President Vladimir Putin of the Russian Federation needs to desist from forcing the weak hand of Armenia concerning the Zangezur corridor. Iran notified the Russian Federation that geopolitical changes in the Caucasus are not desired. Therefore, other nations – including America, France, and Greece – must step up in their support of this ancient Christian land against the threat of Pan-Turkism (Azerbaijan and Turkey) and the intrigues of the Russian Federation.
Iran is displeased that the Russian Federation and Turkey (NATO power) are supporting Azerbaijan in its demand to control the Zangezur transport corridor. This stretch of Armenian land splits the Nakhchivan Azerbaijan enclave (once Armenian Christian land until cleansed) from the rest of Azerbaijan.
If Azerbaijan, the Russian Federation, and Turkey usurped the Zangezur transport corridor from the control of Armenia, this would entail that Iran is conclusively cut off from its natural border with Armenia.
Iran warns Russia against Caucasus geopolitical changes amid corridor dispute – Al-Monitor
Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva has supported Justice de Moraes’ decision, asserting that wealthy individuals like Musk are not above the law. Meanwhile, Musk has criticized President Lula, referring to him as de Moraes’ “lapdog.” The decision to suspend X was upheld by one of Brazil’s Supreme Court panels, though some legal experts argue that a broader consensus among justices should have been sought for such a critical action.
The Musk vs. de Moraes case exemplifies the complexities tech companies face when navigating different legal frameworks globally, highlighting growing tensions between multinational digital platforms and sovereign laws. With no immediate resolution in sight, the conflict continues to draw international attention, underscoring the intricate relationship between technology, law, and politics in today’s digital landscape.
Brazil Supreme Court panel unanimously upholds judge’s decision to block X nationwide – The Associated Press
The broader support among justices undermines the effort by Musk and his supporters to cast Justice Alexandre de Moraes as an authoritarian renegade who is intent on censoring political speech in Brazil.
The panel that voted in a virtual session was comprised of five of the full bench’s 11 justices, including de Moraes, who last Friday ordered the platform blocked for refusing to name a local legal representative, as required by law. It will stay suspended until it complies with his orders and pays outstanding fines that as of last week exceeded $3 million, according to his decision.
MSNBC calls for boycott of social media platform X, contributor calls for Elon Musk’s prosecution | The Post Millennial– thepostmillennial.com Source Link Excerpt:
“If every moderate-to-liberal human and organization stopped using the site, that might pressure Musk or his board of directors to stop weaponizing it.”
MSNBC has called for a boycott against the social media platform X, claiming that its owner, Elon Musk, has pushed misinformation relating to the upcoming election.
An opinion piece published by MSNBC calling for the boycott cited a recent report by the nonprofit Center for Countering Digital Hate which claimed to have identified 50 instances where Musk posted false claims about the election. The MSNBC piece also accused Musk of amplifying conspiracy theories and anti-Semitism.
“If every moderate-to-liberal human and organization stopped using the site, that might pressure Musk or his board of directors to stop weaponizing it,” the opinion, written by journalist Jay Michaelson, argued.
“It isn’t even a boycott. Leaving X isn’t like boycotting Coors because it’s too right-wing or Bud Light because it’s too left-wing. Those boycotts are fine — that’s part of capitalism too — but X is different in kind. Because unlike beer, the X product itself is the problem,” Michaelson added.
X’s Global Affairs Chief Nick Pickles Resigns After Brazil Ban – observer.com
Longtime X employee Nick Pickles is leaving the social media platform during a tumultuous time. Win McNamee/Getty Images
Elon Musk’s social media platform X is losing one of its longest-running employees. Nick Pickles, the current vice president of global affairs at the company, announced his resignation yesterday (Sept. 5) in a post on the platform. “After more than ten years, tomorrow will be my last day at X,” said Pickles, who did not provide a reason for his departure. X did not respond to requests for comment from Observer.
Pickles was one of the few employees of X, previously known as Twitter, to have survived Elon Musk’s $44 billion takeover of the company in 2022 and was a trusted member of X CEO Linda Yaccarino’s inner circle. The British executive said he was grateful for Yaccarino’s support and partnership, noting that he made the decision to leave X several months ago and is “looking forward to taking some time off before a new challenge.”
Pickles became a prominent figure throughout X’s numerous clashes with international governments. Censorship battles between X and countries like Brazil, India and Australia have proliferated since Musk’s acquisition and a loosening of content restrictions on the platform. “It’s vital that democratic governments don’t unwittingly endorse or adopt the policies of governments who do not want to protect the open, global internet,” said Pickles of government attempts to remove content from the site in a May interview with the Financial Times. “We risk a race to the bottom, with ever more aggressive sanctions being used to try and control the global internet without respect for global norms and free expression,” he added.
It’s not just Brazil v. Elon Musk’s X: Governments are seeking harsh remedies to social media abuses – Fortune
There have always been consequences in media for getting things wrong, from lawsuits and reputational damage to jail time and fines that can gut a business. You can be right and still get targeted. Just ask the Committee to Protect Journalists. Now, social media platforms are dealing with those issues. What’s different and disturbing is how many governments are aiming to essentially shut them down.
Russia and China Conduct Largest Military Drills since Cold War › American Greatness– amgreatness.com Source Link Excerpt:
In the last week, the military forces of China and Russia conducted some of the largest drills in the last 30 years, marking an alarming increase in the two nations’ displays of military strength.
According to Fox News, the week-long drills will include 90,000 troops, 400 naval vessels, and 120 aircraft, and will take place in the Pacific and Arctic Oceans, as well as the Baltic, Caspian, and Mediterranean Seas. The drill has been named “Ocean 24.”
The display of power takes place as representatives from the United States meet with leaders of the European Union in Brussels, specifically focusing on rising tensions in the Indo-Pacific Region. China and Russia have slowly been growing closer together in recent years, with the former supporting the latter’s invasion of Ukraine.
The United States has been critical of China for providing “very substantial” support to Russia’s ongoing war effort.
“These are not dual-use capabilities,” said U.S. Deputy Secretary of State Kurt Campbell after the latest reports of China providing military supplies to Russia. “These are basically being applied directly to the Russian war machine.”
China to train thousands of overseas law enforcement officers to create ‘more fair’ world order – The Guardian Source Link Excerpt:
China will train thousands of foreign law enforcement officers so as to see the world order “develop in a more fair, reasonable and efficient direction”, its minister for public security has said.
“We will [also] send police consultants to countries in need to conduct training to help them quickly and effectively improve their law enforcement capabilities,” minister Wang Xiaohong told an annual global security forum.
Wang Xiaohong made the announcement in the eastern city of Lianyungang on Monday in front of law enforcement representatives from 122 countries, regions and international organisations such as Interpol.
The forum is part of ongoing efforts by China’s ruling Communist party to position itself as a global security leader. In 2022 China’s leader, Xi Jinping, launched the Global Security Initiative (GSI), which centres China as a facilitator to “improve global security governance … and promote durable peace”.
China’s New Aircraft Carriers Have a ‘Sizeable Edge’ over U.S. Navy for 1 Reason – The National Interest Online
Unlike the U.S., whose aircraft carriers are central to its naval power, China’s carriers are meant to operate under the protective “bubble” created by its A2/AD defenses, particularly within the First Island Chain.
What You Need to Know on China’s Aircraft Carriers and the 1 Edge They Have Against the U.S. Navy: China is rapidly expanding its aircraft carrier fleet, with plans for five or six by the 2030s, despite the challenges posed by anti-access/area-denial (A2/AD) systems. Unlike the U.S., whose carriers are central to its naval power, China’s carriers are meant to operate under the protective “bubble” created by its A2/AD defenses, particularly within the First Island Chain.
US roll outs new export controls aimed at restricting China’s chip industry – Al Jazeera English
The United States has rolled out fresh export controls on quantum computers and semiconductor-manufacturing equipment amid concerns about the use of advanced technologies by rivals such as China.
The US Department of Commerce said on Thursday that the export restrictions followed consultation with international partners and would strengthen relations with “like-minded countries”.
“Today’s action ensures our national export controls keep step with rapidly evolving technologies and are more effective when we work in concert with international partners,” Under Secretary for the Bureau of Industry and Security Alan Estevez said in a statement.
“Aligning our controls on quantum and other advanced technologies makes it significantly more difficult for our adversaries to develop and deploy these technologies in ways that threaten our collective security.”
Xi offers African leaders more aid as China challenges US-led global order – Imperial Valley Press
BEIJING (AP) — Dozens of African leaders gathered Thursday in Beijing for a summit that signals China’s influence in a continent that it hopes will be a key ally in pushing back against a U.S.-led global order.
Chinese President Xi Jinping promised the leaders billions of dollars in loans and private investment over the next three years, and proposed that relations with all African countries that have diplomatic ties with China be elevated to the “strategic” level.
China rolls out red carpet for African leaders as it strategizes against the West – washingtonexaminer.com
China is rolling out the red carpet for 53 African leaders as it seeks to strengthen ties and cement its influence in the mineral-rich and strategically centered continent.
The three-day summit in Beijing began on Wednesday and comes as China tries to counter U.S. and European influence in the region to gain global dominance.
Dancers perform as Morocco Prime Minister Aziz Akhannouch arrives at the Beijing Capital International Airport ahead of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation summit in Beijing on Wednesday, Sept. 4, 2024. (Adek Berry/Pool Photo via AP)
Under President Xi Jinping, China is trying to raise its political credibility to the point that it becomes a rulemaker versus a rulebreaker in the international playing field. To do that, it needs other countries, in this case, in Africa, to become its allies in international institutions such as the United Nations. However, to do that, it must first build and nurture the relationships.
Even though the United States, Japan, India, and Russia also hold summits to push their interests in Africa, China is unmatched when it comes to the continent’s economic partner, investing billions of dollars in infrastructure and green projects.
‘Tier One’ US Special Forces Unit Preparing for Chinese Invasion of Taiwan: Report– www.westernjournal.com Source Link Excerpt:
A “Tier One” force is reportedly preparing to assist the island nation of Taiwan against a mainland superpower’s overwhelming and relentless force.
The United States Navy’s SEAL Team 6 is currently training for the types of missions that may occur if the People’s Republic of China opens hostilities against its island neighbor, the Financial Times reported.
According to the report, SEAL Team 6 has been training for the simmering conflict for over a year at the elite force’s Dam Neck, Virginia, headquarters.
German warships to cross Taiwan Strait for first time in 22 years, defying Beijing’s warnings – Firstpost Source Link Excerpt:
Two German warships are set to pass through the sensitive Taiwan Strait in the middle of this month, becoming the first German naval vessels to do so in 22 years, Spiegel magazine reported on Saturday.
Reuters reported last month that the warships were awaiting orders from Berlin to sail the Strait, prompting a rebuke to Germany from Beijing.
Spiegel cited unspecified sources as saying Beijing would not be formally notified of the German ships’ passage to emphasise that Berlin views the trip as normal.
Germany’s defence ministry declined to comment.
China targets SpaceX’s reusable rocket lead, seeks to replace Jeff Bezos as Elon Musk’s top space rival – Mint Source Link Excerpt:
China is aiming to loosen Elon Musk’s lock on reusable launch vehicles — and close a yawning technology gap with the US.
Beijing is turning to aerospace startups and state-owned enterprises alike to develop an edge in rockets that can be used dozens of times to lift satellites into low-Earth orbit.
One company trying to meet that challenge isLandSpace Technology Corp.,whoseZhuque-3 reusablerocket successfully completed a 10 kilometer (6.2 mile)vertical takeoff and landing returntest flightat the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Centeron Wednesday.According to Chinese state media, it markeda “significant breakthrough in China’s commercial space industry” and was a “crucial step toward achieving high capacity, low cost, high frequencyand reusability in future space launches.”
China raising its retirement age may be unpopular but it’s much needed, analysts say– www.cnbc.com Source Link Excerpt:
China’s top legislative body passed an official plan Friday to begin incrementally raising the nation’s statutory retirement age from Jan. 1 of next year and concluding in 2040, according to Chinese state media.
The final goal of the roughly 15-year plan is to raise the retirement age by three years for men to 63 years old, five years for women that work in factories from 50 to 55 and three years for women that work in white-collar jobs from 55 to 58.
The reforms are “overdue and very much welcome,” Erica Tay, director of macro research at Maybank Investment Banking Group, told CNBC.
China has been grappling with a shrinking workforce and looming pension budget shortfalls that could significantly damage the economy.
Mali seals arms deal with Chinese manufacturer – APANEWS
Mali has sealed a military cooperation deal with Chinese arms manufacturer Norinco on the eve of the opening of the 9th Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC) taking place in Beijing from 4 to 6 September.
The head of the Malian transition, Colonel Assimi Goïta, visited the headquarters of Norinco, a world leader in the manufacture of armaments for the signing of a contract for the purchase of new military equipment for his country.
In Beijing, Colonel Goïta was received at Norinco’s headquarters, accompanied by the Minister of Defence and Veterans, Colonel Sadio Camara, and several members of his government.
The visit gave the Malian officials the opportunity to learn about the latest innovations in the field of armaments, particularly in the areas of light weapons, combat drones and advanced artillery systems.
Mali’s Colonel Assimi Goïta reflects on visit to China – APAnews Source Link Excerpt:
In an interview with Malian television, he described the visit as a decisive advancement in Mali-China relations.
Colonel Goïta noted, “Currently, China and Mali enjoy fraternal ties that have lasted for over 60 years,” emphasizing that these relations span several sectors, including defense and security, education, agriculture, and energy.
A significant outcome of the visit was the announcement that Mali and China would elevate their relationship to a strategic partnership. “At the request of President Xi Jinping, we have decided to enhance our partnership to a strategic level,” the head of Mali’s transition stated. This development underscores the importance of Sino-Malian cooperation and will be formalized during an upcoming state visit.
China Hands 9-Year Prison Sentence to Taiwan Activist for ’Separatism’ – time.com
China handed a nine-year prison term to a Taiwanese political activist convicted of “separatism,” a rare sentence that prompted Taiwan to warn its people about the dangers of traveling across the strait.
Yang Chih-yuan received the term in a court in the eastern Chinese city of Wenzhou, Taiwan’s Mainland Affairs Council said in a briefing on Thursday, according to the semi-official Central News Agency.
China’s ruling Communist Party intended for the “case to intimidate the people of Taiwan,” said council Deputy Minister Liang Wen-chieh, adding that travelers from the democracy of 23 million should be prudent when considering going across the strait.
This was the first time China jailed a Taiwanese person on a charge of trying to break up its territory, according to the council, a government department in Taipei that handles cross-strait relations. In recent years, Chinese prosecutors have leveled the charge against Uyghurs, a minority group in the restive far western region of Xinjiang.
As Xi Clamps Down, Chinese Civil Society Flourishes Overseas– www.dailysignal.com Source Link Excerpt:
Mournful residents of Shanghai, China, watched Jifeng Bookstore close its doors for the last time on Jan. 31, 2018. The establishment was best known for carrying books and hosting forums that pushed the boundaries on issues deemed sensitive by the Chinese Communist Party.
The forced closure of the bookstore was part of a broader crackdown on free speech and civic discourse by Chinese leader Xi Jinping’s government.
Nearly seven years later, Jifeng reopened Sept. 1 in a new location—Washington, D.C.—under the name JF Books. The bookstore’s grand opening attracted a diverse assortment of local scholars, journalists, activists, and members of diaspora communities from mainland China, Taiwan, and Hong Kong.
The excitement was palpable as visitors perused books, took in memorabilia from the shuttered Shanghai store, and registered for upcoming lectures, which are starting back up this month after a hiatus of nearly seven years.
China’s Presence in Timor-Leste Is Unseen, but Unmissable – TIME
“It was not really an assassination attempt,” says José Ramos-Horta. Timor-Leste’s President is sitting on the breezy veranda of Galeria Memoria Viva, the seafront bungalow in capital city Dili that now serves as his personal museum. The walls are festooned with memorabilia spanning half-a-century of activism and politics: a watercolor by an incarcerated former comrade; a plaque commemorating his 1996 Nobel Peace Prize; photos of an Australian journalist slain during his nation’s tumultuous birth pangs.
But when asked about that fateful morning of Feb. 11, 2008, Ramos-Horta tears up the history book. It was during his previous stint as president that rebel leader Alfredo Reinado entered his home at 6 a.m. with a dozen heavily armed men. Ramos-Horta was out jogging on the beach and returned to a firefight between the intruders and his security staff, during which he was shot at least twice (the rebels used banned “dum-dum” bullets that fracture on impact, so the exact number remains a mystery.)
Ramos-Horta was airlifted to the Australian city of Darwin for medical treatment and nearly lost his life; one shrapnel fragment was lodged just 2 mm from his spine. When he eventually recovered, Ramos-Horta from his hospital thanked “all who prayed for me, who looked after me, who cared for me following the assassination attempt on me by Mr. Alfredo Reinado.
As Global Underpopulation Crisis Continues, China’s One-Child Policy Has Destroyed Its Population – lifenews.com
Steven Mosher, President of the Population Research Institute, has issued a stark warning in the New York Post. In his article “Baby Doom,” Mosher highlights the alarming global decline in birth rates.
“The big story comes from China, home to one-sixth of the world’s population,” Mosher writes, “the decades-long devastation wrought by the one-child policy has sent that country, for centuries the pacesetter in population, into absolute decline.” He notes that the official population figure of 1.44 billion is likely exaggerated by as much as 130 million.
This birth rate issue is widespread, as Mosher explains “for the first time in the 60,000 or so years that human beings first arrived on the planet, we are not having enough babies to replace ourselves.” In addition, he argues that the 2.1 figure, often reported as the necessary replacement rate, is too low because “in many countries sex-selection abortion skews the sex ratio strongly in favor of boys.”
Aspects of China’s global economic coercion strategy – Mizzima News Source Link Excerpt:
The US has adopted a two-pronged strategy towards China. One, is pursuing the path of dialogue, the other is confrontation. Both go hand in hand as can be seen by recent developments. While Antony Blinken, the US Secretary of State travelled to Beijing for talks, back home administration officials criticised China for its coercive behaviour worldwide.
The nature of Chinese coercion is evident on all fronts and its ramifications across several fronts including economic, defence and other areas, is also a focus area for the Biden administration. Such actions are normally visible as Beijing uses tools like the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) and Global Security Initiative to penetrate and pressurize nations. Just one recent example of the heft China carries can be cited, this time in a cultural context. In Paris at a cultural event on China, the French Museum which hosted the event was ‘forced’ to title Tibet as ‘Xizang’, the latest effort by China to show that Tibet has always been a part of China. Thus, the world should be aware of various aspects of China’s coercive tactics.
China’s military coercion has been very visible in the South China Sea and its current actions clearly threaten the security of the Philippines. Nicholas Burns, the US Ambassador to China, recently pointed that the “very ill-advised efforts by the government of China to intimidate the Philippines at Second Thomas Shoal, at Sabina Shoal, in an incident at Scarborough Shoal, just to name three incidents over the last month or so”. Diplomatic messaging is certainly one way to signal intent and the US has been consistently doing it. Apart from the Ambassador in Beijing, Secretary Antony Blinken has conveyed US concerns to China as did US NSA Jake Sullivan, who told the Chinese leadership “very directly” that Washington had an ironclad commitment to defend the Philippines.
Disney Consumer Products helps Chinese partners to ‘go global’ – China.org Source Link Excerpt:
A Disney executive shared with China.org.cn that his cross-border strategy, introduced last year, has prompted many of Disney’s Chinese partner brands to successfully sell their products in overseas markets. In addition to aiding Chinese partners abroad, the global media and entertainment conglomerate is also optimistic about future growth with its own business in consumer products.
Kermid Rahman, senior vice president and general manager for Disney Consumer Products in Asia Pacific, stated that since he initiated the cross-border strategy last year nearly 70 licensees in the region have collaborated with Disney to start cross-border business.
“Many Chinese brands have successfully entered the Japanese, South Korean and Southeast Asian markets, and have already achieved brilliant performance,” he said at The Walt Disney Company’s Greater China Consumer Products Showcase 2025 held in Shanghai on Sept. 10. The temporary exhibition and showcase conference saw more than 3,700 representatives from various partner brands in attendance.
Canada’s left-wing New Democratic Party (NDP) has pulled the plug on a two-and-a-half-year-old agreement with Justin Trudeau’s Liberals that had helped keep his minority government in power.
In a video posted to social media on Wednesday, NDP leader Jagmeet Singh said he had informed the prime minister of his decision, saying the Liberals were “too weak, too selfish” to fight for Canadians.
The deal – called a “supply and confidence” agreement – had the NDP supporting the Liberals in confidence votes.
The announcement does not automatically mean a federal election is imminent but that Canadians may go to the polls before the election scheduled for October 2025.
BREAKING: Pierre Poilievre responds to NDP breaking confidence agreement with Trudeau Liberals, calls for ‘Carbon Tax Election’ now – thepostmillennial.com
“In today’s media stunt, Sellout Singh refuses to state whether the NDP will vote with non-confidence to cause a carbon tax election at the first chance,” Poilievre wrote. Photo: Beth Baisch
Official Opposition Conservative leader Pierre Poilievre responded Wednesday to the news that NDP leader Jagmeet Singh has ended his party’s loose coalition agreement with the Trudeau government, calling for an immediate “Carbon Tax Election.”
Poilievre posted on X: “Two years ago, Sellout Singh sold out workers and signed on to a costly coalition with Justin Trudeau that hiked taxes, ballooned food costs, doubled housing costs and unleashed crime and chaos in our once safe streets.”
“In today’s media stunt, Sellout Singh refuses to state whether the NDP will vote with non-confidence to cause a carbon tax election at the first chance,” Poilievere continued. “Sellout Singh has voted to quadruple the carbon tax to $0.61/L, a plan that will drive Canadians to food banks and grind our economy to a halt— killing hundreds of thousands of jobs. Sellout Singh did all of this after promising he would be an opposition voice.”
Canadians rank Trudeau as worst prime minister since the 1960s by wide margin in new poll– www.lifesitenews.com Source Link Excerpt:
(LifeSiteNews) – Prime Minister Justin Trudeau was ranked Canada’s worst leader since the 1960s in a new study.
An investigation conducted by Research Co. and released September 4 shows that 38 percent of Canadians overall said they disliked Trudeau the most compared with a list of other prime ministers.
A distant second as the most disliked was Stephen Harper, who was the former head of the Conservative Party, at 14 percent. Trudeau’s dad, Pierre, came in third at 7 percent.
Trudeau has been prime minister since 2015.
In western Canada, dislike for Trudeau was the strongest, with 55 percent of Albertans and 52 percent each in Saskatchewan and Manitoba saying they are not fond of him.
Research Co. has been tracking the popularity of current and former prime ministers for the past five years. Trudeau’s unpopularity has risen dramatically since 2022, nearly doubling since that year.
Although the Alternative for Germany (AfD) party secured a first-place finish in the Saxony elections on Sunday, the party is still launching an investigation into an alleged computer error that cost them a seat in parliament and is also calling for an end to mail-in votes, citing security concerns and shady practices.
The first issue is the alleged software glitch that resulted in the AfD and the Christian Democrats (CDU) both losing a seat, while the Greens and Social Democrats (SPD) both gained one seat. The party says that it is launching an investigation into this.
“We want to know exactly what went wrong,” said the AfD’s state and parliamentary group leader Jörg Urban in a statement. He is demanding an exact error analysis. “If there are any irregularities, we will take legal action.”
Notably, the loss of one seat resulted in the AfD losing its blocking majority, which would have allowed the party, for example, to block the appointment of certain judges in the state.
🇩🇪 NEW: Alleged software error in Germany means the AfD and CDU both lose one seat in Saxony.
That seat was important for the AfD, as it provided the party with a “blocking minority” during crucial votes that require a two-thirds majority. pic.twitter.com/kqmCw3nLdR
The error initially gave the AfD and CDU an incorrect number of seats. After a review, “the state election management corrected the allocation of seats,” according to the German news outlet Leipziger Volkzeitung.
Viktor Orban praises Germany for leading the EU in major migrant crackdown | World | News– www.express.co.uk Source Link Excerpt:
Hungary’s Viktor Orban praised his liberal German counterpart Olaf Scholz for cracking down on migrants. German Chancellor Olaf Scholz stunned his pro-EU allies after unveiling strict border rules which will allow for a “massive step-up in rejections” of asylum seekers.
Mr Orban whose anti-immigrant rhetoric and actions has sparked huge rows with Brussels, sent a message of support to Mr Scholz: “Germany has decided to impose strict border controls to stop illegal migration. Scholz, welcome to the club! #StopMigration.”
EU officials have warned that Mr Scholz’s new policy threatens to unravel the entire European bloc, as one leading German politician remarked: “Border controls would be the beginning of the end for the EU.”
Unveiling the plan on Monday, Interior Minister Nancy Faeser of the Social Democratic Party (SPD) said: “Until we achieve stronger border protection with the joint European asylum system, we must further protect our national borders.”
Keir Starmer vows to stop people-smuggling gangs with tactics used to jail rioters – theguardian.com
Keir Starmer has pledged to break up people-smuggling gangs in the same manner used to apprehend and jail hundreds of rioters this summer.
Following a meeting with law enforcement agencies and cabinet ministers on plans to stop small boats crossing the Channel on Friday, the prime minister said that the “high-level summit” mirrored the approach taken after disturbances fuelled by far-right activists.
“We sat round the table with law enforcement and the police to make sure that we got the desired outcome and made sure we could deliver – in that case – swift justice.
“I’m absolutely determined to take the same approach here, active government, an operational summit, making sure that we are going to retake control of our borders, take these gangs down,” he said.
Telling uncomfortable truths is now considered ‘terrorism’ in Britain – lifesitenews.com
(LifeSiteNews) — In a further sign of the United Kingdom’s increasingly aggressive policing of speech, two British journalists documenting genocide have been arrested under section 12 of the Terrorism Act in the past month.
Richard Medhurst documents Israel’s genocide. He was arrested on disembarking at Heathrow Airport on Thursday, August 15, under the Terrorism Act.
Sarah Wilkinson was arrested in her home days ago by ten non-uniformed police officers under the Terrorism Act – for documenting Israel’s genocide. A shocking account of her ordeal can be read here.
France has a new prime minister. Who is Michel Barnier? – globalnews.ca
President Emmanuel Macron named on Thusday the EU’s Brexit negotiator Michel Barnier as France’s new prime minister, after more than 50 days of a caretaker government.
The appointment of the 73-year-old Barnier follows weeks of intense efforts by Macron and his aides to bring an intense period of political turmoil to an end by finding a government leader who can survive in France’s newly fractured political landscape.
Barnier faces the tough task of having to work with the bitterly divided, hung parliament that emerged from legislative elections that Macron called in June, in a huge surprise.
Without a legislative majority of his own behind him, Barnier will need to find loose ad hoc groupings of backers in the National Assembly to tackle France’s pressing issues — including the budget for 2025.
Barnier could quickly face possible attempts in parliament to topple the new government he will now put together and lead. Opponents of Macron on the left of French politics immediately portrayed the appointment of the conservative Barnier as a slap in the face of those who voted for them.
Myanmar’s military government will conduct a nationwide population and household census in October, state media said on Monday, paving the way for a promised election next year amid raging conflict across swathes of the country.
The census data collected between Oct 1-15 will be used to hold a general election next year, junta chief Min Aung Hlaing told a meeting on Sunday, state media reported. “The census can be used in compilation of correct and accurate voter lists which is a basic need for successfully holding a free and fair multi-party democratic general election,” Min Aung Hlaing said separately in a televised speech on Sunday.
Myanmar junta says fifth batch of conscripts begins training– Frontier Myanmar Source Link Excerpt:
A fifth batch of conscripts Myanmar’s junta hopes will help reverse its battlefield losses has begun training, state media reported on Tuesday.
A military source also told Agence France-Presse the new batch followed around 15,000 other conscripts who had already completed their training.
The junta enforced a conscription law in February, three years after its coup that sparked armed uprisings across Myanmar and as it reeled from a string of defeats.
The law allows the military to summon any man aged 18-35 and woman aged 18-27 to serve in the armed forces for at least two years.
“Eligible citizens” from the fifth batch arrived at the “respective military training depots” on Monday, according to state-run outlet The Global New Light of Myanmar, without saying how many were involved.
Myanmar junta chief warns of ‘counterattacks’ in opponent-held areas – VOA Asia
Myanmar’s embattled junta chief has warned civilians in territory recently captured by ethnic minority armed groups to prepare for military counterattacks, state media reported on Wednesday.
The military has lost swaths of territory near the border with China in northern Shan state to an alliance of armed ethnic minority groups and “People’s Defence Forces” battling to overturn the junta’s 2021 coup.
The groups have seized a regional military command and taken control of lucrative border trade crossings, prompting rare public criticism by military supporters of the junta’s top leadership.
Junta troops “will… launch counterattacks,” junta chief Min Aung Hlaing said on Tuesday in the Shan state capital Taunggyi, according to the Global New Light of Myanmar.
Junta’s airstrikes on No-2 border police battalion in Maungdaw, over 50 killed, many injured – narinjara.com Source Link Excerpt:
Naung Min Thu, Narinjara News, 10 September 2024
The junta forces carried out airstrikes on 2nd border guard police
battalion (NaKhaKha-2) in 4-mile of Maungdaw town, which was occupied by
the Arakan Army (AA) fighters. The attack, conducted by two jet fighters,
resulted in the death of more than 50 people, including prisoners of war and
civilian inmates, with many others injured.
According to a statement issued by the AA, two airstrikes were
conducted by jet fighters on 9 September at around 9:30 pm. The casualties
included prisoners of war and civilian inmates temporarily detained at
NaKhaKha-2 base in Arakan State.
Flooding death toll climbs after delayed warning from Myanmar junta – myanmar-now Source Link Excerpt:
More than 60 have died this week in floods caused by Typhoon Yagi in various parts of Myanmar, with most of the confirmed deaths occurring between Mandalay and the junta’s administrative capital of Naypyitaw, according to rescue workers.
Heavy rains started in and near Tachileik, eastern Shan State on Monday, causing floods by the next day. Flooding also occurred in Myawaddy, Karen State and in southern Shan State over the next few days.
Since Thursday, flooding has impacted Mandalay Region’s Kyaukse, Myittha, Pyawbwe, Thazi and Yamethin townships along the road from Mandalay to Naypyitaw, as well as Pyinmana, Tatkon, and Zayathiri townships in the Naypyitaw Union Territory, rescue workers said.
10 people have died in the floods in Yamethin Township, according to the rescue workers, with as many as 200 missing and feared dead after dozens were carried off in floodwaters in rural villages. In Pyawbwe Township, 15 people are reported missing and three bodies have been recovered, they said.
Putin vows WW3 if Ukraine allowed to use British missiles to fire into Russia – but PM insists tyrant ‘started it’– www.thesun.co.uk Source Link Excerpt:
MAD Vlad Putin vowed World War Three if the West allows British missiles to be fired on Russia by Ukraine.
But last night Sir Keir Starmer told The Sun the Kremlin tyrant “started it.”
The PM was on his way to Washington DC for crunch talks with US President Joe Biden over whether to allow the dramatic escalation in support for war torn Ukraine.
Putin yesterday warned granting permission for the Ukranians to use British and French kit to pound targets deep within Russian territory would mean war.
He said: “This would in a significant way change the very nature of the conflict… It would mean that Nato countries are at war with Russia.”
Biden and Starmer to meet as decision nears on plan to allow Ukraine to use Western weapons for deeper strikes into Russia.– www.washingtonexaminer.com Source Link Excerpt:
BLINKEN: ‘WE WANT UKRAINE TO WIN’: The U.S. and the U.K. appear close to approving a plan that would loosen the restrictions placed on the use of Western long-range weapons by Ukraine to counter Russia’s relentless attacks on civilian targets and vital energy infrastructure.
President Joe Biden and British Prime Minister Keir Starmer will confer tomorrow in Washington after being briefed by their emissaries, Secretary of State Antony Blinken and British Foreign Secretary David Lammy, who met with President Volodymyr Zelensky in Ukraine yesterday.
“And among other things, we discussed long-range fires, but a number of other things as well,” Blinken said at a news conference in Kyiv. “We’re going to take what we learned back to President Biden in my case, and the prime minister in David’s case. The two of them will meet in just a few days’ time in Washington to discuss how our countries will continue to support Ukraine.”
Blinken and Lammy arrive in Kyiv as Ukraine pushes for long-range strikes on Russia– abcnews.go.com Source Link Excerpt:
KYIV, Ukraine — U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken and British Foreign Secretary David Lammy arrived in Kyiv on a joint visit Wednesday, as Ukraine presses the West to allow it to use long-range missiles against Russia.
The top diplomats reached the Ukrainian capital by train hours after the U.S. presidential debate during which Vice President Kamala Harris and former President Trump sparred over the 2 1/2-year war in Ukraine.
For months, Ukraine has been requesting approval to use long-range weapons from the United States and Western allies to strike targets in Russia, and is expected to press harder given Russia’s latest reported weapons acquisition.
EU at UN Security Council: Ukraine has lost up to 80% of its pre-war thermal electricity production capacity – euneighbourseast.eu Source Link Excerpt:
On 10 September, the Head of the EU Delegation to the United Nations, Ambassador Stavros Lambrinidis, speaking in New York at the UN Security Council on the Maintenance of International Peace and Security, repeated the EU’s call on Russia immediately to halt its illegal war of aggression, including its unrelenting air strikes against Ukraine’s civilians and civilian and critical infrastructure.
On 26 August, Russia launched an unprecedented number of 236 missiles and drones. On 3 September, at least 55 people were killed and 328 injured in Poltava alone.
“It has hit residential buildings, hospitals, schools, power plants and playgrounds. This is unacceptable under any circumstances. Ukraine has lost up to 80% of its pre-war thermal electricity production capacity. It is clear Russia is attempting to pile the pressure on the Ukrainian people ahead of a cold winter,” Lambrinidis said.
He said the EU is “very concerned” by the recent reports indicating that Iran has supplied Russia with ballistic missiles and called upon all countries, including the DPRK and Belarus, to refrain from any actions that may amount to complicity in Russia’s aggression against Ukraine.
Zelensky Pushes Ahead With Cabinet Overhaul – nytimes.com
President Volodymyr Zelensky’s party announced a slate of nine candidates for cabinet posts on Wednesday, marking the biggest shake-up in the government since the war against Russia started.
Vance says Trump’s plan to end the war would likely force Ukraine to give up land, NATO aspirations– www.washingtonexaminer.com Source Link Excerpt:
VANCE’S VISION OF UKRAINE PEACE: Former President Donald Trump’s running mate, Sen. J.D. Vance (R-OH), has laid out a vision of how he expects Trump’s plan to bring the war in Ukraine to a quick end will play out, and it’s pretty much everything Russian President Vladimir Putin could have hoped for.
Trump has repeatedly refused to say he wants Ukraine to win but has promised to end the war as soon as he wins the November election — before he actually takes office. “I will get that settled and fast, and I’ll get the war with Ukraine and Russia ended,” Trump said at this week’s debate with Vice President Kamala Harris. “If I’m president-elect, I’ll get it done before even becoming president.”
“I think what this looks like is, Trump sits down, he says to the Russians, the Ukrainians, the Europeans, you guys need to figure out, ‘what does a peaceful settlement look like?’” Vance said in a podcast interview Thursday with former Navy SEAL Shawn Ryan.
“And what it probably looks like is something like the current line of demarcation between Russia and Ukraine — that becomes like a demilitarized zone, it’s heavily fortified so the Russians don’t invade again,” Vance said. “Ukraine retains its independent sovereignty. Russia gets the guarantee of neutrality from Ukraine, it doesn’t join NATO, it doesn’t join you know some of these sort of allied institutions. And I think that’s ultimately what this looks like.”
Ukraine mourns dead from major Russian strike, vows response with underground weapons production– abcnews.go.com Source Link Excerpt:
POLTAVA, Ukraine — Funeral services were held Saturday for victims of one of the deadliest Russian airstrikes since the war in Ukraine began, as Ukraine’s president vowed to increase domestic military production by creating underground weapons factories.
The funerals took place in the eastern Ukrainian city of Poltava for the victims of a Russian missile attack on a military training facility that left over 50 dead and more than 300 injured.
Hundreds of mourners, including grieving families, local residents, and officials, gathered at the Cathedral of the Assumption in the city, some 350 kilometers (200 miles) southeast of Kyiv, for the solemn ceremony. Sobbing relatives, many holding red carnations, stood over caskets placed outside the church, draped in yellow-and-blue Ukrainian flags. An air raid siren sounded during the service.
Russia loses 1,300 soldiers in one day as Putin’s troops suffer blow – express.co.uk
Russia lost an eye-watering 1,300 soldiers in one day on Sunday, bringing Moscow’s total casualties to 617,000, Ukraine‘s General Staff of the Armed Forces has claimed.
Kyiv’s forces claim that it has destroyed 8,601 (+9) Russian tanks, 16,786 (+26) armored combat vehicles, and 17,646 (+10) artillery systems since the start of the war.
Russia Says Army Seized New Village in Eastern Ukraine– www.themoscowtimes.com Source Link Excerpt:
Russia said on Saturday it had seized another village in eastern Ukraine, where Moscow’s troops are continuing to advance.
The defense ministry said Russian forces “have liberated the village of Kalynove” in the Donetsk region, which lies around 25 kilometers (16 miles) southeast of the key logistics hub of Pokrovsk, held by Kyiv’s forces.
Russian troops have been advancing on Pokrovsk for months and Ukraine has ordered the mandatory evacuation of children from the city.
Moscow has claimed to have captured a string of villages in the area, even as it struggles to fight off a major Ukrainian counter-attack into its own western Kursk region.
Russian President Vladimir Putin said Thursday that Russia’s “primary objective” in the conflict was to capture the entire Donbas region – which consists of Ukraine’s Donetsk and Luhansk regions.
War in Ukraine is “serfs killing serfs” claims Ukraine anarchists that advocate desertion – Indybay
“Since the morning of August 6, when Ukrainian troops broke through the border and occupied some border settlements in the Kursk region of Russia, debates have not subsided about the meaning and consequences of this sortie from a military-political point of view. The end of the battles for this territory are still far away. At the moment, it is only clear that such an attack against the backdrop of the collapsing Ukrainian defense in the Donetsk region came as a complete surprise to many.
In particular, the focus of attention during the battles for the Kursk region was on the border gas metering station in Sudzha (Suja), through which Russian gas is supplied to Europe. Its continued work despite hostilities around it became another symbol of the fact that war is war but international business continues as usual. From the posts of Netherlands-based Donetsk emigrant Andrey Shokotko:
“Dutch families will be warm this winter. With full gas reserves, the chances of an extreme increase in energy bills are limited.” Thanks to Zelensky and Putin, whose reliable partnership (so brilliantly confirmed in Sudzha) does not allow us in Europe to freeze. But it is not entirely clear – why do they send their serfs to kill each other? And why do slaves, knowing about the Russian-Ukrainian business partnership, go to kill each other?
Zelenskyy accuses Brazil of being pro-Russia, slams peace proposal – POLITICO Source Link Excerpt:
“We are not stupid,” Zelenskyy said during the interview. “How can you offer ‘here is our initiative’ without asking anything from us?” He added, “This is a lack of respect toward Ukraine.”
Zelenskyy expressed doubt over Brazil’s efforts to find a peaceful resolution to the war, arguing that Russian President Vladimir Putin, whom he described as a “murderer,” has no intention of ending the conflict.
When asked about Brazil’s position on the war, Zelenskyy said, “Unfortunately, I believe that they [the Brazilian government] are taking Russia’s side.”
“I had a good conversation with President Lula and I thought he understood me. I was grateful to meet him, and I was very open, absolutely open. I thought I would see in his experience an understanding of what is happening, and not just a political pacification,” he added.
The Myanmar Junta is extending its state of emergency an additional six months in what appears to be a bid to have to avoid facing elections. The junta took over after Aung San Suu Kyi won the election in 2021. She was arrested February 1, 2021, and has been imprisoned ever since.
The announcement comes at the same time as the junta lost a military base near the border with China, which is the northeastern command located in the city of Lashio, which is in the Shan State. The junta leader, Senior General Min Aung Hlaing, made the announcement as he also accused “foreign countries” of providing arms to the junta, saying, “We need to investigate where these [drone] factories are getting their funds and technological support from.”
China Advised to Pick Friends More Wisely in Myanmar After Schmoozing With Junta
China will be unable to solve the crisis in Myanmar by holding talks with “untrustworthy” military dictators, U Kyaw Zaw, the spokesman of the President’s Office of the civilian National Unity Government (NUG) told The Irrawaddy.
He made the comment following the visit of Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi to Myanmar last week.
Wang visited Naypyitaw on August 14, holding talks with junta boss Min Aung Hlaing, the junta’s Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Than Swe as well as former military dictator Than Shwe.
During the meeting with the coup leader, Wang said China opposes chaos or conflict in Myanmar as well as any remarks that attempt to sow discord in China-Myanmar relations.
China hopes “Myanmar finds a path to long-term peace and stability,” he said.
His visit coincided with a string of humiliating defeats of Myanmar’s military in northern Shan State, Mandalay Region and Rakhine State.
Myanmar Junta Troops ‘Cornered’ in Two Northern Shan Townships
Heavy fighting is ongoing between Myanmar junta troops and Ta’ang National Liberation Army (TNLA)-led forces in the neighboring townships of Nawnghkio and Hsipaw, northern Shan State, according to residents and resistance forces.
Clashes erupted around Nawnghkio Township’s Taung Khan and Mat Man Taw villages on Sunday, said the TNLA, a member of the ethnic Brotherhood Alliance.
A junta Y-12 transport plane dropped at least 20 bombs on Nawnghkio Township hotspots on Sunday alone, according to the TNLA’s statement.
Fighting around the two villages continued on Monday, residents said.
Myanmar’s military regime extends state of emergency by 6 months as civil war rages
The military regime that seized power in Myanmar 3 1/2 years ago extended a state of emergency in the civil war-wracked country for another six months, saying Wednesday it needs time to prepare for long-promised elections.
The state of emergency was initially declared when troops ousted the elected government of Aung San Suu Kyi on Feb. 1, 2021, arresting her and members of her National League for Democracy party.
The emergency decree empowers the military to assume all government functions, giving the head of the ruling military council, Senior Gen. Min Aung Hlaing, legislative, judicial and executive powers.
At the moment, the military regime is facing its greatest challenge since taking power. Powerful ethnic minority militias and people’s defense forces that support Myanmar’s main opposition have taken wide swaths of territory in fierce fighting in recent months.
The military is now estimated to control less than half the country, but is holding on tenaciously to much of central Myanmar, including the capital, Naypyidaw, which was recently targeted by small rocket attacks and two bombings.
Myanmar Rebels Claim Regional Military Base in Major Victory
A rebel army in Myanmar announced this weekend that it had overrun a regional military base near the border with China in what is likely to be the most significant victory yet for a patchwork of resistance groups that have challenged the country’s junta.
On Monday, Myanmar’s military rulers signaled that the insurgents had, in fact, made a major advance, saying the junta had lost contact with the base, the northeastern command in the city of Lashio in Shan State.
The junta leader, Senior Gen. Min Aung Hlaing, said in a speech later Monday that security forces had withdrawn in northern Shan State because they were “prioritizing the safety of the people.” He said the rebels were getting weapons and other supplies, including drones and short-range missiles, from “foreign countries,” which he didn’t identify. Some arms and ammunition were coming from factories just across the China-Myanmar border, he said.
“We need to investigate where these factories are getting their funds and technological support from,” the military leader said.
Bangkok, Aug 5 (EFE).- A powerful Myanmar guerrilla said Monday it had taken complete control of the Lashio military base, headquarters of the military junta in the northeast of the country, in one of the biggest rebel forces victories since the 2021 coup.
The Myanmar National Democratic Alliance Army said it completely took over the base Sunday, along with other allied forces against the junta, the northeast region headquarters. It also captured three senior army commanders, including a major general, a milestone for the rebels.
The prisoners are Gen. Soe Tint, Brigade Chief Thant Htin Soe and Brigade Chief Myo Min Htwe, captured alive and with whom the military junta has acknowledged losing contact since Saturday.
According to the statement, on the morning of Aug. 3, the entire military headquarters of the Northeast Region, called Ramakha and based in Lashio, in conflict-ridden Shan State, was attacked and captured by joint rebel forces.
During the battle, both sides fought and thousands of people, including members of the Myanmar army and their families, surrendered, although the exact number is unknown.
Nobel Laureate Muhamad Yunas is to take on the responsibility of leading Bangladesh as it transitions to a new election following the overthrow of the government by a populist uprising. Unlike previous coups, this coup seems to have occurred organically among rank and file Bangladeshis.
Vina Nadjibulla, vice president of research and strategy at the Asia Pacific Foundation of Canada, is quoted by Al Jazeera as saying “Very few expected the situation to turn the way it had. Bangladesh has had many coups, but this is new – this people power, the sheer power of the demonstrators. Now we’re in uncharted territory. This level of political turmoil will have economic ramifications.”
Bangladesh economy under pressure amid ‘uncharted’ political turmoil
The student protests that have rocked Bangladesh since July 1 and led Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina to flee in the middle of the night in a helicopter to New Delhi have battered the domestic economy, with losses estimated at billions of dollars.
Now, even as Nobel Laureate Muhammad Yunus prepares to guide an interim government in Dhaka, businesses are struggling with the unprecedented nature of recent events and what comes next.
“Very few expected the situation to turn the way it had,” Vina Nadjibulla, vice president of research and strategy at the Asia Pacific Foundation of Canada, told Al Jazeera, referring to the dozens killed and injured earlier this week and Hasina’s departure.
“Bangladesh has had many coups, but this is new – this people power, the sheer power of the demonstrators. Now we’re in uncharted territory.”
This level of political turmoil will have economic ramifications, Nadjibulla said.
Bangladesh’s next leader Muhammad Yunus arrives home ahead of swearing-in
Bangladesh’s next leader Muhammad Yunus arrived home Thursday from an overseas trip and will take office later in the day, as he looks to restore calm and rebuild the country following an uprising that ended the 15-year, increasingly autocratic rule of former prime minister Sheikh Hasina.
Yunus landed at Dhaka’s Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport on Thursday afternoon and was welcomed by the country’s military chief, Gen. Waker-Uz-Zaman, who was flanked by navy and air force heads.
Some of the student leaders who led the uprising against Hasina were also present at the airport to welcome him. They had earlier proposed Yunus as interim leader to the country’s figurehead president, who is currently acting as the chief executive under the constitution.
In his first comments after his arrival, he told a news briefing that his priority would be to restore order.
Bangladesh protests: Interim leader Muhammad Yunus takes helm ahead of elections
Nobel laureate Muhammad Yunus took the oath of office as head of Bangladesh’s interim government Thursday after an uprising prompted former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina to step down and flee to India.
The key tasks for Yunus now are restoring peace in Bangladesh and preparing for new elections following weeks of violence in which student activists led an uprising against what was considered Hasina’s increasingly autocratic 15-year rule.
Bangladesh’s figurehead President Mohammed Shahabuddin administered the oath to Yunus for his role as chief advisor, which is the equivalent to a prime minister, in presence of foreign diplomats, civil society members, top businessmen and members of the former opposition party at the presidential palace in Dhaka. No representatives of Hasina’s party were present.\
Sixteen other people have been included in the interim Cabinet with members drawn mainly from civil society and including two of the student protest leaders. The Cabinet members were chosen in discussions this week among student leaders, civil society representatives and the military.
Bangladeshi president to dissolve parliament, ex-prime minister freed
Just hours after the Bangladeshi prime minister resigned and fled the country on Monday, the country’s president said he would dissolve parliament and form an interim administration.
The announcement from Mohammed Shahabuddin, in a televised address to the nation, came at the end of a tumultuous day in which former prime minister Sheikh Hasina quit and fled to India.
Weeks of violent student protests led to the toppling of Hasina’s government on Monday, marking the end to her 15-year tenure. Around 300 people have been killed in the demonstrations.
Shahabuddin’s decision came after a meeting on Monday night with opposition political leaders, who decided to release former prime minister Khaleda Zia, who was jailed in a 2018 graft case. The meeting also decided to free all prisoners detained during the anti-discrimination student movement.
Zaynal Abedin, the president’s press officer, told state-run Bangladesh Sangbad Sangstha news agency that the meeting, attended by leaders from various opposition political parties, unanimously decided to release Zia.
Bangladesh president dissolves parliament, frees former PM Zia
Bangladesh’s president dissolved parliament on Tuesday, clearing the way for an interim government and new elections, a day after Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina resigned and fled following a violent crackdown on a student-led uprising.
President Mohammed Shahabuddin’s office also announced that the leader of the opposition Bangladesh Nationalist Party, Begum Khaleda Zia, a former prime minister who had feuded with Hasina for decades, had been freed from house arrest.
Bangladesh prime minister reportedly flees nation as anti-government protesters storm her residence
The prime minister of Bangladesh, Sheikh Hasina, resigned and fled to neighboring India on Monday after protesters stormed her official residence after weeks of deadly anti-government demonstrations in the South Asian nation.
Scenes of jubilation erupted on the streets as protesters celebrated the end of her 15 years in power by climbing on tanks and scaling an imposing statue of Hasina’s father, independence leader Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, in Dhaka, attacking the head with an ax.
In a national address, Bangladesh’s army chief, Gen. Waker-uz-Zaman confirmed Hasina had resigned and said the military would form an interim government.
Addressing protesters, largely young Bangladeshis and students, he said: “Whatever demands you have we will fulfil and bring back peace to the nation, please help us in this, stay away from violence.”
“The military will not fire at anyone, the police will not fire at anyone, I have given orders,” he added.
Statues smashed, ‘mob rule’ after Bangladesh government falls in bloody revolution
Bangladeshi mobs torching TV stations, protesters lounging in beds in the premier’s home and bloody corpses: eyewitness described chaotic scenes after the country’s prime minister was ousted Monday and the military took power.
For some, the end of Sheikh Hasina’s 15-year-rule was something to celebrate, as they waved flags from the rooftop of her home after she fled the country by helicopter.
“I can’t express my feelings in words, I’m so happy,” Mohammad Bashir, 35, one of the millions of Bangladeshis who flooded the streets after the army chief declared he was forming a caretaker government.
“Now my only wish is to take care of all the families of the killed people and students, and to deliver justice.”
Messages flooded social media with people greeting each other on Facebook by saying; “Happy Independence Day.”
Bangladesh Protests Become “People’s Uprising” Against Government
Spiraling clashes between police and anti-government protesters in Bangladesh resulted in at least 90 deaths on Sunday, as initially peaceful student demonstrations morphed into a nationwide campaign of civil disobedience aimed at unseating autocratic Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina.
Despite the government once again cutting mobile internet nationwide, hundreds of thousands of protesters took to the street over the weekend with calls to march on the Ganabhaban, the prime minister’s official residence in the capital Dhaka, on Monday afternoon. In response, police set up roadblocks at major arteries into the city, but students say thousands have already slipped past the security cordon in order to join the demonstrations. “The time has come for the final protest,” said Asif Mahmud, a protest leader, per AFP.
Hasina has so far been characteristically defiant. Speaking following a meeting with security chiefs, she said demonstrators were “not students but terrorists who are out to destabilize the nation.” Still, such is the scale and breadth of public anger that analysts doubt whether her ruling Awami League party—which was returned for a fourth straight term in January elections boycotted by the opposition and denounced by observers as neither free nor fair—could possibly stay in power.
“Survival of the government is highly unlikely,” says Ali Riaz, a Bangladeshi-American political scientist and professor at Illinois State University. “I don’t think that people will go back without seeing a transition.”
“We want to see the Bangladeshi people decide the future of the Bangladeshi government,” State Department Spokesperson Matthew Miller told reporters at his daily news conference.
Bangladesh PM Sheikh Hasina resigns, flees country after weeks of deadly protests
Bangladesh’s prime minister resigned and fled the country on Monday, after weeks of protests against a quota system for government jobs descended into violence and grew into a broader challenge to her 15-year rule.
Thousands of demonstrators stormed her official residence and other buildings associated with her party and family.
Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina’s departure threatens to create even more instability in the nation on India’s border already dealing with a series of crises, from high unemployment and corruption to climate change. Amid security concerns, the capital’s main airport suspended operations.
