Indaba zesiNdebele Ekuseni - Voice of America
Indaba zesiNdebele Ekuseni - September 05, 2024
right here on wheel this is viewing news. I'm Richard Green Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Wednesday Israel would not withdraw his troops from the border area between Southern Gaza and Egypt until there is a guarantee it can never be used as a lifeline for Hamas it because but it has been Thomas has more I'm willing to make a deal. At a news conference Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said that ceasefire deal brought back 150 hostages and up the remaining 101 I'll do everything I can to get them in. But leaving Philadelphia does not advance the release of the hostages. Philadelphia is a narrow strip of land along Gaza's border with Egypt and it's become a central obstacle in the talks Hamas has demanded a full Israeli withdrawal from Gaza but Netanyahu says the corridor is vital to Israel's security. Somebody has to be there to verify Hamas is not rearming that they can actually prevent the recurrence of what happened there before without that he says agreeing to a truce would send a message murder more hostages will get more concessions. He calls that insane. So it's not going to happen. I'm Ben Thomas, a senior official with the administration of US President Joe Biden to report his Wednesday that 90% of the currency's fire proposal has been agreed on. The Children's Agency mean well says a polio vaccination campaign in Gaza reach 189,000 children surpassing its target and providing a where bright spot in nearly 11 months of war. UNICEF said on Wednesday more than 500 teams deployed across central Gaza this week administering the vaccine to children under 10. It said Israel and Hamas observe limited pauses in the fighting to facilitate its campaign. UN agencies now hope to expand the campaign to the harder hit north and south of Gaza with the goal of vaccinating a total of 640,000 children. Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dometro Koluba on Wednesday submitted his resignation ahead of an expected reshuffling of government leaders. This is the way news. Koluba gave no reason for stepping down Ukrainian President Volodem Zalinski indicated last week the reshuffle was imminent with the war poised to enter a critical stage and to mark its 1000th day in November. The U.S. on Wednesday accused Russia of using state media as part of a bid to influence Americans before the November elections. AP correspondent Sagar Mahgani explains. The government says Moscow remains the main threat to elections trying to spread misinformation and confuse voters. One case the Justice Department unveiled accuses two employees of a Russian state funded media organization of secretly funding a Tennessee company and fooling it into publishing Russian propaganda videos. Another involved seizing internet domains Moscow used to create fake websites designed to look like those of major news organizations. Attorney General Mera Garland says the action show the lengths to which the Putin government will go to meddle in U.S. affairs. Sagar Mahgani Washington. Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau suffered an unexpected blow on Wednesday after the small political party helping to keep his minority liberal government in power withdrew its automatic support. His road is correspondent Olivia Zelino. Liberals have led people down. In a video posted on social media its leaders at the party will no longer automatically support Trudeau's minority liberal government. That means Trudeau will be forced to strike new alliances to keep governing. Under the 2022 deal the NDP agreed to keep Trudeau in power until mid 2025 in return for more social spending. NDP leader Jagmeet Singh accused the Prime Minister of not being able to take on the opposition conservatives. That was a word is correspondent Olivia Zelino. About 20 migrants were believed to be missing Wednesday after their boat capsized in the Mediterranean this week. The Italian coast guard says seven Syrians were rescued. The UN Refugee Agency representative in Italy says the survivors are in critical condition and many have lost their relatives. The coast guard says the survivors told them they left Olivia on September 1st with 28 people on board but 21 including three children fell overboard in bad weather. The Central Mediterranean is one of the world's deadliest migration routes. The UN Migration Agency says 1,047 migrants have died or gone missing just this year. Follow us 24 hours a day. Seven days a week at vwaynews.com as well as on Facebook, YouTube, Instagram and X formally known as Twitter. And remember to download our VOA News app. I'm Richard Green for VOA News. The U.S. sees as web domains and issues criminal charges in Russian disinformation to influence the U.S. election. We have no tolerance for attempts by authoritarian regimes to exploit our democratic system of government. A week after school starts, America sees its first school shooting of the year. Enough is enough. And the original recordings of Bob Dylan's first album and Madonna's first guitars. They're a production. These are the very instruments that Madonna learned how to play on and recorded her first music on. Today's Thursday, September 5th. And this is VOA's International Edition. I'm Scott Walterman. We unsealed an indictment in the Southern District of New York of Konstantin Kalashnikov and Elena Afanasiaba to Russian-based employees of RT. A Russian state-controlled media outlet. U.S. Attorney General Merrick Garland announcing charges in a scheme where Russia allegedly was trying to influence the U.S. presidential election. In the wake of Russia's brutal invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, RT, which was then known as Russia Today, was dropped by its American distributors. The company ceased its formal operations in the United States and the European Union, the U.K., and Canada banned RT's broadcasting. But as RT itself has boasted, the government of Russia continued to use RT to direct disinformation and propaganda. In the wake of Russia's brutal invasion of Ukraine, RT's editor-in-chief said the company had built, quote, "an entire empire of covert projects designed to shape public opinion in Western audiences." Let's get some details on this scheme. Joining us now to explain all of this to us is VOA National Security Correspondent Jeff Selden. Hey, thanks so much for joining us to talk about this. Of course, and himself. So tell us what the government did. The United States on Wednesday called out Russia, essentially putting Moscow on blast, hitting Moscow when companies, some of their employees, with a combination of criminal charges, sanctions, and other measures. This is all in response to what U.S. officials are describing as a malicious influence campaign that Russia has been carrying out to impact the upcoming presidential election in November. And even more generally, just to increase the risk of this in discord within the U.S. society. What are some of the things that they were alleged to be doing? Well, there are a couple of Russian operations, two of which were targeted by the Justice Department. One, the Justice Department and Attorney General Merrick Garland accused Russia today, or the company that used to be known as Russia today, which is now RT. It's a Russian-controlled media outlet of using two of its employees and a number of eight personas and shell companies to funnel about $10 million to a company based in the United States and the state of Tennessee in order to promote and distribute English language videos and other materials that would have narratives that are in propaganda favorable to the Russian government. According to the Justice Department, the company produced almost 2,000 videos since it was started in November of 2023, and it posted on TikTok. They said the videos posted on YouTube got more than 16 million views alone, and they said there are concerns that this operation or this type of operation led by Russia may have been even bigger, that there may have been other entities that were targeted involved. Other U.S. companies that were tricked into running essentially content that was curated by the Kremlin. In addition, the Justice Department said it took down 32 internet domains that it said that Russia and a host of Russian companies were using to basically mimic U.S. news outlets like the Washington Post, Fox News legitimate news organizations. But instead of getting actual news, the people who were led to these websites through a variety of outreach attempts by these Russian companies would get straight out Russian propaganda. So they were going to Fox News when you got there, but it wasn't really going to, instead of going to a legitimate U.S. website, it would be a fake website that pretended to be a news website. And instead of getting actual news written by actual reporters from an actual news organization, you were getting stories and other content, again, curated by Moscow designed to promote Russian views, Russian opinions, and persuade people to adopt these views as they go to the polls in November. Why are they going to continue looking for stuff like this? I assume, because they, if you said they thought it was bigger. This is may not be over. The investigation is ongoing. Now, one of the charges in the first case of the RT employees who basically used a monitoring operation to help spread this Russian disinformation. They are charging with failing to register as foreign agents. Interesting, interesting enough, though, the U.S. face company, which the Justice Department has not identified, but which some employees have identified as a company called tenant media out of Tennessee. It says that the company, the Justice Department said the company was not aware, but it also says that the founders of that company, the people in charge who started it, did not do what was necessary to either register the people who they were getting money from in the U.S. as far as foreign agents, or for themselves to register as foreign agents, or by law, to tell their viewers and their audiences that they were getting money from Russia. So there's always, there's a possibility there could be more developing there, but the FBI said that this is the type of point. This is the type of operation that Russia may try in other ways because Russia sends these types of includes operations, these information campaigns as something that's useful, and something where they can have some success in persuading Americans to vote along Russian interests. >> Jeff Selden, thank you so much. >> Anytime. >> The OA's National Security Correspondent, Jeff Selden. UN Nuclear Agency Chief Rafael Grazi, who visited the Russian-occupied Zaparisha Nuclear Power Plant in Southeast Ukraine on Wednesday, said the situation there was very fragile. >> We are stabilizing the situation, we are looking into some technical issues. >> Grazi, who's the Director General of the International Atomic Energy Agency, said a cooling tower at the Zaparisha plant had been badly damaged in a fire last month and would probably have to be demolished. The plant, which is Europe's largest nuclear facility, fell to Russian troops soon after Moscow's invasion of Ukraine in February 2022 and is not operating now. Both sides have frequently accused each other of shelling it, but both Moscow and Kyiv deny the accusations. >> Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu says Israel must remain in a strip of land between the Gaza Strip and the Egyptian border to prevent Hamas from rearming. The Israeli army published a picture Wednesday of the opening of the tunnel in Gaza where the bodies of six Israeli hostages were found after they had been executed by Hamas on Saturday. The deaths of the six has sparked mass demonstrations in Israel by hundreds of thousands of Israelis who want Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to agree to a ceasefire deal with Hamas that would free the remaining 101 hostages. The demonstrations have grown increasingly angry as many blame Netanyahu for holding up a ceasefire deal. Israeli media reports in Netanyahu had agreed to leave the Philadelphia Corridor, the Strip of Land along the border between Gaza and Egypt. Mossad Chief David Barnaya confirmed on Monday to mediators in the talks with Hamas taking place in Qatar that Israel was prepared to withdraw from the Philadelphia Corridor in the second stage of a hostage release deal. This was hours before Netanyahu publicly declared he would refuse to do so. Foreign sources familiar with the negotiations told the Haaretz newspaper. Barnaya who traveled to Qatar on Monday had informed the representatives that Israel stood behind its agreement to pull out all its forces from the area in line with the Biden plan if Israeli operational demands were met. Netanyahu said that Israel's decision to leave this area in 2005 as part of a complete withdrawal from Gaza was a big mistake. Once we left our side of the Philadelphia Corridor, rockets went in, missiles went in, drones went in, ammo went in, weapons manufacturing equipment came in, tunnel drilling equipment came in. Once we got out, once we left the Philadelphia Corridor, Iran could carry out its plan to turn Gaza into a base, a terrorist enclave that would endanger not only the communities around it, but would endanger Tel Aviv, Jerusalem, Bathsheba, the entire country of Israel. Netanyahu said the goals of the war remain the same. That he says means Israel must maintain control over the Philadelphia Corridor at least for the near future, even if it means there will not be a ceasefire. And following these other stories from around the world, a new study finds that every year people create 57 million tons of plastic pollution. Material winds up everywhere from the deepest oceans to the highest peak of Mount Everest and even inside people's bodies. Pope Francis has urged Indonesia to live up to its promise of harmony, diversity and fight religious intolerance. Pope Francis had a packed first full day in Indonesia meeting with outgoing President Joe Covidodo and other Indonesian authorities at the Presidential Palace. China's southern provinces and cities bracing for the arrival of super typhoon Yagi shutting schools, postponing flights ahead of the expected landfall along the tropical coast in what could be the most powerful storm to hit nearly 10 years. Continuing coverage of the 2024 U.S. presidential election, Ukraine faces wildly different prospects under a potential Donald Trump or Kamala Harris, U.S. presidency. But as their campaigns race to the finish line neither candidate is laid out exactly how they plan to deal with Russia's war on Ukraine. Experts say in that same space of time the battlefield in Ukraine has itself radically changed. Giving more power to Ukraine and determining its own fate. The OA White House correspondent Anita Powell reports from Washington. Ukraine's ancient capital knows well what it's like to be tossed about by the waves and whims of powerful forces. And so, and was there C.M. Bevolent to a possible second term for former President Donald Trump. Alexi Melnick is with the Foreign Relations and International Security Program at the Rizumkov Think Tank. There is a prevailing opinion that the return of Trump to the House is not the best scenario for Ukraine. Although there are also cautious opinions that everything may not be that bad. Trump has said he will swiftly end the war. Though his running mate J.D. Vance once said he doesn't really care about Ukraine, leaving Ukrainians unsure what to think. This makes a potential Kamala Harris presidency more of a wildcard to this nation that knows Trump and President Joe Biden so well. Harris has met with Ukrainian President Volody Mirzellanski and represented Biden at major transatlantic security summits. But on the trail Harris has only briefly spotlighted Ukraine and how she differs from Trump. He encouraged Putin to invade our allies. Said Russia could quote "do whatever the hell they want". Five days before Russia attacked Ukraine, I met with President Zelensky to warn him about Russia's plan to invade. I helped mobilize a global response over 50 countries to defend against Putin's aggression. And as President, I will stand strong with Ukraine and our NATO allies. And let's say Harris is likely to follow Biden's support Ukraine playbook. And Trump's broad foreign policy pronouncements remain as vague as ever. Take Trump's promise that he will end the war in one day. Andrew Payne is a lecturer in foreign policy and security at City St. George's University of London. It's not entirely clear how he'll do that. The fear of course is that he'll do it by simply abandoning Ukraine, cutting off funds and pressuring Zelensky into negotiations at a time when Putin would enjoy all of the bargaining leverage. But he says the battlefield has shifted with Ukrainian forces' recent decision to strike across the border and take a bite of Russian territory. While analysts widely predict that Ukraine will neither seek nor succeed in holding this land, it's a bargaining chip that will help Kyiv whoever wins. And he said Biden could also put his hand on the scale at a pivotal stage. I wouldn't be expecting any shift in the US position vis-a-vis Ukraine's military operations before November, but I would be watching between November and January, whatever the outcome, to see if there is a little bit more leash given to Kyiv. And he notes Ukraine's leader has bolstered his relationships with European leaders and broadened his support. And so, as these two raced to the end of this story, what could end up happening in Ukraine ultimately may not be up to the American President, whoever she or he is. I need a power viewing news, Washington. Russian leaders are gathering in Beijing for the 9th Forum on China, Africa cooperation summit, but will China's pivot to green technologies align with the needs of African leaders seeking assurances over investment in a more balanced trade relationship between the operators, correspondent David Doyle examines the issue. On the surface, it's all smiles and handshakes in Beijing, as African leaders gathered for a major tri-annual meeting. But there could be tough talks ahead, as the aims of the continent's countries come up against China's new slimmed-down priorities. This forum on China-Africa cooperation summit could simply differences could occur over levels of trade and investment. China's relationship with African countries has long been associated with lending for infrastructure, but Africa's biggest two-way lender, investor and trade partner wants to move away from funding such big-ticket projects. Instead, it wants the 50 African nations of the summit to take more of its goods, particularly around green technologies. However, African leaders are seeking a more reciprocal relationship over trade. The delegates want to hear how China plans to meet an unfulfilled pledge from the last summit in 2021 to buy $300 billion worth of goods. Echoing the aspirations of other leaders, South Africa's President Cyril Ramaphosa has told Xi Jinping that he wants to narrow his country's trade deficit with China. But analysts say Beijing's market-access barriers are too strict, preventing African food exporters from selling into the 1.4 billion-strong consumer market. From China's trade perspective, its top priority is to find buyers for its electric vehicles and solar panels. The United States and the European Union say those areas in which China has overcapacity, and Western curbs on Chinese exports are looming. Green technologies also shape the way China wants to provide finance. It's already started tweaking the conditions for its loans to Africa, setting aside more for solar farms, EV plants and 5G Wi-Fi facilities. That's while it cuts back on lending for bridges, ports and railways. African leaders, however, will seek assurances on the progress of incomplete Chinese-funded infrastructure projects. That includes a railway designed to link East African countries. They'll also be looking for quicker financing solutions to a growing debt crisis across the continent. However, China will likely be cautious about more funding commitments. That's following debt restructuring bids in economies such as Chad, Ethiopia, Ghana and Zambia since the 2021 summit. China may also have one eye on an ongoing geopolitical battle for influence in Africa. To avoid losing market share, the United States has started hosting African leaders. Britain, Italy, Russia and South Korea have also held Africa summits in recent years, recognizing the potential of the region's young population and its 54 UN seats. China's outsized role in both finance and trade, however, means this summit remains the biggest show in town. Reuters correspondent David Doyle. ♪♪ BOAs, International Edition Continues. I'm Scott Walterman. Just weeks after the start of the new school year, America's had its first school shooting. In the U.S. state of Georgia, four people were killed in a high school on Wednesday and a 14-year-old suspect was taken into custody. Here's White House spokesperson, Korean Jean-Pierre. While the president and vice president have taken historic action to reduce gun violence, more must be done to keep our schools and communities safe. We continue to call on Congress to do something, to do something. We need universal background checks. We need ban-to-ban assault weapons and high-capacity magazines, require safe storage of firearms, invest in violence prevention programs, and pass a national red flag law. Enough is enough, and I cannot say this enough, which is enough is enough. The dead were identified as two students and two teachers. Uganda's opposition leader Bobby Weing was discharged from a hospital after undergoing surgery on his left foot. Alima Atamani has more. It follows an incident Tuesday evening, in which Weing, who heads the National Unity Platform or NUP party, was involved in an altercation with police and a tear gas canister was fired with fragments hitting his foot. The incident happened in the Wakiso District near the capital, Campala. Weing was injured after confronting police who had set up roadblocks near the house. Alima Atamani views Campala. And finally it's not unlikely that this could fetch more than a million dollars. Late 1970s and 80s relics from Lower Manhattan have been amassed for a rare auction in New York. So here I am, standing next to two guitars, a little what's called a pig nose amplifier, which is a battery operated amp that one tends to use when you're not an electric, electricity isn't available, and an old reel-to-reel tape recorder. What they all have in common is that these are the very instruments that Madonna learned how to play on and recorded her first music on. The items up for sale revolve around the very famous artists who populated Lower Manhattan in the 1960s and 70s and 80s, making it a breeding ground for modern culture. The original tape recordings for Bob Dylan's first album, Bob was legendary for roaming, for appearing in Greenwich Village, dead center of Lower Manhattan and several small but nevertheless exciting works by Jean-Michel Boschiet himself in this auction and it becomes a whole sort of scene of the culture and excitement of Lower New York City over a number of decades. It even includes the neon sign from one of the area's most famous hotels. The Chelsea Hotel came to us recently and said in as much as they're going through renovation, let's do an auction for the hotel itself now. And they offered us for starters, one of the most iconic group of objects imaginable, which is the actual neon lettering from the giant sign on New York's 23rd Street that is known to millions and millions of people in the US and around the world. The auction will be available online via live auctioneers.com and invaluable.com, while a live preview exhibition will be open to the public at the Chelsea on September 22nd and 23rd. This has been International Edition of the Voice of America. On behalf of everyone here at VOA, thank you so much for spending this time with us. For pictures, stories, videos and more, follow VOA News on your favorite social media platform and online at VOA News.com. You can also download our apps from Apple and Google. In Washington, I'm Scott Multerman.