Month: January 2024

Massive explosions shook northern areas of Gaza from across the border with Israel — a rarity over the past two weeks after Tel Aviv announced a drawdown of forces from the area as part of a transition to smaller, targeted operations.

The rattle of gunfire reverberated across the border through the night. In the morning, contrails snaked through the sky as Israel’s Iron Dome defences shot down rockets fired across the fence.

Israel claimed its forces had killed “dozens” of Hamas fighters overnight in clashes in Beit Lahiya, on Gaza’s northern edge.

 

Health authorities said the last 24 hours of Israeli bombing had killed 158 people in the Palestinian enclave, raising their toll for the war to 24,285, with thousands more bodies feared lost in the rubble.

President Joe Biden’s special climate envoy John Kerry has decided to leave his position after three years to help Biden’s re-election campaign, two administration sources said on Saturday.

The decision by the former United States senator and secretary of state comes a month after he played an instrumental in helping broker an international agreement announced in Dubai for nations around the world to transition away from fossil fuels.

The 80-year-old Democrat informed Biden of his intentions to leave on Wednesday, and his staff learned of the decision on Saturday, those officials said.

While the sources said that Kerry would be leaving his position later this winter, they revealed that the administration has not decided who may be selected to replace him.

Kerry’s plans were first reported by Axios.

The long-time climate advocate was appointed by Biden after winning the 2020 election and was tasked with restoring American engagement in international climate negotiations after Donald Trump withdrew the US from the Paris Agreement.

Kerry’s appointment as special envoy on climate change did not require Senate confirmation and he holds a seat on the National Security Council, marking the first time an official on that body is dedicated to climate issues.

In an interview with Reuters in December after COP28, Kerry said he had not made up his mind about his future but said no matter what, he would not take his eyes off of climate advocacy.

“I will continue as long as God gives me the breath and work on it one way or the other,” Kerry said of climate advocacy.

Among Kerry’s top priorities as Biden’s special envoy had been to maintain close diplomatic ties with China on climate change, even as numerous other political and trade tensions simmered.

William Lai Ching-te of the ruling Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) won Taiwan’s presidential election despite China’s warnings not to support him.

After voters ignored Beijing’s threats and overwhelmingly supported him in the election, Taiwan’s president-elect, Lai Ching-te, pledged on Saturday to protect the self-governing island from “intimidation” by China which claims Taiwan as part of its territory according to AFP.

Following an intense campaign in which he positioned himself as the protector of Taiwan’s democratic way of life, Lai — whom Beijing has branded as a threat to peace in the volatile region — secured an unprecedented third consecutive term for the DPP in the poll.

The democratic Taiwan, which is divided from the mainland by a strait measuring 180 kilometres (110 miles), is claimed by Communist China, which is willing to use force to achieve “unification” even in the absence of an immediate threat to peace.

Beijing, which labelled Lai a “severe danger” prior to the ballot and advised voters to avoid him, declared that the outcome would not halt “the inevitable trend of China’s reunification.”

During his victory address, Lai promised to protect Taiwan from Chinese aggression while also preserving peace and stability in the Taiwan Strait.

“We are determined to safeguard Taiwan from continuing threats and intimidation from China,” he told supporters.

After counting the ballots from every polling place, the Central Election Commission said that Lai had received 40.1% of the total, more than opposition Kuomintang (KMT) candidate Hou Yu-ih, who received 33.5%.

Beijing and Washington were keenly following the election as the two heavyweights competed for influence in the strategically important area.

Lai expressed gratitude to the people of Taiwan for “writing a new chapter in our democracy” and for heeding the threats and admonitions sent by China, a one-party state.

“We are telling the international community that between democracy and authoritarianism, we will stand on the side of democracy,” he said, adding that he will also try to pursue exchanges with China.

A months-long legal battle of civil fraud against former United States president Donald Trump concluded on Thursday with him accusing the New York court of having an “agenda”.

Trump repeatedly refuted claims of fraud and accused the state of political persecution, Reuters reported on Friday.

He told Justice Arthur Engoron: “You’re following your path. I know you’re not able to listen for more than a minute.”

In response, the judge told Trump’s lawyer, “Please control your client.”

The judge found the former president liable for fraud in September, leaving the trial to focus largely on how much money he should surrender as ill-gotten gains.

Trump has appealed that order and is almost certain to appeal any verdict against him.

Throughout the trial that began with opening statements on October 2, the state’s lawyers sought to show that Trump consistently overstated the value of many of his towers, golf clubs, and other assets that burnished his reputation as a business mogul before he entered politics.

According to attorney Kevin Wallace, Trump’s business released fraudulent annual financial statements.

Judge Arthur Engoron has announced he will be submitting the verdict by January 31.

During his November hearing, Trump admitted to false estimates of the value of properties.

But on Thursday, his lawyer Christopher Kise insisted that any purported manipulation was unharmful. Even if Trump’s net worth had been far lower, according to Kise, banks and insurers would still have been keen to work with him.

“He’s a whale client,” Kise said.

During a press appearance, Trump also accused US President Joe Biden of masterminding the legal actions and criminal prosecutions against him without providing any supporting documentation.

“I’m going to all of my trials, this is their new form of cheating,” he said.

A fierce blizzard has slammed into the Midwest, sending shockwaves through the region and casting a disruptive spell over the upcoming presidential campaigns.

Tens of millions of Americans are grappling with perilous weather conditions as heavy snow, fierce winds, and freezing temperatures wreak havoc. The impact on travel and public safety is profound, with the political landscape experiencing a shake-up just days before Iowa’s crucial caucuses.

Air travel has taken a severe hit, with over 5,000 flights canceled or delayed across the United States. Chicago’s O’Hare International Airport, a major hub, saw planes grounded due to blinding snow and powerful winds reaching up to 60 miles per hour.

The tumult in the skies has not only stranded passengers but also forced Republican presidential candidates in Iowa to cancel events, reshaping their strategies on the eve of a pivotal electoral moment.

The blizzard’s arrival in the upper Midwest brought warnings from the National Weather Service (NWS) about the perilous conditions. Meteorologist Zack Taylor emphasised the danger of unnecessary travel, noting visibility on some Chicago roads was less than half a mile.

In Iowa, where temperatures were expected to plummet below zero degrees Fahrenheit, the NWS cautioned about the risks of frostbite and hypothermia, creating a challenging backdrop for political campaigns vying for attention and support.

As the Midwest grapples with the blizzard’s onslaught, concerns loom over the impact on voter turnout in Iowa’s caucuses. Republican presidential candidate Nikki Haley, recognising the challenges, opted for a strategic shift, replacing physical rallies with phone-in events. However, the unpredictable weather adds an element of uncertainty, making it a test for both candidates and voters.

Beyond the political sphere, power outages surged to over 160,000 across multiple states, compounding the challenges faced by residents dealing with the harsh winter conditions. As the blizzard’s grip tightens, it not only freezes travel plans and campaign events but also underscores the vulnerability of communities in the face of extreme weather.

The Midwest, caught in a wintry turmoil, finds itself at the intersection of a political and meteorological storm, reshaping the narrative just as the nation gears up for a crucial political season.