English LCCC Newsbulletin For Lebanese, Lebanese Related, Global News & Editorials
For  January 14/2026
Compiled & Prepared by: Elias Bejjani
#elias_bejjani_news

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Bible Quotations For today
No one can receive anything except what has been given from heaven.
John 03/22-30: “After this Jesus and his disciples went into the Judean countryside, and he spent some time there with them and baptized. John also was baptizing at Aenon near Salim because water was abundant there; and people kept coming and were being baptized John, of course, had not yet been thrown into prison. Now a discussion about purification arose between John’s disciples and a Jew. They came to John and said to him, ‘Rabbi, the one who was with you across the Jordan, to whom you testified, here he is baptizing, and all are going to him.’ John answered, ‘No one can receive anything except what has been given from heaven. You yourselves are my witnesses that I said, “I am not the Messiah, but I have been sent ahead of him.” He who has the bride is the bridegroom. The friend of the bridegroom, who stands and hears him, rejoices greatly at the bridegroom’s voice. For this reason my joy has been fulfilled. He must increase, but I must decrease.”

Titles For The Latest English LCCC Lebanese & Lebanese Related News & Editorials published on January 13-14/2026
The Imperative of Toppling the Mullahs’ Regime, Dismantling Its Terrorist Arms, and Liberating the Iranian People from the Nightmare of Wilayat al-Faqih/Elias Bejjani/January 08/2026
US labels Lebanon’s Jamaa Islamiya a ‘foreign terrorist organization’
Trump administration labels three Muslim Brotherhood branches as terrorist organizations
Link to a video interview on the “Sourio” website with writer and director Youssef Y. El Khoury
UN calls on Israel to halt ‘disturbingly common’ attacks on peacekeepers in Lebanon
UNIFIL says Israeli tank fired near peacekeepers in south Lebanon
Report: Haykal to visit US as Washington sees new performance
Issa says US committed to backing Lebanon efforts to modernize electricity
Report: US optimistic Berri can facilitate north Litani disarmament
Berri: The weapon of the Lebanese is their unity
Salameh's corruption case being sent to Lebanon's top court
US labels Lebanon's Jamaa Islamiya a 'foreign terrorist organization'
Priest by day, DJ by night: Padre Guilherme's rave in Beirut draws cheers and controversy

Titles For The Latest English LCCC Miscellaneous Reports And News published on January 13-14/2026
Video-Link from CBS News to an English Interview with Exiled Iranian Crown Prince Reza Pahlavi in which he addresses the anti Iranian Regime protests
Iran official says 2,000 people have been killed in unrest
Trump tells Iranians to keep protesting, says ‘help is on its way’
All eyes on the White House as Trump decision on Iran looms
Trump tells Iranians to keep protesting, says ‘help is on its way’
Trump says nations doing business with Iran face 25% tariff on US trade
Nigel Farage calls on UK government to support Iran protesters
Qatari PM backs efforts to ‘de-escalate’ in phone call with top Iranian official
Non-essential French embassy staff have left Iran: Sources
‘Leave now,’ the US tells its citizens in Iran amid volatile situation
Russia slams US strike threats, warns against interference in Iran
Trump administration labels three Muslim Brotherhood branches as terrorist organizations
UN chief warns he could refer Israel to world court over action against UNRWA
Gaza’s living conditions worsen as strong winds and hypothermia kill 5
At least six killed as Gaza’s displaced struggle to hold ground in torrential rain
Hamas to elect first leader since Sinwar killed by Israel, sources say
Hamas set to pick new leaders amid adverse international, regional setting
UAE media chief outlines ‘strategic silence’ policy to counter provocation
Al-Qaeda seizes villages in Hadramout amid Yemen security crisis
We choose Denmark over US, says Greenland PM
Syrian army declares a closed military zone east of Aleppo as tensions rise with Kurds

Titles For The Latest English LCCC analysis & editorials from miscellaneous sources published on January 13-14/2026
Why the West Is Split Over Political Islam/Pierre Rehov/Gatestone Institute/January 13, 2026
Venezuela may not end well/James J. Zogby/The Arab Weekly/January 13 January 13/2026
Iran on the brink: Government vs. the people/Dr. Majid Rafizadeh/Al Arabiya English/13 January/2026
Saudi Arabia: The Anchor of Stability in the Middle East/Yousef Al-Dayni/Asharq Al-Awsat/January 13/2026
Regarding the Caracas Operation/Hazem Saghieh/Asharq Al-Awsat/January 13/2026
The 'If We Don’t Take It… Someone Else Will!' Policy/Eyad Abu Shakra/Asharq Al-Awsat/January 13/2026
Selected Face Book & X tweets/ January 13/2026

The Latest English LCCC Lebanese & Lebanese Related News & Editorials published on January 13-14/2026
The Imperative of Toppling the Mullahs’ Regime, Dismantling Its Terrorist Arms, and Liberating the Iranian People from the Nightmare of Wilayat al-Faqih
Elias Bejjani/January 08/2026
https://eliasbejjaninews.com/2026/01/150884/
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_3kbnJVaYOs
From the very moment Ayatollah Khomeini set foot in Tehran in February 1979—arriving from Paris aboard an Air France flight—the Middle East entered a dark tunnel from which it has yet to emerge. The so-called Iranian “revolution,” driven by an alliance of mullahs and leftist forces against the Shah’s rule, was not merely a domestic popular uprising. Rather, it was the product of strange ideological alliances, international complicity, and covert operations, later exposed in intelligence documents revealing significant U.S. involvement. These dynamics led to the removal of the Shah and the handover of power to an extremist sectarian current bearing a dictatorial, expansionist, imperial, and transnational terrorist project.
The Expansionist Project: An Empire of Militias
From its first day, the mullahs’ regime adopted the doctrine of “exporting the sectarian revolution” under the guise of Wilayat al-Faqih—a concept that recognizes neither national sovereignty nor international borders. This ideology gave rise to armed terrorist proxies fully subordinate to Tehran’s command, transforming Lebanon and several Arab states into arenas of influence and de facto Iranian provinces.
In Lebanon, Hezbollah confiscated the state’s sovereign decision-making, turning the country into a missile platform and a large open-air prison.
In Iraq, Syria, and Yemen, Iranian-backed militias destroyed the social fabric and national institutions, spreading chaos, poverty, devastation, and civil wars.
Contradictory Alliances
The mullahs’ regime did not limit its support to Shiite proxies. It also entered into pragmatic alliances with Sunni political-Islam groups, most notably the Muslim Brotherhood and its offshoots—such as Hamas, al-Qaeda, Boko Haram, and others—in order to destabilize Arab states and undermine moderate regimes.
A Black Record: Domestic Repression and External Terror
Internally, the mullahs transformed Iran—from a promising nation with a great civilizational heritage—into a vast prison. Since 1979, the regime’s criminal record has been endless:
Mass executions, including the liquidation of thousands of political opponents, most notoriously during the 1988 massacres.
Assassinations, targeting intellectuals and dissidents both inside Iran and abroad.
The Collapse of the State
Today, the Iranian people suffer from water and electricity shortages, collapsing education, the absence of an independent judiciary, and the repression of personal freedoms—while the country’s wealth is squandered on financing foreign wars and missile and nuclear programs.
The Nuclear Threat: A Sword Hanging Over the World
The regime’s pursuit of nuclear capabilities is not peaceful, as it claims, but rather a protective shield for its terrorist project. Granting a regime driven by apocalyptic and destructive messianic ideologies access to nuclear weapons would place the entire world under the threat of nuclear blackmail and constitute a direct danger to global peace.
The Moment of Truth: The Third Revolution and the National Alternative
Today, for the third time, the Iranian people—across all components of society—are rising up, openly rejecting this regime.
Their demands are clear: the return of Iran to the international community and the restoration of its national identity, embodied by Prince Reza Pahlavi as a symbol of historical legitimacy and stability. Accordingly, the international community—Arab and Western alike—must abandon the failed policy of “containment” and move decisively to support the liberation of the Iranian people. A free Iran is a strategic regional and global interest, as it would mean a safer Middle East, the end of political Islam in both its Shiite and Sunni forms, and the cessation of global terrorism financing.
Hezbollah: Iran’s Tool for the Destruction of Lebanon and the Exhaustion of the Region
No assessment of Iranian subversion is complete without confronting the demonic functional role played by Hezbollah in Lebanon. This organization has never been a national project; it is merely a faction of Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, speaking with a Lebanese accent and operating as mercenaries in every sense of the word. Hezbollah has dragged Lebanon into futile and devastating wars in service of Tehran’s agenda—starting with the 2006 war that destroyed infrastructure and displaced hundreds of thousands of Lebanese to improve Iran’s negotiating position, and culminating in the 2023 war against Israel under the pretext of “supporting Gaza,” a war in which the Lebanese people had no stake. Southern Lebanon was turned into scorched earth, sacrificed on the altar of the mullahs’ nuclear ambitions.
Hezbollah’s terrorism has not been confined to Lebanon. It has functioned as a transnational mercenary army in the service of Tehran:
In Syria, it participated in the slaughter of the Syrian people and supported the collapsing Assad regime, contributing to one of the largest demographic-engineering and forced-displacement operations in modern history. In Yemen and the Gulf, it provided military and technical support to the Houthi militia targeting the security of Saudi Arabia and the UAE, while operating espionage and sabotage cells and carrying out assassinations, kidnappings, bombings, and acts of chaos in Kuwait and Bahrain.
The Greatest Crime: Against Lebanese Shiites
Hezbollah’s gravest crime has been committed against the Shiite community in Lebanon itself. The party hijacked its free political will, turning it into a hostage of its project through extremist sectarian indoctrination, brainwashing young people and throwing them into endless wars. It isolated Lebanese Shiites from their national and Arab environment and transformed their towns and villages into weapons depots and missile platforms, sacrificing entire generations for the survival of the Wilayat al-Faqih regime in Tehran.
Liberating Lebanese Shiites from this terrorist ideological grip is the essential gateway to restoring the kidnapped Lebanese state.
Conclusion
All free nations must cooperate to topple the mullahs’ regime and dismantle its terrorist arms. A fundamental structural truth must be acknowledged: Lebanon will not regain its sovereignty and independence, nor will Gaza, Damascus, or Baghdad emerge from chaos and collapse, unless the head of the snake in Tehran is severed.
Hezbollah is nothing more than a sectarian functional tool of the Iranian regime. When the root falls, the branches inevitably collapse. Lebanon’s true liberation and independence begin with the fall of the Wilayat al-Faqih regime—so that the Middle East may once again become a region of construction rather than militias and death.
Elias Bejjani is a Lebanese expatriate activist
Email: phoenicia@hotmail.com
Website: https://eliasbejjaninews.com

US labels Lebanon’s Jamaa Islamiya a ‘foreign terrorist organization’
Associated Press/Agence France Presse
Trump administration labels three Muslim Brotherhood branches as terrorist organizations
https://eliasbejjaninews.com/2026/01/151079/
Al Arabiya English/13 January/2026

Link to a video interview on the “Sourio” website with writer and director Youssef Y. El Khoury
The Baath Party has ended in Syria, but it still remains entrenched in Lebanon and in the minds of the majority of the political class.
13 January 2026
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vwfLjMY1VBw&t=1347s
If Israel withdraws while Hezbollah’s weapons remain, there will be no sovereignty for Lebanon/War against Hezbollah is inevitable and the party is on its way out /The issue of the injustice suffered by the South Lebanon Army is a national and sovereign matter par excellence, and it will be resolved with the end of the Iranian occupation /The Arab Peace Initiative adopted in Beirut is dead, and there is no need to link peace with Israel to its provisions /After Venezuela, it is difficult to keep the mullahs’ regime in power /The Lebanon–Iran–Venezuela triangle is dangerous in its attempt to circumvent the international system /The head of the snake is in Venezuela.

UN calls on Israel to halt ‘disturbingly common’ attacks on peacekeepers in Lebanon
Ephrem Kossaify/Arab News/January 13, 2026
NEW YORK CITY: The UN on Tuesday called on Israel to halt what it described as increasingly frequent attacks on UN peacekeepers in southern Lebanon, pointing out that such incidents constitute serious violations of a UN Security Council resolution. The UN Interim Force in Lebanon reported two attacks in the past 24 hours against personnel clearly identifiable as UN staff: wearing blue helmets and blue jackets marked with the UN logo. They said such incidents were becoming “disturbingly common” and violated Security Council Resolution 1701, which ended the 2006 war between Israel and Hezbollah. The UN said two suspected flare mortars struck one of its positions near the village of Yaroun in southern Lebanon late on Monday. The peacekeepers requested a halt to activity by the Israeli army. Earlier, UNIFIL observed two Merkava tanks moving deeper into Lebanese territory from an Israeli military position near Sarda. The peacekeepers requested, through established liaison mechanisms, that the tanks halt their advance. Later, one of the tanks fired three shells from its main gun, two of which landed about 150 meters from the UN force. UNIFIL had informed the Israeli military of planned peacekeeper activities in the area, in keeping with standard procedures for patrols along the UN-demarcated Blue Line that separates Lebanon and Israel. No injuries were reported in either incident. “We again remind the Israel Defense Forces, and all parties, of the obligation to ensure the safety of peacekeepers and to cease attacks against them,” UN spokesperson Stephane Dujarric said. UNIFIL has monitored the volatile border region for decades amid recurring tensions between Israel and the armed group Hezbollah in Lebanon.

UNIFIL says Israeli tank fired near peacekeepers in south Lebanon
Agence France Presse/13 January/2026
The United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon said an Israeli tank fired near its peacekeepers on Monday, and warned that such attacks were becoming "disturbingly common". UNIFIL has repeatedly reported Israeli fire near or towards its personnel in recent months, and less than two weeks ago said gunfire from an Israeli position hit close to peacekeepers twice. "UNIFIL peacekeepers observed two Merkava tanks move" from an Israel army position inside Lebanese territory "further into Lebanon" on Monday, the force said in a statement. UNIFIL has acted as a buffer between Israel and Lebanon for decades, and recently has been working with Lebanon's army to support a year-old ceasefire between Israel and Hezbollah. Under the November 2024 truce, Israel was to withdraw its forces from south Lebanon, but it has kept them in five areas it deems strategic and carries out regular strikes on Lebanon, usually saying it is targeting Hezbollah sites and operatives. "The peacekeepers requested through liaison channels that the tanks stop their activity," the statement said. Later, "one of the tanks fired three shells from its main gun, with two impacts approximately 150 meters away from the peacekeepers," UNIFIL said, adding that "as the peacekeepers moved away for safety, they were continuously tracked with a laser from the tanks."The statement reported no casualties but noted UNIFIL had informed the Israeli army of its activities in the area in advance. "Attacks like these on identifiable peacekeepers ... are becoming disturbingly common," the statement said, urging a stop to such incidents. It called them "a serious violation" of United Nations Security Council Resolution 1701, which ended a 2006 war between Israel and Hezbollah and forms the basis of the current truce. Under heavy U.S. pressure and fears of expanded Israeli strikes, Lebanon has committed to disarming Hezbollah, and last week Lebanon's army said it had finished doing so in the area near the border. UNIFIL's final mandate ends this year, and the force is to leave Lebanon in 2027.

Report: Haykal to visit US as Washington sees new performance
Naharnet/13 January/2026
Relations are back on track between the U.S. administration and Lebanese Army chief Rodolphe Haykal, whose performance -- according to U.S. sources -- has changed, the Nidaa al-Watan newspaper reported on Tuesday. “Haykal will visit the United States in late January or early February and the visit has won approval,” the daily said, adding that the trip will have the same agenda as the visit that was canceled in November. The commander will meet with the U.S. army chief, senior Pentagon and State Department officials, and a number of Congress members, Nidaa al-Watan added.

Issa says US committed to backing Lebanon efforts to modernize electricity
Naharnet/13 January/2026
Reliable electricity is “essential for economic growth and foreign investment,” the U.S. Embassy in Beirut said on Tuesday, following a meeting between U.S. Ambassador Michel Issa and Chair and General Manager of Electricite du Liban Kamal Hayek.
During the meeting, Issa “underscored the United States’ commitment to supporting Lebanon’s efforts to modernize its electricity sector, noting that American companies are well-positioned to provide expertise and technology,” the Embassy said in a post on X. “As a partner, the U.S. helps advance Lebanon’s energy security and operational efficiency,” it added.

Report: US optimistic Berri can facilitate north Litani disarmament
Naharnet/13 January/2026
The Americans are “optimistic” that Speaker Nabih Berri can play a role in the issue of removing arms north of the Litani River and they are “betting on his performance in the coming period,” the Nidaa al-Watan newspaper reported on Tuesday. In remarks to the daily, U.S. sources described Berri’s performance as “promising,” which “gives the impression that the Speaker may have promised the U.S. administration to achieve something regarding disarmament north of the Litani,” Nidaa al-Watan said.“The Americans believe Berri and they’re convinced that he will play a very important role regarding Hezbollah and its arms in the coming period,” the newspaper added.

Berri: The weapon of the Lebanese is their unity
Naharnet/13 January/2026
Speaker Nabih Berri has said that he does not fear for Lebanon, noting that the country “has a strong weapon, which is unity.”“This unity is what immunizes and protects the country and prevents its violation by the Israelis as is happening during this period,” Berri said in remarks to al-Joumhouria newspaper published Tuesday. “The weapon of the Lebanese is their unity and Israel would not be able to carry out its attacks, violation of the ceasefire agreement and threats if the Lebanese were unified,” Berri added. “Entire Lebanon is in the crosshairs of Israel and it is not targeting a certain group, but rather all Lebanese without exception -- they are a target of aggression with all their religions, sects and regions,” the Speaker warned. Asked about the possibility of war and escalation and the performance of the U.S.-led Mechanism ceasefire committee, Berri said “what Israel has been doing since the ceasefire agreement was declared is a continuous war,” while criticizing the work of the Mechanism. Berri accordingly called on the Lebanese government to “carry out its duties, secure the requirements for immunizing the country and at least implement what it had committed to in its Ministerial Statement, especially in terms of protecting Lebanon and rebuilding the damaged areas, from Dahiyeh to the South and Bekaa and all areas targeted by Israeli aggression.”The Speaker added that “the Resistance is not for a Lebanese group without the other, but rather for all Lebanese and concerns all Lebanese.”“What it did throughout its long years of struggle was to protect them, protect Lebanon and liberate it from Israeli occupation, and for the sake of that it offered thousands of martyrs and precious sacrifices,” Berri went on to say. Berri also said that the upcoming parliamentary elections will be held on time, calling on authorities, especially the Interior Ministry, to conduct the necessary preparations.Asked about the government’s urgent draft law that is aimed at securing the participation of expats abroad in the vote, Berri said: “The government’s Ministerial Statement includes a forthright declaration by this government that it will not interfere in the elections.”

Salameh's corruption case being sent to Lebanon's top court
Associated Press/13 January/2026
The corruption case of Lebanon's former central bank governor, who is widely blamed for the country's economic meltdown, has been transferred to the country's highest court, judicial officials told The Associated Press on Tuesday. Riad Salameh was released on $14 million bail in September after a year in prison while awaiting trial in Lebanon on corruption charges, including embezzlement and illicit enrichment. The trial of Salameh, 75, and his two legal associates, Marwan Khoury and Michel Tueni, will now be heard at the Court of Cassation, according to a copy of the notice obtained by the AP. Salameh and the others will be issued with arrest warrants if they don't show up for trial at the court. No trial date has been set yet. Salameh denies the charges. The court's final ruling can't be appealed, according to the four officials who spoke on condition of anonymity, because they weren't authorized to speak with the media. In September 2024, he was charged with the embezzlement of $42 million, with the court later adding charges of illicit enrichment over an apartment rented in France, supposedly to be a substitute office for the central bank if needed. Officials have said that Salameh had rented from his former romantic partner for about $500,000 annually. He was once celebrated for steering Lebanon's economic recovery, after a 15-year civil war, upon starting his long tenure in 1993 and keeping the fragile economy afloat during long spells of political gridlock and turmoil. But in 2023, he left his post after three decades with several European countries investigating allegations of financial crimes. Meanwhile, much of the Lebanese blame his policies for sparking a fiscal crisis in late 2019 where depositors lost their savings, and the value of the local currency collapsed. On top of the inquiry in Lebanon, he is being investigated by a handful of European countries over various corruption charges. In August 2023, the United States, United Kingdom and Canada imposed sanctions on Salameh.
Salameh has repeatedly denied allegations of corruption, embezzlement and illicit enrichment. He insists that his wealth comes from inherited properties, investments and his previous job as an investment banker at Merrill Lynch. Lebanon's current central bank governor, Karim Souaid, announced last week that he's filing legal complaints against a former central bank governor and former banking official who diverted funds from the bank to what he said were four shell companies in the Cayman Islands. He didn't name either individual. But Souaid said that Lebanon's central bank would become a plaintiff in the country's investigation into Forry Associates. The U.S. Treasury, upon sanctioning Salameh and his associates, described Forry Associates as "a shell company owned by Raja (Salameh's brother) in the British Virgin Islands" used to divert about $330 million in transactions related to the central bank.
Several European countries, among them France, Germany, and Luxembourg, have been investigating the matter, freezing bank accounts and assets related to Salameh and his associates, with little to no cooperation from the central bank and Lebanese authorities. Souaid said that he will travel later this month to Paris to exchange "highly sensitive" information as France continues its inquiries.

US labels Lebanon's Jamaa Islamiya a 'foreign terrorist organization'
Associated Press/Agence France Presse
U.S. President Donald Trump's administration has made good on its pledge to label three Middle Eastern branches of the Muslim Brotherhood as "terrorist" organizations, imposing sanctions on them and their members in a decision that could have implications for U.S. relationships with allies Qatar and Turkey.
The Treasury and State departments announced the actions Tuesday against the Lebanese, Jordanian and Egyptian chapters of the Muslim Brotherhood, which they said pose a risk to the United States and American interests. The State Department designated the Lebanese branch -- which calls itself Jamaa Islamiya -- as a foreign terrorist organization, the most severe of the labels, which makes it a criminal offense to provide material support to the group. The Jordanian and Egyptian branches were listed by Treasury as specially designated global terrorists for providing support to Hamas. "These designations reflect the opening actions of an ongoing, sustained effort to thwart Muslim Brotherhood chapters' violence and destabilization wherever it occurs," U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio said in a statement. "The United States will use all available tools to deprive these Muslim Brotherhood chapters of the resources to engage in or support terrorism." Rubio and Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent were mandated last year under an executive order signed by Trump to determine the most appropriate way to impose sanctions on the groups, which U.S. officials say engage in or support violence and destabilization campaigns that harm the United States and other regions. Muslim Brotherhood leaders have said they renounce violence. Trump's executive order had singled out the chapters in Lebanon, Jordan and Egypt, noting that a wing of the Lebanese chapter had launched rockets on Israel after Hamas' Oct. 7, 2023, attack in Israel that set off the war in Gaza.Formed in the 1960s, Lebanon's Jamaa Islamiya claims to have carried out joint operations with Palestinian militant group Hamas in southern Lebanon. Mohanad Hage Ali, from the Carnegie Middle East Center, said Jamaa Islamiya was "operating as an extension of Hamas in Lebanon," describing the two movements' relationship as "organic". Hage Ali said Jamaa Islamiya had "around 500 armed men" but played only a "marginal political role" in Lebanon with just one lawmaker in the national parliament. Jamaa Islamiya and Hamas both come from the same ideological school as the Muslim Brotherhood. Jamaa Islamiya established its armed wing, the Fajr Forces, in 1982 to fight the Israeli invasion of Lebanon. The group stayed out of Lebanon's 1975-1990 civil war. Leaders of the group in Jordan have provided support to Hamas, the U.S. order said.The Muslim Brotherhood was founded in Egypt in 1928 but was banned in that country in 2013. Jordan announced a sweeping ban on the Muslim Brotherhood in April. Nathan Brown, a professor of political science and international affairs at George Washington University, said some allies of the U.S., including the United Arab Emirates and Egypt, would likely be pleased with the designation. "For other governments where the brotherhood is tolerated, it would be a thorn in bilateral relations," including in Qatar and Turkey, he said. Brown also said a designation on the chapters may have effects on visa and asylum claims for people entering not just the U.S. but also Western European countries and Canada. "I think this would give immigration officials a stronger basis for suspicion, and it might make courts less likely to question any kind of official action against Brotherhood members who are seeking to stay in this country, seeking political asylum," he said. Trump, a Republican, weighed whether to designate the Muslim Brotherhood a terrorist organization in 2019 during his first term in office. Some prominent Trump supporters, including right-wing influencer Laura Loomer, have pushed his administration to take aggressive action against the group. Two Republican-led state governments — Florida and Texas — designated the group as a terrorist organization this year.

Priest by day, DJ by night: Padre Guilherme's rave in Beirut draws cheers and controversy
Associated Press/13 January/2026
Ravers danced and swayed to the loud bass at a popular night club in the heart of the city of Beirut. It was another sold-out Saturday in the party capital of the Middle East. What was different this time was the DJ at the helm. Before putting on his headphones, he had been leading a Mass at a Lebanese Catholic university. Guilherme Peixoto, better known as Padre Guilherme, is a priest from a village in northern Portugal who preaches by day and parties at night. To the 52-year-old, DJing is a way to express his faith, send a message of peace and coexistence, and connect with the youth. "The Psalm asks us to praise the lord with all instruments, so now you have this new instrument that came that is electronic music," he said before holding Mass at the Saint Joseph University of Kaslik. Padre Guilherme has been a global sensation for months, performing around the world to large audiences and amassing a following of 2.6 million on Instagram. The priest broke onto the global stage after his performances at World Youth Day in 2023 before Pope Francis' open-air Mass, and another featuring Pope Leo in 2025. What started as a way to fundraise for local churches has become a vital new way to evangelize.
Lebanon was in many ways a natural stop on his tour.
Christians make up around a third of Lebanon's 5 million people, giving the small nation on the eastern coast of the Mediterranean the largest percentage of Christians in the Middle East. Maronite Catholics are the largest Christian group. Pope Leo XIV visited Lebanon as part of his first official trip abroad in November. The priest's first show in the tiny Mediterranean country was not without controversy, however. Eighteen people, including Christian religious officials, sent a petition to the country's judiciary calling for his show to be cancelled, calling it an insult to the faith. The petition was rejected by a judge, and the club where he performed said the venue will have security presence and no religious symbols would be displayed, to avoid offending anyone. "For those that are objecting, if I, for them, I'm kind of scandal for them, I (am) sorry of course. And I only can ask (them) to pray for me," Peixoto said. Before his performance, Padre Guilherme donned the traditional white robe of a priest and delivered a sermon alongside a Lebanese priest at the university in a jam-packed auditorium filled with youth and older people. The reactions to Peixoto's visit were split on social media. "We who were raised to respect the word of God and the sanctity of the message in all its forms cannot accept turning faith into an entertainment show presented on a table of alcohol," said one Lebanese X user. "I do not believe that God intended for His message to be … reduced to a musical show with scenes of alcohol and smoke."
Others praised the priest for finding modern ways to get the youth closer to religion "The people attacking him just don't understand how powerful and needed his work is," said another X user. By night time, Padre Guilherme walked onto the stage at AHM nightclub to the cheers and applause of hundreds of people. As he played his music and swayed to the beats, images of the late Pope Francis, Pope John Paul II, and white doves were projected onto huge screens behind him. The DJ also played a song for Lebanon and waved a Lebanese flag to the cheering crowd. Unlike his usual DJing garb, the priest did not wear his cassock, the traditional clerical coat worn by priests, as part of the agreement with organizers after complaints about his performance. Lebanon for years has faced crisis and conflict, both among its quarreling political groups and sects, and externally in the region. Many fear a new escalation between Israel and Hezbollah. Pope Leo, during his visit in November, called for peace and dialogue in the country and the Mideast, a message largely welcomed by the country's youth. On Saturday, Padre Guilherme sent a similar message but in his own way
"The message is always: look to the dance floor, you see respect, you see something always beautiful … if this is possible for people with different race (and) clothes dancing together, why we cannot live like that in the world?" Peixoto said.

The Latest English LCCC Miscellaneous Reports And News published on January 13-14/2026
Video-Link from CBS News to an English Interview with Exiled Iranian Crown Prince Reza Pahlavi in which he addresses the anti Iranian Regime protests
12 January/2026
https://eliasbejjaninews.com/2026/01/151043/
Exiled Iranian Crown Prince Reza Pahlavi speaks with Norah O'Donnell about the deadly anti-government protests gripping Iran and President Trump leaving a possible U.S. military intervention on the table. Plus, why Pahlavi is stepping in "to lead this period of transition." CBS News 24/7 is the premier anchored streaming news service from CBS News and Stations that is available free to everyone with access to the internet and is the destination for breaking news, live events, original reporting and storytelling, and programs from CBS News and Stations' top anchors and correspondents working locally, nationally and around the globe. It is available on more than 30 platforms across mobile, desktop and connected TVs for free, as well as CBSNews.com and Paramount+ and live in 91 countries.

Iran official says 2,000 people have been killed in unrest
Reuters/13 January/2026
About 2,000 people including security personnel have been killed in protests in Iran, an Iranian official said on Tuesday, the first time authorities have acknowledged the high death toll from an intense crackdown on two weeks of nationwide unrest. The Iranian official, speaking to Reuters, said that what he called terrorists were behind the deaths of both protesters and security personnel. The official did not give a breakdown of who had been killed. The unrest, sparked by dire economic conditions, has been the biggest internal challenge to Iranian authorities for at least three years and comes amid intensifying international pressure after Israeli and US strikes last year. Iran’s clerical authorities, in power since a 1979 Islamic Revolution, have tried to take a dual approach to the demonstrations, calling protests over economic problems legitimate while enforcing a harsh security crackdown. They have accused the US and Israel of fomenting unrest and said unnamed people they call terrorists have hijacked the protests. A rights group had previously identified hundreds of people killed and said that thousands had been arrested. Communications restrictions including an internet blackout over recent days have hampered the flow of information. Videos of nighttime clashes between demonstrators and security forces over the past week, including several that were verified by Reuters, have shown violent confrontations with gunfire and burning cars and buildings.

Trump tells Iranians to keep protesting, says ‘help is on its way’
Al Arabiya English/13 January/2026
US President Donald Trump on Tuesday said Iranians should continue nationwide protests and take over the country’s institutions as authorities there cracked down on mass demonstrations. “Iranian Patriots, KEEP PROTESTING - TAKE OVER YOUR INSTITUTIONS!!!” Trump wrote on his Truth Social platform. “Save the names of the killers and abusers. They will pay a big price.”“I have cancelled all meetings with Iranian Officials until the senseless killing of protesters STOPS. HELP IS ON ITS WAY.”Trump did not specify what form the promised “help” would take, in a message that backed regime change in the Islamic Republic - marking a change in the US stance from one day ago. Later in the day, when asked if the United States had advised its allies to evacuate from Iran, the US president said, “They should get out; it’s a good idea.”On Monday, his Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt told reporters that a channel for diplomacy with Tehran remained open, saying that Iran was taking a “far different tone” in private discussions with Trump’s special envoy Steve Witkoff. Trump also announced a 25-percent tariff on any country doing business with Iran, ramping up pressure as a rights group estimated the crackdown has killed at least 648 people. Iranian authorities insist they have regained control after successive nights of mass protests that have posed one of the biggest challenges to the clerical leadership since the 1979 Islamic Revolution ousted the shah.But rights groups accuse the government of using live fire against protesters and masking the scale of the crackdown with an internet blackout that has now lasted more than four days.With AFP

All eyes on the White House as Trump decision on Iran looms
Al Arabiya English/14 January/2026
US President Donald Trump has warned that Iran would be “hit hard” if protesters are killed, putting renewed focus on what actions Washington may take as unrest continues. With tensions escalating, attention is now firmly fixed on the White House and the potential repercussions of Trump’s next move.Trump’s national security team convened Tuesday morning to discuss the situation in Iran and review the latest intelligence from the ground. A second meeting with more senior officials is scheduled for 4 PM EST to further assess developments. Trump did not attend the morning meeting, and the afternoon session is expected to be chaired by Vice President JD Vance. While visiting Michigan on Tuesday, Trump told reporters that they would “have to figure that one out” when asked what kind of assistance the US might provide to Iran. In an early afternoon post on his Truth Social platform, Trump urged Iranian demonstrators to continue protesting and encouraged them to “TAKE OVER YOUR INSTITUTIONS!!!” He added that help was on the way and said he had scrapped all scheduled meetings with Iranian officials. Tehran had reached out to Washington in recent days to reestablish lines of communication following Trump’s threats. Trump previously said Iran was “in big trouble” after protests erupted and later announced a 25 percent tariff on any country conducting business with Tehran. US officials have emphasized that there have been no changes to US military force posture in the Middle East, though discussions are ongoing to present the president with a broad range of options. Among the key considerations is how to help Iranians regain internet access after the government imposed a nationwide shutdown. Elon Musk’s Starlink has been working to provide free internet connectivity, despite efforts by the Iranian government and the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) to block the service. Military strike options are also being prepared for Trump’s review, though he has not yet decided whether or when to pursue that course of action. In an interview with CBS News on Tuesday, Trump said the United States would take “very strong action” if Iran were to hang protesters. Reports suggest the Iranian regime is preparing to execute at least one protester. The Iranian government and the IRGC have accused demonstrators of being “terrorists” and said those found guilty would be executed.

Trump tells Iranians to keep protesting, says ‘help is on its way’
Al Arabiya English/13 January/2026
US President Donald Trump on Tuesday said Iranians should continue nationwide protests and take over the country’s institutions as authorities there cracked down on mass demonstrations. “Iranian Patriots, KEEP PROTESTING - TAKE OVER YOUR INSTITUTIONS!!!” Trump wrote on his Truth Social platform.“Save the names of the killers and abusers. They will pay a big price.”“I have cancelled all meetings with Iranian Officials until the senseless killing of protesters STOPS. HELP IS ON ITS WAY.” Trump did not specify what form the promised “help” would take, in a message that backed regime change in the Islamic Republic - marking a change in the US stance from one day ago. Later in the day, when asked if the United States had advised its allies to evacuate from Iran, the US president said, “They should get out; it’s a good idea.” On Monday, his Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt told reporters that a channel for diplomacy with Tehran remained open, saying that Iran was taking a “far different tone” in private discussions with Trump’s special envoy Steve Witkoff. Trump also announced a 25-percent tariff on any country doing business with Iran, ramping up pressure as a rights group estimated the crackdown has killed at least 648 people. Iranian authorities insist they have regained control after successive nights of mass protests that have posed one of the biggest challenges to the clerical leadership since the 1979 Islamic Revolution ousted the shah. But rights groups accuse the government of using live fire against protesters and masking the scale of the crackdown with an internet blackout that has now lasted more than four days. With AFP

Trump says nations doing business with Iran face 25% tariff on US trade
The Arab Weekly/January 13 January 13/2026
President Donald Trump said on Monday any country that does business with Iran will face a tariff rate of 25 percent on any trade with the US, as Washington weighs a response to the situation in Iran which is seeing its biggest anti-government protests in years. “Effective immediately, any Country doing business with the Islamic Republic of Iran will pay a Tariff of 25% on any and all business being done with the United States of America,” Trump said in a post on Truth Social. Tariffs are paid by US importers of goods from those countries. Iran, a member of the OPEC oil producing group, has been heavily sanctioned by Washington for years. It exports much of its oil to China, with Turkey, Iraq and India among its other top trading partners.“This Order is final and conclusive,” Trump said without providing any further detail. There was no official documentation from the White House of the policy on its website, nor information about the legal authority Trump would use to impose the tariffs, or whether they would be aimed at all of Iran’s trading partners. The Chinese embassy in Washington criticised Trump’s approach, saying China will take “all necessary measures” to safeguard its interests and opposed “any illicit unilateral sanctions and long-arm jurisdiction. “China’s position against the indiscriminate imposition of tariffs is consistent and clear. Tariff wars and trade wars have no winners, and coercion and pressure cannot solve problems,” a spokesman of the Chinese embassy in Washington said on X. Iran, which had a 12-day war with Israel last year and whose nuclear facilities the US military bombed in June, is seeing its biggest anti-government demonstrations in years. Trump has said the US may meet Iranian officials and that he was in contact with Iran’s opposition, while piling pressure on its leaders, including threatening military action. Tehran said on Monday it was keeping communication channels with Washington open as Trump considered how to respond to the situation in Iran, which has posed one of the gravest tests of clerical rule in the country since the Islamic Revolution in 1979. Demonstrations evolved from complaints about dire economic hardships to defiant calls for the fall of the deeply entrenched clerical establishment. US-based rights group HRANA said it had verified the deaths of 599 people, 510 protesters and 89 security personnel, since the protests began on December 28.
While air strikes were one of many alternatives open to Trump, “diplomacy is always the first option for the president,” White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said on Monday. Some senior aides in President Donald Trump’s administration, led by Vice President JD Vance, are urging Trump to try diplomacy before strikes against Iran, the Wall Street Journal reported Monday, citing US officials. The White House was weighing an offer from Tehran to engage in talks regarding its nuclear programme as Trump seemed to eye authorising military action against Iran. A spokesman for Vance said the Journal’s report was not accurate. “Vice President Vance and Secretary of State Rubio together are presenting a suite of options to the President, ranging from a diplomatic approach to military actions,” said William Martin, Vance’s communications director. “They are presenting those options without bias or favour.”
During the course of his second term in office, Trump has often threatened and imposed tariffs on other countries over their ties with US adversaries and over trade policies that he has described as unfair to Washington. Trump’s trade policy is under legal pressure as the US Supreme Court is considering striking down a broad swathe of Trump’s existing tariffs. Iran exported products to 147 trading partners in 2022, according to World Bank’s most recent data.

Nigel Farage calls on UK government to support Iran protesters
Al Arabiya English/13 January/2026
Leader of Reform UK Nigel Farage has urged British Prime Minister Keir Starmer and his government to take action in support of Iranians protesting what he described as a “brutal” regime. Speaking to Al Arabiya during a demonstration outside the Iranian embassy in London, held in solidarity with protests in Iran, Farage said he has opposed the country’s leadership for decades. “I have been opposed to this theocratic regime for forty years,” he said. “I was appalled in 2015 when the West basically appeased them with the JCPOA deal. All it’s done is to prolong the misery of the wonderful Persian people.”He also said Starmer and the government should “man up” to confront the Iranian government more forcefully. “Man up, man up. Recognize that freedom and liberty matter more than an appalling, theocratic, brutal regime,” Farage told Al Arabiya. Iran has responded to a wave of unrest over dire economic conditions with a crackdown that a rights group says has killed hundreds and led to the arrest of thousands. The protests began on December 28 over the fall in value of the local currency and have grown into wider demonstrations over dire economic hardships and defiant calls for the fall of the deeply entrenched clerical establishment.

Qatari PM backs efforts to ‘de-escalate’ in phone call with top Iranian official
Reuters/13 January/2026
Qatari ‍Prime Minister Sheikh Mohammed ‍bin Abdulrahman al-Thani expressed Doha’s support on Tuesday ⁠for “all efforts aiming to de-escalate and peaceful solutions” during a phone call with ‍Iran’s Supreme National Security ‍Council Secretary ‍Ali ⁠Larijani. The ‌Qatari foreign ⁠ministry ‍said the two men ⁠had discussed the latest regional ‌developments, without directly mentioning ongoing protests that have ‍convulsed Iran.

Non-essential French embassy staff have left Iran: Sources
AFP/13 January/2026
Non-essential French embassy staff have left Iran, two sources with knowledge of the matter told AFP Monday, as the Islamic Republic's authorities cracked down on protests in the country. The personnel left on Sunday and Monday, the sources added, without saying how many had people had departed. The embassy in Tehran usually counts around 30 expatriate employees, as well as a few dozen local staff members.

‘Leave now,’ the US tells its citizens in Iran amid volatile situation
Al Arabiya English/13 January /2026
The US has called on its citizens in Iran to leave the country immediately amid ongoing anti-government protests and as President Donald Trump mulls his options on Iran. “Leave Iran now,” the virtual US Embassy for Iran said in a security alert on Monday, urging its nationals to plan for departing Iran without assistance from the US government. It cited the countrywide protests saying that they’re “escalating and may turn violent, resulting in arrests and injuries. Increased security measures, road closures, public transportation disruptions, and internet blockages are ongoing.” US citizens, the security alert said, should expect continued internet outages, and hence should plan alternative means of communication, and, if safe conditions allow them to depart Iran by land to Armenia or Turkey. “US-Iranian dual nationals must exit Iran on Iranian passports. The Iranian government does not recognize dual nationality and will treat US-Iranian dual nationals solely as Iranian citizens,” the security alert said. “US nationals are at significant risk of questioning, arrest, and detention in Iran. Showing a US passport or demonstrating connections to the United States can be reason enough for Iranian authorities to detain someone.” It continued, “The US government cannot guarantee your safety if you choose to depart[...] You should leave only if you believe it is safe to do so.”For those unable to leave, the embassy advised finding a secure place and ensure that they have the necessities from food and medication. They should also “avoid demonstrations, keep a low profile, and stay aware of [their] surroundings.”The US does not have direct diplomatic or consular relations with Iran and instead, the Swiss government, acting through its embassy in Tehran, serves as the protecting power for US interests in Iran.

Russia slams US strike threats, warns against interference in Iran
Reuters/13 January/2026
Russia ‍on Tuesday condemned what it ‍described as “subversive external interference” in Iran’s internal politics and said US ⁠threats of new military strikes against the country were “categorically unacceptable.”“Those who plan to use externally inspired ‍unrest as a pretext for ‍repeating the ‍aggression against ⁠Iran ‌committed in June ⁠2025 ‍must be aware of ⁠the disastrous consequences of such actions ‌for the situation in the Middle East and global international ‍security,” the Russian foreign ministry said in a statement.

Trump administration labels three Muslim Brotherhood branches as terrorist organizations
Al Arabiya English/13 January/2026
President Donald Trump’s administration has made good on its pledge to label three Middle Eastern branches of the Muslim Brotherhood as terrorist organizations, imposing sanctions on them and their members in a decision that could have implications for US relationships with allies Qatar and Turkey.
The Treasury and State departments announced the actions Tuesday against the Lebanese, Jordanian and Egyptian chapters of the Muslim Brotherhood, which they said pose a risk to the United States and American interests. Cairo hailed United States’ move to designate Muslim Brotherhood branches in Egypt and two other Arab countries as terrorist organizations, calling it “a pivotal step” against extremism. In a statement, the Egyptian foreign ministry said the decision “reflects the danger of this group and its extremist ideology and the direct threat it poses to regional and international security and stability.”It added that the move aligns with Egypt’s “longstanding position” toward the group, which it classifies as a terrorist organization “based on violence, extremism and incitement.”The US State Department designated the Lebanese branch a foreign terrorist organization, the most severe of the labels, which makes it a criminal offense to provide material support to the group. The Jordanian and Egyptian branches were listed by Treasury as specially designated global terrorists for providing support to Hamas.“These designations reflect the opening actions of an ongoing, sustained effort to thwart Muslim Brotherhood chapters’ violence and destabilization wherever it occurs,” Secretary of State Marco Rubio said in a statement. “The United States will use all available tools to deprive these Muslim Brotherhood chapters of the resources to engage in or support terrorism.”Rubio and Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent were mandated last year under an executive order signed by Trump to determine the most appropriate way to impose sanctions on the groups, which US officials say engage in or support violence and destabilization campaigns that harm the United States and other regions. Trump’s executive order had singled out the chapters in Lebanon, Jordan and Egypt, noting that a wing of the Lebanese chapter had launched rockets on Israel after Hamas’ Oct. 7, 2023, attack in Israel that set off the war in Gaza. Leaders of the group in Jordan have provided support to Hamas, the order said. The Muslim Brotherhood was founded in Egypt in 1928 but was banned in that country in 2013. Jordan announced a sweeping ban on the Muslim Brotherhood in April. Trump, a Republican, weighed whether to designate the Muslim Brotherhood a terrorist organization in 2019 during his first term in office. Some prominent Trump supporters, including right-wing influencer Laura Loomer, have pushed his administration to take aggressive action against the group.Two Republican-led state governments —Florida and Texas — designated the group as a terrorist organization this year. With The Associated Press

UN chief warns he could refer Israel to world court over action against UNRWA
Reuters/13 January/2026
UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres has warned Israel in a letter that he could refer the country ‍to the International Court of Justice if it does not repeal laws targeting UN Palestinian refugee agency UNRWA and return seized assets and property. In a January 8 letter to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, Guterres said the United Nations cannot remain indifferent to “actions taken by Israel, which are in direct contravention of the obligations of Israel under international law. They must be ⁠reversed without delay.”Israel’s parliament passed a law in October 2024 banning the agency from operating in the country and prohibiting officials from having contact with the agency. It then amended that law last month to ban electricity or water to UNRWA facilities. Israeli authorities also seized UNRWA’s East Jerusalem offices last month. The UN considers East Jerusalem occupied by Israel. Israel considers all of Jerusalem to be part of the country. Israel’s UN Ambassador Danny Danon on Tuesday dismissed Guterres’ letter to Netanyahu. “We are not fazed by the Secretary-General’s threats,” Danon said. “Instead of dealing with the undeniable involvement of UNRWA personnel in terrorism, ‍the Secretary-General chooses to threaten Israel. This is not defending international law, this is defending an organization marred by terrorism.”
UNRWA and Gaza
Israel has long ‍been critical of UNRWA, which ‍was created by the General Assembly ⁠in 1949 following the war surrounding the founding of Israel. ‌It provides aid, health and education ⁠to millions of Palestinians in Gaza, the West ‍Bank, Syria, Lebanon and Jordan.The United Nations has said that nine UNRWA staff may have been involved in the October 7, 2023, ⁠Hamas attack on Israel and were fired. A Hamas commander in Lebanon - killed in September by Israel - was also found to have had a ‌UNRWA job. The UN has vowed to investigate all accusations made and has repeatedly asked Israel for evidence, which it says has not been provided. The Hamas attack in 2023 triggered the war between Israel and the Palestinian militants in the Gaza Strip. Top UN officials and the UN Security Council have described UNRWA as the backbone of the aid response in ‍Gaza, where the two-year war between Israel and Palestinian militant group Hamas unleashed a humanitarian catastrophe. The United Nations’ top legal body, the International Court of Justice, in October gave an advisory opinion saying Israel is under the obligation to ensure the basic needs of the civilian population in Gaza are met. The ICJ opinion was requested by the 193-member UN General Assembly. Advisory opinions of the ICJ, also known as the World Court, carry ‌legal and political weight, but they are not binding and the court has no ‍enforcement power.

Gaza’s living conditions worsen as strong winds and hypothermia kill 5
AP/January 14, 2026
DEIR AL-BALAH, Gaza Strip: Strong winter winds collapsed walls onto flimsy tents for Palestinians displaced by war in Gaza, killing at least four people, hospital authorities said Tuesday. Dangerous living conditions persist in Gaza after more than two years of devastating Israeli bombardment and aid shortfalls. A ceasefire has been in effect since Oct. 10. But aid groups say that Palestinians broadly lack the shelter necessary to withstand frequent winter storms. The dead include two women, a girl and a man, according to Shifa Hospital, Gaza City’s largest, which received the bodies. The Gaza Health Ministry said Tuesday a 1-year-old boy died of hypothermia overnight, while the spokesman for the UN’s children agency said over 100 children and teenagers have been killed by “military means” since the ceasefire began.Meanwhile, Israel’s military said it exchanged fire Tuesday with six people spotted near its troops deployed in southern Gaza, killing at least two of them in western Rafah.
Family mourns relatives killed by wall collapse
Three members of the same family — 72-year-old Mohamed Hamouda, his 15-year-old granddaughter and his daughter-in-law — were killed when an 8-meter (26-foot) high wall collapsed onto their tent in a coastal area along the Mediterranean shore of Gaza City, Shifa Hospital said. At least five others were injured.Their relatives on Tuesday began removing the rubble that had buried their loved ones and rebuilding the tent shelters for survivors. “The world has allowed us to witness death in all its forms,” Bassel Hamouda said after the funeral. “It’s true the bombing may have temporarily stopped, but we have witnessed every conceivable cause of death in the world in the Gaza Strip.” A second woman was killed when a wall fell on her tent in the western part of the city, Shifa Hospital said. Hundreds of tents and makeshift shelters were blown away or heavily damaged, the UN humanitarian office reported. The UN and its humanitarian partners were distributing tents, tarps, blankets and clothes as well as nutrition and hygiene items across Gaza, said the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs. The majority of Palestinians live in makeshift tents since their homes were reduced to rubble during the war. When storms strike the territory, Palestinian rescue workers warn people against seeking shelter inside damaged buildings for fears of collapse. Aid groups say not enough shelter materials are entering Gaza during the truce. In the central town of Zawaida, Associated Press footage showed inundated tents Tuesday morning, with people trying to rebuild their shelters. Yasmin Shalha, a displaced woman from the northern town of Beit Lahiya, stood against winds that lifted the tarps of tents around her as she stitched hers back together with needle and thread. She said it had fallen on top of her family the night before, as they slept. “The winds were very, very strong. The tent collapsed over us,” the mother of five told AP. “As you can see, our situation is dire.”On the shore in southern Gaza, tents were swept into the Mediterranean. Families pulled what was left from the sea, while some built sand barriers to hold back rising water. “The sea took our mattresses, our tents, our food and everything we owned,” Shaban Abu Ishaq said, as he dragged part of his tent out of the sea in the Muwasi area of Khan Younis. Mohamed Al-Sawalha, a 72-year-old man from the northern refugee camp of Jabaliya, said the conditions most Palestinians in Gaza endure are barely livable. “It doesn’t work neither in summer nor in winter,” he said of the tent. “We left behind houses and buildings (with) doors that could be opened and closed. Now we live in a tent. Even sheep don’t live like we do.”Residents aren’t able to return to their homes in Israeli-controlled areas of the Gaza Strip.
Child death toll in Gaza rises
Gaza’s Health Ministry said the 1-year-old in the central town of Deir Al-Balah was the seventh fatality due to the cold conditions since winter started. Others included a baby just seven days old and a 4-year-old girl, whose deaths were announced Monday. The ministry, part of the Hamas-run government, says more than 440 people were killed by Israeli fire and their bodies brought to hospitals since the ceasefire went into effect. The ministry maintains detailed casualty records that are seen as generally reliable by UN agencies and independent experts. UNICEF spokesman James Elder said Tuesday at least 100 children under the age of 18 — 60 boys and 40 girls — have been killed since the truce began due to military operations, including drone strikes, airstrikes, tank shelling and use of live ammunition. Those figures, he said, reflect incidents where enough details have been compiled to warrant recording, but the total toll is expected to be higher. He said hundreds of children have been wounded. While “bombings and shootings have slowed” during the ceasefire, they have not stopped, Elder told reporters at a UN briefing in Geneva by video from Gaza City. “So what the world now calls calm would be considered a crisis anywhere else,” he said. Gaza’s population of more than 2 million people has been struggling to keep the cold weather and storms at bay while facing shortages of humanitarian aid and a lack of more substantial temporary housing, which is badly needed during the winter months. It’s the third winter since the war between Israel and Hamas started on Oct. 7, 2023, when militants stormed into southern Israel and killed around 1,200 people and abducted 251 others into Gaza. Gaza’s Health Ministry says more than 71,400 Palestinians have been killed in Israel’s retaliatory offensive.

At least six killed as Gaza’s displaced struggle to hold ground in torrential rain
Reuters/13 January/2026
A rainstorm swept across the Gaza Strip on Tuesday, flooding hundreds of tents, collapsing homes sheltering families displaced by two years of war and killing ‍at least six people, local health officials said. Medics said five people, including two women and a girl, died when homes collapsed near Gaza City’s beach, while a one-year-old boy died of extreme cold in a tent in Deir al-Balah in central Gaza.Tents were torn from their stakes, some flying dozens of meters before crashing to the ground. Others lay crumpled in muddy pools as families scrambled to salvage what they could. Residents tried ⁠to resecure remaining shelters, hammering in loosened pegs and stacking sandbags around the edges to keep floodwaters from pouring inside. “We didn’t realize what was happening until the wall started collapsing — an eight-meter-high wall, a strong concrete wall. Because of the speed and force of the wind, the wall fell on top of us, onto three tents,” said Bassel Hamuda, a displaced man in Gaza. “The elderly man, 73 years old, was martyred. His son’s wife was killed, and his son’s daughter was killed,” he told Reuters. Three months since a ceasefire halted major combat, Israeli forces have ordered the near-total depopulation of nearly two thirds of Gaza, forcing its more than 2 million people into a narrow strip near the coast ‍where most live either in makeshift tents or damaged buildings.
Relatives gather at morgue
Dozens of relatives gathered at a hospital morgue on Tuesday for special prayers over bodies ‍laid on medical stretchers before the funerals. The ‍Gaza government media office said at ⁠least 31 Palestinians had died since the start of the winter season ‌from exposure to cold or the collapse of ⁠unsafe buildings damaged by previous Israeli strikes. It said about ‍7,000 tents were damaged in the past 48 hours, most of whose occupants have no alternative shelter. Municipal and civil defense officials said they were ⁠unable to cope with the storm because of fuel shortages and damaged equipment. During the war Israel had destroyed hundreds of vehicles needed to respond to the weather emergency, ‌including bulldozers and water pumps. In December, a UN report said 761 displacement sites hosting about 850,000 people were at high risk of flooding, and thousands had moved in anticipation of heavy rain.
UN and Palestinian officials said at least 300,000 new tents were urgently needed for the roughly 1.5 million people still displaced. Most existing shelters are worn out or made of thin plastic and cloth sheeting. “In Gaza, winter weather is adding to ‍the suffering of families already pushed to the brink by over two years of war,” UNRWA, the UN Palestinian refugee agency, said in a post on X on Tuesday. “Flooding, cold temperatures, and damaged shelters are exposing displaced people to new risks, while humanitarian access remains severely constrained,” it added. In a statement on Tuesday, Hamas urged mediators of the Gaza ceasefire deal that began in October to compel Israel to allow the unconditional flow of aid, shelter, and rebuilding materials. Israel says hundreds of trucks enter Gaza daily ‌carrying food, medical supplies and shelter equipment. International aid organizations say the supplies are still insufficient.

Hamas to elect first leader since Sinwar killed by Israel, sources say
Reuters/13 January/2026
Hamas is expected to elect a new leader this ‍month, two sources in the group told Reuters, filling the role left vacant since Israel killed Yahya Sinwar in 2024 despite concerns that a successor could suffer the same fate. Khalil al-Hayya ‍and Khaled Meshaal are seen as frontrunners for the helm at a vital moment for the militant group, battered by two years of war ignited by its October 7, 2023 attack on Israel and facing international demands to disarm. Both men reside in Qatar and sit on a five-man council that has run Hamas since Israel killed Sinwar, a mastermind of the October 7 attack. His predecessor, Ismail Haniyeh, was assassinated by Israel while on a visit to Iran in 2024. The election process has already begun, the sources ⁠said. The leader is chosen in a secret ballot by Hamas’ Shura Council, a 50-member body that includes Hamas members in the Israeli-occupied West Bank, the Gaza Strip, and exile.
A Hamas spokesperson declined to comment.
Hamas faces tough challenges
The sources said a deputy leader will also be elected to replace Saleh al-Arouri, who was killed by an Israeli airstrike in Lebanon in 2024. Sources close to Hamas said it was determined to conclude the vote, though some preferred an extension of collective leadership. Hamas watchers regard Meshaal as part of a pragmatic wing with good ties to Sunni Muslim countries, and al-Hayya, the group’s lead negotiator, as part of a camp that deepened its relations with Iran. Hamas faces some of the toughest challenges since it was founded in 1987. While fighting has largely abated in Gaza since the US-brokered ceasefire in October, Israel still holds almost half the coastal enclave, ‍attacks continue, and conditions for Gaza’s 2 million people remain dire. Hamas has also drawn criticism within Gaza because of the heavy toll inflicted by the war, with much of the enclave reduced to ‍ruins and more than 71,000 people killed, according to Gaza ‍health authorities.Hamas-led militants killed some 1,200 people ⁠and abducted 251 others in the October 7 cross-border assault on Israel. US President Donald ‌Trump’s ceasefire plan for Gaza demands Hamas disarm and ⁠foresees the enclave being run by a technocratic Palestinian administration overseen ‍by an international body called the Board of Peace.
Both Meshaal and al-Hayya previously targeted by Israel
Hamas has so far refused to disarm, saying the question of armed resistance is a matter ⁠for wider debate among Palestinian factions and that it would be ready to surrender its weapons to a future Palestinian state, an outcome Israel has ruled out. Hamas is designated as a terrorist organization ‌by Western powers including the United States.Born in Gaza, al-Hayya was among Hamas leaders targeted by an Israeli airstrike on Qatar in September. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu later expressed regret to the emir of Qatar - a US ally - in a three-way call with Trump and affirmed Israel would not conduct such an attack again in the future, the White House said at the time. Meshaal previously led Hamas for almost two decades. Israeli agents tried to assassinate him in Jordan in 1997 by injecting him with poison. His relations with ‍Iran were strained in 2012 when he distanced Hamas from Tehran’s Syrian ally, the now-ousted President Bashar al-Assad, early in the Arab Spring uprisings. Hamas was founded as the Palestinian branch of the Muslim Brotherhood and is the main rival to the Palestinians’ Fatah national movement led by 90-year-old President Mahmoud Abbas. Hamas’ founding charter called for the destruction of Israel, although its leaders have at times offered a long-term truce with Israel in return for a viable Palestinian state on all Palestinian territory occupied by Israel in the 1967 war. Israel regards this approach as a ruse. Analyst Reham Owda said there were limited differences between al-Hayya ‌and Meshaal over the conflict with Israel but believed Meshaal had better chances as he could “market (Hamas) internationally and help rebuild ‍its capabilities.”

Hamas set to pick new leaders amid adverse international, regional setting
The Arab Weekly/January 13 January 13/2026
Hamas is preparing to hold internal elections to try to rebuild its leadership, decimated by Israeli killings during the war in Gaza and politically diminished by new regional and international dynamics since the war. With international powers and Israel pushing for it to be disarmed and have no role in Gaza’s future governance, its new leaders will face an uncertain future. Furthermore, its main regional backers, including Turkey and Qatar, now support US President Donald Trump’s peace plan for Gaza, which leaves little room for the Palestinian militant group in future plans for the enclave.
But Hamas still seeks to project a level of organisational resilience in a territory devastated by two years of war, with its more than two million residents who are facing dire humanitarian conditions, and Israeli troops still occupying much of the Strip.“Internal preparations are still ongoing in order to hold the elections at the appropriate time in areas where conditions on the ground allow it,” an Hamas leader said on Monday. The vote is expected to take place “in the first months of 2026”. The leadership renewal process includes the formation of a new 50-member Shura Council, a consultative body dominated by religious figures as Hamas is considered to be part of the Muslim Brotherhood’s international organisation. Its members are selected every four years by Hamas’ three branches: the Gaza Strip, the occupied West Bank and the movement’s external leadership. Hamas prisoners in Israeli prisons are also eligible to vote. That council is responsible, also every four years, for electing the 18-member political bureau and its chief, who serves as Hamas’ overall leader. Another Hamas source close to the process said the timing of the political bureau elections remains uncertain “given the circumstances our people are going through”.After Israel killed former Hamas chief Ismail Haniyeh in Tehran in July 2024, the group chose its then-Gaza chief Yahya Sinwar as his successor. Israel accused Sinwar of masterminding the October 7 attack. He too was killed by Israeli forces in the southern Gaza city of Rafah, three months after Haniyeh’s assassination.Hamas then opted for an interim five-member leadership committee based in Qatar, postponing the appointment of a single leader until elections are held and given the risk of being targeted by Israel. All sources mention two frontrunners to head its political bureau: Khalil al-Hayya and Khaled Meshaal. Hayya, 65, a Gaza native and Hamas’ chief negotiator in ceasefire talks, has held senior roles since at least 2006, according to the US-based NGO the Counter Extremism Project (CEP). Meshaal, who led the Political Bureau from 2004 to 2017, has never lived in Gaza. He was born in the West Bank in 1956. He joined Hamas in Kuwait and later lived in Jordan, Syria and Qatar. The CEP says he oversaw Hamas’ evolution into a political-military hybrid.
He currently heads the movement’s diaspora office.
An Hamas member in Gaza said Hayya is a strong contender due to his relations with other Palestinian factions, including rival Fatah party, which dominates the Palestinian Authority, as well as his role in regional mediations and contacts with the US administration. Hayya also enjoys backing from both the Shura Council and Hamas’ military wing, the Ezzedine Al-Qassam Brigades.Another source said other potential candidates include West Bank Hamas leader Zaher Jabarin and Shura Council head Nizar Awadallah. Qatar hosts senior Hamas leaders and between 2018 and October 2023 funded civil service salaries and cash handouts in the Gaza Strip, which has been under Hamas control since 2007. The Palestinian militant movement is also supported by Iran, where major protests against the government could prove an issue for Hamas in the future. Some Iranian demonstrators have called on Tehran to focus on the country’s problems at home instead of providing support to “Axis of Resistance”groups including Hamas. “This is a critical moment for its politico-military survival, which depends as much on its regional alliances as on its ability to maintain a balance between its political and military branches,” says David Khalfa, a researcher at the Jean-Jaurès Foundation in Paris. “Iran remains a strategic pillar of this precarious balance. A collapse of the Iranian regime would be a catastrophe for Hamas,” he added. The Hamas member in Gaza insisted there was “no interference by Arab or Islamic countries in Hamas’ internal elections”.

UAE media chief outlines ‘strategic silence’ policy to counter provocation
The Arab Weekly/January 13 January 13/2026
The United Arab Emirates is pursuing a deliberate policy of “strategic silence” in response to recent social media campaigns related to the escalation in Yemen, a senior Emirati official has confirmed. Speaking at the second day of the 1 Billion Followers Summit 2026, Chairman of the National Media Office Abdulla bin Mohammed bin Butti al-Hamed stressed that Abu Dhabi has no intention of engaging in the ongoing online debates, describing the approach as a long-standing, calculated method aimed at avoiding unproductive conflicts. “Emirati media does not chase political trends or react to emotional impulses,” Hamed said. “Strategic silence is not absence; it is a measured presence that chooses when, how, and why to speak, and most importantly, why not to speak.”Observers note that the UAE’s stance allows it to neutralise attempts to destabilise bilateral relations, particularly with Saudi Arabia, which the Emirates consider a far more critical partnership than any temporary disagreement over regional matters. By avoiding reactive statements on social media, Abu Dhabi maintains its reputation as a responsible and composed state, capable of upholding stability without being drawn into minor quarrels. The official highlighted that online campaigns, often driven by activists linked to the Muslim Brotherhood, seek to provoke and polarise. “Our strategic silence deprives these groups of the fuel they need to amplify disputes,” Hamed explained. “By refraining from emotional responses, we prevent disagreements from escalating into open crises that feed their mobilisation efforts.”He added that the UAE’s strength lies in its “solid truth” and tangible achievements: robust economic performance, ambitious space projects and advanced infrastructure. “These accomplishments speak for the nation. They are our language to the world,” he said. Hamed emphasised the role of digital media in shaping perceptions and awareness. “Content creators are our digital ambassadors, guardians of the UAE’s image,” he noted. “The question is not who tells our story, but in what spirit it is told. We want the story of the Emirates narrated with hope, achievement and tolerance.”He further argued that the UAE’s digital presence should build, not destroy. “Every word published is either a brick in the wall of national reputation or a gap in it. Responsibility demands that our pens be tools for construction, not demolition.”
Experts say that “strategic silence” is an effective tool in diplomacy and international relations, enabling a state to rise above minor conflicts and avoid engaging in fruitless political or media battles. By refraining from reactive commentary, a country can conserve energy for substantive issues, prevent escalation and maintain both regional and international stability. “In the digital age, disputes can quickly spiral into crises,” said one analyst. “Strategic silence is not inaction. When managed wisely and broken at the right moment, it transforms apparent absence into a measured and influential presence.” Hamed concluded: “The UAE works quietly, achieves confidently, and builds the future with wisdom. Media is not just communication; it is a partner in this national mission.”

Al-Qaeda seizes villages in Hadramout amid Yemen security crisis
The Arab Weekly/January 13 January 13/2026
Al-Qaeda is taking advantage of recent instability in Yemen to quietly consolidate its position and expand its influence in Hadramout and other southern provinces, according to local sources. The extremist group, which suffered significant setbacks in recent years due to coordinated operations by southern forces and the Saudi-led Arab coalition, has reportedly seized control of two villages in eastern Hadramout. Sources told Yafa News that “the overall threat level from terrorism has increased across the province,” as the group exploits tribal chaos and divisions within government-aligned forces. “Al-Qaeda has taken advantage of disorder among tribes in the Hadramout plateau to seize control of Wadi Khard east of Mukalla and is consolidating its presence in Wadi al-Masini to the west,” the sources said, adding that the militants have expanded their weapons stockpiles after recent looting of military camps.
The suspension of both ground and aerial operations against the group has allowed it to regroup, establish new hideouts, and extend its reach into other southern provinces, including Abyan and Shabwa. Additional al-Qaeda strongholds were reported in Wadi Hinin in Qatan district and in the mountainous areas of Wadi Hajar to the west of Hadramout. The security vacuum has already had deadly consequences. On Saturday, a Yemeni soldier was killed and another injured in Abyan province when al-Qaeda attacked a government southern forces patrol on a motorcycle. Meanwhile, videos circulated online by the group’s affiliates purportedly show fighters, described as the “sons of Rayyan,” taking control of former southern forces weapons depots at Al Rayyan airport. The security deterioration coincides with political tensions in southern Yemen, following the dismissal of Southern Transitional Council head Aidarus al-Zubaidi from the Presidential Leadership Council. Saudi air strikes have targeted military and civilian installations in southern provinces amid rising friction between Riyadh and the southern council, further straining the region’s stability. Security analysts warn that Yemen’s current chaos provides fertile ground for al-Qaeda and other extremist groups. “The organisation thrives in times of crisis and retreats during periods of stability,” one expert noted. The fragmentation of Yemen’s previously effective security and military apparatus in the south and east is likely to have long-lasting consequences, not only for Yemen but for regional stability. Observers argue that the only viable path to curb the resurgence of terrorism is a comprehensive internal reconciliation and dialogue aimed at addressing the root causes of the recent crises. Without such steps, they warn, further deterioration could allow extremist groups to regain significant operational capabilities.Yemen remains a fragile state after years of conflict, and the latest developments in Hadramout highlight the ongoing challenge of maintaining security in the face of political fragmentation and regional rivalries.

We choose Denmark over US, says Greenland PM
AFP/13 January/2026
Greenland’s prime minister said Tuesday that the autonomous territory would choose to remain Danish rather than become part of the United States, following US President Donald Trump’s threats to take over the Arctic island. “We are now facing a geopolitical crisis, and if we have to choose between the United States and Denmark here and now, we choose Denmark,” Greenlandic Prime Minister Jens-Frederik Nielsen told a press conference in Copenhagen.Trump has been talking up the idea of buying or annexing the Arctic territory for years, and further stoked tensions on Sunday by saying that the United States would take the territory “one way or the other.”“One thing must be clear to everyone Greenland does not want to be owned by the United States. Greenland does not want to be governed by the United States. Greenland does not want to be part of the United States,” Nielsen said. He was speaking alongside Danish leader Mette Frederiksen, who said it had not been easy to stand up to what she slammed as “completely unacceptable pressure from our closest ally.”“However, there are many indications that the most challenging part is ahead of us,” Frederiksen said. Trump has insisted the US needs Greenland for “national security.”Frederiksen stressed that “of course, we want to strengthen cooperation on security in the Arctic with the United States, with NATO, with Europe and with the Arctic states in NATO.” Danish Foreign Minister Lars Lokke Rasmussen and his Greenlandic counterpart Vivian Motzfeldt are due to meet with US Vice President JD Vance and Secretary of State Marco Rubio at the White House on Wednesday.

Syrian army declares a closed military zone east of Aleppo as tensions rise with Kurds
AP/January 13, 2026
ALEPPO, Syria: The Syrian army on Tuesday declared an area east of the northern city of Aleppo a “closed military zone,” potentially signaling another escalation between government forces and fighters with the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces. Several days of clashes in the city of Aleppo last week that displaced tens of thousands of people came to an end over the weekend with the evacuation of Kurdish fighters from the contested neighborhood of Sheikh Maqsoud. Since then, Syrian officials have accused the SDF of building up its forces near the towns of Maskana and Deir Hafer, about 60 km (37 mi) east of Aleppo city, something the SDF denied. State news agency SANA reported that the army had declared the area a closed military zone because of “continued mobilization” by the SDF “and because it serves as a launching point for Iranian suicide drones that have targeted the city of Aleppo.”On Saturday afternoon, an explosive drone hit the Aleppo governorate building shortly after two Cabinet ministers and a local official held a news conference on the developments in the city. The SDF denied being behind the attack. The army statement Tuesday said armed groups should withdraw to the area east of the Euphrates River. The tensions come amid an impasse in political negotiations between the central state and the SDF. The leadership in Damascus under interim President Ahmad Al-Sharaa signed a deal in March with the SDF, which controls much of the northeast, for it to merge with the Syrian army by the end of 2025. There have been disagreements on how it would happen. Some of the factions that make up the new Syrian army, formed after the fall of former President Bashar Assad in a rebel offensive in December 2024, were previously Turkiye-backed insurgent groups that have a long history of clashing with Kurdish forces.The SDF has for years been the main US partner in Syria in fighting against the Daesh group, but Turkiye considers the SDF a terrorist organization because of its association with the Kurdistan Workers’ Party, or PKK, which has waged a long-running insurgency in Turkiye. A peace process is now underway. Despite the long-running US support for the SDF, the Trump administration in the US has also developed close ties with Al-Sharaa’s government and has pushed the Kurds to implement the March deal. Shams TV, a station based in Irbil, the seat of northern Iraq’s semi-autonomous Kurdish region, had been set to air an interview with Al-Sharaa on Monday but later announced it had been postponed for “technical” reasons without giving a new date for airing it.

The Latest English LCCC analysis & editorials from miscellaneous sources published on January 13-14/2026
Why the West Is Split Over Political Islam
Pierre Rehov/Gatestone Institute/January 13, 2026
https://www.gatestoneinstitute.org/22191/west-split-over-political-islam
Trump's executive order represents the most serious American effort in decades to confront Islamist political networks that, in Washington, had long been considered merely political differences rather than lethal security threats.
Across the Atlantic... in the European Union and many of its major capitals, political Islam — often embodied by Muslim Brotherhood-linked organizations — remains part of an approach for a larger "dialogue with Islamists". Can you imagine a "dialogue with Bolsheviks" or a "dialogue with the Third Reich"?
[T]he European Union has taken a far more cautious, at times permissive, approach, apparently preferring to regard Islamic extremists as potential voters.
The West ends up assimilating into Islam, rather than the other way around.
Rather than confronting liberal democratic values, these "entryist" actors advocate for "reinterpretations" that often blur the lines between religious freedom and political Islam.
Many Muslims in the West, of course, just want an opportunity for a better life, but they are not the ones in the engine room, driving the extremist Muslim train. The agenda, according to Islam itself, consists of sharing Allah's precious gift of Islam (Dar Al Islam, the "Abode of Islam") with the rest of the world (the Dar al Harb, the "Abode of War," those who have yet to submit to Islam) -- either by infiltration or force. Finally – when everyone in the world has submitted to Islam, whether they wanted to or not -- then there will be "peace." That, evidently, is when the world will enjoy "the Religion of Peace."
The result is a West that now follows two opposite paths. On one path, the United States under the Trump administration is moving toward clarity and confrontation, willing to codify ideological enemies and remove them from the political landscape. On the other path, Europe continues its policy of engagement, accommodation and submission, risk-balancing between wished-for civic inclusion and ideological risk. This split only serves to impede counterterrorism and jeopardize the West.
On November 24, 2025, U.S. President Donald J. Trump signed an executive order initiating a formal process to designate certain chapters of the Muslim Brotherhood as Foreign Terrorist Organizations and Specially Designated Global Terrorists. Trump's executive order represents the most serious American effort in decades to confront Islamist political networks. Pictured: Trump signs an executive order in the White House on December 15, 2025, in Washington, DC. (Photo by Anna Moneymaker/Getty Images)
On November 24, 2025, U.S. President Donald J. Trump signed an executive order initiating a formal process to designate certain chapters of the Muslim Brotherhood as Foreign Terrorist Organizations and Specially Designated Global Terrorists. The order directs the Secretaries of State and Treasury to assess Muslim Brotherhood chapters in countries such as Egypt, Jordan, and Lebanon and take action under U.S. counterterrorism laws to deprive them of capabilities and resources — a move the executive order explicitly tied to national security priorities after the Hamas invasion of Israel on October 7, 2023 and its aftermath throughout the West. The order also sets a rapid timetable for recommendations on specific chapters.
Trump's executive order represents the most serious American effort in decades to confront Islamist political networks that, in Washington, had long been considered merely political differences rather than lethal security threats.
Across the Atlantic, however, the response to the same ideological current could not have been more different. In the European Union and many of its major capitals, political Islam — often embodied by Muslim Brotherhood-linked organizations — remains part of an approach for a larger "dialogue with Islamists". Can you imagine a "dialogue with Bolsheviks" or a "dialogue with the Third Reich"? Muslim extremists are being treated as a legitimate voice within civil society and political discourse. European policymakers have generally rejected hard designations, instead engaging extremist Muslim networks as stakeholders in "multicultural" governance. This contrast between Washington's confrontational stance and Brussels's engagement reflects a deep strategic divergence in how the West perceives political Islam.
The United States under the Trump administration frames the Muslim Brotherhood not as a partner in political reform but as a threat to national security. The November 2025 executive order emphasizes the Muslim Brotherhood's ties to terrorist activities, including support for Hamas and other terrorist organizations. Trump's directive instructs the administration to compile evidence for designations that could criminalize material support and curtail international operations of Muslim Brotherhood branches.
The president's moves follow years of debate within the U.S. government and Congress over whether or not the Muslim Brotherhood qualifies as a terrorist organization. Historically, U.S. administrations differentiated between violent jihadist groups — such as al-Qaeda and ISIS — and Islamist political movements such as the Muslim Brotherhood, which often participated in elections or civil society. But the combination of global Islamist violence and the Muslim Brotherhood's network of affiliates has shifted the American calculus toward confrontation. In parallel, new efforts in the 119th Congress have again pushed for statutory designation frameworks.
By contrast, the European Union has taken a far more cautious, at times permissive, approach, apparently preferring to regard Islamic extremists as potential voters. Brussels and member-state capitals have engaged with Muslim Brotherhood-linked networks through funding, inclusion in civil society consultations, and incorporation into multicultural policy initiatives. The Forum of European Muslim Youth and Student Organisations, for instance, represents a pan-European network active in EU political spaces and has been accused in some reports of links to the Muslim Brotherhood, although it denies organizational ties.
The structural presence of Muslim Brotherhood-affiliated networks in Europe extends beyond student organizations. The Federation of Islamic Organizations in Europe, founded in 1989 and headquartered in Brussels, serves as an umbrella for dozens of Islamic groups and has acted as a recognized interlocutor with European institutions. While it portrays itself as representing mainstream Muslim interests, academic and policy research has highlighted its foundational ties to the Muslim Brotherhood and transnational Islamist ideology.
This European policy of "dialogue" stems from a broad belief that incorporating "diverse" voices into social and political frameworks diminishes radicalization. Critics, however, argue that engaging groups with ideological linkages to transnational Islamism normalizes political currents that reject liberal European values, and relativizes extremism. In effect, this approach has permitted Islamist organizations to embed themselves in cultural and institutional networks, from youth forums to consultation processes for public policy.
In Belgium and especially Brussels — the seat of the EU — this dynamic is especially visible. Research presented in the European Parliament documents substantial funding streams from EU programs to organizations linked to Muslim Brotherhood networks, prompting alarm among some lawmakers about the integrity of taxpayer funds. These groups have not only received public money but have also been invited into policy dialogues and civil society advisory roles, a situation that would be unthinkable under Trump's counter-Islamist doctrine.
France offers a microcosm of the broader European dilemma. A government-commissioned report in 2025 alleged that the Muslim Brotherhood's networks have quietly expanded influence through schools, mosques, and local NGOs while masking ideological aims under the guise of integration and social services. The report prompted French President Emmanuel Macron to convene senior ministers to discuss strategies for responding to what it described as a long-term challenge to France's secular republican values. Yet even this steely assessment in France was met with pushback from civil liberties advocates and some academics, who questioned the evidence and warned against "stigmatizing" Muslim communities. Other critics of the report argued that labeling civil society engagement as Islamist penetration risked alienating moderate voices and inflaming social tensions.
This conflict between security concerns and inclusive governance captures the broader European struggle with political Islam.
Germany, too, reflects the complexity of Europe's approach. The Islamic Community of Germany (IGD), associated with the Federation of Islamic Organizations in Europe, has been recognized by domestic security services as a central organization for Muslim Brotherhood adherents in the country. Nevertheless, it operates openly within Germany's pluralist framework, illustrating how European institutions can tolerate intolerant Islamist networks within civil society while still claiming to uphold values of freedom and association.
In Sweden, reactions to the French report on the influence of the Muslim Brotherhood illustrate how domestic politics intersect with Europe's broader policy on Islamism. Sweden's Employment and Integration Minister Mats Persson responded by convening a "group of experts" to assess extremist Muslim influence, but also faced fierce criticism from Social Democratic leaders who dismissed the allegations against the Muslim Brotherhood as politically motivated, reflecting a deep divide over how to treat political Islam.
Across Europe, extremist Muslim organizations have also established strong youth and educational networks. Reports identify associations — some linked to the Muslim Brotherhood — that operate schools, youth programs, and cultural centers. In France alone, hundreds of such associations, including mosques and educational institutions, have been identified as connected with Muslim Brotherhood ideology, revealing the depth of the movement's entrenchment within civic structures.
The Muslim Brotherhood presence within civic structures is not incidental. Analysts note that its affiliate groups often employ "entryism," which is defined as:
"[T]he tactic pursued by extremist parties of gaining power through covertly entering more moderate, electorally successful, parties. Within those parties they maintain a distinct organization while publicly denying the existence of a 'party within the party.'"
Basically, entryism enables Islamists to gain influence within official institutions, shape public discourse, and normalize extremist Muslim thinking over decades. The West ends up assimilating into Islam, rather than the other way around.
Rather than confronting liberal democratic values, these "entryist" actors advocate for "reinterpretations" that often blur the lines between religious freedom and political Islam. Critics argue that Europe's engagement with Muslim Brotherhood networks has consequences beyond domestic politics. When civil institutions mingle with movements supportive of groups such as Hamas — itself the Palestinian branch of the Muslim Brotherhood — it undermines the West's unified stance against extremist ideologies. This division is particularly acute in debates over Israel, where EU indecision and ambiguous positions on political Islam -- accompanied by well-funded agitators -- have fueled anti-Israel agitation and radicalization among young Muslims in European cities.
Across the continent, cities such as Paris, Berlin, and Brussels have become flashpoints for this debate. In Paris, an official report highlighted the infiltration of Muslim Brotherhood-linked institutions into educational and religious spheres, raising concerns about parallel societal structures. In Germany, the Islamic Community of Germany's embedded network of mosques and associations underlines how Islamist influence can operate comfortably within Western democratic frameworks without triggering decisive state action. In Brussels, EU funding for Muslim Brotherhood-linked NGOs continues despite parliamentary scrutiny.
Contrast this with the Trump administration's doctrine, which treats ideological and organizational ties with political Islam not as components of civic pluralism but as security threats. Many Muslims in the West, of course, just want an opportunity for a better life, but they are not the ones driving the extremist Muslim train. The agenda, according to Islam itself, consists of sharing Allah's gift of Islam (Dar Al Islam, the "Abode of Islam") with the rest of the world (the Dar al Harb, the "Abode of War," those who have yet to submit to Islam) -- either by infiltration or force. Finally – when everyone in the world has submitted to Islam, whether they wanted to or not -- then there will be "peace." This, evidently, is when the world will enjoy "the Religion of Peace."
By initiating the designation process for Muslim Brotherhood chapters as terrorist entities, Trump is reshaping the strategic conversation — prioritizing national security and counterterrorism over the mirage of "accommodation" and "dialogue."
This divergence between Europe and the US reveals a deeper philosophical split in the West's understanding of political Islam. Europe's framework emphasizes integration, multiculturalism, and engagement, often at the expense of confronting underlying extremist ideological currents. In doing so, it assumes that political Islam can be moderated through participation and dialogue within existing democratic institutions. By contrast, the Trump approach assumes that certain ideological currents are incompatible with liberal democratic values when they support or facilitate extremist violence, destabilization, or anti-Western objectives. The push to treat Muslim Brotherhood chapters as terrorist entities follows this logic, seeking to disrupt networks that are seen as perpetuating radicalization and undermining security interests.
The result is a West that now follows two opposite paths. On one path, the United States under the Trump administration is moving toward clarity and confrontation, willing to codify ideological enemies and remove them from the political landscape. On the other path, Europe continues its policy of engagement, accommodation and submission, risk-balancing between wished-for civic inclusion and ideological risk. This split only serves to impede counterterrorism and jeopardize the West.
**Pierre Rehov, who holds a law degree from Paris-Assas, is a French reporter, novelist and documentary filmmaker. He is the author of six novels, including "Beyond Red Lines", " The Third Testament" and "Red Eden", translated from French. His latest essay on the aftermath of the October 7 massacre " 7 octobre - La riposte " became a bestseller in France.As a filmmaker, he has produced and directed 17 documentaries, many photographed at high risk in Middle Eastern war zones, and focusing on terrorism, media bias, and the persecution of Christians. His latest documentary, "Pogrom(s)" highlights the context of ancient Jew hatred within Muslim civilization as the main force behind the October 7 massacre.
© 2026 Gatestone Institute. All rights reserved. The articles printed here do not necessarily reflect the views of the Editors or of Gatestone Institute. No part of the Gatestone website or any of its contents may be reproduced, copied or modified, without the prior written consent of Gatestone Institute.

Venezuela may not end well
James J. Zogby/The Arab Weekly/January 13 January 13/2026
President Trump might be popping corks, toasting “one of the most stunning, effective and powerful displays of American military might and competence in American history.” Celebrations, however, are premature. In reality, the assault on Venezuela and kidnapping and transfer of President Maduro to stand trial in US court are by no means a victory. On closer scrutiny, more questions than answers are apparent.
Several issues must be considered. The deadly US military attack and kidnapping rings the death knell for the structures of international law and diplomacy created in the aftermath of the two world wars.
The disturbing lesson is that powerful nations can impose their will and get away with it. This has long been understood by Israel which, with US blessing, has been committing murder and mayhem and imposing its will on its neighbours with impunity. Other nations may now decide to follow suit, rendering obsolete the United Nations, international courts and international law. On the domestic political front, the president has unilaterally committed the US military to attack another country without congressional authorisation, as is required by the US Constitution. Such approval would not make the actions in Venezuela legitimate, but without notifying Congress Trump’s actions are doubly egregious. The administration’s argument that this is not a war, but enforcement of a criminal indictment, is rendered bogus after weeks of bombing Venezuelan ships and positioning a naval armada to enforce a blockade.
President Trump is not the first US leader to act in contravention of international law. But previous presidents have couched their actions with high-minded rhetoric to mask their aggressive intent. Trump has outrageously and straightforwardly stated his imperialist goals, while he and members of his cabinet use threatening language more suited to gangland bosses than leaders of a democratic nation.
Without pretence of restoring democracy to the country, the president made clear that the US has acted to “take back” Venezuelan oil facilities, nationalised a decade and a half ago. Recently-seized oil tankers, he claims, will be used to repay the US for lost oil revenues. The president declared that “we will run the country” and that the newly-installed interim president “will do what we want” or face a fate worse than Maduro. A murkiness clouds the entire undertaking. What is the end game? The president says that the US will run the country until it is fixed, presumably meaning after US oil companies control the country’s vast oil resources with the Venezuelan government acting like a client state. The early smooth-going of this misadventure may not last. Venezuela has governing institutions and Maduro’s party has control over the military and a sizeable militant armed support base. How does the US seek to impose its will on these structures that are ideologically opposed to American domination? So far, threats of more US military strikes and/or of violence against government figures to force compliance are the only proposals.
Without committing US troops over an extended period of time, accomplishing compliance is unlikely. This raises the final question: will the president be able to sustain US public support for this entire affair? If Venezuelan resistance emerges, the answer is most likely “No.”
Some analysts have compared the Venezuelan affair to Iraq. Comparisons can be made, but only up to a point. For example, when the US first invaded Iraq, President Bush had support from both Democrats and Republicans. The Bush administration had been making the case for a connection between Iraq and al-Qaeda’s 9/11 terrorist attacks. They argued that deposing Saddam and establishing a friendly government could be done in a few months, requiring only a limited deployment of US troops and little cost, with Iraqi oil covering the war’s costs. That, of course, was not the case. As the war dragged on with rising casualties and costs, public support eroded. In the case of Venezuela, polls show that initial US public opinion is already divided on the administration’s actions, with only 40 percent in support and 42 percent opposed. While there is a deep partisan split, independents are two-to-one opposed. Should it become necessary to station US troops in the country, or should there be casualties, American and Venezuelan, opposition will undoubtedly grow. Then the president will need to confront nervous congressional Republicans who will see disaster in the polls. He will need to either dig in deeper, putting his leadership at risk, or do what he has done before, announce victory, change course and/or create a new crisis to distract attention from yet another failed policy gambit.
*Dr James J Zogby is President of the Washington-based Arab American Institute.    

Iran on the brink: Government vs. the people
Dr. Majid Rafizadeh/Al Arabiya English/13 January/2026
Protests across Iran have expanded rapidly, spreading from major metropolitan centers to smaller cities and provincial towns, creating one of the most sustained periods of unrest the country has witnessed in recent years. What initially began as public anger over economic hardship – soaring inflation, the collapse of the national currency, rising food prices, and unemployment – has evolved into a broader expression of political, social, and systemic frustration. Demonstrations have been reported in numerous cities, accompanied by chants, strikes, and acts of civil disobedience. In several areas, protesters have set fire to symbols of state authority, blocked roads, and confronted security forces directly. Deaths have been reported, injuries and arrests have mounted, further appearing to fuel public anger rather than containing it.
These protests are no longer isolated events driven by short-term grievances. Instead, they reflect accumulated frustration built over years of economic decline, political exclusion, and social restrictions. For many Iranians, daily life has become a constant struggle for survival. Wages have failed to keep pace with inflation, savings have evaporated, and access to basic necessities has become increasingly uncertain. In this context, the streets have become the primary arena where citizens express grievances that have long gone unanswered.
At this critical moment, Iran stands at a crossroads. The central question is no longer whether protests will continue in the short term, but rather which direction the country will take – and that direction depends overwhelmingly on how the government responds.
A defining moment: Which path will the government choose?
The future trajectory of Iran’s unrest hinges on the choices made by the ruling establishment. In moments like these, governments typically face a limited set of options, each carrying profound consequences. Iran’s leadership must now decide whether to acknowledge the depth of public anger and respond with meaningful reforms – or revert to its long-standing reliance on force. In theory, unrest of this scale could have been mitigated if the government had acted earlier. Had authorities genuinely listened to public complaints, addressed corruption, improved economic governance, and implemented reforms aimed at stabilizing the economy, some of the anger now erupting onto the streets might have been partially defused. Policies aimed at protecting purchasing power, improving employment opportunities, and reducing economic inequality could have eased public pressure.
But timing matters. When reforms come too late – or appear cosmetic rather than substantive – they often fail to restore public trust. In many cases, delayed concessions are interpreted not as goodwill but as signs of weakness or desperation. This is particularly true in Iran, where past experiences have conditioned both the state and society to expect confrontation rather than compromise.
The missed opportunity of reform
Economic grievances lie at the heart of the current unrest. Years of mismanagement, sanctions pressure, corruption, and structural inefficiencies have eroded living standards for ordinary citizens. A government genuinely committed to reform could have prioritized economic stabilization, reduced elite privileges, and redirected resources toward public welfare. Even modest improvements – if introduced early and credibly – might have bought time and reduced the intensity of protests. However, reform in Iran has often been constrained by ideological rigidity and internal power struggles. Economic policy is deeply entangled with political and security interests, making structural change difficult. As a result, many Iranians believe that promises of reform are rarely followed by action. This skepticism has grown over time, especially after repeated cycles of protest followed by repression rather than reform. Now, with protests already widespread and casualties reported, the window for de-escalation through reform appears to have been closed. For many protesters, economic demands have merged with political ones. What began as calls for relief has evolved into broader questions about accountability, governance, and the legitimacy of authority itself.
The default response
History offers a clear pattern of how the Iranian government has responded to mass protests. When faced with widespread dissent, authorities have repeatedly relied on overwhelming force rather than compromise. Security forces are deployed in large numbers, protests are declared illegal, internet access is restricted, and arrests are carried out on a mass scale. Over time, this strategy has succeeded in suppressing demonstrations – at least temporarily. From the government’s perspective, force is viewed as a necessary tool to restore order and deter future unrest. Officials often argue that protests are manipulated by foreign actors or hostile powers, framing dissent as a national security threat rather than a domestic political issue. This framing serves two purposes: it justifies force and delegitimizes protesters in the eyes of loyalists. In recent statements, senior leaders have once again portrayed protesters as instigators aligned with foreign enemies, accusing them of undermining national stability and serving external agendas. Such rhetoric is not new, and it often precedes intensified crackdowns. By labeling dissent as foreign-backed, the state avoids confronting the underlying grievances driving people into the streets.
Does force still work?
In the past, force has often succeeded in restoring surface-level calm. Large-scale protests were eventually crushed through arrests, intimidation, and fear. But each cycle of repression has come at a cost: Deeper resentment, greater distrust, and a population increasingly willing to challenge authority despite the risks. This time, many believe the situation may be different. Economic hardship has reached levels that affect nearly every segment of society. Unlike earlier protests that were concentrated among specific groups, the current unrest draws support from workers, students, merchants, professionals, and even segments of the middle class that once remained politically cautious. When survival itself becomes uncertain, fear loses some of its power. Moreover, force can be a double-edged sword. While it may disperse crowds in the short term, excessive violence often radicalizes public sentiment. Each death, each arrest, each act of brutality risks transforming anger into defiance. Rather than deterring participation, repression can expand the protest base by convincing more people that they have nothing left to lose.
A moment that will shape Iran’s future
Iran now stands at a pivotal juncture. The government’s response to the current unrest will have lasting consequences, not only for political stability but for the very nature of the state. Continued reliance on force may suppress protests temporarily, but it risks deepening the divide between rulers and society, making the unrest more intense and more dangerous. What is clear is that the protests have already changed the political landscape. They reflect a society burdened by economic hardship, political exclusion, and social frustration. Based on how the government continues to respond, the outcome of this moment will likely determine the destiny of Iran for years to come.

Saudi Arabia: The Anchor of Stability in the Middle East
Yousef Al-Dayni/Asharq Al-Awsat/January 13/2026
The international order does not undergo major shifts when there is an equilibrium. Usually, they unfold when things are in flux and there is a vacuum to fill, as the previous rules erode with no alternatives emerging to replace them and when hegemons lose either the will or ability to oversee this order.
We are not merely faced with a US foreign policy crisis, and Washington’s deviation from its behavior is not a fleeting moment. We are in the midst of a structural transition; the model that has governed the world since the end of World War II is withering, and no fully formed alternative has emerged to replace it. Neither decisive confrontation nor stability can prevail in a vacuum, only an overwhelming gray zone that leads states to manage risk, buy time, and cut contain setbacks, making confusion conducive to change rather than an obstacle to it.
In this context, US President Donald Trump’s second term reveals more than it builds. The foreign policy that Trump has adopted did not merely undermine traditional tools of American leadership; it also stripped away a moral and strategic assumption that had held for decades: the interests of the US are served by a global order founded on alliances, institutions, and rules. This assumption no longer exists in Washington, neither Trump nor among a broad segment of the American elite and public believes this. Worn down by failed interventions and fiscal constraints, a growing number of Americans believe that the burdens of global leadership are no longer worth the effort. Trump here is not exceptional; he is a blunt reflection of a deeper shift in the national mood.
The United States’ abandonment of its traditional role was not met by a substantial response from its allies. Rather, they proceeded cautiously and adapted quietly. States that had built their security and prosperity for decades under the US umbrella suddenly found themselves struggling to find an alternative. Accordingly, they avoided explicit confrontation and opted for accommodation, seeking to buy time and hoping that this a phase after which Washington will eventually go back to playing its traditional role. This bet may reflect wishful thinking. Even after Trump leaves the White House, the factors that had facilitated his return and the rise of his isolationist discourse will not disappear overnight. We are in a region that is turning into an international vacuum. When the hegemon retreats without disappearing, an alternative system does not immediately emerge. Instead, a series of adjustments follow in succession, reshaping international relations from the periphery rather than the center. In my view, globalization has not ended but has excited “Washington’s brackets.” Regional blocs are deepening, trade agreements are broadening, and economic integration continues, albeit without an overarching political umbrella.
Washington’s retreat has exposed the fragility of Europe’s collective security project, which had been built on the assumption of permanent American support. Despite significant increases in defense spending, the continent lacks autonomous deterrence and would continue to struggle in the face of major crises without the United States in the near future.
Asia, for its part, has chosen a more pragmatic path. Instead of sharply aligning with either Washington or Beijing, Asian states have combined economic cooperation with China and hedged against it to defend their security as they navigate fluctuating relations with the United States. This behavior does not reflect indecisiveness or hesitation but a solid grasp of the current phase, in which no single umbrella is sufficient and no single rivalry is decisive. The most dangerous repercussions of this shift are unfolding in the Middle East, where US retrenchment fuses with structural fragility and chronic conflict. The absence of an external guarantor does not automatically open the door to strategic independence. Instead, it could trigger a regional power struggle and tempt destabilizing forces, chief among them Israel and those seeking to emulate its experience, to fill the vacuum through violence or chaos, seizing the initiative and exploiting the decline of Iran’s axis and its proxies. In this context, the Middle East does not have the luxury of waiting, nor can it simply bet on the US returning. The central challenge is building a regional balance that reduces the cost of this vacuum and averts total chaos. Doing so requires regional leadership capable of combining deterrence and stability, development and security, political realism and resistance to subversive projects. In this regard, Saudi Arabia stands out, not because it is pursuing the ambitions of a traditional power but as the spearhead of an effort to ensure durable stability, redefine the role of the state, and change calculations in a turbulent regional order. In recent years, Riyadh has presented an alternative model for addressing global shifts. Rather than relying on the umbrellas of foreign powers or going on expansionist adventures, it has focused on domestic development, the diversification of its economy, and the consolidation of regional stability through a mix of diplomatic, economic, and security power. Its vision is not premised on the assumption that the vacuum can be filled by hard power alone.
The Kingdom understands that there is also a need for containing chaos through development, economic integration, and the rejection of the logic of militias and transnational projects. This approach has led neighbors in the region to see Saudi Arabia as a legitimate partner that does not prioritize short-term considerations, leaving it in pole position to lead an Arab and Islamic front standing against chaos. In short, Saudi Arabia today is a symbol of stability in the Middle East.

Regarding the Caracas Operation…
Hazem Saghieh/Asharq Al-Awsat/January 13/2026
While it goes without saying that political phenomena are linked to domestic factors in the countries and regions where they emerge, it is also true that external shared and reciprocal factors also help explain those phenomena and their dynamics.
The fact is that the kidnapping of Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro crowns the trajectory of a war-like, almost zero-sum approach between the United States under Donald Trump and the “Third World.” This trajectory is only growing and developing amid a climate of hostility and friction in arenas from Caracas and Havana to Tehran and Gaza. What must be noted here, however, is that both sides are, to a large extent, products of an insurgency against the foundations of their rise in their own contexts. Trumpism and similar phenomena in Western Europe constitute a nationalist revolt against liberal principles. They have used every word in the book, and draw from a history many had believed obsolete, to combat liberal globalization: from the “Monroe Doctrine” of 1823, to control over straits, corridors, and raw materials; from protectionism and tariffs to hostility toward immigration and asylum... They have a pessimistic view of the world, a pessimism that can only be alleviated through the use of force against those deemed responsible for it. The same orientation applies to countries allied with the United States, like Israel, which also went from the hands of labor and the liberal left to those of the nationalist and religious right, which goes so far in its skepticism as to question “life with Arabs.” As for Trumpism’s enemies, they similarly grew out of the decay of “national liberation movements,” which was aggravated by the collapse of the Soviet Union and its bloc, as well as the inflation of pure identity-based dimension at the expense of developmental and ideological politics. Their view of the world is no less pessimistic. In “colonial history,” they find both the reason for this pessimism and powerful encouragement to “undo” that history.
We have seen transitional episodes, unfolding at varying speeds, lead us to the point we are currently in. There was the Khomeinist (Islamic) Revolution in Iran in 1979 and the American hostage crisis that immediately followed; the election of Hugo Chávez as president of Venezuela in 1999, seven years after he had attempted a coup; the attacks of September 11, 2001 in the United States, which Washington retaliated to by invading Afghanistan and Iraq; and, finally, the October 7, 2023 operation and the genocidal Israeli war on Gaza that ensued.
Along this winding path, the end of the Cold War was a crucial turning point. This confrontation imposed restraints on both regional and international conflicts, safeguarding national borders in a substantial number of countries around the world. Moreover, the Soviets- especially from 1956 onward, when they affirmed the legitimacy of peaceful, parliamentary transitions to socialism- sought to institutionalize the struggle “against capitalism.”
It was not without significance that the collapse of the Soviet Union coincided with Saddam Hussein's self-appointment as heir to the struggle against the West, as shown by his seizure of the Emirate of Kuwait. While Francis Fukuyama was announcing liberal democracy’s triumph to the world, heralding the end of history, many long knives were being honed and sharpened in the “global village.”As far as Europe is concerned, it has no option, amid this debacle, but to play the role of victim. According to its American critics, Europe does not spend enough on defense in a grim Hobbesian world, and its union project invites punishment by attempting to overstep national borders. Other "shortcomings" that fragment and weaken its domestic front include an excess of liberalism ill-equipped to face the cruel challenges of reality, and laxity toward adversaries, from China to migrants and refugees. In this sense, punishing Europe becomes called for, and so, for example, wresting Greenland from Denmark becomes a “strategic necessity.” That is how, more than three decades before the invasion of Ukraine, it began to become clear to the two radically hostile camps that the radical solutions required were more existential than political. The US, the “Great Satan” that “butchered the Native Americans,” “understands only the language of strength,” justifying the use of all arms, including militias, terrorism, and arms and drug trafficking, even as local populations are hit a lot harder by these policies than the West itself. On the other hand, coexisting with these malign forces is deemed impossible: they “threaten Western civilization” and use migration and asylum as their means for “replacing” white Christians. Both sides are proponents of direct action, turning to force more readily than politics, diplomacy, and institutions. Donald Trump is particularly emblematic of this inclination to dismiss the fitness of these international institutions for arbitration in an existential struggle with adversaries that do not respect institutions, or even the states crumbling in their hands. Trump makes the same claim of his opponents that they make about him: they understand only the language of strength, and he, at the end of the day, is stronger than they are.

The 'If We Don’t Take It… Someone Else Will!' Policy
Eyad Abu Shakra/Asharq Al-Awsat/January 13/2026
From what we hear and read today, the question is no longer whether the US President Donald Trump will annex Greenland to the United States despite the opposition of its authorities and of the Kingdom of Denmark, under whose crown the island falls. Rather, it is Washington’s target that observers are seeking to identify. Before us lies an array of potential “targets” for invasion and annexation. Trump’s far-right base considers such steps not only acceptable but necessary: “if we don’t take it, someone else will.”Iran, of course, tops the list, whether for consideration tied to Israel or for its resources. Cuba, a “longtime enemy” in the heart of the Caribbean, just a stone’s throw from the southern islands of the state of Florida, is another. Colombia, the second most populous country in South America, remains another prominent target, even after the “friendly” phone call between Trump and its leftist president, Gustavo Petro.
Personally, I would not dismiss the possibility of Washington going back to talking about taking Canada, especially since Chile, Argentina, and Bolivia, which together form the “lithium triangle”, are now effectively governed by right-wing governments aligned with Washington. Meanwhile, Europe’s position toward Washington’s "abrasive" policy has garnered attention. Europe seems resigned to its fate and is unlikely to do anything in response to Washington’s insistence on redrawing maps, and by extension, the world’s “economic and financial fabric.” Many factors that explain this stance, the most prominent of which are the following:
First, European leaders, almost without exception, are convinced that the “old continent” is a paper tiger that can give eloquent lectures to the world but does not believe in the principles or values it promotes. Second, Europe is far too weak to defy Washington. That has in fact been the case for decades, even before the Ukraine war that is now at its peak. Third, even NATO, the defense alliance that had protected Western and Central Europe from Moscow’s ambitions, is no longer a priority. The Trump administration favors immediate ad hoc deals over long-term strategic alliances founded on shared values and mutual interests. Fourth, “identity” is no longer a strategic matter, even for Europeans who believe in a “single European destiny.” Indeed, extremists like the Hungarian President Viktor Orban, along with the “neo-fascist” parties in Poland, Germany, and Greece in the east, and, to the west, Britain, France, Spain, Portugal, and Italy, where they are in power, have lost interest in the notion of a shared European identity. Consequently, they see no reason to defend Ukraine against a Russian leader who, under the table, supported the rise of their movements across the continent. Fifth, if the overarching principle governing Washington’s current policy is grounded in the demonization of migration and migrants, as well as privileging immediate, narrow self-interest over the values and principles laid out in international agreements and institutions. The extremists in Europe are on the same page.
A striking example is the enthusiasm of the right-wing leadership of the British Conservative Party for Britain’s withdrawal from the European Court of Human Rights following Britain’s exit from the European Union. Moreover, we have President Donald Trump’s decision to withdraw the United States from 66 international agreements and organizations - half of them affiliated with the United Nations, including the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change, an agreement that supports all international efforts to combat global warming.
Trump explained that he had taken this decision because these entities “no longer serve American interests" and promote "ineffective or hostile agendas." These withdrawals will end American taxpayer funding and involvement in entities that advance globalist agendas over US priorities, according to a statement by the White House. It also accused many of the organizations of promoting "radical climate policies, global governance and ideological programs that conflict with US sovereignty and economic strength". In parallel, a prominent American figure last week defended the “wisdom” and foresight of the US president’s decision to impose US dominance across the Americas for declared and undeclared objectives. He argued that this effort does not seek the expropriation of resources, but to deny rivals seeking global dominance, chiefly China, the opportunity to extract from the continent’s resources under Washington’s very eyes.The arguments, but in a more arrogant and aggressive tone, were recently made by Stephen Miller, one of Trump’s most influential aides, who then added: “If we don’t take it, someone else will!”
By the way, does this not remind you of the “logic” of the Israeli settler who had attacked the fields of a village with his friends in the West Bank?!

Selected Face Book & X tweets/ January 13/2026
Seyed Abbas Araghchi
In phone conversation with the UK Foreign Secretary this evening, I made clear that the UK is per international legal obligations dutybound to ensure the safety and security of Iran's London Consulate and Embassy. If the UK cannot uphold its duty to protect diplomatic missions, Iran would be left with no choice but to consider evacuating our personnel. I also urged the UK to avoid interfering in Iran's internal affairs, including by continuing to refrain from taking action against Israeli-backed terrorists posing as news organizations. Ofcom has clear rules and regulations about the incitement of violence and glorification of terrorism. The UK Government must take action to ensure that its own domestic laws are upheld.

Seyed Abbas Araghchi
More than two years of Genocide in Gaza that has claimed the lives of 70,000 Palestinians has not led the European Parliament to take any real action against Israel. Even as Netanyahu is wanted for war crimes by the ICC, he freely flies over European airspace. In contrast, it takes only a few days of violent riots in Iran for the European Parliament to physically ban our diplomats. People are not stupid. They see what is unfolding with their own eyes. Iran does not seek enmity with the EU, but will reciprocate any restriction.

Hussain Abdul-Hussain
Last comment for the day. The Lebanese must feel empowered against the Islamist regimes of Iran, Saudi Arabia, Turkey, Syria and the useless regime of Egypt. The Lebanese must stand defiant when dealing with these regimes, look at their emissaries and say this: We are Lebanon, bitch! (Excuse my French)

The Associated Press
BREAKING: Mobile phones in Iran are able to call abroad again more than four days after service was cut during a crackdown on nationwide protests. Witnesses say text messaging is still down and the internet remains cut off from the outside world.

Anita Anand
Reiterating here that Canada stands with the brave people of Iran. Together with our partners, the EU and Australia, we strongly condemn repression and in particular the use of violence against peaceful protesters resulting in the unnecessary loss of life. We call on the Iranian regime to end its repression and respect the human rights of all Iranians.

Iran International English
At least 12,000 people were killed in the largest killing in Iran’s contemporary history, carried out largely over two consecutive nights on January 8 and 9, Iran International’s editorial board concluded, based on a review of sources and medical data. Iran is under a coordinated blackout aimed not only at security control but at concealing the truth, reflected in internet cuts, crippled communications, media shutdowns, and the intimidation of journalists and witnesses. Publication was delayed until the evidence converged. The assessment is based on a multi-stage review of information from a source close to the Supreme National Security Council; two sources in the presidential office; accounts from several sources within the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps in Mashhad, Kermanshah and Isfahan; testimonies from eyewitnesses and families of those killed; field reports; data linked to medical centers; and information provided by doctors and nurses in multiple cities.
https://iranintl.com/en/202601136877

Israel-Alma
https://x.com/i/status/2010733991473676529
The Lebanese Armed Forces present data indicating that since the start of the mission to disarm Hezbollah, they have established operational control over the territory south of the Litani River (excluding areas with an Israeli presence), seized weapons, dealt with unexploded ordnance, located tunnels, closed illegal crossings, and more. Among other figures, it was reported that 177 tunnels were located, 566 rocket launchers were seized, alongside the deployment of approximately 10,000 soldiers and the establishment of around 200 outposts. The army’s reports avoid explicitly mentioning the name “Hezbollah” or “the Resistance,” instead using the term “armed groups.” These data are accompanied by a series of Lebanese publications (official and unofficial) presenting figures that suggest the Lebanese army is operating “effectively” to dismantle Hezbollah south of the Litani. These publications have been accompanied by almost no documented evidence (photos or videos). The gap between the scarcity of visual evidence and the published figures is stark. While the Lebanese prime minister declares that “the role of the militias has ended,” it appears that he and the president of Lebanon are backing the army and doing everything possible to act in a manner convenient for Hezbollah, in order to avoid an internal Lebanese confrontation with the group. Hezbollah, for its part, promotes the narrative of a “joint defense strategy” (Hezbollah and the Lebanese army) and, in any case, a complete rejection of the possibility of disarmament. In addition, Hezbollah demands an Israeli withdrawal from Lebanese territory, a cessation of strikes, and the return of Hezbollah operatives detained in Israel. In light of the Lebanese government’s statements regarding the completion of the disarmament mission south of the Litani and the absence of binding timelines for continuing the mission north of the Litani, the IDF’s daily activity, both south and north of the Litani, indicates that Hezbollah retains many additional weapons storage sites, both above ground and underground, as well as launch infrastructure and other capabilities. Hezbollah continues to operate, rehabilitate, and renew its activity across all areas (southern Lebanon, the Bekaa Valley, and Beirut).