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☆ Live updates: Russia's war in Ukraine, Kim Jong Un and Vladimir Putin in Russia
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-15 | by ( Tara Subramaniam | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +1 min

Ukrainian forces have retaken the village of Andriivka, south of the city of Bakhmut, the Ukrainian military brigade fighting in the area said Friday. "It's official: The Third Separate Assault Brigade has liberated Andriivka. 72nd Separate Motorized Rifle Brigade of the Russian Federation - smashed to pieces!" "As a result of a lightning-fast operation, the Russian garrison of Andriivka was surrounded, cut off from the main forces and destroyed." The liberation of the village of Andriivka marks a symbolic and strategic victory for the Ukrainian forces, and comes after Wagner fighters left the Bakhmut area.

Persons: Wagner, Andriivka Organizations: Ukrainian, Separate, Brigade, Motorized Rifle Brigade, Russian Federation, General Staff of, Armed Forces Locations: Andriivka, Bakhmut, Russian, Ukraine, Donetsk

☆ China’s Defense Minister Has Not Been Seen in Weeks, Fueling Intrigue
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-15 | by ( Chris Buckley | More About Chris Buckley | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

China’s defense minister, Gen. Li Shangfu, has not been seen in public in more than two weeks, fueling speculation about further upheaval in the military after the abrupt removal of two top commanders in charge of the country’s nuclear force. Just six weeks ago, China’s leader, Xi Jinping, replaced the two most senior commanders of the People’s Liberation Army Rocket Force, which oversees China’s nuclear missiles. The abrupt dismissals suggested that Mr. Xi was seeking to reassert his control over the military and purge perceived corruption, disloyalty and dysfunction from its ranks, analysts have said. Many experts believe that the military commanders may be accused of corruption, though some have said that suspicions of disloyalty toward Mr. Xi may be involved. In July, China also dismissed the foreign minister, Qin Gang — another official who had risen rapidly under Mr. Xi — without explanation.

Persons: Li Shangfu, General Li’s, Li’s, Mao Ning, Xi Jinping, Xi, Qin Gang — Organizations: Chinese Foreign Ministry, People’s Liberation Army Rocket Force, Qin Locations: Vietnam, China

☆ Li Shangfu: Speculation grows over whereabouts of China's defense minister
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-15 | by ( Nectar Gan | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +5 min

Hong Kong CNN —China’s Foreign Ministry on Friday skirted questions on the whereabouts of the country’s defense minister, amid mounting speculation the recently promoted general has been placed under investigation. Qin, who was only foreign minister for seven months, has retained the position of state councillor – a senior role in China’s cabinet which Li also holds. On Chinese government and military websites, Li is still listed as the defense minister, state councillor and a member of the party’s powerful Central Military Commission (CMC). “The foreign minister and the defense minister are both externally facing interlocutors with the international community. Two weeks away from the public view is not unprecedented for China’s defense minister, who typically has less frequent public engagements than the foreign minister.

Persons: Hong Kong CNN —, Li Shangfu, China’s, Li, Mao Ning, “ I’m, Qin Gang, Qin, –, Rahm Emanuel, Li hadn’t, Emanuel, Xi’s, Agatha Christie’s, Li Shangfu hasn’t, ”, Xi Jinping, ” Drew Thompson, Lee, Sergey Shoigu, Alexander Lukashenko Organizations: Hong Kong CNN, Hong Kong CNN — China’s, Communist Party, Financial Times, Street, Foreign Ministry, Central Military Commission, People’s Liberation Army, Force, CNN, Foreign, Rocket Force, Defense, Lee Kuan Yew, of Public, National University of Singapore, Development Department, Equipment Development Department, Security Forum, ”, Reuters, ” Reuters, Border Defense Friendship Exchange Locations: Hong Kong, Beijing, China, United States, Africa, Russia, Belarus, Moscow, Minsk, Hanoi

☆ China's military rocket force uncovers 'shortcomings' - PLA Daily
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-15 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

REUTERS/Tingshu Wang/File Photo Acquire Licensing RightsBEIJING, Sept 15 (Reuters) - A unit of China's Rocket Force uncovered "shortcomings" during a field assessment of an exercise, the PLA Daily reported on Friday in a rare critique, suggesting gaps in combat readiness at the armed force overseeing conventional and nuclear missiles. The combat readiness of the People's Liberation Army Rocket Force, a strategic branch of the Chinese military, has come under focus recently after its two most senior leaders were suddenly replaced at the end of July with commanders not from the force. Since August, the Rocket Force has conducted at least two drills and training sessions, according to its official account on Weibo, a popular Chinese microblog. In the year to date, Communist Party members of the Rocket Force have visited the front lines of drills and exercises "multiple times" to assess the unit's combat readiness, according to the PLA Daily. The uncertainties over leadership have not been solely focused on the Rocket Force.

Persons: Tingshu Wang, Xi Jinping, Li Shangfu, Ryan Woo, Lincoln Organizations: Rocket Force, Eastern Theatre Command, Liberation Army, PLA, REUTERS, Rights, China's, Force, Communist Party, People's Liberation Army Rocket Force, Party, Thomson Locations: Taiwan, Beijing, China, Rights BEIJING, Weibo, Heilongjiang

☆ Chinese defence minister under investigation for corrupt procurement
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-15 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +6 min

The investigation into Li relates to procurement of military equipment, according to a regional security official and three people in direct contact with the Chinese military. Eight senior officials from the Chinese military's procurement unit, which Li led from 2017 to 2022, are also under investigation, according to two of the people in direct contact with the military. Reuters' detailed examination of the allegations against Li and the timing of the probe is based on interviews with sources who interact regularly with senior Chinese political and defence leaders, and regional officials with close knowledge of Chinese politics. The Financial Times reported on Friday, citing U.S. officials, that the U.S. government believes Li has been placed under investigation. Chinese officials initially said Qin's absence was also due to health reasons.

Persons: Li Shangfu, Li, U.S . State Department didn't, Japan Rahm Emanuel, Qin Gang, Qin, Xi Jinping, Lloyd Austin, Katerina Ang, Daniel Flynn Organizations: Reuters, Foreign Ministry, State Council, Defence Ministry, Financial Times, U.S, U.S . State Department, Beijing, Qin, Liberation, Rocket Force, Support Force, U.S . Defence, Pentagon, Thomson Locations: Beijing, Japan, U.S, Tokyo, Russia, Belarus, Vietnam, Hanoi, China, United States, Singapore

Rahm Emanuel, Washington's outspoken ambassador to Japan, wrote in a post on X: "1st: Defense Minister Li Shangfu hasn't been seen or heard from in 3 weeks. China's defence ministry did not immediately respond to requests for comment. On the trip, Wat met with China's navy commander, Dong Jun and other navy leaders, Singapore's defence ministry said on its website. Singapore's defence ministry did not immediately respond to a request for comment. Military observers and diplomats are closely watching whether China will go ahead with plans to hold the Beijing Xiangshan Forum - an annual international security summit normally hosted by China's defence minister - in late October.

Persons: Li Shangfu, Li, Rahm Emanuel, Washington's, Li Shangfu hasn't, Mao Ning, Qin Gang, Qin, Emanuel, Barack Obama, Matthew Miller, Sean Wat, Wat, Dong Jun, Lloyd Austin, Yew Lun Tian, Laurie Chen, Martin Pollard, Yukiko Toyoda, Xinghui, John Geddie, Neil Fullick, Lincoln, Gerry Doyle Organizations: Defence, Financial Times, U.S, Street Journal, Defense, Navy, Liberation, Rocket Force, . State Department, Reuters, Military, Beijing Xiangshan, U.S . Defence, Australian National University, Thomson Locations: BEIJING, TOKYO, U.S, Beijing, Japan, Vietnam, Tokyo, States, China, Singapore, United States, Xinghui Kok

☆ The Public Face of China's Military Under Corruption Probe
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-15 | by ( Sept. | At P.M. | ) www.usnews.com time to read: +5 min

But part of Xi's drive to improve his fighting force has been to stamp out corruption that has long plagued China's military and other state institutions. A leader China's space and cyber warfare development and then head of military procurement, Li, 65, was elevated to defence minister in March. He also has a more public role than others on the Central Military Commission, China's top defence body, commanded by Xi. Li's term at the Central Military Commission highlighted his ties to Xi, who has strengthened his grip across the military. A bigger question is what priority Beijing will continue to place on China's military diplomacy amid ongoing regional tensions.

Persons: Greg Torode, Laurie Chen BEIJING, Li Shangfu, Li, Xi, Nancy Pelosi, Lloyd Austin, James Char, Russian Su, Zhang Youxia, Zhang, Laurie Chen, John Geddie, William Mallard Organizations: Reuters, Central Military Commission, West, People's Liberation Army, PLA, Rajaratnam, of International Studies, Strategic Support Force, Equipment Development Department of, Communist Party Congress Locations: United States, Taiwan, Beijing, Russia, Washington, U.S, Singapore, China, Belarus, Ukraine, Russian, Hong Kong

☆ U.S. Diplomat Questions Whether Chinese Defence Minister Under 'House Arrest'
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-14 | by ( Sept. | At P.M. | ) www.usnews.com time to read: +2 min

In a post on X, formerly Twitter, Rahm Emanuel wrote: "1st: Defense Minister Li Shangfu hasn't been seen or heard from in 3 weeks. Now: He’s absent from his scheduled meeting with the Singaporean Chief of Navy because he was placed on house arrest???" China's foreign and defence ministries did not immediately respond to requests for comment. Reuters exclusively reported on Thursday that Li had abruptly pulled out of a meeting with Vietnamese defence leaders last week. These moves have raised questions from analysts and diplomats about a lack of transparency and unpredictable decision-making in China's leadership.

Persons: Yukiko Toyoda, Tian, Rahm Emanuel, Li Shangfu hasn't, William Shakespeare's, Li, Singapore Rahm, Sean Wat, Dong Jun, Qin Gang, Lun Tian, Martin Pollard, Xinghui, John Geddie, Neil Fullick Organizations: Twitter, Defense, Navy, Reuters, Financial Times, Singapore, PLA Navy, Liberation, Rocket Force Locations: Tian TOKYO, BEIJING, U.S, Japan, Vietnam, Denmark, Tokyo, Beijing, Singapore, China, Xinghui Kok

☆ China's defence minister, not seen in weeks, skipped Vietnam meet
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-14 | by ( Yew Lun Tian | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +4 min

China's State Council Information Office, as well as its defence and foreign ministries did not immediately respond to a request for comment about the Vietnam event. Asked about Emanuel's post this week, a Chinese Foreign Ministry spokeswoman told reporters she was "not aware of the situation." China's defence minister is mainly responsible for defence diplomacy and does not command combat forces. Chinese officials have repeatedly said they want those sanctions dropped to facilitate better discussions between the two sides' militaries. He then headed the military's procurement unit from 2017 until he became defence minister.

Persons: Li Shangfu, Li, Beijing couldn't, Qin Gang, Xi Jinping, Qin, Washington, Li's, Joe Biden, Japan Rahm Emanuel, Li Shangfu hasn't, Alfred Wu, Lee, Xi, Lloyd Austin, Yew Lun Tian, Antoni Slodkowski, John Geddie, Katerina Ang Organizations: Reuters, China's, Information, Qin, Liberation, Rocket Force, Communist Party, U.S, . U.S, Foreign, Defense, Foreign Ministry, Lee Kuan Yew, of Public Policy, U.S . Defence, Support Force, Thomson Locations: BEIJING, HANOI, Vietnam, China, Beijing, Hanoi, Japan, Russia, Belarus, Singapore, U.S

☆ ‘We knew ahead of time’: A decade of turmoil left Libya unprepared for natural disasters
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-13 | by ( Nadeen Ebrahim | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +10 min

Split between two rival administrations since 2014 and having failed to hold presidential elections, Libya faces an uphill battle when it comes to severe natural disasters. Planet Labs PBC/AP Planet Labs PBC/AP Satellite images show Derna, Libya on September 2, before the flooding, left, and after the dams collapsed, right. Responding to criticism regarding lack of preparedness by the LNA, Al-Mismari said that in such situations, 50% of the responsibility falls on authorities (LNA) and 50% falls on citizens. Turkey, which backs the Tripoli government, also said it is mobilizing personnel and supplies to assist authorities in eastern Libya. Tamer Ramadan, head of international Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC) in Libya, told CNN Tuesday that the issue of rival governments in Libya does not affect their operation.

Persons: Storm Daniel, Khalifa Haftar –, ”, Anas El Gomati, Moammar Gadhafi, Abdulhamid Dbeibeh, Haftar, Jalel Harchaoui, ‘, ’, Harchaoui, Gomati, Osama Hamad, Osama Aly, ” Aly, “, Al Hurra, Jamal Alkomaty, ” Harchaoui, Ahmed al, Mismari, Al, ” Gomati, there’s, Ramadan, ” Ramadan Organizations: CNN, Planet Labs PBC, AP Planet Labs PBC, AP, ISIS, Libya –, Sadeq Institute, NATO, Libyan National Army, Royal United Services Institute, Emergency, Ambulance Service, Twitter, Analysts, United Nations, United, United Arab Emirates, Civil Protection Department, Federation of Red, Red Crescent Societies Locations: Libya, Split, Libyan, Derna, Greece, Morocco, “, Tripoli, Benghazi, “ Libya, London, Cyrenaica, tatters, Derna’s, Al, Italy, Egypt, Russia, United Arab, Algeria, Turkey

☆ Michael Cunningham Couldn’t Help but Write a Pandemic Novel
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-13 | by ( Alexandra Alter | More About Alexandra Alter | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +2 min

With his fourth novel, “The Hours,” Cunningham repaid his debt to Woolf, and established himself as one of the country’s most talented and ambitious literary writers. Cunningham set out to write a modern update of “Mrs. He did something almost equally audacious, casting Woolf in his novel and burrowing into her psyche, a choice he knew was presumptuous. Cunningham’s audacity paid off: The novel won a Pulitzer Prize and was adapted into a star-studded feature film and an opera. Cunningham sank into depression, convinced that “it can only be downhill from here,” and struggled to start a new novel.

Persons: ” Cunningham, Woolf, Cunningham, Dalloway, Clarissa, ”, Walt Whitman, “, Covid Locations: California, New York, United States

☆ Russians opened fire on a Ukrainian flag tied to balloons, revealing their position for a counterattack, Ukraine says
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-11 | by ( Sophia Ankel | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

A Ukrainian flag attached to helium balloons flew into occupied territory, Kyiv's military said. Russian soldiers tried to shoot it down but revealed their firing positions, an official said. "For several hours, the Ukrainian flag was flying over occupied Donetsk. I had a lot of messages from people living in the occupied territory, who told me they are waiting for the liberation of Donetsk." Donetsk City has been occupied by Russia since 2014 when fighting in eastern Ukraine began.

Persons: Vitalii Barabash, Barabash Organizations: Service, Ukrainian, Kyiv Independent, Euromaidan Press, Telegram, Donetsk, Guardian Locations: Ukraine, Wall, Silicon, Ukrainian, Avdiyivka, Avdiivka, Russian, Donetsk City, Donetsk, Russia, Moscow, Luhansk, Kherson, Kyiv

Kyiv CNN —The United States’ top general has warned Ukraine has just six weeks left before changing weather hampers its counteroffensive, even as Kyiv is signaling it could fight on into the winter. Meanwhile, an online update from the southern ‘Tavria’ command said: “we continue to make small advances in the area of Robotyne. One of Zelensky’s senior security officials, speaking at the same event the following day, indicated Ukraine’s forces might be set to keep attacking well into the coming winter. Kyrylo Budanov, head of military intelligence, acknowledged the counteroffensive was moving more slowly than he would like. Ukraine’s counteroffensive in the south then ran for a further six weeks, only ending around November 10 with the liberation of Kherson.

Persons: Mark Milley, Milley, “, aren’t, haven’t, It’s, ”, Volodymyr Zelensky, Budanov, David Petraeus, Kyiv’s Organizations: CNN, United, United States ’, Joint Chiefs, Staff, BBC, Biden, Russian Locations: United States, Ukraine, Robotyne, Zaporizhzhia, Tokmak, Kyiv, Kharkiv, Lyman, Kherson, Russia

☆ Mangosuthu Buthelezi, Zulu prince who roiled South African politics, dead at 95
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-09 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +7 min

South Africa's leader of the Inkatha Freedom Party (IFP) Mangosuthu Buthelezi speaks to supporters ahead of the national elections, in Richards Bay, north of Durban, in South Africa, April 19, 2009. REUTERS/Rogan Ward Acquire Licensing RightsSept 9 (Reuters) - Mangosuthu Buthelezi, a veteran South African politician, Zulu prince and controversial figure during the apartheid liberation struggle, has died, the presidency said on Saturday. South Africa's main opposition Democratic Alliance (DA) party described Buthelezi as a "great leader". "Prince Buthelezi was a giant on South Africa's political landscape," DA leader John Steenhuisen said. Critics dubbed Buthelezi a war lord but to his legion of followers in the rural Zulu heartland, he was a visionary.

Persons: Mangosuthu Buthelezi, Rogan Ward, Prince Mangosuthu Buthelezi, Prince, KwaPhindangene, Cyril Ramaphosa, Buthelezi, Nelson Mandela, Prince Buthelezi, John Steenhuisen, ANC Buthelezi, Critics, Inkatha, Thabo Mbeki, King Cetshwayo, Henry Kissinger, Peter Carrington, Ashpenaz Nathan Mangosuthu Gatsha Buthelezi, Matoli Buthelezi, Princess Constance Magago Dinuzulu, Irene Mzila, Bhargav Acharya, Nelson, Angus MacSwan, Frances Kerry Organizations: Freedom Party, IFP, REUTERS, South, Home Affairs, African National Congress, Zulu Monarch, ANC, Nelson, Nelson Mandela Foundation, Mandela's, Democratic Alliance, Reuters, British, Black University of Fort, ANC Youth League, U.S, Thomson Locations: Richards Bay, Durban, South Africa, KwaZulu, Natal, Zulu, Johannesburg, Black University of Fort Hare, Lesotho, Mahlabathini

TAIPEI, Taiwan (AP) — The U.S. and the Canadian navies sailed two warships through the Taiwan Strait on Saturday, in a challenge to China's sweeping territorial claims. The USS Ralph Johnson and the Royal Canadian Navy Halifax-class frigate HMCS Ottawa sailed through the narrow band of ocean that separates China and self-ruled Taiwan, according to the U.S. Navy’s 7th Fleet. The cruisers “transited through a corridor in the Strait that is beyond the territorial sea of any coastal state,” the Navy statement said. China has stepped up its military activities around Taiwan, including sending warships and warplanes on a near daily basis. Political Cartoons View All 1148 ImagesIn June, the U.S. released a video in which a Chinese navy ship cut sharply across the path of an American destroyer, forcing the U.S. vessel to slow to avoid a collision.

Persons: Ralph Johnson, ”, Shi Yi Organizations: Canadian, Royal Canadian Navy Halifax, Navy’s, U.S . Navy, Navy, U.S, People Liberation, Command Locations: TAIPEI, Taiwan, U.S, Taiwan Strait, Ottawa, China, Beijing, American, Canadian

☆ Mangosuthu Buthelezi, Zulu Nationalist and a Mandela Rival, Dies at 95
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-09 | by ( Robert D. Mcfadden | More About Robert D. Mcfadden | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

Mangosuthu Buthelezi, the Zulu nationalist who positioned himself as Nelson Mandela’s most powerful Black rival in South Africa’s tortuous transformation from a white segregationist society to a multiracial democracy in the 1990s, died on Saturday. His death was announced in a statement by President Cyril Ramaphosa of South Africa. Proud, ambitious, descended from royalty and intolerant of criticism, Mr. Buthelezi was a hereditary chief of the Zulus, South Africa’s largest ethnic group. Like his battle-hardened ancestors, who had challenged colonial invaders in the 19th century, Mr. Buthelezi sometimes wore leopard skins and wielded assegai spears, but only in ritual war dances for political advantage. He was also the prime minister of KwaZulu, the homeland of six million Zulus, and the founder of the Inkatha Freedom Party, a Zulu political and cultural movement with 1.9 million members.

Persons: Mangosuthu Buthelezi, Nelson, Cyril Ramaphosa of, Buthelezi, ”, goh, de Klerk, Mandela Organizations: Zulu, Freedom Party Locations: South, Cyril Ramaphosa of South Africa, South Africa, KwaZulu, Zulu

CNN —Veteran apartheid-era South African politician and Zulu prince Mangosuthu Buthelezi has died aged 95, the country’s president announced Saturday. The Zulu chief, a controversial figure who had a seat on South Africa’s National Assembly and a long political career, led a movement that underwent deadly clashes with the African National Congress (ANC). Buthelezi and his liberation movement Inkatha ye Nkululeke ye Sizwe clashed with the African National Congress (ANC) over many years, particularly throughout the 1980s during rebellions against apartheid. He became a member of the Youth League of the ANC while studying at South African Native College (now the University of Fort Hare), but was expelled for his political activities. Buthelezi won a seat in the National Assembly, and was appointed minister of home affairs in ANC leader Nelson Mandela’s coalition government.

Persons: Mangosuthu Buthelezi, “, Prince Mangosuthu Buthelezi, Prince, KwaPhindangene, Cyril Ramaphosa, “ Prince Buthelezi, ”, Nelson Mandela, Buthelezi, ” Ramaphosa, waKwaPhindangene’s, Sizwe, Walter Dhladhla, Tom Stoddart, Peace, Nelson Mandela’s Organizations: CNN, Veteran, Zulu Monarch, Freedom Party, South Africa’s, Home Affairs, Africa’s National Assembly, African National Congress, ANC, Royal Household, Zulu Nation, Getty, Youth League of, South African Native College, University of Fort, IFP, Zulu, Hulton, Inkatha, National Assembly Locations: South, Africa’s, AFP, Mahlabatini, KwaZulu, Natal, University of Fort Hare

☆ Mangosuthu Buthelezi, Zulu Prince Who Roiled South African Politics, Dead at 95
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-09 | by ( Sept. | At A.M. | ) www.usnews.com time to read: +6 min

(Reuters) -Mangosuthu Buthelezi, a veteran South African politician, Zulu prince and controversial figure during the apartheid liberation struggle, has died, the presidency said on Saturday. Critics dubbed Buthelezi a war lord but to his legion of followers in the rural Zulu heartland, he was a visionary. A Zulu chief, Buthelezi became KwaZulu's chief minister in the 1970s, where he tried a delicate balancing act: refusing outright independence and criticising Pretoria's racial policies while still playing a role in the homeland farce. Ashpenaz Nathan Mangosuthu Gatsha Buthelezi was born on Aug. 27, 1928, in Mahlabathini, the son and heir of Chief Matoli Buthelezi and Princess Constance Magago Dinuzulu. In 1953 he was installed as acting chief of the prominent Buthelezi clan and four years later was confirmed as chief.

Persons: Prince Mangosuthu Buthelezi, Prince, KwaPhindangene, Cyril Ramaphosa, Buthelezi, Nelson Mandela, Critics, Inkatha, Thabo Mbeki, King Cetshwayo, Henry Kissinger, Peter Carrington, Ashpenaz Nathan Mangosuthu Gatsha Buthelezi, Matoli Buthelezi, Princess Constance Magago Dinuzulu, Irene Mzila, Bhargav Acharya, Nelson BanyaEditing, Angus MacSwan, Frances Kerry Organizations: Reuters, South, Freedom Party, Home Affairs, African National Congress, Zulu Monarch, IFP, ANC, British, Black University of Fort, ANC Youth League, U.S Locations: KwaZulu, Natal, South Africa, Zulu, Johannesburg, Black University of Fort Hare, Lesotho, Mahlabathini

☆ US, Canadian warships transit Taiwan Strait in latest joint mission
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-09 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

TAIPEI, Sept 9 (Reuters) - A U.S. and a Canadian warship sailed through the Taiwan Strait on Saturday, the U.S. Navy said, marking the second such joint mission since June and coinciding with the leaders of both countries attending the G20 summit in India. "Ralph Johnson and Ottawa's bilateral transit through the Taiwan Strait demonstrates the commitment of the United States and our allies and partners to a free and open Indo-Pacific," the U.S. Navy added in a statement. China's military condemned the transit as is usual with such missions, accusing the ships of carrying out "public hyping" in the strait, which separates Chinese-claimed Taiwan from China. Taiwan's defence ministry said the ships sailed in a southerly direction and that it had observed nothing unusual. While U.S. warships transit the strait around once a month, it is unusual for them to do so with those of other allies.

Persons: Ralph Johnson, Canada's, Xi Jinping, Joe Biden, Justin Trudeau, Ben Blanchard, Alexander Smith Organizations: U.S . Navy, Navy's, Fleet, Eastern Theatre Command, Liberation Army, U.S, Canadian, Thomson Locations: TAIPEI, U.S, Canadian, Taiwan Strait, India, The U.S, Ottawa, Taiwan, United States, China, New Delhi

CNN —The nominee to be the US military’s most senior general warned US airmen in a letter this week that the Chinese military wants “to exploit your knowledge and skill to fill gaps in their military capability.”Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. Charles Q. Concerns over western pilots training China’s military has grown in recent years, as Australia, the United Kingdom, and New Zealand – all members of the Five Eyes intelligence sharing alliance, which includes the US – have taken steps to prevent former military pilots from offering their expertise to Beijing. Last October, the UK Ministry of Defense said it believed up to 30 former British military pilots were providing training in China and that many others have been approached, including pilots who were still serving. He has denied the allegations, saying he was only training Chinese civilian pilots seeking to improve their skills. And recently, two Navy sailors were arrested and indicted for allegedly sending classified information to Chinese intelligence officers.

Persons: Charles Q, Brown, Mark Milley, ” Brown, “, ”, Richard Marles Organizations: CNN, ” Air Force, Joint Chiefs of Staff, NATO, Liberation Army, Air Chiefs, The Washington, New Zealand, UK Ministry of Defense, UK Armed Forces, People’s Liberation Army, Australian, “ Defense, Foreign Intelligence Services, Navy Locations: Australia, United Kingdom, New, Beijing, China, People’s Republic of China

☆ In U.S.-China AI contest, the race is on to deploy killer robots
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-08 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +26 min

In this high-tech contest, seizing the upper hand across fields including AI and autonomous weapons, like Ghost Shark, could determine who comes out on top. This could become critical if the United States intervened against an assault by Beijing on Taiwan. Cheap and expendableThe AI military sector is dominated by software, an industry where change comes fast. Still, the available disclosures of spending on AI military research do show that outlays on AI and machine learning grew sharply in the decade from 2010. The Costa-Mesa, California-based company now employs more than 1,800 staff in the United States, the United Kingdom and Australia.

Persons: America’s, Shane Arnott, Anduril, ” Arnott, Arnott, ”, “, Mick Ryan, Eric Schmidt, hasn’t, Lloyd Austin, –, Stuart Russell, Russell, Kathleen Hicks, “ We’ll, Palmer Luckey, Luckey, ” Arnott didn’t, Biden, Tsai Ing, Frank Kendall, Datenna, Martijn Rasser, Feng Yanghe, Feng, Palmer, ” Anduril, Arnott wouldn’t, David Lague, Edgar Su, Catherine Tai, Peter Hirschberg Organizations: Australian Navy, Ghost Sharks, Sharks, Reuters, Defense, Australian, Chinese Communist Party, Beijing, People’s Liberation Army, PLA, Department of Defense, Pentagon, Australia’s Department of Defence, Australian Defence Force, Technologists, University of California, U.S ., U.S, Teledyne FLIR, Facebook, VR, Military, . Air Force, FH, U.S . Central Intelligence Agency, Department, Statistics, Harvard University, Biden Administration, Special, Command, Ministry of Defense, Veteran Locations: China, Australia, United States, Sydney, Britain, Japan, Singapore, South Korea, Europe, Asia, Ukraine, ”, America, U.S, Taiwan, East Asia, Beijing, Russian, Berkeley, Fort Campbell , Tennessee, Kenya, “, Russia, Colorado, Zhuhai, Netherlands, Costa, Mesa , California, United Kingdom, Virginia, Canberra, Washington

“They just come and say ‘vote.’ So people vote,” Baska told CNN. “Here, when you buy a SIM card for your phone, you immediately get an SMS from the Ministry of Internal Affairs and United Russia Party,” Baska said. The text messages carry pro-Kremlin messaging, informing voters that “about 90% of voters are ready to vote for Yedianaya Rossiya (United Russia),” or that “United Russia is helping Zaporizhzhia region,” she added. Guerrilla activity by Ukrainian partisans has taken place but is more difficult to achieve now, Baska told CNN. ‘Nothing to do with democracy’Few residents in Melitopol are interested in the bogus elections taking place, Baska told CNN.

Persons: ”, Alexander Ermochenko, ” Baska, Yedianaya Rossiya, ’, Vladimir Putin’s, “, Jens Stoltenberg, Baska, Melitopol, …, Republic Denis Pushilin, Yuriy Sobolevskyi, ” Sobolevskyi Organizations: CNN, Communist, National Resistance Center, Ministry of Internal Affairs, United Russia Party, Kremlin, “, NRC, Ukrainian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, of, NATO, Yale Humanitarian Research, United Russia, Russian, Russian Guard Locations: Melitopol, Ukrainian, Russian, Russia, Ukraine, Moscow, United Russia, Donetsk, Zaporizhzhia, Kherson, Luhansk, Kyiv, of Europe, ”, Mariupol, Crimea, Republic

☆ India's Tibetan refugees demand discussion on Tibet during G20 summit
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-08 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

[1/6] Members of the Tibetan community show hands painted with the words "Free Tibet" at their refugee colony in Majnu ka Tilla ahead of the G20 summit in New Delhi, India, September 8, 2023. Global leaders have started descending upon India's national capital for the summit, including U.S. President Joe Biden, British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak, and Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni. China President Xi Jinping will not be attending the gathering and will instead be represented by Prime Minister Li Qiang. "We place a demand before our Prime Minister Narendra Modi and other global leaders to discuss Tibet during the G20 summit," he said. China sent troops into Tibet in 1950, terming the act a "peaceful liberation", and has ruled the remote, mountainous country ever since.

Persons: Anushree, Joe Biden, Rishi Sunak, Giorgia Meloni, Xi Jinping, Li Qiang, Dhundup, Narendra Modi, Sakshi Dayal, Kim Coghill Organizations: REUTERS, Global, British, Italian, Tibetan Youth Congress, Reuters, Thomson Locations: New Delhi, India, DELHI, China, Tibet, Beijing, Pragati Maidan

☆ China Wants to Challenge U.S. Military Power Around the World - The New York Times
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-07 | by ( Craig Singleton | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

At Cambodia’s Ream Naval Base, China is nearing completion of what U.S. officials suspect will be its first overseas military outpost in the Indo-Pacific region. Beyond facilitating Chinese military adventurism in the South China Sea, the new base could provide the People’s Liberation Army (P.L.A.) with a staging ground to monitor and influence vital maritime routes like the Malacca Strait, through which an estimated 40 percent of the world’s trade flows. But the base also shines a light on Beijing’s broader embrace of an innovative strategy to challenge American military strength that has potentially grave implications for Washington and its allies. China has plainly stated that these points are designed to “provide support for overseas military operations” and “exert political and military influence” abroad.

Organizations: Ream, Liberation Army Locations: Base, China, South China, Malacca, Washington, Aden . China, Djibouti, East Africa, Equatorial Guinea, Solomon Islands, South Pacific

☆ 5 Minutes That Will Make You Love Max Roach
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-06 | by ( Marcus J. Moore | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +6 min

Listen on YouTube◆ ◆ ◆Joseph Patel, producer of ‘Summer of Soul’Max Roach, “Drums Unlimited”I discovered and fell in love with jazz while in college. From this study, I could put my finger on the records, musicians and lineups at the forefront of change in the genre — and at every step of the way, there was Max Roach. On “Freedom Day,” Max’s drum playing represents a heart dealing with the emotions of becoming a free human being. Listen on YouTube◆ ◆ ◆Brandi Waller-Pace, musician, educator and scholar-activistClifford Brown and Max Roach, “Joy Spring”Few drummers have reached the level of innovation and influence Max Roach did throughout his long and prolific career. “Joy Spring,” recorded with the legendary and tragically short-lived Clifford Brown and Max Roach Quintet, is a jazz classic and a personal favorite.

Persons: “, ”, Abstrutions ”, Stanley Cowell’s, ◆ Joseph Patel, ’ Max Roach, Max Roach, Roach, Abbey Lincoln, ◆ Nicole Sweeney, Lincoln’s, Max, Booker Little, ◆ Brandi Waller, Clifford Brown, Kenny Clarke, Roach’s, Harold Land’s, I’m, ◆ Elena Bergeron, Charles Mingus, Duke Ellington, Mingus, Ellington Organizations: YouTube, Calif, Harlem Cultural, Pace Locations: Davis, Harlem

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