Israel and Morocco have signed a landmark defence agreement that aims to lay the foundation for security cooperation, intelligence sharing and arms sales in the future.

Israel and Morocco to deepen intelligence and military cooperation

Sudanese security forces killed at least five demonstrators Saturday in a crackdown on anti-coup protests, medics said, after the military tightened its grip by forming a new ruling council.

Thousands hit the streets in cities across Sudan

Taliban forces held a military parade in Kabul on Sunday to display their ongoing transformation from an insurgent force to a regular standing army. Interestingly American-made armored vehicles and Russian helicopters were on full display at the parade.

Afghanistan: Show of might by the Taliban forces in Kabul

French prosecutors have opened an inquiry to investigate allegations of a female soldier who was part of President Emmanuel Macron’s defence staff.

According to French media, the woman was allegedly raped by a colleague at a party at the president's Élysée Palace in July.

According to reports, Macron was present at the farewell party, but shortly left after giving a brief speech.

Some of the guests later went on to the premises of the president's personal military staff in an annex to the palace, which is where the sexual attack allegedly took place.

The young woman immediately went to a nearby police station after the alleged assault and reported the rape that night.

The alleged victim and attacker were colleagues and deployed at the high-security office at the Élysée Palace dealing with sensitive government matters.

A presidential official told the AFP news agency that “as soon as the authorities were aware of these claims, measures were immediately taken” to support the alleged victim.

Both the woman and the accused have been moved to other duties, the palace has said.

Macron’s office would await judicial investigations before deciding on any further action, an official told news agencies.

Macron has vowed to tackle the problem of violence against women, and his government introduced&nbsp;a new law setting the age of consent at 15&nbsp;in response to the scandals this March.

He is expected to stand for a second term as president in elections scheduled for April 2022, although he has yet to declare his candidacy.

(With inputs from agencies)

French prosecutors have opened an inquiry to investigate allegations of a female soldier who was part of President Emmanuel Macron’s defence staff. According to French media, the woman was allegedly raped by a colleague at a party at the president's Élysée Palace in July.

French prosecutors have opened an inquiry to investigate allegations of a female soldier who was part of President Emmanuel Macron’s defence staff. According to French media, the woman was allegedly raped by a colleague at a party at the president's Élysée Palace in July. According to reports, Macron was present at the farewell party, but shortly left after giving a brief speech. Some of the guests later went on to the premises of the president's personal military staff in an annex to the palace, which is where the sexual attack allegedly took place. The young woman immediately went to a nearby police station after the alleged assault and reported the rape that night. The alleged victim and attacker were colleagues and deployed at the high-security office at the Élysée Palace dealing with sensitive government matters. A presidential official told the AFP news agency that “as soon as the authorities were aware of these claims, measures were immediately taken” to support the alleged victim. Both the woman and the accused have been moved to other duties, the palace has said. Macron’s office would await judicial investigations before deciding on any further action, an official told news agencies. Macron has vowed to tackle the problem of violence against women, and his government introduced a new law setting the age of consent at 15 in response to the scandals this March. He is expected to stand for a second term as president in elections scheduled for April 2022, although he has yet to declare his candidacy. (With inputs from agencies)

French authorities probe rape allegations of woman who was part of President Macron’s military staff

A soldier from the Montana National Guard has become the first woman ever to graduate from the US Army's elite sniper school since its establishment in 1987.

The infantry soldier, who has not been identified by the army, completed a “gruelling” seven-week course on November 5 from the United States Army Sniper School at Fort Benning, Georgia.

“We are extremely proud of this soldier's achievement and recognize that this is a milestone for not only Montana, but the entire National Guard and Army,” said Maj. Gen. J. Peter Hronek, the adjutant general for Montana, in a statement.

The sniper course tests participants in marksmanship and mission planning and has a “high attrition rate”, according to Finnegan.

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“She arrived prepared for training and physically conditioned to succeed. We are proud of the results of her efforts and the quality training provided by the Sniper Course Cadre,” CNN quoted Capt. David Wright, a battalion commander at the sniper school, as saying.

The soldier will now join her unit in Montana.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/womens-day-biden-creates-gender-policy-council-names-two-women-generals-to-lead-military-commands-369094">Women’s Day: Biden creates gender policy council, names two women generals to lead military commands</a>

“Her next step is to join her unit here in Montana and take the skills and knowledge and abilities that she gained there, inspect the course and put them to full use in the training and operations that we have here,” Finnegan said.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/in-a-first-kuwaiti-women-can-now-serve-military-in-combat-roles-420270">In a first, Kuwaiti women can now serve military in combat roles</a>

According to the course’s description, the army’s sniper course, meant to form “the most feared weapon on the battlefield” out of a soldier, tests students on “field craft, marksmanship, mission planning, advanced situational awareness, urban operations, complex engagements and building collective lethality to create an unfair fight in favour of the sniper team,” according to&nbsp;the course’s description.

In 2015, the US military opened all combat jobs to women. Since then, several female soldiers have made history by becoming the first to graduate from the Army’s intense Ranger School, or complete the Army’s elite Special Forces course and join the Green Berets, according to reports.

(With inputs from agencies)

A soldier from the Montana National Guard has become the first woman ever to graduate from the US Army's elite sniper school since its establishment in 1987. The infantry soldier, who has not been identified by the army, completed a “gruelling” seven-week course on November 5 from the United States Army Sniper School at Fort Benning, Georgia.

A soldier from the Montana National Guard has become the first woman ever to graduate from the US Army's elite sniper school since its establishment in 1987. The infantry soldier, who has not been identified by the army, completed a “gruelling” seven-week course on November 5 from the United States Army Sniper School at Fort Benning, Georgia. “We are extremely proud of this soldier's achievement and recognize that this is a milestone for not only Montana, but the entire National Guard and Army,” said Maj. Gen. J. Peter Hronek, the adjutant general for Montana, in a statement. The sniper course tests participants in marksmanship and mission planning and has a “high attrition rate”, according to Finnegan. Also read | US Army changes uniform rules for women to allow ponytails and nail polish “She arrived prepared for training and physically conditioned to succeed. We are proud of the results of her efforts and the quality training provided by the Sniper Course Cadre,” CNN quoted Capt. David Wright, a battalion commander at the sniper school, as saying. The soldier will now join her unit in Montana. Also read | Women’s Day: Biden creates gender policy council, names two women generals to lead military commands “Her next step is to join her unit here in Montana and take the skills and knowledge and abilities that she gained there, inspect the course and put them to full use in the training and operations that we have here,” Finnegan said. Also read | In a first, Kuwaiti women can now serve military in combat roles According to the course’s description, the army’s sniper course, meant to form “the most feared weapon on the battlefield” out of a soldier, tests students on “field craft, marksmanship, mission planning, advanced situational awareness, urban operations, complex engagements and building collective lethality to create an unfair fight in favour of the sniper team,” according to the course’s description. In 2015, the US military opened all combat jobs to women. Since then, several female soldiers have made history by becoming the first to graduate from the Army’s intense Ranger School, or complete the Army’s elite Special Forces course and join the Green Berets, according to reports. (With inputs from agencies)

‘A milestone': US Army’s elite sniping school gets its first woman graduate

China's military has built replicas of a U.S. Navy aircraft carrier and other U.S. warships, in an effort to possibly ramp up its military capabilities against Washington, satellite images by Maxar has pointed out these mockups.

China ramps up efforts to counter United States, builds mockups of US navy ships

Satellite images show a Russian military buildup near the Ukraine border. Vladimir Putin marked National Unity Day in Sevastopol & declared 'Crimea will forever be part of Russia'. Watch the report.

Russian military buildup near Ukraine

Is Pakistan headed towards another coup? The Pak government has upset the Pakistan Army by interfering in its affairs. How will the tussle end? Palki Sharma gets a recap of Pakistani history for Imran Khan.

Gravitas: Is Pakistan headed towards another coup?

A Pakistan military court has convicted the son of a retired major general of the Pakistan Army to five years in prison, the convicted Hassan Askari, the son of Maj Gen (R) Zafar Mehdi Askari who has been charged with treason for asking Army Chief General Qamar Javed Bajwa to resign.

Hassan Askari charged with treason for questioning Army chief General Qamar Javed Bajwa's extension

The United States on Friday urged Sudan's military coup leaders to refrain from violence against peaceful protesters ahead of planned demonstrations on Saturday opposing the takeover, saying how the army reacts will be a test of its intentions.

"Tomorrow is going to be a real indication of what the military intentions are," said a senior State Department official, briefing reporters on condition of anonymity.

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"We call on the security forces to refrain from any and all violence against protesters and to fully respect the citizens&nbsp;right to demonstrate peacefully" the official said.

Washington was relieved to see that ousted Sudanese Prime Minister Abdalla Hamdok had been allowed to return home, the official said, adding that it was not good enough because Hamdok was still under house arrest and unable to resume his work.

Sudanese General Abdel Fattah al-Burhan dissolved Hamdok's Cabinet, and soldiers rounded up government ministers on Monday, prompting Western countries to cut off hundreds of millions of dollars in desperately needed aid to the North African country.

Also Read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/amid-anti-coup-protests-sudan-suspends-inbound-and-outbound-flights-424205">Amid anti-coup protests, Sudan suspends inbound and outbound flights</a>

Opponents of the coup have called for mass protests on Saturday under the slogan "Leave!". At least 11 protesters have been killed in clashes with security forces this week, and residents say they fear a full-blown crackdown.

The coup has derailed a transition meant to steer Sudan to democracy, with elections in 2023, after long-serving ruler Omar al-Bashir was toppled two years ago.

The United States on Friday urged Sudan's military coup leaders to refrain from violence against peaceful protesters ahead of planned demonstrations on Saturday opposing the takeover, saying how the army reacts will be a test of its intentions.

The United States on Friday urged Sudan's military coup leaders to refrain from violence against peaceful protesters ahead of planned demonstrations on Saturday opposing the takeover, saying how the army reacts will be a test of its intentions. "Tomorrow is going to be a real indication of what the military intentions are," said a senior State Department official, briefing reporters on condition of anonymity. Also Read | Military coup in Sudan: PM, ministers, and officials detained, internet access cut off "We call on the security forces to refrain from any and all violence against protesters and to fully respect the citizens right to demonstrate peacefully" the official said. Washington was relieved to see that ousted Sudanese Prime Minister Abdalla Hamdok had been allowed to return home, the official said, adding that it was not good enough because Hamdok was still under house arrest and unable to resume his work. Sudanese General Abdel Fattah al-Burhan dissolved Hamdok's Cabinet, and soldiers rounded up government ministers on Monday, prompting Western countries to cut off hundreds of millions of dollars in desperately needed aid to the North African country. Also Read | Amid anti-coup protests, Sudan suspends inbound and outbound flights Opponents of the coup have called for mass protests on Saturday under the slogan "Leave!". At least 11 protesters have been killed in clashes with security forces this week, and residents say they fear a full-blown crackdown. The coup has derailed a transition meant to steer Sudan to democracy, with elections in 2023, after long-serving ruler Omar al-Bashir was toppled two years ago.

US urges Sudan military to refrain from violence against planned protests: Official

A child was among 13 people killed when a missile fired by Yemeni rebels struck a tribal leader's home south of the strategic city of Marib, military and medical sources said Friday.

"A Huthi ballistic missile hit the house of Sheikh Abdul Latif al-Qibli in Al-Jawba on Thursday evening during a meeting with tribal leaders fighting on the government's side," a government military official said.

Also Read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/saudi-led-coalition-says-killed-over-260-yemen-rebels-423646">Saudi-led coalition says killed over 260 Yemen rebels</a>

"Thirteen people, including a child, were killed," he said. The death toll was confirmed by a medical source in the area.

Marib, capital of the oil-rich province of the same name, is the internationally recognised government's last bastion in northern Yemen.

The Iran-backed Huthis began a major push to seize the city in February and, after a lull, they have renewed their offensive in recent weeks.

They claimed this week to have reached the vicinity of Marib city and to have nearly surrounded it.

As well as the child, Thursday evening's missile strike also killed four tribal leaders, said the military official.

Yemen's Information Minister Moammar al-Eryani said on Twitter that at least 12 people were killed, including two sons of Qibli, whose fate was unknown.

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The Huthi "militia continues to systematically and deliberately bombard villages and homes... in order to inflict max casualties among civilians" forcing hundreds of families and displaced to flee, he wrote.

The Saudi-led coalition backing Yemen's government has been conducting a fierce air campaign since October 11 to prevent the rebels from reaching Marib city.

Since then, around 2,000 Huthi fighters have been killed in Al-Jawba about 50 kilometres (30 miles) south of Marib and two other districts, according to the coalition.

The rebels rarely comment on losses, and AFP could not independently verify the toll.

Fierce fighting has gripped Al-Jawba district in recent days, according to the military official.

Yemen's civil war began in 2014 when the Huthis seized the capital Sanaa, 120 kilometres west of Marib, prompting Saudi-led forces to intervene to prop up the government the following year.

Also Read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/five-dead-in-yemen-blast-targeting-aden-governor-security-sources-419660">Five dead in Yemen blast targeting Aden governor: security sources</a>

Tens of thousands of people have died and millions have been displaced in what the United Nations calls the world's worst humanitarian crisis.

Marib city had between 20,000 and 30,000 inhabitants before the war but its population ballooned to hundreds of thousands as Yemenis fled frontline cities for its relative stability.

But with about 139 refugee camps in the province, according to the government, hosting around 2.2 million people, many displaced civilians have become caught in the line of fire once again.

Tens of thousands have been displaced in the province this year, including nearly 10,000 in September alone, said the UN's migration agency, the International Organization for Migration.

A child was among 13 people killed when a missile fired by Yemeni rebels struck a tribal leader's home south of the strategic city of Marib, military and medical sources said Friday.

A child was among 13 people killed when a missile fired by Yemeni rebels struck a tribal leader's home south of the strategic city of Marib, military and medical sources said Friday. "A Huthi ballistic missile hit the house of Sheikh Abdul Latif al-Qibli in Al-Jawba on Thursday evening during a meeting with tribal leaders fighting on the government's side," a government military official said. Also Read | Saudi-led coalition says killed over 260 Yemen rebels "Thirteen people, including a child, were killed," he said. The death toll was confirmed by a medical source in the area. Marib, capital of the oil-rich province of the same name, is the internationally recognised government's last bastion in northern Yemen. The Iran-backed Huthis began a major push to seize the city in February and, after a lull, they have renewed their offensive in recent weeks. They claimed this week to have reached the vicinity of Marib city and to have nearly surrounded it. As well as the child, Thursday evening's missile strike also killed four tribal leaders, said the military official. Yemen's Information Minister Moammar al-Eryani said on Twitter that at least 12 people were killed, including two sons of Qibli, whose fate was unknown. Also Read | Yemen unrest: Two ex-soldiers arrested in Germany over bid to form paramilitary unit The Huthi "militia continues to systematically and deliberately bombard villages and homes... in order to inflict max casualties among civilians" forcing hundreds of families and displaced to flee, he wrote. The Saudi-led coalition backing Yemen's government has been conducting a fierce air campaign since October 11 to prevent the rebels from reaching Marib city. Since then, around 2,000 Huthi fighters have been killed in Al-Jawba about 50 kilometres (30 miles) south of Marib and two other districts, according to the coalition. The rebels rarely comment on losses, and AFP could not independently verify the toll. Fierce fighting has gripped Al-Jawba district in recent days, according to the military official. Yemen's civil war began in 2014 when the Huthis seized the capital Sanaa, 120 kilometres west of Marib, prompting Saudi-led forces to intervene to prop up the government the following year. Also Read | Five dead in Yemen blast targeting Aden governor: security sources Tens of thousands of people have died and millions have been displaced in what the United Nations calls the world's worst humanitarian crisis. Marib city had between 20,000 and 30,000 inhabitants before the war but its population ballooned to hundreds of thousands as Yemenis fled frontline cities for its relative stability. But with about 139 refugee camps in the province, according to the government, hosting around 2.2 million people, many displaced civilians have become caught in the line of fire once again. Tens of thousands have been displaced in the province this year, including nearly 10,000 in September alone, said the UN's migration agency, the International Organization for Migration.

Child among 13 killed by Yemen rebel missile: military

The coup leader in Sudan has promised to hold elections in 2023. But will the power-hungry generals actually step aside? What does an unstable Sudan mean for Africa? Palki Sharma tells you.

Gravitas: How the Sudan coup could destabilise Africa

In the latest Sudan coup, 7 have died and more than 140 have been injured. In the first public appearance, Sudan leader Gen Abdel Fattah al-Burhan blames political infighting for takeover.

Sudan Crisis: Leader Gen Abdel Fattah al-Burhan blames political infighting

At least 7 were killed and more than 140 have been injured in Sudan after the country's top general declared a state of emergency and dissolved the parliament, this move resulted in protests within the country.

Sudan Coup: 7 killed, 140 injured in deadly protests after state of emergency was declared

World leaders have condemned the military takeover in the Sudan. Angry protesters took to the streets to oppose military rule. Reports claim three people died after being shot by military forces. Palki Sharma brings you a report.

Gravitas: Three protesters "shot dead" after military takeover in Sudan

Myanmar's junta chief Monday announced the release of more than 5,000 people jailed for protesting against a February coup, days after a regional bloc delivered a major snub to the military regime.

There has been chaos in Myanmar since the coup, with more than 1,100 civilians killed in a bloody crackdown on dissent and more than 8,000 arrested, according to a local monitoring group.

Also Read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/south-asia/asean-excludes-myanmar-junta-chief-from-attendance-at-summit-421295">ASEAN excludes Myanmar junta chief from attendance at summit</a>

More than 7,300 are currently behind bars, according to the Assistance Association for Political Prisoners.

Junta head Min Aung Hlaing said a total of 5,636 prisoners will be freed to mark the Thadingyut festival later in October.

The announcement comes on the heels of ASEAN's decision to exclude Min Aung Hlaing from an upcoming summit of the 10-country bloc over his administration's commitment to defusing the bloody crisis.

Min Aung Hlaing gave no details on who would be included in the list and prison authorities did not respond to AFP requests for comment.

Myanmar authorities released more than 2,000 anti-coup protesters from prisons across the country in June, including journalists critical of the military government.

Those still in custody include the American journalist Danny Fenster, who has been held since being arrested on May 24.

Also Read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/south-asia/myanmar-aung-san-suu-kyis-lawyer-says-he-has-been-issued-a-gag-order-420842">Myanmar: Aung San Suu Kyi's lawyer says he has been issued a gag order</a>

More than 1,300 of those due to be released would be freed on the condition they sign agreements promising not to re-offend, Min Aung Hlaing said.

Such agreements were "basically a form of parole that entails constant menacing surveillance", David Mathieson, an analyst formerly based in Myanmar, told AFP.

"It doesn't absolve the SAC (State Administration Council, as the junta dubs itself) of nine months of extreme violence."

Junta shunned&nbsp;

Foreign ministers from the Association of Southeast Asian Nations on Friday decided to exclude Min Aung Hlaing, instead choosing to invite a "non-political representative" for Myanmar to the October 26-28 summit.

The bloc, widely criticised as a toothless organisation, took a strong stand after the junta rebuffed requests for a special envoy to meet "all stakeholders" in Myanmar -- a phrase seen to include ousted civilian leader Aung San Suu Kyi.

The ASEAN statement noted "insufficient progress" in the implementation of a five-point plan agreed by the bloc's leaders in April to end the post-coup turmoil.

Also Read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/un-alarmed-by-myanmar-military-moves-419172">UN alarmed by Myanmar military moves</a>

The junta slammed the decision, accusing ASEAN of breaching its policy of non-interference in the domestic affairs of member states.

Myanmar, mostly ruled by the military since a 1962 coup, has been a thorn in ASEAN's side since it joined in 1997.

Min Aung Hlaing's administration has justified its power grab citing alleged vote rigging in last year's elections, which Suu Kyi's National League for Democracy (NLD) party won convincingly.

The coup snuffed out Myanmar's short-lived dalliance with democracy and the 76-year-old Suu Kyi now faces a raft of charges in a junta court that could see her jailed for decades.

Last week, her chief lawyer said he had been banned by the junta from speaking to journalists, diplomats or international organisations.

The other lawyers on her legal team also faced a similar ban -- effectively muzzling the key sources of information on court proceedings, from which journalists are barred.

Nobel laureate Suu Kyi, who has spent much of her life resisting Myanmar's generals, is scheduled to testify in court for the first time later this month.

Myanmar's junta chief Monday announced the release of more than 5,000 people jailed for protesting against a February coup, days after a regional bloc delivered a major snub to the military regime.

Myanmar's junta chief Monday announced the release of more than 5,000 people jailed for protesting against a February coup, days after a regional bloc delivered a major snub to the military regime. There has been chaos in Myanmar since the coup, with more than 1,100 civilians killed in a bloody crackdown on dissent and more than 8,000 arrested, according to a local monitoring group. Also Read | ASEAN excludes Myanmar junta chief from attendance at summit More than 7,300 are currently behind bars, according to the Assistance Association for Political Prisoners. Junta head Min Aung Hlaing said a total of 5,636 prisoners will be freed to mark the Thadingyut festival later in October. The announcement comes on the heels of ASEAN's decision to exclude Min Aung Hlaing from an upcoming summit of the 10-country bloc over his administration's commitment to defusing the bloody crisis. Min Aung Hlaing gave no details on who would be included in the list and prison authorities did not respond to AFP requests for comment. Myanmar authorities released more than 2,000 anti-coup protesters from prisons across the country in June, including journalists critical of the military government. Those still in custody include the American journalist Danny Fenster, who has been held since being arrested on May 24. Also Read | Myanmar: Aung San Suu Kyi's lawyer says he has been issued a gag order More than 1,300 of those due to be released would be freed on the condition they sign agreements promising not to re-offend, Min Aung Hlaing said. Such agreements were "basically a form of parole that entails constant menacing surveillance", David Mathieson, an analyst formerly based in Myanmar, told AFP. "It doesn't absolve the SAC (State Administration Council, as the junta dubs itself) of nine months of extreme violence." Junta shunned Foreign ministers from the Association of Southeast Asian Nations on Friday decided to exclude Min Aung Hlaing, instead choosing to invite a "non-political representative" for Myanmar to the October 26-28 summit. The bloc, widely criticised as a toothless organisation, took a strong stand after the junta rebuffed requests for a special envoy to meet "all stakeholders" in Myanmar -- a phrase seen to include ousted civilian leader Aung San Suu Kyi. The ASEAN statement noted "insufficient progress" in the implementation of a five-point plan agreed by the bloc's leaders in April to end the post-coup turmoil. Also Read | UN alarmed by Myanmar military moves The junta slammed the decision, accusing ASEAN of breaching its policy of non-interference in the domestic affairs of member states. Myanmar, mostly ruled by the military since a 1962 coup, has been a thorn in ASEAN's side since it joined in 1997. Min Aung Hlaing's administration has justified its power grab citing alleged vote rigging in last year's elections, which Suu Kyi's National League for Democracy (NLD) party won convincingly. The coup snuffed out Myanmar's short-lived dalliance with democracy and the 76-year-old Suu Kyi now faces a raft of charges in a junta court that could see her jailed for decades. Last week, her chief lawyer said he had been banned by the junta from speaking to journalists, diplomats or international organisations. The other lawyers on her legal team also faced a similar ban -- effectively muzzling the key sources of information on court proceedings, from which journalists are barred. Nobel laureate Suu Kyi, who has spent much of her life resisting Myanmar's generals, is scheduled to testify in court for the first time later this month.

Myanmar to free more than 5,000 protesters after ASEAN snub

​The soldiers were driving back to the South Korean air force base after dinner and drinks on March 2. In the back seat, Master Sgt. Lee Ye-ram could be heard repeatedly begging her male colleague​, Master Sgt. Chang Dong-hoon, to stop sexually assaulting her.

“Can you please stop ​it,” she said, according to the conversation recorded by the car’s dashboard camera. What came after was the latest example of South Korea’s persistent struggle to rid its military of sex crimes​, even as the country tries to recruit more women amid a shortage of male conscripts.

When Lee reported that Chang kissed and groped her in the car that night, her superiors tried to bury the complaint, according to Defense Ministry investigators. The ​military did not bring formal charges against Chang until after Lee, 23, took her own life on May 21. Chang has since admitted to the assault and is facing trial.

It has become what some say is a pattern​ in South Korea​: One female​​ ​soldier after another has taken ​her own life ​in recent years after they reported being sexually assaulted in the military. Hundreds of sexual assaults are reported every year. At least four female victims have taken their own lives in the past eight years, including a ​navy ​chief petty officer who was found dead in her ​apartment in August.

The deaths have forced South Korea’s military to accept some long-delayed reforms. In August, the public uproar incited by Lee’s suicide prompted the National Assembly to revise a law stipulating that all sex crimes be investigated by the national police and tried in civilian courts as opposed to courts-martial. The move was meant to increase transparency and protect victims, but victims and their families say it is the military itself that needs to change.

“The moment a victim reports the assault, her entire unit goes to work to persuade and coerce her to bury the problem,” said Kim Jong-dae, a former lawmaker who sat on a civilian-military panel created to recommend solutions to the assaults. “The victim takes suicide as the only exit out of such a situation.” The panel recommended this week that the armed forces prepare detailed guidelines on how to protect victims of sexual violence.

So far, 15 people have been indicted in connection with Lee’s case, none of them high-ranking air force police officers or prosecutors accused of delaying the initial investigation. Her family has refused to bury her until the officials are punished, but Defense Ministry investigators have said there is not enough evidence. They wrapped up their work last week.

South Korean society has long understood the need to address widespread gender bias, but women in the armed forces are seen as particularly vulnerable. The country’s 550,000-member military is considered one of its most hierarchical, male-dominant and paternalistic institutions, and former soldiers say women are treated as playthings rather than colleagues.

The issue attracted national attention in 2013 when an army captain died by suicide after being abused by her boss. “I don’t want to die” were among her last words, said Kang Suk-min, the family’s former lawyer. After the captain’s death, her father said he hoped that South Korea would “never again have to see another female soldier die like my daughter.”

Eight years later, Lee’s father is making the same enraged appeal.

“It’s the male-dominant military culture that doesn’t treat female soldiers as colleagues that killed my daughter,” he said in an interview. “It’s the military culture that ostracizes the victim of sexual crime, not the predator, that killed my daughter.”

The day after her assault, two of Lee’s immediate bosses — an air force senior master sergeant and a warrant officer — discouraged her from taking her case to the military police, and one of the men suggested she act “as if nothing had happened,” according to the investigation. Lee eventually asked to be transferred to another unit, where she said she was treated as a troublemaker.

“I am not sure I can hold on,” she told her father in a desperate voice message on May 7.

The military has since arrested both bosses on charges of trying to coerce Lee into silence. The air force senior master sergeant died by suicide in July while in military custody. The warrant officer has denied all charges against him. Gen. Lee Seong-yong, the air force’s chief of staff, has stepped down.

More than 400 cases of sexual assault between soldiers have been reported annually from 2017 to 2020 in South Korea, according to data submitted to Kwon In-sook, a female lawmaker. Less than 40% of the accused have faced charges, and nearly 43% of those charged walked free after receiving suspended prison sentences.

Sexual assault victims and sexual minorities are often the ones who fear punishment. Gay soldiers have been indicted on a charge of sodomy, a crime under the military’s criminal code. A transgender woman who was expelled after gender-reassignment surgery died by suicide in March. (Last week, a local court ruled that her dismissal was illegal.) Yet as the military cracks down on sexual minorities, critics say, the sexual assaults continue.

“Most of the sexual violence in the military goes unreported,” said Lim Tae-hoon, head of the Center for Military Human Rights, a civic group in Seoul that has assisted victims of sexual violence. “You protest and ruin your chance for promotion or you leave the military.”

In a survey conducted by the Defense Ministry in 2019, fewer than one-third of those who said they had experienced sexual assault reported it to the authorities, mainly because they felt “nothing would happen.” The Defense Ministry has said that it was working to change military culture and adopt new policies to help fight sexual assaults, but former soldiers say male superiors are more concerned about damage control than accountability.

Much of the sexual harassment takes place off base during group dinners and drinking parties, according to investigators and former soldiers. In 2014, an army division commander stepped down after it was revealed that he had coerced female soldiers into joining drinking parties at his residence.

“They want their female subordinates to be there to act as ‘flowers,’ serving drinks,” said Bang Hye-rin, who was a Marine captain until 2017 and is now a counselor for victims of sexual assault at the Center for Military Human Rights. “Even if you feel disgusted to do so, you swallow your pride and do it because they have the power to affect your promotion.”

Women in the military are treated as “second-class, nonessential members of the armed forces” by their male colleagues and superiors, Bang said. “They don’t consider sexual harassment a serious crime, treating it like some social gaffe that can happen when men and women drink together.”

In a petition to parliament last year, an air force captain wrote bitterly about a colonel who pressured her to attend a party in 2019. She was sexually assaulted by one of his friends. “We have been promised a South Korea where women are respected and guaranteed equal opportunities and do not end their own lives out of disappointment and frustration,” she wrote. “Being summoned to a drinking party and serving as a sexual plaything is not part of serving the country as an air force captain, is it?”

Lee’s father remembered his daughter as a vivacious and caring woman. She wanted to enlist in the air force early on, joining a handful of girls who were accepted into a high school program run by the air force to train young cadets. She began her service in 2017 and thrived until the sexual assault left her dependent on sleeping pills, according to her father.

“My daughter chose to die rather than succumb to their coercion,” he said, looking at her photos in a mourning altar set up in a military hospital near Seoul. “She defended her principle through death.”

The initial internal report on Lee’s suicide identified her as a sexual assault victim and quoted her parents as saying that she was under duress from superiors demanding that she not press charges against Chang. But those findings were expunged from the report before it was delivered to the Defense Ministry two days after her death. Two air force colonels have been indicted on charges of falsifying the report to keep Lee’s suicide quiet.

It was not until May 31 — the day a local broadcaster broke the news about Lee’s death — that military prosecutors questioned Chang for the first time. In its investigation, the Defense Ministry found that Lee had ​also ​been sexually abused by two other superiors during her time in the air force.

Chang apologized to Lee’s family ​during a trial that began in August. Prosecutors have asked the court to sentence him to 15 years in prison. At a recent hearing, Lee’s father lunged toward Chang in a rage. He hurled curses and a water bottle before the soldier was whisked away by the military police.

The soldiers were driving back to the South Korean air force base after dinner and drinks on March 2. In the back seat, Master Sgt. Lee Ye-ram could be heard repeatedly begging her male colleague, Master Sgt.

The soldiers were driving back to the South Korean air force base after dinner and drinks on March 2. In the back seat, Master Sgt. Lee Ye-ram could be heard repeatedly begging her male colleague, Master Sgt. Chang Dong-hoon, to stop sexually assaulting her. “Can you please stop it,” she said, according to the conversation recorded by the car’s dashboard camera. What came after was the latest example of South Korea’s persistent struggle to rid its military of sex crimes, even as the country tries to recruit more women amid a shortage of male conscripts. When Lee reported that Chang kissed and groped her in the car that night, her superiors tried to bury the complaint, according to Defense Ministry investigators. The military did not bring formal charges against Chang until after Lee, 23, took her own life on May 21. Chang has since admitted to the assault and is facing trial. It has become what some say is a pattern in South Korea: One female soldier after another has taken her own life in recent years after they reported being sexually assaulted in the military. Hundreds of sexual assaults are reported every year. At least four female victims have taken their own lives in the past eight years, including a navy chief petty officer who was found dead in her apartment in August. The deaths have forced South Korea’s military to accept some long-delayed reforms. In August, the public uproar incited by Lee’s suicide prompted the National Assembly to revise a law stipulating that all sex crimes be investigated by the national police and tried in civilian courts as opposed to courts-martial. The move was meant to increase transparency and protect victims, but victims and their families say it is the military itself that needs to change. “The moment a victim reports the assault, her entire unit goes to work to persuade and coerce her to bury the problem,” said Kim Jong-dae, a former lawmaker who sat on a civilian-military panel created to recommend solutions to the assaults. “The victim takes suicide as the only exit out of such a situation.” The panel recommended this week that the armed forces prepare detailed guidelines on how to protect victims of sexual violence. So far, 15 people have been indicted in connection with Lee’s case, none of them high-ranking air force police officers or prosecutors accused of delaying the initial investigation. Her family has refused to bury her until the officials are punished, but Defense Ministry investigators have said there is not enough evidence. They wrapped up their work last week. South Korean society has long understood the need to address widespread gender bias, but women in the armed forces are seen as particularly vulnerable. The country’s 550,000-member military is considered one of its most hierarchical, male-dominant and paternalistic institutions, and former soldiers say women are treated as playthings rather than colleagues. The issue attracted national attention in 2013 when an army captain died by suicide after being abused by her boss. “I don’t want to die” were among her last words, said Kang Suk-min, the family’s former lawyer. After the captain’s death, her father said he hoped that South Korea would “never again have to see another female soldier die like my daughter.” Eight years later, Lee’s father is making the same enraged appeal. “It’s the male-dominant military culture that doesn’t treat female soldiers as colleagues that killed my daughter,” he said in an interview. “It’s the military culture that ostracizes the victim of sexual crime, not the predator, that killed my daughter.” The day after her assault, two of Lee’s immediate bosses — an air force senior master sergeant and a warrant officer — discouraged her from taking her case to the military police, and one of the men suggested she act “as if nothing had happened,” according to the investigation. Lee eventually asked to be transferred to another unit, where she said she was treated as a troublemaker. “I am not sure I can hold on,” she told her father in a desperate voice message on May 7. The military has since arrested both bosses on charges of trying to coerce Lee into silence. The air force senior master sergeant died by suicide in July while in military custody. The warrant officer has denied all charges against him. Gen. Lee Seong-yong, the air force’s chief of staff, has stepped down. More than 400 cases of sexual assault between soldiers have been reported annually from 2017 to 2020 in South Korea, according to data submitted to Kwon In-sook, a female lawmaker. Less than 40% of the accused have faced charges, and nearly 43% of those charged walked free after receiving suspended prison sentences. Sexual assault victims and sexual minorities are often the ones who fear punishment. Gay soldiers have been indicted on a charge of sodomy, a crime under the military’s criminal code. A transgender woman who was expelled after gender-reassignment surgery died by suicide in March. (Last week, a local court ruled that her dismissal was illegal.) Yet as the military cracks down on sexual minorities, critics say, the sexual assaults continue. “Most of the sexual violence in the military goes unreported,” said Lim Tae-hoon, head of the Center for Military Human Rights, a civic group in Seoul that has assisted victims of sexual violence. “You protest and ruin your chance for promotion or you leave the military.” In a survey conducted by the Defense Ministry in 2019, fewer than one-third of those who said they had experienced sexual assault reported it to the authorities, mainly because they felt “nothing would happen.” The Defense Ministry has said that it was working to change military culture and adopt new policies to help fight sexual assaults, but former soldiers say male superiors are more concerned about damage control than accountability. Much of the sexual harassment takes place off base during group dinners and drinking parties, according to investigators and former soldiers. In 2014, an army division commander stepped down after it was revealed that he had coerced female soldiers into joining drinking parties at his residence. “They want their female subordinates to be there to act as ‘flowers,’ serving drinks,” said Bang Hye-rin, who was a Marine captain until 2017 and is now a counselor for victims of sexual assault at the Center for Military Human Rights. “Even if you feel disgusted to do so, you swallow your pride and do it because they have the power to affect your promotion.” Women in the military are treated as “second-class, nonessential members of the armed forces” by their male colleagues and superiors, Bang said. “They don’t consider sexual harassment a serious crime, treating it like some social gaffe that can happen when men and women drink together.” In a petition to parliament last year, an air force captain wrote bitterly about a colonel who pressured her to attend a party in 2019. She was sexually assaulted by one of his friends. “We have been promised a South Korea where women are respected and guaranteed equal opportunities and do not end their own lives out of disappointment and frustration,” she wrote. “Being summoned to a drinking party and serving as a sexual plaything is not part of serving the country as an air force captain, is it?” Lee’s father remembered his daughter as a vivacious and caring woman. She wanted to enlist in the air force early on, joining a handful of girls who were accepted into a high school program run by the air force to train young cadets. She began her service in 2017 and thrived until the sexual assault left her dependent on sleeping pills, according to her father. “My daughter chose to die rather than succumb to their coercion,” he said, looking at her photos in a mourning altar set up in a military hospital near Seoul. “She defended her principle through death.” The initial internal report on Lee’s suicide identified her as a sexual assault victim and quoted her parents as saying that she was under duress from superiors demanding that she not press charges against Chang. But those findings were expunged from the report before it was delivered to the Defense Ministry two days after her death. Two air force colonels have been indicted on charges of falsifying the report to keep Lee’s suicide quiet. It was not until May 31 — the day a local broadcaster broke the news about Lee’s death — that military prosecutors questioned Chang for the first time. In its investigation, the Defense Ministry found that Lee had also been sexually abused by two other superiors during her time in the air force. Chang apologized to Lee’s family during a trial that began in August. Prosecutors have asked the court to sentence him to 15 years in prison. At a recent hearing, Lee’s father lunged toward Chang in a rage. He hurled curses and a water bottle before the soldier was whisked away by the military police.

Suicides pressure South Korea to confront sex assault within military 

The United States has disproved of Russia’s claims that one of its military vessels chased away an American naval destroyer that attempted to violate its territorial waters while drills between Russian and Chinese navies were underway in the Sea of Japan on Friday. &nbsp;

According to the US military, the guided missile destroyer Chafee was conducting routine operations in international waters in the Sea of Japan when a Russian destroyer came within 65 yards (60 metres) of the ship. The interactions during the incident were safe and professional. &nbsp;

Watch:&nbsp;Tense faceoff during Russian-Chinese war games in sea of Japan

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In the statement, the US military&nbsp;said, "The statement from the Russian Defense Ministry about the interaction between our two navy ships is false. At all times, USS Chafee conducted operations in accordance with international law and custom.” &nbsp;

Earlier, the Russian defense ministry said the crew of a Russian anti-submarine vessel, the Admiral Tributs, had radioed a warning to the USS Chafee that it was "in an area closed to navigation due to exercises with artillery fire." &nbsp;

Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/us-offers-condolence-payments-relocation-to-kin-of-afghans-killed-in-botched-drone-attack-421207" hreflang="en">US offers condolence payments, relocation to kin of Afghans killed in botched drone attack</a>

Russian defence ministry said in its statement that the US destroyer failed to change course and instead raised a flag to indicate that it was preparing to launch helicopter from its deck, meaning it was unable to change course and speed. &nbsp;

"Acting within the framework of the international rules of navigation, the Admiral Tributs set a course for ousting the intruder from Russian territorial waters," it said.

Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/us-president-joe-biden-slammed-for-likening-former-senator-dodd-with-one-who-would-not-disrespect-a-waitress-421154" hreflang="en">US President Joe Biden slammed for likening former Senator Dodd with one who would not 'disrespect a waitress'</a>&nbsp;

The Chafee eventually changed course when the two vessels were less than 60 meters apart, it said. &nbsp;

The ministry said that incident lasted for about 50 minutes and took place in Peter the Great Bay, which lies south of Vladivostok in the west of the Sea of Japan. &nbsp;

(With inputs from agencies)&nbsp;

The United States has disproved of Russia’s claims that one of its military vessels chased away an American naval destroyer that attempted to violate its territorial waters while drills between Russian and Chinese navies were underway in the Sea of Japan on Friday.

The United States has disproved of Russia’s claims that one of its military vessels chased away an American naval destroyer that attempted to violate its territorial waters while drills between Russian and Chinese navies were underway in the Sea of Japan on Friday. According to the US military, the guided missile destroyer Chafee was conducting routine operations in international waters in the Sea of Japan when a Russian destroyer came within 65 yards (60 metres) of the ship. The interactions during the incident were safe and professional. Watch: Tense faceoff during Russian-Chinese war games in sea of Japan × In the statement, the US military said, "The statement from the Russian Defense Ministry about the interaction between our two navy ships is false. At all times, USS Chafee conducted operations in accordance with international law and custom.” Earlier, the Russian defense ministry said the crew of a Russian anti-submarine vessel, the Admiral Tributs, had radioed a warning to the USS Chafee that it was "in an area closed to navigation due to exercises with artillery fire." Also Read: US offers condolence payments, relocation to kin of Afghans killed in botched drone attack Russian defence ministry said in its statement that the US destroyer failed to change course and instead raised a flag to indicate that it was preparing to launch helicopter from its deck, meaning it was unable to change course and speed. "Acting within the framework of the international rules of navigation, the Admiral Tributs set a course for ousting the intruder from Russian territorial waters," it said. Also Read: US President Joe Biden slammed for likening former Senator Dodd with one who would not 'disrespect a waitress' The Chafee eventually changed course when the two vessels were less than 60 meters apart, it said. The ministry said that incident lasted for about 50 minutes and took place in Peter the Great Bay, which lies south of Vladivostok in the west of the Sea of Japan. (With inputs from agencies)

US military refutes Russia's claims over naval face-off in Sea of Japan

China is escalating military pressure on Taiwan. Chinese military planners have put together a playbook with four military campaigns for a potential invasion of Taiwan. What is the PLA's game plan for Taiwan? Palki Sharma gets you the details.

Gravitas: China is preparing 4 military campaigns to take Taiwan

After years of being restricted to only civilian roles in the military, women will now be allowed to join the combat roles for the first time, said Kuwaiti army on Tuesday. &nbsp;

The door had been opened for women to join various combat ranks, including as officers, said Defence Minister Hamad Jaber al-Ali al-Sabah. &nbsp;

Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/parents-request-school-to-beat-daughter-who-allegedly-had-alcohol-420163" hreflang="en">Parents 'request' school to beat daughter who allegedly had alcohol</a>

In remarks reported by state news agency KUNA, the minister said, "The time has come for Kuwaiti women to be given the opportunity to enter the Kuwaiti military side by side with their brothers." &nbsp;&nbsp;

The minister expressed confidence in women's "capabilities... and their ability to endure hardship".

Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/israel-uae-ministers-in-us-as-biden-seeks-to-expand-normalisation-420266" hreflang="en">Israel, UAE ministers in US as Biden seeks to expand normalisation&nbsp;</a>&nbsp;

In 2005, Kuwaiti women earned the right to vote and have been active both in cabinet and parliament — though they did not gain any seats in the current parliament. &nbsp;

Unlike other Gulf nations, parliament in Kuwait enjoys legislative power. The lawmakers of the country have been known to contest the government and royals too. &nbsp;

(With inputs from agencies)&nbsp;

After years of being restricted to only civilian roles in the military, women will now be allowed to join the combat roles for the first time, said Kuwaiti army on Tuesday.

After years of being restricted to only civilian roles in the military, women will now be allowed to join the combat roles for the first time, said Kuwaiti army on Tuesday. The door had been opened for women to join various combat ranks, including as officers, said Defence Minister Hamad Jaber al-Ali al-Sabah. Also Read: Parents 'request' school to beat daughter who allegedly had alcohol In remarks reported by state news agency KUNA, the minister said, "The time has come for Kuwaiti women to be given the opportunity to enter the Kuwaiti military side by side with their brothers." The minister expressed confidence in women's "capabilities... and their ability to endure hardship". Also Read: Israel, UAE ministers in US as Biden seeks to expand normalisation In 2005, Kuwaiti women earned the right to vote and have been active both in cabinet and parliament — though they did not gain any seats in the current parliament. Unlike other Gulf nations, parliament in Kuwait enjoys legislative power. The lawmakers of the country have been known to contest the government and royals too. (With inputs from agencies)

In a first, Kuwaiti women can now serve military in combat roles

The United Nations voiced alarm Friday at Myanmar's military junta deploying heavy weapons and troops to particular townships, fearing for the civilian population.

The Office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights said the deployment of two high-ranking commanders represented a worrying escalation in the situation.

"Alarming reports indicate that there has been substantial deployment of heavy weapons and troops by the Myanmar military, the Tatmadaw, over the past few weeks," spokeswoman Ravina Shamdasani told reporters in Geneva.

Also Read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/south-asia/myanmars-economic-crisis-fuels-underground-currency-trading-417333">Myanmar's economic crisis fuels underground currency trading</a>

The deployments have been to Kanpetlet and Hakha townships in Chin State; Kani and Monywa townships in the central Sagaing region; and Gangaw township in Magway region, she said.

The internet has also been shut down, she added.

Myanmar has been mired in crisis since the army ousted Aung San Suu Kyi's government in February, sparking mass protests and a bloody crackdown.

"We are gravely concerned by these developments, particularly given the intensifying attacks by the military that we have documented over the past month in these areas," said Shamdasani.

The attacks include "killings, raiding of villages and burning of houses, apparently to seek out armed resistance elements and as reprisals against villages perceived to be sympathetic to people's defence forces or ethnic armed groups".

Also Read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/south-asia/myanmars-junta-powerless-as-currency-drops-60-in-four-weeks-economy-tanks-416755">Myanmar's junta powerless as currency drops 60% in four weeks, economy tanks</a>

"There have been reports of mass arrests, as well as torture and summary executions. Military 'clearance operations' have involved the use of artillery barrages and airstrikes against villages," said Shamdasani.

"The internet shutdowns have also meant that millions of people have lost the means to communicate and obtain information necessary for their survival, and cast an information blackout over potential abuses."

She called on states with influence over the junta to urge them to "de-escalate the situation, protect civilian lives and property, and ensure access to humanitarian aid for those who need it".

The United Nations voiced alarm Friday at Myanmar's military junta deploying heavy weapons and troops to particular townships, fearing for the civilian population.

The United Nations voiced alarm Friday at Myanmar's military junta deploying heavy weapons and troops to particular townships, fearing for the civilian population. The Office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights said the deployment of two high-ranking commanders represented a worrying escalation in the situation. "Alarming reports indicate that there has been substantial deployment of heavy weapons and troops by the Myanmar military, the Tatmadaw, over the past few weeks," spokeswoman Ravina Shamdasani told reporters in Geneva. Also Read | Myanmar's economic crisis fuels underground currency trading The deployments have been to Kanpetlet and Hakha townships in Chin State; Kani and Monywa townships in the central Sagaing region; and Gangaw township in Magway region, she said. The internet has also been shut down, she added. Myanmar has been mired in crisis since the army ousted Aung San Suu Kyi's government in February, sparking mass protests and a bloody crackdown. "We are gravely concerned by these developments, particularly given the intensifying attacks by the military that we have documented over the past month in these areas," said Shamdasani. The attacks include "killings, raiding of villages and burning of houses, apparently to seek out armed resistance elements and as reprisals against villages perceived to be sympathetic to people's defence forces or ethnic armed groups". Also Read | Myanmar's junta powerless as currency drops 60% in four weeks, economy tanks "There have been reports of mass arrests, as well as torture and summary executions. Military 'clearance operations' have involved the use of artillery barrages and airstrikes against villages," said Shamdasani. "The internet shutdowns have also meant that millions of people have lost the means to communicate and obtain information necessary for their survival, and cast an information blackout over potential abuses." She called on states with influence over the junta to urge them to "de-escalate the situation, protect civilian lives and property, and ensure access to humanitarian aid for those who need it".

UN alarmed by Myanmar military moves

Ousted Myanmar leader Aung San Suu Kyi's health has suffered from her frequent appearances before a court run by the military junta that deposed her government, her lawyer said Monday.

Suu Kyi went on trial in June, four months after she was taken into custody in a coup that plunged the country into turmoil.

The 76-year-old faces a raft of charges, from sedition to illegally importing walkie-talkies, which could see her jailed for decades.

She applied for hearings to take place every two weeks instead of weekly "on the grounds of her health," her lawyer Khin Maung Zaw said after her latest court appearance.

After new corruption charges were brought against her last week, the Nobel laureate now must appear most weekdays at a courtroom in the military-built capital Naypyidaw.

The trial had left Suu Kyi feeling "strained", Khin Maung Zaw said, without offering more details.&nbsp;

He added that the judge would make a decision on her request next week.

Eight months since the coup, clashes between junta forces and anti-coup dissidents have escalated, with increasingly bloody attacks and reprisals.

Diplomatic efforts to resolve the crisis, spearheaded by the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), have failed to make headway.&nbsp;

Brunei Second Foreign Minister Erywan Yusof, who was selected as the regional bloc's envoy in August after lengthy wrangling, had called for full access to all parties when he visits.&nbsp;

But last week a junta spokesman told AFP it was unlikely he would be allowed to meet Suu Kyi.

Security forces have killed more than 1,100 civilians since the coup, according to a local monitoring group.&nbsp;

Ousted Myanmar leader Aung San Suu Kyi's health has suffered from her frequent appearances before a court run by the military junta that deposed her government, her lawyer said Monday.

Ousted Myanmar leader Aung San Suu Kyi's health has suffered from her frequent appearances before a court run by the military junta that deposed her government, her lawyer said Monday. Suu Kyi went on trial in June, four months after she was taken into custody in a coup that plunged the country into turmoil. The 76-year-old faces a raft of charges, from sedition to illegally importing walkie-talkies, which could see her jailed for decades. She applied for hearings to take place every two weeks instead of weekly "on the grounds of her health," her lawyer Khin Maung Zaw said after her latest court appearance. After new corruption charges were brought against her last week, the Nobel laureate now must appear most weekdays at a courtroom in the military-built capital Naypyidaw. The trial had left Suu Kyi feeling "strained", Khin Maung Zaw said, without offering more details. He added that the judge would make a decision on her request next week. Eight months since the coup, clashes between junta forces and anti-coup dissidents have escalated, with increasingly bloody attacks and reprisals. Diplomatic efforts to resolve the crisis, spearheaded by the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), have failed to make headway. Brunei Second Foreign Minister Erywan Yusof, who was selected as the regional bloc's envoy in August after lengthy wrangling, had called for full access to all parties when he visits. But last week a junta spokesman told AFP it was unlikely he would be allowed to meet Suu Kyi. Security forces have killed more than 1,100 civilians since the coup, according to a local monitoring group.

Trial of Myanmar's Suu Kyi taking toll on her health: Lawyer

Something unexpected is happening at U.S. military bases hosting Afghan evacuees: Many hundreds of them are simply leaving before receiving U.S. resettlement services, two sources familiar with the data told Reuters.

The number of "independent departures," which top 700 and could be higher, has not been previously reported. But the phenomenon is raising alarms among immigration advocates concerned about the risks to Afghans who give up on what is now an open-ended, complex and completely voluntary resettlement process.

In the speed and chaos of the U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan in August following 20 years of war, many evacuees were brought into the United States under a temporary status of "humanitarian parole." Once transferred to U.S. military bases, refugee resettlement groups and U.S. officials have been trying to connect people with services for a smooth transition to the United States.

In a statement, a U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) spokesperson declined to comment on the figures provided to Reuters by sources but said people who had left the bases "generally" had ties to the United States, like family members of friends, and resources to support themselves.

The spokesperson said that in addition, at the outset of the operation many of those evacuated were U.S. citizens, permanent residents or had approved Special Immigrant Visas so were able to depart quickly.

But leaving early could cost other Afghan evacuees critical benefits - like expedited work permits - and create a slew of legal problems down the road, given the complexities of the U.S. immigration system.

"It`s a giant can of worms," said one U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services official, who spoke on condition of anonymity.

"This could lead to years and years of terrible immigration status problems."

The benefits the evacuees have received have been more limited, so far, than what`s offered to refugees. But that appears set to change following legislation passed on Thursday by Congress - despite opposition from Republicans - that would give Afghan evacuees the more extensive assistance usually provided to refugees.

"We should do everything in our power to help our Afghan allies get off to a strong start in their new homes," Democratic Senator Jeff Merkley said in a statement.

The new legislation says Afghan asylum applications should be expedited. But those who leave U.S. bases early might not get all the legal orientation they need start their applications.

One-way trip off base

Immigration experts say Afghans who leave the bases are not breaking U.S. laws and military officials have no legal authority to hold law-abiding Afghans against their will at any of the eight locations hosting 53,000 Afghans who fled the Taliban on U.S. evacuation flights.

The scale of the independent departures vary from base to base, according to the sources - more than 300 alone at Fort Bliss in Texas - a figure that is likely to alarm both advocates and critics of the massive U.S. resettlement operation.

However, U.S. officials stress that all of the Afghans leaving U.S. bases had already undergone security screening before arriving in the United States. The risk of the independent departures is to the Afghans themselves.

Reuters viewed a document, entitled "Departee Information," that is meant to warn Afghans considering leaving before completing their resettlement. It reminds them that, on base, they can get their immigration paperwork processed and even cash to help pay for travel to their destination in the United States.

"Once you leave this base, you forfeit these advantages and may not return," it reads. 
Margaret Stock, an immigration lawyer with expertise in cases related to the military, said the warning was not ill-intentioned.

"I think they`re trying to look out for people," she said.

"The people managing the bases are rightfully concerned that somebody might not be fully aware of the consequences of wandering off."

Afghans leaving U.S. bases can be a touchy issue in some parts of the country, particularly given media coverage of security incidents at Fort McCoy, in Wisconsin, and Fort Bliss.

But General Glen VanHerck, head of Northern Command, pushed back on the idea that criminality was a problem on the U.S. bases. He told Pentagon reporters on Thursday that the numbers of incidents involving robbery and theft were substantially lower than in the general U.S. population, with only eight cases in six weeks.

Asked what was the limiting factor in getting Afghans processed for resettlement, VanHerck said it was not vaccinations against measles or the coronavirus or security checks.

Instead, it was efforts by U.S. officials to ensure "each of the Afghan guests have a great place to land and have assurances for where they`re going to relocate to."

"So I understand that, right now, is the limiting factor on output," he said.

Something unexpected is happening at U.S. military bases hosting Afghan evacuees: Many hundreds of them are simply leaving before receiving U.S. resettlement services, two sources familiar with the data told Reuters.

Something unexpected is happening at U.S. military bases hosting Afghan evacuees: Many hundreds of them are simply leaving before receiving U.S. resettlement services, two sources familiar with the data told Reuters. The number of "independent departures," which top 700 and could be higher, has not been previously reported. But the phenomenon is raising alarms among immigration advocates concerned about the risks to Afghans who give up on what is now an open-ended, complex and completely voluntary resettlement process. In the speed and chaos of the U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan in August following 20 years of war, many evacuees were brought into the United States under a temporary status of "humanitarian parole." Once transferred to U.S. military bases, refugee resettlement groups and U.S. officials have been trying to connect people with services for a smooth transition to the United States. In a statement, a U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) spokesperson declined to comment on the figures provided to Reuters by sources but said people who had left the bases "generally" had ties to the United States, like family members of friends, and resources to support themselves. The spokesperson said that in addition, at the outset of the operation many of those evacuated were U.S. citizens, permanent residents or had approved Special Immigrant Visas so were able to depart quickly. But leaving early could cost other Afghan evacuees critical benefits - like expedited work permits - and create a slew of legal problems down the road, given the complexities of the U.S. immigration system. "It`s a giant can of worms," said one U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services official, who spoke on condition of anonymity. "This could lead to years and years of terrible immigration status problems." The benefits the evacuees have received have been more limited, so far, than what`s offered to refugees. But that appears set to change following legislation passed on Thursday by Congress - despite opposition from Republicans - that would give Afghan evacuees the more extensive assistance usually provided to refugees. "We should do everything in our power to help our Afghan allies get off to a strong start in their new homes," Democratic Senator Jeff Merkley said in a statement. The new legislation says Afghan asylum applications should be expedited. But those who leave U.S. bases early might not get all the legal orientation they need start their applications. One-way trip off base Immigration experts say Afghans who leave the bases are not breaking U.S. laws and military officials have no legal authority to hold law-abiding Afghans against their will at any of the eight locations hosting 53,000 Afghans who fled the Taliban on U.S. evacuation flights. The scale of the independent departures vary from base to base, according to the sources - more than 300 alone at Fort Bliss in Texas - a figure that is likely to alarm both advocates and critics of the massive U.S. resettlement operation. However, U.S. officials stress that all of the Afghans leaving U.S. bases had already undergone security screening before arriving in the United States. The risk of the independent departures is to the Afghans themselves. Reuters viewed a document, entitled "Departee Information," that is meant to warn Afghans considering leaving before completing their resettlement. It reminds them that, on base, they can get their immigration paperwork processed and even cash to help pay for travel to their destination in the United States. "Once you leave this base, you forfeit these advantages and may not return," it reads. Margaret Stock, an immigration lawyer with expertise in cases related to the military, said the warning was not ill-intentioned. "I think they`re trying to look out for people," she said. "The people managing the bases are rightfully concerned that somebody might not be fully aware of the consequences of wandering off." Afghans leaving U.S. bases can be a touchy issue in some parts of the country, particularly given media coverage of security incidents at Fort McCoy, in Wisconsin, and Fort Bliss. But General Glen VanHerck, head of Northern Command, pushed back on the idea that criminality was a problem on the U.S. bases. He told Pentagon reporters on Thursday that the numbers of incidents involving robbery and theft were substantially lower than in the general U.S. population, with only eight cases in six weeks. Asked what was the limiting factor in getting Afghans processed for resettlement, VanHerck said it was not vaccinations against measles or the coronavirus or security checks. Instead, it was efforts by U.S. officials to ensure "each of the Afghan guests have a great place to land and have assurances for where they`re going to relocate to." "So I understand that, right now, is the limiting factor on output," he said.

Exclusive-Some Afghan evacuees leaving military bases in U.S. before resettlement

Corpses piled high next to a rice field in northern Myanmar show the bloody consequence of a hot-blooded, uncoordinated attack by villagers on battle-hardened junta troops.

Eight months after deposing Aung San Suu Kyi's government, Myanmar's military regime finds itself mired in a bloody stalemate, unable to crush fighters resisting its rule who are themselves not strong enough to topple a powerful army.

"We need to be wise with our timing and plan," a member of the local "People's Defence Force" told AFP after the September 25 clash in the small northwestern village of Gone Nyin.

Similar clashes between anti-coup militias and junta troops have escalated in recent weeks, along with bomb blasts and targeted killings of those suspected of collaborating with the regime, leading to bloody reprisals on both sides.

Local media last week reported a whole family -- including a 12-year-old child -- had been shot dead for allegedly helping troops during a search for protesters.

Dissidents have also attacked and disabled cell towers belonging to a military-owned company to deprive the junta of revenue.

A parallel government made up largely of lawmakers from Suu Kyi's party has also sought to fan the flames, calling for a "defensive war" against junta troops and assets.

Shelling

 
Villagers have accused soldiers of torching their homes and massacring their neighbours in acts of vengeance directed at those resisting military rule.

Almost the entire population of the western town of Thantlang fled after troops fired artillery shells following clashes with anti-junta fighters last month, a 50-year-old resident told AFP on condition of anonymity.

Terrified inhabitants had used buckets of water to fight a blaze that started after a shell hit a house and threatened to consume others in the neighbourhood, he said.

The fire service was not working because the wife of the head of the fire department was hit by a shell fragment during the fighting, he said, with the tide turning thanks to a sudden change in the weather.

"Due to the help of God, it rained that day," he said.

Many made the arduous journey across rivers and hills to cross into India for the relative safety of a refugee camp.

On the other side of the country, villagers in eastern Kayah state also fled army shelling after clashes earlier this week, according to a local anti-junta militia.

More than 1,100 civilians have been killed and some 8,000 arrested since the coup, according to local observers.

The junta says the death toll is much lower and denies its troops have committed massacres and torched homes.

'Crush dissent'&nbsp;

 
The military has ramped up violence to "crush dissent and prevent the resistance movement from gaining any ground" after the NUG's call to arms, Manny Maung, Myanmar researcher at Human Rights Watch told AFP.

As fighting rages, democracy icon Suu Kyi, 76, is all but absent from the scene, with contact with the outside world limited to meetings with her lawyers ahead of hearings in her trial in a junta court.

Non-violence is a core principle of Suu Kyi's and was a defining characteristic of the democracy movement she led against a previous junta decades ago.

But many in Myanmar now believe violent tactics are the only way to root out military dominance of the country's politics and economy.

"Much of the population is determined to prevent a return to military rule, at the cost of their lives if necessary," said Richard Horsey of the International Crisis Group.

"The stage is set for an extended violent stalemate."

For those caught in Sagaing, which has seen some of the most intense recent clashes, there is no end in sight.

Farmers "cannot grow food on their farms," a Buddhist monk from Kani village, upstream from Gone Nyin, told AFP.&nbsp;

"They have to run and hide often," said the monk, who wished to remain anonymous.

"They are exhausted. But they do not like the army."

Corpses piled high next to a rice field in northern Myanmar show the bloody consequence of a hot-blooded, uncoordinated attack by villagers on battle-hardened junta troops.

Corpses piled high next to a rice field in northern Myanmar show the bloody consequence of a hot-blooded, uncoordinated attack by villagers on battle-hardened junta troops. Eight months after deposing Aung San Suu Kyi's government, Myanmar's military regime finds itself mired in a bloody stalemate, unable to crush fighters resisting its rule who are themselves not strong enough to topple a powerful army. "We need to be wise with our timing and plan," a member of the local "People's Defence Force" told AFP after the September 25 clash in the small northwestern village of Gone Nyin. Similar clashes between anti-coup militias and junta troops have escalated in recent weeks, along with bomb blasts and targeted killings of those suspected of collaborating with the regime, leading to bloody reprisals on both sides. Local media last week reported a whole family -- including a 12-year-old child -- had been shot dead for allegedly helping troops during a search for protesters. Dissidents have also attacked and disabled cell towers belonging to a military-owned company to deprive the junta of revenue. A parallel government made up largely of lawmakers from Suu Kyi's party has also sought to fan the flames, calling for a "defensive war" against junta troops and assets. Shelling Villagers have accused soldiers of torching their homes and massacring their neighbours in acts of vengeance directed at those resisting military rule. Almost the entire population of the western town of Thantlang fled after troops fired artillery shells following clashes with anti-junta fighters last month, a 50-year-old resident told AFP on condition of anonymity. Terrified inhabitants had used buckets of water to fight a blaze that started after a shell hit a house and threatened to consume others in the neighbourhood, he said. The fire service was not working because the wife of the head of the fire department was hit by a shell fragment during the fighting, he said, with the tide turning thanks to a sudden change in the weather. "Due to the help of God, it rained that day," he said. Many made the arduous journey across rivers and hills to cross into India for the relative safety of a refugee camp. On the other side of the country, villagers in eastern Kayah state also fled army shelling after clashes earlier this week, according to a local anti-junta militia. More than 1,100 civilians have been killed and some 8,000 arrested since the coup, according to local observers. The junta says the death toll is much lower and denies its troops have committed massacres and torched homes. 'Crush dissent' The military has ramped up violence to "crush dissent and prevent the resistance movement from gaining any ground" after the NUG's call to arms, Manny Maung, Myanmar researcher at Human Rights Watch told AFP. As fighting rages, democracy icon Suu Kyi, 76, is all but absent from the scene, with contact with the outside world limited to meetings with her lawyers ahead of hearings in her trial in a junta court. Non-violence is a core principle of Suu Kyi's and was a defining characteristic of the democracy movement she led against a previous junta decades ago. But many in Myanmar now believe violent tactics are the only way to root out military dominance of the country's politics and economy. "Much of the population is determined to prevent a return to military rule, at the cost of their lives if necessary," said Richard Horsey of the International Crisis Group. "The stage is set for an extended violent stalemate." For those caught in Sagaing, which has seen some of the most intense recent clashes, there is no end in sight. Farmers "cannot grow food on their farms," a Buddhist monk from Kani village, upstream from Gone Nyin, told AFP. "They have to run and hide often," said the monk, who wished to remain anonymous. "They are exhausted. But they do not like the army."

Myanmar anti-coup resistance drags military into bloody stalemate

America's top generals have contradicted Joe Biden's claim that he got no military advice on extending troop presence in Afghanistan. Who's lying? The US president or his 4-star generals? Molly Gambhir tells you.

Gravitas: Did Biden lie about Afghanistan military advice?

At least 100 Yemeni rebels and pro-government troops have been killed in the past 48 hours as fighting intensifies for the key city of Marib, military and medical sources said Wednesday.

A string of air strikes from the Saudi-led coalition targeted the Iran-backed Huthi rebels, who have stepped up their assault on Marib, the government's last northern stronghold.

Sixty-eight Huthis and 32 loyalists were killed in the latest clashes, military sources told AFP. The tolls were confirmed by medical sources.

The rebels rarely announce casualties among their own ranks, but their Al-Masirah channel reported around 60 coalition air strikes in Marib governorate in the past two days.

Hundreds of fighters have been killed this month after the Huthis renewed their campaign for the capital city of the oil-rich province.

The Huthis initially escalated their efforts to seize Marib in February, hoping to gain control of the region's oil resources and strengthen their position in peace talks.

Marib, about 120 kilometres (75 miles) east of the rebel-held capital Sanaa, sits at a crossroads between the southern and northern regions and is key to controlling Yemen's north.

Tens of thousands of people have been killed and millions have been displaced in the war that erupted in 2014, after the Huthis seized Sanaa.

About 80 percent of Yemen's 30 million people are dependent on aid, in what the United Nations calls the world's worst humanitarian crisis.

At least 100 Yemeni rebels and pro-government troops have been killed in the past 48 hours as fighting intensifies for the key city of Marib, military and medical sources said Wednesday.

At least 100 Yemeni rebels and pro-government troops have been killed in the past 48 hours as fighting intensifies for the key city of Marib, military and medical sources said Wednesday. A string of air strikes from the Saudi-led coalition targeted the Iran-backed Huthi rebels, who have stepped up their assault on Marib, the government's last northern stronghold. Sixty-eight Huthis and 32 loyalists were killed in the latest clashes, military sources told AFP. The tolls were confirmed by medical sources. The rebels rarely announce casualties among their own ranks, but their Al-Masirah channel reported around 60 coalition air strikes in Marib governorate in the past two days. Hundreds of fighters have been killed this month after the Huthis renewed their campaign for the capital city of the oil-rich province. The Huthis initially escalated their efforts to seize Marib in February, hoping to gain control of the region's oil resources and strengthen their position in peace talks. Marib, about 120 kilometres (75 miles) east of the rebel-held capital Sanaa, sits at a crossroads between the southern and northern regions and is key to controlling Yemen's north. Tens of thousands of people have been killed and millions have been displaced in the war that erupted in 2014, after the Huthis seized Sanaa. About 80 percent of Yemen's 30 million people are dependent on aid, in what the United Nations calls the world's worst humanitarian crisis.

At least 100 people were killed in clashes for Yemen's Marib: Military sources 

Mali&nbsp;has&nbsp;asked&nbsp;a&nbsp;private&nbsp;Russian&nbsp;military&nbsp;company&nbsp;to&nbsp;help&nbsp;it fight against insurgents,&nbsp;Russian&nbsp;foreign minister Sergei&nbsp;Lavrov&nbsp;said on Saturday at the United Nations.

Mali's year-old&nbsp;military&nbsp;junta is close to a deal to recruit the&nbsp;Russian&nbsp;private&nbsp;military&nbsp;contractors the Wagner Group, sources have told Reuters, triggering opposition from France, which has said it was "incompatible" with a continued French presence in the West African state.

"They are combating terrorism, incidentally, and they have turned to a&nbsp;private&nbsp;military&nbsp;company&nbsp;from Russia in connection with the fact that, as I understand, France wants to significantly draw down its&nbsp;military&nbsp;component which was present there,"&nbsp;Lavrov&nbsp;said of&nbsp;Mali's junta during a news conference.

The French defence ministry declined to comment. Paris has started reshaping its 5,000-strong Barkhane mission to include more European partners and earlier this month began redeploying from bases in northern&nbsp;Mali.

Mali's&nbsp;military&nbsp;junta has said it will oversee a transition to democracy leading to elections in February 2022.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/new-york-prepares-for-staff-shortages-as-it-prepares-to-enforce-its-covid-19-vaccination-deadline-416065">Also read |&nbsp;New York prepares for staff shortages as it prepares to enforce its COVID-19 vaccination deadline</a>

Mali's Prime Minister Choguel Maiga told the UN General Assembly on Saturday that his country felt abandoned by the French move and signaled they were seeking other&nbsp;military&nbsp;help&nbsp;"to fill the gap which will certainly result from the withdrawal of Barkhane in the north of the country."

"The new situation resulting from the end of Operation Barkhane puts&nbsp;Mali&nbsp;before a fait accompli - abandoning us, mid flight to a certain extent - and it leads us to explore pathways and means to better ensure our security autonomously, or with other partners," he said.

European Union foreign policy chief Josep Borrell said on Friday that he told&nbsp;Lavrov&nbsp;and his counterpart from&nbsp;Mali&nbsp;this week in New York that the potential deployment of the Wagner Group would be a "red line" for the European Union, "and it would have immediate consequences on our cooperation."

EU foreign ministers discussed the issue on Monday during a closed-door meeting on the sidelines of the annual gathering of world leaders for the UN General Assembly in New York.

Lavrov&nbsp;said the&nbsp;Russian&nbsp;government had nothing to do with any deal between the&nbsp;private&nbsp;military&nbsp;company&nbsp;and&nbsp;Mali.

Mali has asked a private Russian military company to help it fight against insurgents, Russian foreign minister Sergei Lavrov said on Saturday at the United Nations.

Mali has asked a private Russian military company to help it fight against insurgents, Russian foreign minister Sergei Lavrov said on Saturday at the United Nations. Mali's year-old military junta is close to a deal to recruit the Russian private military contractors the Wagner Group, sources have told Reuters, triggering opposition from France, which has said it was "incompatible" with a continued French presence in the West African state. "They are combating terrorism, incidentally, and they have turned to a private military company from Russia in connection with the fact that, as I understand, France wants to significantly draw down its military component which was present there," Lavrov said of Mali's junta during a news conference. The French defence ministry declined to comment. Paris has started reshaping its 5,000-strong Barkhane mission to include more European partners and earlier this month began redeploying from bases in northern Mali. Mali's military junta has said it will oversee a transition to democracy leading to elections in February 2022. Also read | New York prepares for staff shortages as it prepares to enforce its COVID-19 vaccination deadline Mali's Prime Minister Choguel Maiga told the UN General Assembly on Saturday that his country felt abandoned by the French move and signaled they were seeking other military help "to fill the gap which will certainly result from the withdrawal of Barkhane in the north of the country." "The new situation resulting from the end of Operation Barkhane puts Mali before a fait accompli - abandoning us, mid flight to a certain extent - and it leads us to explore pathways and means to better ensure our security autonomously, or with other partners," he said. European Union foreign policy chief Josep Borrell said on Friday that he told Lavrov and his counterpart from Mali this week in New York that the potential deployment of the Wagner Group would be a "red line" for the European Union, "and it would have immediate consequences on our cooperation." EU foreign ministers discussed the issue on Monday during a closed-door meeting on the sidelines of the annual gathering of world leaders for the UN General Assembly in New York. Lavrov said the Russian government had nothing to do with any deal between the private military company and Mali.

Lavrov says Mali asked private Russian military company for help

The top U.S. military officers from the United States and Russia held six hours of talks in Helsinki on Wednesday, in the first face-to-face meeting between them since 2019 as both nations adjust to the U.S. pullout and Taliban takeover in Afghanistan. Watch this report for more details.

US & Russian military chiefs meet for the first time in 20 months

NATO military chief on Saturday played down the dispute between France and the US over the latter handing over a nuclear submarine contract, saying that the tensions between the two nations won’t have an impact on "military cooperation"&nbsp;within the group.

"There might be implications or consequences as a result of this agreement but I don't foresee for the moment it will have an impact on the cohesion within NATO,” Admiral Rob Bauer, chair of the NATO Military Committee, told reporters in Athens.

“First of all, as far as I know, Australia is a partner but it's not part of the NATO organisation. There are many agreements among nations that might have an affect on NATO on the political side.&nbsp;

"But for now, it will not have an affect as far as I can see on the military cooperation within NATO," Bauer added following NATO military chiefs of defence conference.

Watch

<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/gravitas-what-does-aukus-mean-for-india-413632/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>

On Thursday, France accused Australia of “backstabbing” and Washington of “Donald Trump-era behaviour” after Canberra scrapped a huge submarines deal with Paris and went for nuclear subs from the US.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/australia-kept-india-in-loop-regarding-aukus-at-the-highest-level-413782">Australia kept India in loop regarding Aukus at the highest-level</a>

France's Naval Group, partly owned by the state, had been chosen to build 12 conventionally-powered submarines for Australia, based on France’s Barracuda nuclear-powered subs in development.

However on Wednesday, US President Joe Biden announced a new Australia-US-Britain defence alliance (AUKUS), extending US nuclear submarine technology to Australia as well as cyber defence, applied artificial intelligence and undersea capabilities.

The pact, widely seen as aimed at countering the rise of China, infuriated France, which lost its contract to supply conventional submarines to Australia that was worth Aus$50 billion ($36.5 billion) when signed in 2016.

As a result, French President Emmanuel Macron recalled its ambassadors to the United States and Australia on Friday.&nbsp;

A White House official expressed "regret" over the French envoy's recall but added "we will continue to be engaged in the coming days to resolve our differences, as we have done at other points over the course of our long alliance".

(With inputs from agencies)

NATO military chief on Saturday played down the dispute between France and the US over the latter handing over a nuclear submarine contract, saying that the tensions between the two nations won’t have an impact on "military cooperation" within the group.

NATO military chief on Saturday played down the dispute between France and the US over the latter handing over a nuclear submarine contract, saying that the tensions between the two nations won’t have an impact on "military cooperation" within the group. "There might be implications or consequences as a result of this agreement but I don't foresee for the moment it will have an impact on the cohesion within NATO,” Admiral Rob Bauer, chair of the NATO Military Committee, told reporters in Athens. “First of all, as far as I know, Australia is a partner but it's not part of the NATO organisation. There are many agreements among nations that might have an affect on NATO on the political side. "But for now, it will not have an affect as far as I can see on the military cooperation within NATO," Bauer added following NATO military chiefs of defence conference. Watch On Thursday, France accused Australia of “backstabbing” and Washington of “Donald Trump-era behaviour” after Canberra scrapped a huge submarines deal with Paris and went for nuclear subs from the US. Also read | Australia kept India in loop regarding Aukus at the highest-level France's Naval Group, partly owned by the state, had been chosen to build 12 conventionally-powered submarines for Australia, based on France’s Barracuda nuclear-powered subs in development. However on Wednesday, US President Joe Biden announced a new Australia-US-Britain defence alliance (AUKUS), extending US nuclear submarine technology to Australia as well as cyber defence, applied artificial intelligence and undersea capabilities. The pact, widely seen as aimed at countering the rise of China, infuriated France, which lost its contract to supply conventional submarines to Australia that was worth Aus$50 billion ($36.5 billion) when signed in 2016. As a result, French President Emmanuel Macron recalled its ambassadors to the United States and Australia on Friday. A White House official expressed "regret" over the French envoy's recall but added "we will continue to be engaged in the coming days to resolve our differences, as we have done at other points over the course of our long alliance". (With inputs from agencies)

AUKUS row won’t impact military cooperation: NATO military chief

Israel&nbsp;carried out air&nbsp;strikes&nbsp;in the&nbsp;Gaza&nbsp;Strip on Sunday in response to Palestinian&nbsp;rocket&nbsp;fire&nbsp;into its territory, the&nbsp;Israeli&nbsp;military&nbsp;said.

Tension between&nbsp;Israel&nbsp;and the Palestinians has risen over the past week, after six Palestinian militants escaped from a maximum security&nbsp;Israeli jail on Monday.&nbsp;Israeli forces have since captured four of the inmates.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/911-attacks-fbi-releases-newly-declassified-record-412485">Also read |&nbsp;9/11 attacks: FBI releases newly declassified record</a>

Drawing&nbsp;Israeli air&nbsp;strikes,&nbsp;Gaza&nbsp;militants&nbsp;fired a&nbsp;rocket&nbsp;into&nbsp;Israel&nbsp;on Friday&nbsp;when two of the prisoners were apprehended and then again on Saturday, after two more escaped inmates were caught. The&nbsp;Israeli&nbsp;military&nbsp;said it struck targets belonging to Hamas, the Islamist armed group that rules&nbsp;Gaza. There were no reports of casualties.

A fragile truce between&nbsp;Israel&nbsp;and Hamas ended 11 days of fierce fighting in May in which at least 250 Palestinians and 13 in&nbsp;Israel&nbsp;were killed.

Israel carried out air strikes in the Gaza Strip on Sunday in response to Palestinian rocket fire into its territory, the Israeli military said. Tension between Israel and the Palestinians has risen over the past week, after six Palestinian militants escaped from a maximum security Israeli jail on Monday.

Israel carried out air strikes in the Gaza Strip on Sunday in response to Palestinian rocket fire into its territory, the Israeli military said. Tension between Israel and the Palestinians has risen over the past week, after six Palestinian militants escaped from a maximum security Israeli jail on Monday. Israeli forces have since captured four of the inmates. Also read | 9/11 attacks: FBI releases newly declassified record Drawing Israeli air strikes, Gaza militants fired a rocket into Israel on Friday when two of the prisoners were apprehended and then again on Saturday, after two more escaped inmates were caught. The Israeli military said it struck targets belonging to Hamas, the Islamist armed group that rules Gaza. There were no reports of casualties. A fragile truce between Israel and Hamas ended 11 days of fierce fighting in May in which at least 250 Palestinians and 13 in Israel were killed.

Israel strikes Gaza in retaliation for rocket fire, military says

Since 2001, the United States has spent an estimated $83 billion on training and equipment for Afghan security forces.&nbsp;

This year alone, the United States provided $3 billion in military aid to Afghan forces, Forbes reported.

Even after the troop withdrawal, the US has left equipment worth billions in Afghanistan.

As per a Government Accountability Office report, the US purchased and provided 75,898 vehicles and 208 aircraft to the afghan army and security forces between 2003 and 2016.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/south-asia/afghan-domestic-flights-to-resume-friday-in-a-bid-to-restore-normalcy-410411">Also read |&nbsp;Afghan domestic flights to resume Friday in a bid to restore normalcy</a>

According to Forbes, these are the estimated vehicle costs:

Armoured personnel carriers like the M113A2 cost $170,000 each, and recent M577A2 post carrier purchases cost $333,333 each.

The cost of mine-resistant vehicles ranges between $412,000 and $767,000. However, the total price tag could range from $382 million to $711 million.

Recovery vehicles such as the ‘truck, wrecker’ range in price from $168,960 for the base model to $880,674 for super strength versions.

Also, the cost of a medium-range tactical vehicle, which includes a 5-tonne cargo and general transport truck, was $67,139.&nbsp;

The MTV heavy vehicle family ranged in price from $235,500 to $724,820. The cost of cargo trucks used to transport aeroplanes is $800,865.

The price of an ambulance ranged from $37,943 to $142,918 with the majority at $96,466, cargo prices start at $104,682.

The average price for a utility Humvee was $91,429.&nbsp;

The 12,000-pound troop transport version, on the other hand, can cost up to $329,000.

Fast attack combat vehicles cost $69,400, &nbsp;and passenger motor vehicles were $65,500.

These are examples of light tactical vehicles.

According to military databases, all-terrain four-wheel vehicles can cost up to $42,273.

The Taliban has now seized Black Hawk helicopters and A-29 Super Tucano attack planes earlier this month.&nbsp;

The cost of a Black Hawk helicopter can reach $ 21 million.

The US ordered a total of 20 A-29 Super Tucano attack planes for $427 million in 2013 or $21.3 million per plane.&nbsp;

Other types of specialised helicopters can cost up to $37 million per unit.

As per the report by GAO, the US has provided at least 600,000 infantry weapons, including M16 rifles, 162,000 pieces of communication equipment, and 16,000 night-vision goggle devices to Afghan forces since 2003.

As per Forbes, the sights on night-vision sniper rifle scopes can cost up to $35,000, but the majority cost between $5,000 and $10,000.

Since 2001, the United States has spent an estimated $83 billion on training and equipment for Afghan security forces. This year alone, the United States provided $3 billion in military aid to Afghan forces, Forbes reported.

Since 2001, the United States has spent an estimated $83 billion on training and equipment for Afghan security forces. This year alone, the United States provided $3 billion in military aid to Afghan forces, Forbes reported. Even after the troop withdrawal, the US has left equipment worth billions in Afghanistan. As per a Government Accountability Office report, the US purchased and provided 75,898 vehicles and 208 aircraft to the afghan army and security forces between 2003 and 2016. Also read | Afghan domestic flights to resume Friday in a bid to restore normalcy According to Forbes, these are the estimated vehicle costs: Armoured personnel carriers like the M113A2 cost $170,000 each, and recent M577A2 post carrier purchases cost $333,333 each. The cost of mine-resistant vehicles ranges between $412,000 and $767,000. However, the total price tag could range from $382 million to $711 million. Recovery vehicles such as the ‘truck, wrecker’ range in price from $168,960 for the base model to $880,674 for super strength versions. Also, the cost of a medium-range tactical vehicle, which includes a 5-tonne cargo and general transport truck, was $67,139. The MTV heavy vehicle family ranged in price from $235,500 to $724,820. The cost of cargo trucks used to transport aeroplanes is $800,865. The price of an ambulance ranged from $37,943 to $142,918 with the majority at $96,466, cargo prices start at $104,682. The average price for a utility Humvee was $91,429. The 12,000-pound troop transport version, on the other hand, can cost up to $329,000. Fast attack combat vehicles cost $69,400, and passenger motor vehicles were $65,500. These are examples of light tactical vehicles. According to military databases, all-terrain four-wheel vehicles can cost up to $42,273. The Taliban has now seized Black Hawk helicopters and A-29 Super Tucano attack planes earlier this month. The cost of a Black Hawk helicopter can reach $ 21 million. The US ordered a total of 20 A-29 Super Tucano attack planes for $427 million in 2013 or $21.3 million per plane. Other types of specialised helicopters can cost up to $37 million per unit. As per the report by GAO, the US has provided at least 600,000 infantry weapons, including M16 rifles, 162,000 pieces of communication equipment, and 16,000 night-vision goggle devices to Afghan forces since 2003. As per Forbes, the sights on night-vision sniper rifle scopes can cost up to $35,000, but the majority cost between $5,000 and $10,000.

Here is the estimated worth of US military equipment left behind in Afghanistan

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