WARS
Saturday, 23 March 2024 04:27
Here’s the latest as Israel-Hamas war enters Day 169
UN chief to visit Gaza border in new plea for truce United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres will visit Egypt's border with Gaza on Saturday to renew pleas for a ceasefire that could bring relief to a territory devastated by more than five months of war between Israel and Hamas. His trip comes as Israel threatens to launch a major military operation in the southern Gaza city of Rafah, just over the border from Egypt, despite international appeals against such an attack. A majority of Gaza's 2.3 million residents are sheltering around Rafah. Though conditions are worse in the north of…
Saturday, 23 March 2024 04:25
What to know after Day 758 of Russia-Ukraine war
WESTERN PERSPECTIVE Russia pounds Ukrainian power facilities; Zelenskiy seeks air defences, 'political will' Russia pounded Ukrainian power facilities on Friday in an attack described by Kyiv as the largest airstrike on its energy infrastructure in two years of war, and portrayed by Moscow as revenge for Ukrainian attacks during its presidential election. The missile and drone attack hit a vast dam over the Dnipro river, killed at least five people and left more than a million others without power, forcing Kyiv to seek emergency electricity supplies from Poland, Romania and Slovakia, Kyiv officials said. President Volodymyr Zelenskiy, speaking in his…
Friday, 22 March 2024 04:41
Here’s the latest as Israel-Hamas war enters Day 168
US puts pressure on Israel with Gaza ceasefire resolution as Qatar talks continue Israel's spy chief was due to travel to Qatar on Friday for ceasefire negotiations while the U.S. planned to put a resolution calling for an immediate truce in Gaza to a vote of the U.N. Security Council, intensifying pressure on its ally. U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken said on Thursday in Cairo he believed talks mediated by the U.S., Qatar and Egypt could still reach a ceasefire deal between the Palestinian militant group Hamas and Israel. Negotiations in Qatar centred on a truce of around six…
Friday, 22 March 2024 04:39
What to know after Day 757 of Russia-Ukraine war
RUSSIAN PERSPECTIVE Russian army announces new Donbass gains Moscow’s forces have liberated the village of Tonenkoye in Donetsk People’s Republic (DPR), the Russian Defense Ministry announced on Thursday. Tonenkoye has seen intense combat over the past few weeks, following the taking of the key Donbass town of Avdeevka in mid-February. The village forms part of the Orlovka-Tonenkoye-Berdychi line, located to the northwest of the town. Over the past 24-hour period, Ukrainian forces have lost over 320 soldiers, a tank, four other armored and up to seven unarmored vehicles, according to Moscow’s estimates. Earlier this week, the Russian military announced the…
Thursday, 21 March 2024 05:04
Here’s the latest as Israel-Hamas war enters Day 167
Why Israel is so determined to launch an offensive in Rafah Israel is determined to launch a ground offensive against Hamas in Rafah, Gaza’s southernmost town, a plan that has raised global alarm because of the potential for harm to the hundreds of thousands of civilians sheltering there. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu says Israel can’t achieve its goal of “total victory” against Hamas without tackling Rafah. Israel has approved military plans for its offensive. But with 1.4 million Palestinians jammed into the town, Israel’s allies, including the U.S., have demanded greater care for civilians in its anticipated incursion. Most of…
Thursday, 21 March 2024 05:04
What to know after Day 756 of Russia-Ukraine war
WESTERN PERSPECTIVE Ukraine's capital Kyiv is under Russian missile attack, mayor says Russia launched a missile attack on Ukraine's capital, Kyiv, early Thursday, injuring eight people and damaging residential buildings and industrial facilities, mayor Vitali Klitschko said. It was the first large missile attack on Kyiv in recent weeks. Klitschko said on the Telegram messaging app that air defence units were repelling the attack. He said missile debris fell in different parts of the city. "There are already eight injured as the result of the enemy's attack," Klitschko said. He said that debris from a downed Russian missile hit several…
Wednesday, 20 March 2024 04:35
Here’s the latest as Israel-Hamas war enters Day 166
Netanyahu spurns Biden plea to call off Rafah assault in Gaza Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu spurned a plea from Joe Biden to call off a planned ground assault of Rafah, the last refuge in Gaza for more than a million displaced people, where Israel believes Hamas militants are holed up. Netanyahu told lawmakers on Tuesday he had made it "supremely clear" to the U.S. president "that we are determined to complete the elimination of these battalions in Rafah, and there's no way to do that except by going in on the ground". The two leaders spoke by phone on…
Wednesday, 20 March 2024 04:33
What to know after Day 755 of Russia-Ukraine war
WESTERN PERSPECTIVE Ukraine's survival in danger, Pentagon chief warns U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin on Tuesday warned that Ukraine's survival was in danger and sought to convince allies that the United States was committed to Kyiv, even as Washington has essentially run out of money to keep arming Ukrainian forces. Republican House of Representatives Speaker Mike Johnson is refusing to call a vote on a bill that would provide $60 billion more for Ukraine and the White House is scrambling to find ways to send assistance to Kyiv, which has been battling Russian forces for more than two years. Austin…
Tuesday, 19 March 2024 04:52
Here’s the latest as Israel-Hamas war enters Day 165
Netanyahu agrees to send Israeli officials to Washington to discuss prospective Rafah operation Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Monday agreed to send a team of Israeli officials to Washington to discuss with Biden administration officials a prospective Rafah operation as each side is looking to make “clear to the other its perspective,” White House national security adviser Jake Sullivan said. The agreement to hold talks about Rafah came as Biden and Netanyahuspoke Monday, their first interaction in more than a month, as the divide has grown between allies over the food crisis in Gaza and Israel’s conduct during the…
Tuesday, 19 March 2024 04:51
What to know after Day 754 of Russia-Ukraine war
RUSSIAN PERSPECTIVE China to boycott Ukraine peace talks without Russia – Politico China will boycott the talks to end the Russia-Ukraine conflict unless Moscow will have a seat at the table, Politico magazine reported on Monday, citing officials familiar with the matter. According to Politico, the message was “amplified” during Chinese Eurasia envoy Li Hui’s European tour earlier this month. During his March 7 trip to Kiev, Li met with Andrey Yermak, chief of staff of President Vladimir Zelensky. Ukraine will likely be discussed during German Chancellor Olaf Scholz’s visit to China next month. Chinese President Xi Jinping will then…
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Monday, 18 March 2024 04:25
Here’s the latest as Israel-Hamas war enters Day 164
Netanyahu snaps back against growing US criticism after being accused of losing his way on Gaza Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu railed Sunday against growing criticism from top ally the United States against his leadership amid the devastating war with Hamas, describing calls for a new election as “wholly inappropriate.” In recent days, U.S. Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, the highest-ranking Jewish official in the country and a strong Israel supporter, called on Israel to hold a new election, saying Netanyahu had “lost his way.” President Joe Biden expressed supportfor Schumer’s “good speech,” and earlier accused Netanyahu of hurting Israel…
Monday, 18 March 2024 04:22
What to know after Day 753 of Russia-Ukraine war
RUSSIAN PERSPECTIVE NATO has boots on the ground in Ukraine – Putin It is no secret that NATO soldiers are present on the ground in Ukraine, Russian President Vladimir Putin has said, noting that those service members are facing extremely grim prospects. Speaking to his supporters and reporters on Sunday night after the end of the presidential election, which he won by a landslide, Putin stressed that Moscow was well aware of the US-led military bloc’s push to deploy troops in Ukraine. “We hear both French and English speech there. There is nothing good in this, first of all for…
Sunday, 17 March 2024 04:58
Here’s the latest as Israel-Hamas war enters Day 163
Cease-fire talks with Israel and Hamas are expected to resume on Sunday in Qatar Stalled talks aimed at securing a cease-fire in the Israel-Hamas war are expected to resume in earnest in Qatar as soon as Sunday, according to Egyptian officials. The talks would mark the first time both Israeli officials and Hamas leaders join the indirect negotiations since the start of the Muslim holy month of Ramadan. International mediators had hoped to secure a six-week truce before Ramadan started earlier this week, but Hamas refused any deal that wouldn’t lead to a permanent cease-fire in Gaza, a demand Israel…
Sunday, 17 March 2024 04:57
What to know after Day 752 of Russia-Ukraine war
WESTERN PERSPECTIVE Putin vows to punish Ukraine for attacks as Russians vote Vladimir Putin accused Ukraine on Friday of trying to disrupt a Russian presidential election that is virtually certain to hand him six more years in the Kremlin, and said Moscow would punish Kyiv for its latest attacks. The first of three days of voting was marked by disruptions including dye being poured into ballot boxes, a Molotov cocktail thrown at a polling station in Putin's home town, and reported cyber attacks. Millions of Russians cast their ballots across the country's 11 time zones, with officials putting turnout on…