Serbia announces $3 billion deal to buy 12 French warplanes, in a shift away from Russia
Serbia announces $3 billion deal to buy 12 French warplanes, in a shift away from Russia/node/2569376/world
Serbia announces $3 billion deal to buy 12 French warplanes, in a shift away from Russia
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French President Emmanuel Macron clasps hands with Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic after a joint press conference in Belgrade on Aug. 29, 2024. (AP)
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French President Emmanuel Macron, left, meeting with Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic in Belgrade on Aug. 29, 2024. (AP)
Serbia announces $3 billion deal to buy 12 French warplanes, in a shift away from Russia
Macron hails deal as “historic and important” and part of a strategy to bring Serbia closer to the European Union
Russia has been a traditional supplier of military aircraft to Serbia, which has refused to join international sanctions against Moscow for its invasion of Ukraine
Updated 30 August 2024
AP
BELGRADE, Serbia: Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic on Thursday announced a $3 billion deal to buy 12 French warplanes, in a move that shifts his country away from its dependence on Russian arms.
The announcement about the Rafale multi-purpose fighter jets was made during a joint news conference in Belgrade with French President Emmanuel Macron during a two-day visit to Serbia as part of what French officials have called a strategy of bringing Serbia closer to the European Union.
Macron called called the deal “historic and important,” and said it demonstrated Serbia’s “strategic courage.”
“The European Union needs a strong and democratic Serbia at its side and Serbia needs a strong, sovereign Europe to defend its interests,” Macron said. ″Serbia’s place is in the EU, and it has a role to play to be an example for all the region.”
French President Emmanuel Macron, left, reviews the honor guard along with Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic during a welcoming ceremony in Belgrade, Serbia, on Aug. 29, 2024. (AP)
Serbia is formally seeking European Union membership, but under Vucic’s increasingly autocratic rule it has made little progress in the fields of rule of law and democratic reforms, which are the main preconditions for membership in the 27-nation bloc.
Selling Rafales to Russian ally Serbia, which has occasionally expressed an aggressive stance toward its Balkan neighbors, has raised some concerns, one of which is how France plans to prevent sophisticated Rafale technology from being shared with Russia.
Asked about whether the warplane deal includes restrictions on Serbia’s sharing of Rafale technology to its ally Russia, or the use of the military hardware in the Balkan region, Macron said the deal included ″full guarantees like any defense agreement,” without elaborating.
Russia has been a traditional supplier of military aircraft to Serbia, which has refused to join international sanctions against Moscow for its invasion of Ukraine.
Vucic described the purchase of the Rafale jets as a “big” development. “It will contribute considerably to improving operational capabilities of our army, a completely different approach and we are happy to become part of the Rafale club,” Vucic said.
File photo showing a French Air Force Dassault Rafale fighter jet on flight. (Shutterstock)
Vucic dismissed any concerns among Western nations of the possibility that Serbia would transfer technology to Russia because of the Balkan country’s traditional close ties with Moscow.
“For the first time in history Serbia has Western jets,” Vucic said. “You wish to have Serbia as a partner and then you voice suspicions?”
The French maker of Rafale, Dassault Aviation, said in a statement that Serbia’s decision to buy the warplanes confirms “Rafale’s operational superiority and its proven excellence in serving the sovereign interests of a nation.”
Serbia had been considering the purchase of the new Rafale jets for more than two years, since neighboring Balkan rival Croatia purchased 12 used fighter jets of the same type for about 1 billion euros ($1.1 billion).
The acquisition allows Serbia to modernize its air force, which consists mainly of Soviet-made MiG-29 fighters and aging Yugoslav combat aircraft.
From ‘Sleepy Joe’ to ‘Comrade Kamala,’ Republicans sharpen their tone
Trump and his surrogates have portrayed Harris as far more radical than Biden, applying the labels “left” and “radical” to her twice as often as they did to him
Updated 25 sec ago
AFP
PARIS: A “Marxist” and a “radical” who wants to “destroy” America: as Democrats rally around the candidacy of Kamala Harris, Republicans have begun employing significantly more negative and aggressive rhetoric than they had against Joe Biden.
An AFP analysis of the language used in nearly 120 hours of televised speeches and remarks by both parties’ candidates and their surrogates, from May 1 to September 1, reveals the strategies Republicans have adopted to undermine the Democratic candidate’s credibility.
After dismissing President Biden as “crooked,” “bad” and “sleepy,” Trump and his supporters now mock Harris as a “border czar,” for what they say is her badly failed work in curbing undocumented migration to the United States.
That nickname has popped up 80 times in rallies — once every 14 times the former California senator’s name is mentioned.
Republicans have repeatedly accused Harris of an “open border” policy, which they say allows “millions of illegal aliens” to flood into the country.
The negative rhetoric is much more prominent now — 30 percent more — than it was against Biden before he dropped out of the race on July 21. Trump supporters appearing on television associate her with negative words like “crime,” “destroy,” “suffer” and “bad.”
At the same time, Democrats have been using much more positive, enthusiastic language since Harris succeeded Biden as the Democrats’ flag-bearer, with words like “freedom,” “joy,” “win” and “care” being used 30 percent more often on talk shows and 70 percent more in rallies.
Trump and his surrogates have portrayed Harris as far more radical than Biden, applying the labels “left” and “radical” to her twice as often as they did to him.
And since July 21, their use of the term “liberal” in describing Harris has exploded — used eight times more in rallies and six times more in talk shows — while adjectives like “socialist” and “Marxist,” rarely applied to Biden, have become commonplace in Republicans’ vocabulary.
In the United States, the “Red Scare” — fear of subversion by far-left elements, including immigrants — hit its peak in the early 1950s. But years after the Cold War ended, any hint of communist sympathies remains anathema among US politicians.
This, presumably, was behind Trump finally settling on “Comrade Kamala” as his favored nickname for his Democratic rival — he has used that term at least 30 times in his rallies.
Through the entirety of Republican remarks analyzed by AFP, “Comrade” and the name of the vice president represent the seventh-most common pairing of words.
The two words most frequently linked, not surprisingly, are “Biden” and “Harris,” as Republicans seek to leverage Biden’s unpopularity — even after he dropped out of the race. The president’s name comes up every five or six times that Harris is mentioned.
By comparison, Democrats are only half as likely to link the names of Biden and their new candidate.
They describe Harris with words including “leader” and “ready” — ready to be president, that is.
Also among the top 20 terms used to describe her are “fight,” “freedom” and “believe” — reflecting the renewed sense of hope that her rapid ascension has brought to many Democrats.
Striking Boeing factory workers say they are ready to hold out for a better contract
The workers rejected a proposed contract that would have raised their wages by 25 percent over four years
The union said offer fell short of its initial demand for pay raises of 40 percent over three years, plus other benefits
Boeing stock fell 3.7 percent Friday, bringing its decline for the year to nearly 40 percent
Updated 23 min 16 sec ago
AP
SEATTLE, US: Blue-collar workers from Boeing walked picket lines in the Pacific Northwest instead of building airplanes on Friday after they overwhelmingly rejected a proposed contract that would have raised their wages by 25 percent over four years.
The strike by 33,000 machinists will not disrupt airline flights anytime soon, but it is expected to shut down production of Boeing’s best-selling jetliners, marking yet another setback for a company already dealing with billions of dollars in financial losses and a damaged reputation.
The company said it was taking steps to conserve cash while its CEO looks for ways to come up with a contract that the unionized factory workers will accept.
Late Friday, the Federal Mediation and Conciliation Service said it would convene new talks early next week.
“FMCS has been in contact with both IAM and Boeing to support their return to the negotiation table and commends the parties on their willingness to meet and work toward a mutually acceptable resolution,” the agency said in a statement.
Boeing stock fell 3.7 percent Friday, bringing its decline for the year to nearly 40 percent.
The strike started soon after a regional branch of the International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers reported that in a Thursday vote, 94.6 percent of participating members rejected a contract offer that the union’s own bargaining committee had endorsed, and 96 percent voted to strike.
Shortly after midnight, striking workers stood outside the Boeing factory in Renton, Washington, with signs reading, “Have you seen the damn housing prices?” Car horns honked and a boom box played songs including Twisted Sister’s “We’re Not Gonna Take It” and Taylor Swift’s “Look What You Made Me Do.”
Many of the workers who spoke to reporters said they considered the wage offer inadequate given how much the cost of living has increase in the Pacific Northwest. John Olson said his pay had increased just 2 percent during his six years at Boeing.
“The last contract we negotiated was 16 years ago, and the company is basing the wage increases off of wages from 16 years ago,” the 45-year-old toolmaker said. “They don’t even keep up with the cost of inflation.”
Others said they were unhappy about the company’s decision to change the criteria used to calculate annual bonuses.
The machinists make $75,608 per year on average, not counting overtime, and that would have risen to $106,350 by the end of the proposed four-year contract, according to Boeing.
Under the rejected contract, workers would have received $3,000 lump sum payments and a reduced share of health care costs in addition to pay raises. Boeing also met a key union demand by promising to build its next new plane in Washington state.
However, the offer fell short of the union’s initial demand for pay raises of 40 percent over three years. The union also wanted to restore traditional pensions that were axed a decade ago but settled for an increase in new Boeing contributions to employee 401(k) retirement accounts of up to $4,160 per worker.
The head of the union local, IAM District 751 President Jon Holden, said the union would survey members to find out which issues they want to stress when negotiations resume. Boeing responded to the strike announcement by saying it was “ready to get back to the table to reach a new agreement.”
“The message was clear that the tentative agreement we reached with IAM leadership was not acceptable to the members. We remain committed to resetting our relationship with our employees and the union,” the company said in a statement.
Boeing Chief Financial Officer Brian West, speaking Friday at an investor conference in California, said the company was disappointed that it had a deal with union leadership, only to see it rejected by rank-and-file workers.
During the strike, Boeing will lose an important source of cash: Airlines pay most of the purchase price when they take delivery of a new plane. West said Boeing — which has about $60 billion in total debt — is now looking at ways to conserve cash. He declined to estimate the financial impact of the strike, saying it would depend on how long the walkout lasts.
Before the strike, new CEO Kelly Ortberg gathered feedback from workers during visits to factory floors, and he “is already at work to get an agreement that meets and addresses their concerns,” West said.
White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said Biden administration officials have contacted Boeing and the union.
“We believe that they need to negotiate in good faith and work toward an agreement that gives employees benefits that they deserve. It would make the company stronger as well,” she said.
Very little has gone right for Boeing this year, from a panel blowing out and leaving a gaping hole in one of its passenger jets in January to NASA leaving two astronauts in space rather sending them home on a problem-plagued Boeing spacecraft.
The striking machinists assemble the 737 Max, Boeing’s best-selling airliner, along with the 777 jet and the 767 cargo plane. The walkout likely will not stop production of Boeing 787 Dreamliners, which are built by nonunion workers in South Carolina.
The strike is another challenge for Ortberg, who just six weeks ago was given the job of turning around a company that has lost more than $25 billion in the last six years and fallen behind European rival Airbus.
Ortberg made a last-ditch effort to salvage a deal that had unanimous backing from the union’s negotiators. He told machinists Wednesday that “no one wins” in a walkout and a strike would put Boeing’s recovery in jeopardy and raise more doubt about the company in the eyes of its airline customers.
“For Boeing, it is no secret that our business is in a difficult period, in part due to our own mistakes in the past,” he said. “Working together, I know that we can get back on track, but a strike would put our shared recovery in jeopardy, further eroding trust with our customers and hurting our ability to determine our future together.”
Ortberg faced a difficult position, according to union leader Holden, because machinists were bitter about stagnant wages and concessions they have made since 2008 on pensions and health care to prevent the company from moving jobs elsewhere.
“This is about respect, this is about the past, and this is about fighting for our future,” Holden said in announcing the strike.
The suspension of airplane production could prove costly for beleaguered Boeing, depending on how long it runs. The last Boeing strike, in 2008, lasted eight weeks and cost the company about $100 million daily in deferred revenue. A 1995 strike lasted 10 weeks.
Before the tentative agreement was announced Sunday, Jefferies aerospace analyst Sheila Kahyaoglu estimated a strike would cost the company about $3 billion based on the 2008 strike plus inflation and current airplane-production rates.
A.J. Jones, a quality inspector who has been at Boeing for 10 years, was among the workers picketing on a corner near Boeing’s Renton campus. He said he was glad union members had decided to hold out for more pay.
“I’m not sure how long this strike is going to take, but however long it takes, we will be here until we get a better deal,” Jones said.
1 person shot during scuffle at pro-Israel rally in Boston suburb, authorities say
Updated 14 September 2024
AP
NEWTON, Mass.: A pro-Israel rally in a Boston suburb turned violent Thursday evening when a passerby was shot during a scuffle after confronting a group of demonstrators, authorities said.
Police were called at 6:40 p.m. to the scene of what they described as a small rally in Newton. Words were exchanged before a passerby rapidly crossed the street and tackled one of the demonstrators, Middlesex County District Attorney Marian Ryan said.
“A scuffle ensued. During that scuffle, the individual who had come across the street was shot by a member of the demonstrating group,” Ryan said during a news conference late Thursday.
Scott Hayes, 47, of Framingham, was arrested on charges of assault and battery with a dangerous weapon and violation of a constitutional right causing injury. He pleaded not guilty to the charges.
Hayes, who works as a contractor for National Grid, was ordered to be fitted with a GPS monitor and to stay away both from the city of Newton and from the individual who had been shot and to not be in possession of a dangerous weapon.
Hayes, who appeared to have bruising to his face during his court appearance Friday afternoon, was also required to post a $5,000 cash bail and to abide by a 7 p.m. to 6 a.m. curfew.
“This is a textbook case of self defense,” said Glenn MacKinlay, an attorney representing Hayes. “We’re confident that the investigation, when it’s completed, will clear Mr. Hayes of all charges.”
Prosecutors also told the court that an application for a criminal complaint has been applied for against the individual who was shot, identified as Caleb Gannon of Newton. He was being treated at a hospital.
They said they opted for an application for a criminal complaint instead of an arrest because the alleged assault and battery was not committed in the presence of a police officers.
Acting Newton Police Chief George McMains asked witnesses to provide investigators with photos or videos of the confrontation. He said police would provide extra patrols at “houses of worship” over the next several days.
Newton Mayor Ruthanne Fuller called the shooting a “frightening incident” and asked for everyone to remain calm as police investigate.
“I know people will have a lot of questions, and we will share information with Newtonians and the press when we are able,” Fuller said. “It’s really early stages of an active investigation.”
WASHINGTON: British Prime Minister Keir Starmer and US President Joe Biden on Friday delayed a decision to let Ukraine fire long-range Western-supplied missiles into Russia, a plan that sparked dire threats from Moscow of a war with NATO.
Starmer told reporters at the White House that he had a “wide-ranging discussion about strategy” with Biden but that it “wasn’t a meeting about a particular capability.”
Before the meeting officials had said Starmer would press Biden to back his plan to send British Storm Shadow missiles to Ukraine to hit deeper inside Russia as allies become increasingly concerned about the battlefield situation.
But the Labour leader indicated that he and Biden would now discuss the plan at the UN General Assembly in New York the week after next “with a wider group of individuals.”
As they met with their teams across a long table in the White House, backed by US and British flags, Biden played down a warning by Russian President Vladimir Putin that allowing Ukraine to fire the weapons would mean the West was “at war” with Russia.
“I don’t think much about Vladimir Putin,” Biden told reporters when asked about the comments.
But while Biden said it was “clear that Putin will not prevail in this war,” he is understood to be reluctant to grant Ukraine’s insistent demand to be able to use long-range US-made ATACMS missiles against Russian territory.
US officials believe the missiles would make a limited difference to Ukraine’s campaign and also want to ensure that Washington’s own stocks of the munitions are not depleted.
The two leaders said they also discussed the war in Gaza, with Britain having recently suspended arms deliveries to Israel over concerns that they could be used to violate international humanitarian law.
The US, Israel’s main military and diplomatic backer, has held off such a step.
Biden and Starmer agreed on their “ironclad commitment” to Israel — but stressed the “urgent need” for a ceasefire deal and a “need for Israel to do more to protect civilians” in Gaza, the White House said in a readout.
The White House had earlier played down the chances of a Ukraine decision coming from Friday’s visit by Starmer, the Labour leader’s second to the White House since he took office in July.
“I wouldn’t expect any major announcement in that regard coming out of the discussions, certainly not from our side,” National Security Council spokesman John Kirby told reporters.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky however pushed Kyiv’s Western allies to do more.
Speaking in Kyiv, Zelensky accusing the West of being “afraid” to even help Ukraine shoot down incoming missiles as it has done with Israel.
Zelensky added that he will meet Biden “this month” to present his “victory plan” on how to end two and a half years of war with Russia.
Russia has reacted angrily to the prospect of the West supplying long-range weapons to the country it invaded in February 2022.
In another sign of increasing tensions, Russia revoked the credentials of six British diplomats whom it accused of spying in what London termed “baseless” allegations.
Russia’s UN ambassador Vassily Nebenzia warned separately that letting Ukraine use long-range weapons would plunge NATO into “direct war with... a nuclear power.”
Ukraine and the United States’s allies are all meanwhile anxiously waiting for the result of a tense US presidential election in November that could upend Washington’s Ukraine policy.
Biden is on his way out of office while the election is a toss-up between his Democratic political heir Kamala Harris and Republican former president Donald Trump.
Trump has repeatedly praised Putin, and refused to take sides on the war during a debate with Harris on Tuesday, saying only: “I want the war to stop.”
Starmer denied he was worried about a Trump presidency, and said the need to help Ukraine in coming weeks and months was urgent “whatever timetables are going on in other countries.”
Bomb threats close schools and offices after Trump spread false rumors about Haitians in Ohio
Updated 14 September 2024
AP
SPRINGFIELD, Ohio: Bomb threats prompted the evacuation of schools and government buildings for a second day on Friday in an Ohio community that has been the focus of unwanted attention after former President Donald Trump amplified false rumors that Haitian immigrants are abducting and eating pets.
An emailed threat said bombs had been planted in the homes of Springfield’s mayor and other city officials, said Karen Graves, a city spokesperson. A second email said that bombs would be detonated at locations including Springfield City Hall, a high school, a middle school, two elementary schools, a local office of the Ohio Bureau of Motor Vehicles and a licensing bureau.
The buildings were evacuated, and authorities with explosive-detection dogs swept and cleared them, officials said.
“We are committed to the safety and well-being of our community and take all threats to public safety with the utmost seriousness,” Graves said. “We are currently collaborating with the Dayton office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation to determine the origin of these email threats.”
The Springfield City School District said in a statement Friday that “all threats to the Springfield City School District are taken seriously and will be prosecuted at the highest levels. The district’s messaging to families continues to be one of gratitude for their patience and understanding as our Wildcat Family navigates these events.”
The threatening emails referenced an influx of thousands of Haitian immigrants into the predominantly white, blue-collar city of about 60,000, about 45 miles (72 kilometers) from the state capital of Columbus.
A sign at The Wieners Circle, a popular hot dog restaurant, reads "IMMIGRANTS EAT OUR DOGS" as it comments on a claim by Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump that immigrants in Springfield, Ohio were abducting and eating residents' cats and dogs. (Getty Images/AFP)
At Tuesday’s presidential candidate debate with Vice President Kamala Harris, Trump repeated debunked claims about Haitian immigrants eating cats and dogs. Trump’s comments echoed similar claims made by his campaign, including his running mate, Ohio Sen. JD Vance, and other Republicans, including one that immigrants are eating fowl snatched from public parks.
In March, unsubstantiated rumors started circulating that three Haitian men were seen in a Springfield park grabbing a duck and a goose. In recent days, a sign was posted at the park saying “Please Do Not Eat The Ducks.”
Workers on Friday removed the unauthorized sign, which looked professionally made, said Brad Boyer, deputy director of the National Trails Parks and Recreation District.
In an interview with NewsNation on Friday, Springfield Mayor Rob Rue said the claims are “just untrue,” and cast the city in a negative light.
“Springfield is still beautiful and your pets are safe,” he said. “There’s a lot of frenzy on the Internet, but this is not what we’re seeing. It’s a bit frustrating.”
Rue acknowledged the immigrant influx is straining police, hospitals and schools. He said the city asked for help several months ago.
“There is a culture clash, and we see it, and we know it,” he said. “And the federal leaders who had the national stage did not help us solve this problem.”
This week, Gov. Mike DeWine pledged $2.5 million over two years to provide more primary health care through Springfield’s home county and private institutions, while the Ohio State Highway Patrol will help local law enforcement with traffic issues that officials say have cropped up due to an increase in Haitians unfamiliar with US traffic laws.
