Syria Registers Its First-Ever Jewish Organization

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Syrian Minister of Social Affairs and Labor Hind Kabawat on Wednesday approved the registration of the Jewish Heritage in Syria Foundation (JHS) – the first Jewish organization to be officially recognized by Syria since it became an independent nation in the 1940s.

Registration will allow JHS to establish offices in Syria, work with local and national government officials, and serve as the government-sanctioned protector of Jewish sites.

Kabawat, the first female minister in Syria’s transitional government, told Fox News Digital on Thursday that Jews “have long been part of Syria’s religious and cultural landscape.”

“Restoring their right to belong, to visit and to live back in their homeland is a natural step toward a more just, tolerant and inclusive society,” she said.

“For decades, Syrian Jews were denied the right to celebrate their own cultural and religious heritage, and today we take a step toward long-term peace, security and stability,” she said. (Read more from “Syria Registers Its First-Ever Jewish Organization” HERE)

Time to Prepare For World War-Size Conflict With Russia, Warns NATO

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If NATO members fail to “stop a war before it starts” by successfully deterring Russia from trying its hand in Europe, the Atlantic, and the Arctic it will be a conflict on the scale of the First and Second World Wars, the Secretary General warns.

“The dark forces of oppression are on the march again”, said NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte in a speech in Berlin on Thursday, as he implied a coming world war is in the offing if the alliance fails to deter Russia from empire-building. Expressing the importance of continuing to support Ukraine, Rutte said it was better to defeat Russia and have something of a buffer zone, rather than directly meet Russia along the NATO border in central Europe.

Explaining the purpose of the address is to explain “what we must do to stop a war before it starts”, Rutte named Russia as the main threat and China as its main backer, and called for NATO nations to enhance their preparations for war, including pushing their industrial bases to produce more munitions.

He said:

We must all accept that we must act to defend our way of life, now. Because this year, Russia has become even more brazen, reckless, and ruthless, towards NATO and towards Ukraine… Russia’s economy is now geared to wage war, not to make its people prosperous. Russia is spending nearly 40 per cent of its budget on aggression, and around 70 per cent of all machine tools in Russia are used in military production. Taxes are going up, inflation has skyrocketed, and petrol is rationed…

…How is Putin able to maintain his war against Ukraine? The answer is China. China is Russia’s lifeline. China wants to prevent its ally from losing in Ukraine. Without China’s support, Russia could not continue to wage this war. For instance around 80 per cent of critical electronic components in Russian drones and other systems are made in China. So when civilians are made in Kyiv or Kharkiv, Chinese technology is often inside the weapons that kill them… NATO’s own defences can hold for now but with its economy dedicated to war, Russia could be ready to use military force against NATO within five years.

(Read more from “Time to Prepare For World War-Size Conflict With Russia, Warns NATO” HERE)

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Team Biden Bathed America In Solar Panels While Reportedly Ignoring China Sabotage Warning

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Biden-era officials reportedly overlooked warnings that imported Chinese solar panel components posed risks to the American power grid, The Washington Post reported Wednesday.

America’s reliance on Chinese-linked solar panel inverters gives China an opportunity to sabotage the U.S. power grid, the Post reported, citing new research from Strider Technologies. The report and cybersecurity experts warned that this dependency poses a national security threat as the inverter devices in solar panels could be remotely triggered to precipitate cascading blackouts, the Post noted.

Power inverters are often made in China and are used to connect solar panels and wind turbines to the power grid. The Post does not clarify what warnings specifically were brought to the Biden administration in regard to national security risks linked to Chinese inverters.

“They were not excited to hear that clean energy technology made in China could pose a speed bump in the green energy transition,” the official told the Post. “You don’t need to turn off the entire western area power [grid] to create societal panic. … All you need to do is create some number of significant incidents that are widely reported to create the same effect.”

More than 85 percent of utilities surveyed anonymously are using inverters from companies linked to the Chinese government and military, the Post reported. The Strider Technologies report notes that it “surveyed utility and energy companies representing approximately 12% of U.S. installed capacity.” (Read more from “Team Biden Bathed America In Solar Panels While Reportedly Ignoring China Sabotage Warning” HERE)

Australia Enforces Nationwide Ban on Social Media Accounts for Under-16s

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Australia has rolled out a sweeping new policy that blocks anyone under the age of 16 from holding social media accounts, marking one of the most aggressive child-protection measures implemented by any Western nation.

The nationwide restriction, which officially took effect this week, forces major platforms to verify a user’s age before granting access. Companies that fail to comply may face large financial penalties and additional regulatory action.

Under the new rules, children under 16 are barred from creating or maintaining accounts on platforms such as TikTok, Instagram, Snapchat, Facebook, X, and any service that allows user-generated content and algorithm-driven feeds. Parents cannot override the ban, even with permission.

The government has approved specific age-verification mechanisms that platforms must use, shifting the burden of compliance onto the tech industry rather than parents or schools.

Officials say the move stems from mounting evidence connecting early social media use to rising mental health concerns among adolescents. Studies citing increased rates of anxiety, depression, sleep disruption, and exposure to adult or harmful content helped fuel political momentum for the ban.

Leaders behind the policy argue that platforms have failed to adequately safeguard minors.

“We’ve let tech companies dictate the online environment for kids for far too long,” government officials said in recent remarks. “This change gives young people space to grow without constant digital pressure.”

Social media firms have pushed back, warning that mandatory age verification raises privacy challenges, may be difficult to enforce, and could drive minors to circumvent rules through VPNs or borrowed accounts.

Privacy advocates also worry about the amount of personal data required to verify age, though the government insists approved methods protect user information.

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Zelensky Doubles Down on Refusal to Cede Land in Donbas to Russia

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Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has reaffirmed his strong refusal to cede any territory, resisting U.S. pressure for painful concessions to Russia as he moved ahead Tuesday to rally more European support for his country.

“Undoubtedly, Russia insists for us to give up territories. We, clearly, don’t want to give up anything. That’s what we are fighting for,” Zelenskyy told reporters in a WhatsApp chat late Monday.

“Do we consider ceding any territories? According to the law we don’t have such right,” he said. “According to Ukraine´s law, our constitution, international law, and to be frank, we don’t have a moral right either.”

In an interview with Politico released Tuesday, U.S. President Donald Trump again pressed Zelenskyy to accept the U.S. proposal that Ukraine cede territory to Russia, arguing that Moscow retains the “upper hand” in its nearly 4-year-old invasion, and that Zelenskyy’s government must “play ball.” (Read more from “Zelensky Doubles Down on Refusal to Cede Land in Donbas to Russia” HERE)

Afghan and Syrian Migrants Up to Ten Times More Likely to Be Suspected of Crimes in Germany

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Afghan and Syrian nationals are significantly overrepresented among suspects of violent crimes in Germany, according to official statistics.

This week, the Bild newspaper revealed some of the data from Germany’s Federal Criminal Police Office (BKA) report “Crime in the Context of Immigration” demonstrating that some foreign groups were much more likely to be suspected of serious crimes than German nationals.

When looking at violent crimes, there was a rate of 163 suspects per 100,000 Germans in 2024. In contrast, the rate for Afghan nationals stood at 1,722 suspects per 100,000 inhabitants. Meanwhile, the rate for Syrian nationals was 1,740 suspects per 100,000 inhabitants, or more than ten times the rate of German citizens.

According to the paper, a similar trend was born out in other categories of crime, including sexual offences or drug crimes, both of which are also led by Syrians and Afghans.

Separate figures revealed last month that foreigners now account for over 40 per cent of all suspected criminals in Germany last year. This jumped to over 43 per cent when only looking at violent crimes, recorded in the Police Crime Statistics 2024 (PKS 2024). (Read more from “Afghan and Syrian Migrants Up to Ten Times More Likely to Be Suspected of Crimes in Germany” HERE)

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Chechen Leader Vows Retaliation After Ukrainian Drone Strike Near His Home

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Chechen leader Ramzan Kadyrov issued new threats against Ukraine after a drone strike hit a high-rise building close to his residence in Grozny.

According to Reuters, the strike on Nov. 5 targeted a 28-story tower in the Grozny-City complex, located less than a kilometer from Kadyrov’s home. Russian officials reported no casualties, but the attack appeared to rattle the Chechen strongman, who pledged an imminent response. He accused Ukraine of selecting a civilian site “without tactical sense” and warned that Ukrainian forces would “feel a stern response” in the coming days.

A former Ukrainian government official, speaking anonymously to Fox News Digital, said Kadyrov’s remarks amount to another threat aimed directly at Zelenskyy. “The Chechens are really serious about revenge,” the official said. However, the source added that Ukrainian leadership is reacting far differently than it did two years ago: “In Kyiv they are not panicking about this like they were in 2022. Zelenskyy is now better protected, feels more powerful and is less fragile.”

Chechen involvement in attempted operations against Zelenskyy dates back to the early days of the war. The same official described how a Chechen unit aligned with Russia planned to use a metro station in Kyiv as a potential access point to Zelenskyy’s underground wartime bunker. Ukrainian officials at the time viewed that station — deep below the city center — as a major vulnerability. “They were afraid that Chechens would get to the bunker through this metro station,” the source said, recalling how Zelenskyy and top adviser Andriy Yermak urgently sought additional security.

Ultimately, the Chechen fighters were intercepted and killed before reaching the capital. “They tried to reach Kyiv somehow downtown, somehow via the river,” the former official said, “but it’s quite a complicated way to get there.”

Kadyrov’s fighters have been among the Kremlin’s most loyal and aggressive forces since the 2022 invasion. Ukrainian strikes have previously hit Chechnya, including police and training facilities, but Sunday’s attack appears to have penetrated deeper into government-linked territory. The Moscow Times reported that the damaged tower hosts regional government offices, including departments tied to the Chechen Security Council and agencies overseeing tourism and religious affairs.

With cross-border attacks increasing, Kadyrov’s latest warning suggests a more confrontational stance as the conflict increasingly spills into Russian regions. Ukrainian officials, meanwhile, have dismissed the Chechen leader’s threats as bluster.

Censorious Government Warns Journalists, Threatens Consequences For Reporting ‘Distorted Facts’ Of Deadly Disaster

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An arm of the Chinese government warned foreign media outlets Saturday against covering a Nov. 26 Hong Kong high-rise fire which left at least 159 dead in a manner painting Beijing in a negative light.

The Office for Safeguarding National Security in Hong Kong (OSNS), the Chinese Communist Party’s (CCP) national security presence in the region, gathered journalists from foreign media outlets, including The New York Times, to issue a formal warning against reporting what it called “distorted facts” about the deadly blaze in ways critical of the government’s response, The New York Times reported. The fire burned through the Wang Fuk Court apartment complex, after which three individuals were arrested on suspicion of manslaughter.

“Some foreign media have recently reported on Hong Kong ignoring the facts, spreading false information, distorting and smearing the government’s disaster relief and aftermath work, attacking and interfering with the Legislative Council election, provoking social division and opposition,” OSNS said in a statement reported by Reuters.

“Do not say you have not been warned,” OSNS continued, before emphasizing journalists would face repercussions if the government found them in violation of the Chinese government’s 2020 Hong Kong national security law, The New York Times reported.

Days before the Beijing-controlled office summoned foreign media outlets, the government of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) — widely considered to be allied with the CCP — issued a similar message about what it dubbed anti-China “malicious attacks” in the wake of the fire. (Read more from “Censorious Government Warns Journalists, Threatens Consequences For Reporting ‘Distorted Facts’ Of Deadly Disaster” HERE)

‘Maximum Vigilance’: France Orders Stricter Security at Christmas Markets to ‘Thwart Terrorist Threat’

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France’s interior minister instructed regional governments to boost security at Christmas markets against terrorist attacks, permitting the deployment of soldiers for a “visible deterrent” if necessary.

The French government has ordered “maximum vigilance” at seasonal Christmas markets in the country, a precaution after years of the events being targeted by predominantly Mohammedan fundamentalists. While markets in Germany have been the main focus for terror attacks to date, France has seen more than its share of deadly mass-casualty terror attacks, including the 2016 Nice Attack when a cargo truck was driven through crowds on Bastile Day, a modus operandi shared with previous Christmas market attacks.

France’s Interior Minister Laurent Nuñez issued a directive to regional Prefects ordering them to “strengthen security measures” because of “very high level of terrorist threat”, reports FranceInfo. He called for the “full mobilization of intelligence services in the detection, prevention, and, if necessary, thwarting of terrorist threats” which would include “a visible and deterrent presence of [police] and, where necessary, soldiers”.

Prefects were told to consider the security picture for all events “likely to bring together a large number of participants”. (Read more from “‘Maximum Vigilance’: France Orders Stricter Security at Christmas Markets to ‘Thwart Terrorist Threat’” HERE)

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Floods and Landslides in Indonesia Kill over 800

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Indonesian officials said on Tuesday that the death toll from flooding and landslides, caused by months of heavy rain and multiple devastating typhoons, has exceeded 800. More than 700 of those casualties were reported on the island of Sumatra.

The Indonesian disaster relief agency initially reported 753 fatalities on Sumatra over the past week, although it revised the number down to 708 later on Tuesday, without explanation. The combined death toll across Southeast Asia is over 1,350.

Local officials on Sumatra said downed power lines, blocked roads, and fuel shortages were complicating efforts to deliver food and medicine. The Indonesian military has provided support by airdropping supplies, but some of the supplies they delivered were damaged on landing.

The flooding in Sumatra’s northwestern province of Aceh was so severe that supplies of drinking water are running low, forcing local residents to clean and drink muddy flood water.

A hunger crisis is looming in the hardest-hit areas, and the public is increasingly frustrated that the central Indonesian government has not declared a national emergency. Indonesian social media is filled with complaints about the insufficient disaster relief budget, which was cut in half from last year’s funding. (Read more from “Floods and Landslides in Indonesia Kill over 800” HERE)