Kyiv claims Russian officers killed in Crimea attack

By Umut Uras and Federica Marsi

• Ukraine has launched another missile attack on the port city of Sevastopol, a day after the headquarters of Russia’s Black Sea Fleet on the occupied Crimean peninsula was hit by missiles.
• Ukraine claims dozens – including “senior Russian navy commanders” – died or were wounded in the strikes on naval headquarters in Sevastopol a day earlier.

Fate of Russian Black Sea navy head remains unknown: AJ correspondent

Nagorno-Karabakh: Armenian fighters give up arms after truce

Armenian fighters in the breakaway region of Nagorno-Karabakh were forced to surrender earlier this week after a lightning 24-hour military operation by the much larger Azerbaijani military.

Ethnic Armenian forces in Nagorno-Karabakh have begun handing over weapons after they were forced to surrender this week, Russia’s Defense Ministry said Saturday.

The ministry said the fighters had so far handed over six armored vehicles, more than 800 guns and about 5,000 units of munitions to Russian peacekeepers.

This follows a cease-fire agreement on September 20 after the Azerbaijani military launched a major military operation against ethnic Armenian forces to take control of the enclave. The fighting has killed at least 200 people, according to local authorities.

In Zaporizhzhia, volunteer therapists help Ukraine’s war widows process their loss

Ukraine’s military does not publish casualty figures, but tens of thousands of soldiers are believed to have died, often leaving behind bereaved wives and children. While the government gives them some financial assistance, volunteers in Zaporizhzhia who felt there was a lack of high-quality psychological support have created an association to help the wives of fallen soldiers come to terms with their loss.

‘Shelving’ U.S. responsibility for atomic bombing stirs anger

THE ASAHI SHIMBUN

September 23, 2023 at 15:33 JST

A sister park agreement between what many people might regard as two of the world’s least likely locations–Pearl Harbor and the city of Hiroshima–is again under the spotlight due to a remark by a city government official here.

In June, the Hiroshima Peace Memorial Park signed the partnership with the Pearl Harbor National Memorial in Hawaii.

At the time of the June 29 signing in Tokyo, U.S. Ambassador to Japan Rahm Emanuel said the agreement, a U.S. initiative, is about reconciliation.

The Philippines accuses China’s shadowy maritime militia of destroying coral reefs in South China Sea

Vibrant reefs filled with colorful fish and seaweed just two years ago have been turned into a wasteland of crushed corals in the South China Sea and the Philippines says it has identified a culprit – China’s shadowy maritime militia.

China has rejected the accusation, setting up another public disagreement with its neighbor over the flashpoint waterway.

Videos released Monday by the Philippine Coast Guard showed a vast patch of bleached corals along the Rozul (Iroquios) Reef and Sabina (Escoda) Shoal in the South China Sea, which are underwater features within the country’s internationally recognized exclusive economic zone (EEZ).

Ukraine says it was behind missile strike on Crimea navy base

Summary

1. Ukraine’s military says it carried out the “successful” strike on the headquarters of Russia’s Black Sea navy in Crimea
2. Videos on social media show thick smoke billowing from the building
3. A source at the Ukrainian Air Force tells the BBC that it used a type of cruise missile – Storm Shadow – supplied by Britain and France
4. Ukraine has carried out several attacks on Crimea this month, destroying a Russian air defence system and damaging a ship and a submarine in a dry dock
5. Russia illegally annexed the southern Ukrainian peninsula of Crimea in 2014
6. Meanwhile, Ukraine’s President Zelensky is in Canada, where he will later address parliament to plea for continued support for his country

China, Syria announce ‘partnership’ after Assad-Xi talks

Chinese President Xi Jinping met with Syrian President Bashar Assad on Friday, and announced the establishment of a “strategic partnership,” according to a readout of the meeting by Chinese state broadcaster CCTV.

Xi said the partnership “will become an important milestone in the history of bilateral relations,” without providing any further details.

“Faced with an international situation full of instability and uncertainty, China is willing to continue to work together with Syria, firmly support each other, promote friendly cooperation, and jointly defend international fairness and justice,” he added.

Okamoto’s A-bomb mural in Tokyo to be restored

A giant mural by late artist Taro Okamoto installed near Tokyo’s Shibuya Station, which depicts the moment an atomic bomb explodes, will undergo extensive restoration work spanning several years, his memorial foundation said Thursday.

The “Myth of Tomorrow,” a 5.5-meter by 30-meter mural installed on the wall of a walk-through at the station in 2008, has been experiencing issues such as cracks, peeling, and discoloration, according to the Taro Okamoto Memorial Foundation for the Promotion of Contemporary Art.

The first phase of the restoration work, beginning from the right side of the piece, will commence on Oct. 10 and span approximately 40 days, according to the foundation. Tasks will encompass cleaning, repairing cracks, applying protective materials, and enhancing ventilation behind the mural.

Analysis: Libya and Morocco’s twin tragedies highlight differences

Libya and Morocco experienced tragedies in the same week, but there are clear differences in how they played out

The count of the dead and missing from the twin catastrophes that struck Libya and Morocco almost two weeks ago already stands at more than 14,000. The final figure, when it comes, will likely be far higher.

However, in the minds of many around the world, the lines that separate the two tragedies have blurred.

Their natural causes and geographic proximity may go some way to lending them a veneer of similarity, but the stark differences that separate the two should be enough to separate them.

What on Earth is happening in China? The country that has been trying to present itself to the world as an appealing alternative to Western-style democracy looks like the stage of a sinister mystery play, with major characters disappearing from view, and government officials acting like nothing unusual is going on. But this is not normal. Or perhaps it is: Unexplained disappearances are a feature of repressive autocracies.

The latest to vanish from view is China’s Defense Minister Li Shangfu. The People’s Liberation Army (PLA) general became defense minister barely six months ago. Now, nobody seems to know where he is. His last public appearance was in August. Asked about the enigma, the Foreign Ministry’s spokesperson replied, “I’m not aware of the situation.”

Mohammed bin Salman: ‘I don’t care’ about ‘sportswashing’ accusations

Saudi Arabia crown prince Mohammed bin Salman says he does not care about accusations of ‘sportswashing’.

Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund (PIF) led the takeover of Newcastle United last year and launched LIV Golf.

“If sportswashing is going to increase my GDP by 1%, then we’ll continue doing sportswashing,” Bin Salman said.

He told Fox News: “I don’t care [about the term]. I have 1% growth in GDP from sport and I am aiming for another 1.5%.

Poland says it will no longer supply Ukraine with weapons

Warsaw says it is ending its supply of weapons to Ukraine, but that future deliveries could still be on the table. The move comes amid a growing dispute over a grain import ban with Kyiv.

The Polish government said on Thursday it will only carry out previously agreed weapons deliveries to Ukraine but has not ruled out deliveries in the future.

The latest comments come on the heels of an announcement by Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki, who said on Wednesday that Poland would no longer send weapons to Kyiv and instead focus on its own defense.

Warsaw has also summoned Kyiv’s ambassador amid a growing row over grain exports.

What did the Polish prime minister say?

“We are no longer transferring weapons to Ukraine, because we are now arming Poland with more modern weapons,” Morawiecki said.

“Ukraine is defending itself against Russia’s brutal attack, and I understand this situation, but we will defend our country,” he said.

Checkmate in Nagorno-Karabakh? How Azerbaijan got Armenia to back down

The Armenian separatist forces in Nagorno-Karabakh on Wednesday agreed to lay down their weapons following Azerbaijan’s lightning offensive in the Armenian-majority enclave. Between Moscow’s weakening position in the Caucasus and the West’s dependence on hydrocarbons, Azerbaijan has taken advantage of a favourable international context to complete a decades-long mission to control the disputed region.

After more than 30 years of conflict, the battle between Armenia and Azerbaijan over Nagorno-Karabakh may soon conclude. Under the guise of an “anti-terrorist operation” following the death of four soldiers and two civilians, Baku continued its efforts to reassert control over Nagorno-Karabakh on Tuesday.

Armenian separatists – who have mostly governed the disputed territory since 1994 – promptly agreed on Wednesday to surrender their weapons following Baku’s lightning offensive, indicating they are open to talks on reintegrating the secessionist territory into Azerbaijan.

“An agreement has been reached on the withdrawal of the remaining units and servicemen of the Armenian armed forces … and on the dissolution and complete disarmament of the armed formations of the Nagorno-Karabakh Defence Army,” the Armenian separatist authorities in Nagorno-Karabakh said in a statement.

Fukushima firms look to Europe after import ban finally lifted

By SHOKO RIKIMARU/ Staff Writer

September 21, 2023 at 07:00 JST

Now that the European Union has lifted import restrictions on Fukushima Prefecture’s food products, local companies finally see light at the end of the tunnel overseas after more than a decade.

The firms are now racing to explore sales channels and develop new products for overseas customers.

The EU had imposed the food import ban after the 2011 triple meltdown at Tokyo Electric Power Co.’s Fukushima No. 1 nuclear power plant.

The ban was lifted on Aug. 3.

The companies aim to enhance their brand power in international markets, hoping to create a virtuous cycle in which their profile is also raised in the domestic market.

China just stopped exporting two minerals the world’s chipmakers need

China’s exports of two rare minerals essential for manufacturing semiconductors fell to zero in August, a month after Beijing imposed curbs on sales overseas, citing national security.

Canada’s Trudeau denies trying to provoke India over Sikh murder

Summary

1. Canada’s PM Justin Trudeau says he is not trying to provoke India by linking it to the murder of a Sikh separatist leader
2. The escalating row centres on the murder of Hardeep Singh Nijjar, a Canadian citizen shot dead outside a Sikh temple on 18 June in British Columbia
3. Trudeau says Canadian intelligence are pursuing “credible allegations” of a link between his death and the Indian state
4. India expelled a senior Canadian diplomat after Canada’s foreign minister announced an Indian diplomat was being kicked out
5. Trudeau’s allegations have been rejected by India, which described them as “absurd” and politically motivated
6. It added that Canada had long provided shelter to “Khalistani terrorists and extremists” who threaten India’s security
7. The US says it is “concerned” about the allegations and urged India to co-operate with an investigation

China has lashed out at Germany after its foreign minister called Xi Jinping a “dictator” and summoned Berlin’s ambassador for a dressing down, in the latest flaring of tensions with a western democratic power over how the Chinese leader is described overseas.
German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock made the remarks in an interview with Fox News during a visit to the United States last week.

The nightmare is over’: Americans freed by Iran in prisoner swap

Where is Chinese Defense Minister Li Shangfu?

Political upheaval continues in China, with another major minister disappearing from public view. Questions over the fate of Defense Minister Li Shangfu could cast a negative light on the military and Xi Jinping.

The disappearance of Defense Minister Li Shangfu is the most recent case of apparent problems among the top echelons of China’s political leadership.

Li, who was only appointed six months ago, has been out of public sight since August. The 65-year-old is believed to be the subject of a corruption investigation, a scenario which could end up reflecting poorly on Chinese President Xi Jinping.

Suspicions were first roused when Beijing suddenly called off Li’s attendance at a September annual gathering in Vietnam, stating that the minister had a “health condition.”

Then reports from Western media further fueled the debates over Li’s status.

‘Border surveillance’ primary focus of EU migrant plan, ‘real solution has not been discussed’

European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen on Sunday visited the Italian island of Lampedusa, which is struggling with a surge in migrant arrivals, and promised a 10-point EU action plan to help Italy deal with the situation. For more analysis and perspective on the EU’s solutions to migration, FRANCE 24’s Delano D’Souza is joined by Sara Prestianni, Euromed Rights’ Head of Thematic Programmes Unit. Ms. Prestianni takes strong issue with the EU action plan, deriding it as “nothing new at all” and that the “solutions are not really solutions.”Nearly 126,000 migrants have arrived in Italy so far thisyear, almost double the figure by the same date in 2022.

Australia swelters in spring heatwave with temperatures up to 16 degrees Celsius above September average

By Renju Jose

UNESCO designates ancient Jericho ruins as World Heritage Site, sparking Israeli ire

The United Nations World Heritage Committee voted Sunday to list the Tell es-Sultan archaeological site in Jericho as a “World Heritage Site in Palestine.”
The decision was made at a conference held in Riyadh, UNESCO said on its official X account, formerly known as Twitter.