This story was originally published by the WND News Center.

JERUSALEM – In less than three weeks, Poland will hold commemoration ceremonies to mark 80 years since the Soviet Red Army's liberation of the Auschwitz – the largest Nazi concentration and extermination camp on its soil – and yet, there is still significant doubt as to whether Israel's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu will be among the participants.

It seems extraordinary that the elected leader of the Jewish state – the largest single Jewish population on earth – would not be present to mark such a somber event as the liberation of the place, which is the largest Jewish burial ground in the world. And yet, here we are.

As a result of the International Criminal Court's late November decision to issue arrest warrants for Netanyahu, and his then-defense minister Yoav Gallant, over their alleged war crimes in conducting the Gaza war against Hamas, there are several countries – including Poland – which have threatened to fulfill those warrants.

This story was originally published by the WND News Center.

The nation's "fact-checkers" are in panic mode this week after Facebook announced it has opted for free speech.

WND reported Tuesday that Facebook chief Mark Zuckerberg has announced he's ending the social media site's censorship practices.

"We're going to get back to our roots and focus on reducing mistakes, simplifying our policies and restoring free expression on our platforms. More specifically, we're going to get rid of fact-checkers and replace them with Community Notes similar to X, starting in the U.S," Zuckerberg announced.

Now Business Insider is reporting that the International Fact-Checking Network, a large part of the industry supporting Facebook's previous censorship practices, is in turmoil.

The organization called an emergency meeting of all of its members following the announcement that involves all of Meta's branches, including Facebook.

Zuckerberg said that censorship team will be replaced with "community notes," similar to what billionaire Elon Musk installed on Twitter, now X, when he took it over.

The meeting "is expected to draw between 80 and 100 attendees from the IFCN's network of fact-checkers, which spans 170 organizations worldwide," Business Insider explained.

It confirmed, "The IFCN has long played a crucial role in Meta's fact-checking ecosystem by accrediting organizations for Meta's third-party program, which began in 2016 after the U.S. presidential election that year. Certification from the IFCN signaled that a fact-checking organization met rigorous editorial and transparency standards. Meta's partnerships with these certified organizations became a cornerstone of its efforts to combat misinformation, focusing on flagging false claims, contextualizing misinformation, and curbing its spread."

However, the end result of the so-called "fact-checking" has been for leftists to use the industry to call out what they have labeled as misinformation, disinformation and even malinformation and insist on censorship, regardless of the accuracy of the information. That has left many conservative individuals, web sites, comments and discussions in a black hole of suppression.

This story was originally published by the WND News Center.

America is getting a new $20 billion investment in a data company that plans operations in multiple states, President-elect Donald Trump announced on Tuesday.

Fox News reported Trump confirmed the $20 billion will come over a "short period of time" from DAMAC Properties, whose chief, Hussain Sajwani, confirmed plans for Arizona, Texas, Oklahoma, Ohio, Louisiana, Illinois, Indiana and Michigan.

The centers are needed to help the development of AI and cloud-based tech, he said.

This story was originally published by the WND News Center.

JERUSALEM – A recently published report from an Israeli think tank again highlights some of the intelligence failures, which led to the scale of the Hamas onslaughts against southern Israel on Oct. 7, 2023, being far worse than it ought to have been, given the information about the planned attack was publicly available, if the resources had been directed to analyze and read it.

Lt. Col. (res.) Jonathan Dahoah-Halevi of the Jerusalem Center for Security and Foreign Affairs, or JCFA, revealed a series of alarming posts that appeared on a Hamas-affiliated Telegram channel the night before the Oct. 7 massacre. His analysis suggests that different preparedness measures might have been possible had this intelligence been monitored and analyzed in real time, according to Israel Hayom.

"On October 6, 2023, the Al-Quds Brigades, the military arm of the Islamic Jihad, held a military parade to mark the anniversary of the establishment of the organization. Fighters from military arms of other organizations also participated in the march, including the Al-Qassam Brigades. The military parade continued until 6:20 in the evening," Halevi wrote on X.

Halevi went on to explain that the Gaza Interior Ministry, which is responsible for all the security mechanisms, mobilized all security forces including the "national security, the engineering, the traffic police, the civil defense, the special police force and the special police unit "Sahm" (سهم) to secure Islamic Jihad's military parade, which Hamas apparently used to organize the forces in preparation for the Oct. 7 attack," which commenced approximately 12 hours afterward.

At the center of Dahoah-Halevi's analysis is the figure of Maam Rashid al-Masri, also known as "Abu Hafs." Al-Masri, a Hamas Nukhba terrorist, managed the Telegram channel named "Military Tactics" and co-founded the "Al-Qassam Brigades Dispatch" channel.

And this was not all. According to Halevi, the infiltration of some 6,000 Hamas fighters was preceded by explicit Telegram warnings, which contained more than simply overt threats against Israel. Rather, it was a "repository of detailed military instruction materials encompassing combat methodology, concealment techniques, and explosives handling," reported the outlet.

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JERUSALEM – The topic of the largely Muslim grooming gangs that operated in working-class areas of the U.K. and in which thousands of white girls and barely pubescent young women were routinely sexually abused over a more than 30-year period is one of the most shameful in recent British history. The issue apparently had died down a little, until two interconnected events brought it rocketing back above the surface.

This story was originally published by the WND News Center.

One person was killed when a Tesla Cybertruck exploded directly in front of Trump International Hotel near the north end of the Las Vegas Strip Wednesday morning, and the incident is now being probed as a potential act of terrorism.

Video from numerous angles reveals the severity of the explosion and subsequent fire.

Fox News confirmed the blast is being investigated as a potential act of terror.

Elon Musk of Tesla said: "We have now confirmed that the explosion was caused by very large fireworks and/or a bomb carried in the bed of the rented Cybertruck and is unrelated to the vehicle itself.

"All vehicle telemetry was positive at the time of the explosion."

KSNV-TV in Las Vegas reports: "A vehicle fire was first reported around 8:40 a.m. in the valet area of the hotel, Clark County Sheriff Kevin McMahill told reporters.

"A Cybertruck pulled up to the front to the entrance when smoke started showing and there was an explosion.

"One person inside the vehicle was killed, according to McMahill. Authorities have not identified that person.

"Seven people suffered minor injuries as a result of the explosion, the sheriff added. Two of those people were taken to a hospital for treatment, according to Clark County Deputy Fire Chief Tommy Touchstone.

"There does not appear to be any further threat to the public, but McMahill acknowledged that because of the suspected terror attack in New Orleans, Las Vegas Metropolitan Police were taking precautions to check for anything else.

"It's still unclear what led to the explosion.

"Jeremy N. Schwartz, acting special agent in charge for the FBI's field office in Las Vegas, said agents are helping with the investigation but they did not have many answers as of yet."

Eric Trump, son of President-elect Donald Trump, said: "Earlier today, a reported electric vehicle fire occurred in the porte cochère of Trump Las Vegas.

"The safety and well-being of our guests and staff remain our top priority. We extend our heartfelt gratitude to the Las Vegas Fire Department and local law enforcement for their swift response and professionalism."

Nevada Gov. Joe Lombardo indicated his office is coordinating with Las Vegas police and partner agencies on the response, and said, "we will continue to ensure they have all necessary resources available."

 

This story was originally published by the WND News Center.

Over the last couple of years there has been an explosion of instability around the world. Multiple armed conflicts now rage, including the Russia-Ukraine conflict which has cost hundreds of thousands of lives, a war that has triggered a realignment of interests as several nations have opted to join NATO.

There's also the violence in the Middle East that resulted from the Hamas terrorist attack on Israel just over a year ago, and the thousands dead there.

Further, there's been China's saber-rattling over what territory it wants to take over, and other conflicts that are taking human lives, including armed conflict across Africa.

This story was originally published by the WND News Center.

JERUSALEM – Israelis were awakened before dawn on Saturday by the sound of rocket-alert sirens as the Houthis in Yemen, who didn't seem to take the hint when the Israeli Air Force smashed its three main ports, fired another ballistic missile toward the country's densely-populated central plain.

Israel's much-vaunted multi-layered defensive missile shield suffered a loss, as the projectile penetrated Israel's airspace and impacted a children's playground among a complex of apartment buildings. Sixteen people were wounded in the incident, mostly from cuts and grazes from falling while running to find shelter and from shards of glass.

Israel's Air Force immediately commissioned an investigation into the failure of the defensive shield missile system to intercept the Houthi ordnance, which the Yemenis claimed was "hypersonic."

This latest attack was the ninth this month and has seen a mixture of missiles and drones targeting Israel's second city Tel Aviv, as well as further south in the country. Indeed, the investigation found that an interceptor missile malfunctioned.

According to Kan News, Arrow interceptors were launched into the upper atmosphere but missed the target outside of Israeli territory. Interceptors were then launched in the lower atmosphere but also missed the incoming projectile.

Israel had more success later in the day as a pair of AH-64 "Apache" attack helicopters chased down an unmanned aerial vehicle and dispatched it with machine gun fire. It seems a tactic it will likely repeat as the helicopters have had significant successes against drone infiltrations.

The big question now is where does Israel go from here. It pounded Yemen on Thursday in response to Wednesday's ballistic missile attack, striking the ports of Hodeida and Salif, and the oil terminal at Ras Isa. Reports have emerged with regard to Yemen. Israeli media suggested plans are already at an advanced stage for another IAF strike on the country.

Indeed, a source close to Yemen's internationally recognized government, headquartered in Aden in southern Yemen, told Kan that Israel should initiate targeted assassinations of Houthi leaders, as it did over the previous year against Hamas in Gaza and Hezbollah in Lebanon.

"Israel should act as it did in Lebanon and target the top individuals responsible for the Houthis' operations within the organization's leadership," the source said.

This story was originally published by the WND News Center.

President-elect Donald Trump has confirmed he is open to the idea of his nominee to be secretary of Health and Human Services, Robert F. Kennedy Jr., investigating the long-suspected link between childhood vaccinations and autism.

In fact, reports of autism cases, after being almost insignificant for decades, starting growing in the late 1970s. In 1986 the National Childhood Vaccine Injury Act was adopted which protected vaccine makers from any liability whatsoever for problems their products caused and since then the cases have exploded.

Trump's comments came during a recent interview with Meet the Press, where he was asked if his nominee would review the facts on the issue. He said he was "open to anything."

"When you look at some of the problems, when you look at what's going on with disease and sickness in our country, something's wrong," Trump said. "I think somebody has to find out. If you go back 25 years ago, you had very little autism. Now you have it."

John Leake wrote at the Substack page for Peter McCullough, who long has pursued the medical evidence about shots, especially those for COVID-19, that, "As readers of this Substack are aware, Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. has long been concerned about the possible link between childhood vaccines and autism. He found it especially notable that the incidence of autism began to rise rapidly in the late 1980s, shortly after the passage of the 1986 National Childhood Vaccine Injury Act, which granted vaccine manufacturers immunity from all civil and criminal liability for injuries or deaths caused by their products."

The report noted "children may receive up to 24 immunizations by age 2 years and up to 5 injections in a single visit."

This story was originally published by the WND News Center.

Hamas submits names of hostages and their condition ahead of potential prisoner swap, including U.S. citizens

The Hamas terrorist group has submitted a list of hostages it proposes to free in the first stage of a ceasefire deal with Israel in addition to a list of Palestinian security prisoners held by Israel that it wants released, the London-based pan-Arab news site Al-Araby Al-Jadeed reports.

Citing a source close to the talks, the report claims Israel is evaluating the list and could send a delegation to Cairo later today (Monday).

Saar: IAF hit Syrian chemical weapons, missile production sites

Foreign Minister Gideon Sa'ar confirms Israel struck suspected chemical weapons sites and long-range rockets in Syria in order to prevent them from falling into the hands of hostile actors.

Sa'ar says that "the only interest we have is the security of Israel and its citizens."

"That's why we attacked strategic weapons systems, like, for example, remaining chemical weapons, or long-range missiles and rockets, in order that they will not fall in the hands of extremists.

U.S.-Israeli intelligence services surprised at speed of Assad's fall

Israeli and U.S. intelligence arrays failed to predict Assad's downfall. Even after the rebel offensive started two weeks ago, the assumption in Washington and Jerusalem was that even if the opposition forces managed to advance, Assad would somehow manage to cling to power.

But on Thursday, the tide began to turn. "We are seeing early signs of the collapse of the Syrian army," Israeli officials told JNS. These signs intensified over the weekend, until the fall of Damascus.

UAV fired from Yemen strikes residential building in central Israel

Residents in the central city of Yavne reported a loud explosion Monday morning followed by smoke rising from a building in the city.

Witnesses in the affected building, where a fire had broken out, claimed they saw a drone in the sky before the explosion.

"I heard a strange buzzing sound and then a loud noise," one neighbor recounted. Authorities are investigating the incident, especially as incoming warning alerts did not sound.

IDF special forces seize Syrian side of Mt. Hermon, secure key southern Syria border area

Following the fall of Syria's long-standing dictator Bashar al-Assad, and a lightning advance from Turkish and Qatari-backed Islamist insurgents, the Israel Defense Force moved to quickly secure – without opposition – the Syrian side of Mt. Hermon. The part that is in Israel is the highest point in the entire country and provides excellent visibility to the fertile valleys in the Galilee below, providing it with a crucial strategic importance.

Reports of former Syrian president Bashar al-Assad's demise in a supposedly mysterious plane crash proved premature, as it was revealed Sunday, Russia's President Vladimir Putin granted him, and his family, political asylum. Assad was due to have given a televised address acknowledging his resignation as president, but events quickly overtook that plan, and now stateless, he fled the country.

An Israeli civilian from the northern city of Nof Hagalil was arrested for carrying out missions on behalf of Iran, the Shin Bet security agency and police say, the latest in a series of espionage cases.

The suspect, Artyom Zolotarev, 33, was detained in November over suspicions he was "committing security offenses related to contact with Iranian intelligence officials and carrying out security missions in Israel under their direction, for financial gain," according to the Shin Bet.

The IDF on Monday named four reservists of the 226th Brigade's 9263rd Battalion killed when an underground compound collapsed during operational activity in southern Lebanon.

They were named as Maj. (res.) Evgeny Zinershain, 43, from Zichron Yaakov, a company commander; Capt. (res.) Sagi Ya'akov Rubinshtein, 31, from Lavie, a platoon commander; Master Sgt. (res.) Binyamin Destaw Negose, 28, from Beit Shemesh; and Sgt. 1st Class (res.) Erez Ben Efraim, 25, from Ramat Gan.

Sheikh Loai, the commander of the Syrian Druze force that liberated Sweida, a province with a considerable Druze population, spoke with Ynet on Sunday amid celebrations following the fall of President Bashar Assad's regime.

"As soon as the rebels began liberating northern Syria, we realized we had to act and remove all symbols of the tyrant Assad's rule, from police stations to military bases," he recounted.

Sweida, located in southern Syria, is the largest Druze stronghold in the Middle East, covering 5,550 square kilometers (2,142 square miles) and home to around 300,000 residents. Assad made significant efforts to limit the independence of the Druze community within his territory.

Australian police said on Monday they are hunting for three suspects over an arson attack on a Melbourne synagogue, which has been designated as a terrorist act. Mask-wearing attackers set the Adass Israel Synagogue ablaze before dawn on Friday, police said, gutting much of the building. Some congregants were inside the single-story building at the time but no serious injuries were reported.

Recent excavations at the Church of St. Nicholas in Demre, Antalya, Turkey, have revealed a limestone sarcophagus that may be the burial site of Saint Nicholas, the Greek bishop whose life and deeds inspired the legend of Santa Claus.

This discovery is part of the ongoing "Legacy for the Future Project," led by Associate Professor Ebru Fatma Findik from Hatay Mustafa Kemal University and initiated by Turkey's Ministry of Culture and Tourism.

The sarcophagus, found within the church's two-story annex, is believed to be the original burial site of Saint Nicholas, who lived in the ancient city of Myra during the 4th century A.D. Measuring approximately two meters in length and buried at a depth of 1.5 to 2 meters, the sarcophagus features a raised lid and a pitched roof consistent with burial styles of the region. Its proximity to the church – constructed in the 5th century by order of Byzantine Emperor Theodosius II – adds credibility to the theory that this was the saint's original resting place.