World News

cross-posted from: https://lemmy.dbzer0.com/post/36094307

Author: Unknown
Published on: 21/01/2025 | 13:59:38

AI Summary:
U.S. President Donald Trump cancels sanctions against Israelis accused of violence in the West Bank. The reversal of the Biden administration's sanctions could set the tone for a presidency that is expected to be more tolerant of Israel's expansion of settlements and of violence toward Palestinians. In Trump's previous term he lavished support on Israel, and has once again surrounded himself with aides who back the settlers. Ambassador to the United Nations says she stands by previous remarks in which she said Israel had a “biblical right” to the occupied territory. Israel’s military said the men hurled rocks at soldiers who had arrived to disperse them. On Tuesday, Israel launched a deadly raid on the Jenin refugee camp. Biden’s executive order against the settlers marked a rare break with America’s closest Middle East ally. Rights groups say that impunity has deepened since Israel exempted settlers from what is known as administrative detention. Palestinian residents, meanwhile, are tried in Israeli military courts. Trump appears to have pressed Netanyahu to accept a Gaza ceasefire agreement with Hamas. The Saudis have said they will only sign such a historic agreement if it includes a pathway to a Palestinian state. He also presented a Mideast peace plan that was seen as favorable to Israel.

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Israeli forces have besieged a Palestinian government hospital in Jenin and a nearby refugee camp in the heart of the city, as the Israeli defence minister, Israel Katz, said the assault marked “a shift in … security strategy” in the West Bank.

The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) said on Wednesday they had carried out airstrikes in Jenin as well as detonating roadside explosive devices. The Palestinian health ministry said at least 10 people had been killed in Jenin, and more than 40 wounded.

The Palestinian Red Crescent said its ambulances had been prevented from reaching many of the dead and wounded who lay in the streets of neighbourhoods around the Jenin refugee camp.

cross-posted from: https://lemmy.ml/post/25084594

from #NewYorkTimes #NYT
[gift article - link can be shared. Expires in 30 days.]
[Archive article is unavailable.]
[Bias alert - #NYT usually favors Israel]

By Lara Jakes, Fatima Abdul Karim, and Hiba Yazbek
Jan. 22, 2025 Updated 8:58 a.m. ET

"Israel’s military said on Wednesday that it was pressing ahead with what it called a new counterterrorism operation in the Israeli-occupied West Bank, and Palestinian officials said that at least 10 people had been killed."

"The Jenin battalion of the Al-Aqsa Martyrs’ Brigades, an armed group loosely affiliated with Fatah, the political faction that controls the Palestinian Authority, said in a statement on social media that its fighters were engaged in “fierce clashes” with Israeli forces in several areas of Jenin and had detonated explosive devices."

Summary

Amazon is shutting down all seven of its Quebec warehouses, affecting 1,700 regular employees and 250 seasonal workers.

Employees will receive severance packages and transitional benefits.

Amazon claims the closures are part of a return to a third-party delivery model used prior to 2020, not linked to the unionization of workers at a Laval warehouse.

Union leaders criticized the move as "anti-union," and Quebec officials pledged support for displaced workers.

The layoffs have sparked concerns about Amazon's labor practices and economic impacts on the region.

Summary

The Royal Navy tracked the Russian ship Yantar as it entered UK waters on Monday, with Defence Secretary John Healey accusing it of "mapping the UK’s critical underwater infrastructure."

Healey told MPs that Yantar, labeled a "spy ship," has targeted undersea cables essential for oil, gas, electricity, and internet.

This marks its second intrusion in three months.

NATO allies have increased patrols amid rising concerns about Russia’s threats to undersea infrastructure following recent unexplained cable damages and Russia's heightened aggression since invading Ukraine.

Good news everyone, wars over! (/s)

Summary

European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen outlined the EU’s vision as a global economic leader during the World Economic Forum, contrasting Trump’s "America First" policies.

She highlighted Europe’s advantages, including its large single market, social infrastructure, and commitment to the Paris climate accord, while emphasizing new alliances with Latin America, Africa, and Asia.

Avoiding direct criticism of Trump, von der Leyen underscored the EU’s stability and rules-based approach.

Her speech signaled a pivot away from U.S.-centric relations and a focus on global trade diversification.

Summary

Forty-eight Uyghurs, an ethnic Muslim minority fleeing persecution in China, have been detained in Thailand for nearly 11 years and are now staging a hunger strike.

They are protesting their potential deportation to China, where they fear imprisonment or execution.

Advocates report the detainees suffer from chronic illnesses due to cramped, unsanitary conditions.

The protest highlights ongoing human rights concerns over China's treatment of Uyghurs and the risks faced by those forcibly returned.

Summary

Dutch pension funds ABP and Bpf Bouw sold their Tesla shares, citing concerns over Elon Musk’s $56 billion bonus, which they deemed inconsistent with good governance.

ABP’s sale, worth $650 million at the time, sparked controversy, including criticism from Musk.

ABP defended the decision, emphasizing its long-term investment strategy and new policy to reduce its stock portfolio.

Other Dutch pension funds, while critical of Tesla's governance, have retained their shares for now.

Tesla has faced broader ESG-related divestments from other Dutch funds over labor practices and governance issues.

Summary

Germany's parliament will debate a proposed ban on the far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) for the first time next week.

The proposal cites the AfD's increasing radicalism and historically revisionist statements, such as co-leader Alice Weidel’s claim that Hitler was a communist.

Under Germany's constitution, a party ban requires proof of opposition to constitutional principles.

Critics warn that a ban could portray the AfD as martyrs.

The AfD currently polls in second place at 20% ahead of February elections.

The world’s addiction to fossil fuels is a “Frankenstein’s monster sparing nothing and no one”, the UN secretary general, António Guterres, told leaders at the World Economic Forum in Davos on Wednesday.

“Our fossil fuel addiction is a Frankenstein’s monster, sparing nothing and no one. All around us, we see clear signs that the monster has become master,” Guterres said in a speech days after 2024 was revealed to have been the hottest year on record and Donald Trump began his second term as US president by pulling the country out of the Paris climate agreement and pledging to “drill, baby, drill” for more oil and gas. The fossil fuel industry gave $75m (£60m) to Trump’s campaign.

Guterres said: “What we are seeing today – sea-level rise, heatwaves, floods, storms, droughts and wildfires – are just a preview of the horror movie to come.”

Summary

South Korea's birth rate is projected to rise in 2024 for the first time in nine years, driven by a 13.5% rebound in marriages in 2023, delayed due to the pandemic.

The country, with the world’s lowest fertility rate (0.72 in 2023), recorded a 3% increase in newborns (January–November 2024).

High cultural correlation between marriage and childbirth contributes to the trend.

Summary

South Korea will remove a concrete barrier at Muan International Airport following the December 29 Jeju Air crash, which killed 179 people.

The plane overshot the runway and collided with the barrier, causing an explosion.

Authorities will replace the structure with breakable materials and expand safety zones at seven airports.

A bird strike is also being investigated as a potential cause, with feathers found in the plane's engines.

A Palestinian official reported shooting and explosions in the flashpoint West Bank town of Jenin on Wednesday as Israeli forces pressed a raid that the military described as a “counter-terrorism” operation, reports Agence France-Presse (AFP).

“The situation is very difficult,” Kamal Abu al-Rub, the governor of Jenin, told AFP. “The occupation army has bulldozed all the roads leading to the Jenin camp, and leading to the Jenin governmental hospital … There is shooting and explosions,” he added.

The Israeli military said it had launched a “counter-terrorism operation” in the area, and had “hit over 10 terrorists”. “Additionally, aerial strikes on terror infrastructure sites were conducted and numerous explosives planted on the routes by the terrorists were dismantled,” it said in a statement on Wednesday. “The Israeli forces are continuing the operation,” it added.

Summary

Australian police are investigating potential foreign funding of antisemitic crimes after a rise in attacks on Jewish sites, including vandalism, arson, and graffiti in Sydney and Melbourne.

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese suggested some perpetrators may have been financially motivated rather than ideologically driven.

Federal police stated authorities are probing whether international actors paid local criminals, but no specific evidence has been disclosed.

Recent arrests include a man accused of trying to burn a synagogue and eight others linked to hate crimes since November.

cross-posted from: https://lemm.ee/post/53288701

Summary

Elise Stefanik, President Trump’s nominee for U.S. ambassador to the UN, stated during her confirmation hearing that Israel has a "biblical right" to the occupied West Bank, aligning with far-right Israeli officials.

Stefanik sidestepped support for Palestinian self-determination, blaming their leadership for failures.

Her stance signals a shift from Biden-era opposition to Israeli settlements, with Trump lifting sanctions on Israeli settler groups and nominating pro-settlement figures like Mike Huckabee for key roles.

Stefanik also vowed to audit UN funding and block aid to Palestinian refugee agencies.

Summary

Elon Musk faced backlash after making a gesture at a Trump inauguration event resembling a Nazi salute, sparking condemnation in Germany.

Critics, including Jewish leaders and Chancellor Olaf Scholz, called the act provocative and linked it to Musk's support for Germany's far-right AfD party.

Musk dismissed the accusations, calling them baseless.

Legal experts noted the gesture could be prosecuted under German law if malicious intent is proven.

Critics stressed its troubling context given the far-right audience and Musk’s political affiliations.

cross-posted from: https://lemmy.ml/post/25047271

cross-posted from:l https://lemm.ee/post/53261204

I saw this on Al Jazeera first but it was largely just a video which a) nobody needs to see that and b) there was no real context, Israel shoots Palestinian kids a LOT, it could have been from before the cease fire.

This seems to confirm it is in breach of the cease fire, surprising nobody.

Edit Truthout tried to link to X for the video which naturally has been removed, so here's what I saw on Al Jazeera.

Warning: Blurred human body, adult male attempting to recover it being fired on.

https://aje.io/wcztyr?update=3454991

Summary

Chinese President Xi Jinping and Russian President Vladimir Putin pledged to strengthen their strategic partnership, aiming to counter global "uncertainties" following Donald Trump’s return as U.S. president.

During their call, Xi emphasized elevating Sino-Russian relations for stability, prosperity, and global equality.

Putin highlighted their ties as independent of domestic or global pressures.

China’s support for Russia has grown since the 2022 invasion of Ukraine, with both nations opposing the U.S.-led order. Trump, known for his tough stance on China, criticized Putin during his inauguration, accusing him of “destroying Russia.”