Zelenskyy meets top military leaders in Germany as the US announces additional aid to Ukraine

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RAMSTEIN AIR BASE, Germany — Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy met Friday with top United States military leaders and more than 50 partner nations in Germany to press for more weapons support as Washington announced it would provide another $250 million in security assistance to Kyiv.

U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin said the meeting of the leaders was taking place during a dynamic moment in Ukraine’s fight against Russia, as it conducts its first offensive operations of the war while facing a significant threat from Russian forces near a key hub in the Donbas.

So far, the surprise assault inside Russia’s Kursk territory has not drawn away President Vladimir Putin’s focus from taking the Ukrainian city of Pokrovsk, which provides critical rail and supply links for the Ukrainian army. Losing Pokrovsk could put additional Ukrainian cities at risk.

While Kursk has put Russia on the defensive, “we know Putin’s malice runs deep,” Austin cautioned in prepared remarks to the media before the Ukraine Defense Contact Group met. Moscow is pressing on, especially around Pokrovsk, Austin said.

Recent deadly airstrikes by Russia have renewed Zelenskyy’s calls for the U.S. to further loosen restrictions and obtain even greater Western capabilities to strike deeper inside Russia. However, the meeting Friday was expected to focus on resourcing more air defense and artillery supplies and shoring up gains on expanding Ukraine’s own defense industrial base, to put it on more solid footing as the final days of Joe Biden’s U.S. presidency wind down.

Zelenskyy said he would continue to press for the long-range strike capability. “Strong long-range decisions by partners are needed to bring the just peace we seek closer,” Zelenskyy said Friday on Telegram.

Western partner nations were working with Ukraine to source a substitute missile for its Soviet-era S-300 air defense systems, Austin said.

The U.S. is also focused on resourcing a variety of air-to-ground missiles that the newly delivered F-16 fighter jets can carry, including the Joint Air-to-Surface Standoff Missile, which could give Ukraine a longer-range cruise missile option, said Bill LaPlante, the Pentagon’s top weapons buyer, who spoke to reporters traveling with Austin.

No decisions on the munition have been made, LaPlante said, noting that policymakers would still have to decide whether to give Ukraine the longer-range capability.

“I would just put JASSM in that category, it’s something that is always being looked at,” LaPlante said. “Anything that’s an air-to-ground weapon is always being looked at.”

For the past two years, members of the Ukraine Defense Contact Group have met to resource Ukraine’s mammoth artillery and air defense needs, ranging from hundreds of millions of rounds of small arms ammunition to some of the West’s most sophisticated air defense systems, and now fighter jets. The ask this month was more of the same — but different in that it was in person, and followed a similar in-person visit Thursday in Kyiv by Biden’s Deputy National Security Advisor Jon Finer as Zelenskyy shores up U.S. support before the administration changes.

Since 2022, the member nations together have provided about $106 billion in security assistance to Ukraine. The U.S. has provided more than $56 billion of that total.

The German government said Chancellor Olaf Scholz plans to meet Zelenskyy in Frankfurt on Friday afternoon.
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Venezuela says detained US sailor entered ‘without any type of document’

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Caracas, Venezuela — A U.S. Navy sailor held in Venezuela since late last month was arrested for entering “without any type of document,” the South American country’s attorney general said Thursday.

An American official on Wednesday announced the sailor had been detained at a time of soaring tensions between Washington and Caracas in the aftermath of disputed elections in Venezuela, with the opposition party claiming it can prove were stolen.

In his first comments on the matter, Venezuelan Attorney General Tarek William Saab said the sailor “entered without any type of document, without any means of subsistence for what he came to do in the country.”

He said the sailor held dual U.S. and Mexican nationalities.

For its part, the Pentagon said the sailor had been in Venezuela on “personal travel.”

“This wasn’t something that was authorized,” Deputy Pentagon Press Secretary Sabrina Singh told reporters.

“The U.S. Navy is looking into this. We’re working with the State Department,” she said, adding that: “Of course, we’d like to see the sailor returned home.”

Venezuela was rocked by protests after President Nicolas Maduro was declared the winner of a disputed July 28 election, with 25 civilians and two soldiers killed and more than 2,400 people arrested.

The opposition claims it won by a landslide, and the United States, the European Union and several Latin American countries have refused to recognize Maduro’s claimed victory without seeing detailed voting results.

On Monday, Washington seized Maduro’s plane in the Dominican Republic and flew it to Florida, a move the Venezuelan leader condemned as “piracy” but which Washington said was necessary due to sanctions violations.

The following day, Washington denounced an arrest warrant issued for opposition presidential candidate Edmundo Gonzalez Urrutia and warned of further action against Maduro.

The U.S. State Department has warned Americans against traveling to Venezuela for reasons including crime, unrest and wrongful detention.
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‘Impartial force’ must be deployed to Sudan: UN experts

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GENEVA — Flagrant rights violations by Sudan’s warring parties require the deployment of an “independent and impartial force” to protect millions of civilians driven from their homes, UN experts said Friday.

An independent fact-finding mission uncovered “harrowing” violations by both sides since April last year “which may amount to war crimes and crimes against humanity,” they said.

The conflict pits the national army led by General Abdel Fattah al-Burhan against the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces of his former deputy, Mohamed Hamdan Daglo.

It has triggered one of the world’s worst humanitarian crises.

Tens of thousands of people have been killed, and the experts said 8 million civilians have been displaced while a further 2 million people have fled to neighboring countries.

Mohamed Chande Othman, chair of the fact-finding mission, created late last year, called for “urgent and immediate action to protect civilians.”

“Given the failure of the warring parties to spare civilians, it is imperative that an independent and impartial force with a mandate to safeguard civilians be deployed without delay,” Othman said.

The mission found evidence of “indiscriminate” airstrikes and shelling against civilian targets including schools and hospitals as well as water and electricity supplies.

“The warring parties also targeted civilians… through rape and other forms of sexual violence, arbitrary arrest and detention, as well as torture and ill-treatment,” the mission said.

“These violations may amount to war crimes.”

‘Wake-up call’

In August, the United States convened talks in Geneva aimed at ending the brutal war, achieving progress on aid access but not a cease-fire.

It also announced visa sanctions on an unspecified number of individuals in South Sudan, including government officials, accused of obstructing the delivery of humanitarian aid for 25 million Sudanese facing severe hunger.

The U.N.-mandated experts based their findings on testimony from dozens of survivors of the fighting now in Chad, Kenya and Uganda — but not in Sudan, where authorities failed to respond to four requests to visit.

Sudan’s government also declined to comment officially on the mission’s findings.

Its report “should serve as a wake-up call to the international community to take decisive action to support survivors, their families and affected communities, and hold perpetrators accountable,” Mona Rishmawi, a member of the mission, said in a statement.
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In Haiti, Blinken announces $45 million new aid, calls for renewed security mission mandate

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Port-au-Prince, Haiti — During a trip to Haiti on Thursday, U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken announced $45 million in new humanitarian aid for the Caribbean nation, which has been wracked by violence for years.  

He also called for the renewal of the United Nations mandate for the Multinational Security Support, or MSS, mission to combat the armed gangs that dominate much of the capital.

“At this critical moment, you do need more funding. We do need more personnel to sustain and carry out the objectives of this mission,” Blinken told a news conference on a rare visit to Port-au-Prince.

The top U.S. diplomat said he plans to convene a ministerial meeting at the coming U.N. General Assembly to encourage greater international contributions to address Haiti’s security, economic, and humanitarian needs.

The MSS mandate is set to expire at the beginning of October.  U.S. President Joe Biden’s administration is reportedly exploring the possibility of changing the mission into a traditional U.N. peacekeeping operation, a move that would ease funding, provide more equipment and enable use of military forces rather than only police officers.

Blinken said that while the MSS mission itself needs to be renewed, it also needs to ensure that it is “reliable” and “sustainable.”

“A peacekeeping operation would be one such option.  I think there are others,” he told reporters on Thursday.

Blinken’s visit to Port-au-Prince underscores U.S. support for Haiti as the country grapples with gang violence.

On Thursday, Blinken met with Edgard Leblanc Fils from Haiti’s Transitional Presidential Council.

“Both concurred on the critical need to make timely advancements on election preparations,” State Department spokesperson Matthew Miller said.

Apart from Fils, Blinken also held talks with Prime Minister Garry Conille, MSS head Godfrey Otunge and Normil Rameau, head of the Haitian National Police.

The United States and Canada are the top funders of the MSS in Haiti. The first-year estimated cost for the mission is $589 million. The U.S. has already provided $309 million — $200 million toward the MSS mission base and $109 million in financial support.

Gang-related violence and drug trafficking have fueled political instability and insecurity in Haiti, leading to unbearable conditions for Haitians.

At least 80% of Port-au-Prince is no longer under Haitian authorities’ control, with violence spreading to other parts of the country.

In the past year, displacement in Haiti has tripled as gang violence grips the Caribbean nation. The U.N. says at least 578,000 people have been displaced because of violence, including murders, kidnappings and rapes.

The situation is further exacerbated by widespread hunger, with nearly half the 11.7 million population facing acute food insecurity.

 After Haiti, Blinken arrived in Santo Domingo later Thursday.  His visit follows the start of Dominican Republic President Luis Abinader’s second term in mid-August.    

The Dominican Republic will host the 2025 Summit of the Americas, where Western Hemisphere leaders will address shared challenges and policy issues facing the region.  

VOA’s Liam Scott contributed to this report.  
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20 years after Beslan ‘special operation’, a legacy of violence, lies and dead children persists

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Ethiopia releases opposition politicians from prison 

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ADDIS ABABA, ethiopia — The Ethiopian government has freed seven Oromo Liberation Front, or OLF, members who have been in prison for more than four years.  

A spokesperson for OLF Lemi Gemechu told VOA’s Horn of Africa Service that the seven were released on Thursday from the different prisons where they had been held.    

He identified the seven as Abdi Regassa, Dawit Abdeta, Lammi Begna, Michael Boran, Kenessa Ayana, Gada Gabisa and Gada Oljira. 

“Before their release, there was a process that took all day,” Lemi said.  

“Just now, the Oromo Liberation Front leaders who have been imprisoned for over four years at different sites have been released, including Abdi Regassa, members of the executive committee and other officials well-known among the people, all seven of them, are now released and here at home,” he said. 

Abdi is a prominent member of the OLF who once was the commander of the military wing of OLF.    

The release took place at Burayu police station outside Addis Ababa.    

Some of the released detainees are members of the executive committee while others are central committee and executive members of the OLF.  

Lemi said they welcomed their release and congratulated their supporters and those who advocated for their release.     

On his Facebook page, Lemi posted a picture of the seven standing with the leader of OLF, Dawud Ibsa.  

In a statement issued Thursday on Facebook, OLF said the members were released on bail. OLF said they were detained for “exercising their legitimate political rights” and said their detention was “unjust.” 

The opposition members were detained in 2020 for what rights groups at the time described as “purely political” reasons.  

The Ethiopian government has not yet officially commented on the release of the opposition figures.  

The United States has also welcomed the release of OLF detainees. 

“We remain ready to support negotiations aimed at ending the violence and promoting durable peace for all Ethiopians,” the State Department’s Bureau of African Affairs said in a post on X. 

Human Rights Watch had been calling on the Ethiopian authorities to release the seven senior members of the opposition political party.  

Meanwhile, the family of Taye Dendea, the detained former Ethiopian state minister of peace, has expressed their disappointment with the Supreme Court’s decision to deny him bail.    

Taye’s wife, Sintayehu Alemayehu, told VOA’s Horn of Africa Service that she is sad because of the decision of Ethiopia’s federal Supreme Court.    

The court on Wednesday upheld the decision by a lower court to reject the bail request by Taye.    

Taye appeared before a court in Addis Ababa on Wednesday to find that his bail request had been rejected. The former state minister was arrested in December last year after he posted comments criticizing Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed.    

Police accused him of collaborating with groups aiming to destabilize Ethiopia. It also accused him of using social media platforms to endorse violence.  

A lower court acquitted Taye of these charges without requiring him to present a defense but ordered him to defend against the third charge concerning the illegal possession of firearms.  

This story originated in VOA Horn of Africa Service.   
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China halts foreign adoptions; US seeks answers about pending cases

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beijing — The Chinese government is ending its intercountry adoption program, and the United States is seeking clarification on how the decision will affect hundreds of American families with pending applications to adopt children from China.

In a phone call with U.S. diplomats in China, Beijing said it “will not continue to process cases at any stage” other than those cases covered by an exception clause. The embassy is seeking clarification in writing from China’s Ministry of Civil Affairs, the U.S. State Department said Thursday. 

“We understand there are hundreds of families still pending completion of their adoption, and we sympathize with their situation,” the State Department said. 

At a daily briefing Thursday, Mao Ning, a spokeswoman for the Chinese foreign ministry, said China is no longer allowing foreign adoptions of the country’s children, with the only exception for blood relatives to adopt a child or a stepchild. 

She didn’t explain the decision other than to say that it was in line with the spirit of relevant international conventions. 

Many foreigners have adopted children from China over the decades, visiting the country to pick them up and then bringing them to new homes overseas. 

U.S. families have adopted 82,674 children from China, the most from any foreign country. 

China suspended international adoptions during the COVID-19 pandemic. The government later resumed adoptions for children who had received travel authorization before the suspension in 2020, the U.S. State Department said in its latest annual report on adoptions. 

A U.S. consulate issued 16 visas for adoptions from China from October 2022 through September 2023, the first in more than two years, the State Department report said. It wasn’t clear if any more visas had been issued since then. 

In January, Denmark’s only overseas adoption agency said it was winding down operations after concerns were raised about fabricated documents and procedures, and Norway’s top regulatory body recommended stopping overseas adoptions for two years pending an investigation into several cases. 

Beijing’s announcement also follows falling birth rates in the country. The number of newborn babies fell to 9.02 million in 2023, and the overall population declined for the second consecutive year. 
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Japan’s Kishida heads on final mission to preserve relationship with Seoul

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WASHINGTON — Outgoing Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida is expected to ensure the continuity of Tokyo’s close bilateral relations with South Korea during his visit to Seoul amid threats from North Korea and China.

Japanese Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshimasa Hayashi told reporters on Thursday that Kishida’s trip to Seoul the following day seeks to ensure that enhanced cooperation between Japan and South Korea is “made more concrete.” 

He said, “The two countries should work together as partners” as they “face international challenges” and that “the bilateral relationship of the two countries will be confirmed” during Kishida’s visit to Seoul.

The South Korean presidential office announced on Tuesday that Kishida will make a two-day visit to Seoul starting Friday for a final summit with South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol. 

Kishida announced in August he will step down this month, ending his three-year term early in response to political and economic issues in Japan. 

“It is very important that Kishida, who identified the ‘reset’ of Japan-ROK relations as one of his concrete foreign policy achievements” when he announced his decision to step down, “chose ROK as one of the last places of [his] visit as the prime minister,” said Yuki Tatsumi, director of the Japan Program at the Stimson Center.

ROK stands for Republic of Korea, the official name of South Korea.

Mending ties

At a news conference held to announce his resignation on Aug. 14, Kishida said Tokyo must make restored relations with South Korea “ever more certain” as the two countries celebrate the 60th anniversary of normalized relations next year. 

Seoul and Tokyo normalized their diplomatic relations in 1965, but lingering historical disputes stemming from Japan’s colonial occupation of South Korea from 1910 to 1945 strained their ties in recent years. 

Putting aside their historical differences, Kishida and Yoon forged close ties through their 11 meetings since Yoon took office in 2022.

“Prime Minister Kishida’s visit is a manifestation of his sincerity, and that of his government, that Japan is committed to continuing the efforts that have enabled such an important transformation in ROK-Japan relations,” said Evans Revere, who served as acting assistant secretary for East Asia and Pacific Affairs during the George W. Bush administration.

The improved relations led to regular meetings between the two countries that culminated in the Camp David summit with the U.S. in August 2023. There, the three agreed to expand security ties. 

In June, the three countries held their first multi-domain land, air and sea military drills, dubbed “Freedom Edge,” to boost the security of the Indo-Pacific including the Korean Peninsula.

Cooperation on security

The heightened cooperation comes in response to elevating threats from North Korean missile launches and Chinese air and naval incursions. 

China has made multiple incursions into the South Korean air defense zone and Japanese air and maritime defense zones, including what Tokyo claimed as a violation of its territorial air space for the first time in August. 

Daniel Sneider, a lecturer in international policy focusing on Japanese and Korean foreign policy at Stanford University, said Kishida’s trip to Seoul will send signals to Pyongyang and Beijing that the trilateral security cooperation will be preserved even after his term ends. 

“As a Prime Minister, his personal courage, along with ROK President Yoon’s, ushered in a new era for U.S.-Japan-ROK trilateral cooperation at last year’s Camp David Summit,” a State Department spokesperson told VOA Korean on Wednesday when asked about the trip. 

Japan’s ruling Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) is scheduled to elect Kishida’s successor on Sept. 27.

“There’s a fair amount of consensus on the importance of continuing security cooperation with South Korea,” said Sneider. “But there are parts of the LDP that are much more resistant to having close ties with South Korea.”

He added that Kishida “wants to make clear” that preserving security cooperation with South Korea will remain Japan’s foreign policy whoever becomes the next prime minister of Japan.

The South Korean presidential office said on Tuesday that “Prime Minister Kishida is expected to continue to provide constructive advice to his successor on foreign policies and the future development of South Korea-Japan relations based on his experience.” 

Jiha Ham contributed to this report.
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Channel One Russia personality indicted over alleged violations of US sanctions 

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Floods in northern Thailand seen as test for new prime minister

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BANGKOK — Northern Thailand’s worst floods in years are causing significant damage, and experts say this could be the first real test for the country’s new prime minister, Paetongtarn Shinawatra.

The floods, caused by seasonal monsoon rain in August, have killed at least 22 people, injured others and damaged upwards of 30,000 homes across more than a dozen provinces, authorities said on August 26.

The bad weather in Thailand continues, with Typhoon Yagi forecast to cause more heavy rainfall over the weekend. Nine provinces are particularly at risk — Chiang Rai, Phayao, Sukhothai, Lampang, Phetchabun, Phrae, Nan, Phitsanulok and Nakhon Sawan.

Arisara Lekkham, a lecturer at the School of Law at the Mae Fah Luang University in Chiang Rai, said the floods are more severe than in previous years. “The current flooding in northern Thailand is both an annual occurrence and an extraordinary event this year,” she told VOA.

“Key factors include exceptionally heavy and prolonged rainfall, urban expansion blocking natural drainage paths, deforestation and conversion to monoculture agriculture reducing soil water retention, topography of mountainous regions leading to flash floods [and] high-water levels in the Mekong River and its tributaries slowing drainage,” she said.

“These factors have resulted in more frequent, intense and long-lasting floods, affecting areas that rarely flood and causing significant damage across multiple provinces. While flooding is expected annually in certain regions, the scale and impact of this year’s floods are notably more severe than in typical years,” said Lekkham, who has published papers on the legal principles of the Mekong River.

Thai politics have endured a storm of their own recently, with Paetongtarn having become prime minister after a court removed her predecessor, Srettha Thavisin. Analysts say the heavy floods will be Paetongtarn’s first test.

“If we get this kind of rain at this pace, continuously for the month of September, it could be a big crisis for her. But if the rain dissipates and the drier season comes in by the second half of September or early October, then the pressure will be off a bit. It’s a matter of nature,” political analyst Thitinan Pongsudhirak told VOA.

In 2011, Thailand suffered some of its worst flooding in recent history because of rain from monsoon season triggered by a tropical storm. The flooding lasted from July to January 2012, killing at least 815 people and affecting over 13 million. Sixty-five of Thailand’s 76 provinces were declared disaster zones. The World Bank estimated that the five-month-long floods caused economic damages and losses of over $46.5 billion.

At the time, Thailand was governed by another Shinawatra, then-Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra.

Yingluck was heavily criticized for the vast damage done by the disaster, but she was not prosecuted following allegations of dereliction of duty in water management by Thailand’s National Anti-Corruption Committee.

Thitinan called the current situation reminiscent of the massive flooding that occurred soon after Yingluck took office.

“On Paetongtarn, it’s a test of her personal character and personal leadership. We don’t know how bad the floods will get. But if it’s a lot less [than 2011] … the floods will incur some damage, but it will not be critical to her premiership,” he said.

Lekkham said Paetongtarn and her new Cabinet — announced this week — must manage the current flood problem, providing flood relief assistance and urgent aid, and monitor and warn of the risks nationwide, including in Bangkok.

Long-term measures also must be implemented, she said. “What Paetongtarn and the new government need to do [is] manage the flood problem long-term, support innovation and technology for flood assistance, such as drones for supply delivery or equipment to rescue people stranded in floodwaters, develop systematic, seasonal monitoring and warning plans, ensuring central agencies have a unified view that can be disseminated to local levels, establish flood management as a routine practice, not just a seasonal activity.

“Flood management should become a regular, year-round effort rather than a reactive, seasonal approach,” she said.

There have been added concerns that China has been releasing water from its Jinghong Dam in Yunnan into the Mekong River.

“Increased water levels in the Mekong River, partly due to dam releases, are pushing water back into tributaries, worsening flooding in agricultural areas. The dams affect the natural flow of the Mekong, impacting downstream countries like Thailand, Laos, Vietnam, and Cambodia,” Lekkham said.

But a spokesperson for the Chinese Embassy in Bangkok denied the dam was the reason for Thailand’s worsened flooding, asserting it had not released any water lately.

The Mekong Dam Monitor, an online platform monitoring reservoir levels in the Mekong River, says its satellite data shows no evidence that China’s recent water releases were the reason for the Thailand’s heavy floods.

But China is still “partly” to blame,” Thitinan said.

“I saw the statistics that [show] the Chinese have released less water than last year, but only a little bit less than last year. But that’s irrelevant, because the water that has been released is still making the floods worse in Thailand. So, in practical terms, the Chinese are partly responsible for how bad the floods are,” he said.

Lekkham said more communication and trust is needed between six riparian countries that are part of the Lancang-Mekong Cooperation, a framework focusing on joint usage of the Mekong River.

“There is a need to further promote communication on data exchange, particularly regarding water levels behind dams, daily water releases, and advance warnings during wet seasons. Implementing publicly accessible CCTV systems could foster mutual trust between China and lower Mekong countries,” she said.

Economically, the floods could cost Thailand up to $176 million in damages, Thailand’s Chamber of Commerce has warned. Thailand’s agricultural, industrial and services sectors have been the most affected, while the kingdom is already suffering from a sluggish economy.
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Russia struggles to sell Arctic gas amid tightening Western sanctions

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Russia appears to be struggling to find buyers for its liquefied natural gas from a flagship Arctic development after the West imposed sanctions, forcing Moscow to store the gas in a huge container vessel in the Arctic Sea. Henry Ridgwell reports from London.
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US imposes new sanctions on Russian Arctic gas as Kremlin struggles to find buyers

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London — The United States announced new sanctions Thursday on ships that transport Russian gas from Moscow’s Arctic LNG 2 terminal in Russia’s Murmansk region.

The measures target the owners of two LNG tankers, the New Energy and the Mulan. The U.S. State Department said the New Energy had used “deceptive shipping practices, including shutting off its automatic identification system, to load cargo from the U.S.-sanctioned Arctic LNG 2 project.”

It comes as a new analysis shows Russia appears to be struggling to find buyers for its liquefied natural gas, or LNG, from its flagship Arctic LNG 2 project amid tightening Western sanctions, forcing Moscow to store the gas in a huge container vessel in the Arctic Sea.

The Arctic LNG 2 project was meant to produce almost 19.8 million metric tonnes of LNG every year to sell primarily to Asian markets, potentially earning billions of dollars for Novatek, the private company that runs the project, and the Kremlin.

Instead, Russia is struggling to sell the gas, according to analyst Tom Marzec-Manser, head of gas analytics at Independent Commodity Intelligence Services. He has been using satellite and ship-tracking data to monitor LNG vessels servicing the Arctic LNG 2 facility.

“So far, we’re aware of three cargoes that have been loaded from Arctic LNG 2 … and all of them really have not gone anywhere. In recent days, what we’ve seen is that two of them have had to offload their cargo onto this huge floating storage unit that Russia’s Novatek has had moored up near Murmansk for over a year and never used — it’s also under sanctions. They’re offloading these cargoes into the storage unit because they can’t find a buyer,” Marzec-Manser told VOA.

He said that storage unit, named the Saam, will rapidly fill up if Russia can’t find buyers, creating a bottleneck and potentially forcing Novatek to halt production.

Putin’s flagship

Arctic LNG 2 was a flagship development for Russian President Vladimir Putin, who pledged that it would one day help Russia to become the world’s biggest producer of LNG.

“Production of liquefied natural gas in the Russia Arctic zone will have increased three-fold by 2030, up to 64 million tons per year. … Of course, it will contribute significantly in the development of our northern regions and in the strengthening of Russian technological sovereignty,” Putin told delegates at the Eastern Economic Forum in the Russian city of Vladivostok in September 2023.

Earlier sanctions

That goal now seems unlikely. The West, led by the United States, imposed sanctions on Novatek and businesses linked to Arctic LNG 2 following Moscow’s February 2022 full-scale invasion of Ukraine. Crucially, according to Marzec-Manser, that included the vessels intended to transport the gas.

“So, there’s a whole fleet of cargo vessels that are sitting in shipyards in Asia, which are specifically designed to flow through the Arctic seas. They’re called ‘ice-class’ vessels, and they’ve not been able to sell them to Novatek because of these sanctions,” Marzec-Manser said.

“What Novatek then did was to say, ‘Right, what we’re going to try and do is buy really old LNG vessels, which aren’t designed for the Arctic waters, but we can at least shuttle them backwards and forwards during the summer months.’ But then the U.S. has sanctioned those vessels, as well,” he told VOA.

Kremlin response

Russia is looking for ways to circumvent the sanctions. Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov told reporters in April that “attempts to squeeze Russia out of energy markets and switch to more expensive markets are continuing,” adding that Moscow “will look for ways to overcome these illegal obstacles, unfair competition and illegal actions.”

Analysts say Russia is assembling a so-called “dark fleet” of LNG vessels that are difficult to track.

“It’s a game of cat and mouse, and as we see, new vessels which are owned by unknown Middle Eastern entities entering Russian waters, it’s only then that you can properly join the dots to say, well, this is clearly being used to service some of these [LNG] projects, and it’s only then that the sanctions come in,” Marzec-Manser told VOA.

Novatek did not respond to VOA requests for comment.

Russia is still able to sell LNG and other hydrocarbon products from oil and gas fields that are not subject to Western sanctions. However, the state-owned gas giant Gazprom recorded a net loss of $6.9 billion in 2023 — its first annual loss in more than 20 years — as Moscow cut supplies to European customers following the invasion of Ukraine and the West’s imposition of sanctions.

The United States is now by far the world’s biggest supplier of LNG, with two-thirds of it exported to Europe.
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China, US at odds over war-torn Myanmar’s future as geopolitical tensions rise 

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washington — China recently warned against what it described as “external interference” in Myanmar, a country increasingly caught in the crossfire of escalating geopolitical rivalry between Beijing and Washington.

This warning came as the United States has been deepening its engagement with Myanmar’s pro-democracy forces, raising concerns in Beijing, where experts suggest there is deep skepticism about Washington’s intentions in Myanmar.

Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi expressed these concerns during an informal meeting with the foreign ministers of Laos, Thailand and Myanmar on August 16 in Chiang Mai, Thailand. Wang emphasized that Myanmar’s internal affairs should remain free from external interference, particularly from outside the region.

The Chinese Embassy in Myanmar and state-controlled media quickly echoed this stance, stressing that no party should cross the line of “external intervention.”

This meeting coincided with a virtual discussion between U.S. officials and Myanmar’s opposition, during which Washington reiterated its support for a transition to civilian government.

Although Wang did not directly mention the United States, his remarks were widely interpreted as a response to Washington’s increased involvement.

Chinese distrust

Zachary Abuza, a professor at the National War College in Washington, noted China’s growing distrust of U.S. intentions in Myanmar.

“From a Chinese perspective, they reject the U.S. role in Myanmar,” Abuza told VOA. “The problem is the Chinese don’t want to deal with us in Myanmar.”

Hla Kyaw Zaw, a veteran observer of Sino-Myanmar relations based in China, echoed this sentiment, noting that China is more concerned about U.S. involvement than any other external influence.

“China prefers to take the lead in addressing the Myanmar crisis, as seen in its mediation efforts earlier this year,” Hla Kyaw Zaw said, referring to China’s role in talks between Myanmar’s military junta and ethnic armed groups.

In response to a VOA request for comment, the Chinese Embassy in Washington reiterated China’s stance opposing actions that provoke internal unrest and civil war in Myanmar. “China opposes deliberate interference in Myanmar’s internal affairs by external forces,” the embassy said in an email.

According to Abuza, there is little potential for U.S.-China cooperation on the Myanmar crisis, despite the two having similar goals.

“We actually both want much of the same thing — an end to military rule, an end to civil war, and a return to a stable, prosperous Myanmar. But I see very little cooperation going forward in the short term,” Abuza said.

China-US differences

The divergence underscores broader tensions in Southeast Asia. While both powers ostensibly seek stability in Myanmar, their approaches differ sharply, according to a recent analysis by the United States Institute of Peace.

The United States has shown support for the democratic movements in Myanmar, for example, by imposing sanctions on the country’s military government. Also, following the 2021 coup, Washington passed the BURMA Act of 2022, authorizing nonlethal aid to pro-democracy resistance groups and sanctioning the junta.

The U.S. also allowed Myanmar’s opposition, the National Unity Government, or NUG, to open a liaison office in Washington, although the NUG has not been formally recognized as Myanmar’s legitimate government by the U.S.

According to an August 16 U.S. State Department release, Counselor Tom Sullivan and Michael Schiffer, U.S. Agency for International Development assistant administrator,  praised the efforts of pro-democracy groups in Myanmar to establish an inclusive federal democratic system and reaffirmed U.S. commitment to supporting these groups.

White House national security adviser Jake Sullivan and China’s Wang addressed the issue during talks in China on August 27-28, according to a White House statement. The statement did not provide details.

China’s strategic interests in Myanmar are driven by its substantial economic investments and the country’s strategic location as a gateway to the Indian Ocean.

“Since China is a neighboring country, it has a greater stake in Myanmar. It’s widely understood that Myanmar is vital to China’s plans to gain access to the Indian Ocean,” said Hla Kyaw Zaw, emphasizing Myanmar’s critical role in geopolitics, particularly in relation to China’s Belt and Road Initiative, or BRI.

“Myanmar’s involvement in the BRI has not gone as smoothly as China had hoped,” Hla Kyaw Zaw said. “That’s why China wants to complete projects in Myanmar as quickly as possible. To achieve this, I believe China will do everything in its power to stabilize Myanmar and ensure peace.”

May Sabe Phyu, a prominent Myanmar human rights activist who advocates for democracy and human rights at the United Nations, highlighted China’s significant power on the international stage and noted that the West has struggled to counter China’s influence because of Beijing’s expanding economic power.

“Countries around the world, including Western nations, are increasingly unable to effectively push back against China’s growing dominance,” she said.
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US warns Russian hackers: ‘We are onto you’

Posted on by SeeEU

Washington — The United States has charged five Russian intelligence officers and one Russian civilian in connection with a major cyberattack, described by U.S. prosecutors as the first shot in the Kremlin’s war against Ukraine.

The Justice Department unsealed the superseding indictment Thursday, accusing the Russians of carrying out the January 2022 “WhisperGate” malware attack that sought to debilitate Ukraine’s civilian infrastructure ahead of the Russian invasion the following month.

“The WhisperGate campaign included the targeting of civilian infrastructure and Ukrainian computer systems wholly unrelated to the military or national defense, that include government agencies responsible for emergency services in Ukraine, the judiciary, food safety and education, seeking to sap the morale of the Ukrainian public,” said U.S. Assistant Attorney General Matthew Olsen.

The attack “could be considered the first shot of the war,” said FBI Special Agent in Charge Bill DelBagno, speaking alongside Olsen during a news conference in Baltimore, Maryland.

DelBagno said the WhisperGate campaign also targeted the United States and dozens of NATO allies, going as far as to infiltrate a U.S. government agency based in Maryland while simultaneously accessing U.S. bank accounts.

“The FBI, along with our law enforcement partners and allies, will relentlessly hunt down and counter these threats,” he said. “This type of cyber warfare will not be tolerated. The scope of Russia’s crimes cannot be ignored.”

Thursday’s superseding indictment, the result of an FBI operation named “Toy Soldier,” builds on charges first filed in June against 22-year-old Russian Amin Stigal, a civilian accused of leveraging malware to aid Russian intelligence ahead of the invasion of Ukraine.

As part of the attack, Stigal and the agents with Unit 21955 of Russia’s Main Intelligence Directorate of the General Staff, or GRU, used the cyberinfrastructure of some U.S.-based companies to launch what first appeared to be ransomware attacks, but which were actually designed to wipe out critical data.

The new indictment names Stigal’s Russian GRU accomplices as Vladislav Borovkov, Denis Denisenko, Yuriy Denisov, Dmitriy Goloshubov and Nikolay Korchagin.

FBI officials said the GRU unit has also operated under the names Cadet Blizzard, Ember Bear and Dev-0586, carrying out cyberattacks on critical infrastructure across Europe, Central America and Asia.

In addition to the new charges, U.S. officials said they are offering a reward of up to $10 million for each of the Russians named in the criminal complaint.

The officials said they are also working with Interpol to serve notices that could help lead to the arrest of the six Russians.

“They are marked people,” Olsen said. “We know who they are. There’s a reward on their head, and we’re going to pursue them relentlessly.”

“The message is clear,” he said. “To the GRU, to the Russians, we are onto you.”

In addition to the charges, the FBI and its partners on Thursday issued a cybersecurity advisory telling organizations and companies to fix known vulnerabilities that could be exploited by the GRU’s Unit 21955.

The Russian Embassy in Washington has yet to respond to a VOA request for comment.

Meanwhile, some U.S. allies announced their own plans to crack down on Russian intelligence.

Estonia on Thursday announced it has attributed a 2020 cyberattack on three of its government ministries and is seeking the arrest of three members of the GRU’s Unit 21955.

“Russia’s aim was to damage national computer systems, obtain sensitive information and strike a blow against our sense of security,” Estonian Foreign Minister Margus Tsahkna said in a statement.

“Estonia condemns any malign activity, including cyberactivity that threatens our institutions, our citizens and our security,” Tsahkna said.

Thursday’s charges by the U.S. against Russian agents are the latest in a series of measures by Washington to crack down on what it describes as Moscow’s malign activity.

Earlier Thursday, the U.S. Justice Department charged a U.S. television presenter for Channel One Russia and his wife with sanctions evasion.

On Wednesday, the U.S. charged two Russian nationals employed by the Kremlin-backed RT media outlet with funneling almost $10 million to a U.S.-based media company to spread pro-Russian disinformation.

The Justice Department on Wednesday also announced the takedown of 32 internet domains linked to what officials described as a separate Russian operation aimed at influencing the U.S. presidential election.

VOA’s United Nations correspondent Margaret Besheer contributed to this report.
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Ukrainians react to conscription drive with mixed feelings, many questions

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A new conscription law has been in force in Ukraine for more than three months, and President Volodymyr Zelenskyy says the mobilization has been going according to plan. But studies suggest Ukrainians are ambivalent about the law. Lesia Bakalets in Kyiv looks at the reasons. Videographer: Vladyslav Smilianets
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Botswanan police, protesters clash over executive powers bill

Posted on by SeeAF

Gaborone, Botswana — Police and protesters clashed outside Botswana’s National Assembly in Gaborone on Wednesday as members of parliament voted on a bill that would have given the president sweeping powers to appoint civil servants holding key positions.

Opposition members of parliament boycotted the vote, while protesters, waving placards, protested the bill outside. Members of the remaining ruling party failed to raise enough votes to pass the bill.

Opposition party leader Dithapelo Keorapetse said the bill, if it had been approved, would have given too much power to the president.

“Today was a momentous day in that the evil constitution amendment bill, which sought to clothe the president with enormous powers to appoint the chief justice, to appoint the court of appeal president, to appoint the secretary of the IEC [Independent Electoral Commission], died,” Keorapetse said.

Minister for State President Kabo Morwaeng blamed the opposition and civil society organizations for misleading the nation on what he called a progressive bill. He said the bill contained clauses that would have improved citizens’ lives, including provisions on health rights, the right to strike and workers’ rights.

Motheo O Mosha, a nongovernmental organization, was behind Wednesday’s protests. Chairperson Morena Monganja said some members were hurt during clashes with the police.

“Many of our activists were beaten,” she said. “We have one who is in hospital with injuries. We look at this event of citizens trying to express their displeasure at a certain piece of legislation and being met with this kind of violence as very unacceptable in a democracy.”

Morwaeng said protesters did not seek the required permit to hold the demonstration.

The proposed law was rejected a day before Botswana’s parliament was dissolved as the country prepares for next month’s general election.
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On guns: Harris bets on stricter laws, Trump pledges to roll back restrictions

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A shooting at a Georgia high school on Wednesday was a stark reminder that firearms kill more Americans per capita than in any other large, high-income country, according to health experts. Vice President Kamala Harris wants stricter gun regulation. Her opponent, former President Donald Trump, pledges to roll back gun restrictions. VOA’s Veronica Balderas Iglesias explains.
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Influx of cheap Chinese goods a spoiler for local businesses in Thailand

Posted on by SeeEA

Taipei, Taiwan — China is defending itself against accusations that it is flooding the Thai market with cheap goods and hurting local businesses. 

In a post on its official Facebook account on September 4, the Chinese Embassy in Thailand called the trade between the two countries “mutually beneficial and win-win.” 

“Almost 80% of the goods that Thailand imports from China are capital goods and intermediate goods that are used for production and added value before being exported,” the statement said. 

Most of the so-called cheap goods “are products used in daily life, food, health products, clothing and accessories, etc., which account for less than 10% of the total value of goods imported from China,” it added.  

The statement came after Thailand announced new measures to combat the influx of cheap Chinese imports threatening its manufacturing sector. The Bangkok Post reported on August 28 that Thailand’s deputy prime minister and minister of commerce, Phumtham Wechayachai, said the government would set up a task force comprising 28 agencies that would meet every two weeks to review and revise regulations to curb the threat of cheap Chinese imports to the already weak economy. 

The Federation of Thailand Industry previously warned that cheap Chinese goods could cause a “tsunami” in Thailand and in the region, and that in 2023 the low-cost imported products had contributed to the closure of nearly 2,000 factories. 

Pavida Pananond, professor of international business at Thammasat Business School at Thammasat University in Thailand, said low-priced Chinese goods or Chinese capital are often concentrated in Thailand’s e-commerce and electric vehicle industries. While Chinese investment has increased foreign direct investment in Thailand, it has also made it difficult for many smaller local enterprises to survive. 

“Right now, the Chinese are facing restrictions on their products in many markets,’’ Pavida told VOA in a Zoom interview. ‘’So, it is natural that we are seeing the Chinese products targeting more emerging markets, particularly in Southeast Asia. So, those sectors would be at risk of having direct competition from the Chinese, cheaper products. And I think in the longer term, there also is more impact on the Thai economy.” 

The Chinese Embassy quoted preliminary statistics in its statement and said more than 1,000 Chinese companies have invested in Thailand. In the past two years, 588 investment projects by Chinese have been submitted to the Thai government, with an investment value of nearly $7 billion, according to the Chinese Embassy. Most investments are in the electric vehicle industry, the digital economy, new energy, and modern manufacturing. 

The Thailand Economic and Business Research Center forecasts that the Thai economy will grow by 2.6% this year due to tourism and exports, but it will also be dragged down by manufacturing. In the first half of 2024, Thailand’s industrial output decreased by 2% compared to the same period last year. 

Chinese e-commerce platform Temu entered Thailand on July 31. Observers are worried that cheap Chinese goods flooding Thailand’s market through Temu will lead to unfair competition, supply chain disruptions, and rising unemployment. Srettha Thavisin, Thailand’s former prime minister, previously asked authorities to investigate whether Temu has complied with the relevant regulations and paid the tax due. 

Nisit Panthamit, director of ASEAN Studies and an associate professor at the Faculty of Economics at Chiang Mai University in Thailand, said, “If you buy it from China, you have to wait for so long to get that item. But the local [products] are easy to find in the market. Now, after more goods are coming in from the new [Chinese] companies, that’s why the SME [small and medium-sized enterprise] might get heavily impacted.’’  

Nisit said if the Thai government cannot introduce more effective policies to alleviate the problem soon, sales of Thai-made goods may decline significantly. Also, he said, some basic Thai products may be replaced in local markets by inferior Chinese-made replacements.  

He said that indications are that, by the end of 2024, there will be a 10% to 20% drop in the sales and consumption of local Thai products, because of competition from more Chinese-made goods.    

The New York Times reported at the end of July that Thailand’s auto industry, which often is referred to as the “Asian Detroit” because of its manufacturing capacity, had been dominated by Japanese cars. In recent years, however, Chinese electric vehicle companies have made inroads, resulting in local auto factories closing and some land prices soaring, economists in Thailand say. 

“When the Thai government welcomes the EV cars from China without much long-term planning for Thai suppliers in automotive industry, vehicles and parts, that could be something that could negatively affect the Thai economy,” Pavida said.  

In July, Thailand’s Ministry of Industry required Chinese EV manufacturers to use at least 40% local components when assembling EVs to support Thailand’s automotive supply chain. In response, China’s Changan Automobile pledged to invest $282 million, in Thailand, and the proportion of local parts will reach 60% and then increase to 90%; Shanghai-based Neta Auto also said it would increase the proportion of Thai car parts from 60% to 85%. 

There are also increasing concerns that Chinese companies may exploit Thailand as an “illicit transshipment hub” to evade U.S. and European tariffs and sanctions. Illicit transshipment refers to exporting products through a third country to circumvent higher tariffs. 

Bloomberg reported on August 22 that since many Chinese solar companies have set up factories in Southeast Asia in an attempt to circumvent U.S. import tariffs, Washington seems to be preparing to impose high tariffs on ASEAN countries such as Thailand, Vietnam, Malaysia and Cambodia. 

“We should also be concerned about Thai companies that import Chinese supplies for their intermediate products, and then re-export these [finished products] to other countries like the U.S. or the EU,” Pavida said. “This could end up being against the regulations that the EU and the U.S. are tightening.” 

Pavida added that further study of the many layers and elements of Chinese imports are needed as well, so policies can clearly and specifically address different kinds of Chinese products.  

VOA’s Adrianna Zhang contributed to this report.
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Docking of Russian naval ship in South Africa sparks controversy

Posted on by SeeAF

Johannesburg — South Africa’s Ukrainian Association has expressed outrage that a Russian naval vessel was recently allowed to dock for several days at Cape Town harbor. Critics say the incident calls into question Pretoria’s purported neutral stance on the Russia-Ukraine conflict.

The Ukrainian Association in South Africa said it was dismayed to learn the Russian naval training ship Smolnyy had anchored at the Port of Cape Town in late August.

While the vessel was docked in South Africa, Russian bombardments in Ukraine killed scores of people, including children, the association’s Dzvinka Kachur said.

“Meanwhile, a Russian military training ship docks in Cape Town reportedly strengthening military ties between the countries,” said Kachur.

The Russian consulate general in Cape Town said on its X account August 30 that the ship’s command had met with South African naval counterparts and hosted a reception “aimed at strengthening bilateral ties.”

Russian state news agency Tass also reported the ship’s “unofficial” port call. It said the ship had undertaken a long-distance voyage that included stops in Cuba and Venezuela so that 300 cadets from the Russian Ministry of Defense could conduct a maritime practice.

“The Ukrainian Association of South Africa urges the government to stop all military cooperation with Russia immediately,” said Kachur.

Some South African officials appeared taken by surprise when asked to comment on the ship’s visit. The mayor of Cape Town told the local Daily Maverick newspaper that he had been unaware of the port call and said it “seems to have been under the radar.’’

In response to a request from VOA for comment, the South African National Defense Force issued a statement confirming the vessel had been docked in Cape Town for re-supply purposes. It added that South Africa “as a sovereign state has a right and responsibility to accept the docking of foreign vessels as a maritime nation.”

The statement noted, “There are currently three foreign vessels in South African waters, including a Ukrainian vessel,” that is here for repairs.

But the Democratic Alliance, the former opposition party that is now part of South Africa’s new coalition government, condemned the incident as “cozying up to Russia.”

Chris Hattingh is a member of parliament for the Democratic Alliance.

“The latest incident, the berthing of Smolnyy, a Russian navy Baltic Fleet training vessel in Cape Town after visiting Venezuela and Cuba, underlines the contradiction of President [Cyril] Ramaphosa’s utterances of non-alignment in the Russia-Ukraine conflict,” he said.

The African National Congress, which has the most seats in parliament, has ties with Moscow dating back to when the former USSR backed its struggle against apartheid. They are also both BRICS members.

Pretoria has been criticized for not condemning the invasion of Ukraine and for hosting Russian warships in controversial joint exercises last year. Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov also visited and was warmly welcomed in 2023.

In May of last year, U.S. Ambassador to South Africa Reuben Brigety alleged that South Africa had covertly provided arms to Russia when a different ship docked in Cape Town.

The South African government set up an independent investigation into the matter, which ultimately found no evidence of that.
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Hunter Biden intends to change ‘not guilty’ plea in his federal tax case, defense attorney says

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Los Angeles — Hunter Biden plans to change his “not guilty” plea in his federal tax case, his defense attorney said Thursday just as jury selection was set to begin.

Defense attorney Abbe Lowell told the judge about Hunter Biden’s plans to change his previous plea, just months after the president’s son was convicted of gun charges in a separate case, but did not provide further details.

The latest case accuses Hunter Biden of a four-year scheme to avoid paying at least $1.4 million in taxes while pulling in millions of dollars from foreign business entities. He is already facing potential prison time after a Delaware jury convicted him in June of lying on a 2018 federal form to purchase a gun that he possessed for 11 days.

Hunter Biden walked into the courtroom holding hands with his wife, Melissa Cohen Biden, and flanked by Secret Service agents. Initially, he pleaded not guilty to the charges related to his 2016 through 2019 taxes and his attorneys have indicated they will argue he didn’t act “willfully,” or with the intention to break the law, in part because of his well-documented struggles with alcohol and drug addiction.

Hunter Biden had agreed to plead guilty to misdemeanor tax offenses last year in a deal with the Justice Department that would allow him to avoid prosecution in the gun case if he stayed out of trouble. But the agreement imploded after a judge questioned unusual aspects of it, and he was subsequently indicted in the two cases.

His decision to change his plea came after the judge issued some unfavorable pre-trial rulings for the defense, including rejecting a proposed defense expert lined up to testify about addiction.

U.S. District Judge Mark Scarsi, who was appointed to the bench by former President Donald Trump, placed some restrictions on what jurors would be allowed to hear about the traumatic events that Hunter Biden’s family, friends and attorneys say led to his drug addiction.

The judge barred attorneys from connecting his substance abuse struggles to the 2015 death of his brother Beau Biden from cancer or the car accident that killed his mother and sister when he was a toddler.

The indictment alleged that Hunter Biden lived lavishly while flouting the tax law, spending his cash on things like strippers and luxury hotels — “in short, everything but his taxes.”

Hunter Biden’s attorneys had asked Scarsi to also limit prosecutors from highlighting details of his expenses that they say amount to a “character assassination,” including payments made to strippers or pornographic websites. The judge has said in court papers that he will maintain “strict control” over the presentation of potentially salacious evidence.

Prosecutors could have presented more details of Hunter Biden’s overseas dealings, which have been at the center of Republican investigations into the Biden family often seeking — without evidence— to tie the president to an alleged influence peddling scheme.

The special counsel’s team has said it wants to tell jurors about Hunter Biden’s work for a Romanian businessman, who they say sought to “influence U.S. government policy” while Joe Biden was vice president.

The defense accused prosecutors of releasing details about Hunter Biden’s work for the Romanian in court papers to drum up media coverage and taint the jury pool.

Sentencing in Hunter Biden’s Delaware conviction is set for Nov. 13. He could face up to 25 years in prison, but as a first-time offender, he is likely to get far less time or avoid prison entirely.
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US-China rivalry on display at gathering of Pacific Islands leaders

Posted on by SeeEA

Washington — Efforts by Beijing to limit Taiwan’s participation in the recently concluded Pacific Islands Forum underscore the intense and ongoing tug-of-war between Western democracies and China for influence in the region, analysts say.

During the Pacific Islands Forum, or PIF, which wrapped up Friday, Beijing ally Solomon Islands tried unsuccessfully to block Taiwan from future participation. Then, on Saturday, the PIF removed a reference to Taiwan in its final communique after Beijing’s top Pacific diplomat expressed outrage at its inclusion.

The communique originally reaffirmed a 30-year-old agreement allowing Taiwan to take part in the PIF. That wording was later removed. Beijing’s communist leaders insist that democratically ruled Taiwan is a part of China and have worked for decades to limit the island’s participation in international organizations.

After the references to Taiwan were removed, Taiwan’s Foreign Ministry said in a statement on Saturday, “Taiwan issued the strongest condemnation on China’s arbitrary intervention and unreasonable actions that undermine regional peace and stability.”

However, the ministry said the revision did not undermine Taiwan’s status at the forum or prevent it from participating in the future.

Asia Group senior adviser Kathryn Paik, who helped lead the creation of the first U.S.-Pacific Islands Forum Summit while at the U.S. National Security Council, said that while Taiwan’s status as a development partner is still solid, what happened highlights the intensity of Beijing’s efforts in the region.

“China has made gaining access and influence in the Pacific a top priority in recent years, sending savvy diplomats to the region. In fact, China currently has vastly more diplomats on the ground in more countries than the United States, outnumbering the U.S. in almost every location,” Paik told VOA. “The pushback on the Solomon Islands’ attempt — which was transparently an attempt by China — to remove Taiwan as a development partner to the PIF demonstrated the high regard that many nations have for Taiwan’s contributions to Pacific development.”

PIF officials did not explain why Taiwan was removed from the communique but stressed that the PIF would continue to welcome Taiwan at its regional meetings.

Nikkei Asia reported that Chinese Special Envoy for the Pacific Qian Bo told reporters Friday the reference was “a mistake” that “should be corrected.”

“Taiwan is part of China. Taiwan is not a dialogue partner of PIF, so China has the representation on behalf of the whole China, including Taiwan and the mainland,” Qian said.

VOA reached out to the Chinese Embassy in Washington and the Solomon Islands for comment but has yet to receive a response.

Partnership through 2027

On Sunday, Taiwan announced an agreement with the Pacific Islands to extend the development partnership through 2027, according to a Foreign Ministry statement.

The statement also highlighted programs Taiwan has supported in the Pacific Islands, efforts that have focused on areas such as agriculture, education, medical care, communications technology, women’s empowerment and basic infrastructure.

Commenting Tuesday on China’s efforts at the PIF, the U.S. State Department backed Taiwan’s continued right to attend regional meetings.

“The PRC’s efforts to pressure Pacific Island countries to remove this reference fit a pattern of PRC coercion to constrain Taiwan’s international position,” a State Department spokesperson told VOA, using an abbreviation of the country’s formal name, the People’s Republic of China. “Taiwan is a highly capable, engaged, democratic and responsible member of the global community.”

US Pacific territories

While China and the United States maintain status as partner nations in the PIF, U.S. territories Guam and American Samoa were granted status as associate members during last week’s meetings. Although they do not have voting rights, they will be able to provide speakers at plenary sessions and nominate members to PIF working groups.

“The United States supports the U.S. Pacific territories’ increased participation in the PIF and greater connectivity with PIF members,” a State Department spokesperson told VOA.

The Asia Group’s Paik said that having two U.S. territories “more tightly knit into the Pacific community” further reinforces that the U.S. is a Pacific nation and opens opportunities for the U.S. to influence decision-making at the forum.

Ivan Kanapathy, a former deputy senior director for Asian affairs at the National Security Council, agrees.

“This will provide more allied voices and reduce PRC influence, which often relies on elite capture,” said Kanapathy, an adjunct professor at Georgetown University.

He added: “Washington must convince the region that it is willing to impose real costs on Beijing — more than just diplomatic statements.”

Some information for this report came from Reuters.
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Britain halts criminal proceedings against movie producer Weinstein

Posted on by SeeUS

LONDON — Disgraced Hollywood producer Harvey Weinstein won’t face charges of indecent assault in Britain, prosecutors announced on Thursday.

The Crown Prosecution Service, which in 2022 authorized two charges of indecent assault against Weinstein, said it decided to discontinue proceedings because there was “no longer a realistic prospect of conviction.”

“We have explained our decision to all parties,” the CPS said in a statement. ”We would always encourage any potential victims of sexual assault to come forward and report to police, and we will prosecute wherever our legal test is met.”

Weinstein became the most prominent villain of the #MeToo movement in 2017 when women began to go public with accounts of his behavior. After the revelations emerged, British police said they were investigating multiple allegations of sexual assault that reportedly took place between the 1980s and 2015.

In June 2022, the Crown Prosecution Service said it had authorized London’s Metropolitan Police Service to file two charges of indecent assault against Weinstein in relation to an alleged incident that occurred in London in 1996. The victim was in her 50s at the time of the announcement.

Unlike many other countries, Britain does not have a statute of limitations for rape or sexual assault.

Weinstein, who has denied that he raped or sexually assaulted anyone, remains in custody in New York while awaiting retrial in Manhattan, prosecutors said in August.

After the retrial, he is due to start serving a 16-year sentence in California for a separate rape conviction in Los Angeles, authorities said. Weinstein was convicted in Los Angeles in 2022 while already serving a 23-year sentence in New York.

His 2020 conviction in Manhattan was thrown out earlier this year when the state’s top court ruled that the judge in the original trial unfairly allowed testimony against Weinstein based on allegations that weren’t part of the case.

Weinstein, the co-founder of the Miramax entertainment company and The Weinstein Company film studio, was once one of the most powerful people in Hollywood, having produced films such as “Pulp Fiction” and “The Crying Game.”
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Trump election subversion case back in court as judge holds hearing that could set its path forward

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Washington — A judge will hear arguments Thursday about the potential next steps in the federal election subversion prosecution of Donald Trump in the first hearing since the Supreme Court narrowed the case by ruling that former presidents are entitled to broad immunity from criminal charges.

Prosecutors and defense lawyers submitted dueling proposals late Friday before the status conference. U.S. District Judge Tanya Chutkan is presiding over the case that charges Trump with plotting to overturn the results of the 2020 election in the run-up to the Jan. 6, 2021 riot at the U.S. Capitol.

Trump is not expected to be present, and it was not immediately clear whether Chutkan will make any rulings Thursday.

Special counsel Jack Smith’s team filed a new indictment last week to strip out certain allegations against Trump, the Republican nominee for president, and comply with the Supreme Court ruling. His team said it could be ready at any time to file a legal brief laying out its position on how to apply the justices’ immunity opinion to the case. 

Defense lawyers said they intend to file multiple motions to dismiss the case, including one that piggybacks off a Florida judge’s ruling that said Smith’s appointment was unconstitutional.

Neither side envisions a trial happening before the November election, especially given the amount of work ahead. Chutkan is tasked with determining which of the acts alleged in the indictment can remain part of the case in light of the Supreme Court opinion.

The justices in July ruled that former presidents enjoy absolute immunity for the exercise of their core constitutional duties and are presumptively immune from prosecution for all other official acts. 

Smith’s team responded to the ruling with a revised indictment last week that removed references to Trump’s efforts to use the law enforcement powers of the Justice Department to remain in power, an area of conduct for which the Supreme Court said Trump is immune. 

The case is one of two federal prosecutions against Trump. The other, charging him with illegally hoarding classified documents at his Mar-a-Lago estate in Palm Beach, Florida, was dismissed in July by U.S. District Judge Aileen Cannon. She said Smith’s appointment as special counsel was unlawful.

Smith’s team has appealed that ruling. Trump’s lawyers say they intend to ask Chutkan to dismiss the election case on the same grounds. 
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‘Business is business’ at bustling China-Africa summit

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Beijing — Hundreds of African political and business leaders filed into China’s Great Hall of the People on Thursday eager to forge new partnerships, sign contracts and make industry connections.

“Business is business, we’ll buy from anywhere. In China, the price is right,” Abakar Tahir Moussa, a Chadian construction firm owner, told AFP, showing off the business card of a potential new Chinese partner. 

He hoped to use the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation, which ends on Friday, to partner with Chinese firms on road and bridge projects.

“I’m here to make contacts and get more business,” Moussa said after he joined thousands of delegates from more than 50 countries at the forum’s colorful opening ceremony.

A housing developer from Burkina Faso, who asked not to be identified, said Chinese products were “cheaper than elsewhere.”

“We buy everything from China: lights, air conditioning, wires… The only thing we get elsewhere is cement,” he told AFP outside the hall. 

“If you want quality you can get quality (in China), and even the quality things are cheap,” he said, kicking off his shoes and clutching a smartphone with a gold case.

Bustling Beijing

The atmosphere was hopeful and friendly ahead of meetings that many Africans hoped would spur much-needed development and investment back home.

Leaders and their entourages from across Africa have flown in to Beijing since Saturday, keeping President Xi Jinping busy with bilateral meetings all week.

South African leader Cyril Ramaphosa and Nigerian president Bola Ahmed Tinubu heaped praise on their Chinese hosts, even over the food served at a lavish banquet thrown by Xi on Wednesday evening.

Broad-shouldered security guards in dark sunglasses kept watch outside the hall as delegates entered through airport-style X-ray machines. 

Security around the capital has been tight all week with the steady arrival of heads of state.

Passengers arriving at Beijing train stations have faced enhanced security checks, while authorities have increased scrutiny of vehicles entering the city through traffic checkpoints.

Hotels have been booked out all week and surrounded by armed guards and new metal fences.

Bars in Sanlitun, a central shopping and nightlife district, have been packed with visitors from across Africa.

Xi pledged more than $50 billion in financing for Africa over the next three years — more than half of it in credit — telling delegates at the opening ceremony that China was “ready to deepen cooperation with African countries.”

China is Africa’s largest trading partner and its loans have helped build much-needed infrastructure, but they have sometimes also stoked controversy by saddling governments with huge debts.

Yet many delegates seemed hopeful that China, which seeks to tap Africa’s vast natural resources, could help their countries develop. 

The Burkina Faso developer said Chinese investment had been “good for the economy” and “improved people’s lives”, while increased trade meant there were “many more things for people to buy.”

“I hope the forum will improve relations even further and bring more cooperation.”
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