Britain’s Defence Secretary John Healey visits St Sophia Cathedral during a visit to Kyiv on December 18, 2024 in Kyiv, Ukraine.
| Photo Credit: Getty Images

The U.K. could send troops to Ukraine to train Ukrainians, U.K. Defence Secretary John Healey has suggested. The U.K. has only a team of medical personnel within Ukraine and has been training Ukrainian troops within Britain since 2022. The suggestion comes as European countries seek to strengthen Kyiv’s hand before it any negotiations to end the war with Russia.

The U.K. would need to make the training of troops “a better fit” for what Ukraine needed, Mr. Healey said en route to Kyiv on Wednesday (December 18, 2024), as per a report in The Times.

“We will look wherever we can to respond to what the Ukrainians want. They are the ones fighting,” he said when asked about whether this meant British troops training Ukrainians in Ukraine, The Times reported.

Western countries have aided Ukraine in terms of financing, weaponry and intelligence but avoided sending troops to the country in order to not become direct parties to the conflict with Russia, which invaded Ukraine in February 2022.

Mr. Healey’s remarks came on a day when U.K. Prime Minister Keir Starmer and U.S. President-elect Donald Trump spoke on the phone. Mr. Starmer told Mr. Trump that allies would need to stand together to support Ukraine and ensure it is “in the strongest possible position” , Downing Street said.

Several European countries and the head of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) are trying to ensure that Kyiv is strengthened before any negotiations with Moscow.

NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte reiterated this message on Wednesday in Brussels during a meeting with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and some other European leaders, who had gathered in the Belgian capital for a European Union summit level meeting with Mr. Zelenksyy on Thursday.

Mr. Trump has suggested the U.S. could pull out of NATO and curb funding for Ukraine. The President Elect has also expressed a keenness had called for an “immediate ceasefire” after meeting Mr. Zelenskyy in Paris on December 8.

Thirty-eight people are confirmed dead, and over 100 remain missing in Congo after an overloaded ferry — full of people returning home for Christmas — capsized in the river Burisa late Friday night, according to local officials and eyewitnesses. The boat sank less than four days after another boat in the northeast of the country capsized, killing 25.

Twenty people are confirmed to have been rescued so far.

The boat was traveling in the northeast of the Congo as part of a convoy of other vessels, and the passengers were primarily merchants returning home for Christmas, said Joseph Joseph Kangolingoli, the mayor of Ingende, the last town before the site of the accident.

According to Ndolo Kaddy, a resident of Ingende, the ferry contained “more than 400 people because it made two ports, Ingende and Loolo, on the way to Boende, so there is reason to believe that there were more deaths.”

Congolese officials have often warned against overloading and vowed to punish those violating safety measures for water transportation. However, in remote areas where most passengers come from, many cannot afford public transport for the few available roads.

At least 78 people drowned in October when an overloaded boat sank in the country’s east while 80 lost their lives in a similar accident near Kinshasa in June.

The latest accident prompted anger at the government for not equipping the convoy with flotation devices.

Nesty Bonina, a member of local government and a prominent figure in the town of Mbandaka, the capital of the Equateur province where the ferry sank, said he “condemns the opacity of the authorities in this sector” with regards to how they have handled the latest capsizings.

“How can a ship navigate at night under the watchful eye of river service agents? And now we’re recording over a hundred deaths,” lamented Mr. Bonina.

The capsizing of overloaded boats is also becoming increasingly frequent in this central African nation as more people are abandoning the few available roads for wooden vessels crumbling under the weight of passengers and their goods because of security reasons.

The roads are often caught up in the deadly clashes between Congolese security forces and rebels that sometimes block major access routes. Hundreds have already been killed or declared missing in such accidents so far this year.

U.S. President Joe Biden, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Canada’s Prime Minister Justin Trudeau react as world leaders gather for a group photo during the G20 summit in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, Tuesday, Nov. 19, 2024.
| Photo Credit: AP

Senior U.S. administration officials have pushed back against the notion that the indictment of Indian citizens including a former Indian government employee in an alleged plot to assassinate Khalistani separatist Gurpatwant Singh Pannun in New York and the charges against Indian businessman Gautam Adani for alleged securities and wire fraud have detracted from the strength of the U.S.-India relationship. Mr. Adani is perceived as being close to Mr. Modi.

The officials are not named as part of the agreed conditions for a briefing call that occurred on Tuesday.

“I think all we can really say is that this is a regulatory and law enforcement issue that’s best left to the agencies directly involved to speak to, and wouldn’t be appropriate for us to comment from either the White House or the State Department,” one official said, adding that the U.S.-India relationship was “in a very strong position”.

Another official said the bilateral relationship had become increasingly complex, diverse and deep and that it was inevitable there would be challenges on some occasions.

“The key is how we deal with those, and I can just assure you that we’ve had the deepest possible, appropriate consultation between the two sides. And I’m confident that we will be able to weather this appropriately,” they said.

One official said the relationship had developed “resilience” and maturity and open lines of communication to work through issues.

The Biden administration draws to a close on January 20 next year, when the incoming administration of Republican president-elect Donald Trump begins. It is unclear how the next administration would approach the issues of Pannun or Mr. Adani. While the U.S. Department of Justice (DoJ) is independent in theory, Mr. Trump’s remarks and nominations to the Department have raised concerns about a decline in its levels of independence.

It is likely that the Pannun case will be pursued enthusiastically under the Trump administration, with Mr. Trump’s appointment of Harmeet K. Dhillon as Assistant Attorney General, to head the DoJ’s civil rights division. Ms. Dhillon wrote on X in November 2023 that the Indian government was sending “death squads” to the U.S. and Canada to target North American Sikhs who were speaking about “civil and human rights conditions in Punjab”.

नई द‍िल्‍ली. आप मूवीज और वेब सीरीज के शौकीन हैं तो आपके पास अमेजन प्राइम वीड‍ियो मेम्‍बरश‍िप भी जरूर होगी. अगर ऐसा है तो आपका ये जानना जरूरी है क‍ि अमेजन आने वाले साल में मेम्‍बरश‍िप के न‍ियमों में कुछ बदलाव करने वाला है. अब आपके द‍िमाग में ये बात जरूर आ रही होगी क‍ि क्‍या अमेजन मेम्‍बरश‍िप की कीमतें बढ़ाने वाला है? आइये जानते हैं क‍ि अमेजन आख‍िर क्‍या प्‍लान‍िंंग कर रहा है.

खबर ये है क‍ि अमेजन भारत में अपनी प्राइम मेंबरशिप शर्तों में बदलाव कर रहा है. एक समय में एक ही अकाउंट से क‍ितनी स्‍ट्रीम‍िंग हो सकती है, इसके न‍ियमों में बदलाव होंगे. कंपनी अब टीवी की संख्या पर कैप लगा सकती है. इस बात को आप ऐसे समझें क‍ि आपके मेंबरश‍िप पर दो या तीन टीवी पर अमेजन प्राइम की स्‍ट्रीम‍िंग हो रही है तो अब नए साल से संभवत: आप ऐसा नहीं कर पाएंगे.

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र‍िपोर्ट्स के अनुसार प्राइम मेंबर्स, अब अधिकतम दो टीवी के साथ पांच डिवाइस पर प्राइम वीडियो एक्सेस कर सकेंगे. दो से ज्‍यादा टीवी पर प्राइम वीडियो देखने वाले यूजर को अब तीसरे टीवी पर देखना जारी रखने के लिए अलग से सब्सक्रिप्शन खरीदना होगा. अमेज़न हेल्प पेज के अनुसार, यह बदलाव जनवरी 2025 से लागू होगा. फ‍िलहाल प्राइम मेंबर्स डिवाइस के प्रकार पर कोई प्रतिबंध के बिना अधिकतम पांच डिवाइस पर स्ट्रीम कर सकते हैं.

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बता दें क‍ि Netflix ने भी एक साल पहले ऐसे ही कदम उठाए थे. कंपनी, अमेजन प्राइम मेंबरशिप में कई प्लान देती है. मंथली 299 रुपये, तिमाही 599 रुपये और सालाना 1499 रुपये का प्‍लान उपलब्‍ध है. इसमें प्राइम लाइट जैसे कुछ और सब्सक्रिप्शन ऑप्‍शन भी मौजूद हैं, जिनकी कीमत 799 रुपये प्रति वर्ष है और प्राइम शॉपिंग एडिशन की कीमत 399 रुपये सालाना है.

कंपनी ने भले ही कीमतों में कोई परिवर्तन न क‍िया हो. लेक‍िन यूजर को एक्‍स्‍ट्रा डिवाइस जोड़ने के ल‍िए अलग से भुगतान करना होगा. अगर आप टीवी स्ट्रीमिंग पर बहुत अधिक निर्भर हैं तो आपको अपनी जेब थोडी हल्‍की जरूर करनी पड सकती है.

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A Palestinian inspects the damage at the site of an Israeli strike. File.
| Photo Credit: Reuters

Five people, including two children, were killed in an Israeli airstrike on a house in the Nuseirat refugee camp in the central Gaza strip, medics told Reuters on Saturday.

Meanwhile, Gaza’s Health Ministry said there was ongoing intense and heavy bombing of the Kamal Adwan Hospital in northern Gaza, which it said was occurring in an “unprecedented manner” and without prior warning.

The hospital is one of only three barely operational medical facilities on the northern edge of the enclave, where the Israeli army has been operating since October.

“The bombing is being conducted with explosives and tank fire, directly targeting us while we are present inside the hospital departments,” the Ministry said.

A displaced Palestinian woman, Makram Hamdouna, carries a water container outside her shelter, in Khan Younis in the southern Gaza Strip December 19, 2024.
| Photo Credit: Reuters

Human Rights Watch on Thursday (December 19, 2024) accused Israel of causing the deaths of thousands of Palestinians by systematically restricting and targeting Gaza’s water supply in a campaign that amounted to “acts of genocide.”

The rights group was the latest among a growing number of critics to accuse Israel of genocidal acts in its war in Gaza. Israel vehemently denies the allegations, saying its war is directed at Hamas militants, not Gaza’s civilians.

Also Read | India votes in favour of UN General Assembly resolution demanding immediate, permanent ceasefire in Gaza

In Thursday’s report, HRW alleged that countless infants, children and adults have died from malnutrition, dehydration and illness as a result of actions by Israeli authorities over more than a year of war to deliberately cut the flow of water and electricity to Gaza, destroy infrastructure and prevent the distribution of critical supplies.

“As a state policy, these acts constitute a widespread or systematic attack directed against a civilian population. Israeli officials are therefore committing the crime against humanity of extermination,” the New York-based group said.

The rights group said that the “pattern of conduct” outlined in its report and statements from Israeli officials “may indicate” genocidal intent, but it did not come down definitively on one side. Under international law, proving intent is key in concluding whether the crime of genocide has been committed.

Israel, founded as a refuge for Jews in the wake of the Nazi Holocaust, strenuously denies such allegations. It says Hamas is responsible for the destruction in Gaza because the group hides and operates in schools, hospitals and residential areas. It says the October 2023 Hamas attack that triggered the war — the deadliest attack on Jews since the Holocaust — amounts to genocide.

“Human Rights Watch is once more spreading its blood libels in order to promote its anti-Israel propaganda,” Israel’s Foreign Ministry said. It claimed Israel has worked to facilitate the flow of water and humanitarian aid into Gaza throughout the war.

“Israel will continue to ensure humanitarian aid enters Gaza, in full compliance with international law,” the statement said.

The new report by Human Rights Watch outlined what the organization described as an extended, methodical campaign by Israeli officials to deprive Palestinians in Gaza of water.

Also Read | Israel warfare methods ‘consistent with genocide’: U.N. committee

That has drastically reduced the water supply in Gaza, from about 83 litres (21 gallons) per person each day before the war began to between two and nine liters in the months since, the human rights group says.

The World Health Organization says people require 50 to 100 litres per day to meet basic needs and keep sickness in check.

Human Rights Watch said Israeli forces deliberately razed the solar panels that powered four of Gaza’s six wastewater treatment plants and destroyed a key reservoir. The group alleged Israel also cut off electricity required to run desalination plants and other infrastructure and restricted fuel for backup generators.

When the International Court of Justice issued orders in January that Israel provide Palestinians with basic services and assistance, officials ignored them, the group alleged.

Human Rights Watch said its findings were based on interviews with more than 60 Palestinians, accounts from utility employees, doctors and other healthcare workers and aid workers, and analysis of satellite images, photos and video.

“Doctors and nurses told Human Rights Watch that they had seen numerous infants, children, and adults die from a combination of malnutrition, dehydration, and disease,” the group said.

In its statement, the Israeli Foreign Ministry said it has continued the operation of four water pipelines as well as water pumping and desalination facilities, and allowed international aid groups to deliver water in tankers.

The Oct. 7, 2023, attack by Hamas killed some 1,200 people in Israel, mostly civilians, and took 250 others hostage. Israel’s 14-month offensive has killed over 45,000 Palestinians, over half of them women and children, according to local health officials who do not distinguish between civilians and combatants. The offensive has caused widespread destruction and displaced roughly 90% of Gaza’s population, according to U.N. estimates, plunging the territory into a humanitarian crisis.

Also Read | Israeli PM says won’t stop Gaza war ‘now’

The U.N. and international aid groups say Israel has repeatedly restricted aid shipments into Gaza and done little to provide security inside Gaza to allow deliveries to reach their destinations. They say only a fraction of the amount of aid necessary to sustain life in Gaza is reaching Palestinians. The war has led to a breakdown in law and order, with armed gangs repeatedly stealing truckloads of aid.

HRW’s report came two weeks after Amnesty International accused Israel of committing genocide in Gaza. Israel dismissed the allegation as “entirely false and based on lies.” Israel has previously refuted charges lodged by South Africa in the International Court of Justice that its forces have carried out inhumane acts in the embattled enclave. Meanwhile, the International Criminal Court is seeking the arrest of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and former Defense Minister Yoav Gallant for allegedly committing war crimes.

Russian President Vladimir Putin meets with volunteers and members of a call centre involved in his annual televised year-end press conference and phone-in held in Moscow, Russia December 19, 2024.
| Photo Credit: Reuters

Russian President Vladimir Putin said Thursday (December 19, 2024) he was ready for talks “anytime” with U.S. President-elect Donald Trump, who has touted his ability to strike a Ukraine peace deal within hours of coming to office.

Mr. Trump, who will return to the White House in January, has stoked fears in Kyiv that he could force Ukraine to accept peace on terms favourable to Moscow.

Holding his annual end-of-year press conference, the Kremlin leader said his troops held the upper hand across the battlefield, but was forced to admit he does not know when Russia will take back the western Kursk region where Ukrainian troops launched an incursion in August.

The traditional annual question and answer sessions, often lasting hours, are largely a televised show while also being a rare setting in which he is put on the spot and answers some uncomfortable questions.

Asked about Mr. Trump’s overtures regarding a possible peace deal, Mr. Putin, 72, said he would welcome a meeting with the incoming Republican.

“I don’t know when I’m going to see him. He isn’t saying anything about it. I haven’t talked to him in more than four years. I am ready for it, of course. Any time,” Mr. Putin said.

“If we ever have a meeting with President-elect Trump, I am sure we’ll have a lot to talk about,” he said, adding that Russia was ready for “negotiations and compromises”.

Kursk offensive

Russia’s troops have been advancing in eastern Ukraine for months, with Mr. Putin repeatedly touting their prowess on the battlefield.

But asked by a woman from the Kursk region when residents will be able to return to their homes there, after thousands were evacuated from frontline areas amid the Ukrainian assault, Mr. Putin said he could not name a date.

“We will absolutely kick them out. Absolutely. It can’t be any other way. But the question of a specific date, I’m sorry, I cannot say right now,” he admitted.

Mr. Putin was also pressed on economic headwinds facing Russia — the fallout from a huge ramp up in military spending and deep labour shortages caused by the conflict.

He insisted that the situation is “stable, despite external threats”, citing low unemployment and industrial growth.

Asked about soaring inflation, Mr. Putin said that “inflation is a worrying signal,” and that price rises for foods such as butter and meat are “unpleasant”.

He acknowledged that Western sanctions were also a factor — “while they do not have key significance” — and criticised the central bank saying it should have taken measures beyond raising rates to lower inflation.

Oreshnik ‘duel’

Mr. Putin appeared to repeat his threat to strike Kyiv with Russia’s new hypersonic ballistic missile, dubbed Oreshnik.

Asked by a military journalist if the weapon had any flaws, Mr. Putin suggested a “hi-tech duel” between the West and Russia to test his claims that it is impervious to air defences.

“Let them set some target to be hit, let’s say in Kyiv. They will concentrate there all their air defences. And we will launch an Oreshnik strike there and see what happens,” Mr. Putin proposed.

Mr. Putin also called the killing of a senior Russian army general in a brazen assassination in Moscow two days earlier “terrorism”, in his first comments on the attack, while also slamming failings by security services.

Igor Kirillov, the head of the Russian military’s chemical weapons unit, was killed by a bomb planted in a scooter outside a residential block in Moscow, the boldest assassination claimed by Kyiv since the start of the conflict. Russia has since arrested the suspected perpetrator.

“Our special services are missing these hits,” the former KGB agent said in a rare admission of failures by the security services, listing other recent killings.

“We must not allow such very serious blunders to happen,” he said.

Assad’s fall not a ‘defeat’

In his first public comments since the fall of ex-Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, Mr. Putin rejected claims his toppling was a “defeat” for Russia.

“You want to present what is happening in Syria as a defeat for Russia. I assure you it is not,” Mr. Putin said in response to a question from a journalist.

“We came to Syria 10 years ago so that a terrorist enclave would not be created there like in Afghanistan. On the whole, we have achieved our goal,” Mr. Putin said.

Mr. Putin said he has not yet met Assad, who fled to Moscow as rebels closed in on Damascus, but plans to soon.

The Kremlin chief said Israel was the “main beneficiary” of events in Syria and called for it to withdraw troops from the “territory of Syria”.

Nine days after coming to power, Democratic Party president Moon Jae-in appointed a new Chief of the Seoul Central District Prosecutors’ Office on May 19, 2017. The new Chief was able to indict two former Presidents belonging to the main conservative party in South Korea — Lee Myung-bak and Park Geun-hye. Mr. Moon and his party were impressed and in June 2019, the protagonist was appointed the Prosecutor General of South Korea. The Prosecutor General was Yoon Suk Yeol, who later became the President of South Korea and is now a key figure in the current political crisis, having been impeached by the National Assembly on December 14, 2024.

How it started

Mr. Yoon was playing a key role in the Moon Jae-in administration, but it was announced on August 9, 2019, that Cho Guk would be the next Justice Minister. Mr. Cho had studied at the same university as Mr. Yoon, with Mr. Yoon being a few years his senior. After learning of Mr. Cho’s nomination, Mr. Yoon reportedly approached President Moon expressing his disapproval. Mr. Moon, however, appointed Mr. Cho on September 9, 2019.

Mr. Yoon used his Prosecutor office to reveal several corruption charges against Mr. Cho. Allegations against him included that he plagiarised his writings, that an institute run by his family evaded taxes, and his family invested in illicit business activities, his daughter submitted false documents related to academic achievements. His wife was charged and later sent to jail for four years. All this led to huge protests by conservative party supporters demanding Mr. Cho’s removal. Finally, he resigned after just 35 days in office.

The incident led to a contest between the Moon Jae-in administration and Mr. Yoon. Mr. Moon avoided taking any undemocratic means to remove Mr. Yoon from his post, but subsequent Justice Ministers under his administration tried to settle scores with Mr. Yoon. On November 24, 2020, Justice Minister Choo Mi-ae suspended Mr. Yoon, accusing him of ethical violations and interference in key investigations. However, Mr. Yoon challenged the suspension in court and was reinstated.

Interestingly, Mr. Yoon, who was considered close to the Democratic Party and instrumental in the indictment of two conservative Presidents, became a hero among conservative party supporters.

In various opinion surveys, Mr. Yoon had the highest popularity among all the existing conservative leaders, and suggestions became strong that if he became the conservative party’s presidential candidate, he might be victorious. Conservative supporters were very hurt by two of their former Presidents in jail — one of them Ms. Park, who was the eldest daughter of Park Chung-hee whom the conservatives adore as a major Korean leader. The conservative supporters thought Mr. Yoon would be the right leader to teach Moon Jae-in and his peers in the Democratic Party a lesson.

Mr. Yoon grabbed this opportunity and resigned from the position of Prosecutor General on March 4, 2021, and announced his presidential candidacy in June 2021. He officially joined the conservative People Power Party (PPP) in July 2021. Despite making several political blunders, careless and controversial remarks, and lacking political experience, Mr. Yoon was selected as the PPP’s presidential candidate in November 2021. He had a difficult battle against the Democratic Party’s Lee Jae-myung but defeated him in the March 2022 presidential elections by a margin of less than one percent.

Two Koreas in South Korea

Over the years, the divide between conservatives and liberals in South Korea has become very sharp. Generally, conservative party supporters tend to be older, less educated, wealthy businessmen, and residents of Gyeongsang North, Gyeongsang South, and Gangwon provinces. Young, more educated, middle-class, people coming from Jeolla North and Jeolla South Provinces are more inclined towards the liberal party. In a way, the division is not only ideological but also generational and regional. In recent years, young males in South Korea have also moved towards conservative parties, as they feel that ultra-feminism has ruined traditional gender and social relations. For the conservatives, authoritarian leader Mr. Park Chung-hee who is considered to be the main architect of South Korea’s economic development is the source of inspiration and, for the liberals, Kim Dae-jung and Roh Moo-hyun are the leaders who brought democratisation to the country. Conservatives are typically pro-American, more accommodating toward Japan, and confrontational towards North Korea. Liberals, on the other hand, advocate for greater autonomy in South Korea’s foreign policy (while maintaining the U.S. alliance), are critical of Japan’s rising assertiveness, favour engagement with North Korea, and seek better relations with China.

The divide has been further accentuated by the prevalence of social media. In the tenures of the last five Presidents, there have always been street protests, affecting the smooth running of the country. Polarisation between the two groups has led to vendetta politics, where each new administration seeks to implicate and punish its predecessors on charges of corruption or illegality. It has led to a situation that all the previous Presidents of South Korea belonging from both conservative and liberal parties have been either exiled (Syngman Rhee), killed (Park Chung-hee), had jail sentences (Chun Do-hwan, Roh Moo-hyun, Lee Myung-bak and Park Geun-hye), charged for corruption (Kim Dae-jung and Moon Jae-in) or committed suicide (Roh Moo-hyun).

Presidency under Yoon

In March 2022, Mr. Yoon was elected as the President of South Korea. However, his popularity ratings were very low, hovering around 20%-30%. His inexperience and incompetence in politics became evident early in his tenure. Rather than working on South Korean domestic and foreign policies in a deft, nuanced manner, he started using broad strokes. Most acts and policies were announced as ‘big moves’.

For example, he tried to reach out to Japan despite the popular mood in South Korea not favouring it and Japan not making any concessions. He did not oppose Japan releasing the Fukushima nuclear power plant water into the sea, a decision disapproved by over 70% of South Koreans. He attended the annual summit meeting of NATO which was the first time by any South Korean leader. He visited Ukraine and indirectly supported it. He announced an Indo-Pacific strategy and opted for a tit-for-tat policy towards North Korea. All these ‘bold moves’ were not only disliked by liberals but also by most of the Korean people, especially those who believe that South Korea is a middle power and should not get into great power politics. His foreign policies strained relations with Russia and China while allowing North Korea to strengthen its ties with both nations.

In another ‘bold move’, he announced the doubling of seats for medical students, which were frozen for more than a decade. His approach to targeting Opposition leaders, combined with the heavy-handed use of prosecutors and police, further deepened public unease. Meanwhile, the South Korean economy, which was already facing problems in the post-COVID phase, was negatively affected. Moreover, his wife’s conduct and allegations of several corruption matters, including the ‘Dior bag scandal’, made him more unpopular.

This led to the growing unpopularity of Mr. Yoon and his party PPP. In the National Assembly elections in April 2024, six Opposition parties secured 192 seats out of 300 seats, which led to a huge problem of governance under Mr. Yoon. The Opposition started asserting against the President’s policies, his appointments of close friends to important positions in government, and demanded a special probe on charges against his wife.

What lies ahead

Mr. Yoon had no experience in dealing with political contests, and the Opposition’s aggressive approach in the National Assembly after April 2024 left him frustrated. In desperation, he decided to declare emergency martial law on December 3, 2024, at 10:24 p.m., despite reported opposition from most of his Ministers. Mr. Yoon, along with the Defence Minister, sent the military and police to various places including the National Assembly. He was in constant touch with them and ordered them to arrest several political leaders. He also reportedly ordered that members should not be allowed to enter into the National Assembly.

However, military and police officials moved reluctantly and they were not willing or able to stop a large number of people gathering in front of the National Assembly. National Assembly members voted 190-0 against martial law by midnight. As per the South Korean constitution, a simple majority in the 300-member House may repel martial law and the President has no choice but to comply. Finally, at the dawn of December 4, Mr. Yoon announced the withdrawal of martial law.

On December 5, an impeachment motion was brought in the National Assembly and put up for vote on December 7 evening.

Meanwhile, the ruling PPP was in fix on how to respond to this crisis. If it supported the impeachment motion, they would lose the support of hardcore conservatives, a substantial set of the electorate, and if they opposed it, they would lose face to the rest of the Koreans. So even though most of the conservative leaders expressed opinions against martial law, they refrained from supporting the impeachment motion. The PPP decided not to take part in the voting and the motion could not get passed. As impeachment requires the support of 200 out of 300 Assembly members, the motion failed with only three PPP members voting in favour.

The Opposition decided to bring another impeachment motion, which was voted on December 14. Mr. Yoon declared to be impeached by 204 votes in favour of the motion in the National Assembly. Mr. Yoon still stubbornly says that he would fight it out in the Constitutional court of South Korea and refused to resign.

The Constitutional court could deliberate on the impeachment for many months. Of the court’s nine seats, three are currently vacant, and a minimum of six affirmative votes is required to validate the impeachment. It means all present judges must agree with the motion and Mr. Yoon is aware that four of the six judges reportedly have conservative leanings, and one was appointed by him. Although popular pressure would be high on judges, Mr. Yoon still hopes for his survival.

Meanwhile, delaying tactics would mean that the leader of the main Opposition party, Mr. Lee, may get a jail sentence as the case against him for corruption charges is scheduled to be decided by February-March next year. Mr. Cho, who launched a political party and won 18 seats in the National Assembly, was given a two year jail sentence by the Supreme Court on December 12 and the Opposition thinks that if Mr. Lee also falls, it would be less advantageous for the Democratic Party in the next Presidential election.

The political crisis in South Korea may get over in a few months. However, it has laid bare the immaturity of its political leaders and parties and the weakness of its democratic institutions. The ray of hope comes from the South Korean people, who, while divided in two opposite camps seem to agree that the present represents an existential crisis for its democracy. If the political crisis does not get resolved and democratic institutions are not strengthened, the implications on South Korea’s image could be severe.

Sandip Kumar Mishra is Professor, Centre for East Asian Studies, School of International Studies, Jawaharlal Nehru University, New Delhi

Members of the Syrian National Army, which is backed by Turkey, stand guard on the tarmac after the first flight arrived from Damascus International Airport to Aleppo International Airport, following the ousting of Syria’s Bashar al-Assad, in Aleppo, Syria, December 18, 2024.
| Photo Credit: Reuters

Ankara will push ahead with its military preparations until Kurdish fighters “disarm”, a defence ministry source said Thursday (December 19, 2024), stressing Turkiye faces an ongoing threat along its border with northern Syria.

The comments came as concerns grew over a possible Turkish assault on the Kurdish-held Syrian border town of Kobane, also known as Ain al-Arab, some 50 kilometres (30 miles) northeast of Manbij.

Turkiye has thousands of troops in northern Syria and also backs a proxy force there which has engaged in ongoing clashes with the SDF, a U.S.-backed Kurdish-led force that Ankara sees as an extension of its domestic nemesis, the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK).

“The threat posed by the terrorist organisation to our borders and our operation areas in Syria continues,” the source said.

“Until the PKK/YPG terrorist organisation disarms and its foreign fighters leave Syria, our preparations and measures will continue within the scope of the fight against terrorism.”

Turkiye accuses the YPG (the People’s Protection Units) — which makes up the bulk of the SDF — of being affiliated with the PKK which both Washington and Ankara consider a “terrorist” group.

Since 2016, Ankara has carried out several major operations against the SDF.

But Turkiye believes Syria’s new rulers and Ankara-backed rebels “will liberate the regions occupied by the terrorist organisation PKK/YPG,” the ministry source said.

The fighting between Turkish-backed factions and Syrian Kurdish fighers comes more than a week after Islamist-led rebels toppled Syria’s longtime strongman Bashar al-Assad.

Washington on Tuesday said it had brokered an extension to a fragile ceasefire in Manbij and was seeking a broader understanding with Turkey.

But the Defence Ministry source insisted Ankara was not talking with the SDF, saying it was “out of the question for us to meet with any terrorist organisation”.

State Department spokesman Matthew Miller said Tuesday the Manbij truce had been “extended through the end of the week, and we will, obviously, look to see that ceasefire extended as far as possible into the future”.

But the Turkish source said “every step taken by terrorist groups that pose a threat to the security of our country and Syria is followed, and preventive and destructive measures are taken”.

Representative image
| Photo Credit: AFP

Corruption in China’s military has led to the removal of top leaders and may hamper the country’s efforts to modernize its armed forces, the Pentagon said on Wednesday.

In 2023, Beijing’s forces “experienced a new wave of corruption-related investigations and removals of senior leaders which may have disrupted its progress toward stated 2027 modernization goals,” the congressionally mandated annual report on Chinese military and security developments said.

At least 15 high-ranking military officers and defense industry executives were removed from their posts between July and December 2023, according to the report.

“Several leaders investigated or removed for corruption oversaw equipment development projects related to modernizing the PRC’s ground-based nuclear and conventional missiles,” it said, using an abbreviation for the People’s Republic of China.

The 2027 goals that may be impacted include “boosting the speed of modernization in military theories, organizations, personnel, and weapons and equipment,” according to the report.

A senior US defense official noted that “frequent turnover and replacement of high-level personnel certainly can be disruptive,” while efforts to uncover corruption can slow down projects and also spiral from one official to others who are connected.

Chinese leader Xi Jinping has overseen a wide-ranging campaign against official corruption since coming to power just over a decade ago, with critics saying it also serves as a way to purge political rivals.

Recent efforts have focused on the People’s Liberation Army, with top official Miao Hua joining last month a host of high-ranking figures removed from their positions in just over a year.

‘Cold War mentality’

But the Pentagon also said on Wednesday that China’s military — which it has been working to modernize for several decades — has made recent advances.

That included in the realm of operational nuclear warheads, which increased from more than 500 last year to more than 600 in 2024.

Beijing’s “expanding nuclear force will enable it to target more US cities, military facilities, and leadership sites than ever before in a potential nuclear conflict,” it said.

Its air force is also making gains and “is rapidly approaching technology typical of US standards.”

And China has “the world’s leading hypersonic missile arsenal and has dramatically advanced its development of conventional and nuclear-armed hypersonic missile technologies during the past 20 years,” according to the report.

Beijing hit back on Thursday, saying that the report was “full of bias.”

“It is just an excuse for maintaining (the United States’) own military hegemony,” foreign ministry spokesman Lin Jian said when asked about the report at a regular news briefing.

“We urge the US side to abandon its Cold War mentality… and stop sending, year after year, these irresponsible reports and to work toward maintaining stability between the United States and China,” he added.

The United States has identified China as its most consequential challenge, but insists that conflict is not inevitable and aims to deter an attack on Taiwan by Beijing’s forces through American military deployments in the Pacific and a network of allies in the region.

China claims Taiwan as part of its territory and has said it will never renounce using force to seize it one day, while the United States has a longstanding arrangement to provide Taipei with the means to defend itself.