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beardedmrbean · 3 months

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Iran has admitted carrying out a missile and drone attack on western Pakistan on Tuesday.

Officials in Islamabad said two children were killed and three others injured in the attack in Balochistan.

Iran's foreign minister said the operation targeted the militant group Jaish al-Adli, which he described as an "Iranian terrorist group" in Pakistan.

As a result the Pakistan's government recalled its ambassador to Iran and has blocked Tehran's envoy from returning.

The Balochistan attack comes after Iran attacked targets in Iraq and Syria earlier this week.

Islamabad said the attack was "illegal" and warned of "serious consequences".

However Iran's Foreign Minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian, speaking in Davos, insisted that no Pakistani citizens had been targeted, only members of Jaish al-Adl.

"We only targeted Iranian terrorists on the soil of Pakistan," Mr Amir-Abdollahian said.

He added he had spoken to his Pakistani counterpart and "assured him that we do respect sovereignty and territorial integrity of Pakistan and Iraq".

The latest air strike comes at a time of growing tension across the Middle East, with war raging between Israel and the Palestinian group Hamas in Gaza.

Tehran says it does not want to get involved in a wider conflict. But groups in its so-called "Axis of Resistance", which include the Houthi militants in Yemen, Hezbollah in Lebanon and various groups in Syria and Iraq, have been carrying out attacks on Israel and its allies to show solidarity with the Palestinians. The US and UK have launched air strikes on the Houthis after they attacked commercial shipping.

China on Wednesday urged Pakistan and Iran to show "restraint" and "avoid actions that would lead to an escalation of tension". Foreign ministry spokesperson Mao Ning added that Beijing saw the countries as "close neighbours".

Perhaps stung by recent deadly attacks on home soil, Iran seems intent on exacting revenge on those it sees as responsible.

At a time of heightened regional tensions, Iran is keen to portray strength and demonstrate to its own population that acts of violence will not go unpunished.

Iran shows missile capabilities with regional strikes

Tuesday's strike in Pakistan hit a village in the vast south-western border province of Balochistan. Tehran said it was targeting Jaish al-Adl, or "army of justice", an ethnic Baloch Sunni Muslim group that has carried out attacks inside Iran as well as on Pakistani government forces.

Last December Jaish al-Adl attacked a police station in Rask, a town close to the border with Pakistan.

Two weeks ago Iran suffered its worst domestic attack since the Islamic Revolution, when two bombs killed 84 people at a ceremony in Kerman to commemorate the US assassination of Iran's notorious Revolutionary Guard general, Qasem Soleimani.

On Monday, Iran fired ballistic missiles at Syria and Kurdish-controlled northern Iraq. Iran said it was targeting Islamic State and Israel's Mossad spy agency, both of whom it said had been involved in the Kerman bombings.

The strike on Iraq hit a building in the northern city of Irbil. Four civilians were killed and six hurt in the attack, local authorities said. The US condemned the attack.

Iran then struck Syria's north-western Idlib province, which is the last remaining opposition stronghold in the country and home to 2.9 million displaced people.

But hitting its nuclear-armed eastern neighbour Pakistan is a dramatic escalation. Pakistan expressed outrage, saying the attack took place "despite the existence of several channels of communication" between the countries.

On Wednesday Islamabad said it had recalled its ambassador to Iran and the Iranian ambassador would not be allowed back into the country for the time being.

Pakistan and Iran have a delicate but cordial relationship. This attack took place on the same day as Pakistan's prime minister and Iran's foreign minister met in Davos and while the Iranian and Pakistan navies held military drills together in the Gulf.

Yet both have accused one another of harbouring militant groups that carry out attacks on the other in their border areas for years.

Security on either side of their shared border, which runs for about 900km (559 miles), has been a long-running concern for both governments.

The Iranian strike is believed to have hit Sabz Koh village about 45km from the Iranian border and 90km from the nearest town Panjgur. Local officials described it as a sparsely populated area home to livestock-owning Baloch tribes where smuggling of goods, drugs and weapons is rife.

"People on both sides of the border consider themselves to be deprived of basic necessities, face discrimination and demand a larger share from their own resources," security commentator Zaigham Khan told the BBC.

In Iran, the Sunni Muslim Baloch minority complains of discrimination in the Shia Muslim-majority state, while Baloch separatist groups are continuing an insurgent movement against the Pakistani government.

Jaish al-Adl is the "most active and influential" Sunni militant group operating in Sistan-Baluchestan, according to the office of the US Director of National Intelligence. It is designated as a terrorist group by Washington and Tehran.

Another security commentator in Pakistan, Aamir Rana, told the BBC he thought the diplomatic crisis "would take a while to calm down but this is also something that Pakistan would not like to escalate".

He said in the past Pakistan had not reacted to Iran's actions along the border - "but now the ball is in Iran's court, whether it wants to get its act right".

#nunyas news

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thesynaxarium · 1 year

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Today we celebrate our Venerable Father Aphrahat the Persian. Saint Aphrahat was a Syriac Christian author of the third century from the Persian Sasanian Empire who composed a series of twenty-three expositions or homilies on points of Christian doctrine and practice. All his known works, the Demonstrations, come from later on in his life. He was an ascetic and celibate, and was almost definitely a son of the covenant (an early Syriac form of communal monasticism). He may have been a bishop, and later Syriac tradition places him at the head of Mar Mattai Monastery near Mosul in what is now Iraqi Kurdistan.He was a near contemporary to the slightly younger Ephrem the Syrian, but the latter lived within the sphere of the Roman Empire. Called “the Persian Sage”, Aphrahat witnesses to the concerns of the early church beyond the eastern boundaries of the Roman Empire. May he intercede for us always + Source: https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aphrahat (at Irbil, Iraq) https://www.instagram.com/p/Cn-TaYQBmE3/?igshid=NGJjMDIxMWI=

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maryamseyan1-blog · 1 year

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Hasen beg mountain 📍irbil,iraq

#hiking #mountains #camping #snowfall #camp camp #snowing

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andrasteisolde · 2 years

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Pacing back and forth, almost certainly wearing down the soles of her shoes, one hand holding her chin in deep reflection, she thought herself alone with her thoughts and able to speak freely without witness, that the sounds of rustling leaves and the chirp of crickets surrounding her were enough to drown out her voice. At least, that is what she assumed. “Take hold of yourself, Andraste. He shall show. You have been waiting for a few moments and already are imagining the worst. Perhaps he is just held up with a matter inside. Perhaps he just enjoys being fashionably late. I did say the east courtyard, did I not?”

Her mind suddenly clouded by doubt, she halted her steps and stood looking out over the cattails toward the castle, eyes narrowing as she watched guests through a stained-glass window, a thought suddenly occurring to her. “Or what if making me wait is what he finds enjoyable? Oh! How can one man be so infuriating? Infuriatingly charming, quick-witted, confident and most of all… handsome. And why must he consume my every thought until I cannot think clearly?”

Voice trailing off, the admission from her own lips of her feelings for the knight catching her off guard, she forcefully shook her head and let out a frustrated groan while running a hand down her face. Turning from the castle and glancing up at the large statue of her ancestor looming before her as if for the first time, moonlight casting shadows on its smooth surface, she suddenly felt very small, the weight of her worries and misgivings causing a wave of insecurity to wash over her. Reaching a hand tentatively towards the statue, unsure what to expect but hoping it involved some clarity to her many questions, she stepped forward and placed her palm on the cold stone.

“Queen Ebris, great-great-grandmother, how I wish thou were here to provide me counsel. I beg of thee to hear my plea as I desperately seek thy guidance, both in matters of state and… heart. I beseech thee to grant me the courage and strength to see through this alliance with Cantrenia. The feuding between our kingdoms must cease and a strong alliance not only ensures our kingdoms will flourish together but also our victory in battle if Irbilent chooses to declare war.” Scrutinizing the queen’s face, looking for any sign that her plea had indeed been heard, she sighed when the statue remained silent and stoic.

“And on matters of the heart? Pray tell, what sage advice does the old and wise queen have to offer?” Hidden in the shadows, his voice rang out from one of the stone archways behind her, disrupting both the quiet of the courtyard and her prayer. Body tensing, realizing she indeed had not been alone as she assumed and that he had heard part, if not all her conversation with herself and with the statue, she looked over her shoulder and watched as he swaggered toward her, his gaze intently focused on her. Pushing aside the glee she felt being in his presence, trying desperately to be nonchalant, she shrugged her shoulders and turned to face him but was unable to hide the grin playing on her lips as he neared her. Clearing her throat, her mouth suddenly very dry, she tilted her head and watched as he took in his surroundings, a look of wonderment etched in his features.

“She speaks not to me,” she said matter-of-factly, drawing her eyes up the length of his body shamelessly, taking in his physique as he now stood before her, the space between them crackling with raw uncontainable energy. Flicking her gaze up to meet the dark pools of his eyes, her desire for him reflected in his stare, she bit her bottom lip and watched as a coy grin spread across his face, the pleasure he took in making her feel nervous and excited plainly evident on his face. “Ah, ‘tis most curious then,” he said slowly, hungrily and also shamelessly taking in every curve of her body as if he were committing her to memory, his eyes lingering a little too long at her hips, then her mouth, “for she speaks volumes to me, and what she is saying wouldst make that blush appear on thy face, the one I have seen countless times when we are this near to each other.”

Pretending to take offense at his words, trying hard to be convincing both to him but more so herself and failing miserably at it, she spoke before thinking. “I…I do not know what you are referring to. I, Her Royal Highness, do not blush and even if I did, what makes thou so certain ‘tis thee and thy charms that cause the rush of heat to burn through me?” The moment the words left her lips she knew she had betrayed her true feelings to him. “What you describe sounds more like a fire that needs to be stoked. Tell me, Your Royal Highness, is it my charm, quick wit, confidence and handsomeness that truly infuriates thee, or could it be what angers thee the most is that thou yearn for something forbidden, dangerous and realer than anything thou have ever experienced in thy proper, structured life?”

Swallowing hard, fighting the urge to look away from him, she realized they were not in the same spot where they had started their conversation. So focused on him, she had not noticed he had backed her up against the statue until she felt the cold stone ghost across her suddenly feverish skin. Flicking her gaze to his mouth, her mind going utterly blank under his smoldering stare, she parted her lips to speak but could only think of what it would be like to have him on her mouth, the thought intensifying as he moved closer to her still. Planting a hand on the statue beside her head, he leaned toward her and brushed his stubbled cheek against her smooth, soft face. Growling into her ear, his breath and proximity to her body causing her to visibly shiver, he spoke low and concisely, wanting his intention and words to not be misconstrued.

“Thy body language betrays thee, Andraste,” he said, pausing briefly at her name, his voice strained and body stiff as if he were fighting for control over the impulse to roam his hands along the curvaceous slopes of her body, “and even though I crave thy body in positions which would make thee redden from head to toe, I need not it to tell me thy deepest desire, especially when thy eyes and the flame that dances within them tell me all I shall ever need to know. Although I shall not lie, it would give me immense pleasure to hear thou say it aloud.”

Pulling his face from hers, the act almost painful, he brushed against her cheek once more and allowed the corner of his mouth to linger against her skin before capturing her gaze. “Thou test my willpower just being in the same room as I and now, being utterly alone with thee, I am unsure I can maintain that restraint much longer.” “And what is halting thee?” she said softly, finally finding her voice, her pulse quickening. Tearing his eyes from her for a moment, he cursed under his breath, his expression dark and full of need as he turned back to her. Bringing up a hand to her face, running his thumb across her bottom lip, he searched her eyes as he leaned his forehead against hers, the feeling causing blood to rush to her ears and her heart to thud rapidly in her chest.

“I need thee to hear me when I say that once that levee breaks, Andraste, I will not be able to hold back my passion or the pleasure I long to make thy body, mind and soul feel. But…” he stopped, removing his hand from the statue to take a step back from her, his usual wry grin plastered across his face, “as they say, business before pleasure, and if I am not mistaken, I believe I was promised an explanation about the stone and how we ended up in that wheatfield, not that I mind at all thee landing in my… lap. Perhaps the stars will align, and it shall happen again.”

Mind whirling, his words resounding in her ears and filling her head with images of their bodies writhing in unison, she stood frozen and speechless against the statue as he backed away from her, stopping in the middle of the courtyard. Blinking a few times, some semblance of control flooding back to her, she glanced at the distance between them and felt a pang of loss but also mild confusion. Taking a step forward, half-sure her knees would give out on her, she quirked an eyebrow in his direction and started toward him. Once more within his reach, she tilted her head as he bowed before her, his hand extended.

“Now thou wish to dance? Here? There be no music, and I thought thee wished to speak of the stone,” she said putting her hand in his, the feel of his palm warm and inviting. Skimming his plush lips against her knuckles, looking up at her under a hooded gaze, he pressed a languid kiss against her hand, and she instantly felt that crackling static from before return. With a wolfish grin, he winked at her. “I listen better when I am on my feet, and trust me when I say, I want to hang on every word spoken from past those luscious lips. Besides, thy voice is already music to my ears; what do I need the real thing for?”

Mirroring his grin, she laughed, shook her head and felt that invisible tether between them slacken as her body instinctively drifted closer to him. “That makes no sense, but if thou are so sure it will help keep thy mind from wandering, allow me to offer my services. But be careful, Merek, for thy romantic side is showing.” Knowing it stirred something deep within him when she purposefully omitted his title, it being not just her to feel that way, she smirked as the desired effect of him sucking in a breath and working his jaw rendered that grin on his face to falter and be replaced by something that bordered between lust and eagerness to forsake control.

In one swift movement, he pulled her into his arms and gliding a hand across her waist to rest firmly at the small of her back, he pressed their bodies together until their hips were flush and no space remained between them. Running the length of her arm with his fingers, he captured her hand and brought it up before he started to move with her, this time his lead much more intimate than in the ballroom. “I have not even begun to romance thee,” he said, his voice husky and sincere, his mouth hovering inches from hers, “and all thou have seen and felt so far has been but foreplay. But do not fret, Your Majesty, for when I do give thee my all, it will be like nothing thou or I, for that matter, have ever seen or experienced before.” “I expect nothing less than that from the Mysterious Knight,” she responded sultrily, her tone laced with something between a challenge and a command.

Waiting for a quick remark or at the very least another admission from him, she started to feel nervous the longer he kept staring at her without speaking as if she were a delicacy he wanted to devour. Unsure she said the correct thing, she started to recline her spinning head when she saw him part his lips and move in to kiss her. Giddy with anticipation of finally tasting him, her mind turning to mush, she, in a stupor, murmured about the stone. Sliding her eyes closed, she braced herself for the feel of him, but when it did not come and she heard him talking, she pouted. “—Majesty, thou could distract even the most seasoned captain right into a maelstrom. But thou are right, let us speak of the stone first before we explore other matters.” Sighing and opening her eyes, trying to reel in her disappointment, she nodded at him and then toward the only witness to their rendezvous, the statue.

BEGINNING ✦ PREVIOUS

#sims 4 #ts4 #sims 4 medieval #ts4 medieval #sims 4 fantasy #sims 4 historical #OBrien Legacy #chapter 11 #storytelling #sims 4 stories

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tebuirenginitiatives · 2 years

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Maulid Nabi Meniru Syiah?

tebuireng.co – Maulid Nabi Meniru Syiah? Pertanyaan ini akan dijawab dalam tulisan ringkas dan padat ini. Para ulama ahli hadis menegaskan bahwa sosok yang pertama kali mengamalkan Maulid Nabi Muhammad adalah Penguasa Irbil, Malik Muzaffar. Tentang Raja tersebut diberi penilaian oleh Dzahabi: وكان متواضعا، خيرا، سنيا، يحب الفقهاء والمحدثين، وربما أعطى الشعراء، وما نقل أنه انهزم في حرب، وقد ذكر…

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#Bulan Maulid #KH. M. Hasyim Asy’ari #maulid #Maulid meniru Syiah #Maulid Nabi

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aloony · 2 years

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📸 @aloon.y رمضان كريم ... Happy Ramadan.. ڕەمەزانتان پیرۆز بێت #kurdish #elder #stranger #erbil #germany #deutschland #kurdistan #portrait #iraq #ramadan #happy #model #fotografie #fotodestages #karlsruhe #mannheim #bruchsal #cheerful #aloony (at Irbil, Iraq) https://www.instagram.com/p/B_fPk1AlrNn/?igshid=NGJjMDIxMWI=

#kurdish #elder #stranger #erbil #germany #deutschland #kurdistan #portrait #iraq #ramadan #happy #model #fotografie #fotodestages #karlsruhe #mannheim #bruchsal #cheerful #aloony

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ultrajaphunter · 12 days

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Shrapnel in Jordan and "hollow pipes"

in Iraq:

the falls on the way from Iran

In cooperation between Israel, the USA, Great Britain and Jordan - the vast majority of the missiles and UAVs launched by Iran during the attack were intercepted.

After videos of them passing through the skies of the countries of the region were distributed during the night -

this morning residents recorded the parts of the interception that fell in their area

About 300 munitions were fired at Israel during the night -

but most of them did not cross into its territory, were intercepted and fell on the way: with the beginning of the Iranian attack against Israel during the night (between Saturday and Sunday),

videos of the UAVs and missiles launched passing through the skies of Arab Countries in the region were distributed on social media.

that separate the countries.

Most of the videos that were published were filmed in the Iraq Region,

so it is not surprising that it is from there that there are records of falls in the country's territories

As mentioned, most of the missiles and UAVs launched by Iran did not reach their

destination in Israel at all.

Private accounts on social media began to publish photos from different areas in Iraq in the morning hours,

claiming that these were Iranian missiles that fell in the country's provinces.

One of the local journalists published today on his private account on the X network pictures of missile remnants, hollow tubes, and noted that two Iranian missiles fell on Iraqi soil: one in the al-Yusafia area,

in the southwest of Baghdad, and the other in the Rwandez area in the Irbil district in the north of the country.

The local journalist later uploaded another video to his account,

and claimed that it was an Iranian missile that also fell in the Irbil area.

And not only missiles -

some of the Iranian drones also fell long before they reached their destination.

The Saudi TV channel "Al-Hadad" today quoted a security source who claimed that an Iranian drone,

which was part of the barrage launched at Israel, was found in the city of Al-Najaf in Iraq .

The Jordanian Parliament made a statement according to which the various media must be precise in the details,

and not publish rumors that create an atmosphere of intimidation.

The announcement stated that some of the UAVs that entered Jordanian airspace were handled and intercepted so that they would not pose a danger to the citizens and residential neighborhoods.

"Shards fell in several places without causing significant damage or injuries.

The only step taken yesterday was the temporary closure of Jordanian airspace," it was claimed.

5Viewing the gallery

Tonight a historic achievement was recorded for the Israeli air defense in the face of the largest barrage of missiles and UAVs that any country faced.

None of the 185 UAVs of the Shahad 238 type launched by the Iranians and their affiliates penetrated the country's borders,

as well as none of the 36 cruise missiles launched Of the 110 ballistic missiles, of the "Khivar Ha'ar" type, a small number penetrated Israeli territory,

and an even smaller number exploded.

70 of the UAVs were intercepted by the Americans, and the British fighter jets that arrived from Cyprus also took part in the interceptions.

The Americans and the British carried out the interceptions, among others, in Iraq and Syria. Jordan announced that they had also intercepted.

The fighter jets of the Air Force intercepted the rest of the UAVs outside the country's borders.

The great achievement is the success of the fighter jets in intercepting such a large number of UAVs.

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marksworldofadventure · 11 months

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youtube

#youtube #travel #traveling #iraq #iraqi kurdistan #kurdistan #erbil #irbil #hewler #street food #night market #night walk

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newstfionline · 3 months

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Saturday, January 27, 2024

Schools are using surveillance tech to catch students vaping (AP) When Aaliyah Iglesias was caught vaping at a Texas high school, she didn’t realize how much could be taken from her. Suddenly, the rest of her high school experience was threatened: being student council president, her role as debate team captain and walking at graduation. Even her college scholarships were at risk. She was sent to the district’s alternative school for 30 days and told she could have faced criminal charges. Like thousands of other students around the country, she was caught by surveillance equipment that schools have installed to crack down on electronic cigarettes, often without informing students. Schools nationwide have invested millions of dollars in the monitoring technology, including federal COVID-19 emergency relief money meant to help schools through the pandemic and aid students’ academic recovery.

U.S. signals it is open to withdrawing some troops from Iraq (Washington Post) Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin left the door open Thursday to reducing the U.S. military presence in Iraq, saying that meetings set to begin soon between officials from the two countries will enable a “transition to an enduring bilateral security partnership” that builds on years of joint operations against the Islamic State. Many Iraqi officials have called for the ouster of U.S. forces after a months-long cycle of violence, inflamed by the Israel-Gaza war, between Iranian-backed militias and U.S. forces. U.S. military positions in Iraq and Syria have been attacked at least 153 times since October by militant groups trained and supplied by Iran, including incidents Thursday in the northern Iraqi city of Irbil and at Ain al-Asad Air Base in the western part of the country. Iraqi officials have increasingly responded with anger when the United States has retaliated with airstrikes. The militias have tied their attacks to the war in Gaza and to U.S. support for Israel’s campaign against Hamas.

Colombia declares a disaster because of wildfires (AP) Colombia’s government declared a disaster Thursday and asked for international help to combat raging wildfires that are expected to worsen in coming days due to warm, dry conditions associated with the El Niño weather phenomenon. Officials raised the number of fires from 25 to 31, and said nine of them were under control. They did not order mandatory evacuations despite some fires burning in the mountains that surround some municipalities. President Gustavo Petro said Chile, the United States, Peru and Canada have already responded to the call for help, without specifying when the assistance will arrive to the South American country.

As terror grips the streets of Ecuador, even the armed forces live in fear (CNN) In the aftermath of gang attacks on January 9, President Daniel Noboa took an unprecedented step. He declared an “internal armed conflict” in the country and ordered Ecuador’s armed forces to “neutralize” the members of more than 20 gangs, which he labeled as terror groups. Since then, Ecuador’s national police and armed forces have been carrying out raids of homes of those with suspected ties to terror groups. Fear has permeated the ranks; even in Guayaquil’s 90-degree heat and humidity, under layers of tactical gear, they insist on putting on a ski mask before being filmed. On the front lines, while there is determination, there is also hesitation. Among the police and military tasked with conducting raids and preemptive strikes, some fear what will happen to them or their families if terrorists link them to the crackdown efforts. The crisis could drive more Ecuadorians to emigrate. Locals are tired of living in fear and being extorted for protection money, says Carlos Jimenez, an urban planner who studied in the US and is now living in his native Ecuador. “These people are in the middle of gunfights in their neighborhoods, what would you do? You’re not going to want to stay there.”

Britain says it has no plans for conscription, after top general says the UK may need a citizen army (AP) On Wednesday, Gen. Patrick Saunders, the head of the British Army, said that a British “citizen army” would be needed in a potential land war with a country like Russia. Saunders stated that, if the conflict expands, “within the next three years, it must be credible to talk of a British Army of 120,000.” He also praised countries close to Russia for preparing for such a war and “prudently laying the foundations for national mobilization.” The U.K. government immediately walked back Saunders’ talking points that same day, declaring that the country had no plans to expand its armed forces past the 74,000 full-time troops it currently supports. In a statement about Saunders’ preparation plans, Max Blain, a spokesman for Prime Minister Rishi Sunak, said that “engaging in hypothetical wars” was “not helpful.”

French Farmer Protests (1440) French farmers continued protesting yesterday, blocking roads and dumping imported produce across the country, demanding government action to address numerous grievances. The protests, now in their second week, are moving toward Paris after breaking out in the southwest agricultural region. At least two people have died during the protests. France has roughly 456,000 farms and is among the EU’s highest-producing countries, with an output of over $79B. The FNSEA farming union, which is leading the protest, is demanding better protection against cheaper foreign competition, continued diesel tax breaks, immediate EU agricultural subsidy payments, guarantees on health and climate insurance payouts, and aid for winemakers and organic farmers.

The Most Important Company in the World? (NYT/Opinion) Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company, or T.S.M.C., is the only corporation I can think of in history that could cause a global depression if it were forced to halt production. These days it seems impossible to have a conversation about geopolitics or economics without coming back to T.S.M.C., which makes about 90 percent of the world’s most advanced chips. If the lights went out here in Hsinchu, in the company’s ultraclean and ultrasecure buildings, you might not be able to buy a new phone, car or watch. Armies could run out of precision-guided missiles and hospitals could struggle to replace advanced X-ray and M.R.I. machines. It might be like the Covid-19 supply chain chip disruption—times 10—and T.S.M.C., unfortunately, is situated in a region where war is possible and could threaten production. “Taiwan Semiconductor is one of the best-managed companies and important companies in the world,” Warren Buffett said last year. But he sold his $4 billion stake in T.S.M.C. because, he said, “I don’t like its location.”

Australians protest British colonization on a national holiday some mark as ‘Invasion Day’ (AP) Thousands of Australians protested the anniversary of British colonization of their country with large crowds Friday urging for Australia Day to be moved and for a day of mourning on the holiday some call “Invasion Day.” The holiday marks the arrival of 11 British ships carrying convicts at Port Jackson in present-day Sydney on Jan. 26, 1788. For many activists, the day marked the beginning of a sustained period of discrimination and expulsion of Indigenous people from their land without a treaty.

Top UN court orders Israel to prevent genocide in Gaza but stops short of ordering cease-fire (AP) The United Nations’ top court on Friday ordered Israel to do all it can to prevent death, destruction and any acts of genocide in Gaza, but the panel stopped short of ordering Jerusalem to end the military offensive that has laid waste to the Palestinian enclave. In a ruling that will keep Israel under the legal lens for years to come, the court offered little other comfort to Israeli leaders in a genocide case brought by South Africa that goes to the core of one of the world’s most intractable conflicts. The court’s half-dozen orders will be difficult to achieve without some sort of cease-fire or pause in the fighting. The ruling amounted to an overwhelming rebuke of Israel’s wartime conduct and added to mounting international pressure to halt the nearly 4-month-old offensive, which has killed more than 26,000 Palestinians, decimated vast swaths of Gaza and driven nearly 85% of its 2.3 million people from their homes. Allowing the accusations to stand stung the government of Israel, which was founded as a Jewish state after the Nazi slaughter of 6 million Jews during World War II.

Israel is building a buffer zone along the Gaza border, risking a new rift with the U.S. (WSJ) To Israeli officials, the 1-kilometer-wide area is a critical security measure in their plan to demilitarize Gaza and assure Israelis that they can return safely to the border communities that were evacuated after Hamas’s Oct. 7 attack. It would create a clear field of fire so Israeli troops can see and stop anyone approaching the frontier. The U.S. warns that turning the border along the 25-mile-long Gaza Strip into a no man’s land would deepen Palestinian fears that Israel intends to occupy all or part of the crowded enclave and would make it harder to persuade Arab governments to help rebuild a postwar Gaza. Meanwhile, Washington is pressing for a deal for the 100-plus hostages Hamas is holding in Gaza, as Israel and Qatar, one of the main Middle East mediators, spar.

Gaza’s daily struggle for food (Washington Post) The Washington Post spoke to six families across Gaza about their daily struggle for food. Ninety-three percent of people there face “crisis levels of hunger,” according to a U.N.-backed international consortium. Each day, for four days, Mohammad waited in line for a few pounds of flour. Returning home empty-handed to his five children, pained by hunger and humiliation, he ground up animal feed to bake over a makeshift stove. “We don’t know how dangerous eating animal feed is to our health, but we have no other options,” the 40-year-old said by phone from Gaza’s north.

Who bombed us today? (Daraj/Lebanon) Syria was already a nation torn apart by conflict, foreign and domestic. But lately, it appears more and more like a country that everyone feels at liberty to bomb—with different pretexts and for different reasons. Military bases in Syria that house U.S. forces were repeatedly attacked by explosives-laden drones and with missiles by Iran-backed militias. The U.S. military has responded with strikes on militias in both Syria and neighboring Iraq. Turkey, meanwhile, has continued to launch attacks on Kurdish-held areas in northeastern Syria, and has hit areas controlled by the Syrian regime in and around the city of Qamishli on January 14. Israel and the U.S. have repeatedly bombed sites and targets linked to Iran, Hezbollah and the Syrian regime. Jordan has become the latest to launch strikes on targets inside Syria, because the pace of drug smuggling from Syria to Jordan has increased. The strikes are part of multiple wars being waged on Syrian territories, involving many state and non-state actors. These wars have made Syria a country whose sovereignty is violated by many countries, with no end to such violations in sight.

Nones (Pew Research Center) When Americans are asked to check a box indicating their religious affiliation, 28% now check ‘none.’ A new study from Pew Research finds that the religiously unaffiliated—a group comprised of atheists, agnostic and those who say their religion is “nothing in particular”—is now the largest cohort in the U.S. They’re more prevalent among American adults than Catholics (23%) or evangelical Protestants (24%). Back in 2007, Nones made up just 16% of Americans, but Pew’s new survey of more than 3,300 U.S. adults shows that number has now risen dramatically. Researchers refer to this group as the “Nones.”

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