The fighting in Rafah differs significantly from that in the north and center of the Gaza Strip. Here, Hamas had built up a particularly dense network of tunnels over many years, a kind of underground city that was intended to serve as the backbone of its power. But even this system, of which the organization was so proud, is now crumbling piece by piece.

For Israel, this phase of the war is of fundamental importance. As long as Hamas has functioning structures in Rafah, it can claim to still be a relevant force. If this last stronghold also falls, the terrorist organization will lose any basis for political or military influence.

The army is proceeding with great caution. Every operation is based on precise intelligence information to avoid unnecessary risks. The goal is not only to kill individual terrorists, but to completely destroy the system that supports them. It is laborious, sometimes tedious, but indispensable.

The Israeli defense minister made it clear that the fight will continue on all fronts. This is more than just a political statement. It is the reality on the ground. Day after day, infrastructure that has been built up over many years is being destroyed in Rafah.

In addition to the military dimension, the psychological dimension also plays a central role. A fighter who sits in a tunnel for months without sunlight, without fresh food, without contact with the outside world, will eventually lose his will. This is precisely what the Israeli strategy aims at: not only physical but also moral attrition.



What is currently happening in the south of the Gaza Strip marks the end of an era. For years, Hamas was able to threaten everyday life in Israel, fire rockets, and hide behind civilians. Today, only a shadow of that remains.

Israel has learned from past mistakes. Half-measures have always only led to new violence in the past. That is why the operation in Rafah will not stop until the problem is completely solved.

Hamas is running out of steam. Supplies are dwindling, as are options. And with each passing day underground, it becomes clearer that this battle is coming to an end.

rjs330 said:

I think Americans should have a right to take some of their social security payout and put it into an investment portfolio.

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Americans already can invest as much of their SS payouts as they choose. What you want is for them to self-invest their pay in money. What happens when they need that money for emergencies or schooling or housing? We already know what happens.

rjs330 said:

It could even be capped at a certain risk level, so that they could just toss it into some real risky investments.

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Could or couldn't? Qualified retirement accounts already have this stipulation, if I'm not mistaken.

Some people would invest well and wisely; others would not. We already know this as anyone can already invest their loose change. The point of SS is to not end up with a population of impoverished seniors alongside their luckier, more investment savvy brethren.

essentialsaltes said:

I mean, we knew this already, but...

FBI concluded Jeffrey Epstein wasn’t running a sex trafficking ring for powerful men, files show​

Videos and photos seized from Epstein’s homes in New York, Florida and the Virgin Islands didn’t depict victims being abused or implicate anyone else in his crimes, a prosecutor wrote in one 2025 memo.

[Although some of Epstein's victims accused other influential people, the FBI found not enough evidence to charge them and referred the matters to the states.]

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Let’s all agree to never talk about this Epstein stuff ever again!

13For everyone who lives on milk is still an infant, inexperienced in the message of righteousness. 14But solid food is for the mature, who by constant use have trained their senses to distinguish good from evil.

ThatRobGuy said:

If that was what it was being chalked up to, you'd think they would've made some sort of notation, or did a re-issue with the correction in the days following the actual event.

Given intense scrutiny that entire situation was under (one of the highest profile criminals of our generation being found dead in a jail amid security cameras that magically stopped working for a few minutes in the HVI wing of a special protected cell block) seems like the sort of circumstances that would lead to official information releases being reviewed with a fine tooth comb.

Not to mention, a lot of times those documents are generated via templates that automatically populate what the current date is on header for the letterhead. And if it was typed in manually and wrong (it's literally the 2nd thing on the sheet), that's a pretty big flop for reviewers to miss.

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I was just kidding.

It's an epidemic: In the US, Turkey, Greece, France, Romania and probably elsewhere, governments have been using the judiciary to try and get rid of the opposition.

Michie said:

The Left is desperate to make lawful deportation in America a giant, impossible mess to deal with.

According to a new media narrative, President Donald Trump and the Department of Homeland Security are behaving irresponsibly by conducting more immigration raids around the country, which in turn have allegedly led to violence against innocent civilians and illegal aliens.

And if you’ve been listening to Democrats, you’d think that the reason that Immigration and Customs Enforcement is particularly active in blue states is that the Trump administration is being mean to them for political reasons.

Their reasoning goes that Trump wants to occupy and bully their states with ICE “terrorists” who spend their time murdering innocent American citizens for no reason other than to cruelly “own the libs.”

“This is retribution-style politics,” Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey said in a recent CNN interview. “This is drama. This is performance politics at its worst, and it’s hurting people and it’s making us less safe.”

This is projection. It’s Frey and friends who are all about “performance politics.” They desperately want to convey the idea that Trump’s immigration enforcement policies are the real problem.

But the narrative that aggressive ICE enforcement in blue states is just some kind of political retribution is bunk for many reasons. The biggest one is that Democrats have actively pursued policies that would lead to a confrontation with the federal government over immigration law.

This is happening by design.

Continued below.

Here's Why There Are More ICE Raids in Blue States

Democrat politicians and their activist supporters certainly know that sanctuary policies encourage more aggressive ICE enforcement.

www.dailysignal.com

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The chaos is created by "leaders" who would rather promote rioting in their streets than follow the law.
The trump haters are not in favor of anything he does.
Comments such as claiming
Ice going into communities and jails
And finding these ppl have no criminal
Background other then entering through
The Border???
Like that is not a Crime to enter in
Illegally, when crime escalated during
The years illegals were being allowed in
Is a real problem, worse in Sanctuary Cities
And hopefully Trump will take down any
Sanctuary City to no longer abuse the
Initial reason they were created in the first
Place, thats already a proven fact.

Go Trump

bling said:

Are you trying to derail the discussion by suggesting it is a “definition” issue?

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No, the word baptism does obviously not always mean water baptism. But it seems many want to add water any time they read the word. Even in Matthew 28 it dies not say water baptism there. But many assume it does.

bling said:

We agree, Baptism means “immersion”. The Bible has immersion/baptism for: water, Spirit, fire, the flood and the Jews going through the red sea.

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Yes, and Matthew 28 does not add water. Ajso the saving baptism is into Jesus Christ, where we put on Christ. This is not water.

bling said:

The only baptism or immersion we can do on another is water baptism.

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You seem to forget when Peter was preaching the Holy Ghost fell in them that heard the word. Through the teaching and believing the word they were baptized with the Holy Ghost. Others put hands on others dvdbtget received the Spurit,etc. but we know that God is the one in spirit that gives spiritual immersion into Christ.

And it is by one spirit we are all baptized into one body , into Jesus Christ. But God chose by men hearing the word and believing to have this done. When they heard the word and were believing they were sealed etc.

Paul also said that he wanted to impart some spiritual gift. But properly we know the gifts are given by the Spirit.

But faith comes by hearing and hearing by the word of God. When God works in men to speak and teach the truth it is God that is working and in the hearts of the hearers also.

bling said:

At least quote it in the order it was given and do not turn it around.

Matt 28: 19 Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20 and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.”

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No, the wording is like this not like the quote you used. By the way I only use KJV and won’t dis is that 45 hour talk here as to why. But they are different.

Matthew 28: 19. Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost:

The spiritual teaching, is God spiritually working in them is how men are immersed in the name. This is done by God through men teaching as God works in them.

Then an other aspect of teaching is added in the next verse.

Read 1 Cor. 2 again

bling said:

You try to make “teach all nations” to mean baptize them. The Baptizing is one thing (then there is a conjunction separating two actions) and then teaching to obey all things.

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I answered this in the last comment

bling said:

Where does “teach = baptizing” in scripture, since Paul makes a huge distinction 1 Cor. 1: 17 For Christ did not send me to baptize, but to preach the gospel.

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Paul was speaking of water baptism there . The immersion into Christ after men hear the word and have faith is all done by God and He uses men to preach and teach His word.

These deeply spiritual realities are hard to be understood by some.

bling said:

“You believe” does not carry any weight since it contradicts scripture.

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Faith cones by hearing and hearing by the word of God how can they preach except they be sent. God works in every preacher to will and to do.

When a person believes the gospel they are immersed by the Spirit into Christ .planted together with him and raised up with him inwardly. He that believes and is baptised shall be saved. The belief part is the faith part where by faith we “enter into” the grace that saves. The grace is as we are immersed into Jesus Christ. .

bling said:

We are told to baptize people and we cannot do Spiritual baptisms,

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Show where believer in the Gentiles church are told to water baptize today. And I already discussed about imparting spiritual gifts etc .

bling said:

so what is this other baptism we are to be doing?

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The Matthew 28 is different baptism in the name.

I already discussed how Jesus said of the Father that he kept them in the name of the Father. That is a mystery that expounds on this.John 17 shows this he taught the word, they believed and were kept in the name.

They are not at all the same. In fact, even heartfelt change of mind does not equal true repentance. We are petulant, fickle, self-involved, ignorant, rebellious and at the core, evil, but for God's work in us to change us. The only true repentance is a gift from God. Submission is a good way to tell the difference, and that, by evidences, not by feelings, as it is also concerning obedience. See Romans 8: "7 The mind governed by the flesh is hostile to God; it does not submit to God’s law, nor can it do so. 8 Those who are in the realm of the flesh cannot please God."

Curiously, in the Greek, the notion of repentance is not the same thing as it is in the English. Understanding that we are but man, God speaks of repenting in terms of continuous action. We do indeed repent, done and done, but we also continue to live in repentance, if repentance is real. And that is something that only God can produce in us. If it is so, it is established so by God, and "kept" by God, but we still remain responsible to commit to it.

Gunmen massacred and executed dozens of people in two Muslim-majority villages in Nigeria’s western Kwara state after residents refused to accept their extremist preaching, according to reports.

The violence began on Tuesday evening and lasted for about 10 hours, leaving bodies strewn across Woro and Nuku, residents told The Associated Press. The attack follows a letter sent weeks earlier to residents announcing the intention to spread a radical interpretation of Islam.

Several villagers, including traditional leaders’ relatives, were killed or kidnapped. One survivor told AP the assailants entered a mosque, made the call to prayer, and then shot worshippers as they arrived.

Continued below.

A new case before Europe’s human rights court could reopen a long-running fight over Christianity’s place in public life—this time inside Greece’s courtrooms.

For several years now, the European Court of Human Rights (ECtHR) has made the presence of Christian images and symbols in public spaces one of its recurring battles. After Italy was pressured through litigation to remove crucifixes from its schools, Greece is now being targeted over the presence of holy icons in its courts. Italy ultimately won its case. Will Greece succeed in safeguarding this essential part of its historical and spiritual heritage?

Some cases have a long life. In 2009, the ECtHR issued a ruling requiring Italy to remove crucifixes from public schools. The unprecedented mobilisation of twenty-one European states alongside Italy forced it to back down, and two years later, in 2011, in the case known as Lautsi v. Italy, it finally handed down a ruling in favour of Italy’s position, allowing it to keep its crucifixes.

The Lautsi case was followed by a period of relative calm in the fight against the presence of religious symbols (Christian, needless to say) in public spaces.

In 2020, a request was filed inviting the ECtHR to take up another contentious case: the presence of Orthodox icons in Greek courts.

The offensive came from an atheist association, the Union of Atheists of Greece. The first appeals were lodged in 2018 and 2019. The applicants requested the removal of Christian symbols displayed in the courtroom during hearings on religious matters. They argued that the presence of these icons was discriminatory, compromised the objectivity of the court, and violated their right to a fair trial, as well as their right to freedom of thought, conscience, and religion.

Continued below.

FredVB said:

I did not find conflicting passages, or seemingly conflicting passages, for this. It is your interpretation that has some conflict. So the issue to resolve is yours. My understanding is completely consistent with it shown that God is love. God's care is not limited. Nothing of God is limited. That includes justice. So it is that Christ came, and Christ is the way, with repentant faith. It is what it is. God not being limited does have knowledge without limit, but our choices are not negated by God's unlimited knowledge.

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Sorry, the overwhelming amount of scripture devoted to the fact that salvation is not for all, vs. the few that speaks more to the nature of God’s heart rather than them being the deciding factor in salvation and outliers to the rest of God’s plan for salvation means that they are just as I claim. God wishes, because we are all God’s creation, that we could all come to salvation, but we are not all God’s children. And salvation is only for God’s children (the elect).

Next episode is still expected this week, perhaps as soon as tomorrow. No lava has been seen yet, but the magma is building up in the vent tubes with persistent surface glow. (The inflation measures are also now favorable.)

Here is a somewhat grainy image of a rainy, pre-sunrise look across the crater to the glowing vent openings.



You can see how high the vent openings are on the crater wall relative to the "floor". (The mound behind them to the left was built in this eruption.) They started not just on the current floor but about 60-80 m lower.

NewLifeInChristJesus said:

If J. B. Stoney were alive today he could defend his point of view. But for me, it is hard to get past this obviously misinformed first paragraph.

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Hi NLIC, and thanks for your reply! It's my understanding that he is referring to reborn-newbies, which require much time to learn at the appreciation level of those who are mature in the Lord Jesus. There are many things to learn for the Christian, none at the outset have the maturity (but should desire maturity) they will have in the time it takes to learn maturity in Christ; which for the present even many in Christ are yet immature concerning the Word.

It takes all "babes-in-Christ" much time to mature, even though they presently have "all things that pertain unto life and godliness" and "all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ." As all who are mature, they just need to appropriate everything in time, if they want to mature. But many lack the desire for what it takes to become a mature Christian. Fortunately immaturity does effect one's salvation, just their growth in their faith! Salvation doesn't admit in degrees but faith does.

Always in His Presence said:

Did you not read your link?

From the link:

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Across this series of polls conducted through web‑based interviews, Trump’s approval among low-income voters ranged from a low of 34 percent to a high of 38 percent. Disapproval consistently sat in the mid‑50s to low‑60s.

Support from low-income groups is not collapsing; it is eroding. In one year, it eroded nearly 20 percent. Do you think Trump can turn things around?

Good observations, When I read the history of marriage, it seems that thru the centuries there have been many reasons to marry. To keep a kingly line going, so cement business associations, for love. Thru much of history it was a union that really helped people life, a division of labor, the jobs that took more strength (plowing a field) and interaction with nature and other groups of people(trading) and the live stock, crops and house chores.

I've heard of so many marriages that over the years just become friends.

Marriage itself has changed from who authorized the marriage, thru early history it was the family patriarch that defined who married who. Then the church said they were the ones who authorized marriage. Finally, in the 1500 the government became the ones authorizing marriage. Thru this whole period there were couple who just said forget all that and decided for themselves who they lived with and under what worked fro them! So despite the church saying there is one way marriage should be done, it's never worked that way.
That's not to mention all the other ways genders have done relationships thru the years.

SabbathBlessings said:

I do not beleive Paul is constantly contradicting himself and Christ and teaching we are released from the law that is holy and defines sin Rom7:7 which leads in the wrong direction Rom7:23 Rom6:16 Rom6:23 Heb10:26-30, but beleive as you wish.

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Paul contradicts your interpretation not himself. His writings are inspired scripture. I know you don’t like Paul.

They put people in jail for praying in front of abortion clinics, but they do this and walk free.
And then we have to go to their wars?
Wicked world eh.

Bad news: my car is low on gas.

Irate monkeys are LOUD.

LOUD

The moon's tough enough to take it. What are we... the solar system's policeman?

Media tycoon Jimmy Lai sentenced to 20 years in Hong Kong​

Lai was found guilty on charges of sedition and conspiracy to collude with foreign forces. He had pleaded not guilty.

It is the harshest sentence delivered to anyone under the sweeping national security law since Beijing introduced it as part of crackdowns in 2020.

The sentence has been widely condemned by human rights groups, with Human Rights Watch calling the length of the sentence "effectively a death sentence." [Lai is 78]

Amnesty International said it was "another grim milestone in Hong Kong’s transformation from a city governed by the rule of law to one ruled by fear."

Meanwhile, Beijing and Hong Kong officials welcomed the penalty, with Hong Kong’s leader John Lee saying Lai deserved the 20-year prison sentence for his "evil deeds."

jacorian said:

It's not the whodunit that one may think. See the folks keep thinking that someone who is adulterous is automatically a pedophile. They are 2 very different behaviors if you open up an abnormal psych text. That goes for Clinton is well. Pedofilia is a much different problem & frankly I don't think Trump or Clinton fit that bill. The reason why it's played up so much is because the people are acting on emotion, not cogent arguments. They want it to be true. Now we do know that some of the victims have already received a payout. If there was an unusually young female, I doubt very much that 25 years later they would remember any particular details.

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So as long as it’s not pedophilia, by which you presumably mean here sex with anyone under 18, it’s really OK? If that’s your standard then Bill was cool too. Maybe. Then nothing sordid happened.