Iran says it’s ‘not in search of conflict’
The top of Iran’s Revolutionary Guards mentioned yesterday that the nation was “not in search of conflict,” showing to sign that it will not escalate tensions with the U.S. However he additionally mentioned that Iran was ready to reply if attacked.
“We hear threatening phrases from American officers,” Gen. Hossein Salami, the chief commander of the navy group, was quoted as saying by Iranian state information media. “You’ve gotten examined us and we all know one another — we won’t depart any menace unanswered.”
Salami’s feedback got here after President Biden mentioned that he had selected a response to the weekend drone assault that killed three American troopers and injured greater than 40 others in Jordan. The U.S. mentioned the strike got here from an Iranian-backed militia within the area. Biden has not mentioned what America’s response can be.
Iran has denied ordering assaults on U.S. forces, together with the drone strike in Jordan. And in an obvious signal that Iran is making an attempt to tamp down tensions, Kata’ib Hezbollah, the militia that the U.S. says was most probably behind the Jordan assault, mentioned on Tuesday that it will droop its navy operations in Iraq. The shock assertion indicated that the militia had come underneath stress from each Iran and Iraq.
West Financial institution: Anger and resentment are mounting within the territory, the place Israelis and Palestinians stay worlds aside however are sometimes separated solely by a single highway — or roadblocks.
An E.U. summit on help for Ukraine
E.U. leaders will meet at this time in Brussels to attempt to attain an agreement on a $54 billion, multiyear aid package to Ukraine. With out extra help, Ukraine says that it’ll face an financial disaster that analysts say might severely undermine its skill to efficiently battle Russia.
“It’s the economic system that wins wars,” mentioned the pinnacle of the Ukrainian program at Chatham Home, a London-based analysis group.
This help would cowl a couple of quarter of Ukraine’s nationwide finances this yr, paying for issues like trainer salaries, pensions and medical take care of the inhabitants.
However Prime Minister Viktor Orban — a detailed ally of President Vladimir Putin of Russia — blocked the E.U. help package deal in December. This time, if he continues to face in the best way of the help, E.U. leaders have made clear they’re able to do no matter is critical to assist Ukraine and are ready to work round him — or even to punish him.
Within the U.S.: The Biden administration can also be combating to go $60 billion price of navy, humanitarian and monetary help this yr.
In Ukraine: Tensions between President Volodymyr Zelensky and his prime common are coming to a head, however dismissing Gen. Valery Zaluzhny might create a host of problems both in the war and at home.
A Thai court docket dominated in opposition to Transfer Ahead
A Thai court docket dealt a blow to the Transfer Ahead Occasion, ruling that its push to reform the law against criticizing the monarchy violated the Constitution. The choice leaves the progressive celebration susceptible to extra authorized challenges, which might pave the best way for its eventual disbandment.
The court docket ordered Transfer Ahead to cease all actions associated to amending the royal defamation legislation, which is sacrosanct for Thailand’s conservative institution, and referred to as the proposal an try and overthrow the monarchy.
Background: Transfer Ahead gained the overall election final yr with Pita Limjaroenrat at its helm. He was then blocked from turning into prime minister and the celebration was pressured into the opposition.
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Asia Pacific
The place Toyko goes to unwind
Kagoshima Prefecture, which wraps across the southern finish of the Japanese island of Kyushu, is claimed to resemble the pinnacle of a dragon. Whereas Tokyo and Kyoto draw stampedes of Western vacationers, Kagoshima attracts extra guests from Japan and round Asia.
We asked some locals to make a information to the area, which was an inspiration for the surroundings in Hayao Miyazaki’s 1997 animated movie “Princess Mononoke.” The forests are breathtaking, and temperatures not often dip under freezing throughout the day. Customers can head to pottery villages, whereas historical past buffs can discover feudal riches.