Morocco’s Marrakesh is awakening slowly from the earthquake damage
Marrakesh, Morocco – Like everyone in Marrakesh, 39-year-old Zakaria Lamnichri was surprised when the earthquake hit six months ago. Speaking from his stall in the centre of the city, the easy flow of his conversation interrupted by queries from browsing tourists, he recalls the tremors he experienced as the magnitude 6.9 earthquake ripped through the nearby mountains, claiming the lives of about 3,000 people. “The moment, for those who lived it, was horrifying. My wife and son were away in the mountains. I was here. I was terrified for them. For them, that terror lasted for days,” he said, describing how rescuers struggled to reach the small, isolated village where his family was staying and, like many in the High Atlas Mountains, accessible only by donkey or moped. “No one expected it,” he continued. “No one knew what to do. What affected me especially was the emotional part, of seeing other people’s problems. Of rich people who were left with nothing,” he says, pausing. “People who had children and lost them.” While the epicentre of the earthquake may have been some 75km (47 miles) distant, the destruction that remains in the centre of Marrakesh is a testament to its destructive power. Equally, that the tourists have returned in such numbers is a testament to the enduring lure of the North African city. Zakaria [Simon Speakman Cordall/Al Jazeera] However, for many of the people who live here, like those in the mountains, any sense of permanence, or confidence that the future may hold the same rewards and challenges as the past, has been lost. History ends Today, much of the rubble that blocked the passageways of the 12th-century medina has been cleared. However, for the houses hit the worst, like those in the Jewish district, or mellah, fields of loose rock now lie where homes once stood. Karim Nassir’s house withstood the earthquake. But he remembers being bundled out into the dark, along with his wife and his seven-year-old son. “It was very dark,” he recalls now, his son hanging off his leg. “But you could hear the houses falling down,” he said, describing the dust and confusion that filled the narrow lanes and alleyways that define much of the medina. “A lot of families have changed their houses,” 27-year-old spice seller Abdul Samad says. “A lot of families have gone. It’s all over, look,” he says, pointing to the latticework of cracks and fissures that stretch out along the wall behind him. “My family has changed house,” he says, describing how his family’s home had barely withstood the quake. Parts of the medina still show the damage from September’s earthquake [Simon Speakman Cordall/Al Jazeera] While the damage extends across much of the medina, even reaching as far as the landmark Kutubiyya Mosque, whose distinctive minaret adorns the thousands of fridge magnets on sale throughout the medina, the brunt was felt in the mellah, once home to about 70,000 ethnic inhabitants, reduced over subsequent years by emigration, war and history to a cluster of just 250. Across the mellah, houses that had withstood the passage of generations lie in rubble, their inhabitants forced to live in storehouses and outhouses undamaged by the quake. Everywhere, as it is across the mountains that look down upon the city, people talk of the loss of any sense of permanence, of waiting for the next earthquake that will destroy everything in a region that, historically, has known only earthquakes. Tourists return Inevitably, as news of the earthquake spread around the world, tourists cancelled their trips. Tourism, representing approximately 7 percent of gross domestic product (GDP), is one of the key pillars of the Moroccan economy that had been all but wiped out during the global pandemic. For a time in September at least, it seemed like any kind of sustainable recovery would elude what was Morocco’s most visited city. But as inevitably as the tourists departed, they returned. [embedded content] Despite the destruction and loss of life, 2023 proved a record year, with tourism closing 12 percent up on the previous year. Even in February, the low season by Moroccan standards, Marrakesh’s hotels buzz with the international chatter of hikers, tourists and the curious, while the alleyways and lanes of the medina are full of those seeking a little winter sun and some culture. “Numbers dropped by around half after the earthquake,” stallholder Nourddine Idar says from the depths of the Jewish district, the wall behind him a tapestry of imitation animal hides. “About two weeks later, they were back,” the 26-year-old said, describing the variety of visitors that pass by his shop and peruse his goods. Cracks line the wall opposite him. In the courtyard of one of the mellah’s two synagogues, Brian Cox and Kayleigh Singh, both in their 20s, had just arrived the day before from the United Kingdom to scrutinise an especially confident tortoise. “We just came to see something new,” Kayleigh says. Nourddine Idar’s simple stall in Marrakesh, February 2024 [Simon Speakman Cordall/Al Jazeera] Jack chimes in: “We heard it’s very culturally rich and the people are very nice and welcoming, too.” The future However, there is no denying that the medina remains shattered. Tourists must now snake their way past joints and buttresses to explore the medina’s inner reaches, just as residents have come to lie their washing upon the soaring wooden joints so that they can dry in the sun. In the square, Zakaria combs through a box of welded metal fittings. “You know, coronavirus changed our [attitude to] life, the way you survive, the way you treat money, the way you think money will always be there, that your work will be there. “You know, before corona[virus], we were too arrogant, or at least I was,” he says with a laugh. He looks out at the square, the competing stands and the bustling tourists. “After what happened here, we realised that we were nothing. What we have now, we can lose a second,” he said. “It’s not
Japan court rules ban on same-sex marriage is ‘unconstitutional’
Japan is only G7 nation that excludes same-sex unions with conservative government criticised as stonewalling diversity. A high court in Japan has ruled that the country’s ban on same-sex marriage is “unconstitutional” as pressure mounts for such unions to be legalised. On Thursday, the Sapporo High Court said not allowing same-sex couples to marry violates their fundamental right to have a family, and called for urgent government action to address a lack of laws allowing same-sex unions. A lower court in Tokyo issued a similar ruling earlier on Thursday, becoming the sixth district court to do so. But the Tokyo District Court ruling was only a partial victory for Japan’s LGBTQ community calling for equal marriage rights, as it does not change or overturn the current civil union law that describes marriage as between a man and a woman. Japan is the only member of the Group of Seven (G7) nations that still excludes same-sex couples from the right to legally marry and receive spousal benefits. Support for marriage equality has grown among the Japanese public in recent years, but the governing Liberal Democratic Party, known for its conservative family values and reluctance to promote gender equality and sexual diversity, remains opposed to the campaign. ‘Groundbreaking’ Amnesty International said Thursday’s rulings were “groundbreaking”. “The court decisions today mark a significant step towards achieving marriage equality in Japan. The ruling in Sapporo, the first High Court decision on same-sex marriage in the country, emphatically shows the trend towards acceptance of same-sex marriage in Japan,” said the group’s East Asia researcher Boram Jang. “By recognizing that the government’s ban on same-sex marriage is unconstitutional, these rulings make clear that such discrimination has no place in Japanese society,” the statement said, adding that the government now needs to be proactive in moving towards the legalisation of same-sex marriage so that couples can fully enjoy the same marriage rights as their heterosexual counterparts. Japan: Groundbreaking same-sex marriage rulings a long-awaited victory for LGBTI rights https://t.co/nq6MZT6Pyg — amnestypress (@amnestypress) March 14, 2024 The high court does not have the power to overturn the constitution. Five previous courts delivered varying rulings in the past two years before Thursday with some upholding the current law – while raising concerns about protecting individuals’ rights – and others ruling against it. Dozens of advocacy groups have pushed for anti-discriminatory laws. About 8 percent of the more than 120 million population in Japan identify as being a sexual minority. Views about same-sex marriage in Japan have shifted in recent years, with some 68 percent of the population saying they favour a law legalising it, according to a 2023 survey by the Pew Research Center. Hundreds of municipalities throughout Japan allow same-sex couples to enter partnership agreements but their rights are limited. Partners cannot inherit each other’s assets or have parental rights to each other’s children, hospital visits are not guaranteed, and spousal benefits cannot be collected. Last July, the government passed a “fostering LGBTQ understanding” law that stipulates “there should be no unfair discrimination” against sexual minorities, but critics argue it is not strong enough. “The law passed by the government last year to ‘promote understanding’ of LGBTI people is not enough,” Amnesty said. “There need to be concrete, legal measures in place to protect same-sex couples and the LGBTI community in Japan from all forms of discrimination.” Adblock test (Why?)
‘Do I vote? Hell no’: Russia heads to predictable presidential election
On Friday, Russians will head to the polls to cast their ballots in a presidential election that has an all but certain outcome. Incumbent President Vladimir Putin is widely predicted to win a fifth term. Assuming he serves the full six years until 2030, if taken together with his time as prime minister from 2008 to 2012, he would become the longest-reigning Russian leader since Joseph Stalin. But formally, at least, he is pitted against three other presidential hopefuls: Leonid Slutsky of the ultranationalist Liberal Democratic Party of Russia (LDPR), Vladislav Davankov of the centre-right New People, and Nikolai Kharitonov of the Communist Party. “I’m voting for Putin because I trust him,” 69-year-old Tatyana, from Moscow, told Al Jazeera. “He is very educated and sees the world globally, unlike the leaders of other countries. I support the direction of development of our country under the leadership of Vladimir Vladimirovich [Putin] because we see no other way. Once upon a time, I don’t remember when, I voted for [Boris] Yeltsin.” As Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine continues, Tatyana believes Western powers are at fault. “In recent years, the West has demonised Russia, and it was clear even to me that we were being prepared for slaughter. And if you look at the world map in 2020, you will see how NATO bases have surrounded our country. 1+1=2!!! The mosaic has come together,” she said. According to the latest figures from the independent Levada polling agency in February, 86 percent of Russians approve of Putin’s presidency and his running of the country. Although the reliability of collecting such data in states such as Russia, with a hardline leader, has been questioned, Putin still undeniably enjoys support and his victory is considered a given. That, together with allegations of vote rigging and the careful vetting of candidates, has left many opposition-minded Russians thinking: Why bother? Even so, some Russians are planning protest votes while others won’t be casting a ballot at all. “Do I vote? Hell no,” said 33-year-old Viktor from St Petersburg. “It’s not like a hard stance, I just don’t bother. The thing with Russian political thinking, if you’re against Putin, is that it’s heavily infected with moralism. Like you must vote, just because you don’t have any other ways to express your indignation.” He believes that “such imperatives don’t have any firm ground beneath”. “I just forgot about elections at all,” added a friend of Viktor’s. Few of the Russians Al Jazeera interviewed appeared particularly passionate, one way or the other. “I think this is because the result is predictable,” said 70-year-old Valentina, an academic from St Petersburg. Neither she nor her husband have yet decided whether they’re going to vote. “I don’t remember elections anywhere in the world with an element of surprise. Perhaps there will be an illusion of surprise.” But 33-year-old Alexey, also from St Petersburg, is determined to fulfil his civic duty. “Yes, that’s right, I plan to vote,” he told Al Jazeera. “I’m choosing between coming and ruining the ballot, or not voting for Putin,” said Alexey, requested to be identified only by his first name. He derided the other candidates on the ballot, “but if you had to choose one, then the least cannibalistic one is [Vladislav] Davankov”, he said. “He at least supported [Boris] Nadezhdin. He’s not that conservative. It seems to me that he is against the war [in Ukraine], he’s just afraid to talk about it at this time. In a situation of normal competitive politics, I would not choose him. If Nadezhdin had been allowed to participate in these elections, I would have voted for him.” Boris Nadezhdin took a cautiously open antiwar stance, still referring to it by the official euphemism of “special military operation”. By February, he amassed the 100,000 signatures required to run for the presidency. Neither Nadezhdin nor another dovish hopeful, Yekaterina Duntsova, were considered serious challengers to Putin, but rather a way of letting antiwar Russians express their frustration. But both were disqualified by the central election committee, leaving Davankov as the least hawkish candidate. In January, Davankov signed for and supported Nadezhdin’s candidacy, despite disagreements on some issues. While not running on an openly peacenik platform, Davankov has called for negotiations with Ukraine while being highly critical of both wartime censorship, and what he termed “cancel culture”. Otherwise, Davankov is best known as the lawmaker behind the bill banning sex change surgery in Russia. “Any other result other than a VVP victory is impossible, this is fantasy,” Alexey continued, referring to Putin. “I’m going to vote just to clear my conscience – this is the last opportunity to protest in Russia without the obvious danger of getting arrested. In general, I think that it is important to go to elections, even if they never decide anything in Russia. I also often listened to [Alexey] Navalny’s Smart Voting advice, in both regional and Duma [parliamentary] elections.” The late Kremlin opponent Alexey Navalny, who died mid-February at a penal colony, and his team came up with the concept of Smart Voting in 2018. The idea was to vote tactically for any candidate, of any party, with the best chance of beating Putin’s United Russia party in any local or regional election, with the aim to weaken Putin’s grip over lawmakers. The strategy was criticised for endorsing candidates who are not members of United Russia but are de facto aligned with the Kremlin, the so-called “systemic opposition”. The Communist Party benefitted most from Navalny supporters. Although the party leadership often broadly aligns with the Kremlin and has rallied behind Putin’s invasion of Ukraine, it has also historically organised protests against election results. “Most often I voted for the Communists, because they have the greatest opportunity to rally the protest electorate around themselves,” continued Alexey. “I will say right away that the form that the Communist Party of the Russian Federation takes in Russia is of course not socialism or communism, but there are some reasonable people
‘Death trap’: Israeli forces kill six aid seekers in Gaza City
Israeli forces have shot dead at least six Palestinians and wounded 83 in Gaza City as they were waiting for food and humanitarian supplies at the Kuwait Roundabout, an area where large groups of people gather for arriving aid trucks. The attack on Thursday took place hours after at least five people were killed by an Israeli air strike on a food distribution centre in Rafah, southern Gaza, run by the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestinian Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA), which is the main humanitarian agency in Gaza. There has been an uptick in fatal assaults by Israeli troops on crowds of starving civilians lining up for aid in recent weeks. On Monday night, Israeli forces killed 11 people waiting for food aid at the same roundabout. Reporting from Rafah, Al Jazeera’s Hani Mahmoud said seeking aid has become “really dangerous” in the enclave, adding that “the Kuwaiti Roundabout is now known as a death trap”. “We heard from a hungry and largely traumatised population stranded in the Gaza Strip asking what is the purpose of getting those aid trucks into Gaza and its northern area if they’re getting shot at,” he said. “[The Israeli aggression] also endangers the work of aid workers on the ground,” he added. The Kuwait Roundabout is between the central area of the Gaza Strip and Gaza City, linking northern Gaza to the south. At least 400 Palestinians have been killed in Israeli attacks on aid deliveries. ‘Forbidden’ Sami Abu Salim, an UNRWA employee, told Al Jazeera that he felt frustrated over the attack as the employees of the aid centre in Rafah have been working around the clock to provide aid to displaced Palestinians. “This [attacking an aid centre] is forbidden. We are an international institution,” Abu Salim said. “We take all of this [aid] to the elderly and the children.” The facility in Rafah is one of the last operating food distribution centres in Gaza, and the UNRWA is calling for an independent inquiry into repeated Israeli attacks on the UN agency. Rights groups say that Israel is using starvation as a weapon of war against Palestinians. Agnes Callamard, the secretary-general of Amnesty International, slammed the global community for pretending the crisis in Gaza was of a humanitarian nature and not one engineered by Israel. “While the international community is busy pretending Gaza is a humanitarian crisis, Israel continues to violate international law in total impunity,” she said in a post on X, referencing Israel’s attack on the UN food centre in Rafah. “Humanitarian assistance air drop and a Gaza aid port won’t address these violations. And they won’t address engineered starvation,” she added. While the international community is busy pretending Gaza is a humanitarian crisis, Israel continues to violate international law in total impunity. Humanitarian assistance air drop and a Gaza aid port won’t address these violations. And they wont address engineered starvation. https://t.co/WjTQpcPehr — Agnes Callamard (@AgnesCallamard) March 13, 2024 The UNRWA has said Israeli authorities have not allowed it to deliver supplies to the north of the Strip since January 23. Israel, which controls Gaza’s border crossings, has opened just one entry point into the enclave since the start of the war and imposed “endless checking procedures” for trucks to pass through, UN agencies say. Since February 9, the average number of trucks that entered Gaza daily was about 55, compared with 500 that used to enter before the start of the conflict, according to the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA). The UN has said at least half a million, or one in four people in Gaza, face famine as it highlighted the problem of getting desperately needed humanitarian relief into Gaza amid Israeli restrictions. A new report by humanitarian group Refugees International said that Israel has generated “famine-like conditions” in the Gaza Strip. The group’s research in Egypt, Jordan and Israel revealed that Tel Aviv “consistently and groundlessly impeded aid operations within Gaza, blocked legitimate relief operations and resisted implementing measures that would genuinely enhance the flow of humanitarian aid into Gaza”. The Ministry of Health in Gaza reported on Thursday that at least 31,341 Palestinians have been killed and 73,134 wounded by Israeli attacks since October 7. In the past 24 hours, Israeli attacks have killed 69 Palestinians in Gaza, the ministry said. Adblock test (Why?)
Three Egyptian Coptic Orthodox monks killed in South Africa monastery
A 35-year-old male suspect has been arrested but police say the motive for the fatal stabbings is still unclear. Three Egyptian Coptic Orthodox monks have been stabbed to death in a monastery in South Africa. A 35-year-old man was arrested in connection with the killings, police said on Wednesday, but they were still to establish a motive for the crime, in Gauteng province. The suspect, whose name was not made public, was due to be arraigned in court on Thursday. The three monks were murdered on Tuesday inside the Saint Mark the Apostle and Saint Samuel the Confessor Monastery in Cullinan, a town 50km (30 miles) northeast of the capital, Pretoria, police said. “Three victims were found with stab wounds while the fourth victim that survived alleged that he was hit by an iron rod on his hand before fleeing and hiding in one of the rooms,” the police statement said. Nothing was taken from the scene, it added. Egypt’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs said it was “closely following the investigations into the killing of three Egyptian monks”. The Coptic Orthodox Church said all three monks were Egyptian nationals as it named them as Hegumen Takla el-Samuely, Yostos Ava Markos and Mina Ava Markos. “There is no doubt that it is a painful incident,” Pope Tawadros II said in a statement on Wednesday, calling the monks “martyrs” and saying that the church had sent a delegation to South Africa. “There are many rumours, but so far the truth of the situation has not become apparent. We console their families, we console the church there, and we console ourselves.” No date has been set for a funeral but the monks will likely be buried in South Africa where they served according to tradition, the pope added. Deadly attacks on places of worship in South Africa are rare, however, the Coptic Orthodox Church, one of the oldest Christian communities in the world, has been the target of assaults by Islamic fighters in Egypt and elsewhere. The church had in recent months condemned Israel’s continuing war on Gaza. Adblock test (Why?)
Israeli strike killed ‘clearly identifiable’ reporter in Lebanon: UN probe
An Israeli tank killed Reuters reporter Issam Abdallah in Lebanon last year by firing two 120mm rounds at a group of “clearly identifiable journalists” in violation of international law, a United Nations investigation into the October 13 incident has found. The investigation by the UN Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL), summarised in a report seen and reported by Reuters on Wednesday, said its personnel did not record any exchange of fire across the border between Israel and Lebanon for more than 40 minutes before the Israeli Merkava tank opened fire. “The firing at civilians, in this instance clearly identifiable journalists, constitutes a violation of UNSCR 1701 (2006) and international law,” the UNIFIL report said, referring to the Security Council Resolution 1701. The seven-page report dated February 27 said further: “It is assessed that there was no exchange of fire across the Blue Line at the time of the incident. The reason for the strikes on the journalists is not known.” Under Resolution 1701, adopted in 2006 to bring an end to the war between Israel and Lebanese Hezbollah fighters, UN peacekeepers were deployed to monitor a ceasefire along the 120km (75-mile) demarcation line, or Blue Line, between Israel and Lebanon. As part of their mission, UN troops record violations of the ceasefire and investigate the most egregious cases. Besides killing Abdallah, the two tank rounds also wounded six other journalists at the scene, including two from Al Jazeera. Audio picked up by an Al Jazeera video camera at the scene showed the reporters also came under fire from 0.50 calibre rounds of the type used by the Browning machineguns that can be mounted on Israel’s Merkava tanks – likely from the same point as the tank, a report by the Netherlands Organisation for Applied Scientific Research (TNO) said last week. The TNO report concluded that an Israeli tank crew “likely” opened machinegun fire on the group of journalists near the border with Lebanon who were also targeted by shelling. An earlier report by Reporters Without Borders (RSF) said the journalists were deliberately targeted, although it did not attribute responsibility to Israel. Asked about the UNIFIL report, Israeli army spokesperson Nir Dinar said Hezbollah had attacked the army near the Israeli community of Hanita on October 13. It responded with artillery and tank fire to remove the threat and subsequently received a report that journalists had been injured. “The IDF deplores any injury to uninvolved parties, and does not deliberately shoot at civilians, including journalists,” Dinar said, referring to the Israeli army. “The IDF considers the freedom of the press to be of utmost importance while clarifying that being in a war zone is dangerous.” He said the General Staff’s Fact-Finding and Assessment Mechanism, which is responsible for reviewing exceptional events, will continue to examine the incident. According to the army’s website, the fact-finding team submits its reviews to the Israeli military’s legal affairs department, which decides whether a case warrants a criminal investigation. Reuters Editor-in-Chief Alessandra Galloni has called on Israel to explain how the attack that killed Abdallah, 37, could have happened and to hold those responsible to account. Al Jazeera has also urged the Israeli government to disclose the findings of its own investigation, noting after the release of the TNO report that the “incident strongly indicates intentional targeting, as confirmed by investigations”. The UNIFIL report was sent to the UN in New York on February 28 and has been shared with the Lebanese and Israeli militaries, two people familiar with the matter said. “[The] IDF should conduct an investigation into the incident and a full review of their procedures at the time to avoid a recurrence,” the report said in its recommendations. “The IDF should share their investigation’s findings with UNIFIL.” A UN spokesperson confirmed that the UNIFIL report had been shared with the parties. “We reiterate that all actors should uphold their obligations under international law, and that civilians, including journalists, should never be a target. Journalists and media professionals must be protected,” the spokesperson said. For its investigation, UNIFIL sent a team to the site on October 14, and also received contributions from the Lebanese armed forces and from an unnamed witness who was present on the hill when the strikes occurred, the report said. Details of incidents in UNIFIL’s area of operations are included in regular reports by the UN secretary-general on the implementation of Security Council Resolution 1701. UNIFIL’s investigations, however, are not usually made public, and Reuters was unable to determine if there would be any UN follow-up. UNIFIL spokesperson Andrea Tenenti said he was not in a position to discuss the investigation. UNIFIL’s findings lend further support to a Reuters investigation published on December 7 that showed that seven journalists from the AFP news agency, Al Jazeera and Reuters, were hit by two 120mm rounds fired by a tank 1.34km (0.8 miles) away in Israel. The group of reporters had been filming cross-border shelling from a distance in an open area on a hill near the Lebanese village of Alma ash-Shaab for nearly an hour before the attack. The day afterwards, the Israeli army said it already had visuals of the incident and it was being investigated. The army has not published a report of its findings to date. UNIFIL said in its report that it sent a letter and a questionnaire to the Israeli army requesting its assistance. The Israeli army replied, but did not answer the questionnaire. Reuters said it had not seen a copy of the Israeli army’s letter, the content of which was summarised in the UNIFIL report. Israel’s war on Gaza is one of the deadliest on record for journalists, with more reporters killed in the first 10 weeks following the October 7 Hamas attacks than have ever been killed in a single country over an entire year, according to the Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ). Al Jazeera cameraperson Samer Abudaqa was killed by an Israeli strike on December 15 while reporting at the Farhana school in
How India came to embrace the politics of Hindutva
As Modi religiously prepares for India’s elections, Sreenivasan Jain examines the tussle between Hindutva and secularism. The politics of Hindu nationalism have played a central role in the dramatic rise of the BJP and Prime Minister Narendra Modi. As the elections have neared, the Modi regime has turbocharged its Hindu-first agenda – best exemplified in the inauguration of the Ram Temple in the city of Ayodhya. Veteran journalist Sreenivasan Jain explains how the opening of this temple – and the whitewashing of its controversial past – illustrates how Modi and his party have made their brand of Hindu supremacism not only acceptable, but a key part of Narendra Modi’s appeal to Indians. Featuring: Asaduddin Owaisi – Member of the Indian Parliament Uma Bharti – Former Vice-President, Bharatiya Janata Party Hartosh Singh Bal – Political Editor, The Caravan Adblock test (Why?)
Taiwan joins China rescue mission after boat capsizes near Kinmen
Six people were on the fishing vessel near the Taiwan-controlled islands, which lie just a few kilometres off China’s eastern coast. Taiwan and China are conducting a joint rescue mission to find two missing crew members after a fishing vessel capsized near Taiwan’s Kinmen islands. The boat carrying six people sank about 1.07 nautical miles (about 2km) southwest of the island chain’s Dongding islet at about 6am on Thursday (22:00 GMT on Wednesday), according to authorities in Taiwan. Two people have been confirmed dead and two were rescued. The area is sensitive because Kinmen is located just 5km (three miles) off China’s eastern coast. The joint operation, which includes six Chinese rescue ships, comes a month to the day after the Taiwanese coastguard’s pursuit of a Chinese fishing boat in the area left two men dead, and added to the tensions between Taipei and Beijing. Coastguard chief Chou Mei-wu told a parliamentary committee that Taiwan sent four boats after Chinese authorities sought help. He said Chinese requests for assistance were common, with 119 people rescued in such efforts over the past three years or so. “The waters are narrow around the Kinmen-Xiamen [area] and cooperation between Taiwan and China is very important,” he said, referring to the cities that face each other across the strait. China’s coastguard began regular patrols around the Kinmen islands after last month’s incident. It also came under criticism in Taiwan after briefly boarding a Taiwanese cruise ship causing panic among the passengers. Beijing claims Taiwan as its own territory and has not ruled out the use of force to achieve its goals. Adblock test (Why?)
Denmark to conscript women into armed forces for first time
The country scaled back its military capabilities after the Cold War ended but is reassessing the situation in a changed security climate. Denmark will call up women as well as men as it expands conscription to respond to Europe’s changing security climate. Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen said the revised policy was designed to increase the number of young people doing military service. Conscripts will also be expected to serve more time in the military – 11 months, compared with four months at the moment. “We are not rearming because we want war, destruction, or suffering. We are rearming right now to avoid war and in a world where the international order is being challenged,” Frederiksen told reporters on Wednesday, indirectly referring to Russia’s military moves in recent years and months. Denmark, a founding member of the NATO alliance, also plans to boost its defence budget by 40.5 billion Danish crowns ($5.9bn) over the next five years. Frederiksen said defence spending would amount to 2.4 percent of gross domestic product (GDP) this year and in 2025, above NATO’s target for member states. The country scaled back its military capabilities after the end of the Cold War in the early 1990s, but Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine has reawakened concerns about security on the continent. On Wednesday, President Vladimir Putin said Russia would send troops to its border with Finland, which joined NATO last year as a result of the Ukraine invasion, as Finnish Prime Minister Petteri Orpo warned Moscow was gearing up for a “long conflict with the West”. The situation in Europe “has become more and more serious, and we have to take that into account when we look at future defence,” Defence Minister Troels Lund Poulsen said. “A broader basis for recruiting that includes all genders is needed,” he said, adding it will create “a more versatile and more complete defence”. Denmark currently has as many as 9,000 professional soldiers in addition to 4,700 conscripts undergoing basic training, according to official figures. The government wants to increase the number of conscripts by 300 to reach a total of 5,000. Under the revised draft, conscripts will first spend five months in basic training, followed by six months in operational service along with supplementary training. The new system will require a change in the law, which Poulsen said would happen in 2025 and take effect in 2026. Currently, all physically fit men over the age of 18 are called up for military service, which is decided according to a lottery system. Neighbouring Sweden introduced a military draft for men and women in 2017 amid concerns about the security environment in Europe and around Sweden. The Scandinavian country, which joined NATO this month, had previously abolished compulsory military service for men in 2010 because there were enough volunteers to meet its military needs. Women had not been required to do national service before the law was changed. Norway introduced a law applying military conscription to both sexes in 2013. Adblock test (Why?)
Lionel Messi sustains leg injury as Inter Miami enter CONCACAF Cup quarters
Messi and Suarez scored in Miami’s 3-1 win but the Argentinian was substituted after sustaining an injury that will force him out of Miami’s next MLS game. Lionel Messi scored a goal and made an assist before leaving the field due to a leg injury as Inter Miami beat Nashville 3-1 in the second leg of the CONCACAF Champions Cup round-of-16 match. Messi found his former Barcelona teammate, Luis Suarez, in stride for a goal that opened scoring in the eighth minute. The eight-time Ballon d’Or winner then added a first-half goal to give Inter Miami an early 2-0 lead on Wednesday night. The Argentinian great was substituted in the 50th minute and coach Gerardo “Tata” Martino later revealed that Messi was dealing with a mild leg injury that started bothering him during the game, so he was taken off as a precaution. “He is overloaded in the right posterior,” Martino said through a translator. “We tried to see if he could go further along [in the game], but it was bothering him so we preferred to have him get out of the game.” Messi had rested during Sunday’s 3-2 loss to Montreal, which is the only game he has missed this season. Martino said Messi will likely miss the team’s Major League Soccer (MLS) match on Saturday against DC United. “I don’t want to risk it,” Martino said. Messi was replaced on Wednesday by Robert Taylor, who scored in the 63rd minute to give Inter Miami a 3-0 lead. Inter Miami advanced to the CONCACAF Champions Cup quarterfinals with the win and 5-3 advantage in aggregate goals in the total-goals series. The chase for the cup continues 🏆⏳#MIAvNSH pic.twitter.com/7l1hV3XiA7 — Inter Miami CF (@InterMiamiCF) March 14, 2024 ‘No one can do what he can do’ Messi had an instant impact on the game. He earned a free kick after a foul by Nashville’s Anibal Godoy just four minutes into the match but had his attempt blocked. The 36-year-old seized his opportunity a few minutes later, using his impressive vision to fit a pass to a streaking Suarez, who sent the ball into the bottom right corner of the net. Messi then used a pass from Diego Gomez to score from inside the penalty area as fans started chanting his name. Taylor later got on the board with a header off an assist by Suarez. “Lionel Messi himself was very, very sharp in the first 15 minutes,” Nashville coach Gary Smith said after the match. He was then asked his thoughts when he saw Messi trotting off the field early in the second half. “Firstly, thank goodness,” Smith said jokingly. “He’s such a huge influence on the rest of the group. Yes, they have other very good players, but there is no one that can do what he can do. … Delighted to see him go off, I honestly thought that their performance dipped, and it gave us a little bit of an incentive.” Inter Miami are currently amid a busy month that includes seven matches — four of which have come in a 10-day span. Messi is expected to join the Argentinian national team in a pair of Copa America warm-up matches on March 22 and 26. Adblock test (Why?)