Pope Francis Unveils Baby Jesus in a Keffiyeh
On Saturday, Pope Francis attended a nativity scene crafted in Bethlehem, Israel, by Johny Andonia and Faten Nastas Mitwasi and presented by Palestinian officials in Pope Paul VI Hall in Vatican City. The display depicting the birth of Jesus in Bethlehem featured Baby Jesus lying on a Keffiyeh, a traditional Arab head covering for men that PLO leader Yasser Arafat appropriated as a symbol of Palestinian terrorism.

‘Attacks on the Kurds must stop’ – Israeli FM Sa’ar calls on world to stand with Syrian Kurds against Turkish attacks
“The attacks on the Kurds, as we saw yesterday in Manbij, must stop!” Sa’ar said. “There must be a commitment and actions by the international community to protect the Kurds, who fought bravely against ISIS. We have spoken with the U.S. administration and other countries on this matter.”

‘Zero tolerance to antisemites’ – 32,000 march in London against antisemitism after show of support for Hamas at Oxford University
Thirty-two thousand people marched against antisemitism on the streets of London on Sunday, after it was reported that police were investigating vocal support for Hamas in a recent speech at Oxford University. Organized by the Campaign Against Antisemitism, the participants of the march called on the British government to give “zero tolerance to antisemites” and to “act against hate before it’s too late.”

Palestinian Authority ordered to compensate tortured, imprisoned Israeli collaborators
As reported by The Jerusalem Post on Sunday, Judge Ilani said, “The Palestinian Authority is responsible for the unlawful imprisonment and torture of the cooperators… This constitutes a blatant violation of basic human rights.”

Good news during troublesome times
There is good news from the Middle Earth region of so much troubling news: Yeshua/Jesus/Yasua reigns from on high, and oversees events here on the ground, intervening in the affairs of man and governments — each making their own decisions on what seems ‘best’ to them — to bring about the final solution to the “sin problem” — the rebellion — in this world and in this creation.Praise the LORD! The Assad family rule in Syria has fallen after 53 brutal years,

Netanyahu: Axis of evil is crumbling, ‘didn’t happen by accident’
“We want to see change in Syria, both for our own benefit and for the well-being of the Syrian people,” Netanyahu said. “We are dismantling the axis of evil. This didn’t happen by accident or on its own. As I said to municipal leaders in southern Israel, we are determined to change the face of the Middle East.”

IRGC leaders ‘at war with themselves’ over fall of Assad
IRGC commanders are pointing fingers at one another “in angry terms” for the collapse of Assad’s regime. Some are calling for the dismissal of Quds Force commander Esmail Qaani. “No one ever imagined seeing Assad fleeing, as the focus for 10 years had been only on keeping him in power.

Defense Minister meets bereaved families: Goal of eliminating Hamas remains unchanged
Minister Katz declared that there would be no complete cessation of the war until Hamas is decisively defeated and all hostages—both alive and deceased—are returned. Regarding the northern border, the Defense Minister stated that there would be a response to any threat or violation of the ceasefire.

Luigi Mangione arrested for fatal shooting of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson.
The suspect is an anti-capitalist Ivy League grad who liked online quotes from “Unabomber’’ Ted Kaczynski — and seethed in a manifesto, “These parasites simply had it coming.” Tech whiz Luigi Mangione, 26, originally from Towson, Md., apparently hated the medical community because of how it treated his sick relative. The suspect also may have held a grudge because of his own interactions with the industry, sources said — noting an X-ray photo on his X account showing four pins in a spine.

Fall of Syria’s Bashar Assad is strategic blow to Iran and Russia, experts say
Russia’s involvement in Syria was part of securing a foothold in the Middle East. With Assad now gone, Russia’s assets in Syria are at risk. For Iran, Assad’s fall deals a devastating blow to its long-term regional strategy. Syria was a crucial link in Tehran’s “Axis of Resistance,” connecting Iran to Hezbollah in Lebanon and enabling the smuggling of weapons across the region via a corridor stretching from Iran through Iraq and Syria into Lebanon.

Israel deploys paratroopers to Syria in ‘defense activities’ after fall of Assad
The IDF said the deployment was meant to “proactively ensure the defense of Golan” amid the instability in Syria. Footage and images show paratroopers and heavily armored tanks deploying to the buffer zone. The move comes as both the U.S. and Israel have struck multiple targets within Syria following Assad’s ouster.

Katz orders IDF to complete seizure of Syrian buffer zone, continue destroying Assad’s ‘strategic weapons’
Israel’s Defense Minister ordered the IDF to complete control over the buffer zone between Israel and Syria after the IDF began its deployment there yesterday. Katz says he also ordered the military to create a “security zone free of heavy strategic weapons and terror infrastructure” in southern Syria, including beyond the buffer zone, that could pose a threat to Israel. Alongside that, Katz instructed the military to establish contacts with the Druze community and other populations in southern Syria.

Philippine volcano eruption sends villagers fleeing for safety as homes are blanketed in ash
A plume of hot ash and gases up to 3 kilometers (1.8 miles) high forced residents to seek shelter after a volcano in the Philippines erupted on Monday. There were no immediate reports of casualties in the latest explosion of Mount Kanlaon, but authorities shut schools and imposed a nighttime curfew after ash falling in several villages clouded the visibility of motorists and sparked health concerns.

Over 50,000 still powerless as Storm Darragh leaves a trail of destruction
Storm Darragh unleashed devastating winds of up to 96 mph, leaving a trail of destruction across the UK and Ireland. The storm tragically claimed two lives: a well-known football coach from Lancashire died when a tree fell on his van, and another man lost his life in Erdington, Birmingham, under similar circumstances.

Haiti gang massacre leaves over 180 dead after Voodoo accusations, say UN and rights groups
Haiti’s government says the country’s gangs have crossed a “red line” after allegedly killing over 180 people over the weekend, after a gang leader reportedly blamed Voodoo adherents for his child’s grave illness.

Feds Investigate HelloFresh for Allegedly Employing Migrant Children
Late last week, ABC News confirmed that the Labor Department opened a child labor investigation into HelloFresh as well as Midway Staffing — the agency that hired the alleged migrant children who were given jobs at the Illinois facility.

Biden’s Paranoid Pardons & The Morass of Leftists Morality
He “pardoned” his own son Hunter and did so in a way no president has rarely, if ever, pardoned anyone. And he contemplates issuing pardons to a variety of controversial cronies, bureaucrats, and officers—even though none of them have yet been indicted or even are under federal investigation. Worse, Biden completed his shameless trifecta by breaking his serial pledge, voiced at least six times, and most prominently as a 2024 campaign plug, unequivocally not to pardon Hunter Biden.

Abortion pill murders by men force the media to acknowledge an unborn baby dies
When a woman is secretly given drugs that cause her to lose her child in the womb, it allows the truth about abortion to briefly break through in the mainstream press. … if the woman had legally aborted her child, the Guardian would have strenuously denied that she killed an “unborn baby.” But because Worby did it against her will, the editors allowed the truth to briefly break through.

Netanyahu cites ‘historic day,’ announces IDF control of buffer zone and Syrian Golan Heights
Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu and Defense Minister Katz visited the Golan Heights Sunday following the dramatic announcement of the fall of the regime of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad and the capture of the capital city of Damascus by rebel forces led by HTS.

Assad flees to Moscow with family, Kremlin confirms
Ousted Syrian dictator arrives in Moscow with his family and granted humanitarian asylum, Kremlin source says; Russia, Assad’s main patron, claimes he ‘resigned’ hours after rebels swiftly advanced into Damascus and toppled his regime

US CENTCOM strikes dozens of ISIS targets across Syria as Assad regime falls in Damascus
The United States Central Command (CENTCOM) announced Sunday night that it struck “over 75 targets” belonging to the ISIS terror group in Syria, as Syrian opposition groups were fighting the remaining forces of Syrian dictator Bashar al-Assad. In a post to X, CENTCOM said, “U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) forces conducted dozens of precision airstrikes targeting known ISIS camps and operatives in central Syria, Dec. 8.” According to CENTCOM, the operation struck over 75 targets using multiple U.S. Air Force aircraft, including B-52 bombers, F-15 fighter jets, and A-10 attack jets.

Assad regime falls after 54 years as ousted president reportedly flees the country
The Syrian rebels entered Damascus last night (between Saturday and Sunday) and announced, “Damascus is now free from Assad.” A Syrian officer told Reuters that the Syrian army had informed officers about the regime’s collapse. President Bashar al-Assad had left Damascus for an unknown destination

The Fall of Bashar al-Assad: Corruption, Human Rights Violations, and the Ramifications for Israel
On Sunday, it was reported that Bashar al-Assad fled Syria as rebel forces swiftly overtook Damascus. As the dust settles, the geopolitical repercussions will echo far beyond Syria’s borders, particularly for Israel, which has closely monitored developments in the Golan Heights and the broader Syrian conflict. The world watched in disbelief as the regime of Bashar al-Assad, which had ruled Syria for over five decades, collapsed in a shockingly rapid and dramatic turn of events. For years, Assad’s regime had been propped up by Iranian forces, Hezbollah, and Russian military support. The collapse of Assad’s regime has sent shockwaves across the Middle East

MK Simcha Rothman Calls for Temple Mount Access at Beyadenu Annual Conference
At the Beyadenu organization’s annual conference, held on Wednesday … in Jerusalem, Rothman urged the Chief Rabbinate to replace the current sign prohibiting Jewish ascent with one that explicitly allows Jews to ascend, emphasizing that the movement towards this goal must continue for the sake of Jewish heritage and the rebuilding of the Temple.

The Convergence of Christmas and Hanukkah
The fact that Hanukkah and Christmas converge this year draws Christians closer to the beleaguered Jewish people in this dangerous hour. This year, Hanukkah begins at sundown on Christmas Day, Wednesday, Dec. 25, 2024, and continues through sundown on Thursday, January 2, 2025.

Israel’s Deep State: Closely Connected to U.S. Version
In Israel today, we’re witnessing something that many thought couldn’t exist here: the deep state in action. Yes, Israel has its own deep state, a shadowy network of unelected officials and institutions operating beyond democratic accountability. It’s a sobering reality, but it’s one we must confront if we are to safeguard our democracy and future. Recent revelations show how senior officials in Israel’s police and prison authority are listening to the orders of Minister Ben-Gvir, and finally pushing back against the secret service orders, … Here’s the shocking part: Israel’s deep state and the US deep state are deeply connected.

Israel forces conquer Syrian side of Mount Hermon
On Sunday, the IDF conquered the Syrian side of Mount Hermon, the first time Israel’s military has established a presence in the area since 1973. Mount Hermon was abandoned by the army of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad following his ouster. The IDF has decided to establish a closed military zone in agricultural areas between Merom Golan-Ein Zivan and Buq’ata-Khirbat Ein Hura, based on a situational assessment.

Will Bibi Side with Trump or Far Right?
The first thing to remember is that Trump is a man who loves to make deals. The second thing is that Bibi depends for his political survival on far-right partners whose idea of a big deal is very different from Trump’s. What is Trump’s big deal? In two words: Saudi Arabia.

Netanyahu on northern border: ‘Assad’s fall opens new opportunities for entire region’
PM speaks near Syrian border, hails fall of the Assad regime as a “historic day” for the Middle East and vows that no hostile force will be allowed to establish itself on the Israel-Syria border. Minister of Defense Israel Katz stated: “The fall of Assad is a difficult blow to the Iranian axis of evil, which aims to destroy the State of Israel. The tentacles of the octopus are being cut off one after the other.”

Elite units and tanks: IDF deployment across Syrian border signals strategic shift
In a rapid and calculated move, elite IDF units—special forces, armored brigades and paratroopers—have deployed to critical points across Syrian territory, including the summit of Mount Hermon and areas beyond the Golan Heights buffer zone.

Assad reportedly has fled to Moscow after rebels captured Damascus
On Sunday evening, Russian state media confirmed that Assad had arrived in Moscow. The Kremlin also claimed that shortly before his departure, Assad had negotiated the peaceful transfer of power to rebel forces. “We are following the dramatic events in Syria with extreme concern,” the Russian Foreign Ministry said.

Rebels storm Iranian embassy in Damascus, rip banner of Nasrallah and Soleimani
Iran’s embassy in Syria was “attacked” on Sunday, Iranian state TV said, after Islamist-led rebels declared the fall of Tehran ally Bashar al-Assad following a sweeping offensive that culminated in Damascus.

US, Israel Conduct Dozens Of Strikes, Hit Over 75 Targets In Wake Of Syria’s Regime Collapse
The U.S. and Israel conducted dozens of airstrikes Sunday on targets in Syria following the dramatic collapse of the ruling Assad regime and amid concerns radical and terrorist groups could exploit Syria’s current situation. The U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) announced it hit over 75 “known [Islamic State of Iraq and al-Sham] ISIS camps and operatives in central Syria” using precision airstrikes.

IDF takes over Syrian Hermon, strikes Syrian chemical weapons factory
The IDF on Sunday took over the Syrian side of the Mount Hermon mountain range to expand a demilitarized buffer zone along the border with Syria and also at several other points of significance for defense. The Hermon range has always been thought of as a strategic advantage because it provides the high ground for the entire area, also enabling Israel to anticipate any potential invading force. The military added that it would not get involved in any internal occurrences in Syria, provided that no forces in Syria endanger Israeli security interests.

Europe’s economy needs help. Political chaos in France and Germany means it may be slower in coming
Even before the French and German governments collapsed, Europe’s economy had enough difficulties. Tepid growth and lagging competitiveness versus the U.S. and China. An auto industry that’s struggling. Where to find billions for defense against Russia? And President-elect Trump is threatening tariffs. Solutions will be harder to find while the two countries that make up almost half of the eurozone economy remain stuck in political paralysis well into 2025.

Medical Group Wouldn’t Join Girls’ Sports Initiative Because It Didn’t Include “Trans Girls”
The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) declined to endorse a statement calling for more girls’ participation in sports because it could have been construed to exclude “trans girls.” Members of the AAP Section on LGBT Health and Wellness (SOLGBTHW) torpedoed adding the organization’s logo to the statement. Some fretted that there was “no mention of trans girls” or that the statement didn’t even define “girls.” Others worried that the “controversial” statement could be used against the AAP’s push for male participation in female-only sports.