This story was originally published by the WND News Center.
JERUSALEM – In the pre-dawn hours of Oct. 7, 2023, Yahya Sinwar and his family moved among the tunnels underneath Gaza, which the terrorist organization he led – Hamas – had dug over the preceding 16 years or so.
The ideologue and religious fanatic was doing so in advance of Hamas commandos cross-border raid into Israel, which he anticipated would redraw the Middle Eastern map and tilt the balance of power in the region. He was right … just not in the way he envisaged.
Sinwar made a number of assumptions – about his implacable foe, Israel, (despite its doctors saving his life with expert medical care), the strength of his own forces, the hoped-for international abandonment of Israel (which did happen, although not quite to the extent he anticipated), and the level of support he could call upon from his ideological fellow-travelers, particularly Iran. As it turns out, he was wrong about pretty much all of them; and his hubristic miscalculation has generated the kind of energy in the region, which could topple long-standing regimes – particularly in Syria and potentially even in Iran.
It is one of the modern day's most elusive counterfactual arguments; if Sinwar had been a rational actor might he have played an even longer game (as both Hezbollah and Iran wished), and have been able to create the conditions – not through barbarism and violence – where his aims could have been achieved through other means? We will never know. At around 6:30 on that fateful Black Sabbath, we wouldn't know it yet, but the Middle East would be changed forever.
There are significant markers, which need to be pointed out to help plot out the evolution of the situation in the Middle East.
Oct. 7, 2023 – Hamas terrorists, eventually followed by ordinary Gazans carry out the worst massacre of Jews – some 1,200 in one day – since the Second World War. Some 250 hostages are taken back into Gaza, including a nine-month-old baby. Several soldiers killed in the initial action are also kidnapped.
Oct. 8, 2023 – While there are still Hamas, Gazan terrorists roaming around parts of Israel, Hezbollah, the farthest forward unit of the Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps (IRGC) in Lebanon begins to fire rockets over the border in northern Israel. The Israeli government decides to create tens of thousands of internally displaced refugees, fearing an Oct. 7-style attack across the Lebanese border.
Oct. 18, 2023 – In a strong show of support, U.S. President Joe Biden arrives in Israel in a solidarity mission, as well as to warn Jerusalem against military adventurism in other parts of the Middle East.
Oct. 21, 2023 – Israel sends in aid trucks, filled with fuel, food, and medicines to Gaza.
Oct. 27, 2023 – Having fully mobilized and called up some 300,000 reserve soldiers, the IDF rolls its tanks into Gaza. This part at least was definitely part of Sinwar's plan.
Nov. 15, 2023 – IDF troops enter Al-Shifa hospital finding Hamas command center, an enormous tunnel, as well as significant weapons caches.
Nov. 21, 2023 – Israel and Hamas agree to four-day humanitarian ceasefire; 50 Israeli women and children were supposed to be released in return for 150 criminal Palestinian women and children detainees in Israel.
Dec. 1, 2023 – War resumes after Hamas releases some 104 hostages and Israel releases 240 detainees.
Dec. 14, 2023 – Biden accuses Israel of "indiscriminate bombing."
Jan. 11, 2024 – International Court of Justice in the Hague hears opening statements in a case in which South Africa accuses Israel of "war crimes and genocide."
April 13, 2024 – Iran fires some 300 ballistic missiles, drones and cruise missiles at Israel, purportedly in retaliation for the elimination of several senior IRGC leaders in a building adjacent to Iran's consulate in Damascus, Syria.
July 13, 2024 – At the eighth attempt, IDF successfully eliminates Hamas military mastermind Mohammed Deif – although confirmation would not come for a few weeks.
July 20, 2024 – Israeli jets pound Hodeidah port in Yemen, after Houthi terrorists fired a at least three ballistic missiles at the Jewish state.
July 27, 2024 – 12 Druze children are killed in Majdal Shams in northern Israel after Hezbollah fired a missile into the soccer field they were playing on.
July 30, 2024 – IAF eliminates reclusive senior Hezbollah leader Fuad Shukr in the Dahiyeh suburb of Beirut, one of the terrorist group's strongholds.
July 31, 2024 – An explosive charge is planted in the room of senior Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh in an IRGC compound in Tehran, killing him and his bodyguard. Haniyeh was in Tehran to attend the inauguration of Iran's new President Masoud Pazeshkian, after former president Ebrahim Raisi was killed in a May helicopter crash in Iran.
Aug. 28, 2024 – IDF launches widespread incursion into Judea and Samaria to tackle the issue of Palestinian terrorists, increasingly armed by Iran. This largest operation since the 2002 Defensive Shield, it came in response to an attempted suicide bombing in Tel Aviv.
Aug. 31, 2024 – IDF recovers bodies of 6 hostages – including dual U.S.-Israeli citizen Hersh Goldberg-Polin – who were murdered shortly before.
Sept. 17, 2024 – Israel's Mossad pulls off the remarkable beeper operation, in which thousands of personal pagers, almost exclusively only given to Hezbollah operatives, simultaneously explode across large swaths of Lebanon and Syria.
Sept. 27, 2024 – IAF attacks Hezbollah headquarters with 80 tons of missiles, killing long-serving general secretary Hassan Nasrallah, the face of the organization.
Oct. 1, 2024 – Iran fires another salvo of 180 ballistic and cruise missiles at Israel.
Oct. 17, 2024 – IDF confirms the killing of Yahya Sinwar, who was eliminated after a routine patrol stumbled upon his whereabouts.
Oct. 27, 2024 – Between a third and a half of Israel's entire air force – fighter jets and refueling planes – fly some 1,200 miles to strike targets in Iran, including around the capital, Tehran, It is the first time since the Iran-Iraq war in the 1980s that Iran has been directly targeted. The IAF struck a secret nuclear development site, as well as destroying all the country's anti-aircraft missile batteries, without losing a single plane.
Nov. 27, 2024 – Israel and Lebanon agree to a ceasefire to bring at least a temporary halt to the fighting.
Nov. 29 – Dec. 2, 2024 – Sunni Islamists with the likely backing of Qatar and Turkey rout Syrian forces loyal to President Bashar al-Assad and take over large swaths of the country.
This timeline shows the level of devastation Sinwar's decision brought to the region and the unintended consequence that far from ending the Jewish state, and there is an argument to be made that it is in a stronger position than it was, certainly on Oct. 7 and for a few weeks afterward.
Israel's determination to take on its enemies – for what else could it do in an existential war – has provided succor to others in the region. Iran and Hezbollah are still powerful enemies, but their respective rhetoric has been shown up by Israel's relentlessness. In the nineteenth century, German field marshal Helmuth von Moltke said, "No military plan survives contact with the enemy," which seems an eerily accurate appraisal of this situation. Sinwar thought he knew Israel and Israelis from his time in its prison and his command of the language. However, his gamble looks like it might end up reorienting the balance of power in the entire Middle East, taking down some of his erstwhile friends with it.
This story was originally published by the WND News Center.
The government bureaucrats regulating Realtors in the state of Virginia are assembling an attack on a real estate agent who is in trouble because he shared a Bible verse, including one addressing his beliefs on marriage.
It is in a report at Faithwire that the situation involving Wilson Fauber., who also is a minister, is outlined.
He reports he's facing ethics charges in his industry and could lose his Realtor status, all because he made social media posts regarding biblical beliefs about marriage.
He's being represented by the Foundation Freedoms Law Center, and his problems developed when he decided to run for the Stanton, Virginia, city council.
"During my journey running for Staunton City Council, some of the opposition from a different party decided that they were going to scour my Facebook pages and see if they could find any dirt on me. And they went back to 2015 and they found a Scripture that I posted from Leviticus … where the Lord clearly states that homosexuality is an abomination to Him," he explained.
He was forced to notify police when opposition messages were perceived as threats, and when he lost the election, the National Association of Realtors claimed in an email that a complaint had been filed against him, over his beliefs.
"My complainant said that they thought that posting that Scripture and other Scriptures that I've posted is hate speech. And taking me to task with the National Association of Realtors. … It's very bizarre, in a way, but, as we look at what's happening around the world, it's not," he explained in the report.
Lawyer Michael Sylvester told Faithwire the Bible verses were posted "on behalf of his ministry."
The lawyer said while the real estate group establishes ethics rules to create guidelines for their behavior, the problem has come up because the organization created its own "hate" speech rule that appears to infringe on the First Amendment.
Sylvester explained in the report the rule "suggests that it controls that minister's activity and therefore that individual activity."
Fauber said the agenda against speech, including a looming hearing, is "persecution and certainly trying to silence my free speech."
His lawyer said he didn't do or say anything that qualifies as hate speech, and the complaint should have been dismissed out of hand.
Fauber explained, "I believe the Lord has called me for such a time as this to be His voice in this particular matter and He has given me His peace."
This story was originally published by the WND News Center.
A new report from the Wall Street Journal has detailed how local governments in China are withholding wages from government-paid employees and pensioners in a desperate bid to save cash.
According to the report, dozens of medical staff in the city of Shanwei, located in southeast China, protested by occupying a hall within a public hospital in October over unpaid wages and bonuses. Retired city employees of Yichun, in the northeast of China, also gathered to protest pensions that had not been paid out for months.
The growing debt of local governments is stretching into the trillions, which the WSJ notes is largely "borrowed off the books," as China's shadow banking, which consists of loans outside of traditional banking, continues to swell.
Currently, China's debt officially sits at just under $10 trillion. When factoring in shadow banking, the true debt reaches over $30 trillion.
The report further notes social media has been putting on a spotlight on months-long wage arrears, and it suggests cities are "strapped for cash" and drowning in debt, while recent cash injections via stimulus to local governments by the Chinese Communist Party, have only just "scratched the surface."
Authorities are now cutting medical benefits and attempting to find unpaid taxes to bolster their budgets, but the ongoing impact will eventually affect China's private business sector, employers of civil servants, contractors, and could lead to China's economic growth grinding to a halt.
Employees of Shanghai-based Guoli True Leather Company protested this week after not receiving wages for months.
However, wage issues are not a new issue in China. In 2023, employees of state-owned companies said they hadn't been paid for over 45 months, while pensioners said their promised benefits and medical insurance payments had been reduced.
This story was originally published by the WND News Center.
A lawsuit has been filed against Kay Jewelers after a Christian employee was fired for talking about her faith with a co-worker.
Commentator Todd Starnes explained the situation had the markings of a "setup."
"The conversation happened in a back work area at a Kay Jewelers in Fairlawn, Ohio. The coworker continuously pressed (Mika) Cohen for her personal opinions about Pride Month. Finally, she explained that she is a Christian and shared her sincerely held beliefs on God's definition of marriage and sexuality," he explained. "A few weeks later Kay Jewelers launched a HR investigation into the conversation alleging her remarks were inappropriate."
Shortly later, she was fired.
"It certainly appears as though Cohen is the victim of a setup by a pro-LGBT staffer. To make matters even worse, it appears as though Kay Jewelers is anti-Christian. Diamonds may be a girl's best friend, but Kay Jewelers is certainly no friend to Christians," he said.
It is the American Center for Law and Justice that took on the case.
It said it is defending "an employee's right to express her religious beliefs," this time in Ohio.
Cohen was dismissed by Kay from her position as assistant manager in Fairlawn, Ohio, for sharing her Christian beliefs with a co-worker after repeatedly being asked to do so, the legal team said.
The law firm explained how the situation developed:
While working at Kay Jewelers in June 2023, Ms. Cohen's co-worker asked for her thoughts and opinions on a religious topic. Importantly, while Ms. Cohen's co-worker prodded Ms. Cohen's position on the topic out of the earshot of customers or other employees, Ms. Cohen politely attempted to avoid speaking on the subject completely by saying everyone is entitled to their own opinions.
Nonetheless, the co-worker gave her opinion on God's creation of humanity and kept prodding Ms. Cohen to share her religious beliefs. After being pressured repeatedly to share her beliefs, Ms. Cohen finally shared her beliefs on the Bible's teachings.
The ACLJ confirmed there was "no quarrel or hostility," and the conversation ended shortly.
Then Cohen was informed by Kay that an investigator was looking into her "inappropriate discussions of religion at work.:
Then came her firing.
"No further explanation was given and no termination letter was provided – Ms. Cohen was simply told to pack up her things and leave," the ACLJ said. "This uncalled-for and unjust termination left Ms. Cohen and her family without insurance to cover medical necessities and much of the income upon which they relied."
Kay's parent company does, in fact, promote the leftist beliefs about "diversity, equity, and inclusivity" on its website.
"Clearly, this 'commitment' only applies to non-Christian beliefs that do not align with the Bible's teachings. Kay Jewelers' conduct in this case demonstrates no valid basis to fire Ms. Cohen, and its lack of transparency or accountability for violating Ms. Cohen's rights constitutes a blatant disregard for religious freedom and a demonstrative act of religious intolerance," the charges by ACLJ include.
This story was originally published by the WND News Center.
As January 2025 approaches, with Donald Trump poised to return to the White House, speculation is growing about how the U.S. will handle Iran's nuclear program. Some analysts believe that a "maximum pressure" policy, similar to that of Trump's first term, alongside efforts to curtail Iran's oil sales, could compel the regime to scale back its nuclear ambitions.
However, substantial evidence suggests that the Iranian regime has no intention of abandoning its nuclear program.
The weakening of Iran's regional proxies
Iran's proxies, including Hezbollah, have either been significantly weakened or cut off altogether, leaving the regime without the tools it once employed to exert pressure on the international community. Previously, these proxies, combined with the threat of nuclear escalation, allowed Iran to push Europe and the U.S. toward appeasement – overlooking its regional terrorism, widespread executions, and human rights abuses within Iran.
At most, this approach elicited mild verbal condemnations. Today, with these leverage points diminished, the regime relies almost exclusively on its nuclear program as a bargaining chip. Ahmad Naderi, a member of the Iranian Parliament's presidium, acknowledged this when he stated, "Without moving toward a nuclear bomb, balance in the region cannot be achieved."
International and domestic reactions
On Nov. 21, the International Atomic Energy Agency Board of Governors issued a resolution against Iran, with Russia and China voting against it. According to the Wall Street Journal, "The rebuke, presented by Britain, France, and Germany with U.S. support, marks the first significant step in a months-long process that could end with the re-imposition of international sanctions on Iran." The resolution calls on Tehran to immediately cooperate with the IAEA and address its unanswered questions.
Over the past three decades, the Iranian regime has not only pursued its nuclear bomb program clandestinely but also advanced it significantly through deceit. It has now reportedly produced 32 kilograms of 60% enriched uranium – enough for several nuclear weapons, in clear violation of the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action, "the Iran nuclear deal."
Tehran continues to evade the IAEA's questions, refusing to provide the transparency required under international agreements.
Meanwhile, the National Council of Resistance of Iran, or NCRI, an opposition group that first exposed Iran's nuclear program in 2002, argues that the regime's nuclear ambitions are fundamentally at odds with the interests of the Iranian people. They note that the nuclear program has cost the country over $2 trillion, pushing more than two-thirds of the population into extreme poverty.
NCRI president-elect Maryam Rajavi, who presents her organization as an alternative to the radical theocratic regime, has stated that preventing Iran from acquiring nuclear weapons is essential for regional peace. Rajavi considers invoking the so-called "snapback" mechanism under U.N. Security Council Resolution 2231 – which would automatically reactivate six prior Security Council resolutions against Iran's nuclear activities – as essential and long overdue.
The Iranian regime's tactics
Ali Larijani, adviser to Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei and former speaker of Iran's parliament, remarked, "If the new U.S. administration claims to oppose nuclear weapons, it must accept Iran's conditions… to reach a new agreement, rather than issuing one-sided decrees like their decision at the IAEA!"
The regime appears determined to draw Trump's upcoming administration into negotiations to buy time and avoid the snapback mechanism, reinstating U.N. sanctions. This mechanism could be activated as soon as October 2025, when key JCPOA restrictions are set to expire. To this end, in a speech on Nov. 25, Khamenei announced a reduction in uranium enrichment levels from 60% to 20%, signaling a tactical retreat to pacify international pressure. Meanwhile, Kamalvandi, head of Iran's Atomic Energy Organization, has confirmed that the regime is quietly working to increase enrichment to 90%, leveraging advanced technologies in an effort to surprise the international community – much as North Korea did when it suddenly revealed its nuclear capability.
Europe, the U.S., and closing the international divide
For years, the Iranian regime exploited divisions between Europe and the U.S. to sustain its nuclear program. However, according to Heshmatollah Falahatpisheh, former chairman of Iran's National Security and Foreign Policy Commission, "The IAEA resolution is the first sign of a harsh winter for Iran. Europe has moved toward Trump's maximum pressure policy. They demand a rollback of nuclear activities and increased inspections without offering any concessions."
The once-notable gap between Europe and the U.S. appears to be narrowing.
Europe – heavily impacted by the wars not only in Ukraine, where Iran has supported Russia both diplomatically and militarily, but in the Middle East, where Iran has played an outsized role in funding proxy armies and destabilizing the region – is rethinking its approach. The Iranian regime's involvement in these conflicts, coupled with the 2022 protests that exposed its internal vulnerabilities, has pushed Europe away from its previous appeasement policies.
Increasingly, Europe seems to be aligning with Trump's hardline stance on Iran. Resolving the Ukraine war is particularly critical for Europe, and achieving this goal will require close cooperation with the U.S., which is likely to also strengthen their joint position on Iran's nuclear ambitions.
At the same time, Trump's strategy for maximizing pressure on Iran depends on European cooperation. Since the U.S. is no longer a JCPOA participant, Europe must take the lead in activating Article 11 of U.N. Security Council Resolution 2231 to restore sanctions on Iran. This move would bypass the need for approval from the International Atomic Energy Agency and sidestep vetoes from Russia or China.
Conclusion
With growing alignment between the U.S. and Europe, combined with the Iranian regime's internal and external vulnerabilities, the likelihood of activating the "snapback" mechanism is high. This action represents the most feasible path to ensuring peace in the Middle East and averting a nuclear arms race in the region. Under these circumstances, the Iranian regime will likely continue employing diplomatic maneuvers to buy time. However, given the global toll of ongoing conflicts, Tehran's ability to delay the inevitable appears increasingly limited.
This story was originally published by the WND News Center.
A scheduled stopover visit to the U.S. state of Hawaii for Taiwan's President Lai Ching-te has prompted an angry response from China, whose officials are now urging the Biden administration to not allow Lai to land on U.S. soil.
According to TaiwanPlus News, Lai begins his first official trip as president on November 30th, and will be travelling around the Pacific, transiting in Hawaii and possibly the U.S. territory of Guam. Lai, who has been labelled a "separatist" by China, will be visiting the island nations of Tuvalu, Palau, and the Marshall Islands – three of Taiwan's remaining diplomatic allies.
China is accusing Lai of seeking independence for Taiwan by bolstering its diplomatic ties with the U.S. and other allies, something China says violates its one-China principle. China urged the White House to reconsider allowing Lai to land on U.S. soil, and to "stop enabling" Taiwan's "separatist" forces.
Taiwan, officially called the Republic of China, is a self-ruling democratic island settled by Nationalist forces in 1949 after they fled the mainland after they were defeated by the Chinese Communist Party led by Mao Zedong.
China claims ownership of Taiwan in its entirety, rejecting its independence, despite evidence the island's human habitation dates back tens of thousands of years, predating the arrival of the Chinese.
China's Taiwan Affairs Office spokesperson Chen Binhua said during a news conference China rejects any narrative that implies Taiwan is a separate entity from China, and accused Lai of relying on outside nations to gain support for Taiwan's independence
"This so-called 'transit' by the leader of the Taiwan authorities is essentially seeking independence by relying on [forces from] the outside," Chen said, "Any attempt to create a 'one China, one Taiwan' and 'two Chinas' [narrative] along with other provocative acts that violate the one-China policy principle, will certainly be opposed by China."
Chen noted that allowing Lai to land in Hawaii would send "the wrong signals" to forces that support Taiwan's independence.
"We urge the United States side to abide by the one-China principle and the provisions of the three joint communiques of China and the United States, and to stop sending the wrong signals to the forces for 'Taiwan independence,'" Chen said.
According to the Strait Times, China could carry out military drills near Taiwan shortly after Lai wraps up his trip around the Pacific.
This story was originally published by the WND News Center.
In response to a student's objections to her school district's mask mandate during COVID, the district suspended her three times, told police to cite her for trespassing, and then had her arrested and jailed.
So of course she has standing to sue for the treatment, according to an appeals court decision.
It is the 10th Circuit Court of Appeals, which oversees federal judges in Wyoming, that rejected and overturned a decision from Judge Nancy Freudenthal, who had dismissed the complaint from Grace Smith and her parents Andy and Erin Smith.
They sued the Albany County School District in August 2023 over its attacks over the mask demand.
Freudenthal claimed that Smith had no standing, so dismissed the action, a move that was reversed in a ruling from Harris Hartz, Gregory Phillips, and Allison Eid of the 10th Circuit.
According to a report from the Cowboy State Daily, the judges wrote, "We are not persuaded" by Freudenthal's claims.
The ruling explains when a government regulation forbids or requires some action by the plaintiff, she almost invariably can show she's been harmed.
"Grace has easily met the requirements for standing. She alleges that the defendants repeatedly punished her for opposing the mask mandate. They suspended her three times and requested that local law enforcement issue her two trespassing citations, arrest her, and take her to jail," the appellate judges noted.
Smith, now a former Laramie High School student, now can continue her court battle against the school.
The Cowboy State Daily report noted, "Smith had refused to wear a mask, had declined to take virtual instead of in-person schooling, organized a walkout in protest of the mask mandate, was suspended for three different two-day stints, and was ultimately arrested for trespassing while at school."
As a result of the school's demands, "Police officers arrested and handcuffed Smith, drove her to the police station, booked her for trespassing, then released her to her father."
She then withdrew from the school.
The report explains she has accused the school of violating her right to free speech by compelling her "to utter what was not in her mind" by wearing a mask.
Then, her claims include, there was retaliation by the school and a violation of due process.
This story was originally published by the WND News Center.
JERUSALEM – Middle East/Israel Morning Brief
Amsterdam mayor nixes Christians for Israel rally because city 'cannot guarantee safety'
Amsterdam Mayor Femke Halsema announced in a meeting with pro-Israel groups in the Netherlands who asked to hold a rally against anti-Semitism in the country scheduled for Thursday that it could not take place in Dam Square since the city couldn't "guarantee the safety of attendees at that location."
Frank van Oordt, director of Christians for Israel in the Netherlands, said the rally must take place. "We believe the rally must proceed, even if at a different location. We considered legal action but determined there wasn't enough time to pursue it effectively," he said.
A ceasefire between Israel and the Iran-backed Hezbollah in Lebanon came into effect at 4:00 a.m. on Wednesday, bringing an end to almost 14 months of Hezbollah-initiated fighting across the northern border, which began the day after the Oct. 7, 2023, Hamas terror onslaught in southern Israel.
Ted Cruz 'deeply disturbed' by Obama-Biden officials' pressure on Israel to accept ceasefire
U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz, a member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, issued a statement Tuesday, in which he criticized the Biden administration for being "pathologically obsessed" with undermining Israel. Further, he wrote he was "deeply disturbed both by reports that Obama-Biden officials exerted enormous pressure on our Israeli allies to accept this ceasefire and by how those officials are characterizing Israel's obligations."
Biden takes credit for Israel-Lebanon ceasefire, says 'peace is possible'
"I applaud the courageous decision made by the leaders of Lebanon and Israel to end the violence. It reminds us that peace is possible," Biden said in a hopeful speech from the White House Rose Garden in which he announced that the deal would come into effect at 4 a.m. local time Wednesday morning.
Hamas intimates willingness to talk truce deal after the Israel-Hezbollah ceasefire
A high-ranking Hamas official has told French news agency AFP Wednesday that the terror group is prepared to enter into a ceasefire arrangement mirroring the recent agreement between Israel and Hezbollah in Lebanon.
Though the source did not specify ceasefire terms, Hamas has maintained its demands for a permanent cessation of hostilities, backed by international guarantees and a full withdrawal of Israeli forces from the Gaza Strip.
IDF fires warning shots at suspected Hezbollah operatives encroaching on border
IDF forces on Wednesday morning responded to a ceasefire violation by the Hezbollah terrorist group.
During the incident, Hezbollah terrorists neared the Lebanese village of Kfarkela, which overlooks the northern Israeli town of Metula. Spotting the terrorists, the Israeli forces fired warning shots.
Reports emerged Wednesday that the three Uzbek nationals wanted for their alleged perpetration of the murder of Moldovan-Israeli Chabad emissary Rabbi Zvi Kogan in Abu Dhabi last week, were apprehended in Turkey and promptly extradited to the United Arab Emirates.
Former N.Y. Gov. Cuomo joins Dershowitz's legal 'dream team' to fight ICC arrest warrants
Former New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo – who is potentially eyeing up a run for New York City mayor – has joined forces with Harvard professor emeritus Alan Dershowitz on a so-called legal dream team to challenge the recently issued International Criminal Court arrest warrants for Israel's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and former defense minister Yoav Gallant.
Former Justice Minister: ICC decision breaches own foundational principles
Prominent human-rights lawyer and former Canadian justice minister Irwin Cotler, about whom it was recently revealed he has an Iranian bounty on his head requiring a 24/7 security detail, said in an interview the International Criminal Court's issuance of warrants for the arrest of Israel's Prime Minister and former defense minister Yoav Gallant went against the body's own foundational principles. "To me, that was a breach of his own principle of cooperation, let alone also the principle of complementarity," he said.
Netanyahu agrees to ceasefire after quid pro quo with France over ICC arrest warrants
France indicated that it may ignore the International Criminal Court (ICC) arrest warrants issued for Israeli officials, a statement from the Élysée Palace said on Wednesday.
The statement reiterated that France would respect its international obligations and understood that the Rome Statute requires full cooperation with the ICC. However, it noted, "A State cannot be required to act in a manner inconsistent with its obligations under international law concerning the immunities of the States not party to the ICC."
IDF names Druze soldier killed in northern Gaza fighting
The Israel Defense Force released the name of the 13th Druze soldier to be killed in the Swords of Iron War – Sgt. Tamer Othman. He fell in a clash between Jabaliya and Beit Lahiya during a raid in the area and became the 806th Israeli military fatality since Oct. 7, 2023.
UNRWA announces closure of its East Jerusalem HQ
UNRWA has announced the closure of its East Jerusalem headquarters, following recent Israeli legislation severing ties with the organization. Palestinian employees have been notified that their positions at the Sheikh Jarrah (Shimon HaTzadik) facility will be terminated.
UNRWA's presidential office in Sheikh Jarrah houses the organization's legal department, which oversees the agency's legal matters across all areas of operation. The facility also includes the agency's spokesperson's office and its central communications department.
This story was originally published by the WND News Center.
U.S. Sen. John Kennedy, R-La., has established a reputation for turning a phrase or two about Washington's politics, the Deep State, Democrats, and much more.
For example, when Joe Biden fared poorly in a presidential race debate with now President-elect Donald Trump, before Biden was forced out of that race to be replaced by Democrat elites with Kamala Harris, Kennedy concluded Biden "politically is as dead as fried chicken."
Now he's issued holiday wishes, a Thanksgiving message to Americans.
He was responding to a question from Sean Hannity of Fox News about leftists' ongoing attacks on Americans over the results of the 2024 election:
"Here's what I think. I think these people are goofy. They have the right to their opinion, but they're just goofy. They hate George Washington and Thomas Jefferson and Abraham Lincoln and Dr. Seuss and Mr. Potato Head," he said.
"They think our kids ought to be able to change genders at recess. They carry around Ziploc bags of kale to give themselves energy. To me—to each his own. To me, kale tastes like I'd rather be fat. Now, these people are entitled to their opinions, but they have an unwarranted sense of moral and intellectual superiority.
"They think they're smarter and more virtuous than the American people. And they think we're not real people. But we were, and we are real people. And in this last election, we got really mad, and we sent a message, clearly, unequivocally. And my message to all my friends and my enemies in America is: Happy Thanksgiving, and stay deplorable, my friend."
His "deplorable" reference is to a statement from failed 2016 Democrat candidate Hillary Clinton who dismissed some half of the nation, the conservative half, for their political and religious beliefs. She called them all "deplorables."
Joe Biden, during the 2024 race, called that same, now-majority, of Americans, "garbage."
Commenters on social media described Kennedy as a "national treasure."
One added, "Happy Thanksgiving! You can't help but feel good about being 'deplorable' after hearing this message from Sen. Kennedy."
This story was originally published by the WND News Center.
Warning bells are going off over the increasing threat China poses to the world's data, and the vast network of undersea fiber optic cables that connects almost the entire globe to the internet.
According to a report from Regtechtimes, the internet often takes multiple paths before it reaches its destination, travellng along undersea internet cables that criss-cross along vast areas of sea and ocean through a process called routing protocols. Software-Defined Networking is an advanced technology that can change data routes and allow data to travel more efficiently.
While this system is valuable, it also brings risk as data can be spied on, manipulated, slowed down or blocked. China is a leading investor in SDN technology, and a number of Chinese companies with ties to the Chinese Communist Party are some of the largest investors.
"Through these tools, China can secretly redirect internet traffic through its own networks, even when the data wasn't supposed to pass through its territory," the report states, adding one cable which connects Europe and Africa called PEACE can be redirected through Chinese systems despite it physically avoiding China.
The report further notes China has been mapping the ocean floor in great detail using underwater robots and research vessels, collecting data in the South China Sea, the Arctic, and the Indian Ocean. The mapping helps China plan submarine routes, locations of sensors, the deployment of underwater weapons – and exposes the location of undersea internet cables.
DW News reported last week there were suspicions China intentionally severed two fiber optic cables in the Baltic Sea, one connecting Finland to Germany, and the other between Sweden and Lithuania.
The Danish Navy reportedly said it had shadowed a Chinese cargo ship leaving the Baltic Sea after the cables had been cut. German Defense Minister Boris Pistorius called the incident an act of sabotage.
"Nobody believes that these cables were cut by mistake. I don't believe the theory that it was anchors that accidentally caused damage to these cables. So we have to conclude without knowing exactly who did it, that it was a hybrid action… We must also assume, without knowing it of course, that it is sabotage," Pistorius said.
Kadri Liik, a senior policy fellow at the European Council on Foreign Relations, said assuming the act was indeed sabotage, it would likely benefit the entity who carried it out by disrupting operations in the area.
"Always such things create problems. You need to send crews to repair it, you need to have spare capacity, and certain things [are] actually harder to repair than others," Liik said.