//The Wire//2030Z May 16, 2024//

//ROUTINE//

//BLUF: SLOVAKIAN PM IN SERIOUS CONDITION FOLLOWING ASSASSINATION ATTEMPT. DOMESTIC CONFLICT BEGINS IN NEW CALEDONIA.//

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-International Events-

Slovakia: Local media reports that PM Fico’s condition is still very serious, and it is not yet clear as to if he will survive the assassination attempt. The attacker has been identified as Juraj Cintula, a 71 year old far-left poet of local notoriety for being heavily involved in anti-government rallies. Cintula’s wife has allegedly also been arrested by authorities in connection with the attack.

Far East: Chinese incursion flights in the Taiwan Strait continue. 27x PLA aircraft, 7x PLAN vessels were detected operating in the Strait last night. AC: Again falling short of a major imminent wartime indicator, these incursions are taking place during Russian President Vladimir Putin’s state visit to China.

South Pacific: Mass violence and riots have broken out in the French territory of New Caledonia following a potential change of the electoral system that locals say will increase French power in the former colony. Hundreds of police have been deployed throughout the island as curfews and other restrictions on movement take effect.

-HomeFront-

Texas: Yesterday morning, an oil barge collided with a bridge in Galveston after its tow line parted. The barge collapsed a portion of the rail line on the Pelican Island Causeway Bridge, and the bridge will be out of action pending safety inspections.

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Analyst Comments: Though all eyes are rightfully attentive to critical infrastructure events, tow lines parting and/or mooring lines slipping is a fairly common occurrence throughout America’s waterways. Though the details of this incident are few (like most maritime accidents/incidents), this collision is likely not on the scale of previous disasters. The Pelican Island Causeway Bridge was in bad shape before the incident. The bridge doesn’t host much traffic regularly, and the rail line (which collapsed as a result of the collision) had been out of service for some time due to the aging bridge. However, this bridge is the only way on or off Pelican Island, so the local population of 9,000 people (and the Texas A&M campus on the island) will be affected by the bridge being closed while it is being inspected for damage.

Analyst: S2A1

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