The former chairman of the state-owned Bank of China, has been arrested on suspicion of bribery and issuing illegal loans, the Xinhua news agency reported on Monday.
Liu Liange's arrest comes as part of a widespread anti-corruption crackdown by the authorities in Beijing. According to Xinhua, he has been accused of a range of crimes related to the illegal granting of loans and bringing banned publications into the country. The 62-year-old, who was Bank of China chairman from 2019 to 2023, is also alleged to have used his position to procure bribes and accept gifts and entertainment at private clubs and ski resorts. Liu announced in March that he was stepping down from his position, several weeks before the authorities revealed that he was facing corruption charges. His arrest, which was reportedly ordered by the Supreme People’s Procuratorate (SPP), comes around a week after Liu was formally expelled from the ruling Communist Party following an investigation by the Central Commission for Discipline Inspection (CCDI). Liu is the latest high-profile figure to be detained as part of widespread anti-corruption efforts ordered by President Xi Jinping into the country’s $60 trillion financial sector. Xi has made fighting corruption a key policy issue since becoming president a decade ago. The campaign enjoys considerable public support, although critics claim it allows the president to consolidate power by replacing rivals with loyalists in key positions. Wang Bin, the former chairman of China Life Insurance, was sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole last month for involvement in bribery. Several other prominent banking or financial sector executives have been fined, imprisoned, or are under investigation for alleged crimes.
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EDITORIAL: China’s Belt and Road Initiative Sets Off Great Power Competition in the Pacific16/10/2023 As China marks the 10th anniversary of its Belt and Road Initiative, also known as the BRI, many are assessing the impact of its global push to promote connectivity and billions of dollars in deals for infrastructure projects. In the Pacific, Beijing’s BRI has set off a race of great power competition with the United States and other countries. Analysts say so far, of the more than 30 projects in the region that China has launched, the results have been mixed, with some serving as "showpieces" instead of contributing to Pacific countries’ development or economic needs. "The BRI in the Pacific is more of a political instrument than a genuine development mechanism," Mihai Sora, a research fellow in the Pacific Islands program at Lowy Institute in Australia, said in an interview. "In Australia, a lot of commentators view BRI projects as a vanguard for the Chinese government to build influence in the Pacific." In the run up to the third Belt and Road Forum for International Cooperation that’ll take place in China this month, with more than 130 countries reportedly expected to attend, Chinese state media have published a series of reports highlighting the BRI’s success stories in the Pacific. Last month, in two separate articles, China’s state-run tabloid, the Global Times, highlighted how "the BRI vision is becoming a reality" in the Pacific Islands noting how China is providing medical services and professional training to local healthcare personnel in the Solomon Islands and how Beijing has helped the country to build a sports stadium for the upcoming Pacific Games. In another report, the Global Times stated that China’s cooperation with Pacific Island countries over the last 10 years focused on areas "such as humanitarian assistance, disaster response, and training. Most of the cooperation is reflected in infrastructure construction, tourism promotion and economic as well as trade issues under the BRI framework." But where Beijing sees progress and success, western think tanks and Pacific experts say the facts on the ground paint a different picture. In the 2023 Asia-Pacific Regional Security Assessment released earlier this year, the International Institute for Strategic Studies, a London-based security think tank, found that BRI has had minimal impact on Pacific Island countries that receive Chinese loans or grants. According to the report, as of the end of 2021, 26 out of 33 projects were completed, but there has been little shift on investment or trade. Last month, China officially handed over the main stadium that it helped the Solomon Islands build for the upcoming Pacific Games to authorities in Honiara, making it the latest addition to the list of completed BRI projects in the Pacific region. "Exports from China to the South Pacific have increased twelvefold in value between 2000 and 2018, though the numbers for exports from Pacific Island countries to China have grown at a much less impressive rate," the study said. "Further major Chinese investment in the form of large-scale physical-infrastructure projects is unlikely given the existing debt burdens and the lack of demand for Chinese loans." Some experts in the Pacific tell that realities in some Pacific countries also contradict China’s success stories. Sandra Tarte, an associate professor in international relations at the University of the South Pacific in Fiji, said some Chinese investments in Fiji have resulted in big towers that were half-built and unfinished for a long period of time. Some tourism projects that were supposed to be supported by China received initial fanfare but never got off the ground. "There was an influx of investment from China at some point in Fiji, but the investors ran out of money," she said. "A lot of things like that have happened here." Power plays in the Pacific To counter China’s growing influence in the Pacific, major Pacific powers such as the U.S., Australia, and Japan have dedicated more resources and efforts to re-engage with Pacific Island countries. Last week, U.S. President Joe Biden hosted a two-day summit with Pacific leaders in Washington, pledging to help countries in the region combat climate change and improve infrastructure with a $200 million package. Since May, the U.S. has signed defense cooperation and maritime agreements with Papua New Guinea and opened an expanded mission in the Pacific region as part of the efforts to compete for influence with Beijing. Apart from the U.S., Australia and Japan have both announced development packages to Pacific Island countries in recent months, with some of the support dedicated to deepening defense and security ties. Sora from the Lowy Institute says China’s push into the security space in the Pacific over the last few years, including the security pact that Beijing signed with the Solomon Islands in 2022, has raised concerns among democratic countries in the region. "Traditional partners like the U.S., Australia, Japan, and New Zealand have activated as quickly as they can to improve the quality of their relationship with the Pacific and to improve their offerings,". "Countries like the U.S. and Australia are trying to reassert the regional security order and make that contribution to international security but also look for ways to improve the economic prosperity of Pacific Island countries," Sora explained. Pacific countries’ collective voice However, western countries’ attempts to sign bilateral security agreements with Pacific countries have faced pushback in recent months. A proposed security treaty between Australia and Papua New Guinea has been delayed for several months due to ongoing domestic debate in Papua New Guinea. In addition, Vanuatu’s new Prime Minister Sato Kilman said in early September that the country needs to rethink its security agreement with Australia. To prevent their interests from being overshadowed by competition between China and the U.S., some analysts say Pacific Island nations have sought to project their collective priorities through multilateral institutions such as the Pacific Islands Forum and the United Nations. "Pacific Island countries will continue to demand that partners strike a balance between development and security assistance, as well as embrace their definition of security, which includes climate change," Parker Novak, a nonresident fellow at Atlantic Council’s Global China Hub, told VOA in a written response. Other analysts say one way for countries in the region to assert their vision is to promote the 2050 Strategy for the Blue Pacific Continent, a development initiative created by Pacific Island countries.
Tarte from Fiji’s University of the South Pacific says that approach could be a way to "reframe the debate" and avoid being dragged into the competing initiatives of the Indo-Pacific strategy and the BRI. A Reuters journalist was killed Friday while reporting from southern Lebanon, and several others were injured, including two from the same news agency. “We are deeply saddened to learn that our videographer, Issam Abdallah, has been killed,” a Reuters spokesperson said on Friday. Abdallah was part of a Reuters crew in southern Lebanon who were providing a live signal at the time of the strike, the spokesperson said. “We are urgently seeking more information, working with authorities in the region, and supporting Issam’s family and colleagues. Our thoughts are with his family at this terrible time,” the spokesperson said in the statement. Reuters journalists Thaer Al-Sudani and Maher Nazeh also were injured and are seeking medical care, the spokesperson added. The broadcaster Al Jazeera said that two of its journalists, Karmen Jokhadar and Eli Brakhia, were injured at the same time. Agence France-Presse also reported that two of its team were injured and that the shelling took place after an attempted push into Israel from Lebanon by a Palestinian faction. The AFP named its injured crew as Christina Assi and video journalist Dylan Collins. Details of the incident were not immediately clear.
The Israeli military has carried out strikes on its border with Lebanon in response to rocket and militant attacks. The Reuters journalists are believed to have been hit by one such strike, according to Agence France-Presse and Al Jazeera. VOA could not immediately verify if that was the case. The Israeli Ambassador to the U.N. Gilad Erdan said Friday he had just learned of the attack and that Israel will "always try to mitigate and avoid civilian casualties." Saying that Israeli forces would never want to "kill or shoot any journalist that is doing the job," Erdan said: "We were in a state of war, things might happen. We regret them, we feel sorry. And we will investigate it. Right now, it's too early to call what happened." The conflict playing out in a densely packed region has already led to media casualties. At least 10 other journalists have been killed while reporting from Gaza since Israel declared war on Hamas following the militant group’s bloody incursion into southern Israel last week, according to the Committee to Protect Journalists. U.N. spokesperson Stephane Dujarric said Friday the U.N. is concerned by reports of explosions in the U.N. Peacekeeping Mission area of South Lebanon and the “distressing reports” of a journalist being killed and others injured. “Journalists need to be protected and allowed to do their work,” Dujarric said. As Israel gears up for an all-out ground offensive in the Gaza Strip, one of the biggest challenges they face is Hamas' extensive tunnel network under Gaza. Several experts have warned that in a ground offensive, Israel will lose its firepower edge and will have to fight the enemy on its terrain. The densely-populated area with a network of tunnels is a key aspect of Israel's tall security challenge. An Israel Defence Forces spokesperson yesterday said they are striking parts of the tunnel network, but it won't be an easy battle. Hamas Tunnels: 'Gaza Metro' In 2021, the Israel Defense Forces had claimed that more than 100 km of Hamas' tunnel networks had been destroyed. Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar had then claimed that the tunnel network in Gaza is 500 km long and only 5 per cent had been destroyed. To put this into perspective, the entire Delhi Metro network is about 392 km in length. And Delhi is four times the size of Gaza, indicating how elaborate the underground network in the Strip is. Responding to global criticism over the targeting of civilian buildings, the Israeli forces have repeatedly argued that Hamas operatives hide in the tunnels below the civilian buildings. Since taking control of Gaza Strip in 2007, Hamas has worked to expand the tunnel networks within the city and also across the Gaza-Israel border, Owing to the elaborate network, Israeli forces refer to the tunnels as 'Gaza Metro'. Past videos of these tunnels show lights installed inside and ample space to hide weapons and ammunition. The walls are made of cement, prompting allegations that humanitarian aid to Gaza was diverted to build infrastructure for Hamas activities. Tunnels' Role In October 7 Attacks Hamas' shocking attacks last weekend were a combination of a massive rocket strike and a simultaneous attack by land and water. Israel's border with Gaza is fenced and has sensors to detect movement. But there was no early warning before Hamas launched a surprise attack on civilians. The tunnels are believed to have played a key role in Hamas operatives crossing into Israel undetected. Now here is a big question. Israel's fence with Gaza is 30 foot high, with an underground concrete barrier. Then how did Hamas operatives enter Israel undetected, unless they dug tunnels under the fence and the barrier. Unlike the more sophisticated tunnels within Gaza city, the cross-border tunnels are rudimentary, Reichman University faculty member Dr Daphne Richemond-Barak has told the BBC. "The cross-border tunnels tend to be rudimentary, meaning they have barely any fortification. They are dug for a one-time purpose - invading Israeli territory," she says. The tunnels inside, she says, are "equipped for a longer, sustained presence". "The leaders are hiding there, they have command-and-control centres, they use them for transport and lines of communication," she says. History Of Gaza Tunnels Before Hamas took control of Gaza Strip, the tunnel network was used for smuggling. Following Israel's disengagement from Gaza in 2005 and the 2006 polls that Hamas won, Israel and Egypt started restricting the movement of goods and people across their borders with Gaza. Over time, smuggling ceased to be the tunnels' primary purpose. Egypt destroyed the tunnels across their border with Gaza. The tunnels to Israel, however, were expanded and started to be used for more sinister goals. In 2006, Israeli soldier Gilad Shalid was captured and his two colleagues killed in a cross-border raid via tunnels. Hamas held the soldier for two years before releasing him under a prisoner exchange deal. In later years, Israeli started referring to the tunnels as "terror tunnels" and even restricted construction materials' entry into the Gaza Strip. In 2014, an illustration released by Israel Defense Forces showed multiple tunnels across the border. Tunnel Task In Ground Offensive As it prepares for a ground offensive, Israel's key concern is to ensure the safe return of the 150-odd hostages Hamas operatives hold. An Israeli security source has told news agency Reuters that it's possible that the hostages have been kept underground. "Most of the targets, people, equipment, logistics are located underground and it's possible the hostages are located underground. The purpose will be to flatten the ground to then be able to get to the underground bunkers," the source has said. While Israel will rely on bunker buster bombs and its Merkava tanks, it will have to tackle booby traps and Hamas operatives who know the underground well and can use it to strike, hide and escape. Dr Richemond-Barak told BBC how Hamas got plenty of time to booby-trap the tunnel network. "They could just let the soldiers enter into the tunnel network and then eventually blow the whole thing up," she said.
Saleh Al-Arouri, deputy chief of Hamas politburo, has told Al Jazeera that before Hamas attacked Israel, its defence plan "was stronger" than its attack plan. As Israel planes strike Gaza buildings, the UN has raised concerns on the humanitarian crisis facing the two million population in the Strip. As the death count climbs, Tel Aviv is likely to face international pressure to de-escalate. The Gaza tunnels may ensure Israel has a long battle ahead and not enough time. Israel has used white phosphorus in its continuing military operations in Gaza and Lebanon, putting civilians at serious risk, Human Rights Watch has said, following an analysis of video of the conflict.
Human Rights Watch said it verified footage taken in Lebanon and Gaza on Tuesday and Wednesday, respectively, showing multiple uses of artillery-fired white phosphorus over the Gaza City port and two rural locations along the Israel-Lebanon border. Human Rights Watch also interviewed two people who described an attack in Gaza, the rights group said. HRW said the use of white phosphorus in densely populated areas violates Israel’s obligation under international law to take all feasible precautions to avoid harm to civilians. “Any time that white phosphorus is used in crowded civilian areas, it poses a high risk of excruciating burns and lifelong suffering,” Lama Fakih, HRW’s director for the Middle East and North Africa, said in a statement on Wednesday. “White phosphorus is unlawfully indiscriminate when airburst in populated urban areas, where it can burn down houses and cause egregious harm to civilians.” Israel should ban all use of “airburst” white phosphorus munitions in populated areas without exception, the rights group said, noting the availability of non-lethal alternatives. For 16 years, Israeli governments worked to manage the Hamas leaders in Gaza, not topple them. The Islamist group rejected Israel's existence and engaged in violence, but kept order over the territory. Better Hamas than chaos. The carnage last weekend, when Hamas militants killed hundreds of Israeli civilians after a sophisticated breach of the border fence, has shifted official views. Now, the aim is to destroy the organization's military capability and kill its leaders. Left unsaid in Israel but widely assumed is that, when the war ends, Hamas will no longer rule in Gaza. In announcing the formation of an emergency unity government on Wednesday night, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu referred to the Islamic State organization from the previous decade, saying, "Hamas is ISIS, and we will crush and eliminate it just as the world crushed and eliminated ISIS." Lieutenant Colonel Richard Hecht, a military spokesman, told reporters on Thursday: "Right now, we are focused on taking out their senior leadership, not only the military but also their government leadership." 'Mowing Lawn' This is a change from the previous military policy of occasional invasions, harsh but limited, sometimes referred to as "mowing the lawn," meaning a task to which one is required to return repeatedly. Any operation against the militant group is destined to result in more civilian deaths and raise diplomatic dilemmas. Turkey has already signaled a shift away from the intense diplomacy that was underway to normalize ties with Israel after years of estrangement. Rulers from Saudi Arabia to the United Arab Emirates could follow if public opinion in their countriesturns increasingly hostile to Israel. A former top military officer who remains in close touch with the army, speaking on condition of anonymity, said when the war ends, Israel may set up a temporary military regime and hand Gaza over to some international force. The head of the opposition, Yair Lapid, who didn't join the new government with Benny Gantz, another opposition leader, said this week on French television, "The endgame is there will be no Hamas in Gaza." His goal, he said, is for the Palestinian Authority, which holds power in the West Bank and recognizes Israel, would take over. Requests for comment from the prime minister's office and the defense minister weren't immediately answered. Little Mercy Israeli officials are showing no mercy for ordinary Gazans in their campaign, having cut electricity, fuel and food shipments from Israel and given residents few choices of where to hide as heavy bombings continue. At least 1,350 have been killed to date. According to Elai Rettig, an expert of the geopolitics of energy and environment at Israel's Bar-Ilan University, a power cut will result in water shortages in a week or two. That's likely to hinder access to health care or drinkable water for Gaza's 2 million people, half of whom are under the age of 18. Israeli authorities are worried about a humanitarian corridor into Egypt, saying that would allow Hamas leaders to sneak out. Rettig also said Hamas has been given aid to fix and upgrade the electrical system in Gaza but hadn't done so. Hostage Fate Nearly all analysts in Israel believe ground troops are headed in after the aerial pounding. Many of the dozens of Israeli hostages and some of the soldiers seem likely to meet their deaths. And that too is quietly discussed as a price the country is willing to pay to end Hamas's hold on Gaza and send a broader message to the country's enemies, including Hezbollah in Lebanon and its Iranian sponsor. Israel's biggest deployment of reserves in its history shows its leaders are aware how difficult it might be to crush Hamas, but eliminating it from Gaza is an even bigger task. An Israeli cross-border operation into southern Lebanon to attack Iran-backed Hezbollah in 2006 ended in massive casualties following more than a month of fighting. Since Saturday's attack, Hezbollah has fired into Israel every now and then, a reminder that it may be tempted to open a new front in the war after the Gaza ground offensive begins. The direness of the rhetoric is driven by the images of inhumanity on display last Saturday and the collective memory of Jews being slaughtered in the Holocaust and in pogroms a century ago. It has made many Israelis feel this is a war for their very existence, and they must show how tough they are. Retired Major General Yaakov Amidror, who was Netanyahu's national security adviser a decade ago, said, "We cannot go back to square one. This will take a few months. How many will be killed? Many, many. It's up to Hamas, which operates from populated areas. This is the last time we allow Hamas to be strong enough to attack Israel."
Asked who will rule Gaza when Israel is finished, he replied, "The people in Gaza will have to decide what is next. That is their problem." Israel has ordered a full siege of the Gaza Strip and vowed to obliterate Hamas after its all-out offensive entered the next phase. Palestinian group Hamas controls the Gaza Strip, a narrow strip of land, where approximately 2.3 million people live. Despite a complete withdrawal in 2005, Israel controls the maritime, air and land borders in the Gaza Strip to keep strict vigilance on supply of weapons to Hamas in the region. The movement of people in Gaza is tightly controlled by Egypt and Israel with only two border crossings in a 365 sq km area of land. How Hamas Gets Weapons In Gaza?
As seen in the map, the Gaza Strip is surrounded by Israel from two sides and shares a border with Egypt. The Western end faces the Mediterranean Sea, where the Israeli Navy restricts the movement of people only up to 12 nautical miles. Arms smugglers drop weapons on the shore along the Mediterranean Sea, these weapons are then supplied to Hamas. Despite maritime control by the Israeli Navy, the arms suppliers succeeded in supplying weapons to the group. The arms smugglers use tunnels as an alternative route to supply weapons. Gaza shares a border with Egypt and tunnels are built to deliver weapons to the region. The tunnel network is used to send weapons such as Fajr-3, Fajr-5, and M-302 rockets from Iran and Syria. The Fajr-3 is an Iranian-built unguided surface-to-surface artillery rocket. The Fajr-3 has a range of 43 km and is found in the stockpile of Hezbollah - a group that has close ties with Iran and Syria. The Fajr-5 has an extended range of 75 km, with a 90 kg high explosive (HE). Meanwhile, the M-302 rocket or Khaibar-1 is also built by Iran and is a long-range unguided rocket used by Hamas, and reportedly supplied by Hezbollah. In the first wave of attacks on Israel, over 5,000 rockets were fired from Gaza. Over the years, Hamas has developed its crude rocket technology to extend its range and weapons reportedly supplied by Iran, were used to overwhelm Israel's nearly impenetrable Iron Dome air defence system. Iran has backed Hamas' Operation Al-Aqsa Flood but has denied any direct involvement in the war and has rejected Israel's claims that they are funding the operation. The US State Department in 2021, said Hamas receives training, funding and weapons from Iran. As per reports, 70 per cent of total funding to Hamas is received from Iran. The Taliban Connection Several reports suggest US-built weapons are being used by Hamas that are supplied from Afghanistan by the Taliban. In 2021, the US ended its operations in Afghanistan and left a stockpile of weapons that were taken by the Taliban after it took control of the country. US Carrier Battle Group In The Mediterranean The US has ordered the movement of warships and aircraft closer to Israel, a move in a show of support for its ally. A Carrier Battle Group led by USS Gerald R Ford and its accompanying warships are moving toward the eastern Mediterranean. Reports suggest the US carrier strike group will help Israel defend the seashore along Gaza to stop the supply of weapons. The United States, a major supplier of arms to Israel, has moved quickly to affirm its backing for Israel after Saturday's surprise attack from the Gaza Strip, vowing "rock solid" support and warning other parties to stay out of the conflict. Relatives of Thai workers kidnapped or killed by Hamas militants have spent the days since the attack on Israel patching together details from social media of what happened to their loved ones. Thailand is emerging as one of the nations most affected by a conflict thousands of kilometers away. Eighteen Thais are feared dead in the violence, the Thai foreign ministry said on Tuesday, with 11 more believed held hostage by Hamas, nearly all from the poor northeastern region known as Isaan. But the ministry said the numbers were unconfirmed in the bloody chaos of recent days with the Israeli Embassy in Bangkok saying a complete count is not immediately possible, given the ongoing military operations. Israel has launched a counteroffensive to the attack, which killed hundreds of Israelis. Hamas has warned it will start executing its hostages if there are Israeli strikes without warning on Gaza, where hundreds have died, including civilians. An estimated 30,000 Thais work in Israel, many at kibbutz farms near the border with Gaza, where they can earn upwards of $1,000 a month, several times higher than the wages in northeastern Thailand. "I want to assure the Thai people that Israel is committed to doing everything in its power to protect the Thai workers in our country," Orna Sagiv, the ambassador of Israel to Thailand, said in a Facebook post on Monday. "Rest assured, they will receive the same treatment and protection as every person in Israel, whether Israeli or foreign national." Devastated relatives of those feared to have been taken hostage have struggled to find information on the whereabouts of their family members, instead relying on videos shared on Facebook and TikTok by fellow Thai workers — or the militants who attacked them. "I can't breathe, I can't sleep," said Piyanus Phujuttu, 27, whose family members believe they saw her cousin, Khomkrit Chombua, being taken into the Gaza Strip by militants on Saturday on a video shared over social media. "Thai officials told me that they would talk to the Israeli government for me and the Israeli embassy in Thailand told me that they have to clear the area first before beginning the search — they've been following the situation, but they haven't confirmed my cousin's whereabouts, nor his fate," Speaking to Thai television, Suda Thepgaew said she believes her husband was one of six Thais gunned down as dozens of militants attacked the workers' dormitory near Gaza. "I just talked to him on Saturday and everything was fine, we were laughing and then suddenly there was gunfire, missile strikes and the connection was lost … his friend at the farm told me later, 'Ball has gone,'" she said, using her husband's nickname. Separately, the visibly distraught mother of a banana farm worker from Kalasin, northern Thailand, spoke about her son, Somkuan Pansa-ard, who was shot dead at Nahal Oz kibbutz in Israel. Noopa Pansa-ard held a portrait of her son as she told reporters she had tried to persuade him to remain in Thailand. She said her son had been on a five-year contract in Israel, sending home nearly $2,000 each month to his family. "I told him I didn't want the money, I just wanted him to be safe. I was just telling him how much I missed him," said Noopa Pansa-ard of her last call with her son. Thailand is among the largest sources of migrant workers for Israel, with the Thai labor ministry saying the majority are employed as farm workers who send home monthly remittances. Around 7,000 Thais may also be working illegally in Israel, the ministry added, raising fears for their safety as they may not have been recorded as missing by employers. Only Taiwan and South Korea have more Thai workers, the ministry says.
The Thai government promises to evacuate all of its citizens. Nearly 4,000 Thais have registered to leave as the situation becomes increasingly volatile, with the first flight due back to Thailand on Thursday, Kanchana Patarachok, a ministry spokesperson, told a press conference Tuesday. But some Thais still in Israel say they want to stay, putting the relatively high wages of overseas work above their safety as they try to help families back home in the rice bowl northeast, where the daily minimum wage is around $8. "I'm the eldest son so I've got to take care of my parents and my wife and two kids (aged 3 and 5)," Jakkapol Wipracha, 35, told VOA from Talmei Yosef, a settlement close to the Israel's southern border with Gaza. Each month working on a tomato farm he says he earns 5,300 shekels ($1,340). "Over nine months, I've sent most of it home." "I haven't been contacted by the Thai government yet but I'm weighing my options up right now. If I go back, I'd still need to go work overseas somewhere else. With all the debt I have, I just can't find work in Thailand that pays enough," he said. Although Fender initially reintroduced the Squier brand in the late ‘70s to compete with lower-priced overseas competition, today, it's arguable that the entry-level market has never been more hotly contested! So how does Fender’s little sibling stack up against newer brands like Harley Benton, Cort and Jet who are gaining more and more hype in the affordable guitar arena? Well, we’re pleased to tell you, still pretty darn well thanks to an ever-expanding wallet-friendly range! Squier’s Affinity series is one of those aforementioned ranges which sits right above their entry-level Sonic series. The Affinity series caters to the beginner guitar player looking for something with a bit more character and sophistication. Usually costing anywhere between $200-$350, the Affinity range is a viable option for the beginner wanting to spend a little more than the lowest price possible. Forever a favorite for guitarists on a budget, the Affinity series was expanded in 2021 to include versatile pickup configurations and eye-catching new finishes on timeless classics. It is thanks to that expansion that guitarists were introduced to this versatile Affinity Stratocaster FMT HSS in Sienna Sunburst. First things first, this Strat looks fantastic. The Sienna Sunburst finish which was introduced by Fender in the late '70s looks like a premium option and Squier has done a great job at nailing the finish. The flame maple top (FMT) enhances the guitar’s mature aesthetic, and when paired with the maple fingerboard, it amplifies the opulent vibes. If we were to be pedantic, one could argue that the flame is a bit subdued on our model, however, this ultimately comes down to individual taste. Continuing the ‘70s chic to the glossy headstock, we are greeted with the iconic CBS-style big headstock with an accompanying black border golden Squier logo. Here you’ll find the split shaft tuning pegs which are a staple across Affinity Strats. The tuners are robust and sturdy enough for an affordable guitar and we have yet to encounter any tuning stability issues. Altogether this guitar’s aesthetics shine well above its reasonable price tag and if you’re a beginner with a penchant for looks, it will be right up your street. With the aesthetics out of the way, how does this Strat play? Thanks to a satin finish maple neck and a slim ‘C’-shape neck profile, it is incredibly comfortable. This is an ideal profile and finish combination for a beginner, not too thick it’ll cramp your hand and the smooth finish won’t make the neck stick. Our review model has been set up perfectly and is an absolute breeze to play. Although not quite rolled, the fingerboard edges are super smooth with no sharp fret ends ruining the experience. It doesn't affect the feel but there is a lovely wood grain running through the maple which only encourages playing. The included tremolo arm which screws in the 2-point bridge also encourages playing and adds a lovely touch of expressiveness any guitarist will enjoy. However, we did notice our trem arm isn’t the snuggest fit when screwed in, with a slight bit of rattle when in use. Although Squier categorizes the body as ‘lightweight’ the poplar construction doesn’t feel any lighter than our Fender Player Stratocaster, and the scales prove this is the case, as they both weigh in at 7.2 lbs. Guitar shopping on a budget has never looked this good and the Affinity Stratocaster FMT HSS has plenty of tones to match its sizzling aesthetic thanks to the HSS configuration. If you’re a beginner player looking for something comfortable and sleek that will help you progress to the intermediate level, this Stratocaster will get you there in style. Moving onto the guitar’s overall sound which is delivered succinctly by the ceramic pickups. The HSS part of this guitar’s moniker represents the pickup configuration; humbucker, single coil, single coil. The introduction of the humbucker at the bridge deviates from a traditional Strat but it opens up plenty of tone options. The ‘bucker is hot, perfect for some trebly bite and you can get some mean tones when throwing on a little overdrive. However, it also delivers that characteristic Strat quack, particularly in position 4 when the neck and middle pickups are activated, there’s plenty of spank. There is also a real clarity to this Strat’s pickups and its bell-like chime is authentic and pleasing. Comparing it to the Alnico 5 pickups on our Player Stratocaster, the ceramic p’ups start to sound a little brittle, but this is an unsurprising characteristic difference between a more expensive construction and a slightly more affordable one. Final Verdict We’ve got to admit, Squier has knocked it out of the park yet again by offering a sleek, attractive well-playing Stratocaster that can cover a whole plethora of different tones. This Affinity Stratocaster is an ideal choice for the beginner guitarist who is looking for an instrument to take them well into the intermediate level of playing. Plus, looking awesome while you learn never hurt anyone!
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2023 FORMULA 1 WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP CONSTRUCTOR STANDINGS
It was supposed to be an ordinary Saturday morning in Sderot, southern Israel, but David Michalowsky, a resident of the city, says they all woke up to the sound of air-raid sirens.
“This is quite normal here,” he told RT, referring to a procedure activated by Israel’s home command that’s designed to warn residents of upcoming rockets and give them the opportunity to hide in bomb shelters. In Sderot, that opportunity only lasts ten seconds. “We ran into the shelter and waited for the attack to pass but, this time, it didn’t. It was a barrage of rockets, with short intervals between them. Then, we put on the news and saw all these reports coming in. It was nerve-wracking and we didn’t leave the shelter the entire day.” Lucky Michalowsky, who has been living in Israel for 37 years and who has seen multiple confrontations and wars, says the events of the past few days have been the most traumatic. He has witnessed burnt cars, damaged infrastructure, and direct hits by rockets. He speaks of sorrow, grief, and loss mixed with constant fear and concern. But, despite all of this damage and deep psychological trauma, he considers himself lucky. He and his wife are alive, unlike many of his friends, relatives, and neighbors. He says he personally knows people who were murdered at the hands of the Palestinian terrorists, who have waged one of the deadliest attacks since the establishment of the state of Israel in 1948. Or Bar-Ilan has looked death in the eyes. She has been living in Kfar Gaza, a town located just one kilometer away from the border, since childhood. On Saturday, when terrorists stormed into the community, she managed to escape. Her parents did not. They were slaughtered in front of her younger brother, who survived by covering himself with the blood of his slain parents. According to Israel Defense Forces (IDF) spokesperson Daniel Hagari, at least 900 civilians have been murdered by the militants of Hamas and the Palestinian Islamic Jihad since Saturday morning, when scores of terrorists infiltrated the Israeli territories. Nearly 2,500 have been wounded and 130 people are believed to be held captive by Hamas in the Gaza Strip. Who’s to Blame? Looking at the growing death toll, Michalowsky, like many other Israelis, says he is furious with the “colossal intelligence failure that has surpassed the debacle of the 1973 war,” when Israel was taken by surprise by Egyptian and Syrian armies. “Who do I blame for this?” He asked, almost surprised. “I only blame Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. The writing has been on the wall for a long time. He had the intelligence and the army telling him that the judicial reform he was promoting was bad for the country and that it was killing the IDF. But he chose not to listen and now it is coming back to haunt him.” Since coming back to power in December 2022, Netanyahu has been advancing a judicial reform that aimed at limiting the power of the Higher Court, a move that was considered by many liberal circles as potentially damaging to Israel’s democracy. The legislation has widened the split in Israeli society. Thousands have protested against it for forty consecutive weeks. Many have refused to serve in the reserves as a result, and experts were warning that this might crack the IDF and its ability to defend the state. Those warnings have now proved to be accurate, says Michalowsky, and he also believes that the situation will only continue to deteriorate. “I think there will be a real storm before things start getting better. We are probably heading towards a full fledged war, even though they [Hamas] hold God knows how many hostages, and this might complicate matters further,” he said, referring to the 130 civilians and soldiers believed to be held by Hamas and the Palestinian Islamic Jihad in Gaza, something that allegedly bogs down a greater bombardment of the Strip. “But Israel is resilient. We will restore our strength and defeat the Arabs,” he concluded. Bar Ilan also thinks Israel will prevail in this war. Although still traumatized, she says she will not leave a place that she sees as her home, and promises “they will not break us.” Over the years, tens of thousands of rockets launched by Hamas and the Palestinian Islamic Jihad have landed in Israeli territories, causing significant damage to infrastructure and leading to multiple deaths and injuries. The attacks have intensified since 2007, after Hamas’ violent takeover of the Gaza Strip. An undersea gas pipeline connecting Finland and Estonia is temporarily out of service after gas system companies in both countries observed an unexpected drop in pressure likely caused by a leak, its operators have said.
“I do not want to speculate at all on the cause of the leak,” Janne Gronlund, a senior executive at Finnish energy firm Gasgrid, told Reuters on Sunday. He added that gas supplies remained stable, and that measures had been taken to isolate the pipeline to prevent further gas from escaping. Gronlund said the pipeline, which is capable of flowing in either direction depending on requirements, was transporting around 30 gigawatt hours of gas each day from Finland to Estonia at the time of the fault. Gasgrid also said gas “has been secured through the Inkoo floating LNG terminal for the time being.” The “unusual drop in pressure” was first noticed just before 2am local time (11pm GMT) by Gasgrid engineers and operators from Estonia’s Elering, the Finnish company said on its website. The 48 mile (77km) Balticconnector pipeline links Inkoo in Finland and the Estonian port town of Paldiski, and across the Gulf of Finland – a stretch of the Baltic Sea that extends in Russian waters towards the port of St. Petersburg. The pipeline began its commercial operations in early 2020. Elering has indicated that any shortfalls in its supplies would be bolstered by gas from Latvia. In September of last year, the Nord Stream pipelines transporting gas between Russia and Germany in the Baltic Sea were hit by underwater explosions which led to four leaks. The incidents, which remain unsolved, are considered by authorities to have been sabotage. In February, American journalist Seymour Hersh cited anonymous sources from the intelligence community in a report claiming that US President Joe Biden had ordered the CIA to blow up the pipelines. He added that the operation was conducted in conjunction with the Norwegian Navy and that a NATO exercise in the region was used as cover. Washington has denied having any role in the sabotage.
2023 Formula 1 World Championship Drivers' Standings
After Hamas's massive attack, Israel has announced an unprecedented counterattack. Air strikes have been carried out on the Gaza Strip since Saturday. Meanwhile, the army is sending tanks and other equipment to the Gaza border.
Talking hasn't been an option for Israel for a long time. There has been radio silence since it withdrew from the Gaza Strip in 2005 and Hamas subsequently seized power in the area. Israel is therefore looking at what it can do militarily. But all options have major disadvantages. Actually there are two options, air strikes and a ground offensive. During air strikes, Israel can attack targets from great distances. But a big problem is that you don't know where civilians and hostage Israelis are. So you run a risk there. There is also a historical lesson. History shows that you can destroy a city, but if you want to break an opponent's will to fight, that doesn't work. E.g. the bombing of Hanoi in the Vietnam War and the bombing of Berlin in World War II. "In the end, you don't win a war with that. A land offensive could allow Israel to penetrate deeper into Hamas's power base. But such an offensive carries major risks for Israel. "You then have to conquer territory house by house, floor by floor, room by room. That is a very intensive form of fighting, which leads to great losses on both sides. Moreover, Israeli soldiers would then be fighting in Hamas territory; an area where Hamas is lord and master. The reference to an earlier war that Israel fought, in 2006 against the militant movement Hezbollah in Lebanon, is clear. There too, fighting took place at house level, resulting in many casualties on the Israeli side. It shows when you start such a war, you are choosing between two evils. Earlier, Israel hit back against Hamas, hard but in moderation. Israel then often used air power to eliminate targets. Now Israel will want to go further. Israel's goal will be to break the power of Hamas to carry out such large, coordinated actions against Israel. Whatever Israel decides to do, it will be very difficult. The fact that there are Israeli hostages in the Gaza Strip, which is controlled by Hamas, also plays a role. If the Netanyahu government wants to get them all back, they will have to give something up too. That is the choice Israel must make now. |
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