Blinken postpones China trip over ‘unacceptable’ Chinese spy balloon

U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken looks on as he attends the signing ceremony of a memorandum of understanding and joint news conference with South Korean Foreign Minister Park Jin, at the State Department in Washington, U.S. February 3, 2023. (REUTERS)
U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken looks on as he attends the signing ceremony of a memorandum of understanding and joint news conference with South Korean Foreign Minister Park Jin, at the State Department in Washington, U.S. February 3, 2023. (REUTERS)
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Updated 05 February 2023

Blinken postpones China trip over ‘unacceptable’ Chinese spy balloon

Blinken postpones China trip over ‘unacceptable’ Chinese spy balloon
  • Jean-Pierre said the US administration was aware of China’s statement “but the presence of this balloon in our airspace, it is a clear violation of our sovereignty as well as international law. It is unacceptable this occurred”

WASHINGTON/BEIJING: US Secretary of State Antony Blinken postponed a visit to China that had been expected to start on Friday after a suspected Chinese spy balloon was tracked flying across the United States in what Washington called a “clear violation” of US sovereignty.
The Pentagon said on Thursday it was tracking a high-altitude surveillance balloon over the continental United States. Officials said military leaders considered shooting it down over Montana on Wednesday but eventually recommended against this to President Joe Biden because of the safety risk from debris.
White House spokesperson Karine Jean-Pierre said Biden was briefed on the balloon flight on Tuesday and there was an administration “consensus that it was not appropriate to travel to the People’s Republic of China at this time.”
China on Friday expressed regret that an “airship” used for civilian meteorological and other scientific purposes had strayed into US airspace.
Jean-Pierre said the US administration was aware of China’s statement “but the presence of this balloon in our airspace, it is a clear violation of our sovereignty as well as international law. It is unacceptable this occurred.”
On Friday, Pentagon spokesman Brig. Gen. Patrick Ryder said the balloon had changed course and was floating eastward at about 60,000 feet (18,300 meters) above the central United States and demonstrating a capability to maneuver. He said it would likely be over the country for a few more days.
Commercial forecaster AccuWeather said the balloon would potentially leave United States into the Atlantic on Saturday evening. Mike Rounds, a Republican member of the Senate Armed Services Committee, told Fox News it would be good to recover the balloon “one way or another” to see “if it was designed to actually collect data or if it was designed to test our response capabilities.”
The Pentagon’s disclosure about the balloon’s maneuverability directly challenges China’s assertion about it being blown off course.
At a news conference with South Korea’s visiting foreign minister on Friday, Blinken said he had told Wang Yi, director of China’s Central Commission for Foreign Affairs, that the incident on the eve of his trip was an “irresponsible act” by China, but Washington remained committed to engagement and he would visit when conditions allowed.
Blinken said he would not put a date on when he might go to China and the focus was on resolving the current incident. “The first step is ... getting the surveillance asset, out of our air space,” he said, adding that Washington would maintain open lines of communication with China.
The Republican chairman of the House of Representatives Foreign Affairs Committee, Michael McCaul, said the balloon should never have been allowed in US airspace and could have been shot down over water.
“I am calling on the Biden administration to quickly take steps to remove the Chinese spy balloon from US airspace,” he said in a statement.

Blinken said, however, that he told Wang that “the United States is committed to diplomatic engagement with China and that I plan to visit Beijing when conditions allow.”

LOST OPPORTUNITY?
A White House official said the administration had briefed staff of the so-called Gang of 8, which brings together Republican and Democratic leaders from the Senate and House, on Thursday afternoon.
The official said such balloon surveillance activity had “been observed over the past several years, including in the prior administration – we have kept Congress briefed on this issue.”
The postponing of Blinken’s trip, which had been agreed to in November by Biden and Chinese President Xi Jinping, is a blow to those who saw it as an overdue opportunity to stabilize an increasingly fractious relationship. The last visit by a US secretary of state was in 2017.
China is keen for a stable US relationship so it can focus on its economy, battered by the now-abandoned zero-COVID policy and neglected by foreign investors alarmed by what they see as a return of state intervention in the market.
In recent months Chinese leader Xi has met with world leaders, seeking to re-establish ties and settle disagreements.
Daniel Russel, the top US diplomat for Asia under former President Barack Obama, said he did not see a strategic rationale for canceling the trip and stressed the importance of maintaining high-level engagement with China.
“In as much as the US has much bigger fish to fry with the Chinese than a surveillance balloon, the Biden team may be inclined to pick up where they left off after a decent interval,” he said.
Sino-US relations have soured significantly in recent years, particularly following then-US House Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s visit to Taiwan in August, which prompted dramatic Chinese military drills near the self-ruled island.
LIMITED INTELLIGENCE VALUE
The Pentagon’s Ryder told reporters on Thursday the balloon was at an altitude well above commercial air traffic and did not present a military or physical threat to people on the ground. One US official added it was assessed to have “limited additive value from an intelligence collection perspective.”
Another official said on Thursday the flight path would carry the balloon over a number of sensitive sites, but did not give details. Malmstrom Air Force Base in Montana is home to 150 intercontinental ballistic missile silos.
Ryder declined on Friday to say where precisely the balloon was, but as he spoke, the National Weather Service in Kansas City said on Twitter it had received multiple reports across northwestern Missouri of a large balloon.
China has often complained about surveillance by the United States, including its deployment of ships or planes near Chinese military exercises.

 


More than two-thirds of Muslims in England, Wales live in high unemployment areas

More than two-thirds of Muslims in England, Wales live in high unemployment areas
Updated 24 March 2023

More than two-thirds of Muslims in England, Wales live in high unemployment areas

More than two-thirds of Muslims in England, Wales live in high unemployment areas
  • Muslim Council of Britain: ‘Level playing field for young Muslims’ will prove a ‘national asset’
  • A study published last year in the Ethnic and Racial Studies journal found that discrimination had contributed to the creation of a “Muslim penalty” in Britain

LONDON: More than two-thirds of Muslims in England and Wales live in local authorities that report the highest levels of unemployment, The Guardian reported on Friday.
Census data shows that about 2.6 million Muslims live in areas where the recorded unemployment level was as high as one in 20 people aged 16-64.
The data has led to campaigners urging the government to focus on Muslim youth as part of its plan to “level up” Britain’s economy.
New figures from the Office of National Statistics also revealed that Muslims in England and Wales reported the highest unemployment rates among religious groups, at 6.7 percent.
Only 26 percent of Christians, as well as 25 percent of atheists, live in areas with the highest unemployment levels, but for Muslim communities in England and Wales, the figure stood at 68 percent.
In the three local authorities that reported the highest unemployment rates in the country — Birmingham, London’s Newham and Wolverhampton — 7 percent of people of working age are looking for jobs.
However, the ONS said that the age trends among Muslims, as compared to other groups, may be a contributing factor to the statistics, with younger Muslims more likely to be studying than youth in the general population.
Of those who identified as Muslim in the census, the percentage of students in the group was almost twice the rate seen in the overall population in England and Wales.
In response to the census findings, a spokesperson for the Muslim Council of Britain (MCB) said: “The inter-generational cycles of poverty impacting British Muslim communities can result in young people being forced to leave education in pursuit of work so they can help support their families.
“Those that are able to break into the job market, pursuing chosen careers, can face Islamophobic prejudice and discrimination in the workplace.”
A study published last year in the Ethnic and Racial Studies journal found that discrimination had contributed to the creation of a “Muslim penalty” in Britain, with Islam being deemed a “significant barrier” to entering the workforce.
The MCB spokesperson added: “The post COVID-19 economic reality is that ‘leveling up’ is not just a priority for our rural communities. Targeted support is needed in the heart of inner cities where minority ethnic and Muslim populations may reside.
“Given a level playing field, the dynamism and sheer potential of young British Muslims will prove itself to be a strategic national asset.”


Albanian PM says UK has shown ‘regret’ over home secretary’s remarks

Albanian PM says UK has shown ‘regret’ over home secretary’s remarks
Updated 24 March 2023

Albanian PM says UK has shown ‘regret’ over home secretary’s remarks

Albanian PM says UK has shown ‘regret’ over home secretary’s remarks
  • Edi Rama praises government for ‘words, but also deeds’ in bid to reset relations
  • Rama in UK for talks about small boat Channel crossings, described by Suella Braverman as an ‘invasion’

LONDON: Edi Rama, the prime minister of Albania, said there were “important signs of regret and embarrassment” during talks with UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak about the language used by a senior British minister to describe Albanian migrants.
UK Home Secretary Suella Braverman drew criticism last year when she described illegal small boat crossings in the English Channel as an “invasion,” adding that they were being fueled by “Albanian criminals” owing to many of those running the boat routes being Albanian, and the number of people from the Balkan country making the journey and claiming asylum in the UK.
Government figures suggest that up to a third of all people crossing the English Channel in small boats in 2022 were from Albania.
In December, Sunak announced a five-point plan to reduce the number of crossings, which included striking a deal with Albania to station UK Border Force personnel in the country’s capital, Tirana.
Following his meeting with Sunak on Thursday, Rama told Sky News: “British/Albanian relations touched the lowest point in history since we have come out of communism because of (Braverman’s) rhetoric that has put the Albanian community in Britain under very, very heavy pressure.
“I must say that, finally, on the side of Downing Street, we have been heard and there are not only words, but also deeds in putting in place a joint task force to crack down on the criminal networks, which is, of course, something Albania has always wanted.
“While we are (seeing) very important signs of regret and of embarrassment, that is, let’s say, enough at this point. I hope very much that this will not be repeated and that the Albanian community here will be really honored.”
Rama added that it is not unusual for people from former communist countries to seek new lives in the West, and that the UK is, despite the rhetoric, still a very appealing place for many.
“I’m not here to question the sovereignty and the mandate of the British government to have a policy on the borders … but this is what it is all about — economic reasons for coming, getting a job and building a future in a place that has always been the shining city on a hill,” he told Sky News.
He added that part of the solution to the small boat crossings would be an easier visa system for aspiring Albanian workers.
“They claim asylum because there is no other way. They are not part of the free labor market. So it’s all about dreaming and hoping to get what they imagine best for their life now and without waiting for many more years (for this to) happen in Albania.
“Never forget that the Albanians here are doing great and they are helping and contributing for Britain to be a better place,” he continued. “Albanians here are working for construction companies, Albanians are nursing elderly people, Albanians are doing your cooking — so improving the British kitchens, I must say — and they are even singing too, let alone the academics and the students. And it has been so unfair to them to put them under such pressure.”


Protesters greet Netanyahu as he meets UK leader in London

Protesters greet Netanyahu as he meets UK leader in London
Updated 24 March 2023

Protesters greet Netanyahu as he meets UK leader in London

Protesters greet Netanyahu as he meets UK leader in London
  • Sunak also raised Netanyahu's controversial judicial reforms
  • Some women protesting outside Downing Street wore red robes and white caps inspired by “The Handmaid's Tale,” a novel and TV series set in a dystopian future

LONDON: British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak held talks with Benjamin Netanyahu in London on Friday as protesters shouting “Shame!” In Hebrew demonstrated against the Israeli leader’s right-wing policies and his plans to overhaul the country’s judiciary.
Netanyahu had to pass by hundreds of protesters waving Israeli flags and waving signs calling for the defense of Israeli democracy as he arrived at 10 Downing St. for talks that focused on the war in Ukraine and concerns about Iran’s nuclear program.
Sunak also raised Netanyahu’s controversial judicial reforms, which have sparked mass protests in Israel and beyond. One placard in London read: “We are Israelis and Jews living in the UK demonstrating against Prime Minister Netanyahu, who is leading a judicial coup turning Israel into a dictatorship.”
Some women protesting outside Downing Street wore red robes and white caps inspired by “The Handmaid’s Tale,” a novel and TV series set in a dystopian future. Similarly clad demonstrators have become fixtures of the mass protests roiling Israel.
Sunak “stressed the importance of upholding the democratic values that underpin our relationship, including in the proposed judicial reforms in Israel,” the British leader’s office said in an official readout of the meeting.
Netanyahu’s proposals would give his government more control over judicial appointments, weaken the Supreme Court by limiting judicial review of legislation and allow Parliament to overturn court decisions with a simple majority vote.
He arrived in London as protesters in Israel blocked roads and clashed with police. The planned judicial system overhaul have ignited the biggest protests in the country’s history amid rare dissent from people throughout Israeli society, including military reservists, navy veterans, high-tech businesspeople and former officials.
Netanyahu’s right-wing government has also been criticized for its hard-line policy toward Palestinians, including recent comments by a government minister who denied the existence of the Palestinian people and their right to self-determination.
Sunak “reiterated our support for two-state solution,” and Britain’s view that Israel’s West Bank settlements are illegal and ”contrary to the cause of peace,” spokesman Jamie Davies said.
“Israel is a vital international partner for the United Kingdom, and the prime minister was visiting London, and this was an important opportunity to talk about issues that matter to both countries, whether that’s the threat of Iran, Russia, new trade and investment … as well as peace and stability in the Middle East,” Davies said.
Netanyahu’s office said the two leaders discussed the rapidly advancing nuclear program of Israel’s archenemy, Iran, as well as “deepening strategic cooperation in security, intelligence and economic fields.”
As thousands of people took to the streets across Israel on Thursday, Netanyahu, who is on trial for corruption, defiantly pledged to proceed with the judicial overhaul, hours after his coalition passed a law making it harder to remove him from office.
Rights groups and Palestinians say Israel’s democratic ideals have long been tarnished by the country’s 55-year, open-ended occupation of lands the Palestinians seek for an independent state and the treatment of Palestinian Israeli citizens, who face discrimination in many spheres.
Netanyahu pushed back his departure to Britain until 4 a.m. Friday to deal with the political crisis.


Several hurt after man drives into pedestrians at German airport garage

Several hurt after man drives into pedestrians at German airport garage
Updated 24 March 2023

Several hurt after man drives into pedestrians at German airport garage

Several hurt after man drives into pedestrians at German airport garage
  • Injuries were considered mostly minor

BERLIN: A motorist drove into several pedestrians Friday in a parking garage at Cologne-Bonn Airport in western Germany and injured some of them slightly, police said.
A man allegedly drove straight at people inside the garage, but most were able to avoid him, German news agency dpa reported.
No one’s life was in danger, police said, and the injuries were considered mostly minor. The man also drove into several cars, dpa said.
The 57-year-old driver was detained and taken to the hospital. Police said there were indications he had mental health issues.
Two police officers also received slight injuries when the suspect alleged resisted his detention.


Russia says use of depleted uranium shells in Ukraine would harm the population

Russia says use of depleted uranium shells in Ukraine would harm the population
Updated 24 March 2023

Russia says use of depleted uranium shells in Ukraine would harm the population

Russia says use of depleted uranium shells in Ukraine would harm the population
  • Russia reacted furiously to plans outlined by Britain earlier this week to send shells containing depleted uranium to Ukraine

MOSCOW: Russia’s defense ministry said on Friday that the use of depleted uranium shells in Ukraine would harm Ukrainian troops, the wider population and negatively affect the country’s agriculture sector for decades or even centuries.
Russia has reacted furiously to plans outlined by Britain earlier this week to send shells containing depleted uranium to Ukraine.
London says they are a conventional form of ammunition, but President Vladimir Putin said the move showed NATO members were sending weapons with a “nuclear component” to Kyiv.
“The West is well aware of the negative consequences of using depleted uranium ammunition,” Igor Kirillov, head of the Nuclear, Biological and Chemical Protection Forces of Russia’s defense ministry said in a statement on Friday.
He said data on the use of depleted uranium by the United States and is allies in the Balkans and Iraq showed serious and lasting negative impacts on local populations and the environment.
Ukraine’s agricultural industry could suffer “for decades, if not centuries, into the future,” he said.
Critics of the use of depleted uranium, such as the International Coalition to Ban Uranium Weapons, say the dust created by such weapons can be breathed in while munitions which miss their target can poison groundwater and soil.
Countries such as the United States and Britain say depleted uranium is a good tool for destroying a modern tank. Britain says in guidance that inhaling enough depleted uranium dust to cause injury would be difficult.
Russia’s defense ministry on Friday disputed those claims and said the use of depleted uranium shells, compared to Tungsten-based ammunition, “has no significant advantage” on the battlefield.
The Royal Society said in a report in 2002 that the risks to the kidney and other organs from the use of depleted uranium munitions are very low for most soldiers in the battlefield and for those living in the conflict area.
Russia is also known to produce uranium weapons along with around 20 other countries, according to the International Coalition to Ban Uranium Weapons.