Your one-stop destination for all the top international stories of the day.
South China Sea Tensions: China says “it’s ready for dialogue but won’t allow…”
China’s second-highest ranking military official has said Beijing remains committed to resolving all pending issues through dialogue but it won’t allow itself to be ‘abused’. The comments come in the backdrop of tensions between China and its neighbours particularly in the South China Sea where Manila and Beijing have seen escalating diplomatic tensions and encounters that have seen the use of water cannons and verbal exchanges. This comes as nearly 17,000 Filipino and American troops kick off a three-week joint combat training exercise in the Philippines that includes maritime drills in the South China Sea.
Maldives: Pro-China Muizzu’s party wins supermajority in parliamentary elections
Maldives voters overwhelmingly supported President Mohamed Muizzu in the parliamentary elections, with his People’s National Congress (PNC) securing a two-thirds majority by winning at least 64 out of the initial 86 declared seats. This outcome is expected to reinforce Muizzu’s pro-China stance, especially considering the PNC and its allies had only eight seats in the previous parliament. The main opposition Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP), which previously held a super-majority, suffered significant losses. In the Presidential polls last year, Muizzu campaigned and emerged victorious with a strong anti-India stance. He has visited China and also inked a defence cooperation pact along with multiple infrastructure development agreements with Beijing.
Netanyahu vows to fight back if US imposes sanctions against Israeli battalions
Days after the US Congress approved a $26 billion package for Israel and for humanitarian aid …is Tel Aviv’s strongest ally now planning sanctions against some battalions of the Israeli military? US media reports said Washington was planning to impose sanctions on Israel’s Netzah Yehuda battalion that has operated in the occupied West Bank on grounds of human rights violations. The Netzah Yehuda battalion is an active combat unit. The Israeli military has said
it has no information on any measures being planned against it by the US.
Israeli leaders have said the sanctions would be ‘the peak of absurdity’ and ‘moral low’ and Netanyahu promised to fight it with all his strength.
President Noboa gets backing of Ecuadorians for his war on gangs, violence
A referendum President Daniel Noboa called for in support of a crackdown on violence and criminal gangs has got overwhelming support from Ecuadorians. All 9 questions that were part of the referendum asking for more security measures to be put in place have got a resounding ‘yes’ from people. The measures include joint police-military patrols, the extradition of wanted criminals and longer sentences for terrorism and murder, among other crimes… in the hope that they help tackle the spiraling violence in the nation.
Bolsonaro praises Elon Musk as ‘defender of free speech’
Brazil’s former President, Jair Bolsonaro, who’s being investigated for allegedly undermining faith in Brazil’s voting system, showered praise on billionaire tech entrepreneur Elon Musk at a public rally in Copacabana. He called Musk a defender of free speech. Police have seized the former President’s passport and he has been banned from running for office till 2030. Musk’s social media platform, X, has been asked to block handles spreading misinformation and is fighting it out in the Supreme Court. Musk himself has used X to level allegations after SC Justice Moraes who is investigating ‘digital militias’.
