Today in the news: Israel launches major nighttime attack in the Jenin region of the West Bank; New tensions between the Philippines and China over Sabina Reef in the South China Sea; Japan issues emergency alert in anticipation of powerful Typhoon Shanshan; Kim Jong Un oversees test of rocket launcher capable of hitting Seoul.
India
Police in Kolkata have dispersed thousands of protesters who continue to demand justice in the rape and murder of a female medical intern. The discovery of the 31-year-old's body on August 9 has sparked national outrage over violence against women. With the investigation still ongoing, protesters are also demanding the resignation of municipal chief Mamata Banerjee.
Israel – Palestine
Israel has launched a wide-ranging military offensive in the West Bank. Israeli raids have hit Jenin, Tulkarm and Tubas, with accusations of military fire leaving 11 people dead. In Tubas, Israeli troops arrived by military helicopter and carried out attacks, particularly on the Farah refugee camp. Witnesses said it was the largest incursion in recent years.
Philippines – China
Tensions are escalating again in the South China Sea dispute between China and the Philippines, escalating last week after vessels from Beijing and Manila collided near Sabina Shoal, claimed by China as Xianbin Shoal and by the Philippines as Escoda Shoal, with each side accusing the other of deliberately ramming the reef.
Japan
Japan issued an emergency warning as powerful Typhoon Shanshan approached the southwestern region with heavy rains and strong winds, with airlines and trains cancelling some services for the next few days as the storm was classified as “very strong” with sustained sustained winds of 50 meters per second (162 mph) and maximum gusts of 70 meters per hour (152 kph).
north korea
More North Korea Military Tests: Kim Jong Un oversaw the test of a 240mm multiple rocket launcher with a new guidance system capable of hitting the South Korean capital. Separately, South Korean security agencies estimate that North Korea has shipped more than 13,000 weapons containers to Russia since mid-2022, which could mean 6 million North Korean artillery shells will be supplied to Russian forces in Ukraine, a South Korean politician said.
Russia
A 97-member group from the Russian Medical Association has called on the Federal Investigative Committee to open a criminal investigation into the perpetrators of this attack.
The death of opposition politician Alexei Navalny “clearly occurred as a result of the prison authorities' collaborators failing to fulfill their protective duties.”
Kazakhstan
The Kazakhstan Ministry of Foreign Affairs has announced new accreditation rules for foreign media correspondents, which are due to come into force on September 3.
The arbitrariness of the Ministry of Media's ability to suspend a journalist's license because it disagrees with the content of a report has been criticized by journalists both in China and abroad as a “practice from the former Soviet Union.”
