Recent Appearances...

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Hello !
Recent Appearances...

Gor Saran Lal	Gor Saran Lal	Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam (Fazl)	India-Pakistan	20060326	Link
	Gor Saran Lal	Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam-Fazl	India-Pakistan	20060327	Link
Haji Laldin	Haji Laldin	Lashkar-e-Jhangvi	India-Pakistan	20030829
Haji Laloo	Haji Laloo	Jaish-e-Mohammad	Afghanistan/South Asia	20020219
Lalib Trinidad	Lalib Trinidad	Abu Sayyaf	Southeast Asia	20040328
Laltu Bepari	Laltu Bepari	Jamaatul Mujahideen Bangladesh	Bangladesh	20051009	Link
Mihir Lal Ray	Mihir Lal Ray	Suspects	Latin America	20031205

Syria-Lebanon-Iran

Salam says ''no turning back'' in plans to monopolize arms, Hezbollah will ‘’go far’’ on issue - no donor reconstruction until complete

2025-05-17

[NAHARNET] Prime Minister Nawaf Salam has said that Lebanon ''has managed to pave the way for a promising new start, despite all the difficulties that the project of rebuilding confidence and the course of reform are facing.''

''There will be no turning back in the project of consolidating the monopoly of arms in the hands of the Lebanese state alone, which should be in charge of the war and peace decisions and of defending its land and sons -- all its sons -- with the means allowed by international laws and norms,'' Salam added, in an interview with the Saudi Asharq al-Awsat newspaper.

''The entire Lebanese state is seeking full Israeli withdrawal from its land and to prevent all forms of violations. The government is also working on rallying efforts to launch the reconstruction process,'' Salam went on to say.

Hezbollah will ''go far'' in the issue of arms handover

[NAHARNET] Hezbollah will ''go far'' in the issue of the handover of its weapons to the Lebanese state and it will ''embarrass'' everyone, a source close to Hezbollah said.

''Consensus between Hezbollah and the Lebanese president has become bigger than the issue of arms handover and dialogue between Presidenty Joseph Aoun and Hezbollah is ongoing, without specifying any deadlines or dates,'' the source added, in remarks to Al-Arabiya's Al-Hadath channel.

''The handover of weapons is possible, in return for gains for Hezbollah such as Israel's withdrawal and reconstruction,'' the source said, adding that ''Hezbollah's acceptance to hand over its weapons does not mean giving them up for nothing in return.''

''Hezbollah is convinced that the slogans it voiced in the past and which needed weapons are no longer existent and it is fully cooperating with Aoun and offering him solutions related to its heavy and strategic weapons,'' the source revealed.

''President Aoun knows Hezbollah's concerns as to the withdrawal of its arms and is working on resolving the difficulties, while Hezbollah knows well the magnitude of international pressure on the president for its disarmament,'' the source went on to say.

Report: No reconstruction funds before reforms and Hezbollah disarmament
[NAHARNET] Lebanese officials have sensed reluctance from major powers, particularly Arab countries, to provide reconstruction funds, the Nidaa al-Watan newspaper reported on Friday.

''Arab and donor countries have informed Leb
Leb

...The Leb civil war, between 1975 and 1990, lasted a little over 145 years and produced 120,000 fatalities. The average length of a ceasefire was measured in seconds. Only one of those statements is an exaggeration....
that they will not to engage in the reconstruction project until the vision for Lebanon and the region becomes clear. According to their definition, reconstruction is linked to the state's ability to undertake necessary reforms, fully disarm Hezbollah and prevent it from rebuilding its military and financial capabilities,'' the daily said.

''These countries do not want to engage in such a project while the situation has not yet reached a peaceful path,'' the newspaper added.

All the Arab and European promises are ''awaiting serious action by the Lebanese state and signals from Washington,'' the daily said.

Link

-Signs, Portents, and the Weather-

See it: Huge wall of dust looms over Nebraska field

2025-05-17

[FoxWeather] A mesmerizing scene unfolded Wednesday in Nebraska as a large wall of dust quickly formed over a field.

The sight seemed to stretch endlessly in Grant, Nebraska. Video footage from James Vak showed the size of the dust storm.

The National Weather Service initially warned of wind gusts reaching up to 70 mph, which helped form this enormous cloud of dust along the dry landscape.

According to the NWS, a dust storm can spread for miles, but usually only lasts for a few minutes. It is not advised to drive into a dust storm if you can avoid it because visibility is drastically reduced.

Dust storms have been known to cause massive pileups from traffic collisions.

The Dust Bowl was a period of severe dust storms that greatly damaged the ecology and agriculture of the American and Canadian prairies during the 1930s.

Link

India-Pakistan

At least five terrorists killed, two apprehended in KP IBOs

2025-05-04

[GEO.TV] Security forces killed at least five turbans in three separate intelligence-based operations (IBOs) in Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa, the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) said on Saturday.

Two others were apprehended during the operations.

In a statement, the military's media wing said that an IBO in Bajaur district resulted in three turbans being killed, including a high-value target (HVT), Fareed Ullah.

Another IBO was conducted in the Dossali area of North Wazoo

Wazoo, where the security forces bumped off two terrorists. Meanwhile,
...back at the argument, Livia had made her point with her knee to Jane's stomach...
two terrorists, including HVT Lal Ameer alias Ibrahim, were apprehended from their hideout in Mohmand district.

With the forces also recovering weapons and ammunition from the terrorists, sanitisation operations were being conducted to eliminate any other snuffies found in the area, added the ISPR.

The security forces' action comes days after as many as 71 bad boyz were potted near the Pakistain-Afghan border in a series of successful operations from April 25 to April 27.

The anti-terror operations come against the backdrop of increased terrorist attacks in the country, which surged by 42% in January, according to data released by the Pakistain Institute for Conflict and Security Studies (PICSS).

Pakistain has time again urged Afghanistan to prevent its soil from being used by turbans to carry out attacks against Pakistain.

Link

India-Pakistan

Pahalgam LeT massacre Day 4: LeT Top Commander Altaf Lalli Shot Dead By Indian Security Forces

2025-04-26

The hunt proceeds, I suppose.

OneIndia liveblog
It is the first major success for the Indian security forces which has launched an operation to eliminate the terrorists behind the recent Pahalgam incident where 26 civilians were killed.

Altaf Lalli held a senior leadership position within the LeT, making him a high-value target for Indian security forces. As a top commander, he was reportedly involved in planning and executing various militant operations in the region.

TERRORISTS HOUSES DESTROYED
Meanwhile, the houses of two LeT terrorists allegedly involved in the Pahalgam attack were destroyed in Jammu and Kashmir on Thursday night in a blast.

The blast occurred when the officials were conducting searches inside the houses of two LeT terrorists Adil Hussain Thokar and Asif Sheikh.

Thokar, a resident of south Kashmir's Anantnag district, is one of the key accused in Tuesday's Pahalgam massacre, while Sheikh, resident of Tral in Pulwama district, is suspected to be involved in the conspiracy of the attack.

The explosives resulted in the destruction of the houses.

On the other hand, Army Chief General Upendra Dwivedi has landed in in Kashmir on Friday to review the situation. The officials said Army commander, Northern Command, Lt Gen MV Suchindra Kumar, accompanied the Army Chief.

The Chief of Armed Staff (COAS) would carry out a comprehensive review of the security situation in Jammu and Kashmir, while top Army commanders will brief him about the security situation and steps taken in the aftermath of Tuesday's attack, PTI reported citing officials.

The tensions between India and Pakistan are high as both countries have announced the suspension of important treaties and agreements signed to resolve conflicts. While New Delhi has announced the suspension of the Indus Water Treaty, Islamabad has announced the scrapping of trade activities and closed airspace for India.

Link

Economy

Trump says furniture makers coming back to North Carolina as Canadian company moves to state

2025-04-08

[THEPOSTMILLENNIAL] Trump has applauded furniture makers moving production to the US amid tariffs, with one company closing its Canadian production facility and shifting all production to the United States, while a North Carolina furniture maker is closing its doors due to ongoing production issues with its main supplier in Mexico, among other issues.

"Those tariffs, next year will make us $1 trillion. In addition to the $1 trillion, thousands of companies are gonna relocate back into the United States. In North Carolina, already furniture people are starting to move back in," Trump said.

Progressive Furniture, a subsidiary of Sauder Woodworking and importer of "budget friendly" furniture from Asia and Mexico, will be closing at the end of the year and laying off around 30 employees, per Furniture Today.

President of the company, Dan Kendrick, told the outlet, "This decision was not made lightly, and we understand the impact it will have on our employees, customers and partners. We are committed to supporting our employees through this transition and will aid where possible to help them find new opportunities."

The closure of the company was blamed on multiple issues, but mainly on the closure of the company's primary supplier in Mexico. Kendrick said, "Obviously, business conditions have been challenging for the past few years, but the closure of our primary supplier in Mexico has made a major impact. This factory supplied 60% of our products."

According to Home News Now, the company's main supplier, Baja Wood, was based in Rosarito, Mexico. In January, around 60 of Baja Wood's 320 employees protested outside of the factory over reduced hours. The factory was shut down as government officials investigated the claims, which required a lengthy interview process. At the end of the investigation, the plant owner decided not to reopen. Baja Wood and Progressive furniture were closely intertwined, with the US company receiving over 50 percent of its wood furniture from the Mexico plant, and Progressive being the plant's primary customer in the US.

Link

Afghanistan

Clashes Erupt Between Islamic Emirate, Pakistani Forces at Torkham: 1 Afghan dead

2025-03-04

[ToloNews] Local residents report that forces of the Islamic Emirate and Pak military personnel engaged in a clash at Torkham around 12:30 AM on Sunday.

According to local sources, the shooting was initiated by Pak forces against the Islamic Emirate troops and their checkpoints. As a result, some shops and houses of civilians were also affected.

The clash occurred while hundreds of travelers and patients, along with thousands of freight trucks, remained stranded on both sides of the Torkham crossing.

Abdul Mateen Qani, the spokesperson for the Ministry of Interior, commented on the incident: "The Pak side initiated the conflict around midnight, which lasted for eleven days. Our defensive forces were compelled to respond, resulting in the destruction of some opposing checkpoints and casualties on their side. On our side, one Mujahid was martyred, and two others were maimed. The issue has now been resolved."

"When the clash happened last night, families were in a dire situation. It was raining, and they had to leave their homes," said Hemat Shinwari, a local resident.

"Some people were asleep, while others had just returned from Taraweeh prayers when the gunfire started at midnight. The fighting was intense, forcing families to abandon their homes and leave the area overnight," said Lal Nazar, another resident.

Meanwhile,
...back at the revival hall, the SWAT team had finally arrived...
truck drivers urge Pak authorities to resolve issues with Afghanistan through dialogue instead of conflict and to reopen the Torkham crossing as soon as possible.

"Thousands of trucks are stuck by the roadsides. It has been ten days since we have been here. We request that the route be reopened because we are extremely worried," said Rahmat Gul, a truck driver at Torkham.

This is not the first time Pak forces have opened fire on the Islamic Emirate's troops. Previously, Pak military personnel have repeatedly attacked Afghanistan's security forces without any justification.

The Torkham crossing was closed to all movement ten days ago when Islamic Emirate forces were constructing facilities on their side of the hypothetical Durand Line, prompting Pakistain to block access.

Khaama Press adds:

At least one person has been killed in clashes between Pakistani and Taliban security forces at the Torkham border crossing. Afghanistan’s Ministry of Interior confirmed that one member of its security forces died and two others were injured in the overnight fighting. The Torkham crossing, a key transit point, was closed last month by Pakistan after a dispute over Afghanistan’s construction of a new border post.

Two Pakistani security officials, speaking on condition of anonymity to Aljazeera that members of their security forces had also been wounded in the clashes. The violence erupted on the first working day of Ramadan, a time when food imports from Pakistan typically peak in Afghanistan.

The fighting has led to about 5,000 trucks, carrying essential goods, being stranded on both sides of the border. These trucks have been stuck in harsh winter conditions, creating a significant logistical and humanitarian crisis. The conflict is expected to worsen the already dire economic situation in Afghanistan, where millions face hunger and nearly half the population needs humanitarian aid to survive, according to the United Nations.

The Torkham border crossing has a history of being closed due to deadly incidents involving crossfire between Pakistani and Taliban forces. Pakistan has long accused Afghanistan of harboring militants who attack from Afghanistan soil, a claim denied by the Taliban government. In December, Pakistan conducted military strikes on Afghanistan territory, killing dozens.

Abdul Mateen Qani, a spokesperson for the Taliban Interior Ministry, blamed Pakistan for initiating the violence, stating that Taliban security forces acted defensively after failed dialogue attempts. A Pakistani official, however, claimed that the Taliban opened fire unprovoked, targeting Pakistan’s border post with automatic weapons, prompting a return of fire.

The closure of the Torkham crossing has resulted in significant economic losses. According to local officials, the closure has caused at least $15 million in damages to Pakistan, while Afghan traders are losing $500,000 a day due to the disruption of trade.

Link

Israel-Palestine-Jordan

IDF’s 162nd Division hands responsibility for Gaza buffer zone to 252nd Division

2025-02-18

For information.

[IsraelTimes] The IDF’s 162nd Division has concluded its operations in Gaza after 15 months straight, and handed over the responsibility of the military’s buffer zone in the Strip’s north to the 252nd Division, the military says.

The 162nd Division lost 265 soldiers during the ground offensive in Gaza, during which it demolished numerous tunnels and killed thousands of Hamas operatives, according to the IDF.

The southern portion of the buffer zone and the Philadelphi Corridor, the Egypt-Gaza border area, is under the responsibility of the Gaza Division.

My thanks to whoever found and added the very informative image — you’re amazing!

Link

Britain

This is the Labour Party: Holocaust education exhibit denied space in Parliament for being ‘too political’

2025-02-03

[JewishChronicle] The National Holocaust Museum (NHM) has been denied permission to run an exhibition in Westminster Hall on the grounds that it was too political.

In correspondence seen by the JC, authorities told NHM, who wished to set up the display for Holocaust Memorial Day, that "Westminster Hall is a politically neutral space and activity which could be perceived as campaigning/lobbying or trying to influence political opinions would not be permitted".

They were instead offered to apply for a space in the Upper Waiting Hall, a much less central location in the Palace of Westminster.

The exhibition tells the story of the Jewish communities in Berlin, Baghdad, Kielce (Poland), Aden (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...
) and southern Israel and the pogroms that led to their ethnic cleansing in 1938, 1941, 1946, 1947 and 2023 respectively.

“How dare you claim that noble brown Moslems were ever mean to the Jews like eeeevil rightwing Nazis! And how dare you claim that there were native, brown Jews in the Middle East who were not white European colonizers!!” *hands over ears, eyes screwed shut* “Lalalalalalala — I can’t hear you!!!!!!”

Titled The Vicious Circle organisers also have plans to for international showcases in Tallinn, Berlin and the European Parliament in Brussels.

However,
the difference between stupidity and genius is that genius has its limits...
despite the claims of political neutrality, the JC understands that the controversial Paleostine Solidarity Campaign (PSC) was allowed to display the Paleostinian flag in Westminster Hall as they organised supportive activists to lobby MPs.

The JC has previously reported about signs on display at PSC-organised marches comparing Israel’s 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...
with the Holocaust, displays of support for Hamas
Hamas

..always the voice of sweet reason...
and Hezbollah and suggestion that the BBC is controlled by Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and "infested" with "Zionists".

It can’t be forbidden behaviour if the Labour staffers believe it to be a higher truth, no matter the fiddlin’ facts.

NHM Director Marc Cave told the JC: "On Holocaust Memorial Day, Britannia’s remembrance of the only industrialised, multi-country genocide ever known was extremely moving. Its support for our community of Holocaust survivors was heart-warming.

"Why does our desire to highlight the delusion that drives all murder of Jews so unsettle the Westminster Hall committee? The Holocaust is not finished business. It has been reopened by haters welcomed into Parliament — a group who play their part in driving the next turn of the Vicious Circle against Jews."

They don’t want to know. If they knew, they’d have to do something about it, when they really just want the Jews to stop making such a fuss.

He added: "A Parliament which does not therefore welcome an exhibition which presents an alternative view, based on hard facts and zero ’lobbying’ content — is not the democratic institution I believed it was.

"It is only fair that Westminster Hall accords us the same democratic opportunity it has granted to monomaniacs who absurdly pin all the world’s problems on 0.2 per cent of its population."

However,
the difference between stupidity and genius is that genius has its limits...
Parliamentary authorities insisted that the signs which the PSC were allowed to display in Westminster Hall were temporary and solely for the purpose of directing guests during their mass lobby event.

A mass lobby is when a large number of people contact their MPs in advance and all arrange to meet with them at Parliament on the same day to discuss a particular cause.

Both the Trades Union Congress and The Guide Dogs for the Blind Association were also allowed to display signage for the purposes of directing activists during their mass lobbies of parliament, and authorities said that these weren’t comparable to an exhibition.

A parliamentary spokesperson told the JC: "Requests for exhibitions in Westminster Hall are taken on a case-by-case basis, and many requests are made throughout the year. These are completely different to mass lobbies — signage is considered on a case-by-case basis for the sole purposes of directing individuals during a mass lobby."

Meanwhile,
...back at the shootout, Butch cautiously raised his hat over the edge of the horse trough on the end of a stick......
ahead of Holocaust Memorial Day, an exhibition put on by the Holocaust Educational Trust was on display in another prominent location in Westminster.

Testimony 360: People and Places of the Holocaust, located in Portcullis House — the newer part of the parliamentary estate where many MPs have their offices and routinely meet guests — features cutting-edge AI and virtual reality technology that allows MPs and visitors to Westminster to ask questions to a digital version of Holocaust survivor Manfred Goldberg BEM, and virtually explore the sites from his testimony.

Speaker of the House of Commons Sir Lindsay Hoyle, who toured the exhibition with survivors featured in it, also hosted a Holocaust Memorial Day ceremony in Portcullis House.

Last year, Westminster Hall featured a Chanukah reception and speeches by representatives of all three major political parties and Jewish communal leaders.

Lord Mann, the government’s independent adviser on antisemitism, said that the occasion was the second time in the 800-year history of Westminster Hall that a Chanukah reception had been hosted there, and he confirmed it would now be "an annual event in Parliament".

Link

Afghanistan

Swedish Committee for Afghanistan Stops Operations in Country

2025-01-25

[ToloNews] The Swedish Committee for Afghanistan, which has been operating in Afghanistan for over 40 years, announced the complete cessation of its activities in the country.

The organization said that it has closed all its offices in Afghanistan and will henceforth operate from outside the country as "Solidarity Committee for Afghanistan."

In a statement, the committee said: "SCA no longer implements activities in Afghanistan and our offices have closed. Outside Afghanistan we now operate under the name of Solidarity Committee for Afghanistan."

This comes after the Islamic Emirate suspended the operations of Swedish organizations in Afghanistan in July last year in response to the burning of a copy of the Holy Koran by a Swedish citizen.

The Swedish Committee for Afghanistan mainly focused on providing aid to women, children, and people with disabilities.

Although officials of the Islamic Emirate have not yet commented on the suspension of the Swedish Committee’s activities in Afghanistan, some experts say that humanitarian assistance from organizations like the Swedish Committee benefits Afghanistan. They suggest that the Islamic Emirate should adopt a suitable mechanism to allow such organizations to continue their operations.

Economic analyst Shakir Yaqubi said: "If the Islamic Emirate reviews its strict policies or restrictions imposed on international organizations in Afghanistan, this could naturally enhance Afghanistan's international credibility and attract other international organizations to the country."

Another economic expert, Lal Zazai, said: "It is necessary to establish a mechanism through mutual agreement to align the goals of the Afghan government with those of the Swedish government."

According to information provided by the Swedish Committee for Afghanistan, the organization operated in 16 provinces of the country in 2023 with approximately 7,000 Afghan employees.

The Islamic Emirate suspended the activities of the Swedish Committee in Afghanistan earlier this year in response to the burning of the Koran in Sweden.

Link

Home Front: WoT

Border czar Tom Homan has a simple message for gangster who yelled he''s ''not going back to Haiti''

2025-01-25

[NYPOST] Border czar Tom Homan had a simple message for the Haitian gangster who defiantly yelled ''F—k Trump, Biden forever!'' and how he was ''not going back to Haiti'' when he was picked up during immigration raids.
He's got a face and attitude meant for a pickaxe handle
''Well, he's wrong. He's going back to Haiti, I can tell you that,'' Homan told Fox News' ''The Will Cain Show'' with a smile as he was played the now-viral clip.

The Haitian migrant, who reportedly has at least 17 recent convictions, was one of eight notable arrests federal immigration officers made in Boston, including multiple MS-13 gang members as well as murder and rape suspects, Fox News first reported.

The point has been made by others but just consider for a second that ICE is snatching up all these animals within 72 hours of Trump taking office.

Meaning Biden knew exactly where all these people were and they let these barbarians stay here to prey on you.

Democrats are evil. https://t.co/oPHMl89zQM
— Jesse Kelly (@JesseKellyDC) January 23, 2025

Link

Science & Technology

US Army tests LTAMDS radar with PAC-3 interceptors

2024-12-12

By Dylan Malyasov
Dec 11, 2024

Raytheon, an RTX business, has announced that U.S. Army air defense soldiers successfully utilized the Lower Tier Air and Missile Defense Sensor (LTAMDS) to guide Patriot Advanced Capability-3 (PAC-3) interceptors in defeating surrogate cruise and ballistic missile threats.

According to a press release, this test marks a significant milestone in the LTAMDS program, demonstrating its readiness for operational deployment.

“LTAMDS continues to successfully pass each hurdle of the U.S. Army’s rigorous testing program, demonstrating its readiness for initial fielding,” said Tom Laliberty, president of Land & Air Defense Systems at Raytheon. “In this latest test, U.S. soldiers operated LTAMDS to successfully detect, track, and support engagement of a complex set of threats.”

The live-fire event is part of the U.S. Army’s operational assessment required before the program advances to full-rate production. During the test, LTAMDS integrated with the Integrated Battle Command System (IBCS) to provide 360-degree radar coverage. The system passed tracked data to guide PAC-3 interceptors in engaging surrogate short-range ballistic and low-altitude cruise missile targets.

The U.S. Army has revealed that using LTAMDS, the Army detected, tracked, and classified surrogate ballistic and cruise missile threats while operating in a 360-degree surveillance mode.

Read the rest at the link

Link

Syria-Lebanon-Iran

Mapping who controls what in Syria

2024-12-04

[Al Jazeera]

Link

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