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

lousubcap · January 30

Tuesday Israel-Hamas update:

"Representatives from Israel, Qatar, Egypt and the United States have agreed to have Qatar present a preliminary framework to Hamas that proposes a six-week pause in the war in Gaza for Hamas to exchange some hostages for Palestinian prisoners held by Israel, officials say. The talks are at an early stage, and details would need to be finalized if Hamas agrees to build on the framework. The terms of the framework were sketched out on Sunday in Paris by the four states. The prime and foreign minister of Qatar flew from the meeting in Paris to Washington where he met with U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken yesterday. While Blinken declined to give details, he said the proposal is a “compelling one” and “there is some real hope going forward.” Edward Wong and Julian E. Barnes report for the New York Times.

A day after officials from the United States, Israel, Egypt and Qatar met in Paris to discuss a nascent ceasefire proposal, Hamas spokesperson Osama Hamdan acknowledged yesterday that “great efforts” were being made by the mediators but said “We have not received anything.” Hwaida Saad and Anushka Patil report for the New York Times.

Israeli Shin Bet security agency director Ronen Bar visited Cairo yesterday and met with his Egyptian counterpart, Abbas Kamel, two Israeli sources said. The two parties discussed potential plans after the war and non-hostage related issues, including the situation along the Philadelphi Corridor and how Egypt-Israel can work together to prevent weapons smuggling into Gaza that would enable Hamas to rearm. Barak Ravid reports for Axios. "

lousubcap · January 30

Tuesday Russia-Ukraine update:

"NATO chief Jens Stoltenberg began a trip to the U.S. yesterday to meet with Biden administration officials, lawmakers, and allies of former President Trump, in a bid to find $60 billion in Ukraine funding. The visit comes as Trump and his allies urge Republicans to reject a $111 billion package that would include aid to Ukraine, Israel, and Taiwan over disagreement with the Biden administration on border policy. “NATO allies are providing unprecedented support to Ukraine, and it’s important that we continue to do so,” Stoltenberg said before his meeting yesterday at the Pentagon, where he met with the U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin. “Our support is not charity; it’s an investment in our own security because the world will become more dangerous if President Putin wins in Ukraine.” Paul Mcleary reports for POLITICO.

E.U. member states have unanimously backed a plan to set aside billions of euros of profits from Russia’s frozen central bank assets, a first step toward their possible use toward Ukraine’s reconstruction. The decision is part of the bloc’s show of support for Kyiv ahead of the second anniversary of Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine and comes before a summit on Thursday where E.U. leaders are expected to approve 50 billion euros in financial support for Ukraine. Paola Tamma reports for Financial Times.

Russian air defense systems destroyed or intercepted 21 Ukraine launched drones over the Crimean Peninsula and other Russian regions, Russian state media said today, citing Moscow’s defense ministry. Reuters reports. "

lousubcap · January 30

The latest thinking on the US response to the drone attack in Jordan:

“Among the options on the table for the Pentagon: striking Iranian personnel in Syria or Iraq or Iranian naval assets in the Persian Gulf,” Jonathan Lemire and Alexander Ward report, citing U.S. officials.

The WSJ lays out three broad options for Biden: (1) more sanctions, (2) striking Iran directly, and (3) striking Iranian proxies and personnel outside of its borders. The third option — which could include “striking its paramilitary Quds Force personnel in Syria, Iraq and Yemen, hitting Iranian ships at sea or mounting a major attack on the Iranian-backed militia group that was deemed to be responsible” — seems most likely.

Even that, an Iranian official warned, could “fuel a cycle of revenge that could spiral out of control.”

Finally, don’t be so sure the crass politics of this are obvious. Yes, some Republicans are pressuring Biden to dramatically escalate and attack Iran. But the MAGA wing remains isolationist and stubbornly anti-war.

At Trump rallies, the biggest applause lines, not just from Trump but also from his warm-up acts, such as his son DON JR., are often attacks on Republicans itching to get the U.S. into new wars. (There is also a strong undercurrent of conspiracy-mongering: Cries of “false flag” were rampant on right-wing social media after the attack Sunday.)

Trump himself called off a retaliatory attack on Iran after it shot down an unmanned American aircraft in 2019, and he was keen to remove American troops from the desert outposts that have been targeted in recent months. Notably, Trump has not been one of the voices calling for Biden to attack Iran.

He and Biden may agree on this: War with Iran is not likely to be a political winner."

lousubcap · January 31

More on the Jordan drone attack:(Wednesday)

"The Iran-backed militia whose drone killed three Americans this weekend says the group will suspend attacks on U.S. forces “in order to avoid embarrassment of the Iraqi government.” The group will now shift to “passive defense,” Abu Hussein Al-Hamidawi, spokesman for Kataib Hezbollah, said Tuesday on Telegram in anticipation of “hostile American action.”

Why only now? It’s likely a deliberate effort “to frame the United States as the aggressor if the United States strikes Kataib Hezbollah in retaliation for the Iranian-backed drone strike into Jordan” three days ago, the Washington-based Institute for the Study of War wrote in its Tuesday evening analysis.

Worth noting: “The other two Iraqi groups that are believed to have been involved in strikes [on] U.S. targets — Harakat al Nujaba and Sayyid Shuhada — have not announced they will halt attacks,” the New York Times reported.

Kataib Hezbollah’s announcement came one day after Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps’ paramilitary Quds Force commander Esmail Qaani reportedly visited Baghdad. Veteran Middle East analysts such as Randa Slim, Michael Knights, and Charles Listerhave insisted for years that Kataib Hezbollah maintains close ties to the IRGC. For example, the group’s prior leader, Abu Mahdi al-Muhandis, was a U.S.-designated terrorist who died in a car with IRGC commander Qasem Soleimani in a U.S. drone strike in Baghdad three years ago.

Pentagon reax: “I don't have a specific comment to provide, other than actions speak louder than words,” said Press Secretary Air Force Maj. Gen. Pat Ryder, speaking to reporters Tuesday afternoon. He added a short while later, “You know, there has [sic] been three attacks, to my knowledge, since the 28th of January, and I'll just leave it there.”

President Joe Biden said Tuesday he’s decided how to respond to the January 28 attack in Jordan. He did not elaborate. But he did tell reporters at the White House, “I don’t think we need a wider war in the Middle East. That’s not what I’m looking for.”

Developing: The U.S. response to Sunday’s deadly drone strike in Jordan will likely occur “over the course of several days” and feature “deliberate strikes on facilities that enabled these attacks,” a U.S. official told ABC News Tuesday evening.

White House: “It’s very possible that what you’ll see is a tiered approach here,not just a single action but potentially multiple actions...over a period of time,” National Security Council Coordinator John Kirby told reporters onboard Air Force One on Tuesday. "

lousubcap · January 31

The latest on the response to the drone attack and some insights on US thinking regarding a Palestine State:

U.S. PINS THE BLAME: The U.S. accused an umbrella group composed of Iran-backed militias in Iraq of conducting the attack that killed three American troops in Jordan on Sunday, National Security Council spokesperson JOHN KIRBY said today.

“We believe that the attack in Jordan was planned, resourced and facilitated by an umbrella group called the Islamic Resistance in Iraq, which contains multiple groups including Kata'ib Hezbollah,” Kirby told reporters.

Earlier today, the head of Iran’s Revolutionary Guards said that Tehran is “not looking for war,” though the group would respond to any American attacks, The New York Times’ SHASHANK BENGALI reports.

“We hear threatening words from American officials,” Gen. HOSSEIN SALAMI, the group’s chief commander, said in Iranian state news media. “You have tested us and we know each other — we will not leave any threat unanswered.”

His comments come a day after Biden said that he’s decided how the U.S. will retaliate after the Jordan drone strike, but did not detail how the administration plans to respond, or when those actions would be taken. However, it’s expected that a response will come soon and possibly in waves over the days ahead.

BLINKEN’S PALESTINE ASK: Secretary of State ANTONY BLINKENasked the State Department to look at potential policy options for U.S. and international recognition of a Palestinian state once the war in Gaza ends, Axios’ BARAK RAVID reports.

Speaking with reporters today, State Department spokesperson MATTHEW MILLER would neither confirm nor deny the specifics of the Axios report, but did make clear that the department has ongoing policy processes designed to bring about the creation of a Palestinian state even in the wake of the Oct. 7 Hamas attack.

Blinken has also made clear that in the long run, Palestinians must be able to have a state."

lousubcap · February 1

Thursday update on the drone attack in Jordan and the military shoot 'em up with the Houthis-

"The United States yesterday attributed the drone attack that killed three U.S. personnel and wounded at least 40 in Jordan on Sunday to the Islamic Resistance in Iraq, a broad umbrella group of Iran-backed militias. National Security Council spokesperson John Kirby said yesterday that Washington believes the attack was planned and facilitated by the Islamic Resistance group, adding that President Biden is continuing to weigh response options but “the first thing you see won’t be the last thing … it won’t be a one off.” A U.S. official said Iranian assets outside of Iran could also be targets, with most strikes inside Syria. Meanwhile, Iran’s ambassador to the U.N. warned yesterday that Tehran would “decisively respond” to any U.S. attack on it after the United States said it holds Tehran responsible. POLITICO reports.

U.S. officials believe there are signs that Iranian leadership is worried about the actions of its proxy groups in Iraq, Syria, and Yemen, according to multiple people familiar with U.S. intelligence, as acts from militia groups threaten to disrupt the global economy and risk direct confrontation with the United States. U.S. intelligence also suggests that Iran is concerned the Houthi attacks could upset economic relations with China and India, key Iranian allies. Officials cautioned that there is no sense that Iran’s wariness will change its strategy of supporting proxy attacks on U.S. and Western targets, although it could signal minor adjustments. Natasha Bertrand and Katie Bo Lillis report for CNN.

The United States carried out airstrikes against a Houthi drone ground control station in Yemen and 10 Houthi drones today, U.S. Central Command said. Oren Liebermann reports for CNN.

The Houthis said they struck a U.S. merchant ship in the Red Sea yesterday that had been heading to “the ports of occupied Palestine,” a phrase sometimes used to refer to Israel, but two maritime sources said the claim was fake. There has also been no update from the U.K. Maritime Trade Operations, which usually sends alerts following such attacks. Patrick Jackson reports for BBC News."

lousubcap · February 1

Thursday Israel-Hamas update:

"Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said yesterday “It’s time that the international community and the UN itself understand that UNRWA’s mission has to end. There are other agencies in the UN. There are other agencies in the world. They have to replace UNRWA.” He continued, “UNRWA is totally infiltrated with Hamas. It has been in the service of Hamas and its schools, and in many other things. I say this with great regret because we hoped that there would be an objective and constructive body to offer aid.”

The U.N. humanitarian affairs chief appealed to nations yesterday to resume funding for the U.N. agency for Palestinian refugees (UNRWA). The “lifesaving services” UNRWA provides “to over three-quarters of Gaza’s residents should not be jeopardized by the alleged actions of a few individuals,” Martin Griffiths told the Security Council. “It is a matter of extraordinary disproportion.” He added, “Our humanitarian response for the occupied Palestinian territory is dependent, completely dependent, on UNRWA being adequately funded and operational.” Anushka Patil reports for the New York Times.

U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken asked the State Department to review and present policy options on possible U.S. and international recognition of a Palestinian state after the war in Gaza, according to two U.S. officials briefed on the matter. A senior U.S. official added that the Biden administration is linking a possible normalization between Israel and Saudi Arabia to the creation of a pathway to establish a Palestinian state as part of its post-war strategy. Saudi officials have previously said that any potential normalization agreement would be conditioned on the creation of an “irrevocable” pathway toward a Palestinian state. Barak Ravid reports for Axios.

Blinken said yesterday the U.N.’s humanitarian work in Gaza is “absolutely vital” while calling for an investigation into the allegations that some UNRWA staff played a role in the Oct. 7 Hamas attacks. In remarks alongside UN Senior Humanitarian and Reconstruction Coordinator for Gaza Sigrid Kaag, Blinken said “her mission now could not be more vital” and “We strongly and fully support it. We’ll be working very closely with Sigrid, with Israel, with Egypt, with other concerned parties to in the first instance maximize the assistance getting in, but not only getting into Gaza, getting to people who need it within Gaza, including in the north.” Jennifer Hansler reports for CNN."

lousubcap · February 1

Thursday Russia-Ukraine update:

"All 27 European leaders agreed to a $55 billion aid package for Ukraine, the European Council President Charles Michel said today. Michel said the agreement “locks in steadfast, long-term, predictable funding for Ukraine.” BBC News reports.

Russia and Ukraine said they exchanged 195 captured soldiers each, the first swap since the crash of a Russian plane that Moscow claimed had 65 Ukrainian prisoners of war on board. Jaroslav Lukiv and Sarah Rainsford report for BBC News.

Russian investigators said today that they have evidence proving Ukraine’s military shot down the Russian plane with U.S.-made Patriot surface-to-air missiles, saying they inspected fragments seized from the scene. Kyiv has neither confirmed nor denied that it downed the plane, but has challenged details of Moscow’s account and called for an international investigation. Reuters reports.

The E.U. will provide only half of the promised 1 million rounds of ammunition to Ukraine by March but vowed to send 1.1. million shells by the end of 2024. E.U. foreign affairs chief Josep Borrell told reporters yesterday after an informal meeting of member-states defense ministers in Brussels, “This is a work in progress, the whole machinery is working and member states are passing commands. Every day, it keeps evolving and increasing.” POLITICO reports.

Ukraine’s air defences shot down 14 out of 20 drones launched by Russia in an overnight attack that injured one person and damaged commercial buildings. The air force said the Iranian-made Shahed drones and three Iskander missiles targeted five Ukrainian regions in the south and the east.

Russia said it destroyed 20 missiles launched by Ukraine over the Black Sea and the Crimean peninsula, which Moscow invaded in 2014 and then annexed."

lousubcap · February 1

And this regarding a broader approach to the Middle East:

The US has approved plans to strike Iranian targets in Syria and Iraq. And in what feels like a turning point, Biden is getting tougher with some Israeli settlers. He "plans to issue an executive order targeting violent Israeli settlers in the West Bank whom he has said have undermined stability in the area." Are these things connected? Thomas Friedman thinks a new, broad plan is taking shape. "The rethinking underway signals an awareness that we can no longer allow Iran to try to drive us out of the region, Israel into extinction and our Arab allies into intimidation by acting through proxies — Hamas, Hezbollah, the Houthis and Shiite militias in Iraq — while Tehran blithely sits back and pays no price. And, simultaneously, it signals an awareness that the U.S. will never have the global legitimacy, the NATO allies and the Arab and Muslim allies it needs to take on Iran in a more aggressive manner unless we stop letting Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu hold our policy hostage and we start building a credible, legitimate Palestinian Authority that can one day govern Gaza and the West Bank effectively and as a good neighbor to Israel along final borders they would negotiate together.""

Gonna be quite a ride.

Edit-excerpts from the Friedman article:

By Thomas L. Friedman

Opinion Columnist

Sign up for the Israel-Hamas War Briefing. The latest news about the conflict. Get it sent to your inbox.

There are two things I believe about the widening crisis in the Middle East.

We are about to see a new Biden administration strategy unfold to address this multifront war involving Gaza, Iran, Israel and the region — what I hope will be a “Biden Doctrine” that meets the seriousness and complexity of this dangerous moment.

And if we don’t see such a big, bold doctrine, the crisis in the region is going to metastasize in ways that will strengthen Iran, isolate Israel and leave America’s ability to influence events there for the better in tatters.

A Biden Doctrine — as I’m terming the convergence of strategic thinking and planning that my reporting has picked up — would have three tracks.

On one track would be a strong and resolute stand on Iran, including a robust military retaliation against Iran’s proxies and agents in the region in response to the killing of three U.S. soldiers at a base in Jordan by a drone apparently launched by a pro-Iranian militia in Iraq.

On the second track would be an unprecedented U.S. diplomatic initiative to promote a Palestinian state — NOW. It would involve some form of U.S. recognition of a demilitarized Palestinian state in the West Bank and Gaza Strip that would come into being only once Palestinians had developed a set of defined, credible institutions and security capabilities to ensure that this state was viable and that it could never threaten Israel. Biden administration officials have been consulting experts inside and outside the U.S. government about different forms this recognition of Palestinian statehood might take.

On the third track would be a vastly expanded U.S. security alliance with Saudi Arabia, which would also involve Saudi normalization of relations with Israel — if the Israeli government is prepared to embrace a diplomatic process leading to a demilitarized Palestinian state led by a transformed Palestinian Authority.

If the administration can pull this together — a huge if — a Biden Doctrine could become the biggest strategic realignment in the region since the 1979 Camp David treaty.

The three tracks absolutely have to be tied together, though, for a Biden Doctrine to succeed. I believe U.S. officials understand this."

Botch · February 2

And in what feels like a turning point, Biden is getting tougher with some Israeli settlers. He "plans to issue an executive order targeting violent Israeli settlers in the West Bank whom he has said have undermined stability in the area."

This, if Biden can pull it off, would be a game-changer; israeli "settlers" have been a root of this problem for many years (I tried to easily find when that started, but this list will take some digesting: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_wars_involving_Israel ).
Last time I checked AIPAC had given more money to our congress than either the NRA or Big Pharma, so Biden may have a fight on his hands to push this thru.

lousubcap · February 2

Today (Friday) and the deal with the Iranian proxies:

"U.S. officials have confirmed that plans have been approved for a series of strikes over several days against targets inside Iraq and Syria, including Iranian personnel and facilities. The strikes come in response to drone and rocket attacks targeting U.S. forces in the region, including a drone attack on Sunday that killed three U.S. troops in Jordan. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin said yesterday, “We will continue to work to avoid a wider conflict in the region, but we will take all necessary actions to defend the United States, our interests and our people, and we will respond when we choose, where we choose and how we choose.” Austin added that Washington is trying to “hold the right people accountable” without escalating the conflict in the region. Tucker Reals, Eleanor Watson, and Alex Sundby report for CBS News.

Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi said today that Iran would not start a war but it would “respond strongly” to anyone who tried to “bully” it, a day after the United States said it was planning attacks on Iranian sites in Iraq and Syria. “Before, when they (the Americans) wanted to talk to us, they said the military option is on the table. Now they say they have no intention of a conflict with Iran,” Raisi said. Reuters reports.

U.S. intelligence officials have calculated that Iran does not have full control over its proxy groups in the Middle East, including the groups responsible for attacking and killing U.S. troops in recent weeks, according to two U.S. officials. While Tehran is supporting proxy groups financially and providing military equipment, intelligence officials do not believe it is commanding attacks. Erin Banco reports for POLITICO."

lousubcap · February 2

Friday Israel-Hamas update:

"U.S. negotiators are pushing for a ceasefire that could stop the war long enough to stall Israel’s military momentum and potentially pave the way to a more lasting truce, according to U.S. and Arab officials familiar with the negotiations. Israel and Hamas are considering a three-part deal that would allow for hostage releases in Gaza beginning with a six-week ceasefire, according to a draft of the agreement ironed out in Paris this week. U.S. negotiators, led by CIA Director William Burns, argue it would be difficult for Israel to resume the war after a long pause, the officials said. Summer Said, Jared Malsin and Gordon Lubold report for the Wall Street Journal.

Israel’s war Cabinet is on standby for Hamas’s response to the principles of the hostage deal negotiated in Paris on Sunday by CIA Director William Burns, head of the Mossad David Barnea, Qatari Prime Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani, and an Egyptian senior intelligence official, according to a senior adviser to the war Cabinet. Anna Schecter reports for NBC News.

After completing its mission in Khan Younis, the Israeli military will move onto Rafah, the southernmost city in the Gaza Strip, Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant said.

The U.N. agency for Palestinian refugees (UNRWA) has warned it “most likely” will have to halt its work in the enclave and across the Middle East by the end of the month after donors suspended funding over allegations that some of its staff were involved with the Oct. 7 Hamas attacks. Tim Lister, Ibrahim Dahman, and Amir Tal report for CNN.

Saudi Arabia would be willing to accept a political commitment from Israel to create a Palestinian state, rather than anything more binding, in a bid to approve a defense pact with the United States before the next U.S. presidential election, two sources said. Months of U.S.-led diplomacy to get Saudi Arabia to normalize relations with Israel and recognize the country were shelved over the war in Gaza. Samia Nakhoul, Dan Williams, and Matt Spetalnick report for Reuters. "

lousubcap · February 2

Friday Russia-Ukraine update:

"Russia’s foreign ministry today condemned a decision by Ecuador to hand over Russian-made military hardware to the United States for use in Ukraine, calling it a “reckless” breach of contract made “under serious pressure from outside interested parties.” The Ecuadorian government said last month it would take up an offer from Washington to swap “Ukrainian and Russian scrap metal” for advanced U.S. equipment worth $200 million. Reuters reports.

China demanded yesterday that Ukraine immediately remove all 14 Chinese companies from a list of firms designated as “international sponsors of war.” “China firmly opposes the inclusion of Chinese enterprises in the relevant list and demands that Ukraine immediately correct its mistakes and eliminate negative impacts,” a Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson said. The blacklist has no legal implications for the firms and addresses what it describes as extensive cooperation between Chinese and Russian companies in sectors including oil and gas, Moscow’s main revenue source. Tom Balmforth, Pavel Polityuk, and Liz Lee report for Reuters.

Ukraine claimed Thursday it used sea drones to sink a small Russian warship in the Black Sea as Russian investigators alleged that a Russian military transport plane that crashed last month was brought down by two U.S.-made Patriot missiles fired by Kyiv’s forces.

Ukraine’s military intelligence agency, known by its Ukrainian acronym GUR, published a video that it said showed naval drones assaulting the Russian missile-armed corvette Ivanovets on Wednesday night. The footage released on GUR’s social media purports to show multiple naval drones crashing into a vessel and exploding. According to GUR, the ship costing $60 million-$70 million was on patrol on Lake Donuzlav in western Crimea, when a GUR special unit struck it.

Russia’s Defence Ministry said air defences shot down 11 Ukrainian drones over the Russian regions of Belgorod, Kursk and Voronezh."

lousubcap · February 3

The response begins-

US begins retaliatory strikes in wake of Jordan attack

The U.S. military began an initial round of airstrikes on Iranian-backed groups in Syria and Iraq following an attack in Jordan last weekend that killed three American troops.

Image: https://thehill.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/09/6511e3da73b8c6.79670629-e1706913774524.jpeg

U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) said it began airstrikes around 4 p.m. ET in Iraq and Syria against Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps (IRGC) Quds Force “and affiliated militia groups.”

“U.S. military forces struck more than 85 targets, with numerous aircraft to include long-range bombers flown from the United States,” CENTCOM said in a statement. “The airstrikes employed more than 125 precision munitions.”

CENTCOM said it hit command and control operations, intelligence centers, rockets, missiles and unmanned aerial vehicle storages and munition supply chain facilities used by militia groups and the IRGC.

Along with the IRGC, the U.S. was expected to target the Islamic Resistance in Iraq, an umbrella group of militias backed by Iran. The Islamic Resistance claimed responsibility for the Jordan attack, and the U.S. earlier this week attributed the attack to it.

President Biden released a statement after the strikes were announced Friday noting that he had attended the return of the three soldiers killed in Jordan earlier in the day at Dover Air Force Base.

“This afternoon, at my direction, U.S. military forces struck targets at facilities in Iraq and Syria that the IRGC and affiliated militia use to attack U.S. forces,” he said.

“ Our response began today. It will continue at times and places of our choosing,” he added. “The United States does not seek conflict in the Middle East or anywhere else in the world. But let all those who might seek to do us harm know this: If you harm an American, we will respond.”

The strikes are part of an operation that several U.S. officials suggested would involve a tiered response."

JohnInCarolina · February 3

Interesting piece on all the recent journalism layoffs:

https://www.fastcompany.com/91021907/why-does-journalism-seem-like-its-collapsing-call-it-market-failure

lousubcap · February 3

I read a similar article last week and it arrived at the same place. The article was more focused on the loss of local newspapers and the shifting way people get "news." However, the entire journalism landscape needs to be restructured.

Gulfcoastguy · February 3

My local paper got bought out by a national chain a year ago. I usually buy it at a gas station since otherwise it is now delivered by mail. It was only in the gas station 1 day out of the last 7.

SamIAm2 · February 3

Long story began with the end my enlistment in the U.S Navy in 1973. I got a job at the local paper, Today newspaper in Cocoa, FL. which used to be the Cocoa Tribune until it was purchased by Gannett in 1965.

The job was moving any equipment not used to print the actual newspaper from the older building on the east side of the plant to the new building on the west side, including the conveyor belts to that equipment from the printing press. Those machines were used to insert the advertisments into the newspaper as it came off the press. Another machine at the end of those stuffers wrapped the bundles of 25 completed papers for the carriers to load into their distribution vehicles.

There were two other daily local papers then, The Titusville Star-Advocate,Titusville FL, and The Melbourne Times, in Melbourne, Florida. The third was a weekly, The Eau Gallie Courier published from the Today newspaper press. Only one of these is still being published, the other is online only.

The Today newspaper was rebranded to "Florida Today" by Alan Newharth who took over in 1966. In 1982 The Gannett organization gave the go ahead for the publication of the USA Today newspaper. Personally thought that publication was aimed at folks who didn't want to actually read and People magazine seemed to pick up on that trend.

lousubcap · February 4

The latest on the Strikes in the Middle East-

U.S., Britain launch new wave of military strikes in Yemen

The operation follows a large-scale attack on Iranian forces and their affiliates in Iraq and Syria, retribution for the killing of three U.S. soldiers in Jordan

Updated February 4, 2024 at 1:50 a.m. EST|Published February 3, 2024 at 4:18 p.m. EST

U.S. and British forces launched a new wave of strikes in Yemen on Saturday, hitting dozens of military targets used by Iranian-backed militants responsible for repeated attacks on commercial vessels and military warships off the Arabian Peninsula, officials said.

The operation, carried out about 11:30 p.m. in Yemen, was concentrated on 13 locations, including “deeply buried” weapons-storage facilities, missiles and launchers, air defenses and radars, Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin said in a statement. Strikes were launched by sea and air, with F/A-18 fighter jets from the USS Dwight D. Eisenhower participating and ships in the Red Sea launching Tomahawk missiles, one official said. It was not immediately clear whether anyone was killed.

Austin said the military action was intended to send “a clear message” that there would be “further consequences” unless the attacks stop. “We will not hesitate to defend lives and the free flow of commerce in one of the world’s most critical waterways,” he added.

The British government said in a statement that it carried out strikes with Typhoon fighter jets supported by tanker planes. Those attacks were carried out on the coastal communities of As Salif and Al Munirah, on facilities used to control attack and reconnaissance drones, and on Bani, where a set of buildings linked with drone and missile operations was targeted, the statement said.

Military personnel from Canada, Bahrain, Denmark, Australia, New Zealand and the Netherlands provided support, officials said.

The strikes in Yemen follow the bombardment Friday night of an estimated 85 targets in Iraq and Syria, opening what the Biden administration has cast as a multiday campaign to prevent future attacks on U.S. personnel. Militias based in both countries, also aided by Iran, have targeted U.S. forces at least 165 times since October, including one incident on Jan. 28 that killed three U.S. soldiers at a remote outpost in Jordan.

Senior Houthi officials said Sunday local time that the group will respond to the strikes, and that its maritime attacks will continue until Israel’s assault on the Gaza Strip was over.

“The American-British aggression against Yemen will not go unanswered, and we will meet escalation with escalation,” said Mohammed Al-Bukhaiti, a member of the Houthi political office, in a social media post.

Houthi military spokesman Yahya Saree said later on social media that the strikes “will not pass without response and punishment.""

lousubcap · February 5

Monday Houthi update:

"President Biden has ordered a further response to the killings of three U.S. personnel by Iran-backed militias, top U.S. national security officials said yesterday. “The president was clear when he ordered them and when he conducted them that that was the beginning of our response and there will be more steps to come,” U.S. National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan said, adding he did not want to “telegraph our punches” by revealing further details. Michael D. Shear reports for the New York Times.

The United States destroyed or damaged 84 out of 85 targets in its airstrikes on Friday in Syria and Iraq, according to two U.S. defense officials, with no indication of Iranian casualties. The strikes marked the first time Washington carried out strikes on both countries simultaneously, with the director of Joint Chiefs of Staff saying the targets were chosen “with an idea that there would likely be casualties associated with people inside those facilities.” Oren Liebermann and Natasha Bertrand report for CNN.

The U.S. military carried out further strikes against the Houthis overnight, U.S. Central Command said in a statement, saying its forces struck a land-attack cruise missile and four anti-ship missiles that “were prepared to launch against ships in the Red Sea.” It marks the second round of attacks in Yemen over the weekend after the United States and the United Kingdom jointly launched similar air strikes on Saturday. In response to Saturday’s attack, the group’s military spokesperson Yahya Sarea wrote on X, “These attacks will not deter us from our moral, religious, and humanitarian stance in support of the resilient Palestinian people in the Gaza Strip and will not go unanswered or unpunished.”BBC News reports. "

lousubcap · February 5

Monday Israel-Hamas update:

"Hamas is still weighing a proposal to pause fighting in Gaza and release Israeli hostages, a broadcaster affiliated with Hamas, Al Aqsa, said yesterday. Meanwhile, U.S. National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan said that “the ball is in Hamas’s court.” “We’re going to press for it relentlessly, as the president has done, including recently in calls with the leaders of Egypt and Qatar, the two countries that are our central brokers in this effort,” Sullivan said. Aaron Boxerman and Michael D. Shear report for the New York Times.

Israel’s far-right national security minister Itamar Ben-Gvir has said he would oppose any deal with Hamas that would release thousands of Palestinians detained for terrorism or end the war before Hamas was fully defeated.Ben-Gvir holds enough support in the ruling coalition to undermine Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s rule, and said he is willing to use it. Ben-Gvir also said his plan is to “encourage Gazans to voluntarily emigrate to places around the world” by offering cash incentives and criticized the Biden administration for hampering Israel’s war effort against Hamas. Meanwhile, Israel’s war Cabinet minister Benny Gantz said that Ben-Gvir’s comments “harm the strategic relations of the State of Israel, the security of the state and the current war effort.” Dov Lieber reports for the Wall Street Journal.

U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken is due to arrive in the Middle East on his fifth tour of the region since October, where he is expected to visit Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Qatar, Israel, and the West Bank over the next five days. Blinken stated ahead of the trip that the humanitarian situation in Gaza must be “urgently” addressed. BBC News reports. "

lousubcap · February 5

Monday Russia-Ukraine update:

"At least 28 people, including a child, were killed in the Russian-occupied eastern city of Lysychansk after a restaurant and bakery were hit by shelling. Russia accused Ukraine of the attack. Ukraine did not comment on the incident. Only about a tenth of Lysychansk’s pre-war population of 110,000 remains in the city, according to Ukrainian officials.

President Volodymyr Zelenskyy visited Ukrainian soldiers under relentless attack from Russian forces on the front line in the village of Robotyne in the southeastern Zaporizhia region. Zelenskyy met troops from the 65th Mechanised Brigade and handed out medals.

During his visit to the front, Zelenskyy also named Ivan Federov the new head of the Zaporizhia regional state administration. Federov was abducted in March 2022 by Russian soldiers as they entered the city of Melitopol, where he was then mayor, after refusing to cooperate with Moscow."

lousubcap · February 6

Tuesday Israel-Hamas update:

"Hamas’s leadership, including its senior official in Gaza, is “on the run” as Israel’s military pushes further south into the enclave, Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant claimed yesterday. Gallant said that the Israeli military operation in Khan Younis will “soon achieve its goals” as troops advance toward Rafah – Hamas’s last remaining stronghold.” Mitchell McCluskey reports for CNN.

An estimated 8,000 displaced civilians are evacuating the Palestine Red Crescent Society’s campus in Khan Younis after days of heavy fighting in the area, the organization said in a post on X. Al-Amal Hospital staff and administrators will remain at the location, along with 80 patients and 40 elderly civilians. The Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) said in a statement it was allowing the evacuation of uninvolved civilians sheltering in the hospital. Doha Madani, Tavleen Tarrant, and Marin Scott report for NBC News.

Secretary of State Antony Blinken arrived in the Middle East yesterday in a bid to prevent tit-for-tat attacks with Iran-backed militias from escalating into a regional war, and to rally allies around a proposed ceasefire agreement for Gaza. Blinken met with Saudi Arabia’s Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman in Israel and discussed how to achieve “an enduring end to the crisis in Gaza” as well as “the urgent need to reduce regional tensions,” according to State Department spokesperson Matthew Miller. A U.S. official said that Blinken will tell U.S. allies in the region that Washington’s recent strikes against Iran-backed groups should not be viewed as an escalation of fighting in the Middle East. Blinken arrived in Egypt today where he will meet with President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi, according to the press pool traveling with the secretary. Zolan Kanno-Youngs reports for the New York Times."

lousubcap · February 6

Tuesday Russia-Ukraine update:

"Russia’s air defense systems destroyed seven Ukraine-launched drones over the southwest region of Belgorod, the Russian defense ministry said today after the region’s governor said the city of Gubkin was under a drone attack. No casualties were reported from the attack, but four houses were damaged by drone debris, Belgorod Governor Vyacheslav Gladkov said. Reuters reports.

Russia is firing between 1,500 and 2,500 shells and rockets at Ukraine’s Donetsk region every day and is targeting key infrastructure making it difficult for people to remain there in winter, the region’s governor said. Max Hunder reports for Reuters.

The Kremlin warned Western countries that any attempt to use frozen Russian assets as collateral to raise funds for Ukraine would be illegal and lead to a Russian legal challenge. The United States and its allies banned transactions with Russia’s central bank and the Ministry of Finance, after President Vladimir Putin began his full-scale invasion of Ukraine two years ago, freezing an estimated $300bn of sovereign Russian assets."

lousubcap · February 6

Tuesday Red Sea-Houthi update:

"Yemen’s Houthis say they have fired missiles at two civilian ships in the Red Sea.

The attacks claimed by the Houthis on Tuesday, one on a British vessel and one on an American ship, are the latest in a campaign that they said is motivated by Israel’s war on Gaza. The Iran-aligned armed group has stated its determination to continue the attacks despite several air strikes by the US and its allies patrolling the Red Sea.The ongoing campaign is helping to stoke simmering tensions across the Middle East. It is also disrupting world trade because the Red Sea is a major route for container ships.

The Houthi’s military spokesman, Brigadier General Yahya Saree, confirmed the attacks on the two ships and repeated the threat to carry out more “self-defence” operations against “hostile” American and British targets.

The attacks took place west of the Yemeni port of Hodeidah. Saree said naval missiles hit the Morning Tide, a Barbados-flagged, British-owned cargo ship, and the Star Nasia, a Marshall Islands-flagged American ship."

lousubcap · February 7

Some Russia-Ukraine shifts over the near two years of war:

"At Foreign Affairs, retired Australian Army Maj. Gen. Mick Ryan, a close observer of the Russia–Ukraine war, writes that after Kyiv impressed the world with its agility and adaptivity in fighting off a larger, slower-moving foe, Russia has in fact caught up to Ukraine’s learning curve. Ukraine’s ground-up military operation allows for tactical innovations on the fly, Ryan notes; while Russia’s top-down military structure doesn’t, it does have the advantage of implementing changes widely across Russian forces once lessons have been learned.

Of particular note to Ryan are Russia’s use of drones—which former Google CEO Eric Schmidt argued, in a recent Foreign Affairs essay, has surpassed Ukraine’s in sophistication—its deployment of electronic signal-jamming, and its shielding of vehicles with improvised armor. Ukraine, on the other hand, still seems more cunning when it comes to long-range and maritime strikes. “(A)fter two years of war,” Ryan writes, “the adaptation battle has changed. The quality gap between Ukraine and Russia has closed.”"

Meanwhile the US Congress sits playing political games with Ukraine aid and has done so for a couple of months.

Unless you have the surgery to put a glass plate in your stomach you aren't gonna see anything with your head up your A$$.

Botch · February 7

lousubcap said:

Unless you have the surgery to put a glass plate in your stomach you aren't gonna see anything with your head up your A$$.

Soooo stolen! Excellent, Cap'n!

lousubcap · February 7

Wednesday Red Sea-Houthis update:

"Iran-backed Houthi rebels say they have successfully targeted a U.S. and a British ship in the Red Sea, casting doubt on the effectiveness of three waves of U.S.-U.K. airstrikes on Houthi missile sites in Yemen. A third ship was targeted yesterday afternoon but was not struck, suggesting Houthi capabilities may have been degraded by recent U.S.-U.K. strikes. Patrick Wintour reports for the Guardian.

The Houthis yesterday fired six anti-ship ballistic missiles from Yemen toward commercial vessels, according to the U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM). One missile caused minor damage to the MV Star Nasia, a Marshall Island-flagged Greek carrier, CENTCOM said. No injuries were reported. Rashard Rose for CNN."

lousubcap · February 7

Wednesday Israel-Hamas update:

"Hamas has responded to a significant ceasefire proposal that could free hostages in Gaza, officials in Qatar and the group said yesterday, although U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken cautioned that there is still “a lot of work to be done.” The Qatari Prime Minister offered a more positive assessment, saying, “We are optimistic.” Hamas confirmed that it had responded to the proposal, saying it had dealt with the framework “positively,” but reaffirmed earlier demands for a permanent cease-fire, reconstruction of Gaza, an end to the blockade, and the release of Palestinian prisoners – conditions Israel rejects. An Israeli official, speaking on the condition of anonymity, suggested that Israel was dissatisfied with Hamas’s counterproposal. Zolan Kanno-Youngs, Adam Rasgon and Michael Levenson report for the New York Times.

President Biden said yesterday that Hamas’s counter-demands in response to the most recent hostage deal proposal “seems to be a little over the top.”

Saudi Arabia will have no diplomatic relations with Israel without the establishment of an independent Palestinian state, Riyadh said today, apparently in response to White House spokesperson John Kirby’s remarksyesterday saying that the issues of hostage release and Israel-Saudi normalization were “separate track[s].” “The Kingdom has communicated its firm position to the US administration that there will be no diplomatic relations with Israel unless an independent Palestinian state is recognized on the 1967 borders with East Jerusalem as its capital,” the Saudi Foreign Ministry said in a statement, adding another condition would be that “Israeli aggression on the Gaza Strip stops and all Israeli occupation forces withdraw from the Gaza Strip.” Reuters reports.

The U.S. House of Representatives yesterday rejected a Republican-led bill to provide $17.6 billion to Israel. The bill garnered 250 to 180 votes, short of the two-thirds majority required. The standalone bill would have provided Israel $17.6 billion in military aid, which is strongly supported by most lawmakers in both parties. However, opponents called the legislation a political ploy to distract from their opposition to a $118 billion Senate bill that would overhaul U.S. immigration policy and fund border security while providing billions of dollars in emergency aid for Ukraine and Israel. The Guardian reports."

lousubcap · February 7

Wednesday Russia-Ukraine update:
"Russia today launched a missile attack on Kyiv and other Ukrainian cities, Ukraine’s air force said, killing one person in southern Ukraine and triggering air defense systems in the capital. The Guardian reports.

Ukraine said a special forces unit blew up a drilling platform in the Black Sea that Russia was using to enhance the range of its drones. Equipment on the platform was used for drones involved in attacks on Ukraine’s critical infrastructure and to control the northwestern part of the sea.

Russia’s Defence Ministry said it thwarted an alleged attack by seven Ukrainian drones on the Belgorod region. There were no reports of casualties. Vyacheslav Gladkov, the region’s governor, said four homes were damaged.

The United States yesterday accused Russia of firing at least nine North Korean-supplied missiles at Ukraine, while Moscow called Washington a “direct accomplice” in the downing of a Russian military transport plane last month. The accusations were traded during a U.N. Security Council meeting on Ukraine. Moscow and Pyongyang have denied the U.S. accusations, but vowed last year to deepen military relations. Reuters reports.

President Volodymyr Zelenskyy yesterday ordered the creation of a separate branch of Ukraine’s military devoted to drones, which Ukraine views as crucial to battlefield successes in its war with Russia. Mykhailo Fedorov, Ukraine’s Minister for Digital Transformation, said drones had “fundamentally changed the situation on the battlefield” and that the separate branch would provide “a powerful impetus” to the military’s technological development. Reuters reports.

Former Fox News host Tucker Carlson said he will “soon” interview Russian President Vladimir Putin in Moscow. In a video posted on X, Carlson said he wanted to do the interview because “Americans have a right to know all they can about a war they are implicated in.” It would be Putin’s first one-on-one interview with a Western journalist since Russia launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022. Tiffany Wertheimer reports for BBC News."

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

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US begins retaliatory strikes in wake of Jordan attack

U.S., Britain launch new wave of military strikes in Yemen

The operation follows a large-scale attack on Iranian forces and their affiliates in Iraq and Syria, retribution for the killing of three U.S. soldiers in Jordan

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