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Iraqi religious leader demands closure of American embassy
Influential religious leader Moqtada Sadr called on the Iraqi government Friday to close the United States embassy in Baghdad because of Washington’s “unconditional support” for Israel in its war with Palestinian terrorist group Hamas. “If the government and parliament do not respond, we will take a different position that we will announce later,” the Shiite cleric, who often criticizes the government, warned on X. On 22 October, Washington ordered all non-essential staff to leave its embassy in Baghdad’s high security Green Zone and its consulate in Arbil, capital of the autonomous Kurdistan region. Prime Minister Mohammed Shia al-Sudani has criticized the “Zionist occupation” since Israel began its bombardment of Gaza, calling it a “genocide” of the Palestinian people. On 7 October, Hamas militants stormed into Israel from the Gaza Strip, killing at least 1,400 people, mostly civilians, who were shot, mutilated, or burned to death on the first day of the raid, according to Israeli officials. Israel says around 1,500 Hamas fighters were killed in clashes before its army regained control of the areas under attack. More than 7,300 Palestinians, mainly civilians, have been killed across Gaza in relentless Israeli bombardments in response to the attacks, according to the Hamas health ministry in the territory. Iraqis stage regular protests to condemn the Israeli bombing and in support of the Palestinians. Militia attacks All Iraqi political factions support the Palestinian cause, and like its neighbor Iran, Israel’s sworn enemy, Iraq does not recognize the Israeli state. US forces and their coalition allies in Iraq have been the target of attacks mostly claimed by the group “Islamic Resistance in Iraq” on Telegram channels tied to pro-Iran factions. On Thursday, the Pentagon said there had been 16 such attacks in Iraq and Syria this month, and blamed “Iranian-supported militias.” The Baghdad government is supported by parties that have close links with Tehran, but it is working to maintain relations with the US, which has 2,500 soldiers on Iraqi territory. On Monday, Baghdad called the attacks on American soldiers “unacceptable” and promised to investigate. WITH AFP The post Iraqi religious leader demands closure of American embassy appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
US Treasury seeking coalition against Hamas financing: official
Washington aims to build an international coalition to target the financing of Hamas, a top US Treasury official said Tuesday, as conflict rages on in the Middle East. The comments to AFP by Deputy Treasury Secretary Wally Adeyemo come after the United States unveiled fresh sanctions last week on Hamas members, operatives and financial facilitators. "Our goal is to build a coalition with countries both in the region but also around the world to go after their financing," Adeyemo said on the sidelines of an event in Washington. Hamas gunmen stormed across the border from Gaza into Israel on October 7, carrying out the deadliest attack since the country was created in 1948 and taking over 200 people hostage. In retaliation, Israel announced it would destroy Hamas and began a relentless bombardment of the Gaza Strip. Thousands of civilians have been killed on both sides since the conflict began. Adeyemo said that during a trip to Europe later this week, he plans to meet with "allies and partners and talk about what we can do in a coordinated way to go after Hamas' financial network." While the United States has previously issued a number of sanctions against Hamas, which Washington has designated a terrorist group, Adeyemo said the organization has tried to find ways around the restrictions -- such as by using cryptocurrencies and new facilitators. On Tuesday, French President Emmanuel Macron -- on a solidarity visit to Israel -- called for Hamas to be added to the targets of an international coalition against the Islamic State group. Without commenting on Macron's specific remarks, Adeyemo told AFP that "the strategy that was used to counteract the Islamic State and other terrorist groups is the one we have to use here." Brian Nelson, the Treasury under secretary for terrorism and financial intelligence, is also visiting Qatar and Saudi Arabia this week. He held a meeting with "a number of Gulf countries, where they talked about what they can do to increase their focus on terrorism as well," said Adeyemo. "We look forward to taking additional actions when it comes to sanctions and using some of our other tools against Hamas," Adeyemo added. The post US Treasury seeking coalition against Hamas financing: official appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Japan, U.S.: ‘We got your back’
Key allies of the country expressed their unwavering support after a Chinese Coast Guard ship intentionally collided with a Philippine Navy boat to stop a resupply mission to the grounded BRP Sierra Madre on Ayungin Shoal. Defense Secretary Gilbert Teodoro Jr. described the maneuver as an escalation of China’s aggression within the exclusive economic zone of the Philippines. Japan issued a statement expressing support after the incident. “Japan expresses serious concern for actions which increase regional tensions, including a dangerous action that caused a collision between Chinese and Filipino ships on 22 October,” the Japanese Foreign Ministry said. It added that Japan believes the issue of the South China Sea is directly related to the peace and stability in the region and is a legitimate concern of the international community, including Japan. “Thus, Japan opposes any unilateral attempts to change the status quo by force as well as any actions that increase tensions in the South China Sea,” it said. Citing the Japan-Philippines Joint Statement last February, the Foreign Ministry said the “government of Japan concurs with the Philippines’ long-standing objections to unlawful maritime claims, militarization, coercive activities, and threat or use of force in the South China Sea.” “Furthermore, Japan highly appreciates the government of the Philippines for having consistently complied with the arbitral tribunal’s award as to the disputes between the Republic of the Philippines and the People’s Republic of China regarding the South China Sea, and has shown its commitment to the peaceful settlement of disputes in the (West Philippine Sea), as stated in the statement by the Foreign Minister of Japan issued on the occasion of the seventh anniversary of the issuance of the award,” it said. Japan said it would continue to cooperate with the international community, such as the members of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations and the United States, to “protect free, open and peaceful seas.” ‘Ironclad’ vow The United States, meanwhile, reiterated its “ironclad” commitment to the Philippines. According to a White House statement, US National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan assured National Security Adviser Eduardo Año of US support in safeguarding its sovereign rights in the WPS under the Mutual Defense Treaty between both nations. “Sullivan reiterated US support for our Philippine allies following the PRC Coast Guard and maritime militia’s dangerous and unlawful actions on 22 October, obstructing a routine Philippine resupply mission to Second Thomas Shoal,” the statement read. “Sullivan emphasized the ironclad US commitments to the Philippines under theUS-Philippines Mutual Defense Treaty, which extends to armed attacks on Philippine public vessels, aircraft and armed forces — to include those of its Coast Guard — in the Pacific, including in the West Philippine Sea,” it added. Signed in 1951, the Philippines and the United States agreed that an armed attack in the Pacific area on either of the parties would be dangerous to its own peace and safety and declared that it would act to meet the common dangers by its constitutional processes. The White House said Sullivan and Año “reaffirmed the enduring alliance and friendship between our nations and discussed upcoming US-Philippine engagements and ways to further strengthen our close partnership.” Manila vs Beijing Both Manila and Beijing condemned the incident, which they said violated their sovereign rights over Ayungin Shoal, a low-tide elevation in the WPS. The two countries traded blame for the incident, which also sparked concern from Australia, Canada and South Korea. In 2016, the Permanent Court of Arbitration rejected Beijing’s historical nine-dash line claim to the WPS. Militia boats utilized Teodoro labeled the Chinese actions near the shoal as deliberate. “Chinese Coast Guard and maritime militia vessels, in blatant violation of international law, harassed and intentionally hit the Unaiza May 2 and Philippine Coast Guard vessel BRP Cabra,” Teodoro said. “We are here to decry in the strongest terms this egregious violation and illegal act within the Philippines’ 200-nautical-mile exclusive economic zone and the obfuscation of the truth by China’s distorting of the story to fit its own ends.” His comments came hours after President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. met with security officials and ordered the Coast Guard to investigate the incident, which was “being taken seriously at the highest levels of government,” Malacañang said. The military monitored “a large number of Chinese maritime militia vessels” swarming in the West Philippine Sea, National Security Council spokesperson, Undersecretary Jonathan Malaya, said. In a television interview, Malaya said these vessels were spotted “not only in the vicinity of Ayungin Shoal and Bajo de Masinloc but also in other features, including (Scarborough Shoal) and Sabina (Escoda) Shoal.” “We are alarmed by the environmental degradation our Coast Guard ships were able to monitor in these areas,” he told the ANC. Malaya noted that environmental degradation or coral destruction would directly impact the livelihood of the fishermen in the WPS. “Sometimes we forget the reasons why we are pushing our rights in the WPS. Some critics say this is just posturing on the part of the Philippines or a tug-of-war between China and the Philippines. No, this is not,” he stressed. “This is a battle for the resources of our country, particularly for our fishermen, so that when we monitor coral destruction in parts of the WPS, it alarms the government because it directly impacts the livelihood of our fishermen,” he said. Malaya also slammed China’s “maligned information operation” and sharing of “false narratives” in its sweeping claims on the WPS. “Definitely, there’s a maligned information operation going on nowadays that is shared to the public and we are just happy it is not just the Philippine government that is sharing our side here — we have allies, if we may call them witnesses, from the media,” he said. The post Japan, U.S.: ‘We got your back’ appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Biden discusses Mideast war with Western allies — White House
US President Joe Biden discussed the Israel-Hamas war Sunday with leaders of major Western powers, the White House said, as Israel intensified its attacks on Gaza. Biden spoke with the leaders of Britain, Canada, France, Germany, and Italy, the White House said. "The leaders reiterated their support for Israel and its right to defend itself against terrorism and called for adherence to international humanitarian law, including the protection of civilians," a White House readout of the discussions said. It said the leaders discussed their own citizens trapped in the Israel-Hamas war, "in particular those wishing to leave Gaza." Fighting raged unchecked and scores more were killed in air strikes by Israel in Gaza as the humanitarian situation in the enclave worsened. Another convoy of 17 aid trucks arrived in Gaza as the Hamas-run territory faced "catastrophic" shortages. Hamas militants stormed across the border into Israel on 7 October, launching a raid that killed at least 1,400 people, according to Israeli officials. They also seized more than 200 hostages in the worst attack in Israel's history. Israel has hit back with a relentless bombing campaign that has so far killed more than 4,600 Palestinians, mainly civilians, according to Gaza's health ministry. The readout said the Western leaders voiced commitment to coordinate "to ensure sustained and safe access to food, water, medical care, and other assistance required to meet humanitarian needs." They also pledged close diplomatic coordination "to prevent the conflict from spreading, preserve stability in the Middle East, and work toward a political solution and durable peace." In addition to Biden, those on the call included Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, President Emmanuel Macron of France, Chancellor Olaf Scholz of Germany, Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni and UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak, the White House said. The post Biden discusses Mideast war with Western allies — White House appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
The Israel-Hamas military balance
Israel has one of the best-resourced militaries in the world, heavily supported by Washington. In Hamas, it faces a highly trained armed group with powerful regional allies. With both sides poised for an Israeli ground offensive in the wake of the deadly attack on Israel by Hamas on 7 October, here is an overview of their military resources. Israel The Israel Defense Forces number 169,500, of which 126,000 are army, according to Britain's International Institute for Strategic Studies (IISS). On top of that, it has 400,000 reservists, of which 360,000 have been mobilized since the Hamas attack. Israel also has some of the most technologically advanced defenses in the world, including the "Iron Dome" anti-missile system. IISS says it has around 1,300 tanks and other armored vehicles, 345 fighter jets, and a vast arsenal of artillery, drones, and state-of-the-art submarines. Though not a declared nuclear state, Israel's nuclear weapons cache is an open secret and the Arms Control Association puts its number of warheads at 90. US ally Washington provides $3.8 billion per year to Israel in military aid under a 10-year agreement running until 2028. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin said Sunday that he had activated deployment of a Terminal High Altitude Area Defense battery and additional Patriot battalions "throughout the region". He added that he had put "an additional number of forces on prepare-to-deploy orders ... to increase their readiness and ability to quickly respond as required." Washington had already delivered increased munitions to Israel and deployed two aircraft carriers to the eastern Mediterranean -- the USS Gerald Ford, the world's largest warship, and the USS Eisenhower -- to deter not just Hamas but also its allies Iran and the Lebanese Islamist movement Hezbollah. The US military on Tuesday ordered 2,000 personnel to prepare for deployment to the Middle East as a show of force. Hamas Hamas has a diverse arsenal built up over many years. Its armed forces, called the Ezzedine Al-Qassam Brigades, numbers 15,000 men according to IISS, though it notes that Arab media have put the figure at 40,000. They have heavy weapons obtained from across the Middle East -- particularly Iran, Syria, and Libya -- and have also sourced handguns and assault rifles from China and other regions. It also has a variety of locally made, improvised explosives and Western sources say enough drones, mines, anti-tank guided missiles, grenade launchers, and mortar shells to hold out for a long period, though precise figures are unavailable. The majority of its rockets are also locally manufactured and technologically rudimentary. Hezbollah There have already been exchanges across the border between Israel and Lebanon, where the Iran-backed Hezbollah is based. "Hezbollah can tie up IDF resources without having to fully commit to the fight, instead relying on occasional rocket or missile strikes to prevent the Israelis from growing complacent and forcing the IDF to commit manpower and materiel along the northern border," said the Soufan Center, a US think tank. In 2021, the group claimed to have 100,000 fighters. The Institute for National Security Studies, an Israeli think tank, says the number is half that. "Most Hezbollah militants are not full-time fighters but rather engage in militant activity as and when required by the group's commanders," according to Elliot Chapman of the British defense analysis firm Janes. Hezbollah mobilized 40,000 men at the outbreak of Syria's civil war, he noted. INSS says the group's arsenal counts 150,000 to 200,000 rockets and missiles, including "hundreds" of precision rockets. "Strategically, Hezbollah's rocket arsenal is the group's most significant capability for fighting Israel," Chapman said. Iran Since its Islamic revolution in 1979, Iran has made support for Palestinians one of the pillars of its ideology. Foreign Minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian warned Sunday that "The region is like a powderkeg ... I warn the United States and its proxy (Israel) that if they do not immediately stop the crime against humanity and genocide in Gaza, anything is possible at any moment and the region will go out of control". Western analysts minimize the threat of Iran becoming directly involved and point rather to its support from Hamas, Hezbollah, and Huthi rebels in Yemen -- a so-called "axis of resistance" of Israel's enemies. Raz Zimmt, of INSS, said Iran currently had "no interest in Hezbollah engaging in an all-out war" that might threaten such a key "strategic asset". But he added that Tehran's hand could be forced by "an Israeli ground invasion, and especially Israeli military success, which will threaten the very survival of Hamas and/or its ability to maintain effective control over the Gaza Strip". The post The Israel-Hamas military balance appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Serpent’s forked tongue
The terrorist organization Hamas, through more than two weeks of conflict, proved that deception is among its expertise, as it led many to believe that it is fighting for freedom and is not sowing mayhem. Its Charter, however, has the elimination of all Jews through a holy war or jihad as one of its objectives. Even after dominating the Palestinian Parliament, Hamas is classified as a terror organization by Canada, New Zealand, Israel, Egypt, Japan, the European Union, Australia, Jordan and the United States. A bit late, the country, nonetheless, seeks the designation of Hamas as a terrorist group under Philippine laws. National Security Adviser Eduardo Año said the tagging of the terror group will be a priority agenda of the Anti-Terrorism Council after the savage 7 October surprise attack on Israel. The assault on peaceful civilian communities was not the first atrocity committed by the group. Israel Defense Forces, or IDF, data showed countless bloodletting attributed to Hamas. The group was responsible for the Haifa bus suicide bombing on 5 March 2003, which killed 17 people. On 12 June 2014, Hamas terrorists kidnapped and later murdered three Israeli teenagers, for which Operation Brother’s Keeper and Operation Protective Edge were launched. Since Hamas’ control of the Gaza Strip, it has used civilian facilities as training grounds for its terror campaign or as cover for its lairs. IDF discovered that Hamas converted a five-story building, originally meant to be used as a national library and provides offices for government services and housing, into a terror training facility. The building had a tunnel dug underneath it for underground warfare training. The IDF struck it following Hamas’ firing of several rockets at Israel. Other Hamas military infrastructure was put up near neighborhoods, including next to schools and mosques. IDF said Hamas solicits funds from international financiers supposedly to uplift the lives of Palestinians but misuses these to buy arms and other activities in support of their terror campaign. Such investments based on IDF investigations included over $120 million since 2014 in materials to build terror tunnels leading into Israel. The indiscriminate firing of rockets at Israel, Hamas, and its allies usually hits civilian facilities in Gaza, such as the cause of the deadly explosion at the Gaza hospital that killed scores of people. “Hamas operatives don’t aim at precise targets, they simply fire rockets and don’t care if it harms their people,” according to IDF. Hamas came to power through an election, which is now believed it merely exploited to rule the Gaza Strip through terror. In January 2006, after Israel disengaged from the Gaza Strip, removing all communities and military installations, Hamas took part in the Palestinian Parliamentary Elections and won a majority of 76 seats, making it the ruling power. After a failed attempt to merge with its rival political party, Fatah, which lost the initial elections against Hamas, violence between both parties escalated into a bloody fight. IDF said people were thrown off rooftops, and public executions occurred in the bitter political rivalry. Since March 2018, Hamas has instigated riots, which it paints as peaceful and widespread protests. “Infiltration attempts and the use of arson kites and firebombs have taken place during the riots. Since the Gaza Strip is half a mile away from Israeli communities, infiltration would endanger Israeli civilians,” the IDF said. Hamas intended to use Gaza civilians as human shields and covers for infiltration attempts and terror. IDF said the world should know the true character of Hamas to understand the constant terror inflicted on Israel and the poor state of the Gaza Strip under its helm. Let the world not fall to the temptation and seduction of evil. The post Serpent’s forked tongue appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
First relief convoy enters Gaza devastated by ‘nightmare’ war
The first aid trucks arrived in war-torn Gaza from Egypt on Saturday, bringing urgent humanitarian relief to the Hamas-controlled Palestinian enclave suffering what the UN chief labelled a "godawful nightmare". Israel has vowed to destroy Hamas after the Islamist militant group carried out the deadliest attack in the country's history on October 7. Hamas militants killed at least 1,400 people, mostly civilians who were shot, mutilated or burnt to death, and took more than 200 hostages, according to Israeli officials. Israel has retaliated with a relentless bombing campaign on Gaza that has killed more than 4,300 Palestinians, mainly civilians, according to the Hamas-run health ministry. An Israeli siege has cut food, water, electricity and fuel supplies to the densely populated and long-blockaded territory of 2.4 million people, sparking fears of a humanitarian catastrophe. AFP journalists on Saturday saw 20 trucks from the Egyptian Red Crescent, which is responsible for delivering aid from various UN agencies, pass through the Rafah border crossing from Egypt into Gaza. The crossing -- the only one into Gaza not controlled by Israel -- closed again after the trucks passed. The lorries had been waiting for days on the Egyptian side after Israel agreed to a request from its main ally the United States to allow aid to enter. UN chief Antonio Guterres warned Friday that the relief supplies were "the difference between life and death" for many Gazans, more than one million of whom have been displaced. "Much more" aid needs to be sent, he told a peace summit in Egypt on Saturday. US Secretary of State Antony Blinken welcomed the aid and urged "all parties" to keep the Rafah crossing open. But a Hamas spokesman said "even dozens" of such convoys could not meet Gaza's needs, especially as no fuel was being allowed in to help distribute the supplies to those in need. 'Reeling in pain' Tens of thousands of Israeli troops have deployed to the Gaza border ahead of an expected ground offensive that officials have pledged will begin "soon". As international tensions soar, Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi was hosting a peace summit in Cairo on Saturday attended by regional and some Western leaders. "The time has come for action to end this godawful nightmare," Guterres told the summit, calling for a "humanitarian ceasefire". The region "is reeling in pain and one step from the precipice", he said. Guterres said "the grievances of the Palestinian people are legitimate and long" after "56 years of occupation with no end in sight". But he stressed that "nothing can justify the reprehensible assault by Hamas that terrorised Israeli civilians". "Those abhorrent attacks can never justify the collective punishment of the Palestinian people," he added. Egypt, historically a key mediator between Hamas and Israel, has urged "restraint" and the relaunch of the long-frozen peace process. But diplomatic efforts to end the violence have made little headway, without the participation of Israel and its enemy Iran, a supporter of Hamas and other armed groups. 'Sliver of hope' A full-blown Israeli ground offensive carries many risks, including to the hostages Hamas took and whose fate is shrouded in uncertainty. So the release of two Americans among the hostages -- mother and daughter Judith and Natalie Raanan -- offered a rare "sliver of hope", said Mirjana Spoljaric, president of the International Committee of the Red Cross. US President Joe Biden thanked Qatar, which hosts Hamas's political bureau, for its mediation in securing the release. He said he was working "around the clock" to win the return of other Americans being held. Natalie Raanan's half-brother Ben told the BBC he felt an "overwhelming sense of joy" at the release after "the most horrible of ordeals". Hamas said Egypt and Qatar had negotiated the release and that it was "working with all mediators to implement the movement's decision to close the civilian (hostage) file if appropriate security conditions allow". Traumatised families with loved ones missing in Gaza demanded more action. "We ask humanity to interfere and bring back all those young boys, young girls, mothers, babies," Assaf Shem Tov, whose nephew was abducted from a music festival where Hamas killed hundreds, said Friday. Devastation Almost half of Gaza's residents have been displaced, and at least 30 percent of all housing in the territory has been destroyed or damaged, the United Nations says. Thousands have taken refuge in a camp set up in the city of Khan Yunis in southern Gaza. Fadwa al-Najjar said she and her seven children walked for 10 hours to reach the camp, at some points breaking into a run as missiles struck around them. "We saw bodies and limbs torn off and we just started praying, thinking we were going to die," she told AFP. In Al-Zahra in central Gaza, Rami Abu Wazna was struggling to take in the destruction wreaked by Israeli missile strikes. "Even in my worst nightmares, I never thought this could be possible," he said. Israel's operation will take not "a day, nor a week, nor a month" and will result in "the end of Israel's responsibilities in the Gaza Strip", Defence Minister Yoav Gallant warned on Friday. Regional tensions flare In Gaza, retired general Omar Ashour said the destruction was "part of a clear plan for people to have no place left to live". "This will cause a second Nakba," he added, referring to the 760,000 Palestinians who were expelled from or fled their homes when Israel was created in 1948. The United States has moved two aircraft carriers into the eastern Mediterranean to deter Iran or Lebanon's Hezbollah, both Hamas allies, amid fears of a wider conflagration. Fire across Israel's border with Lebanon continued overnight, with one Israeli soldier killed, Israeli public radio said. The military said it hit Hezbollah targets after rocket and missile fire. Violence has also flared in the West Bank, where 84 Palestinians have been killed since October 7, according to the Palestinian health ministry. The post First relief convoy enters Gaza devastated by ‘nightmare’ war appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Principled peace
Self-defense is essential for a nation’s survival, which was what the United States veto of the United Nations resolution calling for “humanitarian pauses” in Israel’s campaign against Hamas was all about. Based on a formula that Brazil and Russia drafted, the resolution was meant to allow aid delivery to the war zone, mainly in northern Gaza. Under United Nations rules, a “no” vote by any of the five permanent members of the Security Council stops action on any proposal. The body’s permanent members are China, France, the Russian Federation, the United Kingdom and the United States. Russia had proposed two amendments to the UN resolution seeking a ceasefire that the SC rejected. Russian Ambassador Vassily Nebenzia’s proposal came with its warning that anyone who did not support Russia’s draft resolution “bears responsibility for what happens.” Coming from Russia, the call for moral responsibility in Israel’s war against terror was somewhat off, considering its ongoing campaign to occupy Ukraine. In delivering the veto, US Ambassador Linda Thomas-Greenfield said the “resolution did not mention Israel’s right of self-defense.” “Israel has the inherent right of self-defense as reflected in Article 51 of the UN Charter,” she said. Thomas-Greenfield noted that the Security Council had reaffirmed the right in previous resolutions on terrorist attacks. “This resolution should have done the same,” she said. UK Ambassador Barbara Woodward said her country abstained from voting on the resolution as the text needed to clarify Israel’s inherent right to self-defense. She pointed out that the resolution also ignored that extremist group Hamas, which controls Gaza, uses Palestinian civilians as human shields. “They (Hamas) have embedded themselves in civilian communities and made the Palestinian people their victims too,” she said. She reiterated the UK’s support for Israel’s right to defend itself against Hamas, to rescue hostages, and to strengthen its security in the long term while calling on Israel “to take all feasible precautions” to avoid harming Palestinian civilians. The argument of the UK is the source of the dilemma in the current conflict — saving civilians but with the responsibility falling solely on the shoulders of Israel. Hamas, a terrorist organization, is not bound by, therefore is not expected to follow, UN resolutions. Directing Israel to implement a ceasefire, even momentarily, puts it at a disadvantage since Hamas and its terror allies will continue to fire their rockets while consolidating their forces. War indeed brings horrors that should not happen in a civilized world. Human frailty is brought to the fore by the greed and ambition of the terror organization, stripped of religious embellishment. Hamas wants to drive out the Israelis and establish a kingdom to rule over the Palestinians. A spokesperson of the Israeli Defense Forces said resolute action is necessary against Hamas to end its reign of terror and prevent the recurrence of its recent attack on civilians. The surprise assault on 7 October resulted in the slaughter of 1,400 mostly civilian Israelis. Israel then declared war on Hamas, which rules the Palestinian government, vowing to hold it accountable for the massacre. Hamas uses treachery and guile, digging bunkers and underground communities in civilian areas to evade the Israeli forces. The terror group uses the propaganda mill to elicit tacit support from countries with anti-Israel sentiments. It uses the Israeli airstrikes on its facilities that cause civilian casualties as leverage to get the Israeli operations to stop. The UN, as the organization relied on to keep the peace in the region, has failed to provide a fair and rational solution to the conflict. The post Principled peace appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Meta, Google quit tech summit over organizer’s Israel remarks
Meta and Google have pulled out of the Web Summit, one of the tech sector's biggest annual events, after the organizer criticized Israel's actions following the Hamas attacks, the companies said on Friday. A spokesman for Meta confirmed to AFP that it would not take part in this year's event, with Google telling the Irish Independent that it too would not be making the trip to Lisbon. Irish entrepreneur Paddy Cosgrave, co-founder of the Web Summit, wrote on social media platform X last week that he was "shocked at the rhetoric and actions of so many Western leaders & governments." "War crimes are war crimes even when committed by allies, and should be called out for what they are," Cosgrave wrote on October 13. Hamas militants stormed into Israel from the Gaza Strip on October 7, and killed at least 1,400 people, mostly civilians who were shot, mutilated or burnt to death on the first day of the raid, according to Israeli officials. Israel says around 1,500 Hamas fighters were killed in clashes before its army regained control of the area under attack. More than 3,700 Palestinians, mainly civilians, have been killed across the Gaza Strip in relentless Israeli bombardments in retaliation for the attacks by the Palestinian Islamist militant group, according to the latest toll from the Hamas health ministry in Gaza. The boycott by Meta and Google follows other exits by companies and tech figures, including Intel, Siemens and US comedian Amy Poehler and X-files actor Gillian Anderson. The Web Summit is due to host some 2,300 startups and more than 70,000 people on November 13-16 in Lisbon. Silicon Valley figure Garry Tan, of start-up backer Y-Combinator, initially kicked off the boycott and other big names in the industry quickly followed. Cosgrave issued an apology on Tuesday. "I understand that what I said, the timing of what I said, and the way it has been presented has caused profound hurt to many. To anyone who was hurt by my words, I apologise deeply," he said. "What is needed at this time is compassion, and I did not convey that," the statement said. Cosgrave said he "unreservedly" condemns Hamas's "evil, disgusting and monstrous" attack on Israel and "unequivocally" supports Israel's "right to exist and to defend itself." He also said that Israel should adhere to the Geneva Conventions, "ie, not commit war crimes." The post Meta, Google quit tech summit over organizer’s Israel remarks appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Gazans await ‘life and death’ aid, Israel readies invasion
Thousands of tonnes of "life and death" aid for Gaza should be delivered soon, the United Nations said Friday, to relieve a "beyond catastrophic" situation after unrelenting Israeli bombing in response to an unprecedented Hamas attack. Some 175 lorries stuffed with vital medicines, food, and water stretched into the distance at the Rafah crossing with Egypt, which has removed concrete roadblocks and is scrambling to repair the route into besieged Gaza -- the only one not controlled by Israel. Overseeing operations personally, UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres told reporters: "These trucks are not just trucks, they are a lifeline, they are the difference between life and death for so many people in Gaza." Israel has vowed to destroy Hamas after the Islamist militant group launched a shock raid from the Gaza Strip on October 7, killing at least 1,400 people, mostly civilians shot, mutilated or burned to death, according to Israeli officials. Hamas gunmen also kidnapped some 200 hostages including foreigners from around two dozen countries. The Islamist group said Friday that its armed wing had released two Americans among the captives, a mother and her daughter, the first fruit of mediation efforts by the Gulf state of Qatar. The Islamist group did not detail how or when the hostages were released. The Israeli military said earlier Friday that most of those abducted to Gaza were still alive. It said more than 20 were minors. In response to the Hamas attack, Israeli bombers have levelled entire city blocks in Gaza in preparation for a ground invasion they say is coming soon. The Hamas-run health ministry said 4,137 Palestinians, mostly civilians, have died in the onslaught. Israeli jets pounded more than 100 Hamas targets in Gaza overnight, the army said, with AFP reporters hearing loud explosions and witnessing plumes of smoke billowing from the northern Gaza Strip. Embracing front-line soldiers and clad in body armour, Israel's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu urged them to "fight like lions" and "win with full force". Fists clenched and voice raised, Netanyahu told cheering troops: "We will deal harsh blows to our enemies in order to achieve victory." Defence Minister Yoav Gallant told some of the tens of thousands of personnel preparing the ground invasion that "the order will come soon". 'Beyond catastrophic' US President Joe Biden said Friday he expected the first aid for Gaza to pass through the Rafah crossing from Egypt within the next two days, under a deal he clinched to allow in 20 trucks of supplies for civilians. Medicine, water purifiers and blankets were being unloaded at El Arish airport near Gaza, an AFP reporter saw, with Ahmed Ali, head of the Egyptian Red Crescent, saying he was getting "two to three planes of aid a day". But World Health Organization emergencies director Michael Ryan said Biden's 20-truck deal was "a drop in the ocean of need" and that 2,000 trucks were required. The UN says more than one million of Gaza's 2.4 million people are displaced, with the humanitarian situation "beyond catastrophic" and deteriorating daily. Refugees from northern Gaza told harrowing tales of bombs, profiteering and extreme temperatures as whole families trekked on foot to flee the violence. Mother of seven Fadwa Al-Najjar walked for 10 hours with her family from northern Gaza to reach a UN camp in the southern city of Khan Yunis, saying she saw cars hit by a strike just in front of them. "We saw bodies and limbs torn off and we just started praying, thinking we were going to die," she said. 'It's unimaginable' On the other side of the conflict, the full horror of what Israel suffered on October 7 and following days was still emerging, as traumatised residents recounted their stories. Shachar Butler, a security chief at the Nir Oz kibbutz, where Hamas militants killed or kidnapped a quarter of the 400 residents, recalls more than a dozen gunmen spraying bullets indiscriminately and lobbing grenades at homes. "It's unimaginable," the 40-year-old told AFP as part of a trip organised by the Israeli military. "Anytime someone tried to touch my window, I shot him," he said. "The people who came out got kidnapped, killed, executed, slaughtered." Butler estimated as many as 200 militants attacked the kibbutz, entering from three sides before going house-to-house. Homes there were still charred with burnt personal belongings strewn everywhere. Israel says around 1,500 Hamas fighters were killed in clashes before its army regained control. 'No safe place' Biden requested a massive $105 billion security package Friday, including $14 billion for Israel, but paralysis in the still speakerless Congress means it will hit an immediate wall. Fresh from a whirlwind trip to Israel this week, Biden is hoping to staunch the possibility of a wider Middle East war. The United States has moved two aircraft carriers into the eastern Mediterranean to deter Iran or Lebanon's Hezbollah, both Hamas allies, from getting involved. After days of clashes with Hezbollah fighters along the Lebanese border, Israeli authorities announced the evacuation of Kiryat Shmona, a nearby town which is home to some 25,000 residents, many of whom have already left. The conflict has inflamed passions across the region, with protests held in several countries. Thousands flooded into Egypt's iconic Tahrir Square in support of Gaza, an AFP correspondent said. Protests were also held outside the French and US embassies in Tunis. Following a strike at a church compound late Thursday, the Hamas-controlled interior ministry said several people sheltering at the church were killed and wounded, blaming an Israeli strike. The Israeli army acknowledged a church wall had been damaged in one of its air strikes targeting a "command and control centre belonging to a Hamas terrorist". "This place is dedicated for praying, a place of love and peace," said witness Abu Khalil Jahshan. "There is no safe place here in Gaza." The post Gazans await ‘life and death’ aid, Israel readies invasion appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Germany and Israel sign ‘historic’ missile shield deal
Germany on Thursday signed a deal to acquire the Israeli-made Arrow 3 hypersonic missile system that will become a key part of Europe's defence against air attack. The signing of the deal was a "historic day" for both countries, German Defense Minister Boris Pistorius said at a press conference alongside his Israeli counterpart Yoav Gallant. Worth around $3.5 billion (3.3 billion euros), the sale is the biggest ever deal for Israel's military industry. The Arrow 3 system would make "German air defense ready for the future", Pistorius said. Germany has led a push to bolster NATO's air defenses in Europe after the Russian invasion of Ukraine last year, urging allies to buy deterrence systems together. "We can see with the daily Russian attacks on Ukraine how important anti-air defense is," Pistorius said. The signing of the deal was a "moving event for every Jew", looking back at the events of the Holocaust, Gallant said. "Only 80 years since the end of the Second World War yet Israel and Germany join hands today in building a safer future," he said. Sky shield The long-range Arrow 3 system, designed to shoot down missiles above the Earth's atmosphere, is powerful enough to offer protective cover for neighboring European Union states. The system was developed and produced by Israel and the United States and the sale had to be approved by Washington before it could be finalized. The system was first deployed at an Israeli air force base in 2017 and has been used to protect Israel against attacks from Iran and Syria. Arrow 3 is a "mobile system" that can be deployed depending on the threats faced, according to manufacturer Israel Aerospace Industries. The money for the deal comes from a landmark 100-billion-euro fund unveiled by Chancellor Olaf Scholz to bolster the country's defenses in the wake of Russia's invasion of Ukraine. More than a dozen European countries have so far signed up to Germany's common air defense project, the European Sky Shield Initiative. The Sky Shield project would involve joint procurement for short-, medium- and long-range systems, including the German-made Iris-T, the American Patriot system and Arrow 3. Some of Germany's neighbors have however so far declined to sign up to the pact, including France and Poland. Officials in Paris have argued instead for an air defense system using European equipment. Berlin has said it expects the Arrow 3 system to be delivered in the final quarter of 2025. The post Germany and Israel sign ‘historic’ missile shield deal appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Ombudsman vindicates (3)
It was the incendiary Independent Auditor’s Report on the Department of Health’s accounts and financial operations, crafted by a state auditor, a colleague of Heidi Mendoza’s, and released prematurely that roused strife between former CoA chairpersons allied with the senators of the Republic against President Rodrigo Duterte and Health Secretary Francisco Duque. On CoA’s and the senators’ side were Grace Pulido Tan, Heidi Mendoza and Michael Aguinaldo allied with Senators Richard Gordon, Franklin Drilon, Leila de Lima, Risa Hontiveros and Kiko Pangilinan. Words and deeds are enough to establish culpability for conspiracy by the former CoA chiefs and the senators of the Republic to destabilize the Duterte administration, to say the least, and to incite the people to sedition, at most. Immediately, this column issued commentaries informing the people that the report released by CoA on the alleged irregularities in DoH funds for Covid-19 was not an annual audit report but mere Audit Observation Memorandums, or AOMs, that were released prematurely. Almost instantaneously, Mendoza came from nowhere to declare that the release of the CoA findings on the P67.32 billion in DoH funds was not premature. The writings and voices of the former CoA chairpersons were loud, clear and eloquent in defense of an annual audit report that never was. “Today I weep for my colleague, a CoA-UN auditor, who just died of a heart attack. He was the auditor behind the DoH report. Stress can kill. Please let us offer a minute of prayer,” Mendoza said. Mendoza was referring to lawyer Jake Cimafranca who wrote the Independent Auditor’s Report on DoH’s accounts. Both Mendoza and Grace Pulido Tan were quick to say that the CoA annual audit report on DoH’s accounts and financial operations was regular and went through the process of review and approval before its release. The release was not premature, both said. The premature release put CoA under fire from President Duterte and administration officials like DoH Secretary Francisco Duque and allies for the screaming headlines in local newspapers and internet news flashes in capital cities around the world that said P67.32 billion intended to protect the people from Covid-19 was being lost to corruption. During the House hearing on CoA’s audit of the DoH, then CoA Chairperson Michael Aguinaldo announced that CoA would continue making and publishing audit reports on government agencies despite criticism from Duterte and Duque. Citing the huge misstatements and deficiencies contained in the Independent Auditor’s Report, Senator Leila M. De Lima submitted P.S. Res. No. 859 ( Resolution directing the appropriate Senate committee to conduct an inquiry in aid of legislation on the findings of the Commission on Audit report on the DoH on the reported unspent funds, misstatements, irregularities and deficiencies, with the end in view of addressing recurrent issues that plagued its services, as well as the persistent faults and lapses that gave rise to wastage even amid times of scarcity and shortages, and holding accountable, identifying and holding accountable those responsible for the same). The Committee on Accountability of Public Officers and Investigations (Blue Ribbon) headed by Senator Richard J. Gordon submitted its partial committee report to the Senate, preluded by a poem entitled “Pity the Nation” by Lawrence Ferlinghetti (After Khalil Gibran) 2007. “Pity the nation whose people are sheep And whose shepherds mislead them Pity the nation whose leaders are liars Whose sages are silenced And whose bigots haunt the airwaves Pity the nation that raises not its voice Except to praise conquerors And acclaim the bully as hero.” (To be continued) The post Ombudsman vindicates (3) appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Russia, Ukraine face off at UN court
A representative of Moscow told the International Court of Justice in The Hague on Monday that it lacks jurisdiction in ordering Russia to suspend its military offensive against Ukraine because Kyiv’s reason for it to issue the order is flawed. Gennady Kuzmin was sitting only meters from the Ukrainian delegation at the court in Peace Palace when he presented Russia’s argument and said that mere “statements” about genocide are not admissible under international law including the United Nations Genocide Convention. In March 2022, the ICJ ordered Russia to “immediately suspend” its military action as petitioned by Ukraine. The case stemmed from Kyiv’s suit disputing Russia’s accusation of bullying and genocide. Kyiv argued that Russia’s use of “genocide” as a pretext for the invasion of Ukraine went against the 1948 UN Genocide Convention. According to Russia, Ukraine’s argument falls outside the scope of the UNGC. Ukraine’s legal position is “hopelessly flawed” and “at odds with the longstanding jurisprudence” of the court, Kuzmin concluded. Ukraine will issue its response on Tuesday. More than 30 other countries — all Western allies of Ukraine — will also have the chance to make statements in support of Kyiv. The ICJ dismissed a bid by the United States to join the case. The court, created after World War II to deal with disputes between UN member states when they cannot resolve matters themselves, could take months to decide whether it has jurisdiction. Meanwhile, Ukraine said Monday its air defense systems had downed a swarm of Russian attack drones and nearly 20 cruise missiles in Russia’s latest aerial barrage overnight. “A total of 24 strike unmanned aerial vehicles were recorded around the Mykolaiv and Odesa regions. Eighteen attack drones were shot down by air defence units along the tracking route,” the Ukrainian air force said on social media, adding that: “All 17 missiles were shot down.” Russia said it repelled Ukrainian drone attacks over several parts of Crimea, outer Moscow and two border regions on Sunday. “Drones were intercepted over the western, southwestern, northwestern and eastern parts of the Crimean peninsula; Istra and Domodedovo districts of Moscow region, Belgorod and Voronezh regions,” Russia’s defense ministry said on Telegram in the round-up of Sunday’s attacks. WITH AFP The post Russia, Ukraine face off at UN court appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
North Korean leader in Russia for Putin talks as US warns on arms deal
North Korean leader Kim Jong Un arrived in Russia on Tuesday ahead of a meeting with President Vladimir Putin that the United States has warned could see an arms deal to support Moscow's assault on Ukraine. Making a rare foreign trip and his first since the pandemic, Kim was seen stepping onto a red-carpeted train platform before meeting Natural Resources Minister Alexander Kozlov. Kim and Putin are expected to meet at an unspecified location in Russia's Far East later this week, the Kremlin has said. Putin is currently attending the Eastern Economic Forum in Vladivostok, the Pacific port city closest to the North Korean border, though there has been no indication that the internationally isolated pair would hold their talks there. Reporters granted access to the Russian leader at the forum refrained from asking Putin details of the visit but he told journalists he would soon travel to the Vostochny Cosmodrome, a Russian spaceport some 1,000 kilometres (620 miles) from Vladivostok. "I've got my programme there, and when I get there you'll know," he was quoted by Russian news agencies as saying. Kim received a VIP welcome from a military honor guard, with the national anthems of both countries playing, as he arrived in the Russian border town of Khasan Tuesday morning, the state-run KCNA news agency said. Kim told his Russian hosts that his visit was a "clear manifestation" of North Korea "prioritizing the strategic importance" of its ties with Russia, KCNA said. The agency did not specify when or where Kim would meet with Putin, saying only that after the arrival ceremony the North Korean leader "left for his destination." Experts say Moscow will likely seek artillery shells and antitank missiles from North Korea, which wants advanced satellite and nuclear-powered submarine technology in return. Siemon Wezeman, a senior researcher at the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute, said it was "entirely possible" North Korea had large stocks of ammunition that could be used by Russia. "Whether any deal is struck remains to be seen," he said. "We will not know for sure until there is hard evidence that Russia has used North Korean arms and ammunition on the battlefield in Ukraine," he added. The White House warned last week that North Korea would "pay a price" if it supplied Russia with weaponry for the conflict in Ukraine. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said Putin and Kim would "cooperate on sensitive areas that should not be the subject of public disclosure and announcements". Steadfast allies Kim is travelling to Russia with his top military officials including Korean People's Army Marshal Pak Jong Chon and Munitions Industry Department Director Jo Chun Ryong, analysts said. This indicates a Putin-Kim summit "is likely to heavily focus on Russia and North Korea's possible military cooperation," Yang Moo-jin, president of the University of North Korean Studies in Seoul, told AFP. Moscow sent Defence Minister Sergei Shoigu to Pyongyang in July. He has recently mooted bilateral joint naval drills. Kim has been steadfast in his support for Moscow's assault on Ukraine, including, Washington says, supplying rockets and missiles. But both Moscow and Pyongyang have denied North Korea has or will supply arms to Russia, which has eaten into its vast stockpiles of munitions since it launched its Ukraine offensive early last year. Kim has not travelled outside North Korea since the start of the coronavirus pandemic. His last proper overseas trip was in 2019, also to Russia to meet Putin. 'Begging' for help "North Korea has the crude ammunition that Putin needs for his illegal war in Ukraine, while Moscow has submarine, ballistic, and satellite technologies that could help Pyongyang leapfrog engineering challenges it suffers under economic sanctions," said Leif-Eric Easley, a professor at Ewha University in Seoul. On Monday, the United States described Putin as desperate in seeking a meeting with Kim. "Having to travel across the length of his own country to meet with an international pariah to ask for assistance in a war that he expected to win in the opening month, I would characterize it as him begging for assistance," State Department spokesman Matthew Miller said. "I will remind both countries that any transfer of arms from North Korea to Russia would be in violation of multiple United Nations Security Council resolutions," he added. Washington has said Russia could use weapons from North Korea to attack Ukrainian food supplies and heating infrastructure heading into winter to "try to conquer territory that belongs to another sovereign nation". Andrei Lankov, a North Korea expert at Kookmin University in Seoul, told AFP that the upcoming meeting was part of Moscow's "gentle diplomatic blackmail" of Seoul because Russia did not want South Korea to supply weapons to Kyiv. Seoul is a major arms exporter and has sold tanks to Kyiv's ally Poland, but longstanding domestic policy bars it from selling weapons into active conflicts. "The major worry of the Russian government now is a possible shipment of the South Korean ammunition to Ukraine, not just one shipment but a lot of shipments," Lankov said. The post North Korean leader in Russia for Putin talks as US warns on arms deal appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
More heavy weapons, Ukraine pleads
Ukraine’s leaders have renewed calls on Western allies to increase deliveries of heavy weapons as 32 kamikaze drones from Russia attacked Kyiv overnight into Sunday. Air defenses shot down 25 of the attack drones with debris falling in several districts, damaging an apartment in a multi-story building, as well as road surfaces and power lines, Sergiy Popko, head of the Kyiv City Military Administration, wrote on Telegram. Popko added that one person was injured. Russia also said Sunday that it destroyed three military speedboats carrying Ukrainian soldiers in the Black Sea which Moscow claims were headed toward annexed Crimea. The attacks follow President Volodymyr Zelensky's statement in a cabinet conference on Saturday that slow weapons deliveries were hindering his troops’ counter offensive. New Defense Minister Rustem Umerov also called for more heavy weapons during the same conference. “We need them today. We need them now,” he said. “Ukrainian warriors today are sacrificing their lives for the core values of democracy and freedom. They need back up from you, dear partners. And this back up is weapons,” Umerov added. Deputy Intelligence Chief Vadym Skibitsky said Saturday that more than 420,000 Russian soldiers are deployed in occupied territories in the east and south of Ukraine. The figure “does not include the Russian National Guard and other special units that maintain occupation authorities on our territories,” he said. Ukraine launched its counteroffensive in June after stockpiling Western weapons, but has made limited gains as its troops encounter heavily fortified Russian defensive lines. Meanwhile, Russia’s forces in Ukraine have organized several days of voting in four regions — Donetsk, Lugansk, Zaporizhzhia and Kherson — that Moscow claims to have annexed. Hastily arranged mobile booths have been placed despite a gruelling Ukrainian counteroffensive and amid widespread reports that locals have been forced to take up Russian passports. Kyiv has denounced it as a sham and called on allies to condemn the “fake” vote. Its SBU security service warned it has a list of “collaborators” helping organize the voting, promising punishment. But Kremlin-installed officials pressed on with the vote, seeking long-term office in areas Kyiv has vowed to re-capture. WITH AFP The post More heavy weapons, Ukraine pleads appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Biden widens web of US alliances faced with China, Russia, Trump
With a historic three-way summit with Japan and South Korea, President Joe Biden has further deepened the web of US partnerships in a determined signal to adversaries despite question marks on the political climate at home. Since Biden took office in 2021, NATO has expanded and mostly closed ranks over Russia's invasion of Ukraine -- and, in clear if unstated responses to an assertive China, the United States forged a new three-way defense pact with Australia and Britain and ramped up work through the four-way Quad involving Australia, India and Japan. The United States already has security alliances with Japan and South Korea, together the bases for some 84,500 troops, but will now also plan three-way, multi-year military exercises across all domains along with real-time information-sharing and a crisis hotline. Jon Alterman, a senior vice president at the Center for Strategic and International Studies, said that alliances were "baked" into the mindset of Biden, who was a senator at the end of the Cold War. Partnerships can increase other countries' faith in the direction of the United States, Alterman added. "This administration believes deeply in the centrality -- not the importance, the centrality -- of partnerships," he said. "The challenge is, all of our partners remember the previous administration, they look at the polling numbers, and they have absolutely no confidence in where the US is going to be in two years' time, five years' time or 10 years' time," he said. Previous president Donald Trump loudly questioned the value of alliances, insisting that countries such as Germany and South Korea were not paying enough for the US troop presence and scoffing at NATO's commitments of mutual defense to all allies. Trump is again seeking the White House and recent opinion polls have also shown softening support for US military assistance to Ukraine, which has totaled $43 billion since Russia's attack. Asked about Trump at a news conference with South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol and Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida at the Camp David presidential retreat, Biden said that his predecessor's "America First policy, walking away from the rest of the world, has made us weaker, not stronger." "America is strong with our allies and our alliances, and that's why we will endure," Biden said. Tougher task in Asia Whereas in Europe the United States has led a common defense for decades under NATO, in Asia -- seen by Biden as the critical region -- Washington has navigated individual alliances with Japan, South Korea, the Philippines, Australia and Thailand. One reason for the hodgepodge has been historical animosity between Japan and South Korea, with the Camp David summit until recently unthinkable. Yoon has turned the page by resolving a dispute over Japan's wartime forced labor of Koreans. Yoon, Kishida and Biden said they shared the same vision of a "rules-based international order" -- a nod to China's muscle-flexing in Asia but also to Ukraine, of which Japan and South Korea have been prominent non-Western supporters. China denounced the Camp David initiative, with state media saying the United States was raising tensions by creating a "mini-NATO," although there was no three-way mutual defense promise. Shihoko Goto, acting director of the Asia program at the Wilson Center, doubted that the three countries were even aspiring to collective self-defense but said their new cooperation was part of an "interweaving" with existing alliance arrangements. "As a single thread it may be weak, but because it is going to be part of that fabric and making it into a multi-layered approach, it would actually be really strong," she said. Risks await Biden has also moved bilaterally with countries concerned about Russia and China. He has said he plans to travel shortly to boost ties with Vietnam, whose tensions with Beijing run deep. But one of his big bets, India, has stood firm on its historic refusal to join alliances and is also taking part this week in a summit with Russia and China of the BRICS bloc of emerging economies. Trump is not the only wild card for the future. In South Korea, Yoon is only allowed a single term, which ends in 2027. "If an ultra-leftist South Korean president and an ultra-right wing Japanese leader are elected in their next cycles, or even if Trump or someone like him wins in the US, then any one of them could derail all the meaningful, hard work the three countries are putting in right now," said Duyeon Kim, an adjunct senior fellow at the Center for a New American Security. The post Biden widens web of US alliances faced with China, Russia, Trump appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
North Korean hackers target war games
South Korea’s police said Sunday that it foiled attempts by North Korean hackers to gather information about its war games with the United States. The Gyeonggi Nambu Provincial Police Agency said its investigation of the hacking with help from the US military found that the Internet Protocol address used in the latest attack pointed to North Korean group dubbed Kimsuky. The same IP address was linked to a 2014 hack against South Korea’s nuclear reactor operator, according to the GNPPA. Kimsuky carried out “spearphishing” or “continuous malicious email attacks” on South Korean contractors working at the allies’ simulation center for the annual Ulchi Freedom Shield drills. Sent emails have malicious attachments intended to exfiltrate desired information from victims. The war games start on Monday and will run through 31 August. It aims to counter growing threats from the nuclear-armed North. Pyongyang views such exercises as rehearsals for an invasion and has repeatedly warned it would take “overwhelming” action in response. The UFS exercise is based on an all-out war scenario and features various contingency drills, such as the computer simulation-based command post exercise, concurrent field training and Ulchi civil defense drills, Yonhap reported. The drills include scenarios to train troops to swiftly transition into wartime as well as to respond to false information possibly spread by Pyongyang during wartime or a contingency, according to the South Korean news agency. In addition to the allies’ Army, Navy, Air Force and Marine personnel, US space forces will also partake in the drills, according to the US Forces Korea. Personnel from nine member countries of the United Nations Command also will join the exercise, namely Australia, Canada, France, Britain, Greece, Italy, New Zealand, the Philippines and Thailand, Yonhap said. According to findings by the US Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency in 2020, Kimsuky is “most likely tasked by the North Korean regime with a global intelligence gathering mission.” The group — believed to be active since 2012 — targets individuals and organizations in South Korea, Japan, and the US, focusing on foreign policy and national security issues related to the Korean peninsula, nuclear policy, and sanctions, it added. WITH AFP The post North Korean hackers target war games appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
US Defense chief: MDT extends to Philippine public vessels, armed forces
United States Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin III has reiterated that the Mutual Defense Treaty between Washington and Manila is extended to the latter’s public vessels. “Austin reaffirmed that the Mutual Defense Treaty extends to Philippine public vessels, aircraft, and armed forces—to include those of its Coast Guard—in the Pacific, including in the South China Sea,” Pentagon Press Secretary Brig. Gen. Pat Ryder said in a statement on Wednesday. Signed in 1951, the Philippines and the US agreed that an armed attack in the Pacific area on either of the parties would be dangerous to its own peace and safety and declared that it would act to meet the common dangers in accordance with its constitutional processes. According to Ryder, Austin and his counterpart, Defense Secretary Gilberto Teodoro Jr. discussed the latest Chinese actions near Ayungin shoal in a phone call on Tuesday night (US time). He noted that Austin also condemned the China Coast Guard’s use of water cannons and dangerous maneuvers against Philippine vessels over the weekend which he said put the safety of Philippine vessels and crew “at risk.” “He joined numerous countries in expressing concern about these unsafe operational activities, which undermine the status quo and directly threaten regional peace and stability,” the statement read. Philippine Navy vessels, escorted by Philippine Coast Guard vessels, were en route to Ayungin Shoal for a routine troop rotation and resupply mission for the BRP Sierra Madre when the incident happened. The BRP Sierra Madre was a World War 2 landing ship tank that was stationed at the Ayungin Shoal since 1999. The statement also said that the two secretaries “reaffirmed the ironclad nature of the US-Philippines alliance and committed to redouble efforts to strengthen bilateral training, interoperability, and support for the modernization of the Philippine Armed Forces.” “The Secretaries reaffirmed their shared commitment to upholding the rules-based order, including supporting the Philippines' right to conduct lawful maritime activities, consistent with the 2016 Arbitral Tribunal Ruling, which is final and binding on all parties,” it said. The US Department of Defense said both Austin and Teodoro expressed commitment to “find a near-term opportunity to meet in person and restated their commitment to stand shoulder-to-shoulder as allies to bring security, prosperity, and stability to the Indo-Pacific region and beyond.” The post US Defense chief: MDT extends to Philippine public vessels, armed forces appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Senators blast China’s use of water cannon vs. Philippine vessels in Ayungin Shoal
Senators on Sunday condemned the "excessive and offensive" actions of Chinese Coast Guard vessels against Philippine vessels near the Ayungin Shoal last Friday. Senate President Juan Miguel “Migz” Zubiri called the People’s Republic of China’s actions “reaffirms the merit of the resolution the Senate has unanimously passed.” The incident, which took place on 5 August near the Ayungin Shoal, happened barely a week after the Senate unanimously adopted a resolution denouncing China's intrusion into the West Philippine Sea and its harassment of Filipino fishermen. “Because China contemptuously ignores protests, all the more that we have to rally the world to condemn acts which have no place in a civilized order,” Zubiri said in a statement. In a statement issued on Sunday, the Philippine Coast Guards accused the CCG of using water cannon against its vessels while en route to the Ayungin Shoal for a routine troop rotation and resupply mission. Ayungin Shoal is located 105 nautical miles west of Palawan and is part of the exclusive economic zone and continental shelf of the Philippines. In a separate statement, the Armed Forces of the Philippines also condemned China’s latest actions in the WPS, which it described as “excessive and offensive.” Zubiri said China’s actions are “yet again a manifestation of its ‘might vs. right’ treatment of its peaceful neighbors.” “By its actions, it shows diplomatic duplicity, of preaching about amity, but practicing hostile behavior,” he said. “We want to have friendship with you but why is it difficult to love you, China?” Senate Deputy Minority Leader Risa Hontiveros echoed the same sentiments against China, saying China has no right to block the Philippine vessels in its own territory. “The Chinese Coast Guard has absolutely no right to block, let alone water cannon, our supply vessels. They do not have any right to starve Filipinos in the Ayungin Shoal,” Hontiveros said in a separate statement. “China’s repeated provocations are in complete violation of UNCLOS and the 2016 Arbitral Award. I call on our regional neighbors and the broader international community to join the Philippines in condemning this dangerous behavior,” she added. In a bid to strengthen the country’s position in the Ayungin Shoal, the Philippine government permanently supplies its forces there through the BRP Sierra Madre. The BRP Sierra Madre was a World War 2 landing ship tank that was stationed at the Ayungin Shoal since 1999. Hontiveros said she is hoping that the Philippines could soon start joint patrols with other claimant countries in the South China Sea such as Vietnam, Malaysia, Indonesia, and Brunei. “We need to cooperate with them to halt these aggressive actions of China,” she said. “I am also hoping that the DFA is now formulating steps to raise China’s endless incursions to different international fora.” “The recently adopted Senate resolution 718, with its precision and specific recommendations, is at their disposal,” she added. Senate Resolution 718 urges the Philippine government, through the Department of Foreign Affairs, to “continue asserting” the country’s sovereign rights over its exclusive economic rights. 'Heed Senate’s call' For his part, Senate Deputy Majority Leader Joseph Victor “JV” Ejercito called on the national government to heed the Senate’s resolution which contains several recommendations for the executive department. “We cannot let this slip. This is too much already! China is very frustrating! China’s hostile actions towards our Philippine Navy, Philippine Coast Guard, and fishermen are extreme. Our territory, security, and peace are at stake here,” he said in a separate statement. “I urge the national government to heed the Senate's recent resolution on China's aggression and take decisive measures to safeguard our territorial integrity,” he added. Ejercito continued: “These measures will require us to expedite the modernization of the Armed Forces of the Philippines and strengthen our defense cooperation program and pacts with our allies.” For Senate Majority Leader Joel Villanueva, China’s actions against PCG in the WPS require a strong stance from the Philippine government. “This is the reason why the Senate adopted Resolution No. 79 strongly condemning incursions like this,” Villanueva said. “Your Senate is always ready to fight for and protect the country’s sovereignty and sovereign rights.” Like Ejercito, Villanueva reminded the executive department of the newly adopted resolution which contains a guide for the DFA. “We urge the Department of Foreign Affairs to implement the courses of action stipulated in the resolution passed by the Senate to finally put an end into this harassment and bullying by China,” he said. Under the resolution, the DFA is “expected” to continue holding dialogues with the Chinese government to push for recognition and respect of the Philippines' sovereign rights over its EEZ and pursue the formulation of the Code of Conduct for the South China Sea based on international law and the UNCLOS. Should China continue to ignore the country’s efforts, the resolution contains actions the agency must do such as bringing international attention to China's harassment of Filipino fishermen in the Philippine EEZ and its continued violation of the Hague Ruling and the UNCLOS; utilizing international fora to rally multilateral support for the enforcement of the Hague Ruling and raise awareness on the real situation in the West Philippine Sea; and engaging with “like-minded” countries to call on China to respect the Hague Ruling and the UNCLOS. The DFA is also encouraged to file a resolution before the United Nations General Assembly, to call for the cessation of all activities that harass Philippine vessels and violate the Philippines' established rights in the West Philippine Sea; and pursue other diplomatic modes as the agency may deem appropriate and necessary. ‘Sensible plans' For his part, Senate Minority Leader Aquilino “Koko” Pimentel III urged the PCG to come up with sensible plans to overcome China’s increasingly aggressive actions towards Philippine vessels that are on a re-supply mission to the Ayungin Shoal. “The PCG should overcome the CCG on our re-supply missions. They should come up with sensible plans behind closed doors,” Pimentel said in a separate statement. Asked if the recent actions of China against Philippine vessels could trigger the activation of the mutual defense treaty between the Philippines and the United States, Pimentel said: “Use diplomacy and intelligent tactics.” “The MDT should not be invoked lightly. Use our ‘kokote’ not the MDT,” he added. In a separate statement, the US State Department warned that an armed attack on Philippine public vessels, aircraft, and armed forces—including those of its Coast Guard in South China The post Senators blast China’s use of water cannon vs. Philippine vessels in Ayungin Shoal appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Russia strikes Odesa cathedral, Putin dismisses counteroffensive
Russia's latest strike on Odesa on Sunday killed two people and severely damaged a historic Orthodox cathedral, drawing a vow of retaliation from Ukraine's leader. The attack came as President Vladimir Putin met his Belarusian counterpart for talks in Russia and claimed Kyiv's counteroffensive had "failed". Russia has pounded the Ukrainian port city of Odesa since quitting the Black Sea grain deal last week. Locals watched in disbelief as the Transfiguration Cathedral -- originally built in 1794 under imperial Russian rule -- was hit. The biggest Orthodox church in Odesa lies within the UNESCO-protected historic city center. UNESCO condemned the "brazen" attack, which hit several sites in the World Heritage area, marking "an escalation of violence against (the) cultural heritage of Ukraine", according to UNESCO chief Audrey Azoulay. Clergymen rescued icons from rubble inside the badly damaged shrine, which was demolished under Stalin in 1936 and rebuilt in the 1990s after the collapse of the Soviet Union. The culture ministry said it had so far identified damage to 29 monuments of important cultural heritage. The Ukrainian government condemned the cathedral strike as a "war crime", saying it had been "destroyed twice: by Stalin and Putin". President Volodymyr Zelensky vowed retaliation: "They will definitely feel this," he said. "We cannot allow people around the world to get used to terrorist attacks," Zelensky added in his evening speech late on Sunday. "The target of all these missiles is not just cities, villages or people. Their target is humanity and the foundations of our entire European culture." Icons pulled from rubble Images showed smashed mosaics on the cathedral floor as workers cleared the rubble. The outside of the building appeared intact. "There was a direct hit to the cathedral," said Father Myroslav, the assistant rector, adding that three altars were ruined. Icons were pulled out from under the rubble and the shrine was "very badly damaged inside", with "only the bell tower intact", he added. Clergymen said a security guard and a priest getting ready for a morning liturgy were inside during the attack but both survived. Russia blamed the cathedral damage on Ukrainian air defense. It said it had hit all its intended targets in the Odesa strike, claiming the sites were being used to prepare "terrorist acts" against Russia. But local people said Russia had hit residential areas. "We have ordinary residential buildings here, where people live," a woman who owns a beauty salon nearby, Tetiana, told AFP. "There are no military facilities here. Just simple beauty salons, a marine agency, a groomer. Nothing military here at all." Russia launched a wave of attacks on the Black Sea port this week, after exiting a deal between Moscow, Kyiv, Istanbul and the UN allowing the safe passage of cargo ships. Ukraine has vowed to find a way to continue exports from the ports and said Sunday repeated Russian strikes on Odesa this week were an attempt to "prevent and neutralise international efforts to restore the functioning of the "grain corridor." Putin meets Lukashenko As Odesa cleared rubble from the Russian strikes, Putin hosted his closest ally, Belarus leader Alexander Lukashenko, in his native city of Saint Petersburg -- their first meeting since Minsk helped end a revolt by Russia's Wagner force. Both leaders were dismissive of the Ukrainian counteroffensive to take back land captured by Russia. "There is no counteroffensive," Lukashenko said at the meeting, before being interrupted by Putin: "There is one, but it has failed." The Belarus strongman now hosts Wagner fighters on his territory, after brokering a deal that convinced its leader Yevgeny Prigozhin to end a march on Moscow and exile himself to Belarus. "We are controlling what is happening (with Wagner)," he said, thanking Putin for vowing to defend Belarus should it be attacked. Wagner's presence in Belarus has rattled EU and NATO member Poland, which has strengthened its border. On Sunday, Polish Defense Minister Mariusz Blaszczak said a new battalion of sappers would be formed in the country's northeast. Polish, US, British, Romanian and Croatian soldiers were training "shoulder to shoulder", he said, during a visit to the northeastern city of Augustow. The comments came two days after Putin said western Poland was a "gift" from Stalin at the end of World War II, when victorious allies decided on the contours of post-war Europe. Warsaw summoned the Russian ambassador over the remarks. Both Putin and Lukashenko also accused Warsaw of having territorial ambitions on Ukraine and Belarus. Ukraine's Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba responded quickly on Twitter. "Putin's attempts to drive a wedge between Kyiv and Warsaw are as futile as his failing invasion of Ukraine," he wrote. "Unlike Russia, Poland and Ukraine have learned from history and will always stand united against Russian imperialism and disrespect for international law." Fighting in Ukraine continued Sunday, with Russia launching 17 cruise missiles and two ballistic missiles, according to the Ukraine army. The post Russia strikes Odesa cathedral, Putin dismisses counteroffensive appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»