TheList 5256

The List 5256






Good Tuesday Morning March 31 to all. .Just a reminder that we have cancelled the Bubba Breakfast for April 3 this Friday. We will see how May goes to decide about that one.


Regards


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This Day In Naval History – March 31, 2020


1854


Commodore Matthew C. Perry and Japanese officials sign the Treaty of Kanagawa, opening trade between the U.S. and Japan. The treaty also provided protection for American merchant seamen wrecked in Japanese waters.


1917


Rear Adm. James H. Oliver takes possession of the Danish West Indies for the United States, and they are renamed the U.S. Virgin Islands. He also becomes the first governor of the islands under American control.


1945


USS Morrison (DD 560) and USS Stockton (DD 646) sink the Japanese submarine I 8, 65 miles southeast of Okinawa.


1992


USS Missouri (BB-63), the last active American battleship, is decommissioned. Commissioned in June 1944, she served during World War II, notably for the location of the official Japanese surrender on Sept. 2, 1945. Today, the "Mighty Mo" is open for visitors in Pearl Harbor, Hawaii, as the Battleship Missouri Memorial, under the care of the USS Missouri Memorial Association, Inc.


1993


Two 2 EP-3E aircraft, from Fleet Air Reconnaissance Squadron 2 (VQ-2), are on station over the Adriatic providing crucial support to the delivery of humanitarian air drops over eastern Bosnia-Herzegovina in Operation Provide Promise. This operation becomes the longest running humanitarian airlift in history at the time and operates from February 1993 to January 1996.






Thanks to CHINFO


Executive Summary:


• In a video posted on the Navy Live Blog, CNO Adm. Mike Gilday and MCPON Russell Smith addressed the fleet on the Navy's continued efforts to combat COVID-19.


• To mark the close of Women's History Month, CNO Gilday and Mrs. Linda Gilday recognized the contributions of countless women to the U.S. Navy in a video message on the Navy Live Blog.


• Multiple outlets covered USNS Comfort's arrival in New York City Monday as USNS Mercy received patients in Los Angeles.






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Today in History March 31


1282 The great massacre of the French in Sicily The Sicilian Vespers comes to an end.


1547 In France, Francis--king since 1515--dies and is succeeded by his son Henry II.


1776 Abigail Adams writes to husband John that women are "determined to foment a rebellion" if the new Declaration of Independence fails to guarantee their rights.


1779 Russia and Turkey sign a treaty by which they promise to take no military action in the Crimea.


1790 In Paris, France, Maximilien Robespierre is elected president of the Jacobin Club.


1836 The first monthly installment of The Pickwick Papers by Charles Dickens is published in London.


1862 Skirmishing between Rebels and Union forces takes place at Island 10 on the Mississippi River.


1880 The first electric street lights ever installed by a municipality are turned on in Wabash, Indiana.


1889 The Eiffel Tower in Paris officially opens on the Left Bank as part of the Exhibition of 1889


1916 General John Pershing and his army rout Pancho Villa's army in Mexico.


1917 The United States purchases the Virgin Islands from Denmark for $25 million.


1918 Daylight Savings Time goes into effect throughout the United States for the first time.


1921 Great Britain declares a state of emergency because of the thousands of coal miners on strike.


1933 To relieve rampant unemployment, Congress authorizes the Civilian Conservation Corps .


1939 Britain and France agree to support Poland if Germany threatens to invade.


1940 La Guardia airport in New York officially opens to the public.


1941 Germany begins a counter offensive in North Africa.


1945 The United States and Britain bar a Soviet supported provisional regime in Warsaw from entering the U.N. meeting in San Francisco.


1948 The Soviet Union begins controlling the Western trains headed toward Berlin.


1949 Winston Churchill declares that the A-bomb was the only thing that kept the Soviet Union from taking over Europe.


1954 The siege of Dien Bien Phu, the last French outpost in Vietnam, begins after the Viet Minh realize it cannot be taken by direct assault.


1960 The South African government declares a state of emergency after demonstrations lead to the deaths of more than 50 Africans.


1966 An estimated 200,000 anti-war demonstrators march in New York City.


1967 President Lyndon Johnson signs the Consular Treaty, the first bi-lateral pact with the Soviet Union since the Bolshevik Revolution.


1970 U.S. forces in Vietnam down a MIG-21, the first since September 1968.


1980 President Jimmy Carter deregulates the banking industry.


1991 Albania offers a multi-party election for the first time in 50 years






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Thanks to Bart


Subject: Some good ones






I'd give credit to the authors of these gems, but in most cases it's virtually impossible to pin down who first laid fingers on keyboard.


So, in no particular order, away we go...






"We are about three weeks away from knowing everyone's true hair color."


"Apparently, this year is being written by Stephen King."


"You might as well go ahead and pronounce the 'L' in 'salmon.' Nothing matters anymore."


"Day 2 without sports. Found a lady sitting on my couch. Apparently she's my wife Seems nice."


"Like a good neighbor, stay over there."


"If you self-quarantine for your family's safety, please be smart. I cannot afford to go to 15 baby showers in December."


"Actually, it's only quarantine if it comes from the quarantine region of France; otherwise it's just sparkling isolation."


"I'd hate to see a diarrhea virus break out right now. People would buy up all the nasal spray."


On a photo of empty store shelves: "Y'all have Walmart looking like the Cleveland Browns' trophy case."


Atop a drawing of Keith Richards holding a cigarette: "Corona virus barometer. If he goes, we all go."


With a photo of a guy wearing a medical mask and looking out a window: "Day 6 of no sports. Watching birds fight over worms. Cardinals lead the Blue Jays 3-1."


Over a photo of a guy wearing a plain white T-shirt: "2020 NCAA Champions Shirts, $19.95."


Above a photo of a hand with words written all over the palm in ink: "I washed my hands so much that my exam notes from 1995 resurfaced."


"Back in the day, there was so much toilet paper that people used to literally string it up in the trees of their enemies."


"Now that we have everyone washing their hands correctly .. next week, turn signals."


"You know that stash of fast-food napkins in your glovebox? It's their turn to shine."


Over a photo of Rod Serling: "Imagine no restaurants, bars, concerts or sports. You just entered The Twilight Zone."






Keep smiling. This, too, shall pass.






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Thanks to Dr. Rich


Thanks to Karen ….


Whimsically, the 50s - a read filled with memories of olde ...






Long ago and far away, in a land that time forgot,


Before the days of Dylan, or the dawn of Camelot.
There lived a race of innocents, and they were you and me,

For Ike was in the White House in that land where we were born,
Where navels were for oranges, and Peyton Place was porn.

We longed for love and romance, and waited for our Prince,
Eddie Fisher married Liz, and no one's seen him since.

We danced to 'Little Darlin,' and sang to 'Stagger Lee'
And cried for Buddy Holly in the Land That Made Me, Me.



Only girls wore earrings then, and 3 was one too many,
And only boys wore flat-top cuts, except for Jean McKinney.



And only in our wildest dreams did we expect to see
A boy named George with Lipstick, in the Land That Made Me, Me.



We fell for Frankie Avalon, Annette was oh, so nice,
And when they made a movie, they never made it twice..



We didn't have a Star Trek Five, or Psycho Two and Three,
Or Rocky-Rambo Twenty in the Land That Made Me, Me.



Miss Kitty had a heart of gold and Chester had a limp,
And Reagan was a Democrat whose co-star was a chimp.



We had a Mr. Wizard, but not a Mr. T,
And Oprah couldn't talk yet, in the Land That Made Me, Me.



We had our share of heroes, we never thought they'd go,
At least not Bobby Darin, or Marilyn Monroe.



For youth was still eternal, and life was yet to be,
And Elvis was forever in the Land That Made Me, Me.



We'd never seen the rock band that was Grateful to be Dead,
And Airplanes weren't named Jefferson, and Zeppelins were not Led.



And Beatles lived in gardens then, and Monkees lived in trees,
Madonna was Mary in the Land That Made Me, Me.



We'd never heard of microwaves, or telephones in cars,
And babies might be bottle-fed, but they were not grown in jars.



And pumping iron got wrinkles out, and 'gay' meant fancy-free,
And dorms were never co-Ed in the Land That Made Me, Me.



We hadn't seen enough of jets to talk about the lag,
And microchips were what was left at the bottom of the bag.

And hardware was a box of nails, and bytes came from a flea,
And rocket ships were fiction in the Land That Made Me, Me.

T-Birds came with portholes and side shows came with freaks,
And bathing suits came big enough to cover both your cheeks.

And Coke came just in bottles, and skirts below the knee,
And Castro came to power near the Land That Made Me, Me.

We had no Crest with Fluoride, we had no Hill Street Blues,
We had no patterned pantyhose or Lipton herbal tea



Or prime-time ads for those dysfunctions in the Land That Made Me, Me.

There were no golden arches, no Perrier to chill,
And fish were not called Wanda, and cats were not called Bill

And middle-aged was 35 and old was forty-three,
And ancient were our parents in the Land That Made Me, Me.

But all things have a season, or so we've heard them say,
And now instead of Maybelline we swear by Retin-A.



They send us invitations to join AARP,
We've come a long way, baby, from the Land That Made Me, Me.

So now we face a brave new world in slightly larger jeans,
And wonder why they're using smaller print in magazines.
And we tell our children's children of the way it used to be,
Long ago and far away in the Land That Made Me, Me.



If you didn't grow up in the fifties,
You missed the greatest time in history.






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The unbreadable code


thanks to CarlM and Dutch






https://nam10.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fyoutu.be%2FQmiqnAQTTCI&data=02%7C01%7C%7Cc46ab042e7a549ca91f608d7b6d1e6be%7C84df9e7fe9f640afb435aaaaaaaaaaaa%7C1%7C0%7C637178884936920976&sdata=CrAnNfzMnZKZKo%2FSwGKIw9x%2FqPo%2FR7FOQYHvNa%2BQAHI%3D&reserved=0






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NEEDED HUMOR FOR ALL OF US


Thanks to Craig S. ….and Dr. Rich










'INTERESTING' FIRST DATE ...






Jay Leno went into the audience to find the most embarrassing first date that a woman ever had. The winner described her worst first date experience. There was absolutely no question as to why her tale took the prize!

She said it was midwinter...snowing and quite cold... and the guy had taken her skiing in the mountains outside Salt Lake City, Utah. It was a day trip (no overnight). They were strangers, after all, and had never met before. The outing was fun but relatively uneventful until they were headed home late that afternoon. They were driving back down the mountain when she gradually began to realize that she should not have had that extra latte !! They were about an hour away from anywhere with a restroom and in the middle of nowhere! Her companion suggested she try to hold it, which she did for a while.

Unfortunately, because of the heavy snow and slow going, there came a point where she told him that he had better stop and let her go beside the road, or it would be the front seat of his car. They stopped and she quickly crawled out beside the car, yanked her pants down and started. In the deep snow she didn't have good footing, so she let her butt rest against the rear fender to steady herself. Her companion stood on the side of the car watching for traffic and indeed was a real gentleman and refrained from peeking. All she could think about was the relief she felt despite the rather embarrassing nature of the situation.

Upon finishing, however, she soon became aware of another sensation. As she bent to pull up her pants, the young lady discovered her buttocks were firmly glued against the car's fender. Thoughts of tongues frozen to poles immediately came to mind as she attempted to disengage her flesh from the icy metal. It was quickly apparent that she had a brand new problem, due to the extreme cold.

Horrified by her plight and yet aware of the humor of the moment, she answered her date's concerns about' what is taking so long' with a reply that indeed, she was 'freezing her butt off' and in need of some assistance! He came around the car as she tried to cover herself with her sweater and then, as she looked imploringly into his eyes, he burst out laughing. She too got the giggles and when they finally managed to compose themselves, they assessed her dilemma. Obviously, as hysterical as the situation was, they also were faced with a real problem.

Both agreed it would take something hot to free her chilly cheeks from the grip of the icy metal! Thinking about what had gotten her into the predicament in the first place, both quickly realized that there was only one way to get her free. So, as she looked the other way, her first-time date proceeded to unzip his pants and pee her butt off the fender.

As the audience screamed in laughter, she took the Tonight Show prize hands down. Or perhaps that should be 'pants down'. And you thought your first date was embarrassing.



Jay Leno's comment..... 'This gives a whole new meaning to being pissed off.'

Oh, and how did the first date turn out? He became her husband and was sitting next to her on the Leno show.

If you laughed at this pass it on. Remember, if you haven't got a smile on your face and laughter in your heart, then you are just a sour old fart.






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thanks to Tam









NJ alone, sold tens of millions of face masks to foreign buyers just within the past week!


The US supplies are HERE. The US suppliers are all exporting them! 😷


Tam














In the interest of brevity, I'm going to summarize what I learned below and then jump into a bit more detail.
Millions of N95 masks have been available throughout the U.S., Canada and the UK during the pandemic, according to brokers trying to sell them.
The high price point per mask, driven by extreme demand, has contributed to an overwhelmed reaction among potential buyers, especially in the U.S.
Scrutiny surrounding these deals is high because of ongoing scams and claims of price-gouging, both of which are triggering emotionally charged reactions and fear of making deals.
Millions of masks are being purchased by foreign buyers and are leaving the country, according to the brokers, while the domestic need remains alarmingly high.


https://www.forbes.com/sites/daviddisalvo/2020/03/30/i-spent-a-day-in-the-coronavirus-driven-feeding-frenzy-of-n95-mask-sellers-and-buyers-and-this-is-what-i-learned/






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World News from Military Periscope for 31 March


USA—N.J. Guardsman Dies From Coronavirus The Hill | 03/31/2020 The Pentagon has announced the first death of a U.S. servicemember due to the novel coronavirus (COVID-19), reports the Hill (Washington, D.C.). Army Capt. Douglas Linn Hickok, a physician assistant with the New Jersey National Guard, died on Saturday at a Pennsylvania hospital after having tested positive for COVID-19. Hickok was admitted to the hospital on March 21, reported Reuters. The Pentagon did not say if Hickock had prior health issues or had been mobilized for the COVID-19 response, noted the Air Force Times. There are more than 1,000 cases of COVID-19 confirmed within the defense and military community, according to data cited by the Stars and Stripes. Cases among troops increased from 309 to 569 over the weekend.






USA—Long-Delayed Zumwalt Destroyer Will Soon Be Ready For Operations Defense News | 03/31/2020 The U.S. Navy's first stealth destroyer is expected to be ready for operational duties soon, reports Defense News. BAE Systems is on track to complete installation of the combat system on USS Zumwalt by the end of March, an unnamed source told the newspaper last week. In November 2016, BAE received a $192 million contract to deliver the combat systems for the Zumwalt and her sister ship, Michael Monsoor. The Zumwalt was commissioned in 2016 without an operational combat system, delaying its ability to begin operations. The combat system on the Michael Monsoor is scheduled to be activated by the second quarter of 2020, as previously reported by the Naval Sea Systems Command. The third and final ship in the class, Lyndon B. Johnson, is scheduled for delivery by December.






USA—Raytheon, UTC Merger To Conclude This Week Hartford Courant | 03/31/2020 Raytheon and United Technologies Corp. (UTC) have announced that they will close their merger by the end of the week, reports the Hartford Courant. On Monday, the companies jointly announced that they would conclude their merger agreement before the start of trading on Friday, creating Raytheon Technologies Corp. based in Waltham, Mass. The merger is moving forward after the Dept. of Justice approved it on March 26, pending the divestment of several companies for competitive reasons, reported Defense News. Raytheon is divesting its its airborne radios business, while UTC is selling its military global positioning systems and large space-based optical systems businesses. In January, UTC announced the sale of its military GPS business, which was part of its Collins Aerospace subsidiary, to BAE Systems for $1.93 billion. At the same time, Raytheon said it was selling its airborne tactical radio business to BAE for $275 million. A purchaser for UTC's optical systems business has not been announced. UTC CEO Gregory Hayes will hold the top job at Raytheon Technologies. UTC shareholders will own 57 percent of the company and UTC will control eight of 15 seats on the board.






Turkey—Iranian Dissident's Killing Ordered By Tehran, Say Turkish Officials Reuters | 03/31/2020 Turkish officials believe that Iranian intelligence agents in Turkey masterminded the killing of an Iranian dissident in Istanbul last year, reports Reuters. Masoud Molavi Vardanjani was shot and killed while walking in central Istanbul on Nov. 14, 2019. The former cybersecurity expert had left Iran a year earlier after a career that included work with the Iranian Defense Ministry. Vardanjani was a vocal critic of the Iranian government and reportedly worked on drone technology with Turkish firms, despite warnings from Tehran to refrain from such activity. Suspects detained after the killing said that the operation was ordered by two Iranian intelligence officers at the Iranian consulate in Istanbul. One of the people involved in the attack had befriended Vardanjani shortly after he arrived in Istanbul. The individual passed information on him to Iranian authorities and participated in the conspiracy, said Turkish officials Turkish officials said that the killing would be raised directly with Iranian officials, with one suggesting that Turkish prosecutors might take up the matter.






Russia—New START Inspections Suspended Due To COVID-19 Tass | 03/31/2020 Russia and the U.S. have agreed to a temporary halt of bilateral inspections under the New Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty (New START) due to the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, reports Russia's Tass news agency. The countries have agreed to suspend on-site inspections of the other's nuclear arsenal until May 1, Daryl Kimball, the executive director of the Arms Control Association in Washington, D.C., told the news agency. A Bilateral Consultative Commission (BCC) meeting scheduled for March has been postponed until the fall, said Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov. The New START agreement is set to expire on Feb. 5, 2021. The U.S. has not yet indicated whether it will extend it for another five years. Moscow has urged Washington to extend the accord, which it called the "golden standard" for disarmament. The U.S. announced plans to hold arms control talks between the five permanent security council members in September during the U.N. General Assembly meeting. It remains unclear if those meetings will take place.






China—Natural Gas Discovery Could Exacerbate Disputes In S. China Sea China Daily | 03/31/2020 The Chinese government has announced that it extracted significant quantities of "flammable ice" during a trial exploration in the South China Sea, reports the China Daily. On March 24, the Chinese Ministry of Natural Resources announced that the exploratory mission had mined an average of 1 billion cubic feet (28,700 cubic m) of flammable ice (methane hydrate) a day. Methane hydrate occurs when methane gas is trapped within ice's molecular structure. Sheets of this frozen gas and ice contain microscopic bubbles of oil and water. The trial mining expedition took place about 200 miles (320 km) southeast of Zhuhai in undisputed Chinese waters. Methane hydrate is clean and easy to transport but difficult to commercialize, noted the Voice of America News. Every 35 cubic feet (1 cubic m) of flammable ice is the equivalent of 5,800 cubic feet (164 cubic m) of natural gas. This is China's second exploratory trial in the South China Sea, with the first occurring in 2017. The current mission began in February, reported Xinhua, China's state-run news agency. The discovery of such large quantities of extractable flammable ice could give Beijing additional leverage over other claimants in the South China Sea, since other countries may seek access to the technology. China could license or choose to share the technology in exchange for concessions, experts said. China claims around 90 percent of the waters in the South China Sea.






Japan—Destroyer Collides With Chinese Fishing Boat In E. China Sea NHK | 03/31/2020 A Japanese Maritime Self-Defense Force (MSDF) destroyer has collided with a Chinese fishing boat in the East China Sea, reports national broadcaster NHK. On Monday, the Shimakaze struck the Chinese vessel about 400 miles (650 km) west of the Japanese island of Yakushima, said Defense Minister Taro Kono, as reported by Reuters. No Japanese sailors were injured in the incident, Kono said. The ship suffered a 3-foot (1-m) hole on its port side above the waterline, which did not affect its ability to sail, reported the Kyodo news agency (Tokyo). Chinese officials said that a fisherman was hurt. The officials expressed concern over Japan's presence in the area and called on Tokyo to prevent future incidents, reported Agence France-Presse. The MSDF said it would work with the coast guard to investigate the incident and conduct its own probe.






South Korea—IFF, Data Link Upgrades Sought For F-16 Fighters U.S. Defense Security Cooperation Agency | 03/31/2020 The U.S. State Dept. has approved potential system upgrades for South Korea's F-16 fighter jets, reports the U.S. Defense Security Cooperation Agency. The proposed US$194 million deal covers the installation of Mode 5 identification-friend-or-foe (IFF) and Link 16 tactical data link systems on South Korea's F-16 Block 32 jets. The possible sale includes ARC-238 radios; AN/APX-126 combined interrogator transponders; joint mission planning (JMPS) upgrade; KY-58M secure voice module; Simple Key Loader (SKL) crypto fill devices; precision measurement equipment laboratory (PMEL); and other support. The modernization would increase the interoperability of the South Korean jets with U.S. Air Force and other coalition forces, the agency said in a release.






North Korea—New Foreign Ministry Agency To Handle Talks With Washington Yonhap | 03/31/2020 North Korea appears to have created a new foreign ministry office for handling negotiations with the U.S., reports the Yonhap news agency (Seoul). On Monday, the unnamed director general for negotiations with the U.S. issued a statement criticizing Secretary of State Mike Pompeo's recent comments urging countries to maintain sanctions on Pyongyang until progress is made on denuclearization, reported the state-run Korea Central News Agency. The statement also warned against judging the status of U.S.-North Korean relations based on the personal relationship between their leaders. That office had not previously been mentioned in official statements. The foreign ministry already maintains an office focused on North American affairs, said analysts. It was not clear if the new department would replace the existing office or would operate independently.






Indonesia—New Zealander Dies In Attack On Mining Company's Office Newshub | 03/31/2020 A New Zealand citizen has been shot and killed in an attack on his office in Indonesia's western Papua region, reports the Newshub (New Zealand). On Monday, gunmen opened fire on the office of the PT Freeport mine in Timika. Graeme Thomas Weal, 57, was killed and two others seriously injured. Four others suffered minor injuries, reported Radio New Zealand. Indonesian troops and police launched an operation to pursue the attackers, who fled into the jungle. There were no immediate claims of responsibility. Security forces blamed a faction of the West Papua Liberation Army led by Joni Botak. The group is one of several fighting against the Indonesian state, which took control of the region in a controversial referendum after the departure of the Dutch. Attacks have been increasing since the Jakarta government began construction on a highway in 2018 designed to better connect the region with the rest of the country.






Iraq—U.S. Patriot Systems Intercept Rockets In W. Iraq Anadolu News Agency | 03/31/2020 Recently deployed U.S. missile defense systems have intercepted a pair of rockets fired at Ain Al Assad air base in western Iraq, reports the Anadolu Agency (Ankara). On Tuesday, the Patriot systems intercepted the missiles over the base near Ramadi, which hosts U.S. troops, Iraqi sources told the news agency. The attack came a day after U.S. and Iraqi military sources confirmed the deployment of the Patriots to Ain Al Assad air base and Harir base in Erbil in northern Iraq, reported Agence France-Presse. American troops are located at both facilities. Last week, Iraqi sources told Iraq's Al Ahad news agency that the U.S. would develop a site to host the systems, rather than deploying them directly at the bases. The U.S. is planning to deploy four Patriot batteries in Iraq, reported the Middle East Eye.






Iraq—Coalition Pulls Back From Another Base Combined Joint Task Force-Operation Inherent Resolve | 03/31/2020 The U.S. has handed over the international section of an Iraqi military base near Kirkuk to Iraqi security forces, reports the U.S.-led Operation Inherent Resolve. On Sunday, U.S. and coalition forces withdrew from the K1 air base outside Kirkuk in northern Iraq. Around 300 U.S. and coalition personnel have been stationed there. In addition, about US$1.1 million worth of equipment was handed over to Iraqi forces, according to wire service accounts. The U.S. has been drawing down from bases in Iraq as part of plans to consolidate its forces at two facilities in the country. The move has been made possible by the increasing ability of the Iraqi military to conduct more independent operations, said U.S. military officials.






Saudi Arabia—Riyadh Track Saudi Citizens Abroad Via Their Phones Guardian | 03/31/2020 The Saudi government is reportedly using a weakness in a common global messaging system to keep tabs on its citizens in the West, reports the Guardian (U.K.). Riyadh has allegedly been using a weakness in the SS7 messaging system to track the location of phones registered in Saudi Arabia, a whistleblower told the newspaper. The tracking began in November 2019, when Saudi Arabia started to exploit a flaw in SS7 that allows telecommunications companies to track the location of phones and provide it to other companies. This is typically used legitimately to determine roaming charges. However, Saudi Arabia's three largest mobile operators have been issuing millions of such requests that lacked any purpose other than tracking. The requests are indicative of surveillance, noted experts. Between November 2019 and March, an average of 2.3 million tracking requests were filed per month, which would allow the location of Saudi phones in the U.S. to be checked between two and 13 times and hour. Such surveillance fits within Saudi Arabia's modus operandi, said one analyst. The latest report suggests that Riyadh is tracking known dissidents as well as those that they fear could deviate from the Saudi leadership.






Somalia—Suicide Bombing Kills Puntland Official In Garowe Shabelle Media Network | 03/31/2020 A regional official from Somalia's semi-autonomous Puntland region has been killed in a suicide attack, reports the Shabelle Media Network (Mogadishu). On Sunday night, a suicide bomber charged at a vehicle carrying Gov. Abdisalan Hassan Hersi of Puntland's Nugaal region as it was arriving at a local police station, reported the Defense Post. The attacker blew himself up, gravely wounding Hersi who died at a hospital shortly after. A former police commander and a civilian were also badly wounded. This was the first suicide bombing in Garowe in five years, reported the Garowe Online. Somali President Mohamed Abdullahi Farmajo called Puntland President Said Deni on Sunday to express his condolences. He also pledged to work closely with Deni to ensure security was improved throughout Puntland. This was the first time that Farmajo had called the Puntland executive since taking over the Somali presidency in 2017. Al-Shabaab claimed responsibility for the attack.






Colombia—ELN Announces Month-Long Cease-Fire Due To COVID-19 British Broadcasting Corp. | 03/31/2020 Colombia's last major rebel group has declared a unilateral cease-fire due to the ongoing novel coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak, reports BBC News. On Monday, the National Liberation Army (ELN) declared a truce that would begin on April 1 and continue to the end of the month, reported Agence France-Presse. The move was a "humanitarian gesture" that was inspired by U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres' call for a global cease-fire due to the pandemic, ELN officials said. Colombia has more than 700 confirmed COVID-19 cases. At least 10 people have died from the virus. The ELN also said that it wanted to meet with the Colombian government to discuss extending the cease-fire.






Argentina—Air Force Receives Another Pampa Light Attack Jet Argentinean Ministry of Defense | 03/31/2020 The Argentinean air force has taken delivery of another domestically built IA 63 Pampa III trainer/light attack jet, reports the Argentinean Ministry of Defense. On March 27, the aircraft was handed over at the Brig. San Martin Argentine Aircraft Factory (FADeA). It will be the sixth aircraft in the upgraded configuration to be assigned to the VI Air Brigade in Tandil in Buenos Aires. The jets are being used to monitor Argentina's northern border. The aircraft was the last of a second batch of three Pampa IIIs ordered by the Argentinean air force for US$21.9 million, as previously reported by Jane's Defence Weekly.