Cambodia has conducted attacks after ceasefire deadline, Thai army says
Thai troops have retaliated proportionately in self defence, Major General Winthai Suvaree said in a statement.
The leaders of Thailand and Cambodia met in Malaysia on Monday and agreed to halt their deadliest conflict in more than a decade following five days of intense fighting that displaced over 300,000 people.
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BBC News
6 minutes ago
- BBC News
The delicate politics behind the UK's move on Palestine
Sir Keir Starmer is familiar with Emily Damari's ordeal. Over the 15 months that she was held hostage in Gaza, the prime minister mentioned her several times when talking about the war, including describing phone calls he held with her British mother Mandy when she did not know whether Emily was still alive. So it will no doubt feel unpleasant, to say the least, for the prime minister to find himself on the receiving end of sharp criticism from Emily today. Responding to Sir Keir's announcement that he was willing to recognise a Palestinian state in September, Ms Damari accused him of "moral failure".She said he risked "rewarding terror" and "prolonging the conflict". Her intervention echoed a statement from representatives of 10 hostages who are being held or have been held in Gaza, who are either British or have close ties to said that they took no position on the "wider politics" of the war, but they were concerned that the UK's new position would remove incentives for Hamas to sign up to a ceasefire and release the remaining hostages, because it could now make recognition of a Palestinian state less concern of the hostage families is based on one of the prevailing interpretations of what the prime minister said in Downing Street after Tuesday's emergency cabinet that UK recognition of Palestine would be determined only by whether Israel met various conditions in the intervening weeks: agreeing to a ceasefire, making it clear it will not annex the West Bank, taking "substantive steps" to end the humanitarian crisis in Gaza, and committing to a long-term peace government sources today have been pointing additionally to another element of the prime minister's statement on Tuesday."Our message to the terrorists of Hamas is unchanged and unequivocal," he said. "They must immediately release all the hostages, sign up to a ceasefire, disarm and accept that they will play no part in the government of Gaza."We will make an assessment in September on how far the parties have met these steps."Parties plural - that's to say, both Israel and Hamas. This, Downing Street sources argue, shows that the question of whether the UK ultimately presses ahead with recognition will be based not solely on Israel's actions but those of Hamas too, and means that their approach will not disincentivise Hamas to release the hostages after all. But that position has not been consistently articulated. For example, speaking to the BBC today, Transport Secretary Heidi Alexander said that "the ball is in the Israeli government's court". Asked whether recognition would still happen if Hamas is in control of Gaza in September, she replied by speaking only about the need for Israel to meet the government's conditions. The bottom line is this: nobody I have spoken to in Labour expects the government to do anything other than recognise Palestine in all the uncertainty about the precise conditions for getting there, and the mechanics of the assessment process the government will carry out, that is the significance of what Sir Keir said on that is a hugely significant shift in the UK's diplomatic posture, both across governments of different stripes, and compared to what this government was saying just a few days ago. Sir Keir has long said that he wants to recognise a Palestinian state, but only when it would make the biggest contribution to bringing about a two-state solution – which, it had generally been assumed, meant after the end of this delicate politics involved in changing position is one reason why the government has ended up in a slightly convoluted position was also undoubtedly involved in the government's decision to change course. Political gravity Sir Keir's own rhetoric, especially as regards the humanitarian situation in Gaza, has been publicly hardening for a little the mood of the parliamentary Labour party was moving faster. By the start of this week, more than half of Labour's MPs who don't hold government positions had signed a letter urging the government to recognise Palestine. Cabinet ministers were finding ways to let it be known that they agreed some in government, there was concern that when MPs return from their summer break in September, an opposition party would find a way to force a vote on the issue - and Starmer would have to climb down then, if he had not done so gravity was always going to take effect before long. There is a risk, though, that the government could fall between two stools. There are those, including some of those in Labour who have been pushing to recognise Palestine most loudly, who argue that if Palestinian statehood is the inalienable right of the Palestinian people, then it should not be conditional on actions taken by the Israeli is also the position taken by the Liberal Democrats, the Green Party, and independents such as Jeremy the other side, there are those who argue that this is gesture politics, and statehood should not be entertained until Hamas has released the hostages - even though ultimately the Palestinian state the UK envisages would be governed by the Palestinian Authority, not Hamas. That's the position of a few in Labour, though more prominently of the Conservatives and Reform above all, a change in the government's position became inevitable because the middle of the Labour Party - those who have not necessarily always been vocal on this issue, and have generally backed Sir Keir's judgment - wanted a change. They are happy fragile political peace is based on a universal assumption that this is all merely a staging post to inevitable recognition of Palestine in just a few weeks. Sign up for our Politics Essential newsletter to keep up with the inner workings of Westminster and beyond.
The Independent
35 minutes ago
- The Independent
Thailand and Cambodia reaffirm ceasefire after China-brokered meeting in Shanghai
Thailand and Cambodia reaffirmed their shaky ceasefire after days of fighting along their border as China stepped in to negotiate with the two countries. The ceasefire reached in Malaysia was supposed to take effect at midnight on Monday, but was quickly tested. Thailand's army accused Cambodia of launching attacks in multiple areas early Tuesday, while Cambodia said there was no firing in any location. The Thai army then reported exchanges of gunfire into Wednesday morning but said there was no use of heavy artillery. 'Such act of aggression constitutes once again a clear violation of the ceasefire agreement by Cambodian forces and their apparent lack of good faith,' said Thailand's Foreign Ministry in a statement Wednesday morning. By Wednesday afternoon, however, both sides appeared to have reaffirmed their commitment to a ceasefire, with representatives appearing smiling in a photo with a Chinese vice minister Sun Weidong at a meeting in Shanghai. China's 'constructive role' The meeting involved Kung Phaok, a senior official at Cambodia's Foreign Affairs Ministry, and Jullapong Nonsrichai, executive advisor to the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Thailand. 'Cambodia and Thailand reiterated to China their commitment to the ceasefire consensus and expressed appreciation for China's positive role in de-escalating the situation,' a statement from China's Ministry of Foreign Affairs said. China said the informal meeting was its 'latest diplomatic effort' and it was playing a 'constructive role in resolving their border dispute," according to the same statement. China's peacemaking efforts reflects its 'serious concerns' about another conflict so close to its borders, said Thitinan Pongsudhirak, a professor of international relations at Thailand's Chulalongkorn University, citing the ongoing Myanmar civil war. 'The Chinese and U.S. interests align on this, which is very rare,' he said. 'China does not want more instability in its backyard. And Trump wants to have another peacemaking win.' Others say that China's move to publicize its diplomacy was a response to the U.S. approach. 'Trump's approach of linking tariff deals to sensitivity sovereignty issues has undeniably been effective, but I doubt this will be good for the U.S in the long run,' said Tita Sanglee, an associate fellow at the ISEAS–Yusof Ishak Institute in Singapore. 'China is likely to seize on this contrast to present itself as the more understanding and respectful mediator.' Alleged breach of ceasefire Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Manet and Thailand's acting prime minister, Phumtham Wechayachai, agreed on Monday to an 'unconditional' halt in fighting, which has killed at least 41 people. The meeting was hosted by Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim as annual chair of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations. He called the ceasefire a 'vital first step towards de-escalation and the restoration of peace and security.' The ceasefire was brokered with U.S. pressure, as Trump said he would not move forward with trade agreements if the conflict continued. U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio said Washington welcomed the ceasefire declaration. 'President (Donald) Trump and I are committed to an immediate cessation of violence and expect the governments of Cambodia and Thailand to fully honor their commitments to end this conflict,' Rubio said in a statement. But the Thai army said there was an attack Tuesday night in Phu Makhuea, a mountain in a disputed area next to Thaikand's Sisaket province. The Thai government separately said it has complained to Malaysia, the U.S. and China about Cambodia's alleged breach of the ceasefire agreement previously. Cambodia and Thailand have clashed in the past over their 800-kilometer (500-mile) border. The fighting began Thursday after a land mine explosion along the border wounded five Thai soldiers. Tensions had been growing since May when a Cambodian soldier was killed in a confrontation that created a diplomatic rift and roiled Thailand's domestic politics. Residents face limbo By Wednesday, there were some signs of calm along the border, with some of the more than 260,000 people displaced by the fighting returning to their homes. Still, many remain behind in evacuation shelters, uncertain of their fate. Vendor Kanchana Sukjit, 33, said she fled home near the Ta Muen Thom temple with a few belongings and her small white-colored dog Nam Khaeng, which means ice in Thai. The temple had been one of the main flashpoints in the conflict over the past week. It was the first time she had to flee home like this and she was worried as she waited for clearer instructions about what happens next. 'I'm stressed when I read the news, like when reports said they were going to fire (a long-range rocket), because my home is right next to a military camp. I was quite stressed that day because I was afraid that my home would get caught in a crossfire,' she said. ___
Reuters
an hour ago
- Reuters
Lithuania coalition partner threatens to quit unless PM resigns
VILNIUS, July 30 (Reuters) - A junior party in Lithuania's government on Wednesday threatened to quit the ruling coalition unless Social Democratic Prime Minister Gintautas Paluckas resigns by August 18 over business ties to a company owned by his sister-in-law. Without the centre-left For Lithuania party, which won 14 seats in the 2024 election, the Social Democrats and another junior partner, Nemunas Dawn, would be left with only 71 seats, the bare minimum required for a majority in the 141-seat assembly, and vulnerable to any further defections. The prime minister's office said Paluckas was on holiday, and declined to comment further. He has denied any wrongdoing. Opposition parties in the Baltic country have criticised Paluckas for business dealings in which a company he co-owns sold electric batteries to one owned by his sister-in-law in a deal financed by a government agency. Last week, the sister-in-law's company said it would decline the funding from the government, but denied wrongdoing. It said it made purchases from Paluckas' business following an open tender. Saulius Skvernelis, the leader of For Lithuania, on Wednesday gave the prime minister a deadline to resign by the next coalition leaders' meeting, which is scheduled for August 18. "(If Paluckas stays) we will not remain in the coalition," Skvernelis told reporters.
