Tuesday, 4 March 2025

With the news, beyond the news (March2025 - I)


⚠️ According to a poll (March 2024), 71% of all Palestinians supported Hamas’s decision to attack Israel on October 7, and 70% were satisfied with the role Hamas has played during the war. (Foundation for Defense of Democracies, 22 March 2024) 

@AzadehSepehri · Feb 22, 2025 



US says revenue from minerals deal will fuel Ukraine’s postwar growth (Financial Times, 22 Feb 2025) 

---->>  At least they can use their own soil for rebuilding their own country instead of asking other countries for money  🧐 @AzadehSepehri · Feb 23, 2025 

---->>  It sounds absurd, but the deal would help Ukraine to more independence, and esteeming their own soil 🧐 @AzadehSepehri · Feb 28, 2025 



We examine Saudi Arabia's role in global diplomacy on this weekend's episode of Reuters World News (Reuters, 23 Feb 2025) 

---->>  Yeah, that's really difficult to comment diplomatically and politely. We need some lessons 🤣 

@AzadehSepehri · Feb 24, 2025 



The German entry for the 2025 Oscars' Best International Film is a movie in Persian language produced in Iran by an Iranian director, with a completely Iranian crew. 

😎 Sorry, what should we think of this? 

🤮 How the FUCK should we comment this? Give us some lessons, please… 

@AzadehSepehri · March 02, 2025 



Lebanon's Hezbollah to bury Nasrallah in mass funeral on Sunday 23 February 2025 (Reuters, 21 Feb 2025) 

Hmm... Hezbollah?! Lebanon?!  

Aha, yeah ... PAGER  🤣  

(WHY on Sunday, and not on Friday?! 😎 )  

@AzadehSepehri · Feb 23, 2025 



US aid funding cuts put HIV prevention at risk, warns UN (UN News, 07 Feb 2025) 

OMG ... Are condoms so expensive that they need US money for it?! 

@AzadehSepehri · Feb 28, 2025 



The next pope will be which country/continent from? 

- All popes (7) between 1903 and 1978: Italian citizens.  

- 1978-2005: Polish citizen, first pope of Slavic origin. 

- 2005-2013: German citizen. 

- 2013-present: Argentine citizen. First pope to be born outside Europe since 8th century. 

@AzadehSepehri · Feb 26, 2025 



Prosecutors in the German capital said Saturday they believe the Syrian suspect in a stabbing at Berlin’s Memorial to the Murdered Jews of Europe apparently wanted to kill Jews (The Washington Post, 23 Feb 2024) 

---->>  Yeah, it's not safe anymore for Spanish, Italian, and French people ... They look too Jewish 🤣 (the stabbed man was a Spanish tourist) 

@AzadehSepehri · Feb 23, 2025 



Seen, Shared, Sorted – The most important NEWS (04March2025)

 

Donald Trump announces second round of Ukraine peace talks with Russian diplomats (Euronews, 22 Feb 2025) 


US and Russia hold talks on ending Ukraine war 

Senior US and Russian diplomats meet in Saudi Arabia on Tuesday 18 February 2025 for preliminary talks on trying to end the Ukraine war and resetting their countries' fractured relations. (France 24, 18 February 2025) 


+ + + 


Trump's cancellation of oil licenses likely to stoke Venezuela inflation (Reuters, 27 Feb 2025) 


+++ 


Taliban threaten to use US arms to thwart attempts to retake them (VOA, 04 Feb 2025) 


Taliban holding on to $7 billion of U.S. military equipment left behind after withdrawal (CBS, 04 Feb 2025) 


Trump seeks return of US military equipment from Taliban (VOA, 20 January 2025) 


+ + + 


Hamas rejects Israeli request to extend first phase of Gaza ceasefire deal (Sky News, 03 March 2025) 


Israel warns Hamas to return remaining Gaza hostages or face 'hell'  (France 24, 03 March 2025)


Israel confirms Hamas handed over four hostages' bodies as Palestinian prisoners released (BBC, 27 Feb 2025) 


Israel expels residents of three West Bank refugee camps 

Israel's Defence Minister said the camps in Jenin, Tulkarm and Nur Shams were now "empty" and would be occupied by the Israeli military. (BBC, 23 Feb 2025) 


Israel is delaying the expected release of Palestinian prisoners 

Israel says it is delaying the expected release of Palestinian prisoners until the release of the next hostages is guaranteed “and without the humiliating ceremonies” (CNN, 22 Feb 2025) 


Six Israeli hostages released in exchange for 620 Palestinian prisoners (CNN, 22 Feb 2025) 


Israel says forensics show Bibas children killed by Hamas captors 

IDF spokesman Daniel Hagari said forensic findings suggested Ariel and Kfir Bibas had been killed with "bare hands". (BBC, 21 Feb 2025) 


Shiri Bibas' body is not among the four bodies returned from Gaza 

The body of the woman handed over by Hamas did not match with any of the hostages. Israel accuses Hamas of a severe violation of the ceasefire deal. (CNN, 21 Feb 2025)


Hamas says it will release bodies of four hostages 

Hamas says it will release bodies of four hostages, including Bibas children, on Thursday 20 February 2025 and six living hostages on Saturday 22 February 2025. (CNN, 18 Feb 2025) 



+ + + 


At Least 880 Workers Were Fired at US Weather Agency  (Bloomberg, 28 Feb 2025) 


Over 6,000 IRS (Internal Revenue Service) employees expected to be terminated by end of week (NYT, 19 Feb 2025) 



I've met you…


I've met you on Google News. I wanted to read, you wanted a subscription. Maybe I am not a good reader. Maybe you are not a good writer. Who knows?! Maybe those who have a subscription 🤓 


@AzadehSepehri · Feb 24, 2025 




What is this? A maths test?!


Total population of Lebanon:  5,364,482 

31.9% Sunni, 31.2% Shia, 32.4% Christian 

93% of Shia + 34% of Sunnis + 29% of Christians = ca. 49% of Lebanese people , NOT “just 30%”  🤔 


“The Week” article: 

https://theweek.com/politics/how-much-support-does-hezbollah-have-in-lebanon



@AzadehSepehri · Feb 24, 2025 



Sunday, 16 February 2025

With the news, beyond the news (Feb2025-II)


● Ukraine rejects Trump bid to take rights to half its mineral reserves

(Financial Times, 15 Feb 2025) 

🤣  



● Ukraine is cut out of talks between America and Russia (The Economist, 12 Feb 2025) 

🤨  ---->>  no wonder ... what do they have? power? money? brains? … No problem. Nevertheless, we will continue to support them. Also because of their weaknesses. For sure. 

@AzadehSepehri · Feb 12, 2025 



● Donald Trump says US and Russia to start talks on Ukraine war ‘immediately’ (FT, 12 Feb 2025) 

● This is Putin and Trump’s world now (The Telegraph, 12 Feb 2025) 🤨 

---->>  Please, don't shrink us so extremely... 😴

@AzadehSepehri · Feb 12, 2025 



● In a win for the Trump administration, a judge is allowing the federal worker "buyout" program to go forward for the moment (CNN, 12 Feb 2025)

---->>  (re-)think, reform, move forward, or you may get removed 🤣

@AzadehSepehri · Feb 13, 02025



–  “My body belongs to me, and Gaza belongs to Palestinians!” 

–  (Hm...?!) 🤣 

–  “Think twice, soon you may go to paradise! What about your gender, sexuality, race, religion? Or do you want more identification problems?!”  

–  (WhThFck...) 🤣

@AzadehSepehri · Feb 15, 2025 



● Danish petition to buy California attracts hundreds of thousands of signatures (CNN, 12 Feb 2025) 

---->>  Some folk do everything as masses 😬 

@AzadehSepehri · Feb 12, 2025 



● Hamas leaders meet with Iranian leaders in Tehran (08 Feb) 

● Turkish intelligence chief visits Iran, meeting with Iranian counterpart (09 Feb) 

🧐 ---->>  “I have to inspect them myself to see if they are really that stupid...” 🤔

@AzadehSepehri · Feb 9, 2025 



POLITICO –  an American digital newspaper owned by the German Axel Springer media company 🤔 

A mix of unwanted parody and wishful prophecies 

☠️ Most recent title: "How Germany found itself holding an Italian election" 

F. yf! You will never get a Meloni 🖕 

NEVER AGAIN!

@AzadehSepehri · Feb 8, 2025 



"I've never seen anybody do the things you do before, they say" 🤣  

● Argentina leader orders WHO exit in move mirroring Trump's (BBC, 05 Feb 2025) 

--->>  The USA contributed to WHO around $950m in 2024, Argentina only $8m. 

@AzadehSepehri · Feb 7, 2025



● Belgian police chasing two suspects in metro tunnels after Brussels shooting (05 Feb 2025)

🧐 

–  After two days, still not caught! 

–  No functioning police force?! OMG! 

–  No excuse, these are not Hamas tunnels in Gaza. No control even over the tunnels of your capital city?

@AzadehSepehri · Feb 7, 2025 



●  Mexico's president emphasized that she will defend her nation's sovereignty (Reuters, 21/01/2025) 

🤣 

Sovereignty?!  🧐 

"As of May 2024, cartels controlled about one third of Mexico's territory, according to one estimate from the U.S. military." http://cfr.org

@AzadehSepehri · Feb 3, 2025 



Published in this blog: 16 February 2025 


Seen, Shared, Sorted – The most important NEWS (16Feb2025)


US officials heading to Saudi Arabia for Russia-Ukraine peace talks 

(Sky News, 15 Feb 2025) 


Donald Trump calls for Russia to return to G7 

(Sky News, 15 Feb 2025) 


Ukraine-Russia war latest: Europe to be excluded from peace talks by US 

(The Independent, 15 Feb 2025) 


France and [EU] allies discuss holding informal Ukraine summit  

(Reuters, 15 Feb 2025) 


Ukraine says Russia drone attack hits Chernobyl nuclear plant, radiation levels normal  

(CNN, 14 Feb 2025) 


Baltic states unplug from Russia and join EU power grid 

The Baltic states of Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania are now unplugged from Russia's electricity grid and have joined the European Union's network. (BBC, 09 Feb 2025) 


US wants Ukraine to hold elections following potential ceasefire 

(Sky News, 01 Feb 2025) 


North Korean troops pulled from Ukraine war front line after mass casualties 

(The Telegraph, 01 Feb 2025) 


Three Israeli hostages and 369 Palestinian detainees released after week of ceasefire tensions 

(The Guardian, 15 Feb 2025) 


Trump says Gaza ceasefire should be cancelled if all Israeli hostages not freed 

Donald Trump has warned that if all the Israeli hostages held in Gaza are not returned by Saturday at noon he would propose cancelling the Israel-Hamas ceasefire and letting “all hell break loose”. Trump’s comments came after Hamas said it was delaying the release of hostages indefinitely over “violations” of the ceasefire deal, prompting Israel’s defence minister to put the country’s military on alert with orders to prepare for “any scenario in Gaza”. (The Guardian, 11 Feb 2025) 


Hamas threatens to postpone next hostage release 

Hamas has threatened to postpone the next hostage release scheduled to take place in Gaza on Saturday “until further notice,” accusing Israel of breaking the ceasefire deal. Israel described the postponement as a “complete violation of the ceasefire” and called on the Israeli military to prepare for “any possible scenario” in Gaza. (CNN, 11 Feb 2025) 


Three Israeli hostages released for 183 Palestinian prisoners 

The hostages, who were made to give public speeches thanking the Hamas militants who had held them captive, looked frail and gaunt, sparking dismay and outrage in Israel. (The New York Times, 08 Feb 2025) 


Trump says Palestinians should leave Gaza permanently and US will ‘take over’ strip 

(CNN, 04 Feb 2025) 


Palestinians have no alternative to leaving Gaza, Trump says 

US President Donald Trump said on Tuesday that Palestinians have no alternative but to leave Gaza and he would like to see neighbouring countries Jordan and Egypt take the displaced Palestinians. (The Jerusalem Post, 04 Feb 2025) 


Benjamin Netanyahu arrives in US for talks with Donald Trump 

(Sky News, 03 Feb 2025) 


White House confirms war crimes prosecutor first target of ICC sanctions 

International Criminal Court (ICC) Prosecutor Karim Khan is the first person to be hit with economic and travel sanctions authorized by U.S. President Donald Trump that target the war crimes tribunal over investigations of U.S. citizens or U.S. allies. The sanctions, which repeat action Trump took during his first term, include freezing of U.S. assets of those designated and barring them and their families from visiting the United States. The International Criminal Court, which opened in 2002, has international jurisdiction to prosecute genocide, crimes against humanity and war crimes in member states or if a situation is referred by the U.N. Security Council. Under an agreement between the United Nations and Washington, Khan should be able to regularly travel to New York to brief the U.N. Security Council on cases it had referred to the court in The Hague. The Security Council has referred the situations in Libya and Sudan's Darfur region to the ICC. (Reuters, 10 Feb 2025) 

]In November 2023, Khan stated the ICC had received a joint request by South Africa, Bangladesh, Bolivia, Comoros, and Djibouti to investigate alleged Israeli war crimes. (Wikipedia)[ 


Trump Orders Airstrikes Against Islamic State in Somalia 

Trump ordered airstrikes on Saturday against the Islamic State in northern Somalia, the first major U.S. military operation overseas since he took office. (The New York Times, 01 Feb 2025) 


Venezuela releases US prisoners and agrees to take deportees 

Agreement struck in meeting between Trump’s envoy and country’s authoritarian leader Nicolás Maduro (Financial Times, 01 Feb 2025) 


Abortions to resume in Missouri after a judge blocks restrictions 

(AP, 15 Feb 2025) 


UK and US refuse to sign international AI declaration 

US Vice President JD Vance told delegates in Paris that too much regulation of artificial intelligence (AI) could "kill a transformative industry just as it's taking off". (BBC, 11 Feb 2025) 


Russian naval convoy departing Syria will pass the English Channel/ port of Dover on its way to Russia 

(Metro, 10 Feb 2025) 



Published in this blog: 16 February 2025 


Friday, 7 February 2025

Who is afraid of ChatGPT...


Those who don’t want that everyone has access to information, are afraid of generative AI chatbots like ChatGPT. Those who are against the empowerment of all people, are against generative AI. Those who don’t like democracy, because it comprises the empowerment of all people and gives them access to information and power, are against generative AI. 


Those who say AI makes us stupid, want us to be stupid. Those who say AI makes us lazy, don’t want us to progress. Those who say AI damages our human relationships, are not only afraid of AI but also of the internet and its cultural and political impact on all people in the world in regard to promoting democracy and ‘Western values’. 


The following is an example which shows how wrong and fake all those claims are. I asked ChatGPT some questions and received the following information. In order to get this information by classical means, I’d have to invest at least 100 hours for literature search, at least 6 months to read at least 100 books, and a lot of money to get access to the relevant academic books. With the help of ChatGPT, I needed only about 25 minutes to gather all this information, to read it and to absorb it. 


Question: Is there a contextual connection between ‘politeness’ and ‘politics’

Answer: These two words have the same Latin root ‘politus’, meaning ‘refined’ or ‘polished’. Both involve social behaviour. The connection between these two concepts “lies in the idea of social interaction and the management of relationships. Both concepts deal with strategies for maintaining harmony, control, and cooperation among individuals or groups”.  


Questions: about the word ‘politics’, its contemporary meaning and usage.

Answer: The word ‘politics’ has its origins in ancient Greek, ‘politiká’. ‘Politics’ came into English through the Latin word ‘politica’ around the 14th century. The word ‘politics’ began to be used in its contemporary meaning around the 17th century, particularly as European nation-states began to take shape, and political debates and parties started to form. 


Questions: about the formation of the first modern democracies

Answer: The first modern democratic system is widely considered to be the establishment of ‘the United States of America’ with the ratification of its Constitution in 1787 and the subsequent formation of a federal republic. 

“Other significant milestones in modern democracy include the French Revolution (1789), which inspired democratic ideals in Europe, leading to the more inclusive forms of democracy that emerged throughout the 19th and 20th centuries”. 


Questions: about ‘diplomacy’

Answer: The word ‘diplomacy’ entered the English language in the early 19th century, derived from the French word ‘diplomatie’, which itself came from the Greek word ‘diploma’, meaning ‘a folded document’ or ‘official letter’. 

“The concept of diplomacy, as we understand it today – referring to the formal practice of conducting negotiations and maintaining relationships between nations – was solidified by the 17th and 18th centuries with the establishment of permanent embassies and the professionalization of foreign relations. However, the formal use of ‘diplomacy’ to describe this field came into common usage in the 19th century, particularly with the development of modern international relations following the Napoleonic Wars and the Congress of Vienna (1814-1815)”. 

“The first signs of permanent diplomacy can be traced to the Italian city-states, such as Venice, Florence, and Milan, which developed the practice of maintaining permanent embassies and diplomatic representatives in foreign courts. Venice, in particular, is often credited with establishing one of the first permanent diplomatic missions around the 13th century”. 

“The Treaty of Westphalia in 1648, which ended the Thirty Years' War in Europe, is often seen as a landmark moment that established the modern system of state sovereignty and diplomacy, setting the stage for more formalized and permanent diplomatic practices that continue to shape international relations today”. 


Question: about modern ‘political dialogue’

Answer: By the 19th century, “regular political dialogue, both within governments and between them, through diplomacy, was firmly established as an integral part of governance and international relations, paving the way for the modern political systems we recognize today”. 

“Overall, political dialogue between opposing groups within a country became institutionalized and permanent as democratic institutions developed, particularly with the rise of representative democracy and the establishment of parliaments and legislatures as forums for structured debate. The recognition that opposing views need a platform to be expressed became central to political life, particularly in modern democratic systems”. 

“In modern democracies, political dialogue between opposing groups is considered a permanent and essential part of political practice. Political debates and negotiations happen within national parliaments, courts, media, and other forums.” 


Questions: about the formation of the first political parties

Answer: “The first political parties, as we understand them today, began to form in the United States during the late 18th century, although informal factions and groups with political agendas existed before that”. 

In Britain and in France, the development of more organized/structured party systems began in the early 19th century. 

“In many European nations, political parties began to form in the 19th century, particularly as universal suffrage expanded and political systems became more democratic”. 


THANKS. (Data retrieved on 29 January 2025.)


Why should I think that this information provided by ChatGPT is not reliable? But if you think it’s not, no problem, you can use another internet institution those humanity haters hate, the Google search engine, to do a fact check. You would need no more than 3-4 hours for that. God Bless. 


@Azadeh Sepehri . February 7, 2025 



Saturday, 1 February 2025

With the news, beyond the news (Feb2025-I)


Trump puts all US government diversity staff on paid leave 'immediately' – BBC, 22 Jan 2025, https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cgj288ywj23o  

---->>  Who is responsible for such an aggressive uncivilized rhetoric? The ineffectiveness of many institutions and the neglect by the opposition party 😤 



US orders halt to virtually all foreign aid except for Israel and Egypt (The Guardian, 24 Jan 2025) 

--->   what about Ukraine?! 

--->   Europe benefits most from U.S. aid for Egypt (re. geography) 

--->   the main focus of U.S. foreign policy will be on the Middle East



Albania will create a sovereign Muslim state in Tirana for the Bektashi religious order, along the lines of the Vatican in Rome, to preserve and promote religious tolerance, Prime Minister Edi Rama said. (Reuters, 25/01/2025) 

--->   Nice vision, though funny experiment... 

--->   One day, humanity may manage to push away and "reform" Islam, too. 



"Third of young adults in UK ‘unable to name Auschwitz or any Nazi death camps’" (The Guardian, 26 Jan 2025) 

--->   No problem 😉 : 

Only "one in nine young German adults ‘has not heard of the Holocaust’" (The Times, 23 Jan 2025)



OMG  🤨  

Political representatives of (only !) 54 countries assembled at Auschwitz on Monday, to mark the 80th anniversary of the death camp’s liberation (The Guardian, 27 Jan 2025)



The mexicanization of politics - the dream of corrupt figures 

Think twice when choosing your words. The content of what you express, shows how (un)civilized you are. 

@AzadehSepehri, 29 Jan 2025 



Seek more deeply with 40 Ali Baba Thieves 😅 

Alejandro, call me whatever name you want, just give me some piece of your cake 🤣 

@AzadehSepehri, 30 Jan 2025 



Fascism redefined


Whenever you see a hitler-sperm-shit publicly saluting his grave, you should know that again the leftist extremists have crossed a lot of red lines and reactivated a lot of reactionary reactions... FUCK YOU! 🤬 



@AzadehSepehri , 25 January 2025 



Online TREASURES – found, shared


Silenced memories: the Holocaust Narrative in the Soviet Union 


British Library, 22 Jan 2025:  

https://blogs.bl.uk/european/2025/01/silenced-memories-the-holocaust-narrative-in-the-soviet-union.html



Auschwitz anniversary: Russia focuses on Soviet victims of WW2 


BBC, 27 Jan 2025:   

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cwyw0vkzkzdo



Echad Mi Yodea by Ohad Naharin performed by Batsheva - the Young Ensemble 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7v6tY_u-Mls



Seen, Shared, Sorted – The most important NEWS (01Feb2025)


Eight killed in Israeli 'military operation' in the West Bank city of Jenin – an area not covered by the Gaza ceasefire agreement (Sky News, 21 Jan 2025) 


The Israeli parliament passes law banning denial of October 7 massacre (The Times of Israel, 21 Jan 2025)


Israel says eight of the remaining hostages to be released by Hamas in phase one of deal are dead (CNN, 27 Jan 2025) 


Anti-Israel protesters break police line in London, 77 people arrested – including one for support for a proscribed organisation, one for inciting racial hatred, one for assault on an emergency worker, and one for sexual assault. (Metropolitan Police, 19 Jan 2025) 


Thousands march in protest in Washington DC ahead of Donald Trump's inauguration (Sky News, 19 Jan 2025)


Donald Trump has been sworn in as the 47th US president (20 Jan 2025) 


Ukraine's deep strikes take down air defense radars in Russia (Defense Express, 18 Jan 2025) 


Hundreds of Swedish forces arrive in Latvia in largest deployment with NATO to date (AP, 19 Jan 2025) 


The Kurdish forces guarding Islamic State fighters at a jail in northern Syria say they are opposed to handing the facility to the new Islamist rulers in Damascus as they brace for attacks by the ultra-hardline group and monitor its attempts to re-emerge. (Reuters, 21 Jan 2025) 


About 1,000 North Koreans killed fighting Ukraine – North Korean troops have already suffered nearly 40% casualties, in just three months. Out of the estimated 11,000 troops sent from North Korea, 4,000 were battle casualties. (BBC, 22 Jan 2025) 


France issues new arrest warrant for Syria’s Assad (Reuters, 22 Jan 2025) 


Italy releases Libyan wanted for alleged war crimes and crimes against humanity, who had been arrested on an International Criminal Court warrant (BBC, 22 Jan 2025) 


Syria terminates Russian naval base deal – Syria’s new government terminated a treaty granting Russia a long-term military presence in the Mediterranean, Syrian media reported Tuesday. (The Moscow Times, 22 Jan 2025) 


US judge blocks Trump’s order to end birthright citizenship – Executive order signed by Trump, which was to take effect on 19 February, is already the subject of five lawsuits. (The Guardian, 23/012025) 


Israeli military sets up roadblocks in southern Lebanon and announces it won’t withdraw by deadline (AP, 25 Jan 2025) 


Israel is carrying out a major military operation in the occupied West Bank (France24, 25 Jan 2025)


Keir Starmer praises Trump's role in Gaza ceasefire and hostage deal (BBC, 26 Jan 2025) 


International Holocaust Commemoration Day – World leaders gathered in Poland for the 80th anniversary of the liberation of the Auschwitz death camp by Allied forces in the second world war (27 Jan 2025) 


Fewer than 1,000 Auschwitz survivors remain as the 80th liberation anniversary nears. (The Jerusalem Post, 25 Jan 2025) 


Russian government delegation makes first official visit to Syria since Assad’s fall (AP, 29 Jan 2025) 


Syria asks Russia for reparations (Financial Times, 29 Jan 2025) 


Ukrainian drones flew 500 miles and, in a single strike, damaged 5% of Russia’s oil refining capacity (Forbes, 29 Jan 2025) 


Italy PM Meloni under investigation for releasing Libyan warlord wanted by ICC – Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni and two of her government ministers were placed under investigation Tuesday for allegedly releasing and repatriating a Libyan official wanted by the International Criminal Court for war crimes. (France 24, 28 Jan 2025) 


Italy court again blocks migrant detentions in Albania, in blow to Meloni government (Reuters, 31 Jan 2025) 


Dutch privacy watchdog to launch investigation into China's DeepSeek – The Dutch announcement follows a move by Italy on Thursday to block DeepSeek's app over privacy concerns. Ireland and France have both sought information from DeepSeek on its data processing practices. (Reuters, 31 Jan 2025) 



Published in this blog: 01 February 2025 



Timeline – Release of first hostages by Hamas


19 January 2025 – Israel eagerly awaits the return of hostages held in Hamas captivity while preparations are already underway for the extensive psychological care they will require. (The Jerusalem Post) 


19 January 2025 – Israel readying complex medical and mental health treatments for returning hostages. The Health Ministry and the Hostages Forum expect many will have life-threatening complications after over a year in captivity. (The Times of Israel) 


19 January 2025 – published at 7:15am GMT, 45 minutes after the agreed time of the ceasefire starting at 6:30am GMT: 

The IDF is continuing to operate and strike terrorist targets in Gaza. A short while ago, IDF artillery and aircraft struck a number of terrorist targets in northern and central Gaza. The IDF remains ready in offense and defense and will not allow any harm to the citizens of Israel. (IDF) 


19 January 2025 – Start of ceasefire delayed, leading to continued attacks by IDF, after dispute over receipt of hostage list. (The Guardian) 


19 January 2025, 8:39am GMT – Hamas releases names of three women who it says it will release first. (BBC) 


19 January 2025, 9:15am GMT, 11:15am local time – Gaza ceasefire has come into effect. (BBC) 


19 January 2025 – Six hours after the begin of the ceasefire, three female Israeli hostages - Romi Gonen, 24, Doron Steinbrecher, 31, and Emily Damari, 28, who is a dual British citizen - were handed over by Hamas to the Red Cross in Gaza and then to the Israeli military. (BBC) 




25 January 2025 – Four female Israeli hostages who were held by Hamas in Gaza released, in exchange for 200 Palestinian prisoners (BBC)  


27 January 2025 – Israel says eight of the remaining hostages to be released by Hamas in phase one of deal are dead (CNN) 


30 January 2025 – Three Israelis and five Thai hostages freed in Gaza, in exchange for 110 Palestinian prisoners (Sky News) 


01 February 2025 – Hamas frees three hostages from Gaza, in exchange for 183 Palestinian prisoners. (BBC) 



We won't forget ...❤️


October 7, 2023: The hours that shook Israel • FRANCE 24 English 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j2UXS8soTaY



We danced with joy then hid among the dead – Nova survivors recall Hamas massacre (BBC) 

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/videos/c0qznj3l5ypo



Sunday, 19 January 2025

From ʹPreturnʹ to ʹPolixitʹ


What the fuck, do you mean... 


Brexit --- known jargon word; (Great) Britain exits EU

Breturn --- new; (Great) Britain should return to EU 

Preturn --- not invented yet, but interesting

Dexit --- new; no chance to become popular 

Polixit --- unknown; no police? fuck politics? 



@AzadehSepehri · Jan 18, 2025 



Survival rates of Jewish people 1930–1945 in Europe


Estimated pre-war Jewish population and estimated number of murdered Jews per country during the Holocaust from 1930 to 1945: 

https://www.statista.com/statistics/1070564/jewish-populations-deaths-by-country 



Survival rates of Jewish population during Holocaust in Europe: 

France  8.9% 

Germany  5.8% 

Netherlands  0.6% 

Italy  0.6% 






Obama’s worst comment


@BarackObama . Jan 15, 2025:  

"The ceasefire and hostage release deal announced between Israel and Hamas is good news – for the families of the hostages taken on October 7th, for the Palestinian civilians who have suffered for more than a year, and for everyone who has prayed for an end to this awful chapter." 


--->  What about the hostages themselves?! What about the Israeli civilians who have suffered for many years from Hamas attacks?! 

(@AzadehSepehri · Jan 17, 2025) 


 

Seen, Shared, Sorted – The most important NEWS (01/2025)


US sends 11 Guantanamo detainees to Oman 

Eleven Yemeni detainees have been moved from the US military prison in Guantanamo Bay to Oman. The move has left 15 detainees in the prison in Cuba - the smallest number at any point in its history. In a statement, the Department of Defense thanked Oman for supporting US efforts "focused on responsibly reducing the detainee population and ultimately closing" the facility. (BBC, 07 January 2025) 


Russia is being set aflame by hundreds of arson attacks 

Russia has been victim to a number of attacks, which it blames on Ukraine. But traffic is not just one-way. In the past year Russian intelligence has almost certainly used similar methods to conduct out an arms-length arson campaign against its rival. (The Economist, 14 January 2025) 


Russian economy time bomb: Putin warned of 'seismically disruptive' war debt 

Russia is financing its military spending through a shadow plan that poses a "seismically disruptive" threat to an economy already buffeted by high inflation and interest rates, according to an analysis. (Newsweek, 13 Jan 2025)


Russia to sign ʹcomprehensiveʹ deal with Iran in tightening of new anti-West axis 

Russia is poised to sign a “comprehensive strategy partnership” with Iran ]on 17 January] in a further strengthening of an authoritarian axis of evil. Both countries are under swathes of Western sanctions, including against their energy industries. ((The Telegraph, 13 January 2025) 


Western powers warn Syria over foreign jihadists in army 

U.S., French and German envoys have warned Syria's new Islamist rulers that their appointment of foreign jihadists to senior military posts is a security concern. (Reuters, 10 January 2025)


France to remember Charlie Hebdo attacks 10 years on 

France is set to mark Tuesday (07 January) 10 years since an Islamist attack on the Charlie Hebdo satirical newspaper. President Emmanuel Macron and Paris Mayor Anne Hidalgo are set to lead commemorations at the site of the weekly’s former offices. (AFP, 07 January 2025) 


Israel targets Iran’s ‘last proxy’, Yemen’s Houthi militants 

With Hamas, Hizbollah and the Islamic republic itself all weakened and humbled after 15 months of conflict with Israel, the Houthis have styled themselves as the Palestinians’ main regional defenders and the final bastion of Iran’s so-called “axis of resistance” still attacking Israel. "The Houthis are paying, and will continue to pay, a heavy price for their aggression against us", Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said. (Financial Times, 13 Jan 2025)


IDF arrests 240 terror suspects in a Gaza hospital 

The Israeli military said on Saturday that it had completed an operation against Hamas at northern Gaza’s Kamal Adwan Hospital and the surrounding area. Some 240 suspected terror operatives were detained, including the medical centre’s director and 15 terrorists who participated in the October 7, 2023, onslaught on southern Israel. The Israel Defense Forces said the operation was launched because the hospital had "once again become a key stronghold for terrorist organizations and continues to be used as a hideout for terrorist operatives". The army said the hospital was still used by Hamas "despite repeated calls to refrain from allowing [terror operatives] to exploit hospitals for military activities". Before launching the operation, the IDF said it enabled the evacuation of 350 patients, caregivers, and medical personnel to other hospitals. (The Times of Israel, 28 December 2024) 



Published in this blog: 19 January 2025 



With the news, beyond the news (Jan2025)


Gaza ceasefire and prisoner exchange deal agreed to by Israel and Hamas (15 January 2025) 

----> I don't believe that the Gaza ceasefire deal between Israel and Hamas will last for long: 

  - Hamas wants the total destruction of Israel and the extermination of all Jews, 

  - "Hamas has replaced all militants killed in Gaza, warns US",  

  - Israel wants the destruction of Hamas.

(@AzadehSepehri · Jan 15, 2025) 



Gun-armed drones against Russia's infantry 

<---->  The West does not intend to give up the war against Russia. With the introduction of more advanced weaponry, Ukrainian losses will decrease, while Russian losses will increase. (@AzadehSepehri · Jan 17, 2025) 

Ukraine’s ‘Winchester’ Shotgun Drones Are Hunting Individual Russian Soldiers Now, Forbes, 11 January 2025: 

https://www.forbes.com/sites/davidaxe/2025/01/11/ukraines-winchester-shotgun-drones-are-hunting-individual-russian-soldiers-now/



"Zelensky says Trump's strength can end war in Ukraine" (AP, 03/01/2025) 

----> No, really... The war in Ukraine may end because: Ukraine has suffered major losses; Russia is significantly weakened; the cost of continuing the war is for Nato very high; ‘total victory’ not possible... (@AzadehSepehri · Jan 4, 2025)



"Trump says he sympathizes with Russia's opposition to NATO membership for Ukraine" (Reuters, 07 Jan 2025) 

"Trump says NATO members should raise defense spending to 5% of GDP" (France24, 07 Jan 2025) 

---->  Two things Ukraine does not have: a proper army, money. 🧐 

(@AzadehSepehri · Jan 7, 2025) 



"Syrians accuse rulers of imposing Islamist agenda in new curriculum" (FT, 03/01/2025) 

---->  Sure, the fall of Assad regime was only the first step. You have a long way to go. Syria’s fight against tyranny and for freedom continues… (@AzadehSepehri · Jan 4, 2025) 



"China's diseases control authority said on Friday that it was piloting a monitoring system for pneumonia of unknown origin" (Reuters, 27/12/2024) + reports of rise in deaths due to pneumonia in China

- WHO and media response: no, it's only the flu-like, non-dangerous HMPV. 🧐 

(@AzadehSepehri · Jan 8, 2025) 


 

"Russia is being set aflame by hundreds of arson attacks" (The Economist, 12/01/2025) 

---->  I would interpret it as "unrest in Russia

(@AzadehSepehri · Jan 14, 2025) 



"South Korea's import prices surge at fastest pace in five months as won weakens" (Reuters, 15/01/2025)

---->  What about export prices? Do they become cheaper? And will the export amount gradually decrease due to inflation? 

(@AzadehSepehri · Jan 15, 2025) 



Egoism defined thoroughly

If you really care about yourself, then you care about your relationship with others. Ignoring others and their interests, is not egoism, but being focused on short-term outcomes and benefits, while considering others involves long-term outcomes. (A.S.) 

@AzadehSepehri . Jan 8, 2025 



Terrorist attacks by Islamists on day 7th


Terrorist attacks by Islamists on day 7th: 

  - 07/07 London bombings (2005)  

  - 07 January, Paris attack (2015) 

  - 07 October, Hamas-led attack/massacre on Israelis (2023)



@AzadehSepehri · Jan 7, 2025