EUROPE NEEDS TO BOOST MILITARY CAPABILITIES.

EUROPE NEEDS TO BOOST MILITARY CAPABILITIES.

DEUTORONOMY 18:10-12
10 There shall not be found among you any one that maketh his son or his daughter to pass through the fire,(OCCULT SACRIFICES) or that useth divination,(NEW AGER AND CRYSTALS ETC) divination n. The art or act of foretelling future events or revealing occult knowledge by means of augury or an alleged supernatural agency.) or an observer of times,(Meaning of observer. ... for sketching it. horoscope - Comes from Greek hora, hour, time, and skopos, observer.) or an enchanter,(The word enchant is derived from the Latin word incantare which refers to uttering an incantation or casting a spell). or a witch,(WITCH. Definition: [noun] a female sorcerer (SORCERY IN THE BIBLE IS DRUGS OR OCCULT ACTIVITY) or magician.)
11 Or a charmer,(charmer means a dealer in spells, especially one who, by binding certain knots, was supposed thereby to bind a curse or a blessing on its object.) or a consulter with familiar spirits,(function as mediums or psychics) or a wizard,(MALE WITCH)-influence; a magical spell WITH WANDS) or a necromancer.(one seeking unto the dead.)
12 For all that do these things are an abomination unto the LORD: and because of these abominations the LORD thy God doth drive them out from before thee.

REVELATION 9:20-21
20 And the rest of the men which were not killed by these plagues (NUKES) yet repented not of the works of their hands, that they should not worship devils,(OCCULT) and idols of gold, and silver, and brass, and stone, and of wood: which neither can see, nor hear, nor walk:
21 Neither repented they of their murders, nor of their sorceries,(DRUG ADDICTIONS OR SELLING DRUGS) nor of their fornication,(SEX OUTSIDE OF MARRIAGE)(PROSTITUTION FOR MONEY) nor of their thefts.(STEALING)

ISAIAH 30:26-27
26 Moreover the light of the moon shall be as the light of the sun, and the light of the sun shall be sevenfold,(7X OR 7-DEGREES HOTTER) as the light of seven days, in the day that the LORD bindeth up the breach of his people,(ISRAEL) and healeth the stroke of their wound.
27 Behold, the name of the LORD cometh from far, burning with his anger, and the burden thereof is heavy: his lips are full of indignation, and his tongue as a devouring fire:

MATTHEW 24:21-22,29
21 For then shall be great tribulation, such as was not since the beginning of the world to this time, no, nor ever shall be.
22 And except those days should be shortened,(DAY LIGHT HOURS SHORTENED) there should no flesh be saved: but for the elect’s sake (ISRAELS SAKE) those days shall be shortened (Daylight hours shortened)(THE ASTEROID HITS EARTH HERE)
29 Immediately after the tribulation of those days shall the sun be darkened, and the moon shall not give her light, and the stars shall fall from heaven, and the powers of the heavens shall be shaken:

REVELATION 16:7-9
7 And I heard another out of the altar say, Even so, Lord God Almighty, true and righteous are thy judgments.
8 And the fourth angel poured out his vial upon the sun; and power was given unto him to scorch men with fire.
9 And men were scorched with great heat, and blasphemed the name of God, which hath power over these plagues: and they repented not to give him glory.

EZEKIEL 32:6-9
6  I will also water with thy blood the land wherein thou swimmest, even to the mountains; and the rivers shall be full of thee.
7  And when I shall put thee out, I will cover the heaven, and make the stars thereof dark; I will cover the sun with a cloud, and the moon shall not give her light.
8  All the bright lights of heaven will I make dark over thee, and set darkness upon thy land, saith the Lord GOD.
9  I will also vex the hearts of many people, when I shall bring thy destruction among the nations, into the countries which thou hast not known.

REVELATION 16:3-7
3 And the second angel poured out his vial upon the sea; and it became as the blood of a dead man: and every living soul died in the sea.(enviromentalists won't like this result)
4 And the third angel poured out his vial upon the rivers and fountains of waters; and they became blood.
5 And I heard the angel of the waters say, Thou art righteous, O Lord, which art, and wast, and shalt be, because thou hast judged thus.
6 For they(False World Church and Dictator and baby murderers by abortion) have shed the blood of saints and prophets, and thou hast given them blood to drink; for they are worthy.

GEN 12:2-3
2  And I will make of thee a great nation, and I will bless thee, and make thy name great; and thou shalt be a blessing:
3  And I will bless them that bless thee,(ISRAELIS) and curse (DESTROY) him that curseth thee:(DESTROY THEM) and in thee shall all families of the earth be blessed.

Extreme weather misinformation 'putting lives at risk,' study warns.

Washington, July 22 (AFP) Jul 22, 2025-Major social media platforms are enabling and profiting from misinformation around extreme weather events, endangering lives and impeding emergency response efforts, a research group said Tuesday.The report from the Center for Countering Digital Hate (CCDH) -- which analyzed 100 viral posts on each of three leading platforms during recent natural disasters including deadly Texas floods -- highlights how their algorithms amplify conspiracy theorists while sidelining life-saving information."The influence of high-profile conspiracy theorists during climate disasters is drowning out emergency response efforts," the report said, adding that the trend was "putting lives at risk."Nearly all of the analyzed posts on Meta-owned Facebook and Instagram lacked fact-checks or Community Notes, a crowd-sourced verification system increasingly being adopted as an alternative to professional fact-checkers, the report said.Elon Musk-owned X lacked fact-checks or Community Notes on 99 percent of the posts, while Google-owned YouTube "failed entirely," with zero fact-checks or Community Notes, CCDH said.The report noted that well-known conspiracy theorist Alex Jones's false claims during the LA wildfires amassed more views on X throughout January than the combined reach of major emergency response agencies and news outlets, including the Los Angeles Times."The rapid spread of climate conspiracies online isn't accidental. It's baked into a business model that profits from outrage and division," said Imran Ahmed, CCDH's chief executive.During the wildfires, online scammers placed social media advertisements impersonating federal emergency aid agencies to steal victims' personal information, Ahmed said, citing local officials."When distraught people can't distinguish real help from online deception, platforms become complicit in the suffering of innocent people," he said.The tech platforms did not immediately respond to requests for comment.- 'Dangerous' falsehoods -Following natural disasters, misinformation tends to surge across social media -- fueled by accounts from across the political spectrum -- as many platforms scale back content moderation and reduce reliance on human fact-checkers, often accused by conservative advocates of a liberal bias.During Hurricane Milton, which struck Florida last year, social media was flooded with baseless claims that the storm had been engineered by politicians using weather manipulation.Similarly, the LA wildfires were falsely blamed on so-called "government lasers," a conspiracy theory amplified by viral posts.Augustus Doricko, chief executive of cloud seeding company Rainmaker, said he received death threats online after conspiracy theorists blamed him for the devastating floods in Texas."I can confirm that we have received multiple threats since the flooding event," Doricko told AFP, highlighting the real-life consequences of such falsehoods.The CCDH study found that the worst offenders spreading extreme weather misinformation were verified users with large followings, many of whom were attempting to monetize their posts.Eighty eight percent of misleading extreme weather posts on X came from verified accounts, CCDH said. On YouTube, 73 percent of such posts originated from verified users, while on Meta, the figure was 64 percent."Climate disinformation costs lives," said Sam Bright of DeSmog, which reports on climate misinformation campaigns."As extreme weather events become more and more frequent, these falsehoods will only get more dangerous."

RUSSIA,GERMANY, ARAB MUSLIMS COME AGAINST ISRAEL.

EZEKIEL 38:1-23
1 And the word of the LORD came unto me, saying,
2 Son of man, set thy face against Gog,(RULER) the land of Magog,(RUSSIA) the chief prince of Meshech (MOSCOW) and Tubal,(TOBOLSK) and prophesy against him,
3 And say, Thus saith the Lord GOD; Behold, I am against thee, O Gog,(LEADER OF RUSSIA) the chief prince of Meshech(MOSCOW) and Tubal:TOBOLSK)
4 And I (GOD) will turn thee back, and put hooks into thy jaws,(GOD FORCES THE RUSSIA-MUSLIMS TO MARCH) and I will bring thee forth, and all thine army, horses and horsemen, all of them clothed with all sorts of armour, even a great company with bucklers and shields, all of them handling swords:
5 Persia,(IRAN,IRAQ) Ethiopia, and Libya with them; all of them with shield and helmet:
6 Gomer,(GERMANY) and all his bands; the house of Togarmah (TURKEY) of the north quarters, and all his bands: and many people with thee.(AFRICAN MUSLIMS,SUDAN,TUNESIA ETC)
7 Be thou prepared, and prepare for thyself, thou, and all thy company that are assembled unto thee, and be thou a guard unto them.
8 After many days thou shalt be visited: in the latter years thou shalt come into the land that is brought back from the sword, and is gathered out of many people, against the mountains of Israel, which have been always waste: but it is brought forth out of the nations, and they shall dwell safely all of them.
9 Thou shalt ascend and come like a storm, thou shalt be like a cloud to cover the land, thou, and all thy bands, and many people with thee.(RUSSIA-EGYPT AND MUSLIMS)
10 Thus saith the Lord GOD; It shall also come to pass, that at the same time shall things come into thy mind, and thou shalt think an evil thought:
11 And thou shalt say,(RUSSIA-ARAB-MUSLIMS) I will go up to the land of unwalled villages;(ISRAEL) I will go to them that are at rest, that dwell safely, all of them dwelling without walls, and having neither bars nor gates,
12 To take a spoil,(OIL IS IN SPOIL) and to take a prey; to turn thine hand upon the desolate places that are now inhabited, and upon the people that are gathered out of the nations, which have gotten cattle and goods, that dwell in the midst of the land.
13  Sheba, and Dedan,(SAUDI-ARABIA) and the merchants of Tarshish,(SPAIN) with all the young lions thereof,(ENGLAND,AND ALL ITS ASSOCIATES-CANADA,AUSTRALIA-NEW ZEALAND, USA, AND WESTERN ENGLISH SPEAKING NATIONS) shall say unto thee, Art thou come to take a spoil? hast thou gathered thy company to take a prey? to carry away silver and gold, to take away cattle and goods, to take a great spoil?(OIL IS IN SPOIL-I BELIEVE THATS WHY RUSSIA,ARAB/MUSLIMS MARCH TO ISRAEL)
14  Therefore, son of man, prophesy and say unto Gog, Thus saith the Lord GOD; In that day when my people of Israel dwelleth safely, shalt thou not know it?
15  And thou shalt come from thy place out of the north parts, thou, and many people with thee, all of them riding upon horses, a great company, and a mighty army:
16  And thou shalt come up against my people of Israel, as a cloud to cover the land; it shall be in the latter days, and I will bring thee against my land, that the heathen may know me, when I shall be sanctified in thee, O Gog, before their eyes.
17  Thus saith the Lord GOD; Art thou he of whom I have spoken in old time by my servants the prophets of Israel, which prophesied in those days many years that I would bring thee against them?
18  And it shall come to pass at the same time when Gog shall come against the land of Israel, saith the Lord GOD, that my fury shall come up in my face.
19  For in my jealousy and in the fire (atomic bomb) of my wrath have I spoken, Surely in that day there shall be a great shaking in the land of Israel;
20  So that the fishes of the    sea, and the fowls of the heaven, and the beasts of the field, and all creeping things that creep upon the earth, and all the men that are upon the face of the earth, shall shake at my presence, and the mountains shall be thrown down, and the steep places shall fall, and every wall shall fall to the ground.
21  And I will call for a sword against him throughout all my mountains, saith the Lord GOD: every man’s sword shall be against his brother.
22  And I will plead against him with pestilence (biological,chemical,nuclear) and with blood; and I will rain upon him, and upon his bands, and upon the many people that are with him, an overflowing rain, and great hailstones, fire, and brimstone.(NUKED,THEN MIGRATING BIRDS EAT RUSSIA/ARAB/MUSLIMS FLESH)
23  Thus will I magnify myself, and sanctify myself; and I will be known in the eyes of many nations, and they shall know that I am the LORD.

EZEKIEL 39:1-29
1 Therefore, thou son of man, prophesy against Gog,(LEADER OF RUSSIA) and say, Thus saith the Lord GOD; Behold, I am against thee, O Gog, the chief prince of Meshech (MOSCOW) and Tubal: (TUBOLSK)
2 And I will turn thee back,(RUSSIA-ARAB MUSLIM ISRAEL HATERS) and leave but the sixth part of thee,(5/6TH OR 300 MILLION DEAD RUSSIAN/ARAB/MUSLIMS I BELIEVE) and will cause thee to come up from the north parts,(RUSSIA) and will bring thee upon the mountains of Israel:
3 And I will smite thy bow out of thy left hand, and will cause thine arrows to fall out of thy right hand.
4 Thou shalt fall upon the mountains of Israel, thou, and all thy bands,( ARABS) and the people that is with thee: I will give thee unto the ravenous birds of every sort, and to the beasts of the field to be devoured.
5 Thou shalt fall upon the open field: for I have spoken it, saith the Lord GOD.
6 And I will send a shall come to pass in that day, that I will give unto Gog (RUSSIA/ARAB/MUSLIMS) a place there of graves in Israel, the valley of the passengers (EAST OF THE DEAD SEA IN JORDAN VALLEY) on the east of the sea: and it shall stop the noses of the passengers: and there shall they bury Gog (RUSSIAN) and all his multitude:(ARAB/MUSLIM HORDE) and they shall call it The valley of Hamongog.(BURIEL SITE OF THE 300 MILLION,RUSSIAN/ARAB/MUSLIMS)
12 And seven months shall the house of Israel be burying of them, that they may cleanse the land.(OF ISRAEL)
13 Yea, all the people of the land (OF ISRAEL) shall bury them; and it shall be to them a renown the day that I (GOD-JESUS) shall be glorified, saith the Lord GOD.
14 And they shall sever out men of continual employment,(NUCLEAR ATOMIC BOMB EXPERTS) passing through the land to bury with the passengers those that remain upon the face of the earth, to cleanse it: after the end of seven months shall they search.
15 And the passengers that pass through the land, when any seeth a man’s bone, then shall he set up a sign by it,(WON'T TOUCH IT) till the buriers have buried it (PROPERLY) in the valley of Hamongog.(RUSSIA/ARAB/MUSLIMS NEW BURIEL SITE)(EAST OF THE DEAD SEA IN THE JORDAN VALLEY)
16 And also the name of the city shall be Hamonah. Thus shall they cleanse the land.(OF THE ISRAEL-GOD HATERS)
17 And, thou son of man, thus saith the Lord GOD; Speak unto every feathered fowl,(500 MILLION MIGRATING BIRDS THREW ISRAEL EVERY SPRING,FALL) and to every beast of the field, Assemble yourselves, and come; gather yourselves on every side to my sacrifice that I do sacrifice for you, even a great sacrifice upon the mountains of Israel, that ye may eat flesh, and drink blood.(OF THE RUSSIAN/ARAB/MUSLIM ARMIES)
18 Ye shall eat the flesh of the mighty, and drink the blood of the princes of the earth, of rams, of lambs, and of goats, of bullocks, all of them fatlings of Bashan.
19 And ye (MIGRATING BIRDS IN ISRAEL) shall eat fat till ye be full, and drink blood till ye be drunken, of my sacrifice which I have sacrificed for you.(RUSSIAN/ARAB/MUSLIM ISRAEL HATERS)
20 Thus ye shall be filled at my table with horses and chariots, with mighty men, and with all men of war, saith the Lord GOD.
21 And I (GOD-JESUS) will set my glory among the heathen,(WORLD NATIONS) and all the heathen (WORLD NATIONS) shall see my judgment that I have executed,(AGAINST ISRAELS ENEMIES) and my (GODS) hand that I have laid upon them.(ISRAELS HATER ENEMIES)
22  So the house of Israel shall know that I am the LORD their God from that day and forward.
23  And the heathen shall know that the house of Israel went into captivity for their iniquity: because they trespassed against me, therefore hid I my face from them, and gave them into the hand of their enemies: so fell they all by the sword.
24  According to their uncleanness and according to their transgressions have I done unto them, and hid my face from them.
25  Therefore thus saith the Lord GOD; Now will I bring again the captivity of Jacob, and have mercy upon the whole house of Israel, and will be jealous for my holy name;
26  After that they have borne their shame, and all their trespasses whereby they have trespassed against me, when they dwelt safely in their land, and none made them afraid.
27  When I have brought them again from the people, and gathered them out of their enemies’ lands, and am sanctified in them in the sight of many nations;
28  Then shall they know that I am the LORD their God, which caused them to be led into captivity among the heathen: but I have gathered them unto their own land, and have left none of them any more there.
29  Neither will I hide my face any more from them: for I have poured out my spirit upon the house of Israel, saith the Lord GOD.

CHINA AND KINGS O  F THE EAST MARCH TO ISRAEL 2ND WAVE OF WW3 (200 MILLION MAN ARMY)

REVELATION 16:12-16
12 And the sixth angel poured out his vial upon the great river Euphrates;(WERE WW3 STARTS IN IRAQ OR SYRIA OR TURKEY) and the water thereof was dried up, that the way of the kings of the east might be prepared.(THE TURKEY ATATURK DAM ON THE EUPHRATES CAN BE SHUT AND DRIED UP ALREADY BY TURKEY)
13 And I saw three unclean spirits like frogs come out of the mouth of the dragon,(SATAN) and out of the mouth of the beast,(WORLD DICTATOR) and out of the mouth of the false prophet.(FALSE POPE)
14 For they are the spirits of devils, working miracles, which go forth unto the kings of the earth and of the whole world, to gather them to the battle of that great day of God Almighty.(WERE 2 BILLION DIE FROM NUKE WAR)
15 Behold, I come as a thief. Blessed is he that watcheth, and keepeth his garments, lest he walk naked, and they see his shame.
16 And he gathered them together into a place called in the Hebrew tongue Armageddon.(ITS AT THIS TIME I BELIEVE WHEN AMERICA GETS NUKED BY RUSSIA ON THE WAY TO THE MIDEAST)

DANIEL 11:44 (2ND WAVE OF WW3)
44 But tidings out of the east(CHINA) and out of the north(RUSSIA, MUSLIMS WHATS LEFT FROM WAVE 1) shall trouble him:(EU DICTATOR IN ISRAEL) therefore he shall go forth with great fury to destroy, and utterly to make away many.( 1/3RD OF EARTHS POPULATION)

REVELATION 9:12-18
12 One woe is past; and, behold, there come two woes more hereafter.
13 And the sixth angel sounded, and I heard a voice from the four horns of the golden altar which is before God,
14 Saying to the sixth angel which had the trumpet, Loose the four(DEMONIC WAR) angels which are bound in the great river Euphrates.(WORLDWIDE WAR)(TURKEY-IRAQ-SYRIA)(EUPHRATES RIVER CONSISTS OF 760 MILES IN TURKEY,440 MILES IN SYRIA AND 660 MILES IN IRAQ)
15 And the four(DEMONIC WAR) angels were loosed,(WORLDWIDE WAR) which were prepared for an hour, and a day, and a month, and a year, for to slay the third part of men.(1/3 Earths Population die in WW 3 2ND WAVE-2 billion)
16 And the number of the army of the horsemen were two hundred thousand thousand:(200 MILLION MAN ARMY FROM CHINA AND THE KINGS OF THE EAST) and I heard the number of them.
17 And thus I saw the horses in the vision, and them that sat on them, having breastplates of fire, and of jacinth, and brimstone: and the heads of the horses were as the heads of lions; and out of their mouths issued fire and smoke and brimstone.(NUCLEAR BOMBS)
18 By these three was the third part of men killed, by the fire, and by the smoke, and by the brimstone, which issued out of their mouths.(NUCLEAR BOMBS)

Iran meets European powers for new nuclear talks amid snapback sanctions threat-German, British and French diplomats in Istanbul to meet Iranian counterparts for first time since war with Israel, as powers weigh reimposing UN sanctions By AFP Today, 9:50 amUpdated at 11:28 am-JUL 25,25

Iranian diplomats were meeting counterparts from Germany, Britain and France on Friday for renewed nuclear talks amid warnings that the three European powers could trigger “snapback” sanctions outlined under the since-abandoned 2015 deal.The meeting, taking place in Istanbul, was the first since Israel’s mid-June attack on Iran, which the Jewish state says was carried out due to an imminent threat of Tehran obtaining nuclear weapons. Israel’s attack, which sparked a 12-day war, targeted key nuclear and military sites.Israel’s offensive — which killed top commanders, nuclear scientists and hundreds of others as residential areas were struck as well — also derailed US-Iran nuclear talks that began in April.Since then, the European powers, known as the E3, have threatened to trigger the “snapback mechanism,” which would reinstate United Nations sanctions on Iran by the end of August, under the effectively moribund 2015 nuclear deal.The option to trigger the snapback expires in October, and Tehran has warned of consequences should the E3 opt to activate it.“Inaction by the E3 is not an option,” a European source said, noting that Tehran would be reminded during the meeting that the snapback window closes this autumn.The source said Europeans are preparing to trigger the mechanism “in the absence of a negotiated solution” and called on Iran to make “clear gestures” regarding uranium enrichment and the resumption of cooperation with the UN nuclear watchdog.Iran’s Deputy Foreign Minister Kazem Gharibabadi, who was attending the talks Friday, alongside senior Iranian diplomat Majid Takht-Ravanchi, warned this week that triggering sanctions “is completely illegal.”He also accused European powers of “halting their commitments” to the deal after the United States unilaterally withdrew in 2018 during President Donald Trump’s first term.“We have warned them of the risks, but we are still seeking common ground to manage the situation,” said Gharibabadi.Sanctions-Iranian diplomats have previously warned that Tehran could withdraw from the global nuclear non-proliferation treaty if UN sanctions are reimposed. Restoring sanctions would deepen Iran’s international isolation and place further pressure on its already strained economy.Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Sa’ar has urged European powers to trigger the mechanism.Israel’s June 13 attack on Iran came two days before Tehran and Washington were scheduled to meet for a sixth round of nuclear negotiations.The US joined the Israeli air campaign against Iran’s nuclear and military infrastructure on June 22, striking Iranian nuclear facilities at Fordo, Isfahan and Natanz.Iran responded to the Israeli attacks with near-daily barrages of missiles at cities, killing 28 people and wounding thousands, according to health officials and hospitals. Some of the missiles hit apartment buildings, a university and a hospital, causing heavy damage.Before the war, Washington and Tehran were divided over uranium enrichment, which Iran has described as a “non-negotiable” right, while the US called it a “red line.”The International Atomic Energy Agency says Iran is enriching uranium to 60 percent purity — far above the 3.67% cap under the 2015 deal and close to weapons-grade levels.Tehran has said it is open to discussing the rate and level of enrichment, but not the right to enrich uranium.A year after the US withdrawal from the nuclear deal, Iran began rolling back its commitments, which had placed restrictions on its nuclear activities in exchange for sanctions relief.Israel and Western powers accuse Iran of pursuing nuclear weapons — a charge Tehran has consistently denied, though it has been enriching uranium to levels that have no civilian application while regularly threatening to annihilate Israel.‘National pride’Iran insists it will not abandon its nuclear program, which Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi called a source of “national pride.”“Especially after the recent war, it is important for them to understand that the Islamic Republic of Iran’s position remains unshakable, and that our uranium enrichment will continue. We will not give up this right of the Iranian people,” Araghchi said on the eve of the Istanbul talks.The full extent of the damage sustained in the US bombing remains unclear. Trump has claimed the sites were “completely destroyed,” but US media reports have cast doubt over the scale of destruction.Araghchi has noted that enrichment has currently “stopped” due to “serious and severe” damage to nuclear sites caused by US and Israeli strikes.Since the 12-day war, Iran has suspended cooperation with the IAEA, accusing it of bias and failing to condemn the attacks.Inspectors have since left the country, but a technical team is expected to return in the coming weeks after Iran said future cooperation would take a “new form.”Israel has warned it may resume strikes if Iran rebuilds facilities or moves toward weapons capability.Iran has pledged a “harsh response” to any future attacks.

Europe needs to boost military capabilities: EU defense chief by AFP Staff Writers.

Washington (AFP) July 21, 2025-Europe needs to boost its defense capabilities as the United States seeks to focus on countering China, the EU's defense commissioner said on Monday.President Donald Trump has pushed for increased military burden-sharing with Europe since returning to office earlier this year, with NATO allies agreeing last month to boost their defense spending."Europe is preparing to take responsibility for its own defense. You asked us to do that, and finally we are moving ahead," Andrius Kubilius said in a speech in Washington."We are recognizing that you, Americans, have really the right and the reason in the longer-term perspective to start to shift more and more towards the Indo-Pacific in order to mitigate Chinese rising military power," he said."We Europeans need to ramp up our defense capabilities," the former Lithuanian prime minister said, adding: "That is what we are doing."The United States has for years identified China as its primary military rival and has sought to shift its focus and additional military assets to Asia.But unrest in the Middle East has repeatedly pulled American attention back to that region, with US assets being shifted -- at least temporarily -- away from Asia as a result.

Iran defends 'unshakable' right to enrich uranium ahead of key talks.

Tehran, July 24 (AFP) Jul 24, 2025-Iran on Thursday reaffirmed its right to enrich uranium, saying it was "unshakable", on the eve of key talks with European powers threatening to reimpose nuclear sanctions.Friday's meeting, set to take place in Istanbul, will be the first since Israel's mid-June attack targeting key nuclear and military sites in the Islamic republic sparked a 12-day war.The United States joined its ally Israel in the offensive, striking three Iranian nuclear facilities overnight between June 21 and 22."Especially after the recent war, it is important for them to understand that the Islamic Republic of Iran's position remains unshakable, and that our uranium enrichment will continue," said Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi."We will not give up this right of the Iranian people," he said, quoted by Tasnim news agency.The hostilities between Iran and Israel broke out just two days before Tehran and Washington were set to resume negotiations on Iran's nuclear programme.Britain, France and Germany -- alongside China, Russia and the United States -- are parties to a 2015 nuclear deal with Iran, which placed major restrictions on its atomic activities in return for the gradual lifting of UN sanctions.However, in 2018, the United States unilaterally withdrew from the agreement during Donald Trump's first term as president and reimposed its own sanctions.Britain, France and Germany maintained their support for the 2015 accord and sought to continue trade with Iran, meaning UN and EU sanctions were not reinstated.But they have since accused Tehran of failing to uphold its commitments and are threatening to reimpose sanctions under a clause in the agreement that expires in October -- something Iran is keen to avoid at all costs."Inaction by the E3 is not an option," a European source said of the three powers, noting that Tehran would be reminded during the meeting that the snapback window closes this autumn.The source said Europeans were preparing to trigger the mechanism "in the absence of a negotiated solution" and called on Iran to make "clear gestures" regarding uranium enrichment and the resumption of cooperation with the UN's nuclear watchdog, the International Atomic Energy Agency.The IAEA says Iran is the only non-nuclear-armed country currently enriching uranium to 60 percent -- far beyond the 3.67 percent cap set by the 2015 accord.That is a short step from the 90 percent enrichment required for a nuclear weapon.Western powers, led by the United States and backed by Israel, have long accused Tehran of secretly seeking nuclear weapons.Iran has repeatedly denied this, insisting its nuclear programme is solely for civilian purposes such as energy production.Tehran and Washington had held five rounds of nuclear talks starting in April, but a planned meeting on June 15 was cancelled after Israel launched its strikes on Iran.

Atomic Brussels? Support for nuclear power gains ground in EU.

Brussels, Belgium, July 24 (AFP) Jul 24, 2025-Long a taboo, Brussels opened the door to EU funding for nuclear power this month in a sign of the growing support atomic energy is enjoying within the bloc.The European Commission listed "nuclear fission energy" among the sectors eligible to receive EU money in its 2028-2034 budget proposal unveiled last week -- reversing a previous ban.The commission declined to say if that meant Brussels was prepared to fund the building of new nuclear reactors, with a spokeswoman stressing that the proposal was "still to be discussed" with member states.Nuclear's eligibility remained only potential, she said, and fission was listed alongside other related fields such as decommissioning nuclear facilities, management of radioactive waste and nuclear research.But the change in tack -- given atomic energy was explicitly excluded from funding under the current European Union budget -- marked a victory for the pro-nuclear camp, which has been steadily gathering steam.Europe has long been divided on nuclear.While France has championed it, Germany has led the opposition since former chancellor Angela Merkel accelerated a phase-out in 2011, after the meltdown at the Fukushima nuclear plant in Japan.The two economic powerhouses even captain rival informal clubs of countries that vie for influence in Brussels.Paris leads the "European Nuclear Alliance" while Berlin is top dog in the "Friends of Renewables" group.Informal breakfast talks of the two groups are normally held ahead of meetings of EU energy ministers, with representatives of some countries shuttling between the two gatherings.- 'Unavoidable' topic -France's club has been gaining members, with Belgium and Italy announcing this year they would join, and Greece also expressing interest.This came after Rome opened the door to a return to atomic power, and Belgium officially abandoned a two-decades-old pledge to phase it out.Other members of the club include Bulgaria, Croatia, Finland, the Netherlands, Poland and Sweden.Germany's grouping includes Austria, Spain, Portugal, Ireland, Denmark, and the Baltic states, among others."The enlargement of the alliance makes the subject somewhat unavoidable," Neil Makaroff, a climate transition expert at Strategic Perspectives, a think tank, said of the pro-atomic faction.After years of EU ostracism, these countries want to "make nuclear power politically neutral", he added.Opposition is weaker than a couple of years ago, with more and more governments emphasising the need for a complementary energy mix to speed-up the electrification of the continent.France is even hoping for a more lenient approach from Germany under new leader Friedrich Merz.In May, the chancellor co-signed an opinion piece with French President Emmanuel Macron backing "technological neutrality" and the "non-discriminatory treatment of all low-carbon energies within the European Union".French Energy Minister Marc Ferracci later said the Germans were ready to end "the religious war over nuclear power".Yet, opinions on the matter within Germany's ruling coalition differ and whether Berlin -- a net contributor to the bloc's budget -- would go so far as to greenlight EU funding for nuclear remains to be seen, said Makaroff.Tensions might bubble up again in the coming months, as countries discuss European rules on renewable energy -- a package France would rather be called "decarbonised" energy and include nuclear power.Paris claimed a first victory this month when the commission included the concept of "technological neutrality" dear to the French in its 2040 climate target proposal.Still, even in the most nuclear-heavy scenarios, wind and solar power are projected to dominate the European energy mix in the coming decades.In 2024 renewables accounted for 47 percent of electricity production in Europe, compared with 23 percent for nuclear energy, according to EU data agency Eurostat."In the short term, most of the work on electrification will be done through renewables," said Makaroff.

Anxiety and pride among Cambodia's future conscriptsBy Suy SE.

Phnom Penh (AFP) July 22, 2025-The generation of Cambodians who may find themselves in the firing line when the country introduces military conscription is split between quiet pangs of anxiety and proud proclamations of patriotism."My family is poor. If I am called in for the service, I am worried that my family might face financial issues," 25-year-old tuk-tuk driver Voeun Dara told AFP in Phnom Penh. "It is worrisome for me."Citing rising tensions with Thailand, Prime Minister Hun Manet says Cambodia will next year activate a long-dormant law requiring citizens aged 18 to 30 to enlist in the military.Hun Manet has proposed conscripts serve for two years to bolster the country's 200,000 personnel after a territorial dispute boiled over into a border clash, killing one Cambodian soldier in late May.Graphic design student Ray Kimhak's brother-in-law, a volunteer soldier, has already been deployed to the countries' 800-kilometre-long (500-mile) border.But the 21-year-old says he would gladly join him if compelled by conscription."He said it was a bit difficult to sleep in the jungle, and it rains a lot. But these difficulties don't discourage me at all," Ray Kimhak told AFP at his university in the capital."We are ready to protect our territory because when it is gone, we would never get it back."- 'We should be ready' -Cambodia's conscription law dates back to 2006 but has never been enforced. Hun Manet has said it will be used to replace retiring troops, though it is unclear how many citizens are set to be called up.The country of 17 million has a long and dark history of forced enlistment.Pol Pot's Khmer Rouge communist regime, which ruled from 1975 to 1979, conscripted fighting-aged men, and sometimes children, into its ranks as it perpetrated a genocide that killed two million.One 64-year-old who was conscripted by the Khmer Rouge at 17 told AFP he supported the government's decision, despite standing on a landmine during his time as a soldier."I was forced to be a soldier by Pol Pot," he told AFP, speaking on condition of anonymity from the Thai border town of Sampov Lun."Being a soldier is not easy, but I support the government's plan of military conscription in the face of a border dispute with Thailand. We need to protect our land."Under the newly activated conscription legislation, those who refuse to serve in wartime would face three years in prison, while peacetime refuseniks would face one year behind bars.Sipping green tea at a cafe, 18-year-old IT student Oeng Sirayuth says he fully supports Hun Manet's call to arms."We should be ready, because tension with our neighbouring country is growing," he said. But personally he hopes for a deferral as he finishes his studies."I am a bit reluctant because I have never thought that I will have to join the military service," he said."I think 60 percent of young people are ready to join the military, so these people can go first, and those who are not yet ready can enter the service later."Under the modern-day conscription legislation, women will be allowed to opt for volunteer work rather than military service.But 23-year-old internet provider saleswoman Leakhena said she stands ready to serve on the frontlines.Last month her family delivered donations to Cambodian soldiers patrolling the border, where tensions have spiked with Thailand over a disputed area known as the Emerald Triangle."We have to do something to protect our nation," said Leakhena, speaking on the condition that only her first name was revealed."I feel proud for our soldiers. They are so brave," she added.- 'Trust needs to be earned' -Cambodia allocated approximately $739 million for defence in 2025, the largest share of the country's $9.32 billion national budget, according to official figures.Hun Manet has pledged to "look at increasing" the defence budget as part of reforms to beef up the military.But one young would-be conscript urged the government to defer its plans as the country recovers its finances from the Covid-19 pandemic."Our economy is still struggling," said the 20-year-old fine art student, who asked not to be named."We are in the state of developing our country, so if we enforce the law soon we might face some problems for our economy."Political analyst Ou Virak also said Cambodia's military faces challenges from within as it seeks to win buy-in from a new generation of conscripts."Military training, chain of command, and military discipline are all issues that need to be addressed," he told AFP."For conscription to work and be generally supported and accepted by the people, trust needs to be earned."

Thailand, Cambodia clash with jets and rockets in deadly border rowBy Montira Rungjirajittranon with Suy Se in Phnom Penh.

Bangkok (AFP) July 24, 2025-Thailand launched air strikes on Cambodian military targets on Thursday as Cambodia fired rockets and artillery, killing at least 11 civilians, in a dramatic escalation of a long-running border row between the two neighbours.The neighbours are locked in a bitter spat over an area known as the Emerald Triangle, where the borders of both countries and Laos meet, and which is home to several ancient temples.The squabble has dragged on for decades, flaring into bloody military clashes more than 15 years ago and again in May, when a Cambodian soldier was killed in a firefight.The conflict blazed up on Thursday, with Cambodia firing rockets and artillery shells into Thailand and the Thai military scrambling F-16 jets to carry out air strikes.The Thai ministry of public health said at least 11 civilians had been killed, most of them in a rocket strike near a petrol station in Sisaket province.Footage from the scene showed smoke pouring from the roof of a convenience store attached to the petrol station. Provincial officials said most of the dead were students inside the shop when the attack happened.Six Thai air force jets were deployed from Ubon Ratchathani province, hitting two "Cambodian military targets on the ground", according to Thai military deputy spokesperson Ritcha Suksuwanon.Both sides blamed the other for starting the fighting, which erupted near two temples on the border between the Thai province of Surin and Cambodia's Oddar Meanchey.Cambodian defence ministry spokeswoman Maly Socheata said in a statement that Thai troops launched an "armed assault on Cambodian forces"."In response, the Cambodian armed forces exercised their legitimate right to self-defence, in full accordance with international law, to repel the Thai incursion and protect Cambodia's sovereignty and territorial integrity," she said.Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Manet requested an urgent meeting of the UN Security Council to address what his foreign ministry labelled "unprovoked military aggression".Thailand's government spokesman, meanwhile, accused Cambodia of being "inhumane, brutal and war-hungry", and Bangkok's foreign ministry said all border crossings had been shut and nearby residents evacuated.The Thai military blamed Cambodian soldiers for firing first, and later accused them of a "targeted attack on civilians", saying two BM-21 rockets had hit a community in Surin's Kap Choeng district, wounding three people.According to the Thai military, the clashes began around 7:35 am (0035 GMT) when a unit guarding Ta Muen temple heard a Cambodian drone overhead.Later, six armed Cambodian soldiers, including one carrying a rocket-propelled grenade launcher, approached a barbed-wired fence in front of the Thai post, the army said.Around 8:20 am, Cambodian forces opened fire toward the eastern side of the temple, about 200 metres from the Thai base.Thailand's acting Prime Minister Phumtham Wechayachai said "the situation requires careful handling, and we must act in accordance with international law"."We will do our best to protect our sovereignty," he said.In a Facebook post, Thailand's embassy in Phnom Penh urged its nationals to leave Cambodia "as soon as possible" unless they had urgent reasons to remain.China, a close ally of Cambodia, said it was "deeply concerned" about the clashes, calling for dialogue -- while also urging its citizens in Cambodia to avoid the country's frontier with Thailand.- Long-running row -The violence came hours after Thailand expelled the Cambodian ambassador and recalled its own envoy in protest after five members of a Thai military patrol were wounded by a landmine.On Thursday morning, Cambodia announced it was downgrading ties to "the lowest level", pulling out all but one of its diplomats and expelling their Thai equivalents from Phnom Penh.Recent weeks have seen a series of tit-for-tat swipes by both sides, with Thailand restricting border crossings and Cambodia halting certain imports.The border row also kicked off a domestic political crisis in Thailand, where prime minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra has been suspended from office pending an ethics probe over her conduct.A diplomatic call between Paetongtarn and Hun Sen, Cambodia's former longtime ruler and father of Hun Manet, was leaked from the Cambodian side, sparking a judicial investigation.Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim called on both sides to "stand down" and start talks.Malaysia currently chairs the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), of which both Thailand and Cambodia are members.burs-pdw/fox

US approves $322 mn in arms sales to Ukraine; German government moves to speed up military procurement-by AFP Staff Writers.

Washington (AFP) July 23, 2025-The United States on Wednesday announced the approval of $322 million in arms sales to bolster Ukraine's air defenses and its armored combat vehicles.The announcement of the sales comes after Washington temporarily halted some weapons shipments to Ukraine earlier this month even as Kyiv faced heavy Russian missile and drone attacks.The sale of HAWK air defense equipment and sustainment will cost up to $172 million, while Bradley Infantry Fighting Vehicle equipment and services will total up to $150 million, the US Defense Security Cooperation Agency (DSCA) said.The proposed HAWK equipment sale "will improve Ukraine's capability to meet current and future threats by further equipping it to conduct self-defense and regional security missions with a more robust air defense capability," DSCA said.And the Bradley equipment and services will help meet Ukraine's "urgent need to strengthen local sustainment capabilities to maintain high operational rates for United States provided vehicles and weapon systems," it said.The State Department approved the possible sales and the DSCA provided the required notification to the US Congress, which still needs to sign off on the transactions.The latest proposed military sale to Ukraine follows another announced in early May valued at $310.5 million for F-16 training and sustainment.Russia's President Vladimir Putin launched the full-scale invasion of neighboring Ukraine in 2022 and has shown little willingness to end the conflict despite pressure from the United States.Under former president Joe Biden, Washington committed to providing more than $65 billion in military assistance to Ukraine.But President Donald Trump -- long skeptical of assistance for Ukraine -- has not followed suit, announcing no new military aid packages for Kyiv since he returned to office in January.

German government moves to speed up military procurement.

Berlin (AFP) July 23, 2025 - Germany's government on Wednesday approved a draft bill to speed up military procurement as Berlin moves to build up its armed forces in the face of wavering US commitment to European security.The plans would make it easier for defence firms to receive advance payments from the state to start production sooner, Defence Minister Boris Pistorius told journalists.Contracts worth less than 443,000 euros ($520,000) will also be exempt from the full procurement process, up from a current limit of 15,000 euros, Pistorius said.The threshold will rise to one million euros for construction projects, he added.He said the proposed bill represented a "quantum leap" for Germany's armed forces, unblocking progress on about 12,000 procurement processes.The changes will address the "jumble of regulations" that hindered "quickly building up Germany's defence readiness", he added.Presenting the bill alongside Pistorius, Economy Minister Katherina Reiche said Germany needed to become "technologically and industrially stronger than potential aggressors"."That is how we preserve peace," Reiche added.Berlin has rushed to rearm itself following Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine, accelerating that process after US President Donald Trump urged Europe to take more responsibility for its own defence.Chancellor Friedrich Merz has vowed to build Europe's "strongest conventional army" to counter a perceived threat from Moscow.That represents a radical shift in a country with strong pacifist traditions due to its Nazi past.Spending on Germany's armed forces is expected to reach 162 billion euros in 2029, more than triple Germany's defence budget before the war in Ukraine.To become law, the cabinet's draft bill still needs to be passed by Germany's parliament.

Iran to meet European powers amid threats of UN sanctions snapback.

Istanbul, July 25 (AFP) Jul 25, 2025-Iranian diplomats will meet counterparts from Germany, Britain and France on Friday for renewed nuclear talks, amid warnings that the three European powers could trigger "snapback" sanctions outlined under the 2015 deal.The meeting, set to take place in Istanbul, will be the first since Israel's mid-June attack on Iran, which sparked a 12-day war and targeted key nuclear and military sites.Israel's offensive -- which killed top commanders, nuclear scientists and hundreds of others as residential areas were struck as well -- also derailed US-Iran nuclear talks that began in April.Since then, the European powers, known as the E3, have threatened to trigger the "snapback mechanism", which would reinstate United Nations sanctions on Iran by the end of August, under the effectively moribund 2015 nuclear deal.The option to trigger the snapback expires in October, and Tehran has warned of consequences should the E3 opt to activate it."Inaction by the E3 is not an option," a European source said, noting that Tehran would be reminded during the meeting that the snapback window closes this autumn.The source said Europeans are preparing to trigger the mechanism "in the absence of a negotiated solution" and called on Iran to make "clear gestures" regarding uranium enrichment and the resumption of cooperation with the UN nuclear watchdog.Ahead of the talks on Friday, Iranian foreign ministry spokesman Esmaeil Baqaei said the meeting would be a "test of realism for the Europeans and a valuable opportunity to correct their views on Iran's nuclear issue," in remarks to the official IRNA news agency.- Sanctions -Iran's Deputy Foreign Minister Kazem Gharibabadi, who will attend the talks Friday, alongside senior Iranian diplomat Majid Takht-Ravanchi, warned this week that triggering sanctions "is completely illegal".He also accused European powers of "halting their commitments" to the deal after the United States unilaterally withdrew in 2018 during President Donald Trump's first term."We have warned them of the risks, but we are still seeking common ground to manage the situation," said Gharibabadi.Iranian diplomats have previously warned that Tehran could withdraw from the global nuclear non-proliferation treaty if UN sanctions are reimposed.Restoring sanctions would deepen Iran's international isolation and place further pressure on its already strained economy.Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Saar has urged European powers to trigger the mechanism.Israel's June 13 attack on Iran came two days before Tehran and Washington were scheduled to meet for a sixth round of nuclear negotiations.On June 22, the United States itself struck Iranian nuclear facilities at Fordo, Isfahan, and Natanz.Before the war, Washington and Tehran were divided over uranium enrichment, which Iran has described as a "non-negotiable" right, while the United States called it a "red line".The International Atomic Energy Agency says Iran is enriching uranium to 60 percent purity -- far above the 3.67 percent cap under the 2015 deal and close to weapons-grade levels.Tehran has said it is open to discussing the rate and level of enrichment, but not the right to enrich uranium.A year after the US withdrawal from the nuclear deal, Iran began rolling back its commitments, which had placed restrictions on its nuclear activities in exchange for sanctions relief.Israel and Western powers accuse Iran of pursuing nuclear weapons -- a charge Tehran has consistently denied.- 'Unshakable' -Iran insists it will not abandon its nuclear programme, with Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi saying " Iran's position remains unshakable, and that our uranium enrichment will continue."Araghchi has previously noted that enrichment is currently "stopped" due to "serious and severe" damage to nuclear sites caused by US and Israeli strikes.The full extent of the damage sustained in the US bombing remains unclear. Trump has claimed the sites were "completely destroyed", but US media reports have cast doubt over the scale of destruction.Since the 12-day war, Iran has suspended cooperation with the IAEA, accusing it of bias and failing to condemn the attacks.Inspectors have since left the country, but a technical team is expected to return in the coming weeks after Iran said future cooperation would take a "new form".Israel has warned it may resume strikes if Iran rebuilds facilities or moves toward weapons capability.Iran has pledged a "harsh response" to any future attacks.

US approves $4.67 bn sale of air defense system to Egypt.

Washington, July 24 (AFP) Jul 24, 2025-The United States on Thursday announced the approval of a $4.67 billion sale of the NASAMS air defense system and related support to Egypt.NASAMS -- the National Advanced Surface-to-Air Missile System -- has seen recent use on the battlefield after being provided to Ukraine by Kyiv's supporters as part of efforts to bolster the country's air defenses against Russian attacks."The proposed sale will improve Egypt's capability to meet current and future threats by improving its ability to detect various air threats," the Defense Security Cooperation Agency (DSCA) said in a statement.The deal also "will support the foreign policy goals and national security objectives of the United States by improving the security of a major non-NATO ally that is a force for political stability and economic progress in the Middle East," DSCA said.The State Department approved the possible sale of the system to Egypt and the DSCA provided the required notification to the US Congress, which still needs to sign off on the transaction.

Space Force general to oversee U.S. 'Golden Dome' missile shield-by Jake Thomas.

Washington DC (UPI) Jul 22, 2025-The U.S. Senate has approved Gen. Mike Guetlein to oversee President Donald Trump's national missile defense system, known as the Golden Dome.The Pentagon announced Tuesday that Guetlein had cleared the final hurdle to leading the Office of Golden Dome for America, which will work with industry, higher education, national labs and other government agencies to develop the high-tech missile shield.The Golden Dome is similar to Israel's "Iron Dome" and is intended to modernize the United States' defenses from threats from Russia, China, Iran and North Korea. The missile shield will be designed for ballistic, hypersonic, advanced cruise missiles and other large-scale attacks.Guetlein is currently a Space Force general who serves as vice chief of space operations for the military service branch.Testifying to Congress in March, Guetlein compared the complexity of developing the Golden Dome to that of the Manhattan Project, a World War II-era initiative that produced the world's first nuclear weapons."It is not complex because of technology; it is complex because of the number of organizations and agencies that need to be involved," he told a Senate Senate Armed Services subcommittee.Building the Golden Dome will require cooperation between multiple government agencies, as well as private industry, he said. Guetlein described differences in organizational behavior and culture as the project's biggest challenges, which he said can be overcome by having an empowered and well-resourced agency in charge that has the support of policymakers.The Golden Dome project is expected to cost $175 billion and Trump has previously said it will be "fully operational" by the end of his term.The GOP-backed major tax and spending bill recently signed by Trump includes nearly $25 billion for the Golden Dome. Defense contractors are optimistic it will boost profits.Defense contractor Lockheed Martin on Tuesday reported $18.2 billion in second-quarter sales and predicted more growth as the Golden Dome Project progresses.Speaking during an earnings call Tuesday, Jim Taiclet, president and CEO of Lockheed Martin, said the company has already developed missile defense systems that "are the exact solutions needed to make Golden Dome for America a reality."Taiclet added that the company's exact role in the Golden Dome project remains to be seen because "the plan on the government side isn't laid out yet."Chris Calio, chairman and CEO of RTX Corp., also expressed optimism that the project would bolster the company's bottom line during an earnings call Tuesday, saying it "is really well aligned with our core capabilities and product portfolio."The effectiveness of Israel's Iron Dome has been on display after it successfully shielded the country from hundreds of missiles launched by Iran.Trump administration officials say the Golden Dome will fulfill former President Ronald Reagan's vision of a "Star Wars" system that was never completed. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth previously said that technology has now advanced enough to build the expansive missile shield envisioned by Reagan.The United States has missile defense systems in place already, but they would not be able to defend against a large-scale attack from Russia, China, Iran or North Korea.Patrycja Bazylczyk, program manager and research associate at the Center for Strategic and International Studies' Missile Defense Project, previously told UPI that the Golden Dome project could reorient the United States' defense for an era of "great power competition.""Our adversaries China and Russia have next-generation weapons that can threaten the U.S. homeland," Bazylczyk said. "We need to prime our defenses to defend against these next generation threats."

Syria rejects Kurd bid to keep weapons: government source.

Damascus, July 24 (AFP) Jul 24, 2025-Syria has rejected Kurdish demands to keep their weapons, a government source said Thursday, as a new round of talks on the Kurds' integration into the state was set to begin.The Kurds, who control large swathes of the north and east, are negotiating with the central government on the integration of their civil and military institutions into the state.Those include the US-backed Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), which is Kurdish-led."Talking about refusing to hand over weapons or maintaining an autonomous military force is completely unacceptable," the source told the state broadcaster Al-Ikhbariya.According to the source, such a position "contradicts the principles of unifying the national army and the agreement reached last March between Ahmed al-Sharaa and Mazloum Abdi".In March, Interim President Ahmed al-Sharaa and SDF commander Mazloum Abdi signed a deal to incorporate Kurdish institutions into the Syrian state.While talks have been held regularly since then, progress has stalled.Recent unrest in the south, where the new authorities have attempted to subdue the Druze minority, as well as ongoing violence targeting the Alawite community, has deepened Kurdish concerns.According to the Kurdish news agency Hawar, a planned meeting on Thursday in Paris between Kurdish representatives and a Syrian government delegation was postponed.During the recent violence in the southern Druze heartland of Sweida -- which left nearly 1,400 dead -- a senior Syrian Kurdish official called on the central government to urgently and comprehensively rethink its approach to minorities.Damascus, meanwhile, insists on reunifying the country at any cost.The government source's comments came a day after SDF spokesperson Farhad Shami told al-Yaum TV that disarmament is a "red line"."No one is surrendering in Syria. Those betting on our capitulation will lose -- the tragic events have made that clear," he added, referring to the communal violence in Sweida.Reacting to this, the Syrian government source said: "Using the events in Sweida or along the coast to justify refusing to return to the state fold is a manipulation of public opinion"."A genuine national dialogue cannot happen under the threat of weapons or with backing from foreign powers," the source added.On Saturday, Abdi, who is backed by Washington, met with US special envoy to Syria Tom Barrack to discuss the southern unrest, according to the US embassy in Syria on X.

Risk highlighted as Chinese hackers hit Microsoft.

Paris, July 25 (AFP) Jul 25, 2025-Software giant Microsoft is at the center of cybersecurity storm after China-linked hackers exploited flaws in SharePoint servers to target hundreds of organizations.While such cyberattacks are not new, the scale of the onslaught and the speed with which the hackers took advantage of freshly discovered vulnerabilities is fueling concern.Dutch startup Eye Security warned Saturday of online attacks targeting SharePoint file-sharing servers, with Microsoft quick to confirm the report and release patches to protect systems.The vulnerability allowed hackers to retrieve credentials and then access SharePoint servers kept at users' facilities, according to Microsoft.Cloud-based SharePoint software was safe from the problem, the company said.- Targets -Eye Security determined that more than 400 computer systems were compromised by hackers during waves of attacks.Targets included government organizations in Europe, the Middle East and the United States - among them the US nuclear weapons agency, media reports indicated."On-premises SharePoint deployments - particularly within government, schools, healthcare and large enterprise companies - are at immediate risk," cybersecurity firm Palo Alto Networks warned in a note.Microsoft has not disclosed the number of victims in the attacks.SharePoint had more than 200 million active users as of 2020, according to the most recent figures available from Microsoft.- Attribution? -Microsoft has attributed the cyberattacks to groups backed by China.The culprits are believed to include Chinese state actors known as Linen Typhoon and Violet Typhoon along with a group called Storm-2603 which "is considered with moderate confidence to be a threat actor based in China."The Typhoon groups have been active for a decade or more, and are known for intellectual property theft as well as espionage, according to Microsoft.Less was known about Storm-2603 and its motives."Investigations into other actors also using these exploits are ongoing," Microsoft said, urging users to patch SharePoint servers to avoid becoming hacking victims.Cybersecurity specialist Damien Bancal noted in a recent blog post that he found "ready-to-use exploit code" for the vulnerability at a popular website.- Why Microsoft? -The assault on SharePoint servers is the latest in a series of sophisticated attacks carried out by state-sponsored groups against "the Microsoft ecosystem," according to Bancal.In 2021, attacks by a Chinese hacker group known as Silk Typhoon compromised tens of thousands of email servers using Microsft Exchange software.Microsoft's success at making its software commonplace in offices and homes also makes it a prime target for hackers out to steal money or information.Microsoft software can hold sensitive and valuable information."It's not Microsoft that is being targeted, it's its customers," said Shane Barney, head of information security at US-based Keeper.Targeting Microsoft programs is a means to an end, and tomorrow it could be software from another company, said Rodrigue Le Bayon, head of Orange Cyberdefense computer emergency response team.- China's role? -China is not the only nation backing hacker operations as countries around the world hone cyber capabilities, according to Le Bayon.Nevertheless, China is repeatedly singled out by companies and goverments hit by hacks.Western countries have accused hacker groups allegedly supported by China of conducting a global cyber espionage campaign against figures critical of Beijing, democratic institutions, and companies in various sensitive sectors.mng-juj/gc/arp/dw

Hong Kong issues bounties for 19 overseas activists on subversion charges.

Hong Kong, July 25 (AFP) Jul 25, 2025-Hong Kong police announced bounties Friday for information leading to the arrest of 19 overseas activists, accusing them of national security crimes.Political dissent in Hong Kong has been quashed since Beijing imposed a sweeping national security law in 2020 after huge, sometimes violent pro-democracy protests the year before.Many opposition figures have fled abroad, while others have been arrested and sentenced to years in jail.Police said the 19 activists were involved in what they called a "subversive organisation", Hong Kong Parliament -- a pro-democracy NGO established in Canada.On July 1, Hong Kong Parliament said on social media that it was holding an unofficial poll online to form a "legislature", aimed at "opposing one-party dictatorship and tyranny and pursuing Hong Kong people ruling Hong Kong".In a statement on Friday, police accused the group of seeking to "unlawfully overthrow and undermine the fundamental system" of the Chinese and Hong Kong authorities.The investigation into the organisation is ongoing, the police said, warning that they "will offer bounties to hunt down more suspects in the case if necessary".They also called on the accused to "return to Hong Kong and turn themselves in, rather than make further mistakes".A reward of HK$200,000 ($25,500) each was offered for 15 of the activists, while the four others were already wanted for HK$1 million, the statement said.- Symbolic bounties -The bounties are seen as largely symbolic given that they affect people living abroad in nations unlikely to extradite political activists to Hong Kong or China.Friday's announcement is the fourth time the financial hub's authorities have offered rewards for help capturing those alleged to have violated the city's national security laws.According to the Hong Kong police's website, as of Friday there are now 34 people wanted for national security offences, including secession, subversion, or foreign collusion.Previous rounds of bounties were met with intense criticism from Western countries, with Hong Kong and China in turn railing against foreign "interference".Hong Kong has also previously cancelled the passports of other pro-democracy activists on its wanted list, under its second homegrown national security law enacted in 2024.As of July 1, authorities had arrested 333 people for alleged national security crimes, with 165 convicted in Hong Kong.Earlier this month, Hong Kong police arrested four people, including a 15-year-old, who were allegedly part of a group in Taiwan that called for the overthrow of the Chinese Communist Party.This week police said they had arrested an 18-year-old for writing "seditious words" on a toilet wall in a commercial building.

UK, Australia back embattled submarine deal with US.

Sydney, July 25 (AFP) Jul 25, 2025-Britain and Australia said Friday they will sign a 50-year commitment to their nuclear-powered submarine pact with the United States, seeking to bolster a deal that Washington has thrown into doubt.The two countries cast their pledge as a historic treaty but gave few details beyond saying it would help economic cooperation and "underpin" the existing, three-nation AUKUS pact."It is a profoundly important treaty that we will sign tomorrow," Australian Defence Minister Richard Marles told reporters after talks in Sydney between the two countries' defence and foreign ministers.A US defence official last month revealed that a review of AUKUS was underway to ensure it "aligned with the President's America First agenda" and that the US defence industrial base was "meeting our needs".Under the 2021 AUKUS deal, Australia would acquire at least three Virginia-class submarines from the United States within 15 years, eventually manufacturing its own subs.The US Navy has 24 Virginia-class vessels but American shipyards are struggling to meet production targets set at two new boats each year.In the United States, critics question why Washington would sell nuclear-powered submarines to Australia without stocking its own military first."A new government undertaking a review is the most natural thing in the world," Marles said of the decision by US President Donald Trump's administration.- 'Symbolism is important' -Australia had already contributed US$1 billion this year to help boost production and maintenance of submarines in the United States, he said."We are really confident that the production rates will be raised in America."Under AUKUS, Britain will eventually develop a new class of nuclear-powered attack submarines, the SSN-AUKUS, to enter service from the late 2030s.Australia would also build the SSN-AUKUS, with delivery expected to its navy in the early 2040s.British Defence Secretary John Healey said London welcomed the US review."It's an opportunity for the new administration to renew America's commitment to the deep AUKUS partnership that our three nations have," he said.In a government statement, Britain repeated previously released figures saying that the AUKUS submarine programme would lead to the creation of 21,000 UK jobs.It said the submarine programme was expected to be worth "up to" 20 billion pounds (US$27 billion) in British exports over the next 25 years.Analyst Tom Corben from the United States Studies Centre in Australia said the new treaty between Canberra and London was an important show of solidarity."The symbolism is important given everything else that is happening," he said.Britain's defence and foreign ministers were visiting Australia as their country's Carrier Strike Group and 3,000 personnel took part in annual Talisman Sabre military exercises across Australia and Papua New Guinea.

Macron appoints military advisor as new army chief by AFP Staff Writers.

Paris (AFP) July 23, 2025-President Emmanuel Macron has appointed his closest military advisor, an experienced fighter pilot, as the new chief of staff of France's armed forces, Defence Minister Sebastien Lecornu said Wednesday.Fabien Mandon, a 55-year-old air force general and former Mirage fighter jet pilot, takes over from Thierry Burkhard.The appointment of Mandon, who has extensive combat experience, comes after Macron last week called for a boost in France's defence spending, citing Russia as a threat for all of Europe.Macron said that "if you want be feared you must be powerful" and urged "mobilisation" by all government departments."I have every confidence in General Fabien Mandon," Macron said on X, adding he would "guide our forces in the face of major challenges".Lecornu said Mandon took on the job in the context of "an increasingly demanding security environment".Until Russia's 2022 invasion of Ukraine, France's armed forces were mainly focused on international missions and asymmetric warfare against non-state actors, such as jihadist groups in Africa's Sahel.Over the past three years, Burkhard has overseen a strategic shift to include the possibility of high-intensity war between states.Mandon's career includes several foreign deployments, including in the Central African Republic, Chad, and Tajikistan, from where he flew missions in Afghanistan."I killed in Afghanistan. And I know whom I killed: Taliban. I have the soul of a fighter," he recently told French magazine L'Express.Mandon also served temporarily as commander at the Avord Air Base, where nuclear-capable fighter jets are stationed.Part of his brief at the Elysee has been to inform Macron about nuclear deterrence questions.bur-jh/as/jj

North Korea's Kim urges troops to prepare 'for real war'by AFP Staff Writers.

Seoul (AFP) July 24, 2025-North Korean leader Kim Jong Un has urged his military to be ready "for real war" as he observed a firing contest of artillery units, Pyongyang state media said Thursday.Kim's remarks follow the North's deployment of troops and weapons to help Russia during its more than three-year long offensive in Ukraine.Video footage aired by state-run Korea Central Television on Thursday showed soldiers from artillery units firing shells towards the sea.Kim is seen looking through binoculars at an observation post, flanked by two military officials, but the location for Wednesday's contest was not disclosed.He urged the soldiers to be ready "for real war" at "anytime" and be capable of "destroying the enemy in every battle", the Korean Central News Agency reported in an English dispatch.South Korean and Western intelligence agencies have reported Pyongyang sent more than 10,000 soldiers to Russia's Kursk region last year, along with artillery shells, missiles and long-range rocket systems.Around 600 North Korean soldiers have been killed and thousands more wounded fighting for Russia, Seoul has said.Kim offered Moscow his full support for its war in Ukraine during recent talks with Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov, state media reported previously.The two heavily sanctioned nations signed a military deal last year, including a mutual defence clause, during a rare visit by Russian President Vladimir Putin to Pyongyang.

North Korea plans to build another 5,000-ton destroyer by AFP Staff Writers.

Seoul (AFP) July 22, 2025-North Korea vowed to build an additional 5,000-ton destroyer for its navy, state media reported Tuesday, after the nuclear-armed country launched two similar vessels this year.Leader Kim Jong Un has vowed to ramp up his country's naval capacities, and presided over the April launch of the country's first 5,000-ton destroyer-class naval ship, the Choe Hyon.South Korea's military has said the ship could have been developed with Russian help, possibly in exchange for deploying thousands of troops to help Moscow fight in Ukraine.Kim also presided over the botched launch of the destroyer Kang Kon in May, which was subsequently repaired and set afloat in June.Workers at the Nampho Shipyard pledged Monday at a rally to complete the new warship by October 10 next year, according to Pyongyang's official Korean Central News Agency.The date marks the anniversary of the founding of the ruling Workers' Party of Korea.The North will now construct the "Choe Hyon-class Destroyer No. 3" which it described as "a powerful warship of our own type".The Nampho dockyard manager urged workers to meet the construction deadline to uphold the party's "plan for building a powerful army" and "to firmly defend the inviolable maritime sovereignty and national interests," KCNA said.South Korea's new president, Lee Jae-myung, elected last month in a snap election, has promised a more dovish approach towards Pyongyang, compared with that of his hawkish impeached predecessor Yoon Suk Yeol.The Lee administration has halted loudspeaker propaganda broadcasts along the border, which Seoul began last year following a barrage of trash-filled balloons flown southward by Pyongyang.Seemingly in response, North Korea also ended its own propaganda broadcasts which had relayed strange and eerie noises into the South.

Iran says confronted US destroyer in Gulf of Oman-by AFP Staff Writers.

Tehran (AFP) July 23, 2025-Iranian forces on Wednesday warned a US destroyer to stay out of waters claimed by Tehran, state television reported, an interaction a US defence official said was "safe and professional" and did not affect the ship's mission.The exchange in the Gulf of Oman between the two rivals comes a month after the United States carried out strikes against three key Iranian nuclear sites during the 12-day war between Israel and the Islamic republic.State TV said an Iranian army helicopter flew over the USS Fitzgerald on Wednesday morning after the vessel "attempted to approach the waters under the supervision" of Iran.The destroyer issued threats of its own, the broadcaster said, but "the Iranian pilot... reiterated the warning to stay away from Iranian waters", forcing the US vessel to "give in" and alter its course.In a video released by Iranian state TV, a destroyer is seen from what seems to be a helicopter window as the pilot calls on the vessel to "change course" and avoid approaching Iranian territorial waters.A US defence official said the American ship "had a safe and professional interaction with an Iranian SH-3 'Sea King' helicopter while operating in international waters"."This interaction had no impact to USS Fitzgerald's mission and any reports claiming otherwise are falsehoods", the official added.Iranian forces have a history of confronting US forces in bodies of water off the country's southern coast.In 2023, Tehran said it forced a US submarine to surface while crossing the strategic Strait of Hormuz -- a claim Washington denied.

Germany approves Eurofighter jet delivery to Turkey-by AFP Staff Writers.

Berlin (AFP) July 23, 2025-Germany said Wednesday it had approved the delivery of Eurofighter jets to Turkey, clearing the way for a deal that had been delayed by tensions between the two countries.Turkey had been in talks for several years on buying 40 of the aircraft, which are constructed by a consortium from Germany, Britain, Italy and Spain.The Typhoon jets are to be built in Britain and London is leading the negotiations.But all members of the consortium must sign off on the sale and Germany, which has clashed with Turkey over Israel's war on Gaza, had objected.However, the defence ministry had now "sent a written confirmation to the Turkish government confirming the approval of the export", government spokesman Stefan Kornelius told journalists in Berlin.News outlet Der Spiegel reported that Chancellor Friedrich Merz had bowed to pressure from British Prime Minister Keir Starmer, as the project is expected to support about 20,000 jobs in Britain.After Germany gave the green light to the sale, the Turkish and British defence ministers signed a preliminary agreement in Istanbul on Wednesday for the delivery of the jets.The sale "will strengthen the decades-long friendship between key NATO allies and will be an important step towards enhancing Turkey's advanced air combat capabilities", Turkey's defence ministry said.British Defence Secretary John Healey said the deal would "strengthen NATO's collective defence, and boost both our countries' industrial bases by securing thousands of skilled jobs across the UK for years to come".Turkey's request for the planes was submitted to the German government more than two years ago, but the two countries have since clashed over the war in Gaza.Ankara has vocally criticised Israel's offensive in the Palestinian territory while Berlin has been a staunch supporter of Israel, although it has voiced some criticism over the worsening humanitarian situation in Gaza.