Ceasefire holds in south Syria, but humanitarian crisis deepens: UN
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Moscow summons German envoy over Japanese claim to Kuril Islands
DPA Moscow The German ambassador to Russia, Alexander Graf Lambsdorff, has been summoned to the Russian Foreign Ministry. In a protest note, the ministry on Monday warned Germany not to cast doubt on the results of World War II by recognizing Japanese claims on Russia's southern Kuril Islands. The islands' status is part of the post-war order recognized by the United Nations, it added. 'Russian sovereignty is undisputed here.' Moscow accused Germany's ambassador to Japan, Petra Sigmund, of questioning Russian sovereignty over the islands, and said the issue was 'particularly mocking' in the year of the 80th anniversary of the end of World War II. Germany's embassy in Moscow rebuffed the criticism. 'We reject the accusation that the statements allegedly violated Russia's sovereignty.' The comments were believed to be linked to a visit by Sigmund and another diplomat to the Japanese city of Nemuro, on the island of Hokkaido, which is near the southern Kuril Islands. Lambsdorff highlighted that the visit was being used as an occasion for protest 'while at the same time Russia is violating the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Ukraine in the most serious way every day with several hundred thousand soldiers.' The ambassador has repeatedly denounced the Russian invasion of Ukraine.
Qatar Tribune
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Lebanon's president calls for justice five years after Beirut port blast
DPA Beirut On the fifth anniversary of the catastrophic explosion at the Beirut port, Lebanese President Joseph Aoun has renewed his pledge to pursue a full investigation and deliver justice for the victims. Aoun vowed to maintain the pressure on all relevant institutions to ensure that 'everyone responsible, regardless of their rank or affiliation, is brought to justice.' Addressing the families of the victims, he said: 'Your pain will not go unanswered. The promise of justice remains.' The explosion on August 4, 2020, killed more than 200 people, injured around 6,000 and devastated large parts of the Lebanese capital. To date, no one has been held accountable for the tragedy. The blast was caused by hundreds of tons of improperly stored ammonium nitrate, which was kept for years in a port warehouse. It was one of the most powerful non-nuclear explosions ever recorded. The investigation into the incident has largely stalled due to political interference, judicial paralysis and deep-rooted corruption. Key suspects have evaded questioning and judges have been obstructed. At the beginning of the year, the government announced a new investigation attempt, partly spurred by the weakening influence of Hezbollah due to the conflict with Israel. 'Survivors and victims, and their families, deserve full accountability. And, they deserve it now,' UN Special Coordinator for Lebanon Jeanine Hennis-Plasschaert wrote on X. Lebanese Energy Minister Joe Saddi described the blast as a 'crime against humanity,' adding that the years-long obstruction of justice may be an even greater offence. The families of the victims are scheduled to hold a sit-in near the port later on Monday.
Qatar Tribune
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Australia pledges more Gaza aid after 90,000-strong Sydney march
DPA Sydney The Australian government on Monday pledged further humanitarian aid for women and children in Gaza, a day after some 90,000 demonstrators marched across the Sydney Harbour Bridge to highlight conditions in the war-ravaged region. Foreign Minister Penny Wong announced an additional $20 million Australian ($13 million US) in humanitarian assistance to the Gaza Strip, bringing Australia's total pledge to 'more than $130 million to help civilians in Gaza and Lebanon' since the October 7, 2023. Wong said the decision follows the announcement of new humanitarian corridors by Israel amid the dire humanitarian situation in the territory. The move came one day after thousands of people thronged the iconic Sydney Harbour Bridge in pouring rain and windy conditions to protest against Israeli military operations in the Gaza Strip and draw attention to the humanitarian crisis. NSW Police Acting Commissioner Peter McKenna said that the protest's attendance was estimated at about 90,000 people and described the crowd as the largest he had ever seen on the iconic bridge. Organisers put that figure at between 200,000 and 300,000 people, according to local media. Thousands more joined pro-Palestinian protests in Melbourne and Sydney on Sunday. According to the United Nations, the Gaza Strip is on the brink of famine. Israel controls all access points to the coastal territory on the Mediterranean and, for several months, has allowed little or no aid deliveries to pass through.
