Category: 2. World

SANAA:

Israel struck Yemen’s capital Sanaa on Sunday, killing at least two people, according to the country’s Iran-backed Huthi rebels who have repeatedly launched missiles and drones at Israel throughout the Gaza war.

AFP images showed a large fireball lighting up the skies over the rebel-held Yemeni capital, leaving behind a column of thick, black smoke.

The Huthis’ health ministry reported “two martyrs and 35 wounded” in the Israeli raid.

A Huthi security source told AFP that the air raid targeted a municipal building in central Sanaa, while the group’s Al-Masirah TV reported that the two dead were in a strike on an oil company facility in the city.

The channel said the targets also included a power station in Sanaa’s south that was previously hit last Sunday.

The Israeli army said it had targeted Huthi military sites in Sanaa, including areas near the presidential palace, two power plants and a fuel storage facility.

“The strikes were conducted in response to repeated attacks by the Huthi terrorist regime against the State of Israel and its civilians,” the military said in a statement.

Late Friday, the Huthis fired a missile that Israeli authorities said had “most likely fragmented in mid-air”.

Since the October 2023 start of the Israel-Hamas war in the Gaza Strip, the Huthis have repeatedly fired missiles and drones at Israel, claiming to be acting in solidarity with the Palestinians.

Most of the Huthi attacks have been intercepted, but they have prompted retaliatory Israeli air strikes on rebel targets in Yemen.

On August 17, Israel said it targeted an energy infrastructure site in Sanaa linked to the Huthis, with Al-Masirah reporting at the time the capital’s Haziz power station was hit.

Japan has opened its first osmotic power plant, in the south-western city of Fukuoka.

Only the second power plant of its type in the world, it is expected to generate about 880,000 kilowatt hours of electricity each year – enough to help power a desalination plant that supplies fresh water to the city and neighbouring areas.

That’s the equivalent of powering about 220 Japanese households, according to Dr Ali Altaee from the University of Technology Sydney (UTS), who specialises in the development of alternative water sources.

While it is still an emerging technology being used only on a modest scale as yet, it does have an advantage over some other renewable energies in that it is available around the clock, regardless of the wind or weather or other conditions.

It relies simply on the mixing of fresh and salt water, so the energy flow can continue day and night, providing a steady source of electricity.

So what is osmotic power and could it be used elsewhere?

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What is osmotic power?

Osmosis is the natural process where water moves across a semipermeable membrane from a less concentrated solution to a more concentrated one, in an attempt to balance the concentration on both sides.

Picture a cup divided vertically by a thin, semi-permeable layer – if one side holds salty water and the other side pure freshwater, the water will flow towards the salty side to dilute it, because the salt itself cannot pass through the membrane.

Osmotic power plants use this same principle, by placing freshwater and seawater on either side of a special membrane, with the seawater slightly pressurised.

As water flows across to the saltier side, it increases the volume of pressurised solution, which can then be harnessed to produce energy.

In the Fukuoka facility, fresh water – or treated wastewater – and seawater are placed on either side of a membrane. As the side with seawater increases in pressure and decreases in salinity, some of the water is channelled through a turbine that is connected to a generator, producing power.

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Where else is the technology being used?

The Fukuoka plant is the second of its kind in the world. The first one was built in 2023 in Mariager, Denmark, by the venture company SaltPower, said University of Melbourne Prof Sandra Kentish.

The Japanese power plant is larger than the one in Denmark, according to Dr Altaee, although they have almost the same operating capacity. Pilot-scale demonstrations have also taken place in Norway and South Korea.

Altaee said UTS has its own prototype in Sydney, but the program lost traction during Covid. He has also helped build prototypes in Spain and Qatar.

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What are the challenges?

While the idea is simple, scaling it up is difficult.

Kentish said a lot of energy is lost through the action of pumping water into the power plant and when it travels through the membranes.

“While energy is released when the salt water is mixed with fresh water, a lot of energy is lost in pumping the two streams into the power plant and from the frictional loss across the membranes. This means that the net energy that can be gained is small,” she said.

But advances in membrane and pump technology are reducing these problems, Kentish said.

“It is also noteworthy that the Japanese plant uses concentrated seawater, the brine left after removal of fresh water in a desalination plant, as the feed, which increases the difference in salt concentrations and thus the energy available.”

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What does this mean for the future?

Kentish and Altaee agree that the Japanese plant marks an exciting moment for osmotic power, because it offers further proof that the technology can be used for large-scale energy production.

Altaee said the prototype plant at Australian university UTS could be restarted if government funding became available, raising its potential for larger-scale implementation in Australia, similar to that of the plant in Fukuoka.

“We have salt lakes around New South Wales and Sydney that could be used as a resource and we also have the expertise to build it.”

WASHINGTON – Chinese Ambassador to the United States Xie Feng recently said that as the world’s most important agricultural producers and consumers, China and the United States each have their own strengths in agriculture and can complement each other well.

“China and the US together produce nearly 40 percent of global food and consume one-fourth of the total. China has a comparative advantage in labor-intensive agricultural products, while the US specializes in land-intensive agricultural commodities through mechanized, large-scale production,” Xie made the remarks at a US-China soybean industry partner breakfast reception in Washington, DC.

READ MORE: HK manufacturers and exporters hail China-US tariff truce deal

This event was co-hosted by the US Soybean Export Council and the China Chamber of Commerce for Import and Export of Foodstuffs, Native Produce and Animal By-Products, with participation from industry associations, agricultural enterprises, and scholars of both countries.

ALSO READ: China, US trade talks boost investor optimism

“Agricultural exchanges and cooperation have not only offered more choices for consumers in both our countries, but also put more money in the pockets of American farmers,” Xie said.

“They have provided impetus for agricultural transformation and upgrading in China and the US, and opened up a new path for securing global food security,” Xie continued.

The Chinese ambassador argued that agriculture should not be politicized, and “farmers should not pay the cost of trade war.”

“Restricting Chinese citizens and businesses from buying farmland is purely a move of political manipulation on the pretext of national security. It is completely unfounded, and is aimed to hijack China-US agricultural cooperation for a few individuals’ own agenda,” Xie said.

“China is ready to work with the US side to implement the important common understandings of the two leaders, make good use of the economic and trade consultation mechanism, build consensus, clear up misunderstandings and strengthen cooperation, so as to jointly share the dividends of development and return to the right track of win-win cooperation,” Xie said.

READ MORE: China opposes US politicizing, weaponizing tech, trade issues

Industry associations and enterprises in both countries serve as a bridge and shoulder a special mission, and need to continue playing a constructive role, Xie said. “I hope more friends will join in, and let’s together be ‘farmers’ who work hard to grow a steady, sound and sustainable China-US relationship,” he said.

“We need to keep the ‘pests’ away from bilateral agricultural cooperation, say a loud no to any attempt to politicize trade and economic issues in the name of national security,” Xie said.

“We also need to sow more ‘seeds,’ work closely on trade, industry, business and research, and strive to achieve more results in restoring dialogue and cooperation mechanisms in the agricultural area,” Xie added.  

Kajiki was a typhoon in the Gulf of Tonkin Monday morning Indochina Time, the Joint Typhoon Warning Center said in its latest advisory.

Forecast wind speeds and direction

Where will it rain?

Flash flooding can occur well inland and away from the storm’s center. Even weaker storms can produce excessive rainfall that can flood low-lying areas.

1-day forecast precipitation

Tracking Kajiki’s rainfall

When a storm comes close enough to land, signals from the United States radar network will begin to bounce off the rainfall within a tropical cyclone, making it easier to locate the more intense section of the storm and the heaviest rainfall. During hurricanes, the storm’s center will be the area on radar void of rain called an eye and completely encircled by the most intense winds and rain called the eye wall. Spiraling out from the center will be bands of rain that vary in intensity.

What is the risk of rip currents?

Rip currents, even from distant storms, are the third-highest cause of death related to hurricanes, after inland flooding from excessive rain and storm surges, according to the Weather Service. This year, the Hurricane Center has started providing rip current forecasts.

Tracking power outages

The damaging winds from Kajiki caused power outages along the storm’s path.

Share of customers without power

What does the storm look like from above?

Satellite imagery can help determine the strength, size and cohesion of a storm. The stronger a storm becomes, the more likely an eye will form in the center. When the eye looks symmetrical, that often means the storm is not encountering anything to weaken it.

What storms have made landfall nearby?

Typhoons have also hit U.S. territories, causing billions of dollars in devastating damage to places like Guam, which was battered by Super Typhoon Mawar in May 2023.

Typhoon season is year-round; however, most typhoons form from early July through mid-December.

Most typhoons scrape or strike places like the Philippines, Japan and Taiwan; they can also hit the Korean Peninsula, China and Vietnam, bringing damaging winds and storm surges.

Sources and notes

Tracking map Tracking data is from the National Hurricane Center and Joint Typhoon Warning Center. The map shows probabilities of at least 5 percent. The forecast is for up to five days, with that time span starting up to three hours before the reported time that the storm reaches its latest location. Wind speed probability data is not available north of 60.25 degrees north latitude.

Wind arrivals table Arrival times are generated from a New York Times analysis of National Hurricane Center data. Geographic locations use data from the U.S. Census Bureau and Natural Earth. Time zones are based on Google. The table shows predicted arrival times of sustained, damaging winds of 58 m.p.h. or more for select cities with a chance of such winds reaching them. If damaging winds reach a location, there is no more than a 10 percent chance that they will arrive before the “earliest reasonable” time and a 50 percent chance they will arrive before the “most likely” time.

Satellite map Imagery is from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration and Japanese Meteorological Agency via the Cooperative Institute for Research in the Atmosphere.

Precipitation map Data for multi-day forecasts or observed rainfall totals are from the National Weather Service. The 1-day forecast is from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.

Note: All basemaps are built with Daylight (urban areas); Natural Earth (roads, labels, terrain)

DENIALS and spin cannot alter the ugly fact that Gaza is now in the midst of a manmade famine.

The UN’s Integrated Food Security Phase Classification panel announced this grim ‘milestone’ on Friday, confirming what many had already known, thanks to the harrowing images coming out of the besieged Palestinian territory. But Israel, which is responsible for this crime, and the US, Tel Aviv’s principal foreign backer, refuse to believe this inconvenient truth, despite the fact that there is widespread consensus on who caused the Gaza famine.

The findings say that half a million people face “catastrophic hunger” in Gaza City, while famine conditions are likely to spread to other parts of the Strip. Reacting to UN officials’ statement that the famine is the result of “systemic obstruction” by Israel, the Zionist state’s prime minister has dismissed the findings as an “outright lie”. The US State Department, meanwhile, has also cast doubts over the UN body’s findings, saying that Hamas was promoting a “false narrative” regarding mass starvation in Gaza.

Although many of their elders were murdered and starved by Nazi Germany, Israel’s current rulers seem intent on replicating the repulsive tactics of the Third Reich. After all, Gaza has been transformed into a modern concentration camp, with tens of thousands of Palestinians — including innocent children — murdered by Israeli forces in much the same fashion as Hitler’s troops butchered European Jews.

Moreover, the heart-wrenching images coming out of Gaza, particularly of starving, lifeless youngsters and babies, bear a striking resemblance to the gaunt, ghostly pictures of the victims of the Holocaust. Along with imitating Nazi tactics in the form of genocide and ethnic cleansing, and manufacturing a famine in the occupied territory by severely restricting the entry of food and water, Tel Aviv and its American supporters have also seemingly mastered the Nazis’ dark art of propaganda. Denying that there is a famine when all credible international institutions say Gaza is being purposely starved is a clear example of this.

There is little doubt that genocide and starvation in Gaza are a stain on humanity’s conscience. Many states and institutions have expressed their shock over the UN panel’s findings regarding famine. However, empty rhetoric and ‘thoughts and prayers’ will not ease the Palestinians’ plight. If the international community is serious about ending Israeli crimes in Gaza, then there must be solid action.

Until Tel Aviv declares an unconditional ceasefire and lifts the Gaza siege by allowing in food, water, fuel and medicine, all UN member states should impose a trade and weapons embargo on Israel. The Arab and Muslim states must lead the way. It cannot be business as usual with Israel as long as it starves and slaughters innocent people.

Published in Dawn, August 25th, 2025

SEOUL: North Korean leader Kim Jong Un has overseen the test-firing of two new air defence missiles, state media said on Sunday, after Pyongyang accused Seoul of fomenting tensions on the order.

The test-firing, which took place on Saturday, showed that the two “improved” missile weapon systems had “superior combat capability”, the Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) reported.

The KCNA report did not explain the new missiles in any detail, only that their “operation and reaction mode is based on unique and special technology”. It also did not specify where the test had been conducted.

“The firing particularly proved that the technological features of two types of projectiles are very suitable for destroying various aerial targets,” KCNA said.

Photos released by KCNA showed air defence missiles soaring into the sky and the flash of the purported interception of an incoming projectile.

Kim is pictured listening to a briefing by a military official, a pair of binoculars sitting next to him on his desk.

The North Korean leader separately communicated an “important task” for the defence science sector to carry out before a key party meeting, the report added.

South Korea’s military said it had fired warning shots at several North Korean soldiers who briefly crossed the heavily militarised border separating the two countries earlier in the week.

UN Command put the number of North Korean troops that crossed the border on Tuesday at 30, Yonhap news agency reported on Sunday.

Pyongyang state media quoted Army Lieutenant General Ko Jong Chol as saying the incident was a “premeditated and deliberate provocation”.

“This is a very serious prelude that would inevitably drive the situation in the southern border area where a huge number of forces are stationing in confrontation with each other to the uncontrollable phase,” Ko said.

Ukraine lesson

Analysts say Pyongyang appears to be accelerating the development of air defence missiles aimed at countering drones, citing the KCNA report that specifically mentioned “drones and cruise missiles”.

“The North is bolstering air defence missiles against low-altitude flying drones and cruise missiles,” said Hong Min, a senior analyst at the Korea Institute for National Unification.

The development of such air defence missiles attests to “Pyongyang’s recognition of the necessity to enhance

its capabilities… based on lessons it learned” fighting in Russia’s war against Ukraine, he added.

South Korean and Western intelligence agencies have said the North sent over 10,000 soldiers to Russia in 2024 — primarily to the Kursk region — along with artillery shells, missiles and long-range rocket systems.

Around 600 North Korean soldiers have been killed and thousands more wounded fighting for Russia, Seoul has said.

New South Korean President Lee Jae Myung has sought warmer ties with the nuclear-armed North and vowed to build “military trust”, but Pyongyang has said it has no interest in improving relations with Seoul.

Published in Dawn, August 25th, 2025

Israeli strikes have hit the Yemeni capital, Sana’a, in retaliation for Houthi missiles fired towards Israel, with Houthi health officials saying the attack had killed six people.

The strikes on Sunday were the latest in over a year of direct attacks and counterstrikes between Israel and Houthi militants in Yemen, part of a spillover from the war in Gaza.

The Israeli military said the targets included a military compound housing the presidential palace, two power plants and a fuel storage site. The strikes killed six people and injured 86 in a final toll, a Houthi health ministry spokesperson said on X.

The Israeli military said: “The strikes were conducted in response to repeated attacks by the Houthi terrorist regime against the State of Israel and its civilians, including the launching of surface-to-surface missiles and UAVs toward Israeli territory in recent days.”

On Friday, the Houthis said they had fired a ballistic missile towards Israel in their latest attack, which they said was in support of Palestinians in Gaza. An Israeli air force official said on Sunday the missile most likely carried several submunitions “intended to be detonated upon impact”.

“This is the first time that this kind of missile has been launched from Yemen,” the official said.

Since Israel’s war in Gaza against the Palestinian militant group Hamas began in October 2023, the Iran-aligned Houthis have attacked vessels in the Red Sea in what they describe as acts of solidarity with the Palestinians.

They have also frequently fired missiles towards Israel, most of which have been intercepted. Israel has responded with strikes on Houthi-controlled areas of Yemen, including the vital Hodeidah port.

Abdul Qader al-Murtada, a senior Houthi official, said on Sunday the Houthis, who control much of Yemen’s population, would continue to act in solidarity with Palestinians in Gaza.

“(Israel) must know that we will not abandon our brothers in Gaza, whatever the sacrifices,” he said on X.