MTQ News

U.S. President Joe Biden speaks In the Indian Treaty Room of the Eisenhower Executive Office Building at the White House complex in Washington, U.S., November 27, 2023. REUTERS/Evelyn Hockstein   Reuters: Democrats have no Biden backup plan for 2024, despite age concerns   WASHINGTON (Reuters) -The Democratic Party has no Plan B if President Joe Biden decided for any reason to halt his 2024 re-election campaign, and a sudden need to replace him as its standard-bearer would spark a messy intraparty battle.  Despite weak poll numbers and questions, including from some Democrats, about his age, Biden has stuck to his plan to seek a second term after clearing the field of serious Democratic primary challengers when he announced in April that he was running again.  Even if more Democratic candidates were to jump in now, the path forward would be unclear as deadlines to get on the primary ballot in critical states such as Nevada, South Carolina and Georgia have alre...

  Reuters: OPEC+ agrees to voluntary oil output cuts, invites Brazil to join   OPEC+ announces no new group cut target for 2024   London/Moscow/Dubai: OPEC+ oil producers on Thursday agreed to voluntary output cuts approaching 2 million barrels per day (bpd) for early next year led by Saudi Arabia rolling over its current voluntary cut, delegates told Reuters.   Saudi Arabia, Russia and other members of OPEC+, who pump more than 40 per cent of the world's oil, failed to agree a group cut at a virtual meeting on Thursday but members did go along with voluntary cuts.  Oil prices fell after rising by more than 1 per cent earlier in the session after OPEC+ producers agreed to the cuts. Benchmark Brent crude for February futures were down 1.6 per cent to $81.52 a barrel at 1747 GMT.  The front-month January contract is due to expire on Thursday. OPEC+ also invited Brazil, a Top 10 producer, to become a member of the group. The country's energy mini...

  Wall Street Journal : OPEC+ Mulls New Oil Production Cuts Amid Middle East Conflict   OPEC and its Russia-led allies are considering new oil production cuts of as much as 1 million barrels a day, delegates said Wednesday, despite tensions in oil markets amid the conflict in the Middle East.  The move, which would likely send oil prices higher, could be announced Thursday at a virtual meeting of the cartel. The meeting, originally scheduled for last week, was postponed over disagreements about production.  A deal for further cuts isn’t assured, and the prospect is facing significant resistance within the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries. A rollover of most existing output curbs is the most likely scenario, the delegates said, but talks are continuing.   Read more ....   Update: OPEC+ oil producers head into meeting with quota unease and geopolitical risks casting a shadow (CNBC)  WNU Editor : I am still betting on OPEC+ imp...

Former police officer Jimmy "Barbecue" Cherizier (not pictured), leader of the 'G9' coalition, is accompanied by Security during a march against Haiti's Prime Minister Ariel Henry, in Port-au-Prince, Haiti September 19, 2023. REUTERS/Ralph Tedy Erol/File Photo © Thomson Reuters   CNN: Gang violence spreading to Haiti’s rural reaches, UN report says   A UN report released Tuesday details a wave of violence that has swept Haiti’s rural reaches, describing gang raids on villages and alarming levels of food insecurity caused by the targeting of farmers in the country’s historic breadbasket.  The report, from the UN Human Rights Office and the UN Integrated Office in Haiti, offers a stark analysis of the spread of gangs in the poor Caribbean nation, which has seen deepening unrest since the 2021 assassination of then-President Jovenel Moise. Past attention has largely focused on Port-au-Prince, the capital, where warring gangs have forced thousands of people from...

BAE Systems Land & Armaments L.P. was recently awarded a $36.39 million contract modification. Identified as contract W56HZV-23-C-0078, this agreement involves the supply of M88A2 Heavy Equipment Recovery Combat Utility Lift and Evacuation System (HERCULES) vehicles. The project's completion is scheduled in York, with an estimated date of August 31, 2025. Read full news at this link... M88A2 Hercules Recovery Vehicle off of a railcar at Fort Pickett. (Picture source: US DoD) Read more... from World Defence News https://ift.tt/qiyD4GP via IFTTT

  Reuters : Stoltenberg urges NATO allies to 'stay the course' on Ukraine   BRUSSELS (Reuters) - NATO boss Jens Stoltenberg urged members of the alliance on Tuesday to "stay the course" in supporting Ukraine in its war against Russia's invasion as both the United States and European Union struggle to agree on further military aid.  "It's our obligation to ensure that we provide Ukraine with the weapons they need," Stoltenberg told reporters as he arrived for a gathering of foreign ministers from NATO countries at the alliance's headquarters in Brussels.  "We just have to stay the course. This is about also our security interests," the secretary general of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization said. His remarks come as the fate of a $60 billion U.S. military aid package proposed by the Biden administration is in limbo due to opposition from some Republicans in Congress.   Read more ....  WNU Editor : This is not reassuring news....

SIG Sauer introduced the MCX-Rattler LT on November 16, 2023. This new model retains the features of the original MCX-Rattler but enhances them in a more modular and versatile package. Read full news at this link... MCX-Rattler LT Rifles-Pistols (Picture source: SIG Sauer) Read more... from World Defence News https://ift.tt/UcorsfA via IFTTT

Elbit Systems was awarded a contract by Airbus Defense and Space to supply the Direct Infrared Counter Measures (DIRCM) and Infrared (IR) Missile Warning Systems for installation on the MRTT A330 refueling aircraft of the Royal Canadiéan Air Force. The contract will be performed over a period of five years. Read full news at this link... The Royal Canadian air Force's Airbus MRTTs will benefit from Elebit Systems' DIRCM sel-protection suite (Picture source: Airbus/Elbit Systems) Read more... from World Defence News https://ift.tt/l1sDgbC via IFTTT

C. William Walldorf, Jr., Real Clear Wire : Time to Drawdown From Syria   As part of the fallout from the war in Gaza, U.S. forces in Syria and Iraq have come under attack more than fifty times from Iranian-backed militias since early October. At least fifty-six military personnel have been injured. In response, the U.S. launched retaliatory air strikes and has sent about 900 more troops to the region.  This bolstering of forces is the wrong move. In fact, the U.S. is overdue to drawdown its forces from Syria.  Why drawdown completely? The answer is simple. The small contingent of U.S. forces in Syria, especially, are sitting ducks for further attacks in support of missions where the costs of continuing those missions now far outstrip their strategic benefits. Recent attacks bring this mismatch between costs and benefits into sharp relief. These incidents should also serve as a warning for potential dangers if U.S. policy fails to change course.   Read more ......

According to Tasnim on November 27, the new destroyer named Daylaman and bearing hull identification number 78 was officially commissioned during a ceremony held in the northern port city of Bandar Anzali. The event was attended by prominent figures, including Chief of Staff of the Iranian Armed Forces Major General Mohammad Hossein Baqeri, Army Commander Major General Abdolrahim Mousavi, and Navy Commander Rear Admiral Shahram Irani. Read full news at this link... Weighing in at 1,500 tons, this destroyer has been designed and constructed by the Defense Ministry, under the auspices of the Navy  (Picture source: Tasnim Military) Read more... from World Defence News https://ift.tt/3lhdGQN via IFTTT

Mikhail Danilenko, the Managing Director of the KMZ holding, has announced that the Russian military will soon receive domestically developed naval drones for comprehensive testing by the year's end. Read full news at this link... When laden with a 600 kg payload of explosives, KMZ's naval drone can travel up to 200 km at a maximum speed of 80 km/h  (Picture source: topwar.ru) Read more... from World Defence News https://ift.tt/LwmqTEB via IFTTT

As reported by Gabriele Molinelli on November 23, 2023, the British Ministry of Defence (MoD) has initiated the procurement of 50 Foxhound command vehicles, awarding a contract valued at £19,760,000 to General Dynamics Land Systems UK. The official granting of the contract is scheduled for January 31, 2024, and the contract will span a 15-month period, starting on the same date and concluding on March 31, 2025. Read full defense news at this link... The primary focus of this procurement is the Foxhound command variant conversion project, aimed at modifying 50 Foxhound Light Protected Patrol Vehicles into command variants (Picture source: British Army) Read more from World Defence News https://ift.tt/nKAm8oW via IFTTT

A Ukrainian serviceman prepares artillery shells [File: Kateryna Klochko/AP Photo]   The Telegraph: How the West lost the artillery shell race and what it means for Ukraine   As the weather worsens and front lines are frozen in place, Ukraine is struggling to secure enough artillery shells to change the equation. President Volodymyr Zelensky has warned key shipments of 155mm munitions have dropped off after fighting erupted between Israel and Hamas last month.  Both Ukraine and Russia have struggled to maintain stockpiles of shells after nearly two years of long-range duels across vast battlefields.  But recently Moscow has received one million shells from its ally North Korea in 10 separate shipments since August, according to South Korea’s intelligence service.  This has helped sustain Russian forces in a renewed attempt to capture Avdiivka, pummelling the Donetsk region town relentlessly with artillery fire.  At the same time, the European Union...

The KN-23, first revealed during a North Korean military parade in 2018 and entering service around 2019-2020, is a short-range ballistic missile system that showcases significant advancements in the country's missile capabilities. Bearing conceptual similarities to the Russian Iskander and the South Korean Hyunmoo 2, it was developed with assistance from Russia and China. Read full Fact Sheet about KN-23 at this link ... The KN-23 also called HWASONG-11GA is a North Korean-made short-range tactical ballistic missil e.  Read Fact Sheet from World Defence News https://ift.tt/Inm01st via IFTTT

The United States Department of Defense (DoD) has reported that North Korea dispatched over 1,000 containers of arms and ammunition including KN-23 tactical ballistic missiles to Russia in October 2023. This development marks a significant escalation in North Korea's involvement in the Ukraine conflict. Photographs released by the U.S. show a large accumulation of these containers at Najin, a North Korean port city near the Russian border. These arms were then reportedly transported across Russia to a location near the Ukrainian frontier. Read full Defense News at this link ... North Korean KN-23 mobile ballistic missile launcher. (Picture source NK News) Read More from World Defence News https://ift.tt/JXwgFoW via IFTTT

Politico: The polls keep getting worse for Biden   Trump’s vote share in national polls is higher than at any time in the past year .  President Joe Biden’s poll numbers keep getting worse.  November started with New York Times/Siena College polls showing Trump ahead in four of the six swing states, but more indicators of Biden’s electoral peril soon followed. The president’s standing in head-to-head matchups with Trump is falling: Among the latest surveys this month from 13 separate pollsters, Biden’s position is worse than their previous polls in all but two of them. Read more ....   WNU Editor: I am not counting out Biden. A lot can happen between now and next year's Presidential election. from War News Updates https://ift.tt/gh8miDr via IFTTT

Look at the ages of these Ukrainian soldiers in this 'motivational concert'. The ages of trainees Ukraine soldiers keeps going up and is averaging around 50. pic.twitter.com/mwyEmROINv — Pamela Taylor (@PamelaTaylor000) November 23, 2023 Zero Hedge : Gloom Falls Over Ukraine As Recruitment Dwindles And Israeli War Steals Spotlight   The enthusiasm in the western media for an imminent Ukrainian victory over Russia has been ever circular; people who only get their news from corporate sources are likely to believe that Russia is about to be defeated any day now.  However, as with all propaganda campaigns the public eventually grows tired of hollow optimism and skeptical of bombastic claims. Influencing hearts and minds is a fading prospect if your campaign is based on lies. If the war has taught people anything it is to never trust establishment media sources to be accurate in their reporting, or prescient in their predictions.   Read more ....   WNU Editor: ...

On November 24, 2023, Martin Eger, the German Ambassador to Kyiv, declared Germany's commitment to bolster Ukraine's air defense by supplying an additional Patriot air defense missile system. This move aims to enhance the Ukrainian military's air defense capabilities. Read full Defense News at this link .. . German army launcher truck of Patriot air defense missile system. (Picture source German MoD) Read More from World Defence News https://ift.tt/GdRiUov via IFTTT

  Times of Israel: Thousands of Gazans head north, in potential challenge to IDF’s campaign after truce   2 reported killed as Hamas encourages civilians to go back to war zone; IDF drops flyers, tries to prevent flow; 13 hostages to be freed at 4 p.m.; humanitarian aid enters Gaza  As Israel’s four-day truce with Hamas came into effect in Gaza on Friday morning, thousands of people who had fled to areas near Gaza’s border with Egypt were seeking to return to their villages with children and pets in their arms and their belongings loaded onto donkey carts or car roofs.  Overnight Thursday-Friday, Hamas urged Gazans to return to the north of the Strip, where the IDF has focused its ground offensive for the past three weeks. The truce deal, under which the Gaza-governing Hamas terror group is set to free 50 Israeli hostages over four days from Friday, bars Gazans from returning to the north of the Strip.   Read more ....   WNU Editor: I am sure many ...

  The Guardian : Gaza ceasefire to begin on Friday morning with hostage releases to follow   Negotiators work out final details of four-day truce between Israel and Hamas after seven weeks of conflict  A four-day ceasefire in Gaza between Israel and Hamas will begin on Friday morning, a day later than originally announced, after negotiators worked out final details of the deal, which will lead to the release of dozens of hostages held by militants as well as Palestinians imprisoned by Israel.  The diplomatic breakthrough promises the first pause in seven weeks of war in Gaza and some relief both for the 2.3 million Palestinians in the territory who have endured intensive Israeli bombardment, and for families in Israel fearful for the fate of their loved ones taken captive during the bloody attack launched last month by Hamas that triggered the conflict.   Read more ....  Live Updates On The Israel - Hamas War  Israel-Hamas war live updates: Ce...

DW: Geert Wilders: Far-right populist wins big in Dutch election   With almost all votes counted, Geert Wilders' far-right PVV party is well ahead of its closest rival. The anti-Islam populist has vowed to form a government.   With 98% of the votes counted on Thursday, Geert Wilders' far-right Party for Freedom (PVV) won 37 of the 150 seats in the Dutch parliament.  The populist party was well ahead of a joint Labor-Green bloc with 25 seats and the conservative People's Party for Freedom and Democracy (VVD) of outgoing Prime Minister Mark Rutte with 24 seats.   Read more ....   WNU Editor : The affordability crisis is what propelled Geert Wilders and his Party for Freedom (PVV) to their showing in these elections. But they only won 37 of 150 seats. He will still need to form a coalition government with some of the other parties to effectively govern.  Update: We shall see .... Geert Wilders is just the start of Europe’s Right-wing wave (Unherd)...

This handout picture taken and released by the Ukrainian Presidential press service on November 21, 2023, shows Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky during his meeting with the Moldovan president and the European Council president, in downtown Kyiv, amid the Russian invasion of Ukraine. (Photo by UKRAINIAN PRESIDENTIAL PRESS SERVICE / AFP)  Newsweek: Ukraine Has 'Every Right' To Kill Putin Given the Opportunity: Zelensky   Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has said that his country has every right to kill his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin if the opportunity arises, if doing so would protect Ukraine and his people.  Zelensky made the remarks in a wide-ranging interview with The Sun in Kyiv, telling the tabloid newspaper that he has lost track of the number of times Moscow has attempted to assassinate him since Putin launched a full-scale invasion of his country in February 2022.  "That's war, and Ukraine has all the rights to defend our land," the...

 According to information published by the Indian MoD on November 21, 2023, the Indian Navy and DRDO successfully conducted guided flight trials of the first indigenously developed Naval Anti-Ship Missile from a Seaking 42B helicopter. Read full news at this link Seaking 42B helicopter launching indigenous naval anti ship missile. (Picture source: Indian Navy) Read more from World Defence News https://ift.tt/BCOfKxt via IFTTT

Leonardo, in collaboration with the Air Armaments and Airworthiness Directorate of the Secretariat General of Defence/National Armaments Directorate, has finalized a Purchase Contract aimed at providing the Slovenian Defence Ministry with an additional C-27J Spartan aircraft. This agreement also encompasses comprehensive logistics and training services, bolstering the defense capabilities of Slovenia. This contract is a result of the Government-to-Government (G2G) accord between Italy and Slovenia, inked on November 17, 2021, designed to enhance bilateral cooperation between the two nations. Read full news at this link... The C-27J Spartan is highly adaptable thanks to multiple roll-on/roll-off mission kits and the capability to swiftly transition into the desired configuration for a specific mission (Picture source: Army Recognition) Read more... from World Defence News https://ift.tt/xu8yzcH via IFTTT

  Axios : Israel and Hamas agree to hostage deal, four-day pause in fighting in Gaza   The Israeli government and Hamas announced separately on Tuesday they have agreed to a Qatar-mediated deal in which the militant group will free dozens of Israeli hostages in exchange for a four-day pause in fighting in Gaza and the release of dozens of Palestinians held in prisons in Israel.   Why it matters: The deal, once implemented, will be the biggest diplomatic breakthrough and the first major pause in fighting since the war began.  Details: In the first phase of the two-phase deal, Hamas is expected to free at least 50 Israeli women and children held in Gaza, while Israel is expected to release about 150 Palestinian prisoners, mostly women and children over the four-day pause.  Read more ....   Israel And Hamas Reach A Hostage Deal And A Four-Day Pause In The Fighting   Live: Israel and Hamas agree deal to release hostages during pause in fi...

  CNN: US fires on and kills hostile forces after attack in Iraq, US official says   A US military aircraft fired on a vehicle and killed hostile forces following an attack on US and coalition forces at Al-Asad Airbase in Iraq on Monday evening, a US official told CNN on Tuesday.  It’s unclear how many hostiles were killed and whether US personnel were injured in the attack on Al-Asad.  Two US officials said the US AC-130 gunship, which is capable of firing artillery at ground-based targets, was acting in defense.  As of Monday afternoon, there had been at least 64 attacks on US and coalition forces in Iraq and Syria, including several on forces at Al-Asad.  Read more ....   WNU Editor: The US has deployed gunships to retailiate .... AC-130 Ghostrider Gunship Strikes Iranian-Backed Militia In Iraq (The War Zone). More here .... AC-130 destroys truck US says launched rocket attack in Iraq (Task & Purpose).  U.S. Launches Attack Ag...

Ukraine's Defence Minister Rustem Umerov and German Defence Minister Boris Pistorius attend a joint news conference, amid Russia's attack on Ukraine, in Kyiv, Ukraine November 21, 2023. REUTERS/Gleb Garanich   Politico.eu: German defense minister announces €1.3B weapons package during visit to Kyiv   Germany said it will continue to stand with Ukraine, but still won’t provide Taurus missiles.   KYIV — German Defense Minister Boris Pistorius arrived in Kyiv on Tuesday bearing a much-needed gift: more military aid for Ukraine.  "I have the honor to announce a new package," Pistorius said during a press conference in Kyiv. It includes another four systems of IRIS-T medium-range missiles, 155-millimeter ammunition, and Panzer anti-tank defense mines, he clarified.  "Altogether it is a package worth €1.3 billion euros, and I am quite sure this will help you and your fight against Russian aggression. We stand with Ukraine reliably," Pistorius said.   Rea...

The Kalashnikov Concern fulfilled ahead of schedule its 2023 obligations under the state contract with the Russian Ministry of Defense for the supply of Vikhr-1 guided missiles. Before being transferred to the Ministry of Defense, the ammunition underwent control flight tests, during which they confirmed full compliance with the contract requirements. Read full news at this link... Vikhr-1 anti-tank guided missile fired by a Kamov Ka-52 Alligator (Picture source: Kalashnikov Concern) Read more... from World Defence News https://ift.tt/gacFKE1 via IFTTT

Member of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee and Foreign Minister Wang Yi meets a delegation of foreign ministers from Arab and Islamic countries in Beijing on November 20, 2023. Photo: Chinese Foreign Ministry   Global Times : Beijing hosts delegation, urges immediate cease-fire in Gaza   Arab-Islamic delegation’s first stop in Beijing underscores trust, highlighting China’s constructive role in Middle East   China urged an immediate cease-fire in the Gaza Strip, expressed opposition to any forced displacement and relocation of Palestinian civilians and emphasized that any arrangement concerning the future and destiny of the Palestinian people must have their consent, Chinese top diplomat Wang Yi told visiting Arab and Islamic foreign ministers on Monday.  Apart from talks with Arab and Islamic countries, China is also keeping communication with other permanent members of the UN Security Council on the Palestinian-Israeli issue.   Read mo...

Russia is believed to envisage the reintroduction of the old  Soviet-Era Miassichtchev  M-55 Mystic B surveillance aircraft for observation missions over Ukraine. In the 1950s, Laurent Lagneau reminds us in Opex 360, the US Air Force initiated the Genitrix program, which involved sending stratospheric balloons beyond the reach of existing air defense systems and fighter planes over the Soviet Union and China for intelligence purposes. This led to a race between the US and the Soviet Union to develop advanced reconnaissance capabilities. Read full news at this link... Soviet-Era Miassichtchev M-55 Mystic B surveillance aircraft  (Picture source: Vitaly V. Kuzmin – CC BY-SA 4.0) Read more... from World Defence News https://ift.tt/yaKR3Av via IFTTT

The Chilean company Fábricas y Maestranzas del Ejército (Famae) is gearing up to launch its new Tornado-F semi-automatic pistol, caliber 9x19 mm, in the Chilean market in December 2023. Initially introduced as a prototype at Exponaval 2022, this model marks Famae's return to the handgun segment and the expansion of its product line. The development of this new generation of pistols started in 2019, with the first prototype of the 9x19 mm caliber pistol presented in 2020, initially named Vulcano, then renamed Volcano-F, with public sales beginning in October 2022. Read full news at this link... Vulcano-F differs from Tornado-F in that its case is made of steel rather than polymer (Picture source: FAMAE) Read more... from World Defence News https://ift.tt/2c6fKir via IFTTT

The Netherlands will continue to fully support Ukraine. The government has reserved over 2 billion euros for 2024. This amount is mainly intended for military support. According to the Ministers of Defence and Foreign Affairs and the Minister for Foreign Trade and Development Cooperation, Ukraine will continue to need this support to a significant extent in 2024. Read full news at this link... Minister Kajsa Ollongren: “The Netherlands will continue to fully support Ukraine. By reserving this large amount, we’re also sending a clear message: Ukraine can count on us, both now and in the past.” (Picture source: Dutch MoD) Read more... from World Defence News https://ift.tt/KRcAn7U via IFTTT

  At Milipol 2023, the French company Shark Robotics introduced Barakuda, a new unmanned ground vehicle (UGV). This vehicle, developed with insights from the French Army, is tailored for defense and security missions. Read full Defense News at this link: Shark Robotics' Barakuda UGV (Picture source: Army Recognition) Read more from World Defence News https://ift.tt/4PuG8X2 via IFTTT

  Reuters: Biggest protest in Spain against Catalan amnesty law draws 170000   MADRID (Reuters) -About 170,000 people marched through Madrid on Saturday in the largest protest yet against an amnesty law which Spain's Socialists agreed over Catalonia's 2017 separatist bid in order to form a government.  The demonstration, the latest in a series of protests in cities across the country against the amnesty, took place two days after Spain's Socialist Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez won a four-year term with the backing of Catalan and Basque nationalist parties in return for agreeing to the law.  Protesters, many waving Spanish flags and holding signs that read "Sanchez traitor" and "Don't sell Spain", demonstrated against the law which four judicial associations, opposition political parties and business leaders said threatens the rule of law and the separation of powers.  Authorities put the number of demonstrators at 170,000.   Read more ....   ...