JEWISH KING JESUS IS COMING AT THE RAPTURE FOR US IN THE CLOUDS-DON'T MISS IT FOR THE WORLD.THE BIBLE TAKEN LITERALLY- WHEN THE PLAIN SENSE MAKES GOOD SENSE-SEEK NO OTHER SENSE-LEST YOU END UP IN NONSENSE.GET SAVED NOW- CALL ON JESUS TODAY.THE ONLY SAVIOR OF THE WHOLE EARTH - NO OTHER. 1 COR 15:23-JESUS THE FIRST FRUITS-CHRISTIANS RAPTURED TO JESUS-FIRST FRUITS OF THE SPIRIT-23 But every man in his own order: Christ the firstfruits; afterward they that are Christ’s at his coming.ROMANS 8:23 And not only they, but ourselves also, which have the firstfruits of the Spirit, even we ourselves groan within ourselves, waiting for the adoption, to wit, the redemption of our body.(THE PRE-TRIB RAPTURE)
6 COUNTRIES COMMITTED TO THE GAZY FORCE.US expects leaders of Egypt, Qatar, UAE, UK, Italy, Germany to sit on top.
FINALLY THE EUROPEAN UNION IS TALKING ABOUT HAVING THEIR OWN ARMY.AND IT MUST HAPPEN.
REVELATION 19:16-21
16
And he hath on his vesture and on his thigh a name written, King Of
Kings, And Lord Of Lords.(JESUS RETURNG TO EARTH LITERALLY ON A WHITE
HORSE WITH THE RAPTURED CHRISTIANS 7 YEARS EARLIER)
17 And I saw an
angel standing in the sun; and he cried with a loud voice, saying to all
the fowls that fly in the midst of heaven, Come and gather yourselves
together unto the supper of the great God;
18 That ye may eat the
flesh of kings, and the flesh of captains, and the flesh of mighty men,
and the flesh of horses, and of them that sit on them, and the flesh of
all men, both free and bond, both small and great.(2ND TIME GOD-JESUS
TELLS THE 500 MILLION MIGRATING BIRDS TO GET READY TO EAT HUMAN
FLESH.THE FIRST TIME WAS WHEN GOD TOLD THE 500 MILLION MIGRATING
BIRDS-TO EAT RUSSIA,GERMAN,ARAB, MUSLIM BODIES FOR 7 MONTHS IN EZEK 38 @
39.
19 And I saw the beast,(E.U WORLD LEADER) and the kings of the
earth, and their armies,(HERE IT SAYS THE E.U WILL HAVE ITS OWN ARMY)
gathered together to make war against him that sat on the horse, (JESUS)
and against his army.(RAPTURED CHRISTIANS)
20 And the beast (E.U
WORLD LEADER) was taken, and with him the false prophet (POPE FRANCIS)
that wrought miracles before him, with which he deceived them that had
received the mark of the beast, and them that worshipped his image.
These both were cast alive into a lake of fire burning with brimstone.
21
And the remnant were slain with the sword of him that sat upon the
horse, which sword proceeded out of his mouth: and all the fowls were
filled with their flesh.
Zephaniah 2:1-15
1 Gather together, yes, gather,O shameless nation,
2
before the decree takes effect[a] -before the day passes away like
chaff—before there comes upon you the burning anger of the Lord, before
there comes upon you the day of the anger of the Lord.
3 Seek the
Lord, all you humble of the land, who do his just commands;[b] seek
righteousness; seek humility; perhaps you may be hidden on the day of
the anger of the Lord.
4 For Gaza shall be deserted, and Ashkelon
shall become a desolation; Ashdod's people shall be driven out at noon,
and Ekron shall be uprooted.
5 Woe to you inhabitants of the
seacoast, you nation of the Cherethites! The word of the Lord is against
you, O Canaan, land of the Philistines; and I will destroy you until no
inhabitant is left.
6 And you, O seacoast, shall be pastures, with meadows[c] for shepherds and folds for flocks.
7
The seacoast shall become the possession of the remnant of the house of
Judah, on which they shall graze, and in the houses of Ashkelon they
shall lie down at evening. For the Lord their God will be mindful of
them and restore their fortunes.
8 “I have heard the taunts of Moab
(JORDAN) and the revilings of the Ammonites, how they have taunted my
people and made boasts against their territory.
9 Therefore, as I
live,” declares the Lord of hosts, the God of Israel, Moab shall become
like Sodom, and the Ammonites like Gomorrah, a land possessed by nettles
and salt pits, and a waste forever.The remnant of my people shall
plunder them, and the survivors of my nation shall possess them.”
10 This shall be their lot in return for their pride, because they taunted and boasted against the people of the Lord of hosts.
11
The Lord will be awesome against them; for he will famish all the gods
of the earth, and to him shall bow down, each in its place, all the
lands of the nations.
12 You also, O Cushites, shall be slain by my sword.
13
And he will stretch out his hand against the north and destroy
Assyria,(SYRIA) and he will make Nineveh a desolation, a dry waste like
the desert.
14 Herds shall lie down in her midst, all kinds of
beasts;[d] even the owl and the hedgehog[e] shall lodge in her
capitals; a voice shall hoot in the window; devastation will be on the
threshold; for her cedar work will be laid bare.
15 This is the
exultant city that lived securely, that said in her heart, “I am, and
there is no one else.” What a desolation she has become, a lair for wild
beasts! Everyone who passes by her hisses and shakes his fist.Sa'ar: No
free meals; talks possible if more hostages freed Israel halts aid into
Gaza, citing Hamas refusal to extend first phase of truce
Footnotes-a
-Zephaniah 2:2 Hebrew gives birth, b-Zephaniah 2:3 Or who carry out his
judgment, c-Zephaniah 2:6 Or caves, d-Zephaniah 2:14 Hebrew beasts of
every nation, e-Zephaniah 2:14 The identity of the animals rendered owl
and hedgehog is uncertain
DANIEL 2:37-45
37 Thou, O king, art a king of kings: for the God of heaven hath given thee a kingdom, power, and strength, and glory.
38
And wheresoever the children of men dwell, the beasts of the field and
the fowls of the heaven hath he given into thine hand, and hath made
thee ruler over them all. Thou art this head of gold.
39 And after
thee shall arise another kingdom inferior to thee, and another third
kingdom of brass, which shall bear rule over all the earth.
40 And
the fourth kingdom shall be strong as iron: forasmuch as iron breaketh
in pieces and subdueth all things: and as iron that breaketh all these,
shall it break in pieces and bruise.
41 And whereas thou sawest the
feet and toes, part of potters' clay, and part of iron, the kingdom
shall be divided; but there shall be in it of the strength of the iron,
forasmuch as thou sawest the iron mixed with miry clay.
42 And as the toes of the feet were part of iron, and part of clay, so the kingdom shall be partly strong, and partly broken.
43
And whereas thou sawest iron mixed with miry clay, they shall mingle
themselves with the seed of men: but they shall not cleave one to
another, even as iron is not mixed with clay.
44 And in the days of
these kings shall the God of heaven set up a kingdom, which shall never
be destroyed: and the kingdom shall not be left to other people, but it
shall break in pieces and consume all these kingdoms, and it shall stand
for ever.
45 Forasmuch as thou sawest that the stone was cut out of
the mountain without hands, and that it brake in pieces the iron, the
brass, the clay, the silver, and the gold; the great God hath made known
to the king what shall come to pass hereafter: and the dream is
certain, and the interpretation thereof sure.
DANIEL 7:17-26
17 These great beasts, which are four, are four kings, which shall arise out of the earth.
18 But the saints of the most High shall take the kingdom, and possess the kingdom for ever, even for ever and ever.
19
Then I would know the truth of the fourth beast, which was diverse from
all the others, exceeding dreadful, whose teeth were of iron, and his
nails of brass; which devoured, brake in pieces, and stamped the residue
with his feet;
20 And of the ten horns that were in his head, and of
the other which came up, and before whom three fell; even of that horn
that had eyes, and a mouth that spake very great things, whose look was
more stout than his fellows.
21 I beheld, and the same horn made war with the saints, and prevailed against them;
22
Until the Ancient of days came, and judgment was given to the saints of
the most High; and the time came that the saints possessed the kingdom.
23
Thus he said, The fourth beast shall be the fourth kingdom upon earth,
which shall be diverse from all kingdoms, and shall devour the whole
earth, and shall tread it down, and break it in pieces.
24 And the
ten horns out of this kingdom are ten kings that shall arise: and
another shall rise after them; and he shall be diverse from the first,
and he shall subdue three kings.
25 And he 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.
26 But the judgment shall sit, and they shall take away his dominion, to consume and to destroy it unto the end.
THE WORLD IN 10 WORLD TRADE BLOCS LEAD BY THE EUROPEAN UNION THE WORLD LEADER, NOT AMERICA.I PREDICT.
THE EUROPEAN UNION AND REVIVED ROMAN WORLD GOVERNMENT
DANIEL 2:31-33,36-43, DAN 7:3-8,17
First From Daniel Chapter 2
1 EGYPT
2 ASSYRIA
3 BABYLON (HEAD OF GOLD) DAN 2:31-32,36-38, DAN 1:1
4 MEDO-PERSIANS (CHEST & ARMS OF SILVER) DAN 2:32,39, DAN 9:1
5 GREECE (WAIST & HIPS OF BRONZE) DAN 2:32,39, DAN 11:2
6 ROME (2 LEGS OF IRON) DAN 2:33,40, ROM 1:6
7 REVIVED ROME (EU) (FEET IRON & CLAY) DAN 2:33,41-43,10 TOES
Now From Daniel Chapter 7
1 EGYPT
2 ASSYRIA
3 BABYLON (LION WITH EAGLES WINGS) DAN 7:4, DAN 1:1
4 MEDO-PERSIANS (BEAR ON HIND LEGS) DAN 7:5, DAN 9:1
5 GREECE (LEOPARD 4 WINGS, 4 HEADS) DAN 7:6, DAN 11:2
6 ROME (HUGE IRON TEETH) DAN 7:7 (10 HORNS), ROM 1:6
7 REVIVED ROME (EU) DAN 7:8,19-20,23-25 10 HORNS, 10 KINGS
REV
17:9,12, 10 HORNS, 10 KINGS, 7 HILLS ROME. REV 13:1 BEAST WITH 7 HEADS.
THE E.U LEADER OF WORLD GOVERNMENT DAN 2:40-45, 7:7-8,23-25,27, 8:23,
REV 13:3,7,8,12,14,16
REVELATION 17:10-12
10 And there are
seven kings (7TH WORLD EMPIRE IN HISTORY) five are fallen, (EGYPT,
ASSYRIA, BABYLON,:MEDO-PERSIAN,GREECE and one is,(IN POWER IN JOHNS
DAY-ROME) and the other is not yet come; and when he
cometh,(FUTURE-REVIVED ROMAN EMPIRE-EUROPEAN UNION TODAY) he must
continue a short space.(7 YEARS OF WORLD DOMINATION-BUT 3 1/2 YEARS OF
NEW WORLD ORDER OR ONE WORLD GOVERNMENT)
12 And the ten horns (10
WORLD TRADE BLOCS OR REGIONS) which thou sawest are ten kings, which
have received no kingdom as yet; but receive power as kings one hour
with the beast.
REVELATION 17:12-13
12 And the ten horns (10
WORLD TRADE BLOCS-NATIONS) 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,(WORLD SOCIALISM) and shall give their power and strength unto the beast.
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.
DICK
MORRIS-This truly creates a global economic system. From now on, don’t
look to Washington for the rule making, look to Brussels.
THE CLUB OF ROME FOUNDER AURELIO PECCEI WANTS THE WORLD IN 10 REGIONAL TRADING BLOCKS.
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.
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
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.
HERES WHAT THE WORLD WOULD LOOK LIKE (SINCE THERE WILL BE WORLD GOVERNMENT IN THE FUTURE)-UPDATED VERSION (10 WORLD TRADE BLOCS)
01 CANADA, U.S.A, MEXICO
02 EUROPEAN UNION,WESTERN EUROPE
03 JAPAN
04 AUSTRALIA,NEW ZEALAND, S AFRICA, ISRAEL AND PACIFIC ISLANDS
05 EASTERN EUROPE
06 SOUTHERN, CENTRAL AND LATIN AMERICAS
07 NORTH AFRICA, AND MIDEAST (MOSLEMS)
08 CENTRAL AFRICA
09 SOUTH AND SOUTHEAST ASIA
10 CENTRAL ASIA
THE
CLUB OF ROME WANTS A WORLD CHARISMATIC DICTATOR (EITHER RELIGIOUS,
POLITICAL OR SCIENTIFICAL) TO HEAD THIS WORLD GOVERNMENT. REV 13:3,7-8,
DAN 7:23-24
WORLD POWERS IN THE END TIME
NORTH - RUSSIA EZEK 38:1-2, 39:1-2
SOUTH - EGYPT DAN 11:42
EAST - CHINA DAN 11:44,REV 16:12
WEST - EUROPEAN UNION DAN 7:23-24 (NOT THE U.S.A)
http://israel7777777.blogspot.ca/2012/03/10-world-trade-blocs-one-world.html
http://israndjer.blogspot.ca/2006/09/how-eu-takes-world-control.html
http://israndjer.blogspot.ca/2012/05/one-world-religion-crislam.html
FINALLY THE EUROPEAN UNION IS TALKING ABOUT HAVING THEIR OWN ARMY.AND IT MUST HAPPEN.
REVELATION 19:16-21
16
And he hath on his vesture and on his thigh a name written, King Of
Kings, And Lord Of Lords.(JESUS RETURNG TO EARTH LITERALLY ON A WHITE
HORSE WITH THE RAPTURED CHRISTIANS 7 YEARS EARLIER)
17 And I saw an
angel standing in the sun; and he cried with a loud voice, saying to all
the fowls that fly in the midst of heaven, Come and gather yourselves
together unto the supper of the great God;
18 That ye may eat the
flesh of kings, and the flesh of captains, and the flesh of mighty men,
and the flesh of horses, and of them that sit on them, and the flesh of
all men, both free and bond, both small and great.(2ND TIME GOD-JESUS
TELLS THE 500 MILLION MIGRATING BIRDS TO GET READY TO EAT HUMAN
FLESH.THE FIRST TIME WAS WHEN GOD TOLD THE 500 MILLION MIGRATING
BIRDS-TO EAT RUSSIA,GERMAN,ARAB, MUSLIM BODIES FOR 7 MONTHS IN EZEK 38 @
39.
19 And I saw the beast,(E.U WORLD LEADER) and the kings of the
earth, and their armies,(HERE IT SAYS THE E.U WILL HAVE ITS OWN ARMY)
gathered together to make war against him that sat on the horse, (JESUS)
and against his army.(RAPTURED CHRISTIANS)
20 And the beast (E.U
WORLD LEADER) was taken, and with him the false prophet (POPE FRANCIS)
that wrought miracles before him, with which he deceived them that had
received the mark of the beast, and them that worshipped his image.
These both were cast alive into a lake of fire burning with brimstone.
21
And the remnant were slain with the sword of him that sat upon the
horse, which sword proceeded out of his mouth: and all the fowls were
filled with their flesh.
COUNCIL FOR EUROPE ON DEFENCE
https://defence-industry-space.ec.europa.eu/document/download/6d6f889c-e58d-4caa-8f3b-8b93154fe206_en?filename=SAFE%20Regulation.pdf
ExclusiveItaly
willing to send troops to Gaza force, says official-Six countries have
committed to joining Trump’s Board of Peace, say officials-US expects
leaders of Egypt, Qatar, UAE, UK, Italy, Germany to sit on top panel
overseeing Strip’s rebuild, but similar commitments to join ISF lacking
amid questions about mandateBy Jacob Magid-17 December 2025, 8:22 pm
WASHINGTON
— The US is telling interlocutors that it has secured commitments from
Egypt, Qatar, the United Arab Emirates, the United Kingdom, Italy and
Germany to have their leaders join US President Donald Trump on the
Board of Peace that will oversee the postwar management of Gaza, four
officials familiar with the matter told The Times of Israel.Commitments
from six countries — including prominent stakeholders in the Mideast and
Europe — offer critical international buy-in to the Trump
administration’s efforts to advance its Gaza peace plan out of the
initial ceasefire phase.However, willingness to sit on the Board of
Peace does not mean further support from each country is guaranteed,
according to a US official, an Israeli official and two Arab diplomats
who spoke to The Times of Israel for this story on condition of
anonymity.Still, the US is hoping that broad, prominent membership in
the Board of Peace will boost the initiative’s international legitimacy
and increase the likelihood that countries will be willing to contribute
funds, troops or other forms of support.Accordingly, the US is aiming
for roughly half a dozen more leaders to join the panel headed by Trump,
including Saudi Arabia’s Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman and Turkish
President Recep Tayyip Erdogan.The State Department, along with the
foreign ministries of the aforementioned countries, did not respond to
requests for comment.Eyes on Riyadh and AnkaraTrump even said publicly
during bin Salman’s visit to Washington last month that he hopes the de
facto Saudi leader will join him on the Board of Peace.The four
officials said Riyadh is still holding off on making such a decision
until there is more clarity regarding the situation in Gaza, where Hamas
has pledged to hold onto its weapons and Israeli forces have opened
fire on or conducted strikes against Palestinians crossing the ceasefire
line on a near-daily basis since a fragile ceasefire was signed on
October 9.While bin Salman would be a welcome addition to the Board of
Peace, as far as Israel is concerned, Jerusalem continues to resist
Turkish involvement in the postwar management of Gaza, particularly in
the International Stabilization Force that the Trump plan envisions will
phase out the IDF in the Strip.The Israeli official said that he
expects the US pressure in the coming weeks to intensify, with the aim
of coaxing Jerusalem to lift its blanket veto on Turkish involvement in
postwar Gaza and agree to a compromise where Erdogan sits on the Board
of Peace or Ankara is involved in the command structure of the ISF, even
if it doesn’t have boots on the ground in Gaza.ISF mandate
issues-Securing foreign troop commitments to the ISF has been a much
more uphill battle than Board of Peace membership, as countries are
still seeking more clarity regarding the force’s mandate, and there is
also widespread unease regarding the war-like conditions on the ground
in Gaza.Washington sought to address some of those concerns at a
conference that the US Central Command hosted in Doha on Tuesday, where
it laid out its vision for the ISF to representatives from several dozen
potential contributors.It laid out five different ways in which
countries can participate in the ISF: troops, law enforcement officers,
logistical support, training of Palestinian police officers or
funding.While more clarity was provided regarding the ISF’s size, makeup
and command structure, along with elements of its mandate, thornier
issues related to Hamas disarmament remain unaddressed, the two Arab
diplomats said.The resolution that the US pushed through the UN Security
Council states that the ISF will “ensure” the demilitarization of Gaza,
but the US has told interlocutors that it is not expecting the force to
at first deploy on the western half of the Gaza Strip currently under
de facto Hamas control and referred to as the “red zone,” the four
officials said.Instead, the US wants to initially station the ISF along
the Yellow Line boundary to which Israel withdrew at the start of the
October ceasefire, leaving it in control of roughly 53 percent of the
Strip, according to the four officials.Washington has also told
potential contributors that it doesn’t envision the ISF actively
sparring with Hamas to take away its weapons, and instead expects the
terror group to comply with a gradual disarmament plan.However, the two
Arab diplomats said that talks on such an agreement between Hamas and
the Mideast mediators are still in very early stages, and that US
engagement has been limited. Trump’s envoy Steve Witkoff had planned to
meet with top Hamas negotiator Khalil al-Hayya last month, but that
meeting was scrapped and has not since been rescheduled.Rome is
calling-Meanwhile, Italy has in recent days renewed its willingness to
dispatch its Carabinieri and military forces to join the ISF, the US
official said, confirming a report in the Repubblica Italian daily.But
like Azerbaijan and Indonesia, Rome is seeking more clarity regarding
the ISF mandate before formally signing on, the US official said.The US
is aiming to hold a follow-up conference in Washington around the second
week of January and to have outstanding questions addressed by then,
but the two Arab diplomats and the Israeli official expressed heavy
skepticism over the Trump administration’s desire to have the force
deployed in that same month.The administration has already pushed off
Trump’s announcement of the ceasefire’s second phase that was initially
planned for mid to late December, with the president saying last week
that it will take place sometime early next year.The four officials
stressed that Netanyahu’s planned December 29 meeting with Trump at
Mar-a-Lago will be decisive in addressing many of the outstanding issues
holding countries back from making decisions regarding the extent to
which they’ll participate in the postwar management of Gaza.Hamas slows
search for Gvili.For its part, Israel has dismissed the notion of a
gradual disarmament process, decreasing the likelihood that it will be
willing to further pull back its forces from deep inside Gaza, the four
officials said.It is also pushing back on transitioning to the
ceasefire’s second phase before the body of the last hostage, Ran Gvili,
has been returned.The two Arab diplomats said that Hamas and
Palestinian Islamic Jihad’s search for Gvili has slowed in recent days
against the backdrop of Israeli strikes in Gaza. An IDF strike over the
weekend killed senior Hamas commander Raed Saad, in what Washington has
privately recognized was a violation of the ceasefire, the US official
said.The two Arab diplomats said it wasn’t immediately clear whether the
slowed search for Gvili was due to the difficult security conditions on
the ground or Hamas’s response to the Israeli strikes.Israel also isn’t
thrilled about the idea of Qatar being on the Board of Peace, but the
Israeli official said Jerusalem recognizes that it can’t be seen as
blocking every aspect of Trump’s plan.Moreover, the Board of Peace is
largely symbolic, with real responsibility in managing and overseeing
expected to be placed with a mid-tier executive committee staffed by
Witkoff, fellow Trump aide Jared Kushner, former UK prime minister Tony
Blair and former UN envoy to the Mideast Nickolay Mladenov — all of whom
have productive working relationships with Israel’s leadership, the
Israeli official said.Also sitting on the executive committee will be a
number of high-profile American business leaders, while Mladenov will be
tasked with overseeing the Palestinian technocratic committee
responsible for running the day-to-day affairs in the Strip, the Israeli
official said.A source familiar with the matter said that the US is
also working to finalize the charter of the Board of Peace, at which
point formal invitations will be extended, including to those who have
already committed to joining.
Frontex lays groundwork for full
rollout of new EU border management systems-Entry/Exit System, ETIAS
change travel in world fraught with tension over borders-Dec 18, 2025,
3:39 pm EST | Joel R. McConvey
The massive digital shift
happening across sectors is also complicating border crossing. The EU’s
Entry/Exit System (EES) and ETIAS introduce new digital border
management systems that promise better security for the Schengen area,
but do not come without challenges,Frontex, the European Border and
Coast Guard Agency, has posted a Q&A with Uku Särekanno, who
oversees administration and information management for the agency.
Frontex, which developed the Travel to Europe pre-clearance app, is also
supporting the systems’ implementation by providing training, guidance
and tools for pre-registration, and simulation tools to prepare the
relevant border crossing points.Reflecting on the rollout of EES, which
launched in October 2025, Särekanno says it’s “a very symbolic
milestone, as for the first time in Europe we are going to have a
centralised oversight of who is in and who has left the Schengen area.
This understanding is fundamental if we talk about controlled and
well-managed migration to Europe.”Full rollout is expected to be
complete by April 2026. But there are large tasks to attend to before
that can happen. “The most difficult part is still ahead of us, when the
biometrics will start to be collected in the biggest travel hubs,” says
Särekanno. “Introducing a major system like the EES is not only a
technical exercise; it is also a matter of rethinking our infrastructure
and procedures to fit the new reality at our borders.”The new reality
is a world in which temperatures are running high over the issue of
migration, spurring support for governments on the far right end of the
political spectrum. The UK and U.S. are both struggling with their own
brands of immigration-related crisis, and the Trump administration has
made clear its intention to pressure European countries to align with
American interests.This all loads additional baggage onto the EES, which
already comes with technical, logistical and operational challenges.
Moreover, the EES will be followed by the introduction of ETIAS
(European Travel Information and Authorisation System) in the last
quarter of 2026.Särekanno is optimistic. He says “the start of ETIAS
means an entry into a new core area: pre-travel control of non-EU
visitors. Frontex will become the central hub of Europe in pre-entry
checks of hundreds of millions of travellers, providing unique support
both to them and to Member States and carriers.”“ETIAS will allow us to
better manage the risks related to people arriving in Europe, while also
facilitating entry for bona fide travellers. The gradual roll-out of
the EES has already taught us many lessons that can help us with ETIAS
launch next year. It has shown the importance of maintaining
connectivity, providing proper training and having the necessary
business continuity plans in place. But of course, no matter how well
prepared we are, the reality will only kick in once the system starts
operations.”Major shift in how travelers apply to enter Schengen
area-Särekanno acknowledges that the ETIAS and the EES “introduce a
major change in travelling to Europe. The number of people affected is
not small: we have more than 600 million entries and exits at EU
external borders every year. It is important that we prepare the ground,
raise awareness and collaborate with our partners, ensuring that
everyone is ready for these changes.”Raising awareness, he says, “is
especially important when it comes to ETIAS, as the introduction of the
European travel authorisation for visa-free travellers is not only a
technical matter but also carries political weight.”Särekanno believes
that a fully digitized border needs to “strike a delicate balance
between keeping our external borders secure and ensuring smoother
travel.” Biometrics and improved identity management will play a key
role in personalizing security assessment and risk management. A
long-term goal is automation of entry procedures for bona fide
travellers.“We are heavily investing in electronic gates and seamless
travel procedures, such as digital travel documents. Initiatives like
Digital Travel Credentials (DTC) will bring travel document management
into the 21st century, enhance security and speed up procedures. We
already have digital wallets and different identification methods on our
phones. So why not use your phone and the digital credentials there
instead of a paper-based passport?”Priorities for eu-LISA include
support for ETIAS-The European Union Agency for the Operational
Management of Large-Scale IT Systems in the Area of Freedom, Security
and Justice (eu-LISA) has published its Single Programming Document for
2026-2028, laying out priorities to “drive Europe’s border, migration
and justice systems into their next phase of operational maturity.”In a
shift towards “full operational consolidation,” 2026 will see eu-LISA
support the entry into operation of the new Eurodac system in June 2026,
as well as ETIAS and ECRIS-TCN, including integration, governance,
testing and operational assistance.“Looking ahead, the focus remains on
maintaining reliable and resilient operations, strengthening cooperation
with Member States and ensuring that Europe’s core information systems
are prepared for future requirements.”
ADVP, Tony Blair Institute
debate UK digital ID plans: Biometric Update podcast.The government
wants a digital ID; identity providers say they can deliver it now-Dec
12, 2025, 1:30 pm EST | Joel R. McConvey
Two distinct sides
have emerged in the debate over how to implement digital identity in the
UK. One says a national digital ID is a government project. The other
says the private sector needs a prominent place in any digital ID
scheme, and the government has already committed to that with its
Digital Identity and Attributes Trust Framework (DIATF).The issues at
hand go beyond standard identity nerd fare to touch on deep-rooted
cultural beliefs, immigration, legal frameworks and how Britons see
themselves. Is a national digital identity run by the state a one-way
ticket to mass surveillance? Or is it just common sense for a government
wallet to optimize digital public services? In this special edition of
the Biometric Update Podcast, BU Managing Editor Chris Burt moderates a
civil discussion between representatives of both sides. David Crack is
the chair of the Association of Digital Verification Professionals
(ADVP); he believes his members already have everything needed to
deliver digital identity at scale. Alexander Iosad is the director of
government innovation policy at the Tony Blair Institute; he says the
government is the logical entity for managing a digital ID scheme.The
two sides agree on some things, and disagree on others. Both, however,
are emphatic on one point: digital ID in the UK is well worth arguing
about.
Itsme acquires iDIN in merger of Benelux bank-driven
verification systems-Belgian app to replace Dutch IDV service once terms
of deal are finalized-Dec 18, 2025, 11:34 am EST | Joel R. McConvey
Itsme,
a bank-driven digital identity firm based in Belgium, has acquired
Dutch banking verification service iDIN. A release says the deal will
help reinforce Itsme’s app as “the European reference for digital
identity.”Created by major Belgian banks and telecom operators and
launched in 2021, Itsme is now the largest provider of mobile
identification services in Belgium, with more than 80 percent of the
adult population using the identity app, accounting for approximately 7
million users completing more than 1 million actions daily.In absorbing
iDIN, which will be merged into Itsme, it adds a major name on the Dutch
market to its list. iDIN was developed by Currence, a collaboration
between major Dutch banks ING, Rabobank, ABN Amro and ASN Bank. It
leverages users’ bank app for identity verification and age assurance
across some 300 local websites linked to the private market. By
mid-2026, iDIN will be completely integrated into Itsme.Tom Van Den
Bosch, CEO of Itsme, says that “with the acquisition of iDIN we are
reinforcing our position as the European standard for a safe, digital
identity and are accelerating our presence in the Dutch market. iDIN is a
trusted name, and by joining forces we are preparing for the future
with one solution that combines ease of use with the highest
international security standards.”Daniel van Delft, CEO of Currence,
says that “with iDIN, the banks have offered a secure and trusted way of
digital identification for the past ten years. Now the banks are taking
the next step. Itsme has a strong track record, meets all regulatory
requirements and has a clear focus on innovation, which makes it the
ideal party to prepare iDIN for the future.”Users of iDN need not worry:
the Itsme app is already widely available in the Netherlands and can
easily be installed with a Dutch identity document. Per the release,
the transition from iDIN to Itsme will commence after the terms agreed
between both parties have been met in the first half of 2026 and will
likely be finalized in 2028.Earlier in December, Itsme announced a full
European expansion, making its app available in all 27 EU member states.
Malaysia to integrate 95 percent of public services with MyDigital ID by 2030-Dec 15, 2025, 3:09 pm EST | Ayang Macdonald
The
Malaysian government is moving to have more public and private sector
services integrated with the country’s MyDigital ID as part of the
strategy to expand adoption.In a recent report by local outlet The Star,
Digital Minister Gobind Singh Deo said some of the next services in
line for integration are passport applications as well as wedding and
death certificates.Other services programmed for integration next year
include payments for government services, police summons, some local
council operations, tourism, public housing, and social protection
services.Already, telecommunications services are being integrated with
the ID, requiring SIM cards, for example, to be activated using
MyDigital ID.The minister said while the MyDigital ID adoption is not
compulsory, it is essential for facilitating access to a wide gamut of
services provided by both government and the private sector. In line
with this, he said the government is working to make the system secure
and convenient to render it attractive for adoption.According to Deo,
close to 6.4 million people have already registered for MyDigital ID
with an average of 50,000 new registrants each day.“The national goal is
for 95 percent of all federal government services to be fully online by
2030. This cannot be achieved if citizens rely on multiple logins or
physical verification. MyDigital ID will be the standard secure
credential for services from JPJ, Inland Revenue Board, Health Ministry
and all other agencies,” Deo is quoted by The Star as saying.Without the
need to have multiple usernames and passport to log into different
government services anymore, the government says access to services will
become faster and more secure as identity theft incidence will
reduce.MyDigital ID is a decentralized digital ID system which the
Malaysian government is relying on as the foundation for its ongoing
digital transformation. The government had set a target to get 15
million people enrolled by the end of this year.Launched in 2023, the
MyDigital ID was met with a mix of challenges, but the situation is
gradually changing thanks to an awareness field campaign that was led by
a PR and marketing agency hired for that purpose, according to
Marketech APAC.The campaign, according to the outlet, set out to reverse
the low awareness of what a digital ID is, fear and misinformation, and
the lack of full trust in the system.Thanks to the campaign, which ran
in three phases from May to December 2024, mindsets changed and citizens
have been embracing the system. Awareness level, for instance, reached
51.3 percent by the time the campaign concluded, up from 37.4 percent
prior to it.
Deepfakes, social engineering working together to
‘break human judgment’Sophistication of tools means you should not
believe your eyes, say experts-Dec 18, 2025, 2:02 pm EST | Joel R.
McConvey
One of 2025’s top tech trends looks just like your boss,
or maybe your mom, or Aunt Stella. Deepfakes have entered the
mainstream, as the product of generative AI tech that makes creating
them cheap, easy and – for fraudsters – potentially very lucrative.
Realistic video of fake people can be weaponized for scams, espionage
and political manipulation. Fake employees have become a scourge to
remote job interviews. So-called nudify apps have become such a problem
that the UK government pledged, today, to ban them.It is no longer a
given conclusion that the person on your screen is a real human, and
that’s a much bigger problem than a few extra fingers.“When people think
about deepfakes, they often picture fake videos or voice-cloned calls,”
says Arif Mamedov, CEO of identity provider Regula Forensics, in an
article from TechNewsWorld. “In reality, the bigger risk runs much
deeper. Deepfakes are dangerous because they attack identity itself,
which is the foundation of digital trust.”Mamedov identifies three
significant risks associated with deepfakes. Authentication is easily
compromised in systems that rely on static or replayable signals – which
is to say, those lacking liveness detection. The speed at which fraud
can scale is another; Mamedov asserts that generative AI tools have
turned fraud into “an industrial process.” Finally, deepfakes create
false confidence. “They often pass existing controls, so organizations
think they’re protected while fraud quietly grows.”TechNewsWorld quotes
several executives from the biometrics and digital identity space in its
look at deepfakes. Most express some variant on the same theme. Mike
Engle, chief strategy officer for 1Kosmos, warns that “AI can now
convincingly impersonate executives, employees, job candidates, or
customers using synthetic voices, faces and documents, allowing
attackers to bypass onboarding and help desk and approval workflows that
were never designed to detect manufactured identities. Once a fake
identity is enrolled, every downstream control — MFA, VPNs, SSO — ends
up protecting the attacker instead of the organization.”David Lee, field
CTO of Saviynt, says most people still naively assume that authority is
legitimate. In this, deepfakes “break human judgment.”“A believable
executive voice can authorize payments, override processes, or create
urgency that short-circuits rational decision-making before security
controls ever come into play,” Lee says.James E. Lee, president of the
Identity Theft Resource Center (ITRC), notes that deepfake-driven scams
can be particularly dangerous for businesses operating at a thin margin.
Ruth Azar-Knupffer, co-founder of VerifyLabs, points out that “the
proliferation of digital communication, such as video calls and social
media, has expanded attack opportunities, making deepfakes a growing
vector for scams and disinformation.”Emotional alerts a better flag than
audio, video tells-Mamedov says the quality of deepfakes now exceeds
what many verification systems were built to handle, and generating them
in hordes can be as easy as playing a video game. “What used to be an
individual effort to craft a convincing deepfake is now a plug-and-play
ecosystem. Fraudsters can buy complete ‘persona kits’ on demand:
synthetic faces, deepfake voices, digital backstories.” Regula’s data
shows that about one in three organizations has already experienced
deepfake fraud. “Identity spoofing, biometric fraud, and deepfakes now
sit firmly in the mainstream fraud playbook.”As such, the need for
up-to-date training is urgent. Organizations like Florida-based KnowBe4
are now coaching businesses on how to trust their instinct when it comes
to GenAI – especially when their eyes are no longer reliable, as tells
like weird mouths or choppy voices get ironed out of deepfake
outputs.KnowBe4 Chief Human Risk Management Strategist Perry Carpenter
says “the single best thing that anybody can do is if they feel like
there’s an emotion that’s being pulled in some way, some emotional lever
that’s being touched, whether that is fear or urgency or authority or
hope or anything else, that should actually be a signal for them to slow
down, and start to analyze the story, the thing that’s being asked of
them, and ask does it raise any red flags?”“The last thing I want
somebody to do is to believe that there will always be a visual or audio
tell that they can figure out,” he says. “The best thing is always
going to be, am I feeling manipulated in some way? Is this asking me to
do something out of the ordinary? Is it touching on an emotion in some
way? Then how can I verify this through another channel?”James E. Lee
says part of the problem is lacklustre verification technology.
“Deepfakes aren’t the core problem. They’re a stress test. They expose
how many organizations still rely on recognition instead of
verification.”“The long-term solution isn’t better human detection. It’s
treating identity as something that must be explicitly validated and
continuously enforced by systems.”Fake Sam Altman to star in real
documentary-The world, in short, is becoming much less certain, and a
lot weirder. Witness the forthcoming documentary, previewed by Wired,
about a filmmaker who tried to meet Sam Altman, but was denied – so, he
used ChaGPT to generate a fake Sam Altman.Deepfaking Sam Altman,
directed by Adam Bhala Lough, will be released in January.
OpenID
Foundation launching self-certification program for 3 specs in Feb
2026-CEO calls standards ‘what the entire industry has been working
towards for years’Dec 18, 2025, 1:16 pm EST | Joel R. McConvey
The
OpenID Foundation will soon release conformance testing for three final
identity specifications, in what a release calls “a defining moment for
global digital identity systems worldwide.” Starting in February 2026,
self-certification will be available for OpenID for Verifiable
Presentations, OpenID for Verifiable Credential Issuance, and the High
Assurance Interoperability Profile (HAIP) specifications.These test
suites give any organization developing digital credential issuance,
digital wallets and verification systems a way to validate their
products against security and interoperability requirements. Per the
release, implementers will submit self-certified logs with successful
submissions published by OpenID Foundation on openid.net. The goal is
“ecosystem wide transparency” on compliance.“This is what the entire
industry has been working towards for years,” says Gail Hodges,
executive director of the OpenID Foundation. “With stable standards and
conformance testing launching in February 2026, we finally have the
foundations for digital identity ecosystems and their conformance
programs to flourish at production scale.”Regulatory shifts favor OpenID
open source standards, testing-The forthcoming specifications speak to
regulatory changes happening around the globe, as nations navigate
digital transformation and wrestle with the questions of national
digital identity and cross-border interoperability – including the 2026
deadline for EU member states to offer citizens a digital identity
wallet under the eIDAS 2.0 framework.To support this specifically, OID
has published a dedicated resource to help European Digital Identity
Wallet (EUDIW) participants easily find compliance tools.But the
movement is global. More than 38 jurisdictions are already implementing
the OpenID specifications, including the EU, the UK Government, the
Swiss Confederation, the Western Balkans, and Japan’s Digital Agency.
The Foundation says California’s DMV and NIST National Cybersecurity
Center of Excellence (NCCoE) have also “committed to OpenID
specifications for their digital credential infrastructure.”In providing
free, open source tests and conformance tooling options, the OID
Foundation hopes to empower developers, promote uniformity in
conformance testing, and generate a base of knowledge for the wider
ecosystem.Early tests of the system by the the Digital Credentials
Protocol Working Group showed a 98 percent passing rate for OpenID4VP
1.0 combined with HAIP 1.0 and the Digital Credentials API across 44
wallet/verifier pairs; and an 82 percent passing rate for OpenID4VCI
testing across 22 issuer-wallet pairs. Participants included Mattr,
Bundesdruckerei GmbH, Google Wallet, Panasonic Connect, MyMahi and
Meeco.Self-certifications under the new specifications can be reviewed
by an independent third-party, “at transparent, non-profit pricing.” The
OpenID Foundation will launch accreditation services to follow the
testing suites in mid-2026.
Seamfix revealed as developer of
Benin’s biometric passport renewal app-ePass app for Beninese expats
could serve as model for other African governments-Dec 18, 2025, 1:10 pm
EST | Chris Burt
Seamfix has been revealed as the developer
of Benin’s self-service passport renewal app with face biometrics and
liveness detection.The company developed the ePass app in collaboration
with Benin’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Direction de
l’émigration et l’immigration (DEI) for use by Beninese citizens living
abroad. ePass was initially launched in October, and is now available in
more than 80 countries.Benin’s government has been promoting the
availability of the ePass app on the Google Play and Apple App stores,
and its commitment to the delivery of renewed passports within four
weeks on social media.In addition to biometrics capture, the app
provides secure identity document submission, online payment functions
and application tracking throughout the submission and production
process. Passports can also be delivered directly to applicants, so the
entire process can be completed without traveling to an embassy.The app
is built on Seamfix’s GovSmart platform, through which it is integrated
with Benin’s national ID and immigration systems. The integration
enables real-time identity verification and strong data protection,
according to a company announcement of its progress.“With ePass,
distance is no longer a barrier to trusted identification or access to
essential government services,” says Seamfix Group CEO Chimezie Emewulu.
“Our UK-based operations, with direct access to global banking and
payment infrastructure, allow us to support governments and citizens
seamlessly across Africa and globally. By eliminating the need for
long-distance travel, time away from work or school, and extended
embassy visits for biometric capture, ePass expands equal access to
public services and reinforces every individual’s right to their
identity.”Benin’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs says the renewals process
with the app typically takes about 15 minutes, and that its biometric
capture capabilities comply with all international standards for
passports.A potential blueprintSeamfix sees the early success of the app
as an indication that the project could serve as a model for other
African governments to deliver the same and related digital identity
services, utilizing its GovSmart platform as a scalable
foundation.“GovSmart provides governments with a scalable foundation for
secure digital service delivery,” says Seamfix COO Frank Atube. “The
ePass deployment demonstrates how digital identity systems can be
designed to meet national requirements while remaining secure,
inclusive, and scalable. It shows that governments can modernize
critical citizen services without compromising control, compliance, or
future expansion.”Seamfix raised $4.5 million in 2024 to expand the
market reach of its digital identity services across Africa. CEO Emewulu
discussed the potential impact on economies and people’s rights across
the continent in an interview with Biometric Update in the wake of the
funding announcement.The company also recently announced that MTC Cote
d-Ivoire registered 8 million SIM card subscribers in just 10 months
using its biometric KYC platform BioSmart.
Laos launches national digital ID as digital transformation picks up pace-Dec 18, 2025, 11:30 am EST | Lu-Hai Liang
The
Laos government has begun nationwide issuance of its new national
digital identity card, with the system officially going live December
17.The nationwide rollout comes as the government accelerates broader
digital reforms, from social protection and data‑sharing systems to
regional tech partnerships with South Korea and Vietnam.The Ministry of
Public Security confirmed that citizens can now apply for the digital ID
at designated offices nationwide. Until now, applications were
restricted to the Department of Census Management and Grassroot
Development (CMGD) in Vientiane during a pilot phase that started in
October.CMGD said it intends to strengthen the accuracy and efficiency
of identity verification, according to a report from The Laotian Times.
Authorities expect the digital ID to streamline access to public
services and support the government’s wider digital transformation
agenda.Citizens have been advised to apply at the provincial or district
public security offices where their household registration is recorded.
The ministry said all administrative units are now prepared for
rollout, with additional staff deployed to handle data collection and
card issuance.Applicants must present their household registration book,
their current national ID card and, if available, a passport copy.
Beginning earlier this year, government agencies began integrating the
country’s chip-enabled identity cards and citizen databases.Ministries,
local authorities and state agencies were required to integrate the
digital ID system to streamline public services and improve efficiency
and coordination, according to a July 8 order from Prime Minister
Sonexay Siphandone.The digital ID initiative was first announced in July
2024 following high‑level discussions between Lao President Thongloun
Sisoulith and then‑Vietnamese President To Lam. Prime Minister
Siphandone later directed full nationwide implementation in July
2025.The new digital identity card will replace the legacy paper-based
system and serve as an official proof of identity throughout a citizen’s
lifetime.Laos talks digital transformation, next digitalization
focuses-At the Second National Symposium on Social Protection in
Vientiane, digital transformation was the order of the day, allowing for
updates on progress, reports Devdiscourse.Officials pointed to major
recent advances, including the development of a national Social Registry
to better identify poor households, new API-based data connections that
allow real-time information sharing across ministries, and the launch
of LSSO, the country’s first social security mobile app.The app is
designed to help informal workers and rural populations register for
social security, view contributions, receive updates and communicate
with officials, which is expected to reduce administrative barriers and
widen access to contributory schemes.The Symposium took place as the
current 2020–2025 National Social Protection Strategy comes to an end
and work begins on the 2026–2030 framework, in which digitalization is
expected to play a central role. It’s expected the framework will focus
on improving governance, strengthening identification of vulnerable
groups, streamlining benefits and expanding access to underserved
communities.The Symposium also engaged young innovators through a
student competition at the National University of Laos, where winning
teams presented digital solutions for welfare delivery to national
policymakers.South Korea provides funding, Vietnam offers digital
support-South Korea committed $9.9 million to help advance Laos’ digital
transformation.The money will go to a new five‑year project to
establish a Digital‑Human Resources Development Centre. It will focus on
improving civil servants’ digital skills, strengthening digital
governance foundations and enhancing public service delivery.Funded by
the Korea International Cooperation Agency (KOICA) and implemented with
the Ministry of Technology and Communications’ Digital Government
Centre, the initiative will run from 2025 to 2029. The project will
create a dedicated national training center, develop a digital skills
master plan, produce learning materials and deliver structured training
programs for government staff.A Record of Discussion was signed in
Vientiane by KOICA Country Director Sungsoo Oh and Deputy Minister
Keovisouk Solaphom, with senior Lao and Korean officials attending the
ceremony. Officials expect the initiative to build a sustainable digital
education system within the public sector, support more efficient
citizen services and contribute to broader socio‑economic
development.The project aligns with Laos’ national digital economy
strategies and is seen as a step toward deepening bilateral cooperation
between the two countries.Meanwhile, Vietnam and Laos are deepening
cooperation on digital infrastructure, data systems and technology
development.Lao officials believe digital connectivity is becoming as
important to bilateral ties as traditional transport and economic links.
Laos welcomed Vietnam’s support across key areas, including national
data centers, cloud infrastructure, AI applications, cybersecurity and
the development of high quality digital human resources.Lao Deputy
Minister Saysana Sitthiphone noted that collaboration has already
strengthened Laos’ digital capacity. He said Laos hopes to expand this
partnership as it builds population databases, modernizes public
services and advances its broader socio‑economic development goals.
FAAA launches AML tool from FrankieOne for Australian financial advisors-Dec 18, 2025, 8:29 am EST | Masha Borak
The
Financial Advice Association Australia (FAAA) has launched a client
identity verification tool that will help financial advisors meet
anti-money laundering (AML) and counter-terrorism (CTF) obligations.The
FAAA SafeID software is based on technology from KordaMentha, a
financial crime advisory and database, AML technology company Vigilance
AML and identity and fraud prevention firm FrankieOne. The tool performs
online identity checks against official data sources such as the
Australian Document Verification Service (DVS), matching it with
biographic information from the client’s ID documents.The tool was
created to simplify client identification and verification and make it
more secure. Currently, some advisors require certified copies of client
IDs to be sent by email, a practice that is potentially unsafe,
according to FAAA CEO Sarah Abood.“When a client is verified by an
adviser using SafeID, they can be confident that their ID and personal
data are protected and identity checks will be managed in line with
AUSTRAC requirements,” she says.Advisers can also perform checks on
Politically Exposed Persons (PEP), sanctions and other screenings, while
documenting the information. If copies of IDs are required for manual
verification, these documents can be stored within the secure platform,
reports SMSF Advisor.The FAAA SafeID tool will allow advisers to meet
both current and upcoming AUSTRAC obligations, notes Abood.Australia is
preparing for an overhaul of AML and CTF obligations on March 31st,
2026, extending compliance requirements to entities that want to provide
item 54 services. The changes affect accountants, lawyers, real estate
agents, property developers and financial advisers.The tool will also
benefit the industry more broadly, KordaMentha partner Alice
Saveneh-Murray told Ifa.com.“The solution that the FAAA SafeID provides
really is going to take the complexity out of client identification for
advisers,” says Saveneh-Murray.FrankieOne has also signed up global
cryptocurrency exchange Gemini to use its identity verification platform
for KYC, KYB AML and sanctions screening. The company’s platform brings
together face biometrics and liveness, behavioral biometrics,
reputation scores, transaction monitoring and other signals in a single
API.“As exchanges like Gemini expand their presence across more
jurisdictions, they need infrastructure that helps them navigate
differing onboarding, verification and compliance requirements
efficiently and consistently,” says FrankieOne Co-founder and CEO Simon
Costello. “Our role is to give them a single connection point to the
identity, fraud and compliance infrastructure required to scale safely
and consistently across regions.”
Indonesia rolling out biometric
SIM card registration in 2026-6 month pilot starts in January ahead of
mandatory enforcement-Dec 18, 2025, 8:02 am EST | Lu-Hai Liang
Indonesia
will introduce face biometrics for SIM card registration in 2026 to
curb digital fraud by ensuring mobile numbers can only be activated by
verified users.The country’s Ministry of Communication and Digital
announced the new system will begin trials on 1 January 2026, allowing
new customers to register either with their National Identification
Number (NIK) or through facial biometric verification.From 1 July 2026,
biometric verification will become mandatory for all new SIM
registrations. The policy is being implemented in partnership with the
Indonesian Telecommunications Providers Association (ATSI).It follows an
October trial conducted in collaboration with Telkomsel. A central
feature of the trial was ISO 30107-compliant liveness detection to
confirm registrants are real, living individuals rather than static
images, deepfakes or video recordings.Director General of Digital
Ecosystems Edwin Hidayat Abdullah said mobile numbers remain the main
entry point for cybercriminals conducting scam calls, spoofing, smishing
and social‑engineering attacks.“Every year there are around 300 million
more scam calls, and the average Indonesian who has a mobile phone
receives a scam message at least once a week,” the director general
said, as reported by Voi. If we don’t manage this, this is not just a
problem of small fraud, but it harms the whole economy.”He cited more
than 30 million scam calls each month and national losses exceeding Rp7
trillion (US$407 million) as evidence of the challenge. Facial
recognition, he said, will close loopholes that allow criminals to
misuse borrowed or stolen identity data under the previous NIK‑based
registration system.Authorities also expect the biometric requirement to
help operators clean up inactive or suspicious numbers. Indonesia
currently has more than 310 million mobile numbers in circulation, which
far exceeds its adult population, while the Indonesia Anti‑Scam Center
has recorded more than 380,000 fraudulent accounts and losses of Rp4.8
trillion ($279 million) as of late 2025.The new regulation updates
earlier rules issued in 2021, replacing document‑based registration with
biometric verification designed to prevent identity misuse and ensure
that SIM cards are tied to legitimate, uniquely authenticated
users.According to Voi, Pratama Persadha, cybersecurity expert and chair
of the Communication and Information System Security Research Center
(CISSReC) recommended oversight to safeguard biometric data. He
suggested establishing a Personal Data Protection (PDP) supervisory
agency.Fellow Southeast Asian country Thailand has also implemented
biometrics with the method seen as a way to tackle rising fraud and scam
schemes associated with SIM registration.
South Korea’s AJ2 says
iris biometrics natural successor to facial recognition-Higher
accuracy, stronger privacy positions iris recognition for dominance-Dec
18, 2025, 8:24 am EST | Lu-Hai Liang
Long‑range iris
recognition could rival facial recognition as the dominant biometric
technology. That’s if AJ2 has anything to do with it.South Korean
company AJ2 is positioning iris biometrics as the next big shift in the
industry, arguing that the technology offers both higher accuracy and
stronger privacy protections.At the Global Media Meet‑up in Seoul, AJ2
CEO Edward Jung touted iris biometrics as one of the most stable and
difficult‑to‑forge human identifiers, reports Vietnam Plus. The iris
develops at birth and remains largely unchanged throughout a person’s
life. Irises are also highly unique with the chances of two people
having identical patterns being extremely low.This inherent stability,
Jung argued, makes it a natural successor to facial recognition, which
is increasingly vulnerable to environmental interference, regulatory
pressure and AI‑driven spoofing.AJ2 points to how the iris contains more
than 170 independent identifying characteristics and can achieve
accuracy rates of up to 99.99 percent. However, iris recognition has
historically faced certain challenges. Early systems required users to
stand close to a sensor, were expensive to deploy, and performed poorly
outdoors or in bright light.AJ2 says it has overcome these barriers by
developing its own specialized cameras, IR LED modules, and proprietary
AI algorithms. The company claims its system can capture irises at
distances of one to three metres, even in sunny outdoor environments and
even when users are wearing glasses. The technology is fully patented,
according to the company.AJ2’s long‑range iris modules are already being
used at airports in the U.S. and Canada, where they have been
integrated into security control systems, according to the report. The
company is also participating in government biometric tenders in
Singapore and preparing for large‑scale deployments in Mexico. Beyond
border control, the technology is being tested for contactless payments,
online identity verification and national ID systems.As synthetic faces
become easier to produce and harder to detect, facial recognition is
facing a reckoning. However, biometric companies are leveraging
algorithms and machine learning (what gets called “AI”) to fight
AI-fuelled deepfakery. Fighting fire with fire, as it were.But AJ2
argues that the iris is extremely difficult to replicate using
AI‑generated imagery, making it an attractive option for institutions
concerned about biometric spoofing. While this may be true, it may also
be that demand for iris spoofing is limited. But this is not deterring
the Korean firm as AJ2 says it aims to build an identification ecosystem
containing more than 100 million registered irises.In 2022, South
Korea-based KT&C won government accreditation for a patented iris
recognition solution that works at a meter’s (3.3 feet) distance. In the
United States, iris recognition via a mobile app is being deployed by
ICE for real-time identity verification from distances up to a meter.
The FBI NGI database has over 6 million iris biometric records as of
November 2025.
Amazon Pay adds biometrics to UPI payment options in India-Dec 18, 2025, 8:01 am EST | Lu-Hai Liang
Amazon
Pay has rolled out biometric authentication for Unified Payments
Interface (UPI) transactions in India.Users can now approve payments
using fingerprint or face biometrics instead of entering a PIN. The
feature enables PIN‑free transactions of up to 5,000 Indian rupees
(US$55) and is designed to strengthen security.According to Amazon,
customers can now authenticate UPI payments across common use cases such
as peer‑to‑peer transfers, merchant payments, Scan & Pay
transactions and balance checks.The company says the shift will reduce
fraud risks associated with stolen or compromised UPI PINs and make
everyday payments faster and more seamless. The biometric data remains
stored on the user’s device, and higher value transactions will continue
to require a traditional UPI PIN in line with existing security
rules.Amazon Pay joins a growing list of payment providers adopting
biometric UPI authentication, reports Gadgets 360. Navi UPI introduced
similar functionality in October, claiming to be the first to offer
facial and fingerprint verification for UPI payments without a PIN.The
National Payments Corporation of India (NPCI) also rolled out biometric
and wearable‑based authentication methods the same month, while Samsung
Wallet added support shortly thereafter.UPI is a payments network that
facilitates around 18 billion digital payment transactions a month. From
October, the network enabled biometrics for payment approvals in
India.India’s Ministry of Finance launched three digital initiatives
related to the UPI: payment authentication with on-device biometrics;
Aadhaar-based face authentication for resetting a UPI PIN; and a new
cash withdrawal mode using API through Micro ATMs. UIDAI’s FaceRD App is
used for Aadhaar-based facial verification.The Reserve Bank of India
mandated that multi-factor authentication methods beyond the standard
numeric PIN should be implemented, and which made banks fully liable if
safeguards fail, is fuelling the biometric uptake. Aadhaar biometrics
stored by the central government and native device biometrics are
acceptable as an inherence factor.
ICE’s use of CBP biometric
surveillance app built on paper thin oversight-Questionable privacy
filing allowed Mobile Fortify to expand facial recognition on U.S.
streets as its watchdogs were sidelined-Dec 17, 2025, 4:22 pm EST |
Anthony Kimery
The document justifying Immigration and Customs
Enforcement’s (ICE) use of Customs and Border Protection’s (CBP) Mobile
Fortify app is just strong enough to move fast, but not nearly strong
enough to withstand sustained congressional or judicial scrutiny once
its internal contradictions are forced into the open.Mobile Fortify is a
smartphone application that was developed by CBP but has been made
available to ICE agents operating in the field. CBP is supporting ICE as
a technical service provider, according to the Department of Homeland
Security (DHS).At the center of the issue is the joint ICE/CBP Mobile
Fortify Privacy Threshold Analysis (PTA), a required first step review
used by DHS to determine whether a new system that collects personal
data triggers deeper legal obligations, in particular a full Privacy
Impact Assessment (PIA) and a public System of Records Notice (SORN) as
required by the U.S. Privacy Act of 1974 as amended.In the case of
Mobile Fortify, the PTA quietly acknowledges that the app allows ICE
agents to capture facial images and contactless fingerprints of people
encountered in the field, attach geolocation data to those encounters,
and store the resulting biometric records for up to fifteen years, even
when no match is found and even when the individual is a U.S.
citizen.Yet, the same document is also being used to justify ICE’s
apparent decision not to publish a standalone PIA for the app, and not
to issue a new SORN explaining how those biometric records are created,
retained, shared, or challenged as federal law requires.This despite the
PTA stating that “the CBP and ICE Privacy Officers find that the Mobile
Fortify Application is privacy sensitive and requires a Privacy Impact
Assessment and a System of Records Notice.”Ordinarily, that kind of
mismatch would draw scrutiny from the Privacy and Civil Liberties
Oversight Board (PCLOB), the independent watchdog Congress created after
9/11 to examine national security and law enforcement programs that
implicate constitutional rights.But under President Trump’s second term,
the PCLOB has been virtually incapacitated, its membership hollowed
out, its authority undermined, and its ability to conduct sustained
oversight sharply curtailed.The result is a regulatory vacuum in which
programs like Mobile Fortify can advance on the strength of minimal
justification without facing the probing review that the federal privacy
framework was designed to ensure.That gap between what the Privacy
Threshold Analysis admits about Mobile Fortify’s real world operation
and what ICE claims about its legal and privacy compliance is now the
central fault line.If the app were challenged in court or subjected to a
serious review by the DHS Inspector General, Government Accountability
Office (GAO), or a reconstituted PCLOB, the discrepancy would be
difficult to reconcile.That contradiction is sharpened by DHS’s own
internal rules governing mobile surveillance tools. The Privacy Policy
for DHS Mobile Applications referenced by the PTA makes clear that a PTA
is not meant to serve as final authorization, but as an initial
screening step to determine whether deeper privacy compliance is
required.Under that policy, mobile apps that collect sensitive
personally identifiable information including biometric identifiers and
geolocation data are expected to trigger a full Privacy Impact
Assessment public notice under the Privacy Act, and ongoing privacy
compliance reviews.The policy also requires notice at the point of
collection and transparency about how data is used, retained, and
shared. In the case of Mobile Fortify, the PTA acknowledges the
collection of facial images, fingerprints, and location data without
notice or consent, yet is still being treated as sufficient to deploy
and expand the app, placing ICE’s practice in direct tension with DHS’s
own written privacy framework.According to the PTA that was completed in
February, the app allows agents to photograph individuals encountered
during enforcement operations and to conduct facial recognition searches
against CBP’s TravelerVerification Service.If no facial match is
returned, agents can capture contactless fingerprints using the phone’s
camera, which are then searched against DHS’s Automated Biometric
Identification System maintained by the Office of Biometric Identity
Management.The app collects new biometric data, tags that data with
geolocation metadata, and returns biographic information that can
include a person’s name, date of birth, Alien Registration Number,
possible overstay status, possible citizenship status, and family
relationships.The PTA makes clear that this is not a consent-based
system. “ICE does not provide the opportunity for individuals to decline
or consent to the collection and use of biometric data/photograph
collection,” the PTA states. Additionally, no Privacy Act Statement or
notice is given at the time photographs or fingerprints are taken.Every
encounter – regardless of whether a match is found – is treated as a
record and stored in the Automated Targeting System for fifteen years, a
retention period more commonly associated with border crossing records
than with domestic street encounters.Despite these admissions, ICE has
not published a standalone PIA for Mobile Fortify. Instead, the agency
has pointed to the May 2019 Privacy Impact Assessment for the
Enforcement Integrated Database (EID) as the privacy documentation that
purportedly covers the app. The problem is that EID was never designed
to govern the kind of activity Mobile Fortify now enables.The EID PIA
covers systems and data used in ICE enforcement and removal operations
and addresses biometrics only for individuals already known to ICE, not
random individuals encountered in the field via a mobile face
recognition tool. Its biometric discussion is framed around identity
verification within those preexisting workflows.Mobile Fortify, on the
other hand, is built to generate new encounters in the field by scanning
people whose identities may be entirely unknown to ICE at the time
their biometrics are captured. That distinction is not academic; the law
requires a separate PIA and SORN.Under the Privacy Act, a system of
records exists when an agency maintains information about individuals
that is retrieved by a personal identifier and used to make
determinations about them. Mobile Fortify does exactly that.The PTA
confirms that the app creates new biometric records, associates them
with geolocation data, stores them for years, and uses them to populate
identity profiles that can drive enforcement decisions. Calling this
merely an extension of EID stretches the concept of “coverage” past
recognition.The document itself reflects that strain. While the PTA
states that Mobile Fortify “does not retain records on the app itself,”
it immediately clarifies that CBP saves every photograph and fingerprint
in backend systems for fifteen years.From a legal standpoint, where the
data is stored is irrelevant. What matters is that new records are
created, retained, and retrievable by identifiers such as facial images,
fingerprints, names, or A-numbers. That is the very scenario the
Privacy Act’s notice and transparency requirements were designed to
address.The authority cited for this collection – the Immigration and
Nationality Act and the Illegal Immigration Reform and Immigrant
Responsibility Act – also sits uneasily with the technology that is
being deployed.Those statutes authorize immigration enforcement and
identity verification, but they predate mobile facial recognition,
contactless fingerprinting, and real-time biometric searches against
databases containing hundreds of millions of images.Nothing in the PTA
though suggests that Congress contemplated warrantless biometric
scanning of people on U.S. streets, including citizens, as a default
investigative technique. Yet the document acknowledges that U.S.
citizens and lawful permanent residents may be scanned, that no opt-out
exists, and that the resulting data will be retained alongside records
of noncitizens.The operational context only heightens the stakes. The
PTA explicitly links Mobile Fortify to President Trump’s January 20,
2025, executive order on immigration enforcement, framing the app as
part of a broader “Fortify the Border” effort to identify removable
individuals inside the United States.In practice, reporting has already
documented ICE agents using the app during street encounters, sometimes
treating a biometric match as definitive even when individuals present
documentary proof of citizenship.Those incidents underscore how quickly a
mobile identity tool can become a determinative enforcement mechanism
rather than a supplemental check.What makes Mobile Fortify especially
vulnerable to scrutiny is that the PTA itself provides much of the
evidence critics would need. It confirms that sensitive biometric and
location data are collected without notice, that records are retained
for extended periods, and that the app operates across multiple backend
systems originally built for border screening and targeted
enforcement.At the same time, the agency maintains that no new system of
records exists and that no standalone PIA or SORN is required. That
mismatch between the app’s acknowledged capabilities and the narrow
compliance framework ICE relies upon is where serious oversight would
inevitably focus.A GAO review would likely ask why a tool that creates
long-lived biometric records of people encountered in public does not
trigger new Privacy Act obligations. A PCLOB inquiry would examine how a
system built on border authorities migrated into domestic policing
without clear guardrails, notice, or consent.A federal court, faced with
a wrongful detention or Fourth Amendment challenge, would scrutinize
whether statutory immigration authorities can reasonably be read to
authorize suspicionless biometric scanning and long-term data
retention.For now, Mobile Fortify continues to operate in that gray
space, propelled by justifications that are procedurally sufficient to
deploy but substantively thin.The PTA reads less like a comprehensive
privacy analysis than a document drafted to clear an internal hurdle as
quickly as possible. It acknowledges the risks in plain language but
stops short of grappling with their legal consequences.Once the mismatch
is forced into the open by litigation, congressional inquiry, or an
independent oversight body, the same admissions that allowed the app to
move fast could become the evidence that stops it.
Somalia digital ID major pillar of World Bank-funded SPRING initiative-Dec 17, 2025, 1:33 pm EST | Ayang Macdonald
Since
2023, Somalia has been running an ambitious national identity project
which the government views as a crucial part of the country’s digital
transformation agenda.The ID program, which has funding support from the
World Bank and a technical push from other bilateral and multilateral
partners, seeks to provide legal identity to citizens in a country that
has suffered years of economic downtime due to a maze of political and
security challenges.The National Identification and Registration
Authority (NIRA), the government agency running the ID program, says it
hopes to ensure at least 15 million Somalis have a national ID by
2029.This is not just for people to identify themselves as citizens, but
more importantly to use the ID card as a tool to make life easier for
them by facilitating access to a wide range of services in the public
and private sectors.Perhaps, it is for that reason that NIRA has been
drafted in as one of the government agencies and institutions with a key
role to play in the implementation of a sustainable growth project
sponsored by the World Bank.Last month, the country’s Finance Minister
launched the Somalia Productive, Resilience and Inclusive Growth
(SPRING) initiative, and cited NIRA among public institutions that have
the responsibility to support the successful realization of the
objectives.The SPRING project which is estimated at more than $100
million seeks to support efforts mostly driven by the private sector to
create jobs and enhance the digital economy. It is also requires a
number of reforms which entails multi-agency collaboration.Specifically,
SPRING’s main objective is to strengthen Somalia’s economic resilience
by improving the business environment, expanding access to financial and
digitally enabled services, and supporting micro, small, and medium
enterprises (MSMEs) to flourish.Other institutions involved in the
SPRING project include the Ministry of Commerce and Industry, the
Central Bank of Somalia, the Financial Reporting Center, and the agency
responsible for MSMEs.Each of these government bodies are expected to
play specific roles. For NIRA, it’s obvious. Digital ID has been framed
as the central pillar in Somalia’s digital transformation, which is
inextricably linked to economic growth.Digital ID and DPI make up an
important component in the realization of the project as these systems
are necessary in ensuring that individuals, especially women,
marginalized groups, and displaced persons, can securely access
financial services, training, and credit. The understanding is that with
a robust digital identity framework in place, the project will help
reduce exclusion risks, strengthen data protection, and enable
transparent identification of beneficiaries for social protection
programs.At a recent National ID conference in Mogadishu, NIRA indicated
plans to have more public services integrated with the national ID
system, to make it easier, more secure and convenient for citizens to
access services.Already, more than one million Somalis have been
enrolled for the national ID, with more than 24 public services
integrated.Speaking during the event, President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud,
underlined the importance of a national ID for the country’s
development, and urged every citizen to have one. He reminded citizens
that the ID is not only important in identifying them but in ensuring
that they easily get access to important government services.Somalia’s
digital ID is part of a DPI ecosystem the country is building. Experts
argue that with safe, inclusive and interoperable DPI, countries like
Somalia can significantly enhance their economic development and growth
chances. Some emerging nations are already doing so.Through the SPRING
project, it is hoped that NIRA will play a massive role in building
trust in institutions, widening access to opportunities, and embedding
integrity and inclusivity into Somalia’s economic transformation.
Incode contributes biometrics to $37M Login.gov contract for stronger IDV-Dec 17, 2025, 1:28 pm EST | Chris Burt
Incode
will contribute biometrics to improve the identity security and fraud
protection of the U.S. government’s Login.gov platform. The face
biometrics provider is a subcontractor to Diamond Capture Associates on
the Next Generation Identity Proofing contract, which is worth up to
$37.4 million.The U.S. Federal Acquisition Service’s Technology
Transformation Services (TTS) under the General Services Administration
(GSA) awarded the contract as a blanket purchase agreement.The overall
goal of the contract is to strengthen the identity verification
capabilities of the government’s single sign-on (SSO) platform.Diamond
Capture Associates President and CEO Barbara Rivera emphasized the
importance of “innovative, secure, and accessible identity verification
solutions that protect citizens’ information” in the
announcement.“Incode is honored to support Login.gov’s NG BPA of Remote
Unsupervised Identity Proofing Solutions alongside Diamond Capture
Associates,” says Ricardo Amper, founder and CEO of Incode Technologies.
“Our proprietary biometric identity platform is designed to help
federal agencies verify identities with greater accuracy, security, and
fairness while protecting people’s privacy. By bringing this technology
to Login.gov, we can make secure access simple for millions of users and
help agencies stay ahead of increasingly sophisticated digital
fraud.”There were 7 bidders for contract 47QPCA26F0004, according to AI
contract data provider OrangeSlices.This makes sense, as a master
blanket purchase agreement for Login.gov’s Next Generation Identity
Proofing project, worth up to $194.5 million, was awarded to eight
entities in March of 2024, including Diamond Capture Associates.
Experian, Idemia I&S, Carahsoft, LexisNexis, Aderas, Celerity, and
TransUnion were the others, and Federal Compass shows a $4 million
contract for LexisNexis and a $3.4 million contract for Xcelerate
Solutions (Celerity).When GSA tested biometric bias last year on its way
to implementing selfie biometrics to meet IAL2, Incode was one of seven
developers whose technology was evaluated. AuthenticID was another, but
it was acquired by Incode in August.Incode is also in the midst of
trying to raise between $150 million and $300 million to capitalize on
the opportunities its new scale affords for government biometrics
contracts.
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.
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:
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.
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.
LUKE 21:25-26
25
And there shall be signs in the sun,(HEATING UP-SOLAR ECLIPSES) and in
the moon,(MAN ON THE MOON-LUNAR ECLIPSES) and in the
stars;(ASTEROIDS-PROPHECY SIGNS) and upon the earth distress of nations,
with perplexity;(MASS CONFUSION) the sea and the waves roaring;(FIERCE
WINDS)
26 Men’s hearts failing them for
fear,(TORNADOES,HURRICANES,STORMS) and for looking after those things
which are coming on the earth:(DESTRUCTION-HEAVENLY OBJECTS) for the
powers of heaven shall be shaken.(FROM QUAKES,NUKES ETC)
AVI LOEB ON COMET 31/ATLAS
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0hq7nmYFV0k
I BELIEVE ITS JESUS" FACE IN THE SHROUD-WHEN JESUS WAS PRAYING FOR ME AT THE FOOT OF MY BED. HIS FACE LOOKED LIKE IN THE SHROUD.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TWcqpRWONdI
ON DEC 17 COMET 31/ATLAS DOUBLED OVER NIGHT.DUE TO RADIATION AND EXPANSION.
Harvard
scientist slams 'superficial' new research claiming 3I/ATLAS is not a
spaceship — and hints at more advanced defense technologies-Story by Ben
Cost-DEC 18,25
With 3I/ATLAS slated to fly-by Earth tomorrow,
theories over its nature have hit a fever pitch. A new study asserts
that our interstellar visitor behaves like other comets in our solar
system — a theory Harvard scientist Avi Loeb labeled a non-argument that
ignores its many “anomalies.”In the study, published in Research Notes
of the AAS, lead author Thomas Marshall Eubanks of the aerospace firm
Space Initiatives dubbed 3I/ATLAS’ non-gravitational acceleration
“typical of normal comets,” Spaceweather.com reported.Loeb had
previously dubbed its locomotion anomalous, citing ATLAS’ unusual
maneuver during its closest approach to the sun last month, which he
deemed evidence that it potentially deployed technological
thrusters.However, Eubanks and co determine that these rocket-like
propulsions were actually caused by the gentle push comets receive from
offgassing. Most active comets move this way as gas and dust blast off
their surface near our solar star, giving the object tiny pushes that
alter their speed, orbit and spin.The team determined this by measuring
the “non-gravitational acceleration of 3I/ATLAS using long-baseline
astrometry (the science of measuring the positions, distances, and
motions of celestial objects) from NASA’s Psyche spacecraft and ESA’s
Mars Trace Gas Orbiter,” Eubanks explained.Their final conclusion:
“3I/ATLAS is exotic and wonderful. It is also a comet.”“It has obvious
cometary outgassing with a non-gravitational acceleration to match,” the
team wrote. “Claiming that it, too, is a spacecraft does not fit the
data.”“What they need to do, instead of explaining what are the
commonalities with familiar comets, which they often do, is explain the
anomalies,” Loeb told tThe Post. He speculated that the comet’s jet
could be a solar wind deflector shield. The Joe Rogan
Experience-However, Loeb dubbed their correlation tenuous — on par with
seeing a dirt plume shoot up and assuming it’s caused by a living
creature.“When you see a cloud of dust in the desert, you might argue
that it’s an animal making this cloud because animals, when they run in
the desert, they make a cloud of dust,” he told The Post. “But it could
also be a car. So it’s really very superficial to say, ‘oh, just because
we see dust, it must be a comet.'”He added, “What they need to do,
instead of explaining what are the commonalities with familiar comets,
which they often do, is explain the anomalies.”Loeb argued that they
failed to address 3I/ATLAS’ 13 non-cometary traits, including the high
levels of nickel (an industrial element) in its plume, its unusual
trajectory around our planets, and a tail pointing toward the sun rather
than away as is typical.In a recent post to Medium, the astrophysicist
floated a 14th anomaly — a rotation axis in the direction of the sun
that he suspected could be evidence of a solar deflector shield.Loeb
referenced a new letter published in the journal Astronomy &
Astrophysics, in which Spanish astronomers detected “a wobbling
high-altitude jet” in ATLAS between early July and September.They found
that the Sunward “anti-tail” is angled within eight degrees of the poles
associated with the object’s axis of rotation — an extremely specific
orientation.This means, per Loeb, that “3I/ATLAS has a steady dayside
and a steady nightside, which switch roles” during its closest approach
to the Sun, which occurred on October 29.Loeb found it highly unlikely —
a probability of just 0.5% — that an interstellar object would be
oriented so constantly Sunwardly and provide such a seamless transition
from dayside to nightside.One theory, Loeb told the Post, is that ATLAS
is “technological” and had deployed a Sun-facing jet-like shield to
protect itself from the solar wind and radiation. “It would launch a jet
that somehow deflects the solar wind particles in the direction of the
sun always,” he theorized.He said this could explain why the jet was so
tightly “collimated” — ten times longer than it is wide — rather than
going in all directions as is typical when an ice pocket evaporates.This
concentrated beam would, in theory, protect its technological or
biological exterior from any hazards from the sun.
Mysterious
interstellar object spreading life-creating particles throughout the
solar system as it nears Earth-By CHRIS MELORE, US ASSISTANT SCIENCE
EDITOR-Published: 21:05 EST, 9 December 2025 |
The mysterious
interstellar object that's been flying through the solar system may be
leaving behind the building blocks of life on our neighboring
worlds.Scans of 3I/ATLAS have revealed two key substances being released
from the object, methanol and hydrogen cyanide, which combine to
kickstart the chemical process needed to create genetic material like
DNA and RNA.Although 3I/ATLAS, which NASA and the European Space Agency
(ESA) have declared a comet, will only come within 170million miles of
Earth in December 19, it's been getting much closer to several other
planets and moons this year.Its relatively close passes by Venus, Mars,
and Jupiter have led Harvard Professor Avi Loeb to suspect that
live-giving particles may be raining down on these worlds - a phenomenon
called panspermia.This cosmic process takes place when chemicals like
methanol and hydrogen cyanide hitchhike on comets and later land on
planets or moons, paving the way for organisms to form.Loeb and other
scientists have previously theorized that life on Earth began through a
similar process, such as a meteor strike, billions of years ago.Loeb
added that 3I/ATLAS could end up playing the role of a 'friendly
gardener,' seeding our solar system with new life, especially on moons
which have been found to contain liquid water and ice, such as Jupiter's
Europa and Saturn's Enceladus.However, the astrophysicist still
questioned whether this was a natural comet or something else, noting
yet another strange anomaly in the space rock's makeup which scientists
can't explain. Compared to other comets humans have seen, the powerful
ALMA telescope in Chile found 3I/ATLAS has an unusually high amount of
the 'good' methanol compared to the 'risky' hydrogen cyanide, releasing
over 100 times more methanol.Loeb revealed that's the highest ratio ever
recorded except for one oddball comet in our own solar system, giving
it a chemical balance which favors life over toxic contamination.Prior
to this discovery, the Harvard professor had uncovered a dozen other
strange properties of 3I/ATLAS, including a cometary tail pointing in
the wrong direction, the object turning blue as it neared the sun, and
course changes that defy gravity.In fact, its gravity-bending course has
brought the interstellar object within 18million miles of Mars,
60million miles of Venus, and is set to take 3I/ATLAS with 33million
miles of Jupiter in March 2026.Loeb explained that such a unique flight
path through the solar system was so rare, it suggested that the object
was intentionally guided on that course by an unknown intelligence.NASA
and other astronomers have largely rejected the interstellar spacecraft
theory, contending that 3I/ATLAS has so many strange characteristics
because it formed in a distant solar system under chemical conditions
far different from our solar system.Whether the object is a comet or an
artificial object, the new scans revealed it's giving off more and more
gas the closer it gets to the sun.The hydrogen cyanide has mostly come
straight from the space rock's core, while the methanol has been
produced both from the core and in the gas cloud trailing behind it for
hundreds of miles.Methanol is a simple type of alcohol. In space, it's
commonly found around new stars and baby planets. On Earth, however,
tiny organisms like bacteria and yeasts can eat it as food to grow and
make energy.Plants make it naturally too, and it helps them fight off
bugs or heal wounds. It works as building block for life by serving as
an abundant organic molecule in space that can transform into more
complex molecules such as sugars and amino acids.Meanwhile, hydrogen
cyanide is a bit trickier, existing as a gas that can be deadly in large
doses. In smaller amounts, however, it's helpful.Plants and bacteria
produce it to protect themselves from attackers or to help seeds sprout
under tough conditions. Chemically, it can link up to form the bases in
DNA (adenine) and amino acids, which are life's core tools.Loeb noted
the discovery of a pro-life balance of these chemicals helps to rule out
the speculation that this object could be a 'serial killer' moving
through the solar system with hostile intent.'The anomalously large
ratio of methanol to hydrogen-cyanide production by 3I/ATLAS suggests a
friendly nature for this interstellar visitor,' he concluded in a
statement.
Rocket Lab advances US Space Force mission with early STP S30 launch by Clarence Oxford.
Los
Angeles CA (SPX) Dec 18, 2025-Rocket Lab Corporation has successfully
launched the STP-S30 mission for the U.S. Space Force's Space Systems
Command, placing four DiskSat spacecraft into low Earth orbit and
completing the task five months earlier than planned. The mission
supports the Department of War's Space Test Program and is intended to
mature technologies that preserve U.S. advantages in space
operations.The Electron rocket flight, designated Don't Be Such A
Square, lifted off from Launch Complex 2 at the Mid-Atlantic Regional
Spaceport on Wallops Island, Virginia, at 12:03 a.m. local time on
December 18, corresponding to 05:03 UTC. The vehicle delivered the
DiskSat payloads to a 550 kilometer circular low Earth orbit, meeting
mission requirements for the Space Test Program.DiskSat is a proposed
alternative architecture to conventional CubeSat small satellites,
designed to change how future small spacecraft are built, integrated,
and priced. The platform aims to broaden options for commercial,
government, and defense missions by altering form factor while
maintaining compatibility with small launch vehicles and rideshare
opportunities.The STP-S30 mission was managed by Space Systems Command's
System Delta 89 Capability Development Branch, led by Lt Col Cesar
Rodriguez. The Aerospace Corporation developed the DiskSat spacecraft,
with funding from NASA's Small Spacecraft and Distributed Systems
program based at NASA's Ames Research Center in California's Silicon
Valley within the agency's Space Technology Mission Directorate at NASA
Headquarters in Washington.Working with the U.S. Space Force's Rocket
Systems Launch Program, Rocket Lab advanced the launch timeline to fly
the mission five months ahead of the original schedule. Rocket Lab
received the STP-S30 task order in April 2024 under the Orbital Services
Program 4 (OSP-4) contract, which supports rapid, flexible access to
space for national security customers.The Don't Be Such A Square mission
extends a sequence of four Electron launches in three months from
Launch Complex 2, all focused on national security and defense
technology objectives for the Department of War. Over this period,
Rocket Lab has provided dedicated small launch services for missions
supporting defense and government partners from the Virginia site.Rocket
Lab founder and CEO Sir Peter Beck says: "Rocket Lab's speed,
streamlined operations, and reliability were on full display with this
flawless Electron launch for STP-S30, and we're proud to be
strengthening the nation's space capabilities. We're meeting the space
access demands of the U.S. Space Force with our consistent execution,
and this launch is another proud moment in Rocket Lab's long history of
successful missions for defense, national security, and commercial space
users."Lt. Col. Brian Shimek, Director, Department of War Space Test
Program, says: "We are immensely proud of this collaboration with Rocket
Lab, the Capability Development Branch, National Aeronautics and Space
Administration (NASA), The Aerospace Corporation, and the Rocket Systems
Launch Program. Their exceptional teamwork and dedication have made
this achievement possible. Proving these advanced technologies in the
space environment is a critical step towards their integration into
future operational Space Force systems, ensuring our nation maintains
its edge in space. Accelerating this launch by five months underscores
our commitment to rapidly delivering innovative capabilities to the
Space Force. This achievement is a testament to the dedication and
expertise of the entire STP-S30 team."Don't Be Such A Square is
Electron's 20th launch of 2025 and the company's 78th mission overall.
With this flight, Rocket Lab extends its annual launch record and
continues to build cadence from both New Zealand and U.S. launch sites
in support of civil, commercial, and defense customers.
Space Systems Command activates System Delta 80 for assured space access by Clarence Oxford.
Los
Angeles CA (SPX) Dec 17, 2025-U.S. Space Force Space Systems Command
has activated System Delta 80 to manage launch solutions, on-orbit
servicing, and range systems in support of the Assured Access to Space
Program Executive Office portfolio. This new delta is tasked with
supporting mobility in, from, and to space for customers across the
Department of War, other U.S. government agencies, and commercial
industry.The command formally marked the stand-up of System Delta 80 in a
ceremony held Dec. 12 at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station, Florida.
Lt. Gen. Philip Garrant, commander of Space Systems Command, presided as
U.S. Space Force Col. Ryan Hiserote assumed command of the new
delta."Today's ceremony formally recognizes the Delta's important space
work already underway," said Garrant. "Under Col. Hiserote's leadership,
I am confident System Delta 80 will accelerate the fielding of
capabilities that support responsive and reliable launch, ready and
resilient spaceports, and servicing, mobility, and logistics, while
partnering with the space launch deltas to ensure delivery of critical
assets to orbit."System Delta 80 is organized around six System Program
Directors aligned with the Assured Access to Space portfolio. These
responsibilities include National Security Space Launch, the Rocket
Systems Launch Program, Launch and Test Range Systems, and Servicing,
Mobility, and Logistics programs. The delta officially stood up on Oct. 7
during the federal government shutdown."System Delta 80 drives the
rapid fielding of critical capabilities to ensure launch solutions and
range systems, while also pursuing emerging servicing, mobility, and
logistics capabilities," said Col. Hiserote. "This formal recognition
underscores our commitment to forging strong partnerships with the
Program Executive Officer of Assured Access to Space, Space Launch
Deltas 30 and 45, and our commercial partners. Together, we will ensure
our Nation maintains its strategic advantage in space and continues to
defend our forces, homeland, and allies."System Deltas within Space
Systems Command consolidate design, development, and delivery of systems
under a mission-focused acquisition structure. This approach is
intended to streamline how SSC fields capabilities in key mission areas
linked to launch and in-orbit support.
Trump shifts priority to Moon mission, not Mars.
Washington,
United States, Dec 19 (AFP) Dec 19, 2025-US President Donald Trump on
Thursday confirmed that he wants to send astronauts back to the Moon as
soon as possible, putting eventual Mars missions on the back burner.In
an executive order on his space policy, Trump said he wanted to get
Americans to the Moon by 2028, under NASA's Artemis program launched
during his first White House term.Such a lunar landing would "assert
American leadership in space, lay the foundations for lunar economic
development, prepare for the journey to Mars, and inspire the next
generation of American explorers," the order says.It also says the US
space agency NASA hopes to set up "initial elements of a permanent lunar
outpost by 2030" and confirms plans to deploy nuclear reactors "on the
Moon and in orbit."Americans are currently scheduled to return to the
Moon's surface in mid-2027 on the Artemis 3 mission, but the timeline
has been repeatedly pushed back.And industry experts say it likely will
be delayed again because the lunar lander in development at Elon Musk's
SpaceX is not yet ready.Trump's executive order puts increased pressure
on both NASA and the private space sector to reach the administration's
objectives.The United States is keen to bypass China, which also intends
to send a crew to the Moon by 2030 and set up a base there.Putting the
priority on a lunar mission represents a policy shift from what Trump
had said earlier this year.When he returned to the White House in
January, the Republican said he wanted to put the American flag on Mars
before the end of his four-year term, without mentioning any such plans
for the Moon.That announcement has sown doubt on the administration's
priorities in space, and propelled fears that NASA was going to skip
over the Moon altogether.But now, even though Washington has long said
it wants to be the first nation to send humans to Mars, that reality
seems farther away.The row in June between Trump and Musk, who is
passionate about Mars exploration, along with other pressing
geopolitical concerns, may have shifted Trump's ambitions.
US
& Canada Daily Snow-By Alan Smith, Meteorologist Posted 4 minutes
ago December 19, 2025-Heavy Snow for the Northwest this Weekend.
A
series of storms will bring heavy snow to the Northwest, Northern
Rockies, and Western Canada this weekend and next week with lower snow
levels thanks to a colder airmass in place. Tahoe will also see moisture
this weekend, but it will mainly be rain at first, before colder air
& snow arrive around Christmas. The Northeast will see rain early
Friday, with multiple shots of snow thereafter.Short Term Forecast-The
Northwest will remain favored over the next 5 days with heavy snow and
low snow levels, which will help to build up a base following a slow
start to the season. Western Canada will also continue to score the
goods, especially over the Interior, where a much deeper base is already
in place.Snow totals over the next 5-6 days will generally range from
2-5 feet over the Cascades and BC Coast Range, 1-2 feet across the
Canadian Interior and Northern U.S. Rockies, and 6-12 inches over
Northern Utah.Forecast for Friday (Dec 19):A strong storm will bring
heavy snow to the Northwest and Northern Rockies, with the deepest snow
totals expected from the Cascades into Idaho, Wyoming, and Montana.In
the East, a storm moving through will bring rain initially, but a
changeover to snow showers is expected across the Appalachians and New
England in the wake of the front. Lake effect snow showers will also
developForecast for Saturday (Dec 20):In the West, light to moderate
snow will fall over the Central Rockies as a storm departs. Then another
storm will make landfall over the Northwest with heavy snow developing
across Washington and British Columbia.In the East, a storm will move
across the Northern Great Lakes with light to moderate snow expected,
before eventually reaching New England on Saturday night. Forecast for
Sunday (Dec 21):Two storms will impact the West, with a northern storm
bringing more snow to the Northwest and Western Canada, while a southern
storm will bring heavy precipitation from Tahoe to Southern Idaho and
Western Wyoming, while Northern Utah will get brushed.Temperatures will
be warm in Tahoe, and snow levels (the rain/snow line) will be close to
ski resort summits as a result. A storm will also move across the
Northeast with snow favoring New York, New England, and Quebec.Forecast
for Monday (Dec 22):A storm involving subtropical moisture and a
southwest flow will continue to impact Tahoe to the Tetons in Western
Wyoming. Tahoe will continue to see high snow levels and rain issues,
and even the Tetons (Jackson Hole) and Southern Idaho (Sun Valley) could
see snow levels approaching mid-mountain. In the Northwest, storms will
continue to bring heavy snow to the Cascades and BC Coast Range with
moderate snow for the Northern U.S. Rockies and Canadian Interior.
Temperatures and snow levels will be much more favorable in this
region.Forecast for Tuesday (Dec 23):The West will be in between storms
with generally light to moderate snow showers expected across the
Northwest and Northern Rockies, though heavier snow is possible over
Southwest British Columbia.Another storm will move across the Northeast
with snow favoring New York, New England, and Quebec. Extended
Forecast-Outlook for Wed (Dec 24) to Sun (Dec 28):A stronger and colder
storm is possible around Christmas for Tahoe and the Sierra Nevada
Range, while impacts could also extend into Utah, Southern Idaho, and
Wyoming. Colorado also has a better chance of seeing snow, though
overall, temperatures look to remain unseasonably warm across the
Central Rockies.The Northwest will remain in a favorable pattern with
frequent storms and seasonal temperatures, which at the end of December
means continued low snow levels on average.In the Northeast, we are
seeing mixed signals with New England and Quebec right on the cusp
between a colder airmass to the north and a warmer airmass to the south.
Both snow and rain are a possibility in this pattern, while much warmer
temperature anomalies are expected over the Midwest and
Mid-Atlantic.Thanks so much for reading! Next update on Monday (December
22).Alan Smith-Announcements-NEW: PEAKS Model-Following 18 months of
development, training, and testing, our new PEAKS model is now live and
creating every snow and precipitation forecast in OpenSnow.This is
included with Free, Base, and Premium accounts for every snow and
precipitation forecast in the OpenSnow app and website. No action is
needed to view PEAKS and its forecasts.What is PEAKS? PEAKS is an AI
(machine learning) model that is up to 50% more accurate in mountain
terrain.PEAKS learns from past storms and transforms normal weather
models (used by other apps) into sharper, more location-specific
forecasts. Learning from past storms is what human meteorologists do,
but unlike humans, PEAKS can forecast for every location on earth with
updates taking only seconds.Bottom Line: OpenSnow has developed a
world-first mountain forecast model that evaluates past storms to create
more accurate predictions. This should provide you with higher
confidence when searching for your favorite conditions.
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.
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.
Russian nuclear-capable missile Oreshnik deployed in Belarus.
Moscow,
Dec 18 (AFP) Dec 18, 2025-Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko
said on Thursday that a newly developed Russian hypersonic,
nuclear-capable missile known as the "Oreshnik" had been deployed in
Belarus.Russia unveiled the weapon last year after using it to strike
the Ukrainian city of Dnipro, in an escalation during the conflict, now
nearing its fourth anniversary.Moscow had already deployed tactical
nuclear weapons in Belarus in 2023 and said it could station Oreshnik
there by the end of 2025."Oreshnik has been in Belarus since yesterday.
And it's going on combat duty," Lukashenko said in his annual
speech.Belarus, a former Soviet republic, is a key Russian ally. Moscow
used Belarusian territory to launch its offensive against Ukraine in
February 2022.In August, Minsk said it would practice the deployment of
Oreshnik missiles during the joint Zapad-2025 ("West-2025") drills close
to the EU and NATO's eastern flank border.
China, Ukraine diplomats discuss Russia invasion in Beijing talks.
Kyiv,
Ukraine, Dec 18 (AFP) Dec 18, 2025-A senior Ukrainian diplomat held
talks with a Chinese official in Beijing on Thursday, both sides said,
including on resolving the near four-year conflict in Ukraine triggered
by Russia's invasion.The visit represented a rare meeting between
officials from Kyiv and Beijing, which has been accused of aiding Moscow
to prolong its war against Ukraine.Ukraine's First Deputy Foreign
Minister Sergiy Kyslytsya met with China's Assistant Minister of Foreign
Affairs Liu Bin for "political consultations," Kyiv said."There was an
in-depth exchange of views on the current situation related to Russia's
ongoing armed aggression against Ukraine," Ukraine's foreign ministry
said in a statement.It added that "international efforts to achieve a
stable and lasting peace" had also been discussed.In its read-out after
the meeting, China, a close ally of Russia, said the two officials
"exchanged views on the Ukraine crisis".Kyslytsya said earlier he was
also meeting with US ambassador to China David Perdue.China -- a major
Russian trading partner -- has said it takes a neutral stance on the
war, and has never condemned Moscow's invasion.Beijing regularly calls
for peace talks and respect for the territorial integrity of all
countries.But Western governments accuse Beijing of providing Russia
with crucial economic support for its war effort, notably by supplying
military components for its defence industry.
The Quantum Age will be Powered by Fusion by Simon Mansfield.
Gerroa,
Australia (SPX) Dec 19, 2025-From the first stars to any future
interstellar civilization, fusion is the energy process that makes
complex structure, long-lived stars, and chemically rich worlds
possible. It is also the only known energy source that can scale from
the galactic to the planetary to the quantum-technological without
exhausting matter or destabilizing environments.Long before life, long
before planets, fusion shaped the universe's basic architecture. In the
early cosmos, gravity gathered hydrogen and helium into immense clouds
that collapsed into the first stars; within those stellar cores, nuclear
fusion lit up space and set the clock on cosmic evolution.Inside
main-sequence stars like the Sun, light nuclei - principally hydrogen -
are forced together under colossal pressure and temperature, fusing into
helium and releasing energy in accordance with E = mc^2. This process
defines a star's luminosity, lifetime, size, and color; in effect, the
fusion regime at its core writes the operating manual for the entire
stellar system. For billions of years, the balance between
inward-pulling gravity and outward-pushing fusion pressure stabilizes
stars, allowing long spans of calm conditions in which planets can form
and orbits can settle.Fusion does more than shine; it manufactures
matter in the form required for chemistry and, ultimately, biology. In
successive generations of stars, fusion reactions build heavier nuclei:
helium into carbon, carbon into oxygen, and onward up to iron in the
cores of massive stars. Beyond iron, explosive events and
neutron-capture processes complete the periodic table, but these too
depend on fusion-grown seeds and fusion-driven stellar evolution to set
the conditions for those cataclysms. When stars shed their outer layers
or die in supernovae, they distribute these fusion-forged elements into
interstellar space, enriching the gas and dust that will form new stars,
planets, and, in time, biospheres.The simple fact that Earth has liquid
water, carbon-based molecules, and an atmosphere with oxygen is a
direct consequence of billions of years of stellar fusion and stellar
death before the Solar System existed. The rocks beneath our feet, the
air we breathe, and the biochemistry of every cell are, in a literal
sense, stabilized ash from ancient fusion furnaces.Even on the scale of
an individual habitable world, fusion sets the terms of existence. The
Sun's continuous fusion output fixes the energy balance at Earth's
orbit, determining climate zones, atmospheric circulation, and the
overall range of temperatures within which liquid water and complex
organic chemistry can persist. Photosynthesis, the metabolism that
powers almost all known ecosystems, is nothing more than the capture and
re-packaging of solar fusion photons into chemical form. Fossil fuels,
hydro power, wind, and much of biomass are essentially historical or
redistributed sunlight - a long-term bookkeeping record of fusion energy
integrated over time and weather.Seen from this angle, fusion is not a
special technology or a niche physical process; it is the background
engine of the visible universe. It governs star lifetimes, galaxy light
output, the distribution of elements, and the energy flows that make
planetary climates and biochemistries possible. Any universe with
long-lived stars, rich chemistry, and a chance at life is, almost by
definition, a universe in which fusion plays the central role.Mastering
Fusion: Life's Total Victory-Human civilization already runs on fusion,
but only indirectly. Every watt of solar power, every gust of wind
turning a turbine, every barrel of oil is a downstream expression of
stellar fusion that began in the Sun's core millions of years ago. The
crucial step before us is to bring fusion "upstream": to replicate
controlled fusion reactions on Earth and use them as a primary,
dispatchable energy source for a technological civilization that is
pushing into what can be called the Quantum Age.The Quantum Age is
defined by devices and infrastructures that exploit quantum-scale
behavior as a resource: quantum computers, exquisitely sensitive quantum
sensors, secure quantum communication networks, and materials whose
properties are engineered from the atomic level up. All of this rests on
two requirements: sustained, high-quality energy and extreme control
over matter and environment across many scales. Fusion is uniquely
matched to both conditions.First, fusion offers energy density that
dwarfs chemical fuels and even conventional fission. A small volume of
fusion fuel - deuterium and tritium, or more advanced mixtures - can in
principle yield gigawatt-scale power with no carbon emissions and with
fuel resources that are, on human timescales, effectively inexhaustible
in the oceans and crust. Because the physics of fusion does not rely on
rare isotopes or fragile supply chains, a mature fusion infrastructure
could give civilizations a baseline of abundant energy largely decoupled
from geography and weather.Second, fusion's byproducts and waste
profile are well-suited to a civilization that must manage intricate
quantum systems over centuries. In most leading designs, fusion does not
produce long-lived, high-level radioactive waste; activation products
exist, but they decay on much shorter timescales than traditional
nuclear waste and can be planned for within durable material cycles.
This matters in a world where quantum devices, cryogenic systems, and
precision manufacturing facilities cannot function in the shadow of
chronic contamination and large-scale environmental instability.There is
also a structural, systemic argument for fusion in the Quantum Age. As
computation, sensing, and communication move deeper into quantum
regimes, energy demand will not only grow but also become more
timing-sensitive and quality-sensitive: stable power for large cryogenic
plants, steady supply for exascale and post-exascale computing centers,
and the ability to run complex, energy-intensive fabrication processes
without interruption. Intermittent renewables, even with advanced
storage, can cover a large share of demand, but the system still needs a
firm backbone - an energy substrate that is always on, always
available, and scalable by design. Fusion, if realized at industrial
scale, can supply that backbone without replicating the carbon and
resource burdens of fossil fuels or the political and waste challenges
of legacy nuclear technologies.On longer horizons, fusion enables
capabilities that transcend the surface of a single planet.
High-specific-power fusion systems are natural candidates for deep-space
propulsion, off-world industry, and large-scale resource processing on
asteroids and icy moons. A civilization that has mastered both quantum
engineering and fusion energy can imagine not just local optimization
but an extended sphere of activity that includes self-sustaining
habitats, distributed manufacturing, and scientific infrastructure far
from any star. In that context, fusion ceases to be merely an energy
choice and becomes a condition for maintaining complex activity away
from the narrow habitable zones of stellar systems.There is a
philosophical symmetry here. In the natural cosmos, fusion is the
process that turns simple, uniform matter into complex, structured,
chemically diverse environments where life and intelligence can arise.
In a technological cosmos, controlled fusion is the process that can
turn limited, fragile, localized civilizations into robust, long-lived,
and expansive ones, capable of sustaining quantum technologies, advanced
ecologies, and cultural complexity without quickly exhausting their
planetary base.The Quantum Age will not arrive solely through more
capable algorithms, more coherent qubits, or better materials. Those
advances require a foundational energy layer that is as stable,
scalable, and long-lived as the stars themselves. Fusion already plays
that role at the cosmic scale; to fully enter the Quantum Age, a
civilization must learn to make it the central engine of its own world
as well.
Spain to buy 100 military helicopters from Airbus.
Paris,
France, Dec 18 (AFP) Dec 18, 2025-Spain's defence ministry has ordered
100 helicopters from Airbus destined for deployment in various parts of
its armed forces, the European aeronautics company said Thursday.The
order, involving different helicopter types, is the biggest such
purchase by the Spanish military procurement authority to date, Airbus
said, without giving financial details.Split into four contracts, the
purchase aims "to boost the modernisation of Spain's defence and
security assets", the Airbus statement said.It includes 13 helicopters
of the H135 type, 50 H145M helicopters, six H175Ms and 31 NH 90s.Spain's
Defence Minister Maria Amparo Valcarce Garcia called the helicopters
"essential" for the operations of the armed forces."This investment is
strategic and is focused on significantly increasing Spain's security
and defence capabilities, ensuring national strategic autonomy in a key
sector of European defence," she was quoted in the Airbus statement as
saying.tq/jh/jj
Plasma turbulence plays dual roles in fusion reactors by Riko Seibo.
Tokyo,
Japan (SPX) Dec 11, 2025-Researchers in Japan have directly observed
that turbulence in magnetically confined fusion plasmas serves two
distinct functions, both transporting heat and linking distant regions
so that temperature changes can spread almost instantly across the
plasma volume.The team at the National Institute for Fusion Science used
the Large Helical Device (LHD), a large superconducting helical
confinement experiment in Toki, Gifu, to study how heat and turbulence
propagate when the plasma core is briefly heated. They applied short
heat pulses and monitored the response with high precision diagnostic
systems that use electromagnetic waves at multiple wavelengths to track
electron temperature, turbulence, and heat flow with microsecond time
resolution and millimeter spatial resolution.Measurements showed that
soon after the core heating, a form of mediator turbulence appeared that
coupled separated regions of the plasma in less than one ten thousandth
of a second, so that remote locations responded almost simultaneously.
This mediator turbulence acts as a relay that rapidly passes heat and
energy between distant zones, similar to players quickly passing a ball
across a field. Following this initial phase, a second class of
turbulence transported heat more gradually outward, shaping the steady
temperature profile like a player advancing while holding the ball.The
experiments further indicated that shortening the duration of the heat
pulse strengthened the mediator turbulence and led to faster heat
spreading across the plasma. Taken together, the observations
demonstrate that turbulence in magnetically confined plasmas performs a
two-in-one role: it directly carries heat outward and simultaneously
connects far-apart regions so that heat can redistribute suddenly across
the entire device.This work represents the first high resolution
experimental identification of mediator-type turbulence that links
distant parts of a confined plasma, along with the first direct
demonstration that such turbulence simultaneously drives local and
nonlocal heat transport. The results help explain how heat injected at
the core can reach the edge rapidly and provide a basis for predictive
models and control strategies for heat transport in future fusion
reactors, including approaches that suppress or modify mediator
turbulence to improve energy confinement. Because similar long-range
coupling appears in systems such as ocean and atmospheric circulation
and energy transfer in materials, the findings may also inform research
in other areas of physics and geoscience.
India's parliament passes bill to open nuclear power to private firms.
New
Delhi, Dec 18 (AFP) Dec 18, 2025-India's parliament on Thursday passed
legislation to open nuclear power generation to private companies as
part of the government's ambitious plan to nearly triple clean energy
production within six years.India is the third-biggest emitter of
greenhouse gases, and remains deeply dependent on polluting coal, which
accounts for 75 percent of the country's total power generation, to meet
its soaring energy demand.Power blackouts are common in the world's
most populous nation, and demand is rising quickly as the economy grows
and the middle class expands.Prime Minister Narendra Modi said the
legislation "marks a transformational moment for our technology
landscape" and also opens "numerous opportunities" for the private
sector."From safely powering AI to enabling green manufacturing, it
delivers a decisive boost to a clean-energy future for the country and
the world," Modi said in a statement, adding this was "the ideal time to
invest, innovate and build in India".At present, India's state-run
Nuclear Power Corp of India Ltd (NPCIL) operates the country's nuclear
power plants."The government has initiated steps to increase nuclear
power capacity, from the current 8,180 MW to 22,480 MW by 2031-32",
India's Department of Atomic Energy (DAE) said in February."This
expansion includes the construction and commissioning of 10 reactors,
totalling 8,000 MW," it added.Six other 1208-MW plants with US support
already have in-principle approval.In 2006, India and the United States
signed a landmark nuclear deal under which New Delhi agreed to place its
civilian atomic reactors under global scrutiny for the first time.The
government aims to reach 100 GW nuclear power capacity by 2047,
"positioning nuclear energy as a major pillar in India's energy mix",
the DAE has said.- Radioactive waste -India emitted 4.4 billion tonnes
of carbon dioxide equivalent -- a measure of all planet-warming
greenhouse gases -- in 2024, according to the UN, behind only China and
the United States.However, with 1.4 billion people, its per capita
emissions and historical contributions to global warming are much
smaller.India has committed to net-zero emissions by 2070, and is on
track to meet and exceed its pledge to reduce emission intensity by 45
percent from 2005 levels by 2030.Nuclear-armed India is not a signatory
to the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons.The new legislation
is dubbed "SHANTI" -- peace in Hindi -- an acronym for Sustainable
Harnessing of Advancement of Nuclear Energy for Transforming India.India
has one of the world's largest reserves of thorium -- a nuclear fuel
that is safer to use than uranium.Opposition parties have raised
concerns about some provisions of the legislation, saying it does not
provide a robust framework on dealing with radioactive waste.The
legislation was approved by the lower house of parliament on
Wednesday.Concerns about radiation leaks and impact on livelihoods have
previously led to protests by fishermen around the Kundankulam power
plant in southern state of Tamil Nadu, built with Russian
help.ash-pzb/abh/md
Denmark blames cyberattacks on groups tied to Russian state.
Copenhagen,
Dec 18 (AFP) Dec 18, 2025-Denmark on Thursday accused two hacker groups
linked to the Russian state of carrying out two cyberattacks, one on a
Danish water treatment plant in 2024 and one on local elections last
month.The government said it would summon the Russian ambassador over
the matter, Defence Minister Troels Lund Poulsen told a press
conference.Water pipes were exploded in the 2024 incident -- attributed
to pro-Russian group Z-Pentest -- in which household water supply was
briefly affected, he said.The country's environmental agency at the time
said the attack was quickly detected, but "underscored that
cyberattacks can affect security of supply".The second attack occurred
on the eve of Denmark's municipal and regional elections in November,
when the websites of several political parties, municipalities, public
institutions and a defence company were inaccessible due to a
cyberattack claimed by the Russian hacker group NoName057."We are very
confident that these are pro-Russian groups linked to the Russian
state," said the head of Denmark's military intelligence agency (FE),
Thomas Ahrenkiel.FE said in a statement that the Russian state uses both
NoName057 and Z-Pentest "as instruments of its hybrid war against the
West"."The aim is to create insecurity in the targeted countries and to
punish those that support Ukraine," it said."Russia's cyber operations
form part of a broader influence campaign intended to undermine Western
support for Ukraine."Both attacks caused limited damage, but highlighted
vulnerabilities, according to Denmark's Minister for Resilience and
Preparedness, Torsten Schack Pedersen."This shows that there are forces
capable of bringing essential services in our society to a halt."- 'Very
serious' -Denmark is one of Ukraine's most ardent supporters, as
illustrated earlier this month with a groundbreaking ceremony for the
construction of a Ukrainian arms factory on Danish soil.In late
September, unidentified drones flew over several Danish airports and the
Skrydstrup air base -- where Ukrainian pilots are trained on F-16
fighter jets.Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen pointed the finger
at Moscow for the overflights, saying Russia posed "a threat to Europe's
security".The government said Thursday it intended to beef up measures
to protect the country."We have taken numerous initiatives and we will
take more, because Russia's way of acting is profoundly unacceptable,"
Lund Poulsen said.He said the government would set up a new
cyber-surveillance network and an online operations centre to quickly
respond to threats, among other things."It's very serious to be able to
attribute the attacks to the Russian state. That it's not just
sympathisers, but a group directly linked to the Russian state. This
underscores that the situation is particularly grave," Schack Pedersen
told public broadcaster DR."We are not in a state of war, we are not in a
state of peace, but we are in hybrid warfare," he said.Cyberattacks
were expected to continue despite the government's best efforts, he
warned."You'd have to be incredibly naive to believe we've achieved our
cybersecurity goal."
Deadly attack on US troops exposes Syrian security gaps: analysts.
Beirut,
Lebanon, Dec 18 (AFP) Dec 18, 2025-A deadly attack on US troops by a
member of Syria's security forces has exposed flaws in the new
authorities' recruitment drive, which appears poorly designed to filter
out extremists, analysts said.The attack, which Syria and the United
States blamed on the Islamic State group, put authorities in a tough
spot and raised the question: have they done enough to root out radical
elements from within their own ranks?- What flaws? -In the first such
incident since the overthrow of longtime ruler Bashar al-Assad in
December last year, two US troops and an American interpreter were
killed in an attack in central Syria's Palmyra.Interior ministry
spokesman Noureddine al-Baba said the perpetrator was a security forces
member who was due to be fired for his "extremist Islamist ideas".He was
among more than 5,000 new recruits who joined the security forces in
the Syrian desert in recent months, Baba said.IS, which has not claimed
the attack, once controlled the desert areas of Palmyra before its
defeat in 2019.Nanar Hawach, senior Syria analyst at the International
Crisis Group, said in a report that "the attack from within Syria's own
ranks underscores one of the state's critical vulnerabilities".After
Assad's ouster, the new authorities dissolved security and military
institutions and began integrating armed factions into the defence
ministry and forming new security forces.They have also joined the
US-led coalition against IS.Jerome Drevon, a specialist in Islamist
militancy at the International Crisis Group, told AFP that authorities
had to choose between a time-consuming but strong vetting process for
new security personnel, or a shorter process "to recruit more
people".They chose the second option, he said, adding that some recruits
may be "more radical, willing to fight US troops, because they oppose
the government's decision to reach out to Western countries".To Hawach,
what is concerning is that the attacker may not be the only member with
extremist ideas."Because authorities have worked so quickly to
consolidate disparate armed factions into state structures, vetting,
integration and oversight have been uneven, leaving Syria's
reconstituted security institutions vulnerable to infiltration," he
said.President Sharaa's former Islamist group Hayat Tahrir al-Sham
(HTS), which has also disbanded, had roots in the Al-Qaeda jihadist
network, which fought IS in the past.A European security source,
requesting anonymity, noted some hardline former HTS fighters may be
opposed to the shift from armed struggle against Assad to state
politics.- Danger from IS? -The source said IS jihadists have come out
of the desert since Assad's fall and "re-established themselves,
particularly in northwest Syria and Damascus. They are pursuing the goal
of destabilising the authorities."Drevon said there is a "real risk"
from IS regarding "how they try to spread in cities, try to recruit, try
to exploit the bad economic situation".There are also "more and more
attacks claimed by the group", he added.Syrian officials told AFP that
Syrian forces and the US-led coalition had launched an operation against
IS sleeper cells in the desert since the attack, while 11 security
personnel were brought in for questioning.Drevon said the government
needed to "increase its efforts in doing counterintelligence", improve
monitoring of new recruits and ensure "that people with more radical
ideas are expelled"."They can calm it down, they can limit the
consequences, as long as it does not happen again," he added.- Ties with
the West? -US President Donald Trump vowed "very serious retaliation"
after the attack, which he said occurred "in a very dangerous part of
Syria, that is not fully controlled by" the new authorities.The attack
has heightened pressure on Sharaa, who has sought to reset ties with the
West in order to end Syria's isolation, build trust and relaunch the
economy."The incident may accelerate discussions around scaling back US
troop presence in Syria" and constraining counter-IS operations "as
assets are redirected to force protection", said Hawach from the
International Crisis group.It could also prompt the US "to consider
greater emphasis on working with the Syrian Democratic Forces in the
country's northeast, which has been the US's local partner for the past
decade".The Kurdish-led SDF spearheaded the offensive that ultimately
led to IS's defeat in Syria.The Kurdish administration has committed to
integrating its institutions into the new central government, but the
process has stalled.A Western diplomatic source told AFP that the attack
could prompt the Syrian authorities to join forces with the Kurds
against IS.That, however, would be contingent on a "willingness on both
sides, and if countries support that", the source added.
IAEA calls for repair work on Chernobyl sarcophagus by AFP Staff Writers.
Vienna
(AFP) Dec 7, 2025-The UN nuclear watchdog has said that the protective
structure surrounding the exploded reactor at Chernobyl can no longer
perform its main function of blocking radiation, after a Russian drone
strike earlier this year.Inspectors from the International Atomic Energy
Agency (IAEA) began a rare visit to Ukraine on December 1, to assess
the status of key electrical substations supplying the country's three
nuclear sites that are still operational.As part of the trip, the team
also checked the defunct Chernobyl site's New Safe Confinement (NSC),
which was put in place to stop the release of radioactive material after
the explosion of one of its reactors in 1986.The roof of the NSC was
severely damaged in a drone strike in February, which also caused a
major fire in the outer cladding of the steel structure."The mission
confirmed that the NSC had lost its primary safety functions, including
the confinement capability, but also found that there was no permanent
damage to its load-bearing structures or monitoring systems," the IAEA
said in a statement on Friday.IAEA director general Rafael Grossi added:
"Limited temporary repairs have been carried out on the roof but timely
and comprehensive restoration remains essential to prevent further
degradation and ensure long-term nuclear safety."The NSC was installed
in 2016 and officially inaugurated in 2019, replacing an original
"sarcophagus" built by the Soviets.The IAEA said further temporary
repairs to re-establish the confinement function would take place in
2026, "paving the way for full restoration once the conflict ends"
between Ukraine and Russia.
Trump signs $900 bn defense policy bill into law.
Washington,
United States, Dec 19 (AFP)-President Donald Trump signed a sweeping
defense policy bill into law Thursday that signaled strong bipartisan
support for Europe and defied the US leader's increasingly hostile
posture toward NATO and America's closest allies.The annual National
Defense Authorization Act (NDAA), one the few remaining rituals of
cross-party cooperation in Congress even as divisions sharpen elsewhere
in Washington, sets out the country's national security and foreign
policy priority areas for the coming year, according to lawmakers.White
House spokesperson Anna Kelly said Trump signed into law a measure which
raises pay for US troops, codifies the country's "PEACE THROUGH
STRENGTH agenda," and "funds the Golden Dome" air and missile defense
system backed by Trump.The NDAA, at some $900 billion, also "removes
woke priorities" like diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) programs
opposed by many conservatives, and "requires promotions based on merit,
not DEI," Kelly added.The Senate easily passed the NDAA measure on
Wednesday following the House's green light last week.The success comes
amid unease in European capitals over Trump's rhetoric, especially after
the recent White House national security strategy painted Europe as
over-regulated, culturally adrift and insufficiently committed to its
own defense.The strategy questioned the continent's strategic value and
openly echoed themes championed by far-right parties, fueling fears of a
widening transatlantic rift.By contrast, the NDAA reflects lawmakers'
determination to anchor the United States firmly in Europe.The bill bars
US troop levels on the continent from falling below 76,000 for more
than 45 days and restricts the removal of major military equipment,
effectively tying the administration's hands on any rapid drawdown.It
also boosts resources for frontline NATO states, particularly in the
Baltic region, reinforcing the alliance's northeastern flank.The measure
authorizes roughly $8 billion more than the administration requested, a
signal of congressional assertiveness on defense priorities.Beyond
Europe, the NDAA locks in $400 million in security assistance for
Ukraine, aiming to preserve a baseline of support even as broader
funding debates grind on, and places new limits on any reduction of the
28,500 US troops stationed in South Korea.As ever, the NDAA drew fire
from multiple directions -- from conservative critics of Ukraine aid to
safety experts warning about aviation provisions rolling back critical
air-safety requirements for military aircraft operating in Washington's
restricted airspace.But none came close to derailing a package long seen
as must-pass legislation.
Trump rebrands housing supplement as $1,776 bonuses for US troops.
Washington,
United States, Dec 18 (AFP) Dec 18, 2025-The $1,776 payments to US
troops announced by President Donald Trump will come from funds already
allocated by Congress to supplement military housing allowances,
officials said on Thursday.Trump announced the so-called "warrior
dividend" in an address to the nation on Wednesday. He said it would be
paid for with revenue from the sweeping tariffs he has imposed and
presented it as a new initiative.Lawmakers from the opposition
Democratic Party sharply criticized the president over the announcement,
while a top Republican senator confirmed that the funding Trump is
employing was aimed at offsetting housing costs for troops.The "$1,776
'warrior checks' aren't Christmas bonuses -- you're just stealing money
out of a fund meant to help our troops find affordable housing,"
Democratic Senator Tammy Duckworth, a member of the Senate Armed
Services Committee (SASC), wrote on X.Democratic Representative Bonnie
Watson Coleman, who sits on the House Appropriations Committee, also
took aim at Trump, saying he "isn't giving our brave service members a
bonus, he's just shuffling around money so he can claim he is."Pentagon
chief Pete Hegseth said the planned payments are the result of Trump's
"unwavering commitment to our warriors and the provisions provided in
the One Big Beautiful Bill" -- a reference to a major legislative
package that Trump signed into law in July.Senator Roger Wicker, the
Republican chairman of SASC, praised the announcement by Trump, saying
it would implement additional funding provided by Congress in that law
"to help offset housing costs for service members."The law provided for
$2.9 billion in funding "to supplement the basic allowance for housing"
for members of the military.
Kristi Noem pauses visa program
Brown University shooting suspect used to enter US Portrait of Katie
Landeck Katie Landeck.USA TODAY NETWORK - New England-Dec. 19, 2025,
1:16 a.m. ET
Following the shooting at Brown University that
killed two and injured nine on Dec. 13, Homeland Security Secretary
Kristi Noem announced the diversity lottery immigrant visa program (DV1)
would be paused, effective immediately.On Thursday, Dec. 18, law
enforcement identified Claudio Manuel Neves Valente as the shooter at
Brown University, and as the killer of Massachusetts Institute of
Technology professor Nuno Loureiro, who was shot to death in his
Brookline home on Dec. 16.Claudio Manuel Neves Valente, a 48-year-old
Portuguese national, was in the country on a DV1 visa, according to
officials. He died by suicide and was found in New Hampshire on Dec.
18."The Brown University shooter, Claudio Manuel Neves Valente entered
the United States through the diversity lottery immigrant visa program
(DV1) in 2017 and was granted a green card. This heinous individual
should never have been allowed in our country," Noem wrote on X. "In
2017, President Trump fought to end this program, following the
devastating NYC truck ramming by an ISIS terrorist, who entered under
the DV1 program, and murdered eight people. At President Trump’s
direction, I am immediately directing USCIS to pause the DV1 program to
ensure no more Americans are harmed by this disastrous program."Under
the program, up to 55,000 immigrants can enter the country each year
from “countries with low rates of immigration to the United States,”
according to the State Department’s website.Thao Nguyen at USA Today
contributed to this report.
Will Indians be hit by US pause on green card lottery system? All you need to know
Though
Homeland Security claimed the pause was because the Brown University
shooter had entered the US with a DV1 visa, netizens quickly
fact-checked her-The Week News Desk By The Week News Desk Updated:
December 19, 2025 13:19 IST
The Donald Trump administration on
Friday paused its Diversity Visa (DV1) Program, better known as the
green card lottery system, alleging that a violent criminal from a
recent shooting came into the US via this route.In an X post on Friday,
Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem declared that she had instructed
the US Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) to "immediately"
pause the DV1 programme, after orders from the US president.Though she
claimed that the Brown University shooter, Claudio Manuel Neves Valente,
had entered the US via a DV1 visa, she was fact-checked by netizens,
citing reports that he had come into the US via a student visa in 2000,
and obtained permanent residency 17 years later.Valente, who is also
suspected of having killed MIT professor Nuno F.G. Loureiro earlier this
week, should "never have been allowed in our country", she said."In
2017, President Trump fought to end this programme ... At President
Trump’s direction, I am immediately directing USCIS to pause the DV1
programme to ensure no more Americans are harmed by this disastrous
programme," Noem added.Will Indians be affected? The green card lottery
system, which makes up to 50,000 green cards available in the US, is
only for people from countries that are little represented in the US, as
per the USCIS website.India, however, has had far more than 50,000
people—the eligibility cap—emigrating to the US over the past five
years. This automatically makes Indians ineligible for DV1 visas (till
2028) anyway.In 2021, 93,450 Indians emigrated to the US, as per an NDTV
report. This jumped to 1.27 lakh people in 2022, but steeply declined
to 78,070 people in 2023.Other nations that don't qualify for DV1 visas
for 2026 include China, South Korea, Canada, and Pakistan.
Brown and MIT prof shooter suspect Neves Valente is found dead, authorities say-Published Thu, Dec 18 20259:54 PM EST-Dan Mangan
Key Points
The
man suspected of the shooting at Brown University that killed two
students and wounded nine others Saturday, and killing an MIT professor
days later, was found dead in Salem, New Hampshire.
The suspect was identified as Claudio Manuel Neves Valente.
The
Massachusetts Institute of Technology professor, Nuno Gomes Loureiro,
is believed to have attended the same university at Valente in their
native Portugal.
The man suspected of the shooting at Brown
University that killed two students and injured nine others last
Saturday, and then of killing a Massachusetts Institute of Technology
professor days later, was found dead from suicide on Thursday,
authorities said.“There’s no longer a threat to the public,” the U.S.
Attorney’s Office in Boston said in a statement.The suspect in the
shootings was identified as Claudio Manuel Neves Valente, a 48-year-old
Portuguese national who had been a graduate student in physics at Brown
in the early 2000s. Neves Valente most recently lived in
Miami.Authorities announced his identity and suspected role in the Brown
shooting hours after his body was discovered in a storage unit in
Salem, New Hampshire, with guns found at the scene.Providence, Rhode
Island, police had obtained a warrant for Neves Valente’s arrest
charging him with two counts of murder, and multiple assault and
firearms counts related to the shooting Saturday afternoon in an
auditorium at Brown’s Barus & Holley Building, where a group of
students were taking an exam review for Principles of Economics.The MIT
professor, Nuno Gomes Loureiro, 47, was found shot in his home in
Brookline, Massachusetts, on Monday, and died at a hospital on
Tuesday.Authorities said they had identified Neves Valente as their
suspect on Wednesday after a man who noticed him hanging around Brown’s
campus, and who had had a confrontation with him before the shooting
there, described their interactions to police.“He blew this case right
open,” Rhode Island Attorney General Peter Neronha said of that witness,
at a press conference.“Earlier this evening, law enforcement tracked
Neves Valente to a Salem, New Hampshire storage unit,” the Rhode Island
Attorney General’s Office said in a statement. “After obtaining a
federal search warrant for the unit, authorities entered and found Neves
Valente deceased from a self-inflicted gunshot wound.”Neves Valente had
been a PhD program student in physics at Brown.He is believed to have
attended the same university in Lisbon, Portugal, as Loureiro, who was a
member of MIT’s departments of nuclear science and engineering and
physics.Neves Valente is the “individual we believe responsible for the
Brown shooting,” FBI Special-Agent-in-Charge Ted Docks said at a press
conference in Providence.“Many questions need to be answered,” said
Docks.Authorities did not disclose a motive for the slayings.Authorities
believe Neves Valente acted alone and that he eluded capture for days
because he was traveling in a rental car whose license plates he kept
changing.But authorities managed to track the rental, which was
originally made in Boston, and were able to identify Neves Valente
through that, and to learn that he had rented the storage unit in Salem
where he was found.Brown University President Christina Paxson said, “It
is safe to assume that this man, when he was a student, spent a lot of
time in that building,” Barus & Holley, where Saturday’s shooting
occurred.The last class Neves Valente took at Brown was in 2001 before
going on a leave of absence.Authorities said he is believed to have
originally been in the United States on a student visa and obtained
lawful permanent resident status in 2017.
IDF: Hezbollah
operative nabbed last year was key to group’s ‘secret maritime
file’Military says Imad Amhaz was member of Hezbollah’s coast-to-sea
missile unit, involved in advancing classified project directed by
former terror chief Nasrallah By Emanuel Fabian-Today, 1:29 pm-DEC 19,25
The
Israel Defense Forces on Friday revealed new information on a raid
carried out by naval commandos last year, during which a “significant”
Hezbollah operative was nabbed.On November 1, 2024, members of the
Israeli Navy’s elite Shayetet 13 unit arrived from the sea and raided a
chalet on the coast of Batroun, south of Tripoli — some 140 kilometers
(87 miles) north of Israel’s maritime border with Lebanon.The commandos
captured Imad Amhaz, whom the military said on Friday was “one of the
most significant figures in Hezbollah’s secret maritime file and a
member of the coast-to-sea missile unit (7900).”In an unusual move, the
IDF published footage of his interrogation.As part of his role in the
coast-to-sea missile unit, Amhaz “received military training in Iran and
Lebanon and gained extensive maritime expertise and experience for the
purpose of carrying out maritime terror attacks,” the IDF’s
Arabic-language spokesman, Col. Avichay Adraee, said on X.Adraee said
that Amhaz had trained at a civilian Lebanese maritime institute, “which
constitutes another example of Hezbollah’s cynical exploitation of
Lebanese civilian institutions to advance its terror
activities.”According to Adraee, Amhaz told interrogators he held a key
role in Hezbollah’s “secret maritime file” and provided sensitive
intelligence on the unit, described as one of the group’s most secret
projects, using civilian cover to build maritime terror infrastructure
targeting Israeli and international targets.He said that the project was
directed by Hassan Nasrallah, the terror group’s former leader, and
Fuad Shukr, Hezbollah’s former military chief — both of whom were killed
by Israel — as well as Ali Abd al-Hassan Nour al-Din, “head of the
secret maritime file.”Adraee said the IDF was able to disrupt
Hezbollah’s progress in advancing the secret maritime file “at a
critical point in time,” as a result of the elimination of the terror
group’s leadership and the information provided by Amhaz in his
interrogation.The commando raid took place at the height of an Israeli
ground offensive against Hezbollah in southern Lebanon, several weeks
before a ceasefire between Israel and the terror group, which mostly
brought a halt to more than a year of hostilities.Since the ceasefire,
the IDF said it has killed over 380 Hezbollah operatives and members of
allied terror groups in strikes, hit hundreds of Hezbollah sites, and
conducted over 1,200 raids and other small operations in southern
Lebanon — saying it has been operating against Hezbollah violations of
the truce.Weakened by the war and still facing regular Israeli strikes,
Hezbollah is under internal and international pressure to hand over its
weapons, with the Lebanese army having drawn up a plan to disarm it.
Swimmers
paddle out to sea to honor victims-Four more victims of Bondi attack
laid to rest, including couple that tackled terrorist-Boris and Sofia
Gurman died ‘not just because they were Jewish, but fighting for being
Jewish,’ says rabbi; ‘Charitable’ Edith Brutman, ‘gentle’ Boris
Tetleroyd also memorialized-By ToI Staff and Agencies Today, 1:28 pm-DEC
19,25
Four people killed in the antisemitic terror attack in
Sydney on Sunday were laid to rest Friday, including a couple who were
shot dead after tackling one of the two terrorists who killed 15 people
and wounded dozens at the Hanukkah candle-lighting event on Bondi
Beach.Boris and Sofia Gurman were buried at the Chevra Kadisha in
Woollahra, and Edith Brutman and Boris Tetleroyd were buried at the
Rookwood Cemetery in Lidcombe, according to local media.Senior Sydney
Rabbi Yehoram Ulman, whose son-in-law Rabbi Eli Schlanger was also
killed in the terror attack, led all four funerals on Friday.“Yesterday
we buried a 10-year-old girl; it’s been years since I’ve seen two
coffins next to each other,” said Ulman at the Gurmans’ funeral.“Boris
and Sofia were taken from us, not just because they were Jewish, but
fighting for being Jewish,” said Ulman.Ulman, who, like the Gurmans, was
born in the Soviet Union, read aloud a statement by their son Alex, who
was wounded in the attack.“If you were lucky enough to know Sofia and
Boris, you didn’t just know them, you felt their presence in your life,”
the statement said. It described how Sofia, 61, and Boris, 69, left
Ukraine after Alex was born.“They started from ground zero in Sydney, in
a new country with a new language, and a completely new life. They
bought their first house in Bondi, and over time, Sydney became their
home.”The Guardian reported that Ulman wept as he described how Alex
expressed concern that his parents were distant from their Jewish
faith.“You thought your parents were very far from Judaism, you told me.
But I will tell you, they were closer than all of us,” he said.Speaking
later at the funeral for Brutman, who was vice president of the New
South Wales branch of B’nai Brith, Ulman said Brutman, 68, was
“charitable in every way,” the Australian Broadcasting Corporation
reported.“And she did it with love, with devotion and without being
asked,” said Ulman.“Edith wasn’t just a part of our lives; she was a
very, very vocal part of our lives. But her love, her loyalty, her
devotion, was really unique in every way,” he said.Boris Tetleroyd,
whose son Yakov was seriously injured in the terror attack, was
memorialized by his family as “a gentle man, a gifted musician and a
valued member of his community,” according to a statement cited in
Australian media.“He was well known to his neighbors, deeply connected
to our wider community, and cherished by his family,” said the
statement.Also on Friday, Australia’s Jewish community gathered at Bondi
Beach for prayers, while hundreds of swimmers and surfers formed a huge
circle in the waters off the beach to honor the victims of Sunday’s
terror attack.“They slaughtered innocent victims, and today I’m swimming
out there and being part of my community again to bring back the
light,” security consultant Jason Carr told AFP.“We’re still burying
bodies. But I just felt it was important,” the 53-year-old said. “I’m
not going to let someone so evil, someone so dark, stop me from doing
what I do and what I enjoy doing.”Carole Schlessinger, a 58-year-old
chief executive of a children’s charity, said there was a “beautiful
energy” at the ocean gathering.“To be together is such an important way
of trying to deal with what’s going on,” she told AFP.“It was really
lovely to be part of it. I personally am feeling very numb. I’m feeling
super angry. I’m feeling furious.”Community leaders described the
support as deeply moving amid heightened fears over a surge in
antisemitic incidents.“Over the past two years, there’s been a lot of
people who have been questioning whether we’re still welcome here in
Australia because we saw people calling for our death on the streets on a
weekly basis,” Rabbi Yosef Eichenblatt from Sydney’s Central Synagogue
told ABC News after attending the paddle-out event.“So it’s been so
heart-warming to see the outpouring of love and support. It’s really so
therapeutic.”
Interview-‘From the river to the sea’ chant is
antisemitic, says France’s human rights envoy-Speaking to The Times of
Israel from Jaffa days after deadly Sydney shooting, Isabelle
Lonvis-Rome says attacking Israel’s ‘existence’ is intolerable-By Lazar
Berman-Today, 1:23 pm-DEC 19,25
Some chants routinely heard at
anti-Israel, pro-Palestinian protests around the world are antisemitic,
said France’s human rights ambassador, two days after 15 people were
killed in a shooting attack at a Sydney Hanukkah event.“‘From the river
to the sea.’ We consider that to have an antisemitic purpose,” Isabelle
Lonvis-Rome told The Times of Israel during an interview in Jaffa.
“That’s clear.”Lonvis-Rome, whose remit includes the fight against
antisemitism and perpetuating the memory of the Holocaust, was in Israel
to represent France at the Jerusalem Plenary of the International
Holocaust Remembrance Alliance at Yad Vashem, which Israel currently
heads.Antisemitism has skyrocketed worldwide, including in France, since
Hamas launched its war against Israel on October 7, 2023.Antisemitic
acts in France nearly quadrupled in 2024, with 1,570 incidents recorded,
or 62 percent of all religious hate crimes in the country, according to
the Jewish organization Conseil Représentatif des Institutions Juives
de France (CRIF).Of these, 65% included violent aggression against
people, and over 10% were physical assaults. This surge has created a
climate where French Jews increasingly feel the need to hide their
identity, such as by removing mezuzahs from homes or changing their
names online, the report said.Antisemitism in France increasingly
targets students, with the Ministry of National Education reporting a
420% increase in antisemitic acts in schools during the 2023-2024 school
year. Surveys show that 64% of the French population believes Jews have
reason to fear living in France, the report noted.The spike in
antisemitism has been accompanied by frequent mass rallies against
Israel, often featuring calls like “Globalize the intifada” and “From
the river to the sea, Palestine will be free.”“What is sure is that to
attack the existence of the state of Israel is antisemitic,” said
Lonvis-Rome. “When we speak about anti-Zionism, I prefer to say very
clearly, it’s forbidden to attack the existence of the state of
Israel.”She argued that there must be increased efforts to combat
antisemitism online as well, because it can lead to physical attacks on
Jews.“Social media has a very dramatic role and antisemitic speech, for
me, is very important,” said Lonvis-Rome. “We must fight against
antisemitic speech because I think that antisemitic speech is the step
before antisemitic violence.”In her previous position as France’s
minister for gender equality, diversity and equal opportunities,
Lonvis-Rome led the crafting of France’s latest four-year national plan
to fight antisemitism and racism.In her current post, she meets
regularly with international human rights agencies, many of which Israel
accuses of being biased against the Jewish state.Lonvis-Rome disagrees
with that assessment: “Personally, I don’t see this problem. I think
that… the fight against antisemitism must be disconnected from
politics.”During her visit to Israel, Lonvis-Rome’s first, she visited
Area C in the West Bank, met with civil rights activists fighting
against the death penalty for terrorists legislation, and with groups
like B’Tselem that accuse Israel of committing genocide in Gaza.She also
visited the site of the Nova music festival near the Gaza border, where
Hamas murdered 378 people and kidnapped dozens more on October 7.“It’s
also a way to be close to the Jewish people and to say that France is
supporting them and that France has a very specific policy to fight
against antisemitism,” she said of the visit.She insisted that the fight
against antisemitism “must be unconditional and universal.”At the same
time, she stressed that “it’s not my role to fight against antisemitism
in the Middle East.”Polls consistently show that antisemitism is higher
in the Middle East and North Africa than anywhere else in the world. An
Anti-Defamation League survey released earlier this year found that over
75% of those in the MENA region harbor antisemitic attitudes, including
97% of Palestinians and Kuwaitis.“The fight against antisemitism must
be treated outside of politics, and that, within the context of the
Middle East, it’s really hard to disconnect antisemitism from
geopolitics,” she explained. “It’s a tough thing to do, and especially
for France, which is outside the Middle East. It’s harder for us from
outside.”Zev Stub contributed to this report.
Turkey said hoping
to return Russian air defense systems to clear way for F-35 sale-Kremlin
denies Putin discussed issue with Erdogan during a meeting last week,
as Ankara considers how best to bolster its fleet of aging aircraft-By
ToI Staff and Reuters 18 December 2025, 9:45 pm
Turkey is looking
to return the S-400 air defense systems that it purchased from Russia
in 2017, hoping that doing so will clear the way for it to purchase F-35
fighter jets from the United States, Bloomberg News reported Wednesday,
citing Turkish and Russian officials familiar with the matter.According
to the report, Turkey’s President Recep Tayyip Erdogan raised the issue
with his Russian counterpart, President Vladimir Putin, when the pair
met on the sidelines of a summit in Turkmenistan last week.Ankara is
also hoping to receive a refund if it returns the S-400 systems,
Bloomberg reported, which could be granted in the form of discounted oil
and natural gas imports from Russia.The Kremlin denied the contents of
the report on Thursday, saying that the matter of returning the S-400
systems “was not on the agenda” when the two leaders met. Turkey
declined to comment on the report.Turkey has expressed interest in
buying a number of F-35 jets from the US, but it is currently barred
from doing so due to its 2017 purchase of Russian-made S-400 air defense
systems.Last week, US Ambassador to Turkey Tom Barrack said that the
countries were holding “fruitful” talks on the potential sale of the
advanced stealth fighters.“As laid out in US law, Turkey must no longer
operate nor possess the S-400 system to return to the F-35 program,”
Barrack wrote on X.“The positive relationship between President Trump
and President Erdogan has created a new atmosphere of cooperation, which
has led to the most fruitful conversations we have had on this topic in
nearly a decade,” he said.“Our hope is that these talks will yield a
breakthrough in the coming months that meets both the security
requirements of the United States and Turkey,” Barrack added.During US
President Donald Trump’s first term, the US removed Turkey, a NATO ally,
from its flagship F-35 fighter jet program, after Ankara purchased the
S-400 surface-to-air missile system from Russia. US officials worried
that Turkey’s use of the missile defense system could be used to gather
data on the capabilities of the F-35 and that the information could end
up in Russian hands.Israel has expressed concern in the past over the
potential sale of the advanced F-35 fighter jets to Turkey and other
nearby countries, as it is anxious to preserve its qualitative military
edge in the region.Today, Israel is the only country in the Middle East
with F-35s in its arsenal, currently operating 45 of the aircraft with
another 30 units on order.However, Trump recently announced the sale of
F-35s to Saudi Arabia, sparking worry in the Jewish state. US officials
and defense experts have told Reuters that the jets to be sold to the
Saudis will be less advanced than those used by the IDF.In recent
months, Turkey, which has the NATO alliance’s second-largest military,
has aimed to leverage its best relations with the West in years to add
to its aging fleet 40 Eurofighter Typhoons and later also US-made F-35
jets.Ankara has seen success in its bid for new Eurofighter Typhoons, as
British Prime Minister Keir Starmer announced in October that the UK
would sell Turkey 20 new Eurofighters. Until those are ready, Turkey
said it will acquire 12 Eurofighters from Qatar and 12 from Oman to
bolster its fleet.Erdogan is one of the world’s most outspoken critics
of Israel, often accusing Israel of genocide over the past two years of
war, comparing it to Nazi Germany and likening Prime Minister Benjamin
Netanyahu to Adolf Hitler.He has also cozied up to Hamas over the years,
hosting top officials and calling the terror group “freedom fighters.”
Report:
Netanyahu, Trump planned Iran strike far in advance, ran deception
campaign-Washington Post says two leaders began plotting attack in
February, leaked false stories to US and Israeli media painting daylight
between countries’ policies toward Tehran-By Lazar Berman-17 December
2025, 11:55 pm
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and US President
Donald Trump began planning for a potential strike on Iran’s nuclear
program after a meeting in February 2025, and developed an elaborate
public deception program, The Washington Post reported Wednesday.During
the February meeting, their first under Trump’s second term, Netanyahu
presented Trump with four options on what an attack on Iran could look
like, according to the report. The four scenarios were an exclusively
Israeli attack, an attack led by Israel with minimal US help, full
collaboration, and a US-led assault.While Trump chose to give nuclear
diplomacy an opportunity, the intelligence-sharing and preparations for
an attack continued, per the report. “The thinking was, if talks fail,
we are ready to go,” said one person familiar with the details.As they
moved closer to a strike, the two leaders sought to lull Iran into
complacency.On June 12, Trump said that he preferred a negotiated
solution to a military strike. Israeli officials leaked word that top
Netanyahu adviser Ron Dermer and Mossad director David Barnea would be
meeting senior White House envoy Steve Witkoff in the near future, and a
round of nuclear talks between the US and Iran was scheduled for June
15.Both countries also leaked signs that there were tensions between
them. “All the reports that were written about Bibi not being on the
same page with Witkoff or Trump were not true,” said a person familiar
with the details. “But it was good that this was the general perception;
it helped to move on with the planning without many people noticing
it.”According to the US outlet, in preparation for the attack, the
Mossad intelligence agency armed more than 100 Iranian agents, some of
whom were trained in Israel.They were given specific missions, but were
not told that it was part of a broad assault on Iran’s nuclear and
ballistic missile program.“This operation is unprecedented in history,”
an Israeli official said. “We mobilized our own assets and agents to go
close to Tehran and launch the ground operation before the air force
could enter Iranian airspace.”Some Iranian agents were given a
three-piece “special weapon” designed for precision strikes, a senior
Israeli security official added.Iran managed to retrieve some of the
launchers, but not the missiles or a “secret third component,” said the
Israeli official.Israel also assassinated 11 senior Iranian nuclear
scientists in the early stages of the attack, in what it called
Operation Narnia. To prepare, according to The Washington Post, Israel
chose around a dozen top scientists from an initial list of 100, and
closely tracked each one and their movements, homes, and work.A senior
Israeli intelligence officer said that Israel tried to minimize
collateral damage as much as possible, though dozens of civilians were
killed in the strikes.During the war, while Israel was hammering Iran’s
nuclear and ballistic missile programs, Trump made another, secret offer
to Iran on June 15. The offer was far less favorable to Iran than
previous ones, and would see Iran stop supporting armed proxies and shut
down its enrichment facilities. Trump would then lift all sanctions,
according to the offer.The US sent the offer to Iran via Qatar, but the
Iranians rejected it, and Trump decided to join the Israeli operation,
according to a senior diplomat.Israel said its sweeping assault on
Iran’s top military leaders, nuclear scientists, uranium enrichment
sites, and ballistic missile program was necessary to prevent the
Islamic Republic from realizing its avowed plan to destroy the Jewish
state.Iran has consistently denied seeking to acquire nuclear weapons.
However, it enriched uranium to levels that have no peaceful
application, obstructed international inspectors from checking its
nuclear facilities, and expanded its ballistic missile
capabilities.Israel said Iran had recently taken steps toward
weaponization. Iran retaliated to Israel’s strikes by launching over 500
ballistic missiles and around 1,100 drones at Israel.The attacks killed
32 people and wounded over 3,000 in Israel, according to health
officials and hospitals.In all, there were 36 missile impacts and one
drone strike in populated areas, causing damage to 2,305 homes in 240
buildings, along with two universities and a hospital, and leaving over
13,000 Israelis displaced.
Israeli, Lebanese officials meet
directly for 2nd time amid efforts to maintain truce-Meeting attended by
security and civilian officials; PM’s office says ‘economic
initiatives’ were the focus; US reports the sides agreed political and
economic progress crucial to stabilityBy ToI Staff, Agencies and Lazar
Berman-Today, 6:03 pm-DEC 19,25
Israeli and Lebanese officials
met directly in the southern Lebanon town of Naqoura on Friday, as the
two enemy states look to maintain the year-old ceasefire in the war with
Hezbollah, amid fears that conflict with the Iran-backed terror group
could soon erupt again.Friday’s forum was the 15th time the so-called
“Pentalateral” committee, aimed at preserving the ceasefire has
convened, though it was only the second time in decades that Israeli and
Lebanese civilian officials have met directly, after a meeting earlier
this month. Lebanon and Israel have been officially enemy nations since
the Jewish state’s founding in 1948.Representing Israel at the meeting
was National Security Council official Joseph (Yossi) Draznin, replacing
his deputy, Eli Resnick, who represented Israel at the first direct
talks on December 3.The talks, which were held at the UN peacekeeping
force’s headquarters in the coastal border town, were also attended by a
number of civilian representatives from the two countries.According to
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office, the meeting examined “ways
to advance economic initiatives in order to demonstrate the mutual
interest in removing the Hezbollah threat and to ensure sustainable
security for residents on both sides of the border.”The meeting was “a
continuation of the security dialogue aimed at ensuring the disarmament
of Hezbollah by the Lebanese Armed Forces,” the PMO said in a
statement.While the meeting was ostensibly about economic cooperation,
Axios’s Barak Ravid reported, citing a source familiar with the details,
that it was unofficially aimed at preventing a resumption of the
war.The report seemed to be confirmed by the US Embassy in Beirut, which
said Friday’s talks focused on addressing civilian issues to help
prevent renewed war.“Civilian participants, in parallel, focused on
setting conditions for residents to return safely to their homes,
advancing reconstruction, and addressing economic priorities,” the
embassy said.The statement added that military participants gave
“operational updates and remained focused on deepening the
military-to-military cooperation by finding ways to increase
coordination.”The Lebanese and Israeli participants agreed that durable
political and economic progress was essential to reinforcing security
gains and ensuring long-term stability and prosperity, the embassy
said.A source familiar with the discussions told Reuters they also
addressed disputes over how to limit weaponry south of the Litani River
and deploying the Lebanese army into the Hezbollah.The committee added
that a strengthened Lebanese army, which participants described as the
guarantor of security south of the Litani River but was for many years
outgunned by Hezbollah, was critical to sustaining stability.Lebanese
President Joseph Aoun affirmed the priority of returning residents of
border villages to their homes, the Lebanese presidency said in a
statement, adding that the committee would reconvene on January 7.On
Thursday, French, Saudi Arabian and American officials met in Paris with
the head of the Lebanese army, in talks aimed at finalizing a roadmap
to a mechanism for Hezbollah’s disarmament, as an end-of-year deadline
nears for Lebanon’s central government to disarm the group.Israel has
been ramping up its military operations in Lebanon in recent weeks, amid
reports of a possible widescale Israeli offensive targeting Hezbollah,
despite a ceasefire that began in November 2024.Under the terms of the
ceasefire, Hezbollah was required to vacate southern Lebanon, while
Israel was given 60 days to do so. The IDF later withdrew from all but
five posts along the border with Lebanon, citing the incomplete
dismantling of Hezbollah’s infrastructure in the country’s south.In
addition to hundreds of airstrikes amid the ceasefire, the military
said, ground troops have conducted over 1,200 raids and other small
operations in southern Lebanon, mostly in areas surrounding the five
“strategic” border posts, to prevent Hezbollah from restoring its
capabilities.Israel invaded Lebanon in September 2024 in a bid to secure
the return home of some 60,000 residents displaced by Hezbollah’s
near-daily attacks on northern Israel starting October 8, 2023 — a day
after fellow Iran-backed group Hamas invaded southern Israel, sparking
the war in Gaza.
IPC monitor says ‘famine conditions’ over but
Gaza food security still ‘critical’; Israel rejects findings-COGAT slams
‘distorted and biased’ report, says 500,000 tons of food has entered
Strip since ceasefire, well over the enclave’s nutritional requirements
as stated by the IPC-By Jeremy Sharon-Today, 4:57 pm-DEC 19,25
The
IPC famine monitoring organization stated on Friday that food security
conditions in the entire Gaza Strip “remain critical,” in a new report
covering the second half of October and all of November that classified
the territory as being in its “Emergency” Phase 4 category — the fourth
highest of its five levels of food insecurity.The organization said,
however, that the situation has improved since the ceasefire between
Israel and Hamas went into effect on October 10 due to increased volumes
of aid going into the territory, and changed its determination of Gaza
from Phase 5 — Catastrophe — in July and August to Phase 4.In the IPC’s
August report, it said “famine” had broken out in Gaza during the second
half of July and throughout August. But its new report found that
“famine conditions” were no longer prevailing in that district, or
anywhere else in the territory. Israel’s COGAT agency, which coordinates
the entry of aid into Gaza, strongly rejected the IPC’s findings that
the humanitarian situation in the Strip remained critical.It described
the IPC report as a “distorted, biased and unfounded picture of the
humanitarian situation,” which suffered from “severe gaps in data
collection” and relies on “sources that do not reflect the full scope of
humanitarian assistance.”COGAT also stated that some 500,000 metric
tons of food have entered the territory since October 10, far
outweighing the needs of the Gaza population according to metrics from
the World Food Programme, and as accepted by the IPC itself.According to
the new study, some one million people faced high levels of acute food
insecurity ranking as IPC Phase 3 between 16 October and 30 November
2025, while 500,000 people were still in Emergency Phase 4 levels of
food insecurity, and 100,000 people were still in Phase 5 — Catastrophe.
The organization projected that these conditions would improve in the
period from December to April however.“Despite the improved situation,
the population of the Gaza Strip still faces high levels of acute food
insecurity and acute malnutrition. Although humanitarian assistance,
including food aid, has increased, only basic survival needs are being
met,” the organization claimed.“While humanitarian aid is ongoing, it
barely meets people’s survival needs,” the IPC study said, adding
“People’s diets remain poor” and that while “more nutritious foods, such
as fresh vegetables and fruits are available in markets, most families
cannot afford to buy them.”
It also stated that hygiene and sanitation
conditions “continue to be very poor, accelerating the spread of acute
respiratory infections (ARIs), diarrhea and skin infections, especially
among children.”COGAT, however, vigorously challenged the IPC study’s
findings.“COGAT strongly rejects the claims and conclusions presented in
the IPC report published today (Friday), which once again portrays a
distorted, biased and unfounded picture of the humanitarian situation in
the Gaza Strip.” the agency said of the new study.“The report relies on
severe gaps in data collection and on sources that do not reflect the
full scope of humanitarian assistance. As such, it misleads the
international community, fuels disinformation, and presents a false
depiction of the reality on the ground.”COGAT pointed out that between
600 to 800 aid trucks have been entering the Gaza Strip every day since
late October, 70 percent of which carry food aid.“In this context,
nearly 30,000 food trucks carrying more than 500,000 tons of food
entered the Gaza Strip throughout the ceasefire period,” the agency
said.The new IPC report also failed to include consolidated, weighted
data on malnutrition rates in Gaza with which it would be able to
evaluate its claims from August that famine had broken out in the Gaza
governorate.Such data is readily available from the Global Nutrition
Cluster organization, which monitors malnutrition on the ground around
the world, including in Gaza, and which has found that malnutrition
rates never crossed famine levels even in July and August, and actually
remained 23 percent under that level even at the peak of food
insecurity.The IPC itself uses Global Nutrition Cluster data in its
reports, including in the latest update on Gaza, but failed to show the
consolidated, weighted data used by that organization.According to
consolidated, weighted malnutrition data from the Global Nutrition
Cluster’s State of Palestine department, malnutrition peaked in July and
August, and then steadily improved in September, October and
November.The new IPC report did for the first time include data on
non-trauma mortality rates in Gaza during 2025, one of IPC’s three key
metrics for determining whether famine has broken out.The organization
asserted, however, that the data was incomplete. The data it did present
from the Hamas-run Gaza health ministry did show non-trauma mortality
and deaths specifically attributed to malnutrition having spiked in July
and August.But those rates nevertheless appear well under the threshold
for famine, although the specific metrics available were different from
those usually used to evaluate famine conditions.“The manner in which
the IPC conducted itself during the preparation of the report raises
serious questions regarding its credibility and professional integrity,”
said COGAT.The authors of the report agreed to meet with Israeli
professional officials and representatives of the US Civil-Military
Coordination Center (CMCC) only after the report had already been
written and its conclusions formulated.“During the meeting, the authors
were presented with complete, daily and verified data regarding the
volume of food trucks entering the Gaza Strip,” COGAT said. “Despite
this, the IPC chose to present a series of excuses regarding the use of
the data and relied only partially on the information provided. This
conduct does not reflect a legitimate professional disagreement, but
rather biased writing based on partial and skewed data, indicating that
the report’s conclusions were determined in advance.”
Russian
citizen in Israel on work permit indicted over suspected espionage tied
to Iran-Prosecutors accuse Vitaly Zvyagintsev of sending Iranian agent
footage of military vessels and strategic area before he was arrested at
airbase earlier this month-By Charlie Summers-and Reuters Today, 4:45
pm-DEC 19,25
Prosecutors have indicted a Russian national on
espionage charges after he was arrested on suspicion of spying for
Iranian interests, the State Attorney’s Office said Friday.Vitaly
Zvyagintsev, a Russian citizen who had been living in Israel on a work
permit, is accused of taking pictures of sensitive sites across the
country for an Iranian agent.Zyvagintsev and the agent were in contact
from early October until December 4, when the Russian citizen was
arrested at an air force base, the State Attorney’s Office
said.Zvyagintsev allegedly photographed the ports of Eilat, Haifa and
Ashdod, as well as the Herzliya Marina, and sent the documentation to
his handler. The defendant is also accused of traveling to Nesher Park,
which overlooks parts of Haifa, in order to film oil refineries in the
city.The defendant also allegedly photographed military vessels,
including an armed merchant cruiser belonging to the US Navy and a
Dolphin-class submarine belonging to the Israeli Navy.He was paid
hundreds of dollars in cryptocurrency for each task, prosecutors said.He
was arrested earlier this month at the Ramat David Air Force Base,
where he tried to carry out another espionage mission, according to
prosecutors. He had taken photos of the site, but was arrested by
security forces before he could pass them onto his handler, the
indictment said.Though police usually coordinate with the Shin Bet to
investigate Iranian espionage cases, the probe was overseen jointly by
the Shin Bet and the Director of Security of the Defense Establishment,
an internal Defense Ministry investigatory unit known by its Hebrew
acronym Malmab.The defendant was charged in the Central District Court
on Friday with maintaining contact with a foreign agent and passing
information to the enemy.Israel has arrested dozens of citizens who
allegedly spied for Iran, in what sources told Reuters has been Tehran’s
biggest effort in decades to infiltrate its arch foe.The arrests follow
repeated efforts by Iranian intelligence operatives over the years to
recruit ordinary Israelis to gather intelligence and carry out attacks
in exchange for money.In a statement sent to media in 2024 following a
wave of arrests by Israel of Jewish citizens suspected of spying for
Iran, Iran’s UN mission did not confirm or deny seeking to recruit
Israelis and said that “from a logical standpoint,” any such efforts by
Iranian intelligence services would focus on non-Iranian and non-Muslim
individuals to lessen suspicion.Following the 12-day war between Israel
and Iran in June, Iran has executed dozens of people it accuses of
having links with the Mossad and facilitating its operations in the
country.
Former PM Ehud Barak seen in a new Epstein estate image
released by US Congress-Latest batch of 68 photos, published a day
before US Justice Department’s deadline to release files, includes
close-up of ‘Lolita’ quotes written in black ink across a woman’s
body-By ToI Staff and Reuters Today, 3:44 pm-DEC 19,25
Former
prime minister Ehud Barak appears in one of the dozens of photos that
Democrats in the US Congress released from the estate of the late
convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein on Thursday.An undated photo
shows Barak seated at a table between billionaire Thomas Pritzker and
director Woody Allen, with magician David Blaine standing to the side.
Epstein, who died by suicide in federal prison after he was charged with
sex trafficking of young women, can be seen standing between Barak and
Allen.Barak reportedly met with Epstein dozens of times beginning in
2013, Barak’s final year as Israel’s defense minister. The former
premier has previously defended his business dealings with Epstein,
saying he believed Epstein had already paid his debt to society for an
earlier charge of soliciting prostitution from a minor. Blaine, Pritzker
and Allen could not immediately be reached for comment.The previously
unreleased photo of Barak was one of 68 images that Democrats on the US
House Oversight Committee released on Thursday, a day before the US
Justice Department is required by law to release unclassified files from
its investigation of the disgraced financier.The latest batch of images
includes close-ups of sentences from “Lolita,” a book about a man’s
obsession with a 12-year-old girl, scribbled in black ink across a
woman’s body — chest, foot, neck and back; redacted identification cards
of women from Russia, Morocco, Italy, Czech Republic, South Africa,
Ukraine and Lithuania; and a late-night text thread about sending girls
for someone identified as “j” for $1,000 each.The 68 photos are among
some 95,000 that Epstein’s estate released to the US House Oversight
Committee. Last week, oversight Democrats released 19 photos, including
some featuring now-US President Donald Trump, who dismissed the images
as “no big deal.” Billionaire Microsoft founder Bill Gates, professor
and left-wing activist Noam Chomsky and former Trump aide Steve Bannon
are also pictured in the latest images.Representatives for Gates,
Chomsky and Bannon did not immediately respond to requests for
comment.Democrats on the Oversight Committee said the images released
Thursday “were selected to provide the public with transparency into a
representative sample of the photos” and “to provide insights into
Epstein’s network and his extremely disturbing activities.”Democrats
said they had thousands more images, “both graphic and mundane,” which
they are continuing to analyze.“Oversight Democrats will continue to
release photographs and documents from the Epstein estate to provide
transparency for the American people,” said California Representative
Robert Garcia, top Democrat on the Oversight Committee. “As we approach
the deadline for the Epstein Files Transparency Act, these new images
raise more questions about what exactly the Department of Justice has in
its possession. We must end this White House cover-up, and the DOJ must
release the Epstein files now.”White House spokeswoman Abigail Jackson
said the latest release changes nothing.“President Trump has been
consistently calling for transparency related to the Epstein files and
his administration has delivered,” she said in a statement.The US
Congress voted overwhelmingly last month to release the Epstein files,
two days after Trump announced his support for the move in an about-face
that followed months of trying to scuttle it.
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