[GEO.TV] Taliban ...the Pashtun equivalent of men... authorities have barred chess across Afghanistan until further notice over concerns it is a source of gambling,
…chess???
which is illegal under the government's morality law, a sports official said on Sunday.
Wasn’t chess invented in ancient Persia? I guess to the Taliban that taints it as a Shiite vice — and you know what they are like, dear Reader.
The Taliban government has steadily imposed laws and regulations that reflect its austere vision of Islamic law since seizing power in 2021.
An austere vision very little affected by any actual knowledge of Quran and Hadith whatsoever, it has been reported. Which would explain where they got this harebrained notion.
"Chess in sharia (Islamic law) is considered a means of gambling," which is prohibited according to the Propagation of Virtue and Prevention of Vice law announced last year, sports directorate spokesperson Atal Mashwani told AFP.
"There are religious considerations regarding the sport of chess," he said.
"Until these considerations are addressed, the sport of chess is suspended in Afghanistan," he added.
Mashwani said the national chess federation had not held any official events for around two years and "had some issues on the leadership level".
Azizullah Gulzada owns a cafe in Kabul that has hosted informal chess competitions in recent years, but denied any gambling took place and noted chess was played in other Moslem-majority countries.
"Many other Islamic countries have players on an international level," he told AFP.
He said he would respect the suspension but that it would hurt his business and those who enjoyed the game.
"Young people don't have a lot of activities these days, so many came here everyday," he told AFP.
"They would have a cup of tea and challenge their friends to a game of chess."
Afghanistan's authorities have restricted other sports in recent years and women have been essentially barred from participating in sport altogether in the country.
Last year, the authorities banned free fighting such as mixed martial arts (MMA) in professional competition, saying it was too "violent mostly peaceful" and "problematic with respect to sharia".
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[ShabelleMedia] The United States has reaffirmed its decision not to provide financial support for the African Union ...a union consisting of 53 African states, most run by dictators of one flavor or another. The only all-African state not in the AU is Morocco. Established in 2002, the AU is the successor to the Organisation of African Unity (OAU), which was even less successful... ’s peacekeeping mission in Somalia under its current funding and operational structure, leaving a $96 million gap that threatens the future of the mission, according to diplomatic sources.
The decision came during a recent meeting in Washington between AU officials and U.S. representatives, who echoed the same position outlined during an earlier gathering in Kampala. There, two American diplomats made clear the U.S. would not contribute funds unless substantial reforms were made to how the mission is structured and managed.
In hopes of salvaging support, the African Union sent a delegation to Washington seeking at least partial financial backing. But the talks concluded without any commitment from the Biden administration.
The AU mission, now known as the African Union Stabilization Support Mission in Somalia (AUSSOM), is grappling with a growing financial crisis. It reportedly owes $96 million in unpaid salaries and operational costs, with several months of troop wages outstanding. The situation has raised concerns about morale and the mission’s ability to operate effectively on the ground.
The funding shortfall has increased pressure on Ugandan President Yoweri Museveni ...President-for-Life of Uganda. He assumed office in 1985. His primary virtue is being prefereable to both his predecessors, Idi Amin and Milton Obote... , a key backer of the mission and one of its largest troop contributors. Museveni is reportedly watching closely as the mission approaches a scheduled drawdown within the next 60 days.
The financial uncertainty adds to the already fragile security environment in Somalia, where AU troops have long played a central role in battling al-Shabaab ... Somalia's version of the Taliban, functioning as an arm of al-Qaeda... gunnies and supporting national stabilization efforts.
[IsraelTimes] No immediate reports of Israeli strikes; military calls for civilians to stay away from ports ‘until further notice’
The Israel Defense Forces on Sunday evening issued an "urgent" evacuation warning to the three 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... -controlled ports in western 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... , ahead of potential Israeli strikes.
The warning came after the Houthis fired several ballistic missiles and drones at Israel in recent days, since the Israeli Air Force struck the Houthi-controlled airport in Sanaa and several other facilities last week in response to a Houthi ballistic missile that impacted inside the grounds of Ben Gurion Airport last Sunday.
In a post on X, the IDF’s Arabic-language front man Col. Avichay Adraee warned those at the Ras Isa, Hodeidah, and Salif ports on the western coast to evacuate.
"Due to the Houthi terror regime’s use of ports for its terror activities, we urge all those present at these ports to evacuate and stay away from them for your own safety until further notice," he said.
A report by Rooters, citing the Houthi interior ministry, claimed that Israel targeted Hodeidah port following the warning. Israeli military sources said no strikes had been carried out as of Sunday night. There were no reports in Houthi media of strikes either.
On Friday afternoon, the Houthis fired a ballistic missile that triggered sirens across central Israel. The IDF reported that the missile was successfully intercepted by air defenses.
Defense Minister Israel Katz warned then that Israel would respond. "The Houthis continue to launch Iranian missiles at Israel. As we promised, we will respond, strongly in Yemen and anywhere else necessary," he said in a statement.
The Friday attack came three days after the US announced that it had reached a ceasefire with the Yemeni terror group.
Direct Translation via Google Translate. Edited.
[KavkazUzel] In Leninaul, despite agreements with the authorities, a Chechen mosque built in the 19th century has been demolished, village residents said.
As the "Caucasian Kno" wrote, the Aukhovsky district, where the Chechen-Akkintsy lived compactly, was liquidated in 1944 after Stalin's deportation of the Chechens and Ingush. In the northwestern part of the district's territory, the Novolaksky District was formed, this part was populated by Laks from the mountainous part of Dagestan,
…who are Sunnis…
and the southeastern part of the district was transferred to the neighboring Kazbekovsky District together with the villages of Yurt-Aukh and Aktash-Aukh and populated by Avars
…so are they...
from the neighboring village. Thirteen years later, in 1957, the Akkin Chechens, like the rest of the deported Vainakh peoples, were allowed to return to their historical homeland.
The deportation of the Vainakhs is directly linked to the unresolved issue of the rights of the Chechens of Dagestan, who have been waiting for the restoration of the Aukhovsky District for almost 30 years, according to the "Caucasian Knot" report "The Main Thing About Aukh: What the Chechens Demand from the Dagestan Authorities."
A video recording of Chechens complaining about the demolition of a mosque in the village of Leninaul in the Kazbekovsky district of Dagestan was published on the Instagram Aktash-Aukh public page.
The video shows three men standing in front of a building and a tractor.
"We are standing on the spot where the old Chechen mosque stood, built by the Chechens of the village of Aktash-Aukh. This is confirmed by the census, which was conducted by the tsarist authorities in 1885, 1889 ( the first and only census of the Russian Empire took place on January 28 (February 9), 1897 - note from the "Caucasian Knot"). It is indicated there that there are four functioning mosques in the village of Aktash-Aukh. The one located here was one of these quarter mosques," said one of the men in the recording.
According to him, the Chechens "have repeatedly appealed to all authorities" to "preserve our historical memory." He reported that a meeting was held on May 7, at which an agreement was reached that the mosque would not be built for the time being, but it was already demolished on the morning of May 8.
At the end of the video there is a photograph of a small building with several cars parked near it.
The video was also posted on his Telegram channel by blogger Tumso Abdurakhmanov. "The situation is tense. Neither Kadyrov nor any of his subordinates are interfering in any way or commenting on what is happening," he emphasized.
By 23:44 Moscow time, the Telegram channels of the head of Chechnya Ramzan Kadyrov, State Duma deputy Adam Delimkhanov, the Commissioner for Human Rights in Chechnya Mansur Soltayev, and the head of the Chechen Ministry of Nationalities Akhmed Dudayev did not contain any comments in connection with the demolition of the mosque.
Let us recall that the restoration of the Aukhovsky district, which was planned to be completed by 2025, has actually been stopped for many years, the resettlement of the Laks and the construction of new houses have been disrupted, Dagestani activists state.
February 23, 2025 marked 81 years since the beginning of Stalin's deportation of the Vainakhs. At a rally dedicated to this date, Chechen Prime Minister Magomed Daudov voiced a demand to return housing in the former Aukhovsky District of Dagestan to the descendants of the repressed. A mourning rally with the participation of more than 500 people was also held on February 23 in the village of Novokuli in the Novolaksky District of Dagestan.
[Twitchy] Democrats love to pretend the morons who take to the streets and encourage others to punch people are somehow an organic movement, but of course, they're not. We're finding out that nine times out of 10, someone somewhere is paying them to do it.
And that someone is usually a Soros.
Twitchy favorite @DataRepublican put together a thread on the violent, so-called anti-Nazi protest in New York City yesterday, and gosh, golly, gee, once again this was not organic at all.
🧵THREAD: Who’s really behind the protests?
Today in Manhattan, an "emergency protest" popped up with a professionally printed banner reading: "𝑾𝒐𝒖𝒍𝒅’𝒗𝒆 𝑭𝒐𝒖𝒈𝒉𝒕 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝑵𝒂𝒛𝒊𝒔? 𝑵𝒐𝒘’𝒔 𝒀𝒐𝒖𝒓 𝑪𝒉𝒂𝒏𝒄𝒆!"
[Rudaw] The Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK) declared its dissolution and an end to its armed struggle against The Sick Man of Europe Turkey ...the decaying remnant of the Ottoman Empire... on Monday, marking a huge step toward a peaceful resolution to the decades-long conflict with Ankara.
"The PKK’s 12th Congress decided to dissolve the PKK’s organizational structure and end the armed struggle method, with the practical process to be managed and carried out by Leader Apo [Abdullah Ocalan], and ended the work carried out under the PKK name," PKK-affiliated Firat news agency cited a statement from the group as saying.
The PKK on Friday said it had held a congress to consider a call from its tossed in the slammer Drop the gat, Rocky, or you're a dead 'un! leader Ocalan to lay down arms, dissolve the party, and pursue a political struggle.
The pro-Kurdish Peoples’ Equality and Democracy Party (DEM Party), which has played a role in bringing the PKK and Ankara together and has made multiple visits to Ocalan, welcomed the congress.
"A new page is opening on the path to honorable peace and democratic solution. As the DEM Party, after this historic turning point, we believe in the necessity for all democratic political institutions, especially the Ottoman Turkish Grand National Assembly [parliament], to take responsibility for the solution of the Kurdish issue and the true democratization of Turkey," the party said on Friday.
The PKK declared a unilateral ceasefire at the start of March while it considered Ocalan’s call for peace.
Ottoman Turkish officials have publicly continued their hardline stance on the PKK. On Friday, Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan said that disarmament alone is "not enough" and President His Enormity, Sultan Recep Tayyip Erdogan the First ...Turkey's version of Mohammed Morsi but they voted him back in so they deserve him. It's a sin, a shame, and a felony to insult the president of Turkey. In Anatolia did Recep Bey a stately Presidential Palace decree, that has 1100 rooms. That's 968 more than in the White House, 400 more than in Versailles, and 325 more than Buckingham Palace, so you know who's really more important... said Turkey is determined to rid itself of the "scourge of terror."
The PKK was founded in 1978 in response to the oppression of the Kurdish population in Turkey. It initially struggled for an independent Kurdistan but now calls for greater political and cultural rights within Turkey. Ankara and its Western allies consider the group a terrorist organization.
A similar grinding of the peace processor begun between the PKK and the Ottoman Turkish state in 2013 collapsed two and a half years later.
[GEO.TV] British security and defence analyst Professor Michael Clarke remarked on Saturday that Pakistain may have caught India off guard with the strength of its military hardware and technical capabilities, The News reported, citing Sky News.
In an interview with British news outlet, Clarke stated that India would likely view Pakistain's display of strength as a sign of risk-taking.
''The Indians might have been surprised by the hardware that the Paks brought to bear,'' he said, ''because as we're now discovering they've used quite a lot of their Chinese-based technology, and the attention at the moment is focused on the J-10 fighter.''
Clarke added that it appeared one of Pakistain's J-10 jets may have downed a Rafale, one of the French-made fighter aircraft in India's arsenal. ''And undoubtedly,'' he continued, ''the Paks have used their HQ-9, anti-aircraft missiles, which again may have been rather effective.''
''So I think the Indians might have been surprised by the technical abilities that Pakistain seems to have absorbed with their Chinese equipment, but they won't have been surprised by the bellicosity of [Gen Asim] Munir because they rather expected that,'' he further added.
He also said that partly, India's response has been to try to, as it were, teach (Gen) Munir a lesson that they really are prepared to do whatever it takes, and indeed they've deployed a carrier battle group of their Western fleet.
''It's sitting only 300 miles off Bloody Karachi ...formerly the capital of Pakistain, now merely its most important port and financial center. It is among the largest cities in the world, with a population of 18 million, most of whom hate each other and many of whom are armed and dangerous... , which is a sort of threat to go in for a more general war, unless the Paks found a way of backing down from this position. Unfortunately, the international community has given them a line that they can both top out at.''
He said both sides have agreed to a ceasefire which has been pushed so hard and, to its credit, by the Trump administration and US Secretary of State Marco Rubio ...The diminutive 13-year-old Republican U.S. Senator from Florida, Secretary of State in the second Trump administration... . However,
some men learn by reading. A few learn by observation. The rest have to pee on the electric fence for themselves... he said, they (the US administration) were rather late in getting on this, as this thing had been going on since Tuesday but now it seems their words have made a difference.
US President Donald Trump ...dictatorial for repealing some (but not all) of the diktats of his predecessor, misogynistic because he likes pretty girls, homophobic because he doesn't think gender bending should be mandatory, truly a man for all seasons... said on Saturday that India and Pakistain had agreed to a "full and immediate ceasefire" after a fourth day of strikes and counter-strikes against each other's military installations.
Pakistain's foreign minister also said both countries had agreed to a ceasefire "with immediate effect" and India's foreign ministry said it would start at 5pm Indian time (1130 GMT).
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[GEO.TV] Pakistain on Sunday observed 'Youm-e-Tashakkur' (thanksgiving day) to celebrate armed forces' befitting response to Indian aggression under 'Operation Bunyan-um-Marsoos'.
Rallies were held across the country including in Bloody Karachi ...formerly the capital of Pakistain, now merely its most important port and financial center. It is among the largest cities in the world, with a population of 18 million, most of whom hate each other and many of whom are armed and dangerous... , Lahore, Islamabad, Rawalpindi, Beautiful Downtown Peshawar ...capital of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, administrative and economic hub for the Federally Administered Tribal Areas of Pakistan. Peshawar is situated near the eastern end of the Khyber Pass, convenient to the Pak-Afghan border. Peshawar has evolved into one of Pakistain's most ethnically and linguistically diverse cities, which means lots of gunfire... , Quetta and other cities to pay tribute to the exceptional valour of the armed forces and appreciate the unity of the entire nation.
According to a statement issued by the Media Wing of the Prime Minister's Office, the PM said the 'Operation Bunyan-um-Marsoos' gave an effective and befitting response to the enemy's aggression, adding that the country proved its superiority at every front.
He said that despite India's aggression, Pakistain maintained its defence with resilience and demonstrated full readiness to deal with the situation.
The premier urged the nation and the Ulema (religious scholars) to offer collective prayers and Nawafils across the country as an expression of gratitude to Allah Almighty.
He called for holding special prayers for the blessings of deaders and Ghazis, saying that the sacrifices of the Pak armed forces could never be forgotten. The nation stands by their side, he added.
The development came following US President Donald Trump ...The cad! Twice caught beating wimmin!... 's declaration that Pakistain and India had agreed to a ceasefire after Pakistain's military response to Indian aggression.
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[GEO.TV] Pakistain has welcomed the US President Donald Trump ...Oh, noze! Not him!... 's offer to work with Pakistain and India to achieve a ''solution'' for the longstanding Kashmir ...a disputed territory lying between India and Pakistain. After partition, the Paks grabbed half of it and call it Azad (Free) Kashmir. The remainder they refer to as "Indian Occupied Kashmir". They have fought four wars with India over it, the score currently 4-0 in New Delhi's favor. After 72 years of this nonsense, India cut the Gordian knot in 2019, removing the area's special status, breaking off Ladakh as a separate state, and allowing people from other areas to settle (or in the case of the Pandits, to resettle) there.... dispute and appreciated his willingness to support peace efforts following days of military festivities.
''We acknowledge with appreciation the constructive role played by the United States, alongside other friendly states, in supporting the recent ceasefire understanding between Pakistain and India; a step towards de-escalation and regional stability,'' the Foreign Office said in a statement.
The two countries, born out of British colonial rule in 1947, have gone to war three times — twice over the region of Kashmir.
New Delhi blames Islamabad for an insurgency in IIOJK that began in 1989 and has killed tens of thousands. It also claims Pakistain-based groups for attacks elsewhere in India — a claim consistently rejected by the government in Islamabad.
Pakistain says it provides only moral, political and diplomatic support to the Kashmiri people.
[OneIndia] India will engage with Pakistan solely through communication between their respective Directors General of Military Operations (DGMOs), and there will be no dialogue on contentious issues such as Kashmir or the Indus Waters Treaty, which currently remains suspended, according to a Hindustan Times report.
Following four days of intense hostilities-during which both nations targeted each other's military positions using drones, missiles, and long-range weaponry, heightening fears of a full-scale conflict-the DGMOs reached an agreement on Saturday afternoon to cease all military activity.
The two commanders are scheduled to resume communication via their dedicated hotline at midday on May 12.
Speaking on condition of anonymity, the individuals dismissed suggestions from the United States-particularly from President Donald Trump and Secretary of State Marco Rubio-regarding potential mediation on Kashmir and wider bilateral talks at a "neutral venue", as well as American claims of facilitating a "ceasefire".
Saturday's arrangement to halt all land, air, and maritime hostilities was made directly between India and Pakistan, they stressed.
"From the outset, we have been clear that the only communication between India and Pakistan will occur at the DGMO level, and it will be direct," one source stated. "There will be no political-level discussions."
Claims from Pakistan's leadership-including Deputy Prime Minister Ishaq Dar-regarding alleged contact between the countries' national security advisers and foreign ministers were described as "utterly false".
The sources also denied the existence of any indirect engagement via third parties.
"We are absolutely firm that any meaningful communication must happen directly between the DGMOs," another source added.
New Delhi maintains there is nothing to negotiate with Islamabad concerning Kashmir, other than the return of territories in Jammu and Kashmir that India considers to be "illegally occupied" by Pakistan.
"There is no further discussion to be had. They must return the territory, and they can do so directly. No intermediaries are necessary," said the second source.
India will continue to enforce the diplomatic, political, and economic punitive measures imposed on Pakistan following the Pahalgam terrorist attack, particularly the suspension of the Indus Waters Treaty of 1960-a pact that endured through three wars.
This was a key decision by the Cabinet Committee on Security in the wake of the Pahalgam attack and conveyed a clear message: Pakistan's support for terrorism will come at an increasingly steep cost.
The Indus Waters Treaty was founded on the principles of goodwill, friendship, and neighbourly cooperation-principles which, according to Indian officials, Pakistan has disregarded through its persistent support for cross-border terrorism.
"Pakistan cannot expect cooperation in areas beneficial to them while perpetuating cross-border terrorism," said one of the individuals.
India has, over the past few years, sought to modernise the treaty to make it more relevant and effective under present-day circumstances, invoking Article 12 of the treaty for government-level negotiations.
Officials noted the treaty is outdated, grounded in mid-20th century engineering and now misaligned with current realities such as climate change, glacial melt, shifts in water availability, and demographic pressures.
"There is a legitimate need to reassess the allocation of rights and responsibilities under the treaty. We have approached Pakistan for such discussions over the last two years, but they have persistently refused to engage-this in itself constitutes a treaty violation," said the first source.
The officials added that Pakistan's campaign of cross-border terrorism has altered the security dynamics in Jammu and Kashmir, directly affecting India's ability to fully utilise its rights under the Indus Waters Treaty.
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[GEO.TV] As an uneasy calm settled over villages on the Azad Jammu and Kashmir ...a disputed territory lying between India and Pakistain. After partition, the Paks grabbed half of it and call it Azad (Free) Kashmir. The remainder they refer to as "Indian Occupied Kashmir". They have fought four wars with India over it, the score currently 4-0 in New Delhi's favor. After 72 years of this nonsense, India cut the Gordian knot in 2019, removing the area's special status, breaking off Ladakh as a separate state, and allowing people from other areas to settle (or in the case of the Pandits, to resettle) there.... (AJK) on Sunday, families returned to their own beds but were sure to leave their bunkers stocked.
More than 60 people were killed in four days of intense conflict between arch-rivals Pakistain and India before a US-brokered truce was announced on Saturday.
At heart of the hostilities is Kashmir, a mountainous Moslem-majority region divided between the two countries where the heaviest casualties are often reported.
On the Pakistain side of the heavily militarised de facto border, known as the Line of Control (LoC), families wearied by decades of sporadic firing began to return home — for now.
"I have absolutely no faith in India; I believe it will strike again. For people living in this area, it's crucial to build protective bunkers near their homes," said Kala Khan, a resident of Chakothi which overlooks the Neelum River that separates the two sides and from where they can see Indian military posts.
His eight-member family sheltered through the night and parts of the day under the 20-inch-thick concrete roofs of two bunkers.
"Whenever there was Indian shelling, I would take my family into it," he said of the past few days.
"We've stored mattresses, flour, rice, other food supplies, and even some valuable belongings in there."
According to an administrative officer in the region, more than a thousand bunkers have been built along the LoC, around a third by the government, to protect civilians from Indian shelling.
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[OneIndia] In a press briefing on India-Pakistain ceasefire, Lieutenant Gen Rajiv Ghai, the Director General of Military Operations (DGMO), disclosed that it killed around 35 to 40 Pak soldiers between May 7 and 10. He added that India lost five soldiers in Operation Sindoor.
Lieutenant Ghai highlighted that Operation Sindoor commenced on the nights of March 7 and 8. The operation caught Pakistain off guard and resulted in the elimination of over 100 terrorists. Among those neutralised were high-profile targets such as Yusuf Azhar, Abdul Malik Rauf, and Mudassir Ahmed. These individuals were linked to significant terror incidents like the IC-814 hijacking and the Pulwama attack.
OPERATION SINDOOR'S IMPACT
The operation's success was underscored by its ability to thwart repeated aerial attacks on airfields and dumps. Lieutenant Ghai mentioned that these assaults were effectively countered. The Pak Army suffered casualties due to artillery and small arms fire along the Line of Control during this time frame.
Lieutenant Ghai emphasised that Operation Sindoor was a strategic move that significantly impacted terrorist activities. The operation not only targeted gunnies but also disrupted their operations, thereby enhancing security in the region.
CASUALTIES ON BOTH SIDES
The Indian Army's actions led to substantial losses for Pakistain, with an estimated 35 to 40 soldiers killed. However,
if you can't be a good example, then you'll just have to be a horrible warning... India also faced losses, with five soldiers losing their lives during the operation. This highlights the intense nature of the conflict along the Line of Control.
The successful execution of Operation Sindoor demonstrates India's commitment to combating terrorism. By targeting key figures involved in past attacks, India aims to prevent future threats and ensure regional stability.
May 12, 2025, 8:42 AM IST
India Rules Out IWT, Kashmir Talks With Pakistan; Limits Engagement To DGMO Level Only
India will engage with Pakistan solely through communication between their respective Directors General of Military Operations (DGMOs), and there will be no dialogue on contentious issues such as Kashmir or the Indus Waters Treaty, which currently remains suspended, according to a Hindustan Times
May 11, 2025, 10:39 PM IST
Major points from the press conference held by DGMO Lieutenant General Rajiv Ghai, Air Marshal AK Bharti and Vice Admiral AN Pramod, on Operation Sindoor:
1. Over 100 terrorists killed in the action. 11 air bases in Pakistan destroyed. Indian Army inflicted heavy damage in response to Pakistan’s intrusion.
2. High-value targets eliminated include: Yusuf Azhar, Abdul Malik Rauf, Mudassir Ahmad.
3. 9 confirmed terror camps, based on multi-agency intelligence. Key Targets: Bhawalpur (terrorist training camp) and Muridke (another key terrorist training site)
4. Even after the ceasefire, wave of UAVs and small drones intruded into Indian civilian and military areas. • These drones were successfully intercepted.
5. A befitting response was given by Indian armed forces. Further, all field commanders have been authorised to take appropriate action in case of any ceasefire violation.
May 11, 2025, 10:18 PM IST Delhi
"Our forces remained forward deployed in the Arabian Sea in a decisive posture with full readiness and capacity to strike select targets in sea and on land, including Karachi at the time of our choosing," said Vice Admiral AN Pramod.
08:54 (IST) May 12
First 'peaceful night' along J&K, border areas in days, says Army
Following the chaos and all the skirmishes that had kept the areas along the northern and western International Borders (IB) up during the night for the past few days, the region has largely remained peaceful during the intervening night of May 11 and May 12, the Army stated.
According to the Army, the region of Jammu and Kashmir and other areas along the IB were calm, and no incidents of the violation of the cessation of hostilities were reported.
The army noted that this marked the first calm night in recent days following the cross-border firing, heavy artillery shelling and drone attacks by Pakistan in response to India's Operation Sindoor, launched in retaliation for the April 22 terror attacks, which dismantled major terror sites in Pakistan and in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK).
"The night remained largely peaceful in Jammu and Kashmir and other areas along the international border. No incident has been reported, marking the first calm night in recent days," the Indian Army stated.
For the past few days, the border regions in Jammu and Kashmir, Rajasthan, Punjab and Gujarat were witnessing chaotic and sleepless nights due to Pakistan's heavy shelling and attempted drone attacks, which were aimed at disrupting peace along the region.
04:57 (IST) May 12 India agreed to pause as 'main objectives had already been achieved'
Deep precision airstrikes with BrahMos supersonic missiles and other standoff weapons on several crucial airbases in Pakistan early Saturday proved to be decisive in the escalating hostilities between the two nations, causing the US to step in and push for a truce.
India agreed as it had achieved its three main objectives — political, military and psychological — according to govt sources.
The ceasefire was the result of direct engagement between Indian and Pakistani officials, with Islamabad agreeing to the terms with "no preconditions, no postconditions, and no links to other issues."
This comes after the armed forces carried out precision strikes on terrorists hotspots in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir under 'Operation Sindoor'.
Follow live blog: PM Modi chairs high-level meeting a day after India-Pakistan ceasefire announcement
Following India's action, Pakistan launched missiles and drones across LoC and International Borders which were intercepted by Army's air defence systems.
Here are the punitive actions that will remain in effect:
SUSPENSION OF INDUS WATERS TREATY
The Indus Waters Treaty will remain in abeyance, government sources confirmed. “There are no preconditions to the ceasefire agreement reached on Saturday, and the IWT will remain suspended,” sources in the ministry of external affairs said.
Brokered by the World Bank in 1960, the treaty governs the distribution and use of the Indus River and its tributaries between India and Pakistan.
The treaty has historically benefited Pakistan, which receives about 80% of the total water flow from these rivers—vital for agriculture, particularly in the provinces of Punjab and Sindh.
INTEGRATED CHECK POST TO REMAIN SHUT
The Integrated check-post at Attari will also remain shut. The Attari-Wagah border crossing between India and Pakistan was completely closed following a week of heavy cross-border movement.
The check post at Attari in Punjab was closed, and those who crossed over with valid documentation were instructed to return through that route before May 1.
TRADE BAN
The prohibition on all imports from Pakistan, whether direct or routed through intermediary nations, will also continue.
Additionally, Pakistan-registered vessels are barred from entering Indian ports, and Indian ships are prohibited from accessing Pakistani harbors—reflecting a tougher diplomatic stance.
A newly incorporated provision under “Prohibition on Import from Pakistan” in the Foreign Trade Policy (FTP) says, “Direct or indirect import or transit of all goods originating in or exported from Pakistan, whether or not freely importable or otherwise permitted, shall be prohibited with immediate effect, until further orders.”
CLOSURE OF AIRSPACE
India will continue to enforce the closure of its airspace to flights originating from or traveling through Pakistan, a measure that came into effect on April 30.
This move will force foreign carriers that typically overfly Pakistani airspace after exiting Indian airspace to take longer, alternate routes.
BAN ON PAKISTANI ACTORS AND ARTISTS
In the interest of national security, India will maintain its ban on Pakistani actors and artists performing within the country.
In addition, all OTT platforms, media streaming services, and intermediaries operating in India are required to discontinue web series, films, songs, podcasts, and other digital content of Pakistani origin—whether available via subscription or otherwise.
VISA SERVICES FOR PAKISTANI CITIZENS
India will continue the suspension of all types of visas for Pakistani nationals.
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Following the Pahalgam terror attack, the government had suspended all categories of visas for Pakistani citizens and instructed those already in India to leave by April 27. However, medical visas were given an extension until April 29, after which they were also revoked.
“In continuation of the decisions made by the Cabinet Committee on Security (CCS) in the wake of the Pahalgam terror attack, the Government of India has decided to suspend visa services to Pakistani nationals with immediate effect,” the Ministry of External Affairs stated.
The ministry also advised Indian nationals currently in Pakistan to return at the earliest.
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05/12/2025 00:00 ||
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[IsraelTimes] Kan files police complaint after man makes throat-slitting gesture and spits at Israeli delegation; Palestinians flags fly as participants walk ‘turquoise carpet’ to open contest
Israel’s Yuval Raphael walked the "turquoise carpet" event in front of a crowd of protesters on Sunday, as the opening ceremony parade officially kicked off the Eurovision Song Contest week in Basel, Switzerland ...home of the Helvetians, famous for cheese, watches, yodeling, and William Tell... A man was filmed threatening Raphael and the Israeli delegation, leading Israel’s Kan public broadcaster to file a complaint with Swiss police.
Paleostinian flags were seen flying in the crowd and along the parade route, the most visible flag waved by spectators.
As she came out of the city hall, Raphael waved and blew kisses to the crowd and posed for photographs, waving the Israeli flag. One person held up a sign reading: "No applause for genocide." Another read: "Singing while 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... burns."
A smattering of boos were also heard as Raphael stepped onto the carpet.
In a video filmed by a member of the Israeli delegation, a man waving a Paleostinian flag and wearing a keffiyeh was seen making a throat-slitting gesture and spitting toward the Israeli procession during the "turquoise carpet" event.
In a statement, Kan said it sent a message to the European Broadcasting Union asking for help in identifying the man. Asked to comment, the EBU said it was a matter for Swiss police.
Last year, Israel’s contestant Eden Golan skipped the turquoise carpet event due to security concerns, as well as its overlap with Holocaust Remembrance Day.
Raphael, a survivor of the October 7, 2023, Hamas ..a contraction of the Arabic words for "frothing at the mouth",... massacre at the Nova music festival, will perform in the second semifinal on Thursday evening, hoping for a spot in Saturday’s grand final.
The 24-year-old Israeli singer said she hopes her song "New Day Will Rise" will send a message of healing and solidarity.
She told The Times of Israel ahead of her departure for Basel that she is focused on the music and not the "background noise."
"There are things that I can control and things that I can’t control. Ultimately, there’s no point investing energy in something I can’t control," she said. "The most important thing to me is to bring honor to my country and do the best I can."
Ahead of the event, experts said they did not expect protests on the same level as last year, in part because the European Broadcasting Union, which organizes the competition, has systematically and repeatedly rejected all appeals to have Israel barred.
Bless them for having strong morals.
Public anti-Israel sentiments in Switzerland are also not believed to be as high as those in Sweden.
Still, last week, Israel’s National Security Council released a travel advisory for Israelis traveling to Basel for the annual song contest, warning Israelis to avoid demonstrations and refrain from displaying Jewish or Israeli symbols.
’HEART OF EUROPE’
Eurovision celebrates kitsch, and plenty of dazzling outfits were on show as the 37 competing countries’ entrants took their place in the parade.
Switzerland hosted the inaugural Eurovision Song Contest in 1956, then staged it for a second time in 1989.
Basel is located right on the border with La Belle France and Germany.
"The moment we have eagerly awaited is finally here. The stage is ready. Excitement fills the air, and the entire city is buzzing with a unique and vibrant energy," said Conradin Cramer, president of the Basel City canton.
"The ESC is the most groundbreaking Swiss invention, after the pocket knife, the zipper, and bircher muesli."
"Basel, located in the heart of Europe, is the perfect place to unite people by music," he said, before declaring Eurovision 2025 officially open.
PARADE AND PROTESTS
Vintage trams and buses took the performers along the so-called "turquoise carpet" parade route — the longest in Eurovision history at 1.3 kilometers (0.8 miles).
Eurovision fans lined the route, joining in the party atmosphere in the hot sunshine.
The parade was accompanied by drummers, carnival groups, marching bands, alphorn players and techno acts as they crossed the River Rhine over the Mittlere bridge, ending up at the "Eurovision Village" fan zone.
Switzerland is hosting after Swiss vocalist Nemo won Eurovision 2024 in Malmo with the highly personal song "The Code," about non-binary gender identity.
Nemo has joined calls for Israel to be thrown out of the show.
"I support the call for Israel’s exclusion from the Eurovision Song Contest," the singer told the Huffington Post news website. "Israel’s actions are fundamentally at odds with the values that Eurovision claims to uphold — peace, unity, and respect for human rights ...which are usually open to widely divergent definitions... Dozens of former participants also joined calls for Israel to be banned from the event, penning a letter published last week demanding that the EBU suspend Israel’s participation, which the broadcasting union rejected.
"Last year, we were appalled that the EBU allowed Israel to participate while it continued its genocide in Gaza," the letter read, calling the 2024 contest "the most politicized, chaotic and unpleasant in the competition’s history."
The signatories to the letter accused Kan, Israel’s public broadcaster and an EBU member, of being "complicit in Israel’s genocide against the Paleostinians in Gaza and the decades-long regime of apartheid and military occupation against the entire Paleostinian people."
In a statement to The Times of Israel, Martin Green, the director of the competition, said that while the EBU understands "the concerns and deeply held views," its goal is to maintain "a universal event that promotes connections, diversity and inclusion through music."
For decades, Eurovision has positioned itself as a non-political contest, but geopolitics has undeniably filtered into the proceedings most years. This year, public broadcasters from Slovenia, Spain, Iceland and Ireland have called on the EBU to reconsider Israel’s participation, to no avail.
Despite animosity on the ground, in last year’s competition Israel came second in the popular vote, with voters in 14 different countries giving it the most possible points — twelve. It was far less successful in the jury votes, and ended up fifth place overall.
[IsraelTimes] International Criminal Court chief prosecutor heard of allegations against him just weeks before seeking arrest of Netanyahu and then-defense minister Gallant
International Criminal Court Chief Prosecutor Karim Khan allegedly forced sexual intercourse upon a member of staff on multiple occasions, the Wall Street Journal said Saturday, in a report that questioned whether the allegations may have prompted his decision to issue arrest warrants for Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and then-defense minister Yoav Gallant.
The report said that at the time — weeks after the Hamas ..the well-beloved offspring of the Moslem Brotherhood,... -led October 7, 2023, onslaught — Khan was coming under increasing pressure to take action over Israel’s military campaign 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... , and that he had been lashing out at his team.
A Malaysian lawyer in her 30s reportedly asked to meet with Kahn to ask him to change the manner in which he interacted with the staff. In response, he summoned her to his suite in the Millennium Hilton Hotel next to the UN headquarters in New York.
According to the report, the woman testified to UN officials that Khan started to touch her in a sexual manner, something that she said had been occurring for a number of months.
Vile and inexcusable.
"She said she attempted to leave the room several times, but he took her hand and eventually pulled her to the bed. Then he pulled off her pants and forced sexual intercourse, according to the testimony," the report said.
"He always holds on to me and leads me to the bed," she said in testimony reviewed by the Journal. "It’s the feeling of being trapped."
The report said the woman, a married mother, claimed it was one of multiple incidents of "coerced sexual intercourse" but that she stayed in the job because she felt it was an important role in human rights ...not to be confused with individual rights, mind you... , and she was additionally paying for medical care for her mother. The report said she also began to fear retaliation if she were to complain.
The woman alleged that Khan carried out "nonconsensual sex acts" in New York, Colombia, Congo, Chad, and Gay Paree, as well as at a residence owned by his wife in The Hague, the report said.
Khan, through his lawyers, told the newspaper that it is "categorically untrue that he has engaged in sexual misconduct of any kind."
The newspaper said that just two and a half weeks after Khan learned of the allegations, on May 20, 2024, he announced his intention to issue arrest warrants for Netanyahu and Gallant over the war in Gaza, in addition to Hamas leaders. The day before, he had canceled a fact-finding mission to Israel and Gaza for which he had pressed then-US secretary of state Anthony Blinken to convince Israel to grant him access to Gaza, the report said, citing a May 3, 2024, phone call between the two. According to the newspaper, it was at that time that Khan found out about the allegations against him.
"The timing of the announcement has spurred questions about whether Khan was aiming to protect himself from the sexual-assault allegations. The day before announcing the warrant application, Khan abruptly canceled a trip to Israel and Gaza that he had previously said was important to make his decision," the report said.
According to the Journal, Alan Dershowitz had been organizing a meeting that was set to take place during the trip between Khan and Netanyahu.
Lawyers for Khan denied any connection between the allegations and the warrants.
Khan said the fact that the ICC judges approved the warrants shows that the evidence for them "met the rigorous legal threshold required." The report also noted that already in March 2024, Khan had notified US State Department officials that he intended to seek the arrest warrants, and that was before the allegations were made against him.
However,
there's no worse danger than telling a mother her baby is ugly... court officials told the newspaper that the arrest warrants ensured support for Khan from anti-Israel countries if the allegations were to become public and additionally discouraged his accuser from coming forward.
The woman allegedly told Sherlocks that Khan had informed her that her accusations would harm the investigation into the Gaza war.
"Think about the Paleostinian arrest warrants," she said he told her, according to her testimony.
The woman, a Moslem, was said to support investigations of Netanyahu, Gallant, and Hamas. She reportedly later told colleagues she didn’t want to harm the arrest warrant process by filing a complaint. On April 29 of that year, she eventually told officials about the alleged assaults, and on May 5, the ICC’s internal investigation agency contacted her.
Goodness. So many reasons for this married muslimah to sacrifice her chastity. Could it be that her judgement is skewed?
On November 24, 2024, the ICC issued warrants for Netanyahu and Gallant. The Prime Minister’s Office panned the move in a statement as an "antisemitic decision" and asserted that it stemmed from Khan’s efforts to "save his skin from the serious charges against him for sexual harassment" as well as the beliefs of "biased judges motivated by antisemitic hatred of Israel."
ICC Warrants were also issued against three Hamas leaders, all of whom have since been killed by Israel.
I seem to recall that all three were already dead when their ICC warrants were issued, but possibly I misremember.
Last month, it was reported that United Nations ...an organization originally established to war on dictatorships which was promptly infiltrated by dictatorships and is now held in thrall to dictatorships... Sherlocks examining the allegations of sexual misconduct were also looking into allegations that Khan retaliated against staff who reported the allegations or were critical of his handling of the matter.
Khan has alleged that the accusations against him were part of an effort to undermine the ICC. The Journal report said that court officials were concerned that the Mosssd ...sees all, knows all, gets 'em all in the end... was operating at The Hague. No further details were given.
Khan remains in his position. The ICC did not respond to a Journal request for comment.
[Rudaw] Over a decade after the Islamic State ...formerly ISIS or ISIL, depending on your preference. Before that they were al-Qaeda in Iraq, as shaped by Abu Musab Zarqawi. They're really very devout, committing every atrocity they can find in the Koran and inventing a few more. They fling Allah around with every other sentence, but to hear western pols talk they're not really Moslems.... (ISIS) launched its brutal attack on the Yazidi heartland of Shingal (Sinjar) in northern Iraq, the fate of approximately 2,500 Yazidis remains unknown, a Kurdish official told Rudaw on Sunday, adding that most of the missing are believed to be in Syria.
Hussein Qaidi, head of the Office for Rescuing Abducted Yazidis — affiliated with the Kurdistan Region Presidency — stated that "around 2,500 Yazidis remain missing to this day, the majority of whom are believed to be in Syria, particularly in the northeast [Rojava]."
On Friday, families of the missing staged a rally in Shingal, urging the Iraqi government to press on the new authorities in Syria to help find their loved ones.
Qaidi noted that some of the missing Yazidis are believed to be held in the infamous al-Hol camp in northeastern Syria, while others may have been transferred abroad.
The al-Hol Camp located in Syria’s Hasakah province, currently holds over 40,000 people - mainly women and kiddies with alleged or confirmed ties to ISIS. The majority of the camp’s residents are Iraqis and Syrians, and security is maintained by the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF).
Since ISIS's territorial defeat in Iraq (2017) and Syria (2019), al-Hol has drawn international concern as a potential breeding ground for extremism.
Qaidi on Sunday added that his office, which functions directly under the Kurdistan Region President Nechirvan Barzani, has successfully rescued 3,587 Yazidis so far. These include women, men, and children who were kidnapped during ISIS’s 2014 assault on Shingal and surrounding areas.
In June 2014, ISIS seized large parts of northern and western Iraq. Two months later, in August, the group launched a devastating campaign against the Yazidi community in Shingal, abducting 6,417 Yazidi women and kiddies. Many were subjected to sexual slavery and forced labor.
Approximately 200,000 Yazidis were displaced from Shingal during the onslaught, and many remain in displacement camps across the Kurdistan Region, especially in Duhok province.
The United Nations ...boodling on the grand scale... has officially recognized ISIS’s crimes against the Yazidis as genocide.
Qaidi confirmed that the rescued Yazidis, though now free, are in dire need of psychological support. He highlighted a 2015 agreement between the Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) and the German government, under which around 1,090 survivors were sent to Germany for treatment.
Since then, additional survivors have been sent to Australia, Canada, and the United States for similar assistance. "Those who go abroad for psychological treatment are free to return or stay in those countries, based on their own choice," Qaidi said.
Posted by: trailing wife ||
05/12/2025 00:00 ||
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[IsrelTimes] The IDF’s Nahal Brigade has been withdrawn from the West Bank after three months of operations, ahead of an upcoming major offensive in the Gaza Strip, the military says.
“Now, the Nahal Brigade is preparing as part of the 162nd Division for additional missions in the Gaza Strip ahead of the expansion of the fighting in the Strip,” the army says.
According to Israeli officials, the planned offensive, dubbed “Gideon’s Chariots,” will see the IDF “conquering” Gaza and retaining the territory; moving the Palestinian civilian population toward the south of the Strip; attacking Hamas; and preventing the terror group from taking control of humanitarian aid supplies.
[IsraelTimes] After five months of operations in southern Syria, the Paratroopers Brigade is being deployed to southern Israel ahead of an upcoming major offensive in the Gaza Strip, the military says.
The paratroopers have been operating in the Golan Heights and inside Syria since the fall of the Bashar al-Assad regime in December.
The military says the brigade has concluded its operations and is now preparing with the 98th Division for “additional missions in the Gaza Strip ahead of the expansion of the fighting in the Strip.”
A reservist brigade will be replacing the paratroopers in the Golan and southern Syria, the army adds.
It’s NBC, so possibly true, possibly not. Or possibly true but it doesn’t matter because that’s their process.
[IsraelTimes] US President Donald Trump and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu are said to be increasingly at odds with one another over their contrasting visions for the Middle East, and in particular for the Gaza Strip.
Citing unnamed US officials, NBC reports that Trump is opposed to Netanyahu’s plans for a new, significantly expanded operation in the Gaza Strip, and has privately called it a wasted effort that will interfere with his vision to rebuild the enclave.
Netanyahu, meanwhile, is said to be growing increasingly frustrated with the US approach to Iran amid the nuclear talks and after Washington struck a deal with the Houthis, agreeing to end its intensive bombing campaign in return for an end to the Iran-backed group’s maritime attacks.
Speaking to NBC, one US official says Israel is “worried about any deal” that the US could sign with Iran to thwart its nuclear ambitions.
To that end, two US officials say Netanyahu has privately dismissed the negotiations as a waste of time, arguing that even if a deal is forged, Tehran will inevitably break it.
Israel would rather take action and strike Iran’s nuclear facilities, the report says, and believes that the opportunity to do so is shrinking more the longer talks continue.
Israeli and US officials have vehemently denied the reported tensions between Trump and Netanyahu, with US Ambassador Mike Huckabee calling the reports “reckless and irresponsible.”
Netanyahu is also said to have denied the reports of a growing rift between him and Trump, in leaked remarks from a closed meeting of the Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee earlier today.
“There are no gaps between us and the Americans,” Netanyahu is quoted as saying by Channel 12 news pundit Amit Segel.
He adds that Strategic Affairs Minister Ron Dermer is in the US “every few days,” and that reports about disagreements between the prime minister and his American counterpart over Iran or the Houthis “is a campaign” being spread “for political reasons.”
The premier is quoted as saying that Israel “didn’t ask for permission to attack the Houthis, and we’re not asking for permission for our war plans in Gaza. The Americans volunteered to get involved with the Houthis and said they would leave when it ‘stops.’”
#2
Would be neither surprising nor unreasonable if Trump thought Netanyahu’s plan would not work. But don’t see him disagreeing enough to do anything about it. And would be surprised if the leak is real.
[IsraelTimes] Two Palestinian sources familiar with issues concerning Palestinian security prisoners tell the Times of Israel that the Palestinian Authority has, as of this month, stopped paying the salaries of 1,612 prisoners held in Israeli prisons.
The move comes as the PA is implementing its new welfare system, which will offer stipends to Palestinians strictly based on financial need and will not account for the length of one’s prison sentence, as was the case in the previous scheme.
PA President Mahmoud Abbas signed a decree in February cancelling legislation that codified the old so-called “pay-to-slay” system, but it has taken time to come into effect, and some prisoners have continued receiving stipends based on the old policy until now.
Last month, The Times of Israel revealed that the PA invited the US to certify that the new system is in place starting June 1.
[IsraelTimes] Israel wasn’t told in advance about release, which is being made unconditionally by Hamas in hope that US will coax Jerusalem to accept deal to end war in exchange for remaining hostages
Hamas ..always the voice of sweet reason... was set to release American-Israeli hostage Edan Alexander on Monday after over 580 days in captivity, with the Paleostinian terror group agreeing to the move as a gesture of goodwill to US President Donald Trump ...dictatorial for repealing some (but not all) of the diktats of his predecessor, misogynistic because he likes pretty girls, homophobic because he doesn't think gender bending should be mandatory, truly a man for all seasons... ahead of his trip to the region, hoping that he will in turn coax Israel to sign a deal freeing the remaining hostages in exchange for an end to the war, a US official, a Paleostinian official and a third source familiar with the matter told The Times of Israel on Sunday.
US special envoy to the Middle East Steve Witkoff called Alexander’s parents Yael and Adi on Sunday afternoon to inform them of the news, a US official said. The Alexanders flew to Israel with US hostage envoy Adam Boehler on Sunday night in order to arrive in time for Alexander’s release. Witkoff was slated to fly to Israel separately from Oman, where he held the fourth round of nuclear talks with Iran ...a theocratic Shiite state divided among the Medes, the Persians, and the (Arab) Elamites. Formerly a fairly civilized nation ruled by a Shah, it became a victim of Islamic revolution in 1979. The nation is today noted for spontaneously taking over other countries' embassies, maintaining whorehouses run by clergymen, involvement in international drug trafficking, and financing sock puppet militias to extend the regime's influence. The word Iran is a cognate form of Aryan. The abbreviation IRGC is the same idea as Stürmabteilung (or SA). The term Supreme Guide is a the modern version form of either Duce or Führer or maybe both. They hate JewsZionists Jews. Their economy is based on the production of oil and vitriol... on Sunday.
"The entire family is now on the way to Israel," Edan’s father, Adi, told the Ynet news site. "We were completely surprised to receive the call from Witkoff. We knew about the negotiations but not about such a dramatic development."
Boehler himself tweeted that the news of Alexander’s release was a positive step forward, adding: "We would also ask that Hamas release the bodies of four other Americans that were taken." The bodies of slain hostages Itay Chen, Omer Neutra, Gadi Haggai and Judith Weinstein Haggai are among the 59 captives still held by Hamas. Up to 24 of those hostages are believed to still be alive.
Hamas has said it is willing to release all of the hostages at once in exchange for an end to the war, but Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has refused such an exchange, arguing that it would leave Hamas in power.
Hamas is hoping that releasing Alexander will be enough to convince Trump to push Netanyahu to accept the trade, the source familiar with the matter said.
The source added that Hamas was assured by a mediator that Alexander’s release "would go a long way" with Trump, who wants to see the remaining hostages released and for the war in Gazoo
...Hellhole adjunct to Israel and Egypt's Sinai Peninsula, inhabited by Gazooks. The place was acquired in the wake of the 1967 War and then presented to Paleostinian control in 2006 by Ariel Sharon, who had entered his dotage. It is currently ruled with a rusty iron fist by Hamas with about the living conditions you'd expect. It periodically attacks the Hated Zionist Entity whenever Iran needs a ruckus created or the hard boyz get bored, getting thumped by the IDF in return. The ruling turbans then wave the bloody shirt and holler loudly about oppression and disproportionate response... to end.
Certain security measures need to be taken in order for the release to move forward, such as Israel halting military operations and drone surveillance of parts of the Strip, as it has had to do in previous releases, a source involved in the process told The Times of Israel.
Alexander, a dual citizen who grew up in New Jersey, was serving in the Israel Defense Forces at the time of his abduction. He was kidnapped from his base during the October 7, 2023, Hamas-led onslaught that started the war in Gaza.
In a statement, Hamas said the decision to release Alexander came after recent talks with US officials and "intensified efforts to achieve a ceasefire, open border crossings, and allow humanitarian aid into the Gaza Strip."
It did not say when Alexander would be released. The officials who spoke with The Times of Israel said that — contrary to Hamas’s claim — no direct talks were held between the terror group and the US.
Hamas in its statement also said that it was prepared to enter intensified negotiations aimed at reaching a final agreement to end the war, establish a mutually "agreed prisoner exchange, and enable Gaza to be administered by an independent professional authority."
Hamas uses the term "prisoner exchange" to refer to the release of hostages in exchange for Paleostinian security prisoners, including Death Eaters convicted of murdering Israelis.
"This was a step taken in good faith towards the United States and the efforts of the mediators — Qatar ...an emirate on the east coast of the Arabian Peninsula. It sits on some really productive gas and oil deposits, which produces the highest per capita income in the world. They piss it all away on religion, financing the Moslem Brotherhood and several al-Qaeda affiliates. Home of nutbag holy manYusuf al-Qaradawi... and Egypt — to put an end to this very brutal war and return ALL living hostages and remains to their loved ones," Trump said on his social media platform Truth Social on Sunday evening. "Hopefully this is the first of those final steps necessary to end this brutal conflict. I look very much forward to that day of celebration!"
Qatar and Egypt welcomed the news in a joint statement, calling it "a gesture of goodwill and an encouraging step toward a return to the negotiating table to achieve a ceasefire in the Gaza Strip, the release of prisoners and detainees, and ensure the safe and unhindered flow of aid to address the tragic conditions in the Strip."
The US did not brief Israel on the effort to release Alexander until after the deal with Hamas was reached, the source familiar with the details of Alexander’s release told The Times of Israel.
Israel was generally aware that efforts were ongoing, but only knew about them from its own intelligence operations. On Sunday evening, Witkoff updated Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Strategic Affairs Minister Ron Dermer about the development, the US official said.
Netanyahu’s office confirmed that the US had informed Israel that Hamas would release Alexander "without any compensation or conditions," and as a gesture of goodwill to the US.
"The US conveyed to Israel that this move is expected to lead to negotiations for the release of additional hostages, based on the original Witkoff proposal — which Israel has already accepted," said the PMO in a statement, referring to a framework that sources have told The Times of Israel was in fact proposed by Israel, under which around half the living hostages would go free in exchange for an extended truce, with the rest being later freed in exchange for an end to the war.
Israel was making preparations for the potential release, the PMO continued, adding that "according to Israeli policy, the negotiation will take place under fire, with a firm commitment to achieving all the objectives of the war."
Earlier Sunday, multiple reports quoted Netanyahu as telling the Knesset’s Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee that Hamas could release Alexander during Trump’s visit, and welcomed the possibility, adding: "These are very critical days."
The backchannel was operated by a non-governmental individual who passed along messages between Hamas’s leadership in Qatar and US special envoy to the Middle East Steve Witkoff, the sources said, while declining to reveal the identity of the person on the record.
The backchannel was opened last month, with the person urging Hamas to release Alexander unconditionally, telling the terror group that the move would go a long way with the Trump administration and potentially open the door to Washington coaxing Israel to agree to a deal that would bring about an end to the war in Gaza in exchange for the release of the remaining hostages — a trade Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has until now rejected, arguing that it would leave Hamas in power.
Hamas for weeks pushed back against freeing Alexander unconditionally and presented the third-party backchannel with proposals that would have seen Israel take various steps in exchange for the 21-year-old’s release.
The go-between warned Hamas last week that such offers wouldn’t fly and that time was not on the group’s side, with Israel planning to launch a major operation to gradually re-occupy the entire Gaza Strip once US President Donald Trump wraps up his trip to the region on Friday. Trump will depart on Monday for Saudi Arabia before making stops in Qatar and the United Arab Emirates. He is not slated to visit Israel on this trip.
Over the weekend, Hamas informed the go-between that it had agreed to release Alexander unconditionally but wanted Witkoff to know that the step should not be viewed as a one-off, the sources said. Hamas stressed to the mediator that it was ready to work with the Trump administration to secure a permanent ceasefire in Gaza with security arrangements in order to ensure a yearslong calm until a final settlement of the conflict is reached, the sources said.
In a statement, the Prime Minister’s Office says Jerusalem has made no further promise for a ceasefire or for the release of Palestinian security prisoners.
“The expected release of IDF soldier Edan Alexander [by Hamas] without getting anything in return, will be possible thanks to the determined policy we led, with the backing of [US] President [Donald] Trump, and thanks to IDF troops’ military pressure in the Gaza Strip,” the PMO says.
“We are in critical days in which Hamas is facing a deal that would enable our hostages’ release,” it adds. “Negotiations will continue under fire and amidst preparations for the intensification of the fighting.”
Direct Translation via Google Translate. Edited. by Leonid Tsukanov
[REGNUM] In the months since the scandal with the Qatari lobby in Israel, the emphasis in the case has changed significantly.
The former lead defendant, Eli Feldstein, whose removal began the investigation into what would later become "Qatargate," was at some point relegated to the "background" of the scandal.
But the case now has not only a "civilian" aspect, but also a military one. It turned out that the "Qatari lobby" could have penetrated not only the prime minister's office, but also the army and intelligence services, ensuring Doha's secret surveillance of Israel's political course.
True, there were also those for whom this turn of history turned out to be more beneficial.
TWO ASSISTANTS - ONE JOB
The Prime Minister's Office (and Benjamin Netanyahu himself ) publicly distanced themselves from the disgraced aide in the first days after his arrest, stating that Feldstein acted on his own initiative and without the prime minister's knowledge.
But they spared no effort to save him from prison. The defendant's interests are represented in court by Amit Hadad, who defended the prime minister during the most high-profile investigations.
Of course, the allocation of “lawyer No. 1” can be seen as Netanyahu’s desire to protect his own reputation (and stay in power), but for Feldstein, who is under investigation, even this kind of help came in handy.
Another former assistant to the prime minister, Jonathan Urich, is experiencing much greater pressure from the investigation. He was arrested later than Feldstein, but rather quickly transformed from a simple lobbyist for Qatari interests into one of the key figures in the case.
It was Urich who was credited with the role of financial intermediary, ensuring the circulation of funds within the framework of "Qatargate". We are talking about hundreds of thousands of dollars that were paid from the Qatari treasury and were used to whitewash Doha's reputation.
True, unlike Feldstein, Urich was not a civil servant and worked in the office as a volunteer. This meant that he had the opportunity to openly collaborate with foreign governments.
Moreover, Qatar (even in the absence of diplomatic relations with Tel Aviv) was not considered a hostile country, and Israeli business was actively building up behind-the-scenes ties in Doha.
In other words, Urich's receipt of the notorious "suitcases of money", if it did take place, was not reprehensible. Just like his participation in whitewashing Qatar's reputation. And this is a fundamental difference from those involved who were "in charge" during the scandal.
However, such arguments were not enough for the court, and Urich was left in custody with the label of an agent of influence of Qatari intelligence.
THE TRAIL LEADS TO THE MILITARY
Of course, Urich is far from the only one accused of receiving money from Qatari agents. Along with him, several employees of the Israeli special services and army intelligence, whose names are not disclosed, are involved in the case.
The Israeli FBI (Lahav-433 police department) suspects them of collaborating with Qatari intelligence services.
Prosecutors say the suspects established ties with Qatari security operatives ahead of the 2022 World Cup and received instructions from them "via secret code" over the years.
They could theoretically ensure the penetration of the country's security system by "moles" working in the interests of the Arabian monarchy.
True, the accusations against Israeli intelligence officers are mostly based on circumstantial evidence, and therefore it has not yet been possible to fully accuse them of working for Qatar. In all cases, the case was limited to interrogations and confrontations.
However, some prosecutors believe that the roots of "Qatargate" should be sought not in 2022, but much earlier, in the mid-2010s. And therefore, in the case of "Qatar ciphers" they rushed to comb through even high-ranking retired officials of past years.
Among others questioned was General Yoav Mordechai, who served as the government's coordinator for activities in the territories of Judea and Samaria until his retirement in 2018 and served as an informal channel of dialogue between the authorities and Palestinian factions.
In addition, Mordechai has repeatedly made comments in Arabic-language media, explaining Tel Aviv’s policies, and has especially often appeared on the air of the Qatari holding Al Jazeera.
The totality of the above was enough for Israeli law enforcement to suspect the general of sympathizing with the sheikhs. Especially since Mordechai, during his time as coordinator, did not allow himself a single critical attack on Doha and maintained close ties with its politicians.
These ties were not broken even during the period when Qatar was under diplomatic blockade by its Arab neighbors. However, as in the case of the intelligence officers, no specific charges were brought against the retired general.
NETANYAHU EMERGES FROM THE ATTACK
The fuss that has arisen around the “reprehensible connections” of the military and intelligence officers is partly to the advantage of Netanyahu and his entourage. The prime minister’s camp has received a unique opportunity to turn “Qatargate” with its tip towards those who tried to use it to undermine the position of the “unsinkable Bibi.”
First of all, the new interpretation of the scandal with the “Qatari lobby” hits the position of the head of the Israeli General Security Service (Shabaq) Ronen Bar.
He entered into a protracted conflict with Netanyahu amid failures and miscalculations in the Gaza Strip and used “Qatargate” to blame ill-wishers and hold on to his seat.
Now that representatives of the security sector are involved in the case, playing the prosecutor is no longer so safe.
Moreover, the “bridge” thrown by the investigators to the intelligence services and the army will allow Netanyahu to more easily remove inconvenient figures from the vertical of power, appealing to their involvement in “Qatargate”.
As for Urich, he plays the role of a bargaining chip in this case. The Prime Minister's office thus acknowledges the fact of leaks (which have already been proven from various sides) and simultaneously removes the Prime Minister from the line of fire.
Moreover, it does so with almost no image losses, since it turns out that the main work with Qatar was carried out by a “private individual”, who at some point crossed the line of what was permitted.
Feldstein, if some of the accusations against him are proven, will get off with a minimal punishment even in the worst case scenario and, with a high degree of probability, will soon return to serve the system.
Posted by: badanov ||
05/12/2025 00:00 ||
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[IsraelNationalNews] Pope Leo XIV, in his first Sunday address since his election as head of the Catholic Church, called for an immediate ceasefire in Gaza and the release of all hostages held by Hamas, the BBC reports.
Speaking from the central balcony of St. Peter’s Basilica, the newly installed pontiff declared, "I am deeply hurt by what is happening in the Gaza Strip. May a ceasefire immediately come into effect. May humanitarian aid be allowed into the civilian population and may all hostages be freed." Tells me all I need to know about "First American Pope
In defense of 'the island chains’
[FoxNews] Tiltrotor planes are replacing Black Hawk helicopters and the Army wants them now
It’s a plane. It’s a helicopter. It’s both. Meet "FLRAA," the Army’s new tiltrotor for Future Long-Range Air Assault. This is how the Army will island hop in the Pacific to fend off China. And by the way, Chinese President Xi Jinping has nothing like it.
With a stunning announcement, the Army did more than ax 40 generals and open the door to AI. The Army bet its future on this radical aircraft, whose engines swivel to take off and land like a helicopter, or fly high and fast like an airplane.
This aircraft was on pace to enter the Army inventory in the early 2030s.
Then came the Army shake-up. On May 1, Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth directed the Army to focus more on the Indo-Pacific. In that region, sheer distance and Chinese missile threat rings are locking out current helicopters. For the mission of air assault – when troops move into hostile and contested areas by rotary-wing aircraft – the hard truth is that the Army has a looming capability gap.
"We can't actually do the large-scale, long-range air assault today" with the speed and distance required in modern warfare, Maj. Gen. Brett Sylvia, commanding general of the 101st Airborne Division (Air Assault) at Fort Campbell, Kentucky, said last year.
That’s unacceptable, given Xi’s growing appetite for military confrontation.
So now the Army wants its revolutionary plane ASAP. On Wednesday, May 7, Army Chief of Staff General Randy George told Congress he wants to move it up several years, "into the 2028 timeframe." Secretary of the Army Dan Driscoll said he met with prime contractor Bell Textron to talk about a rush order.
It’s easy to see why. The acronym-happy Army says "FLRAA" will fly 1,700 nautical miles without refueling and carry 12 passengers at a speed near 300 mph. Compare that to the 183 mph for the Black Hawk helicopter it is replacing. For pilots, the extra range, speed and survivability of a tiltrotor is a huge improvement on a helicopter. With a tiltrotor, they can zoom all over the battlespace with impunity and land any time, any place, in any conditions.
Army recruitment surges to 15-year high under Trump administration Video
You may be familiar with the V-22 Osprey, which first flew in 1989 and is now flown by the Marine Corps, Navy and U.S. Air Force special operations forces. As the first operational tiltrotor, the V-22 has had ups and downs, but beyond question, the V-22 proved itself in combat in Afghanistan. In another vivid example, in 2013, three battle-damaged Air Force MV-22s flew 500 miles from South Sudan to Entebbe, Uganda, spewing fuel, to save the lives of wounded Navy SEALs aboard.
No wonder the Army pounced on the tiltrotor concept.
However, the Army FLRAA is an all-new design based on the prototype V-280 Valor, which first flew in 2017. It is slightly smaller than the V-22, with a 47-foot fuselage consisting of an aluminum structure and carbon fiber composite skin.
The big advance for "FLRAA" is in the tilt mechanism. On the older V-22, the whole engine nacelle housing pivoted. For the Army’s aircraft, that headache is gone. The two engine nacelles stay put on the wing. Only the propellors rotate, to switch between helicopter and airplane mode. This is much safer, and the improved rotor design also increases agility and maneuverability in low-speed flight while in helicopter mode.
The other major difference is that the Army’s tiltrotor is designed as a multi-mission aircraft. Door guns on each side mark it as a dedicated air assault platform. Contrast that with the V-22 which only has a tail gun. The new Army tiltrotor also carries so-called "launched effects," which is military lingo for a variety of drones, such as self-protection decoys released to divert enemy fire, sensor drones to hunt targets, drones that do electronic warfare jamming and of course weapons drones for the kill.
With its range capability, the Army tiltrotor can drive these drones deep into the battlespace. With drone operations in mind, software matters, so the plane has an open systems digital backbone ready to plug in new systems anytime.
Even more intriguing, the FLRAA has the potential to fly by itself. At 240 knots it can deploy from Hawaii to the Philippines in 20 hours. In the future, "FLRAA" may also be able to self-deploy, moving to the theater by flying autonomously as an unmanned aircraft and rejoining with crews at a forward location.
It’s easy to see why. The acronym-happy Army says "FLRAA" will fly 1,700 nautical miles without refueling and carry 12 passengers at a speed near 300 mph. Compare that to the 183 mph for the Black Hawk helicopter it is replacing.
The Army sees the Pacific islands like a chessboard. If China threatens, the tiltrotor "FLRAA" can move soldiers rapidly to land in contested areas and block Chinese forces from taking over.
[IsraelTimes] The Al Jazeera news network reports that a joint US-Qatari search team, with the assistance of Syrian security forces, has uncovered the remains of missing US journalist Austin Tice in the Aleppo region of Syria.
The report, which cites an unnamed official Syrian source, says two other bodies were also found at the site.
Tice has been missing since 2012 after traveling to Syria to document the early days of the Syrian civil war. He disappeared near Damascus and has not been heard from since, other than in a video weeks later, in which he was blindfolded and held by armed men.
Al Jazeera reports that a former Islamic State operative revealed the location of the burial site to the search team.
Had he retired or switched allegiance to the Hayat Tahrir al Sham strong horse?
oEfforts to locate Tice have stepped up since the regime of former Syrian leader Bashar al-Assad fell to Islamist insurgents in December. Assad’s government had previously denied that it was holding him.
In response to the reports, Hostage Aid Worldwide, which has been leading the search for Tice on behalf of his family, urges the public and the media to “refrain from speculation” as to his whereabouts and condition.
“We would like to clarify that only the Tice family will issue official comments or statements regarding any ongoing developments,” it says. “These statements will be made either directly by the family or through Hostage Aid, and only once information has been verified and confirmed.”
[GEO.TV] 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... and the United States kicked off the fourth round of nuclear talks in Oman on Sunday amid a standoff over uranium enrichment, with Tehran calling it "non-negotiable", while Washington has described it as a "red line".
The negotiations follow earlier rounds that began nearly a month ago, marking the highest-level contact between the two foes since Washington withdrew in 2018 from a landmark nuclear deal, during President Donald Trump ...They hit him with slander, they impeached him twice. Nancy Pelosi tore up his State of the Union address on national TV. They stole an election and put his adherents in jail. They vilified him. They couldn't crucify him, so they shot him. Still, they can't keep him down... s first term.
"Enrichment capability is one of the honours and achievements of the Iranian nation," said Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi in a video before departing to Muscat, adding that the issue was "non-negotiable".
"We had more consultations in Tehran this morning and in this round we hope to reach a decisive point," he added.
Iran's ISNA news agency later confirmed that "indirect" talks between the two sides had begun.
Posted by: Fred ||
05/12/2025 00:00 ||
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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 Pashtun equivalent of men...
President-for-Life of Uganda. He assumed office in 1985. His primary virtue is being prefereable to both his predecessors, Idi Amin and Milton Obote...
... Somalia's version of the Taliban, functioning as an arm of al-Qaeda...
...a Zaidi Shia insurgent group operating in Yemen. They have also been referred to as the 
...Turkey's version of Mohammed Morsi but they voted him back in so they deserve him. It's a sin, a shame, and a felony to insult the president of Turkey. In Anatolia did Recep Bey a stately Presidential Palace decree, that has 1100 rooms. That's 968 more than in the White House, 400 more than in Versailles, and 325 more than Buckingham Palace, so you know who's really more important...
...The diminutive 13-year-old Republican U.S. Senator from Florida, Secretary of State in the second Trump administration...
[GEO.TV] Pakistain on Sunday observed 'Youm-e-Tashakkur' (thanksgiving day) to celebrate armed forces' befitting response to Indian aggression under 'Operation Bunyan-um-Marsoos'.
...The cad! Twice caught beating wimmin!...
...a disputed territory lying between India and Pakistain. After partition, the Paks grabbed half of it and call it 
..a contraction of the Arabic words for "frothing at the mouth",...
...sees all, knows all, gets 'em all in the end...
...formerly ISIS or ISIL, depending on your preference. Before that they were al-Qaeda in Iraq, as shaped by Abu Musab Zarqawi. They're really very devout, committing every atrocity they can find in the Koran and inventing a few more. They fling 
..always the voice of sweet reason...
...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 
