OT subject but worth a main-stream read- OT News Feeds...

lousubcap

Monday Russia-Ukraine update:

"Ukraine’s capital Kyiv was struck on Saturday in the first Russian air attack in 52 days. Kyiv’s mayor Vitali Klitschko said “strong explosions were heard” and that preliminary intelligence suggests air defense systems intercepted the missiles, as local residents have been ordered to take refuge in air raid shelters. No reports of casualties have been made following the attack. Fiona Nimoni reports for BBC News.

A senior Ukrainian military officer with ties to the country’s intelligence services is alleged to have coordinated the bombing of the Nord Stream natural gas pipelines last year, according to officials in Ukraine and elsewhere in Europe. Roman Chervinsky, a 48-year-old colonel, is said to have managed logistics in the attack as part of a six-person team that used deep-sea diving equipment to place explosives on gas pipelines running from Russia to Germany under the Baltic Sea. Chervinksy’s involvement in the attack contradicts Ukrainian President Zelenskyy’s public denials that his country was involved, and provides the most direct evidence to date tying Ukraine’s military and security leadership to a controversial act of sabotage that has spawned multiple criminal investigations. Shane Harris and Isabelle Khurshudyan report for the Washington Post. "

lousubcap

More on Israel-Hamas:

"Hamas says it’s gearing up for a “permanent” state of war, the New York Times reported this week in a sort of psychological and historical explainer for the current war in Gaza. For example, “I hope that the state of war with Israel will become permanent on all the borders, and that the Arab world will stand with us,” one Hamas official told the Times. "

lousubcap

A good breakdown regarding aid to Ukraine and how the majority stays in the US to support production for the supply chain:

https://www.aei.org/ukraine-assistance-at-a-glance/?oref=newsletters_dbrief

lousubcap

Tuesday Israel-Hamas update:

"Al-Shifa Hospital is described as “nearly a cemetery” by the World Health Organization, as the ongoing battle with power cuts and fuel deficit has resulted in dogs eating corpses. The Hamas-run health ministry said there are at least 2,300 people inside the hospital, including 1,500 people seeking shelter. The Israeli military said while there has been intense fighting close to Al-Shifa, there is no shooting at the hospital itself, and that anyone wishing to evacuate is able to do so. The hospital’s manager said Israeli authorities have not granted permission for dead bodies to leave the hospital to be buried. Oliver Slow reports for BBC News.

The Israeli military advanced to the gates of the Al-Shifa hospital complex yesterday resulting “in the circle of death,” Hamas-run health ministry officials said, as concern grows for conditions inside the hospital where fuel, food, and medicine are depleting rapidly. The Israeli military has not addressed specific questions about its advancement around the hospital, but said it is “engaged in intense battle against Hamas…which currently includes the area surrounding the Shifa hospital but not the hospital itself.” Israel claimed on X, formerly Twitter, that it delivered “300 litres of fuel to Shifa Hospital’s doorstep, yet the fuel remains untouched after Hamas threatened hospital staff.” However, the head of Al-Shifa’s neonatal unit said that the Israelis left the fuel “half a kilometer” away from the hospital in a combat zone with no safety guarantees for those attempting to retrieve it. Hiba Yazbek and Ameera Harouda report for the New York Times.

The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) yesterday said it will transfer incubators to Al-Shifa hospital, following reports of premature babies being removed from incubators due to a lack of fuel. In a picture posted on X,  the IDF said they are in the process of coordinating the transfer, adding that they remain “committed to upholding its moral and professional responsibilities to distinguish between civilians and Hamas terrorists.” It is unclear how the delivery of additional incubators will help save the lives of premature babies when the hospital lacks the necessary fuel to run them, which led to the babies’ removal in the first place. Yuliya Talmazan reports for NBC News.

Gaza’s second largest hospital is “no longer operational,” according to the Palestine Red Crescent Society (PRCS). In a statement released Sunday, the PRCS said the Al-Quds hospital has a “cessation of services due to the depletion of available fuel and power outage,” describing the “dire humanitarian conditions and a shortage of medical supplies, food, and water.” When asked about the situation at Al-Quds on Saturday, the Israeli military said “the IDF is in the midst of ongoing intense fighting against Hamas in the vicinity of the area in question, and unlike Hamas, adheres to the law by taking all feasible measures to mitigate harm to civilians.” Tim Lister and Abeer Salman report for CNN."

Edit to add the following:

The U.N. warned that it will run out of fuel in Gaza as soon as today, hampering humanitarian aid distribution efforts for the 2.2 million people in the enclave. “Instead of a much-needed increase of this assistance, we have been informed by colleagues of UNRWA that, due to the lack of fuel, as of tomorrow the operations of receiving trucks will no longer be possible,” the head of the U.N. Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs for Palestinian territories said yesterday. Farnaz Fassihi reports for the New York Times.

lousubcap

Tuesday Russia-Ukraine update : (pretty thin sources today.)

"Russian state media published and quickly retracted reports yesterday of its military retreating “to more favorable positions” on the eastern bank of the Dnipro River “to free up some of its forces.” The Russian Defense Ministry blamed Ukraine for the “false report,” while Ukraine alleged the announcement was part of a Russian disinformation operation. Ido Vock reports for BBC News.

Ukraine killed three Russian officers in the southern city of Melitopol behind Russian lines , according to the Ukrainian military, marking intensifying attacks in occupied regions of Ukraine. Melitopol was captured by Russia early in the war and is Ukraine’s counteroffensive target, launched in June. The attack comes as the former head of a pro-Russian militia in eastern Ukraine was assassinated last week in a car explosion, according to a Russia state news agency. Matthew Mpoke Bigg reports for the New York Times. "

lousubcap

Wednesday Israel-Hamas update:

"The Israeli military launched what it termed a  “precise and targeted operation against Hamas” in a specified area at Al-Shifa hospital this morning. Eyewitnesses said Israeli tanks and military vehicles were “inside the courtyard” of the hospital, where the military were “conducting search and interrogation operations with the young men amidst intense and violent gunfire inside the hospital.” Thousands of people are sheltering at the hospital which is no longer operational due to a lack of fuel. A doctor at Al-Shifa hospital said they were given 30 minutes’ warning before the Israeli military began their operation.The ground operation comes after Israel’s long-standing accusations that Hamas has a command center under the hospital, which they say “jeopardizes the hospital’s protected status under international law.” Kareem Khadder, Celine Alkhaldi, Elene Giokos, and Sahar Akbarzai report for CNN.

A doctor at Gaza’s Al-Shifa hospital said staff are hiding from gunfire as the Israeli force begins its raid on the complex. "Bombardment. Shooting around the hospital and within the hospital. It's really horrible you can feel that it's very near to the hospital. And then we realised that the tanks are moving around the hospital [sic]," the doctor told reporters today. He added that there are “all kinds of weapons” being “used around the hospital…they targeted the hospital directly. We try to avoid being near the windows.” Abir Al Ahmar and Nadine Awadalla report for Reuters.

Israeli forces control the “aboveground area” of the northern Gaza Strip and emphasized the difference between above ground control and below, the Israeli defense minister Yoav Gallant said yesterday. Gallant said he presented fighting plans which required “long months” of fighting and included “both the north and the south” of Gaza. Tayla Minsberg and Aaron Boxerman report for the New York Times.

Israel approved 24,000 liters of diesel fuel to be used exclusively by U.N. aid trucks in the Gaza Strip yesterday, according to a humanitarian source, marking the first time Israel has allowed any fuel delivery into Gaza since the war started. Aid agencies have long called for increased assistance into Gaza, including increased food, water, and medical supplies. The head of an Israeli defense ministry body said Israel “will coordinate and facilitate the entrance of fuel when it (is) needed.” Maya Gebeily and Emily Rose report for Reuters. "

lousubcap

Wednesday Russia-Ukraine update:  (Another sparse day.)

"Russia says “hell” awaits Ukrainians after confirming Ukrainian forces have crossed the Dnipro river into the Russian occupied bank of the river in Kherson, a Russian official said today. The Kherson region, located in southern Ukraine, is partially occupied by Russian forces, following their offensive to take the city last year which led to Russian forces withdrawing to the eastern bank of the river. “Bombs, missiles, ammunition from heavy flamethrower systems, artillery shells, and drones are flying at [Ukrainian forces]...over the last two or three days alone, the enemy’s total losses amounted to about a hundred militants,” a Russian official said. Yesterday, Ukraine reported its forces had a foothold on the eastern bank. “For now, we will ask for informational silence…which would allow us to report later on great successes,” a spokesperson for the Ukrainian southern military command said. Holly Ellyatt reports for CNBC News.

A Russian rocket and artillery attack on the southern Ukrainian city of Kherson killed two people and injured at least 11, damaging a hospital and more than a dozen homes. Local governor Oleksandr Prokudin said a family driving home from a medical appointment was also hit by artillery fire, leaving one man dead and a two-month-old baby injured.

(And further confirmation of the opening paragraph) "Russian military bloggers reported that Ukrainian troops had secured a foothold on the occupied eastern bank of the Dnipro river in the village of Krynky, about 35km (22 miles) upstream from Kherson. The Kremlin declined to comment on the situation. “We do not comment on the course of the special military operation itself, that is the prerogative of our specialists, our military,” said spokesman Dmitry Peskov. The advance would be a significant breakthrough for Kyiv."

Russia’s defence ministry said reports from two state news agencies – RIA Novosti and TASS – on troop movements in Ukraine were “false” and a “provocation”. The agencies reported that Russian troops were being moved to “more favourable positions” east of the Dnipro River, but quickly removed the alerts after publishing them."

HeavyG

https://twitter.com/jeremyscahill/status/1724791695416737943?s=20

Interesting - so Israel itself built the original tunnels under the al Shifa hospital 40 years ago.

lousubcap

Interesting Bloomberg article regarding consumer spending-

https://www.bloomberg.com/opinion/articles/2023-11-13/anger-is-what-s-driving-the-us-economy?

Foghorn

lousubcap said:

Interesting Bloomberg article regarding consumer spending-

https://www.bloomberg.com/opinion/articles/2023-11-13/anger-is-what-s-driving-the-us-economy?

That's really interesting.  Thanks for posting.

JohnInCarolina

https://www.propublica.org/article/fenton-louisiana-brought-in-1-million-through-mayors-court

lousubcap

Thursday Israel-Hamas update:

"Israel said its soldiers found “military equipment” at Al-Shifa hospital during their raid, as the military operation at the hospital is “still underway and will take time,” according to Israel Defense Forces (IDF) spokesperson Rear Admiral Daniel Hagari. In a statement, the IDF said “in another department in the hospital, the soldiers located an operational command center and technological assets belonging to Hamas,” the statement went on, which indicated, “that the terrorist organization uses the hospital for terrorist purposes.” Earlier yesterday, a senior Israeli defense official said they uncovered “concrete evidence that Hamas terrorists used the Shifa hospital as a terror headquarters.” Andrew Carey and Tamar Michaelis report for CNN. However, the IDF is “still searching for the tunnels beneath the hospital.” Lucy Williamson reports for BBC News.

Israel struck the house of a senior Hamas leader in Gaza yesterday using fighter jets; his home was “used as terrorist infrastructure” and a “meeting place for the organization’s senior officials,” Israeli forces say. BBC News reports. 

Israel says 50 of its soldiers have now been killed in Gaza since its ground invasion began in late October. BBC News reports. 

Israeli opposition leader Yair Lapid called on Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to resign, saying he has “lost the public’s trust.” This is the first time Lapid has urged Netanyahu to quit since the Oct. 7 attacks. “The people who are running things right are the defense establishments. This government is dysfunctional…we need to change the government,” he said. Tamar Michaelis, Andrew Carey and Sugam Pokharel report for CNN."

lousubcap

Thursday Russia-Ukraine update:

"The E.U. Commission said yesterday it proposed a new package of sanctions to its member states, targeting Russia and its associates for its war on Ukraine. “The proposals for listings include actors from the Russian military, defense and IT sectors, as well as other important economic operators,” the E.U. Commission statement said. It would target over 120 individuals and entities, although no further details were provided. AP News reports.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy’s chief of staff said that Ukrainian forces have gained a foothold on the eastern bank of the Dnipro river. Russia admitted there are “small groups” of Ukrainian forces present, but claims they will soon be taken over. If Ukraine remains in control it would be a significant breakthrough for Ukraine as it may allow forces to transfer weaponry and air defense systems across the river, putting them closer to Crimea. Ido Vock and Oleh Chernysh report for BBC News.

A Ukrainian civic group said it had confirmed the deaths of nearly 25,000 Ukrainian soldiers since Russia began its full-scale invasion in February 2022 invasion by using open sources. Writing in the Ukrainian journal Tyzhden, historian Yaroslav Tynchenko and volunteer Herman Shapovalenko said Shapovalenko’s Book of Memory project had confirmed 24,500 combat and non-combat deaths using open sources. Kyiv treats its losses as a state secret and officials say disclosing the figure could harm its war effort."

lousubcap

A long article about the drivers behind US political violence:

Edit for a teaser:

There’s a new kind of American extremist, and they’ve “sparked the deadliest wave of U.S. political violence in decades,” according to a special report published Wednesday by Reuters. Nearly all of them are fascinated with right-wing politics, but they’re also animated by entirely “fictional narratives,” like the Q-Anon conspiracies that were taken mainstream thanks to social media during the Trump administration. 

 According to Reuters, “these radicals often eschew firm creeds,” and “embrace whatever brew of notions, no matter how divergent, blends with their particular grievances.” The full report is quite lengthy, but worthwhile reading. Dive in, here.

https://www.reuters.com/investigates/special-report/usa-politics-violence-far-right/??oref=newsletters_dbrief

HeavyG

Good read.

"...After the murders, radical right cyberspace rang with praise..."

I was surprised that there wasn't even a mention of the Russian (and to a lesser extent Chinese) troll farms involvement in spreading such praise in order to stoke embers they're hoping will grow into full on flames.

lousubcap

I decided this article was better here (more readers) than "The Biggest Loser" thread for the insights brought by Tom Nichols of The Atlantic:  Yes, another long read but worth it. 

Tom Nichols STAFF WRITER

The former president, after years of espousing authoritarian beliefs, has fully embraced the language of fascism. But Americans—even those who have supported him—can still refuse to follow him deeper into darkness.

The Decisive Outrage (Brendan Smialowski / AFP via Getty)   View in browser Readers of the Daily know that I am something of a stubborn pedant about words and their meanings. When I was a college professor teaching political science and international relations, I tried to make my students think very hard about using words such as war and terrorism, which we often apply for their emotional impact without much thought—the “war” on poverty, the “war” on drugs, and, in a perfecta after 9/11, the “war on terrorism.” And so, I dug in my heels when Donald Trump’s critics described him and his followers as fascists. Authoritarians? Yes, some. Illiberal? Definitely. But fascism, a term coined by Benito Mussolini and now commonly used to describe Italy, Germany, and other nations in the 1930s, has a distinct meaning, and denotes a form of government that is beyond undemocratic. Fascism is not mere oppression. It is a more holistic ideology that elevates the state over the individual (except for a sole leader, around whom there is a cult of personality), glorifies hypernationalism and racism, worships military power, hates liberal democracy, and wallows in nostalgia and historical grievances. It asserts that all public activity should serve the regime, and that all power must be gathered in the fist of the leader and exercised only by his party. I argued that for most of Trump’s time as a public figure, he was not a fascist but rather a wannabe caudillo, the kind of Latin American strongman who cared little about what people believed so long as they feared him and left him in power. When he would make forays into the public square, his politics were insubstantial and mostly focused on exploiting reflexive resentment and racism, such as when he called for the death penalty for the Black youths wrongly accused in the infamous Central Park–jogger case. But Trump in those days was never able to square his desperate wish to be accepted in Manhattan society with his need to play the role of an outer-borough tough guy. He was an obnoxious and racist gadfly, perhaps, but he was still a long way from fascism. As a candidate and as president, he had little in the way of a political program for the GOP beyond his exhausting narcissism. He had only two consistent issues: hatred of immigrants and love for foreign autocrats. Even now, his rants contain little political substance; when he veers off into actual issues, such as abortion and taxes, he does not seem to understand or care about them very much, and he will turn on a dime when he thinks it is to his advantage. Trump had long wanted to be somebody in politics, but he is also rather indolent—again, not a characteristic of previous fascists—and he did not necessarily want to be saddled with any actual responsibilities. According to some reports, he never expected to win in 2016. But even then, in the run-up to the election, Trump’s opponents were already calling him a fascist. I counseled against such usage at the time, because Trump, as a person and as a public figure, is just so obviously ridiculous; fascists, by contrast, are dangerously serious people, and in many circumstances, their leaders have been unnervingly tough and courageous. Trump—whiny, childish, unmanly—hardly fits that bill. (A rare benefit of his disordered character is that his defensiveness and pettiness likely continue to limit the size of his personality cult.) After Trump was elected, I still warned against the indiscriminate use of fascism, because I suspected that the day might come when it would be an accurate term to describe him, and I wanted to preserve its power to shock and to alarm us. I acknowledged in August 2022 that Trump’s cult “stinks of fascism,” but I counseled “against rushing toward the F-word: Things are poised to get worse, and we need to know what to watch for.” The events of the past month, and especially Trump’s Veterans Day speech, confirm to me that the moment has arrived. For weeks, Trump has been ramping up his rhetoric. Early last month, he echoed the vile and obsessively germophobic language of Adolf Hitler by describing immigrants as disease-ridden terrorists and psychiatric patients who are “poisoning the blood of our country.” His address in Claremont, New Hampshire, on Saturday was the usual hot mess of random thoughts, but near the end, it took a more sinister turn. (It’s almost impossible to follow, but you can try to read the full text here.) In one passage in particular, Trump melded religious and political rhetoric to aim not at foreign nations or immigrants, but at his fellow citizens. This is when he crossed one of the last remaining lines that separated his usual authoritarian bluster from recognizable fascism: We will drive out the globalists, we will cast out the communists, Marxists, fascists. We will throw off the sick political class that hates our country … On Veterans Day, we pledge to you that we will root out the communists, Marxists, fascists and the radical left thugs that live like vermin within the confines of our country, that lie and steal and cheat on elections and will do anything possible … legally or illegally to destroy America and to destroy the American dream. As the New York University professor Ruth Ben-Ghiat later pointed out to The Washington Post, Trump is populating this list of imaginary villains (which she sees as a form of projection) in order “to set himself up as the deliverer of freedom. Mussolini promised freedom to his people too and then declared dictatorship.” Add the language in these speeches to all of the programmatic changes Trump and his allies have threatened to enact once he’s back in office—establishing massive detention camps for undocumented people, using the Justice Department against anyone who dares to run against him, purging government institutions, singling out Christianity as the state’s preferred religion, and many other actions—and it’s hard to describe it all as generic “authoritarianism.” Trump no longer aims to be some garden-variety supremo; he is now promising to be a threat to every American he identifies as an enemy—and that’s a lot of Americans. Unfortunately, the overuse of fascist (among other charges) quickly wore out the part of the public’s eardrums that could process such words. Trump seized on this strategic error by his opponents and used it as a kind of political cover. Over the years, he has become more extreme and more dangerous, and now he waves away any additional criticisms as indistinguishable from the over-the-top objections he faced when he entered politics, in 2015. Today, the mistake of early overreaction and the subsequent complacency it engendered has aided Trump in his efforts to subvert American democracy. His presence in our public life has become normalized, and he continues to be treated as just another major-party candidate by a hesitant media, an inattentive public, and terrified GOP officials. This is the path to disaster: The original fascists and other right-wing dictators of Europe succeeded by allying with scared elites in the face of public disorder and then, once they had seized the levers of government, driving those elites from power (and in many cases from existence on this planet). It is possible, I suppose, that Trump really has little idea of what he’s saying. (We’re under threat from “communists” and “Marxists” and“fascists?” Uh, okay.) But he has reportedly expressed admiration of Hitler (and envy of Hitler’s grip on the Nazi military), so when the Republican front-runner uses terms like vermin and expressions like poisoning the blood of our country, we are not required to spend a lot of time generously parsing what he may have meant. More to the point, the people around Trump certainly know what he’s saying. Indeed, Trump’s limited vocabulary might not have allowed him to cough up a word like vermin. We do not know if it was in his prepared text, but when asked to clarify Trump’s remarks, his campaign spokesman, Steven Cheung, told The Washington Post that “those who try to make that ridiculous assertion are clearly snowflakes grasping for anything because they are suffering from Trump Derangement Syndrome and their entire existence will be crushed when President Trump returns to the White House.” What? Cheung later clarified his clarification: He meant to say their “sad, miserable existence" instead of their “entire existence,” as if that was somehow better. If that’s not a fascist faux pas, nothing is. But here I want to caution my fellow citizens. Trump, whether from intention or stupidity or fear, has identified himself as a fascist under almost any reasonable definition of the word. But although he leads the angry and resentful GOP, he has not created a coherent, disciplined, and effective movement. (Consider his party’s entropic behavior in Congress.) He is also constrained by circumstance: The country is not in disarray, or at war, or in an economic collapse. Although some of Trump’s most ardent voters support his blood-and-soil rhetoric, millions of others have no connection to that agenda. Some are unaware; others are in denial. And many of those voters are receptive to his message only because they have been bludgeoned by right-wing propaganda into irrationality and panic. Even many officials in the current GOP, that supine and useless husk of an institution, do not share Trump’s ambitions. I have long argued for confronting Trump’s voters with his offenses against our government and our Constitution. The contest between an aspiring fascist and a coalition of prodemocracy forces is even clearer now. But deploy the word fascist with care; many of our fellow Americans, despite their morally abysmal choice to support Trump, are not fascists. As for Trump, he has abandoned any democratic pretenses, and lost any benefit of the doubt about who and what he is."

lousubcap

Friday Israel-Hamas update:

"Gaza suffered a blackout of “all telecoms services” yesterday as fuel being used to run generators also ran out. Two major Palestinian mobile networks said that the Gaza Strip was out of service “as all energy sources sustaining the network have been depleted, and fuel was not allowed in.” Hiba Yazbek reports for the New York Times.

No delivery trucks were able to enter Gaza from Egypt for the second consecutive day yesterday due to the U.N. Relief and Works Agency (UNWRA) trucks lacking fuel, as future deliveries or humanitarian aid convoys “will be impossible to manage or coordinate” due to the communications shutdown, the UNWRA confirmed today. 

The Israel Defense Force (IDF) claimed they found an “operational tunnel shaft” inside the Al-Shifa hospital complex yesterday. In a social media post, the IDF released a video allegedly showing the tunnel shaft – which appears to be reinforced with concrete – located around 30 meters away from one of the hospital’s main buildings, as well as exposed wiring close to the surface. In a televised briefing yesterday, IDF spokesperson Rear Admiral Daniel Hagari said military engineers were working to continue exposing the tunnel network. Andrew Carey reports for CNN.

The Hamas-run media office yesterday denied it was using Al-Shifa hospital as a command center and control center, and labeled Israel’s claims as “baseless lies.” The statement added that the Hamas-run ministry of health “has repeatedly requested dozens of times from all institutions, organizations, international bodies, and relevant parties to form technical teams to visit and inspect all hospitals, in order to refute the false incitement narrative.” Abeer Salman reports for CNN.

A group of U.N. experts said yesterday in a statement there was “evidence of increasing genocidal incitement” against the Palestinian people in what it said were “grave violations” committed by Israel. The statement was made by U.N. experts including several U.N. special rapporteurs. The statement cites the “discernibly genocidal” and “dehumanizing rhetoric” used by senior Israeli government officials, as well as some professional groups and public figures, including calling for the “total destruction,” and “erasure” of Gaza, and the need to “finish them all.” The U.N. experts have previously issued warnings that Palestinian people were at “grave risk of genocide”. 

Benjamin Netanyahu said his forces’ attempts to minimize civilian casualties had been “not successful” in an interview with CBS yesterday. He said the IDF were working to defeat Hamas but the group is using civilians as “human shields,” adding that Hamas “don’t give a hoot about the Palestinians.” BBC News reports.

A hostage release deal is rumored to have been negotiated by Qatari, Egyptian, and American officials, and would include a several-day pause in hostilities, two senior anonymous Israeli officials said this week. Under the proposal, Hamas would release 50 women and children abducted during the Oct. 7 attacks, in return for roughly the same amount of Palestinian women and children currently being held in Israeli prisons. The officials said that Hamas has not provided the names of hostages it is willing to release, but both sides have agreed family members would not be separated. Ronen Bergman and Matthew Rosenberg report for the New York Times.

Egypt media says 150,000 liters of fuel will be delivered to the Gaza Strip today, which will be earmarked for Gaza’s hospital and will enter through the Rafah border crossing. The news reported that “Egyptian pressure on all parties have succeeded in increasing the volume of aid” and “restoring the flow of fuel.” Ayat Al-Tawy reports for ABC News."

lousubcap

Friday Russia-Ukraine update:

Russia stepped up attacks on the eastern Ukrainian town of Avdiivka, near the Russian-held regional stronghold of Donetsk. Mayor Vitaliy Barabash told national television the situation was “very hot” and that the Russians were using armoured vehicles, targeting the industrial zone and hitting positions in the town “around the clock” in their attempts to seize it. Avdiivka had a population of about 30,000 people before the war, and just over 1,400 remain.

Ukrainian officials said Russia launched 18 drones and an unspecified number of missiles with the air force destroying 16 of the drones and one missile. One person was hurt by falling debris in the western Khmelnytskyi region. Food warehouses were also damaged.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said the use of a fleet of naval drones had helped Kyiv “seize the initiative” from Russia in the Black Sea, forcing the Russian navy to limit its activities.

Russia’s Defence Ministry said its missile defences had brought down three Ukrainian drones over the Black Sea near Crimea, and two more over the Bryansk region.

lousubcap

Interesting reading on Russia-Ukraine:

Ukraine’s president says artillery has been hard to come by since the Israel-Hamas war erupted over a month ago. Speaking to reporters Thursday, President Volodymir Zelenskyy said incoming allied and partner shipments of artillery shells in particular have “really slowed down” since October 7. Still, he admitted, “This is life. I'm not saying that this is positive, but this is life, and we have to defend what's ours.”

Here are five recent takeaways from an academic (Franz-Stefan Gady) who recently returned from Ukraine:

1. Ukrainian troops’ “Morale remains high, but exhaustion among troops and impact [of] attrition on materiel is visible.”
2. “The importance of the FPV drone adaption battle and ability to scale FPV production for current and future military operations by both sides cannot be overstated.”
3. “This is and will remain an artillery-centric war.,” and “ammunition constraints/rationing for most types of ammo are a reality.”
4. “Armor and protected mobility remains key for any sort of ground operation,” since “No ground assault can happen without mechanized support. This is a lesson we have seen time and again during our past research trips,” he added.
5. And finally, “The importance of Starlink for closing of kill-chains and pervasive [surveillance] remains very high.” Gady goes into a little more detail in a social media thread here, and in Michael Kofman’s latest paid-access podcast from War on the Rocks, here.
   

Expert advice: Western leaders must “abandon [their] magical thinking about Russia and to develop a credible, long-term strategy for supporting Ukraine and containing an emboldened, revisionist Russia,” Andrew Weiss of the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace advised this week in a Wall Street Journal op-edco-authored with his Carnegie colleague Eugene Rumer.

The gist: “All too often, policymakers have clung to the belief that ‘something’—a Ukrainian breakthrough on the battlefield, a Russian financial meltdown, fractures within the Russian elite, etc—will upend Putin’s strategic calculus about the war,” he explained on social media. But “Unfortunately, that’s not going to happen,” he said. "

lousubcap

Insights on where Israel is regarding Gaza and Hamas: (Edit in an attempt to fix the spacing...)

Diplomats and analysts increasingly expect Israel to face “a long and bloody insurgency,” Reuters reported separately on Friday.  What’s more, “More than a dozen Gazans interviewed by Reuters said the Israeli invasion was spawning a new generation of militants.” And this was one of the points made by former CENTCOM commander Joseph Votel, speaking to Defense One last week.

“I wish there was a little bit more clarity in terms of the things that Israel was trying to accomplish, specifically accomplishing in Gaza vis-à-vis Hamas,” Votel said on the Defense One Radio podcast. “I mean, the dictum here has been to destroy them. I think we have to understand what destroy means; if it means taking away or eliminating their supplies, significantly degrading their leadership and command and control and breaking them up and making it an environment that is inhospitable for them to conduct operations, then I think that’s achievable. And that’s not much different than what we tried to do against ISIS…But in the end, we didn’t eliminate every ISIS fighter. And we may not have eliminated the ideology.”   So if Israel wants to kill every Hamas fighter, “I think that's going to be very difficult,” Votel warned. “And then importantly,” he went on, “is the idea of how you kill an idea that has been born and bred in generation after generation and Hamas fighters, and that's a really really difficult thing to do.”   Professor Barak Mendelsohn of Haverford College was of a similarly skeptical mind. “Even if Israel manages to destroy the leadership of Hamas and its military capabilities, there will always be a need for space for some kind of Islamist parties in any kind of future Palestinian political entity,” he said.   “So there is no logic in going into Gaza unless the day after involves rebuilding Palestinian hopes for Palestinian independent state,” Mendelsohn recommended. “That means going back to the two state solution, that means having to figure out ways that Palestinian authority can take over the Gaza Strip.” Both guests had much more to say, and you can hear those conversations in full, here.

lousubcap

A bit more on how the ROW sees the Russia/Ukraine and Israel/Hamas wars/conflicts thru different lenses:

As has always been said, "Where you stand is where you sit" especially in diplomatic circles.

"HALIFAX, Nova Scotia — The Halifax International Security Forum plans to send a message to the world this weekend: Peace in the Middle East and a host of other global problems depend on Ukraine beating back Russia.

The annual gathering of senior officials from around the globe, American lawmakers and civil society leaders is uniquely focused on Kyiv’s fight against Moscow as support in Washington and European capitals slip away. The conference’s organizers hope the weekend retreat in the unseasonably warm Nova Scotian capital will rally the West once again to Ukraine’s cause.

PETER VAN PRAAGH, the forum’s chief, told NatSec Daily this year’s theme will counter the growing argument that Kyiv doesn’t need more military and economic aid from its biggest backers, namely the U.S.

“They're wrong,” he said of the people who make that case. “All of our security is tied to success in Ukraine. That's the hard position that we're taking. For the simple reason, and we’re going to spend the whole weekend spelling it out, is that every other challenge becomes more difficult.”

“Victory in Ukraine equals victory for Israel,” van Praagh asserted. While the Ukraine-Russia and Israel-Hamas conflicts are very different, they both involve democracies fighting against forces that want them wiped from the map. He made this point the centerpiece of his 15-minute opening address on Friday afternoon.

It’s unclear how much this message will resonate outside the Biden administration. While the White House also argues Ukraine and Israel are part of one broader fight, that pitch hasn’t moved many skeptics in Washington of sending more weapons to Kyiv. Some European countries are looking to the U.S. for guidance on whether to maintain the steady pace of deliveries."

lousubcap

Monday Israel-Hamas update:

"The Israeli military (IDF) released two videos yesterday showing what they say is a 55-meter section of a tunnel running 10 meters beneath the Al-Shifa hospital in Gaza City. The first video showed parts of a metal staircase, while the second longer video started above ground and showed a tunnel with utility cables along one wall, which Israeli officials described as a blast proof door. They said the doors are used by Hamas to “block Israeli forces from entering the command centers and the underground assets belonging to Hamas.” Ishabel Kershner reports for the New York Times.

The Israeli military (IDF) released CCTV footage yesterday which they say shows hostages being taken into Al-Shifa hospital in Gaza during the Oct.7 attacks. IDF spokesperson Rear Admiral Hagari played the footage at a news briefing, which shows armed men with one hostage on a stretcher and another appearing to be resisting. The Hamas-run health ministry said it was not able to confirm the authenticity of the footage. Nick Beake reports for BBC News.

Israel intensified violence in northern Gaza on Saturday moving armored corps units and infantry in densely packed Gaza City regions. The IDF said in a statement it was “expanding activities” in the area “in order to target terrorists and strike Hamas infrastructure.” Claire Parker, Liz Sly, Hazem Balousha, and Loay Ayyoub reports for the Washington Post.

Arab ministers called for an immediate cease-fire in Gaza today at a meeting  in Beijing with Chinese top diplomat Wang Yi. In comments posted on X, the Egyptian foreign minister said “We look forward to a stronger role on the part of great powers such as China in order to stop the attacks against the Palestinians in the Gaza Strip. Unfortunately, there are major countries that give cover to the current Israeli attacks.”  Yew Lun Tian and Laurie Chen report for Reuters."

lousubcap

Monday Russia-Ukraine update:

"Russia launched waves of drone attacks on Kyiv for the second night in a row, as Ukraine’s air defense systems hit around 10 drones in Kyiv and its outskirts, according to Ukraine’s head of the military administration, Serhiy Popko. No “critical damage” or casualties have been reported by Moscow or Kyiv. Ukraine said it shot down 29 out of the 28 Iranian-made Shahed drones launched by Russia on Saturday night, as President Volodymyr Zelenskyy praised his air force for their “accuracy.” Emily McGarvey reports for BBC News.

U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin visited Kyiv unannounced today, in a push to continue weapons and funding to Ukraine. “I’m here today to deliver an important message — the United States will continue to stand with Ukraine in their fight for freedom against Russia’s aggression, both now and into the future,” Austin posted on X. To date, Ukraine has received more than $44 billion from the US and more than $35 billion from allies in weapons, including air defense systems, battle tanks and fighter jets. Tara Copp and Felipe Dana report for AP News."

lousubcap

And regarding SecDef's visit to Ukraine:

The U.S. on Monday released a new $100 million aid package for Ukraine, announcing more artillery rounds and anti-aircraft munitions as Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin made a surprise visit to Kyiv.

© Ukrainian Presidential Press Office via AP

The aid package package includes 155 millimeter artillery shells, Stinger anti-aircraft missiles, small arms ammunition and Javelin and AT-4 launchers.   Austin said at a Monday press conference in Kyiv that the package will help Ukrainian troops in the coming months “have the means that they’ll need to be successful fighting in the wintertime.”   “There is no silver bullet in a conflict like this. It really depends on providing the right capabilities and also integrating those capabilities in meaningful ways,” he said. “The Ukraine military is a learning organization, and it will continue to learn from from all of its operations.   “I think what’s important is that the military constructs its operations to focus on the objectives and the goals that the president wants to achieve,” he added, referring to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky.   Ukrainian forces have been bogged down in a stalemate with dug-in Russian forces for most of the year, with only marginal successes since launching a major counteroffensive in June.   Ukraine says it will need a steady supply of support from Western backers to stay in the fight, and the U.S. has vowed to continue supporting Kyiv as long as needed, though approved money is running out as winter closes in.   The Pentagon has said it is pacing out the number of packages to Ukraine as it waits for Congress to pass another round of legislation that could include potentially billions more."

lousubcap

For the political junkies here-

"Fox News has announced details of its planned debate between Democratic California Gov. Gavin Newsom and Republican Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis later this month.

The event, which the network is billing as “DeSantis vs. Newsom: The Great Red vs. Blue State Debate,” will take place at 9 p.m. Nov. 30 and span 90 minutes.

Moderated by leading prime-time pundit Sean Hannity, the debate will be presented live from Alpharetta, Ga., but will not feature an audience in attendance.

The goal of the event is to “examine the vastly different approaches the two governors have and offer insights into their political philosophies as well as ambitions for the nation,” the network said, previewing that Hannity will highlight a variety of issues in each state, “including the economy, the border, immigration, crime, and inflation.”

Up against the Seattle-Dallas NFL Prime broadcast. 

Botch

lousubcap said:

And regarding SecDef's visit to Ukraine:

The U.S. on Monday released a new $100 million aid package for Ukraine, announcing more artillery rounds and anti-aircraft munitions as Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin made a surprise visit to Kyiv.

I hadn't seen that today, and was wondering what the heck Austin's visit would accomplish with (to my knowledge) no agreement of Aid in congress.  
That's good news.  

JohnInCarolina

lousubcap said:

For the political junkies here-

"Fox News has announced details of its planned debate between Democratic California Gov. Gavin Newsom and Republican Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis later this month.

The event, which the network is billing as “DeSantis vs. Newsom: The Great Red vs. Blue State Debate,” will take place at 9 p.m. Nov. 30 and span 90 minutes.

Moderated by leading prime-time pundit Sean Hannity, the debate will be presented live from Alpharetta, Ga., but will not feature an audience in attendance.

The goal of the event is to “examine the vastly different approaches the two governors have and offer insights into their political philosophies as well as ambitions for the nation,” the network said, previewing that Hannity will highlight a variety of issues in each state, “including the economy, the border, immigration, crime, and inflation.”

Up against the Seattle-Dallas NFL Prime broadcast. 

This will be a dumpster fire.

Botch

JohnInCarolina said:

lousubcap said:

"Fox News has announced details of its planned debate between Democratic California Gov. Gavin Newsom and Republican Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis later this month.

This will be a dumpster fire.

With Hannity moderating, probably.
With no live audience, mebbe not.  
I will be watching it, if it happens.  

JohnInCarolina

Botch said:

JohnInCarolina said:

lousubcap said:

"Fox News has announced details of its planned debate between Democratic California Gov. Gavin Newsom and Republican Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis later this month.

This will be a dumpster fire.

With Hannity moderating, probably.
With no live audience, mebbe not.  
I will be watching it, if it happens.  

Why though?  Just catch the highlights (lowlights?) on EweTube the day after.

dbCooper

Given the venue I'd think this is catch-as-catch-can, so Gavin should insist on stipulating barefoot.