news

“The invasion of Rafah is imminent.” Is it actually? I’ve been hearing this for weeks now. I originally thought they said it was going to be earlier, and that didn’t happen, then there was some drop dead date of the 10th, but that’s passed. What’s their hold up from the Israeli perspective? Gathering forces? I feel like the longer they drag out the decision, the more political pressure builds on them not to do it, as people are given more chances to articulate how horrifying that would be. Which seems counterproductive to what they want to do

“The Imperial March” plays over the loudspeaker of a US Army vessel departing on a mission to construct a temporary port for aid deliveries to Gaza: https://twitter.com/wgdunlop/status/1767603551633650037

The Israeli army is preparing "contingency plans" to launch a wide-scale attack on Lebanon, including preparing shelters and food for Israeli residents of northern settlements, Yedioth Ahronoth reported on 10 March.

In a meeting Saturday with settler leaders from the Mata Asher and Ma'ale Yosef regional councils, Israeli Army Northern Command head Major General Ori Gordin stated, "We are preparing contingency plans to launch an attack in Lebanon. Our commitment, mine, is to change the security situation so that the residents can be returned home." In preparing for a potential war with Hezbollah in northern Israel, the army is launching "Operation Steady Anchor" to establish dozens of mass shelters, mainly in underground parking lots, to which the residents can flee to escape Hezbollah missile fire. Hezbollah is estimated to have some 150,000 rockets and ballistic missiles capable of causing massive damage to Israeli cities, including Haifa and Tel Aviv.

According to Yedioth Ahronoth, the plan was formulated and budgeted in the last two months. Plans to host displaced settlers in hotels and tents outside the possible conflict zone were dismissed as unworkable. Most Israeli hotels are full as they are housing settlers displaced from Israel's south near the Gaza border. The preparations come days after Israel informed its western sponsors of a 15 March deadline to reach "a political settlement with Lebanon," after which Tel Aviv says it plans to "escalate military operations to a broad war," according to western diplomats who spoke with Lebanese daily Al-Akhbar. But Hezbollah has vowed not to back down from Israeli threats. "The position is clear. As long as the war continues in Gaza, this means that the Lebanon front is affected by it, and when it stops in Gaza, it stops in Lebanon," Hezbollah Deputy Secretary-General Naim Qassem told Lebanese news channel LBCI. "When there is a truce in Gaza, we will have a truce."

"We are not closer to a total war in Lebanon, but we are prepared for it if it happens tomorrow,” Qassem said on 6 March.

Cool Zone potentially imminent.

I'm interested in the implication of needing dozens of mass shelters for Israelis. I would have personally imagined that Hezbollah would be spending missiles taking out infrastructure and military bases, not trying to kill civilians under the assumption that if they hit a certain number, the You Win screen pops up and they earn 1000 points and therefore don't have to actually fight militarily (which seems to be Israel's miserably incompetent strategy in Gaza).

Though I guess if/when Israel starts carpetbombing Beirut in a couple weeks, that might start a tit-for-tat where Hezbollah also kills Israel civilians? I don't know.

In today's edition of the DA being American puppets...

South African Opposition Asks for US Election Observers

Last week, the DA wrote to US Secretary of State Antony Blinken, asking for international help "to ensure the integrity" of the vote and "safeguard against any attempts to disrupt the democratic process."

Oh yes, an American backed coup is exactly what South Africa needs

The DA are pulling this stunt because they see an opportunity, with the US executing a coup and arming neo Nazis in Ukraine, and arming apartheid genocidal Israelis, why would they not support apartheid sympathising South Africans? Also polls are predicting that the DA will lose official opposition status to the EFF, and will get below 20% of the vote. So they have no path to obtain power democratically. A Western soft coup or a coalition with the ANC are the only paths forward if they actually want national power.

Here are the latest independent polls, from the 6th of February according to IPSOS:

I predict the situation is looking worse for the DA than this, especially with the introduction of Jacob Zuma's "MK party" into the mix, as well as Rise Mzansi and BOSA, and the latter two will attract a ton of radlib voters previously aligned with the DA. BOSA is even led by ex DA leader Mmusi Maimane. The DA even recently had a press release with a polling organisation that supports them showing the DA in a strong position to quell the fears amongst some of their donors, some of which have already fled to Action SA, Rise Mzansi and BOSA.

Downloaded TikTok. Might as well check it out while it is still out of American control

So it turns out that the hypersonic missile the Russian news outlet RIA Novosti was referring to, was likely publicly unveiled by the Houthis during a military parade in September of last year. You can watch the military parade on Memri TV here. The Tankeel missile makes an appearance at around 7 minutes 30 seconds, including an anti sea variant. There are relevant screenshots in the article if you do not want to watch the video. The Tankeel missile is the Houthi version of the Iranian Raad-500/Zoheir short range ballistic missile, which can reach speeds of Mach 8, has a range of 500km, and has a solid fuel engine with carbon composite components. This perfectly matches all the specifications listed in the media report by RIA Novosti. This missile was first unveiled by Iran during February 2020. The similarities and fins unique to both missiles are pictured below.

So it's not a new weapon in the Ansar Allah arsenal. And it's not any of Iran's "true" hypersonic missiles, or an amalgamation of their technology. What could be potentially newsworthy, is if the missile was successfully tested against a moving target. The report claims a successful test, but no details are reported. There have also been reports of attempted ballistic missile attacks against US Navy vessels, however those attacks made use of supersonic anti ship ballistic missiles and not hypersonics, and were unsuccessful. Getting a ballistic missile to hit a "small" moving target is incredibly difficult with the resources available to the Houthis. China's anti ship ballistic missiles are said to make use of AWACS aircraft for course correction, this is technology that the Houthis obviously lack.

Thats WPK General Secretary and President of the State Affairs, Kim Jong Un driving a new tank and yes its my new wallpaper. https://orinocotribune.com/take-look-at-north-korean-leader-participating-in-new-battle-tank-training/

so apparently usa is now pro-couping netanyahu? the ghoul can start some shit

Haiti looks like it might be on the brink of revolution. I keep coming across the idea that Haitians correctly blame Washington, but every time I read about it in the western press, it is given a racist frame as simple "gang violence" ... Still it seems like the factions behind the uprising include elements that are not particularly revolutionary, and may even have been in league with reactionaries like the former US-backed Moise, or at least that is what I remember reading years ago... what is really going on?

Israel is seeking to establish a port in the Mediterranean island country of Cyprus in case the port of Haifa is closed in a war with Hezbollah, Israel Hayom reported on 11 March. The Ministry of Transport has set a goal to establish another port for Israel in Larnaca within 60 days. The establishment of the port is meant to coincide with US plans to establish a floating port off the coast of Gaza, allegedly to deliver aid to millions of besieged and famine-stricken Palestinians.

A delegation from the Israeli Ministry of Transportation and Road Safety, led by the chairman of the Israel Ports Company, Uzi Itzhaki, left for Cyprus on Monday. The port is expected to cost hundreds of millions of shekels, and efforts to establish it will be carried out immediately. The delegation seeks to establish the port in response to security scenarios provided by the ministry’s head, Miri Regev. Establishing a port in Larnaca is an urgent need for Israel to avoid a wartime situation where it is cut off from commercial and military supplies. Specifically, Israel fears a situation where the Haifa port in northern Israel is closed due to a full-scale war with Hezbollah.

The Ashdod port was closed following the Hamas-led 7 October attack, forcing Israel to redirect shipping to Eilat. The port in Eilat was then targeted by Ansarallah-led Yemeni forces. Contrary to news reports, the main goal in establishing the Cyprus port is not to transfer aid to Gaza. A source familiar with the matter told Israel Hayom that Israel also intends the Larnaca port to be part of an alternative transportation axis to connect Europe and India through Israel. Israel hopes to establish such a route within the framework of a future normalization of relations with Saudi Arabia.

I'm confused by this. Cyprus is an island that is disconnected from Israel by a body of water. How does a port on Cyprus give Israel the ability to receive maritime goods? Is it to do with being able to unload big container ships and then send those supplies in smaller boats to Israel?

I also like this line:

alternative transportation axis to connect Europe and India through Israel. Israel hopes to establish such a route within the framework of a future normalization of relations with Saudi Arabia.

Yeah, good luck with that. While non-Western ships go through the Suez Canal at low costs, you'll be stuck in traffic jams between the UAE and Israel trying to make your shitty land route work.

Seeing reports on Twitter that Hamas has launched a barrage of rockets from North Gaza(!), anyone in the resistance telegram groups able to verify?

Haiti's prime minister Ariel Henry resigns as law and order collapses

Haiti's Prime Minister Ariel Henry has agreed to resign following weeks of mounting pressure and increasing violence in the impoverished country.

It comes after regional leaders met in Jamaica on Monday to discuss a political transition in Haiti. Mr Henry is currently stranded in Puerto Rico after being prevented by armed gangs from returning home.

In a video address announcing his resignation, Mr Henry urged Haitians to remain calm. "The government that I am leading will resign immediately after the installation of [a transition] council," Mr Henry said.

"I want to thank the Haitian people for the opportunity I had been granted. I'm asking all Haitians to remain calm and do everything they can for peace and stability to come back as fast as possible."

Mr Henry, who had led the country supposedly on an interim basis since July 2021 following former President Jovenel Moïse's assassination, had repeatedly postponed elections, saying security must be restored first.

Many Haitians had questioned him governing the country for this long without an elected president. Heavily armed gangs have tightened their grip on the streets of the capital Port-au-Prince, and attacked the main prison to help thousands of inmates escape.

They also demanded the resignation of the unelected prime minister. The capital Port-au-Prince and the surrounding region is under a month-long state of emergency, while a curfew has been extended.

Matthias Pierre, a former elections minister in Haiti, broke the news of Mr Henry's resignation to the BBC's Newsday programme before it was confirmed publicly. He described the current situation in the country as "very precarious".

"The police force is weak, and more than 40 police stations [are] destroyed. The army is very limited and not equipped; gang members occupy most of the [Port-au-Prince] downtown and some government headquarters.

"Very soon people will be out of food, medication and... medical support." Mr Pierre said the gangs were now pushing to be part of any new power-sharing deal, adding that such a political settlement was impossible without the "support" of an international armed force.

Mr Henry had been in Kenya to sign a deal on the deployment of an international security force to help tackle violence when a coalition of gangs attacked police stations and stormed two of Haiti's largest prisons.

A plane carrying Mr Henry was stopped from landing following sustained attacks at Haiti's international airport. Mr Henry's resignation had been expected for several days. The Caricom group of Caribbean nations had made its position clear that he was seen as an impediment to Haiti's stability and that he would have to stand down so the move to a transitional council could begin.

The White House had initially wanted to see Mr Henry return to Haiti to oversee the transitional process, but the ferocity of fighting in the country changed minds in Washington in recent days.

Without the support of either the US state department or his neighbours, it was clear that Mr Henry had no alternative but to stand down. Mr Henry has expressed a wish to return to Haiti but the security situation has to improve before he is able to do so, according to the US which was at the talks in Kingston on Monday.

A senior US official said Mr Henry had first made the decision to step down on Friday but he had waited for an official announcement so talks could take place.

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken committed a further $100m (£78m) to the 1,000-strong UN-backed security force Kenya is expected to lead in Haiti.

The proposed US contribution to the security force now stands at $300m following Mr Blinken's announcement, with a further $33m allocated for humanitarian aid.

However, the top civil servant in Kenya's foreign affairs ministry has told the BBC that its deployment of police to Haiti has been put on hold following Mr Henry's resignation.

Korir Sing'oei added that Kenya would wait for the installation of a new constitutional authority before further decisions were made. Earlier, the chairman of the Caricom group and Guyana's President Irfaan Ali said: "We acknowledge his resignation upon the establishment of a transitional presidential council and naming of an interim prime minister."

President Ali said the transitional presidential council would have two observers and seven voting members, including representatives from several coalitions, the private sector and civil society, and one religious leader.

The council has been mandated to "swiftly" appoint an interim prime minister, he said, adding that anyone intending to run in Haiti's next elections will not be able to participate. It is hoped the council will pave the way for the first elections in Haiti since 2016.

https://m.koreatimes.co.kr/pages/article.asp?newsIdx=370454

The chips are down

what's going on with tiktok in the US? Is it actually getting banned?

apperently kate Middelton is missing since Chrismas and there was a kind of "Blackwall" against all the news of her Missing ... now shes missing so long . wierd "Signs of Life" appear .. to then be revealed as Photoshops and then having all thhe Kingdoms serfsbe ordered to imidiatly delete the picture that the "happy and Alive" princess just posted.

https://archive.is/Lzrhh

Bunch of clapping circus seal yesmen wildly lauding Ukrainian mechanics doing basic modifications to shitty British tanks as the world's modern Hephaestuses.

Ukrainian Soldiers Enhance Protection of British-Donated Challenger 2 Tanks Against Russian Threats

Ukrainian soldiers have been reported to make crucial upgrades to the Challenger 2 Main Battle Tanks, a contribution from the United Kingdom aimed at bolstering Ukraine's defense capabilities following the invasion of the country by Russian troops. A recent video by the British magazine "The Sun" showcases these enhancements, designed to increase the protection of the tanks against the evolving threats in the Ukrainian conflict zone and new Russian threats.

Upgrades so crucially missed by the British tank designers. To be fair, they're British. And also the equipment sent to Ukraine is stripped down export models that are like even more shit than the actual vehicles in use.

The British Challenger 2 has long been recognized as one of the best-protected main battle tanks globally, a distinction it owes to several key design features and technological advancements. Its armor, composed of the classified Chobham/Dorchester composite, provides outstanding protection against both kinetic energy penetrators and chemical energy munitions, setting a benchmark in tank armor technology.

Theoretically. Practically it's being recognized as one of the best human designed artificial mud crab larp vehicle.

The Challenger 2's turret is renowned for its exceptional durability, capable of withstanding hits from most anti-tank weaponry. Furthermore, its comprehensive protection is augmented by an advanced fire control system and a high degree of survivability features, such as NBC (nuclear, biological, and chemical) protection systems and automatic fire suppression capabilities. This blend of superior armor, cutting-edge defensive systems, and operational effectiveness underpins the Challenger 2's reputation as a preeminent force on the battlefield, designed to ensure crew survivability against a broad spectrum of threats.

Theoretically. Practically, it's becoming famous for competing with the Germans in a race to the bottom of shit that's overengineered and breaks easier than than an Italian's mind when he sees someone snapping dried spaghetti pasta in half.

The original British Challenger 2 has received comprehensive modifications at the hands of Ukrainian forces. These upgrades are not just superficial adjustments but are aimed at significantly increasing the protection for the crew inside, addressing the unique challenges posed by the Ukrainian battlefield. Among the notable improvements, the tanks' hull sides have been outfitted with grill armors and rubber side skirts, providing additional layers of defense against anti-tank weapons.

Yeah a whole fluff article to fucking talk about adding shitty slat armor to a shitty tank. You know what they said when the Russians do the same thing? They call them "cope cages". Wonder how the British are coping with their world famous tank being so shit it needs rebar wielded to it to stop it from getting owned

Further enhancing the tank's combat readiness, the gunner's machine gun now boasts an armored shield at the front, offering critical protection for the operator during engagements. Additionally, the front of the hull has been equipped with wire cage armor, an innovative solution aimed at thwarting the effectiveness of anti-tank guided missiles and rocket-propelled grenades by detonating them before they can impact the tank's main armor.

That's fuckin right, you're getting a two for one deal for bullshit fluff! Wielding rebar to a tank and a thick piece of steel around a machine gun makes you resourceful and resilient strategic geniuses that are winning the war so goodly you can do it with both hands tied behind your back!

Fucking goons

Thoughts?

US building Gaza port to facilitate mass 'voluntary' migration

<---- LINK

(it volcanoed again)

Germany and france's 2024 growth forecasts were both cut from to something like 0.2% and 0.9% respectively

https://archive.is/s8fxM

https://archive.is/gWYKK

We love our anemic Eurozone, don't we folks?

Portugal Elections 2024: Poor performance for the Communist Party, while the far-right rises

Bad news come from Portugal, following March 10 parliamentary elections. The Unitary Democratic Coalition, comprised of the Portuguese Communist Party (PCP) and the Greens, received 3,30% (approximately 203,000 votes), which marks a regression in relation to the 2022 results (4,39% and 236,600 votes).

Unfortunately, it seems that, among others, the Portuguese Communist Party pays the price for its political support – also known as Geringonça - towards the social democratic governments of Antonio Costa in 2015-2019 which cultivated empty promises to the working class but ultimately led to disappointment.

Two years ago, on the occasion of Communist Parties participation in so-called “left-wing” or “progressive” governments, we had pointed out the illusions of this erroneous strategy. Read: Communist Parties' participation in bourgeois governments is a deeply erroneous strategy.

On the other hand, the far-right populist Chega party, has secured 18% of the vote and 48 seats in the 230-seat parliament, gaining more than 1 million votes.

The centre right Democratic Alliance claims a narrow election victory over its major opponent, the Socialist Party (PS), but has little to no chance of forming a majority government.

Following the announcement of the results, Communist Party General Secretary Paulo Raimundo acknowledged the outcome of the elections as “negative” and warned over the consequences of the rise of the far-right in the workers' rights and people's living conditions.

basically ~~~~dont do reformism~~~~ i guess portugal was pretty doomed with the rise of its far right movement

Apperantly ukraine did a "Gostomel" Helicopter landing on a Russian airfield with an armourd column trying to break through from the Sumy border .. with intial success apperently...

Dumb guy: Huawei is functionally owned and controlled by the Chinese government

Smart guy: Chinese McDonald's is functionally owned and controlled by the Chinese government

Tinubu Directs Opening Of Nigeria’s Land, Air Borders With Niger Republic, Lifting Of Other Sanctions: https://saharareporters.com/2024/03/13/breaking-tinubu-directs-opening-nigerias-land-air-borders-niger-republic-lifting-other

This is different from ECOWAS lifting sanctions back in February.

On reflection, a tank commander is just a backseat driver AND has control over the music.