Rockets rain down on Israel, UNSC "lights hope" for Gaza Strip, notorious Ukrainian brigade is "unleashed" to use American weapons

The conflict between Israel and the Hamas Islamist movement, the new UNSC resolution on the Gaza Strip, the disappearance of the plane carrying the Vice President of Malawi, the bloody terrorist attack in Nigeria... are some of the outstanding international events of the day.

Members of the Ukrainian Azov brigade in Donetsk, April 12. (Source: AP)

Middle East-Africa

* Missile alert sounds across northern Israel, rockets rain down: On June 11, sirens warning of a possible missile attack sounded in the northern port city of Haifa for the first time since January this year.

Sirens also continued to sound in other northern areas of Israel, the Upper Galilee and the Golan Heights.

However, the Israeli military said the alarm was triggered by the Iron Dome missile defense system intercepting a target that was later determined to be a "misidentification." Israel is investigating the incident.

Meanwhile, about 50 rockets were launched from Lebanon into Israel, but there were no reports of casualties. Israeli air defenses shot down some of the rockets, while the rest fell in open areas.

Lebanon's Hezbollah movement claimed responsibility for the rocket attack. (Times of Israel)

* The UN Security Council adopted a resolution supporting a ceasefire proposal in the Gaza Strip on June 10, with 14 votes in favor and 1 abstention from Russia. This proposal includes 3 stages, proposed by US President Joe Biden.

On June 11, the Hamas Islamist movement said it had accepted the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) resolution and affirmed its readiness to participate in detailed negotiations on the above issues, but the important thing is whether the US can ensure that Israel will take steps according to this resolution.

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken said Hamas's statement of support was a "hopeful sign", but the group's actual actions and decisions would be the real deciding factor for the peace process.

On the Israeli side, Mr. Blinken announced that during a meeting on the evening of June 10 in Jerusalem, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu reaffirmed his commitment to the ceasefire agreement in the Gaza Strip.

Türkiye welcomed Hamas's positive approach as well as the UNSC's move to pass a supportive resolution.

Foreign ministers of several European countries such as the UK and Belgium welcomed the UNSC resolution.

The European External Action Service (EEAS) called for the resolution to be implemented immediately and reiterated its “full support for the comprehensive roadmap presented by US President Joe Biden.” (AFP, Reuters, Times of Israel)

* Houthis announce arrest of 'US-Israeli spy group': Days after the Houthis detained about 10 UN staff, the Houthi movement in Yemen announced the arrest of a US-Israeli spy group.

Houthi intelligence chief Hakim Al Khaiwani said the group has been carrying out espionage and sabotage activities for decades, under the guise of US embassy staff and international organizations.

Israeli government officials, the US State Department and the UN have not commented on the move. (AP)

* A series of terrorist attacks in Nigeria's Katsina state have left more than 50 people dead and many injured. Dozens of people, including women and children, have also been kidnapped and taken into the forest.

One of the sources said the attack took place on the night of June 10. Residents of the affected communities have yet to confirm the number of hostages, while the injured are being treated at local hospitals. (Mehr News)

* A plane carrying Malawi Vice President Saulos Klaus Chilima and nine others went missing on the morning of June 10. The office of the Malawian President and Cabinet said: “All efforts by aviation authorities to contact the plane since it turned off its radar have failed.”

The Japan Self-Defense Forces said the plane may have crashed in the Chikangawa forest, but no trace has been found, while search and rescue efforts are being hampered by dense forest and foggy weather conditions. (AFP)

America

* Washington has lifted a ban on Ukraine's notorious Azov Brigade from using US weapons, the Washington Post reported on June 10, citing US State Department officials.

The department lifted the ban after a new analysis found no evidence that the unit violated US human rights, the source said.

The Azov Regiment is part of the Ukrainian National Guard and grew out of a battalion formed in 2014 to fight against Russian-backed separatists in eastern Ukraine.

Responding to this move, on June 11, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov warned that the US decision had an "extremely negative" impact, showing that Washington would stop at nothing in its efforts to hurt Russia. (Reuters)

* US Ambassador Rahm Emanuel called on Japan to quickly support replenishing its missile arsenal as conflicts in the Middle East and Ukraine continue and Washington seeks to maintain its deterrence capabilities in the Indo-Pacific.

Commenting that China's shipbuilding capacity will surpass that of the United States, he said that repairing US Navy ships and Air Force aircraft deployed in the region in Japan could free up US industrial capacity to focus on building new ships. (Asahi)

* The US monitors a group of Russian naval ships visiting Cuba: The destroyer Admiral Gorshkov and the nuclear submarine Kazan along with two logistics ships will dock at Havana port, Cuba from June 12-17.

Although the activity is not considered a threat, Washington will deploy three frigates, two other ships carrying sonar equipment, and a coast guard ship to monitor the activity, according to US officials. (CBS News)

Asia-Pacific

* Chinese Premier Li Qiang visits Australia, New Zealand: A press release from the Australian Prime Minister's Office said Prime Minister Anthony Albanese will welcome his Chinese counterpart Li Qiang for a visit from June 15-18.

The two prime ministers will hold the annual Leaders' Meeting at Parliament House in Canberra to exchange views on bilateral, regional and international issues, before travelling to Adelaide and Perth and meeting with business leaders from both countries at the 7th Australia-China CEO Roundtable.

Meanwhile, New Zealand Prime Minister Christopher Luxon announced that Mr. Li Qiang will visit Wellington this week, but did not specify the time. According to Mr. Luxon, the visit will be a valuable opportunity for the two sides to discuss areas of bilateral cooperation.

This will be the first visit to Australia and New Zealand by a Chinese premier since Li Keqiang in 2017. (ABC News)

* China investigates stabbing of 4 Americans in Jilin Province: On June 11, US media and government officials said that 4 American educators from Cornell University in Iowa visited a temple in Beishan Park as part of an academic exchange program with Beihua University in Jilin.

While this activity was taking place, a man suddenly attacked them with a knife. The motive of the subject is currently unknown.

China's Foreign Ministry said that police initially assessed the stabbing as an accidental incident and that authorities were investigating.

Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Lin Jian stressed that the incident would not affect normal exchanges between the people of the two countries. (Reuters)

* The Taliban are ready for security dialogue with Russia, according to the Acting Minister of Labor and Social Affairs established by the Taliban government in Afghanistan, Abdul Umari.

“We want to have good relations with Russia in terms of expanding such relations. We appreciate Russia’s intention to remove the Taliban from the banned list,” Umari stressed. (TASS)

* South Korea and Cuba held their first diplomatic talks on June 12 in Seoul, after the two countries established bilateral relations in February.

South Korean Vice Foreign Minister Chung Byung-won will hold direct talks with Cuban Foreign Ministry Director-General for Bilateral Affairs Carlos Pereira, who is in Seoul to attend a regional forum on cooperation between the Northeast Asian nation and Latin American countries.

Mr. Pereira is the first senior Cuban diplomat to visit South Korea since the two countries established formal diplomatic relations. (Yonhap)

* North Korean Vice Minister of Public Security Ri Song-chol left for Russia on June 10, amid increased cooperation between the two countries following a bilateral summit last year.

The Russian embassy in Pyongyang said North Korean officials planned to meet Russian Interior Minister Vladimir Kolokoltsev and discuss "fundamental issues of cooperation".

The two sides will also discuss ways to cooperate in the "law enforcement field" when necessary to ensure political and social stability in the face of "new challenges" such as Russia's. (KCNA)

* New Zealand and the Philippines agreed to maintain stability in the Indo-Pacific region, during a discussion between Foreign Ministers Enrique Manalo Jr. (Philippines) and Winston Peters (New Zealand) in Manila, June 10.

In a joint statement after the meeting, both men emphasized the two countries' shared commitment to resolving important regional issues, especially disputes in the East Sea.

The two sides stressed the importance of maritime security and compliance with international law, especially the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS).

The foreign ministers agreed on the need to maintain peace and stability in the Indo-Pacific region through close maritime cooperation and management. (Politico)

* The Maldives parliament is investigating three agreements signed with India under former President Ibrahim Solih, including hydrographic surveys, the development of the Uthuru Thila Falhu naval base and New Delhi donating a Dornier aircraft to Malé.

The proposal to review the agreements was made by Ahmed Azaan, MP of the People's National Congress (PNC) party of incumbent President Mohamed Muizzu, at a time when Muizzu was visiting India to attend the inauguration of Prime Minister Narendra Modi for his third term. (Hindustan Times)

Europe

* Ukrainian President arrives in Berlin, German Chancellor appeals to allies: Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has arrived in the German city of Berlin to attend a Donor Conference aimed at rebuilding the conflict-ridden Eastern European country.

In addition to the 10 Prime Ministers attending, the Ukraine Reconstruction Conference also attracted the attention of more than 2,000 people from 60 countries, from many fields, including the private sector.

In his welcoming speech to Mr. Zelensky, German Chancellor Olaf Scholz declared: “There will be no military victory and no forced peace,” and called on Russia to “end its military campaign and withdraw its troops from Ukraine.”

Also at the conference, calling on allies to increase military equipment to help Ukraine improve its air defense capabilities, Mr. Scholz expressed: "I would like to make a sincere request to everyone present here today: please support our initiative to strengthen Ukraine's air defense by all means possible."

Also within the framework of Mr. Zelensky's visit, the two Finance Ministries of Ukraine and Germany signed a Joint Statement on the intention to strengthen bilateral cooperation to support the reconstruction of post-conflict Ukraine. (Reuters)

* The Netherlands increases military support for Ukraine: Dutch Defense Minister Kajsa Ollongren recently visited Ukraine and met with host country Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal.

On Telegram, Mr. Shmyhal announced a meeting with Ms. Ollongren in Kiev to discuss the initiative of the Netherlands and its partners to provide Ukraine with Patriot air defense systems. He also expressed his hope that Amsterdam will soon provide Kiev with F-16 fighter jets.

During the visit, Ollongren also met with Ukrainian Defense Minister Rustem Umerov. Umerov informed Ollongren about the needs of the Ukrainian army and called for funding for weapons production on Ukrainian territory.

According to Ukrinform news agency, the Dutch Ministry of Defense will invest 54 million euros ($58 million) in increasing its capacity to produce military drones to support Ukraine.

* Belgium has launched efforts to form a new governing coalition , after far-right and centre-right parties led the country's parliamentary elections on June 9, leading Prime Minister Alexander De Croo of the Open VLD party to announce his resignation from June 10.

The Belgian king has begun preliminary talks with the heads of various political parties in the hope of finding a successor to Prime Minister De Croo in the coming period.

Currently, Mr. Bart De Wever, Mayor of the port city of Antwerp and leader of the N-VA party (New Flanders Alliance, the center-right party of the Dutch-speaking community), is considered the most promising candidate, because his party won the highest number of seats (24 seats) in the 150-seat federal parliament. (Al Jazeera)

Source: https://baoquocte.vn/tin-the-gioi-116-rocket-o-at-na-toi-israel-hdba-thap-hy-vong-cho-dai-gaza-lu-doan-khet-tieng-ukraine-duoc-coi-troi-dung-vu-khi-my-274605.html