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☆ Australia criticises China for 'unsafe, unprofessional' naval interaction
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-18 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

Australia's Defence Minister Richard Marles attends a joint news conference with France's Foreign and Defence ministers at the Quai d'Orsay in Paris, France, January 30, 2023. REUTERS/Sarah Meyssonnier/File Photo Acquire Licensing RightsSYDNEY, Nov 18 (Reuters) - Australia's government said on Saturday it had expressed serious concerns to China after an "unsafe and unprofessional" interaction between an Australian navy vessel and Chinese warship left Australian military divers injured. He said despite the Australian vessel notifying the Chinese warship of the diving operation and requesting that it keep clear, the destroyer approached "at a closer range". "Soon after, it was detected operating its hull-mounted sonar in a manner that posed a risk to the safety of the Australian divers who were forced to exit the water." The conduct was "unsafe and unprofessional", Marles said.

Persons: Richard Marles, Sarah Meyssonnier, Marles, Sam McKeith, Tom Hogue Organizations: Australia's, France's Foreign, Quai d'Orsay, REUTERS, Rights, Defence, PLA, HMAS, People's Liberation Army Navy, Solomon Islands, U.S, Thomson Locations: Paris, France, China, Australian, Toowoomba, HMAS Toowoomba, Australia, Solomon, United States, Sydney

☆ Australia Criticises China for 'Unsafe, Unprofessional' Naval Interaction
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-17 | by ( Nov. | At P.M. | ) www.usnews.com time to read: +2 min

SYDNEY (Reuters) - Australia's government said on Saturday it had expressed serious concerns to China after an "unsafe and unprofessional" interaction between an Australian navy vessel and Chinese warship left Australian military divers injured. "While diving operations were underway a PLA-N destroyer (DDG-139) operating in the vicinity closed towards HMAS Toowoomba," Marles said in a statement, referring to a ship of the People's Liberation Army Navy. He said despite the Australian vessel notifying the Chinese warship of the diving operation and requesting that it keep clear, the destroyer approached "at a closer range". "Soon after, it was detected operating its hull-mounted sonar in a manner that posed a risk to the safety of the Australian divers who were forced to exit the water." The conduct was "unsafe and unprofessional", Marles said.

Persons: Richard Marles, Marles, Sam McKeith, Tom Hogue Organizations: SYDNEY, Defence, PLA, HMAS, People's Liberation Army Navy, Solomon Islands, U.S Locations: China, Australian, Toowoomba, HMAS Toowoomba, Australia, Solomon, United States, Sydney

Tayyip Erdogan's first visit to Germany since 2020 comes ahead of municipal elections at which he hopes to win back the cities of Ankara and Istanbul. Erdogan will also need Chancellor Olaf Scholz's blessing if he is to buy the 40 Eurofighter Typhoon warplanes Turkey said on Thursday it wanted. In a sign of the visit's importance, Scholz took pains not to respond directly to Erdogan's loud condemnation of Israel's war against Hamas, in which many thousands of Palestinians have been killed. The response was decidedly mild given the fierce condemnation that far more muted criticisms of Israel typically draw in Germany, traditionally one of Israel's closest allies. Germany has expressed strong solidarity with Israel, while urging a focus on limiting the impact of the war on Gaza's civilians.

Persons: Tayyip Erdogan's, Erdogan, Olaf Scholz's, Scholz, Israel's, Israel, Aydin Yasar, It's, Thomas Escritt, Alexandra Hudson Organizations: Trade, European Union, Eurofighter Typhoon, Airbus, Hamas, German, SWP, NATO, Alexandra Hudson Our, Thomson Locations: Germany, Turkey, Gaza, BERLIN, Moscow, Ukraine, Berlin, Ankara, Istanbul, Israel, Turkish, Stockholm, Greece, Europe

☆ Opinion: Why Israel’s divide-and-rule approach towards Palestinians backfired so spectacularly
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-17 | by ( Opinion Hussein Ibish | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +13 min

Why Ending the Occupation and Peace with Israel is Still the Palestinian National Goal.” The views expressed in this commentary are his own. Hamas’ unwavering commitment to armed struggle and violence allowed the Israeli right to paint the entire Palestinian national movement as hopelessly extreme. He reportedly said that this was part of Israel’s strategy — to isolate the Palestinians in Gaza from the Palestinians in the West Bank. But the old, infirm and chain-smoking politician, who at least has time and again proven his unwavering rejection of violence as a Palestinian national strategy, represents exactly this trend among Palestinians. The Biden administration appears to understand the challenge in theory, but how much they can or will do to implement such a revised policy towards the Palestinian political scene is uncertain at best.

Persons: Hussein Ibish, Read, Shimon Peres, Yitzhak Rabin, Bill Clinton, Yasser Arafat, DAVID AKE, Ariel Sharon, Benjamin Netanyahu, Mahmoud Abbas, Fatah, Netanyahu, Hussein, Abbas, Christy Bowe, Israel’s, Yasser Arafat’s, it’s, It’s, Biden, Israel —, Abbas — Organizations: Gulf States Institute, CNN, West Bank, Fatah, Palestinian Authority, Palestine Liberation Organization, PLO, Hamas, Palestinian, Muslim, White, AFP, Getty, UN, Israel, White House, ImageCatcher Locations: Washington, Israel, Gaza, Oslo Accords, AFP, Oslo, Israeli, Palestinian, Jerusalem, Middle, Abbas

☆ Israel is tightening its control of northern Gaza. But there is no clear post-war strategy in sight
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-17 | by ( Nadeen Ebrahim | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +11 min

Abu Dhabi, UAE CNN —The Israeli military is tightening its grip on northern Gaza, as its war on the Hamas militant group is showing no signs of abating. Almost six weeks into the conflict, however, Israel is yet to offer a clear post-war plan for the territory. The Israeli military raided Gaza’s largest hospital, Al-Shifa, on Wednesday after claiming that Hamas had built a command center beneath the sprawling medical complex. The United States has warned against Israel re-occupying Gaza, and has stressed a future role there for the Palestinian Authority (PA). Video Ad Feedback Netanyahu appeared to rule out giving the Palestinian Authority control of post-war Gaza.

Persons: Yoav Gallant, Israel, Khan Younis, Fatima Shbair, ” Frank Lowenstein, Barack Obama, “, ” Lowenstein, Benjamin Netanyahu, Netanyahu, “ Israel, ”, Daniel Levy, CNN’s Dana Bash, Levy, I’m, ” Levy, CNN’s Christiane Amanpour, CNN Kobi Michael, Mahmoud Abbas, –, Abbas, Fadel Senna, Lina Khatib, ” Khatib, CNN’s Becky Anderson, Michael of INSS, Lowenstein Organizations: UAE CNN, Israeli, Israel Defense Forces, Hamas, Al, Palestinian, CNN, United Nations Office, Humanitarian Affairs, of Housing, United, Palestinian Authority, Palestinian Health Ministry, West Bank, Institute for National Security Studies, Palestinian Center, Policy, Research, West Bank . Lowenstein, Regional, Getty, United Arab Emirates, SOAS, East Institute, PLO, Palestine Liberation Organization, Israel’s Ministry, Strategic Affairs, UN Conference, Trade, Development, UNCTAD, UN, Programme, Palestine Economic Policy Research Institute, UNDP, UN Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees, Israel Locations: Abu Dhabi, UAE, Gaza, Israel, Gaza City, Gaza’s, Al, Khan, “, London, New York, United States, Ramallah, Tel Aviv, ”, Israeli, AFP, Egypt, Jordan, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, United Arab, Palestinian, Palestine

Among the catalysts are Palestinian and Jewish-led groups that have been active for years in opposing Israeli policies toward the Palestinians and who now demand a cease-fire in Gaza. The groups have roots in a movement known as BDS, which calls for the boycott, divestment and sanction of Israel. That campaign generated heated rhetoric long before Hamas militants attacked Israel on Oct. 7 and Israel launched its counteroffensive. Advocates wrote op-eds for campus newspapers with appeals to protect Palestinian human rights, often accusing Israel of colonialism and racism. Protests have led to disruptions on Capitol Hill, at a major train station in Chicago and New York City’s Grand Central Station.

Persons: Brant Rosen, IFNOTNOW IfNotNow, “ Young, ”, IfNotNow, ” Eva Borgwardt, ” IfNotNow, Ron Liebowitz, Brandeis, Ron DeSantis’s, Israel, Tom Horne, Hollingsworth, Crary, Anita Snow Organizations: Israel, New York, Grand, Station, Democratic, Committee, Jewish Voice, Peace, Twitter, Columbia University, Rabbinical, Defamation League, JVP, Zionist, “, Palestinian, JUSTICE, PALESTINE, Justice, Brandeis University, American Jewish, Brandeis, Republican Florida Gov, Virginia Attorney, Brown University, UNICEF, Amnesty International, Local, Lilly Endowment Inc, AP Locations: Israel, Gaza, there’s, United States, Chicago, New, Washington, Palestine, U.S, Canada, ”, American, Toledo , Ohio, Virginia, Scottsdale , Arizona, Mission , Kansas, New York, Phoenix

☆ Ukraine claims a new ‘foothold’ in the country’s south. What does that mean for Kyiv’s efforts to keep the West on its side?
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-16 | by ( Nathan Hodge | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +8 min

In a recent interview with the Economist, General Valery Zaluzhny acknowledged that Ukrainian forces had failed to achieve a major breakthrough of layered Russian defensive lines. Ukrainian forces near Dnipro River. But the Ukrainian gains on the Dnipro’s left bank are tenuous. A pro-Ukrainian Telegram channel that closely tracks military operations said Thursday that “several small footholds had to be abandoned” on the Dnipro’s left bank. “Russian forces are trying to eliminate the main AFU [Armed Forces of Ukraine] bridgehead in Krynky with the support of all possible means of long-range defeat,” said one blogger.

Persons: Volodymyr Zelensky’s, Andriy Yermak, “, Yermak, General Valery Zaluzhny, Zaluzhnyi, ”, Roman Pilipey, Vladimir Saldo, David Cameron, ” Zelensky, Cameron, Boris Johnson’s, Boris Johnson, ” Cameron, Russia –, Dmytro Kuleba, Kuleba Organizations: Ukraine CNN —, Kremlin, Dnipro “, Getty, Ukrainian Telegram, CNN, Armed Forces, ” CNN, Dnipro, Russia, Ukraine’s, Ukraine, Union Locations: Kyiv, Ukraine, Ukraine CNN — Ukraine, Washington, Dnipro, Russian, Kherson, Krynky, ” Ukraine, Russia, Dnipro River, Roman, AFP, Crimea, Kherson Oblast, United Kingdom, Ukrainian, Avdiivka

[1/2] Chinese President Xi Jinping speaks during a bilateral meeting with U.S. President Joe Biden at Filoli estate on the sidelines of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) summit, in Woodside, California, U.S., November 15, 2023. REUTERS/Kevin Lamarque Acquire Licensing RightsWOODSIDE, California, Nov 15 (Reuters) - Chinese President Xi Jinping told U.S. President Joe Biden during their four-hour meeting on Wednesday that Taiwan was the biggest, most dangerous issue in U.S.-China ties, a senior U.S. official told reporters. Xi was trying to indicate that China is not preparing for a massive invasion of Taiwan, but that does not change the U.S. approach, the official said. "President Biden responded very clearly that the long-standing position of the United States was ... determination to maintain peace and stability," the official said. "President Xi responded: look, peace is ... all well and good but at some point we need to move towards resolution more generally," the official said.

Persons: Xi Jinping, Joe Biden, Kevin Lamarque, Xi, Biden, Washington, Jeff Liu, Liu, Trevor Hunnicutt, Jeff Mason, Ben Blanchard, Andrea Shalal, Sandra Maler, Stephen Coates, Tom Hogue Organizations: U.S, Economic Cooperation, REUTERS, Rights, Biden, Senior U.S, People's Liberation Army, Thomson Locations: Filoli, Asia, Woodside , California, U.S, Rights WOODSIDE , California, Taiwan, China, United States, Taiwan Strait, Taipei, Beijing

☆ US-China military hotlines are reopening to prevent things like risky run-ins from triggering a full-blown crisis
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-16 | by ( Chris Panella | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +7 min

The US and China will resume military-to-military communications, Biden announced Wednesday. The US and Chinese militaries often operate in close proximity to one another, and there have been some risky run-ins. AdvertisementThe US and China are resuming military-to-military communications, the US and China said Wednesday after more than year of mostly radio silence. USINDOPACOMThe spike in risky and dangerous intercepts reported by US officials began before China officially cut off mil-to-mil comms. DoD officials, too, have said opening lines between the US and China would "ensure competition does not veer into conflict."

Persons: Biden, —, Joe Biden, People's Republic of China Xi Jinping, Nancy Pelosi's, USINDOPACOM, That's, Ely Ratner, China's Xi, Xi, he's, CNN's MJ Lee Organizations: Pentagon, Service, of Defense, PLA, U.S ., China Defense, China, Maritime, People's Liberation Army, US Air Force, US, DoD, Pacific Command, PRC, US Defense Department, Foreign Ministry Locations: China, People's Republic of China, San Francisco, Iran, U.S, Taiwan, United States, Hainan, South China, South, US

☆ Awkward Allies: Gaza Overshadows Erdogan's Germany Visit
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-16 | by ( Nov. | At P.M. | ) www.usnews.com time to read: +4 min

Tayyip Erdogan's first visit to Germany since 2020 comes ahead of municipal elections at which he hopes to win back the cities of Ankara and Istanbul. In a sign of the visit's importance, Scholz took pains not to respond directly to Erdogan's loud condemnation of Israel's war against Hamas, in which many thousands of Palestinians have been killed. The response was decidedly mild given the fierce condemnation that far more muted criticisms of Israel typically draw in Germany, traditionally one of Israel's closest allies. Germany has expressed strong solidarity with Israel, while urging a focus on limiting the impact of the war on Gaza's civilians. With some three million people with Turkish roots in Germany such encounters are always fraught, but now the risk was judged too great.

Persons: Thomas Escritt BERLIN, Tayyip Erdogan's, Erdogan, Olaf Scholz's, Scholz, Israel's, Israel, Aydin Yasar, It's, Thomas Escritt, Alexandra Hudson Organizations: European Union, Eurofighter Typhoon, Airbus, Hamas, German, SWP, NATO Locations: Moscow, Ukraine, Germany, Berlin, Ankara, Istanbul, Turkey, Israel, Gaza, Turkish, Stockholm, Greece, Europe

☆ Explainer: What Turkey gained in delaying Sweden's NATO bid
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-16 | by ( Huseyin Hayatsever | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +5 min

NATO, Turkish, Swedish and Finnish flags are seen in this illustration taken May 18, 2022. Last year, Stockholm reversed a ban on exporting military equipment to Turkey, without revealing details of companies or products. WHAT HAVE OTHER NATO MEMBERS DONE? In October, Erdogan sent Sweden's NATO bid to Turkey's parliament for consideration. But it has faced objections in the U.S. Congress over Turkey's delaying NATO enlargement and its human rights record.

Persons: Dado Ruvic, Tayyip Erdogan, Erdogan, Gunnar Strommer, Jens Stoltenberg, Thomas Goffus, Huseyin Hayatsever, Jonathan Spicer, Alex Richardson Organizations: REUTERS, Rights, Turkish, NATO, Stockholm, Kurdistan Workers ' Party, European Union, Canada, SWEDEN GO, U.S . Congress, Kurdish, Hamas, U.S, Thomson Locations: Rights ANKARA, Ukraine, Turkey, Hungary, Sweden, Stockholm, Helsinki, Washington, SWEDEN, FINLAND, Madrid, Finland, Kurdistan, Ankara, United States, Netherlands, Brussels, Gaza

☆ Takeaways from the Biden-Xi summit, where low expectations were met
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-15 | by ( Stephen Collinson | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +13 min

U.S. President Joe Biden shakes hand with Chinese President Xi Jinping on the sidelines of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) summit, in Woodside, California, U.S., November 15, 2023. The Biden administration is worried about scores of what it calls “unprofessional” operations by Chinese planes and ships near US assets. Biden balances his job as commander in chief with huge political risksBiden knew his meeting with Xi would unleash a political firestorm. Biden had huge political incentives to make this summit a success but also needed to show he was tough on Xi. Meeting low bars at a moderately successful summit will not change the fundamentals of their rivalry.

Persons: Joe Biden’s, Xi Jinping, Biden, Xi, ” Biden, ” Xi, China’s, Joe Biden, Kevin Lamarque, “, Nancy Pelosi’s, Sen, Jim Risch, lacerated Biden, Bill Clinton’s, George H.W, Nikki Haley, Ron DeSantis, Donald Trump’s, it’s, ” Sue Mi Terry, George W, Bush, Barack Obama, CNN’s Erin Burnett, reaffirmation, “ I’m, that’s, ”, he’d, he’s Organizations: CNN, Economic Cooperation, United, US Air Force, Soviet Union, People’s Liberation Army, Republican, Senate Foreign Relations, US, Biden, South Carolina Gov, Florida Gov, GOP, Barack Obama National Security Council, Center for Strategic, International Studies, Congress, New York Times, Trump Locations: San Francisco, perilously, Asia, China, United States, ., Woodside , California, U.S, Taiwan, Chinese, Hainan, Soviet, Ukraine, Moscow, Syria, The Idaho, Beijing, George H.W . Bush, Iowa, Washington

For the seventh time, Taiwan will be represented by Morris Chang, the 92-year-old founder of the world-leading Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company. Chang is known as the godfather of the industry that has put Taiwan in the top ranks of high-tech manufacturing and personal electronic devices. Taiwan has participated in APEC since 1991 under the name Chinese Taipei. It began taking part just two years after the group's inception and the same year that China and the semi-autonomous Chinese city of Hong Kong joined. These acts of political intimidation have the potential to wear down the operational resiliency of the island's military equipment and personnel.

Persons: Morris Chang, Chang, —, Finance Chuang Tsui, yun, Janet Yellen, BIDEN, Xi Jinping, John Kirby, Joe Biden, Hong Kong, William Lai, Terry Gou Organizations: —, Economic Cooperation, Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing, APEC, Finance, U.S, Treasury, BE, Liberation Army, Democratic Progressive Party . U.S . National Security, Nationalist Party, Kuomintang, KMT Locations: TAIPEI, Taiwan, — Taiwan, Asia, San Francisco, China, Taipei, Hong Kong, Beijing, TAIWAN, U.S, Japan, South Korea, Philippines, Pacific, Hong, British, Taiwanese

☆ Liverpool's Diaz meets father first time since latter's kidnapping
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-14 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

[1/4] Luis Manuel Diaz, father of Liverpool player Luis Diaz, arrives to attend a thanksgiving mass at Santa Marta church, after he was freed by Colombia's National Liberation Army (ELN), in Barrancas, Colombia November 12, 2023. NO ARCHIVES Acquire Licensing RightsNov 14 (Reuters) - Liverpool and Colombia winger Luis Diaz has reunited with his father for the first time since the latter's kidnapping ordeal, the Colombian football federation said on Tuesday. Luis Manuel Diaz, 58, was released on Thursday by the leftist National Liberation Army (ELN) 12 days after he was taken hostage on Oct. 28 in Barrancas, a rural municipality where he lives in the northern province of La Guajira. The Colombian FA shared pictures of the father and son's emotional reunion on X, formerly known as Twitter, with the caption "we are family." Diaz's father has said he would remain in Colombia despite his difficult kidnapping experience.

Persons: Luis Manuel Diaz, Liverpool, Luis Diaz, Chiranjit, Christian Radnedge Organizations: Colombia's National Liberation Army, REUTERS, Colombian, National Liberation Army, Liverpool, Sunday's Premier League, Brentford, Brazil, Colombian FA, Thomson Locations: Santa Marta, Barrancas, Colombia, Liverpool, La Guajira, Bengaluru

☆ Behind Public Assurances, Xi Jinping Spread Grim Views on U.S.
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-13 | by ( Chris Buckley | More About Chris Buckley | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

When President Xi Jinping of China made his first state visit to the United States in 2015, he wrapped his demands for respect in reassurances. He denied that China was militarizing the disputed South China Sea, while asserting its maritime claims there. He spoke hopefully of a “new model” for great power relations, in which Beijing and Washington would coexist peacefully as equals. In Mr. Xi’s telling, China sought to rise peacefully, but Western powers would not accept the idea that a Communist-led China was catching up and could someday overtake them in global primacy. The West would never stop trying to derail China’s ascent and topple its Communist Party, he said in speeches to the military that are largely unreported by the media.

Persons: Xi Jinping, Xi, Xi’s Organizations: People’s, Army, Communist Party Locations: China, United States, reassurances, Beijing, Washington, Communist

☆ China, Pakistan navies hold drills days after Russia's historic Andaman exercise
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-13 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

At a naval base in Karachi on Saturday, the Chinese and Pakistani navies kicked off the exercise in the waters and airspace of the northern Arabian Sea in drills that include anti-submarine operations. The exercise will end on Nov. 17. During the exercise, China and Pakistan will conduct joint maritime patrols for the first time, the People's Liberation Army Daily reported on Monday. New Delhi has carefully preserved its longstanding relations with Russia, including cooperation in defence, even as its ties with Washington have grown steadily stronger. China was also not mentioned in the joint statement, even though an Indian government official said ahead of the talks that China would be one of the "key focus points".

Persons: Admiral Tributs, Admiral Panteleyev, Antony Blinken, Lloyd Austin, Joe Biden, Xi Jinping, Ryan Woo, Lidia Kelly, Gerry Doyle Organizations: Russian Pacific Fleet, United, People's Liberation Army, Indian, Thomson Locations: BEIJING, Myanmar, India, United States, Karachi, China, Pakistan, Moscow, Russian, United, Russia, U.S, New Delhi, Ukraine, . New Delhi, Washington, San Francisco, Beijing, Melbourne

☆ World War Two veterans eye 80th anniversary of D-Day as Europe salutes war dead
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-12 | by ( Tim Hepher | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +4 min

"Thirty of us went out, 16 including my brother got back, five of us got captured and nine got killed," Hay said. He is now an active ambassador for the nearby British Normandy Memorial, overlooking Gold Beach in the UK sector. Until two years ago, Britain was alone among allies on the Western front in not having a dedicated Normandy memorial. The 30-million-pound ($37 million) memorial was financed by fines levied on banks by the British government, as well as private donations. In a forest near Regensburg, Germany, guns approached from the West and the German commanding officer accepted the war was over.

Persons: Ken Hay, Tim Hepher, Hay, Britain's King Charles III, Emmanuel Macron, Sacha Marsac, Thomas Hardwyre Milligan, Sidney Bates, VIII, I've, Kevin Liffey Organizations: Normandy, Juno, Royal International Air, REUTERS, Thomson Locations: Normandy, Fairford, Britain, France, Nazi, English, Essex, Gold, Ver, Mer, British, Hay, Czech Republic, Regensburg, Germany

☆ China, Pakistan Navies Hold Drills Days After Russia's Historic Andaman Exercise
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-12 | by ( Nov. | At P.M. | ) www.usnews.com time to read: +2 min

Persons: Admiral Tributs, Admiral Panteleyev, Antony Blinken, Lloyd Austin, Joe Biden, Xi Jinping, Ryan Woo, Lidia Kelly, Gerry Doyle Organizations: Russian Pacific Fleet, United, People's Liberation Army, Indian, Beijing Locations: BEIJING, Myanmar, India, United States, Karachi, China, Pakistan, Moscow, Russian, United, Russia, U.S, New Delhi, Ukraine, . New Delhi, Washington, San Francisco, Melbourne

☆ Diwali, the Festival of Lights, explained
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-11 | by ( Manav Tanneeru | Harmeet Kaur | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +6 min

CNN —More than a billion Hindus, Sikhs, Jains and Buddhists around the world are celebrating Diwali, the festival of lights. Narinder Nanu/AFP/Getty Images• Choti Diwali, or Naraka Chaturdashi: The second day of Diwali marks Lord Krishna’s defeat of the demon king Narakasura. • Diwali, or Lakshmi Puja: The third day of the festival is what people typically think of as Diwali. For some Hindus, Diwali marks Rama and Sita’s triumphant return to their kingdom after 14 years of exile. For Jains, Diwali signifies the day Lord Mahavira, their last spiritual leader, attained physical death and achieved enlightenment.

Persons: It’s, Rafiq Maqbool, Lakshmi, Dhanvantari, Ayurveda, Narinder Nanu, Krishna’s, Narakasura, •, Krishna, Lord Indra’s, • Bhai Dooj, Lord Yama, tilak, Prince Rama, Vishnu, Sita, Ravana, Rama, Sita’s, Xavier Galiana, Lord Krishna’s, Bali, Bandi, Hargobind, Emperor Jahangir, Jahangir, Guru Hargobind, Mahavira, Emperor Ashoka, Manjunath Kiran, patti, Shiva, Parvati Organizations: CNN, Getty, Lord Locations: India, Nepal, Malaysia, Fiji, Homes, Mumbai, AFP, Vrindavan, Bangalore

Mendoza, a former fighter for the now-disbanded Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC) guerrillas, dragged her children back inside the house. In interviews with Reuters, those people recounted how the attacks left conservation projects adrift, with conservationists withdrawing from environmental protection works because of fear of more violence. Municipal data from local environmental authorities and the Colombian Institute of Meteorology (IDEAM) also showed that in the year after each killing, deforestation at a local level was worse than national trends. Santofimio's killing brought his hard-fought conservation project to a halt. In the tree nursery, which stopped work after Santofimio's killing, saplings bask in the dappled sunlight beneath protective nets.

Persons: Duberney Lopez, Jorge Santofimio, PUERTO, Leidy Mendoza, Mendoza, Jorge !, they'd, Susana Muhamad, Muhamad, Colombia's, –, Armando Aroca, Santofimio, Lopez, Kevin Murakami, Comuccom, Aroca, Javier Franciso Parra, Francisco couldn't, Andres Felipe Garcia, Cormacarena, Parra, Garcia, Luisz Martinez, Martinez, La, KfW, Roberto Gomez, Gonzalo Cardona, Sara Ines Lara, Oliver Griffin, Julia Symmes Cobb, Katy Daigle, Claudia Parsons Organizations: Revolutionary Armed Forces, Colombian, Villagers, Reuters, Environment Ministry, Global, Colombian Institute of Meteorology, Comuccom, International Narcotics, Law, Affairs, U.S, National Liberation Army, UN, Programme, Meta, UNDP, Progress, World Wildlife Fund, Security, USAID, Thomson Locations: Colombia, PUERTO GUZMAN, Putumayo, Bogota, La, Meta, La Macarena, Amazonia, Puerto Guzman

☆ Father of Liverpool soccer star Diaz not leaving Colombia after kidnapping
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-10 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

"My aspirations are to continue in my town because I have my entire family in my town," Diaz said at a press conference. The kidnapping underscored the lack of control that the ELN's top brass exerts over their rank and file, according to analysts and security sources. Diaz on Friday offered details of his captivity, during which his kidnappers advised him to remain calm, he said. "A lot of quite difficult horseback riding, lots of mountains, rain," Diaz said, recalling "almost 12 days without sleep." The rebel group is accused of financing itself through kidnapping, in addition to drug trafficking, illegal mining and extortion.

Persons: Colombia Carlos Ruiz Massieu, Luis Manuel Diaz, Liverpool, Luis Diaz, Gustavo Petro, Diaz, Antonio Garcia, Luis Jaime Acosta, Alistair Bell Organizations: United, Colombia's National Liberation Army, National Liberation Army, European Union, Thomson Locations: Colombia, Valledupar, BOGOTA, Liverpool, Barrancas, La Guajira, United States

☆ Luis Díaz’s family relieved and thankful for his father’s release, cousin tells CNN
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-10 | by ( Stefano Pozzebon | Matias Grez | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +3 min

CNN —The cousin of Liverpool soccer star Luis Díaz told CNN on Friday that his family is relieved and “really thankful for all the support from the entire nation,” following the release of Díaz’s father by the National Liberation Army (ELN) guerrilla group on Thursday night. Díaz Sr. was abducted along with his wife, Cilenis Marulanda, by ELN gunmen on October 28 in his hometown of Barrancas, northeastern Colombia. A few hours later, he was received by his relatives and friends at the Díaz family home in Barrancas. Luis Díaz’s cousin, Jose Brito Díaz, spoke with CNN by phone from Barrancas, saying it was a moment of celebration for the entire family and the town at large. Díaz Sr. was welcomed back in his hometown on Thursday.

Persons: Luis Díaz, “, Díaz, Cilenis, Marulanda, Luis Díaz’s, Jose Brito Díaz, ” Brito Díaz, Ricardo Maldonado Rozo, EFE, EFE Díaz Organizations: CNN, National Liberation Army, UN, Europa League, Toulouse FC, Colombian Football Federation, Brazil Locations: Liverpool, Barrancas, Colombia, Valledupar, videocall, Toulouse, France, Liverpool’s, Colombian, Paraguay

☆ Al Shifa: Gaza's largest hospital in the headlines
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-10 | by ( Stephen Farrell | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

Smoke rises as displaced Palestinians take shelter at Al Shifa hospital, amid the ongoing conflict between Hamas and Israel, in Gaza City, November 8, 2023. REUTERS/Doaa Rouqa/File Photo Acquire Licensing RightsLONDON, Nov 10 (Reuters) - Al Shifa Hospital, hit by missiles on Friday, is the largest in the 360-sq-km Gaza Strip. In recent weeks Israel has said Hamas militants have hidden command centres and tunnels beneath it and other hospitals. REDESIGN AND ENLARGEMENTDuring the 1980s, the hospital complex was revamped and redesigned by Israeli architects, according to Israeli news reports. Zvi Elhyani, founder of the Israel Architecture Archive, wrote on Ynet on Nov. 9: "With the aid of American support, Israel embarked on a project to revamp and enlarge the hospital complex.

Persons: Doaa, Israel, Shifa, Zvi Elhyani, Yasser Arafat’s Fatah, Fatah, Stephen Farrell, Nidal Al, Nick Macfie Organizations: REUTERS, Al Shifa Hospital, Britain, New York Times, Palestine Liberation Organization, PLO, Fatah, Palestinian Authority, Hamas, Thomson Locations: Al Shifa, Israel, Gaza City, Gaza, Palestine, London, Shifa, Oslo, Mughrabi

TOKYO, Nov 10 (Reuters) - The U.S. military's top general expressed optimism on Friday for a potential improvement in military-to-military ties with China and sent an introductory letter to his Chinese counterpart saying he was open to meeting. Air Force General Charles Q. But China's General Liu Zhenli is the Chief of the Joint Staff Department of the Central Military Commission (CMC), the military body responsible for China's combat operations and planning. Brown said he sent a standard introductory letter that explained, "I'm in the position and willing to open a line of communication." "I also believe that taking Taiwan by force and doing a major amphibious operation is not an easy feat."

Persons: Charles Q, Brown, Xi Jinping, Joe Biden, Xi, Liu Zhenli, William Burns, People's, Liu, General Li Shangfu, Li, Nancy Pelosi, Phil Stewart, Gerry Doyle, Jon Boyle Organizations: Air Force, Joint Chiefs, Staff, Pentagon, Joint Staff Department of, Central Military Commission, Beijing, U.S, CIA, U.S . Air Force, People's Liberation Army, PLA, People's Liberation Army Air, Reuters, Russia, ., CMC, Thomson Locations: TOKYO, China, Taiwan, Japan, U.S, Beijing, Tokyo, TAIWAN Washington, South China, Asia, Pacific, Seoul, Taipei

Myanmar's junta leader General Min Aung Hlaing, who ousted the elected government in a coup on February 1, 2021, presides over an army parade on Armed Forces Day in Naypyitaw, Myanmar, March 27, 2021. "This is the weakest the Tatmadaw has been since the coup," the diplomat said, referring to Myanmar's military and asking not to be named. Maung Saungkha, leader of the Bamar People's Liberation Army, which contributed troops to the offensive, told Reuters the rebel alliance had spent more than a year preparing to take on the better-armed military. CHINA'S SHADOWSo far, rebel troops have faced unexpectedly weak opposition from the military, according to analysts and resistance leaders who spoke to local media. In a statement announcing the operation, the alliance said they intended to remove those enclaves, which they said were protected by the junta.

Persons: General Min Aung Hlaing, Stringer, Maung Saungkha, Nobel, Aung, Suu Kyi, Min Aung, Richard Horsey, Simon Cameron, Moore Organizations: Armed Forces, REUTERS, Junta, United States Institute of Peace, United Nations, Liberation Army, Reuters, National Unity Government, Arakan Army, Myanmar National Democratic Alliance Army, National Liberation Army, Crisis, Thomson Locations: Naypyitaw, Myanmar, BANGKOK, China, Myanmar's, Shan, Beijing, Suu, Sagaing, Arakan

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