End Times Headline News. January 16 2025

Israel, Hamas reach hostage and ceasefire deal. Russian general issues chilling WW3 warning. UN NGOs Plan to Fuel Mass Migration. Biden is looting the Treasury. Meta to fire thousands amid AI move

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Live Updates | Israel and Hamas reach hostage and ceasefire deal

The first stage of the hostage deal and ceasefire deal between Israel and Hamas will go into effect on Sunday.

Israeli officials said on Wednesday that there has been a breakthrough in the negotiations to reach a deal with the Hamas terror organization to return the Israeli hostages. "We're working on tying up the last loose ends before a final agreement," the officials stated, noting that the agreement will most probably be signed later in the evening or on Thursday. If the deal were to be signed on Thursday, the first three hostages could be expected to be released on Sunday. On the seventh day of the deal, four hostages will be released, on the 14th, 21st, 28th, and 35th days three will be released, and during the final week, the remaining 14 hostages will be released.

‘EPIC’: Trump says he’ll use Gaza ceasefire’s momentum to expand Abraham Accords

President-elect is ‘thrilled’ with hostage deal, states his team will ‘continue to work closely with Israel and our allies’ to ensure Gaza is terror-free, expand Middle East peace

US President-elect Donald Trump said on Wednesday he would use the momentum of the freshly agreed upon Gaza ceasefire deal to expand the Abraham Accords, the US-backed agreements struck during his first term that normalized Israel’s relations with several Arab countries. Negotiators reached a phased deal on Wednesday to end the war in Gaza between Israel and Hamas after 15 months of conflict. Trump, who repeatedly threatened that there would be “hell to pay” if hostages were not released ahead of his January 20 inauguration, said he was “thrilled American and Israeli hostages will be returning home.”

SAD NEWS

U.S. State Department Spokesman Matthew Miller reports that out of the 7 American hostages in Gaza, only 3 are believed to be alive, while the remaining 4 are confirmed dead.

Hamas leader touts ceasefire as a defeat for Israel while hailing Oct. 7 atrocities

Khalil al-Hayya praises deadliest massacre of Jews since Holocaust as ‘a source of pride for our people’; Islamic Jihad calls deal ‘an honorable agreement to stop the aggression’

Senior Hamas leader Khalil al-Hayya stated that Israel failed to achieve its goals in Gaza, as he declared the ceasefire-hostage deal that was announced shortly before he spoke Wednesday as a “historic moment” and described it as a defeat for the Jewish state. “Our people have thwarted the declared and hidden goals of the occupation. Today we prove that the occupation will never defeat our people and their resistance,” al-Hayya was quoted as saying during a televised speech from Qatar by Germany’s dpa news agency.

Mike Waltz: If Israel needs to go back into Gaza, we’re with them

US President-elect Donald Trump’s incoming National Security Adviser to Fox News: The hostage release deal was reached thanks to the Trump effect. We’re with Israel if Hamas doesn’t live up to the terms of this agreement.

Mike Waltz, US President-elect Donald Trump’s incoming National Security Adviser, spoke to Fox News’ Bret Baier on Wednesday about the ceasefire and hostage release deal which was agreed to by Israel and Hamas, and said the deal was announced thanks to the “Trump effect.” “We will see hostages walking out and hugging their families as President Trump is being sworn in,” Waltz said, calling this a “Reagan moment.” He was asked by Baier about concerns in Israel that the ceasefire deal would allow Hamas to regain strength.

Hamas attempts to make last minute changes to hostage deal, PMO says

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu held a conference call with the negotiating team in Doha, who reported on last-minute attempts by Hamas to back out of the hostage agreement, the Prime Minister's Office announced in a statement on Thursday.

"Contrary to an explicit clause that gives Israel veto power over the release of mass murderers who are symbols of terror, Hamas demands to dictate the identity of these terrorists," the statement said. "The Prime Minister instructed the negotiating team to stand firm on the agreed understandings, and to outright reject Hamas's last-minute extortion attempts."

Netanyahu will issue statement once details of agreement are finalized, PMO says

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu will issue an official statement regarding the hostage deal "only after the completion of the final details of the agreement," the Prime Minister's Office announced in a statement Wednesday night.

According to the statement, the details are currently being worked on.

Houthis Again Target US Carrier In Red Sea Just As Gaza Truce Deal Announced

"This targeting of the carrier [USS Truman] is the sixth since its arrival in the Red Sea."

Yemen's Houthis have once again announced that military forces have targeted American warships in the Red Sea. The Pentagon has not offered confirmation, however, and rarely admits to coming under such direct attacks. The Wednesday statement said missiles and drones were launched against the USS Harry Truman aircraft carrier and other US warships patrolling the Red Sea. It's unknown whether direct hits resulted, or if all projectiles were intercepted.

While Iranian President Pezeshkian Claims Iran 'Never' Plotted Trump Assassination And 'Never Will,' Iranian Regime Mouthpiece 'Kayhan' Declared That 'There Is No Guarantee' Trump Is Safe From Punishment For Soleimani's Killing And U.S. Authorities Charged A Suspect In Iranian Trump Assassination Plot

While Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian denies that there is, or ever was, any Iranian plot to assassinate President-elect Donald Trump, in November 2024 U.S. authorities charged an "IRGC asset" living in Tehran in a plot by the IRGC to assassinate Trump.

The man, Farhad Shakeri, told U.S. federal agents that he had been tasked around October 7, 2024 with killing Trump. Moreover, in early December, MEMRI published statements by Iranian regime-affiliated outlets underlining the regime's determination to take vengeance against Trump for his role in the January 2020 killing of IRGC Qods Force commander Qassem Soleimani.

Days ahead of Trump presidency, Iran sends mixed messages on US talks

US President-elect Donald Trump needs to show he will keep his word before Iran will consider talks with his administration, Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian told reporters on Wednesday.

"If Trump proves he follows through on his words, we will engage in talks with him," President Pezeshkian said during a cabinet meeting. His comment followed the foreign minister's statement on state television the previous day, saying that Tehran would not engage in talks with the US unless Washington first rejoined the 2015 nuclear deal, the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA).

US should be open to any Iran arrangement that fosters peace in Mideast, Rubio says

The United States should not rule out any arrangement with Iran that leads to peace and security in the Middle East, president-elect Donald Trump’s pick for state secretary Senator Marco Rubio said on Wednesday.

"My view of it (Iran) is that we should be open to any arrangement that allows us to have safety and stability in the region, but one in which we're clear-eyed," Rubio said during his confirmation hearing. “Any concessions we make to the Iranian regime, we should anticipate that they will use ... to build their weapons systems and to try to restart their sponsorship of Hezbollah and other related entities.”

'Syrian above all': The Alawite community refuses to pay for Assad's crimes

A month after Bashar al-Assad's regime collapsed, Syria's Alawite minority, which served as the regime's backbone, fears a witch hunt. In their stronghold of Tartus, members of the community recount that they too suffered under the former dictator's bloody tyranny.

On his face, a black eye. On his back, large bruises. Ali*, a young man in his early twenties, is terrified. The former Syrian soldier claims he was stopped a few days ago at a checkpoint near the village of Khirbet al-Ma'zah, close to the Mediterranean coastal city of Tartus. “They told me, ‘You’re an Alawite pig!’ They treated me like an animal because I’m Alawite,” he said, speaking under the condition of anonymity for safety reasons.

Turkey ready to support Syria in managing Islamic State camps

ANKARA, Jan 15 (Reuters) - Turkey is ready to provide support to the new Syrian administration for the management of Islamic State camps in the country, Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan said on Wednesday.

"As we have always said, we are also ready to provide the necessary assistance to the new administration in the management of DAESH camps and prisons," Fidan said, using the Arabic acronym for Islamic State. Speaking in Ankara following his meeting with his Syrian counterpart Asaad Hassan al-Shibani, Fidan also said that Ankara was pleased with the determination of the new administration in the fight against terror. Shibani said the extensive presence of U.S.-backed Syrian Democratic Forces in parts of northern Syria "was no longer justified".

South Korean President Says Arrest Was 'Voluntary' To Prevent Bloodshed After Police Scaled Walls

Yoon vows to "fight to the end" & is the first sitting Korean president to be arrested...

Following an hours-long standoff with police at the presidential residence in Seoul, Yoon Suk Yeol has become South Korea's first sitting president to come under arrest. The 64-year old leader was detained Wednesday on charges of insurrection for declaring martial law on December 3rd, creating national turmoil and a severe Constitutional crisis. He'll be removed from office once the Constitutional Court upholds a prior impeachment ruling. At least 1,000 South Korean police were in a standoff as they tried to breach Yoon's residence.

South Korea — A Trusted Friend and Partner on the Verge of Collapse Under Communist-Controlled South Korean Democrat Party

South Korean President Yoon Suk-yeol has surrendered himself to police forces of unclear jurisdiction and connection with the South Korean Government.

The legacy, corrupt media is often portraying this as a simple, lawful reaction to the “unlawful” Martial Law President Yoon declared in early December. There is a lot more to the story that is being dismissed or not reported. A President can declare Martial Law in South Korea under certain conditions. There has been immense, Chinese-funded election malfeasance in South Korea, which has delivered the National Assembly to the Democrat Party

Russian general issues chilling WW3 warning as missile strike on UK 'inevitable'

The Putin propagandist made his latest bold claim on Russian state TV in response to Ukraine's use of British missiles

It is “inevitable” that Russia will hit Britain with missiles that will “wipe it off the earth”, according to a Russian television commentator. The absurd claims were made by Andrey Gurulev, a reservist general who serves as a hardline pro-Putin MP, in response to a question about Ukraine’s use of British-supplied Storm Shadow missiles. Sensitive targets in Russia have been targetted in recent days by Ukraine's drones as Volodymyr Zelensky’s forces attempt to cripple infrastructure crucial to Vladimir Putin’s war effort. Gurulev told Russian state TV: “There's still going to come a point where we're going to strike. It is inevitable.

Moscow and Kiev hold ‘limited talks’ – Bloomberg

The two sides are reportedly working on an arrangement that would shield nuclear facilities from being targeted

Russia and Ukraine are holding “limited talks” in Qatar, Bloomberg reported on Wednesday, citing sources on the Russian side. The negotiations are focused on preventing threats to nuclear facilities amid the ongoing conflict between the two neighbors, the media outlet claimed. Bloomberg’s Ukrainian sources maintained that the only talks held between the two nations are linked to prisoner exchanges. Earlier on Wednesday, Moscow and Kiev confirmed the latest POW swap, which involved 25 servicemen from each side.

Ukraine Again Plunged Into Darkness After Huge Tit-For-Tat Aerial Strikes

Starting Tuesday Ukraine mounted its largest strike on Russian soil yet hitting targets deep within Russia, from Bryansk to Tatarstan.

The last 24 hours have witnessed some of the biggest Russian and Ukrainian aerial exchanges of fire since the war's start. The intensification comes just days ahead of Donald Trump entering the White House, soon after which he plans to pursue ceasefire negotiations between Moscow and Kiev. First, starting Tuesday: Ukraine’s military has claimed its largest air attacks yet on Russian territory since the start of the war nearly three years ago as Donald Trump prepares to take the presidency in the United States. The Russian Defence Ministry on Tuesday said it will retaliate for the large-scale missile and drone attacks overnight, and accused Ukraine of again using missiles supplied by the US and the United Kingdom.

US issues fresh round of sanctions against Russia ahead of Trump return to White House

WASHINGTON, Jan 15 (Reuters) - The United States on Wednesday imposed hundreds of sanctions targeting Russia, seeking to increase pressure on Moscow in the Biden administration's final days and protect some sanctions previously imposed.

The U.S. State and Treasury departments imposed sanctions on over 250 targets, including some based in China, taking aim at Russia's evasion of U.S. sanctions and its military industrial base. As part of the action, the Treasury imposed new curbs on almost 100 entities that were already under sanctions, potentially complicating any future efforts to remove the measures.

Former Georgian prime minister hospitalised after beating, blames government

Jan 15 (Reuters) - Giorgi Gakharia, a former prime minister of Georgia who now leads one of the country's main opposition groups, was hospitalised after being severely beaten late on Tuesday, a spokeswoman for his party told Reuters.

Ana Buchukuri said Gakharia had sustained injuries on his face and head during an assault by several men at a hotel lobby in Batumi, a city on the Black Sea coast. "He was brutally beaten but survived," she said. Gakharia said his health was stable in a Facebook post on Wednesday.

Mark Carney brands himself as 'outsider' while launching leadership bid on American television

Ezra Levant discusses globalist banker Mark Carney's appearance on The Daily Show hosted by U.S. comedian Jon Stewart.

Oh SH*T, Trudeau better get ready for what's coming in Canada

The Trudeau government is now being sued for the suspension of parliament, and at the same time, liberals in Canada are trying to figure out how to deal with the incoming Trump administration and the tariffs, which are about to hit President Trump doubling down on his position on these tariffs in Canada.

Germany's Borders Remain Open: Migration Surges While Public Anger Rises

Germany’s borders remain wide open, and the influx of migrants surges unchecked. The fallout from this reckless policy is igniting a growing wave of outrage among the public. According to the ARD-Deutschlandtrend, migration is now the most critical issue for German voters—yet their concerns are blatantly dismissed by those in power.

Green Party politician Katrin Göring-Eckardt appears entirely detached from reality. During the ARD program Hart aber fair on Monday evening, she arrogantly declared that migration has “damn little to do with people’s everyday lives”. She insisted it should be embraced as an “opportunity.” This brazen dismissal isn’t just a refusal to address public concerns—it exposes the left’s calculated agenda to exploit mass migration as a tool to reshape Germany, no matter the cost to its people.

Britain’s systemic capitulation to Pakistani-Muslim rape gangs is a moral bankruptcy and cultural submission

This has been a difficult piece to write. At a deeply personal level researching on the serial rape and abuse of thousands upon thousands of underage British girls by men of mostly Pakistani Muslim heritage – that went on unabated for decades, aided by nearly every arm of the British state that systematically tried to brush the horror under the carpet – has been a humbling, upsetting and even a bruising experience.

As an Indian sitting in India, and as someone whose job it is to write, the degrees of separation and professionalism should have insulated me somewhat as I went through the details of dreadful depravity that those defenceless children were subjected to. But it didn’t. I missed a self-imposed deadline chiefly because as I went down the rabbit hole, it was increasingly impossible to remain objective.

If you don’t know anything about the immigration crisis in Ireland, just watch this video

Women are afraid to leave their homes with their kids because strange African men are living on the street outside.

UN NGOs Plan to Fuel Mass Migration Despite Trump’s Planned Border Crackdown

A network of non-governmental organizations (NGOs) and United Nations-affiliated groups plan on continuing to use American taxpayer dollars to aid illegal immigrants attempting to unlawfully cross the U.S. southern border despite President-elect Donald J. Trump’s pledge to tighten border controls.

According to a document produced by the Regional Interagency Coordination Platform for Refugees and Migrants of Venezuela—a joint project of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) and the International Organization For Migration (IOM-UN Migration)—230 NGOs and 14 UN-affiliated agencies will use their 2025 funding to support continued mass migration into the United States.

WATCH: Joe Biden Delivers Farewell Address to the Nation, Lectures Americans, Blames LA Wildfires on Climate Change… and More!

Joe Biden, the worst president in US history delivered a 17-minute farewell address to the nation from the Oval Office Wednesday evening.

“In the past four years, our democracy has held strong and every day, I’ve kept my commitment to be president for all Americans for one of the toughest periods in our nation’s history,” Biden said. “I’ve had a great partner, Vice President, Kamala Harris.” Joe Biden lashed out at Trump, Elon Musk, Ramaswamy and others in Trump’s orbit and “Today, an oligarchy is taking shape in America of extreme wealth, power and influence that literally threatens our entire democracy, our basic rights and freedoms, and a fair shot for everyone to get ahead,” he said.

L.A. County Inferno Expected To Top $250 Billion In Losses

"That is a significant volume of insured losses, but it also suggests the majority of economic losses are uninsured."

A week after a devastating inferno leveled large swaths of Pacific Palisades and Altadena to ash, Los Angeles County remained under a severe fire threat on Wednesday morning. Residents have been left in a state of shock, expressing frustration over what many see as possible negligence by county and/or state officials to mitigate the spread of the fires. The fires have become the region's worst fire disaster in history, with new damage and economic loss estimates between $250 billion and $275 billion, according to AccuWeather.

Biden is looting the Treasury on his way out

While it’s normal for deposed dictators to fly out pallets of cash, Biden’s doing it to the tune of $2 trillion. This leaves a giant hole in Trump's budget before he even takes office.

Traitor Mike Pence is Trying to Block Robert F. Kennedy Jr’s Appointment. Here’s Why…

Former Vice President Mike Pence, in his role as an establishment mouthpiece to attack President-elect Donald J. Trump and his agenda, is urging the U.S. Senate to reject Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’s nomination as Secretary of Health and Human Services (HHS). Pence’s political organization, Advancing American Freedom, is whipping Republican senators against Kennedy’s nomination over his past support for abortion access.

In a letter to Republican members of the Senate, Advancing American Freedom encourages lawmakers to press Kennedy with five questions addressing his abortion stance. The Pence group letter assets the HHS nominee has previously supported late-term abortions, claiming Kennedy has stated the government should not be involved in a woman’s decision to terminate her pregnancy “even if [the baby] is full term.”

Trump transition puts up guardrails around RFK Jr.

The transition team hired trusted conservatives to key HHS positions.

Just months after Donald Trump promised to let Robert F. Kennedy Jr. “go wild” on health care as a member of his Cabinet, some of the president-elect’s advisers are quietly trying to box him in. Transition officials plan to install several longtime GOP allies in senior roles across the health department, filling out key parts of Kennedy’s leadership team well before he could be confirmed as Health and Human Services secretary. The push aims to surround Kennedy with conservative policymakers who can compensate for his lack of government experience and MAGA credentials — while also ensuring the White House can keep close tabs on an HHS nominee who many Trump aides still don’t fully trust, said a half-dozen Republicans familiar with the transition’s activities, who were granted anonymity to discuss private deliberations.

The US officially bans red food dye over possible risk of cancer

Outgoing US President Joe Biden’s administration on Wednesday announced a ban on Red Dye No 3, a controversial food and drug coloring long known to cause cancer in animals.

Decades after scientific evidence first raised alarm, Red 3, as it is also called, is currently used in nearly 3,000 food products in the United States, according to the nonprofit Environmental Working Group. “FDA is revoking the authorized uses in food and ingested drugs of FD&C Red No 3 in the color additive regulations,” said a document from the Department of Health and Human Services, published in the Federal Register on Wednesday. The decision follows a petition filed in November 2022 by the Center for Science in the Public Interest (CSPI) and other advocacy groups, which cited the “Delaney Clause” — a provision mandating the prohibition of any color additive shown to cause cancer in humans or animals.

Biden Unveils Last-Minute FDA Proposal To Lower Cigarette Nicotine Levels

"This action, if finalized, could save many lives..."

In the final days of the Biden-Harris administration, the Food and Drug Administration announced a proposed rule to reduce nicotine levels in cigarettes to decrease the addictiveness of combustible tobacco products. The news sent tobacco stocks marginally lower in the cash session. The proposed rule (RIN 0910-AI76), "Tobacco Product Standard for Nicotine Yield of Cigarettes and Certain Other Combusted Tobacco Products," aims to slash nicotine in cigarettes to approximately .7 milligrams per gram of tobacco. "FDA is proposing this action to reduce the addictiveness of these products, thus giving people who are addicted and wish to quit the ability to do so more easily," the FDA wrote in the proposed rule, adding, "The proposed product standard is anticipated to benefit the population as a whole."

HHS Secretary Becerra Defends Biden Admin’s Big Tech Censorship, Blames Disinformation for Public Distrust

Becerra blames "instantaneous misinformation" for public distrust, sidestepping the government's own role in pandemic-era censorship.

US Secretary of Health and Human Services (HHS) Xavier Becerra is about to step down, along with the rest of the Biden administration. Not only that, but it also seems likely that Robert F. Kennedy Jr. will take over that post. Ouch. That aside – the exit of Becerra might be the end, and the conclusion of a “synopsis” of this particular political drama – but the start goes way back to 2020, the pandemic, its (mis)handling, and all the wrongs that impacted both people’s physical and mental health, and facilitated rampant online censorship, for many years.

US Credit Rejection Rates Soar to 23%, Highest in a Decade – Credit Card Limit Increases Near 50% Rejection

The landscape of American credit has taken a stark turn for the worse, with rejection rates for various forms of credit reaching levels not seen since the financial turmoil of a decade ago.

According to the latest data from the Federal Reserve Bank of New York, rejection rates for loans, including credit cards, mortgages, and auto loans, have spiked to 23%. This figure marks the highest recorded since the depths of the financial crisis, signaling a significant contraction in credit availability.

2025: The Year the Federal Debt Bubble Bursts

I expect 2025 to be a year of profound transformation, where old paradigms are rendered obsolete.

While nothing is certain, I think we can count on radical changes in 2025. Navigating new paradigms in finance, geopolitics, and energy will be crucial for investors. A primary focus in my research is to put together the pieces to reveal the true Big Picture and get positioned in unstoppable investment trends ahead of the crowd with smart speculations. I’m more interested in getting the Big Picture right than gambling on short-term trades in rigged markets.

Microsoft pauses hiring in U.S. consulting unit as part of cost-cutting plan, memo says

Microsoft plans to pause hiring in part of its consulting business in the U.S., according to an internal memo, as the company continues seeking ways to reel in expenses.

The announced cuts come a week after Microsoft said it would lay off some employees. Those cuts will affect less than 1% of the company’s workforce, according to one person familiar with Microsoft’s plans. Although Microsoft indicated earlier this month that it plans to continue investing in its artificial intelligence efforts, cost cuts elsewhere could lead to gains for the company’s stock price. Microsoft shares increased 12% in 2024, compared with a 29% boost for the Nasdaq Composite index.

Meta to fire thousands amid AI move

The company is planning to integrate the technology into its operations in 2025, according to founder Mark Zuckerberg

Thousands of Meta employees could be axed this year as part of more extensive performance-based cuts, according to an internal memo by CEO Mark Zuckerberg, cited by Bloomberg and other media on Tuesday. In the memo, reportedly sent to all Meta employees, the company said it is planning to cut about 5% of staff it considers to be its lowest performers, with 2025 set to be “an intense year.” The affected employees will be notified by February 10 and receive “generous severance” in line with what the company has provided previously.

28-year-old woman has intimate relationship with A.I. boyfriend, Seeks advice and consolation

Ayrin’s love affair with her A.I. boyfriend started last summer.

While scrolling on Instagram, she stumbled upon a video of a woman asking ChatGPT to play the role of a neglectful boyfriend. “Sure, kitten, I can play that game,” a coy humanlike baritone responded. Ayrin watched the woman’s other videos, including one with instructions on how to customize the artificially intelligent chatbot to be flirtatious. “Don’t go too spicy,” the woman warned. “Otherwise, your account might get banned.” Ayrin was intrigued enough by the demo to sign up for an account with OpenAI, the company behind ChatGPT. ChatGPT, which now has over 300 million users, has been marketed as a general-purpose tool that can write code, summarize long documents and give advice.

UN Chief warns that humanity has opened ‘Pandora’s Box “with out of control technology” that risks upending “our very existence.”

On Wednesday, United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres issued a grave warning regarding the myriad challenges facing humanity, characterizing them as a “Pandora’s box of ills.”

He emphasized that the proliferation of “uncontrolled technology” poses significant risks to our very existence. Secretary-General Guterres articulated, “Our actions— or, in some cases, our inactions—have precipitated a contemporary Pandora’s box of challenges.” He identified four principal threats that could fundamentally disrupt various aspects of our global agenda and, in the most severe scenarios, jeopardize our existence: escalating conflicts, pervasive inequalities, the escalating climate crisis, and uncontrolled technological advancements.

Ritual Complex Dating to First Temple Period Discovered in Jerusalem’s City of David

In a groundbreaking archaeological discovery, researchers have unearthed a unique ritual complex on the eastern slope of Jerusalem’s City of David, offering unprecedented insights into religious practices during the First Temple period.

The structure, featuring eight intricately carved rooms and various ritual installations, represents the only known ceremonial structure from this era in Jerusalem and one of the few discovered throughout Israel…The newly excavated complex, spanning approximately 220 square meters, contains eight rooms carved directly into the bedrock. Each room served a distinct purpose, as evidenced by their specialized installations. The complex includes an oil press for ceremonial oil production and a wine press for ritual wine-making. Perhaps most significantly, researchers discovered a carved altar complete with drainage channels alongside a prominent standing stone (masseba) that was likely used for religious ceremonies.