Top U.S. general in the Middle East, Gen. Michael "Erik" Kurilla, made an unannounced visit to Israel amid the country's escalating conflict with the Palestinian militant group Hamas.

Gen. Kurilla arrived in Tel Aviv to hold high-level meetings with Israeli military leaders, including Lt. Gen. Herzi Halevi.

This visit comes in preparation for an expected Israeli ground assault in Gaza, with President Biden planning to visit Israel and Secretary of State Antony Blinken already there for talks with Israel's war cabinet.

The purpose of Gen. Kurilla's trip is to understand Israel's defense requirements, outline U.S. support efforts to prevent an expansion of the conflict, and express the Department of Defense's strong support for Israel.

The U.S. has increased its military assets in the region since Hamas attacked Israel on October 7, resulting in additional support and military deployments to deter foreign aggressors. Meanwhile, Israel has carried out intense airstrikes and artillery campaigns against Hamas, with a significant civilian casualty count, including children, and a blockade on Gaza.

Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin has ordered a limited number of U.S. troops to prepare for deployment in support of Israel, as reported by multiple sources.

Approximately 2,000 troops have been selected to be on standby for advisory and medical assistance.

The troops will be drawn from various branches of the U.S. military, including those already stationed in the Middle East and nearby Europe.

While their specific units and deployment locations have not been disclosed, it has been emphasized that they will not have a combat role.

The U.S. is extending support to Israel, which is engaged in a conflict with Hamas, primarily focusing on intelligence and planning assistance for potential hostage rescue operations.

Colombia has demanded that Israel's ambassador leave the country amid a dispute over President Gustavo Petro's remarks regarding the war with Hamas.

Petro's comparison of Israeli attacks on Gaza with Nazi persecution of the Jews prompted the demand for the ambassador's departure.

The diplomatic tension has also led to Israel halting security exports to Colombia. Israel had accused Petro of making hostile and anti-Semitic statements, while Petro defended his stance against what he saw as genocide in Gaza.

Colombia's armed forces use Israeli-made weapons and aircraft, making this rift significant given their historical ties to Israel and the U.S.

Key point Summary:

China and Russia have taken firmer stances in the Gaza conflict, heightening geopolitical tensions. The Chinese foreign minister criticized Israel's bombing campaign, urging it to stop punishing Gaza's people beyond self-defense limits.

Meanwhile, Russian President Vladimir Putin drew a controversial parallel between a potential intensified Gaza siege and the WWII Leningrad siege, likely offending Israel. This dynamic raises concerns about growing ties between China and Russia, both historically sympathetic to the Palestinian cause.

These countries aim to balance their relations with Israel while building alliances in the Arab world and beyond. India faces diplomatic complexities, having developed links with Israel, the Arab world, and Iran. The African response varies, with South Africa showing strong criticism due to its historical ties to Israel.

Analysts have suggested China is looking to offset concern in the Islamic and Arab worlds about Beijing’s treatment of the Muslim ethnic Uyghurs in the north-western Chinese region of Xinjiang.

India has made a global fight against terrorism a central principle of its foreign policy for decades and has, like Russia and China, developed economic and other ties with Israel in recent years. But the government of Narendra Modi has also built new relationships with leading actors in the Arab world such as the United Arab Emirates and Saudi Arabia that it does not want to jeopardise. As elsewhere, officials in Delhi are deeply concerned about any further escalation.

Iran's foreign minister, Hossein Amirabdollahian, warned that continued Israeli attacks on Gaza could lead to the spread of violence in the Middle East.

Amirabdollahian's tour of the region included visits to Baghdad, Beirut, and Damascus. He met with Lebanese officials and Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah, expressing the need to end Israel's Gaza attacks.

Concerns have arisen over potential conflict near the Lebanon-Israel border, as Hezbollah fighters have been on alert. Recent incidents have resulted in casualties on both sides.

He warned that “if these organized war crimes that are committed by the Zionist entity don’t stop immediately, then we can imagine any possibility.” He did not elaborate but it was an apparent hint that Iran-backed groups could join the war.

Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch have raised concerns over the use of white phosphorus munitions in recent Israeli strikes on Gaza City port.

Video footage reviewed by Brian Castner of Amnesty International suggests the deployment of white phosphorus.

Human Rights Watch conducted an analysis and confirmed its use based on the video and witness testimonies describing the characteristic stifling smell.

The use of white phosphorus in densely populated areas has been condemned for the risk it poses to civilians, causing excruciating burns and lifelong suffering. International humanitarian law requires parties to take precautions to avoid civilian harm during military operations.

United States is rapidly increasing support to Israel. This assistance includes the deployment of warships and aircraft to the region, with a second carrier strike group dispatched from Virginia.

Special operations forces are aiding Israel in planning and intelligence, with the initial shipment of munitions already delivered.

Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin is set to meet with Israeli leaders to discuss further aid. The U.S. is primarily focused on deterring potential regional conflicts, with a particular emphasis on Hezbollah and Iran.

The U.S. is also sending Navy ships, including aircraft carriers, which provide various capabilities, and has ordered additional warplanes for Middle East bases.

The Israeli government has not confirmed the specific claim that Hamas attackers beheaded babies during the attack on Saturday, contradicting an earlier statement by the Prime Minister's office. An Israeli official stated that while there have been cases of Hamas militants committing brutal acts, they cannot confirm the identity of the victims, such as whether they were children, soldiers, or civilians. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu had indicated the beheadings occurred, but his office later released photos showing burned bodies without specifying their ages. Explosive allegations about decapitated children emerged earlier in Israeli media, and the Israel Defense Forces described the scene as a "massacre." However, Hamas denied the allegations, and CNN could not independently verify the claims.

The article accuses Israel of potentially committing war crimes in its conflict with Hamas, focusing on a siege on Gaza, airstrikes harming civilians, and evacuation orders. It criticizes the U.S. for not condemning Israel's actions and emphasizes the need for diplomatic solutions. The piece argues that Israel's approach could backfire politically and suggests that there's no military solution to the conflict. It calls for the U.S. to exercise influence to deter such actions, asserting it's in the interests of both the U.S. and Israel to prevent further civilian casualties and maintain regional stability.

Title.

The situation at Toronto Subway stations has become a source of great concern and frustration. There is now a recurring issue of motorcycles being present on subway platforms and subway cars, with the Spadina subway being particularly notorious for this problem.

It is disheartening to witness motorcycles on the platform, and riders are even taking these motorcycles onto the subway from that station in front of TTC staff.

What adds to the frustration is the apparent lack of enforcement of the subway rules by TTC employees, which clearly state that only bicycles are allowed, and nothing else. This prohibition extends to ebikes, motorcycles, and scooters, but it seems that this rule is consistently ignored, especially at Spadina subway station.

Yesterday, I observed 3 motorcycles and five large size ebikes on east-bound platform of the Spadina Subway - all of them being ridden, not one person had dismounted off them. They rode them directly on the subway, all of them in 1 single car. The TTC booth was staffed, and a TTC employee witnessed them entering the station without taking any action to stop them.

TTC subway and station cameras are clearly for show and TTC is not manning these cameras.

Tricycles and motorized bicycles are not permitted, nor are bikes with child carriers or trailers.

https://www.ttc.ca/riding-the-ttc/Bike-and-ride/Taking-your-bike-on-TTC-Vehicles

Yesterday, as I stepped out of the elevator on the atrium level of my building, I turned left. Simultaneously, a woman and a child exited the elevator next to mine and walked ahead of me in the same direction, heading towards the main corridor. Almost immediately, I could hear the woman engaged in a heated phone conversation with her ex-husband. She angrily exclaimed, "You can't be late to pick up our kid and waste my time by having him stay at my place because you're late." She abruptly ended the call.

As we approached the next set of doors, the woman turned her attention to the child and started blaming him for his dad's lateness. It was clear from the child's distressed voice that he was trying to defend himself and explain that he hadn't done anything wrong. The mother continued to insist by yelling, "You have to tell your father to stop being late," and the poor child nodded in response. They went left, while I went right down the corridor.

I couldn't help but feel sorry for the child, realizing that experiences like this could leave lasting emotional scars. It reminded me of how some people create human beings for their own personal enjoyment and then turn around and use them as a weapon.

Selfish fucking assholes.