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US-Japan Raise A Toast, Up Military Cooperation To Counter China
Washington and Tokyo are ushering in a new era of military cooperation with as many as 70 pacts being inked during PM Kishida’s state visit to the US. The US and Japan militaries will cooperate with a joint command structure and along with Australia, develop a new air missile defence network. Japanese astronauts will participate in NASA moon missions.
Opposition Wins Big In South Korean Elections; Setback For President Yoon
In a massive setback for South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol, liberal opposition parties swept the national assembly elections. Prime Minister Han Duk-soo stepped down after the drubbing and President Yoon said he ‘humbly accepted’ the verdict of the people and promised an overhaul of state affairs. The opposition is just short of a super majority in the national assembly. Yoon’s two years in office have seen his popularity fall and now with his party’s poor performance in parliament elections, it is likely to seriously dent his ability to pass legislation.
Considering Australia’s Request To Drop Charges Against Julian Assange: Biden
US President Joe Biden has said his administration is considering a request from the Australian government to drop the push to prosecute Wikileaks founder Julian Assange. Assange is an Australian national who has been indicted by a court on 17 espionage charges. The US government has accused the Wikileaks founder of encouraging and helping US Army intelligence analyst Chelsea Manning of stealing diplomatic cables and military files that were published by WikiLeaks. Assange has been fighting his extradition case from a jail in the UK.
Australian PM said Biden’s words were encouraging and that there was nothing to be gained from the continued incarceration of the Wikileaks founder.
Hamas Chief’s Sons, Grandchildren Killed In Israeli Airstrike
Hamas’s top leader Ismail Haniyeh has said an Israeli airstrike on al-Shati refugee camp killed three of his sons and grandchildren. His family home in Gaza was destroyed in November last year. Haniyeh, who is based in Qatar, has been the public face of Hamas since the war started. He was appointed to Hamas’s top job in 2017. His stay outside blockaded Gaza has allowed him to be a part of the negotiations.
External Influence Cannot Stop Family Reunion: Xi Tells Former Taiwan Prez
Chinese President Xi Jinping met with Taiwan’s former President Ma Ying jeou in Beijing on the last leg of his 11-day visit to China. Chinese President Xi Jinping’s meeting with the former Taiwan President is being seen as an attempt for peaceful unification. “The difference in systems does not alter the reality that both sides of the Strait belong to one China and the same Chinese nation,” Xi told the media. “External interference cannot hold back the historical trend of national reunification.” The meeting comes as tensions between the two neighbours have been escalating.
