[The Blaze] If you didn’t know any better, you would think Maine was the sickest state in the union.
Home health care LLCs, some with Minnesota area codes, fill entire office buildings throughout the city centers, suburbs, and exurbs of that once-sleepy New England state. They’re supposedly open from 9:00 to 5:00 every day, but no one is ever working.
What follows is the story of how Maine got robbed.
Somali refugees began flooding into Maine in 2001. Previously resettled elsewhere, the Somalis later gathered in Portland, then Lewiston, drawn by cheap housing. Catholic Charities Maine relocated the waves that followed, bringing as many as it could to Vacationland.
Catholic Charities was Maine’s primary federal refugee resettlement agency for nearly 50 years. It paid bus fare for hundreds of Angolan and Congolese migrants sent from San Antonio to Portland in 2023, the Maine Wire previously reported.
Maine, which boasts a robust General Assistance program offering rent, heating, food, utilities, and prescriptions to asylum-seekers for up to 24 months, has been a heavenly destination for the tired, poor, and huddled masses.
Soon enough, those masses would be rested, rich, and sprawled over numerous state-backed housing units.
Some New Mainers, as the state refers to them, never got off the government dole. In fact, they have built an entire way of life around spending other people’s money.
[ShabelleMedia] Somalia has welcomed 162 young citizens returned from Libya, as the government steps up efforts to bring home nationals facing difficult and unsafe migration conditions abroad.
The National Commission for Refugees and Internally Displaced Persons (NCRI) received the returnees, who have come back to Somalia to reunite with their families, relatives and communities, the government said.
The reception ceremony was attended by Maryan Yasin, the presidential envoy for migration and children’s rights; Colin Anderson, head of cooperation at the European Union ...the successor to the Holy Roman Empire, only without the Hapsburgs and the nifty uniforms and the dancing... office in Somalia; and Ministech Morina, deputy head of the International Organization for Migration (IOM) mission in Somalia, along with other officials.
The return is part of the federal government’s efforts to protect Somali citizens exposed to security threats and humanitarian hardship along irregular migration routes, according to the statement.
The government said it remained committed to rescuing and repatriating Somalis experiencing difficult conditions in different countries, stressing that every citizen deserved safety, dignity and the opportunity to rebuild their life at home.
The initiative also highlights cooperation between Somalia, the European Union, the IOM and other international partners to facilitate safe returns, protect the rights of returnees and support their reintegration into society.
The NCRI plays a key role in receiving and assisting people returning to Somalia. The young returnees are expected to receive support to help them rebuild their lives, taking into account their individual needs, living conditions and the opportunities required to reintegrate into their communities.
Somali nationals have faced significant risks along irregular migration routes, including exploitation, detention and dangerous journeys in search of safety or better economic opportunities. The government said it would continue working with international partners to help citizens return home safely and access support for their reintegration.
[ShabelleMedia] Somalia has added 10 individuals to its national financial sanctions list over alleged involvement in financing and supporting al-Shabaab ... the personification of Somali state failure... , the country’s National Anti-Money Laundering and Countering the Financing of Terrorism Committee said Tuesday.
The committee said the decision was taken under its legal mandate as part of efforts to disrupt the financing of the al-Qaeda-linked krazed killer group and strengthen the enforcement of targeted financial sanctions.
Those named on the list are Abdiaziz Hassan Mohammed, known as Laftagareen; Hassan Abdulkadir Mohammed; Mahad Abdirahman Adan, known as Shub; Ibrahim Adan Ali, known as Najah; Hassan Abdi Mohammed, known as Ugaas Hassan; Abdullahi Ali Watiin; Abdifatah Mahad Abdirahman; Abdimajid Mowlid Hassan; Amiin Mad Daruur; and Abshir Aden Isak.
The committee did not provide further details about the alleged activities of the individuals or the evidence underpinning their designation.
Under the directive, financial reporting entities covered by Somalia’s anti-money laundering and counter-terrorism financing law, as well as individuals and organizations operating in the country, are prohibited from conducting transactions with those listed.
They are also required to freeze any assets belonging to the designated individuals and promptly report any related transactions to Somalia’s Financial Reporting Center (FRC), the committee said.
The committee warned that providing financial assistance or facilitating financial dealings with the listed individuals was prohibited, adding that violations could result in action under the country’s applicable counter-terrorism laws.
[GaroweOnline] Somalia’s National Committee for Combating Money Laundering and Countering the Financing of Terrorism has added 10 people, including former South West State president Abdiaziz Hassan Mohamed Laftagareen, to a financial sanctions list over suspected links to Al-Shabaab, according to a decision released by the committee.
The list also includes former Somali Custodial Corps chief General Mahad Abdirahman Adan, known as Mahad Shub.
The decision requires financial institutions and other entities covered by the regulations to freeze assets belonging to the listed individuals, prohibit financial transactions with them and report relevant activity to Somalia’s Financial Reporting Centre (FRC).
The committee said the measures were based on information and evidence it had assessed concerning suspected financial support for Al-Shabaab, an armed group that has waged an insurgency against the Somali government. However, the published document did not detail the specific evidence against each individual.
The sanctions prohibit any financial assistance or facilitation benefiting those named on the list. Institutions and individuals who violate the restrictions could face legal action, the committee said.
Laftagareen was first elected leader of South West State in 2018 and remained in office until late March 2026, when federal authorities removed his administration and established a new regional leadership, according to the information provided.
Since losing power, Laftagareen has remained at the centre of tensions surrounding South West State. The account provided by the authorities’ critics says forces loyal to him have launched repeated attacks around Baidoa, the regional capital, causing significant casualties. His forces are reportedly positioned on the outskirts of the city.
The sanctions decision did not publicly explain whether the allegations against Laftagareen were connected to the political and security conflict in South West State.
[HumAngleMedia] Across the Lake Chad Basin, commanders have been killed, thousands have surrendered, and communities resettled. But a three-month HumAngle investigation finds an insurgency still capable of replacing fighters, governing populations, and preparing an estimated 8,000 children for its next generation.
By Ahmad Salkida
Khalil was a child in 2015.
The son of Mohammed Zangina, a first-generation Kaid in the Boko Haram terror group, he was still a little boy when he was photographed in Gwoza around 2015. He grew up under the insurgent leadership, became a fighter, and later joined its media wing. Today, he is a senior member of Maktab al-Shar‘i (ISWAP’s apex religious committee), where he helps train another generation of children.
Khalil and his siblings were at home when soldiers raided their family house in Maiduguri in January 2013. Their father was killed during the operation, and the family’s account of how he died differed from the military’s.
The child in yesterday’s propaganda is now helping produce the children of tomorrow’s war.
HumAngle’s investigation, which spanned July, August and September, finds that the insurgents operating across northeastern Nigeria and the Lake Chad Basin retain substantial capacity to fight, mobilise people, and regulate civilian life. It further revealed a dedicated pipeline of next-generation insurgents, routinely prepared by training children of insurgent members in combat skills and administrative service.
Our investigation reveals the careful building of institutions that guarantee efficiency in battles and consistency in subduing foes. They are structuring family households, armies, and economies that are integrated, bold, and sacrificial, able to adapt under extreme conditions of scarcity and survive setbacks such as the destruction of camps.
More at the link
Posted by: badanov ||
10/15/2026 00:00 ||
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[Breitbart] The U.S. Army is moving hundreds of soldiers to Latin America who are expected to train local troops and eventually carry out raids and operations targeting terrorist drug cartels. The deployments come as Mexico, one of the main hotspots for cartel violence, is one of the few countries still refusing to fully cooperate with the United States in the effort to eradicate the terrorist organizations.
Mexico continues to hide behind claims of national sovereignty and constantly demands evidence of wrongdoing when the targets are politicians tied to the country’s ruling party.
To strengthen a regional coalition of 19 countries, the U.S. Army reportedly sent 600 soldiers from the 10th Mountain Division at Fort Drum, NY, the New York Times reported, citing anonymous sources. While the U.S. government has not confirmed the deployment, the reported movement matches a growing presence of U.S. troops in Latin America aimed at bolstering the Shield of the Americas initiative aimed at fighting terrorist drug cartels.
As Breitbart Texas reported, military forces have already taken part in raids. U.S. troops worked alongside Ecuadorian forces in September to take down a cell of Cartel Jalisco New Generation (CJNG) members from Mexico who were operating in that country. At the time, government officials claimed that the CJNG members did not have ties to local gangs or criminal organizations but had set up operations there to help funnel drugs from other countries north towards Mexico and eventually the United States.
At its inception, the Shield of the Americas included 13 countries, including the United States. Since then, additional countries have joined the movement. The main detractors of the initiative are countries with left-leaning governments such as Mexico, Brazil, Cuba, Nicaragua, and Venezuela.
In the case of Mexico, one of the most notorious hotbeds of cartel activity, President Claudia Sheinbaum has openly rejected the presence of U.S. troops in Mexico. She claims that it would violate national sovereignty. However, she has had her top security official, Omar Garcia Harfuch, coordinate intelligence sharing while having Mexican troops carry out the raids.
While the move has led to some key arrests, tensions still rise between the two countries primarily over Mexico’s reluctance to go after cartel-connected individuals with political ties to the country’s ruling party, Morena.
One of the clearest examples came earlier this year when the U.S. Department of Justice criminally indicted Sinaloa’s Governor Ruben Rocha Moya on drug trafficking conspiracy and weapons charges. As Breitbart Texas has reported, rather than helping with arrests and extraditions, Sheinbaum and her government have protected and publicly defended Rocha Moya, claiming that the U.S. has not given them any evidence of wrongdoing by the Morena politician.
[KhaamaPress] Kyrgyzstan has rejected a proposal reportedly made by several European countries to offer employment opportunities to skilled Kyrgyz workers in exchange for the Central Asian country accepting migrants colonists from Afghanistan and African nations, Foreign Minister Jeenbek Kulubaev said.
Kulubaev announced the position during a meeting of the parliamentary committee on international affairs, defense, security and migration, saying Bishkek was not prepared to negotiate under the proposed conditions.
"Let our citizens go and work if there is such an opportunity. But we will not conduct targeted negotiations on these terms," Kulubaev said, according to Kyrgyz media reports.
The proposal reportedly links access to European labor markets for qualified Kyrgyz citizens with an agreement for Kyrgyzstan to receive migrants colonists from Afghanistan and African countries. The European governments involved and the number of migrants colonists concerned have not been disclosed publicly.
Kulubaev said Kyrgyzstan’s labor migration patterns were changing, with increasing numbers of its citizens seeking employment in The Sick Man of Europe Turkey ...the decaying remnant of the Ottoman Empire... and the United States. South Korea and Japan also continue to show demand for Kyrgyz workers, particularly in elderly care and healthcare facilities.
He added that Kyrgyzstan itself faces labor shortages and has reduced organized recruitment programs for permanent employment abroad while continuing to support seasonal work opportunities. The government says it wants citizens working overseas to have better employment conditions.
According to Kyrgyzstan’s Ministry of Labor, Social Security and Migration, 736,600 Kyrgyz citizens were working abroad in 2026, compared with 798,400 in 2025. Russia remains the main destination, followed by Kazakhstan, the United States, Turkey and Germany.
The reported proposal comes amid broader European efforts to strengthen migration cooperation with countries outside the European Union ...the successor to the Holy Roman Empire, only without the Hapsburgs and the nifty uniforms and the dancing... , including discussions on returning people whose asylum claims have been rejected. Such arrangements have raised questions about responsibility-sharing, migrant protection and compliance with international human rights ...which are usually open to widely divergent definitions... obligations.
[Reuters] As Ukraine reported problems with Starlink satellite internet terminals and US data that warns of Russian ballistic missile attacks, Kyiv also faced the harsh reality that its European allies cannot offer any ready-made alternatives.
Ukrainian officials said on Wednesday the functioning of Starlink’s military-grade service Starshield had been interrupted when terminals were moving at high speed, hampering Ukrainian drones for attack missions and air defence.
Separately, President Volodymyr Zelenskiy said that, for the second night running, Ukraine had received no warning from its partners of a Russian ballistic missile attack on Kyiv.
The reasons for the difficulties were not immediately clear but followed another souring of relations between US President Donald Trump and Ukraine, after Trump announced a deal to waive sanctions on Russian diesel and called for Zelenskiy to be replaced.
Trump said on Tuesday that the US was still sharing intelligence with Ukraine. Elon Musk, the CEO of SpaceX, which operates Starlink, said the US government controlled that system's speeds.
"Any limits on speed or usage are decided by the US military and ultimately POTUS," Musk wrote on the social media platform X, using the acronym for president of the United States. Musk has been a close political ally of Trump.
European countries have voiced strong support for Ukraine and Zelenskiy. But the problems with vital data highlighted that Ukraine and Europe depend heavily on US systems for both low-orbit satellite communications — provided by SpaceX via Starlink — and space-based infrared sensing that feeds into early-warning systems.
A US satellite constellation called the Space-Based Infrared System provides early missile warnings.
“That is fairly unique and … what basically that can detect is the heat generated by missiles as they're launched,” said Marc DeVore, an associate fellow at think tank Chatham House. “There is nothing equivalent in Europe.”
As for Starlink, Europe does not have a ready-made alternative that Ukrainian soldiers could attach to their drones, although European governments and companies are working on long-term options.
Shares in European satellite operator Eutelsat soared on Wednesday following news of Ukraine's difficulties with Starshield, fuelled by investor bets that European providers could benefit from growing strains between Washington and Kyiv.
But Christian Freiherr von der Ropp, an independent satellite consultant, said Eutelsat's OneWeb network was not well suited to wartime use.
"Its current constellation remains rooted in an outdated architecture and technology conceived a decade ago, without any evolution of its underlying design," he said.
"Capacity and performance constraints, combined with the cost, weight, bulk and power consumption of its user terminals, limit its suitability for frontline applications."
A spokesperson for Eutelsat told Reuters that the company continued to provide connectivity services in Ukraine through its low Earth orbit and geostationary orbit networks with its partners. It declined to comment further "given the sensitive nature of the situation."
Von der Ropp also said switching networks would require replacing thousands of terminals, as Starlink and Starshield terminals use proprietary technology and could not simply connect to OneWeb.
Bohdan Sas, co-founder of Ukrainian defence technology startup Buntar Aerospace, said the sudden interruption to Starshield services "highlights to almost every end user both in Ukraine and abroad you can’t rely solely on one solution that can be switched off.”
“You need to have some kind of sovereign capabilities," he added, so that "you are not subject to somebody’s mood today.”
Fears of over-reliance on US defence technology have grown in Europe in recent years, as Trump has threatened to quit the NATO military alliance just as European leaders see Russia posing the greatest threat to the continent in decades.
European Defence Commissioner Andrius Kubilius said at a conference hosted by Politico in Brussels on Wednesday that the continent was "quite dependent on American space capabilities.”
“The answer to that situation is to develop our own capabilities,” he added, mentioning the European Union's planned satellite constellation IRIS² and urging European countries to work together.
But that project is years from becoming operational even if everything goes according to plan, causing frustration among European government officials. Germany is developing its own military satellite constellation.
The US has always had the majority of satellite data/intel and logistics for NATO and Europe is lacking in that. Costs too much and they would have to roll back their socialist programs if they want it.
[KhaamaPress] Social media platform X has suspended more than 13,000 accounts linked to three suspected foreign influence operations involving Iran, Russia and China that targeted political discussions in the United States ahead of the 2026 midterm elections, the company said.
In a statement published Wednesday, October 14, X’s Global Government Affairs team said the accounts were identified through proactive monitoring and investigations. The networks allegedly used inauthentic accounts to publish and amplify political content targeting candidates and public figures across the political spectrum.
X did not disclose how many accounts were associated with each country or provide detailed evidence about the suspected operations. The figure of more than 13,000 represents the combined total suspended across all three networks, rather than a separate count for each country.
The company said its safety team uses multiple detection methods to identify activity that violates platform rules, including coordinated inauthentic behavior and spam networks. It described its authenticity policy as a key tool for detecting and disrupting attempts to manipulate conversations on the platform.
X also highlighted its Civic Integrity policy, which covers misleading content that could affect participation in elections or other civic processes. This includes posts that mislead people about when, where or how to vote, or seek to discourage them from participating.
The platform said it uses Community Notes to add context and credible sources to posts. Users can report potentially misleading election-related content through the platform’s reporting system, while X may also apply civic-integrity labels to posts requiring additional attention. The company said its efforts would continue through Election Day and beyond.
The announcement comes ahead of the November 3 U.S. midterm elections, when voters will decide control of Congress. Foreign influence campaigns and coordinated online manipulation have remained concerns for technology companies and election officials, although X’s statement did not specify the political messages used by the suspended accounts or establish that they had changed voter behavior.
[ZERO] France's welfare-state promises are colliding with a bill that keeps getting bigger. Far-left radicals rioting, fiscal crisis, and political uncertainty are exposing the upper limits of a system built on handouts, heavy taxation, uncontrolled borrowing, and mass migration.
For American voters heading into the midterms in the next several weeks, the warning from France is worth considering as far-left Democratic Socialist of America gains power within the Democratic Party: Promises of more and more and more government handouts come with consequences, just as France is finding out the hard way today.
As President Emmanuel Macron ends his term in crisis, right-wing Marine Le Pen is positioning herself as the savior candidate as France's finances rapidly deteriorate.
Her shadow budget proposes shrinking the deficit to 3.7% of economic output next year, well below the government's 5% target, before bringing it to 2.2% by 2032. Savings would come largely from spending cuts, lower transfers to the EU and reduced migrant spending.
The proposals come as high uncertainty clouds the political landscape and deteriorating public finances drive up France's borrowing costs. Le Pen has warned that maintaining the current spending trajectory risks a default crisis.
#6
@3 Yes. Clinton and Obama probably charged a major fee for their help and if the Democrats can't find anyone more current to help get out the vote, that doesn't speak well of their current crop of politicians
#8
Israel 'took the land' from Palestinians, has 'ceded moral ground,' Obama tells Belfast crowd
That’s a flat out lie, which President Clinton knows even if President Obama can’t be bothered too.
After dividing up the original Palestine mandate and giving 70% of it, if I recall correctly, to the Hashemites as the kingdom of Jordan to make up for taking away Mecca and Medina and giving that to the House of Saud, the remainder was divided again in 1947 — one part offered to the Jews to be Israel, the other part offered to the local Arabs now called Palestinians for their own homeland. The local Arabs refused, insisting that they should get it all; the Jews accepted, so in May 1948 Israel was voted into existence, and Jordan came sweeping in taking illegally taking what the world now calls the West Bank to which they were not entitled – the original border of the kingdom of Jordan stopped at the Jordan River. I think it was General Moshe Dayan who had offered in 1948 to the Ben-Gurion government to conquer the West Bank up to the Jordan River, which he said he could do easily, but the new Israeli government pointed out that they did not want the responsibility of ruling over the Arabs and so the West Bank was not conquered in 1948 by Israel. by 1967. It had become clear why Israel could not leave the West Bank in the hands of Jordan, and so the IDF executed Gen. Dayan’s‘s proposal. But unlike the Old City of Jerusalem, Israel has not annexed the West Bank. They’ve been been trying, in fact, to give it back in exchange for peace ever since, but Jordan doesn’t want it, and the West Bank Palestinians refuse to rule themselves properly, instead continuing to foster the modern version of the fedayin whose life work was attacking Jews and Jewish communities until their dream of all the Jews leaving is fulfilled.
unfortunately, for that dream, half of Israel’s millions of Jews were driven out of the Muslim Middle East, where they cannot go back to. And most of the other half of Israel’s millions of Jews fled Europe after World War II for Israel when nobody else would let them in — the world left them to rot in the DP camps for three years after the war ended. They, too, cannot go back.
Hoaxers further called in threats two minutes apart on Friday to two Brooklyn yeshivas, the Yeshivah of Flatbush Joel Braverman High School and the United Talmudical Academy of Williamsburg.
Bomb threat hoaxes targeting four US Jewish day schools resulted in evacuations and a lockdown within the last week.
On Monday, the Milken Community School in the Brentwood neighborhood of Los Angeles — a private Jewish middle and high school — went into lockdown after police reported receiving a call about an active shooter, but later clarified the security concern was a bomb threat.
"My son was in math class when the bomb threat was called in," said a parent of a Milken student, who asked not to be named.
"They had to pull down the shades on the classroom door and windows, lock the door, turn off the lights, and sit under their desks," the parent said. "It sounds pretty intense to have to prepare the classroom like that. He was scared and nervous."
The Milken parent was not concerned about their child’s safety at school, even in the wake of the bomb threat. "Jewish schools tend to have higher-caliber security than at non-Jewish schools, so I’m not worried," the parent said. "I don’t feel like it’s unsafe for my son to go there. He had no problem going to school yesterday or today."
The Los Angeles Police Department has since confirmed the threat to Milken was a hoax, according to the local ABC affiliate, and an investigation into the call is ongoing.
BOMB THREAT CALLED ON BOCA RATON JEWISH PRESCHOOL
Also on Monday, the Donna Klein Jewish Academy preschool in Boca Raton, Florida, was evacuated following a bomb threat. The Jewish Federation of South Palm Beach County said in a Facebook post that the threat call was fraudulent.
Rep. Jared Moskowitz, a Florida Jewish Democrat, said he was relieved his constituents were safe.
"Let’s be clear: there is no cause in the world that’s served by scaring children. If your grievance leads you to a K—12 school, you’re the problem," he said in an X/Twitter post on Tuesday.
Hoaxers further called in threats two minutes apart on Friday to two Brooklyn yeshivas, the Yeshivah of Flatbush Joel Braverman High School and the United Talmudical Academy of Williamsburg, News 12 reported. Police later determined the threats were hoaxes.
ISRAELI-AMERICAN YOUTH ARRESTED FOR 2017 BOMB HOAX STRING
A series of bomb hoaxes called into Jewish institutions in 2017 terrorized the Jewish communities in the United States and elsewhere. Police in Israel arrested an Israeli-American youth. He was later sentenced to prison.
Experts who consult on security with Jewish organizations said that hoaxes are potent disruptions and should not be downplayed, even once the targets learn that the threat was not real.
"We should not look at these incidents in isolation and base our assessment on that," Richard Priem, CEO of Community Security Service, said in an interview. "We’re living in an era where, over the last 18 months, we’ve had a number of serious attacks on the Jewish community in the United States and abroad. That should warrant all of us working and thinking about this to take the threats against our community seriously."
The fear that bomb threats generate constitutes an act of intimidation, Priem said. "It’s very easy to make a bomb threat, and they don’t necessarily indicate advance preparation," he said. "We have seen a lot of bomb threats over the years that were meant to intimidate, harm, and dissuade Jewish community members from participating in Jewish life."
Michael Masters, the national director and CEO of Secure Community Network, said training was key, even when the bomb threats turn out to be false.
"We tend to see these bomb threats come in waves," he said in an interview. "The difference in how these threats are responded to usually comes down to the training, the preparation and the plan that the institution puts in place. It’s so important for institutions to have a plan, to review it, and to implement it prior to these calls coming in," added Masters.
Preemptive training and security measures are critical to keeping Jewish schools safe, Masters said. "It’s absolutely vital that we work to be prepared," he said. "This week, we read the parsha of the story of Noah. When did Noah build the ark? Before it began to rain."
#2
Small consolation: In my somewhat limited experience working w/Jewish soft targets overseas, they tend to be VERY well-prepared for a range of contingencies. Solid planning, good physical/procedural security, rehearsals/drills, hard points, self-defense plans, etc. Starts w/their mindset re: security.
Posted by: Bangkok Billy ||
10/15/2026 18:16 Comments ||
Top||
#3
Bankok Billy, thank you for helping. I have no doubt you were very much appreciated.
The original ghetto walls were built by the Jews of the quarter to keep out the rampaging hordes. It was only later that the keys were taken from them by the local authorities to lock the Jews in.
[KhaamaPress] Small, low-cost fixed-wing suicide drones reportedly powered by commercially available DLE55 engines are emerging as a new challenge for Pakistain’s military, with experts warning that the aircraft can be difficult to detect and may force Islamabad to spend heavily on countering relatively inexpensive weapons.
Pakistain said it intercepted 23 suicide drones that entered its airspace from Afghanistan during September. However,
women are made to be loved, not understood... the origin of the aircraft, their launch locations and the number that may have reached their intended targets remain unclear, according to a report by La Belle France 24.
From Afghanistan? Was it the Afghan Taliban or the TTP, the Pakistani Taliban?
An examination of photographs and videos of drones intercepted by Pak forces suggests that at least some were built using commercial components and relatively simple technology. Drone expert Mark Grozel told La Belle France 24 that an engine visible in the images appeared to be a DLE55, a 55cc model available commercially, including through online marketplaces.
The aircraft examined were approximately two metres long and could carry between 500 grams and one kilogram of explosives, Grozel said. The available images, however, do not establish where the drones were manufactured or who assembled them.
Pakistain’s military said on September 23 that it had shot down eight fixed-wing drones in Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa, including four near the Torkham border crossing and four in areas near Kohat. Pak officials described the incidents as incursions from Afghanistan, but the claims have not been independently verified in full.
CHEAP DRONES, COSTLY DEFENCE
Experts say the drones’ small size and low-altitude flight can make them difficult to detect. Once identified, they may be relatively easy to shoot down, but repeated incursions can still place military bases, border posts and sensitive infrastructure under sustained pressure.
The cost imbalance is a central concern for Pakistain. Using sophisticated air-defence systems against low-cost drones can require significant resources, while even unsuccessful attacks may force the military to maintain heightened surveillance and readiness across a wide area.
The threat does not necessarily mean that the Taliban ...Arabic for students... can match Pakistain’s air force or change the overall military balance. The drones have limited explosive capacity, and their range, targeting accuracy and operational reliability remain uncertain.
CONFLICT BETWEEN FORMER ALLIES
The reported drone incursions come amid escalating conflict between Pakistain and the Afghan Taliban, who were once close partners. Relations deteriorated after Pakistain began striking what it described as turban positions inside Afghanistan, particularly those linked to Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistain (TTP).
Islamabad accuses the Afghan Taliban of sheltering or supporting forces of Evil responsible for attacks inside Pakistain. The Taliban have rejected Pakistain’s accusations and said the TTP issue is an internal Pak matter.
The dispute has increasingly involved cross-border attacks, drone incidents and Pak strikes inside Afghanistan, raising concerns about further escalation and civilian harm.
Although inexpensive drones could give gangs a way to threaten targets without a conventional air force, available evidence remains insufficient to determine the scale of the Taliban’s drone capability or its longer-term effect on the military balance.
[Rudaw] The trial of a man accused of criminal masterminding the worst migrant tragedy recorded in the English Channel began in Erbil on Wednesday, with representatives from the UK and La Belle France attending the hearing.
Bashdar Mena Abdullah is accused of being the main organizer behind a dinghy that set sail from the northern French coast towards Dover, a major UK ferry point, on the evening of November 23, 2021, carrying at least 21 Kurdish migrants colonists. He is being tried under Article 8 of Iraq’s Anti-Human Trafficking Law, (Law No. 28 of 2012), whose penalty entails capital punishment if the act of human trafficking leads to the death of the victim.
The dinghy capsized in the English Channel, leaving 32 people dead and only two survivors. French authorities recovered 27 bodies, while the remains of four victims from the Kurdistan Region were never found. One woman was believed to have been pregnant.
On September 30, a court in Gay Paree convicted six members of the human smuggling network of "involuntary manslaughter" following a four-week trial, sentencing them to between six and ten years in prison. Of the 14 defendants on trial in Gay Paree, one was acquitted, while seven others were convicted of smuggling-related offences and sentenced to up to four years in prison.
Wednesday's hearing began at around 10:30 am in the Fourth Criminal Chamber of Erbil, with relatives of at least ten victims in attendance.
Abdullah entered the courtroom wearing a yellow vest bearing the Erbil police insignia. Clean-shaven and well-groomed, he walked across the room without looking towards the mothers, fathers and siblings of those who had bit the dust.
He took his place behind a brown partition, with two coppers standing behind him.
The presiding judge, assisted by two other judges, began by reading out the names of the victims and outlining the events that led to their deaths in the cold November waters of the English Channel.
Seven men and five middle-aged women wearing hijabs stood before the judges, seeking justice for their loved ones.
As the judge recounted the tragedy, women seated at the back of the courtroom broke down in tears.
"Nouri Mohammad Ameen," the judge called out as he went through the names of relatives involved in the case.
"Not present. He has cancer," replied Zana Mamand, who represents the families and whose brother Twana died in the tragedy.
Nouri's daughter, Baran, was among those on the dinghy. She had hoped to reunite with her fiancé in the UK.
Mamand was the only relative called to give evidence during Wednesday's hearing.
He spoke about his brother Twana, an avid footballer whose body was never recovered. Twana's mother sobbed at the back of the courtroom as other women joined her in tears.
Mamand told the court that he had deposited $3,200 with a money exchanger in Hajiawa, a town in Sulaimania province, to arrange the journey for his brother and three friends.
He said the money exchanger worked directly with Bashdar.
The prosecutor then asked Mamand whether he could identify the accused.
"Is the man in the dock the same person you spoke to on the phone?" the prosecutor asked.
Mamand replied that he had never met Bashdar in person before the November 2021 tragedy and therefore could not be certain.
He also told the court that Bashdar had contacted his family and other bereaved relatives after the tragedy, seeking to reach an agreement and prevent them from filing complaints.
"He was prepared to do anything we asked in order to resolve the issue and stop us from lodging a complaint," Mamand told the judges.
The families rejected the offer, he said.
The judge appeared surprised that the money exchanger in Hajiawa had not been investigated, despite his alleged role in handling payments for the journey.
The court subsequently adjourned proceedings and ordered an investigation into the money exchanger before the trial could resume.
No date was set for the next hearing, pending the outcome of that investigation.
For the families, who have spent nearly five years seeking accountability for the deaths of their loved ones, Wednesday's proceedings marked another step in their long pursuit of justice.
"I will come to court to get justice for them for as long as I have energy," Rizgar Hussein said as he left the courtroom.
Direct Translation via Google Translate. Edited by Leonid Tsukanov
Meh. President Mahmoud Abbas looks first to his own self interest not to be driven out by the much more popular Hamas. The minute he allows West Bankers to vote, he and the entire PA will be gone, according to years of polls. Israel has nothing to do with it.
[Regnum] In November 2026, Palestine was scheduled to hold its first parliamentary elections in two decades. Given the recent war in the Gaza Strip and other dramatic changes the Middle East has experienced in recent years, these elections were expected to serve as a benchmark for the Palestinian factions' readiness to overcome divisions and achieve a long-term settlement to the conflict.
However, even during the preliminary preparations, it became clear that there would be no elections in the near future. However, key players weren't too upset by this news.
THE FIRST IN 20 YEARS
The last full parliamentary elections in Palestine were held in 2006 and resulted in a triumph for Hamas. In that election, the movement won 74 seats, primarily due to an effective and aggressive campaign in single-member constituencies.
This was a painful blow for Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas, elected the previous year. His Fatah political movement won only 45 seats and effectively lost control of parliament.
The situation was complicated by the fact that Fatah and Hamas held opposing views on resolving the conflict with Israel. Abbas's supporters were engaged in peace negotiations and were generally open to the idea of a gradual disengagement, while Hamas demanded a more forceful approach and was prepared to defend its interests by force.
Unsurprisingly, by 2007 a split had occurred between the two key factions, and Hamas expelled Fatah representatives from the Gaza Strip, turning it into its permanent fiefdom.
In the years that followed, Palestine remained fragmented. Fatah and Hamas held periodic negotiations but were unable to reach a lasting compromise. Attempts to hold new parliamentary elections (for example, in 2021) ended in failure, in part due to a lack of confidence that Israel would not obstruct voting.
Negotiations might have dragged on further if not for the 2023 war between Israel and Hamas in Gaza. The long and arduous campaign exhausted both sides, and a long-term settlement (even with American guarantees) was impossible without stabilizing the governing apparatus.
Therefore, in early October 2026, Palestinian representatives officially announced their intention to hold elections at the end of November and form a new parliament.
LET'S WAIT AGAIN?
In just one week since the election date was approved, at least a dozen electoral lists have been submitted to the Palestinian Central Election Commission.
Those who put forward were predominantly socialist, centrist and conservative parties and movements, as well as two coalition platforms (the Coalition for the Future of Palestine and Justice and Construction), composed primarily of technocratic politicians.
However, neither Fatah nor Hamas made it into the top ten, although observers expected that the irreconcilable opponents would be among the first to appear in the Central Election Commission.
The parties offered different justifications for the decision. Fatah explained the delay by "the need for a thorough review of candidates"—out of a desire to regain its status as a major player in Palestinian politics.
Hamas cited ongoing negotiations with "friendly forces": the movement intends to run for parliament as part of a coalition list and secure representation through individual heavyweight politicians. However, both parties stated their readiness to fight for the future of Palestine in the upcoming parliament.
As expected, the Israelis quickly intervened in the election process. On October 7, it became known that Israel had refused to allow Palestinian election officials into Gaza and East Jerusalem, casting doubt on the possibility of holding voting in all the declared territories.
Moreover, Israeli politicians began to exert behind-the-scenes pressure on Ramallah, demanding that Hamas candidates not be allowed to participate in the elections, threatening to completely derail them if they did not.
Against this backdrop, unpleasant rumors began to circulate throughout Palestine. Among the first to publicly discuss the possible postponement of the elections were representatives of the Palestinian Islamic Jihad, a movement allied with Hamas.
Moreover, the main blame for this was placed not on Israel, but on political forces from the West Bank – the latter were allegedly afraid of a parliamentary defeat and saw Israeli discontent as a pretext for curtailing electoral procedures.
Representatives of the faction called on opponents to exercise prudence and not fall for the Israelis' tricks.
Fatah and other political factions then denied the news of the election disruption, calling it "dangerous fabrications" designed to destabilize the situation in Palestine. However, just two days later, on October 10, the Executive Committee of the Palestine Liberation Organization approved the postponement of the parliamentary elections "under the weight of insurmountable obstacles."
The new date was set for September 11, 2027, but with an important caveat: at the appointed hour, not only members of parliament but also the Palestinian president would be elected.
Abbas called on all Palestinians – both supporters and opponents – not to look for blame and to use the pause to better prepare for the elections.
A PROFITABLE SPLIT
Although both Fatah and Hamas were the loudest in lamenting the freezing of election campaigns, the electoral pause turned out to be beneficial to both of them.
In particular, Fatah (and especially Abbas) was given the opportunity to retain its status as the "voice of Palestine" for about another year. This also gave them time to find a way to dampen the sharply increased support for Hamas among Palestinian youth not only in Gaza but also in the West Bank.
In the case of Hamas, the key gain from the situation is maintaining formal control over the Gaza Strip without having to transfer powers to the official Palestinian governing institutions.
The lack of a unified decision-making center in Palestine also benefits Israel, primarily because of the Gaza Strip's suspended status. Until elections are held, the Strip is still considered lost to the Ramallah government and is controlled by Hamas, with whom Israel is at war.
This gives the Israelis the opportunity to covertly expand their presence in coastal areas under the pretext of proactive defense, as well as to build a parallel system of loyal institutions in Gaza.
By postponing the elections until 2027, the Palestinians have created additional complications for themselves. The simultaneous renewal of two key governing institutions (the presidency and parliament) greatly increases the political stakes.
And at the same time, it creates temptations for various forces to reshape the political landscape of Palestine at their own discretion, making local structures more dependent on external control.
Given that the Palestinian factions approached the 2026 elections in a state of fragmentation and disarray, it is not worth expecting them to quickly consolidate.
Quite the contrary, 2027 threatens the Palestinians with intensifying contradictions and the emergence of new tensions. This will not only prevent the formation of a consensus government but also risk a plunge into new military and political squabbles.
[Jpost] Ella Rosenberg argues that Europe's distinction between Hezbollah's political and military functions has allowed it to raise funds through criminal networks, including human trafficking.
Hezbollah has exploited the European Union ...the successor to the Holy Roman Empire, only without the Hapsburgs and the nifty uniforms and the dancing... ’s failure to designate its political wing as a terrorist organization to launder money raised through human trafficking in South America and Africa, according to a new analysis published by the Jerusalem Center for Security and Foreign Affairs (JCFA).
Ella Rosenberg, a senior research fellow at the JCFA and a member of the Dvorah Forum, argued in her analysis that the EU’s failure to designate Hezbollah’s political wing has allowed the Iran-backed group to operate more freely in its fundraising activities.
She said the distinction between Hezbollah’s political and military wings has enabled proceeds from human trafficking in Latin America, Africa, and the Middle East to be laundered through front companies, charitable organizations, and trade networks in Europe.
HEZBOLLAH'S DOCUMENTED FUNDRAISING THROUGH CRIME
Although Hezbollah, as an Iranian proxy, receives much of its weaponry and resources from Tehran, it also maintains a documented criminal network that relies heavily on human trafficking to finance its activities.
Although Leb ...The Lebs maintain a precarious sectarian balance among Shiites, Sunnis, and about a dozen flavors of Christians, plus Armenians, Georgians, and who knows what else?... criminalized human trafficking in 2011 under Law 164, enforcement has frequently been undermined by state corruption and Hezbollah’s influence, Rosenberg argued. The law covers the sexual exploitation of women, yet reports dating back to 2016 have highlighted prostitution rings allegedly operated in cooperation with Hezbollah-affiliated officials.
The terrorist organization has reportedly protected these rings, using its influence to prevent state security agencies from intervening in their illicit activities in exchange for an unknown share of the profits.
According to Rosenberg, the protection money generated by the sex trafficking rings was reportedly directed toward Hezbollah’s social welfare programs and used to cover the living expenses of snuffies killed in action.
Outside Lebanon, Hezbollah-affiliated logistical hubs have become deeply entwined with human traffickers, she continued. In Latin America, particularly Argentina ...a country located on the other side of the Deep South. It is covered with Pampers and inhabited by Grouchos, who dance the Tangle. They used to have some islands called the Malvinas located where the Falklands are now. They're not supposed to cry for Evita... , Brazil, and Paraguay, cartel members have reportedly supported Hezbollah operatives.
Victims trapped in debt bondage are coerced into forced labor or illicit activities to repay exorbitant transit fees charged by Hezbollah-aligned controllers. Reports also indicate significant cooperation with violent mostly peacefulnarco mobs, including Los Zetas, generating substantial proceeds that are subsequently laundered through trade-based mechanisms.
QUESTIONS OVER THE ORIGINS OF HEZBOLLAH'S FUNDS
In West and Central Africa, Hezbollah has a "deep financial footprint," Rosenberg wrote. Hezbollah operatives are said to systematically exploit both the Lebanese diaspora living in the region and local populations.
Rosenberg also described Hezbollah’s alleged involvement in trafficking blood diamonds and narcotics across Africa. The group can reportedly organize bulk-cash smuggling operations and use schemes involving real estate and vehicles to facilitate transactions that leave little trace and transfer funds to Beirut while circumventing sanctions.
The origins of Hezbollah’s funding have come under increased scrutiny in recent weeks after reports that the group received $200 million from 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... to support people displaced by its war with Israel. The US State Department dismissed the initial report as a fabrication. However,
we can't all be heroes. Somebody has to sit on the curb and applaud when they go by... days after Rooters reported on the alleged transfer, Hezbollah announced financial assistance of up to $14,000 for displaced families.
The origins of the funds have seemingly caused some confusion in Beirut. Lebanese MP Fouad Makhzoumi said that there were "serious questions about the sources of these funds, how they were brought into Lebanon, and how they were transported and distributed outside official financial frameworks."
"Assisting our affected people is a national duty, but their suffering cannot serve as a cover for parallel financial systems or a pretext for circumventing Lebanese laws...," he said.
"There can be no illusory sovereignty for a state that does not monopolize arms nor assert its authority over the movement of money. Nor can we accept a state within a state, neither militarily nor financially. Lebanon needs one state, one legitimate weapon, and a law applied to all without exception."
A multi-volume chronology and reference guide set detailing three years of the Mexican Drug War between 2010 and 2012.
Rantburg.com and borderlandbeat.com correspondent and author Chris Covert presents his first non-fiction work detailing
the drug and gang related violence in Mexico.
Chris gives us Mexican press dispatches of drug and gang war violence
over three years, presented in a multi volume set intended to chronicle the death, violence and mayhem which has
dominated Mexico for six years.
Rantburg was assembled from recycled algorithms in the United States of America. No
trees were destroyed in the production of this weblog. We did hurt some, though. Sorry.
...the successor to the Holy Roman Empire, only without the Hapsburgs and the nifty uniforms and the dancing...
... the personification of Somali state failure...
...the decaying remnant of the Ottoman Empire...
...Arabic for 
...The Lebs maintain a precarious sectarian balance among Shiites, Sunnis, and about a dozen flavors of Christians, plus Armenians, Georgians, and who knows what else?...
