Author: ALJAZEERA

Hezbollah’s threat to retaliate against Cyprus if it helps Israel attack Lebanon has highlighted the Mediterranean island’s delicate geopolitical position, analysts say. Cypriots were taken by surprise when Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah mentioned them in a June 19 speech, saying Cyprus would be considered “part of the war” if Israel used Cypriot airports and bases in an attack on Lebanon. “The Cypriot government should be careful,” he said. For many, the announcement was a shock. President Nikos Christodoulides told reporters: “Cyprus is not involved, in any way, in the military conflicts,” in response to Nasrallah’s comments. “I don’t understand it,”…

The weeklong protests have caught Ruto’s government off-guard, as discontent mounts over his economic policies.Kenya’s President William Ruto has said he was ready for “a conversation” with thousands of “peaceful” young protesters who held nationwide demonstrations this week to oppose proposed tax increases. The protesters, who began their demonstrations on Tuesday, say the administration of President William Ruto has gone back on its pledge to reduce taxes and lower the cost of living. Organised on social media and led largely by young Kenyans who livestreamed the demonstrations, the protests caught Ruto’s government off-guard, as discontent mounts over his economic policies.…

In meeting with Israeli counterpart Yoav Gallant, US Pentagon chief Lloyd Austin warns against ‘catastrophe’ of wider war.United States Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin has said that a diplomatic solution is needed to avoid a costly war between Israel and the Lebanese armed group Hezbollah. During a meeting with Israeli counterpart Yoav Gallant on Tuesday, Austin blamed soaring tensions on “provocations” by Hezbollah but noted that a full-blown war would be destructive for all involved and could spark a regional conflagration. “Diplomacy is by far the best way to prevent more escalation. So we’re urgently seeking a diplomatic agreement that restores…

Canada said the domestic car sector faced unfair competition from China’s ‘state-directed’ global oversupply of EVs.Canada is considering whether to impose import tariffs on Chinese-made electric vehicles and will seek the public’s opinion about the idea, Deputy Prime Minister Chrystia Freeland has said. On Monday, Freeland said the domestic car sector faced unfair competition from what she called China’s “state-directed policy of overcapacity,” and that Ottawa would open a 30-day public consultation period on July 2 as to how Canada can respond. “Chinese producers are quite intentionally generating a global oversupply that undermines EV producers around the world, including here…

Israeli forces have killed dozens of Palestinian civilians in overnight attacks across Gaza. At least 24 Palestinians were killed in air raids on Gaza City, in the north of the enclave early on Tuesday. Among those killed were 10 relatives of senior Hamas official Ismail Haniyeh, Gaza health officials said. Two of the air raids hit schools in Gaza City, killing at least 14 people. Another attack in the Shati camp, one of the Gaza Strip’s eight historic refugee camps, killed 10 people. The house hit in this attack belonged to the extended family of Hamas’s political chief Ismail Haniyeh.…

Increased attention to home prices comes as the housing crunch becomes an increasing issue in upcoming elections.The Biden administration is announcing new steps to increase access to affordable housing as still-high prices on groceries and other necessities and high interest rates have dramatically pushed up the cost of living in the post-pandemic years. United States Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen will promote the new investments on Monday during a visit to Minneapolis. The investments include providing $100m through a new fund over the next three years to support affordable housing financing, boosting the Federal Financing Bank’s financing of affordable housing and other measures. The…

The ruling risks the further destabilisation of Israel’s government, with key religiously conservative parties opposed.Israel’s Supreme Court has ruled unanimously that the military must begin drafting ultra-Orthodox men for military service. The ruling announced on Tuesday seeks to overturn a longstanding practice under which Jewish seminary students are exempt from conscription. The decision threatens to help destabilise the government, with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s coalition reliant on religiously conservative parties that oppose the move. The court said that in the absence of a law that distinguishes between Jewish seminary students and other draftees, Israel’s compulsory military service system applies to…

US Transportation Security Administration says it expects to screen 32 million people over July 4 holiday period.The United States has set a new record for the number of air travellers screened at airports in a single day. The US Transportation Security Administration (TSA) screened 2.99 million airline passengers on Sunday, breaking the previous record set in May, the agency said on Monday. The TSA said it expects traffic to surpass the 3 million mark on Friday, when many Americans start travelling in advance of Independence Day on July 4. The TSA said it expects to screen more than 32 million…

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Li Qiang tells World Economic Forum conference that countries should work closely together, abandon rival camps.China’s premier has called for countries to “oppose decoupling”, as economic tensions simmer between Beijing and the European Union ahead of the imposition of new tariffs on Chinese electric vehicles. Friction between the West and the world’s second-largest economy has intensified in recent years, as geopolitical hotspots crop up around the world and Beijing and Washington compete for supremacy in advanced technology. “We should broadly open our minds, work closely together, abandon camp formations, (and) oppose decoupling,” said Li Qiang, China’s second-ranking leader who has…