#terror attac

[underthewingsofthblackeagle]

Dozens of people were reportedly killed in a shooting near Moscow. It happened at a concert hall, which burst into flames after explosions were heard. Russian authorities are calling it a terrorist act.

[matan4il]

I am at a loss for words.

A Jewish woman in Paris was kidnapped, held for several days, and raped for being a Jew, and her mother was psychologically taunted and tormented, as "revenge for Palestine."

And while the perpetrator is the main person responsible for this horrific crime, every single person denying or justifying the Oct 7 sexual violence is guilty of contributing to this normalization, making this antisemitic terrorist think his excuse is in any way an acceptable justification for this atrocity. Every single person who didn't believe Jewish victims, every single person who demanded proof, but turned a blind eye to the visual evidence Hamas terrorists themselves provided, every single person who called the films and pictures and testimonies from countless Israelis "propaganda," every single person who justified it and claimed that "rape is resistance." They're all complicit. They all have to know they've helped make Jews everywhere in the world less safe.

Speaking of complicity, even though a UN report found credible evidence for the sexual crimes committed by Hamas on Oct 7 and against Israeli hostages since, the UN secretary general, Antonio Guterres, has personally decided to leave Hamas out of the annual report on sexual violence in conflicts around the world. Israeli commentators expressed their belief that this was done, because had it been included, then the UN would have no choice but to finally recognize that Hamas is a terrorist organization. The UN is complicit. Guterres is complicit. Hold them accountable.

Speaking of the UN's known anti-Israel bias, what a surprise, their report on UNRWA, their own agency, claimed not to support the charges against it, though they did find that UNRWA has "some issues" maintaining its neutrality...

Just to make it clear, "staff publicly taking sides" refers to UNRWA employees being openly anti-Israel, antisemitic and pro anti-Jewish violence, and the "problematic content" in UNRWA textbooks is incitement to terrorism and educating Palestinian kids to be antisemitic. This alone constitutes more than "some issues with neutrality." But there's more. Out of the 12 Gaza UNRWA employees first identified by Israel as having participated in the Hamas massacre, at least three were killed inside Israel on Oct 7 itself, and at least one more was captured on film while helping to kidnap an Israeli young man's body from an Israeli kibbutz into Gaza using a vehicle with UN license plates. I'd say that's a bit more than "difficulties with neutrality". In fact, the UN itself implicitly recognized the evidence was damning, or it would not have fired nine of the twelve right away, and admit a tenth UN worker was dead following the invasion and attack on Israeli communities, while claiming they're still "clarifying" the identities of the other two killed employees who participated in the Hamas massacre. BTW, it's been about 3 months of the UN "clarifying" the identities of those other two dead employees (screenshot below is from the article published 2 days ago, link with same claim on "clarification" is from Jan 27).

UNRWA is complicit. There are other humanitarian aid NGOs, which can do better. Dismantle UNRWA. But we know the UN will not be dismantling the cash cow that this agency is, even though no other refugee group gets an equal treatment to that. At what point do we say out loud, that if more and more UNRWA employees are found to be complicit in a massacre or being embedded with Hamas, if Hamas terrorists have continuously used UNRWA infrastructure to store weapons and shoot at Israelis, if UNRWA was found to be providing a terrorist organization with internet and electricity, and if the UN can't hold its own agency accountable, then the UN is also complicit in UNRWA's collaboration with Hamas?

In Israel itself, as the biggest Jewish community in the world is celebrating Passover, attacks on Israeli Jews continue.

Two days ago, on the Eve of Passover, a combined terrorist attack took place in Jerusalem, in an ultraorthodox neighborhood, with two Palestinian terrorists driving their car into a group of visibly Jewish young people, then the attackers left their car and tried shooting at their victims, but the weapon thankfully malfunctioned. Three people were lightly wounded. (the vid below shows most of the attack, but not the graphic parts of the car hitting the young Jewish men)

Yestrday, the Lebanon-based terrorist organization Hezbollah launched three suicide drones at Israel's northern communities, along its Mediterranean shore. This attack comes on the heels of the news that out of 18 Israelis wounded in a previous Hezbollah drone attack on an Israeli Arab Bedouin town, one has died from his injuries, after fighting for his life for 5 days. It's 27 years old Dor Zimel, an officer who was stationed in that town to protect it. Dor was set to get married next month, and he had proposed to his fiancee with a ring donated by a bereaved father (his son, 23 years old Addir Messika, was a jewelry designer, and the ring was one he designed before he was murdered by Hamas terrorists at the Nova music festival on Oct 7). Dor's organs were donated and saved the lives of 7 people, including an injured soldier, who's also the father of a girl. May Dor and Addir's memory be a blessing.

And today, on the second day of Passover, an attempted stabbing attack was stopped before the Palestinian female terrorist managed to harm anyone. She was neutralized at the scene.

I'm sure all those who decried Israel having to continue its war against Hamas during Ramadan are being extra loud about this wave of anti-Jewish violence during Passover, which is actually just a partial list of the on going attacks on Israeli Jews during this holiday.

In other news, the preparations for the IDF's ground operation in Rafah have actually already started. Reports suggest 250,000 Palestinians who have come to the southern city as they left other war zones in Gaza, have already left Rafah, and that Israel has already started building encampments to house those it will evacuate from the city before the ground operation begins.

Trying to remember when have I ever seen an army building an entire camp city for the enemy's civilian population. I'm coming up blank.

This is Miri Gad Mesikka.

She lives in kibbutz Be'eri, together with her husband Eli and their 3 kids. On Oct 7, they locked themselves in the bomb shelter from the invading Hamas terrorists. They were in there for 12 hours, fighting for control of the bomb shelter's door, until the terrorists set their house on fire, and the Gad Messika family had to make an impossible choice: stay and maybe suffocate to death from the smoke (or worse if the fire got in), or jump from their second floor window, probably be injured and maybe be shot to death by the terrorists. Eventually, they chose to jump out. They all got injured, and one of her sons got his leg broken, but the terrorists didn't spot them, and this decision saved their lives. During the time they were locked inside the bomb shelter, Miri recounts how she would see some of her friends and neighbors not responding anymore, and she couldn't know why. She kept hoping it was because their phone batteries ran out. "Today I know some of them were being kidnapped, while others were being murdered. It was a massacre, happening in countless different spots at the same time." One of her friends told Miri, that her daughter, a baby who was less than one years old, was shot in the head right in front of her. Then the friend's husband was murdered as well, and despite being shot with a bullet in her lungs herself, the friend somehow managed to get herself and her two other kids away.

Never forget.

(for all of my updates and ask replies regarding Israel, click here)

[a-very-tired-jew]

Columbia University's Joint Anti-Israel Groups Go Mask Off

Hey, remember how Columbia University had students in encampments protesting for months? Remember how their SJP, BDS movement, and associated groups endorsed terrorism, violence, and "resistance by any means"?

I remember. Well their joint SJP and BDS group called CU Apartheid Divest just posted something to their Instagram that shows it has never been about Palestine or Palestinians.

Fig. 1. CU Apartheid Divest group, made of SJP, BDS, and other groups openly admits that they are anti-Western Civilization

Read that again.

"We are Westerners fighting for the total eradication of Western civilization."

That's a wild statement to make.

So what are they posting about suddenly that has them revealing their intent for their actions since October?

Bangladesh.

The CU Activists are attempting to liken October 7th attack by Hamas with the Bangladesh student protests. Bangladesh had a quota based employment system that students were protesting, the government responded violently, and everything escalated from there due to years of government corruption, violence, and economic turmoil. This was a protest turned revolution within a country by its own people. This was not a government run by a recognized terrorist group attacking another country, killing civilians, and taking them hostage.

However, the differences and reasons between Hamas's actions and the actions of the students in Bangladesh do not matter to the anti-Zionist Activist.

We've seen this repeatedly from these activists that they will try to liken their movement and/or attach it to other conflicts around the world. Many of these conflicts differ greatly from the Israel/Hamas war as they are internal issues with internal actors being involved.

Bangladesh is students protesting against their government.

Sudan is going through a civil war between various factions.

The Congo has been experiencing decades long violence as various militias fight each other for control.

Yet I've see anti-Israel protestors tag their posts with Free Bangladesh, Free Congo, Free Sudan even though these conflicts differ in origin and parties involved.

If you continue through the IG post you'll see very little information as to the cause of the protest/revolution in Bangladesh and continued attempts to coopt the actions for their movement.

Fig. 2. CU Apartheid Divest group tries to liken its student movements to the student protests in Bangladesh and calls to escalate.

I can't help but think that the CU student activists yearn to be oppressed in a way that would allow them to respond like revolutions and protests around the world. The way they speak and write exudes a yearning for violence. In Fig. 2. they detail the actions taken by students against an authoritarian government that has actively shot and killed protestors. Whereas here in the USA the students were forcibly removed from campuses, experienced some police violence, were arrested, and then released. No curfews with a shoot on sight policy were imposed here in the USA in response to college campus protests.

Fig. 3. CU Apartheid Divest classifies this as an Intifada and likens it to Hamas's attack.

Notice in Fig. 3. that they're trying to call the actions in Bangladesh an Intifada. Not an intifada, but an Intifada which is a proper noun with its own connotation. I know I may be a stickler here, but if I see that word capitalized then I know it's referencing the First and Second Intifadas, and I know that these student groups have been calling for a Third one under the guise of "Global Intifada". They also say that Westerners need to escalate and are "obligated" to do so.

Fig. 4. CU Apartheid Divest uses tankie terminology, refers to Bangladeshis as martyrs, and calls this part of the Global Intifada.

The terminology in Fig. 4. also shows how much the Free Palestine student movement in the USA is not actually about Palestine, Palestinians, or any other movement it tries to attach itself to. These are tankies as indicated by the use of "comrades" and they are wholly opposed to Western Civilization. They genuinely state that their movement should violently escalate here in the USA and that they should be prepared for "sacrifices". This language when coupled with the use of Intifada is alarming as it appears that these student activists are preparing to follow in the footsteps of the Second Intifada, or at the very least calling for others to do so.

These students, whom call themselves the Militants of Hind's Hall (seen in the IG post, but not pictured here), are coopting, or attempting to coopt, movements and conflicts from around the world for their own ideals. As these are students in the USA who are arguably experiencing the least amount of oppression when compared to these other conflicts, and are actively attending Ivy League or R1 universities, it can only be assumed that they're yearning to live out their Glorious Revolution fantasy.

I am under no illusion that I understand their reasoning. Are things perfect here in the USA? Of course not, but when compared to the countries that these student protestors are attaching themselves to, we are leaps and bounds better. And if you disagree, then I have to ask, when was the last time we had a curfew with a shoot on sight policy?

Anyone attempting to call this movement and group "peaceful" is naive. They've been telling you for months that they're not peaceful, that their goals are not peaceful, and that the only peace they want is after they commit violence.

The IG link for reference

[sexsylexi]

HEEY LEX I JUST WANT TO SAY THAT I LOOOVEEE YOUR WRITING 💗and sooo I was wondering if you could do a jason fic about him and y/n walking in a crowd and jason sees someone with green hair like the joker and starting to having a panic attac … yeah very angsty…

Awe thankss! 💗 and yes of course I can!

Ghosts of Gotham

Jason todd x reader

The summer night was alive with the sounds of Gotham City, a cacophony of car horns, distant sirens, and the low hum of chatter from the bustling crowd. The city was celebrating some kind of festival, one of those rare nights when people felt safe enough to flood the streets and enjoy the warm air without constantly looking over their shoulders. Vendors were set up along the sidewalks, selling everything from greasy street food to delicate trinkets, while street performers drew clusters of spectators with their impressive acts.

Jason Todd, known to the night as the Red Hood, walked through the throng of people, his hand securely wrapped around yours. His grip was firm but gentle, a silent reassurance amidst the chaos around you. You could feel the tension in his body, the way his eyes constantly scanned the crowd, a soldier always on alert even during a rare night off.

You squeezed his hand, trying to offer some comfort. "Hey, Jason, relax a bit. It's just a festival," you said, smiling up at him.

Jason's lips twitched into a small smile, but the tension didn't leave his eyes. "Yeah, I know. Old habits die hard, I guess."

You understood. Jason's past had carved deep scars into his psyche, scars that you could see just by looking into his eyes. Nights like this, where the city's usual threat level seemed dialed down, were supposed to be a reprieve, but they often brought their own kind of stress for him.

"Let's get something to eat," you suggested, nodding towards a food truck that was drawing a crowd with its promise of gourmet tacos.

Jason nodded, his grip on your hand tightening for a moment before he started leading you towards the truck. The smell of seasoned meat and freshly made tortillas made your stomach rumble, and you could see Jason's mouth watering too. For a moment, it seemed like the simple pleasure of good food might be enough to ease his worries.

As you waited in line, you tried to engage Jason in light conversation, talking about the performances you had seen, the colorful decorations, anything to keep his mind occupied. He responded, but his eyes were still scanning, always scanning.

Then, in a heartbeat, everything changed.

Jason stiffened beside you, his grip on your hand turning almost painfully tight. You followed his gaze, trying to see what had caught his attention. At first, you didn't notice anything out of the ordinary, just more people milling about, laughing and enjoying the night. But then you saw it: a flash of green hair in the crowd, just for a moment.

Jason's breath hitched, his eyes wide and unblinking. "No," he whispered, barely audible over the noise of the festival.

"Jason, what is it?" you asked, worry creeping into your voice.

But he didn't respond. His entire body had gone rigid, his face pale as a sheet. You looked back at the crowd, trying to see what he was seeing. The green hair appeared again, closer this time, and you caught a glimpse of a pale face and a red-lipped grin.

It couldn't be. You knew it couldn't be. The Joker was gone. But logic didn't matter in that moment. Jason's mind had already spiralled into a dark place, a place filled with pain and terror.

"Jason, look at me," you said, turning to face him, placing a hand on his cheek. "It's not him. It can't be."

But Jason's eyes were unfocused, his breathing rapid and shallow. You recognized the signs of a panic attack, something you had seen before but never this intense. He was trapped in his own mind, reliving the worst moments of his life.

The crowd seemed to close in around you, the noise becoming a deafening roar. You needed to get him out of here, away from the triggers, away from the crowd.

"Come on, Jason, we need to move," you said, trying to lead him away, but he was frozen in place, his eyes locked onto the spot where he had seen the green hair.

You tried again, more forcefully this time. "Jason, we need to go now."

He didn't respond, his breaths coming in short, painful gasps. Panic rose in your chest. You couldn't lose him, not to this. You wrapped your arms around him, trying to ground him, to bring him back to you.

"Jason, it's me. It's Y/N. You're safe. You're not there, you're here with me," you said, your voice firm but gentle.

Slowly, painfully slowly, his eyes began to focus on you. The wild panic in them started to recede, replaced by a dawning awareness. He was still breathing hard, but he was seeing you now, not the ghosts of his past.

"Y/N," he whispered, his voice trembling.

"Yes, Jason, it's me. You're okay. You're safe," you repeated, holding his face in your hands, your thumbs brushing away the tears that had started to fall.

He swallowed hard, his breathing gradually slowing. "I saw him," he said, his voice barely more than a whisper.

"I know, but it wasn't him. It was just someone with green hair," you said, keeping your voice calm and soothing.

He nodded slowly, but the fear hadn't completely left his eyes. "I… I couldn't breathe. I thought… I thought he was back."

"I know," you said softly. "But he's not. He's gone, and you're here with me. You're safe."

Jason took a deep, shaky breath, his grip on your hand easing slightly. "I'm sorry," he said, his voice rough with emotion.

"Don't be. It's okay," you said, giving him a reassuring smile. "Let's get out of here, okay? Somewhere quiet."

He nodded, and you began to lead him away from the crowd, your arm wrapped around his waist, his arm draped over your shoulders. You found a quiet alleyway a few blocks away, far from the noise and the people. You sat down on a bench, pulling Jason down beside you.

For a long moment, neither of you spoke. You just sat there, holding him, letting him calm down at his own pace. His breathing gradually returned to normal, the tension in his body slowly easing.

"Thank you," he said finally, his voice barely more than a whisper.

"Always," you replied, resting your head on his shoulder. "I'm here, Jason. I'm always here."

He wrapped his arms around you, holding you close. "I don't know what I'd do without you," he admitted, his voice raw with emotion.

"You don't have to worry about that," you said softly. "I'm not going anywhere."

You stayed like that for a long time, the sounds of the city a distant murmur. The panic attack had left Jason drained, but he seemed calmer now, more present. You knew this wouldn't be the last time he'd have to face his demons, but you also knew he didn't have to face them alone.

"Do you want to talk about it?" you asked gently, knowing he might not be ready.

Jason was silent for a moment, then shook his head. "Not now. Maybe later."

"Okay," you said, giving him a reassuring squeeze. "Whenever you're ready."

He nodded, and for the first time that night, he seemed to relax a little. "Let's just sit here for a while," he said quietly.

"Sounds good to me," you replied, snuggling closer to him.

As the minutes passed, you felt Jason's breathing even out, the last of the tension leaving his body. You knew the road ahead wouldn't be easy, but as long as you had each other, you could face anything.

The city around you continued its celebration, unaware of the small, quiet victory taking place in a secluded alleyway. For Jason, every day was a battle, but tonight, with you by his side, he had won. And that was enough.

You stayed there for a long time, just holding each other, finding comfort in the silence and in each other. Eventually, Jason pulled back slightly, looking down at you with a small, grateful smile.

"Let's go home," he said softly.

You nodded, standing up and taking his hand once more. As you walked back through the city, the noise and the crowd seemed a little less overwhelming, the night a little less dark. And for the first time in a long time, Jason felt like he could breathe again.

[afriblaq]

In today’s episode of DEI Is The New N-Word, white conservatives have proven, once again, that they will take any event — no matter how irrelevant the subject of diversity, equity and inclusion is to said event — and make it about DEI hiring the second they find out someone in a top position of authority is involved who is not a white man....

[trashland-llamas]

Stuffies

Gn reader

‘Ice bear noticed your stuffie has gotten deflated. Ice bear wonders if he could replace it as he doesn’t think he can fix it this time seeing that it’s quite literally falling apart.’ The polar bear held onto the stuffy in question with its patchwork thread from all the repairs. You flinched at this, regressed brain feeling a sense of heartbreak. It felt like a parent telling their kid they were too old to play with toys.

‘That’s not a bad thing, means it’s been loved. Ice bear admires you as you’ve somehow filled the stuffy with so much love, it’s bursting through the seams and it can’t hold anymore.’ He’d been planning for this moment, his brothers had practiced it with him. Going through different emotions as he figured out the right words.

‘Ice bear knows how much your stuffies mean to you and didn’t want to do it without asking first.’ Offering the stuffy to you for one last hug goodbye. Or at least until the new addition arrived. Ice bear treated this process as his little one grieving for a friend. One you’ve known for a good chunk of your life, even before you knew regression was a thing. He made sure to stay close by your side, especially around nighttime as he expected a few more night terrors to pop up.

‘Icy protec but also attac?’ You asked in a small voice, grabbing fistfuls of his fur before letting go. ‘Ice bear would do anything to keep you safe from the monsters.’ Putting a night light under the bed so it’d look less appealing. Except for maybe moth man.

‘Promise?’ Ice bear nodded as they linked pinkies. Giving you his word as he’d never break a pinky promise. A sworn oath between you two.

[islam-defined]

Killing humans in the name of war is bad but to retaliate & defend is also not terror

There are a series of atrocities, brutalities, and oppression of Israelis in Palestine that has been already recognized by The UN Human Rights Council. It was at its climax when they killed Shireen Abu Akhleh, the Christian journalist who was covering the agony and suffering of the Palestinians. 👇

This is a truth the world cannot deny even if they don't support Palestine they have to agree with the truth that Israel behaves like apartheid against Palestinians. 👇

How can they legally approve the killings of innocent citzens and children selectively when their defense misnister spoke such offensive once upon a time👇

It is so sad that instead of going into a theories of solution certain politicians have started blaming the Palestine instead. Is this not a height of hypocrisy when the world remains deaf dumb and blind against the crimes of Israel indiscriminately killing the Palestinians one after one since long👇

These are all available in the internet and I am not speaking anything of my own and I think the diplomats of the world should take necessary steps for a resolution to bring peace in the land of Al-Aqsa 👇 which has never seen a full stop since the arrival of Israelis in 1947

[vallygirl285]

Good!! These people need to understand that their actions have consequences. You protest in favor of a terrorist organization and not only that but you become a terrorist.

You torment and attack people for no reason other than they are Jewish. You have embraced being an antisemitic so now embrace being blacklisted.

[scarz-xo]

Now that I'm back from work, I wanna address this in a post rather than a short reply.

So for the first sentence "The Hamas is in war", I hope you excuse me grammatically correcting you whoever you are, no hard feelings towards you trust me.

So "Hamas is in war", maybe, I won't say yes, I won't say no, they're not my case.

My case is the Palestinians, they're not Hamas & they're the ones getting bombed in Gaza & in refugee camps, they keep on saying Hamas did this, Hamas did that, okay if that's your case but where's Hamas?

The ambulances bombed the past few days, where was Hamas in that bombing?

The Turkish hospital for children who have cancer, where was Hamas in that situation? It's very funny that when Turkey came out with "I'm with Palestine" the hospital got bombed.

So maybe Hamas is at war, but what does that have to do with the Palestinians who have nothing but rocks?

"A war against terrorism" forgive me for correcting your spelling this time but what can we do?

So let's define the word "Terrorism"

So let's give some examples:

These are small examples you can get from a simple Google search & just for you, I got you western news outlets cause if I got you middle eastern, you wouldn't believe me, anyways now I ask you, who's the terrorist?

This has been going on for decades, not one year, not 5 years, not 10 years but decades.

Imagine I become in need for a place to stay, I got kicked out from my home, my neighbours don't wanna help me in fact they wanna kick me too so you a generous person offer me a room, I take your generosity as naivety & start taking more rooms, eventually kicking you out, not only kicking you out!

But I also kick at you, starve you, imprison you, kill your loved ones, leave you an orphan, kill your pet, how would you feel? How would you feel as a generous person and me a person who was in need and decided to settle in your house?

That's how it is, Palestine already existed before "Israel" was even a word, I suggest you Google Belfort's Declaration from 1948, it's a history lesson we're taught at 6th grade but westerns lack.

We also call it in the middle east:

"وعد من لا يملك لمن لا يستحق"

"A promise from those who do not have to those who do not deserve".

"Hamas' goal is not only to destroy Israel. They want to kill every person who is different as gay people. I am gay!"

I wonder who taught you that, who even gave you these ideas, is it because you think Hamas is a Muslim organisation so of course they want everybody dead? After all mostly that's what you've been taught.

So if you want a lesson from Islam, we're taught not to engage in homosexual acts & not to support them, we're not ordered to kill, or harm or anything for that matter, just not to support or engage in them.

But for you I wonder how would you feel if you discover that homophobia is huge in Israel:

So in conclusion, the Israelis your picking are not your "ally" & before you come at me, you have the links to read from Israeli newspapers.

I think this should be enough for you.

[writerdownbookworder]

*oops, my hand slipped. it's really long*

“Uhhh…” 

I feel like I should probably be mad or something, but all I am is thoroughly confused. My family is in the same room as Josie’s and no one is yelling or threatening anyone.

Josie throws herself on the bed, sobbing. Taken aback, I put my arms around her, uncomfortable, but unwilling to not try to comfort her.

My father walks over to the bed and puts a heavy hand on my shoulder. “Glad to see you awake, son.”

I nod quietly as my mother walks over as well, tears in her eyes.

“The doctors said it would be a miracle if you woke up,” she whimpered, lifting a tissue to dab her eyes. “Josie told us everything.”

Josie sits up a little and I can see her face, tear-stained. To most of the room, I’m sure she looks like she’s relieved to see me awake, but I can see something else underneath that. Fear?

What did she tell them?

Josie’s older sister helps their dad to his feet, and he comes over as well, Josie scooting backwards and off the bed to make room for him. The man had scared me since I was a child, and not much had changed in the 15 years since then. 

He stares into my eyes intensely. “It was you?”

Everyone in the room seems to hold their breath. They all wait for me to say something. Because they are all turned toward me, no one sees Josie clasp her hands, pleading silently with me to say yes.

Slowly, I nod. “Yes, sir.”

Everyone exhales. Then, a flurry of activity comes out of nowhere. Parents asking questions, sisters talking over each other, brothers causing a general upheaval. 

No one sees the look of gratitude Josie gives me.

Finally, after what seems like hours, but is probably only minutes, a doctor and nurse show up and shoos everyone out. After a quick check, they let one person come back in. 

Josie walks in sheepishly. “Thank you.”

“How long was I out?!” I demand quietly. “What’s going on? Why is no one killing each other? And I’m pretty sure you weren’t pregnant the last time I saw you!”

Josie laughs as she eases herself into a chair. “Do you want me to explain, or do you just want to keep asking questions?”

I zip my lips and settle back into the bed, ignoring the headache pounding behind my temples.

“It’s only been about 3 months since the accident,” she starts. “I was about 5 months along, hiding my bump under baggy clothes, not going out much. My parents want me to marry the father, but…I can’t.”

I open my mouth but she cuts me off. “Just listen, okay?”

She waits for my nod before continuing. “The doctors, they thought you wouldn’t wake up. Of course I hoped you would! I really did! I know that we’ve never been really close or anything, but our parents' feud has never been ours, and I still remember how it was back when we were little. So…I told my parents that you were the father.”

“What?!”

“Shh! They thought you wouldn’t wake up! I thought that it would be the right thing! They think its you, you die, I’m out. But…here we are.”

I am furious. “You dragged me into this without asking!”

Josie looks suitably guilty. “I know. And I’m so sorry. Really.”

I rub my forehead, the throbbing growing more persistent. “So, who’s the real father? Cause I know it’s not me.”

Josie sighs. “I…don’t really know. Not because I was sleeping around!” she rushes to say. “I was attacked. But if I tell my family that, you know what will happen.”

Unfortunately, I did. The last time anyone even looked at Josie wrong was in elementary school. Her parents showed up at recess and terrorized the kid out of sight of everyone until he was limp with fear. There were threats taped to his family’s mailbox and front door for weeks. Rumors said that Josie’s dad even attacked the kid’s father, but no one actually knew if that was true. 

If Josie’s family knew that someone had physically attacked their youngest daughter, the baby of their family, resulting in her pregnancy…there wouldn’t be anything left of the guy to find.

I sigh. “I hate to say it, but I’m failing to see the problem with that. If he attacked you…”

Josie shrugged. “I can’t be sure of who it was. I suspect, but it was dark. I’m just not positive.”

“So, what? You told them that we were dating in secret?”

She nods. “And now…” she falls silent, not meeting my eyes.

“What?”

Josie looks out the window, mumbling, “They want us to get married now. Before the baby comes in a month.”

“Josie!”

When she looks back at me, there are tears in her eyes. “Please. I will never ask you for anything else. All it has to be is a legal marriage. We don’t even have to live together. As long as there is someone claiming me and this baby, I think my parents will be satisfied.”

“Do I have a choice?” I grumble, crossing my arms and glaring at her.

She stares at me seriously. “Of course. If you say no, I will tell everyone that I lied, take the pressure off of you. I’ll try to find someone else, though I’ve exhausted most of my options. Or I’ll end up on my own. My parents already said they would never talk to me again if I didn’t do this. I can do it alone, I really can. I have a good job. It’ll just be…difficult.”

She holds her breath, waiting to see if I say anything. When I don’t, she slowly exhales and gets up with a grunt. “Well, thanks anyway. I’m glad you’re awake. Let me know if you need anything, okay?”

Josie starts toward the door, grabbing her things along the way. 

“Josie, wait.”

She turns, hope flooding her face.

I grin. “Let’s do it. But we do it my way.”

You wake up in the hospital after a major accident. To your confusion, your rival (your families have been feuding for years) is there crying tears of relief and calling you 'sweetheart.' What's even stranger is that she looks older and is visibly pregnant.

[underthewingsofthblackeagle]

At least 115 people are now known to have been killed in an attack on a concert hall near Moscow, and officials are warning that the death toll could rise further. Investigators have announced a series of arrests - four people directly involved in the attack have been detained. The so-called Islamic State has claimed responsibility.

[my-travel-ideas]

French government raises nationwide anti-terrorism alert to highest level - EFE Noticias

[mariacallous]

Journalist Elena Milashina, a veteran staff reporter with Russia’s Novaya Gazeta, has given an extended interview to the independent journalist Katerina Gordeyeva, talking about the Beslan hostage crisis, Ramzan Kadyrov’s rise to power in Chechnya, the Kursk submarine catastrophe, and other subjects she covered over the years. She also shared new details of the assault that she and the human rights lawyer Alexander Nemov came under in Chechnya, while traveling to Grozny on July 4, 2023, for the final court hearing on the case of Zarema Musayeva. In this interview extract, Milashina talks about the attack, its plausible motives, and the authorities’ tacit refusal to guarantee her security in the future.

A victim must display what has been done to them, to make the aggressor feel awkward and afraid. I don’t flinch from sharing photos of myself after the beating: I did this deliberately. Two months down the road, my head and my vision are fine, and my hands are fine too. I get annoyed when people tell me that the “new haircut” suits me, because I wouldn’t have shaved my own head — this was an act of violence. The bruises and swelling are gone, but my hair keeps reminding me of what happened, every single day.

The attackers could have been identified in just a few hours. There were security cameras at the site of our beating, as well as at the airport, and the detectives have that footage. They’re now trying to use it to identify the people’s faces, but they could’ve done something much simpler: they could have tracked our smartphones, which were stolen by the attackers, to figure out whose phones were active near them the whole time while en route. The detectives haven’t done this.

Novaya Gazeta’s safety guidelines forbid being picked up by a personal driver at the airport in Chechnya, because this would put him at risk. That’s why we used Yandex Taxi. I didn’t make a secret of going to Chechnya that time. I simply went ahead and bought a ticket to Grozny. I had no intention of taking any secret detours. Usually, I don’t go there alone. I normally have a bodyguard, who also comes from outside the region. I’ve long since stopped counting on help from the locals — they will help, but later on, they’ll have problems themselves.

We didn’t expect our going to the final hearing on Zarema Musayeva’s case to trigger violence. What I hadn’t factored in — and this can be considered my failing — was the situation with Yasin Khalidov.

Yasin Khalidov, now 19, worked in the Chechen police since he was 17, later joining the National Guard and working as an operative of the federal anti-extremism agency Center E. In September 2022, he was sent to the combat zone in Ukraine, where he spent four months. While in Ukraine and later in Chechnya, Khalidov tried to resign from the National Guard, but his requests were denied. If he kept trying to quit, he was threatened, he would be prosecuted for terrorism.

In late January, Khalidov escaped from custody and left Chechnya. He appealed for help to the Chechen bloggers Ibragim and Baisangur Yangulbayev. According to Elena Milashina, in exchange for their assistance the Yangulbayev brothers required Khalidov to tell them everything he knew about the Chechen police. He agreed, but asked them not to publish the information he shared until he was outside of Russia. The bloggers nevertheless announced the forthcoming exposé before he managed to escape. Among other things, Khalidov talked about recruiting young Chechens to take part in assaults on Kadyrov’s men, only to be arrested or killed afterwards.

Khalidov was eventually arrested when trying to cross the border with Kazakhstan. After he was handed over to the law enforcement in Omsk, he disappeared. His lawyers, one of whom was Alexander Nemov, thought he’d been handed over to Chechen law enforcement. Their queries about their client’s location got no answer.

Zarema Musayeva is the middle-aged mother of the Yangulbayev brothers. In 2022, she was forcibly brought to Chechnya by the republic’s law enforcement. She was then put on trial on charges of using violence against a state official and sentenced to 5.5 years in a penal colony.

I had written a short article about Khalidov’s disappearance, but he didn’t appeal to me personally. What I hadn’t taken into account was what kind of information he’d dealt with — and that information was utterly explosive. For instance, he said that Chechnya needed all the terrorist attacks of 2015 to justify the size of the police force in the republic. Alexander Nemov was one of Khalidov’s lawyers. And there we were, innocently flying to Chechnya on July 4 without any inkling of the danger.

I thought we’d been attacked because Kadyrov really dislikes me. I’m not dismissing that factor, but all of my sources have told me that the attack was directly related to Khalidov. The people who assaulted us were the same people who picked up Khalidov in Omsk. The moment the detectives want to find out their names, they can do so easily.

I’m not going to Chechnya for Zarema Musayeva’s appeal hearing. We’ve discussed this idea, but word about it got out too early on, when the Committee Against Torture published this information without my permission. The risks are significant though. We tried to appeal to the Chechen ombudsman Mansur Soltayev, who invited me to call him about similar issues. So I called him. When he answered, I recognized his voice, but he said that it was Soltayev’s assistant speaking, and that Soltayev himself wasn’t available.

After that, I appealed to [the Human Rights Commissioner] Tatyana Moskalkova, who got in touch with Soltayev and then told me he’d call me back. But he didn’t, and his “assistant” kept picking up the phone when we called. Around that time, Novaya Gazeta’s editor-in-chief, Dmitry Muratov, was designated a foreign agent. Soltayev gave a programmatic speech about all foreign agents being traitors, and then there was radio silence from Moskalkova, too.

I understand what these signals mean. They mean a total denial of security — and mind you, a whole bunch of people were supposed to come with me to Chechnya. I don’t play such games. I’m too smart for that. But when I have to go to Chechnya, I’ll go.

[deafboyonemusic]

UKRAINE RAIN TERROR ON OCCUPIED FORCES ALL NIGHT, ATTACS PORTS AND DEPOT...

[galaxysharks]

1. This is Reverence, my adorable little Durge!

She's a storm sorcerer multiclassed into barbarian for the rage. She's a precious being of pure instinct, very little active thought happens behind these eyes. Her moral compass is entirely dependent on whoever is near her, and the vibe is very much 'point at someone, and she attac'.

She spawned in Baldur's Gate at some point and was a terror to the locals, frequently attacking and eating pets left unattended.

She's a rather small variant tiefling. Her tail is overlong and she had double forked tongues, making it rather difficult to speak, which is fine, because she generally doesn't speak anyway. She likes to curl her tail up and around her neck when sitting, letting her chew on the tip.

BG3 Act 1 asks

I am intentionally putting the number of the inquiry at the end of each question also because I have a pet peeve that when you copy paste questions into an ask that the number doesn't carry over.

Tell us about your Tav! Name, class and subclass, race, pronouns. Do you have a headcanon for where they're from? Their family? Are they a Dark Urge? Or did you choose an Origin Character? Was it an easy decision? (1)

Was there something about the character creator that just couldn't capture your Character? Please tell us about their hair, facial hair, tattoos, piercings, disabilities, their trans or intersex body, or anything else you're comfortable sharing. (2)

Has your Character been using their illithid powers? (3)

Do you remember in which order you recruited your companions? Which companion introduction would have felt the most familiar / like home to your Tav / Character? (4)

Do you remember the first humanoid enemy your Character killed? Was it the first person they've ever killed, in your opinion? Would they have been bothered by it? (5)

Were you able to save everyone when the goblins stormed the gates at the Grove? (6)

Did you enter the Grove? (7)

Do you have a favorite member of the Druid Circle? Is it the same as your Character's? (8)

Do you have a favorite member of the Tiefling Refugees? Is it the same as your Character's? (9)

Do you have a favorite member of the Goblin Camp? Is it the same as your Character's? (10)

Do you have a favorite member of the Act 1 Githyanki? Is it the same as your Character's? (11)

Do you have a favorite member of the Zhentarim? Is it the same as your Character's? (12)

Do you have a favorite character from the Underdark? Is it the same as your Character's? (13)

Do you have another NPC you loved from a faction not mentioned above? What about your Character? (14)

How did the situation with the Grove, the Tieflings and the Goblins turn out for your Character? (15)

Did you save Halsin? (16)

What does your Character think of Withers? (17)

How did your Character deal with Wyll, Karlach and Mizora? (18)

Did your Character spend a night with a companion either the night of the party or earlier? Is it someone they have a continued interest in? (19)

How did you deal with The Artist - Oskar Fevras? Did you even encounter him? (20)

What are your Character's thoughts on the strange artifact that was in Shadowheart's possession? Did it jump to your pack because you changed her out of your party? (21)

How did your Character resolve the situation with Sovereign Glut, if you met them? (22)

What are your Character's thoughts on the dream visitor? (23)

Was your illithid tadpole empowered by anything in Act 1? If so, how does your Character feel about that? (24)

Did your Character take the mountain pass? (25)

What was your favorite enemy? Did your Character have any memorable fights or moments in combat that were ripe for headcanons and interpretation? (26)

Who ended up in your Character's most used party? (27)

Did you recruit Scratch the dog? Did you encounter him at all? (28)

Did you adopt an owlbear? Do you have a name for your child? (29)

Do you have other pets as a ranger or in headcanon? (30)

Does your Character have new or old phobias or superstitions that affect their story? (31)

What's your Character's experience with and opinion of Volo? (32)

Has your Character allied with the cult of the Absolute? (33)

How did your Character resolve the situation with Nere and the gnomes? (34)

Has your Character done anything that they regret in Act 1? (35)

Did your Character find the Adamantine Forge? Did they use it? What did they make? (36)

Did your Character find the Necromancy of Thay? How are they handling it / planning to handle it? (37)

Did your Character meet Barcus Wroot? How's he doing? (38)

What does your Character think of Raphael? (39)

Is your Character used to strange dreams from before the events of the adventure? (40)

Is your Character accustomed to being on the road from before the events of the adventure? (41)

Has your Character been to the Underdark from before the events of the adventure? (42)

Asker has a question not from the list. (43)

Asker wants Blogger to choose a question from the list. (44)

I love your oc's! I hope you're enjoying the game as much as I am!