Tag: Fumio Kishida

The Hindu Morning Digest, March 09, 2024

Post By World , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Congress leader Rahul Gandhi.
| Photo Credit: ANI

Abducted Army officer rescued in Manipur’s Thoubal

Amid the ongoing ethnic conflict in Manipur, a serving Junior Commissioned Officer of the Indian Army, who was on Friday morning abducted from his home in Thoubal district was rescued the same evening after an hours-long search operation launched by security forces in the state, The Hindu has learnt.

Amid fears of AI misuse in upcoming poll, OpenAI executives met Election Commission officials in February

Representatives from OpenAI, the Artificial Intelligence firm that developed ChatGPT, met with officials from the Election Commission of India in February to ensure that its popular platform is not misused in the upcoming Lok Sabha election, and to find ways to collaborate with the ECI. 

Congress releases first list of 39 candidates; Rahul Gandhi to contest from Wayanad

Congress leader Rahul Gandhi will seek re-election from Wayanad Lok Sabha seat in Kerala, the party announced on March 8. His name was part of the party’s first list of 39 Lok Sabha candidates.

PM to inaugurate passenger terminals at 12 airports across India

Prime Minister Narendra Modi will inaugurate 15 new airport passenger buildings across the country between March 9 and 10 worth more than ₹9,800 crore.

Jaishankar meets Japan’s PM Kishida

External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar on Friday called on Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida and apprised him of the progress made by the two countries in the just-concluded Foreign Ministers Strategic Dialogue.

Bhutan PM Tobgay’s India visit to focus on bilateral pacts, development and connectivity projects

Bhutan’s Prime Minister Tshering Tobgay will arrive in Delhi next week, in his first visit abroad since he took over office in January this year, sources confirmed to The Hindu.

NIA chargesheets one more accused in terror graffiti case

The National Investigation Agency (NIA) has charge-sheeted one more accused in the Shivamogga IS conspiracy case related to the graffiti written in Mangaluru supporting banned terrorist outfits – the Islamic State (IS), Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT), and the Taliban. The NIA has also invoked additional charges against two others in the case.

PM Modi reaches Assam amid anti-CAA mood

Prime Minister Narendra Modi reached Assam’s Kaziranga National Park and Tiger Reserve on Friday evening amid rising sentiments against the Citizenship (Amendment) Act.

Minicoy island to see deployment of BrahMos missiles in future as part of expansion

Radars, jetties, airfield and BrahMos supersonic cruise missiles – the Indian Navy’s newest base being established on Minicoy Island in Lakshadweep, INS Jatayu, will have all these and many more. The upgrade is part of a long-term capability development plan which officials and experts say will shore up India’s security footprint in the islands located very close to critical Sea Lanes of Communication (SLOC).

Centre tweaks Prime Minister’s Rooftop Solar ‘free electricity’ scheme

The Centre has tweaked the new ₹75,000-crore PM-Surya Ghar Muft Bijli Yojna (Prime Minister’s Rooftop Solar: Free Electricity Scheme). From an initial plan to fully subsidise the installation of 1-3 KW solar systems in one crore households via tie-ups with renewable energy service companies, the scheme will now only contribute up to 60% of the costs, The Hindu has learnt.

Indian diplomat met ‘Afghan authorities’ in Kabul, says MEA

A senior Indian diplomat has met with ‘Afghan authorities’ in Kabul, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) confirmed on Friday. The development came months after the embassy of Afghanistan here which was earlier run by officials with affiliation to the pre-Taliban government of the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan was shut down and the consular responsibilities were taken over by Afghan officials who are considered to be pro-Taliban.

Odisha Congress adopting ‘wait and watch’ strategy in view of BJP-BJD alliance talk

With reported disagreement over seat sharing between the Bharatiya Janata Party and the Biju Janata Dal delaying the announcement of a formal alliance that entered the final stage, the Odisha Congress seems to be adopting a ‘wait and watch’ strategy to capitalise on the situation to their maximum advantage.

Congress promises ‘Right to Apprenticeship’ for youth below 25

With the tagline “Pehli Naukri Pakki” (first job is assured), the “right to apprenticeship” is one of the marquees promises in the Congress’s election manifesto, putting the issue of unemployment at the centre of their campaign against the Narendra Modi government

Electoral bonds case | Five-judge Bench to hold special sitting on SBI plea for more time

A special sitting by a five-judge Bench headed by Chief Justice of India D.Y. Chandrachud is scheduled on March 11 to hear an application filed by the State Bank of India (SBI) seeking time till June 30 to share details of electoral bonds purchased anonymously and encashed by political parties since April 2019.

Gadgets found with Sikh extremists: Assam jail superintendent arrested

The Assam Police arrested the superintendent of Dibrugarh Central Jail on March 7 night over the seizure of electronic gadgets from the possession of 10 inmates belonging to a radical pro-Khalistan organisation.

Safety guide launched for journalists covering Lok Sabha elections

The Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ), along with The Hindu, launcheda ‘Safety Guide for Journalists covering Indian elections 2024’ at an online event on March 8.

Centre warns against offers of jobs with Russian Army

Offers for support jobs with the Russian Army made by unverified agents are “fraught with danger and risk to life”, the External Affairs Ministry said on Friday, announcing that stern action has been initiated by the Central Bureau of Investigation against the agencies that conned Indian nationals into fighting for the Russian forces in the Russia-Ukraine conflict.

Biden vs Trump | What do Super Tuesday results mean for U.S. and India?

In this episode of Worldview, we discuss what will a rematch between Biden and Trump in the US presidential election mean for U.S. Foreign Policy, geopolitics and India

IND vs ENG fifth Test | Rohit and Gill’s tons, Padikkal and Sarfaraz’s fifties have England reeling

Relentless India punished England all day and left it staring at another defeat after just two days of the fifth and final Test here.

Source link

#Hindu #Morning #Digest #March

G20 Summit 2023 | Which leaders are attending? What is their agenda?

Post By World , , , , , , , , , ,

The final event in India’s year of G20 Presidency is the New Delhi Summit scheduled to be held on September 9-10 at the newly inaugurated Bharat Mandapam (ITPO) complex — a culmination of all G20 processes and meetings held throughout the year. Led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the group comprising of leaders of eighteen countries will adopt the Leaders’ Declaration stating their commitment to the priorities agreed upon in the ministerial and working group meetings.

In a show of diplomatic power, India has invited nine other state leaders apart from the G20 member states. These include Asian leaders like Sheikh Hasina (Bangladesh), Pravind Kumar Jugnauth (Mauritius), Sultan Haitham bin Tarik (Oman), Lee Hsein Loong (Singapore), Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan (United Arab Emirates), European leaders like Pedro Sanchez (Spain), Mark Rutte (Netherlands) and African leaders like Abdul Fatah Saeed Hussein Khalil El-Sisi (Egypt) and Bola Ahmed Tinubu (Nigeria).

New organisational invitees include heads of the International Solar Alliance (ISA), Coalition for Disaster Resilient Infrastructure (CDRI) and Asian Development Bank (ADB). These guest organisations are in addition to the regular ones: United Nations (UN), International Monetary Fund (IMF), World bank (WB), World Health Organisation (WHO), International Labour Organisation (ILO), Financial Stability Board (FSB) and Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD). Heads of regional organisations like African Union (AU), African Union Development Agency (AUDA-NEPAD), and Association of Southeast Asian nations (ASEAN) have also been invited.

 Which leaders will be in attendance? What is their agenda?

United States: Joe Biden

US President Joe Biden arrived on Friday in New Delhi and will immediately hold a bilateral meeting with Mr. Modi at his residence (7 Lok Kalyan Marg). The focus of the bilateral talk will likely be progress on the joint manufacture of jet engines, civil nuclear liability and trade agreements, and cooperation on global issues like climate change, technology, and clean energy. The leaders are also likely to discuss India-China relations, the situation along Line of Actual Control (LAC), and India’s participation in the Indo-Pacific Economic Forum’s ‘Trade’ pillar. Moreover, as announced, Mr. Modi plans to host the next QUAD summit in India in 2024 and will discuss the same with Mr. Biden.

During the summit on September 9-10, Mr. Biden will focus on tackling climate change, reshaping multilateral development banks like World Bank and IMF, social and economic consequences of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, welcoming the African Union, commending Mr. Modi’s G20 leadership and affirming faith in the group by hosting the forum in 2026. Consensus on a G20 statement on Russia’s invasion of Ukraine is difficult, but India remains hopeful of a joint declaration.

United Kingdom: Rishi Sunak

Touted as India’s ‘son-in-law,’ British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak will attend his second G20 summit hoping for a warm welcome. Mr. Sunak enjoys star status in India as the son-in-law of Infosys founder Narayan Murthy and as a practising Hindu Prime Minister – a first for the UK. Hoping for concessions due to his Indian connection, Mr. Sunak will hold a bilateral meeting with Mr. Modi on September 9 and press for an Indo-UK trade deal and a toughening of New Delhi’s stance against Russia.

France: Emmanuel Macron

Arriving on September 9, French President Emmanuel Macron is scheduled to squeeze in a working lunch with Mr. Modi after the G20 summit on Sunday. Apart from India, Mr. Macron will also be holding bilateral talks with Brazil President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, Indonesia President Joko Widodo and the Crown Prince of Saudi Arabia Mohammad bin Salman, before he leaves for Bangladesh on Sunday afternoon.

Japan: Fumio Kishida

After attending the ASEAN Summit in Indonesia along with Mr. Modi, Japanese Prime Minister Mr. Fumio Kishida is scheduled to attend the G20 summit. He will also attend a bilateral meeting with Mr. Modi on September 9 in which likely topics of discussion includes China, India hosting the next QUAD meeting in 2024 and trade.

Japanese experts say that Mr. Kishida will back India and not China at the G20 summit as a key bridge between the West and the global south. Keeping India’s strategic role in mind in the South China Sea tussle, Mr. Kishida had previously invited Mr. Modi to the May meeting of the G-7 countries in Hiroshima.

Germany: Olaf Scholz

German Chancellor Olaf Scholz will be attending the summit as he believes that the G20 has an obligation to fulfil inspite of China and Russia’s absence amid the growing influence of the BRICS group (Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa). Mr. Scholz is scheduled to hold a bilateral meeting with Mr. Modi on September 9 to discuss regional developments and global challenges. At the summit, Mr. Scholz will reiterate the need for countries with a colonial history to help former colonies develop as he believes in ‘fair partnership’.

Bangladesh: Sheikh Hasina

Attending the G20 summit on India’s special invitation, Bangladesh’s Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina will be one of the first global leaders to hold a bilateral meeting with Mr. Modi on September 8. On arrival, she along with her younger sister Sheikh Rehana were received by Union minister Darshana Jardosh and will later meet Mr. Modi at his residence (7 Lok Kalyan Marg). In the meeting three memorandum of Understanding (MoUs) on cooperation in the agriculture research, cultural exchange and financial transactions between the two countries will be signed.

At the summit, she will speak on climate change, economic recovery after Covid-19, war in Europe and its impact on global supply apart from Bangladesh’s good performance in many socio-economic categories. Apart from Mr. Modi, the Bangladeshi PM is scheduled to hold bilateral meetings with Saudi Arabia’s Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman Al Saud, Argentina’s President Alberto Fernandez, South Korea’s President Yoon Suk Yeol and UAE’s President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan.

Mauritius: Pravind Kumar Jugnauth

Another special invitee, Mauritius Prime Minister Pravind Kumar Jugnauth arrived on Thursday night and was received by Union Minister Shripad Naik. After meeting with External Affairs Minister Dr. S Jaishankar, Mr, Jugnauth is also scheduled to meet Mr. Modi at his residence for a bilateral meeting to review the two nation’s ties and developmental cooperation. Incidentally 70% of citizens of Mauritius are Indian-origin which has led to deep ties between the two countries.

Italy: Giorgio Meloni

Arriving for her second G20 summit, Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni was received by Union Minister Shobha Karandlaje. Ms. Meloni had recently visited India in March to attend the eight edition of the Raisina Dialogue and held a bilateral meeting with Mr. Modi. She is scheduled to meet Mr. Modi for a bilateral meeting tomorrow in which the Russia-Ukraine war, trade, digital transition, space, and cybersecurity are likely to be discussed.

Brazil: Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva

Gearing up to take over the G20 presidency from Mr. Modi, Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva will arrive in New Delhi to attend the summit. A strong proponent for expanding the BRICS coalition and establish a common bloc currency, Mr. Lula hopes to reduce developing nations’ dependency on the US dollar. With 41 nations expressing interest in joining BRICS, the bloc is likely to crop up in bilateral meeting scheduled between Mr. Lula and Mr. Modi on September 10.

Turkiye: Recep Tayyip Erdogan

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan will attend the summit during the weekend and is scheduled to hold bilateral meetings on the sidelines with several leaders including Mr. Modi on Sunday. Mr. Erdogan, who met with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Sochi earlier this week, will attempt to revive the Black Sea Grain Initiative which allows grain export from blockaded Ukrainian ports. This initiative which was launched by the United Nations in 2022, supported by India, will provide a major relief to the current global food security crisis.

UAE: Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan

Visiting India for the first time since being appointed as UAE’s President, Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan (MBZ) will attend the summit and hold a bilateral meeting with Mr. Modi on Sunday. Recently, India has supported UAE’s application to join the BRICS and has signed a  comprehensive economic partnership agreement. The two nations have also signed the Rupee-Dirham deal to promote usage of local currencies for cross-border transactions and recently conclude a Rupee-Dirham oil transaction between Abu Dhabi National Oil Company (Adnoc) and Indian Oil Corporation. With multiple investments in Indian projects, MBZ and Mr. Modi are likely to discuss key trade deals, projects in the meeting.

South Korea: Yoon Suk Yeol

Accompanied by eleven companies, South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol will attend the summit and hold a bilateral meeting with Mr. Modi on Sunday. The companies are eyeing joint ventures in Indian defence sector in artillery, radar and satellite communication, military power systems and aerial and naval platform sub-system supplies. The companies are keen to sign MoUs with Indian defence manufacturing companies for joint-ventures, technology transfer and trade.

At the summit, Mr. Yoon will urge participating nations to enforce U.N sanctions on North Korea for its ever-escalating missile provocations and nuclear threats. He will emphasize the need to deter North Korea from stealing cryptocurrency, dispatching workers overseas and other illegal activities to cut off its main funding for its weapons program.

Canada: Justin Trudeau

Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau will attend the G20 summit and may have a quick pull-aside meeting with Mr. Modi on Sunday. India-Canada relations have recently been strained in recent times since Ottawa expressing concerns for the farmers’ protest against the Modi government. Moreover, with growing support for the Khalistan referendum in Canada, the Trudeau government has been careful to not upset the major Sikh diaspora in Canada which have been voicing out violation of human rights of religious minorities in India. Recently, Canada hit pause on a trade deal with India over unclear reasons.

Saudi Arabia: Mohammad bin Salman

Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman will be attending the summit over the weekend followed by a one-day state visit. During his visit, he will hold bilateral talks with Mr. Modi on the nations ties in various sectors like energy, defence, trade and investment.

Netherlands: Mark Rutte

Netherlands Prime Minister Mark Rutte accompanied by his Finance minister Sigrid Kaag will attend the summit over the weekend and then travel to Bengaluru on Monday on an economic mission. In Bengaluru, Mr. Rutte will hold discussions with representatives of over sixty Indian companies engaged in business with his nation, visit an innovation lab of NXO and attend a roundtable discussion with Dutch companies operating in Karnataka.

Nigeria: Bola Ahmed Tinubu

Arriving three days ahead of the G20 summit on September 6, Nigerian President Tinubu met with Hinduja Group chairman Mr. Gopichand Hinduja to drum up investments into his nation. He is also scheduled to address the Nigeria-India Presidential Roundtable and the Nigeria-India Business Conference, to attract global capital into Nigeria from the attending CEOs, senior government officials. Highlighting his Renewed Hope Agenda, Mr. Tinubu will hold a bilateral meeting with Prime Minister Modi on September 10 to strengthen economic, trade, and investment partnerships.

In the summit, Mr. Tinubu will share Nigeria’s perspective on the G20 theme “One Earth-One Family-One Future”, while weighing the pros and cons of his nation’s application to be a permanent member of the group. Mr. Tinubu’s retinue comprises of his ministers Yusuf Tuggar (External affairs), Wale Edun (Finance and Economy), Dr. Bosun Tijani (Communication), Dr. Doris Uzoka-Anite (Trade).

Argentina: Alberto Fernandez

Argentian President Alberto Fernandez will be in attendance at the Summit accompanied by Foreign minster Santiago Cafiero, secretary Julio Vitobello, spokesperson Gabriela Cerruti and the Argentian Sherpa Jorge Argüello. According to local news channel C5N, Mr. Fernandez is expected to raise the issue of global financial architecture in his speech and hold bilateral meetings with his counterparts from Bangladesh (Sheikh Hasina), South Korea (Yoon Suk Yeol) and UAE (Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan). A bilateral meeting with Mr. Modi is yet to be confirmed.

Comoros: Azali Assoumani

Comoros President Azali Assoumani has arrived in Delhi to attend the summit and will hold a bilateral meeting with Mr. Modi on Sunday. As the chairperson of the 55-nation African Union (AU), Mr. Assoumani will also discuss the membership of the bloc to the G20 in the summit. Sources at the Sherpa meeting stated that the African Union is set to join the bloc, leaving a lasting imprint of India’s work during its Presidency. It is unclear if the G-20 will be renamed as G-21 with the inclusion of AU.

Australia: Anthony Albanese

Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese will attend the G20 summit as part of his three-nation tour – India, Indonesia and Philippines. As India hopes to have the QUAD nations’ leaders as its Republic Day chief guests in January 2024, Mr. Modi may discuss the same Mr. Albanese. Sources say that Mr. Albanese’s presence in particular will be tough as January 26 is observed as Australia Day.

During the G20 event on September 9-10, Mr. Albanese will reiterate Australia’s commitment to the Indo-Pacific for growth and prosperity, stability and respect for sovereignty and lasting peace.

Other attendees include South African President Cyril Ramaphosa, European Council President Charles Michel, European Union president Ursula von der Leyen, Indonesian president Joko Widodo, Oman’s Sultan Haitham bin Tariq Al Said, Singapore Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong and Egyptian President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi.

Which leaders are skipping the event?

China: Xi Jinping

Chinese President Xi Jinping will skip the event and will be represented by Premier Li Qiang. Mr. Xi has already skipped the recently concluded ASEAN (Association of Southeast Asian Nations) and East Asia summits. India has dismissed Mr. Xi’s absence as non-consequential.

Mexico: Andrés Manuel López Obrador

Since 2019, Mexican President Andrés Manuel López Obrador has skipped G20 summits in a bid to avoid trade war confrontation. He will be represented by Finance Minister Carlos Urzua and Foreign Minister Marcelo Ebrard.

Spain: Pedro Sanchez

Spain’s caretaker prime minister, Pedro Sanchez, will miss the G20 summit after testing positive for COVID-19. He will be represented by economy Minister Nadia Calvino and Foreign Minister Jose Manuel Albares.

Russia: Vladimir Putin

Russian President Vladimir Putin will skip the event as he is currently still focusing on the “special military operation” in Ukraine. He had skipped the summit in Bali in November 2022 citing the same reasons. Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov is leading the Russian delegation in his stead.



Source link

#G20 #Summit #leaders #attending #agenda

Biden to consult with Japan’s Kishida ahead of Group of Seven summit in Hiroshima

Post By World , , , , , ,

U.S. President Joe Biden meets with Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida, ahead of the G7 Summit, at RIHGA Royal Hotel Hiroshima, in Hiroshima, Japan, May 18, 2023.
| Photo Credit: Reuters

President Joe Biden arrived in Japan on May 18 with plans to meet privately with Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida ahead of the larger Group of Seven (G-7) summit — a sign of how the economic and national security alliance between the two countries has strengthened.

Mr. Kishida’s home city of Hiroshima will play host to the gathering of major industrialized nations. The setting of Hiroshima, where the U.S. dropped the first nuclear bomb in 1945 during World War II, carries newfound resonance as the U.S., Japan and their allies strategize on dealing with Russia’s ongoing war in Ukraine.

Jake Sullivan, the White House National Security Adviser, said the Russian invasion looms large, and would be a significant conversation during the summit.

“There will be discussions about the battlefield,” Mr. Sullivan said aboard Air Force One, stressing that the G-7 leaders would work to seal off any loopholes in sanctions so their effect can be maximized.

“There’ll be discussions about the state of play on sanctions and the steps that the G-7 will collectively commit to on enforcement in particular.”

Mr. Sullivan said the alliance between the U.S. and Japan was at a “genuine high-water mark.”

He said Mr. Biden and Mr. Kishida, in their meeting, will aim to advance a relationship that’s progressed over the course of the last two years “in every dimension, whether it’s the military dimension of the alliance, the economic dimension, the recently concluded agreement on clean energy, the work we’re doing together on economic security.”

Also read: Biden to meet 18 Pacific leaders in Papua New Guinea

Last year, Mr. Biden came to Tokyo to discuss Indo-Pacific strategy and launch a new trade framework for the region, with the U.S. President and Mr. Kishida engaging in an 85-minute tea ceremony and seafood dinner. The President’s first stop in Japan was to greet U.S. troops at the Marine Corps Air Station Iwakuni, before boarding a helicopter to Hiroshima for the planned 80-minute meeting with the Japanese Prime Minister.

Mr. Kishida was quick to call out the risks of nuclear-power Russia invading Ukraine in 2022, saying then, “Ukraine today could be East Asia tomorrow.”

China has declared a limitless friendship with Russia, increasing trade in ways that blunted the ability of financial sanctions to constrain the war. But the U.S. and its allies say China has yet to ship military equipment to Russia, a sign that the friendship might have some boundaries.

Mr. Biden and Mr. Kishida also have economic matters to consider. The U.S. and Japan have begun to redefine global trade with an eye toward supply chain resilience and national security. They recently signed an agreement on critical mineral supply chains. They’re also cooperating on the development of renewable energy sources and partnering on efforts to limit China’s access to advanced computer chips.

Mr. Kishida hopes to discuss further strengthening of deterrence and response capability with Mr. Biden in the face of China’s assertiveness in the Indo-Pacific region, as well as confirming the importance of the Taiwan Strait for global peace and stability. China has asserted that self-governing Taiwan should come under its rule. U.S. officials have been briefed on the possible economic damage caused by a war over Taiwan, which would disrupt the supply of advanced computer chips.

Japan is also keen to discuss ways to reinforce its three-way partnership with the U.S. and Seoul following an April agreement between the United States and South Korea to strengthen their tools to deter the risk of a nuclear attack by North Korea.

Mr. Kishida and Mr. Biden will hold a trilateral summit with South Korea’s Yoon Suk Yeol on the sidelines of the G-7 summit. But Mr. Kishida is in a complicated position by discussing efforts to respond to nuclear threats by North Korea with Japan’s history of also calling for a world free from nuclear arms, said Kan Kimura, a Kobe University professor and an expert on South Korea.

In the wake of World War II, Japan embraced pacifism. The atomic bomb scorched Hiroshima, killing 1,40,000 people and destroying most of the river delta city’s buildings. But current conditions are testing Japan’s pacifism and anti-nuclear weapon tradition.

“Mr. Kishida is from Hiroshima, believes deeply in the disarmament agenda,” said Christopher Johnstone, a senior adviser at the Center for Strategic and International Studies, a Washington think tank. “Of course, Kishida is walking a fine line. He recognizes the need for the nuclear umbrella, Japan’s dependence on U.S. extended deterrence — that that’s more vital than ever, frankly, in the current security environment.”

There are outstanding issues between the U.S. and Japan. During a January meeting with Mr. Kishida, Mr. Biden brought up the case of Lt. Ridge Alkonis, a U.S. Navy officer deployed to Japan who last year was sentenced to three years in prison after pleading guilty to the negligent driving deaths of two Japanese citizens in May 2021, according to a senior administration official. Mr. Alkonis also agreed to pay the victims $1.65 million in restitution. His family is seeking his release, saying he was detained until he confessed.

As much as Mr. Biden believes he has improved relations with U.S. allies, he still faces political turmoil at home. The President on May 17 curtailed part of his trip across the Pacific Ocean. He will skip Papua New Guinea and Australia in order to return to Washington in hopes of finalizing a deal to raise the Federal Government’s debt limit.

“The work that we need to do bilaterally with Australia and with the Pacific Islands is work that can be done at a later date, whereas the final stretch of negotiations over the debt limit or the budget cannot be done at a later date,” Mr. Sullivan said Wednesday.

Source link

#Biden #consult #Japans #Kishida #ahead #Group #summit #Hiroshima

North Korea simulates nuclear counter-attack on South to protest against joint military exercises between U.S., South Korea

Post By World , , , , , , , , ,

This recent picture released by North Korea’s official state media KCNA, on March 20, 2023 shows North Korea’s leader Kim Jong Un (centre right) and his daughter (centre left) walking together as they attend a warhead missile launch exercise simulating a tactical nuclear attack in Cholsan county, North Pyongan Province. North Korean leader Kim Jong Un led two days of military drills “simulating a nuclear counterattack”, including the firing of a ballistic missile carrying a mock nuclear warhead, KCNA reported on March 20.
| Photo Credit: AFP

North Korea said, on March 20, that it simulated a nuclear attack on South Korea with a ballistic missile launch over the weekend that was its fifth missile demonstration this month to protest the largest joint military exercises in years between the U.S. and South Korea.

The North’s leader Kim Jong Un instructed his military to hold more drills to sharpen the war readiness of his nuclear forces in the face of “aggression” by his enemies, state media reported.

The South Korean and Japanese militaries detected the short-range missile being launched on Sunday into waters off the North’s eastern coast, which reportedly came less than an hour before the U.S. flew long-range B-1B bombers for training with South Korean warplanes. The North characterises the U.S.-South Korea exercises as a rehearsal to invade, though the allies insist they are defensive in nature. Some experts say the North uses the exercises as a pretext to advance its weapons programmes.

Pyongyang’s official Korean Central News Agency ( KCNA) said the missile, which flew about 800 km (500 miles), was tipped with a mock nuclear warhead. It described the test as successful, saying that the device detonated as intended 800 metres (yards) above water at a spot that simulated an unspecified “major enemy target,” supposedly reaffirming the reliability of the weapon’s nuclear explosion control devices and warhead detonators.

The report said the launch was the final step of a two-day drill that also involved nuclear command and control exercises and training military units to switch more quickly into nuclear counterattack posture, properly handle nuclear weapons systems and execute attack plans.

“The exercise was also a “stronger warning” to the United States and South Korea, who are “undisguised in their explicit attempt to unleash a war” against the North,” KCNA said.

Photos published by state media showed Kim walking through a forest with his daughter and senior military officials and a missile the North described as a tactical nuclear weapon system soaring from the woods spewing flames and smoke.

“Saying that his enemies are getting “ever more pronounced in their moves for aggression,” Kim laid out unspecified “strategic tasks” for further developing his nuclear forces and improving their war readiness,” KCNA said. This indicated that the North could up the ante in its weapons demonstrations in coming weeks or months.

Jeon Ha Gyu, spokesperson of South Korea’s Defence Ministry, said it’s clear North Korea with its ramped-up testing activity is making “considerable progress” in nuclear weapons technology. He did not provide a specific assessment about the North’s claim about the successful warhead detonation.

North Korean photos indicated the latest launch was of a solid-fuel missile apparently modelled after Russia’s Iskander mobile ballistic system that the North has been testing since 2019. The missiles are built to travel at low altitudes and be manoeuverable in flight, which theoretically improve their chances of evading South Korean missile defences.

While these missiles have been mostly fired from wheeled vehicles, North Korea has also tested them or their variants from railcars, a submarine and a platform inside a reservoir. Photos of the latest test suggested the missile was possibly fired from a silo dug into the ground, highlighting the North’s efforts to diversify its launch options and make it harder for opponents to identify and counter them.

South Korea’s military said the launch took place at a mountainous northwestern region near Tongchangri, which hosts a site where the North conducted long-range rocket and satellite launches in previous years.

North Korea likely has dozens of nuclear warheads, but there are differing assessments on how far the North has advanced in miniaturising and engineering those weapons so that they could fit on the newer weapons it tested in recent years.

While the North after six nuclear tests may be able to place simple nuclear warheads on some of its older systems, such as Scuds or Rodong missiles, it will likely require further technology upgrades and nuclear tests to build warheads that can be installed on its more advanced tactical systems, according to Lee Choon Geun, an honorary research fellow at South Korea’s Science and Technology Policy Institute.

Sunday’s short-range launch was the North’s fifth missile event this month and the third since the U.S. and South Korean militaries began joint exercises on March 13. The allies’ drills, which are to continue through Thursday, include computer simulations and their biggest springtime field exercise since 2018.

The North so far in 2023 has fired around 20 missiles over nine different launch events. They included short-range missiles fired from land, cruise missiles launched from a submarine, and two different inter-continental ballistic missiles fired an airport near Pyongyang as it tries to demonstrate a dual ability to conduct nuclear attacks on South Korea and the U.S. mainland.

The latest ICBM test last Thursday preceded a summit between South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol and Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida, who agreed to resume security dialogues and take other steps to improve their oft-strained relations in the face of North Korean threats.

North Korea already is coming off a record year in testing activity, with more than 70 missiles fired in 2022, as Kim accelerates his weapons development aimed at forcing the United States to accept the idea of the North as a nuclear power and negotiating badly needed sanctions relief from a position of strength.

In response to the most recent ICBM launch, the U.N. Security Council scheduled an emergency open meeting on Monday morning at the request of the United States, United Kingdom, Albania, Ecuador, France and Malta. Security Council resolutions have long banned North Korean ballistic missile activity, but permanent council members Russia and China have thwarted punishment or further sanctions in recent years.

The U.N. Security Council held an informal meeting on Friday at which the U.S., its allies and human rights experts shone a spotlight on what they described as the dire rights situation in North Korea. China and Russia denounced the meeting as a politicised move.

North Korea’s U.N. Mission called the meeting about “our non-existent ‘human rights issue’” unlawful. It also said the U.S. held on Friday’s meeting “while staging the aggressive joint military exercise which poses a grave threat to our national security.”

Source link

#North #Korea #simulates #nuclear #counterattack #South #protest #joint #military #exercises #South #Korea