Foreign Tit Bits Today
By Yadnom Awu/ Asaba
America
American, Ukrainian officials Meet Moro
Officials of the governments of both America and Ukraine are due to meet tomorrow in Washington.
The meeting is the first formal one between officials of both countries since the President of America, Donald Trump, hosted his Ukrainian counterpart, Volodymyr Zelensky, and leaders of the major Western nations as Britain, France, Germany as well as officials of the European Union EU,nearly ( EU) nearly two weeks ago.
That meeting in the White House, was a follow up to an earlier one between Trump and his Russian counterpart Vladimir Viktor Putin, at the historic settlement of Alaska.
Details of tomorrow s meeting between officials of Ukraine and America were not readily available at press time, but it is understood that the talks may focus on the escalating waf between Russia and Ukraine.
Trump had hosted bitb Putin and leaders of the EU Nations and the EU Commission in an attempt to find a middle way out of the increasingly internecine war that has cost both countries dear.
China
North Korean Leader, Kim Jong Un, To Attend China Victory Parade.
The North Korean Leader, Kim Jong Un, is to attend the upcoming victory parade by China in Beijing.
The parade is part of the military drill involving both the Army of China and elements of the Russian military.
At the event to mark the victory of China in the Second World War, Beijing is expected to parade its huge military arsenal in the heart of the city of 21 million residents.
Aside from Un, the President of Russia, Vladimir Viktor Putin, is also expected to attend the event
China, in spite of stiff Western pressure, continues to trade with Russia in defiance of Western sanctions, while Korea supports Moscow with military kits and personnel.
China has refused to condemn Russia ‘s invasion of Ukraine , while North Korea has actively supported the cause of Moscow.
Australia
Australia Deploys More Resources In Manhunt for Cops Killer
Authorities in Australia have deployed more resources, including manpower, in the manhunt for the lone gunman who felled two Cops and critically wounded a third during a botched arrest bid earlier this week
The incident happened in the village of Porepunkah, some 300 kilometres from Melbourne, capital of the state of Victoria.
The dead cops include a 59 -year old intelligence officer at the threshold of retirement, and a 34- year old.
The wounded officer has undergone surgery.
Authorities deployed more manpower, including those from the intelligence and secret services, the ACO, after two days of intense manhunt yielded no good result.
Police said the suspect, 56- year old Freeman, has not been sighted since the shooting, and described him as highly efficient in extreme survival skills.
The manhunt has been impaired by cold and fog , and the police have issued an advisory, saying the suspect is heavily armed
Syria
Again, Israel Breaches Syrian Sovereignty, Deploys Military Choppers In Commando Operation
Israel has again breached the security of Syria and its territorial integrity.
The Jewish state,on Wednesday, deployed four military helicopters for a commando operation in Syria.
The development comes a day after Israel killed six Syrian soldiers in an unprovoked attack in Syria.
The object of the helicopter and the commando operatives were a guarded secret at press time, but it is believed that while the Syrian soldiers were eliminated after they stumbled on Israel’ s espionage facilities in Syria, Wednesday’s commando operation was to dismantle and recover planted Israeli spy infrastructure in Syria that were yet to be discovered.
Israel, since the fall of the Assad regime in Syria, has exponentially increased its military presence in.parts of Syria, including the Suwaydan Region where is is maintaining a significant military presence under the guise of protecting the minority ethnic Druze community.
America
Trump Hosts Post- War Gaza Meeting
The President of America, Donald Trump, has hosted a policy meeting of his core advisers on the post- war scenario in Gaza, Palestine
Details of the attendees, the resolutions and others remained guarded secrets at press time, but it was understood that one of the non- American attendees was the former Prime Minister of Britain, Tony Blair.
Blair had represented both the European Union, EU, and Russia at meets aimed at revolving nagging global matters, including humanitarian ones.
It was understood that no Palestinian was invited to the meeting .
The meeting came just a day after the Trump envoy to the Middle East, Steve Witkoff, disclosed what he termed a far- fetched American plan on the reconstruction of
Gaza, which is now under Israeli military assault for 22 months
The American move comes as more of its allies, including Britain, France, Canada, , Australia and New Zealand say they hope to recognize the state of Palestine at the September meeting of the United Nations General Assembly UNGA.
Australia
Palestine,: Australian Students Vote On Pro- Peace Motion
More than 20,000 Australian students have registered to vote in a nation- wide referendum on ending the war in Gaza and recognizing the state of Palestine by their government.
The referendum is organized by the group Students For Palestine, and it follows years of persisting public protests against the war and in support of Palestinian statehood.
More than 100 protests have been held by the students and others across Australia since the war began more than 22 months ago.
One of the organizers, Yasmine Johnson, said that the result of the referendum would guide their actions going forward.
She expressed displeasure with the government of Australia which she accused of aligning with Israel to sustain a genocide in Gaza.
Australia, a strong ally of both America and Israel, had indicated that it would recognize the state of Palestine at a session of the United Nations General Assembly ,UNGA, in September
France, Canada, Portugal and New Zealand say they plan to go the same at the session.
Russia
Ukraine Pounds Russian Oil , Other Facilities
Ukraine has pounded oil and other facilities in Russia in daring overnight strikes in which it deployed drones.
Russian officials said that the attacks targeted 20 facilities in many of its regions but that most of the drones were downed.
Following the attack, a major oil refinery in the Samara Region was ignited, and a second one was partially impacted.
Assessment of the impact of the assault was ongoing at press time .
Russian oficials say the attacks, easily one of the heaviest in recent times, showed that Ukraine was not ready for peace talks to end the war.
Ukraine
13 Killed, Scores Wounded in Russian Attacks On Ukraine’
At least 13 persons, including three children , have been killed in overnight Russian military onslaught on Ukraine.
Officials said that, at least seven regions were targeted by Russia.
The targeted facilities included residences and offices.
In the capital, Kiev, scores were wounded and several others were killed in strikes on buildings said to be for civilian use
Emergency Services were activated and locals say that the fatality tally could rise in the face of the severity of wound to victims and the fact that more than 10 persons remained missing.
Vitaly Klitschko, the Mayor of Kiev, said it was ” an awful night for Kiev.”
President Volodymyr Zelensky, in reaction to the scale of the attacks and the impact, said Russia was more interested in attacking with missiles than in holding peace talks.
Russia holds about a fifth( about 20 per cent) of Ukrainian territory.
The President of America Donald Trump, is at the head of diplomatic efforts to end the war.
America
UN Security Council, Without America, Carpets Israel for Gaza Famine
Fourteen of the fifteen members of the United Nations Security Council ,have issued a statement on the humanitarian crisis and called out Israel to end it.
The only abstention was by America, which has traditionally supported Israel unconditionally.
In the statement, the council noted that the Gaza Famine was deliberately created by Israel, hence it needed to take prompt effective measures to reverse the trend.
The council had received briefs from several transnational.groups which aligned with the report of the IPC, which is the United Nations UN – backed global hunger watchdog.
The UN and other credible groups had said that Israel was weaponising food, water, medicines and fuel in its war on Gaza., but Israel strongly rejected it.
The UM and its agency, the World Food Programme, estimates that more than 313 persons, mainly children and the elderly have died of hunger in Gaza since Israel began its war on the battered enclave.
