TAIPEI: A US warship sailed through a sensitive waterway separating Taiwan from China on Thursday, the US Navy said, as a way to demonstrate Washington’s “commitment to upholding freedom of navigation.”
China claims democratic Taiwan as part of its territory, and has in recent years upped military pressures by sending in increasing numbers of fighter jets, drones and naval vessels around the island.
Thursday’s transit of the 180-kilometer Taiwan Strait comes as the United States and its allies have increased crossings to reinforce its status as an international waterway, angering Beijing.
The voyage by the Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyer USS Ralph Johnson showed Washington’s “commitment to upholding freedom of navigation for all nations as a principle,” the US Navy’s Seventh Fleet said in a statement Thursday.
“No member of the international community should be intimidated or coerced into giving up their rights and freedoms.”
Taiwan’s defense ministry confirmed that the warship sailed south to north, and that “no anomaly was detected in our surroundings.”
Beijing’s People’s Liberation Army dismissed the transit as “a public hype” and said its Eastern Theatre Command “organized naval and air forces to tail and stand guard against the US ship’s passage throughout the entire process.”
Chinese troops “are on constant high alert to resolutely defend national sovereignty,” it said in a statement.
A Canadian Halifax-class frigate conducted last month “a routine transit through the Taiwan Strait,” a move condemned by the Chinese military.
Beijing has said it would never renounce the use of force to bring Taiwan under its control, with Chinese leader Xi Jinping in recent years, upping the rhetoric of “unification” being “inevitable.”
In response, Taiwan has strengthened economic and political ties with its partners — most notably the United States, its biggest weapons provider — while increasing its defense budget.
On Thursday, the island’s cabinet approved a record-high defense budget of NT$647 billion ($20.2 billion) for next year, an increase of six percent compared to 2024.
President Lai Ching-te said this month that the budget reflected Taiwan’s “determination to improve our self-defense capabilities... to ensure peace and prosperity.”
The amount would still need to be scrutinized and approved by Taiwan’s fractious parliament, where Lai’s Democratic Progressive Party no longer holds a majority.
US warship sails through sensitive Taiwan Strait
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US warship sails through sensitive Taiwan Strait
- China claims democratic Taiwan as part of its territory, and has in recent years upped military pressures
- Taiwan’s defense ministry confirmed that the USS Ralph Johnson sailed south to north
Polish FM says EU must end benefits for exiled Ukrainian men to help Kyiv's call for more troops to fight Russian forces
- Of more than 4.1 million Ukrainians on temporary protection status in the EU, 22 percent are adult males
- Many Ukrainian men have reportedly fled abroad to avoid military service by bribing their way out
KYIV: European governments should halt welfare benefits to Ukrainian men of military age who are living in their countries, Poland’s foreign minister said, a measure he said would help Ukraine call up more troops to fight Russian forces.
Following a meeting in Kyiv with his Ukrainian counterpart, Poland’s Radoslaw Sikorski said ending social benefits for Ukrainian male refugees would also benefit state finances in host countries in Western Europe.
More than 4.1 million Ukrainians had temporary protection status in European Union countries as of July this year, and about 22 percent of them were adult men, according to data from the EU statistics office, Eurostat.
“Stop paying those social security payments for people who are eligible for the Ukrainian draft. There should be no financial incentives for avoiding the draft in Ukraine,” Sikorski said at a conference of international leaders in Kyiv. “It’s not a human right to be paid to avoid the draft, to defend your country. We in Poland don’t do it.”
Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha welcomed Sikorski’s call. “It’s time really to raise the question of the European Union developing programs to return Ukrainians home. Certainly, appropriate conditions should be created for this. But this should be on the agenda. And I support the idea of Minister Sikorski,” Sybiha said.
Nearly 31 months into the war against Russia and with Moscow’s forces slowly but steadily advancing in eastern Ukraine, Kyiv needs more soldiers to maintain its defense lines, rotate out exhausted troops and make up for losses.
Russia has a significant advantage in staff numbers and weapons on the battlefield.
Earlier this year, Ukraine adopted new legislation and implemented other measures, including lowering the call-up age for combat duty to 25 from 27 to increase the pace of mobilization into the army.
Under the new law, Kyiv ordered Ukrainian men living abroad to renew their military draft information online and encouraged them to return to Ukraine and join the fight.
Ukraine imposed martial law at the start of Russia’s invasion in February 2022, banning men aged 18 to 60 from traveling abroad without special permission and beginning a rolling mobilization of civilian men into the armed forces.
But many men of military age have still fled abroad to avoid the draft amid reports of corruption in the army recruitment system, allowing some men to bribe their way out of army service.
Nigerian army rescues 13 hostages from extremist group
- Kidnappings have become common in parts of northern Nigeria, where dozens of armed groups take advantage of a limited security presence to carry out attacks in village
ABUJA, Nigeria: Nigerian troops have rescued 13 hostages who were kidnapped by an extremist group in the northwestern state of Kaduna, the country’s army said on Saturday.
The army said in a statement that “the troops successfully overwhelmed the terrorists, forcing them to abandon their captives.”
Several kidnappers were killed and others captured, the military added. It didn’t specify what armed group the kidnappers belonged to.
The rescued hostages were taken to a military facility for a medical assessment before being reunited with their families. Weapons, ammunition, solar panels and cash were also discovered during the rescue operation.
Kidnappings have become common in parts of northern Nigeria, where dozens of armed groups take advantage of a limited security presence to carry out attacks in villages and along major roads. Most victims are released only after the payment of ransoms that sometimes run into the thousands of dollars.
At least 1,400 students have been taken from Nigerian schools since the 2014 kidnapping of 276 schoolgirls by Boko Haram militants in the village of Chibok in Borno state shocked the world.
Boko Haram, Nigeria’s homegrown jihadi rebels, launched its insurgency in 2009 to establish Islamic Shariah law in the country. At least 35,000 people have been killed and 2.1 million people displaced as a result of the extremist violence, according to UN agencies in Nigeria.
G7 foreign ministers condemn Iran’s export of ballistic missiles to Russia
- Iran has provided Russia with a large number of powerful surface-to-surface ballistic missiles
ROME: The foreign ministers of the Group of Seven (G7) industrialized powers condemned on Saturday “in the strongest terms” Iran’s export and Russia’s procurement of Iranian ballistic missiles.
Iran has provided Russia with a large number of powerful surface-to-surface ballistic missiles, deepening the military cooperation between the two countries, which are both under US sanctions.
“Iran must immediately cease all support to Russia’s illegal and unjustifiable war against Ukraine and halt such transfers of ballistic missiles, UAVs (drones) and related technology, which constitute a direct threat to the Ukrainian people as well as European and international security more broadly,” the G7 ministers said in a statement.
“We remain steadfast in our commitment to hold Iran to account for its unacceptable support for Russia’s illegal war in Ukraine that further undermines global security. In line with our previous statements on the matter, we are already responding with new and significant measures.”
Italy currently holds the presidency of the G7 group of wealthy nations which also includes the United States, Japan, Germany, Britain, France and Canada.
British PM breached parliament’s rules over clothing donations to wife — Sunday Times
- Sunday Times said those donations were declared but the clothes given to his wife were not
LONDON: British Prime Minister Keir Starmer has breached parliamentary rules by not declaring a wealthy businessman and Labour Party donor bought high-end clothes for his wife Victoria, the Sunday Times reported on Saturday.
According to the Sunday Times, Starmer, in power since July, faces an investigation after “neglecting to disclose” that major Labour donor Waheed Alli covered the cost of a personal shopper, clothes and alterations for his wife.
The premier’s registered financial interests, listed on the parliament’s website, show that he has received several donations from Alli, including multiple pairs of glasses, work clothes and accommodation.
The Sunday Times said those donations were declared but the clothes given to his wife were not.
A spokesperson for 10 Downing Street said in a statement sent to Reuters that Starmer and his team had sought advice from authorities on coming to office, and believed they had been compliant.
“However, following further interrogation this month, we’ve declared further items,” the spokesperson said.
Alli is British media entrepreneur and former chairman of the online fashion retailer ASOS.
Under the House of Commons code of conduct, members of parliament have to provide information about financial interests which might reasonably be thought to influence their work.
A Conservative Party spokesperson called for a full investigation over “apparent serious breaches of parliamentary rules.”
Pope Francis calls for lasting solution to Palestinian cause
- Pope commended King Abdullah’s ongoing diplomatic efforts
LONDON: Pope Francis has reiterated the need for a just and lasting resolution to the Palestinian issue, warning that failure to achieve this goal would only lead to continued violence and instability in the region, it was reported by the Catholic Center for Studies and Media in Jordan on Saturday.
The pope highlighted the ongoing humanitarian crisis in Gaza and the West Bank, and praised Jordan’s King Abdullah II’s support for the Palestinian people.
The king has facilitated daily humanitarian aid to the area, delivered by the Jordan Armed Forces via air and land, since the conflict between Israel and Hamas broke out in October.
The pope commended King Abdullah’s ongoing diplomatic efforts, noting his active role in international forums where he consistently advocates for Palestinian rights.
According to Pope Francis, the king has repeatedly warned that true peace, security, and prosperity in the Middle East can only be achieved by resolving the Palestinian issue, including the establishment of an independent Palestinian state.
Pope Francis also lauded Jordan’s clear and firm stance on the Palestinian cause, highlighting the country’s efforts to keep global attention on the issue and to condemn violations against the Palestinian people under occupation.
He also expressed deep concern over the prolonged war on Gaza. He voiced regret over the international community’s failure to take meaningful action to end the war and achieve peace.
Addressing Israel’s bombing of schools that sheltered displaced civilians, the pope condemned the attacks, particularly when such strikes are justified by the presumption of fighters being present.
“It is bad, it is bad, it is bad,” he said. The pope also rejected the argument that the ongoing war is purely defensive, highlighting the number of children among the victims.
