Category: BUSINESS NEWS FROM AROUND THE WORLD

  • How China Dominates South China Sea with Its Ships

    How China Dominates South China Sea with Its Ships

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    Dots show Chinese
    ships’ movements

    Philippines exclusive economic zone

    Mischief Reef
    occupied by China

    Second Thomas Shoal
    occupied by the Philippines

    Mischief Reef
    occupied by China

    Second Thomas Shoal
    occupied by the Philippines

    Union Bank
    occupied by China
    and Vietnam

    Subi Reef
    occupied by China

    Beijing says many of these boats are just fishing. But they bristle with machine guns, rocket-propelled grenades and high-velocity water cannons. They’re here for intimidation.
    ● Chinese militia and coast guard vessels, Sept.–Oct. 2023

    This fleet, built largely with government money, helps China dominate one of the most crucial and disputed waterways in the world: the South China Sea.
    China’s territorial claim
    Other countries’ Exclusive Economic Zones

    Working in tandem with an aggressive coast guard, these militarized fishing boats assert Beijing’s presence more than 1,000 miles from the Chinese mainland.
    ● Positions of Chinese vessels, May–Oct. 2023

    The boats patrol the tiny, disputed Spratly islets. Their reinforced steel hulls make it easy to ram smaller boats. They swarm other countries’ outposts and squat on shoals within sight of foreign coastlines.
    ● Chinese vessels, Sept.–Oct. 2023

    In confrontations with China’s militarized fleet, like this one on Oct. 22, the Philippines’ smaller boats don’t stand a chance. China’s muscle is crucial to its de facto control over the South China Sea.

    These fishing boats, most of which don’t actually fish, make up a maritime militia that is upending the rules of the sea. By providing backup to the China Coast Guard and maintaining a constant presence in remote waters—often parking on contested reefs for weeks at a time—they amplify China’s ambitions in the South China Sea.

    China’s maritime militia is made up of civilians who on paper hold jobs as commercial fishermen. The blurring of lines is deliberate: China’s leader, Xi Jinping, has stressed the need for civilian-military unity to promote national security.

    Such gray zone tactics help China quietly gain command over disputed areas. Beijing has used this method across its vast frontier, from the mountainous borders with South Asia to rocks in the East China Sea. And once China incrementally takes over, a new reality reigns.

    That reality is literally inscribed. In May, Chinese coast guard and militia vessels operating in and near Vietnamese waters sailed routes that appeared to trace the first Chinese character in the word “China.” And that word has also been carved on the hills near China’s land borders.

    China has already built military bases on multiple Spratly reefs. In the air over the South China Sea, Chinese fighter jets are confronting American military planes with greater frequency. At sea, Chinese vessels have, thus far, avoided a deadly confrontation. But an incident in a remote part of the South China Sea could well spark an international crisis.

    Military structures and other facilities are seen on the artificial island built by China on Subi Reef in the Spratlys.

    Ezra Acayan/Getty Images

    China’s militarization of the South China Sea has sharply raised tensions with the United States. While the U.S. does not claim any territory in the waterway, it is treaty-bound to defend the Philippines, the nation most at odds with China. And should there be a conflict over Taiwan, the presence of Chinese military bases and vessels nearby in the South China Sea could impede the ability of the U.S. and its allies to maneuver.

    “With the Chinese in this part of the South China Sea, it’s like fighting water,” said Gregory B. Poling, the director of the Asia Maritime Transparency Initiative at the Center for Strategic and International Studies, or C.S.I.S. “You push them out and then they just come right back.”


    An intimidation campaign

    Off the coast of the Philippines, a tiny outpost of Philippine marines has borne the brunt of China’s militarization of the South China Sea. Every couple of weeks, Philippine vessels try to resupply the marines stationed at Second Thomas Shoal. And every couple of weeks, the Chinese intervene to assert what they call their “indisputable sovereignty” over the reef.

    On Oct. 22, this intimidation was heightened when a large Chinese coast guard ship bumped into a smaller Philippine resupply boat, forcing it to abandon its mission.

    1. The approach

    3 a.m. local time

    2. The encirclement

    6 a.m. local time

    3. The standoff

    9 a.m. local time

    Note: Trails show positions over the prior four hours. Movement data is not available for all the ships at the scene.

    This wasn’t the first dangerous encounter this year. In August, a Chinese coast guard ship directed a water cannon at a Philippine resupply vessel. In February, the Philippine coast guard reported that sailors were temporarily blinded by a “military-grade laser” aimed by its Chinese counterpart.

    Source: Philippine Coast Guard

    Civilians are also caught in the crosshairs. In 2019, a Filipino fishing boat was rammed by a Chinese militia trawler, leaving the fishermen floating in the wreckage for hours before a passing vessel saved them. From Vietnam and Indonesia to the Philippines, fishermen say they can no longer access traditional fishing grounds because of what is in effect a Chinese blockade.

    Over the years, Chinese aggression has compelled Southeast Asian nations to suspend oil exploration in the South China Sea, although some efforts have started up again.


    A constant, aggressive presence

    To project Beijing’s power, militia trawlers have anchored for weeks near China’s island military bases and on reefs that are within other nations’ waters. Rafted side by side, sometimes by the dozens, the boats often lack nets or crews big enough to fish.

    Source: Satellite images by Planet Labs and Maxar Technologies

    China’s maritime militia, by numbers and by reach, has no challenger in the South China Sea. In fact, the fleet is far bigger than what’s needed to fish these waters, according to an analysis by C.S.I.S.

    On any given day, satellites identify hundreds of Chinese militia boats in the South China Sea and at nearby ports.

    Hundreds of militia boats can be observed daily

    Daily count of boats seen from satellite at key locations

    Funding from the Chinese government keeps the militia afloat.

    Dozens of Chinese militia boats are constructed by state-owned companies. These vessels are designed for confrontation, with steel hulls, long silhouettes and an array of weaponry. Smaller, wooden fishing boats find themselves overwhelmed.

    A reinforced Chinese militia boat.

    Jes Aznar for The New York Times

    Other militia boats are recruited from the commercial fishing fleet. But because the most generous Chinese government subsidies go to the biggest vessels, even these commercial trawlers are larger than most of the Philippine coast guard’s fleet.


    An emboldened coast guard

    If the purpose of the maritime militia is to crowd contested waters, the Chinese coast guard is also redefining its role, veering dangerously close to a military stance.

    Radiating out from the military bases China constructed by pouring sand on underwater Spratly reefs, such as Mischief and Subi, China’s coast guard roams the South China Sea. Chinese ships have fired water cannons at Philippine and Vietnamese boats. They have tangled with the Indonesian Coast Guard.

    And in a week in May, Chinese coast guard ships, together with maritime militia boats, churned through waters off the coast of Vietnam in the exact same, curious routing. The paths the vessels took created the character , which is the first character in the Chinese word for “China.” The character was sprawled over a 350-mile stretch, equivalent to the distance from New York City to Canada.

    China’s coast guard has expanded the range of its patrols

    Note: Data runs from Nov. 1 through Oct. 31 for each year.

    The Chinese coast guard is now the world’s largest, and its range and presence in the South China Sea have increased dramatically in recent years. Stocked with retired navy corvettes and newer vessels that are longer than most U.S. Navy destroyers, the Chinese coast guard boasts ships that dwarf those of other nations.

    Jes Aznar for The New York Times

    With an emboldened Chinese coast guard flanked by a powerful maritime militia, there are fears growing of a showdown in the South China Sea.

    “Every single reef has some fraction of a percent of a chance,” Mr. Poling said, “to be the next international flashpoint.”


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  • You have a high IQ and 20/20 vision if you can spot the tiny ant hiding on the elephant’s body in 11 seconds

    You have a high IQ and 20/20 vision if you can spot the tiny ant hiding on the elephant’s body in 11 seconds

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    IF you are able to spot the tiny ant hiding on the elephant’t body you could have a high IQ and 20/20 vision.

    Get ready for a challenge and try finding the little creature in just 11 seconds.

    Can you spot the tiny hidden ant on the elephant's body?

    4

    Can you spot the tiny hidden ant on the elephant’s body?Credit: Britannica / Jagran Josh

    This latest brainteaser will really put your eyesight and cognitive skills to the test as you race against the clock.

    And this challenge is not to be taken lightly, with even the most experienced puzzle solvers left scratching their heads.

    However, if you can spot the ant hiding in plain sight, you will be one of the select few to succeed.

    The image might look simple to solve, as it’s just an elephant in a fairly plain background – not too many elements to distract you.

    Try more optical illusions

    The problem is that the little ant is almost perfectly camouflaged.

    Have you spotted it already?

    The key to solving this brainteaser is to pay attention to every single detail.

    The time limit can add pressure, but try remain calm and focused as you go.

    How about now? Did you find the tiny ant hiding on the elephant’s body? Keep going if not!

    If you’re still struggling, don’t worry as there will be a solution at the bottom.

    This is a classic example of an optical illusion, and is a great way to test your brainpower and improve your IQ skills.

    Experts at FreshersLive named several benefits of solving brainteasers like this one.

    These include mental stimulation, improved memory, enhanced problem-solving skills, reduced stress, improved mood, and increased productivity.

    Overall, brain teasers are a great way to keep your mind sharp and engaged, and they can provide a variety of mental and emotional benefits.

    Want to give a go at another challenge? Try spotting a prehistoric dinosaur among the flock of birds in under nine seconds.

    In the image provided by Freshers Live, we can see a huge flock of birds flying in the sky.

    With the sunset in the background, only the dark outlines of the birds can be seen in front of what remains of the blue sky.

    However, somewhere within them is a flying dinosaur known as a Pterosaur.

    This extinct flying reptile once had a wingspan of up to 36 feet, making it a true beast of the skies.

    But in this photo, it is suspected to be much smaller than that – making it harder to spot.

    If you are struggling to spot the flying dinosaur, then one clue that might help you is the size of its beak.

    If you can find it then congratulations, you deserve a pat on the back.

    But if you did so in nine seconds or less, then you have the eyesight of a dinosaur expert.

    There she is! How long did it take you to find it?

    4

    There she is! How long did it take you to find it?Credit: Britannica / Jagran Josh
    Can you spot the pterosaur among the flock of birds in less than nine seconds?

    4

    Can you spot the pterosaur among the flock of birds in less than nine seconds?Credit: Freshers Live
    Were you able to spot the flying dinosaur in nine seconds or less?

    4

    Were you able to spot the flying dinosaur in nine seconds or less?Credit: Freshers Live



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  • Israel and Switzerland draw 1-1 in Euro 2024 qualifying game in Hungary

    Israel and Switzerland draw 1-1 in Euro 2024 qualifying game in Hungary

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    FELCSUT, Hungary — A European Championship qualifying game between Switzerland and Israel ended with a 1-1 draw on Wednesday, a match that brought the Israeli team to Hungary after all scheduled games in Tel Aviv were postponed due to the Israel-Hamas war.

    The match was one of two “home games” Israel is hosting in Felcsut, a Hungarian village of around 1,900 people, as it chases a qualifying place in the Euro 2024 continental championship. If the team qualifies, it will be its first time since joining the European soccer federation in 1994.

    Ahead of the game, fans draped in Israeli flags gathered outside the heavily guarded stadium, singing chants as their team’s bus arrived.

    The mood was celebratory, but some fans — some of whom traveled from as far away as Israel to attend the match — were solemn in describing the significance of the contest.

    “We’re going through a very, very difficult time right now, and it just felt right,” said Aaron Morali, an Israeli fan who drove two hours from Vienna, Austria to watch the game. “We’re Jewish, we’re here … It was very important for us to come here.”

    Some fans in the stands held up signs bearing the faces of Israelis kidnapped during the Oct. 7 Hamas assault inside Israel that killed around 1,200 people.

    As fears of antisemitic acts are on the rise across Europe, the security of the Israeli team was a decisive factor in bringing the rescheduled qualifying games to Hungary.

    Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán, who has a holiday home only steps away from the 3,500-seat Pancho Arena in Felcsut, has long claimed that Hungary is one of the safest places in Europe for Jewish people, and maintains close relations with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

    As the game approached, heightened security transformed the ordinarily quiet village, making the presence of police and other security forces apparent to local inhabitants.

    “The village is a bit upside down, everybody going in and out of the facility is checked,” said Rikardo Mate, a Felcsut resident.

    After Wednesday’s game, Israel remains in third place in Group I of Euro 2024 qualifying, behind Switzerland and Romania with 16 points each. The top two teams automatically qualify for Euro 2024 in Germany.

    Israel’s next match against Romania will be held in Felcsut on Saturday.

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  • Hamas ‘Remains Intact’ Despite Israeli Operation in Gaza

    Hamas ‘Remains Intact’ Despite Israeli Operation in Gaza

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    https://sputnikglobe.com/20231115/hamas-remains-intact-despite-israeli-operation-in-gaza-1114973626.html

    Hamas ‘Remains Intact’ Despite Israeli Operation in Gaza

    Hamas ‘Remains Intact’ Despite Israeli Operation in Gaza

    Tel Aviv has not achieved substantial results since the launch of its ground operation, stressed Mouni Rabbani, an independent writer and analyst specializing in Palestinian affairs, senior fellow at the Institute for Palestine Studies, and contributing editor to the Middle East Report.

    2023-11-15T14:57+0000

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    Rabbani told Sputnik that despite the fact that the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) have been advancing in the Gaza Strip, they are still encountering fierce resistance. Although the IDF claims to have entered Gaza City, the Israeli military is struggling to operate even in the border areas, which has supposedly been under Israeli control since the very first days of the ground operation launched on October 27, according to the analyst. Thus, the analyst drew a line between “incursions” and “advance,” casting doubt on the military significance of the Israeli “advance,” considering the lack of control over the occupied areas, which are teeming with Hamas fighters. Rabbani also stressed the insignificance of capturing civil buildings in terms of military operations, responding to a question on the importance of the Israeli forces securing the residence of Gaza’s governor. According to him, it only serves as a political symbol meant for Israeli society.Commenting on Hamas’ ability to continue fighting, the analyst stressed that the militant group has not been destroyed. Furthermore, despite having sustained losses, Hamas is still able to launch strikes at distant Israeli cities, including Tel Aviv, which raises the question of the effectiveness of the Israeli operation in the Gaza Strip. On October 7, the Palestinian group Hamas launched a large-scale surprise rocket attack against Israel from the Gaza Strip and breached the border, killing and abducting people in neighboring Israeli communities. Israel launched retaliatory strikes and ordered a complete blockade of the Gaza Strip, cutting off supplies of food, water, and fuel. On October 27, Israel launched a ground incursion into the Gaza Strip with the declared goal of eliminating Hamas fighters and rescuing the hostages.The conflict has resulted in the death of around 1,400 people in Israel and over 11,000 in the Gaza Strip.

    https://sputnikglobe.com/20231111/despite-dark-future-young-palestinians-choose-to-resist-israel-by-not-fleeing-1114881996.html

    https://sputnikglobe.com/20231111/what-could-israels-security-control-over-gaza-look-like-1114888906.html

    https://sputnikglobe.com/20231108/israel-admits-possessing-nukes-in-threats-to-use-them-against-gaza—irans-atomic-chief-1114813075.html

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    israel-hamas conflict, gaza strip crisis, shelling of gaza, gaza devastation, israel-palestine conflict, palestine-israel conflict, israeli-palestinian conflict, palestinian-israeli, zionist regime, zionists, hamas attack, israeli strikes, israeli forces, hostages, israeli military, hamas fighters, hamas soldiers, hamas military

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    Tel Aviv has not achieved substantial results since the launch of its ground operation, stressed Mouni Rabbani, an independent writer and analyst specializing in Palestinian affairs, senior fellow at the Institute for Palestine Studies, and contributing editor to the Middle East Report.

    Rabbani told Sputnik that despite the fact that the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) have been advancing in the Gaza Strip, they are still encountering fierce resistance.
    Although the IDF claims to have entered Gaza City, the Israeli military is struggling to operate even in the border areas, which has supposedly been under Israeli control since the very first days of the ground operation launched on October 27, according to the analyst.

    “We do know that Israeli forces are still encountering resistance in the border areas where they first entered the Gaza Strip some 10 days ago, and it seems reasonable to assume they are facing greater resistance within Gaza City,” Rabbani stated.

    Волонтеры у пункта пропуска Рафах на границе Египта и Газы  - Sputnik International, 1920, 11.11.2023

    Despite Dark Future, Young Palestinians Choose to Resist Israel by Not Fleeing
    Thus, the analyst drew a line between “incursions” and “advance,” casting doubt on the military significance of the Israeli “advance,” considering the lack of control over the occupied areas, which are teeming with Hamas fighters.

    “While it is clear that Israeli forces are successfully moving deeper into Gaza City, it remains unclear to what extent these are incursions as opposed to advances that have established actual control. On the one hand, Israeli forces are clearly advancing, on the other, its military significance remains unclear,” the analyst stated.

    Rabbani also stressed the insignificance of capturing civil buildings in terms of military operations, responding to a question on the importance of the Israeli forces securing the residence of Gaza’s governor. According to him, it only serves as a political symbol meant for Israeli society.

    “The Israeli military’s presence in key locations such as those you mention is indisputably of symbolic political value but its military utility is marginal. The governor’s residence, legislative council etc. are not important military sites, or indeed military sites at all. These actions are related more to Israel’s vow to eliminate Hamas’s capacity to govern the Gaza Strip,” Rabbani emphasized.

    People salvage some belongings from a damaged building following Israeli bombing on Rafah in the southern Gaza Strip, on November 11, 2023. - Sputnik International, 1920, 11.11.2023

    What Could Israel’s Security Control Over Gaza Look Like?
    Commenting on Hamas’ ability to continue fighting, the analyst stressed that the militant group has not been destroyed. Furthermore, despite having sustained losses, Hamas is still able to launch strikes at distant Israeli cities, including Tel Aviv, which raises the question of the effectiveness of the Israeli operation in the Gaza Strip.

    “From what I can observe, Hamas’s command and control capacities, its ability to fire rockets at distant cities like Tel Aviv, its ability to continue attacking advancing Israeli forces, is unaffected. I can’t imagine it has not been degraded and suffered losses, perhaps significantly so. But as a fighting organization it remains intact,” Rabbani stated.

    On October 7, the Palestinian group Hamas launched a large-scale surprise rocket attack against Israel from the Gaza Strip and breached the border, killing and abducting people in neighboring Israeli communities. Israel launched retaliatory strikes and ordered a complete blockade of the Gaza Strip, cutting off supplies of food, water, and fuel. On October 27, Israel launched a ground incursion into the Gaza Strip with the declared goal of eliminating Hamas fighters and rescuing the hostages.
    This image grab from an AFP TV footage shows balls of fire and smoke rising above Gaza City during an Israeli strike on October 27, 2023, as battles between Israel and the Palestinian Hamas movement continue - Sputnik International, 1920, 08.11.2023

    Israel Admits Possessing Nukes in Threats to Use Them Against Gaza – Iran’s Atomic Chief

    The conflict has resulted in the death of around 1,400 people in Israel and over 11,000 in the Gaza Strip.



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  • Ex-mother-in-law arrested in killing of Daniel Markel, law professor from Toronto

    Ex-mother-in-law arrested in killing of Daniel Markel, law professor from Toronto

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    The matriarch of a South Florida family who made their fortune practicing dentistry has been arrested at Miami International Airport on charges of orchestrating the hit-man murder of her ex-son-in-law, one week after her oral surgeon son was convicted on the same first-degree murder charge.

    Authorities said Donna Adelson, 73, was arrested Monday night as she and her husband were about to use one-way tickets to board a flight to Dubai and Vietnam, countries that do not have an extradition treaty with the United States. She is charged with arranging the 2014 murder of Florida State University law professor Daniel Markel, who was shot in the head inside his Tallahassee garage.

    Leon County State Attorney Jack Campbell said in a Tuesday phone interview that while he believes his prosecutors already had enough evidence to convict Adelson before Monday, plans for her arrest had to be accelerated when investigators learned of her plans to leave the country.

    “It was going to be complicated and really difficult trying to bring them back, depending on where they ended up in the world,” Campbell said. 

    Adelson has previously denied involvement in the killing.

    Former brother-in-law just convicted

    Markel, originally from Toronto, had been involved in a bitter custody battle with his ex-wife, lawyer Wendi Adelson, and had gotten a court order barring her move from Tallahassee back to South Florida with their two young sons. Markel, 41, was shot on July 18, 2014 while parking in his garage after he dropped his sons off at daycare.

    Markel’s parents and sister, who still live in the Toronto area, have been vocal in their pursuit of justice, as well as attempts to gain access to his two children. Ruth Markel, the victim’s mother, praised the response of officials who prevented Adelson from flying overseas, in comments to the Tallahassee Democrat on Tuesday.

    A man in a suit and tie speaks from a court witness stand.
    Charlie Adelson is shown on Nov. 3 while being cross-examined during his trial for the murder of Dan Markel. The jury took just three hours of deliberation before finding him guilty of murder. (Alicia Devine/Tallahassee Democrat/The Associated Press)

    Dr. Charlie Adelson, the victim’s former brother-in-law, was convicted last week of arranging the shooting through a girlfriend, Katie Magbanua. He faces a mandatory life term when sentenced next month.

    Magbanua and her ex-husband, Sigfredo Garcia, are serving life sentences after being convicted earlier of first-degree murder. Garcia’s friend, Luis Rivera, is serving a 19-year sentence after pleading guilty to second-degree murder and testifying against the others.

    Authorities say the Adelsons offered Markel $1 million US to let his ex-wife and sons move, but when he refused, Charlie Adelson and other members of the family began plotting his death.

    During his trial, it was shown that Charlie Adelson paid Magbanua $138,000, which she split with the killers, and the family then gave her a no-show job at their dental practice and other payments totalling more than $56,000. Charlie Adelson also gave her a used Lexus.

    Charlie Adelson testified in his own defence, claiming he was the victim of an extortion attempt from Magbanua and her associates, but a jury took just three hours to convict him.

    Wendi Adelson and her father, dentist Harvey Adelson, have not been charged, but Campbell said the investigation remains open. They have denied involvement.

    Extensive surveillance, recorded phone calls

    The Adelsons immediately became suspects in Markel’s slaying after Wendi Adelson told detectives that the killing could have been arranged on her behalf, saying her parents were “very angry at Markel.” She told them that her brother had joked about hiring a hit man to kill Markel as a divorce gift.

    Investigators were eventually able to track phone records showing numerous calls between Charlie Adelson and Magbanua, her and the killers and Charlie Adelson, his mother and his sister in the hours before and shortly after the killing, as well as large monetary transactions between the family and Magbanua. Garcia and Rivera were then linked to a rented Toyota Prius the killers used.

    A man and a woman are shown in extreme closeups in a composite photo.
    Katherine Magbanua, left, and Sigfredo Garcia, right, are shown during court proceedings in Tallahassee, Fla. Magbanua and Garcia, who were once married, are serving life sentences in connection with Markel’s murder. (Alicia Devine/Tallahassee Democrat/The Associated Press)

    In 2016, an FBI agent, impersonating an extortionist, approached Donna Adelson outside her home and demanded $5,000 to not turn information about the slaying over to investigators.

    She contacted her son, telling him they needed to discuss “some paperwork” and that “you probably have a general idea what I’m talking about.” They led to several calls and meetings between her and her son.

    Charlie Adelson was arrested in 2022 after technicians enhanced a recording made of him and Magbanua inside a Mexican restaurant in 2016 while they were under surveillance discussing the extortion attempt.

    In the conversation, Adelson told Magbanua that she would need to meet with the extortionist and agree to a one-time payment.

    He also told her he wasn’t worried about being arrested, but if he thought police had any evidence proving the family orchestrated the slaying, “we would have already gone to the airport.”

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  • Thousands rally in San Francisco to demand ceasefire in Gaza — RT World News

    Thousands rally in San Francisco to demand ceasefire in Gaza — RT World News

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    Demonstrators have denounced Washington’s support for Israel and called for a free Palestine

    Thousands of protesters have taken to the streets of San Francisco, calling for a ceasefire between Hamas and Israel as the city prepares to host the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) forum. Both US President Joe Biden and Chinese leader Xi Jinping are expected to attend the summit.

    Early on Tuesday evening, many people gathered downtown, chanting “Genocidal Joe, he must go,” according to local media. Videos posted on social media also show a large crowd, chanting “Free Palestine” as well as “from the River to the Sea,” a political slogan calling for the unification of Palestinian territories at the expense of Israel. Many demonstrators were seen carrying Palestinian flags and beating drums.

    According to the San Francisco Standard, some speakers who addressed the demonstrators urged the US – Israel’s key backer – to stop contributing billions of dollars in military aid and instead focusing on fighting poverty in America.


    San Francisco was ready to fix its main problem – not for Americans, but for Xi Jinping

    Several rallies have taken place in San Francisco in recent days, which, however, were devoted to a broader agenda, with participants carrying placards reading “Reject elites dictating our future” and “Shut down APEC.”

    The APEC summit, an international forum that includes 21 nations and accounts for around 60% of global GDP, opened on Saturday and is scheduled to wrap up on Friday. Joe Biden and Xi Jinping have already arrived in the City by the Bay to attend the forum and hold much-anticipated talks on the event’s sidelines.

    Ahead of Xi’s arrival, San Francisco airport saw a series of parallel demonstrations, with hundreds of Chinese nationals clashing with counter-protesters. While the latter camp rallied against China’s alleged crackdown on ethnic minorities, people in the former one said they wanted to welcome the Chinese leader to the summit.

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  • Israel-Hamas war live: Israeli military says it is carrying out operation inside Gaza’s al-Shifa hospital | Israel-Hamas war

    Israel-Hamas war live: Israeli military says it is carrying out operation inside Gaza’s al-Shifa hospital | Israel-Hamas war

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    Jason Burke

    Jason Burke

    If you’re just joining us, Israeli troops entered al-Shifa hospital early on Wednesday, conducting what it called a “precise and targeted operation against Hamas in a specified area” of the medical complex.

    The decision to send troops into the hospital marks an escalation of Israel’s offensive in Gaza but and will fuel calls for a ceasefire that Israel has so far resisted.

    Youssef Abu Rish, an official from the Hamas-run health ministry inside the hospital, said he could see tanks inside the complex and “dozens of soldiers and commandos inside the emergency and reception buildings”.

    Dr Munir al-Bursh, director general of the Gaza health ministry, told Al Jazeera television that Israeli forces had entered the western side of the sprawling site. “There are big explosions and dust entered the areas where we are. We believe an explosion occurred inside the hospital,” Bursh said.

    Fighting has raged around the Shifa hospital compound for many days, trapping around 1,200 patients and staff. The hospital, Gaza’s biggest, has become a strategic objective for Israel, which says there is an Hamas command centre in bunkers underneath.

    Key events

    IDF spokesperson: ‘IDF forces are operating at this time … at Shifaa Hospital’

    Israel Defence Forces spokesperson Daniel Hagari has just released an update on the “targeted opration” inside al-Shifa.

    He says, “IDF forces are operating at this time in a targeted manner at Shifaa Hospital,” and that, “The activity takes place in a defined complex for which there is intelligence information indicating terrorist activity by the terrorist organization Hamas and in accordance with an operational need.”

    Hamas and officials of the Hamas-run health authorities in Gaza have denied the claims that Hamas is operating from the hospital.

    Jason Burke

    Jason Burke

    If you’re just joining us, Israeli troops entered al-Shifa hospital early on Wednesday, conducting what it called a “precise and targeted operation against Hamas in a specified area” of the medical complex.

    The decision to send troops into the hospital marks an escalation of Israel’s offensive in Gaza but and will fuel calls for a ceasefire that Israel has so far resisted.

    Youssef Abu Rish, an official from the Hamas-run health ministry inside the hospital, said he could see tanks inside the complex and “dozens of soldiers and commandos inside the emergency and reception buildings”.

    Dr Munir al-Bursh, director general of the Gaza health ministry, told Al Jazeera television that Israeli forces had entered the western side of the sprawling site. “There are big explosions and dust entered the areas where we are. We believe an explosion occurred inside the hospital,” Bursh said.

    Fighting has raged around the Shifa hospital compound for many days, trapping around 1,200 patients and staff. The hospital, Gaza’s biggest, has become a strategic objective for Israel, which says there is an Hamas command centre in bunkers underneath.

    Here are some of the latest images from Gaza:

    A view of collapsed buildings following Israeli bombardment of Khan Yunis in the southern Gaza Strip on 15 November 2023.
    A view of collapsed buildings following Israeli bombardment of Khan Yunis in the southern Gaza Strip on 15 November 2023. Photograph: Mahmud Hams/AFP/Getty Images
    Smoke rises from Gaza following an explosion, as seen from southern Israel on 15 November 2023.
    Smoke rises from Gaza following an explosion, as seen from southern Israel on 15 November 2023. Photograph: Alexander Ermochenko/Reuters
    Palestinians survey the destruction following the Israeli bombardment of Khan Yunis in the southern Gaza Strip on 15 November 2023.
    Palestinians survey the destruction following the Israeli bombardment of Khan Yunis in the southern Gaza Strip on 15 November 2023. Photograph: Mahmud Hams/AFP/Getty Images

    Patrick Wintour

    Patrick Wintour

    In the UK, as the Labour leader Keir Starmer seeks to contain a rebellion of his MPs on Wednesday night by urging them to back humanitarian pauses as opposed to a ceasefire, the biggest pro-Israeli group inside the party has mapped out a diplomatic strategy for a two-state solution without Hamas.

    Labour is divided over whether to call for an immediate ceasefire that may leave Hamas in power or instead call for “longer humanitarian pauses” to protect civilian lives, leading to a ceasefire.

    Those in the party backing the removal of Hamas from power in Gaza, including Starmer, have been weakened by appearing implicitly to endorse the war aims and methods of Benjamin Netanyahu, the Israeli prime minister. Starmer, his critics say, has not mapped out a clear route to a two state solution.

    Labour Party leader Keir Starmer.
    Labour Party leader Keir Starmer. Photograph: Chris Ratcliffe/EPA

    But a new Labour Friends of Israel pamphlet written by Michael Rubin argues that there is a realistic diplomatic route to marginalising “the enemies of peace”, including the now unpopular Netanyahu.

    It says, “the status quo has collapsed, and something new can be born as it was after the 1973 war”.

    The steps required to be implemented in parallel are:

    1. A gradual expansion of Palestinian Authority territory in the West Bank; freezing settlement construction in isolated settlements; and upgrading international recognition of Palestinian sovereignty in coordination with Israel, all on condition of anti-corruption reforms inside the Palestinian Authority.

    2. An extension of the Arab-Israeli normalisation deals to include Saudi Arabia.

    3. Inside Gaza, a Palestinian Authority-backed, but initially autonomous, technocratic leadership funded by Gulf state investment. Hamas would be removed from power.

    4. Within Israel, a massive investment in a culture of peace, as achieved in Northern Ireland.

    The pamphlet says, “Polling shows that support for Netanyahu and his far-right coalition members has plunged further since the outbreak of the war. Were an election to be held now, the National Unity party of pragmatic centrist Benny Gantz would emerge as by far the largest party”.

    What is al-Shifa hospital?

    Jason Burke

    Jason Burke

    The Dar al-Shifa (House of Healing) hospital is a sprawling complex of medical facilities in Gaza City, in the north of Gaza. Located about 500 metres from the coast and a major north-south road, it comprises a group of six-storey buildings that dominate the skyline.

    With between 600 and 900 beds and thousands of staff, it was the mainstay of healthcare provision locally, with a range of services that few of the other hospitals in Gaza could offer. Since the beginning of the war in Gaza, it has become a shelter for those displaced by the fighting and continuing Israeli bombardment.

    Map showing locations of some of Gaza’s hospitals
    Map showing locations of some of Gaza’s hospitals

    Thousands of people have fled al-Shifa but health officials say remaining patients were dying due to energy shortages amid intense fighting between Israeli troops and Hamas militants. Life-saving equipment such as incubators cannot run without fuel to run generators. At least 32 patients, including three premature babies, had died over the past three days, Gaza’s Hamas-run health ministry said.

    There are between 600 and 650 inpatients at al-Shifa, as well as 200 to 500 health workers, and about 1,500 displaced people seeking shelter there, according to information shared with the World Health Organization, which was posted on Sunday on X.

    The Israeli military said it was providing safe corridors for people to escape intense fighting in the north and move south, but Palestinian officials inside al-Shifa said the compound was surrounded by constant heavy gunfire and that Israeli snipers are all around.

    Summary

    It is just before 8am in Gaza City. Here is where things stand:

    • The Israel Defence Forces (IDF) said early on Wednesday it was “carrying out a precise and targeted operation” against Hamas in al-Shifa hospital, the largest hospital in Gaza.

    • Gaza’s health ministry was quoted by Palestinian news agency Shebab as saying that “dozens of soldiers” have entered the al-Shifa emergency department building, and that tanks have entered the complex.

    • A witness inside al-Shifa told the BBC they saw six tanks and more than 100 soldiers inside the hospital complex, in the area around the emergency department. The Guardian has not been able to verify the claims.

    • Ahmed Mokhallalati, a surgeon at al-Shifa, has told Al Jazeera that Israeli tanks and bulldozers had entered the complex. ‘The firing is still heavy, and we are hearing explosions everywhere,’ he said.

    • Figures vary widely on how many civilians are at the site. On Sunday, the World Health Organization (WHO) put the figure at about 1,500 displaced people, up to 650 inpatients and 200 to 500 health workers.

    • A White House official, speaking after the operation was announced, said it does not want to see a firefight in a hospital. A spokesperson for the National Security Council, who did not wish to be named, said: “We do not support striking a hospital from the air and we don’t want to see a firefight in a hospital where innocent people, helpless people, sick people trying to get medical care they deserve are caught in the crossfire.

    • Israeli defence officials say they have agreed to allow fuel shipments into the Gaza Strip for humanitarian operations, the Associated Press reports. It is the first time that Israel has allowed fuel into the territory since the Hamas militant group’s bloody cross-border invasion on 7 October. The UN said the fuel will be “used exclusively to run trucks for the distribution of incoming humanitarian aid” and that “this represents a fraction of the fuel needs for humanitarian operations.”

    • The death toll in Gaza was not updated in Tuesday for the fourth day in a row, the UNOCHA says, “following the collapse of services and communications at hospitals in the north, the Ministry of Health”.

    • The UN Security Council is negotiating a new resolution that demands “immediate extended humanitarian pauses” throughout the Gaza Strip but makes no mention of a cease-fire, the Associated Press reported. The resolution, drafted by Malta, does demand that “all parties” comply with their obligations under international law. The Security Council has rejected four resolutions on the war, and many of its 15 members have said they don’t want a vote on a new resolution unless it’s going to be approved.

    • Joe Biden and Benjamin Netanyahu spoke “at length” about ongoing efforts to secure the release of hostages held by Hamas, including many children and a number of Americans, the White House said.

    • The IDF announcement of its operation came within an hour of Palestinian health officials in Gaza saying the IDF had told them it would raid the hospital “within minutes”. The Gaza health ministry spokesperson, Ashraf al-Qidra, told Al Jazeera that Israel “informed us that it will raid al-Shifa hospital complex in the coming minutes”.

    • On its Hebrew X account, the IDF appeared to signal that once inside the hospital, it would continue to have a presence there, saying, “in the continuation of the operation, incubators, medical equipment and baby food are expected to be transferred to the hospital”.

    • The White House has said it has intelligence supporting Israel’s claims that Hamas and Palestinian Islamic Jihad use some hospitals in the Gaza Strip – including al-Shifa hospital – to conceal or support their military operations and to hold hostages. “That is a war crime,” national security spokesperson John Kirby said, adding that those actions by Hamas did not lessen Israel’s responsibility to protect civilians in the course of its military operations.

    • Hamas said it strongly condemned and rejected the claims, adding that these statements “give a green light to the Israeli occupation to commit further brutal massacres targeting hospitals”.

    • The WHO has insisted that moving the most vulnerable patients from al-Shifa hospital has become an “impossible task”. WHO spokesperson Margaret Harris, speaking to reporters in Geneva, said the “heroic” health workers have been “doing whatever they can to keep going” while the facility has been without power since Saturday and there was not enough food and clean water.

    • Another 200,000 people have fled northern Gaza in the past 10 days, the UN has said. The UN office for the coordination of humanitarian affairs (Ocha) said on Tuesday that only one hospital in the northern half of the blockaded Gaza Strip, al-Awda, still had electricity and was able to receive patients, with other medical facilities in sprawling Gaza City now mostly functioning as shelters for those fleeing the violence.

    • Israeli authorities have said they have now identified the remains of 859 civilians killed during the 7 October Hamas attack inside southern Israel. The work to identify bodies is ongoing, they said. On 10 November, Israel revised down the number of Israeli deaths on 7 October from the previously given figure of 1,400 to 1,200.

    • The families of Israelis being held hostage by Hamas have started a five-day march on Tuesday from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem to demand the government does more to secure their release. The prime minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, is coming under fierce criticism from some relatives for not doing more to secure their release, even as Israeli troops push further into the Gaza Strip and the region is bombarded by the Israeli air force.

    • Tens of thousands of demonstrators have gathered in Washington on Tuesday to support Israel, condemn antisemitism and demand the release of the hostages. US Senate majority leader Chuck Schumer and House Speaker Mike Johnson spoke at the “March for Israel” event on the National Mall, as well as family members of the hostages.

    Gaza death toll has not been updated since Friday

    The death toll in Gaza was not updated in Tuesday for the fourth day in a row, the UNOCHA says, “following the collapse of services and communications at hospitals in the north, the Ministry of Health”.

    The UN agency says:

    The reported fatality toll of Palestinians in Gaza as of 10 November at 14:00 (latest update provided) stood at 11,078, of whom 4,506 were said to be children and 3,027 women. About 2,700 others, including some 1,500 children, have been reported missing and may be trapped or dead under the rubble, awaiting rescue or recovery. Another 27,490 Palestinians have reportedly been injured.

    182 Palestinians have been killed in the West Bank since 7 October, the UN says, 46 of whom were children. Eight people were killed in the 24 hours to Tuesday.

    Fuel Israel will allow into Gaza ‘represents fraction’ of humanitarian fuel needs, says UN

    That UNOCHA update also says that while Israel has agreed to today allow fuel into Gaza for the first time since 7 October, the fuel will be “used exclusively to run trucks for the distribution of incoming humanitarian aid”.

    The UN agency said, “This represents a fraction of the fuel needs for humanitarian operations.”

    Here is the full paragraph from the UN update on Tuesday evening:

    Although 91 trucks carrying humanitarian aid entered from Egypt on 14 November, the distribution of supplies to shelters, clinics and other beneficiaries has largely come to a halt due to lack of fuel. The Israeli authorities have indicated that, on 15 November, they would allow the entry of a limited amount of fuel into Gaza, to be used exclusively to run trucks for the distribution of incoming humanitarian aid. This represents a fraction of the fuel needs for humanitarian operations. Meanwhile, the entry of fuel for any other use, including the operation of generators at hospitals, and at water and sanitation facilities, remains banned. This will be the first time since 7 October that fuel is allowed into Gaza.

    Only one northern Gaza hospital still operational

    In case you missed this earlier, the United Nations Office for the Co-ordination of Humanitarian Affairs says that just a since hospital in northern Gaza is still operational.

    In its latest update, published on Tuesday evening in New York, it said:

    Only one of the hospitals in Gaza city and northern Gaza (hereafter: the north) is reportedly still operational at a minimum level for those inside the hospital, as of 14 November; all others have ceased operations due to the lack of power, medical consumables, oxygen, food and water, compounded by bombardments and fighting in their vicinities. Al Ahli Hospital, in Gaza city, currently accommodates over 500 patients and is reportedly the sole medical facility able to admit patients in the north. However, it too faces increasing shortages and challenges.



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  • Israel-Hamas war: Pentagon is quietly sending Israel more ammunition, laser-guided missiles

    Israel-Hamas war: Pentagon is quietly sending Israel more ammunition, laser-guided missiles

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    WASHINGTON: The Pentagon has quietly ramped up military aid to Israel, delivering on requests that include more laser-guided missiles for its Apache gunship fleet, as well as 155mm shells, night-vision devices, bunker-buster munitions and new army vehicles, according to an internal Defense Department list.
    The weapons pipeline to Israel is extending beyond the well-publicized provision of Iron Dome interceptorsand Boeing Co smart bombs.It continues even as Biden administration officials increasingly caution Israel about trying to avoid civilian casualties in the Gaza Strip.
    The arms sought by Israel as it fights Hamas, designated as a terrorist group by the US and European Union, are listed in a document labeled “Israel Senior Leader” requests that’s dated late October and is circulating in the Pentagon.
    The arms are already being shipped or the Defense Department is working to make them available from stockpiles in the US and Europe, according to the document reviewed by Bloomberg News. As of late October, for example, all 36,000 rounds of 30mm cannon ammunition, 1,800 of the requested M141 bunker-buster munitions and at least 3,500 night-vision devices were delivered, the tally shows.
    A Pentagon spokesman declined to discuss specifics, but the Defense Department said in a statement that it’s “leveraging several avenues — from internal stocks to US industry channels – to ensure Israel has the means to defend itself.”
    “This security assistance continues to arrive on a near-daily basis,” according to the statement. It said the US was rapidly providing precision-guided munitions, small-diameter bombs, 155mm artillery shells and other munitions. That’s along with Iron Dome interceptors and medical support equipment.
    The provision of artillery shells and other munitions has drawn criticism from nongovernmental organizations that say the US supplies have allowed Israel to press ahead with a bombing campaign that Hamas-run health authorities in the Gaza Strip say have killed more than 10,000 people.
    In a letter Monday, more than 30 relief organizations wrote to Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin urging him not to send the 155mm shells in particular.
    “In Gaza, one of the world’s most densely populated places, 155mm artillery shells are inherently indiscriminate,” the organizations said. “These munitions are unguided and have a high error radius.” They said the shells often land 25 meters (82 feet) away from the intended target.
    The ammunition for AH-64 Apache helicopter gunships includes about 2,000 Hellfire Laser Guided missiles made by Lockheed Martin Corp., some of which Israel has transferred to its forces as US Army teams seek supplies from stocks in Germany and South Korea, according to the tally. It also includes more than 36,000 rounds of 30mm ammunition to be fired by the Apache’s cannon.
    Israel’s defense forces have flown the Boeing-built Apaches for years.
    The Israeli military appears to be using the Apache helicopters “to support Israel troops in contact with Hamas fighters, using their 30mm chain guns against fighters caught out in the open and Hellfire missiles against vehicles and fighting position or bunkers used by Hamas,” Michael Eisenstadt, director of military and security programs at the Washington Institute for Near East Policy, said in an email.
    “They may also be using Hellfires for the targeted killing of senior commanders when the opportunity presents itself,” he said.
    Reverse trip
    Israel has also requested more than 57,000 155mm High Explosive artillery shells and 20,000 M4A1 rifles, as many as 5,000 PVS-14 night vision devices, 3,000 M141 hand-held bunker-buster munitions that US Central Command is supplying, 400 120mm mortars and 75 of the Army and Marine Corps’ new Joint Light Tactical Vehicle, which is replacing the Hummer.
    According to the tally, the US has also donated its inventory of 312 Tamir missile interceptors. The Army’s two Iron Dome batteries are traveling to Israel by sealift.
    The weapons shipments include a reverse trip for 155mm shells. The 57,000 had been sent from US stocks in Israel to US European Command locations to restock munitions that were sent to Ukraine for its fight against Russia’s invasion. Now the restocked munitions are being sent back to Israel for its use in the conflict with Hamas, according to a congressional aide and US officials.
    In contrast to Israel, the US has provided more than 2 million 155mm shells and more than 800,000 105mm rounds to Ukraine, according to a new State Department summary.
    Switchblade drones
    Israel has also requested 200 armor-piercing Switchblade 600 dive-bombing drones made by AeroVironment Inc. Ukraine has bought the drones directly from the company.
    The US Army doesn’t have any Switchblade 600s in its inventory. It’s unclear whether AeroVironment has the drones in stock or would need to build them. An AeroVironment spokesperson declined to comment.
    The US could steer Foreign Military Financing grants for purchase through the foreign military Sales process, according to an industry official familiar with the issue. DefenseScoop, a Washington-based defense technology newsletter, disclosed the Switchblade 600 request earlier.



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  • Deaths in the Israel-Hamas Conflict — Global Issues

    Deaths in the Israel-Hamas Conflict — Global Issues

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    Deaths in the Israel-Hamas Conflict — Global Issues
    Source: Reported estimates from various sources with links provided in text.
    • Opinion by Joseph Chamie (portland, usa)
    • Inter Press Service

    After more than a month of fighting, the reported numbers of deaths are evolving and being constantly revised and updated as the war has continued.

    The estimated numbers of deaths between 7 October and 13 November provide a preliminary assessment of the extent of the death toll for Israelis and Palestinians in the Gaza Strip as well as for others (Table 1).

    According to the Israeli officials, the revised number of Israeli deaths – with about 70 percent of them having been identified as civilians – resulting from the Hamas attack in southern Israel is estimated at approximately 1,200.

    Those killed in Israel on 7 October also include some foreigners and dual nationals. At least 31 U.S. citizens, 39 French citizens and 34 Thai citizens were killed during the attacks, according to authorities in those countries. The Israeli military has also reported that 1,500 Hamas fighters were killed during the 7 October attack.

    On the 7 October attack, Israeli authorities have reported that more than 240 individuals from more than 40 countries, including young children and the elderly, were taken hostage and believed to be held by Hamas and other Palestinian armed groups in Gaza.

    An estimated 20 hostages are reported to have subsequently died as a result of the conflict. In addition to those estimated deaths, at least 46 Israeli soldiers are reported to have been killed in combat since the ground invasion began.

    With a total population of approximately 9.8 million, the Israeli death rate resulting from the current Israel-Hamas conflict is approximately 13 deaths per 100,000 population.

    In response to the 7 October Hamas attack, the death toll in the Gaza Strip from Israeli military operations is estimated as of 13 November at 11,240 Palestinians with an estimated 4,630 being children, according to health officials in Gaza.

    However, the number of deaths in the Gaza Strip could even be higher than being cited, given its dense confines and with approximately 2,700 people reported missing.

    With an estimated total population of 2.2 million in the Gaza Strip, the Palestinian death rate for the population of Gaza due to the Israeli-Hamas conflict is approximately 510 deaths per 100,000 population.

    Besides the Israeli and Palestinian deaths in Israel and Gaza since 7 October, others have been killed. Nearly 200 Palestinians in the West Bank are reported to have been killed amid an increase in Israeli military raids and incursions.

    Also, 101 employees of the United Nations have been killed since the Israeli-Hamas war began, according to the United Nations Palestinian refugee agency (UNRWA). The agency stressed that it is the deadliest conflict ever for the United Nations in such a short period of time.

    In addition, at least 42 journalists and media workers reporting on the conflict have been killed.

    The various estimated numbers of deaths resulting from the Israel-Hamas conflict that are presented above continue to be revised and updated. After the current Israel-Hamas hostilities have concluded, a comprehensive assessment will be necessary to provide a more accurate and detailed picture of those who have died as a result of the conflict.

    Tragically, the death toll resulting from the Israel-Hamas conflict is already too high. As some have remarked, far too many have been killed and far too many have suffered from this current round of fighting. Also importantly, as many around the world are urging, the time for Israelis and Palestinians to negotiate “???????“ ,“????”, or a “peace” solution is now.

    Joseph Chamie is a consulting demographer, a former director of the United Nations Population Division and author of numerous publications on population issues, including his recent book, “Population Levels, Trends, and Differentials”.

    © Inter Press Service (2023) — All Rights ReservedOriginal source: Inter Press Service

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  • ICC Cricket World Cup 2023: India’s ‘best ever XI’ won’t daunt New Zealand | ICC Cricket World Cup News

    ICC Cricket World Cup 2023: India’s ‘best ever XI’ won’t daunt New Zealand | ICC Cricket World Cup News

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    Former New Zealand all-rounder James Franklin says his compatriots won’t be daunted by the “best” India side in history when they face the hosts for a place in the ICC Cricket World Cup 2023 final.

    The 2019 semifinalists will meet at the Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai on Wednesday after India topped the points table by winning all nine matches in the group stage. New Zealand finished fourth with five wins and will look to reach a third consecutive final, having lost in 2015 and 2019.

    Franklin played for the Blackcaps from 2001 to 2013 and has plenty of experience playing at the Wankhede, thanks to his Indian Premier League (IPL) stint with five-time winners Mumbai Indians.

    “India will feel they have no holes in their game both tactically and form-wise,” Franklin told Al Jazeera on Tuesday.

    “There are players from the past that would be part of an all-time Indian one-day international (ODI) XI, but it is hard to look past this team as the best ever XI.

    “India are on a roll and don’t seem to have any chinks in their armour.”

    No pressure on home favourites India

    The 41-year-old said the hosts have a great mix of youth and experience in their batting lineup, which has established stars Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli but also confident young players in the form of Shubman Gill and Shreyas Iyer.

    “It’s a little bit worrying from a world point of view that they [Gill and Iyer] are actually going to be pretty good for a few years yet.”

    India won the 2011 Cricket World Cup, which they jointly hosted with Sri Lanka and Bangladesh. MS Dhoni’s side overcame Sri Lanka at the same venue as Wednesday’s semifinal to add one more title to their 1983 win in England.

    The weight of expectations didn’t get to India then, and Franklin believes it will not get to them this time either as they go for a third crown.

    “People talk about pressure on the Indian team and that it might get a bit too much for them, but that’s not the case” he said.

    Franklin pointed to Indian great Sachin Tendulkar’s review of the 2011 final, in which, he said, the team turned the pressure in their favour in the form of the Indian nation of “a billion people lifting us up and pushing us along”.

    “This Indian team views it the same way,” Franklin said.

    Powerplays hold the key for New Zealand

    India won their group stage match against New Zealand with ease in Dharamsala, where Daryl Mitchell’s century was in vain as Mohammed Shami took five wickets and Kohli fell just short of a century in the chase.

    According to Franklin, the key for New Zealand will be to put brakes on India at the start of each innings – something they did not do well in their last meeting.

    “It is going to come down to how well New Zealand can compete in the two powerplays,” he said.

    “If India have a semblance of control after the powerplays, it will be very tough for New Zealand as that’s where India have been dominant.”

    Franklin, who was part of New Zealand’s World Cup squad in 2011, believes his compatriots must fight to keep their team ahead in the first 10 overs in both halves of the match.

    Rohit and Gill have put many an attack to the sword with their early batting onslaught in the tournament, and Franklin thinks his former IPL captain’s high strike rate makes him a very dangerous player.

    “Rohit has been playing a slightly different role and has shown a lot more intent,” Franklin said. “We know his pedigree as an ODI batter.”

    Franklin thinks New Zealand’s pacers Trent Boult and Tim Southee must remove the “phenomenal” Rohit, who has “stepped up his strike rate”.

    Cricket - ICC Cricket World Cup 2023 - India v Netherlands - M. Chinnaswamy Stadium, Bengaluru, India - November 12, 2023 India's Shubman Gill and Rohit Sharma in action REUTERS/Adnan Abidi
    Shubman Gill and Rohit Sharma have given India strong batting starts [Adnan Abidi/Reuters]

    India’s seamers have ‘caused chaos’

    It hasn’t just been the Indian batting that has caught the eye at this World Cup. Their seam bowling attack has also propelled them to the verge of being regarded as their best ever.

    Jasprit Bumrah has been ever reliable opening the bowling after his return from two years of injury battles, as has Mohammed Siraj.

    The Indians have coped admirably with the injury that saw Hardik Pandya limp out of the World Cup. Mohammed Shami has taken Pandya’s place and with it plenty of wickets.

    Franklin said India’s trio of seamers has “caused chaos”.

    “After the seamers, it’s the spin duo of Ravindra Jadeja and Kuldeep Yadav, who are miserly with the ball and pick up a few wickets between them.”

    ‘New Zealand won’t be daunted’

    New Zealand vanquished some of the pain of losing the 2019 final by opening this tournament with a victory against defending champions England.

    If they can overcome India, it would be an astonishing third consecutive appearance in the World Cup final, having also lost in 2015 to Australia.

    “New Zealand won’t be daunted,” Franklin insisted.

    “They have guys that have been there and been involved with big ICC world events, and they have a number of guys that have experience in the IPL and have performed well.

    “They understand the crowds and pressure of big games that get thrown into the melting pot, and their cricket psyche is such that they always turn up committed to perform on the day.”



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