Israel’s threat to retaliate for Iran’s October 1 missile strikes is raising concerns of a nuclear confrontation in the region. VOA’s Heather Murdock reports from Istanbul. …
Israeli minister criticizes Macron over France defense show ban
Jerusalem — Israeli delegations taking part in the major defense show Euronaval in France next month will not be permitted to set up a stand or exhibit hardware following a decision by the French government, organizers said Wednesday, prompting outrage from Israel. The decision comes as tensions are rising between Israel and France following comments by President Emmanuel Macron criticizing the civilian casualties in the Israeli …
Zelenskyy ‘victory plan’ includes push for NATO invitation, reconstruction aid
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy called for Ukraine to receive an unconditional invitation to join NATO and for the deployment of a non-nuclear deterrent to Russian aggression as he went before Ukraine’s parliament Wednesday to outline his “victory plan” in the fight against Russia’s invasion. “Together with our partners, we must change the circumstances so that the war ends. Regardless of what Putin wants,” Zelenskyy said. …
Italy delivers first migrants to Albania under new deal
SHENGJIN, Albania — A ship carrying the first group of migrants to be processed in Albania under a deal with Italy arrived in the port of Shengjin on Wednesday morning, setting in motion Rome’s controversial plan to process thousands of asylum seekers abroad. Italy has built two reception centers in Albania, in the first scheme by a European Union nation to divert migrants to a non-E.U. …
Former Malaysian PM Mahathir, 99, hospitalized with respiratory infection
Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia — Former Malaysian Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad has been admitted to hospital for a respiratory infection, his office said on Wednesday after media reported the ex-premier missed a court hearing in a defamation case he has lodged. The 99-year-old Mahathir, who served as prime minister for more two decades, has a history of heart problems and has undergone bypass surgeries. He has been …
Israeli airstrikes hit Beirut suburbs
Israeli forces carried out airstrikes Wednesday on Beirut’s southern suburbs, sending plumes of smoke rising from at least two neighborhoods. The Israel Defense Forces said its fighter jets struck a Hezbollah underground weapons warehouse. The attacks followed Israel’s latest evacuation order that warned people to leave areas in Beirut that the Israeli military said were near Hezbollah facilities. Israel also reported more than 50 projectiles …
‘Age of electricity’ to follow looming fossil fuel peak, IEA says
LONDON — The world is on the brink of a new age of electricity with fossil fuel demand set to peak by the end of the decade, meaning surplus oil and gas supplies could drive investment into green energy, the International Energy Agency said on Wednesday. But it also flagged a high level of uncertainty as conflicts embroil the oil and gas-producing Middle East and Russia …
China says it will not renounce use of force over Taiwan
BEIJING/TAIPEI — China will not promise to renounce the use of force over Taiwan but this is aimed at external interference and a small minority of separatists, China’s Taiwan Affairs Office said on Wednesday following the country’s latest war games around the island. China, which views democratically governed Taiwan as its own territory, staged a day of large-scale drills around the island on Monday it said …
South Korea steps up commitment to South China Sea, with limits
washington — South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol’s tour of Southeast Asian countries shows Seoul has stepped up the country’s role in supporting regional security, but there are limits to what it can do to help them push back against China’s growing aggression, analysts say. Yoon made several pledges to support regional security during visits to the Philippines, Singapore and Laos, where he attended the closing …
British foreign secretary expected to visit Beijing, Shanghai
LONDON — British Foreign Secretary David Lammy is expected to visit Beijing and Shanghai, the highest-level trip to China since the Labour government came to power. Analysts say they will be watching the trip for signs of a possible reset in U.K.-China relations, which have been fraught in recent years. Reuters reported last week that Lammy is expected to meet with Chinese officials in Beijing and …
Report: Iran cyberattacks against Israel surge after Gaza war
Israel has become the top target of Iranian cyberattacks since the start of the Gaza war last year, while Tehran had focused primarily on the United States before the conflict, Microsoft said Tuesday. “Following the outbreak of the Israel-Hamas war, Iran surged its cyber, influence, and cyber-enabled influence operations against Israel,” Microsoft said in an annual report. “From October 7, 2023, to July 2024, nearly …
Thousands attend funeral service in Bosnia for 19 killed in floods
JABLANICA, Bosnia-Herzegovina — Several thousand mourners in southern Bosnia converged Tuesday around 19 caskets covered in traditional Islamic green cloth, part of a funeral service held for those killed during the destructive floods and landslides that hit the country in early October. Torrential rains and winds slammed four municipalities in central and southern Bosnia early on Oct. 4, catching people by surprise. Entire areas were cut …
Georgia’s leaders stoke fears of Russian war ahead of pivotal election
The republic of Georgia – which was part of the Soviet Union until independence in 1991 – is preparing for a crucial election on October 26th, which is widely seen as a choice between a future aligned with the West or Russia. Western powers accuse the ruling Georgian Dream party of a backsliding of democracy. As Henry Ridgwell reports from the capital, Tbilisi, the party’s …
WHO: Gaza polio campaign starts well, despite Israeli strikes
Geneva — The World Health Organization said on Tuesday it had been able to start its polio campaign in central Gaza and vaccinate tens of thousands of children despite Israeli strikes in the designated protected zone hours before. As part of an agreement between the Israeli military and Palestinian militant group Hamas, humanitarian pauses in the year-long Gaza war had been due to begin early on …
Chinese Pandas arrive in US, headed to National Zoo in Washington
Washington — The National Zoo’s long dark panda drought is coming to an end. Eleven months after the zoo sent its three wildly popular pandas — Mei Xiang, Tian Tian and their cub Xiao Qi Ji — back to China, a new pair of bears arrived in the United States on Tuesday. They will be transported from Dulles International Airport in suburban Virginia to the zoo. …
Pakistan hosts regional leaders for SCO summit under tight security
Islamabad — Leaders of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization of Eurasian countries gathered in Pakistan Tuesday for an annual, two-day meeting to discuss ways to enhance regional security, stability, and development cooperation. Authorities have placed Islamabad under a security lockdown for the SCO gathering, deploying thousands of forces, including troops, in and around the Pakistani capital to protect the high-profile event due to a recent surge in …
Microsoft: Cybercriminals increasingly help Russia, China, Iran target US, allies
WASHINGTON — Russia, China and Iran are increasingly relying on criminal networks to lead cyberespionage and hacking operations against adversaries such as the United States, according to a report on digital threats published Tuesday by Microsoft. The growing collaboration between authoritarian governments and criminal hackers has alarmed national security officials and cybersecurity experts. They say it represents the increasingly blurred lines between actions directed by Beijing …
Frontex: Irregular EU border crossings fell 42% this year
Warsaw, — Detected irregular crossings into the European Union fell 42% in the first nine months of 2024 compared to the same period last year, EU border agency Frontex said on Tuesday. Frontex released its latest statistics shortly before a summit of the bloc’s leaders in Brussels later this week, where immigration is among topics high on the agenda. The number of detected crossings into the …
Russia, China bolster defense ties at ‘substantive’ talks
Russia and China held “substantive” defense and military talks to bolster ties, Russia’s defense minister said on Tuesday, as Moscow and Beijing cement a “no limits” partnership and step up criticism of U.S. efforts to extend its influence in Asia. “The military departments of Russia and China are united in their assessments of global processes, and they have a common understanding of what needs to …
Summit in Australia urges science to do more to embrace First Nations climate knowledge
SYDNEY — An international conference in Australia of First Nations people is calling on scientists to engage with Indigenous experts to find solutions to climate change. Indigenous Australians consider the land to be the mother of creation. To them, it is a living, breathing mass that contains secrets and wisdom. Tribal leaders have gathered in Dubbo, 390 kilometers northwest of Sydney, to urge governments and scientists …
Iran condemns EU, UK sanctions on Tehran, denies providing ballistic missiles to Russia
DUBAI, United Arab Emirates — Iran condemned new EU and British sanctions on Tehran and denied providing ballistic missiles to Russia, spokesperson for Iran’s Foreign Ministry, Esmaeil Baghaei, said in a post on X on Tuesday. The European Union agreed on Monday to impose sanctions on seven people and seven organizations, including airline Iran Air, for their links to Iranian transfers of ballistic missiles to Russia. …
Deadly Russian missile attack hits Mykolaiv
Officials in Ukraine’s Mykolaiv region said Tuesday a Russian missile attack killed at least one person and injured 16 others. Mykolaiv Governor Vitaliy Kim said on Telegram the attack damaged an infrastructure facility, restaurant and shopping areas, as well as residential buildings. Ukraine’s military said Tuesday that Russia’s overnight attacks included nine missiles and 17 drones, with Ukraine’s air defenses destroying 12 of the drones. …
Son of Singapore’s founding PM Lee says plans to demolish family home
SINGAPORE — The youngest child of Singapore’s founding Prime Minister Lee Kuan Yew said on Tuesday he would apply to demolish the statesman’s home in line with his wishes, following the death of Lee’s daughter last week. Lee Kuan Yew’s three children, one of whom is Singapore’s third Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong, were split on what to do with their father’s home after his death …
Israeli retaliation against Iran to include military sites, not nuclear or oil
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu told U.S. President Joe Biden that an Israeli retaliatory attack on Iran would target only military targets, and not oil or nuclear facilities, according to U.S. officials. The officials were cited by the Washington Post and Wall Street Journal, which both reported late Monday that Netanyahu made the pledge during a phone call between the leaders last week. A White …