Iran Warns Israel against Retaliation, Global Powers Urge Restraint

This picture taken on April 14 ,2024, shows intercepted missiles that fired from Iran towards Israel, as seen over northern Israel. Iran's Revolutionary Guards confirmed early April 14, 2024 that a drone and missile attack was under way against Israel in retaliation for a deadly April 1 drone strike on its Damascus consulate. (AFP)
This picture taken on April 14 ,2024, shows intercepted missiles that fired from Iran towards Israel, as seen over northern Israel. Iran's Revolutionary Guards confirmed early April 14, 2024 that a drone and missile attack was under way against Israel in retaliation for a deadly April 1 drone strike on its Damascus consulate. (AFP)
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Iran Warns Israel against Retaliation, Global Powers Urge Restraint

This picture taken on April 14 ,2024, shows intercepted missiles that fired from Iran towards Israel, as seen over northern Israel. Iran's Revolutionary Guards confirmed early April 14, 2024 that a drone and missile attack was under way against Israel in retaliation for a deadly April 1 drone strike on its Damascus consulate. (AFP)
This picture taken on April 14 ,2024, shows intercepted missiles that fired from Iran towards Israel, as seen over northern Israel. Iran's Revolutionary Guards confirmed early April 14, 2024 that a drone and missile attack was under way against Israel in retaliation for a deadly April 1 drone strike on its Damascus consulate. (AFP)

Iran warned Israel and the United States on Sunday of a "much larger response" if there is any retaliation for its mass drone and missile attack on Israeli territory overnight, as Israel said "the campaign is not over yet".

The threat of open warfare erupting between the arch Middle East foes and dragging in the United States has put the region on edge as Washington said America did not seek conflict with Iran but would not hesitate to protect its forces and Israel.

Iran launched the attack over a suspected Israeli strike on its consulate in Syria on April 1 that killed top Revolutionary Guards commanders and followed months of clashes between Israel and Iran's regional allies, triggered by the war in Gaza.

However, the attack from hundreds of missiles and drones, mostly launched from inside Iran, caused only modest damage in Israel as most were shot down with the help of the US, Britain and Jordan.

An Air Force base in southern Israel was hit, but continued to operate as normal and a 7-year-old child was seriously hurt by shrapnel. There were no other reports of serious damage.

Iranian Foreign Minister Amir-Abdollahian said Tehran had informed the United States its attack on Israel would be "limited" and for self defense.

"We intercepted, we repelled, together we shall win," Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said on social media ahead of a planned 1230 GMT meeting of the war cabinet to discuss a response to the attack.

Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant said despite thwarting the attack, the military campaign was not over and "we must be prepared for every scenario".

Israel's Channel 12 TV cited an unnamed Israeli official overnight as saying there would be a "significant response" to the attack.

Global powers Russia, China and France, as well as Arab states Egypt, Qatar and the United Arab Emirates urged restraint.

Tehran's mission to the United Nations said its actions were aimed at punishing "Israeli crimes", but that it now "deemed the matter concluded".

Iranian army chief of staff Major General Mohammad Bagheri warned on television that "our response will be much larger than tonight's military action if Israel retaliates against Iran" and told Washington its bases could also be attacked if it helped Israel retaliate.

US President Joe Biden has pledged "ironclad" support for Israel against Iran, but did not announce any military response on Saturday night, saying instead he would coordinate a diplomatic response with other Western leaders.

American Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin said the US did not seek conflict with Iran but would not hesitate to act to protect US forces and support the defense of Israel.

The UN Security Council was set to meet at 4 p.m. ET (2000 GMT) on Sunday.

ESCALATION

Analysts debated how far Iran's attack was calibrated to cause genuine devastation in Israel, or to save face at home after vows of revenge while avoiding a major new war.

"I think the Iranians took into consideration the fact that Israel has a very, very strong multi-layer anti-missile system and they probably took into consideration that there will not be too many casualties," said Sima Shine, a former senior Mossad official at the Institute for National Security Studies in Tel Aviv.

But if Iran was hoping for a muted response, like with its missile attacks on US forces in Iraq after the killing of Guards commander Qassem Soleimani in 2020, she warned "I don't think Israel sees it this way".

On Saturday Iran's Revolutionary Guards seized an Israel-linked cargo ship in the Strait of Hormuz, one of the world's most important energy shipping routes, underscoring the risks to the world economy of a wider conflict.

Some flights were suspended in countries across the region and share prices fell in stock markets in Israel.

The war in Gaza, which Israel invaded after an attack by Iran-backed Hamas on Oct. 7, has spread to fronts with Iran-aligned groups in Lebanon, Syria, Yemen and Iraq.

Iran's most powerful ally in the region, the Lebanese Shiite group Hezbollah fired rockets at an Israeli base overnight. Israel said it struck a Hezbollah site deep inside Lebanon on Sunday morning.

The Oct. 7 attack in which 1,200 Israelis were killed and 253 taken hostage, along with internal discontent with the government and international pressure over the war in Gaza, form the backdrop to Netanyahu's decisions over a response.

The Israeli prime minister has for years advocated a tough military line against Iran, pushing the United States for harder action over Tehran's nuclear program and its backing for Hezbollah, Hamas and other groups in the region.

In Jerusalem on Sunday, Israelis described their fear during the attack, when sirens wailed and the night sky was shaken by blasts, but differed on how the country should respond.

"I think we've been given license to respond now. I mean it was a major attack from Iran... I imagine Israel will respond and may be over quickly and get back to normal life," said Jeremy Smith, 60.

In Iran, state television showed small gatherings in several cities celebrating the attack, but in private some Iranians were worried about Israel's response.

"Iran gave Netanyahu a golden opportunity to attack our country. But we, the people of Iran, will bear the brunt of this conflict," said Shima, a 29-year-old nurse, from Tehran.

In Gaza, devastated by six months of Israel's air and ground campaign, there was jubilation among many Palestinians at Iran's attack. "We have been slaughtered for over six months and no one dared to do anything. Now Iran, after its consulate was hit, is hitting back," said Majed Abu Hamza, 52, from Gaza City.



With Lamb and Cheese, Macron Tries to Charm China’s Xi in the Pyrenees

French President Emmanuel Macron (C-R) and his wife Brigitte Macron (4thR), Chinese President Xi Jinping (C-L) and his wife Peng Liyuan (4thL) pose with folklore dancers at the Tourmalet pass, in the Pyrenees mountains, as part of his two-day state visit to France, on May 7, 2024. (AFP)
French President Emmanuel Macron (C-R) and his wife Brigitte Macron (4thR), Chinese President Xi Jinping (C-L) and his wife Peng Liyuan (4thL) pose with folklore dancers at the Tourmalet pass, in the Pyrenees mountains, as part of his two-day state visit to France, on May 7, 2024. (AFP)
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With Lamb and Cheese, Macron Tries to Charm China’s Xi in the Pyrenees

French President Emmanuel Macron (C-R) and his wife Brigitte Macron (4thR), Chinese President Xi Jinping (C-L) and his wife Peng Liyuan (4thL) pose with folklore dancers at the Tourmalet pass, in the Pyrenees mountains, as part of his two-day state visit to France, on May 7, 2024. (AFP)
French President Emmanuel Macron (C-R) and his wife Brigitte Macron (4thR), Chinese President Xi Jinping (C-L) and his wife Peng Liyuan (4thL) pose with folklore dancers at the Tourmalet pass, in the Pyrenees mountains, as part of his two-day state visit to France, on May 7, 2024. (AFP)

Chinese President Xi Jinping showed little sign of being ready to offer big concessions on trade or foreign policy as he wrapped up a two-day visit to France, during which President Emmanuel Macron pressed him on market access and Ukraine.

Macron and his wife Brigitte greeted Xi and his wife Peng Liyuan at the airport in France's southwestern Pyrenees region on Tuesday, and took them to lunch in the mountains after a day of talks and state pomp in Paris on Monday.

Advisers to the French president described the Pyrenees trip as breaking with protocol to provide a chance for one-on-one chats with Xi in mountains dear to Macron as the birthplace of his maternal grandmother.

Macron hoped to convince Xi to reduce the trade imbalance between Europe and China, with better access for European firms in China and fewer subsidies for Chinese exporters.

The two couples travelled on separate flights from Paris and took separate cars to the mountains, where thick fog meant they missed out on the view.

After watching traditional dancers perform under the snowy peaks, they ate locally grown ham, lamb, cheese and blueberry pie.

Macron gave Xi a woolen blanket made in the Pyrenees, a Tour de France cycling jersey.

Macron has a history of trying to establish personal relationships outside of protocol in not always successful attempts to obtain more from other leaders.

Xi has said he would welcome more high-level talks on trade frictions but denied there was a Chinese "overcapacity problem", casting doubts on what progress can be achieved.

French and Chinese companies concluded some agreements on Monday ranging from energy, finance and transport, but most were agreements to cooperate or renewed commitments to work together.

"Xi was consistent in signaling goodwill to (his) French interlocutors but did not come with tangible concessions on the issues that matter the most," said Mathieu Duchatel of the Institut Montaigne think-tank.

In a sign of some progress on agriculture, China will allow imports of pig origin protein feed as well as pork offal from France with immediate effect. French pork producers said the offal deal should boost pork exports by 10%.

European hopes of an Airbus plane order to coincide with Xi's visit appear to have been dashed, with the two sides agreeing only to expand cooperation.

A European diplomat said Xi was the "winner" of the visit, having "cemented his image as the 'ruler of the world' where Westerners are begging him to solve European problems in Ukraine".

Hosuk Lee-Makiyama, director of the Brussels-based ECIPE think tank, said the visit was possibly less about making concrete progress on trade than creating some policy space they might need if Donald Trump returns to the White House after November's US election.

MACRON STYLE

Macron has embraced, hugged, winked at or slapped counterparts on the back. He did not chance this with Xi.

Xi's Pyrenees invite has echoes of Trump joining Macron in 2017 to watch the Bastille Day parade, and Russian President Vladimir Putin's 2019 trip to the French president's Bregancon fortress summer retreat in southeast France.

"Emmanuel Macron attempted this narcissistic diplomacy of 'I flatter the tyrant' with Vladimir Putin for five years, with the Bregancon fort ... the camaraderie," Raphael Glucksmann, who leads the French Socialists' European Parliament ticket, told RTL radio.

"And all that ended with what, the invasion of Ukraine and the threats to our democracies."

The EU's 27 members ran a goods trade deficit of 292 billion euros ($314.72 billion) with China in 2023, according to Eurostat data, down from a 397 billion euro deficit a year earlier but still the second highest ever level.

French cognac makers rallied on Tuesday as Xi presented what Macron described as an "open attitude" towards a trade dispute between the two countries.

Xi travels later on Tuesday to Serbia.


German Police Clear Pro-Palestinian Camp at Berlin University

Pro-Palestinian activists demonstrate against Israel's conflict in the Gaza Strip at the university campus of the Free University of Berlin, Germany, 07 May 2024. (EPA)
Pro-Palestinian activists demonstrate against Israel's conflict in the Gaza Strip at the university campus of the Free University of Berlin, Germany, 07 May 2024. (EPA)
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German Police Clear Pro-Palestinian Camp at Berlin University

Pro-Palestinian activists demonstrate against Israel's conflict in the Gaza Strip at the university campus of the Free University of Berlin, Germany, 07 May 2024. (EPA)
Pro-Palestinian activists demonstrate against Israel's conflict in the Gaza Strip at the university campus of the Free University of Berlin, Germany, 07 May 2024. (EPA)

German police cleared a pro-Palestinian protest camp on Tuesday at a courtyard of the Freie Universitaet Berlin, which had called for a stop to Israel's military operation in Gaza.

Some 100 people set up two dozen tents on the campus on Tuesday, joining a call by the so-called "Student Coalition Berlin" to occupy German universities.

Students from various Berlin universities joined the protest, carrying Palestinian flags and shouting slogans supporting Palestinians and denouncing Israel and Germany.

The student group demanded that criminal charges be dropped against students and others who had shown solidarity with Palestinians on campuses, and for the universities to publicly oppose planned reforms to Berlin's senate that would enable the expulsion of students on political grounds.

They also urged banning police from the campus and reinstating academics and staff members of German universities and research institutes, who were expelled or defunded because of their political stance.

Freie Universität Berlin said the protesters tried to enter university rooms and lecture halls aiming to occupy them, and that the university filed criminal complaints and suspended lectures in several buildings.

"This kind of protest is not dialogue oriented. An occupation of university property is not acceptable. We welcome academic debate and dialogue – but not in this form," said Guenter Ziegler, president of Freie Universität Berlin.

Student protests over the war and academic ties with Israel have begun to spread across Europe but have remained much smaller in scale than those seen in the United States.

The students are protesting Israel's offensive in Gaza, launched after a Hamas attack in Israel on Oct. 7 that killed 1,200 people. Israel's reprisals have killed over 34,000 in the enclave, according to Gaza health authorities.

More than 25 police vehicles surrounded the camp at Freie Universitaet Berlin and police said they cleared the area due to a university management request as the protest was not registered.

"There were isolated cases of deprivation of liberty for incitement to hatred and trespassing Freie Universitaet Berlin," Berlin police wrote in a post on social media platform X, adding that those who would not comply with the orders would be taken by police and later reported.


Police Clear Protest from Swiss University as Gaza Demonstrations Spread

Pro-Palestinian students occupy part of the SG building of the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology of Lausanne (EPFL) in Lausanne, Switzerland, 07 May 2024. (EPA)
Pro-Palestinian students occupy part of the SG building of the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology of Lausanne (EPFL) in Lausanne, Switzerland, 07 May 2024. (EPA)
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Police Clear Protest from Swiss University as Gaza Demonstrations Spread

Pro-Palestinian students occupy part of the SG building of the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology of Lausanne (EPFL) in Lausanne, Switzerland, 07 May 2024. (EPA)
Pro-Palestinian students occupy part of the SG building of the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology of Lausanne (EPFL) in Lausanne, Switzerland, 07 May 2024. (EPA)

Police began dispersing pro-Palestinian protesters at the Swiss university of ETH Zurich on Tuesday, management said, after student demonstrations spread to campuses in several cities.

Students set up camp at Lausanne University (UNIL) last week and protests have since spread to at least three more sites in Zurich, Geneva and Lausanne.

"ETH Zurich sees itself as a place where different opinions and perspectives can and should be expressed openly. However, unauthorized actions are not accepted at ETH Zurich," ETH university said, adding that protesters had been repeatedly asked to leave the building before police arrived.

Video footage of the protest on social media earlier showed seated protesters with keffiyehs and Palestinian flags chanting "free, free Palestine" and "viva, viva Palestina".

Protests also began in University of Geneva and the Ecole Polytechnique Federale de Lausanne on Tuesday, according to students' social media posts.

At UNIL, hundreds of students chanted "we are all the children of Gaza" on Monday as a single security agent looked on. Management asked them to move, a UNIL statement showed, but they remained in the building on Tuesday.

Some academics have sided with students.

"We consider the steps they've taken to be peaceful and good natured aimed at bringing to the public's attention a dramatic situation," UNIL political science professor Bernard Voutat said on Monday. "We teachers cannot remain silent."

Police have dispersed protesters at other universities across the world including Columbia University in New York, and the Sorbonne in Paris.


Iran Says Talks with IAEA's Grossi 'Positive'

International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) Director General Rafael Grossi meets with the Head of Iran's Atomic Energy Organization Mohammad Eslami (not pictured) in Isfahan, Iran, May 7, 2024. Iran's Atomic Energy Organization/WANA (West Asia News Agency)/Handout via REUTERS
International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) Director General Rafael Grossi meets with the Head of Iran's Atomic Energy Organization Mohammad Eslami (not pictured) in Isfahan, Iran, May 7, 2024. Iran's Atomic Energy Organization/WANA (West Asia News Agency)/Handout via REUTERS
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Iran Says Talks with IAEA's Grossi 'Positive'

International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) Director General Rafael Grossi meets with the Head of Iran's Atomic Energy Organization Mohammad Eslami (not pictured) in Isfahan, Iran, May 7, 2024. Iran's Atomic Energy Organization/WANA (West Asia News Agency)/Handout via REUTERS
International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) Director General Rafael Grossi meets with the Head of Iran's Atomic Energy Organization Mohammad Eslami (not pictured) in Isfahan, Iran, May 7, 2024. Iran's Atomic Energy Organization/WANA (West Asia News Agency)/Handout via REUTERS

Talks between Iran and the UN nuclear watchdog have been positive and productive, Iran's nuclear chief Mohammad Eslami said on Tuesday in a joint news conference with the IAEA chief Rafael Grossi in the Iranian city of Isfahan.
Grossi flew to Iran on Monday hoping to bolster oversight by the International Atomic Energy Agency of Tehran's atomic activities after various setbacks, but analysts and diplomats say he has limited leverage and must be wary of empty promises.
In 2023, Tehran gave sweeping assurances to the UN nuclear watchdog that it will assist a long-stalled investigation into uranium particles found at undeclared sites and re-install removed monitoring equipment. But little came of those assurances, IAEA reports to member states show.
"We continue interactions over unresolved issues, including issues regarding two sites," Eslami said in the televised news conference, according to Reuters.
Iran is enriching uranium to up to 60% purity, close to the around 90% of weapons grade. If that material were enriched further, it would suffice for two nuclear weapons, according to an official IAEA yardstick.
Iran denies seeking nuclear weapons but no other state has enriched to that level without producing them.


China Says Its Military Took Necessary Steps to Warn Australia in Jet Incident

In this undated photo provided by the Australian Defense Force, a Seahawk helicopter prepares to take off from the deck of HMAS Hobart during flying operations while on a regional presence deployment off northern Australia. Australia has protested to Beijing through multiple channels that a Chinese fighter jet endangered an Australian navy helicopter with flares over international waters, the prime minister said Tuesday, May 7, 2024. (LSIS Matthew Lyall/Australian Defense Force via AP)
In this undated photo provided by the Australian Defense Force, a Seahawk helicopter prepares to take off from the deck of HMAS Hobart during flying operations while on a regional presence deployment off northern Australia. Australia has protested to Beijing through multiple channels that a Chinese fighter jet endangered an Australian navy helicopter with flares over international waters, the prime minister said Tuesday, May 7, 2024. (LSIS Matthew Lyall/Australian Defense Force via AP)
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China Says Its Military Took Necessary Steps to Warn Australia in Jet Incident

In this undated photo provided by the Australian Defense Force, a Seahawk helicopter prepares to take off from the deck of HMAS Hobart during flying operations while on a regional presence deployment off northern Australia. Australia has protested to Beijing through multiple channels that a Chinese fighter jet endangered an Australian navy helicopter with flares over international waters, the prime minister said Tuesday, May 7, 2024. (LSIS Matthew Lyall/Australian Defense Force via AP)
In this undated photo provided by the Australian Defense Force, a Seahawk helicopter prepares to take off from the deck of HMAS Hobart during flying operations while on a regional presence deployment off northern Australia. Australia has protested to Beijing through multiple channels that a Chinese fighter jet endangered an Australian navy helicopter with flares over international waters, the prime minister said Tuesday, May 7, 2024. (LSIS Matthew Lyall/Australian Defense Force via AP)

China said on Tuesday its military took steps to warn and alert an Australian aircraft after Australia blamed a Chinese fighter jet for endangering one of its military helicopters during an "unsafe" confrontation over the Yellow Sea.
The incident could create a new rift between the nations trying to rebuild ties following a 2020 low, when Canberra called for an independent investigation into the origins of COVID-19, and Beijing responded with trade barriers.
Australian Defense Minister Richard Marles said the Chinese air force J-10 jet dropped flares above and several hundred meters ahead of an Australian MH60R Seahawk helicopter on a routine flight on Saturday, Reuters said.
No one was hurt in the incident, which happened during an operation to enforce sanctions against North Korea.
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said it was "unacceptable" for Australian defense personnel to be put at risk in international airspace.
On Tuesday, a Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson said the Australian aircraft deliberately flew within close range of China’s airspace in a "provocative move" that endangered maritime air security.
"The Australian military aircraft flew near China's airspace in a threatening way," the spokesperson, Lin Jian, told a regular news briefing.
"The Chinese military took necessary measures at the scene to warn and alert the Australian side," he said, adding that the situation was handled in a manner consistent with China's law and regulations, and was professional and safe.
"China has lodged serious protests with the Australian side over its risky moves," Lin said. "We urge the Australian side to immediately stop the provocations and hype to prevent misunderstanding and miscalculation."
China has also been accused of unsafe behavior in the skies by other countries, including Canada and the United States.
Australia has also previously charged China with "unsafe and unprofessional" actions at sea.
In Sydney, Albanese told broadcaster Nine's Today Show the Australian Defense Force personnel were "in international waters, international airspace," as they worked to ensure that the UN sanctions imposed on North Korea were enforced.
"They shouldn't have been at any risk," he said, adding that the Australian public expected an explanation from China about the incident, and Australia had made "very strong representations at every level to China".
Chinese Premier Li Qiang is expected to visit Australia next month, he said, adding, "We will make our position clear as well in discussions."
The helicopter, flying from destroyer HMAS Hobart, dodged the flares. The confrontation put the aircraft and those on board at risk, although no one was hurt, Australia's defense department said in a separate statement.
The incident is the second in six months to mar what has otherwise been a growing rapprochement between the two countries after years of strained relations and trade disputes.
In November, Australia said a Chinese naval vessel injured some of its divers in Japanese waters using an underwater sonar. China denied it had used its sonar; however Australia rejected the explanation.
In 2022, Australia protested after a Chinese navy vessel pointed a laser at an Australian military aircraft close to Australia's northern coast.
In a separate incident in 2022, Australia said a Chinese fighter aircraft dangerously intercepted an Australian military surveillance plane in the South China Sea, releasing a "bundle of chaff" with pieces of aluminum that were ingested into the Australian craft's engine.
Liu Jianchao, head of the international department of the Chinese Communist Party, said during a visit to Australia in November the Australian navy's movements in the South China Sea and East China Sea appeared to be an effort to contain China.
Australia has rejected this, saying it respects the right of all states to exercise freedom of navigation and overflight in accordance with international law.
China claims sovereignty over much of the South China Sea, a conduit for more than $3 trillion of annual ship-borne commerce, including parts claimed by the Philippines, Vietnam, Indonesia, Malaysia and Brunei. An international tribunal in 2016 said China's expansive claim had no legal basis.
Chinese navy vessels have been tracked off Australia's coast several times in recent years, including monitoring exercises with the US military.


Japan Tells US That Biden’s ‘Xenophobia’ Comment Is Regrettable 

US President Joe Biden speaks during a Cinco de Mayo reception in the Rose Garden at the White House in Washington, DC, USA, 06 May 2024. (EPA)
US President Joe Biden speaks during a Cinco de Mayo reception in the Rose Garden at the White House in Washington, DC, USA, 06 May 2024. (EPA)
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Japan Tells US That Biden’s ‘Xenophobia’ Comment Is Regrettable 

US President Joe Biden speaks during a Cinco de Mayo reception in the Rose Garden at the White House in Washington, DC, USA, 06 May 2024. (EPA)
US President Joe Biden speaks during a Cinco de Mayo reception in the Rose Garden at the White House in Washington, DC, USA, 06 May 2024. (EPA)

Japan has described as "regrettable" US President Joe Biden's comment that "xenophobia" is stifling the Asian nation's economic growth, the top government spokesperson said on Tuesday.

Last week Biden said "xenophobia" in economies from China to Japan and India was hobbling their growth, while arguing at a Washington fund-raising event that migration has been good for the US economy.

"We lodged representations to the United States that the comment was not based on the correct understanding of Japan's policy and regrettable," Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshimasa Hayashi told a regular news conference, without elaborating.

Hayashi was quick to add, however, that Japan's ties with its security ally the United States were more solid than ever, and Tokyo will strive to make them even stronger.

Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida visited Washington in April for a summit with Biden and unveiled plans for military co-operation and projects from missiles to moon landings, so as to strengthen ties with an eye to countering China and Russia.

At last week's event to raise funds for his 2024 re-election campaign, Biden said, "One of the reasons why our economy's growing is because of you and many others. Why? Because we welcome immigrants."

"Why is China stalling so badly economically, why is Japan having trouble, why is Russia, why is India, because they're xenophobic. They don't want immigrants. Immigrants are what makes us strong."

Japan, which prides itself on its homogeneity, has long been reticent about immigration, although its falling birth rate and a rapidly ageing population point to an acute labor shortage in the coming decades.

Asked in a Newsweek interview if he wanted to spur immigration to reverse the population decline, Kishida said Japan must consider inviting skilled workers, but ruled out a full-fledged immigration program.

"For highly capable and motivated workers to be invited into Japan to provide support to Japanese society is what we would like to enable," Kishida said in the interview, published last week.

"There are still some in Japanese society who are resistant to the idea of continuous, indefinite immigration of labor from overseas."


Putin is Starting His 5th Term as President

FILE PHOTO: Russian President Vladimir Putin chairs a meeting on economic issues via video link at the Kremlin in Moscow, Russia May 3, 2024. Sputnik/Aleksey Babushkin/Kremlin via REUTERS
FILE PHOTO: Russian President Vladimir Putin chairs a meeting on economic issues via video link at the Kremlin in Moscow, Russia May 3, 2024. Sputnik/Aleksey Babushkin/Kremlin via REUTERS
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Putin is Starting His 5th Term as President

FILE PHOTO: Russian President Vladimir Putin chairs a meeting on economic issues via video link at the Kremlin in Moscow, Russia May 3, 2024. Sputnik/Aleksey Babushkin/Kremlin via REUTERS
FILE PHOTO: Russian President Vladimir Putin chairs a meeting on economic issues via video link at the Kremlin in Moscow, Russia May 3, 2024. Sputnik/Aleksey Babushkin/Kremlin via REUTERS

Vladimir Putin begins his fifth term as Russian president in an opulent Kremlin inauguration Tuesday, after destroying his political opponents, launching a devastating war in Ukraine and consolidating all power in his hands.
Already in office for nearly a quarter-century and the longest-serving Kremlin leader since Josef Stalin, Putin’s new term doesn’t expire until 2030, when he is constitutionally eligible to run for another six years.
He has transformed Russia from a country emerging from economic collapse to a pariah state that threatens global security. Following the 2022 invasion of Ukraine that has become Europe’s biggest conflict since World War II, Russia has been heavily sanctioned by the West and is turning to other regimes like China, Iran and North Korea for support.
The question now is what the 71-year-old Putin will do over the course of another six years, both at home and abroad.
Russian forces are gaining ground in Ukraine, deploying scorched-earth tactics as Kyiv grapples with shortages of men and ammunition. Both sides are taking heavy casualties.
Ukraine has brought the battle to Russian soil through drone and missile attacks, especially in border regions. In a speech in February, Putin vowed to fulfill Moscow’s goals in Ukraine, and do what is needed to “defend our sovereignty and security of our citizens.”
Shortly after his orchestrated reelection in March, Putin suggested that a confrontation between NATO and Russia is possible, and he declared he wanted to carve out a buffer zone in Ukraine to protect his country from cross-border attacks.
At home, Putin's popularity is closely tied to improving living standards for ordinary Russians.
He began his term in 2018 by promising to get Russia into the top five global economies, vowing it should be “modern and dynamic.” Instead, Russia's economy has pivoted to a war footing, and authorities are spending record amounts on defense.
Analysts say now that Putin has secured another six years in power, the government could take the unpopular steps of raising taxes to fund the war and pressure more men to join the military.
At the start of a new term, the Russian government is routinely dissolved so that Putin can name a new prime minister and Cabinet.
One key area to watch is the Defense Ministry.
Last year, Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu came under pressure over his conduct of the war, with mercenary leader Yevgeny Prigozhin launching withering criticism against him for shortages of ammunition for his private contractors fighting in Ukraine. Prigozhin's brief uprising in June against the Defense Ministry represented the biggest threat to Putin's rule.
After Prigozhin was killed two months later in a mysterious plane crash, Shoigu appeared to have survived the infighting. But last month, his protege, Deputy Defense Minister Timur Ivanov, was detained on charges of bribery amid reports of rampant corruption.
Some analysts have suggested Shoigu could become a victim of the government reshuffle but that would be a bold move as the war is still raging in Ukraine.
In the years following the invasion, authorities have cracked down on any form of dissent with a ferocity not seen since Soviet times. There is no sign that this repression will ease in Putin's new term.
His greatest political foe, opposition leader Alexei Navalny, died in an Arctic penal colony in February. Other prominent critics have either been imprisoned or have fled the country, and even some of his opponents abroad fear for their security.
Laws have been enacted that threaten long prison terms for anyone who discredits the military. The Kremlin also targets independent media, rights groups, LGBTQ+ activists and others who don't hew to what Putin has emphasized as Russia's “traditional family values.”


At Least 10 Casualties in Hospital Attack in Southwestern China, Suspect Arrested

The Chinese national flag is seen in Beijing, China April 29, 2020. (Reuters)
The Chinese national flag is seen in Beijing, China April 29, 2020. (Reuters)
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At Least 10 Casualties in Hospital Attack in Southwestern China, Suspect Arrested

The Chinese national flag is seen in Beijing, China April 29, 2020. (Reuters)
The Chinese national flag is seen in Beijing, China April 29, 2020. (Reuters)

Chinese state media are reporting a knife attack with possible deaths at a hospital in the country’s southwest.
The official Xinhua News Agency said there were more than 10 casualties in what it called a “vicious assault” on Tuesday in Yunnan province. An online post from Guizhou province television citing unnamed authorities said that two had died and 23 people were injured, The Associated Press said.
A suspect has been arrested, the Guizhou TV post said. The attack took place at Zhenxiong County People’s Hospital in Zhaotong city.


Kabul: Around 1,000 Afghan Migrants Deported from Pakistan, Iran

Afghan refugees arrive in trucks and cars to cross the Pakistan-Afghanistan border in Chaman on October 31, 2023. (AFP)
Afghan refugees arrive in trucks and cars to cross the Pakistan-Afghanistan border in Chaman on October 31, 2023. (AFP)
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Kabul: Around 1,000 Afghan Migrants Deported from Pakistan, Iran

Afghan refugees arrive in trucks and cars to cross the Pakistan-Afghanistan border in Chaman on October 31, 2023. (AFP)
Afghan refugees arrive in trucks and cars to cross the Pakistan-Afghanistan border in Chaman on October 31, 2023. (AFP)

The Afghani Ministry of Refugees and Repatriation Affairs announced on Monday that nearly a thousand Afghan migrants returned to the country after being expelled by Pakistan, the Khaama news agency said.
According to a newsletter released by the ministry on Sunday, 913 Afghan migrants residing in Pakistan have entered the country.
The newspaper also said the migrants who had been expelled returned to the country on May 5th.
Both Pakistan and Iran have recently intensified the expulsion of Afghan citizens from their territories, with hundreds of Afghans, including families and individuals, entering the country daily through various border crossings.
Pakistan and Iran consistently cite the lack of legal documentation for residency in their countries as the primary reason for the expulsion of Afghan migrants.
Meanwhile, the Afghan refugees who were forcibly deported from Iran have complained of inhumane treatment at the hands of the Iranian government. They reported being beaten by Iranian government forces. Baseer, a refugee who spent two years in Iran and was recently deported with his three children, said, “When they wanted to search us, I resisted, and they beat me.”
He told the Afghan Tolo television channel on Sunday, “Now, I don't know if my rib is broken. I can't even lift two kilograms.”
Some Afghan migrants in Pakistan also expressed concern about the growing challenges they face and asked for international attention to the plight of Afghan migrants.
Late last month, Afghanistan’s Ministry of Refugees and Repatriations said more than two thousand Afghan migrants have re-entered the country after being expelled by the governments of Pakistan and Iran.
Meanwhile, the Chinese Red Cross donated $100,000 to assist recent flood victims in the country.
According to the Chinese ambassador in Kabul, the country's Red Cross deposited this money with Mullah Nuruddin Turabi, the Deputy of the Red Crescent of Afghanistan. Previously, China had announced that it would send 100 million yuan to “address humanitarian challenges.”
China has had good relations with Afghanistan in the past two years, and Chinese officials have repeatedly visited Afghanistan to expand political, economic, and transit relations with authorities.
In the past two years, Beijing has helped Kabul with education, health, construction, and sending humanitarian aid.


IAEA Urges Tehran on Concrete Steps to Revive Agreements

UN nuclear watchdog chief Rafael Grossi meeting with Iran’s Foreign Minister Amir-Abdollahian (Iranian Foreign Ministry)
UN nuclear watchdog chief Rafael Grossi meeting with Iran’s Foreign Minister Amir-Abdollahian (Iranian Foreign Ministry)
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IAEA Urges Tehran on Concrete Steps to Revive Agreements

UN nuclear watchdog chief Rafael Grossi meeting with Iran’s Foreign Minister Amir-Abdollahian (Iranian Foreign Ministry)
UN nuclear watchdog chief Rafael Grossi meeting with Iran’s Foreign Minister Amir-Abdollahian (Iranian Foreign Ministry)

UN nuclear watchdog chief Rafael Grossi suggested concrete steps to Iranian officials over a year ago to improve the IAEA’s oversight of Tehran’s nuclear activities.
However, diplomats and analysts see Grossi’s influence as limited and warn against unverifiable promises.
During a recent visit to Tehran, Grossi focused on unresolved issues, including the international investigation into uranium traces at secret sites and restoring inspection operations.
Tehran halted implementation of the Additional Protocol to the Non-Proliferation Treaty three years ago.
Grossi met with Iran’s Foreign Minister Amir-Abdollahian and Atomic Energy Organization Spokesman Behrouz Kamalvandi.
Additionally, Grossi held separate talks with Ali Bagheri Kani, Iran’s chief nuclear negotiator, and the deputy foreign minister.
Before heading to Isfahan for a nuclear conference, Grossi wrapped up high-level talks in Tehran, suggesting practical steps to boost a joint agreement made in March 2023. This agreement aimed to rebuild trust and transparency.
His visit coincides with Iran’s uranium stockpile nearing levels sufficient for about three nuclear bombs.
Grossi is expected to present a key report later this month at a meeting in Vienna. However, doubts linger over his influence, especially given the Biden administration’s cautious stance on Iran.
Grossi’s last visit was in March 2023, resulting in a roadmap to address issues. However, recent reports suggest little progress on promises made.
Grossi hoped the agreement would lead to reinstalling surveillance equipment, but only a fraction has been replaced.
The March 2023 agreement emphasized three points: communication, cooperation on safeguards, and voluntary access for IAEA inspections.
Grossi’s return to Tehran faces challenges amid worsening relations and Tehran’s ongoing enrichment program, sparking concerns.
Atomic Energy Organization of Iran chief Mohammad Eslami had expressed confidence that talks with Grossi would address doubts and improve ties with the IAEA.
Since the collapse of the nuclear deal in 2018, Iran has ramped up uranium enrichment, reducing cooperation with the UN agency.
Grossi highlighted inadequate inspections in Iran, emphasizing the need for enhanced monitoring.
Iran’s uranium enrichment nears levels suitable for nuclear weapons, raising alarm among Western nations.