Blinken begins 11th visit to Middle East for peace in Gaza and Lebanon

SEOUL, October 22 (AJP) - U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken traveled to the Middle East on Monday to push for a ceasefire and revive peace talks aimed at ending the Gaza war and containing the conflict in Lebanon. This visit is his 11th trip since Hamas' Oct. 7, 2023, attack on Israel, which sparked the war. Israel is intensifying its military operations against Hamas in Gaza and Hezbollah in Lebanon, both backed by Iran. On Monday, Israeli strikes in southern Beirut, near

October 22, 2024

IAEA confirms Japan's 10th Fukushima water release meets safety standards

SEOUL, October 22 (AJP) - The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) revealed that the 10th release of treated radioactive water from Japan's tsunami-wrecked Fukushima nuclear power plant contains radioactive nuclide levels well below the country's operational safety threshold. According to real-time data provided to IAEA by Japan's largest power generator Tokyo Electric Power Company (TEPCO) on Monday, the tritium concentration in the diluted water measured 460 becqu

October 22, 2024

Northern Gaza faces growing crisis amid Israel's military offensive

SEOUL, October 22 (AJP) - The head of the UN agency for Palestinian refugees (Unrwa), Philippe Lazzarini, said on Monday that Israel is obstructing the delivery of vital humanitarian aid, including food and medicine, to northern Gaza. Lazzarini said hospitals have been hit, resulting in power outages, and many injured people are not receiving medical care. He added that Unrwa shelters are severely overcrowded, with some people being forced to live in bathrooms. There are also report

October 22, 2024

China delivers critical medical aid to Lebanon amid escalating conflict

SEOUL, October 22 (AJP) - China delivered a shipment of emergency medical aid to Lebanon on Monday, as the country contends with casualties from ongoing cross-border conflicts with Israel. The delivery included 3,601 boxes containing anesthesia machines, tracheal intubation tubes, and surgical gowns, which arrived at Beirut's Rafik Hariri International Airport. Chinese Ambassador Qian Minjian and Lebanese Health Minister Firass Abiad were present at the handover ceremony. Qia

October 22, 2024

China condemns bombing of consulate-general in Myanmar

SEOUL, October 22 (AJP) - China strongly condemned the explosion that targeted its consulate-general in Mandalay, Myanmar on Monday. At approximately 5 p.m. last Friday, an explosive device was detonated at a building belonging to the Chinese consulate-general in Mandalay. While no injuries were reported, some damage occurred to the premises, Lin Jian, a spokesperson for the Chinese Foreign Ministry said. The ministry, along with the embassy and consulate-general in Myanmar, prom

October 22, 2024

Indian passenger flight to London receives bomb threat

SEOUL, October 21 (AJP) - An Indian passenger flight heading to London made an emergency landing at a German airport after facing a bomb threat during the flight. According to news reports on Saturday, a Vistara plane that took off from Delhi, India, and was en route to London made an emergency landing in Frankfurt around 9 p.m. on Saturday. German police evacuated all 147 passengers and deployed detection dogs to search the aircraft, but no explosives were found. The passenge

October 21, 2024

UN pleads for humanitarian aid after nearly 90 killed in Gaza airstrike

SEOUL, October 21 (AJP) - Gaza's health ministry, run by Hamas, reported that at least 87 people were killed and over 40 injured in an Israeli airstrike on Beit Lahia in northern Gaza last Saturday. The ministry said that some people remained trapped under rubble following the strike on a residential area. Israel acknowledged the reports but claimed earlier casualty figures provided by Hamas were "exaggerated." The Israeli military has been heavily bombarding northern

October 21, 2024

Putin hails UAE's role in prisoner exchanges, discusses Middle East conflict

SEOUL, October 21 (AJP) - Russian President Vladimir Putin expressed to the visiting UAE president on Sunday that the relationship between their countries had reached the level of a "strategic partnership." He also thanked the UAE for its mediation efforts in facilitating prisoner exchanges with Ukraine. It is reported that Putin hosted a dinner for President Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan at his residence, where they are set to hold formal discussions on Monday cover

October 21, 2024

Indonesia postpones mandatory halal certification for imported foods, smaller firms

SEOUL, October 21 (AJP) - Indonesia has postponed mandatory halal certification for imported food products by up to two years. The Halal Product Assurance Agency (BPJPH), under the Ministry of Religious Affairs, began enforcing mandatory halal certification for domestic food and beverages Friday. However, small businesses have until Oct. 17, 2026, to comply and for imported products, the requirement will be determined by the religious affairs minister no later than Oct. 17, 2026

October 21, 2024

American resident shot and kidnapped in Southern Philippines

SEOUL, October 21 (AJP) - An American resident, Elliott O'Neal Eastman, 26, was shot and kidnapped on Oct. 17 in Sibutu City, Zamboanga Peninsula, southern Philippines. According to Eastman's Filipino father-in-law, four armed men in black clothes and masks, claiming to be police officers, entered Eastman's home and attempted to abduct him. When Eastman tried to escape, he was shot in the leg before being taken away by boat. Philippine authorities are investigating the i

October 21, 2024