‘Strong possibility of drone attack’ on MV Chem Pluto in Arabian Sea: Indian Navy
According to the official statement, on December 23, the Indian Coast Guard Maritime Rescue Coordination Centre in Mumbai received information regarding a fire onboard MV Chem Pluto, reportedly attacked by a suspected drone strike or aerial platform.
Turkish parliament’s foreign affairs commission approves Sweden’s NATO bid
Panel’s approval clears another hurdle in Sweden’s accession process to the bloc in the wake of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. The Turkish parliament’s foreign affairs commission has approved Sweden’s NATO membership bid. The decision, taken on Tuesday, is a key step towards enlarging the military alliance after 19 months of delays in which Ankara demanded security-related concessions from Stockholm. The commission, controlled by President Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s ruling Justice and Development Party (AK Party), voted to back the bid made by Sweden last year after Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. The next step is a vote by the full parliament, in which the AK Party and its allies hold a majority. Sweden’s NATO membership is expected to pass, and then the measure would go to Erdogan. If he signs it into law, he would conclude a process that has taken nearly two years and frustrated some of Ankara’s allies in the West. Commission head Fuat Oktay, however, played down expectations for a speedy vote in the full Grand National Assembly, telling reporters that the speaker would decide on a timing for the vote. Parliament also has a two-week recess in early January. “The decision to submit it to the general assembly has been made now, but this should not be interpreted as [a sign] that it will pass the general assembly with the same speed. There is no such thing,” Oktay said. In a statement after the commission’s approval, Swedish Foreign Minister Tobias Billstrom said Sweden welcomed the move and looked forward to joining NATO. NATO chief Jens Stoltenberg also hailed the approval by the Turkish parliamentary commission. “I welcome the vote by the Turkish parliament’s Foreign Affairs Committee to ratify Sweden’s NATO membership,” Stoltenberg said, urging Turkey and fellow holdout Hungary to complete their ratifications “as soon as possible”. All NATO members, which now number 31, are required to approve new memberships. Erdogan raised objections in May last year to both Swedish and Finnish requests to join the alliance over what he said was their protection of people whom Turkey accuses of being “terrorists” and over their defence of trade embargoes. Turkey ratified Finland’s bid in April but kept Sweden waiting until it took more steps to crack down on local members of the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK), which Turkey, the European Union and the United States list as a terrorist group. In response, Stockholm introduced a bill that makes being a member of a “terrorist organisation” illegal. Sweden and NATO members Finland, Canada and the Netherlands also took steps to relax arms-export policies affecting Turkey. While NATO member Hungary has also not ratified Sweden’s membership, Turkey is seen as the main roadblock to adding the Scandinavian nation to the military alliance and bolstering its defences in the Baltic Sea region. Erdogan had also linked Turkey’s ratification of Sweden’s membership with the US approval of sales of F-16 fighter jets to Turkey. After a call with US President Joe Biden this month, he said Washington was considering the ratification to move on the request. Adblock test (Why?)
Is Democratic Republic of Congo on the path to renewed violence?
Opposition wants the presidential vote annulled and is planning mass protests. Almost a week on from elections in Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), voters are waiting anxiously for the results. The presidential poll was marred by logistical problems and credibility concerns. The Electoral Commission says early results show President Felix Tshisekedi is in the lead. But opposition candidates are complaining of irregularities and ballot fraud. They want the vote annulled and are calling for protests this week. What happens if it’s not? Is this a recipe for yet another cycle of violence and turmoil in DRC? Presenter: Dareen Abughaida Guests: Patrick Muyaya – Democratic Republic of Congo government spokesperson Marie-Roger Biloa – African affairs analyst and editor of Africa International Media Group Jason Stearns – Founder and strategic adviser for the Congo Research Group at New York University Adblock test (Why?)
Ukraine says at least one killed in Russian attack on Kherson rail station
Ukrainian authorities say Russian shelling of a train station kills a police officer and injures four others. Ukrainian officials say at least one person has been killed and four others injured in a Russian attack on a rail station in the southern city of Kherson, as Russia’s invasion continues to take a heavy toll on Ukrainian civilians. Ukrainian Interior Minister Ihor Klymenk said the Russian shelling struck the rail station on Tuesday as about 140 people there were preparing for an evacuation, killing a policeman. “Thanks to the clear actions of the police, everyone was successfully taken to safe places,” Klymenko said on Telegram. “Unfortunately, a police lieutenant from the Kirovohrad region lost his life due to the shelling … Two more police officers are in the hospital with shrapnel wounds.” The city was captured by Russian forces after they first invaded Ukraine in February 2022, but were pushed out of the city by a Ukrainian counteroffensive in November of the same year. But Russian forces have continued to bombard the city. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy reported the shelling attack earlier on Tuesday, and two civilians are being treated at a hospital for shrapnel wounds alongside the two wounded police officers. The Ukrainian railway company Ukrzaliznytsya said in a message on Telegram that a train and the station were damaged but that “the situation is under control and the railway is ready to continue functioning.” Roman Mrochko, the head of the Kherson military administration, had said earlier on Tuesday that the city has been targeted for the last day by persistent Russian attacks. The war in Ukraine has continued to kill and injure many civilians, and the conflict has shown few signs of abating soon. Ukrainian fighters struck a Russian ship in the Black Sea on Tuesday, boosting the morale of Ukrainian forces that have faced difficult questions after a much-anticipated counteroffensive failed to win back substantial territory from Russia over the summer. “This latest destruction of Putin’s navy demonstrates that those who believe there’s a stalemate in the Ukraine war are wrong!” UK Defence Secretary Grant Shapps wrote in a post on X, formerly known as Twitter. Adblock test (Why?)
Court reverses former Nebraska US Rep. Jeff Fortenberry’s conviction for lying to federal authorities
LOS ANGELES (AP) — An appellate court on Tuesday reversed a 2022 federal conviction against former Rep. Jeff Fortenberry of Nebraska, ruling that he should not have been tried in Los Angeles. Fortenberry was convicted in March 2022 on charges that he lied to federal authorities about an illegal $30,000 contribution to his campaign from a foreign billionaire at a 2016 Los Angeles fundraiser. He resigned his seat days later following pressure from congressional leaders and Nebraska’s GOP governor. NEBRASKA REP. JEFF FORTENBERRY RESIGNS AFTER CONVICTION FOR LYING TO FBI In its Tuesday ruling, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit wrote that the trial venue of Los Angeles was improper because Fortenberry made the false statements during interviews with federal agents at his home in Lincoln, Nebraska, and in his lawyer’s office in Washington. “Fortenberry’s convictions are reversed so that he may be retried, if at all, in a proper venue,” the decision said. Patricia Hartman, a spokesperson for the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia, declined to comment on the ruling’s potential impact for federal prosecutors in Washington. “We cannot comment on matters where we don’t have charges filed,” she said in an email Tuesday. A spokesperson for the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Nebraska did not immediately return a phone message. A federal jury in Los Angeles found the nine-term Republican guilty of concealing information and two counts of making false statements to authorities. He vowed to appeal from the courthouse steps. Fortenberry was charged after denying to the FBI that he was aware he had received illicit funds from Gilbert Chagoury, a Nigerian billionaire of Lebanese descent. At trial, prosecutors presented recorded phone conversations in which Fortenberry was repeatedly warned that the contributions came from Gilbert Chagoury, a Nigerian billionaire of Lebanese descent. The donations were funneled through three strawmen at the 2016 fundraiser in Los Angeles. The case stemmed from an FBI investigation into $180,000 in illegal campaign contributions to four campaigns from Chagoury, who lived in Paris at the time. Chagoury admitted to the crime in 2019 and agreed to pay a $1.8 million fine. It was the first trial of a sitting congressman since Rep. Jim Traficant, D-Ohio, was convicted of bribery and other felony charges in 2002. Fortenberry and his wife, Celeste Fortenberry, praised the court’s decision. “We are gratified by the Ninth Circuit’s decision,” Jeff Fortenberry said in a statement. “Celeste and I would like to thank everyone who has stood by us and supported us with their kindness and friendship.” Representatives from the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Los Angeles did not have an immediate comment.
INS Imphal’s commissioning into Navy is testament to India’s growing self-reliance in defence: PM Modi
In a post on X, PM Modi lauded the people involved in the commissioning of the INS Imphal and said that it epitomises country’s naval excellence and engineering prowess.
Court acquits AES Chhattisgarh, its director in coal block allocation case
The court found that the prosecution failed to prove its case as the evidence presented highlighted stark differences in corporate practices between the USA and India.
Delhi Police receives call of ‘blast’ near Israel Embassy, nothing suspicious found
Delhi Police Crime Unit team and forensics team are present on the spot. Also, Forensic Science Laboratory sources said that till now nothing has been found on the spot.
Trump promises to replace Obamacare with his own healthcare ‘alternative’
Former President Trump has promised to roll back the Obama-instituted Affordable Care Act (ACA) if elected president in 2024, despite numerous failed attempts to terminate it in the past. “Obamacare is too expensive, and otherwise, not good healthcare,” Trump wrote on his social media platform Truth Social. The Christmas post comes as Congress has long attempted to repeal the ACA, more commonly known as Obamacare, but could not succeed. Republicans have largely abandoned the crusade against former President Obama’s signature healthcare bill. Nonetheless, Trump vowed he would “come up with a much better, and less expensive, alternative!” “People will be happy, not sad!” Trump wrote. Last month, Trump wrote on Truth Social that getting better healthcare “than Obamacare for the American people will be a priority of the Trump Administration.” Obamacare was enacted in March 2010. BIDEN ADMINISTRATION PROPOSES EXPANDING ACCESS TO NO-COST BIRTH CONTROL UNDER OBAMACARE “It is not a matter of cost, it is a matter of HEALTH,” he wrote. “America will have one of the best Healthcare Plans anywhere in the world. Right now it has one of the WORST!” However, GOP lawmakers have signaled re-upping the fight against Obamacare is not a priority. At the time of Trump’s post last month, Sen. Majority Whip John Thune, R-S.D., reportedly said he was an advocate for lowering healthcare costs “and making our healthcare system more efficient.” “But I’m not sure,” he said of Trump’s post. “I’d want to know what the proposal is.” ALMOST 16 MILLION AMERICANS HAVE SIGNED UP FOR OBAMACARE PLANS IN 2023 Ranking Republican on the Senate Health Committee, Sen. Bill Cassidy, R-La., also said such a healthcare replacement is “unlikely to happen.” Earlier this year, a Texas judge, known for previously ruling Obamacare unconstitutional, struck down a crucial aspect of the healthcare law concerning mandatory coverage for contraception and HIV prevention, siding with a conservative activist and a Christian dentist on religious grounds. The March decision challenged Obamacare’s requirement for insurers to cover certain preventative care, sparking concerns from the Biden administration and in over 20 mostly Democrat-controlled states. WHITE HOUSE EXPANDS OBAMACARE AGAIN, FIXING ‘FAMILY GLITCH’ AND BROADENING SUBSIDIZED PLAN ELIGIBILITY This legal battle echoes previous challenges, notably the lawsuit by the Little Sisters of the Poor in 2020, when the Supreme Court upheld exemptions to Obamacare’s insurance requirements for religiously-affiliated groups and select for-profit companies. In January 2023, nearly 16 million Americans enrolled in Obamacare plans for the year, marking a 13% increase from the previous year.
Gaza’s orphans: Pain without borders
In Jabalia refugee camp, north of Gaza, the cries of an 11-year-old boy named Ahmad pierce the air. “I want my Baba, my Baba, Baba,” Ahmad sobs. His plea echoes through the camp, exposing the profound void left by the murder of his father at the hands of the Israeli occupation forces. “Where are you, Baba? Why did they murder you? What crime did he commit?” People attempt to console the grief-stricken boy but he is beyond consolation: “He promised me to stay alive and not to go. I’m tired. Leave me alone.” Meanwhile, a few thousand kilometres away in Belgium, another Palestinian boy, 15-year-old Zain, mourns the loss of his father, Al Jazeera cameraman Samer Abudaqa. Zain recounts the tragedy that unfolded on December 15, revealing the cruelty of his father’s murder by an Israeli drone. After being struck by shrapnel, Samer bled to death for five hours on the grounds of Farhanah, the high school I went to in Khan Younis. Three members of an ambulance team, including my friend, Rami Budeir, who attempted to rescue Samer, were also targeted and killed. The enormity of the atrocity is etched into Zain’s tearful eyes and face as he speaks about his father. He pledges to pray for him every day. His voice breaks as he sings a song he had written for his dad. “My heart is missing you. Separation tortures me. My heart, after you, is lost, and bitterness is the taste in my mouth.” Zain’s words in Belgium, Ahmad’s cries in Jabaliia reach me here in Edmonton, Canada. I find myself sobbing, unable to shake the images of their pain or grapple with the questions they evoke. My heart has shattered a thousand times in the past 80 days and it breaks once more. I am unable to escape the thoughts of these children, enduring the lasting trauma of being intentionally made orphans by a genocidal army. What makes the pain all the more unbearable is that Zain is the same age as my own son, Aziz, and strikingly resembles him in every aspect – facial features, height, body, voice, and even the choices of clothes and hairstyle. These uncanny similarities intensify the deep sorrow I feel towards Zain and the hundreds of thousands of children who have lost parents, relatives and friends in Gaza. As I think of Zain and his father who was targeted while wearing a press vest, my thoughts wander to another Palestinian orphan, 12-year-old Donia Abu Muhsen. Donia was recovering in Nasser hospital in Khan Younis, when Samer’s body was brought in and prepared for funeral. Israeli bombardment of a house where Donia and her family were taking shelter had killed her parents and two siblings and smashed her leg which necessitated an amputation. When Donia looks at the camera in a video shot a few days before her death, there has a faint smile on her face. Her will to live and dream are strong. She says she wants to study and become a doctor. “We are alone now without [my family]. I was very much connected to [them]. But I must continue,” she says. But the Israeli occupation forces did not allow her to. Two days after they murdered Samer, they killed Donia’s dream. They shelled Nasser hospital, murdering the orphaned girl in her hospital bed. I wonder about other children who survive but their hearts and bodies are broken, with no one left of their extended families to take care of them. Another young orphan, perhaps Donia’s age, shares her harrowing story in another video. She recounts the loss of 70 people, including her parents, siblings, grandparents, aunts, and uncles, while seeking refuge in a chalet on the beach after losing their home. Only she and her five-year-old brother Kanan survived. Unable to walk and in urgent need of an operation, she prays for the opening of the Rafah crossing, hoping for a chance to leave. She is one of the 55,000 wounded people who are currently abandoned by the world scattered across Gaza where a man-made medical collapse is taking place. Tearfully, and in a voice and with a facial expression that could break the hardest rock, the girl says, “If the border doesn’t open within 48 hours, I won’t be able to walk again. I’m in great pain, and I miss walking and my parents deeply.” In the face of the horror and pain the children of Gaza are experiencing, the cry for justice is not a mere plea, it is a global call to humanity, to its collective conscience, if it still exists. This comes at a time, when the powers that be, led by America, openly endorse this genocide and stand in the way of putting an end to it. They are making sure that more children will be orphaned, starved, made homeless, bombarded day and night, and denied access to healthcare, education, and parental love and care. Yet, there is also a growing chorus of voices of peace and hope as well. Russian-American activist Masha Gessen, upon receiving the Hannah Arendt Prize, highlighted the critical opportunity the world still possesses to intervene in Gaza. Gessen emphasised, “The biggest difference between Gaza and the Jewish ghettos in Nazi-occupied Europe is that many Gazans, most Gazans are still alive, and the world still has an opportunity to do something about it.” Though we couldn’t save Donia and the parents of Zain, Ahmad and the little orphaned girl, there remains a chance to save those who are still alive in Gaza. We need ceasefire now! The views expressed in this article are the author’s own and do not necessarily reflect Al Jazeera’s editorial stance. Adblock test (Why?)