Biden makes surprise trip to kyiv Before invasion anniversary

KYIV, UKRAINE Agencies

uS President Joe Biden on Monday made a trip to Kyiv organised in strict secrecy, promising $500 million in fresh arms deliveries and “unwavering” American support ahead of the first anniversary of Russia’s invasion.

Air raid sirens rang out across the capital at one point as Biden walked alongside Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky during what was the US president’s first visit to the country since Russian troops invaded on February 24, 2022.

“One year later, Kyiv stands. And Ukraine stands. Democracy stands,” Biden said, speaking alongside Zelensky at the Ukrainian president’s official residence, the Mariinsky Palace.

“I thought it was critical that there not be any doubt, none whatsoever, about US support for Ukraine in the war,” he continued. ussian President Vladimir “Putin thought Ukraine was weak and the West was divided. He thought he could outlast us.” “He’s just been plain wrong,” Biden said, adding: “Putin’s war of conquest is failing”. The visit was organised in conditions of strict secrecy. Biden left Andrews Air Force in the early hours of Sunday.

After handing over their devices, journalists were made aware of his presence

Bangladesh halts printing of main opposition newspaper

DHAKA Agencies

The only newspaper of Bangladesh’s main opposition party halted printing on Monday after a government suspension order was upheld, stoking fears about media freedom in the South Asian nation. Campaigners and foreign governments including the United States have long expressed worries about efforts by Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina to silence criticism and what they see as creeping authoritarianism. The Dainik Dinkal, a broadsheet Bengali-language newspaper, has been a vital voice of the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) for more than three decades. It employs hundreds of journalists and press workers. It covers news stories that the mainstream newspapers, most of which are controlled by pro-government businessmen, rarely do. This includes the frequent arrests of BNP activists and what the party says are thousands of fake cases against its supporters. The newspaper said the Dhaka district authorities ordered the shutdown on December 26, but it continued to publish after making an appeal at the Press Council headed by a top high court judge. “The council rejected our appeal yesterday (Sunday), upholding the district magistrate’s order to stop our publication,” Shamsur Rahman Shimul Biswas, managing editor of the newspaper, told. The council said the paper’s publisher, Tarique Rahman — the acting chief of BNP — was a convicted criminal and was living abroad without handing over his job to another person. Biswas said Rahman, now based in London, submitted his resignation and appointed a new publisher, but the authorities did not accept the changes.

Beijing

Agencies

Beijing strongly denied on Monday US claims that China was considering arming Russia in its war against Ukraine, as it reiterated a call for dialogue to end the conflict.

On Sunday, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken said Beijing was now “considering providing lethal support” to Moscow ranging “from ammunition to the weapons themselves”.

“It is the United States and not China that is endlessly shipping weapons to the battlefield,” China’s foreign ministry spokesman Wang Wenbin said Monday, when asked about the US claims.

“We urge the United States to earnestly reflect on its own actions, and do more to alleviate the situation, promote peace and dialogue, and stop shifting blame and spreading

turkey winds down quake rescue as Blinken pledges fresh us aid

ANTAKYA, TURKEY Agencies

During the trip, Biden promised an additional $500 million (468 million euros) in arms deliveries for Ukraine, mentioning in particular artillery ammunition, howitzers and Javelin anti-tank missiles. Ukraine is estimated to be burning through thousands more shells each month than the EU defence industry is currently able to produce.

on Air Force One just 15 minutes before the plane took off.

The White House did not report how he eventually reached Ukraine but other foreign leaders have travelled to Kyiv by train from Poland. It was the first visit by a US president to Ukraine since 2008.

The European Union is weighing up plans to try to speed up its production and delivery of much-needed ammunition to help Kyiv’s fight. Zelensky said he and Biden also discussed the possibility of supplying “longrange weapons” to Ukraine, a long-standing request from Kyiv that has been met with reticence in Washington where there is concern that they could be used to strike deep inside Russian territory. Zelensky hailed the visit as a key sign of support.

“This conversation brings us closer to victory,” he said, calling the visit and the promise of additional US arms supplies “an unequivocal signal that Russian attempts to win will have no chance”.

North Korea fires ballistic missiles, warns of more action over US-South drills

SEOUL AFP

North Korea fired two rockets on Monday from its latest launcher, claiming it is capable of a “tactical nuclear attack” that can take out entire enemy air bases.

It was North Korea’s second weapons launch in 48 hours, after it fired one of its most powerful intercontinental ballistic missiles on Saturday, in response to planned US-South Korea military drills.

Japan said the ICBM landed in its exclusive economic zone, and its launch prompted the United States and South Korea to stage joint air drills on Sunday.

Pyongyang said the Korean People’s Army conducted the Monday drill in response to those US-South Korean exercises, blaming the allies for the deteriorating security situation, according to a report by the official Korean Central News Agency.

“Through today’s firing drill with the involvement of super-large multiple rocket launchers, the tactical nuclear attack means, the KPA demonstrated its full readiness to deter and will to counter” the joint air drills, KCNA said.

The South Korean military said it detected the launch of two short-range ballistic missiles on Monday