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U.S. to reduce troop presence in Iraq, Afghanistan by November

(Xinhua)09:11, September 10, 2020

WASHINGTON, Sept. 9 (Xinhua) — Commander of U.S. Central Command Kenneth McKenzie confirmed on Wednesday that the United States would withdraw thousands of troops from Iraq and Afghanistan by November, U.S. media reported on Wednesday.

The Politico reported that McKenzie, during a ceremony for Operation Inherent Resolve with the Iraqi minister of defense, said that U.S. troop presence in Iraq would be reduced to 3,000 by the end of September.

The force reduction is due to the great progress the Iraqi forces have made and in consultation and coordination with the Government of Iraq and our coalition partners, he said.

Currently, there are over 5,000 U.S. troops deployed in Iraq to support Iraqi forces in battles against remnants of the Islamic State (IS), mainly for training and advisory purposes.

McKenzie noted that the reduced size of U.S. military presence in Iraq would still be able to advise and assist Iraqi forces in rooting out the IS remnants in Iraq.

The top U.S. general in the Middle East told several media outlets later in the day that U.S. troops in Afghanistan would be decreased to about 4,500 level by early November.

The Pentagon said in mid-July that the United States maintained its force level in Afghanistan at mid-8,000s, meeting the conditions of the U.S.-Taliban agreement signed in late February.

The agreement also called for a full withdrawal of the U.S. military forces from Afghanistan by May 2021 if the Taliban meets the conditions of the deal, including severing ties with terrorist groups.

The numbers and time frame of the troop reduction plan that McKenzie disclosed on Wednesday were mainly in line with previous reports and discussions.

The Wall Street Journal wrote in a late August piece that the Pentagon would reduce military presence in Iraq by roughly one-third over the next two or three months, bringing U.S. troop numbers down to 3,500.

Pentagon chief Mark Esper also confirmed last month that U.S. troops in Afghanistan would be lowered to less than 5,000 by the end of November.

As the presidential election looms, President Donald Trump has doubled down efforts to seek to fulfill his campaign promise to bring troops home and to pull his country out of endless wars.

During his meeting with visiting Iraqi Prime Minister Mustafa al-Kadhimi last month, Trump reiterated his intention to withdraw troops from Iraq.

Trump also has sought a full withdrawal from Afghanistan. The war in Afghanistan, which has caused about 2,400 U.S. military deaths, is the longest one in U.S. history.

The troop reduction announcement came amid the development of a delicate relationship between Trump and the military.

In Mondays White House briefing, Trump claimed senior leaders in the Pentagon probably didnt like him because they want to do nothing but fight wars so that all of those wonderful companies that make the bombs and make the planes and make everything else stay happy.

Army Chief of Staff James McConville on Tuesday defended military leaders to media outlet Defense One, saying the senior leaders would only recommend sending our troops to combat when it is required in national security and a last resort.

The news also came days after an article published in The Atlantic, quoting anonymous sources, saying that Trump disparaged slain U.S. service members by referring to them as losers and suckers. Trump and White House officials have vehemently denied the report.

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Iraqi official says Iraq, U.S. agree to cut troops in September

(Xinhua)09:36, September 10, 2020

BAGHDAD, Sept. 9 (Xinhua) — Spokesman of the Iraqi Joint Operations Command (JOC) said on Wednesday that the U.S. decision to cut its troops in Iraq came within an agreed timetable between the Iraqi government and the United States.

The latest step to cut the number of U.S. troops came as a result of coordination and joint work between us and the U.S.-led international coalition forces, Tahseen al-Khafaji, the JOC spokesman, told the official Iraqi News Agency.

Al-Khafajis comment came after Kenneth McKenzie, the head of the U.S. militarys Central Command, said that the Pentagon will draw down the level of U.S. troops in Iraq to 3,000 this month.

In consultation and coordination with the government of Iraq and our coalition partners, the United States has decided to reduce our troop presence in Iraq from about 5,200 to 3,000 troops during the month of September, McKenzie said in Iraq.

On Aug. 20, U.S. President Donald Trump confirmed to Iraqi Prime Minister Mustafa al-Kadhimi, who was on an official visit to the United States, that the U.S.-led coalition forces will rapidly withdraw from Iraq within three years.

The withdrawal came as unidentified militant groups have frequently targeted Iraqi military bases housing U.S. troops across Iraq, as well as the U.S. embassy in the Green Zone, by mortar and rocket attacks.

The troops cut decision came as the Iraqi-U.S. relations have witnessed a tension since Jan. 3 when a U.S. drone struck a convoy at Baghdad airport, which killed Qassem Soleimani, former commander of the Quds Force of Irans Islamic Revolution Guards Corps, and Abu Mahdi al-Muhandis, deputy chief of Iraqs paramilitary Hashd Shaabi forces.

More than 5,000 U.S. troops have been deployed in Iraq to support the Iraqi forces in the battles against the Islamic State militants, mainly providing training and advising to the Iraqi forces.

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37 mln people displaced following U.S. war on terror since 2001 report

(Xinhua)11:04, September 10, 2020

WASHINGTON, Sept. 9 (Xinhua) — Victimized by eight most violent wars the United States has launched or participated in, at least 37 million people have fled their homes since 2001, according to a new report by Brown Universitys Costs of War project.

The number, a very conservative estimate, surpasses those displaced by any war or disaster since the 20th century, except for World War II, and is almost as large as the population of Canada, said the report, which was published on Tuesday and titled Creating Refugees: Displacement Caused by the United States Post-9/11 Wars.

The estimate includes 8 million people displaced across international borders as refugees and asylum seekers, and 29 million people displaced internally to other parts of their countries.

Most of the refugees were displaced in and from Afghanistan, Iraq, Pakistan, Yemen, Somalia, the Philippines, Libya and Syria.

We focus on wars where the U.S. government bears a clear responsibility for initiating armed combat (the overlapping Afghanistan/Pakistan war and the post-2003 war in Iraq); for escalating armed conflict (U.S. and European intervention in the Libyan uprising against Muammar Gaddafi and Libyas ongoing civil war and U.S. involvement in Syria); or for being a significant participant in combat through drone strikes, battlefield advising, logistical support, arms sales, and other means (U.S. forces involvement in wars in Yemen, Somalia, and the Philippines), noted the report.

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Afghan gun battle kills 5 militants in southern Helmand province

(Xinhua)16:16, September 10, 2020

LASHKAR GAH, Afghanistan, Sept. 10 (Xinhua) — Five militants were confirmed dead and nine others injured as clashes flared up in Gereshk district of the southern Helmand province on Thursday, a statement from the national army here said.

The clashes broke out after a group of Taliban militants attacked security checkpoints early Thursday and the troops retaliated, forcing the insurgents to flee after leaving five bodies behind and nine more injured, the statement said.

The Afghan forces also discovered 14 mines planted by the insurgents in the area and defused them on the spot.

Taliban militants who are active in parts of the troubled Helmand province with Lashkar Gah as its capital havent commented.

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Indian Air Force formally inducts 5 Rafale jets in fleet at Ambala airbase

(Xinhua)17:12, September 10, 2020

NEW DELHI, Sept. 10 (Xinhua) — Indian Air Force (IAF) on Thursday formally inducted the first batch of five Rafale fighter jets in its arsenal, officials said.

The induction ceremony was held at Air Force Station in Ambala of Haryana state, adjacent to Indian capital Delhi.

Indias Defense Minister Rajnath Singh and his French counterpart Florence Parly attended the event and watched the aircraft flying at low-speed during an air display.

IAF has formally inducted the Rafale aircraft in 17 Squadron Golden Arrows today, at Air Force Station, Ambala. The ceremony also marks Rafales full operational entry into IAF, said a brief statement issued by IAF.

The first five Indian Air Force Rafale aircraft had arrived at the Ambala airbase from France on July 27 this year.

Reports said the second batch of aircraft is expected to arrive in India by the end of November this year.

The IAF would be acquiring a total of 36 Rafale jets from France and all the aircraft are expected to be inducted into IAF by the end of 2021.

Officials said Rafale aircraft is Indias first major acquisition of fighter aircraft for IAF after Sukhoi.

India in 2016 signed a deal with France for purchase of 36 Rafale fighter jets in a bid to bolster the countrys military image.

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Virus in Beijing’s Xinfadi from Europe, but older China CDC

(Global Times)08:16, June 22, 2020

The novel coronavirus found in Beijings recent outbreak at Xinfadi market has come from Europe, but it is older than Europes most recent virus, said Chinese health officials.

Although the coronavirus found in Beijings Xinfadi market has come from Europe, it differs with their current outbreak, as it is older than the current European coronavirus, according to preliminary research results, said Zhang Yong, assistant director of National Institute for Viral Disease Control and Prevention of the Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention, according to the website of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Commission for Discipline Inspection (CCDI).

The large amounts of samples found in Xinfadi wholesale market indicate that the virus has been around for some time. If it had only just arrived in the city for a short period of time, there may not have been so many positive samples found; however, we need more data before making an informed decision about its origin, Zhang said.

Genomic epidemiology is the one of the main methods used to determine the lifespan of the virus. We need to first sequence the whole genome, before putting all the different viruses together to see which virus has more mutations; that is, those with more mutations normally suggest an updated virus, whereas those with less mutations closer to the original virus, and they are much older, circulating for a longer period of time compared to recently discovered viruses, Liu said, adding that some calculation also needs to be completed using mathematical models.

Gao Fu, director of the Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), said on Tuesday that the Beijings recent outbreak probably did not occur in late May or early June, but it probably started spreading a month earlier.

In this specific outbreak, many asymptomatic or mild cases were detected, and that is why the environment has such a large amount of recorded samples, said Gao.

In fact, the novel coronavirus will spread more easily in dark, humid, and polluted environments, which may catch some residents unexpected. If locals at the wholesale markets had been infected, it would have likely been exposed to many people very quickly, Gao added.

In regard to the virus first transmission into the country, there are several possibilities being discussed. For example, the virus may have remained in imported frozen foods, and did not mutate due to frozen environment throughout the entire storage and transportation period, from overseas all the way to China, Zhang said.

It is also possible that the virus may have been lurking in dark, humid environments, which have not been properly disinfected and sterilized, before it was then exposed to local residents, causing its slow evolution. In the end, what we see is that this virus is closer to the old European virus, Zhang said.

Epidemiological investigation and big data may find connections between cases, but it may also fail to determine which individuals have been spreading the virus. We hope that through laboratory tests and genome sequence analysis, that we can learn the transmission routes, Zhang said.

The Institute is taking the lead in establishing a nationwide virus monitoring and tracing system based on the entire viral genome, so as to deal with the current problems surrounded with virus traceability, which is a matter deeply related to national security, Zhang said

Chinese scientists are working day and night to find out exactly how did the virus from Europe arrive at Beijings Xinfadi market.

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China on yellow alert as rainstorms continue to wreak havoc

(Xinhua)15:28, June 27, 2020

BEIJING, June 27 (Xinhua) — Chinas national observatory on Saturday issued a yellow alert for rainstorms as heavy downpours continue to batter large swathes of the country.

According to the National Meteorological Center, heavy rain and rainstorms are expected to lash Sichuan, Guizhou, Hunan, Shaanxi, Henan and Hubei in the next 24 hours starting from 8 a.m. Saturday.

Some areas will experience downpours with up to 70 mm of hourly rainfall, the center said, warning that parts of Henan and Hubei will see up to 280 mm of daily precipitation.

The center urged local authorities to step up emergency response and guard against possible disasters such as landslides.

China has a four-tier color-coded weather warning system, with red representing the most severe, followed by orange, yellow and blue. Saturdays yellow alert was an upgrade from the blue one issued Friday, and the center has issued rainstorm alerts for the subsequent 26 days.

Since June, continuous downpours have lashed large parts of southern China and the water levels of many rivers in the affected areas exceeded the danger mark.

Ministry of Water Resources has called for all-out efforts to prevent floods and has dispatched teams to affected areas to facilitate flood prevention and control.

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China sees over 7 million railway trips Thursday

(Xinhua)10:36, June 27, 2020

Passengers enter the Shanghai Hongqiao Railway Station on June 25, the first day of the three-day Dragon Boat Festival holiday. [Photo/Xinhua]

BEIJING — Passenger trips on trains reached 7.53 million on Thursday, the first day of the three-day Dragon Boat Festival holiday, official data showed Friday.

The number is the highest of daily railway passenger trips after this years Spring Festival travel rush, according to the China State Railway Group Co., Ltd.

The company expects 5.22 million railway trips on Friday.

Railway departments have put more trains into operation to handle a spike in trips for tourism and family visits and enhanced anti-epidemic measures to ensure passengers safety, said the company.

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China to further enhance IPR assistance

(Xinhua)08:57, June 28, 2020

BEIJING, June 27 (Xinhua) — Chinese authorities have decided to further beef up intellectual property rights (IPR) assistance, with focuses on the assistance to small firms and companies in exhibition and e-commerce sectors.

More will be done to help micro, small and medium-sized enterprises to safeguard their legal rights, and IPR assistance will also go to exhibition, e-commerce and other enterprises, according to a guideline released by the National Intellectual Property Administration.

The guideline also called for improving overseas assistance services, and encouraged universities and social organizations to participate in IPR assistance.

In recent years, China has set up 31 IPR protection centers, 20 fast rights-protection centers and 76 IPR assistance centers.

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Beijing issues fresh guidelines on COVID-19 prevention

(Xinhua)09:04, June 28, 2020

BEIJING, June 27 (Xinhua) — The Chinese capital has issued fresh guidelines on COVID-19 containment, calling on its residents to continue to wear masks, maintain social distancing and wash hands frequently.

Masks have been made compulsory in hospitals, crowded scenic spots and public transports, according to Beijings disease control and prevention center.

The guidelines stipulate that residents with respiratory infections should avoid going to public places and if they do under unavoidable circumstances, they must wear masks.

People are advised to wash their hands frequently when processing raw meat, poultry, or aquatic products, and keep unwashed hands away from the mouth, nose, and eyes, according to the guidelines.

Besides, members of the public are asked to cooperate with health monitoring at residential compounds, workplaces and other public facilities.

Since June 11, the Chinese capital has seen a resurgence in locally-transmitted COVID-19 cases, prompting the municipal government to tighten containment measures.