Iraq Objects To US Strikes That Killed 1, Wounded 18

 December 27, 2023 

By VOA

Iraq condemned on Tuesday U.S. airstrikes on Iraqi territory, calling them a “hostile act” and a violation of Iraq’s sovereignty. 

U.S. forces carried out the strikes Monday and targeted Iran-backed militias in Iraq in response to a drone attack earlier that day that injured three U.S. service members. 

The U.S. strikes killed one member of its security forces, Iraq said Tuesday, and wounded 18 other people, including civilians, according to news reports. 

The government called the U.S. strikes “an unacceptable violation of Iraqi sovereignty,” a government statement said. The statement also stressed that similar attacks by armed groups on U.S-led coalition advisers are hostile acts and violate Iraqi sovereignty, a position Kataib Hezbollah criticized.

“We warn those with weak souls, from the highest level to the lowest, not to test our patience,” said Abu Ali al-Askari, a security official with the faction.

A barrage of rockets was fired later Tuesday morning at U.S. and allied forces at Al-Shaddadi, an American patrol base in Syria, a U.S. military official said. There was no damage or casualties, the official said.

Monday’s U.S. strikes were directed at three locations used by Kataib Hezbollah and affiliated groups, Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin said in a statement. The U.S. considers Kataib Hezbollah a terrorist organization.

“These precision strikes are a response to a series of attacks against U.S. personnel in Iraq and Syria by Iranian-sponsored militias, including an attack by Iran-affiliated Kataib Hezbollah and affiliated groups on Irbil Air Base earlier today, and intended to disrupt and degrade capabilities of the Iran-aligned militia groups directly responsible.” 

National Security Council spokesperson Adrienne Watson said Kataib Hezbollah, as part of an umbrella group of Iran-backed militants, claimed credit for the Monday attack and that one of the U.S. service members was critically hurt. 

U.S. and coalition forces have operated in the region as part of the mission to counter the Islamic State group in Iraq and Syria. 

Those forces have come under repeated attacks by Iranian-backed proxies, with about 100 attacks coming since Israel launched its offensive to eliminate the militant group Hamas in the Gaza Strip. 

The U.S. military has said it disrupted most of those attacks, or that they fell short of their targets causing no damage. But several, like Monday’s, have injured U.S. military personnel. 

Previous retaliatory strikes have targeted Kataib Hezbollah and other groups, including U.S. strikes in November.

VOA

The VOA is the Voice of America

 

Russia Accuses West Of Fomenting Trouble In Serbia

 December 27, 2023  

By EurActiv

(EurActiv) — Russia said on Monday (25 December) foreign-backed forces were trying to foment trouble in Serbia, where protests continue for a second week after an election earlier this month that international monitors said was unfair.

“There are processes and attempts by third forces, including from abroad, to provoke such unrest in Belgrade,” Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said. “We have no doubt that the leadership of the republic will ensure the rule of law.”

Several thousand people gathered in front of the central election commission building in Belgrade on Monday. The protesters marched to the main police station where they believed those detained by police were being held.

Earlier in the day, police said 38 people had been detained during and after an opposition protest over election results on Sunday. The police said eight policemen were injured in clashes.

Protesters on Sunday broke windows and glass at the main entrance of the town hall, before police used pepper spray to disperse them around 10 p.m. (2100 GMT).

Ivica Ivković, head of the police administration, said two of the eight wounded policemen sustained serious injuries.

“We will continue to work to maintain peace and order and we expect to see more arrests in relation to protests last night,” Ivković told a news conference.

The opposition parties accused police of excessive force, and some social networks showed footage of policemen beating up men in streets near the town hall.

Russian help

Outgoing Prime Minister Ana Brnabić thanked the Russian secret service for providing information on planned activities by the opposition. “This (my statement) is not going to be popular in the West,” Brnabić, of the ruling Serbian Progressive Party (SNS), said on Serbian television.

A European Union candidate, Serbia has resisted pressure by Western countries to introduce sanctions against Russia.

Moscow has been one of Serbia’s closest allies for decades, especially after 1999 when Russia opposed the NATO airstrikes against rump Yugoslavia that comprised Serbia and Montenegro.

An international monitoring mission last Monday said the SNS gained an unfair advantage through media bias, the improper influence of President Aleksandar Vučić and voting irregularities such as vote buying.

Serbian authorities deny any irregularities.

Vučić on 21 December accused an “important country” of interfering in the country’s elections, following a torrent of international condemnation of alleged irregularities during the weekend’s contest.

The populist ruling Serbian Progressive Party (SNS) won 46.72% of the votes in the 17 December snap parliamentary election, according to state election commission preliminary results.

Serbia Against Violence came second in the election with 23.56% of the vote, and the Socialist Party of Serbia third with 6.56%.

Germany on 18 December condemned reported irregularities in Serbian elections as “unacceptable” for a candidate to join the European Union.

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov. Photo Credit: Presidential Executive Office of Russia

EurActiv publishes free, independent policy news and facilitates open policy debates in 12 languages.

Indonesia’s Defense Minister Prabowo Subianto Widens Lead In Presidential Race, Survey Shows

 December 27, 2023

BenarNews

By Nazarudin Latif

Defense Minister Prabowo Subianto and his running mate widened their lead in the 2024 presidential race, a new poll held after the candidates’ first televised debates showed.

Prabowo and his vice presidential pick, the Indonesian president’s eldest son, Gibran Rakabuming Raka, got 46.7% of the vote in the survey conducted by Indikator Politik over the weekend.

The ruling Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle’s presidential nominee, former Central Java Gov. Ganjar Pranowo, and his running mate, Mohammad Mahfud MD, followed with 24.5%.

Former Jakarta Gov. Anies Baswedan and his running mate, Muhaimin Iskandar, trailed at 21%.

The survey polled 1,217 respondents across Indonesia on Dec. 23-Dec. 24. Indonesians will on Feb. 14, 2024,  elect the successor to Joko “Jokowi” Widodo, who is constitutionally barred from seeking a third term.

In the first debate – the presidential one – on Dec. 12, Anies impressed 35.5% of respondents as the best and most eloquent candidate. Prabowo trailed with 28.9% and Ganjar with 26.9%, Indikator said.

But Prabowo was seen as the candidate with the most solid program on the debate.

The survey also found that except for Central Java, where Ganjar has the edge, Prabowo dominates all regions of Indonesia. 

He has the support of all ethnic groups as well, except for the staunchly-Muslim Minang people in West Sumatra, who favor Anies, it said.

The survey found that 7.8% of respondents were undecided or swing voters, who could influence the outcome of the election.

“If [Prabowo-Gibran] managed to capture most of the swing voter base, they could avoid a run-off,” Burhanuddin Muhtadi, the director of Indikator, told reporters on Tuesday.

Indonesia’s presidential election system requires a runoff between the top two candidates if no one secures more than 50% of the votes in the election.

Burhanuddin said that the second and third places were too close to call, as Ganjar and Anies were within the 2.9% margin of error of the survey. 

He said that either of them could join Prabowo in the runoff if the election is not decided in one round. 

Voter dynamic ‘always shifting’

Prabowo and Gibran have gained more support from the public because of Jokowi’s popularity, said Wasisto Raharjo Jati, a political analyst at the National Research and Innovation Agency (BRIN). 

“The presidential race is always changing, especially with the undecided voters who have not made up their minds,” he said.

He added that the candidates would try to win over the swing voters to either catch up or secure their victory.

“I cannot say for sure that it will be one round because the voter dynamics are always shifting [and will] until the last minute before Feb. 14,” he said.

However, Prabowo appears to be the clear frontrunner. 

Various other surveys released this month and conducted before the debates also showed him ahead of his rivals in the race.

The 72-year-old retired general, who was accused of human rights violations during the Suharto dictatorship and the 1998 riots, had been Jokowi’s main rival in the past two elections, losing narrowly in both. 

Now, Prabowo is believed to have Jokowi’s backing after choosing his son Gibran as his running mate, even though the president has not publicly revealed his preferences.

Poltracking Indonesia gave Prabowo 45.2% of the vote, followed by Ganjar with 27.3%, and Anies with 23.1%. 

According to a Litbang Kompas poll, Prabowo led with 39.3% of the vote, while Anies had 16.7% and Ganjar had 15.3%. 

Meanwhile, Gibran exceeded some expectations during his debut on the national stage Friday as he squared off against seasoned politicians Mahfud and Muhaimin in the vice presidential debate. 

Gibran, 36, the mayor of Solo, has been criticized as a novice and privileged politician who benefits from his father’s popularity and influence. 

His candidacy is widely seen as a continuation of his father’s legacy. 

Gibran’s bid has attracted controversy because of a perceived conflict of interest and accusations of nepotism in a court decision that enabled him to run for vice president.

During the debate, he outlined plans for further industrialization and addressed the pressing issues of digital policy and economic growth while stressing the importance of cybersecurity and data protection.

Two more presidential debates and an additional vice presidential debate are set to be held before the election.

Indonesia's Prabowo Subianto. Photo Credit: Mehr News Agency

BenarNews’ mission is to provide readers with accurate news and information that reflects the complex and ever-changing world around them. With homepages in Bengali, Thai, Bahasa Malaysia, Bahasa Indonesia and English, BenarNews brings timely news to its diverse audience. Copyright BenarNews. Used with the permission of BenarNews

Angst grows among youth voters over Biden's Israel policy

26th December 2023

By Kayla Epstein

BBC News

The 2024 presidential election promises to be one of the most polarising political contests in living memory. But as the war in Gaza rages, President Joe Biden's unequivocal support of Israel is putting him at odds with some of his key supporters - younger voters.

Abdul Osmanu, 22, is not sure he can cast a ballot for President Joe Biden again. Much of that hesitation, he said, involves the Biden administration's support of Israel as it continues to bombard the Gaza Strip.

The young Connecticut voter told the BBC that he was weighing whether to vote for a third-party candidate or leave his presidential ballot blank in 2024. The decision is difficult, however, as he - and many other young voters - do not want to see Donald Trump elected again.

"As a lover of peace, a Muslim, and a black man, it's terrible to see the repression of the Palestinians," Mr Osmanu, who was elected to his local town council in 2021, said. "It'd be tough for me, in my conscience, to vote for a president aiding and abetting that in many ways."

An increasing number of young Democratic voters, like Mr Osmanu, appear to be breaking with President Biden over the issue of Israel and its conflict in the Gaza Strip. It's a cause for concern for Democrats, as their opposition to Mr Biden's continued support for Israel's war effort could threaten a key pillar of support that the elder statesman leaned on during the 2020 election.

For the past two months, young voters have seen in the news and on social media images of war and destruction from within Gaza. They have followed the death toll as it climbed to over 20,000 Palestinians, according to the Hamas-run Gaza health ministry.

At the same time, they have watched as Mr Biden publicly backed Israel's stated effort to eradicate Hamas after the terror group killed 1,200 people in Israel on 7 October. The militant group continues to imprison an estimated 100 hostages in Gaza.

The BBC reviewed polling research and spoke to six young Democratic voters and organisers from across the United States. Data and interviews appear to show a growing sense of political discord among young voters ahead of the 2024 election.

The Biden campaign declined to comment.

But registered voters aged 18-29 said they are more likely to support the Palestinian cause over Israel, a recent New York Times/Siena poll found. The survey showed voters aged 18-29 had critical views of Israel and its counteroffensive against Hamas across the board, while older generations had more favourable views of the country.

Though a clear majority of registered voters - 57% - disapprove of the way Mr Biden is handling the conflict, young voters have the greatest objections. A total 72% of voters aged 18-29 disapprove of Mr Biden's efforts, the Times/Siena poll found.

One possible reason for the divide is that young Democrats, particularly progressives, are also more likely to connect the cause of Palestinian statehood to the fights for social justice playing out in the United States

Anna Bosking, a 22-year-old Iowa native, plans to vote for Mr Biden again. But after taking a Middle Eastern politics course at university, speaking to classmates from Gaza, and seeing eyewitness accounts on social media, she has become more critical of America's relationship with Israel.

"Before this conflict I always thought Israel was a consistent ally that we would always support, and I never had any issues," she told the BBC. "But I think the American people have been forced to consider the historical context in the situation."

Democrats relied on young voter turnout to propel them to victory in the 2020 presidential election and the 2022 midterms. The Democratic apparatus typically pours millions of dollars into youth outreach and engagement to shore up support.

Multiple young voters told the BBC that they were torn over the 2024 election, despite seeing seeing Joe Biden as the "lesser of two evils" when compared to Donald Trump.

But not all young voters criticised Mr Biden's position towards Israel.

Jessica Schwab, a 20-year-old student at Columbia University in New York, said she did not want to see Mr Trump re-elected and thought Mr Biden was handling the conflict well.

"He's standing with Israel and providing them with military supplies, and general funding in their defence," she said. "But I do like how he is also asking for humanitarian pauses, and inserting some sort of breathing room to reduce the amount of casualties that are occurring in Gaza."

Mr Biden's backers also argue that the 2024 election is nearly a year away, and that young Democrats would come back to the fold if presented with a choice between Mr Biden and Mr Trump.

"It's a choice between two candidates," said Jack Lobel of the Gen-Z voter advocacy group Voters of Tomorrow.

"And so while President Biden's policies towards Gaza might be upsetting some young people, that's not going to change the fact that he and Donald Trump are two very different people."

‘Explosions’ Alert After Houthi Drones, Missiles Hit Red Sea Ships

 December 27, 2023 

By Arab News

By Saeed Al-Batati

At least two commercial ships are believed to have been hit by drones and missiles launched by the Iran-backed Houthis in Yemen on Tuesday as the militia’s leaders pledged to confront a US-led international naval task force in the Red Sea. 

The UK’s Maritime Trade Operations authority received information from a ship on Tuesday afternoon saying an explosion had been heard and missiles spotted 60 nautical miles from Yemen’s Red Sea port of Hodeida.

An alert was also issued three hours earlier by UKMTO saying that a vessel had reported two explosions 15 minutes after seeing drones roughly 50 nautical miles west of Hodeidah. 

The Houthis have not yet claimed responsibility for the attacks as of late Tuesday.

The Yemen militia has launched ballistic missiles and drones against commercial and naval ships in the Red Sea in a bid to force Israel to end its assault on Gaza.

Houthi threats to hit Israeli-linked vessels have forced some major shipping firms, including Maersk and MSC, to reroute ships away from the key trade route.

The US is leading a global task force coalition to protect the crucial maritime link from Houthi strikes.

At the same time, the Houthis have repeated their threat to strike US-led forces or any other group if Yemen is attacked or if action is taken to stop the militia targeting ships bound for Israel.

Mohammed Al-Ateifi, Houthi defense minister, claimed his fighters are in “full combat readiness” to deal with any military response from the US or other countries, and vowed to continue missile and drone attacks in the Red Sea in solidarity with the people of Gaza.

“The ranges of our strategic deterrent weapons exceed what the enemies expect, and there are no red lines in front of us. All options are available,” the Houthi military leader told a meeting of commanders in Sanaa on Monday.

Meanwhile, Somali pirates captured a vessel carrying 43 Yemeni fishermen 30 miles off the Somali coastline area of Hafun on Sunday, according to Yemeni fishermen in the Red Sea Khokha region in Yemen.

Pirates sailed the seized boat to Somalia, where they freed 34 of the captives and sailed away with the remaining nine, heading to international waters.

“Those fishermen have a license from the Somali authorities to fish in Somali water,” said a relative of one of the abducted fishermen, who asked to remain anonymous. 

Houthi forces hijack cargo ship in the Red Sea. Photo Credit: Houthi Media Center video screenshot

Iran-backed Houthis claim responsibility for attack on Red Sea container ship

Houthi military spokesman Yahya Sarea said the group had targeted the vessel MSC United, after the crew failed to respond to warnings

The Houthis have been attacking commercial vessels in the Red Sea. 

(Photo: Reuters)

Reuters

Dubai,UPDATED: Dec 27, 2023 

Posted By: Ajmal Abbas

Yemen's Iran-backed Houthi militia claimed responsibility for a missile attack on Tuesday on a container ship in the Red Sea and for an attempt to attack Israel with drones.

MSC Mediterranean Shipping said there were no injuries to its crew from the attack on its ship, the United VIII, en route from Saudi Arabia to Pakistan. It said the ship had informed a nearby coalition naval warship that it had come under attack and had taken evasive manoeuvres.

Israel said separately that its aircraft had intercepted a hostile aerial target in the Red Sea area.

Houthi military spokesman Yahya Sarea in a televised address said the group had targeted the vessel, which he identified as the MSC United, after the crew failed to respond to warnings.

He also said the Houthis had carried out a military operation targeting Eilat and other areas in Israel, which he referred to as occupied Palestine. He did not say whether any of the targets were successfully hit.

US fighter jets, a navy destroyer and other assets shot down in the Red Sea 12 drones, three anti-ship ballistic missiles, and two cruise missiles fired by the Houthis, US Central Command said. There was no damage to ships and no reported injuries, it wrote on social media platform X.

The Houthis, who control much of Yemen including the capital, have since October attacked commercial vessels in the Red Sea they say have Israeli links or are sailing to Israel, in solidarity with Palestinians in Gaza.

Britain's United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations Authority earlier reported two incidents of explosions in the Red Sea off of the coast of Yemen involving missiles and drones near a vessel. It also said there were no reported injuries.

The reported incidents come a week after the United States announced a multinational maritime security initiative in the Red Sea in response to attacks on vessels by Yemen's Houthis.

Several shipping lines have suspended operations through the Red Sea waterway in response to the attacks, instead taking the longer journey around Africa.

The Houthis have vowed to continue their attacks until Israel halts the conflict in Gaza, and warned that it would attack US warships if the militia group itself was targeted.

Pirates seize a ship with Posco steel in the Red Sea

This may affect steel supplies to the Middle East region and shake prices for these products

Цей матеріал також доступний українською
26 DECEMBER 2023


In the Red Sea region off the coast of Somalia, a ship carrying steel coils from Korean steelmaker Posco (the company does business through Samsung) was hijacked by pirates.

Source. This was reported by CTS with reference to MMC Center.

The products on board the Maltese-flagged Ruen vessel were intended for Turkish buyers.

According to market sources, the vessel is carrying about 40 thousand tons of steel coils.

The company is negotiating with the pirates to free the bulk carrier.

As of December 13, the Ruen was on its way to the port of Gömlik in Turkey. It entered the risk zone in the Gulf of Aden in the southern Red Sea on December 15. According to ship tracking programs, the bulk carrier has been off the central coast of Somalia since December 18.

A representative of West of England Insurance Services said that they were cooperating with the relevant authorities and could not comment at this time.

Sources at Turkish steelmakers believe that the incident could disrupt supplies from Asia to the region, which would push up prices for coiled steel.

Traders and Turkish buyers speculate that shipowners and charterers may try to avoid the Red Sea and Suez Canal route by choosing a longer and more expensive route around the Cape of Good Hope and along the east coast of Africa. This will also affect the cost of sailing in the Mediterranean region.

As reported, transportation companies have begun to redirect ships from the Middle East region amid more frequent attacks in the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden. Some companies are trying not to send ships to the region at all, instead choosing a route around Africa, which increases the travel time by two weeks.

Risks to shipping in the Red Sea and the Bab el-Mandeb Strait, through which about 10% of the world's maritime oil supplies pass, have increased amid Israel's war with Hamas. The Yemeni Houthis have expressed their support for the Palestinians and have been attacking ships in the strait.

Текст: Nadiya Palyvoda, international news editor

The cost Maersk faces by resuming shipments in Red Sea

Nicholas Jacobino and Josh Lipton
Tue, December 26, 2023 

Conflicts in the Red Sea are ongoing, causing major grief for shipments through an area of the world that is responsible for 10% of global trade. Maersk (MAERSK-A.CO, MAERSK-B.CO) is geared up to resume transit through the area, in conjunction with US led multinational Naval operations. Salvatore Mercogliano, Campbell University Department of History Chair, joins Yahoo Finance to give insight into the efforts and costs associated with resuming trade through that area.

Mercogliano explains one of the costs Maersk has to deal with is with war risk insurance: "The war risk insurance had climbed dramatically, it went from 0.02% of the entire value of the cargo of the ship to 0.7% and we are talking about ships that are loaded with billions of dollars, it's one of the reasons why container ships did the diversion because their cargoes are some much more valuable than what you get in a traditional tanker."

For more expert insight and the latest market action, click here to watch this full episode of Yahoo Finance Live.

Video Transcript

[AUDIO LOGO]

JOSH LIPTON: Mediterranean shipping company suffering an attack on one of its container ships while transiting the Red Sea. Meanwhile, logistics company, Maersk, gears up to resume transit through the Red Sea with the aid of a US-led multinational naval operation to protect shipments. This comes as the flow of global trade finds itself already under pressure from a severe drought, constraining voyages through the Panama Canal to the World Trade Organization forecasting a hit to global trade growth this year as rising rates dent consumer spending.

Joining us now is Sal Mercogliano, a Campbell University Department of History criminal justice and political science chair. Sal, it's good to see you. I actually want to begin with this headline, Sal, on Maersk, shipping giant, intending to gradually resume service through the Red Sea. I was wondering, Sal, if you saw that, you saw that headline, you saw those reports. Did you see that, Sal, as perhaps a sign of possible normalization and stabilization here?

SALVATORE MERCOGLIANO: I think Maersk is the one who first kicked this whole off. I mean, they were the ones who announced their initial withdrawal from going through the Red Sea. I think Maersk is trying to get back to normal service, but they're also hedging their bets. If you look at the ships that are going to be heading for the Suez right now, it's about a dozen ships out of the Mediterranean in Europe. This is part of their effort to replace and reposition empty containers.

Because of the longer voyage associated with going around Africa, they were going to wind up in a position where they didn't have enough empty boxes to reload back in Asia. So they're trying to get their vessels. And since the US Navy just did a successful series of convoy operations, including three Maersk line ships that are US-flagged, I think Maersk is willing to go ahead and take it. Obviously, what they want to do is get their ships through but because of the high value of the cargo on container ships, the war risk insurance that added little extra insurance that they need is a really high premium for them to pay.

JULIE HYMAN: And so, Sal, what do the economics of all of this look like right now? I mean, basically, will this protection that they are getting make it economically viable again to sail through? Or are they going to have to rethink the model? Is it going to be successful?

SALVATORE MERCOGLIANO: It's really depending-- I got to imagine right now Maersk is going to their insurancers and trying to find out what kind of war risks they can get. The war risk insurance had climbed dramatically. It went from 0.02% of the entire value of the cargo of the ship to 0.7%. And we're talking-- when you're talking about ships that are loaded with billions of dollars, it's one of the reasons why container ships did the diversion because their cargoes are so much more valuable than what you get in a traditional tanker.

Also, at the same exact time, remember, the container liners were going into 2024 in a pretty bad position. They had overcapacity of ships. They had lagging freight rates. And one of the things that this diversion has done is put more ships out in the water carrying cargo. And it's also artificially inflated the freight rates, particularly those between Europe and Asia, because that freight rate is being renegotiated as of January 1st.