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RafifJ

@rafifj.bsky.social
1.5K followers 290 following 493 posts

American by birth, Syrian by blood, activist by nature. Shouting from the rooftop: FREE SYRIA. VP, Syrian Liberal Party; board president, Baytna and Nonviolence International. #Resist

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Leah McElrath @leahmcelrath.bsky.social · 19/06/2026
⚠️ Iran FM re Ben-Gvir post: “This is not a rant by a random genocidal lunatic. It's a public post by the national security minister of the Israeli regime. The genocidal death cult headquartered in Tel Aviv is a threat to all of humanity. It threatens all humans. Its only interest is permanent war.”
Seyed Abbas Araghchi X.com
@araghchi
This is not a rant by a random genocidal lunatic. It's a public post by the national security minister of the Israeli regime.
The genocidal death cult
headquartered in Tel Aviv is a threat to all of humanity. It threatens all humans.
Its only interest is permanent war.Follow
@itamarbengvir
Translated from Hebrew Show original
For every tear of an Israeli mother, a thousand Lebanese mothers must weep. All of Lebanon must burn!
With all due respect to the Americans, Israel must make it clear to the entire world that the blood of our sons and the security of our citizens are not forfeit. All of Lebanon must burn. Our supreme duty is to protect the citizens of Israel and the soldiers of the IDF, and this commitment takes precedence over every other consideration.
I told the Prime Minister, even in our private meetings:
For every tear of an Israeli mother, a thousand Lebanese mothers must weep.
Enough with the ping-pong. In the Middle East, you don't win with measured responses and restraint-you need to go berserk. To obliterate. To crush the terror.
Rate this translation:
8:02 AM • Jun 19, 2026 • 261.6K Views
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Mai El-Sadany @maitelsadany.bsky.social · 19/06/2026
The United States government's restrictions on Iran's team are shameful, antithetical to the point of the World Cup, and frankly, petty and embarrassing and FIFA'S willingness to accept them without any opposition or pushback is gross. www.nytimes.com/2026/06/17/w...
nytimes.com
Team Medic Recounts Iran’s ‘Stressful’ World Cup Debut in L.A.
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Aron Lund @aronlund.bsky.social · 19/06/2026
“A senior Hezbollah lawmaker said Iran had told the group that talks with the [USA] could not continue without a comprehensive ceasefire and that Washington was responsible for ensuring Israel halts its attacks.” Nandita Bose, Yomna Ehab, Humeyra Pamuk @reuters.com www.reuters.com/world/europe...
reuters.com
US-Iran meeting in Switzerland scrapped as fighting flares in Lebanon
The cancellation of talks created new uncertainty about the timing of negotiations on turning an interim agreement into a more permanent Middle East peace deal.
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Javier Espinosa @javierespinosa.bsky.social · 06/05/2026
La estremecedora historia del abuelo libanés que murió "de pena" sobre los escombros de su vivienda, destruida por el ejército de Israel www.lorientlejour.com/article/1505...
lorientlejour.com
Abou Ali, l’octogénaire qui s’est endormi sur les décombres de sa maison à Srifa, n’est plus
Sa photo avait fait le tour des réseaux sociaux et suscité l’émoi parmi de nombreux internautes. Hussein Fakih, alias Abou Ali, cet octogénaire originaire de Srifa (caza de Tyr) qui s’était fait...
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Javier Espinosa @javierespinosa.bsky.social · 04/05/2026
El Apartheid es un sistema implantado por Israel desde hace décadas en los Territorios Palestinos. Hay leyes diferentes incluso a la hora de reprimir la violencia. A los palestinos se les dispara, a los judíos no. Lo dicen los militares www.haaretz.com/israel-news/...
haaretz.com
West Bank IDF chief admits unequal rules for shooting Palestinians and Jews
IDF General Avi Bluth Says Troops Avoid Shooting Jewish Stone-throwers While Enforcing Looser Rules for Shooting Palestinians. 'The Arabs Understand That if Someone Comes to Kill You, Kill Them First ...
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Zeteo @zeteo.com · 02/05/2026
“Trump is lying. The Iran war is not over by any legal or physical standard.” Former defense intel analyst @harrisonmann.bsky.social writes about the War Powers Resolution and why Trump is declaring an end to a war which is far from over. zeteo.com/p/iran-war-w...
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JewelzinAZ @jewelzinaz.bsky.social · 29/04/2026
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Askme @askme99.bsky.social · 29/04/2026
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Aymenn Jawad Al-Tamimi @ajaltamimi.bsky.social · 28/04/2026
Springtime in rural Syria…a truly wonderful sight (photo I took during a recent drive). Please do visit the country and explore its countryside ❤️❤️
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New Lines Magazine @newlinesmag.bsky.social · 28/04/2026
Bahrain has revoked the citizenship of 69 people, @newlinesmag.bsky.social has learned, including entire families with Shiite and Indo-Iranian roots, accusing them of sympathizing with Tehran during the ongoing conflict. newlinesmag.com/running-note...
newlinesmag.com
Bahrain Strips Citizenship From Dozens Over Alleged Iran Sympathy
The Bahraini government has revoked the citizenship of 69 individuals, alleging that they sympathized with the Iranian attacks on the kingdom. Bahrain’s Interior Ministry alleges that these individual...
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Middle East Eye (Unofficial) @middleeasteye-rss.bsky.social · 28/04/2026
UAE says Opec exit aligns with long-term energy strategy - www.middleeasteye.net/live-blog/liv…
middleeasteye.net
UAE says Opec exit aligns with long-term energy strategy
<article data-history-node-id="439198" about="https://www.middleeasteye.net/live-blog/live-blog-update/uae-says-opec-exit-aligns-long-term-energy-strategy" class="live-blog-update default clearfix"> <h2> <a href="https://www.middleeasteye.net/live-blog/live-blog-update/uae-says-opec-exit-aligns-long-term-energy-strategy" rel="bookmark"> <span class="field field-title">UAE says Opec exit aligns with long-term energy strategy</span> </a> </h2> <div class="content"> <div class="field field-field-text"><p>Sultan Al Jaber, the UAE Minister of Industry and Advanced Technology and managing director of Adnoc, said his country’s decision to leave Opec and Opec+ reflects a “sovereign decision in line with its long-term energy strategy”.</p> <p>He said Adnoc’s priorities remain unchanged, with a focus on meeting global energy demand across oil, gas, chemicals and lower-carbon energy sources.</p> <p>The announcement comes amid a major energy shock linked to the US-Israeli war on Iran.</p> </div> </div> </article>
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Kate from Kharkiv @kateinkharkiv.bsky.social · 28/04/2026
HOLY SHIT! Tuapse is hot! 🔥😎
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Fared Al Mahlool | فريد المحلول @faredalmahlool.bsky.social · 28/04/2026
Israeli soldier shows Beit Hanoun, Gaza totally destroyed. Not a single house in the town remains standing.
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Leah McElrath @leahmcelrath.bsky.social · 28/04/2026
In Tehran today:
Woman, man, and large dog riding a motorcycle on a city street 

Photo by AttaKenare for AFP
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Mai El-Sadany @maitelsadany.bsky.social · 28/04/2026
⚖️ You can read @timep.bsky.social and @sjac-info.bsky.social's amicus brief here: timep.org/2026/04/20/s... (6)
timep.org
SJAC and TIMEP Submit US Supreme Court Amicus Brief on TPS for Syria
Conditions in Syria preclude a safe, dignified and sustainable return of Syrian Temporary Protected Status holders.
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Mai El-Sadany @maitelsadany.bsky.social · 28/04/2026
⚖️ Our amicus brief builds on years of documentation work by Syrian civil society partners, nuanced knowledge of country conditions including following the fall of Assad, and a complex understanding of Syria along security, legal, economic, humanitarian, and justice lenses. (5)
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Mai El-Sadany @maitelsadany.bsky.social · 28/04/2026
⚖️ The stakes could not be higher! Tomorrow, the Supreme Court will hear oral arguments in a case that will help determine the fate of Temporary Protected Status for Syria, a life-saving program that today allows ~7,000 Syrians who cannot otherwise return to remain in the US. (1)
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Linda🧷💙🌊🆘🐕🐿️🕊️🇺🇦 @lindaworkerbee.bsky.social · 28/04/2026
TY Beth! 😘💙🤗🫶😊 @bluestormcomin1.bsky.social @beaches1.bsky.social @coramaywilson.bsky.social @kayaeger.bsky.social @crankyoldcrackpot.bsky.social @fireeyebooks.bsky.social @docmurphydog.bsky.social @cherylbluewave.bsky.social @lindaworkerbee.bsky.social Happy Monday!
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Rima I Anabtawi @rimaanabtawi.bsky.social · 28/04/2026
250 Rohingya refugees drowned, 30 were suffocated to death in the cramped conditions beforehand, and the world hardly bats an eye. Are their lives any less valuable? www.ucanews.com/news/when-si...
ucanews.com
When silence drowns the Rohingya: Do their lives not matter?- UCA News
A Rohingya refugee boat tragedy in the Andaman Sea exposes global indifference, highlighting inequality in empathy, urgent humanitarian needs, and ASEAN’s responsibility to act.
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elia ayoub @ayoub.bsky.social · 27/04/2026
Another day of the Israeli 'ceasefire': Israel bombed multiple villages and towns in south Lebanon and continued to detonate entire villages
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Middle East Eye (Unofficial) @middleeasteye-rss.bsky.social · 26/04/2026
Syria begins trial of first Assad-era official in Damascus - www.middleeasteye.net/news/syria-be…
middleeasteye.net
Syria begins trial of first Assad-era official in Damascus
Atef Najib, cousin of Bashar al-Assad, is accused of orchestrating the repression of the first 2011 protests
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Leah McElrath @leahmcelrath.bsky.social · 26/04/2026
Bless him.
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Qusay Noor @qusaynoor.net · 26/04/2026
“Hamza didn’t come back… but the truth never dies.”
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Rima I Anabtawi @rimaanabtawi.bsky.social · 26/04/2026
Going forward, I’ll not post another thing about the, individual, gunman, in keeping with the principles of #NoNoteriety.
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#BlueStormComin1🌪️🦋🇺🇸 #Resistance 🦋🙌🏻 #Blues @bluestormcomin1.bsky.social · 25/04/2026
We need at least 42 followers for @fireeyebooks.bsky.social so close to 100k Let’s do this 🐾 and repost please
media.tenor.com
two boys are jumping in the air with the words lets gooooo !!!
ALT: two boys are jumping in the air with the words lets gooooo !!!
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Justin Salhani @justinsalhani.bsky.social · 25/04/2026
In Lebanon and Gaza, a ceasefire means Israel still gets to attack just the killing is largely restricted to certain geographic areas rather than everywhere at any time.
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TrumpsTaxes @trumpstaxes.com · 22/04/2026
Donald Trump is the most hated man in Northern Virginia.
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The New Arab @thenewarab.bsky.social · 20/02/2026
Book Club: In 'Fearful in Gaza', Abdalhadi Alijla traces childhood, family life, and maternal endurance against the backdrop of Gaza’s recurrent destruction:
newarab.com
Fearful in Gaza: Childhood, memory, and survival in the Strip
Book Club: In ’Fearful in Gaza’, Abdalhadi Alijla traces childhood, family life, and maternal endurance against the backdrop of Gaza’s recurrent destruction
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Abu Aardvark @abuaardvark.bsky.social · 21/04/2026
“An extremist rabbi known for razing civilian homes in Gaza will light a torch at Israel’s independence day celebration on Tuesday, a role human rights campaigners said marked the embrace of genocide as the official “spirit of the nation”.” www.theguardian.com/world/2026/a...
theguardian.com
Rabbi who boasts of bulldozing Palestinian homes will light torch for Israel’s national day
Human rights campaigners say honour for Avraham Zarbiv endorses ethnic cleansing and war crimes
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Sally Hayden @sallyhayd.bsky.social · 20/04/2026
Dahiyeh today #lebanon
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SarahAndCo @sarahandco.bsky.social · 21/04/2026
Army veterans have just staged a PEACEFUL PROTEST at the Capitol Building against the war in Iran and we're arrested! How long before Trump denounces them as domestic terrorists, unlike those nice tourists who showed up there on Jan 6th?
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Andy Carvin @acarv.in · 21/04/2026
"The lawsuit targets the CDC DHS, ICE, IRS, and the Social Security Administration, all of which have failed to produce records in response to Freedom of Information Act requests seeking information about their use of Palantir tools and access to sensitive data."
americanoversight.org
American Oversight Sues for Records on Trump Administration Use of Palantir Tools
American Oversight sued for records on the Trump administration's use of Palantir tools amid growing privacy and data collection concerns.
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The Mouthy Renegade Writer @mouthyrenegade.bsky.social · 21/04/2026
If Trump is gone before I wake, I pray to God the news ain't fake...
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Joyce Karam @joycekaram.bsky.social · 21/04/2026
NEWS: Israel sees chances of Trump-#Iran deal almost “non-existent”, is preparing for next phase of war. Ceasefire expires today 7:50 pm ET www.al-monitor.com/originals/20...
al-monitor.com
Israel sees chance of US-Iran deal as almost 'non-existent,' readies for war
As US President Trump makes contradictory statements regarding his intentions toward Iran and the ongoing negotiations, Israel is preparing for the possibility of resuming military operations.
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Anonymous @youranoncentral.bsky.social · 21/04/2026
In 2002 a 17 year old from Londrina, Brazil boarded Jeffrey Epstein’s private jet in Paris and was trafficked to New York. Around 30 girls were on that flight. Ghislaine Maxwell prowled the cabin. Some girls sat on Epstein’s lap. The teenager was Amanda Ungaro. www.yacnews.com/amanda-ungar...
yacnews.com
'I know everything': Brazilian model Amanda Ungaro, Paolo Zampolli, and how the Epstein Network Brought Them Both to Trump's White House
Flown to New York on Epstein's jet at 17, partnered for two decades with the man who brought Melania to the US, deported before she could post bail after a single phone call to a federal official, Ama...
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elia ayoub @ayoub.bsky.social · 21/04/2026
Israeli genocide scholar Omer Bartov will have his book on Zionism and genocide translated into 9-10 languages, but not Hebrew. He even offered to translate it himself, but not a single Israeli publisher would go near it. Not even the ‘leftwing’ ones. www.theguardian.com/world/2026/a...
theguardian.com
What went wrong in Israel? A genocide scholar examines ‘what Zionism became’
In his new book, Omer Bartov tracks how a liberatory strand of Zionism transformed into an extremist ideology that he sees as responsible for genocide in Gaza
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JoAnn @allbluegma.bsky.social · 21/04/2026
If you’re in Virginia, for the sake of everything that matters to the rest of the civilized world, please get out today and vote yes on the constitutional amendment
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Meanwhile in Indiana… @robertlandrumjr.bsky.social · 20/04/2026
Maybe 🤔, just maybe, we shouldn’t allow drunks, idiots, and dementia patients to be in charge of our country.
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Steven Heydemann @stevenhyde.bsky.social · 20/04/2026
Bailout. Of the UAE. WTF. From The Google: "As of early 2026, the UAE's state-owned investors manage approximately $2.93 trillion in assets, ranking as the world's fourth-largest holder of state wealth."
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WomenRiseUp2026 @womenriseup2026.bsky.social · 20/04/2026
Release the #EpsteinFiles NOW.... #Iran #Epstein
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elia ayoub @ayoub.bsky.social · 21/04/2026
I don’t give af about mass murderers feeling bad for murdering our children. You *are* a monster for mass murdering civilians. You want to feel human again? Expose those who gave you the order to murder. Be a ‘traitor’. Grow a fucking spine. 🧵 www.haaretz.com/israel-news/...
haaretz.com
'When I returned from Gaza they called me a hero. But I felt I was a monster'
Some of Them Killed Civilians in Gaza; Others Just Looked On, or Witnessed Abuse and Cover-ups in the Name of Revenge. Now They're Trying to Cope With Something a Bit Different Than PTSD
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Rima I Anabtawi @rimaanabtawi.bsky.social · 21/04/2026
UN humanitarian chief: “For every day of this conflict, $2bn is being spent. My entire target for a hyper-prioritised plan to save 87 million lives is $23bn. We could have funded that in less than a fortnight of this reckless war.” www.theguardian.com/world/2026/a...
theguardian.com
US spending on ‘reckless’ Iran war could have saved 87m lives, says UN
Head of UN’s humanitarian agency frustrated that $2bn weekly cost of conflict comes amid big cuts to aid budgets
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Javier Espinosa @javierespinosa.bsky.social · 20/04/2026
La población del norte de Israel, que vive en guerra perpetua, indignada con Netanyahu.. por intentar poner fin a la guerra. El problema no es Netanyahu sino una sociedad dominada por el extremismo. elpais.com/internaciona...
elpais.com
La tregua en Líbano enciende el norte de Israel por las promesas incumplidas de Netanyahu
La principal ciudad de la zona cierra los colegios en protesta por el alto el fuego. Lo consideran una rendición después de que el Gobierno les vendiese una victoria total sobre Hezbolá
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Cédric Mas @cedricmas.eurosky.social · 20/04/2026
Bonjourrrr
Photo d’un soldat israélien détruisant à la masse une statue d’un Christ sur la croix au Sud Liban
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Cédric Mas @cedricmas.eurosky.social · 21/04/2026
Bonjourrrr
Image d’un immeuble à Sumy dont la cour a été ravagée par une frappe russe cette nuit. On voit les carcasses calcinées de voitures alignées.
Cette nuit les Russes ont lancé 2 missiles et 143 drones (la DCA revendique 116 drones interceptés). Sumy et Dnipropetrovsk ont été les plus touchés le bilan humain est d’au moins 15 civils blessés dont 3 enfants.
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RafifJ @rafifj.bsky.social · 21/04/2026
I’ve lost count. How many wars has Trump ended today?
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Middle East Eye (Unofficial) @middleeasteye-rss.bsky.social · 21/04/2026
No Iranian delegation has departed for Pakistan yet, state TV says - www.middleeasteye.net/live-blog/liv…
middleeasteye.net
No Iranian delegation has departed for Pakistan yet, state TV says
<article data-history-node-id="438688" about="https://www.middleeasteye.net/live-blog/live-blog-update/no-iranian-delegation-has-departed-pakistan-yet-state-tv-says" class="live-blog-update default clearfix"> <h2> <a href="https://www.middleeasteye.net/live-blog/live-blog-update/no-iranian-delegation-has-departed-pakistan-yet-state-tv-says" rel="bookmark"> <span class="field field-title">No Iranian delegation has departed for Pakistan yet, state TV says</span> </a> </h2> <div class="content"> <div class="field field-field-text"><p>Iranian state television said Tuesday that no Iranian delegation had yet departed for talks with the United States in Pakistan.&nbsp;</p> <p>"So far, no delegation from&nbsp;Iran&nbsp;has departed for Islamabad, Pakistan; whether it is the main or subsidiary delegation; primary or secondary," state TV said, dismissing reports suggesting otherwise.</p> <figure role="group" class="media-block"> <div class="group-inner"> <div alt="A security personnel walks along a closed road near the Serena Hotel at the Red Zone area in Islamabad on 21 April, 2026. (AFP)" data-embed-button="file_browser" data-entity-embed-display="image:image" data-entity-embed-display-settings="{" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="4ff6f792-0cbd-426d-9be0-9b5b4591aae7" data-langcode="en" class="embedded-entity"> <img src="https://www.middleeasteye.net/sites/default/files/A%20security%20personnel%20walks%20along%20a%20closed%20road%20near%20the%20Serena%20Hotel%20at%20the%20Red%20Zone%20area%20in%20Islamabad%20on%20April%2021%2C%202026.%20AFPjpg.jpg" width="1024" height="682" alt="A security personnel walks along a closed road near the Serena Hotel at the Red Zone area in Islamabad on 21 April, 2026. (AFP)" typeof="foaf:Image" fetchpriority="high"> </div> <figcaption>A security personnel walks along a closed road near the Serena Hotel at the Red Zone area in Islamabad on 21 April, 2026. (AFP)</figcaption> </div> </figure> <p><span style="background: url(&quot;https://www.middleeasteye.net/modules/contrib/ckeditor/vendor/plugins/widget/images/handle.png&quot;) rgba(220, 220, 220, 0.5); top: -15px; left: 0px;"><img height="15" role="presentation" src="data:image/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAPABAP///wAAACH5BAEKAAAALAAAAAABAAEAAAICRAEAOw==" title="Click and drag to move" width="15" loading="lazy"></span></p> </div> </div> </article>
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James O’Brien @mrjamesob.bsky.social · 20/04/2026
Anyone know whether today is a ‘ceasefire’ day or a ‘destroy your civilisation’ day yet?
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