Putin blames the West, Ukraine after mob storms Russian airport to 'catch' Jewish passengers - CNA

BUS CHASE

Police said they had arrested 60 people in connection with the unrest.

Shmuel, 26, an Israeli citizen and one of the passengers, told Israeli publication Ynet that police had got passengers onto a bus which was chased around the airport by rioters.

"The bus kept turning around ... and people were chasing it and throwing stones. I put my suitcase against the window," he said.

At one point, he said the passengers had been questioned by locals about their religion.

"They came inside, went from person to person, and asked if they were a Muslim or a Jew. I said I was a Muslim, because I was scared to death. Fortunately, they believed me and continued on," he said.

It was unclear in what circumstances that questioning took place with another passenger telling the Mediazona news website that a small group of locals had been shown the passengers' documents in an airport building where the passengers were being held at the time.

Rabbi Alexander Boroda, the president of Russia's Federation of Jewish Communities, called for a tough response.

In a statement, Boroda said that the riot had "undermined the basic foundations of our multi-cultural and multi-national state" and that anti-Israeli sentiment fuelled by events in the Middle East had become open aggression towards Russian Jews.

"Moreover, we see that local authorities were not prepared for such incidents and allowed large-scale violations of law and order and mass demonstrations with open threats to Jews and Israelis," Boroda said.

"I call on the country's leadership and law enforcement agencies to find and punish all the organisers and participants of these anti-Semitic actions in the strictest possible manner."

Israel's ambassador to Russia was cited by the RIA news agency as saying that no Israeli citizens had been hurt amid unconfirmed reports they had been taken to a military base before being flown out of the region.

Makhachkala airport resumed normal operations on Monday afternoon, Russia's aviation authority said, but it announced that flights from Israel would temporarily be re-directed to other cities in Russia.

Israel raised its travel warning for Russia's North Caucasus region, which includes Dagestan, to its highest level.

The unrest followed several other anti-Semitic incidents in recent days in the region in response to Israel's war against Hamas militants in Gaza. Israel has urged Russian authorities to protect Israelis and Jews in their jurisdictions.

In the past few days, a Jewish centre under construction in Nalchik, the capital of the nearby Russian republic of Kabardino-Balkaria, was set on fire, emergency officials said.

Russia, which wants an immediate ceasefire in Gaza and backs a two-state solution, has tried to maintain contact with all sides in the Israel-Hamas conflict, but has angered Israeli authorities by inviting a Hamas delegation to Moscow. Israel's foreign ministry summoned the Russian ambassador on Sunday.

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2023-10-30 21:53:00Z
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60 arrested after mob storms Russian airport looking for Israelis - CNA

"SURGE IN ANTISEMITISM"

A statement from Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's office on Sunday evening said: "Israel expects the Russian authorities to protect all Israeli citizens and all Jews, and to act decisively against the rioters and against incitement to violence against Jews and Israelis."

White House National Security Council spokeswoman Adrienne Watson said: "The United States vigorously condemns the antisemitic protests in Dagestan, Russia.

"The US unequivocally stands with the entire Jewish community as we witness a worldwide surge in antisemitism," Watson said on X, formerly Twitter.

Dagestan governor Melikov on Sunday posted a message, saying: "All Dagestanis empathise with the suffering of victims by the actions of unrighteous people and politicians and pray for peace in Palestine.

"But what happened at our airport is outrageous and should receive the appropriate assessment from law enforcement. This will be done."

He also claimed on Monday morning that the "initiators of this action are our enemies who organised it from Ukrainian territory", according to Russia's Ria-Novosti news agency.

Melikov said the riots were instigated by posts on the social media platform Telegram from Utro Dagestan, run by "traitors" working from Ukraine.

Utro Dagestan, a Telegram channel with about 60,000 followers, had shared a post urging a mass gathering at the airport to prevent the arrival of "undesirable" passengers on the Red Wings flight.

Dagestan and Chechnya are mainly Muslim areas in a region that has witnessed years of violent tension with the central Russian authorities.

The RIA Novosti news agency reported on Sunday that a Jewish centre in another North Caucasus republic - Kabardino-Balkaria - had been set on fire in the city of Nalchik.

Dagestan is Russia's southernmost territory and one of its poorest regions.

It has taken an active part in the Ukraine offensive - with independent reports showing it has sent proportionally more men to Ukraine than many more ethnically Russian regions.

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2023-10-30 09:23:08Z
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China and Russia take aim at US at Chinese military forum - CNA

BEIJING: Chinese and Russian military chiefs targeted the United States for criticism at a security forum in Beijing on Monday (Oct 30), even as China's second-most-senior military commander vowed to boost defence ties with Washington.

The Beijing Xiangshan Forum, China's biggest annual show of military diplomacy, began Sunday without the country's defence minister, who typically hosts the event, but included a US delegation amid roiling regional tensions.

Russia's Defence Minister Sergei Shoigu warned the West that its involvement in the Ukraine war created grave danger.

"The Western line of steady escalation of the conflict with Russia carries the threat of a direct military clash between nuclear powers, which is fraught with catastrophic consequences," Russia's TASS state news agency cited Shoigu as saying at the forum.

Shoigu also said the West intends to inflict "strategic defeat" on Russia in a "hybrid war", and praised the model of Russia-China relations as "exemplary", Russian state media reported.

Zhang Youxia, vice chairman under President Xi Jinping on China's Central Military Commission, delivered veiled criticism of the United States and its allies, accusing "some countries" of trying to undermine the government.

"Some countries deliberately create turbulence and interfere in other countries' internal affairs, and instigate colour revolutions," Zhang said in his keynote address, using the term the Chinese government uses to describe attempts to overthrow Communist Party rule.

"Countries should not deliberately provoke other countries on major and sensitive issues," he said, adding that Taiwan is a core interest of China.

But in other parts of his speech, Zhang stressed the need for improved military ties with the United States.

"We will deepen strategic cooperation and coordination with Russia and are willing to, on the basis of mutual respect, peaceful coexistence and win-win cooperation, develop military ties with the US," Zhang said in an address being closely watched by military attaches and diplomats amid tensions over Taiwan and the South China Sea.

China's defence minister delivered the keynote speech in previous years.

China and the US have had no high-level military-to-military communications since the Washington-sanctioned former Chinese defence minister, Li Shangfu, was appointed in March.

Li was sacked last week without explanation, and China did not name a replacement. Reuters reported last month that Li, who has been missing for two months, was being investigated over corruption.

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2023-10-30 03:47:00Z
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Civil order in Gaza 'starting to break down' as food stores ransacked: UN - CNA

The conflict began on Oct 7 when Hamas militants stormed across the Gaza border and went on the rampage in Israel, killing 1,400 people and kidnapping 230 others, Israeli officials say.

Since then, Israel has staged a withering bombardment that the health ministry in Hamas-run Gaza says has killed more than 8,000 people in the Palestinian territory, half of them children.

Israel also imposed a total blockade on normal food, water, medicine and fuel deliveries into Gaza, with the first convoy of humanitarian aid entering only two weeks later.

Since then, UNRWA says 84 aid trucks have crossed into Gaza but aid agencies say the numbers are far too low. Before the conflict, UN figures showed an average of 500 trucks a day entering Gaza.

"Supplies on the market are running out while the humanitarian aid coming into the Gaza Strip on trucks from Egypt is insufficient," said White.

"The needs of the communities are immense, if only for basic survival, while the aid we receive is meagre and inconsistent," said the UN official.

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2023-10-29 10:13:00Z
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Singapore showed clear stand on Israel-Hamas conflict in vote supporting UN resolution: Shanmugam - The Straits Times

SINGAPORE - Singapore took a clear stand and expressed its concerns on the grave situation in Gaza by supporting a United Nations resolution calling for an immediate and sustained humanitarian truce, said Home Affairs and Law Minister K. Shanmugam on Sunday.

The Republic on Friday cast a “very major vote” in support of a non-binding resolution drafted by the Arab states, which received 121 votes in favour, 14 against and 44 abstentions.

Speaking to reporters on Sunday, Mr Shanmugam noted that the resolution – titled “Protection of civilians and upholding legal and humanitarian obligations” – had called for a truce leading to a cessation of hostilities.

It also called for an immediate and unhindered provision of essential supplies to civilians in Gaza, for Israel to rescind its evacuation orders in the Gaza Strip, and rejected the forced transfer of Palestinians.

The resolution also reaffirmed that the solution to the conflict should be through a peaceful two-state solution, Mr Shanmugam said at an event organised by non-profit organisation Humanity Matters to pack medical and relief supplies for people in Gaza.

Singapore’s position on the conflict was made clear by Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong some days ago, and the UN resolution is consistent with the position that the Republic has taken over 50 years, Mr Shanmugam said.

He added: “But, while we voted in support of the resolution, we did not think it comprehensively set out the whole picture.”

There are two areas the resolution should have mentioned, he said.

“We must still condemn the terrorist attacks by Hamas on 7 October, which cannot be justified, and we need to note also Israel’s right to self-defence, but that right to self-defence cannot include indiscriminate killing of civilians, and it must be done in accordance with international law.”

When asked about some posts by the Israeli Embassy that could be advocating for a cause, Mr Shanmugam said Singapore does not take any foreign interference in its domestic politics lightly.

“Our position is quite clear. We expect any ambassador or embassy to respect the way things are done in Singapore,” he added.

“So, we do track closely what foreign missions say and do here, and whenever necessary, we will speak firmly to them, to make our position clear. We have done so before, and if need be, we will do so again.”

Turning to why the authorities have disallowed public rallies at Hong Lim Park relating to the Israel-Hamas conflict on public order reasons, Mr Shanmugam said that if Singapore allows one group to hold rallies, it must allow other groups to do so as well.

For example, religious groups like Muslim and Christian organisations have wanted to hold rallies, he said.

“We took the decision that we will not allow rallies by anyone. We don’t want to import foreign arguments into Singapore.”

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2023-10-29 08:55:44Z
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China kickstarts Xiangshan Forum in absence of defence minister - CNA

BEIJING: China's biggest annual show of military diplomacy started on Sunday (Oct 29) although the Asian power is still missing a defence minister, who typically hosts this event.

China hopes to use the Beijing Xiangshan Forum to promote President Xi Jinping's vision for a safer world and draw developing countries closer, as it faces increased coordination between the United States and its allies to curtail its military ambitions.

Russia, which started a war in Ukraine in 2022, is being given centre stage at the forum. Russian Defence Minister Sergei Shoigu is listed in the forum's agenda as the first guest speaker at Monday's opening ceremony.

The US defence department has sent a delegation led by Xanthi Carras, China Country Director in the Office of the Undersecretary of Defense.

This year's forum takes place at an awkward time for China when it is without a defence minister, whose main role is to engage with foreign militaries.

On Tuesday, Beijing sacked its defence minister Li Shangfu but did not name a replacement. Reuters reported last month that Li, who has been missing for two months, was investigated for corruption.

Chinese military leaders more senior than the defence minister have filled in for Li. State media reported that Zhang Youxia and He Weidong, ranked number two and three in the military, separately held bilateral meetings with the defence ministers from Laos, Mongolia and Vietnam on Saturday.

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2023-10-29 06:48:00Z
CBMiXWh0dHBzOi8vd3d3LmNoYW5uZWxuZXdzYXNpYS5jb20vYXNpYS9iZWlqaW5nLXhpYW5nc2hhbi1mb3J1bS1jaGluYS1taWxpdGFyeS1kaXBsb21hY3ktMzg4MDg5MdIBAA

Singapore's vote in favour of UN resolution shows clear stand on Israel-Hamas conflict: Shanmugam - CNA

He acknowledged that there is a strong need and desire in the community to do something, but there are ways to do this constructively and by making Singapore's position known internationally.

He also added that people are entitled to express their views online, but they must not cross into incitement or hate speech against other religions and other races. 

Asked about posts by the Israeli embassy that could be advocating for a cause, Mr Shanmugam said: "We don't take lightly any foreign interference in our domestic policies. We expect any ambassador or embassy to respect the way things are done in Singapore."

LOCAL HUMANITARIAN EFFORTS

Mr Shanmugam told the media that Humanity Matter's relief supplies packing session on Sunday was the second humanitarian event that he has attended in two days. 

The first was the launch of a month-long campaign in Nee Soon to collect supplies and donations to help people in Gaza.

Mr Shanmugam said that seeing over 100 volunteers on Sunday come together regardless of race, language or religion showed a strong desire in the community to help. 

"This is unique about Singapore. Everyone comes together to help even though they know most of the help goes towards Muslims in Gaza. They need help, we do what we can," he said. 

The relief supplies packed on Sunday included 10,000 packs of intravenous fluids and infusion sets, 5,000 collapsible jerry cans, painkillers and vitamins. 

The relief cargo, with a value of S$215,000, is scheduled to be airlifted on Oct 31 to Cairo, Egypt, and later transferred via land to Rafah, in the southern Gaza Strip.

This article was originally published in TODAY.

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2023-10-29 08:08:00Z
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