[YouTube] For six weeks the FBI surveilled the Somali restaurant, Safari Restaurant involved in Feeding Our Future scam in end-2021. The owner invoiced for serving 4000-6000 children/day, but actually averaged 40 people/day. Twelve sites in total that claimed to serve an extraordinary number of meals were surveilled for the investigation.
[PJMedia] Narco-terrorist Nicolás Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores, arrived in a Manhattan courthouse early Monday morning to make their first appearances before a judge. The appearance marked what will likely be a long legal fight.
Due to security issues, authorities flew the pair in via helicopter before getting into an armored truck and driving to the courthouse. Several news hounds and pundits on the scene said they've never seen security like this during any other legal case they've covered.
According to the New York Post, "Maduro and Flores are in separate, solitary cells inside Brooklyn’s notorious Metropolitan Detention Center — where heavily armed law enforcement members are on patrol outside."
In 2020, the United States Department of Justice unsealed indictments in the Southern District of New York (SDNY) charging Venezuela
...a country in Central America that sits on an enormous pool of oil. Formerly the most prospereous country in the region, it became infested with Commies sniffing almost unlimited wealth. It turned out the wealth wasn't unlimited, the economy collapsed under the clownish Hugo Chavez, the murder rate exceeded places like Honduras and El Salvador. A significant proportion of the populace refugeed to Colombia and points south... n Maduro and several other current and former Venezuelan officials with narco-terrorism conspiracy, cocaine importation conspiracy, possession of machine guns and other destructive devices, and conspiracy to possess machine guns and other destructive devices — four counts total.
According to the charges, Maduro and his associates led Cartel de los Soles, a drug trafficking network that involved the Venezuelan military and other figures within the regime and partnered with FARC, a Colombian guerrilla group and designated terrorist organization, to flood the United States with massive quantities of cocaine while using the proceeds to maintain power and enrich their own lives.
Up until Saturday, when Maduro was captured and arrested by the U.S. military, the United States had a $50 million reward for information leading to his arrest.
On Monday, federal prosecutors unveiled a superseding indictment that expands those original charges, adding new defendants and details about Maduro’s alleged role in the conspiracy.
The U.S. District Judge in the case is Alvin K. Hellerstein. He's 92 years old and was nominated to SDNY by Bill Clinton ...former Democratic president of the U.S. Bill was the second U.S. president to be impeached, the first to deny that oral sex was sex, the first to have difficulty with the definition of the word is... Texas Attorney Mark Donnelly is representing Flores. Maduro's attorney is Barry Pollack, who represented Julian Assange
... Australian journalist who founded WikiLeaks in 2006. WikiLeaks made the Big Time in 2010 when it published a series of leaks provided by then Bradley, since Chelsea Manning. After the 2010 leaks, the United States government launched a criminal investigation into WikiLeaks and asked allied nations for assistance. U.S. officials are seeking to prosecute Assange under the Espionage Act, blaming him for directingpublication of a huge trove of secret documents that disclosed the names of people who provided confidential information to American and coalition forces in Iraq and Afghanistan.... During his court appearance, Maduro, who spoke Spanish, said he did not know his rights but has since been informed. He also reportedly said, "I am innocent. I am not guilty. I am a decent man."
He waived the public reading of his charges and did not request bail.
He also said, "I'm the president of the Republic of Venezuela ... I am here kidnapped ... I was captured at my home in Caracas, Venezuela."
The judge replied, "Let me interfere — there will be a time and a place to go into all of this. Your counsel will be able to make motions ... at this time, I just want to know one thing: Are you Nicolás Maduro Moros?"
According to Fox News coverage (there was no video in the courtroom), he kept trying to talk, but the judge kept cutting him off, and he was very engaged in the proceedings, taking extensive notes on a legal pad. He also requested that he be able to request his notes. The Fox News team is describing him as "defiant."
Maduro reportedly asked how much he would have to pay for his attorney. The defendants' attorneys also requested that their clients receive medical care. Maduro reportedly has health issues, and Flores said she was injured during the capture.
Flores also pleaded not guilty "Wudn't me." The case now moves into the discovery phase. The judge set the next court date for March 17 at 11 a.m.
An interesting note I ran across while listening to the Bills game last night: According to this story, Russia put around six billion dollars’ worth of military aid into Venezuela. I mean, air defense systems, hardware, the whole shebang. According to several reports, those defenses never fired a shot.
It puts a different light on putting Maduro in cuffs in around three hours, doesn’t it? It also, in my mind, shows how desperately Putin wants a more solid foothold on our hemisphere. Those defenses were installed only a few months ago. Purpose? To protect Maduro, of course.
Add to this that the apparent ease of capture, the smoothness of this operation, I'm guessing, just guessing, mind you, that making sure we make sure our troops are lethal instead of allowing them to pretend to be women is actually the way the Military should have been going. I dunno about you, but I think Pete Hegseth deserves kudos and an apology, huh? Yeah, I know he won't get one, but still.
Seems to me it also should be causing the Kremlin some concern. The reasons for the lack of response and the total lack of retaliation after Maduro was taken seem to raise some questions. The support the socialists thought Maduro had wasn't there, obviously. Our administration of the place for a while is a plus from several angles. It'll give our folks the chance to examine the latest Russian hardware and software. But perhaps of greater import, maybe the support Maduro had among the people was not nearly as good as some made it.
Who was it that under-estimated how much Maduro was hated? Russia, Cuba, and Iran, and the leftists here in the states who are looking for an uprising against our being there. I'm seeing people who are supposedly American say that should happen. I see the same text under different names, as is usual with these things, trying to stir up an anti-American rebellion. Fox is reporting that Marxist cells here in the States are trying to incite riots in Venezuela.
The newest overnight campaign to support Maduro will likely send foot soldiers into the streets to support Maduro and his wife during any trials they face, not just as an expression of protest but as a continued campaign of information warfare on the domestic front.
Experts say the network that spent decades legitimizing and defending communist regimes abroad and now functions as a rapid-response influence force inside the United States is a new threat matrix that amounts to something the FBI and intelligence agencies investigate as malign foreign influence.
Its members operate as ideological foot soldiers, advancing a foreign-aligned narrative during moments of conflict, seeking to fracture public consensus, delegitimize U.S. action and apply pressure from within.
I suspect they're going to be disappointed, given the dancing in the streets we saw yesterday. The article mentions non-profit orgs driving their actions. Might be worth it to investigate how much of their funding comes from OUR tax dollars because of the Democrats here in the States, via, among other paths, the now shut-down USAID.
Then there’s the question of Putin’s lack of wisdom, funding such defenses. Seems to me he’s got enough problems with another failed bit of expansionism in his own backyard. It should also cause some problems for those still trying so desperately to sell us on the laughable idea that Trump is a Putin puppet.
More than passing strange, Venezuela is now freer than New York City.
Be that as it may, the whole thing will go down in that rotting apple, where the Southern District of New York will be doing the prosecuting. Jay Clayton is running the show there. He has been in that role since last August, and apparently has some serious chops with corporate law. Not so much with the kind of criminal case he finds on his desk this morning. I imagine there will be a small mountain of people from SDNY working on this one, but I’ve not found who will be leading the team yet. Given the kind of thing we have seen out of SDNY in the past, I'm not confident we'll get a good prosecution.
From my understanding, Judge Alvin K Hellerstein is the judge assigned to the case. This is the same judge who was dealing with the Harvey Weinstein lawsuit.
One interesting tidbit: Judge Hellerstein is 92 years old. Obviously, he's the senior judge. I'd say by rather a lot, actually. At the risk of sounding harsh, this case has a smell about it that tells me it’s going to be a long, dragged-out affair. It seems logical to ask: Is this judge going to be around for the end of the proceedings?
#1
Now imagine a Socialist being put on trial in a city that elected a Muslim Socialist.
This 1 of several reasons I still feel using the US Court system is not the proper venue.
The Super Murdering, Kidnapping, Political Bribing, Terrorist funding and Cartel ruler, Narco, Nicolás Maduro should be on trial in a World Court for crimes against humanity, like was used against the Nazi's after WWII.
We should begin using the US Courts against every US Political official, DC Swamper, Elitists, and every Terrorist supporting NGO that accepted $$$$$$ from him.
Posted by: ed in texas ||
01/06/2026 17:14 Comments ||
Top||
#6
Nicolás Maduro should be on trial in a World Court
The World Court is controlled by the International Elite, who have the morals of a heroin-addicted Nigerian pimp. They are not interested in supporting the American idea of how things should be.
[FoxNews] A Hilton-branded hotel in Minneapolis is facing scrutiny after allegedly canceling reservations made by federal immigration agents, prompting U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) to publicly question the decision.
Emails that ICE shared on social media appear to show staff at the Hampton Inn by Hilton Lakeville Minneapolis informing individuals associated with reservations for the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) that the property would not allow ICE or other immigration agents to stay.
"We have noticed an influx of GOV reservations made today that have been for DHS, and we are not allowing any ICE or immigration agents to stay at our property. If you are with DHS or immigration, let us know as we will have to cancel your reservation," an email from a staff member at the Hilton-branded hotel allegedly reads.
"Please pass on this info to your coworkers that we are not allowing any immigration agents to house on our property."
A follow-up email several hours later then allegedly stated, "After further investigation online, we have found information about immigration work connected with your name and we will be cancelling your upcoming reservation. You should see a proper cancellation email in your inbox shortly from Hilton."
A Hilton spokesperson told Fox News Digital the hotel is independently owned and operated, and the actions referenced "are not reflective of Hilton values."
"We are investigating this matter with this individual hotel, and can confirm that Hilton works with governments, law enforcement and community leaders around the world to ensure our properties are open and inviting to everyone."
DHS Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin told Fox News Digital in a statement: "The men and women of ICE risk their personal safety to protect American communities and enforce the rule of law. Hilton Hotels is discriminating against our law enforcement agents and siding with murderers and rapists to deliberately undermine and impede DHS law enforcement from their mission to enforce our nation’s immigration laws."
The exchange prompted the official ICE account on X to post screenshots of the conversation.
"Hey @HiltonHotels — why did your team in Minneapolis cancel our federal law enforcement officer and agents' reservations?" the post asked.
The revelation of the alleged hotel cancellations comes as CBS News reported Monday that the Trump administration has begun a large-scale deployment of DHS personnel in Minnesota as part of an expanded federal crackdown tied to a widening fraud scandal in the state.
CBS News reported the crackdown could involve roughly 2,000 agents and officers from ICE’s deportation branch and Homeland Security Investigations.
That’s a lot of business to throw away. Will the owners get retrained or bought out?
"Hilton hotels serve as welcoming places for all. This hotel is independently owned and operated, and the actions referenced are not reflective of Hilton values. We are investigating this matter with this individual hotel, and can confirm… https://t.co/e9UHjL4L1m
#6
Hilton just made this "Independently owned and operated" truly "Independently owned and operated" by dropping them from Hilton's chain and reservation system. A little late, but maybe they should look at others as well
Posted by: Frank G ||
01/06/2026 11:36 Comments ||
Top||
#7
This could be considered interference with a federal investigation or operation, which is illegal and a felony. Would be a shame to investigate the "Indian" operators and find foreign money and owners which now adds the sedition charge to any American workers that participated in the cancellations. And God help you if we find Chinese partners as now that turns to treason.
Investigate and charge as appropriate and if foreign nations are part owners, seize the properties.
[IsraelTimes] Israel and Morocco signed a joint military work plan for 2026 this week during the third meeting of their Joint Military Committee, held in Tel Aviv, marking five years since relations were normalized under the Abraham Accords, the IDF announces.
The talks were led by the IDF’s Planning Directorate and its Tevel Division, and included professional working meetings, alongside visits to IDF units, defense industries, military units and relevant directorates.
At the center of the visit was a panel focusing on force build-up from a strategic perspective and shared objectives for cooperation between the two militaries, according to the IDF.
The IDF says the meeting marks another milestone in deepening security cooperation with Morocco, which it describes as a “key partner for regional stability.”
The Chief of Naval Staff Vice Admiral Idi Abbas has announced that the Nigerian Navy will take charge of the Lake Chad waterways to deny terrorists access and freedom of movement.
This is a welcome development. There has never been a major joint military operation in the Lake… pic.twitter.com/Ncc0XX3tij
The Chief of Naval Staff Vice Admiral Idi Abbas has announced that the Nigerian Navy will take charge of the Lake Chad waterways to deny terrorists access and freedom of movement.
This is a welcome development. There has never been a major joint military operation in the Lake Chad Basin, largely due to its remote Sahelian location and its proximity to poorly governed border regions.
The proliferation of arms into Nigeria has traditionally been routed through the Lake Chad corridor. A strong naval presence on Lake Chad is therefore essential if insurgent groups are to be decisively defeated.
[IsraelTimes] A delegation led by Aidarous al-Zubaidi, the leader of Yemen’s main separatist group will soon travel to Saudi Arabia, two sources tell Reuters, a potential sign of progress towards ending a conflict between the separatist UAE-backed Southern Transitional Council and Yemen’s internationally recognized government.
The conflict, which began early last month, has triggered a major feud between Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates, and fractured a coalition fighting the Houthi terror group.
The Iran-backed Houthis seized the capital Sanaa in 2014 and Gulf countries intervened the following year in support of the internationally recognized government, splitting Yemen into rival zones of control.
The STC has for years been part of that government, which controls southern and eastern Yemen and is backed by Gulf states. But last month STC forces suddenly seized swathes of territory.
Al-Zubaidi’s visit would come days after the internationally recognized government said late on Friday that it had asked Saudi Arabia to host a forum to resolve the southern issue. Riyadh agreed and extended invitations to southern factions.
The STC welcomed the call for dialogue, potentially signaling that all sides now see negotiation as the eventual means of ending the brief conflict.
Government forces backed by Saudi airstrikes on Friday and Saturday took back control of the strategically important Hadramout and Mahra provinces in the east of Yemen.
Posted by: trailing wife ||
01/06/2026 2026-01-06 04:14 ||
Comments ||
Link ||
[1780 views]
Top|| File under: Govt of Saudi Arabia
Saudi state-owned outlet Ajel reports that the UAE is planning to set up an Israeli military base in the Arada area, near its border with Saudi Arabia with capacity for more than 800 Israeli troops. pic.twitter.com/hDJiEOIyWD
[IsraelTimes] A lawyer specializing in labor law, she is staunch defender of Maduro’s socialist government, but instituted orthodox economic checks on inflation and worked with oil companies
Step-daughter of Carlos the Jackel, per 3dc…
Delcy Rodriguez, declared the interim president of Venezuela
...a country in Central America that sits on an enormous pool of oil. Formerly the most prospereous country in the region, it became infested with Commies sniffing almost unlimited wealth. It turned out the wealth wasn't unlimited, the economy collapsed under the clownish Hugo Chavez, the murder rate exceeded places like Honduras and El Salvador. A significant proportion of the populace refugeed to Colombia and points south... after Nicolás Maduro ...Commie el presidente para toda la vida of Venezuela, successor to Hugo Chavez. Nick is his country's attempt at producing a Muammar Qadaffy, except that even though his country's sitting on an enormous puddle of oil, he can't manage to get it out of the ground. Unlike Qadaffy and Hugo Chavez, he's not dead yet... ’s capture by US forces, is one of the iron fists in Venezuelan politics, a practitioner of economic orthodoxy who has strived to build relationships with the private sector and who is known for her taste for luxury.
Over more than a decade in public life, the 56-year-old Rodriguez has amassed significant influence, earning her the nickname "the tsarina" (the title for a tsar’s wife in imperial Russia) while Maduro has called her a "tigress" for her staunch defense of his socialist government, which has presided over a deep economic crisis, alleged torture and arbitrary detentions and the exodus of some 8 million migrants colonists.
She has been vice president since 2018, simultaneously serving first as finance minister and then as oil minister. Before that she was communications minister, foreign minister and the head of a pro-government legislature. She works closely with her brother, Jorge Rodriguez, who is the head of the National Assembly.
The Rodriguez siblings are the children of leftist guerrilla fighter Jorge Antonio Rodriguez, who founded the revolutionary Socialist League Party and was arrested in 1976 for his alleged involvement in the kidnapping of an American businessman.
He died in police custody due to what his family alleges was torture and Maduro has praised him as a hero of the Venezuelan left.
Delcy, a lawyer specializing in labor law, spent nine years in La Belle France and England pursuing postgraduate studies.
She participates in table tennis competitions with her brother, which they often share on social media. In public appearances, she’s often seen wearing luxury clothing brands.
As vice president, after years of hyperinflation amid US sanctions, she implemented orthodox policies including cutting public spending, limiting credit and a fixed dollar-bolivar rate, which helped lower triple-digit inflation.
She has managed to keep oil production at an average of about 1.1 million barrels per day last year, and her role has put her in close contact with foreign oil companies like Chevron.
Sometimes described by industry leaders as a "workaholic," Rodriguez attends many private sector events, something other public officials neglected to do for years. She is the Venezuelan official who travels most frequently to China, Russia, and The Sick Man of Europe Turkey ...the occupiers of Greek Asia Minor... , some of Venezuela’s allies.
[IsraelTimes] Venezuela’s vice president and oil minister Delcy Rodriguez is formally sworn in as the country’s interim president, as US-deposed President Nicolas Maduro appears in a New York court on drug charges after the Trump administration removed him from power in a dramatic weekend military action.
Rodriguez, a 56-year-old labor lawyer known for close connections to the private sector and her devotion to the ruling party, is sworn in by her brother Jorge, who is the head of the national assembly legislature.
#2
Delcy Rodriguez is a Bolivar Commie, a Hugo Chavista, who is coordinating with the Marxist-Lenist Cubian Commies to subvert the West in our own Hemiphere.
She had Russia, Cuba, China, Iran at her inauguration. The later of which Iran, has a major presence of Margaria Island, where they run a drone factory and a base of operations.
Additionally her Bolivar Govt turns a blind eye to Al Qaeda, Hezbollah, and Islamist operations in the Tri Border Area, and she/bolivars/Venezuela give safe passage to the Hizbollah Saleh Clan that operates in the both Venezuela and Columbia.
Trump said we were running things over there. Very dissappointed to see another bolivar commie being inaugurated there. Like I said, Trump says a lot of things, some annoying.
Ooooh — deceit and betrayal at the very top? How exciting!
[ZH] Update(20:50ET): A mere hours after widespread American mainstream media reports named Maduro's staunchly 'loyal' Vice Presedent Delcy Rodríguez a CIA/US military informer who cooperated with the Trump-ordered invasion which ousted and kidnapped the country's sitting head of state to US soil, there are reports of heavy gunfire engulfing the Venezuelan capital, near the presidential palace. Though there are conflicting reports.
CNN is confirming that something - though we don't know exactly what - is going down (somewhat to be expected after an apparent coup supported by US military invasion):
Gunfire heard near Venezuelan presidential palace: Gunfire was heard in the Venezuelan capital Caracas on Monday night, near the Miraflores presidential palace.
Videos geolocated by CNN show what appear to be lights from drones and anti-aircraft fire across the night sky.
Those would be the tweets Snowy Thing posted in comments yesterday evening.
It’s unclear what the situation is related to. CNN has reached out to Venezuela’s ministries of communication and foreign affairs for more information.
Celebratory gunfire? The counter-revolution begins? False trigger of anti-air defenses? Or the storming of the presidential palace...
There are competing reports that the mayhem was triggered by an inbound civilian or hobby drone mistaken for a threat. Polymarket reports, as everyone is no doubt on edge and trigger-happy...
Update(1820ET): Rumors naming the high level Venezuelan official who handed Maduro to the US military, and cooperated with the CIA, have been flying all day. A breaking report in The Wall Street Journal Monday evening names the name top on everyone's list, confirming the rumors or what was becoming increasingly obvious to close observers:
A recent classified U.S. intelligence assessment determined top members of Nicolás Maduro’s regime—including Vice President Delcy Rodríguez—would be best positioned to lead a temporary government in Caracas and maintain near-term stability if the autocrat lost power, people familiar with the matter said.
The analysis by the Central Intelligence Agency was briefed to President Trump and shared with a small circle of senior administration officials, according to two of the people. It was a factor in Trump’s decision to back Maduro’s vice president instead of opposition leader and Nobel Peace Prize winner María Corina Machado, some of the people said.
The assessment provides insight into Trump’s decision not to support the opposition’s bid for control of Venezuela following the brazen U.S. military operation to capture Maduro last week and bring him to the U.S. for trial. As in his first term, Trump was convinced that near-term stability in Venezuela could be maintained only if Maduro’s replacement had the support of the country’s armed forces and other elites.
#4
Snowy Thing, it was in the hopper, awaiting moderation, so I did. Look for it under Europe on Page 2: WoT Background, because the group is definitely Black Bloc — related to Antifa — who corporately have been waging a terror war on the West since the 1930s, originally under orders from Stalin. Their cadres have also been marching for Hamas/against Israel as a Red/Green alliance, each side thinking they are using the other to further their own goals, and planning to betray the other in order to take total control afterward. The Reds don’t realize they haven’t nearly the numbers nor the viciousness to beat the jihadis at a game they have been playing for 1300 years, parochial fools that they are.
Yes, "conflicting" by design, originating from the... "mainstream media." None however, mention the remote possibility that a well choreographed voluntary aerial extraction took place.
Nicely executed Delcy. We remain in communication with the Macron gov't regarding the release of Ilich. FYI, Rob O'Neill's publisher has yet to return our calls. We will keep you posted.
#11
Was it Delcy or the Cubans who betrayed the Dear Leader? It matters not, either way or not at all,the Psych Op works! Let the Narcos purge themselves searching for the rat among so many...
#12
None however, mention the remote possibility that a well choreographed voluntary aerial extraction took place.
An interesting and not unpossible theory. All that military force just to snatch a guy. No invasion. No regime change. Defenses appear shutdown. My bet is Trump will try and nudge Venezuela back to being a productive and democratic country. Sounds like a tall order, but who thought he would get as far as he did getting the Israeli hostages back?
#6
“
Yes, consulates and their staff have diplomatic immunity, but it's limited and functional, unlike the broader immunity of an embassy, primarily protecting official acts and duties, not personal conduct, under the Vienna Convention on Consular Relations. While consular premises have inviolability (can't be entered without permission), immunity for staff is generally restricted to official functions, meaning they can be subject to local law for private matters.
Key Differences in Immunity
Embassies (Diplomatic Missions): Full diplomatic immunity for diplomats and often their families, covering both official and private actions.
Consulates (Consular Posts):
Premises: Inviolable, like an embassy.
Career Officers: Immunity only for acts performed in their official capacity (functional immunity).
Family & Staff: Generally have no personal immunity and are subject to local jurisdiction for most acts.
Service Staff: Have no immunity but are protected from testifying about official matters.
In Simple Terms
A consul can't be arrested for official duties, but can be for a crime committed on their personal time (e.g., a traffic violation).
An embassy's diplomats are generally immune from arrest for any crime.
This distinction ensures officials can perform their duties without interference but doesn't grant impunity for personal wrongdoing, as {Wikipedia} explains.
Consul (representative) - Wikipedia
Contrary to popular belief, many of the staff of consulates may be career diplomats, but they do not generally have diplomatic immunity unless they are also acc...
Wikipedia
413 Diplomatic Immunity - JHU Public Safety
Jul 25, 2024 — Career consular officers are those members of consular posts who are recognized by both the sending and the host countries as fully authorized to pe...
Johns Hopkins University
What Is the Difference Between Consulate vs Embassy?
Feb 14, 2025 — Consulates have limited privileges compared to embassies governed by the Vienna Convention on Consular Relations (1963). While they still have certa...
Herman Legal Group
Immunities Accorded to Foreign Diplomats, Consular Officers, and ...
Nov 8, 2005 — Vienna Convention on Consular Relations ... For example, while foreign diplomats and their family members receive full immunity from the criminal jur...
Every CRS Report
MBS Says the Saudi Consulate in Turkey Is 'Sovereign Territory.' He's Wrong.
Oct 19, 2018 — However, the 1961 Vienna Convention, which governs consulates and embassies, does guarantee the inviolability of diplomatic premises. This means tha...
Time Magazine
Diplomatic immunity - Wikipedia
A foreign official's home country may waive immunity and allow prosecution, typically if the official was involved in a serious crime unrelated to their diploma...
Wikipedia
Diplomatic Immunity - PowerDMS
Oct 3, 2022 — Consular Service Staff: Service staff members have no immunity or inviolability of any kind, but they are not obliged provide evidence as witnesses c...
PowerDMS
1.33 DIPLOMATIC IMMUNITY AND CONSULATE NOTIFICATION
Apr 9, 2024 — Consular service staff do not enjoy personal sanctity or jurisdictional immunity of any kind, but they do have immunity from the obligation to provid...
City of San Diego (.gov)
Diplomatic Immunity - Office of Justice Programs
Various immunity levels apply to various types of diplomatic officials. Levels of immunity are full immunity, limited criminal immunity, and no diplomatic immun...”
[IsraelTimes] An online map identifying Jewish- and Israeli-linked businesses in the Catalonia region of Spain has been taken down after drawing sharp criticism from Spain’s Jewish community.
The project, called “Barcelonaz,” appeared this week on the French-hosted mapping platform GoGoCart, claiming to be “a collaborative map of the Zionist economy in Barcelona.” It listed more than 150 businesses, schools and organizations that it labeled as “Zionist.”
Numerous groups, including the Movement Against Intolerance and the Combat Antisemitism Movement (CAM), petitioned to have the site removed, and by Friday afternoon it had been removed by GoGoCart.
The site’s origins are still being investigated.
“While the website has now been taken down, investigations are ongoing, and CAM is fully mobilized to determine who is behind this initiative and ensure accountability,” CAM Director of European Affairs Shannon Seban said.
Since the October 7, 2023, Hamas onslaught, Spain has emerged as one of Europe’s most aggressive antagonists of Israel, systematically dismantling decades of diplomatic and economic cooperation in favor of a “sanctions-first” doctrine. Under the leadership of Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez, Madrid has employed some of the most severe rhetoric of any G20 nation, frequently labeling Israel’s military operations as “extermination” and “genocide.”
In May 2024, it formally recognized a Palestinian state in a coordinated effort with Norway and Ireland in an attempt to increase diplomatic pressure on Jerusalem to end its war with Hamas. The following month, it became the first European country to formally apply to join South Africa’s case against Israel at the International Court of Justice (ICJ).
The country recently launched a weapons trade embargo on Israel, and is blocking Israeli products imported from the West Bank, Golan Heights and East Jerusalem, in what may be the largest state-level embargo of products and services from the Jewish state since the Arab League boycott launched around the time of Israel’s inception.
Spain exports $1.92 billion to Israel, and imports $1.06 billion from them, out of Israel’s worldwide total exports of almost $160 billion or about 5%, if I did the math right.
The most amazing thing about the "Vulkan" group responsible for the devastating terror attack on Berlin that has denied power to tens of thousands of households in the middle of an arctic cold spell, is how German police know next to nothing about these leftoid freaks. These...
…these leftoid freaks.
These lunatics have been sabotaging mostly electrical infrastructure around Berlin *since 2011* – including high profile attacks on the Tesla Gigafactory (2024), on electricity pylons causing a similar blackout (2025), and now the Teltow Canal power cables.
Each time they issue these deranged 2k word-plus manifestos ranting and raving about the environment and evil rich people. And after all these attacks, just nothing – not a single member identified, nobody ever indicted or arrested, just nothing.
Graphite bombs usually consists of a metal canister that is filled with spools of graphite filament and an explosive device. Graphite is a sufficiently good conductor and the current flowing in the fiber immediately vaporizes it, creating a thin channel of gas, ionized by the high temperature, around the space previously occupied by the fiber. The ionized gas, also a conductor, allows more current to flow, raising the temperature further and creating a bigger channel of ionized gas until the high voltage line is effectively short circuited. At this point either the protection of the line cuts the power, or the line fails due to overcurrent. In both cases the power distribution is cut.
As water supply systems and sewage treatment systems depend on electricity, widespread outbreaks of cholera and other waterborne diseases, causing large numbers of civilian deaths, have in the past been the direct consequence of this bomb's use.
Venezuela: With immediate effect, Switzerland is freezing any Swiss-based assets linked to Nicolás Maduro. If any assets turn out to be of illicit origin, Switzerland will do its best to ensure that these benefit the Venezuelan population. https://t.co/VdnJczonua
LaPetite🦋🍄
@LaPetiteADA
·
2h
What about: Diosdado Cabello's, Delcy Rodriguez's Vladimir Padrino López's, Jorge Rodríguez's, and Domingo Hernández Lárez's assets?
Diario฿itcoin
@DiarioBitcoin
·
2h
Please, now do all of Hugo Chavez daughters' assets, a single one of them is worth over 4 billion dollars without any legitimate enterprise to show for. She's literally worth more than Trump, all on stolen assets from the people of Venezuela.
[IsraelTimes] Azerbaijan has no intention of sending a contingent of its troops to take part in peacekeeping operations outside its borders, including in the International Stabilization Force in Gaza, President Ilham Aliyev says.
Aliyev, interviewed by Azeri television channels, says Azerbaijan had been in contact with Donald Trump’s US administration with a list of questions about the operation of a peacekeeping force in Gaza.
“We prepared a questionnaire of more than 20 questions and provided it to the American side. No participation in peacekeeping forces is envisaged,” Aliyev says.
“I am not considering participation in hostilities outside Azerbaijan at all.”
Baku has been leaning in this direction for some time, as reported last month by The Times of Israel.
Additionally, an Azeri government source had said in November that Azerbaijan would provide no troops for such an operation unless there was a complete halt to fighting between Israel and terror group Hamas.
No country has confirmed its participation in the Trump-envisioned Gaza Stabilization Force to date.
Indonesia is the only country to have publicly expressed its readiness to participate in the ISF, even declaring in November that it is prepared to dispatch 20,000 troops, though it has been mum on the issue ever since.
[IsraelTimes] Report says six citizens and one East Jerusalem resident stuck in Strip since before Oct. 7 remain blocked as government bodies pass responsibility
Seven Israelis who traveled to the Gazoo
...Hellhole adjunct to Israel and Egypt's Sinai Peninsula, inhabited by Gazooks. The place was acquired in the wake of the 1967 War and then presented to Paleostinian control in 2006 by Ariel Sharon, who had entered his dotage. It is currently ruled with a rusty iron fist by Hamas with about the living conditions you'd expect. It periodically attacks the Hated Zionist Entity whenever Iran needs a ruckus created or the hard boyz get bored, getting thumped by the IDF in return. The ruling turbans then wave the bloody shirt and holler loudly about oppression and disproportionate response... Strip shortly before the war and remained there with their families are now unable to return to Israel, despite being legally entitled to do so, after Israeli authorities failed for months to coordinate their entry, according to a Monday report.
The group — six women and one man ranging in age from 4 to 67 — includes six Israeli citizens and one East Jerusalem resident, all of whom are registered in Israel’s population registry. Haaretz reported that more than two months ago, they submitted a formal request to return to Israel through the human rights ...which are usually entirely different from personal liberty... organization, Gisha, but the request has not advanced due to a bureaucratic standoff between state bodies.
At the heart of the issue is a dispute between the Population and Immigration Authority and the Coordinator of Government Activities in the Territories (COGAT) over which agency is responsible for initiating the process that would allow the group to safely exit Gaza during the current ceasefire.
A ONCE-ROUTINE PROCESS
That was before the Gazan atrocities that started on 10/7, but which were not horrific enough for the seven to flee the company of their Gazan neighbours.
The seven reportedly left Israel a few weeks before the war under the "divided families" procedure, which applies to families in which one partner is an Israeli citizen or resident and the other is a Gaza resident. Until Hamas ..one of the armed feet of the Moslem Brüderbund millipede,... ’s October 7, 2023, onslaught, movement under this framework was routine.
Departures and returns were handled through the Erez Crossing by the Coordination and Liaison Administration for Gaza, which operates under COGAT. Exit requests were typically approved within weeks, Israeli identity documents were deposited at the crossing, and travelers received temporary permits to enter Gaza. Upon returning to Israel, their Israeli documents were returned without requiring advance coordination.
That system collapsed after the outbreak of the war. As Gaza became an active combat zone, exiting the territory — even for Israeli citizens — began to require detailed prior coordination to ensure safe passage through areas under Israeli military control.
According to Gisha, the seven applied for coordination more than two months ago, but their request has stalled because neither authority involved has taken responsibility for moving it forward.
In a response to Haaretz, COGAT said the applicants must first complete procedures with the Population and Immigration Authority, adding that once a formal response is received from that body, it would act to coordinate their entry.
The Population and Immigration Authority, however, told the paper that Israeli citizens registered in the population registry are generally permitted to enter Israel, subject to identification and coordination with military officials — a process that falls under COGAT’s purview.
Despite acknowledging each other’s roles, neither authority has explained why they cannot directly verify the applicants’ identities and coordinate with the military, a step that would allow the return process to proceed.
BLOCKED DESPITE URGENT NEED
Urgent now. Not urgent earlier, when Israeli help to leave was offered. This sounds like a deliberately missed opportunity.
According to the report, the seven sought to return immediately following the ceasefire, which was announced in October, for urgent economic and medical reasons.
One woman requires medical treatment unavailable in Gaza, while the others say they need to work in order to support family members who remain in the Strip. Some hope that earning an income will eventually allow them to emigrate abroad.
Attorney Osnat Cohen-Lifshitz, head of Gisha’s legal department, described the state’s conduct as a violation of basic rights.
"Every citizen has the right to return to their country," she told Haaretz.
A BROADER PATTERN
According to the report, before October 2023, at least 450 Israelis were classified as part of "divided families," though it is unclear how many were in Gaza when the war began. Between November 2023 and August 2025, 152 Israeli citizens were extracted from Gaza in eight coordinated operations carried out by Gisha and the NGO HaMoked, working with Israeli authorities.
Eight?! That’s a lot of missed opportunities.
Initially, exits were carried out via the Rafah and Taba crossings along the Egyptian border. After those routes were closed in May 2024, following the IDF’s takeover of the Gaza side of Rafah, several evacuations were instead coordinated directly into Israel through the Kerem Shalom Crossing, which has since become a central route for humanitarian evacuations and limited civilian movement.
The organizations have said that each operation required overcoming significant bureaucratic hurdles.
Unlike several countries that allowed Paleostinian relatives of their citizens to enter during the war, such as Canada and Australia, Israel has continued to bar Paleostinians living in Gaza from accompanying their Israeli mothers or wives returning home — a policy that has reportedly led many women to delay their departure from the Strip.
Their choice, their consequences. They knew in whose bosom they preferred to nestle.
Doing whatever pragmatic things it takes to stay on that train until it reaches his Muslim Brotherhood caliphate station.
[IsraelTimes] The move appears to be part of a larger process to separate the party from the Islamic Movement and boost legitimacy with Zionist parties ahead of October elections
Ra’am leader Mansour Abbas announced Monday that his Islamist party would become a broad-based party open to Jewish candidates, in a major shift.
”All Jews willing to submit to future dhimmification welcome to help us get there! Someday we will consider accepting Christians on a similar basis.”
"Every citizen of the State of Israel — Jewish and Arab — can join Ra’am and be among its Knesset candidates," Abbas said in a radio interview with Radio 103fm. "I want to expand the ranks of the party within Jewish society."
Asked whether he was already speaking with potential Jewish candidates who could join Ra’am, Abbas said, "There are Jewish Knesset members with whom I see eye to eye, and I would be honored if they joined Ra’am."
Ra’am is affiliated with the southern branch of the Islamic Movement,
…the political wing of the Muslim Brotherhood in Israel. The militant wing is the Northern Branch, outlawed by the Israeli government in 2015 because it was too violent, which hasn’t much slowed them down, as far as I can tell. The Northern Branch is based in Umm al Fahm in the Galilee, headed by Sheikh Raed Salah, the so-called Sheikh of Al Aqsa because he incited so many riots there. His role is to cycle in and out of prison for it. Between the Northern Branch’s violent plots and the Southern Branch’s politics and social welfare work, something like 20% of Israel’s Arabs are connected to Israel’s Muslim Brotherhood at least a little, with the intent that that become ever more drawn into an increasingly Moslem-oriented life…
and its candidate lists have historically been exclusively Arab Moslem.
Not just Arab Muslim, but strongly, puritanically religious with an orientation toward eventually establishing the caliphate.
However,
today is that tomorrow you were thinking about yesterday... the party announced last month that it would separate from the religious council to which it is linked and establish its own institutions.
That, combined with the latest move to open the party to Jewish candidates, appears to be aimed at distancing the party from hardline Moslem organizations in order to boost its legitimacy among Zionist Israeli parties ahead of elections set to be held before the end of October.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu appeared to threaten in November to outlaw the Arab political party, claiming it is connected to the Moslem Brüderbund, a global Islamist organization that has been outlawed in around a dozen countries for alleged links to terrorism, which Abbas has repeatedly denied.
Taqqiya. It wouldn’t do for the sheep to realize they are headed for slaughter before they are fully in the chute.
Ra’am has taken a relatively conciliatory stance in Israel and is focused more on socioeconomic issues than its parent movement’s more radical sister branch, the Northern Islamic Movement, which is outlawed.
Other Arab parties have already or are contemplating opening up their parties to Jewish candidates, according to an unnamed source with knowledge of the issue.
Left-wing Arab-majority party Hadash has a spot on its list that is held for Jewish candidates, and one of its five MKs, Ofer Cassif, is Jewish, though the party is otherwise represented by Arab politicians.
"This isn’t new in Arab politics. Balad is also talking about having a spot for a Jewish candidate," said the source.
"But, if Ra’am reserves a spot for a Jewish candidate, that would indeed be new at the party level, because it would significantly change the party’s image from a party belonging to the Islamic Movement to a party seeking to appeal to broader and more diverse audiences," added the source.
Ra’am currently holds five seats in the Knesset, and polls indicate it will likely retain that number in the next elections, set for October, making the party a potential kingmaker for a new government.
Several opposition leaders, including Yair Golan’s left-wing Democrats ...every time you hear the phrase white people, white supremacy,white anything but paint, you're listening to a Democrat. Ask him/her/it to reimagine something for you; they do that a lot, though not well. They can hear a dog whistle a mile or two away. They invented the spoils system and Tammany Hall, and inspired the addition of the word (Thomas) Nasty to the English language. They want to stop continental drift and repeal the law of unintended side effects... and Yashar party chair and ex-military chief Gadi Eisenkot, have expressed willingness to form a government including or supported by Arab parties, though others, including Avigdor Liberman’s Yisrael Beytenu, have vetoed the option.
In 2021, after being courted by Netanyahu to become part of his coalition, Abbas decided to partner with Netanyahu’s rivals, making Ra’am the first Arab party in decades to be part of a ruling coalition, which was led by Naftali Bennett and Yair Lapid.
Speaking on Monday, Abbas was emphatic that there is no possibility of Ra’am’s joining a coalition with the parties now in the government.
"These people abandoned us in favor of holy warrior parties. Today we are suffering from the policies of Religious Zionism and Otzma Yehudit," he said.
In the same interview, the leader discussed the violent mostly peaceful crime epidemic ravaging Arab society, which he called "the worst crisis" the community has experienced, and claimed that the leader of the far-right Otzma Yehudit party, National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir, "smiles" every time an Arab is murdered.
[IsraelTimes] Netanyahu reportedly agrees to Trump request to renew stalled talks with Damascus, while insisting potential deal must not violate Israeli red lines
A fifth round of talks between Israel and Syria started on Monday in Gay Paree, the first meetings in nearly two months, after progress toward a security arrangement between the two countries stalled.
The negotiations were expected to last two days, Axios reported on Sunday, citing an Israeli official and another source with knowledge of the details.
Syrian state news agency SANA reported that the talks, mediated by the US, resumed on Monday.
SANA, citing a Syrian government source, said the Syrian delegation was led by Foreign Minister Asaad al-Shibani and intelligence chief Hussein al-Salama. The resumption of the talks reflected a push by Damascus to reclaim what it describes as its non-negotiable national rights, the source said.
The discussions are focused on reviving a 1974 disengagement agreement that established a UN-monitored buffer zone between Israel and Syria after the 1973 Yom Kippur War, SANA reported.
US President Donald Trump ...The tack in the backside of the Democratic Party... , who has been eager for a deal to be signed, asked Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to restart the talks when they met last week at Mar-a-Lago, according to Axios.
While Netanyahu agrees with Trump that a deal must be reached soon, he has insisted that an agreement not cross Israel’s red lines on ensuring security along its frontier with Syria, the Israeli official told Axios.
Trump’s Syria envoy Tom Barrack, who is also the US ambassador to The Sick Man of Europe Turkey ...a NATO ...the North Atlantic Treaty Organization. A cautionary tale of cost-benefit analysis.... member, but not the most reliable... , was mediating the talks.
Trump has expressed hope for a diplomatic accord, after the IDF seized parts of southern Syria, mostly within a UN-patrolled buffer zone, after the collapse of Bashir Pencilneck al-Assad Trampler of Homs... ’s regime in December 2024.
Israel has cited fears the area could fall into the hands of terror groups that could use it as a staging ground for attacks, and said the 1974 disengagement agreement, through which the buffer zone was created, had been made temporarily void by Assad’s ouster.
IDF troops, meanwhile, have been operating in areas up to around 15 kilometers (nine miles) inside Syria, aiming to capture weapons that Israel says could pose a threat to the country if they fall into the hands of "hostile forces."
While there was optimism in September that a deal could be signed, Rooters reported at the time that contacts between Israel and Syria had reached a dead end due to Israel’s demand to open a "humanitarian corridor" into the Sweida province in southern Syria — where sectarian violence has killed hundreds of people from the Druze community, which Israel has vowed to protect.
Sources told Rooters that Israel requested early on in the talks to open a passage for delivering aid to Sweida, but Syria rejected the request, claiming it would harm its illusory sovereignty. According to the sources, Israel repeated the demand later in the negotiations, leading progress on the agreement to stall.
Reports in November suggested Israel’s terms have since changed, and it is now demanding full diplomatic relations, which Syria has said is not currently on the cards, further complicating the process.
Trump in December warned Israel against destabilizing Syria and its new leadership, days after IDF soldiers battled button men in the country’s south, and said he is "very satisfied" with the country’s performance under new President Ahmad al-Sharaa, whose forces ousted Assad.
[IsraelTimes] Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has conveyed a message to Iran that Israel is not interested in an escalation at this time and does not intend to attack the Islamic Republic, the Kan public broadcaster reports, citing unnamed diplomatic sources.
The message was conveyed in recent weeks through Russian President Vladimir Putin, with whom Netanyahu spoke on the phone several times, the report says.
It adds that Jerusalem is worried that Tehran, believing an Israeli attack is imminent, may miscalculate and strike Israel first, and that Netanyahu’s message is aimed at preventing this.
Speaking at the Knesset today, Netanyahu said that any Iranian attack would have “grave consequences.”
They’re still rioting and protesting having to step up and endanger themselves like the rest of Israel, but at least some of their young men understand the duty as theirs, too.
[IsraelTimes] The IDF says that a record 537 ultra-Orthodox men enlisted in the army during the December-January intake, which took place yesterday and today, to its designated Haredi service tracks, marking the largest such recruitment period to date.
According to the IDF, 230 of the new recruits joined combat roles, while 307 were placed in combat-support positions across a range of units, with the enlistment process to be completed in the coming days.
Speaking to the recruits at the IDF Recruitment Center at Tel HaShomer, Personnel Directorate head Maj. Gen. Dado Bar Kalifa stresses both the operational need and the effort to accommodate religious lifestyles.
“Operational needs require us to fill the ranks. You are trailblazers, and many more will follow in your footsteps,” Bar Kalifa told the recruits, according to an IDF statement. He said that the military will not compromise on allowing them “to fulfill your duty to defend the country while preserving your Torah world and the spirit of Jewish law.”
The military says the enlistment figures reflect ongoing efforts to expand recruitment among the ultra-Orthodox community, including by broadening existing tracks, establishing new dedicated frameworks, holding outreach and information conferences, and adjusting training and service conditions.
#6
When we visited Israel 10 years ago, the Israeli tour guide complained about the Haredi. He said that with the parliamentary setup in the Knesset, the Haredi had enough votes that they could extract concessions from the other parties.
The ironic thing is that if Israel were ever conquered, the Haredi would probably be among the first victims of any pogroms.
Direct Translation via Google Translate. Edited. by Leonid Tsukanov
[REGNUM] Unrest in Iran, fueled by government economic miscalculations, has been ongoing for over a week.
Due to the sharp depreciation of the national currency and accelerating inflation, prices for essential goods soared. This, in turn, put local businesses, especially bazaar traders and shopkeepers, at risk. In less than 24 hours, the Tehran strike spread to a dozen major cities.
And although the authorities have managed to more or less stabilize dialogue with the streets, the risk of the protests spiraling out of control remains, especially if someone from the outside tries to interfere.
"THE OFFICIAL OF UNFULFILLED HOPES"
At first, official Tehran tried to suppress the protests using the same approach as before—isolating hotbeds of tension and overriding the agenda with positive news, as was done, for example, during the "gasoline protests" of 2018.
However, this time the plan failed. Within 24 hours, the number of strikers had grown more than fivefold, to 2,500 people: students and local intellectuals joined the shopkeepers, and the crowd's slogans took on a negative political tone.
Following this, the authorities moved on to more concrete measures. For example, on December 29, Central Bank Governor Mohammad Reza Farzin, who had held the position since 2022, was dismissed.
Farzin, a conservative whom President Masoud Pezeshkian inherited from his predecessor, was considered a supporter of a tough line on curbing inflation and often clashed with the presidential office, especially on matters of monetary policy.
He also opposed any deal with the US to ease sanctions, rightly believing that Washington was only looking for weaknesses in the Iranian economic system and was not aiming to lift restrictions.
The protests gave the reformists a chance to get rid of an inconvenient figure gracefully and without any reputational damage.
However, Farzin's replacement, Abdolnasser Hemmati, an economist from the reformist bloc (who had already headed the Central Bank from 2018 to 2021), was received rather coldly by the Iranian street.
This is partly because he made many mistakes as Minister of Economy last year, becoming not only the first member of Pezeschkian's government to be removed from office as a result of impeachment, but also a scapegoat for the conservatives and the security forces.
The protesters simply didn't believe that the "official of dashed hopes" (as Hemmati was dubbed on Iranian social media) could correct the economic course. Especially since the number of negative factors weighing on the national economy this time is an order of magnitude greater than during his first term.
KNIGHT'S MOVE
Over the next few days, protests in Iran teetered on the brink of full-scale unrest.
Despite the relatively successful work of law enforcement agencies, who managed to bring the people under control in most provinces, including the capital region, it was not possible to completely avoid casualties.
At least six people were killed in street clashes with police, something US President Donald Trump immediately informed the world about, predicting "serious retribution" for Tehran.
And in early January, protesters acquired firearms, which became an alarming signal for local authorities, especially in border provinces, where there was already a noticeable rise in crime.
There was a risk that petty criminals would try to stage a provocation and further pit the security forces and the street against each other.
The central authorities needed to make a "knight's move" to seize the initiative. And Tehran didn't keep them waiting long.
On January 3, Iran's Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei held a major press conference, declaring that the protests by "shopkeepers and market traders" were not a matter of chance, but rather reflected real problems in the Iranian economy that the government acknowledged and was prepared to find solutions to.
This statement had a far more powerful effect on the masses than the controversial change of the Central Bank governor. The number of protesters declined after January 3, falling below 1,500 people—almost half the number on the day of Hemmati's appointment.
At the same time, the supreme leader did not bow too much to the demonstrators, declaring in passing that law enforcement agencies would “harshly suppress” any attempts to destabilize the country from within and fight the “fifth column” (especially armed ones) that discredits peaceful demonstrators.
He did not forget to mention the “special interest” of the United States and Israel in weakening Iran, against which the Iranians have several trump cards.
THE HEIR TO THE THRONE WAS RIDICULED
Khamenei's statements apparently came as a surprise to Tehran's opponents, who by that point had already managed to expand protests to all of Iran's provinces and, using persuasive language, predict the "imminent collapse" of the central government—even to the point of Iranian elites fleeing to other countries.
After official Tehran publicly declared its desire to resolve the problem bloodlessly (but with a reasonable use of force), the “shaky regime” theory no longer seemed indisputable.
An attempt by the fugitive monarchist leader Shahzade Reza Pahlavi to once again incite protesters and call on them to "overthrow the regime" in the name of future prosperity has backfired.
The exiled heir to the Shah's throne was ridiculed not only in Iran but also in the émigré community. This was done by the same figures who criticized his intention to restore the monarchy through Israel and the United States during their June conflict with Iran.
Numerous supportive statements by Israeli ministers addressed to the "suffering Persian people" were also met with little enthusiasm on the street.
Moreover, there were several recorded cases where the crowd independently identified pro-Israeli provocateurs and handed them over to the police, thereby regulating the level of confrontation.
ISRAEL'S "DEMONSTRATION FIST"
Despite the relative stabilization of the situation, it's too early to talk about overcoming the crisis. The trust the authorities gained through the Supreme Leader's intervention is not unlimited.
The street is expecting the Pezeshkian government to take measures to stabilize the economy, while the Iranian rial continues to depreciate (by approximately another 6% compared to the exchange rate at the start of the protests), and the Central Bank is asking for time to develop a strategy.
If the protesters' patience runs out sooner, Khamenei's repeated intervention will no longer help.
In parallel with the Iranian protests, another transfer of American forces to the Middle East is taking place.
Over the past few days, Washington has deployed more than a dozen C-17 and KC-135 transport aircraft near the Iranian border and sent Chinook and Seahawk helicopters to bases in neighboring countries. The total number of combat aircraft deployed to Iran exceeds 50.
Changes are also noticeable in Israeli official rhetoric. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, whenever the situation in Iran comes up, either avoids comment or gives vague answers.
Meanwhile, the Israeli General Staff has studied with interest the American kidnapping of Venezuelan leader Nicolás Maduro and is not averse to attempting a similar ploy against Tehran. Especially since the unstable situation favors such moves.
However, these conversations remain at the level of speculation, while official Tel Aviv says it has no plans to clash with the Iranians on the battlefield.
Experts following the developments are inevitably drawing parallels with the events of June. Back then, Tehran's opponents were similarly building up their "demonstrative fist" near Iran's borders, but suddenly switched to peaceful rhetoric. This, however, did not prevent them from striking soon after.
True, unlike the events of June, Tehran has far fewer trump cards (which then allowed it to effectively withstand attacks and even retaliate against its attackers). The same cannot be said of its opponents, for whom internal Iranian strife offers virtually limitless scope for operational combinations.
Posted by: badanov ||
01/06/2026 00:00 ||
Comments ||
Link ||
[1811 views]
Top|| File under: Govt of Iran
“Dar al-Wahy al-Sharif” is an Islamist education network (currently kindergartens and elementary schools) directly linked to the organization Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) and has become an official education network under the al-Sharaa regime.
One of the delights of being a conqueror is that you get to set the rules for all that cultural stuff. So HTS’s little caliphate is getting all caliphatey, as should have been expected — at least they will for as long as they’re in charge. It’ll be interesting to see if they can thread that particular needle with President Trump and PM Netanyahu exercising their prerogatives.
This education network conducts religious-militant indoctrination from an early age, placing the Qur’an at the center of the curriculum and emphasizing jihadist messages in school ceremonies and events.
There is strict enforcement of full gender segregation and a stringent religious dress code – girls wear abayas and niqabs.
The network is characterized by rapid “under-the-radar” expansion – exceptional growth since 2017 in Idlib district, and within just one year since the fall of the Assad regime in December 2024, expansion to more than 70 active schools in key districts across Syria (Aleppo, Damascus, Hama, Homs, Deraa, and Latakia).
A model has been identified for creating civilian dependence on a parallel civil mechanism (similar to Hezbollah’s civilian mechanisms in Lebanon) by exploiting the crisis in Syria’s public education system.
The network is transitioning from an illegal institution funded externally via Turkey into a legal, official, and central educational institution supported by the Syrian Ministry of Education under the new regime.
Organizational and ideological control is exercised directly through the appointment of senior HTS figures.
A “pragmatic” attempt has begun to introduce a “progressive” pedagogical reform, but without any de-facto change to the Islamist core.
Future potential threat– a possible breeding ground for shaping a future generation with an Islamist and jihadist identity in Syria, on Israel’s border.
Read more details at the link
Posted by: badanov ||
01/06/2026 00:00 ||
Comments ||
Link ||
[1775 views]
Top|| File under: Govt of Syria/HTS
#1
A variation of this has been going on in predominantly AfroAmerican preschools in Philadelphia since the 1980s. And, surely, elsewhere -- Dearborn, etc.
I've seen it myself.
The amusing/tragic aspect is all the enlightened intellectuals who commute into and out of Philly every day, from the surrounding leafy suburbs , without appreciating the hatred being taught to Black American Children.
Hatred of Whites. Of Christians. Of Jews. Of the USA. Of Capitalism. And all the rest.
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.
..one of the armed feet of the Moslem Brüderbund millipede,...
...every time you hear the phrase 
...a 
