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Asia
Turkey
Nov 20, 2024, 8:00 AM Turkish President Erdogan has commented on Russia’s updated nuclear doctrine. "Certainly, I think that this statement by Russia is, above all, a measure taken in response to the stance taken against it concerning the use of conventional weapons. I think that this issue must be considered by NATO officials. Russia has the right and ability to protect itself and to take measures for its defense. And it was compelled to take these measures. Much like we, NATO countries, must protect ourselves and take steps to do so," Erdogan said at a press conference following the G20 Summit in Rio de Janeiro. The Turkish president also reiterated that both Russia and Ukraine are Turkey’s neighbors. "At this stage, we must protect our bilateral ties with them. I hope that we will achieve a definitive ceasefire between Ukraine and Russia as soon as possible and ensure the peace the planet has been eagerly awaiting," Erdogan added. Kremlin Spokesman Peskov said that the revised nuclear doctrine provides for a nuclear response if Ukraine uses Western non-nuclear missiles against Russia. Earlier, the Kremlin official emphasized that the West’s decision to use long-range missiles marked 'a qualitatively new phase' of tensions. (Source: MEHR News Agency - Iran
Red Sea
Nov 20, 2024 Yesterday, a significant strike was launched by the Yemeni Ansarullah Coalition, known as the Houthis, against the Turkish 183-meter Anadolu S cargo vessel. With regional tensions continuing to rise, and the Houthis showing no signs of halting their attacks on Israeli-linked vessels, the situation in the Red Sea remains fraught with uncertainty. (Source: BulgarianMilitary)
North America
United States
November 20, 2024 "It doesn’t matter how many long-range missiles we give to Ukraine. Those alone will not change any dynamic on the battlefield - any more than the previous entry of Western tanks, armored personnel carriers, artillery pieces, air defense weapons, HIMARS systems, or even the vaunted F16s. The war is lost for Kyiv. Period. Continuing to ignore reality - and listen to generals is certain to increase the ultimate cost of losing the war for Ukraine. What Biden is doing now, however, is worse. He is risking an expansion of the war, potentially drawing the United States into direct conflict with Russia. Russia has been unambiguous in its declarations that the introduction of U.S. or Western long-range missiles into the war against Russia would represent the direct engagement of the West against Russia and force a 'response.' According to news reports, such attacks have now been made, and that could be the reason the United States evacuated its embassy this morning, fearing Russia may act on its threat. It is foolhardy to the highest order to risk the expansion of the war by allowing our long-range weapons to be used against Russia, especially because there is no military upside for doing so. Rather, it constitutes a major strategic risk of getting sucked into a war. Trump was, in part, elected by the American people because he vowed to end the war in Ukraine. By taking this pointless risk two months before the end of his term, Biden could wreck any chance Trump might have to achieve peace. Biden’s staunchest supporters should urgently call for him to stop this inflammatory drive before it's too late. The security of our country should be the priority for all Americans." (Source: The National Interest - U.S.)
by Davis, the Senior Fellow & Military Expert for Defense Priorities, a retired Army Lt.Col.
20 November 2024 The US has been criticised by humanitarian organisations for deciding to supply Ukraine with landmines. The approval from Washington is an attempt to slow down Russian troops, who have been steadily advancing into Ukraine's east in recent months. US Defence Secretary Austin said they made their decision because of how Russia had changed its tactics on the battlefield - sending in troops first rather than mechanised forces. The International Campaign to Ban Landmines (ICBL) condemned the US decision "in the strongest possible terms". 'These horrific, indiscriminate weapons were banned by the 1997 Mine Ban Treaty given the devastating impact they have on civilians' lives and livelihoods,' the statement from the ICBL's director, Gabelnick, said. Under the treaty, "there are no circumstances under which Ukraine as a state party may acquire, stockpile or use them", she added. The use of landmines is not illegal under international law, but more than 160 nations have signed the Mine Ban Treaty which commits to banning the production, use and stockpiling of anti-personnel mines. Ukraine is a signatory to this treaty, but after Russia's occupation of Crimea in 2014, Ukraine informed fellow signatories that its application of the treaty in the occupied areas would be is limited and is 'not guaranteed'. Anti-personnel landmines are explosives which are often concealed on the ground and designed to detonate when people step over or near them. Russian forces have been using landmines widely in Ukraine - since it launched its full-scale invasion in February 2022, Russia has deployed landmines to both defend their positions and slow down the Ukrainians. Clearing land that has been mined can take a long period of time. The process is also costly, with the World Bank reporting last year that demining Ukraine would cost $37.4bn. Washington officials say the mines will be delivered soon and would be used on Ukraine's territory, but 'away from densely-populated areas'. Mr Austin said the US devices after some days lose charge and can no longer detonate. According to its statement, the Halo Trust, the world's largest landmine clearing charity said Ukraine has been reclassified this month as ’massively contaminated’ with landmines, and some of the charity's estimates suggest they are present in up to 40% of the country - more than two million landmines have been laid in Ukraine since the start of the full-scale war in 2022. The provision of anti-personnel land mines is the latest move by the outgoing US administration before President-elect Trump is inaugurated on 20 January. (Source: BBC – United Kingdom)
Nov 20, 2024 14:26 IST After a Trump win and in the transition period, Biden has done something that could alter the course of history. He handed over long-range US-made missiles to Ukraine and allowed their use to hit targets deep inside Russia. Without losing any moment, Ukraine attacked Russia with six of these missiles yesterday. This could well lead to the much-feared World War III. What everyone is asking is whether Biden did this to disrupt the transition. The Ukraine-Russia War saw its 1,000th day on November 19. Many in the US think that Biden is leaving behind a chaos which would be difficult for Trump to manage. Some are even calling it 'Biden's attempt to plunge US into war'. "Only Congress can declare war, but the Biden admin is doing everything it can in its final days to provoke war with Russia. Congress must ask itself what can be done to prevent this admin from escalating its proxy war with Russia into a direct nuclear conflict. Biden is trying to plunge us into WW3," said Representative Taylor Greene. This also pushes the world closer to a nuclear war. To many, this last-minute approval by Biden looks like an attempt by the US President to cling onto power. The fear of an imminent escalation in war that could first impact Nato countries in Russia's proximity, has made Sweden, Finland and Denmark issue emergency guidelines, asking citizens to stock up on food and water. Biden's approval of missile use has dangerously escalated the war and left many asking if this was a coup against the incoming President. (Source: India Today)
20/11/2024 - 09:55 Yesterday US President-elect Trump nominated the former head of World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE) McMahon to lead US education department which he has pledged to abolish when he returns to the White House. “We will ultimately eliminate the federal Department of Education,” he said in September during a rally in Wisconsin. McMahon, a major donor to Trump's presidential campaign, is a co-chair of Trump’s transition team tasked with filling some 4,000 positions in the government ahead of his return to the White House in January. Since 2021, she has chaired the Center For The American Worker at the Trump-aligned America First Policy Institute. In 2017, she was confirmed as the head of the Small Business Administration, which is responsible for supporting America’s millions of small businesses, which employ around half the country’s private-sector workforce. At the culmination of a staged feud, Trump once body-slammed her husband, legendary wrestling promoter Vince, and shaved his head in the middle of a wrestling ring on live television. (Source: France24 / AFP – France)
NATO
November 20, 2024 2:51 AM In Finland's Arctic Lapland some 3,600 soldiers from the United States, Sweden, the United Kingdom, France and other NATO members conduct live fire drills throughout November. They are part of NATO's largest artillery exercise ever held in Europe, dubbed Dynamic Front 25, which also includes drills in Estonia, Germany, Romania and Poland involving a total of around 5,000 soldiers. The exercises are the first large-scale maneuvers held in Finland since the Nordic country joining NATO brought "280,000 soldiers to NATO's northern flank. In a region where temperatures typically drop to below minus 20 degrees Celsius during winter months, the Finnish defense forces are known for being well-trained and equipped for harsh winter conditions. The hilly Rovajarvi area, measuring more than 1,000 square kilometers, it is Europe's largest firing range and training area, and allies come to rehearse in its difficult conditions. (Source: Voice of America - U.S. / Agence France-Presse – France)
Space
November 20, 2024 2:30 AM Musk's SpaceX launched its giant Starship rocket to space from SpaceX's sprawling rocket development site in Boca Chica, Texas. on Nov 19. US President-elect Trump watched from the company's rocket facilities. The roughly 122m-tall rocket system, designed to land astronauts on the moon and ferry crews to Mars, lifted off at 4pm Central time (0600 SGT). The rocket's 71m-tall first stage booster, called Super Heavy, detached from its second stage, Starship, at roughly 62 km in altitude, sending the craft into space. Super Heavy unexpectedly splashed down in the Gulf of Mexico instead of returning land, where it was expected to fall into large mechanical arms attached to the tower it launched from. A live stream separate from SpaceX's and hosted by space blogger Everyday Astronaut showed the Super Heavy booster exploding into a massive fireball on the Gulf horizon after splashing down. Starship in October demonstrated the novel catch-landing method for the first time, achieving a key milestone in its reusable design. In space, Starship travelled around Earth for a daytime splashdown in the Indian Ocean roughly an hour later. It reignited one of its onboard engines in space for the first time, an early test of its maneuverability in space that SpaceX had tried but failed to do in past flights. Nasa chief Nelson, who is expected to leave his role once Trump takes office in January, congratulated SpaceX in a post on X and said Starship's in-space engine reignition marked major progress towards orbital flight. (Source: AsiaOne – Singapore)
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