ISRAEL WARNS EUROPE THAT PALESTINE RECOGNITION MAY BE MET WITH WEST BANK ANNEXATION.
HOARDING OF GOLD AND SILVER
JAMES 5:1-3
1 Go to now, ye rich men, weep and howl for your miseries that shall come upon you.
2 Your riches are corrupted, and your garments are motheaten.
3 Your gold and silver is cankered; and the rust of them shall be a witness against you, and shall eat your flesh as it were fire. Ye have heaped treasure together for the last days.
REVELATION 18:10,17,19
10 Standing afar off for the fear of her torment, saying, Alas, alas that great city Babylon, that mighty city! for in one hour is thy judgment come.(IN 1 HR THE STOCK MARKETS WORLDWIDE WILL CRASH)
17 For in one hour so great riches is come to nought. And every shipmaster, and all the company in ships, and sailors, and as many as trade by sea, stood afar off,
19 And they cast dust on their heads, and cried, weeping and wailing, saying, Alas, alas that great city, wherein were made rich all that had ships in the sea by reason of her costliness! for in one hour is she made desolate.
EZEKIEL 7:19
19 They shall cast their silver in the streets, and their gold shall be removed:(CONFISCATED) their silver and their gold shall not be able to deliver them in the day of the wrath of the LORD: they shall not satisfy their souls, neither fill their bowels: because it is the stumblingblock of their iniquity.
MARK OF THE BEAST (engraved microchip in your hand or forehead)
REVELATION 13:16-18
16 And he(FALSE POPE) causeth all, both small and great, rich and poor, free and bond, (SLAVE) to receive a mark in their right hand, or in their foreheads:(CHIP IMPLANT)
17 And that no man might buy or sell, save he that had the mark, or the name of the beast, or the number of his name.
18 Here is wisdom. Let him that hath understanding count the number of the beast: for it is the number of a man; and his number is Six hundred threescore and six.(6-6-6) A NUMBER SYSTEM
REVELATION 16:1-2
1 And I heard a great voice out of the temple saying to the seven angels, Go your ways, and pour out the vials of the wrath of God upon the earth.
2 And the first went, and poured out his vial upon the earth; and there fell a noisome and grievous sore upon the men which had the mark of the beast, and upon them which worshipped his image.
3 PART PLAN TO MAKE YOU A PUPPET OF THE NEW WORLD ORDER (ONE WORLD GOVERNMENT CREW)
1-GET PEOPLE ADDICTED TO COMPUTERS.(MICRO-CHIPS INSIDE)
2-PUT COMPUTERS ON YOUR BODY (3D ETC) (MICRO-CHIPS INSIDE)
3-PUT A MICROCHIP INSIDE YOUR BODY. (COMPLETE) (TOTAL MICRO-CHIP CONTROL OF YOU)
I KNOW THIS MARK WILL BE A MICROCHIP IMPLANT UNDER THE SKIN. LETS LOOK UP WHAT THE WORD MARK SAYS IN REVELATION 13:16-18, 14:9,11, 15:2, 16:2, 19:20, 20:4-ALL THESE VERSES FROM THE BOOK OF REVELATION SPEAK OF THIS DICTATORS MARK. NOW LETS SEE WHAT IT MEANS FROM STRONGS EXAUSTIVE CONCORDANCE OF THE BIBLE. UNDER MARK PAGE 684.MARK UNDER MARK. THE OLD TESTAMENT IS UNDER HEBREW AND THE NEW TESTAMENT IS UNDER GREEK. SO WHEN WE LOOK UNDER REVELATION 13:16-17 WE SEE IT IS UNDER GREEK, SO WE GO TO GREEK IN THE BACK SECTION AND GO TO 5480 TO SEE WHAT IT SAYS THIS MARK WOULD BE. SO LETS GET TO IT.MARK IN STRONGS GREEK 5480 XAPAYUA CHARAGMA, KHAR-AG-MAH: FROM THE SAME AS 5482: A SCRATCH OR ETCHING, I.E STAMP (AS A BADGE OF SERVITUDE), OR SCULPTURED FIGURE-(STATUE):-GRAVEN, MARK FROM 5482 XAPAE CHARAX, KHAR-AX; FROM XAPAOOW CHARASSO (TO SHARPEN TO A POINT; AKIN TO 1125 THROUGH THE IDEA OF SCRATCHING); A STAKE, I.E (BYIMPL.) A PALISADE OR RAMPART (MILITARY MOUND FOR CIRCUMVALLATION IN A SIEGE): - TRENCH FROM 1125 YPAPOE GRAPHO, GRAF-0; A PRIM. VERB; TO "GRAVE", ESPEC. TO WRITE; FIG. TO DESCRIBE:-DESCRIBE, WRITE (-ING, -TEN).G5516-GO TO G4742-666 - STRONGS NT 4742: στίγμα - στίγμα, στιγματος, τό (from στίζω to prick; (cf. Latinstimulus, etc.; German stechen, English stick, sting, etc.; Curtius, § 226)), a mark pricked in or branded upon the body. According to ancient oriental usage, slaves and soldiers bore the name or stamp of their master or commander branded or pricked (cut) into their bodies to indicate what master or general they belonged to, and there were even some devotees who stamped themselves in this way with the token of their gods (cf. Deyling, Observations, iii., p. 423ff); hence, τά στίγματα τοῦ (κυρίου so Rec.) Ἰησοῦ, the marks of (the Lord) Jesus, which Paul in Galatians 6:17 says he bears branded on his body, are the traces left there by the perils, hardships, imprisonments, scourgings, endured by him for the cause of Christ, and which mark him as Christ's faithful and approved votary, servant, soldier (see Lightfoots Commentary on Galatians, the passage cited). (Herodotus 7, 233; Aristotle, Aelian, Plutarch, Lcian, others.)
THE INVENTOR OF THE MICROCHIP IMPLANT-CARL SANDERS MICROCHIP ENGINEER LEADER
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rgH9D6n4ZWo
THE MICROCHIP IMPLANT IN YOUR RIGHT HAND OR FOREHEAD.
LEVETICUS 19.28
Ye shall not make any cuttings in your flesh for the dead, nor print any marks upon you: I am the LORD.
FAMINE
EZEKIEL 5:16
16 When I shall send upon them the evil arrows of famine, which shall be for their destruction, and which I will send to destroy you: and I will increase the famine upon you, and will break your staff of bread:
REVELATION 6:5-6
5 And when he had opened the third seal, I heard the third beast say, Come and see. And I beheld, and lo a black horse; and he that sat on him had a pair of balances in his hand.
6 And I heard a voice in the midst of the four beasts say, A measure of wheat for a penny, and three measures of barley for a penny; and see thou hurt not the oil and the wine.(A DAYS WAGES FOR A LOAF OF BREAD)
MATTHEW 24:7-8
7For nation shall rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom: and there shall be famines, and pestilences, and earthquakes, in divers places.
8 All these are the beginning of sorrows.
MARK 13:8
8 For nation shall rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom: and there shall be earthquakes in divers places, and there shall be famines and troubles: these are the beginnings of sorrows.
LUKE 21:11
11 And great earthquakes shall be in divers places, and famines, and pestilences; and fearful sights and great signs shall there be from heaven.
DEUTORONOMY 28:24
24 The LORD shall make the rain of thy land powder and dust: from heaven shall it come down upon thee, until thou be destroyed.
Jeremiah 6:14
14 They have healed also the hurt of the daughter of my people slightly, saying, Peace, peace; when there is no peace.
Isaiah 57:21
21 There is no peace, saith my God, to the wicked.
1 Thessalonians 5:3
3 For when they shall say, Peace and safety; then sudden destruction cometh upon them, as travail upon a woman with child; and they shall not escape.
Ephesians 2:2
2 Wherein in time past ye walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air,(LIBERAL GODLESS AIR WAVES) the spirit that now worketh in the children of disobedience:
EU DICTATOR (WORLD LEADER)
1 THESSALONIANS 5:3-7
2 For yourselves know perfectly that the day of the Lord so cometh as a thief in the night.
3 For when they shall say, Peace and safety; then sudden destruction cometh upon them, as travail upon a woman with child; and they shall not escape.
4 But ye, brethren, are not in darkness, that that day should overtake you as a thief.
5 Ye are all the children of light, and the children of the day: we are not of the night, nor of darkness.
6 Therefore let us not sleep, as do others; but let us watch and be sober.
7 For they that sleep sleep in the night; and they that be drunken are drunken in the night.
2 THESSALONIANS 2:3-4
3 Let no man deceive you by any means: for that day shall not come, except there come a falling away first, and that man of sin be revealed,(EU WORLD DICTATOR)the son of perdition;
4 Who opposeth and exalteth himself above all that is called God, or that is worshipped; so that he as God sitteth in the temple of God, shewing himself that he is God.
REVELATION 17:12-13
12 And the ten horns (NATIONS) which thou sawest are ten kings, which have received no kingdom as yet; but receive power as kings one hour with the beast.(SOCIALISM)
13 These have one mind,(SOCIALISM) and shall give their power and strength unto the beast.
REVELATION 6:1-2
1 And I saw when the Lamb opened one of the seals, and I heard, as it were the noise of thunder, one of the four beasts saying, Come and see.
2 And I saw, and behold a white horse:(PEACE) and he that sat on him had a bow;(EU DICTATOR) and a crown was given unto him:(PRESIDENT OF THE EU) and he went forth conquering, and to conquer.(MILITARY GENIUS)
2 THESSALONIANS 2:9-12
9 Even him,(EU WORLD DICTATOR) whose coming is after the working of Satan with all power and signs and lying wonders,
10 And with all deceivableness of unrighteousness in them that perish; because they received not the love of the truth, that they might be saved.
11 And for this cause God shall send them strong delusion,(THE FALSE RESURRECTION BY THE WORLD DICTATOR) that they should believe a lie:
12 That they all might be damned who believed not the truth, but had pleasure in unrighteousness.
GENESIS 49:16-17-POSSIBLY A JEW FROM DAN KILLS THE DICTATOR AT MIDPOINT OF TRIB
16 Dan shall judge his people, as one of the tribes of Israel.
17 Dan shall be a serpent by the way, an adder in the path, that biteth the horse heels, so that his rider shall fall backward.
REVELATION 13:1-10
1 And I stood upon the sand of the sea, and saw a beast rise up out of the sea, having seven heads and ten horns, and upon his horns ten crowns, and upon his heads the name of blasphemy.(THE EU AND ITS DICTATOR IS GODLESS)
2 And the beast which I saw was like unto a leopard, and his feet were as the feet of a bear, and his mouth as the mouth of a lion: and the dragon gave him his power, and his seat, and great authority.(DICTATOR COMES FROM NEW AGE OR OCCULT)
3 And I saw one of his heads as it were wounded to death;(MURDERERD) and his deadly wound was healed:(COMES BACK TO LIFE) and all the world wondered after the beast.(THE WORLD THINKS ITS GOD IN THE FLESH, MESSIAH TO ISRAEL)
4 And they worshipped the dragon (SATAN) which gave power unto the beast:(JEWISH EU DICTATOR) and they worshipped the beast, saying, Who is like unto the beast? who is able to make war with him?(FALSE RESURRECTION,SATAN BRINGS HIM TO LIFE)
5 And there was given unto him a mouth speaking great things and blasphemies; and power was given unto him to continue forty and two months.(GIVEN WORLD CONTROL FOR 3 1/2YRS)
6 And he opened his mouth in blasphemy against God,(HES A GOD HATER) to blaspheme his name, and his tabernacle, and them that dwell in heaven.(HES A LIBERAL OR DEMOCRAT,WILL PUT ANYTHING ABOUT GOD DOWN)
7 And it was given unto him to make war with the saints,(BEHEAD THEM) and to overcome them: and power was given him over all kindreds, and tongues, and nations.(WORLD DOMINATION)
8 And all that dwell upon the earth shall worship him, whose names are not written in the book of life of the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world.(WORLD DICTATOR)
9 If any man have an ear, let him hear.
10 He that leadeth into captivity shall go into captivity: he that killeth with the sword must be killed with the sword. Here is the patience and the faith of the saints.(SAVED CHRISTIANS AND JEWS DIE FOR THEIR FAITH AT THIS TIME,NOW WE ARE SAVED BY GRACE BUT DURING THE 7 YEARS OF HELL ON EARTH, PEOPLE WILL BE PUT TO DEATH (BEHEADINGS) FOR THEIR BELIEF IN GOD (JESUS) OR THE BIBLE.
DANIEL 9:26-27
26 And after threescore and two weeks shall Messiah be cut off, but not for himself: and the people of the prince that shall come (ROMANS IN AD 70) shall destroy the city and the sanctuary;(ROMANS DESTROYED THE 2ND TEMPLE) and the end thereof shall be with a flood, and unto the end of the war desolations are determined.
27 And he( EU ROMAN, JEWISH DICTATOR) shall confirm the covenant with many for one week:( 7 YEARS) and in the midst of the week he shall cause the sacrifice and the oblation to cease,( 3 1/2 YRS) and for the overspreading of abominations he shall make it desolate, even until the consummation, and that determined shall be poured upon the desolate.
THE WORLD DICTATOR
REVELATION 6:1-2,13:1-3,7-9,16
1 And I saw when the Lamb opened one of the seals, and I heard, as it were the noise of thunder, one of the four beasts saying, Come and see.
2 And I saw, and behold a white horse:(EU WORLD DICTATOR) and he that sat on him had a bow;(PEACE) and a crown was given unto him:(WORLD LEADER) and he went forth conquering, and to conquer.(THIS IS THE EU DICTATOR)
1 And I stood upon the sand of the sea, and saw a beast rise up out of the sea, having seven heads and ten horns, and upon his horns ten crowns, and upon his heads the name of blasphemy.(7 HEADS ARE THE 7TH WORLD EMPIRE IN HISTORY (THE EU) AS WELL AS THE VATICAN WHICH IS BUILT ON 7 HILLS. 10 HORNS ARE 10 KINGS THAT ARISE FROM THE EU, THEN #11 COMES ON THE SCENE BECOMES THE HEAD OF 3 OUNTRIES AND THEN THE EU DICTATOR, COMES FROM 1 OF THE 3 COUNTRIES THAT RULE FOR THIS TERM. I BELIEVE THE 3 COUNTRIES RULING AT THE TIME ARE SPAIN AND 2 OF THE ORIGINAL 6 THAT STARTED THE EU. FROM 1 OF THESE 3 COUNTRIES COME THE FUTURE EU DICTATOR PRESIDENT OF THE EUROPEAN UNION WHO GUARENTEES ISRAELS SECURITY FOR A LAND FOR PEACE 7 YEAR TREATY.
2 And the beast which I saw was like unto a leopard, and his feet were as the feet of a bear, and his mouth as the mouth of a lion: and the dragon gave him his power, and his seat, and great authority.(THE JEWISH EU DICTATOR GETS HIS POWER FROM SATAN,HE COMES FROM THE OCCULT).
3 And I saw one of his heads as it were wounded to death; and his deadly wound was healed: and all the world wondered after the beast.(THE DICTATOR HAS A FALSE RESURRECTION. JUST LIKE JESUS HAD A LITERAL RESURRECTION THIS DICTATOR GETS MURDERED AT THE 3 1/2 YR MARK OF THR 7 YEAR TREATY AND COMES BACK TO LIFE. THIS IS HOW HE CAN CLAIM TO BE GOD AND GET AWAY WITH IT AND CONTROL THE WHOLE EARTH.
7 And it was given unto him to make war with the saints, and to overcome them: and power was given him over all kindreds, and tongues, and nations.
8 And all that dwell upon the earth shall worship him, whose names are not written in the book of life of the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world.
9 If any man have an ear, let him hear.
16 And he (FALSE POPE) causeth all,(WORLD SOCIALISM) both small and great, rich and poor, free and bond, to receive a mark in their right hand, or in their foreheads:
DANIEL 11:36-40
36 And the king shall do according to his will;(EU PRESIDENT) and he shall exalt himself, and magnify himself above every god, and shall speak marvellous things against the God of gods, and shall prosper till the indignation be accomplished: for that that is determined shall be done.
37 Neither shall he regard the God of his fathers,(THIS EU DICTATOR IS A EUROPEAN JEW) nor the desire of women, nor regard any god: for he shall magnify himself above all.
38 But in his estate shall he honour the God of forces:(HES A MILITARY GINIUS) and a god whom his fathers knew not shall he honour with gold, and silver, and with precious stones, and pleasant things.
39 Thus shall he (THE EU DICTATOR) do in the most strong holds (CONTROL HEZBOLLAH,AL-QUAIDA MURDERERS ETC) with a strange god, whom he shall acknowledge and increase with glory: and he shall cause them to rule over many,(HIS ARMY LEADERS) and shall divide the land for gain.
40 And at the time of the end shall the king of the south(EGYPT) push at him:(EU DICTATOR PROTECTING ISRAELS SECURITY) and the king of the north(RUSSIA) shall come against him like a whirlwind, with chariots, and with horsemen, and with many ships; and he shall enter into the countries, and shall overflow and pass over.
EUROPEAN UNION ARMY
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hI5_pMvLZd8
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ytWmPqY8TE0&feature=player_embedded
DANIEL 7:23-25
23 Thus he said, The fourth beast (EU,REVIVED ROME) shall be the fourth kingdom upon earth,(7TH WORLD EMPIRE) which shall be diverse from all kingdoms, and shall devour the whole earth, and shall tread it down, and break it in pieces.(TRADING BLOCKS)
24 And the ten horns out of this kingdom are ten kings(10 DIVSION REGION WORLD GOVERNMENT) that shall arise: and another shall rise after them;(#11 SPAIN) and he shall be diverse from the first, and he shall subdue three kings.( BE HEAD OF 3 NATIONS)
25 And he (EU PRESIDENT) shall speak great words against the most High, and shall wear out the saints of the most High, and think to change times and laws: and they shall be given into his hand until a time and times and the dividing of time.(3 1/2 YRS)
DANIEL 8:23-25
23 And in the latter time of their kingdom, when the transgressors are come to the full, a king (EU DICTATOR) of fierce countenance, and understanding dark sentences,(FROM THE OCCULT-NEW AGE MOVEMENT) shall stand up.
24 And his power shall be mighty, but not by his own power:(SATANS POWER) and he shall destroy wonderfully, and shall prosper, and practise, and shall destroy the mighty and the holy people.
25 And through his policy also he shall cause craft to prosper in his hand; and he shall magnify himself in his heart, and by peace shall destroy many: he shall also stand up against the Prince of princes;(JESUS) but he shall be broken without hand.
DANIEL 11:36-39
36 And the king (EU DICTATOR) shall do according to his will; and he shall exalt himself, and magnify himself above every god, and shall speak marvellous things against the God of gods, and shall prosper till the indignation be accomplished: for that that is determined shall be done.
37 Neither shall he regard the God of his fathers,(THIS EU DICTATOR IS JEWISH) nor the desire of women, nor regard any god: for he shall magnify himself above all.(CLAIM TO BE GOD)
38 But in his estate shall he honour the God of forces:(WAR) and a god whom his fathers knew not shall he honour with gold, and silver, and with precious stones, and pleasant things.
39 Thus shall he do in the most strong holds with a strange god,(DESTROY TERROR GROUPS) whom he shall acknowledge and increase with glory: and he shall cause them to rule over many,(HIS ARMY LEADERS) and shall divide the land for gain.
REVELATION 19:19
19 And I saw the beast,(EU LEADER) and the kings of the earth, and their armies,(UNITED NATIONS TROOPS) gathered together to make war against him that sat on the horse,(JESUS) and against his army.(THE RAPTURED CHRISTIANS)
REVELATION 6:1-2,13:1-3,7-9,16
1 And I saw when the Lamb opened one of the seals, and I heard, as it were the noise of thunder, one of the four beasts saying, Come and see.
2 And I saw, and behold a white horse:(EU WORLD DICTATOR) and he that sat on him had a bow;(PEACE) and a crown was given unto him:(WORLD LEADER) and he went forth conquering, and to conquer.(THIS IS THE EU DICTATOR)
1 And I stood upon the sand of the sea, and saw a beast rise up out of the sea, having seven heads and ten horns, and upon his horns ten crowns, and upon his heads the name of blasphemy.(7 HEADS ARE THE 7TH WORLD EMPIRE IN HISTORY (THE EU) AS WELL AS THE VATICAN WHICH IS BUILT ON 7 HILLS. 10 HORNS ARE 10 KINGS THAT ARISE FROM THE EU, THEN #11 COMES ON THE SCENE BECOMES THE HEAD OF 3 OUNTRIES AND THEN THE EU DICTATOR, COMES FROM 1 OF THE 3 COUNTRIES THAT RULE FOR THIS TERM. I BELIEVE THE 3 COUNTRIES RULING AT THE TIME ARE SPAIN AND 2 OF THE ORIGINAL 6 THAT STARTED THE EU. FROM 1 OF THESE 3 COUNTRIES COME THE FUTURE EU DICTATOR PRESIDENT OF THE EUROPEAN UNION WHO GUARENTEES ISRAELS SECURITY FOR A LAND FOR PEACE 7 YEAR TREATY.
2 And the beast which I saw was like unto a leopard, and his feet were as the feet of a bear, and his mouth as the mouth of a lion: and the dragon gave him his power, and his seat, and great authority.(THE JEWISH EU DICTATOR GETS HIS POWER FROM SATAN,HE COMES FROM THE OCCULT).
3 And I saw one of his heads as it were wounded to death; and his deadly wound was healed: and all the world wondered after the beast.(THE DICTATOR HAS A FALSE RESURRECTION. JUST LIKE JESUS HAD A LITERAL RESURRECTION THIS DICTATOR GETS MURDERED AT THE 3 1/2 YR MARK OF THR 7 YEAR TREATY AND COMES BACK TO LIFE. THIS IS HOW HE CAN CLAIM TO BE GOD AND GET AWAY WITH IT AND CONTROL THE WHOLE EARTH.
7 And it was given unto him to make war with the saints, and to overcome them: and power was given him over all kindreds, and tongues, and nations.
8 And all that dwell upon the earth shall worship him, whose names are not written in the book of life of the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world.
9 If any man have an ear, let him hear.
16 And he (FALSE POPE) causeth all,(WORLD SOCIALISM) both small and great, rich and poor, free and bond, to receive a mark in their right hand, or in their foreheads:
DANIEL 11:36-40
36 And the king shall do according to his will;(EU PRESIDENT) and he shall exalt himself, and magnify himself above every god, and shall speak marvellous things against the God of gods, and shall prosper till the indignation be accomplished: for that that is determined shall be done.
37 Neither shall he regard the God of his fathers,(THIS EU DICTATOR IS A EUROPEAN JEW) nor the desire of women, nor regard any god: for he shall magnify himself above all.
38 But in his estate shall he honour the God of forces:(HES A MILITARY GINIUS) and a god whom his fathers knew not shall he honour with gold, and silver, and with precious stones, and pleasant things.
39 Thus shall he (THE EU DICTATOR) do in the most strong holds (CONTROL HEZBOLLAH,AL-QUAIDA MURDERERS ETC) with a strange god, whom he shall acknowledge and increase with glory: and he shall cause them to rule over many,(HIS ARMY LEADERS) and shall divide the land for gain.
40 And at the time of the end shall the king of the south(EGYPT) push at him:(EU DICTATOR PROTECTING ISRAELS SECURITY) and the king of the north(RUSSIA) shall come against him like a whirlwind, with chariots, and with horsemen, and with many ships; and he shall enter into the countries, and shall overflow and pass over.
We shall have World Government, whether or not we like it. The only question is whether World Government will be achieved by conquest or consent.James Paul Warburg appearing before the Senate on 7th February 1950
Like a famous WWII Belgian General,Paul Henry Spock said in 1957:We need no commission, we have already too many. What we need is a man who is great enough to be able to keep all the people in subjection to himself and to lift us out of the economic bog into which we threaten to sink. Send us such a man. Be he a god or a devil, we will accept him.And today, sadly, the world is indeed ready for such a man.
No one will enter the New World Order... unless he or she will make a pledge to worship Lucifer. No one will enter the New Age unless he will take a Luciferian Initiation.- David Spangler Director of Planetary Initiative United Nations.
Should States Ban Mandatory Human Microchip Implants? A new report examines the rise of pre-emptive bans on mandated human microchip implants, noting that 13 states have recently enacted such a ban, despite no companies currently requiring the technology.January 05, 2025 • Dan Lohrmann
The Carnegie Council for Ethics in International Affairs has released a report entitled, "The Rise of Preemptive Bans on Human Microchip Implants," looking primarily at how some states are preparing for an increased prevalence of this technology.Notably, more states are enacting pre-emptive bans to prevent employers from requiring that their workers be microchipped.“U.S. states are increasingly enacting legislation to pre-emptively ban employers from forcing workers to be ‘microchipped,’ which entails having a subdermal chip surgically inserted between one’s thumb and index finger," wrote the authors of the report. "Internationally, more than 50,000 people have elected to receive microchip implants to serve as their swipe keys, credit cards, and means to instantaneously share social media information. This technology is especially popular in Sweden, where chip implants are more widely accepted to use for gym access, e-tickets on transit systems, and to store emergency contact information.”But why are these states taking this proactive action to ban microchip implants before any evidence has emerged of widespread misuse? According to Mississippi state Sen. Kevin Blackwell (R), who proposed a state bill to pre-emptively ban human microchip implants in 2024 despite no employers in his state currently requiring it, this technology poses a risk to employees’ rights. Blackwell said, “Technology today is advancing at a rapid pace and as a legislator we need to be aware of the use and misuse of this [microchip implant] technology.”OTHER PERSPECTIVES ON MICROCHIP IMPLANTS-At the same time, and on the other end of the spectrum, Elon Musk, who is the CEO of Neuralink, praised the many advances of human brain interfaces and the first human trials to help people overcome various diseases. This video from one year ago showcases some of the ongoing cases.Also in 2024, Musk predicted that "hundreds of millions" of people will have his brain chips within the next 20 years.The promise-happy billionaire has not only declared that Neuralink is going to be full steam ahead, but that patients will be outperforming pro gamers within two years. And that's not even his wildest claim. Musk reckons Neuralink is going to have to speed up human brains so that AI doesn't get "bored."Reuters reported in August that Neuralink implanted a second trial patient with a brain chip.What are the potential benefits of this new technology in the medium term? I asked Google Gemini that question. Google Gemini responded: "Neuralink's future plans include:
Brain-to-computer interfaces — Neuralink hopes to create direct brain-to-computer interfaces that allow people to control digital devices with their thoughts.
Treating neurological disorders — Neuralink could treat neurological disorders like Parkinson's disease, memory loss, addiction, insomnia, schizophrenia, and seizures.
Restoring movement — Neuralink could help people with paralysis or amputations control exoskeletons and prosthetics to restore movement.
Merging with artificial intelligence — Neuralink's long-term vision is to combine human consciousness with artificial intelligence.
Human enhancement — Neuralink could enhance cognitive abilities and memory.
Robot limbs — Neuralink could implant robotic limbs derived from Tesla's Optimus humanoid robot.
Digital autonomy for people with quadriplegia — Neuralink's goal is to restore digital autonomy to people with quadriplegia due to spinal cord injury or amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS).
High-performance interface — Neuralink's goal is to provide a high-performance interface that enhances the control of digital devices for people with quadriplegia.
Neuralink's current device is called the N1 Implant, which is a brain-computer interface (BCI) implant that records neural activity."
WHAT ABOUT HACKING MICROCHIP IMPLANTS?-Kim Komando recently explored the question, can a brain chip implant be hacked? The response was apparently “Yes,” from Neuralink’s first patient. However, Noland Arbaugh shared with Kim that he believes the benefits outweigh the risks.Business Today summarized a similar hacking conversation that was held with Mr. Arbaugh and the well-known podcaster Joe Rogan.“The experiment did face a hiccup a couple of months back," Business Today wrote. "Notably, the company’s system, called the Link, records neural signals using 1,024 electrodes across 64 'threads' that are thinner than a human hair. Some of the electrode-studded threads that sit in the brain tissue began to retract from that tissue. To this, Arbaugh explained that this happened because the brain's pulsations, much more pronounced than initially believed, led to early challenges with the implant's threads retracting, affecting signal clarity. Nevertheless, Neuralink’s ongoing adjustments on the software side have improved system performance significantly.”And to give equal time, these brain microchip implants are being explored by others as well, as Singularity Hub reported in a piece titled, "Neuralink Rival’s Biohybrid Implant Connects to the Brain With Living Neurons."“California-based startup Science Corporation thinks that an implant using living neurons to connect to the brain could better balance safety and precision," Singularity Hub wrote. "In recent non-peer-reviewed research posted on bioarXiv, the group showed a prototype device could connect with the brains of mice and even let them detect simple light signals.”That same piece quotes Alan Mardinly, who is director of biology at Science Corporation, as saying that the advantages of a biohybrid implant are that it "can dramatically change the scaling laws of how many neuros you can interface with versus how much damage you do to the brain."Science Corporation CEO Max Hodak is a former president of Neuralink, and his company also produces a retinal implant using more conventional electronics that can restore vision in some patients. But the company has been experimenting with so-called “biohybrid” approaches, which Hodak thinks could provide a more viable long-term solution for brain-machine interfaces.A BRIEF HISTORY ON THE MICROCHIP IMPLANT TOPIC-Here are some of my previous pieces which provide some background and a brief history on chip implants in humans — as well as the privacy implications:March 2024: Human Brain Chip Implants: Helpful? Safe? Ethical? — Major developments regarding implanting chips in human brains have been announced in 2024. Will this procedure become widespread? Are precautions — or even regulations — needed? February 2023: From Progress to Bans: How Close Are Human Microchip Implants? — A lot has happened in the past 12 months regarding human microchip implants. Here’s your roundup of recent developments.November 2018: Chip Implants: The Next Big Privacy Debate — Some say we will all, eventually, be chipped. Others say — never! Let the privacy, legal, technical, professional, medical, security, political, religious and ‘oh so personal’ battles begin.July 2017: Where Next for Microchip Implants? — Employees at Three Square Market, a technology company in Wisconsin, will have a small chip injected in their hands this week for security convenience. But where is this biohacking trend heading? Is there a microchip implant in your future? FINAL THOUGHTS-As I have written before, I think this overall microchip implant trend is unstoppable, and we should welcome the major benefits to these implanted chips for health reasons. This research can help in curing some diseases, and can bring amazing benefits as mentioned above in this article.And yet at the same time, I have big reservations (even opposition) regarding the use of implanted chips for human brain augmentation or creating “super humans” with faster brain powers.Even using microchip implants for voluntary conveniences now could lead to more mandates later. This could be misused in many ways, and fears from privacy groups, religious communities and others must be taken seriously — including hacking considerations.But I want to close by pointing out that most of the attention with Elon Musk being involved with the new Trump administration focuses on his policy and ethics impacts (and possibly even some conflicts of interest) with his joint roles as CEO of Tesla, X (formerly Twitter) and SpaceX. No doubt, as the world’s richest man, who is a brilliant expert and thought leader in many areas, Musk will help the U.S. and the world in many scientific ways as he leads his companies to advance technology and innovation. Bottom line, I am glad he is on our team, as he no doubt seeks to do good.However, it is likely, in my opinion, that in the long run Musk’s role with the Department of Government Efficiency and his other government advisory duties in a second Trump administration will have a greater impact on artificial intelligence policies and ethics as well as the human-brain interface. Musk's influence will likely grow in how implanted microchips in humans develop and are regulated.We need to pay close attention to policies and ethics regarding this microchip implant topic now, before life-changing mistakes are made.
Microchip implants chart new territory, but some experts say they are an ethical nightmare-Experts are concerned about the ethical implications of microchipping workers.ByABC News-August 3, 2017, 11:37 AM
US tech company offers to implant microchips in employees Around 50 employees at Wisconsin-based Three Square Market are preparing to have microchips implanted between their forefingers and thumbs that are designed to allow them to more easily make purchases and enter the office.— -- A vending machine software firm recently implanted about four dozen of its employees with Radio-Frequency Identification (RFID) microchips that it says will allow the employees to navigate the office more conveniently. But the move has raised concerns about potential ethical and security issues.Three Square Market, based in Riverdale, Wisconsin, said it surgically implanted the chips in about 50 volunteers on Tuesday, giving the workers the ability to make purchases, unlock doors, log into computers and perform other office functions with just the wave of a hand. The firm employs 95 workers at its Wisconsin location and has more than 200 other employees stationed around the globe.Three Square Market’s Chief Operating Officer, Patrick McMullan, estimates that the technology will become standardized within the next decade or so, eventually allowing people use their chips for passports, public transit and various purchasing opportunities. He, too, was microchipped, and said the program was "going well" since its implementation."The reality is, it’s coming and it’s coming soon," McMullan told ABC News. "And I think you’re going to see a whole new wave of people who are wanting to get into this.”The company, which also operates about 6,000 inmate kiosks through its corrections industry business, says the chips are safe and encrypted to protect the user’s data, but some security and technology experts are questioning if the implants are ethical.Three Square Market says the chips are less invasive than mobile phones and apps, which it says are rich with all types of GPS tracking data.Michael Zimmer, director of the Center for Information Policy Research at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, said the implants are fundamentally different than other technologies because the user has less control over the experience.“With my phone, I can turn it off, I can to leave it at my desk and I can control the apps that I have access to,” Zimmer told ABC News. “There are a lot more ways that I can manage what people know about me.”With the chip implant, “I simply lose that element on control because I can’t turn it off and I can’t just take it out and put it back in,” he said. “I think that’s a fundamental change in the way we control what access people have to our bodies and what we’re doing.”He’s also worried that the chips could eventually lead to larger scale tracking of one's movements and behaviors -- such as what you purchase or how long you stay in the restroom -- as the technology evolves.“I think we need to be a little more cautious, making sure that we’re not going too quickly and that we understand the implications,” Zimmer said. “There are some things that we need to make sure we’re paying attention to before we start walking down this path.”Three Square Market said the chips lack GPS capability and it is not interested in tracking its employees. And the chipping program will never become mandatory for employees, McMullan said.Microchip implants could cross ethical boundaries “if done recklessly, but we’re not going to be reckless,” McMullan acknowledged, adding that the company would notify its employees if it ever decided to track their behavior or use their data.However, Michelle De Mooy, a privacy and data expert at the Center for Democracy & Technology, believes the company will gain an "intrinsic understanding of where you were and when" because RFID tags are trackers by design.De Mooy said many companies have explored external employee tracking and sensor technology in recent years, but she said the implantation aspect is fairly new.“When you have RFID chips implanted into the body, it really crosses the traditional boundaries of personal space,” De Mooy told ABC News. “It also raises the really profound ethical questions about what an employee should or should not be able to introduce in such a skewed power environment.”Right now, the chips are mostly being explored for convenience or health benefits, but De Mooy said people should ask companies what they do with the data that’s collected.“What if they decide to do other kinds of more intrusive tracking -- like sleep tracking or behavioral tracking -- where do the consent mechanisms come into place?” De Mooy asked.De Mooy said it’s a plus that the chips will be encrypted, which she says can help with security vulnerabilities, but she noted that it is “not a silver bullet for every situation.”She added, “Think about what we are willing to trade for convenience and what our pound of flesh is worth in this context.”
Regula makes privacy compliance easier for border control, law enforcement-Extends personal data masking to all its solutions-May 27, 2025, 9:47 am EDT | Lu-Hai Liang
Regula has rolled out a feature that allows for greater privacy protection.The personal data masking functionality has been extended to Regula Forensic Studio (RFS), software that powers forensic devices. The update enables personal data to be protected with a single click, helping organizations stay ahead of growing privacy demands and data privacy regulations.“With one-click data masking now built into our ID verification tools, experts can instantly anonymize personal information during analysis, enabling secure, compliant workflows for audits, training, or database creation, without sacrificing speed or accuracy,” says Ihar Kliashchou, Chief Technology Officer, Regula.Personal data masking was already available in the Regula Document Reader SDK, and has now been extended to the RFS toolset used by border control officers, forensic professionals and law enforcement agencies. This helps with compliance with global requirements such as GDPR, CCPA and others.According to Regula’s global survey, 35 percent of large enterprises cite regulatory compliance as the primary reason for implementing identity verification solutions, while more than a quarter (28 percent) of companies in general do the same.Users simply click on “Depersonalize” in the RFS menu and all the personal data in an ID is blurred. The new feature means personally identifiable information (PII) like names, photos, ID numbers can be easily blurred directly within forensic workflows.In addition to the personal data masking feature, Regula’s latest RFS release includes more than 40 updates focused on speed, customization and forensic precision, according to the company.These include new analysis tools, such as yellow dot analysis, smarter imaging, video screen capture and camera recording capabilities, improved digital zoom, faster hyperspectral imaging, and wider OS compatibility, among other updates.
Kenya to harmonize education sector data through Maisha Namba ID integration-May 27, 2025, 9:18 am EDT | Ayang Macdonald
Kenya will begin a pilot in July for a new system that will streamline education sector data management by integrating it with the country’s national digital ID system.The new system dubbed Kenya Education Management Information System (KEMIS) will substitute the National Education Management Information System (NEMIS) which has been in place for many years, The Kenya Times reports.KEMIS will streamline the management of education data from elementary school to university-level education, shifting from the old system where education data was held in separate databases.Among the reasons for the integration, the government says it will help strengthen the adoption of the Unique Personal Identifier (UPI), ensure data accuracy and efficiency, establish a consolidated system of one’s educational records across all levels, facilitate access to academic services including via mobile application, ensure inclusivity and security for access to education sector services, and to further align the country with its national digital transformation vision which seeks to have all personal transactions across sectors linked to a single identifier.The Principal Secretary for Basic Education, Prof Julius Bitok, is quoted as saying that with the new integrated system which is set to fully go live by September, “data-driven decision making” will become “the cornerstone of education planning and service delivery in Kenya.”He added that “by consolidating all learner data, from ECDE [Early Childhood Development and Education] to higher education, into one platform, the system will enhance accuracy, transparency, and accessibility.”The education data integration will ensure that “the government has the right statistics on every school to inform the distribution of teachers, capitation, books and other resources.”Apart from integration with the Maisha Namba digital ID, KEMIS will also be integrated with the birth and death registration system, according to Immigration and Citizen Services Principal Secretary, Dr Belio Kipsang. He noted that following the integration, the UPI will be issued to every child, and subsequently used by KEMIS as part of efforts to keep accurate data, even at the time of death.Kenyan lawmakers, namely from the parliamentary Committee on Education, are said to be in support of the new system, pledging to throw their weight behind it should it require any legislative deliberation.ID verification for social media use-In a related ID story, Kenya is following the global age assurance trend where governments are moving towards ensuring age verification for access to certain harmful or age-restricted products and services.As Citizen Digital reports, a draft legislation which requires age verification via the national ID card for access to some social media platforms in Kenya, is currently in the country’s parliament.The Kenya Information and Communications (Amendment) Bill 2025, if eventually approved, will require age verification measures for access to social media platforms such as Facebook, WhatsApp, and Instagram in the country.Kenya’s national ID system was spoken about at ID4Africa 2025 with the Secretary of the National Registration Bureau, Christopher Wanjau, sharing how the country’s ID authority generates income to stay afloat.
Uganda unveils national ID pre-enrollment portal as campaign kicks off today-May 27, 2025, 9:13 am EDT | Ayang Macdonald
The National Identification and Registration Authority of Uganda (NIRA) has launched a dedicated portal to facilitate pre-enrollment for national ID registration for first-timers as well as for renewals.The portal went live as a planned mass registration and renewal exercise targeting at least 33 million citizens and legal residents was scheduled to get underway today May 27.In a number of posts to its X account, NIRA has been sensitizing citizens to the availability of the pre-registration portal and how to make use of it. Pre-registration for children is also to be done online, with parents not expected to leave the conform of their homes for that activityAccording to NIRA’s explanation, the online pre-registration platform has been introduced to streamline the ID application process by reducing wait times and extra costs which citizens incurred having to get their applications processed at NIRA offices.With the portal, all those asking for national IDs for the first time and those seeking a renewal will have to submit their biographic information online, before later visiting a physical office for biometric capture or matching.Before this novelty, both biographic and biometric information was submitted physically, which led to long queues and data entry errors, according to Nile Post.Once an application is completed online, the applicant is issued an Application ID which will then be used as a confirmation document when the individual shows up for biometrics capture. They don’t need to print it out.Meanwhile, it is reported that some Ugandans living in Tanzania were the first group of citizens in diaspora to register or renew their ID cards under the new national security information system (NSIS).The activity was launched in Dar es Salaam at the close of last week in the presence of a representative of NIRA’s Executive Director, Rosemary Kisembo.Senior Registration Officer at NIRA, Andrew Apedel, speaking for Kisembo, said as quoted, that “by Tanzania leading the way, it sets a strong precedent for other missions worldwide to adopt the new advanced platform and encourages those still using the old system to upgrade accordingly.”Apedel presented the benefits which the second generation national digital ID system comes with, saying it will facilitate access to digital services and introduce other systems aimed at advancing Uganda’s digital transformation efforts.The launch of the mass ID registration and renewal for the diaspora took place on the heels of the 1st Uganda Diaspora Convention which took place May 23 in Tanzania, and featured presentations and discussions on the role of the new generation ID and how it can contribute to enhancing regional integration.As the mass ID registration and renewal gets underway, NIRA has called on citizens, including students who have reached the age of 16, to make sure they register for a new national ID card.
NexG invests in identity document production facility to meet international demand-Looking at long-term partnerships with foreign governments, system integrators-May 26, 2025, 4:12 pm EDT | Lu-Hai Liang
NexG Bhd is investing $15.38M (RM250 million) in a plant to develop high-security identity document production, and is exploring international partnerships as it looks to expand.The investment by NexG, formerly known as Datasonic Group Bhd, is part of an international expansion drive. The new facility will be developed in three phases and is expected to generate between $100-200 million in revenue per phase, according to The Edge Malaysia.“Once completed, the new facility is projected to add an additional estimated capacity of 50 million secure ID documents to NexG’s current production capacity, significantly enhancing the group’s ability to meet growing international demand for secure identity infrastructure,” the company said in a statement.In addition, NexG has established a new wholly-owned subsidiary Datasonic Global Technologies Sdn Bhd, which will drive international commercialization and strategic partnerships with foreign governments, system integrators and industry stakeholders.“We are focused not just on exporting technology, but on enabling digital sovereignty for countries that demand trusted, secure, and scalable identity infrastructure,” said executive chairman and NexG CEO Datuk Hanifah Noordin.NexG has been the main technology supplier for Malaysia’s MyKad national ID project since 2012, and the supplier of e-passport solutions for Malaysia since 2016.NexG is seeking out JVs for long-term partnerships-NexG has signed an MOU with LUN Partners Financial Limited (LPF) as the two parties explore collaboration opportunities on the international commercialization of NexG’s patented technologies and solutions such as digital identity verification and cybersecurity.“This partnership marks a significant step in NexG’s strategy to expand our suite of secure digital identity, cybersecurity, and fintech solutions across Asia and global markets,” said Noordin.“Through this collaboration, NexG and LPF will jointly drive product and application innovation to support the growing demand for trusted digital infrastructure in both public and private sectors worldwide.”The executive said that NexG is open to forming joint ventures in “suitable jurisdictions” where long-term strategic partnerships can be developed.William Ding, Managing Director of LUN Partners Financial, commented that by bringing NexG into their global partner network, “we reinforce our international ecosystem – particularly in Southeast Asia – and unlock new opportunities for digital transformation in markets that demand resilience, trust, and technical depth.”With Dataonic’s acquisition of Innov8tif Holdings, equity fundraising, re-branding, and strategic partnerships, NexG is shaping its strategy to be a regional enabler of digital transformation technology that is firming up Malaysia’s role in the expanding global digital identity solutions economy.
Hacks cause Login.gov to advance digital ID verification through remote proofing-May 26, 2025, 4:10 pm EDT | Anthony Kimery
In response to more than a few serious breaches of Login.gov, the General Services Administration (GSA) is driving a major technological upgrade of the Login.gov platform through its Next Generation of Remote Unsupervised Identity Proofing Solutions program.This effort, outlined in the Functional Area 1 (FA1) Call Order Statement of Work (SOW), reflects a strategy to securely and efficiently expand digital identity verification services to a broader population, including users across the United States and abroad. The overarching goal is to maintain compliance with the National Institute of Standards and Technology’s (NIST) SP 800-63-3 guidelines while enabling secure, unsupervised, remote identity verification at scale.Recent events revealed significant vulnerabilities in the current system. GSA disclosed in a partially redacted Limited Sources Justification document that in April an unspecified entity flagged numerous potentially fraudulent accounts which had successfully passed Login.gov’s Identity Assurance Level 2 (IAL2) verification process.An internal investigation by the Login.gov Anti-Fraud Team confirmed that these accounts bore indicators of fraud. The perpetrators and their methods remain redacted, but GSA acknowledged that the sophistication of these identity fraud attempts is likely to escalate rapidly. In response, the Anti-Fraud Team determined that relying solely on a single identity verification method within any functional area leaves the system exposed.This assessment has led to an immediate strategic pivot. GSA now recognizes the urgent need to introduce a secondary identity verification layer within Functional Area 2 (FA2), particularly to reinforce the platform’s resilience as new fraud techniques continue to evolve. This adjustment underscores the necessity of building a multi-solution framework to effectively adapt and respond to emerging threats in real time.This next generation of Login.gov’s remote unsupervised identity proofing solutions, which has a potential total value of $7.5 million, reflects a transformative shift in how the federal government is operationalizing identity verification. It is designed not only to increase security and accuracy, but also to prioritize usability, accessibility, and inclusivity.By mandating high performance, strict compliance with federal standards, and transparent reporting from contractors, the initiative is positioning Login.gov as a national model for secure and equitable digital access to public services.The Next Generation of Remote Unsupervised Identity Proofing Solutions is a strategic initiative to modernize and secure how digital identities are verified remotely. The effort focuses on remote, unsupervised identity proofing that aligns with NIST IAL2 standards which allow for strong identity verification without requiring an in-person or live video session.The pre-solicitation phase for this program began as a sources sought notice, signaling GSA’s intent to gather input and solutions from industry leaders capable of delivering secure, equitable, and innovative identity verification technologies. A subsequent award announcement indicated a shift in contract support from legacy providers such as LexisNexis as GSA transitioned to more advanced and diversified vendor solutions under new task orders.NIST guidance confirms that while unsupervised remote identity proofing is acceptable at IAL2, it is not permitted at the more stringent IAL3 level due to the absence of real-time human oversight. These standards ensure that digital identity solutions strike a balance between security, usability, and accessibility for millions of Americans seeking to interact with federal services online.Login.gov’s identity verification strategy encompasses three interlocking service categories: document capture, document authentication, and document validation. These form the foundation of FA1 and are designed to ensure that users’ identity evidence such as driver’s licenses, passports, or other government-issued documents is accurately captured, verified for authenticity, and validated against authoritative databases.Document capture tools, referred to as Identity Evidence Document Capture products, are required to operate on both web browsers and mobile platforms, including legacy and accessibility-challenged devices. These products must support languages including English, Spanish, and French, while maintaining compatibility with all major operating systems released in the last four years. Furthermore, these tools must adhere to Section 508 and Web Content Accessibility Guidelines accessibility standards.Once captured, identity documents must be authenticated by Identity Evidence Document Authentication (IEDA) services which utilize algorithmic or human-in-the-loop techniques to classify and confirm the legitimacy of uploaded documents. The SOW mandates that these systems be capable of recognizing a wide range of document types issued by state, federal, tribal, and foreign governments, and must deliver 99 percent accuracy in document authentication when provided with quality images. Additionally, the IEDA services must return not only the authentication outcome but also reasons for the success or failure of the validation, along with extracted personal data.Subsequent validation is carried out through Identity Evidence Document Validation services which confirm the document’s authenticity by cross-referencing information with authoritative databases, such as the issuing agencies.The goal is to achieve a minimum of 95 percent validation accuracy across tribal, state, and federal levels. This multilayered identity verification model strengthens the reliability and trustworthiness of the identity proofing process while enabling a seamless, self-service experience for users.Complementing the document-based proofing process is FA2, which centers on one-to-one facial image matching. This facet is particularly vital for verifying that the individual submitting the documents is indeed the person they claim to be. Facial image matching tools are required to capture and analyze user photographs in a privacy-conscious manner. This process must include passive and, optionally, active liveness detection to prevent spoofing and presentation attacks.In alignment with NIST guidelines, facial comparison software must exhibit strong biometric performance with a false match rate of 1 in 10,000 and a false non-match rate of 1 in 100 or better. Contractors are required to disclose technical specifications, the provenance of training data, and performance metrics based on evaluations such as NIST’s Face Recognition Technology Evaluation.Security is a pillar of the initiative, and all contractor systems must comply with FedRAMP and NIST 800-series guidelines. The evaluation and authorization process depends on data sensitivity, retention, and interaction with GSA systems.Contractors are responsible for delivering security plans, including static and dynamic application security testing reports, software bills of materials, and cyber-supply chain risk management documentation. They also must be capable of responding to unplanned outages within 15 minutes and restoring services within a six-hour window. Emergency vulnerabilities must be patched within 24 hours, and less critical ones within 30 to 90 days depending on severity.Privacy considerations are equally critical. All contractors must provide draft Privacy Impact Assessments, data field usage documentation, and details of all external services used during processing. Contractors must follow GSA’s internal privacy policies and federal law to ensure that data collected for identity proofing is neither enriched nor commercialized beyond its intended government purpose.Data ownership under this SOW explicitly affirms that Login.gov retains full control over data and prohibits third-party enrichment. Contractors are restricted in how data may be retained or reused to ensure the integrity of the system and the privacy of the users.Operationally, contractors must deliver on rigorous performance objectives, including maintaining 99.9 percent uptime in production environments and handling a total of at least 200 transactions per second. They must generate and share regular service usage, success rate, and outage analysis reports. In addition to performance monitoring, contractors must support ad hoc requests for performance analytics and submit a roadmap outlining upcoming software changes or updates.Management and oversight are also emphasized in the SOW. A designated program manager must act as the key liaison with Login.gov, ensuring coordination between technical implementation and administrative needs. Management responsibilities include producing continuity of operations and disaster recovery plans, ensuring system backups, and delivering meeting minutes from recurring staff engagements.
IOM releases Digital Identity Toolkit for policymakers, practitioners-Resource emphasizes human rights, privacy, security, technology considerations-May 26, 2025, 1:13 pm EDT | Lu-Hai Liang
The International Organization for Migration has released the IOM Digital Identity Toolkit so that decision-makers and policymakers have a better understanding of key concepts of digital identity.The 135-page document is designed to strengthen stakeholders’s understanding of how to establish and implement digital identity systems — with an emphasis on human rights, privacy, security and key technological considerations.The IOM Digital Identity Toolkit is intended as a practical resource for policymakers and practitioners looking to operationalize and implement digital identity frameworks.Its contents include sections on identity management and biometrics, different types of identity credentials, functionality of digital ID applications, business models and financing.It goes into depth on use cases of digital identity – such as government and private sector use cases – and challenges, along with detailed elaboration on multiple factors related to project set-up and implementation of digital identity.For those seeking knowledge and more information on key aspects of digital identity, the IOM Digital Identity Toolkit is a free resource. It can be downloaded from the IOM website here.The release of the Digital Identity Toolkit comes on the heels of the recently concluded 2025 edition of ID4Africa where Biometric Update was on site to report on the latest developments. One of the main takeaways from the latest AGM, which was staged in Ethiopia’s capital Addis Ababa, was that biometrics experience, policy and tools must converge in order to transform lives.Speakers from dozens of African governments, development agencies like the World Bank and UNDP, and biometrics technology providers offered insights and debated how best to handle common challenges. Biometric Update’s reporting on the event is collected here.Development agencies, biometrics providers, digital identity stakeholders, and government leaders also converged at MOSIP Connect 2025 in Manila, Philippines, in March, to share insights, challenges and progress reports.The MOSIP-backed event, which is a nonprofit organization mentioned in The IOM Digital Identity Toolkit, revealed advancements made in digital identity in Asia and Africa with countries such as the Philippines and Ethiopia among the highlights.
Social media age verification trends globally as lawmakers on 4 continents push policy-Legislation and proposals in Texas, Europe, New Zealand, Kenya-May 26, 2025, 10:58 am EDT | Lu-Hai Liang
Texas is readying a bill to ban social media for minors in a global trend towards age assurance.If enacted, the bill would make Texas the second U.S. state to require age verification, after Utah, but the southern state would be implementing the most stringent state-level regulation yet seen.The Texas bill explicitly prohibits every Texas resident under age 18 from registering for and using a social media platform. The legislation would mandate age assurance so that social media media platforms would need to verify the ages of all people creating an account.Violations would be considered “deceptive trade practices” under the bill’s definitions, which would make social media companies liable to fines from the state’s attorney general and lawsuits for financial damages.The Texas House has passed the bill, while the state Senate is expected to as well, reports NBC News. A spokesperson for Republican Governor Gregg Abbott said safety and online privacy remains a priority for Texan children and that he would “thoughtfully review any legislation sent to his desk that seeks to accomplish these goals.”The online child-safety legislation has faced some major pushback. The Wall Street Journal reports that Apple CEO Tim Cook stepped in to call Abbott about the law. Under the bill, which is also known as an app-store accountability law, Apple would be required to verify the ages of iPhone or iPad users. Cook called the Texas governor to ask for changes to the legislation, or a veto if that failed, according to the WSJ.That app marketplaces, such as Apple’s App Store, would be responsible for age verification, rather than individual apps, is down to the difficulty of passing legislation that could contravene free speech. Meta, which owns Facebook and Instagram, has said that verifying ages on the platform level is easier and helps preserve privacy as children’s ages are stored in one place rather than on every app they access.But Apple argues that the Texas bill jeopardizes user privacy since app marketplaces would be required to collect and keep sensitive identifying information for “every Texan who wants to download an app, even if it’s an app that simply provides weather updates or sports scores,” said an Apple spokesperson quoted by the WSJ.The likes of Google, X and Snap are also known to be against such legislation. Texas is the biggest state yet to consider implementing such a bill and could pave the way for adoption across the United States.Lawmakers in 27 states this year have proposed bills that seek to regulate children’s use of social media, according to the National Conference of State Legislatures. Federally, an age assurance law that bans American children under 13 from accessing social media platforms is making its way through the Senate.Calls for age verification in Kenya-In Kenya, the proposed Kenya Information and Communications (Amendment) Bill, 2025, put forward by Aldai MP Marianne Kitany, introduces strict age verification rules for social media users. New and current users of platforms like WhatsApp, Facebook, Instagram, and LinkedIn will be required to confirm their age using their national biometric identification cards before gaining access.Content service providers and application service providers will be required to enforce these verification procedures, while mobile service providers will ensure SIM card registrationv aligns with these requirements.Proposal in Europe gaining traction-A new proposal that would set significant curbs on children’s social media use is gaining traction in Brussels, reports Politico.The proposal seeks to establish an EU-wide age block on social media use, with minors requiring parental consent to log onto social media. This would result in devices having mandatory, built-in age verification and parental control, alongside introducing “European norms” to combat techniques designed to keep users online for longer. These include social media features like pop-ups and autoplay.The document seen by Politico would seek age verification implementation at the level of devices, a proposal to which Apple and Google are likely to object. Countries leading the proposal are Greece and Spain, with their respective digital ministers Dimitris Papastergiou and Oscar López Agueda signing the document. Alongside France, the three countries were chosen to test an age verification app developed by the European Commission.Previously, France president Emmanuel Macron coined the term “digital majority” to mean a legal definition for the age children should be prohibited from certain online behaviors. Macron recommended age 15, with Denmark’s Minister of Digital Affairs Caroline Stage Olsen supporting a ban on social media for under-15s.Denmark is set to take over the rotating presidency of the Council of the EU and the proposal spearheaded by Greece and Spain will be discussed by EU digital ministers at a meeting in Copenhagen in early June. It is an indication that European capitals are unhappy with the progress Brussels regulators are taking with respect to children’s online behaviors and want to speed things up.New Zealand to follow Australia’s lead-New Zealand prime minister Christopher Luxon has put forward a draft law that would mandate social media companies to verify the ages of users, with a minimum age requirement of 16, to create an account. These companies could face fines of up to NZ$2m ($1.2m) otherwise.The proposed bill is modelled closely on Australia’s, which grabbed international headlines in November 2024 when it unveiled “world-leading” legislation to ban children under 16 from social media use. A February report from Australia’s eSafety Commissioner Julie Inman Grant found that social media platforms could do more to keep children away.The New Zealand legislation was authored by National MP Catherine Wedd under Luxon’s centre-right National party, and would need the support of Luxon’s two coalition partners to pass. Opposition Labour leader Chris Hipkins said the bill opens up a conversation New Zealand needs to have, as reported by The Guardian.However, opposition to the bill has arisen from a libertarian grouping known as ACT New Zealand, according to reporting by MLex. ACT leader and regulation minister David Seymour strongly opposes the bill, and in a statement asked the Education and Workforce Committee to hold an “open, transparent inquiry” to find a “workable solution that respects parental responsibility.”Some academics have questioned the effectiveness of the bill, arguing whether it would produce the outcomes, such as reduction in bullying and online harms, the government wants. A legal services firm based in Auckland raised concerns over personal privacy, saying that platforms would likely verify users through the collection of biometric information, which is sensitive personal information.The New Zealand bill is still in its early days and would need to be drawn from the ballot box for parliamentary debate.
Biometrics experience, policy and tools must converge to transform lives-Lessons from ID4Africa 2025-May 24, 2025, 1:26 pm EDT | Chris Burt
Biometrics and technologies for issuing, sharing and delivering services with identity credentials shared the stage with practical, real-world experiences and policy recommendations this week at ID4Africa 2025.Speakers from dozens of African governments, development agencies like the World Bank and UNDP, and biometrics providers from Toppan and Tech5 to FaceTec offered insights and debated how best to handle common challenges.ID4Africa 2025 AGM-The ID4Africa 2025 AGM, held this past week in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, appears to have been the largest ID-centric event ever held in the world’s Southern hemisphere.“The acceleration is very promising, but it’s not across the board, and it’s not across all domains,” ID4Africa Executive Chairman Dr. Joseph Atick told Biometric Update in an exclusive sideline interview at the event’s conclusion. “The acceleration is quite a bit in the domain of digital identity. And the reason there’s an urgency is because the world is a small village now; people get online, people are on social media, and they see what digital identity can do for their brothers and sisters in other countries. They knock on the doors of the politicians, and they apply pressure.”Leadership has become sensitized, and what was once more of a top-down mandate has shifted to be more of a popular demand, Atick says.Delegations from countries that are further behind are asking “How do we catch up?”Sharing advances and how they were achieved is an annual theme of the event, and the host country led off the good news reports with a reiterated commitment to race towards universal coverage with the Fayda ID program by 2027 through collaboration. PM Abiy Ahmed leant weight to the opening ceremonies with an address reminding attendees that “the true measure of success is not in the number of systems built, but in the lives transformed.” Watch for Biometric Update’s in-depth interview with NIDP ED Yodahe Zemichael from on-location in the weeks ahead.Benin, Malawi, Mauritania, Tanzania, and Somalia also shared advice and inspiration on ID4Africa 2025 day 1, and later in the day Ghana, Nigeria and Kenya presented their experiences in making ID systems economically sustainable.IN Groupe CEO Agnes Diallo also spoke on day 1, in the wake of winning an €8.5M digital ID contract with Madagascar.Civil registration, however, is too often being pushed aside in the rush to respond to the grass-roots pressure for digital identity, according to Atick. He referred to sobering projections from UNICEF shared during the first day of the program on the pace of civil and birth registration.Decentralization, which becomes more feasible with digital transformation, can help, he believes, but the health sector “has a very important role to play,” if the right institutional arrangements can be made. Health and civil registration have overlapping goals, and people without legal identity may not be able to get the healthcare they need.Civil registration and digital ID can also be twinned for acceleration. Atick says he is advising countries to consider CR, digital ID and services as a “trinity.”“Unless you get these three things working together, your digital identity ecosystem will not work.”Digital public services should be the target, not the issuance of cards, Atick says. And making them useful means moving beyond pilots and PoCs to reach scale.There are reasons to be optimistic that these changes might be in store, though, too. The interest of legislators in facilitating them has exceeded Atick’s expectations he says.ID4Africa has shared IESEF results with lawmakers and other officials, reinforcing the urgency they take from hearing the stories of the continent’s most advanced identity systems.Atick recounts that an ID4Africa Ambassador was flown home to brief the country’s President after the third day of the event.Cracking the capacity challenge-The urgency means that while capacity is building, “you have to do strategic deployment” of that already available to maximize productivity.“At what level do you deploy your capacity? I think deploying it at the source code level is too low. You need to deploy it at the modular level” and with applications, as was seen at the Upanzi Network-organized hackathon.Continual recruitment can help, but the private sector can always poach talent from the public sector, Atick cautions. This is part of the reason that leveraging the private sector is so important. Ghana’s 15-year public-private partnership puts many capacity concerns to rest, Atick says. PPP’s often “smell,” he acknowledges, but NIA ES Kenneth Attafuah told Atick during the event “we’re beyond that stage,” pointing to the prosecution and jail time of his own nephew for failing to uphold the country’s transparency and governance standards.Limited, controlled PPPs can help provide the lift still needed by so many nations to achieve their identity goals, while also leaving room for local providers. AI can also help with productivity, Atick suggests.ID4Africa itself has increased its staff count by only one since 2019, even as the AGM has more than doubled in size, Atick says, by making more efficient use of the capacity it has. The same approach must be taken by country’s catching up on ID.Technical tools can also help, and visible digital seals that can reduce the price of an individual credential to the cost of a piece of paper and ink were one of the technologies in the spotlight during in Addis.
‘Digital identity is critical national infrastructure’: ID4Africa 2025-Biometrics advances present digital ID opportunities, also dangers-May 22, 2025, 2:27 pm EDT | Chris Burt
World Bank and European Commission Technical Consultant Adam Cooper examined the global landscape of digital identity adoption, noting that he sees an acceleration in adoption.But if they are not reusable, those identities will have limited value. Digital wallets are helping popularize reusable IDs, particularly across the Asia-Pacific region. The EU is following suit with its EU Digital Identity (EUDI) Wallet. Mobile driver’s licenses (mDLs) also act as de facto ID, further expanding the scale of the trend to places like the U.S.Aadhaar also continues to evolve, including with a mobile app backed by biometrics. And Ethiopia launched its FaydaPass digital wallet to deliver reusable identity on Wednesday.Use cases like age verification and cross-border trade are driving the adoption of this particular, more advanced version of digital identity, Cooper says.Biometrics, and the safeguards that must accompany them to maintain public confidence in the wallets and IDs, are a necessity to ensure their integrity. Without that integrity, the impressive capabilities of these next-generation digital identities also make them vulnerable to “industrialized attacks,” Cooper warns.“Digital identity is critical national infrastructure, not just digital public infrastructure,” he asserts.Matching biometrics to identity needsNIST Biometric Testing Project Lead Patrick Grother followed, delivering an overview of best practices and techniques for binding credentials to their real owners with biometrics.Grother reviewed NIST SP 800-63 Digital Identity Guidelines, and then moved on to the capabilities of QR codes. NIST has research forthcoming specifically addressing this trend within the biometrics industry.“This has been a big topic of discussion this week,” he observed.A face image can be compressed down to about one kilobyte for inclusion in a QR code that comes with a digital signature. Iris images cannot be compressed beyond about 2KB, making them unsuitable for QR codes, but MINEX-compliant, and therefore interoperable fingerprint minutia templates can be rendered as small as 300 bytes. Proprietary face biometric templates vary considerably, from roughly 100 bytes to 4KB, while iris templates tend to be even larger.Face templates stored in QR codes have some disadvantages compared to images, as they could potentially lead to vendor lock-in, Grother notes.Idiap research shows that face templates can be inverted, but not consistently enough to rely on for dependable manual comparison. Irreversibility cannot be depended on, either, unless specifically irreversible templates are used.But facial recognition accuracy has reached the point where the only likely errors are from poor quality images, which can be avoided, children and changes from aging over a long time period.Grother also touched on the state-of-the-art in infant fingerprint biometrics and contactless fingerprinting.For systems capturing face biometrics from twins and triplets, Grother suggests their record should note that their siblings. Even non-twin siblings, however, can generate false matches.A series of sobering warnings followed about presentation and injection attacks, deepfakes and face morph attacks. The answer to the questions these raise, Grother says, is “trusted capture.” A system like the ID-Pass kiosks in the UK protect against morph and injection attacks, but could be vulnerable to presentation attacks.Grother recommended attendees concerned about deepfakes to seek out the U.S. Department of Homeland Security’s “Increasing Threat of Deepfake Identities” report and its “Phase Two: Mitigation Measures” follow-up.University of North Carolina Professor and CITeR Director Dr. Stephanie Schuckers delved further into the importance of liveness, and the increasing commonality of presentation attacks and other biometric spoofs.Schuckers also introduced the work of the FIDO Alliance, and encouraged attendees to join the FIDO ecosystem, from adopting Passkeys to joining as members.
STORMS HURRICANES-TORNADOES
OZONE DEPLETION JUDGEMENT ON THE EARTH DUE TO SIN
ISAIAH 30:26-27
26 Moreover the light of the moon shall be as the light of the sun, and the light of the sun shall be sevenfold,(7X OR 7-DEGREES HOTTER) as the light of seven days, in the day that the LORD bindeth up the breach of his people,(ISRAEL) and healeth the stroke of their wound.
27 Behold, the name of the LORD cometh from far, burning with his anger, and the burden thereof is heavy: his lips are full of indignation, and his tongue as a devouring fire:
MATTHEW 24:21-22,29
21 For then shall be great tribulation, such as was not since the beginning of the world to this time, no, nor ever shall be.
22 And except those days should be shortened,(DAY LIGHT HOURS SHORTENED) there should no flesh be saved: but for the elect’s sake (ISRAELS SAKE) those days shall be shortened (Daylight hours shortened)(THE ASTEROID HITS EARTH HERE)
29 Immediately after the tribulation of those days shall the sun be darkened, and the moon shall not give her light, and the stars shall fall from heaven, and the powers of the heavens shall be shaken:
REVELATION 16:7-9
7 And I heard another out of the altar say, Even so, Lord God Almighty, true and righteous are thy judgments.
8 And the fourth angel poured out his vial upon the sun; and power was given unto him to scorch men with fire.
9 And men were scorched with great heat, and blasphemed the name of God, which hath power over these plagues: and they repented not to give him glory.
EZEKIEL 32:6-9
6 I will also water with thy blood the land wherein thou swimmest, even to the mountains; and the rivers shall be full of thee.
7 And when I shall put thee out, I will cover the heaven, and make the stars thereof dark; I will cover the sun with a cloud, and the moon shall not give her light.
8 All the bright lights of heaven will I make dark over thee, and set darkness upon thy land, saith the Lord GOD.
9 I will also vex the hearts of many people, when I shall bring thy destruction among the nations, into the countries which thou hast not known.
REVELATION 16:3-7
3 And the second angel poured out his vial upon the sea; and it became as the blood of a dead man: and every living soul died in the sea.(enviromentalists won't like this result)
4 And the third angel poured out his vial upon the rivers and fountains of waters; and they became blood.
5 And I heard the angel of the waters say, Thou art righteous, O Lord, which art, and wast, and shalt be, because thou hast judged thus.
6 For they(False World Church and Dictator and baby murderers by abortion) have shed the blood of saints and prophets, and thou hast given them blood to drink; for they are worthy.
EARTHQUAKES
EZEKIEL 37:7,11-14
7 So I prophesied as I was commanded: and as I prophesied, there was a noise, and behold a shaking, and the bones came together, bone to his bone.(POSSIBLE QUAKE BRINGS ISRAEL BACK TO LIFE-SO NOISE AND SHAKING-QUAKES WILL ALSO DESTROY ISRAELS ENEMIES)
11 Then he said unto me, Son of man, these bones are the whole house of Israel: behold, they say, Our bones are dried, and our hope is lost: we are cut off for our parts.
12 Therefore prophesy and say unto them, Thus saith the Lord GOD; Behold, O my people, I will open your graves, and cause you to come up out of your graves, and bring you into the land of Israel.
13 And ye shall know that I am the LORD, when I have opened your graves, O my people, and brought you up out of your graves,
14 And shall put my spirit in you, and ye shall live, and I shall place you in your own land: then shall ye know that I the LORD have spoken it, and performed it, saith the LORD.
MATTHEW 24:7-8
7 For nation shall rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom: and there shall be famines, and pestilences, and earthquakes, in divers places.
8 All these are the beginning of sorrows.
MARK 13:8
8 For nation shall rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom:(ETHNIC GROUP AGAINST ETHNIC GROUP) and there shall be earthquakes in divers places, and there shall be famines and troubles: these are the beginnings of sorrows.
LUKE 21:11
11 And great earthquakes shall be in divers places,(DIFFERNT PLACES AT THE SAME TIME) and famines, and pestilences; and fearful sights and great signs shall there be from heaven.
FAMINE
EZEKIEL 5:16
16 When I shall send upon them the evil arrows of famine, which shall be for their destruction, and which I will send to destroy you: and I will increase the famine upon you, and will break your staff of bread:
REVELATION 6:5-6
5 And when he had opened the third seal, I heard the third beast say, Come and see. And I beheld, and lo a black horse; and he that sat on him had a pair of balances in his hand.
6 And I heard a voice in the midst of the four beasts say, A measure of wheat for a penny, and three measures of barley for a penny; and see thou hurt not the oil and the wine.(A DAYS WAGES FOR A LOAF OF BREAD)
MATTHEW 24:7-8
7 For nation shall rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom: and there shall be famines, and pestilences, and earthquakes, in divers places.
8 All these are the beginning of sorrows.
FIRES AND EXPLOSIONS
REVELATION 8:7
7 The first angel sounded, and there followed hail and fire mingled with blood, and they were cast upon the earth: and the third part of trees was burnt up, and all green grass was burnt up.
JAMES 1:11
11 For the sun is no sooner risen with a burning heat, but it withereth the grass, and the flower thereof falleth, and the grace of the fashion of it perisheth: so also shall the rich man fade away in his ways.
The Hebrew noun accurately translated “oven” refers to a “baking oven” as distinct from a kiln or smelting furnace—both of which burn much hotter. (The Hebrew nouns for “kiln” or for “smelting furnace” are more likely to appear in contexts of God's wrath or judgment.)
21 They have roused me to jealousy with a non-god, they have exasperated me with their idols. In my turn I shall rouse them to jealousy with a non-people, I shall exasperate them with a stupid nation.
22 Yes, a fire has blazed from my anger, it will burn right down to the depths of Sheol; it will devour the earth and all its produce, it will set fire to the footings of the mountains.
23 I shall hurl disasters on them, on them I shall use up all my arrows.
Ephesians 2:2
2 Wherein in time past ye walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air,(LIBERAL GODLESS AIR WAVES) the spirit that now worketh in the children of disobedience:(GODLESS)
2 Peter 3:6-7 Amplified Bible (AMP) (HOT SUN, NUKES ETC)
6 By these waters also the world of that time was deluged and destroyed.
7 By the same word the present heavens and earth are reserved for fire, being kept for the day of judgment and destruction of the ungodly.
We shall have World Government, whether or not we like it. The only question is whether World Government will be achieved by conquest or consent.James Paul Warburg appearing before the Senate on 7th February 1950-Like a famous WWII Belgian General,Paul Henry Spock said in 1957:We need no commission, we have already too many. What we need is a man who is great enough to be able to keep all the people in subjection to himself and to lift us out of the economic bog into which we threaten to sink. Send us such a man. Be he a god or a devil, we will accept him.And today, sadly, the world is indeed ready for such a man.
JUDGEMENT-WE ALL(EVERYONE) STAND IN FRONT OF GOD TO GIVE ACCOUNT
JOHN 14:3
3 And if I (JESUS OUR JEWISH MESSIAH) go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also.
MATTHEW 24:33
33 So likewise ye, when ye shall see all these things,(IN THERE BEGGINING STAGES-NOT FINAL STAGES) know that it is near, even at the doors.
LUKE 21:32
32 Verily I say unto you, This generation shall not pass away, till all be fulfilled.
2 CORINTHIANS 5:10
10 For we must all (MEANS EVERYONE EVER BORN ON EARTH FROM ADAM-EVE ON) appear before the judgment seat of Christ; that every one may receive the things done in his body, according to that he hath done, whether it be good or bad.(THIS IS THE CHRISTIANS IN FRONT OF JESUS)
LUKEWARM CHURCHES
REVELATION 3:15-19
15 I know thy works, that thou art neither cold nor hot: I would thou wert cold or hot.
16 So then because thou art lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I(GOD) will spue (VOMIT) thee out of my mouth.
17 Because thou sayest, I am rich, and increased with goods, and have need of nothing; and knowest not that thou art wretched, and miserable, and poor, and blind, and naked:
18 I counsel thee to buy of me gold tried in the fire, that thou mayest be rich; and white raiment, that thou mayest be clothed, and that the shame of thy nakedness do not appear; and anoint thine eyes with eyesalve, that thou mayest see.
19 As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten: be zealous therefore, and repent.
NOAA forecasts above-average Atlantic hurricane season-National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration meteorologists predict six to 10 hurricanes, including three to five Category 3 or higher storms.May 22, 2025, 1:33 PM EDT-By Evan Bush
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration forecasters are predicting an active Atlantic hurricane season with more storm activity than typical.“We’re really looking at an above normal season,” said Ken Graham, a meteorologist and the director of the National Weather Service. “We’re calling for 13 to 19 named storms.”Storms get names when their wind speeds reach 39 mph or higher. Six to 10 of the forecasted storms are expected to become hurricanes, with wind speeds exceeding 74 mph. NOAA expects three to five major hurricanes — Category 3 and above.The forecasts do not predict if or where the hurricanes will make landfall or how many of these storms will strike U.S. coastlines. Still, now is the time to prepare, forecasters said.“It’s a good time to go out there and get your supplies and your kit and put it together,” Graham said. “We’ve got to be ready. No lines for supplies today. No lines for gas, no lines for plywood, no lines for water.”Graham said the above-average forecast is driven in part by warmer ocean temperatures, a trend associated with climate change.“The warmer ocean temperatures is really consistent with us being in a more active season,” Graham said at a news conference.Forecasters were also predicting higher activity from the West African Monsoon, a pattern that develops storms off the shore of continental Africa and sends them spinning across the Atlantic and toward the U.S.The hurricane forecast comes at a time when many National Weather Service offices are short on staff, after the Trump administration fired some workers and opened up voluntary retirement programs to cut staffing.In the first months of 2025, nearly 600 staffers have left the National Weather Service, opening staffing holes. Still, the agency's leadership said the National Hurricane Center, a division of the National Weather Service, had the resources it needed.“We are fully staffed at the hurricane center, and we definitely are ready to go. And we are really making this up a top priority for this administration,” said Laura Grimm, the acting administrator of NOAA.The nation's 122 local forecasting offices have been hard hit and are riddled with vacancies. Many of those offices will be tasked with forecasting local effects after a hurricane landfall, such as flood inundation and rainfall."I'm going to make sure that our offices, when there's a hurricane threat, that's going to have the resources that they need to make sure every warning goes out," Graham said, adding that he was working on solutions to "make sure that we continue to have the staffing that we need long term."Hurricane season begins June 1 and ends Nov. 30. It typically starts to peak in late summer and early fall.NOAA's forecast falls roughly in line with the public forecasts provided by outside research groups at universities, government agencies and private businesses.On average, outside research groups predicted eight Atlantic hurricanes in 2025, according to a website operated by Colorado State University and the Barcelona Supercomputing Center, which tracks and aggregates predictions each year.Last year, NOAA predicted its highest-ever hurricane season. The season delivered 18 named storms and 11 hurricanes. Five hurricanes struck the U.S. coastline. Hurricane Helene made landfall on Florida's Gulf Coast, then tracked northward with intense rainfall, causing destructive inland flooding in North Carolina, among other states. Helene killed more than 150 people.Hurricane Milton made landfall as a Category 3 storm in Siesta Key Florida and produced 46 tornadoes.Both storms underwent rapid intensification, a phenomenon in which hurricane winds ramp up suddenly as the storm nears shore.Global warming makes that process more likely. High sea surface temperatures, like those observed over the past several years, can fuel that rapid intensification. A 2023 study found that tropical cyclones in the Atlantic Ocean were about 29% more likely to undergo rapid intensification from 2001 to 2020, compared to 1971 to 1990.Evan Bush is a science reporter for NBC News.
Wildfire rages near Jerusalem, leading some residents of Yefe Nof to evacuate homes-Fire service says several crews and planes working to quell flames, as authorities fear blaze could spread towards Yad Vashem Holocaust Museum-By ToI Staff 26 May 2025, 8:28 pm
A large wildfire broke out Monday near the Jerusalem neighborhood of Yefe Nof, with some residents being evacuated, as authorities fear the blaze could spread toward the Yad Vashem Holocaust museum.According to the Fire and Rescue Service, the fire is raging in two points, and land and aerial teams are working to contain it.Due to heavy smoke, residents were asked to stay indoors and close windows.The fire service said that 22 fire crews are working on the scene and seven firefighting aircraft had been dispatched to help with the effort.The fire service added that the cause of the fire is under investigation, and estimated that the blaze will be contained within hours.The Jerusalem area has faced several major wildfires in recent weeks, the most severe of which took place in late April, when a heatwave sparked fires thought to be some of the largest in Israel’s history. The fires, which took 30 hours to get under control, burned through about 20,000 acres.Those blazes led to the evacuation of several communities as well as the cancellation of most Independence Day celebrations. There were no major injuries, though some people had to be treated for smoke inhalation.
Memorial Day storms cause travel delays as millions prepare to head home-Tens of millions of people were expected to head out for the holiday weekend, mostly on the roads. But storms slamming parts of the South could make return travel treacherous.Severe weather threatens 12 million during Memorial Day travel-May 26, 2025, 12:03 PM EDT / By Erik Ortiz and Christine Rapp
A series of destructive storms across parts of the south and central United States could wash out Memorial Day plans and snarl millions of Americans’ return trek home.As of Monday afternoon, hundreds of flights had been delayed in the United States, with dozens of others canceled, according to data on FlightAware.com. The Dallas-Fort Worth area, which has seen several rounds of thunderstorms and gusting winds over the weekend and into Monday, has been the most affected by those delays, the flight tracking site said.Dallas-Fort Worth International Airport, American Airlines' largest hub, said it was expecting to serve about 1.4 million travelers over the holiday. Over the weekend, lines of hundreds of people deep snaked around the airport's terminals.Delays also continued into Monday at Denver International Airport after thunderstorms caused a temporary ground stop Sunday. Officials said a Southwest Airlines flight originating from Tampa, Florida, that landed in Denver on Sunday night may have been struck by lightning; no injuries were immediately reported.It was also the first Memorial Day and major holiday travel weekend since the requirement that passengers have either REAL IDs or passports for domestic flights went into effect this month.The storms Sunday produced more than 180 severe weather reports, including six preliminary tornadoes in New Mexico and Texas. Extremely large hail, some up to 6 inches, was also reported near Afton, Texas, east of Lubbock.Isolated severe weather threats are expected to continue from Texas through the Deep South and parts of Florida into Tuesday, according to forecasts.Through Memorial Day, a severe thunderstorm watch was in effect for parts of Louisiana and Mississippi. Eleven million people were at risk for damaging winds and large hail across parts of Texas, including Abilene, Austin and San Antonio; Louisiana; and Alabama. There's also a continued chance of isolated tornadoes.In addition, 12 million people remain under flood threats across the South into Tuesday morning, with the alerts stretching across the Texas, Arkansas and Louisiana regions.NBC affiliate WESH reported that the potential for pop-up storms Monday across Florida, a popular holiday destination, could lead to ground stops late in the day at Orlando International Airport.Officials said about a million people were expected to pass through the airport over the weekend, and the high volume could potentially lead to delays.AAA expects a record 45.1 million people to travel at least 50 miles from home over the long holiday weekend. But most people — an estimated 38 million people, according to the association — are doing so by car.And they're benefiting from gas averaging $3.18 per gallon — the lowest Memorial Day price in more than four years, AAA reported.For the majority of the United States, outdoor cookouts and travel plans home should remain on track.Seasonal temperatures were anticipated across the Northeast with sun and clouds, while conditions were dry in the western third of the country.Erik Ortiz is a senior reporter for NBC News Digital focusing on racial injustice and social inequality.Christine Rapp is a meteorologist for NBC News.
Southwest Airlines plane struck by lightning amid Memorial Day weekend storms-Southwest Flight 168 was traveling from Tampa to Denver on Sunday when it was struck by lightning on its approach to the airport.A Southwest Airlines plane on the tarmac-May 26, 2025, 2:20 PM EDT By Rebecca Cohen, Larissa Gao and Jay Blackman
A Southwest Airlines plane flying to Denver on Sunday was struck by lightning upon its descent as storms plagued the area over Memorial Day weekend.Southwest Flight 168 was approaching Denver International Airport on Sunday evening from Tampa when it was hit by a lightning strike, the media team for the airport said in a statement.Emergency crews responded to the plane, which landed and made it to the gate safely, the airport said. No injuries were reported.Southwest said that it was "possible" lightning struck the plane and that the aircraft has been taken out of service so its maintenance teams can inspect it.Video shared with NBC News from someone who was inside the the plane shows emergency vehicles responding to the aircraft once it was on the ground through windows streaked with raindrops.The incident comes amid a stormy Memorial Day weekend in the region. On Sunday, Denver was one of many cities at risk for severe weather.Destructive storms continued into Monday, impacting travelers in the south and central United States.More than 2,700 flights were delayed in the U.S. on Monday and dozens more were canceled, according to FlightAware.com. Dallas-Fort Worth has been most impacted by these travel woes.Texas has faced days of thunderstorms and gusting winds, and forecasts show the severe weather in the state will continue into Tuesday.Monday also marked the first Memorial Day that U.S. travelers needed a REAL ID or a passport to board their domestic flights. The long-awaited requirement went into effect earlier this month.According to AAA, a record 45.1 Americans were expected to travel at least 50 miles from home during this long weekend's unofficial kickoff to summer, an increase of 1.4 million people from last year.Rebecca Cohen is a breaking news reporter for NBC News Digital.
INVENTION OF THE ATOMIC BOMB.
2 PETER 3:10-11
10 But the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night; in the which the heavens shall pass away with a great noise, and the elements (NUKES) shall melt with fervent heat,(BLAST) the earth also and the works that are therein shall be burned up.(BUT ITS NO END OF THE WORLD HOGWASH)
11 Seeing then that all these things shall be dissolved,(BY NUKES INCLUDING 3 BILLION PEOPLE) what manner of persons ought ye to be in all holy conversation and godliness,
NUCLEAR WEAPONS WILL BE USED.
JESUS SHED HIS BLOOD FOR US THAT WE CAN BE SAVED FOREVER.AND DURING WW3 PEOPLES BLOOD WILL BE SHED AS A JUDGEMENT FOR HATING HIM AND ISRAEL.GOD IS NOT MOCKED.
ZEPHANIAH 1:2-3
2 I will utterly consume all things from off the land, saith the LORD.
3 I will consume man and beast; I will consume the fowls of the heaven, and the fishes of the sea, and the stumblingblocks with the wicked; and I will cut off man from off the land, saith the LORD.
PSALMS 97:3
3 A fire goeth before him, and burneth up his enemies round about.
EZEKIEL 5:15-17
15 So it shall be a reproach and a taunt, an instruction and an astonishment unto the (ARAB/MUSLIM) nations that are round about thee,(ISRAEL) when I shall execute judgments in thee in anger and in fury and in furious rebukes. I the LORD have spoken it.
16 When I shall send upon them the evil arrows of famine, which shall be for their destruction, and which I will send to destroy you: and I will increase the famine upon you, and will break your staff of bread:
17 So will I send upon you famine and evil beasts,(WHEN RUSSIA/MUSLIMS GET DEFEATED THIER BODIES GET EATEN BY BIRDS,ANIMALS IN ISRAEL MIGRATION SEASON) and they shall bereave thee; and pestilence and blood shall pass through thee;(NUKES) and I will bring the sword upon thee. I the LORD have spoken it.
REVELATION 14:18-20
18 And another angel came out from the altar, which had power over fire; and cried with a loud cry to him that had the sharp sickle, saying, Thrust in thy sharp sickle, and gather the clusters of the vine of the earth; for her grapes are fully ripe.
19 And the angel thrust in his sickle into the earth, and gathered the vine of the earth, and cast it into the great winepress of the wrath of God.
20 And the winepress was trodden without the city,(JERUSALEM) and blood came out of the winepress, even unto the horse bridles, by the space of a thousand and six hundred furlongs.(200 MILES) (THE SIZE OF ISRAEL)
ISAIAH 66:15-18
15 For, behold, the LORD will come with fire,(NUKES) and with his chariots like a whirlwind, to render his anger with fury, and his rebuke with flames of fire.
16 For by fire and by his sword will the LORD plead with all flesh: and the slain of the LORD shall be many.
17 They that sanctify themselves, and purify themselves in the gardens behind one tree in the midst, eating swine's flesh, and the abomination, and the mouse, shall be consumed together, saith the LORD.
18 For I know their works and their thoughts: it shall come, that I will gather all nations and tongues; and they shall come, and see my glory.
ISAIAH 26:21
21 For, behold, the LORD cometh out of his place to punish the inhabitants of the earth for their iniquity:(GOD/ISRAEL HATE AND BRAKING OF HIS COMMANDMENTS) the earth also shall disclose her blood, and shall no more cover her slain.(WW3,1/2 earths population die - 3 BILLION).
ISAIAH 13:6-13 KJV
6 Howl ye; for the day of the LORD is at hand; it shall come as a destruction from the Almighty.
7 Therefore shall all hands be faint, and every man's heart shall melt:(FROM FRIGHT)
8 And they shall be afraid: pangs and sorrows shall take hold of them; they shall be in pain as a woman that travaileth: they shall be amazed one at another; their faces shall be as flames.
9 Behold, the day of the LORD cometh, cruel both with wrath and fierce anger, to lay the land desolate: and he shall destroy the sinners thereof out of it.
10 For the stars of heaven and the constellations thereof shall not give their light: the sun shall be darkened in his going forth, and the moon shall not cause her light to shine.
11 And I will punish the world for their evil, and the wicked for their iniquity; and I will cause the arrogancy of the proud to cease, and will lay low the haughtiness of the terrible.
12 I will make a man more precious than fine gold; even a man than the golden wedge of Ophir.
13 Therefore I will shake the heavens, and the earth shall remove out of her place, in the wrath of the LORD of hosts, and in the day of his fierce anger.
ISAIAH 24:17-23 KJV
17 Fear, and the pit, and the snare, are upon thee, O inhabitant of the earth.
18 And it shall come to pass, that he who fleeth from the noise of the fear shall fall into the pit; and he that cometh up out of the midst of the pit shall be taken in the snare: for the windows from on high are open, and the foundations of the earth do shake.
19 The earth is utterly broken down, the earth is clean dissolved, the earth is moved exceedingly.
20 The earth shall reel to and fro like a drunkard, and shall be removed like a cottage; and the transgression thereof shall be heavy upon it; and it shall fall, and not rise again.
21 And it shall come to pass in that day, that the LORD shall punish the host of the high ones that are on high, and the kings of the earth upon the earth.
22 And they shall be gathered together, as prisoners are gathered in the pit, and shall be shut up in the prison, and after many days shall they be visited.
23 Then the moon shall be confounded, and the sun ashamed, when the LORD of hosts shall reign in mount Zion, and in Jerusalem, and before his ancients gloriously.
2 TIMOTHY 3:1
1 This know also, that in the last days perilous (DANGEROUS) times shall come.
JOEL 2:3,30
ZECHARIAH 14:12-13
12 And this shall be the plague wherewith the LORD will smite all the people that have fought against Jerusalem; Their flesh shall consume away while they stand upon their feet,(DISOLVED FROM ATOMIC BOMB) and their eyes shall consume away in their holes,(DISOLVED FROM ATOMIC BOMB) and their tongue shall consume away in their mouth.(DISOLVED FROM ATOMIC BOMB)(BECAUSE NUKES HAVE BEEN USED ON ISRAELS ENEMIES)(GOD PROTECTS ISRAEL AND ALWAYS WILL)
13 And it shall come to pass in that day, that a great tumult from the LORD shall be among them; and they shall lay hold every one on the hand of his neighbour, and his hand shall rise up against the hand of his neighbour.(1/2-3 BILLION DIE IN WW3)(THIS IS AN ATOMIC BOMB EFFECT)
EZEKIEL 20:47
47 And say to the forest of the south, Hear the word of the LORD; Thus saith the Lord GOD; Behold, I will kindle a fire in thee, and it shall devour every green tree in thee, and every dry tree: the flaming flame shall not be quenched, and all faces from the south to the north shall be burned therein.
ZEPHANIAH 1:18
18 Neither their silver nor their gold shall be able to deliver them in the day of the LORD'S wrath; but the whole land shall be devoured by the fire of his jealousy: for he shall make even a speedy riddance of all them that dwell in the land.
MALACHI 4:1
1 For, behold, the day cometh, that shall burn as an oven;(FROM ATOMIC BOMBS) and all the proud, yea, and all that do wickedly, shall be stubble: and the day that cometh shall burn them up, saith the LORD of hosts, that it shall leave them neither root nor branch.
REVELATION 8:7
7 The first angel sounded, and there followed hail and fire mingled with blood, and they were cast upon the earth: and the third part of trees was burnt up, and all green grass was burnt up.
REVELATION 9:18
18 By these three was the third part of men killed,(2 BILLION) by the fire, and by the smoke, and by the brimstone, which issued out of their mouths.(ATOMIC BOMBS)(RUSSIA CHINA DESTROYED BY ISRAELS ATOMIC BOMBS)
REVELATION 16:12-16
12 And the sixth angel poured out his vial upon the great river Euphrates;(WERE WW3 STARTS IN IRAQ OR SYRIA OR TURKEY) and the water thereof was dried up, that the way of the kings of the east might be prepared.
13 And I saw three unclean spirits like frogs come out of the mouth of the dragon,(SATAN) and out of the mouth of the beast,(WORLD DICTATOR) and out of the mouth of the false prophet.(FALSE POPE)
14 For they are the spirits of devils, working miracles, which go forth unto the kings of the earth and of the whole world, to gather them to the battle of that great day of God Almighty.(WERE 2 BILLION DIE FROM NUKE WAR)
15 Behold, I come as a thief. Blessed is he that watcheth, and keepeth his garments, lest he walk naked, and they see his shame.
16 And he gathered them together into a place called in the Hebrew tongue Armageddon.
17 And the seventh angel poured out his vial into the air; and there came a great voice out of the temple of heaven, from the throne, saying, It is done.
JOEL 3:2 (YOU WANNA DIVIDE JERUSALEM IN HALF (HALF OF EARTHS POPULATION KILLED AS A RESULT)
02-I will also gather all nations, and will bring them down into the valley of Jehoshaphat, and will plead with them there for my people and for my heritage Israel, whom they have scattered among the nations, and parted my land.
PROOF HALF ON EARTH DIE DURING THE 7 YR TRIBULATION PERIOD (8 BILLION ON EARTH)
REVELATION 6:7-8 (8 BILLION- 2 BILLION = 6 BILLION)
7 And when he had opened the fourth seal, I heard the voice of the fourth beast say, Come and see.
8 And I looked, and behold a pale horse:(CHLORES GREEN) and his name that sat on him was Death, and Hell followed with him. And power was given unto them over the fourth part of the earth,(2 BILLION) to kill with sword,(WEAPONS) and with hunger,(FAMINE) and with death,(INCURABLE DISEASES) and with the beasts of the earth.(ANIMAL TO HUMAN DISEASE).
REVELATION 9:15,18 (6 BILLION - 2 BILLION = 4 BILLION)
15 And the four(DEMONIC WAR) angels were loosed,
18 By these three was the third part of men killed,(2 BILLION) by the fire, and by the smoke, and by the brimstone, which issued out of their mouths.(NUCLEAR ATOMIC BOMBS)
HALF OF EARTHS POPULATION DIE DURING THE 7 YR TRIBULATION.(THESE VERSES ARE JUDGEMENT SCRIPTURES NOT RAPTURE SCRIPTURES)
LUKE 17:34-37 (8 TOTAL BILLION - 4 BILLION DEAD IN TRIB = 4 BILLION TO JESUS KINGDOM) (HALF DIE DURING THE 7 YR TRIBULATION PERIOD JUST LIKE THE BIBLE SAYS)(GOD DOES NOT LIE)(AND NOTICE MOST DIE IN WAR AND DISEASES-NOT COMETS-ASTEROIDS-QUAKES OR TSUNAMIS)
34 I tell you, in that night there shall be two men in one bed; the one shall be taken,(IN WW3 JUDGEMENT) and the other shall be left.(half earths population 4 billion die in the 7 yr trib)
35 Two women shall be grinding together; the one shall be taken,(IN WW3 JUDGEMENT) and the other left.
36 Two men shall be in the field; the one shall be taken,(IN WW3 JUDGEMENT) and the other left.
37 And they answered and said unto him, Where, Lord? And he said unto them, Wheresoever the body is, thither will the eagles be gathered together.(Christians have new bodies,this is the people against Jerusalem during the 7 yr treaty)(Christians bodies are not being eaten by the birds).THESE ARE JUDGEMENT SCRIPTURES-NOT RAPTURE SCRIPTURES.BECAUSE NOT HALF OF PEOPLE ON EARTH ARE CHRISTIANS.AND THE CONTEXT IN LUKE 17 IS THE 7 YEAR TRIBULATION OR 7 YR TREATY PERIOD.WHICH IS JUDGEMENT ON THE EARTH.NOT 50% RAPTURED TO HEAVEN.
MATTHEW 24:37-42 (THESE ARE JUDGEMENT SCRIPTURES-SURE NOT RAPTURE SCRIPTURES)
37 But as the days of Noe were, so shall also the coming of the Son of man be.
38 For as in the days that were before the flood they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day that Noe entered into the ark,
39 And knew not until the flood came, and took them all away; so shall also the coming of the Son of man be.
40 Then shall two be in the field; the one shall be taken,(IN WW3 JUDGEMENT) and the other left.
41 Two women shall be grinding at the mill; the one shall be taken,(IN WW3 JUDGEMENT) and the other left.
42 Watch therefore:(FOR THE LAST DAYS SIGNS HAPPENING) for ye know not what hour your Lord doth come.
NAHUM 3:13
13 Behold, your troops are women in your midst. The gates of your land are wide open to your enemies; fire has devoured your bars.
DR DOCTORION-ANGEL OF THE MIDEAST
"The angel showed me that the United Nations shall be broken in pieces because of the crisis in the Middle East. There shall be no more United Nations. The angel with the sickle shall reap the harvest.
FIRST ANGEL: ASIA
But the angel said: "Millions will die in China and in India. Nation will be against nation, brother against brother. Asians will fight each other. Nuclear weapons shall be used, killing millions."Twice I heard the words, "Catastrophic! Catastrophic!"Then the angel said, "Financial crisis will come to Asia. I will shake the world."I was trembling while the angel was speaking.
SECOND ANGEL: MIDDLE EAST
Then I saw that the second angel had a sickle in his hand, such as is used in harvesting.The second angel said: "Harvest time has come in Israel and the countries all the way to Iran."I saw those countries in a few split seconds."All of Turkey and those [inaudible] countries that have refused me and refused my message of love shall hate each other and kill one another."I saw the angel raise the sickle and come down on all the Middle East countries. I saw Iran, Persia, Armenia, Azerbaijan, all of Georgia - Iraq, Syria, Lebanon, Jordan, Israel, all of Asia Minor - full of blood. I saw blood all over these countries. And I saw fire; Nuclear weapons used in many of those countries. Smoke rising from everywhere. Sudden destruction – men destroying one another. I heard these words:"Israel, Oh Israel, the great judgment has come."
North Korea says US missile shield plans risk 'nuclear war' in space-by AFP Staff Writers.
Seoul (AFP) May 27, 2025-North Korea slammed on Tuesday US President Donald Trump's "Golden Dome" missile shield plan as a "very dangerous" threat that could spark nuclear war in space, state media said.Trump announced new details and initial funding for the missile shield system last week, calling it "very important for the success and even survival of our country".The initiative faces significant technical and political challenges, according to analysts, and could come at a hefty price tag.In a statement shared by the Korean Central News Agency (KCNA), Pyongyang's foreign ministry slammed the "very dangerous 'threatening initiative' aimed at threatening the strategic security of the nuclear weapons states".The United States is "hell-bent on the moves to militarize outer space," the foreign ministry said."The US plan for building a new missile defense system is the root cause of sparking off global nuclear and space arms race by stimulating the security concerns of nuclear weapons states and turning... outer space into a potential nuclear war field," it added.Washington -- Seoul's key security ally -- has in recent years ramped up joint military exercises and increased the presence of strategic US assets, such as an aircraft carrier and a nuclear-powered submarine, in the region to deter the North.Pyongyang has repeatedly declared itself an "irreversible" nuclear weapons state and routinely denounces joint US-South Korea drills as rehearsals for invasion.Hong Min, a senior analyst at the Korea Institute for National Unification, told AFP that Pyongyang saw Trump's "Golden Dome" as a threat."The North's strong reaction suggests it views the Golden Dome as capable of significantly weakening the effectiveness of its nuclear arsenal, including its ICBMs," he said."If the US completes its new missile defence programme, the North will be forced to develop alternative means to counter or penetrate it," he added.- China, Russia modernising weapons -China has also expressed strong concerns about Washington's Golden Dome plan, accusing the United States of undermining global stability.Beijing is closing the gap with Washington when it comes to ballistic and hypersonic missile technology, while Moscow is modernising its intercontinental-range missile systems and developing advanced precision strike missiles, according to a 2022 Pentagon review.The Kremlin has said Trump's initiative would require consultations with Russia but was otherwise a "sovereign matter" for the United States, softening its tone after also previously slamming the idea as destabilising.The plan's Golden Dome name stems from Israel's Iron Dome air defence system which has intercepted thousands of short-range rockets and other projectiles since it went into operation in 2011.The United States faces various missile threats from adversaries, but they differ significantly from the short-range weapons that Israel's Iron Dome is designed to counter.burs-oho/fox
N. Korea says US 'Golden Dome' missile shield 'very dangerous'
Seoul, May 26 (AFP)-North Korea has slammed US President Donald Trump's "Golden Dome" missile shield plan as a "very dangerous" threat that aims to weaponise space, state media reported Tuesday.Pyongyang's foreign ministry has issued a memorandum calling the system "a very dangerous 'threatening initiative' aimed at threatening the strategic security of the nuclear weapons states," the Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) said.Trump announced new details and initial funding for the missile shield system last week, calling it "very important for the success and even survival of our country".The initiative faces significant technical and political challenges, according to analysts, and could come at a hefty price tag.The memorandum by nuclear-armed North Korea accused the United States of being "hell-bent on the moves to militarize outer space," KCNA said."The U.S. plan for building a new missile defense system is the root cause of sparking off global nuclear and space arms race by stimulating the security concerns of nuclear weapons states and turning the outer space into a potential nuclear war field," it added.Washington -- Seoul's key security ally -- has in recent years ramped up joint military exercises and increased the presence of strategic US assets, such as an aircraft carrier and a nuclear-powered submarine, in the region to deter the North.Pyongyang has repeatedly declared itself an "irreversible" nuclear weapons state and routinely denounces joint US-South Korea drills as rehearsals for invasion.- China, Russia modernising weapons -China has similarly expressed strong concerns about Washington's Golden Dome plan, accusing the United States of undermining global stability.Beijing is closing the gap with Washington when it comes to ballistic and hypersonic missile technology, while Moscow is modernising its intercontinental-range missile systems and developing advanced precision strike missiles, according to a 2022 Pentagon review.The Kremlin has said Trump's initiative would require consultations with Russia but was otherwise a "sovereign matter" for the United States, softening its tone after also previously slamming the idea as destabilising.The plan's Golden Dome name stems from Israel's Iron Dome air defence system which has intercepted thousands of short-range rockets and other projectiles since it went into operation in 2011.The United States faces various missile threats from adversaries, but they differ significantly from the short-range weapons that Israel's Iron Dome is designed to counter.
Israel military says intercepted two projectiles fired from Yemen-by AFP Staff Writers.
Jerusalem (AFP) May 27, 2025-The Israeli military said Tuesday it intercepted a missile and another projectile fired from Yemen, where Huthi rebels have regularly launched attacks they say are in response to Israel's offensive in Gaza."Following the sirens that sounded a short while ago in several areas in Israel, a missile that was launched from Yemen was intercepted," the Israeli military wrote on Telegram.It said in a separate statement that a projectile was intercepted by the air force, without sirens being activated.The Huthis have repeatedly fired missiles and drones at Israel since the Gaza war broke out in October 2023 following Hamas's attack on Israel.The Iran-backed Yemeni rebels, who say they are acting in solidarity with Palestinians, paused their attacks during a two-month Gaza ceasefire that ended in March, but resumed them after Israel restarted its campaign in the territory.While most of the projectiles have been intercepted, a missile fired by the group in early May hit the perimeter of Ben Gurion international airport near Tel Aviv for the first time.Israel has carried out several strikes in Yemen in recent months in retaliation for the attacks, including on ports and the airport in Sanaa.Israel said it downed a missile fired from Yemen on Sunday and two others on Thursday.The Huthis claimed attacks on both days targeting Ben Gurion airport.
Air raid sirens in Jerusalem as army says intercepts Yemen missile.
Jerusalem (AFP) May 25, 2025 - The Israeli army said it intercepted a missile launched from Yemen on Sunday, shortly after air raid sirens sounded in Jerusalem, according to AFP journalists."Following the sirens that sounded a short while ago in several areas in Israel, a missile that was launched from Yemen was intercepted," the army said in a statement.Israel's rescue service, the Magen David Adom (MDA), said there were no reports of injuries related to the launch.Yemen's Iran-backed Huthi rebels later claimed the attack, saying the projectile had targeted Ben Gurion airport, near Tel Aviv.The Israeli military reported shooting down two missiles launched from Yemen on Thursday, with the MDA reporting at least one person injured while seeking shelter from the first.The Yemeni group has repeatedly fired missiles and drones at Israel since the Gaza war broke out in October 2023 following Hamas's attack on Israel.The rebels, who say they are acting in solidarity with Palestinians, paused their attacks during a two-month Gaza ceasefire that ended in March, but resumed them after Israel restarted its campaign in coastal territory.The Huthis recently warned they would impose a "naval blockade" on the Israeli port of Haifa after the country's military intensified its offensive in Gaza.
Iran rejects push to suspend uranium enrichment to reach US deal By Ahmad Parhizi.
Tehran (AFP) May 26, 2025-Iran on Monday ruled out suspending uranium enrichment as part of any nuclear deal with the United States -- a key demand from Washington in successive rounds of talks between the foes.The issue has come into focus in recent weeks, with Iran staunchly defending its right to enrich uranium as part of what it says is a civilian nuclear programme, while the United States wants it to stop.The negotiations, which began in April, are the highest-level contact between the two sides since the United States quit a landmark 2015 nuclear accord during US President Donald Trump's first term.Trump described the latest round of discussions in Rome as "very, very good", while Iran's foreign minister described it as "complicated".Since returning to office, Trump has revived his "maximum pressure" campaign on the Islamic republic, backing diplomacy but warning of military action if it fails.Tehran wants a new deal that would ease sanctions battering its economy.Western governments and Israel suspect Iran is seeking to develop nuclear weapons -- a charge it strongly denies.US Middle East envoy Steve Witkoff, who is leading the talks for Washington, said the United States "could not authorise even one percent" of enrichment by Iran.- 'Totally false' -On Monday, Iran ruled out suspending its uranium enrichment."This information is a figment of the imagination and totally false," said foreign ministry spokesman Esmaeil Baqaei, asked about the possibility during a press briefing in Tehran.Iran insists it has the right to a civilian nuclear programme, including for energy, and considers the US demand a red line that violates the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty, to which it is a signatory.Following the latest round of Omani-mediated talks in Rome, Iran's foreign minister and lead negotiator Abbas Araghchi downplayed the progress, stressing "the negotiations are too complicated to be resolved in two or three meetings".Omani Foreign Minister Badr Albusaidi said the fifth round concluded "with some but not conclusive progress", adding he hoped "the remaining issues" would be clarified in the coming days.But on Sunday Trump said the ongoing discussions had been "very, very good"."I think we could have some good news on the Iran front," he said, adding that an announcement could come "over the next two days."No date has yet been set for the next talks, according to Iran's foreign ministry.The talks came ahead of a June meeting of the UN nuclear watchdog, the Vienna-based International Atomic Energy Agency, during which Iran's nuclear activities will be reviewed.They also come before the October expiry of the 2015 accord, which aimed to allay US and European Union suspicions that Iran was seeking nuclear weapons capability, an ambition that Tehran has consistently denied.Iran has ramped up its nuclear activities since the collapse of the 2015 deal, and is now enriching uranium to 60 percent -- far above the deal's 3.67 percent cap but below the 90 percent needed for weapons-grade material.Experts say that uranium enriched beyond 20 percent can be further enriched to a weapons-grade level quickly.Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian is expected to visit Oman this week.
Iran-US nuclear talks: key points of contention.
Tehran (AFP) May 24, 2025 - Long-time adversaries Iran and the United States held a fifth round of Oman-mediated nuclear talks on Friday in Rome, but with no breakthrough reported.However, both sides still described the meeting as constructive and expressed a willingness to continue the discussions.Here are some of the main obstacles seen to be hampering progress:- Enrichment -Iran's enrichment of uranium remains the main sticking point.The United States and Western countries suspect Iran of seeking to acquire nuclear weapons, but Iran denies having such ambitions.It insists that its nuclear programme is solely for peaceful civilian purposes.American officials including Middle East envoy Steve Witkoff, who has led Washington's delegation at the talks, have spoken out against Iran's enrichment programme.Witkoff said before the talks that Washington "cannot allow even one percent of enrichment capacity" for Iran.Tehran has called its enrichment "non-negotiable", arguing that such a demand prevents a deal."Zero nuclear weapons = we DO have a deal. Zero enrichment = we do NOT have a deal," Iran's top negotiator and foreign minister Abbas Araghchi posted on X.Experts say the fifth round of talks saw a collision of red lines."This round was uniquely sensitive, marked by the collision of seemingly irreconcilable public red lines over uranium enrichment," Sina Toossi from the Center for International Policy told AFP.Iran remains the only non-nuclear state enriching uranium to 60 percent, well above the 3.67 percent limit set under its 2015 accord with Western powers, but below the 90 percent needed for weapons-grade material.The 2015 deal was torpedoed in 2018 during President Donald Trump's first term when he unilaterally withdrew the United States from the accord.- 'Contradictory positions' -Iran wants the talks to remain strictly focused on its nuclear programme and lifting US sanctions, a stance it has held since April 12 when the first round was held in Oman.Tehran has criticised what it calls "irrational" demands by Washington and inconsistent signals from US officials.Araghchi warned that such "contradictory positions", if they persist, "will complicate the talks".Before the negotiations began, some analysts suggested the United States might seek a broader deal that also addressed Iran's ballistic missile programme.They believed the talks might touch on Tehran's support for the "axis of resistance", the network of anti-Israel armed groups that includes Hezbollah in Lebanon, Hamas in Gaza and Yemen's Huthi rebels.On April 27, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu urged Washington to block not only Iran's enrichment of uranium but also its missile development under any possible deal.Iran opposes non-nuclear issues being discussed in the talks, citing its sovereign rights and defence needs.- Sanctions -Even with diplomacy under way, the United States has imposed new sanctions on Iran.Tehran denounces what it calls Washington's "hostile approach", noting that new sanctions were imposed just ahead of negotiations taking place.On Wednesday, Washington sanctioned Iran's construction sector, citing its potential links to nuclear, military or missile activities."These sanctions ... further put to question the American willingness & seriousness for diplomacy," Iranian foreign ministry spokesman Esmaeil Baqaei posted on X.In late April, before the third round of talks, Washington also slapped sanctions on Iran's oil and gas sector.- Military option -The Iran-US talks, their highest-level contacts since Washington quit the 2015 nuclear accord, came after Trump wrote to Iran's supreme leader Ayatollah Khamenei in March.Trump urged Tehran to reach a deal diplomatically, but also warned of military action if talks fail.Iran has issued warnings of its own.On Friday, armed forces Chief of Staff Mohammad Bagheri warned that "any US misstep in the region will end like Vietnam and Afghanistan".His remarks came after CNN, citing US officials, reported on Tuesday that Israel was preparing to attack Iranian nuclear sites."We believe that in the event of any attack on the nuclear facilities of the Islamic Republic of Iran by the Zionist regime, the US government will also be involved and bear legal responsibility," Araghchi said in a letter to the United Nations published on Thursday.According to the US outlet Axios, Witkoff met Israeli officials shortly before Friday's Rome talks.Ultra-conservative Iranian daily Kayhan wrote on Saturday that "coordination between Trump and Netanyahu is leading the negotiations towards deadlock".
Japan PM's office to accept Fukushima soil.
Tokyo, May 27 (AFP)-The Japanese premier's office will symbolically accept soil from near the crippled Fukushima nuclear plant to show it is safe, officials said Tuesday, with reports saying it will be used in flower beds.Authorities have found few takers for any of the 14 million cubic metres of soil removed from the region after the 2011 disaster despite assurances that radioactivity levels in most of it are not dangerous."The government will take the lead in setting an example, and we will do so at the prime minister's office," Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshimasa Hayashi said at a special meeting to discuss the problem.The soil -- enough to fill 10 baseball stadiums -- has been stored near the Fukushima Daiichi plant, where three reactors went into meltdown following a massive earthquake and tsunami.The government has promised Fukushima residents that it will find permanent storage for the soil outside Fukushima by 2045.Authorities want to use it for building road and railway embankments among other projects.Details of the new plan, including when and how much soil will be brought to the prime minister's premises, will be decided later, an Environmental Ministry official told AFP.The UN atomic agency published its final report on the recycling and disposal of the soil last year, saying that Japan's approach was consistent with its safety standards.Almost all areas of the northern region have gradually been declared safe, but many evacuees have been reluctant to return because they are worried about persistent radiation or have fully resettled elsewhere.In 2023, Japan began releasing into the Pacific Ocean some of the 540 Olympic swimming pools' worth of treated wastewater that had been collected at the plant.But the most dangerous part of making the plant safe -- removing around 880 tonnes of highly hazardous radioactive fuel and rubble from the reactor buildings -- has barely begun, with two tiny samples removed.
SE Asia, Gulf and China three-way talks 'response to call of times'
Kuala Lumpur, May 27 (AFP)-Chinese Premier Li Qiang said Tuesday that the first-ever summit between his country, Southeast Asian leaders and Gulf states was "a response to the call of the times" in a geopolitically uncertain world.The trade-dependent economies are looking to insulate themselves after US President Donald Trump blew up global trade norms by announcing a slew of tariffs targeting countries around the world this year.Though he subsequently instigated a 90-day pause for most, the experience has spurred the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) and others to accelerate efforts to diversify their trading networks.On Tuesday the Malaysian capital hosted the inaugural summit between ASEAN, China and the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) -- a regional bloc made up of Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates.Li told the meeting that "against the backdrop of a volatile international situation", the summit was "a pioneering work of regional economic cooperation"."This is not only a continuation of the course of history, but also a response to the call of the times," he said.Opening the talks, Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim said he was confident the three sides could "shape a future that is more connected, more resilient, and more prosperous for generations to come" -- having warned on Monday that "a transition in the geopolitical order is underway".ASEAN has traditionally served as "a middleman of sorts" between developed economies like the United States, and China, said Chong Ja Ian from the National University of Singapore (NUS).With Washington looking unreliable these days, "ASEAN member states are looking to diversify", he said."Facilitating exchanges between the Gulf and People's Republic of China is one aspect of this diversification."Malaysia, which holds ASEAN's rotating chairmanship, is the main force behind the initiative, Chong said.- 'Timely and calculated' -Beijing has suffered the brunt of Trump's tariffs and is also looking to shore up other markets.China and ASEAN are already each other's largest trading partners, and Chinese exports to Thailand, Indonesia and Vietnam surged by double digits in April -- attributed to a re-routing of US-bound goods.Premier Li's participation is "both timely and calculated", Khoo Ying Hooi from the University of Malaya told AFP."China sees an opportunity here to reinforce its image as a reliable economic partner, especially in the face of Western decoupling efforts."Beijing and Washington engaged in an escalating flurry of tit-for-tat levies until a meeting in Switzerland saw an agreement to slash them for 90 days.Chinese goods still face higher tariffs than most though.According to a draft statement seen by AFP, ASEAN will express "deep concern... over the imposition of unilateral tariff measures".But it said earlier this year it would not impose retaliatory duties.- Treacherous waters -ASEAN has historically avoided choosing a side between the United States and China.China is only Southeast Asia's fourth largest source of foreign direct investment, after the United States, Japan and the European Union, noted NUS' Chong.Anwar said Monday he had written to request an ASEAN-US summit this year, with his foreign minister saying Washington had not yet responded.Yet any closer alignment with Beijing presents problems of its own, despite Anwar's insistence Monday night that "whatever is being said... we are here as a friend of China".On Monday, Philippines leader Ferdinand Marcos said there was an "urgent need" to adopt a legally binding code of conduct in the South China Sea.Beijing has territorial disputes with five ASEAN member states in the area, with China and the Philippines having engaged in months of confrontations in the contested waters.Anwar raised the South China Sea with Li, the Malaysian prime minister said in a Tuesday Facebook post announcing the one-on-one meeting."Other disputants... are perhaps willing to let the Philippines bear the brunt of pressure," Chong said.Tension between Manila and Beijing "means that these issues will not fade into the background, much as some other Southeast Asian states wish to focus on economic issues", he added.
EU approves 150-billion-euro loan scheme to rearm.
Brussels, Belgium, May 27 (AFP)-EU countries on Tuesday formally approved a new 150-billion-euro loan programme to help rearm in the face of Russia and worries over US reliability, according to the Polish presidency of the bloc.The SAFE borrowing scheme backed by the EU's central budget was proposed by Brussels in March as the bloc rushes to boost its defences.Finalised by member states earlier this month, the text received final approval at a meeting of Europe ministers in Brussels, with 26 countries voting for and one abstention, the presidency said.EU countries had haggled at length over what the money could be spent on and how countries outside the bloc can access the funds.In the end, the agreement stuck to the original proposal allowing 35 percent of the value of the weapons to come from manufacturers beyond the bloc and Ukraine.France's Europe minister Benjamin Haddad called SAFE "a major step forward" that asserts "a very clear principle of European preference to support our industries, reduce our dependencies including from the United States, and invest in Europe's strategic autonomy.""But it is just one step -- and we will need to go further," Haddad told reporters in Brussels.The borrowing programme is part of a package of measures including loosening budget rules that Brussels says could potentially unlock 800 billion euros of defence spending.The approval of SAFE came after the EU and the UK agreed a new defence partnership as part of a post-Brexit "reset".London would still need to strike a separate deal with the EU if it wants to fully open the new scheme to the British defence industry.
Seoul's power giant pushes back on EU probe into Czech nuclear bid.
Seoul, May 27 (AFP)-South Korea's largest electric power company told AFP Tuesday that it was reviewing legal action, including a possible injunction, after a deal with the Czech Republic to build reactors hit EU legal woes.Brussels asked Prague on May 2 to suspend the signing of the multi-billion-dollar deal with Korea Hydro and Nuclear Power (KHNP), which was selected last July to build two nuclear units after beating France's EDF in the tender.EDF has complained to the Czech antitrust watchdog and filed a lawsuit, prompting a Czech court to block the deal being signed.The European Union said it was assessing whether KHNP had received "foreign financial contributions" that could have distorted competition.This could trigger a formal investigation.The Korean company told AFP that it had responded to Brussels "stressing that the bidding process was transparent" and that it had "not received any subsidies from the Korean government that could distort competition"."If the European Commission proceeds with an in-depth investigation on foreign subsidies and imposes a provisional ban on the contract, KHNP plans to immediately file for an injunction with the EU Court to suspend the investigation and lift the ban," it said in a statement."KHNP is also reviewing all possible legal responses, including requesting special trade measures from the Korean government," it added."We are reviewing the matter very seriously," a senior KHNP official told AFP.The trade ministry in Seoul said Korean companies' projects in the European Union fully complied with World Trade Organization rules and EU regulations, adding that it would review the issue if KHNP made a formal request.For now, the deal is on hold after a Czech court in early May blocked the contract until a verdict is reached in a lawsuit filed by the French giant.KHNP was due to build two units at the southern Czech nuclear plant of Dukovany managed by the state-run CEZ group, with the Korean firm offering to build them for around 200 billion Czech koruna ($9 billion) each.Prague had expected to finalise the deal with KHNP by March this year, but the EDF appeal delayed the process.CEZ expects construction to begin in 2029 and the first reactor launched in a trial operation in 2036.
Conservative leader: Israel fighting proxy war on behalf of UK-800 British judges and lawyers call for UK to sanction Israel over Gaza conflict-In a letter to UK’s PM Starmer, legal professionals accuse Israel of war crimes and crimes against humanity, say UK has obligation to act By Jeremy Sharon-Today, 3:23 pmUpdated at 4:14 pm-MAY 27,25
A group of over 800 British judges, lawyers and academics have called on the UK government to impose an array of sanctions on Israel over the ongoing conflict of Gaza, claiming that either genocide is being perpetrated right now or there is a “serious risk” of it occurring.The signatories, who include two former Supreme Court justices and three former heads of the Court of Appeal, cite comments by senior Israeli cabinet ministers regarding destroying what remains of Gaza and dislocating its civilian population.The legal professionals called on British Prime Minister Keir Starmer to impose financial sanctions on Israeli cabinet ministers and military personnel “suspected of involvement in unlawful conduct,” and to impose trade sanctions on Israel as well.By contrast, the UK’s opposition Conservative Party leader on Sunday said Israel’s war against Hamas in Gaza was a “proxy war on behalf of the UK.”“Who funds Hamas?” Kemi Badenoch asked in a Sky News interview, and continued: “Iran… an enemy of this country. Israel is fighting a proxy war on behalf of the UK, just like Ukraine is on behalf of Western Europe against Russia. We have to get serious.”“Israel is fighting a war,” Badenoch added. “It is not for me to police exactly how they are doing that,” she said. “It is not a genocide, as people are saying.”When it was put to her that she does criticize anything Israel does, she replied: “That’s not true. I have criticized things before, but right now there are 58 hostages who have not been returned home.”The conflict erupted when Hamas staged its October 7, 2023, invasion and massacre, in which some 1,200 Israelis were killed and 251 were taken hostage.The Hamas-run Gaza health ministry says more than 53,000 people in the Strip have been killed or are presumed dead in the fighting so far, though the toll cannot be verified and does not differentiate between civilians and fighters. Israel says it killed some 20,000 combatants in battle as of January and another 1,600 terrorists inside Israel on October 7.On March 2, Israel cut off all humanitarian aid supplies to Gaza, prompting intense international criticism and reports of malnutrition and hunger. Israel resumed the provision of aid last week.
Also last week, British Foreign Secretary David Lammy suspended free trade negotiations with Israel, said the UK would “review” the “2030 roadmap for UK-Israel relations” cooperation agreement, and imposed sanctions on several extremists settlers and settler organizations.Israel has strongly denied allegations of genocide, arguing that many civilian casualties are caused by Hamas’s placement of military infrastructure and personnel among civilians, and that it has consistently monitored the humanitarian situation in Gaza to prevent famine and a humanitarian catastrophe.But in their letter to Starmer, the judges and other legal professionals alleged that “genocide is being perpetrated in Gaza or, at a minimum, there is a serious risk of genocide occurring.” They also claimed that the “limited aid” now flowing into the Strip “remains gravely insufficient to address the unfolding humanitarian catastrophe.”The signatories cited statistics published by the UN’s Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs that claim that 70 percent of fatalities are women and children, although such claims have been widely criticized as unreflective of the actual ratio of civilian-to-combatant deaths in the IDF’s campaign.In their letter, the signatories also pointed to controversial comments by Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich, who has said that Gaza will be “totally destroyed” in the current IDF operation, and that the entire population will be displaced.They said that the plan of the current IDF operation was “to forcibly and permanently displace the population of Gaza to small areas of the Gaza Strip, and coerce their emigration to other countries,” which they asserted would be a “grave violation of international humanitarian law.”The judges, lawyers and academics accused Israel of committing “war crimes, crimes against humanity, and serious violations of international humanitarian law,” both in Gaza and in the West Bank, and pointed to an advisory opinion issued by the International Court of Justice last year that said Israel’s rule in the West Bank is illegal.In light of the allegations, the signatories called on Starmer to do everything in his power to “secure an immediate, unconditional and permanent ceasefire in Gaza,” and ensure the provision of large amounts of aid to Gaza.They also requested that the prime minister “impose financial and immigration sanctions” against Israeli cabinet ministers and “other civil and military personnel reasonably suspected of involvement in unlawful conduct,” and said the government should review trade ties and impose trade sanctions upon Israel.
Suspected Islamic State member pleads guilty to deadly stabbing at German festival-Syrian asylum seeker admits he ‘committed a grave crime’ in Solingen, where he allegedly targeted ‘nonbelievers’ on behalf of ISIS-By AFP Today, 2:30 pm-MAY 27,25
DÜSSELDORF, Germany — A Syrian man suspected of belonging to the Islamic State group pleaded guilty to the murder of three people at a German festival as his trial opened on Tuesday.Issa Al Hasan faces charges including three counts of murder, 10 counts of attempted murder and membership of a foreign terror organization. In a statement read out by his lawyer, Hasan admitted he had “committed a grave crime” and that “three people died at my hands.”The stabbing in August in the western city of Solingen was one of a string of attacks that shocked Germany and stoked security fears.The suspect, who was 26 at the time of the attack, was an asylum seeker from Syria who had been slated for deportation.German authorities’ failure to remove him from the country fired a bitter debate over immigration in the run-up to national elections.Hasan is alleged to have set out to harm “nonbelievers” at the summer “festival for diversity” in the center of the western city of Solingen.The accused “saw them as representatives of Western society” and sought “to take revenge against them for the military actions of Western states,” prosecutors have said.A member of ISIS whom Hasan had contacted the same month as the attack allegedly encouraged him to go ahead with the plan and promised him that the group would claim it and use it for propaganda purposes.The group later said in a statement via its Amaq news agency on the Telegram messaging app that an ISIS “soldier” had carried out the attack in “revenge” for Muslims “in Palestine and everywhere.”Prosecutors say Hasan filmed videos in which he pledged allegiance to ISIS and forwarded them on to his ISIS contact just before he committed the attack.
UK police say driver who plowed into soccer fans not believed to be terrorist-Force says man, 53, who injured dozens celebrating Liverpool team Premier League win, acted alone; cops note he is white, in move to prevent misinformation flooding social media By brian melley and Steve Douglas Today, 11:15 am-MAY 27,25
LONDON (AP) — A 53-year-old British man plowed a minivan into a crowd of Liverpool soccer fans who were celebrating the city’s Premier League championship Monday, injuring more than 45 people as shouts of joy turned into shrieks of terror.The driver arrested was believed to be the only one involved and the crash was not being investigated as an act of terrorism, police said.Ambulances took 27 people to the hospital, including two with serious injuries, and another 20 people were treated at the scene for minor injuries, said Dave Kitchin of North West Ambulance Service. At least four children were injured.Four of the victims, including a child, were trapped under the van and firefighters had to lift the vehicle to free them. A paramedic on a bicycle was also struck but was not injured.“It has cast a very dark shadow over what had been a joyous day for the city,” City Council leader Liam Robinson said at a late night news conference.As the parade was wrapping up, a gray minivan turned onto the parade route and plowed into the sea of fans wrapped in their red Liverpool scarves, jerseys and other memorabilia. A video on social media showed the van strike a man, tossing him in the air, before veering into a larger crowd, where it plowed a path through the group and pushed bodies along the street before coming to a stop.“It was extremely fast,” said Harry Rashid, who was with his wife and two young daughters as the minivan passed by them. “Initially, we just heard the pop, pop, pop of people just being knocked off the bonnet of a car.”Rashid said the crowd charged the halted vehicle and began smashing windows.“But then he put his foot down again and just plowed through the rest of them, he just kept going,” Rashid said. “It was horrible. And you could hear the bumps as he was going over the people.”Rashid said it looked deliberate.“My daughter started screaming, and there were people on the ground,” he said. “They were just innocent people, just fans going to enjoy the parade.”Liverpool fans had come out in the hundreds of thousands to celebrate the team winning the Premier League this season for a record-tying 20th top-flight title.Peter Jones, who had traveled from Isle of Man, said he heard the car smash into the crowd and saw at least a half-dozen people down.“We heard a frantic beeping ahead, a car flew past me and my mate, people were chasing it and trying to stop him, windows smashed at the back,” Jones said. “He then drove into people, police and medics ran past us, and people were being treated on the side of the road.”Police said they were conducting extensive inquiries to establish what led to the collision and asked people not to speculate or share “distressing content online.”Police identified the suspect as white, in a possible decision to prevent misinformation from flooding social media.Last summer, a teen in the nearby town of Southport killed three girls in a stabbing rampage at a dance class and wounded 10 others, including two adults. An incorrect name of the suspect was spread on social media and people said he was an asylum seeker. In fact, he had been born in the UK. Rioting spread across England and Northern Ireland, targeting Muslims and refugees in hotels of asylum seekers and lasted about a week.Prime Minister Keir Starmer called the scenes appalling and hailed the bravery of rescuers.“Everyone, especially children, should be able to celebrate their heroes without this horror,” Starmer said. “The city has a long and proud history of coming together through difficult times. Liverpool stands together and the whole country stands with Liverpool.”Liverpool Football Club’s legacy is overshadowed by a disaster 36 years ago when 97 of its fans were killed in a stadium crush during a match against Nottingham Forest at Hillsborough Stadium in Sheffield. The tragedy was compounded by a coverup into the cause and missteps by police.Supporters were denied the chance to publicly celebrate the club’s last league title in 2020 due to restrictions in place during the COVID-19 pandemic.This time, flag-waving fans braved wet weather to line the streets and climb up traffic lights for a view of Liverpool’s players, who were atop two buses bearing the words “Ours Again.”The hourslong procession — surrounded by a heavy police presence — crawled along a 10-mile (16-kilometer) route and through a sea of red smoke and rain. Fireworks exploded from the Royal Liver Building in the heart of the city.The team in a short statement said its thoughts and prayers were with those affected. The Premier League issued a similar statement expressing shock at the “appalling events in Liverpool.”
Over 45 wounded as British man plows van into soccer fans celebrating in Liverpool-UK police not probing incident as terror, say the arrested driver appeared to be acting alone; 2 of those hurt listed in serious condition-By Agencies Today, 12:18 amUpdated: 27 May 2025, 2:51 am
LONDON — A 53-year-old white British man plowed his minivan into a crowd of Liverpool soccer fans who were celebrating the city’s Premier League championship Monday, as shouts of joy turned into shrieks of terror, injuring more than 45 people.The driver arrested was believed to be the only one involved in the incident and it was not being investigated as an act of terrorism, police said.Dave Kitchin of North West Air Ambulance said 27 people were taken to the hospital, with two suffering serious injuries, and another 20 people were treated at the scene for minor injuries. At least four children were injured.Firefighters had to lift the vehicle to free four victims trapped beneath it. One of those injured was a medic who had been on duty on a bicycle.A video on social media appeared to show a gray minivan strike at least one pedestrian and then veer into a larger crowd, carving a path through the group and pushing bodies along the street before coming to a stop.“It was extremely fast,” said Harry Rashid, who was with his wife and two young daughters as the car passed by them. “Initially, we just heard the pop, pop, pop of people just being knocked off the bonnet of a car.”Rashid said the crowd charged the halted vehicle and began smashing windows.“But then he put his foot down again and just plowed through the rest of them, he just kept going,” Rashid said. “It was horrible. And you could hear the bumps as he was going over the people.”Rashid said it looked deliberate.“My daughter started screaming, and there were people on the ground,” he said. “They were just innocent people, just fans going to enjoy the parade.”Liverpool fans had come out in the tens of thousands to celebrate the team winning the Premier League this season for a record-tying 20th top-flight title.Peter Jones, who had traveled from Isle of Man, said he heard the car smash into the crowd and saw at least a half-dozen people down.“We heard a frantic beeping ahead, a car flew past me and my mate, people were chasing it and trying to stop him, windows smashed at the back,” Jones said. “He then drove into people, police and medics ran past us, and people were being treated on the side of the road.”Merseyside Police said they were trying to establish what led to the incident and asked people not to speculate or share “distressing content online.”Prime Minister Keir Starmer called the scenes appalling and said he was being updated on the situation.Liverpool’s last league title came in 2020 but supporters were denied the chance to publicly celebrate due to restrictions in place during the COVID pandemic.This time, scarf-and-flag-waving fans braved wet weather to line the streets and climb up traffic lights for a view of Liverpool’s players, who were atop two buses bearing the words “Ours Again.”The hours-long procession — surrounded by a heavy police presence — crawled along a 10-mile (16-kilometer) route and through a sea of red smoke and rain. Fireworks exploded from the Royal Liver Building in the heart of the city.The team in a short statement said its thoughts and prayers were with those affected. The Premier League issued a similar statement expressing shock at the “appalling events in Liverpool.”Liverpool’s soccer history has been shadowed by tragedy.In 1989, 97 Liverpool fans died in a crush at a game in the Hillsborough stadium in Sheffield.More than 760 people were also injured in the deadliest disaster in British sporting history, which still scars the port city.In 1985, 39 mainly Italian fans were killed when a wall collapsed amidst disturbances between Liverpool and Juventus fans at the Heysel Stadium in Brussels.
New Gaza aid body starts operating, pans Hamas threats toward those cooperating with it-GHF doesn’t reveal how much aid so far delivered, but says quantity will increase each day; group names new CEO after previous one resigns due to concerns over Israeli restrictions-By Jacob Magid-Today, 6:42 am-MAY 27,25
The Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF) said it commenced operations in the Gaza Strip on Monday, delivering truckloads of food to newly established distribution sites, from which the supplies were then distributed to a number of Palestinians.The announcement followed Hebrew media reports claiming that the US- and Israel-backed GHF did not manage to begin operating in Gaza on Monday as initially planned.The GHF statement did not specify how much aid was distributed, but it did include photos of a number of Gazans picking up boxes of aid from a distribution site. It said more trucks will be delivered on Tuesday and that the flow of aid will increase each day.The foundation made a point to condemn what it said have been Hamas death threats against aid groups who have agreed to cooperate with GHF, as well as efforts to block Palestinians from reaching distribution sites.“It is clear that Hamas is threatened by this new operating model, and will do everything in its power to see it fail,” GHF said.GHF also announced that John Acree has been named its interim executive director, after its previous chief resigned on Sunday and indicated that Israeli restrictions were preventing the initiative from being able to adhere to humanitarian principles.Acree is a “senior humanitarian practitioner with more than two decades of global field experience in disaster response, stabilization programming, and civil-military coordination,” GHF said.While technically an American company, GHF was established earlier this year in close coordination with Israeli authorities who felt existing aid distribution mechanisms led by the UN and other international organizations were insufficient in preventing the diversion of aid by Hamas.Israel wanted to create a small number of distribution sites where pre-selected familial representatives would be able to pick up a heavy box full of food for their families in a zone secured and operated by American private contractors.GHF still needs support and cooperation from existing humanitarian organizations, as it seeks to gain credibility on the ground. That backing has yet to come, though, with the UN and many other international organizations in Gaza vowing not to cooperate with the GHF, arguing that its aid initiative violates humanitarian principles by requiring Gazans to walk long distances in order to retrieve aid and limiting distribution to southern Gaza, in what would forcibly displace the Palestinian population.UN officials have also raised concerns that the organization could be used to “weaponize” aid by restricting who is eligible to receive it.A small number of lesser-known organizations have agreed to cooperate with the GHF thus far, including the US-based aid group Rahma Worldwide, whose logo was seen in the photos of boxes being distributed to Gazans on Monday.GHF says it is made up of former humanitarian, government and military officials. It has said its distribution points — three in southern Gaza and one in central Gaza — will be guarded by private security firms and that its aid will reach a million Palestinians — around half of Gaza’s population — by the end of the week.Under pressure from allies, Israel began allowing a trickle of humanitarian aid into Gaza last week after blocking all food, medicine, fuel or other goods from entering since March 2. Aid groups have warned of famine and say the aid that has come in is nowhere near enough to meet mounting needs.Hamas warned Palestinians on Monday not to cooperate with the new aid system, saying it is aimed at furthering those objectives.Earlier Monday, Hamas executed four men it claimed had looted some of the aid trucks that have begun entering Gaza, according to sources familiar with the incident.One source said the four were involved in an incident last week in which six security officials were allegedly killed by an Israeli airstrike as they were working to prevent gang members from hijacking aid trucks.Aid groups have said that deliveries have been hampered by looting, claiming Israel is to blame for creating a situation in which hundreds of thousands of people have been driven to desperation by aid blockade.Israel has accused Hamas of stealing aid, and says aid needs to be tightly controlled to prevent it from helping the terror group.Gaza’s health ministry said Monday that at least 3,822 people had been killed in the territory since the latest ceasefire collapsed on March 18, taking the war’s overall toll to 53,977 — a figure that cannot be verified and does not differentiate between civilians and fighters.The war broke out on October 7, 2023, when Hamas-led terrorists invaded Israel, killing some 1,200 people, mostly civilians, and kidnapping 251. Terror groups in the Gaza Strip are still holding 58 hostages, including 57 of the 251 abducted on October 7.Agencies contributed to this report.
Marchers chant ‘Death to Arabs,’ skirmish with shopkeepers and cops at Jerusalem Day parade-Ben Gvir slams Gaza humanitarian aid while kicking off nationalist march into Old City: ‘Our enemies deserve only a bullet to the head’; activists erect giant sign urging mass expulsion of Palestinians By Charlie Summers Today, 2:14 am-MAY 27,25
Tens of thousands of religious Zionist revelers thronged the alleyways of Jerusalem’s Old City on Monday, chanting anti-Arab refrains as they paraded to the Western Wall to celebrate Jerusalem Day.Many celebrants could be heard chanting “death to Arabs” and singing “may your village burn” while carousing about Jerusalem to mark the city’s reunification in wake of Israel’s victory in the 1967 Six-Day War.Before the annual Flag March kicked off in the afternoon, many young marchers had already begun roving around the Old City, skirmishing with Palestinian shopkeepers and police officers.It was the second time the Flag March through the Old City, a contentious event in its own right, took place amid the war in Gaza since the conflict there began with Hamas’s terror onslaught of October 7, 2023.Extremist Jewish youths attending the Flag March have been known to harass and beat Palestinians during the procession, especially as it enters the Old City through the Muslim Quarter’s Damascus Gate.Israel Police chief Danny Levy said in the evening that law enforcement made no arrests, but detained several people, without specifying how many. Last year police made 18 arrests.The Times of Israel witnessed several people who were violently detained over the course of the morning.The Palestinians who opened their shops at all on Monday closed up by early afternoon — most at around 2 p.m. — in anticipation of the nationalist parade.Ahead of the march, a group of right-wing activists gathered outside Damascus Gate to unveil a large banner reading: “Without a Nakba, there is no victory!”The Nakba, or catastrophe, is the Arabic name for the exodus of hundreds of thousands of Palestinians who either left their homes or were expelled in the late 1940s, during the War of Indepedence and major Middle East demographic shifts surrounding the creation of the State of Israel.The group’s other banner urged Israel to take over Gaza just like East Jerusalem after it was captured from Jordan in the Six Day War.Revelers were to march under the slogan “from victory to victory,” march organizer Meir Indor told The Times of Israel on Sunday, connecting Israel’s 1967 triumph to the ongoing offensive in Gaza.‘Our enemies deserve only a bullet to the head’Launching the Flag Parade that afternoon, National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir addressed a large crowd of celebrants, mostly yeshiva students from across the country, outside the Great Synagogue of Jerusalem.Enthused teenagers close to the stage reached out to the minister while shouting his name, handing him flags and stickers to hold as he danced with Minister Yitzhak Wasserlauf, a member of his ultranationalist Otzma Yehudit party.One young man gave him a flag bearing the logo of his party. Another handed him a sticker that reads “Gaza is ours forever.”Before speaking, Ben Gvir held up a sticker with the name and face of a slain IDF soldier.“What sweethearts, what sweethearts you are,” he said. “Bringing me stickers of slain soldiers, may God avenge their blood, heroes and martyrs, thanks to them we are winning.”But, Ben Gvir added, “this victory must be taken further and further… we will enter Gaza and triumph!” The crowd cheered.He came out against the recent government decision to allow humanitarian aid into Gaza. “I say to the prime minister, dear prime minister, we must not give them humanitarian aid, we must not give them fuel… our enemies deserve only a bullet to the head!”As revelers began to chant “Death to Arabs,” Ben Gvir shifted course, chanting instead, “Death to terrorists,” with the crowd following his lead.Ben Gvir told the celebrants: “Guys, I want to say something — I don’t hate Arabs, but I hate terrorists, and I want a death penalty for terrorists, and God willing, we must win.”Earlier in the day, Ben Gvir visited the Temple Mount and declared that Jewish prayer, including full prostration, was allowed at the holy site, a move that would upend a delicate status quo. The Prime Minister’s Office, however, said there was no change to existing norms.As the Flag March reached its conclusion at the Western Wall, Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich called for Jewish settlement in the Gaza Strip before the large crowd.“Are we afraid of the word ‘occupation?’” the far-right minister asked the crowd, which responded with a chorus of “no.”“Are we settling the Land of Israel? Are we liberating Gaza?” he shouted, to cheers of approval from among the tens of thousands gathered at the holy site. “We are triumphing over the enemy!”‘Fringes of the fringes’Police chief Levy arrived to Damascus Gate as masses were making their way into the Old City’s Muslim Quarter that evening.The top cop told the Kan public broadcaster that “on the fringes of the fringes, there are a handful of people who try to harm the joy and ceremoniousness” of the parade, but that “99% is passing quietly.”When asked about the anti-Arab refrains and songs heard from marchers, he told i24News that he did not hear any racist songs. “Maybe I didn’t hear them because I’m an artilleryman,” he said jokingly.Two of the clashes between right-wing Jewish youth and Palestinians involved pepper spray, police said Monday.Near Damascus Gate in the morning, a Palestinian youth pepper-sprayed a crowd of Jewish revelers during a scuffle. According to eyewitnesses, police detained the Palestinian.A policeman was also seen dragging away a religious teenager towards the exit from the Old City in the incident’s aftermath.The teenage masses soon broke out into chanting “death to Arabs.” Some shoved an elderly Palestinian man as he tried to make his way through the crowd.One of the celebrants, an adolescent, attempted to prevent the reporter from filming the scene.Later, a Palestinian man was pepper-sprayed by a group of Jewish marchers outside Herod’s Gate, according to local Arabic media.Revelers also made their way to the Christian Quarter. It was there that police detained a Palestinian man after he attempted to chase after a few dozen religious Zionist youth with his belt in hand, which happened after they attacked another shopkeeper in his vicinity.The Palestinian man, who appeared to be drunk, repeatedly fell to the ground as he tried to resist being detained, as police officers roughed him up.Bystanders complained that the group of officers, while arresting him, paid no attention to the large group of agitators who ran away after attacking a middle-aged man outside a barber shop.Also on the scene were purple-vested volunteers with the left-wing Standing Together movement, who tried to restrain the man from chasing the youth.They were operating as part of a self-styled “humanitarian guard” with the aim of “escorting and protecting Palestinian residents and businesses from attacks by participants in the Flag March.”Right-wing Jewish youth scuffled with the left-wing activists as well, deriding them as “traitors.”Several other groups organized similar initiatives, though most left-wing activists had been kicked out of the Old City by police come early afternoon.Sam Sokol contributed to this report.
Says Israeli PM must not 'overdo it'Germany’s Merz says Israeli strikes on Gaza no longer justifiable as fight against Hamas-‘I no longer understand what the Israeli army is doing in the Gaza Strip,’ German chancellor says in TV interview, says he will hold call with Netanyahu to voice concern-By Agencies and ToI Staff 26 May 2025, 4:53 pm
German Chancellor Friedrich Merz said Monday that Israel’s recent strikes on Gaza are taking a humanitarian toll on civilians that can no longer be justified as a fight against the Hamas terror group.“Harming the civilian population to such an extent, as has increasingly been the case in recent days, can no longer be justified as a fight against Hamas terrorism,” he told broadcaster WDR in a televised interview.Merz also said he “no longer understands” the Israel Defense Forces’ objective in Gaza amid a stepped-up offensive.“I no longer understand what the Israeli army is doing in the Gaza Strip, with what goal the civilian population is being impacted to such an extent,” he said.Merz added he plans to hold a call with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu this week to tell him “to not overdo it,” though for “historical reasons,” Germany would always be more guarded in its criticism than some European partners.But he added that “when limits are crossed, when international humanitarian law is being violated… then the German chancellor must speak out too.”Merz said he wanted Germany to remain “Israel’s most important partner in Europe.”“But the Israeli government must not do anything that its best friends are no longer willing to accept,” he said.Germany has long been a strong supporter of Israel as it seeks to atone for the Holocaust.However, the war against Hamas in Gaza has cast a shadow over relations, with Germany at pains to carefully calibrate its response to give support for Israel’s right to exist and defend itself, but also to advocate for the rights and protections of Palestinians under international law.The Israeli military has stepped up its Gaza operations in recent days in what it has described as a renewed push to destroy Hamas. It has called for the evacuation of civilians from large swaths of the enclave, including the entire cities of Rafah and Khan Younis in the southern Strip.Gaza’s health ministry said Sunday that at least 3,785 people had been killed in the territory since the latest ceasefire collapsed on March 18, taking the war’s overall toll to 53,939 — a figure that cannot be verified and does not differentiate between civilians and fighters.The war broke out on October 7, 2023, when Hamas-led terrorists invaded Israel, killing some 1,200 people, mostly civilians, and kidnapping 251. Terror groups in the Gaza Strip are still holding 58 hostages, including 57 of the 251 abducted on October 7.
AIRPLANES
ISAIAH 31:5
5 As birds flying,(PLANES) so will the LORD of hosts defend Jerusalem;(WITH PLANES) defending also he will deliver it; and passing over he will preserve it.(NUKE OR BOMB ISRAELS ENEMIES)
AUTOMOBILES
NAHUM 2:3-4
3 The shield of his mighty men is made red, the valiant men are in scarlet: the chariots(AUTOMOBILES) shall be with flaming torches in the day of his preparation,(LIGHTS) and the fir trees shall be terribly shaken.
4 The chariots shall rage in the streets,(DRIVE FAST) they shall justle(ACCIDENTS) one against another in the broad ways: they shall seem like torches, they shall run like the lightnings.(LIGHTS AND FAST)
FALSE POPE OF THE VATICAN
ISAIAH 23:15-17
15 And it shall come to pass in that day, that Tyre shall be forgotten seventy years, according to the days of one king: after the end of seventy years shall Tyre sing as an harlot.
16 Take an harp, go about the city, thou harlot that hast been forgotten; make sweet melody, sing many songs, that thou mayest be remembered.
17 And it shall come to pass after the end of seventy years, that the LORD will visit Tyre, and she shall turn to her hire, and shall commit fornication with all the kingdoms of the world upon the face of the earth.(COULD THIS BE 70 YEARS AFTER ISRAEL BECAME A NATION IN 1948)(IF SO THIS SATANIC ONE WORLD WHORE CHURCH WILL MINGLE TOGETHER BY 2018)(AND NOW ISLAM AND CHRISTIANITY AND ALL RELIGIONS ARE MINGLING AS ONE PEACE-LOVE-JOY-GET ALONG RELIGION LEAD BY THE VATICAN RIGHT NOW 4 YEARS FROM THE 70 YEAR TIME WHEN ISRAEL BECAME A NATION).AND IN CONTROL OF JERUSALEM.
REVELATION 13:11-18
11 And I beheld another beast coming up out of the earth;(FALSE VATICAN POPE) and he had two horns like a lamb,(JESUS IS THE LAMB OF GOD) and he spake as a dragon.(HES SATANICALLY INSPIRED,HES A CHRISTIAN DEFECTOR FROM THE FAITH)
12 And he exerciseth all the power of the first beast before him,(WORLD DICTATOR) and causeth the earth and them which dwell therein to worship the first beast, whose deadly wound was healed.(THE WORLD DICTATOR CREATES A FALSE RESURRECTION AND IS CROWNED LEADER OF THE NEW WORLD ORDER).
13 And he doeth great wonders, so that he maketh fire come down from heaven on the earth in the sight of men,
14 And deceiveth them that dwell on the earth by the means of those miracles which he had power to do in the sight of the beast; saying to them that dwell on the earth, that they should make an image to the beast, which had the wound by a sword, and did live.
15 And he had power to give life unto the image of the beast, that the image of the beast should both speak, and cause that as many as would not worship the image of the beast should be killed.
16 And he(FALSE POPE) causeth all, both small and great, rich and poor, free and bond, to receive a mark in their right hand, or in their foreheads:(CHIP IMPLANT)
17 And that no man might buy or sell, save he that had the mark, or the name of the beast, or the number of his name.
18 Here is wisdom. Let him that hath understanding count the number of the beast: for it is the number of a man; and his number is Six hundred threescore and six.(6-6-6) A NUMBER SYSTEM
REVELATION 17:1-18
1 And there came one of the seven angels which had the seven vials, and talked with me, saying unto me, Come hither; I will shew unto thee the judgment of the great whore that sitteth upon many waters:(VATICAN)
2 With whom the kings of the earth have committed fornication,(VATICAN IN POLITICS) and the inhabitants of the earth have been made drunk with the wine of her fornication.(THATS PEDOPHELIA-FORNICATION IS SINGLES HAVING SEX OUT SIDE OF MARRIAGE)(AND SINCE PREISTS CAN NOT MARRY IN THE CATHOLIC CHURCH. WHAT HAPPENS WHEN THIS FALSE CHURCH GOES AGAINST THE BIBLE.THE CATHOLIC CHURCH BECOMES A HOMOSEXUAL HAVEN OF PEDOPHILIAS FACTORY).
3 So he carried me away in the spirit into the wilderness: and I saw a woman sit upon a scarlet coloured beast, full of names of blasphemy, having seven heads and ten horns.
4 And the woman (FALSE CHURCH) was arrayed in purple and scarlet colour,(VATICAN COLOURS)(ANOTHER REASON WE KNOW THE FALSE POPE COMES FROM THE VATICAN) and decked with gold and precious stones and pearls, having a golden cup in her hand full of abominations and filthiness of her fornication:(THE VATICAN GOES AGAINST A PRIEST MARRING A WOMAN-LIKE THE BIBLE SAYS-AND WHATS AN ABOMINATION AGAINST GOD-HOMOSEXUALITY AND PEDOPHILIA JUST LIKE THIS SCRIPTURE SAYS-FORNICATION IS THE SINGLE HOMOSEXUAL PRIESTS IN THE CATHOLIC CHURCH HAVING UNMARRIED FORNICATION OR SEX WITH SINGLES-IN THIS CASE ITS SEX WITH CHILDREN OR PEDOPHILIA)
5 And upon her forehead was a name written, MYSTERY, BABYLON THE GREAT, THE MOTHER OF HARLOTS AND ABOMINATIONS OF THE EARTH.
6 And I saw the woman drunken with the blood of the saints, and with the blood of the martyrs of Jesus: and when I saw her, I wondered with great admiration.
7 And the angel said unto me, Wherefore didst thou marvel? I will tell thee the mystery of the woman, and of the beast that carrieth her, which hath the seven heads and ten horns.
8 The beast that thou sawest was, and is not; and shall ascend out of the bottomless pit, and go into perdition: and they that dwell on the earth shall wonder, whose names were not written in the book of life from the foundation of the world, when they behold the beast that was, and is not, and yet is.
9 And here is the mind which hath wisdom. The seven heads are seven mountains, on which the woman sitteth.(THE VATICAN IS BUILT ON 7 HILLS OR MOUNTAINS)
10 And there are seven kings: five are fallen,(1-ASSYRIA,2-EGYPT,3-BABYLON,4-MEDO-PERSIA,5-GREECE) and one is,(IN POWER IN JOHNS AND JESUS DAY-6-ROME) and the other is not yet come; and when he cometh, he must continue a short space.(7TH-REVIVED ROMAN EMPIRE OR THE EUROPEAN UNION TODAY AND THE SHORT SPACE IS-THE EUROPEAN UNION WILL HAVE WORLD CONTROL FOR THE LAST 3 1/2 YEARS.BUT WILL HAVE ITS MIGHTY WORLD POWER FOR THE FULL 7 YEARS OF THE 7 YEAR TRIBULATION PERIOD.AND THE WORLD DICTATOR WILL BE THE BEAST FROM THE EU.AND THE VATICAN POPE WILL BE THE WHORE THAT RIDES THE EUROPEAN UNION TO POWER.AND THE 2 EUROPEAN UNION POWER FREAKS WILL CONTROL AND DECIEVE THE WHOLE EARTH INTO THEIR DESTRUCTION.IF YOU ARE NOT SAVED BY THE BLOOD OF JESUS.YOU WILL BE DECIEVED BY THESE TWO.THE WORLD POLITICIAN-THE EUROPEAN UNION DICTATOR.AND THE FALSE PROPHET THAT DEFECTS CHRISTIANITY-THE FALSE VATICAN POPE.
11 And the beast that was, and is not, even he is the eighth, and is of the seven, and goeth into perdition.
12 And the ten horns which thou sawest are ten kings, which have received no kingdom as yet; but receive power as kings one hour with the beast.
13 These have one mind, and shall give their power and strength unto the beast.
14 These shall make war with the Lamb, and the Lamb shall overcome them: for he is Lord of lords, and King of kings: and they that are with him are called, and chosen, and faithful.
15 And he saith unto me, The waters which thou sawest, where the whore sitteth, are peoples, and multitudes, and nations, and tongues.(VATICAN-CATHOLICS ALL AROUND THE WORLD OVER 1 BILLION)
16 And the ten horns which thou sawest upon the beast,(WORLD DICTATOR) these shall hate the whore, and shall make her desolate and naked, and shall eat her flesh, and burn her with fire.(GOD HIMSELF GIVES THE OK TO NUKE THE VATICAN)
17 For God hath put in their hearts to fulfil his will, and to agree, and give their kingdom unto the beast, until the words of God shall be fulfilled.
18 And the woman which thou sawest is that great city, which reigneth over the kings of the earth.(VATICAN)
HOW THE FALSE POPE IS ELECTED
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Nj3Qnr_30Z4
POPE FRANCIS SISTER (PEDOPHILIA WAY WORSE THEN THOUGHT) (CARDINAL MATEO TERESCO-THE NEXT COVERUP POPE OF PEDOPHILIA)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=usFshfmBPmY
FALSE POPE LEO 14TH 2012 INTERVIEW
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QXVkJ5TQi1s
POPE 14TH WILL BE WORSE THAN FRANCIS.
https://banned.video/watch?id=681cf97a22a2c8ae0e09b5d0
NUTCASE FALSE POPE TELLS KAROLINE LEAVITT TO TAKE OFF HER CROSS SHES WEARING.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P3SioK7gwNc
Pope Leo XIV Delivers First Homily as Bishop of Rome at the Basilica of St. John Lateran-The Pontiff spoke of ecclesial communion and explained that the day’s Gospel reading reinforced this point.May 25, 2025
Pope Leo XIV delivered his first homily as Bishop of Rome at the Basilica of St. John Lateran, where he took possession of his cathedra (throne) on Sunday.The Pontiff said ecclesial communion is built “on our knees, through prayer and constant commitment to conversion,” as he invoked the example of the first Christians who faced the challenges of proclaiming the Gospel to a pagan world.Reflecting on the episode from the Acts of the Apostles, where the early Christians debated about whether Gentile converts had to follow the law of Moses, Pope Leo XIV emphasized that “this was no easy matter; it called for much patience and mutual listening.”He referenced the Council of Jerusalem, the first great council of the early Church, in which “a dialogue was opened” that led to a fitting decision: “Recognizing the difficulties of the new converts, they agreed not to impose excessive burdens on them, but rather to insist only on what was essential.”“In this way,” he added, “what might have seemed a problem became for everyone an opportunity for reflection and growth.”“The most important part of the entire event,” he emphasized, “was listening to God’s voice, which made everything else possible.” This, he said, is how communion is truly built.“For only in this way can each of us hear within the voice of the Spirit crying out, ‘Abba! Father!’ and then, as a result, listen to and understand others as our brothers and sisters,” he continued.The day’s Gospel reading reinforced this point. “It assures us that we are not alone in making our decisions in life. The Spirit sustains us and shows us the way to follow, ‘teaching’ us and ‘reminding’ us of all that Jesus said,” the Pope affirmed.“The more we let ourselves be convinced and transformed by the Gospel — allowing the power of the Spirit to purify our heart, to make our words straightforward, our desires honest and clear, and our actions generous — the more capable we are of proclaiming its message,” he added.For this reason, he stressed that, throughout the process — as in the Council of Jerusalem — “the most important listening” is that of listening to God's voice.Addressing the cardinals of the Roman Curia, bishops, priests, deacons, religious and laity of the Diocese of Rome, the Pope continued:“I would like to express my firm desire to contribute to this great ongoing process by listening to everyone as much as possible, in order to learn, understand and decide things together, as St. Augustine would say, ‘as a Christian with you and a bishop for you.’”“I would also ask you to support me in prayer and charity,” he said, “mindful of the words of St. Leo the Great: ‘All the good we do in the exercise of our ministry is the work of Christ and not our own, for we can do nothing without him. Yet we glory in him, from whom all the effectiveness of our work is derived.’”He recalled Blessed John Paul I, who, “with the joyful and serene face that had already earned him the nickname of ‘the Smiling Pope,’” took possession of the chair of the Bishop of Rome in September 1978.“I too express my affection for you and my desire to share with you, on our journey together, our joys and sorrows, our struggles and hopes. I too offer you ‘the little I have and am,’ entrusting it to the intercession of Sts. Peter and Paul and of all those other brothers and sisters of ours whose holiness has illuminated the history of this Church and the streets of this city,” he said.The Pope also affirmed the legacy of the Church of Rome as “heir to a great history, grounded in the witness of Peter, Paul and countless martyrs,” and emphasized her unique mission: “to be Omnium Ecclesiarum Mater, Mother of all the Churches.”The Basilica of St. John Lateran bears the honorary title of “Mother and Head of All the Churches in the City of Rome and the Whole World.” Taking this as a metaphor, the Pope recalled that his predecessor Pope Francis invited the faithful to reflect on the “maternal dimension” of the Church and on its defining characteristics.Among these are “tenderness, self-sacrifice and the capacity to listen;” traits that, the Pope said, “enable her not only to assist others but often to anticipate their needs and expectations before they are even expressed.”“We hope that those qualities will be increasingly present in the people of God everywhere, including here, in our great diocesan family: in the faithful, in pastors, and, first of all, in myself,” he added.He praised the “challenging process of listening that the Diocese of Rome has undertaken in these years,” structured around various levels of listening — “to the world around us to respond to its challenges and listening within our communities to understand needs and to propose sage and prophetic initiatives of evangelization and charity.”Although he acknowledged that this is “a challenging, ongoing journey meant to embrace a very rich and complex reality,” he said it is worthy of the Church's history — one that has often shown its ability to “think big,” giving itself fully to courageous projects and even taking risks in the face of new and complex scenarios.He specifically highlighted the extensive work being done by the entire Diocese of Rome for the Jubilee Year, welcoming and caring for pilgrims and launching many other initiatives.“These have made the city of Rome appear to visitors, some of whom have travelled from far away, as a wide, open and welcoming home, and above all as a place of deep faith,” he concluded.A Gesture of Communion-During the liturgy, the Holy Father received the pledge of fidelity from a representative group of the people of God in Rome in the Rite of Obedience. This symbolic expression of communion was not led by cardinals or members of the Curia, but by real people from the diocese: an auxiliary bishop, a canon, a parish priest, a parochial vicar, a deacon, religious men and women, a family, an educator, a catechist, and two young people.Among the participants were Cardinal Vicar Baldassare Reina, Auxiliary Bishop Renato Tarantelli, and other clergy and laypeople, including Brother Luis Martín Rodríguez, Sister Rebecca Nazzaro, and young people Mirko Venditti and Teresa Martellotta. Each of them represented a vital dimension of the Roman Church now recognizing its new bishop as their shepherd.Before arriving at the basilica — the first great Christian building erected in Rome after Emperor Constantine legalized religious freedom in A.D. 313 — the Pope met with Mayor Roberto Gualtieri. At the foot of the staircase of the Capitoline Hill, where the main entrance to the historic Palazzo Senatorio (City Hall) stands, the Roman mayor paid homage to him as the new Bishop of Rome.
Why I Love the Rosary: Reflections for Mary’s Month of May-‘The Rosary of the Virgin Mary ... remains … a prayer of great significance, destined to bring forth a harvest of holiness,’ wrote Pope St. John Paul II in ‘Rosarium Virginis Mariae.’May 25, 2025
Regular Register contributors offer their feminine meditations on particular mysteries and decades.Meditate on the Hearts of Jesus and Mary-Sister Mary Madeline Todd, OP-Each mystery of the Rosary is a priceless treasure, but I especially love to meditate on the first Joyful and Sorrowful Mysteries, whose interrelated calls to total surrender to God’s loving will illustrate the inseparable unity of the Hearts of Jesus and Mary.At the Annunciation, when Mary accepted God’s call to be the Mother of our Savior, she laid aside fear and trusted radically in God’s fidelity. When Gabriel revealed God’s plan, Mary could never have foreseen the joys and sorrows that were to come, but she trusted in the goodness of her loving Father. Mary, Mother of God and our Mother, shows us how to do whatever God tells us (see John 2:5) with a peace that only the Holy Spirit can give. She shows us the beauty of a life surrendered to God in every detail: “May it be done to me according to your word” (Luke 1:38).Likewise, Jesus showed us in his Agony in the Garden perfect acceptance of the Father’s will, even amidst the most profound suffering. He endured the weight of every human rejection of God. Even though he begged to be spared the pain to come, he nevertheless chose the Father’s will in full freedom and perfect love for the Father and for us. His prayer — “My Father, if it is possible, let this cup pass from me; yet, not as I will, but as you will” (Matthew 26:39) —teaches us the transforming power of filial obedience.Whether God’s will comes to us as a gentle call, an awe-inspiring grace, or a painful invitation to death to self, we can look to Jesus and Mary as models of every virtue. In union with them, we desire the divine grace to say “Yes” with the freedom that comes from knowing that God will never abandon his beloved children.Annunciation’s Lessons for Daily Living-Susanna Spencer-When my children climbed into the car after school this past Solemnity of the Annunciation, they were not surprised to hear the Basque Christmas carol Gabriel’s Message playing on repeat. The melody that makes the heart ache and the line, “’To me be as it pleaseth God,’ she said,” strikes me to the core every single time. I pull up this song every Marian feast day and any day when I need to surrender to God’s will — for my life, my day, the moment before me. This mystery of the Rosary is the one I go to most often, as it is Mary’s “Yes” to every single other mystery, the Joyful, Luminous, Sorrowful and Glorious. At every moment from when she became the Mother of God, her heart has repeated her first fiat, the one that accepted everything that would come after. Caryll Houselander in The Reed of God, writes that at the Annunciation “Our Lady said yes for the human race” and “each one of us must echo that yes for our own lives.” When I meditate on the Annunciation while praying the Rosary, I try to surrender myself to God’s will. I ask for the grace to live in the moment, to “choose all” with joy, like St. Thérèse of Lisieux, the joyful and the sorrowful. And when I pray the Rosary for others, I pray for them to have the grace to accept God’s will, to accept Christ into their very being. Houselander writes, “The surrender that is asked of us includes complete and absolute trust; it must be like Our Lady’s surrender, without condition and without reservation.” Learning to surrender in each moment and to trust God when plans inevitably change is my daily challenge — and one that Our Lady helps me with every day.The Light of the Institution of the Eucharist-Kathy Schiffer-I remember when Pope John Paul II introduced the Luminous Mysteries of the Rosary. It was October 2002, and I was working at a Catholic nonprofit in Ann Arbor, Michigan. When I walked in and told my co-workers that I’d just learned that there were five new mysteries, everyone laughed! The Rosary had always, after all, included 15 mysteries, and that could never change — right? But the change was real. Pope John Paul II, at the start of the Year of the Rosary, wanted to encourage Catholics to meditate on the public ministry of Jesus. The Rosary, while a Christological prayer, focused in its traditional 15 mysteries on Jesus’ Mother Mary. The five new mysteries of light, Pope John Paul explained in his apostolic letter Rosarium Virginis Mariae, helped the Rosary to “become more fully a compendium of the Gospel,” to “give it fresh life … as a true doorway into the depths of the Heart of Christ, ocean of joy and of light, of suffering and of glory.”Indeed, the Luminous Mysteries, which are prayed on Thursdays, help me to meditate on the major events of Christ’s life here on earth. The Fifth Luminous Mystery, the Institution of the Eucharist, is a particular favorite because it describes in detail Christ’s gift of himself at the Last Supper. “Yes, yes!” I say in my heart as we meditate on Jesus’ baptism in the Jordan, his first public miracle at the wedding feast of Cana, his transfiguration ... but then, at the Last Supper, he offers the greatest of all gifts to us: the gift of himself, freely given in the sacrament of the Holy Eucharist.Throughout his life, most notably with his miracles, Jesus helped me to understand who he is, truly God and truly man. But in the Eucharist, given at the Last Supper, he promised to stay here with us, close to us, so that we can remain close to him, secure in his loving arms.Thank you, dearest Mary, for helping me to know your holy Son. And thank you, Jesus, for coming into my life, helping me to understand who you are and how I can better love you, my Lord and my God.A Call to Love Amid Sorrow-Patti Armstrong-The Sorrow Mysteries are my favorite because they reveal the extent of God’s loves for us, which stirs my own heart to love God with my whole heart, my whole soul, and my whole mind. They also lead me to love the Blessed Mother more deeply as I consider that this fulfills the prophecy of Simeon at the Presentation: that her heart would be pierced by a sword.In the first mystery, the Agony in the Garden, Jesus experiences immense spiritual agony knowing what he is about to suffer. He prayed to the Father to let the “cup” of suffering pass, yet ultimately said, “Not my will, but yours be done.” This agony is believed to have included the emotional and spiritual impact of seeing all the sins of mankind, past, present and future, which includes my own sins.And then Jesus bears the physical suffering of the scourging and crowning, tearing his flesh apart and forcing sharp thorns into his head. During the carrying of the cross after all this and then hanging on it for three hours, I also meditate on the encounter with his Sorrowful Mother —such unspeakable pain and such unimaginable love between them.I love the other mysteries too — so full of light and joy and glorious news. The Sorrowful Mysteries, however, confront me with the price Jesus paid for our sins and the suffering of our Blessed Mother who witnessed it, thus helping me to love them more.PRAY WITH MOTHER ANGELICA-Kathy Schiffer-is a Catholic writer whose work has appeared in the National Catholic Register, Catholic World Report, Crisis Magazine, Family Theater Productions, Evangelization and Culture, Aleteia, Zenit, the Michigan Catholic, Legatus Magazine, and other Catholic publications. She served as conference director for Legatus, Special Event Coordinator for Guest House treatment center for clergy and religious, and producer for Al Kresta's syndicated radio programs on WMUZ-FM in Detroit and on Ave Maria Radio, based in Ann Arbor, Michigan. Kathy and her husband, Deacon Jerry Schiffer, have three adult children.Susanna Spencer-Susanna Spencer Susanna Spencer has a master’s in theology from Franciscan University of Steubenville. She the content and theological editor for Blessed Is She, author of the Scripture studies Seek His Kingdom: A Meditation on Matthew and Listen to Him: A Meditation on Mark, and co-author of the children’s devotional book Rise Up: Shining in Virtue. She is a mother of four, wife to a philosophy professor, and lives with her family in St. Paul, Minnesota. Find her at her website here.Sister Mary Madeline Todd-Sister Mary Madeline Todd is a Dominican Sister of the St. Cecilia Congregation in Nashville. She received her doctorate in sacred theology from the Angelicum in Rome and currently teaches religion and philosophy at Mount de Sales Academy in Baltimore.Patti Maguire Armstrong-Patti (Maguire) Armstrong is an award-winning journalist and was managing editor and co-author of the bestselling Amazing Grace Series. Her latest books are the humorous and inspirational second-edition Dear God, I Don't Get It, Dear God, You Can't Be Serious!, What Would Monica Do? and Holy Hacks. Patti worked in social work and public administration before staying home as a freelance writer while she and Mark raised their 10 children in North Dakota. Follow her on Twitter at @PattiArmstrong and read her blog at PattiMaguireArmstrong.com.
Pope Leo XIV Might Visit Ukraine When Conditions Allow, Says Archbishop-‘The Pope is the only one capable of protecting these people,’ Ukraine’s top Catholic leader tells Leo XIV in personal Vatican appeal.May 23, 2025
In a private audience with Pope Leo XIV on May 16, Major Archbishop Sviatoslav Shevchuk, head of the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church, invited the Pope to visit Ukraine to bring comfort to a people worn down by war.“I told him we are relieved whenever the Pope speaks of us,” Archbishop Shevchuk said. “Facing a world that forgets about us — while there is a campaign denying our existence — the Pope allows us to be visible.”Archbishop Shevchuk spoke with the Register in a 40-minute interview shortly after he met with the Holy Father. He reflected on the legacy of Pope Leo XIII, who emphasized the importance of the Eastern Churches, and discussed peace efforts as well as the prospects of a papal visit to Ukraine.“It was important to have a personal meeting with the Pope,” Archbishop Shevchuk said. “News about Ukraine is mediated by other channels, and it was my duty to bring the people’s voice directly to the Pope. I had the impression that we have a great father. His fatherhood toward Ukraine may not make big news, but will sprout in many important decisions. I have the impression that there will be concrete actions.”The major archbishop said he was able to give Leo XIV a glimpse of the life and work of the Church amid the war, and that the Holy Father “was very interested in hearing how the Church accompanies its people.” He emphasized the importance of what he called a “pastoral of mourning,” adding: “We are called to accompany people who suffer, who mourn the loss of those dearest to them.”Archbishop Shevchuk observed that “every little attention that the Pope gives to the Ukrainian people, immediately turns into medicine,” pointing to the Regina Coeli address on May 11, when the Pope mentioned Ukraine and urged a lasting peace.His words “were immediately received,” the archbishop said. “They represented a balm for our hearts. I explained to the Pope that the Ukrainian people, when they hear the Pope say that he carries the pain of Ukraine within himself, feel taken out of the darkness of suffering. Because we live in the face of those who say that we have no right to exist, who maintain that Ukraine does not exist and is an ideological invention.”Now, the Ukrainian people are hoping for a papal visit. “I invited him, and I hope the right time will come,” said Archbishop Shevchuk. “I explained to the Holy Father that people are waiting for him and that this is the moment to act in a truly Christian way, in a way of the Church.”He emphasized that acting in a Christian spirit means looking beyond politics. “We talk about Ukraine without considering the people, but only things. We heard about rare earths, territories, and economic interests in the negotiations. It is important, then, that the Church help to depoliticize this tragedy and bring out human faces and human rights also for the people who are in the occupied territories. The Pope is the only one capable of protecting these people.”Looking at the situation in Ukraine, Archbishop Shevchuk said Ukrainians “have the hope of resisting,” but need to begin the peace process. “We have the feeling that the time has come for diplomacy, to find some negotiated way to stop this slaughter.”He added that first, “we silence the weapons,” and then “we all sit around a table to discuss it together. This is the only alternative if we want to find something other than an armed encounter.”He added, “We pray that this dialogue will be successful, but then Pope Leo himself reminded us in his speech to diplomats that this peace must always be a just peace based on truth, because a peace without justice is a negative peace, a peace that can sometimes be confused with a truce … a situation that carries within itself a spark of a future new conflict, because it does not extinguish the things of the conflict. But this spark of the fire of war is extinguished with justice.”Archbishop Shevchuk emphasized the importance of Leo XIV’s insistence that peace must be rooted in religious freedom. “It is fundamental for us, who are even denied the right to exist. I hope peace agreements will also ensure human rights in the occupied territories. There, our Church has been ‘liquidated.’ We do not doubt that a Russian advancement could lead to the end of the space of religious freedom for our Church.”However, Archbishop Shevchuk added, “Leo XIV also tied peace to the truth. Often, people want to separate peace from truth. Some have the illusion that everything can be finished in three or four hours. We risk considering this tragedy lightly without going to the bottom of it by talking about the truth.”He also reflected on the legacy of Leo XIII, the last pope who took the name Leo before the current one.Archbishop Shevchuk noted that Leo XIII issued the landmark 1894 encyclical Orientalium Dignitas, which challenged the prevailing practice of favoring the Latin rite over the Eastern rites. That rule was later abolished by the Second Vatican Council. “Leo XIII was a pope who truly considered the Eastern Churches to be on an equal footing with the Latin Churches,” Archbishop Shevchuk said. “This was reaffirmed by Leo XIV.”Leo XIII also “began to re-establish the Eastern eparchies and create new ones,” Archbishop Shevchuk said. “He erected new eparchies in Ukraine and Galicia and appointed Sheptytsky as bishop,” he added, referring to the revered Metropolitan Andriy Sheptytsky, who led Ukrainian Catholics through two world wars and served for 44 years.“Leo XIII did not deconstruct,” he continued. “He built according to pastoral needs. When Leo XIII became pope, the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church had only three dioceses in Western Ukraine.”“Today, we have 20 eparchies outside Ukraine and 16 inside Ukraine. And we need other structures — we need new structures, with organized parishes.”Leo XIII also founded the Pontifical Ukrainian College in Rome. Archbishop Shevchuk said, “For us, Pope Leo XIII is the pope who supervised the formation and education of the clergy for the Eastern Catholic Churches, and this is always a look into the future.”He added that the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church hopes “Pope Leo XIV will also help us in these unusually difficult war conditions, to continue to worry about the formation of our clergy, because investing in education means transforming and giving hope. Pope Leo XIII was very concerned about the reconstruction of the seminary in Lviv. The Leonine imprint on our structures, especially in formation, is evident.”“Leo XIII appointed Sheptytsky as bishop,” he said. “And we can say that Leo XIII and Sheptytsky gave face to our Church today.”
Karoline Leavitt Shows Her Christian Faith with Cross Necklace During White House Press Briefings in Washington D.C.February 13, 2025 Temitope Oke
Since taking on her role as White House Press Secretary, Karoline Leavitt has consistently displayed her Christian faith in both her words and her style.The 27-year-old has worn a cross necklace during nearly every press briefing and media appearance, signaling a clear message about how important her faith is to her.A Signature Look with a Meaningful Touch-Leavitt’s cross necklaces are a staple of her daily wardrobe.In her first press briefing on January 28, she paired a berry-colored two-piece Zara suit with a cross necklace and completed her look with diamond stud earrings and Jimmy Choo heels.The sleek black patent leather shoes were decorated with crystals and featured a pointed toe, offering a sophisticated touch to her ensemble.In a more recent briefing, Leavitt opted for a navy blue pinstriped pantsuit, with her gold cross necklace as the main accessory.She complemented the look with a pink-faced watch and a dainty tennis bracelet, continuing her trend of subtle but meaningful accessorizing.Faith is Central to Her Identity-The necklace, however, is not just a fashion choice—it’s a statement of Leavitt’s values.She has made it clear that her Christian faith plays a central role in her life.When criticized by California Democrat Rep.Dave Min, who called her a “fake Christian,” Leavitt didn’t hold back.She told The New York Post that the remark was “pitiful” and reiterated how deeply her faith influences everything she does.“My Christian faith is a huge part of my life,” Leavitt explained. “My faith, my marriage, my family life—it’s everything to me.”A Growing Family and a Strong Foundation-Leavitt’s personal life is just as tied to her faith and family values.She’s married to 59-year-old Nicholas Riccio, who runs Riccio Enterprises LLC in New Hampshire, where they both reside.The couple recently celebrated the birth of their son, Nicholas ‘Niko’ Robert, in July.Leavitt shared her overwhelming love and gratitude for her child on Instagram, saying, “My heart has grown bigger than I ever imagined possible.”Her deep love for her family is evident, and it’s clear that her faith guides her in raising her son, hoping to instill in him a strong sense of confidence and purpose.She shared in an interview with The Conservateur in October, “If he knows his worth is not from any other person, but from God, he can accomplish anything.”Leavitt’s Quick Return to Work After Giving Birth-Leavitt’s commitment to both her faith and her role at the White House was put to the test after the birth of her son.Despite the challenges of new motherhood, she made an early return to work—just four days after giving birth—following a shocking event: an assassination attempt on Donald Trump at a rally in Pennsylvania.This quick return showed her dedication to both her role and the causes she believes in.Faith and Politics in the White House-Leavitt’s story is set against the backdrop of broader political and religious developments.Last week, former President Donald Trump signed an executive order to establish a White House Faith Office, which will be led by his longtime spiritual adviser, Paula White.This office is a continuation of Trump’s efforts to engage with evangelical groups, a cornerstone of his first administration.In remarks at the National Prayer Breakfast, Trump also spoke about his evolving relationship with religion, particularly after surviving two failed assassination attempts in the previous year.He called for unity among lawmakers and highlighted the important role that faith plays in his life.Leavitt’s faith journey, from her cross necklaces to her public comments, shows that her beliefs continue to be a defining feature of both her personal and professional life.Whether in the White House press room or speaking out against her critics, her Christian faith remains at the heart of her identity.
Ben Gvir says Jewish prayer, including full prostration, permitted at Temple Mount-Far-right minister rejects longtime status quo at flashpoint Jerusalem holy site; Prime Minister’s Office: ‘Israel’s policy concerning the Temple Mount has not changed’By Sam Sokol-26 May 2025, 8:14 pm
Far-right National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir declared Monday that Jewish prayer, including full prostration, was allowed at the Temple Mount during a Jerusalem Day visit, a move that would upend a delicate status quo at the contested holy site. In response, the Prime Minister’s Office announced there was no change to existing norms.Flanked by Negev, Galilee, and National Resilience Minister Yitzhak Wasserlauf and MK Yitzhak Kroizer, both members of his ultra-nationalist Otzma Yehudit party, Ben Gvir said that “many Jews are flooding the Temple Mount.”“Today, thank God, it is possible to pray on the Temple Mount, to bow down on the Temple Mount — we thank God for that,” the far-right minister declared, adding that he and his colleagues had come to “pray for the safety of the hostages” and “for victory in the war.”The Temple Mount is the holiest place in Judaism, as the site of the two biblical Temples. Known to Muslims as the Noble Sanctuary, it is home to the Al-Aqsa Mosque, the third-holiest site in Islam.Photos from the scene showed Kroizer prostrated on the Mount alongside other Jews, as police looked on.Meanwhile, MK Zvi Sukkot, of the far-right Religious Zionism party, was filmed walking across the holy site with an Israeli flag, repeatedly declaring, “The Temple Mount is in our hands.”Ben Gvir says he also prayed for the success of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s contentious pick to head the Shin Bet security agency, Maj. Gen. David Zini, stating that “he will pursue our enemies” and “mow [them] down.”Ben Gvir has long rebuffed Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s repeated insistence that the decades-old status quo, which bans Jewish prayer on the site, remains in force — and has made a habit of publicizing his visits to the holy site since initially joining the government in 2022.He has repeatedly stated that his policy is to allow Jewish prayer there, drawing rebukes from US and international officials, as well as warnings from the security establishment that renewed conflict over the site could pose a risk to national security.Perceived changes to the status quo on the Temple Mount evoke strong emotions and are frequently cited as a Muslim motivation for religious violence. Hamas termed its invasion and massacre in southern Israel on October 7, 2023, “Operation Al-Aqsa Flood.”While the PMO did not send out a statement repudiating Ben Gvir’s comments on Monday, it did tell The Times of Israel, when asked, that “Israel’s policy concerning the Temple Mount has not changed.”The PMO’s response did not address the relaxation of restrictions on Jewish worship in recent years.A vague, unwritten status quo in place for decades at the site prohibits Jews from worshiping on the Temple Mount, but the Israel Police, which comes under the purview of Ben Gvir’s ministry, has increasingly tolerated limited prayer there.Ben Gvir last visited the Temple Mount in early April, eliciting criticism from the coalition’s ultra-Orthodox members, as Haredim believe it is forbidden to tread in the holy site due to its sanctity.Ben Gvir’s ascent and statement on Monday drew harsh condemnations both abroad and domestically, including from Netanyahu’s own political allies.“I strongly condemn and denounce the provocative ascent to the Temple Mount,” which is strictly prohibited by Jewish law and constitutes “a severe blow to the Jewish people and its holy places and causes irreparable damage,” said MK Moshe Gafni of the coalition’s United Torah Judaism party.“The convicted criminal Ben Gvir continues to incite, set fire to, and desecrate the holy places,” Hadash-Ta’al chair Ayman Odeh told The Times of Israel in a statement.“A person who hung the picture of terrorist Baruch Goldstein in his home cannot preach about prayer. His every performance is a provocation aimed at encouraging violence and eliminating any chance of peace between nations,” Odeh said, condemning attacks on Arabs in Jerusalem’s Old City by far-right activists during this morning’s Jerusalem Day march.“Ben Gvir is not the Minister of National Security. He is the national security terrorist.”Ben Gvir’s visit was also condemned by Jordan, whose foreign ministry stated that “East Jerusalem is an occupied city over which Israel has no sovereignty,” and the Palestinian Authority, which condemned what it described as “the extremist Ben Gvir’s storming of Al-Aqsa Mosque.”Ben Gvir’s and Sukkot’s visit, as well as Monday’s flag march, are “part of the genocide, displacement, Judaization, and annexation to which the Palestinian people are subjected,” the Palestinian foreign ministry claimed, calling for “urgent international intervention to halt them immediately.”
'This is the work of a true artist'Kaleidoscopic 1,600-year-old monastery mosaic on display for first time in the Negev-Roaring lions, gazelles fleeing wolves and a farmer wiping sweat from his forehead are among the scenes from Byzantine Israel depicted on the artifact By Rossella Tercatin-Today, 2:08 pm-MAY 27,25
A striking 1,600-year-old mosaic depicting animals, plants, and scenes from life in Byzantine Israel is on display for the first time at the Merhavim Regional Council’s headquarters in the Western Negev, the Israel Antiquities Authority (IAA) announced on Tuesday.The Be’er Shema (Birsama) mosaic was discovered in 1990 in an agricultural area south of Kibbutz Urim. The artifact recently underwent conservation and was transferred to the headquarters from its original location.Archaeologists uncovered the mosaic within a monastery complex, which included facilities for wine production, such as a wine press, which probably provided a livelihood for the monks.“This is a unique mosaic from the Byzantine period (324-638 CE),” IAA archaeologist Shaike Lender, one of Be’er Shema’s excavators, said in a statement. “It presents 55 richly detailed medallions – with mythological characters, baskets of fruit, exotic animals, scenes from everyday life, hunting scenes and more. The mosaic was clearly made by the hand of a true artist. It is comprised of small mosaic stones in a variety of colors, combined with glass and pottery to infuse it with variety.”The monastery was located on an ancient commercial route connecting the port of Gaza and the Negev town of Halutz.“It seems that the ancient road upon which this settlement was sited served as a kind of border between the desert and the inhabited part of the country – during the Byzantine period, and perhaps serving as such even earlier, during the Roman period,” Lender noted.“The excavation showed that this was indeed a large settlement, on the order of several hundred dunams, that served travelers needing a safe place to spend the night, offering protection from potential attacks by raiders from the local Bedouin tribes,” he said.Roaring lions, giraffes, and gazelles fleeing wolves are among the animals vividly depicted in the mosaic. A farmer wiping sweat from his forehead as he tends his vineyard and two men pulling a donkey and a camel carrying a load are also featured on the artifact, possibly echoing snippets of life in the monastery.After the excavation concluded, the mosaic was covered to protect it. In recent months, it underwent conservation works by IAA experts.“Over the ensuing years since its discovery, the mosaic floor’s state of conservation deteriorated,” said IAA Conservation Department head Ami Shahar.“Given this situation, actions were taken. It was re-exposed, treated, strengthened, and transferred from its original exposed location to the Merhavim Council’s enclosed compound,” he added. “Now, it is fully protected from agricultural and development work, and at long last, it is presented to the public to appreciate.”The exhibition was inaugurated on Sunday as part of the “Antiquities Right at Home” project by the Heritage Ministry and the IAA.Heritage Minister Amichay Eliyahu and Merhavim Regional Council Head Shai Hajaj took part in the ceremony attended by students from nearby schools and local residents.
ISRAEL AT WAR - DAY 599'Not an issue of faith, but rather of lifestyle'Study finds growing numbers leaving Haredi community, but many staying religious-According to Out for Change survey, two-thirds of former ultra-Orthodox identify as observant or traditional and high numbers report still having good relationships with family By Rossella Tercatin-Today, 9:15 am-MAY 27,25
When Yehuda Moses was 25, his worldview began to shift.A member of the Belz Hasidic community, Moses found himself placed under excommunication by the group’s grand rabbi after he criticized an initiative to raise funds among community members with limited resources to fund the construction of a new synagogue.“I began to wonder how people considered righteous could do such harmful things,” Moses, now 52, told The Times of Israel in a phone interview.That moment marked the start of Moses’s departure from the Haredi world, a life-altering choice being made by a growing number of ultra-Orthodox Israelis, according to a comprehensive study published earlier this year by Out for Change, which provides help to those leaving the ultra-Orthodox community.The study found that rather than marking a complete break, a stereotype enforced by pop culture portrayals, leaving the ultra-Orthodox world is a complicated process that can preserve some aspects of the former lives of ex-Haredim, from faith to their relationships with their parents.At the time of his shunning, Moses was already married with five children, all of whom left the ultra-Orthodox world with him. Yet while he now describes himself as completely secular, getting there took over two decades, while his wife and three daughters still maintain some level of religiosity.“Only recently I started to travel on Shabbat,” he said.Based on publicly available Central Bureau of Statistics data, Out for Change found that many former members of the Haredi community maintain some level of religious observance, albeit a less stringent one.Fewer than one in five former Haredim describe themselves as completely secular, according to the study, which was published in February.“Past qualitative research on the topic has shown that the choice to leave Haredi society behind often is not an issue of faith, but rather of seeking a different lifestyle or quality of life,” said Adar Anisman, head of research at Out for Change and one of the authors of the report.Still, even the first step out of the cloistered ultra-Orthodox community can be a shock. For Moses, whose father Menachem Eliezer Moses served as an MK for United Torah Judaism from 2009 until 2019, leaving the confines of Haredi life was like stepping into an entirely new world.“I didn’t even know how the human body functions — I believed that prayer alone was enough to recover from illness,” he recalled.Clear trend-According to Anisman, most who leave the Haredi world do so by age 25, making it possible to identify trends by looking at different age cohorts.Drawing on CBS surveys conducted on a representative sample of the entire Israeli population, the researchers determined that 12.5 percent of Israelis born between 1997 and 2001 who grew up in Haredi households no longer identify as ultra-Orthodox, the highest figure in decades.The figure progressively drops for older cohorts: 11.3% of those born between 1992 and 1996, 10.3% among the 1987–1991 age group, and 8.9% of those born from 1982 to 1986 no longer identify as ultra-Orthodox. The numbers drop even lower, to around 7.5%, for those born earlier, going all the way back to the 60s.“While it can be difficult to be precise with numbers, we definitely see an upward trend,” Anisman said.According to the researcher, the figure reflects a broader shift that began in the 1970s, when Haredi society grew increasingly insular.“In the early years of the State of Israel, the Haredi world was more open, and we saw a significant wave of people choosing to leave,” Anisman explained.Around 13% of those born between 1957 and 1961 who were raised Haredi no longer identify as such, and in earlier generations, the rates were even higher, she noted.“Beginning in the 1970s, the community became more closed off,” said Anisman. “Leaving has been harder, and as a result, fewer people did.”“There’s no single ‘type’ of person who chooses to leave the Haredi community,” Anisman told The Times of Israel over the phone. “People often assume that former Haredim couldn’t fit in, but there are also those who come from top yeshivas and seminaries. The data reflects this diversity, especially in their wide range of choices afterward.”After leaving ultra-Orthodoxy, where education is often limited to the study of Jewish religious texts, Moses immersed himself in academic courses on everything from philosophy to astrophysics, he said.Although the gaps in his education prevented him from earning a formal degree, he eventually trained to become an account manager.Transitional support network-Out for Change was established in 2012 by people who had themselves left the ultra-Orthodox community.The organization assists around 1,500 ex-Haredim a year, offering individual counseling and community programs.It is also active in research and advocacy to support the integration of former Haredim into general society.A 2020 study by the Israel Democracy Institute, which also showed growing numbers of people leaving ultra-Orthodoxy, estimated that as of 2017, there were some 53,400 Israelis ages 20-64 who could be considered ex-Haredi.Nationally, there are believed to be over 1.3 million Haredi Jews in Israel, making up 14% of the population, according to an IDI study published last year. That proportion is expected to rise as time goes on due to high birth rates in the community, meaning ex-ultra-Orthodox will make up an increasingly significant slice of Israeli society if current trends continue.Israeli census data does not directly identify who is formerly Haredi, meaning Out of Change needed to parse several separate sources of public data gathered by CBS to build its report.The primary source was the CBS Social Survey, which polls a representative sample of Israelis aged 20-64 on a wide variety of topics, including their family status, education, career, standard of living, health, and more.Between 2007 and 2012, and then again from 2017 onwards, CBS asked participants to describe their current religiosity and the religious level of the households they belonged to when they were 15. This allowed researchers to identify respondents whose level of observance no longer reflected their ultra-Orthodox upbringing.Additionally, Out of Change teased out numbers from the CBS Labor Force Survey for 2020-2023, which polled male respondents on what educational institutions they attended and their current religious identity. Former Haredi men could be selected based on those who stated they attended ultra-Orthodox yeshivas but no longer identify with that affiliation (no option for educational institutions was available to help identify former Haredi women).Out of Change also surveyed 1,206 self-identified former Haredim in April 2024.“The report was done at a very high level, using multiple reliable sources and cross-referencing them,” said Leah Bloy, a PhD candidate at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem.Bloy, who was not involved in the survey, studies Haredi society at the university’s School of Business Administration.“We can see that in most cases, the results are consistent across the sources, which is always a sign that they are dependable,” she added.Lifestyle, not faith-The researchers found that two-thirds of former Haredim still identify as religious (46%) or traditional-religious (20%), with less than one in five (18%) becoming secular and the remaining 16% calling themselves traditional but not so religious.“If we consider that most people leave between the ages of 17 and 25, we can understand how this is a time when people want to find themselves and sometimes rebel against the system,” said Anisman. “Faith plays a role for some people, but not for everyone. We see very clearly that leaving ultra-Orthodoxy behind is more a sociological phenomenon than a religious one.”Researchers were also able to conclude that many who leave Haredi society stay in touch with their families, dispelling a stereotype that the move usually leaves parents and their children estranged.“The reality is often very different,” said Anisman. “In many cases, families stay in touch — and sometimes the relationship remains strong, even warm.”According to the data, 49% of the former Haredim respondents who were not married were very satisfied with their relationship with their families, and another 39% reported a medium level of satisfaction.The high level of satisfaction reached 61% among those who were married, but the report acknowledged that this group might have based their responses on the family they built rather than their family of origin.Though encouraging, the numbers were still lower than the 64.5% reporting high satisfaction with ties to family nationwide across all categories reported by CBS in 2019.In its own survey, Out for Change found that among those who had left their community within the past two years, 36% of respondents described the level of connection as high and 26% as medium. A decade after leaving the community, the rates went up to 40% and 28%.Only 10% of the respondents reported being completely disconnected from their parents.Moses said that he had remained in sporadic contact with his parents.According to Anisman, though, many ex-Haredim find that leaving the community leaves them unmoored financially, no longer able to count on the financial support of their family, who may object to funding their lifestyle, but without the needed skills to enter the job force.“The data clearly shows that without financial assistance, former Haredim are at risk of becoming youth at risk,” said Anisman. “They often enter mainstream society without understanding its cultural norms and the skills needed for stable employment or access to higher education. They can easily find themselves in crisis without the means to support themselves.”According to the survey, only 54% of former Haredim described themselves as satisfied with their financial situation compared to 73% of current Haredim and 65% of non-Haredi Jews.The rate of those able to cover their monthly expenses among former Haredim aged 20-29 was 12 percentage points lower than among their non-Haredi peers. Among older groups, the rates were similar.The study found that 58% of former Haredi men were employed in low-skilled professions compared to 33% of current Haredim and 35% of non-Haredim.Experts blame the disparity on the Haredi education system, which eschews instruction on core subjects such as English and mathGroups like Out for Change say they provide an essential service by helping support former ultra-Orthodox and integrating them into the job market.“When they receive the right support during those critical first years, they tend to integrate successfully into Israeli society. Without it, the gaps tend to persist,” said Anisman.Moses, who volunteers for Hillel, another group that supports former ultra-Orthodox, said the state should also step in to provide help.“I think they should at least receive support to learn everything they were not taught in their childhood,” he said.The aftermath of October 7-Army service is also seen as a major driver of societal integration. While the vast majority of ultra-Orthodox shun army service, 58% of those who leave the community enlist in the IDF or for National Civil Service, the report found.According to the results of a 2024 survey conducted by Out for Change, among those who enlisted after leaving the community, approximately 40% still served in tracks designated for Haredim. Anisman suggested that a possible explanation for this trend was the age of enlistment, since many Haredi tracks are open only to older people and offer opportunities to acquire a profession during service.Moses said that after he left the Haredi community, he tried to enlist, but the army rejected him because he already had five children.“At least I gave my children the right education,” he said, noting that his two sons, who are secular like him, are officers in the army.According to the CBS Labor Force Survey for 2023, which includes data from the last three months of the year, 7.7% of former Haredi men reported missing days of work for reserve duty, compared to 13.4% of non-Haredi Jews and less than 1% of current Haredi men.Data for the Out for Change report was gathered before the October 7, 2023, attack, however.Anisman said it was too early to know whether the Hamas onslaught had impacted the number of people choosing to leave the community. Official data shows that most Haredi men still refuse the military’s mandatory draft; ultra-Orthodox leaders claim that joining the army is a major factor in leading members of the Haredi community to secularize.“Anecdotally, I’ve heard from many who said they were searching for their path — and after October 7, they felt a clear calling to join the army,” she said. “However, it is too early for data.”According to Bloy, who has also been researching the impact of the war on Haredi society, different gradients within the Haredi community reacted in different ways to the war.“After October 7, the level of identification with Israeli society went up dramatically, but about three months into the war, as the enlistment of ultra-Orthodox became a major topic of discussion in the public arena, things changed,” she said. “While modern Haredim continued to feel part of the general society, the identification among conservative Haredim significantly decreased.”Bloy said that one of the most interesting aspects of the Out of Change study was the different levels of loneliness and depression among former Haredim documented by CBS data compared to the organization’s own survey.According to CBS data, 25% of former Haredim experienced loneliness, and 29% depression – levels similar to those in the non-Haredi society. The Out of Change polling showed rates of 75% and 66%.The report itself acknowledges that this might be due to the nature of their sample and not reflect the average for the population as a whole.Bloy though, suggested a different theory.“In my own research, I find that Haredim tend to be less willing to share their difficulties with the CBS relative to the surveys we conduct,” she said. “The discrepancy in the Out of Change study might be part of the same trend.”
Israel warns Europe that Palestine recognition may be met with West Bank annexation-Reports say ministers tell UK, France and others that Israel is considering annexing Area C of West Bank and legalizing outposts; Sweden summons Israeli envoy over Gaza aid By Stav Levaton-and Agencies Today, 3:03 am-MAY 27,25
Israeli government ministers have reportedly warned key European countries that any unilateral recognition of a Palestinian state could prompt Israel to take unilateral measures as well, potentially including the annexation of parts of the West Bank, according to Monday reports.Strategic Affairs Minister Ron Dermer personally warned French Foreign Minister Jean-Noel Barrot and British Foreign Secretary David Lammy that Israel could respond to recognition of a Palestinian state by annexing Area C of the West Bank and legalizing unauthorized outposts, the Haaretz outlet reported, citing a foreign diplomat familiar with the matter.A separate report by Israel Hayom said Foreign Minister Gideon Sa’ar conveyed a similar message to counterparts in the UK, France, and other nations, warning that steps against Israel would be met with Israeli actions such as extending sovereignty to West Bank settlements and parts of the Jordan Valley.“Unilateral moves against Israel will be met with unilateral moves by Israel,” Sa’ar reportedly said.The warnings came ahead of a French- and Saudi-led summit set to take place in New York next month, where French President Emmanuel Macron is expected to promote coordinated recognition of Palestinian statehood.While the US has said it will not participate, other European countries are still deliberating.Some, including Germany, Hungary, and the Czech Republic, have reportedly voiced opposition to unilateral recognition. Others, such as Spain — which recognized a Palestinian state last year — and Malta — which has said it will do so at the summit — are expected to say they support countries announcing unilateral recognition.After Macron said last month that France was considering recognition of Palestinian statehood, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said such a move would be a “huge prize for terror.”France’s recognition of Palestinian statehood would mark a major policy shift for Paris and risk antagonizing Israel, which insists such moves by foreign states are premature.France would be the most significant European power to recognize a Palestinian state, a move the United States has also long resisted.Israel has argued that unilateral recognition of a Palestinian state now will be viewed as a reward for Hamas’s October 7 onslaught. Israel’s military campaign to rid the Gaza Strip of Hamas has sparked worldwide sympathy for Palestinians and galvanized support for recognizing statehood in some capitals.The threats come amid mounting European opposition to Israel’s actions in Gaza.On Monday, Sweden announced that it would summon the Israeli ambassador to protest against Israel’s refusal to freely allow aid into Gaza.“We do not support what the Israeli government is currently doing by denying access to Gaza. Absolutely not,” Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson said, according to the TT news agency.A spokesperson for Mr. Kristersson confirmed this summons to AFP.“We have been very clear about this, both nationally and with many other European countries. The pressure is now increasing — there is no doubt about it. And for very good reasons,” the Swedish leader added.Israel’s block on aid since early March, which has caused severe shortages of food and medicine, was partially lifted last week in the face of mounting international indignation.Since the blockade was lifted, hundreds of aid trucks have entered the Strip, mostly containing food, but UN officials and local aid workers have said that Israel’s renewed military action in the Strip makes effective distribution near impossible.Kristersson also said he was in favor of a reassessment of the association agreement between the European Union and Israel. The bloc has ordered a review of it to see if Israel is respecting human rights and democratic principles.“This requires a consensus, and we are not there yet. But many of us are working in that direction,” he said. “The current actions of the Israeli government are pushing more EU countries to impose stricter demands on Israel.”According to French diplomats, 17 of the 27 EU member states have so far said they back a review of the agreement, with Germany being the most notable abstention.
Trump mulls transferring $3 billion in federal Harvard grants to trade schools-In the escalating battle between US president and prestigious private university over antisemitism, Trump may send funds to trade schools that largely do not conduct research-By David Shepardson and Jonathan Allen 26 May 2025, 10:55 pm
WASHINGTON (Reuters) – US President Donald Trump said on Monday that he is considering taking $3 billion of previously awarded grant money for scientific and engineering research away from Harvard University and giving it to trade schools.His comments on his social media platform, Truth Social, come less than a week after his administration sought to block the Ivy League school from enrolling foreign students, as part of Trump’s extraordinary effort to seize some government control of US academia, in light of accusations of failing to confront antisemitism on campus and left-wing bias.Trump, a Republican, has frozen some $3 billion in federal grants to Harvard in recent weeks, complaining that it has hired Democrats, “Radical Left idiots and ‘bird brains'” as professors. Harvard, a private university, has sued to restore the funding, saying the cuts are an unconstitutional attack on its free speech rights and unlawful.Most of that grant money is appropriated by Congress for the National Institutes of Health to disburse to fund biomedical research after a lengthy application process by individual scientists — work that is not typically done at trade schools.It was not clear whether Trump was referring to Harvard grants that his administration has already frozen. Harvard has said that it was told that virtually all of its federal grant awards were revoked earlier in May, in a series of letters by the NIH, the US Forest Service, the Department of Energy, the Department of Defense, and other agencies.The letters each said the grants were being suspended because they “no longer effectuate agency priorities.”Harvard did not respond to a request for comment on Monday. The White House did not respond to questions about the specific funds Trump wants to repurpose or how they could be reallocated to trade schools under the law.On Friday, a US judge temporarily blocked the Trump administration from revoking Harvard’s ability to enroll foreign students, a policy the university said was part of Trump’s broader effort to retaliate against it for refusing to “surrender its academic independence.”The order provides temporary relief to thousands of international students who faced potentially having to transfer, under a policy that the university in Cambridge, Massachusetts, called a “blatant violation” of the US Constitution and other federal laws.It said the move would have an “immediate and devastating effect” on the university and more than 7,000 visa holders.Harvard enrolled nearly 6,800 international students in its current school year, representing 27 percent of total enrollment, and a significant chunk of its revenue from tuition fees.The move was the latest escalation in a broader battle between Harvard and the White House, as Trump seeks to compel universities, law firms, news media, courts, and other institutions to align with his agenda. Trump and fellow Republicans have long accused elite universities of a left-wing bias.In recent weeks, the administration has proposed ending Harvard’s tax-exempt status and hiking taxes on its endowment. It also opened an investigation into whether the university violated civil rights laws by discriminating against “white, Asian, male, or straight employees” or job or training program applicants.Harvard has said its hiring and admissions are compliant with the law.Times of Israel Staff contributed to this report.
Tuesday, May 27, 2025
ISRAEL WARNS EUROPE THAT PALESTINE RECOGNITION MAY BE MET WITH WEST BANK ANNEXATION.
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