Latest news with #securitythreats
South China Morning Post
2 days ago
- Business
- South China Morning Post
Global uncertainties drive Chinese rush to African goldfields, despite the risks
Chinese companies and miners in Africa are facing severe security threats from armed groups in search of gold, driven by soaring global prices for the precious metal. Advertisement Multiple attacks and kidnappings targeting gold miners have been reported from Ghana, the Central African Republic, Mali and the Democratic Republic of Congo in recent months. In Mali – one of Africa's top gold producers – the Chinese embassy has repeatedly warned its citizens against operating gold mines in the country because of the worsening security situation. The embassy's most recent advisory, issued in late July, ordered Chinese gold mining companies to 'immediately halt operations and production' and for gold miners to 'evacuate the mining areas'. The warning followed a series of attacks and kidnappings targeting gold miners, especially Chinese nationals, against the backdrop of a security situation that has been deteriorating since Mali's 2020 military coup d'état. Advertisement This included an incident in May, when two Chinese citizens were kidnapped and their heavy machinery burned at a gold mining site about 100km (62 miles) southwest of Mali's capital Bamako.
The Australian
6 days ago
- Politics
- The Australian
PM accused of ‘weakness' as China, Russia team up in the Indo-Pacific
The opposition says China and Russia are 'testing' Australia with joint naval drills in the Western Pacific due to Anthony Albanese's 'weakness' on defence. China and Russia are carrying out joint patrols in the Western Pacific after wrapping up five days of war games near Vladivostok – a coastal military hub in Russia's far east that is home to the country's Pacific fleet. Crews executed live fire drills and practised taking out enemy submarines, according to the Chinese military. While some vessels have headed back to their home ports, others have gone on to prowl in international waters, including some of China's most advanced battleships. 'Crews of the Russian Navy and China's PLA Navy will form a new task group to carry out joint patrol missions in the Asia-Pacific region,' Russia's Interfax news agency reported, citing defence officials. Beijing's mouthpieces have framed the patrols as 'jointly countering security threats' and a testament to 'deepening of China-Russia military ties'. Chinese and Russian warships have carried out joint live fire drills in the Indo-Pacific. Picture: Chinese Ministry of Defence / Handout 'The routine joint maritime patrol in the region not only showcases the two navies' capabilities, but also demonstrates their firm determination in safeguarding regional peace and stability, deterring potential security threats, and creating a favourable environment for peaceful development in the region,' according to the Global Times, a leading propaganda outlet for the Chinese Communist Party. Doing its best to imitate a Western-style publication, the Global Times is often used to circulate the CCP's various pet peeves and routinely takes scathing shots at Australia. But however Chinese state media has spun the joint operations, the opposition says it is anything but innocent and the Prime Minister is, at least in part, to blame. 'China and Russia are flexing their muscles in the region and testing democratic nations with their 'no-limits' partnership,' acting opposition defence spokesman Andrew Hastie told NewsWire. 'While concerning, this is not surprising. They are testing us because they see weakness in Prime Minister Albanese. 'The Prime Minister has set a dangerous precedent by repeatedly refusing to stand up for our Australian Defence Force. 'Australia must show strength, and we're not seeing it from Labor.' Deputy Prime Minister and Defence Minister Richard Marles did not respond to a request for comment on the patrols or naval exercises. Chinese and Russian battleships are prowling international waters after five days of war games. Picture: China Daily / Handout China's Shaoxing and Urumqi destroyers are among the ships out on patrol. Entering service in 2022 and 2018, they are prized examples of China's most recent wave of naval modernisation and fitted with the latest military hardware. Their vertical launch systems can fire a smorgasbord of guided weapons, including long-range surface-to-air missiles. They are also equipped with anti-ship and land-attack cruise missiles and anti-submarine capabilities. Russia's Admiral Tributs, a large anti-submarine destroyer, is also partaking in the patrols. They come a day after the Albanese government announced it picked a Japanese firm to build Australia's new fleet of 'next-generation' warships in record time. Mitsubishi Heavy Industries will build 11 Mogami-class frigates to replace the ANZAC-class fleet, which the Navy has been operating since World War II. Australia is expected to get its first Japanese-built frigate by 2029 and its third by 2034, with the remaining eight to be built in Western Australia. Chinese President Xi Jinping and Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin inked a 'no limits' strategic partnership shortly before Russia invaded Ukraine. Picture: Chinese Ministry of Defence / Handout But, like the AUKUS submarines, the delivery timeline is still well after when the US expects a conflict in the Indo-Pacific. US Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth earlier this year warned of an 'imminent' threat to the region, pointing to Taiwan as a flashpoint. With the People's Liberation Army simulating invasions, he told the Shangri-La Dialogue that China could move on the democratically self-governing island as early as 2027. On the sidelines of the conference, he also urged the Albanese government to hike Australia's military spending to 3.5 per cent of GDP in a meeting with Mr Marles. Mr Albanese and Mr Marles have firmly pushed back on the request, saying it has already committed record billions to mid and long-term defence projects, such as AUKUS. Analysts from Brussels to Canberra have long-warned of Beijing and Moscow forging stronger defence ties. The allies signed a 'no-limits' strategic partnership shortly before Russia invaded Ukraine in 2022. Xi Jinping has not publicly backed Vladimir Putin's war, but China has pumped hundreds of billions into the Russian economy, undermining international sanctions.
The Independent
28-07-2025
- Politics
- The Independent
Ukraine-Russia war latest: Putin cancels navy celebration parades as Kyiv strikes near St Petersburg
Russia was forced to downsize its celebration parades honouring the navy on Sunday amid security threats from continuing Ukrainian drone attacks, Kremlin officials said. Annual parades of Russian warships to mark the Navy Day were cancelled in St Petersburg, in the Kaliningrad region on the Baltic and in the far-eastern port of Vladivostok. Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov confirmed the cancellation of the parades and said it was 'linked to the overall situation, security reasons, which are above all else'. Russian forces downed nearly 100 Ukrainian drones over several regions from Saturday night into Sunday. The drone threat also forced the shutdown of St Petersburg Pulkovo airport, leading to the suspension of dozens of flights in the early hours of Sunday. Meanwhile, Poland scrambled its warplanes in the early hours of Monday to protect its airspace after Russia launched missiles at western Ukraine, near the border with the Nato country. As of 1.30am local time, most of Ukraine remained under air raid alerts.
Russia Today
14-07-2025
- Politics
- Russia Today
German president calls for universal military conscription
German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier has urged a nationwide debate about reinstating military conscription, stressing that Berlin needs to strengthen its armed forces amid what he described as escalating security threats in Europe. Compulsory military service was suspended in Germany in 2011. Although inactive, the legal framework for a draft remains intact and can be reactivated by a simple parliamentary majority. A full-scale return, including women, however, would require changes to the constitution. Speaking to ZDF on Sunday, Steinmeier said Germany must prepare for the possibility that voluntary enlistment will fall short of staffing requirements for the army. 'I am an advocate of conscription because I believe that with the changing security situation in Europe, with the fact that a war is taking place, and with the conclusions we have drawn from it to better protect ourselves, the personnel equipment of the Bundeswehr also needs to be adapted,' he said. He expressed support for Defense Minister Boris Pistorius' proposal to expand troop numbers and create a backup draft system. The plan aims for around 5,000 volunteer recruits annually, rising to 30,000 by 2029. Legislation which is being prepared for cabinet review in August with possible enactment by early 2026 includes provisions to automatically reintroduce conscription if volunteer numbers fall short. 'We need this debate now, preferably with a positive outcome, so that if there are not enough volunteers, we will probably return to a different form of conscription than the one we have already abolished,' Steinmeier said. Since the escalation of the Ukraine conflict in February 2022, Germany has been working to strengthen its military, citing what it sees as a security threat from Russia. Moscow has rejected claims that it plans to attack NATO nations, dismissing them as 'nonsense' and accusing Western leaders of intentionally alarming their citizens to justify increased defense budgets.
The Herald
10-07-2025
- Politics
- The Herald
Mkhwanazi's security beefed up after threats, says Masemola
National police commissioner Gen Fannie Masemola says security for KwaZulu-Natal commissioner Lt-Gen Nhlanhla Mkhwanazi has been beefed up because he has been receiving threats after his allegations on Sunday of political interference in police investigations. 'He's been getting threats to his life in the province with his security, but he won't be persecuted from my side. Surely there will be no persecution of any member of the police, not only him, but anyone,' Masemola said. On Sunday Mkhwanazi alleged deputy national commissioner Lt-Gen Shadrack Sibiya obstructed justice, stalled investigations into political assassinations and organised crime and shielded politically-connected suspects by taking control of more than 120 sensitive dockets. Further allegations implicated the minister of police, suggesting links to controversial figures such as Vusumuzi 'Cat' Matlala, who faces serious criminal charges, but reportedly remains politically protected while benefiting from lucrative SAPS contracts. Responding to the issues during a briefing at the firearms destruction operations in Gauteng, Masemola said he would rather leave matters to President Cyril Ramaphosa to intervene.
