[BB] The success rate for migrants without lawyers has fallen to just above one percent, down from 20 percent under Biden, according to federal data released by the Transactional Records Access Clearinghouse.
“The Trump Administration’s actions on immigration are still coming at a breakneck pace two years into the term,” the pro-citizen Immigration Accountability Project (IAP) reported on October 20. “The changes being made by the DOJ, the BIA, and EOIR are crucial in maintaining a fair and efficient asylum process,” it added.
The successful reform is shutting the asylum loophole for millions of migrants who rationally used Biden’s welcome to walk into Americans’ workplaces, homes, and communities.
The fast-track success shows up in the years-long backlog of asylum cases, which is down to 2.3 million cases. Biden’s deputies expanded the backlog and used it as an excuse to free migrants into the U.S. job market.
BREAKING: Saudi Arabia offers Yemen's Houthis $1 billion through Tehran to halt their attacks as part of a ceasefire, with Defence Minister Prince Khalid bin Salman flying to Iran to negotiate it and even bringing the money with him aboard the C-130 aircraft he arrived on, per diplomatic Gulf sources to Israel Hayom.
Iran offered to mediate between Saudi Arabia and the Houthis. It was represented by President Pezeshkian, SNSC chief Mohsen Rezaei and senior IRGC officials. Turkish intelligence chief Ibrahim Kalin and Pakistan's army chief Asim Munir were also taking part.
This is one of the biggest concessions from the Saudis yet.
BREAKING: Saudi Arabia offers Yemen's Houthis $1 billion through Tehran to halt their attacks as part of a ceasefire, with Defence Minister Prince Khalid bin Salman flying to Iran to negotiate it and even bringing the money with him aboard the C-130 aircraft he arrived on, per diplomatic Gulf sources to Israel Hayom.
Iran offered to mediate between Saudi Arabia and the Houthis. It was represented by President Pezeshkian, SNSC chief Mohsen Rezaei and senior IRGC officials. Turkish intelligence chief Ibrahim Kalin and Pakistan's army chief Asim Munir were also taking part.
This is one of the biggest concessions from the Saudis yet.
Posted by Daily Iran News, so it may or may not be true. Let’s look for proof one way or the other.
[NYP] UK families are suddenly being told to stock up on emergency supplies – and to prepare for war.
Wes Streeting, the UK’s defense secretary, went on a media blitz to push a new “Be Ready” campaign to boost Brits’ preparedness for crises — which he said could range from floods and wildfires to terrorism and cyber attacks and ultimately even war.
“There’s no sugarcoating the fact that we do live in a more dangerous and turbulent world,” Streeting told BBC’s “Newsnight.”
“It’s about saying to households across the country to be ready by just having some everyday essentials indoors should there be disruption from these sorts of events.”
#3
Is this because they're not far behind France? Or is it just simple fear mongering as a strategy to delay further elections?
Posted by: Abu Uluque ||
10/27/2026 11:57 Comments ||
Top||
#4
It gets cold in England in winter, because all that green nonsense means nowhere will be properly heated. Stocking up on warm clothes, soup and tea fixings is a wise precaution to deal with the problems the government causes,
The war thingy is probably nonsense — Russia certainly isn’t going to reach past Ukraine to touch the British Isles, now or later. Maybe they’re really worried that their Moslems will go for open conquest instead of just continuing low level insurgency.
[Honest Reporting] Protests across Europe reveal how pro-Palestinian activism is fueling the red-green alliance against the West.
Key Takeaways:
Protests sparked by frustration with France’s education system quickly became intertwined with pro-Palestinian activism, anti-Israel rhetoric, and broader anti-Western grievances.
Motaz Azaiza’s presence at the French protests highlights how prominent activists have become part of a wider movement.
An Italian citizen who supported October 7 and radical ideologies was arrested on suspicion of having organized the France-inspired protests in Italy.
As protests continue to spread in France and across Europe more broadly, it has become all the more apparent that the protests that once started with calls for better schooling have been hijacked by radicalism, exporting violence to the streets of Europe.
It is not a coincidence that the protests turned quickly to violence — a vast international network of pro-Palestinian organizations, including those linked to terrorist organizations, fueled the initial unrest in France on October 17. Urgence Palestine, an organization established in the wake of October 7, was proudly at the protests carrying Palestinian flags, while a branch of the Association France Palestine Solidarité announced its support for the protests, highlighting the signs associated with the pro-Palestinian movement.
These coalitions and the connection of extreme left-wing organizations and ideology with radical Islamist ideology are manifestations of the red-green alliance that has been a moving force in these protests. The alliance bonds two extremes that would otherwise have nothing in common with each other, creating common ground through the mutual enemies of Western civilization and the state of Israel.
The red-green alliance brings together radical left activists and Islamist political movements, making use of historical Jew-hatred and antisemitic tropes, many of which originated in the Soviet Union, and brands the Jew as the source of the world’s problems. In the modern era, Israel is classified as the global Jew, becoming a scapegoat for unrelated issues.
[Jpost] The Jerusalem Post understands from officials familiar with the case that a local Italian prosecutor is leading the prosecution and is not coordinating with the Italian federal government.
Italy'>Italia’s criminal probe of flotilla activists’ torture claims against Israel impacts far more IDF officials than even the pending file before the International Criminal Court (ICC), multiple Israeli officials with knowledge of the case have confirmed to The Jerusalem Post.
Since 2007, flotilla activists have periodically sought to block Israel’s blockade to prevent weapons smuggling to Hamas ..a contraction of the Arabic words for "frothing at the mouth",... 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... Although the activists claim they are seeking to bring Gazooks humanitarian aid, Gazooks have been receiving over 600 trucks of aid per day since the October 2025 ceasefire — almost triple what they were receiving pre-war.
Gazooks’ overall situation is still far worse because the Strip is years away from being rebuilt, but there is no actual food shortage.
ICC SEEKS TO ARREST NETANYAHU, GALLANT, MAY TARGET OTHER ISRAELI OFFICIALS
Currently, the ICC is confirmed to be seeking to arrest Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and former defense minister Yoav Gallant, with reports that it is also seeking to arrest minister Betzalel Smotrich and Itamar Ben-Gvir, and possibly also Defense Minister Israel Katz, IDF Chief of Staff Lt.-Gen. Eyal Zamir, and former IDF chief Herzi Halevi.
That is still a short list, and most of the officials are government officials because Israel has not probed its government officials.
In contrast, the Italian criminal probe relating to Israel’s treatment of arrested activists from the September-October 2025 and April-May 2026 flotillas not only includes many of the same ministers, but it also implicates a long list of IDF and prison service officials, of around a dozen.
In fact, the IDF officials being targeted are even more noteworthy than the prison service officials, given that there is some cloud of impropriety hanging over the prison service since it has been managed in recent years by Ben-Gvir.
Ben-Gvir himself was condemned by the entire Israeli government for various actions he undertook and statements he made relating to the flotilla activists.
But the IDF officials include completely apolitical and generally highly regarded officials, such as: former navy chief David Saar Salame, current Navy Chief Eyal Harel, each of their top advisers Tal Politis and Guy Levy, Ashdod Naval Base Chief Eitan Paz, and the Shayetet 13 Naval Commander.
While none of the activists’ claims against Israeli officials have been proven, there have been Israeli officials concerned that police and prison guard officials, who are under Ben-Gvir’s command, may have roughed up some of the activists.
Put differently, even if some of the most sensational charges might be untrue or exaggerated, some officials recognize that some of the lesser claims against officials under Ben-Gvir may be true.
Yet, there are no Israeli officials who believe that the navy’s conduct was anything other than highly professional, leaving many mystified as to what prosecutors from Italia — a country which has been one of Israel’s stronger allies even after October 7- could really be trying to get after going after IDF and naval officials.
The Post understands from officials with knowledge of the case that the prosecution is being run by a local Italian prosecutor, who is not coordinating with the Italian federal government.
ITALIAN PROSECUTOR ROGUE PROSECUTOR, ISRAELI OFFICIALS TELL 'POST'
In other words, Israeli officials speaking to the Post portrayed the prosecutor as a rogue prosecutor who is using an Italian law for universal jurisdiction that the government would not have intended or expected to use against an ally like Israel, as much as it may have been passed to go after a traveling warlord from a more broken non-democratic country.
Further, the case has been a major domestic politics issue within Italia, such that some officials may see it as advantageous internally to make noise about such a case, without necessarily moving it forward to the end, something which could take many years in any event.
Around the time of the flotillas, Italia suspended certain defense cooperation arrangements with Israel, and the sides have sparred publicly over the treatment of some activists who were recently detained in the West Bank while assisting Paleostinians with the olive harvest.
However,
a good lie finds more believers than a bad truth... Israeli officials still view this criminal proceeding as being in conflict with overall Italian government policy, which has not sought to inflame relations.
Rather, multiple sources with knowledge of the case said that the long list of IDF officials who are considered highly professional simply indicated how politicized and disjointed the specific prosecutor likely was.
Moreover, they indicated that once a criminal probe is opened, it is always easier to add other suspects into the probe, even if they have less of a true connection to the heart of the issue.
The Israeli minister, IDF officials, police, and prison officials were all put under official investigation in Italia on October 16.
The move expanded an investigation that was previously focused on Ben-Gvir.
The case concerns alleged torture, kidnapping, personal injury, robbery and damage when Israeli forces intercepted small fleets of boats headed towards Gaza in 2025 and 2026, the Rome prosecutors’ office said in a statement.
PROBE OPENED AFTER ACTIVISTS LAUNCHED COMPLAINTS
Investigators opened the probe after complaints from 50 Italian citizens who were detained by Israeli authorities following two Global Sumud Flotilla missions in September to October 2025 and April to May 2026.
Prosecutors said activists detained after the first mission had reported beatings, injuries, death threats, insults and accusations of terrorism.
Notably, being insulted and being accused of terrorism might be problematic or fully justified, but would usually not be criminally probed.
Activists involved in the second mission alleged even harsher treatment, including beatings in the dark, the use of rubber bullets, and tasers, a statement said.
Once again, some of these actions would clearly be criminal, but using a non-lethal taser to subdue a person resisting arrest is standard even in the West.
Investigators had identified various individuals forming the military and police chains of command involved in the operations, prosecutors said.
Prosecutors said they had sent Israel a request for judicial assistance in June, seeking information needed to reconstruct events and establish individual responsibility. They did not say whether Israeli authorities had responded.
Questioned about their response, multiple Israeli authorities declined to address the issue, signaling that Israel may view the request as invalid if it is not endorsed by the Italian federal government or may choose to deal with it through diplomatic channels as opposed to strictly technical channels.
An interesting question would be whether Israel might comply more if the requests were more limited to Ben-Gvir and some of his officials, who took videos of themselves at minimum verbally harassing detainees.
Under Italian law, crimes committed abroad against Italian citizens can be prosecuted in Rome.
Being placed under investigation in Italia does not imply guilt and does not automatically lead to a trial. However,
a good lie finds more believers than a bad truth... if the probe determines that charges are warranted, prosecutors could lodge a formal request for trial.
[Jpost] There was no immediate confirmation of the education proposals from the government. A press conference to announce the details was delayed.
French student leaders
…some of whom are French, but almost none of whom are students…
vowed to go on protesting despite government concessions on education, keeping pressure on President Emmanuel Macron as the movement spreads to unions and other activists, stokes unrest and deepens the economic damage.
The measures included a commitment to cap the size of some high school classes; €4 billion ($4.5 billion) of loans for renovating schools; and the replacement by 2028 of a university admissions system students see as socially unfair.
"Not all our demands were met. We'll go on for as long as it takes," Louis Letoublon, one of the representatives of high school students, said as he and fellow student leaders emerged from a meeting with government officials in Gay Paree.
The protests, which have broadened beyond education to draw in trade unions and yellow-vest activists, known for their high-visibility jackets, pose a test for Macron's minority government.
The government has little room to spend its way out of the unrest, with national debt approaching 120% of GDP, while the turmoil is boosting support for far-right frontrunner Marine Le Pen ahead of next year's presidential election.
Let us pray.
The package included €1 billion of investment in university campuses; a move to increase student grants with inflation; and the opening up of a further 15,000 higher education places for students.
"It's clear we have to ease the pressure being felt in the education system," Education Minister Edouard Geffray told a presser.
You wouldn’t need to spend so much if thr students and their little friends were not so destructive…
There was no overall figure for how much funding the package would require. High borrowing needs are already complicating efforts to agree a budget for next year.
PROTESTS SHOW LITTLE SIGN OF EASING AFTER NINE DAYS OF VIOLENCE
The protests, initially triggered by student discontent,
…more likely it was that some students wanted to skip school, so they concocted a protest that got a bit out of hand…
have shown little sign of ending after violence nine days ago engulfed dozens of cities, leading to fears the state had lost control of the streets.
Earlier, Macron acknowledged it was likely there would be more unrest this weekend ahead of a bigger nationwide day of protests set for November 5.
On a tour to survey the damage in Marseille and to thank emergency services after Saturday's protests, he said he would keep security measures in place and work to move protests outside city centers.
Candidate Le Pen, already the frontrunner in next year's presidential election, has benefited from the unrest and perceptions that authorities are struggling to keep the peace.
An opinion poll published on Sunday put her on 32% to 33.5%, well ahead of her nearest rival, hard-left leader Jean-Luc Melenchon on 17%.
Thank goodness for that. Can you imagine if a real Communist took power under these conditions?
Surveys suggest she would easily defeat Melenchon in a run-off ballot, expected to be held in early May.
Interior Minister Laurent Nunez earlier said that police had recorded a new phenomenon, with organized far-right gangs confronting far-left activists in several cities.
Unfortunately, given that the government at all levels is pretty unwilling to let the police clear out the protesters with the necessary level of violence to actually accomplish that task, using the anti-Antifa to block the Antifa is necessary. Though I’ve seen hints that some shopkeepers are gathering their friends to help guard in the French gun-free version of rooftop Koreans,this is the first I’ve seen about volunteer organized resistance to the rioters.
"We knew there had been calls from numerous identity-based and nationalist movements to come out, officially, to defend businesses," he said. "In a number of cities, such as Nice and Montpellier, these groups arrived in organized formations, mainly to target the ultra-left movement."
A selloff in French government bonds paused on Monday after rating agency Moody's on Friday refrained from downgrading the country's sovereign debt.
But business leaders said the unrest was continuing to inflict heavy economic damage. Alain Di Crescenzo, head of the CCI La Belle France network of chambers of commerce and industry, said many retailers had remained closed as a precaution after the violence of October 17, adding this had led to sharp falls in sales.
"We have shopkeepers who are tired and demoralized, and we are killing local commerce," he told Radio Classique.
#1
What are the demographics of these protesting France "located" students?
Are the majority even of a French blood born line or Newbies?
Is the media, as usual, avoiding the correct problem identification?
Are these Rioters Peaceful Protest leaders the usual Open Border instigators, trying to cause massive issues an turn the France/EU into the Crap Holes they left?
Direct Translation via Google Translate. Edited by Ilya Maximov
[Regnum] The housing unaffordability protests that previously engulfed Spain have now spread to Portugal. What began as a localized protest in one city quickly escalated into nationwide demonstrations, which are already being called one of the most serious challenges for the center-right government of Luís Montenegro. No doubt coordinated by the international Antifa cadre in their latest repeat of 1968, financed by Neville Roy Singham and his little friends. Come down hard on them, PM Montenegro, or they’ll just accelerate things.
It all began on October 10th, when a group of activists set up a tent camp in a square in the very center of Porto. The first activists took to the streets under the slogan, "Can't pay the rent? Get a tent! "
On the night of October 15, police carried out the first violent crackdown. According to organizers, 39 people were injured in the dispersal, two seriously, and one law enforcement officer was also injured.
Good for the violent crackdown. Here’s hoping the policeman is healing well and quickly
Following this incident, which has been described as nothing less than a "police attack,"
…of course — though that doesn’t make it true…
a wave of public outrage spread to other cities across the country. Since then, protests have continued unabated, despite harsh counteraction from law enforcement.
Clearly greater and/or more targetted harshness is needed — perhaps involving the army and a whiff of grapeshot.
Last weekend, thousands of people again took to the streets of Lisbon, Porto, and Coimbra. Many carried banners with slogans like, "Housing is a right, homes are made for living." The marches culminated in the establishment of new tent cities.
Protesters are demanding an end to evictions without provision of alternative housing, a ban on the purchase of residential property by investment funds, an increase in the amount of social housing, and the introduction of rent caps.
According to Sarah Hoyt, who grew up there, Portugal has been pretty socialist for generations. The mindset of How Things Should Be is very different.
These demands stem from very specific life circumstances, and the composition of the participants is very diverse: Portuguese people of different ages and social statuses take to the streets.
One of the protesters, 26-year-old Carolina Cruz, told Reuters: "I'm the first in my family to go to graduate school, and even with my education, I still can't cope...
Did she overspend on education versus the kind of salary her field of study pays in Portugal? Then she purchased prestige, and needs to pull on her big girl pants and find a way to live within the income she actually earns. It’s Gods of the Copybook Headings time.
The main problem now is housing in Lisbon." She said her friend currently pays €716 per month for an apartment in the capital's suburbs, but if the lease is renewed, the rent could exceed €1,200, at which point they risk ending up homeless.
What can’t go on forever won’t. There is no more road to kick the can down. You are clever, Ms Cruz — no doubt you can think of several more clichés that describe the current situation.
Another participant, 62-year-old teacher Pedro Penilho, said the country's leaders are "out of touch with reality. " "Life is incredibly expensive... prices are rising at a terrifying rate," he noted.
On the contrary, my dear. The voters elected Luís Montenegro because they are no longer willing to subsidize your lifestyle — that’s the bottom line reality.
Helena Costa, a 46-year-old social worker who came to the capital's Rossio Square, summed up the public anger for The Guardian: "The Portuguese social class, which pays taxes and keeps this country running, is being attacked and deprived of its rights, particularly the right to housing. So we're all here to try to explain that we're suffocating."
There is no right to housing. Sorry.
The protesters' demands weren't born out of nowhere. The Montenegrin government is actively promoting rental market reform. A proposed, but not yet adopted, bill would reduce the period of outstanding debt before eviction proceedings can begin from three to two months, and would also remove the cap on rent increases when signing a new contract.
Landlords will also be given the right to demand up to three months' worth of rent as a deposit, instead of two. For opponents of the changes, this signaled that the state was siding with landlords and investment funds over tenants.
Meanwhile, the Bank of Portugal estimates the country's housing shortage at 300,000 homes, equivalent to the entire housing stock of the Portuguese capital.
Under previous conditions, why would anyone build new housing? The profit isn’t there.
Since 2017, housing prices have more than doubled, as have rents. Meanwhile, wages have only increased by approximately 16% over the past ten years, measured in purchasing power terms.
According to a European Council report, 116% of the average salary in Lisbon goes toward rent, making it one of the most unaffordable cities in Europe for its residents. And the problem is only getting worse: the National Statistics Institute calculated that the median rent for new contracts in the second quarter of 2026 increased by 10.2% year-on-year, reaching €10.17 per square meter.
The answer is to get a job elsewhere, even if it is less prestigious than a Lisbon address.
The authorities' response to the protests only embitters their participants. On Sunday night, law enforcement officers again dispersed demonstrators camped in tent cities.
In the capital, dozens of baton-wielding police officers, some with sniffer dogs, arrived at Rossio Square around 2 a.m. on Sunday. Similar events unfolded in Porto. More than 30 people were arrested as a result of the clashes.
The police insist their actions are proportionate. Their spokesman, Sérgio Soares, called the evictions in Lisbon "calm, proportionate, and adequate, without any police violence."
However, organizers and activists hold a different opinion. "The decision to unleash police dogs and use rubber bullets early in the morning against people who were sleeping or peacefully protesting is political. It shows that this government prefers to suppress those who speak out against the housing crisis rather than address the crisis itself," the Casa para Viver (House for Life) movement said in a statement. According to activists, dozens of people were injured during the crackdown.
"We didn't threaten anyone, but they still attacked women, elderly people, and unarmed people," a witness told RTP.
Government officials support the actions of law enforcement officers. "The government will not give in to the cries from the streets," declared Parliamentary Affairs Minister Carlos Abreu Amorim. But no one seems ready to disperse.
The protests continued on Sunday. “We're on the streets, and we'll be here every day," one of the protesters in Lisbon promised in an interview with RTP.
Meanwhile, amid police brutality, demands for a change of government began to be added to those calling for the reform to be repealed. "This government cannot continue and must fall!" urged one demonstrator in the capital, prompting cries of "Resign!" to echo throughout Rossio Square.
Protesters are calling for a general strike on November 11—in coordination with Spanish trade unions—and vow to remain in the squares until the government abandons the reform and takes real measures to increase affordable housing.
Prime Minister Luís Montenegro stated that his government understands that people want to "express their outrage at what they perceive as a lack of action in public policy." But he cautioned against "importing into Portugal an atmosphere of instability and protest that has no real support in Portuguese society."
These words are hardly timely, as thousands of Portuguese have already taken to the streets, and to say they don't support the protests is at best odd. However, the prime minister's concerns are understandable, as the events unfolding in the country are part of a broader wave of discontent that has swept Europe in the past couple of months.
Tent camps have been erected in the Spanish capital since the end of September, and the housing crisis has become one of the main reasons for the snap elections.
In Italy, protests against the cost of living in Milan, Turin, and Bologna escalated into clashes and riots, forcing authorities to deploy the military to stabilize the situation.
In Belgium, protests against rising living costs and tuition fees were accompanied by clashes with police. In France, dissatisfaction with school conditions escalated into a nationwide movement, ultimately resulting in riots in major cities.
This pan-European backdrop lends additional meaning to the events in Portugal. When tens of thousands of people in different countries take to the streets for similar reasons, it speaks not of a localized failure, but of the systemic pressure exerted by the unsightly reality of life in the EU on the European model, the success of which Brussels so often boasts.
It’s true that the Brussels model is not successful; one hopes that they figure out a more effective model soon.
[KhaamaPress] Afghan immigrants colonists are among thousands of applicants still waiting for US visas despite a federal court ruling against the Trump administration’s suspension of immigrant visa processing for citizens of 75 countries. Why do the delays persist despite the ruling?
Afghan families are among thousands of immigrants colonists from 75 countries still facing uncertainty over US immigrant visas, despite a federal judge striking down the Trump administration’s blanket visa-processing suspension, according to US media reports.
National Public Radio (NPR) reported on October 26 that thousands of applicants remain stuck abroad because visa processing has not returned to normal following the court ruling. The suspension, introduced in January 2026, affected more than 280,000 people who had applied for immigrant visas, including spouses, children and employment-based applicants.
In August, US District Judge Jeannette Vargas ruled that the policy was unlawful because it barred applicants based on nationality rather than individual eligibility. The judge also found that the policy exceeded the authority of Secretary of State Marco Rubio ...The diminutive 13-year-old Republican U.S. Senator from Florida, Secretary of State in the second Trump administration... and undermined the role of consular officers in making case-by-case visa decisions. Afghanistan was among the 75 countries covered by the suspension.
COURT RULING HAS NOT ENDED DELAYS
Despite the ruling, applicants continue to face delays as the US State Department applies additional screening procedures. NPR reported that the department had introduced an extensive training programme for embassy and consular staff on assessing whether immigrants colonists could become a "public charge", a person deemed likely to rely on public assistance in the United States.
The additional review can affect applicants whose cases were already underway, including some whose visas had been approved but had not yet been physically issued.
Immigration lawyers told NPR that continued delays and unfinished interviews mean the court decision has not yet translated into practical relief for many families. The State Department declined to comment on the cases, saying they were subject to ongoing litigation, while its website acknowledged that the 75-country ban was no longer in effect.
WHAT THE RULING MEANS FOR AFGHAN FAMILIES
For Afghan families seeking to immigrate to the United States through family-based or employment-based visa programmes, the ruling removed the specific blanket suspension based on nationality. However,
there is a theory which states that if ever anybody discovers exactly what the Universe is for and why it is here, it will instantly disappear and be replaced by something even more bizarre and inexplicable. There is another theory which states that this has already happened... it does not guarantee that every application will be approved or processed immediately. Applicants may still face individual eligibility checks, requests for further documentation and delays in obtaining interviews or final visa issuance.
The suspension was part of the Trump administration’s broader effort to tighten immigration screening, particularly for applicants officials considered at risk of relying on public assistance. The court’s decision said the government could not impose a blanket prohibition based solely on nationality where the law required individual assessments.
The continuing delays raise questions about how quickly the State Department will implement the ruling in practice. For Afghan families and other applicants waiting outside the United States, the difference between a policy being struck down and a visa actually being issued remains significant.
[Reuters] Israelis surged to the polls at the fastest rate in nearly half a century on Tuesday to pass wartime judgment on Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, in what voters described as the most consequential election in the nation's history.
Long lines formed outside polling stations for the first election since the October 7, 2023, Hamas-led attacks, with voters passionately engaged over the trauma of the country's deadliest day and the ensuing wars in Gaza, Lebanon and Iran.
Policies of Netanyahu's right-wing coalition have been divisive at home and have deepened Israel's international isolation, while he has defended his record, calling himself the only leader with the mettle to face down Israel's foes.
Netanyahu, Israel's longest-serving leader with 19 years in office, is an unmatched political survivor, and his nationalist politics are increasingly entrenched. Israel's fragmented system makes it difficult for an array of opponents to force out his coalition of right-wing, far-right and ultra-Orthodox parties.
His main rival Gadi Eisenkot, a military ex-chief of staff and security hawk, aims to unseat him with the support of parties on the right and centre, as well as the rump of an increasingly marginalised left. Opinion polls show a close race, with neither leader facing an easy path to power.
In a message to supporters more than five hours after polls opened, Netanyahu urged them to vote, saying turnout was high among his opponents on the left and among Israelis of Arab heritage, around a fifth of the country.
"We need it to be high too. You all need to stream to the polls," he said. "This is a fateful moment."
Voters began casting ballots after polling stations opened at 7 a.m. (0500 GMT). The polls close at 10 p.m. (2000 GMT).
The Central Elections Committee reported that 31.5% of eligible voters had cast their ballots within the first five hours. It was the fastest turnout since a legendary 1977 election that came to be known as "the upheaval", which brought the right to power for the first time in Israeli history.
"I think these elections are the most important of all the ones I’ve known," said Ruth Epstein, an 81-year-old longtime left-wing voter in Ramat Gan near Tel Aviv, who voted for the opposition Democrats. "I’m really scared about what will be here."
Netanyahu has campaigned on an endorsement from US President Donald Trump, his ally in war against Iran, who has said they should "finish the job".
If neither Netanyahu nor Eisenkot can form a governing coalition in the 120-seat parliament, Netanyahu could stay on as caretaker until another election is held.
His opponents have managed to wrest him from the premiership only once since 2009, and that took four inconclusive elections in two years. He was back 18 months later.
#3
No voting registration because all residents must have be in the national citizen registry (voter registry is a subset of the citizen registry). An ID is required for voting (4 types of IDs are acceptable - you only need one).
An important difference from the USA system is that voting is by party. Each party has a symbol. You place the symbol in an envelop. That envelop is placed in a bigger envelop that has the voter's name on it.
Some people are allowed to vote absentee. The ones that do include diplomats, IDF personnel, Hospital employees and patients, prisoners and detainees (who are citizens). Special arrangements are made for the disabled.
Posted by: Lord Garth ||
10/27/2026 13:14 Comments ||
Top||
#4
Turnout so far at record levels
Israelis are flying in from all over the world, just to vote. I didn’t bother posting an article, but since there is interest, here is the Jerusalem Post’s liveblog.
#6
I haven’t got a clue, NoMoreBS. Politics bewilders me in general, and Israeli politics even more so. I just pray hard each time that whatever Israeli voters choose will accomplish what is needful for the country to survive and thrive in a hostile world. Lord Garth knows more, while Grom explained his thought process the other day — if I recall correctly, he was going for Ben Gvir, because in coalition he would push the government to act in ways that would stymie dangerous pressures from abroad, and he appears crazy enough for people to back away.
#7
looks like it will take months to form a new govt as neither the Netanyahu coalition nor the Eisenkot coalition will get 61 seats (knesset has 120). In fact it looks like both will be short of 55.
Posted by: Lord Garth ||
10/27/2026 21:12 Comments ||
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[Reuters] Experts at a digital defense firm recently found that an Israeli ad tech company was heavily targeting users of Starlink's satellite internet service in a likely effort to spy on them, according to six people familiar with the matter.
Researchers at TrendAI, a unit of Tokyo-based cybersecurity company Trend Micro, concluded the Israeli company Discover-Tech was one of the biggest sources of digital ads shown to users of SpaceX's Starlink service and that the ads were likely being used to geolocate or otherwise surveil them, according to the six people.
The researchers, who drew on digital advertising data in TrendAI's telemetry for their conclusions, found that Discover-Tech had become one of the world’s leading bidders for ads aimed at Starlink users and that it was the No. 1 bidder on Starlink traffic in more than 100 countries, including several where Starlink itself was banned or restricted. Bidding refers to the complex auction system by which advertisers secure space inside people's browsers and apps.
SpaceX did not respond to requests for comment. Discover-Tech and its chief executive did not respond to requests for comment over the past two weeks.
TrendAI released a report, opens new tab on October 15 about the targeting of Starlink users but did not name Discover-Tech, instead saying the party responsible was “an ad tech entity” which it called “Shadow-Earth-79.” The six sources said Shadow-Earth-79 is TrendAI’s codename for Discover-Tech.
TrendAI did not directly address questions about why its report did not identify Shadow-Earth-79 by name, saying in a statement that its approach to attribution, opens new tab was aimed at reducing the risk of mistakes and avoiding "hype-driven labels" or "unstable actor names that can mislead defenders, distort risk prioritization, and trigger inappropriate response actions."
Finding ways to track Starlink users has become a cottage industry as governments around the world try to get a grip on the spread of satellite internet terminals. Because they route data through SpaceX-operated satellites rather than nationally regulated telecommunications firms, the terminals can sidestep local internet restrictions, communicate in hostile areas or coordinate action across battlefields. Starlink has become a particularly important resource in Ukraine, whose military relies on the service for frontline communications and directing drone strikes.
In May, Israeli newspaper Haaretz and the website Intelligence Online separately reported that Israeli-owned businesses were pitching clients on ways to identify and track Starlink users. Haaretz said exploiting ad data appeared to play a key role in the process.
I have no idea if this is true, but isn’t it lovely that our enemies are concerned.
[KhaamaPress] US forces in the Middle East could launch major military operations against 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... within 96 hours if President Donald Trump ...Perhaps no man has ever had as much fun being president of the US... authorizes an attack, CNN ...formerly the Cable News Network, now who know what it might stand for... reported, citing two US officials.
The officials said sufficient American military assets are already deployed across the region to carry out potential strikes. However,
a person who gets all wrapped up in himself makes a mighty small package... Trump has not made a final decision, and there is no confirmed timetable for a possible operation.
According to CNN, the scope of any new campaign could extend beyond limited attacks on Iranian radar systems, missile launchers and other military equipment. US Central Command and the Pentagon have reportedly developed a broader list of potential targets, including Iranian energy infrastructure, military installations and nuclear facilities.
One US official described the potential operation as a major effort, while other current and former officials familiar with military planning said a decision could come before the end of the year, potentially after the November 3 US midterm elections. They cautioned, however, that Trump has previously considered military action before ultimately backing away.
PENTAGON WEIGHS MILITARY OPTIONS
The reported preparations come amid continuing tensions between Washington and Tehran and uncertainty over the future of the conflict.
A Pentagon brasshat told CNN that the department’s role is to develop and execute military options ordered by the president. The White House declined to comment on the report.
US officials also acknowledged that Iranian forces have become more familiar with American military tactics, potentially making it more difficult for US forces to destroy all intended targets in a new campaign.
The reported target list suggests that any renewed operation could be broader than strikes designed to weaken Iran’s immediate military capabilities. Attacks on energy infrastructure or nuclear facilities would carry wider implications for regional security and could further escalate the confrontation.
RISK OF REGIONAL RETALIATION
CNN also reported that US intelligence assessments indicate Iran and Yemen ...an area of the Arabian Peninsula sometimes mistaken for a country. It is populated by more antagonistic tribes and factions than you can keep track of... ’s Iran's Houthi sock puppets ...a Zaidi Shia insurgent group operating in Yemen. They have also been referred to as the Believing Youth. Hussein Badreddin al-Houthi is said to be the spiritual leader of the group and most of the military leaders are his relatives. The legitimate Yemeni government has accused the them of having ties to the Iranian government. Honest they did. The group has managed to gain control over all of Saada Governorate and parts of Amran, Al Jawf and Hajjah Governorates. Its slogan is God is Great, Death to America™, Death to Israel, a curse on the Jews They like shooting off... ummm... missiles that they would have us believe they make at home in their basements. On the plus side, they did murder Ali Abdullah Saleh, which was the only way the country was ever going to be rid of him... movement are taking the possibility of renewed US or Israeli attacks seriously. Sources familiar with the assessments said Iran and the Houthis could retaliate by targeting American personnel and facilities in the Middle East if a new offensive begins.
Such a response could widen the conflict and increase risks to US forces and regional partners. The potential consequences would depend on the scale of any attack, the targets selected and the nature of Iran’s response.
For now, the reported military preparations do not confirm that an attack is imminent. Any operation would require a decision from Trump, while diplomatic developments could still affect Washington’s next steps.
#2
Not really, the IRGC would have to be incredibly stupid not to think we aren't ready to resume operations on short notice. The IRGC also knows what we are going to blow up the next time around.
IF there was a leak, it may have even been intentional, to see how the leadership and military reacts.
The only open question is what, if anything, are we going to do with the Marines aboard the ships and the brigade from the 82nd Airborne in Kuwait. Add the Marines, 82nd Airborne and the 173rd Airborne in Italy and you have a light division. We can't invade Iran with it, but we can take most of their important islands.
[TWZ] Satellite imagery depicts new construction and cleared wreckage after strikes at an Iranian airbase with underground hangars and taxiway tunnels.
Iran is rebuilding Eagle 44, a hardened underground airbase carved into the side of a mountain that can shelter fighter aircraft, drones, and potentially cruise and ballistic missiles, despite the remote facility absorbing at least three rounds of airstrikes this year. High-resolution satellite imagery captured by Planet Labs in late September and reviewed by TWZ shows a new section of taxiway completed, several support buildings still destroyed or damaged, wrecked equipment cleared off the pavement, and obstacles that were placed to obstruct the runway now removed. Construction is ongoing at a time when the Pentagon and Trump administration maintain there is little remaining of the Iranian air force for such a facility to protect.
Eagle 44, also called ‘Oghab 44’ after the 44th anniversary of the 1979 revolution, was unveiled by Iranian state media in February 2023 when senior officials visited what was described as the country’s newest underground airbase. Islamic Republic of Iran Air Force (IRIAF) F-4D/E Phantom IIs, armed with AGM-65 Maverick air-to-ground missiles, laser and electro-optically guided bombs, unguided ‘dumb’ bombs, as well as domestically produced anti-ship missiles, were shown using the facility in the footage. The IRIAF had roughly 60 examples in service at the time, its most numerous combat jet by some margin, though how many remain today, and are actually operational, is unknown. In addition to the Phantoms, one-way attack drones were also seen in the background.
The IRIAF, rather than the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) Aerospace Force, operates the base, which is located in Hormozgan province and sits in the foothills of the Zagros Mountains, approximately 100 miles northwest of the Strait of Hormuz. Iranian state media described it as “one of the army’s most important air force bases, with fighters equipped with long-range cruise missiles and built in the depths of the Earth.” Then-Chief of Staff of the Armed Forces Maj. Gen. Mohammad Bagheri, who was present at the unveiling, warned that “any attack on Iran from our enemies, including Israel, will see a response from our many air force bases including Eagle 44.” He was eliminated in the opening strikes of the Twelve-Day War, which Israel dubbed Operation Rising Lion, in June 2025.
Work on the cavernous underground tunnel complex began in 2013. Construction of a 2.7-mile main runway, situated on the northern side of the base on a valley floor below the mountain range, started roughly eight years later. Two taxiways run through a smaller ridge connecting the runway to four entrances to the primary tunnel complex, where the jets and weapons are stored, although only one taxiway is currently operational.
The promotional video released in 2023 revealed at least one internal blast door, as well as branches from the main tunnel to revetment areas to park fighters and drones. A support compound of several buildings is on the west side of the base, next to the unfinished taxiway. The purpose of each structure is unclear, but a functioning airbase requires maintenance and repair facilities, crew quarters, reserves of fuel and munitions, security and force protection assets, and infrastructure to coordinate air traffic control and command and control functions.
[Rudaw] Senior Saudi, Turkish and Pakistani officials are expected to meet Iranian officials in Tehran on Monday to discuss regional security coordination, as Washington and Tehran remain locked in a standoff over the Strait of Hormuz and the prospect of renewed hostilities.
The talks will bring together Saudi Defense Minister Prince Khalid bin Salman, Pakistan Army Chief Field Marshal Asim Munir and Turkish intelligence chief Ibrahim Kalin, according to Ali Bagheri-Kani, deputy secretary of Iran’s Supreme National Security Council.
Kani told state broadcaster IRIB news that the discussions aim to establish a regional security framework independent of outside powers.
“All three countries participating in this meeting, together with Iran, can draw upon the successful experience of the Islamic Republic of Iran in national security-building to take an effective step toward establishing endogenous security,” IRIB news reported.
Reuters also reported that senior officials from Saudi Arabia, Turkey and Pakistan, all members of the Mecca Pact, are scheduled to meet Iranian officials in Tehran on Monday to discuss regional coordination, citing two people familiar with the matter who spoke on condition of anonymity.
The meeting comes as US President Donald Trump continues to weigh negotiations with Tehran against the possibility of renewed military action, despite ruling out a US strike on Iran on Sunday.
More at the link
Posted by: badanov ||
10/27/2026 00:00 ||
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#1
I stand a better chance of winning a hundred-million-dollar lottery than those three countries have of helping Iran against the US.
[MilitantWire] Globally, the emergence of drones for both surveillance and strikes has become a dominant feature of conflict. The Sahel in Africa is no exception to this. As the militaries in Mali and Burkina Faso incorporated purpose-built combat drones (five TB2s for the latter, two for the former) in 2022 to target jihadist insurgents, non-state armed groups responded by acquiring, modifying, and operating smaller quadcopters. JNIM demonstrated the first documented drone strike by a Sahelian armed group in Sept 2023, dropping an explosive on a government-aligned militia position in central Mali. Since then, drone incidents by these groups have risen sharply, from just 3 in 2023 and 25 in 2024, to 175 in 2025 and 101 as of September 2026. In parallel with this escalation has been an improvement in drone capabilities, such as flying larger frames carrying heavier payloads, as well as increased precision in strikes that produce greater casualties and damage. While the rate of increase in both frequency and capability is alarming, it is in line with how other non-state armed groups such as Mexican cartels and guerrillas in Colombia have adopted drones.
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.
..a contraction of the Arabic words for "frothing at the mouth",...
...The diminutive 13-year-old Republican U.S. Senator from Florida, Secretary of State in the second Trump administration...
