International news brief: US cannot allow China’s ‘new normal’ over Taiwan, says Pelosi

Washington, Aug 11: US House Speaker Nancy Pelosi said that Washington cannot allow Beijing to establish a "new normal" in Taiwan with its provocative drills and warplane incursions in the Taiwan Straits, in retaliation to her high-profile visit to the self-ruled island last week. "What we saw with China is that they were trying to establish sort of a new normal. And we just can't let that happen," Pelosi told a news conference on Wednesday after her trip to Asia. China on Wednesday announced that it has "successfully completed" its week-long and unprecedented military drills that have essentially encircled Taiwan, warning that Beijing will organise regular combat patrols as a new normal to enforce its one-China policy.

Assange case endangers press freedom

Former lawyer Stella Assange - the wife of WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange - says her husband's ongoing extradition battle has set a dangerous precedent for press freedom worldwide.
Assange is wanted in the United States on 18 criminal charges, including espionage, for publishing classified documents that detailed war crimes. If he is extradited, he could be sentenced to up to 175 years in prison.

"This is the most dangerous attack on press freedom globally because it is the United States that is going after a foreign journalist working abroad, publishing abroad," Assange's wife told DW's Birgit Maas.

The human rights lawyer called on other Western governments to push back against the extradition of her husband, who is an Australian citizen detained in the United Kingdom.

Trump's Indian American supporters condemn FBI raid

Indian American supporters flung their support behind Donald Trump, days after an extraordinary FBI raid on his palatial residence in Florida, terming the move as a "witch hunt" against the former US President. The FBI raided Trump's private club and residence in Florida and broke open a safe on Monday, as part of a reported probe into the handling of presidential documents, including classified materials, triggering an angry outburst from the former US president who called it an attempt to block his 2024 White House bid.

Kim Jong Un declares victory against COVID in North Korea

North Korea is lifting its maximum anti-epidemic measures, state news agency KCNA reported on Thursday, announcing that the country's dictator Kim Jong Un had declared victory over the virus.

The isolated country had imposed the anti-pandemic measures in May to curb the spread of what it describes simply as "fever" due to a lack of tests.

The country has reported only 74 fatalities, which the Kim Jong Un hailed as "an unprecedented miracle," according to KCNA. International health experts have questioned the numbers provided by North Korean officials.

The state agency also cited the dictator's sister, Kim Yo Jong, as saying that the outbreak had started due to leaflets entering the country from South Korea.

Biden begins summer vacation with family in South Carolina

President Joe Biden arrived in South Carolina on Wednesday to begin what is expected to be at least a seven-day vacation with members of his family. The first couple was planning to be in Kiawah Island, noted for its private beach and golf resort, through Tuesday, according to Federal Aviation Administration advisories. The White House did not respond to requests to provide details on Biden's vacation schedule, activities or when he planned to return to Washington, nor did it provide information on the residence where he was staying. Biden, accompanied by first lady Jill Biden, departed the White House by motorcade to Joint Base Andrews outside the capital, where Air Force One was on hand to take them to Joint Base Charleston.

with agency inputs