WASHINGTON: An active member of the US Air Force has died after setting himself on fire outside the Israeli embassy in Washington over the weekend in protest of the war in Gaza, the Pentagon said Monday.
Emergency responders on Sunday had rushed to the scene just before 1:00 p.m. (1800 GMT) in response to a “call for person on fire outside the Israeli Embassy,” according to a message on X, formerly Twitter, by the capital city’s fire department.
They arrived to find that officers from the Secret Service — the US law enforcement agency tasked with protecting embassies in Washington — had already extinguished the fire.
The man had filmed himself shouting “Free Palestine” as he lit himself on fire, according to footage shared on social media.
He was initially transported to hospital with “critical life-threatening injuries,” the fire department said.
An Air Force spokeswoman told AFP Monday morning that the unnamed “individual involved in yesterday’s incident succumbed to his injuries and passed away last night.”
“We will provide additional details 24 hours after next-of-kin notifications are complete.”
A spokesperson for the Israeli embassy said no staff were injured in the incident, and that the man was “unknown” to them.
In the video shared on social media, the man is seen wearing military fatigues and declaring he will “not be complicit in genocide” before dousing himself in liquid.
He then lights himself on fire while yelling “Free Palestine!” until he falls on the ground.
The video was reportedly first shared in a livestream on the social platform Twitch.
The shocking act came as protests are increasing across the United States against Israel’s actions in Gaza, where it is waging a retaliatory war for an attack on October 7 by Hamas militants.
With the death toll in Gaza nearing 30,000, according to the Hamas-run health ministry there, international pressure has been increasing on the United States to rein in its ally Israel and call for a ceasefire.
US airman sets himself on fire outside Israeli embassy in Washington
https://arab.news/nhpmr
US airman sets himself on fire outside Israeli embassy in Washington
- The man had filmed himself shouting “Free Palestine” as he lit himself on fire, according to footage shared on social media
- In the video, the man is seen wearing military fatigues and declaring he will “not be complicit in genocide” before dousing himself in liquid
Xi’s Vietnam trip aiming to ‘screw’ US, says Trump
- Xi Jinping is in Vietnam as part of a Southeast Asia tour that will include Malaysia and Cambodia
- Beijing trying to position itself as a stable alternative to Trump as leaders confront US tariffs
Xi is in Vietnam as part of a Southeast Asia tour that will include Malaysia and Cambodia, with Beijing trying to position itself as a stable alternative to Trump as leaders confront US tariffs.
The Chinese leader called on his country and Vietnam Monday to “oppose unilateral bullying and uphold the stability of the global free trade system,” according to Beijing’s state media.
Hours later, Trump told reporters at the White House that their meeting was aimed at hurting the United States.
“I don’t blame China. I don’t blame Vietnam. I don’t. I see they’re meeting today, and that’s wonderful,” he said.
“That’s a lovely meeting... like trying to figure out, how do we screw the United States of America.”
China and Vietnam signed 45 cooperation agreements on Monday, including on supply chains, artificial intelligence, joint maritime patrols and railway development.
Xi said a meeting with Vietnam’s top leader To Lam on Monday that their countries were “standing at the turning point of history... and should move forward with joint hands.”
Lam said after the talks that the two leaders “reached many important and comprehensive common perceptions,” according to Vietnam News Agency.
On the final day of his visit, Xi laid a red wreath emblazoned with his name and the words “Long live Vietnam’s great leader President Ho Chi Minh” at the late leader’s mausoleum in central Hanoi.
He is also due to attend the launch of the Vietnam-China Railway Cooperation, which will help manage an $8-billion rail project – announced this year – to link Vietnam’s largest northern port city to the border with China.
Xi’s trip comes almost two weeks after the United States – the biggest export market for Vietnam, a manufacturing powerhouse, in the first three months of the year – imposed a 46 percent levy on Vietnamese goods as part of a global tariff blitz.
Although the US tariffs on Vietnam and most other countries have been paused, China still faces enormous levies and is seeking to tighten regional trade ties and offset their impact during Xi’s first overseas trip of the year.
Xi will head to Malaysia later Tuesday and then Cambodia on a tour that “bears major importance” for the broader region, Beijing has said.
Xi earlier urged Vietnam and China to “resolutely safeguard the multilateral trading system, stable global industrial and supply chains, and open and cooperative international environment.”
He also reiterated Beijing’s line that a “trade war and tariff war will produce no winner, and protectionism will lead nowhere” in an article published on Monday in Vietnam’s major state-run Nhan Dan newspaper.
China and Vietnam, both ruled by communist parties, already share a “comprehensive strategic partnership,” Hanoi’s highest diplomatic status.
Vietnam has long pursued a “bamboo diplomacy” approach – striving to stay on good terms with both China and the United States.
The two countries have close economic ties, but Hanoi shares US concerns about Beijing’s increasing assertiveness in the contested South China Sea.
High-level IFC delegation in Pakistan to identify ‘viable opportunities’ for investment
- Investment in infrastructure, energy, transport, public finance, and privatization top discussions
- PM Sharif has vowed to reduce dependence on foreign loans and seek more direct investment
KARACHI: Top officials from the International Finance Corporation (IFC) are visiting Pakistan this week to explore the market and engage with key government stakeholders on identifying “viable opportunities” for investment,” the finance ministry said in a statement.
Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif’s government has vowed to reduce dependence on foreign loans in the coming years and seek more direct investment.
The country in 2023 nearly defaulted on the payment of its foreign debts until it was rescued by a last-gasp $3 billion bailout loan from the IMF. Last year, Islamabad secured a new $7 billion loan deal from the international lender.
Since then, the country’s economy has started improving, with inflation dropping to 0.7 percent year-on-year in March 2025, the lowest in sixty years and a sharp contrast to the 38 percent peak experienced in May 2023. Aggressive interest rate cuts by Pakistan’s central bank, removal of energy subsidies in line with fiscal reform, increased inflows through remittances and exports and stabilization efforts under Pakistan’s economic framework supported by global partners have all come together to support the stabilization efforts.
At Monday’s meeting with Finance Minister Muhammad Aurangzeb, Linda Rudo Munyengeterwa, IFC Global Director for Public Private Privatization & Corporate Finance, reiterated the international financial institution’s commitment to “supporting the country’s macroeconomic reform, investment, and privatization initiatives.”
“The delegation conveyed that they had come to Pakistan with an open mind, intending to explore the market and engage with key government stakeholders to identify potential areas for investment,” the finance ministry said in a statement.
“IFC’s extensive global experience across various sectors, including infrastructure, energy, transport, public finance, and privatization, was highlighted as a valuable asset that could be leveraged to support Pakistan’s development agenda.”
The delegation emphasized their readiness to partner with Pakistan in “exploring viable opportunities for collaboration and investment,” the statement added.
Recognizing the fiscal challenges in managing public finances and meeting the country’s expanding development needs, Aurangzeb stressed the importance of utilizing the expertise and financial resources of international institutions like the IFC through public-private partnerships.
“He affirmed that such collaborations could facilitate the implementation of essential reforms and enhance efforts to develop efficient energy, transport, and infrastructure systems in response to the demands of a growing population,” the statement added.
The IFC delegation also called on Minister for Power Sardar Awais Ahmed Khan Leghari in Islamabad on Monday and discussed “promoting private investment in the energy sector through Public Private Partnership models,” Radio Pakistan reported.
Leghari appreciated the role of the IFC in introducing modern technology for investment in the energy sector.
“Demand and pricing are our major problems, and we are thankful for IFC’s guidance for sustainable solutions,” Radio Pakistan reported the minister as telling the IFC delegation.
“Appreciating the IFC’s technical expertise and global experience, the Minister said the government is committed to provide a conducive environment to investors.”
The report said the IFC expressed its willingness to support the power ministry’s digital meterization policy and offered to assist in policy formulation and reforms.
The delegation presented examples of successful models in Brazil, Peru, Colombia and India where increased investment, integration of renewable energy and open access had been promoted.
“It is important for Pakistan to learn from international experiences for the right strategy,” the report said. “The meeting agreed that cooperation will be further promoted in the future and joint efforts will be implemented in various energy projects.”
Gulf nations among 20 in Pakistan for army ‘team spirit’ exercise
- Director General Military Training opened 60-hours long patrolling exercise on Monday
- Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Bahrain, Belarus, Egypt, China, Turkiye, US attending exercise
ISLAMABAD: The 8th International Pakistan Army Team Spirit Exercise 2025 kicked off at the National Counter Terrorism Center in Pabbi this week, Radio Pakistan reported, with participation by 20 countries.
Director General Military Training opened the 60-hours long ‘patrolling exercise’ on Monday, aiming to enhance military-to-military cooperation.
A total of 20 friendly countries and military observers are participating in the exercise, including Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Bahrain, Belarus, China, US, Egypt, Maldives, Morocco, Nepal, Sri Lanka, Turkiye, Uzbekistan, Bangladesh, Germany, Indonesia, Kenya, Myanmar, South Africa and Thailand.
“Pakistan Army Team Spirit is a mission-specific and task-oriented professional military exercise organized annually in Pakistan,” Radio Pakistan said.
“The exercise calls for highest standard of physical fitness, mental agility, robustness and professional military expertise for quick decision making in varied situations during conduct of challenging missions in a near real environment.”
The exercise is meant to help hone “basic soldierly attributes and interoperability through the sharing of innovative ideas and mutual best practices.”
China accuses US of launching ‘advanced’ cyberattacks during the Asian Winter Games
- The attacks had ‘the intention of sabotaging China’s critical information infrastructure, causing social disorder, and stealing important confidential information’
BEIJING: Chinese police in the northeastern city of Harbin have accused the United States National Security Agency (NSA) of launching “advanced” cyberattacks during the Asian Winter Games in February, targeting essential industries.
Police added three alleged NSA agents to a wanted list and also accused the University of California and Virginia Tech of being involved in the attacks after carrying out investigations, according to a report by state news agency Xinhua on Tuesday.
The NSA agents were identified by Xinhua as Katheryn A. Wilson, Robert J. Snelling and Stephen W. Johnson. The three were also found to have “repeatedly carried out cyberattacks on China’s critical information infrastructure and participated in cyberattacks on Huawei and other enterprises.”
It did not specify how the two American universities were involved.
The US Embassy in China did not immediately respond to an emailed request for comment.
The detailed allegations come as the world’s two largest economies spiral deeper into a trade war that has already spurred travel warnings for Chinese tourists going to the US and halted imports of US films into China.
“The US National Security Agency (NSA) launched cyberattacks against important industries such as energy, transportation, water conservancy, communications, and national defense research institutions in Heilongjiang province,” Xinhua said, citing the Harbin city public security bureau.
The attacks had “the intention of sabotaging China’s critical information infrastructure, causing social disorder, and stealing important confidential information,” it added.
Anonymous servers
Xinhua said the NSA operations took place during the Winter Games and were “suspected of activating specific pre-installed backdoors” in Microsoft Windows operating systems on specific devices in Heilongjiang.
In order to cover its tracks, the NSA purchased IP addresses in different countries and “anonymously” rented a large number of network servers including in Europe and Asia,” Xinhua said.
The NSA intended to use cyberattacks to steal the personal data of participating athletes, the news agency said, adding that the cyberattacks reached a peak from the first ice hockey game on February 3. The attacks targeted information systems such as the Asian Winter Games registration system and stored “sensitive information about the identities of relevant personnel of the event,” Xinhua said.
The US routinely accuses Chinese state-backed hackers of launching attacks against its critical infrastructure and government bodies.
Last month, Washington announced indictments against a slew of alleged Chinese hackers who targeted the US Defense Intelligence Agency, the US Department of Commerce, and the foreign ministries of Taiwan, South Korea, India, and Indonesia.
Beijing denies all involvement in overseas cyber espionage.
After years of being accused by Western governments of cyberattacks and industrial espionage, in the past two years several Chinese organizations and government organs have accused the United States and its allies of similar behavior.
In December, China said it found and dealt with two US cyberattacks on Chinese tech firms to “steal trade secrets” since May 2023, but did not name the agency involved.
McTominay and Lukaku power title-chasing Napoli to 3-0 win over Empoli
- McTominay nets twice to lead hosts to victory
- Lukaku sets up both goals and scores himself
NAPLES, Italy: Napoli cruised to a 3-0 win over relegation-threatened Empoli on Monday with Scott McTominay and Romelu Lukaku leading the charge as the hosts kept pace with Serie A leaders Inter Milan.
Second-placed Napoli were feeling the pressure after Inter’s 3-1 home win against Cagliari on Saturday but, with six rounds remaining, they trail the Milan side by three points with 68.
The Napoli duo were unstoppable at the Stadio Diego Armando Maradona against Empoli, who are second from bottom and two points off the safety zone. The home side created chance after chance and wreaked havoc on the Empoli defense.
“Romelu is a great teammate. He demands a lot from all the team and me to score more goals and create more opportunities for him to score as well,” McTominay told DAZN.
“He’s obviously a great player. He’s had a great career, and we’re so happy to have him.”
It took 18 minutes for Napoli to open the scoring as Lukaku battled free in midfield and passed to the onrushing McTominay, whose low long-range shot bounced over Empoli goalkeeper Devis Vasquez’s outstretched hand and into the corner of the net.
Belgium striker Lukaku added his name to the scoresheet in the 56th minute, latching onto a perfect through ball inside the box and easily finding the net to double the advantage.
McTominay completed his brace in the 61st, again assisted by Lukaku who whipped a cross in from the right for the unmarked Scotsman to power home a header off the underside of the bar.
The two players linked up again shortly after as Lukaku played in McTominay for a counter-attack but the hat-trick opportunity was thwarted by the inside of the post.
Napoli’s comfortable evening took a hit in front of a noisy home crowd minutes later when Napoli defender Juan Jesus had to go off because of what looked like a hamstring injury.
Lukaku had one more chance just before being substituted but could not quite control David Neres’s cross and sent it wide.
In the dying minutes, McTominay had an opportunity to put the ball in the net again from close range but Vazquez produced a stunning save and the flag was in any case up for offside.
With the season moving toward a thrilling finale, McTominay said the focus must be on themselves despite Inter’s advantage.
“We must have fun and think about ourselves. We’re a strong team and must continue with this playing style and attitude. We must think about ourselves and then we’ll see what Inter will do.”
Napoli have a relatively easy run-in on paper with all of their last six opponents currently 10th or lower in the table. They next travel to bottom club Monza on Saturday.
