To All,
Good Friday Morning May 19 2023.
I hope that you all have a great weekend.
Yup it is early today
Regards,
Skip
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Thanks to Fingers
Would you please put this notice on The List and the Bubbas. Some folks might want to watch some of it. Thanks. Fingers
FYI. The Nixon Library is going to live stream the Library's three major NAMPOWS 50th Anniversary Reunion events next week. Schedule for the events is below. Please share these links with anyone you think might be interested.
Here are the live stream links. Viewing is free and no password is required to access the Youtube links.
Vietnam POW Welcome Celebration at the Nixon Library
May 23, 1:15 PM PDT
https://youtube.com/live/nduoO8RcMG4
Vietnam POW Homecoming Gala at the Nixon Library
May 24, 6:00 PM PDT
https://youtube.com/live/LE5Zkc9m9G4
Resilience, Fortitude and Faith: Vietnam War POWs Reflect 50 Years Later (Panel Discussion)
May 25, 10:00 AM PDT
https://youtube.com/live/VziQtJS-YdY
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This day in Naval and Marine Corps History May 19
1813 During the War of 1812, the frigate Congress, commanded by John Smith, captures and burns the British merchant brig, Jean, in the Atlantic.
1855 The screw ship Powhatan lands her Marine guard at Shanghai, China, to protect the lives and property of Americans during a period of unrest.
1882 Commodore Robert W. Shufeldt, onboard USS Swatara, arrives in Korea to negotiate the first commerce treaty between Korea and a Western power. The treaty is signed on May 22, opening Korea to United States trade.
1944 USS England (DE 635) sinks Japanese submarine I 16, the first of five submarines the destroyer sinks in a week's time. There was a saying that in the US Navy there will always be an England but that has not been true for a while…skip-
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Today in World History: May 19
0715 St. Gregory II begins his reign as Catholic Pope.
1535 French explorer Jacques Cartier sets sail for North America.
1536 Anne Boleyn, Henry VIII's second wife, is beheaded on Tower Green.
1568 Defeated by the Protestants, Mary, Queen of Scots, flees to England where Queen Elizabeth imprisons her.
1588 The Spanish Armada sets sail from Lisbon, Portugal.
1608 The Protestant states form the Evangelical Union of Lutherans and Calvinists.
1635 Cardinal Richelieu of France intervenes in the great conflict in Europe by declaring war on the Hapsburgs in Spain.
1643 The French army defeats a Spanish army at Rocroi, France.
1780 Near total darkness descends on New England at noon. No explanation is found.
1856 Senator Charles Sumner speaks out against slavery.
1858 A pro-slavery band led by Charles Hamilton executes unarmed Free State men near Marais des Cygnes on the Kansas-Missouri border.
1863 Union General Ulysses S. Grant's first attack on Vicksburg is repulsed.
1864 The Union and Confederate armies launch their last attacks against each other at Spotsylvania, Virginia.
1921 Congress sharply curbs immigration, setting a national quota system.
1935 The National Football League adopts an annual college draft to begin in 1936.
1964 U.S. diplomats find at least 40 microphones planted in the American embassy in Moscow.
1967 U.S. planes bomb Hanoi for the first time.
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ROLLING THUNDER REMEMBERED Thanks to the Bear … Bear🇺🇸⚓️🐻
OPERATION ROLLING THUNDER (1965-1968)…
From the archives of rollingthunderremembered.com post
Skip… For The List for Friday, 19 May 2023… Bear🇺🇸⚓️🐻
OPERATION ROLLING THUNDER (1965-1968)
From the archives of rollingthunderremembered.com post for 19 May 1968… BRAVO ZULU! Task Force Omega…
This following work accounts for every fixed wing loss of the Vietnam War and you can use it to read more about the losses in The Bear's Daily account. Even better it allows you to add your updated information to the work to update for history…skip
Vietnam Air Losses
Access Chris Hobson and Dave Lovelady's work at: https://www.VietnamAirLosses.com.
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MARK ALEXANDER / MAY 18, 2022
Honoring the Service and Sacrifice of Those Who Have Earned It
"Never take for granted the people God places along your path."
"When we assumed the Soldier, we did not lay aside the Citizen; and we shall most sincerely rejoice with you in the happy hour when the establishment of American Liberty, upon the most firm and solid foundations shall enable us to return to our Private Stations in the bosom of a free, peacefully and happy Country." —George Washington(1775)
Gratitude: The quality of being thankful; readiness to show appreciation for and to return kindness.
The word "gratitude" appears frequently in columns I have written over the last 25 years. In a recent column, I noted that, despite all the divisive noise from the Beltway babblers, there is much good and right about our great nation. All one need do is look around.
I start every day understanding that gratitude shapes my attitude, and there is no better way to recenter on what is good and right, especially in moments of trouble, than to focus on the many blessings, large and small, for which I am grateful.
One of the great privileges of my job, and at the same time the most humbling, is the opportunity to write about others who are serving, or have served, in our nation's Armed Services — those who have abided by their solemn oaths "to support and defend" the American Liberty enumerated in our Declaration of Independence and enshrined in our Constitution.
There are four days on which I dedicate columns to such service: National Medal of Honor Day (March 25th), Armed Forces Day (third Saturday in May), Memorial Day (Last Monday in May), and Veterans Day (November 11th). We also recognized the establishment dates (the birthdays) of each of the service branches.
On the third Saturday in May, millions of American Patriots, especially those of us who understand the price paid for the Liberty we enjoy, pause to honor those who are securing it for us every day. Armed Forces Day is an opportunity to express gratitude due the Soldiers, Sailors, Airmen, Marines, and Coasties serving our nation, active duty, reserve, and guard.
"I am well aware of the Toil and Blood and Treasure, that it will cost us to maintain this Declaration, and support and defend these States. Yet through all the gloom I can see the rays of ravishing Light and Glory. I can see that the end is more than worth all the means." —John Adams (1776)
Ahead of Armed Forces Day this weekend, I'm mindful of some very good advice I received many years ago from my friend Cal Thomas: "Never take for granted the people God places along your path."
Honoring Those Who Have Earned It…….To read the entire article see below
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MARK ALEXANDER / MAY 18, 2022
Honoring the Service and Sacrifice of Those Who Have Earned It
"Never take for granted the people God places along your path."
"When we assumed the Soldier, we did not lay aside the Citizen; and we shall most sincerely rejoice with you in the happy hour when the establishment of American Liberty, upon the most firm and solid foundations shall enable us to return to our Private Stations in the bosom of a free, peacefully and happy Country." —George Washington(1775)
Gratitude: The quality of being thankful; readiness to show appreciation for and to return kindness.
The word "gratitude" appears frequently in columns I have written over the last 25 years. In a recent column, I noted that, despite all the divisive noise from the Beltway babblers, there is much good and right about our great nation. All one need do is look around.
I start every day understanding that gratitude shapes my attitude, and there is no better way to recenter on what is good and right, especially in moments of trouble, than to focus on the many blessings, large and small, for which I am grateful.
One of the great privileges of my job, and at the same time the most humbling, is the opportunity to write about others who are serving, or have served, in our nation's Armed Services — those who have abided by their solemn oaths "to support and defend" the American Liberty enumerated in our Declaration of Independence and enshrined in our Constitution.
There are four days on which I dedicate columns to such service: National Medal of Honor Day (March 25th), Armed Forces Day (third Saturday in May), Memorial Day (Last Monday in May), and Veterans Day (November 11th). We also recognized the establishment dates (the birthdays) of each of the service branches.
On the third Saturday in May, millions of American Patriots, especially those of us who understand the price paid for the Liberty we enjoy, pause to honor those who are securing it for us every day. Armed Forces Day is an opportunity to express gratitude due the Soldiers, Sailors, Airmen, Marines, and Coasties serving our nation, active duty, reserve, and guard.
"I am well aware of the Toil and Blood and Treasure, that it will cost us to maintain this Declaration, and support and defend these States. Yet through all the gloom I can see the rays of ravishing Light and Glory. I can see that the end is more than worth all the means." —John Adams (1776)
Ahead of Armed Forces Day this weekend, I'm mindful of some very good advice I received many years ago from my friend Cal Thomas: "Never take for granted the people God places along your path."
Honoring Those Who Have Earned It…….To read the entire article see below
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Thanks to Brett
Stratfor snippets - Ecuador, EU/U.K., Colombia, Global, Turkey, Taiwan, Nigeria, China/Russia, Yemen, Ukraine/Russia, U.S., U.K., U.K./Japan, Ireland, South Africa, Chile, Pakistan/Iran,
Ecuador: President Invokes Mechanism to Dissolve Congress, Rule by Decree
What Happened: Ecuadorian President Guillermo Lasso published an executive decree to dissolve the National Assembly, enabling him to rule by decree for up to six months before advancing general elections, El Universo reported on May 17. Just after dissolving the National Assembly, Lasso announced that the first law decree of his new presidency is the passage of the tax reform he had proposed days prior, which seeks to reduce taxes on low- and middle-income earners.
Why It Matters: Lasso's efforts to push through his proposed tax reform signal that he may use the six months he rules by decree to push through other elements of his policy platform such as increased security spending and tax incentives for businesses investing in natural resource extraction in Ecuador. There will almost certainly be demonstrations in the immediate aftermath of these developments, as Indigenous groups such as the Confederation of Indigenous Nationalities of Ecuador (CONAIE) are likely to disapprove of Lasso's ability to rule by decree.
Background: Ecuador's National Assembly approved an impeachment trial against Lasso earlier on May 17, with 88 of the 116 present legislators voting in favor, just four votes shy of the two-thirds majority needed to successfully impeach Lasso. Previously, Lasso had struggled to implement his pro-business platform through a leftist, oppositional legislature.
EU, U.K.: Brussels and London to Combat Illegal Migration Across English Channel
What Happened: British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak and European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen agreed that the United Kingdom and the European Union will collaborate on stopping illegal migration across the English Channel, Bloomberg reported on May 17. British and EU officials still need to strike an operational working arrangement on intelligence and personnel sharing between the United Kingdom and Frontex, the EU border agency.
Why It Matters: The agreement is yet another sign of warming relations between the two sides since the March 24 signing of the Windsor Framework, which ended post-Brexit trade issues concerning Northern Ireland. The deal is also a domestic boost for Sunak, who had promised to "stop the boats'' as one of his key pledges in January 2023. Still, tensions between the United Kingdom and the European Union over migration could reemerge over recent British legislation unveiled in March 2022 that will effectively override existing asylum seekers' rights and allow for the deportation of illegal migrants. The Council of Europe has criticized the bill, which is working its way through the British Parliament, for being in breach of the European Convention on Human Rights.
Background: Sunak and French President Emmanuel Macron had agreed to strengthen bilateral collaboration on illegal migration across the Channel in March 2022, but a deal between the United Kingdom and the European Union was necessary to make increased cooperation possible. Negotiations for such a deal stalled in December 2022 until the signing of the Windsor Framework.
Colombia: ELN Rebel Leader Says Negotiations 'On Pause'
What Happened: The leader of Colombia's largest guerrilla group, the National Liberation Army (ELN), said peace talks between the Colombian government and the ELN have been paused due to remarks from President Gustavo Petro, AP reported on May 16. Petro had said the ELN's participation in the negotiations does not mean high-level commanders in Colombia should be allowed to continue illicit activities such as drug trafficking, illegal mining and people smuggling,
Why It Matters: The latest pause in negotiations will likely be resolved quickly, as the Petro administration has placed a significant portion of its political capital on peace negotiations. However, Petro will risk political uproar if he reverses course by allowing armed groups to continue to operate. Regardless, such misunderstandings between the government and armed groups are to be expected, though they will almost certainly stall progress in negotiations and could threaten the trust building that is the foundation of the talks.
Background: Negotiators from the Colombian government and the ELN began peace talks on Nov. 21, 2022, in Caracas, Venezuela. Petro, a former guerrilla fighter himself, has advocated for "total peace" and has enticed armed groups to engage in negotiations by promising decreased prison time and reforms benefiting the rural areas where they are based.
Global: WMO Forecasts Global Temperatures Will Likely Breach Key Threshold
What Happened: The World Meteorological Organization (WMO) said in a May 17 report that there was a 66% likelihood that the annual average near-surface global temperature will rise to 1.5 degrees Celsius above pre-industrial levels for one year from 2023-28, a key benchmark the Paris Agreement is trying to avoid. The WMO said the surge would be due to greenhouse gasses and El Nino.
Why It Matters: The forecast is the first time the WMO's modeling head has suggested that the world is likely to breach the 1.5 degrees Celsius threshold, as the 2022 annual update put the probability at 50%. Even temporarily breaching the level will result in higher public pressure on governments and corporations to announce more ambitious targets for reducing emissions, as well as more legal cases arguing that various companies' climate strategies are (and were) inconsistent with the Paris Agreement. Reaching the threshold would also increase concerns that the world will be unable to avoid significant consequences from climate change, leading to more pressure from the Global South on wealthier nations to boost climate financing.
Background: The WMO also said there is a 32% likelihood that the five-year mean will breach the 1.5 degrees Celsius threshold. Additionally, it said there was a 98% likelihood that at least one of the next five years — and the five-year period on the whole — will be the warmest on record.
Turkey: Ogan Lays Out Conditions for Supporting Erdogan or Kilicdaroglu
What Happened: Sinan Ogan, Turkey's ultranationalist presidential candidate who will not move on to the May 28 runoff vote, clarified his conditions on May 16 for telling his supporters to vote for either incumbent candidate Recep Tayyip Erdogan or opposition candidate Kemal Kilicdaroglu, Hurriyet Daily News reported the next day. On May 17, Kilicdaroglu promised tougher border security than he had previously mentioned in his campaign.
Why It Matters: Kilicdaroglu's border control statement indicates that he is trying to appeal to Ogan for support, but because Erdogan is a more overtly nationalist candidate than Kilicdaroglu, it is more likely that Ogan's voters will vote for Erdogan. This pro-nationalist trend makes it less likely that the next Turkish government will implement a conciliatory policy with the Kurds, which are an ethnic minority in Turkey that is often targeted by the government.
Background: Ogan's four expectations include opposition to the militant Kurdistan Workers' Party and Hezbollah, the return of Syrian refugees to Syria, keeping the pro-Kurdish People's Democratic Party out of government, and not amending the constitutional articles that define Turkey as a secular state and articulate Turkish citizenship.
Taiwan: Disjointed Opposition Bodes Well for Ruling Party, Portending More Chinese Military Coercion
What Happened: Taiwan's main opposition Kuomintang (KMT) selected New Taipei City Mayor Hou You-ih over Terry Gou as its candidate for the January 2024 presidential election, Focus Taiwan reported on May 17.
Why It Matters: Third-party candidate Ko Wen-je of the Taiwan People's Party was rumored to be considering a partnership with Gou, but not Hou, so Ko is more likely to remain in the race, potentially pulling votes from the KMT. If this possible split opposition vote enables the ruling Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) to remain in power, Beijing will likely escalate its coercive tactics against Taiwan, as it did in 2016 and 2020 when the DPP won.
Background: The KMT's latest polling shows DPP candidate William Lai five percentage points ahead of Hou and Ko, who are tied for support.
Nigeria: Dangote Refinery to Process First Batch of Crude Oil in June
What Happened: Nigeria's Dangote oil refinery, which has a capacity of 650,000 barrels per day (bpd), expects to process its first batch of crude oil in June, S&P Global reported on May 16. Outgoing Nigerian President Muhammadu Buhari will commission the refinery — Africa's largest — on May 22.
Why It Matters: When fully operational, the refinery will enable Nigeria to transition from a net importer of refined oil products to a net exporter, permanently reducing demand for imported fuel from Europe, although some challenges around sourcing Nigerian crude will still exist due to Nigeria's aging and often damaged pipeline infrastructure. The refinery's domestic supply will make it easier for the government to reduce or remove its fuel subsidy, which cost $7.5 billion in the first half of 2023. The refinery will also result in a significant decline in Nigeria's crude oil exports, forcing refiners that typically use Nigerian light sweet crude oil to find other sources.
Background: The refinery will begin processing the initial batch of oil at a capacity of 500,000 bpd before gradually increasing production to 650,000 bpd by mid-2024. Petrol production is projected to rise from zero to 249,000 bpd in 2026 and exceed 300,000 bpd by 2033, while petrol imports are anticipated to decrease by over half to 154,000 bpd by 2026.
China, Russia: Chinese Access to Vladivostok Port Signals Russia's Weakened Status
What Happened: China's General Administration of Customs announced on May 4 that Russian authorities had agreed to allow China transit access to the Russian Pacific port of Vladivostok so companies in China's far northeastern provinces can domestically transport goods to port, ThinkChina reported on May 16.
Why It Matters: The agreement may ease transportation in China's impoverished northeast, but it also offers further evidence of Russia's weakened position in its relationship with China since the beginning of the Ukraine war, as this strategic port has been a sensitive topic since China signed it over to Russia in 1860. Beijing may eventually push for the port's return to Chinese control, but such conversations will move slowly given the importance of the Russo-Chinese partnership amid competition with the West and the port's strategic significance to Russia, as home to its Pacific Fleet.
Background: Neither Russian nor Chinese state media extensively covered the deal, suggesting they wanted to minimize public conversation on this thorny subject.
Yemen: Pro-Houthi Hackers Spoof Saudi, International NGOs in Cyberespionage Campaign
What Happened: OilAlpha — a hacking group that supports Yemen's rebel Houthi movement — sent political representatives, media personalities and journalists malicious Android files via WhatsApp by mimicking international nongovernmental organizations and Saudi entities in a campaign between April and May 2022, Recorded Future's Insikt Group said in a May 16 report. The malware deployed in the campaign include remote access trojans, like SpyMax and SpyNote, suggesting that the intent of the campaign was to carry out cyberespionage in Yemen.
Why It Matters: OilAlpha's deployment of this campaign amid the Houthis' peace talks with Saudi Arabia, which backs the pro-Yemeni government coalition, demonstrates that movements toward dialogue in the Middle East will still involve cyberespionage. Moving forward, OilAlpha appears likely to continue its campaign in Yemen as the peace dialogue continues, keeping the threat high for nongovernmental organizations and government humanitarian organizations operating in coordination with the Yemeni government and the Emirati-backed Southern Transitional Council in south Yemen.
Background: The malicious apps used in the campaign could access call logs, text messages, the device's camera and audio, the device's GPS location, and contact and network information. Espionage threats throughout the Middle East have been high over the last five years, including spyware campaigns that solely target handheld devices.
Ukraine, Russia: Black Sea Grain Deal Extended for Two Months
What Happened: Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan announced an extension of the Black Sea grain deal, and Russia and Ukraine confirmed the extension, Reuters reported on May 17. According to Kyiv, the extension will last until July 18.
Why It Matters: The extension was expected since Russia still wants to appease key partners who would be hurt by the cessation of the deal, prevent the reignition of a naval war in the Black Sea, and export its agricultural goods. However, domestic support for the deal in Russia is continuing to fall, so it is possible that Russia will leave or sabotage the deal at the next renewal, especially since it would occur during the beginning of Ukraine's harvest season, creating significant agricultural and transportation disruptions. Even so, the drawbacks of leaving the deal will still likely outweigh the benefits, making Russia's departure unlikely.
Background: Moscow has constantly signaled unwillingness to extend the pact unless negotiators met a list of demands regarding its own agricultural exports, but Russia has agreed to renewals despite essentially none of its public demands being met each time. On Oct. 31, 2022, Russian President Vladimir Putin said Russia could still leave the deal, but would not obstruct Ukraine's grain deliveries to Turkey "in any case."
U.S.: Canceled Visits May Harm Relationship With Pacific Island Nations
What Happened: U.S. President Joe Biden canceled visits to Australia and Papua New Guinea to address the debt ceiling debate at home, The Sydney Morning Herald reported on May 16.
Why It Matters: Biden planned to sign strategically important and highly symbolic security pacts with Papua New Guinea and the Federated States of Micronesia in person at the latter summit to signal the stability of the United States as a partner to Pacific Island nations. Although the pacts with Papua New Guinea and Micronesia will still be signed, Pacific Island nations may take his absence from the summit as a sign that the United States is not prioritizing its relationships with regional countries highly enough, harming the United States' reputation as a reliable partner more broadly while undermining the 2022 Pacific Partner Strategy.
Background: Papua New Guinea had declared a national holiday for the occasion of Biden's visit. Biden was also set to meet with leaders of the Quadrilateral Security Dialogue (Quad), which includes the United States, Japan, India and Australia, in Sydney, Australia. The Quad meeting will instead take place on the sidelines of the upcoming Group of Seven summit in Japan on May 19-21.
U.K.: London Awards 20 Offshore Carbon Storage Licenses
What Happened: The United Kingdom's North Sea Transition Authority (NSTA) announced that it had awarded 20 licenses to 12 different companies for developing carbon dioxide storage offshore, Reuters reported on May 18.
Why It Matters: The NSTA's licensing round is the first round for such projects, and it comes as the United Kingdom and major oil companies look to carbon capture and storage (CCS) technology as a key part of their emissions reduction strategy. Still, CCS is exceedingly complex, expensive and, in many cases, unproven, particularly for the power sector, as there is just one commercial power plant using CCS globally. Environmental activists also criticize the plans, arguing that they just enable burning fossil fuels for longer and that leakage can have a significant negative impact.
Background: The United Kingdom hopes to use CCS to store 20-30 million tons of CO2 by 2030. U.S. oil and gas corporation ExxonMobil is thought to have been acquiring shallow water acreage off the coast of Houston, Texas, in recent U.S. Gulf of Mexico licensing rounds for carbon storage, and the United States is backing CCS as a key part of its plan to reduce emissions from the power sector.
Turkey: Kilicdaroglu Pledges to Expel All Migrants in Bid to Win Runoff
What Happened: Turkish presidential challenger Kemal Kilicdaroglu pledged to "send all refugees back home once I am elected president, period" ahead of the May 28 runoff vote between himself and incumbent President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, Reuters reported on May 18.
Why It Matters: Klicdaroglu's comments show that he is trying to appeal to ultranationalist presidential candidate Sinan Ogan, who is not moving on to the runoff, as Ogan has signaled that he might endorse Kilicdaroglu if he aligns his platform more closely with Ogan's. Regardless of who wins the election, Klicdaroglu's words will raise public expectations that the next government will quickly address the refugee crisis, and local politicians on both sides of the political spectrum will have stronger incentivize to target refugees and deny them services and housing. The next Turkish government could even take the risk of forcibly expelling refugees to Turkish-controlled territory in Syria, sparking international outrage and potential violence in the process.
Background: Turkey hosts 3.6 million Syrian refugees and hundreds of thousands more from places like Afghanistan, but they are increasingly unpopular, with some surveys like the Syrians Barometer finding up to 88.5% of Turks want to send refugees home immediately.
U.K., Japan: Semiconductor Partnership Will Strengthen Domestic Production, Supply Chain Resilience
What Happened: British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak and Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida signed an economic, security and technological collaboration agreem ent, the Financial Times reported on May 18. The agreement upgrades the two countries' bilateral relations to a global strategic partnership, increasing cooperation in several areas, including the semiconductor sector.
Why It Matters: The United Kingdom-Japan semiconductor partnership will enable the two countries to strengthen their domestic chip production and increase supply-chain resilience by reducing overreliance on geopolitically sensitive suppliers like Taiwan given the rising risks of a conflict with China. The agreement comes a day ahead of the publication of the United Kingdom's new semiconductor strategy, which is expected to prioritize diversification of suppliers through closer cooperation with like-minded partners such as Japan and restrictions on Chinese presence in its domestic sector. The United Kingdom's semiconductor industry will benefit from increased funding from the government, but it is expected to remain focused on value-added areas such as research and design, compound semiconductors and advanced packaging, which means cooperation with external suppliers will remain necessary to meet the country's domestic demand.
Background: Additionally, in a series of interviews with reporters on his way to Japan for the Group of Seven's May 19-21 summit in Hiroshima, Sunak said the United Kingdom is considering joining the United States in imposing new restrictions on domestic companies investing in critical industries in China. Sunak also rejected calls from former Prime Minister Liz Truss to push for the inclusion of Taiwan into the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership trading bloc.
Ireland: Regulatory Commission to Fine Meta, Ban Some Data Transfer
What Happened: Ireland's Data Protection Commission (DPC) is set to hand out a record-high fine to Meta Platforms for its violation of the European Union's General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR), Reuters reported on May 17. The DPC and EU regulators are also finalizing a ban on the legal tool that Facebook has used to transfer data outside of the European Union, and the ban will not affect services other than Facebook.
Why It Matters: The record fine and the upcoming data transfer ban have long been expected, although it is unclear whether or not the ban will be enforced, as it will include a transition period and be appealed. That drawn-out process could give the United States and the European Union enough time to finalize a new data transfer pact before the ban enters into force. However, if the European Union enforces the ban during the transition period, Meta may follow through on threats to withdraw certain services from the bloc.
Background: On May 11, the European Parliament adopted a non-binding resolution calling for the European Commission to continue negotiating with U.S. counterparts over a mechanism that gives an adequate amount of protection required by the GDPR. The White House had announced a new framework in October 2022, but it did not address all of the European Union's concerns.
South Africa: Eskom Warns of Record Power Cuts During 2023-24 Winter
What Happened: South Africa faces a "difficult winter" and possible record load shedding, according to the acting CEO of South Africa's state-owned electricity utility Eskom, Bloomberg reported on May 18.
Why It Matters: In a worst-case scenario, Eskom would implement 16 hours of load shedding in 32-hour cycles, further dampening the country's business environment and increasing the economic cost of the electricity crisis. Even if South Africa avoids the worst-case scenario, Eskom is highly likely to implement large-scale load shedding to stave off grid collapse, which is likely to result in more unrest and greater cross-sector business disruptions over the coming months, as well as further declines in popular support for the ruling African National Congress party.
Background: Load shedding so far in 2023 already exceeds that for all of 2022 as Eskom continuously fails to meet demand and implements outages to stave off the collapse of its old and poorly maintained infrastructure. The central bank estimates that load shedding will reduce South Africa's economic growth rate by 2 percentage points in 2023, spurred by falling investor sentiment and declines in the South African rand.
Chile: Congress Approves Higher Mining Taxes and Royalties
What Happened: Chile's lower house approved a mining tax reform that increases taxes and royalties levied on the country's copper and lithium companies, Reuters reported on May 17. Chilean President Gabriel Boric has voiced his support for the tax reform and will likely sign it into law on Jan. 1, 2024.
Why It Matters: The likely approval of the mining reform will end five years of uncertainty for Chile's mining sector, which will enable investors to better forecast revenue in the long term, possibly boosting investment in existing and new projects in the copper and lithium sectors. However, once the reform passes, Chile will create the heaviest tax burden on copper and lithium companies among major copper-producing nations, so some investor interest could fade.
Background: The top tax rate will see copper companies pay nearly 47% of profits to the Chilean government. However, these companies produce over 80,000 tons of fine copper a year, which is considered high by industry standards. Chile's previous mining tax has been in place since 2006, basing taxes on both the profits obtained by mining companies and on the price of the mineral to levy a tax rate between 5% and 14%.
U.S.: Montana Governor Signs Bill Banning TikTok
What Happened: Montana Gov. Greg Gianforte signed into law a first-of-its-kind bill making it illegal for social media platform TikTok, which is owned by Chinese company ByteDance, to operate in Montana, and the law will also fine app stores that allow users to download the app, Reuters reported on May 17.
Why It Matters: The novel law will spark a number of legal and other challenges before it takes effect in January 2024. But even if Montana implements the law, it is unclear whether or not the government will be able to easily enforce it, as some industry officials have said that Apple and Google do have the ability to geofence apps in different states. Regardless, Montanans could bypass geofencing by using virtual private network (VPN) services, which mask users' locations. Other states that could consider such a ban in the future will likely view the successes and failures of the Montana law as a litmus test.
Background: Critics of the law say it is unconstitutional and violates the first amendment, while proponents of the law argue that it would protect Montanans from the Chinese government's data collection practices through the app, as well as from Chinese government propaganda. Montana's law comes as roughly half of U.S. states, as well as the federal government, have banned TikTok from being used on government devices.
Ukraine, China: High-Level Meeting Makes Little Impact
What Happened: Chinese ambassador Li Hui met with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky separately during his visit to the country for talks with Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba and other Ukrainian officials regarding negotiating a cease-fire to the Russia-Ukraine war, Bloomberg reported on May 18.
Why It Matters: Li and the Chinese Foreign Ministry's public remarks did not contain new information or optimism regarding an end to hostilities, and it does not appear that Li passed on any notable messages to Zelensky. Thus, the visit is in line with Beijing's intent to position itself as the mediator of a cease-fire along current battle lines at a later point. Ukrainian sources have still not provided details regarding Zelensky's meeting with Li, though additional reporting on the meeting may emerge in the coming days. More broadly, Li will also travel to Belgium, France, Germany and Poland, where his delegation will seek to reveal and deepen differences between Europe and the United States regarding their visions for the end of the war and its implications for their policy toward China.
Background: On April 26, Chinese President Xi Jinping spoke with Zelensky over the phone, their first conversation since Russia invaded Ukraine in February 2022. On Feb. 24, China's Foreign Ministry released a 12-point "peace plan" for the war in Ukraine.
Pakistan, Iran: Inauguration of Border Market, Electricity Transmission Line Signals Warming Relations
What Happened: Leaders from Pakistan and Iran inaugurated a border market in Pakistan's southwestern Balochistan province, as well as an electricity transmission line that will provide Iranian electricity to some of Pakistan's rural areas, AP reported on May 18. The two sides also pledged to advance bilateral efforts in trade, investment, agriculture and other sectors.
Why It Matters: Continued warming relations would pave the way for further improvements in trade and the development of both countries' border regions, while also fostering bilateral cooperation on issues of mutual interest — such as managing the situation in and potential spillover violence from Afghanistan. Closer relations would also likely portend increased military operations and potential joint security efforts between the two countries along their shared border to reduce cross-border militancy, which should improve security in the region and help sustain improvements in bilateral relations.
Background: Relations between Pakistan and Iran have long been marred by cross-border militancy, with both sides accusing the other of harboring militant groups along their border that conduct attacks against the opposing side. The market is the first of six border markets to which Iran and Pakistan agreed under a 2012 memorandum of understanding, with talks on the markets taking place earlier in May. Iranian leaders' visit to Pakistan is reportedly the first of its kind in 10 years, with the two countries last meeting in 2013 to agree to import Iranian gas to Pakistan.
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This Day in U S Military History…….May 19
1864 – A dozen days of fighting around Spotsylvania ends with a Confederate attack against the Union forces. The epic campaign between the Army of the Potomac, under the effective direction of Ulysses S. Grant, and Robert E. Lee's Army of Northern Virginia began at the beginning of May when Union forces crossed the Rapidan River. After a bloody two-day battle in the Wilderness forest, Grant moved his army further south toward Spotsylvania Court House. This move was a departure from the tactics of the previous three years in the eastern theater of the Civil War. Since 1861, the Army of the Potomac had been coming down to Virginia under different commanders only to be defeated by the Army of Northern Virginia, usually under Lee's direction, and had always returned northward. But Grant was different than the other Union generals. He knew that by this time Lee could not sustain constant combat. The numerical superiority of the Yankees would eventually wear Lee down. When Grant ordered his troops to move south, a surge of enthusiasm swept the Union veterans; they knew that in Grant they had an aggressive leader who would not allow the Confederates time to breathe. Nevertheless, the next stop proved to be more costly than the first. After the battle in the Wilderness, Grant and Lee waged a footrace for the strategic crossroads at Spotsylvania. Lee won the race, and his men dug in. On May 8, Grant attacked Lee, initiating a battle that raged for 12 awful days. The climax came on May 12, when the two armies struggled for nearly 20 hours over an area that became known as the Bloody Angle. The fighting continued sporadically for the next week as the Yankees tried to eject the Rebels from their breastworks. Finally, when the Confederates attacked on May 19, Grant prepared to pull out of Spotsylvania. Convinced he could never dislodge the Confederates from their positions, he elected to try to circumvent Lee's army to the south. The Army of the Potomac moved, leaving behind 18,000 casualties at Spotsylvania to the Confederates' 12,000. In less than three weeks Grant had lost 33,000 men, with some of the worst fighting yet to come.
1918 – Raoul Lufbery, one of the top-scoring US fighter pilots of the war with 17 victories, is killed during air combat. He had served with other American volunteers in the French Escadrille Lafayette (originally the Escadrille Americaine and credited with 38 air victories) before the United States' entry into the war. Lufbery was the commander of the famed 94th "Hat in the Ring" Aero Squadron at the time of his death.
1927 – The 11th Marine Regiment arrived at Esteli, Nicaragua, for garrison duty.
1941 – Viet Minh, a communist coalition, formed at Cao Bằng Province, Vietnam.
1942 – In the aftermath of the Battle of the Coral Sea, Task Force 16 heads to Pearl Harbor.
1943 – British Prime Minister Winston Churchill and U.S. President Franklin D. Roosevelt set Monday, May 1, 1944 as the date for the Normandy landings ("D-Day"). It would later be delayed over a month due to bad weather.
1943 – On Attu, American forces advance along Clevesy Pass toward Chicagof.
1944 – Allied forces of US 5th Army continue to make advances. The US 2nd Corps captures Gasta Itri and Monte Grande. The French Expeditionary Corps nearly reaches Pico and battle for Campodimele. Meanwhile, British armor and infantry overrun the Aquino airfield, in the Liri Valley but German antitank guns repulse an attempt to seize the town.
1944 – American aircraft the carriers of Task Group 58.2 (Admiral Montgomery) conduct a raid on Marcus Island.
1945 – On Luzon, in the Ipoh dam area north of Manila, where the US 43rd Division of US 11th Corps is operating, Japanese resistance ends. The US 152nd Division is holding its positions near Woodpecker Ridge. The US 25th Division, part of US 1st Corps, begins mopping up in the area north and west of Santa Fe.
1945 – On Okinawa, the US 77th Division suffers heavy casualties while fighting for the Ishimmi ridge and withdraws. Note this battle started on 1 April 1945 Skip
1945 – Some 272 American B-29 Superfortress bombers strike Hamamatsu, 120 miles (192 km) from Tokyo. Bombs are dropped through the clouds from medium altitude.
1972 – Units of South Vietnam's 9th and 21st Divisions, along with several South Vietnamese airborne battalions, open new stretches of road south of An Loc and come within two miles of the besieged city. In the Central Highlands, North Vietnamese troops, preceded by heavy shelling, tried to break through the lines of South Vietnam's 23rd Division defending Kontum, but the South Vietnamese troops held firm. These actions were part of the North Vietnamese Nguyen Hue Offensive (later called the "Easter Offensive"), a massive invasion by North Vietnamese forces on March 30 to strike the blow that would win them the war. The attacking force included 14 infantry divisions and 26 separate regiments, with more than 120,000 troops and approximately 1,200 tanks and other armored vehicles. The main North Vietnamese objectives, in addition to Quang Tri in the north and Kontum in the Central Highlands, included An Loc farther to the south. Initially, the South Vietnamese defenders were almost overwhelmed, particularly in the northernmost provinces, where they abandoned their positions in Quang Tri and fled south in the face of the enemy onslaught. At Kontum and An Loc, the South Vietnamese were more successful in defending against the attacks, but only after weeks of bitter fighting. Although the defenders suffered heavy casualties, they managed to hold their own with the aid of U.S. advisors and American airpower. Fighting continued all over South Vietnam into the summer months, but eventually the South Vietnamese forces prevailed against the invaders and retook Quang Tri in September. With the communist invasion blunted, President Nixon declared that the South Vietnamese victory proved the viability of his Vietnamization program, which he had instituted in 1969 to increase the combat capability of the South Vietnamese armed forces.
Medal of Honor Citations for Actions Taken This Day
BROWN, JOHN H.
Rank and organization: First Sergeant, Company A, 47th Ohio Infantry. Place and date: At Vicksburg, Miss., 19 May 1863. Entered service at: Cincinnati, Ohio. Birth: Boston, Mass. Date of issue: 24 August 1896. Citation: Voluntarily carried a verbal message from Col. A. C. Parry to Gen. Hugh Ewing through a terrific fire and in plain view of the enemy.
HOWE, ORION P.
Rank and organization: Musician, Company C, 55th Illinois Infantry. Place and date: At Vicksburg, Miss., 19 May 1863. Entered service at: Woken, Ill. Birth: Portage County, Ohio. Date of issue: 2 3 April 1896. Citation: A drummer boy, 14 years of age, and severely wounded and exposed to a heavy fire from the enemy, he persistently remained upon the field of battle until he had reported to Gen. W. T. Sherman the necessity of supplying cartridges for the use of troops under command of Colonel Malmborg.
KEPHART, JAMES
Rank and organization: Private, Company C, 13th U.S. Infantry. Place and date: At Vicksburg, Miss., 19 May 1863. Entered service at: ——. Birth: Venango County, Pa. Date of issue: 13 May 1899. Citation: Voluntarily and at the risk of his life, under a severe fire of the enemy, aided and assisted to the rear an officer who had been severely wounded and left on the field.
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AMERICAN AEROSPACE EVENTS for May 19, 2021 FIRSTS, LASTS, AND SIGNIFICANT ACCOMPLISHMENTS. THANKS TO HAROLD "PHIL" MYERS CHIEF HISTORIAN AIR FORCE INTELLIGENCE, SURVEILLANCE, AND RECONNAISSANCE AGENCY
1908: Lt Thomas E. Selfridge, the first US Army officer to fly an airplane, flew the White Wing at Hammondsport. It was Dr. Alexander Graham Bell's second Aerial Experiment Association plane, and it had hinged ailerons. (20) (21)
1917: A General Order described a distinguished insignia for all US government aircraft and directed it be placed on all naval aircraft. The insignia was a red disc within a white star on a blue circular field, and would be placed on the wings with red, white, and blue vertical bands on the rudder, with the blue forward.
1918: Raoul G. Lufbery, who posted 17 aerial victories with Lafayette Escadrille before joining the American Expeditionary forces, died in aerial combat. (21)
1919: DISTINGUISHED FLYING CROSS. MSgt Ralph W. Bottriell became the first American military person to jump from an aircraft using a manually-operated backpack parachute. He later received the DFC for this feat. (4)
1949: The Navy's flying boat, the JRM-1 Marshall Mars, broke the record for number of people carried on a single flight when 301 passengers and a crew of seven were flown from Alameda to San Diego. (24)
1951: KOREAN WAR. An H-5 helicopter rescued a downed F-51 pilot southwest of Chorwon, sustaining damage from small arms fire during the pickup. (28)
1961: First Titan I arrived at Lowry AFB. (6)
1963: On a nonstop Washington DC to Moscow flight, the US presidential aircraft, a Boeing 707-320B (VC-137C), with Col James B. Swindal at the controls, set 15 nonstop FAI records in flying the 5,004-mile route in 8 hours 39 minutes 2 seconds. On the 20-21 May return flight, Colonel Swindal and his crew set another 15 FAI records on the Moscow to Washington trip, flying the distance in 9 hours 54 minutes 48.5 seconds, or an average speed of 490.96 MPH. (9)
1965: The USAF used a single Thor-Agena rocket to launch simultaneously eight separate satellite vehicles from Vandenberg AFB. This was the greatest number of satellites the US had ever launched on a single vehicle.
1966: Pioneer VI, launched on 16 December
1965, reached its perihelion, some 75.7 millions miles from the sun. During 154 days in solar orbit, the spacecraft transmitted 340 million readings of 3,000 separate scientific measurements and 3 million readings of 100 individual engineering measurements to earth.
1967: Douglas Aircraft Company received a contract to design and build the MOL. (16)
1970: HARMON TROPHY. The Apollo XI crew (Astronauts Michael Collins, Neil A. Armstrong, and Edwin "Buzz" Aldrin, Jr.) received the trophy for outstanding scientific and technological accomplishment in achieving the first landing of man on the moon. (16)
1977: MACKAY TROPHY. Capt James W. Yule, a B-52 instructor pilot, received the Mackay Trophy for gallantry and unusual presence of mind during an in-flight emergency. (21)
1980: The Air Force launched its first Tomahawk GLCM at the Utah Test and Training Range. (3)
1987: Exercise HAMMER 87-1. USAFE units participated in the largest multiwing, multinational, composite force exercise conducted in Europe since World War II to date. (16)
2000: After one test flight at the White Sands Missile Range, the USAF delivered the Boeing X-40A to the Dryden Flight Research Facility. It was an 80 percent scale version of the proposed X-37 Space Maneuver Vehicle (SMV), an unmanned autonomous spacecraft able to deliver small satellites into orbit, conduct on-orbit reconnaissance, and perform other space chores. (3)
2001: The Boeing X-40A completed its seventh and last flight. Released from a U.S. Army Chinook helicopter from 15,000 feet, the X-40A attained 304 mph in its unpowered two-minute descent to a safe landing on Rogers Dry Lake at Edwards AFB. (3)
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