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China’s threats, ‘naked aggression’ loom large as House lawmakers meet Taiwan’s new president

China’s threats, ‘naked aggression’ loom large as House lawmakers meet Taiwan’s new president

TAIPEI, TAIWAN – Standing across from Taiwan’s newly elected president on Monday, House Foreign Affairs Chairman Michael McCaul, R-Texas, drew a stark parallel between China’s hostility toward the island and the tension that wracked the globe during World War II. “All democracies must stand together against aggression and tyranny, whether it’s [Vladimir Putin] and Russia, the ayatollah of Iran, or Chairman Xi next door to us in China – an unholy alliance is eroding peace around the world,” McCaul said. “Not since World War II, my father’s war, have we seen such blatant violence and naked aggression.” The Texas Republican is leading a multi-day diplomatic trip to Taipei with a bipartisan coalition of House lawmakers. The group met with Taiwanese President Lai Ching-tse and Foreign Minister Jaushieh Joseph Wu on their first full day – the first U.S. delegation to meet with the new officials since they took office a little over a week ago. “I gave them some updates on the weapons and some other things we’re doing to help them, but they just wanted me to know that the threat was getting very intense from Chairman Xi,” McCaul told Fox News Digital after the meetings. CHINA’S FOREIGN MINISTRY BLASTS TAIWAN INAUGURATION, PHILIPPINES STANDOFF IN SOUTH CHINA SEA Rep. Young Kim, R-Calif., chair of the Foreign Affairs panel’s Indo-Pacific subcommittee, told Fox News Digital, “I thought both meetings went very productively today, we had frank conversations.” “In all of our conversations, one thing was made very clear. Nobody wants conflict in the Taiwan Strait,” Kim said. “Our goal is not to think about an invasion or a potential conflict, our goal is to ensure there is that deterrence by providing Taiwan what they need to protect themselves and defend themselves.” The delegation is also made up of House Taiwan Caucus co-chair Rep. Andy Barr, R-Ky., as well as Reps. Joe Wilson, R-S.C., Jimmy Panetta, D-Calif., and Chrissy Houlahan, D-Pa. Both the Taiwanese and U.S. leaders made clear that China’s aggression in the Indo-Pacific is creating an increasingly dire situation. It comes days after China encircled the island with dozens of warships and military planes as “punishment” for Lai’s advocacy for a free and independent Taiwan, according to Beijing’s Defense Ministry. CHINA SANCTIONS FORMER REPUBLICAN REP MIKE GALLAGHER AFTER TAIWAN PRESIDENT’S INAUGURATION During his remarks to media after the lawmakers’ meeting with Lai, Foreign Minister Wu darkly joked that China had “welcomed” the U.S. delegation with its military drills. McCaul called it an “intimidation tactic to punish democracy.” “They don’t like democracy. I know Chairman Xi would often tell [Former Taiwanese President Tsai] that… democracy doesn’t work. Democracy is dysfunctional, democracy is broken,” he said during the press conference. “In his government, there is no freedom. There is no democracy. And the people have no power whatsoever.” Referencing China launching military drills around the same time as his trip to Taiwan last year, McCaul quipped, “I’m starting to think it’s me they don’t like.” Wu said of the lawmakers’ visit, “In this critical time, it’s a powerful gesture. It’s a powerful display of the strong bipartisan support for Taiwan by the United States.” LAWMAKERS BRAWL AS TAIWAN’S PARLIAMENT DESCENDS INTO CHAOS During his earlier remarks at the presidential office, Lai referenced former U.S. President Reagan’s foreign policy of peace through strength. “Therefore moving forward, I will enhance reform and bolster national defense, showing the world the Taiwanese People’s determination to defend their homeland,” Lai said. The camaraderie between the U.S. lawmakers and Taiwanese officials was palpable during both meetings.  In a lighthearted moment before his remarks with Lai, McCaul modeled the American-made Stetson he brought as a gift for Lai. The two men shared a hug and handshake after the conclusion of their public remarks.

Libertarians pick Chase Oliver for US president as Trump, Kennedy rejected

Libertarians pick Chase Oliver for US president as Trump, Kennedy rejected

The antiwar activist supports a ceasefire between Israel and Hamas in Gaza, and an end to the US military support for Ukraine and Israel. The Libertarian Party in the United States has picked a presidential candidate who has expressed support for a ceasefire in Gaza, rejecting the nationally known former President Donald Trump and Robert F Kennedy Jr as its nominee, after they each spoke at the party’s convention. Chase Oliver garnered about 60 percent of the vote from Libertarian delegates during the final round of voting on Sunday night. “We did it! I am officially the presidential nominee,” Oliver posted on X after his nomination was approved. “It’s time to unify and move forward for liberty.” Third parties have rarely been competitive in the US presidential election and the Libertarian candidate four years ago won 1 percent of the vote. But the party’s decision is getting more attention this year due to the rematch between Trump and Democratic President Joe Biden, which could hinge again on small vote margins in a handful of contested states. In a speech on Sunday, Oliver, who is an antiwar activist, pledged to support a “ceasefire” as well as the end of “genocide” in Gaza. Leading up to his nomination, Oliver said he had received the highest amount of campaign donations among all the Libertarian candidates. On Saturday night, Trump appeared in Washington at the Libertarian convention to give a speech that was repeatedly booed by many in the room. It did not pay off with the endorsement he requested, though his Republican allies praised him for choosing to go before an unfriendly crowd. Trump’s appearance at the gathering, unusual for a Republican candidate, also signalled how seriously he and his campaign take the threat of third-party candidate Kennedy, who has long opposed vaccines and mandates. Kennedy was quickly eliminated from the party’s presidential nomination on Sunday. Still, he got a friendlier reception when he spoke on Friday and attacked both Trump and Biden for how they addressed the COVID-19 pandemic. Kennedy had talked up his support for the Libertarians and an endorsement could have helped him expedite the process of gaining ballot access in all 50 states, perhaps the biggest hurdle he faces in qualifying for the first presidential debate in June hosted by CNN. Libertarians prioritise small government and individual freedoms, with a mix of policy positions that could be seen as liberal, conservative or neither. Oliver is an activist and openly gay politician from Atlanta who previously ran for the US Senate and US House from Georgia. During his Senate campaign in Georgia, he ended up gaining enough votes to deny the two highest vote-getters an outright majority of 50 percent plus one, thus forcing a run-off that was later won by a Democrat. This year, he could again act as a spoiler in the presidential race. Oliver’s campaign website calls for major cuts to the federal budget with an eye towards balancing it, the abolition of the death penalty, and the closure of all overseas military bases and ending of military support to Israel and Ukraine. He also promised to appeal to the 41 million young Americans, adding that voters are “fed up by the status quo and negativity” in the Democratic and Republican parties. Oliver will be joined on the ticket by vice presidential candidate Mike ter Maat, according to The Hill, a US news publication. Adblock test (Why?)

Israel closing Rafah a ‘death sentence’ for thousands of ill and wounded

Israel closing Rafah a ‘death sentence’ for thousands of ill and wounded

Deir el-Balah, Gaza – Sadeel Hamdan was just about six weeks old when Israel launched its relentless war on Gaza. Now she lies silently on a paediatric hospital bed in Al-Aqsa Martyrs Hospital – weak, intubated, her belly swollen and skin jaundiced. Three months ago, doctors managed to get her name on a list of patients who badly needed to leave Gaza for treatment overseas. But then, just days before she was to be evacuated, Israel invaded Rafah and closed the only crossing available for the sick to leave the besieged enclave, trapping Sadeel and many others. Abdul Majeed, struggling to breathe Abdul Majeed al-Sabakhi, 20, lives on an oxygen respirator in the hospital. Speaking is a struggle for the youth who has had cystic fibrosis since childhood. In the first month of Israel’s war on Gaza, the Israeli army bombed the house next door to the al-Sabakhis’ home in the Nuseirat refugee camp in central Gaza. The impact destroyed their home as well. “That day, I was pulled out of under the rubble, nearly suffocated by the toxic smoke and dust,” he recalls. Abdul Majeed in his hospital bed, emaciated and struggling for breath, wholly dependent on the oxygen ventilator [Abdelhakim Abu Riash/Al Jazeera] Abdul Majeed spent about a month in intensive care on ventilators, further damaging his lungs to the point where he is now dependent on them. “I lived almost normally before the war. I walked, moved around and attended university without obstacles,” Abdul Majeed says. “But after the war … I became unable to do anything.” Displaced with his parents, four brothers and two sisters to Rafah and then Deir el-Balah, he suffered in the tent and eventually had to be taken to hospital to stay on oxygen. Abdul Majeed was supposed to travel, accompanied by his 21-year-old brother Osama, for urgent lung surgery, but then came news of the Rafah crossing being closed. “Closing the crossing is a death sentence for me and many patients like me,” Abdul Majeed says, gasping for breath as the effort of speaking shakes his frail body. “Every day I am delayed, my chance of survival decreases. “I’ve lost so much weight because my weak lungs mean I can’t even eat.” Osama stays with Abdul Majeed in the hospital, day and night. “Before the war, we used to go out together, stay up late with friends, and have fun. Despite his illness, his condition was stable,” Osama says. “Abdel Majeed’s not just my brother; he’s my companion and friend.” Abdul Majeed’s health deteriorated drastically during the war. Here, a photo of him in healthier times is held up to compare with his current state [Abdelhakim Abu Riash/Al Jazeera] Ahed, a young mother immobilised Ahed Abu Holi nearly lost her leg when the roof of their home collapsed on top of her family when Israel bombed it two months ago. Her leg was in terrible shape, tissues and bones badly damaged. After five reconstructive surgeries, all of which have been unsuccessful, her doctors said they could do little else to help her and recommended that she see specialists overseas. Otherwise, she was told, the only solution available to them would be to amputate her leg. Now, the 25-year-old mother cannot move, spending her days in a hospital bed with her leg heavily bandaged and bolted. Her two-year-old son is being looked after by her family, but she cannot see him because she worries that he could catch something in the hospital. Her husband and sister take turns staying with her there, ducking out to fetch necessities, as her husband has done, leaving her for a short period to find some food for them. “Two days before my travel date, the crossing was closed … and it doesn’t look like it’ll reopen,” Ahed says. Ahed is terrified that she will lose her leg, which would affect her young, newlywed life, hopes and dreams [Abdelhakim Abu Riash/Al Jazeera] “I had really hoped I’d be able to travel. I waited so long and suffered so much. For two months, my life has been at a standstill. “I can’t see or care for my only child. I’m in agony every day when they change the dressing on my wound.” The wounds on Ahed’s leg have not healed, a common complication in Gaza now, where the population is extremely malnourished, their bodies too weak to recover. Depending on how her condition progresses, doctors say they may have to amputate because there will be no other way to save Ahed. “All I want is to walk again before it’s too late,” she says. “I’m still young, at the beginning of my married life, and I want to continue my life and take care of my child. Amputation is a nightmare for me if the crossing remains closed.” Sadeel, a baby struggling for her life Sadeel was diagnosed with an enlarged and cirrhotic liver and enlarged spleen at six months old, and her condition has gotten worse, day after day. Her mother, Heba, 32, is constantly by her side, fretting but trying to cope as her daughter’s condition worsens. “My daughter had jaundice from birth, and her condition worsened with displacement until her stomach swelled noticeably, prompting us to take her to the hospital,” Heba says. Heba has not left her baby’s side, constantly praying and hoping that a miracle will happen to save her young life [Abdelhakim Abu Riash/Al Jazeera] Doctors say the treatment Sadeel needs is not available in Gaza, which makes it even harder that the crossing was closed just as she got the approval to go. “The news of the crossing closure was like a lightning bolt,” says Heba, a mother of four. “I had prepared to travel, and my children were prepared for me to accompany their sister for treatment. But everything changed.” On May 7, Israeli tanks invaded the Rafah border crossing, displacing up to one million Palestinians from all over Gaza who had sought refuge there since the war began.

Cyclone Remal slams into India, Bangladesh: What we know

Cyclone Remal slams into India, Bangladesh: What we know

EXPLAINER Nine people have been killed, as the cyclone, which made landfall on Sunday, now weakens and heads inland. At least nine people were killed and more than a million were evacuated as Cyclone Remal approached the coasts of eastern India and Bangladesh, which made landfall late on Sunday. Here is what we know about the cyclone. Where did Cyclone Remal make landfall? The storm made landfall in the coastal regions of Bangladesh, near Mongla port, and the adjoining Sagar Islands in India’s West Bengal state with wind speed of up to 135kmph (84mph), according to the India Meteorological Department (IMD). Remal began to land at about 9pm in India (15:30 GMT) on Sunday, a process that continued for about five hours, according to the regional meteorological office in Kolkata. Remal was the first cyclone to hit the Bay of Bengal this year in advance of the June-September monsoon season. What do we know about people killed by the cyclone? Seven people have died in Bangladesh’s Barishal, Satkhira, Patuakhali, Bhola and Chattogram, according to a news release by the Bangladeshi developmental organisation BRAC. Indian media reported that two people died in West Bengal due to the cyclone. How did authorities respond to the cyclone? On Sunday, Bangladesh evacuated 800,000 people from nine coastal districts and port areas of Mongla and Chittagong. India’s Kolkata airport suspended operations on Sunday afternoon, cancelling 50 domestic and international flights. Volunteers were deployed to accommodate the evacuees in up to 9,000 cyclone shelters. Schools were also closed until further notice. About 150,000 people in India’s Sundarbans mangrove forest were evacuated inland. The Indian Coast Guard posted on X early on Monday that it was closely monitoring the landfall. “Ships, Hovercraft standby at short notice to respond to post-impact challenges,” the maritime security organisation wrote. Update cyclone #Remal@IndiaCoastGuard is closely monitoring the landfall of cyclone #Remal with disaster response team, Ships, Hovercraft standby at short notice to respond to post-impact challenges. Follow official advisories, Stay informed and stay safe.#CycloneRemal… pic.twitter.com/WZlGMBgYtw — Indian Coast Guard (@IndiaCoastGuard) May 26, 2024 India’s National Disaster Response Force is clearing roads by removing trees that fell due to strong winds. #CycloneRemal #LandfallNDRF team cleared road due to fallen trees at Ganganagar behind Nimpith Ashram at Sagar Block amid rains and gusty winds.#आपदा_सेवा_सदैव_सर्वत्र@HMOIndia @BhallaAjay26 @PIBKolkata@PIBHomeAffairs@2_ndrf pic.twitter.com/Vg7arrlCyt — NDRF 🇮🇳 (@NDRFHQ) May 26, 2024 What other effect has the cyclone had? Several trees were uprooted, houses damaged and island villages were flooded. Protective embankments in the Sundarbans Delta, shared by India and Bangladesh, were also breached and damaged by high tides. An embankment is a wall built to prevent flooding in an area. People from the Rohingya community in Myanmar, who have fled to seek refuge in Bangladesh’s Cox Bazar, are especially vulnerable since their shelters are made of unsound structures such as tarpaulin or bamboo. Did Remal cause a power outage? Millions do not have electricity in the affected areas after authorities cut power supply to avoid accidents. Fallen trees and structures further disrupted power lines. Within an hour of landfall, there were reports of damaged transformers and at least 356 uprooted electricity poles, according to West Bengal Power Minister Aroop Biswas. Is climate change intensifying cyclones in South Asia? Cyclones are a very complex type of natural disaster, making their trends hard to quantify. Cyclones have decreased in frequency over the years, and a report by the NASA Center for Climate Simulation postulates that the number of tropical cyclones will decrease in the future due to a warming climate. However, more intense cyclones are anticipated to rise in the northern Bay of Bengal, affecting India, Bangladesh and Myanmar, due to rising temperatures, the NASA report from February 2024 predicts. Where is Cyclone Remal now? The IMD posted on X on Monday at 11:43am (06:13 GMT) that the cyclonic storm is about 40km (24.9 miles) northwest of Bangladesh’s port Mongla, 90km (56 miles) east of Kolkata and 90km northeast of West Bengal’s Canning. Cyclonic Storm Remal over Coastal Bangladesh and adj Coastal West Bengal is about 40 km northwest of Mongla, 90 km east of Kolkata, 90 km northeast of Canning. System is initially likely to move north-northeastwards, subsequently northeastwards and gradually weaken further. pic.twitter.com/uk78IgVnXJ — India Meteorological Department (@Indiametdept) May 27, 2024 On Monday morning, the cyclone weakened to a cyclonic storm, with a wind speed of about 80-90kmph (50-60mph). The Kolkata airport and Indian Railways have also resumed operations. However, India’s National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) has not yet posted an update confirming that it is safe to go out in vulnerable areas. An NDMA bulletin on Sunday advised residents in affected areas to remain indoors. Where is Cyclone Remal likely to move next? The IMD post added that the cyclone is likely to initially move “north-northeastwards” and then move northeastwards, inland, before gradually weakening further. Adblock test (Why?)