US Backs Palestinian Statehood as International Recognition Accelerates

In a stark shift that threatens to upend Israel’s security doctrine, the United States orchestrated a joint statement Friday endorsing “a pathway to Palestinian self-determination and statehood” as part of efforts to resolve the Gaza conflict.

SIGNS OF THE TIMES

Apple’s Digital ID: The Beginning Of A New Normal

A quiet revolution is unfolding right before our eyes. What once sounded like a far-off concept–digital identity systems that verify who you are with a tap of a phone–is no longer theoretical. It is here, expanding rapidly, and being adopted by governments and corporations at a stunning pace. Apple’s new Digital ID feature is only the latest sign that society is moving toward a world where identity verification is constant, required, and digitally enforced.

The question isn’t if digital IDs will become mainstream. The question is how quickly this transformation will overtake everyday life–and what it will mean for privacy, freedom, and the future direction of society.

Apple’s Digital ID: The Beginning of a New Normal

Apple has begun testing its new Digital ID feature inside the Wallet app, allowing users to upload passports and verify their identity using simple facial-movement checks. For now, the tool is limited to U.S. domestic air travel and accepted by the TSA at more than 250 airport checkpoints. But Apple is not hiding its larger ambition: Digital ID is intended to become a universal verification tool for age checks, venue access, online platforms, and potentially even government services.

This turns your iPhone into a kind of passport for everyday life–a single device that proves who you are, where you can go, and what you’re allowed to access.

And Apple is not alone.

A Global Push Toward National Digital Identity

Governments worldwide are accelerating the rollout of centralized identity systems:

Europe

Under the eIDAS 2.0 framework, the EU is mandating that every member state deploy a European Digital Identity Wallet. Citizens will use it across borders for:

Government services

Healthcare

Banking

Travel

Online platforms

The European Commission has already approved the technical standards, meaning implementation is only a couple of years away.

United Kingdom

The UK government is preparing a mandatory digital ID framework that will be required for Right to Work checks and other verification processes. The Online Safety Act will also tie digital content access to identity confirmation.

Australia

Australia’s Digital ID Act, activated in 2024, creates a national legal structure that allows both government and private companies to require verified ID for access to services.

Canada

Canadian provinces like British Columbia already use digital service cards for government access, and federal plans outline the expansion of national secure-login systems.

United States

Beyond Apple’s rollout, numerous U.S. states already allow driver’s licenses to be stored in Apple Wallet. Meanwhile, several states require online age verification tied directly to government-issued ID–Texas, Florida, Georgia, South Dakota, and Wyoming among them.

Some companies have responded by blocking access to residents of those states–instead of collecting sensitive biometric data–an ominous sign of how digital identity is reshaping the internet.

The message is clear: the world is rapidly moving toward a system where access–to websites, airports, workplaces, nightlife, and even public spaces–will increasingly depend on a digital credential.

Christian Conversion Testimony From LGBT Lifestyle Could Result In Prison/Fines?

In a case with long-term ramifications for the United States, Maltese Christian Matthew Grech has been charged with violating the Mediterranean country’s so-called “conversion therapy” ban for simply sharing his personal testimony of Christian conversion from an LGBT lifestyle in a broadcast interview.

South Korea’s Sharp Turn To The Left: Christians And Conservatives Under Fire

The crackdown on conservatives and Christians in South Korea is escalating and experts say the arrests are further indications that the once thriving democracy is slipping into a communist authoritarian state.

GOG AND MAGOG UPDATE

Washington’s Blind Spot: Ideology, Not Economics, Drives the Middle East

Washington continues to believe that prosperity can moderate jihadist / Magog ideology. The assumption is that if you give Magog / Islamists a chance at a better life – reconstruction funds, open markets, foreign investment – they will drop their commitment to holy war and join the “family of nations.” Washington is dreaming on Mist Clouds