China says ‘mission accomplished’ around Taiwan
Beijing has announced the successful completion of assignments around the island, but added that regular patrols will continue China has announced an end to the unprecedented military exercises around Taiwan, which were launched following the controversial visit by US House Speaker Nancy Pelosi to Taipei. The People’s Liberation Army (PLA) said on Wednesday 10th August, that it had “successfully completed various missions during recent drills around Taiwan island and effectively tested the troop’s joint operation combat capacity,” as reported by the Global Times. China said it will continue “military training and preparation,” and organize patrols in the Taiwan Strait in order to “resolutely defend national sovereignty and territorial integrity,” Eastern Theater Command spokesperson Colonel Shi Yi said. The announcement comes shortly after Beijing released a White Paper refusing to rule out the use of force in its efforts to unify Taiwan with the mainland, noting, however, that it will strive for a peaceful unification. “We will work with the greatest sincerity and exert our utmost efforts to achieve peaceful reunification. But we will not renounce the use of force, and we reserve the option of taking all necessary measures,” the document read.
Beijing noted that this contingency was needed to prevent “external interference and separatist activities” and accused “anti-Chinese forces in the US” of deliberately escalating tensions between China and Taiwan. China considers Taiwan an inalienable part of its territory and views visits such as Pelosi’s as an attack on its sovereignty and a violation of the ‘One China’ principle, under which most countries refrain from diplomatic recognition of Taiwan.(Source: RT NEWS)
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Chinese defense minister stresses PLA’s courage, capabilities to defeat intruders
By Zhang Han | Global Times China
Chinese State Councilor and Defense Minister Wei Fenghe said, the Chinese military has the confidence and courage to defeat any intruders, and stressed staunch determination, firm will and strong ability to safeguard national sovereignty and territorial integrity, after some Western lawmakers smeared China’s appropriate, necessary military operations as an “overreaction” to US’ constant provocations over Taiwan question.
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U.S. Warships Sail Taiwan Strait, Defying Chinese Pressure
By Austin Ramzy | Aug. 28, 2022
HONG KONG — The U.S. Navy said that two of its guided-missile cruisers warships sailed through the Taiwan Strait on Sunday, the first such passage by American ships since China began large-scale military exercises in response to a visit to Taiwan by Speaker Nancy Pelosi early this month. The guided-missile cruisers Antietam and Chancellorsville were conducting what the Navy’s Seventh Fleet called “a routine Taiwan Strait transit.” American officials said this month that the Navy would continue to operate around Taiwan, despite China’s claims to control the waterway. China has warned the United States against sailing warships in the Taiwan Strait and said that it would respond to what it considers threats to its sovereignty. The Chinese military said on Sunday in a statement that it had monitored the ships’ passage but did not indicate any additional response. “Eastern theater forces remain on high alert, ready to thwart any provocation,” it said.
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Japan marks end of World War-II
(15-8-2022) Prime Minister Fumio Kishida in his address largely focused on the damages Japan suffered on its turf, including the US atomic bombings on Hiroshima and Nagasaki and massive firebombings across the country. Japan’s Prime Minister Fumio Kishida has renewed Japan’s no-war pledge at a sombre ceremony to mark his country’s 77th anniversary of its World War II defeat. In his first address as prime minister since taking office in October, Kishida said that Japan will “stick to our resolve to never repeat the tragedy of the war.” Kishida did not mention Japanese aggression across Asia in the first half of the 20th century or the victims in the region. Kishida largely focused on the damages Japan suffered on its turf the US atomic bombings on Hiroshima and Nagasaki, massive firebombings across Japan and the bloody ground battle on Okinawa. He said the peace and prosperity that the country enjoys today is built on the suffering and sacrifices of those who died in the war. Some 900 participants observed a minute of silence at noon during the ceremony held at the Budokan arena. (Source: AP)
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Rohingya mark five years since the exodus to Bangladesh
(25 Aug 2022) Rohingya refugees say they have no future in camps in Bangladesh, but the situation in Myanmar prevents their return home, As the United States, the European Union and other Western nations pledged to continue supporting their pursuit of justice in international courts. At a sprawling camp in Bangladesh’s Cox’s Bazar district, thousands of refugees gathered to commemorate what they term Genocide Remembrance Day, with speakers demanding safety from persecution inside Myanmar so they can return to the country. Bangladesh tells UN that Rohingya refugees must return to Myanmar UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Michelle Bachelet arrived to Bangladesh’s capital Dhaka and visited Rohingya camps in Cox’s Bazar district near the border with Myanmar. “The Rohingya are nationals of Myanmar and they have to be taken back,” Hasina was quoted as saying by her press secretary, Ihsanul Karim. She added that many refugees were fearful for their safety due to the activity of armed groups and criminal gangs. Bangladesh said that Myanmar has dragged on its promises to start the repatriation process, “meanwhile here [Bangladesh] the environment is getting increasingly hostile towards the Rohingya refugees,” Chowdhury added. Bangladesh asks China for help in repatriating Rohingya refugees Earlier , Bangladesh sought cooperation from China in repatriating Rohingya to Myanmar during a visit by Chines Foreign Minister Wang Yi. China had brokered a November 2017 agreement with Myanmar aimed at sending refugees back. Wang Yi arrived in Dhaka and met Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and Foreign Minister AK Abdul Momen. They discussed bilateral and global issues before his departure on Sunday, said Shahriar Alam, Bangladesh’s junior minister for foreign affairs.(SOURCE: APN/ AL JAZEERA AND NEWS AGENCIES)
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UN chief says killing of Palestinian children ‘unconscionable’
(11 Aug 2022) The UN human rights office has confirmed that among the 48 Palestinians killed in the three-day onslaught from Friday to Sunday, at least 22 were civilians, including 17 children and four women. Nearly two-thirds of the 360 Palestinians reported injured in the Israeli offensive were civilians, including 151 children, 58 women and 19 older people, the UN human rights law, UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Michelle Bachelet said. The United Nations rights chief issued a statement expressing “alarm” at the large numbers of Palestinians particularly children who have been killed and injured by Israeli forces in occupied Palestinian territory so far this year. Nineteen Palestinian children were killed in occupied Palestinian territory in the last week alone in August, bringing the death toll of children since the start of the year to 37, according to the statement. Israeli forces launched their bombardment of Gaza, flattening buildings and striking refugee camps across the territory, saying the onslaught targeted members of the Islamic Jihad armed group, including the group’s senior commanders. Palestinian officials said the majority of those killed were civilians. The toll of civilian casualties in the Israeli attack on Gaza “was heavy”, the UN rights chief said. “International humanitarian law is clear. Launching an attack which may be expected to incidentally kill or injure civilians, or damage civilian objects, in disproportionate manner to the concrete and direct military advantage anticipated, is prohibited. Such attacks must stop,” Bachelet said. Israeli authorities said that a total of 70 Israelis were injured during weekend fighting. (SOURCE: AL JAZEERA)
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70% of Western Weapons sent to Ukraine don’t reach troops-CBS.
(August 9, 2022) Report suggests US appears to be repeating the mistakes of Afghanistan, Iraq, and Syria. According to a CBS investigation, despite the West providing Ukraine with unprecedented amounts of military aid, less than a third of it makes it to the front lines. Instead, when aid shipments disappear after passing a complex web of “power lords, oligarchs [and] political players,” the illegal market for weapons is flourishing. There is no information about where they are headed at all, said Donatella Rovera, senior crisis adviser at Amnesty International. A US intelligence source told CNN in April that Ukraine is a major black hole for weapon shipments, and Canadian sources stated they had “no idea where their weapons are going,” echoing prior (and perhaps less publicized) official concerns. According to Europol, these missing weapons will ultimately wind up in the hands of organized crime, but Russia claims they will end up in the Middle East. Many western weapons were being sold on dark web marketplaces for a quarter of their original cost, according to a June RT investigation. This, however, is nothing new. US troops frequently encountered their weapons in Afghanistan and Iraq, and organizations like ISIS are believed to have taken control of arms supplies in Syria. Col. Andy Milburn, a retired US Marine, explained that the surprise is not that things aren’t reaching where they need to go, but rather that people thought they would.
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A new European gas pipeline link could be ready in 9 months as support builds to bypass Russian supplies
Phil Rosen | Aug 12, 2022
A new European gas pipeline link could be ready in less than a year as the continent moves to minimize its reliance on Russian supplies amid a worsening energy crisis. On Friday, Spain’s energy and environment minister told local media that a segment of pipeline from Spain to France could be ready in nine months and boost gas export capacity by 20% to 30%, according to a Financial Times. German Chancellor Olaf Scholz voiced support for a new pipeline, adding that he had discussed it with leaders from Spain, Portugal, and France, as well as European Commission president Ursula von der Leyen. Meanwhile, Portuguese Prime Minister António Costa tweeted his backing “Germany can count 100 per cent on Portugal’s commitment to the building of a gas pipeline.” The flurry of enthusiasm for the new vehicle for gas deliveries comes as Europe faces its most dire energy crisis in decades. Russia has slashed gas supplies to Europe and most recently reduced flows via the Nord Stream 1 pipeline to just 20% of capacity. The Iberian peninsula could serve as a key conduit for alternative gas supplies as it harbors much of Europe’s liquefied natural gas import capacity. Germany’s Scholz also said Thursday there should be “other connections between north Africa and Europe that will help us to diversify our [energy] supply.” Before Moscow’s invasion of Ukraine, Russian supplies accounted for roughly 40% of Europe’s energy demand. Now, other nations, including the US, have ramped up LNG exports to Europe to help plug the gap. (Source: Business Insideer)
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Ethiopia completes third filling of Blue Nile mega-dam reservoir
(Fri, 12 Aug 2022) The announcement on Friday comes a day after Ethiopia said it had launched power production from the second turbine at the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (GERD). “Today as you see behind me, the third filling is complete,” Abiy said in images shown on state television from the dam site. “Compared to last year, we have reached 600 metres (1,968 feet) which is 25 metres (82 feet) higher than the previous filling,” he said. “The Nile is a gift of God given to us for Ethiopians to make use of it,” he added. The enormous $4.2bn dam has been at the centre of a regional dispute ever since Ethiopia broke ground on the mega project in 2011. Egypt and Sudan view the dam as a threat because of their dependence on Nile river waters, while Ethiopia deems the dam essential for domestic electrification and development. Egypt, which depends on the Nile for about 97 percent of its irrigation and drinking water, last month protested Ethiopia’s planned third filling of the dam to the UN Security Council. Addis Ababa contends the dam is essential saying it will enable the distribution of electricity to its population of more than 110 million. The Renaissance Dam is also the centrepiece of Ethiopia’s bid to become Africa’s biggest power exporter, with a projected capacity of 6,500 megawatts.
Nile water
The Nile which at some 6,000km (3,700 miles) is one of the longest rivers in the world is an essential source of water and electricity for dozens of countries in East Africa. The Nile Basin river system flows through 11 countries. The Blue Nile and White Nile merge in Sudan before flowing into Egypt and onto the Mediterranean Sea. The 145-metre (475-foot) high GERD straddles the Blue Nile in the Benishangul-Gumuz region of western Ethiopia, near the border with Sudan.(SOURCE: AL JAZEERA AND NEWS AGENCIES)
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41 killed in Egypt church fire, including many children
At least 45 people were also injured including policemen involved in the rescue effort in Giza city in Greater Cairo. Several people trapped inside facing thick black smoke jumped from upper floors of the Martyr Abu Sefein church to try to escape the intense flames, witnesses said. “Suffocation, suffocation, all of them dead,” said a distraught witness who only gave a partial name, Abu Bishoy. “There are children, we didn’t know how to get to them,” said Abu Bishoy. Forty-five people were injured including four policemen involved in the rescue effort. The blaze erupted at the church in Giza city in Greater Cairo in the working-class neighbourhood of Imbaba, where about 5,000 people had gathered. Giza, Egypt’s second-largest city, lies just across the Nile from Cairo. In a statement, the interior ministry said a forensic examination showed the fire began in the second floor air conditioning as a result of an electrical malfunction.
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Chinese spy ship ‘Yuan Wang 5’ docks in Sri Lanka despite India, US concerns
16 August 2022| AFP/ Hambantota
The Yuan Wang 5 entered the Hambantota deep sea port after securing permission to enter Sri Lankan waters on the condition it will not engage in any research, port officials said. Shipping analytics websites described the Yuan Wang 5 as a research and survey vessel, but according to Indian media, it is a dual-use spy ship. New Delhi is suspicious of Beijing’s increasing presence in the Indian Ocean and influence in Sri Lanka, seeing both as firmly within its sphere of influence. But, after intense negotiations, Colombo announced a U-turn, saying permission had been granted for the ship to dock at Hambantota and remain for six days. The Hambantota port is run by China, which leased it for 99 years for $1.12 billion, less than the $1.4 billion Sri Lanka paid a Chinese company to build it. According to Indian reports, the Yuan Wang 5 could be employed for space and satellite tracking and has specific uses in intercontinental ballistic missile launches. The Indian government has expressed concern that the ship could spy on its activities, lodging a complaint with Colombo. The United States also expressed concern about the ship. On August 5, President Ranil Wickremesinghe “reiterated Sri Lanka’s firm commitment to the one-China policy” after US House Speaker Nancy Pelosi visited Taiwan, warning against “non-interference in the internal affairs of countries”.
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INS Vikrant: Inside India’s newly-commissioned aircraft carrier
(Fri. 2nd September 2022) India has commissioned its first indigenously-built aircraft carrier, Vikrant, at a ceremony in the southern state of Kerala. The BBC’s Jugal Purohit took a tour of the vessel ahead of its induction into the Indian navy. On Friday morning, the 45,000-tonne Vikrant got the prefix INS (Indian Naval Ship) at a formal commissioning ceremony, attended by Prime Minister Narendra Modi. It is a moment that was 13 years in the making. The vessel – 262m (860ft) long and almost 60m (197ft) tall – is the first aircraft carrier India has designed and built on its own. It has the capacity to hold 30 fighter planes and helicopters. Mr Modi called the carrier “a floating city” and the “symbol of indigenous potential”. “With INS Vikrant, India has joined the list of countries which manufacture huge aircraft carriers with indigenous technology. It has filled the country with a new confidence,” he said at the commissioning ceremony. Vikrant, which cost around 200bn rupees ($2.5bn; £2.1bn), was expected to be inducted into the navy by 2017. But the second phase of its construction was beset by delays. After Friday’s commissioning, the new Vikrant will sail across both Indian and international waters, accompanied by a fleet of frigates, destroyers and submarines to protect it. The big picture Madhu Nair, chairman and managing director of Cochin Shipyard, says the ship’s construction – even though hit by massive delays – has made them more confident. With 76% of the ship’s parts sourced indigenously – around 500 Indian firms were roped in – both the navy and the Cochin Shipyard say the Vikrant’s cost is an investment in boosting India’s defence capabilities. (Courtesy : BBC NEWS)
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Indian Air Force says will retire all squadrons of MiG-21 by 2025
On Thursday 28 July evening, a MiG-21 Type 69 Trainer aircraft crashed in Barmer, Rajasthan killing both the pilots. Amid recent crashes involving its vintage Russian combat aircraft fleet, the Indian Air Force is now going to retire one more squadron of the MiG-21 Bison aircraft by September 30. “The 51 Squadron based out of Srinagar air base is being number plated on September 30. After this, only three squadrons of the planes would be left in service and would be phased out by the year 2025,” sources in the IAF told ANI. Now every year, one squadron each of these planes would be number plated, they said. The 51 squadron is famous for thwarting Pakistan’s aerial attack on India on February 27, 2019, and taking out an F-16 in an aircraft flown by Wing Commander (now Group Captain) Abhinandan Varthaman.This is the only instance when a MiG-21 aircraft brought down an F-16 in air-to-air combat, the sources said. The IAF has been replacing the MiG-21 fighter jets with more capable aircraft like the Su-30 and the indigenous Light Combat Aircraft (LCA). The MiG-21s were supposed to be retired a long time ago but delays in induction of the LCA Tejas aircraft have forced the IAF to continue flying these planes.