Red Cross Launches International Emergency Appeal for Lebanon
On Tuesday, the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies launched an international emergency appeal for Lebanon, urging donors to provide vital resources during the Israel–Hezbollah war in Lebanon and calling on all sides in the party to protect paramedics. The emergency appeal for $115.8 million is directed to aid Lebanon and the Lebanese Red Cross through the ongoing conflict. CEO and Secretary General of the IRFC Jagan Chapagain noted the need for hygiene kits, non-food items, blankets, and heaters for the people displaced and affected by the conflict. Since the conflict began, 17 members of the Lebanese Red Cross have been wounded while carrying out rescue duties. The emergency appeal urges donors to aid paramedics and people who have been affected by the conflict.
Israel Expands Northern Gaza Operations, Airstrikes Hit Beirut Suburbs
Large airstrikes hit Beirut’s suburbs Thursday, including a site adjacent to Lebanon’s only international airport. An evacuation notice for the site was issued by the Israeli military saying there were Hezbollah facilities; no other details were given. They also announced the expansion of the month-old operation in northern Gaza to now include parts of Beit Lahiya, which has been heavily bombed since the beginning of the war, as Israel believes Hamas militants have regrouped there. Hezbollah leader Naim Qassem has mentioned that the Lebanese militant group is open for cease-fire negotiations only if “the enemy decides to stop the aggression.”
Mount Lewotobi Laki-laki Eruptions Kill Nine in Indonesia
On Monday, a series of volcanic eruptions on Lewotobi Laki-laki, one of the two peaks of Mount Lewotobi in Flores, Indonesia caused catastrophic destruction as buildings collapsed, killing at nine people and injuring dozens of others. The eruptions sent ash as high as 8,000 meters into the air and threw lava, gravel, and ash up to seven kilometers from its crater. This affected around 10,000 people in 10 nearby villages and caused over 6,000 villagers to move into makeshift emergency shelters. The eruption destroyed seven schools, nearly two dozen houses, and a convent on the majority-Catholic island. On Wednesday, the authorities provided supplies to those displaced and warned those who fled not to return while rescuers, police, and soldiers search for survivors, even though no missing reports have been filed.
Russia Approves North Korea Pact as U.S. Confirms Deployment of 10,000 North Korean Troop
On Wednesday, the Russian parliament agreed to a treaty with North Korea regarding mutual military assistance, a decision taken after the U.S. confirmed deployment of North Korean troops to Russia. Russian President Vladimir Putin signed this treaty with North Korean Supreme Leader Kim Jong Un while visiting Pyongyang in June. This “comprehensive strategic partnership treaty” requires Russia and North Korea to provide military assistance immediately using “all means” if either is attacked. On Monday, U.S. State Department spokesperson Matthew Miller told reporters that as many as 10,000 North Korean soldiers were stationed in Russia’s Kursk region and were assembling to join Moscow’s fight against Ukraine.
Kashmir Legislature Passes Resolution Urging India to Reinstate its Partial Autonomy
The regional assembly for Indian-administered Kashmir passed a resolution Wednesday asking for the restoration of its partial autonomy. In 2019, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s Bharatiya Janata Party revoked Jammu and Kashmir’s special status — given to it under Article 370 of the Indian Constitution — and the region has since been ruled by a governor appointed by the Central Government in New Delhi. The resolution called upon the Indian government to initiate conversations with elected representatives from Jammu and Kashmir about the restoration of special status. It also said that restoration of partial autonomy would reaffirm the importance of the special and constitutional guarantees, which safeguard the identity, culture, and rights of the people of Jammu and Kashmir. The resolution is likely to get rejected — 29 members of the government in the legislative body opposed the resolution, which needs approval from the appointed governor.
