Monday, June 17, 2024

Six In The Morning Monday 17 June 2024

 

Israeli PM scraps war cabinet after key departures

By Yolande Knell, BBC Middle East correspondent • David Gritten, BBC News


Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has dissolved his six-member war cabinet, a widely expected decision that follows the departure of centrist opposition leader Benny Gantz and his ally Gadi Eisenkot.

A government spokesman said the pre-existing security cabinet and the larger full cabinet would make decisions about the war with Hamas in Gaza.

Since Mr Gantz quit eight days ago over what he said was the lack of strategy for the war, there have been calls from far-right ministers to take his place.

By dissolving the war cabinet, Mr Netanyahu avoids a tricky situation with his coalition partners and international allies.


Governor installs crowd control gate on Mount Fuji to limit tourists

Yamanashi prefecture brings in modest hiking fee to stop ‘bullet climbing’ and address safety concerns

A crowd-control gate has been installed halfway up Mount Fuji before the start of this year’s climbing season on 1 July, but the governor of Yamanashi, one of the two prefectures that are home to the mountain, said additional measures were needed to control overcrowding on its lower slopes.

The gate was completed on Monday as part of a set of measures being introduced this year to address growing safety, environmental and overcrowding problems on Japan’s highest and best-known mountain.


Australia and China hold talks to mend bilateral ties

Security issues and jailed Australian writer Yang Hengjun were on the agenda during "candid dialogue" between Anthony Albanese and Li Qiang in Canberra.

Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese and Chinese Premier Li Qiang met in Canberra on Monday, to discuss trade, security and a jailed Australian writer.

Li is on a four-day visit to the country. This was the first visit to Australia by a Chinese premier in seven years. 

Albanese welcomed the "candid dialogue" with China's second-most senior official, adding "For Australia, we consistently advocate the importance of a region and world that is peaceful, stable and prosperous, where countries respect sovereignty and abide by international laws."


'Close to zero': Kremlin dismisses outcome of Ukraine talks held without Russia

Russia said on Monday that a Swiss-hosted conference on the Ukraine war had produced negligible results and showed the futility of holding talks without Moscow.

The Kremlin was commenting on a weekend summit where Western powers and their allies denounced Russia’s invasion of Ukraine but failed to persuade major non-aligned states to join their final statement.

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said the results of the meeting, to which Russia was not invited, were “close to zero”.

At a daily briefing with reporters, Peskov was asked if the fact that countries such as HungarySerbia and Turkey had taken part in the meeting and signed the statement would spoil Russia’s relations with them.

Putin's Invasion of UkraineAre Airbus Satellite Images Helping Russia Wage War?

A satellite snaps a photo, and a short time later a missile hits its target: Military experts fear that Russia is taking advantage of images produced by Airbus. The company denies it – but there are some curious parallels.


More than 7,500 satellites orbit the Earth every single day, and that number is constantly increasing. Most of them are from the U.S., but there are also plenty of European satellites in outer space, like those from Airbus.

The high-definition images that Airbus delivers from an altitude of 630 kilometers and more are particularly valuable for nations at war. They can show front lines, military positions, troop movements and critical infrastructure. Those who gain access to these photos are granted a look deep into enemy territory – even into areas that reconnaissance drones cannot reach. That is why satellite photos can be so valuable when planning precise airstrikes. As such, Ukraine – which has access to such images through its allies – has an advantage over the Russian invaders. Or should, at least.

‘They’re treating us like we’re spies’: Florida property ban has Chinese citizens fuming


After his employer implemented a return-to-office policy last year, Jin Bian decided to cut down his one-hour commute time by purchasing a house closer to the office in Tampa, Florida. Then, he was told the purchase might get him prison time.

“That was really shocking to me. It’s just purchasing property,” Bian, who is originally form Nanjing, China, said. “Once I learned that, I didn’t even bother to look anymore.”

Bian, a 31-year-old software engineer who has lived in the US for 12 years, is a recipient of an H-1B visa, which allows companies to employ foreign workers. For nearly a year, however, it has been a crime for him to purchase a home in Florida after the state’s governor, Ron DeSantis, signed a law restricting Chinese nationals without US green cards from purchasing property in the state.










No comments:

Translate