[KhaamaPress] An Afghan teen in the U.S. admitted to planning a terrorist attack on Election Day, prompting serious federal security investigations.
“It’s a fair cop, officer. I dunnit and I’m proud.”
Abdullah Haji-Zada, an 18-year-old Afghan with permanent U.S. residency, has confessed to receiving weapons and ammunition for a planned terrorist attack on U.S. election day. The U.S. Department of Justice confirmed the confession on Thursday, April 17.
Is it some sort of rule that one can’t confess until age 18 and therefore legally adult? Because when he was arrested last October he was still 17…
According to court documents, Haji-Zada and another Afghan citizen, Nasir Ahmad Toohidi
…previously in our archives as Nasir Ahmad Tawhedi. The two are brothers-in-law, Tawhedi being married to Zada's sister, Maria Haji Zada. But she filed for divorce in January after their second child was born — I guess she doesn’t want to be shackled to a jailed jihadi. Oddly enough, Mr. Tawhedi’s younger brother was picked up a week later in France for exactly the same thing, because once arrested the authorities can access your devices, including your secret Telegram messages plotting parallel mayhem for Allah…
27, had planned a terrorist attack in Oklahoma. They had obtained two AK-47 rifles and 500 rounds of ammunition, intending to carry out the attack in support of ISIS during the November 2024 elections.
Haji-Zada was arrested in October 2024 alongside Toohidi. Under a plea agreement,
Haji-Zada faces a sentence of up to 15 years in prison and a $250,000 fine. Upon completion of his sentence, he will be deported and will lose his permanent residency and asylum eligibility.
Toohidi, still in custody, faces charges of material support for ISIS and weapons-related offenses. If convicted, he could receive up to 20 years in prison for each charge.
Su Bai, the head of the U.S. Department of Justice’s National Security Division, stated that the confession shows the U.S. commitment to countering terrorist threats and holding perpetrators accountable.
The investigation was led by the FBI’s Joint Terrorism Task Force in Oklahoma, with support from federal and local agencies. This collaboration underscores the importance of joint efforts in tackling domestic terrorism.
The arrest and confession highlight a concerning trend of radicalization within the U.S. by foreign nationals. Authorities are increasingly vigilant in preventing potential attacks, especially during high-profile events such as national elections.
[IsraelTimes] As a Jewish woman, Levana has always been anxious about using taxis in France, especially when alone. Those concerns were compounded after the outbreak of the ongoing Israel-Hamas war in 2023.
“Since October 7, things have become really complicated, the doubts and the fear are really much more intense,” said the 37-year-old French-Israeli.
But that was before. For some time now, Levana has found peace of mind in a new taxi application called Monite.
“Someone told me about this app, I tried it, and what a joy it is to feel safe. It’s priceless,” said Levana, who now uses it all the time in France.
Launched last September by three Franco-Israelis, the app, similar to Uber, offers rides with taxi drivers who have a command of Hebrew and are familiar with Jewish culture.
“Many [Israelis] told us that it had become complicated to travel abroad, that they were afraid to say that they came from Israel and felt a bit of insecurity,” said Ilan Amar, one of Monite’s co-founders.
The app also quickly became popular in the greater French Jewish community due to a rise in already rampant antisemitism.
“The Jewish population of France wasn’t necessarily our specific target,” said Amar. “But in the end, our app was a breath of fresh air for Jews in France who feel unsafe. Unfortunately, it reveals a huge problem in France.”
[IsraelTimes] Adam Erkan, 20, allegedly assaulted two students in November; one of the students says he’s afraid of attending classes on campus because of antisemitic threats against him
One of the men who allegedly beat two Jewish DePaul University students after one showed support for Israel last November has been charged with a hate crime.
Adam Erkan, 20, has been charged with two counts of aggravated battery and hate crime, the Cook County State Attorney’s Office announced this week.
The arrest comes as DePaul’s president has been summoned to testify in Congress about antisemitism on his campus. Robert Manuel is scheduled to appear on May 7 before a House committee that set the tenor for federal scrutiny of antisemitism on college campuses in the aftermath of Hamas’s October 7, 2023, attack on Israel.
The arrest also comes two weeks after the students who were allegedly attacked in November, Max Long and Michael Kaminsky, filed a lawsuit against DePaul, saying that the Jesuit university failed to protect Jewish students on campus.
DePaul denounced the attack when it was reported, saying the school was “outraged” and was working with Chicago police to find the perpetrators and determine whether the individuals “targeted our students because of their Jewish identity.”
On Thursday, the school said Erkan was not affiliated with DePaul and expressed gratitude to law enforcement. “Acts of hate and violence have no place at DePaul,” the school said in a statement. “We condemn antisemitism in all its forms and stand in solidarity with those affected by this reprehensible act.”
Long is an IDF reservist who was in Israel when Hamas attacked. He operates a nonprofit that aims to help lone soldiers — those who move to Israel from abroad without their families to enlist in the IDF. Since October 7, amid growing criticism of the IDF and backlash against its soldiers abroad, he has worked to bring reservists to college campuses to share their stories.
On his own campus, he made a habit of draping himself in an Israeli flag and holding a sign that said, “Come talk about Israel with an IDF soldier.” He was engaged in that work outside DePaul’s student center in November when two masked individuals allegedly shouted antisemitic remarks and proceeded to punch him. Kaminsky then allegedly stepped in to help Long. The students declined medical treatment at the scene, DePaul said, but Kaminsky discovered a fractured wrist that required surgery, while Long said he had suffered a concussion with long-lasting effects.
Following the attack, several Jewish organizations protested on DePaul’s campus to demand action against antisemitism. Last month, the school barred a Chicago pro-Palestinian activist group, Behind Enemy Lines, from its campus. And the nonprofit Lawfare Project, representing Jews seeking civil rights redress, took up the Jewish students’ case.
Kaminsky and Long’s lawsuit against DePaul alleges that the school failed to protect the students despite a pattern of prior threats and harassment against Long. The lawsuit alleges that, since the attack, students have posted fliers describing Long as “wanted” and accusing him of being an “IDF butcher.” He told local news that he was so fearful of physical attacks that he dropped a course that required him to be on campus.
Now that one of the alleged perpetrators has been arrested, Kaminsky — a criminal justice major who recently received the “Student Activist of the Year” award from the Combat Antisemitism Movement — said he felt some relief.
“I think there is a little sigh of relief knowing that one of the two violent perpetrators who went out of their way to attack two Jewish students is now off the streets for the time being,” Kaminsky told ABC News following Erkan’s arrest.
A judge has ordered the man accused of attacking two Jewish students on DePaul University's Lincoln Park campus to be detained. Adam Erkan, 20, is facing aggravated battery and hate crime charges nearly five months after the attack.
Chicago police allege it was Erkan, a student studying cybersecurity at Triton College, who beat students Max Long and Michael Kaminsky, one of them an Israeli soldier, late last year, leaving them with a concussion and broken wrist.
Video shows that violent encounter from Nov. 6. It shows two masked men beat and knock down Long and Kaminsky.
The two said they were advocating for conversation outside the university's Student Center about the Israel-Hamas War.
On Thursday, a judge ordered Erkan to be detained in Cook County Jail until his next hearing April 22 in Skokie, calling him a danger. Judge James Costello said he couldn't think of a scenario to release Erkan and guarantee students' safety.
In court, prosecutors spelled out the details of Erkan's movements in what the judge deemed a "concentrated plan."
Prosecutors said Erkan, cloaked in a ski mask, initiated a conversation with Long. The second suspect, who remains at large, knocked Long to the ground, unconscious, prosecutors said. As that happened, prosecutors say Erkan beat Kaminsky, and they say both attackers continued to beat Long and Kaminsky before running off.
Prosecutors say Erkan and his co-assailant's sprint from campus was captured on surveillance video. Some of the clothes the second man is seen wearing, they say, were found in a trashcan nearby, and video shows Erkan's SUV speeding off.
Erkan has hired a private attorney.
His father, who lives in New Jersey, was also in court Thursday.
Prosecutors said Erkan was seen near the scene in a car registered to his father, and that's partially how he was tracked down. Prosecutors said Erkan's father identified his son in surveillance video in February. The vehicle was traced to Hoffman Estates.
Another suspect remains at large, who was in Tinley Park for part of the day of the attack, prosecutors said. Erkan and the other suspect spoke on the phone that day, prosecutors said. Police have a warrant for Erkan's phone and watch, but have not yet been able to access them.
Erkan has been ordered not to have contact with the victims or witnesses in the attack. He has no prior criminal history, his attorney said.
[IsraelTimes] Internal State Department cable says online profiles of relevant travelers should be searched for ‘potential derogatory information relating to security issues’
The Trump administration on Thursday ordered a social media vetting for all US visa applicants who have been to the Gaza Strip since January 1, 2007, an internal State Department cable seen by Reuters showed, in the latest push to tighten screening of foreign travelers.
The order to conduct a social media vetting for all immigrant and non-immigrant visas should include non-governmental organization workers as well as individuals who have been in the Hamas-ruled enclave for any length of time in an official or diplomatic capacity, the cable said.
“If the review of social media results uncovers potential derogatory information relating to security issues, then a SAO must be submitted,” the cable said, referring to a security advisory opinion, which is an interagency investigation to determine if a visa applicant poses a national security risk to the United States.
The cable was sent to all US diplomatic and consular posts.
The move comes as US President Donald Trump’s administration has revoked hundreds of visas across the country, including the status of some lawful permanent residents under a 1952 law allowing the deportation of any immigrant whose presence in the country the US secretary of state deems harmful to US foreign policy.
The cable, dated April 17, was signed by US Secretary of State Marco Rubio, who said in late March that he may have revoked more than 300 visas already.
A State Department spokesperson declined to comment on internal communications when asked about the cable, but said every prospective traveler to the US undergoes extensive interagency security vetting.
“The Trump administration is focused on protecting our nation and our citizens by upholding the highest standards of national security and public safety through our visa process,” the spokesperson said, adding that all visa applicants are continuously vetted.
“Security vetting runs from the time of each application, through adjudication of the visa, and afterward during the validity period of every issued visa, to ensure the individual remains eligible to travel to the United States,” the spokesperson added.
Trump officials have said student visa holders are subject to deportation over their support for Palestinians and criticism of Israel’s conduct in the war in Gaza, calling their actions a threat to US foreign policy interests.
[IsraelTimes] Some Israelis injured rushing to shelter, ambulance service says; sirens across central Israel and West Bank preceded by glitchy first-ever use of early warning system
A ballistic missile launched at Israel by the Iran-backed Houthis in Yemen was successfully intercepted by air defenses Friday morning, the military said, adding that it was probing glitches in an early alert system it had just rolled out.
There were no immediate reports of injuries as a direct result of the attack. The Magen David Adom ambulance service said it had fielded calls about people injured while rushing to a shelter.
Firefighters battled a large blaze in the Jerusalem hills, close to the city of Beit Shemesh, apparently sparked by shrapnel from an interceptor missile that fell near the Netifim Cave, also known as the Soreq or Absalom Cave. The tourist site was briefly closed due to the fire, which was successfully extinguished after several hours.
Palestinian media also reported that shrapnel from an interceptor missile was found close to Beit Fajjar, near Bethlehem in the southern West Bank.
The missile launch came after Houthi media reported dozens of people were killed overnight in US strikes on western Yemen’s Ras Isa fuel port, which is held by the Iran-backed rebels. It was the deadliest strike yet in the US bombing campaign against Houthi attacks on Red Sea shipping.
Sirens sounded at about 6:36 a.m. across central Israel, in the Jerusalem area, including parts of the capital, and in some West Bank settlements. Flights to and from Ben Gurion Airport were slightly delayed following the sirens, the Ynet news site reported.
For the first time, the IDF Home Front Command used a new system to alert civilians of the missile attack via a push notification on their phones 3-5 minutes before sirens sounded. The IDF Spokesperson’s Unit also issued, for the first time, an early statement about the missile launch, some four minutes before the sirens sounded.
However, some Israelis reported that they did not receive the early alert. The IDF acknowledged that the early warning system did not work correctly in some areas, resulting in civilians not receiving the notification.
Since March 18, when the IDF resumed its offensive against Hamas in the Gaza Strip, Yemen’s Houthi rebels have launched more than 20 ballistic missiles and several drones at Israel. About half of the missiles fell short of Israel, while others set off sirens in the country before being shot down.
The attacks have greatly raised the Houthis’ profile as they faced economic problems, and they have also launched a crackdown targeting any internal dissent, as well as targeting foreign aid workers, amid Yemen’s decade-long stalemated war, which has torn apart the Arab world’s poorest nation. The war against Yemen’s Saudi-backed government left the Houthis in control of the capital Sanaa and much of the country’s western coast.
[IsraelTimes] The Houthi rebels in Yemen claim responsibility for a missile launch toward the center of the country this morning. In a statement released by the Houthi military spokesperson, they claim to have targeted Ben Gurion Airport in central Israel.
The missile was successfully intercepted by Israeli air defenses. Sirens had sounded across central Israel, in the Jerusalem area, and in some West Bank settlements.
[IsraelTimes] One employee shot and killed this week, police say, though motives are unclear; local Islamist group says it supports boycotts of Israel but has not called for assaults
Police have arrested scores of people in Pakistan in recent weeks after more than 10 mob attacks on outlets of US fast-food chain KFC, sparked by anti-United States sentiment and opposition to its ally Israel’s war in Gaza, officials said.
Police in major cities in the Islamic nation, including the southern port city of Karachi, the eastern city of Lahore and the capital Islamabad, confirmed at least 11 incidents in which KFC outlets were attacked by protesters armed with sticks and vandalized. At least 178 people were arrested, the officials said this week.
KFC and its parent company, Yum Brands YUM.N, both US-based, did not respond to requests for comment.
A police official, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said one KFC employee was shot and killed this week in a store on the outskirts of Lahore by unknown gunmen. The official added that there was no protest at the time and that they were investigating whether the killing was motivated by political sentiment.
In Lahore, police said they were ramping up security at 27 KFC outlets around the city after two attacks, while five others were prevented.
“We are investigating the role of different individuals and groups in these attacks,” said Faisal Kamran, a senior Lahore police officer, adding that 11 people, including a member of the Islamist religious party Tehreek-e-Labbaik Pakistan (TLP), were arrested in the city. He added that the protests were not officially organized by TLP.
TLP spokesman Rehan Mohsin Khan said the group “has urged Muslims to boycott Israeli products, but it has not given any call for protest outside KFC.”
“If any other person claiming to be a TLP leader or activist has indulged in such activity, it should be taken as his personal act which has nothing to do with the party’s policy,” Khan said.
KFC has long been viewed as a symbol of the United States in Pakistan and has borne the brunt of anti-American sentiment in recent decades with protests and attacks.
Western brands have been hit by boycotts and other forms of protest in Pakistan and other Muslim-majority countries in recent months over Israel’s military operation in the Gaza Strip, following the Hamas deadly onslaught of October 7, 2023.
Yum Brands has said one of its other brands, Pizza Hut, has faced a protracted impact from boycotts related to Israel’s war in Gaza.
In Pakistan, local brands have made inroads into its fast-growing cola market as some consumers avoid US brands. In 2023, Coca-Cola’s market share in the consumer sector in Pakistan fell to 5.7% from 6.3% in 2022, according to GlobalData, while PepsiCo’s fell to 10.4% from 10.8%.
Earlier this month, religious clerics in Pakistan called for a boycott of any products or brands that they say support Israel or the American economy, but asked people to stay peaceful and not destroy property.
[IsraelTimes] Adam Boehler says he could resume direct talks with Hamas, after they fell apart in March amid Israeli pushback; claims offer he made in those talks was coordinated with Jerusalem
The Trump administration’s hostage envoy Adam Boehler speculated on Wednesday that the lone living American-Israeli hostage in Gaza is in “a decent place,” asserting that Hamas wouldn’t be “dumb” enough to harm him, as doing so would lead the US to “come after” the terror group.
Of course they are that dumb. But it’s a pretty threat, regardless.
“Because I think that Hamas is not dumb… Edan [Alexander] is in a good place… Because if Edan gets sick, if Edan has a cold, guess who’s getting blamed? Hamas,” Boehler told Al Jazeera. “I hope no hair on his head is hurt, or we’re going to come for them, and it’s not going to be pretty. So I believe Edan is fine.”
The comments came four days after Hamas released a propaganda video in which a gaunt and emotional Alexander
…suggesting that wherever he is, it’s not a decent place, nor is he unharmed…
pleaded with the Israeli and US governments to secure his release, after over a year and a half in captivity.
On Monday, Hamas claimed to have lost contact with the operatives holding Alexander in Gaza following an Israeli strike. It has not provided further updates on the matter.
Two bad ideas in two sentences, O Hamas.
The interview was Boehler’s first on the Israel-Hamas conflict in several weeks, following uproar in Jerusalem over unprecedented direct negotiations he held with Hamas officials to release Alexander and the bodies of four other American-Israeli hostages.
Israel found out about those talks after the fact, leading Strategic Affairs Minister Ron Dermer to hold an angry call with Boehler, knocking him for negotiating on Israel’s behalf without keeping Jerusalem in the loop, an Israeli official told The Times of Israel last week.
But Boehler said in the Wednesday interview that the offer he made in early March for the five American hostages was “coordinated with Israel.”
A spokesperson for Dermer did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
Boehler’s offer included the release of 100 of the remaining 300 Palestinian prisoners serving life sentences in Israeli jails in exchange for Alexander, the Israeli official said last week, confirming reporting from The New York Times.
“I gave Hamas an offer. It was an offer that was decided in the United States, it was coordinated with Israel,” Boehler told Al Jazeera. “Hamas, at that time, wasn’t able to get there. Then Steve came out and talked about something else, and then [Hamas] came and accepted my offer.”
Hamas on March 14 announced that it was prepared to release Alexander and four other dual nationals. By then, though, Boehler’s direct channel with Hamas had all but fallen apart. Its existence had been leaked by Israel on March 5 in order to sabotage the envoy’s effort, a US official told The Times of Israel at the time.
Even US Secretary of State Marco Rubio called Boehler’s talks a “one-off,” while Witkoff avoided speaking out in Boehler’s defense, even though the latter’s talks were fully coordinated with him. Instead, Witkoff sought to advance his own hostage release proposal, which was transmitted through Qatari and Egyptian mediators. That indirect channel has yet to bear fruit, though.
Boehler gave a series of interviews on March 9 seeking to defend his direct talks with Hamas, but the TV appearances only further angered Netanyahu’s inner circle, leading Dermer to urge his US counterparts to sideline the Trump envoy, the Israeli official said.
Dermer’s effort initially appeared to work, as Boehler rescinded his nomination to become the US special presidential envoy for hostage affairs on March 19. But on Wednesday, Boehler went public with the news that he had been given a slightly different title — special envoy for hostage response.
The new position doesn’t come with the rank of ambassador, but it also doesn’t require Senate confirmation, and grants him a broader mandate, allowing him to assist Americans held wrongfully abroad who don’t meet the legal definition of “hostage” or “wrongfully detained.”
With his spot in the Trump administration seemingly secure, Boehler said “it is possible” that his direct talks with Hamas could resume.
He argued that the Trump administration is principally in favor of the direct negotiation approach, explaining that it makes for faster communication with “no confusion.” The US envoy pointed to the direct talks that Washington has held with Iran and Russia, noting that negotiations with the Kremlin have led to the release of two Americans.
He urged Hamas in the Al Jazeera interview to negotiate with more urgency “and identify an offer that they know Israel and the United States can accept, and end this.”
“Hamas knows exactly where we stand, and they’re welcome to put something together that meets our criteria with hostages,” Boehler added.
He urged Hamas to release all 59 remaining hostages — 24 of whom are believed to still be alive — unilaterally.
“The fighting would end immediately if the hostages are released,” Boehler said, adding that this would allow for the rehabilitation of Palestinians to move forward.
Israel has said it will only agree to end the war if Hamas’s military and governing capabilities have been dismantled, snubbing Hamas offers to release all of the hostages at once in exchange for a permanent ceasefire.
Boehler, for his part, also called for Hamas to “disarm” and defended Israel’s ongoing military operations in Gaza.
He also characterized the recent protests of thousands of Palestinians throughout Gaza against Hamas as “very impressive and beautiful to see.”
“It shows that moderate people in those regions are real good people [who are] willing to put their lives at risk,” he said.
[IsraelTimes] NYT reports that memo filed by Marco Rubio says Mohsen Mahdawi also engaged in ‘threatening rhetoric and intimidation of pro-Israeli bystanders’
Mohsen Mahdawi, the Palestinian anti-Israel student protest leader arrested on Monday during a citizenship appointment, should be deported because his activism undercuts efforts to end the Israel-Hamas war in Gaza, Secretary of State Marco Rubio has argued in a memo.
The argument contained in the memo, written last month and obtained by the New York Times, adds to the rationales offered by Rubio and other Trump administration officials for why they are seeking to deport non-citizen pro-Palestinian activists.
The memo cited the same Cold War-era law that Rubio used to argue that another Columbia pro-Palestinian activist, Mahmoud Khalil, was eligible for deportation because his campus activities were at odds with US foreign policy about antisemitism.
While the Biden administration talked about it, but they never did anything serious to enforce their pretty words.
A judge accepted Rubio’s argument after a hearing that Khalil’s lawyers called “charade of due process.”
Mahdawi and Khalil were prominent figures in Columbia’s coalition of anti-Israel protesters, Columbia University Apartheid Divest (CUAD). The group led protests on campus that included harassment of Jewish students, an unauthorized protest encampment, building takeovers, clashes with police and property damage. CUAD has called for the “eradication of western civilization,” distributed Hamas material on campus, backed calls for violence against “Zionists” and said that “violence is the only path.”
The Mahdawi memo, according to the New York Times report, describes another foreign policy goal that Rubio said the protester was undercutting: ending the war in Gaza.
President Donald Trump has said he wants the war being fought there between Israel and Hamas to end, and he pressed the sides for a ceasefire and hostage release deal shortly after taking office. That ceasefire ended on March 18, a few days after Rubio reportedly filed the Mahdawi memo, and Israeli officials thanked Trump for permitting their return to fighting.
The memo also accused Mahdawi of engaging in “threatening rhetoric and intimidation of pro-Israeli bystanders,” according to the report, which said the memo did not offer evidence for the claim.
Mahdawi, who was born and raised in a Palestinian refugee camp in the West Bank, spoke out against antisemitic rhetoric at a Columbia rally in November 2023, the Columbia Spectator student newspaper reported at the time. He also denounced antisemitic speech among pro-Palestinian protesters during a December 2023 appearance on “60 Minutes.”
That’s nice. What did he say in Arabic, and in private protest-organizing sessions? Did he ever object when his fellows in the protest group harassed Jews, Zionists, and the Israel-curious?
Jewish and Israeli students told Haaretz, the Israeli newspaper, that they experienced Mahdawi as a bridge-builder fostering dialogue between student groups on either side of Columbia’s protest movement.
What was there to discuss? One side thought the other deserved to be horribly killed, the other side wanted to live side by side in peace. And how did Haaretz, which prides itself on being the New York Times of Israel, manage not to find any of the many Columbia University Israelis and Jews who disagreed with the protests?
“He talked about Palestinian suffering, but also the importance of understanding Jewish trauma, the Holocaust and the intergenerational toll of violence,” Sahar Bostock, an Israeli doctoral candidate at Columbia, told the newspaper. “He said acknowledge this to have a chance at peace.”
Mahdawi’s lawyers are citing his relationships with both Palestinian and Israeli students in his defense. He also has support from lawmakers in Vermont, where he has been living, including Senator Bernie Sanders and Representative Becca Balint, who are Jewish.
…but both are first creatures of the Left, which means their disapproval of Bibi Netanyahu’s Israel makes them functionally anti-Zionist.
Hundreds of members of Jewish Voice for Peace,
…founded by Hamas BDS activist, Hatem Bazian, while its social media managers live in Lebanon, and a large chunk of its funding comes from the Soros foundation…
an anti-Zionist group, rallied for the release of Mahdawi and other student activists Monday outside of an ICE office in New York.
His arrest came after far-right
…it should be in scare quotes, not of the Left is not the same as far right…
pro-Israel groups lobbied against Mahdawi to authorities. Rubio’s memo is dated just days before Betar, one of the groups, said it had “reason to believe” that Mahdawi was “on the short list of those who will shortly be deported.”
[IsraelTimes] Republicans in the US Congress announce an investigation into Harvard University, accusing it of flouting civil rights law in an escalation of US President Donald Trump’s attacks on elite institutions.
The lawmakers write to the world-renowned education and research establishment demanding documents on its hiring practices, diversity programs, and last year’s pro-Palestinian, anti-Israel campus protests.
The letter — signed by House Oversight Committee chair James Comer and House leadership chair Elise Stefanik — came with Trump seeking unprecedented levels of control over the country’s oldest and wealthiest university.
Comer and Stefanik castigate Harvard President Alan Garber for rejecting demands for supervision by the White House, which has canceled $2.2 billion in funding and threatened further reprisals.
“Harvard is apparently so unable or unwilling to prevent unlawful discrimination that the institution, at your direction, is refusing to enter into a reasonable settlement agreement proposed by federal officials intended to put Harvard back in compliance with the law,” they tell Garber.
“No matter how entitled your behavior, no institution is entitled to violate the law.”
[IsraelTimes] Medical official sparks controversy online after speaking out against terrorists’ attempts to use Khan Younis’s Nasser Hospital, revealing that he has been ‘openly threatened’
Mohammed Sakar, head of the nursing department at Nasser Hospital in Khan Younis, published a very unusual post on his Facebook account last week.
In his post, the doctor, who also serves as a spokesperson for the hospital, hinted that he had been threatened by Palestinian Islamic Jihad due to his refusal to let the terror group’s operatives enter and use the hospital.
“As head of the department, I exerted all efforts to reopen the hospital and I succeeded… in serving the wounded,” Sakar wrote. “I made sure that the hospital wards were used only for patients, and not for displaced persons… In this way, I managed to keep the hospital safe and avoid threats of closure.”
Now, he revealed, “I’m being openly threatened, even though I explained to those who came to my office that all the steps I took were to protect the hospital,” he continued. “God will not forgive you.”
The post included a photo of a note Sakar had apparently received that read: “Dear one, you have crossed the line, take heed! – Saraya al-Quds,” referring to the military wing of the Palestinian Islamic Jihad terror group.
The post was deleted a few days after it was published, and since then, Sakar has not posted again on Facebook or appeared in the media.
Sakar’s public disclosure was a rare instance of a medical professional in Gaza addressing attempts by terror groups to infiltrate hospitals. By numerous accounts, these efforts are commonplace in most hospitals in the Strip.
Throughout the war, Israel has repeatedly sent troops into hospitals to root out terror infrastructure and gunmen. It has also offered evidence of the facilities’ regular use by terror groups as bases of operations due to their protected status. But little testimony has come willingly from Gazans themselves.
The Times of Israel connected with another doctor at Nasser Hospital who wished to remain anonymous due to safety concerns. He refused to say if he had also been threatened, due to the subject’s sensitivity. He only said: “Regarding threats, these are things that the hospital’s management should deal with. We, the medical teams, are not involved in politics.”
Sakar’s public post sparked online reactions from Gaza residents. Mustafa Asfour, a Gaza City resident who was previously detained by Hamas and claims his brother was beaten by Hamas members after criticizing them on social media during the war, wrote on his X account: “Dr. Mohammed Sakar received threats from mercenaries belonging to Islamic Jihad because of his opposition to armed men inside the hospital. Every mercenary organization has thieves around it, and it wants to take the land into its own hands and play with people’s lives as it pleases.”
Another Gaza City resident, writing on X under the name Abu Malek al-Azzi, said: “The head of nursing at Nasser Hospital is receiving threats from spies and the impure offspring of [former Iranian Supreme Leader Ruhollah] Khomeini… People and the Sakar family must shoot anyone who attacks their son.”
In the days following the publication of Sakar’s post, another incident suggested tensions in Gaza hospitals tied to Hamas’s attempts to utilize them. At the beginning of the week, rumors spread online that the Al-Amal Hospital in Khan Younis, run by the Red Crescent Society, had closed its doors and that doctors were on strike in protest of attempts by Hamas operatives to enter the hospital. Photos were shared showing the hospital shuttered and empty of patients. However, the next day, the Red Crescent in Gaza denied that the hospital had closed.
Such incidents come amid growing internal criticism of Hamas in Gaza during the renewed war and Israel’s prevention of humanitarian aid from entering the Strip, which has severely impacted Gaza’s population.
EVIDENCE OF DUAL USE
Over the past year and a half, the Israeli military has conducted ground raids on the vast majority of hospitals in the Gaza Strip, in some cases more than once. According to the IDF, battles took place in many of the hospitals, and following the raids, hundreds of individuals were detained on hospital grounds. Ammunition and weapons were also discovered inside the hospitals, and detainees reportedly testified during interrogations that the hospitals had been used as shelters by terrorist organizations.
In April 2024, the IDF said it conducted a raid on the Shifa Hospital, during which it said it killed 200 terror operatives and arrested another 500. Among those killed and detained were top commanders in Hamas and Palestinian Islamic Jihad. Valuable intelligence was also seized, the IDF said at the time.
The IDF launched in December 2024 an operation at Kamal Adwan Hospital in northern Gaza after identifying that Hamas operatives had returned to the area. Later, the IDF released interrogation footage of a Hamas operative detained by troops at Kamal Adwan, in which he said the terror group used the medical center as a shelter.
Last month, Israel struck a surgical wing of Nasser Hospital and killed two people, one of whom was senior Hamas figure Ismail Barhoum. According to the IDF, Barhoum was appointed as Hamas’s prime minister in the Strip after his predecessor, Issam al-Da’alis, was killed on March 18 during the surprise Israeli attack that ended the ceasefire.
On April 7, 2025, Israel struck a nearby communications compound, injuring Hassan Asleh, a journalist close to Hamas who had documented the October 7 attack. Palestinian media reported that other journalists were killed. The compound, adjacent to the hospital, has existed since the beginning of the war and has been regularly used by journalists in Gaza.
Released hostages have also testified that they were held in hospitals at certain points.
MORE THAN 30 HOSPITALS FOR 2 MILLION PEOPLE
According to UN reports, before the war began, following Hamas’s October 7 surprise attack, there were around 35 hospitals in Gaza. However, this number is not fixed and tends to fluctuate, due to the existence of small medical clinics, some of which are counted as hospitals.
Currently, according to sources familiar with the humanitarian situation in Gaza who spoke to The Times of Israel, 14 government hospitals are operating under Hamas control in the Strip, in addition to 14 field hospitals established during the war with international funding from humanitarian organizations and Arab states. Many hospitals were damaged and closed during the war.
This represents a relatively high number of hospitals per capita for a population of 2 million. In comparison, Israel, with a population of approximately 9.9 million, has about 20 general hospitals and a few additional hospitals without emergency departments.
The large number of hospitals in Gaza is due to donations from countries and non-profit organizations that established many of them, and the absence of a modern administrative body that will push to unite the hospitals into larger medical centers. Nonetheless, the current situation has allowed terrorist organizations to operate within many of these sites.
MOUNTING PRESSURE
Despite all this, hospitals in Gaza continue to function as medical centers, staffed by doctors, nurses and medical personnel throughout the war, according to numerous reports and testimonies, some from foreign medical staff.
According to the Israeli humanitarian organization Doctors for Human Rights, hundreds of Gaza medical staff — doctors, nurses and other hospital workers — have been arrested over the past year and a half, about 150 of whom are still held in Israel. Dr. Iyad al-Bursh, who spoke with The Times of Israel, was arrested during IDF operations at Shifa Hospital last year and was held in Israel for 10 months before being released without charges. He says he does not know why he was arrested.
Al-Bursh told The Times of Israel that there is a severe shortage of medicine due to Israel’s decision not to allow humanitarian aid into the Strip beginning in early March, and that the situation in northern Gaza is even worse. Additionally, bombings and raids have caused hospitals in Gaza to either shut down or function only partially. Shifa Hospital itself was largely destroyed in a military raid against terror operatives during the war and, according to al-Bursh, is currently operating on a very limited scale.
Al-Bursh asserted to The Times of Israel that he has not received any threats from any entity during his work at Shifa. “The medical establishment in Gaza cares for the doctors and medical staff and overcomes obstacles,” he said, referring to the civil infrastructure in Gaza controlled by Hamas.
The ICRC is outraged that on 16 April an ICRC premises in Gaza was struck and damaged by an explosive.
This is the second such incident in three weeks; another premises in the area was struck by a tank shell on 24 March. pic.twitter.com/B3l1jutHrW
[IsraelTimes] Hamas-controlled civil defense says 24 people killed in overnight strikes; army general visits Gaza after soldiers complain of insufficient food during Passover holiday
The Israeli Air Force struck some 40 targets in the Gaza Strip over the past day, the military said on Friday, with targets including terror operatives, buildings used by terror groups and weapons depots, as troops continue to operate on the ground across the Strip.
Palestinians said that at least 24 people were killed in the strikes.
In the Tel Sultan and Shaboura areas of southern Gaza’s Rafah, the military said, troops of the Gaza Division destroyed Hamas infrastructure and killed several operatives during an ambush.
In northern Gaza, the 252nd Division destroyed a weapons depot and directed drone strikes on operatives, the army said.
Additionally, during recent operations in Gaza City’s eastern neighborhood of Shejaiya, the IDF said reservists of the Jerusalem Brigade, now in their fourth round of reserve duty in Gaza, located several tunnels and a weapons depot.
The military said the operations in Shejaiya are intended to expand a buffer zone along the Gaza border. The area is relatively elevated and overlooks the Israeli border communities of Nahal Oz, Kfar Aza and Sa’ad.
This past week, the IDF said the reserve brigade eliminated a cell of operatives that was planning a sniper attack on the forces.
The tunnels and weapon depot located by the reservists were demolished by the elite Yahalom combat engineering unit, the army added.
Gaza’s Hamas-controlled civil defense agency said that 24 people were killed in strikes across Gaza, including 10 people were killed in an overnight attack near the southern city of Khan Younis.
“Our crews recovered the bodies of 10 martyrs and a large number of injuries from the house of the Baraka family and the neighboring houses targeted by the Israeli occupation forces in the Bani Suhaila area east of Khan Younis,” spokesman Mahmoud Bassal said on Telegram.
The agency also reported at least 14 others allegedly killed in multiple Israeli strikes across the territory, including at least two strikes which it said hit tents sheltering displaced people.
There was no immediate IDF comment on the specific strikes in question. Israel has said, in general, that it seeks to minimize civilian fatalities and stresses that Hamas uses Gaza’s civilians as human shields, fighting from civilian areas including homes, hospitals, schools, and mosques.
War zones are, by definition, dangerous places. Especially when one is a designated human shield or near a target.
[IsraelTimes] The Guardian
…which caters to the self-righteous, educated bigots of the Left among the British reading classes, feeding them an endless variation of their preferred lies…
reports on a young Gazan photojournalist, Fatima Hassouna, who it says was killed in an Israeli strike in northern Gaza this week.
Hassouna, 25, was killed along with 10 members of her family, including her pregnant sister, the report says.
Hassouna was the subject of a documentary set to premiere at the Cannes Film Festival in May.
The IDF says the strike targeted a Hamas operative involved in attacks on soldiers and civilians.
[IsraelTimes] Three-stage proposal would reportedly see Tehran temporarily cap enrichment at 3.67%, transfer highly enriched uranium to 3rd country, boost UN oversight at nuclear facilities.
That is deliberately insulting. Screw it — release the Bibi.
[IsraelTimes] More from the Iranian official speaking to Reuters:
Tehran’s red lines “mandated by Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei” can not be compromised in the talks, the official says.
He says those red lines mean Iran will never agree to dismantle its centrifuges for enriching uranium, halt enrichment altogether, or reduce the amount of enriched uranium it stores to a level below the level it agreed to in the 2015 deal that Trump abandoned.
It will also not negotiate over its missile program, which Tehran views as outside the scope of any nuclear deal.
“Iran understood in indirect talks in Oman that Washington doesn’t want Iran to stop all nuclear activities, and this can be a common ground for Iran and the US to start a fair negotiation,” the source says.
Iran said today reaching a deal with the United States was possible if “they demonstrate seriousness of intent and do not make unrealistic demands.”
Top US negotiator Steve Witkoff, in a post on X on Tuesday, said Iran must “stop and eliminate its nuclear enrichment” to reach a deal with Washington.
[IsraelTimes] … including the head of the terror group’s communications south of the Litani River
Two Hezbollah operatives were killed in separate Israeli drone strikes in southern Lebanon on Friday, the military announced, as the terror group ruled out any talk of disarmament until Israel withdraws from its five strategic points in the country.
A strike in the coastal Lebanese city of Sidon on Friday morning targeted Muhammad Abdullah, the Israel Defense Forces said.
Abdullah was responsible for the deployment of the Iran-backed terror group’s communication systems across Lebanon, especially in areas south of the Litani River, according to the IDF.
“The activities of the terrorists in the recent period constitute a violation of the understandings between Israel and Lebanon and pose a threat to the State of Israel and its citizens,” the IDF added.
At the scene of the strike, members of the security forces stood guard as a crowd gathered to look at the charred remains of the vehicle after firemen had put out the blaze.
Separately, the IDF said it killed a Hezbollah operative in a drone strike in southern Lebanon’s Ayta ash-Shab on Friday.
The operative was involved in “terror activity,” according to the military.
Friday’s strikes came a day after the IDF said it killed a Hezbollah commander in a drone strike in southern Lebanon’s Blida.
The strike targeted Ali Ibar al-Nabi Khadi, the deputy commander of Hezbollah’s forces in the Mhaibib area, according to the military.
[IsraelNationalNews] More than 1000 bereaved families have signed a letter contradicting the various calls to end the war from various groups of IDF soldiers.
A group of families of soldiers who fell in the Swords of Iron War, previous wars, and terror attacks have come out against the recent calls to refuse military service and end the war. A letter signed by over 1,000 bereaved families stresses that the war cannot end before all of its objectives are achieved including the return of the hostages, the elimination of the Hamas terror group, and a long term plan ensuring that Gaza can no longer pose a threat to the State of Israel. The Gvura (Heroism) Forum, which includes families of hundreds of soldiers who fell in the Swords of Iron War organized the letter. They were joined by other bereaved families, including from the Nova festival massacre, Operation Protective Edge, other wars, and victims of terror attacks.
"A year and a half ago, a cruel and evil enemy launched a surprise attack carrying out murders, rapes, and kidnappings against our people. Men, women, children, and infants were burned, raped, and kidnapped in what was the single deadliest day for the Jewish people since the Holocaust. Immediately thereafter, we were forced into an existential war to bring justice to the perpetrators and defend our future as a nation. This war set out with the aim to bring back our hostages and to restore safety in our country’s south, north, and throughout the land. Hundreds of thousands of Israeli citizens were forced to flee from their homes to safety. Now we must stand up and say ‘Never Again.’ Never again will Israel allow its citizens to face another massacre or our enemies to threaten one. There has been much progress in the war but the mission is not yet complete. Ending the war now would represent a serious blow to Israel’s security and make it only a matter of time until the next massacre, G-d forbid.”
“We cannot end the war before achieving all of its aims including the return of the hostages, the elimination of the Hamas terror group, and ensuring that Gaza can never pose a threat to the State of Israel. Our loved ones went out to war to achieve victory, safety, and security. Tragically, they did not come home. It is our duty to see their will fulfilled.”
The letter concludes with a message of support for the government, “We stand with the Government of Israel and its leadership – do not accept a partial victory. We must keep going until the war is won.”
[IsraelTimes] Hundreds of former IDF soldiers, including senior officers and bereaved families of fallen soldiers, join calls on the government to prioritize a hostage deal — even if it means ending the war in Gaza, according to a Ynet news report.
A letter signed by 458 former members of the Golani Brigade urges the immediate return of the hostages, even at the expense of the cessation of fighting.
Signatories include former IDF Intelligence chief Maj. Gen. (res.) Uri Sagi, former Central Command head Maj. Gen. (res.) Ilan Biran, and Maayan and Ron Kehati, whose son Sgt. Gur Kehati was killed in Lebanon in November.
Another letter, signed by 315 former members of reconnaissance and infantry units, states: “This is the top-priority mission, these are the values that guide us, and this is our moral duty as a nation. This is a call to save lives.”
Most of the signatories are not currently serving in the reserves, Ynet notes.
[YouTube] Here I switch from Issues of Contemporary politics to Russian History Playlist. In honor of the 80eth anniversary of the Russian allied victory over germany in WW2, I will post several videos on the major stages of that great war. Today i discuss the German Invasion in June 1941 up to the battle of Moscow in December 1941.
Dr. Brovkin is an American historian of Russian origin, now retired, served as an Associate Professor of Soviet History at Harvard University.
Direct Translation via Google Translate. Edited.
[RIA] The Easter truce announced by President Vladimir Putin has come into effect.
It will be in effect from 18:00 Moscow time on April 19 until 00:00 Moscow time on April 21.
Moscow assumes that the Ukrainian side will follow its example and stop hostilities;
Russian troops must be prepared to repel possible violations of the ceasefire, provocations and aggressive actions by the enemy;
The course of the ceasefire will show how sincerely the Kiev regime wishes and is ready to comply with the agreements, as well as to participate in the negotiation process aimed at eliminating the root causes of the Ukrainian crisis.
As specified by the Ministry of Defense, the Chief of the General Staff of the Russian Armed Forces - First Deputy Minister of Defense General Valery Gerasimov gave instructions to all commanders of groups in the special operation zone to cease fire and conduct combat operations.
It is emphasized that the ceasefire is being introduced for humanitarian purposes and will be observed by the Russian Joint Group of Forces, provided that it is mutually observed by the Kyiv regime.
[Ford Authority] Along with a trio of models that it builds in Mexico and sells in the U.S., The Blue Oval has been facing new tariffs on one other vehicle, in particular — the Lincoln Nautilus, which just received a redesign for the 2024 model year. As part of that major update, Lincoln Nautilus production moved to China, where it’s currently built and imported into the U.S. — making it susceptible to some rather high tariffs that U.S. President Donald Trump just imposed on that country. Despite this, Ford has no plans to move production of the Lincoln Nautilus from China, it seems.
“We continue with our shipments, we haven’t made any changes to our production and we have good stock,” outgoing Lincoln President Dianne Craig told Automotive News at a media event recently. “Right now we’re just trying to learn more and scenario-plan for how we can work through it. At some point, yes, it might be likely that we’re going to have to take some level of pricing, but we also know we have to understand what happens with the competitive environment, we have to understand how much can consumers actually absorb, how much can we pass along, and it really comes down to where the tariff lands. It remains to be seen. The question will be how much and when?”
The Lincoln Nautilus is now subject to a 125 percent tariff in the U.S., but Craig added that the luxury brand isn’t too impacted on the flip side, as it builds all of its models sold in the domestic Chinese market in that country – except for the Navigator, which sells in relatively low volumes.
[Tampa Free Press] In a late-night decision, the U.S. Supreme Court intervened to temporarily halt the Trump administration's planned deportation of Venezuelan men held in immigration custody. The justices issued an order early Saturday morning, preventing the government from removing any members of the affected group until further notice.
The brief, unsigned decision, released around 12:55 a.m., came after lawyers from the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) filed urgent requests in multiple courts, including the Supreme Court, citing imminent deportations.
The ACLU alleged that some detainees had already been placed on buses and informed of their impending removal.
"The Government is directed not to remove any member of the putative class of detainees from the United States until further order of this Court," the Supreme Court's order stated.
Justices Clarence Thomas and Samuel Alito publicly dissented from the decision.
The ACLU's emergency appeals stemmed from concerns that the administration was preparing to deport the men under the 1798 Alien Enemies Act, a law historically reserved for wartime, without affording them the judicial review previously mandated by the Supreme Court. The organization argued that the rapid developments effectively denied the detainees a fair opportunity to contest their removal.
#5
The answer to this is simple. Declare war on Venezuela.
Yup. Doesn't have to be hot or even confrontational. Trickier would be El Salvador or Mexico.
As far as 'international law' goes, Egypt had no problem designating unwelcome non-state actors, sorry USAID NGOs, as unwelcomed and threatened with local enforcement action ejection from state territory.
[Breitbart] ‘The Shot Heard Round the World,’ Subjects Become Citizens, Lexington and Concord and the 250th Anniversary of the Start of the Revolutionary War.
[Daily Mail, where America gets its news] Male asylum seekers who are single and healthy will be deported back to Greece after arriving in Germany, a top court has ruled.
The Federal Administrative Court in Leipzig decided that migrants will not face inhumane or degrading conditions if they were sent back.
Judges were ruling on a case of both a 34-year-old man born in northern Gaza and a 32-year-old Somali national, both of whom were granted protection status in Greece.
The court determined that while migrants in Greece receive little to no access to state support, young, able-bodied men should be able to deal with the circumstances there.
Robert Keller, one of the judges, said that the ruling was ultimately based on whether refugees in Greece had access to 'bread, bed and soap'.
He said: 'That's not much, we know that.
'It's a tough benchmark.'
The ruling accepted that waiting times for documents and a lack of support were issues for asylum seekers in Greece.
[HotAir] Hizzoner Brandon Johnson is having trouble with Chicago’s bills, between the Chicago teachers pension plan and their recently negotiated 1/3rd increase in pay. But his hands are tied by the windy city’s long history of electing Democrats, to whit:
But no matter how he postures and bloviates, it still doesn't change the fact that Brandon has no bucks for all the big talk.
You would think with all the revenue streams available in a major city and the way he's jacked taxes up (the ones voters have allowed him to), Brandon could squeak something out to ease the burden on his constituents, right?
And this is where I stumbled across one of the worst examples of civic...hmm. Schmaybe 'malfeasance' is the word? It's too awful for mere incompetence.
Whatever it was, this deal done by Mayor Richard Daley in 2008, during that financial crisis, has screwed the city of Chicago royally and I never heard about it until today.
To close a city budget deficit that year, Mayor Daley sold every last parking meter space to a private consortium for $1.15B.
Every last dime collected on 36,000 metered parking spaces in the city leaves the city. Every time a street is closed and those meters cannot collect parking fees, the city must compensate Chicago Parking Meters, LLC - the private investor-owned company - for every dime those meters would have made had the street not been blocked.
The deal is for a schweet seventy-five years.
... As of 2023, the investors in CPM LLC have recouped their investment plus $500 million, and still have 60 years left on the deal.
[HotAir] The latest salvo from the Trump administration fired at Harvard comes only in part from the current standoff over anti-Semitic intimidation campaigns and discriminatory practices. Five years ago, Trump's team opened an investigation into Harvard's revenue streams over concerns of full reporting as well as foreign influence in Academia. Joe Biden buried that probe, officially last year but almost certainly never took it seriously.
Suddenly the investigation is back on, the Wall Street Journal reports, and this time the Trump administration has at least three years to pursue it:
The Trump administration is pressing Harvard University to turn over records on the money it receives from foreign sources going back a decade, the latest in a growing pressure campaign against the nation’s most prominent university.
American universities get billions in grants, contracts or gifts from foreign sources, which they must report semiannually to the government. In a Thursday letter to Harvard President Alan Garber, the U.S. Department of Education’s office of the General Counsel wrote that Harvard made “incomplete and inaccurate” disclosures between 2014 and 2019.
“Today’s records request is the Trump administration’s first step to ensure Harvard is not being manipulated by, or doing the bidding of, foreign entities,” U.S. Secretary of Education Linda McMahon said in a statement. The letter to Harvard presented no evidence that was occurring.
A couple of paragraphs later, it certainly looks as though the first administration found probable cause to suspect that Harvard was not in compliance:
In 2020, the first Trump administration also opened an investigation into Harvard, as part of a review that it says found U.S. universities broadly failed to report at least $6.5 billion in foreign funding. The Biden administration notified Harvard in 2024 that the investigation was closed.
That's a lot of unreported foreign cash flowing into universities and colleges. To compare, the US loaned students $107.8 billion in 2020. But in an even more apt comparison, a recent report from Americans for Public Trust estimates that US schools have taken in $60 billion over the last few decades from foreign countries, with ten top schools accounting for more than a third of that amount. Harvard is right at the top of the list (page 2).
National Review covered the issue last month, before the fight with Harvard over its anti-Semitism and discriminatory practices heated up. It's not just the amount of money that's the concern, but the origin of the money:
Harvard University received the most foreign funding at an estimated $3.2 billion, followed by Cornell University and Carnegie Mellon University at $2.8 billion each, the University of Pennsylvania at $2.5 billion, and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology at $2.1 billion. ...
Americans for Public Trust identified significant amounts of foreign aid from U.S. adversaries and Middle Eastern nations. Last year, Qatar poured over $342 million into colleges and universities, while China spent another $176 million.
Saudi Arabia, an oil-rich, Muslim nation with longstanding ties to the U.S. despite its human rights record and alleged involvement in the 9/11 attacks, gave $175 million to colleges and universities last year. Another $81 million came in from Hong Kong, where the Chinese Communist Party has repressed civil liberties and taken complete control of the political system.
And that's the money we know about. The effect from Qatar's money has been evident in the Poison Ivies and elsewhere for the last nineteen months. China's influence on American education is equally evident. Americans for Public Trust also wonders about the money we don't know about, as does the Trump administration:
Lax enforcement enables bad actors from around the world to by-pass safeguards and pour vast sums into US schools, sometimes without any public reporting.
That is a legitimate security concern, as well as a concern for the Department of Education on corruption of educational institutions.
Harvard is a good place to start in pursuing better enforcement and transparency, even without the current feud with Donald Trump. But in that context, it might behoove Harvard to settle all of these accounts and keep from digging themselves an even deeper hole in the near future.
And who knows? Maybe if Trump and McMahon keep pursuing this with other Ivy League schools, Democrats may start begging to shut down the Department of Education.
#1
Given, Harvard wants US Taxpayer $$$$$.
Then the US Taxpayers should know if Harvard is accepting $$$$$$$$ from Persons/Nations that are known adversaries seeking harm to the US taxpayer and their Civil Rights.
#3
Saw a deal, if true, that some company is trying to start up a Battle Bots type fighting circuit where the two combatants each control a robot via that VR Chassis, the ones with the treadmill locomotion.
True or not, or just a trial balloon, I have no doubt it is possible.
[Jpost] Robert F. Kennedy contradicted both developing and established science on autism in his first press conference since becoming Secretary of Health and Human Services.
Environmental contributors to autism are behind its rising prevalence, US Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. said on Wednesday without scientific evidence, adding he plans to look at everything from mold to medicine to identify them.
Kennedy repeatedly contradicted both developing and established science on autism in his first press conference since becoming Secretary of Health and Human Services.
He brought forth his previously disputed description of autism as an epidemic, said it was preventable, and suggested it must be caused by an "environmental toxin" in part because he did not know any people with autism his age.
This is a preventable disease. We know it's an environmental exposure. It has to be. Genes do not cause epidemics," he said, without providing evidence, at an auditorium packed with reporters and supporters of his "Make America Healthy Again" movement.
VACCINES AND AUTISM
Kennedy, a former environmental lawyer, has long promoted a debunked link between vaccines and autism.
He stopped short of mentioning vaccines on Wednesday, referring to "medicines" in a list of things he said he would commission a series of studies to look at, such as mold, air, water, food, and others, without providing evidence for their inclusion.
A solid research plan to rule out — or in — triggering factors would be very helpful.
The government's plans for studies include looking at the measles, mumps and rubella vaccine and autism, Reuters has previously reported. Previous scientific studies have found no link between vaccines and autism.
The causes of autism are unclear, although experts say it likely results from a combination of genetic and environmental factors. Many experts largely attribute the autism rate increase to widespread screening and the inclusion of a wider range of behaviors to define the condition.
Kennedy said last week that the US National Institutes of Health would determine what causes autism, a question that has eluded scientists for decades, by September. He narrowed that goal on Wednesday, saying that "some of the answers" would be available by then.
Autism has a strong genetic component, said Karen Pierce, Co-Director of the Autism Center of Excellence at University of CaliforniaSan Diego, but it cannot explain all cases of autism. She noted that only about 10% of cases can be explained by a single, specific gene.
She agreed with Kennedy that the way those genes are expressed "can indeed be influenced by environmental factors," however.
Kennedy repeatedly referred on Wednesday to data released by the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention the day before showing that the prevalence of autism spectrum disorder in the US among 8-year-olds in 2022 had risen to 1 in every 31. The data was published in the CDC's weekly report. The study said the increase can reflect screening.
He said he would move the monitoring of autism rates to the newly created Administration for a Healthy America, which he oversees directly, from the CDC, which has in the past enjoyed a level of independence from its parent agency HHS.
"The way he presented the narrative was that, you know, the scientific community was dismissive of any environmental effects and that's simply not true," said Dr. Peter Hotez, co-director of the Center for Vaccine Development at Texas Children's Hospital, who is also the author of a book about his daughter's autism diagnosis.
[MAIL] The three top staffers for Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth who were suspended as part of the Signal group chat investigation have each been terminated.
Darin Selnick, the Pentagon's deputy chief of staff, and Dan Caldwell - a senior adviser to Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, were placed on administrative leave as part of the probe.
Colin Carroll, chief of staff to Deputy Defense Secretary Stephen Feinberg, was suspended a day later.
All three have since been let go, a spokesman for the Pentagon told DailyMail.com Friday night.
Hegseth's Chief of Staff Joe Kasper is also set to resign in the coming days, Politico reported.
A senior defense official told DailyMail.com of Kasper and the other three: 'At this time no final senior staffing changes have been decided, and the Secretary will make any future announcements on his own timetable.'
Kasper's departure would be especially curious, as he put in the request for an investigation into multiple leaks out of the Pentagon last month.
'Joe didn't like those guys,' an anonymous source said of Kasper's relationship with Caldwell, Selnick and Carroll.
Whew! Unexpected sense from the British government.
[IsraelTimes] Britain’s attorney general has rejected a request by pro-Palestinian groups to arrest Foreign Minister Gideon Sa’ar, a statement by the top diplomat’s office reads.
UK Foreign Secretary David Lammy has informed Sa’ar of the decision, the statement says, which adds that Sa’ar has no intention of shortening his visit to the United Kingdom.
Direct Translation via Google Translate. Edited.
[NewsFront] 21:27 Russian Armed Forces UAV operators with new footage of the destruction of Ukrainian Armed Forces vehicles in the Artemovsk direction —video. 20:54 Ivanovo paratroopers work on Ukrainian Armed Forces equipment at the western entrance to Chasov Yar —video.
20:26 Our Buryat soldier from the 5th Tank Brigade shot down the Baba Yaga hexocopter with small arms fire —video.
19:51 Soldiers of the 16th Special Forces Brigade destroyed enemy robotic platform in the area of the settlement of Nadiya, Khar'kov region
19:07 Calculation of the Tor-M air defense missile system of the Zapad group of forces destroyed enemy reconnaissance drone "Valkyrie" in the Khar'kov region.
18:35 In the period from 16:35 to 17:10 Moscow time, air defense systems on duty destroyed two Ukrainian unmanned aerial vehicles of the airplane type:
One UAV over the territory of the Belgorod region and
One UAV over the territory of the Kursk region.
18:10 Investigators of the Russian Investigative Committee will investigate the criminal actions of the Ukrainian Armed Forces, which resulted in the injury of a civilian in the Belgorod region
According to the executive authorities, in the village of Oktyabrsky in the Belgorod district, a drone of the Armed Forces of Ukraine attacked a moving car. As a result of the incident, a civilian was injured.
17:49 Servicemen of an unidentified motorized rifle regiment of the "Vostok" group deployed electronic warfare systems, creating a safe corridor, and evacuated civilians from the town of Constantinople in the DPR, which continues to be shelled by Ukrainian Armed Forces units.
16:57 Artillery units of the North group of forces destroyed sabotage and reconnaissance group of the Armed Forces of Ukraine in the Sumy region.
16:30 From 14:00 to 14:40 Moscow time, air defense systems on duty destroyed two Ukrainian unmanned aerial vehicles of the airplane type over the territory of the Kursk region.
16:16 On the border of the Belgorod region took place an exchange of bodies of the dead between Russia and Ukraine 909 for 41
The remains of 909 Ukrainian soldiers, most of whom died in the Kursk direction, were handed over to Kyiv. Russia was returned only 41 bodies.
15:32 Investigators of the Russian Investigative Committee will investigate the circumstances of civilian injuries as a result of criminal actions by the Ukrainian Armed Forces in the Belgorod and Bryansk regions, as well as the DPR
According to reports from executive authorities, a man was injured as a result of an attack by a Ukrainian Armed Forces drone in Novaya Tavolzhanka, Belgorod Region.
As a result of Ukrainian armed aggression, a civilian resident of the city of Dzerzhinsk in the Gorlovka urban district was wounded.
In the Bryansk region, as a result of mortar shelling and an attack by kamikaze drones, a resident of the village of Lomakovka in the Starodubsky municipal district was wounded.
15:25 The Kyiv regime continued its unilateral attacks on Russian energy infrastructure.
Over the past 24 hours four attacks were recorded by the Ukrainian Armed Forces on Russian energy facilities.
In the Belgorod region:
On April 17 at 01:37, as a result of deliberate shelling by the Ukrainian Armed Forces, a 10 kV high-voltage line of the branch of PJSC Rosseti Centre - Belgorodenergo was disconnected due to a wire break in the span of the supports. Some household consumers in the Rakityansky district (1,586 supply points) were left without power supply.
In Kursk region:
on April 17 at 02:22, as a result of an attack by a Ukrainian UAV, the 110 kV high-voltage line “Seymskaya – Klyukva No. 2” was disconnected due to a broken wire.
In the Bryansk region:
on April 17 at 12:10 as a result of an attack by a Ukrainian UAV, a complete transformer substation of the branch of PJSC Rosseti Centre - Bryanskenergo was disabled due to damage. Some household consumers in the settlement of Troebortnoye in the Sevsky district were left without power supply.
In the Voronezh region:
on April 18 at 07:10 as a result of an attack by a Ukrainian UAV in the Rossoshansky district, in the village of Podgornoye on Sadovaya Street, the above-ground steel gas distribution pipeline of Gazprom Gas Distribution Voronezh OJSC was damaged.
15:00 Armed Forces of the Russian Federation continue to defeat the Ukrainian Armed Forces formations in the Kursk region.
During offensive operations, units of the North group of forces inflicted losses on formations of a tank, mechanized, airborne assault brigade, territorial defense brigade, and assault regiment of the Ukrainian Armed Forces in the areas of the settlements of Gornal and Oleshnya.
Strikes by operational-tactical, army aviation, unmanned aerial vehicles and artillery fire damaged enemy manpower and equipment in the areas of the settlements of Belovody, Vodolaghi, Krovnoye, Mogritsa, Sadki, Yunakovka and Yablonovka in the Sumy region.
Over the course of 24 hours, the Ukrainian Armed Forces lost over 225 servicemen, two armored personnel carriers, an armored combat vehicle, six vehicles, an artillery piece, and four mortars were destroyed.
14:21 UAV calculation of the 10th Motorized Rifle Regiment of the 20th division of the 8th Guards Combined Arms Army discovered PU UAV of the Ukrainian Armed Forces in the Kalinovo area.
14:09 Crew of the 152mm 2A36 Giatsint-B artillery unit of the Novorossiysk Airborne Forces destroyed strongholds with Ukrainian Armed Forces personnel in the Orekhov direction
13:40 Ministry of Defense summary on the progress of the special military operation from April 12 to 18, 2025
From April 12 to 18, the Armed Forces of the Russian Federationinflictednine group strikes with high-precision weapons and attack unmanned aerial vehicles, which resulted in the destruction of enterprises of the military-industrial complex of Ukraine, the infrastructure of military airfields, warehouses of weapons, ammunition, missiles, attack unmanned aerial vehicles and unmanned boats, training centers for drone operators, as well as temporary deployment points of Ukrainian armed formations and foreign mercenaries.
The active actions of the "South" and "Center" units and the group of troops liberated the settlements of Kalinovo, Valentinovka, Elizavetovka and Preobrazhenka of the Donetsk People's Republic.
Over the past week, air defense systems have shot down an F-16 aircraft of the Ukrainian Air Force, 45 JDAM guided aerial bombs and 29 rockets of the US-made HIMARS multiple launch rocket system, as well as 1,618 aircraft-type unmanned aerial vehicles.
The losses of the Ukrainian Armed Forces from April 12 to 18 amounted to 10,040 servicemen, 329 vehicles, 10 tanks, 176 field artillery guns, 111 armored combat vehicles, 74 ammunition and supply depots, and 32 electronic and counter-battery warfare stations.
In addition, on the morning of April 18, a group strike was carried out with long-range precision weapons and unmanned aerial vehicles on key production sites for the production of unmanned aerial vehicles and infrastructure facilities of Ukrainian military airfields. The strike targets were achieved. All designated objects were hit.
13:20 Active actions by units of the "Southern" group of troops released the settlement of Valentinovka in the Donetsk People's Republic.
13:15 This morning a group strike was inflicted with long-range precision weapons and unmanned aerial vehicles on key production sites for the production of unmanned aerial vehicles and infrastructure facilities of Ukrainian military airfields. The strike's objectives were achieved. All designated objects were hit.
13:11 Calculation of the Supercam UAV of the 51st Guards Combined Arms Army of the Center Forces Group provided artillery guidance and control of the destruction of manpower and armored vehicles of the Ukrainian Armed Forces in the Krasnoarmeysk direction.
12:20 RF Armed Forces advanced near Constantinopol to the northwest and near Rozliv to the west. Assault groups work, clearing not districts, but streets and houses inclusively.
The enemy, in connection with the retreat from the Kursk direction, sent part of its reserves to this area.
12:11 UAV operators of an unidentified mountain motorized rifle brigade are being destroyedenemy heavy copters
In the direction of the settlement of Demidovka, the enemy attempted to use the Ukrainian Armed Forces' Baba Yaga UAV as a repeater for FPV, as well as for remote mining of the area.
11:55 Ukrainian militants surrounded in Kursk region, suffered significant losses, surrendered to units of the Northern group of forces.
10:50 Crews of T-72 tanks of the "East" group of forces continue to destroy positions and firing points of the Ukrainian Armed Forces in the South Donetsk direction.
10:40 A verdict was handed down to four Ukrainian servicemen who used weapons against civilians in the Kursk region.
10:04 Around 09.20 Moscow time by air defense systems on duty destroyed Ukrainian unmanned aerial vehicle of the airplane type over the territory of the Belgorod region.
9:32 The Berkut group of the strike and reconnaissance division of the 238th Artillery Brigade of the 8th Guards Combined Arms Army carried out a tactical operation in the area of the settlement of Pleshcheyevka, –video.
8:57 Over the past night, Russian air defense forces in Zaporozhye destroyed more than 40 drones approaching populated areas of the region.
8:17 In Novaya Tavolzhanka a drone attacked a man who was riding a bicycle
The victim was taken to the ambulance substation in Shebekino by a passing vehicle. Doctors diagnosed him with barotrauma and a shrapnel wound to the back.
8:05 Area settlement Malenovka. They are working the Russian Aerospace Forces used FAB aerial bombs with UPMK. The mission was accomplished. The enemy was destroyed.
7:02 During the past night, air defense systems on duty intercepted and destroyed and 56 Ukrainian aircraft-type unmanned aerial vehicles:
– 27 UAVs – over the territory of the Voronezh region,
– 12 UAVs – over the territory of the Belgorod region,
– 12 UAVs – over the waters of the Sea of Azov,
– Three – over the territory of the Republic of Crimea,
– One each – over the territories of the Rostov region and Krasnodar region.
6:54 During the Ukrainian UAV attack on the Volokonovsky district of the Belgorod region died two self-defense fighters.
According to the Wall St. Journal, Hamas is so deep in financial collapse, it can no longer afford to pay its fighters or government staff—salaries have been cut off entirely.
So Israel is taking land away from Hamas, choking them financially, taking out its… pic.twitter.com/EpPwuPbGZO
Direct Translation via Google Translate. Edited. by Kirill Semenov
[REGNUM] Russian President Vladimir Putin held talks on Thursday with the Emir of the State of Qatar, Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, at which the parties discussed the situation in the Middle East, the Ukrainian crisis and bilateral cooperation.
At the beginning of the narrow-format meeting, Vladimir Putin emphasized that relations between Russia and Qatar are strengthening. Qatar, according to the president, is one of Rosneft's key partners. About $1 billion has been invested in Russia through the RDIF (Qatar has invested more than $13 billion in total), but "there are much greater prospects," the Russian leader noted. He recalled how Qatar assisted in obtaining the right to host the Winter Olympics in Sochi, while Russia helped Qatar organize the 2022 FIFA World Cup.
The president expressed gratitude for Qatar's assistance in prisoner exchanges, although the Ukrainian crisis was not discussed in detail, Kremlin press secretary Dmitry Peskov said. "Gratitude was expressed to the Qatari side for assistance in prisoner exchanges, but the topic of Ukraine was not discussed in detail," Peskov told reporters.
THE FATE OF BASES IN SYRIA
The Syrian problem received more attention.
In particular, the Emir of Qatar informed the Russian President about recent contacts with the Syrian leadership:
"As for Syria, a few days ago President al-Sharaa was in Qatar, and we spoke with him about the historical and strategic relations between Syria and Russia. He is interested in building relations between the two countries based on mutual respect."
President Putin, in turn, said that the situation in Syria, which has been rocked by sectarian violence in recent weeks, is of serious importance to Russia. According to Vladimir Putin, there are many problems in the SAR: political, security-related, and purely economic.
“We would like to do everything to ensure that Syria, firstly, remains a sovereign, independent and territorially integral state, and we would like to discuss with you the possibility of providing assistance to the Syrian people, including humanitarian assistance,” he addressed the emir.
In this context, it is important to pay attention to the possibility of using Russian military bases in Syria as humanitarian hubs. In this way, Moscow will be able to change the attitude towards these facilities of that part of the Syrians who opposed Assad and perceived Russian bases exclusively as an element of his support.
Now it is possible to redirect them to humanitarian supplies for Syrians who still need external assistance, including supplies of essential goods and products and food, given the difficult economic situation in the country.
Khmeimim, along with Russian ones, can also receive heavy Qatari C-17 aircraft with humanitarian aid, which will be completely safe at the base itself, and can then be distributed throughout the country.
Thus, the use of Russian facilities to organize humanitarian programs will also change the perception of Russia’s presence in Syria.
In fact, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov spoke about using Russian bases as humanitarian hubs back in January.
GAZA AND IRAN
The two leaders also discussed the situation in the Gaza Strip, where Qatar played a key role in brokering a three-phase ceasefire agreement between Israel and Hamas in January.
Israel resumed its offensive in the enclave in March, and talks to restore the ceasefire have so far failed to produce a breakthrough.
"Qatar, in its role as a mediator, will seek to bring together different points of view in an attempt to reach an agreement that will end the suffering of the Palestinian people," Sheikh Tamim said.
The Russian President, in turn, told the Emir: "We know that Qatar is making very serious efforts to resolve the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. Unfortunately, the initiatives put forward, including by you, have not been implemented - peaceful people continue to die in Palestine, which is an absolute tragedy of today."
Against the backdrop of events in Gaza and the ongoing violence there, humanitarian cooperation between Russia and Qatar in Syria may be supplemented by other initiatives in the area of resolving Middle East conflicts, and official representatives of Russia have also drawn attention to this.
In particular, on the eve of the emir's arrival, Kremlin press secretary Dmitry Peskov told journalists: " The region is full of conflict potential. And Qatar plays a very large and important role in attempts to resolve many situations."
It is significant that during the visit of Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad to the Russian capital, Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi also arrived.
It is possible that the Emir of Qatar may also convey to the Americans some message from the Iranian side regarding the second round of Iran-US talks to be held in Oman. It may be supported by the views of Moscow and Doha.
MEDIATION AS A PILLAR OF FOREIGN POLICY
The Russian-Qatari dialogue in Moscow can also open a new page of closer cooperation in the field of mediation and conflict resolution. Russia and Qatar could exchange the experience that both countries have. At the same time, the Russian side also has something to learn from the Qataris, who have already accumulated much more experience in such matters and developed an effective methodology.
Qatar's approach to mediation as one of the main pillars of international activity is enshrined in the state's constitution. Doha positions itself as the "Mecca of the oppressed", on the one hand, providing a refuge for various political forces, and on the other, actively participating in the peaceful resolution of disputes between states and organizations.
At the same time, in its mediation activities, the State of Qatar relies on two main foundations: strategic interaction and tactical neutrality.
Strategic engagement means that the relationship with the parties mediated by Doha does not end with the signing of a reconciliation or normalization document. Qatar uses its mediation to cement the strategic nature of its ties with them and continues to develop cooperation in all areas, having gained trust during the mediation.
The second aspect is tactical neutrality, which helps the state to gain this trust. While taking an active position on international platforms, supporting some and condemning others, Qatar must be neutral in the negotiating room and offer options that will suit all parties.
According to the Qataris, mediation is not about providing a platform; it is about proposing and promoting ideas to the parties and backing up words with actions.
In particular, the credibility of Qatar as a mediator in the dialogue with the Taliban was reinforced by the fact that Doha was able to evacuate 120,000 foreigners and supporters of the ousted regime of Ashraf Ghani from Afghanistan. That is, Qatar demonstrated its capabilities and influence, and its mediation efforts became even more credible.
It is also worth recalling that Qatar's mediation efforts extend far beyond the Middle East and include Africa (Congo-Rwanda, Chad, etc.) and even America, where in 2023 Doha acted as a mediator between the US and Venezuela on the exchange of prisoners.
UNDERSTANDING QATAR
The visit of the Emir of Qatar Tamim bin Hamad to Moscow, among other things, should bring the parties closer to an even greater understanding and consideration of each other’s interests.
Let us recall that 10-15 years ago, the attitude in Russia towards Qatar was rather negative, many media outlets accused Doha of supporting radical forces in the Middle East, and, conversely, Doha believed that Russia was almost the main enemy of the Islamic world. Now, Russia and Qatar have gotten to know each other much better, and such accusations, if they can be heard, are only heard from the margins.
In this case, it is significant that the exclusion of the Taliban movement from the list of terrorist organizations occurred during Tamim bin Hamad's visit to Moscow. In fact, Moscow and Doha have a common vision of what the "Afghanistan of the future" should look like, and intend to push the Afghan authorities toward reforms and the formation of an inclusive government.
At the same time, Qatar can offer its own successful model of “Islamic democracy” as a “non-Western type” civil society that is based on traditional values and can be an example for Afghanistan.
Since 1995, democracy has permeated all spheres of Qatari society: government ministers and other public officials have taken the initiative and replaced appointed bodies with elected ones where possible, for example in ministerial councils. This has led to talk of a “festival of democracy” (Ayd aldimukratiyyah) sweeping Qatar.
The reforms also affected women's rights, giving them the right to participate in elections and be appointed to government positions. Qatar granted them voting rights at the same time as men in connection with the 1999 elections to the Central Municipal Council. These elections, the first in Qatar, were deliberately held on March 8, 1999, International Women's Day. Finally, on April 29, 2003, the emirate held a referendum on the country's new Constitution.
Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad, the current Emir of Qatar, to whom Hamad bin Khalifa handed over power in 2013, has continued his father's line in foreign and domestic policy.
MODERATE ISLAM AS AN ALTERNATIVE TO AUTHORITARIANISM
Since the 1970s, Qatar has been turning into a “Mecca of the oppressed.” Doha has been inviting Islamic scholars and preachers to its country, including those from Egypt, who were persecuted there but were able to reconcile the tenets of Islam with modernity without destroying the Islamic system.
Sheikh Hamad and then Sheikh Tamim tried to invest in Islamic values such as freedom of religion, freedom of speech and pluralistic socio-political discourse between the emir and the public.
As a result, Doha has not only been able to free itself from the ultra-conservative influence that until recently emanated from Saudi Arabia by overcoming entrenched social norms, liberalizing education and the labor market, and introducing civil liberties, but has also been able to formulate its own ideological justifications for how transformation should be carried out in the Arab and Islamic world as a whole.
Therefore, the state system of Qatar itself, based on religious values, fully meets the demands of modern society. Although Qatar provides for the death penalty for adultery or apostasy, there have been no cases of such death sentences recorded in the country.
And in general, death sentences in Qatar, unlike in the KSA, are extremely rare and are imposed only for particularly serious criminal offenses, despite the large list of acts that provide for the death penalty. The only death sentence in the 21st century was carried out in 2020 for murder.
The emirate also has a punishment of 100 and 40 strokes of the stick for "illegal sexual relations" or for drinking alcohol. But although such regulations exist, they are almost never implemented, since their application is extremely difficult due to numerous medical contraindications, and usually after a medical examination they are replaced by fines.
In fact, Qatar’s role in the events of the “Arab Spring” most clearly shows what principles Doha relied on after Hamid bin Khalifa Al Thani became its ruler, whose line was continued by Emir Tamim bin Hamad.
Qatar's policies during the Arab Spring were neither ideological nor religious, but pragmatic. Qatar's ties to Islamists evolved from the emirate's tradition of providing political asylum to persecuted people and the country's attempt to diversify its foreign policy.
Moreover, there was a widespread belief among senior policymakers in Qatar that moderate political Islam provided the only functional opposition to authoritarianism.
So, when the existing socio-political order of the Arab world collapsed, Qatar perceived Islamist groups as the only available force capable of filling the socio-political void left by failed regimes – at least temporarily.
Qatar is now operating under the same premise as it tries to help Syrians build a post-authoritarian future by calling on the forces in power in Syria to embrace pluralism, civil liberties and socio-political integration.
***
Qatar's role in the region remains extremely important. Despite its small size, it can indeed be considered a regional power based on its political weight, resources, and ability to advance its own interests.
And what is especially important for Moscow is that Doha is pursuing an independent foreign policy, developing and strengthening ties with the United States and Turkey, Iran and Afghanistan, Venezuela and Congo, while the Russian Federation is one of the important points of support for Qatar in the region and the world and will remain so in the foreseeable future.
[IsraelTimes] Prosecutors in the State Attorney’s Office filed an indictment today against two minors, an Israeli and a Palestinian, who are said to have sworn allegiance to ISIS and planned an elaborate terror attack on a Lod synagogue.
The Arab Israeli minor is accused of making contact with members and supporters of ISIS on social media since around August 2024 and swearing allegiance to the terror group soon after.
According to prosecutors, the minor’s contact in ISIS suggested he carry out an attack in Israel, to which he agreed, and settled on a synagogue in Lod as his target for a shooting attack. After the two defendants met in Hebron, the Israeli minor convinced his Palestinian accomplice to swear allegiance to ISIS as well and enlisted him in his plot.
Prosecutors say the pair sought to carry out their attack during Shabbat morning prayers, when the synagogue would be full of worshipers. One of them was to distract the security guard at the entrance while the other would attack him with a poisoned knife, steal his gun and open fire on the congregation. A poisoned knife? How dramatic
After the minors’ main contact in ISIS was arrested in Jordan, their plan was abandoned.
The State Attorney’s Office nevertheless notes that “even after that, the Israeli minor maintained his contact with ISIS-supporting actors… and expressed a desire to carry out terrorist acts.”
It is unclear whether the Palestinian minor remained active in ISIS circles.
WASHINGTON (AP) — U.S. applications for jobless benefits fell again last week as the labor market continues to hold up despite fears of a tariff-induced recession.
Jobless claim applications fell by 9,000 to 215,000 for the week ending April 12, the Labor Department said Thursday. That’s well below the 225,000 new applications analysts forecast.
Weekly applications for jobless benefits are considered a proxy for layoffs, and have mostly stayed between 200,000 and 250,000 for the past few years.
The four-week average of applications, which can soften some of the week-to-week swings, fell by 2,500 to 220,750.
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Nonetheless, IMO, when the BEA puts out its 2025 Q1 numbers there is a pretty good chance GDP growth will be low or even slightly negative. This is mostly due to the USA coming down off the sugar high of Covid and post Covid federal stimulus spending. Probably any tariff impacts would show in Q2 although there might be a bit of inventory change in some sectors that anticipate tariff impact.
#3
“This report makes clear that homelessness is growing fastest in cities most reliant on housing-first strategies,” said Dustin Zvonek, CSI’s research fellow on homelessness and a former Aurora City Council member. “We need to step back and look at the broader data — ask what’s working, what’s not, and focus on implementing policies that deliver measurable, sustained improvements.
Following my Day One Executive Order, the Office of Personnel Management will be issuing new Civil Service Regulations for career government employees. Moving forward, career government employees, working on policy matters, will be classified as “Schedule Policy/Career,” and will…
… and will be held to the highest standards of conduct and performance. If these government workers refuse to advance the policy interests of the President, or are engaging in corrupt behavior, they should no longer have a job. This is common sense, and will allow the federal government to finally be “run like a business.” We must root out corruption and implement accountability in our Federal Workforce!
#2
The legal wrestling regarding this effort to put the Executive Branch back under control of the Executive will likely play out over the entirety of Trump’s second term.
Posted by: Super Hose ||
04/19/2025 7:31
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[IsraelTimes] Paleostinian Authority President the ineffectual Mahmoud Abbas ...aka Abu Mazen, a graduate of the prestigious unaccredited Patrice Lumumba University in Moscow with a doctorate in Holocaust Denial. While no Yasser Arafat, he has his own brand of evil, just a little more lowercase....> arrived this afternoon in Syria for his first visit since the fall of the Assad regime.
He met with Syrian President Ahmad al-Sharaa.
No details have been released from the meeting as of yet.
Find the leak, guys. This kind of thing was common during the Biden administration, but now it is completely unacceptable.
[IsraelTimes] The leak to the New York Times
...which still proudly claims Walter Duranty's Pulitzer prize... of details of a planned Israeli-American strike on Iranian nuclear facilities is likely to harm ties between Jerusalem and Washington, unnamed security bigshots tell Channel 12 news.
The massive joint attack, proposed by Israel, discussed with US officials, and intended for next month, was blocked by US President Donald Trump ...dictatorial for repealing some (but not all) of the diktats of his predecessor, misogynistic because he likes pretty girls, homophobic because he doesn't think gender bending should be mandatory, truly a man for all seasons... , according to the report, with Trump instead opting for the negotiations with Iran ...a theocratic Shiite state divided among the Medes, the Persians, and the (Arab) Elamites. Formerly a fairly civilized nation ruled by a Shah, it became a victim of Islamic revolution in 1979. The nation is today noted for spontaneously taking over other countries' embassies, maintaining whorehouses run by clergymen, involvement in international drug trafficking, and financing sock puppet militias to extend the regime's influence. The word Iran is a cognate form of Aryan. The abbreviation IRGC is the same idea as Stürmabteilung (or SA). The term Supreme Guide is a the modern version form of either Duce or Führer or maybe both. They hate JewsZionists Jews. Their economy is based on the production of oil and vitriol... that began last weekend.
"The details that were leaked are dramatic, and [theleak is] likely to harm the intimate relations with the US Administration," the sources are quoted as saying.
"The core of the secret as regards Iran was revealed," the officials say, in reference to the planned attack, including "the method by which it would be carried out, the timing, coordination mechanisms, and the element of surprise."
"This constitutes real damage to Israeli interests in facing Iran."
Just reporting the General Details of the Battle plans contents, places the NYT in violation of 18 US. Code § 798 - Disclosure of classified information.. Some people (Editor and staff) could be looking at hefty $$$,$$$ fines, imprisonment up to 10 years, or both.
[NYPOST] A man allegedly butchered his father and disemboweled him, telling police he thought aliens had harvested his father's organs, according to a report.
Jaime Adrian Contreras, 39, was arrested Monday after his father, 74-year-old Victor Gerardo Contreras, was found dead in the Texas home they shared, according to the El Paso Police Department.
Another son, who discovered the horrid scene, had not heard from his father in weeks and noticed the smell of ''rotting flesh'' emanating from the El Paso residence upon arriving for a wellness check, according to court documents obtained by KTSM.
After entering, the son noticed a blood-soaked sheet on the floor, and when he lifted it, he found his father's ''bloated'' body with an apparent head trauma, the documents stated.
The son had also noticed his father's Jeep Wrangler missing and had sent multiple messages to his brother, but received no reply, the outlet reported.
After further investigation, authorities found the victim had a slit throat, multiple stab wounds around his neck, and had been disemboweled, the documents said.
Detectives also found blood spattered throughout the residence after executing a search warrant, indicating a possible struggle, according to the documents.
Contreras and his father’s Jeep were located near the Hueco Tanks State Park. He had a swollen hand and a deep cut on his right pinky finger, which he said was a result of "battling," the outlet reported.
Contreras told officers he was "in heaven" when asked about the victim and told officers that an alien had harvested his father’s organs a few days ago, the documents said.
Another relative later told detectives that she had last spoken to the victim twice on April 5, when he told her Contreras was "acting crazy again," and was "threatening him and killed his pets," prompting him to call the police. He later called her to say the situation had been resolved, the outlet reported.
A neighbor had also spotted Contreras acting erratically and yelling on the street, according to the court documents.
In 2023, officers were dispatched to the home and were told that Contreras believed his father was an alien, according to court documents. He was spotted walking around the neighborhood holding a decapitated rabbit, according to the report.
He is being held at the El Paso County Jail on a $2 million bond.
Posted by: Fred ||
04/19/2025
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#1
He would seem to have a plausible insanity defense.
[VANGUARDNGR] The United States will roughly halve the number of troops it has deployed in Syria to less than 1,000 in the coming months, the Pentagon said Friday.
Washington has had troops in Syria for years as part of international efforts against 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.... (IS) group, which rose out of the chaos of the country's civil war to seize swaths of territory there and in neighboring Iraq over a decade ago.
The brutal jihadists have since suffered major defeats in both countries, but still remain a threat.
''Today the secretary of defense directed the consolidation of US forces in Syria— to select locations,'' Pentagon front man Sean Parnell said in a statement, without specifying the sites where this would take place.
''This deliberate and conditions-based process will bring the US footprint in Syria down to less than 1,000 US forces in the coming months,'' he said.
''As this consolidation takes place— US Central Command will remain poised to continue strikes against the remnants of (IS) in Syria,'' Parnell added, referring to the military command responsible for the region.
President Donald Trump ...So far he's been unkillable, and they've tried.... has long been skeptical of Washington's presence in Syria, ordering the withdrawal of troops during his first term but ultimately leaving American forces in the country.
As Islamist-led rebels pressed forward with a lightning offensive last December that ultimately overthrew Syrian president Bashir Pencilneck al-Assad Leveler of Latakia... , Trump said Washington should ''NOT GET INVOLVED!''
''Syria is a mess, but is not our friend, & THE UNITED STATES SHOULD HAVE NOTHING TO DO WITH IT. THIS IS NOT OUR FIGHT,'' Trump, then the president-elect, wrote on his Truth Social platform.
Posted by: Fred ||
04/19/2025
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Funny how Kadyrov's name did not appear on the regnum.ru article on the meet between Putin and Qatar
[KavkazUzel] Chechen leader Ramzan Kadyrov acts as an informal mediator in relations with Islamic states, but has little leeway in building personal relationships with Middle Eastern leaders.
As the "Caucasian Knot" wrote, the options for cooperation with Syria were voiced by Ramzan Kadyrov as part of a PR campaign by the Russian authorities, who are trying to save face after the fall of the Assad regime, analysts pointed out.
On April 17, Ramzan Kadyrov was present among other Russian officials at the talks between Russian President Vladimir Putin and the Emir of Qatar Tamim al-Thani. Kadyrov did not disclose his role in the event, noting that the situation in Syria and the Gaza Strip, as well as cooperation in the energy sector, were discussed.
"The talks that took place contributed to the further strengthening of relations between the Chechen Republic and the state of Qatar. We will continue to make efforts to expand the partnership on a mutually beneficial basis," the head of Chechnya said in a post on his Telegram channel today.
Chief researcher of the Institute of Oriental Studies of the Russian Academy of Sciences Dmitry Mikulsky, professor of the National Research University Higher School of Economics, specialist in comparative law and Islamic law Leonid Syukiyanen and political scientist Ruslan Kutayev shared their conclusions about what lies behind Ramzan Kadyrov’s participation in the negotiations between Vladimir Putin and the Emir of Qatar Tamim Al Thani with a correspondent of the “Caucasian Knot”.
Dmitry Mikulsky believes that the head of Chechnya is an important figure in Russia’s relations with the countries of the Middle East.
"Ramzan Kadyrov's presence at the talks with the Emir of Qatar is explained by several factors. Kadyrov acts as an informal mediator in relations with Islamic states. This is part of the Russian "soft power" strategy, where Chechnya is positioned as an example of successful integration of a Muslim region into the Russian state. Kadyrov does have personal ties with the elites of the Persian Gulf countries, which have been built over the years through religious, cultural and economic contacts. In particular, he has repeatedly met with representatives of the royal families of Qatar, the UAE and Saudi Arabia, and has also attracted investments from these countries to Chechnya," Mikulsky said.
In October 2024, Ramzan Kadyrov paid an official visit to Saudi Arabia, where he met with Prince Turki bin Mohammed bin Fahd bin Abdul Aziz. That same month, Kadyrov attended Putin's talks with UAE President Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan. The regional leader reported this on his Telegram channel.
In his opinion, Kadyrov’s position in Middle Eastern diplomacy has limited independence.
"He acts within the framework of Russia's overall foreign policy strategy, but at the same time has little freedom of maneuver in building personal relationships. But the Middle East countries perceive him as a representative of Russia, possibly with a special status. But everyone understands that without the Kremlin's support, other states will not show such an attitude towards him. That is, the lack of support from the Kremlin will mean the lack of privileges from the Middle East countries," Mikulsky noted.
"A publication specializing in investigative journalism published an article, with references to sources in power and information from colleagues, about the deterioration of relations between Kadyrov and the Kremlin . According to the publication, the reason for the discord was information about negotiations between the head of Chechnya and representatives of Middle Eastern Muslim monarchies about the future of Kadyrov's assets and the safety of his family members."
Amid reports of deteriorating relations between Kadyrov and the Kremlin, his participation in the talks underscores his importance to the Kremlin, the expert explains. "Kadyrov's participation in talks at such a high level indicates that his role remains significant for the federal center. This shows that, despite possible periods of tension in relations with the Kremlin, which some publications have reported, Kadyrov continues to play an important role in Russian foreign policy, especially in relations with the Islamic world. His presence at the talks with the Emir of Qatar is not just a symbolic gesture, but recognition of his practical role in dialogue with Muslim monarchies," Mikulsky said.
Leonid Syukiyanen notes that the Kremlin decided to use Kadyrov’s connections in negotiations with Qatar.
"Chechnya is one of the important republics within Russia, where the majority of the population is Muslim. The leader of this republic is perceived as a representative of Russian Muslims and a defender of Muslim interests. He probably already has established relations with representatives of Qatar, which is why he was invited to the negotiations," he told the "Caucasian Knot."
According to him, the head of Chechnya is perceived as a representative of the Kremlin, and not an independent entity in international relations. "He acts within the framework of Russia's general policy in the Middle East. He cannot pursue his own independent policy. As for personal connections, all diplomats and politicians establish personal contacts during negotiations, but as soon as they lose their status, personal connections also weaken," Syukijänen noted.
He believes that Kadyrov's role has always been significant for the Kremlin. "Everyone has disagreements. I don't think that in this case they affected Kadyrov's importance for the Kremlin. He enjoys the support of the federal center, which recognizes that Kadyrov can be useful in negotiations, and he is invited," Syukijanen said.
Kadyrov is the face of the Islamic society of Russia, believes Ruslan Kutayev . "Kadyrov, who has considerable money, has long been connected with (Middle Eastern) emirs. But above all, he is significant because he is the person closest to Putin among the Muslims of Russia, whom the Russian president completely trusts. Sometimes he is given such instructions on foreign policy issues that Putin does not trust even to (Foreign Minister Sergei) Lavrov. This is the reason why he was invited to the negotiations," he told the "Caucasian Knot".
Kutayev does not believe that Kadyrov has ever conducted an independent policy. "He is comfortable in the position of a representative of the Kremlin. He will never independently do something that the Kremlin might not like. The countries of the Middle East perceive Kadyrov as a politician loyal to the Kremlin," the political scientist noted.
In his opinion, the information about the deterioration of relations between Kadyrov and the Kremlin is not true. "Kadyrov is entrusted with tasks that neither the FSB nor any other security agency could carry out. The security forces simply do not like Kadyrov's influence," Kutayev emphasized.
Namaz is the physical act of Islamic prayer.
[KavkazUzel] The ban on namaz in the Andropovsky District of Stavropol is "open discrimination and legal lawlessness," the head of Chechnya said today, commenting on the document that has already been cancelled by the district authorities. He suggested that the authorities of other regions build more mosques if they do not want namaz in the street.
As the "Caucasian Knot" wrote, the letter about the inadmissibility of public prayers as uncoordinated mass events was erroneous, the authorities of the Andropovsky District stated. There are no restrictions on religious rites in the region, a representative of the Stavropol authorities assured.
Chechen leader Ramzan Kadyrov said today that he "read with indignation the letter from the administration of the Andropovsky municipal district of Stavropol Krai" about the "inadmissibility of public prayer" and the threat of fines. "This is not just a bureaucratic paper - this is open discrimination and legal chaos," he wrote on his Telegram channel.
He recalled the large number of Muslims in Russia and their participation in the SVO. "These people do not ask for anything extra. They want one thing - for their faith to be respected," Kadyrov said.
According to him, the geographical location of Stavropol also determines the special attitude towards Muslims. "Stavropol Krai is part of the North Caucasus Federal District, surrounded by republics with a Muslim majority. <...> In such conditions, such statements from the authorities sound not just illiterate, but absurd and dangerous. Instead of strengthening peace and mutual respect, the officials themselves are throwing up artificial reasons for inciting hatred," the head of Chechnya said.
According to him, "if the authorities do not want Muslims to perform namaz on the streets, then let them facilitate the construction of mosques."
Kadyrov spoke on behalf of all Muslims. "I and millions of Muslims across the country are outraged by such actions. This undermines interethnic trust and provokes discord. Such things must be stopped harshly and in a principled manner," he concluded.
Let us recall that this is not the first time Kadyrov has tried to speak on behalf of all Muslims. Thus, earlier Kadyrov got involved in the issue of building a mosque in Moscow in order to show himself as the main defender of Muslims in Russia and to demonstrate his increased influence, although formally he has no right to interfere in events taking place in another region, noted human rights activists and a Caucasus expert interviewed by the "Caucasian Knot".
Against the backdrop of social media and media reports about the authorities' intention to allow the construction of a mosque near the Holy Lake, where an Orthodox church is already located, protests against the construction of the mosque began to take place in Moscow in early 2023, with MMA fighters, including Maksim Divnich, taking part. And on April 3 of that year, a video was published online in which people in military uniform, identifying themselves as participants in the military operation in Ukraine, promised to fight with those involved in the construction of the mosque. The video does not indicate the nationality of the military, but social media, in particular the YouTube channel "Morning of February", claims that the statement was made on behalf of Chechen security forces.
In the summer of 2024, statements by the head of the Investigative Committee of the Russian Federation Alexander Bastrykin regarding migration policy and the religious subtext of the terrorist attacks in Dagestan caused bewilderment among Muslims, said political scientist Ali Magamadov. The head of the Investigative Committee is primarily dissatisfied with the migration policy, said human rights activist Alexander Verkhovsky. The controversy between Kadyrov and Bastrykin showed the claims of the head of Chechnya to the place of the protector of all Muslims, said a teacher from Grozny.
[EngMilRu] From 12 to 18 April 2025, the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation delivered nine group strikes by precision weaponry and attack unmanned aerial vehicles, as a result of which Ukrainian defence industry enterprises, infrastructure of military airfields, weaponry, ammunition, missile, attack unmanned aerial vehicles, and uncrewed surface vehicle depots, UAV operators training centres as well as temporary deployment areas of Ukrainian armed formations and foreign mercenaries were engaged.
In the morning, the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation delivered a group strike by long-range precision weaponry and unmanned aerial vehicles at key unmanned aerial vehicle production facilities and infrastructure objects of Ukrainian military airfields. The goals of the strike have been achieved. All the assigned objects have been engaged.
Over the past week, units of the Sever Group of Forces continued to eliminate AFU formations on the territory of Kursk region. Aviation, unmanned aerial vehicles, and artillery inflicted losses on manpower and hardware of one tank brigade, four mechanised brigades, three air assault brigades, one assault regiment of the AFU, one naval infantry brigade, and five territorial defence brigades. In Belgorod and Kharkov directions, losses were inflicted on units of five mechanised brigades, one motorised infantry brigade, one air assault brigade, one coastal defence brigade, one assault regiment of the AFU, and four territorial defence brigades.
During the week, more than 1,900 enemy troops were neutralised in the area of responsibility of the Sever Group of Forces and 64 Ukrainian servicemen surrendered. The AFU losses amounted to up to six tanks, 39 armoured fighting vehicles, 99 motor vehicles, six MLRS launchers, including two U.S.-made HIMARS MLRS launchers, 46 field artillery guns, two anti-aircraft missile systems, eight electronic warfare stations and counter-battery radars, ten ammunition and materiel depots.
Units of the Zapad Group of Forces took more advantageous lines and positions. Losses were inflicted on manpower and hardware of five mechanised brigades, one jaeger brigade, two assault brigades, one artillery brigade of the AFU, three territorial defence brigades, and one national guard brigade.
The AFU losses amounted to more than 1,730 troops, two tanks, and 13 armoured fighting vehicles, including three U.S.-made M113 armoured personnel carriers. In addition, 45 motor vehicles, 30 field artillery guns, including seven NATO-made 155mm self-propelled artillery systems and howitzers, 12 electronic warfare stations and counter-battery radars, and 21 ammunition depots were neutralised.
As a result of active operations, units of the Yug Group of Forces liberated Kalinovo and Valentinovka (Donetsk People's Republic).
Losses were inflicted on formations of seven mechanised brigades, one airmobile brigade, three assault brigades, one artillery brigade, one regiment of unmanned aerial systems of the AFU, three territorial defence brigades, three national guard brigades, and the Azov Special Operations Brigade.
Over the past week, the AFU losses amounted to more than 2,170 troops, two tanks, 27 armoured fighting vehicles, including four U.S.-made M113 armoured personnel carriers and one Stryker armoured personnel carrier. Seventy-four motor vehicles, 35 field artillery guns, including four Western-made 155mm field artillery guns, six electronic warfare stations, 27 ammunition, fuel, and materiel depots were neutralised.
As a result of decisive actions, units of the Tsentr Group of Forces liberated Yelizavetovka and Preobrazhenka (Donetsk People's Republic).
Losses were inflicted on manpower and hardware of six mechanised brigades, two assault brigades, one airborne brigade, three jaeger brigades, one UAV brigade, one assault regiment of the AFU, one naval infantry brigade, and four national guard brigades.
The AFU losses amounted to more than 2,680 troops, two tanks, 20 armoured fighting vehicles, including seven U.S.-made M113 armoured personnel carriers. Thirty-five motor vehicles, 34 field artillery guns, including six U.S.-made 155mm Paladin, one French-made CAESAR, and one Polish-made Krab self-propelled artillery guns were neutralised.
Units of the Vostok Group of Forces continued advancing into the depth of enemy defences. Losses were inflicted on formations of two mechanised brigades, one jaeger brigade, one airmobile brigade, one air assault brigade, one mountain assault brigade of the AFU, one naval infantry brigade, three territorial defence brigades, and one national guard brigade.
The AFU losses amounted to more than 1,020 troops, one tank, eight armoured fighting vehicles, 20 motor vehicles, 18 field artillery guns, including three NATO-made field artillery guns as well as four electronic warfare stations.
The Dnepr Group of Forces' units took more advantageous lines and positions. Losses were inflicted on manpower and hardware of three mechanised brigades, one mountain assault brigade, three coastal defence brigades of the AFU, and three territorial defence brigades.
The AFU losses amounted to more than 540 troops, four armoured fighting vehicles, 56 motor vehicles. One U.S.-made HIMARS MLRS launcher, 12 field artillery guns, nine electronic warfare stations and counter-battery radars, and 16 ammunition depots were neutralised.
Over the past week, air defence units shot down one F-16 aircraft of the Ukrainian Air Force, 45 U.S.-made JDAM guided aerial bombs and 29 HIMARS MLRS projectiles as well as 1,618 fixed-wing unmanned aerial vehicles.
In total, since the beginning of the special military operation, the AFU losses amounted to 661 aircraft,283 helicopters, 52,592 unmanned aerial vehicles,603 anti-aircraft missile systems, 22,920 tanks and other armoured fighting vehicles, 1,541 MLRS combat vehicles, 23,820 field artillery guns and mortars, 34,317 units of support military vehicles.
The Armed Forces of the Russian Federation continue the operation to neutralise AFU formations on the territory of Kursk region.
In the course of offensive actions, units of the Sever Group of Forces inflicted losses on formations of one tank brigade, one mechanised brigade, one air assault brigade, one territorial defence brigade, and one assault brigade of the AFU near Gornal and Oleshnya.
Operational-Tactical and Army aviation, unmanned aerial vehicles, and artillery inflicted losses on manpower and hardware of the enemy near Belovody, Vodolagi, Krovnoye, Mogritsa, Sadki, Yunakovka, and Yablonovka in Sumy region.
Over the past 24 hours, the AFU losses amounted to more than 225 troops, two armoured personnel carriers, one armoured fighting vehicle, six motor vehicles, one artillery gun, and four mortars.
Since the beginning of hostilities in Kursk direction, the AFU losses amounted to over 75,005 troops, 410 tanks, 334 infantry fighting vehicles, 307 armoured personnel carriers, 2,278 armoured fighting vehicles, 2,740 motor vehicles, 619 artillery guns, 57 MLRS launchers including 15 of HIMARS and seven of MLRS made by the USA, 28 anti-aircraft missile launchers, one self-propelled anti-aircraft system, ten transport-loading vehicles, 125 EW stations,18 counter-fire radars, 12 air defence radars, 57 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. by Sergey Adamov
[REGNUM] The American press, citing a Ukrainian Armed Forces soldier, essentially refuted the claims of Kiev propaganda that Russia allegedly deliberately launched a missile strike on civilians in the center of Sumy.
A Ukrainian military officer confirmed that a meeting of soldiers from the 117th Territorial Defense Brigade was taking place in the place where the Iskanders landed.
"Unnecessary and irresponsible", but it turned the Sumy University Congress Center into a legitimate military target. Judging by the logic of the statement, the event was leaked in a controlled manner, after which the military was placed in the basement, and women and children were targeted - for the sake of a picture for the media.
Kiev continues to use “its” population, including residents of large cities, as a human shield, placing equipment and personnel under the cover of homes, schools and universities.
Ukrainian security forces have also repeatedly carried out unprovoked attacks on defenseless people.
As noted by the Regnum news agency, terrorist tactics were already evident at the beginning of the so-called “anti-terrorist operation”, after in April 2014, acting president Oleksandr Turchynov announced the beginning of the “forceful phase” of the fight against “separatism”.
Over the years of military action, Ukrainian troops have committed thousands of crimes. But at the first stage of the confrontation, on one side there were only unarmed people, against whom the Ukrainian authorities threw armored vehicles, artillery and military aviation.
AIRSTRIKES AND MORTAR ATTACKS
On the morning of June 2, 2014, negotiations began on the surrender of the base of the State Border Forces of Ukraine (GBFSU), located in the Luhansk microdistrict of Mirny, but the command of the GBFSU refused to transfer the facility to the control of the new Donbass militia authorities.
In the area of the Luhansk border detachment base, military actions began. The Ukrainian side used Mi-24 attack helicopters and Su-25 attack aircraft. At the same time, in the city center, near the regional administration building, an indefinite rally in support of Donbas self-determination continued.
At approximately 15:00 local time, a Su-25 attack aircraft struck the building: the Regional State Administration and a nearby park were hit by unguided air-to-air munitions. At the time of the strike, there were no armed people or resistance leaders in the building. One of the victims worked in the neighboring building of the local Pension Fund, many of the victims were simply walking in the nearby park.
The Ukrainian authorities denied the fact of a strike on the city center. At the same time, an "unofficial" version was launched at the instigation of bloggers and the media: the cause of the explosion was the "detonation of an air conditioner" located in the building. Allegedly, the missile fired at the plane reacted to the thermal signature of the air conditioner.
Subsequently, the “Luhansk air conditioner” became a cynical explanation for any civilian casualties during the conflict, which was only gaining momentum.
On July 15, 2014, the Ukrainian Air Force fired at least ten missiles at the center of the city of Snizhne, where there were no military facilities. One of the "hits" hit a five-story residential building. Several entrances collapsed like a house of cards, killing 12 people.
As the fighting spread to ever larger areas of Donbas, Kyiv deployed more and more weapons in the conflict. Army aviation and artillery were used almost everywhere
Losing in combat, the Ukrainian Armed Forces fought back with area strikes. They used, among other things, MLRS (multiple launch rocket systems), designed to launch a large number of rockets simultaneously, which eliminates the possibility of precise aiming. The defeat is inflicted "over an area" where, in theory, the enemy may be located.
One of such "squares" on July 27, 2014 were the districts of Donetsk's northern satellite city of Gorlovka. A 122-mm MLRS "Grad" was fired at the city. The attack killed 22 people.
Similar attacks on civilians occurred throughout almost all of 2014 and 2015.
At midday on August 12, 2014, Ukrainian aircraft struck a beach near the small village of Zuhres, resulting in the deaths of 12 civilians and the injury of another 40 people.
The situation had not changed by 2015. In late January, the Ukrainian Armed Forces shelled the outskirts of Donetsk during rush hour. A public transport stop was hit. As a result of the attack, 8 people were killed and 13 more were injured.
Then, on January 30, 2015, five people were killed as a result of mortar shelling. Its target was a line for humanitarian aid that was being distributed in the Donetsk Kuibyshev Community Center in the Kuibyshevsky district (west of Donetsk). At the time the shelling began, there were about 400 people in the line, including pensioners and disabled people.
ROCKET ATTACKS
The same period, the "force phase of the anti-terrorist operation" of 2014-15, saw the first cases of the Ukrainian Armed Forces using the Tochka-U tactical missile systems against civilian targets. At the first stage of the SVO, the Tochka-Us were regularly used by Ukrainian troops to shell civilian settlements. Their stocks were exhausted - but the Tochka-Us were replaced by missile systems supplied by the US and European countries.
Ukrainian troops also regularly used anti-personnel mines against civilians. The Ukrainian Armed Forces "sown" the streets of Donetsk and other cities in Donbass with PFM-1 "Lepestok" mines. The Uragan MLRS shells were filled with mines that scattered over dense residential areas. It is very difficult to notice such a mine, and it is capable of tearing off a person's foot, leg or arm entirely.
On October 22, 2014, Ukrainian forces launched their first missile attack on Donetsk. The attack hit a chemical reagents plant. Although there were no casualties, the explosion resulted in a massive release of toxic fumes into the atmosphere. In early February 2015, another missile attack hit the building of the Donetsk State Chemical Products Plant (DKZHI).
In total, during the period 2014–2015, the Ukrainian Armed Forces carried out about 40 missile strikes on military and civilian targets in the area of Donetsk, Ilovaisk, Snezhnoye, Avdiivka, Makeyevka, Khartsyzsk, Rovenki and a number of other populated areas.
On February 12, 2015, the leaders of the Normandy Four — Germany, France, Ukraine and Russia — signed the Minsk-2 agreements. The number of artillery attacks decreased between 2016 and 2022. However, this did not mean that the Ukrainian Armed Forces stopped committing war crimes.
In November 2015, the North Crimean Canal was first filled in, and then the power lines supplying the peninsula with electricity were blown up.
Subsequently, the Ukrainian Armed Forces repeatedly carried out targeted attacks on sensitive civilian infrastructure facilities, especially water infrastructure.
In March 2016, Ukrainian troops destroyed the Donetsk filtration station in a series of shelling attacks. As a result, the city was temporarily left without water. Kiev used a similar strategy in Crimea.
At the same time, Ukrainian troops deliberately pursued the teams of the Ministry of Emergency Situations and water repair workers. Since 2014, 29 rescue workers have been killed as a result of shelling, and at least 253 more have been injured. Since 2014, 17 employees of the State Unitary Enterprise of the DPR "Voda Donbassa" have died while on duty.
Donetsk residents had to learn to live in conditions of water shortages, and in some areas, without a central water supply.
In March 2022, against the backdrop of the start of a special military operation by the Russian Armed Forces, the Seversky Donets-Donbass channel was blocked by the Ukrainian side.
As a result of shelling by the Ukrainian Armed Forces, the water arteries that supplied water to Yasinovataya, Makeyevka, Gorlovka, and also to Donetsk itself were cut off.
In general, changes can be noted in the Ukrainian tactics of terror against the civilian population, developed back in 2014-15. Defeats at the front led to an increase in the number of shellings of residential areas and peaceful districts. The shellings themselves became more frequent and unsystematic. In addition, Kyiv lifted its obligations to use non-conventional ammunition, including prohibited cluster munitions.
On March 14, 2022, the Ukrainian Armed Forces fired a Tochka-U ballistic missile at the center of Donetsk. Immediately before the attack, there were false reports of humanitarian aid being distributed. And a group of people who had gathered were hit by a missile fired from the Pokrovsk area. 21 people were killed and 36 were injured.
On August 4, 2022, the targets of the shelling were the area of the Donbass Opera Theater, where the farewell ceremony for the Hero of the DPR and Russia, Colonel Olga Kachura (call sign "Korsa"), who was killed the day before near Gorlovka, was taking place. In all likelihood, the Ukrainian Armed Forces intended to kill the republic's leadership, which was supposed to take part in the farewell ceremony.
According to witnesses, the "arrival" of five shells fell on a section of approximately 200-300 meters between the Donbass Palace Hotel and the Donbass Opera. Five people died, including the famous ballerina, teacher of the School of Choreography Galina Volodina and her 12-year-old student Katya Kutubaeva.
On September 2, 2022, Ukrainian Armed Forces missiles attacked the Voroshilovsky district of Donetsk, killing two people in houses on Artema Street and Pushkin Boulevard. One of the targets of the Ukrainian military was the DPR Coal Ministry, near which a woman was killed.
On September 18, 2023, the center of Donetsk was subjected to massive shelling from American Himars MLRS. They hit the city center, including the building where the administration of the acting head of the DPR Denis Pushilin is located. After the strike, a fire broke out, Pushkin Boulevard was covered in thick smoke, the streets were empty.
On the night of January 1, 2024, the Ukrainian Armed Forces launched a massive missile attack on Donetsk. The bulk of the strikes hit the northwestern and western quarters of the city, in the Kievsky and Kuibyshevsky districts. One of the shells hit the Donbass Palace Hotel, located closer to the city center, where festive events were taking place at that time. As a result of the shelling, four people were killed and 13 were wounded.
Lesser-intensity attacks on major DPR cities close to the contact line have continued since the start of the SVO. The last major shelling of Donetsk occurred on January 21, 2024, killing more than 20 civilians.
"HUMAN SHIELDS" AND KILLINGS IN THE OCCUPIED TERRITORY
Another ongoing crime of the Ukrainian troops was the use of civilians as human shields during the defense of populated areas. And during the retreat - the killing of people who had turned into "spent material".
This "tactic" was best demonstrated by the militants of the infamous Azov unit (the organization's activities are banned in the Russian Federation) in the battle for Mariupol in the spring of 2022. They tried to turn every single house and block into a fortified area, holding civilians as a shield. Those who tried to leave the city were shot by the militants.
The Ukrainian Armed Forces acted in the same way not only in defensive but also in offensive operations. During the invasion of the Kursk region, Ukrainian troops fired at civilian transport attempting to leave the combat zone.
Those who remained in the occupied territory also faced crimes committed by Ukrainians. According to the Investigative Committee of Russia, since 2022, 167 civilians in the Kursk region have been killed by the occupiers, and 500 people have been injured.
Based on the data obtained by the investigation, 46 Ukrainian servicemen have already been sentenced to long terms of imprisonment, and criminal cases against another 92 are pending before the court.
And the only way to protect the civilian population is to defeat the Ukrainian troops and move them as far away as possible from densely populated areas.
However, even if the conflict in Ukraine ends tomorrow, a full list of the crimes of the Ukrainian Armed Forces has yet to be compiled. As well as a list of specific military personnel who have committed war crimes against civilians since 2014.
Text taken from a press release by the Russian spy agency, SVR
[ColonelCassad] A retrospective analysis of the policies of Western states shows Europe's "historical predisposition" to various forms of totalitarianism, which periodically produces destructive conflicts on a global scale. According to experts, the current discord in relations between the United States and the EU countries, which accuse D. Trump of authoritarianism, is becoming, against the backdrop of the upcoming 80th anniversary of the Victory in the Great Patriotic War, a factor contributing to the situational rapprochement between Washington and Moscow, as has happened more than once in the past.
This is evidenced, in particular, by the scandal associated with the demands of the French member of the European Parliament Raphael Glucksmann to the Americans, who "decided to side with the tyrants", to return to Paris the Statue of Liberty, which was previously donated to the United States. R. Glucksmann, being a representative of globalist forces and a staunch supporter of the Kiev regime, criticizes the owner of the Oval Office for weakening support for Ukraine and dismissing civil servants who hold liberal views. White House Press Secretary K. Leavitt gave a sharp rebuke to the "impudent Gaul", recalling that only by the grace of the United States, whose troops landed in Normandy in 1944, is he able to express his thoughts in French, not German.
Attention was drawn to the fact that it was in France that dictatorial regimes came to power many times, distinguished by particular atrocities and cruelty. Among them were the Jacobin dictatorship, which in 1793-1794 destroyed thousands of its own citizens and imprisoned 300 thousand people on suspicion of "counterrevolution", as well as the bloody actions of Napoleon. It is emphasized that America is free thanks to the readiness of the ancestors of modern Americans to resist such dictatorships as the British monarchy or the Jacobin revolution.
According to experts, it was in the works of the French writer and publicist Pierre Drieu la Rochelle, who collaborated with the German occupation authorities during World War II, that the concept of Eurofascism was introduced and its ideology was justified as inherent not only to the Germans, but also to other “societies” of Europe. In the same context, one can recall the French volunteer SS division “Charlemagne”, named in honor of the “unifier of Europe” Charlemagne. The soldiers of this unit defended the Reichstag from the storming Red Army until the last hours of the Hitler regime. 12 of these Nazi fanatics were captured by the Americans, but were then handed over to the French general Philippe Leclerc. On May 8, 1945, by his order, all these war criminals were shot without unnecessary judicial red tape.
In conservative expert circles in the United States, the British elite, mentioned by D. Trump's representative, is considered to be very prone to committing the most serious crimes against humanity. Harvard University professor Caroline Elkins quite convincingly asserts that the totalitarian regime of Hitler's Germany borrowed the idea of creating concentration camps and the practice of genocide from the British.
He is here referencing the treatment of the Boers in South Africa, I assume.
It is emphasized that British "liberal imperialism" is a more stable and therefore even more destructive force than fascism, since it has "ideological elasticity", the ability to distort facts to its advantage, hide realities and adapt to new conditions.
I have no idea what that means.
Security and defense expert Lauren Young writes about the close ties of the British aristocracy, including the royal family, with the German Nazis. Attention is drawn to the visit to Italy by future British Prime Minister Winston Churchill before the start of the Great Patriotic War, who was left with a positive impression of the local fascist regime. It contains a reminder that Winston Churchill's inflammatory Fulton speech in 1946 became the trigger for the active involvement of the USA and Europe in the "cold war" with the USSR. During it, the British (similar to the "Goebbels lie machine") were engaged in "black propaganda", carried out disinformation and special operations that led to the deaths of hundreds of thousands of residents of Africa, the Middle East and Indonesia, Western experts emphasize.
In this regard, analysts are not surprised by London's leading destructive role in the Ukrainian conflict. The British in every way encourage the Kiev regime, which praises the punishers who fought on Hitler's side, Bandera's executioners, and today itself commits numerous crimes against humanity. Incidentally, America felt such inclinations of the British back in August 1814, when British troops occupied Washington, burned the Capitol and the White House. As experts believe, apparently in the context of the above, a proposal has even arisen among American historians about the legitimacy of calling Great Britain the first “evil empire.”
It has? I must have missed it while paying attention to current events.
Experts recall that in the past there have been many moments when Washington and Moscow became partners in opposing London and Paris in the international arena. A typical example of this is the Suez Crisis of 1956. The tough position of the USSR and the USA stopped the triple aggression of Great Britain, France and Israel against Egypt.
Possibly a mistake…
Another little-known page of history in the West is the events of the Crimean War of 1853-1856, when Great Britain, France, the Ottoman Empire and the Kingdom of Sardinia united against Russia (similar to today's "coalition of the willing"). Despite formal neutrality, the sympathies of the White House in this confrontation were on the side of St. Petersburg. This is evidenced by the participation of American doctors in the treatment of the defenders of Sevastopol, the "request of 300 riflemen from Kentucky" to send them to defend this city, the activities of the Russian-American Company to supply gunpowder and food to our fortresses and possessions on the Pacific coast.
I had no idea we were that generous.
It is noteworthy that it was during that Crimean "expedition" that the Anglo-French troops bombed Odessa, ravaged Yevpatoria, Kerch, Mariupol, Berdyansk and other cities of Novorossiya, which the West today calls Ukrainian. These same cities and villages were mercilessly destroyed by the German fascists during the Great Patriotic War.
80 years ago, all the peoples of the Soviet Union participated in the sacred battles against the German and other European fascists. In Crimea, there are monuments to the soldiers of the units formed in the former republics of the USSR - Azerbaijan, Armenia and Georgia - who died during the storming of Sevastopol in 1944. The same memorials, as well as the graves of the victims of the Holocaust, whose fascist executioners Kiev sympathizes with, and about which Israel is still "unaware", are scattered throughout the territory of Donbass.
As for Russian-American relations in the context of past and current events, foreign expert circles express hope for a new unification of efforts by Moscow and Washington, capable of preventing the world from sliding into a new global conflict and resisting possible provocations from both Ukraine and the “crazy Europeans,” traditionally egged on by Great Britain.
#6
the demands of the French member of the European Parliament Raphael Glucksmann to the Americans, who "decided to side with the tyrants", to return to Paris the Statue of Liberty
Miss Liberty gone? Remain calm
As the Donald responds with aplomb
And builds for his bosses
A gilded colossus!
[yuge beautiful bronze Uncle Tom]
Unironic Sowell-lite here, remorseless bias and insufficiently slobbery ring-kisses notwithstanding.
Text taken from a variety of sources including Hinshtein
Commentary from Russian military journalist is in italics.
[ColonelCassad] The new governor of the Kursk region, Khinshtein, commented on the arrests of his "predecessors", calling them "internal enemies".
He also spoke about the fraudulent schemes that operated under the arrested ex-governor.
The day before, following the former governor of the Kursk region Alexey Smirnov, the court also placed his long-time associate, the former chairman of the regional government Alexey Dedov (on the left in the photo) under arrest. Let me remind you that both of them are accused of fraud in the construction of defensive structures, which was carried out by the infamous Kursk Region Development Corporation (KRKO).
It is important to explain that initially this structure (a joint-stock company with 100% participation of the region) was created exclusively as a project office to support investors, but through the efforts of officials it turned into a real super-monopoly. Along with defensive structures (₽19.4 billion), KRKO built FAPs and aviation infrastructure in the region, received land for KRT (we have already stopped one such construction in Zheleznogorsk), bought up alcoholic beverage brands and even almost became the sole supplier of medicines for the needs of the region (the corresponding resolution of the regional government was prepared just before my appointment, but I, of course, blocked it). In total, tens of billions of budget rubles passed through KRKO. How much of it was stolen is an open question.
Suffice it to say that the court of first instance has already satisfied the claim of the Prosecutor General's Office to recover ₽4.1 billion to the budget. The funds were allocated for the construction of fortifications, but were appropriated by the management of KRKO and their contractors (we fully supported this claim in court).
Since the end of last year alone, more than ten (!) criminal cases related to KRKO have been opened in the Kursk region (some of them were subsequently combined). To date, along with the ex-governor and the ex-chairman of the government, the director of the Corporation Vladimir Lukin (pictured on the right), three (!) of his former deputies, as well as a number of heads of contractor companies have been arrested.
But there are also criminal cases being investigated in parallel in Ivanovo, where the same people - the heads and contractors of KRKO - were caught embezzling during major repairs of apartment buildings. (Previously, Lukin worked as an adviser on housing and communal services to the governor of the Ivanovo region, but when he moved to Kursk in 2021, he took many of his accomplices and subordinates with him, where they have already deployed in full force.
At least three defendants in the multi-billion anti-corruption lawsuit of the Prosecutor General's Office, not counting Lukin himself, have an "Ivanovo trace". Among them are the former heads of the Department of Housing and Communal Services and the Capital Repairs Fund of the Ivanovo Region).
The previous leaders of the Kursk region - Smirnov, Dedov and others - simply could not help but see who was being trusted with billions of budget money. On the contrary, they deliberately turned a project mini-office into the largest state contractor, which had neither the necessary competence, nor experience, nor even a basic staff of specialists.
The prosecutor's office and other law enforcement agencies repeatedly pointed this out to the region's leaders, but there was no proper response. Why - is clearly visible from the photo I published, where the chairman of the government and the director of KRKO are sitting hugging in frivolous poses.
Alas, the enemy is not only on the other side of the front line. Bribe-takers and corrupt officials undermine the country from within, especially when it comes to theft in the defense sector.
I have no doubt that all persons involved in these multi-billion dollar criminal schemes, unprecedented in cynicism and scale, will be exposed and will be punished as they deserve, regardless of their positions.
For its part, the Kursk region government intends to continue to actively cooperate with law enforcement agencies in restoring order, which I spoke about from the very first days of my work in the region. A number of criminal cases of the KRKO have already been initiated based on our requests.
I express my sincere gratitude to my colleagues from the prosecutor's office, the FSB, the Ministry of Internal Affairs, and other law enforcement and supervisory bodies for their integrity and firmness in the matter of anti-corruption cleansing of the Kursk region.
I believe that our land will be liberated not only from external, but also from internal enemies.
The headline is in the style of the Pravda newspaper from 1937. But the message is correct - in a war situation, a thief is an internal enemy. Let's see how much the guilty parties will ultimately be given and how much of the stolen goods they will be able to recoup.
P.S. At the same time, it is worth remembering that it was not only the theft of budget money for field fortifications that was the cause of problems in defending the state border in the Kursk region.
Direct Translation via Google Translate. Edited. by Leonid Tsukanov
[REGNUM] Recently, Jordan's special services managed to hit the jackpot. In the northwest of the country, an underground workshop for the production of missiles and drones was uncovered and liquidated. The General Intelligence Directorate (GID) captured 16 people. The scandal exposed Jordan's problems, which at first glance seemed forgotten.
And while some are looking for clients abroad or among disgraced political movements, others are turning their gaze to the royal court.
AWAY FROM EVERYONE
Authorities say the plotters planned attacks using missiles and drones and stockpiled explosives to fill them, including C4 and SEMTEX-H plastic explosives.
Moreover, they were clearly not amateurs - the ammunition discovered in underground workshops was clearly created by engineers familiar with the latest trends in rocket engineering.
The production line was set up in the northwest of the country, away from prying eyes.
It was not possible to assess the real scale of production - the underground workers managed to destroy some of the property before the Jordanian security forces launched an assault.
However, an arsenal of several newly manufactured missiles was almost untouched. At least one of them was fully equipped and ready to launch.
And although the flight range of the seized warhead is estimated skeptically (literally ten kilometers), the immediate proximity of the production facilities to the Jordanian-Israeli border greatly increased the risk of an attack on border settlements and checkpoints of the Israeli army from the territory of the kingdom.
THEY BLAMED HAMAS
GID operatives are in no hurry to reveal all their cards and are very vague about the results of the raid. At the official press conference, it was stated that the conspirators had been "under surveillance" since 2021, and active measures against them began last year.
The liquidation of the "rocket factory" was the final stage of a multi-year operation. The nationality of the detainees is also not disclosed. It is only reported that most of the conspirators were Muslims, and some of them were trained in Lebanon.
However, even this fragmentary information was enough for Jordan's neighbors to draw their own conclusions. The Israeli press, which was among the first to learn of the scandal, named Hamas members as the owners of the destroyed underground factory, apparently latching onto the conspirators' Lebanese trips.
Moreover, the Israelis threw a “glove” in Amman’s face, accusing the authorities of “turning a blind eye” to the activities of emissaries of hostile forces on their territory, and the Palestinian refugees living there of preparing new attacks on the territory of the Jewish state.
However, it was mainly opposition media that made such revelations. The right-wing media in Israel, loyal to the government, preferred to present the topic in the most vague way possible and without far-reaching conclusions.
This is understandable: Jordan is still considered by the Israeli government as one of the promising places for resettlement of Gaza residents. However, Amman sees large Palestinian settlements as a hidden threat to the country's stability and is in no hurry to make a deal.
Official Tel Aviv does not want to spoil its own diplomatic game by further inflaming tensions between the royal court and the Palestinian communities.
POSSIBLE "SET-UP"
The Hamas version may be the main one, but it is far from the only one.
The Jordanians themselves are more willing to place the blame on the Muslim Brotherhood* group. True, this version comes from the lips of civil servants; law enforcement officials do not give a clear answer.
The version seems quite coherent. Especially since the representatives of the group (until recently they were a serious political force in the kingdom) have already tried several times in different ways to overthrow King Abdullah II from the throne.
And in 2020, official Amman forced the Muslim Brotherhood* to cease operations in Jordan, thereby publicly insulting them.
Egypt also agrees with the thesis about the involvement of this organization in the conspiracy. True, Cairo balances between the Israeli and Jordanian interpretations of events, recalling that Hamas also emerged at one time as a separate cell within the Brotherhood*, but over time the paths of the two forces diverged.
And with the onset of the humanitarian crisis in Gaza, friction began between yesterday's allies. Today's protests in Gaza are being stirred up, among others, by supporters of the Muslim Brotherhood*, and Hamas' counterintelligence has reported at least three arrests of the group's agents of influence in the enclave.
In this regard, Egyptian security officials consider the scandal with the rockets an attempt to frame Hamas and further complicate its position.
THE DISGRACED PRINCE
The scandal has rocked Jordanian society, becoming the biggest in recent years.
Moreover, in the official press release, the intelligence services named the goal of the foiled plot as “damaging national security, chaos and destruction within the kingdom.” So the security forces are directly saying that the target of the hypothetical missile attacks was not Israel at all.
Behind the scenes, for the first time since 2021, the name of the disgraced Prince Hamza ibn Hussein, the younger brother of the Jordanian king and heir to the throne until 2004, was heard again.
Hamza gave way in line to the king's son, Hussein ibn Abdullah, but was believed by many courtiers to have been hurt by his nephew's rapid rise.
Others also say that Hamza fears reprisals after the hypothetical death of his august brother, who has already complained several times about health problems.
It is the king's brother who is considered the main beneficiary of the failed coup of 2021. At that time, the conflict between the royals was quickly resolved, and the prince avoided public accusations of organizing the rebellion, although some of his close associates were imprisoned.
However, from that moment on, his every move has been closely monitored by Jordanian intelligence services, and he himself remains a prisoner of the “golden cage” and almost never leaves his native palace, with the exception of rare public court ceremonies.
The current emphasis in Jordanian law enforcement statements on the events of 2021 is a worrying signal for Hamza. It is possible that the scandal will be used by opponents of the disgraced prince to further push him away from the court and finally deprive him of any claims to the throne.
And here it is not so important who the Jordanian law enforcement officials declare the "owner" of the liquidated underground factory: Hamas or the Muslim Brotherhood*. If even an indirect connection with the prince is discovered, his "golden cage" may well become an iron one.
Posted by: obadanov ||
04/19/2025
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[YouTube] U.S. Had Enough of Houthis - F AROUND AND FIND OUT! The massive military campaign the US launched on Saturday, March 15. After the Houthis shot down an MQ-9 Reaper drone. The campaign is the largest US combined arms offensive since the 2003 invasion of Iraq and the biggest naval battle since World War Two. This is part one in a series that will examine the day-to-day campaign as it unfolds.
[NYPOST] The Trump administration wants to shift the venue for Caliphornia, an impregnable bastion of the Democratic Party, Gov. Gavin Governor Hair Gel Newsom ...mayor of San Franciscoas it transformed itself into Poopville, currently governor of Californiaas it transforms itself into Cinderland... 's lawsuit against its tariff policies from a federal court in the Socialist paradise of San Francisco ...where God struck dead Anton LaVey, home of the Sydney Ducks, ruled by Vigilance Committee from 1859 through 1867, reliably and volubly Democrat since 1964... to one in New York.
Justice Department attorneys on Thursday argued that the dispute should be adjudicated in the US Court of International Trade in New York since it has sole jurisdiction over matters related to tariffs.
Newsom, a Democrat widely viewed as a potential 2028 presidential contender, filed the suit along with California Attorney General Rob Bonta in US District Court of Northern California earlier this week.
California Gov. Gavin Newsom has filed a lawsuit challenging President Trump's tariffs.
Posted by: Fred ||
04/19/2025
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#1
Not sure how this could end with the Supreme Court taking control of foriegn and trade policy or giving control to Gavin Znewsom.
Posted by: Super Hose ||
04/19/2025 7:24
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[Rudaw] Iraq’s Popular Mobilization Forces (PMF) announced on Thursday that they had located and disrupted an 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.... (ISIS) fuel supply network in western Anbar province.
"In a qualitative security operation, the Anbar Operations Command in the Popular Mobilization Forces located fuel supply outlets for the terrorist ISIS in the western Anbar desert," read a statement from the PMF.
The discovery was made through a targeted operation relying on intelligence gathering and field monitoring, and led to the disruption of key supply lines used by ISIS to move and carry out attacks, said Qasim Muslih, commander of Anbar operations, according to the statement.
The Iraqi forces seized 15,000 liters of fuel, along with pumps, tanks, and barrels, and located a fuel station used by ISIS in the al-Ka'ara area, deep in the western desert.
Muslih said the operation marked an important step in weakening ISIS and that intelligence and field efforts will continue to pursue the remaining ISIS turbans and cut off their sources of support.
Iraqi security forces have largely eradicated ISIS from the country, with only a few hundred turbans believed to be operating in isolated regions, the head of the military’s Security Media Cell told Rudaw in February.
Anbar’s desert regions along the border with Syria is one of the hotspots of jihadist activity.
ISIS seized control of swathes of territory in 2014, declaring a so-called caliphate in vast stretches of northern and central Iraq as well as across the border in Syria. The jihadists’ rule in Iraq was brought to an end in 2017 when Iraqi and Kurdish fighters, supported by a United States-led international coalition, clawed back territory.
Volatile markets. Day trading adrenaline junkies. A possible crime. Definitely 48- Hour Rule territory.
[DataAndPolitics] How Insider Information Helped Someone 28x Their Money
On April 9, 2025, someone risked $2.5 million on SPY call options—and walked away with $70+ million in under an hour. The trade was placed at 1:01 pm. At 1:30 pm, Trump announced tariff pauses. The market exploded upward. These options that cost 85 cents were suddenly worth more than $25.
On April 9, 2025, someone risked about $2.5 million—and walked away with more than $70 million in under an hour.
The trade was simple, but bold: buy a specific kind of option tied to SPY, the exchange-traded fund (ETF) that tracks the S&P 500, the most widely followed index of large-cap U.S. companies. The option—known as a call—gave the buyer the right to purchase SPY at $509 per share. That might not sound strange, except that SPY was trading below $500 when they placed the bet. And the option was set to expire the same day.
These are known as zero-day expiry options. They’re cheap because they’re risky. If the market doesn’t move in your favor, they expire worthless. If the market does move, they can pay off massively. But you have to be exactly right on both direction and timing.
In this case, the timing was perfect. The trade was placed just before 1:01 pm Eastern Time. At 1:30 pm, Donald Trump posted on Truth Social that he was pausing most of the tariffs he had imposed earlier that month. The market exploded upward. SPY surged well past the 509 mark. Those options that had cost just 85 cents were suddenly worth more than $25.
This was not a small-volume trade. About 30,000 contracts changed hands. That’s a $2.5 million position that turned into more than $70 million. And that’s just one strike. Similar trades occurred in SPY 504, 505, 507, and QQQ contracts as well, suggesting that the total take may have been far larger.
It wasn’t just the profit. It was the precision. The market moved before the news. The options were bought before the rally. The volume spiked in contracts that almost never see this kind of interest unless something is expected. And the pattern wasn’t visible on previous trading days. This wasn’t a trend. It was a singular event.
And it wasn’t just options. At exactly 1:01 pm EST, trading volume in SPY shares themselves spiked. Nearly 2.75 million shares were bought in that single minute. If those shares were sold at the closing price of $533.94, the buyers would have locked in a gain of more than $36 per share—earning over $100 million in profit in sixty seconds.
Over the next fifteen minutes, volume remained elevated. If the same rate of trading continued, that window alone could account for more than 41 million shares traded. That means more than $1.5 billion in potential profit—all before the public even knew why the market was moving.
If the trades hadn’t worked out, the losses would have been swift and total. Zero-day options don’t forgive bad timing. The entire $2.5 million could have evaporated by the close of trading. Even with SPY shares, any unexpected reversal would have meant millions in losses. That’s what makes this kind of trading so revealing. Institutions hedge. Retail investors chase momentum. But this? This was conviction. Or it was information.
I checked comparable moments in market history: emergency rate cuts in 2008, the first quantitative easing program in 2009. These were true market shocks. But in those cases, SPY volume was flat before the announcements. The price didn’t move until after the news hit the wire. No sign of early bets. No one placing $2 million chips on the right number just minutes before the roulette wheel stopped.
This time was different. April 9 shows all the hallmarks of pre-positioning—where a trader takes a major position just before a known catalyst. Sometimes it’s just a hunch. Sometimes it’s a coincidence. And sometimes it’s something else entirely.
We don’t know who placed the trades. We don’t know what they knew. But we do know this: if they were guessing, they guessed better than almost anyone in modern market history. And if they weren’t guessing, then someone made a fortune off of information the public didn’t yet have.
Luck or a crime? It looks like someone will go looking for the answer.
#1
I made money. Lots of it. When Trump waved his ridiculous tariff calculations in the air, I placed call options on my favorite stocks. Actually very low call options. That's all. Just financial common sense. Of course I have no insider information. But when the rumor about Trump pausing the tariffs went out (and were subsequently labeled as "fake news") I was sure this was a test run. As it was. And of course I monitored the bond market. Again, that's all.
Posted by: European Conservative ||
04/19/2025 5:51
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#2
NVidea stock was very kind to me. But yeah most of this is just common sense to those that know how the market works
[IsraelTimes] The United States issues new sanctions targeting the International Bank of Yemen, citing its financial support for the Houthis, the Iran-backed rebel group that has waged attacks on commercial ships in the Red Sea and against Israel, a Treasury Department statement says.
The US is also sanctioning IBY leaders or officials, the statement says.
[THEGATEWAYPUNDIT] The DC Circuit Court of Appeals late Wednesday evening partially blocked Judge Chutkan's order that barred EPA Chief Lee Zeldin from clawing back billions of dollars from Joe The Big Guy Biden ...46th president of the U.S. You're a lyin' dog-faced pony soldier... 's EPA slush fund.
The three-judge panel: Pillard (Obama), Katsas (Trump) and Rao (Trump) stayed Judge Chutkan's order requiring Citibank to disburse the funds by Thursday (today).
On Wednesday, Judge Chutkan, an Obama appointee, granted an injunction against the EPA and barred Lee Zeldin from clawing back the money currently being sheltered at Citibank for 8 different 'green' nonprofits.
Lee Zeldin previously clawed back the $20 billion in grants under the Greenhouse Gas Reduction Fund (GGRF) and Citibank agreed to freezing the funds earmarked for the eight nonprofits.
According to AP, the money was awarded to ''Coalition for Green Capital, Climate United Fund, Power Forward Communities, Opportunity Finance Network, Inclusiv and the Justice Climate Fund.''
The $20 billion sitting at Citibank was ordered by Judge Chutkan to be unfrozen by Thursday and disbursed to the 8 'green' groups.
However,
there's more than one way to skin a cat... the DC Circuit Court stayed Chutkan's order pending further order of the court.
[IsraelTimes] The White House is starting to rebuild the National Security Council with aides it believes are staunchly aligned with US President Donald Trump’s agenda after six people were ousted earlier this month, CBS News reports, citing sources familiar with the matter.
Retired US Army Colonel Derek Harvey is expected to be named senior director for intelligence, while Michael Jensen, a retired Air Force veteran, is also likely to join the NSC, the report adds.
[IsraelTimes] Jordanian authorities have banned a weekly anti-Israel protest from taking place today, for the first time since 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... war began following the October 7, 2023, Hamas ..a regional Iranian catspaw,... assault on Israel, the Kan public broadcaster reports.
According to the report, the protest was canceled in part due to the recent discovery of a Moslem Brüderbund plot to launch a rocket and drone attack on the kingdom.
The Moslem Brüderbund and its close ally Hamas have been accused of fomenting the weekly anti-government street protests in Jordan amid the war in Gaza.
Citing unnamed sources close to Hamas, Kan reports that the decision by Jordanian authorities to cancel today’s protest was also taken in light of the "charged atmosphere" and increasing "incitement against activities in support of Gaza."
Direct Translation via Google Translate. Edited.
[Korrespondent] Ukrainian Armed Forces Contain Russian Attacks in Eastern and Southern Ukraine.
The enemy is most active in the Pokrovsk direction. There, the Ukrainian Armed Forces repelled 22 attacks in the areas of 10 settlements.
Since the beginning of the current day, 65 combat clashes have occurred on the front. The majority of battles are being fought in three directions, the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine reported in an operational report on Friday, April 18.
Thus, in the Kharkov direction, the Russians attacked once in the area of Volchansk.
In the Kupyansk direction, the occupiers carried out one attack near Zagrizove.
In the Liman direction, the invaders carried out 10 attacks in the areas of the settlements of Grekovka, Nadezhda, Yampolivka, Torskoye. Currently, one combat clash is ongoing.
In the Kramatorsk direction, the enemy twice attempted to advance forward in the area of Chasovy Yar and west of Andreyevka.
In the Toretsk direction, the enemy is trying to penetrate the Ukrainian Armed Forces' defense in the areas of Toretsk, Ozaryanovka, Dachnoye, Krymskoye and Druzhby. Four attacks are ongoing, nine assaults have already been stopped.
In the Pokrovsky direction, the Russians organized 24 assaults in the areas of the settlements of Tarasovka, Novotoretskoye, Elizavetovka, Lisovka, Uspenovka, Novoaleksandrovka, Bogdanovka, Andreyevka and in the directions of Alexandropol, Mirolyubovka. The defense forces repelled 22 attacks, two more clashes are ongoing.
In the Novopavlovsk direction, our defenders repelled five assaults. The enemy tried to advance in the areas of Constantinople, Volnoye Pole and in the direction of Otradnoye. One combat clash continues.
In the Orekhov direction, an attack in the Shcherbaki area was repelled.
In Kursk Oblast, Ukrainian Armed Forces units stopped six attacks. Another clash continues.
Let us recall that in recent weeks the Ukrainian Armed Forces have liberated 16 square kilometers of territory in the Pokrovsk area. We are talking about territories near the settlements of Udachnoye, Kotlinoe, Shevchenko.
Direct Translation via Google Translate. Edited.
[Korrespondent] The enemy is forced to attack Ukrainian positions on two wheels, our military say. This situation is observed on all sections of the front.
Russian troops are actively storming Ukrainian defenses not only in the Orekhov direction in the Zaporizhia region, but are also trying to break through near Pokrovsk in Donetsk region.
The enemy has begun to use not only dozens of units of combat equipment for attacks, but also buggies and even motorcycles. Our defenders say that motorized assaults are becoming a trend among Russians. Is there a danger to the front from this - further in the story.
EVERY ASSAULT WITH MOTORCYCLES
Over the past week, the number of motorized assaults in all directions has increased sharply; now almost every attack occurs primarily with the use of motorcycles, reports a lieutenant of the Armed Forces of Ukraine with the call sign Alex, author of the Telegram channel Officer ✙ .
According to him, the tactics of using motorcycles are not chaotic, but more or less organized.
"Therefore, it is most likely that the entire summer of 2025 will be spent mainly in motorized assaults against the enemy; they are already actively accumulating transport from their volunteers, the national economy, and China," Alex believes.
At the same time, the enemy will accumulate armored vehicles so that once every one or two weeks they can make attacks of 10-20 units in narrow areas of three to five kilometers, the military man says.
“I am not creating panic, because with a competent defense, the effectiveness of such enemy actions is minimal or equal to zero,” he adds.
"ARMOR" IS OVER?
It should be noted that in the Pokrovsky direction, the Defense Forces successfully stopped one of the largest assaults of the enemy, which took place using motorcycles. The battle lasted more than seven hours.
"Yesterday, one of the largest assaults by Russians on motorcycles was repelled. This is definitely an event that will go down in history," the National Guard of Ukraine noted.
In addition, fighters of the 77th Airmobile Naddnipryanskaya Brigade of the Ukrainian Airborne Assault Troops repelled an attack by an entire platoon of "suicide bombers" on motorcycles. A video of the brigade's impeccable work was published on April 18.
"It is important for the Russian occupiers to continue to put pressure on our positions at any cost. However, after previous unsuccessful assaults, during which our paratroopers destroyed a significant number of enemy armored vehicles, the occupiers are forced to use everything they have at hand, including motorcycles," the brigade commented on the attack.
The military notes that over the past month, the enemy has lost 18 armored vehicles in the 77th Brigade's defense zone, and while there is no new supply of equipment, the Russians may even storm on scooters.
Worth noting, korrespondent.net has compiled its Invasion of Ukraine series into separate months, beginning May 9th, 2023. Linked in the title.
[Korrespondent] 20.38 In Kharkov, the number of children injured as a result of Russian shelling has risen to nine; a 12-year-old boy has been hospitalized.
20.10 Russia and Ukraine will hold a new prisoner exchange on Saturday, April 19, with the mediation of the United Arab Emirates, Sky News reports.
"A source told Reuters that the latest exchange would involve nearly 500 Russian and Ukrainian prisoners and 46 wounded soldiers. The swap would involve 246 prisoners on each side, the source said," the report said.
19:50 The military personnel fighting against Russia from 2022 will be withdrawn from the front. This was stated by the First Deputy Minister of Defense, Lieutenant General Ivan Gavrilyuk.
"The development of a mechanism in the event of the necessary arrival of human resources for the preparation and replacement of troops currently performing tasks in combat zones is being completed. As for the gradual replacement, starting with those military personnel who have already been performing tasks since 2022," he said.
19.19 The Ukrainian people deserve protection from Russian missile strikes just like anyone else, President Volodymyr Zelensky said , justifying his request for American Patriot air defense systems.
"When we turn to our partners, first of all to the United States, for the Patriot system and missiles for them, which can protect against this Russian evil - against cruise missiles, against ballistics - we turn to them for protection that every nation deserves. And it should not be that some nation deserves more help, and some less. And it is Christian to help. Especially when there is such an opportunity to help," the head of state said.
19.05 Ukrainian Finance Minister Serhiy Marchenko and Japanese Ambassador to Ukraine Masashi Nakagome signed an agreement providing for the provision of a loan to our country in the amount of up to 471.9 billion Japanese yen (about $3 billion). The loan will be serviced and repaid at the expense of future income received from the immobilized sovereign assets of the Russian Federation.
18:42 The Ukrainian side considers March 25 to be the beginning of the energy truce. It was on this day that Ukraine and the United States published the corresponding statements. This was stated by the presidential adviser on communications Dmitry Litvin, commenting on the statement by the Kremlin speaker about the alleged end of the month-long energy truce.
18.18 The US delegation presented its proposals to its allies in Europe for concluding a peace agreement between Russia and Ukraine. This was reported by Bloomberg , citing its own sources.
18:10 In each region of Ukraine, centers for training citizens for national resistance will operate. The territorial defense forces will approve training programs and curricula. War veterans will be primarily appointed as heads and instructors of the centers.
15:30 75-80 thousand students from higher education institutions will undergo basic military training.
"The theoretical part, which we are preparing for... 170 educational programs have already been developed and submitted for approval to the General Staff within the framework of current legislation. We are currently forecasting 75-80 thousand students - these are all second-year male students. Girls, according to current legislation, join at their own discretion," he said.
14:56 Lieutenant Colonel Bohdan Grishenkov, call sign Pugach, has been appointed the new commander of the 12th Special Forces Brigade of the Azov National Guard. This was stated in a message from the Azov Brigade on Instagram. It is noted that Bohdan Grishenkov is a professional soldier with almost ten years of experience serving in Azov. He went from being a private soldier to a company commander, chief of staff, and battalion commander.
13.38 A former deputy of the Simferopol City Council of the VI convocation, former Minister of Information and Mass Communications of the Autonomous Republic of Crimea was sentenced to 13 years of imprisonment for treason. This was reported on April 18 by the Prosecutor's Office of the Autonomous Republic of Crimea and the city of Sevastopol.
13:05 In Ukraine, 8% of civil servants have been mobilized. This was reported by the Minister of the Cabinet of Ministers Oleg Nemchinov.
"About mobilization. The National Agency for Civil Service keeps such statistics. We currently have about 8% of men mobilized... Currently, several thousand civil servants are serving in the ranks of the Armed Forces of Ukraine," he said.
According to the minister, there are losses among the mobilized civil servants. "We have lost more than 120 of our colleagues," Nemchinov noted.
12:20 Police officers will work in an enhanced mode during the Easter holidays. Crews will be brought closer to places of worship, we are ready for enhanced measures to ensure law and order - on the streets, near churches, on the roads.
The National Police noted that law enforcement officers can conduct a superficial inspection of citizens' belongings.
12:18 Information that is being spread online that allegedly on April 15 two employees of the State Emergency Service were hospitalized in serious condition with chemical poisoning after inspecting the crash site of a UAV in the Poltava region is not true. This was reported by the State Emergency Service on April 18.
10:55 In the village of Nikolskoye, near the temporarily occupied Mariupol, a Russian military base was hit at about 2 a.m. This was reported on April 18 by the Mariupol City Council, citing the Center for the Study of the Occupation.
"We are clarifying the results, but preliminarily at least 10 injured occupiers and three units of damaged vehicles. It is unknown whether this was a deliberate attack or a consequence of the work of Russian air defense," the report says.
10:42 In the Donetsk region, a female agent of Russian military intelligence (better known as the GRU) has been detained. The defendant previously worked as a secretary of the city court in Myrnohrad, and recently began collaborating with the enemy and helped Russians break through to Pokrovsk and waited for the region to be occupied. The SBU reported this on April 18.
9:58 The number of people injured in the attack by Russian occupiers in Kharkiv has grown to 67. The Russians fired three Iskander ballistic missiles at the Osnovyansky district of Kharkiv.
9:40 On the morning of April 18, the Russians shelled Dnieper. As a result of the missile attack, a hotel, an office, and a fitness center were damaged, private houses were damaged in the Dnieprovsky district, and fires raged.
9:25 On April 18, Russian drones hit a confectionery plant in Sumy, damaging the production of Easter cakes. This was reported by the head of the Sumy District State Administration, Mykhailo Melnyk.
8:52 Over the past 24 hours, 143 combat clashes took place on the front. Most often, the Russians attacked the Liman, Pokrovsk, Toretsk and Kursk directions. This was reported on April 18 by the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine.
8:20 As a result of a missile attack on Kharkov, one person was killed, 54 are known to have been injured. This was reported on April 18 by the mayor of the city, Igor Terekhov. The head of the Kharkov OVA Oleg Sinegubov clarified that 13 people were hospitalized in city hospitals, including two children. According to him, four people are in serious condition.
7:50 Over the past 24 hours, the Armed Forces of Ukraine eliminated another 1,530 Russian occupiers, and also destroyed 8 tanks and 88 artillery systems of the enemy. This was reported by the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine.
7:23 On the morning of April 18, Russian troops attacked an industrial facility in Sumy, one person was killed. This was reported by the acting Mayor of Sumy Artem Kobzar. According to him, there were three UAV hits on an industrial facility in Sumy. All three drones hit the same building. The building was damaged, the roof was destroyed.
04:14 Republican Member of the US House of Representatives and Co-Chair of the Congressional Ukraine Caucus Brian Fitzpatrick arrived in Ukraine on an unannounced visit. Zelensky said that he discussed with Fitzpatrick "efforts to establish a dignified and lasting peace, the American proposal for a full and unconditional ceasefire, and security guarantees for Ukraine."
02:12 The Ministry of Defense of Ukraine is creating a register of qualified specialists to provide psychological assistance to military personnel. The register will contain verified information about a specialist or organization, qualifications, capabilities and services that they can provide in the field of psychological assistance to Ukrainian military personnel.
01:38 The Verkhovna Rada registered a bill proposing to extend the simplified mechanism for returning to service under the Special Purpose of Military Service until August 30. The mechanism, which was in effect until March 1, allowed military personnel who voluntarily left military units or places of service or deserted from November 29, 2024, to return to the army without consequences. Within 72 hours of returning to service, the military resumed payments and provision of food and clothing.
00:30 On Russian territory opposite the Sumy region, the occupiers have amassed about 60,000 troops. President Volodymyr Zelensky announced this at a briefing. According to the president, Ukraine does not allow the Russians to concentrate enough troops opposite Chernigov, Kharkov and Zaporizhia for a full-fledged offensive. Therefore, the occupiers act in "waves."
Direct Translation via Google Translate. Edited.
[Regnum] The 30-day moratorium on strikes on energy infrastructure facilities between Russia and Ukraine has expired, but Russian President Vladimir Putin has not yet given any instructions on this matter.
“The month has indeed passed, but at the present time there have been no other instructions from the Supreme Commander-in-Chief, President Putin,” he responded to a corresponding question from journalists during a briefing.
Peskov stressed that Russia had adhered to the moratorium throughout its entire term, unlike Ukraine. At the same time, he called the introduction of restrictions on strikes on energy facilities some progress in resolving the conflict.
As reported by the Regnum news agency, on March 18, Putin supported the proposal of US President Donald Trump to introduce a 30-day moratorium on strikes on energy facilities between Russia and Ukraine. The Russian military promptly carried out the order, including disarming seven of their drones that were sent to attack energy facilities in the Nikolaev region.
However, despite the statement by the head of the Kiev regime, Volodymyr Zelensky, about joining the agreement, already on the night of March 19, Ukrainian forces attacked an oil depot in the Krasnodar region. After that, they continued to systematically strike Russian energy infrastructure.
As of April 15, the Ukrainian Armed Forces have violated the moratorium about 100 times. Attacks on Russian energy facilities are carried out almost daily.
Over the past 24 hours, Ukrainian forces have carried out four strikes on energy facilities in the Belgorod, Bryansk, Kursk and Voronezh regions. They attacked high-voltage power lines, a complete transformer substation and an overhead gas distribution pipeline.
On April 17, the UN Security Council consultations closed, where they discussed the results of the moratorium on suspending strikes on energy facilities. Russia's Permanent Representative to the UN Vasily Nebenzya reported after them that the Russian side asked Ukraine's Western supporters whether they were ready to put pressure on Zelensky to comply with the agreements, but there was no answer.
[Rudaw] The Kurdish-led administration in northeast Syria (Rojava) announced on Wednesday the handover of four individuals affiliated with 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.... (ISIS) to a visiting UK delegation, during a meeting that also emphasized continued British support.
"One British woman and three children affiliated with ISIS families were handed over in accordance with an official handover document signed by representatives of both the Democratic Autonomous Administration of North and East Syria (DAANES) and the United Kingdom," the Kurdish-led administration said in a statement.
DAANES stated it would continue cooperating with the UK and all countries that have citizens and children in areas under its jurisdiction, particularly concerning the repatriation of ISIS-linked individuals.
The UK delegation was led by Mary Shockledge, head of the Syria office at the British Embassy in Beirut, and was received by Fanar al-Kaeet, co-chair of the DAANES Department of Foreign Relations.
Thousands of people with suspected ties to ISIS are currently held in the al-Hol and Roj camps in Hasaka province. The camps are held by the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) - the force that spearheaded the fight against ISIS in Syria.
Al-Hol is the larger of the two, currently housing 34,927 individuals linked to ISIS. These include 15,861 Syrians, 15,681 Iraqis, and 6,385 third-country nationals, according to official data obtained by Rudaw English from the camps’ supervisor.
The UK delegation also reaffirmed London’s commitment to the "long-term defeat of ISIS" through continued coordination with the US-led coalition, as well as ongoing humanitarian support.
"The UK remains at the forefront of humanitarian response efforts, with extensive humanitarian programs aimed at mitigating protection risks to civilians, improving conditions in camps, and building resilience," the statement said.
"The UK will continue working with both the new Syrian government and the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) to support an inclusive political process," it added, quoting Shockledge, who also welcomed the recent political agreement between the SDF and Syria’s interim government.
On March 10, Syria’s interim President Ahmed al-Sharaa and SDF commander Mazloum Abdi signed a political agreement aimed at integrating the SDF into the Syrian state apparatus. The deal includes formal recognition of the Kurdish population as a core component of Syria, a nationwide ceasefire, and the return of displaced persons to their homes.
Will the Hayat Tahrir al Sham government (formerly Al Nusra, before that Al Qaeda in Iraq and Syria) next want to reintegrate ISIS personnel from the SDF prison camps into HTS ranks? That should be much easier, as they share the same root philosophy, having split a decade ago only on who would head the caliphate effort…
In a further sign of shifting UK policy toward Syria, the UK Treasury in early March lifted sanctions on Syria’s central bank and 23 other banking, commercial, and oil entities whose assets had been frozen for six years. It also pledged £200 million to provide food, healthcare, and education in Syria.
"We will continue to do all we can to help those in need," Shockledge said, according to the statement.
Posted by: trailing wife ||
04/19/2025
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#1
Let me get this straight...the UK government is bringing ISIS members back to London, and we didn't even get a photo op of them drinking a 72 Virgin Margarita?
[Rudaw] Kurdish-led forces in northeast Syria (Rojava) said they clashed with 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.... (ISIS) in Deir ez-Zor province on Thursday.
"Our forces clashed with an ISIS terrorist cell in the town of al-Tayanah east of Deir ez-Zor. ISIS terrorist cells continue to make strenuous efforts to destabilize the security and stability of north and east Syria, in a persistent attempt to exploit the prevailing state of chaos in Syria," read a statement from the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF).
The ISIS jihadists targeted an SDF position and one support vehicle with an RPG, causing only material damage, according to the statement.
Deir ez-Zor province is located in eastern Syria and borders Iraq.
The SDF, the de facto army of Rojava, fought the lion’s share of the battle to drive ISIS out of Syria and arrested thousands of the group’s fighters. The Kurdish-led force holds around 10,000 ISIS prisoners and more than 40,000 people with ISIS ties, mostly wives and children of jihadists, at al-Hol camp.
After the fall of the regime of Bashir Pencilneck al-Assad Light of the Alawites... , the United States-led coalition against ISIS and the SDF have sought to keep ISIS from regaining their footing in the new security landscape.
ISIS swept through large swathes of Syria and Iraq in 2014. Despite their territorial defeat in 2019, the group continues to carry out bombings, hit-and-run attacks, and abductions.
Posted by: trailing wife ||
04/19/2025
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[Rudaw] Internal security forces in northeast Syria (Rojava) announced on Friday a new operation targeting 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.... (ISIS) in al-Hol camp
…sometimes transliterated as Hawl…
where it said the jihadists are stepping up efforts to reorganize and carry out attacks.
The Asayish and the Women’s Protection Units (YPJ), with support from the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), "announce today the launch of a security campaign to comb al-Hol camp and its surroundings," the Asayish said in a statement.
The force said ISIS has launched several attacks targeting both civilians and security personnel and is ramping up efforts to rebuild its ranks and capabilities.
"In recent times, our region has witnessed many developments and events, both in military and political fields. These developments have given ISIS cells the opportunity to increase their movement and carry out terrorist acts," the statement said.
A focus for the bad boy group is al-Hol camp in Hasaka province that holds around 40,000 people from around the world, mostly Iraqis and Syrians, with alleged links to ISIS.
The camp "is seen as the fuse of a present and future disaster, especially due to the lack of fundamental solutions from the international community that leaves the heavy burden on the Autonomous Administration," the statement said, referring to the Rojava administration.
The camp has drawn international concern for its poor conditions and the risk its youth are being radicalized. The Iraqi government is slowly repatriating its citizens, but many nations have resisted taking responsibility for their nationals because of security concerns, despite repeated pleas by the Rojava administration.
The Asayish said ISIS has tried to smuggle people out of the camp and systematically targeted children and youth in the camp to indoctrinate them and spread its ideology. Humanitarian aid centers in the camp have also been attacked, they added.
The situation has worsened "after international support for the camp was cut off," the Asayish said. Humanitarian organizations operating in northeast Syria have been impacted by cuts to USAID.
ISIS captured vast swathes of Iraqi and Syrian territory in 2014. The group’s so-called caliphate was dismantled in 2019, but the jihadists remain a security threat. ISIS has tried to take advantage of the changing security landscape in Syria after the fall of the regime of Bashir Pencilneck al-Assad Scourge of Qusayr... .
”Hey, buddy — want a new cell phone? For you, special price!”
[IsraelTimes] A Hezbollah official says the Iran-backed terror group categorically refuses to discuss handing over its weapons to Lebanon’s army unless Israel withdraws completely from the south and stops its “aggression.”
A ceasefire agreement in November ended more than a year of hostilities between Hezbollah and Israel, sparked by the group’s incessant attacks on Israel amid the Gaza war, including two months of open warfare that decimated the group’s leadership.
Israel says the five points it continues to hold in south Lebanon are critical to ensuring northern residents’ safety. It also continues to carry out airstrikes in Lebanon in response to what it says are violations of the ceasefire.
“It is not a question of disarming,” Wafiq Safa says in an interview with Hezbollah’s Al-Nur radio station. “What the president (Joseph Aoun) said in his inauguration speech is a defensive strategy.”
Safa, said by experts to belong to the movement’s most radical faction, says Hezbollah has conveyed its position to Aoun, who on Tuesday said he sought “to make 2025 the year of restricting arms to the state” alone.
In his interview, Safa asks: “Wouldn’t it be logical for Israel to first withdraw, then release the prisoners, then cease its aggression… and then we discuss a defensive strategy?”
“The defensive strategy is about thinking about how to protect Lebanon, not preparing for the party to hand over its weapons.”
And so he is. A minor hero, but it’s the sad truth that in today’s Zeitgeist standing up to the Progressive cancel mob is indeed heroic.
[NYPOST] ''Real Time'' host Bill Maher said Thursday that he should be regarded as a ''hero'' for how he handled the White House meeting with his political foe, President Donald Trump ...The tack in the backside of the Democratic Party... Appearing on the ''2 Angry Men'' podcast, Maher was asked about the public response to his dinner with Trump.
''I'm not pulling punches, either on my show or when I was with him or after,'' Maher told podcast hosts Harvey Levin and Mark Geragos. ''And I'm proud that I was able to go into the White House and say to the President of the United States, look him in the eye and say, 'You're scaring people. You know, it doesn't bother you that you're scaring so many of your own citizens?'''
Maher addressed the backlash he received from the left for his monologue recapping his positive Trump meeting.
''I would say to them, 'As opposed to what?' I had the opportunity to go to the White House and talk to the president and not give up my principles. It seems like nobody noticed that,'' Maher said. ''I didn't go MAGA. I had the opportunity to talk to Donald Trump and say things to him that maybe he never hears,
…according to the psychology boffins, a key difference between the current Left and Right is that those on the left have no concept of what conservatives think whereas those on the right can accurately predict Progressive responses across the issues. So Mr. Maher’s thoughts were likely not news to the president. The opportunity for a pleasant conversation with a convinced liberal and conduit to liberal audience? Clearly the president appreciated that properly…
literally to speak truth to power. I shouldn't take that opportunity?''
That said, he must know that simply recognizing any legitimacy of a dissenting viewpoint is a no-no and he went anyways.
I have to wonder if a point of the whisper campaigns is when in the makeup chair, the dresser gives instructions in the guise of conscience streaming, like a movie scene when somebody is giving a straight razor shave and starts a monologue while nipping the person's throat.
[IsraelTimes] Palestinian Authority news agency identifies suspects as 17 and 19, says 20-year-old also wounded in incident near Nablus amid expansion of IDF offensive in the area
IDF troops on Thursday evening killed two Paleostinian teenagers who were allegedly hurling stones at Israeli motorists near Nablus in the northern West Bank, amid a recent expansion of the military’s counter-terrorism operation in the area.
According to the IDF, soldiers of the 636th Combat Intelligence Collection Unit were waiting in an ambush outside the town of Usarin when they spotted three Paleostinians hurling stones at cars on a nearby highway. The soldiers opened fire on the suspects, killing two and wounding the third, the IDF said.
WAFA, the Paleostinian Authority’s official news agency, said the troops opened fire during a confrontation with residents of the area following a military raid in nearby Usarin.
The news agency identified the slain Paleostinians as Jihad Adham Edeili, 17, and Saif Ghassan Edeili, 19. The maimed Paleostinian is aged 20, WAFA reported.
According to WAFA, the bodies of the two dead assailants are being withheld by the IDF. The military’s statement on the incident did not mention if it was holding the bodies.
The killings came a day after two American tourists were maimed in the West Bank when assailants threw stones and a paint bottle at a tour bus near Burqa, east of Ramallah, according to the IDF.
Since January 21, the IDF has been carrying out a major offensive in the northern West Bank, dubbed Operation Iron Wall, focusing mainly on the areas of Jenin and Tulkarem. The military announced last week that it had expanded the operation to the area of Nablus.
Tens of thousands of Paleostinians have been displaced in the offensive, according to UN Paleostinian refugee agency UNRWA.
The offensive followed a spike in West Bank violence since October 7, 2023, when thousands of Hamas ..the well-beloved offspring of the Moslem Brotherhood,... -led Death Eaters stormed southern Israel to kill some 1,200 people and take 251 hostages, sparking the war in 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... Since the Hamas onslaught, troops have arrested some 6,000 wanted Paleostinians across the West Bank, including more than 2,350 affiliated with Hamas.
According to the Paleostinian Authority health ministry, more than 900 West Bank Paleostinians have been killed in that time. The IDF says the vast majority of them were button men killed in exchanges of fire, rioters who clashed with troops or Death Eaters carrying out attacks.
During the same period, 51 people, including Israeli security personnel, have been killed in terror attacks in Israel and the West Bank. Another eight members of the security forces were killed in festivities with terror operatives in the West Bank.
No doubt the Houthis aimed at the thing. Hitting the target is a separate skill
[HodhodYemenNews] The Yemeni Armed Forces have announced that they targeted the USS ‘Carl Vinson’ aircraft carrier for the first time since its arrival, using cruise missiles and drones, as well as hitting the vicinity of Ben Gurion Airport in the occupied Yaffa region.
Additionally, The Yemeni air defences have shot down an American MQ-9 ‘Reaper’ drone in Sana’a.
[HodhodYemenNews] The number of US MQ-9 drones shot down by the Yemeni armed forces in Sana’a has risen to 24.
The spokesman of Yemen’s armed forces, Yahya Sare’e, declared during a mass rally at Al-Sabeen Square in the capital Sana’a, under the banner “We remain steadfast with Gaza in the face of the American-‘Israeli’ escalation,” that another MQ-9 was shot down over Sana’a Governorate.
This is the fifth such incident within three weeks and the twenty-first during the Battle of the Promised Victory and the Holy Jihad in support of Gaza.
Meanwhile, four MQ-9 aircraft were shot down during the war waged by the Saudi-led coalition on Yemen, alongside multiple reconnaissance UAVs of Chinese and other foreign manufacture.
Sare’e has consistently emphasized in his statements that the Yemeni forces used locally manufactured surface-to-air missiles to shoot down all US drones, highlighting the significant advancement of Yemen’s indigenous defense capabilities.
#2
Someone is probably tracking the out of pocket expenses that the Houthis have cost the US in the past year or so. No clue what the per hour cost is to keep a carrier group operational in overhead (wages, fuel, maintenance, etc). The MQ9s cost 30 million each.
#3
Meanwhile, four MQ-9 aircraft were shot down during the war waged by the Saudi-led coalition on Yemen, alongside multiple reconnaissance UAVs of Chinese and other foreign manufacture.
Right. In WW2 every German Tank was typically (mis-)identified as a Tiger (PzKpfw VI) or a Panther (PzKpfw V) when the Germans had many other tanks such as PzJpfw -IV and -IIIs on the Western Front. So every drone, or its pieces scattered over the landscape, made in China suddenly becomes promoted to being a MQ-9.
Besides, why give any credence to the natterings of the Yemeni 'Baghdad Bob' ...
#6
The Houthis have hired a new French spokesman, who said:
"I fart in your general direction, your mother was a hamster, and your father smelled of elderberries."
Or words to that effect.
Posted by: ed in texas ||
04/19/2025 17:16
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[HodhodYemenNews] The death toll from the American aggression on the Ras Isa oil port in Hodeidah province, has risen to 74, with 171 wounded, with a provisional toll, according to the ministry of health in Sana’a.
The port was severely damaged on Thursday after a series of bombings by the United States, marking one of the most severe escalations in the American military aggression against Yemen in recent weeks.
According to local sources, US warplanes carried out 14 attacks on the Ras Issa port, resulting in the martyrdom of several workers at the site.
The sources added that the site was targeted again while civil defense crews were attempting to rescue victims, leading to the martyrdom and injury of several emergency responders.
According to the Hodeidah Health Office, medical teams are making enormous efforts to treat those wounded and burned in the brutal US assault on the Ras Issa facility.
This latest US escalation has only worsened the humanitarian crisis for Yemeni civilians, as Washington fails to achieve a military victory and instead resorts to desperate pressure tactics to force Yemen to halt its support for Gaza.
The US launched an air campaign against Yemen, beginning on March 15, 2025, following Yemen’s decision to resume retaliatory attacks on Israel in response to Israel’s intensified crimes in Gaza.
Since the initiation of the air campaign, US forces have targeted civilian infrastructure throughout Yemen, including communication networks, power plants, and water reservoirs, on an almost daily basis.
[IsraelTimes] Airstrikes in Ras Isa are deadliest yet since America began targeting the Iran-backed rebels in response to their attacks on ships and Israel
US strikes on a Yemeni fuel port killed at least 80 people, Houthi rebels said Friday, in the deadliest attack of Washington’s 15-month campaign against the Iran-backed group. Thursday’s strikes on Ras Isa aimed to cut off supplies and funds for the rebels that control large swathes of the Arabian Peninsula’s poorest country, the US military said.
Images broadcast by a Houthi-run television channel showed large blazes lighting up the night sky following the latest in an intensified barrage of attacks under US President Donald Trump. Houthi media later reported fresh strikes in and around the capital Sanaa on Friday night.
Houthi health ministry spokesman Anees Alasbahi said rescuers were still searching for bodies at the fuel terminal on the Red Sea, suggesting the number of dead could rise.
The rebels’ Al-Masirah TV, citing local officials, said the toll from the strike had “risen to 80 dead and 150 wounded.”
The Houthis later announced missile attacks targeting Israel and two US aircraft carriers. Israel’s military said on Friday it had intercepted a missile launched from Yemen.
The US military has hammered the Houthis with near-daily air strikes for the past month in a bid to stamp out their attacks on shipping in the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden.
Earlier on Friday, when the Ras Isa toll stood at 74, Alabashi said the overall number of deaths from renewed US strikes since March was 198.
In a statement, US Central Command (CENTCOM) said: “US forces took action to eliminate this source of fuel for the Iran-backed Houthi terrorists and deprive them of illegal revenue that has funded Houthi efforts to terrorize the entire region for over 10 years.”
Al-Masirah TV, citing authorities at the port, said the attack had caused “significant damage” that “will affect navigation and the supply of oil.”
The US strikes began in January 2024 but have multiplied under Trump, starting with an offensive that killed 53 people on March 15.
SHIPPING ATTACKS
Israel carried out airstrikes on Ras Isa and elsewhere in Yemen in January, describing the targets as military infrastructure. Similar Israeli strikes that also included Ras Isa took place in September.
“The message today is unmistakable: the US is targeting not only Houthi military assets and personnel, but also their economic infrastructure,” Albasha said.
Houthi attacks on the Red Sea shipping route, which normally carries about 12 percent of global trade, have forced many companies into costly detours around the tip of southern Africa.
Separately, US State Department spokeswoman Tammy Bruce accused the Chinese satellite firm Chang Guang Satellite Technology Company of “directly supporting” Houthi attacks on “US interests.” Bruce did not initially provide details, but later referred to “a Chinese company providing satellite imagery to the Houthis.”
[RedState] Director of National Intelligence (DNI) Tulsi Gabbard has now released the declassified part of the Biden administration's game plan that sought to censor about half of the American people over the past four years and ahead of the November 2024 election.
The strategy was known as the Strategic Implementation Plan for countering Domestic Terrorism.
She writes: "As promised, I have declassified the Biden Administration’s Strategic Implementation Plan for Countering Domestic Terrorism."
Former Missouri state Attorney General and now-Senator Eric Schmitt (R-MO) has shared a helpful breakdown of the scheme on his X account. He begins by describing it as "a roadmap for left-wing ideological warfare."
"This was written in the early months of the Biden presidency," he writes. "But it lays out, in detail, exactly what they would go on to do—and how they justified it."
Sen. Schmitt continues: "By adopting the framework of 'domestic terrorism' (DT), they could effectively treat their critics as enemies of the state."
It was so troubling that even the liberals at American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) called it out:
But it was even worse than anyone imagined, as the now-declassified parts of it reveal:
The plan lays out a four-pillar strategy:
1) Understand and Share DT-Related Information
2) Prevent DT Recruitment and Mobilization to Violence
3) Disrupt and Deter DT Activity
4) Confront Long-Term Contributors to DT
Schmitt explains that the first pillar focused on "information-sharing," with "every arm of the government" acting like the tentacles of an octopus and reaching into every aspect of Americans' lives. We saw clear signs of this with the major pushback parents across the country got from the school boards of their children's schools.
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.
[Ford Authority] Along with a trio of models that it builds in Mexico and sells in the U.S., The Blue Oval has been facing new tariffs on one other vehicle, in particular — the Lincoln Nautilus, which just received a redesign for the 2024 model year. As part of that major update, Lincoln Nautilus production moved to China, where it’s currently built and imported into the U.S. — making it susceptible to some rather high tariffs that U.S. President Donald Trump just imposed on that country. Despite this, Ford has no plans to move production of the Lincoln Nautilus from China, it seems.
[IsraelTimes] Prosecutors in the State Attorney’s Office filed an indictment today against two minors, an Israeli and a Palestinian, who are said to have sworn allegiance to ISIS and planned an elaborate terror attack on a
...aka Abu Mazen, a graduate of the prestigious unaccredited Patrice Lumumba University in Moscow with a doctorate in Holocaust Denial. While no Yasser Arafat, he has his own brand of evil, just a little more lowercase....
...a theocratic Shiite state divided among the Medes, the Persians, and the (Arab) Elamites. Formerly a fairly civilized nation ruled by a Shah, it became a victim of Islamic revolution in 1979. The nation is today noted for 
[NYPOST] A man allegedly butchered his father and disemboweled him, telling police he thought aliens had harvested his father's organs, according to a report.
...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 
...where God struck dead Anton LaVey, home of the Sydney Ducks, ruled by Vigilance Committee from 1859 through 1867, reliably and volubly Democrat since 1964...
...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 
...46th president of the U.S. 
..a regional Iranian catspaw,...
...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 tack in the backside of the Democratic Party...
..the well-beloved offspring of the Moslem Brotherhood,...
[HodhodYemenNews] The death toll from the American aggression on the 
[RedState] Director of National Intelligence (DNI) Tulsi Gabbard has now released the declassified part of the Biden administration's game plan that sought to censor about half of the American people over the past four years and ahead of the November 2024 election. 
