Day: May 17, 2026
NPR News: 05-17-2026 7PM EDT
The post NPR News: 05-17-2026 7PM EDT first appeared on October Surprise 2016 – octobersurprise2016.org.

On June 13 of last year, an Iranian intermediate-range ballistic missile with a warhead containing 4,000 pounds of high explosives evaded Israel’s air defenses and scored a direct hit on the headquarters of the IDF’s air force, located in a high rise tower just outside central Tel Aviv’s Kiriya Defense Ministry complex. Jerusalem’s military censors prevented Israeli media from identifying the heavily damaged building, but two trusted sources confirmed it housed the air force headquarters.
Was it a lucky hit, or a harbinger of what was to come? Israel’s much-heralded success in knocking Iranian missiles—and drones—out of the sky during 2025’s 12-day war initially suggested the Kiriya strike may have been a fluke.
But it later emerged that Iranian missiles also had hit five Israeli military bases during that brief war, according to data published this past March by Oregon State University, which tracks bomb damage in war zones via satellites.
Those bases included the sprawling Glilot complex just north of Tel Aviv, which houses the headquarters of nearly all the services making up Israel’s intelligence community. Another was the Tel Nof air force base in the south of the country, where Israel’s squadrons of F-35 warplanes are hangared. The damage inflicted by those strikes, too, went unreported. And only in late March did The New York Times reveal the extent of destruction that Iranian missiles and drones wrought on U.S military bases in Kuwait, Bahrain and Saudi Arabia.
Those Iranian missile strikes should have cautioned President Trump on the ease with which he expected to defeat Iran. It’s not that the information was unavailable to him.
Indeed, in its 2025 Worldwide Threat Assessment, the Office of the Director of National Intelligence noted that Iran “continues to bolster the lethality and precision of its domestically produced missile and UAV systems, and it has the largest stockpiles of these systems in the region.” The threat assessment went on to note that Iran’s missiles and drones “can strike throughout the region.”
Asked if Trump had been briefed on the size and precision of Iran’s missile arsenal before going to war, Norman T. Roule, a former senior CIA officer who served as the national intelligence manager for Iran, said he had no specific information about such briefings. But he added: “U.S. military and civilian intelligence analysts would be expected to monitor closely the size, nature, and capabilities of Iran’s missile arsenal, ensuring that such assessments are immediately available to senior policymakers and warfighters when required for their planning.”
“The Trump administration grossly miscalculated who they were fighting and the enemy’s capabilities across the board,” said Thomas Joscelyn, an expert on Iran and a senior fellow at JustSecurity.org, produced by the Reiss Center on Law and Security at New York University School of Law.
The post Spy Agencies Gave Trump Ample Warning of Iran Missiles, But He Evidently Ignored Them first appeared on October Surprise 2016 – octobersurprise2016.org.
She wins the internet today.
She wins the internet today.Annalea
(@citizengatsby)“OK since some of you are in denial that this American goldfinch did not flick me off—yes, he fucking did.”
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Video
— https://x.com/citizengatsby/status/2056140521379398024— SPIES&VESPERS (@SpiesVespers) May 17, 2026
The post She wins the internet today. first appeared on October Surprise 2016 – octobersurprise2016.org.
WUF13 in Baku draws global media attention
Reports published by international media organizations highlight Azerbaijan’s high-level hosting of this prestigious event and emphasize that the forum serves as an important platform for presenting participating countries’ initiatives in the field of urban development, as well as for establishing and deepening cooperation, News.Az reports, citing AZERTAC.
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Articles published in Pakistan’s “The Nation,” “Daily Times,” and “The News” note that the brotherly country is represented at WUF13 by a large delegation consisting of ministers and other senior officials. The reports highlight that Maryam Nawaz Sharif, Chief Minister of Punjab, is set to present Punjab’s affordable housing project to an international audience. The materials also underline the global significance of WUF13 as a platform bringing together world leaders, investors, and urban development experts. In addition, they express satisfaction that Azerbaijan is successfully hosting the event and that the Pakistani delegation has been warmly received in Baku.
China’s Xinhua News Agency has also published a series of articles on WUF13 hosted by Azerbaijan. The reports note that WUF13 is a key global platform for discussions on urban planning, affordable housing, and sustainable urban development. They emphasize that Baku has been well prepared for the event, showcasing a harmony of modern infrastructure, green spaces, and historical-cultural heritage, while also highlighting Azerbaijan’s successful urban development model. Chinese experts are cited as noting that China’s experience in urbanization and affordable housing could serve as a useful example for Azerbaijan and other developing countries, while WUF13 is important for long-term urban renewal and strengthening international cooperation in Baku.
Russian-language media outlets have also published a series of articles on WUF13. Publications such as “Moscow-baku.ru” and “Vestnik Kavkaza” report that more than 40,000 participants from over 180 countries have registered for the forum, jointly organized by the Government of Azerbaijan and UN-Habitat. It is also highlighted that, for the first time, the session includes segments such as a Ministerial Meeting and a Leaders’ Summit. Discussions in Baku are focused on affordable housing, sustainable urbanization, climate resilience, and smart city models, while Azerbaijan’s reconstruction efforts in Garabagh and East Zangezur and its “green energy zone” projects are being presented to the international community.
The French-language outlet “Lagazetteaz.fr” features remarks by UN-Habitat Executive Director Anacláudia Rossbach regarding WUF13. The article notes that the event serves as an important international platform for the urban development agenda. It also emphasizes that Baku is hosting a key global space for discussions on urban planning, sustainable development, and the “Housing for All” agenda. Furthermore, it highlights that WUF13 aims to build political consensus on the “New Urban Agenda” and define priorities for the coming decade through ministerial meetings and other formats.
Egyptian media have also given extensive coverage to WUF13. Reports published by “The Egyptian Gazette,” “Youm7,” “El Balad,” “Vetogate,” “Al Dostor,” “Al-Usbua,” “Al Qarar Al Arabi,” “Business News Egypt,” “Anbaa Alyoum,” “Nile.eg,” and others emphasize that WUF13, co-organized by Azerbaijan and UN-Habitat, is a key global platform for discussions on urban planning, sustainable development, and affordable housing. The reports underline that the forum in Baku provides an important international dialogue space for global political and strategic discussions on the “New Urban Agenda.” They also note that Egypt is sharing its urban development experience, particularly in affordable housing, with the international audience.
Uzbek media outlets such as “Kun.uz,” “Podrobno.uz,” “UzDaily,” “UZA,” “Gazeta.uz,” and “Zamin.uz” report that WUF13 is a major international platform addressing global urbanization challenges, sustainable development, social issues, and housing provision. The coverage emphasizes that the forum hosted at a high level in Baku serves as an important global dialogue platform within the UN framework for discussing urban solutions. The participation of Uzbek President Shavkat Mirziyoyev in the event in Baku is described as a significant demonstration of Uzbekistan’s active role in the global urban development agenda.
Reports from Malaysian outlets such as “Bernama,” “The Sun,” and “SABA News” highlight that WUF13, a key platform for global urbanization and sustainable city development, plays an important role in shaping the international urban development agenda. Malaysia’s support for strengthening cooperation in this field and its contribution to global urban initiatives during the session are also emphasized.
Kenyan media, including “Saccoreview,” “People Daily,” “The-star.co.ke,” “Capitalfm,” “Kenyans.co.ke,” “Kenyafrontline.com,” and “Standardmedia.co.ke,” report that President William Ruto has been invited to WUF13 in recognition of Kenya’s achievements in affordable housing and sustainable urban development. It is noted that he will present Kenya’s affordable housing program during the forum and seek new international partners and investors for urban development projects. The reports also include references to his meeting with the President of Azerbaijan.
News about WUF13 has also been widely covered by media outlets in Türkiye, Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Kazakhstan, Tajikistan, India, Jordan, Iraq, Mozambique, and other countries.
The post WUF13 in Baku draws global media attention appeared first on azeritimes.com.
The post WUF13 in Baku draws global media attention first appeared on The South Caucasus News – SouthCaucasusNews.com.



(@citizengatsby)“OK since some of you are in denial that this American goldfinch did not flick me off—yes, he fucking did.” 
