China overtakes the US in Southeast Asian favorability ranking
The majority of Southeast Asians favor China as their strategic ally over the US, a survey by the Singapore-based ISEAS-Yusok Ishak Institute has found.
50.5% of respondents said they would choose China as an ally rather than the US, a significant increase from the 38.9% who gave the same answer last year. This is the first time that Southeast Asians have expressed a clear preference for China over the US since ISEAS-Yusok Ishak Institute began conducting the survey in 2020.
Respondents in the latest poll also listed China as the most influential economic, political, and strategic power in Southeast Asia, outpacing the US by nearly 2 to 1 in the latter two categories.
Meanwhile, compared to 2023, trust in the US as a regional security partner has plummeted from 47.2% to 34.9%. Conversely, concerns over the US’ growing strategic and political influence in the region swelled from 40% to 60%. The 12.5% surge of negative sentiments towards the Biden administration could be partially attributed to Washington’s staunch support for Israel’s war in Gaza, which ranked top among the region’s geopolitical concerns.
Both China and the US view cultivating strong relations with Southeast Asia as a high strategic priority due to the region’s fast economic growth in recent years and control over important maritime trade routes such as the Strait of Malacca.
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The majority of Southeast Asians favor China as their strategic ally over the US, a survey by the Singapore-based ISEAS-Yusok Ishak Institute has found.
50.5% of respondents said they would choose China as an ally rather than the US, a significant increase from the 38.9% who gave the same answer last year. This is the first time that Southeast Asians have expressed a clear preference for China over the US since ISEAS-Yusok Ishak Institute began conducting the survey in 2020.
Respondents in the latest poll also listed China as the most influential economic, political, and strategic power in Southeast Asia, outpacing the US by nearly 2 to 1 in the latter two categories.
Meanwhile, compared to 2023, trust in the US as a regional security partner has plummeted from 47.2% to 34.9%. Conversely, concerns over the US’ growing strategic and political influence in the region swelled from 40% to 60%. The 12.5% surge of negative sentiments towards the Biden administration could be partially attributed to Washington’s staunch support for Israel’s war in Gaza, which ranked top among the region’s geopolitical concerns.
Both China and the US view cultivating strong relations with Southeast Asia as a high strategic priority due to the region’s fast economic growth in recent years and control over important maritime trade routes such as the Strait of Malacca.
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Sputnik International
Who were the aid workers killed in the Israeli airstrike in Gaza? The World Central Kitchen - a US-based non-profit organization - has confirmed the death of seven team members in an Israeli airstrike near Deir al-Balah city. The aid workers were delivering…
The Israeli military "unintentionally targeted innocent people in the Gaza Strip," Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has admitted, adding that Tel Aviv will reportedly not allow this to happen in the future.
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Russia is in a difficult period of its history, Putin said.
"Since the collapse of the USSR, detractors have wanted to break it up and subjugate it."
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"Since the collapse of the USSR, detractors have wanted to break it up and subjugate it."
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✈️ Two Russian Tu-95MS strategic missile carriers flew over the neutral waters of the Sea of Japan, the Ministry of Defense reported.
The flight lasted about 10 hours and the missile carriers were accompanied by Su-30SM fighters.
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The flight lasted about 10 hours and the missile carriers were accompanied by Su-30SM fighters.
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Why is Israeli attack on Iran’s Syria consulate a ‘blatant violation’ of international law?
There are at least three major factors proving that Israel’s recent airstrike on the Iranian consular mission in Syria is nothing but a flagrant violation of international law, Sergei Ordzhonikidze, former UN under-secretary general and ex-deputy of the Russian Foreign Minister, tells Sputnik.
◾️ First, “it is a strike on the territory of a neighboring state, with which, by the way, Israel is not at war, so it can be considered the Jewish state’s aggressive action.”
◾️ Secondly, “Israel launched the strike on a building that is under diplomatic and consular immunity.”
◾️ Last but not least, “Tel Aviv eliminated a general serving as a government official, which means that the Jewish state actually conducted a terrorist act."
On Monday evening, the Syrian Ministry of Defense reported an airstrike by the Israeli Air Force on the General Consulate of Iran in Damascus, which killed at least 11 people. The death toll includes seven officers of Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, among them General Mohammad Reza Zahedi, the commander of the IRGC's Quds Force in Syria and Lebanon, and his deputy Mohammad Hadi Hajizadeh.
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There are at least three major factors proving that Israel’s recent airstrike on the Iranian consular mission in Syria is nothing but a flagrant violation of international law, Sergei Ordzhonikidze, former UN under-secretary general and ex-deputy of the Russian Foreign Minister, tells Sputnik.
“Israel has, in fact, attacked two states, Syria and Iran, with one strike, which could backfire and eventually escalate into a major clash,” Ordzhonikidze warned.
On Monday evening, the Syrian Ministry of Defense reported an airstrike by the Israeli Air Force on the General Consulate of Iran in Damascus, which killed at least 11 people. The death toll includes seven officers of Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, among them General Mohammad Reza Zahedi, the commander of the IRGC's Quds Force in Syria and Lebanon, and his deputy Mohammad Hadi Hajizadeh.
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"We will make the Zionists regret the crime of attacking the Iranian consulate in Damascus," Iran's Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei said regarding the Israeli attack on the Iranian consulate in Damascus, Syria.
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⚡️ Admiral Alexander Moiseyev and Vice Admiral Konstantin Kabantsov were officially named commander-in-chief of the Russian Navy and commander of the Northern Fleet, respectively, the Minister of Defense Sergei Shoigu’s said at a meeting at the Russian Ministry of Defense.
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Did the West have a hand in Ukraine's drone attacks against Russia?
A recent report by CNN about the way Ukraine carries out its drone attacks against targets in Russia appeared to hint that an outside agency is involved in the planning and preparation of these strikes.
A “source close to Ukraine’s drone program” was quoted by the media outlet as saying that the Ukrainian drone strikes’ accuracy is “enabled through the use of artificial intelligence,” with each UAV allegedly being outfitted with a “terminal computer with satellite and terrain data.”
Neither the source nor the media outlet, however, mentioned who exactly these “allies” are nor how Ukraine managed to get its hands on such technology.
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A recent report by CNN about the way Ukraine carries out its drone attacks against targets in Russia appeared to hint that an outside agency is involved in the planning and preparation of these strikes.
A “source close to Ukraine’s drone program” was quoted by the media outlet as saying that the Ukrainian drone strikes’ accuracy is “enabled through the use of artificial intelligence,” with each UAV allegedly being outfitted with a “terminal computer with satellite and terrain data.”
“The flights are determined in advance with our allies, and the aircraft follow the flight plan to enable us to strike targets with meters of precision,” the source added.
Neither the source nor the media outlet, however, mentioned who exactly these “allies” are nor how Ukraine managed to get its hands on such technology.
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⚡️ Admiral Alexander Moiseyev and Vice Admiral Konstantin Kabantsov were officially named commander-in-chief of the Russian Navy and commander of the Northern Fleet, respectively, the Minister of Defense Sergei Shoigu’s said at a meeting at the Russian Ministry…
Vice Admiral Sergei Pinchuk has been appointed commander of the Black Sea Fleet, Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu said.
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An Israeli airstrike that demolished Iran’s consulate in Damascus on Monday killed two Iranian generals, Mohammad Reza Zahedi and Mohammad Hadi Haji Rahimi, as well as five officers, according to Iranian officials. Who were these generals?
◾️Zahedi was a senior commander in the Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps’ (IRGC) Quds Force which worked to advance the Palestinian cause and liberate countries in the region, such as Syria and Lebanon;
◾️Being one of the most prominent leaders of the Quds Force, Zahedi was the deputy chief of IRGC operations. He also held positions such as the leader of both the IRGC's Air Force from 2005 to 2006 and Ground Force from 2006 to 2008;
◾️Zahedi met with Hassan Nasrallah, the secretary general of the Lebanese Hezbollah group, on many occassions. The US had imposed sanctions on him, accusing him of supplying Iranian-made missiles to Hezbollah;
◾️Rahimi was Zahedi's deputy and served as a deputy commander in the Quds Force. He earlier served as the deputy commander of the Quds Force for coordination but was recently sent to Syria upon his own request.
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◾️Zahedi was a senior commander in the Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps’ (IRGC) Quds Force which worked to advance the Palestinian cause and liberate countries in the region, such as Syria and Lebanon;
◾️Being one of the most prominent leaders of the Quds Force, Zahedi was the deputy chief of IRGC operations. He also held positions such as the leader of both the IRGC's Air Force from 2005 to 2006 and Ground Force from 2006 to 2008;
◾️Zahedi met with Hassan Nasrallah, the secretary general of the Lebanese Hezbollah group, on many occassions. The US had imposed sanctions on him, accusing him of supplying Iranian-made missiles to Hezbollah;
◾️Rahimi was Zahedi's deputy and served as a deputy commander in the Quds Force. He earlier served as the deputy commander of the Quds Force for coordination but was recently sent to Syria upon his own request.
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❗️Near Avdeyevka, the Russian Army occupied more advantageous positions and repelled 11 attacks by Ukrainian troops. Ukrainian losses amounted to 250 soldiers;
🇷🇺🪖 More statements from the Russian MoD's daily briefing on the progress of the special military op in Ukraine:
▪️In the Donetsk area, Russian forces destroyed 11 Ukrainian ammunition warehouses. Ukrainian losses amounted to 250 soldiers;
▪️In the South Donetsk area, Russian forces improved the tactical situation. Ukrainian losses amounted to more than 140 soldiers;
▪️Near Kupyansk, the Russian Army repelled two attacks by Ukrainian troops. Ukrainian losses amounted to 20 soldiers;
▪️In the Kherson area, Ukrainian losses amounted to 40 soldiers, two pick-up trucks, and one 152-mm Akatsiya self-propelled artillery system;
▪️Russia’s air defenses destroyed 195 Ukrainian drones, as well as 41 rockets, from the HIMARS and Vampire multiple launch rocket systems.
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🇷🇺🪖 More statements from the Russian MoD's daily briefing on the progress of the special military op in Ukraine:
▪️In the Donetsk area, Russian forces destroyed 11 Ukrainian ammunition warehouses. Ukrainian losses amounted to 250 soldiers;
▪️In the South Donetsk area, Russian forces improved the tactical situation. Ukrainian losses amounted to more than 140 soldiers;
▪️Near Kupyansk, the Russian Army repelled two attacks by Ukrainian troops. Ukrainian losses amounted to 20 soldiers;
▪️In the Kherson area, Ukrainian losses amounted to 40 soldiers, two pick-up trucks, and one 152-mm Akatsiya self-propelled artillery system;
▪️Russia’s air defenses destroyed 195 Ukrainian drones, as well as 41 rockets, from the HIMARS and Vampire multiple launch rocket systems.
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📹💥 Russian troops made it almost impossible for Ukrainian forces in the DPR to rotate, drone operators from the Southern Battlegroup told Sputnik.
With the help of drones, the Russian military controls the airspace over Ukrainian positions. The Ministry of Defense provided a video showing the destruction of Ukrainian Bradley infantry fighting vehicles and armored personnel carriers.
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With the help of drones, the Russian military controls the airspace over Ukrainian positions. The Ministry of Defense provided a video showing the destruction of Ukrainian Bradley infantry fighting vehicles and armored personnel carriers.
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Netanyahu's push to close Al Jazeera reeks of war on press freedom
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu vowed to shutter Qatari news channel Al Jazeera on Monday in the wake of the adoption of a new law which allows Tel Aviv to temporarily close the Israeli offices of foreign media outlets deemed a national security threat. The ban could reportedly last for 45 days and be renewed.
Calling Al Jazeera a "terrorist" news channel that "actively participated in the October 7 massacre, and incited against Israeli Defense Forces soldiers" on X (formerly Twitter), Netanyahu pledged "to act immediately in accordance with the new law to stop the channel's activity."
In response, the Qatari broadcaster condemned the Israeli prime minister's statement as "lies" and "incitement" against the news channel and lambasted him for cracking down on the freedom of the press. In the course of the Gaza war, Al Jazeera repeatedly accused Israel of targeting its personnel. It maintains offices in the West Bank and the Gaza Strip.
The Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ), an American independent non-profit, warned that the new Israeli legislation poses "a significant threat to international media within the country", while the White House stated the US "supports the critically important work [of] journalists," including "those reporting on the conflict in Gaza."
Al Jazeera's suspension could also worsen relations between Israel and Qatar, a key mediator in the hostage talks, as per Axios.
The Gaza conflict has been raging since October last year. Over 32,700 people have been killed and more than 75,000 injured in the strip since, as per the Gaza Ministry of Health.
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Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu vowed to shutter Qatari news channel Al Jazeera on Monday in the wake of the adoption of a new law which allows Tel Aviv to temporarily close the Israeli offices of foreign media outlets deemed a national security threat. The ban could reportedly last for 45 days and be renewed.
Calling Al Jazeera a "terrorist" news channel that "actively participated in the October 7 massacre, and incited against Israeli Defense Forces soldiers" on X (formerly Twitter), Netanyahu pledged "to act immediately in accordance with the new law to stop the channel's activity."
In response, the Qatari broadcaster condemned the Israeli prime minister's statement as "lies" and "incitement" against the news channel and lambasted him for cracking down on the freedom of the press. In the course of the Gaza war, Al Jazeera repeatedly accused Israel of targeting its personnel. It maintains offices in the West Bank and the Gaza Strip.
The Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ), an American independent non-profit, warned that the new Israeli legislation poses "a significant threat to international media within the country", while the White House stated the US "supports the critically important work [of] journalists," including "those reporting on the conflict in Gaza."
Al Jazeera's suspension could also worsen relations between Israel and Qatar, a key mediator in the hostage talks, as per Axios.
The Gaza conflict has been raging since October last year. Over 32,700 people have been killed and more than 75,000 injured in the strip since, as per the Gaza Ministry of Health.
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The UN's secretary general condemned the attack on the Iranian consulate in Damascus and declared the inviolability of diplomatic facilities.
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The United States does not support Ukrainian strikes on Russian territory, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken said, commenting on attacks on Russian refineries.
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What was Israel trying to accomplish by attacking the Iranian consulate in Damascus?
The Israeli strike on the Iranian consulate in Syria, which resulted in the deaths of two generals and five Iranian Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps officers, shows that Israel is trying to draw Iran into the Gaza Strip conflict, argues Foad Izadi, associate professor at the University of Tehran’s Department of American Studies.
As the Israeli forces have been unable to fulfill their stated goal of defeating Hamas, 'succeeding' only in murdering some 30,000 Palestinians – most of them women and children - Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu realizes that an inglorious end of this campaign would spell the end of his political career, Izadi explained.
Izadi also suggested that Iran may seek to “cause pain for the Israelis” in retaliation, in order to dissuade the latter from “these types of actions” in the future.
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The Israeli strike on the Iranian consulate in Syria, which resulted in the deaths of two generals and five Iranian Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps officers, shows that Israel is trying to draw Iran into the Gaza Strip conflict, argues Foad Izadi, associate professor at the University of Tehran’s Department of American Studies.
As the Israeli forces have been unable to fulfill their stated goal of defeating Hamas, 'succeeding' only in murdering some 30,000 Palestinians – most of them women and children - Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu realizes that an inglorious end of this campaign would spell the end of his political career, Izadi explained.
“That's why criminal acts and genocide in Gaza continue. And Netanyahu realizes, sooner or later this war needs to end. And that would be the end of his prime ministership. And so he's trying to prolong the war, he's trying to widen the war,” he added.
Izadi also suggested that Iran may seek to “cause pain for the Israelis” in retaliation, in order to dissuade the latter from “these types of actions” in the future.
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❗️Zelensky has signed a law reducing the mobilization age from 27 to 25
Earlier, US Senator Lindsey Graham urged young Ukrainians to continue to risk their lives for the Kiev regime, encouraging legislators to pass a new law that would lower the country’s draft age to 25.
The US senator stressed that the US adheres to the notion of fighting Russia until the last Ukrainian, saying, “No matter what we do, you should be fighting.”
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Earlier, US Senator Lindsey Graham urged young Ukrainians to continue to risk their lives for the Kiev regime, encouraging legislators to pass a new law that would lower the country’s draft age to 25.
The US senator stressed that the US adheres to the notion of fighting Russia until the last Ukrainian, saying, “No matter what we do, you should be fighting.”
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Swedes beginning to realize NATO membership comes at a price
Sweden has started to realize that something is wrong with the nation's NATO membership, Russian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Maria Zakharova has noted on her Telegram account.
The Nordic country officially became the 32nd member of NATO on March 7, abandoning its long-held neutrality. Despite Swedish Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson lauding the accession as a way of ensuring Sweden's security, the nation's journalists, former officials and peace activists think otherwise.
"It looks as if Sweden was at war with the US and lost," veteran investigative journalist Jan Guillou wrote for Swedish daily Aftonbladet. "There, American supremacy is introduced in Sweden."
"Militarily, Sweden becomes a vassal to the US," echoed Sven Hirdman, former state secretary to the Swedish Ministry of Foreign Affairs and ambassador to Russia, in his op-ed for Dagens Arena.
"It is striking how quickly and, I would argue, with how little forethought, this reversal took place. The NATO decision was taken in a couple of weeks in the spring of 2022."
"NATO membership is a risky, costly misprioritization that contributes to increased military rearmament, normalization of nuclear weapons and increased tensions at a time when we need the opposite," highlighted the Swedish Peace and Arbitration Society, a nonprofit dedicated to peace, disarmament and democratization.
What's worse, as a result of the new agreements with NATO and the US, Sweden may be drawn into the alliance's completely devastating war with Russia, Swedish commentators warn.
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Sweden has started to realize that something is wrong with the nation's NATO membership, Russian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Maria Zakharova has noted on her Telegram account.
The Nordic country officially became the 32nd member of NATO on March 7, abandoning its long-held neutrality. Despite Swedish Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson lauding the accession as a way of ensuring Sweden's security, the nation's journalists, former officials and peace activists think otherwise.
"It looks as if Sweden was at war with the US and lost," veteran investigative journalist Jan Guillou wrote for Swedish daily Aftonbladet. "There, American supremacy is introduced in Sweden."
"Militarily, Sweden becomes a vassal to the US," echoed Sven Hirdman, former state secretary to the Swedish Ministry of Foreign Affairs and ambassador to Russia, in his op-ed for Dagens Arena.
"It is striking how quickly and, I would argue, with how little forethought, this reversal took place. The NATO decision was taken in a couple of weeks in the spring of 2022."
"NATO membership is a risky, costly misprioritization that contributes to increased military rearmament, normalization of nuclear weapons and increased tensions at a time when we need the opposite," highlighted the Swedish Peace and Arbitration Society, a nonprofit dedicated to peace, disarmament and democratization.
What's worse, as a result of the new agreements with NATO and the US, Sweden may be drawn into the alliance's completely devastating war with Russia, Swedish commentators warn.
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Xi Jinping told Joe Biden that the Taiwan issue is a "red line" in relations between China and the United States during a phone call, and that Beijing will not ignore external support for the island's independence.
The Chinese leader likewise stressed that Beijing will not ignore US efforts to suppress China's high tech development.
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The Chinese leader likewise stressed that Beijing will not ignore US efforts to suppress China's high tech development.
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‘The US pulled the strings using Ukraine's hands’: Ordinary Russians on the Moscow Concert Attack
Sputnik asked Moscow residents about one of the largest terrorist attacks in the history of modern Russia. How did Russian society react and who do they think was behind the attack?
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Sputnik asked Moscow residents about one of the largest terrorist attacks in the history of modern Russia. How did Russian society react and who do they think was behind the attack?
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