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☆ Iran is stepping up its shadow war with Israel to boost its clout — but it could backfire
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-25 | by ( Tom Porter | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +8 min

But it appears wary of provoking a wider, regional war. As part of this covert war, Iran has funded and trained a network of militias stretching across the Middle East. Iran has threatened Israel with the prospect of a wider regional war if it invades Gaza, reported Al Jazeera. But Iran faces a dilemmaIranian officials have told Reuters that Iran faces a dilemma in its response to the Israel-Hamas war. "Iranian behavior is a key factor in whether this remains contained or spreads into a wider regional war.

Persons: —, Gaza Ilia Yefimovich, Israel, Trump, Trump administration's Abraham, Iran —, Tobias Borck, Al, Alex Vatanka, Abraham, Mahmud Abbas, Xi Jinping, Jade Gao, it's, Jonathan Fulton Organizations: Service, Hamas, CNN, dpa Israel, St, The New York Times, Trump administration's, Trump administration's Abraham Accords, Royal United Services Institute, Israel, Hezbollah, Reuters, US, West Bank, East Institute, Abraham Accords, of, People, The Atlantic Council Locations: Iran, Israel, Gaza, Lebanon, Saudi Arabia, Palestinian, Tehran, Saudi, Al Jazeera, China, Beijing

☆ Long-lost Roman forts spotted in declassified spy satellite photos
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-25 | by ( Mindy Weisberger | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +6 min

That survey was among the first to photograph archaeological sites from the air, and in 1934 Poidebard reported finding 116 Roman forts. But nearly a century later, mapping Poidebard’s forts to satellite photos was challenging. Those forts were aligned north to south along what was once the easternmost boundary of the Roman Empire, according to Poidebard. But Poidebard’s survey provided only a partial view of Rome’s ancient infrastructure, the researchers found. While Poidebard’s row of forts along the Roman Empire’s eastern front looked like a military fortification, this new evidence suggested that the forts collectively served a different purpose.

Persons: Rather, Jesse Casana, ” Casana, Casana, Father Antoine Poidebard, Poidebard, Father Antoine Poidebard's, —, ” Mindy Weisberger Organizations: CNN, United, Corona, Dartmouth College, Tell, Antiquity, Scientific Locations: United States, Iraq, Syria, New Hampshire, “, Iran, French, Qreiye, Roman, Birke, Mosul, Ninawa, ”, Rome

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Senate Foreign Relations Committee has approved Jacob Lew to be ambassador to Israel, moving quickly to get him in place during the country’s new war with Hamas. The panel voted 12-9 on Wednesday to move Lew’s nomination to the Senate floor for a final vote, which could come as soon as next week. The Senate is moving quickly to confirm Lew, who was nominated by President Joe Biden last month after Tom Nides left as ambassador in July. Republicans have criticized Lew for his role in the Obama White House when it negotiated the Iran nuclear agreement in 2015, among other foreign policy moves. Lew defended his work in the Obama White House and called Iran an “evil, malign government.”

Persons: Jacob Lew, Kentucky Sen, Rand Paul, Lew, Barack Obama, Joe Biden, Tom Nides, Obama, Iran —, —, Donald Trump, Idaho Sen, Jim Risch, ” Organizations: WASHINGTON, —, Foreign Relations, Hamas, Republicans, Obama White, Idaho, Republican Locations: Israel, Kentucky, United States, Gaza, Iran

Last week, Mr. DeSantis doubled down on his opposition to helping some of the nearly one million people contending with shortages of food, clean water and shelter in the region. The Never Back Down ad from this week spliced the clips from Ms. Haley with comments from Mr. DeSantis criticizing her in an NBC interview. Spokespeople for both Mr. DeSantis’s campaign and Never Back Down maintain that their critiques of Ms. Haley are accurate. But Ms. Haley took an aggressive stance against resettling Syrians in her state after the terror attacks in Paris that same year, citing gaps in intelligence that could make the vetting process difficult. Rick McConnell, a 70-year-old Air Force veteran who heard Mr. DeSantis speak, said he understood that Gazans needed food, water and medical supplies.

Persons: Haley, birdseed, DeSantis, Haley —, Trump, —, Ms, Haley’s, “ She’s, ”, ” Ms, DeSantis’s, Rick McConnell, McConnell, Mr, “, Corrine Rothchild, Jerusalem, Tommy Tuberville, Benjamin Netanyahu, Israel Organizations: DeSantis’s, ”, Fox News, NBC, resettling Syrians, Air Force, Foreign, Trump’s United Nations Locations: Florida, Gaza, America, United States, South Carolina, Paris, East, Iran, Israel, China, Alabama, Ukraine, U.S

Fluctuations since the attack pushed oil prices as high as $96. Until something like that happens, “the oil market is going to be like everyone else, monitoring the events in the Middle East,” Lipow said. One reason 1970s-style gas lines are unlikely: U.S. oil production is at an all-time high. Weekly domestic oil production has doubled from the first week in October 2012 to now. Lawmakers from both parties have urged Biden to block Iranian oil sales, seeking to dry up one of the regime’s key sources of funding.

Persons: ” Fatih Birol, ”, Andrew Lipow, ” Lipow, Mike Sommers, Sommers, “ America’s, “, Joe Biden's, Israel, Biden, Sofia Guidi Di Sante, Wyoming Sen, John Barrasso, “ Joe, Barrasso, ____ McHugh, Choe Organizations: WASHINGTON, International Energy Agency, ”, Associated Press, Brent, Lipow Oil Associates, U.S . Energy Information Administration, Energy Department, American Petroleum Institute, Hudson Institute, Commerzbank, Oil, Rystad Energy, Republican, Senate Energy, Natural Resources Committee, Democratic, Keystone XL, Strategic Petroleum Reserve, The Energy Department, The Treasury Department, Treasury Locations: East, Israel, Saudi Arabia, Russia, China, Paris, Gaza, Iran, Houston, Hormuz, U.S, Europe, Washington, OPEC, Lebanon, Venezuela, The U.S, Wyoming, America, Frankfurt, Germany, New York

The request to Congress would cover a year, according to another person familiar with the administration’s expected request. Lew, a Treasury Secretary under former President Barack Obama, was nominated by Biden last month after former Ambassador Tom Nides left the post in July. Political Cartoons View All 1211 ImagesThe White House could make a formal request for the foreign war aid as soon as this week. Some Republicans have criticized Lew for his role in the Obama White House as it negotiated the Iran nuclear agreement in 2015, among other foreign policy moves under Obama, and that opposition could slow his nomination. “Our ability to support Israel at this pivotal moment is significantly hamstrung by the fact that we don’t have a U.S. ambassador on the ground," Murphy said.

Persons: Jacob Lew, Joe Biden, Lew, Barack Obama, Biden, Tom Nides, —, Obama —, Ben Cardin, Jack, ”, Cardin, Kevin McCarthy, Mitch McConnell, McConnell, Obama, Donald Trump, Republican Sen, Tom Cotton of, Jack Lew, ” Cotton, Jack Lew’s, ” Lew, Democratic Sen, Chris Murphy of, Murphy, Seung Min Kim Organizations: WASHINGTON, —, Israel, Hamas, Foreign, White, Management, Republicans, Republican, Hamas ’, “ Fox, Democratic, Foreign Relations, Associated Press Locations: Israel, Ukraine, Taiwan, China, D, Congress, U.S, Iran, Tehran, Tom Cotton of Arkansas, Chris Murphy of Connecticut, Gaza

☆ Opinion: Zelensky’s inescapable new reality
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-18 | by ( Opinion Frida Ghitis | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +8 min

She is a weekly opinion contributor to CNN, a contributing columnist to The Washington Post and a columnist for World Politics Review. A couple of days later, addressing NATO’s parliamentary assembly, where Ukraine had been a focus since Russia invaded it some 600 days ago, Zelensky noted the inescapable new reality facing his embattled country. To defeat Russia, and to save Ukraine, Zelensky needs continued support, especially from the US, the country with the world’s largest, most powerful arsenal. These two wars, between Russia and Ukraine, and between Israel and Hamas, are very different. And both — Hamas and Russia — have been run by autocratic leaders who deny their enemies’ right to live in a sovereign country.

Persons: Frida Ghitis, Volodymyr Zelensky, ”, Zelensky, ” —, Benjamin Netanyahu, Zelensky —, —, Vladimir Putin’s, Putin, Konstantin Gavrilov, “ Ukraine’s, Joe Biden, Lloyd Austin, Biden, Anna Politkovskaya, Alexander Ben Zvi, Ali Baraka, we’re, Israel —, ” Zelensky, “, brazenly, Russia —, Ukraine — Organizations: CNN, Washington Post, Politics, Frida Ghitis CNN, Israeli, NATO, Ukraine, US, Republican, GOP, Hamas ’, Hamas, Hamas National Relations, Kyiv, Russia, Republican Party Locations: Israel, Ukraine, Russia, Russian, States, Moscow, Iran, Palestine, “ Russia, Europe, — Israel

☆ IDF video shows Israeli navy unit spraying machine gun fire at Hamas fighters 'swimming' toward coast
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-15 | by ( Nathan Rennolds | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

Footage released by the IDF showed members of the navy's "Snapir" unit fighting off Hamas militants. The IDF said militants "were swimming toward the shoreline in an attempt to infiltrate Israel by sea." The Palestinian militant group Hamas' sea attack came as part of a wider wave of surprise attacks by land, sea, and air on October 7. The footage appears to show Israeli troops shooting and throwing grenades or depth charges from Defender-class boats at Hamas fighters. The insurgents on-board were thrown into the Mediterranean Sea and then attempted to swim toward the coast, the IDF said.

Persons: —, paragliders, Gerald R, It's Organizations: Service, Israel Defense Forces, Palestinian, Hamas, YouTube, Israel's 916th Patrol Squadron, Navy, Unit, Twitter, YouTube Israel, Defense, British, Royal Marines, Ford, Israel, Hezbollah Locations: Israel, Israel's, Haifa, Ashdod, Eilat, Israeli, Iran, Lebanon, Gaza

☆ Analyst: Israel’s costly misunderstanding of Hamas’ true aims
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-15 | by ( Peter Bergen | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +32 min

Bergen: How does Hamas impact the more secular Palestinian Authority, which controlled Gaza until 2007 before Hamas violently pushed them aside? They don’t have any other aims like Hamas because Hamas is a religious, social, political movement and terror organization at the same time. Yousef Masoud/The New York Times/Redux Smoke rises after Israeli strikes on the seaport of Gaza City on Tuesday, October 10. Tamir Kalifa/The New York Times/Redux Palestinians walk amid the rubble following Israeli airstrikes in Gaza City on October 10. Erik Marmor/AP Six-month-old Sama Alwadia is rescued from the rubble in Gaza City on October 9.

Persons: Peter Bergen, ”, CNN — Kobi Michael, Michael, Kobi Michael, Mohammed Deif, Marwan Issa, He’s, he’s, Deif, Israel, They’ve, Israel doesn’t, It’ll, Hatem Ali, Antonio Macías, Macías, Francisco Seco, Fatima Shbair, Mohammed Saber, Eli Albag, Liri, Mohammed Talatene, Sergey Ponomarev, Violeta Santos Moura, Dor Kedmi, Mahmud Hams, Saher, Hatem Moussa, Abraham Cohen, Valentin Ghnassia, Ghnassia, Alexi J . Rosenfeld, Yuri Cortez, Yousef Masoud, Ibrahim Hams, Bashar Taleb, Baz Ratner, Jack Guez, Khan, Abed Rahim Khatib, Yahya Hassouna, Mapal Adam, Abed Zagout, Tamir Kalifa, Agha, Ibraheem Abu Mustafa, Reuters Itzik, Miriam Shafir, Dor Shafir, Savion Kiper, Maya Alleruzzo, Mohammed Salem, CNN Sergey Ponomarev, Mohammed Abed, Eden Guez, Atef Safadi, Ohad, Mohammed Soboh, Said, Noam Elimeleh Rothenberg, Belal Khaled, Samar Abu, Amir Cohen, Ilai Bar Sade, Erik Marmor, Ali Jadallah, Oren Ziv, Ronen Zvulun, Majdi, Ilia Yefimovich, Ramez Mahmoud, Roi Levy, Alleruzzo, Tali Touito, Jalaa Marey, Oded, Khan Younis, Ahmad Hasballah, Mohammed Fayq Abu Mostafa, Tsafrir, Ahmad Gharabli, Mustafa Hassona, Ilan Rosenberg, Eyad Baba, Itai Ron, Hadas Parush, Yasser Arafat’s, David, Bill Clinton Organizations: New, Arizona State University, Apple, Spotify, CNN, Peter Bergen CNN, Tel, for National Security Studies, Palestinian, National Security Council, Ministry of Strategic Affairs, Hamas, Qassam, Israel, West Bank, Palestinian Authority, PLO, Israel Defense Forces, Gaza, Haim, AP, New York Times, Reuters, Getty, Aris Messinis, Mount, Mount Herzl Military, Nova, Anadolu Agency, Nova Festival, Ben Gurion, Shifa, Rockets, Israel's, United Nations, Reuters Police, Reuters Rockets, US Locations: New America, Gaza, Lebanon, Israel, Tel Aviv, Bergen, Iran, Qatar, Egypt, You’re, Palestinian, Jihad, Hamas, Gaza City, Rafah, Kfar Saba, Al, Israeli, Be'eri, Rehovot, AFP, Mount Herzl, Jerusalem, Kibbutz Be'eri, Sderot, Khan Younis, Modiin Maccabim, Kfar Aza, Ashkelon, Mount Herzel, Samar, Samar Abu Elouf, Yassin, Beitar Ilit, Ramat Gan, Kiryat Shmona, Itai, Beit Hanun, Rishon Lezion, Samaria, Saudi Arabia, United States of America

☆ Opinion: How to keep Iran from winning in the Israel-Hamas conflict
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-13 | by ( Opinion Frida Ghitis | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +8 min

She is a weekly opinion contributor to CNN, a contributing columnist to The Washington Post and a columnist for World Politics Review. And, to that end, is there a way to prevent Iran from emerging as the victor in this terrible war? The goals of terrorism are political, and the political ramifications of this conflict are global. Both Iran and the Palestinians have watched with alarm the growing ties between Israel and its Arab neighbors. Iran and Saudi Arabia recently established diplomatic relations, but the long-standing rivalry and mistrust between them, as the standard bearers of Islam’s two main divisions, Shiites and Sunnis, did not suddenly disappear.

Persons: Frida Ghitis, there’s, David Ben, Gurion, “, ”, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, Iran —, Russia —, Prince Mohammed Bin Salman, Saudi Arabia —, Mahmoud Abbas, Benjamin Netanyahu, Itamar Ben, Netanyahu’s, Netanyahu, Benny Gantz Organizations: CNN, Washington Post, Politics, Hamas, Frida Ghitis CNN, White, Iran’s, Iran, Saudi Arabia, West Bank, MBS, Palestinian Authority, Palestinian Locations: Iran, Israel, Egypt, Gaza, Saudi Arabia, States, Tehran, Lebanon, Syria, China, Russia, United States, Riyadh, Saudi, Ramallah

☆ Iran prisoner swap for $6 billion in spotlight after Hamas attacks Israel
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-09 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +4 min

U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken said on Sunday that Iran has not yet been able to spend a single dollar of the $6 billion in funds that were unfrozen in a U.S.-Iran prisoner swap in September. WHAT WAS THE IRAN PRISONER SWAP DEAL? Five U.S. citizens detained by Tehran were allowed to leave the country in exchange for the transfer of $6 billion in Iranian funds that had been frozen in South Korea. The $6 billion was Iranian money that had been frozen in South Korean banks. Under the terms of the Iran prisoner deal, the money can only be used for humanitarian-related purposes, including purchasing food or other goods outside Iran for import, U.S. officials said.

Persons: Amir Cohen, Antony Blinken, Blinken, there’s, Joe Biden, Donald Trump, CNN's, Brian Nelson, we've, Nikki Haley, Heather Timmons, Idrees Ali, Lisa Shumaker Organizations: REUTERS, Rights, Israel, After Washington, State Department, South, Republican, Reuters, Thomson Locations: Gaza, Ashkelon, Israel, Iran, U.S, IRAN, Tehran, South Korea, United States, After, Seoul, Doha, South Carolina

☆ Factbox-Iran Prisoner Swap for $6 Billion in Spotlight After Hamas Attacks Israel
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-09 | by ( Oct. | At A.M. | ) www.usnews.com time to read: +3 min

Persons: Antony Blinken, Blinken, there’s, Joe Biden, Donald Trump, CNN's, Brian Nelson, we've, Nikki Haley, Heather Timmons, Idrees Ali, Lisa Shumaker Organizations: WASHINGTON, Israel, After Washington, State Department, South, Republican, Reuters Locations: Iran, U.S, IRAN, Tehran, South Korea, United States, After, Seoul, Doha, Israel, South Carolina

☆ Opinion: Trudeau’s fumble on India
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-24 | by ( Opinion Michael Bociurkiw | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +7 min

CNN —It is hard to imagine any world leader wanting to share the foreign policy swamp in which the beleaguered Canadian Prime Minister, Justin Trudeau, currently finds himself. Nijjar led a group pushing for the creation of an independent Sikh homeland in northern India called Khalistan. The Biden administration can’t be blamed for prioritizing its ongoing bromance with India and Prime Minister Narendra Modi over the bilateral relationship with Ottawa. A cynic might say that prematurely publicizing the explosive findings against India is a diversion tactic to steer attention away from the China interference file and the domestic issues piling up. Or that it is simply amateur hour at the offices of the prime minister and foreign affairs.

Persons: Michael Bociurkiw, Justin Trudeau, Michael Bociurkiw Chrystia Chudczak, Trudeau’s, Trudeau, India ”, Hardeep Singh, Nijjar, Mélanie Joly, —, Joly, “, ” Yaroslav Baran, Biden, can’t, Narendra Modi, Joly —, Meng Wanzhou, Meng, ” Baran, Jagmeet Singh, Assembly —, Goody Organizations: Atlantic Council, Organization for Security, Cooperation, CNN, Canadian, Sikh Canadian, British Columbia, Toronto Globe, Mail, Ottawa, Huawei, Iran, UN Security Council, Canada, mojo, India —, New Democratic Party, Atlantic, UN, Assembly Locations: Canadian, Odesa, Europe, China, India, Delhi, British, Khalistan, Ottawa, Indian, Canada, Ukraine, Russian, United States, Quebec, Washington

Loved ones, some holding small American flags, enveloped them in hugs and exchanged greetings in English and Farsi, the main language of Iran. Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Nasser Kanaani said two of the Iranian prisoners will stay in the U.S. Meanwhile, Nour News, a website believed to be close to Iran’s security apparatus, said two of the Iranian prisoners were in Doha for the swap. In his statement, Biden demanded more information on what happened to Bob Levinson, an American who went missing years ago. The Biden administration also announced fresh sanctions on former Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad and the Iranian Ministry of Intelligence.

Persons: Joe Biden, Siamak Namazi, ”, Babak, Baquer, “, Biden, Iran’s, Ebrahim Raisi, ” Raisi, — Siamak, Emad, Tahbaz —, Timmy Davis, Namazi, Effie Namazi, Vida Tahbaz, Nasser Kanaani, Nour, Mehrdad Ansari, Reza Sarhangpour Kafrani, Donald Trump, Mitch McConnell, ” Biden, Bob Levinson, Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, Neda, ___ Gambrell, Jo, Nasser Karimi, Amir Vahdat, Matthew Lee, Paul Haven, Aamer Madhani, Michelle Phillips, Eric Tucker, Farnoush Amiri Organizations: WASHINGTON, Republican, Democratic, United Nations General Assembly, U.S, South, Iranian Foreign Ministry, Nour News, Mideast, Social, Iranian Ministry of Intelligence, Embassy, Associated Press Locations: Iran, Fort Belvoir , Virginia, Tehran, Doha, Qatar, New York, America, Persian, U.S, Strait, Hormuz, United States, South Korea, Iranian, Korea, Islamic Republic, American, British, Dubai, United Arab Emirates, Washington

☆ Russia and North Korea in ‘Actively Advancing’ Talks on Weapons, U.S. Says
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-30 | by ( Constant Méheut | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +4 min

The White House has accused North Korea of supplying rockets and missiles to Russia for use in Ukraine, which Pyongyang has denied. North Korea and Iran are largely cut off from international commerce because of American and international sanctions, meaning neither country has much to lose by making deals with Russia. “What we’re seeing in this counteroffensive is it’s a gunfight and both sides are blazing away with artillery,” Mr. Kirby said. Putin has achieved — let me count it — zero of his strategic goals in Ukraine,” Mr. Kirby said. Also on Wednesday, North Korea launched two short-range ballistic missiles toward the sea, apparently a reaction to joint military drills by the United States and South Korea.

Persons: John F, Kirby, Vladimir V, Putin, Kim Jong, ” Mr, “, Mr, Kirby’s, Iran —, Biden, Kim, “ Mr, Linda Thomas, Greenfield, ” Organizations: National Security Council, North Korean, ”, United, United States, Slovakian, United Nations Locations: States, Russia, North Korea, Moscow, Ukraine, Pyongyang, United States, Iran, U.S, Korea, China, Beijing, Ukrainian, South Korea, Japan, Britain

Siamak Namazi, left, a U.S. citizen who has been held prisoner in Iran for nearly eight years, with his father, Baquer Namazi. The U.S. government has identified three American citizens held in Iran — Siamak Namazi, Emad Shargi and Morad Tahbaz. NBC News first reported on the prisoner exchange negotiations in February. The families of the Americans held in Iran say their loved ones are "hostages" taken captive on false charges and used as bargaining chips by the government. And Siamak Namazi has been held prisoner in Iran for nearly eight years, longer than any of the other current American detainees.

Persons: Siamak Namazi, Baquer Namazi, Barack Obama, Emad, Shahab Dalili, Jared Genser, Namazi, Joe Biden, Obama, Biden, Donald Trump, Tahbaz, Shargi, Baquer, Robert Levinson, Levinson, Bob Levinson Organizations: NBC, Administration, NBC News, International Atomic Energy Agency, U.S, Congress, British, Tufts, Rutgers, FBI, CIA Locations: U.S, Iran, Tehran, Washington, Qatar, South Korea, United States, Israel, Iranian American, Iranian, Iran's

One other prisoner, an American woman, had been released into house arrest earlier, according to several people familiar with the arrangements. “But there are simply no guarantees about what happens from here.”He said the Americans were told they would be held at the hotel under guard by Iranian officials. Biden administration officials declined to comment or to confirm details about what Iran will get in return. But the people familiar with the agreement said that when the Americans are allowed to return to the United States, the Biden administration will release a handful of Iranian nationals serving prison sentences for violating sanctions on Iran. The United States will also transfer nearly $6 billion of Iran’s assets in South Korea, putting the funds into an account in the central bank of Qatar, according to the people familiar with the deal.

Persons: Genser, Mr, ”, Biden, United States — Organizations: Evin, United, State Department Locations: Iran, Tehran, American, United States, South Korea, Qatar

☆ How a US government program advocated using nuclear explosions for construction, farming radioactive crops, and blasting holes in the moon
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-31 | by ( Marianne Guenot | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +13 min

Most focused on the potential for nuclear explosions to quickly excavate areas for construction projects at lower costs than conventional explosives. (Hamblin is the author of the book "The Wretched Atom: America's Global Gamble with Peaceful Nuclear Technology.") Fly the radioactive skiesUS officials also hoped nuclear energy could be used for transportation. Nicknamed the "pan-atomic canal," nuclear explosions would have carved a sea-level waterway through Nicaragua, Panama, or Colombia, per Forbes. Corbis via Getty ImagesFor Hamblin, the concept of "peaceful nuclear explosions" fell out of favor in the mid-70s.

Persons: Christopher Nolan's, Oppenheimer, Jacob Hamblin, Dwight D, Eisenhower, Alex Wellerstein, Hamblin, you've, Dr Leonard Reiffel, Alaska's Cape Thompson, Edward Teller, detonations, Rio, Iran —, —, Corbis, Wellerstein, Marshall, we're Organizations: Service, White, Nevada . U.S . Department of Energy Office, Scientific, Atomic Energy, UN, United Nations, IAEA Imagebank, United, US Atomic Energy Commission, Technology, Institute of Radiation, Google, NASA, Sputnik, Air Force, U.S . Department of Energy, National Nuclear Security Administration, AEC, of Energy, Popular Mechanics, New York Times, Carryall, US Department of Energy, Forbes, Atomic Energy Commission, Getty, IAEA Locations: Wall, Silicon, Suez, Nevada ., United Nations, New York, Hitachiomiya, Japan, Soviet Union, Nevada, Alaska's Cape, inconveniently, Israel, Panama, Nicaragua, Colombia, Pacific, Farmington , New Mexico, Rulison , Colorado, Rio Blanco, , Colorado, Iran, Mercury , Nevada, USA, Cuba, Vietnam, Colorado, New Mexico, Nevada —, Marshall

☆ Russia's fighter jets have gone from harassing US aircraft to actually breaking them as Moscow flexes its muscles where it still can
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-28 | by ( Jake Epstein | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +12 min

Russian fighter jets have harassed US military drones on numerous occasions throughout July. That incident is just one of several demonstrations of Russian aggression around US military drones this month. Russian military Su-34 and Su-35 aircraft employ flares in the flight path of a US MQ-9 aircraft on July 6, 2023 over Syria. A press officer who goes by callsign Damian looks at a destroyed Russian military vehicle in Novodarivka village, Zaporizhzhia Region, southeastern Ukraine. "These maneuvers, they are to some extent intended to demonstrate Russian military strength," which could appease the country's domestic audience.

Persons: Nicholas Lokker, Alexus Grynkewich, Sabrina Singh, Su, Wagner, Yevgeny Prigozhin, Vladimir Putin, Damian, Putin, Lokker, Assad, Äzzeddin Kasim, Paul Lushenko, Lushenko, Christopher Sommers, AFCENT Organizations: Kremlin, Service, Center, New, New American Security, Islamic, US Air Force, ISIS, US Air Forces Central Command, Pentagon, Donetsk Regions, US, Anadolu Agency, Getty, US Army, Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, Quds Force, 421st Expeditionary Fighter Squadron, U.S . Central Command Locations: Wall, Silicon, Syria, Russia, Russian, Ukraine, New American, Moscow, Syria . Washington, Islamic State, Washington, CNAS, Belarus, Novodarivka, Zaporizhzhia Region, Zaporizhzhia, Ukrainian, Iran, Idlib, United States, Western

☆ Opinion: Putin faces a challenging task that threatens his power
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-07 | by ( Opinion Frida Ghitis | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +8 min

The Russian president needs to restore his image of a man in full command of his country to audiences at home and abroad. Speaking at the summit, Putin tried to reinforce the message he had delivered to the Russian people, the claim that all Russians had stood with him. It wasn’t just his use of “alternative facts” that undermined Putin’s effort to leverage the SCO summit into a place to restore his standing as Russia’s czar for the foreseeable future. In fact, in the aftermath of the Prigozhin uprising, Putin has echoed the traditional strongman’s playbook of buying loyalty. Putin now faces a triple task: reclaiming the mantle of invincibility in Russia, rebuilding that image abroad and winning his calamitous war in Ukraine.

Persons: Frida Ghitis, Vladimir Putin, Yevgeny Prigozhin —, —, Alexander Lukashenko, Prigozhin, Putin, Xi Jinping, Narendra Modi, ”, “, Modi, Ebrahim Raisi, Xi, Dmitry Peskov, India’s Modi, Antony Blinken, Janet Yellen Organizations: CNN, Washington Post, Politics, Shanghai Cooperation Organization, SCO, Frida Ghitis CNN, Wagner Group, Belarussian, Indian, Biological Safety, Twitter, Financial Times, Russian Locations: Russia, China, India, Russian, Moscow, St . Petersburg, Belarus, Ukraine, Iran, Rostov, New Delhi, Iranian, Republic, Dagestan, Kremlin, Asia, Washington, Beijing

The latest surge of dark fleet ships began after Russia invaded Ukraine and the West tried to limit Moscow’s oil revenue with sanctions. The ships most likely sell their Russian oil to China above a price limit set by the sanctions. “The price cap is achieving its dual goals: restricting Russia’s oil revenues while keeping Russian oil flowing, and markets stable and well-supplied,” a U.S. Treasury spokesperson told The Times. The spoofing tankers using American insurance show that the practice is not limited to Russian oil alone. The company, Gatik Ship Management, owns a fleet of 50 newly acquired tankers dedicated to the Russian oil trade, the report said.

Persons: ”, David Tannenbaum, it’s, Samir Madani, Daniel Tadros, Russia Lady Ella, Russia Snow, Price, Konstantin Zavrazhin, Tannenbaum, Mr, Tadros, what’s, Min Chao Choy Organizations: Cathay, Labs, Copernicus Sentinel, Maxar Technologies, The New York Times, The Times, U.S . Treasury, Times, American Club, Club’s, Alma, Cargo, Russia Cathay Phoenix, Hong, International Maritime Organization, American, ”, AIS, telltale, Treasury’s, Foreign, Control, Maritime, C4ADS, Gatik Ship Management Locations: Japan, Kozmino, China, U.S, Russia, Venezuela, Iran, Ukraine, ”, Hong Kong, Niigata, Russia Ginza, Varna, Bulgaria, Taman, Niigata Port, Siberia, Cathay Phoenix, O.F.A.C, South Korea, Washington, Ginza, Oman, India

☆ US Navy video shows a dozen Iranian fast-attack boats swarming an oil tanker in its latest maritime seizure
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-03 | by ( Jake Epstein | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

A dozen Iranian attack boats seized an oil tanker crossing through Middle Eastern waters on Wednesday. The US Navy shared a video of the incident, which showed the boats swarm the vessel. The 1,100-foot-long Panama-flagged oil tanker Niovi departed Dubai, in the United Arab Emirates, and was on its way to the port city of Fujairah, when the incident unfolded at around 6:20 a.m. local time. On April 27, Iranian navy vessels intercepted the Marshall Islands-flagged oil tanker Advantage Sweet as it was crossing international waters in the Gulf of Oman, a body of water that separates Oman from Iran. Panama-flagged oil tanker Niovi in the Strait of Hormuz.

☆ Kyiv says Russian UN Security Council presidency is a 'symbolic blow'
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-01 | by ( ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +1 min

Russian President Vladimir Putin chairs a meeting with the government via a video link at the Novo-Ogaryovo state residence outside Moscow on March 29, 2023. A top Ukrainian official on Saturday criticized the 'symbolic blow' of Russia assuming the rotating presidency of the United Nations Security Council. It is another symbolic blow to the rules-based system of international relations," Andriy Yermak, the Ukrainian president's chief of staff, wrote in English on Twitter. On Saturday Russia took over the presidency of the UN's top security body, which rotates every month. "It is very telling that on the holiday of one terror state — Iran — another terror state — Russia — begins to preside over the UN Security Council," Yermak wrote, referring to Iran's Islamic Republic Day holiday.

☆ Russia is offering North Korea food for a bunch of weapons it needs to wage war in Ukraine, White House says
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-30 | by ( Jake Epstein | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

Russia is once again seeking weapons from pariah states like North Korea to fuel its war in Ukraine. North Korea has battled food shortages in recent years while Moscow faces weapons shortages. The US has previously accused North Korea — and other isolated countries like Iran — of backing Russia's campaign by providing it with military assistance. "We also understand that Russia is seeking to send a delegation to North Korea and that Russia is offering North Korea food in exchange for munitions," Kirby said, according to multiple reports. Earlier this year, the White House revealed intelligence that it said showed North Korea providing rockets and missiles to the Kremlin-linked Wagner Group, a notorious paramilitary organization.

☆ Saudi Arabia takes step to join China-led security bloc, as ties with Beijing strengthen
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-29 | by ( Ruxandra Iordache | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +2 min

Saudi Arabia's cabinet approved a decision to join a China-led security bloc, strengthening Riyadh's eastern ties in a further step away from U.S. interests. The organization further tallies four observer states — including Iran — and nine dialogue partners, counting in Saudi Arabia, Qatar and Turkey. The White House did not immediately respond to a CNBC request to comment on Saudi Arabia's new dialogue partner status in the SCO. Saudi interests have long been intertwined with those of leading SCO members China and Russia. Beijing is Riyadh's largest trading partner, with bilateral trade worth $87.3 billion in 2021, according to Reuters.

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