While critics panic, Trump delivers in the Middle East

Commentary is swirling in policy circles and media outlets about President Donald Trump’s latest moves in the Middle East. Is Trump going to let Iran have nuclear weapons? Is he abandoning Israel on Saudi Arabia? Did Trump leave Israel out to dry with the Houthis? Some questions are earnest, some show a gross misunderstanding of the president’s foreign-policy strategy, and others are simply Democrats and “Never Trumpers” waiting for their gotcha moment.

It’s not hard to tell which is which. But rather than being dismissive of the comments, I am always glad to have the discussion. So, let’s do just that. Let’s start with Iran. No one, outside of a select few, actually knows the status of America’s discussions with Iran.

A fair look at most, if not all, of the commentary on the potential Iran deal is laden with conjecture. Critics insist Trump is preparing to sign a Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) 2.0 that all but greenlights an Iranian bomb. Those of us who support the president are certain that this could never be the case.

Let’s look at the facts. Last week, Trump said: “I would much prefer a strong, verified deal where we actually blow them up … or just de-nuke them … . There are only two alternatives there: Blow them up nicely or blow them up viciously.”  (Read More)

4th round of US-Iran talks ends as Trump set to embark on historic Middle East tour

JERUSALEM — With President Donald Trump set to leave for the Middle East on Monday, talks between the U.S. and the Islamic Republic of Iran concluded a fourth round of negotiations in Oman on Sunday over Tehran’s illicit nuclear weapons program.

Before leaving for his trip, Trump reiterated his stance on Iran's nuclear goals while addressing reporters at the White House, where he said, "You can't have a nuclear weapon, but I think that they are talking intelligently. We're in the midst of talking to them, and they're right now acting very intelligent. We want Iran to be wealthy and wonderful and happy and great, but they can't have … nuclear weapons. Very simple. So I think they understand that."

A day before the start of talks, Iranian Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei welcomed chants of "Death to America" in Tehran. "Your judgment is right," Khamenei told a crowd of supporters who called for the destruction of the U.S. Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Esmail Baghaei said the nuclear talks were "difficult but useful." A U.S. official, speaking on condition of anonymity to discuss the closed-door negotiations, offered a little bit more, describing them as being both indirect and direct, The Associated Press reported. An "agreement was reached to move forward with the talks to continue working through technical elements," the U.S. official said. "We are encouraged by today’s outcome and look forward to our next meeting, which will happen in the near future."   (Read More)

Tortured by Hamas, known as ‘the American’: Edan Alexander’s ordeal in captivity

Just hours after his release, new details emerged Monday about the ordeal of IDF soldier Edan Alexander, who spent 584 days in Hamas captivity in the Gaza Strip. According to a report by public broadcaster Kan, the Israeli-American was referred to by his Hamas captors as “the American.” He was subjected to severe torture during lengthy interrogations and was held alongside other hostages in southern Gaza, confined to a tunnel with no access to daylight.

For a prolonged period, he was locked in a cage, shackled by his hands and feet, which explains why he struggled to walk on his own upon release, due to prolonged physical weakness and restraint. Like other hostages, he suffered from extreme food deprivation, and only in recent months, apparently in preparation for his release, did his Hamas captors begin providing him with more food.

He has since reunited with his family at the Re’im military reception base, where they awaited him with fresh clothing, just hours after flying in from the United States along with American officials who had been in contact with them throughout the war, among them Steve Witkoff and Adam Boehler.Alexander was the last known living hostage with American citizenship. He is now officially classified as a “former captive.” The remains of four American citizens are still held by Hamas: Capt. Omer Neutra, Staff Sgt. Itay Chen, and the couple Gadi Haggai and Judi Weinstein-Haggai. The U.S. is actively engaged in efforts to recover their remains, and the White House said Sunday that it has formally requested their return. (Source)

Edan Alexander reunites with family in Israel

Edan Alexander is in Israeli territory, and will reunite with his family after 584 days in Hamas captivity. US President Donald Trump told American reporters that Edan's parents, Adi and Yael, are overjoyed that their son is coming home."He’s coming home to his parents, which is really great news,” he said. "His parents, they're so happy, so so happy." He added that he believes that 20 living hostages remain in Gaza, although the official number is 23. 

 
Trump also noted that Alexander's homecoming marked the release of the last living American hostage in Gaza. The Prime Minister's Office announced Alexander's return to Israel in a Monday night statement.
"The government of Israel embraces IDF Staff Sergeant Edan Alexander, who has been returned from Hamas captivity," the statement reads.

The PMO said that it would assist him "in his reintegration and support him and his family." "The government of Israel is committed to the return of all hostages and missing persons — both the living and the fallen," the statement read. "We will continue to act tirelessly until they are all brought home to Israel."The Hostages and Missing Families Forum noted that Alexander's release was a stark reminder of the remaining hostages in Gaza.    (Read More)

'Things you've never seen before are going to happen in Gaza,' Netanyahu says

“Within days, things are going to happen in Gaza — things you’ve never seen before," Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu told the War Wounded Forum on Monday. According to a handout, the prime minister met with wounded soldiers for an hour and a half and listened to the soldiers’ stories of heroism and injury.Netanyahu's statement comes after Israeli sources have signalled IDF readiness to expand combat operations in the Gaza Strip.

An Israeli official source told The Jerusalem Post that the moment Edan Alexander returns home, Israel will resume combat operations in Gaza. The IDF had stopped operations in Gaza for the Israeli-American hostage's safe crossing, but emphasized that it would resume combat as soon as he was in Israel. Additionally, on Sunday, an Israeli official told the Post that Israel’s ultimatum to Hamas regarding the launch of a widened Gaza offensive is still in effect after Alexander's release.

Israel previously gave Hamas a deadline to either release 10 hostages in exchange for a 45-day ceasefire or face a widened Gaza offensive. “The plan includes... seizing and holding territory in Gaza, moving the Gazan population southward for their protection, preventing Hamas from distributing humanitarian aid, and launching powerful strikes against Hamas – all actions that will help bring about its defeat," a senior political source told the Post.   (Source)

Smotrich: Israel will not ‘commit suicide’ for ties with Riyadh

Israeli-Saudi normalization will only happen through the “peace for peace” formula and not by establishing a Palestinian “terror state,” Israeli Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich reiterated on Monday. “We think normalization is a good thing and in our mutual interest, both for us and for the Saudis—mainly the Saudis,” Smotrich told JNS during the weekly faction meeting of his Religious Zionism Party in Jerusalem.

According to the minister, “the Middle East is divided into the Iranian axis of evil and its proxies, and the moderate axis that sides with the West, with the U.S., and promises liberty, freedom and security.” “There’s huge development potential for the entire Middle East here. If we subdue evil and wickedness—which we have been doing for a year and a half and will continue to do, we need to—we’ll build completely different alliances here based on real peace and values,” he said.

However, Jerusalem “thinks it isn’t right for the Saudis to have nuclear capabilities,” Smotrich said in reference to reports that the U.S. is seeking to help Riyadh developing its own civil nuclear program. Israel will also not “think even for a second” about giving in to the Saudi demands for a pathway to a Palestinian state, the finance minister emphasized, telling JNS: “That will never happen, no way.” (Read More)

Report: Syria’s Jihadi Leader ‘Wants a Trump Tower in Damascus’

Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa, the leader of jihadist terror group Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS), reportedly offered oil and gas concessions, peaceful relations with Israel, and even a new Trump Tower in the capital of Damascus as inducements for President Donald Trump to meet with him during Trump’s visit to the Middle East this week.

The report came from Jonathan Bass, CEO of Louisiana-based natural gas company Argent LNG and a strong Trump supporter. Bass flew to Damascus last week and met with Sharaa to discuss proposals for Western companies to help develop Syria’s oil resources. Bass had a four-hour meeting with Sharaa on Wednesday, during which the Syrian leader seemed agreeable to Bass’s proposals but said it would be necessary for the United States to normalize relations with his government before they could strike any deals.

This could prove to be a tall order because Sharaa and HTS began as a splinter group of al-Qaeda. HTS has struggled to rebrand itself as a Syrian nationalist group focused on overthrowing Syrian dictator Bashar Assad, rather than part of an international terrorist organization. Sharaa traded in his combat fatigues for a business suit and announced his intention to preside over a more inclusive style of Islamist government that would protect the rights of ethnic and religious minorities. (Ed note: A new Trump Tower? Will someone please read Isaiah 17 to the President.)   (Read more)

Archaeologists launch new excavation in West Bank at capital of ancient Israel

Sebastia archaeological site features remains from biblical to modern times; Palestinian Authority denounces dig, accusing Israel of ‘colonial and Judaization practices.’ A new archaeological dig at the ancient site of Sebastia in the West Bank was inaugurated on Monday in the presence of several government officials. Sebastia – known in Hebrew by its biblical name, “Shomron” – is thought to have been the capital of the northern Israelite kingdom in the 9th and 8th centuries BCE. The excavations will be led by Uzi Greenfeld, an archaeologist from the Archaeology Unit of the Civil Administration.

“Sebastia is one of the most important sites in our national and historical heritage,” Heritage Ministry Amihay Elyahu said in a statement. “Our desire is to breathe new life into the site and make it an attraction for hundreds of thousands of visitors a year, which will strengthen the connection between the people, their heritage, and their country.”

Sebastia’s archaeological site features remains from several periods, from the Iron Age (1200 – 586 BCE) to modern times. Its overlapping layers of history date back nearly 3,000 years, from biblical kings to Roman conquerors, Crusaders, and Ottomans.   (Read More)

Iran is up to its old tricks

Unless regime change happens along the way, I see either Israel or America or both taking out Iran’s nuclear capabilities. It cannot come soon enough. Opinion. President Trump is the greatest friend Israel and the Jewish people have ever had in the White House. The Ayatollahs are the most devious, conniving and untrustworthy cabal in the world. They are evil incarnate. They have perpetrated terrorism via Hamas, Hezbollah, and the Houthis against America and Israel. They have funded and encouraged campus riots and protests throughout America and the world. Regime change has and always should be the goal.

Iran is a paper tiger. My sources say its nuclear facilities can be destroyed in two days. This is especially true since Israel wiped out its air defenses on October 28th, 2024 in retaliation for Iran’s launch of 180 ballistic missiles against Israel on October 1st. Prime Minister Netanyahu said at the time that we have “severely damaged Iran’s defense capability and its ability to produce missiles.” 

  

President Trump is against war. He has made this point many times. He also believes in peace through strength. With his Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth, he ran over 1000 missions against the Houthis. They waved the white flag. President Trump accepted. In order for Israel to stop the Houthis they may have to do more than bomb the airport in Sanaa and the port city of Hudaydah. They may have to copy America’s blueprint.  (Read more)

The Ayatollah Regime – a clear and present threat to the US

All you have to do is read the assessment by the Homeland Security Department, echoed by the FBI and the March 2025 Annual Threat Assessment by the Director of National Intelligence. Op-ed. Is the Ayatollah regime a threat to the US? It has been claimed that Iran’s Ayatollah regime does not pose a threat to the US, nor would a nuclear Iran. 

Moreover, it has been suggested that just like a nuclear India, Pakistan and North Korea, a nuclear Iran may be a regional threat (e.g., North Korea), but not a global threat to the US. However, unlike India, Pakistan, North Korea, Russia and China, a nuclear Ayatollah regime would be the first ever apocalyptically megalomaniacal regime. Unlike the other nuclear powers, the Ayatollah regime is fully committed to a 1,400-year-old vision, which transcends financial and diplomatic considerations, and is underscored in Iran’s school curriculum, mosque sermons and official media, mandating the regime to topple all “apostate” Sunni regimes and bring the Western “infidel” to submission, especially “The Great American Satan.” 

Furthermore, dissimilar to the other nuclear powers, the Ayatollah regime is the leading epicenter of global anti-US terrorism, drug trafficking, money laundering and the proliferation of advanced military systems. Currently, the operational footprint of this apocalyptic regime extends from the Persian Gulf and the Middle East through East, North and West Africa to Latin America (the US’ soft underbelly), the US-Mexico border and the US homeland.  (Read more)

Iranian Dissident Group Reveals Secret ‘Rainbow’ Nuclear Site Built to Boost Missile Reach

Iran is developing “boosted” nuclear warheads at a secret military site disguised as a chemical plant, according to intelligence presented by Iranian dissident group NCRI, which accuses Tehran of expanding its nuclear arsenal with hydrogen bomb capability. On Thursday, senior officials with the National Council of Resistance of Iran (NCRI) held a press conference exposing a clandestine Iranian nuclear weapons facility — known internally as the “Rainbow Site” — allegedly aimed at manufacturing enhanced nuclear warheads and hydrogen bombs.

According to NCRI disclosures, the site — officially masked as a chemical plant operated by Diba Energy Sina — spans nearly 2,500 acres in the Eyvanaki region southeast of Tehran. The base, the group claims, is part of a larger secret program run by Iran’s Organization of Defensive Innovation and Research (SPND), which operates under the authority of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), has been operational since at least 2013 and is guarded under high-level military security. According to the NCRI, the Rainbow site is focused on the extraction of tritium, a radioactive isotope used to amplify nuclear yield, especially in implosion-type warheads and thermonuclear devices. 

Tritium’s incorporation is seen as a key step toward the development of hydrogen bombs. Sources say this marks a significant escalation beyond Iran’s previously known nuclear efforts under the AMAD Plan, which was ostensibly halted in 2003. (Ed Note: While the Eyvanaki region is generally not considered a part of the Elam civilization, it is time to dust off a copy of Bill Salus' great book, "Nuclear Showdown in Iran.")  (Read More)

IAF reportedly strikes three Houthi-controlled ports following evacuation warning

The Israel Air Force reportedly began conducting airstrikes at the Houthi-controlled Yemen ports Ras Isa, Hodeidah, and Salif on Sunday following a warning from the IDF’s Arabic spokesperson, Col. Avichay Adraee that locals should evacuate until further notice.

An Iranian facility has been struck at an unspecified location, the Saudi state-owned news outlet Al Arabiya reported. According to the Saudi news channel Al Hadath, the Ras Isa fuel port has allegedly been hit. It added that at least 10 airstrikes have occurred at the fuel port by press time.

“Due to the terrorist Houthi regime’s use of seaports for its terrorist activities, we urge all those present at these ports to evacuate and stay away from them for your own safety until further notice,” Adraee said before the strikes began. "Evacuating the ports will keep you safe," his statement concluded. (Read More)

These 28 major U.S. cities are sinking, new study finds — and researchers say damage may only appear when it's "potentially catastrophic"

New York, Dallas, Seattle and 25 other major U.S. cities are sinking, threatening the structural integrity of buildings, roads, dams and other forms of infrastructure, new research found. The study's authors say it represents a looming threat to the infrastructure of these cities, which combined are home to some 34 million people.

The study by Virginia Tech researchers, published in the journal Nature Cities on Thursday, used satellite-based radar measurements to visualize movement of the land underneath the nation's most populated cities, which they say is largely due to groundwater extraction. In all 28 of the cities they analyzed, at least 20% of urban areas are sinking, the researchers said. In 25 of the cities, they found at least 65% of the area is sinking, and more than 29,000 buildings are located in "high and very high damage risk areas, indicating a greater likelihood of infrastructure damage."

The cities with the most widespread sinking — impacting about 98% of their individual areas — are Chicago, Dallas, Columbus, Detroit, Fort Worth, Denver, New York, Indianapolis, Houston and Charlotte. Leonard Ohenhen, lead author of the study, said in a press release that when land shifts downward, even slightly, it can significantly compromise the structural integrity of buildings, roads, bridges and dams. (Ed note: I thought this article would be talking about financial damage. I had no idea that the cities were 'literally sinking'. I know that downtown Seattle is built upon fill dirt. Not good if there is a major earthquake!)   (Read More)

U.S. to put military option back on table if no immediate progress in Iran talks is made, i24NEWS understands

A source close to Steve Witcoff says the administration's choice of Michael Anton to lead the technical talks shows Trump wants to secure a deal with Iran. Unless significant progress is registered in Sunday's round of nuclear talks with Iran, the U.S. will consider putting the military option back on the table, sources close to U.S. envoy Steve Witcoff told i24NEWS.

American and Iranian representatives voiced optimism after the previous talks that took place in Oman and Rome, saying there was a friendly atmosphere despite the two countries' decades of enmity However the two sides are not believed to have thrashed out the all-important technical details, and basic questions remain.

The source has also underscored the significance of the administration's choice of Michael Anton, the State Department's policy planning director, as the lead representative in the nuclear talks' technical phases. Anton is "an Iran expert and someone who knows how to cut a deal with Iran," the source said, saying that the choice reflected Trump's desire to secure the deal.  (Source)   

Khamenei endorses ‘Death to America’ chants ahead of nuclear talks

Iran’s Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei on Saturday endorsed chants of “Death to America” during a speech to workers in Tehran, just one day before Iranian negotiators are set to resume a fourth round of nuclear talks with the United States, Iran International reported.

Last week, US President Donald Trump said he was seeking “total dismantlement” of Iran’s nuclear program, while remaining open to Iran operating a civilian energy program. Two days later, Russia’s Foreign Ministry asserted that Iran—and other non‑nuclear‑weapon states—have a legitimate right to develop civil nuclear energy.

Israeli officials have cautioned that any agreement must fully dismantle Iran’s uranium enrichment facilities or risk repeating the perceived shortcomings of the 2015 nuclear deal. During his address on Saturday, Khamenei praised the crowd’s support of the anti‑American slogan. “Your judgment is right,” he told the workers after they chanted “Death to America.” He added, “Americans fully support Israel — in the true sense of the word.   (Read More)

Iran vows not to back down from its ‘nuclear rights,’ as talks with US set to resume

DUBAI, United Arab Emirates — Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said on Saturday that if the United States’ goal was to deprive Iran of its “nuclear rights,” Tehran would never back down on that front.

Araghchi was speaking in Doha a day ahead of another round of planned nuclear talks between Iran and the US in Oman. “If the goal of the negotiations is to deprive Iran of its nuclear rights, I state clearly that Iran will not back down from any of its rights,” state media quoted Araghchi as saying.

Iran has repeatedly said its right to enrich uranium is non-negotiable and has ruled out a “zero enrichment” demand by some US officials. But US President Donald Trump’s special envoy, Steve Witkoff, said in an interview on Friday that Iran’s “enrichment facilities have to be dismantled” under any accord with the United States. Trump, who withdrew Washington from a 2015 deal between Tehran and world powers meant to curb its nuclear activity, has threatened to bomb Iran if no new deal is reached to resolve the long-unresolved dispute.   (Read More)

'There’s not going to be a nuclear weapon in Iran,' Huckabee says

There will not be nuclear weapons in Iran, US Ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee said in a Saturday interview with Channel 12. "Military action depends on them [Iran], in whether or not they believe in taking President [Donald] Trump seriously. There won't be a deal that involves Iran with nuclear capacity," he added.

US Envoy to the Middle East Steve Witkoff echoed similar sentiments in an interview with Breitbart on Friday. "The enrichment program can never exist in Iran, never. That's our red line," he said. He also said that its three enrichment facilities must be dismantled. 

 
\Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi said on Saturday that if the United States' goal is to deprive Tehran of what he said were its nuclear rights, Tehran will not back down from "any of our rights. Araqchi was speaking in Doha a day ahead of another round of planned nuclear talks between Iran and the US in Oman.   (Source)

Huckabee: 'Houthi attacks on Israel could be considered attacks on America'

In an interview with Kan News, U.S. Ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee delivered a warning to the Iran-backed Houthi rebels, stating that further attacks on Israel could carry serious implications for the United States. “Israel may not be a formal party to the U.S. agreement, but the Houthis understand what’s at stake,” Huckabee said. “If they continue to attack Israel, they are potentially attacking America, since there are 700,000 Americans living in Israel. If they harm an American, they are essentially attacking America.”

Huckabee emphasized that the safety of American citizens and the broader implications of regional attacks remain a top priority for the U.S. administration. Turning to the ongoing international efforts to secure the release of Israeli hostages held by Hamas, Huckabee said, “I worry every day about the hostages. This is my highest priority, and the highest priority of President Trump regarding Israel. Whatever happens to the hostages will be on Hamas’s head. That’s the only thing they hold onto. It’s a shame they don’t behave like civilized and normal people.”

He added that global diplomatic channels are being fully utilized: “No stone is going unturned. There are many factors working on this together.” Huckabee emphasized that Hamas would not survive the process: "Whatever is being done is being done first for the hostages, second to end the conflict, and third to end Hamas forever. No one I know will say that Hamas has a future." (Read More)

India, Pakistan accuse each other of violating ceasefire, hours after reaching deal

ISLAMABAD, Pakistan (AP) — India and Pakistan agreed to a ceasefire Saturday after US-led talks to end the most serious military confrontation between the nuclear-armed rivals in decades, but they accused each other of violating the deal just hours later.

The ceasefire had been expected to bring a swift end to weeks of escalating clashes, including missile and drone strikes, triggered by the mass shooting of tourists last month that India blames on Pakistan, which denies the charge. But multiple explosions were heard in two large cities of Indian-controlled Kashmir hours after the countries agreed to the deal.

Indian Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri said late Saturday that “there had been repeated violations of the understanding arrived between the two countries” and accused Pakistan of breaching the agreement. “We call upon Pakistan to take appropriate steps to address these violations and deal with the situation with seriousness and responsibility,” he said at a news conference in New Delhi. Misri said the Indian army was “retaliating” for what he called a “border intrusion.”  (Read More)

New Pope Leo XIV spent years retweeting criticism of Trump policies

WASHINGTON — Newly elected Pope Leo XIV spent years amplifying criticism of President Trump’s policies on social media — with the Catholic Church’s first American leader taking particular aim at the Republican’s hardline immigration stance. Leo XIV, until Thursday known as Robert Francis Prevost, 69, shared or retweeted the opinions of colleagues using his verified account @drprevost on X, formerly known as Twitter.

His final X post before being elected by the conclave in the Sistine Chapel was a retweet of a message from Philadelphia-based Catholic commentator Rocco Palmo, who on April 14 slammed Trump’s partnership with El Salvador’s President Nayib Bukele on deportation of illegal migrants.“As Trump & Bukele use Oval to [laugh emoji] Feds’ illicit deportation of a US resident… once an undoc-ed Salvadorean himself, now-DC [auxiliary bishop] Evelio [Menjivar] asks, ‘Do you not see the suffering? Is your conscience not disturbed? How can you stay quiet?'” the tweet reads. On Feb. 3, Prevost shared a link to a National Catholic Reporter article headlined “JD Vance is wrong: Jesus doesn’t ask us to rank our love for others.”    

That article took issue with remarks Trump’s vice president made during a Jan. 29 Fox News interview, in which he stated: “There is a Christian concept that you love your family and then you love your neighbor, and then you love your community, and then you love your fellow citizens, and then after that, prioritize the rest of the world. A lot of the far left has completely inverted that.” Prevost was also an active participant in US political discussion during Trump’s first term — in 2017 retweeting a post from Palmo that said, “Calling refugee bans ‘a dark hour of US history,’ [Chicago Archbishop] Blase [Cupich] says ‘the world is watching as we abandon our commitment to American values’.”   (Read more)

Pope Leo XIV Says Mass Migration Is ‘Huge Problem’

The Catholic Church’s new Pope has publicly described migration as a “huge problem” even as he also urges Christians to treat migrants with respect.

“It’s a huge problem, and it’s a problem worldwide, not only in this country. There’s got to be a way both to solve the problem, but also treat people with respect,” then-Cardinal Robert Prevost preached in a Catholic Mass, according to an undated video: His comments recognized both the Catholic Church’s universalist and idealist perspective and the practical management problem facing elected secular governments:

These two-sided comments are far more nuanced than the prior Pope’s loud support for mass migration into Europe’s increasingly chaotic and violent societies. For example, the recently deceased Pope Francis declared that building barriers to migration is “not Christian.” He told a group of mostly Muslim migrants they were “warriors of hope,” and declared that “we are all required to welcome, promote, accompany, and integrate those who knock on our doors.”Thousands of African and Arab migrants have died while trying to reach the European welcome offered by Pope Francis — and thousands of the migrants have committed crimes against Europeans after they landed.   (Ed Note: The liberal is already coming out. No word about the crimes of the illegal immigrants as they come into the country, just how that country should have no boarders. Let's see what the new Pope says about Israel and Gaza!)  (Read More)

Gaza, gay rights, abuse and Trump: How will Pope Leo XIV confront global crisis?

The first-ever American-born pope inherits a world in crisis. In his first remarks as Pope Leo XIV, Chicago’s Robert Francis Prevost prayed for peace. He said it nine times during Thursday’s brief address. “Peace be with you. … This was the first greeting of the risen Christ, the good shepherd who gave His life for the flock of God,” he said in Italian, explaining his choice of words as he spoke to a crowd and the world from the balcony of St. Peter’s Basilica. “I, too, would like this greeting of peace to enter your hearts, to reach your families and all people, wherever they are; and all the peoples, and all the earth: Peace be with you.

Leo XIV’s vision for the Catholic church is one of “peace and justice” and “building bridges” ready to receive, with open arms, “all who need our charity, our presence, dialogue, love.” A united church must seek “peace, charity, closeness, especially to those who are suffering,” he said.

His urgent message of peace confronts vast suffering and death from brutal wars, simmering tensions among nuclear powers, a long shadow of abuse within a church he now leads, and humanitarian outrage from his home country following three months of chaos under Donald Trump’s administration. (Read more)

Witkoff: Iran must dismantle uranium enrichment facilities, ship material ‘far away’

US special envoy to the Middle East Steve Witkoff, who is set to resume nuclear talks with Iran on Sunday, has said the Islamic Republic’s uranium enrichment facilities “have to be dismantled” for Washington to take it at its word that it does not want nuclear arms.

“They cannot have centrifuges. They have to downblend all of their fuel that they have there and send it to a far-away place,” Witkoff said in an interview with right-wing US news outlet Breitbart on Thursday. “An enrichment program can never exist in the state of Iran ever again. That’s our red line.” “I just believe they have no choice” but to accept the position of US President Donald Trump against enrichment, said Witkoff. “Obviously, they can say no, and they can test President Trump, but I think that would be an unwise thing to do.” 

Speaking to Breitbart, Witkoff said Iran would have to dismantle its three known enrichment facilities in Natanz, Fordow and Isfahan. On the other hand, he said, the Iranians could hold onto their nuclear reactor in Bushehr, where “they have no ability to enrich, they have no ability to have centrifuges there, they can only use that facility for civilian purposes — making of electricity and things of that sort of civilian purposes.   (Read More)

Is Trump really turning his back on Bibi and Israel? Don’t bet on it

It doesn’t take a degree in political science to sense an ulterior motive in recent reports about a rift between U.S. President Donald Trump and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. The effort to promote the alleged schism isn’t exactly covert, after all.

No, it emanates from two sets of extremists: isolationists in the Trump camp and anti-Netanyahu Israelis. The former consider the slogan “Make America Great Again” as an excuse for staying out of the world’s conflicts, as though battles abroad, even against radical Islamists bent on toppling “the Great Satan” and annihilating the small one, are of no concern to Americans. These particular MAGA Republicans view anyone who supports the use of military force to defeat Iran and its proxies as a “neocon warmonger” willing to risk American lives on behalf of the Jewish state.

Antisemitic undertones aside, Israelis with separate false claims—among them that Netanyahu is prolonging the war in Gaza at the expense of the hostages to preserve his coalition—are happy to echo the schism narrative. This group includes protest leaders and their parrots in the media who consider Bibi more dangerous than a nuclear Iran and its terrorist tentacles. Ed note: Great article!  Israel would be the "small satan," and America is the "great satan." (Read More)

Blue State Blues: Don’t Be Surprised when Netanyahu Bombs Iran

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is notorious, at least locally, for avoiding conflict. Despite what his international critics, and Israel’s enemies, say, he is no “warmonger”; in fact, many Israelis fault him for avoiding war until it is inevitable, as was the case after October 7.

But Netanyahu is reaching the point where he will attack Iran’s nuclear sides — and, ironically, it is President Donald Trump who is pushing him there. That might seem odd, given that Trump has been more supportive of Israel than any other U.S. president. Since returning to office, Trump has undone President Joe Biden’s destructive policies, most recently ending the Office of Palestinian Affairs, which was run by the Biden administration as a sort of parallel diplomatic arm, and which had the audacity to tell Israel to “refrain from violence and retaliatory attacks” after October 7. Trump has also restored weapons supplies to Israel, and canceled Biden’s sanctions on Israeli settlers.

But Trump is now pursuing a new nuclear deal with Iran, and early reports suggest that it will have many, if not all, of the same features that made President Barack Obama’s Iran deal such a failure. The reports suggest Iran might keep its nuclear enrichment infrastructure, after supposedly stopping enrichment. There are also no clear agreements yet to stop Iranian sponsorship of foreign terror groups, or its ballistic missile program. (Read More)

The indestructible myth of famine in Gaza

Yet again, the myth has been revived that there is a famine in the Gaza Strip. This claim, which has done so much to incite attacks on Jews, has been promulgated repeatedly by mainstream Western media during the past 18 months of war. It is a lie that distorts yet another lie. Time and again, U.N. agencies and NGOs have warned that famine and starvation are imminent. But this has never happened. More food has been admitted to Gaza than people need. The problem has been that Hamas took much of it to feed themselves and to sell it on the black market to finance their infrastructure of war.

Nevertheless, the Gazans have overwhelmingly remained conspicuously well-fed, while the people who really have been starved are the Israeli hostages they hold captive. Yet the media has continued to insist that civilians in Gaza are being starved to death.

Two months ago, with an estimated four months’ worth of food supplies remaining in Gaza, Israel instituted a blockade on further aid transports to force Hamas to release the remaining hostages. The Israel Defense Forces will now oversee food distribution in southern Gaza in order to stop Hamas stealing it and to funnel civilians into those areas, isolating and weakening Hamas to enable the IDF finally to destroy it. The United Nations has refused to accept this plan, demonstrating that its aim is not to alleviate Gazan suffering but to aid Hamas in its war against Israel. (Ed note: While somewhat long, this is a must read.)  (Read more)

UAE rejects Israeli request to fund Gaza aid plan, says it fails to address crisis

The United Arab Emirates has rejected an Israeli request to bankroll a new initiative to resume the distribution of aid into Gaza after an over two-month embargo, a senior official familiar with the matter told The Times of Israel on Friday.

The rejection marks a major blow to the initiative, which hasn’t even fully gotten off the ground, as Israel hoped that Emirati support would help convince other countries and international organizations to follow suit.

 Israeli officials have been deeply involved in the recent establishment of the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF), which they want to manage the resumption of aid into Gaza in a manner that prevents its diversion by Hamas. But a GHF memo provided to potential donors states that the initiative will only feed about 60% of Gaza’s population in an unspecified initial phase. The UN and international organizations briefed on the plan issued a statement earlier this week saying they won’t cooperate with the initiative, saying it fails to sufficiently address the humanitarian crisis and “weaponizes” aid.  (Read more)

Report: Trump ‘Disappointed’ in Netanyahu, Will Go It Alone in Middle East

A report in Israel’s Israel Hayom says that President Donald Trump is “disappointed” in Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and has decided to make his next moves in the Middle East without him.
The report, published in Hebrew and citing two sources close to Trump, would seem to corroborate the observation that Trump has cut Netanyahu out of his decision-making process on major policy steps.

Last month, Trump surprised Netanyahu by announcing that the U.S. would begin “direct” talks with the Iranian regime over a new nuclear deal. And this week, he surprised Israel again by announcing that the U.S. had reached a separate ceasefire with the Houthi rebels in Yemen — who said they would still attack Israel.

Trump has expressed frustration with Netanyahu before — notably after Netanyahu congratulated Joe Biden on winning the 2020 election, but also over Netanyahu’s reluctance to compromise with the Palestinians. During his first term, Trump appeared to blame Netanyahu for the lack of progress in peace talks — before finding that Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas was unwilling to compromise on key issues. ( Read More)

Trump no longer demanding Saudis recognize Israel for nuclear deal with US — sources

RIYADH, Saudi Arabia — The United States is no longer demanding Saudi Arabia normalize ties with Israel as a condition for progress on civil nuclear cooperation talks, two sources with knowledge of the matter told Reuters ahead of US President Donald Trump’s visit to Riyadh next week.

Dropping the demand that Saudi Arabia establish diplomatic relations with Israel would be a major concession by Washington. Under former US president Joe Biden, nuclear talks were an element of a wider US-Saudi deal tied to normalization and Riyadh’s goal of a defense treaty with Washington.

The kingdom has repeatedly said it would not recognize Israel without a guarantee of a viable path to a Palestinian state, frustrating Biden administration attempts to expand the Abraham Accords signed during Trump’s first term. Under those accords, the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain and Morocco normalized relations with Israel. Progress toward Saudi recognition of Israel has been halted by fury in Arab countries over the war raging in Gaza. The nuclear talks had also stumbled over Washington’s non-proliferation concerns. In a possible sign of a new approach, US Energy Secretary Chris Wright said that Saudi Arabia and the United States were on a “pathway” to a civil nuclear agreement when he visited the kingdom in April. (Ed note: I had to post this news twice!)  (Read Morer)

Trump drops Israel ties as condition for Saudi nuclear talks

The United States is no longer demanding Saudi Arabia normalize ties with Israel as a condition for progress on civil nuclear cooperation talks, two sources with knowledge of the matter told Reuters ahead of US President Donald Trump's visit next week. Dropping the demand that Saudi Arabia establish diplomatic relations with Israel would be a major concession by Washington.

Under former President Joe Biden, nuclear talks were an element of a wider US-Saudi deal tied to normalization and to Riyadh's goal of a defense treaty with Washington. The kingdom has repeatedly said it would not recognize Israel without a Palestinian state, frustrating Biden administration attempts to expand the Abraham Accords signed during Trump's first term.

Under those accords the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain and Morocco normalized relations with Israel. Progress towards Saudi recognition of Israel has been halted by fury in Arab countries over the war raging in Gaza. The nuclear talks had also stumbled over Washington's non-proliferation concerns. In a possible sign of a new approach, US Energy Secretary Chris Wright said that Saudi Arabia and the United States were on a "pathway" to a civil nuclear agreement when he visited the kingdom in April.    (Read More)

IRGC chief threatens to 'open gates of hell' on Israel, US

Iran's IRGC chief Hossein Salami issues grave threats to the US and Israel, warning of devastating retaliation if either acts against Iran. Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps commander Hossein Salami warned on Thursday that Iran would retaliate against Israel and the US should the two countries strike Iran. "I’m issuing a serious warning: if you make one wrong move, we will open up the gates of hell on you," said Salami, as quoted by Iran International.

"Sit down and stay in your place ... we have made extensive preparations. These are serious warnings to Zionist officials, to US officials. The criminal Prime Minister of the Zionist regime talks a lot these days, threatens Iran," he added. "If you make a mistake, we’ll act on you in a way that you forget the True Promise 1 and 2," he said, in reference to Iran’s attacks on Israel last year. "Don't count on THAAD. Every time you fire a projectile, we will fire more than you," Salami threatened.

The threats come amid renewed tensions over Iran’s nuclear program. While the US and Iran held three rounds of talks recently, a planned fourth round of negotiations was postponed without a new date announced. On Wednesday, US President Donald Trump said that Iran has a choice when it comes to its nuclear program: Blow up its nuclear facilities peacefully or blow them up viciously.  (Read More)

Iran's hidden nuclear facility uncovered by satellite imagery - report

New satellite images obtained by Fox News on Thursday have shown a secret Iranian nuclear weapons facility in an exclusive report by the American source.

The facility is located in the country's northern province, the Semnan Province. Iranian officials have code-named the facility the "Rainbow Site" and have masked it as a chemical production company under the name "Diba Energy Siba."

The site reportedly covers over 2,500 acres, according to the source, and has been operational for over 10 years.  (Source)

Rules in Gaza to change ‘very soon,’ Netanyahu warns Hamas

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu issued a stern warning to Hamas on Thursday, declaring that the “rules are about to change” as the IDF prepares to expand its offensive in the Gaza Strip.

“To Hamas, I say one thing: The rules are about to change very soon,” Netanyahu said during a visit to reservists of the IDF’s 5th “HaSharon” Infantry Brigade at the Tze’elim training base in the Negev. “I came to see firsthand the quality of our soldiers—our heroes—in preparation for the intense action we are about to undertake in Gaza,” he said in remarks released by the Prime Minister’s Office.

Netanyahu reiterated Israel’s two key objectives: “First—to defeat Hamas, to be victorious over Hamas, to eliminate Hamas. The second, of course, simultaneously—is to release our hostages.”The prime minister also marked the anniversary of the 1972 rescue of hostages from Sabena Flight 571—a mission in which he participated, as a member of the General Staff Reconnaissance Unit (Sayeret Matkal), and was wounded. “The spirit has not changed—it is the exact same spirit I see here, pulsing among the soldiers and commanders, uniting everyone with one goal—to achieve a great victory.”  (Read more)

Vance Calls for European Self-Sufficiency in Address to World Leaders

WASHINGTON—Vice President JD Vance emphasized a transformation of U.S.–European relations in an address to the Munich Security Conference in Washington on May 7. “Fundamentally, we have to be, and we are on the same civilizational team,” Vance said. “There’s a big question about what that means in the 21st century.” The high-profile gathering brought together diplomats, global leaders, and security experts to discuss Europe’s defense and industrial capacity.

Vance said that Europe must become more self-sufficient, reflecting the Trump administration’s broader foreign policy shift toward prioritizing American interests and encouraging allies to share the burden of collective security. He suggested European nations need to increase defense spending to about 5 percent of gross domestic product, saying some countries were too comfortable with the existing security arrangement.

Vance’s remarks aligned with the Trump administration’s push for NATO members to exceed the 2 percent GDP defense spending target, with NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte recently advocating for spending “north of 3 percent” by the alliance’s European members. Vance reinforced the idea that a solid partnership is mutually beneficial. “I do still very much think that the United States and Europe are on the same team,” he said. “European culture and American culture are very much linked, and they’re always going to be linked.” Vance said relations between the United States and Europe are at a turning point.“I do think that we’re in one of these phases where we’re going to have to rethink a lot of big questions,” he said. (Ed note: At the start of WW2, the US Congress favored a policy of neutrality and isolationism.)   (Read More)

An underwater volcano off the coast of Oregon may be about to erupt

About 300 miles off the coast of Oregon, an underwater volcano appears to be rumbling to life. Scientists who have been monitoring the vast submarine volcano for decades say a flurry of recent activity — including an uptick in earthquakes in the vicinity, and swelling of the structure itself — signals that it’s ready to erupt.

Current forecasts project that the volcano, known as Axial Seamount, could erupt anytime between now and the end of the year, according to Bill Chadwick, a volcanologist and research professor at Oregon State University. Chadwick and colleagues at the University of Washington and the University of North Carolina Wilmington have been using a network of sensors on the seafloor to eavesdrop on the volcano. 

Over the past few months, the instruments have picked up clues that Axial Seamount is stirring. In late March and early April, for instance, researchers were recording more than 1,000 earthquakes a day. The volcano has also been steadily swelling, a telltale sign that it’s filling with molten rock, Chadwick said. “This volcano is similar to the ones in Hawaii that erupt very fluid lavas,” he said. “They tend to inflate like a balloon in between eruptions. At Axial, the seafloor is actually rising, and that’s a big signal.”  (Read More)

India Launches ‘Precision Strike’ Blitz Targeting Alleged Terrorist Sites — Pakistan Vows to Retaliate

Pakistani officials vowed to retaliate for India’s “Operation Sindoor” strikes against alleged terrorist camps on Tuesday night, while India insisted its actions were “measured, non-escalatory, proportionate, and responsible.”

The Indian Army said it launched “precision strikes” against four targets in Pakistan, plus five on the Pakistani side of the disputed Kashmir region. The Indian Defense Ministry described these targets as “terrorist hideouts” belonging to three groups that could be linked to the savage April 22 terrorist attack on the tourist haven of Pahalgam in Indian Kashmir. “We are living up to the commitment that those responsible for this attack will be held accountable,” the Defense Ministry said. The name of the operation, sindoor, was taken from a red cosmetic powder used in traditional Indian weddings — a reference to the innocent honeymooning tourists who were murdered in Pahalgam.

India released a detailed description of the nine sites it attacked and its rationale for choosing each one. The sites were allegedly controlled by three different terrorist organization: Jaish-e-Mohammed (JM), Hizbul Mujahideen (HM), and the prime suspect in the Pahalgam massacre, Lashkar-e-Taiba (LT). In response to Pakistan’s complaint that some of India’s bombs struck mosques, India confirmed that it targeted mosques and madrassas (Islamic religious schools) that were headquarters for “training and indoctrination” by the terrorist groups. The Indian government pointed out that one of the madrassas used as a training camp by LT was funded by Osama bin Laden, the late founder of al-Qaeda and mastermind of the 9/11 attack on America.  (Read More)