Tuesday, April 21, 2026

US prepares for Total Destruction of Iran


From the FB page of:


While the news media is full of articles about possible US peace talks, analysts are watching what the US is actually doing




... probably to please its shailok Master and Overlord



Donald Trump insisted he was “under no pressure whatsoever” to make a peace deal with Iran, as the end of the two-week ceasefire looms with no sign of an extension.

The US president wrote on Truth Social Monday that he was “winning a war” and “things are going very well”, taking aim at the “fake news media” and “the Democrats” who downplayed his leverage.

Trump was resolute that the US military blockade of Iranian vessels would stay in place “until there is a ‘DEAL’”, as Iranian officials said they would not respond to coercion.


2 hours ago

Recap: Trump gives Wednesday ceasefire deadline

Donald Trump said the ceasefire with Iran would expire on “Wednesday evening Washington time” on Monday, with the deadline fast closing in.

The president clarified the deadline in a call with Bloomberg, in which he also said he was unlikely to accept a ceasefire extension.

“I’m not going to be rushed into making a bad deal. We’ve got all the time in the world,” he said.

Trump announced the two-week ceasefire with Iran on April 7, and had not specified when precisely it ends.

A Pakistani source involved in the talks said previously it would expire at 8pm ET on Wednesday, which would be midnight GMT or 3:30am Thursday in Iran.




From Self-Defence to Hegemony: How Israel Is Driving Instability in the Middle East

 

Dennis Ignatius

 

~ Provoking discussion, dissent & debate on politics, diplomacy, human rights & civil society.

From Self-Defence to Hegemony: How Israel Is Driving Instability in the Middle East

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[1] An uneasy truce may exist between the United States and Iran, but peace in the Middle East remains elusive. Israel’s recurring wars with its neighbours have kept the region in a state of chronic tension for decades.

[2] The cumulative toll is staggering. In Gaza, more than 72,000 people have been killed and entire neighbourhoods reduced to rubble. In the West Bank, Palestinians face killings, imprisonment, and dispossession — homes torched, land seized. Lebanon is under invasion, its cities battered and millions displaced. In Syria, airstrikes devastate towns and villages. In Iran, neighbourhoods lie shattered, communities plunged into mourning. Across the region, Israel’s actions have wrought immense death and destruction.

[3] Prime Minister Netanyahu insists that Israel is acting in self-defence, but that claim grows thinner by the day. Israel is no longer a beleaguered state fighting for survival against overwhelming odds. It is, by any objective measure, the most powerful military force in the region — backed decisively by the diplomatic, financial, and military weight of the United States. Its adversaries, fragmented and comparatively weak, pose no existential threat.

[4] Under Netanyahu, Israel is moving towards regional hegemony. The objective is no longer confined to countering threats, but to reshaping the Middle East decisively in Israel’s favour. Pretexts are readily seized upon to launch wars that weaken neighbours or crush them into submission. 

[5] The methods used to pursue these aims are deeply troubling. Targeted killings and arrests extend beyond combatants to include politicians, doctors, journalists, teachers, and other community leaders — eroding the social fabric. Entire neighbourhoods are levelled, essential infrastructure systematically crippled, and even deprivation is used as a tool of control. These are not incidental by-products of conflict but elements of a broader strategy of total war against its neighbours.

[6] Nowhere is this strategy more starkly evident than in Gaza and the West Bank, where an unprecedented campaign of ethnic cleansing appears to be underway. Much of Gaza has been reduced to rubble; civilians are killed in plain sight, and survivors face starvation and disease by design. A growing number of observers — including legal scholars and human rights organisations — have characterised these actions as amounting to genocide, with widespread war crimes documented. Notably, Israeli politicians themselves have made statements that reinforce these concerns.

[7] The urgent need now is for a fundamental reset: a new regional framework grounded in mutual security, accountability, and adherence to international law. At its core must be a clear recognition that instability stems both from the unresolved Palestinian question and from Israel’s pursuit of regional hegemony. Any credible effort must address both — advancing a just resolution for Palestinians while curbing actions that perpetuate conflict.

[8] The major powers must move beyond rhetorical concern and take concrete steps to halt the violence. This means aligning policy with principle — using diplomatic, economic, and military leverage not to sustain the status quo, but to enforce compliance with international law and protect civilian lives. At the same time, they must recalibrate their approach to Iran: containing destabilising behaviour where necessary, but also drawing Tehran into a credible regional framework as a responsible stakeholder rather than leaving it outside the system to act as a perpetual spoiler.

[9] Regional actors, especially Arab states, should re-anchor their diplomacy in a clear and consistent commitment to Palestinian rights. Engagement with Israel must be conditional on tangible progress — ending attacks on its neighbours, terminating the occupation, and securing Palestinian dignity and self-determination. Such leadership would not only advance the prospects for peace but also undercut Iran’s claim to moral authority on the Palestinian question.

[10] An uneasy truce may hold, but it should not be mistaken for progress. The forces driving this conflict — not least Israel’s pursuit of dominance and the continued marginalisation of the Palestinians — remain intact, and will continue to produce the same outcomes: destruction, displacement, and instability. The Palestinian question now sits at the heart of a wider crisis that extends far beyond the region. How the world responds will determine not only the future of the Middle East, but also the prospects for global stability and prosperity — and whether international law retains any real authority in the face of power.

[Dennis Ignatius |Kuala Lumpur |20 April 2026]

At least 25 killed in firecracker factory blast in India (Tamil Nadu)




At least 25 killed in firecracker factory blast in India


18 hours ago
Nikita Yadav

BBC Tamil
Around 50 workers were inside the factory premises when the explosion occurred


At least 25 people have been killed in an explosion at a firecracker factory in the southern Indian state of Tamil Nadu, with four others seriously injured.

The blast occurred at the Vanaja Fireworks Industry in Virudhunagar on Sunday evening. The factory was supposed to be closed but about 50 workers were inside at the time, officials said.

A second explosion occurred while rescue operations were on, injuring 13 more people, though none sustained serious burns, District Collector NO Sukhaputra told ANI news agency.

The cause of the blast is not yet known and an investigation is under way.

An eyewitness, who is being treated for injuries, told BBC Tamil that around 25 people were working in the veranda in front of the factory when the fire broke out, damaging at least three rooms and reducing parts of the building to rubble.

Rescue operations - which have now concluded - were then significantly slowed down as firecrackers continued to explode inside the building.

A complaint has been filed against the factory owner and foreman, both of whom are absconding, police said, adding that four special teams have been set up to trace and arrest them.

Meanwhile, efforts to identify the victims continued on Monday. District officials said that 22 of the 25 dead had been identified so far - most of them are women.


Iran war live: Tehran rejects talks under threat; Trump says blockade stays



Iran war live: Tehran rejects talks under threat; Trump says blockade stays



First tsunami wave reaches Japan’s Iwate coast after strong earthquake, authorities monitor nuclear plants





First tsunami wave reaches Japan’s Iwate coast after strong earthquake, authorities monitor nuclear plants



Japan’s Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi speaks to media after the Japan Meteorological Agency issued a tsunami warning, following a 7.5-magnitude earthquake off the north-eastern coast of Japan, at her official residence in Tokyo April 20, 2026. — Reuters pic

Monday, 20 Apr 2026 5:16 PM MYT


MOSCOW, April 20 — The first tsunami wave — 40 cm (15.7 inches) in height — has reached the coast of the Iwate prefecture in Japan, according to the NHK broadcaster today, reported Sputnik/RIA Novosti.


It said the Japanese authorities are checking the operation of nuclear power plants after the powerful earthquake.


According to Tohoku Electric Power, Onagawa NPP in the Miyagi prefecture is being checked for possible deviations.

The operator of Tokyo Electric Power (Tepco) announced that the Fukushima-1 nuclear power plant in Fukushima Prefecture is being checked for possible new anomalies.


A similar check is being carried out at the Fukushima-2 nuclear power plant.


It added that Kyodo news agency reported that no emergencies were recorded at Fukushima-1 and Fukushima-2 nuclear power plants.

Earlier in the day, the Japanese Meteorological Agency said that a magnitude 7.5 earthquake occurred in the northern part of the Japanese island of Honshu in the Pacific Ocean in the area of Aomori and Iwate prefectures.


NHK reported that a tsunami was recorded at sea, approaching the Japanese prefectures of Iwate and Aomori.

The maximum force of the tremors was 5+ points on a seven-point scale adopted in Japan.

A tsunami threat was declared on the Pacific coast from the northernmost island of Hokkaido to the north of Honshu Island. It was also extended to the east coast of northern Japan. — Bernama-Sputnik/RIA Novosti


***


After 7.7 quake, Japan warns of higher likelihood of ‘huge’ magnitude‑8 event



This photo shows a warning message on a screen from a live feed on NHK with tsunami alert after an earthquake hit northern Japan, in Tokyo on April 20, 2026. A 7.4-magnitude earthquake struck northern Japan on April 20, Japan’s Meteorological Agency said, issuing a tsunami warning for waves up to three metres. — AFP pic

Monday, 20 Apr 2026 7:49 PM MYT


TOKYO, April 20 — Japan issued a special advisory today warning of an increased risk of earthquakes at magnitude 8.0 or stronger, after a powerful jolt rattled the country’s north and prompted a tsunami warning.


The Japan Meteorological Agency said in a statement that “the likelihood of a new, huge earthquake occurring is relatively higher than during normal times”.


The warning for the northern region came a few hours after a 7.7-magnitude earthquake struck the area, shaking large buildings in the capital Tokyo, hundreds of kilometres from the epicentre.

The quake, which was initially estimated at magnitude 7.4 before being revised to 7.5 and again to 7.7, hit at 4.53pm (0753 GMT/3.53pm Malaysian time) in Pacific waters off northern Iwate prefecture.


There were no immediate reports of serious injuries or significant damage, Chief Cabinet Secretary Minoru Kihara told a news conference.


A Cabinet Office official told a separate televised briefing that “while it is uncertain whether (another) major earthquake will actually occur, we ask that you take disaster preparedness measures based on the principle that you are responsible for your own safety”. — AFP


You thought that was the fare? 10 hidden airline fees catching SE Asian travellers off guard




You thought that was the fare? 10 hidden airline fees catching SE Asian travellers off guard



AirAdvisor, a passenger rights platform, has highlighted 10 lesser-known or unexpected airline fees that travellers in South-east Asia may encounter in 2026, reflecting a wider shift in global aviation pricing models. — Picture by Choo Choy May

Tuesday, 21 Apr 2026 7:00 AM MYT


KUALA LUMPUR, April 21 — That low airfare flashing on your screen might not be the full story.

A growing list of “unbundled” airline charges — from seat selection to check-in and even phone bookings — is catching South-east Asian travellers off guard as base fares increasingly exclude services once considered standard.

AirAdvisor, a passenger rights platform, has highlighted 10 lesser-known or unexpected airline fees that travellers in the region may encounter in 2026, reflecting a wider shift in global aviation pricing models.

“With short-haul flights between Singapore, Kuala Lumpur, Bangkok, Jakarta and Manila increasingly common, travellers are often paying more than the base fare as airlines continue to unbundle services,” the report noted.


It added that the trend means passengers are now routinely making more decisions at booking — balancing what is included, what is optional, and what will cost extra later.


Among the more unusual add-ons is the option to keep the seat next to you empty, offered by airlines such as Philippine Airlines, VietJet Air and All Nippon Airways under various “extra comfort” or “seat blocking” services.

Other fees flagged include charges for booking through call centres, with Singapore Airlines reportedly applying additional fees for phone-assisted bookings in certain cases.


Budget carriers such as AirAsia, Scoot and Jetstar Asia also charge for advance seat selection, including the ability to avoid middle seats.

In some cases, even airport services are no longer free, with AirAsia passengers facing fees for counter check-in as airlines push users towards digital platforms.

Other charges include credit card processing fees on selected routes, name correction penalties, and baggage-related add-ons under “Basic Economy” fares such as those offered by United Airlines.

AirAdvisor said the system reflects a broader global shift in airline pricing, where the headline fare often represents only the starting point.

Experts advised travellers to compare total journey costs rather than promotional fares alone, and to check carefully what is included before booking.

Key takeaways for travellers include reviewing baggage allowances, seat selection costs and payment fees — as well as understanding that low-cost fares often come with higher add-ons later in the journey.

Monday, April 20, 2026

Jewish Terrorism Explodes Around The Middle East as Statue of Jesus is Desecrated by IDF

 



Jewish Terrorism Explodes Around The Middle East as Statue of Jesus is Desecrated by IDF


The Israeli military said Monday it had verified the authenticity of a widely circulated image showing one of its soldiers in southern Lebanon smashing a statue of Jesus with a sledgehammer. The Israel Defense Forces said the matter was being handled through the chain of command and that appropriate measures would be taken.

The military said it viewed the incident with “great severity” and added that it would work with the local community to restore the damaged statue. Arab media reports cited by AFP said the statue was located in the Christian village of Debl near the Israel-Lebanon border.

Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Sa’ar described the act as “grave and disgraceful” and said he supported the military’s investigation and disciplinary process.

Separately, Israeli Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich renewed calls for Israel to occupy and establish settlements in the Gaza Strip, saying the war there should conclude with territorial expansion.

GhostofBasedPatrickHenry: This image was posted to X yesterday, prompting the IDF to respond to say that they were investigating.

The statue was located in the Christian town of Debel. The town posted an image of the statue before it was ceremonially desecrated by the IDF, with the caption (written in Arabic): “Father, forgive them; for they know not what they do” (Luke 23:34)”

Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Sa’ar has released a statement confirming that the image is real and the desecration did take place, denouncing the act and vowing consequences against the responsible party. (It should be noted that the Israeli government makes such statements whenever acts of terrorism are conducted by IDF or Israeli Settlers, and nothing ever happens to them.)

Smashing the face of Jesus with a sledge hammer is a pretty startling move, but not entirely surprising given the recent actions of the IDF and Israeli Settler Movement.

In an interview earlier this month with Israeli media outlet Haaretz—the oldest operating newspaper in Israel—a founder of the modern Israeli Settler Movement, Pinchas Wallerstein, said that he was horrified by the rise of Jewish terrorism in the region, labelling it “treason” against the State of Israel.

Indeed, the actions of the IDF and Israeli Settlers in many instances can only be defined as “terrorism,” as the Tomb of Saint Peter was recently destroyed “by accident” by the IDF, and the Lebanese Christians are being warned by Netanyahu and his government not to return to their villages, despite the ceasefire.

Haaretz also just published a piece by Tom Levinson documenting the explosion in suicide, depression, and PTSD among IDF reservists who were forced into military service after October 7th. Many of these people are now psychologically broken and unable to function due to the trauma that they witnessed being visited upon the Palestinian civilians in both Gaza and the West Bank.

Many of these Israelis have been forced to serve six or seven tours of duty since the October 7th attack, including those who had been diagnosed with PTSD and should have been disqualified for deployment. Those who refused were arrested.

In a separate investigative effort, Israeli activist and journalist Shaiel Ben-Ephraim—who once served in the IDF as a proud Zionist, until witnessing the atrocities firsthand— has gathered a trove of evidence (including conducting interviews with IDF prison guards) that he claims can be independently corroborated by a number of third-party organizations. These are anecdotes of the torture and abuse that Palestinians (including Christians) have suffered at the hands of the IDF while in custody.

The most horrifying of these reports is the allegation that prisoners are being raped not only by IDF soldiers, but also by dogs that have been trained to perform this act. As ludicrous and farfetched as this sounds, Ben-Ephraim provides the specific names of prisoner-victims and the prisons in which the incidents occurred, as well as eye-witness accounts from both prisoners and prison guards.(Which purportedly have been corroborated by third-party groups.)

Normally, it would be easy to dismiss claims like this as war-time propaganda. However, we do have a video of IDF soldiers gang-raping a Palestinian male prisoner in 2024, which was leaked to the public by the top two lawyers at the IDF—who were subsequently hunted down and prosecuted by the Israeli government. We also have hundreds (if not thousands) of Israeli citizens who are reportedly traumatized by whatever they witnessed while deployed as reservists, including watching IDF bulldozers squish people while they were still alive, and witnessing other IDF soldiers urinating on bodies of the deceased.

There was also this image, which went viral after it was posted by the female IDF soldier in the picture to her own social media account(s). The kitchen in which she is cooking belonged to a family in southern Lebanon, but it is now being occupied and used by IDF soldiers.

Image

And to top it all off, the Israeli Finance Minister (Bezalel Smotrich) is now calling for the IDF to reoccupy all of Gaza, and for new Israeli settlements to be established there, going against President Trump and the Board of Peace.

While there are probably some good people in the IDF, overall it appears to be an army of bandits, thieves, and cut-throats who ostensibly hate Jesus Christ and lack the basic principles of decency on which all of Western Civilization (Christianity) is founded.

Everything that the IDF is doing right now is predicated on the concept of “might makes right,” which can otherwise be thought of as, “Do what thou will.” Simply put, the weak will suffer the will of the strong. The strong will do whatever they please, because they can.

The problem with this ethos—aside from the obvious moral degeneracy—is that, eventually, a bigger and stronger person or group comes along and imposes its own will on to the formerly strong.

This is the reason I believe that President Trump is waging a war against Israel, using Iran as his proxy. Because Israel is infected with a cultural disease that is leading it down a very dark path. And the worst part is that “Christians” like Mike Huckabee are running cover for them.

What happens when Turkey, Egypt, and Pakistan (along with others) decide that the IDF’s campaign to conquer the Middle East needs to be stopped, and calls on the rest of the world to support their effort to do that, kinetically?

Might makes right, amirite?