Has Iran outsmarted everyone?
Iran's Pezeshkian is playing a new game with Israel.

 / Copyright: bne IntelliNews


By bne Tehran bureau August 13, 2024

Why is Iran delaying its attack on Israel and will there be an attack on the Jewish state at all?

For over a week now, international media outlets have been buzzing with predictions of an imminent Iranian attack on Israel, a retaliation for the assassination of Hamas political bureau leader Ismail Haniyeh. Yet as the days pass, the anticipated strike remains elusive. This begs the question: Is Iran playing a more sophisticated game than we initially thought?

Nearly two weeks have passed since Haniyeh's assassination, an act widely attributed to Israel. In the immediate aftermath, Iran's rhetoric was fiery, with promises of swift and decisive retaliation. Hamas’ M90 rockets, Yemen’s drones and Iraq’s paramilitaries continued their attacks against the US and Israel on August 13, allowing Iran a degree of separation from the head-on April episode between the two countries.

However, as time has progressed, the tone from Tehran has become more measured, even as Western media and politicians continue to stoke fears of an impending attack. The situation came to a head on August 13 when both British and German leaders dialled Tehran. In the phone conversation with British Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer on August 12, Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian deftly sidestepped direct threats, instead discussing the right to self-defence:

"From the Islamic Republic of Iran's point of view, war does not serve the interests of any country in any part of the world. [However,] punishing the aggressor is the legitimate right of states and a way to stop crimes and aggressive policies."

This statement, while assertive, carefully avoids committing to any specific action, disappointing many warmongers.

The following day, Iran's Foreign Ministry responded to calls from Britain, France, and Germany not to launch a retaliatory strike. Ministry spokesperson Nasser Kanani stated that Tehran does not need to ask anyone's permission "to exercise its inherent rights." He added that the Islamic Republic is "determined to defend its sovereignty and national security."

Instead of attempting to adjust Iran's foreign policy, Tehran advised the Europeans to pay attention to the daily killings of innocent Palestinians by the Israeli Defence Forces. Kanani said: "The statement by the three European countries comes at a time when, due to the indifference of Western countries and allies of the Israeli regime, war crimes continue to be committed against the defenceless Palestinian people."

Recent statements by Iranian officials show that Tehran is still angered both by Israel's attack on Haniyeh on sovereign Iranian territory and by Western countries giving diplomatic lessons to the Persian state instead of punishing Benjamin Netanyahu. At the same time, these emotional declarations do not contain a direct hint that Iran will definitely launch a massive missile and drone strike on Israel imminently, as it did in mid-April. Iranian authorities are increasingly shifting the conversation to the right of self-defence and sovereignty, thereby attempting to demonstrate their strength and authority both to the world community and to their own population.

The United States is actively trying to prevent escalation in the Middle East. Today, US Ambassador to Istanbul Jeff Flake stated that Washington is "asking all our allies, including Turkey, who have ties with Iran, to persuade Tehran to take steps to de-escalate tensions in the region." International efforts should not be underestimated; in addition to Western countries, Middle Eastern countries, including Turkey, Qatar, Egypt and Jordan, are actively working in this direction. Russia is also not leaving the region without its attention.

A calculated strategy?

However, given Iran's previous experience, it's hard to believe that Tehran, which ventured an unprecedented attack on Israel in April, will submit to external pressure. Most likely, the delay in striking Israel is a cunning, well-thought-out policy of the new Iranian president.

By striking the Jewish state, Iran would turn Western countries against itself and strengthen their support for the almost isolated Israeli prime minister. Iranian authorities today want neither of these outcomes.

Each day that Tehran refrains from military action, it nevertheless exerts great pressure on Israel – where air raid alarms have been sounding for days as they prepare for an act of retaliation from the Islamic Republic. At the same time, Pezeshkian deprives Netanyahu of arguments before the United States and hinders his ability to legitimise the military operation in the Gaza Strip, as there is still no Iranian aggression.

If this continues for some time, the world's attention will focus on the actions of the IDF, while Israeli public attention and Biden's focus will be on criticising Netanyahu’s actions and lack of ability to deal with the hostages, two of which were killed the other day in a bid by Hamas to make the Israeli leader look feckless in the face of the detentions. Iran's non-belligerent policy will become a trump card for it in future negotiations on the nuclear deal and the possible lifting of Western sanctions – this has been the key policy behind Pezeshkian’s entente cordial message since winning the presidential election in July.

New thought process?

If this is indeed the case, it can be said that the new Iranian president has managed to outmanoeuvre both the West and the Israeli leadership by refraining from actual combat operations. How much of this policy is to do with former foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif who stepped down on August 13 remains to be seen, but so far the new administration has managed to break out of the stereotypical response expected by foreign countries of the Iranian regime.

As bne IntelliNews noted in April, in response, Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu issued a warning: "Israel is ready for Iran's attack and will retaliate without mercy."

Iran's Defence Ministry, in turn, threatened to strike back against any nation that grants Israel access to its airspace or territory for such an assault, but that tone was while President Ebrahim Raisi was still in power before his fateful crash close to the border of Azerbaijan. But unlike the April episode, we are not in a game of who has more guns this time around; everyone well knows the damage to both countries would be catastrophic and the outcomes would be unknown.

In the volatile theatre of Middle Eastern politics, Iran has demonstrated that sometimes the most powerful move is the one you don't make. As we continue to watch this high-stakes game unfold, it's clear that Tehran's strategy deserves closer examination and, perhaps, a degree of grudging respect for its complexity and effectiveness. Who was behind this change in tone, will probably be a fact for the history books.

The AMOC Gulf Stream current may collapse as soon as 2025, says study
The AMOC transports warm water from the equator to the Northern Atlantic that keeps European winters mild. A new study says the current could stop flowing as soon as 2025, which would usher in a new ice age in Europe and lead to a cascade of environmental disasters. / bne IntelliNews


By bne IntelliNews July 30, 2024

A new study predicts the AMOC (Atlantic Meridional Overturning Circulation), a oceanic current that brings warm water to the northern Atlantic, could collapse as soon as 2025, ushering in a new ice age in northern Europe.

Previous studies have predicted the AMOC will collapse by 2100 with “95% certainty”, but have been vague about how soon that could happen.

The AMOC, also known as the Gulf Stream, brings warm water from the Equator to the northern hemisphere, but the large volumes of fresh water being dumped into the seas near the poles have slowed the current, which will eventually stop flowing, dramatically lowering the temperatures in the region. Winter temperatures in places like London and Paris could then fall by 10C-30C, creating Siberian winter-like conditions in Western Europe.

The AMOC has stopped flowing in the past, which was responsible for the last ice age in Europe, and once stopped, can take hundreds of thousands of years to restart. The collapse of the AMOC is one of the various irreversible “tipping points” of the Climate Crisis that scientists say could set off a cascade of environmental disasters.

The AMOC has already been slowing, but the Climate Crisis is accelerating faster than scientists predicted. As bne IntelliNews reported, six out of nine planetary boundaries have already been crossed in the last 20 years that scientists use as indicators of how close a global environmental crisis is, and the remaining three are close to exhausted.

The new study, published in Nature Communications, found the AMOC could collapse as early as 2025, leading to catastrophic climate impacts, but also said that the central assumption in the spread of possibilities was for a collapse in 2050 – still significantly sooner than previous estimates.

If the AMOC stops flowing not only will temperatures in Western Europe plunge in the winter, but global rainfall patterns will also be dramatically altered that will devastate ecosystems around the world as well as causing disastrous knock-on effects for agriculture that will affect global food supplies. Agriculture in India, South America and West Africa would be most affected by the changed rain patterns.

The system is already at its weakest level in the last 1,600 years, primarily due to global warming. In 2021, researchers detected early warning signs that the tipping point in the current’s flow is approaching.

The study, led by Prof Peter Ditlevsen from the University of Copenhagen, used sea surface temperature data dating back to 1870 to analyse changes in AMOC's strength over time. The data suggested that AMOC is approaching a critical tipping point known as a "saddle-node bifurcation."

"I think we should be very worried," Ditlevsen said. "This would be a very, very large change. The AMOC has not been shut off for 12,000 years."

Europe could experience increased storms and colder temperatures, while sea levels could rise along the eastern coast of North America as a result. Additionally, the collapse could further threaten the Amazon rainforest and Antarctic ice sheets. The Amazon was already suffering from a “mega drought” last year, but the end of the AMOC would dramatically change precipitation in South America and cause droughts where there was once rainforests.

The study's projections are based on the continuation of current greenhouse gas (GHG) emission trends. If emissions are curtailed in line with existing climate policies, the tipping point could be delayed, giving more time to prevent a collapse. However, as bne IntelliNews reported, humanity is currently burning through its carbon budget at an alarming rate, with the developed markets and the US and EU having already used up all their emission allotment. Many scientists say the 1.5C increase in temperature target set by the Paris Agreement in 2015 has already been missed and the world is on course for a 2.5C increase, which means the various tipping points would be crossed. In this scenario large parts of the planet would become uninhabitable within a century.

The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) previously assessed that AMOC would not collapse within this century. However, Ditlevsen noted that the IPCC models might underestimate the risk due to their coarse resolution and limited ability to account for non-linear processes. Indeed, scientists increasingly agree that the climate models are wrong and underestimate the rate the world is warming.

The timing of the collapse of AMOC remains a contentious issue among scientists, but all agree that a collapse must be avoided "at all costs" to prevent dire consequences for global climate systems.

India's renewable energy capacity concentrated in just seven states

Just seven regions in the south and west of India account for 80% of its renewable generating capacity. / bne IntelliNews

By bne IntelliNews August 15, 2024


India's renewable energy capacity is predominantly concentrated in just seven states in the south and west of the country, Construction World reports.

India is investing heavily into renewables as part of its green transition strategy to wean itself off its dependence on coal to power the country’s fast economic growth. While India still has plenty of emissions allowance in its carbon budget, it remains one of the world’s biggest emitters of CO₂ and needs more power to fuel growth.
India’s renewable generating resources are concentrated in Andhra Pradesh, Gujarat, Karnataka, Maharashtra, Rajasthan, Tamil Nadu, and Telangana, which together account for over 80% of the country's total installed capacity, Construction World reports.

The concentration has raised some eyebrows as critics worry about the sustainability and equity of India's energy transition strategy.

At a conference organised by the environmental think tank International Forum for Environment, Sustainability, and Technology (iFOREST), which brought together national policymakers, state agencies, industry leaders, and experts, the discussion focused on addressing the growing regional disparity in renewable energy development and discussed strategies for achieving a more balanced energy transition across the country.

"As India advances towards its ambitious renewable energy goals, it's vital that all states participate equally," said Chandra Bhushan, CEO and President of iFOREST, Construction World reports. "This approach will not only prevent excessive investments in grid infrastructure but also promote equitable green growth, generate jobs, and enhance energy security."

Bhushan stressed the need for significant reforms in policies such as the Inter-State Transmission System (ISTS) charges waiver and the development of new policies to encourage balanced green growth across all regions.

Bhupinder Singh Bhalla, Secretary of the Ministry of New and Renewable Energy (MNRE), echoed these sentiments in his address as the chief guest. "The required renewable capacity growth going forward must be spread equitably across the country," he said. "The scheduled phase-out of the ISTS waiver will support this, but states also need to be ready for it by providing ease of business, land, and transmission for developers."

The new government plans to upgrade India’s energy transition policies and accelerate the move to renewables. Stakeholders called for less land-intensive technologies such as floating solar, rooftop solar, and agri-photovoltaics to ensure ecological security to be rolled out.

Chinese Consul General in Perth Long Dingbin Gives Written Interview to the Australian Communist Party’s “Guardian”

Updated: August 12, 2024 17:05（From Chinese Consulate General in Perth）

On August 12, 2024, Chinese Consul General in Perth Long Dingbin gave a written interview to the Australian Communist Party’s “Guardian”.  In the interview,CG Long promoted the spirit of the Third Plenary Session of the 20th Central Committee of the Communist Party of China and the outcomes of Premier Li Qiang’s visit to Australia. He expressed a commitment to upholding the idea of building a community with a shared future for mankind, promoting practical cooperation between China and Western Australia in various fields, and advancing the development of a more mature, stable, and fruitful China-Australia comprehensive strategic partnership to better benefit the peoples of both countries. The full text is as follows:



1.The Third Plenary Session of the 20th Central Committee of the Communist Party of China recently concluded. Can you introduce the significance and achievements of this session?

CG Long: From July 15 to 18, the Third Plenary Session of the 20th Central Committee of the Communist Party of China was successfully held in Beijing. It is a very important meeting held at a critical juncture of building a great country and advancing national rejuvenation in all respects through Chinese modernization. The session delved into the new circumstances and challenges facing Chinese modernization, formulated systemic plans for further deepening reform across the board, and provided an important window for the world on China’s pursuit of high-quality development and high-standard opening up in the new era. The most important outcome of the session was the adoption of Resolution of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China on Further Deepening Reform Comprehensively to Advance Chinese Modernization, a blueprint for China’s progress. 

One focus of the session is the expansion of China’s high-standard opening up. The Resolution spells out in detail the next steps in the area of opening up and makes it clear that opening up is a defining feature of Chinese modernization, and that we must remain committed to the basic state policy of opening to the outside world, promote reform through opening up, and develop new institutions for a higher-standard open economy.

The plenary session stated that China must remain firm in pursuing an independent foreign policy of peace, be dedicated to promoting a community with a shared future for mankind, and foster a favorable external environment for further deepening reform comprehensively and advancing Chinese modernization. We will follow the guidance of Xi Jinping Thought on Diplomacy, fully act on the guiding principles from the third plenary session, and turn the strategic plans for further deepening reform into great momentum for major-country diplomacy with Chinese characteristics.

2.How are you feeling about relations with Australia at the moment? Do you think they’re moving in a positive direction?

CG Long: This year marks the 10th anniversary of President Xi Jinping’s state visit to Australia and the establishment of China-Australia comprehensive strategic partnership. Chinese Premier Li Qiang made a successful visit to Australia back in June this year, which is the first visit to Australia by the Chinese Premier in 7 years. As Premier Li Qiang pointed out, the most important experience drawn from the past decade of development of China-Australia relations is that the two sides should respect each other, seek common ground while shelving differences and engage in mutually-beneficial cooperation. Since Prime Minister Albanese’s visit to China last November, more progress has been made in resuming and enhancing dialogue and cooperation between China and Australia in various fields, leading to the comprehensive turnaround of bilateral relations. 

3.Do you have any comments on how Chinese-Australia relations have changed  in your time in the position of Consul-General ?

CG Long:As the Consul General of China in Perth from 2021, I have witnessed the havoc wreaked by the COVID-19 pandemic and observed the gradual warming and stabilization of China-Australia relations from a low point. I am committed to upholding the concept of building a community with a shared future for mankind, and I am willing to work hand in hand with various sectors in WA to promote pragmatic cooperation between China and WA in various fields. Together, we are dedicated to advancing the comprehensive strategic partnership between China and Australia, making it more mature, stable, and fruitful for the benefit of the people of both countries.

4.How are relations with the WA government and WA businesses going?

CG Long: China has been Western Australia’s largest trading partner for 17 consecutive years, with Western Australia’s total exports to China reaching AUD 144.6 billion in the 2022-2023 fiscal year, accounting for 55% of WA’s overall exports. Among this, 85% of iron ore and 99% of lithium produced in WA are sold to China. In addition to traditional sectors such as mining resources and agriculture, there is also vast space for cooperation between the two sides in fields such as health care and medicine, e-commerce, culture, tourism, and education.

Chinese Premier Li’s visit to WA has injected more energy to China-WA cooperation. The last visit to WA by the Chinese Premier was 18 years ago. State-to-state relations ultimately boil down to people-to-people exchanges. The foundation of China-Australia relations lies in the people and has always enjoyed broad public support. We warmly welcome people from all walks of life in WA to visit China to experience the vibrant practice of Chinese-style modernization by using the unilateral visa waiver program as well as multiple-entry visas of up to three to five years’ duration for tourism, business, and visiting family members.

5. Are there aspects of Chinese society you would like to see more widely known/understood in Australia?

CG Long: The China-Australia relations are mutually beneficial in nature, and the two countries’ development is each other’s opportunities, not challenges. China's development is aimed at improving the lives of its people. It has never been about surpassing or replacing anyone, nor about competing to be the world's number one. China is ready to work with Australia to uphold the comprehensive strategic partnership, give full play to such mechanisms as the China-Australia Strategic Economic Dialogue, expand trade, broaden cooperation in areas like new energy vehicles and renewable energy power generation, and step up exchanges and cooperation in culture, tourism and other fields and at the sub-national level. We hope that Australia will foster a fair, just and non-discriminatory environment for Chinese businesses, and provide more facilitation for travel between the two peoples. 

6.Could you tell us a little about your background, and how you came to be Consul-General to Western Australia?

CG Long: I started my professional diplomatic career at the Foreign Ministry of the People’s Republic of China since August 1987. I have been posted to the Embassy of China in Malaysia and Laos and been the Consul General of  China in Lahore, Pakistan. In April 2021, I was appointed as the Consul General of China in Perth. 

Sub-national cooperation constitutes an important foundation for China-Australia relations. The Chinese Consulate General in Perth is both committed to promoting political, economic and trade, educational cooperation as well as cultural and people-to-people exchanges between China and WA and to boosting mutual understanding and friendship between our two peoples. The Chinese Consulate General will provide high quality consular services to both Chinese and foreign citizens.

My colleagues and I are willing to work together with WA and make contributions to the development of China-Australia comprehensive strategic partnership and China-WA friendship and cooperation.

7.Australian comrades are very interested in China, firstly because all Australians are interested in China nowadays, but also because China is the most successful communist society in the world today. Are there aspects of Chinese communism you think Australian comrades should particularly study?

CG Long: The Third Plenary Session of the 20th Central Committee of the Communist Party of China  summarized the valuable experience we have gained since the launch of reform and opening up, particularly from our endeavor to comprehensively deepen reform in the new era, we will implement the following principles: 

Upholding the Party’s overall leadership. We must firmly uphold the Central Committee’s authority and its centralized, unified leadership and ensure that the Party fulfills its core role of exercising overall leadership and coordinating the efforts of all sides. We must ensure that Party leadership is exercised in every aspect and throughout the entire process of reform so that it always advances in the correct political direction. 

Adhering to a people-centered approach. We must respect the principal position and pioneering spirit of the people and make our reform measures highly responsive to the call of the people, so as to ensure that reform is for the people and by the people and that its fruits are shared among the people. 

Upholding fundamental principles and breaking new ground. Staying committed to socialism with Chinese characteristics, we must keep pace with the times, adapt to the evolution of practice, and take a problem-oriented approach, so that from a new starting point, we can promote innovations in theory and practice, in our institutions and culture, and in all other aspects.

Strengthening institutional building as our main task. We must strengthen top-level design and overall planning, always establishing new systems before abolishing old ones while attaching equal importance to efforts in both respects. We must consolidate foundational systems, refine basic systems, and innovate important systems. 

Staying committed to law-based governance on all fronts. We must deepen reform and advance Chinese modernization under the rule of law and ensure unity between reform and the rule of law, seeing that all major reforms have a solid legal basis and that reform achievements are elevated to law in a timely manner. 

Applying systems thinking. We must properly handle the major relationships between the economy and society, between the government and the market, between efficiency and fairness, between vitality and order, and between development and security, thus pursuing reform in a more systematic, holistic, and coordinated manner. 

8.To the extent that they think about Australia at all, how do most Chinese people see Australia and Chinese-Australian relations?

CG Long: As Chinese President Xi Jinping pointed out,  between China and Australia, there are no historical problems or conflicts of fundamental interests. The two sides are well positioned to be partners who trust each other and contribute to each other's success. As we all know, China is Australia's largest source of tourists and international students. Australia, with its developed economy, diverse culture, and unique landscapes, is not only known as the "country riding on the back of sheep" and the "country sitting in a minecart" but also as a dynamic and innovative nation. Its beautiful landscapes, adorable kangaroos and koalas, high-quality educational resources, and delicious wine are all very popular among the Chinese public. The two governments need to  create more convenient conditions for personnel exchanges, enhance mutual understanding and amity between the two peoples, and consolidate public support for friendship between the two countries.

9.Perspectives for the future: how do you see Australia and China – and their relations – developing in the future?

CG Long: China is ready to work with Australia to sustain and build on the hard-won positive momentum in bilateral ties, and jointly advance a more mature, stable and fruitful comprehensive strategic partnership to deliver more benefits to the two peoples. Furthermore, China is ready to step up coordination and cooperation with Australia at the regional and international levels, stand against bloc confrontation and a new Cold War in the interest of peace and stability in the region, stay open and inclusive, thrive together, and jointly promote regional economic integration and an open world economy.

1984 PKK LAUNCHED KURDISH LIBERATION MOVEMENT

KNK issues statement to mark 40th anniversary of 15 August

KNK salutes the 40th anniversary of 15 August.


ANF
BRUSSELS
Thursday, 15 August 2024,

The Executive Council of the Kurdistan National Congress (KNK) issued a statement to mark the 40th anniversary of the 15 August 1984 Initiative.

The statement said: "On 15 August, Kurdistan and Turkey were under the rule of the fascist junta that came to power following the coup d’état of September 12, 1980. Through ruthless cruelty and severe torture, the lives of the people were devastated. Prisons were filled with freedom fighters, and the fascist junta spread a blanket of death over the populace. The fear of arrest and death was pervasive throughout society.

Despite these harsh conditions, the Kurdish people and the leaders of the Kurdistan Freedom Movement did not succumb to the oppression of the Turkish state. They stood firm, resisting strongly. From prisons to all aspects of life, a selfless struggle was organised. Though great sacrifices were made, the flag of freedom was raised against the state’s oppression."

The statement added: "In this difficult atmosphere, a brave struggle and resistance took shape. With the launch of the first bullet on August 15, 1984, the call for the freedom and liberation of the Kurds and Kurdistan echoed once again throughout Kurdistan, Turkey, and the world. During this historic moment, Dihe (Eruh) and Şemzînan became the arenas where the legitimate armed struggle in Kurdistan began. With this effort, the spark of the Kurdistan revolution transformed into a vast fire of resistance in Kurdistan and the Middle East. Commander Egîd (Mahsum Korkmaz) initiated the armed struggle with a group of freedom fighters, and today they have become a formidable guerrilla force in Kurdistan and the Middle East. In the history of the Kurdish struggle, this moment marks a significant step toward victory.

As we celebrate the historic 40th anniversary of August 15th, the Turkish state continues its aggression by all means and methods. Faced with the resistance and struggle of the freedom fighters, the Kurdish people, and all the peoples of Kurdistan, the Turkish state has deepened its conflict. Driven by anger and hatred, it resorts to escalating warfare and aggression. In this fight against humanity, it has mobilised all available weapons and equipment to annihilate life. Chemical bombs and poisons rain down on our people and fighters from the air and the ground. Human life has been a primary target, but Kurdistan’s natural environment has also been severely degraded. From Dersim to Colemêrg, from Qers to Maraş, no mountain, valley, or cave has been spared from bombardment."

The statement continued: "The Turkish state’s attacks are not confined to Northern Kurdistan; they also continue in Rojava and Southern Kurdistan. In both regions, the Turkish state mounts attacks in pursuit of regional occupation, which is expanding day by day. For five years now, Erdoğan’s regime has been attacking the areas of Xakurk, Heftanin, Metina, Zap, and Avaşîn with all its strength, employing prohibited weapons (chemical, phosphorus, nuclear tactics) without restraint. Meanwhile, in these regions and throughout Greater Kurdistan, a strong and unparalleled resistance is being carried out by the Kurdistan Freedom Guerrillas, embodying the spirit of the great moment of August 15th.

Today, the Turkish state is re-engaging in the same suppression policies that were enforced in the 1980s against the Kurdish people’s resistance in the struggle for the liberation and freedom of Kurdistan. The Turkish justice system has become a chain of captivity for Kurdistan’s fighters.

Prisons are filled with Kurdish activists, and violence and torture by the police and military have become a routine part of life for all peoples of Kurdistan. Anything related to Kurdish identity and culture is targeted. The state attacks weddings and dance floors, detains Kurdish singers and musicians, and bans Kurdish culture and music."

However, insisted the statement, "all these efforts are futile. The Kurds are engaged in a strong resistance and struggle, embodying the spirit of the great moment of August 15th. Defeat will belong to the Turkish state. The war-oriented and aggressive coalition of AKP-MHP-Ergenekon is on the verge of failure. Victory belongs to the people of Kurdistan.

As we celebrate this moment, we remember that the architect of the great moment of August 15th, Abdullah Öcalan, has been under intense pressure and isolation in Imrali prison for 26 years. For 40 months, no information has been received from him or his fellow inmates. This situation is unacceptable, and all Kurds and friends of the Kurds should actively participate in the campaigns against this injustice. On this occasion, we, as the Kurdistan National Congress (KNK), once again reaffirm our endorsement and support for the International Campaign “Freedom for Öcalan – Political Solution to the Kurdish Question,” and call on all peoples of Kurdistan and friends of the Kurds to join and elevate the efforts of this campaign.

As the Kurdistan National Congress (KNK), we warmly greet the Kurdish people, the people of Kurdistan, and the friends of the Kurdish people on the 40th anniversary of the great moment of August 15th. We remember the martyrs of the Kurdistan revolution with respect and honour, bowing our heads in their memory. The greatest greetings go to those martyred in this great moment; we owe them our dedication and will follow in their footsteps. We salute and wish success to the Kurdistan Freedom Guerrilla, who are resisting in the Medya Defense Zones in the spirit of Commander Egîd, and all the freedom fighters of Kurdistan."

KCDK-E calls for a strengthening of freedom struggle

On the anniversary of 15 August, the Kurdish European umbrella organization KCDK-E called for a joint strengthening of the freedom struggle and the thwarting of the plans of Turkish fascism.


ANF
NEWS DESK
Thursday, 15 August 2024, 10:34

The Kurdish European umbrella organization KCDK-E issued a statement on the occasion of the 40th anniversary of the start of the PKK's armed struggle on 15 August.

The association stated: "The 40th anniversary of 15 August is approaching. It is the 40th anniversary of the turning point in the history of the Kurdish people from the struggle for existence or non-existence to a struggle for liberation. We are celebrating the honorable Kurdish freedom struggle, which has shifted the pendulum from annihilation to existence for forty years through relentless resistance against the murderous Turkish state."

"Great achievements have been made"

The statement continued: "The uprising of 15 August brought great progress for the existence of Kurdish identity and freedom. No tear and no sacrifice was in vain, this resistance is and remains the most honorable resistance in the history of humanity. It is a source of inspiration for the world population and the oppressed peoples in the struggle for enlightenment and freedom. The freedom guerrillas around Rêber Apo [Abdullah Öcalan], our self-sacrificing people and the peoples of the world have made this struggle a torch for the liberation of humanity. Our symbol is all the immortal heroes, people like Egîd and Zîlan. For the 41st year of the awakening, we promise all our martyrs: We will liberate Rêber Apo and Kurdistan and continue the great march to victory. We will fulfill our promise to all our martyrs of the month of August through our practical solidarity with their struggle."

"Let us come together stronger around Rêber Apo"

The statement added: "Our people have paid a high price in their struggle against the colonialist states and the Republic of Turkey. The Kurdish people, young people and women have developed the ability to defend themselves based on their own strength. With the paradigm developed by Rêber Apo, a historical pioneering role and the function of a global alternative have been achieved. Today's global level, which the August 15 line started under Rêber Apo has reached, occupies an honorable place in the history of humanity and gives hope to everyone.

Reactionary forces, traitors and international powers are trying to stifle the spirit of the August 15 uprising and its momentum. The fact that traitorous forces are acting so openly these days alongside the genocidal Turkish state against the Kurdish people's struggle for freedom confirms this reality.

The Turkish state is seeking to occupy and annex all of Kurdistan. To this end, it is gathering collaborators and traitors around itself. In contrast, our people will defend their gains by uniting around Rêber Apo and standing firmly together. The Kurdish people, who are united around the freedom guerrillas, will not deviate a single step from the struggle to liberate Kurdistan, they will courageously resist the attacks of occupation and annexation."

The statement said: "On the anniversary of 15 August, we call on our people to mobilize for the struggle by mobilizing for Rêber Apo and against the fascist AKP-MHP coalition, the traitors and all international forces that are complicit in the genocide.

The fascist AKP-MHP regime and its collaborators are facing their end. Let us, together with our friends in all four parts of Kurdistan, stand up even more strongly for the freedom struggle and Rêber Apo, in the hundreds of thousands all over the world. In this way, let us thwart the Turkish state's plans for occupation and annexation."

Besê Hozat: 15 August breakthrough was a move toward enlightenment in Kurdistan and the Middle East

KCK Executive Council co-chair Besê Hozat said that the 15 August breakthrough was a move toward enlightenment in Kurdistan and the Middle East.


ANF
NEWS DESK
Thursday, 15 August 2024

KCK Executive Council co-chair Besê Hozat answered questions about the 40th anniversary of the 15 August breakthrough and the new threats against the Yazid people in a special program she attended on Medya Haber television.

This year marks the 40th anniversary of the breakthrough that was achieved on 15 August. The place of this historical move in your struggle is known. Looking at the current situation, how do you elaborate on the historical breakthrough?

First of all, I salute the 15 August breakthrough and our peoples and commemorate comrade Mahsum Korkmaz with great respect, love and gratitude. I commemorate all the martyrs of freedom and revolution with great respect, love and gratitude and reiterate the promise that we will definitely bring their dreams and aspirations to success and victory.

Again in this month of August, there were very valuable comrades that martyred. Comrade Atakan Mahir, Zeki Shengali, Engin Sincer, Sari Ibrahim, and comrade Azime. Many valuable friends martyred in the recent period. In northern Kurdistan, comrade Herakol Ekin fell and the comrades Firat, Bahoz, Sema, Ronahi and Dilgesh fell recently in the Medya Defense Zones. In August, many comrades martyred both in northern Kurdistan and in the Medya Defense Zones, especially in the region of Zap and Metina, whose names I have mentioned and many more I cannot mention.

The August 15 breakthrough has great meaning and significance for the Kurdish people, for the peoples of the Middle East, and particularly for women. To consider the 15th of August breakthrough, the guerrilla struggle, and the armed struggle only as a narrow military struggle of a people, the Kurdish people, as a war of legitimate defense would be an insufficient way of understanding and defining it. From our point of view, the August 15th breakthrough is a move toward enlightenment in Kurdistan and the Middle East. With the August 15th breakthrough, a great revolution of mentality took place in Kurdistan, a great people’s revolution took place, and a women’s revolution took place. The disbelief, frustration, pessimism, and hopelessness created by the enemy in Kurdistan society were destroyed. Kurdish society woke up again and became aware of itself. This affected Middle Eastern society, and today, it is leading the democratic revolution.

In other words, the August 15th breakthrough created a very strong ground for change, renaissance, and enlightenment in the Middle East in every aspect and in every dimension. It revealed the revolutionary reality and the militant reality of the movement. This developed within the people’s army. Later on, it was comrade Beritan who formed the identity of the women’s army. Just as comrade Agit formed the identity and personality of the people’s army, comrades Beritan and Zilan
formed the identity and line of resistance of the women’s guerrillas, the women’s army. This is not a classical army. The guerrilla army in Kurdistan, with its men and women, the people’s army and the women’s army, is a highly ideological, philosophical, organized, strong-willed, and conscious structure with a revolutionary, libertarian identity. Their struggle has become the vanguard struggle of the people. Within this struggle, true democratic politics was born. It formed the basis for the achievements in Rojava, the values created in northern Kurdistan, and a strong consciousness in southern and eastern Kurdistan. It created the reality of an organized people. All these gains emerged through this struggle. The society that has become conscious, strong-willed, organized, and liberated has created a very strong legacy of freedom.

Undoubtedly, the military dimension of this, the legitimate self-defense dimension, is of key importance. Through this, an intertwined level of development has emerged. And today, our people, the peoples of the Middle East, and humanity are in dire need of this. In a place like the Middle East, at a time when the 3rd World War is taking place, when the blood of peoples is flowing everywhere, when terrible suffering is being experienced, and when society needs great defense, organized power, and self-defense, the guerrilla struggle is even more vital. In terms of Turkey in particular, in terms of geography, in a country where so many genocidal attacks are being carried out on the Kurds, legitimate defense and self-defense are indispensable. This is an essential need.

In this sense, following the footsteps of comrade Mahsum Korkmaz and comrade Beritan, our people’s army and women’s army restructured themselves, and according to the character and reality of this age, according to the understanding of democratic modernity, it has revealed a very important level of struggle and legitimate self-defense. Both in tactics and technique, the guerrillas, the people’s army, and the women’s army are giving the second-largest army of NATO, one of the most numerous armies in the world, a real challenge today.

For five years without interruption, the Turkish army has been conducting an all-out attack with all kinds of techniques. It uses all kinds of power and all kinds of dirty methods. From chemical weapons to all kinds of other banned weapons, but still they cannot get results. It is in shambles. Now the guerrilla has modernized itself according to the reality of this age and continues to even further develop. The effects of this will be seen more and more strongly in northern Kurdistan in the coming months and years. I believe that with the restructured understanding of democratic modernity and the restructured guerrilla warfare, understanding, and tactics, this legitimate struggle will be continued in the strongest way.

Recently, Iraq has closed down three political parties. Among these parties was the party of the Êzidis [Yazidi] in Shengal [Sinjar]. And this coincided with the 10th anniversary of the Shengal genocide. After this, Iraq’s attitude and approach are actually becoming clear. How do you evaluate these developments?

We strongly and angeredly condemn this approach by Iraq. What damage has the Freedom and Democracy Party of the Êzidis (PADÊ) caused to Iraq? They must explain this, and they must explain it to the Êzidis. Iraq is shutting down a party that has been engaged in politics and diplomacy to defend the existence and freedom of Êzidis after the 74th ferman, in order to make the voice of Êzidis heard in the world. It defends the rights and freedoms of Êzidis and explains the 74th ferman to the world. It struggles for the freedom and rights of the Êzidis. What is the harm of such a party to Iraq? Why did Iraq shut it down? Êzidis, their representatives, and the co-chairs of the democratic administration of Shengal made some statements in this regard. They said that this is a continuation of the ferman. They said that what Iraq is doing now makes them a partner in this ferman. This is a very heavy assessment. But it also pointed to some realities.

ISIS did not attack Shengal alone. On August 3, 2014, ISIS was an allied force of the AKP. There is still huge support from Erdoğan and the AKP for ISIS. In fact, ISIS attacked Shengal with the encouragement of the AKP and Erdoğan. Erdoğan also played a role in the genocide in Shengal; he is guilty. And now, as a result of the impositions and pressures of the fascist regime in Turkey, ruled by Erdoğan, Bahceli, the AKP-MHP, and Ergenekon, and the impositions and pressures of the KDP, Iraq has decided to shut down PADÊ. Of course, no Êzidi can accept this.

Likewise, Tevgera Azadi is a movement struggling for democracy in southern Kurdistan and Iraq. It is influenced by the paradigm and thoughts of Rêber Apo and takes him as its basis. It does not have any organizational ties with our organization. Neither it nor the Democratic Front. They are based on Rêber Apo’s paradigm, and they are waging a struggle for democracy in southern Kurdistan and Iraq. They work for the development of democracy. Now what harm can or did they do to southern Kurdistan and Iraq? Of course, we have been aware of the activities of Turkey and the KDP for years. It is exerting very intense pressure on Iraq to close down these structures. Most recently, on July 3, Massoud Barzani went to Baghdad. He met with many embassies and also met with many government and non-government circles in Iraq. Massoud Barzani had the closure of these organizations in his file. We know that very well. They have been working on this for years. After this closure decision, Hoshyar Zebari and similar KDP officials have already announced how happy they are. They got results from their work.

Turkish state officials shared the same feeling. Now, of course, there is this side of the issue. Iraq took such a step to please the Turkish state, to please the KDP, and to fulfill their demands and impositions. But in doing so, it adopted an extremely impersonal and characterless attitude. There may be impositions and demands of the Turkish state, but the Turkish state is waging a war of genocide against the Kurds and Êzidis. It is waging a war of genocide against the peoples of the Middle East. It is waging a war of extermination and massacre, and the KDP is a partner in this policy. Such impositions by the Turkish state, the AKP-MHP regime, and the KDP are understandable. But does Iraq have to accept them? Iraq claims to be an independent state. Doesn’t that state have its own will? Doesn’t that state have its own stance and character? Doesn’t it have a principle? It is clear that this government has no own stance and no character. A very simple approach has been taken for dirty, simple interests. We consider this behavior of the current government to be a great insult to the history of Iraq, a great insult to the Iraqi people, and a great insult and a great insult to Iraqi society. The thing to do against this is to struggle against it.

The ferman on the Êzidis continues in the Êzidi camps in the south. Yesterday, some imams made a statement and the Êzidis in South Kurdistan were threatened. This resulted in a great outrage in the Êzidi camps. As far as we were able to follow the developments, basically all the Êzidis in the camps want to return to Shengal. They are piling up at the Semalka Gate, where they do not let them pass through. Some of them found other ways and returned directly to Shengal. No one wants to live in those camps. They see this as part of the ferman. The fear of the ferman has entered their hearts. The Êzidis in the camps are in great fear and panic. Sure, there really is this danger. Right now, both the KDP and the AKP-MHP are waging a war against the peoples hand in hand with ISIS. They have brought hundreds of ISIS fighters to Behdinan, and they intend to bring even more. It is they who are burning and destroying villages.

They want to settle these mercenaries and gangs there. Who do those mercenaries and gangs see as their main enemy? The Êzidis. Not only there, but generally in southern Kurdistan and Iraq, such groups are organized. ISIS is not finished. ISIS maintains a significant amount of its power in Iraq, Syria, and many parts of the region. Therefore, of course, Êzidis are in great danger. They should not stay in those camps. They could experience a great ferman like August 3rd. Just as the KDP left the Êzidis defenseless in 2014, it left them alone facing the ISIS genocide supported by the Turkish state. The same thing can happen in those camps. Therefore, of course, it is a great danger to live and wait in those camps. For years, the KDP has taken those camps hostage and has been conducting a blackmail policy on those camps. Against the world, against everyone.

It has also turned them into a vote depot. By force, by force of arms, and by material means, they are able to get their votes in the elections. On the other hand, they have them do all kinds of dirty work. The KDP tries to create mercenaries and gangs by themselves. From prostitution to drugs, they do all kinds of filth and dirty work on Êzidis in those camps and make Êzidis live under a different kind of ferman there. Since 2014, the ferman has actually continued in those camps; just the form has changed. There is a cultural ferman there, a cultural genocide. They make Êzidi girls, women, and children do all kinds of dirty, ugly work there. Such a situation has arisen. This situation reveals the reality of the KDP much more clearly in the eyes of the Êzidis.

As I pointed out before, we need to fight strongly against all these attacks. Êzidis are no longer the old Êzidis. They are an organized society. They have political and social power. They have developed self-confidence and willpower. They have become an organized society, and an organized society is the greatest power. No matter who it is, It can be women, youth, a people, or an oppressed group. When you are organized, you become stronger. Then you have willpower and courage. Today, there is serious consciousness, enlightenment, organization, and willpower among Êzidis.

On 15 August 1984, the PKK fired its first shot

On 15 August 1984, “the first shot” was fired by the Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK) in Eruh, in North Kurdistan.


ANF
NEWS DESK
Thursday, 15 August 2024

On 15 August 1984, the first shot was fired by the Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK) in Eruh, in North Kurdistan. A 36-strong guerrilla force led by the legendary commander Mahsum Korkmaz - also known by his nom de Guerre Egîd ("the Brave") - carried out the first attack against the Turkish occupying forces that day. A military police barracks was selected for the action, which is considered the beginning of the armed liberation struggle. One guard and one officer were killed, while the guerrillas did not suffer any casualties.

The founding declaration of the HRK (Hêzên Rizgarîya Kurdistanê) was then read over the loudspeaker of a mosque. The statement by the "Kurdistan Liberation Forces", as the guerrillas called themselves in the first years of the armed struggle in reference to the "Unit for the Liberation of Vietnam" formed at the beginning of the Vietnamese freedom struggle, said: "The HRK pursues the goal of fighting for our people for national independence, a democratic society, freedom and unity led by the PKK armed against imperialism, Turkish colonial fascism."

A simultaneous raid was carried out under the command of Abdullah Ekinci (Ali) in Şemdinli. The guerrilla unit targeted a military barracks and attacked with machine guns and rockets. The Turkish state suffered losses in this attack too. Both towns were also briefly controlled by the HRK. 15 August broke the silence after the military coup of 12 September 1980. This day is considered a holiday by many Kurds because it marks the beginning of a movement that now includes millions.

Eruh action made history

In the middle of July 1984, the guerrilla groups left for the regions of Northern Kurdistan. The most difficult task was that of the group in Eruh. Egîd, the commander of the group, described the difficulties in his report as follows: "We could not find a single person in the city centre from whom we could get information. Many of the villages are deeply alienated from our struggle." Moreover, Egîd had serious problems walking long distances due to congenital difficulties. In his diaries, which were later published, Egîd described this situation in a single sentence: "The pain in my knee prevents me from walking", and he hid this discomfort in his feet from many of his friends. Historians would compare Egîd's disability during mountain hikes to Che Guevara's asthma.

Egîd practised with the guerrilla group on a model of Eruh and carried out the final reconnaissance for the attack on 13 August. Even hours before the action, many in the group did not know exactly where to attack. At dawn on 15 August, the group reached the designated point. At dawn, there was still a deep silence in the region. When dawn broke, Egîd pointed to the target, which looked like a dot in the distance. The whole group watched the town with binoculars. Eruh was three kilometres away.

Everything for the action had been calculated down to the smallest detail, even a "plan B" had been prepared. If the plan failed, the members of the group would try to reach a meeting point at the foot of the Çirav mountain.

At dusk on 15 August 1984, the group set off at around 7.30 pm. It reached Eruh around 9 pm and quickly split into three units. A few minutes later, the first shot rang out, fired at the guard post of the gendarmerie post. A rocket hit the upper floor of the barracks and a few minutes later the two-storey military building fell into the hands of the group. The soldiers panicked. Meanwhile, the "main attack column" stormed the officers' mess.

While the foundation of the HRK was announced over the mosque loudspeaker, the guerrilla fighters controlled the city and destroyed the symbols of the Turkish state. The post office building and the bank were destroyed and the commander's vehicle was set on fire.

The guerrilla group left Eruh around midnight with a wagonload of confiscated material. Everything was loaded onto mules at a bridge at the exit of the town and on 18 August the guerrilla unit safely reached their base again.

The action in Şemdinli under the command of Gözlüklü Ali

At the same time as the action in Eruh, the guerrillas also marched into Şemdinli. Unlike in Eruh, there were fierce clashes with the Turkish army in Şemdinli. Here, the guerrilla fighters under the command of Gözlüklü Ali attacked the police stations and military accommodation. The Turkish army suffered heavy losses. Despite the fierce clashes, the founding of the HRK was also announced in Şemdinli through leaflets.

Young Kurds, Arabs and internationalists join the guerrilla ranks

Kurdish and internationalist young people joined the guerrilla ranks at a ceremony.


PİRDOĞAN KEMAL
BEHDINAN
Wednesday, 14 August 2024

Young Kurds, Arabs and other internationalists joined the guerrilla ranks after a ceremony that coincided with the anniversary of the 15 August Initiative.

The new guerrillas made a statement after the ceremony, saying: "With the step taken on 15 August under the leadership of Leader Abdullah Öcalan and the legendary commander, comrade Egîd, the grave that was placed before the Kurdish people like a destiny was shattered. The Kurdish people saw a new birth. Comrade Egîd represented the ideology of Leader Apo (Abdullah Öcalan) and the spirit of resistance of Mazlum, Ferhat, Kemal, Mehmet Xeyri and Sara."

Noting that Kurdish People's Leader Abdullah Öcalan took revenge for thousands of years on an ideological basis with this step, the Kurdish and internationalist guerrillas said: "In other words, this great revenge took place on 15 August. Our party, the PKK, is first and foremost a women's party. For this reason, young women should support Leader Apo and the PKK and direct their direction to the free mountains."

The new guerrillas added: "As a group of Kurdish and international men and women, we came to the mountains of Kurdistan to fulfill this important duty and on the 40th anniversary of the resurrection, we completed our training and enthusiastically joined the guerrilla ranks. Our call is for all the youth of Kurdistan and the world to join the freedom struggle."

500 million children see twice as many hot days as grandparents

Half a billion children live in regions facing twice as many extreme heat days as their grandparents

 14 Aug 2024 
WRITER: Bloomberg News

A girl protects herself from the sun with an umbrella at Arun Ratchawararam Ratchawaramahawiha temple in Bang Yai district, Bangkok, in April 2024. (Photo: Pattarapong Chatpattarasill)

ABIDJAN - Almost 500 million children will experience double the number of extremely hot days than their grandparents’ generation, the United Nations (UN) said, with harmful consequences for their health.

Extremely hot days with temperatures exceeding 35 degrees Celsius (95°Fahrenheit) are increasing for nearly one-in-five children globally, many of whom lack access to infrastructure or services that would help them to cope, the United Nations' Children's Fund (Unicef) said in a statement on Wednesday.

"Extreme heat is increasing, disrupting children's health, well-being and daily routines,” said Unicef Executive Director Catherine Russell.

More than half of the children in 100 countries are seeing twice as many heat waves today compared with six decades ago, it said. In the United States, 36 million children are exposed to double the number of heat waves compared with 60 years ago.

Amid a heat wave, a boy cools off in a splash park in Washington, the United States, on Aug 2, 2024. (Photo: Reuters)

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Children in West and Central Africa face the highest exposure to extremely hot days and the most significant increase over time, according to Unicef.

Over one third of children across the region spend more than four months a year in temperatures above 35°C degrees, with as many as 212 such extremely hot days in Mali, 198 days in Senegal and 195 days in Sudan.

The number of days with extreme temperatures adds to the impact of climate-related hazards on children's health, including food and water security, disrupting access to education and pushing people to move.


Youngsters enjoy splashing around to beat the searing heat at a park in Bangkok in April 2024. (Photo: Wichan Charoenkiatpakul)

Hotter temperatures have also been linked to threats to children’s health such as child malnutrition and leaving them more vulnerable to diseases that spread in higher temperatures such as malaria and dengue.

"Children's bodies are far more vulnerable to extreme heat. Young bodies heat up faster, and cool down more slowly," Russell said. "Governments must act to get rising temperatures under control, and there is a unique opportunity to do that right now as governments are currently drafting their national climate action plans."

Children take a bath in a bucket during a hot day in Manila, the Philippines, April 25, 2024. (Photo: Reuters)

THE LAST COLONY   

VIVA INDEPENDENCE

Death toll from riots in France’s New Caledonia rises to 11

Since May 13, French overseas territory in Pacific in throes of unrest, violence

Nur Asena Ertürk |15.08.2024 -


ANKARA

The death toll from ongoing riots in France’s overseas territory of New Caledonia has reportedly risen to 11 since the start in May of unrest over a proposed bill to change electoral rules.

A man was killed during the clashes with law enforcement officers in the town of Thio, on the eastern coast of the island, according to the broadcaster NC la 1ere.

Law enforcement units intervened to unblock roads that had been barricaded by a group of about 20 people. Initially, officers used tear gas to disperse the group, but the situation escalated, leading them to resort to firearms due to the intense resistance.

One of the rioters was fatally shot in the head during the confrontation.

The Pacific archipelago has been engulfed in unrest since mid-May, triggered by a proposed bill to review electoral rules. The changes would have allowed French nationals who have lived on the island for at least 10 years to vote in local elections.

However, local residents, particularly the indigenous Kanak population, feared that the changes would dilute their voting power.

In response to the escalating violence, France declared a state of emergency and deployed additional forces to assist local authorities in restoring order.

On June 12, Macron suspended the controversial electoral reform plan in New Caledonia.

Kim Dotcom loses 12-year battle against extradition

New Zealand ready to send boss of defunct file-sharing site Megaupload to US to face charges


PUBLISHED : 15 Aug 2024 
WRITER: Reuters

Tech entrepreneur Kim Dotcom, shown above at a court hearing in Auckland, New Zealand in September 2015, faces charges of copyright infringement, racketeering and money laundering in the United States related to his now-defunct file-sharing website Megaupload. (Photo: Reuters)

WELLINGTON - Kim Dotcom, who is facing criminal charges relating to the defunct file-sharing website Megaupload, has lost a 12-year battle against extradition to the United States.

New Zealand Justice Minister Paul Goldsmith has signed an extradition order for Dotcom, a spokesperson for the minister said on Thursday.

Germany-born Dotcom, who has New Zealand residency, has been fighting extradition to the US since 2012 following an FBI-ordered raid on his Auckland mansion.

“I considered all of the information carefully, and have decided that Mr Dotcom should be surrendered to the US to face trial,” Mr Goldsmith said in a statement.

“As is common practice, I have allowed Mr Dotcom a short period of time to consider and take advice on my decision. I will not, therefore, be commenting further at this stage.”

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In a post on X on Tuesday, Dotcom said “the obedient US colony in the South Pacific just decided to extradite me for what users uploaded to Megaupload”, in what appears to be a reference to the extradition order.

Reuters could not immediately contact Dotcom for a response.

US authorities say Dotcom and three other Megaupload executives cost film studios and record companies more than $500 million by encouraging paying users to store and share copyrighted material, which generated more than copy75 million in revenue for the website.

The company’s chief marketing officer Finn Batato and chief technical officer and co-founder Mathias Ortmann, both from Germany, along with a third executive Dutch national Bram van der Kolk were arrested with Dotcom in 2012.

Ortmann and van der Kolk entered plea deals that resulted in them being sentenced in 2023 to jail terms in New Zealand but allowed them to avoid extradition. Batato died in 2022 in New Zealand.

Dutch convicted rapist considers quitting beach volleyball after Olympics criticism

HE WAS BOOED AT OLYMPICS

Paris 2024 Olympics - Beach Volleyball - Men's Round of 16 Match - Brazil vs Netherlands (Evandro/Arthur vs van de Velde/Immers) - Eiffel Tower Stadium, Paris, France - August 04, 2024. Steven van de Velde of Netherlands looks on. 

REUTERS/Louisa Gouliamaki/

Aug 14, 2024

AMSTERDAM - Netherlands beach volleyball player Steven van de Velde, a convicted rapist, says he will consider quitting the sport if his participation in international tournaments continues to meet objections.

Van de Velde, who competes this week in the European Beach Volleyball Championships in the Netherlands, faced extensive criticism for taking part in the Paris Olympics and was jeered by sections of the crowd.

In a first interview since the Games he said he was considering his future in the sport.

"It was a tough experience, one that I haven't fully processed yet. The conclusion can certainly be - this is not worth it. Certainly for my family. So I will certainly take their opinion into account," he told Dutch NOS television in an interview broadcast on Tuesday.

Van de Velde was sentenced to four years in prison in Britain in 2016 after he was convicted of raping a 12-year-old girl. He was 19 at the time of the offence.

He spent 13 months in prison - one year in Britain and one month in the Netherlands. Under Dutch law his crime was re-classified as the lesser offence of committing indecent acts and his sentence was reduced.


Van de Velde returned to beach volleyball competition in 2017 but his selection for the Paris games was widely condemned by other delegations as well as women's rights groups. REUTERS

Japan ends megaquake advisory on Nankai Trough disasters


Aug 15, 2024, 

TOKYO - Japan on Thursday ended its call for higher-than-usual risks of a major earthquake, one week after a strong tremor on the edge of the Nankai Trough seabed zone caused the government to issue its first-ever megaquake advisory.

Citizens can now return to normal life as no abnormalities were observed in the seismic activity of the Nankai Trough located along Japan's Pacific coast in the past week, said Yoshifumi Matsumura, the state minister for disaster management.

A Japan Meteorological Agency (JMA) expert panel on Aug. 8 released an advisory that there was a "relatively higher chance" of a Nankai Trough megaquake as powerful as magnitude 9, after a magnitude-7.1 quake hit the country's southwest.


While the advisory was not a definitive prediction, the government asked residents of a wide range of western and central regions to review evacuation procedures in case of severe earthquake and tsunami disasters.

Prime Minister Fumio Kishida cancelled a diplomatic tour to Central Asia and Mongolia over the weekend to prioritise disaster management.

On Aug. 9, a magnitude-5.3 earthquake hit eastern Japan near Tokyo, but its epicentre was located outside of the Nankai Trough zone where the JMA signalled the chance of a megaquake, and the damage was small as only three mild injuries were reported.

Central Japan Railway ended its week-long precaution of reducing the speed of trains running near coastal areas, although the risk of another natural disaster, approaching Typhoon Ampil, forced the company to cancel high-speed trains connecting Tokyo and Nagoya on Friday.

Japan has predicted a 70%-80% chance of a Nankai Trough megaquake occurring in the next 30 years.

The government's worst-case scenario has estimated that a Nankai Trough megaquake and subsequent tsunami disaster could kill 323,000 people, destroy 2.38 million buildings and cause 220 trillion yen ($1.50 trillion) of economic damage.

Japan is one of the world's most earthquake-prone countries. More than 15,000 people were killed in a magnitude 9 quake in 2011 that triggered a devastating tsunami and the triple reactor meltdowns at a nuclear power plant in northeast Japan. 

REUTERS

Weeklong Japan megaquake alert ends

Public urged to remain vigilant and prepared


PUBLISHED : 15 Aug 2024
WRITER: Kyodo News

Signage showing evacuation routes from the shore in the event of an earthquake is put up at Shirahama beach in Wakayama Prefecture, as seen on Friday. (Photo: Kyodo)

KYODO - A weeklong government call for increased preparedness based on an advisory over a potential megaquake along the Pacific coast officially ended 5pm on Thursday, after no new major seismic activity was confirmed around the Nankai Trough.

The Nankai Trough megaquake advisory, the first since the system was implemented in 2017, prompted the central government and local communities to intensify disaster preparations over the past week. It also negatively impacted some tourism-related businesses during the summer holiday season.

Japan, a quake-prone nation, has long feared a magnitude 8 to 9 quake along the Nankai Trough within the next 30 years, with predictions that a wide area could be jolted and vast coastal regions engulfed by massive tsunami.

The megaquake advisory was issued just hours after a M7.1 quake rocked southwestern Japan on Aug 8, with its focus located in waters off Miyazaki Prefecture, on the western edge of the Nankai Trough.

The advisory is intended to inform the public of the higher-than-usual risk of a large-scale quake around the Nankai Trough for a week. The government is urging the public to remain vigilant and prepared, as the possibility of a major temblor has not been eliminated.

The Nankai Trough is an ocean-floor trench that runs along Japan's Pacific coast where the Eurasian and Philippine Sea tectonic plates meet.

The Japan Meteorological Agency stated that as of Wednesday, it had detected no seismic activity indicating any concerning changes in the presumed area where the megaquake could originate.

According to the Cabinet Office, the advisory has been applied to 707 municipalities across 29 prefectures where strong shaking and large tsunami are expected in the event of a major quake.

The government estimates that, in a worst-case scenario, a megaquake in the Nankai Trough could result in over 200 trillion yen (UScopy.36 trillion) in damage.

A M9.0 earthquake with an epicentre near land would increase the damage due to the collapse of housing and infrastructure, as well as reduced business activity.

Kuroshio in Kochi Prefecture, western Japan, where a 34-metre tsunami is expected in the event of a megaquake, responded to the advisory by establishing a disaster response headquarters and increasing the number of disaster response staff.

According to the prefecture, over 100 evacuation centres have been established, with up to 63 people having sought refuge.

Some beaches in western and southwestern Japan that were closed for swimming following last week's quake have reopened.

History shows that a major earthquake around the Nankai Trough occurs every 100 to 150 years. About 80 years have passed since the most recent.

The quake that devastated northeastern Japan on March 11, 2011, triggered massive tsunami and led to the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant disaster. It registered a M9.0, the strongest earthquake ever recorded in Japan.