October 28, 2024
The World is smoldering:
Israel’s Strike on Iran Also Hit Russian Arms Industry’s Once-Strong Image
Israel’s airstrikes early Saturday didn’t just destroy critical Iranian military infrastructure. They also battered the reputation of Russian military equipment, which has already been pummeled by poor performance during Moscow’s invasion of Ukraine.
Iran’s Russian-made air-defense equipment stopped few if any of the missiles that Israel launched from 100 jet fighters, according to U.S. and Israeli officials. Among Iran’s losses in the strikes were its three Russian S-300 air-defense systems. Israel earlier this year hit Iran’s only other S-300.
The Middle East Drug Fueling War, Crime and All-Night Parties
https://www.wsj.com/world/middle-east/captagon-drug-syria-assad-hezbollah-f1588132?mod=hp_lead_pos7
Another urgent conflict in the Middle East is playing out on the border between Syria and Jordan: a war against captagon, an amphetamine-like drug that’s taken off across the region.
The drug cuts across social class and borders. It’s used by taxi drivers handling late-night shifts, militia fighters looking to induce courage, students studying for exams, and high-powered executives wanting to work, or party, long hours.
It’s all added up to a multibillion-dollar drug trade that is fueling more conflict in the region. Money from drug smuggling has lined the pockets of Iran-backed militias, including Hezbollah, which has spent vast amounts of its proceeds on weapons to fight Israel. The drug props up Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, whose regime has become one of the world’s biggest drug syndicates, helping it offset years of punishing Western economic sanctions.
VW Eyes Closing Three German Factories in Cost-Cutting Push
https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2024-10-28/vw-eyes-closing-three-german-factories-in-cost-cutting-push?srnd=homepage-americas&sref=k5DuN3at
Volkswagen AG plans to close at least three factories in Germany as Europe’s biggest automaker tries to slash expenses to become more competitive.
Proposals to fix the struggling namesake VW brand include a 10% wage cut and shrinking all remaining sites in Germany, said works council chief and supervisory board member Daniela Cavallo.
Israel Readies New Laser Defense Against More Rocket Attacks
https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2024-10-28/israel-readies-new-laser-defense-against-more-rocket-attacks?srnd=homepage-americas&sref=k5DuN3at
Israel expects a new laser system that can intercept rockets, drones and mortars at negligible cost to be operational next year after an accelerated manufacturing process.
The shield, known as Iron Beam, would supplement existing Israeli air defenses that have been stretched by more than a year of fighting with Iran and its proxies in Gaza, Lebanon, Syria, Iraq and Yemen. It is designed to disable incoming projectiles by heating them using a high-energy laser, as opposed to shooting them down with missiles.
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