Features
Yehuda Friedberg and the Mriya Report
By Martin Zeilig
Since the start of Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine on February 24, 2022, the team behind Mriya Report has been broadcasting live, 24/7, on Twitter Spaces—the modern equivalent to live global radio.
(Ed. note: Twitter Spaces is “a way to have live audio conversations on Twitter. Anyone can join, listen and speak in a Space on Twitter for IOS and Android.To find out more about how you can listen to Capt. Friedberg and his many guests simply Google “Twitter Spaces.”)
Founded by Yehuda Friedberg (Yehuda@yamzallagh), a captain in the Canadian Armed Forces, in early 2022, the space has become an indispensable source of information on the illegal and unprovoked war of aggression being waged by the Russian Federation against democratic Ukraine.
Akaash Maharaj, Ambassador-at-large for the Global Organization of Parliamentarians (GOPAC), is a regular guest on the MR. He leads GOPAC’s project on international prosecution of Crimes against Humanity, its work on reconciliation in post-conflict states, and its efforts to strengthen integrity in the global sport system. He is a Fellow of the Royal Canadian Geographic Society, a Senior Fellow of the Munk School of Global Affairs and Public Policy, and Fellow of the Royal Society of Arts.
“The Mriya Report is an extraordinary source of first-hand and expert information about the war in Ukraine,” Mr. Maharaj, a graduate of Oxford University, said in an email to this reporter.
“The speakers have included soldiers and civilians on the ground in Ukraine, military and diplomatic experts, political leaders, and humanitarian workers. It has given people across the world an unfiltered window into the realities of the war, and access to the kind of deep insights and analysis that are rare outside of universities and government situation rooms.”
Capt. Friedberg, who lives in Toronto, Ontario, consented to an email interview with The JP&N.
JP&N: What are the origins of the Mriya Report?
YF: It is surprising for most that so many people, from various backgrounds and walks of life, managed to find one another online and create this amazing information space. It is just as surprising to myself and the Mriya Report team.
We are a team of friends of Ukraine, volunteers from around the world, providing round-the-clock news and commentary on the Russian invasion of Ukraine. We work to keep Ukraine front of mind.
Collectively, we support a charity organization formed in the wake of the full-scale invasion by a number of Canadians and Ukrainians from all walks of life.
For me it all began with the NATO mission winding down in Afghanistan by mid-2021. I was a 44-year-old father with a young family living in Toronto. My daily routine was as normal as most who have toddlers: Wake up, get kids ready, work, pick up kids, prepare dinner, relax, and sleep; then repeat.
When it became apparent that there would be an exodus of Afghans fleeing the Taliban, I think many people became concerned about what would happen to the generation of Afghans who grew up learning about democracy, the freedom of expression, the right to believe what you want. I, like many others, felt helpless to really do much about it. All we could do was watch.
This is when the story gets interesting.
So my day job is a little different than most perhaps. I am an officer in the Canadian Armed Forces (CAF). I will take this time to make it very clear that everything I have done and continue to do in my personal time, is strictly voluntary, and does not represent the CAF in any capacity. However, my beliefs are in line with the ethos that any reasonable, just, and considerate person should hold.
It started with a pizza deliveryman, whom I befriended and who then told me his mother was the last Jew in Afghanistan. He said her life was in danger for hiding the remaining Jews before her, and asked if I could do anything to help. That story in itself is another matter. I was able to facilitate the family of 35 in leaving Afghanistan for safety.
Over the last year and a half, I have assisted in the evacuation of 1500 Afghan refugees, translators, female leaders and other vulnerable persons. This includes the last Jewish Afghan family, who are now in Canada except 10 members still stuck in the UAE.
During the course of my work I grew a considerable network of like-minded people.
When the situation in Ukraine started to become clear, Lieutenant-Colonel Melanie Lake and I created an NGO called Mriya Aid. This group provides non-lethal support for the government of Ukraine. Simultaneously, I created an online podcast through Twitter, called the Mriya Report.
JP&N: How many people worldwide listen to the MR?
YF: The Mriya Report has had over 150 million impressions, and we operate 24/7 week for 8 months, an information campaign to assist and support Ukrainians. In that time I have built a team of 40 volunteers worldwide, journalists, audio engineers, and former military officers etc… The following is a partial list of who I have had on our show, many of whom are on daily now as expert analysts:
· Lt Gen Ben Hodges (On our show weekly) and Lt Gen Mark Hertling (both former Commanders of the US Army in Europe);
· Anton Gerashchenko – Advisor to the Minister of Internal Affairs of Ukraine;
· Maj Gen Mick Ryan AM (Commander of the Australian Defense College);
· Maj Gen Pekka Toveri (former Chief of Finnish Military Intelligence);
· Lt Col Rup Rawlings; Retired USMC officer;
· Lt Col Alexander Vindman, and a wide number of other experts – including foreign policy researchers, elected officials, energy policy experts, and even an astronaut (Cdr Scott Kelly);
· Col John Spencer, West Point professor and world’s foremost Urban Operations specialist. (He is on daily); and
· Lt (N) Chuck Pfarrer, Former Navy Seal commander, Seal Team 6. He brought to justice the terrorist who killed Leon Klinghoffer on the Achille Lauro. (He is on daily)
We have also promoted a number of Ukrainian voices, including human rights advocate Taras Ratushnyy; Dariia Tsykunova (partner of Ilya, an Azovstal defender imprisoned by Russians and now released); Alexander Kamyshin, the CEO of Ukrainian Railway; Valentyn Nalyvaichenko, who formerly Headed the Security Service of Ukraine (SBU) and is now a Member of the Verkhovna Rada; Ministers;
Plus numerous Ukrainian Cabinet ministers, Presidential advisors, medical specialists, psychologists and surgeons.
JP&N: What else would you like to share with our readers?
YF: We are also in the process of setting up several unique processes to assist the Ukrainians in their efforts, and anti-fraud organizations for NGOs to best deliver goods, and a logistics hub in Kyiv to facilitate efficient transfer of non-lethal goods with even greater fidelity.
As well, members of Harvard and Stanford universities have reached out to me in the information space, and we began a project to produce a digitalized map of Ukraine, with input from geo technicians worldwide, both professional and amateur, in conjunction with satellite imagery companies.
The intent is to create a corpus of digital data that can be used currently and for future studies and investigations. It will include damage to cultural and heritage sites, civilian infrastructure, possible locations of war crimes atrocities, exit route for human trafficking, and a multitude of other uses. The geo spatial lab at Harvard has obtained blessings from its provost to create a plan in order to create this collaboration, which would be stewarded by the major institutions of higher learning. We meet weekly to discuss this roll out and to bring on relevant stakeholders.
This endeavour will ultimately be stewarded by these major institutions of higher learning.We have also received buy-in and support from several major medical/hospital groups in North America to treat Ukrainian civilians and soldiers, either free of charge, or at cost. We are currently working with Natalia Kalmykova at the Minister of Veterans Affairs Ukraine to assist in the triage for those patients.
Additionally, I would be remiss if I didn’t ask for more help from our audience. If you are able to assist in any of the above efforts, we would be glad to take on more volunteers.
I want you to know that our team and I do this for one reason: To help Ukraine. To stop a genocide. We see growing movements of totalitarianism and authoritarians on the rise worldwide. We want to do something about it. It starts with me, it starts with you.
Features
New Opportunities for XRP in the Trump Era: How XRP Holders Can Earn $7,899 Daily in Passive Income Through FTMINING Cloud Mining in 2026
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From holding assets to participating in cloud mining
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Its security infrastructure includes:
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Real User Feedback
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Industry Perspectives
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Conclusion
XRP holders are entering a new phase of digital asset application, moving from simply holding assets to participating in the blockchain ecosystem. FTMINING cloud mining provides users with a more convenient path to explore value. With the help of cloud computing power, users can participate in mining services without purchasing professional mining machines or undertaking complex operation and maintenance processes, allowing idle XRP to play a greater role. With the continuous development of blockchain technology, cloud mining is becoming an increasingly important focus for digital asset users, enabling XRP holders to manage their assets more flexibly and efficiently, and helping them explore new opportunities in the digital economy era.
If you wish to explore more revenue opportunities while holding XRP, the FTMINING cloud mining model is worth further understanding and attention.
Official Website: https://ftmining.com
app: https://ftmining.com
Customer Support Email: info@ftmining.com
Features
Musings from Dizengoff Street – by Bruce Brown
(August 8, 2026)
Outside Basimta Café in Central Jerusalem. Love the red shirt against a tiny sea of black. Not sure I am shrugging because of the ultra-orthodox uproar over a Jerusalem café operating on Shabbat or the lack of an ultra-orthodox uproar over a Jerusalem café operating on Shabbat. For the last six weeks Israeli headlines shouted about the cafe chaos. With the ultra-religious blocking entrances and storming the café. While shouting ‘Shabbos! Shabbos!’ Upsetting the secular amongst us just wanting to enjoy our Saturday iced matchas. So the wife and I thought we would check it out. And. Yes. Buy something to support the business. Uproar. Not. Blocked entrances. Not. Storming the café. Not. Albeit there were police barriers separating the devout protesters from the coffee drinkers. The protesters being just a few dozen black clad, pious Jews. Mostly teenagers. And yes. Shouting ‘Shabbos! Shabbos!’ Certainly underwhelming in its reported mayhem. Reminds me of the famous saying misattributed to Mark Twain – “If you don’t read the newspaper, you’re uninformed. If you do, you’re misinformed.” But I did enjoy my iced matcha.
(August 6, 2026)
Here we go again. Another round of forever negotiations. As someone who negotiates for a living. The way things are going in the straits. If I had to recommend a book on the subject to a new hire. Between The Art of the Deal, A Presidential Edition by Donald J. Trump or The Real Art of the Deal by the Mullahs of Iran with a special forward by the IRGC. Well. I would choose the latter.
(August 3)
Bravo Yoav Segalovitz, Liberal Yesh Atid MK and Monsour Abbas, United Arab Ra’am MK and party head. For breaking a glass ceiling where a Jewish lawmaker joins an Arab political party. No less a political earthquake in my little shtetl. Which can significantly impact coalition block arithmetic and posturing and strategy in the upcoming elections. Now Ra’am can be considered a legitimate ‘Zionist’ partner when forming coalition blocks and potentially pushing the ‘center left/right’ party over the 60 seat majority threshold. In our crazy parliamentary democracy defined by a multi-party (about fourteen!!), proportional representation system. To paraphrase Winston Churchill, Israel’s proportional representation model of governance is the best parliamentary democracy system except for all other forms of working democracies. Stay tuned for more amateurish political musings as we move towards Israel’s 26th national election – five of them held since 2019.
(August 1)
Although both sides say they are open to diplomacy. Neither really trusts the other. And American military action, or its threat, continues. I read headlines in the middle of the night -it’s a nervous habit lately– that the Dynamic Duo of Trump and Netanyahu may again strike in unison. Possibly this weekend. Yikes! Prompting me, at 2:30 AM, to dash around the house stocking my safe room. Bottled water. Canned food. Medicines. Documents. The beat goes on….
If it’s crazy here. It’s insane in Italy. With a recent online ‘Jew Hunt’ in the Milan area. Before being removed, the digital forms urged reportings of Israelis and Italian Jews staying in local hotels. The infamous Global Sumud Movement -yes, the one coordinating ‘peace and humanitarian’ flotillas to Gaza- was somehow connected. Although they deny involvement?! This deranged decree was looking to identify Zionist tourism and Zionist neo-colonization in Italy. I’ll stick with stocking the saferoom.
Then there’s New York Mayor Mamdani, a Global Sumud Movement supporter, threatening to arrest Prime Minister Netanyahu if he comes to New York. But since discovered he has no legal right for such a grandstanding, antisemitic, anti-Israel, anti-Western, anti-democratic antic. Maybe Mandami should be arrested! Or at least impeached. For being a grandstanding, antisemitic, anti-Israel, anti-Western, anti-democratic mayor.
Here’s a post Bruce sent us Friday, July 31:
WARTIME MUSINGS
Should credible threats against FLOTUS and ‘FSOTUS’ (first son..) not be justification to attack first.
As for yesterday’s summit. Netanyahu really can’t win. Explainer. If Trump now attacks without victory its ’cause of Netanyahu. If Trump now attacks with victory its ’cause of Trump. And, in Israel, if Trump doesn’t attack -victory or not- Netanyahu failed in his eighth meeting with Trump. And if Trump does attack -victory or not- half the country will vilify Bibi anyway. Missing a permutation?
Ya. I know. Kinda’ need a definition of victory for that musing to work.
And here in my little shtetle. We go to sleep unsure if there will be a code red in the middle of the night. And if not. We wake up thinking it will be tonight. How do you define stress?
Seemed like an appropriate way to end this musing.
Bruce Brown is a former Winnipegger who made aliyah to Israel over 35 years ago. Bruce first began writing for us – in his own inimitable style, in 2012, during what was known as “Operation Pillar of Defense.” His occasional musings on aspects of life in Israel that were far from what you’d typically read in other reports from Israel were hugely popular – both in the print Jewish Post & News and on this website.
We’re now glad to report that Bruce is back writing for us – this time on a regular basis. We will post Bruce’s reports as they arrive – with the date of each post at the beginning of that post.
Here’s some information about Bruce – and awards he’s received for his writing:
Bruce Brown. Canadian born. Now living in Israel (for a long time). Bruce works in Israel’s hi-tech sector by day and, in spurts, is a somewhat inspired writer by night. He received the American Jewish Press Association’s award for writing excellence in 2019 and 2025. And wrote the 1998 satire, “An Israeli is….” Bruce’s musings are political, social, economic and personal. With lots of biting, contrarian, sardonic and irreverent insight.
Features
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