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The publicist Gaetano Masciullo, author of books on modernism and recently about the struggle of the Freemasons against the church, dares to take a look at what Cardinals are in play for the upcoming conclave as papabili.

To Francis: Who are the Papabili?

By Gaetano Masciullo*

[Edit: surprisingly he omitted the evil Dominican Cardinal Schönborn. Perhaps the Austrian Pornokardinal is too tired after years of extolling Freemasonry and insulting Christ?]

Today, the Cardinal College consists of 252 purple supporters, 138 of which cardinals are voting in the conclave.  No less than 149 of all living wearers of the purple (or 60 percent) were appointed by Francis.  It is even 80 percent of the papal voters!  Only 103 of the living cardinals were appointed by the predecessors of today's head of the Church.  In the twelve years of his pontificate, we have experienced a very high number of consistories and cardinal appointments, many of which come from the world and the church or - as we prefer to say today - come from the "margins".

This is apparently a way to give those people a voice that have so far been pushed to the margins in the management of the Church.  After his departure, the choice of a Pope "according to his own image and likeness", who is capable and willing to promote the work of a profound neomodernist  Revolutionation of the nature of the Catholic Church and in particular to complete or at least continue.

There are two effects that Francis has caused by creating so many "peripheral" cardinals.  First, the majority of today's cardinals are not familiar with the complex curial logic of power.  Second, the members of the college do not know each other in their large majority.  This paves the way for the second phase of the strategy: in the hope that the selected cardinals are "grateful" for the title they have received and are aware that they are all of more or less progressive Tendencies correspond within contemporary Catholic theology to combine in the conclave and to support the "Franciscan" party of the college, which means those cardinals that actively pursue the Bergoglian agenda which party - as we will see - is not as a majority - as capable as it may seem.

In order to close this large gap in knowledge among the cardinals, the well -known Vaticanists Edward Pentin and Diane Montagna did a work that is as necessary as it were commendable.  The College of Cardinals Report is an interactive website that offers a short but not superficial overview of the most important data in the college as a whole, but also via the individual cardinals.

In this way, every cardinal can deal with the profiles of his "most prominent" colleagues and hand over his vote in a much more well -informed way.  This website could serve as a damper for Bergoglio as mentioned above if it is circulated among the princes of the Church.  Mind you: I don't say that these are the intentions of Pentin and Montagna, it is just my own consideration.

With the help of this invaluable instrument, which is now accessible to everyone, we can find 22 papabili among the cardinals and among them 12 particularly outstanding.  If we imagine that these cardinals are distributed according to a "parliamentary" seating arrangement, whereby the cardinals, who are most eager to protect Catholic tradition, are on the right side and the most radical neomodernists on the left, the following picture arises.

In the red I highlighted the cardinals that are most positive about tradition.  In violet I marked the papabili, who are not expressly or obviously friends of the Catholic tradition (especially the liturgical tradition), which can nevertheless be considered conservative as the Ratzinger line and following from theological, moral and pastoral perspective.  It can be seen that the traditionalists and conservatives are largely the majority, even if you could believe that, but maybe it will help us to understand why Francis chose the strategy described above.

In the left area we find the most progressive wing of the papal candidates.  In the cobalt -colored area, we find three cardinals that could be described as "moderate", very discreet in their statements, which most likely sympathize with the "Franciscan" party.  Finally, in the blue part we find the actual Franciscan party, those who repeatedly referred to Bergoglio as his favorites and protégés (in truth, his dauphine has experienced more and less favor from the seer in recent years).  The names of the most promising candidates are written in fat white letters.

Assuming that the "Franciscan" party suffers a defeat in the conclave, it is appropriate to supplement our brief analysis of the papal election with a premise.  After the death of Bergoglio, the Church will need a very brave and strong one, but above all a young pope who can resolve the damage caused in recent years.  If there are no unforeseen events, it will take at least twenty years to put things in liturgical, doctrinal, moral and legal terms, not to mention the problems in the administration of the Vatican, the IOR and many other serious problems,  which were created long before this pontificate.

If the cardinals want to go the authentic path of the Catholic counter -revolution, they need a young candidate, and in the current list there are very few who would be suitable for this project, except perhaps Cardinal Pierbattista Pizzaballa (59 years), who was named by Francis himself.  It is therefore not to be ruled out that the cardinals decide to look outside of this list in the vote.  To show interest in some outsiders, such as, for example, the very young Canadian Francis Leo (53), who was also made Cardinal by Francis.

Another element must be taken into account: dissatisfaction among the cardinals is widespread.  These twelve years were difficult to cope with even for those who are very close to the favored group of St. Gallen.  Therefore, one could also make the following consideration.  In the event of the death of Francis, many cardinals that have previously set forth cautiously and discreetly can express their contrary positions openly.  As is well known, Fiducia Supplicans triggered great outrage and disappointment with African cardinals, who were originally very close to the Bergoglian agenda.  In the event of a abdication from Francis (a view that is unlikely but should not be completely excluded), these cardinals could safeguard the profile of discretion, and in this case the choice could fall on a "compromise" candidate while the time  Wait to fulfill your duty.

The traditionalists and conservatives among the papabili

So let's start with the more traditionalist wing.  The most broadest right of everyone is the American Cardinal Raymond Burke, who does not have to be presented.  He is a decisive opponent of women's deaconate, the blessing of homosexuals, the abolition of priestly celibacy, the restriction of the Tridentine Mass, the secret contracts with the People's Republic of China, Communion for remarried divorced and overcoming Humanae Vitae, but it is very unlikely that he will be elected to the papacy.  Recently he even spoke positively about Donald Trump, which certainly annoyed a large part of the cardinals.  Nevertheless, Burke will surely play an outstanding role in coordinating the anti-Franciscan party, which also explains the numerous attempts by the current owner of the Cathedra Petri in recent years to restrict and hinder his work.

Then there is the Guyanese Cardinal Robert Sarah, who is named on the Pentin and Montagna website as one of the twelve favorites.  This is probably due to his African origin: he would be the first African Pope after Gelasius I, who was Pope in the 5th century.  In the six-sided article, which was published by Paris-Match in July 2022, he is described as a person with "enormous influence".  Nevertheless, Cardinal Sarah has never publicly expressed his active interest in the papal election.  Instead, he continued to write, preach and give interviews and concentrated on the "defense of faith".  During the past conclave, he was not one of the favorite papabili.  However, it is known how much silent help Sarah was offered by Benedict XVI.  in the promotion of loyalty to Church teaching, and maybe this will be taken into account with the conclave.

 The German Cardinal Gerhard Müller, former prefect of the Congregation for the Faith, is considered theologically Orthodox and at the same time is firmly behind the teachings of the second Vatican Council.  Müller represents traditional positions in several questions, rejects the consecration of women to diaconate and defends against changes in priestly celibacy and defends Ritus in Latin.  He has criticized the German synodal path and what he perceives as a deviation from established Church teaching.  As a critic of globalism and the 2030 agenda, he publicly expressed doubts and questions about the actions of Francis, but endeavors to avoid direct criticism of the Pope.  However, the liturgy does not seem to be his priority.

The Uruguayan Cardinal Daniel Fernando Sturla Berhouet has a strongly Ratzingerian line.  He sees the fight against institutionalized secular culture and the increasing spread of a religious feeling without God as a challenge for the Church.  He often emphasizes the central importance of the Eucharist for life.  He has a severe judgement of Fiducia Supplicans and described the document as "ambiguous, divisive  and confusing".  He too is very skeptical about synodality.

The Italian cardinal Mauro Piacenza has demonstrated administrative skills and deep spiritual sensitivity, properties that would make him suitable for the management of the Church not only in Italy, but worldwide.  He is an advocate of orthodoxy and highly regarded as a .  Although he has not yet publicly commented on the question of Traditionis Custodes, he is aware that he decidedly rejects any restriction of the traditional form of Roman Rite in private conversations.  As a lover of teaching clarity, he repeatedly emphasizes the beauty and effectiveness of the sacrament of Confession as a remedy for individual evil.  Attention is of particular importance that Piacenza is devoted to the reform of the clergy: he often emphasized how important it is that the priests are well trained in teaching and are up to date in moral and bioethical questions.  However, his old age (80) does not make him a primary candidate.

In contrast to the (perhaps still little-known) Singalese Cardinal Malcolm Ranjith, who has held many functions over the years, from the pastor to the bishop in various dioceses, from Apostolic nuncio to the Curial Officer to Metropolitan Archbishop.  As an experienced polyglott, some see him as a figure that stands in perfect continuity to Benedict XVI..  His geographical origin also speaks for him: he comes from the global south, specifically from Asia, an area in which the Church grows quickly.  On the liturgical level, he supported elements such as the restoration of the choir lofts or the communion rails and the kneeling oral communion.  He also shares some pastoral elements with Pope Francis, such his concern for the poor.  However, this is another element in order to consider him a potential desired candidate also of those cardinals who are not traditionalists.

The Dutch Cardinal Willem Eijk is considered another favorite for the papal office, since he is characterized by several characteristics.  As a great expert for bioethical questions due to his medical and theological training, he is known for his adherence to Catholic teaching and his willingness to defend it, even with unpopular topics such as Humanae Vitae and the indissolubility of marriage.  He also showed great skill in the financial and pastoral restructuring of the dioceses in which he worked, corrected liturgical abuses and promoted new initiatives for young people.  As an archbishop, he had to put the challenges of sexual abuse by clergy by establishing committees and aid programs.  As a strongly Marian-shaped purple bearer, he spoke out against women's ordination, blessing of same-sex couples and gender theories.

The Hungarian Cardinal Péter Erdő is another top candidate.  Born and raised under the communist regime, Erdő learned first -hand what it means to defend religious freedom for Catholics.  As an internationally recognized canonist, his appointment as a general rapporteur for family synods (2014 and 2015), a position that is traditionally reserved for a potential successor of the Pope further increases his reputation.  He is unanimously considered a man of equanimity and unity, who is able to enter into dialogue with different positions within the Church.  Although he prefers the Novus Ordo, he is ready to allow the traditional form.  Ultimately, Erdő seems to be the perfect candidate if the cardinals want to choose someone who will continue the Church on the conservative line in the sense of Ratzinger, without giving the impression of an abrupt change of course to Francis.

The aforementioned Italian Cardinal Pierbattista Pizzaballa is considered "too young" by some, but maybe this element could favor him (let's not forget the logic that raised the young Wojtyla on the Throne of Peter).  His experience and leadership qualities result from his long service in such an important and complex region as the Holy Land.  This experience gives him a balanced view and the ability to dialogue with the various religious and political communities in this area of ​​the world.  His biblical and linguistic training is another distinguishing feature.  He is considered a man of impartiality and openness and is able to combine loyalty to tradition with a sharp view of modernity.  His Franciscan spirituality and concern for the poor and suffering are other elements that could make him interesting for the members of the Francis party.

The profile of the Italian cardinal Angelo Bagnasco, even if he is no longer available (82 years old), seems perfect in the event that the cardinals decide on a "transitional man of patience", who according to the internal divisions within the Church, nevertheless, continues a traditional approach and conservative leadership distinct from Pope Francis.  He has human and spiritual qualities that would make him a relevant and respected personality.

The Burmese Cardinal Charles Maung Bo seems to be the ideal candidate for the choice of a Pope who has a great pastoral experience in difficult contexts and places a pastoral focus on human rights and social justice (in this regard he would be valued by the Bergoglians)  As well as a deep understanding of the challenges of the Asian world, which seems to become more and more important in the life of the Church.  However, BO is also a strong supporter of the synodality funded by Pope Francis.  He believes that it is important to listen to the voices of all members of the Church.

The Canadian Cardinal Marc Ouellet was a strong candidate for the papacy during the 2013 conclave, but has had to find in recent years that his reputation decreased as a favorite for the papal office.  One of the factors that initially made him was his great experience in the Church due to his decades of leadership in today's episcopacy.  His commitment to unity and the community within the Church were other factors that spoke for him because he is considered a "conservative prelate with a modern perspective".  On the liturgical level, he has shown a particularly hostile attitude towards the traditional liturgy under the pontificate of Francis.

The Swedish Cardinal Anders Arborelius, born in Switzerland, who praised by Francis in 2022 as "a person who can show us the way into the future" is also a papabile.  He is known for his open and optimistic personality and has extensive experience in the service of the Church, since he holds several important positions, including the chair of the Scandinavian Bishops' Conference and membership in various Vatican dicastries.  He is a strong sponsor of interreligious dialogue (one should not forget that he himself is a convert from the Lutheran to the Catholic Church) and is perceived as a very modest and selfless person: properties that are very appreciated in a Pope, especially according to the experiences with Bergoglio.

 The "moderate" and neomodernistic papabile

 Now we come to the other wing of the list of favorites.  Let's start with the "moderate" modernists.  These are three cardinals that have not yet been controversial, but this cautious silence could be a deafening symptom for the crypto modernist.

The French Cardinal Jean-Marc Noël Aveline is viewed by some of Francis as protégé.  His commitment in the areas of migration and interreligious dialogue coincides with the priorities of the current incumbent.  It is known that the two meet regularly in the Vatican, also outside of official working hours, and he is particularly valued by the left -wing political and Church circles.  Finally, Aveline supports a strong decentralization in the Church.  In view of this last element and there-as mentioned at the beginning-the party of Francis has adopted the will of the St. Gallen-Mafia to revolutionize the concept of papacy itself, Aveline could indeed be a dangerous candidate in the next conclave.

The Congolese Capuchin Cardinal Fridolin Ambongo Besungu is a strong advocate of liturgical inculturation and the Zairian rite.  After the proclamation of Fiducia Supplicans, Ambongo got into the sights of the media because he criticized the document as inappropriate and even "Eurocentric".  In Africa there are indeed different topics than the blessing of homosexual couples.  While he defends the traditional values ​​of the Church in questions such as the family and priestly celibacy, he has opened himself to a dialogue on other topics, such as the diaconate of women.

The Italian Cardinal Fernando Filoni is not one of the top candidates for the position of the Pope, but is high in reputation due to his extensive diplomatic and curial experience.  However, there are also aspects that could stand in the way of his choice: in particular, he has no experience in the management of dioceses and is identified with the Italian “old guard of bureaucracy”.  Perhaps these properties make him the ideal security candidate for the cardinal voters who want to keep the status quo of the church for a while.

With this we get to the real modernists, the revolutionary at the forefront.  The Swiss Cardinal Kurt Koch has a comprehensive knowledge of the Church and its theological challenges, which today seem very important when you consider how important it is to preserve the unity of the Church in an environment like the German -speaking world, which is very vulnerable to divisions and schism.  He is known for his skepticism towards the German synodal, which could arouse the sympathy of some conservative voters, but overall he is not a friend of tradition: In terms of female deaconate, he has obviously commented over the years while he is liturgically regarded for his repeated reconciliation of Vetus and Novus Ordo in order to have only one form as a (Hegelian) synthesis.  In short, Koch has many parallels to Ratzinger: a progressive one that has mitigated over time, but is still very modern.

The Italian Cardinal Pietro Parolin is the current State Secretary of the Vatican, a very prominent role in the Roman Curia.  In recent years he has repeatedly campaigned for concerns that are considered conservative within the Church, but one should not forget that his actions were always very revolutionary.  To tell the truth, Parolin would be the ideal candidate for a pontificate in full continuity with Francis because he would follow the same reforms, but in a less striking and more diplomatic and pragmatic way.  Parolin is also considered an advocate of Eastern Policy (Ostpolitik) a strategy of cooperation with enemy powers through compromises and reconciliation, especially in relationships with China.  In fact, he played a crucial role in the resumption of direct contacts between the Holy See and Beijing.  I personally think that the chances for Parolin to be chosen as the successor to Francis are very high today.  However, we must not forget the old Roman saying that the one who goes into the conclave as a Pope comes out as a cardinal.

South African Cardinal Stephen Brislin is apparently a less favorite papal candidate than others, but in the past it has been granted that his choice is technically possible.  He expressly speaks for the inclusion of LGBT in the Church and the women's diaconate and considers Víctor Manuel Fernández, the current prefects of the Dicastry, to be one of the "true giants with great intellect and experience".  I think it is not necessary to anything else.

The Filipino Cardinal Luis Tagle has long been considered a Bergoglio successor, so much that he has received the nickname "Asian Francis".  In 2022, however, he ended his term as President of Caritas Internalis after defects in the facility had been found during an independent examination.  These events nourished speculation that Cardinal Tagle has lost the favor of Pope Bergoglio.  As a member of the school of Bologna, who, according to the second Vatican Council, has to be interpreted in complete departure from previous teachings and practices, Tagle has expressed and indicated on topics such as communion for sacramental couples and homosexuality that they  universal moral principles could not "apply in all situations".  He is also a great supporter of the secret agreement between China and the Vatican.

Portuguese Cardinal José Tolentino de Mendonça, although he is not one of the leading papabile, is considered a possible compromise candidate for the next conclave.  Despite his relatively young age (59), he is very close to Francis.  For the papal electors, who would like a very long pontificate of continuity, certainly heterodox and modernist, with an even larger revolutionary impulse than Francis, this cardinal could be the ideal candidate.  In a conclave, he will probably collect voices among his Portuguese and Brazilian brothers, where he should have great influence.  In fact, there would be a lot to pray for if he was chosen. ...

After all, we still have the Italian cardinal Matteo Zupi, who is literally the opposite of Cardinal Burke.  While the latter never had too many scruples to criticize progressive openings within the Church, to judge them in all clarity and thereby draw the hatred and the dislike of a large part of the world episcopate  (not only of the openly modernist), Zuppi has also explicitly pronounced for the more radical neomodernist instances of contemporary theology.  In May 2022 he was elected President of the Italian Bishops' Conference.  He took part in several synods of the Vatican and sees synodality as "fundamental" for the renewal of the Church.  Although he has progressive tendencies, he tries to keep dialogue with Todos, Todos, Todos, even with those who are theologically and liturgically conservative, and to keep the channels open with those who support the liturgy of all time (but who knows whether  he would continue this approach as a Pope?).

 *Gaetano Masciullo, born in Bari in 1993, studied philosophy and history, freelance publicist, author of several books, in brief “La tiara e la loggia.  La Lotta Della Massoneria Contro La Chiesa "(" Tiara and Lodge. The struggle of Freemasonry against the Church ") with a foreword by Don Nicola Bux, Verona 2023.

 Translation: Giuseppe Nardi

 Image: Gaetano Masciullo

Trans: Tancred vekron99@hotmail.com

AMDG

 Edit: not very shocking. Maybe it will be illegal to mention these gangster actions at some point as Trump destroys the First Amendment.

Perhaps Elon will eliminate funding to Israel based on these criminal activities?

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Israel is set to tax, seize and auction off properties that have been owned for centuries by Jerusalem's Armenian Christian Patriarchate - a direct threat to the survival of the 1,700+ year old Armenian Christian Quarter and all the faith-based communities of the Holy Land. pic.twitter.com/QlWU7yIc3r

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The two nations are preventing the UN Security Council from stopping “the vicious cycle of violence,” a Russian envoy has said

The uncompromising stance being taken by Israel and the US is making it impossible to end the conflict in Gaza, Russia’s permanent representative to the UN has said.

Vassily Nebenzia made the comments during a UN Security Council session dedicated to the year-old Gaza crisis in the Middle East on Tuesday.

The attack on Israel by the Palestinian militant group Hamas on October 7 last year, in which some 1,200 Israelis were killed and 250 taken hostage, was “a tragedy” but it is being used to justify “the merciless and inhumane mass collective punishment of the Palestinians,” the envoy said.

The people of Gaza “are facing an unprecedented humanitarian catastrophe unseen since World War Two,” he stressed.

Nebenzia noted that due to Israel’s air and ground campaign, almost 42,000 people – mainly women and children – have been killed in Gaza in the past year, and the number of wounded and missing is approaching 100,000, while another 2 million Palestinians are internally displaced.

"This is the result of the stubbornness of the Israeli leadership and its patronage by the American allies... who do not allow the Security Council to stop this vicious cycle of violence,” Nebenzia insisted.

Washington vetoed several UNSC resolutions calling for an immediate ceasefire in Gaza before eventually allowing the document to pass in late March 2024. According to a report by the Watson Institute for International and Public Affairs earlier this week, the US has provided Israel with a record $17.9 billion in military aid over the past year. A major part of American deliveries were munitions, including artillery shells and 2,000-pound (907kg) bombs, according to the report.

The “catastrophic situation” in Gaza should only be resolved through diplomatic means with the participation of all countries in the Middle East and major international players, Nebenzia said.

“Our common goal is to ensure the implementation of the decisions of the Security Council and the UN General Assembly, to stop the bloodshed that risks engulfing the entire Middle East,” he stated.

READ MORE: After a year of war, Israel’s unity is shaken and it’s bleeding support

The members of the UNSC must also “guarantee the implementation of the Palestinians’ legitimate right to self-determination,” which would allow them to create a viable state within the 1967 borders and with East Jerusalem as its capital, the Russian envoy added.

Slovakia’s prime minister Robert Fico has accused the press of creating an atmosphere of hate that encouraged a gunman to shoot him

Slovakia's Prime Minister Robert Fico has accused mainstream journalists of being “possessed by the devil” and suggested establishing a national media watchdog to rein in the “hate” being spread by reporters.

During a press conference on Tuesday, Fico, who survived an assassination attempt by a reportedly pro-Kiev shooter following sustained media criticism of his position on Ukraine, became visibly agitated when asked about tensions within his three-party governing coalition.

”From the first day, when the results of the parliamentary elections came in, you went against us like bloodthirsty bastards from morning to night,” Fico said, dismissing any notion of a government crisis.

“Do you read your articles after you’ve written them? I don’t think you do… It’s pure hate. You’re possessed by the devil,” he said. He singled out the major Slovak daily papers Dennik N and Sme, and the Aktuality.sk portal, which have been highly critical of his government since he returned to power for a fourth term after his Slovak Social Democracy (SMER-SD) party won the election last September.

You just want to do wrong at any cost, and that’s why the atmosphere in Slovakia is like this. Why did they shoot me in the stomach?

The prime minister expressed support for establishing a “national media authority” and “sanctions” for journalists who fail to correct errors in their reporting. He also suggested that journalists should undergo requalification courses, similar to those required for lawyers and public notaries.

”You should perhaps also be part of some professional associations, where you would face disciplinary procedures, similar to lawyers,” Fico said, stressing that his government needs to take action because “such a media mess as we have in Slovakia doesn’t exist in any other EU country.”

The comments were swiftly condemned by opposition politicians, with some accusing Fico of attacking freedom of speech.

“The idea of a national media authority that would control journalists is nothing more than a thinly veiled effort to censor and limit the media, which exists perhaps only in North Korea,” said lawmaker Zora Jaurova from the liberal opposition party Progressive Slovakia.

The chair of the For the People party, Veronika Remisova, argued that by referring to journalists as "bloodthirsty bastards," the prime minister and his “cronies” are themselves spreading hatred.

Fico was shot and critically injured on May 15 in the town of Handlova while greeting a crowd. A 71-year-old suspect was arrested at the scene and charged with attempted murder and terrorism.

In June, the Slovak prime minister argued that the assassination attempt was orchestrated by foreign-backed politicians who refuse to accept policies prioritizing Bratislava’s interests over the agendas of major Western powers. He also warned against efforts by adversaries – including media outlets bankrolled by billionaire political activist George Soros – to downplay the implications of the shooting.

”I want to ask the anti-government media, especially those co-owned by George Soros’ financial structure, not to go down this path and to respect not only the gravity of the reasons for the attempted murder but also the consequences of this attempt,” Fico said at the time.

The Iranians won’t know what hit them, Defense Minister Yoav Gallant has said

Israel’s response to the Iranian missile attack will be “deadly, pinpoint accurate, and surprising,” Defense Minister Yoav Gallant has warned.

Tehran’s missile barrage pummeled Israel earlier this month, in what was said to be reprisal for the killings of the heads of Hamas and Hezbollah, as well as a general of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC).

”The Iranian attack was aggressive but inaccurate,” Gallant said on Wednesday. “In contrast, our attack will be deadly, pinpoint accurate, and most importantly, surprising – they will not know what happened or how it happened. They will just see the results.”

Gallant was speaking to Intelligence Unit 9900 of the Israel Defense Forces (IDF), charged with visual intelligence collection and analysis. He credited their work with Israel’s “air supremacy” and ability to see “very precisely and in every place what we want to,” according to the Jerusalem Post.

Iran had launched a number of missiles and drones at Israel in April, in response to a deadly air raid on the Iranian consulate in the Syrian capital, Damascus. Israel and the US claimed to have intercepted the attack entirely, with no damage or casualties. The October 1 barrage was more extensive, and videos of multiple missile impacts posted on social media clearly showed failings in the Israeli air defenses.

The IDF has vowed a “serious and significant” response, though Tehran has warned both Israel and the US that it would no longer exercise “unilateral self-restraint” and strike even harder instead.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has reportedly been trying to coordinate a strike with the US. Gallant’s planned trip to Washington on Tuesday was canceled after Netanyahu said he had not been able to get a hold of US President Joe Biden yet, according to media reports.

Biden has publicly warned Israel not to go after Iran’s nuclear program or oil facilities. According to both US and Israeli media, the IDF is now expected to target military and intelligence sites instead.

Meanwhile, the IRGC-affiliated news agency Tasnim has reported that the Iranian military has worked up at least ten contingency plans for responding to any Israeli attack. Tehran is “not afraid of war,” Iranian Foreign Minister Seyed Abbas Araghchi stated on Tuesday.

Washington reportedly believes Tehran could launch drones and missiles in the coming days

The US believes Iran will attack American or Israeli personnel in the Middle East in retaliation for an Israeli airstrike in Syria, several news outlets reported on Friday and Saturday, citing US officials. Tehran has vowed to avenge seven officers – including two top commanders from the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps – who were killed in the bombing of Iran’s consulate in Damascus on Monday.

A senior official told CNN that the US government believes retaliation by Iran is inevitable, and added that the Israelis share this assessment. Officials warned that an attack could come as soon as next week.

According to officials who spoke to NBC News and CBS News, American intelligence suggests that Iran could use “a swarm” of Shahed kamikaze drones and cruise missiles, and that Tehran could target an Israeli diplomatic or consular facility.

The potential attack was discussed during a phone call between President Joe Biden and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Thursday, CNN said.

There have not been any major attacks on US personnel in the region since late January, when a kamikaze drone killed three soldiers stationed at a remote outpost near the Jordanian-Syrian border. American troops shot down two drones near the al-Tanf base in southern Syria this week, CNN reported, citing US defense officials.

Iranian Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei has promised that Israel will “receive a slap in the face.” Officials in Tehran also made threats against the US, although Washington claimed it was unaware that the strike on Iran’s mission in Damascus would happen.

Israel has accused Iran of aiding Hamas, Hezbollah, and other pro-Palestine militant groups and has vowed to neutralize any security threats during its war against Hamas in Gaza. Although Israel did not claim responsibility for the death of the Iranian generals directly, Defense Minister Yoav Gallant warned that “everyone who acts against us all over the Middle East” will pay “a heavy price.” 

Strategist Edward Luttwak has argued that members of the US-led bloc will have to deploy troops to prevent a Russian victory

NATO nations can only forestall an inevitable loss to Russian forces in Ukraine by deploying their troops to the former Soviet republic, a former adviser to the US military has claimed.

“The arithmetic of this is inescapable: NATO countries will soon have to send soldiers to Ukraine, or else accept catastrophic defeat,” military strategist Edward Luttwak wrote in an oped published on Thursday by the British online media outlet UnHerd. “The British and French, along with the Nordic countries, are already quietly preparing to send troops – both small elite units and logistics and support personnel – who can remain far from the front.”

The conflict can’t be won without direct troop deployments because regardless of the quantity and quality of weapons sent to Kiev, Ukrainian forces are too outnumbered by the Russians, Luttwak argued. “This means that unless [Russian President Vladimir] Putin decides to end the war, Ukraine’s troops will be pushed back again and again, losing soldiers in the process who cannot be replaced.”

Luttwak’s comments follow weeks of battlefield advances by Russian forces in the Donbass region. Western leaders have insisted that they can ensure a Ukrainian victory by providing aid to Kiev, but French President Emmanuel Macron suggested in February that direct troop deployments by NATO members could not be ruled out.

European NATO members face a “momentous decision” because with US forces facing a growing threat of a potential Chinese attack on Taiwan, it will be up to them to provide the manpower that Ukraine needs, Luttwak said. “If Europe cannot provide enough troops, Russia will prevail on the battlefield, and even if diplomacy successfully intervenes to avoid a complete debacle, Russian military power will have victoriously returned to central Europe,” he added.

NATO-Russia relations have deteriorated so much amid the Ukraine crisis that the Western alliance is already in “direct confrontation” with Moscow, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said on Thursday. Putin has warned that NATO would risk triggering a nuclear conflict if its members send troops to Ukraine.

READ MORE: ‘Take no NATO prisoners’ – Medvedev

Luttwak suggested that by providing support troops for such tasks as troop training and repairing damaged equipment, NATO nations could free up more Ukrainians to serve on the front lines. “These NATO soldiers might never see combat, but they don’t have to in order to help Ukraine make the most of its own scarce manpower,” he said.

The Romanian-born Luttwak, who was raised and educated largely in the UK, has advised the Pentagon, the US State Department, and the White House National Security Council, among other entities in Washington. A December 2015 profile of Luttwak by The Guardian billed him as “the Machiavelli of Maryland.” Now 81, he has reportedly advised clients ranging from the Dalai Lama to the prime minister of Kazakhstan.

READ MORE: Ukraine ‘will become a member of NATO’ – top US diplomat

Despite being a proponent of Western involvement in the conflict, Luttwak was put on a Ukrainian blacklist in 2022 for opining that Kiev cannot realistically hope to defeat Russia outright and depose Putin.

West Jerusalem has dismissed two commanders and reprimanded others over their “grave mistake” in targeting an aid convoy in Gaza

The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) has issued a rare admission of guilt, firing two senior officers and rebuking several others for “errors in decision-making” that led to the deaths of seven humanitarian aid workers in a drone attack earlier this week in Gaza.

A brigade fire support commander and a brigade chief of staff were dismissed over Monday’s incident, and three higher-level officers were reprimanded, the IDF said on Friday in a statement. Among those called out was the leader of Israel’s Southern Command, who bore “overall responsibility.”

An internal investigation of the drone strikes on a convoy of international aid workers found that it “should not have occurred,” the IDF said. “The strike on the aid vehicles is a grave mistake stemming from a serious failure due to a mistaken identification, errors in decision-making, and an attack contrary to the standard operating procedures.”

Investigators concluded that the officers involved thought they were targeting Hamas terrorists after misidentifying three World Central Kitchen (WCK) vehicles and mistakenly concluding that one of the passengers had a weapon slung over his shoulder. “We express our deep sorrow for the loss and send our condolences to the families and the WCK organization,” the IDF said.

Nearly 200 aid workers have reportedly been killed in Gaza and the West Bank since Israel’s war against Hamas began in October. Those who perished in Monday’s drone attack included three UK nationals, one Palestinian, a US-Canadian dual citizen, an Australian, and a Polish aid worker. The WCK vehicles were marked with the aid group’s logo, and they were traveling on an IDF-approved route after dropping off a food shipment at a warehouse in central Gaza.

Monday’s incident sparked international outrage, including a rebuke from US President Joe Biden, but Washington is continuing to supply weapons to Israel. In fact, just hours before the aid convoy was struck, the Biden administration reportedly approved plans to transfer thousands of munitions to replenish stockpiles that have been depleted by Israel’s six-month bombardment of the Palestinian enclave.

READ MORE: Israel apologized for aid worker’s death in Gaza – Poland

The findings of Israel’s investigation were shared with WCK and with the ambassadors of the nations whose citizens were killed, the IDF said. Israel’s ambassador to Poland, Yacov Livne, apologized for the incident, Polish Deputy Foreign Minister Andrzej Szejna told reporters on Friday in Warsaw. Earlier this week, Livne insisted that the attack was not a war crime and that Poles who thought otherwise were anti-Semitic.

The French president has claimed Moscow was spreading misinformation to sabotage the games

French President Emmanuel Macron’s claims that Moscow may somehow seek to undermine the Paris Olympics are entirely baseless, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said on Friday.

President Vladimir Putin’s press secretary was asked to comment on the French leader’s remarks, as well as the Czech transportation minister’s allegations that Russia has been trying to hack into the EU railway networks.

“These are absolutely unfounded accusations in both the first and second cases,” Peskov said. “They are often heard, but they are never supported by any adequate evidence or argumentation. We absolutely do not accept such accusations.”

The West often makes baseless accusations against Moscow, Peskov added, calling it “quite indecent behavior.”

On Thursday, at the ceremony for opening a new aquatics center, Macron told reporters he had “no doubt” that Russia was “targeting” the Olympics, “including in the information field.”

“Every day [Russia] is putting out stories saying that we are unable to do this or that, so [the Games] would be at risk,” the French president said.

The Olympics are scheduled to start on July 26, with over 300,000 people observing the opening ceremony on the river Seine. Western experts have voiced concerns that the event may be “highly vulnerable” to terrorist attacks.

France has already asked some 46 countries for over 2,000 additional police specialists to help with securing the games, AFP reported last month citing sources inside the government. Officially, more than 45,000 gendarmes, 18,000 troops and 22,000 private security guards will be tasked with protecting the Olympics.

Paris has raised the terrorist threat level following last month’s attack on Crocus City Hall near Moscow that killed more than 140 people. Macron denied any possibility of Ukraine’s involvement and blamed the attack on Islamic State Khorasan (ISIS-K), which he said might target France as well.

It is not the first accusation of Russian malfeasance the French government has made in recent months, however. In October, after someone stenciled the Star of David on multiple Paris buildings, the French Foreign Ministry claimed that Russian intelligence incited the perpetrators. Moscow’s ambassador rejected the accusation as “completely outrageous” and unfounded.

In February, Macron said Russia was engaging in “disinformation and information manipulation operations” and cyberattacks against France, especially after Paris ramped up its supply of weapons to Ukraine. 

The parent company of Facebook and Instagram will sniff out and label robot-created videos, photos, and audio

Meta will start labeling AI-generated content on Facebook and Instagram from May onwards, the tech giant has announced. Until now, the company had a policy of deleting such computer-created content.

The company will apply “Made with AI” labels to photo, audio, or video content created with artificial intelligence, it explained in a blog post on Friday. These labels will either be applied automatically when Meta detects “industry-shared signals” of AI content, or when users voluntarily disclose that something they post was created with AI.

If the content in question carries “a particularly high risk of materially deceiving the public on a matter of importance,” a more prominent label may be applied, Meta stated.

At present, Meta’s ‘manipulated media’ policy only covers videos that have been “created or altered by AI to make a person appear to say something they didn’t say.” Content violating this policy is removed rather than labeled.

READ MORE: Italian PM wants €100,000 over deepfake porn

The new policy expands this dragnet to videos showing someone “doing something they didn’t do,” and to photos and audio. However, it is more relaxed than the old approach in that the content in question will be allowed to remain online.

The new policy expands this dragnet to videos showing someone “doing something they didn’t do,” and to photos and audio. However, it is more relaxed than the old approach in that the content in question will be allowed to remain online.

“Our manipulated media policy was written in 2020 when realistic AI-generated content was rare and the overarching concern was about videos,” the company explained. “In the last four years, and particularly in the last year, people have developed other kinds of realistic AI-generated content like audio and photos, and this technology is quickly evolving.”

Since the beginning of this year, US regulators have announced a ban on AI-generated “robocalls” after New Hampshire residents were contacted by a computer-generated Joe Biden urging them to sit out the state’s Democratic primary election, while the White House has promised to “deal with” the problem of non-consensual porn after fake nude photos of pop star Taylor Swift spread on social media. Former US President Donald Trump has also weighed in on the issue, accusing US media outlets of using AI to make him appear fatter in photographs.

Meta is not the only Big Tech firm to combat artificial content with labels. As of last year, TikTok asks users to label their own AI-generated content, while giving other users the option to report content they suspect was AI-generated. YouTube introduced a similar honor-based system last month.

READ MORE: Pope warns of ‘perverse’ deepfakes

With pivotal elections taking place in the EU in June and US in November, lawmakers have pushed tech firms to take action against AI-created “deepfakes,” which they argue could be used to deceive voters. Earlier this year, Microsoft, Meta, and Google joined more than a dozen other industry leaders in promising to “help prevent deceptive AI content from interfering with this year’s global elections.”

Platforms such as TikTok and YouTube that use honor systems may soon be forced to take Meta’s approach, however. Under a provision of the EU’s AI Act, which comes into effect next summer, tech companies will be fined for not detecting and identifying AI-created content, including text “published with the purpose to inform the public on matters of public interest.”

The 4.8-magnitude quake interrupted a session of the UN Security Council

A UN Security Council session was interrupted on Friday after the world body’s headquarters in New York began to shake. The culprit was an earthquake under neighboring New Jersey, felt dozens of kilometers away.

Residents of New York City and the surrounding areas took to social media in alarm as the ground beneath their feet began to tremble.

Initial reports spoke of a 5.5-magnitude quake near North Plainfield, New Jersey, which could be felt as far away as Pennsylvania. However, the US Geological Survey (USGS) later said the magnitude was just 4.8 and the epicenter was under Whitehouse Station, New Jersey, 30km further to the west.

There have been no reports of injuries or property damage so far.

The northeastern US is not known for earthquakes, as it is far from any documented fault lines. The largest known quake in the New York City area was approximately 5.2 in magnitude and was recorded in 1884.

The country will not necessarily make the bloc stronger and may cause a global war, Alessandro Minuto-Rizzo has said

NATO has significantly benefited from the Ukraine conflict, but allowing the country to join is not advisable, according to Alessandro Minuto-Rizzo, former deputy secretary general of the the US-led military bloc.

Moscow has cited NATO’s unchecked expansion in Europe as one of the key points of contention with the US and its allies. Its increased presence in Ukraine since a 2014 coup in the country is among the causes of the present hostilities, according to Russian officials. Kiev claims it is protecting Europe from Russia and therefore deserves a place in the bloc.

The Italian diplomat, who served in NATO from 2001 to 2007, and briefly acted as its head during the transition from Secretary General George Robertson to Jaap de Hoop Scheffer, said he did not believe that allowing Ukraine to join was “the best response” under the circumstances.

”There is no need at all to have Ukraine as a NATO member. I’m not sure that it will support the strength of the alliance – and also because it is controversial,” he told the British tabloid Sun.

If Ukraine becomes a NATO member, then immediately you change the character of the war – it will be a war of Russia against NATO countries.

Moscow perceives the Ukraine conflict as part of a US-led proxy war against Russia. NATO is a geopolitical tool, according to Russian officials, which Washington uses to enforce its goals on European members. The Americans intend to continue hostilities “to the last Ukrainian,” the Kremlin has claimed.

Minuto-Rizzo asserted that the conflict has made NATO stronger by invigorating it and pushing two previously neutral Western nations – Finland and Sweden – into its ranks. Collectively, the 32 present members have far more weapons, soldiers and funding than Russia does, he pointed out, so there is no threat of Moscow initiating a direct conflict.

”I can’t understand why Russia would invade Romania or Poland for instance,” he said. Kiev and its backers have maintained that by arming Ukraine, the West is defending itself from Russian aggression.

But Russia could “upgrade” hostilities, for example, in response to a deployment of NATO troops to Ukraine, potentially resulting in a world war, Minuto-Rizzo added.

Regarding President Vladimir Putin, the former official characterized him as moderate and willing to compromise, in contrast to some other Russian politicians. In 2021, Moscow offered the West a diplomatic way to defuse tension over NATO expansion and Ukraine, but the appeal was rejected by Washington.

Washington provided information about a potential assault, but Moscow claims it was too general

Former US President Donald Trump has said he would have personally alerted Russian President Vladimir Putin about a potential terrorist attack on Moscow’s Crocus City Hall, if he had been in a position to do so. 

Trump made the remarks in an interview with US radio host Hugh Hewitt on Thursday. The journalist suggested that Washington “knew that the Moscow attack last week was going to happen,” and expressed doubt that US President Joe Biden had called Putin to inform him. Hewitt asked the former president whether he would have personally warned the Russian leader about the terrorist plot.

“I would have called him. I would have let him know,” Trump said. 

On March 22, four gunmen stormed the Crocus City Hall concert venue just outside Moscow, going on a shooting spree and setting fire to the building. At least 144 people, including six children, were killed in the massacre and over 500 were injured. The act of terrorism was the deadliest on Russian soil since the early 2000s.

Russian law enforcement captured the four gunmen believed to have been responsible for the massacre, as well as several other individuals who are suspected of aiding the terrorists in their plot.

Moscow maintains that the terrorists had a “window” prepared for them to cross the border into Ukraine. While Islamic State’s Afghanistan-based wing (ISIS-K) claimed responsibility for the attack, the head of Russia’s Federal Security Service (FSB), Aleksandr Bortnikov, claimed in March that the US, UK, and Ukraine may have been involved – which all three have denied. Washington and Brussels have insisted that Kiev had nothing to do with the massacre.

In the aftermath of the Crocus City Hall massacre, the White House said the US had shared information with Moscow about a potential terrorist attack. The head of Russia’s Foreign Intelligence Service (SVR), Sergey Naryshkin, has confirmed this, but added that “the information was too general and did not allow us to fully identify those who participated in this terrible crime.”

Earlier this week, the Washington Post claimed, citing an unnamed US official, that Washington had alerted Russia about the imminent terrorist attack two weeks before the tragedy. According to the outlet, Moscow had received a warning with a “high degree of specificity” that the popular venue could be targeted by terrorists.

Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova rejected the outlet’s claim on Wednesday, calling it completely false.

Tehran’s threat to West Jerusalem is very real and public, adviser John Kirby has claimed

Washington is worried about the escalating tensions between Iran and Israel, White House National Security Communications Adviser John Kirby said on Thursday. Speaking on CNN’s ‘The Situation Room with Wolf Blitzer’, Kirby said the White House is concerned that the situation may evolve into a full-fledged war.

The statements come after a deadly airstrike on an Iranian consulate in the Syrian capital, Damascus earlier this week, which killed seven military officials of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) Quds Force, including a top Iranian general. Tehran blamed the attack on Israel, with Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei vowing retaliation and saying that Israel would “receive a slap in the face.”

“We’re very concerned,” Kirby said in response to a question regarding Iran’s threats and what they may lead to.

“In fact, one of the things that the prime minister [Benjamin Netanyahu] and the president [Joe Biden] talked about today was this very public, very real threat by Iran to the State of Israel,” he added, noting that the US is taking the situation very seriously.

“Nobody wants to see this conflict escalate,” Kirby stated. He said, however, that the US will continue to stand with Israel and provide military aid.

The diplomatic compound in Damascus was hit by a missile, purportedly launched by an Israeli F-35 fighter jet, on Monday. Israel has not claimed responsibility for the attack, in line with its traditional policy of neither confirming nor denying operations on foreign soil. However, Israel has repeatedly bombed Syria, Iran’s closest strategic ally, in recent years.

Monday’s attack comes amid the war between Israel and Palestinian militant group Hamas in Gaza. Israel has accused Iran of backing Hamas and masterminding the deadly October 7 raid on Israeli citizens, which claimed the lives of an estimated 1,200 Israelis and kickstarted the current conflict.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu declared war on Hamas following the attack and vowed to eradicate the group. Over 33,000 Palestinians have been killed in Israeli strikes on Gaza in the past six months, with much of the enclave razed to the ground. Tehran, for its part, denied involvement in the October attack, but pledged to continue to support Hamas and other Palestinian groups.

Ukraine joining the bloc is like the start of a movie about end of the world, the billionaire has said

A pledge by US Secretary of State Antony Blinken that Ukraine will become a member of NATO looks like a scene from a movie about a nuclear apocalypse, entrepreneur Elon Musk believes.

The top US diplomat reiterated the “rock solid” determination of his country and other members to eventually include Ukraine in the military bloc at a NATO summit in Brussels this week. Speaking alongside Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmitry Kuleba, he said the purpose of the event was to “help build a bridge to membership.”

“This is literally how the nuclear apocalypse movie starts,” Musk responded on X (formerly Twitter). He shared a video from the 1983 American television film ‘The Day After’, which depicts a fictional nuclear war between the US and the USSR. The movie was shown to Soviet audiences in 1987, when the two superpowers were negotiating a key nuclear arms control treaty.

Moscow has cited NATO expansion in Europe against Russian objections and an intention to include Ukraine in the organization as one of the key causes of ongoing hostilities. The US and its allies have claimed that all nations have a right to seek accession regardless of whatever concerns Russia may have.

READ MORE: ‘Odessa will fall’, Musk warns Ukraine

Musk has previously spoken out about the risks to Ukraine and the world of further escalation. Continued hostilities could result in Kiev losing access to the Black Sea, he said last week.

The billionaire has urged Kiev to offer concessions to Moscow in exchange for a peace treaty. He has also backed the argument that US attempts to weaken Russia by arming and funding Ukraine have backfired.

Bavarian cops have released a video mocking a shortage of uniforms

The Bavarian chapter of the German Police Union (DPolG) has released a video showing officers without pants to express frustration over a shortage of uniforms.

In the clip, which was shared on social media on Monday, two officers have a brief conversation in their patrol car. “So, how long have you been waiting?” One says four months, the other six, before getting out of their BMW to reveal that they are pantless.

Although the video was released on April Fool’s Day, it was not joke, but an attempt to draw attention to the severe uniform shortage, the chairman of the Bavarian branch of the DPolG, Jurgen Kohnlein, who also appears in the video, explained.

“We have now reached the point where our colleagues can no longer move out adequately – in other words: with a decent uniform,” he said.

According to him, Bavarian police officers have been dealing with uniform shortages due to supply chain bottlenecks since the Covid-19 pandemic.

“Bavaria’s police are ‘stripping bare’ and could literally be left standing without pants,” Kohnlein said, highlighting the fact that the waiting time for more than 20 different items, including hats, jackets, and pants, can take months if they are available at all. He added that in many cases, officers have to work in their last pair of pants.

READ MORE: Polish political elite swept by fake diploma scandal

The union has urged the German Interior Ministry to address the problem immediately, even if it means additional costs, stressing that since 2020, they have “hardly been talking about shortcomings in the quality of uniforms, but rather a shortage in the availability of uniforms.”

This is not the first time the police union has publicly complained about uniform issues. According to local media, in 2020, the Bavarian Interior Ministry registered hundreds of complaints about uniforms that are of low quality and do not fit well.

The government will allow deliveries through the Erez checkpoint for the first time in months

Israel has agreed to allow humanitarian aid deliveries into northern Gaza through the Erez checkpoint, which was shut down following the October 7 Hamas attack. The decision came following international outrage over the killing of aid workers by the Israel Defense Forces (IDF), and weeks after the UN declared famine conditions exist in the Palestinian enclave.

“Israel will allow the temporary delivery of humanitarian aid through [the port of] Ashdod and the Erez checkpoint,” Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office said in the early hours of Friday. 

“This increased aid will prevent a humanitarian crisis and is necessary to ensure the continuation of the fighting and to achieve the goals of the war,” Netanyahu’s office said.

The Erez crossing was closed nearly six months ago when Israel declared a near-total blockade of Gaza.

The aid has since been either delivered through the crowded Rafah checkpoint in the southern part of the territory, on the border with Egypt, or airdropped. Relief groups are saying that the current flow is only a fraction of what is needed, with the UN warning last month that as many as 1.1 million people – half of Gaza’s population – are experiencing food insecurity.

International pressure on Israel increased after the IDF killed seven foreign volunteers from the relief group World Central Kitchen in a three-stage drone strike. The Israeli military said the murders were the result of “misidentification,” and promised to investigate the incident.

US President Joe Biden spoke to Netanyahu over the phone on Thursday, demanding that Israel “implement a series of specific, concrete, and measurable steps to address civilian harm, humanitarian suffering, and the safety of aid workers,” according to the White House.

Netanyahu has rejected the mounting calls to halt the advance on the city of Rafah, insisting that Israel needs to eliminate Hamas fighters in the area. Speaking at an event in Jerusalem last week, he said that the IDF “had no choice” but to move into Rafah because the country’s “very existence is on the line,” as quoted by CNN.

Israel declared war on Hamas after Palestinians militants carried out a surprise attack on Israeli cities on October 7, killing around 1,100 people and taking more than 200 hostages. More than 30,000 Palestinians have since been killed during Israel’s operations in Gaza, according to the local authorities.

Haiti has descended into “unprecedented” levels of violence and cruelty, a top human rights observer has claimed

A top UN human rights expert has likened conditions in Haiti to the “worst of times” in Somalia, saying the Caribbean nation has descended into unprecedented violence and chaos since gangs took over much of the capital last month.

“I’m running out of words, frankly, at this point,” human rights observer William O’Neill told the UN Human Rights Council earlier this week. “It’s apocalyptic, it’s like the end of times.” He added that the capital, Port-au-Prince, is suffering “a level of intensity and cruelty in the violence that is simply unprecedented in my experience in Haiti.”

Healthcare and other public services have been shattered by gang violence, and schools, hospitals, banks, and other institutions have come under frequent attacks. The international airport has been closed since last month, and the gangs control access to all major roads in and out of the capital, O’Neill said. The gangs have charged fees on every vehicle and person moving through the areas that they control, he added.

The gang uprising started on February 29, forcing Prime Minister Ariel Henry to resign while taking refuge in the US territory of Puerto Rico. Haiti, which has not had a president since Jovenel Moise was assassinated in 2021, currently has no elected leaders. A transitional council is being set up to form a new government.

O’Neill has previously worked in humanitarian crises in countries such as Rwanda, Sierra Leone, Bosnia, and Nepal. “Here, I think what’s different is that the state is virtually absent,” he said. “There is no state, and that’s almost like a Hobbesian world where it’s really survival of the fittest … and unfortunately, the fittest right now are the gangs.”

Thousands of people have fled Port-au-Prince in recent weeks. Gangs already control about 90% of the capital, and if they ramp up violence in other parts of the country, they could trigger a massive exodus of refugees to the US and the Dominican Republic, O’Neill warned.

The human rights expert lamented that Washington has not disrupted the smuggling of US-made weapons into Haiti. “I’m amazed that you can’t get food or medicine into Haiti, but you still get guns and bullets coming in,” he said. “I can’t believe my government can’t inspect those boats leaving from the Miami River and pull out every rifle and bullet because Haiti doesn’t produce any guns or bullets.” He added, “If the gangs don’t have their guns or bullets, they lose all their power.”  

Denmark has suspended navigation in the Great Belt over a technical problem with a warship

A malfunctioning missile launcher on board a Royal Danish Navy frigate caused a six-hour closure of the Great Belt strait on Thursday.

HDMS Niels Juel, named after a 17th-century Danish admiral, was moored at the Korsoer naval base on the island of Zeeland. The vessel was performing a test while at anchor when the crew noticed a problem with the Harpoon anti-ship missile system. The missile’s booster became active and could not be switched off.

“Until the booster is disabled, there is a risk that the missile could launch and fly several kilometers away,” the Danish military said in a statement.

The National Maritime Authority issued a warning, closing the airspace and the shipping lane west of the Korsoer naval station due to the possible risk of “falling missile fragments.” The US-designed Harpoon is usually armed with a warhead containing 150kg of explosives.

Specialists eventually established that the booster was not armed.

The incident with the Niels Juel came just a day after Denmark’s top officer was fired for failing to report another naval malfunction. Defense Minister Troels Lund Poulsen announced on Wednesday he had “lost trust” in General Flemming Lentfer.

Lentfer allegedly failed to inform Copenhagen of the fact that the radar and the missile systems on board the HMDS Iver Huitfeldt had failed when it came under attack off the coast of Yemen recently.

The Danish frigate was deployed to the Red Sea as part of an EU mission to protect international shipping from the Houthi rebels, who have blockaded Israeli-linked ships – as well as US and UK merchant vessels – in protest over the siege of Gaza.

Tehran has vowed vengeance for the deadly strike on its consulate in Damascus

The Israeli military canceled all leave and began to spoof satellite signals on Thursday, in what has been widely interpreted as preparation for a possible Iranian reprisal for the killing of Iranian officers in Syria.

Two generals of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) Quds Force, Mohammad Reza Zahedi and Mohammad Hadi Haji Rahimi, were among the seven officers killed in Monday’s attack on the Iranian consulate in Damascus.

Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei vowed that Israel would “receive a slap in the face,” while Iran’s envoy to Syria promised a response of the “same magnitude and harshness.”

Residents of central Israel on Thursday began reporting global positioning system (GPS) disruptions in Google Maps and popular delivery applications. Some residents of Tel Aviv said the maps were showing them as being in Beirut, Lebanon. Israel Defense Forces (IDF) spokesman, Admiral Daniel Hagari, soon confirmed that the military was behind this.

“We proactively activated a GPS interference, which was absolutely necessary,” Hagari said in a statement. 

The IDF also announced it was suspending all leave for combat units, “in accordance with the situational assessment.”

“The IDF is at war and the issue of the deployment of forces is constantly reviewed as needed,” the military said.

Israel has not officially commented on Monday’s airstrike, which targeted the Iranian diplomatic mission in what multiple countries – including Russia – denounced as a serious violation of international conventions. Defense Minister Yoav Gallant came the closest to admitting responsibility on Wednesday, when he said Israel “strikes our enemies all over the Middle East.”

According to Gallant, the IDF was “increasing preparedness” against all threats. The scenarios discussed by Israeli media have ranged from drone and rocket attacks from Lebanon, Iraq, Syria and Yemen to ballistic missile strikes from Iran itself.

Israel has accused Iran of backing Hamas, the Gaza-based Palestinian militant group that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu vowed to eradicate after the October 7 raid that claimed the lives of an estimated 1,200 Israelis. Since then, over 33,000 Palestinians have been killed in the Israeli invasion and much of Gaza razed to the ground. 

An AIPAC-organized meeting came after a phone call with the American president

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has urged the Republican majority in the US House of Representatives to reject Palestinian statehood and give West Jerusalem more weapons for a quick victory in Gaza.

Netanyahu met with a 15-member congressional delegation on Thursday evening, shortly after a 45-minute phone call with US President Joe Biden. His office did not release a readout of the call, choosing to post Netanyahu’s remarks from the AIPAC-organized event instead.

“Our battle is your battle. Our victory is your victory. And if we don’t have a victory, this will have enormous implications for American security, for our common future. So we must win,” Netanyahu told the members of Congress.

He assured them that Israel was “absolutely” going to win and that victory was “within reach” and “very close,” but could be “made quicker” with more aid.

“Give us the tools faster and we’ll finish the job faster. I’m talking about the supplemental,” Netanyahu said, referring to the $17.6 billion worth of military aid pending in the House. “I hope you find a way to give it as fast as you can.”

The Israeli prime minister also told US lawmakers that the Knesset had voted 99 to 9 to reject “an attempt to force, ram down our throats a Palestinian state,” which he described as “another terror haven” like Gaza.

“Do you have those kinds of numbers? I think you might have those numbers if you bring that same resolution, that same resolution to the Congress,” he said. Republicans currently have a razor-thin majority in the 435-member House, with 218 seats to the Democrats’ 213.

Netanyahu made no reference to Biden’s demand for an “immediate ceasefire” in Gaza or “specific, concrete, and measurable steps to address civilian harm, humanitarian suffering, and the safety of aid workers,” as the US readout of Thursday’s phone call phrased it.

According to the White House readout, Biden “made clear” to Netanyahu that “US policy with respect to Gaza will be determined by our assessment of Israel’s immediate action on these steps.”

Earlier this week, an Israeli strike killed seven World Central Kitchen aid workers in Gaza. The group was founded by celebrity chef Jose Andres, a long-time Democrat and personal friend of Biden. Unnamed US officials told Axios they expected the call to be “tense” because Biden was “pissed” and “outraged” about the incident.

However, the US president also told Netanyahu that Washington “strongly supports Israel” against “public Iranian threats against Israel and the Israeli people.”

Tehran had vowed retaliation after Monday’s attack on the Iranian consulate in Damascus, Syria, which killed seven Iranian officers, including two IRGC generals.