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Taliban Release 2 Americans in Biden Presidency's Last Hours
Deutsche Welle
21 Jan 2025, 18:44
Photo: Jack Gruber/USA TODAY/picture alliance
Two Americans held in Afghanistan were freed in return for a Taliban fighter serving a life sentence in the US, authorities in Kabul said on Tuesday.
"An Afghan fighter Khan Mohammad imprisoned in America has been released in exchange for American citizens and returned to the country," the Afghan Foreign Ministry said in a statement
Mohammad was extradited to the US nearly two decades ago and imprisoned in California on drug trafficking charges.
The US Justice Department at the time called Mohammed "a violent jihadist and narcotics trafficker" who "sought to kill US soldiers in Afghanistan using rockets."
He was released in exchange for US citizens Ryan Corbett and William McKenty, US media reports said.
Family expresses gratitude for release
Corbett had been held by the Taliban since 2022 after being abducted during a business trip.
"Our hearts are filled with overwhelming gratitude and praise to God for sustaining Ryan's life and bringing him back home after what has been the most challenging and uncertain 894 days of our lives," Corbett's family said in a statement.
The family thanked the administrations of both former President Joe Biden and President Donald Trump for their efforts as well as Qatar for its pivotal role in the negotiations.
What about the US citizens still held by the Taliban?
The release of Corbett and McKenty means there are now two Americans — George Glezmann and Mahmood Habibi — still in Taliban custody.
The Biden administration had been trying to work out a deal to free them in exchange for Muhammad Rahim, one of the remaining detainees at Guantanamo Bay.
The prisoner swap, finalized during the final hours of the Biden administration, comes at a time of ongoing tensions in US-Taliban relations.
The Qatar-brokered deal marks a rare instance of cooperation between the two countries.
The Taliban praised the "long and fruitful negotiations" with the US.
"The Islamic Emirate looks positively at the actions of the United States of America that help the normalization and development of relations between the two countries," it said.
International recognition of Afghanistan's Taliban government remains elusive due to human rights concerns, particularly restrictions on women.
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Tens of Thousands Join Student-led Protests in Serbia
Serbians took to the streets in the capital Belgrade on Sunday to protest against the current government. Roughly 29,000 people attended the demonstrations, according to an interior ministry statement.
Serbia's government has been under pressure after seven weeks of sporadic demonstrations nationwide in response to the collapse of a train station roof that killed 15 people in the northern city of Novi Sad.
Demonstrators blame the train roof collapse on widespread corruption and sloppy work on the railway station building, which had been refurbished twice in recent years as part of projects involving Chinese state companies.
Some 13 people have been arrested over the Novi Sad tragedy, including a government minister. But the minister's later release fueled public skepticism about the investigation.
Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic had been dismissive of the protests, saying on Saturday said he "doesn't really care" about the protests, accusing his opponents of manipulating students to gain power.
But he referred to Sunday's protest as a "significantly large gathering," saying that he was "ready" to hear the protesters' demands.
A student-led movement
Sunday's protest, much like in previous weeks, was organized by students but had additional support from groups like farmers' unions, actors and educators on Sunday.
The gathering started with 15-minutes of silence as tribute to the 15 victims at the Novi Sad train station.
After the solemn moment, demonstrators staged a "half-hour noise" by blowing whistles and other loud items.
The rally at Belgrade's Slavija Square is considered one of the largest in recent years to challenge Vucic's power.
In response to the protest movement, Serbia's government has extended school winter holidays, starting them nearly a week earlier.
Authorities have also promised various subsidies for young people in an effort to quell public anger.
Guam arrests 7 Chinese nationals who tried to illegally enter US military site during missile test
Seven Chinese citizens have been arrested for allegedly attempting to illegally enter Guam, a US territory, while the military was conducting a key missile defence test, authorities said.
The incident, which occurred on 10-11 December, has raised concerns about potential espionage as four of those detained were found “in the vicinity of a military installation,” Guam’s Customs and Quarantine Agency said.
The arrests came as the US Missile Defense Agency conducted an interception test involving advanced radar systems at Andersen Air Force Base on 10 December.
“Conducting espionage against US military facilities, especially those with missile launch capabilities, could provide the PRC with potentially valuable intelligence,” the US think tank Institute for the Study of War said in a report on Friday, using the formal name of the People’s Republic of China.
The arrested individuals reportedly arrived on the island by boat from Saipan.
Guamanian authorities have launched an investigation into the incident, but there has been no immediate response from China’s foreign ministry to the arrests or the allegations.
The US is ramping up its missile defence presence in Guam, aiming to create a network spanning 16 sites on the island. The $10 billion plan is designed to deter missile attacks by complicating potential offensives against the strategically vital US territory in the Indo-Pacific region.
The integration of advanced radar and defence systems forms a crucial part of the effort to counter emerging threats, including those from China.
The missile interception test on 10 December was deemed successful, with the Missile Defence Agency confirming a plan to carry out two such tests annually.
US Plans to Blacklist Company That Ordered TSMC Chip Found in Huawei Processor
The Biden administration plans to blacklist a Chinese company whose TSMC-made chip was illegally incorporated into a Huawei artificial intelligence processor, according to a person familiar with the matter.
The Chinese company, Sophgo, drew attention after a chip found on Huawei’s Ascend 910B multi-chip system matched one it ordered from Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company. Sophgo is the latest Chinese company slated to be punished by the US for helping Huawei. This month, the Commerce Department added other companies viewed as part of Huawei’s shadow network to the US Commerce Department’s restricted trade list.
Sophgo, an affiliate of bitcoin mining equipment supplier Bitmain, is in the process of being placed on the list, known as the Entity List, the source said.
The Entity List includes companies whose activities conflict with US national security and foreign-policy interests. Listed parties face export restrictions, requiring a license to receive goods and technology, which is often denied.
Huawei has been subject to these restrictions, with foreign-made chips being barred from being shipped to the company since 2020.
Sophgo has not commented on the latest development, the news publication added. However, the company stated in October that it “has never been engaged in any direct or indirect business relationship with Huawei”.
Sophgo supplies to local governments and state-owned companies such as China Telecom. In addition, Chinese state-run universities and police stations have acquired Sophgo and Bitmain AI chips over the past two years for AI tool development and surveillance upgrades.
Tech research company TechInsights discovered the TSMC chip in the Huawei 910B and informed TSMC, which notified the US Commerce Department. However, Huawei stated in October it has not produced chips via TSMC since the 2020 US export restrictions.
A Taiwan official confirmed that TSMC alerted authorities and initiated a detailed investigation.
Starting 11 November, the US ordered TSMC to stop shipments to China of advanced chips potentially used in AI applications.
In August, Huawei announced plans to release a new AI chip called the Ascend 910C in the Chinese market.
8 Bangladeshi Die in Mediterranean Sea
Eight Bangladeshi nationals have reportedly died in a boat capsize in the Mediterranean Sea off the coast of Libya, according to Mohammad Rafiqul Alam, the spokesperson for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. The incident occurred on December 18 off the coast of Libya, he informed.
During the weekly briefing at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs on Tuesday (December 24), the spokesperson shared this information.
The spokesperson stated that a boat carrying 121 migrants capsized on December 18 in the Mediterranean Sea off the Libyan coast. The Libyan navy rescued 82 people alive from the site and recovered the bodies of at least 15 individuals. Following the incident, officials from the Bangladeshi embassy in Tripoli promptly contacted multiple sources, and a volunteer from the local Red Crescent Society confirmed that among those rescued, there were a total of 32 Bangladeshi migrants, including eight who died. The remaining migrants are still missing.
The survivors are currently being housed in Zawiya City, located 80 kilometres west of Tripoli, while the bodies are being kept at Zawiya Hospital under the supervision of the public prosecutor. It is feared that more Bangladeshi nationals could be among the missing.
Efforts are underway by the Bangladeshi embassy in Tripoli to confirm the identities of the deceased Bangladeshis. Embassy officials are seeking permission from Libya’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs to meet with the survivors. More detailed information is expected after meeting them. The spokesperson, Mohammad Rafiqul Alam, assured that the embassy in Tripoli is maintaining constant communication with the relevant authorities regarding this matter.
Azerbaijan Airlines Plane Crashes Near Kazakhstan's Aktau Airport
Dozens of people have died after a passenger plane crashed with 67 people, 62 passengers and 5 crew, on board in Kazakhstan, local officials say.
The country's emergency ministry said there were at least 25 survivors.
The plane, operated by Azerbaijan Airlines, caught fire as it attempted to make an emergency landing near the city of Aktau.
Azerbaijan Airlines flight J2-8243 was en route from the Azerbaijani capital Baku to Grozny in Russia. Reports say it was diverted because of fog.
Video verified by Reuters news agency shows the plane heading towards the ground at high speed, with its landing gear down.
Seconds after it seems to attempt to land, a huge fireball erupts.
The airline said the plane "made an emergency landing" about 3km (1.9 miles) from Aktau.
It took off from Baku at 03:55 GMT on Wednesday and crashed around 06:28, data from flight-tracking website Flightradar24 showed.
There were 62 passengers and 5 crew members on board the Embraer 190 aircraft, the transport ministry said.
Those on board were mostly Azerbaijani nationals, but there were also some passengers from Russia, Kazakhstan, and Kyrgyzstan.
Out of the 25 known survivors, 22 were taken to hospital, the emergency ministry said.
Unverified video footage showed emergency services putting out a fire and pulling people out of the wreckage.
The government has launched an investigation into the cause of the accident. Embraer told the BBC it was "ready to assist all relevant authorities".
At Least 40 Killed in Kazakhstan Plane Crash, Report Says
An Azerbaijan Airlines plane carrying 67 passengers, crashed in Kazakhstan while travelling to Russia from Baku, the capital of Azerbaijan. Local officials report that at least 40 passengers are feared dead, while 27 have been rescued alive. The injured survivors have been admitted to a local hospital.
According to Kazakhstan authorities, the crash occurred near the city of Aktau on Wednesday (December 25).
It is known from a video footage that the aircraft catching fire upon impact, with thick black smoke rising into the sky. Bloodied and injured passengers can be seen stumbling against intact pieces of the plane. However, Reuters noted that the authenticity of the video could not be independently verified.
BREAKING: Azerbaijan Airlines flight traveling from Baku to Grozny crashes in Aktau, Kazakhstan, after reportedly requesting an emergency landing pic.twitter.com/hB5toqEFe2— RT (@RT_com) December 25, 2024
In a statement, Kazakhstan's Ministry of Emergency Services confirmed that firefighters extinguished the blaze. There are three children among the 27 survivors taken to nearby hospitals.
Azerbaijan Airlines stated that the Embraer 190 aircraft, operating flight J2-8243, departed from Baku and was heading to Grozny, the capital of Chechnya in Russia. However, the plane was forced to make an emergency landing about 3 kilometres from Aktau.
Multiple Russian news agencies reported that the plane was redirected due to heavy fog in Grozny. Russian news agency Interfax said Kazakh authorities are investigating potential causes of the crash, including technical issues.
Preliminary reports from Russia's civil aviation monitoring agency suggest the pilot decided to attempt an emergency landing after a bird strike with plane wings.
Following the crash, Azerbaijan's President Ilham Aliyev, who was visiting Russia at the time, has returned to his country. He had been scheduled to attend a high-level summit in Russia on Wednesday.
China Launches New Generation Assault Ship 'Sichuan'
China launched a new amphibious assault ship capable of launching fighter jets on Friday seeking to strengthen its combat power in the sea.
The launch took place with a ceremony at the Hudong-Zhonghua shipyard in Shanghai.
What we know about the ship
The Sichuan — the first of its 076-type model — is China's largest combat ship yet. It is designed to launch ground troops for combat and provide air support for the troops.
The vessel is equipped with an electromagnetic catapult that allows fighter jets to launch directly off its deck, state news agency Xinhua reported. It also has an "arrestor technology" so that fighter jets can land on its deck.
The ship will undergo further testing and sea trials before entering active service.
China's Naval Ambition
China's People's Liberation Navy has been working on modernizing its forces — the largest navy in the world in terms of number of warships —- for over a decade now. It launched its first set of amphibious assault ships of the 075-type in 2019.
Beijing aims for its forces to be able to operate globally instead of just close to mainland China.
The upgrade to the Sichuan comes soon after researchers discovered the country was working on a nuclear-powered aircraft carrier to allow its ships to be deployed in further regions without needing a base to refuel.
The US has 11 aircraft carriers currently — all of them nuclear-powered. This allows America to deploy several strike teams around the world at all times.
China has maritime disputes with several nations in the South China sea, sovereignty over which Beijing claims almost in its entirety. It also has a dispute with Japan over the Senkaku Islands, known as Diaoyu in China.
Moreover, China's navy has increased activity around Taiwan in recent years amid worsening relations with the US over the island. China considers Taiwan to be a rebellious province and has not ruled out the use of force for "reunification."
