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

lousubcap · November 7

Friday Middle East update:

"The United States is preparing to establish a military presence at an airbase in Damascus to support the U.S.-brokered Israel–Syria security pact, six sources said, including two Western officials and a Syrian defense official. The base sits at the “gateway” to parts of southern Syria expected to form a demilitarized zone under a non-aggression pact; at the request of U.S. officials, Reuters withheld the base’s name and precise location for operational security reasons. Planning has accelerated over the past two months, including several Pentagon reconnaissance missions to the base that concluded the long runway is ready for immediate use, a Western military official said.

Iran has asked about lifting U.S. sanctions, President Donald Trump said yesterday, and he’s “open to” hearing the request, while offering no decision or timeline, Reuters reports.

Kazakhstan will join the Abraham Accords to normalize ties with Israel, Trump said yesterday on Truth Social following a call with Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu and Kazakh President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev. Kazakhstan’s government said the matter is in the final stage of negotiations, and Trump said a signing ceremony is forthcoming. “But there is a twist: Kazakhstan already has full diplomatic relations with Israel. The move shows how countries are finding creative ways to hand Mr. Trump political victories at a low cost to themselves,” Anton Troianovski reports for the New York Times; Matt Spetalnick, Simon Lewis, and Steve Holland report for Reuters.

Egyptian mediators have proposed that Hamas fighters remaining in the Israeli-held Rafah area of Gaza surrender their weapons to Egypt in exchange for safe passage to other parts of the enclave, two sources told Reuters. An Egyptian security official said the plan would also require Hamas to provide information on tunnel networks in the area so they can be destroyed. Israel and Hamas have not yet accepted the proposal, though a third source confirmed that talks on the issue are ongoing. Nidal Al-Mughrabi reports for Reuters.

Israel carried out heavy airstrikes on southern Lebanon yesterday, targeting areas it said Hezbollah was using to rebuild military infrastructure, despite a year-old ceasefire. The strikes followed evacuation orders issued by Israeli military spokesperson Avichay Adraee on X for several southern villages, including Aita al-Jabal, Al-Tayyiba, and Tayr Debba, with residents told to stay 500 meters from designated sites. "

lousubcap · November 7

Friday Russia-Ukraine update:

"Russia’s Ministry of Defence said its forces have advanced in the battered Ukrainian city of Pokrovsk and were fighting house-to-house battles in a bid to eject Ukrainian troops.

Moscow says taking Pokrovsk would give it a platform to drive north towards the two biggest remaining Ukrainian-controlled cities in the Donetsk region, Kramatorsk and Sloviansk.

Swiss commodity trader Gunvor said it has withdrawn its proposal to buy the foreign assets of sanctioned Russian energy company Lukoil after the US Treasury called the firm Russia’s “puppet” and signalled Washington’s opposition to the deal.

The US Treasury said in a post on X that President Donald Trump “has been clear that the war must end immediately. As long as [Russian President Vladimir] Putin continues the senseless killings, the Kremlin’s puppet, Gunvor, will never get a license to operate and profit”."

lousubcap · November 7

Friday Southern Command update:

"Senior Trump administration officials—Secretary of State Marco Rubio, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, and a White House Office of Legal Counsel representative—told lawmakers in a classified briefing Wednesday that the administration is not planning strikes inside Venezuela and currently lacks a legal basis for attacking land targets, according to four sources familiar with the meeting. During the briefing to leadership from both chambers, as well as the top Republicans and Democrats on key committees, administration officials said the nonpublic “OLC opinion” authorizes only the September maritime campaign against suspected drug-smuggling boats and, per one source, lists 24 Latin America–based cartels and criminal organizations the administration is authorized to target; the campaign’s “execute order” likewise does not reach land targets. Officials didn’t rule out future options, noting they’re exploring a separate DOJ opinion that could justify land strikes without new congressional authorization, but no decision has been made.

The Senate yesterday rejected, 49–51, a joint resolution requiring congressional approval before President Donald Trump could take military action against Venezuela, following the classified briefing by administration officials. Introduced in mid-October by Sen. Tim Kaine (D-VA) with 15 co-sponsors, the measure drew Republican support from Sens. Lisa Murkowski (R-AK) and Rand Paul (R-KY). "

lousubcap · November 9

Sunday Russia-Ukraine update:

"Russian forces fired more than 450 drones and 45 missiles at Ukraine overnight on Saturday, targeting its energy infrastructure and killing seven people, according to Ukrainian officials.

Ukrainian Minister of Foreign Affairs Andrii Sybiha said that Russian forces targeted substations that power two nuclear power plants in Khmelnytskyi and Rivne, and condemned Moscow for “deliberately endangering nuclear safety in Europe”.

The Russian Ministry of Defence confirmed launching “a massive strike with high-precision long-range air, ground and sea-based weapons” on weapon production and gas and energy facilities in response to Kyiv’s strikes on Russia."

lousubcap · November 10

Monday Middle East update:

"The U.S.-led Civil-Military Coordination Centre in southern Israel replaced Israel as the overseer of humanitarian aid to Gaza on Friday, but the Israelis are still “part of the conversation,” a U.S. official said. The United States has not yet said which of the Israeli restrictions on aid might be lifted or how the CMCC plans to manage aid operations. A statement from COGAT, the unit within the IDF responsible for facilitating aid to Gaza, said that while “the Americans will take the lead…It should be emphasized that this does not constitute a transfer of authority or responsibility from COGAT.” Karen DeYoung, Claire Parker, Alex Horton, and Cate Brown report for the Washington Post.

The World Bank supports the U.S.-drafted U.N Security Council resolution on Gaza that would authorize a two-year mandate for a ‘Board of Peace’ transitional governance administration, according to a letter, dated Saturday, seen by Reuters. Michelle Nichols reports.

Hamas fighters in Rafah, within the Israeli-controlled area of Gaza, will not surrender to Israel, Hamas’ Al-Qassam Brigades said yesterday, adding that “the enemy must know that the concept of surrender and handing oneself over does not exist in the dictionary of the Al-Qassam Brigades.” Hamas did not comment directly on continuing U.S.-led talks over the fighters in Rafah. Nidal Al-Mughrabi reports for Reuters."

lousubcap · November 10

Monday Russia-Ukraine update:

"In an interview with Russian state news agency RIA Novosti, Minister of Foreign Affairs Sergey Lavrov said that ending Moscow’s war on Ukraine is “impossible” without “fully taking into account Russia’s legitimate interests and addressing its root causes”.

Lavrov added that discussions with the US were under way, but “not as rapidly as we would prefer”, noting that he was ready to meet face-to-face with US Secretary of State Marco Rubio.

Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban told reporters that the United States agreed to provide a “financial shield” to Hungary in the event of economic or budgetary pressures, though he did not explain further. The comments came after Hungary announced it had secured a one-year waiver from US sanctions on Russian oil and gas."

lousubcap · November 11

Tuesday Middle East update:

"The next phase of Trump’s Gaza ceasefire plan has effectively stalled and it looks as though reconstruction may be limited to the Israel-controlled area of Gaza, six European officials told Reuters.18 sources said that without a major push from the United States to break the impasse between Israel and Hamas, the yellow line looks set to become a de facto border indefinitely dividing Gaza. Alexander Cornwell reports.

“We are closely monitoring developments and declare that if the enemy resumes its aggression against Gaza, we will return to our military operations… and we will reinstate the ban on Israeli navigation in the Red and Arabian seas,” a letter from Maj Gen Yusuf Hassan al-Madani, the Houthi rebels chief of staff to Hamas’ Al-Qassam Brigades says. The letter is undated and was published online by Hamas. The Houthis have not offered any formal acknowledgment that their campaign in the region has halted. Jon Gambrell reports for AP News."

lousubcap · November 11

Tuesday Russia-Ukraine update:

"Russia and Ukraine yesterday issued conflicting accounts of fighting around Myrnohrad, a town east of Pokrovsk. “Ukrainian units are confidently holding their positions and destroying the occupiers on the approaches to [Myrnohrad],” the Ukrainian military said on social media, adding “logistics to the town are complicated, but are being carried out.” Russia’s Defense Ministry said that its forces were pressing an advance on the town, reporting gains in two of the town’s districts. Yuliia Dysa reports for Reuters.

President Donald Trump said on Monday that the US was getting close to reaching “a fair trade deal” with India, which has been facing US tariffs over its continued purchase of Russian oil.

Trump’s comments came as the Reuters news agency reported that a large delegation of Indian exporters is set to arrive in Moscow on Tuesday for a four-day visit, citing a senior trade body official.

The Kremlin also said on Monday that it was “actively preparing” for Russian President Vladimir Putin to visit India before the end of the year, and hoped it would be a substantive trip.

Russia’s Lukoil declared force majeure at its Iraqi oil field, Reuters reported, as the company’s international operations buckled under the strain of US sanctions.

The report came as Bulgaria prepared to seize control of Lukoil’s Burgas refinery after adopting legal changes that allow it to take over the refinery and sell it to a new owner to shield the plant from US sanctions."

lousubcap · November 12

Wednesday Middle East update:

"Israel has destroyed more than 1,500 buildings in areas of Gaza under its control since the ceasefire began on October 10, satellite images reviewed by BBC Verify show. The actual number of destroyed buildings is likely much higher, as satellite imagery is not available in some areas. BBC Newsreports.

Israel reopened the Zikim Crossing north of Gaza City to allow humanitarian aid trucks into Gaza today, according to COGAT, the Israeli army unit responsible for facilitating aid to Gaza. The U.N. Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) said the crossing was shut on September 12. Israel’s military did not provide reasons for the closure. Jana Choukeir reports for Reuters.

UNICEF said yesterday that Israel is blocking the entry of 1.6 million vaccines and solar-powered fridges to store the vaccine vials into Gaza, adding that the syringes have awaited customs clearance since August. “Both the syringes and the… refrigerators are considered dual-use by Israel, and these items we’re finding very hard to get through clearances and inspections, yet they are urgent,” a UNICEF spokesperson said. Olivia Le Poidevin reports for Reuters.

Internal U.S. documents linked to President Trump’s Gaza peace plan,obtained by POLITICO, depict major implementation challenges, including uncertainty about whether an International Stabilization Force can be deployed. The compendium of documents was presented last month during a two-day symposium for U.S. Central Command and Civil-Military Coordination Center members. Dasha Burns, Felicia Schwartz, Nahal Toosi, and Paul McLeary report."

lousubcap · November 12

Wednesday Russia-Ukraine update:

“The situation has significantly worsened” in parts of the southeastern Zaporizhzhia region, where “the enemy advanced in fierce fighting and captured three settlements,” Ukrainian Commander-in-Chief for the armed forces Oleksandr Syrski said yesterday. Ron Popeski and Oleksandr Kozhukhar report for Reuters."

lousubcap · November 13

Thursday Middle East update:

"U.S. intelligence, gathered last year, revealed Israeli officials discussing how Israeli soldiers had sent Palestinians into tunnels in Gaza, which they believed might be lined with explosives, according to two former U.S. officials. The information relating to the alleged use of Palestinians as human shields was shared with the Biden administration during its final weeks, the sources said. Erin Banco reports for Reuters.

Israeli President Isaac Herzog yesterday described settler attacks on Tuesday in the occupied West Bank as “shocking and serious.” Herzog said the violence “crosses a red line,” adding that “all state authorities must act to decisively eradicate the phenomenon.” The Israeli army’s chief of staff, Eya Zamir, echoed Herzog, saying the military “will not tolerate the phenomena of a minority of criminals who tarnish a law-abiding public.” Palestinians and human rights workers have frequently accused the Israeli army and police of failing to halt attacks by settlers. The U.N. last week reported more Israeli settler attacks in the West Bank in October than in any other month since 2006. Melanie Lidman reports for AP News."

lousubcap · November 13

Thursday Russia-Ukraine update:

“Over two hundred Kenyans may have joined the Russian military” and “recruitment networks are still active in both Kenya and Russia,” according to a statement from Kenya’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs yesterday. Ukraine’s foreign ministry said last week that more than 1,400 citizens from three dozen African countries are fighting alongside Russian forces in Ukraine, with many recruited through deception. Humphrey Malalo and Vincent Mumo Nzilani report for Reuters.

Group of Seven (G7) foreign ministers, including United States Secretary of State Marco Rubio, met in Canada’s Niagara region on Wednesday to discuss ways to increase pressure on Russia to end the war in Ukraine.

European Union foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas told the Reuters news agency on the sidelines of the meeting that the talks focused on putting more pressure on Russia “in order to make them have peace”.

“[The US] have had engagements [with Russia] and we have all welcomed their engagements … But to be very, very frank … their assessment is that Russia has no way changed its goals so it’s not genuine about the peace talks,” Kallas said.

Russia is ready to resume ceasefire negotiations with Ukraine in Istanbul, but “the ball is in Ukraine’s court”, Russian Foreign Ministry official Alexei Polishchuk told TASS."

lousubcap · November 14

Friday Middle East update:

"Russia yesterday circulated a “counter-proposal” for a U.N. resolution on Gaza at the U.N. Security Council, which is “inspired by the US draft.” The Russian draft, seen by Reuters, requests that the U.N. Secretary-General identify options for an international stabilization force for Gaza, but does not mention the “Board of Peace” that the United States has proposed as a transitional administration for Gaza. The United States warns that “attempts to sow discord now - when agreement on this resolution is under active negotiation - has grave, tangible, and entirely avoidable consequences for Palestinians in Gaza,” a U.S. official to the U.N. said. Simon Lewis and Michelle Nichols report.

A Pentagon intelligence report has raised concerns that China could acquire the advanced F-35 fighter jet technology if the sale of 48 F-35 jets to Saudi Arabia goes through, according to sources. Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman (MBS) is set to meet with Trump at the White House next week to discuss the potential F-35 deal and a mutual defense agreement, U.S. officials said. Edward Wong and Eric Schmitt report for the New York Times.

Trump told MBS in a phone call last month that he expects Saudi Arabia to move towards normalization with Israel as the war in Gaza comes to an end, two U.S. officials told Axios. One official said that MBS said he was willing to work on it with the Trump administration. Barak Ravid reports.

Israel has proposed extending their next security agreement with the U.S. from 10 to 20 years and to use some of the money for joint U.S.-Israeli research and development, rather than direct military aid. “This is out-of-the-box thinking. We want to change the way we handled past agreements and put more emphasis on U.S.-Israel cooperation. The Americans like this idea,” one Israeli official said. The initial discussions over the new security MOU began in recent weeks, according to two Israeli officials and one U.S. official. Barak Ravid reports for Axios. "

lousubcap · November 14

Friday Russia-Ukraine update:

"A Russian drone and missile attack on Kyiv early this morning killed four people and wounded dozens, according to Ukrainian officials. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said that the Russian forces used 430 drones and 18 missiles, making the attack one of the biggest on Kyiv so far. Anastasiia Malenko and Olena Harmash report for Reuters.

The Ukrainian General Staff said Russian oil facilities and other military targets were hit by domestically produced weapons, including the “Flamingo” ground-launched cruise missile, drone missiles, and drones.

Russian air defence units destroyed and intercepted 130 Ukrainian drones overnight over Russia, the state-run TASS news agency reports, citing daily data from the Defence Ministry in Moscow.

The Kremlin said Ukraine would have to negotiate an end to the war “sooner or later” and predicted that Kyiv’s negotiating position would worsen by the day.

Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov has said he hoped Washington would take no actions liable to escalate the Ukraine conflict.

Lavrov said United States President Donald Trump had long advocated dialogue with Russia, had sought to fully understand the Russian position on Ukraine and “demonstrated a commitment to finding a sustainable peaceful solution”.

“We are counting on common sense and that the maintaining of that position will prevail in Washington and that they will refrain from actions that could escalate the conflict to a new level,” Lavrov said."

lousubcap · November 15

Saturday Russia-Ukraine update:

"Russia’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs spokesperson Maria Zakharova issued a warning to NATO during her weekly briefing, saying if the alliance decides to attack Russia, Moscow would respond with “all its capabilities”.

Zakharova also repeated Moscow’s claim that it “consistently advocates” for a peaceful settlement to the war, while also expressing concern over US “military methods” in the Caribbean Sea."

lousubcap · November 17

Monday Southern Command update:

"The U.S. Navy announced yesterday that the USS Gerald R. Ford aircraft carrier has arrived in the Caribbean with its accompanying warships and attack planes. Secretary of State Marco Rubio said yesterday that he would designate a Venezuelan group, Cartel de Los Soles, as a foreign terrorist organization, adding that the group is “headed” by Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro. Also on Sunday, Trump told reporters, “We may be having some discussions with Maduro, we’ll see.” When Trump was asked if he would be interested in negotiations, Trump said "I'll talk to anybody. I’ll talk to you.” He did not provide further details on potential talks. Yan Zhuang reports for the New York Times.

The U.S. military on Saturday killed another three people accused by the Trump administration of smuggling drugs by sea, the U.S. Southern Command said yesterday on social media. The post said that the strike had been carried out by a joint task force called Southern Spear at the direction of Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth. Anushka Patil reports for the New York Times.

Trump’s aides are considering giving Maduro safe passage to another country if they succeed in ousting him, according to a U.S. official and two other sources. Others are suggesting placing Maduro under arrest and putting him on trial in the United States, a third source told POLITICO. Officials are also debating which sanctions to lift on Venezuela and when to do so once Maduro has left power, considering the role of the World Bank and the International Monetary Fund in rebuilding Venezuela’s economy. When asked about the extent of preparation, a U.S. official said, “We have the concepts of a plan.” Nahal Toosi reports."

lousubcap · November 17

Monday Middle East update:

"The U.N. Security Council is set to vote on a U.S.-drafted resolution on Gaza today, which now states that after reforms in Gaza the conditions “may be in place for a credible pathway to Palestinian self-determination and statehood.” Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu yesterday pledged to oppose any attempt to establish a Palestinian state. Hamas said yesterday that the U.S. proposal is biased towards Israel and deprives Palestinians of the right to manage their own affairs by imposing an international mandate on Gaza. Netanyahu said the proposal calls for Gaza to be demilitarised and noted that “either this will happen the easy way, or it will happen the hard way.” Melanie Lidman reports for AP News.

“We told the Trump administration that the supply of F-35s to Saudi Arabia needs to be subject to Saudi normalization with Israel,” an Israeli official said. Trump told reporters on Friday that he plans to discuss the possibility of normalization with Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, adding “I hope that Saudi Arabia will be going into the Abraham Accords fairly shortly.” Barak Ravid reports for Axios. "

lousubcap · November 17

Monday Russia-Ukraine update:

"TASS reported that Russia’s air defences destroyed more than 50 Ukrainian drones on Sunday evening. Earlier on Sunday, it said Russian air defences intercepted two Neptune guided missiles, four HIMARS rockets and 197 drones.

Russia’s Novorossiysk port resumed oil loadings after a two-day suspension triggered by a Ukrainian missile and drone attack, the Reuters news agency reported, citing two industry sources. The Ukrainian attack has been described as the most damaging to date on Russia’s main Black Sea crude export infrastructure.

Ukraine has secured imports of US liquefied natural gas (LNG) from Greece to cover its winter needs from December through to March next year, officials said during a visit to Athens by Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy.

Russian President Vladimir Putin had a conversation with Rosneft CEO Igor Sechin last week during a visit by Kazakhstan’s president to Moscow, state media reported, as United States-led sanctions continue to take a financial toll on the company."

lousubcap · November 18

Tuesday Middle East update:

"The U.N. Security Council yesterday approved the U.S. resolution on Gaza in a vote of 13-0, with both China and Russia abstaining. The U.S. resolution contained President Trump’s 20-point cease-fire plan, including an International Stabilization Force in Gaza and a "Board of Peace” to oversee the peace plan, though it does not clarify the composition of either. Farnaz Fassihi reports for the New York Times.

“We will be doing that, we’ll be selling F-35s,” Trump told reporters yesterday, explaining that Saudi Arabia “want[s] to buy them, they’ve been a great ally.” Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman is set to meet Trump at the White House today to discuss the purchase of 48 F-35s and a potential mutual defense agreement. Karoun Demirjian reports for the New York Times."

lousubcap · November 18

Tuesday Southern Command update:

"Trump yesterday told reporters that he would support military strikes in Mexico to stem drug trafficking, saying it’s “OK with me, whatever we have to do to stop the drugs.” Trump later raised the prospect of targeting Colombia. “Would I knock out those [cocaine] factories? I would be proud to do it personally… I didn’t say I’m doing it, but I would be proud to do it because we’re going to save millions of lives.” Secretary of State Marco Rubio said last week that there would be no U.S. military intervention in Mexico and that cooperation between the two countries was at an “all-time high.” Andrea Shalal and Jarrett Renshaw report for Reuters.

Several months before the military strikes began, former acting Deputy Attorney General Emil Bove told employees that the government should just “sink the boats” rather than prosecute people on board suspected drug vessels, three witnesses told Reuters. Bove made similar remarks on at least three separate occasions between November 2024 and February 2025, according to the sources, who added that they now view Bove’s remarks as a precursor to the militaristic approach adopted by the Trump administration. Sarah N. Lynch reports."

lousubcap · November 18

Tuesday Russia-Ukraine update:

"Ukraine and France yesterday announced that Kyiv will obtain up to 100 French-made Rafale warplanes over the next 10 years. Air defense systems, munitions, and drones were also included in the letter of intent signed by Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and French President Emmanuel Macron. Michael Rose and Alessandro Parodi report for Reuters.

The Kremlin said on Monday that there was an ongoing conversation about a possible prisoner-of-war exchange with Ukraine but declined to provide details.

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said on Monday that Russia hoped for another summit between President Vladimir Putin and United States President Donald Trump soon.

Peskov added that Moscow took a very negative view of a bill that Trump said Republicans in the US were working on that would impose sanctions on any country doing business with Russia.

Trump is willing to sign legislation that would impose sanctions on countries doing business with Russia but will insist on specific language ensuring Trump retains control over the sanctions, according to a senior White House official. “It’s always been important to the White House and the president that there’s a carve-out in the sanctions package that ensures the president has ultimate decision-making authority,” the official said. Gram Slattery, Andrea Shalal, and Steve Holland report for Reuters. "

lousubcap · November 19

Wednesday Middle East update:

"Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu yesterday applauded President Trump’s Gaza peace plan following the U.N. Security Council vote and called on neighbouring countries to “join [Israel] in expelling Hamas and its supporters from the region,” in a series of social media posts. A spokesperson for Netanyahu later said that expelling Hamas would mean “ensuring there is no Hamas in Gaza as outlined in the 20-point plan.” However, there is no clause in the 20-point plan that explicitly calls for Hamas to disband or leave Gaza. Diplomats have said privately that entrenched positions on both the Israeli and Hamas sides are making it difficult to advance the plan, which lacks specific timelines or enforcement mechanisms. Alexander Cornwell and Nidal Al-Mughrabi report for Reuters.

Trump announced yesterday that the United States and Saudi Arabia have entered into a security agreement which designates Saudi Arabia as a “major non-NATO ally.” This deepens defense cooperation between the two countries, but does not include a security guarantee. Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman (MBS) said earlier in the day that he would increase Saudi investments in the United States from $600 billion to $1 trillion. The Trump administration announced several deals, including the Saudi purchase of nearly 300 U.S. tanks. Irie Sentner reports for POLITICO; Colin Demarest reports for Axios.

MBS told Trump yesterday that he is ready to work on Saudi Arabia joining the Abraham Accords and normalization relations with Israel, but added “we want also to be sure that we secure a clear path to a two-state solution” for Israel and Palestine. Barak Ravid reports for Axios.

Trump defended MBS yesterday to reporters, saying that what the Crown Prince has done is “incredible in terms of human rights.” When MBS was asked about the murder of journalist Jamal Khashoggi, Trump interjected and said, “things happen, but [MBS] knew nothing about it, and we can leave it at that,” despite a 2021 CIA report found that MBS had “approved an operation in Istanbul…to capture or kill Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi." Mariam Khan and Ivan Pereira report for ABC News."

lousubcap · November 19

Wednesday Russia-Ukraine update:

"The Trump administration has been secretly working with Russia on a new 28-point plan to end the war in Ukraine, U.S. and Russian officials told Axios. The plan is concerned with four general areas: peace in Ukraine, security guarantee in Europe, and future U.S. relations with Russia and Ukraine. It is unclear how the plan approaches territorial control in eastern Ukraine. Steve Witkoff is leading the drafting of the plan, working closely with Russian envoy Kirill Dmitriev, a U.S. official said. Barak Ravid and Dave Lawler report.

U.S. Army Secretary Dan Driscoll and Chief of Staff Gen. Randy George are visiting Ukraine this week on a previously unannounced trip. The two officials are set to meet with Ukrainian military leaders, lawmakers and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy from today. The focus of the trip will be to engage Ukrainian leadership on the stalled peace process with Russia and to progress a major U.S.-Ukraine deal to exchange drone and autonomous munitions technologies, according to two sources. Paul McLeary and Jack Detsch report for POLITICO.

Zelenskyy said yesterday that he will travel to Turkey this week to meet with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan to discuss a “just peace for Ukraine.” The Kremlin said that Russia would not be sending anyone. A senior Turkish official told AP News that U.S. Special Envoy to the Middle East Steve Witkoff would join Zelenskyy, but retracted this later in the day and confirmed that Witkoff was not coming. Illia Novikov reports."

lousubcap · November 19

Wednesday Southern Command update:

"Trump has signed off on CIA plans for covert measures inside Venezuela, according to multiple sources, who added that the operations could be meant to prepare a battlefield for further action. It is not clear what the covert actions might be or when they might happen. The sources also said that Trump has authorized a new round of back-channel negotiations with Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro. Tyler Pager, Julian E. Barnes, and Eric Schmitt report for the New York Times."

Botch · November 20

From Robert Reich, yesterday:

As you’re probably aware, Trump yesterday berated ABC’s Chief White House correspondent Mary Bruce for asking a question in a way he didn’t like during his meeting with the Saudi crown prince. “It’s not the question that I mind; it’s your attitude,” Trump told Bruce. “I think you are a terrible reporter. It’s the way you ask these questions,” adding, “you’re a terrible person and a terrible reporter.”

Trump is entitled to his opinions, even if they put his thin skin on full display. Reporters should be able to tolerate insults from the malignant narcissist now occupying the Oval Office. In fact, journalists should treat them as badges of honor.

The truly troubling aspect of Trump’s interaction with Bruce — which hasn’t got nearly as much coverage as did his insults of her — is the threat he then made against ABC, presumably for allowing Bruce to cover the White House.

He referred to ABC as a “crappy company” and said the network’s broadcasting license “should be taken away” — adding that his top broadcast regulator, Brendan Carr, whose Federal Communications Commission grants licenses to local stations, “should look at that.”

Might this threat cause ABC to ask Bruce to tone down her inquiries? Or even cause the ABC to replace her with someone more to Trump’s liking?

This isn’t an idle concern. In recent months Trump has on several occasions threatened to revoke ABC’s broadcasting license after ABC journalists asked him questions he didn’t like. Last year he sued ABC News for defamation. It was a bogus suit, which courts would have thrown out had it been litigated. Instead, the network paid out $16 million to settle it.

Trump has gone after CBS — suing the company, and then, through Trump lapdog Carr, blocking the sale of its parent corporation, Paramount, to the Ellison family until it settled the lawsuit. Presumably, CBS’s termination of Stephen Colbert’s contract was also viewed by Paramount as necessary to get Carr’s approval (Colbert has been one of the sharpest and most popular Trump critics on late night television).

Trump’s threats against media companies that employ hard-hitting journalists or Trump critics are never harmless.

Over the weekend, in a post on Truth Social, Trump went on the attack against late-night host Seth Meyers, accusing him of “suffering from an incurable case of Trump Derangement Syndrome (TDS).”

Again, a personal insult from Trump isn’t a concern. Meyers took it as a compliment, as he should.

But Trump then pivoted to threaten NBC, which employs Meyers — urging NBC to “fire him, IMMEDIATELY!”

I doubt NBC will fire Meyers. But I can’t be sure that NBC’s parent corporation, Comcast, will be as tolerant of Meyers — given that Comcast is now preparing a bid for Warner Bros Discovery (as are Netflix and Paramount).

The winning bid must be approved by Carr. Comcast executives likely took note of the fact that Carr reposted Trump’s message telling NBC to fire Meyers.

The lesson here: Pay no attention to Trump’s personal insults. By now they’re expected features of Trump’s childish responses to criticism.

But pay a great deal of attention to his threats to the profits of media corporations. That’s where the rest of us are most vulnerable to Trump’s ongoing efforts to suppress criticism of him and his regime.

We cannot know how much Trump has already chilled unfavorable reporting or criticism because media corporations fear what he could do to their bottom lines. (Jeff Bezos’s tawdry effort to censor the editorial board of the Washington Post may be just the tip of a shameful iceberg.)

When Trump is gone, add this to the lengthening list of necessary reforms: eliminate a president’s authority to appoint the chair of the Federal Communications Commission.

lousubcap · November 21

Caught up in a work project all day yesterday...
Friday Middle East update:

"A Hamas spokesperson yesterday accused the Israeli military of changing the markings in Gaza that define areas still occupied by Israel, in violation of the agreed-upon maps. Nidal Al-Mughrabi and Dawoud Abu Alkas report for Reuters.

Israel plans to seize parts of Sebastia, a major archaeological site in the West Bank, according to an Israeli government order dated November 12 obtained by AP News. The order gives Palestinians 14 days to object to the declaration. Peace Now, an anti-settlement watchdog group, said the site is around 450 acres and would constitute Israel’s largest seizure of archaeologically important land. In 2023, Israel announced plans to develop the site into a tourist attraction. Julia Frankel reports."

lousubcap · November 21

Friday Russia-Ukraine update:

"U.S. Army Secretary Dan Driscoll presented the Trump administration’s 28-point peace plan in writing to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy yesterday. Zelenskyy said yesterday that Ukraine would engage “constructively, honestly, and operationally” on the peace plan adding that U.S. and Ukrainian teams would begin work on the “points of the plan to end the war,” without elaborating on what those were. Andrew E. Kramer and Lara Jakes report for the New York Times; Barak Ravid and Dave Lawler report for Axios.

The United States has threatened to cut intelligence sharing and weapons supplies for Ukraine to pressure it into agreeing to the 28-point plan, two sources said, adding that Kyiv was under more pressure from Washington than during any other peace discussions. The source said that the United States wanted Ukraine to sign a framework deal by next Thursday. Tom Balmforth reports for Reuters.

Trump’s 28-point plan would force Kyiv to give up additional territory in the east, cap the size of its military, and agree that it will never join NATO,according to a draft obtained by Axios and verified by a Ukrainian official and a U.S. official. A White House official said, “We believe this plan is not easy but it is good for Ukraine.” In addition to territorial concessions, the document said there would be a “decisive coordinated military response” in the event of further Russian incursions on Ukrainian territory. Barak Ravid and Dave Lawler report.

U.S. Special Envoy to Ukraine Keith Kellogg is leaving his post in January,according to a White House official. Kellogg was first tapped by Trump to lead negotiations to end the war in Ukraine shortly after the November 2024 election. However, Kellogg was soon largely shut out of peace talks as he fell out of favour with White House officials who saw him as too sympathetic to Ukraine. Gregory Svirnovskiy reports for POLITICO."

lousubcap · November 21

Friday Southern Command update:

"Trump’s decision to designate the alleged drug cartel, Cartel de los Soles, as a foreign terrorist organization provides the Pentagon with a “whole bunch of new options,” Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said in an interview aired yesterday. The Trump administration has alleged that Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro leads Cartel de los Soles, which Maduro denies. Idrees Ali and Phil Stewart report for Reuters."

lousubcap · November 22

CHEETO and the "peace deal"; Russia-Ukraine:

“In exchange for giving up land and its ability to defend itself, Ukraine would be offered toothless security guarantees by the United States—much like the never-enforced guarantees that it received when it gave up nuclear weapons after gaining independence in the 1990s. The points in the deal appear to be so lopsided in Putin’s favor that they might as well have been dictated by Moscow.” (Maybe they were...) The Atlantic (Gift Article): Trump’s Devastating Plan for Ukraine. “If Trump forces Ukraine and its allies in Western Europe to accept a peace deal that ratifies Russia’s territorial gains—giving Putin even more than he was able to conquer, and requiring no real concessions of him at all—it will amount to a complete rehabilitation of the Russian president in the international sphere. It will be as if Russia had done nothing wrong at all by invading a sovereign state and seizing a large part of its territory—everyone slaps one another on the back and gets on with business.” (Within our lifetimes, America may forgive itself for Trump. The world won’t.)
No matter what, though, Trump’s plan represents a clarifying moment. The deal almost certainly delivers what he has always wanted. He wants to work with Putin, even if that means devastating Ukraine, and now he no longer cares who knows it."

And the read: linked here-
https://www.theguardian.com/world/2025/nov/21/trump-ukraine-peace-plan-zelenskyy-territory-ceded-nato-russia-g8?utm_source=substack&utm_medium=email

lousubcap · November 22

More on the "peace deal:"

"Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has until this coming Thursday to approve a United States-backed peace plan with Russia, President Donald Trump has said.

Speaking in the Oval Office after a meeting with New York City Mayor-elect Zohran Mamdani on Friday, Trump said: “We have a way of getting peace, or we think we have a way of getting to peace. [Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy] is going to have to approve it.”

President Zelenskyy pledged to work fast and constructively with Washington on the peace plan, but said he would not betray his country’s national interest.

In a video statement, Zelenskyy urged Ukrainians to remain united in what he described as one of the most difficult moments in their country’s history, adding that he expected more political pressure over the next week.

Zelenskyy also said after an hour-long phone call with US Vice President JD Vance that Ukraine would work with Washington, and Europe at an advisory level, towards a peace plan.

Zelenskyy said he then spoke with NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte about the “available diplomatic options” to end his country’s war with Russia, including the “plan proposed by the American side”.

Russia’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said that Moscow had still not officially received any peace plan from the US, Russian state news agency RIA Novosti reported.

Russian President Vladimir Putin told senior officials at a meeting of Russia’s Security Council that the US proposal could be the basis for a resolution of the conflict, but if Kyiv turned down the plan, then Russian forces would advance further.

British Prime Minister Keir Starmer said any peace deal between Russia and Ukraine must ensure Kyiv’s future security, following a phone call between Starmer, French President Emmanuel Macron, German Chancellor Friedrich Merz and Zelenskyy.

Starmer’s office said the leaders “underlined their support for President Trump’s drive for peace and agreed that any solution must fully involve Ukraine, preserve its sovereignty, and ensure its future security”.

The European Union and Ukraine want peace, but they will not give in to aggression from Russia, the EU’s foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas has said.

“This is a very dangerous moment for all,” Kallas said. “We all want this war to end, but how it ends matters. Russia has no legal right whatsoever to any concessions from the country it invaded; ultimately, the terms of any agreement are for Ukraine to decide.”"

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

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