Day: 3 October 2024

South Korea and the US have completed a combined marine exercise in the East Sea (Sea of Japan) to strengthen their interoperability, Yonhap News Agency reported, Thursday, citing the South’s Navy. The two navies held a two-day exercise, starting Wednesday, in waters off Pohang, some 270 km southeast of Seoul.

The drill involved four naval vessels, including the ROKS Marado and the USS Boxer, both amphibious assault ships.

The USS Boxer, which is a Wasp-class ship, can carry about 40 aircraft, including F-35B stealth fighters.

The 40,500-ton ship also took part in the exercise involving the South Korean and the US Navies and Marines.

“The two navies will improve our ability to carry out combined operations and interoperability, and sternly respond to any form of provocations from the enemy,” said Capt. Kim Kyung-ho, commodore of Amphibious Squadron 53 of the South Korean Navy.

Source: Kuwait News Agency

Doha: HH Crown Prince of the State of Kuwait Sheikh Sabah Khaled Al-Hamad Al-Sabah emphasized that the world today is facing numerous security, political, economic, social, and climatic challenges that require collective efforts and decisive action to address them.

In his speech at the third summit of the Asian Cooperation Dialogue (ACD), His Highness highlighted that many of these challenges, unfortunately, are being witnessed across Asia, such as armed conflicts, disease outbreaks, extreme poverty, illiteracy, and unemployment, adding that despite these difficulties, Asia possesses vast human and material resources and significant capabilities, providing a solid foundation to overcome these obstacles and fulfill the aspirations of its people.

His Highness explained that one of the prominent challenges is the ongoing Israeli occupation forces aggression against Palestine for nearly a year, which has resulted in the loss of over 41,000 Palestinian lives, primarily women and children.

His Highness lamented
the international community’s failure to stop this genocide due to double standards in applying international law. His Highness reiterated Kuwait’s condemnation and denunciation of the continued aggression on the State of Palestine and called on the international community, particularly the UN Security Council, to take immediate action to halt the violence.

HH the Crown Prince of the State of Kuwait also called for continuing support and backing for the Palestinian people, their just cause, their right to self-determination, and the establishment of their independent state on the borders of June 4, 1967, with East Jerusalem as its capital. He stressed that failure to bring Israel, which is an occupying force, to accountability has emboldened it to commit more crimes and expand its aggression, a thing which “we have already warned of and its consequences on the region’s countries,” citing the ongoing attacks on Lebanon.

His Highness underscored that Asia must take a decisive and open stance defending justice
, human conscience, and the right of the peoples of Palestine and the region to freedom, dignity, and peace.

On another note, HH Crown Prince of the State of Kuwait, said, “Our summit, held today under the theme: ‘Sports Diplomacy’, is considered a significant tool in public diplomacy and some sort of soft power that is able to bring together all peoples, communities and culture.” He explained that sports is a crucial way of attaining peace and development and contributing to disseminating the values of cooperation, tolerance, solidarity and people-to-people peaceful coexistence.

He added that the Asian continent has numerous examples of the practical application of sports diplomacy and its noble goals, the most significant of which is Qatar’s exceptional hosting of the 2022 FIFA World Cup Qatar, as this unique edition of the tournament provided a successful model for uniting people and blending cultures and languages from around the world, helping to showcase and integrate Gulf, Arab, and Islamic cultures
with others, looking forward to Saudi Arabia hosting the FIFA World Cup in 2034.

Source: Qatar News Agency

US President Joe Biden is set to visit Florida and Georgia to assess areas damaged by Hurricane Helene, after he had concluded a similar visit to Hurricane-struck North and South Carolina.

Biden pledged to devote the full force of personnel and resources to the assistance of the victims of Hurricane Helene, which is really of historic strength.

In a statement late Wednesday, Secretary of Homeland Security Alejandro Mayorkas said the US government deployed more than 4,800 personnel from across the federal workforce in the affected states. We have shipped over 8.8 million meals, more than 7.4 million liters of water, 150 generators, and more than 225,000 tarps to the region.

Source: Kuwait News Agency

Doha: HE President of the State of Palestine Mahmoud Abbas left Doha on Thursday, following his participation in the 3rd Asia Cooperation Dialogue Summit (ACD).

His Excellency and the accompanying delegation were seen off upon departure from Hamad International Airport by HE Director of the Department of Protocol in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs Ibrahim bin Yousif Fakhro and HE Ambassador of the State of Palestine to the State of Qatar Fayez Majed Abu Al Rab.

Source: Qatar News Agency

Doha: Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas stressed his country’s efforts to get rid of the occupation and settlements and stop the Israeli aggression in the Gaza Strip, the West Bank and Jerusalem, leading to the complete end of the occupation of the State of Palestine with its capital, East Jerusalem.

Giving his speech at the 3rd Asian Cooperation Dialogue Summit (ACD) on Thursday in Doha, he stated that despite all the difficulties created by the occupation, Palestinian athletes -like the rest of their people- continue with perseverance and steadfastness to achieve proud accomplishments and that the State of Palestine embodies sports diplomacy, through its participation in all international sports forums, where athletes carry the cause of their steadfast people who insist on life.

Abbas added that this summit is being held while the region is facing great dangers due to the insistence of the Israeli occupation state on the approach of aggression and violence, as the Palestinian people, including their ath
letes, as well as the brotherly Lebanese people are being subjected to a brutal Israeli war, which has claimed the lives of thousands of children, women and the elderly, pointing out that the ongoing Israeli aggression has destroyed more than 90 percent of the infrastructure in the Gaza Strip, including sports facilities and installations.

He stressed that peace and tolerance cannot coexist with occupation, war of extermination, racial discrimination, ethnic cleansing, oppression, injustice, preventing the Palestinian people from achieving their aspirations for freedom and independence, and aggression against the brotherly Lebanese people, calling on the international community to intervene immediately to stop the brutal aggression against Palestine and Lebanon.

Abbas said that holding this ACD summit under the title of “Sports Diplomacy” represents an opportunity to enhance dialogue alongside official diplomacy, as it is diplomacy that eliminates barriers and provides spaces for human relations based on fa
ir competition within the framework of governing laws, regardless of identity, religion, race or language.

Keywords

Source: Qatar News Agency

At least 46 people have been killed and 85 others wounded in Israeli airstrikes on several areas in Lebanon over the past 24 hours, Lebanese Health Ministry’s emergency center said on Wednesday.

Seven people were killed by two airstrikes launched by the Israeli occupation army on the “Islamic Health Authority” center in the town of Aitaroun, Lebanon’s National News Agency reported.

The occupation planes carried out airstrikes on some areas in Beirut, including Karak, Laboueh, Riyaq, Hermel and others, it added.

Since September 23, Lebanon has been witnessing vicious airstrikes launched by the Israeli occupation on different parts in Lebanon, causing big human and material losses, and the displacement of thousands.

Source: Kuwait News Agency

Doha: HH Vice President, Deputy Prime Minister and Chairman of the Presidential Court of the sisterly United Arab Emirates (UAE) Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed Al Nahyan left Doha Thursday afternoon, following his participation in the 3rd Asia Cooperation Dialogue Summit (ACD).

Source: Qatar News Agency

Threats of domestic and foreign terrorism in the US are expected to remain high in 2025, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) warned on Wednesday.

“The terrorism threat environment in the Homeland is expected to remain high over the coming year,” reads the DHS’ 2025 Homeland Threat Assessment (HTA), issued today.

“This is due to a confluence of factors, including potential violent extremist responses to domestic sociopolitical developments – particularly the 2024 election cycle – and international events like the ongoing Israel-Hamas conflict,” it clarified.

The DHS emphasized that lone offenders and small groups continue to pose the greatest threat. “Meanwhile, foreign terrorist organizations, including ISIS and al Qaeda maintain their enduring intent to conduct or inspire attacks in the Homeland,” it indicated.

Secretary of Homeland Security Alejandro N. Mayorkas pointed out that the DHS’ assessment is meant to help federal, state, and local partners in preparing, preventing, and responding to an e
ver-evolving threat environment.

“The Homeland Security Assessment provides an important overview of the dynamic and evolving threat landscape, illustrating just how varied and challenging the threats we confront are,” said Mayorkas.

“It is because of the remarkable DHS workforce, and our close collaboration with our federal, state, local, tribal, territorial, and private sector partners, that we are able to meet the challenges and keep the American people safe and secure.”

Source: Kuwait News Agency