Israel, Syria and the Golan heights

According to a report, the Israeli defence force confirmed that it hit Syrian air defence sites in response to an anti aircraft missile which flew into Israeli air space and exploded, the targets included a Syrian radar and air defence batteries. Reportedly, the typical air defence unit is a battery with two to twelve guns or missiles.

According to the report, a military source told the Syrian news agency, Sana that airstrikes were launched from over Lebanon Tuesday night, followed by an attack from the Golan heights, a bone of contention between Syria and Israel. Reportedly, authorities are examining the results of the attack.

According to the report, one of the locations hit was Jamraya, home to a number of Syria’s military sites. Reportedly, a number of weapons, including chemical weapons are developed and stored at the site. According to the report, the airstrike comes a little over a week after an alleged Israeli airstrike targeted thought to be military sites near Damascus.

Reportedly, in April a Syrian air defence missile fell near the Israeli city of Dimona after it was fired towards Israeli air force jets during an alleged Israeli airstrike targeting Syria, and in September a Syrian airforce missile exploded off the coast of Tel Aviv, shrapnel was found within the city.

Reportedly, according to independent flight trackers a series of cargo flights on airlines used to transport iranian weapons have travelled between Iran and Syria in recent weeks. Reportedly, according to the open-source intelligence social media account, Intelli Times an Iranian cargo vessel docked at the Latakia port, north west Syria, the port was targeted by two Israeli strikes in December.

£100 million in eu funding may be reviewed

According to a report, at the opening of business on Monday, the speaker of the northern Ireland assembly said that he had no contact with the northern Ireland office about ending the assembly’s mandate at an early stage which would see an earlier election than planned. Reportedly, sinn fein’s deputy first minister replied that there was a wide range of legislation to get through, mentioning bills on climate change, organ donation, integrated education and more. According to the report, she did not mention northern Ireland protocol or call for an early election.

According to a report, northern Ireland protocol is still a selling point to investors looking at the region. Reportedly, a spokesman for OCO Global investment advisors said it was his belief that the business community did not take the dup’s view. According to the report, business groups have said that the dual market access to the uk and eu single market afforded by the protocol is a big economic opportunity. Reportedly, OCO global said, the loss of £100 million in eu funding and a decision to hold a review concerning its future represented bigger risks to investment in northern Ireland.

Signs you are being hacked

According to a report, the investigation into nso’s pegasus spyware has revealed the extent of the widespread use of the software against officials and the public. Reportedly, spyware compromises the defence of devices and operating systems, and attempts to exploit a number of vulnerabilities in the software.

According to the report, the most common tactic for hacking a victim’s device is phishing messages, if the user clicks on the attachment or link, it leads to the download of malware to the device, the malware allows hackers to commit their crimes. Reportedly, the most common sign that your device is being hacked is faster than usual battery drainage. According to the report, gp’s and internet options turn on and off. G.p. or group policy is a tool in Microsoft windows for controlling user status and activities. Reportedly, other signs are randomly displayed advertisements, unfamiliar apps installed without your permission, unfamiliar behaviour such as the opening and closing of an app, crashes or unexpected errors.

According to the report, malware does not just affect the app but the device itself, if your device is affected by malware you may get locked out.

Fatah accused of collaborating with Israel

According to a report, there are allegations in Samaria that Fatah has abandoned the armed struggle and its heads were openly collaborating with Israel. Reportedly, several palestinian factions and figures such as hamas and the palestinian islamic jihad boycotted a meeting of the Palestinian council.

According to the report, Hussein al-Sheikh, head of civil affairs was chosen to replace the late Saeb Erekat as secretary general of the executive committee. Reportedly, Abbas served as chairman of the executive committee. According to the report, the appointment of Hussein al-Sheikh boosts his chances of becoming number two in the Palestinian leadership and a potential successor to Abbas.

Meetings with Kyiv and Moscow

According to a report, the french president had a five hour meeting with the president of Russia on Monday, when Vladimir Putin told him he won’t be initiating an escalation. Reportedly, this was followed by a three hour meeting with the president of Ukraine in Kyiv. According to the report, the Ukraine president called his talks with his French counterpart very fruitful, adding that he expected another meeting of the Normandy contact group, that is Ukraine, Russia, France and Germany, very soon.

Reportedly, Emmanuel Macron who is scheduled to meet the chancellor of Germany upon his return from Washington, talked about building together, and in line with fundamentals, concrete security guarantees for the European union for countries in the region, Ukraine, Georgia, Belarus and Russia.

According to the report, Ukraine have received substantial economic aid from Germany and the european union, but reportedly in eu treaties the union can only intervene to defend another member state. Ukraine isn’t a member of the eu.

New white paper entitled Levelling up

According to a report, the British prime minister who is under attack for suggesting the director of public prosecutions is responsible for the failure to bring Jimmy Saville to justice promised to level up to local disparities. Reportedly, the launch of a four hundred page new white paper opens with a historical survey of regional disparities. Reportedly, writer, Michael Gove draws comparisons with the reunification of Germany, where according to reports, in east Germany, high unemployment means joining the army is often the only option.

According to the report, labour’s shadow secretary of state for levelling up said, What we needed was a plan to connect our towns and villages to jobs, to opportunities and to our families and friends, but they have halved the funding for buses and scrapped the rail promises to the north. Reportedly, Michael Gove replied to the effect, there was no money left. Is it time Queen Elizabeth paid taxes on her wealth?

The northern Ireland protocol

According to a report, tory backbenchers, especially the European research group (erg) described as a support group for eurosceptics could replace the British prime minister should a leadership challenge happen.

With regard to northern Ireland protocol, reportedly, chronic staff problems and many interactive internet systems not interacting were among problems stated. According to the report, other problems were, lorries that were supposed to turn up at Brexit control posts weren’t doing so. Reportedly, one sample showed seventeen out of forty three health export certificates had errors and thirty two out of forty three were either not correctly completed, or the information was at odds with other documents. According to the report, horses were not unloaded for identity and physical checks, food products were ending up on supermarket shelves without the labelling promised and lorries were proceeding ahead to retail outfits without waiting for the results of the check at the bcp’s.

Reportedly, with regard to chilled meats, none of the specific undertakings given by the uk in its unilateral declarations have been complied with. According to the report, inspectors found that three out of seven vehicles went to their destination south of the border without completion of official controls and validation of the certificates at the bcp of arrival.

Reportedly, the central concern of member states is about food safety. According to the report, the uk foreign secretary has told the Belfast telegraph, it was a matter for the northern Ireland executive to decide upon.

Who owns the Irish language?

According to a report, it has emerged that gardai seeking promotion to sergeant and inspector rank would no longer have to pass an oral Irish examination.

Reportedly, the irish language became the subject of controversy in northern Ireland in 2017, when it was said to have been the chief reason for a breakdown in relations, and subsequently lead to the longest suspension of the northern Ireland assembly, when sinn fein’s deputy prime minister stepped down. The suspension lasted until 2020.

There has been some contention as to the origins of the Irish language. Scholars differ as to when celts settled in Ireland, but there was known to be an early celtic era in Europe. It is possible that many celts originating from the Scottish highlands settled following the anglo-Scots wars and earlier. They became chieftains and ruled over Gaels until the saxons arrived. Some celts and scots joined the saxons. The Gaelic language is possibly a mixture of Gaelic and Celtic.

Northern Ireland assembly

Reportedly, the northern Ireland assembly is mutually inter-dependent, one part can not successfully function without the other, therefore first minister Paul Givan’s resignation on 3 February removed Sinn Fein’s deputy first minister, who urged the assembly to salvage what they can from the chaos caused by the dup.

Reportedly, the northern Ireland assembly met on Monday for the first time since last weeks events. According to the report, the speaker said he will be focused on the passing of as much legislation as possible until the dissolution of the assembly, prior to May’s elections.

Reportedly, all parties except for the traditional unionist’s voice criticised the dup’s actions. According to the report, the move has been widely criticised by other parties as a gross betrayal of the people of northern Ireland.

Ireland’s debt

According to a report, the minister for finance said, Ireland’s national debt was €237 billion at the end of December and is now approaching a quarter of a trillion euros, among the highest in the developed world.

Reportedly, at the time of immense borrowing during the covid pandemic, interest rates for consecutive years were unknown.

According to a report, the department of finance’s chief economist noted that the state’s national debt will have to be refinanced.