🇸🇾 🇺🇸 Reports of Drone Attack Against #UnitedStates Al-Tanf Garrison in #Syria: https://theatlasnews.co/brief/2024/04/01/reports-of-drone-attack-against-al-tanf-garrison-in-syria/

🇰🇵 #NorthKorea Plans to Launch Multiple Spy Satellites By End of Year: https://theatlasnews.co/brief/2024/04/01/north-korea-plans-to-launch-multiple-spy-satellites-by-end-of-year/

🇰🇵 🇯🇵 #NorthKorean Missile Launch Towards Sea of #Japan: https://theatlasnews.co/brief/2024/04/01/north-korean-missile-launch-towards-sea-of-japan/

🇺🇸 🇷🇺 Detention of U.S. Journalist Alsu Kurmasheva in Russia Extended: https://theatlasnews.co/brief/2024/04/01/detention-of-u-s-journalist-alsu-kurmasheva-in-russia-extended/

🇮🇱 #Israel Passes “Al Jazeera Law” Amid Protests and International Concern: https://theatlasnews.co/brief/2024/04/01/israel-passes-al-jazeera-law-amid-protests-and-international-concern/

The Israeli Knesset has enacted a law facilitating the temporary closure of foreign news networks perceived as security threats, passing with a 71 to 10 vote.

This legislation, nicknamed “Al Jazeera law” and specifically impacting the eponymous media, grants the Prime Minister and the Communications Minister authority to shut down outlets deemed detrimental to national security. It includes equipment confiscation, for 45-day intervals, subject to renewal. This law, temporary until July 31 or an earlier lift of the emergency situation declaration, mandates judicial review of any closure order by the district court president within 24 hours.

Communications Minister Shlomo Karhi labeled Al Jazeera a “Hamas mouthpiece,” announcing its imminent closure actions. This move has sparked significant concern from both the White House and the Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ), citing potential risks to press freedom and fostering a climate of self-censorship.

The Knesset voted amid rising dissatisfaction with the government’s handling of the security situation following October 7 Hamas’s attack. Yesterday, Sunday 31, marked the second consecutive day of protest in Israel, with thousand of demonstrators, including families of hostages held by Hamas, rallying outside the Knesset, demanding Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s resignation and early elections. Clashes with police were reported. Via theatlasnews.co

🇺🇸 🌑🚆Northrup Grumman Chosen to Develop Concept for Lunar Railroad: https://theatlasnews.co/brief/2024/04/01/northrup-grumman-chosen-to-develop-concept-for-lunar-railroad/ On March 19, the American national defense company, Northrup Grumman, announced that they were selected by the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) to develop a concept for a Lunar Railroad.

This concept is part of DARPA’s 10-Year Lunar Architecture (LunA-10) Capability Study which seeks to “identify risks, commercial solutions over [the] coming decade to enable [a] future lunar economy” according to DARPA’s website.

The lunar railroad will be conceptually designed to “transport humans, supplies, and resources for commercial ventures across the lunar surface” according to Northrop Grumman’s announcement.

This announcement comes as nations around the world increase their space-based power projections, namely the U.S., China, Russia, Japan, France, and India.

Russia and China have also announced plans to cooperate to build a nuclear-powered base on the moon by 2035, according to Reuters.

🇷🇺🇺🇦 Local #Russian Official Killed in Car Bomb Explosion in Occupied Luhansk Region, #Ukraine: https://theatlasnews.co/brief/2024/04/01/local-russian-official-killed-in-car-bomb-explosion-in-disputed-luhansk-region/

🇨🇳🇮🇩 #China and #Indonesia Deepen Ties Amongst Growing Regional Tensions: https://theatlasnews.co/brief/2024/04/01/china-and-indonesia-deepen-ties-amongst-growing-regional-tensions/

🇬🇳🇸🇱 Secretary of a #SierraLeone Opposition Party Arrested in Joint Operation in #Guinea: https://theatlasnews.co/latest/2024/04/01/secretary-of-sierra-leonean-opposition-party-arrested-in-joint-operation-in-guinea/

🇺🇸🇮🇷🇸🇾 #UnitedStates officials have confirmed to Politico that #American forces intercepted an explosive drone targeting the al-Tanf base in #Syria earlier today, marking the first attack by #Iran-backed Shia militias against American forces in the region since February 4.

From October 2023 to February 2024, Katai'b Hezbolloh and elements of the Islamic Resistance carried out over 150 rocket and drone attacks against American forces in #Iraq and Syria, including the deadly drone strikes on the T-22 outpost in #Jordan on January 28, which left three American soldiers dead, and on al-Omar oilfield in Syria on February 4, which left seven #Kurdish fighters dead.

The timing of the attack comes just hours after seven IRGC officers, including key Quds Force leadership, were killed in an Israeli airstrike in #Damascus targeting a consular annex next to the Iranian Embassy.

As Atlas had assessed earlier, Iran-backed militia elements would likely resume attacks against American forces following the strike, as Iranian proxy forces have historically increased attacks against American forces in retaliation for Israeli military activity against Iran. Via theatlasnews.co

🇹🇷 Selçuk Bayraktar: #Erdogan’s successor?: https://theatlasnews.co/latest/2024/04/01/selcuk-bayraktar-erdogans-successor/ A Wall Street Journal report has named Selçuk Bayraktar, Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s son-in-law and head of BAYKAR, as a possible successor to the President of #Turkey, should he retire by 2028.

Bayraktar is the chairman and Chief Technology Officer (CTO) of BAYKAR, the Turkish defense company and manufacturer of the prolific TB2 Unmanned Combat Aerial Vehicle (UCAV). The TB2, with an export cost ranging from under $2 million to about $5 million represents a “good enough” cost-effective alternative to its American counterpart and the GWOT’s prodigal child, the MQ-1B Predator. Read more at theatlasnews.co