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Monday, December 4th, 2023

Good morning everyone,

Let’s jump right in today.

In Europe, Russia cracks down on LGBT movements, Germany foils a terror plot, and France is rocked by further Jihadist terror attacks.

Over in the Middle East, the ceasefire between Israel and Hamas ends, the UK seeks to deploy surveillance aircraft above Gaza, and Yemen’s Houthi’s attack more ships.

Meanwhile, in Africa, Guinea Bissau suffers a coup attempt, Rwanda makes progress towards establishing Africa’s first MRNA vaccine plant, and Kenya suffers devastating floods.

In the Americas, Guatemala's Congress suspends electoral judges immunity with rumors of corruption abound, the US debates halting sanction relief to Venezuela, and three young men are shot in the US for being Palestinian.

In Asia and Oceania, South Korea launches a spy satellite much to North Korea’s anger, a terrorist attack heightens religious tensions in the Philippines, and mine workers are rescued in India.

It’s just another day at the office. Let's jump in:

- Joshua Paulo, Sebastien Gray, Trent Barr, & the Atlas team

US and Iran Eye One Another in the Middle East

Sunday, December 3rd, 2023: (1 Minute Read) Over the last several days, the Iranian military has published several videos and photos of its monitoring operations of the U.S. Eisenhower Carrier Strike Group in the Persian Gulf. The United States responded by publishing its photos showing U.S. aircraft from the Eisenhower Carrier Air Wing intercepting those drones. This exchange is part of a continuing display of force from both sides as heightened tensions in the region due to the Israel-Gaza conflict threaten further war.

On November 26th, commander of the IRGC Navy, Commodore Alireza Tangsir, claimed that Iranian drones interfered with American carrier operations as it transited the Strait of Hormuz off the coast of Iran. The video shows deck operations on the Eisenhower as the drone flies above the ship. Apparently, Iranian forces warned the US to keep all of it’s aircraft on the ship as it transited the strait.

United States Central Command (CENTCOM) released a photo which appears to show an Iranian Mohajer-6 unmanned aerial vehicle (wings clean) above the Eisenhower carrier. The drone is most likely collecting full motion video and other signals and presents not only an intelligence threat to U.S. forces but also a physical threat as it is well within the launch and recovery bubble of the carrier.

The U.S. photos appear to be taken from an MH-60 series helicopter from the Eisenhower or supporting surface vessels. The Mohajer-6 is an Iranian single-engine multirole ISTAR UAV capable of carrying a multispectral surveillance payload and/or up to four precision-guided munitions. The IRGC Ground Forces currently fly ten of these aircraft with 40 more planned for the IRGC Navy.

CENTCOM stated that “The U.S. Navy will continue to fly and sail where international law allows.”

Europe

November 30th, 2023 - Russia’s supreme court endorsed a request from the Justice Ministry to ban "the international LGBT social movement" on Thursday, which has led some to worry about the potential persecution of those belonging to the community. It took the court nearly 5 hours to reach the verdict, a decision activists claim to have been inevitable following the Justice Ministry’s request. Over 100 other groups are banned in Russia, including the Jehovah’s Witnesses and opposition organizations. Moscow police raided several LGBT venues, which included a nightclub, a male sauna, and a bar that hosted LGBT parties. Following the ruling, police reportedly checked and photographed the documents of attendees. Critics have raised concerns that the broad definition provided by the Supreme Court could be weaponized to attack political opposition.

November 29th, 2023 - According to German media outlet Tagesschau, two teenagers, a German-Afghan dual national and a Russian national, have been arrested after being caught planning a terrorist attack on Christmas festivities in Cologne, Germany. Authorities were alerted to the threat after the Afghan dual national posted a video to his Telegram page calling for violence and a “holy war”. The 15-year-old German-Afghan lives in Burscheid near Leverkusen in North Rhine-Westphalia. The Federal Office for the Protection of the Constitution (BfV) told Tagesschau that the video featured a young person who is said to have called for a “holy war” against the West and announced a terrorist attack in Germany for Friday, December 1st.

December 2nd, 2023 - At least one person is dead and two people were left wounded after a suspect attacked passersby at random in the area of Quai de Grenelle, which is near the Eiffel Tower in Paris. The suspect, who was apprehended, was known to authorities for ties to Islamic extremism and reportedly shouted “Allahu Akbar” during the attack. The suspect has been identified by local media as “Armand R,” a French national of Iranian origin previously known by authorities for ties to radical Islamic Jihadism. According to Le Parisien, the suspect claimed that the deaths of Muslims in Palestine and Afghanistan were his motivation and further described France as an accomplice to Israel. Armand was apprehended by police after being tased. The suspect fatally stabbed a German-Philippine dual national on the Bir-Hakeim bridge before attacking two other people, who are both expected to survive, with a hammer as he fled authorities.

Middle East

December 2nd, 2023 - The UK's Ministry of Defence has announced its intention to deploy surveillance aircraft "over the Eastern Mediterranean, including operating in air space over Israel and Gaza." They stated that the sole purpose of the aircraft would be to assist in hostage location. Notably, they specifically stated the aircraft would be unarmed and not participate in combat roles. Hamas condemned the deployment, stating it makes the UK “a partner with the Zionist occupation in its crimes and responsible for the massacres inflicted upon our Palestinian people."

December 1st, 2023 - The ceasefire between Israel and Hamas has ended after 7 days. Shortly after it ended on December 1st at 7 a.m. local time, the IDF resumed strikes against Gaza, and Hamas resumed firing rockets towards Israel. Originally, the ceasefire was only supposed to last 4 days. However, mediators were successful at negotiating an additional two days at first and then one more additional day. Following its end, Gazan health authorities have reported several hundred casualties.

December 3rd, 2023 - In an official statement, the Iran-backed Houthi rebel movement confirmed the targeting of the commercial vessels “Unity Explorer” and “Number Nine” off the coast of Yemen in the Red Sea, adding that “The first ship was targeted with a naval missile and the second ship with a naval drone.” The Pentagon has confirmed that the Arleigh Burke-class destroyer USS Carney intercepted two drones that were heading towards it as it was responding to a distress signal by one of the targeted commercial vessels. There were no reports of damage or injuries on the USS Carney.

Africa

December 1st, 2023 - Guinea-Bissau President Umaro Sissoco Embalo has said the nation foiled an attempted coup after a group of national guard soldiers broke two government officials, the finance minister and the secretary of state for the treasury, out of prison. The two had been in jail pending a corruption investigation after the alleged irregular withdrawal of $10 million in state funds. After the soldiers broke the two out of prison, they attempted to take refuge in a barracks south of the city. The government stated that those who were in charge of the attempt have been caught after special forces intervened in the breakout attempt.

November 30th, 2023 - Rwanda’s Ministry of Health has stated that the nation's new BioNTech vaccine manufacturing plant is to be launched within the next month, due to begin on December 18th. The plant, which was created by German biotechnology company BioNTech, will be Africa’s very first MRNA vaccine manufacturing plant. Presently, 99% of the vaccines that Africa uses are imported, meaning Africa produces around 1% of the vaccines it actually uses. While the problems with this are apparent, the problem became strongly evident during the COVID-19 pandemic, which saw many African nations among the last to get a supply of vaccines. While the Rwandan plant is the first, BioNTech plans to open several similar centers across Africa in an attempt to have the entire production-to-application process begin and end within Africa.

December 2nd, 2023 - Kenya has been struck with intense rains that have caused severe flooding, leading to the reported displacement of several hundred thousand people. Thus far, an estimated 462,000 people have been displaced, while at least 136 people have been killed as settlements suffer extensive damage. Kenya’s military has airdropped supplies to areas of the nation that have been completely cut off from roadways due to the floods, which are largely taking place in the nation's north-east. Somalia and Ethiopia have also been suffering damage from flooding.

The Americas

December 1st, 2023 - Guatemala’s Congress voted to suspend the immunity of the nation’s electoral judges on Friday. The judges were accused of committing fraud and breach of duty for using software that state prosecutors claimed was "overpriced" to transmit preliminary election results. Three of the four judges left the country, according to immigration authorities. The suspension has led many to speculate that the move is an attempt to bar President-elect Bernardo Arevalo from taking office next month, following previous attempts by rival parties and Congress to prevent Arevalo from running for office. Arevalo was barred from running for office in July after the courts alleged that Arevalo’s party had more than 5,000 illegally affiliated members. Arevalo was targeted further in mid-November after the State Prosecutor moved to strip him of his immunity, alleging Arevalo played a role in the takeover of the capital's San Carlos University last year. Arevalo ran for office as an anti-graft candidate and enjoyed a surge of popularity in the polls throughout the election.

December 1st, 2023 - The White House announced on Friday that it is prepared to halt sanction relief to Venezuela within the coming days if the Venezuelan government fails to initiate changes previously agreed upon by the two nations. The US agreed to relax sanctions on the South American nation if concessions were made by the end of November, which included the release of three Americans and various political prisoners, and to make efforts to lift public-office bans on opposition candidates. This announcement comes after the Venezuelan government announced on Thursday that those barred from public office could appeal to the country’s highest court in order to be reinstated; however, White House national security spokesperson John Kirby stated on Friday that the US was still “deeply concerned about the lack of progress on the release of wrongfully detained U.S. citizens and Venezuelan political prisoners.” “So we're going to continue to be actively engaged here in diplomatic efforts on those particular issues, and we're prepared to take action in the coming days to pause certain sanctions relief unless further progress is made."

November 27th, 2023 - Authorities have announced that the suspect involved in the shooting of three Palestinian-American students, all aged 20, in Burlington, Vermont, on Saturday has been arrested and charged. The suspect, identified as Jason Eaton, 48, was arrested on Sunday and has been charged with three second-degree counts of attempted murder. Eaton has plead not guilty and is currently being held without bail. The three students, identified as Hisham Awartani, Kinnan Abdalhamid, and Tahseen Ali Ahmad, were out on a walk before a Thanksgiving dinner at Awartani’s grandmother’s house when they were allegedly approached by Eaton and shot at without warning.

Asia and Oceania

December 3rd, 2023 - A new space race has emerged between North and South Korea following Seoul's triumphant launch of its first military reconnaissance satellite in California. This occurred just over a week after Pyongyang's deployment of its own first spy satellite. According to experts, the rivalry is likely to escalate as both Koreas aspire to launch additional satellites in the near future, thereby enhancing their space-based surveillance capabilities. This escalating competition is contributing to heightened tensions on the Korean Peninsula as rhetoric continues to threaten war.

December 3rd, 2023 - The Islamic State has claimed responsibility for a bombing that targeted a Catholic mass on Sunday, which left at least four dead and dozens wounded at the Mindanao State University. Bangsamoro regional police director Allan Nobleza told DZBB that police and military EOD units have yet to determine the exact type of explosive device used, with the Philippine Star reporting that it could have been a remotely detonated device.

November 12th-28th, 2023 - All 41 mine workers have been rescued after spending nearly a month trapped beneath a cave-in in India’s Uttarkashi. The tunnel collapsed and left a breathable pocket on November 12th. By November 15th, emergency crews were able to get air, water, and food to the trapped workers through a series of delivery pipes. Crews then began a vertical drill operation to slowly insert a human-sized pipe that the miners could be pulled through. By November 28th, all workers had been rescued and transported to the nearby Chinyalisaur Community Health Center.

• Finland closes majority of border crossings with Russia amidst migrant surge - Tessaron

• Extreme winter storm in Southern Ukraine - OurWarsToday

• Japan, Britain, and Italy to meet on GCAP - Joshua Paulo

• US CENTCOM confirms retaliatory strikes in Iraq - Atlas

• US warns India over thwarted assassination - Tessaron

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