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☆ Satellite Images Reveal Where Russian Nukes Could Be Stored in Belarus
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-10 | by ( Christoph Koettl | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

These new security features and other upgrades at a munitions depot in central Belarus reveal that Russia is building facilities there that could house nuclear warheads. If Russia does move weapons to this location, it would mark the first time it has stored them outside the country since the fall of the Soviet Union in 1991. Russia already has nuclear warheads on its own soil that are close to Ukraine and NATO countries, but by basing some in Belarus, the Kremlin appears to be trying to accentuate its nuclear threat and bolster its nuclear deterrent. Russia’s president, Vladimir V. Putin, made reference to such a site early last year, saying Russia would soon be completing the construction of “special storage for tactical nuclear weapons” in Belarus. The New York Times analyzed satellite imagery and photos, and spoke with nuclear weapons and arms control experts, to track the new construction, which started in March 2023.

Persons: Vladimir V, Putin Organizations: NATO, The New York Times Locations: Belarus, Russia, Soviet Union, Ukraine

On Feb. 8, Brazil’s federal police confiscated former President Jair Bolsonaro’s passport and arrested a pair of his former aides on accusations that they had plotted a coup after Mr. Bolsonaro lost the 2022 presidential election. Four days later, Mr. Bolsonaro was at the entrance to the Hungarian Embassy in Brazil, waiting to be let in, according to the embassy’s security-camera footage, which was obtained by The New York Times. The former president appeared to stay at the embassy for the next two days, the footage showed, accompanied by two security guards and waited on by the Hungarian ambassador and staff members. Mr. Bolsonaro, a target of various criminal investigations, cannot be arrested at a foreign embassy that welcomes him, because they are legally off-limits to domestic authorities. The stay at the embassy suggests that the former president was seeking to leverage his friendship with a fellow far-right leader, Prime Minister Viktor Orban of Hungary, into an attempt to evade the Brazilian justice system as he faces criminal investigations at home.

Persons: Jair, Bolsonaro, Viktor Orban of Hungary Organizations: Hungarian Embassy, The New York Times Locations: Hungarian, Brazil

Israel used at least two 2,000 pound bombs during an airstrike on Tuesday on Jabaliya, a dense area just north of Gaza City, according to experts and an analysis conducted by The New York Times of satellite images, photos and videos. Hospital officials said dozens of civilians were killed and hundreds wounded in the strike. Israel said it was targeting a Hamas commander and fighters, as well as the network of underground tunnels used by Hamas, the militant group that controls Gaza, to hide weapons and fighters. Israel’s use of such bombs, the second largest type in its arsenal, is not uncommon, and the size is generally the largest that most militaries use on a regular basis. The evidence and analysis show that the Israeli military dropped at least two 2,000 pound bombs on the site.

Persons: Israel Organizations: The New York Times, Armament Research Services Locations: Jabaliya, Gaza City, Gaza

A Hamas spokesman denied that a commander had been in the targeted area. The Jabaliya camp is in northern Gaza, an area for which the Israeli military has issued evacuation orders. “Giving warning does not absolve parties from the requirement to protect civilians,” said Omar Shakir, the Israel and Palestine director for Human Rights Watch. Experts say that Israel’s bombardment of densely populated areas raises concerns under international humanitarian law. “International law prohibits attacks in which the expected harm to civilians and civilian properties is disproportionate to the anticipated military gain,” Mr. Shakir said.

Persons: “, Ibrahim Biari, ”, Omar Shakir, Marc Garlasco, Mr, Shakir, Ainara Tiefenthäler, Abeer Pamuk Organizations: Human Rights Watch, “, PAX Protection, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Times, Direct Attack Munitions Locations: Israel, Gaza, Palestine, Dutch, Netherlands

Palestinians walking among the rubble in the Tel al-Hawa neighborhood of Gaza City on Monday. As the Israeli tanks started rolling near Gaza City on Monday, the whispers began to spread — terrifying in their specificity, terrifying in their vagueness. I don’t want them to go through this.”Israel has warned for weeks that civilians in northern Gaza, including those in Gaza City, should evacuate south to avoid the violence. The New York Times has verified that the video was filmed this morning south of Gaza City on Salah Al-Din Road. “They call us directly and they warn us, telling us to leave and evacuate now, but the bombardments are relentless,” Ms. ElSayed told Al Jazeera.

Persons: Motaz, hunkered, Salah Al, Youssef Al Saifi, Hamda, Mr, Israel, ” Bilal Assabti, “, Daniel Hagari, Jamal Azzam, ”, Assabti, “ We’ve, Youmna ElSayed, ElSayed, Ms, Al Jazeera, Christoph Koettl, Neil Collier Organizations: Credit, New York Times, Times, Turkish Palestinian Friendship Hospital, Al Locations: Tel, Gaza City, Gaza, Palestinian, Turkish, “, ”, Al Jazeera

Hamas and Islamic Jihad have continued to target Israel with deadly rockets from hidden launch sites inside Gaza. Palestinian rockets have malfunctioned in the past and one estimate says 15 percent of rockets launched by Gazan militant groups fail. Hamas immediately blamed an Israeli airstrike, while the Israel Defense Forces soon denied any responsibility and placed the blame on a malfunctioning Palestinian rocket. Numerous media outlets have shown the video footage and several have cited it as evidence that a Palestinian rocket hit the hospital. It was launched from Israel, not Gaza, and appears to have exploded above the Israeli-Gaza border, at least two miles away from the hospital.

Organizations: National Intelligence, Times, Islamic, Gazan, Israel Defense Forces, Al, Twitter, Ahli Arab Hospital, CNN, BBC, India Locations: Palestinian, Gaza, Israel, Ahli, Islamic Jihad, Gaza ., Jazeera, Al Jazeera

☆ What We Know About the Explosion at the Hospital in Gaza
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-18 | by ( The New York Times | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +8 min

Here is what we know so far about the explosion at the Ahli Arab Hospital in Gaza City. The Israeli military said Wednesday morning that the number of casualties was inflated. On Wednesday, Archbishop Naoum said that the Israeli military had called and texted the hospital managers at least three times in recent days, asking its patients and staff to leave the hospital compound. Archbishop Naoum said the warnings were particular to the hospital, and not part of Israel’s wider push to encourage civilians to leave northern Gaza for the territory’s south. Lt. Col. Amnon Shefler, an Israeli military spokesman, said the calls to the hospital were part of a wider campaign to urge civilians to leave northern Gaza ahead of an expected Israeli invasion.

Persons: Biden, Mohammad Abu Selim, Archbishop Hosam Naoum, Gazans, Adrienne Watson, Israel, ”, Watson, “, Musab Al, Israel —, Daniel Hagari, Admiral Hagari, Yousef Abu al, Naoum, Col, Amnon Shefler, Shefler, Emma Bubola, Iyad Abuheweila, Aaron Boxerman, Patrick Kingsley, Christoph Koettl, Haley Willis, Yousur Al, Peter Baker Organizations: Hamas, Defense Department, New York Times, Ahli Arab Hospital, The New York Times, Anglican, National Security Council, Al, Hospital, Palestinian, senior Defense Department, Times, The Times Locations: Gaza, Palestinian, Israel, Ahli, Gaza City, Shifa, United States, Israeli, “

☆ Satellite Images of Belarusian Base Suggest Wagner’s Possible Arrival
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-16 | by ( Christoph Koettl | More About Christoph Koettl | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

Satellite images, analyzed by The New York Times, showed increased activity this weekend at a military field camp in Belarus, including the arrival of vehicles that resemble those used by the Russian mercenary group Wagner. The vehicles are the same types as those recently seen driving in large convoys, some flying Wagner flags. To end the short-lived revolt, President Aleksandr G. Lukashenko of Belarus brokered a deal in which the mercenaries would be given sanctuary in Belarus. The satellite images do not conclusively prove that Wagner forces are at the camp, but bolster statements by Ukraine’s allies that some Wagner troops have reached Belarus. On Saturday, a Polish official said some Wagner fighters had arrived in Belarus.

Persons: Wagner, Vladimir V, Putin, Aleksandr G, Lukashenko, Ukraine’s Organizations: The New York Times, British Ministry of Defense Locations: Belarus, Russian, Asipovichy, Minsk, Ukraine, Russia, ”

News of General Surovikin’s detention was earlier reported by The Financial Times. There were conflicting reports in the Russian news media about General Surovikin’s fate. One popular account posted a recording of an interview with a woman it said was General Surovikin’s daughter, who denied that her father had been arrested. The question is a critical one for Mr. Putin as well. For years, Mr. Putin has allowed different factions to exist inside the Russian military.

Persons: Wagner Group’s, Sergei Surovikin, Surovikin, Yevgeny V, Dmitri S, Peskov, Surovikin’s, ”, “ He’s, Vladimir V, Putin, Sergei K, Prigozhin, Putin’s, Shoigu, Valery V, Prigozhin’s, Shoigu’s, ’, Samuel Charap, “, Mr, Charap, ” Steven Erlanger, Anton Troianovski Organizations: New York Times, The Financial, RAND Corporation Locations: U.S, Russia, Ukraine, NATO

Satellite imagery shows that Belarus is rapidly building what appear to be temporary structures at a deserted military base, revealing a possible location for Wagner fighters who were given the option of relocating to the country after the group’s failed mutiny against President Vladimir V. Putin of Russia. The construction was first visible in satellite images taken on Monday by Planet Labs, a private company with a network of shoebox-size satellites, two days after Wagner forces suddenly stopped their march on Moscow. By Tuesday, the images showed that a sports field covering approximately eight acres within the gated military facility had been transformed, packed with at least six rows of what appear to be temporary structures, like large tents. The satellite imagery also shows similar construction in open areas next to the sports field.

Persons: Wagner, Vladimir V, Putin Organizations: Planet Labs Locations: Belarus, Russia, Moscow

Rey Steve Mabiala and his wife, Liz Gouari, taking refuge at the Roberval emergency center after being ordered to evacuate Chibougamau, Quebec, as a fire approached. Of the more than 400 fires now burning in Canada, more than one-third are in Quebec, which has already registered its worst wildfire season on record. Credit... Carlos Osorio/Reuters“We are facing some unprecedented events, including droughts, accelerated fires and heat waves, and there will be more over time, especially forest fires,” Ms. Mohsin said. But perhaps most surprised were newcomers to Chibougamau, like Mr. Mabiala, from the Republic of Congo, who came to work in logging. “They were asking, “Oh, is there such a thing in Canada?’ ’’ Ms. Cabrera said.

Persons: Rey Steve Mabiala, Liz Gouari, Gouari, Mabiala, Prince Edward Island, ” Mr, “ It’s, ”, Josée Poitras, Tanzina Mohsin, Carlos Osorio, Ms, Mohsin, Poitras, “ I’ve, I’ve, Francis Côté, “, Chibougamau, Renaud Philippe, Côté, Guy Boisvert, Winters, Boisvert, Shirley, Jonathan Mattson, Mr, Mattson, Ruth Cabrera, Anna Huerte, —, Cabrera, Huerte Organizations: Wildfire, University of Toronto, ., Reuters, The New York Times, “, Credit Locations: Chibougamau, Quebec, Africa, Canada, North America, Republic of Congo, Prince, Nunavut, Fort Nelson, British Columbia, Toronto, Val, Montreal, Roberval, East Coast, United States, Philippines

☆ Large Food Market Burned in Darfur Camp, Satellite Images Show
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-21 | by ( Christoph Koettl | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

A large market for food and other supplies serving a camp for displaced people was partly damaged during a fire on Wednesday, reflecting the dangerous toll recent fighting has taken on Sudan’s most vulnerable citizens. The extent of the destruction was evident in satellite imagery and social media videos analyzed by The New York Times, which found that the blaze destroyed or damaged approximately 18 acres of the market. Over the past week, Sudan has been engulfed in violence as the Army and a paramilitary group, Rapid Support Forces (R.S.F. Already, the Abu Shouk camp, located in El Fasher, the regional capital of North Darfur, was experiencing supply shortages. According to Thomas Okedi, the area manager for the Norwegian Refugee Council, the camp hadn’t received any aid in the week before the fire started.

Many other hospitals were also reported to have come under attack on Monday, the third day of fighting in Sudan. Russia has also been trying to make inroads in Sudan, and members of the Kremlin-affiliated Wagner private military company are posted there. Leaders from around the world called for a cease-fire, but it was not clear who, if anyone, was in control of Sudan, Africa’s third-largest country, by area. “Everyone is afraid,” said Ahmed Abuhurira, a 28-year-old mechanical engineer who went out to try to charge his cellphone. “The humanitarian situation in Sudan was already precarious and is now catastrophic,” he said.

An annotated satellite image of the Memphis neighborhood where Tyre Nichols was fatally beaten by police officers shows a timeline of the encounter, from the traffic stop to the beating. Nichols’s mother’s house Ross Rd. Nichols’s mother’s house About 8:27 p.m. Nichols runs toward his mother’s house. About 8:24 p.m. Police confront Tyre Nichols at a traffic stop. At least three officers slap and punch Mr. Nichols, who screams, “Mom!”“Hit him!” one officer yells as another beats Mr. Nichols with a baton.

new video loaded: Caught on Camera, Traced by Phone: The Russian Military Unit That Killed Dozens in BuchaBy Yousur Al-Hlou, Masha Froliak, Dmitriy Khavin, Christoph Koettl, Haley Willis, Alexander Cardia, Natalie Reneau and Malachy Browne • December 22, 2022Caught on Camera, Traced by Phone: The Russian Military Unit That Killed Dozens in BuchaRecent episodes in Visual InvestigationsUsing evidence that’s hidden in plain sight, our investigative journalists present a definitive account of the news — from the Las Vegas massacre to a chemical attack in Syria. Using evidence that’s hidden in plain sight, our investigative journalists present a definitive account of the news — from the Las Vegas massacre to a chemical attack in Syria.

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