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China: PH is ‘straying down a dangerous path’
MANILA, Philippines — China continued to blame the Philippines and its ally, the United States, for the continued tensions in the disputed West Philippine Sea. In a statement on Thursday, Chinese Ministry of National Defense spokesperson Wu Qian warned that the Philippines is going down a dangerous path. READ: No letup in Chinese water cannon attacks.....»»
FOCAP condemns Chinese embassy’s claims on ‘manipulated’ West Philippine Sea videos
The Foreign Correspondents Association of the Philippines strongly rejected and condemned yesterday China’s “false and baseless” claims that journalists manipulate videosthey recorded in the South China Sea to present the Philippines as a victim......»»
US condemns China’s latest aggression in WPS
The Philippines reported on Saturday that the Chinese Coast Guard blocked and damaged a Filipino supply boat with water cannons while it was on its way to Ayungin Shoal (Second Thomas Shoal), causing injuries to personnel onboard......»»
Asian qualifying results for 2026 FIFA World Cup
BEIJING, March 22 (Xinhua) -- Following are Thursday's results in Asian qualifying for the 2026 FIFA World Cup in the United States, Canada and Mexico: Group A At Doha Qatar bt Kuwait 3-0 At Abha, Saudi Arabia Afghanistan tied India 0-0 Group B At Tokyo Japan bt DPR Korea 1-0 At Yangon Myanmar tied Syria 1-1 Group C At Seoul South Korea tied T.....»»
US State Secretary Blinken begins Middle East tour, marks his first stop in Saudi Arabia
Jeddah [Saudi Arabia], March 21 (ANI): US State Secretary Antony Blinken who began his Middle East tour arrived in Saudi Arabia on Wednesday, marking his first stop on this trip to discuss efforts to reach an "immediate ceasefire agreement" between Israel and Hamas, The New York Times reported. Blinken's visit to Jeddah came as US President Joe Biden's administration was hoping it could convince Saudi Arabia to establish.....»»
Musk tours site of Hamas attack with Israeli PM
Tech tycoon Elon Musk visited the site of a Hamas attack in southern Israel Monday with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and the two discussed artificial intelligence with defence chiefs, officials said. Musk and Netanyahu held a brief interview on the billionaire's online platform X, formerly Twitter, following their tour of Kfar Aza, one of the kibbutzim -- communal farms -- in southern Israel attacked by the Palestinian militant group on October 7. "We have to demilitarise Gaza after the destruction of Hamas," Netanyahu said, calling for a campaign to "deradicalise" the Palestinian territory. "Then we also have to rebuild Gaza, and I hope to have our Arab friends help in that context." Netanyahu told Musk he hoped to resume US-mediated normalisation talks with Saudi Arabia after Hamas's defeat and "expand the circle of peace beyond anything imaginable". None of the prime minister's public statements addressed charges of rampant anti-Semitism on Musk's social media outlet. Earlier in the day, Communications Minister Shlomo Karhi said Israel had reached an understanding in principle on the use of Starlink satellites, operated by Musk's company SpaceX, in Israel and the Gaza Strip "with the approval of the Israeli Ministry of Communications". Musk and Netanyahu also "held an extended meeting on the security aspects of artificial intelligence," a statement from the Israeli prime minister's office said. "Senior security establishment officials in the fields of artificial intelligence and cyber participated in the meeting." The American tycoon was also set to meet with President Isaac Herzog during his visit to Israel. Herzog would address "the need to act to combat rising anti-Semitism online", the office of Israel's figurehead president said Sunday. Musk has come under fire over what critics say is a proliferation of hate speech on X since his takeover of the social media site in October 2022. He has also been accused by the White House of "abhorrent promotion" of anti-Semitism after endorsing a conspiracy theory seen as accusing Jews of trying to weaken white majorities. Herzog's office said the meeting would be joined by "representatives of families of hostages held by Hamas, who will speak about the horrors of the Hamas terror attack on October 7, and of the ongoing pain and uncertainty for those held captive". Israel bombarded the Gaza strip for weeks and launched a ground assault in response to the attacks, before a four-day ceasefire took effect on November 24. In September, Netanyahu urged Musk "to stop not only anti-Semitism, or rolling it back as best you can, but any collective hatred" on X. Musk, the world's richest person, said while his platform could not stop all hate speech before it was posted, he was "generally against attacking any group, no matter who it is". X Corp is currently suing nonprofit Media Matters on the grounds that it has driven away advertisers by portraying the site as rife with anti-Semitic content. Musk has also threatened to file suit against the Anti-Defamation League, a Jewish advocacy group, over its claims that problematic and racist speech has soared on the site since he completed his $44-billion takeover......»»
Israeli president tells Musk he has ‘huge role’ in anti-Semitism
Israel's president told Elon Musk on Monday that the tech mogul has "a huge role to play" to combat anti-Semitism, which his social media platform is accused of spreading. The meeting came after the world's richest person visited a kibbutz community devastated in attacks by Hamas militants on October 7, and met with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and defence officials. Musk has been criticised over what critics say is a proliferation of hate speech on X, formerly Twitter, since his takeover of the social media site in October 2022. He has been accused by the White House of "abhorrent promotion" of anti-Semitism after endorsing a conspiracy theory seen as accusing Jews of trying to weaken white majorities. Israel's figurehead President Isaac Herzog told him: "Unfortunately, we are inundated by anti-Semitism, which is Jew hatred. "You have a huge role to play," he said. "And I think we need to fight it together because on the platforms which you lead, unfortunately, there's a harbouring of a lot of... anti-Semitism." Musk did not mention anti-Semitism in his video remarks released by Herzog's office, but said Hamas militants "have been fed propaganda since they were children". "It's remarkable what humans are capable of if they're fed falsehoods, from when they are children; they will think that the murder of innocent people is a good thing." On October 7 Hamas militants broke through Gaza's militarised border into southern Israel to kill around 1,200 people and seize about 240 hostages, according to Israeli officials, in the worst-ever attack since the nation's founding. Vowing to destroy Hamas in response, Israel has carried out a relentless bombardment of targets in Gaza, alongside a ground invasion, that the Hamas government says has killed almost 15,000. A temporary truce has been in effect since Friday. Talk of satellites Earlier Monday, Netanyahu and Musk discussed "security aspects of artificial intelligence" with senior defence officials, the Prime Minister's Office said. Musk and Netanyahu held a conversation on X following their tour of Kfar Aza, one of the communities attacked by Hamas. "We have to demilitarise Gaza after the destruction of Hamas," Netanyahu said, calling for a campaign to "deradicalise" the Palestinian territory. "Then we also have to rebuild Gaza, and I hope to have our Arab friends help in that context." Netanyahu told Musk he hoped to resume United States-mediated normalisation talks with Saudi Arabia after Hamas's defeat and "expand the circle of peace beyond anything imaginable". The war stalled progress towards a Saudi-Israel normalisation deal, and in early November Saudi Arabia's de facto ruler denounced the conduct of Israeli forces fighting Hamas in Gaza. Israel's Communications Minister Shlomo Karhi said his country had reached an understanding in principle on the use of Starlink satellites, operated by Musk's company SpaceX, in Israel and the Gaza Strip "with the approval of the Israeli Ministry of Communications". Starlink is a network of satellites in low Earth orbit that can provide internet to remote locations, or areas that have had normal communications infrastructure disabled. In September, Netanyahu urged Musk "to stop not only anti-Semitism, or rolling it back as best you can, but any collective hatred" on X. Musk said at the time that while his platform could not stop all hate speech before it was posted, he was "generally against attacking any group, no matter who it is". X Corp is currently suing nonprofit Media Matters on the grounds that it has driven away advertisers by portraying the site as rife with anti-Semitic content. Musk has also threatened to file suit against the Anti-Defamation League, a Jewish advocacy group, over its claims that problematic and racist speech has soared on the site since he completed his $44-billion takeover......»»
UN General Assembly calls for ‘humanitarian truce’ in Gaza
The UN General Assembly on Friday called by a large majority for an "immediate humanitarian truce" in Gaza, on the 21st day of the Israel-Hamas conflict as the Israeli army announced it was extending its ground operation into the shattered territory. The non-binding resolution, criticized by Israel and the United States for failing to mention Hamas, received 120 votes in favor, 14 against and 45 abstentions from UN members. Israel angrily dismissed the measure, and said the country would use "every means at our disposal" in confronting Hamas. "Today is a day that will go down as infamy. We have all witnessed that the UN no longer holds even one ounce of legitimacy or relevance," Israeli ambassador Gilad Erdan said, telling the assembly: "Shame on you." "Israel will continue to defend itself. We will defend our future, our very existence by ridding the world of Hamas's evil so that it can never threaten anyone else again," he said. Hamas meanwhile welcomed the call for a break in the conflict. "We demand its immediate application to allow the entry of fuel and humanitarian aid for civilians," said a Hamas statement. The rival Palestinian Authority's foreign ministry said that as Israel's campaign "reaches a new peak of brutality," there was "a solid international position rejecting Israel's unhinged aggression". The text proposed by Jordan in the name of 22 Arab countries called for "an immediate, durable and sustained humanitarian truce leading to a cessation of hostilities." An earlier version called for an "immediate ceasefire." Jordan's Ambassador Mahmoud Hmoud, just before the vote, stressed that: "It is not merely our responsibility, but a profound moral obligation to champion the cause of peace." Israel has heavily bombarded Gaza since Hamas gunmen stormed across the border on October 7, killing 1,400 people, mostly civilians, and kidnapping over 220 others, according to Israeli officials. The health ministry in the Hamas-run Gaza Strip, in an update on Friday, said the Israeli strikes had now killed 7,326 people, mainly civilians and many of them children. The resolution co-sponsored by nearly 50 other countries centered largely on the dire humanitarian situation in sealed-off Gaza as Israel presses on with its bombardment. The document urges "immediate" provision of water, food, medical supplies, fuel and electricity and unhindered access for UN and other humanitarian agencies trying to help the Palestinians. The draft condemns "all acts of violence aimed at Palestinian and Israeli civilians, including all acts of terrorism and indiscriminate attacks" but it does not mention Hamas. The resolution exposed a division within Western countries, with France voting for the measure; Germany, Italy and Britain abstaining; while Austria and the United States voted against. "It is outrageous that this resolution fails to name the perpetrators of the October 7 terrorist attack," US ambassador Linda Thomas-Greenfield said. "Another key word missing in this resolution is hostage," she added. The post UN General Assembly calls for ‘humanitarian truce’ in Gaza appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Gaza genocide may trigger nuke war
The genocide by Israel in Gaza is ongoing: 1. An Israeli ground assault that would duplicate and surpass the viciousness of the Hamas ground assault in terms of the number of casualties, a ten-eyes-for-an-eye biblical vendetta; 2. Intensifying random airstrikes killing civilians and 3. The deadliest — a food, water, and electricity blockade leading to genocide — if not stopped. Only about 700,000 have evacuated Gaza. The rest of the 400,000 have nowhere to go. They will be the victims of genocide by slow starvation. Sending two aircraft carriers with troops to the war region and promising total support during his recent visit to Israel, U.S. President Biden failed to stop Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu from continuing the genocide. In the eyes of the entire Arab and Persian worlds, both conservatives and radicals, this was tantamount to the U.S. being part of the crime. Instantly, the Arabs unilaterally boycotted a scheduled U.S.-Arab summit. Biden was left talking only to the Israelis in his Middle East tour. The U.S. is now geopolitically isolated in the entire Middle East. Rocket attacks on U.S. bases immediately ensued — two in Saudi Arabia and one in Syria. Also, Iran and Saudi Arabia, historically arch enemies, are now talking to each other. The genocide may unite all Islamic splinters into one scary solid mass. Now, the U.S. is as much a target of Islamic anger as the Israelis. It was a knee-jerk diplomatic blunder by Biden, who could have played more of a referee by openly warning Israel to stop the genocide. Now, the U.S. is part of that genocide, the critical ingredient to a possible nuclear war. As the reality of genocide emerges, it is inevitable for Iran and the Arabs to make a vicious response. There are protests in Israel against Netanyahu’s war moves, but the peacemakers are overwhelmed by the screams of the bloodthirsty. The genocide is virtually unstoppable. The Arab-Iran response may trigger a nuclear war if Israel is “cornered.” The U.S. will use its carriers to attack Iran. These carriers can quickly be taken out by a massive rain of Iranian hypersonic missiles from underground silos if these missiles are long-range enough to reach the carriers, which they will not hesitate to use in the name of survival. Existential survival is the catalyst to a nuclear holocaust. Once Iran is “cornered” by a U.S. counter-response, Russia will come into the picture, completing the elements for a full-blown proxy war beyond imagination. Russia will never permit Iran to fall into the hands of the U.S. The fall of Iran will mean the fall of Russia. The Russian response may be nuclear. China may now take the opportunity to launch the Taiwan war to weaken the U.S. in a “war on two fronts.” Many may think this scenario is an exaggeration. But this may be a valid warning if you put it side by side with the prophecies of Fatima, Medjugorje, and the Book of Revelation. There is total fear of a nuclear holocaust among the big powers — U.S.-NATO, Russia, China, and even lesser nuclear-capable nations such as Iran and India — which has been a deterrent to a nuclear war. But these prophecies may become a reality once fear evolves into anger or survival. There are violent street protests worldwide, especially in EU and U.S. cities, for and against Israel. Nations are uniting for or against Israel, a seeming new biblical event. This ongoing rapid intensifying polarization is the preview to World War III, as it was for World Wars I and II. But this new one is ten-fold in size. The Lord saved the Chosen People from their enemies in Old Testament accounts. But He punished them for turning away from Him, as in the Babylonian exile. Now, we do not know what the Lord has in store for Israel — salvation or punishment. If it is punishment, Israel may bring the entire human race down with it. Pope Francis is in a panic, launching global prayer campaigns, because he has an insight into the looming hand of God in the expanding war in the Middle East. His move in telling humanity to pray, pray, pray, and return to the Lord’s fold may be the only option. It may take the Hand of God to bring peace if prayers and a change of heart somehow appease His wrath. eastwindreplyctr@gmail.com The post Gaza genocide may trigger nuke war appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
2 American hostages freed
Gaza’s Hamas rulers freed two Americans among the 200 hostages they kidnapped in the deadly 7 October attacks in Israel. More hostages may be released, the group hinted. According to the Israeli government, Judith Tai Raanan and her daughter, Natalie Shoshana Raanan, were returned to Israel late Friday. There was no word on their condition, but US President Joe Biden was “overjoyed” by the news. Biden called the two women after they were released. Hamas also announced it was working with Qatar and Egypt to free its “civilian” hostages, implying that more could be released. An Israeli emissary met the couple at the Gaza border and took them to a military base in central Israel “where their families are waiting to meet them.” The Ranaan family, like many of the captives, had begun a worldwide campaign to pressure Hamas to release them. Hamas said the “al-Qassam Brigades released two American citizens for humanitarian reasons” after being approached by Qatar and Egypt. The Islamist rulers of Gaza said they were “working with all mediators to implement the movement’s decision to close the civilian (hostage) file if appropriate security conditions permit.” It provided no specifics about its demands. Israel claims that Hamas militants took 203 people during the bloodiest attacks in Israel’s 75-year history, including Israelis, dual nationals and foreigners. According to the authorities, at least 1,400 individuals were killed, mostly civilians. Relentless bombing Israel has retaliated with a continuous bombing campaign against Gaza, killing at least 4,137 people, mostly civilians. The hostages have become a massive problem in Israel, with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office stating that the government will use “any means available to locate all those missing and bring all those kidnapped home.” The International Committee of the Red Cross said it helped transport the freed Americans to Israel. US Secretary of State Antony Blinken called for more releases “immediately and unconditionally.” “Every single one of them should be released,” said Blinken, adding that a team from the US Embassy would visit the two freed women. Qatar is a major aid donor to Gaza, and two Hamas leaders are based in the Gulf state. A Qatari foreign ministry spokesperson said the country had mediated between Hamas and the United States and that the release followed “many days of continuous communication between all the parties involved.” The Israeli military said earlier Friday that most of those abducted to Gaza were still alive even though some dead bodies have been found on incursions into Gaza. The military said more than 20 hostages were minors, while between 10 and 20 were over the age of 60. Saudi factor Biden said Friday he believed Hamas’ brutal attack on Israel two weeks ago aimed to disrupt the warming ties between the country and Saudi Arabia. “One of the reasons they acted like they did... why Hamas moved on Israel... (was) because they knew I was about to sit down with the Saudis,” Biden told guests at a campaign fundraiser. “The Saudis want to recognize Israel... unite the Middle East,” he said. The momentum toward a landmark US-brokered deal to normalize relations between Israel and Saudi Arabia — the guardian of Islam’s two holiest sites — was shattered by the 7 October attack by Hamas militants on Israel. A bombing campaign launched in response by Israel has leveled entire city blocks in Gaza, so far killing 4,137 Palestinians, mostly civilians, according to the Hamas-run health ministry. Saudi officials announced on 14 October during a visit to Riyadh by US Secretary Blinken that the country had suspended talks with Israel on the normalization of relations. Saudi Arabia’s de facto ruler, Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, had spoken of progress with Israel but also insisted on movement on the Palestinian cause. The Gulf kingdom has never recognized Israel and did not join the 2020 Abraham Accords, brokered by the United States, which led neighboring Bahrain and the United Arab Emirates, as well as Morocco, to establish diplomatic ties with Israel. With AFP The post 2 American hostages freed 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......»»
US condemns latest attack on Cuban embassy
The United States on Monday condemned the latest attack on Cuba's embassy in Washington, in which a man allegedly threw two Molotov cocktails at the mission. The communist nation described the incident Sunday night as a "terrorist attack." No one was injured. "All attacks and threats against diplomatic facilities are unacceptable," State Department spokesman Matthew Miller told reporters. "We are in contact with Cuban embassy officials and, consistent with our obligations under the Vienna Convention, the department is committed to the safety and security of diplomatic facilities and the diplomats who work in them," he said. He said the State Department was coordinating with Washington police in the investigation. Cuban Foreign Minister Bruno Rodriguez earlier wrote on social media that an individual threw two Molotov cocktails in the "terrorist attack." Ambassador Lianys Torres Rivera said the embassy had "immediately communicated with United States authorities, who were given access to the mission to take samples of the Molotov cocktails." The attack took place hours after Cuban President Miguel Diaz-Canel returned to Havana after attending the United Nations General Assembly in New York and other activities with Cubans in the US. In New York, Cubans had demonstrated against Diaz-Canel's presence at the UN, according to posts and videos shared on social media. "The anti-Cuban groups resort to terrorism when feeling they enjoy impunity, something that Cuba has repeatedly warned the US authorities about," said Rodriguez after Sunday's attack. It was the second attack against the Cuban mission in Washington in recent years, after a man opened fire on the building in April 2020. There were no injuries from that attack either. At the time, the Cuban foreign minister summoned the then-US charge d'affaires in Havana, Mara Tekach, to express his "energetic protest" over what he called a "terrorist aggression" against his embassy. That shooting left bullet holes in exterior walls and columns, broke a street lamp and damaged several panes of glass and moldings on the front of the building. US authorities arrested Alexander Alazo over the shooting, charging him with multiple offenses including "a violent attack on a foreign official or official premises using a deadly weapon," according to the US Justice Department. The Cuban embassy reopened as a full mission after a reconciliation bid by former US president Barack Obama. His successor, Donald Trump, backed by staunchly anti-communist Cuban Americans, reversed many of Obama's overtures. The post US condemns latest attack on Cuban embassy appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Sikh exile’s slay mars Canada-India ties
Canada and India expelled each other’s diplomat Tuesday after Ottawa linked a Sikh exile’s killing near Vancouver in June to Indian spies. “Today we have expelled a senior Indian diplomat from Canada,” Foreign Minister Melanie Joly said in Ottawa. The diplomat was only identified as the head of the Research and Analysis Wing of India’s foreign intelligence agency in Canada. Before Joly’s announcement of the expulsion, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau told an emergency parliamentary session, “The involvement of any foreign government in the murder of a Canadian citizen on Canadian soil is an unacceptable violation of our sovereignty.” Trudeau, who was referring to Sikh leader Hardeep Singh Nijjar, demanded that India cooperate in clearing the matter. New Delhi rejected the claims and said it ordered an unnamed senior Canadian diplomat to leave the country within five days. “Allegations of Government of India’s involvement in any act of violence in Canada are absurd,” the ministry said in a statement, adding: “We are a democratic polity with a strong commitment to rule of law.” Nijjar, whom India had declared a wanted terrorist, was gunned down on June 18 in Surrey, a suburb of Vancouver that is home to a large Sikh community. Canada has the largest population of Sikhs globally outside of India. Nijjar advocated for the creation of an independent Sikh state to be carved out of parts of northern India and perhaps part of Pakistan. New Delhi had accused Nijjar of carrying out terrorist attacks in India, a charge he denied. Tensions between India and Canada have been simmering over the unsolved slaying, and Indian unhappiness over how Ottawa has handled right-wing Sikh separatists. India will join “the group of nations that assassinate political opponents” abroad, much as Saudi Arabia orchestrated the murder of journalist Jamal Khashoggi in Turkey in 2018, former Trudeau adviser Jocelyn Coulon, said. WITH AFP The post Sikh exile’s slay mars Canada-India ties appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Iran court orders U.S. to pay 1980 coup victims $330M
A court in Tehran has ordered the United States government to pay $330 million in damages to families of several people killed in a 1980 failed coup d’etat allegedly planned and executed by Washington. Relatives of those killed in the coup filed last year a legal petition with Iran’s International Court demanding damages, the judiciary’s Mizan Online website said. The petitioners claimed that a year after the 1979 Islamic revolution that toppled the US-backed shah, a group of mostly army officers tried to overthrow the new government. State news agency IRNA said the “insurgents” were led by Saeed Mahdiyoun, a former Iranian air force commander, and had their headquarters in Nojeh, an air base in the western Hamedan province. “Their objective was to seize control of military bases across the country and target strategic centres and residences of the revolution's leaders. However, their efforts were thwarted,” IRNA said. Several people were killed in clashes between the coup plotters and government forces, and scores of others were arrested. Tehran and Washington have had no diplomatic relations since the aftermath of the 1979 revolution. In 2016, the US Supreme Court ordered that Iranian assets frozen in the country should be paid to victims of attacks Washington has blamed on Tehran, including the 1983 bombing of a US Marine barracks in Beirut, Lebanon and a 1996 blast in Saudi Arabia. Tehran, which denies all responsibility for the attacks blamed on it by the United States, says that a series of US court judgments have awarded victims a total of $56 billion in damages. WITH AFP The post Iran court orders U.S. to pay 1980 coup victims $330M appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Saudi border guards killed hundreds of Ethiopian migrants — HRW
Saudi border guards fired "like rain" on Ethiopian migrants trying to cross into the Gulf kingdom from Yemen, killing hundreds since last year, Human Rights Watch said in a report Monday. The allegations, described as "unfounded" by a Saudi government source, point to a significant escalation of abuses along the perilous route from the Horn of Africa to Saudi Arabia, where hundreds of thousands of Ethiopians live and work. One 20-year-old woman from Ethiopia's Oromia region, interviewed by HRW, said Saudi border guards opened fire on a group of migrants they had just released from custody. "They fired on us like rain. When I remember, I cry," she said. "I saw a guy calling for help, he lost both his legs. He was screaming; he was saying, 'Are you leaving me here? Please don't leave me'. We couldn't help him because we were running for our lives." HRW researcher Nadia Hardman said, "Saudi officials are killing hundreds of migrants and asylum seekers in this remote border area out of view of the rest of the world," according to a statement. "Spending billions buying up professional golf, football clubs, and major entertainment events to improve the Saudi image should not deflect attention from these horrendous crimes," she said. Longtime Saudi ally the United States urged "a thorough and transparent investigation". "We have raised our concerns about these allegations with the Saudi government," a State Department spokesperson said. "We urge the Saudi authorities... to meet their obligations under international law," the spokesperson added. A Saudi government source told AFP that the allegations were unreliable. "The allegations included in the Human Rights Watch report about Saudi border guards shooting Ethiopians while they were crossing the Saudi-Yemeni border are unfounded and not based on reliable sources," said the source, who requested anonymity. 'Concerning allegations' The New York-based group has documented abuses against Ethiopian migrants in Saudi Arabia and Yemen for nearly a decade, but the latest killings appear to be "widespread and systematic" and may amount to crimes against humanity, it said. Last year, United Nations experts reported "concerning allegations" that "cross-border artillery shelling and small-arms fire by Saudi Arabia security forces killed approximately 430 migrants" in southern Saudi Arabia and northern Yemen during the first four months of 2022. In March of that year, the repatriation of Ethiopians from Saudi Arabia began under an agreement between the two countries. Ethiopia's foreign ministry said about 100,000 of its citizens were expected to be sent home over several months. The HRW report said there was no response to letters it sent to Saudi officials. But the Huthi rebels who control northern Yemen alleged "deliberate killings of immigrants and Yemenis" by border guards, in response to a letter from HRW. According to the rights group, migrants said Huthi forces worked with people smugglers and would "extort" them or keep them in detention centers where they were "abused" until they could pay an "exit fee". The Huthis denied working with people smugglers, describing them as "criminals". In 2015, Saudi officials mobilized a military coalition in an effort to stop the advance of the Iran-backed Huthis, who had seized the Yemeni capital Sanaa from the internationally recognized government the previous year. Yemen's war has created what the UN describes as one of the world's worst humanitarian crises, with millions dependent on aid. Mortar fire Many of the abuses described by HRW would have occurred during a truce that took effect in April 2022 and has largely held despite officially expiring last October. The HRW report draws from interviews with 38 Ethiopian migrants who tried to cross into Saudi Arabia from Yemen, as well as from satellite imagery, videos, and photos posted to social media "or gathered from other sources". Interviewees described 28 "explosive weapons incidents" including attacks by mortar projectiles, the report said. Some survivors described attacks at close range, with Saudi border guards asking Ethiopians "in which limb of their body they would prefer to be shot", the report said. "All interviewees described scenes of horror: women, men, and children strewn across the mountainous landscape severely injured, dismembered, or already dead," it said. Other accounts described forced rape and beatings with rocks and iron bars. HRW called on Riyadh to end any policy of using lethal force on migrants and asylum seekers and urged the UN to investigate the alleged killings. The post Saudi border guards killed hundreds of Ethiopian migrants — HRW appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Año condemns latest NPA attacks
National Security Adviser Eduardo Año on Monday condemned another “bomb and gun attack” by the New People’s Army against unarmed civilians which seriously wounded three people, including a barangay captain, in Masbate province on 12 August. “We strongly condemn the latest atrocities by the New People’s Army against unarmed civilians in Barangay Bonifacio, Uson, Masbate, where a local government official and two others were seriously injured following a bomb and gun attack by members of the Communist Party of the Philippines-New People’s Army-National Democratic Front,” Año said. He stressed that the continued use of banned landmines by the NPA and its persistent attacks on civilian targets are both gross violations of international and domestic laws. “The perpetrators of this dastardly and cowardly act will not go unpunished. Justice will be served for Barangay Captain Democrito Rivera, Romneck Lumabab, and Alex Balayan, all of Barangay Bonifacio, who was shot by a five-man NPA hit team after being hit by a remotely-detonated explosive device,” said the security advisor. The post Año condemns latest NPA attacks appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Año condemns ‘dastardly’ NPA landmine attack in Masbate
National Security Adviser Eduardo Año on Monday condemned another “bomb and gun attack” by the New People’s Army against “unarmed” civilians, which seriously wounded three people, including a barangay captain, in Masbate province on 12 August. "We strongly condemn the latest atrocities by the New People’s Army against unarmed civilians in Barangay Bonifacio, Uson, Masbate, where a local government official and two others were seriously injured following a bomb and gun attack by members of the communist terrorist group, CPP-NPA-NDF (Communist Party of the Philippines-New People's Army-National Democratic Front)," Año said. Año stressed the continued use by the NPA of banned landmines and its persistent attacks on civilian targets are both gross violations of international and domestic laws. “The perpetrators of this dastardly and cowardly act will not go unpunished. Justice will be served for Barangay Captain Democrito Rivera, Romneck Lumabab and Alex Balayan, all of Barangay Bonifacio, who was shot by a five-man NPA hit team after being hit by a remotely-detonated explosive device,” he said. Año said the latest attack perpetrated by the NPA “only shows the group’s brand of violence”, the reason why they are considered the 15th deadliest terrorist organization in the world as indicated in the 2023 Global Terrorism Index. “We commiserate with the victims and their families and the countless others who were hurt, maimed, or killed by this godless and inhumane communist armed group. This terrorist group deserves no less than the condemnation of all freedom and peace-loving Filipinos here and all over the world,” he said. Año said the NPA is already “a spent force and a dying group of ideologues gasping for its last breath.” He assured the public that the joint Armed Forces of the Philippines and the Philippine National Police will be relentless in hunting down the NPA remnants “who continue to sow terror in our communities, with impunity if only to stay relevant and project a false image of strength.” The national security adviser reiterated the government’s strong commitment to uphold the tenets of the IHL of the Geneva Convention and Republic Act No. 9851 or An Act Defining and Penalizing Crimes Against International Humanitarian Law, Genocide, and Other Crimes Against Humanity. Likewise, the government strongly upholds the enforcement of the 1997 Mine Ban Treaty, he added. “In light of this recent atrocity, let us continue to provide the national government a strong hand and vibrant mechanisms,” he said, noting that National Task Force to End Local Armed Conflict will continue its whole-of-nation approach to finally put an end to the communist insurgency. International humanitarian law covers two areas, including the protection of those who are not, or no longer, taking part in the fighting. The other area covers restrictions on the means of warfare – in particular weapons – and the methods of warfare, such as military tactics. The Philippines also has Republic Act 9851, An Act Defining and penalizing Crimes Against International Humanitarian Law, Genocide, and Other Crimes Against Humanity, Organizing Jurisdiction, Designating Special Courts, and for Related Purposes, since 2009. A provision under Section 4 states that combatants are prohibited from using APMs as it can cause "superfluous injury or unnecessary suffering or which are inherently indiscriminate.” The post Año condemns ‘dastardly’ NPA landmine attack in Masbate appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Iran takes Canada to UN court over terror compensation
Iran has taken Canada to the International Court of Justice for allowing victims of alleged terror attacks to claim damages from Tehran, the UN's top tribunal said on Wednesday. Tehran's case claims that Ottawa, which listed the Islamic Republic as a sponsor of terrorism in 2012, had violated Iran's state immunity. Iran asked the Hague-based ICJ to make Canada overturn a law passed in the same year that allows victims to collect damages from state terror sponsors in Canadian civil courts. "Canada has adopted and implemented a series of legislative, executive, and judicial measures against Iran and its property in breach of its international obligations," Iran said in its filing to the court. Tehran also demanded compensation from Canada. Iran's application cites a Canadian court judgment in 2022 that awarded more than $80 million in compensation to the families of six people who died when Iran shot down a Ukrainian airliner almost two years ago. Ukraine International Airlines flight PS752 was downed shortly after take-off from Tehran on January 8, 2020, killing all 176 people aboard -- including 85 Canadian citizens and permanent residents. Three days later, the Iranian armed forces admitted to downing the Kyiv-bound plane "by mistake." 'International obligations' Iran also cited a 2016 ruling by a Canadian judge ordering Iran's non-diplomatic land and bank accounts to be handed over to victims of attacks by Hamas and Hezbollah. The judgment awarded a reported $13 million to families of Americans who died in eight bombings or hostage-takings in Buenos Aires, Israel, Lebanon, and Saudi Arabia from 1983 to 2002. The families, led by the parents of Marla Bennett, who was killed when a suicide bomber struck at a cafeteria at Hebrew University in Israel in 2002, had successfully sued Iran in the United States. "Iran respectfully requests the Court to adjudge and declare that by failing to respect the immunities of Iran and its property, Canada has violated its international obligations toward Iran," Iran's ICJ filing said. Canada broke diplomatic ties with Iran in 2012 as relations frayed over Tehran's support for Bashar al-Assad's regime in Syria, its nuclear program, and threats to Israel. Iran launched a similar case at the ICJ against the United States in 2016 seeking to unfreeze assets seized by Washington to compensate victims of terror attacks. Judges in March rejected Iran's bid to free nearly $2 billion in central bank assets but ruled the United States had illegally seized funds of some Iranian companies and individuals. The ICJ was set up after World War II to resolve disputes between UN member states. Its judgments are final but can take years. The post Iran takes Canada to UN court over terror compensation appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Over 30 peacekeepers injured in clashes in northern Kosovo
Over 30 peacekeepers deployed in a NATO-led mission in Kosovo were injured Monday in clashes with Serb protesters who demanded the removal of recently elected ethnic Albanian mayors, as tensions flare in the Balkan nation. NATO'S Kosovo Force (KFOR) said it had faced "unprovoked attacks" while countering a hostile crowd after demonstrators clashed with police and tried to force their way into a government building in the northern town of Zvecan. Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic said 52 Serbs were hurt, three seriously, while one was "wounded with two gunshots by (ethnic) Albanian special forces". Hungary's defense minister said on Facebook that "more than 20 Hungarian soldiers" were among the wounded, with seven in serious but stable condition. Italy's foreign minister said three of its soldiers were seriously wounded, and the country's prime minister, Giorgia Meloni, joined NATO in calling for "all parties to take a step back to lower tensions". Kosovo's Serbs boycotted last month's elections in northern towns, which allowed ethnic Albanians to take control of local councils despite a minuscule turnout of under 3.5 percent of voters. Kosovan Prime Minister Albin Kurti's government officially installed the mayors last week, defying calls to ease the tensions by the European Union and the United States, which have both championed the territory's 2008 independence from Serbia. Many Serbs are demanding the withdrawal of Kosovo police forces -- whose presence in northern Kosovo has long sparked resistance -- as well as the ethnic Albanian mayors they do not consider their true representatives. Early Monday, groups of Serbs clashed with Kosovo police in front of the municipal building in Serb-majority Zvecan and tried to enter, after which law enforcers responded by firing tear gas, according to an AFP journalist at the scene. NATO-led peacekeepers in the KFOR mission at first tried to separate protesters from the police, but later started to disperse the crowd using shields and batons, an AFP journalist saw. Several protesters responded by hurling rocks, bottles and Molotov cocktails at the soldiers, but were quickly repelled a few hundred meters away from the Zvecan municipal building. "While countering the most active fringes of the crowd, several soldiers of the Italian and Hungarian KFOR contingent were the subject of unprovoked attacks and sustained trauma wounds with fractures and burns due to the explosion of incendiary devices," the NATO force said in a statement. Eleven Italian soldiers were injured with "three in a serious condition", Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani said. "We will not tolerate further attacks against KFOR," said Meloni. "It is essential to avoid further unilateral actions by the Kosovo authorities and for all parties to take a step back to lower tensions". NATO strongly condemned the "unprovoked" attacks against KFOR troops, adding that such actions were "totally unacceptable". "Violence must stop immediately. We call on all sides to refrain from actions that further inflame tensions, and to engage in dialogue," NATO said in a statement. KFOR commander Division General Angelo Michele Ristuccia slammed the "unacceptable" attacks and underlined that KFOR will "continue to fulfill its mandate impartially". Kosovo police said "organized" demonstrators rallied in northern Kosovo towns, home to many ethnic Serbs who reject Kosovo's independence from Serbia. "The protesters, using violence and throwing tear gas, tried to cross the security cordons and make a forced entry into the municipality facility" in Zvecan, Kosovo police said in a statement. "Police were forced to use legal means, such as (pepper) spray, to stop the protesters and bring the situation under control." Kosovo unilaterally declared independence from Serbia in 2008, and Belgrade and its key allies Russia and China have refused to recognize it, effectively preventing Kosovo from having a seat at the United Nations. Serbs in Kosovo remained largely loyal to Belgrade, especially in the north, where they make up a majority and reject every move by Pristina to consolidate its control over the region. KFOR said it had bolstered its presence in northern Kosovo following the latest developments and urged Belgrade and Pristina to engage in an EU-led dialogue to reduce tensions. "We call on all sides to refrain from actions that could inflame tensions or cause escalation," KFOR said in a statement. Police had already used tear gas Friday to disperse Serbs in northern Kosovo who protested the installation of the mayors. Belgrade responded by placing its army on high alert and ordered forces towards the Serbian border with Kosovo. Russia's foreign minister, Sergei Lavrov, speaking on a visit to Kenya, said that "Serbs are fighting for their rights in northern Kosovo". "A big explosion is looming in the heart of Europe, where NATO in 1999 carried out an aggression against Yugoslavia," Lavrov said, referring to the 1999 NATO intervention against Belgrade that effectively ended the war between Serb forces and ethnic Albanian guerrillas. The US ambassador and European Union envoy have summoned the ethnic Albanian mayors to a meeting in Pristina in a bid to ease tensions. France said it "condemns this violence in the strongest possible terms and calls on all parties, in particular the Kosovo government, to take immediate steps to reduce tensions". Two media teams from Pristina reported that protesters had slashed their tires and spray-painted their vehicles, while a local journalists' association called on law enforcers to provide a safe working environment for the media. After his first-round victory at the French Open on Monday, Serbian tennis superstar Novak Djokovic penned the message "Kosovo is the heart of Serbia. Stop the violence" on a television camera. "Kosovo is our cradle, our stronghold, center of the most important things for our country," Djokovic told reporters. The post Over 30 peacekeepers injured in clashes in northern Kosovo appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Iraq unveils $17-B transport project linking Europe and Mideast
Iraq on Saturday presented an ambitious plan to turn itself into a regional transportation hub by developing its road and rail infrastructure, linking Europe with the Middle East. Once completed, the $17 billion project known as the "Route of Development" would span the length of the country, stretching 1,200 kilometers (745 miles) from the northern border with Turkey to the Gulf in the south. Prime Minister Mohamed Shia al-Sudani announced the project during a conference with transport ministry representatives from Iran, Jordan, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Syria, Turkey, and the United Arab Emirates. "We see this project as a pillar of a sustainable non-oil economy, a link that serves Iraq's neighbors and the region, and a contribution to economic integration efforts," Sudani said. While further discussions are required, any country that wishes "will be able to carry out part of the project", the Iraqi parliament's transport committee said, adding the project could be completed in "three to five years". "The Route of Development will boost interdependence between the countries of the region," Turkey's ambassador to Baghdad Ali Riza Guney said, without elaborating on what role his country would play in the project. War-ravaged and beset by rampant corruption, oil-rich Iraq suffers from dilapidated infrastructure. Its roads, riddled with potholes and poorly maintained, are in terrible condition. Those connecting Baghdad to the north cross areas where sporadic attacks are still carried out by remnants of the Islamic State group. Sudani has prioritized the reconstruction of the country's road network, along with upgrading its failing electricity infrastructure. Lack of 'fluidity' Developing the road and rail corridor would allow Iraq to capitalize on its geographical position, with the aim of making the country a transportation hub for goods and people moving between the Gulf, Turkey, and Europe. Work has already started to increase capacity at the commercial port of Al-Faw, on the shores of the Gulf, where cargo is to be unloaded before it embarks on the new road and rail links. The project also includes the construction of around 15 train stations along the route, including in the major cities of Basra, Baghdad, and Mosul, and up to the Turkish border. The Gulf, largely bordered by Iran and Saudi Arabia, is a major shipping zone, especially for the transportation of hydrocarbons extracted by countries of the region. Zyad al-Hashemi, an Iraqi consultant on international transport, cast doubt on the plan to develop the country into a transportation hub, saying it lacks "fluidity". "Customers prefer to transport their goods directly from Asia to Europe, without going through a loading and unloading process," that would see containers moved between ships and road or rail, he said. Transport is a key sector in the global economy and Iraq's announcement is the latest in other planned international mega-projects, including China's "Belt and Road Initiative" announced in 2013 by its President Xi Jinping. The planned works in that project would see 130 countries across Asia, Europe, and Africa connected through land and sea infrastructure providing greater access to China. The post Iraq unveils $17-B transport project linking Europe and Mideast appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»