World Briefing: September 23, 2024
The Israeli military said it struck hundreds of targets Monday in Lebanon in one of the most intense barrages in nearly a year of fighting against the Hezbollah militant group, and military officials said they planned to widen the offensive. The Lebanese Health Ministry said at least 182 people were killed and more than 400 wounded in what would be the deadliest day in Lebanon since the conflict started in October. Before the escalation beginning with the wave of pager explosions last Tuesday, around 600 people had been killed in Lebanon since October, mostly fighters, but also more than 100 civilians. The Israeli army announced the action on social media, posting a photo of what is said was the military chief, Lt. Gen. Herzi Halevi, approving additional attacks from military headquarters in Tel Aviv.
Former CIA Director Leon Panetta calls Israel's explosive pager operation "terrorism" in an interview with CBS today: “I don't think there's any question it's a form of terrorism. When you have terror going into the supply chain, it makes people ask the question: what the hell is next? The forces of war are largely in control right now of what's going on."
Russian forces have been intensifying their attacks on the approach to the town of Pokrovsk in the Donbas, which used to be a key logistical hub far back from the front, crucial for supplying Ukrainian troops and towns in the east. But now, water, electricity and gas supplies have been cut off and most residents are getting out while they still can. Meanwhile, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky arrived in the United States on Sunday to present his war plan to President Joe Biden, as well as presidential candidates Donald Trump and Kamala Harris, as the US continues to oppose Ukraine's use of NATO weapons on targets inside Russian territory. With talks between Ukraine and Russia seemingly at a standstill, Zelensky is set to present his proposals for a plan to achieve a "fair and stable peace", which he hopes to have ready by November. - France 24
The United States has no immediate plans to withdraw a mid-range missile system deployed in the Philippines, despite Chinese demands, and is testing the feasibility of its use in a regional conflict, sources with knowledge of the matter said. The Typhon system, which can be equipped with cruise missiles capable of striking Chinese targets, was brought in for joint exercises earlier this year, both countries said at the time, but has remained there. China and Russia have condemned the first deployment of the system to the Indo-Pacific, accusing Washington of fueling an arms race. China's foreign ministry said it was very concerned about the plan to keep the system in place. “It seriously threatens the security of regional countries and intensifies geopolitical confrontation," ministry spokesperson Lin Jian told a press briefing. - CNBC
Sri Lanka's new president Anura Kumara Dissanayake has been sworn into office, promising "clean" politics as the country recovers from its worst economic crisis. The left-leaning Dissanayake has cast himself as a disruptor of the status quo, and analysts see his victory as a rejection of corruption and cronyism that has long plagued the country. Saturday's election was the first since 2022, when discontent over the economy fuelled mass protests and chased former president Gotabaya Rajapaksa from power. “We need to establish a new clean political culture," he said. "I commit to achieving this. We will do the utmost to win back the people’s respect and trust in the political system." - BBC
The US Commerce Department on Monday will propose a ban on the sale or import of smart vehicles that use specific Chinese or Russian technology because of national security concerns, according to US officials. A US government investigation that began in February found a range of national security risks from embedded software and hardware from China and Russia in US vehicles, including the possibility of remote sabotage by hacking and the collection of personal data on drivers, Secretary of Commerce Gina Raimondo told reporters Sunday in a conference call. “In extreme situations, a foreign adversary could shut down or take control of all their vehicles operating in the United States, all at the same time, causing crashes (or) blocking roads,” she said. - CNN
The European Commission has taken the first steps to challenge China's anti-subsidy investigation into some of the bloc's dairy exports, arguing it is based on "questionable allegations and insufficient evidence" and urging its immediate end. The announcement on Monday morning paves the way for consultations at the World Trade Organization (WTO) to settle the dispute before it escalates any further. The Chinese probe – requested by two state-backed industry groups – was launched in late August by the Commerce Ministry and targets EU subsidies in the production of fresh and processed cheese, blue cheese and other cheese, milk and cream products. Eight member states – Austria, Belgium, Croatia, the Czech Republic, Finland, Ireland, Italy and Romania – came under the ministry's scrutiny. The move was widely seen as a tit-for-tat as it came less than 24 hours after the Commission updated its proposal to slap additional tariffs of up to 36.3% on imports of China-made electric vehicles (EVs), following a nine-month inquiry. - Euronews
