Embattled President Biden greets NATO allies in Washington

A banner promoting the NATO 75th anniversary celebratory event is seen outside the Walter E. Washington Convention Center in Washington DC. (Reuters)
A banner promoting the NATO 75th anniversary celebratory event is seen outside the Walter E. Washington Convention Center in Washington DC. (Reuters)
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Updated 09 July 2024
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Embattled President Biden greets NATO allies in Washington

Embattled President Biden greets NATO allies in Washington
  • Zelensky is due to meet with Biden in Washington
  • NATO, celebrating its 75th anniversary, has found new purpose in opposing Russian President Vladimir Putin’s Ukraine invasion

WASHINGTON DC: US President Joe Biden welcomes the heads of NATO member states to Washington on Tuesday for an annual summit that gives the embattled Democrat an international stage to convince allies at home and abroad he can still lead.
Biden, 81, has vowed to press on in his race against Republican Donald Trump, 78, despite concern from Democrats on Capitol Hill and donors that he will lose the Nov. 5 election after a halting debate performance on June 27.
Biden made restoring the United States’ traditional alliances abroad to counter the threat of autocracies the centerpiece of his foreign policy after Trump challenged allies as part of an “America First” approach. Who wins in November could have a substantial impact on NATO’s and Europe’s future.
Trump has suggested that, given a second term, he would not defend NATO members that did not meet the alliance’s defense spending target of 2 percent of their respective GDP if they came under military attack. He has also questioned the amount of aid given to Ukraine in its battle against Russia’s invasion.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky arrived in Washington to attend NATO summit on Tuesday and said he would “fight” for strong decisions to strengthen Ukrainian air defenses and for more F-16 fighter jets.
“We are fighting for additional security guarantees for Ukraine — and these are weapons and finances, political support,” he said in a video on the Telegram messaging app.
Zelensky is due to meet with Biden in Washington and is scheduled to deliver an address on Tuesday evening at the Ronald Reagan Institute in Washington.
Aides said Biden’s opening speech expected at 5 p.m. Eastern time (2100 GMT) will highlight what his administration sees as a key accomplishment: a stronger and more united NATO, under Washington’s leadership, with more members and a resolve to meet their collective security needs.
That brings, they say, tangible results for American voters: a safer country, with a strong international economic position, more alliances and power abroad, and less at risk of conflict with its adversaries.
Trump and many of his Republican allies reject such arguments.
“Republicans, of course, celebrate the peace and prosperity that NATO has secured and will continue to stand by our partners as we prevent needless wars,” said US House of Representatives Speaker Mike Johnson, a top Republican and Trump ally, on Monday. “But we also believe that NATO needs to be doing more.”

WORRY FROM ALLIES ABOUT BIDEN’S STAYING POWER
NATO, celebrating its 75th anniversary, has found new purpose in opposing Russian President Vladimir Putin’s Ukraine invasion and welcomed Finland and Sweden as new members.
The grinding Ukraine-Russia war will dominate private conversations between the leaders of the 32 NATO member countries, who have an agenda focused on military and financial aid for Ukraine and offering some pathway toward eventual NATO membership for Kyiv.
But those leaders, already anxious about the prospect of Trump’s return, come to Washington with fresh concern about Biden’s staying power, according to diplomats from their countries. One described Biden as bruised after a difficult political period and said their government was looking for signs about whether he would survive.
NATO leaders face political uncertainty in Europe, with paralysis looming in France after gains for left and far right parties, and German Chancellor Olaf Scholz’s coalition weakened after a poor showing in European Parliament elections.
The week’s events in Washington will give Biden a chance to address the concerns, including his high profile speech on Tuesday and a rare solo press conference on Thursday.
Biden will highlight new support for Ukraine. During the summit, NATO leaders are expected to endorse an initiative that will see the alliance coordinate arms supplies and training for Ukrainian forces. They may also get more support on air defense.
US Secretary of State Antony Blinken said before a meeting with his Ukrainian counterpart Dmytro Kuleba that the summit would “further strengthen” Ukraine’s ties to NATO and its path to membership. He said he expected it would produce “a very strong package” for Ukraine.
A senior NATO official told reporters on Tuesday Russia lacks the munitions and troops to start a major offensive in Ukraine and needs to secure significant ammunition supplies from other countries beyond what it already has.
But he estimated Russia would be able to sustain its war economy for three to four more years and also said “it will be some time” before Ukraine has amassed the munitions and personnel it needs to mount its own large-scale offensive operations.
Ukraine ultimately wants to join NATO to ward against further future attacks by Russia, but candidates have to be approved by all of the alliance’s members, some of which are wary of provoking a direct war with Russia.
US officials have said the summit will offer Ukraine a “bridge to membership,” which would include the new NATO effort to coordinate arms supplies and training.
Some members want the alliance to make clear Ukraine is moving toward NATO “irreversibly” and are keen for language in a summit statement beyond the alliance’s pledge last year that “Ukraine’s future is in NATO.”


Albania police fire tear gas, water cannon at anti-government protesters

Albania police fire tear gas, water cannon at anti-government protesters
Updated 3 sec ago
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Albania police fire tear gas, water cannon at anti-government protesters

Albania police fire tear gas, water cannon at anti-government protesters
Protesters said they were engaged in a campaign of civil disobedience against Socialist Party Prime Minister Edi Rama
“The protests will continue, this is a battle until this regime goes,” Tedi Blushi from the opposition Freedom Party said

TIRANA: Police in Albania’s capital Tirana fired tear gas and used water cannon to disperse hundreds of opposition protesters blocking roads, who accused the government of corruption and demanded it be replaced with a technocratic caretaker authority.
Protesters said they were engaged in a campaign of civil disobedience against Socialist Party Prime Minister Edi Rama. The opposition in Albania have been protesting almost every week demanding a caretaker government step in until parliamentary elections in 2025.
“The protests will continue, this is a battle until this regime goes,” Tedi Blushi from the opposition Freedom Party told local media.
The leaders of Albania’s two biggest opposition parties, Sali Berisha of the Democratic Party and Ilir Meta of the Freedom Party, are charged with corruption offenses and both accuse Rama of orchestrating these. They deny the charges.
Rama says the charges are not politically-motivated and accuses the opposition of trying to seize power with violence.
Berisha is being held under house arrest on corruption charges relating to his time as prime minister. Meta was arrested in late October also on corruption charges for the time when he served as president between 2017-2022.
Rama has been in power since 2013 and plans to run for a fourth term next year.

One killed in Bangladesh as Hindu protesters clash with police over arrest of religious leader

One killed in Bangladesh as Hindu protesters clash with police over arrest of religious leader
Updated 52 min 9 sec ago
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One killed in Bangladesh as Hindu protesters clash with police over arrest of religious leader

One killed in Bangladesh as Hindu protesters clash with police over arrest of religious leader
  • Chinmoy Krishna Das was arrested from Dhaka airport on Monday on several charges, including sedition
  • India condemned the arrest, saying perpetrators who hurt minorities and desecrated deities remained at large

DHAKA At least one person was killed in Bangladesh in clashes between security forces and Hindus protesting against the arrest of a religious leader, police said, even as neighboring India urged that the safety of Hindus and minorities be ensured.

Chinmoy Krishna Das, a Hindu leader associated with the International Society for Krishna Consciousness (ISKCON), was arrested from Dhaka airport on Monday on several charges, including sedition.

His arrest sparked protests by his supporters in both the capital Dhaka and Chittagong city.

“A Muslim lawyer defending Das was killed amid protests outside the court (in Chittagong),” said police officer Liaquat Ali.

A probe has been ordered into the alleged killing, the caretaker government said in a statement, adding that Chief Adviser Muhammad Yunus had directed law enforcement agencies to step up security in the port city.

“The interim government is committed to ensuring and upholding communal harmony in Bangladesh at any cost,” the government said.

Das faces sedition charges filed in October after leading a large rally in Chittagong, in which he was accused of disrespecting Bangladesh’s national flag and was denied bail by a court in Chittagong on Tuesday.

'RAMPAGE'

When Das was being escorted back to prison from court, more than 2,000 supporters surrounded the van, blocking it for over two hours, Chittagong Metropolitan Police Commissioner Hasib Aziz, said.

“They went on a rampage, throwing bricks at us. To disperse the crowd, we had to fire tear gas. No one was seriously injured, but one of our constables was hurt,” Aziz said.

India condemned the arrest of Das, saying in a sternly worded statement that the perpetrators of documented vandalism and arson against minorities as well as those who desecrated deities remained at large.

Hindu-majority India has strong cultural and business ties with its neighbor and Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s government has expressed concern over a spate of attacks on Hindus.

“It is unfortunate that, while the perpetrators of these incidents remain at large, charges should be pressed against a religious leader presenting legitimate demands through peaceful gatherings,” the Indian foreign ministry statement said.

Bangladesh’s foreign ministry, responding to India, said the government does not interfere in the judiciary’s work, and the matter was being dealt with by the court of law.

“The Government of Bangladesh is also committed to upholding communal harmony in the country,” the ministry said. One killed in Bangladesh as Hindu protesters clash with police over arrest of religious leader 


Russian shelling kills two in Ukraine’s Sumy, President Zelensky says

Russian shelling kills two in Ukraine’s Sumy, President Zelensky says
Updated 52 min 37 sec ago
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Russian shelling kills two in Ukraine’s Sumy, President Zelensky says

Russian shelling kills two in Ukraine’s Sumy, President Zelensky says
  • Zelensky said in a video on the Telegram messaging app that a rescue operation was underway at the site and more people could be under debris
  • “It is realistic to protect against it only by destroying Russian weapons”

KYIV: Russian shelling killed two civilians in the city of Sumy in northeastern Ukraine on Tuesday, President Volodymyr Zelensky said.
Zelensky said in a video on the Telegram messaging app that a rescue operation was underway at the site and more people could be under debris.
City officials earlier said that Sumy, located about 30 km (19 miles) from the Russian border, had been hit by a Russian airstrike at about 12.10 p.m. (1010 GMT). They said a car servicing station, several houses, and an educational building were damaged in the attack.
But Zelensky, citing preliminary findings, later said Sumy had been struck by a multiple-launch rocket system.
“It is realistic to protect against it only by destroying Russian weapons, the Russian launch systems on Russian territory. That is why the ability to strike at Russian territory is so important for us,” Zelensky said.
Russia’s defense ministry said that Ukraine hit Russia with US-produced ATACMS missiles twice over the last three days, adding that Moscow was preparing retaliatory measures.
The war between Russia and Ukraine is at a critical stage, with Moscow reported to be using North Korean troops and Kyiv using Western-supplied missiles to strike back inside Russia.


Prosecutors seek up to 14-year terms for French rape trial defendants

Prosecutors seek up to 14-year terms for French rape trial defendants
Updated 26 November 2024
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Prosecutors seek up to 14-year terms for French rape trial defendants

Prosecutors seek up to 14-year terms for French rape trial defendants
  • The case has sparked horror, protests and a debate about male violence in France
  • Until Wednesday, or latest Thursday morning, prosecutors are outlining their sentencing demands for all the defendants

AVIGNON, France: French prosecutors on Tuesday demanded sentences of up to 14 years for some of the remaining co-defendants of a man charged with enlisting dozens of strangers to rape his wife while she was drugged and unconscious.
On Monday, prosecutors requested a maximum 20-year jail term for Dominique Pelicot, who has been on trial in the southern city of Avignon since September with 49 other men for organizing the rapes and sexual abuse of Gisele Pelicot, now his former wife.
One man is being tried in absentia.
The case has sparked horror, protests and a debate about male violence in France, with tens of thousands of protesters staging demonstrations across the country on Saturday against violence targeting women.
The decade-long abuse of Gisele Pelicot by Dominque Pelicot was only uncovered when he was arrested for a separate upskirting offense, leading investigators to discover his meticulously-kept records of the visitors to the family home in the town Mazan.
Until Wednesday, or latest Thursday morning, prosecutors are outlining their sentencing demands for all the defendants, most of whom come from ordinary professions ranging from the fire brigade to the media.
On Tuesday, public prosecutor Laure Chabaud asked for a 14-year sentence for Karim S., 38, who was one of the few defendants whose messaging with Dominique Pelicot was discovered by investigators.
For Florian R., 32, who did not admit “intent” and Gregory S., 31, who was “aware of Gisele Pelicot’s altered state,” Chabaud demanded thirteen years in prison.
Some defense lawyers have described the sentencing demands as “staggering” and “out of proportion,” alleging the public prosecutor’s office was under pressure from “public opinion.”
“I fear what will happen next,” said Louis-Alain Lemaire, a lawyer for four defendants.
But public prosecutors say the trial should herald a fundamental change in society.
“In 2024, we can no longer say ‘she didn’t say anything, she agreed,’ that’s from another era,” Chabaud said on Monday.
Prosecutors asked for a 12-year sentence for nine of the remaining defendants, including Boris M., 37, who claimed during the hearings that he, too, was a victim.
“He says he was a victim of Dominique Pelicot, like Gisele Pelicot,” prosecutor Jean-Francois Mayet said.
But “at no time did he seek or obtain Gisele Pelicot’s consent,” he said, adding, “in reality, he was pleased with the situation presented to him” by the main defendant.
Prosecutors sought a 12-year sentence for Mahdi D., 36, who also claimed to be a victim of Dominique Pelicot’s actions.
Chabaud also asked for 12-years for Lionel R., 44, who said he was taking “part in a couple’s fantasy.”
Many of the accused argued in court that they believed Pelicot’s claim that they were participating in a libertine fantasy, in which his wife had consented to sexual contact and was only pretending to be asleep.
Among them, 33 have also claimed they were not in their right minds when they abused or raped Gisele Pelicot, a defense not backed by any of the psychological reports compiled by court-appointed experts.
Prosecutors also sought a 12-year jail term for Cyril B., 47, who “was well aware Gisele Pelicot should not be woken up,” and for Thierry P., 54, who said Dominique Pelicot was “solely responsible,” the public prosecutor said.
Mayet demanded the same prison sentence for Omar D., 36, who argued “the husband’s consent and presence seemed to be sufficient,” and Ahmed T., 54, who “denies any responsibility.”
Two other defendants, Redouane A., 40, who said he came to Mazan to “please the couple” and Jean T., 52, who claimed without evidence he was also drugged by the main defendant, are also facing a 12-year jail-term.
On Monday, prosecutors requested a 17-year prison sentence for one defendant, Jean-Pierre M., 63, who applied Pelicot’s practices against his own wife to rape her a dozen times, sometimes in Pelicot’s presence.
The trial has made Gisele Pelicot, who insisted the hearings be held in public, a feminist icon in the fight of women against sexual abuse.
Prosecutor Mayet praised her “courage” and “dignity,” thanking her for allowing the hearings to be held in public.
The verdicts and sentencing are expected by December 20.


Russia vows response to latest Ukraine ATACMS strikes

Russia vows response to latest Ukraine ATACMS strikes
Updated 26 November 2024
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Russia vows response to latest Ukraine ATACMS strikes

Russia vows response to latest Ukraine ATACMS strikes
  • Ukraine firing the long-range missiles into Russia for the first time last week prompted a furious reaction from Moscow
  • Russia’s defense ministry on Tuesday said Ukraine had carried out fresh strikes — on November 23 and 25 — using ATACMS

MOSCOW: Moscow’s military on Tuesday pledged a response to fresh Ukrainian air attacks inside Russia using US-supplied ATACMS missiles.
Ukraine firing the long-range missiles into Russia for the first time last week prompted a furious reaction from Moscow.
Russia’s defense ministry on Tuesday said Ukraine had carried out fresh strikes — on November 23 and 25 — using ATACMS.
“Retaliatory actions are being prepared,” it said in a post on Telegram, without elaborating.
The United States gave Ukraine permission to use the weapons to hit Russian territory earlier this month after months of requests from Kyiv.
In a rare admission, Russia said the fresh strikes had caused damage to military hardware and wounded some of its personnel on the ground.
A strike on the Kursk Vostochny air base wounded two servicemen, the defense ministry said, while a strike on an air defense battery damaged a radar system and also caused “casualties.”
It said three of the five missiles fired in the first strike were shot down, while seven of the eight used in the second were destroyed.
Moscow rarely provides such specific details on Ukrainian aerial attacks and almost never admits missiles have reached their intended target.
The defense ministry also posted photos of what it said were the missile fragments, showing large casings with English-language inscriptions on the side.
AFP was unable to immediately verify the images.
The strikes come with tensions having ratched up dramatically in the near three-year conflict over the last few weeks.
Putin last week signed a decree lowering the threshold for the use of nuclear weapons, days before launching the nuclear-capable hypersonic Oreshnik missile at Ukraine.