Researcher sounds alarm on PA persecution of Christians
A Christian researcher says Christians living under Palestinian Authority rule face intimidation, religious restrictions, and economic pressure. He estimates that Christians have declined from 80% of Bethlehem’s population before the Oslo Accords to just 7% today.
Elias Zarina, a Christian researcher at the Jerusalem Center for Applied Policy who previously belonged to the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine’s student cell, described what he called a climate of fear among Christians living under Palestinian Authority control in an interview with Arutz Sheva - Israel National News. Zarina argued that Christians have little genuine influence over Palestinian Authority decision-making, despite the presence of Christian figures in senior positions. He also criticized the Authority’s democratic credentials, noting that elections have not been held since 2005.
According to Zarina, Christians who embrace a Western lifestyle face particular pressure. He claimed that, in Bethlehem, local Fatah officials and Popular Front activists have sent masked individuals to businesses displaying Christmas decorations, discouraging celebrations in solidarity with Gaza during the war.
Obama accuses Jews of ‘excessively’ taking land from Palestinians
Former President Barack Obama has sparked criticism after accusing Jews who fled persecution in Europe of taking land from Palestinians during the establishment of Israel, prompting allegations that he distorted the Jewish state’s history and disregarded the Jewish people’s ancient connection to the Land of Israel.
Iran tells Hezbollah to increase readiness, prepare for potential conflict - report
Iran has instructed Hezbollah forces to raise their level of military readiness in preparation for a possible upcoming confrontation, Lebanese security and military sources told the Emirati site Erem News on Thursday.
According to the sources, all full-time Hezbollah members who receive monthly salaries were summoned, although it was emphasized that these directions were only preparations for a near-term scenario and not a final decision to go to war.
One prominent change in Hezbollah’s strategy, according to the sources, was adopting elements of Iran’s “mosaic defense” doctrine, which decentralizes military responsibilities and reduces reliance on a central command hierarchy.
Report: US considers using ‘Mother of All Bombs’ against Iran
The U.S. military has developed new strike plans that include the possible use of the GBU-43/B Massive Ordnance Air Blast (MOAB), known as the “Mother of All Bombs,” against Iranian energy infrastructure and nuclear sites if President Donald Trump orders a resumption of hostilities, CNN reported, citing U.S. officials.
The MOAB, the most powerful non-nuclear bomb in the U.S. arsenal, weighs approximately 21,600 pounds. Its use would mark a significant escalation, although questions remain about its effectiveness against heavily fortified underground facilities. The weapon is designed to devastate large areas and could cause civilian casualties through collateral damage. It was last used in Afghanistan in 2017.
The White House and Pentagon declined to comment on specific military plans. Trump has said he will not launch strikes before the November midterm elections, but military options are reportedly being considered for the period afterward.
US Space Force electromagnetic weapons played key role in Venezuela, Iran operations - report
US Space Force electromagnetic weapons played a crucial role in US military operations in Venezuela and Iran, The Wall Street Journal reported on Wednesday.
The WSJ was granted access to a US Space Force base in Colorado, where it was shown some of the Pentagon’s space warfare capabilities, including systems designed to disrupt enemy satellites and detect threats to the US military.
Among the weapons demonstrated was Meadowlands, an offensive system that can jam enemy satellites and disrupt their communications.
According to the WSJ, these satellites are used for surveillance, communications, and navigation.
Meadowlands often operates alongside a defensive system known as Bounty Hunter, which scans the electromagnetic spectrum to detect and locate potential threats to US forces, the report explained. Commanders can then pinpoint the location of a specific threat and order a defensive strike.
EU Digital ID Could Become The Default Way To Prove Identity To Banks
The EU’s anti-money laundering authority wants electronic ID, including the bloc’s European Digital Identity (EUDI) wallet, to become the standard way people prove their identity to banks.
Remote alternatives such as video and selfie checks will still be allowed, but only as an exception that the bank will have to justify to its supervisor.
The EUDI wallet was sold to EU citizens as a voluntary, convenient, and secure way to store their ID, driver’s license, and other documents, and to use it for accessing public and private services online and in person.
Scientists are finding AI may make us remember things that never happened
Studies show that artificial intelligence can distort memories, raising questions about what happens when machines become keepers of the past.
New research that involves perception of political events, crimes and even new movies suggests AI-generated images and conversations can implant false details into our brains, even leaving us confident things happened when they did not.
French newspaper claims climate change is fueling child marriages, including girls as young as 12
A French newspaper claimed Tuesday that climate change is accelerating child marriages in developing countries, including among girls as young as 12, citing research suggesting that natural disasters are pushing impoverished families to marry off their daughters at increasingly younger ages.
Le Parisien’s report, “She was only 12: Climate change, a new accelerator of child marriage,” directly linked weather-related disasters to early marriages in Bangladesh, Kenya and other countries.
“In Bangladesh, Kenya and elsewhere, climate disasters are worsening child marriages,” the newspaper said in a passage translated from French. “By destroying incomes and homes, they push some families to marry off their daughters at increasingly younger ages.”
Dearborn Mayor Abdullah Hammoud urged Muslims to vote as a block—5 years later city’s leaders are ALL Muslim
A resurfaced video going viral on social media shows Dearborn, Michigan, Mayor Abdullah Hammoud urging Muslim and Arab residents to vote as a block to determine every elected position in the city. In the five years since his comments were made, Dearborn has continued to be influenced by Muslim leaders as the Arab population grows with the mayor and top city council positions all filled by Muslim men.