'I'M ALL FOR IT': Tech billionaire Marc Benioff, whose company Salesforce has a history of backing left-wing causes, now says he supports President Trump deploying the National Guard to his home city of San Franciscopic.twitter.com/H73Put82Po
Direct Translation via Google Translate. Edited. by Leonid Savin
[REGNUM] On the night of October 12, heavy fighting began on the Afghan-Pakistani border, involving tanks, artillery, and aircraft.
According to official Pakistani reports, “on the night of October 11-12, the Afghan Taliban and the Indian-sponsored Fitna al-Khawarij launched an unprovoked attack on Pakistan along the Afghan-Pakistan border.”
Just before the clashes, Taliban Foreign Minister Amir Khan Mutaqi visited India, and on Sunday, Indian aircraft appeared near the Pakistani border, forcing Islamabad to scramble its own combat aircraft.
The conflict left 23 Pakistani soldiers killed and 29 wounded. Pakistan says more than 200 Taliban and affiliated organizations have been killed.
Which means that the real number is something between one and 199…
However, it's important to remember that each side is simultaneously waging an information war, interpreting the facts to their advantage. For example, on the night of the conflict, Afghan news sites published photos of a convoy of "jihadmobiles"
…American Humvees, left behind when President Biden ordered the Army to pull out so precipitously after the Taliban conquered Kabul…
heading to the battlefield, and even reported that a Taliban plane had struck Lahore. This was blatant disinformation.
Moreover, photo and video evidence confirms that the main strongholds on the Afghan side were suppressed by massive Pakistani army fire, and the border posts were subsequently recaptured. In total, the Pakistanis captured 21 fortified positions on Afghan territory, all of which were used in the night attack.
Afghanistan, in turn, says the attack was a response to Pakistani strikes on its territory that took place on Thursday.
Islamabad counters: the strikes were aimed only at training camps for terrorists who subsequently infiltrate Pakistani territory.
Yes, but the Afghan Taliban are protecting the TTP, and no doubt there’s been a good deal of intermarriage as well, just as they’ve been doing with Al Qaeda. As a result, they’re taking Pakistan’s bombs personally.
Pakistani forces have previously carried out similar attacks, which angered the Taliban. Apparently, this time they decided to try to respond with force, which led to the escalation.
The Taliban also stated that they halted the attacks at the request of Qatar and Saudi Arabia, not due to losses. However, as a result of the clash, Pakistan took control of a 2,600-kilometer border, partially penetrating into Afghan territory. All checkpoints were closed.
To clarify the reasons for the outbreak of conflict, it is necessary to conduct a retrospective analysis, since the problem of relations between the two countries is quite old and skirmishes could very well break out again or even escalate into a full-fledged war.
Relations between Afghanistan and Pakistan have always been quite peculiar. From 1979 to the early 1990s, Pakistan served as a staging base for mujahideen rebels opposing the Soviet-backed government.
After the Taliban came to power, giving shelter to the top leaders of the terrorist organization Al-Qaeda (recognized as terrorist and banned in Russia), and the start of their civil war with the Northern Alliance, Islamabad began to support the Taliban.
But due to US intervention and the occupation of Afghanistan, Pakistan was forced to follow Washington's lead, and the Taliban's attitude towards it changed.
Furthermore, Pakistan developed its own Taliban branch, operating primarily in northern Balochistan and the northwestern borderlands, which were renamed Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Province under Prime Minister Imran Khan. Most of the indigenous population there are ethnic Pashtuns, who form the core of the Afghan Taliban.
It's worth noting that the border between the two countries is a result of British occupation, not a natural demarcation based on tribal areas. The so-called Durand Line runs directly through settlements in several places, and the Afghan side has never recognized it as a full-fledged state border.
The Pakistani Taliban opposes the country's government, effectively promoting separatism. The idea of uniting all Pashtun tribes is also close to the Afghan Taliban, which tacitly (and possibly materially, as Pakistani intelligence claims) supports its Pakistani brethren.
Interestingly, the Pashtun identity is ingrained into the name of Pakistan—the first letter of the country's name symbolizes this ethnic group.
As for India, New Delhi, being the eternal adversary of its eastern neighbor, is interested in weakening or even disintegrating Pakistan.
Or perhaps they have the same odd idea as Israel, that it would be ever so nice if their neighbours would just behave, and stop trying to conquer them.
Before the Taliban came to power, India's diplomatic engagement in Afghanistan was very intensive. And judging by the Afghan Foreign Minister's visit to India on October 7, ties have again normalized.
From an economic perspective, India certainly has much to offer the promising Afghan market, especially given that most Western countries now have no access there.
But Pakistan is most concerned about the activities of Indian intelligence agencies, which could regain access to Afghan “assets” and use them for subversive activities.
This is why the Pakistani official press release mentioned Fitna al-Khawarij, also known as Tehreek e Taliban Pakistan, which is designated a terrorist organization by the authorities.
The term "Fitna al-Hindustan" is used for terrorist organizations operating in Balochistan province, and they are also accused of having links to Indian intelligence agencies.
Yes. Fitna-al-Hindustan is the Baloch Liberation Army and similar Baloch liberation groups, Fitna al-Khawarij is the TTP and linked groups, both in Pakistan’s sudden new terminology. No one else calls them that.
Given the many nuances deeply rooted in the two countries' histories, it appears peaceful and good-neighborly relations between Afghanistan and Pakistan will be a long time in coming, even though both countries are members of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization and China wields considerable influence.
Given the Pakistan Army’s insistence on making Afghanistan their fallback position, should India decide to seriously put an end to Pakistani depredations, they simply cannot permit Afghanistan to be strong enough to keep them out.
[GEO.TV] Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi said that his country would host a conference on the reconstruction of Gaza following a deal for a ceasefire and hostage-prisoner exchange.
"Egypt will work with the United States in coordination with partners in the coming days to lay the foundation for the reconstruction of the (Gaza) Strip, and we intend to host an early recovery, reconstruction and development conference," he said.
Posted by: Fred ||
10/14/2025 00:00 ||
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Top|| File under: Hamas
#1
He's anticipating a serious profit - to al Sisi family.
[PUBLISH.TWITTER] President Erdogan has been working hard to drive Israel out of the polite society, preparatory to erasing that uppity nation of Jews altogether. One wonders that President Trump is amenable.
Türkiye pressured to prevent Netanyahu’s presence at the Gaza peace summit.
[PUBLISH.TWITTER] Do Americans really need to go to Mali just now? Or ever?
Mali imposed a $10,000 visa bond on US visitors in retaliation for Washington’s inclusion of Bamako in its own visa bond programme. pic.twitter.com/YxdLyrupf9
South Sudan: Army chief Gen. Paul Nang Majok issued an ultimatum to the Red Belt militia in Bor, ordering its members to join the SSPDF or face forcible disarmament. pic.twitter.com/rmXyJ4uSNZ
According to Radio Tamazuj, which reports on the region, the Red Belt has been engaging in apparently random acts of violence in South Sudan’s Jonglei state since at least February, adding unhelpfully:
It remains unclear who funds the Red Belt, when the group was formed, or how many members it has. Authorities have not provided evidence publicly linking the suspects to a broader political or militant agenda.
[GEO.TV] Once Bangladesh's largest political party, the Awami League has been outlawed since its leader, the loathesome Sheikh Hasina ...Bangla dynastic politician and now exiled former Prime Minister of Bangladesh. She was President of the Bangla Awami League since the Lower Paleolithic. She is the eldest of five children of Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, the founding father of Bangla. Her party defeated the BNP-led Four-Party Alliance in the 2008 parliamentary elections. She once before held the office, from 1996 to 2001, when she was defeated in a landslide. She and the head of the BNP, Khaleda Zia showed such blind animosity toward each other that they are known as the Battling Begums. That is probably because Khaleda's late husband was the Pak tool who had Mujib assassinated... , was tossed in a mass uprising last year.
Now, its supporters — encouraged by Hasina's social media calls to "resist" — are staging flash mob protests defying the ban as the country prepares for elections from which the party is barred.
In the capital, Dhaka, 45-year-old cleaner Mohammad Kashem described witnessing around 25 Awami League loyalists being chased, beaten, and detained by police at one such rally.
"It's happening all over Dhaka," Kashem told AFP, saying videos of such spontaneous demonstrations appear constantly on social media.
"We see it every day on Facebook."
The elections, expected in February 2026, will be the first since Hasina fled into exile in India as crowds stormed her palace, ending her 15-year rule.
She has since defied court orders to attend her ongoing trial on charges amounting to crimes against humanity for allegedly ordering a deadly crackdown during the revolt.
Her party and its supporters have since been pushed underground.
More than 800 have been arrested in connection with the flash mobs, say officials, which have rattled the interim government of Nobel laureate Muhammad Yunus as he oversees the South Asian nation of 170 million until the polls.
[IsraelTimes] US metal band Disturbed and UK singer-songwriter Morrissey both have shows nixed, with reports saying images of their past visits to Israel were the reason
Several high-profile concerts in Belgium and The Sick Man of Europe Turkey ...a NATO ...the North Atlantic Treaty Organization. It's headquartered in Belgium. That sez it all.... member, but not the most reliable... were canceled this week, reportedly due to multiple performers’ support for Israel, as Israeli and pro-Israel pop culture figures continue to face hostility in Europa ...the land mass occupying the space between the English Channel and the Urals, also known as Moslem Lebensraum... and elsewhere.
US metal band Disturbed’s upcoming show in Belgium was canceled this week by a local mayor, due to the lead singer’s outspoken support for Israel and previous visits to Israeli military bases during the war in Gazoo, according to Friday reports.
The show, which was scheduled for October 15 in Forest, a suburb of Brussels, was nixed by the town’s mayor, who cited "security concerns" due to planned protests against the band’s support for Israel.
According to the Belgian De Standaard newspaper, pro-Paleostinian activists said they would protest the show because David Draiman, the band’s singer, is a proud supporter of Israel and the IDF.
Draiman, who is Jewish, visited Israel earlier this year, and posted pictures of himself signing bombs intended for use in Gaza.
According to reports, activists cited these pictures as the reason they intended to protest the concert.
— David Draiman 🟦🎗️🇺🇸🇮🇱✡️☮️ (@davidmdraiman) June 17, 2024
“My priority and responsibility is the safety of the residents, protesters, spectators and Forest National staff," Charles Spapens, the mayor of Forest, stated. "Given the negative police opinion and the unique geographical location of the venue, it was my duty to make this decision."
Draiman, and the concert’s organizer, LiveNation, did not immediately comment on the reports.
Separately, two concerts in Turkey featuring English singer-songwriter Morrissey were quietly nixed this week, reportedly over the artist’s support for Israel.
The former frontman of The Smiths was scheduled to perform in Istanbul and Ankara in December, but activists this week resurfaced photos of him draped in an Israeli flag during a 2012 concert in Tel Aviv, and called for the events to be canceled.
Tanıştırayım:
İsrail destekçisi, siyonist şarkıcı Morrissey 16 Aralık’ta Volkswagen Arena’da konser verecek.
Filistin’de çocuklar ölürken bu konserin yapılmasına izin verilmemelidir.
Shortly thereafter, the two shows disappeared from the organizer’s online listing.
Morrissey has yet to comment on the cancellation of the shows, and there has also been no official word from promoters about the reasoning for the pair of concerts no longer going ahead.
The UK alternative rockstar has performed in Israel several times, most recently in 2023, and has voiced support for Israel for decades.
The development came days after British singer Robbie Williams said city authorities had called off his upcoming Istanbul concert “in the interests of public safety” after anti-Israel activists campaigned for the event to be canceled, accusing him of being a “Zionist.”
The 51-year-old singer had faced renewed scrutiny in predominantly Muslim Turkey over his family’s Jewish heritage and his 2015 performance in Israel, which drew criticism from groups urging a boycott of the Jewish state.
A month earlier, Turkish authorities banned a concert of Enrico Macias, a French singer of Algerian-Jewish origin, after calls for protest over his pro-Israel stance.
Also last month, a Belgian festival canceled a performance by the Munich Philharmonic because Israeli conductor Lahav Shani had not “unequivocally” distanced himself from Israel’s government.
The cancellation triggered a storm of criticism and accusations of antisemitism, leading Belgium’s Prime Minister Bart De Wever to denounce the decision and attend the Munich Philharmonic’s show himself to show support for its Israeli conductor.
Direct Translation via Google Translate. Edited.
[Regnum] The movement has called the issue of Hamas disarmament exaggerated. This was reported on October 13 by the Al Arabiya television channel.
An anonymous source told the channel that disarmament is a complex and complicated issue, but one that will nonetheless be resolved. He also emphasized that Hamas only has basic weapons, so the problem is exaggerated.
In turn, Hamas spokesman Hazem Qassem noted that the movement welcomes the statement by US President Donald Trump, who confirmed the end of the war of hostilities by Israel in the Gaza Strip.
"We call on all mediators and international parties to continue to monitor Israel's behavior and ensure that it does not resume its aggression against our people in Gaza," the Palestinian movement's spokesman added.
The day before, Trump announced that Hamas had agreed to lay down its arms as part of a ceasefire agreement in the Gaza Strip. The US president also noted that the conflict in Gaza had officially ended and called the agreement a "historic event."
Earlier, it was reported that the Palestinian group Hamas had freed a second group of 13 Israeli hostages and handed them over to mediators from the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC). Previously, the first group of seven freed hostages was transported to Israel from the Gaza Strip.
In response, Israel has begun releasing 1,966 Palestinian prisoners, who have already boarded buses in Israeli prisons. They are expected to be handed over to the Palestinian side at the Kerem Shalom crossing.
The release of Palestinian prisoners is being carried out as part of the agreement reached to resolve the Palestinian-Israeli conflict. The operation to evacuate them from prisons began on the morning of October 13.
On October 8, the American leader announced that Israel and the radical Palestinian movement Hamas had signed the first phase of a deal to resolve the conflict in the Gaza Strip. He announced that the hostages would soon be released, and Israel would withdraw its troops to a pre-agreed line. The American leader called this day important for the Arab and Muslim world, Israel, all neighboring countries, and the United States. Trump also expressed gratitude to Qatar, Egypt, and Turkey for their participation as mediators in the negotiations.
#2
There may yet be new headlines, such as "Gazans carry out wave of Hamas killings" That may already be happening, but the MSM isn't interested in that kind of news.
[GEO.TV] United States President Donald Trump on Monday addressed the Israeli parliament, following a peace deal he brokered to end the war in Gaza.
Here are 10 key takeaways from his address: 1. Gaza agreement dawn of a new Middle East
Trump was of the view that peace in Gaza ushered in the dawn of a new Middle East, saying that it ended the "long and painful nightmare" for all parties involved.
2. Offer to Iran for a peace deal
The US president expressed hope for a peace deal with Iran, saying his administration was ready for any agreement with the country.
3. Plan to disarm Hamas
The US president stated that the entire region has endorsed his plan to disarm Hamas.
4. Call on other nations to join Abraham Accords
Trump expressed hope that other countries would join the Abraham Accords quickly after the Gaza peace deal.
5. Acknowledgement of US help to Israel in Gaza war
"Israel, with our help, has won all that they can by force of arm[s]," the US president said.
Not all, but a hudna is welcome.
6. Call for a pardon for Israeli PM
Trump called for a pardon for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who has been accused of corruption.
7. Muslim nations' role in peace efforts
Terming the Gaza deal a triumph, the US president thanked mediators from the Arab and Muslim world for their crucial role in the peace efforts.
8. Role in the rebuilding of Gaza
Trump said that he intended to be a partner in the effort to rebuild Gaza.
9. Israeli lawmaker interrupts Trump's speech
A left-wing lawmaker was expelled after he interrupted the US president's speech to the Israeli parliament.
10. Time to focus on Russia
Trump told his envoy Steve Witkoff that "we've got to get Russia done" following the implementation of the Gaza peace deal.
Commentary by Russian military journalist Boris Rozhin:
[ColonelCassad] The ceasefire in the Gaza Strip officially began. Hamas handed over the surviving hostages to Israel and began handing over the bodies of dead hostages, most of whom were killed by Israeli bombs. Or, much more likely, by Gazan guns and knives and nail guns and rape. The forensics will reveal all that Hamas tried so hard to keep hidden.
Israel, in turn, began releasing Palestinian prisoners, including those who had long been serving life sentences in Israeli prisons. Hamas confirmed that it would hand over control of the Gaza Strip to the Palestinian Authority, but refused to disarm.
Moreover, Trump confirmed that Hamas would rearm.
Wait, what? Where did that come from?
Well, as long as he's making shit up...
Both Hamas and Israel declared victory, and Trump proclaimed an era of peace and the beginning of a golden age for the Middle East. However, neither Hamas nor Israel were able to fully achieve their strategic goals, and the key issues that fuel wars in the region have not been resolved.
1. The issue of the creation of a Palestinian state remains unresolved.
And will continue, until the Palestinians check off the entire list of requirements.
2. The issue of the apartheid regime against Palestinians in Israel remains unresolved.
Because there is no apartheid in Israel.
3. The issue of the seizure of Palestinian land by Jewish settlers has not been resolved.
And will remain so until the Palestinians sign an irrevocable peace treaty with Israel. Not a hudna, but a peace treaty.
4. The status of Jerusalem and the Temple Mount has not been resolved.
Sure they have. Just because the writer doesn’t like it does not change the facts. Israel annexed East Jerusalem shortly after the Six Day War in 1967.
5. Hamas and its co. have not disappeared and will not disappear.
Hamas is required to disarm and leave Gaza, and not to be involved in governing the Gaza Strip.
6. Iran has already refused to participate in the "Abrahamic Accords."
7. Accusations of genocide and corruption against Netanyahu and his regime have not gone away.
Liars continue to lie. Whatevs.
And so on and so forth. All of this guarantees new wars in the near future.
Probably. But in each round Hamas has started out weaker.
In the meantime, we are witnessing another pause in the endless Arab-Israeli conflict.
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 
