Important Takeaways:
- Agreement says 33 hostages are expected to be released over 42 days
- Israel and Hamas have agreed to a cease-fire deal that also ensures the release of hostages, Fox News has confirmed.
- “A Gaza ceasefire and hostage release deal was reached following the Qatari Prime Minister’s meeting with Hamas negotiators, and separately Israeli negotiators in his office,” a source briefed on the matter told Fox News
- The conflict, which began with Hamas’ brutal attacks on October 7, 2023, has left over 1,200 Israelis dead, more than 250 taken hostage, and thousands of others killed on both sides.
- President-elect Donald Trump, who threatened last week if a deal wasn’t struck before his Inauguration Day that “all hell will break out” in the Middle East, quickly offered his praise.
- The deal, brokered by Qatari negotiators and facilitated by Egyptian intermediaries, also saw significant involvement from the United States. Both the outgoing Biden administration and the incoming Trump administration applied strategic pressure to finalize the agreement, despite concerns about Hamas re-arming and internal tensions within Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s coalition.
- The agreement calls for the release of three hostages on the first day, followed by weekly batches. Women, children, and men over 50 will be prioritized initially, with younger men in humanitarian cases included later. Updates on hostages’ statuses will alternate between announcements of survivors and confirmation of those who did not survive captivity.
- Approximately 1,000 Palestinian prisoners will be freed in exchange, with murder convicts barred from returning to the West Bank. Instead, they will be sent to Gaza, Qatar, or Turkey.
- The cease-fire will also facilitate significant humanitarian aid to Gaza, with up to 600 trucks of supplies entering daily. By the 22nd day, displaced residents will be allowed to return to northern Gaza. Qatari and Egyptian teams will manage vehicle inspections, while pedestrian crossings will not require checks. The IDF will withdraw from the Nitzarim corridor but maintain a limited presence along the Philadelphi Route.
Read the original article by clicking here.
Important Takeaways:
- South Korean President Yoon Suk-yeol has surrendered himself to police forces of unclear jurisdiction and connection with the South Korean Government.
- The legacy, corrupt media is often portraying this as a simple, lawful reaction to the “unlawful” Martial Law President Yoon declared in early December.
- There is a lot more to the story that is being dismissed or not reported.
- A President can declare Martial Law in South Korea under certain conditions. There has been immense, Chinese-funded election malfeasance in South Korea, which has delivered the National Assembly to the Democrat Party.
- President Yoon is in a struggle with the opposition “Democrat Party” of South Korea that is under the control of Chinese Communist sympathizers beginning with their leader Mr. Lee Jae-myung who was convicted of crimes in November, which triggered this string of events because his conviction prevents him from running for the presidency.
- So, the Democrat Party is seizing the Presidency without an Election. The Democrat Party of South Korea is taking a lesson from Jack Smith and waging lawfare against President Yoon and throwing in a coup at the same time. This hard ball play to arrest Yoon may be backfiring – Yoon’s Party poll numbers are now surpassing the Democrat Party.
- President Yoon Suk-yeol released this message on the Unlawful Arrest and Search Warrants shortly before he handed himself over:
- “My Fellow Citizens,
- I hope this message finds you well.
- First, let me express my heartfelt gratitude for the unwavering support and encouragement so many of you have shown me. Your belief in our shared principles gives me strength every day.
- But I come to you today with a heavy heart. We are witnessing the collapse of the rule of law in this nation—a nation built on justice and freedom.
- When warrants are issued by agencies that have no legal authority to conduct investigations, and when courts that lack jurisdiction issue warrants for arrests and searches, it is clear that the system is being twisted beyond recognition.
- Even more troubling is the outright deception of the public by those entrusted with power. False documents, unlawful actions, and coercive procedures have no place in a country that values liberty and justice.
- I have made the difficult decision to appear before the Corruption Investigation Office today—not because I accept their illegitimate authority, but because I am committed to preventing unnecessary violence or harm. Let me be clear: my compliance is not an acknowledgment of their actions’ legality.
- As President, I have a solemn duty to uphold our Constitution and the principles that bind us as a people. This step is taken solely to protect lives and ensure peace in this troubling moment.
- I am inspired by the resilience of our youth and the renewed commitment of so many to the ideals of freedom and democracy.
- Though we face dark times, I firmly believe that the future of this nation remains bright, because it rests in the hands of people like you—who understand the value of liberty and are willing to stand for it.
- Take heart, my friends. Our nation has faced adversity before, and we have always emerged stronger.
- With faith, resolve, and unity, we will restore the integrity of our laws and the promise of our democracy.
- God bless you, and God bless our great nation.”
- January 20, 2025 can’t come soon enough for the U.S. or our close allies, South Korea.
Read the original article by clicking here.
Important Takeaways:
- A week after a devastating inferno leveled large swaths of Pacific Palisades and Altadena to ash, Los Angeles County remained under a severe fire threat on Wednesday morning. Residents have been left in a state of shock, expressing frustration over what many see as possible negligence by county and/or state officials to mitigate the spread of the fires. The fires have become the region’s worst fire disaster in history, with new damage and economic loss estimates between $250 billion and $275 billion, according to AccuWeather.
- “These fast-moving, wind-driven infernos have created one of the costliest wildfire disasters in modern U.S. history,” AccuWeather Chief Meteorologist Jonathan Porter said, adding, “Hurricane-force winds sent flames ripping through neighborhoods filled with multi-million-dollar homes. The devastation left behind is heartbreaking, and the economic toll is staggering.”
- The concentration of wealth in Pacific Palisades is high. According to IRS data analyzed by JPM, the average home in the area is valued at $3.5 million, yet more than half of tax returns report an adjusted gross income under $200,000. In Altadena, where the average home value exceeds $1.2 million, over 80% of tax filings show incomes below $200,000, with more than 60% reporting less than $100,000
- “Construction costs will be lower than home values though: in 2019, Redfin estimated that land value was 60% of the price of a home in Los Angeles, the highest share among any major metro area,” the analysts pointed out.
- Palisades Fire:
- Burned 23,713 acres and numerous homes, businesses and landmarks in Pacific Palisades and westward along Pacific Coast Highway, toward Malibu. As of 7:00 a.m. Tuesday morning, the fire was 17% contained… More than 12,000 structures remain threatened.
- Officials estimate that more than 5,300 structures, including many homes, have been damaged or destroyed.
- Eaton Fire:
- Burned 14,117 acres and many structures in Altadena and Pasadena. As of 7 a.m. Tuesday morning, the fire was 35% contained… Officials say 7,000 structures have been damaged in the fire
- Headlines via L.A. Times (local paper not thrilled with mayor & other city officials who failed the taxpayers):
- L.A. fire officials could have put engines in the Palisades before the fire broke out. They didn’t
- Mayor Karen Bass was at embassy cocktail party in Ghana as Palisades fire exploded
- L.A. City Council seeks transparency on empty reservoir, dry fire hydrants
- A week after the L.A. firestorms began, the threat continues as the unprecedented losses sink in
Read the original article by clicking here.
Important Takeaways:
- NATO scrambled its warplanes early today in response to a fierce Russian bombardment of Ukraine close to its border with Poland.
- The Russian strikes – hitting vital energy facilities in the coldest weeks of winter – were led by Vladimir Putin’s Tu-22 and Tu-95 strategic bombers.
- The onslaught was seen as instant revenge for Tuesday’s Ukrainian aerial strikes on Russia, the heaviest of the almost three-year war.
- In particular, Putin was rattled by Ukraine’s use of British Storm Shadow and American ATACMS missiles which hit key defense facilities including a chemical plant in Bryansk region.
- NATO forces went on full alert in Poland with warplanes scrambled, the country’s operational command headquarters said.
- ‘Duty fighter pairs have been scrambled, and the ground-based air defense and radar reconnaissance systems have reached the highest state of readiness,’ said a statement.
- ‘The steps taken are aimed at ensuring security in the areas bordering the threatened areas.’
Read the original article by clicking here.
Important Takeaways:
- No final answer was given from Hamas regarding a hostage deal, an Israeli official told The Jerusalem Post on Tuesday.
- Earlier, the Associated Press reported, citing two officials involved in the negotiations, that Hamas has agreed to the proposed ceasefire deal in Gaza and the release of numerous hostages.
- According to the report, an Israeli official noted that while progress had been made, the final details were still under discussion.
- “We have handed over drafts of the ceasefire agreement to both sides, and talks are now ongoing on the final detail,” the Qatari Foreign Ministry spokesperson announced on Tuesday.
- “We have overcome the major differences. This is the closest point we have been to a deal over the past months,” the statement added.
Read the original article by clicking here.
Important Takeaways:
- Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro has called for a campaign for the “liberation” of Puerto Rico from the United States.
- The U.S. and other governments recognized Maduro’s opponent Edmundo González as the victor of last July’s election.
- On Friday, the U.S. announced a $25 million reward for information leading to Maduro’s arrest or conviction, highlighting a renewed effort to destabilize Maduro’s presidency and bolster the opposition’s bid to restore democracy.
- Maduro invoked Simón Bolívar, the Venezuelan solider who liberated much of South America from Spanish rule, as he spoke about Puerto Rico.
- “Just as in the north they have a colonization agenda, we have a liberation agenda,” Maduro said during the closing of the International Anti-Fascist Festival in Caracas on Saturday. “And our agenda was written by Simón Bolívar. The freedom of Puerto Rico is pending, and we will achieve it with Brazilian troops…leading the way.”
- Puerto Rico has been under U.S. control since the 1898 Spanish-American War. Puerto Ricans have been U.S. citizens since 1917, but they cannot vote in general elections and have no voting representation in Congress because of the island’s political status.
- A majority of voters, 57 percent, opted for Puerto Rico to become a U.S. state in a nonbinding referendum in November, while just 12 percent voted for independence. The vote was the first referendum that did not provide an option for maintaining the island’s current status as a U.S. territory. But Puerto Rico’s status can change only with approval from Congress.
- Maduro began his third term more isolated on the world stage than ever, with the U.S. announcing bounties for him and several high-ranking officials.
- González said he plans to return to Venezuela to take up the mantle of president, although it is not clear if and when he would do so. The Venezuelan government has said González will be arrested if he returns.
- The U.S. and its allies have indicated they are willing to increase sanctions on Venezuela if there is further evidence of repression.
Read the original article by clicking here.
Important Takeaways:
- A new wildfire broke out in Ventura County late Monday night as thousands of firefighters in California continued their work to extinguish other deadly blazes that have scorched thousands of acres of land in the Los Angeles area since last week.
- The wildfire, which is called the Auto Fire, ignited in Ventura and was about 56 acres with 0% containment.
- This new fire comes as forecasters issued a “Particularly Dangerous Situation” Fire Weather Warning in Southern California due to dry conditions, low relative humidity and the return of dangerous Santa Ana winds.
- [Meanwhile] Nearly 1 million people in portions of New York and Pennsylvania are under a Lake-Effect Snow Warning as more winter weather blasts the Northeast.
Read the original article by clicking here.
Important Takeaways:
- Experts are on red alert after uncovering a ticking time bomb in Antarctica that would reshape the continent and dramatically increase sea levels worldwide.
- More than 100 volcanoes lie beneath the surface of the West Antarctic Ice Sheet, which is ‘particularly vulnerable to collapse, yet its position atop an active volcanic rift is seldom considered,’ the study noted.
- As the ice sheet melts, the amount of mass pushing down on the surface decreases, which creates an uplifting effect in the subsurface.
- This, in turn, allows magma chambers deep within the continent to expand, which speeds up the processes that lead to an eruption by putting stress on the chamber walls and releasing gas trapped inside the magma.
- When volcanoes erupt, this drives more melting at the surface, and the process starts over again.
- The researchers modeled this phenomenon using over 4,000 advanced computer simulations, finding that surface melting speeds up the process that initiates the first stages of an eruption by tens to hundreds of years.
- Some of the chambers released enough heat to melt more than three million cubic feet of ice a year.
- If the ice sheet completely collapsed, sea levels could rise a catastrophic 190 feet.
- This would completely submerge entire coastal cities such as New York, Tokyo and Shanghai, rendering them uninhabitable.
- Luckily, scientists believe that apocalyptic scenario is still a long way off.
Read the original article by clicking here.
Important Takeaways:
- During a special message at The Rosen Plaza Hotel in Orlando, Florida, Rabbi Jonathan Cahn gave a timely word regarding Trump’s future.
- Cahn notes that at this event, Donald Trump was going to be present, and he had been given the honor as one of the faith leaders to speak and meet with the president.
- Cahn explained to the president that he was called for the purpose of walking in an anointing like Jehu to bring hope and godliness back to the nation.
- “He called you according to the template of Jehu, the warrior king,” says Cahn. “He called Jehu to make His nation great again. Jehu came to the capital city with an agenda to drain the swamp. Jehu forged an alliance with the religious conservatives of the land. So it was your destiny to do the same. To come to power Jehu had to prevail against the nation’s former first lady. So to come to power you had to prevail against the nation’s former first lady. Jehu overturned the cult of Baal by which children were sacrificed. So God chose you to overturn America’s cult of Baal, Roe v. Wade, by which millions of babies were sacrifices, and you set it in motion on a day that was appointed from ancient times to cause a nation to turn away from its sin.”
- Cahn says that God had it planned all this time for Trump to walk in this same anointing and destiny as Jehu to help save America. However, Cahn gave Trump a warning, a caveat, of what the Lord needs of Trump to fulfill His plans through him.
- “For that to happen, you must seek Him with all your heart, follow Him with all your might,” Cahn says. “Jehu was born to make his nation great again by turning it back to God. So were you. America can only be great again if America turns back to God. You are a trumpet of God, and the trumpet can only fulfill its purpose if it’s filled with a breath of the one who holds it up and blows through it. God is the One who lifted you up, and He wills that you be filled with a breath of His Spirit.”
- Cahn warned Trump that this means being completely devoted to the Lord in all of his ways.
- “God is calling you to go all out for God, for Him, and if you do, then what follows will be the greatest and most glorious part. Then you will do what no president has ever done. You will be the vessel God used to bring America back to touch history and to change the world. For the Lord has spoken, ‘Before I formed you in the womb, I knew you. Before you were born, I set you apart. Now arise and shine, for your light is come and the glory has risen upon you,’” Cahn prophesies in the video.
- Cahn further said he believes this truly could be the last opportunity for America to have a revival, and we as the people of God must be praying for Donald Trump right now.
- “We need to pray for the president, that God will touch him and have His way, and that he will, this time, go all out for God, and we need to pray for revival as never before because only that can save the future.”
Read the original article by clicking here.
Important Takeaways:
- Outgoing FBI Director Christopher Wray revealed during an interview on Sunday, a week before he steps down, that China has penetrated America’s water treatment plants, electric grid, and other critical civilian infrastructure, and is lying “in wait” for an opportunity to cyberattack at a time and place of its choosing.
- Asked on CBS’s 60 Minutes about Chinese penetration of U.S. cyber and infrastructure, Wray said China’s cyber program is the largest in the world and has stolen more of Americans’ personal and corporate data than every nation combined. Then, he added:
- But even beyond the cyber theft. There’s another part of the Chinese cyber threat that I think has not gotten the attention publicly that it I think desperately deserves. And that is Chinese government’s pre-positioning on American civilian critical infrastructure. To lie in wait on those networks to be in a position to wreak havoc and can inflict real-world harm at a time and place of their choosing.
- Wray said China has already infiltrated malware into critical American infrastructure.
- “Things like water treatment plants. We’re talking about transportation systems. We’re talking about targeting of our energy sector, the electric grid, natural gas pipelines. And recently we’ve seen targeting of our telecommunications systems,” he said.
- Wray said China has also been listening into Americans’ calls.
- Joshua Steinman, former National Security Council senior director for cyber security during the Trump administration, posted on X:
- This enrages me. I left them with the tools they needed to confront this. And it appears those tools went unused for four years. Total mismanagement.
- Wray called stepping down “one of the hardest decisions” he has ever made, but said he had little choice after President-Elect Donald Trump made it clear he would be replaced.
- Trump has nominated Kash Patel, former deputy Director of National Intelligence and Pentagon chief of staff for the role.
Read the original article by clicking here.
