This story was originally published by the WND News Center.

The White House chore of calling out legacy media organizations for their misrepresentations of the administration of President Donald Trump seems to be a daily routine now.

Trump, who described those media outlets during his first term as president as "fake news," and often clashed verbally with activist reporters who took advantage of their postings at the White House to badger him, has exhibited little patience with inaccurate claims.

For example, in a report issued on Tuesday, it was AP, PBS, NBC and NPR who all claimed "operatives" from the Department of Government Efficiency "attempted to gain access to secure (government) spaces." The claims implied that classified information was "somehow at risk and being accessed without proper clearance," the White House explained.

"FACT: White House Communications Director Steven Cheung confirmed the reports were 'FAKE NEWS. Not even remotely true at all,' while top DOGE advisor Katie Miller noted 'no classified material was accessed without proper security clearances.'"

Then there was the false claim from Rep. Eric Swalwell, D-Calif., who has been one of his party's key attack dogs against Trump.

He claimed, "Until today you could file your taxes FOR FREE. Trump just took that away from you."

Explained the White House, "That's an easily debunked lie – the official IRS Direct File website remains online and is accepting tax returns. It's such an egregious lie, even the Associated Press admits 'the free filing program is still available.'"

The White House noted, "The onslaught of Fake News is coming at record speed as legacy media finds itself unable to process the speed at which President Donald J. Trump is working for the American people."

Then was the claim by a "random wannabe journalist," that the administration "Illegally installed a commercial server to control federal HR databases that contain sensitive personal information."

"FACT: Top DOGE advisor Katie Miller declared there is 'nothing illegal and no server, just more made up tall tales from uninformed career bureaucrats who probably telework.'"

Then there was the claim from Rep. Ilhan Omar, D-Minn., that said the Trump administration is "what the beginning of a dictatorship looks like."

She was inserting herself into what has become a massive scandal, the spending of U.S. tax dollars by USAID on "transgender comic books … DEI in Serbia, and transgender operas (whatever those are) in Colombia."

Actually, that's just "holding unelected bureaucrats accountable for their spending decisions," the White House said.

Further, it released a list of some of the most egregious USAID spending offenses found … so far.

Those would include $1.5 million to "advance diversity equity and inclusion in Serbia's workplaces, " $70,000 for a DEI musical in Ireland and $2.5 million for electric vehicles in Vietnam.

There also were expenditures for a transgender opera and a transgender comic book and sex changes in Guatemala.

This story was originally published by the WND News Center.

JERUSALEM – Middle East/Israel Morning Brief

Released Palestinian prisoners given bracelets with powerful Bible quote

Palestinian prisoners released in the third and fourth rounds of the hostage deal's first phase received bracelets from the Israel Prison Service with an Arabic inscription from the Book of Psalms, reading: "The eternal nation does not forget; I will pursue my enemies and overtake them."

Signs with the same message were displayed in IPS detention facilities as part of a psychological campaign alongside the prisoner releases. The translation on the bracelets was written in formal Arabic, which many prisoners struggled to understand, according to Ynet.

"No matter what they write, will it change anything?" a Palestinian Prisoners Affairs official said. "It's a gesture of provocation and threat, but beyond that, it has no meaning. All the prisoners removed IPS-issued clothing, including the bracelet meant to insult them."

The International Red Cross criticized the IPS, arguing the method of shackling and the use of the bracelets harmed the prisoners. During the release process, one prisoner felt unwell and was treated by IPS medical staff.

Israel released 183 prisoners on Saturday – 143 were transferred from Ketziot Prison in the Negev to Gaza, eight were deported to Egypt and 32 were released to Judea and Samaria from Ofer Prison, after which celebrations were held in Ramallah.

Trump to ISIS: 'WE WILL FIND YOU, AND WE WILL KILL YOU'

In fewer than 14 days, the Trump 2.0 administration has shown more resolve and willingness to take on America's enemies across the world than former U.S. President Joe Biden, former Secretary of State Anthony Blinken, and former Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin, managed in four unimpressive years.

This story was originally published by the WND News Center.

Steve Witkoff, U.S. President Donald Trump's special Middle East envoy, met with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and other Israeli officials in Jerusalem to discuss the implementation of the Israel-Hamas ceasefire.

Witkoff landed in Tel Aviv on a direct private flight from Saudi Arabia on Wednesday, according to reports in Israeli media.

Witkoff has also requested to meet with the seven Israeli hostages who have been released by Hamas since the ceasefire went into effect on Jan. 19, the Jewish News Syndicate reported.

Following his arrival in Israel, the U.S. envoy first traveled to the Netzarim Corridor, which divides northern Gaza from the south, together with Israeli Strategic Affairs Minister Ron Dermer.

Israeli officials told the Axios and Kan News outlets Witkoff and Dermer reviewed the implementation of the truce deal and inspected Palestinian vehicles driving northward on the Netzarim Corridor.

Israel pauses Palestinian security prisoner release after chaotic Gaza scenes at earlier hostage repatriation

Israel has halted the release of Palestinian security prisoners set to be freed after the return on Israeli hostages in protests against the scenes of chaos surrounding the release of Arbel Yehoud, Gadi Mozes, and five Thai nationals Channel 12 reported, according to the Times of Israel.

The report said the prisoners were on the buses ready to be released when they ordered off.

Red Cross says it has no control over Hamas conduct at hostage handover

The International Committee of the Red Cross says it does not have any control over how Hamas conducts itself during the handover process, in light of Hamas' questionable conduct during previous releases, reported the Times of Israel.

Freed hostages have noted handovers while surrounded by hostile mobs as being particularly frightening and traumatic.

"The ICRC is in contact with all sides regarding the terms of the release of hostages and detainees," organization spokesman Gilad Grossman said in response to a query from ToI. "While we bring up our concerns, we are not the ones who determine these terms."

During the release on January 19 of Doron Steinbrecher, Romi Gonen, and Emily Damari, the hostages were surrounded by an unruly crowd. When IDF soldiers Naama Levy, Liri Albag, Daniella Gilboa, and Karina Ariev were freed on Saturday, they were paraded on a stage in fake military uniforms while holding Hamas documentation. A Red Cross official also signed documents while sitting on the Hamas stage.

Al-Jazeera journalist reportedly produced Hamas' propaganda videos documenting terrorist group's release of Israeli hostages

A journalist with the Qatar-funded Al Jazeera news network reportedly produced videos for Hamas documenting its recent release of Israeli hostages. The reporter, Tamer Almisshal, is said to have orchestrated elaborate propaganda ceremonies on the terror group's behalf, according to Israel's i24 News.

This story was originally published by the WND News Center.

The Supreme Court has agreed to review the case of an Atlanta family targeted – wrongly – during an FBI SWAT raid.

Their home was broken into and they were subjected to the tactics SWAT teams use to arrest fugitives.

Then the government refused to pay their costs.

According to the Institute for Justice, which has represented the family, the decision will be over whether the Federal Torts Claims Act case can move forward.

Victimized by the government scheme were Trina Martin, her son Gabe, and her partner Toi Cliatt.

"What happened to us was deeply unjust, and I'm relieved that the Supreme Court is taking up our fight for justice and accountability," Trina said in a statement released by her lawyers.

"Congress wanted people in our unfortunate position to have the right to sue. When the government harms innocent people, it has a responsibility to make things right."

Patrick Jaicomo, a lawyer for the IJ, said, "Congress amended a federal statute to ensure that victims of wrongful federal police raids have a remedy in American courts. It's time for the Supreme Court to make it clear that the FTCA means what it says, and courts have no business carving exceptions into the statute Congress passed."

While federal law allows for compensation for people injured by federal employees, the government has fought for seven years against being responsible for the SWAT raid.

This story was originally published by the WND News Center.

JERUSALEM – Was it one of those moments for which U.S. President Trump is famous, thinking out-loud in front of reporters and seeing what kind of reaction he will get or was his idea of repatriating Gazan refugees in Egypt or Jordan a nod toward a change of policy?

Trump's statement about how he would like to "clean out" Gaza has set the region afire with people wondering whether the president was indeed serious, and if he was, how he would even be able to bring such a thing about.

During a 20-minute question-and-answer session with reporters on Air Force One, Trump described the Gaza Strip as a "demolition site," following the Hamas-Israel war, which is still paused according to the terms of a delicate ceasefire but could potentially reignite at short notice. He said he had spoken to Jordan's King Abdullah II regarding the issue, and was set to speak to Egypt's President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi about it Sunday.

Trump apparently told the king he'd like him to take more people, i.e. Palestinians. When reporters asked the president if he anticipated this being a temporary or long-term suggestion, he replied with a pithy, "Could be either."

"You're talking about probably a million and half people, and we just clean out that whole thing. You know, over the centuries it's had many, many conflicts, that site. And I don't know, something has to happen," Trump said.

In a similar vein, Trump told reporters he'd like Egypt to take people too, which is sure to set pulses racing as fast in Cairo as they might in Amman. He also said he'd like to see other Arab nations get involved "and build housing at a different location where they can maybe live in peace for a change."

This story was originally published by the WND News Center.

JERUSALEM – New – and damning – documents, the contents of which were released Thursday, highlight an IDF intelligence unit picked up signals for the preparation of rocket fire on Israel on the night before Oct. 7. According to Ynet, the same unit observed unusual activity of the Hamas aerial force.

The details of the report are deeply concerning, providing more questions than answers about the apparent unpreparedness of the IDF, in spite of the strong signs Hamas was preparing a significant attack. One of the clearest conclusions was the continuation of the prevailing sense of "conception." The Military Intelligence Directorate, governed by a wide consensus, did not brace for a possible assault. Apparently, this was part of an attempt to avoid burning sources, amid other "calming indications" suggesting Hamas was merely preparing an exercise.

It was a catastrophic failure of imagination, and scarcely believable. This information was reportedly included in official records seen by both top government and security personnel, and was presented in support of Chief of Staff Lt.-Gen. Herzi Halevi's resignation earlier this week.

As early as 2 a.m. – some four-and-a-half hours before the attack – the Israeli Air Force command center was informed about unusual activity in the Hamas aerial units. There were also signs of Hamas operatives preparing for rocket launches. These signs were also discussed with the head of the Southern Command Maj.-Gen. Yaron Finkelman – who also tended his resignation earlier this week – other senior IDF officers as well as air force representatives and the Shin Bet. At this stage, neither the head of Military Intelligence, Maj.-Gen. Aharon Haliva – who resigned in April – nor IAF head Maj.-Gen. Tomer Bar participated.

Three possible scenarios emerged from the discussions; an extensive Hamas drill, preparations by the terrorist group to defend against an IDF assault, or an operation of their own against Israel in the coming hours, which could have included a strike from the sea against a gas rig, a border breach, using the tunnels to abduct soldiers or civilians, a shooting attack, rocket attack or an aerial incursion through the use of paragliders. Those present agreed to monitor the situation, and Halevi had planned to reconvene at 8:30 a.m. unless there were "significant developments."

There was no 8:30 meeting. At 6:29 a.m. rocket sirens across much of Israel were activated as thousands of Hamas operatives used the cover of the rocket fire to begin their assault on the southern communities. They would be joined later by more than 2,000 "ordinary Gazans" as they raped, murdered and pillaged their way into kibbutzim close to the border fence.

These documents do not comprise the official probe into the failures of Oct. 7, a process which is ongoing. The IDF said it would complete its inquiries in the coming weeks and will present its findings to the public.

Other drips of information which have been released about the intelligence failings immediately prior to the Oct. 7 attacks also highlight a failure to act on suspicious activity. For example, Hamas' repeated attempts to blow up the security fence along the Gaza border in preparation for their murderous operation were dismissed as "provocations." In addition, Israeli intelligence operatives picked up hundreds of terrorists activating Israeli SIM cards in their phones. These were detected around midnight, as Oct. 6 ticked into Oct. 7.

The answer to the question about why the Nova Music Festival – at which hundreds of Israelis were mown down, butchered and many women raped – was allowed to continue despite the warning signs seems unsatisfactory. A senior officer told Ynet "protecting sources was prioritized." The source added the music festival would have been canceled if they had assessed the threat was actually imminent, and would have been prioritized over intelligence sources. The question of why it was not, will no doubt, like the outgoing chief of staff said about his own involvement, "haunt" them for the rest of their days.

This story was originally published by the WND News Center.

The White House has confirmed it has issued orders that all federal DEI operations are being closed and all of those workers are being placed on leave.

The "Diversity, Equity and Inclusion" ideology emphasized hiring individuals because they were a certain race or because of their claimed gender ideology rather than focusing on workers who actually were best at doing the job.

It's been used as reason for untold billions of dollars in tax spending in recent years, and in fact, has threatened Americans as key leaders in positions of authority, fire departments and such, have been chosen based on beliefs and lifestyles, not competency.

It's part of the White House effort to end affirmative action in federal employment, and probably will result in the layoffs of many of those workers in now-closed DEI offices.

President Donald Trump has identified such social agenda promotions as "discrimination" and said hiring should be based on merit.

The AP reported Trump's plans now pick up "where Trump's first administration left off: One of Trump's final acts during his first term was an executive order banning federal agency contractors and recipients of federal funding from conducting anti-bias training that addressed concepts like systemic racism."

Joe Biden reversed course immediately, installing discriminatory DEI programs throughout the government, a campaign that now is being ended.

Already, key players in the American economy, from Walmart to Facebook, have been scaling back or ending their Biden-influence discrimination programs.

The Gateway Pundit elaborated on Trump's "Ending Radical and Wasteful Government DEI Programs and Preferencing and Initial Rescissions of Harmful Executive Orders and Actions" executive order, noting, "Already, on Tuesday, DEI Coast Guard Commandant Admiral Linda Lee Fagan was fired by the acting Secretary of Homeland Security Benjamin Huffman due to several operational failures under her watch along with rampant political correctness."

A template email to workers explained, "These programs divided Americans by race, wasted taxpayer dollars, and resulted in shameful discrimination."

Those DEI officer are closing as of end of business Wednesday, with notification to workers they are on leave immediately.

Further, the report explains, websites and social media accounts must be updated to reflect the new non-discrimination standard and training is canceled.

Then by noon Thursday agencies are required to report on the steps they've taken.

Further, there was a warning that concealing such social agendas behind "coded" descriptions will not be tolerated.

"We are aware of efforts by some in government to disguise these programs by using coded or imprecise language," the order includes.

This story was originally published by the WND News Center.

JERUSALEM – Middle East/Israel Morning Brief

Released hostages speak of horrors of captivity, deprived of daylight for significant stretches

The three women released from Hamas captivity on Sunday shared their first testimonies from their captivity with N12 exclusively on Monday, cleared for publication by the military censor.

Doron Steinbrecher, Romi Gonen, and Emily Damari relayed they were initially held together but were later separated, according to the Jerusalem Post. They revealed they were only informed of their release on Sunday morning: "We couldn't believe it when we were told we were about to go home."

According to their testimonies, they were at times housed in humanitarian shelters designated for displaced Gazans.

Even though the women did sometimes receive medical help or medications, they spent significant stretches of time without daylight, confined to underground space, N12 added.

One of the women underwent a medical procedure without anesthesia. She told N12 she thought she would die in Gaza.

Republican lawmakers applaud Trump's removal of controversial imam from inauguration program

Congressional Republicans widely supported President Donald Trump's decision to pull an imam with controversial views on terrorism as a speaker at his inauguration.

While the Trump transition team declined Jewish Insider's requests for comment on why it had removed Imam Husham Al-Husainy from speaking at the inaugural benediction, the imam did not appear at Monday's proceedings despite being listed on an earlier version of the inauguration program.

Other religious leaders featured on the program – Rabbi Ari Berman, president of Yeshiva University; Senior Pastor Lorenzo Sewell of the 180 Church in Detroit; and Rev. Father Frank Mann of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Brooklyn – still spoke as planned during the ceremony, which took place in the Capitol Rotunda.

IDF chief of staff to step down March 6, says military's failings on Oct. 7 will 'haunt him for life'

The Israel Defense Force Chief of Staff Lt.-Gen. Herzi Halevi informed Defense Minister Israel Katz Tuesday of his intention to resign from his role effective March 6. In a statement, he said the failings of the Israeli military on Oct. 7, 2023 would haunt him for the rest of his life.

"I informed the defense minister today that in recognition of my responsibility in the failures of the IDF on Oct. 7, and while the military has made significant achievements and is in the midst of carrying out the agreement to free hostages, I am asking to end my term on March 6, 2025," Halevi said in a statement, according to Ynet.

"In the remaining time I will complete the inquiries and bolster the IDF's preparedness to face the security challenges. I will transfer command of the IDF in an orderly and meticulous fashion to my replacement. I sent my letter to the prime minister and the defense minister.

President Trump expected to announce immediate halt to UNRWA funding

The United States' 47th President Donald Trump will sign an executive order Monday halting all new foreign aid unless it fits with U.S. strategic goals, according to two incoming senior White House officials.

The aim is to prevent American taxpayers' cash falling into the hands of groups working against the U.S. or promoting 'diversity, equity, inclusion' agendas, for example.

And it will likely immediately halt new U.S. money going to the United Nations Relief and Works Agency.

It is the agency that distributes aid in Gaza but it has repeatedly been accused of close ties to the terror group Hamas. The UN admitted that nine of its staff may been involved in the Oct. 7 attack on Israel.

'The United States and American citizens have been some of the most generous people in the entire world,' an incoming White House policy adviser told DailyMail.com.

'But at this point, we have to understand that foreign policy is domestic policy, and if this is not aligned with our interests, then Uncle Sam should not be opening up his pocketbook any longer.'

IDF chief says military must prepare for 'significant' future operations in Judea and Samaria

Israel Defense Forces Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Herzi Halevi ordered the military on Monday to prepare for counter-terror operations in Judea and Samaria amid an uptick in terror following the ceasefire in Gaza.

"In addition to the intense defensive preparations in the Gaza Strip, we must be prepared for significant operations in Judea and Samaria in the coming days to get ahead of and catch the terrorists before they reach our citizens," Halevi stated following a situational assessment, and reported in the Jewish News Syndicate.

Halevi's remarks came hours after one IDF soldier was killed and four others were wounded, one seriously, by a roadside bomb in the Arab village of Tammun, northeast of Nablus (Shechem) in Samaria.

Concerns are also growing in Jerusalem that the release of hundreds of Palestinian terrorists as part of the ceasefire deal with Hamas – many of whom will be allowed to return to Judea, Samaria and the eastern part of the country's capital – has the potential to ignite more terror in the area.

Hamas in a statement issued on Tuesday morning called on all terrorists in Judea and Samaria to "rise in a sweeping wave of anger to deter the settlers" after protests against the ceasefire deal led to riots and the torching of Palestinian structures by Jewish extremists.

Poll: 21% of Americans prefer Hamas over Israel

Twenty-one percent of U.S. voters support the Hamas terrorist group over Israel, according to a Harvard/Harris poll.

One quarter of U.S. Democrats support Hamas. For Republicans, 19% back the terror group, and for independent voters the number is 20%, the survey says, according to the Times of Israel.

Support for the terrorists is highest among 25- to 34-year-olds, at 32%. Among 18- to 24-year-olds, 21% back Hamas; in the 35-44 age group, 29%; in the 45-54 age group, 23%; in the 55-64 age group, 17%; and for those over 65, 10%.

Democrats are most in favor of the ceasefire deal, at 87%, followed by Republicans, 81%, and independents, 78%.

Among all voters, 57% believe Hamas agreed to the hostage deal because of the incoming Trump administration, and 43% credit the Biden administration.

Sydney daycare center firebombed graffiti anti-Semitic message

A Sydney suburb kindergarten was set on fire and defaced with antisemitic graffiti late Monday in what Australian Jewish groups suspected to be arson and vandalism motivated by antisemitism, reported the Jerusalem Post.

The New South Wales Police Force said they were investigating a suspicious fire at a Maroubra childcare center which had caused extensive damage to the building. Local sources said there were signs of forced entry and the fire had started within the building.

The kindergarten was not a Jewish community facility, but local sources said there was antisemitic graffiti on the premises. Police said in their statement that offensive graffiti was spray-painted on an external wall, and law enforcement was treating the incident as a hate crime.

The Australian Jewish Association said on X the incident occurred near a synagogue. Some believe that due to the proximity of a synagogue, vandals may have been seeking to target a nearby Jewish kindergarten attached to that house of worship.

The NSW Jewish Board of Deputies called the incident an "antisemitic firebombing" that was intended to harass and intimidate Jewish Australians as part of "a campaign of domestic terrorism.

Trump not confident Gaza deal will hold through all 3 phases

U.S. President Donald Trump told reporters at the White House on Monday he's not confident that Israel's ceasefire deal with the Hamas terrorist group will hold through all three phases, according to the Jewish News Syndicate.

"It's not our war. It is their war. I am not confident. But I think they're very weakened on the other side," he said in response to a question in the Oval Office while signing orders in the first hours of his presidency.

Asked about the future governance of the Gaza Strip, the president said he believed "you certainly can't have the people that were there," in an apparent reference to the Iranian-backed Hamas terror organization.

Iran's Crown Prince writes open letter to Trump urging him to bring down Tehran's Islamic theocracy

U.S. President Donald Trump can use his so-called maximum pressure policy on Iran to put an end to the Islamic Republic's tyranny, exiled crown prince Reza Pahlavi said in a letter warning the US president against trusting the ruling clerics, reported Iran International.

"No American President has yet had the courage to put an end to this tyranny," Pahlavi said in the letter he published on X as Trump was sworn in at the US Capitol.

"You can," he said. "Not through war, but by maintaining maximum pressure on the regime and providing maximum support to the brave Iranian people."

Trump has in his previous interviews and speeches appeared to rule out seeking regime change in Iran. In an October interview with Iranian-American podcaster Patrick Bet-David, Trump was asked if he would like to see Iran change its ruling system. He replied, "We can't get totally involved in all that. We can't run ourselves, let's face it."

Hamas claims 4 unnamed female hostages to be released Saturday

Hamas official Taher al-Nunu told AFP on Tuesday that four Israeli women hostages will be freed in return for Palestinian prisoners on Saturday, in the second such release under a ceasefire deal.

Nunu said the Palestinian Islamist movement would release "four Israeli female detainees in exchange" for a second group of Palestinian prisoners, according to al-Arabiya.

Sen. Lindsey Graham calls on U.S. to help Israel strike Iranian nuclear sites

There is no point in negotiating with Iran about its nuclear program and President Donald Trump should instead help Israel bomb it, Sen. Lindsey Graham, R–S.C., said.

The comments by the hawkish South Carolina senator who is a longtime Trump confidant are among the most direct yet by a senior decision-maker supporting a US military intervention on Iran, reported Iran International.

"The next question for the world is what do we do about the Iran nuclear program," Graham told CBS "Face the Nation" on Sunday.

"With diplomacy, there's a one in a trillion chance you'll degrade the Iranian nuclear program. There's a 90% chance you'll degrade it through military action by Israel supported by the United States.

The veteran senator is one of the biggest advocates of a more muscular policy abroad and is a vocal supporter of Israel and its Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, whom he credited with delivering heavy blows to Iran-backed groups Hezbollah and Hamas.

Hamas promises to release dual Russian-Israeli national 'alive and well'

According to media reports published on Ynet, the Russian ambassador to Israel Anatoly Viktorov said he had received a "firm promise" hostage Sasha Troufanov would be released "alive and well."

Without putting a firm timeline on the possibility, Viktorov said Troufanov could be free within three to four weeks.

An Amazon employee, he was kidnapped to Gaza on Oct. 7, 2023, and has been held for more than 470 days. Troufanov turned 29 in captivity and is part of the list of 33 hostages set to be released as the first part of the current deal. He was cruelly made to participate by the terrorists in a propaganda video.

Trump revokes sanctions on Judea and Samaria settlers

U.S. President Donald Trump revoked a host of what he called "harmful" executive orders and actions under former President Joe Biden, including Executive Order 14115 of Feb. 1, 2024, which sanctioned Jews living in Judea and Samaria accused of "undermining peace, security and stability in the West Bank.[sic]"

On Feb. 1, Biden froze four Israeli residents of Judea and Samaria, who he said were guilty of committing violent crimes, from the U.S. banking system. The Biden administration sanctioned five Israeli entities and three people for "violent extremism" on July 11, but it got the name of one of the Israelis wrong and sanctioned the wrong person.

On Nov. 18, the Biden administration sanctioned three more Israelis and three entities, again saying those sanctioned "undermine peace, security and stability in the West Bank and the safety of both Israelis and Palestinians."

In January, two Israeli-Americans sued the Biden administration and said they had been improperly sanctioned and denied due process.

In the final week of his presidency, Biden extended the national emergency he declared on Feb. 1 in Judea and Samaria for another year, through Feb. 1, 2026.

Global anti-Semitic incidents skyrocketed 340% in 2024

There was a staggering 340 percent increase in total antisemitic incidents worldwide in 2024 compared to 2022, according to newly unveiled research from the World Zionist Organization and the Jewish Agency for Israel.

Announced on Monday, the new report presented by the two groups to Israeli President Isaac Herzog also showed antisemitic incidents skyrocketed globally last year by nearly 100 percent compared to 2023, reported the Algemeiner.

Researchers chose to analyze data starting in 2022 in order to assess a year without a major event inflaming antisemitism, namely the Palestinian terrorist group Hamas's invasion of and massacre across southern Israel on Oct. 7, 2023.

The report documented similar levels of antisemitic incidents growing in both North America and Europe last year. The United States saw an increase of 288% over the totals of 2022, while antisemitic atrocities in Canada rose by 562%. Meanwhile, incidents in France surged by over 350%, and the United Kingdom experienced a spike of 450%, with nearly 2,000 acts of antisemitism in the first half of 2024 alone.

Keir Starmer claims 'no cover-up' at Southport killer's extremist links

The U.K.'s embattled Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer shrugged off claims of a cover-up regarding the murder of three pre-teen girls at a Southport Taylor Swift-themed dance party, as he insisted there would be a full inquiry into how the state failed to stop the killer going on the rampage, the Daily Mail reported.

The PM told a press conference in Downing Street that people were right to 'demand answers' over 'failings' in the case of Axel Rudakubana.

Sir Keir said it was a "devastating moment in our history" and must be a "line in the sand" for Britain, warning that "terrorism has changed" with the threat of "acts of extreme violence carried out by loners, misfits, young men in their bedrooms."

He stressed that the probe should be 'unburdened by cultural sensitivities' and institutions will not be allowed to 'deflect' responsibility. 'I'm angry about it… Nothing will be off the table in this inquiry,' he said.

However, he flatly rejected allegations of a 'cover-up' of terrorist links in the immediate aftermath of the atrocity in July – which was followed by a wave of rioting across the country. He confirmed he knew about the details 'as they were emerging' but could not risk the case collapsing and the 'vile' perpetrator walking away free.

This story was originally published by the WND News Center.

Americans are joining together in unity to celebrate the inauguration of President Donald J. Trump, which is ushering a new more hopeful era of peace and prosperity following his electoral landslide victory. The American people delivered Trump a mandate to follow through on his pledge to bring America back from the brink of a potential world war with Russia in response to President Joe Biden's disastrous proxy war in Ukraine. The Ukrainians have suffered over a million casualties since the war began and are hovering perilously closer on the verge of defeat in their unwinnable war against Russia.

Their only hope of preventing additional Russian territorial gains and preserving their independence is a negotiated peace settlement with Russia. However, the details as to exactly how the Trump administration intends to accomplish the president's lofty goals in ending the war remain murky. Some portions of Special Envoy Lt. Gen. Keith Kellogg's peace proposal have already been rejected outright by the Russians as unacceptable, including sending thousands of NATO peacekeepers to Ukraine. President Trump has been seriously misled by his advisers to believe that ending the war in Ukraine will be complicated and arduous, that it will take at least six months. In fact, the path to peace with Russia is very straightforward and simple, and a "win-win" agreement ending the war could be achieved inside a week.

To ensure a reasonable chance a peace deal can be agreed to quickly, the U.S. should negotiate it directly with Russia without Ukraine because while Putin has been "salivating for peace," in the words of one U.S. diplomat, since March 2022, Zelensky has outlawed all peace negotiations with Moscow. Accordingly, it's not Russia but Ukraine that must be pressured by the U.S. to accept a peace deal. That said, Russia may condition any ceasefire agreement on the U.S. providing a written guarantee that Ukraine will never join NATO and acceptance of continued Russian de-facto control over its annexed territories.

Both Biden Secretary of State Anthony Blinken and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky have conceded that Russia could keep control of all its annexed territory under a peace settlement provided Ukraine be allowed to remain a U.S. client state. Also, the Biden administration has opposed Ukrainian NATO membership behind the scenes from the time Biden took office and told Zelensky that in no uncertain terms in private discussions. Accordingly, Ukraine NATO membership should be taken off the table by Trump in advance of negotiations. If not, Kellogg's alarmingly dangerous recommendation to massively increase U.S. military aid to Ukraine if Russia refuses a ceasefire could bring the U.S. even closer to the brink of nuclear annihilation than we were during the Biden administration.

U.S. national security experts, notably including Kellogg himself, have demonstrated a profound misunderstanding of Russia's actual reasons for invading Ukraine. As demonstrated by the Istanbul Agreement, which mandated a full Russian military withdrawal from all of Ukraine's pre-war controlled territory as well as Putin's decision to unilaterally withdraw Russian troops from all northern Ukraine including Kyiv oblast in April 2022, Russia's decision to invade Ukraine was never about retaking control of lost territory. Rather, Russia has been fighting to restore Ukraine's pre-February 2014 Maidan coup status as a neutral buffer state separating Russia from NATO. On Jan. 7, President Trump demonstrated his clear understanding of the origins of the war in Ukraine by appearing to concede that Russia's own version of the Monroe Doctrine to ensure there are no hostile states along its borders was legitimate.

Russia has been seeking to rollback NATO's de-facto expansion into Ukraine that occurred in 2021 with the signing of two strategic partnership agreements and to negotiate mutual security agreements with the U.S. and NATO along the lines of its December 2021 proposals. Trump actually campaigned on forging a similar grand bargain with Russia. This would realize Russia's 36-year long objective of bringing Russia into the economic and security architecture of Europe and permanently end all hostilities with the West.

President Trump should utilize such a peace deal to restore a more favorable balance of power for the US that would neutralize the Sino-Russian military alliance with a new Russo-American entente. It should also establish a new security architecture that benefits all European nations under the principle of "indivisible security" with the aim of providing security to all parties instead of promoting conflict with Russia by continued NATO imperial expansion all along its western frontier. This could end the ongoing Russia-NATO security dilemma and establish a just and enduring peace.

This story was originally published by the WND News Center.

JERUSALEM – After 471 days of Hamas captivity, three now former female hostages were finally released to Israel's military and taken to a specially assembled medical facility for an initial check before being taken on to Soroka Medical Center in Beersheba, where doctors will perform a more through examination on them, ahead of being reunited with their families.

The International Committee of the Red Cross – which has done nothing to attempt to visit these or any other hostages, even as it supposed to transfer medical supplies in late 2023, delivered the young women to the IDF and to the Israel Security Agency (Shin Bet).