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

fishlessman

lousubcap said:

Could not get the article to work as a web link so here it is: Definitely worth a read)

MONDAY, JULY 8, 2024

Tom Nichols STAFF WRITER

After President Joe Biden’s disastrous recent public appearances, he and his supporters are attacking media outlets for a double standard in coverage of him and his opponent. They’re right, but that double standard is structural and, unfortunately, will not end during this campaign.

This morning, Biden released a letter he sent to his Democratic colleagues, in which he threw punches in multiple directions at those suggesting that he step down: “press,” “pundits,” “big donors,” and a “selected group of individuals.” (You could almost hear the part he didn’t say: selected individuals, especially certain Democrats on the Hill.) He later called the MSNBC talk show Morning Joe to make many of the same points.

The president’s crisis is of his own making. Biden is clearly no longer up to any kind of prolonged extemporizing, but his campaign gambled first on a debate and then on a hastily arranged interview, both of which went badly. Many of Biden’s supporters are blaming members of the media for a pile-on of negative coverage, but there is no planet on which Biden’s behavior isn’t a major and continuing news story.

If I may paraphrase a line from Midnight Run, one of my favorite movies: Mr. President, you’re in this mess because you’re in this mess. The media didn’t put you in this mess.

But critics of recent media coverage of Biden are dead right about one thing: Many outlets have for years been employing a significant double standard in covering Biden and his opponent, Donald Trump. When Biden stumbles over words, we question his state of mind; when Trump acts like a deranged street preacher, it’s … well, Tuesday. If Biden had suggested setting up migrants in a fight club, he’d be out of the race already; Trump does it, and the country (as well as many in the media) shrugs. Recognizing this inequity is the easy part, but here’s the harder realization: The double standard is a structural problem, it won’t change, and everyone in the prodemocracy coalition needs to grit their teeth and accept that reality.

The structural issue is that in an open society, almost all views may be expressed in the public square—even outright falsehoods. This principle of liberal democracy leaves Trump free to lie and propagandize, which he and his footmen do confidently and effortlessly. These tactics have been highly effective among a GOP base whose senses have been pounded into numbness by relentless propaganda, a daily barrage of **** Artillery that leaves a smoking, pockmarked no-man’s-land in the mind of almost anyone subjected to it for long enough.

Media outlets cannot counter this by responding with a similar “truth barrage,” in part because there are simply not enough hours in the day. But it is also inaccurate to say that media outlets have not recently tried to cover Trump’s bizarre behavior. The NYU professor Ruth Ben-Ghiat, who regularly warns about Trump’s fascistic plans, posted in frustration yesterday that the top stories in several national publications were all about Biden, and not about “Trump and Epstein, Trump and Putin, Trump telling us to inject bleach, Trump wanting to deport up to 20 million.” (If you’re looking for in-depth reporting about the unique threats Trump poses to American democracy, I suggest revisiting the special package in our January/February issue, “If Trump Wins.”)

In fact, all of those stories have been reported on—extensively—including Trump’s interactions with Jeffrey Epstein, who was accused of several sex crimes in 2019 but died before he went to trial. (It’s also worth noting that credible news outlets rarely treat a single deposition as adequate sourcing for incendiary accusations against any individual.) And the press would appear hopelessly partisan if it included a sidebar in every story about Biden that said “Joe Biden was incoherent today in a debate, but by the way: Trump and Putin,” or “Democrats are raising doubts about Biden’s candidacy, but remember: Back in 2020, Trump raised the idea that COVID might be treated by injecting people with disinfectants.”

People who support democracy should think hard if they believe that the right model for a free press is, in essence, to take its assignments from political parties and their supporters and repeat stories just to balance bad news from the other side. Members of the media can take on would-be dictators (and have throughout history), and defend the American tradition of press freedom, without becoming openly partisan.

Some of Biden’s supporters argue that the problem is an imbalance in quantity, pointing to the avalanche of coverage of Biden over the past couple of weeks. But they are less willing to accept that Biden has for many years gotten plenty of sympathetic coverage from a press that, until now, mostly gave him the benefit of the doubt about his age and competence. Media outlets are covering Biden as they would any accountable politician whose campaign has not been honest with the public—which means things are as they should be. In fact, the shock of the debate suggests that the media’s present focus on Biden’s cognition is not misplaced but overdue.

The real double-standard problem is not about coverage, but about interpretation. This is not “bias” in the political sense. It is, as Atlantic editor in chief Jeffrey Goldberg put it, a bias toward coherence, the inability to accept—and say—that one of the presidential campaigns is completely bonkers. “Trump overwhelms us with nonsense,” Jeff notes, and so, when confronted with Trump’s obvious mental instability, we work backwards: “Trump sounds nuts, but he can’t be nuts, because he’s the presumptive nominee for president of a major party, and no major party would nominate someone who is nuts.”

The result of this bias is that the press too often continues to present what should be appalling, even horrifying information as if it is just part of the normal give-and-take of a political campaign: Trump goes to Las Vegas and rants about sharks, and the press, likely trying to appear unbiased, instead pulls out a dull nugget about Trump’s mention of not taxing tips. Trump vows to destroy the American civil service, and the headlines talk about his “plans to increase presidential power.”

Why? Because it is not in the American journalistic tradition to say: Today in Las Vegas, one of the two major candidates said things so rabidly toxic and incoherent that they raised doubts about his sanity.

Media outlets should stop embracing the bias toward coherence; this is now a struggle between a free press and a would-be dictator. But people cannot expect journalists to provide a daily flood of truths about Trump—and they are sorely needed—while also ignoring grave questions about Biden’s presidential fitness. A free and honest press committed to the truth doesn’t work that way.

I am not counseling defeatism. Rather, I am counseling focus and perseverance. Trump’s allies would love for major news outlets to call on him to drop out: They’d reprint it and fundraise off it. Instead, the media should report on Trump’s behavior and emphasize that American candidates—and normal people—do not refer to their fellow citizens as “vermin” or muse about having them prosecuted by military tribunals. A steady recounting of Trump’s ravings and his hideous plans is important—not because it is political, but because it is true, and the public needs to know about all of it.

Setting up a defensive perimeter around Biden won’t change the fact that Trump stands at the head of a cult completely sealed in its own information bubble. Americans, including those who work in the media, can walk and chew gum; we can see that Biden’s campaign is in crisis and also recognize that Trump is a dangerous autocrat. Many Americans are sophisticated enough to discuss multiple worrisome issues, but a fair number refuse to pay attention to politics at all. They don’t like hard-edged partisanship. They are also put off by relentless bombast (one of my core skills, unfortunately). They are especially not interested in abstract debates over fascism. I remain convinced, however, that seeing a fascist every day, along with a reminder that this is not the American way, will have an effect on them. Indeed, understanding that Trump is an unhinged menace is what makes Biden’s future such a crucial story for all of us."

im really starting to enjoy this political cycle.... took three years for the media and the democrats to figure out the emperor has no clothes. and still some believe

Gulfcoastguy

Oh he has clothes, he just can’t remember to put them on without Dr. Jill reminding him.

lousubcap

Wednesday Israel-Hamas update:

"An Israeli airstrike near a school where displaced Palestinians were sheltering killed at least 25 people and injured more than 50 outside of Khan Younis yesterday, the Hamas-run health ministry said. The death toll is expected to rise. The Israeli military said the strike was targeting a Hamas member who took part in the Oct. 7 attacks and that it was “looking into reports that civilians were harmed.” Liam Stack and Anushka Patil report for the New York Times.

A delegation of senior Israeli officials led by Mossad head David Barnea will travel to Qatar today for further negotiations on a ceasefire and hostage release deal, two sources say. The Israeli security chiefs are also expected to meet with C.I.A. director Bill Burns and Qatar’s prime minister. Burns also met with Egypt’s president yesterday to discuss the negotiations. The New York Times reports. 

Israeli Defence Minister Yoav Gallant approved a plan yesterday to start drafting ultra-Orthodox Jews into the military, a move likely to further strain relations within Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s coalition. Reuters reports. 

The U.S. Gaza aid pier will be reinstalled today to be used for several days ahead of its permanent removal, several U.S. officials said. The goal is to transport any aid piled up in Cyprus and on the floating dock offshore onto the beach in Gaza. Once that operation is cleared, the U.S. military will dismantle the pier and depart, the officials said. Lolita C. Baldor reports for AP News."

lousubcap

Wednesday Russia-Ukraine update:

"NATO countries will provide Ukraine with urgently needed air-defense systems, President Biden said yesterday at a summit marking the 75th anniversary of the bloc, even as the alliance stops short of offering Kyiv concrete advances toward membership. Missy Ryan, Michael Birnbaum, Emily Rauhala, and Ellen Nakashima report for the Washington Post.

U.N. Security Council members confronted Russia yesterday over a hypermissile attack on Monday that struck Ukraine’s largest children’s hospital. Russia’s ambassador reiterated Moscow’s denials of responsibility for the hospital attack, insisting it was hit by a Ukrainian air defense rocket. A U.N. assessment yesterday found there was a “high likelihood” a Russian missile hit the hospital. Jennifer Peltz reports for AP News; CNN reports.

Russia is unlikely to make significant territorial gains in Ukraine in the coming months as its forces struggle to counter Ukrainian defenses that are now fortified with Western munitions, U.S. officials say. Julian E. Barnes and Eric Schmitt report for the New York Times.

Ukraine is planning to increase pressure on the Biden administration to lift all restrictions on using U.S.-supplied weapons inside Russia. In particular, Ukrainian officials are seeking to expand the use of longer-range Army Tactical Missile Systems, which are already being used in Crimea."

lousubcap

From Fareed Zakaria-

Dealing With Trump: 

A Guide for Allies

In an essay for The Atlantic, Michael Fullilove—executive director of the Lowy Institute, an Australian international-affairs think tank—offers more guidance. Past leaders lent useful examples: Former German Chancellor Angela Merkel, for instance, disagreed with Trump; former Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe successfully courted him. 
Fullilove writes, drawing lessons: “Criticizing Trump is risky for an ally’s national interest. Sympathizing with him is risky for one’s self-respect. The best way to thread the needle is to be pragmatic. Don’t sneer, but don’t gush, either. Assemble your arguments carefully and make sure they relate to Trump’s interests. Fight your corner where required, preferably in private. Find common ground with Trump where you can, without betraying your values or doing something you will later regret. A lot of leaders will find the prospect of fraternizing with Trump distasteful. But they need to grimace and bear it. The alternatives—to turn away from the United States or hug Trump tight—are worse. Allied leaders will also need to work closely with other parts of the U.S. system, including Congress, the agencies, and the military. And they should work much more closely with one another. … They should build up their own national capabilities … As beneficiaries of [the liberal international order Trump criticizes], U.S. allies will have to serve as its bodyguards.”"

lousubcap

Here's a worthy political read that I cannot get the browser link to work so you get the whole deal.

WEDNESDAY, JULY 10, 2024

John Hendrickson STAFF WRITER

Copious adjectives have been used to describe Donald Trump’s behavior. Restrained was rarely one of them—until recently. Below, I look at how the former president’s newfound discipline is actually a mirage.

A Fire That Needs Oxygen

When Joe Biden’s team proposed a June general-election debate—the earliest in modern presidential history—their theory was clear: Trump’s vitriol would make viewers recoil, while Biden would come across stately and presidential. Instead, Biden suffered arguably the worst night of his five-decade career, leaving 50 million viewers aghast. Not only is his 2024 candidacy now in jeopardy, but some people, including my colleague Adam Serwer, have made the compelling case that Biden should resign the presidency immediately. Biden’s team spent months arguing that this election would be “about Donald Trump.” At the debate, Biden sought to remind voters of Trump’s woeful character (including his recent criminal conviction). But, as ever with Trump, many voters seem ready and willing to look past his litany of misdeeds—which means that the Biden campaign’s grand strategy is failing. “Donald Trump is on track, I think, to win this election. And maybe win it by a landslide and take with him the Senate and the House,” Democratic Senator Michael Bennet of Colorado said on CNN last night. “I think we could lose the whole thing, and it’s staggering to me.” My colleague Tim Alberta, who spent months digging into Trump’s reelection campaign, reported today that Republican strategists have arrived at the same conclusion. Ever since the debate, Biden’s party has been engaged in a war within itself—part private, part public—over how to avert disaster. Some elected officials, including Representatives Adam Smith of Washington and Pat Ryan of New York, have called on Biden to withdraw (as has the actor and Democratic fundraiser George Clooney). But most people with true power and influence over the president have yet to plant a flag. Representative Jim Clyburn of South Carolina has both offered his support for Biden and spoken forcefully about who should take his place if he drops out (Vice President Kamala Harris). Today, House Speaker Emerita Nancy Pelosi dodged the question of whether she personally believes that Biden should remain the Democratic nominee, then offered a follow-up statement that was still vague. Against all this mess and dysfunction, Trump’s standing among voters has only improved. The Electoral College math is on Trump’s side. Biden cannot win the presidency without retaining his “blue wall” of Michigan, Wisconsin, and Pennsylvania. Currently, according to the RealClearPolitics polling average, Trump is ahead in all three states—he leads Biden by about two points in Wisconsin and a whopping five in Pennsylvania. (Trump’s lead in Michigan is narrower at approximately 0.6 points.) This time four years ago, Biden was ahead in all three—and ahead, in general. All Trump has to do, it would seem, is not screw everything up. Trump was supposed to be center stage this week. After being found guilty on 34 counts of falsifying business records in New York, the former president was originally scheduled to be sentenced tomorrow, July 11, but his sentencing was delayed to September 18—assuming the courts do not decide that the recent Supreme Court ruling on presidential immunity renders such a sentencing moot. Instead of waltzing into the Republican National Convention as a freshly sentenced “political prisoner,” Trump is navigating a moment when Biden is dominating headlines. Last night, I asked one of Trump’s longtime allies, the veteran GOP operative Roger Stone, how he thought Trump was approaching this particularly charged phase of the campaign. He replied with a quote often attributed to Napoleon: “Never interrupt your enemy while he’s in the process of destroying himself.” This idea—that Trump is shrewdly sitting back and avoiding attention while Biden flounders—has been parroted by many members of the media. But if you look a little closer, you’ll see that Trump is still being Trump. Just listen to some of what the former president said at his rally in Doral, Florida, last night. Trump admitted he didn’t really know what NATO was before he was president, praised Hannibal Lecter again (“he was a lovely man”), lamented that Americans are falling out of love with bacon, and fearmongered that D.C. tourists get “shot, mugged, raped” when visiting the Jefferson Memorial. (He also revisited the most cringeworthy momentfrom the debate in the form of challenging Biden to an 18-hole golf match.) But this wasn’t just one night of sloppy reversion. This past weekend, Trump made the ludicrous claim on Truth Social that “every one of the lawsuits” he is involved in, including the civil suits, “were started by Crooked Joe Biden and his fascist government for purposes of election interference.” This is a serious allegation, even for Trump. As ever, if these things were said by anyone except the former president, they would mark such a person as unfit for office and mentally unwell. But, as Dave Weigel and Benjy Sarlin of Semafor have noted, because Trump now exclusively uses his own niche social network instead of X, many of his strangest outbursts slip by unnoticed. Trump’s bombast simply doesn’t drive news cycles the way it did four or eight years ago. Trump wants to wrest the spotlight back from Biden, even if that desire may end up hurting him. In order to win the election, Trump needs to keep peeling moderate and swing-state voters away from Biden. But he can’t help himself from being … himself. On Truth Social today, Trump called on House Republicans to subpoena “Deranged Jack Smith” and “look into his ILLEGAL INVESTIGATION of me immediately.” And although he had reportedly pushed to remove a national abortion ban from the 2024 Republican Party platform, today, Trump dialed into Brian Kilmeade’s Fox News radio show and boasted that “getting rid of Roe v. Wade” was “an incredible thing.” Some have argued that, over the past two weeks, the media has “piled” on Biden. But the truth is that what’s plaguing Biden and the Democratic Party right now is an essential story worthy of rigorous coverage: Allies of the sitting president of the United States cannot agree on whether he is fit to serve another term, and the president, at the moment, is ignoring their concerns out of hubris. Right now, the world feels like a fun-house mirror of the Trump era. Many Democratic leaders are saying one thing about their leader in public and the opposite in private. Trump, meanwhile, merely has to stand back and watch the fire burn, but he can’t even do that. Trump himself is still a bigger fire, and all fires need oxygen."

lousubcap

Thursday Israel-Hamas update:

"The Israeli military has ordered all residents of Gaza City to evacuate south to the central Gaza Strip amid intensified operations in the north. Leaflets dropped by aircraft instruct “everyone in Gaza City” to leave what is described as a “dangerous combat zone” via designated safe routes. It is the second time since the war erupted that Israel has ordered the entire city to evacuate. Tom Bennett and Rushdi Abualouf report for BBC News.

The United States will soon begin sending Israel the 500-pound bombs that the Biden administration had previously suspended, ending a two-month halt it had imposed in a bid to reduce civilian deaths in Gaza, U.S. officials said. The bombs “are in the process of being shipped” and are expected to arrive in Israel in the coming weeks, one official said, noting that heavier 2,000-pound bombs are still on hold. Nancy A. Youssef and Jared Malsin report for the Wall Street Journal. 

Israeli forces used U.S.-made munitions in a deadly strike on a school complex that was housing displaced people near Khan Younis, according to a CNN analysis. At least 27 people were killed and 53 injured in the strike, the Hamas-run health ministry said. Gianluca Mezzofiore, Avery Schmitz and Allegra Goodwin report for CNN."

lousubcap

Thursday Russia-Ukraine update:

"NATO leaders jointly affirmed yesterday that “Ukraine’s future is in NATO” and its path to membership is “irreversible.” In a joint statement, the leaders did not provide a specific timeline for Ukraine to join the bloc, instead saying they would “be in a position to extend an invitation to Ukraine to join the alliance when the allies agree and conditions are met.” Jennifer Hansler reports for CNN.

In the joint statement signed yesterday by the 32 alliance leaders, NATO accused China of supplying Russia’s attacks on Ukraine. China rejected the accusation today, saying the declaration issued by NATO members was “filled with Cold War mentality and belligerent rhetoric.” David E. Sanger reports for the New York Times.

The first U.S.-made F-16 fighter jets committed to Ukraine are being transferred and are expected to see combat this summer, U.S. and European officials announced yesterday. The jets are en route from the Netherlands and Denmark, the countries’ leaders said in a joint statement with President Biden, noting that Belgium and Norway have committed to donate others. Alex Horton reports for the Washington Post."

lousubcap

Friday Israel-Hamas update:

"Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu toughened his demands for a ceasefire and hostage deal yesterday, just as optimism for a deal was growing after Hamas softened its stance. “Netanyahu gave these tough demands because he is trying to use Hamas’ weakness to get as much as he can out of the negotiations,” an Israeli official said. Barak Ravid reports for Axios. 

Many residents in Gaza City are remaining despite Israel’s evacuation orders, fearing the potential dangers from Israeli forces on the evacuation routes, and doubting there is safety in the south. The U.N. has repeatedly warned that the Israeli offensive has left nowhere safe in Gaza. Yesterday, the International Committee of the Red Cross said its helpline in Gaza had received “hundreds of calls in recent days from people desperate for help.” The New York Times reports. 

Israeli and Egyptian ceasefire negotiators are in talks about an electronic surveillance system along the Gaza-Egypt border that could allow Israel to pull back its troops if a ceasefire is agreed, sources say. Ahmed Mohamed Hassan and Maayan Lubell report for Reuters.

G7 Foreign Ministers yesterday denounced Israel’s move to expand its settlements in the West Bank, saying it is “counterproductive to the cause of peace.”

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said today it is not possible for NATO to continue its partnership with the Israeli administration. “Until comprehensive, sustainable peace is established in Palestine, attempts at cooperation with Israel within NATO will not be approved by Turkey,” Erdogan said at the NATO summit. Reuters reports."

lousubcap

Friday Russia-Ukraine update:

"U.S. intelligence discovered earlier this year that the Russian government planned to assassinate the chief executive of a German arms manufacturer that has been producing weapons for Ukraine, U.S. and Western officials say. The plot was one of a series of Russian plans to assassinate defense industry executives across Europe who were supporting Ukraine’s war effort, the sources said. Katie Bo Lillis, Natasha Bertrand and Frederik Pleitgen report for CNN.

The Ukrainian Air Force said it downed five cruise missiles and 11 drones of 19 launched by Russia on Friday. It said Russia’s main target was the town of Starokostiantyniv, a crucial Ukrainian air base.

President Joe Biden reiterated the United States’s support for Ukraine at the end of a NATO summit, saying the US “cannot retreat from the world”.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy told allies at the NATO summit they needed to lift all restrictions on Kyiv conducting long-range strikes on targets inside Russia if they wanted Ukraine to win the war.

China slammed a communique from the NATO summit, describing it as an “enabler” of Russia’s war efforts in Ukraine, as biased and “sowing discord”."

lousubcap

Monday Israel-Hamas update:

"Israeli strikes hit a camp for displaced people in a designated humanitarian area in Khan Younis on Saturday, killing at least 90 Palestinians and injuring 289 others, the Hamas-run health ministry said. The Israeli military said the strike had targeted top Hamas commanders Mohammed Deif and Rafa Salama, who Israeli officials described as “two of the masterminds” of the Oct. 7 attacks. The Israeli military declared Salama dead yesterday, but it remains uncertain if Deif was killed. Hamas called Israel’s claims to have targeted top commanders “false allegations” intended to “cover up the scale of the horrific massacre.”The Washington Post reports; Dov Lieber reports for the Wall Street Journal. 

At least 22 people were killed in a strike Saturday that hit a makeshift mosque in a displacement camp in west Gaza City, according to a hospital official who treated the casualties. Abeer Salman, Lauren Kent, and Ibrahim Dahman report for CNN.

Hamas said yesterday that Gaza ceasefire talks are continuing and rejected the idea that mediated discussions had been suspended after Israel’s strike over the weekend. CBS News reports." 

lousubcap

Monday Russia-Ukraine update:

"Russia has downed 22 Ukrainian drones overnight in the west of the country and over Crimea, Moscow’s Ministry of Defence said. Fifteen drones were shot down over the Russian border region of Bryansk, six over Crimea, and one over Lipetsk. Separately, the governor of Kursk said three more Ukrainian drones had been downed there.

Russia’s Defence Ministry claimed its forces had taken control of the village of Urozhaine in Ukraine’s eastern Donetsk region, which if confirmed would be the latest in a series of gains since capturing the strategic town of Avdiivka in February.  Urozhaine was one of the few areas that Ukraine won back during the Ukrainian counteroffensive, as Kyiv’s troops struggle with shortages of munitions and manpower.

A network of laboratories in hundreds of secret workshops across Ukraine is reportedly leveraging innovation to create a robot army that the country hopes will kill Russian troops and save its own wounded soldiers and civilians. Defence startups across the country – about 250 according to industry estimates – are reportedly creating the killing machines at secret locations that typically look like rural car repair shops, according to an Associated Press news investigation.

According to the report, one company can manufacture an unmanned ground vehicle called the Odyssey in four days, at a price tag of $35,000, or roughly 10 percent of the cost of an imported model."

lousubcap

Tuesday Israel-Hamas update:

"Israel and Egypt have discussed a possible Israeli withdrawal from the Egypt-Gaza border as part of a ceasefire deal with Hamas, according to Israeli and Western officials. Israel’s willingness to do so could remove one of the main obstacles to a truce with Hamas, which has said Israel’s withdrawal from areas including the border is a precondition for a ceasefire. Patrick Kingsley reports for the New York Times.

The U.N. yesterday said that it will start increasing the use of armored vehicles and personal protection equipment for its humanitarian aid operations in Gaza after receiving approval from Israeli authorities. Michelle Nichols reports for Reuters.

China will host senior officials from Hamas and Fatah for a meeting next week in a bid to bridge gaps between the rival Palestinian factions that have long competed for authority in Gaza and the West Bank, according to officials in both parties. Adam Rasgon and Vivian Wang report for the New York Times."

lousubcap

Tuesday Russia-Ukraine update:

"A Ukrainian drone attack sparked a fire at a factory producing electrical devices and components in the town of Korenevo in Russia’s Kursk region bordering Ukraine, the interim regional governor said.

Russia’s Ministry of Defence said air defence systems destroyed 13 Ukrainian drones overnight, including one drone over Kursk.

Ukraine’s navy said Russia’s last naval patrol ship had left Russian-occupied Crimea, “most likely” to rebase elsewhere after Kyiv’s military campaign to attack the Black Sea peninsula.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said Russia should be represented at a second peace summit. Many countries did not sign the communique at the end of the first summit last month in Switzerland, which Russia was not invited to."

lousubcap

The Houthis have ramped up their attacks in the southern Red Sea:

"Yemeni Armed Forces spokesperson Yahya Sare’e on Monday claimed attacks targeting the ‘BENTLEY I‘ and ‘CHIOS Lion‘ tankers in the Red Sea using surface drones, aerial drones, and ballistic missiles. A third operation in the Mediterranean Sea targeted the ship ‘Olvia‘ with support from the Iraqi Islamic Resistance.

U.S. Confirms New Attacks

Meanwhile, the U.S. Central Command (USCENTCOM) reported that its forces destroyed five Iranian-backed Houthi UAVs in the past 24 hours, with three over the Red Sea and two over Houthi-controlled areas of Yemen. It also confirmed that the Houthis launched multiple attacks on the MT Bentley I, which it described as a Panama-flagged, Israel-owned, Monaco-operated tanker in the Red Sea. The attacks involved one uncrewed surface vessel and two small boats, but no damage or injuries were reported. Later, the Houthis launched an anti-ship ballistic missile again targeting the vessel, with no reported damage or injuries.

In another incident, USCENTCOM said the Houthis attacked MT Chios Lion, a Liberian-flagged, Marshall Islands-owned, Greek-operated crude oil tanker with a USV in the Red Sea. The USV caused damage, but vessel did not requested assistance. No injuries have been reported at this time."

lousubcap

Wednesday Israel-Hamas update:

"Two Israeli strikes killed more than 20 people in separate parts of Gaza yesterday, one of which targeted a U.N. school being used as shelter, according to Palestinian health officials. The Israeli military said it had targeted militants who had operated inside the building. About 17 people were killed yesterday in a separate strike in Mawasi, an Israel-designated safe zone, according to the Hamas-run health ministry. The Israeli military said it had struck an Islamic Jihad commander in Khan Younis and that it was investigating reports that civilians were injured. Aaron Boxerman reports for the New York Times.

Palestinian militants in Gaza fired several rockets toward the Israeli border town of Sderot, setting off air raid sirens there for the first time in days, the Israeli authorities said yesterday. There were no immediate reports of casualties. The New York Times reports. 

Israel’s military yesterday said it had eliminated half of Hamas’s military leadership since the war in Gaza began in October, in addition to roughly 14,000 fighters who had also been killed or apprehended during the conflict. Adam Taylor reports for the Washington Post."

lousubcap

Wednesday Russia-Ukraine update:

"Ukrainian drone attacks on Russia’s Kursk region triggered a fire at a factory producing electrical devices and wounded at least six people, according to local governors. Russia’s Ministry of Defence said its forces destroyed 13 Ukrainian drones overnight, including one over the Kursk region, which borders Ukraine.

Russian authorities announced plans to restrict civilian access to 14 villages in the southern Belgorod region, which borders Ukraine, due to relentless Ukrainian shelling.

The Kremlin responded cautiously to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy’s apparent invitation to a future peace summit, saying Moscow needs to understand what Kyiv means before attending talks. The Ukrainian president had said that Russia “should be” represented at a second summit on the war, following high-level talks last month in Switzerland that Moscow did not attend."

lousubcap

Thursday Israel-Hamas update:

"Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu yesterday said that Israel must apply “pressure, pressure, and more pressure” to gain further concessions from Hamas in ceasefire negotiations. “As long as we keep pressuring them, Hamas will give up more and more,” Netanyahu said. Hopes for a ceasefire are diminishing as talks show little improvement. Aaron Boxerman reports for the New York Times.

Israel’s ultra-Orthodox Shas party yesterday urged potential conscripts to ignore a call-up from the Israeli military. The IDF said this week it will begin issuing initial summonses on Sunday to those designated for security service from among the ultra-Orthodox community. Lauren Izso and Tim Lister report for CNN.

The United States, Israel, and the Palestinian Authority held a covert meeting last week to discuss reopening the Rafah crossing as part of a ceasefire and hostage deal, Israeli and U.S. officials told Axios. The meeting was the first time since Oct. 7 that U.S., Israeli, and Palestinian officials met together to discuss the day after the war ends in Gaza. Barak Ravid reports."

lousubcap

Thursday Russia-Ukraine update:

"Russia and Ukraine released a total of 190 captured soldiers in their third such swap over the past seven weeks. Each side freed 95 prisoners of war following talks mediated by the United Arab Emirates.

Officials in Ukraine’s Kharkiv announced plans to build a series of schools underground to protect children amid near-daily Russian attacks on the northeastern city.

The Kremlin denied that a major ground offensive in Ukraine’s Kharkiv had failed after Russian officials said they would seal off Russian border villages to protect civilians from Ukrainian shelling.

Germany plans to halve its military aid to Ukraine next year, the Reuters news agency reported, despite concerns that support from the United States for Kyiv could potentially diminish if Republican candidate Donald Trump returns to the White House. The agency, citing a draft of Germany’s 2025 budget, said German aid to Ukraine will be cut to 4 billion euros ($4.35bn) in 2025 from around 8 billion euros in 2024.

Russia is ready to work with any US leader willing to engage in “equitable, mutually respectful dialogue”, Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said, while welcoming the stance on Ukraine of US Republican vice presidential candidate, JD Vance."

lousubcap

Friday Israel-Hamas update:

"A surprise drone attack in Tel Aviv early today near the U.S. embassy killed at least one and injured eight others. Yemen’s Iranian-backed Houthi group claimed responsibility for the strike, saying it was in response to Israeli “massacres” in Gaza. The Israeli military said it was still investigating the episode. Heidi Levine, Shira Rubin, Kareem Fahim, Steve Hendrix, and Kelsey Ables report for the Washington Post; Gabby Sobelman, Aaron Boxerman, Adam Rasgon, and Rawan Sheikh Ahmad report for the New York Times.

Israel’s far-right national security minister Itamar Ben-Gvir made a provocative visit today to Al-Aqsa Mosque, a contested holy site in Jerusalem, as he seeks to disrupt renewed ceasefire talks. Ben Gvir’s visit came a day after an Israeli delegation resumed negotiations in Cairo through U.S. and Egyptian mediators. Steve Hendrix, Leo Sands, and Bryan Pietsch report for the Washington Post. 

Netanyahu made a surprise visit to Israeli troops in Rafah today, hours after Ben-Gvir’s visit to Al-Aqsa mosque. Netanyahu said it was essential that Israel maintain control of a strip of territory along the Egypt-Gaza border, underscoring the remaining differences in ceasefire negotiations. Melanie Lidman reports for the Associated Press. "

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Friday Russia-Ukraine update:

"Ukrainian aerial and maritime drones struck Russian military targets on the Russia-annexed Crimean peninsula, a defence source in Kyiv told the AFP news agency. The attack is yet “another reminder to the enemy that Ukrainian Crimea is turning into a trap for Russians, where they will be systematically destroyed,” the source said.

Russia’s Ministry of Defence said 19 drones had been destroyed overnight, including 11 over the Kursk region, the Interfax news agency reported.

Ukraine has acknowledged that its defensive positions around the village of Krynky on the left bank of the Dnipro river in the southern Kherson region had been destroyed. Despite the setback, Ukrainian military spokesman Dmytro Lykhoviy said on state television that combat work on the left bank of the Dnipro river is continuing.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy slammed any attempts to cut deals with Moscow behind Kyiv’s back after Hungary’s Prime Minister Viktor Orban visited Russian President Vladimir Putin. In an address in the United Kingdom, Zelenskyy called for “unity” in support of his country as it fights Russia’s invasion."

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Monday Israel-Hamas update:

"The Israeli military has ordered civilians to temporarily evacuate from part of its designated humanitarian zone in Khan Younis, ahead of what it called a “forceful operation” against Palestinian armed groups. The Hamas-run health ministry said at least 14 people have been killed in heavy Israeli strikes following the order. Meanwhile, the Israeli military said it will start offering polio vaccines to soldiers serving in Gaza after traces of the virus were found in test samples in the enclave. David Gritten reports for BBC News; Reutersreports.

Israel struck the Houthi-controlled port city of Hudaydah in Yemen on Saturday, killing three and injuring over 80, according to Houthi-linked news outlets. It came in response to a Houthi drone attack on Tel Aviv Friday that struck near the U.S. embassy. On Sunday, Israel said it intercepted a missile fired from Yemen, suggesting the Houthi militia would keep up its attacks. Tom Spender and Paul Adams report for BBC News; Gabby Sobelman and Matthew Mpoke Bigg report for the New York Times.  

Netanyahu left for Washington today, where he is set to meet with Biden and make a speech before Congress. Before departing, Netanyahu said his speech would emphasize the theme of Israel’s bipartisanship and that Israel would remain a key U.S. ally in the Middle East “regardless who the American people choose as their next president.” Aamer Madhani and Tia Goldenberg report for AP News. "

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Monday Russia-Ukraine update:

"Trump and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy spoke over the phone last week amid mounting concern in Kyiv about U.S. support for Ukraine’s fight against Russia. Trump said in a post on Truth Social he had a “very good call” with Zelenskyy and pledged to end the war through negotiations. Constant Méheut reports for the New York Times; Reuters reports.

Russian state media reported Sunday that Russia had taken control of two villages along the front line in the east, one in the Kharkiv region and one in the Luhansk region. Samya Kullab reports for AP News.

Air defence systems destroyed 35 of the 39 attack drones that Russia launched overnight, Ukraine’s air force said on Telegram.

Russia launched its fifth drone attack on Kyiv in two weeks, with Ukraine’s air defence systems destroying all the air weapons before they could reach the capital, Ukraine’s military said. No casualties or damage was reported, Serhiy Popko, head of Kyiv’s military administration, said on Telegram.

Russia’s air defence systems destroyed eight Ukrainian drones overnight, the Russian Ministry of Defence said. Three of the drones were destroyed over the Belgorod region, which borders Ukraine, and three were intercepted in the Black Sea, the ministry said on Telegram."

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Tuesday Israel-Hamas update:

"Israel intensified operations in southern Gaza yesterday, sending tanks back into Khan Younis after ordering civilians to evacuate. Israeli fire killed at least 70 Palestinians, according to Gaza medics. Separately, the U.N. accused Israeli forces of firing on an aid convoy Sunday as it traveled an agreed-upon route to the north. Nidal Al-Mughrabi, Ari Rabinovitch, and Hatem Khalid report for Reuters; Louisa Loveluck, Hajar Harb, and Jennifer Hassan report for the Washington Post.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu yesterday told families of hostages held in Gaza that a hostage release deal could be near, his office said today. Speaking in Washington, D.C. to families of hostages, he said, “The conditions [for a deal] are undoubtedly ripening. This is a good sign.” Maayan Lubell and Nidal Al-Mughrabi report for Reuters.

The daily average water and fuel supply in Gaza over the past two weeks has dropped to just a quarter of what it was before the war, the U.N. humanitarian affairs office said yesterday. Meanwhile, the World Health Organization today said there was a high risk of the polio virus spreading across the enclave and beyond due to the dire health and sanitation conditions. The New York Times reports; Reuters reports.

 A barrage of rockets into northern Israel yesterday left two injured. Lebanese-backed Hezbollah claimed responsibility for the attack, saying it was carried out in response to IDF attacks in southern Lebanon. Adi Hashmonai reports for Haaretz.

President Biden pledged to use his last months in office trying to end the war in Gaza and bring home the remaining hostages. Biden is set to meet with Netanyahu on Thursday to discuss ceasefire and hostage negotiations. Barak Ravid reports for Axios."

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Tuesday Russia-Ukraine update:

"Russia downed 25 Ukrainian drones overnight, the Ministry of Defence in Moscow said on Tuesday. At least 21 UAVs were “intercepted and destroyed” in Crimea, two over the Bryansk region, and another two over the Belgorod region.

Russia also said that it shot down 85 Ukrainian drones the previous day, including 47 in the region of Rostov. Authorities in the Russian Black Sea town of Tuapse in the Krasnodar region said that debris from one downed drone sparked a fire at an oil refinery and killed one person.

Russia has announced that starting Tuesday, it will restrict entry to 14 areas in Belgorod, which have been subject to heavy attacks. The move is seen as part of the Kremlin’s strategy to set up a so-called border buffer zone.

Hungary and Slovakia have asked the European Commission to mediate a consultation procedure with Ukraine, after Kyiv placed Russia’s Lukoil Oil Company on its sanctions list, stopping crude supplies to the two EU countries. Hungary receives 2 million metric tonnes of oil from Russia’s largest private oil company annually. Slovakia imported Russian fossil fuels worth an estimated $351m in April 2024, according to the Centre for Research on Energy and Clean Air."

Ozzie_Isaac

Cheatle was forced to step down.  Hopefully she was smart enough to know that regardless of the plan’s success she was going to have to resign.

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Wednesday Israel-Hamas update:

"Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu arrives on Capitol Hill today to address a joint session of Congress. Thousands of pro-Palestinian protesters will rally in Washington today for a “day of rage” over the war in Gaza, organizers have warned. Brandon Drenon reports for BBC News.

Trump will meet with Netanyahu at Mar-a-Lago on Friday, the former president said yesterday on social media. Shortly after, Trump published a letter he received from Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas and pledged to work for peace in the Middle East. The letter may signal Abbas wants to rebuild relations with Trump after their fallout in 2017 over Trump’s decision to recognize Jerusalem as Israel’s capital. Michael Gold reports for The New York Times; Barak Ravid reports for Axios."

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Wednesday Russia-Ukraine update:

"Ukraine’s top diplomat told Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi today that Kyiv is open to negotiating with Russia if Moscow is ready to do so “in good faith.” According to a poll released yesterday, almost a third of Ukrainians would accept some territorial concessions to Russia for a quick end to the war, a more than three-fold increase over the past year. Reuters reports.

U.S. Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin yesterday reaffirmed the United States’ support for Ukraine during a phone call with Ukrainian Defense Minister Rustem Umverov, the Pentagon announced. It marks the first time the defense ministers have spoken since Biden’s withdrawal from the 2024 election. Reuters reports.

E.U. member states will today discuss options for extending the renewal period of sanctions on the Russian central bank’s assets to secure a G7 plan to extend a major loan to Ukraine. Reuters reports.

Russia called an EU plan to use interest earned on frozen Russian assets to fund military aid to Ukraine “theft” and said it would take legal action against anyone involved in the decision.

Hungary has threatened to block European Union refunds for member states that gave munitions to Ukraine until Kyiv allows the transit of oil from Russia’s Lukoil company through a pipeline over its territory. Hungary and Slovakia said earlier this month that they had stopped receiving oil from Lukoil through the Druzhba pipeline after Ukraine imposed a ban last month on the transit of resources from the Russian company."

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Thursday Israel-Hamas update:

"Ceasefire and hostage release negotiations appear to be in their closing stages,according to a senior U.S. official. Biden and Netanyahu are set to discuss remaining gaps today. The official said the remaining obstacles were bridgeable and that an agreement was close. Jacob Magid reports for The Times of Israel.

The Israeli military said it recovered the bodies of five Israeli hostages during an operation in the Khan Younis area. The announcement means 111 of the 251 people taken hostage are still being held in Gaza, including 39 who are presumed dead. David Gritten reports for BBC News.

Gaza’s death toll was largely accurate in the early days of the war, according to a new study by Airwars, a British organization that assesses claims of civilian harm in conflicts. Analyzing the first 17 days of Israel’s bombardment in Gaza, the study found that the Gaza Ministry of Health’s death toll, a subject of debate at the time, was reliable. Lauren Leatherby reports for The New York Times.

Israeli Foreign Minister Israel Katz sent a letter to his French counterpart warning him of an Iranian-backed plot to attack the Israeli delegation to the 2024 Paris Olympics. The 88 Israeli athletes at the Games are under round-the-clock protection from French security services, as well as from Shin Bet officials. Amy Spiro reports for The Times of Israel."

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Thursday Russia-Ukraine update: (News all on the diplomatic side).

"Ukraine’s top diplomat has told China’s foreign minister that Kyiv was open to negotiating with Russia but only if Moscow was ready to do so in “good faith”.

Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba is the highest-ranking Ukrainian official to travel to China since Russia’s February 2022 invasion and held talks with Foreign Minister Wang Yi in the southern city of Guangzhou on Wednesday.

“Kuleba restated … that [Kyiv] is ready to engage the Russian side in the negotiation process at a certain stage, when Russia is ready to negotiate in good faith, but emphasised that no such readiness is currently observed on the Russian side,” the Ukrainian Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

China presents itself as a neutral party in the war, insisting that the only way to end Russia’s invasion is by bringing both Kyiv and Moscow to the negotiating table.

It says it is not sending lethal assistance to either side, unlike the United States and other Western nations, though it is a key political and economic partner of Russia, with NATO members branding Beijing a “decisive enabler” of the war.

China has denied claims that it is backing Russia’s war efforts, saying last week that its position was “open and above board”."