World
Alleged ‘heavy weapon’ use in Kyrgyz-Tajik border dispute
Second outbreak of clashes in three days amid sudden rise in tensions alongside border between the 2 former Soviet republics.
Officers from the Kyrgyz border guard have accused Tajik forces of opening fireplace on a number of of its outposts in an escalation of pressure two days after a quick confrontation between the 2 Central Asian nations.
The border guard mentioned Kyrgyz forces had been returning fireplace on Friday morning, as clashes befell alongside the size of the border, including that Tajik forces had been utilizing tanks, armoured personnel carriers, and mortars. Multiple-third of the 1,000km (600-mile) frontier stays disputed.
In flip, Tajikistan accused Kyrgyz forces of shelling certainly one of its outposts and 7 villages with “heavy weaponry”. A civilian was killed and three injured, authorities within the Tajik metropolis of Isfara mentioned.
Kyrgyz President Sadyr Japarov and Tajik President Emomali Rahmon are each attending a regional safety summit in Uzbekistan and appeared, along with various different leaders, in a gaggle picture for the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) at a gala dinner on Thursday.
Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan, each former Soviet republics, host Russian navy bases and have shut ties with Moscow. Russian President Vladimir Putin can also be attending the Samarkand summit.
Skirmishes over the border are frequent and often de-escalate rapidly, though final yr they virtually led to an all-out struggle.
On Wednesday, Russia known as on the 2 nations to take pressing measures to convey the scenario on the border beneath management.
The most recent flare-up in hostilities comes towards the backdrop of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, the place it’s going through a speedy counteroffensive that has compelled its troops out of the northeastern Kharkiv area, and renewed combating between Azerbaijan and Armenia.
World
Orbán's meeting with FPÖ leaders in Vienna sparks controversy
The Hungarian prime minister arrived in Vienna on Thursday, where he was received by parliamentary president Walter Rosenkranz in a meeting condemned by several Austrian political parties.
Despite criticism from other political parties, Austria’s newly elected parliament president, Walter Rosenkranz of the far-right Freedom Party (FPÖ), hosted Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán in Vienna as his first official guest.
The controversial visit took place in the Austrian parliament’s reception room, with the entire leadership of the FPÖ, including leader Herbert Kickl, reportedly in attendance.
After the meeting concluded, Orbán had a separate, private meeting with Kickl. However, nothing was initially revealed about the content of their conversation.
Rosenkranz said the meeting had been arranged before he took office.
Other Austrian parties, including the Greens and Social Democrats, had resisted Orbán’s visit. Green party parliamentary leader Sigrid Maurer said the FPÖ views Orbán as a role model, which should be considered “an absolute warning signal.”
FPÖ finished first in the recent Austrian parliamentary elections, garnering 29.2% of the vote in the country’s first far-right election win since World War II.
Experts say the party managed to tap into Austrian anxiety on housing and healthcare, as well as often successfully blaming migration for a host of other issues.
As is customary within Austria, the group with the highest number of votes appoints the President of Parliament – hence Rosenkranz being elected to the second-highest state office in the country last week.
Orbán will reportedly not meet with Austrian Chancellor Karl Nehammer during the visit.
Far-right alliance in Europe
Austria’s Freedom Party and Orbán’s Fidesz party both belong to the new European far-right group Patriots for Europe.
The party shares a deep aversion to the Green Deal, EU Commission President Ursula von der Leyen’s flagship initiative to achieve climate neutrality by 2050, and have challenged the project of European integration as well as the power granted to EU institutions.
Patriots for Europe are also opposed to providing Ukraine with military equipment, question the efficiency of Western sanctions against Moscow and want to maintain close relations with Russian President Vladimir Putin and his government.
It is the third-largest group in the European Parliament, boasting dozens of MEPs from countries like France, Italy and the Netherlands.
World
Analysis-US Crypto Industry Expects Friendlier Washington, Whoever Wins White House
World
Iran and Russia close in on deal as Tehran threatens revenge against Israel
Iran and Russia are closing in on a deal that will bolster their defensive cooperation and strengthen military ties at a time when Western nations are increasingly concerned about regional wars in Europe and the Middle East.
“The treaty on a comprehensive strategic partnership between Russia and Iran that is being prepared will become a serious factor in strengthening Russian-Iranian relations,” Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said on Thursday, according to a Reuters report.
The foreign minister, who said the treaty would be signed “in the near future,” claimed that the deal will “confirm” both Iran and Russia’s “interests of peace and security at the regional and global levels.”
PENTAGON SAYS IRAN SUPPLYING RUSSIA WITH BALLISTIC MISSILES
The details of the treaty remain unclear and Lavrov did not expand on what form this defensive partnership would take.
A similar agreement signed between Russia and North Korea earlier this year was followed by Pyongyang’s decision to send some 10,000 soldiers to its warring neighbor, which may potentially be deployed to fight in Ukraine, according to concerns signaled by the Pentagon.
But given that Iran already supplies Russia with defensive aid to propel its brutal war in Ukraine, it’s not only the repercussions this partnership could have for the war in Europe that concern Western security officials.
Russian President Vladimir Putin, who once shared a solid relationship with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, has not appeared to be overtly involved in the unfolding fight in the Middle East, unlike Russia’s top adversary, the U.S.
But a report by the Wall Street Journal earlier this month found that Moscow has been providing the Houthi terrorist group with satellite data to assist it in its repeated attacks on Western ships in the Red Sea. According to the report, the information was passed from Russia to “members of Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC)… embedded with the Houthis in Yemen.”
PENTAGON THREATENS NO NEW LIMITS ON UKRAINE WEAPONS IF NORTH KOREA JOINS RUSSIA’S WAR
Russia has also increasingly called on Israel to show “restraint” when it comes to escalating tensions in the Middle East as it launched an incursion into Lebanon and struck Iran – which directly funds and arms the terrorist organizations, including Hamas, Hezbollah and the Houthis, warring with Jerusalem.
Tehran has once again threatened Jerusalem with a retaliatory hit after Israel launched aerial strikes on Friday. The series of tit-for-tat attacks continue as Israel pushes to eliminate Hamas in the Gaza Strip and Hezbollah in Lebanon.
Lt. Gen. Herzi Halevi, chief of the general staff of the Israel Defense Forces (IDF), on Tuesday responded to these threats and said, “If Iran makes the mistake of launching another missile barrage at Israel, we will once again know how to reach Iran.”
Halevi warned Israel will continue to escalate its attack “capabilities and locations” previously “set aside” if Iran responds with another strike on the Jewish state.
“We did this for a very simple reason, because we may be required to [strike] again. This event is not over, we are still in the midst of it,” he said while speaking from the Ramon Airbase in Israel. “I say this to you: we are highly prepared across all fronts.”
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