; we are against screwdrivers; we do not actually believe in nails, no other tools; we will just hammer a bunch of wood. And as a result, we're going to make some noise and we're definitely going to break some things, but we're not actually building a new redistributed trade system—which we could.Lori WallachBest that we can tell, the dynamic is something like: Trump is so engaged in the fun and chaos—fun (from his perspective) and chaos of throwing tariff news around like a lightning bolt that he really is not taking advice about it from people who know how you could use tariffs to try and ostensibly achieve the things he promised. He's just enjoying throwing around tariffs.Lori WallachNews 7/18/25* Last week, Elon Musk's pet AI program – Grok – began identifying itself as “MechaHitler,” and spitting out intricate rape threats and sexual fantasies directed at individuals like liberal pundit Will Stancil and now-ex X CEO Linda Yaccarino. This week, Musk rolled out Grok's new “sexy mode” which includes a visual avatar feature depicting the artificial entity as a quasi-pornographic anime-esque character who can flirt with users, per the Standard. So, naturally, the Trump Defense Department awarded xAI, the parent company behind Grok, a $200 million contract. According to CNN, “The contracts will enable the DoD to develop agentic AI workflows and use them to address critical national security challenges.” It is unclear how exactly the entity calling itself MechaHitler will accomplish that.* In local news, a special election was held in Washington DC's Ward 8 this week, seeking to replace corrupt councilmember Trayon White. White was implicated in an FBI bribery investigation and was expelled from the council in February. Yet, because of the splintered opposition, White pulled out a narrow victory on Wednesday, winning with 29.7% of the vote compared to his opponents' 24.3%, 23.7% and 22.3% respectively, per WTOP. In 2024, DC Voters approved a ballot measure to implement ranked-choice voting, which could have helped prevent this outcome, but it has yet to take effect. The DC Council could vote to expel White again more or less immediately; if not, they would likely wait for his trial to commence in January 2026.* Turning to foreign affairs, Israel has bombed the Syrian capital of Damascus, killing three and wounding 34, in strikes primarily targeting the Syrian Defense Ministry headquarters, per NPR. Israel's attack comes amid tensions between the new, post-Assad Syrian government and the Druze minority in the Southern Syrian city of Sweida. The government claims the Druze violated a ceasefire reached earlier in the week and Syrian troops responded; a new ceasefire deal has been reached and the office of interim President Ahmed al-Sharaa issued a statement reading, the “rights [of the citizens of Sweida] will always be protected and…we will not allow any party to tamper with their security or stability.” Stéphane Dujarric, spokesman for United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres, said in a statement that the U.N. chief “condemns Israel's escalatory airstrikes,” as well as reports of the Israeli military's redeployment of forces in the Golan Heights. As journalist Séamus Malekafzali notes, “Damascus is now the 4th Middle Eastern capital to be bombed by Israel in the past 6 weeks, alongside Tehran, Beirut, and Sana'a.”* In more news from Israel, the Knesset this week sought to expel Palestinian lawmaker Ayman Odeh, leader of the Hadash-Ta'al party. According to Haaretz, “The vote was triggered by a Likud lawmaker after Odeh published a social media post in January, saying that he ‘rejoices' over the release of Israeli hostages and Palestinian prisoners.” However, the motion failed to reach the 90-vote threshold, meaning Odeh will remain in the legislature. Six members of Yair Lapid's Yesh Atid party voted for the motion, but not Lapid himself. The United Torah Judaism party did not back the motion. Haaretz quotes Hassan Jabareen, an attorney, director of the Adalah Legal Center and legal counsel for Odeh, who said, “The overwhelming support for this initiative – from both the coalition and the opposition – reveals the state's intent to crush Palestinian political representation...This was not a legitimate legal process, but rather a racist, fascist incitement campaign aimed at punishing Odeh for his principled stance against occupation, oppression and Israeli violence.” Senator Bernie Sanders celebrated the failure of the motion, writing “Israel's far right tried to expel Ayman Odeh, an Arab Israeli opposition leader, from the Knesset because of his opposition to Netanyahu's war. Today, they failed. If Israel is going to be considered a democracy, it cannot expel members of parliament for their political views.” This from the Middle East Eye.* Sanders also made news this week by declaring that “Given the illegal and immoral war being waged against the Palestinian people by Netanyahu, NO Democrat should accept money from AIPAC – an organization that also helped deliver the presidency to Donald Trump,” per the Jerusalem Post. Sanders posted this statement in response to a video by Obama foreign policy advisor Ben Rhodes, who said “AIPAC is part of the constellation of forces that have delivered this country into the hands of Donald Trump…These are the wrong people to have under your tent...The kind of people that they are supporting, Bibi Netanyahu and Donald Trump, I don't want my leaders and my political party cozying up to these people.” Bernie's statement is perhaps the strongest stand taken by any American politician against AIPAC, Israel's front group in American politics and one of the biggest special interest groups in the country. AIPAC throws around eye-popping sums of money to members of both parties; to name just one example, House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries has accepted over $1.6 million from the group, according to Track AIPAC's Hall of Shame.* In a similar vein, last week we discussed the National Education Association's vote to suspend its ties with the Anti-Defamation League due to the ADL's shift in focus from Jewish civil rights to laundering the reputation of Israel. Since then, the ADL has sought to mobilize their allies to demand the NEA reject the vote. To this end, the ADL has sought the support of J Street, a liberal Jewish group critical of Israel, per the Forward. J Street however has rebuffed the ADL, refusing to sign the group's letter. Though they oppose the NEA resolution, J Street President Jeremy Ben-Ami issued a statement reading in part, “charges of antisemitism must not be wielded to quash legitimate criticism of Israeli policy...the NEA vote can[not] be dismissed as being driven by fringe ‘pro-Hamas' antisemitic activists.” Hopefully, more Jewish groups will follow the example of J Street and break with the Zionist orthodoxy of the ADL.* In other foreign policy news, the Guardian reports French President Macron has reached a deal with the leadership of the French “overseas territory” New Caledonia to grant the island statehood and more autonomy within the French legal system. New Caledonia is one of several UN-designated ‘non-self-governing territories.' France has exerted rule over the Pacific Island – over 10,000 miles from Paris – and its nearly 300,000 inhabitants since the 19th century. Last May, riots broke out over France's decision to grant voting rights to thousands of non-indigenous residents. This violence “claimed the lives of 14 people, [and] is estimated to have cost the territory…$2.3 bn... shaving 10% off its gross domestic product.” However, the Times reports indigenous Kanak independence activists reject the deal outright. Brenda Wanabo-Ipeze, a leader of the Co-ordination Cell for Actions on the Ground, who is currently detained in France, said, “This text was signed without us. It does not bind us.” The Times adds that, “The conservative and hard-right French opposition accused Macron of failing to ensure security in the territory. The left accused the president of imposing colonial tactics on a people who should be allowed self-determination.” It remains to be seen whether this deal will prove durable enough to weather criticism from so many angles.* Much has been made of Attorney General Pam Bondi's decision last week to not release any more information related to the Jeffrey Epstein investigation. A Department of Justice memo reads, “it is the determination of the Department of Justice and the Federal Bureau of Investigation that no further disclosure would be appropriate or warranted.” This has created a firestorm in the MAGA world, with many Trump supporters feeling betrayed as the president implied he would declassify these files if reelected. Now, Congressmen Thomas Massie and Ro Khanna have introduced the Epstein Files Transparency Act which would “force the House of Representatives to vote on the complete release of the government's files related to Jeffrey Epstein,” according to a press release from Massie's office. This resolution specifically states the files cannot “be withheld, delayed, or redacted” should they cause “embarrassment, reputational harm, or political sensitivity, including to any government official, public figure, or foreign dignitary.” The resolution is attracting support from some Republicans, but it is unclear how far this will go under Speaker Johnson, who maintains there is “no daylight between his position and that of Trump,” per the Hill. The position of congressional Republicans has been further complicated by a bombshell report in the Wall Street Journal documenting previously unknown details of the intimate relationship between the late pedophile financier and the president.* Meanwhile, the Trump administration is once again torching America's reputation abroad – this time literally. The Atlantic reports “Five months into its unprecedented dismantling of foreign-aid programs, the Trump administration has given the order to incinerate food instead of sending it to people abroad who need it. Nearly 500 metric tons of emergency food—enough to feed about 1.5 million children for a week—are set to expire tomorrow, according to current and former government employees with direct knowledge of the rations. Within weeks…the food, meant for children in Afghanistan and Pakistan, will be ash.” This cartoonishly evil decision paired with the “Big Beautiful Bill”'s provisions cutting food assistance for children in poverty, point to one inescapable conclusion: the Trump administration wants children to starve.* Finally, on the opposite end of the spectrum, Mexico News Daily reports the administration of President Claudia Sheinbaum is debuting a healthy, domestically produced and affordable staple for Mexican consumers – chocolate bars. “This ‘Chocolate de Bienestar' is part of the government's ‘Food for Well-Being' strategy, which aims to bring nutritious and affordable food options to consumers while supporting national producers, particularly those in the southern states of Tabasco and Chiapas — a region that has historically lagged behind other regions in several social and economic indicators.” The Sheinbaum administration is stressing the health benefits of chocolate, noting that, “Studies have shown that chocolate improves cardiovascular health via its antioxidants, provides energy, helps control blood pressure, improves cognitive capacity, satisfies hunger and lifts mood.” At the same time, the administration is seeking to minimize the sugar content “striking a supposedly healthier balance between natural cane sugar and the cacao itself.” This chocolate will be available in three forms:“Chocolate bar containing 50% cacao, and priced at…less than $1.Powdered chocolate with 30% cocoa, priced...$2Chocolate de mesa or tablet chocolate, with 35% cacao, priced at …$5”This has been Francesco DeSantis, with In Case You Haven't Heard. Get full access to Ralph Nader Radio Hour at www.ralphnaderradiohour.com/subscribe

Syria's interim president Ahmed al-Sharaa has pledged to protect all of Syria's minorities as he sent security forces to the Druze heartland, after sectarian clashes left hundreds dead in Sweida.We hear from a Druze woman whose whole family was killed by what she claims were Syrian government forces. Also on the programme: Should Putin-aligned artists be welcomed at cultural events? And, a symphonic tribute to The Beatles. (Photo: Syria's interim President Ahmed al-Sharaa in Aleppo, Syria May 27, 2025. Credit: Reuters)

U.S. Ambassador to Turkiye Tom Barrack says Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Syrian interim leader Ahmad al-Sharaa have agreed to a ceasefire.

Welcome to The Times of Israel's newest podcast series, Friday Focus. Each Friday, join diplomatic reporter Lazar Berman and host deputy editor Amanda Borschel-Dan for a deep dive into what's behind the news that spins the globe. This week, as violence between Syria's Druze and Bedouin communities reached a boiling point in the southern city of Sweida, hundreds of Druze rushed across the border from Israel, vowing to protect their community in Syria. Israel joined in as the protector of the Syrian Druze and the IDF said it struck over 160 targets in Syria, mostly in the area of Sweida, including government tanks and machine guns headed there. The military also said it was bolstering forces in the Golan Heights, on the Syrian border, in preparation for days of potential conflict. Likewise, the Ashkenazi Chief Rabbi Kalman Ber issued an open call to Israel and the world to help the Druze in Syria, citing the biblical commandment “not to stand by the blood of your neighbor.” We delve into the origins of the mysterious religion and Israeli ties to the ancient people which came to settle in what is today three nations: Lebanon, Syria and Israel. We discuss what could be Israel's motivations in taking on the mantle of protector of the persecuted minority -- and international backlash to it. Friday Focus can be found on all podcast platforms. This episode was produced by the Pod-Waves. IMAGE: A woman carries a Druze and an Israeli flag near the US Embassy in Jerusalem on July 16, 2025. (AHMAD GHARABLI / AFP)See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

[00:30] Israel Fights to Prevent Genocide—Again (52 minutes) Syrian government forces attempted to erase the Druze community from Suweida this week. But nobody in the mainstream media is talking about this ethnic cleansing attempt, except to label Israel as the bad guy for trying to prevent genocide. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is leading his country through war on several fronts as the rising lion of Israel, while the U.S. media is obsessed with CBS canceling “The Late Show” with Stephen Colbert. [52:00] WorldWatch (3 minutes)

//The Wire//2000Z July 18, 2025////ROUTINE////BLUF: SITUATION IN SYRIA CONTINUES TO DETERIORATE. CONCERNS GROW REGARDING LONG-STANDING THREATS TO AMERICAN LIVESTOCK.// -----BEGIN TEARLINE------International Events-Syria: The violence continues to escalate as the Druze militias have taken advantage of recent Israeli strikes to make territorial advances in the south. This morning PM Netanyahu pledged support for the Druze, and stated that Syrian government forces will not be allowed to enter the district south of Damascus. Overnight Druze forces seized the city of Suweida, and have claimed to control most of the key terrain throughout the entire region.Analyst Comment: Though Netanyahu didn't name the district specifically, he probably meant Suwayda, but he could also have meant Daraa (which is an important distinction). Lines on the map have no meaning whatsoever in Syria right now, however Suwayda is the district currently host to the most fighting, mostly between the Druze and various other Islamic-based militias. Daraa is the main district that is currently occupied by Israeli forces, following Israel's invasion of Syria during the fall of the Assad regime. Right now, it looks like Netanyahu is trying to use the Druze to push Jolani's forces out of Suwayda, so as to increase Israel's "buffer zone" eastward, probably all the way to Druze Mountain. On the other hand, this is Syria...the cultural/tribal situation is vastly more complicated than that. The Druze community itself is not as culturally solidified as one might imagine, with younger tribes more closely aligning with Israel, but older Druze communities serving the Assad regime faithfully. Similarly, the fall of the Assad regime immediately spawned hundreds of splinter groups that have formed an even more complicated web of loyalties than before the collapse.In short, there are no "good guys" in this case; all sides and tribes have committed extremely gruesome violence against each other, so the situation is largely a wash. However, Israel is the main nationstate-level player involved in all of this, and thus seeks to come out on top, regardless of which tribes kill each other. As usual, only time will tell how effective this effort will be. For context, the operational environment in this case is roughly 40% of the total land mass of Israel itself, with the Daraa and Suwayda districts combined being roughly 8,000 km² in size.-HomeFront-Midwest: Concern is growing regarding the spread of disease caused by the Asian Longhorned Tick, an invasive species of parasite that has become a problem throughout the United States over the past year. This parasite is known to cause Theileriosis in cattle, which can cause death in a wide array of cases, varying from 3-90%. There is no known treatment or vaccine for this disease, and prevention methods are the only known mitigation tactics that are effective at reducing the spread of this disease.-----END TEARLINE-----Analyst Comments: The concerns regarding the Asian Longhorned Tick are not new by any means, however this topic has gained more traction due to various research projects that are now underway. Oklahoma State University is currently sampling cattle to study how serious the spread of this parasite is, and the University of Georgia is likewise conducting similar research. While it may not sound like a serious threat at the moment, this parasite has the potential to exponentially grow into a major problem since the female tick can lay around 2,000 eggs at a time without mating. As a reminder, this tick was first discovered in the US on a sheep in New Jersey back in 2017, however due to the exponential spread of this parasite, entire herds of cattle are now swarming with these ticks from coast to coast. This has already resulted in a 150% spike in this tick being observed in the state of Pennsylvania, for instance. However no

Hugh talks with Jim Geraghty, Newt Gingrich, Sen. Steve Daines, Sen. James Lankford, Josh Kraushaar, Rich Lowry, Seth Mandel, and Jim Talent.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In this weeks Quantum we look at Muslim dogs, British Afghans; Masterchef; the Cold Play concert reveal;  Banning British flags in Brirish schools; Sandi Peggi and the madness of NHS Fife; Israel, Syria and the Druze;  the MP Rachel MAskell; Ricky Gervais on God; Baptisms in Bournemouth; Chariots of Fire; and the Final Word -  Acts 2.  with music from Patti Page, Capercaillie, Coldplay, Steely Dan; Vangelis and Van Morrison. 

Israel is defending its attacks on Syrian government targets. Benjamin Netanyahu says they're necessary to secure Israel's border and protect Druze minorities in southern Syria. The White House has announced President Trump has been diagnosed ...

Top headlines for Friday, July 18, 2025In this episode, we explore Israel's intensified strikes on Syrian regime targets, including key government buildings, raising questions about regional stability and international responses. Next, we shift gears to discuss the U.S. Senate's recent passage of H.R. 4, a pivotal bill aiming to cut billions in federal spending. We'll break down four critical aspects of this legislative move and its potential impact. Finally, we pay tribute to the legacy of John MacArthur, whose profound influence on the faith community is remembered by his close friend Joni Eareckson Tada.00:11 Israel strikes Syrian regime targets in Damascus01:07 4 things to know about the rescissions bill01:53 Former baseball player Chase Childers drowns saving 5 people02:47 Family pastor fired over arrest for leaving child in car to drink03:40 Inside Republican Ohio's battle with the trans cult04:30 3 killed at Gaza's only Catholic church; Israel investigates05:37 Joni Eareckson Tada memorializes friend John MacArthurSubscribe to this PodcastApple PodcastsSpotifyGoogle PodcastsOvercastFollow Us on Social Media@ChristianPost on TwitterChristian Post on Facebook@ChristianPostIntl on InstagramSubscribe on YouTubeGet the Edifi AppDownload for iPhoneDownload for AndroidSubscribe to Our NewsletterSubscribe to the Freedom Post, delivered every Monday and ThursdayClick here to get the top headlines delivered to your inbox every morning!Links to the NewsIsrael strikes Syrian regime targets in Damascus | World4 things to know about the rescissions bill | PoliticsFormer baseball player Chase Childers drowns saving 5 people | U.S.Family pastor fired over arrest for leaving child in car to drink | Church & MinistriesInside Republican Ohio's battle with the trans cult 3 killed at Gaza's only Catholic church; Israel investigates | WorldJoni Eareckson Tada memorializes friend John MacArthur | Church & Ministries

On Wednesday's Mark Levin Show, we have a lot of fake MAGA conmen influencers trying to exploit the Jeffrey Epstein matter for financial gain through clicks and subscriptions. These conmen have spread false predictions about the Iran-Israel conflict, such as World War III involvement by China and Russia, and for aligning with dictators while opposing U.S. interests. The left-wing media love these conmen because they think they can damage President Trump over Epstein. This mix of Marxist Islamists and isolation conmen is very dangerous - even Trump isn't good enough for them. You stand with Trump, or you don't. Also, an entire staff at a hospital in Suwayda, Syria, was slaughtered by Islamist terrorists. The Druze, an Arab minority sect, are being attacked by terrorist groups backed by the Syrian military, and only Israel and the IDF are intervening by entering Syria to defend them through attacks on terrorists and Syrian forces. Later, Zohran Mamdani is an anti-Semite, racist, and Islamist Marxist who refuses to denounce the Global Intifada slogan promoting terrorism, wants to tax white neighborhoods more, and seeks to seize private property. His ​ideology ​is ​that ​of ​Lenin, ​Mao, ​Stalin ​and ​Castro but there are Democrats like AOC and Sen Bernie Sander who back him anyway. Afterward, Gov Greg Abbott, with support from Trump and the DOJ, has called a special session in Texas to redraw congressional districts after findings of illegal gerrymandering. This could net Republicans up to five additional House seats. Democrats, led by Hakeem Jeffries, are in panic mode, planning a walkout to deny quorum—similar to their failed 2021 effort—but Republicans are prepared to counter with arrests, fines, or seat vacancies. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Sign up for your one-dollar-per-month Shopify trial and start selling today at ⁠shopify.com/tyt Donald Trump has another public meltdown over the Epstein scandal. BRICS leaders release a 31-page plan to undermine the U.S. dollar, signaling a deepening economic shift. Israel bombs Syrian government buildings in Damascus live on television. Hosts: Ana Kasparian & Cenk Uygur FOLLOW US ON: FACEBOOK  ☞   https://www.facebook.com/theyoungturks TWITTER  ☞       https://twitter.com/TheYoungTurks INSTAGRAM  ☞  https://www.instagram.com/theyoungturks TIKTOK  ☞          https://www.tiktok.com/@theyoungturks

Headlines:  – Welcome to Mo News (02:00) – World Emoji Day: America's Favorite Emojis, What's In, What's Out  (02:10) – Trump Lashes Out At Supporters Over Epstein Criticism (07:50) – Druze, Syrian Gov't Reach Ceasefire in Sweida; Israel Strikes Damascus (19:30) – Palestinian American from Tampa Beaten To Death in West Bank (24:20) – Trump Signs Bill Making Tough Sentences For Fentanyl Trafficking Permanent (29:40) – DEA Chief Warns Of Meth-Laced Pills Targeting College-Age Adults (30:45) – Trump Denies Plan to Ax Powell After Floating Idea to Lawmakers (32:00) – Barack, Michelle Obama Address Divorce Rumors in 1st Joint Comments (35:50) – Labubu Craze to Spur 350% Surge in Profit, China's Pop Mart Says (38:20) – How ChatGPT Is Changing The Way We Speak (40:10) – On This Day In History (43:10) Thanks To Our Sponsors:  – LMNT - Free Sample Pack with any LMNT drink mix purchase – Industrious - Coworking office. 30% off day pass – Athletic Greens – AG1 Powder + 1 year of free Vitamin D & 5 free travel packs – Incogni - 60% off an annual plan| Promo Code: MONEWS – Saily - 15% off any data plan | Promo Code: MONEWS

Today's Headlines: Israel launched missile strikes on Syria's military HQ in Damascus, potentially destabilizing the new Syrian government amid talks to normalize relations. Despite the Trump administration's request to hold back, Israel is sending more troops to the border, citing threats to the Druze community. Meanwhile, Trump hosted Bahrain's crown prince, who pledged $17 billion in U.S. investments—though details were vague, aside from a symbolic model airplane. Trump also denied plans to fire Fed Chair Jerome Powell, despite telling Republicans otherwise, and floated the Fed's over-budget HQ renovations as a possible excuse. Separately, the administration fired federal prosecutor Maurene Comey—daughter of James Comey—who had handled the Epstein, Maxwell, and Diddy cases, offering no clear reason. Trump mocked his own supporters who believe Epstein conspiracy theories, calling them “weaklings,” while still refusing to release promised files. And in two more Trump-world twists: DHS deported five migrants to Eswatini, an African country none of them were from, and federal agents arrested nine anti-ICE protesters in Spokane. Lastly, $100 million worth of Trump memecoins are unlocking today, padding the president's net worth. Resources/Articles mentioned in this episode: Axios: Israel bombs Syrian capital despite U.S. pressure to "stand down" Bloomberg: Bahrain's PM Vows $17 Billion US Investment During Trump Meeting NBC News: Trump says it's 'highly unlikely' he will fire Fed Chair Powell after broaching idea with GOP reps Axios: Trump says Fed renovations issue might be fireable for Powell WaPo: DOJ fires Maurene Comey, prosecutor involved in Epstein, Diddy cases AP News: Trump slams his own supporters as 'weaklings' for falling for what he now calls the Epstein 'hoax' Axios: DHS sends migrants to Eswatini in new 3rd-country deportation Seattle Time: Federal government accuses nine Spokane protesters of violence against ICE Bloomberg: Trump Memecoin Unlock To Test Crypto Demand Morning Announcements is produced by Sami Sage and edited by Grace Hernandez-Johnson Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On the DSR Daily for Thursday, we discuss the Senate voting to to rescind funding for public broadcasting, massive backlash over the administration's handling of the Epstein files, the Syrian government and Druze leaders reaching a ceasefire, and more.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Take the Survey: https://tiny.cc/cc859 BestPodcastintheMetaverse.com Canary Cry News Talk #859 - 07.16.2025 - Recorded Live to 1s and 0s Deconstructing World Events from a Biblical Worldview Declaring Jesus as Lord amidst the Fifth Generation War! CageRattlerCoffee.com SD/TC email Ike for discount https://CanaryCry.Support   Send address and shirt size updates to canarycrysupplydrop@gmail.com   Join the Canary Cry Roundtable This Episode was Produced By:   Executive Producers Sir LX Protocol V2 Baron of the Berrean Protocol*** Michael J***   Producers of TREASURE (CanaryCry.Support) Cage Rattler Coffee, Anonymous, Emily H, American Hobo, Jesse S, Jessica L, Aaron B, Logan C, Kerry R, Sir Darrin Knight of the Hungry Panda's, Mrs. Tin, Mrs. Tinfoilhat Man,    Producers of TIME Timestampers: Jade Bouncerson, Morgan E Clippy Team: Courtney S, JOLMS, Kristen Reminders: Clankoniphius Links: JAM   SHOW NOTES/TIMESTAMPS HELLO WORLD   UFOs/ALIENS Huge fire at Area 51 (X) → Enormous fire breaks out by Area 51 sending UFO watchers into a frenzy (DailyMail UK)   TRUMP/EPSTEIN Truth: “New scam…Jeffrey Epstein Hoax” (X) → Thomas Massie and MTG response to “Epstein Hoax” (X)   Full List of Republicans Who Blocked Epstein Files Vote (Newsweek) Genius act Epstien files “ALL EVIDENCE” → House Republicans blocked legislative amen demanding release of Epstein files? (Snopes) → MTG, typo drives Gonz crazy (X)   ISRAEL Israel strikes Syria's capital Damascus, pledging to defend Druze minorities (NPR) Clip: Claim, Israel bombs Syrian capitol Damascus (X) Clip: More footage of Israel bombing Syria with US bombs (X)   Isaiah 17:1 (ESV) An oracle concerning Damascus. Behold, Damascus will cease to be a city and will become a heap of ruins.   DNA Inside the silicon valley push for super babies (WP)   EXECUTIVE PRODUCERS TALENT/TIME END

Watch Call me Back on YouTube: youtube.com/@CallMeBackPodcastCheck out Ark Media's other podcasts: For Heaven's Sake: lnk.to/rfGlrA‘What's Your Number?': lnk.to/rbGlvMFor sponsorship inquiries, please contact: callmeback@arkmedia.orgTo contact us, sign up for updates, and access transcripts, visit: arkmedia.org/Ark Media on Instagram: instagram.com/arkmediaorgDan on X: x.com/dansenorDan on Instagram: instagram.com/dansenorTo order Dan Senor & Saul Singer's book, The Genius of Israel: tinyurl.com/bdeyjsdnToday's Episode: On Monday, the three Haredi parties in Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's coalition were presented with a draft of a new Haredi conscription bill, which they say did not satisfy their demands for military exemption for Haredi youth.This led two of the parties, Degel HaTorah and Agudat Yisrael, to leave Netanyahu's government on Monday, bringing the coalition down from 68 to 61 seats, which is the smallest possible majority in the 120 seat Knesset. On Wednesday, Shas, another Haredi party, announced its resignation from the government, but not from the coalition, leaving the coalition's majority at an extremely thin margin. In other news, over the past couple days, the new Syrian government led by Ahmed el-Sharaa, has been working alongside local Bedouin tribes to violently target Syria's southern Druze community. This has prompted around 1,000 Israeli Druze to breach the Israel-Syria border in an effort to join their brothers and sisters' struggle. In response to the Syrian government's actions, Israel launched a series of airstrikes targeting military infrastructure in Damascus.  To unpack the developments taking place in Netanyahu's government, as well as the chaos unfolding in Syria, we were joined by Call me Back contributors Nadav Eyal and Amit Segal.CREDITS:ILAN BENATAR - Producer & EditorMARTIN HUERGO - Sound EditorMARIANGELES BURGOS - Additional EditingMAYA RACKOFF - Operations DirectorGABE SILVERSTEIN - ResearchYUVAL SEMO - Music Composer

Syrian government forces have left the southern city of Sweida, where days of sectarian clashes involving the Druze minority have left hundreds dead. Interim President Ahmed al-Sharaa made a call for unity in the middle of the night.Also in the programme: proof that a technique using genetic material from three people to create embryos is leading to children born free of incurable and devastating mitochondrial disease; and an interview with Columbia University graduate Mahmoud Khalil, who was detained for more than 100 days after taking part in pro-Palestinian demonstrations on campus.

In Syria, violence continued between rival factions even after a ceasefire deal. Government troops withdrew overnight from a region as Israel said it would not allow Syrian forces south of Damascus, extending its attempted control of the area. Stephanie Sy reports on the new nation's fragile stability. PBS News is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders

Welcome to The Times of Israel's Daily Briefing, your 20-minute audio update on what's happening in Israel, the Middle East and the Jewish world. US bureau chief Jacob Magid joins host Jessica Steinberg for today's episode. Magid reviews the chaotic conflict that unfolded in Syria over the last days between the Syrian Druze minority, the Bedouin in Syria, and at times, Syrian-linked militia troops. US pressure on Israel pushed forward a quick resolution on the situation, bringing forward a ceasefire and Magid points out that Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa ultimately wants the various ethnic groups in Syria, including the Druze and Bedouin, to fall in line, particularly as Syria and Israel have been moving forward toward more cooperation. As ultra-Orthodox party Shas left its ministerial positions in the government in protest over the proposed Haredi enlistment law, Magid discusses whether the Shas move could lead to early elections after the upcoming summer session break. A Gaza deal seems possible, says Magid, as Israel rolled back some of its demands regarding aspects of its withdrawal from Gaza, and mediators are currently more optimistic regarding a possible deal. Check out The Times of Israel's ongoing liveblog for more updates. For further reading: Syrian gov’t forces begin withdrawing from Sweida as Israel vows to protect Druze Rubio: ‘We think we’re on our way toward a real deescalation’ between Israel, Syria Shas bolts government over Haredi enlistment, remains part of PM’s coalition Official says Gaza deal ‘more likely than not,’ as Israel said to retract pullback demands Subscribe to The Times of Israel Daily Briefing on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube, or wherever you get your podcasts. This episode was produced by the Pod-Waves. IMAGE: Druze residents protest near the Israel-Syria border fence in solidarity with their community in Syria, July 16, 2025. (Photo by Michael Giladi/Flash90)See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

What happens when a world traveler finds himself detained in one of the most dangerous places on Earth—completely by accident? What happens when a world traveler finds himself detained in one of the most dangerous places on Earth—completely by accident? In this gripping episode of Travel With Meaning, we sit down with Sam Goodwin, an American adventurer whose mission to visit every country in the world took an unexpected and harrowing turn. After successfully traveling to 193 countries, Sam's journey led him to Syria—where a single misstep resulted in him being accused of espionage and held captive for 63 days. What happens when a world traveler finds himself detained in one of the most dangerous places on Earth—completely by accident? In this gripping episode of Travel With Meaning, we sit down with Sam Goodwin, an American adventurer whose mission to visit every country in the world took an unexpected and harrowing turn. After successfully traveling to 193 countries, Sam's journey led him to Syria—where a single misstep resulted in him being accused of espionage and held captive for 63 days. Through humor, humility, and powerful reflection, Sam shares not only how he endured this life-altering experience, but how it deepened his understanding of faith, freedom, and the resilience of the human spirit. His story is a testament to the transformative power of travel—even in its most extreme form—and to the unexpected kindness of strangers in the darkest of places. What to Listen For [00:00:00] Meet Sam Goodwin: How a spontaneous trip became a mission to visit every country [00:06:34] What Sam learned about fear, perception, and hospitality in conflict zones [00:13:20] The day everything changed: Sam's mistaken entry into Syria and sudden arrest [00:19:58] Inside a Syrian prison: survival tactics, mental challenges, and unexpected routines [00:26:42] Faith under fire: how prayer, gratitude, and visualization kept him sane [00:33:10] Release and reintegration: stepping out of captivity and into a new reality [00:39:47] Life after prison: overcoming PTSD, finding purpose, and reclaiming identity [00:46:11] Travel as a teacher: why Sam believes the world is safer than we think [00:52:28] The power of human connection: how kindness changed his perspective forever [00:58:55] Final reflections: what Sam wants every traveler to remember

Today's host was Michael Wear, Founder, President and CEO of the Center for Christianity and Public Life.    Thanks for listening to The Morning Five! Please subscribe to and rate The Morning Five on your favorite podcast platform. Learn more about the work of the Center for Christianity and Public Life at www.ccpubliclife.org. Scripture: Psalm 46 Top Headlines: 1) Senate Begins Vote-a-Rama on White House Spending Cuts 2) House Republicans Push to Release Epstein Files 3) Israel Attacks Syrian Defence Ministry Today's host was Michael Wear, Founder, President, and CEO of the Center for Christianity and Public Life.   Join the conversation and follow us at: Instagram: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@michaelwear⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, @ccpubliclife Twitter: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@MichaelRWear⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, @ccpubliclife and check out ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@tsfnetwork⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Music by: King Sis #politics #faith #prayer #Israel #Syria #Senate #House #Spending #PEPFAR Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Saint Isaac the Syrian begins this homily with the words: “The soul that loves God finds rest only in God.“ This thought permeates all that is to follow. Our weaning ourselves from our attachment to the things of the world and our own self-esteem and judgment opens our eyes to the love and freedom that is ours in Christ. To see this, Saint Isaac tells us, one must engage in the ascetic life; that is, we must discipline the body through vigils, prayer fasting and the like; cultivating the heart in such a way that not only desires God above all things, but is willing to suffer every hardship for his sake. Indeed it is suffering and humiliation that frees us from the yoke of the self to such an extent that we can embrace such hardship with joy. In fact, the one who flees the futile glory of this world already has come to see something of the hope of the age to come. St. Isaac wants us to understand that our freedom from attachment to the things of the world does not merely mean our possession of riches, but rather also the acquisition of anything to which our will clings. Until this takes place, we are scattering with one hand what we have gathered with the other. All that we hold onto prevents us from rising above a worldly understanding of justice and prevents us from experiencing true freedom in our actions. We cannot show mercy to others except through what has been gained through our own labor and hardship. To sow from another man's seed is to make our actions ingenuine and hypocritical. It's a reflection of our desire to isolate ourselves from the suffering of our fellow man. What Isaac is preparing us to see is that we are not simply called to be merciful at the highest level of natural virtue or even what we would see as virtue elevated by the grace of God. Rather, we are called to be merciful as our Heavenly Father is merciful, to be perfect as our heavenly Father is perfect. This means giving to everyone who ask of us and not expecting our goods to return to us; not merely to suffer injustice or to have our possessions taken from us, but also to be willing to lay down our life for our brother. Our mercy must be such and our love for our brother so great that even if we were to be treated shamelessly and abusively, our desire would be not to grieve our brother‘s heart.  Guided by intellect and reason alone we have already reached the level of absurdity. In the months to come, we will be shown that the mercy and love of God stretches far beyond the measures of man's mind. The love of God has the very dimensions of God Himself. --- Text of chat during the group: 00:18:47 Bob Čihák, AZ: P. 141, start of Homily 4, first paragraph 00:34:05 Myles Davidson: On the subject of suffering for Christ, “contempt and humiliation with good will”… I'm reading an extraordinary book called The Autobiography Of A Hunted Priest by John Gerard S.J. written by an English Jesuit priest who survived the Elizabethan anti-Catholic police-state known as the penal times. These young English Catholic men would travel to the continent to attend seminary, knowing when they returned they would be constantly hunted and faced a high chance of imprisonment, torture and martyrdom via being hung, drawn and quartered. While the author lived to tell the tale, he did suffer horrendous conditions in prison and painful torture. What is striking about the story, is the joy and peace he often experienced under these conditions and the often profound effect he had on his jailers. A very real example of “suffering contempt and humiliation with good will”. The book is a real faith booster! 00:35:10 Ryan Ngeve: Father what makes the trope of the fool-for-Christ different from those who actively seek humiliation or other forms of false piety 00:40:18 David: The movie "The Island" has a good example of a fool for Christ who is ideal as a follower of Christ and showing humility and humor. 00:40:25 Anthony: St Gabriel of Georgia should be patron of political philosophers but he was a fool for Christ. 00:40:34 Ben: Replying to "The movie "The Islan..."

John is a fearless follower of Jesus who gets bombarded daily with death threats from across the world for his outspoken witness for Christ. His back story was that he had misgivings with the faith of his birth when on pilgrimage from Yemen to Mecca, Saudi Arabia. As a disillusioned but spiritually searching agnostic, his convoluted travels led him to meeting a Syrian refugee in Greece with a tattooed cross on his wrist. That launched him on a journey to passionate faith in Christ, not as a prophet but as his Lord and Saviour. John's meteoric rise as an influencer on social media has led thousands of Muslims around the world to encounter and embrace a personal living relationship with Jesus. His straight-talking boldness and courage are a real challenge to Western Christians lacking in gospel confidence.Watch this episode on YouTube: https://youtu.be/CS7UiKZOBlUCheck out and contact John through johnghanim.comInstagram: @johnghanim | Tiktok: @johnghanim0 | youtube.com/@johnghanim0 Visit here to support John's ministry.---

Israel launches strikes on Syria, including the capital Damascus. Also: at least 20 people killed by crowd surge at US backed food distribution point in Gaza, and pressure grows on Donald Trump to release Epstein files.

Israeli airstrikes hit a military compound and other targets near the Syrian presidential palace this morning. Meanwhile, Syria's interim government and Druze leaders have agreed to a ceasefire amid unrest in the country. Also, Australia's prime minister is visiting China to reset relations after years of tensions between the two countries. And, bread beetles have infested about a quarter of a 400,000-volume collection of historical books in Hungary. Plus, affirmative action is deemed a success at universities in Brazil.Listen to today's Music Heard on Air. Learn about your ad choices: dovetail.prx.org/ad-choices

Israel launching airstrikes in Syria, specifically in the southern Druze city of Suwayda but also in the capital of Damascus, as brutal fighting between Syrian government forces and local armed groups increases. It is a significant escalation of military operations in Syria as Israel has said they are committed to protecting the Druze minority and maintaining a demilitarized zone at it's border with Syria. Following the airstrikes, word of a possible peace deal between Israel and Syria have emerged but will it end the fighting? FOX's Eben Brown speaks with Ahmad Shawari, research analyst at the Foundation for Defense of Democracies, focusing on Middle East affairs, who says the possibilities of peace could be far down the road since the Syrian revolution may not even be over just yet. Click Here⁠⁠⁠⁠ To Follow 'The FOX News Rundown: Evening Edition' Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Israel carried out a series of drone strike against Damascus, after the breakdown of a ceasefire between the Syrian government and fighters from the Druze community in the south of the country. The IDF says it is acting the protect the Druze community, and stop a military build-up by the government on its northern border. We bring the latest analysis from the region. Also in the programme: a MAGA backlash after Trump's Attorney General says she won't publish the so called 'Epstein files'; and Labubu, the Chinese 'ugly-cute' elves that have overrun Tiktok. (Picture:Smoke rises after Israeli strikes on Syria's defense ministry in Damascus, according to Al Jazeera TV, in Damascus, Syria July 16, 2025. REUTERS/Khalil Ashawi)

After sectarian clashes in southern Syria, Israel launches airstrikes on Syrian government targets, saying it needs to protect the Druze ethnic minority. We attempt to explain a complicated situation with defence expert Dr Robert Geist Pinfold, and hear from an eyewitness in the city of Sweida and an advisor to the Syrian foreign minister.Also in the programme: continuing controversy in the United States over the legacy of convicted paedophile Jeffrey Epstein; the plight of hundreds of thousands of Afghans who have been abruptly deported from Iran; and a plan to breathe new life into the Victorian glasshouses at London's Kew Gardens.(Photo: Damaged vehicles outside the Syrian Ministry of Defence building following an Israeli airstrike in Damascus; Credit: MOHAMMED AL RIFAI/EPA/Shutterstock)

We begin with President Donald Trump's mixed messages on firing Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell. There's a new law aimed at cracking down on illegal fentanyl. After days of deadly clashes, Syrian government officials and the Druze religious minority announced a ceasefire. An investigation into trade practices marks a deepening spat between the US and Brazil. Plus, “American Idol” producers are mourning the loss of one of their own. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices