Today was a glorious day for the Middle East.   As Donald Trump stated, this might be the moment to bring true peace to the region in 3000 years . I asked Google AI, when did the Jews and their neighbors first have problems: Conflict between Jews and other groups has a long and complex history, with roots in ancient, religious, and political tensions.   The first notable conflicts are recorded in the   6th century BCE , involving ancient empires like the Babylonians, though the nature of these conflicts has evolved significantly over time .   3000 years  is a period even longer that the 2600 years noted above. In any case, what happened today is not quite peace, but more a ceasefire in the Gaza Strip, compounded by the return of all 20 living hostages, providing a platform for truce in the Middle East, a situation almost unique in history.  Here is what the  New York Times  sent me this morning: They’re free. Two years — 737 days, to be ...

Two important news items before sports.  First,  HOW THE TRUMP ADMINISTRATION SEALED THE GAZA CEASEFIRE DEAL : Credit Steve Witkoff, another real estate developer, now a special envoy, and Jared Kushner, son-in-law.  They've handled the bulk of the negotiations. You can read the details, but this article did not underscore the main reason why there is now peace in the Gaza Strip, with all the live hostages to be returned in 24 hours.  Very simply, President Donald Trump early this month warned   all hell, like no one has ever seen before, will break out against Hamas , if they don't agree to his Gaza Peace Plan by the deadline. While few have any pretensions that what now happening means there will be peace in the Middle East forever, what Trump has done is create a platform for Israel to work in tenuous unity with key countries like Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Turkey and Qatar, to marshal a kind of truce for now.  A lot more work left. Nobel Peace medal from Trum...

Venezuelan Democracy Advocate Maria Corina Machado today received the 2025 Nobel Peace Prize .  Machado is a 58-year old industrial engineer known as Venezuela's Iron Lady, who has led the opposition to authoritarian President Nicolas Maduro, whose last two elections were obviously fixed, and therefore not recognized by many countries, including the USA. The Nobel Committee awarded this prize for  her tireless work promoting democratic rights for the people of Venezuela and for her struggle to achieve a just and peaceful transition from dictatorship to democracy . If Trump wants to be the victor for this medal next year, he should understand that the Nobel Peace Laureate fights dictatorships, not reach out to become one.   Reaction from  Time  magazine?   TRUMP LOSES NOBEL PEACE PRIZE HE SHAMELESSLY CAMPAIGNED FOR . Donald Trump was no doubt disappointed, but shouldn't have been because the winner is decided most on what that person accomplished i...