International
Biden announces the biggest change in the military alliance with Japan in almost 65 years
The President of the United States, Joe Biden, announced the restructuring of the US military command in Japan to facilitate coordination with the Japanese forces, in what is the biggest change in the defense alliance of both countries in almost 65 years.
“This is the most significant improvement in our alliance since it was established,” Biden said at the White House during a press conference with the Prime Minister of Japan, Fumio Kishida.
The restructuring of the US military command in Japan is the biggest update of the security alliance between Tokyo and Washington since it entered into force in 1960, and occurs at a time when both countries seek to cope with China’s boom.
The Prime Minister of Japan, Fumio Kishida, assured that security and defense collaboration with the United States is key to avoiding a situation in the future similar to Ukraine.
“Today is Ukraine and tomorrow it may be the Asia-Pacific area,” the Japanese Prime Minister said at a joint press conference with US President Joe Biden from the White House.
The President of the United States, Joe Biden, announced a strengthening of space collaboration with Japan for a Japanese astronaut to reach the Moon, whose soil so far only American astronauts have stepped on.
“We will improve our ties in science, technology and education so that Japanese astronauts can integrate into American space missions. And one of them will be the first non-American astronaut to step on the Moon,” he said.
Biden and Kishida, pledged to defend a “free and open” Indo-Pacific, alluding to the rise of China and its territorial claims in the South China Sea.
The leaders made these statements at the beginning of their meeting in the Oval Office of the White House.
Although they did not explicitly mention China, they made it clear that the strengthening of their alliance in military and technological matters has its sights set on the Asian giant.
Biden, the first to speak, spoke of the strength of the alliance between the two countries and said that they will talk about how to increase cooperation in defense and technology, among other areas.
“We will also analyze how we can continue to improve to ensure that the Indo-Pacific remains free, open and prosperous in the world,” Biden said.
Next, Kishida spoke of the “robust ties” of the alliance and the “friendship” that personally unites him with Biden.
He has met with him on numerous occasions and this Wednesday he was received at the White House with a state visit, an honor that Washington reserves for its closest allies.
“Japan and the United States are now at the forefront of maintaining and strengthening a free and open international order based on the rule of law,” said Kishida, who, as on other occasions, avoided mentioning China.
During the summit, Biden and Kishida plan to announce 70 defense cooperation agreements, including plans to restructure the US military command in Japan and facilitate cooperation with Japanese forces in the event of a crisis.
That change will be the biggest update of the security alliance between Japan and the United States since it came into force in 1960, and will take place at a time when Washington seeks to strengthen its alliances with other countries in the region to counter China.
The two leaders are also expected to announce agreements to allow further joint development of military and defense equipment, as well as plans for a joint space mission to reach the Moon and research projects in artificial intelligence, according to US officials.
After their meeting in the Oval Office, both leaders plan to hold a press conference.
International
Seven bodies found with signs of torture in Sinaloa
Mexican authorities discovered seven lifeless bodies on Wednesday, showing clear signs of torture, in the rural area of Culiacán, Sinaloa, just one day after the same number of bodies was found in several municipalities in the western state of Mexico.
Six of these seven victims were found along the side of the highway that connects Culiacán to Mazatlán, near Laguna de Canachi, according to local media reports, which also noted that messages addressed to a criminal group were found near the bodies.
This brings the total number of violent deaths in the region to seven within just 24 hours. On Tuesday, authorities reported more victims found in the municipalities of Culiacán, Elota, and Mazatlán.
Among the victims identified was a local cattle rancher named Ramón Velázquez Ontiveros, as well as a police officer from Mazatlán, who was killed by a motorcyclist outside his home in San Marcos.
International
Málaga paralyzed by new storm as torrential rains hit Spain
Thousands of people were evacuated and trains were suspended as torrential rains once again struck Spain on Wednesday, following the devastating floods that killed at least 223 people two weeks ago, most of them in the Valencia region.
The national meteorological agency (Aemet) issued a maximum, red-level alert for the Andalusian province of Málaga in the south, and for Tarragona in the northeast, due to the new DANA (isolated depression at high levels), also known as a cold drop.
The city of Málaga appeared to be the hardest hit by the rains, with more than 3,000 people evacuated from 1,000 homes near rivers, flooded streets, and the suspension of urban transport and train services to Madrid.
“Today Málaga is paralyzed,” said Andalusia’s regional president, Juan Manuel Moreno, to reporters. “I know it is a problem for citizens not being able to take their children to school or go to work, but after what we saw in Valencia, we need to ‘prevent’ and minimize the impact in terms of loss of life,” he added.
The storm also led to the postponement of a match between Spain and Poland in the Billie Jean King Cup women’s tennis competition, which was scheduled for Wednesday afternoon in Málaga.
International
Hezbollah launches explosive drone strike on Israel’s defense headquarters
The Lebanese Islamist movement Hezbollah claimed on Wednesday that it launched an attack with explosive drones against the Israeli army’s headquarters in Tel Aviv.
The Iran-backed organization reported in a statement that it had carried out “an aerial attack with a squadron of explosive drones” targeting the site that houses Israel’s main defense institutions.
Hezbollah later stated that it also fired a barrage of rockets at the Glilot military intelligence base in the suburbs of Tel Aviv.
The Israeli military indicated that “sirens sounded in several areas of northern and central Israel following the launch of projectiles from Lebanon.”
It later clarified that “five projectiles were identified over the territory, and some were intercepted.”
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