With eyes on China, US and Japan vow new security collaboration
US President Joe Biden and Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida promised a “new era” of US-Japan strategic cooperation on April 10, laying out a series of projects from co-development of missiles to manned moon landings, while condemning China’s escalatory behavior in the region.
In a joint statement from a Washington summit, the two said their aim was to build a global security partnership “fit for purpose” for complex, interconnected challenges.
Biden stressed an unwavering US commitment to defend Japan using its full range of capabilities, including nuclear, and the two said Japan’s moves to enhance its defense structure and abilities launched “a new era of US-Japan security cooperation.”
Three sons of Hamas leader Haniyeh killed in Israeli airstrike
Three sons of Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh were killed in an Israeli airstrike in Gaza on April 10, the Palestinian Islamist group and Haniyeh’s family said.
The three sons - Hazem, Amir and Mohammad - were killed after the car they were driving in was bombed in Gaza’s Al-Shati camp, Hamas said. Two of Haniyeh’s grandchildren were also killed in the attack and a third was wounded, Hamas media said.
“Our demands are clear and specific and we will not make concessions on them. The enemy will be delusional if it thinks that targeting my sons, at the climax of the negotiations and before the movement sends its response, will push Hamas to change its position,” Haniyeh told pan-Arab Al Jazeera TV.
India, China should urgently address ‘prolonged situation’ on borders, Modi says
India and China should urgently address the “prolonged situation” on their border, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi said in remarks published on April 10, in an apparent softening of tone on bilateral issues between the two nuclear-armed neighbours.
“It is my belief that we need to urgently address the prolonged situation on our borders so that the abnormality in our bilateral interactions can be put behind us,” Modi said in an interview with US publication Newsweek.
Ties between India and China, who share a long mountainous border, have been strained since troops of both countries clashed on their disputed Himalayan frontier, killing 24 soldiers, in 2020.
US general warns time running out for Ukraine without US aid
The top US general in Europe told Congress on April 10 that Ukraine will run out of artillery shells and air defense interceptors “in fairly short order” without US support, leaving them vulnerable to a partial or total defeat.
In a sign of how scarce some weapons were, General Christopher Cavoli, commander of European Command, told the House Armed Services Committee that Russia was currently firing five artillery shells for every one fired by Ukrainian forces and that disparity could increase in coming weeks to 10 to one.
“If one side can shoot and the other side can’t shoot back, the side that can’t shoot back loses. So the stakes are very high,” Cavoli said.
Raphinha scores twice to help Barca fight back and win at PSG
Brazil forward Raphinha scored twice to help Barcelona secure a 3-2 win at Paris St Germain in their Champions League quarter-final first leg on April 10.
Barca, five-times European champions, dominated proceedings early on against the French side still looking for a first Champions League crown and led through a Raphinha strike in the 37th minute.
However, PSG piled on the pressure after the break and levelled in the 48th minute through a stunning Ousmane Dembele strike into the top corner before going ahead when Vitinha stroked the ball in two minutes later.
