[IsraelTimes] Lebanese authorities say several suspects have been arrested after rockets were fired at neighboring Israel earlier this month, testing a fragile November ceasefire.
Lebanon’s General Security agency says it has “arrested several suspects, and the relevant authorities have begun investigations with them to determine responsibility and take the appropriate legal measures.”
The Hezbollah terror group has denied involvement in the rocket fire that took place on March 22 and 28.
It nevertheless prompted an Israeli strike on Hezbollah’s Beirut stronghold on Friday for the first time since the truce went into effect in November.
Were they Hamas, boys messing about, or was it Hezbollah taqqiya?
[Rudaw] Syria’s interim President Ahmed al-Sharaa on Saturday appointed a 23-member cabinet, including four members from minority groups. However, the appointments have raised eyebrows as ethnic and religious groups say they were not consulted during the appointment process. The cabinet also includes figures who have been blacklisted by the UN and the US over ties to extremist armed groups.
Following a swift offensive, a coalition of opposition groups led by Hay’at Tahrir al-Sham, headed by Sharaa, in early December toppled the regime of Syrian dictator Bashar al-Assad. Sharaa was appointed as Syria’s interim president in late January, after which he vowed to form an “inclusive transitional government that would reflect Syria's diversity.”
Upon announcing the new cabinet, Sharaa on Saturday stated, “at this historic moment, we mark the beginning of a new phase in our national journey” and “advance toward the future we deserve with strong will and unwavering resolve.”
THE SOVEREIGN PORTFOLIOS
Syrian Foreign Minister Asaad al-Shaibani retained his position in the new cabinet lineup. Born in 1987 in Hasaka, Shaibani holds a Bachelor's in English literature from Damascus University and a Master’s in political science and international relations from Istanbul Sabahattin Zaim University. He is pursuing a doctorate in International Relations. Shaibani was a founding member of the Idlib-based Syrian Salvation Government in 2017 and served on HTS’s Shura council - a traditional Islamic council that provides guidance based on religious principles.
Syria’s Defense Minister Murhaf Abu Qasra will also continue in his role. A native of Hama province, Abu Qasra was born in 1984. He played a key role in the armed opposition against Assad and the HTS-led offensive that toppled him. He holds a degree in Agricultural Engineering from Damascus University and a master’s degree from Idlib University. Sharaa promoted Abu Qasra to Major General in late December.
Meanwhile, the ministry of interior has been assigned to Anas Khattab, a senior member of the Syrian opposition and founding member of the al-Nusra Front, which rebranded itself as the Jabhat Fatah al-Sham in 2016 when it split from al-Qaeda, and then again to HTS in 2017, when it merged with other factions. Khattab’s name is not far from controversy as he was listed by the UN on its terrorism lists in September 2014 and by the US in December 2012.
Another controversial figure that was assigned the Justice portfolio is Mazhar al-Wais. He is a top HTS judge who headed the Sharia Commission in Syria’s eastern regions. The commission was established following the split of al-Nusra Front from the Islamic State (ISIS) in 2013. He was one of HTS’s religious leaders and headed the Supreme Judicial Council of the Syrian Salvation Government.
MINISTRIES LED BY MINORITY MEMBERS
Despite a majority Sunni Arab ministers, Sharaa’s new cabinet reportedly includes members from other Syrian ethnic and religious components.
Mohammad Turko, reportedly a Kurd from the Kurdish-majority city of Afrin in northeast Syria (Rojava), was appointed as minister of education. Born in 1979, Turko holds a law degree from Damascus University and a doctorate from Leipzig University. He has written on child rights, citizenship, and education and has taught at several universities in Syria.
Hind Kabawat, a Christian woman, was named Minister of Social Affairs. She holds degrees in economics, law, and a Master’s in Law and Diplomacy from Tufts University in the US. Kabawat has been a prominent figure in the Syrian opposition since the 2011 uprising, holding leadership roles in the High Negotiations Committee and Geneva Negotiations Office between 2015 and 2022. Following Assad's fall in 2024, she became a member of the National Dialogue Conference preparatory committee.
Amjad Badr, a Druze, was appointed Minister of Agriculture. Born in 1969, Badr holds a doctorate in Agricultural Economics from Aleppo University.
Ya’rub Badr, an Alawite, was named Minister of Transport. Born in 1959, he earned a doctorate in Transportation Sciences from Paris and served as the Regional Advisor for Transport and Logistics at the UN Economic and Social Commission for Western Asia (ESCWA). He also served as Syria’s Minister of Transport from 2006 to 2011.
Despite the inclusion of some ministers from different backgrounds, the Kurdish-led administration in northeast Syria (Rojava) on Sunday criticized Syria’s newly-formed government for “allowing a single faction to maintain control,” saying that the country’s ethnic and religious groups were neither involved in nor consulted in the distribution of ministerial portfolios.
The Democratic Autonomous Administration in North and East Syria (DAANES) warned that any government that does not represent Syria’s plurality will not be able to properly manage the country, stressing that it will not adhere to the decisions of the newly-appointed government.
OTHER MINISTRIES
The remaining ministers appointed are as follows:
Minister of Communications Abdul Salam Haykal holds a degree in Political Science and International Relations from the American University of Beirut (AUB) and the University of London’s School of Oriental and African Studies (SOAS).
Minister of Information Hamza al-Mustafa, born in 1985, holds a degree in political science. He was notably dismissed from his Master’s program in Syria during the Assad era over his support for the Syrian uprising. He later earned a master's degree from the Doha Institute and a doctorate in social science from the University of Exeter
Minister of Education Marwan al-Halabi, born in 1964, specializes in Obstetrics, Gynecology, and Surgery and has earned postgraduate diplomas from universities in France. A professor at Damascus University, he served as Head of the Department of Anatomy and Editor-in-Chief of the Damascus University Journal for Medical Sciences.
Minister of Tourism Mazen al-Salihani, born in 1979, holds postgraduate degrees in Business Administration and Project Management and has led major hotel and resort developments in the Middle East, including in Qatar, Saudi Arabia, and Syria.
Minister of Energy Mohammad al-Bashir, born in 1983, holds a degree in Electrical and Electronics Engineering from Aleppo University and a Master’s in Sharia and Law from Idlib University. He worked at the Syrian Gas Company before joining the revolution in 2011. He served as Prime Minister in the Syrian Salvation Government and later in the interim government.
Minister of Economy Mohammad al-Shaar has worked in financial regulation and international banking and has taught economics at George Washington University.
Minister of Local Administration and Environment Mohammad Anjarani, born in 1992, is a mechanical engineering graduate. He joined the Syrian uprising upon its debut and was arrested in 2011. He later held key administrative positions in the Syrian Salvation Government.
Minister of Finance Mohammad Barniyeh, born in 1967, is a graduate of Damascus University’s Faculty of Economics. He pursued further studies in the US at Kansas State and Oklahoma State universities. He trained at the Federal Reserve Bank in New York and worked as an economist at the Arab Monetary Fund.
Minister of Sports Mohammad Hamoud, born in 1976, previously led the national basketball team to the Asian Cup qualifiers. He also worked in developing sports infrastructure in Idlib.
Minister of Culture Mohammad Saleh, born in 1985, studied Linguistics at London Metropolitan University and earned a master’s in translation from Westminster University. He worked in journalism, including at Qatar’s al-Jazeera Network.
Minister of Religious Endowments Mohammad Shukri, born in 1961, holds a doctorate in Sharia and Law from Beirut. He served as a preacher at Imam al-Shafi’i Mosque in Damascus.
Minister of Administrative Development Mohammad Skaf, born in 1990, holds a Master’s in Administration and a degree in Applied Mathematics. He has worked in public administration and budget management in northern Syria.
Minister of Health Musab al-Ali, born in 1985, is a graduate of Homs University’s Faculty of Medicine. He specialized in neurosurgery at Aleppo University before working in Germany. He is currently a consultant neurosurgeon.
Minister of Public Works and Housing Mustafa Abdulrazzaq, born in 1989, is a civil engineering graduate. He has worked in public administration and infrastructure projects in northern Syria.
Minister of Emergency and Disaster Management Raed al-Saleh, born in 1984, has a background in business administration. He played a leading role in founding the Syrian Civil Defense (White Helmets) and has represented the organization at major international forums, including the UN Security Council.
THE PREMIER
While heads of ministries have been named, a prime minister has not been appointed as Sharaa is expected to lead the executive branch.
In mid-March, Sharaa signed a 53-article constitutional declaration that centers on Islamic jurisprudence, which stipulates that the country’s president must be a Muslim and sets a five-year transitional period for the country. It also maintains the name of the country as the Syrian “Arab” Republic.
The interim constitution further grants Sharaa exclusive executive power, authority to appoint one-third of the legislature, and the ability to appoint judges to the constitutional court, the body responsible for holding him accountable.
The constitutional declaration has been criticized by Kurds, Christians, and Druze in Syria for consolidating power in Sharaa’s hands and not reflecting the diverse aspirations of the Syrian people. These communities have urged amendments to the interim constitution, warning that they would not participate in the new government without them.
[Rudaw] The Kurdish-led administration in northeast Syria (Rojava) on Sunday criticized Syria’s newly-formed interim government as “exclusionary” and “failing” to uphold diversity, stressing that they would not abide by its decisions.
Syria’s interim President Ahmed al-Sharaa on Saturday announced his new 23-minister cabinet, which includes ministers from his former government.
The Democratic Autonomous Administration in North and East Syria (DAANES) on Sunday rejected the new cabinet, claiming that it “resembled its [caretaker] predecessor in failing to take Syria's diversity into consideration and allowing a single faction to maintain control.” It warned that any government that does not represent Syria’s plurality will not be able to properly manage the country and pull it out of its crisis.
The DAANES further noted that they will not adhere to the decisions of the new government in Damascus.
“We will not be concerned with implementing and executing decisions issued by it, as this insistence on repeating past mistakes will harm Syrians and will never launch a comprehensive political process that can provide solutions to the pending issues, problems, and crises Syria is experiencing,” their statement read.
The Kurdish-led administration has previously criticized other actions taken by the interim government in Damascus, accusing it of marginalizing Kurds and other minorities.
[IsraelTimes] The Iranian-backed Houthis say at least one person was killed in suspected US airstrikes struck around Yemen’s rebel-held capital overnight.
The full extent of the damage and possible casualties isn’t immediately clear.
The strikes around Sanaa, Yemen’s capital held by the Houthis since 2014, also wounded four others, the rebels say.
Their al-Masirah satellite news channel airs footage of broken glass littering homes after the concussive blast of the bombs, but continues not to show the targets of the attacks — suggesting the sites had a military or intelligence function.
Doing what they must to keep her out of power, by fair means or foul?
[IsraelTimes] Accused of embezzling European Parliament funds with other members of her party, Le Pen fears that if found guilty, court will declare her ineligible to run for office
Her "political death." That’s how French far-right leader Marine Le Pen described what’s at stake in a verdict expected Monday that could derail her plans to run in the next presidential election scheduled for 2027.
A judge is set to rule on whether Le Pen and her National Rally party embezzled European Parliament funds. She and 24 other party officials are accused of having used money intended for European Union ...the successor to the Holy Roman Empire, only without the Hapsburgs and the nifty uniforms and the dancing... parliamentary aides to instead pay staff who worked for the party between 2004 and 2016, violating the 27-nation bloc’s regulations.
Le Pen, 56, and other co-defendants denied wrongdoing during the nine-week trial that took place in late 2024.
Le Pen’s greatest concern is that she could be declared ineligible to seek public office, if found guilty.
Should she be convicted, the court could impose a period where she is ineligible to run for office "with immediate effect" — even if she files an appeal. The court would also decide whether to give her a prison sentence — which would be suspended during any appeal.
But filing an appeal could prompt another possible headache for the far-right leader, since the new trial automatically granted to her would likely take place in 2026, just months before the presidential election.
Le Pen appeared to be anticipating a guilty verdict, and told the panel of three judges: "I feel we didn’t succeed in convincing you."
During the trial, prosecutors requested a two-year prison sentence for Le Pen and a five-year period of ineligibility. They "want my political death," Le Pen remarked.
In a key decision on Friday, the Constitutional Council — La Belle France’s highest constitutional authority — ruled that a period of ineligibility with immediate effect is in line with the French Constitution.
But it also stressed that it’s up to the judges to assess the consequences of imposing such a ban right away and make sure the ruling is "proportionate" and takes into consideration "the preservation of voters’ freedom."
The Constitutional Council rendered its ruling in a separate case that has no direct link with Le Pen’s, yet its conclusions have been scrutinized, as they provide legal guidance that judges are likely to take into consideration.
The body also underlined that the court can decide to not impose any period of ineligibility immediately. In that case, the ban would be suspended pending appeal.
For over a decade, Le Pen has worked at making her party more mainstream, dulling its hard boy edge to broaden its appeal to voters.
She led the National Rally from 2011 to 2021. She changed its name from the National Front, as part of her efforts to distance it from the period when her father ran the party, which then carried a heavy stigma of racism and antisemitism.
Now a politician in the National Assembly, the French parliament’s powerful lower house, she has already positioned herself as a candidate to succeed President Emmanuel Macron, having twice finished as runner-up to him.
In 2022, Macron won with 58.5% of the vote to Le Pen’s 41.5% — significantly closer than when they first faced off in 2017 and the best score ever of the French far right in a presidential bid.
Ineligibility "would have the effect of depriving me of being a presidential candidate," she pleaded during the trial. "Behind that, there are 11 million people who voted for the movement I represent. So tomorrow, potentially, millions and millions of French people would see themselves deprived of their candidate in the election."
Many speculate that Jordan Bardella, 29, would take over for Le Pen if she were barred from running. He succeeded Le Pen in 2021 at the helm of the party, and he would likely be her prime minister if she were to become president.
Yet observers say there’s no guarantee he would be able to convince as many voters as she does. In recent months, some inside the party have criticized his management as too focused on his personal career.
Since joining the party at age 17, Bardella has risen quickly through the ranks, serving as spokesperson and president of its youth wing, before being appointed vice president and becoming the second-youngest member of the European Parliament in history in 2019.
#1
In this moment, found guilty as charged (and ineligible)
Posted by: European Conservative ||
03/31/2025 5:59
Comments ||
Top||
#2
The nine MEPs and twelve assistants found guilty had signed 'fictitious contracts' and there was indeed a 'system' within the party, said the president of the court, Bénédicte de Perthuis. “It has been established that all these people were in fact working for the party, that their MP had not given them any tasks”, that they ‘passed from one MP to another’, she explained.
“It was not a question of pooling the work of the assistants but rather of pooling the MPs' budgets,” she continued. ‘Let's be clear: no one is on trial for having been involved in politics, that's not the issue. The question was whether or not the contracts were fulfilled,’ said the magistrate.
Posted by: European Conservative ||
03/31/2025 6:02
Comments ||
Top||
#3
Just in: She is banned from standing for election with immediate effect.
Posted by: European Conservative ||
03/31/2025 6:11
Comments ||
Top||
#4
The next presidential elections in France are in April 2027. So if the ban is longer than 2 years (not yet pronounced), she can't run.
Posted by: European Conservative ||
03/31/2025 6:15
Comments ||
Top||
#5
The experts weigh in:
The Kremlin reacts to the verdict, deploring a “violation of democratic standards”.
LOL
Posted by: European Conservative ||
03/31/2025 6:34
Comments ||
Top||
#6
The ban is 5 years. Adieu les élections.
Posted by: European Conservative ||
03/31/2025 6:58
Comments ||
Top||
#7
Can't beat her at the ballot box, so take her out in the courts. Where have we heard this before? Before you know it Germans will ban AfD.
#9
The embezzlement cases seem very clear-cut.
She made EU Parliament (i.e. taxpayers) pay for EU Parliament assistants who actually worked for the party. That's illegal.
Posted by: European Conservative ||
03/31/2025 9:07
Comments ||
Top||
#10
EC, I suggest you broaden the horizon of your reading material. Try this...
#13
I followed this case closely, also from French sources.
The ban on Le Pen from holding office is based on a law passed in 2016 in the wake of a corruption scandal (not concerning Le Pen's party). According to this law, any elected representative convicted of embezzling public funds is generally banned from the next elections.
Le Pen didn't vote against this law btw. She clearly broke it.
Posted by: European Conservative ||
03/31/2025 9:40
Comments ||
Top||
#14
They’ve been going after the LePens for years — anything to keep them out of power. The old man had some ugly beliefs, but the younger generation is different, as far as I can tell. Ditto for Geert Wilders in the Netherlands And Bibi, of course.
America was behind the curve on using lawfare to try to box out the hated populist outsider, but they caught up quickly.
#15
"Give me the man and I will give you the case against him"[1] (Polish: Dajcie mi człowieka, a paragraf się znajdzie; translated to English more literally as "give me the man; there'll be a paragraph[a] for him",[2] Russian: Был бы человек, а статья найдется ("If there is a person, there will be an article [in the criminal code]"), also interpreted as "give me the man, and I will find the crime",[3] or "show me the man and I'll show you the crime"[4]) is a saying that was popularized in the Soviet Union and in Poland in the period of the People's Republic of Poland, attributed to the Stalinist-era Soviet jurist Andrey Vyshinsky,[2][5]: 200 [6] or the Soviet secret police chief Lavrentiy Beria.[3][4] It refers to the miscarriage of justice in the form of the abuse of power by the jurists, who could find any defendant guilty of "something", if they so desired. Wiki
#16
It wasn't about beliefs but about laws that were broken. She used taxpayer money of the EU parliament by setting up fake contracts in order to pay people who worked for her and the party.
That's simply illegal and she and the other party members knew that.
Posted by: European Conservative ||
03/31/2025 9:51
Comments ||
Top||
#17
It wasn't about beliefs but about laws that were broken
Uh huh. Pull the other one.
Posted by: Frank G ||
03/31/2025 9:59
Comments ||
Top||
#18
No. You can't hire a person with public funds and then make him work for your personal gain.
I thought that was clear enough.
I've been a member of the regional Parliament, and I knew that I couldn't do that. The law - also in Germany - is very clear on that.
Posted by: European Conservative ||
03/31/2025 10:06
Comments ||
Top||
#19
Marine Le Pen and her 20 accomplices are not victims, they are guilty of having provided fictitious jobs paid for by the European taxpayers to Marine Le Pen's sister, sister-in-law, driver and companion.
I'm surprised that with all that DOGE stuff you'll suddenly find this ok.
Posted by: European Conservative ||
03/31/2025 10:09
Comments ||
Top||
#20
I'm surprised that with all that DOGE stuff you'll suddenly find this ok.
#21
Just don't break the law. In this case, this is quite easy to do. Of course politicians will always complain about "persecution" when they're held accountable. It's almost too funny that Putin and Orban would come to defend her. Those guys know a thing or two about persecution.
Posted by: European Conservative ||
03/31/2025 10:40
Comments ||
Top||
“Then, last but not least, there is the case of (François) Bayrou, the current prime minister, who has been prosecuted for exactly the same thing, i.e., for abuses of party funding declared as parliamentary assistants in Europe, at the EU parliament. Bayrou emerged from this affair without being in the least concerned. In fact, the public prosecutor’s office has once again referred the matter to the courts, but even so, we’re dealing with a double standard here. It’s a bit surprising.”
Posted by: Frank G ||
03/31/2025 10:58
Comments ||
Top||
#23
Judge de Perthuis set the tone immediately when she stated that there was no doubt as to the systemic nature of the embezzlement. All the defendants were guilty of embezzling public funds. The court had only examined the question of whether the employment contracts of the parliamentary staff had been in line with the work performed for the European Parliament. This was not the case. Rather, Le Pen had expanded a system of cross-financing of the party through sham employment contracts that had been introduced by her father. The Front National and later the Rassemblement National had enriched itself at the expense of the EU Parliament and had also undermined the rules of democracy. The RN was thus financially favored over other parties.
The court found it particularly serious that Le Pen and her co-defendants showed no remorse. During the criminal proceedings in the fall, the right-wing populist had repeatedly claimed that her actions were legitimate and that she could not see any wrongdoing. On Monday, Judge de Perthuis read from an exchange of correspondence between the party's treasurer, Wallerand de Saint-Just, and MEP Jean-Luc Schaffhauser. “Marine is asking us to sign fictitious employment contracts. The MEPs are criminally liable for this,” Schaffhauser warned. He expects the party's financial conduct to be scrutinized and wants to sound the alarm. The treasurer replied, ”I think Marine knows all about it.”
Posted by: European Conservative ||
03/31/2025 10:59
Comments ||
Top||
#24
In the case of Bayrou (who was acquitted) the Paris court found that nothing in the case file proved that the president of MoDem had given instructions to MEPs to hire parliamentary assistants or that he was aware of the non-execution of the contracts of the parliamentary assistants in question.
Posted by: European Conservative ||
03/31/2025 11:08
Comments ||
Top||
#27
Article 17. If the French president so desired, they could issue a pardon allowing her to run. I'm not gonna hold my breath but it'd potentially provide an alternative to civil disruption. They could pardon her, let her run, then adjust the vote so she 'almost' makes it again . . .
#28
She can appeal. And if the appellate court reverses the verdict she can still run.
Posted by: European Conservative ||
03/31/2025 11:49
Comments ||
Top||
#29
In western liberal democracies jailing or shooting the opposition candidate is quickly becoming the preferred election strategy
8:15 AM · Mar 31, 2025
Auron MacIntyre
Marine Le Pen in France, Bolsonaro in Brazil, Imran Khan in Pakistan, Matteo Salvini in Italy, Donald Trump in America, Calin Georgescu in Romania
The criminal prosecution of every populist challenger is a dagger in the heart of the credibility of democracy.
Mike Benz
#30
EC: 15 out of 28 29 Comments are by you. Do you have an emotional attachment or feel overly defensive?
Posted by: Frank G ||
03/31/2025 12:01
Comments ||
Top||
#31
I thought you would appreciate breaking reports. And this is a European topic.
But ok, I'll disappear for a while.
Posted by: European Conservative ||
03/31/2025 12:17
Comments ||
Top||
#32
I personally find it useful to have an in-country perspective on events. More data points!
From a 1,000 foot view, this looks like yet another lawfare operation on a political opponent. First, the rising populist candidate is branded as "far-right" and someone to be shunned by all good people. When that does not work, a crime is found or created. Said crime is then inflated to remove the target from the playing field. It is all nice and legal. And if that does not work, there is an "accident" As mentioned in #29, this is not the first time we have seen this play. It is not a good look.
tl;dr: You want more Trump? Keep this up and you will get a Trump of your own.
#33
The Soviet had laws, lots of laws. And the Soviets had courts too. Just because a law is a law does not make the law sacrosanct. And the problem with these societies when everything is illegal and prohibited is the unequal application of law.
#34
It’s called gaslighting…. provocation to create a stronger reaction!
The filthy chosen cult of covert, malignant narcissists already used that technique 100 years ago, the excesses of their Bolsheviks created Fascism and Nazism in reaction, then Europe was divided, and WWII followed…
It seems obvious that’s their plan all over again.
Posted by: Paul Mantise ||
03/31/2025 14:11
Comments ||
Top||
#35
European Conservative: I appreciate your input. I think the resistance you are seeing is that based on how we perceive the US system using lawfare to manipulate elections, we suspect the same in France. That is, we are not confident that LePen actually committed the crimes - they may not have occurred or they may have been manufactured by opposition.
#39
@Mercutio
No, of course not. Presumption of innocence ("présomption d'innocence"), and the judge must be convinced of guilt beyond any reasonable doubt ("hors de tout doute raisonnable").
Prosecution must prove the defendant is guilty. One exception: Defendants who live with prostitutes, or with drug traffickers, are presumed to be living off the proceeds of illegal activity unless they can prove the contrary.
Posted by: European Conservative ||
03/31/2025 16:32
Comments ||
Top||
#40
@Glenmore
"they may not have occurred or they may have been manufactured by opposition."
They did occur. This has been proven beyond any reasonable doubt. Btw I'm not really happy about the ban. The RN will use it to play the victim card, and they have two years to build up a successor.
I would have preferred a verdict without the immediate ban.
Posted by: European Conservative ||
03/31/2025 16:50
Comments ||
Top||
#41
EC: - as a Euro-Ignorant Gringo, I had to ask why this was so important to defend. I suspect you obviously know how badly this correlates in our eyes to the Democrats lawfare against Trump. It appears that this is not equally enforced across the EU Elites
Posted by: Frank G ||
03/31/2025 17:57
Comments ||
Top||
#42
FrankG
These practices have been going on for a long time and that's why the French parliament passed a law against it. It was Marine Le Pen who attacked politicians of other parties for this very reason, saying that her party was the only one that didn't do such dirty things. "Heads up, clean hands" was the slogan, and she voted for this law.
I say: Where there is a trough, pigs will find it.
Now that she (and 20 other party members) have been caught, she is crying foul.
By the way, this is completely different from NY lawfare. I found the 34 felony counts for a (maybe) bookkeeping error completely bogus.
Posted by: European Conservative ||
03/31/2025 18:32
Comments ||
Top||
#43
Thank you
Posted by: Frank G ||
03/31/2025 18:57
Comments ||
Top||
#44
Rantburg University for the win! :-) Thank you all for this edifying discussion.
My question: did LePen, et al do what too many French politicians do, or is their behavior uniquely illegal? Because if everybody does it (meaning many rather than most), then the prosecution is persecution. If uniquely illegal, then they deserve what they got, beyond petard-hoisting.
Either way, though, this kind of thing does tend to galvanize those on the fence to get involved, and those who were only watching to get out and vote. Look what happened to the Republicans since 2020.
[Garowe] The US military carried out an air strike Saturday against ISIS in the Puntland ...a region in northeastern Somalia, centered on Garowe in the Nugaal province. Its leaders declared the territory an autonomous state in 1998. Puntland and the equally autonomous Somaliland seem to have avoided the clan rivalries and warlordism that have typified the rest of Somalia, which puts both places high on the list for Islamic subversion... region of Somalia, killing several ISIS operatives, Africa Command said.
In a statement, the European-based command said the latest raid was conducted in coordination with the Somali government and hit "multiple ISIS-Somalia targets."
The ISIS group’s Somalia operation is relatively small compared to the al-Qaeda-linked hard boyz al-Shabaab ... the personification of Somali state failure... , but it has been gaining strength in Puntland.
"The Arclight airstrike ...KABOOM!... occurred southeast of Bosasso ...Puntland's major (maybe only) port, population about 250,000, most of them shady characters who hang around waterfront dives and carry knives and brass knuckles... , Puntland, in Northeastern Somalia," the AFRICOM statement said.
"AFRICOM’s initial assessment is that multiple ISIS-Somalia operatives were killed and no civilians were harmed," it said.
The latest strike follows a similar operation two days earlier that AFRICOM said complemented "a larger counter-terrorism initiative" underway in Somalia.
And it follows US strikes in February, which Puntland authorities said had killed "key figures" in ISIS, without giving further details.
And just like that, Turkey’s investment of time, money, and training is pushed to the back burner. Interesting — contrast with Iraq’s push to get America out as quickly as possible.
[ShabelleMedia] Somalia is prepared to offer the United States exclusive control of strategic air bases and ports, its president said in a letter to President Donald Trump ...Perhaps no man has ever had as much fun being president of the US... seen by Rooters on Friday.
In the March 16 letter, authenticated by a regional diplomat with knowledge of the matter, President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud said the assets included air bases in Balidogle and Berbera as well as the ports of Berbera and Bosaso.
Somalia’s foreign affairs and information ministers did not immediately respond to requests for comments.
The offer could give the United States a firmer military presence in the Horn of Africa region as it looks to counter the threat from Islamist Death Eaters in Somalia and across the region.
"These strategically positioned assets provide an opportunity to bolster American engagement in the region, ensuring uninterrupted military and logistical access while preventing external competitors from establishing a presence in this critical corridor," the letter said.
Berbera is in the breakaway Somaliland ...Republic of Somaliland is an unrecognised sovereign state in the Horn of Africa, recognised internationally as a de jure part of Somalia. It is located in the southern coast of the Gulf of Aden with approximately 5.7 million residents as of 2021. The capital and largest city is Hargeisa. The government regards itself as the successor state to British Somaliland, which united from 1960 to 1991 with the Trust Territory of Somaliland (the former Italian Somaliland) to form the Somali Republic. Under the Siad Barre regime, Somaliadestroyed ninety percent of Hargeisa Per international law, once you're in, you gotta stay in, no matter how bad it smells.... region, meaning the offer for the port and air base there would put the government there and Somalia on a collision course.
"What cooperation? The USA gave up this corrupted regime called Somalia. The USA is now ready to deal with Somaliland, who has shown the world to be a peaceful, stable, and democratic nation," Abdirahman Dahir Aden, Somaliland’s foreign minister, told Rooters.
"The USA is not stupid. They know who they need to deal with when it comes to Berbera port," he added.
Somalia opposes any move for Somaliland to be recognized as an independent nation.
Balidogle is about 90 km (55 miles) northwest of the capital, Mogadishu, while Bosaso is in the semi-autonomous state of Puntland ...a region in northeastern Somalia, centered on Garowe in the Nugaal province. Its leaders declared the territory an autonomous state in 1998. Puntland and the equally autonomous Somaliland seem to have avoided the clan rivalries and warlordism that have typified the rest of Somalia, which puts both places high on the list for Islamic subversion... .
Seen on Somalia’s Shabelle Media website. Posted here without commentary or Fred’s translation:
To make America safe, strong, and prosperous, President Trump is ensuring that U.S. immigration laws are followed. If you try to enter the United States illegally, lie to get a visa, work without legal permission, or stay in the United States after your visa or visa waiver period expires, you will face serious penalties. These include jail time, deportation, and a permanent ban on obtaining a U.S. visa in the future. If you have family or friends who are in the United States illegally, now is the time to tell them to come home.
TRYING TO ENTER OR REMAIN ILLEGALLY WILL GET YOU CAUGHT
Some people believe they can sneak into the United States and avoid being caught. This is not true. The Trump Administration has strengthened border security and greatly increased the number of illegal aliens being arrested and deported. In February 2025, illegal border crossings dropped 94% compared to February 2024, while arrests of illegal border crossers inside the United States increased by 627%. If you try to cross a U.S. border or remain in the United States illegally, you will be caught, detained, and sent back. You may also be banned from ever returning or face fines and criminal charges.
U.S. VISA FRAUD HAS SERIOUS CONSEQUENCES
The U.S. visa process is the most secure in the world. Yet, some people unwisely still try to cheat the system by using fake documents, lying on applications, or staying after their visa expires. These are examples of visa fraud, and it is a serious crime. If you break the law in this way, you will be punished, and you may never be allowed to enter the United States again.
THE JOURNEY TO THE U.S. BORDER IS DANGEROUS
For those considering making the dangerous journey to illegally cross into the United States, understand that your safety – and even your life – are at risk. Criminal groups, cartels, and human traffickers target illegal migrants, subjecting them to violence, extortion, and assault. Many who attempt the journey never make it to their destination.
The United States is working with other countries in the Western Hemisphere to stop and return people trying to enter illegally before they even reach the U.S. border. By securing our borders, we are not only protecting American citizens but also preventing the suffering caused by illegal immigration.
PRESIDENT TRUMP IS HOLDING EVERYONE ACCOUNTABLE
The United States government is also taking action against those who help others enter the country illegally. This includes smugglers, human traffickers and even foreign government officials who allow illegal immigration to continue.
Recently, Secretary of State Marco Rubio announced a new visa restriction policy for foreign officials – including immigration, customs, and port authority staff – who fail to help stop illegal immigration. This builds on similar existing restrictions for those in the transportation and tourism industries. Those who threaten U.S. security by facilitating illegal immigration are not welcome in our country.
THE CHOICE IS CLEAR – FOLLOW THE LAW
The risks of trying to illegally immigrate to the United States far outweigh any potential benefits. You could lose your life, become a victim of criminals, or end up with a record that damages your future and your family’s future. Illegal entry not only breaks U.S. laws, it is also puts your safety and well-being in jeopardy. The penalties are serious: jail time, separation from your family, and permanent bans from re-entering the United States.
If you know someone who is in the United States illegally, the best thing you can do for them is encourage them to leave now before they are caught. For everyone, the message is simple: Make the right choice, follow the law, and do not risk your safety, your family, or your future.
[IsraelTimes] An Iranian doctoral student at the University of Alabama was arrested by immigration agents at his apartment in the middle of the night, even though his lawyer says he was allowed to stay in the country and — unlike some students targeted for deportation — never participated in campus “anti-government protests.”
Alireza Doroudi, 32, was picked up because his visa was revoked in 2023, one of the few points of agreement between US officials and the student’s representatives.
David Rozas, a lawyer for Doroudi, says he doesn’t know why his client’s visa was revoked but that he could stay in the United States while he remained a student, a status that immigration attorneys say is somewhat common. WAS somewhat common.
“He has not been arrested for any crime, nor has he participated in any anti-government protests. He is legally present in the US, pursuing his American dream by working towards his doctorate in mechanical engineering,” Rozas says.
The Department of Homeland Security says that immigration officials acted on the State Department’s visa revocation.
“This individual posed significant national security concerns,” the department says. Officials decline to elaborate when asked why he is considered a threat. Rozas says he has not been informed of any allegations of security issues involving Doroudi.
Doroudi has an immigration hearing in early April, according to his attorney, who worries that Doroudi’s inability to attend school will result in his loss of student status. Publicly available Alabama court records show he was cited for speeding/reckless driving in November 2023, but no other legal entanglements.
There is no indication the University of Alabama student detained this week by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement was involved in any pro-Palestinian protests or criminal activity.
However, the Department of Homeland Security told CBS42 on Thursday that Alireza Doroudi, a doctoral student from Iran studying mechanical engineering whose student visa was revoked, “posed significant national security concerns.”
DHS did not provide any specific information regarding what Doroudi may have done or was charged with. Efforts by AL.com to reach DHS have not been successful.
Douroudi attorney David Rozas told The Associated Press he was not aware of his client being involved in protests or criminal activity.
“With the words of his fiancé, he is a nerd. All he does is study and is literally trying to fulfill his dream, the American dream, of becoming a researcher and professor of mechanical engineering,” Rozas told AP.
Doroudi was being held at Pickens County Jail in Alabama for transport to an immigration facility in Jena, Louisiana. As of Thursday, Doroudi has not been formally charged with any crime, according to court records.
Doroudi’s only known offense while in America was for speeding in Tuscaloosa County two years ago.
A GoFundMe has been created by Doroudi’s apparent fiancé to assist with his legal expenses. As of Thursday night, more than $13,000 have been raised out of a $15,000 goal.
According to a student text chain obtained by the CW, Doroudi had come to the U.S. in January 2023 after receiving a student visa from the U.S. Embassy in Oman. However, his visa was allegedly revoked six months later.
There is no American embassy in Iran, so he could not have applied there. But was it legal for him as an Iranian to apply for a student visa in Oman?
“After receiving the revocation notice, Alireza immediately contacted ISSS (International Student and Scholar Services) at the University of Alabama,” the message stated. “ISSS replied with confidence, stating that his case was not unusual or problematic and that he could remain in the U.S. legally as long as he maintained his student status.”
The Pickens County Jail employee, who did not identify themselves, said that Doroudi was being held until ICE officers could pick him up, although no exact time was given on when Doroudi would be leaving.
Originally from Iran, Doroudi has been a student at UA since February 2023, according to his LinkedIn page. He previously received his master of science degree in welding engineering technology from Amirkabir University of Technology in Tehran in 2018.
She was supposed to be planning her wedding, but now, Sama Bajgani is planning how she is going to get her fiancé out of jail.
Earlier this week, Alireza Doroudi, a University of Alabama doctoral student originally from Iran, was detained by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement.
Oceanside students take filed trip to see ‘A Wonderworld World – The Louis Armstrong Musical’Oceanside students take filed trip to see ‘A Wonderworld World – The Louis Armstrong Musical’
He had been held at the Pickens County Jail, but as of Friday he was transferred to federal custody in Jena, La.
Bajgani said it was “traumatizing” to witness ICE officers take her fiancé out of their Tuscaloosa apartment at about 3 a.m. Tuesday.
“I’m sure it was traumatizing to everyone else [in the complex] too, because they could all hear the knocks and the sounds,” she said.
Public records from U.S. Immigrations and Customs Enforcement do not detail any specifics on why Doroudi was detained.
“ICE HSI made this arrest in accordance with the State Department’s revocation of Doroudi’s student visa. This individual posed significant national security concerns,” a DHS spokesperson said.
Doroudi’s attorney, David Rozas, said in a statement to AL.com he was unaware “of any allegations concerning significant national security issues.”
“He has not been arrested for any crime, nor has he participated in any anti-government protests,” the statement from Rozas said. “He is legally present in the U.S., pursuing his American dream by working towards his doctorate in mechanical engineering.”
Rozas added that Doroudi’s student visa was still active and that he was applying for permanent residency as a researcher.
The downtown apartment complex is home to many other migrant families. Many refused to speak on record but said they were shaken by the event.
The property manager for the apartments, who witnessed the arrest, declined to comment.
Bajgani has set up a GoFundMe to help with Doroudi’s legal expenses.
She shared that the couple had been planning to get married in two months, but now all of her focus is on ensuring Doroudi’s freedom.
“If something like this can happen to such a hardworking and harmless student – it makes us all wonder if it could happen to anyone,” Doroudi’s friend, Sam Saberi, told CBS 42.
“The entire international student community is confused and unsettled,” Saberi told the station.
The National Iranian American Council, an advocacy organization, issued a statement on March 27.
“We are deeply disturbed by the arrest of Alireza Doroudi, a doctoral student at the University of Alabama, by ICE agents,” it reads.
“At a minimum, ICE must make his whereabouts known and make clear if he has been charged with any crime. If not, he should be immediately released.”
The University of Alabama enrolled about 1,200 international students in the fall 2024 semester, according to a recent report, and 90 of those students were from Iran.
Across Alabama, about 9,000 international students were enrolled at different universities, according to the Alabama Council on Higher Education.
University of Alabama guidelines for international student orientation say that students may have an expired visa as long as they maintain their studies.
The school’s International Students and Scholars Service supports people on F-1 and J-1 visas.
AL.com contacted the ISSS office who directed comments to the university’s communications office.
The University of Alabama College Democrats issued the following statement.
“Donald Trump, [ICE Acting Director] Tom Homan and ICE have struck a cold vicious dagger through the heart of UA’s international community,” the organization wrote.
“As far as we know right now, ICE is yet to provide any justification for their actions, so we are not sure if this persecution is politically motivated as has been seen in other universities across the country.”
ICE agents may be in public spaces on university campuses. They typically need a warrant in order to enter private spaces, such as a home or residence hall.
[IsraelTimes] US president also says he could apply secondary tariffs on Islamic Republic, in first remarks after Tehran rejects his offer for direct talks on nuclear program
Going through all the steps of the dance before the bombs must be dropped – Iran should know them well.
[IsraelTimes] Iran-backed rebel group says it clashed with US aircraft carrier 3 times in past day, as round of airstrikes said to target rebel-held districts in western Yemen
A ballistic missile launched at Israel by the Iran-backed Iran's Houthi sock puppets ...a Zaidi Shia insurgent group operating in Yemen. They have also been referred to as the Believing Youth. Hussein Badreddin al-Houthi is said to be the spiritual leader of the group and most of the military leaders are his relatives. The legitimate Yemeni government has accused the them of having ties to the Iranian government. Honest they did. The group has managed to gain control over all of Saada Governorate and parts of Amran, Al Jawf and Hajjah Governorates. Its slogan is God is Great, Death to America™, Death to Israel, a curse on the Jews They like shooting off... ummm... missiles that they would have us believe they make at home in their basements. On the plus side, they did murder Ali Abdullah Saleh, which was the only way the country was ever going to be rid of him... s in Yemen ...an area of the Arabian Peninsula sometimes mistaken for a country. It is populated by more antagonistic tribes and factions than you can keep track of... was successfully intercepted by air defenses Sunday morning, hours after the rebels claimed they had targeted an American aircraft carrier in the Red Sea.
The Israel Defense Forces said the missile aimed at Israel was shot down before crossing the country’s borders.
Sirens had sounded across central Israel, in several towns near Jerusalem, and in some West Bank settlements.
Medics said a 42-year-old woman was moderately injured when she fell from a significant height into a ditch at the side of the Route 1 highway between Tel Aviv and Jerusalem while seeking shelter during the alert.
She was taken to a hospital in Tel Aviv with injuries to her limbs and back, the Magen David Adom emergency service said.
It was at least the eighth Houthi attack on Israel since March 18, when the IDF resumed its offensive against Hamas ..a contraction of the Arabic words for "frothing at the mouth",... in the Gazoo
...Hellhole adjunct to Israel and Egypt's Sinai Peninsula, inhabited by Gazooks. The place was acquired in the wake of the 1967 War and then presented to Paleostinian control in 2006 by Ariel Sharon, who had entered his dotage. It is currently ruled with a rusty iron fist by Hamas with about the living conditions you'd expect. It periodically attacks the Hated Zionist Entity whenever Iran needs a ruckus created or the hard boyz get bored, getting thumped by the IDF in return. The ruling turbans then wave the bloody shirt and holler loudly about oppression and disproportionate response... Strip. All of the missiles fired since then have been intercepted without causing significant damage.
Earlier, in a statement Sunday morning, Houthi front man Yahya Saree said the group clashed with the USS Harry S. Truman three times in the preceding 24 hours, using missiles, drones, and naval forces. The Houthis vowed to keep "supporting the oppressed Paleostinian people until the aggression against Gaza is stopped."
The statement did not mention Arclight airstrike ...KABOOM!... s reported some seven hours earlier by the Houthi-owned al-Masirah network. According to the network, at least four US airstrikes hit the Saada governate, in the country’s northwest, minutes before 1 a.m. Some 30 minutes later, the network reported three US airstrikes on the Bani Matar district, just west of the Houthi-held capital Sanaa, in the country’s west.
The network did not report on casualties or the extent of the damage. The US Central Command has not issued a statement on social media about either the statement or the reported airstrikes.
US airstrikes had pounded Yemen overnight between Friday and Saturday, reportedly killing at least one person as the US military acknowledged having bombed a major military site in the heart of Sanaa.
An News Agency that Dare Not be Named review has found the new American operation under US President Donald Trump ...Oh, noze! Not him!... appears more extensive than those under former president Joe The Big Guy Biden ...46th president of the U.S. The man who made Barack Obama and Jimmy Carter look competent, if only by comparison.... , as the US moves from solely targeting launch sites to firing at ranking personnel as well as dropping bombs in cities.
The attacks on shipping greatly raised the Houthis’ profile as they contended with economic problems and launched a crackdown targeting any dissent and aid workers at home amid Yemen’s decade-long stalemated war, which has torn apart the Arab world’s poorest nation.
The Houthis have begun threatening both Saudi Arabia ...a kingdom taking up the bulk of the Arabian peninsula, largely made up of sand and oil rigs. Its primary economic activity involves exporting oil and soaking Islamic rubes on the annual haj pilgrimage. The country supports a large number of princes in whatcha might call princely splendor. Formerly dictatorial and steeped in Olde Tyme Religion, deferring to Salafist holy men on all issues, it has now done a 180 and is making a serious effort to modernize, so as not to be left in the sand by its Gulf Arab neighbors. The holy men have been shoved to the background and the nation is now still dictatorial but somewhat rational. That doesn't make them trustworthy, but it's a start... and the United Arab Emirates, two American allies in the region, over the US strikes. That’s even as the nations that have sought a separate peace with the Houthis have stayed out of the new US airstrike campaign.
The renewed airstrike campaign has become a source of controversy in domestic US politics after a journalist, inexplicably added to a chat group of Trump’s national security team, reported that top White House officials had used a commercial application to discuss a March 15 strike, two hours before it took place.
[HodhodYemenNews] Despite the continuous US aggression against Yemen, Yemeni Armed Forces fired a ballistic missile towards the Zionist entity and confronted the USS Harry Truman US aircraft carrier in the Red Sea.
The Yemeni Armed Forces Issued the following statements:
First Statement:
“With the help of Allah Almighty, our armed forces continue, for the third consecutive week, their responsible and effective response to the ongoing American aggression against our country where they clashed with hostile warships, foremost among them the American aircraft carrier “Truman”, in the Red Sea three times during the past 24 hours.
The confrontation and engagement operation was carried out by the Missile Force, the Drone Air Force, and the Naval Forces, using a number of cruise missiles and drones.
The Armed Forces salute their heroic fighters across all branches, formations, and weapons systems as they perform their religious, humanitarian, and moral duty in defense of a free, independent Yemen and in support of the oppressed Palestinian people. On their behalf, they extend every greeting to the leader, Sayyed Abdul-Malik Badr El-Din Al-Houthi (may Allah protect him), and to all our steadfast and struggling Yemeni people in various governorates and regions. Greetings are also extended to the heroic fighters in the Gaza Strip, to the free and proud Palestinian people, and to all the free people of our dear nation.
They affirm that, relying on Allah, they are continuing to develop their defensive operations and confront escalation with escalation, and will not retreat from supporting the oppressed Palestinian people until the aggression against Gaza ceases and the siege upon it is lifted.”
Second Statement:
“In support of the oppressed Palestinian people and in backing their noble and valiant resistance, the missile force has carried out a military operation targeting Ben Gurion Airport in the occupied Yaffa area, using a ballistic missile of the Thulfiqar type. The operation successfully achieved its objective, by the grace of Allah.
Through this operation, the Yemeni Armed Forces affirm the failure of the American aggression in preventing Yemen from continuing its support operations for the oppressed Palestinian people. The dozens of daily airstrikes will not deter the armed forces from fulfilling their religious, moral, and humanitarian duties. With the help of Allah, operations against the “Israeli” enemy will continue until the aggression on Gaza ceases and the siege is lifted.”
[IsraelTimes] Netanyahu insists that increased pressure is the only way to free hostages, says Israel is willing to negotiate ‘final stage’ of deal, would allow Hamas leaders to leave the Strip
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Sunday said ministers voted overnight to increase military pressure on Hamas, asserting that the methods were "working" to bring about a deal to free hostages held in the Gazoo
...Hellhole adjunct to Israel and Egypt's Sinai Peninsula, inhabited by Gazooks. The place was acquired in the wake of the 1967 War and then presented to Paleostinian control in 2006 by Ariel Sharon, who had entered his dotage. It is currently ruled with a rusty iron fist by Hamas with about the living conditions you'd expect. It periodically attacks the Hated Zionist Entity whenever Iran needs a ruckus created or the hard boyz get bored, getting thumped by the IDF in return. The ruling turbans then wave the bloody shirt and holler loudly about oppression and disproportionate response... Strip.
"It works because it acts simultaneously," he said at the start of the weekly cabinet meeting in Jerusalem. "On the one hand, it crushes Hamas’s military and governmental capabilities, and on the other hand, it creates the conditions for the release of our hostages."
The security cabinet last night voted to increase pressure on Hamas, the premier said. The vote was held as massive nationwide protests continued against his government’s policies on the return of the hostages held by Hamas in Gaza.
Elaborating on what he said were three Hamas "false claims" about Israel’s negotiating posture, Netanyahu said, first, that in contrast to Hamas assertions, Israel is continuing to negotiate, but that it this being done "under fire," which he claimed makes it more effective. "We see that there are suddenly cracks," he said, though Hamas has yet to agree to Israel’s demands for a new, extended ceasefire.
Media reports on Saturday said Hamas had agreed to an Egyptian proposal to release five living hostages in exchange for a 50-day ceasefire in Gaza. According to multiple media reports, this does not meet the demands of Israel, which is insisting on the return of 10 or 11 living hostages to resume the truce, based on a previous proposal by US Mideast envoy Steve Witkoff.
Israel on Saturday confirmed it had received the proposal from mediating countries and sent a counterproposal "in full coordination with the US."
Israel is also willing to talk about "the final stage" of a hostage release-ceasefire deal with Hamas, Netanyahu insisted, countering what he called the second Hamas lie about the negotiations.
The prime minister had previously refused to enter talks on the second phase of a ceasefire deal reached in January, which would involve discussing the end to the war. Instead, he pushed for an extension of the first phase of the deal. Hamas refused, and Israel renewed intensive military operations throughout Gaza on March 18.
"We are ready," Netanyahu said Sunday. "Hamas will lay down its weapons. Its leaders will be allowed to leave [Gaza]. We will take care of general security in the Gaza Strip, and enable the implementation of the Trump plan, the voluntary immigration plan."
"That’s the plan. We’re not hiding it," he went on.
Israel "is ready to discuss it at any time," he said, referring to the US president’s contentious plan, which triggered global outrage after Trump suggested the US "take over" Gaza and turn it into the "Riviera of the Middle East," while forcing its Paleostinian inhabitants to relocate to Egypt, Jordan or other countries.
The third Hamas lie, according to Netanyahu, was that he doesn’t care about the hostages: "This is what Hamas puts in its propaganda films in order to create division within us," he argued.
He said that Israel is "committed to bringing back the hostages," and claimed that the combination of military and diplomatic pressure is the only thing that has worked, and "not all the empty claims and slogans that I hear in the [TV] studios from the experts."
The renewal of military operations in Gaza has sparked fears among hostage families that their loved ones’ lives will be in increased danger, as some captives were killed in captivity by strikes, or by their captors when troops appeared to be approaching their location.
Addressing stepped-up attacks in Leb ...home of the original Hezbollah, which periodically starts a war with the Zionist Entity, gets Beirut pounded to rubble, and then declares victory and has a parade.... , Netanyahu said that Israel "respects" Lebanon and its armed forces, "therefore, we demand from them things that you demand from someone you respect."
"Lebanon is responsible for what comes out of its territory, and it must ensure that... no attacks against Israel come out of its territory," Netanyahu said, apparently referring to recent rocket fire over the past week.
He also thanked the US for carrying out strikes against the Iran-backed Iran's Houthi sock puppets ...a Zaidi Shia insurgent group operating in Yemen. They have also been referred to as the Believing Youth. Hussein Badreddin al-Houthi is said to be the spiritual leader of the group and most of the military leaders are his relatives. The legitimate Yemeni government has accused the them of having ties to the Iranian government. Honest they did. The group has managed to gain control over all of Saada Governorate and parts of Amran, Al Jawf and Hajjah Governorates. Its slogan is God is Great, Death to America™, Death to Israel, a curse on the Jews They like shooting off... ummm... missiles that they would have us believe they make at home in their basements. On the plus side, they did murder Ali Abdullah Saleh, which was the only way the country was ever going to be rid of him... s in Yemen ...an area of the Arabian Peninsula sometimes mistaken for a country. It is populated by more antagonistic tribes and factions than you can keep track of... , calling it "a big change."
The US on March 15 launched a new campaign of Arclight airstrike ...KABOOM!... s against the rebel group after it threatened to resume attacks on "any Israeli vessel" in nearby maritime routes as a response to Israel stifling the flow of aid into Gaza.
Though former US president Joe The Big Guy Biden ...46th president of the U.S. Joe's wife and daughter weren't killed by a drunk driver. He didn't graduate with three or even two degrees, wasn't in the top half of his law class, and his daddy didn't come home from a hard day's work in the mines and play football with the guys. The NAACP hasn't endorsed him every time he's run.... also carried out strikes against the Houthis during his term, the campaign was more limited and targeted mostly at launch sites. Under Trump, American fighter jets and drones began bombing high-ranking Houthi personnel and denser city neighborhoods.
"We always value alliances," Netanyahu said. "We have an alliance with the greatest power in the world, and it stands behind us there and in other arenas without reservation, and with the full appreciation of the citizens and the government of Israel."
[IsraelTimes] In ruling written before latest halt on aid, court says Israel has not violated legal prohibitions on collective punishment; human rights group slams ‘green light to continue war crimes’
The High Court of Justice ruled unanimously on Thursday that Israel has taken a variety of steps to provide for the humanitarian needs of Gaza’s civilian population during the current war with Hamas, and that there was no cause for the court to order the government and the army to take any additional action.
Critically, the court stated that the human rights groups which petitioned the court over the humanitarian situation in Gaza had “not even come close” to showing that Israel had violated legal prohibitions on starving a civilian population as a tool of war or as a form of collective punishment.
The court also ruled against the petitioners’ claim that Gaza is now under what is known as a “belligerent occupation” by Israel, which would apply heightened responsibilities for Israel to Gazan civilians.
The court found that at least two out of the three conditions for establishing a belligerent occupation have not been met by Israel, in particular that the IDF still does not have effective control of the territory and is unable to exercise governing authority.
Additionally, the court asserted that Hamas and other terror groups have deliberately hidden among the civilian population during the war; carried out terror activity from the Israel-designated humanitarian zone including from inside civilian facilities such as hospitals and schools; and seized humanitarian aid destined for civilians for its own use, to the detriment of the civilian population.
It also stated that the Palestinian terror groups in Gaza were responsible for civilian suffering in the war-torn territory, although the court added that Israel was not permitted to ignore that suffering.
Supreme Court President Isaac Amit, a liberal, wrote the primary opinion for the court, while conservatives Noam Sohlberg and David Mintz backed his decision.
Amit noted that the ruling was written before the government’s decision on March 2, 2025, to halt the transfer of all aid to Gaza, and said that the ruling could not address the new circumstances. It relates only to the petitions filed back in 2024 and the hearings that had been held for them.
The ruling is significant coming against the background of the arrest warrants issued by the International Criminal Court against Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and former defense minister Yoav Gallant on charges of crimes against humanity for using starvation as a means of warfare against the Gazan civilian population.
The International Court of Justice is also considering a suit filed by South Africa against Israel on charges of genocide, relating in large part to accusations that Israel’s policies regarding the entry of humanitarian aid to Gaza have been deliberately designed to create conditions to bring about civilian deaths in the territory.
The Gisha human rights group, the primary petitioner in the case, denounced the decision, saying it gave Israel “a green light to continue committing war crimes” in Gaza.
In March 2024, Gisha, together with HaMoked: Center for the Defense of the Individual, Physicians for Human Rights Israel, the Association for Civil Rights in Israel and Adalah, petitioned the court to order the government to allow unimpeded access of all necessary humanitarian aid to Gaza and to “significantly increase the volume of aid to Gaza,” including by opening land crossings and to provide for all the needs of the civilian population.
The court held five hearings on the petitions, the last of which was in November last year, requesting several updates and additional information from the state and its relevant agencies.
In his written opinion, Amit asserted that the IDF had taken steps during the war to reduce the harm done to Gaza’s civilian population, but acknowledged that the “fierce and protracted fighting” had exacted a heavy price from the civilian population in the strip.
“There is no dispute, and there can be no dispute, that the humanitarian situation in the Gaza Strip is not easy, to put it mildly,” wrote Amit.
He added, however, that “the suffering of the civilian population does not in itself indicate a breach of [its] obligation by the State of Israel,” he added.
Amit said that the transfer of humanitarian aid in all its forms had been allowed into Gaza for the majority of the war, and that Israel and the Coordinator of Government Activities in the Territories (COGAT), a unit of the Defense Ministry, had conducted numerous activities to facilitate the entry of aid into Gaza and to help coordinate its distribution.
This included opening new goods crossings into Gaza, upgrading the roads leading to the crossings and inside Gaza itself, as well as coordinating collection and distribution operations of the aid inside Gaza by humanitarian organizations operating in the territory to the civilian population.
Amit wrote that during the course of the war and the courts’ hearings on the petitions, COGAT was in constant contact with the humanitarian organizations on the ground to understand the needs of the population and to improve its response to those needs.
“Throughout the hearing of the petition, we were presented with a variety of steps that the respondents were taking to help humanitarian aid reach the uninvolved civilian population in the Gaza Strip,” wrote Amit.
These steps were taken “while balancing the State of Israel’s humanitarian obligations with operational security considerations,” including the fear that aid would be diverted by terror groups.
“In doing so, the respondents showed attentiveness to the changing reality and the needs anticipated by the aid organizations, and a willingness to become more efficient in the manner of their activities,” he added.
As a result, Amit wrote, he did not see a need for court intervention.
“Taking into account the totality of the actions taken by the respondents with the aim of improving the humanitarian situation in the Gaza Strip throughout the period of time examined in the petition, as detailed above, I do not believe that the petitioners were able to establish – not even close – a violation of the prohibitions on starvation of a population as a method of warfare and on collective punishment,” he added.
“It is the terrorist organizations that bear responsibility for the suffering of the uninvolved population,” concluded Amit, adding, however, that “this human suffering is not something that the State of Israel is entitled to ignore.”
Regarding the claims of Gisha and the other petitioners that Gaza is under belligerent occupation, Amit wrote that three conditions must be fulfilled for such a finding, including a physical presence of the foreign force in the territory in question; the ability of that force to function as a governing authority there; and the loss of the previous rulers of their ability to exercise government authority.
Amit ruled that neither the second nor the third conditions have been met, and that therefore Israel cannot be said to be in a belligerent occupation of Gaza, with the accompanying legal obligations to its civilian population.
Gisha and the other human rights organizations which petitioned the court said the ruling “reads like a hymn of praise to the State of Israel and its army during the darkest period in their history,” and “conveniently” determined the time period for the petition to stop at the beginning of this March when Israel halted the transfer of aid to Gaza.
“The ruling thus gives the State of Israel a green light to continue committing war crimes and harming civilians in Gaza,” Gisha stated.
Maybe ! IF ! HAMAS, other rouge Islamic terrorists, and the looters would quit hi-jacking it and hiding it for their private use. Then more would actually get into the civilian's hands.
[IsraelTimes] Critics decry planned north-south route as a ‘fatal blow’ to local Palestinian communities, as cabinet moves to expand settlement construction between Jerusalem and Ma’ale Adumim
The security cabinet Saturday night approved the construction of a Paleostinian-only bypass road in the Jerusalem area in a bid to separate Israeli and Paleostinian traffic and entrench Israel’s presence beyond the Green Line.
Removing the temptation for West Bank Arabs to attack any Israelis driving by.
Hailing the move, the Prime Minister’s Office said that it will reduce congestion between the capital and Ma’ale Adumim and boost Israeli construction in the highly contentious E1 area in the West Bank, located between the two cities.
Plans for the so-called "Fabric of Life" road were initially approved in 2020, after several years of intense lobbying by former Ma’ale Adumim mayor Benny Kashriel. After five years, the government is now moving forward with construction and earmarked some NIS 335 million ($91 million) for the project.
"We continue to strengthen the security of Israel’s citizens and to develop our settlements," said Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in a statement on Sunday. He further claimed that the road stands to ease traffic flow and enhance security by providing a "strategic transportation corridor connecting Jerusalem, Ma’ale Adumim and the Jordan Valley."
Vertically bisecting the West Bank, the hotly contested E1 area is considered strategically important for the territorial contiguity of a prospective Paleostinian state. Though Israel has long sought to step up construction in the region, its efforts were partly stifled by immense international pressure, including from the US.
The planned bypass road will allow for Israel to expand construction in the settlement bloc, which critics decried as a "fatal blow" to Paleostinian communities in the area.
"These communities [in E1] will be cut off from the rest of the West Bank, and will have virtually no access by car," anti-settlement watchdog Peace Now warned in a blurb on Sunday. "This could mean the de facto expulsion of all Paleostinian communities from the area."
The new north-south route will directly connect the villages of az-Za’ayyem and al-Eizariya, diverting Paleostinian traffic away from Route 1 and effectively barring Paleostinians access to areas within the E1 bloc.
The group also called the road a potential first step towards the annexation of Ma’ale Adumim, a charge with which many supporting the road’s construction agree. While serving in 2020 as defense minister under Netanyahu, Naftali Bennett touted the route as a way to "apply illusory sovereignty" to the area "in deeds, not words."
The Prime Minister’s Office said the plan will bolster security amid concerns over terrorist attacks along the current route. Just over a year ago, three Paleostinian faceless myrmidons carried out a shooting attack near the az-Za’ayyem checkpoint, killing an Israeli man and wounding 11 others, including a pregnant woman.
The construction will not draw from Israel’s state budget funds, but will rather be financed with money collected from Paleostinians by the Civil Administration, the Defense Ministry body that manages civilian affairs in the West Bank.
The cabinet also approved plans for another bypass road — "Route 80" — which will connect al-Eizariya to the Good Samaritan Interchange, creating a more direct route between Bethlehem and Jericho. The project, still in its initial planning phase, was allocated some NIS 10 million.
Defense Minister Israel Katz, who spearheaded the initiative, lauded the "historic decision," which he says will "reinforce the settlements, boost security, enhance the welfare of all residents in the area, and strengthen our hold on Judea and Samaria."
[CHD] The nurse who administered the shots said 1-year-old Sa’Niya needed them to catch her up on vaccinations she missed at her 6-month appointment — a common but potentially dangerous recommendation, according to pediatricians interviewed by The Defender.
[LawEnforcementToday] So, Washington state is considering putting firearms into the hands of ILLEGALS. A Person living here in CRIMINAL ILLEGAL STATUS, to enforce US LAWS and arrest US Citizens?
I wonder what the VOTERS & ATF have to say about that?
[TWZ] Tablets are an increasingly popular way of fast-tracking the integration of new capabilities on a variety of aerial platforms.
Turkey has begun using tablet computers in the cockpits of its F-16 fighters to help with the rapid integration of new locally-developed weapons. This has interesting parallels with Ukraine’s use of such devices to allow its Soviet-era jets to employ Western air-to-ground weapons — something you can read more about here.
The tablet can be seen in the cockpit of an F-16 in a recent video showing a test launch of the domestically developed SOM-J standoff missile. The tablet is mounted on the Input Control Panel (ICP), which is located on the center console beneath the head-up display. The ICP is used to select weapons, navigation settings, and radio communications, among other functions. At the same time, the pilot has another tablet on their knee, something that has become increasingly common, augmenting the information available via the aircraft’s mission systems and helping eliminate cumbersome paper books in the cockpit.
In this context, the tablet is part of the UBAS, also known in English as the Aircraft Independent Firing System. Using Turkish-designed software, the UBAS provides a weapons interface for the use of Turkish-made stores, like the SOM-J. Reportedly, UBAS is installed in Turkey’s upgraded F-16C/D Block 40 aircraft but is not compatible with older Vipers. Exactly how many aircraft are outfitted with the device is unclear, and it remains possible that it’s primarily intended for test work, before the stores are added to Turkish-made aircraft and drones. On the other hand, with such a capability readily available, it would be surprising if it were not introduced more widely on Turkish F-16s.
As for the SOM-J, this weapon was developed by Turkey’s Roketsan, on the basis of the same company’s Stand-Off Missile (SOM), as used by the F-4E and F-16, but was planned for integration on the F-35, which would have carried it internally. Although Turkey was ejected from the Joint Strike Fighter program, developmental work on the SOM-J continued. The missile reportedly has a range of at least 170 miles and uses GPS/inertial navigation system (INS) for guidance, with an imaging infrared seeker for the terminal phase. The SOM-J is around 12.8 feet long and weighs approximately 1,190 pounds.
Tablet-based workarounds to integrate new weapons on existing aircraft platforms are now something of a growth area.
In the case of Ukraine, which we have explored in depth in the past, its Soviet-era fighters lack the kinds of data bus interfaces that would ensure seamless compatibility with Western-made weapons.
Last year, U.S. Undersecretary of Defense for Acquisition and Sustainment Dr. William LaPlante explained:
“There’s also a series of … we call it ‘air-to-ground,’ it’s what we call it euphemistically … think about the aircraft that the Ukrainians have, and not even the F-16, but they have a lot of the Russian and Soviet-era aircraft. Working with the Ukrainians, we’ve been able to take many Western weapons and get them to work on their aircraft, where it’s basically controlled by an iPad by the pilot. And they’re flying it in conflict like a week after we get it to him.”
As well as tablets in the cockpit, Ukrainian aircraft are also using specialized pylons on which the Western-made weapons are carried. You can read more about those here.
For Turkey, the situation is essentially reversed, with the problem being how to integrate new Turkish-made weapons onto older U.S.-made F-16s.
Turkey has a fairly unusual position regarding the kind of upgrades it can make to its F-16 fleet, a result of the sometimes-strained relations between Ankara and Washington.
Turkey’s F-16 fleet is the third largest in the world, and the country’s Vipers have seen extensive action in combat operations. With any replacement for them some way off, Turkey has undertaken various F-16 upgrades, including a service-life extension, performed by the domestic firm Turkish Aerospace, formerly known as Turkish Aerospace Industries (TAI).
While Turkey operates Block 30, 40, and 50 aircraft, it seems that the UBAS, currently at least, is restricted to the Block 40/50 jets that were modernized with the Common Configuration Implementation Program (CCIP) upgrade, which was completed in 2015.
Posted by: Skidmark ||
03/31/2025
02:15 ||
Comments ||
Link ||
E-Mail||
[11168 views]
Top|| File under: Sublime Porte
[TWZ] The Airbus Low-Cost Air Defense or LOAD concept takes an existing target drone and adds small air-to-air missiles to bring down enemy UAVs.
Airbus has unveiled LOAD, a new anti-drone drone concept — an adapted target drone that will be armed with small air-to-air missiles, expressly designed to shoot down other uncrewed aerial vehicles. In recent years, we’ve seen a proliferation of single-use drones with explosive warheads that are designed to bring down other uncrewed aerial vehicles. However, a reusable anti-drone drone, armed with its own tiny missiles, appears to be something of a novelty.
Airbus revealed LOAD — which stands for Low-Cost Air Defense — at the DWT Unbemannte Systeme X uncrewed systems trade show in Bonn, Germany, today. The company says it wants to test fly an armed prototype by the end of the year, with a series-production ready by 2027.
[TWZ] The sensor-packed ME-11Bs will fly faster, farther, and higher than the Army's current turboprop intel aircraft and could also launch drones.
The U.S. Army has formally given the designation ME-11B to its forthcoming High Accuracy Detection and Exploitation System (HADES) intelligence-gathering aircraft. The modified Bombardier Global 6500 business jets will have extensive sensors suites that include the Advanced Synthetic Aperture Radar System-2B (ASARS-2B) and could have the ability to launch drones.
Last August, the Army awarded the Sierra Nevada Corporation (SNC) a contract valued at just under $1 billion to modify Global 6500s into the HADES configuration, as well as provide other support and services. Work under that contract was suspended until January of this year due to an ultimately unsuccessful protest by L3Harris, which had competed for the HADES deal as part of a team with Leidos and MAG Aerospace. Bombardier separately delivered the first Global 6500 for conversion in November 2024.
“The military mission design series designation of ME-11B was assigned to the Army’s future aerial intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance aircraft, which will be based on the Bombardier Global 6500 platform,” a spokesperson for the Army’s Program Executive Office for Aviation (PEO Aviation) confirmed to TWZ earlier this week.
The designation here reflects that there is another militarized Global 6500 already in service with the U.S. armed forces, the U.S. Air Force’s E-11A Battlefield Airborne Communications Node (BACN) aircraft. It’s also worth noting here that the aircraft in the Air Force’s initial fleet of E-11As were based on older Bombardier BD-700 and Global 6000 business jets. The BACN jets provide highly specialized communications capabilities that allow for the rapid transfer of data between various aerial platforms, as well as forces on land and at sea, which you can read more about here.
[FoxNews] The Hercules recovery vehicle is estimated to be encased in 2 meters of mud and is about 4 meters below the water's surface
US military crews, alongside Polish and Lithuanian teams, continue efforts to find four U.S. soldiers who went missing last week in Lithuania.
U.S. Navy divers have successfully attached two lines to hoist points on a sinking M88 Hercules armored recovery vehicle that was carrying four U.S. Army soldiers who disappeared early Tuesday during a training exercise near Pabradė, Lithuania.
The soldiers, based in Fort Stewart in Georgia, were riding in the vehicle on a scheduled maintenance mission to recover another U.S. Army vehicle in the training area when they disappeared.
After the second line was attached to a hoist point on the Hercules on Sunday, the Army said the vehicle could be anchored to prevent it from sinking further into the bog it was in.
"Engineers expect to start winching early this morning," the U.S. Army Europe and Africa said in a post on X. "The process is projected to take a significant amount of time and effort, as the terrain surrounding the peat bog remains challenging – but the rescue workers will not be deterred."
“The armored vehicle was pulled ashore at 4:40 a.m., the towing operation is complete, Lithuanian Military Police and US investigators continue their work,” Defense Minister Dovilė Šakalienė said Monday morning in a post on Facebook.
Posted by: Frank G ||
03/31/2025 10:35
Comments ||
Top||
[FoxNews] TikTok user belal_donq said 'You might as well shoot them [ICE agents] on sight and have your day in court'
The Trump administration has been cracking down on illegal immigration, something the president promised throughout his campaign.
A TikTok user posted a disturbing video on the popular social media website, calling on people to "shoot at ICE [Immigration and Customs Enforcement] agents on sight."
"Shoot at ICE agents on sight. That's right. If ICE agents are trying to take you or a loved one, shoot them on sight," TikTok user belal_donq
…Belal is an Arabic boy’s name, also popular in the Indian subcontinent…
said in his video.
The user claimed agents had been showing up in masks, unmarked vehicles, and without their badges, claiming that the agents "could be anybody."
"The way they're pulling up with masks on, with unmarked vehicles, no badge, no nothing. It could be anybody. It can be gang members. You have every right to shoot at them," he continued. "This would be the best self-defense case. You're just in fear for your life. You don't know who's behind that unmarked vehicle or who's behind that mask."
He then says the way agents have been allegedly showing up "is ridiculous."
"What is our country coming to? Why would you want to be an ICE agent anyway? Do you like separating kids from their parents? Do you like deporting students that are studying? I can understand deporting a gang member or criminals. But innocent people. It's ridiculous."
"They're pulling up like the Mafia. You might as well shoot them on sight and have your day in court."
Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem shared a thread of the video and vowed that actions would be taken against the person who posted the video.
"If you threaten or attempt to harm a law enforcement officer we will find you and prosecute you to the fullest extent of the law," Noem wrote in a post on X.
User belal_donq appeared to take down the video Sunday evening after Fox News Digital reached out to him on TikTok.
National Border Patrol Council Vice President Hector Garza told Fox News Digital that this type of message is not only dangerous, but that it also "incites real-world violence."
"This kind of rhetoric is not only dangerous, it incites real-world violence and undermines the rule of law. Our agents risk their lives every day to protect this country, and they deserve to do their jobs without fear of being targeted simply for wearing the uniform," Garza said.
"The National Border Patrol Council unequivocally condemns any form of violence or threats directed at federal law enforcement officers, including our colleagues at ICE," he continued.
Garza added that he "urges all social media platforms to take swift and decisive action against content that promotes violence."
"Free speech does not extend to inciting criminal acts, and allowing such content to remain online puts lives at risk," Garza said.
This incident comes less than a week after TikTok removed the hashtag, "#CartelTok," from its search engine after cartel members were caught using it to highlight their crimes and recruit human smugglers.
A TikTok spokesperson told Fox News Digital that in addition to removing "#CartelTok," from its search engine, the platform also removed "known leaders of cartels or gangs" that violated the organization's policy.
Many of the videos in question showed cartels flashing piles of money, jewelry and luxury items that were used to entice teens in America and Mexico to smuggle illegal immigrants across the U.S. border.
Representatives for Snapchat, TikTok and Meta, which owns Facebook, Instagram and WhatsApp, previously told Fox News Digital that they have policies in place to crack down on such content and remove such content when it does appear on their platforms.
Fox News Digital reached out to TikTok and ICE for comment on the video, but did not receive a response.
This is just another example of the stupidity of this Smartphone, Social Media brainwashed and educated generation.
I grew up in the South in the 60's. I have seen the Democrat ran and sponsored KKK in action on the streets.
Furthermore, I saw, the separate this and that rooms, food counters, bus rear seating, schools, and movie seating (crows nest as they were called) in theaters and auditoriums.
ICE is not burning crosses, conducting public or private lynchings. It is enforcing the Law. A LAW, might I remind the LEFT, the Democrats originally pushed hard to get passed many years ago. A law that is quickly removing the most violent section of that 10.5 MILLION, that Illegally entered our Country.
Persons so violent, that in too many cases their own country dumped them out of their prisons to get rid of.
Persons that should have been arrested given the Illegal manner they came in, and the violent (murders, drugs, rapes) crimes they committed OPENLY. All during the Democrat Party 2020 DEFUND THE POLICE Coup. That, for some Federal and (D) State level official political agenda reason, was overlooked and allowed to continue.
[IsraelTimes] Israel says it is targeting Hamas infrastructure and senior officials in renewed fighting; Khan Younis hospital says fatalities include at least 9 children and 3 women
At least 16 people, including nine children and three women, were reported killed in Israeli Arclight airstrike ...KABOOM!... s on southern Gazoo
...Hellhole adjunct to Israel and Egypt's Sinai Peninsula, inhabited by Gazooks. The place was acquired in the wake of the 1967 War and then presented to Paleostinian control in 2006 by Ariel Sharon, who had entered his dotage. It is currently ruled with a rusty iron fist by Hamas with about the living conditions you'd expect. It periodically attacks the Hated Zionist Entity whenever Iran needs a ruckus created or the hard boyz get bored, getting thumped by the IDF in return. The ruling turbans then wave the bloody shirt and holler loudly about oppression and disproportionate response... ’s Khan Younis on Sunday, the city’s Nasser Hospital said, as Paleostinians observed the first day of Eid al-Fitr, a usually joyous Moslem holiday that marks the end of the monthlong Ramadan fast.
Hamas ..a contraction of the Arabic words for "frothing at the mouth",... ’s civil defense agency claimed that a pre-dawn strike hit a house and a tent sheltering displaced people. Another three people were killed in a strike in central Gaza’s Deir al-Balah late Saturday, according to al-Aqsa Martyrs Hospital.
WAFA, the Paleostinian Authority’s official news agency, also reported two people killed in a strike on a home in Jabalia, in the Strip’s north, and several people injured in a drone attack north of Rafah.
The Israeli Defense Forces did not provide any specific details on the strikes in question.
Since resuming operations in the Gaza Strip on March 18, the IDF has said it is targeting senior Hamas political officials and mid-level military commanders, along with the terror group’s infrastructure, including weapon depots and rocket launchers. Members of the Paleostinian Islamic Jihad ...created after many members of the Egyptian Moslem Brotherhood decided the organization was becoming too moderate. Operations were conducted out of Egypt until 1981 when the group was exiled after the assassination of President Anwar Sadat. They worked out of Gaza until they were exiled to Lebanon in 1987, where they clove tightly to Hezbollah. In 1989 they moved to Damascus, where they remain a subsidiary of Hezbollah... and other terror groups have also been targeted.
The IDF has said it seeks to minimize civilian fatalities and accuses Hamas of embedding itself in civilian infrastructure, including hospitals.
"It’s the Eid of sadness," Adel al-Shaer said after attending outdoor prayers in the central town of Deir al-Balah. "We lost our loved ones, our children, our lives and our futures. We lost our students, our schools and our institutions. We lost everything."
Breaking into tears, al-Shaer said 20 members of his extended family have been killed — including four young nephews just days ago — in Israeli strikes since the Gaza war was sparked on October 7, 2023, when thousands of Hamas-led snuffies stormed southern Israel to kill around 1,200 people and take 251 hostages.
Next time don’t let your rulers start a vicious, genocidal war against an enemy they can’t beat. Unfortunately for your dead relatives, the consequences for that are paid in blood and breath.
Israel reached a ceasefire and hostage release deal with Hamas in January, but after the deal’s first phase expired, Israel halted the flow of humanitarian aid into Gaza on March 2 and resumed military activity in Gaza on March 18.
Saed al-Kourd, a worshiper, told The Associated Press that “there is killing, displacement, hunger and a siege.”
“We go out to perform God’s rituals in order to make the children happy,” said Kourd. “But as for the joy of Eid? There is no Eid.”
War is Hell.
According to Gaza’s Hamas-run health ministry, more than 50,000 Palestinians have been killed in the war sparked by the terror group’s October 7 massacre. The figure cannot be independently verified and does not distinguish between civilians and combatants. Israel says it has killed some 20,000 combatants in battle as of January and another 1,600 terrorists inside Israel during the Hamas onslaught.
The strikes on Sunday came as Egyptian and Qatari mediators sought to renew the Israel-Hamas ceasefire with an offer that would reportedly see Hamas release five living hostages in exchange for a 50-day ceasefire. Hamas said Saturday that it had accepted a new proposal from Egypt and Qatar. Israel confirmed having received the offer, and said it had responded with its own proposal in coordination with the United States, another mediator in the talks.
Amid mass protests in Israel against the scuttling of the Hamas ceasefire-hostage deal, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said in a cabinet meeting Sunday that “military pressure is working,” and vowed to promote US President Donald Trump’s plan to displace all of Gaza’s residents and rebuild the Strip as a resort destination.
Direct Translation via Google Translate. Edited
[RUSVESNA] US intelligence eavesdropped on General Surovikin's conversation in October 2022: the risk of using a nuclear weapon has increased by 50% — NYT Once nuclear weapons release is authorized on Russian soil, to defend Russian soil, every Russian officer from Army General Suvorikin down to a lowly Jr. Lieutenant can request nuclear fires.
In October 2022, US intelligence overheard a conversation between Russian General Surovikin: he was ready to use nuclear weapons to prevent Ukrainians from crossing the Dnieper and entering Crimea. After that, the probability of using nuclear weapons increased sharply from 5-10% to 50%, the NYT writes.
This period "could have been the best chance for the Ukrainian Armed Forces to deliver a decisive blow," but that moment never came. The Ukrainians were able to enter Kherson, abandoned by the Russians, and occupy the western bank of the Dnieper, but the offensive there was halted due to a lack of ammunition.
[News9] A new report is raising concerns about Oklahoma’s marijuana industry. The study focuses on a range of areas affected by the legalization of medical marijuana.
“This is one of those challenging moments where they say ‘Okay, Oklahomans voted to be able to allow medical marijuana,' but I don’t think a lot of Oklahomans realized when that vote actually occurred, what the consequences of that would be," said U.S. Senator James Lankford.
Five times more dispensaries
The state has more than five times as many licensed dispensaries as Colorado and nearly twice as many combined dispensaries.
Twelve times more licensed growers
Oklahoma has 12 times more licensed growers than Colorado and over three times as many combined medical/recreational growers.
"Colorado has 2 million more people than we have," said Senator Lankford.
32 times the amount needed
The industry produces more than 32 times the supply needed.
“The significant oversupply is obviously created based on trying to be able to traffic marijuana all over the country,” said Senator Lankford.
That sounds like capitalism at work — a thousand flowers bloom, and the strongest survive while the rest go under. Unless they’re selling their product to the narco gangs, which would definitely be a problem.
#1
The "medical marijuana" angle of this is so completely stupid. To get a "medical" card, one doesn't even have to meet with a Doctor. All one has to do is say "I sometimes feel stress, and it interferes with my sleep".
#2
Oklahoma's climate is far kinder to (cheaper!) outdoor cultivation of marijuana than Colorado. Additionally, the eastern part of Oklahoma, the forested area leased by big timber corporations is notorious for clandestine plots. "Better bring a local when deer hunting and develop some selective vision in the woods 'cuz never know who you'll run into!" -- a friend told me decades ago and I doubt anything as changed since.
#5
As I've said, a few years back I went through OKC and every other billboard was a dispensary ad. Last time, every other billboard was about help for substance abuse and how to use narcon.
And that I've heard it said best by a classical libertarian - "I personally think that making MJ illegal for responsible adults is a good thing...that said, it sure seems like every time it happens, neighborhoods with dispensaries sure seem to have turned into shitholes."
Something which may have changed, is that it seems a lot of these grow lots are financed by 'foreign investors'.
[Texas Monthly] The New York-based firm got the job. When Viñoly passed away unexpectedly, Komati stepped in to carry out his vision: a two-hundred-by-two-hundred-foot exhibition hall that appears to float forty feet above the ground. "Wherever you are, you’re always looking up or surrounded by that block," Komati says. "It’s always reminding you of the incomprehensible nature of valor—the sheer force required to lift such a weight, both physically and metaphorically."
One of the biggest showstoppers is a restored Bell UH-1 Iroquois "Huey" medevac helicopter, the same kind flown by Patrick Brady in the Vietnam War. The museum was already two-thirds done when Chuck Carlock, a fellow Vietnam pilot and collector in Fort Worth, reached out about donating the aircraft. The only way to get it inside was via crane, but the exterior was already complete. Undeterred, Komati and the architectural team went to work removing part of the building so the helicopter could be installed and the exterior rebuilt. I wanted to post a similar article from the Dallas Morning News, but found this instead. The News article had more architecture stuff, and only a little politics - 'no public transit to the site’, and 'government slashing funding'. The News did however, observe this museum was all privately funded.
Posted by: Bobby ||
03/31/2025
00:00 ||
Comments ||
Link ||
E-Mail||
[11138 views]
Top|| File under:
#1
Fantastic.
The museum at Bragg has a Huey hung from the ceiling.
Video posted on X by Soviet, Evil, Yours
[YouTube] The Spectrum launch vehicle of the private German company Isar Aerospace, launched from the Norwegian spaceport Andøya, crashed shortly after launch, according to the broadcast footage. "Technological" Europe!
Crawling before walking before flying, one hopes.
The Spectrum launch vehicle of the private German company Isar Aerospace, launched from the Norwegian spaceport Andøya, crashed shortly after launch, according to the broadcast footage. "Technological" Europe!pic.twitter.com/iX3gSwh02W
#2
First NONOrbital Rocket Launched From European Soil
FIFY
Posted by: ed in texas ||
03/31/2025 8:49
Comments ||
Top||
#3
Mid-century. These things should be gimmes.
A minaret shudders and shimmies.
[an oud meets a plectrum]
"Our biggest since Spectrum!"
[kaboom]
"Dummkopf Mittelwerk dhimmis."
Direct Translation via Google Translate. Edited.
[Korrespondent] Aerial reconnaissance detected the movement of enemy tanks in time, and expert hits from kamikaze drones from our crew stopped the advance of enemy equipment during an attempt to break through.
The crews of UAV operators of the Joint Rifle Brigade and marines destroyed heavy armored vehicles of the enemy in the Pokrovsk direction. This was reported by the operational-strategic group of forces Khortitsa on Sunday, March 30.
It is noted that the Russian occupiers advanced to storm the positions as part of a strike armored group and encountered FPV drones of the Ukrainian defenders.
"Aerial reconnaissance timely detected the movement of enemy tanks, and expert hits by kamikaze drones from our crew stopped the advance of enemy equipment during an attempt to break through in the area of responsibility," the statement emphasized.
As a result, the enemy assault was stalled before it even began. The enemy lost two tanks. While our soldiers once again proved their effectiveness and coherence in the direction.
Let us recall that the day before, the Ukrainian Armed Forces eliminated 1,510 occupiers . Since the beginning of the full-scale war against Ukraine, the Russian army has lost 914,000 soldiers.
[DAILYMAIL.CO.UK] Richard Chamberlain, the Emmy-nominated actor and 1960s heartthrob who rocketed to fame in the TV medical drama 'Dr. Kildare' and starred in the mini-series 'Shogun' and 'The Thorn Birds' has died at the age of 90, publicist Harlan Boll said. Chamberlain died late on Saturday in Hawaii from complications from a stroke, according to Boll.
Posted by: Fred ||
03/31/2025
00:00 ||
Comments ||
Link ||
E-Mail||
[11141 views]
Top|| File under:
#1
It surprised a lot of people when he finally came out of the closet (2003) to announce he was GAY.
Direct Translation via Google Translate. Edited.
[Regnum] An earthquake with a magnitude of 7.1 was recorded off the coast of the Kingdom of Tonga. This was reported by the European-Mediterranean Seismological Centre (EMSC).
Big ones by Tonga are bad news. There is a potential under water super volcano there. Last explosion not long ago put massive amounts of salt water extremely high in the atm. That's way more global warming than man has ever made and might be the only reason we are not heading for an Ice Age
According to the ECCC, the epicentre of the earthquake was 76 km south-east of the city of Pangai, and the source was located at a depth of 10 km. There were no reports of casualties or damage.
As reported by the Regnum news agency, on the morning of March 30, two more earthquakes were recorded - off the coast of Indonesia and in Myanmar with a magnitude of 5.1.
In both cases, there were no reports of damage or casualties. However, according to Vietnam+, when the next tremors began in Myanmar, many residents of Mandalay "screamed in panic and ran out into the streets."
On March 28, a powerful earthquake struck Myanmar, killing more than 1,700 people. There are also 3,400 known casualties and more than 300 fatalities. The magnitude of the earthquake, according to various estimates, ranged from 7.7 to 7.9. Eleven minutes after the first, a second earthquake occurred. The tremors caused destruction throughout almost the entire country. Many residential buildings, administrative buildings, schools, and hospitals collapsed. Underground oil pipelines and power lines were also damaged.
That evening, on the orders of Russian leader Vladimir Putin, two Russian Emergencies Ministry planes were sent to Myanmar to help eliminate the aftermath of the earthquake. Emergencies Ministry employees are working around the clock in the country's worst-hit area. Rescuers noted that there is still a chance of finding living people under the rubble.
Related from regnum.ru 5.1 magnitude earthquake recorded off Indonesia coast
[Regnum] An earthquake with a magnitude of 5.1 was recorded on the coast of Indonesia. This was reported by the European-Mediterranean Seismological Center.
According to seismologists, the epicenter of the earthquake was located 12 km southeast of the city of Banda Aceh, and the source was at a depth of 10 km.
There were no reports of casualties or damage.
On March 28, an earthquake was recorded in Myanmar. Its magnitude, according to various estimates, was between 7.7 and 7.9. Some time later, the first tremor was followed by a second one with a magnitude of 6.4. As a result of the raging elements, destruction was recorded throughout the country: many residential buildings, administrative buildings, schools, hospitals, and temples collapsed. Underground oil pipelines and power lines were also damaged.
According to the latest data, the death toll from the natural disaster has exceeded 1,600 people, and over 3,400 people have been injured.
As reported by the Regnum news agency, Russia sent two Emergencies Ministry planes to Myanmar with a combined team of 120 rescuers. The head of the combined team, Vorontsov, said that the specialists would work around the clock, in three shifts.
Tremors were also felt in Thailand, China, Bangladesh, Malaysia and Vietnam.
Text taken from the Telegram channel of mayday_7700
Commentary by Russian military journalist Boris Rozhin is in italics.
[ColonelCassad] The US was directly involved in the killing of Russian soldiers on sovereign Russian soil, American and British officers controlled every aspect of every missile strike on Crimea and deep into Russia - this is just part of a huge NYT investigation.
As colleagues wrote, all the minor successes of the Ukrainian army were associated with the US military and intelligence agencies, which time and again sanctioned covert operations against Russian officers, weapons systems, warehouses and equipment. The Ukrainian army played no role, and its generals were controlled by the US military - it only asked for "thousands of HIMARS and ATACMS, 5 million shells and a million UAVs."
The US wanted to know - would reconnaissance and high-precision guidance be effective in a conflict with one of the most powerful armies in the world? Will Ukrainian drone operators, missilemen, pilots and artillerymen "work" without hesitation according to coordinates sent from headquarters 2000 km away? Will Ukrainian commanders, based on the disembodied order "There's no one there - go," order divisions to move deep into Russia?
Military and CIA officers in Wiesbaden helped plan and support "Moon City," the Ukrainian campaign of strikes on Crimea (including the unsuccessful ATACMS strike on the bridge and the murder of tourists on Uchkuyevka beach). The U.S. paid for the billions of dollars in drones in full. The CIA was given the green light to carry out precision strikes deep inside Russia itself. And at first they were afraid - after Biden lifted all the bans, would a Russian nuclear sun flare up over the bunker with the operational headquarters of the Pentagon, NATO, the CIA and Mi-6?
In the U.S., they believed that Ukraine was revenge in a long history of proxy wars between the U.S. and Russia - Vietnam in the 1960s, Afghanistan in the 1980s and Syria in recent years.
"During their first During the meeting, General Donahue showed General Zabrodsky a color-coded map of the region: American and NATO troops in blue, Russian troops in red, and Ukrainian troops in green. "Why are we green? We should be blue!" the Ukrainian demanded. Months later, the Ukrainian positions turned blue, a symbolic gesture by the United States. "When you destroy Russia," General Donahue told the Ukrainians, "we will turn you blue forever."
Not that it was a big secret, but it was just a tick to remember who exactly we were fighting in Ukraine.
American officers stationed at a base in Wiesbaden, Germany, transmitted information about the positions of Russian troops to the Ukrainian Armed Forces and coordinated almost all strikes using the HIMARS system. This was reported by The New York Times, citing sources.
Every morning, the article says, military personnel from the United States and Ukraine studied the location of Russian weapons and ground forces together and identified the most important targets. They called the locations for strikes “points of interest.”
"The priority lists were then passed to an intelligence fusion center, where officers analyzed the information streams to determine the locations of targets," the article says.
It is noted that the Ukrainians were heavily dependent on the US military for intelligence information. The US Task Force Dragon monitored and controlled almost every HIMARS strike.
In 2022, the publication states, the US Navy was allowed to coordinate Ukrainian Armed Forces operations in the waters near Crimea. At the same time, CIA specialists coordinated Ukrainian drone attacks on Russian ships in the port of Sevastopol. By 2024, the Ukrainian military began to receive assistance from the Americans in carrying out strikes deep into Russian territory.
An unnamed European intelligence official said he was stunned by the depth of U.S. involvement in Ukraine. The extensive intelligence gathering efforts of the U.S. not only informed the overall strategy of the war, but also provided the Ukrainian military with precise information about targets.
“At critical moments, this partnership was the basis of Ukrainian military operations,” the publication noted.
As reported by Regnum News Agency, Washington suspended military aid to Kiev and intelligence sharing in early March. This happened after a clash between US President Donald Trump and the head of the Kiev regime, Volodymyr Zelensky, in the White House on February 28. Zelensky began to behave aggressively, as a result of which he was thrown out of the White House.
Later, on March 17, Lieutenant General Alexus Grinkevich, commander of the U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM), said that military assistance and intelligence sharing with the Kiev authorities had resumed in full.
Direct Translation via Google Translate. Edited.
[Regnum] In Murmansk, on the evening of March 30, a man opened fire on the windows of neighboring houses and cars from the roof of a nine-story dormitory on Kolskaya Street, 10. This was reported by the Governor of the Murmansk Region Andrei Chibis.
"According to preliminary information, an unknown person is firing from the roof of a building. Security forces are working," Chibis informed residents.
The scene of the incident has been cordoned off, roads in the area have been blocked, and checkpoints have been set up.
Special services storm the building where the shooter is located.
As reported by the Regnum news agency, a Russian Defense Ministry employee was injured in a shooting on March 26 near the Olgino Park residential complex in the Moscow region city of Zheleznodorozhny. The victim was wounded. The shooter's body was later found in a forest belt in Balashikha. Police officers are conducting an investigation, the cause and circumstances of death are being established.
On March 14, an armed man opened fire near a kindergarten in New Moscow. One person was injured. The department clarified that the shooting took place outside the kindergarten and no children were injured. The shooting with a traumatic weapon was caused by a personal conflict.
️Employees of the Murmansk SOBR "Wolverine" and OMON "Bear" of the Russian Guard during the storming of the roof of a 14-story building neutralized a man who had previously opened indiscriminate shooting - press service of the North-West District of the Russian Guard.
Worth noting, korrespondent.net has compiled its Invasion of Ukraine series into separate months, beginning May 9th, 2023. Linked in the title.
[Korrespondent] 22.13 Ukrainian defenders continue to resolutely repel the enemy's attempts to advance deep into our territory, inflicting effective fire damage on them. Since the beginning of this day, 147 combat clashes have occurred. This was noted in the report of the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine.
The enemy was most active in the Pokrovsky, Kursk, Toretsky and Limansky directions.
21.59 In Kherson, as a result of a drone attack by Russian troops, a civilian was injured. This was reported by the head of the Kherson MVA Roman Mrochko.
"The occupiers dropped explosives from a drone on a 66-year-old woman in the Dniprovsky district of Kherson. She had a traumatic amputation of her right foot," Mrochko noted.
Currently, doctors are providing her with the necessary assistance.
19.59 The Russian army carried out a targeted strike during the evacuation of residents of the Sumy border region. As a result of the shelling, a man was wounded.
The State Emergency Service medics provided first aid, after which the victim was transported in an armored vehicle and handed over to the medics.
19:39 As a result of another air strike by the Russian army in the center of Kupyansk, civilians were injured, there may be people under the rubble of a five-story building. This was reported by the head of the Kharkiv OVA Oleg Sinegubov.
18:11 In October 2022, American intelligence intercepted a conversation between Russian General Sergei Surovikin, where he considered the possibility of using nuclear weapons to stop the Ukrainian Armed Forces from advancing across the Dnieper. This was reported by The New York Times.
17:17 The crews of UAV operators of the Joint Rifle Brigade and marines destroyed heavy armored vehicles of the enemy in the Pokrovsk direction. This was reported by the operational-strategic group of forces Khortitsa.
Aerial reconnaissance promptly detected the movement of enemy tanks, and expert hits by kamikaze drones from our crew stopped the advance of enemy equipment during an attempt to break through in the area of responsibility," the statement noted.
As a result, the enemy assault was stalled before it even began. The enemy lost two tanks.
16:59 European leaders are discussing the possibility of deploying a military contingent in Ukraine to support security in the rear areas and strengthen the Ukrainian army, The Washington Post reports.
Paris and London plan to send a military mission to assess the possibilities of deploying forces and determine the necessary number of troops. Their role is expected to be to protect key facilities, provide logistical support and train Ukrainian troops.
15.34 During March 2025, the Air Force and Air Defense of the Armed Forces of Ukraine dealt a crushing blow to Russian air attacks, destroying 4,043 enemy targets. This was the result of the systematic work of the Air Defense, as well as the active actions of the Ukrainian aviation and unmanned reconnaissance units. This was reported by the press service of the Air Force of the Armed Forces of Ukraine.
During March 2025, the Air Defense of the Defense Forces destroyed 4,043 air targets:
1 Iskander-M/KN-23 ballistic missile;
25 Kh-101/Kh-55SM
cruise missiles; 8 Kalibr cruise missiles;
1 Iskander-K cruise missile;
1 Kh-59/69 guided aircraft missile;
2,328 Shahed-type attack UAVs;
805 reconnaissance UAVs;
874 UAVs of other types.
It is noted that during March, the Air Force aviation carried out more than 580 aircraft operations, including about 200 for fire destruction and air support of troops and more than 320 for fighter air cover.
14.55 Kyiv provides all the information about the strikes carried out by the Russian army and expects a reaction from the US, Europe and all allies to this terror against Ukrainians. This was stated by President Volodymyr Zelensky.
"Russia is prolonging the war, and we provide our partners with all the information about the strikes carried out by the Russian army and what it is preparing for. We expect a reaction from America, Europe and all our allies to this terror against our people," the president emphasized.
13.45 Former Italian Prime Minister Massimo D'Alema said he carried out a diplomatic "secret mission" in China and Brazil at the request of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky.
According to D'Alema, the meeting with Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva was unsuccessful. In China, D'Alema had a substantive conversation with the head of the Chinese Communist Party's foreign policy department. The official presented a proposal for the creation of an international peacekeeping force similar to Kosovo.
13.20 American officials were furious over the successful attack by a Ukrainian missile on the flagship of the Russian Black Sea Fleet, the cruiser Moskva, about which they were not warned, according to a New York Times article.
American and Ukrainian naval officers were on a routine intelligence call when a notification appeared on their radar screens that the Russian cruiser Moskva had sunk.
According to an unnamed former senior US officer, the Americans responded with surprise, "Oh, it's Moscow! " while the Ukrainians said, " Oh, my God. Thank you. Goodbye ."
The publication writes that this strike on the Russian ship caused anger among American officials because the Ukrainians did not warn them about it, as well as surprise that Ukraine had missiles to destroy such a cruiser.
It also caused panic because the administration of former US President Joe Biden had no plans to allow the Ukrainians to attack "such a powerful symbol of Russian power."
12:16 The best guarantee of security for Ukraine will be the Ukrainian army. This was stated by Polish Foreign Minister Radoslaw Sikorski.
The Foreign Minister commented on the meeting of the leaders of the "coalition of the willing" held in Paris on March 27. The allied countries are considering the possible deployment of deterrent forces in Ukraine after the end of the war.
Sikorski said Poland would be in this coalition, but not physically in Ukraine itself. In his opinion, the biggest, best guarantee of Ukraine's security is "a brave and well-equipped Ukrainian army."
11.55 The number of victims in Kharkiv as a result of the night drone attack has increased. 35 people were injured, including five children. 13 people were hospitalized, one teenage girl is in serious condition.
In Shevchenkivskyi district, 27 residential buildings were damaged. The market, the registry office, the House of Projects, the college, and the dormitory where IDPs live were damaged. More than 10 civilian cars and garages burned down.
The Kholodnohirskyi district of the city was also hit. There, 32 private houses were damaged, and more than 120 windows were knocked out.
11.20 The resistance movement in the Kherson region destroyed a Russian army truck with an electronic warfare system installed on it.
The Lorandit electronic warfare system , which the occupiers used to suppress radio communications and conduct electronic reconnaissance, was destroyed.
10.45 A partisan from ATESH among the servicemen of the 80th brigade of the Russian Armed Forces told about the losses of the occupiers during the exercises on forcing water obstacles in the Kherson region. This was reported by the partisan movement ATESH.
It is noted that recruits are sent there from a training camp in Crimea to prepare for assaults on the Dnieper islands.
"The training is conducted in a tough regime - soldiers in full gear are loaded into a boat and driven at full speed along the Dnieper, as a result of which many fall out and drown. The commanders do not even try to save them. The number of dead Russian servicemen is already in the tens, but the training continues," they said at ATESh.
New arrivals are sent in small groups of 2-3 people to storm the islands. There they are simply thrown ashore with the task of fortifying themselves without cover and normal evacuation. But the tasks are not accomplished, and the Russian army continues to suffer losses.
09.20 At night, the Russians attacked with a ballistic missile and 111 Shahed-type attack UAVs and drone imitators of various types - 65 were shot down and another 35 were lost due to location.
As a result of the Russian attack, Kharkiv, Sumy, Odessa and Donetsk regions suffered.
08.55 Following the drone attack on the Dnieper on March 28, the number of victims has increased to 28, nine remain in hospital. This was reported by the head of the OVA, Serhiy Liysak.
"Dnipro is in mourning today for those killed in the Russian attack. During the latest one, four people lost their lives. Condolences to their families and friends," he wrote on Telegram.
08.30 Over the past 24 hours, 223 combat clashes have been recorded at the front, 93 of which were in the Pokrovsk direction. This was reported by the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine.
07.35 As of March 30, 2025, the total combat losses of Russian troops on the territory of Ukraine amounted to approximately 914,000 people (+1,510 per day).
04.44 Russian military attacked Kupyansk: buildings were destroyed and civilians were injured due to shelling. As a result of enemy strikes, a private house and an outbuilding on an area of 70 m² caught fire. A 54-year-old woman and a 55-year-old man were injured.
03.14 Former Minister for Strategic Industries Alexander Kamyshin, now an adviser to the President, said that Ukraine is now capable of producing 5 million FPV drones per year. According to the official, Ukraine already has manufacturers that are capable of producing more than 100 thousand kamikaze drones per month. And one of the domestic enterprises produces up to 4 thousand of such drones. There are currently more than 150 such manufacturers in Ukraine.
02:55 Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of Ukraine Oleksandr Syrsky reported that since the beginning of 2025, the Russian army's losses in automobiles and special equipment have reached almost 10 thousand units. According to him, the Defense Forces neutralize more than a thousand invaders and destroy hundreds of enemy vehicles every day. Since the beginning of the year alone, the total losses of Russian troops in automobiles and special equipment amounted to 9838 units.
01.15 Russian occupation forces are trying to expand the zone of active military operations in the Kharkiv region. This statement was made by the representative of the State Border Service of Ukraine Andriy Demchenko. According to him, one should be prepared for any developments on any section of the front.
Posted by: Lord Garth ||
03/31/2025
00:00 ||
Comments ||
Link ||
E-Mail||
[11170 views]
Top|| File under:
#1
"Disappointing" as in "The Titanic had a disappointing first voyage."
Posted by: Matt ||
03/31/2025 12:54
Comments ||
Top||
#2
Down 2/3 from it's low entry. It's done.
What I like is how they're ganging up to blame Zeglar (who's blameable enough), distracting from the points that it was a crap idea with crap characters in a crap plot line, and then wasn't done well.
Or so I'm told.
Posted by: ed in texas ||
03/31/2025 13:39
Comments ||
Top||
#3
I would expect Zeglar will only be the first target. The remainder of Mouse House that greenlit the project will find new opportunities elsewhere, eventually.
Perhaps at HULU or Netflix
Posted by: Frank G ||
03/31/2025 18:02
Comments ||
Top||
#4
I’m not really disappointed. Just saying.
Posted by: Super Hose ||
03/31/2025 19:42
Comments ||
Top||
#5
Snow White and the Seven Ticket Sales.
Zeglar is definitely the....face...of this cascading failure, but others are catching flak, too, like Peter Dinklage for kicking the ladder out from under any little people who wanted the job.
And, it ran unopposed on a holiday week Spring Break. Well, until A Working Man came out this last weekend and won the box office with a quarter less theater options.
(KXAN) — Multiple people were injured following an overnight shooting Sunday in downtown Austin.
First responders said that the incident occurred at approximately 1 a.m. near the intersection of Sixth and Brazos Streets.
Austin Police Department officers responded to a high-priority call, according to an APD public information officer. Those officers found a gunshot victim, who had gotten into a pedicab, near Eighth Street and Brazos Street.
“The first officer on scene applied pressure to the wound, and within a minute, the rescue task force was there to apply a chest seal and then pressure to the entrance wound,” said an APD PIO during a briefing just before 3 a.m. Sunday. “That’s when we got multiple more calls saying that there were more victims inside a club on Sixth Street.” Read the rest at the link
Direct Translation via Google Translate. Edited.
[Korrespondent] Russian troops in the Pokrovsk direction alone have attempted to break through the Ukrainian Armed Forces’ defenses 61 times since the beginning of the day.
Ukrainian defenders continue to resolutely rebuff the enemy's attempts to advance deep into our territory, inflicting effective fire damage on them. Since the beginning of this operation, 147 combat clashes have occurred. This was noted in the report of the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine on Sunday, March 30.
The Russians carried out one missile and 64 air strikes, using one missile and 120 KABs. In addition, the Russians used about 750 kamikaze drones to destroy and carried out almost four thousand attacks on the positions of our troops and populated areas.
In the Kharkov direction, our troops repelled three enemy attacks in the areas of the settlements of Vovchansk, Kamyanka, Krasnoe Pervoe, one of which is still ongoing.
In the Kupyansk direction, the enemy carried out six assaults on the positions of our defenders in the direction of Radkovka, Peschanoye, Boguslavka, Petropavlovka and nearby Zagrizovoye. Ukrainian defenders stopped all enemy attacks.
In the Liman direction, during the campaign, Russian invaders attacked Ukrainian positions 14 times near Nadiya, Yampolovka, Kolodyazi, in the directions of Novoye and Novomykhaylovka. Until now, four combat clashes remain unfinished.
In the Seversky direction, the enemy carried out five assaults on the positions of our units near Verkhnekamyanskoye and Ivano-Daryevka. Two attacks have already been stopped by our defenders.
In the Kramatorsk direction, two military clashes have been recorded at present; the enemy attacked near Stupochki and in the direction of Belaya Gora.
In the Toretsk direction, the Russians attacked the positions of the defense forces 14 times. The occupiers concentrated their main offensive efforts near Krymskoe, Toretsk, and in the direction of Dilievka. At the moment, one battle is ongoing.
In the Pokrovsky direction, the invading units tried to break through our defenses 61 times in the areas of the settlements of Alexandropol, Kalinovoye, Vodyanoye Vtoroy, Elizavetovka, Promen, Lysovka, Zelenoe, Kotlin, Udachnoye, Andreyevka, as well as in the direction of Malinovka, Kotlyarovka, Bogdanovka, Alekseyevka. Six combat clashes are still ongoing.
The enemy is suffering significant losses - today in this direction, Ukrainian soldiers have neutralized 281 occupiers, 134 of them irretrievably. Also destroyed were a tank, seven cars, three motorcycles, a mortar, five communication antennas, a Molniya UAV and a trench electronic warfare station.
In the Novopavlovsk direction, the enemy attacked 11 times near Constantinople and in the direction of Razliv and Vesyoloye. Our defenders have already successfully stopped five enemy attacks, battles are underway in six locations.
In the Gulyai-Polye direction, our defenders repelled two attacks near Privolnoye and in the direction of Volnoye Pole.
In the Orekhov direction, the enemy attacked the positions of our defenders four times, trying to advance towards the settlements of Malye Shcherbaki and Stepovoye.
In the Dnieper direction, the aggressor carried out two offensive actions in the direction of Sadovoe, without success.
In the operational zone in Kursk region , the units of the Ukrainian Defense Forces repelled 20 attacks by Russian invaders during the campaign, one combat clash is ongoing. In addition, the enemy carried out 19 air strikes using 27 guided bombs, and also carried out 317 artillery shelling of our troops' positions and settlements, including five from multiple launch rocket systems.
At the same time, the situation in other areas has not undergone significant changes.
The General Staff recognized the soldiers of the 82nd Separate Airborne Assault Brigade, the 95th Separate Airborne Assault Brigade, the 65th Separate Mechanized Brigade, and the 40th Separate Coastal Defense Brigade, who are steadfastly holding back the onslaught of the enemy's superior forces.
We remind you that the day before, the Ukrainian Armed Forces eliminated 1,510 occupiers . Since the beginning of the full-scale war against Ukraine, the Russian army has lost 914,000 soldiers.
[EngMilRu] The Armed Forces of the Russian Federation continue the special military operation.
Units of the Sever Group of Forces in Belgorod direction engaged AFU manpower and hardware concentration areas of three mechanised brigades, one unmanned aerial vehicle brigade, two assault regiments of the AFU, and two territorial defence brigades close to Krasnopolye, Ugroyedy, Petrushevka, Prokhody, Miropolskoye (Sumy region), and Slatino (Kharkov region).
In Kharkov direction, Russian troops hit formations of one AFU motorised infantry brigade close to Volchansk (Kharkov region).
The AFU losses were up to 70 troops, one armoured fighting vehicle, five motor vehicles, and two field artillery guns.
The Zapad Group of Forces' units improved the situation along the front line, inflicted losses on manpower and hardware of two mechanised brigades, one assault brigade of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, and one territorial defence brigade close to Kupyansk (Kharkov region), Nadiya (Lugansk People's Republic), and Redkodub (Donetsk People's Republic) as well as Serebryansky forestry.
The AFU losses were up to 240 troops, two U.S.-made M-113 armoured personnel carriers, one UK-made Dingo reconnaissance vehicle, six pickup trucks, four field artillery guns, including three foreign-made ones and one Verba multiple-launch rocket system. In addition, Nota and Zakhist-AF electronic warfare stations, one Israeli-made RADA radar station, and one ammunition depot were neutralised.
The Yug Group of Forces' units improved the tactical situation and inflicted losses on formations of one tank brigade, seven mechanised brigades, one motorised infantry brigade, one assault brigade, one airmobile brigade, one mountain assault brigade of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, and one special operations brigade near Chasov Yar, Stupochki, Alekseyevo-Druzkovka, Seversk, Konstantinovka, Nikolayevka, Pleshcheyevka, Ulyanovka, Novoolenovka, and Katerinovka (Donetsk People's Republic).
The AFU losses were up to 300 troops, two tanks, two infantry fighting vehicles, three U.S.-made M-113 armoured personnel carriers, four armoured fighting vehicles, eight pickup trucks, two artillery guns, and one ammunition depot.
As a result of successful offensive actions, units of the Tsentr Group of Forces completed the liberation of Zaporozhye (Donetsk People's Republic).
Russian troops hit four mechanised brigades, one jaeger brigade, two assault brigades, one unmanned aerial vehicles brigade, one assault regiment, one assault battalion of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, one naval infantry brigade, and one National Guard brigade close to Zverevo, Udachnoye, Peschanoye, Kotlino, Mirolyubovka, Shevchenko, Uspenovka, Alekseyevka, Novosergeyevka, Petrovskoye, Krasnoarmeysk, and Novotoretskoye (Donetsk People's Republic).
The AFU losses were up to 510 troops, seven motor vehicles, and four field artillery guns.
Units of the Vostok Group of Forces continued advancing into the depth of enemy defences. Russian troops delivered strikes at manpower and hardware of two AFU mechanised brigades, one airmobile brigade, one naval infantry brigade, and one National Guard brigade close to Poddubnoye, Karla Marksa, Volnoye Pole, Razliv, Yalta, Vesyoloye, Zelenoye Pole (Donetsk People's Republic), and Maliyevka (Dnepropetrovsk region).
The AFU losses were more than 140 troops, one motor vehicle, and three field artillery guns. Three electronic warfare stations were destroyed.
Units of the Dnepr Group of Forces engaged formations of three mechanised brigades and three coastal defence brigades of the Armed Forces of Ukraine close to Novoandreyevka, Stepovoye (Zaporozhye region), Dneprovskoye, Sadovoye (Kherson region), and Kherson.
The AFU losses were up to 65 troops, one U.S.-made M113 armoured personnel carrier, four motor vehicles, one field artillery gun, one electronic warfare station, one ammunition depot, and one POL depot.
Operational-Tactical Aviation, attack unmanned aerial vehicles, Missile Troops and Artillery of the Russian Groups of Forces engaged the military airfield infrastructure, ammunition depots, an unmanned aerial vehicle assembly and storage enterprise as well as clusters of enemy manpower and hardware in 140 areas.
As a result of a missile strike against a temporary deployment area of units of the Security Service of Ukraine (SBU) and special operations forces of the Main Directorate of Intelligence (GUR) of Ukraine, up to 170 Ukrainian militants and foreign mercenaries were neutralised.
Air defence systems shot down two U.S.-made JDAM guided aerial bombs and 78 fixed-wing unmanned aerial vehicles.
In total, since the beginning of the special military operation, the AFU losses amounted to: 660 aircraft, 283 helicopters, 49,030 unmanned aerial vehicles, 601 anti-aircraft missile systems, 22,596 tanks and other armoured fighting vehicles, 1,533 MLRS combat vehicles, 23,109 field artillery guns and mortars, 33,530 units of special military vehicles
The Armed Forces of the Russian Federation continue the operation to neutralise AFU formations on the territory of Kursk region.
During offensive actions, units of the Sever Group of Forces defeated formations of one mechanised brigade, two air assault brigades, and one territorial defence brigade of the Armed Forces of Ukraine close to Gornal, Guyevo, and Oleshnya.
Operational-Tactical, Army aviation, and artillery strikes engaged AFU manpower and hardware close to Gornal, Guyevo, and Oleshnya as well as Basovka, Belovody, Velikaya Rybitsa, Vladimirovka, Vodolagi, Zhuravka, Zapselye, Loknya, Malaya Rybitsa, Miropolye, Mogritsa, Sadki, Khrapovshchina, Yunakovka, and Yablonovka (Sumy region).
Over the course of the day, the AFU losses were more than 160 troops, one armoured fighting vehicle, six motor vehicles, one ATV, and four UAV command posts.
Since the beginning of hostilities in Kursk direction, the AFU losses amounted to: more than 71,050 troops, 402 tanks, 329 infantry fighting vehicles, 290 armoured personnel carriers, 2,235 armoured fighting vehicles, 2,575 motor vehicles, 590 artillery guns, 53 MLRS launchers, including 13 of HIMARS and seven of MLRS made by the USA, 26 anti-aircraft missile launchers, one self-propelled anti-aircraft system, ten transport-loading vehicles,123 EW stations, 18 counter-battery warfare radars, ?ten air defence radars, 56 units of engineering and other materiel, including 23 counterobstacle vehicles, one UR-77 mine clearing vehicle, five bridge launchers, one engineering reconnaissance vehicle as well as 15 armoured recovery vehicles, and one command post vehicle.
The operation to neutralise the AFU units is in progress.
Direct Translation via Google Translate. Edited.
[NewsFront] 21:29 Drone of the 72nd Motorized Rifle Division of the 44th Army Corps destroyed an enemy self-propelled gun in the Khar'kov region of Russia —video. 20:32 Russian fighters will use drones to destroy the Ukrainian Armed Forces’ manpower reserves in the Pokrovsk direction —video.
19:47 In the period from 18:20 to 19:30 Moscow time, air defense systems on duty destroyed three Ukrainian unmanned aerial vehicles over the territory of the Bryansk region.
18:46 The Russian Armed Forces have expanded their bridgehead on the western bank of the Oskol River and are advancing towards Doroshovka, –MAP.
18:33 In the period from 16.50 to 17.20 Moscow time, air defense systems on duty shot down three Ukrainian unmanned aerial vehicles over the territory of the Republic of Crimea.
17:17 The Russian Armed Forces have advanced in the Zaporizhia direction, –MAP.
17:04 In the period from 15.05 to 15.20 Moscow time, air defense systems on duty destroyed two Ukrainian unmanned aerial vehicles over the territory of the Bryansk region.
15:32 The Russian Armed Forces are advancing near Makeyevka, Novolyubovka and have begun fighting for control over Katerinovka, –MAP.
14:41 In the period from 13.25 to 14.00 Moscow time, air defense systems on duty destroyed two Ukrainian unmanned aerial vehicles over the territory of the Kursk region.
14:25 Calculation of the 122mm MLRS "Grad" of the 238th Artillery Brigade of the "Yuzhnaya" group of forces stopped delivery of ammunition to enemy positions. Donetsk direction.
12:16 As a result of a missile strike on a temporary deployment point of the SBU units and special operations forces of the Main Intelligence Directorate of Ukraine destroyed up to 170 Ukrainian militants and foreign mercenaries.
12:14 Units of the Center group of forces as a result of successful offensive actions finished liberation of the settlement of Zaporozhye in the Donetsk People's Republic.
11:27 The Russian Armed Forces have occupied part of the fortifications southwest of Dzerzhinsk, –MAP.
10:53 Road in the Rubanshchina-Gogolevka area in the Kursk region, –video.
10:14 Novorossiysk paratroopers are practicing tactics for storming enemy strongholds, –video.
09:28 Calculation of the FPV drone of the 1442nd Motorized Rifle Regiment of the 3rd Army Corps of the Southern group of forces destroyed a dugout with Ukrainian Armed Forces soldiers.
08:19 FPV drone calculation destroyed M-777 howitzer of the Ukrainian Armed Forces in the area of the settlement of Shiykovka in the Kupyansk direction.
07:35 Changes on the map for the past 24 hours:
Advance south of Kotlyarovka;
Expansion of the control zone in Razliv;
Shcherbaki was liberated;
Advance northwest of Ivanovka.
07:30 During the past night, air defense systems on duty intercepted and destroyed six Ukrainian unmanned aerial vehicles:
Three over the territory of the Belgorod region,
Two over the territory of the Bryansk region, and
One over the territory of the Saratov region.
I do love when things happen to be mathematically perfect…
05:02 Snipers of the 44th Army Corps of the North Forces Group stopped rotation of Ukrainian Armed Forces militants in the Khar'kov direction.
[Jpost] Iran expert Dr. Sharona Mazalian Levi says prolonged water outages, empty reservoirs, and crop failures may be a recipe for social unrest.
"Iran is drying up," Dr. Sharona Mazalian Levi from The Alliance Center for Iranian Studies at Tel Aviv University affirmed, painting a grim picture of what she described as one of the most pressing environmental challenges facing the Islamic Republic today.
"Iran is facing an unprecedented water crisis that threatens the nation’s stability," Mazalian Levi said. She explained that multiple factors have converged to create this critical situation, with several major provinces now reaching what she deemed "a tipping point."
According to Mazalian Levi, the Iranian Energy Ministry declared last week that the provinces of Tehran, Isfahan, Razavi Khorasan, and Yazd are facing a severe water crisis. She highlighted the alarming state of the Karaj Dam, which supplies water to millions in Tehran and the surrounding areas.
"The Karaj Dam is now at only 6% of its capacity," she noted, referencing reports from Tasnim news agency that 94% of the reservoir is empty. "This isn’t just an environmental issue; it’s a potential catalyst for civil unrest and disorder that could lead to national instability."
Two of the main catalysts for the crisis are what Mazalian Levi named "poor management of the water sector," as well as a population growth of more than 250% in only 50 years. "This includes over-extraction from natural water sources and aquifers to the point of depletion," she added.
However, Mazalian Levi traced the origins of the crisis further back in history. According to the researcher, following the 1979 revolution, Iran found itself internationally isolated and was forced to develop an autarkic economic system. Religious leaders, including then-supreme leader Ruhollah Khomeini, encouraged citizens to embrace farming and agriculture as a way of life, drawing from texts regarding the Prophet Muhammad himself.
"This agricultural push significantly increased water usage at a time when the country was still relying on outdated and inefficient irrigation technologies," she explained. "Simultaneously, Iran experienced tremendous population growth, from approximately 37 million on the eve of the revolution to around 90 million today."
Mazalian Levi also pointed out that the influx of millions of undocumented Afghani migrants has further strained resources, creating an exponential rise in demand for water. Urban migration has compounded the problem, with rural residents moving to major cities like Tehran, Mashhad, and Karaj, placing even greater pressure on urban water supplies.
"The most important river in Afghanistan, the Helmand, flows into Iran," Mazalian Levi explained.
"According to a 1973 agreement, the Afghans pledged to transfer around 820 million cubic meters of water to neighboring Iran yearly (with an option to lower the quantities in case of water scarcity). However, recently, the Afghan government violated the agreement and blocked the flow to the Islamic Republic, which intensified the already tense relations between the Shi’ite and Sunni neighbors," the Iran expert added.
No doubt the Talibs considered that agreement a kind of hudna, or else it was something the previous government agreed to, to which the Talibs could not possibly consider themselves bound… at any rate, as the clearly superior variety of the Master Religion, they necessarily do whatever they think to get away with.
...The consequences of these developments are being felt across Iranian society. Mazalian Levi described a dire situation where authorities deliberately cut off water supply lines, often for extended periods and without prior notice.
"People are left with murky water and even mud coming out of their taps," she said, citing video evidence from the city of Ahvaz. "Water tankers are being dispatched across the country, medical teams find themselves preparing for surgery without water, and household activities are disrupted without warning."
...The agricultural sector has been hit particularly hard. Farmers are being forced to abandon water-intensive crops like wheat and rice in favor of varieties more suited to drought conditions. Many are giving up farming altogether and migrating to cities in search of alternative employment.
"Crop variety is shrinking, and the country’s food security is being undermined," Mazalian Levi warned. "There are real shortages of fruits, vegetables, legumes, grains, and oils, leading to rising food prices and increased dependence on imported food."
This dependence is especially problematic given the hyperinflation Iran has experienced in recent years, making imported food prices increasingly volatile and unaffordable for many Iranians. In short. Iran's rulers are desperate - which makes them very dangerous.
Posted by: Grom the Affective ||
03/31/2025
00:00 ||
Comments ||
Link ||
E-Mail||
[11157 views]
Top|| File under: Govt of Iran
#1
I would bet that there are a few aquifers in Iran with huge amounts of good quality water. Probably a few hundred feet below the surface.
Posted by: Lord Garth ||
03/31/2025 9:43
Comments ||
Top||
Text taken from the Telegram channel of @rybar
[ColonelCassad] After the political visits of Vance and Co. to Greenland, the US is also upping the military pressure by assembling a naval group for operations off the coast of Greenland.
Trump once again emphasized that he is going to incorporate Greenland into the US, preferably peacefully, but if necessary, there are other options.
Rattling weapons off the coast of Greenland is also a response to Europe and Denmark, which are broadcasting that they will defend Greenland from the US.
Of course, if the US wants, they can easily occupy the island and occupy the few settlements and objects of Greenland.
Without external interference, one AUG + several battalions of Marines will be enough to ensure the operation.
But for now, Trump wants to get Greenland without any effort at all. In order for the island to return to its native harbor, we must try harder.
#1
AFAICT, the USA has been providing all the defensive capability that Greenland has. This has been the case since WWII. Another situation the media never mentions because it doesn't fit their narrative.
[HotAir] Liberal Leader Mark Carney has been accused of taking other people’s ideas as his own in the federal election campaign.
The National Post obtained a copy of Carney’s 1995 thesis for his doctorate in economics from Oxford University titled "The Dynamic Advantage of Competition." It shows 10 instances of apparent plagiarism, according to the judgment of three university academics who reviewed the material.
In several sections of his thesis, Carney used full quotes, paraphrases, or slightly modified quotes from four previous works without proper acknowledgement or attribution.
"He’s just directly repeating without quotations. That’s what we call plagiarism," said Geoffrey Sigalet, an assistant professor and member of UBC Okanagan president’s advisory committee on student discipline, which handles plagiarism cases for the university. Why am I not surprised? He continues a long and ignoble tradition.
#2
Well, if he doesn’t get elected to lead Canada, it sounds like he has the background to be president of an Ivy Aleague university. Good backup plan.
Posted by: Super Hose ||
03/31/2025 4:52
Comments ||
Top||
#3
At what point does Canada's self destruction result in a refugee crisis on our northern border?
Hush, now. Whatever you do, don’t let the Russians know!
[Regnum] The issues of containing China from seizing Taiwan are the main priorities for the American army. This was stated by Pentagon Chief Pete Hegseth in a secret document on national defense for the US military .
"China is the only permanent threat to the [US Defense Department]. Preventing China from taking Taiwan over and making it a fait accompli while protecting the United States is the only scenario for the department," Hegseth said.
From this I infer that we aren’t worried about jihadis anymore…
According to The Washington Post, the Secretary signed and distributed the “interim strategic guidance for national defense” within the department in mid-March.
The document views a potential Chinese invasion of Taiwan as an exceptional scenario that should be prioritized over other possible threats.
As reported by the Regnum news agency, on March 21, the head of the White House, Donald Trump, said that the United States is not interested in a war with China, but is well prepared for it. The American president added that he would not like to demonstrate this to anyone.
In late January, the Financial Times reported, citing satellite images and intelligence sources, that the Chinese military had begun construction of what would be the world's largest military command center, 10 times the size of the U.S. Pentagon. Experts believe it would house large, hardened bunkers to protect China's military leaders in any conflict, including a potential nuclear war.
In 2024, the People's Republic of China increased its defense spending by 7.2 percent, the largest increase in five years.
#1
From this I infer that we aren’t worried about jihadis anymore
Once you decide to let "liberals" go whistle up a tree (these who don't follow western rules of war, are not entitled to protection of these rules) - jihadis are not a problem.
#2
Americans would do well to remember the CCP manufactures and produces much of what we buy and use.
From BBQ grills, IC chips, to something like 3 of 10 key medications and 91% of all generic med's.
We (USA) needs to focus on manufacturing and producing what we need on this side of the ocean. Like putting NAFTA to use like it was originally intended to be used.
BTW; one of the benefits NAFTA was sold to voters on was.
It would drastically reduce the Illegal numbers we were seeing, by putting them to work in their own countries.
[IsraelTimes] Police say 17-year-old Arab-Israeli had documents detailing explosives production in his possession at the time of his arrest
Police and Shin Bet agents said Sunday that they arrested a 17-year-old from the coastal Arab town of Jisr az-Zarqa earlier this month on suspicion that he had been planning a terror attack in Israel on behalf of ISIS.
The statement did not name the suspect, as he is a minor.
The agencies said in a joint statement that the youth had sworn allegiance to the Islamic State ...formerly ISIS or ISIL, depending on your preference. Before that they were al-Qaeda in Iraq, as shaped by Abu Musab Zarqawi. They're really very devout, committing every atrocity they can find in the Koran and inventing a few more. They fling Allah around with every other sentence, but to hear western pols talk they're not really Moslems.... terror group several times in recent months, and had been plotting an attack in north-central Israel.
Security forces also discovered documents related to manufacturing explosives in his possession, the statement added.
The Haifa District Attorney’s Office filed an indictment against the suspect after police completed their investigation, and requested the extension of his detention until the end of court proceedings.
In recent months, several Arab Israelis have been arrested on suspicion of planning attacks after swearing allegiance to ISIS, including a 21-year-old resident of Taybeh named Kamel Nashef, who was arrested in March after he allegedly made contact with figures who identify with ISIS, beginning in the summer of 2024.
Nashef was also accused of tipping off terror operatives in the West Bank city of Tulkarem by sending them photos of Israeli troops on their way there as part of a large-scale counterterror operation there in recent months.
In January, police arrested four minors from the predominantly Arab Triangle region of Israel for planning attacks, including one who had intended to "carry out terrorist activity inspired by ISIS."
The minor reportedly consumed ISIS-related content online, attempted to make contact with a member and swore allegiance to the group, but later regretted it. Police say the minor also purchased a gun illegally, and later sold it.
In October, police and the Shin Bet said they had thwarted a plot by five Taybeh residents to carry out a car-bombing attack at Tel Aviv’s Azrieli Mall under the banner of the fanatical terror group that originated in Iraq and Syria.
Paleostinian assailants have also been recently accused of ISIS ties. Last month one of them, a terrorist from the West Bank’s Hebron who murdered three people and maimed others in a series of attacks in Jerusalem in recent years, was sentenced to three life sentences and another 40-year prison sentence.
Posted by: trailing wife ||
03/31/2025
00:00 ||
Comments ||
Link ||
E-Mail||
[11171 views]
Top|| File under: Islamic State
[WUNDERGROUND] By Monday 31 March snow may be coming down at 2"/hour about 6000' near all passes between Little Truckee Summit at SR 89 and Minaret Summit at SR 203.
Some passes will likely be closed for up to 12 hours. Other will require chains. Avalanches will be possible from mid Monday.
Greater Lake Tahoe area may get 1-2'; mountains will get more.
Posted by: Lord Garth ||
03/31/2025
00:00 ||
Comments ||
Link ||
E-Mail||
[11157 views]
Top|| File under:
#1
Snowed for 3 days in March, the week I was due to leave the mountains west of Denver. Five feet of powder. The turbo RAM would power thru it but the doors wouldn't open. Had to climb in and out the windows.
Snowpack is at about 90% of normal right now, and the storm has produced about .5 inches of rain in the Carson Valley so far(Valley floor elevation is around 4,800 ft elevation, Norther Sierra's around Tahoe top at at around 11,000 ft). Water here is entirely dependent on the Snowpack to recharge the aquifer and sustain the Carson River into the late summer as the 9 inches of annual rainfall are almost entirely in the late fall winter months. Late spring rain is actually a concern, "
"Whether the forecast atmospheric river to arrive on the coast sometime in the next few days will boost the snowpack in the Sierra Nevada or wash it all into the Carson Valley will depend entirely on the temperature.
"National Weather Service Hydrologist Nathan Patrick of the River Forecast Center said this earlier this week that if a storm is too warm, it could increase the speed of the spring thaw.
“Somewhat counter-intuitively, springtime precipitation falling as rain can sometimes be a negative,” Patrick said during the California-Nevada Drought & Climate Outlook Webinar on March 24. “It can melt snowpack more quickly with warm storms in the mountains, which isn’t desirable from a water supply perspective.”
A colder storm would be far better to preserve the snowpack.
“The preference would be for the snowpack to act as a natural reservoir, melting slowly,” Patrick said. “Substantial springtime precipitation can encourage smaller vegetation growth which will later dry out and produce fuel for fires. It’s a balancing issue of not wanting too much or too little precipitation over this time period.”
Irrigation season officially starts on Tuesday, but many ditches across Carson Valley are already starting to convey water from the river toward the fields.
Water in the Carson River isn’t potable, but if there’s enough to irrigate crops, ranchers won’t need to resort to pumping from the aquifer.
The snowpack provides virtually the only upstream storage on the Carson River."
[IsraelTimes] Abu Dhabi yet to officially confirm ruling against those who kidnapped, murdered Rabbi Zvi Kogan in November last year; friend of victim calls decision ‘historic’
Three men accused of killing Chabad Rabbi Zvi Kogan in the United Arab Emirates last year have been sentenced to death, Israeli sources in the Gulf state told Hebrew-language media Sunday.
Definitely devout Moslems, possibly government of Iran proxies.
There was no official confirmation from the UAE.
Kogan’s friend, Tzvi Grinhaim, told Channel 12 news that the decision is "historic."
Kogan, a 28-year-old UAE-based rabbi with Israeli and Moldovan citizenship, went missing in Dubai in November 2024, and his body was found a few days later in the Emirati city of Al Ain, which borders Oman.
The UAE is holding three suspects over the murder — Olimpi Toirovich, Makhmudjon Abdurakhim and Azizbek Kamlovich — all of them Uzbek nationals who were arrested in The Sick Man of Europe Turkey ...the occupiers of Greek Asia Minor... In December, The Wall Street Journal reported that the killers had kidnapped Kogan and planned to take him to neighboring Oman. The report said the three suspects were driving the rabbi toward the border until their plan was somehow disrupted.
Kogan worked to expand Jewish life in the UAE following the historic Abraham Accords that forged diplomatic relations between Jerusalem and Abu Dhabi, including ensuring the wide availability of kosher food and opening the first Jewish education center in the country.
He was buried in November at Jerusalem’s Mount of Olives cemetery.
Kogan’s wife, Rivky, joined him at the posting after their wedding in 2022. She is the niece of Rabbi Gavriel Holtzberg, who was murdered along with his wife in a terror attack at the Nariman Chabad House in Mumbai in 2008.
According to Kan, Israeli officials believed that Kogan’s killing was not necessarily carried out on behalf of Iran, but that it was a terror attack.
A multi-volume chronology and reference guide set detailing three years of the Mexican Drug War between 2010 and 2012.
Rantburg.com and borderlandbeat.com correspondent and author Chris Covert presents his first non-fiction work detailing
the drug and gang related violence in Mexico.
Chris gives us Mexican press dispatches of drug and gang war violence
over three years, presented in a multi volume set intended to chronicle the death, violence and mayhem which has
dominated Mexico for six years.
Rantburg was assembled from recycled algorithms in the United States of America. No
trees were destroyed in the production of this weblog. We did hurt some, though. Sorry.
...the successor to the Holy Roman Empire, only without the Hapsburgs and the nifty uniforms and the dancing...
...
...Republic of Somaliland is an unrecognised sovereign state in the Horn of Africa, recognised internationally as a de jure part of Somalia. It is located in the southern coast of the Gulf of Aden with approximately 5.7 million residents as of 2021. The capital and largest city is Hargeisa. The government regards itself as the successor state to British Somaliland, which united from 1960 to 1991 with the Trust Territory of Somaliland (the former Italian Somaliland) to form the Somali Republic. Under the Siad Barre regime, Somaliadestroyed ninety percent of Hargeisa Per international law, once you're in, you gotta stay in, no matter how bad it smells....
...a kingdom taking up the bulk of the Arabian peninsula, largely made up of sand and oil rigs. Its primary economic activity involves exporting oil and soaking Islamic rubes on the annual haj pilgrimage. The country supports a large number of princes in whatcha might call princely splendor. Formerly dictatorial and steeped in Olde Tyme Religion, deferring to Salafist holy men on all issues, it has now done a 180 and is making a serious effort to modernize, so as not to be left in the sand by its Gulf Arab neighbors. The holy men have been shoved to the background and the nation is now still dictatorial but somewhat rational. That doesn't make them trustworthy, but it's a start...
[CHD] The nurse who administered the shots said 1-year-old Sa’Niya needed them to catch her up on vaccinations she missed at her 6-month appointment — a common but potentially dangerous recommendation, according to pediatricians interviewed by The Defender.
..a contraction of the Arabic words for "frothing at the mouth",...
[Texas Monthly] The New York-based firm got the job. When Viñoly passed away unexpectedly, Komati stepped in to carry out his vision: a two-hundred-by-two-hundred-foot exhibition hall that appears to float forty feet above the ground. "Wherever you are, you’re always looking up or surrounded by that block," Komati says. "It’s always reminding you of the incomprehensible nature of valor—the sheer force required to lift such a weight, both physically and metaphorically."
...formerly ISIS or ISIL, depending on your preference. Before that they were al-Qaeda in Iraq, as shaped by Abu Musab Zarqawi. They're really very devout, committing every atrocity they can find in the Koran and inventing a few more. They fling 
...the occupiers of Greek Asia Minor...
