//The Wire//2130Z January 22, 2024//

//ROUTINE//

//BLUF: SCOTUS RULES AGAINST TEXAS’ ACTIONS TO PREVENT ILLEGAL IMMIGRATION//

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-International Events-

Europe: Virgin Atlantic Airways Flight 127 (originally scheduled to depart Manchester, U.K. for New York) was canceled after a boarding passenger looked out their window and noticed four missing screws from the aircraft’s wing. The flight was canceled to allow more time for more thorough maintenance inspections.

Red Sea/HOA: The U.S. Navy has called off the search for the two SEALs that went missing during operations in the region last week. This marks the first American deaths affiliated with the Red Sea Crisis. This comes as initial reports indicate the European Union preparing plans for a Large Scale Combat Operation in Yemen. AC: Though details are very unconfirmed, Yemen’s actions to restrict western trade routes will likely result in some action from European powers. So far OPN PROSPERITY GUARDIAN has largely been a failure, despite limited success in downing Houthi missiles and drones. However, as total security cannot be guaranteed and Yemeni strikes have been effective, western nations have likely been weighing more substantial options since this crisis began.

Far East: Chinese military actions IVO the Taiwan Strait continue. Over the weekend, Taiwan detected 6x Spy Balloons in addition to Chinese aircraft and ships conducting exercises in the region.

-HomeFront-

TX: The U.S. Supreme Court has ruled in favor of the Biden regime, allowing federal agents to remove razor wire on the U.S. southern border. No opinions were provided with this ruling. AC: All eyes are on Texas as citizens await what could be a serious flashpoint. The idea of state’s rights vs. federal rights is obviously a hot-button issue well seated in our nation’s history. As such, this ruling is probably more serious than one may realize at first, being largely representative of sentiments that have been bubbling for decades (possibly longer).

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Analyst Comments: While it is unclear as to if a maintenance oversight would have resulted in catastrophic failure aboard flight VS127, the failure of complex systems that may result in catastrophe remains a concern for most. This incident is by no means out of the ordinary in being the latest continuation of long-standing deficiencies in the commercial aviation world. However, as more eyes are being more observant of issues in aviation, it is easy to forget that extremely concerning and slipshod maintenance practices are the industry standard in commercial aviation. Fortunately, more citizens are becoming more situationally aware of the rising risks in commercial aviation, from passengers having to visually inspect their aircraft for missing parts, to the concerning hiring practices of pilots. Consequently, situational awareness is becoming more essential for survival in industries that historically have been working at the level of the barest minimum of competency for decades.

Analyst: S2A

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