Articles

Israel seizes vast Iran terror axis arsenal with surprising foreign origins
ranging in manufacturers from the Islamic Republic of Iran to Russia, China to homegrown producers in Lebanon and Gaza and even a Nazi-era gun —were part of the war machinery used by Hamas and Hezbollah against Israeli civilians and the IDF since Hamas terrorists attacked southern Israel on Oct. 7, 2023.

Somali Piracy Surges Amid Hormuz Blockade
The effective closure of the Strait of Hormuz has forced hundreds of commercial ships onto longer routes around Africa, and Somali pirates are moving quickly to exploit the sudden increase in traffic off the continent’s eastern coast. Oil tankers MT Honour 25, MT Eureka and MT Asana were hijacked in the Gulf of Aden and off Puntland between April and July 2026, the largest attacks by Somali pirates in years.

11 charged in decade-long scheme allegedly selling green cards through fake marriages to Chinese nationals
The two-count indictment alleges that some foreign nationals paid as much as $100,000 to be in the sham marriages, according to the Justice Department. Federal prosecutors have charged 11 people with involvement in more than 1,000 fake marriages to gain legal status in the United States over the last decade.

FLASHBACK: Democratic U.S. Senate nominee Peggy Flanagan calls policing a “racist system”
Watch video clip.

Syria Eyes Iraq Oil Pipeline to the Mediterranean as Gulf Tensions Rise
Syria hopes to open an oil pipeline from Iraq to the Mediterranean and thereby establish itself as a force in the energy market. But the challenges are many.

Ukraine attacks Russian air base and rocket plant in Samara region
Ukraine ⁠struck industrial infrastructure in Russia’s Samara region on Saturday, local authorities said. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky confirmed the attack, saying a rocket plant and air base were hit.

Chinese Orbiter Smashes Starlink With a Tiny 2-Watt Laser Fired From 36,000 KM Above Earth
A 2-watt laser pulled off a satellite downlink from 36,000 km up, using a new signal trick that pushed performance far beyond earlier results. The result was a 1 gigabit-per-second downlink from a satellite in stationary orbit using a laser transmitter rated at just 2 watts. The South China Morning Post reported the experiment on June 17, 2025, describing the recorded data rate as five times faster than Starlink in its comparison.

Democratic Socialist Leaders Squirm When Asked About Cuba, Venezuela, And Nicaragua’s Dictatorships
Mexican journalist and Miami-based news anchor Jorge Gilberto Ramos Ávalos had one of the most revealing exchanges yet with the leadership of the Democratic Socialists of America.Ramos repeatedly pressed the socialists’ national DSA co-chairs on whether Cuba, Venezuela, and Nicaragua should be classified as dictatorships. Neither of the far-left extremists could provide a direct answer. … help me understand the difference between the kind of democratic socialism that you support and what’s happening in Cuba and in Nicaragua, in Venezuela. Recently we heard Daniel Ortega saying that he doesn’t want to have elections in Nicaragua. Of course, Cuba hasn’t had multiparty elections since 1959

Lutnick Draws Red Line: “Great American Companies” Shouldn’t Use Chinese Memory Chips
One week after The Wall Street Journal reported that Tim Cook’s Apple was testing memory chips from China’s CXMT, a company blacklisted by the Pentagon over alleged ties to the People’s Liberation Army, the outlet published a follow-up story with an interview with Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick, who publicly urged Apple not to proceed. The Trump administration is not in favor of that,” Lutnick said

Hawaii Braces For Direct Tropical Storm Hit On Big Island
Hawaii’s Big Island is under a hurricane warning as Tropical Storm Lala is expected to make landfall on Saturday local time, according to the National Hurricane Center. “This is a very serious storm,” Hawaii Gov. Josh Green told reporters late Friday night. “We have not had a hurricane make landfall in quite some time. So none of us really have experienced this really in, you know, the last couple of decades.”

Israel as the Middle East’s ‘mistress’: wanted behind closed doors, shunned in public
Security ties with Gulf states endure, but Saudi normalization now carries a higher political price, as the Palestinian issue, new regional alliances and years of war test whether Israel can still turn military strength into lasting regional integration

MASSIVE SHIPMENT: Thousands Of Tons Of Military Equipment Arrive In Israel From U.S.
Israel’s Defense Ministry announced Thursday that another cargo ship carrying thousands of tons of military equipment and weaponry purchased in the United States has arrived in Israel and been unloaded at Haifa Port. The shipment is part of an ongoing effort to bolster the IDF’s readiness for a range of potential scenarios and ensure the continued operational capabilities of Israel’s ground forces.

2 powerful earthquakes hit Indonesia in one day; one killing at least 47
A 7.7 earthquake that struck eastern Indonesia on Saturday killed at least 47 people. A second, 6.4 quake struck the country’s western Sumatra island later. Authorities said dozens more residents were injured and warned that the death toll would almost certainly rise.

An Inversion of God’s Design: New Study Says Human Population Needs to Be Cut in Half
Today’s environmentalism says humans are a blight, a disease, on this planet and we need to start removing ourselves for the betterment of everything else. Consider this quote from a new study that claims we need to halve the world population, taking it from 8 billion to less than 4 billion, by 2200.

Communist Democratic Socialists of America Commemorates ‘100 Years of Fidel’ While Accusing Marco Rubio of Cuban Genocide
The Democratic Socialists of America celebrated “100 Years of Fidel” this week, praising communism and Castro’s monstrous dictatorship that has imprisoned, tortured, and murdered many, many Cubans. They accused Marco Rubio of genocide and demanded reparations as well.

The Religious Discrimination Continues: Gov. Abbott Scraps ‘Illegal’ DFW Airport Muslim Foot-Washing Stations, but Don’t Be Fooled… They Are Already There
“The Dallas-Fort Worth Airport suddenly scrapped its plans for additional Wudu foot-washing stations in Terminal D restrooms after Governor Abbott brought the hammer down and called for an investigation over religious discrimination. Wudu stations are already in the interfaith chapel at the airport – they shouldn’t be.”

Britain’s Elite Speech Monitoring Squad Has Flagged 106 Posts
They called it elite. An elite squad of detectives, drawn from forces across England and Wales and convened at the National Police Coordination Centre for a mission of national weight, spying on people’s social media posts.

Antisemitic Attack in Mamdani’s New York: Man Assaults Congregant and Security Guard at Synagogue
On Friday night, Shabbat, an unhinged man entered a Manhattan synagogue and launched an antisemitic attack on congregants. According to police, Larry Montes, 46, allegedly punched a congregant before headbutting a security guard and spitting on him.

Abdul El-Sayed to Appear with Jew-Hating Pakistani Cleric Tariq Masood Who was Denounced for ‘Pedophilic Rhetoric’
El-Sayed is going to headline an event with a Jew-hating Pakistani cleric, Tariq Masood, for the Islamic Society of North America. He will talk on “Cultivating God Awareness in a Turmoiled America. Masood has been hammered for “pedophilic rhetoric” after marrying off his 13-year-old niece to an older Muslim man under Islamic law.

Health workers in Congo struggle to keep up as Ebola outpaces contact tracing
The outbreak has killed over 2,200 people out of over 4,700 cases. The death toll has been reached almost 3 times faster than 2014-16’s outbreak. Workers search for those exposed and suspected/confirmed cases. But surveillance is failing to keep pace with the virus. 60% to 70% of new cases are detected among people not already monitored.

There Likely Won’t Be ‘Meaningful’ Iran Talks Until Their Leadership Changes
Rep. Darrell Issa (R-CA) said, “The real change has to be a change in how Iran treats the rest of the world, and particularly, its neighbors, both Arab and Jew…. Iran doesn’t have an off-ramp because they don’t want one. They are exactly what they’ve been for nearly half a century, a terrorist expansion-based ideological country.”

The Gaither Vocal Band sings a great song called “I Believe in a Hill Called Mt. Calvary.”

Here are the words written by Bill Gaither, Dale Oldham, and Gloria L. Gaither:

I believe in a hill called Mount Calvary
I believe whatever the cost
And when time has surrendered
And Earth is no more
I’ll still cling to the old rugged cross

I believe that this life with its great mysteries
Surely someday will come to an end
But faith will conquer the darkness and death
And will lead at last to my friend

I believe that the Christ
Who was slain on the cross
Has the power to change lives today
For He changed me completely
A new life is mine
And that is why by the cross
I will stay

I believe in a hill called Mount Calvary
I believe whatever the cost
And when time has surrendered
And Earth is no more
I’ll still cling to the old rugged cross

Some of the things that caught my attention about this great song are that the quartet believes:

When Earth is no more.
Life will surely come to an end.
Faith in the resurrected Jesus will overcome death.
Jesus has the power to change our life.
The most important thing we can do in life is to cling to the one who died on the old rugged cross.

Paul Harvey, a well-known radio commentator, became famous by talking about “The Rest of The Story.”

I believe death or the Rapture (and eventually a destroyed Earth) are certain, but they are not the end of the story.

Here are some recent events that cause me to believe the end of the age is near:

One, concerning an increase in the frequency and intensity of natural disasters at the end of the age: on Aug. 3, 2026, in the Hungarian capital, Budapest, the water level in the Danube River dropped to just 10 centimeters (about 4 inches).

The previous record low was 33 centimeters, set in 2018.

Countries across Central and Eastern Europe have been forced to take dramatic steps to conserve electricity and avert an energy crisis because plunging water levels have pushed power plants to the brink of shutdown.

More: On Aug. 6, 2026, Lake Mead, America’s largest water reservoir by storage capacity, hit a record low.

Prolonged drought conditions and exceptionally low snowpack have contributed to the significant declines in water levels at several Colorado River Basin reservoirs this year.

More: On Aug. 7, 2026, Puerto Rico began rationing water amid severe drought.

More than 180,000 customer accounts in the capital city of San Juan and nearby areas will have running water cut off for 48 hours at a time.

July was San Juan’s driest month on record since 1899.

More: On Aug. 7, 2026, it was reported that Ferry routes have been suspended, construction halted, fishermen evacuated, and drones deployed to patrol over the sea as China’s coastal provinces prepare for the landfall of Typhoon Dolphin, the fourth typhoon to hit the country this summer.

More: On Aug. 10, 2026, a 7.4 earthquake struck Colombia. Initial reports say 111 killed, dozens trapped, many missing.

(Note: There are fires, floods, earthquakes, wars and rumors of wars, famine, pestilences, wickedness and deceit all over the world, and it seems like a weekly thing.)

Two, on Aug. 7, 2026, the Prophecy News Watch (PNW) staff posted a great article titled Jerusalem’s Cup Is Trembling Again: The Battle for The Temple Mount.

Here is just part of the article:

The Middle East is burning.
Wars are spreading, oil routes are under threat, and nations are struggling to contain chaos from Gaza to the Persian Gulf.
Yet nearly 20 Muslim nations have found time to unite around one urgent concern: Jews praying on the Temple Mount.
That fact alone should tell us something.
A few Jewish worshippers quietly praying on a hilltop in Jerusalem can provoke emergency meetings, diplomatic threats, and warnings of regional upheaval.
Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan recently described a gathering in Amman as “historic,” as Islamic governments discussed coordinated action against Israel over developments at Al-Aqsa.
Why does this small piece of land create such fear and fury?
Because the Temple Mount is not merely another disputed location.
It is the spiritual heart of Jerusalem, the place where the First and Second Jewish Temples stood, and the place where the Jewish people believe their biblical history is anchored.
The prophet Zechariah warned that Jerusalem would become “a cup of trembling” to the surrounding peoples and “a burdensome stone” for the nations.
What other city creates this kind of reaction?
Jerusalem has no enormous oil reserves.
The Temple Mount controls no global shipping lane.
It is a relatively small hilltop.
Yet Jews praying there can summon foreign ministers from across the Islamic world.
That is not ordinary geopolitics.
The Bible said Jerusalem would become an obsession for the nations.
Today, it is becoming exactly that.

Here is a link to the entire article:

https://www.prophecynewswatch.com/article.cfm?recent_news_id=10362

Three, concerning deceit: on Aug. 10. 2026, it was reported that Suleiman Maswadeh, a commentator for Channel 13 News, said:

I’ve stopped being worried or getting excited about Trump’s statements.
Tomorrow it could be different, and the day after tomorrow he could change course again.
Tomorrow he could declare war, and three days later announce a deal, and next week it could flip again.
Look at the fiasco.
We were at the memorandum of understanding, which was supposed to be the path toward a comprehensive agreement.
Now we’re talking about an agreement that is actually below the level of the memorandum of understanding, and it isn’t even between the United States and Iran.
It’s between Oman and Iran – and even that still isn’t happening.

More: on Aug. 10, 2026, Pres. Trump said that he is prepared to let economic pressure on Iran build rather than order a renewed military offensive.

Four, concerning deception and a false peace at the end of the age: on Aug. 10 a reader sent the following statement to me that was written by Amir Tsarfati and posted by Israel:

There is wall-to-wall agreement in Israel, from the left to the right, that the 15-point plan for Gaza is bad for Israel.
And here is why: This framework turns the ISF from a force originally intended to help dismantle Hamas into a force that could effectively protect Hamas from the IDF.
Muslim soldiers standing between Hamas and the IDF are exactly what Hamas has been hoping for since the beginning of the war.
Qatar and Turkey have been brought in through the back door to serve as the “judges” who determine whether Hamas has actually disarmed.
The original Trump plan stated that “Gaza will be demilitarized.”
In other words, the weapons were supposed to be removed from Gaza.
That is what Netanyahu agreed to.
Yet under the new plan, the weapons would remain stored in warehouses inside Gaza – meaning that Gaza would not truly be demilitarized.
No sane Israeli can agree to broken promises, to leaving Gaza armed, to word games, to being lulled into complacency, or to the downplaying of an existential threat.
This is not a matter of left versus right.
This is not a political matter.
This is an existential matter.

(Note: Israel’s Prime Min. Netanyahu has rejected Pres. Trump’s 15-Point plan for Gaza.)

Five, on Aug. 12, 2026, Worthy News reported, in part, that:

Millions across Europe watched as a rare total solar eclipse swept across the northern Atlantic and portions of the continent, an extraordinary celestial event unfolding just hours before the biblical calendar entered Elul — the month traditionally associated with repentance, spiritual preparation, and the approach of the King.
At sunset, August 12, Rosh Chodesh Elul began, opening the final month before the Feast of Trumpets, or Rosh Hashanah.
The month leads directly toward the Feast of Trumpets, followed by the (Ten) Days of Awe and Yom Kippur, the Day of Atonement.
A famous Jewish expression associated with Elul declares that during this season, “the King is in the field.”
For believers in Yeshua (Jesus), the image carries an unmistakable reminder: now is the time to seek the King while He may be found.
Whether Wednesday’s eclipse carries any prophetic significance cannot be stated with certainty. But its remarkable timing — darkness falling across Europe as Elul begins — offers a powerful Biblical picture.
The month of repentance has arrived.
The trumpet season is approaching.
And according to an ancient Jewish expression heard every Elul: The King is in the field [and He is coming back].

Here is a link to the entire article:

https://www.worthynews.com/116680-rare-solar-eclipse-ushers-in-elul-as-heavens-mark-biblical-season-of-repentance

(My question: If this is it, are you ready?)

Here are some day-to-day reports on what is happening in the U.S.-Iran war:

Thur. Day 160 (Aug. 6, 2026) (Day 107 of Trump’s latest ceasefire extension) (67 days from the day Pres. Trump said he will declare total victory over Iran)

Iran’s Islamic regime is accelerating the execution of protesters in what human-rights advocates describe as a calculated campaign to terrorize the population and prevent another nationwide uprising. (My note: I think I remember Pres. Trump telling protesters “help is on the way” many weeks ago.).
Multiple credible intelligence reports indicate Yemen’s Houthis, Iraqi militias, and Iran’s IRGC are preparing to launch massive coordinated attacks against Saudi Arabia. Targets are expected to include civilian, energy and oil facilities, critical infrastructure, airports, and ports. The Intel adds that missiles and drones are being repositioned for simultaneous attacks.

Fri. Day 161 (Aug. 7, 2026) (Day 108 of Trump’s latest ceasefire extension) (68 days from the day Pres. Trump said he will declare total victory over Iran)

I didn’t record anything.

Sat. Day 162 (Aug. 8, 2026) (Day 109 of Trump’s latest ceasefire extension) (69 days from the day Pres. Trump said he will declare total victory over Iran)

I didn’t record anything.

Sun. Day 163 (Aug. 9, 2026) (Day 110 of Trump’s latest ceasefire extension) (70 days from the day Pres. Trump said he will declare total victory over Iran)

Israel officially rejected the 15-point Gaza document proposed by the Board of Peace. Netanyahu said, “The IDF will not carry out any withdrawal until Hamas is genuinely disarmed.” He added, “When I say Hamas is disarmed, that means the heavy weapons, the less heavy weapons, all the weapons,”
Netanyahu said, “As for the Gaza Strip, first of all, I want to make the main point clear: as long as I am prime minister, there will be no Palestinian state, not in Gaza and not in Judea and Samaria.”
The Israeli military has directly informed CENTCOM Commander Adm. Brad Cooper that Israel does not need approval or support from the US to wage war against Iran, adding “we are currently making preparations to start the war.” (Note: Some think Israel is preparing to resume the war because they no longer believe Pres. Trump intends to complete the job.)

Mon. Day 164 (Aug. 10, 2026) (Day 111 of Trump’s latest ceasefire extension) (71 days from the day Pres. Trump said he will declare total victory over Iran)

Iran has deployed regular army special forces into northern Iraq 14 times in the last two months, carrying out a series of ground raids against Iranian Kurdish opposition groups, as Tehran moves to eliminate forces it views as a potential threat to the Islamic Republic.
Trump appears prepared to let Iran’s worsening economic crisis intensify rather than immediately launch another major military offensive, as the Islamic Republic struggles with a collapsing currency, soaring inflation, disrupted trade and growing pressure from a U.S. naval blockade.
Trump said the U.S. Navy has “100%” control of the Strait of Hormuz and is enforcing an “infallible” blockade of Iranian ports that he characterized as a “steel wall.”

Tues. Day 164 (Aug. 11, 2026) (Day 112 of Trump’s latest ceasefire extension) (72 days from the day Pres. Trump said he will declare total victory over Iran)

Thousands of people in Dubai are fleeing to the city’s major airport, trying to get the first flight out to … anywhere. Dubai airport plunged into chaos today as thousands of travelers, accompanied by their families, rush to leave the city amid growing fears of potential drone attacks by Iran! The locals seem to know something the rest of us have not heard about (yet).
characterized as a “steel wall.”

Wed. Day 165 (Aug. 12, 2026) (Day 113 of Trump’s latest ceasefire extension) (73 days from the day Pres. Trump said he will declare total victory over Iran)

Trump said, The USA has total control over the Strait of Hormuz. I THINK WE WILL KEEP IT! Our Naval Blockade is being called, by everyone, ‘A WALL OF STEEL,’ and there is nothing Iran can do about it.

Finally, are you Rapture Ready?

If you want to be rapture ready and go to heaven, you must be born again (John 3:3). God loves you, and if you have not done so, sincerely admit that you are a sinner; believe that Jesus is the virgin-born, sinless Son of God, who died for the sins of the world, was buried, and raised from the dead; ask Him to forgive your sins, cleanse you, come into your heart and be your Saviour; then tell someone that you have done this.

duck_daymond@yahoo.com

16 Aug 2026

I Believe :: By Daymond Duck