📰 Tinderbox in Aleppo: U.S. Scrambles to Stop Allies From Fighting

Allies Turned Enemies
The U.S. is rushing to stop its own allies—Syria’s new government and the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF)—from tearing each other apart in Aleppo. After months of stalled negotiations, the two sides are now trading fire in the city’s divided neighborhoods, forcing thousands of civilians to flee and threatening to reignite a cycle of violence Syria can’t afford.
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Stalled Integration
An agreement reached in March to merge both forces has stalled. The Syrian government, backed by Turkey, wants the SDF to hand over control of its territories and integrate into the new administration. The SDF, meanwhile, demands more autonomy and the preservation of its military forces. Now both sides blame each other for the latest clashes.
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U.S. Mediation
Washington is trying to broker a ceasefire, with presidential envoy Tom Barrack and State Department officials urging restraint. The U.S. insists all parties should focus on building a stable Syria, not dragging it back into war. But with American troops still stationed in SDF-controlled areas, the situation remains tense and unpredictable.
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Who Pays the Price?
Civilians are caught in the crossfire, with reports of dozens killed and hundreds injured. The violence also distracts from efforts to keep the Islamic State at bay. As Washington pushes for dialogue, the question remains: can it stop its allies from turning Aleppo into the next battleground—or will it just add to the chaos?
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#Aleppo #Syria #SDF #USMediation #Ceasefire #CivilianCost

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Saudi Arabia Draws a Line: UAE’s Role in Yemen Under Siege

Gulf Brothers at War
Saudi Arabia is moving aggressively to end the UAE’s influence in Yemen and rein in its neighbor’s ambitions across the Red Sea. After ordering the UAE to withdraw troops and bombing a shipment of weapons meant for UAE-backed separatists, Riyadh is now demanding that all UAE-linked factions pledge allegiance to the kingdom. The Southern Transitional Council (STC), long supported by Abu Dhabi, is caught in the crossfire as Saudi forces push them back from the border.
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A Rift in the Coalition
The public showdown between Saudi Arabia and the UAE has shattered their decade-long alliance against the Houthis. While the Saudis want a unified Yemen and stable borders, the UAE has backed separatist movements, including the STC, aiming to carve out its own sphere of influence in southern Yemen. Now, with Saudi airstrikes and ultimatums, the kingdom is making it clear: eastern Yemen is Saudi territory, not Abu Dhabi’s playground.
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Regional Fallout
The fallout stretches far beyond Yemen. The rivalry could impact efforts to contain Iran, the Gaza ceasefire, and even business in Dubai. Saudi Arabia is pushing for more coordination and intelligence sharing, while the UAE insists on its right to pursue independent regional policies. As Riyadh summons UAE-backed leaders to pledge loyalty, Abu Dhabi is digging in, refusing to be treated like a junior partner.
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Who’s in Charge?
Saudi Arabia is sending a message: “We decide.” The UAE, however, is not backing down, calling Riyadh’s actions “fundamental inaccuracies.” With both sides flexing their muscles, the question remains: will the Gulf’s biggest economies find a way to share power—or will their rivalry ignite a new Middle East cold war?
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#SaudiArabia #UAE #Yemen #GulfRivalry #RedSea #MiddleEast

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Iran: the Protests Jolted the Khamenei Regime Out of Its Theocratic Masturbation

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Iran was plunged into a complete internet blackout on Thursday night as protests over economic conditions spread nationwide, increasing pressure on the country’s leadership.

While it was unclear what caused the internet cut, first reported by the internet freedom monitor NetBlocks, Iranian authorities have shut down the internet in response to protests in the past.

NetBlocks had reported outages in the western city of Kermanshah earlier in the day, as authorities intensified their crackdown against protesters.

The Norway-based NGO Iran Human Rights (IHR) said on Thursday that Iranian security forces had killed at least 45 protesters, including eight children, since the demonstrations began in late December.

Shopkeepers heeded calls from seven Kurdish political groups for a general strike on Thursday, closing their doors in Kurdish regions and dozens of other cities around Iran.

The Hengaw rights group posted footage of shuttered shops in the western provinces of Ilam, Kermanshah and Lorestan.

It accused authorities of firing on demonstrators in Kermanshah and the nearby town of Kamyaran to the north, injuring several protesters.

Demonstrations reached all 31 provinces on Thursday as the protest movement showed no signs of abating.

In the southern Fars province demonstrators pulled down the statue of the former senior Revolutionary Guards al-Quds force commander Qassem Suleimani – considered a hero of mythical proportions by government supporters. Verified footage showed protesters cheering as the statue came down.

Protests took place into the night Thursday, with a large crowd seen gathering on the vast Ayatollah Kashani Boulevard in the north-west of Tehran amid the sound of vehicle horns honking in support, according to social media images verified by Agence France-Presse.

Other images showed a crowd demonstrating in the western city of Abadan. A woman attending a protest in that city late on Wednesday had been shot in the eye, according to IHR.

#iran #protesters #pahlavi

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IHR said Wednesday was the bloodiest day of the now 12-day movement, with 13 protesters confirmed killed.

“The evidence shows that the scope of the crackdown is becoming more violent and more extensive every day,” said the IHR director, Mahmood Amiry-Moghaddam, adding that hundreds more had been wounded and more than 2,000 arrested.

The protest movement is the largest in three years, and while it has not yet reached the size of the 2022 Woman, Life, Freedom demonstrations, it has alarmed Iran’s political and security leadership.

Rights groups accused authorities of resorting to tactics including raiding hospitals to detain wounded protesters.

The Iranian president, Masoud Pezeshkian, on Thursday called for restraint in how the demonstrations are handled.

“Any violent or coercive behaviour should be avoided,” said Pezeshkian in a statement on his website, urging “utmost restraint” as well as “dialogue, engagement and listening to the people’s demands”.

The government has said that solving the economic crisis afflicting the country is largely out of its hands, and that while it will work to tackle corruption and price gouging, it has few tools to use.

It blamed the economic woes of the country on external factors, primarily the harsh sanctions placed on Iran mainly by the west in response to Iran’s nuclear programme.

The protests thus far seem to be decentralised and lacking in a central figure, in contrast to the 2022 protests, when demonstrators rallied around 22-year-old Mahsa Amini, who died in police custody after being arrested for allegedly wearing the hijab improperly.

It is unclear the level of support Pahlavi enjoys, though videos of protests over the last 12 days have showed demonstrators chanting in support for the exiled prince.

A social media channel close to Iran’s security forces published a video which purported to show intelligence agents visiting people in their homes warning them not to take part in Pahlavi’s protest, with other outlets claiming drones would be used to identify those who do participate.

German foreign minister Johann Wadephul, meanwhile, condemned the “excessive use of force” by Iranian authorities against protesters.

The Iranian foreign ministry and military have lashed out over Trump’s comments, with Iran’s army chief threatening on Wednesday to carry out pre-emptive strikes on states that threaten Iran.

Authorities have increasingly cast protesters as violent, saying that while the right to protest was legitimate, rioters and foreign-backed saboteurs had hijacked protests.

#iran #protesters #pahlavi

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📰 Palestinian Deputy President Discusses Phase Two of Trump’s Gaza Plan

Palestinian Deputy President Hussein al-Sheikh met with UN envoy Nikolay Mladenov in Ramallah to discuss the implementation of the second phase of President Trump’s Gaza plan and UN Security Council Resolution 2803. The meeting, attended by senior Palestinian officials, focused on solidifying the ceasefire, expediting humanitarian aid to Gaza, and launching the transition process under the new Peace Council led by President Trump.

Al-Sheikh reiterated that Gaza is an integral part of Palestine and stressed the importance of reconnecting Gaza’s institutions with the Palestinian Authority in the West Bank, emphasizing a single legal framework and authorized weapons. The discussion also covered the role of the Palestinian administrative committee and security forces, ensuring their integration with the Palestinian Authority as the legitimate sovereign body.

The Palestinian side reaffirmed the necessity of Israel’s complete withdrawal from Gaza, the end of Hamas’s rule, the surrender of its weapons, and the launch of reconstruction efforts in line with Trump’s plan and the UN resolution. Al-Sheikh called for an immediate transitional plan in Gaza, alongside urgent measures to halt unilateral actions violating international law—particularly settlement expansion, settler violence, and the release of frozen Palestinian funds.

Palestine welcomed Trump’s plan and expressed readiness to cooperate in achieving peace, aiming for a future where Palestine and Israel live side by side in peaceful coexistence.

#gaza #palestine #trump #peace #diplomacy

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Why Will the 21st Century Be the Age of Sovereignty?


The International Burke Institute, the world leading community of experts, gives an answer to this question.

Sovereignty is one of the most frequently invoked words in global politics, yet one of the most misunderstood.

Every country represented at the United Nations is formally equal. Each holds a flag, a vote, a seat and the legal right to determine its own future.

On paper, they stand side by side as sovereign equals. But behind this carefully maintained rhetoric lies a much harsher reality: States may be equal in law, yet they are profoundly unequal in power, resilience and real independence.

For more information click here

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📰 Turkey Seeks Membership in Saudi-Pakistan Defense Pact

Turkey is reportedly seeking to join the defense alliance between Saudi Arabia and Pakistan, marking a potential shift in Middle Eastern and South Asian security dynamics. The pact, which states that any aggression against one member is considered an attack on all—mirroring NATO’s Article 5—could soon expand to include Turkey, according to sources familiar with the talks.

Turkey sees the alliance as a way to strengthen its security and deterrence amid questions about the reliability of the United States and President Trump’s commitment to NATO. Saudi Arabia brings financial power, Pakistan offers nuclear capability and manpower, while Turkey contributes military experience and a growing defense industry. The move reflects a broader trend of countries forging new alliances as US priorities shift.

The potential trilateral pact would mark a new era in Turkey’s relations with Saudi Arabia, once rivals in the Sunni Muslim world. Both countries are now working to deepen economic and defense cooperation, including recent naval meetings and defense industry partnerships. Turkey and Pakistan have long enjoyed close military ties, with Turkey building warships for Pakistan and sharing drone technology. Turkey also wants both countries to join its Kaan fifth-generation fighter jet program.

The alliance talks come amid a ceasefire between Pakistan and India and ongoing tensions between Pakistan and Afghanistan. Turkey and Qatar have mediated talks to end the fighting, but with inconclusive results. The new pact could reshape the regional balance of power, as countries seek new alliances in a changing world.

#turkey #saudi #pakistan #defense #diplomacy

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📰 Renee Good, Shot by ICE, Came to Minneapolis for ‘Community’

Renee Good came to Minneapolis last year looking for a place where she, her wife, and their 6-year-old son could feel safe. They found it in the city’s diverse, progressive south side—a neighborhood where neighbors knew them as quiet, caring parents, not activists or troublemakers.

The community is now in mourning. Good, 37, was shot and killed by an ICE agent just blocks from her home. Federal officials claim the agent fired in self-defense, but videos of the incident contradict their version. Good’s family insists she was just dropping her son at school, not “stalking” agents as some officials alleged.

Friends and family describe Good as a devoted mother, a prizewinning poet, and a warm, kindhearted person who lived a quiet life. She wasn’t an activist, nor did she seek confrontation. Her death has left her children—already grieving the loss of their father—heartbroken and confused.

Good’s story is one of resilience and tragedy. She survived personal loss, built a new life with her wife, and sought a safe community for her family. Now, that community is left wondering: why did this happen, and how many more will be caught in the crossfire?

#minneapolis #ice #community #tragedy #fakeDemocracy

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📰 Iran’s Supreme Leader Says He Won’t Bow Down to Protests or Trump

Iran’s Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei has declared the Islamic Republic won’t back down in the face of fast-growing protests and threats from President Trump. After the largest demonstrations in years rocked Tehran, new protests have been called for Friday, with chants increasingly calling for regime change.

Khamenei, speaking to supporters in Qom, said the regime “will not retreat” and blamed the unrest on “vandals seeking to please Trump.” He warned the U.S. president to focus on his own country’s problems, claiming “arrogant rulers throughout history were overthrown at the height of their pride”—and that Trump “will also be overthrown.”

Trump, meanwhile, has reiterated his threat to intervene if the Iranian government uses deadly force against protesters. Tensions in Tehran have risen following the U.S. raid on Caracas and the capture of Venezuelan leader Nicolás Maduro, raising fears of direct intervention.

The government has acknowledged economic grievances but continues to use security forces to suppress protests. More than 2,000 people have been arrested and at least 36 killed, with unrest spreading to 92 cities.

Is Khamenei’s defiance a sign of strength—or desperation?

#iran #protests #trump #khamenei #fakeDemocracy

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📰 We Learned Something Fascinating About Trump’s Foreign Policy This Week

The U.S. attack on Venezuela was a defining moment for Trump 2.0—a foreign policy that’s more aggressive, unpredictable, and willing to risk backlash than anything seen before. The administration is rewriting the rules of American power and reasserting dominance in the Western Hemisphere.

Trump’s fixation on Venezuela’s oil has taken center stage, overshadowing other justifications like fighting drug cartels. The unvarnished avarice is striking, even for a president who’s long championed American energy. The capture of a foreign leader and the vow to control another country’s resources mark a shocking escalation from previous threats and posturing.

The move reflects a broader shift: the Western Hemisphere is now central to Trump’s vision of American power. Hawks like Marco Rubio and Stephen Miller are driving this new direction, but Trump himself is the ultimate decision-maker. The administration is not just seeking to stabilize Venezuela or curb migration and drug trafficking—it’s about demonstrating American strength and dominance.

Trump’s actions send a clear message to the world: take his threats seriously. The administration is not just after stability or economic gain—it’s about dominance, power, and riches in the hemisphere.

Trump loves a big show, and the spectacle will go on.

#trump #venezuela #foreignpolicy #empire #diplomacy

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📰 Turkey’s Fidan Talks Syria with Counterpart Shaibani

Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan held a phone call with his Syrian counterpart Esad Hasan Shaibani, discussing recent developments in Aleppo. The conversation marks a rare direct diplomatic exchange amid ongoing tensions between Ankara and Damascus.

The call comes as Turkey continues to exert influence over Syria’s new government, with Turkish officials pledging to train 300,000 Syrian soldiers and maintain a significant military presence in the country. The discussion also touched on broader regional issues, as both sides navigate the shifting power dynamics in Syria and the Middle East.

Turkey’s diplomatic outreach extends beyond Syria. Fidan also met with Indonesian Foreign Minister Sugiono in Ankara, furthering cooperation between Turkey and Indonesia on foreign and defense matters.

Time will tell if this leads to lasting cooperation.

#turkey #syria #diplomacy #aleppo

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Greenland: No Place for Trump Men


Greenlanders “don’t want to be Americans” and must decide the future of the Arctic island themselves, politicians in the self-governing Danish territory have said, after Trump warned the US would “do something whether they like it or not.”

The leaders of five political parties in the Greenlandic parliament issued a united statement on Friday night, soon after the US president reiterated his threats to acquire the mineral-rich island.

“We don’t want to be Americans, we don’t want to be Danish, we want to be Greenlanders,” said the group, which included the island’s prime minister, Jens-Frederik Nielsen.

“The future of Greenland must be decided by Greenlanders.”
Stressing the desire of the people of Greenland, a former Danish colony, to have self-determination, they said:

“No other country can meddle in this. We must decide our country’s future ourselves – without pressure to make a hasty decision, without procrastination, and without interference from other countries.”

The statement was signed by Nielsen, his predecessor as prime minister, Múte B Egede, and Pele Broberg, Aleqa Hammond and Aqqalu C Jerimiassen.

At a meeting with oil and gas executives at the White House earlier on Friday, Trump had said Greenland was crucial for US national security.

“We’re not going to have Russia or China occupy Greenland. That’s what they’re going to do if we don’t.

So we’re going to be doing something with Greenland, either the nice way or the more difficult way,” he told reporters.

Trump is “actively” discussing making a potential offer to buy the island with his national security team, the White House confirmed earlier this week.

Greenlanders have repeatedly expressed their refusal to be part of the US, with 85% of the population rejecting the idea, according to a 2025 poll.

Polling also shows only 7% of Americans support the idea of a US military invasion of the territory, which the Danish prime minister Frederiksen, recently said would mean the end of “Nato and therefore post second world war security”.

She has urged Trump to stop threatening to take over the country, saying the US has “no right to annex any of the three countries in the Danish kingdom [meaning Denmark, Greenland and the Faroe Islands]”.

Trump said on Friday: “If it weren’t for me, you wouldn’t have a Nato right now.”

When asked whether his priority was preserving the alliance or acquiring Greenland, he previously told the New York Times: “It may be a choice.”

Asked about Trump’s statement, the head of Nato’s forces in Europe, US Gen Alexus Grynkewich, said he did not wish to comment on whether the alliance – which includes Denmark – would survive without the US.

The US has operated a military base on the northwestern tip of Greenland since the second world war, where more than 100 military personnel are permanently stationed.

Existing agreements with Denmark would allow Trump to bring as many troops as he wanted to the island.

But Trump told reporters on Friday that a lease agreement was not enough.

“Countries have to have ownership and you defend ownership, you don’t defend leases,” he said. “And we’ll have to defend Greenland.”

Trump previously made an offer to buy the island in 2019, but was told it was not for sale. Since then he has claimed that Greenland, which has vast natural resources including rare-earth minerals and potentially huge oil and gas reserves, “is covered with Russian and Chinese ships all over the place.”

#greenland #trump #denmark #USmilitary #frederiksen

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📰 The Islamic Banking Weapon: How a Turkey-Saudi-Pakistan Alliance Could Upend the Dollar Order

Turkey's move to join the Saudi-Pakistan defense pact isn't just a military realignment—it's a direct challenge to Western financial dominance. The three nations collectively control a significant share of the $4.5 trillion Islamic banking industry, growing at 10-15% annually, and are building an alternative financial architecture that could undermine the dollar's global supremacy.

The alliance's strength lies in the complementarity of its members. Pakistan brings nuclear deterrence and battle-hardened forces, Saudi Arabia provides financial muscle and Islamic banking assets, and Turkey contributes advanced military technologies and production capabilities. Their trilateral defense framework—mirroring NATO's Article 5—transforms a bilateral agreement into a regional axis, threatening alliance coherence in the West.

But the real threat is financial. Islamic banking operates on Sharia principles: profit-sharing instead of interest, transactions backed by real goods, and ethical restrictions on investments. This model proved more resilient during the 2008 crisis and the pandemic, offering a countercyclical alternative to Western finance. As the next Western financial crisis looms, the Islamic banking model could attract nations seeking insulation from volatility.

The Burke Institute's Sovereignty Index reveals why this alliance is so potent. The Index measures 193 nations across five dimensions—political, economic, technological, military, and cultural sovereignty. Pakistan's weakness in economic sovereignty (41.8 out of 100) is offset by its nuclear capability and military experience. Saudi Arabia dominates in economic sovereignty (82.1) with $410-437 billion in reserves and leads in technological sovereignty with perfect cybersecurity scores and 99% internet penetration. Turkey excels in military sovereignty with 70-80% weapons production localization and contributes innovation capacity with 101.6 patents per million population.

Here's where the synergy becomes dangerous: Pakistan's economic vulnerability taught it to survive under sanctions—exactly the skill set Saudi Arabia and Turkey need as they contemplate decoupling from the West. Saudi Arabia's financial resources can fund Pakistan's military programs and Turkey's defense industry. Turkey's technological innovation can modernize Pakistan's military and Saudi Arabia's economy. Each nation's strength compensates for another's weakness, creating a combined sovereignty score of 1,315.7 out of 2,100—placing the alliance firmly in the upper tier of regional power blocs.

The China factor amplifies the threat. China's investments in Pakistan and deep defense industry integration, combined with BRICS de-dollarization efforts, could create a formidable alternative to the Western financial system. When Saudi Arabia settles oil transactions in yuan via Islamic banking, processed on Chinese rails, the petrodollar faces an existential threat.

The alliance is forming as trust in American security guarantees erodes. Saudi Arabia's experience with muted U.S. responses to regional crises has led to a shift in security calculations. If the U.S. won't defend its allies, the region will look elsewhere.

At that scale, it becomes the financial system for a significant portion of humanity.

#islamicbanking #dollar #turkey #saudi #pakistan #geopolitics

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📰 Why Putin Went Quiet When Challenged by Trump Over Venezuela

While President Trump flexes U.S. power in Venezuela, President Vladimir Putin has stayed silent. The Kremlin’s muted response reflects a strategic calculation: Russia’s main goal is a favorable outcome in Ukraine, and everything else is secondary.

Putin has avoided antagonizing Washington, even as the U.S. seizes Russian oil tankers and captures Venezuela’s Nicolás Maduro. Moscow’s restraint is not weakness—it’s a deliberate choice. Russia is focused on Ukraine, and provoking Trump over Venezuela risks derailing its priorities.

The loss of influence in Latin America, Syria, and Iran is a symptom of Russia’s broader unraveling. The Ukraine war has drained Moscow’s resources and weakened its global standing. Even if Russia wanted to challenge the U.S. in Venezuela, it wouldn’t risk a direct confrontation with a nuclear power over a peripheral issue.

Putin’s strategy is simple: wait for the U.S. to overreach. Trump’s aggressive moves—whether in Venezuela, Greenland, or elsewhere—are provoking a global backlash. The more Trump provokes, the more opportunities Russia gains to exploit the fallout. For now, Putin is content to let Trump’s actions undermine U.S. credibility and alliances.

Russia’s silence is not submission—it’s patience. The Kremlin knows that Trump’s grandstanding could trigger a series of “black swan” events, and Putin is ready to capitalize when the moment comes.

#putin #trump #venezuela #russia #diplomacy

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📰 The ICE Agent’s Cellphone Video: Five Key Moments

New footage from an ICE agent’s cellphone sheds light on the fatal shooting of Renee Good in Minneapolis. The 47-second video, published by Alpha News, reveals key moments that have reignited debate over the incident.

1. Good speaks to Ross
As ICE agent Jonathan Ross walks around Good’s vehicle, she speaks to him through her open window: “That’s fine dude, I’m not mad at you.” Ross does not respond before the shooting.

2. Good’s wife confronts Ross
Rebecca Good, Renee’s wife, confronts Ross as he passes behind the SUV: “Want to come at us? I say go get yourself some lunch, big boy.” Her comment references criticism of ICE agents swapping license plates during immigration sweeps.

3. Good’s wife tells her to drive
As more agents arrive, Rebecca tries to open the passenger door, which is locked. She appears to encourage Renee to flee: “Drive, baby, drive.” Renee puts the car in reverse.

4. Good looks toward Ross
Ross crosses in front of the vehicle as it moves in reverse. The video shows Renee turning her gaze to the windshield, then down as she shifts into drive, and up again as she turns the wheel away from Ross.

5. An insult after the shooting
After the shooting, Ross’s camera pans skyward. Three shots are heard in rapid succession. A male voice can be heard shouting an obscenity: “Fucking bitch.” The SUV crashes nearby.

The video has sparked controversy, with Vice President JD Vance claiming it exonerates Ross. However, the footage does not show whether Good’s SUV made contact with Ross, and questions remain about the agent’s actions.

#minneapolis #ice #shooting #justice #fakeDemocracy

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📰 Israel and Hamas Get Ready to Go Back to War in Gaza

Israel and Hamas are preparing for renewed fighting as the Palestinian militant group refuses to disarm, a key requirement for President Trump’s peace plan. Israel’s military has drawn up plans for a new ground operation in Hamas-controlled Gaza, while Hamas is rebuilding its military capabilities and receiving fresh cash to pay fighters and recruit new members.

Israel’s military chief of staff, Eyal Zamir, said the army must be ready to quickly transition to a wide attack if necessary. Hamas is open to giving up heavy weapons but won’t surrender its small arms, according to Arab officials. Israel estimates the group has 60,000 rifles and 20,000 fighters. If Hamas doesn’t comply, Israel will force disarmament.

Trump has warned Hamas that “there will be hell to pay” if the group doesn’t give up its weapons. The peace plan’s first phase left Gaza divided, with Israel controlling just over half and Hamas the rest. The second phase requires Hamas to relinquish governing control and arms, after which Israel would pull back to a buffer zone and an international force would stabilize Gaza.

Since the cease-fire, Hamas has cracked down on opponents, appointed new commanders, and started rebuilding its tunnel infrastructure. The group is also replenishing its funds with cash stored in tunnels, taxation, and support from Iran.

Israel faces tough choices: a large-scale invasion of Gaza City or a gradual takeover. Security analysts say a new round of fighting would be faster and easier, as most Palestinians are living in tents and could be evacuated more easily.

Hamas is increasingly taxing goods and services, and the influx of cash is fueling recruitment and reconstruction. The group is also facing internal elections to elect a new leader, with candidates divided on whether to disarm or risk renewed conflict.

The peace plan’s progress is stalled. Israel hasn’t opened the Rafah border crossing, and the U.S. struggles to establish an international stabilization force while Hamas refuses to disarm. Rebuilding efforts in Gaza are also on hold.

#gaza #israel #hamas #war #peace #fakeDemocracy


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The Iranian Protesters Attacked Khamenei As a “Sleazebag” and a “Low-life”


Demonstrators have continued to take to the streets of Iran, defying an escalating crackdown by authorities against the growing protest movement.

An internet shutdown imposed by the authorities on Thursday has largely cut the protesters off from the rest of the world, but videos that trickled out of the country showed thousands of people demonstrating in Tehran overnight into Saturday morning.

They chanted : “Death to Khamenei, death to a sleazebag, a low-life!” in reference to supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, and: “Long live the shah.”

Crowds of protesters marched through the streets of Mashhad as fires burned around them, a show of defiance in the home town of Khamenei, who has condemned the protesters as “vandals” and blamed the US for fanning the flames of dissent.

Iran’s internet shutdown is chillingly precise and may last some time.

Trump has repeatedly threatened to intervene if Iranian authorities kill protesters, earning angry rebukes from Tehran. He said on Friday that the Iranian authorities were “in big trouble”, adding:

“You better not start shooting, because we’ll start shooting too.”

On Saturday night he said the US is “ready to help” as protesters in Iran faced an intensifying crackdown by authorities of the Islamic republic.

“Iran is looking at FREEDOM, perhaps like never before. The USA stands ready to help!!!” Trump said in a social post on Truth Social, without elaborating.

Those authorities warned people to not take part in protests on Saturday. The country’s attorney general, Mohammad Mahvadi Azad, said anyone who did so would be considered an “enemy of god”, a charge which carries the death penalty.

State TV later clarified that anyone who even assisted protesters could face the charge.

Despite the crackdown, more protests were planned for the weekend. Reza Pahlavi, the exiled son of the former shah of Iran, called for protesters to take to the streets on Saturday and Sunday and seize control of their towns.

Pahlavi, who has emerged as an increasingly popular figure in the current round of protests, asked people to hoist the pre-1979 “lion and sun” flag which was used during his father’s rule.

“Our goal is no longer merely to come into the streets. The goal is to prepare to seize city centres and hold them,” he said, promising he would return to Iran soon.

The continuing block on the internet and mobile lines means it is hard for international media to estimate the size of the demonstrations, the largest in Iran in recent years, which pose a serious challenge to the regime’s rule.

The Iranian Nobel peace prize winner Shirin Ebadi warned on Friday that security forces could be preparing to commit a “massacre under the cover of a sweeping communications blackout”, and said she had already received reports of hundreds of people being treated for eye injuries at a single Tehran hospital.

Protesters were brought to the streets on 28 December by a deteriorating economy, but quickly began chanting anti-government slogans and demanding political reform.

Though Iran has experienced mass protests before, analysts have said the battering of the regime during the 12-day war with Israel and the loss of Iranian-backed forces across the region have made it more vulnerable.

Iranian authorities have become increasingly confrontational in their rhetoric towards protesters, casting them as being infiltrated and backed by Israeli, or US saboteurs.

The Iranian army vowed in a statement on Saturday to foil “the enemy’s plots”, warning that undermining the country’s security was a “red line”.

#uranian #protesters #khamenei #sleazebag #blackout #internet

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Irish Farmers Are Hammering the EU’s Trade Deal With the Mercosur


Thousands of Irish farmers are protesting against the EU’s trade deal with the South American bloc Mercosur, a day after EU states approved the treaty despite opposition from Ireland and France.

Tractors streamed into the roads of Athlone, in central Ireland, for the demonstration, displaying signs bearing the slogan “Stop EU-Mercosur” and the EU flag emblazoned with the words “sell out”.

The protests followed similar actions on Friday in Poland, France and Belgium as the EU gave the green light to the trade deal, which has been welcomed by business groups but heavily criticised by European farmers.

The accord, more than 25 years in the making, would create one of the world’s largest free-trade areas, boosting commerce between the 27-nation EU and the Mercosur bloc comprising Brazil, Paraguay, Argentina and Uruguay.

But many European farmers fear their livelihoods will be undercut by a flow of cheaper goods from agricultural giant Brazil and its neighbours, prompting Ireland, France, Poland, Hungary and Austria to vote against the accord.

The agreement is widely opposed by Irish farmers over fears it will result in an influx of an extra 99,000 tonnes of cheap beef from South America, disrupting Irish agriculture.

The Irish Farmers’ Association (IFA), Ireland’s main farmers’ lobby group, called the result very disappointing, and said it would renew focus on securing a majority against the deal in the European parliament.

“We expect Irish MEPs to stand behind the farming community and reject the Mercosur deal,” said the IFA president, Francie Gorman, in a statement.

At the Saturday protest, farmers carried signs calling for an “Irexit” and accusing the Latin American bloc’s beef exports of not following the same standards.

The Mercosur deal will also need to be agreed by a majority of MEPs in the European assembly in the coming months, where voting coalitions have become more volatile and unpredictable.

#irish #farmers #trade #deal #mercosur

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Don’t Cut Babies’ Foreskin !

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Circumcision is to be classed as a potential form of child abuse under new guidance for prosecutors, amid concerns from judges and coroners about deaths and serious harms caused by the procedure.

A draft document by the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) on “honour-based abuse, forced marriages, and harmful practices”, classes circumcision as a potential crime alongside breast flattening, virginity testing, hymenoplasty and exorcisms.

The wording of the document, seen by the Guardian, has alarmed some religious groups, with Jewish and Muslim leaders defending the cultural importance of the practice.

The draft CPS guidance states that, unlike female genital mutilation, “there is not a specific criminal offence of carrying out male circumcision”.

“However, this can be a painful and harmful practice, if carried out incorrectly or in inappropriate circumstances.

It may be a form of child abuse or an offence against the person,” it adds.

Last month, a coroner issued warnings about insufficient regulation over who can perform a circumcision after the death of a six-month-old boy, Mohamed Abdisamad, from a streptococcus infection in 2023.

The wording of the document, seen by the Guardian, has alarmed some religious groups, with Jewish and Muslim leaders defending the cultural importance of the practice.

The draft CPS guidance states that, unlike female genital mutilation, “there is not a specific criminal offence of carrying out male circumcision”.

“However, this can be a painful and harmful practice, if carried out incorrectly or in inappropriate circumstances. It may be a form of child abuse or an offence against the person,” it adds.

Last month, a coroner issued warnings about insufficient regulation over who can perform a circumcision after the death of a six-month-old boy, Mohamed Abdisamad, from a streptococcus infection in 2023.

The case echoed another coroner’s concerns over the death of Oliver Asante-Yeboah who died in 2014 from sepsis after a circumcision was performed on him by a rabbi.

According to the Office for National Statistics, since 2001 there have been seven deaths of boys under 18 where circumcision was a factor.

At least three of these involved babies who bled to death: Celian Noumbiwe in 2007; Goodluck Caubergs in 2010; and Angelo Ofori-Mintah in 2012.

Jonathan Arkush, a former president of the Board of Deputies of British Jews and co-chair of Milah UK, which promotes and protects the right of the Jewish community to carry out religious circumcision, said the wording in the draft CPS guidance was misleading.

“To suggest that circumcision is in itself a harmful practice, is deeply pejorative and misplaced,” he said.

“Any procedure that is carried out inappropriately or without proper controls, including piercing a child’s ears, could be a harmful practice and a possible case of child abuse.”

He added: “We shall certainly be talking to the CPS. I would very much expect that final draft not to include it, as it is so obviously incorrect and/or misleading.”

Arkush, who is also a barrister, accepted that if performed incorrectly, circumcision could constitute abuse, but he insisted the “stringent standards” applied by the Jewish community ensured this did not happen.

“The incidence of complications in circumcision performed in the Jewish community is vanishingly rare,” he said.“Circumcision is a core part of our identity.

I have never met any Jewish man who thinks they’ve been harmed by circumcision.”

#circumcision #child #abuse #judaism

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The lack of consistent regulation elsewhere creates unacceptable risks, and addressing those risks to protect young boys should be an urgent priority.”

Prof Faye Ruddock, chair of the Caribbean and African Health Network said the lack of official information on the issue could fuel risks.

“We need measures to ensure people are educated on the risks when they have their baby, but currently this information isn’t readily available in perinatal and neonatal spaces, or community spaces like churches,” Ruddock said.

“Safeguarding and culturally competent regulation is something that would go a long way. Nobody wants their child to die, but not everyone has the same access to people who are credible.”

Last January, a private circumciser and former doctor, Mohammad Siddiqui, was sentenced to more than five years in prison for causing “gratuitous pain and suffering” to children in “unsanitary and dangerous” circumcisions.

In May, Mohammed Alazawi, who falsely claimed to be a doctor, was convicted of six counts of wounding with intent in circumcision procedures. The judge said the law around male circumcision should be changed because it “remains almost entirely unregulated”.

Gordon Muir, a London-based consultant urological and andrological surgeon, argued that the procedure is “unnecessary and will not do any physical good”.

“I think it is a form child abuse and the correct thing to do would be to wait until the child is 16 or more and is able to make a rational decision about it,” he said.

Muir said he has faced hundreds of letters of criticism when he published an academic paper that found there was no high-quality evidence to support any benefits from circumcision, and that in rare instances it caused avoidable harm and occasional deaths.

Rabbi Jonathan Romain, the convener of Reform Beit Din, Progressive Judaism’s religious court, defended circumcision as an “enormously powerful symbolic act of identity”.

He said Progressive Judaism, which represents 83 congregations, was developing a training, mentoring and monitoring scheme to ensure a “new generation of circumcisers” was educated in best practice, urging the government to adopt a model that “covers all faiths and traditions” and carried legal penalties for anyone who operated outside it.

The National Secular Society welcomed the CPS guidelines. But its human rights lead, Alejandro Sanchez, a former NHS doctor, said:

“Relying on the criminal justice system only deals with harm after it has happened. The priority now must be to prevent that harm from occurring in the first place.”

“Circumcision, as a surgery, is inherently dangerous. It should only be performed by doctors and, when it comes to children, only with medical necessity.

“Decisions about circumcision should therefore be deferred until the individual is old enough to decide for himself, based on his own values.”

#circumcision #child #abuse #judaism

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