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

lousubcap · April 2

As the Clown Show moves on:

"Finland says it’s withdrawing from a 1997 treaty against the use of land mines, Prime Minister Petteri Orpo announced Tuesday in Helsinki. “Withdrawing from the Ottawa Convention will give us the possibility to prepare for the changes in the security environment in a more versatile way,” he told reporters, according to Reuters.

Just last month, Poland, Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania each announced they, too, were exiting the treaty because “Military threats to NATO member states bordering Russia and Belarus have significantly increased,” the four Baltic states said in a joint statement. “In light of this unstable security environment marked by Russia’s aggression and its ongoing threat to the Euro-Atlantic community, it is essential to evaluate all measures to strengthen our deterrence and defense capabilities,” the four nations’ defense ministers said.

Fine print: “Leaving the treaty will require approval by the Finnish parliament but is expected to pass given widespread support among government and opposition parties,” Reuters notes. “More than 160 countries and territories are party to the Ottawa Treaty, including Ukraine. Neither the United States nor Russia are signatories,” Agence France-Presse adds.

By the way, “Norway is restoring [two of] its Cold War military bunkers,” the BBCreported Sunday. “At the peak of the Cold War, the sparsely populated, mountainous country had around 3,000 underground facilities where its armed forces and allies could hide and make life difficult for any invader.”

The two that are re-opening are the Bardufoss Air Station and the naval base at Olavsvern. “Carved out of a mountain side, protected by around 900ft (275m) of tough gabbro rock, the Olasvern base is particularly evocative with its 3,000ft-long (909m) exit tunnel complete with massive blast door,” the BBC reports. The facility at Bardufoss offers excellent protection from drone attacks targeting military aircraft, as Russia’s Ukraine invasion has highlighted.

“The reason for the reactivation of these bases is simple: Russia,” the BBC writes. Read on, here. "

dbCooper · April 3

FBI raids home of prominent computer scientist who has gone incommunicado

"A prominent computer scientist who has spent 20 years publishing academic papers on cryptography, privacy, and cybersecurity has gone incommunicado, had his professor profile, email account, and phone number removed by his employer, Indiana University, and had his homes raided by the FBI. No one knows why."

https://arstechnica.com/security/2025/03/computer-scientist-goes-silent-after-fbi-raid-and-purging-from-university-website/

lousubcap · April 3

Regarding CHEETO and the tariffs: (The CHEETO who bankrupted 3 Atlantic city casinos).

Still, Trump’s harshest critics see little point in any of this. His tariffs and tariff threats aren’t even about economics, really, The Guardian argues in an editorial.

Trump “presents taxing foreign imports as a way to rebuild the American economy in favour of blue-collar workers left behind by free trade and globalization,” the paper writes. “Yet he plainly thinks that politics is not about truth or justice. It is about leverage and supremacy. … [T]wo things appear to be driving this. One is his self-styled image as the ultimate dealmaker; the man who can turn any situation to his advantage. The other is his view of politics as a means for structuring society to favour one group over another—not just economically, but in terms of legitimacy and who defines reality. Tariffs will probably be lifted if nations accede to Mr Trump’s wishes and, in doing so, reward politically useful constituencies, big tech allies or his wealthy donors. … What emerges is less trade policy than performance politics—where coercion, loyalty and theatre converge.”"

Botch · April 3

lousubcap said:

As the Clown Show moves on:

"Finland says it’s withdrawing from a 1997 treaty against the use of land mines, Prime Minister Petteri Orpo announced Tuesday in Helsinki. “Withdrawing from the Ottawa Convention will give us the possibility to prepare for the changes in the security environment in a more versatile way,” he told reporters, according to Reuters.
Just last month, Poland, Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania each announced they, too, were exiting the treaty because “Military threats to NATO member states bordering Russia and Belarus have significantly increased,” the four Baltic states said in a joint statement. “In light of this unstable security environment marked by Russia’s aggression and its ongoing threat to the Euro-Atlantic community, it is essential to evaluate all measures to strengthen our deterrence and defense capabilities,” the four nations’ defense ministers said.
Fine print: “Leaving the treaty will require approval by the Finnish parliament but is expected to pass given widespread support among government and opposition parties,” Reuters notes. “More than 160 countries and territories are party to the Ottawa Treaty, including Ukraine. Neither the United States nor Russia are signatories,” Agence France-Presse adds.
By the way, “Norway is restoring [two of] its Cold War military bunkers,” the BBCreported Sunday. “At the peak of the Cold War, the sparsely populated, mountainous country had around 3,000 underground facilities where its armed forces and allies could hide and make life difficult for any invader.”
The two that are re-opening are the Bardufoss Air Station and the naval base at Olavsvern. “Carved out of a mountain side, protected by around 900ft (275m) of tough gabbro rock, the Olasvern base is particularly evocative with its 3,000ft-long (909m) exit tunnel complete with massive blast door,” the BBC reports. The facility at Bardufoss offers excellent protection from drone attacks targeting military aircraft, as Russia’s Ukraine invasion has highlighted.
“The reason for the reactivation of these bases is simple: Russia,” the BBC writes. Read on, here. "

helluva lotta meat in this one. vlad may not be pleased. Dayam.

lousubcap · April 3

Thursday Middle East update:

"Israel is establishing a new security corridor across Gaza that will cut off the southern city of Rafah, Netanyahu announced yesterday, saying that Israel is “cutting up the strip” to pressure Hamas. Wafaa Shurafa and Isaac Scharf report for AP News.

Hamas will not respond or engage with Israel’s counter-proposal for a renewed Gaza ceasefire and remains committed to the mediators’ proposal, an official said yesterday. Nidal Al-Mughrabi and Jaidaa Ahmad report for Reuters.

Israeli overnight strikes on Syria killed nine people, wounded dozens, and destroyed an air base in Hama, according to Syria's state news agency SANA and Damascus’ foreign ministry. Israeli Defence Minister Israel Katz said that the airstrikes were a “warning” for Syria’s new leaders to not allow forces hostile to Israel to enter. Reuters reports.

Suspected U.S. airstrikes killed at least six people across rebel-controlled areas of Yemen yesterday, the Houthis said. Jon Gambrell reports for AP News."

lousubcap · April 3

Thursday Russia-Ukraine update:

"Russia’s state news agencies TASS and RIA Novosti report that Russian forces destroyed 93 Ukrainian drones overnight, most of which were destroyed over the Kursk region.

The Ukrainian air force said it shot down 41 of 74 Russian drones launched towards Ukraine overnight. Another 20 drones failed to reach their targets due to electronic jamming measures, the air force said.

Russia and Ukraine accused each other of breaching the US-brokered moratorium on energy strikes after both countries reported damage to energy facilities due to alleged violations by both sides.

The Kremlin said it is “possible” that Russian envoy Kirill Dmitriev will visit the US and said contact with Washington was ongoing. The Reuters news agency reported that Dmitriev is expected in Washington this week for talks with US President Donald Trump’s administration."

lousubcap · April 4

Friday Middle East update:

"An Israeli strike on a school-turned-shelter killed at least 27 people, including 19 women and children, and wounded 70 in Gaza City, according to the Hamas-run health ministry. The Israeli military said it struck “prominent terrorists who were in a Hamas command and control centre.” Other Israeli attacks killed at least 97 people in the previous 24 hours, the health ministry said. David Gritten reports for BBC News; Wafaa Shurafa and Natalie Melzer report for AP News.

Hundreds of thousands of Palestinians yesterday fled south Gaza’s Rafah as Israeli forces advanced into the city in one of the largest mass displacements of the war. The Israeli military previously announced Rafah would form part of a “security zone” controlled by Israel. Separately, Israeli troops today moved into an area of northern Gaza to expand another “security zone.” Nidal Al-Mughrabi and Mahmoud Issa report for Reuters; Reuters reports.

The Syrian foreign minister yesterday condemned Israel’s fresh wave of airstrikes on airbases and other military sites as an “unjustified escalation” aiming to “destabilise Syria.” The latest strikes come amid reports of Turkey moving its military equipment to Syrian airbases. David Gritten and Lucy Williamson report for BBC News.

Israel today said it killed a Hamas commander in an airstrike in southern Lebanon. Lebanese Prime Minister Nawaf Salam's office said the attack was a clear violation of the U.S.-backed ceasefire. Reuters reports.

The United States has achieved only limited success in destroying Houthi targets in its recent strikes on Yemen, Pentagon officials have told Congress recently in closed briefings. Officials briefed on the assessments say the strikes are also more extensive and costly than publicly described, with the Pentagon using $200 million worth of munitions in three weeks and the total cost nearing $1 billion. A senior Pentagon official pushed back on the reports, saying that the operation is “on track.” Eric Schmitt, Edward Wong, and John Ismay report for the New York Times."

lousubcap · April 4

Friday Russia-Ukraine update:

"Kyiv’s air force said Russia launched 39 drones towards Ukraine overnight, of which 28 were shot down. According to the air force, seven others failed to reach their targets due to electronic warfare measures.

Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs spokeswoman Maria Zakharova accused Ukraine of launching more than 30 “provocative” attacks on Russian energy facilities, despite a mutually agreed moratorium on strikes against energy facilities brokered by the United States.

According to Russia’s Ministry of Defence, Ukrainian forces attacked Russian energy facilities four times in the past 24 hours. Ukraine’s military denied the accusations, saying its troops were adhering to the ceasefire, but claimed Russia had violated the moratorium “numerous times”.

The 10 percent reciprocal tariffs imposed on Ukraine by the United States are “difficult, but not critical”, said Kyiv’s Economy Minister Yulia Svyrydenko. She also said Ukraine had an export volume of $874m to the US last year while Kyiv bought goods worth $3.4bn from the US during this period.

Russia remains patient and is not surprised by US President Donald Trump’s threats to impose new tariffs on Russian oil, said Sergei Ryabkov, Moscow’s deputy foreign minister in charge of ties with the US. Ryabov warned that there might not be a peace agreement in the war on Ukraine unless the US recognised the “belligerent” stance of the European Union and Ukraine.

Zelenskyy said that Ukraine would not accept the recognition of Russian-controlled Ukrainian territories as parts of Russia. He suggested finding a compromise to return such territories back to Ukraine over time through diplomatic means.

Ukraine’s Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha informed US Secretary of State Marco Rubio of Russia’s violation of the energy ceasefire brokered by the US.

The US has withdrawn from the team of European and US investigators put together under the EU’s judicial body Eurojust to collect evidence of potential Russian war crimes in Ukraine. The move was inspired by a “change in priorities” within the US Department of Justice, Eurojust said."

lousubcap · April 5

Saturday Russia-Ukraine update:

"The Kremlin said Russian President Vladimir Putin and United States President Donald Trump had no plans to talk after a visit to Washington by Putin’s investment envoy.

Secretary of State Marco Rubio said “there is a lot that has to happen” in the coming weeks to reach a ceasefire in Ukraine and that negotiations will not continue forever.

NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte said the ball regarding a Ukraine ceasefire is in the Russian court, after meeting with NATO foreign ministers in Brussels.

The United Kingdom and French foreign ministers accused Putin of dragging his feet in ceasefire talks and demanded a swift response from Russia after weeks of US efforts to secure a truce.

Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan told Reuters news agency any potential peace agreement between Ukraine and Russia would be “difficult to digest” but would still be better than the alternative of more death and destruction."

lousubcap · April 6

Sunday Russia-Ukraine update:

"The Ukrainian Air Force reported shooting down 51 of 92 drones launched at the country by Russian forces overnight on Saturday.

Russia’s Ministry of Defence has accused Ukraine of increasing its attacks on Russian energy infrastructure, including in the regions of Bryansk, Belgorod, Smolensk, Lipetsk and Voronezh, despite a United States-brokered moratorium. Ukraine dismissed the claims as “fake”.

Ukrainian drones struck an explosive production facility in Russia’s Samara region, causing multiple explosions and fires, the Reuters news agency reported, citing a source in Ukraine’s security service."

lousubcap · April 7

Monday Middle East update:

Hamas yesterday said it fired a barrage of rockets at south Israel’s cities in response to Israeli "“massacres” of civilians in Gaza, as the territory’s Hamas-run health ministry said Israeli strikes killed at least 39 people in 24 hours. One person was reportedly injured in Hamas’ attack. Emily Rose and Nidal Al-Mughrabi report for Reuters.

The Israeli military on Saturday backtracked on its account of the circumstances of the killing of 15 Palestinian medics by Israeli forces last month after a video that appeared to contradict it emerged online. The Palestinian Red Crescent Society said the footage, which matches the sequence of events described by witnesses, was found in the phone of one of its slain staffers. Edith M. Lederer, Wafaa Shurafa, and Lee Keath report for AP News; Vivian Yee and Bilal Shbair report for the New York Times.

Israel now controls more than 50% of the Gaza Strip, with the largest contiguous area of control located around the Gaza border, according to Israeli troops and rights groups. Israel systematically razed Palestinians’ homes, farmland, and infrastructure in some areas of Gaza to the point of uninhabitability, according to troops’ testimony in an Israeli watchdog group's report published today. Sam Mednick reports for AP News; Claire Parker reports for the Washington Post.

The Trump administration last month moved forward with the sale of 20,000 U.S.-made assault rifles to Israel that the former Biden administration delayed over concerns they could be used by extremist Israeli settlers, according to a document seen by Reuters and a source. Humeyra Pamuk reports.

Israel last week struck at least three air bases in Syria that Turkey has scoped out to deploy its forces to as part of a planned joint defence pact with Damascus, Syrian and regional sources say. Suleiman Al-Khalidi and Jonathan Spicer report for Reuters.

Turkey does not want a confrontation with Israel in Syria. Ankara’s foreign minister said on Friday, adding that Israeli strikes on Damascus’ military facilities are eroding the new government's ability to deter threats such as the Islamic State. Samia Nakhoul reports for Reuters.

More than 100 chemical weapons sites are suspected to remain in Syria, the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons said in the first estimate of the kind, citing outside researchers, nonprofit groups, and intelligence shared by its member countries. Megha Rajagopalan reports for the New York Times.

The Deputy U.S. Special Envoy to the Middle East, Morgan Ortagus, on Saturday urged the Lebanese government to assert control over all national territory, disarm Hezbollah, and prevent arms smuggling along the Syrian border during a meeting in Beirut, a Lebanese official said. Sally Abou Aljoud reports for AP News."

lousubcap · April 7

Monday Russia-Ukraine update:

"Russia is running out of time to convince the Trump administration that it is serious about reaching a ceasefire deal with Ukraine, Secretary of State Marco Rubio said on Friday. Michael Crowley reports for the New York Times.

Kyiv will send a team to the United States to begin negotiations on a new draft of a deal that would give Washington access to Ukraine’s rare minerals, the Ukrainian economy minister told AP News on Saturday. Hanna Arhirova reports.

Ukraine’s military said its forces shot down 13 of 23 missiles and 40 of 109 drones launched by Russia in an overnight attack. Some 53 drones were also lost due to electronic warfare measures, the military said.

Russia’s Defence Ministry said its air defence units “intercepted and destroyed” 11 Ukrainian drones over the country’s Kursk and Belgorod regions, which border Ukraine, as well as the southern Rostov region overnight.

Russia’s Defence Ministry said Kyiv carried out seven attacks on Moscow’s energy infrastructure facilities between April 5 and 6, despite a moratorium on energy strikes brokered by the United States. According to the ministry, the attacks targeted the Crimean region, which Russia annexed from Ukraine in 2014, as well as Russia’s Bryansk, Rostov and Voronezh regions."

lousubcap · April 8

Tuesday Middle East update:

"Trump yesterday said he would “like to see the war [in Gaza] stop” and thinks a cessation of hostilities “won't be in the too-distant future” as he hosted Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu at the White House. Separately, the French Presidency said that France’s Emmanuel Macron, Trump, Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi, and Jordan's King Abdullah yesterday discussed the situation in Gaza in a phone call. Reuters reports.

Witnesses say Israeli forces were seen clearing ground and building watchtowers yesterday in parts of Gaza seized by Israel in recent days during its renewed offensive. Nidal Al-Mughrabi and Hatem Khaled report for Reuters.

The incident in which Israeli troops killed 15 emergency workers in south Gaza occurred “due to a sense of threat,” according to the Israeli military’s preliminary investigation results announced yesterday. The military also claimed it had identified a Hamas presence at the time of the attack and that six of those killed “were identified as Hamas militants.” The Palestine Red Crescent Society has called for an independent international inquiry into the incident. Reuters reports; David Gritten reports for BBC News."

lousubcap · April 8

Tuesday Russia-Ukraine update:

Russia’s Ministry of Defence said its units intercepted and destroyed 19 Ukrainian drones overnight, of which 13 were destroyed over the Sea of Azov.

The ministry also said Ukraine attacked Russia’s energy infrastructure six times in the past 24 hours despite a mutually agreed moratorium on energy strikes. It said the attacks hit power facilities and electrical substations in Russia’s Rostov, Voronezh and Bryansk regions, as well as in the Ukrainian regions of Kherson and Donetsk, parts of which Moscow controls.

Russian President Vladimir Putin supports a ceasefire, but a “huge number” of questions remain unanswered, Peskov told reporters. He also said there was a common understanding between Russia and the United States that mutual contact should continue.

For the first time, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy acknowledged that Ukrainian troops were present in Russia’s Belgorod region. “We continue active operations in the enemy’s border areas and this is absolutely justified,” Zelenskyy said in his nightly video address.

And this regarding Zelenskyy:

"The US and Russian leaders both want their Ukrainian counterpart gone.

“We have a situation where we haven’t had elections in Ukraine, where we have martial law, where the leader in Ukraine, I hate to say it, but he’s down at four percent approval rating,” Trump claimed on February 19.

Five days later, Putin backed Trump’s claim.

“It actually doesn’t matter how many percent [Zelenskyy] has, four or whatever. What’s important is that his rating, according to our data, is exactly twice as low as his possible political rival,” Putin said, referring to Valerii Zaluzhnyii, Ukraine’s former top general, who Zelenskyy fired last year.

Trump and Putin were wrong about Zelenskyy’s ratings.

Zelenskyy’s diplomatic spats with Trump have increased his domestic popularity – from 52 percent in December to 57 percent in February, according to polls by the Kyiv International Institute of Sociology."

lousubcap · April 8

The US -China trade war from the BBC:
https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c4g2089vznzo?at_

lousubcap · April 9

Wednesday Middle East update:

"Gaza is a “killing field” with its civilians stuck “in an endless death loop,” U.N. Secretary-General António Guterres said yesterday, calling Israel’s blockade of aid “totally intolerable in the eyes of international law” as the heads of six U.N. agencies appealed for urgent action to ensure food and supplies reach Palestinians. Gueterres also rejected a new Israeli proposal to control aid deliveries in Gaza. Israel’s foreign ministry accused Gueterres of “spreading slander” and insisted there was enough food in Gaza. Megan Fisher reports for BBC News; Michelle Nichols reports for Reuters.

Suspected U.S. airstrikes killed at least six people and injured 16 others around Yemen’s Red Sea port city of Hodeida last night, the Iran-backed Houthi rebels said. The U.S. military’s Central Command did not immediately acknowledge the strikes. Jon Gambrell reports for AP News.

U.S. military commanders are concerned the Pentagon will soon need to move some of its Asia-Pacific stockpiles of long-range precision weapons to the Middle East due to the large amount of munitions used in the current U.S. bombing campaign in Yemen, congressional officials say. Edward Wong and Eric Schmitt report for the New York Times.

Hezbollah is ready to hold talks with the Lebanese president about disarmament if Israel withdraws from south Lebanon and stops its strikes, a senior Hezbollah official has told Reuters. According to sources, Lebanon’s U.S.-backed President Joseph Aoun intends to open talks over Hezbollah’s arsenal soon. Laila Bassam, Tom Perry, and Maya Gebeily report."

lousubcap · April 9

Wednesday Russia-Ukraine update:

"Senior Defense Department officials are considering withdrawing as many as 10,000 troops from Romania and Poland deployed by the Biden administration to strengthen the defenses of countries bordering Ukraine, U.S. and European officials say. Separately, Gen. Christopher Donahue on Monday announced the U.S. Army would reposition its forces and equipment from a key Polish weapons shipping hub to other locations. Gordon Lubold, Dan De Luce, and Courtney Kube report for NBC News; Ellen Mitchell reports for the Hill.

Ukraine has captured two Chinese citizens fighting in the Russian army and is seeking to understand the significance of their presence on the battlefield for the extent of Beijing's involvement in the war, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said yesterday. Isabel Coles reports for the Wall Street Journal.

Russia is close to regaining full control of the Kursk region from the Ukrainian army, the regional governor and Russian state media claimed yesterday. There was no immediate comment from Ukraine. Andrew Osborn reports for Reuters.

The Ministry of Defence in Moscow said its units intercepted and destroyed 23 Ukrainian drones overnight on the border in Russia’s Kursk and Belgorod regions.

Ukrainian forces attacked two Russian energy facilities in the past 24 hours despite a mutually agreed moratorium on energy strikes, the Russian Defence Ministry also said.

Ukraine’s Air Force said Russia launched 46 drones and an Iskander-M ballistic missile during an overnight attack, of which nine drones were shot down and 31 were lost due to electronic warfare measures."

lousubcap · April 9

From the BBC today-Trump and tariffs

We know that Trump's tariffs have turned the global economy on its head. What we don't know is why he's done it.

‌Sure, there are lots of explanations – many provided by the president's own advisers. There are simple ones: it's a temporary negotiating tactic to force US trading partners to make concessions, for example. It's a permanent way to generate new revenue for the federal government, or to protect American manufacturing industry.

‌Others are a bit more complex. Some think Trump is trying to reduce interest rates so he can refinance public debt. Others suggest his goal is to devalue the dollar to make American exports more affordable and to erode the value of China's US currency holdings.

‌Some of these explanations are contradictory. You can't generate billions of dollars of revenue from tariffs while also boosting American domestic manufacturing. Consumers either pay big tariffs or they buy more US goods – they can't do both.

‌Those contradictions have even led to conflict within Trump's inner circle. Witness Elon Musk saying White House trade adviser Peter Navarro is "dumber than a sack of bricks" for suggesting that the multi-billionaire supports free trade because his Tesla cars depend on imported parts.

‌All of these various explanations point to what could be Trump's ultimate goal – one that he's been preaching for decades and which is at the heart of his "make America great again" slogan. Tariffs are a means to return to a bygone era, when American industry was dominant and the jobs and wealth generated by building things was the ticket to prosperity.

‌Nostalgia for the good old days is central to Trump's political appeal, but it also may be a destination that is eternally out of reach. Manufacturing alone won't bring back the kind of middle-class jobs that once allowed working Americans to buy a home and raise a family in the suburbs on one income.

‌And even if all those factories do return, they are likely to be heavily automated and powered by artificial intelligence. The jobs that would be created wouldn't necessarily be high-paying. An entry level factory worker at a Honda car factory in Alabama, for instance, makes $14 (£10.94) an hour. Try buying a house with that.

‌The takeaway: Trump is abandoning a global trade system that has largely benefitted the US because he believes the old ways were better. Win or lose, it's a huge, historic gamble."

lousubcap · April 10

Thursday Middle East update:

"A Tuesday Israeli strike on a multi-storey residential building in east Gaza City killed at least 29 Palestinians, including children, and injured dozens of others, local health authorities said yesterday. The Israeli military said it had struck a “senior Hamas terrorist.” David Gritten reports for BBC News; Nidal Al-Mughrabi reports for Reuters.

“All basic supplies” in Gaza are running out, with the territory inching towards “very, very deep hunger,” according to the Communications Director for the U.N. aid agency for Palestinians. Similar assessments have been shared by other aid agencies operating in the territory. Nidal Al-Mughrabi, Olivia Le Poidevin, and Hatem Khaled report for Reuters.

The U.S. Senate yesterday voted 53-46 to confirm former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee as the U.S. ambassador to Israel. Matthew Lee reports for AP News."

lousubcap · April 10

Thursday Russia-Ukraine update:

"Britain and France are convening a meeting of defense ministers from around 30 countries to discuss policing any future peace agreement between Ukraine and Russia, the first meeting of ministers representing the so-called coalition of the willing. AP News reports.

The Ukrainian air force said that Russia launched 145 drones during its overnight attack. The air force shot down 85 drones and another 49 did not reach their targets likely due to the electronic warfare countermeasures, it said. It did not specify what happened to the remaining 11 drones.

Russia’s Ministry of Defence said it destroyed 158 Ukrainian drones overnight, including 29 over the southern Rostov region and 69 over the Krasnodar region. No injuries were immediately reported. However, almost 50 buildings were evacuated due to the threats posed by the drones.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said talks with the United States on a minerals-for-security deal would take place next week.

Ukraine has finalised its position and developed its vision for a future minerals deal with the US, Kyiv’s Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha said. The minister said Ukraine would soon finalise the composition of a delegation that would travel to Washington to discuss the agreement further."

lousubcap · April 11

Friday Middle East update:

"Turkey and Israel have started talks to defuse growing tensions over influence in Syria, with the governments of both countries confirming that a meeting between military and security officials took place on Wednesday in Azerbaijan. Carlotta Gall reports for the New York Times.

Syrian Kurds are set to demand a federal system in post-Assad Syria that would give them regional autonomy and security forces, a senior Kurdish official said. The decentralised vision is opposed by interim President Ahmed al-Sharaa. Orhan Qereman reports for Reuters.

Israel will include the city of Rafah in its “security zones” in Gaza, Defense Minister Israel Katz has said. According to the U.N., two-thirds of Gaza has been designated as “no-go” zones or placed under evacuation orders since the start of Israel’s renewed offensive. David Gritten reports for BBC News.

The Israeli government’s increased involvement in the hostage release and ceasefire talks has caused a “significant difference in momentum” from when Israel’s negotiating team was led by intelligence chiefs David Barnea and Ronen Bar, according to sources involved in the talks. Alex Marquardt and Jeremy Diamond report for CNN."

lousubcap · April 11

Friday Russia-Ukraine update:

"The U.S. Ambassador to Ukraine, Bridget A. Brink, is leaving her post, the State Department announced yesterday. It was not immediately clear whether Brink resigned voluntarily or was asked to step down, or what the date of her departure would be. Constant Méheut reports for the New York Times.

Ukraine has told the United States that curbs on the size of its armed forces or its military's readiness would be a “red line” in negotiations to end the war with Russia, a senior Ukrainian official said. Putin has previously said he wants the size of Ukraine's army to be limited. Anastasiia Malenko reports for Reuters.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy yesterday accused Russia of “systematically recruiting” soldiers from China to fight for Russia in Ukraine. Beijing has previously said it is investigating the reports of the Chinese troops fighting in the war while asserting its neutrality. Isabel Coles reports for the Wall Street Journal.

Russia said its aerial defence systems destroyed 48 Ukrainian drones overnight and into the early morning in the Bryansk, Kursk, Kaluga, Belgorod, Moscow and Oryol regions, as well as the Russian-annexed Crimea.

Ukrainian authorities recorded 145 Russian drones in its airspace in overnight attacks, of which 85 were destroyed while 49 were “lost” due to electronic warfare measures, Kyiv’s air force said."

lousubcap · April 12

Saturday Russia-Ukraine update:

"Russia’s defence ministry said air defence units destroyed 13 Ukrainian drones within a span of 30 minutes late on Friday. The ministry said that between 10-10:30pm local time (19:00-19:30 GMT), nine drones were destroyed over Russia’s Rostov region on Ukraine’s eastern border, and four in the Kursk region on Ukraine’s northern border.

Ukrainian officials have in recent days sent Washington a list of targets it believes Russia has struck in violation of the energy infrastructure ceasefire that Kyiv and Moscow agreed to last month as part of efforts by the United States to reach a ceasefire.

Military analysts believe Russia is preparing to launch a new military offensive in the coming weeks to ramp up pressure and strengthen the Kremlin’s hand in ceasefire negotiations.

Talks between US special envoy Steve Witkoff and Russian President Vladimir Putin on Friday in Russia lasted more than four hours, with no concrete results disclosed. According to Russia’s Interfax news agency, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov did not rule out the possibility of another phone call between Putin and Trump following the discussions.

Russia has rejected a US-backed proposal for a 30-day unconditional ceasefire and appears to be dragging its feet on a more limited truce in the Black Sea agreed last month, analysts said.

German Defence Minister Boris Pistorius said on Friday, after presiding over a meeting of the Ukraine Defence Contact Group in Brussels alongside British Defence Secretary John Healey, that “ongoing aggression” from Russia meant “we must concede peace in Ukraine appears to be out of reach in the immediate future”.

If a ceasefire is not achieved by the end of this month, Trump could impose additional sanctions on Russia, the US news site Axios reported, citing an anonymous source.

Ukraine could be partitioned like Berlin after World War II, President Trump’s envoy to Kyiv, General Keith Kellogg, appeared to suggest as Russia continues to hold out on accepting a truce. In an interview with The Times newspaper, Kellogg said the country could be split into zones of control, with British and French troops as part of a “reassurance force” in the west and Moscow’s forces in the east. Between them would be Ukrainian forces and a demilitarised zone."

lousubcap · April 13

Sunday Russia-Ukraine update:

"Ukraine’s air defence units have intercepted and destroyed 43 drones out of 55 launched by Russia overnight targeting northern, southern and central areas of Ukraine, the air force said. But it did not say what happened to the drones that escaped destruction.

Russia’s air defence units destroyed 12 Ukrainian drones over the Rostov region and one over the region of Belgorod, its Ministry of Defence said on social media.

Ukraine is seeking solutions to repair the damage caused by a Russian drone attack on the confinement vessel at the stricken Chornobyl nuclear power plant, Environment Minister Svitlana Hrynchuk said.

Russia’s Defence Ministry accused Ukraine of carrying out five attacks on its energy infrastructure over the past day, a violation of a US-brokered moratorium on such strikes.

President Donald Trump said talks aimed at ending the war in Ukraine may be going OK, but “there’s a point at which you just have to either put up or shut up”.

Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said Trump seems to understand much more about what is going on in Ukraine than any European leader, adding that the US leader understood the need to address the root causes of the conflict to resolve it." (That's a hard statement to swallow-my edit.)

lousubcap · April 14

Monday Middle East update:

"An Israeli air strike yesterday has incapacitated the last fully functioning hospital in Gaza City by extensively damaging its emergency room and reception area. Although no casualties were reported, at least one child died in the rushed evacuation of patients, according to a Jerusalem church that runs the facility. The IDF said they had struck a Hamas “command and control center,” an allegation that the militant group denied. Abeer Salman, Dana Karni, Ibrahim Dahman, and Tim Lister report for CNN.

Israel will soon “vigorously” expand its offensive throughout most of Gaza, Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz said on Saturday, adding that the IDF had completed the takeover of a “security zone” cutting off the city of Rafah from Khan Younis in the territory’s south. Separately, a U.N. Office of the High Commissioner of Human Rights spokesperson on Friday said that the U.N. is increasingly concerned that the cumulative impact of Israel’s actions on Palestinians in Gaza “appears to be inflicting … conditions of life increasingly incompatible with their continued existence as a group.” Alys Davies reports for BBC News; Reuters reports.

Preliminary diplomatic talks between U.S. and Iranian officials over Tehran’s nuclear program on Saturday were “very positive and constructive,” the White House said in a statement. Iran sought sanctions relief in exchange for limits on its nuclear program during the negotiations, sources say. According to Iranian state television, U.S. Middle East Special Envoy Steve Witkoff briefly spoke directly with Iranian leaders during the talks, set to continue on April 19. Chantal Da Silva reports for NBC News; Benoit Faucon, Michael R. Gordon, and Laurence Norman report for the Wall Street Journal; Jon Gambrell reports for AP News."

lousubcap · April 14

Monday Russia-Ukraine update:

"Russian strikes killed 34 people and wounded 117 others in Ukraine’s city of Sumy yesterday, according to Ukraine’s State Emergency Service. Many of the casualties of the attack, the deadliest in the conflict this year, were attending Palm Sunday church services in Sumy’s center. According to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, the strikes were carried out using ballistic missiles and cluster missiles. Svitlana Vlasova and Rosa Rahimi report for CNN.

France’s Emmanuel Macron, Poland’s Donald Tusk, Britain’s Keir Starmer, and Germany’s Friedrich Merz condemned the attack on Sumy, with Merz accusing Moscow of committing a war crime. Asked about the attack, President Trump said it was “terrible” and that he had been “told [Russia] made a mistake.” The U.S. Special Envoy for Ukraine, Keith Kellogg, said the strike “crosses any line of decency.” Eliza Gkritsi reports for POLITICO; Patrick Jackson reports for BBC News.

U.S. and Ukrainian officials on Friday discussed the latest U.S. proposal for a critical minerals deal, with little progress amid an “antagonistic” atmosphere, according to a source. A Treasury spokesperson said the discussions were “technical in nature.” Andrea Shalal reports for Reuters.

The Ukrainian Air Force said its units intercepted and destroyed 43 of 55 Russian drones launched at Ukraine overnight. The attacks reportedly targeted the northern, southern and central areas of Ukraine.

The Defence Ministry in Moscow said its units destroyed 12 Ukrainian drones over Russia’s Rostov region and one over the country’s Belgorod region.

The Defence Ministry said Ukraine carried out two attacks on Russia’s energy infrastructure over the past day despite a mutually agreed 30-day moratorium on energy strikes, according to the Interfax news agency."

lousubcap · April 15

Tuesday Middle East update:

"Pro-government militias in Yemen are planning a ground offensive targeting the Houthis to try to take advantage of the U.S. bombing campaign degrading the group’s capabilities, according to Yemeni and U.S. officials. Private U.S. security contractors advised the factions on the operation after the United Arab Emirates, which supports the groups, raised the plan with U.S. officials in recent weeks, the officials added. Benoit Faucon, Nancy A. Youssef, and Saleh al-Batati report for the Wall Street Journal.

Saudi Arabia plans to pay off Syria's debts to the World Bank, sources say. Syria presently has around $15 million in arrears that must be paid off before the World Bank can approve new grants and other forms of assistance. Timour Azhari, Suleiman Al-Khalidi, and Pesha Magid report for Reuters.

The latest round of Cairo-mediated talks to restore the Gaza ceasefire and free Israeli hostages ended with no apparent breakthrough, Palestinian and Egyptian sources said yesterday. Hamas later said it was studying a proposal it received from mediators and that it would send a delegation to Qatar to continue indirect ceasefire talks. Nidal Al-Mughrabi, Maayan Lubell, and Hatem Khaled report for Reuters; Wafaa Shurafa and Samy Magdy report for AP News.

Conditions at Gaza hospitals are “beyond description,” a World Health Organization spokesperson has told BBC News, adding that the organization was seeing “attack after attack” on hospitals and healthcare workers amid medical supplies reaching critically low levels. David Gritten reports."

lousubcap · April 15

Tuesday Russia-Ukraine update:

"Russia yesterday claimed its missile attack that killed at least 34 in the city centre of Ukraine’s Sumy on Palm Sunday targeted a gathering of senior Ukrainian military officers. Moscow did not provide evidence supporting its claims. Separately, Ukraine’s Ukraine's Air Force said another Russian missile and guided bombs targeted Sumy late yesterday, with no casualties reported. Lorne Cook reports for AP News; Reuters reports.

Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov yesterday said it is “not easy to agree” on the key parts of a Ukraine war ceasefire agreement with the United States, adding the peace deal is “being discussed.” Reuters reports.

Trump yesterday described the conflict between Ukraine and Russia as “Biden’s war” and blamed former President Biden and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy “for allowing this travesty to begin.” In a later comment, he also added that Russian President Vladimir Putin “should have never started” the war. Brett Samuels reports for the Hill.

Rep. Greg Meeks (NY), the top Democrat on the House Foreign Affairs Committee, yesterday introduced legislation that would provide security and reconstruction funding for Ukraine and impose steep sanctions on Russia, according to a copy of the bill seen by Reuters. Patricia Zengerle reports."

lousubcap · April 15

How the U.S. Lost Its Place as the World’s Manufacturing Powerhouse

Trump says his tariff plan will restore American manufacturing might, but economists are skeptical

(from The Wall Street Journal)
https://www.wsj.com/economy/us-manufacturing-decline-service-economy-ee97a1e2?st=XJz7ho

lousubcap · April 16

Wednesday Middle East update:

"Hamas has rejected an Israeli proposal for a six-week ceasefire in Gaza that called for the group to give up its weapons, a senior Palestinian official said, adding tht the group did not agree to the plan as it contained no commitments to end the war. Yolande Knell and Rushdi Abualouf report for BBC News.

An Israeli fighter jet late yesterday dropped a bomb near an Israeli community on the Gaza border in what the IDF has called a “technical malfunction.” The Israeli military said that no injuries resulted from the incident. Lauren Izso and Oren Liebermann report for CNN.

A Hamas spokesperson yesterday claimed the group has “lost contact” with the militant group holding Edan Alexander, an Israeli-American citizen held captive in Gaza, following an Israeli strike on their location. Jessica Rawnsley reports for BBC News.

The U.S. military is set to consolidate its presence in Syria in a move that could cut the number of troops in the country by half in the coming months, according to U.S. officials. Idrees Ali and Phil Stewart report for Reuters.

Israeli troops will remain in the “security zones” in Gaza, Lebanon, and Syria indefinitely, Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz said yesterday. The Palestinians and both neighboring countries view Israel's military presence as an occupation in violation of international law. Isaac Scharf and Wafaa Shurafa report for AP News.

Jordan yesterday said it had arrested 16 citizens with ties to the Muslim Brotherhood conspiring to manufacture and launch rockets within the kingdom. In a statement, the Muslim Brotherhood’s Jordanian branch disavowed any connection to the alleged plots. Gerry Shih reports for the Washington Post."

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

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How the U.S. Lost Its Place as the World’s Manufacturing Powerhouse

Trump says his tariff plan will restore American manufacturing might, but economists are skeptical

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