POPULARITY
437 episodes with unrwa
47 episodes with unrwa
23 episodes with unrwa
29 episodes with unrwa
29 episodes with unrwa
32 episodes with unrwa
34 episodes with unrwa
13 episodes with unrwa
26 episodes with unrwa
28 episodes with unrwa
25 episodes with unrwa
16 episodes with unrwa
20 episodes with unrwa
18 episodes with unrwa
18 episodes with unrwa
11 episodes with unrwa
9 episodes with unrwa
6 episodes with unrwa
12 episodes with unrwa
6 episodes with unrwa
18 episodes with unrwa
20 episodes with unrwa
8 episodes with unrwa
11 episodes with unrwa
14 episodes with unrwa
8 episodes with unrwa
9 episodes with unrwa
5 episodes with unrwa
20 episodes with unrwa
5 episodes with unrwa
9 episodes with unrwa
3 episodes with unrwa
5 episodes with unrwa
11 episodes with unrwa
6 episodes with unrwa
5 episodes with unrwa
5 episodes with unrwa
4 episodes with unrwa
6 episodes with unrwa
10 episodes with unrwa
6 episodes with unrwa
6 episodes with unrwa
7 episodes with unrwa
7 episodes with unrwa
7 episodes with unrwa
7 episodes with unrwa
8 episodes with unrwa
7 episodes with unrwa
4 episodes with unrwa
8 episodes with unrwa
12 episodes with unrwa
7 episodes with unrwa
8 episodes with unrwa
5 episodes with unrwa
Boots on the Ground: Gaza, October 7, and the USAID Cairo Standoff Host Larry Alex Taunton explains why he stayed largely silent on the Israel–Gaza war until gathering firsthand information in Egypt and Israel. He recounts entering the fortified USAID compound in Cairo, triggering a prolonged standoff involving Cairo police and Egyptian secret police who demanded his phone, passport, and compliance, and he describes later being “swatted” at home by heavily armed police after a false mass-shooting call. Taunton says Israel allowed broad access, including briefings from Israeli officials and travel to the Gaza border, and he argues October 7, 2023 was a large-scale, multi-site act of war involving about 7,000 attackers, rockets, and extensive planning aided by foreign support and Gaza work-visa intelligence gathering. He rejects conspiracy theories, criticizes UNRWA's bias, and ends with details about Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar's history, including Israeli surgery that saved his life before a 2011 prisoner swap.
Mexican drug lord Nemesio Oseguera, known as 'El Mencho', was killed in a military raid in Jalisco after being seriously injured in a shootout, dying during an air transfer to Mexico City.The US provided intelligence support for the operation, as confirmed by Mexico's Defence Ministry.The US had designated the Jalisco New Generation Cartel as a terrorist organization and offered a reward for information leading to Oseguera's capture.Following Oseguera's death, violent protests with roadblocks and burning vehicles occurred in Jalisco and other states.At the Human Rights Council opening in Geneva, Guterres warned human rights are under attack globally and said `This assault is not coming from the shadows. It is happening in plain sight—and often led by those who hold the greatest power`.Guterres blamed political choices and donor shifts, citing US President Donald Trump's 2025 aid cuts and other major donors' follow suit, weakening rights enforcement.Across conflicts from Sudan to Myanmar, Guterres pointed to mass civilian suffering and said, "Humanitarian needs are exploding while funding collapses," targeting refugees, LGBTIQ+ communities, minorities, and indigenous peoples.The U.N. human rights office is now in "survival mode", Guterres said, as funding shortages blocked two 2025 investigations and Washington paid about $160 million of over $4 billion owed.Looking ahead, climate and AI pose accelerating threats to rights, the UN warned as António Guterres and Volker Türk said the two-state solution is being stripped away in broad daylight amid rising domination.The United States will withdraw from the U.N. Human Rights Council and will not resume funding for the U.N. agency helping Palestinian refugees, as announced by President Donald Trump.The U.S. previously left the Human Rights Council last year and cut funding to UNRWA after allegations from Israel that it housed Hamas militants, which UNRWA denies.Trump's announcement coincided with a meeting with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who claims both the rights body and UNRWA are biased against Israel.The decision to end funding to UNRWA follows legislation that halted American funding until March 2025, confirming it will not be restored under Trump.Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/policy-and-rights--3339563/support.
Tune in for a sharp, narrative-busting discussion on the horseshoe of extremism threatening conservatism and Israel with my guest Karys Rhea, producer of The Epoch Times' flagship show “American Thought Leaders” (and former producer of “Kash's Corner” with Kash Patel and “Fallout” with Robert Malone), joins us to unmask the Identitarian Right—the rising "woke" strain infiltrating conservative spaces with identity politics, antisemitism, and anti-Israel narratives.An expert on Israel, antisemitism, and cultural/political issues, Karys is a writing fellow at the Middle East Forum, delegate for Israel365 Action, Rising Leader at the Global Liberty Institute, and recording artist on Baste Records. She's a frequent commentator on Newsmax, OAN, Real America's Voice, Epoch TV, and major outlets like Newsweek, The Federalist, Washington Examiner, Commentary, and Tablet.With a BA in broadcast journalism and religious studies from NYU and an MA in counterterrorism from Reichman University (Israel), Karys challenges mainstream myths—especially post-Oct. 7—on UNRWA, the Gaza "genocide" narrative, "white Jews" privilege claims, Soviet origins of anti-Israel activism, and illegal Palestinian settlements.Open to debating anyone, anytime. Support The Doron Keidar Podcast on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/cryforzionnFollow Karys Rhea on X @rheakarys#podcast #israel #BreakingIsraelNews #DoronKeidar #TheDoronKeidarPodcast #KarysRhea #IdentitarianRight
Rafah funziona a intermittenza. Due giorni di stop, poi un varco contingentato, poi di nuovo l'attesa. Le evacuazioni sanitarie passano “a tranche”, poche decine alla volta, mentre migliaia restano in lista. La tregua si misura così: con un cancello che decide chi respira e chi aspetta. È il quadro degli ultimi tre giorni, raccontato dalle agenzie e confermato sul terreno, dove l'uscita dalla Striscia resta un'eccezione amministrativa, non un diritto. Dentro questa cornice tornano i colpi “di contorno”. Fuoco su tende di sfollati a est di Gaza City. Un ventenne ucciso a Deir al-Balah. Segnalazioni di spari nel nord per il superamento di una linea “gialla” che cambia di giorno in giorno. Episodi presentati come incidenti, poi sommati in bollettino. La parola tregua resta in alto, la pratica resta bassa. E intanto l'imbuto sanitario si stringe: feriti cronici, dialisi, oncologici che dipendono da una finestra di poche ore. Sullo sfondo, la pace entra in calendario. A Washington prende forma un Board of Peace, investimenti annunciati, fase due, tavolo arabo. La diplomazia come evento, con date e foto. In Europa si discutono compatibilità statutarie, mentre sul terreno la normalità viene rinviata. La distanza tra i comunicati e i varchi è tutta qui. Il controcampo è la Cisgiordania. Raid notturni nei villaggi, case perquisite, giovani presi di mira. L'Unione europea annuncia fondi a UNRWA per Gaza e Cisgiordania insieme, riconoscendo che la linea è una sola anche quando si finge di spezzarla. Le famiglie dormono in abitazioni danneggiate, nella paura, mentre le operazioni “di sicurezza” producono paura come effetto collaterale. Rafah che apre e chiude, tende colpite, villaggi rastrellati, tavoli di pace apparecchiati. Negli ultimi tre giorni il conflitto ha mostrato la sua grammatica: la tregua come parola, la violenza come procedura, l'uscita come concessione. Finché questa resta la sintassi, ogni annuncio suona come un titolo senza testo. #LaSveglia per La NotiziaDiventa un supporter di questo podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/la-sveglia-di-giulio-cavalli--3269492/support.
In this episode of Occupied Thoughts, FMEP Fellow Peter Beinart speaks with Jaser Abu Mousa, a 2025 Yale Peace Fellow and past Program Officer working for the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation (SDC) in Gaza. The two discuss life and death in Gaza on personal and collective levels. They look at Hamas, which Jaser calls a "symptom" of the problem of occupation; at how the past two-plus years of war have destroyed not only all the infrastructure needed for life in Gaza but also the social fabric, as starvation and deprivation have broken human bonds and relationships; and the ways in which Israel works to make Gaza unlivable. On a personal level, Jaser speaks of his experiences in Gaza, from the violence he witnessed as a child during the second Intifada to the devastation he experienced on and since October 7, 2023: his wife, Heba, and two of his children were killed by Israeli missiles in mid-October 2023; after two years of starvation and deprivation, his mother, sister, and sister's children were killed in the war in July 2025; and his family suffered other losses, including the killing of a nephew in the beginning of the war, injuring of his father, and arrest, detention, and violence against his brother along with other medical workers. Navigating these unfathomable losses, Jaser points to his faith in God and religion as guides as he seeks to protect his living children and look towards the future. Finally, Jaser reflects on how he relates to Israelis and declares that "if I strip him from his right to tell his story, that does not make me more just, but will make me less human.” Jaser Abu Mousa is a Yale Peace Fellow examining how Gaza's postwar reconstruction can reflect Palestinians' priorities while repairing the social fabric of society. Most recently, he was a Program Officer working for the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation (SDC) in Gaza, Palestine until the breakout of the current war in October 2023. During the war, Jaser lost his wife, Heba, and two children, Hmaid (18) and Abdulrahman (8), and left Gaza with his remaining two children, Abdallah and Sham, for treatment in the United Arab Emirates. Prior to his work with Swiss, Jaser served in the UN Department of Safety and Security (UNDSS), working under immense pressure during the 2014 war to report incidents, coordinated and communicate movements and follow intense political developments. Prior to that, Jaser worked as a social worker for the United Nations Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA) in the aftermath of the 2009 war, including leading a team of 50 social workers to run the poverty survey for UNRWA in the area of Khan Younis in the southern Gaza Strip. He also led a team of engineers to verify the work of a European contribution 30 million Euros known as the Private Sector Reconstruction in Gaza (PSRG). Between 2006-2009, he worked extensively as a political researcher in a Gaza-based think tank; during this period he reported on and analyzed Hamas' rise to power in the Strip. Jaser holds a Bachelor of Science in Civil Engineering from the Islamic University of Gaza and a Master of Science degree in Project Management. In addition to his work as an analyst and a development/humanitarian practitioner, he has worked as a civil engineer at private construction companies and UN agencies. Peter Beinart is a Non-Resident Fellow at the Foundation for Middle East Peace. He is also a Professor of Journalism and Political Science at the City University of New York, a Contributing opinion writer at the New York Times, an Editor-at-Large at Jewish Currents, and an MSNBC Political Commentator. His newest book (published 2025) is Being Jewish After the Destruction of Gaza: A Reckoning. Original music by Jalal Yaquoub.
La expiración de un tratado clave de desarme nuclear, nuevas alertas sobre los derechos de la infancia, denuncias de abusos contra palestinos que regresan a Gaza y una nueva ola de desinformación contra la UNRWA.
Jaridani hii leo tuna Muhtasari wa Habari ukiangazia hali ya njaa Sudan, mchango wa Marekani dhidi ya VVU/ Ukimwi na kauli ya UNRWA kufuatia taarifa potofu dhidi ya shirika hilo. Halikadhalika mada kwa kina kutoka AfyaAFRIKA.Maeneo mawili zaidi katika jimbo la Darfur Kaskazini ya Um Baru na Kernoi sasa yameingia katika baa la njaa kufuatia utapiamlo wa kupindukia au unyafuzi kuvuka wiwango vya kutokuwa na uhakika wa chakula.Shirika la Umoja wa mataifa linalohusika na vita dhidi ya ukimwi UNAIDS limekaribisha kwa dhati hatua ya Marekani kutia saini kuwa sheria kifurushi cha matumizi ya kimataifa chenye thamani ya dola bilioni 5.88, kwa ajili ya hatua za kimataifa za kukabiliana na virusi vya ukimwi VVU .Kamishina Mkuu wa Shirika la Umoja wa Mataifa la msaada kwa wakimbizi wa Kipalestina UNRWA Phillippe Lazzarini amesema taarifa potofu dhidi ya UNRWA zinaendelea kulenga shirika hilo katikati ya mgogoro Gaza ikiwemo madai ya hivi karibuni kabisa, yaliyoibuliwa na video ya jeshi la Israel ikionesha mifuko mitupu ya unga karibu na mabomu, ambapo amesema ni taarifa za uongo na hazijadhibitishwa.Katika Mada kwa Kina: Kuelekea siku ya kutokomeza FGM kesho Februari 6, tunazungumza na Catherine Mootian, Muasisi na Mkurugenzi Mtendaji wa shirika la kiraia la AfyAfrika la huko Narok nchini Kenya. Yeye ni manusura wa FGM aliyeamua kuchukua hatua kuepusha wengine.
Agências humanitárias continuam operando com acessos limitados; Pnud apoia acolhimento de doentes; Unrwa fala de desinformação sobre a assistência prestada a cidadãos palestinos.
HEADLINE 1: UNRWA is back in the news. And that's generally not a good thing for the UN's most corrupt agency.HEADLINE 2: Earlier this week, the IDF dropped some sort of non-toxic chemical substance near the Blue Line. The Israelis have been consistently clearing greenery to ensure unhindered lines of sight. UNIFIL was outraged.HEADLINE 3: Lebanon's army chief headed to Florida this week for meetings with his American counterparts.--FDD Executive Director Jon Schanzer delivers timely situational updates and analysis, followed by a conversation with Israeli journalist and "The War of Return" co-author Adi Schwartz.Learn more at: https://www.fdd.org/fddmorningbrief--Featured FDD Pieces:"After Erdogan: Who Will Control Turkey?" - Sinan Ciddi and William Doran, FDD Memo"Reimagining Mediterranean Security with Greek Minister for National Defense Nikos Dendias" - FDD Event"Trump Administration Foreign Policy Tracker: February" - FDD Experts
Trump envoy Witkoff arrives in Israel for talks ahead of US-Iran meeting. IDF forces in Gaza discover mortars, weapons in UNRWA bags. Dairy farmers halt milk supply to protest finance minister's dairy sector reform planSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
IS THIS THE END OF UNRWA? HEADLINE 1: The Islamic Republic of Iran has designated every European military as a terrorist organization. HEADLINE 2: Looks like the EU Commission has fired a senior official after a scandal involving Qatari influence and lavish gifts.HEADLINE 3: Hamas claims that it has killed several members of Israel-backed paramilitary groups operating in Gaza.HEADLINE 4: The Israelis have opened up the Rafah crossing in southern Gaza after a year of keeping it closed.HEADLINE 5: The government of South Africa and Israel are engaged in a nasty diplomatic spat right now. ---FDD Executive Director Jon Schanzer delivers timely situational updates and analysis, followed by a conversation with Asaf Romirowsky, executive director of Scholars for Peace in the Middle East (SPME) and the Association for the Study of the Middle East and Africa (ASMEA).Learn more at: fdd.org/fddmorningbrief
Award-winning Israeli documentary maker Duki Dror discusses his new important documentary ‘Unraveling UNRWA'. The documentary recounts the history of the United Nations organization for Palestinian refugees and how it perpetuates the Arab-Israeli conflict.
As Canada's ambassador to the United Nations for the last five years, Bob Rae helped shaped how the international community has responded to the most pressing global human rights issues of our time: the Russian invasion of Ukraine, Iran's nuclear threats, the collapse of Haiti, genocides against the Rohingyas and the Uyghurs, the Taliban takeover of Afghanistan, and more. But no issue has been as polarizing as the Israel-Palestine crisis, especially after Oct. 7, 2023—which also marked when Canada's long-standing support for Israeli government policies began to change. Canada abstained or voted yes to motions and resolutions that were critical of Israel's treatment of Palestinians and military campaign against Hamas. Canada called for a ceasefire and condemned, with other nations, Israel's settlement-building in the occupied West Bank and the Golan. (Canada also did try, early on, to get the U.N. to censure Hamas for its massacre of Israelis, but the motion failed.) Last fall, at the 80th U.N. General Assembly, Canada unilaterally recognized the State of Palestine—which Rae says he fully supports. He also supports funding UNRWA, the U.N. aid agency for Palestinians, where some employees were fired for being linked to the violence of Oct. 7. But while Israel and many Canadian Jews feel the U.N. and its leadership are obsessed with demonizing Israel, the outgoing ambassador disagrees. Rae's term as Canada's envoy to the U.N. started during the height of the pandemic in 2020 and ended in November 2025. Since then, he's joined two universities and a think tank, and has been a regular commentator in the Canadian media. Rae joins The CJN's flagship North Star podcast host Ellin Bessner to unpack what's behind his support for Canada's tougher stance on Israel—and what that's cost him. Related stories Hear former Ambassador Bob Rae discuss the whether the Russian invasion of Ukraine unleashed genocide, in a 2022 interview on The CJN's Bonjour Chai podcast. Rae spoke to broadcaster Ralph Benmergui last year about how his spiritual side mixes with his political career, on The CJN's “ Not That Kind of Rabbi” show. When Bob Rae was a Liberal MP from Toronto, in 2010, he told a Haifa University fundraising event in his honour that co-existence between Israelis and Palestinian is the only way forward, in The CJN. Credits Host and writer: Ellin Bessner (@ebessner) info@thecjn.ca Production team: Zachary Kauffman (senior producer), Michael Fraiman (executive producer), Alicia Richler (editorial director) Music: Bret Higgins (https://www.brethiggins.com/) Support our show Subscribe to The CJN newsletter Donate to The CJN (+ get a charitable tax receipt) Subscribe to North Star (Not sure how? Click here) Watch our podcasts on YouTube.
Helena Cobban, President of Just World Educational, reads her January 24, 2026 newsletter that examined major political developments affecting Gaza, Iran, and the United Nations. She described Donald Trump's launch of a new body called the Board of Peace and said it appeared designed to sideline the UN. She detailed Jared Kushner's proposed plan for Gaza, which envisioned population concentration zones, a coastal tourism strip, and an industrial zone along the armistice line. However, she questioned who could impose a settlement where Israel had failed. She also addressed Trump's renewed pressure on Iran, warnings of a possible US Israeli assault, and the impact of decades of US sanctions. She called those sanctions a form of terrorism. She reflected on European resistance to Trump's Board of Peace and urged a stronger defense of the UN, especially UNRWA. She closed with updates from Just World Educational and calls to engage with its work. List of links mentioned in the talk: The Globalities writing platform https://globalities.org/Israeli authorities demolish UN compound in occupied East Jerusalem (https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cp8...) Board of Peace (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Board_o...) United Nations Security Council Resolution 2803 (https://en.wikisource.org/wiki/United...) Jared Kushner unveils ‘free market Gaza' with coastal towers and data centres (https://www.middleeasteye.net/news/ja...) How Israel and the U.S. are using the ‘shock doctrine' to impose a new administration in Gaza (https://mondoweiss.net/2026/01/how-is...)Support the show
Más de 53.000 niños, niñas y jóvenes asesinados en América Latina y el Caribe en siete años. Temen por cientos de migrantes desaparecidos o muertos en el Mediterráneo. Israel incendia la sede de UNRWA en la Jerusalén Oriental ocupada. Experta en derechos humanos pide a Estados Unidos retirar sanciones contra la Corte Penal Internacional.
Iran: UN rights chief warns over execution uncertainty for protestersGaza: Never mind reconstruction, people desperately need more help, say aid agenciesIsraeli push against UNRWA in Occupied West Bank heightens Palestinian suffering, agency reports
Today, host Esty Dinur is joined by Jennifer Loewenstein to debrief about the ongoing Israeli attacks on Palestine. They discuss what's happening in Gaza and the status of the ceasefire and Gaza “Board of Peace.” Loewenstein says that nothing has changed in Gaza since the ceasefire except the intensity of bombing, which has decreased, but not ceased. She describes the partitioning of Gaza into green and red “zones” and the “yellow line” that marks the line of Israeli occupation. Over two million Palestinians have been pushed into the “red zone” along the coast where they are living in non-winterized tents in conditions that Loewenstein calls “abject misery.” Meanwhile the Rafa crossing remains closed and Israel is planning concentration camps for Palestinians. Loewenstein says that the ceasefire and the creation of the “Board of Peace” have been successful in keeping what's happening in Gaza out of the news. She says that “it's scandalous that no Palestinians are on the Board and after two years of genocide that what's happening is a deeper entrenchment of the occupation.” They also discuss the role of gangs in the “red zone,” the deliberate targeting of journalists, and the wiping out UNRWA. Loewenstein says that what's happening in Gaza is an expression of Western imperialism and the expansion of Israeli hegemony around the Middle East. Jennifer Loewenstein is an American activist, journalist, and founder of the Madison-Rafah Sister City Project. Her work has appeared in academic journals such as The Journal of Palestine Studies, and she is a regular contributor to the CounterPunch magazine. Featured image of an aerial view of Israel's destruction of Rafa via UNRWA on Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 3.0 IGO). Did you enjoy this story? Your funding makes great, local journalism like this possible. Donate hereThe post It's Still A Nightmare In Gaza appeared first on WORT-FM 89.9.
Während internationale Empörung zur wohlfeilen Pflichtübung verkommt, wird im besetzten Ostjerusalem eine rote Linie überschritten: Israel zerstört das Hauptquartier der UNRWA – und der Westen schaut zu. Der Bruch des Völkerrechts wird benannt, aber folgenlos abgeheftet. Was sagt dieses Schweigen über die „regelbasierte Ordnung“ wirklich aus? Von Karin Leukefeld Dieser Beitrag ist auch als Audio-PodcastWeiterlesen
Israel hat diese Woche damit begonnen, mit schwerem Gerät das Hauptquartier des Hilfswerks der Vereinten Nationen für Palästina-Flüchtlinge (UNRWA) in Ostjerusalem zu zerstören. Die israelische Regierung erklärte, der Abriss stände im Einklang mit nationalem und internationalem Recht, zudem wäre man „Eigentümer“ des UN-Geländes. UNRWA wiederum nannte das Vorgehen eine „bewusste Missachtung des Völkerrechts“ und derWeiterlesen
The U.K. approves plans for a new Chinese 'mega' embassy in London, Israel bulldozes UNRWA's headquarters in East Jerusalem, Trump proposes a 200% tariff on French wine, Trump criticizes the U.K.-Chagos Island deal, North Korea's Kim Jong Un publicly fires his vice premier, Over 18 million Yemenis are projected to face a worsening hunger crisis this year, The U.K. launches a consultation on a possible under-16 social media ban, U.S. Fed Chair Powell is reportedly set to attend Gov. Cook's Supreme Court session, Netflix revises its Warner Bros. offer to a $72 billion all-cash deal, and an Austrian cow becomes the first documented bovine to use tools. Sources: Verity.News
012126 UNRWA HQ Demolished, Board of Peace Scam, Trump's "Iceland Daddy," Mothball Fleet by The News with Paul DeRienzo
Jonathan Fowler, spokesperson for UNRWA, on the bulldozing of the UN agency site in East Jerusalem by Israel.
The family of Yonatan Samerano, 21, who was murdered during the October 7th , 2023 Hamas attack on southern Israel has filed a lawsuit in the Jerusalem District Court against the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA), alleging the agency played a role in his abduction and death. The lawsuit, submitted by attorney Nitsana Darshan-Leitner, the president of Shurat HaDin, the Israel Law Center, on behalf of Samerano’s estate and immediate family, seeks NIS 25 million in punitive damages under Israel’s Compensation for Victims of Terrorism Law. It names UNRWA, a UNRWA employee alleged to have taken part in the attack, and several current and former senior UNRWA officials as defendants. KAN's Mark Weiss spoke with attorney Nitsana Darshan-Leitner about the lawsuit. (Photo: AP)See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
HEADLINE 1: Israel began demolishing UNRWA's headquarters in East Jerusalem.HEADLINE 2: U.S. Ambassador to Turkey Tom Barrack, who also serves as Trump's Syria envoy, thinks that things are going well in Damascus. HEADLINE 3: The IDF began a sweeping counterterrorism operation in the West Bank city of Hebron.--FDD Executive Director Jon Schanzer provides timely situational updates and analysis, followed by a conversation with Israeli American journalist Emily Schrader.Learn more at: https://www.fdd.org/fddmorningbrief/--Featured FDD Pieces:"Persian Puzzles" - FDD's Foreign Podicy"As Iran's uprising intensifies, Israel cannot afford to sit this one out" - Saeed Ghasseminejad and Navid Mohebbi, Ynetnews"Canada's Bet on Beijing Puts USMCA at Risk" - Elaine Dezenski and Susan Soh
Aqalka Senate-ka Australian, ayaa ansixiyey sharciga xakamaynta hadallada nacaybka ah iyo ka. dib-u-habaynta sharciyada hubka, waxaase 'Maya' ku codeeyey xisbigiyada National-ka iyo Greens-ka. Israel-na waxay burburisay xaruntii dhexe ee hay'adda qarammada midoobey ee UNRWA ay ku lahayd Qudus.
** ኣባላት ሰልፊ ናሽናልስ ኣብ ሰነት ዝቐርብ እማመ ሕጊ ዘረባ ጽልእን ጠበናጁን ኣንጻሩ ከምዘድምጹ ኣፍሊጦም … ** እስራኤል ኣብ የሩሳለም ዝርከብ ማእከላይ ቤት ጽሕፈት ‘ኣንርዋ' (UNrwa) ተፍርሶ... ** ሃገራት ኣውሮጳ ኣንጻር እቲ ትራምፕ ወጢንዎ ዘሎ ወረራ ግሪንላንድ ድምጸን የስምዓ።
For review:1. The Syrian government and the Kurdish SDF announced a new four-day truce after a previous ceasefire between government forces broke down. The two sides have been clashing for two weeks, amid a breakdown in negotiations over the implementation of a deal to merge their forces together.2. US President Donald Trump said Tuesday that “we think we know” where the body of the final hostage, slain Israel Police Master Sgt. Ran Gvili, is being held in the Gaza StripMSG Gvili, a member of the Yasam police unit, was killed battling terrorists at Kibbutz Alumim on October 7, 2023, and his body was abducted to Gaza, where it is still being held.3. Several European countries are considering whether to stop sending personnel to a US military-led coordination center for Gaza, saying it has failed to increase aid flows to the war-shattered enclave or achieve political change, diplomats said.The Civil-Military Coordination Center was established in southern Israel in October under US President Donald Trump's plan to end the war in Gaza. It was tasked with monitoring the Israel-Hamas ceasefire, facilitating the entry of aid, and developing postwar policies for the Palestinian territory.4. US Plans Signing Ceremony for Board of Peace in Davos.5. Israel on Tuesday began demolishing the East Jerusalem headquarters of UNRWA, the UN agency for Palestinian refugees and their descendants, with Israeli forces entering the compound with bulldozers and other demolition equipment in the early morning and destroying buildings in what UNRWA called an “unprecedented attack.”6. Iran's foreign minister hit out at the World Economic Forum (WEF) in Davos late Monday for canceling his appearance over a brutal crackdown on recent protests and said the decision was based on “lies and political pressure from Israel.” 7. Wall Street Journal Report: US President Donald Trump is continuing to push his aides to devise what he calls “decisive” military options against Iran, days after he called off strikes against the Islamic Republic.
International condemnation as Israel bulldozes the headquarters of the UN agency for Palestinian refugees in Occupied East Jerusalem. The UN says razing the compound is against international law. What are the implications? In this episode: Shireen Salti, political analyst who specialises in Palestine-Israel public affairs Francesca Albanese, UN Special Rapporteur on the Occupied Palestinian Territory and a former lawyer at UNRWA Gideon Levy, Columnist at Haaretz Newspaper Host: Adrian Finighan Connect with us: @AJEPodcasts on X, Instagram, Facebook, and YouTube
Donald Trump no cede en sus pretensiones sobre Groenlandia. Su obsesión por hacerse con la isla semiautónoma danesa le está enfrentando frontalmente con los países de la UE, dispuestos a no dejarse intimidad por las amenazas del mandatario estadounidense. A su anuncio de que impondrá aranceles a los que han enviado militares a Groenlandia el bloque comunitario, en su gran mayoría, parece ya dispuesto a responder con duras medias también en el ámbito comercial.Donald Trump también se ha fijado en las Islas Chagos, que tras estar décadas bajo control del Reino Unido están en proceso de ser devueltas a las Mauricio. Hablaremos de ello. Estaremos en Siria porque aunque la situación es mejor tras la caída del régimen de Bachar Al Assad, la integración política de las diferentes etnias y grupos religiosos está siendo complicada. Lo vamos a contar y va a estar con nosotros la representante de UNICEF en Siria. Y les hablaremos también de la Agencia de la ONU para los Refugiados Palestinos, la UNRWA. El gobierno de Israel la acusa de estar aliada con Hamas y hoy ha comenzado a demoler una de sus sedes en Jerusalén.Escuchar audio
Israel comienza a demoler el complejo de UNRWA en Jerusalén Oriental Ocupada. Una experta de la ONU insta a Guatemala a garantizar que los nombramientos judiciales de 2026 se basen en el mérito y la integridad. Ucrania: El Alto Comisionado, indignado por los continuos ataques rusos contra las infraestructuras energéticas. Las llegadas de turistas internacionales aumentaron un 4% en 2025.
Israel demolishes UNRWA headquarters in East Jerusalem. Ultra-Orthodox protest as Supreme Court set to hear appeal against planned autopsies of two infants who died in unlicensed Jerusalem daycare. Shin Bet warned Tiberias mayor Iranian agents could try to lure city residents for espionage activitySee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
AP correspondent Charles de Ledesma reports Israeli forces have targeted United Nations facilities in the Jerusalem area.
Hii leo jaridani tunakuletea mada kwa kina inayotupeleka nchini Kenya ambako wasichana juhudi za kusongesha Malengo ya Maendeleo Endelevu (SDGs) zimewezesha vijana wa kike kushiriki masomo ya Teknolojia ya Habari na Maewasiliano, TEHAMA na kujifunza stadi za teknolojia ili waweze kuedeleza biashara ya mtandaoni pamoja na matumizi mengine.Zaidi ya watu nusu milioni wameathiriwa na mafuriko makubwa katika mikoa ya kusini na kati ya Msumbiji, huku mvua kubwa ikiendelea kuvuruga usafiri, huduma za afya na njia za ugavi. Mkuu wa ofisi ya Umoja wa Mataifa ya Kuratibu Misaada ya Dharura, OCHA nchini humo, Paola Emerson, amewaambia waandishi wa habari huko Geneva, Uswisi kuwa majimbo ya Gaza, Sofala na Maputo ndiyo yaliyoathirika vibaya zaidi.Huko Mashariki ya Kati mapema leo Jumanne, vikosi vya Israel vimebomoa kwa tingatinga makao makuu ya Shirika la Umoja wa Mataifa la Kuhudumia Wakimbizi wa Kipalestina, UNRWA, huko Yerusalemu Mashariki eneo linalokaliwa kimabavu na Israel. Mkuu wa UNRWA, Philippe Lazzarini, amelieleza tukio hilo kama “shambulio lisilo na kifani dhidi ya Umoja wa Mataifa,”.Serikali ya Jamhuri ya Kidemokrasia ya Congo DRC, leo imesema imeanza kutekeleza mpango wa kurejesha kwa hatua mamlaka ya dola katika mji wa Uvira, mashariki mwa nchi hiyo, kufuatia kuondoka kwa kundi lenye silaha la AFC/M23. Serikali inasema vikosi vya usalama, polisi na huduma nyingine za serikali vinarejea ili kulinda raia, kulinda mali na kuleta utulivu katika eneo hilo.Na katika kujifunza lugha ya Kiswahili leo mtaalam wetu ONNI SIGALA Mhariri mwandamizi wa Baraza la Kiswahili la Taifa nchini Tanzania, BAKITA, anafafanua maana ya neno “ KING'ANI”Mwenyeji wako ni Rashid Malekela, karibu!
Federico entrevista a Eitan Horn, un ciudadano argentino-israelí secuestrado por la banda terrorista Hamás durante 738 días.
This week's show features stories from Radio Deutsche-Welle, France 24, NHK Japan, and Radio Havana Cuba, http://youthspeaksout.net/swr260116.mp3 (29:00) From GERMANY- The large protests in Iran are discussed in an interview with Fawas Gerges a professor of international relations at the London School of Economics. He talks about what is driving the protestors. He says the economy has been ruined by severe sanctions from the US and Europe, turning Iran into a state of paupers. From FRANCE- First, how the Greenland press responded to the meeting between JD Vance and the foreign ministers of Greenland and Denmark. Mainly in response to Trump threats of seizing Greenland by military force, many members of NATO are deploying their troops to the island. The foreign ministers were keen to not escalate the situation but did not appear to think that their meeting would change Trump's mind. From JAPAN- Japanese researchers are off on a mission attempting to mine rare earth minerals from mud on the deep sea floor, which is extremely dangerous to ocean life. Chinas export earnings have not been hurt by Trumps tariffs. There has been a dangerous escalation in the war on Ukraine following the failed drone attack on Putins residence. From CUBA- President Maduro sent out his first message through his son, after being kidnapped and held in a US prison. UN Secretary-General Guterres warned Netanyahu that he could take Israel to the International Court of Justice for actions against UNRWA , the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine. Israel is ready to begin construction that will split the occupied West Bank in two. Trump announced a 25% tariff on countries conducting business with Iran. Available in 3 forms- (new) HIGHEST QUALITY (160kb)(33MB), broadcast quality (13MB), and quickdownload or streaming form (6MB) (28:59) Links at outfarpress.com/shortwave.shtml PODCAST!!!- https://feed.podbean.com/outFarpress/feed.xml (160kb Highest Quality) Website Page- < http://www.outfarpress.com/shortwave.shtml ¡FurthuR! Dan Roberts "Remember this: Even if you win the rat race, you're still a rat." --Howard Zinn Dan Roberts Shortwave Report- www.outfarpress.com YouthSpeaksOut!- www.youthspeaksout.net
On this episode of Christopher Lochhead: Follow Your Different, Israeli Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Sharren Haskel joins us to discuss the rapidly evolving regional dynamics, the impact of October 7th, and the broader implications for Western democracies facing the challenges posed by radical ideologies and political inaction. You're listening to Christopher Lochhead: Follow Your Different. We are the real dialogue podcast for people with a different mind. So get your mind in a different place, and hey ho, let's go. Sharren Haskel on the Rising Extremism and Western Political Paralysis Deputy Minister Haskel’s personal story and her reflections on recent attacks in places like Australia, the UK, and across Europe, reveal a growing concern about the unchecked rise of extremism and anti-Semitism in historically tolerant Western societies. Drawing on her years in Australia and the tragedy at Bondi Beach, Haskel expressed her deep shock and frustration over the persistent inaction by local governments in the face of escalating hate crimes against Jewish communities. According to Haskel, the roots of this problem go far beyond foreign policy. She attributes much of the inaction to internal politics and the pursuit of re-election, wherein politicians seek to appease immigrant communities that often arrive with deeply ingrained cultural prejudices, including anti-Semitism, from the Middle East. She criticized governments in Australia, Canada, and the UK for failing to enforce clear boundaries against hate speech and violent incitement. Instead, she argued, there has been a pattern of rhetorical condemnation without concrete protective measures, resulting in what she described as an environment where radicalization can flourish unchecked and Jewish communities are left vulnerable. The October 7th Attack and Israel's Existential Resolve The conversation turned to the profound impact of October 7th, 2025, an event described as the largest and most brutal attack on Jews since the Holocaust. Haskel recounted the collective mourning and soul-searching that swept Israel, as well as a wave of determination to prevent such atrocities from ever happening again. For Haskel and many Israelis, the attack was not only an unspeakable tragedy but also a moment of disappointment in their generation’s promise to uphold the creed of “never again.” Yet, from the aftermath of horror emerged a powerful sense of resolve. Lochhead remarked that Israel appeared stronger after the attack, not weaker. Haskel recounted how, rather than fleeing, tens of thousands of Israelis and Jews from around the world returned to the country to support its defense. She described this as a pivotal moment, a ‘make it or break it’ scenario in which Israel had to repel attacks from multiple fronts—Hamas, Hezbollah, and hostile forces backed by Iran from Syria, Iraq, and Yemen. The attacks were not only aimed at Jews but also targeted Christians, Muslims, and citizens from various nations, further underscoring the broader threat posed by radical groups. Iran's Uprising and the Global Stakes for Freedom As the Iranian regime confronted an unprecedented uprising (sparked by years of repression, economic hardship, and the regime's violent response), international attention intensified. Haskel spoke of thousands of Iranians killed or missing, the regime shutting down the internet, and the desperate situation faced by protesters, many of whom were being shot or abducted in broad daylight. Despite threats from Tehran aimed at both Israel and the United States, the Israeli government has maintained a cautious but attentive stance, recognizing both the risks and opportunities presented by the unrest. For Haskel, the Iranian regime stands as the foremost threat to global freedom, having long exported terror and repression while suppressing its own people. She called for solidarity among all who value democracy, emphasizing that the fall of the regime would be a victory for human rights, women’s rights, and the pursuit of liberty everywhere. Despite the cautious approach taken by Israel and its allies, she noted that the most vital pressure must come from within Iran, recalling the historic example of the Shah, who fled under international but primarily popular pressure. The world now stands on the verge of profound change, as old certainties crumble and new alliances and realities emerge. Haskel's message for Iran's protesters was clear: though international support matters, lasting liberation rests on the courage and resilience of the Iranian people themselves. The lesson for the broader international community is that the defense of freedom requires vigilance, unity, and unflinching resolve, both against external enemies and the creeping dangers within democratic societies. As the fate of the Iranian uprising, and indeed the region, hangs in the balance, the stakes extend far beyond the Middle East. The choices made by leaders and citizens alike will shape the future not only of a region in turmoil but of the democratic world as a whole. To hear more from Sharren Haskel and the current state of affairs in the world, download and listen to this episode. Bio Sharren Haskel is an Israeli politician serving as Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs since 2024. She has been a member of the Knesset since 2015, initially with Likud, later joining New Hope and National Unity. A combat veteran of the IDF’s Border Police during the Second Intifada, she previously worked as a veterinary nurse in Australia. Haskel holds a degree in political science and international relations. Known for her liberal-conservative stance, she champions free markets, civil liberties, and environmental causes. She is a prominent advocate for Israel's international relations and UNRWA reform. Links Connect with Sharren Haskel X (formerly Twitter) We hope you enjoyed this episode of Christopher Lochhead: Follow Your Different™! Christopher loves hearing from his listeners. Feel free to email him, connect on Facebook, X (formerly Twitter), Instagram, and subscribe on Apple Podcast / Spotify!
Condemnation as Israeli authorities shut down UNRWA healthcare facilitySyria: Aleppo violence uproots 120,000 as aid teams push for access: OCHA2025 one of the three warmest years on record: WMO
Expertos instan a Estados Unidos a respetar el derecho internacional y el derecho a la autodeterminación de Groenlandia. UNRWA denuncia el asalto israelí a un centro de salud en Jerusalén Este. La OMM confirma que 2025 fue uno de los años más cálidos jamás registrados. Víctimas de esclavitud moderna en Ecuador siguen sin recibir reparaciones
Part 1 of this essay was published by rediff.com at https://www.rediff.com/news/column/rajeev-srinivasan-trumps-huge-venezuela-gamble/20260114.htmPart 2 of this essay was published by rediff.com at https://www.rediff.com/news/column/rajeev-srinivasan-was-maduros-capture-a-warning-shot-to-china/20260124.htmIt is hard to judge whether the US regime-change operation in Venezuela is a stroke of genius or an act of pure recklessness. This is completely orthogonal to the questions of morality and legality involved in such, well, coups, to put it bluntly. The real issue at hand is twofold: why did they do it? And what is the long-term fallout from it?I consider several perspectives below: the moral/legal angle, the alleged oil bonanza, the alleged drug trafficking, geo-politics and geo-economics. In sum, I am inclined to believe that the Venezuela adventure may not be an indication of American strength, alas, but rather of American weakness. To someone like me who is deeply supportive of the US (especially in opposition to China, the G2 condominium notwithstanding), this is a disheartening conclusion.The morality and legality angleLet us summarily dispose of the entire morality-legality question. At the end of the day, international relations, despite flowery marketing language, is essentially Chanakyan matsya-nyaya, i.e. the big fish eat the little fish, the law of the jungle. Might is right, and that's just the way realpolitik is, let us accept that and move on. The United Nations and the so-called ‘liberal rules-based international order' are syntactic sugar hiding this bitter fact of life. There are a few implications for the little or medium-sized fish: deter the big fish. 1. Bulk up, build up your military and economic strength, including your ability to produce lots of military hardware, 2. Build your economic leverage, so that you are an indispensable trading partner nobody can afford to alienate, 3. Build a nuclear arsenal.This last is significant. Let us consider all the recent (and near-future) invasions by big fish. Iraq. Libya. Iran. Panama. Vietnam. Afghanistan. Ukraine. And soon, alas, Taiwan. Ok, I may have missed some here, but none of them have nukes. If you have working nuclear weapons, and the means to deliver them (such as nuclear-capable missiles, submarines lurking in the ocean depths with nuclear warheads), then it is risky for the invading big fish. No big fish likes body bags, and they certainly don't like mushroom clouds over their cities.In addition, there was the stunning silence from the European Union and Britain, which have been moralizing to everybody about how wicked it was for Russia to invade Ukraine. No clutching pearls this time, eh, Eurocrats in Brussels? In fact, EU leaders were positively ecstatic about Trump's intervention in Venezuela. It is indeed the end of the European century.Ditto with the United Nations, which, by the way, is pretty much on its last legs so far as I can tell: on 7th January President Trump exited 31 UN agencies and a grand total of 66 multilateral entities.This of course hurts the UN's budget, not to mention its relevance.In January the US will formally exit the Paris Climate Agreement and the WHO, and it has already exited the UNHRC, UNESCO, and UNRWA. The newly announced exits include the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change, the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, the UN Women's Fund, the UN Population Fund, the International Solar Alliance, the International Renewable Energy Alliance, and so on.All this fits in with the ‘Fortress America' part of the National Security Strategy, which I wrote about at some length recently. In my opinion, it is not in the US' long-term interests. The post-WW II “liberal, rules-based international order” with America as its center was good for the US, and its precipitous end will erode pre-eminence, Manifest Destiny notwithstanding. The problem is that the dollar, sanctions, SWIFT and US Treasury debt are losing their clout. Pax Americana too.Summary: Nobody is bothered about morality or legality.The oil colony: is it for real?It could be argued that the unabashed Trump statements about Venezuela's oil are exactly like the British and other European colonization of many lands in the 19th century. It can be summarized as: “we have the guns, we're going to take your butter”. That may well be true, although it is not discussed in genteel circles, where they pretend the Euros were on an, um… civilizing mission.Trump, to his credit, makes no bones about it: he says in so many words that he will henceforth consider Venezuela's oil to be his, and that it will be used for the benefit of both Venezuelans and Americans. To be honest, there is some rationale behind this: the infamous Resource Curse, where resource-rich countries end up with the riches being grabbed by both foreigners and kleptocratic local elites, and miserable citizens get virtually nothing.I am not quite sure how Arab OPEC countries managed to keep their money, and spend it on their own nationals: possibly because their populations were low, and they were used to authoritarian rulers anyway. The same with Norway. But the Resource Curse is a fairly universal phenomenon. I bet the global money managers are laughing all the way to the bank.When I first went to the US in the late 1970s, I had a graduate student friend, a woman from Venezuela. She was there on a generous scholarship funded by oil revenues, just like the Iranians who had studied with me in India. At least some of the money was going to actual citizens, and wasn't disappearing into tax havens. I guess socialism did Venezuela in over decades, as we have seen in West Bengal and Kerala.The country's finances are an absolute mess, through years of economic collapse, US sanctions, and a sovereign default in 2017. There are enormous debts owed by Venezuela to foreign investors, add up to more than $150 billion, or twice GDP; this includes interest, penalties for default, and arbitration awards for the expropriation (nationalization) of oil infrastructure. Venezuelan assets abroad (e.g. the CITGO oil retailer) are at risk.So far as I can tell, the country owes the following:* Bond default in 2017 (sovereign and state oil company PDVSA bonds): face value $60 billion, now up to $100 billion with accrued interest and penalties. Owed mostly to international asset managers such as Fidelity, Greylock, T Rowe Price (often US based)* Oil-backed loans of about $15 billion, to be paid off in oil shipments (China and Russia)* Arbitration awards often based on nationalization/expropriation of (especially oil-related) assets: around $30 billion (US and Canada based creditors such as ConocoPhillips and Crystallex owed around $8-10 billion)This means there's a lot of issues that needs to be settled before Venezuela becomes a normal and substantial player in the world oil market. Besides, despite the exertions of Chevron, an American oil major that still has operations in Venezuela, I don't think it will be easy to ramp up production there, which has collapsed due to a variety of factors, including the non-availability of naphtha to make the very viscous, heavy crude from the Orinoco Belt more easily transportable.It is said, however, that a number of US refineries can indeed handle this heavy crude (incidentally Indian refineries such as Reliance's Jamnagar can as well) and so, over time, the oil will begin to flow, although it is going to cost quite a bit to get there. Their production was of the order of 3.5 million barrels per day in the 2010s, but it has fallen to about 1.1 million barrels now, as the result of infrastructure decay, mismanagement, corruption, and US sanctions.I have read estimates that it might take as much as $180 billion in investments over the next 10-15 years to bring Venezuela back online at scale. This means that any dreams of the US tapping Venezuela's vast oil reserves any time soon are unrealistic. Besides, that could lead to an oil glut, depressing global prices even below the current $50-60 levels, which has the side effect of making America's own shale-based oil production unviable.There is one good outcome, though: for neighboring Guyana. Venezuela had been threatening to go to war over Guyana's oil fields. Given that Guyana has a large Indian origin population, I am glad that at least some diaspora people are becoming oil rich. But then again, Trump may feel free to claim their oil too, who knows?All this suggests that, despite all the talk of seizing the largest oil reserves in the world, this is not the real reason behind the regime change.Summary: The oil issue is overblown, and nothing dramatic will happen short-term.What about the drug-running?There was a lot of noise about how Venezuelan gangs pushing drugs in the US was a major threat, and how that needs to be taken care of. However, on closer scrutiny, Venezuela is not a major producer of cocaine (production is almost entirely in Colombia, with smaller amounts from Peru and Bolivia). It serves as a minor transit country for some cocaine, mostly headed to Europe or the Caribbean rather than directly to the streets of America.Data from the UNODC (UN Office on Drugs and Crime) and the US DEA (Drug Enforcement Agency) show no significant direct sea routes from Venezuela to the US; the only known direct route is limited air trafficking.DEA reports (including the 2025 National Drug Threat Assessment) and UNODC (World Drug Report 2025) consistently show Colombia as the overwhelming source of cocaine entering the US (around 84%+ of samples). Venezuela ranks low in direct contributions, with most US-bound cocaine transiting through Mexico/Central America via Pacific routes.Fentanyl trafficking into the United States follows a distinct supply chain, very different from plant-based drugs like cocaine. The overwhelming consensus from US authorities is that Mexico is the primary source of finished illicit fentanyl reaching the US, while China remains the main origin for the precursor chemicals needed to produce it.The fentanyl crisis is overwhelmingly a China to Mexico to US southwest border pipeline not linked to Venezuela or South America in any substantial way, per DEA, State Department, and congressional reporting.Summary: The talk about Venezuela's drug-running is a smoke-screen.Is it geopolitics then?The most interesting thing about the extraction of former Venezuelan President Maduro was not the dramatic flair with which it was done, though that was indeed very Youtube-ready. The helicopter gunships, the silenced air defences, the Cuban bodyguard eliminated (by a sonic weapon?): all the elements of a pretty exciting Hollywood film. I'm sure one is coming up soon.What was even more interesting, though, was that a delegation from the Chinese Communist Party had met him just a few hours before. China has been rather chummy with a fellow-socialist, and has been a good customer as an oil buyer. The fact that Maduro was extricated while the Chinese were still in Venezuela was a warning shot: besides, it suggests that they had no clue what was going to happenIn effect, it was a slap on the face of China, and it goes back to my belief that the US is investing in a G2 condominium with them. Stick and carrot, maybe? Collaborate in general in the spheres of influence concept, but hey, you better keep out of my sphere, ok? As I said earlier, China has made serious inroads into Latin America, which the US may now be hinting is simply not ok: stay in your lane, Xi! In simple terms, China will no longer have access to Venezuelan oil.The prognosis is grim: Russia and the EU are mired in the Ukraine mess, China is rampant (certainly in Asia, with their declared intent of invading Taiwan by 2027), the QUAD is more or less defunct. Trump refused to support Japanese premier Takaichi Sanae when she was bullied by the Chinese over her remark that if Taiwan were to be attacked by China, this would create a survival-threatening situation for Japan, which is literally true as Taiwan is only 70 miles away.Parenthetically, India has also realized the same about the US – that it is on its own – after what was quite likely a US-supported regime-change operation in Bangladesh has put the Hindu minority there in real danger of genocide and ethnic cleansing, with daily incidents of burning alive, murder, rape and abduction and threats of capturing Indian territory.The emerging situation in Iran is also likely to be a blow to China: they would lose one more source of cheap oil. But then, they do have buyer power: in other words, major oil producers do have to sell their stuff to somebody, and as China demonstrated in the case of soybeans from the US, its refusal to buy the stuff has severe consequences for the seller.So it is true that the US and China in general have to respect each other and trade with each other. This is perfectly feasible under the G2 condominium, the principal role of which is to give each of them a ‘playpen' if you will, and prevent a new power, e.g. India, from forcing its way into a G3. It appears they both are applying the Thucydides Trap to India.The US is still ahead of China in the geopolitical game, but if it continues to burn its bridges with its erstwhile allies and partners (such as the EU and Quad members) it will accelerate its relative decline. This is hardly the time to alienate potential partners, especially now that a belligerent NATO has pushed a reluctant Russia into the dhritarashtra-alinganam of China.Unfortunately, in geo-politics America is becoming less exceptional, and Henry Kissinger's quip that “it is dangerous to be America's enemy, but fatal to be its friend” is taking on a new urgency. The action in Venezuela (and possibly in Cuba before long) does not encourage other nations to look to the US for partnerships.Summary: The geopolitical fallout is not particularly good for America's image as an ally.It may well be economics, and a desperate fin-de-siecle lungeThe final issue is that of economics and economic history. Over the past several centuries, we have seen how those countries that hold the global reserve currency have prospered and have been financial hegemons to begin with, based on some substantial competitive advantage, but then a strange malady (“the Dutch disease”) sets in, and over time their financial clout diminishes, until at one point they become major debtors and then, they become irrelevant.This has happened several times in the past 800 or so years, and the patterns are strikingly similar, so there is a fair chance that it is happening again. The countries in question are:* Spain in the 16th century onwards* The Netherlands in the 17th century onwards* Britain in the 19th century onwards* And alas, the US in the 20th century onwardsNow, I would dearly wish the US could avoid this vicious cycle, partly because it is a continent-sized nation with immense resources, but I believe that economic profligacy, wasting money on unnecessary things like wars, and complacency fostered by easy money is leading to a mountain of debt, which usually is a bad place to be in. In each of these European examples, initial success inevitably led to collapse. I hope the US can avoid this fate, especially as warnings have been sounded for some time by experts such as Ray Dalio.Great economic powers, particularly those issuing the world's primary reserve currency, tend to follow a recurring historical cycle of rise, peak dominance, gradual (or sometimes rapid) decline, loss of competitiveness, mounting debt burdens, and eventual marginalization on the global stage. This pattern has repeated over the last 500+ years.The archetypal cycle often unfolds in phases:* Rise and dominance: Because of strong education, innovation, productivity, trade dominance, military power, and financial innovation create a virtuous cycle (this is the model that I have in mind of the US. But there is a second model: colonial loot. Spain stole trillions from Latin America, Britain from India. This too leads to (unearned) privilege). This leads to the currency becoming the preferred global medium for trade, reserves, and debt denomination.* Peak and overextension: Success breeds complacency, wealth inequality widens, debt accumulates (often to fund wars, welfare, or consumption), and costs rise relative to competitors. Besides, there is a form of the Resource Curse: the colonial loot or digging things out from a hole in a ground is so easy that all other industries wither away and die. We see this in Kerala today: remittances are easy money, so everybody wants to go to the Persian Gulf (skilled and unskilled labor) or Europe (nurses). Maybe the generativeAI bubble falls into the same category: the money is too easy.* Decline in competitiveness: Education and innovation lag, unit labor costs rise, trade shares erode, and emerging rivals catch up or surpass in productivity and technology. Too much by way of wokeness, social justice and related illnesses means the smart ones leave, and the dumb ones keep congratulating each other. Ruchir Sharma just wrote in the Financial Times about how the continuing exodus of skilled Indians is a big negative.* Debt buildup and financial strain: The “exorbitant privilege” of reserve status allows cheap borrowing, encouraging more debt. Deficits grow, and the currency is printed or devalued to manage burdens. Print, baby, print. But one day you have to pay the piper.* Marginalization: Confidence erodes (via inflation, devaluations, defaults, or crises), foreigners reduce holdings, and a new power's currency gains primacy. The reserve status lingers due to network effects and habit, but the issuing power loses geopolitical and economic centrality.Spain had its colonies in the Americas from which it extracted enormous amounts of gold and silver; the Dutch started the Amsterdam stock exchange and stepped into the vacuum of finance when Spain faltered; the British outcompeted the Dutch in colonization and in industrialization and defeated them in wars; and the US took over when Britain lost its colonies and had nowhere to dump its goods, and was in debt for its spending in World Wars I and II.Some of the symptoms of the “Dutch disease” are showing in the US: enormous debt, wars that have no clear benefit to the nation, loss of manufacturing, geopolitical challenges, loss of competitiveness and brand superiority in industry after industry.US investors are quietly moving their funds to other countries, while foreigners are quietly moving their money out of US treasuries (e.g. China has reduced its holdings from a high of $1.3 trillion in 2013 to $688 billion now) and into gold, the BRICS group is creating an alternative currency and a non-SWIFT settlement mechanism, and many countries are trading with each other bilaterally in local currencies. De-dollarization is a little far off but no longer implausible.Now, as a big supporter of the US, I do hope the dollar will continue to be supreme, but I am beginning to have my doubts. I have had faith in the US and its ability to re-invent itself on the brains of its immigrants, but I wonder if a post-MAGA US will be the beacon, the “City on the Hill”, “Give me your tired, your poor/Your huddled masses yearning to breathe free”. Maybe not any more. Perhaps cyclical decline, and the rot, are already too deep.This, in my opinion, is the real reason for Trump's little adventure in Venezuela: to be relevant in global finance for a little longer. The petrodollar has been the lifeline allowing the US to run substantial deficits for a long time. Because all transactions for oil have traditionally been mandated to be in dollars, there has been constant demand for the dollar, despite the loss of manufacturing (in other words, nobody needs dollars to buy US goods except a few like weapons, aircraft, and Big Tech software). But everybody needs it to buy oil.Trump is ensuring that Venezuela's giant oil reserves (the largest in the world) will now be sold in dollars, contrary to Maduro's plans to trade in yuan. This is deja vu: when Iraq's President Saddam Hussein planned to trade his oil in Euros in 2000, he found himself deposed. When Libya's President Muammar Gaddafi planned to trade his oil in a new currency called the ‘gold dinar' around 2009, he found himself deposed. Coincidence? Perhaps.This is why I have had the feeling that the Venezuela adventure does not show American strength, but rather American weakness. The dollar is in trouble, and thus the US welfare state. This is an attempt to shore it up.Summary: The real rationale behind the Venezuela regime-change is to ensure that de-dollarization is postponed at least for a while.3450 words, Jan 12, 2026. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit rajeevsrinivasan.substack.com/subscribe
Israel has said it will stop dozens of aid organisations working in Gaza, including MSF Doctors without Borders and ActionAid, within the next day for failing to hand over the personal details of Palestinian and international staff. We spoke to John Whyte, senior deputy director for UNRWA, which Israel banned from operating in the country in 2024.
¡Abrígate bien! Se espera frío intenso este martes en CDMX Lluvias y bajas temperaturas continuarán para cerrar 2025 Israel corta servicios a instalaciones de la ONU en PalestinaMás información en nuestro Podcast
Al menos 10 muertos en Gaza, entre ellos tres niños, por las lluvias y el frío.La Asamblea General respalda la decisión de la CIJ que insta a Israel a permitir el trabajo de UNRWA."Acuerdo preliminar" para llevar ayuda a la asediada El Fahser.El Consejo de Seguridad analiza la nueva ofensiva del M23 en la RDC
Watch The X22 Report On Video No videos found (function(w,d,s,i){w.ldAdInit=w.ldAdInit||[];w.ldAdInit.push({slot:17532056201798502,size:[0, 0],id:"ld-9437-3289"});if(!d.getElementById(i)){var j=d.createElement(s),p=d.getElementsByTagName(s)[0];j.async=true;j.src="https://cdn2.decide.dev/_js/ajs.js";j.id=i;p.parentNode.insertBefore(j,p);}})(window,document,"script","ld-ajs");pt> Click On Picture To See Larger PictureThe D’s have lost he narrative, they are trying to blame Trump for the affordability crisis, but he is turning it around on them. The autopen was used to bring Powell, Trump wants it investigated.The gold card has gone live, timing is everything. The affordability crisis is about the [CB]. The [DS] along with foreign gov have been trying to divide the people and the MAGA movement. It is not working, it crumbling and people are learning the truth once again. Trump sets the message and the direction of the midterms. The [DS] is struggling, they will not be able to overcome the economic factor in 2026. This will give the people the power to override anything the [DS] tries to do. Economy (function(w,d,s,i){w.ldAdInit=w.ldAdInit||[];w.ldAdInit.push({slot:18510697282300316,size:[0, 0],id:"ld-8599-9832"});if(!d.getElementById(i)){var j=d.createElement(s),p=d.getElementsByTagName(s)[0];j.async=true;j.src="https://cdn2.decide.dev/_js/ajs.js";j.id=i;p.parentNode.insertBefore(j,p);}})(window,document,"script","ld-ajs"); “Democrats Know Their Constituents Can’t Read Charts. That’s Why…” Another attempted “gotcha moment” on X by Democrats backfired, revealing that their political strategists and whoever handles their social media accounts lack the most basic chart-reading skills. However, X users pointed out that these political operatives aren’t DEI fools; instead, they seem incapable of telling the truth. https://twitter.com/MajorityPAC/status/1998434136483410412?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E1998434136483410412%7Ctwgr%5E1e2efe6a29f9c814decbe7c889387ccc40d1410c%7Ctwcon%5Es1_c10&ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.zerohedge.com%2Fpolitical%2Fdemocrats-know-their-constituents-cant-read-charts-thats-why Just like eggs earlier this year and power bills this fall, Democrat operatives are seizing any opportunity to blame Trump for soaring prices that mainly occurred in the previous four years. X user ALX shows why context matters. Source: zerohedge.com https://twitter.com/StephenMoore/status/1998763870001991751?s=20 https://twitter.com/amuse/status/1998789965254144171?s=20 https://twitter.com/EricLDaugh/status/1998830464321323091?s=20 into 2026. The Fed must do the right thing! https://twitter.com/amuse/status/1998841970559512878?s=20 to inject $40 billion per month into Treasury bill purchases beginning December 12. The combined policies strengthen liquidity, reduce borrowing costs, and ease credit strains that often stall growth. Bank of America says both stocks and crypto stand to gain as confidence rises. The Fed's actions confirm the resilience of Trump's expanding second term economy. https://twitter.com/Osint613/status/1999098794412319027?s=20 The post highlights a Wall Street Journal report on Ionic Rare Earths’ discovery of 16 rare earth and critical minerals in Utah’s Mill Creek area, including high-grade lithium and gallium, positioning it as the U.S.’s largest such reserve to reduce reliance on China, which controls 90% of global processing. An aerial image shows the arid Utah landscape near the Great Salt Lake with visible mining pits, underscoring the site’s remote, geologically rich Basin and Range province, where USGS surveys identified potential for 1.5 million tons of rare earth oxides https://twitter.com/disclosetv/status/1998846082953130482?s=20 The Trump Gold Card program, launched via executive order in 2025, allows foreign nationals (primarily investors or those sponsored by corporations) to apply for a U.S. green card through expedited channels like EB-1(a) for extraordinary ability or EB-2 national interest waiver. It requires a nonrefundable $15,000 processing fee plus a “contribution” or “gift” of at least $1 million per individual (or $2 million via an employer sponsor), with additional amounts for dependents. The funds go to entities like the U.S. Department of Commerce, and applicants must prove a lawful source of money, similar to the EB-5 investor visa. The process involves filing a new Form I-140G, followed by consular processing abroad—no in-country adjustment of status is allowed—and approvals can happen in weeks, though backlogs from per-country caps (especially for Indian or Chinese nationals) may still cause delays for the actual green card. This program is separate from the H-1B visa system, which remains a temporary work visa for skilled professionals with issues like annual caps (85,000 visas, including 20,000 for advanced degree holders), a random lottery selection process, and criticisms of abuse (e.g., companies using it to displace U.S. workers or suppress wages via outsourcing firms). In fact, alongside the Gold Card, the Trump administration introduced a separate $100,000 one-time entry fee for H-1B applicants to deter such abuses and ensure only “the best and brightest” use it. https://twitter.com/TheRubberDuck79/status/1998791717752062345?s=20 Autopen. https://twitter.com/KobeissiLetter/status/1998407015756964343?s=20 to decide if it gets a floor vote. I hope they do the right thing. The Affordability Crisis Is Not a ‘Hoax.' It Is an Existential Threat to the American Dream. Recently, President Trump has been quoted as referring to the affordability crisis as a “Democrat scam,” “hoax,” and “con job.” Although I think Trump was likely trying to remind Americans that policies enacted when Democrats had total control of the federal government under the first two years of the Biden administration accelerated and exacerbated the affordability problem, it is dangerous for the president to use that type of language. Already, mainstream media reprobates are twisting Trump's words, leading people to believe that he is saying the affordability crisis does not exist. In proper context, Trump is not denying that middle- and lower-class Americans are struggling to make ends meet; rather, he is trying to assign blame and hang the affordability crisis on the Democrats. But even doing that is politically unwise. The American people are not nearly as concerned with pointing fault as they are with seeking immediately viable solutions to the untenable reality they face. For many Americans, the affordability crisis is so severe that they think the American dream is no longer within reach. In fact, only 22 percent of young Americans think they will be better off than their parents. Source: redstate.com Political/Rights https://twitter.com/TriciaOhio/status/1999146290584678721?s=20 https://twitter.com/seanmdav/status/1998819294658842681?s=20 https://twitter.com/DHSgov/status/1998773065870708813?s=20 https://twitter.com/RapidResponse47/status/1999144165213380788?s=20 We hope the headlines and social media likes are worth it. DHS: Legacy Media Report Leaves Out an Important Detail on ICE Purchasing Planes for Deportations The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) confirmed the agency has inked a deal for the purchase of six planes for nearly $140 million, which will aid Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) in deportations, allowing them to bypass charter airlines. The Post report read: https://twitter.com/TriciaOhio/status/1998794208736411870?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E1998794208736411870%7Ctwgr%5Ebd9d4a7f5e7443f5f0455bfbeb427e17d3fa2b05%7Ctwcon%5Es1_c10&ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fredstate.com%2Fkatie-jerkovich%2F2025%2F12%2F10%2Fdhs-confirms-excellent-news-about-deportations-and-its-own-fleet-n2197015 flight patterns. President Trump and @Sec_Noem are committed to quickly and efficiently getting criminal illegal aliens OUT of our country. Source: redstate.com US To Ask Visitors For 5 Years Of Social Media History Under New Plan The United States is planning to require visitors from dozens of countries on the visa waiver program to provide up to five years of their social media history, according to a proposal from the US Customs and Border Protection posted to the Federal Register on Wednesday. Countries on the list include much of Europe, Australia, New Zealand, South Korea, Japan, Singapore, Qatar, Israel, Chile and Brunei. Citizens or nationals of these countries have been allowed to freely travel to the United States for tourism or business for stays of 90 days or less without obtaining a visa. If the proposal is adopted, they’ll have to share their online footprint – something that immigrant and nonimmigrant visa applicants from different categories have been required to provide since 2019. The list also includes; Telephone numbers used in the last five years Email addresses used in the last 10 years IP addresses and metadata from electronically submitted photos Biometrics – including facial, fingerprint, DNA and Iris data Information about one’s family – including names, telephone numbers, dates of birth, places of birth and residences. The CBP proposal is open for a 60-day public comment period. ESTA – an automated system, costs $40 and is generally valid for two years. An ESTA holder can enter multiple times during that period. Source: zerohedge.com https://twitter.com/FBIDirectorKash/status/1998484877180604877?s=20 is part of the FBI's Joint Task Force Vulcan investigation out of @FBIHouston to locate, indict, and arrest members of MS-13 leadership “La Mesa.” Great work from @FBIOmaha and partners @HSI_HQ @DEAHQ and more – this admin is taking a whole of government approach to dismantling MS-13 and their presence within the country. DOGE https://twitter.com/elonmusk/status/1998810382576792048?s=20 https://twitter.com/pepesgrandma/status/1998428503759294519?s=20 EU High Level Group on combating hate speech and hate crime that wrote the 2016 Code of Conduct. The Code Conduct is a document agreed upon by social media companies for removing hate. The improved upon “Code of Conduct Plus” continues to be an important tool under the DSA: “On 20 January 2025, the revised Code of conduct on countering illegal hate speech online + (the ‘Code of conduct+') was integrated into the regulatory framework of the Digital Services Act (DSA), following a positive assessment from the Commission and the European Board for Digital Services. The Code of conduct+, which builds on the Code of Conduct adopted in 2016, strengthens the way online platforms deal with content deemed illegal hate speech according to EU law and Member States' laws. It facilitates compliance with and the effective enforcement of the DSA in this specific area.” This new Conduct Code+ was established as a “DSA Code of conduct”. This empowered civil society organisations to act as watchdogs. “Following its integration, adherence to the Code of conduct+ may be considered as an appropriate risk mitigation measure for signatories designated as Very Large Online Platforms (VLOPs) and Search Engines (VLOSEs) under the DSA.” “The DSA classifies platforms or search engines that have more than 45 million users per month in the EU as very large online platforms (VLOPs)” https://twitter.com/emd_worldwide/status/1998556257251152246?s=20 letter confirms the details of that action. And it arrives at a very appropriate moment. As we watch certain officials in Europe experiment with coercive fines, regulatory threats, and pressure campaigns aimed at shaping American political discourse, the Moraes precedent is worth remembering. The United States views foreign attempts to control U.S. speech as a human rights violation and a breach of sovereignty. Geopolitical https://twitter.com/RMistereggen/status/1998419619220996236?s=20 society destabilised? When a country must hand over cash to escape a policy that harms it, the structure stops looking like a union and starts looking like organized coercion. Let's call the EU what it is: its a mafia organisation. Abolish the EU. Unelected Brussels Bureaucrat Demands Trump ‘Show Respect' for EU, as US President Is Chosen ‘The Most Powerful Person in Europe' Trump is flexing his political and military muscles all over the world. Those who want respect, give respect. Trump has just been chosen as ‘the most powerful person in Europe'. ‘ Politico reported: “Top EU officials tried to set the record straight Tuesday after U.S. President Donald Trump denounced Europe as a ‘decaying' group of countries ruled by ‘weak' leaders. […] ‘I think they're weak', the Republican said, referring to the continent's presidents and prime ministers, adding, ‘I think they don't know what to do. Europe doesn't know what to do'.” “European Council President António Costa said Europe and the U.S. ‘must act as allies' — and urged the Republican leader to show ‘respect'. Costa is an unelected bureaucrat – he was not ‘elected', he was ‘appointed' by the same Globalist leaders that are polling 11% to 23% in their countries. Source: thegatewaypundit.com War/Peace https://twitter.com/MarioNawfal/status/1998980234763219052?s=20https://twitter.com/clashreport/status/1999068890421195037?s=20 Impeccable. This clip emerged just as Maria Corina Machado, the woman Maduro has hunted for 16 months, escaped Venezuela and arrived in Oslo to accept the Nobel Peace Prize for fighting his dictatorship. His secret police surrounded the U.S. Embassy thinking she was inside. She slipped out of the country anyway. Her team risked their lives to get her on that plane. Meanwhile, Maduro is on stage crooning about peace. The irony writes itself. https://twitter.com/MarioNawfal/status/1998936856000397477?s=20 showed up in Norway anyway. The 58-year-old opposition leader arrived in Oslo Thursday and waved from the balcony of the Grand Hotel, free and defiant. The Norwegian Nobel Committee awarded her the prize for her fight against what it called a dictatorship. Maduro’s regime tried everything to stop this moment. It didn’t work. https://twitter.com/clashreport/status/1999068890421195037?s=20 freely in accordance with the regime. https://twitter.com/disclosetv/status/1999065856580661500?s=20 https://twitter.com/EricLDaugh/status/1998879421491483071?s=20 Investigation, Homeland Security Investigations, and the United States Coast Guard, with support from the Department of War, executed a seizure warrant for a crude oil tanker used to transport sanctioned oil from Venezuela and Iran.” “For multiple years, the oil tanker has been sanctioned by the United States due to its involvement in an illicit oil shipping network supporting foreign terrorist organizations. This seizure, completed off the coast of Venezuela, was conducted safely and securely—and our investigation alongside the Department of Homeland Security to prevent the transport of sanctioned oil continues.” https://twitter.com/FBIDirectorKash/status/1998895443347124514?s=20 https://twitter.com/MarioNawfal/status/1999140870516576385?s=20 6th no-confidence vote, Zhelezaykov said, “I hear the public's dissatisfaction and consider the protection of democracy my top priority,” choosing to step down. Protests erupted in November over a 2026 budget packed with tax hikes, higher social contributions, and bloated spending. Even after scrapping the budget, crowds demanded total regime change, early elections, and a crackdown on corruption, culminating in massive rallies yesterday across Sofia and beyond. This is a rare public uprising toppling a government in real-time! With Bulgaria set to join the eurozone on January 1, the collapse risks economic chaos, currency shifts, investor panic, while exposing deep rot (corruption scandals cost $3B yearly, per EU audits). Zhelezaykov's exit might spark a power vacuum, pitting pro-EU reformers against nationalist factions. https://twitter.com/sentdefender/status/1998875723931812291?s=20 https://twitter.com/MarioNawfal/status/1999099346676334925?s=20 Allegations that some staff members may have ties to Hamas, with zero indictments, no formal charges, and no due process. Washington, once UNRWA's biggest donor, froze funding in January 2024 after Israel accused roughly a dozen staff members of involvement in the Oct. 7, 2023, Hamas attack that triggered the war. If the move goes through, it would effectively criminalize a major arm of humanitarian relief in Gaza and beyond. Although, it’s been noted that such sanctions would be highly unusual, since the U.S. is both a U.N. member and the host nation of the body that created the agency in 1949. Despite this, Trump previously reaffirmed that the U.S. would not fund UNRWA earlier this year. In October, Secretary of State Marco Rubio also referred to UNRWA as a subsidiary of Hamas: “UNRWA’s not going to play any role in it… The United Nations is here, we're seeing the work they're doing… They’re on the ground. We’re willing to work with them if they can make it work, but not UNRWA. UNRWA became a subsidiary of Hamas.” https://twitter.com/profstonge/status/1998824786022003044?s=20 billion they seized might well come up https://twitter.com/WallStreetMav/status/1998849819071353071?s=20 is going to demand their frozen assets be returned. I suspect the current people in power don't expect to be around or forced to deal with that problem when it arises. They just want their money laundering schemes to continue being funded. Short term planning by the EU. https://twitter.com/Reuters/status/1998991133033054636?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E1998991133033054636%7Ctwgr%5E279dcf506be99c0c99616930f129b9a99fcd7bf2%7Ctwcon%5Es1_c10&ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.thegatewaypundit.com%2F2025%2F12%2Fwatch-ukraine-strikes-another-oil-tanker-russian-shadow%2F https://twitter.com/disclosetv/status/1999118921564090787?s=20 Trump talks Ukraine peace deal with Macron, Merz and Starmer President Donald Trump held a conference call with French President Emmanuel Macron, British Prime Minister Keir Starmer and German Chancellor Friedrich Merz on Wednesday to discuss the war in Ukraine, a White House official said, as the U.S. president continues to push for an end to the conflict while expressing skepticism that Kyiv stands a chance of coming out ahead. Source: politico.com Zelenskyy Signals Openness to Elections After Trump Criticism President Donald Trump on Tuesday pressed Ukraine to hold a presidential election despite its war with Russia, prompting President Volodymyr Zelenskyy to say he is prepared to hold a vote within months if parliament and Western allies make it feasible. Zelenskyy responded, saying the decision is solely for Ukrainians. “This is a question for the people of Ukraine, not people from other states, with all due respect to our partners,” he said. Ukraine’s constitution bars elections under martial law, but Zelenskyy signaled he’s willing to hold one anyway and asked the U.S. and European partners for help securing a wartime vote. “Since this question is raised today by the president of the United States of America, our partners, I will answer very briefly: Look, I am ready for elections,” he said. “Then, in the next 60 to 90 days, Ukraine will be ready to hold the elections. I personally have the will and readiness for this.” Zelenskyy’s five-year term expired in May 2024. Source: newsmax.com Medical/False Flags FDA Reviewing Deaths Potentially Linked to COVID Shots The Food and Drug Administration is looking into whether COVID-19 vaccines were tied to any deaths, government officials announced this week. The FDA is “doing a thorough investigation, across multiple age groups, of deaths potentially related to COVID vaccines,” Andrew Nixon. a spokesman for the Department of Health and Human Services, said in a statement. Manufacturers report that the FDA is also reviewing the safety of RSV immunizations. COVID-19 vaccines were deployed in late 2020 under emergency use authorization. Less than a year later, the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine became the first to receive full FDA approval. Source: newsmax.com [DS] Agenda https://twitter.com/nicksortor/status/1998789285281968322?s=20 with all the other America-hating Somalis! https://twitter.com/amuse/status/1998806184846045404?s=20 BREAKING: Democrats Flip Miami – Eileen Higgins Wins Mayoral Runoff Election: Decision Desk Democrats flipped Miami Mayor's office on Tuesday. Higgins defeated Republican Emilio Gonzalez, a former Miami City Manager who served on Trump's DHS transition team. Higgins will be Miami's first Democrat mayor since 1997. Fox News reported: It took nearly 30 years, but Democrats finally broke their decades-long ballot box losing streak in Miami, Florida, the city known as the nation's “Gateway to Latin America.” Source: thegatewaypundit.com https://twitter.com/chad_mizelle/status/1998565231136747996?s=20 https://twitter.com/EricLDaugh/status/1998912315672977728?s=20 are: Jeff Van Drew, R-N.J., Nicole Malliotakis, R-N.Y., Nick LaLota, R-N.Y., Brian Fitzpatrick, R-Pa., Rob Bresnahan, R-Pa., Don Bacon, R-Neb., Mike Lawler, R-N.Y., Tom Kean, R-N.J., Ryan Mackenzie, R-Pa., Zach Nunn, R-Iowa, Chris Smith, R-N.J., Pete Stauber, R-Minn., and Mike Turner, R-Ohio. Full passage vote could happen Thursday. President Trump's Plan REVEALED: DC pipe bomb suspect obsessed with My Little Pony art, fan fic: report My Little Pony is a franchise marketed at young girls. An adult male fan of the toys are known as a “Brony,” a community that at its peak was large enough to hold annual conventions. Brian Cole Jr, the man charged with placing pipe bombs outside the Republican and Democratic National Committees' Washington, DC headquarters the evening before January 6, 2021, was reportedly a massive fan of the children's series “My Little Pony,” making fan art and fan fiction dedicated to the characters.Per the New York Post, Cole, 30, appeared to have gone by usernames including iDeltaVelocity, Bron1Delta, Delta1Forgotten, and Blue Velocity online. In one account on an online forum, Cole allegedly posted dozens of fan art pieces dedicated to the My Little Pony franchise. Many of the art pieces feature characters with light purple bodies and multicolored hair.In a Tumblr account associated with the username delta1forgotten, Cole allegedly wrote in response to another user's drawing of a My Little Pony character with a machine gun, “Eh… I'd give her an RPG [Rocket-Propelled Grenade]. What can I say? Explosions are COOL!!”My Little Pony is a franchise marketed at young girls. An adult male fan of the toys are known as a “Brony,” a community that at its peak was large enough to hold annual conventions. Assistant Professor of Psychology Dr Daniel Chadborn wrote in his book “Meet the Bronies: The Psychology of the Adult My Little Pony Fandom,” “The subculture of Bronies was very online and unique and attracted a lot of male fans, who were breaking gender norms, which attracted a lot of attention.”He noted that the subculture is generally not sexual, however, he is not surprised that some members within the community are troubled. “Someone who is disaffected is often going to look for spaces to engage in, for a sense of identity and belonging.”Cole also allegedly wrote fanfiction dedicated to the franchise, with one story marked as being an “adventure/horror” story featuring the characters Applejack and Applebloom Source: thepostmillenial.com Winning: Woke D.C. Police Chief Stepping Down Following Trump's Bold Moves to Federalize the DC Police Force and Send in National Guard https://twitter.com/MayorBowser/status/1997992364367884758?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E1997992364367884758%7Ctwgr%5Edc94739b1880255ed9a381d0aefa9d1b2da25236%7Ctwcon%5Es1_c10&ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.thegatewaypundit.com%2F2025%2F12%2Fwinning-woke-d-c-police-chief-stepping-down%2F ‘Righteous Anger’: Erika Kirk Shuts Down Insane Conspiracies Surrounding Her Husband’s Murder Erika Kirk appears to have possibly reached her breaking point as she addressed those insane conspiracies surrounding the murder of her husband, Charlie Kirk, and to say she didn’t hold back is a serious understatement. During her appearance on Wednesday on Fox News’ Outnumbered, Kirk was asked about the accusations and claims floated by podcasters like Candace Owens and others surrounding the assassination of the late co-founder of Turning Point USA, including speculation about where Charlie is buried. No rock will be unturned. I want justice for my husband, for myself, for my family more than anyone else out there. “My silence does not mean that I’m complacent,” Erika continued. “My silence does not mean that somehow Turning Point USA and all of the handpicked staff that loved my husband and that my husband loved them is somehow in on it. We are busy building.” Erika said she understands a lot of the noise is people trying to find answers to the horrific killing of her husband, and made it clear no “rock will be unturned. I want justice for my husband, for myself, for my family more than anyone else out there.” Kirk said she does have a breaking point, though, and it’s when influencers and others go after those she loves, like her family, her Turning Point USA family, and her Charlie Kirk Show family. “When you go after the people that I love, and you’re making hundreds and thousands of dollars every single episode, going after the people that I love because somehow they’re in on this… NO!” Erika said, as the host Harris Faulkner pointed out, she’d never seen Kirk like this before. “This is righteous anger because this is not okay, it’s not healthy,” she added. “This is a mind virus… but this is not okay. But just know your words are very powerful, and we are human.” “My team are not machines and they’re not robots, they are human,” Erika continued. “We have more death threats on our team and our side than I have ever seen. I have kidnapping threats. I have…you name it, we have it. And my poor team is exhausted, and every time they bring this back up, what are we supposed to do, relive that trauma all over again?” . Source: redstate.com https://twitter.com/WarClandestine/status/1998877640862904429?s=20 https://twitter.com/ElectionWiz/status/1998867607429292200?s=20 2846 Feb 21, 2019 12:02:07 PM EST Q !!mG7VJxZNCI ID: 6b73ac No. 5304336 Dz8HH2lWwAIQX5K.jpg-large.jpg https://twitter.com/JudahsTrumpets/status/1098604676621189122 Be ready for the ‘Q’, Anon(s). Eyes on increasing +each day. You are the NEWS NOW. Handle w/ care. Q 3628 Nov 25, 2019 12:05:46 PM EST Q !!mG7VJxZNCI ID: 000000 No. 7370121 https://twitter.com/Incarcerated_ET/status/1198990090757914625 Enemy of the People. You are the NEWS NOW. Facts matter. Q https://twitter.com/medeabenjamin/status/1998886707891155231?s=20 https://twitter.com/_johnnymaga/status/1999140426222088595?s=20 https://twitter.com/DataRepublican/status/1938072642374058297?s=20 Bejamin briefly – who had an interesting history of speaking to Chinese media. She co-founded Global Exchange with her husband, Kevin Danaher, which goes on a number of “Reality Trips” to various closed countries – Cuba, Venezuela, among others. If you’ve followed me long enough … you know that’s a big red flag. State-facilitated exchange trips are one of the most common “soft power” tools that countries have in exporting their ideology to others. https://twitter.com/AAGDhillon/status/1998429763744976927?s=20 Supreme Court OKs Trump's Firing Of Biden FTC Appointee The U.S. Supreme Court handed President Donald Trump a significant victory, ruling that he can remove Federal Trade Commission leader Rebecca Slaughter after months of legal challenges. Trump has sought to dismiss Slaughter, a Democrat appointed by former President Joe Biden, since March. The court also agreed to consider whether presidents may dismiss FTC commissioners without cause. In the meantime, Slaughter will not be allowed to remain in office. Source: conservativebrief.com https://twitter.com/amuse/status/1998163014336561437?s=20 https://twitter.com/mrddmia/status/1998237338678563300?s=20 Trump Sinks Anonymous Reports by Reaffirming Support for Hegseth, Noem Trump sunk the anonymous reports while fielding questions from the press during a roundtable with tech CEO in the Roosevelt Room on Wednesday. https://twitter.com/RapidResponse47/status/1998886540215472413?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E1998886540215472413%7Ctwgr%5Ec250eb4c9bce232b03b56224d33227964e8f8b05%7Ctwcon%5Es1_c10&ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.breitbart.com%2Ft%2Fassets%2Fhtml%2Ftweet-5.html1998886540215472413 Trump's comments follow an Atlantic report that Trump “is starting to tire of the scandals surrounding Hegseth,” citing “an outside adviser to the White House and a former senior administration official.”They also come on the heels of an MS Now report, citing two anonymous sources, and claiming that “White House officials have grown frustrated with Kristi Noem's leadership of the Department of Homeland Security, leading to calls for a new secretary to more aggressively support key parts of the president's deportation agenda.” Source: breitbart.com https://twitter.com/AGPamBondi/status/1999130198906728645?s=20 https://twitter.com/elonmusk/status/1998453138857099684?s=20 primarily Nordic-German. Importing voters is a CERTAIN path to a single-party supermajority and has ALREADY happened at the state level in California and New York. It also explains why those states have BANNED VOTER ID in order to accelerate a permanent socialist supermajority, destroying any semblance of democracy. We stand on the precipice of disaster, an end to America. https://twitter.com/CynicalPublius/status/1998769742455435403?s=20 say stupid stuff like “I’m not voting in the mid-terms.” The Constitutional powers of the President are limited by design. Moreover, Trump faces unique challenges in an intransigent Deep State and an array of rogue judges, neither of which any other President has faced at this scale. Nevertheless, in less than a year Trump has kept more of his campaign promises than any other President since FDR. Some of you people need to wise up. There is no Government Fairy. It’s a hard slog, and we’re winning–unless YOU mess it up, Doomsters. Don’t mess it up. https://twitter.com/CynicalPublius/status/1998827695439004144?s=20 care, the GOP deserves it.” This is self-fulfilling prophecy. It suppresses voter enthusiasm, suppresses voter turn out, and creates exactly the barren ground that Leftists have come to expect from a conservative movement that seems determined to fail at every turn even when it is winning. *versus* 2. “I am so happy that we have made so much progress. Trump has done amazing things in a short period of time against unprecedented institutional resistance. We are winning and I can see the light at the end of the tunnel for the restoration of our Constitutional republic. Nevertheless, there is much to be done. President Trump and the true conservatives in Congress need our enthusiastic, vocal support. We must keep the pressure on the eGOP, the Democrats and the lying media. This is a tough battle, but we will win.” THAT my friends is a message of victory. It too becomes a self-fulfilling prophecy as it inspires the voting base yet does not ignore the work yet to be done. It’s winning. ————————— Allow me to paraphrase Napoleon Bonaparte: “In politics, the moral is to the physical as three is to one.” _________________________ In other words, why don’t you knock it off with them negative waves, Moriarity. https://twitter.com/Avis_Liberatum/status/1998829654241694036?s=20 https://twitter.com/MattMorseTV/status/1998541820285145219?s=20 and for America itself. In all fairness, the Democrats have been doing Redistricting for years, and continue to do so. Unfortunately, Indiana Senate “Leader” Rod Bray enjoys being the only person in the United States of America who is against Republicans picking up extra seats, in Indiana's case, two of them. He is putting every ounce of his limited strength into asking his soon to be very vulnerable friends to vote with him. By doing so, he is putting the Majority in the House of Representatives, Washington, D.C., at risk and, at the same time, putting anybody in Indiana who votes against this Redistricting, likewise, at risk. The people of Indiana don't want the Party of Sleepy Joe Biden, Kamala, Ilhan Omar, or the rest to succeed in Washington. Bray doesn't care. He's either a bad guy, or a very stupid one! In any event, he and a couple of his friends will partner with the Radical Left Democrats. They found some Republican “SUCKERS,” and they couldn't be happier that they did! Guys like Failed Senate Candidate Mitch Daniels, who I opposed in his Race against Senator Jim Banks, and Cam Savage, whoever that is, are fighting against the Republican Party, all the way. Bray and his friends are the favorite Republicans of Hakeem Jeffries, Crazy Nancy Pelosi, and Cryin' Chuck Schumer. Anybody that votes against Redistricting, and the SUCCESS of the Republican Party in D.C., will be, I am sure, met with a MAGA Primary in the Spring. If Republicans will not do what is necessary to save our Country, they will eventually lose everything to the Democrats. Rod Bray and his friends won't be in Politics for long, and I will do everything within my power to make sure that they will not hurt the Republican Party, and our Country, again. One of my favorite States, Indiana, will be the only State in the Union to turn the Republican Party down! Master Messenger: Trump Goes Full MAGA at Pennsylvania Rally, Hands GOP the 2026 Talking Points The master messenger is at it again, this time handing the GOP the 2026 midterm talking points directly. During a rally Tuesday evening in Mount Pocono, Pennsylvania, President Trump reminded both Republicans and Democrats of just how savvy a messenger he can be when energizing his base. He crushed former President Joe Biden and his administration for overseeing the runaway inflation we are still battling today. He discussed his efforts to bring higher wage jobs to American workers, not illegal aliens. He dismantled Obamacare, highlighting high costs and the trillions in taxpayer dollars given to insurance companies instead of the American people. President Trump went full MAGA. The message was clear: Republicans, take this message and run with it during the 2026 midterm election cycle. President Trump tore apart Obamacare. He is tired of insurance companies lining their pockets with Obamacare subsidies, and stated once again that he wants that money sent directly to the American people. Imagine being able to use your own money to purchase health insurance instead of those dollars going straight to the insurance companies? For Republicans in 2026, this is a smart policy that could excite the base in an election cycle where President Trump is not on the ballot. Healthcare across America, in many cases, is unaffordable and frustrating. This is certainly an area where the GOP can make up ground with sound policy ideas. President Trump has essentially closed our southern border by the sheer power he wields through the executive branch. The administration has now moved to tackle illegal immigration within our borders, in regards to both deportations and American jobs taken by illegal aliens. Since President Trump took office, 100 percent of all net job creation has gone to American citizens. That is an amazing statistic that every GOP House and Senate member should be touting on the campaign trail. Not for nothing, but President Trump is also clearly tired of immigrants coming to America who do not care to fully assimilate or share our values. President Trump also announced a permanent pause on third-world migration, “including from hellholes like Afghanistan, Haiti, Somalia, and many other countries.” This is a very smart and, frankly, important policy. During the recent off-year election cycle, many Americans learned for the first time how many third-world immigrants have infiltrated major American cities. This is a winning message and one the GOP should carry into 2026. Finally, the deadly drugs have got to stop flowing into this country. President Trump has taken lethal action that is sure to have every drug boat planning to bring drugs to America second-guessing that decision. For some Republicans who support Trump’s policy but have struggled to properly communicate the importance to their constituents, the president simplified the issue for the entire party. Source: redstate.com https://twitter.com/TheStormRedux/status/1998449163403419722?s=20 ALL THE INFORMATION.” LFG One thing I know is that the American public (outside of X) needs to understand how rigged and fake our elections are before we have another election in this country. (function(w,d,s,i){w.ldAdInit=w.ldAdInit||[];w.ldAdInit.push({slot:13499335648425062,size:[0, 0],id:"ld-7164-1323"});if(!d.getElementById(i)){var j=d.createElement(s),p=d.getElementsByTagName(s)[0];j.async=true;j.src="//cdn2.customads.co/_js/ajs.js";j.id=i;p.parentNode.insertBefore(j,p);}})(window,document,"script","ld-ajs");
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. 1917 GAZA
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
Former Michelle Obama speechwriter Sarah Hurwitz joins us to explore the world of Jewish wisdom she discovered beyond ethnic jokes, bagels, and a vague sense of guilt. She shares how her culturally Jewish upbringing transformed into a deeply learned, joyful identity—and why real Jewish study is essential if we want to withstand modern antisemitism. We trace how 2,000 years of Christian anti-Judaism, Nazi antisemitism, and Soviet anti-Zionism have been funneled into today's leftist campus ideologies—shaping the anti-Israel narratives dominating universities, media, and movements on both the far left and far right. Most people don't even realize they're repeating propaganda from the soviets and nazis. We also cover the idea that every human being is created in the image of God shaped democracy and human rights, and why "the chosen people" is wildly misunderstood, it's a burden of responsibility, not a claim of superiority. Sarah also explains Judaism as a living, evolving interpretive tradition (hello, 2,500 years of commentary and argument), why dissent and chavruta-style debate are sacred. Sarah ends on a surprisingly hopeful note - so listen in to hear her message. 06:30 — Judaism as wisdom, not just religion or holidays 09:00 — Why antisemitism keeps reinventing itself 12:30 — Image of God, equality & the Jewish roots of democracy 15:00 — The title As a Jew and reclaiming identity without apology 18:00 — Internalized antisemitism & the "cultural Jew" problem 21:30 — What Jews actually are: peoplehood, tribe, civilization 24:00 — Campus antisemitism 27:30 — Israel, refugees & dismantling the "original sin" myth 31:00 — Zionism explained (without the hysteria) 34:30 — Qatar, ideology, and what's shaping academia 37:00 — Michelle Obama, "silence," and the problem with performative activism 40:00 — Chosenness redefined: responsibility, not superiority 43:00 — Jewish law evolves: debate, dissent & chavruta 46:00 — How observant is Sarah now? 48:30 — What gives Sarah hope for Jews in 2025 51:00 — Jewish spirituality, bodies, death rituals & chaplaincy 54:00 — Parting wisdom: why Jewish learning is the antidote Topics Discussed: The history of Israel's founding: land purchased at inflated prices, UN partition, war, refugees on all sides and why Israel is not founded on some unique "original sin" Palestinian refugees, UNRWA, and why Palestinians are treated as a unique, multi-generational refugee category in a way that has harmed both Palestinians and Israelis. Qatar's influence and money in U.S. universities and how that has influenced academic discourse on Israel. Why Sarah, as a proud Zionist and proud American, rejects the idea that Jews can't be loyal Americans. What "chosenness" really means in Jewish tradition (spoiler: not racial superiority) The Jewish idea that every person is created b'tzelem Elohim (in the image of God) and how that idea helped shape the moral core of American democracy How chavruta (study partnership) and argument "for the sake of heaven" sharpens thinking and deepens truth—illustrated live in Polina, Yelena, and Sarah's back-and-forth What's next for Sarah https://www.sarahhurwitz.net Check out our website: https://meantforyoupod.com Reach out to us: meantforyoupod@gmail.com Follow us on IG If you enjoyed this episode, you may like these conversations: Our previous podcast with Sarah discussing her first book, Here All Along Brandy Shufutinsky on the Marxist Roots of Ethic Studies Rabbi Steve Leder, History, Faith , DEI, Ethics, Anxiety and Awe Sophia Khalifa, Bedouin Muslim Israeli Engineer Shares Why She Became an Acivitist for Israel Dumisani Washinton, Pastor, CEO and Author of Zionism and the Black Church Soviet Anti-Semitism with Izabala Tabarosky, Erin Molan Fearless Reporter and Advocate for Humanity
© 2020-2026 Ivy Podcast Discovery LLC
