Daily World Briefing, June 17
Bazan, Israel's largest oil refinery company, announced on Monday night that all of its facilities at the Haifa Port had been completely shut down due to the damage caused by an Iranian missile strike.
Three company employees were killed in the pre-dawn attack, which ignited fires at the strategic complex. Video footage showed visible flames, and firefighting teams were still struggling to extinguish the blaze, according to the Israeli daily Ha'aretz.
Toppling Iranian leadership "could be outcome" of ongoing conflict: Netanyahu
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu signaled on Monday that Israel will not halt its offensive against Iran, not even for negotiations, saying that toppling Iran's leadership "could certainly be the outcome" of the ongoing aerial warfare.
Netanyahu made the remarks during a press conference, as Iran called on U.S. President Donald Trump to push for a ceasefire in the aerial conflict that began with Israel's surprise attack on Friday.
Gaza internet outage ends, killings of food-seeking civilians continue
The internet outage which paralyzed humanitarian aid in Gaza has ended, but the famine threat and the killings of food-seeking Palestinians continue as fuel dips critically low, UN humanitarian said on Monday.
The UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) said telecommunications cables in Gaza were repaired over the weekend, allowing internet services to resume after days of complete outage.
U.S. issues travel advisory for Israel
U.S. States Department on Monday issued travel advisory on its website, suggesting U.S. citizens not travel to Israel due to armed conflict, terrorism and civil unrest.
"The security situation in Israel, including Tel Aviv and Jerusalem, is unpredictable," the advisory said, reminding U.S. citizens of remaining vigilant and taking appropriate steps to increase their security awareness as security incidents, including mortar and rocket fire and armed UAV intrusions and missiles, can take place without warning.
Death toll hits 90 in South Africa's Eastern Cape floods
The death toll from devastating floods in South Africa's Eastern Cape Province has risen to 90, as recovery operations continue to make progress in the affected areas, local authorities said Monday.
"The latest report has indicated an increase in the number of fatalities from 88 to 90," said the Eastern Cape Provincial Government in a statement. "Out of the 90 fatalities, 60 are adults and 30 children, while 48 are male and 42 female."
48 dead after boats capsize in northwest DR Congo
At least 48 people have died after boats capsized on Lake Tumba in the northwestern Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), the DRC government said on Sunday.
Following the incident near Bikoro in Equateur Province on Wednesday, 46 passengers have been rescued, while 107 remain unaccounted for. Authorities have recovered and buried 48 bodies so far, said a statement issued by Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Interior and Security Jacquemain Shabani.
20 killed in clashes in Chad
At least 20 people have been killed and 16 others injured following some clashes in Chad, authorities said on Monday.
In a statement, the country's communication ministry said the clashes ran from June 10 to 14 in Molou locality of Ouaddai province (east of Chad). The statement did not say what caused the clashes but local media reported that the conflict involved two rival tribes.
4 killed, 6 injured in explosion in firecracker factory in India's Uttar Pradesh
At least four women were killed and six others injured Monday in an explosion in a firecracker factory in the northern Indian state of Uttar Pradesh, police said.
The explosion took place in Atrasi village of Amroha district, about 402 km northwest of Lucknow, the capital city of Uttar Pradesh.
Vietnam to establish first free trade zone in central region
The Vietnamese government has approved the establishment of the country's first free trade zone in the central city of Da Nang, local media VnExpress reported Monday.
Covering an area of 1,881 hectares, the zone is expected to become a major economic, logistics and technological hub in the Asia-Pacific region, the report added.
Russia transfers bodies of over 6,000 soldiers to Ukraine
Russia has transferred the bodies of 6,060 fallen soldiers to Ukraine, Russian Presidential Aide Vladimir Medinsky said Monday.
Russia agreed to return the bodies of 6,000 fallen Ukrainian soldiers after Russia-Ukraine talks in Istanbul on June 2.
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Express View on ICJ verdict on climate obligations: A welcome nudge
Last week, the International Court of Justice (ICJ) ruled that countries are 'obliged' to 'prevent harm from climate change'. The Court was responding to a UN General Assembly request, triggered by a resolution backed by small island states, for an 'advisory' to 'ensure protection of the environment' from GHG emissions. In a process that stretched over two years, the ICJ consulted experts, including those from the IPCC, as well as representatives of nations and blocs such as the Organisation of the Petroleum Exporting Countries, to affirm that 'limiting global warming to 1.5 degrees C should be considered the primary temperature goal for nations' and that they are obliged to make 'adequate contributions' to achieve this target. The advisory is not binding on governments, but it could breathe new life into the flailing global climate change negotiations. It could also have significant implications for environmental jurisprudence, enabling vulnerable groups and nations to push for stronger climate action. Ten years after the Paris Pact set the roadmap for climate action, numerous inclement weather events all over the world have shone unflattering light on the absence of a collective resolve to decarbonise the world economy. The UN's annual climate meet has taken important decisions to compensate countries for loss and damages due to global warming-induced disasters. Yet, these meetings continue to be held hostage by decades-long differences over who should contribute how much to the mitigation efforts. Last year's UNFCCC meet at Baku, billed as the finance CoP, was a particular disappointment. Leaders of most major economies failed to turn up, and less than two months after the summit, the US President pulled his country out of the Paris Climate Pact for the second time in less than 10 years. The US did not face any legal challenge for pulling out of the treaty, and developed countries have, by and large, got away with not meeting their financial obligations. The ICJ advisory has not spelt out any consequences for defaulters. However, its strong endorsement of compensation to countries that suffer climate damage could trigger a wave of litigation for damages. In recent years, developed nations have reluctantly acknowledged that vulnerable countries require assistance to deal with climate disasters, but they have rejected any suggestion for reparations. The ICJ's opinion could move the needle forward. The top UN court has also affirmed the salience of the principle of 'common but differentiated responsibilities'. As rich countries increasingly put pressure on emerging economies, such as India, to assume more global warming mitigation responsibilities, this founding tenet of climate negotiations has come under increasing strain. The ICJ advisory should jolt the historically high emitters and nudge them to fulfil their climate commitments.
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Thai-Cambodia Conflict: Peace Talks To Start In Malaysia Amid US Mediation
New Delhi: Four days after renewed hostilities following the killing of a Cambodian soldier during a brief border clash in May, Thailand and Cambodia are set to hold negotiation talks aimed at ending the ongoing conflict. The high-level meeting will be hosted in Malaysia on Monday. The talks are scheduled to start at 3 p.m. local time (0700 GMT), with Thailand's acting Prime Minister Phumtham Wechayachai leading the Thai delegation, the government announced in a statement on Sunday night. In a notable development, the United States has confirmed its officials are already on the ground in Malaysia to support the peace initiative, as leaders from both nations prepare to meet. US Secretary of State Marco Rubio stated that President Donald Trump and he have been in contact with their counterparts in both countries and are closely monitoring the situation. Tensions between Thailand and Cambodia have been rising since the late-May killing of a Cambodian soldier in a border skirmish. Clashes resumed on July 24, escalating quickly into the most severe conflict between the two Southeast Asian neighbors in more than a decade. Key Top Points on the Thailand-Cambodia Clashes: 1. Thai Acting PM Phumtham Wechayachai and Cambodian PM Hun Manet will meet on Monday for high-level talks, seeking to end the deadliest confrontation between the two nations in over ten years. The meeting follows US President Donald Trump's reported use of tariff threats to push for a ceasefire. 2. This will be the first formal round of talks since the clashes reignited on July 24, and comes within 48 hours of Trump's announcement that both leaders had agreed to "quickly work out a ceasefire." Trump expressed confidence in the process, calling it "an easy one." 3. US Secretary of State Marco Rubio also held conversations with the foreign ministers of both Thailand and Cambodia, urging immediate de-escalation and reaffirming US support for the peace process. Despite diplomatic outreach, both countries accused each other on Sunday of launching heavy artillery strikes. 4. UN Secretary-General António Guterres on Sunday voiced deep concern over the violence along the Thailand-Cambodia border. He called for an immediate ceasefire and encouraged both sides to resolve their issues through peaceful dialogue. 5. The conflict, which escalated after months of simmering border tensions, has so far killed over 30 people and displaced more than 150,000 civilians on both sides of the border. 6. Thailand has reported 22 deaths, including eight soldiers, while Cambodia has confirmed 13 fatalities, including five military personnel.
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Over 40 killed in rebel attack in northeast DR Congo, ending brief regional calm
The Congolese army denounced the 'large-scale massacre', adding that 'around forty civilians were surprised and killed with machetes and several others were seriously injured'. read more This aerial view shows the town of Komanda, Ituri province, eastern Democratic Republic of Congo, on August 30, 2023. File Image: AFP More than 40 people were killed Sunday in an attack by Allied Democratic Forces rebels in northeastern DR Congo, ending a months-long period of regional calm, the UN mission and Congolese military said. The ADF, which pledged allegiance to Islamic State in 2019, raided a Catholic church in the town of Komanda where worshippers were gathered for prayer, residents told AFP by telephone from Bunia, capital of Ituri province. The attack killed 43 people including nine children, according to the UN peacekeeping mission in the country. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD 'These targeted attacks on defenseless civilians, especially in places of worship, are not only revolting but also contrary to all norms of human rights and international humanitarian law,' said Vivian van de Perre, deputy chief of the peacekeeping mission. The Congolese army denounced the 'large-scale massacre', adding that 'around forty civilians were surprised and killed with machetes and several others were seriously injured'. It said the ADF had decided to take 'revenge on defenseless peaceful populations to spread terror'. Local sources had reported an earlier death toll of at least 35. Lieutenant Jules Ngongo, army spokesman in Ituri, did not comment on the toll but confirmed the attack to AFP, saying 'the enemy is believed to have been identified among ADF' rebels. The bloodshed comes after months of calm in the region of Ituri, bordering Uganda. The last major attack by the ADF was in February, leaving 23 dead in Mambasa territory. The town of Komanda in Irumu territory is a commercial hub linking three other provinces – Tshopo, North Kivu, and Maniema. The ADF, originally Ugandan rebels who are predominantly Muslim, have killed thousands of civilians and ramped up looting and killing in northeastern DRC despite the deployment of the Ugandan army alongside Congolese armed forces in the area. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD At the end of 2021, Kampala and Kinshasa launched a joint military operation against the ADF, dubbed 'Shujaa', which has so far been unable to dislodge the group. The Congolese army promised to continue tracking the ADF and called on the population 'to remain extra vigilant and report any suspicious presence to the defense and security forces'.
