US, Australia hold joint military exercise in Papua New Guinea for first time
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Arab News
5 hours ago
- Arab News
Tens of thousands join pro-Palestinian march over Sydney Harbor Bridge
SYDNEY: Tens of thousands of demonstrators braved pouring rain to march across Sydney's iconic Harbor Bridge on Sunday calling for peace and aid deliveries in the war-torn Gaza Strip, where a humanitarian crisis has been worsening. Nearly two years into a war that Palestinian authorities say has killed more than 60,000 people in Gaza, governments and humanitarian organizations say a shortage of food is leading to widespread starvation. Some of those attending the march, called by its organizers the 'March for Humanity', carried pots and pans as symbols of the hunger. 'Enough is enough,' said Doug, a man in his 60s with a shock of white hair. 'When people from all over the world gather together and speak up, then evil can be overcome.' Marchers ranged from the elderly to families with young children. Among them was Wikileaks founder Julian Assange. Many carried umbrellas. Some waved Palestinian flags and chanted 'We are all Palestinians.' New South Wales police said up to 90,000 people had attended, far more than expected. The protest organizer, Palestine Action Group Sydney, said in a Facebook post as many as 300,000 people may have marched. New South Wales police and the state's premier last week tried to block the march from taking place on the bridge, a city landmark and transport thoroughfare, saying the route could cause safety hazards and transport disruption. The state's Supreme Court ruled on Saturday that it could go ahead. Acting Deputy Police Commissioner Peter McKenna said more than a thousand police were deployed and the size of the crowd had led to fears of a crush. 'No one was hurt,' he told a press conference. 'But gee whiz, I wouldn't like try and do this every Sunday at that short notice.' Police were also present in Melbourne, where a similar protest march took place. Diplomatic pressure ramped up on Israel in recent weeks. France and Canada have said they will recognize a Palestinian state, and Britain says it will follow suit unless Israel addresses the humanitarian crisis and reaches a ceasefire. Israel has condemned these decisions as rewarding Hamas, the group that governs Gaza and whose attack on Israel in October 2023 began an Israeli offensive that has flattened much of the enclave. Israel has also denied pursuing a policy of starvation and accused Hamas of stealing aid. Australia's center-left Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has said he supports a two-state solution and Israel's denial of aid and killing of civilians 'cannot be defended or ignored,' but has not recognized Palestine. Therese Curtis, a marcher in her 80s, said she had the human right and privilege of good medical care in Australia. 'But the people in Palestine are having their hospitals bombed, they're being denied a basic right of medical care and I'm marching specifically for that,' she said.
Al Arabiya
7 hours ago
- Al Arabiya
Russian and Chinese navies carry out artillery and anti-submarine drills in Sea of Japan
The Russian and Chinese navies are carrying out artillery and anti-submarine drills in the Sea of Japan as part of scheduled joint exercises, the Russian Pacific Fleet was quoted as saying on Sunday. The drills are taking place two days after US President Donald Trump said he had ordered two nuclear submarines to be positioned in 'the appropriate regions' in response to remarks by former Russian president Dmitry Medvedev. However, they were scheduled well before Trump's action. Interfax news agency quoted the Pacific Fleet as saying Russian and Chinese vessels were moving in a joint detachment including a large Russian anti-submarine ship and two Chinese destroyers. It said diesel-electric submarines from the two countries were also involved, as well as a Chinese submarine rescue ship. The maneuvers are part of exercises titled 'Maritime Interaction-2025' which are scheduled to end on Tuesday. Interfax said Russian and Chinese sailors would conduct artillery firing, practice anti-submarine and air defense missions, and improve joint search and rescue operations at sea. Russia and China, which signed a 'no-limits' strategic partnership shortly before Russia went to war in Ukraine in 2022, conduct regular military exercises to rehearse coordination between their armed forces and send a deterrent signal to adversaries. Trump said his submarine order on Friday was made in response to what he called 'highly provocative' remarks by Russia's Medvedev about the risk of war between the nuclear-armed adversaries. Russia and the United States have by far the biggest nuclear arsenals in the world. It is extremely rare for either country to discuss the deployment and location of its nuclear submarines. Trump's comments came at a time of mounting tension with Moscow as he grows frustrated at the lack of progress towards ending the Ukraine war.
Al Arabiya
7 hours ago
- Al Arabiya
China and Russia to hold joint naval exercise near Japan next month
The Chinese military announced Wednesday that it would hold an annual naval exercise and conduct a maritime joint patrol with Russian forces next month. Defense Ministry spokesperson Zhang Xiaogang said that the Joint Sea 2024 exercise would be held in the air and seas near the Russian port city of Vladivostok which lies across the sea from Japan's west coast. Last year the drill was held off southern China in the South China Sea. The Chinese and Russian governments have deepened their ties in recent years with China providing an economic lifeline to Russia in the face of Western sanctions over Moscow's invasion of Ukraine. European leaders asked China again last week to use its influence to pressure Russia to end the war now in its fourth year but there was no sign that Beijing would do so. Japan's Defense Ministry said in an annual report earlier this month that China's growing military cooperation with Russia poses serious security concerns. Zhang said the exercise and patrol are part of an annual cooperation plan and are not aimed at any other country or related to the current international or regional situation. He didn't provide specific dates for the drill or the joint patrol in the Pacific which he said would be the sixth of its kind. Zhang speaking at a monthly press conference criticized ongoing drills that the US Air Force is conducting with Japan and other partners in the western Pacific. 'Resolute Force Pacific' is the largest contingency-response exercise ever conducted by the Air Force in the region according to the US military. 'The US has been blindly flexing muscles in the Asia-Pacific region and attempting to use military drills as a pretext to gang up intimidate and pressure other countries and undermine peace and stability in the region,' Zhang said. The Air Force has said the exercise will train its forces to maintain readiness and execute missions under stress to demonstrate their ability to defend the United States and partner nations in the Pacific.
