January 20, 2022

Daily News Brief

*) US warns of Russia's incursion into Ukraine as tensions soar US President Joe Biden has predicted that Russian President Vladimir Putin will make a move into Ukraine, but he thinks the Kremlin does not want a full-scale war with Kiev. Biden warned a full-scale invasion would trigger a massive response. He suggested that the US would limit Russia's access to the international banking system in case of a full-scale war with Ukraine, which would "be a disaster for Russia." Russians might ultimately prevail, but their losses are "going to be heavy," Biden added. *) North Korea hints at resuming nuclear, long-range missile tests North Korea has hinted it could resume nuclear and long-range weapons tests as it prepares for "a long-term confrontation" with Washington. When the US imposed fresh sanctions last week, Pyongyang said it was a "provocation" and ramped up conventional weapons tests, vowing a "stronger and certain" response to efforts to rein it in. "The hostile policy and military threat by the US have reached a danger line that cannot be overlooked anymore," a report on a meeting of the country's Politburo in state media said. *) Pentagon releases first video of Kabul air strike that killed civilians The Pentagon has released video footage of a US drone strike in Kabul that killed 10 civilians in the final hours of the chaotic American withdrawal from Afghanistan. It marks the first public release of video footage of the August 29 strike, which the Pentagon initially defended but later called a tragic mistake. The footage shows the scene of the strike prior to, during and after a missile struck a civilian car in a courtyard on a residential street. The botched strike killed 10 civilians, including aid worker Zemari Ahmadi, his relatives and children. *) Turkiye to run 'charity train' to Afghanistan as hunger worsens Turkiye will send a "charity train" to Afghanistan carrying emergency goods, as the country faces a harsh winter with a deteriorating economy that has plunged millions into poverty. President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said the train, carrying 700 tonnes of food, clothing, and health and emergency goods, will be sent with the support of 10 NGOs coordinated by Turkiye's disaster agency AFAD. The move comes in contrast to Western nations, led by the United States, that have frozen billions of dollars worth of Afghan banking assets and cut off development funding. *) Aid begins to arrive in tsunami-hit Tonga as main airport opens Aircraft carrying much-needed humanitarian supplies have begun arriving in tsunami-affected Tonga, as the South Pacific island finally made contact with the rest of the world after being hit. The first flight carrying aid to Tonga was able to make it to the Pacific nation's main airport, once the runway was cleared of volcanic ash after five days. Australia and New Zealand have sent humanitarian supplies including temporary shelters, generators, hygiene kits, and communications equipment to the tsunami-hit pacific nation.