WORLD ROUNDUPIsmail Haniyeh, a Top Hamas Leader, Killed | Philippines to Get Defense Infusion from Washington, and more
· Ismail Haniyeh, a Top Hamas Leader, Killed
Haniyeh, the militant group’s exiled political chief, managed high-stakes negotiations, including the ongoing cease-fire talks to end the war in Gaza
· Philippines to Get US$500M in Defense Infusion from Washington
Cash “sends a clear message of support for the Philippines from Biden administration,” US defense secretary says
· U.K. Police Officers Injured in Far-Right Riot After Deadly Stabbing
A day after an attacker with a knife killed three girls in Southport, northwestern England, violence driven in part by disinformation erupted in the town
Ismail Haniyeh, a Top Hamas Leader, Killed (Ephrat Livni and Raja Abdulrahim, New York Times)
Ismail Haniyeh, a top Hamas leader who led the Palestinian militant group’s political office from Doha, Qatar, was killed while visiting Iran on Wednesday. He was 62.
Mr. Haniyeh, originally from the Shati refugee camp in northern Gaza, had long played a central role in Hamas, helping lead the group through multiple wars with Israel and through elections. More recently, he managed high-stakes negotiations and diplomacy for Hamas, including the continuing indirect cease-fire talks with Israel to end the war in Gaza, mediated by Egypt, Qatar and the United States.
He survived an assassination attempt in 2003, when Israel targeted him and his mentor, the spiritual leader a founder of Hamas, Sheik Ahmed Yassin. The Israeli military assassinated Mr. Yassin the next year.
Mr. Haniyeh was killed on Wednesday in the Iranian capital, Tehran, where he was attending the inauguration of Iran’s new president, Masoud Pezeshkian. He was there along with other senior members of Iran’s “axis of resistance” — allied forces that include Hamas in Gaza, Hezbollah in Lebanon and the Houthis in Yemen.
He was killed hours after meeting with Iran’s supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, on Tuesday.
Philippines to Get US$500M in Defense Infusion from Washington (Jason Gutierrez for BenarNews / RFA)
The United States on Tuesday announced an “unprecedented” $500 million infusion to help the Philippines defend its shores amid increasing territorial threats from China, as the American and Filipino defense and diplomatic chiefs met in Manila.
U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin and Secretary of State Antony Blinken made the announcement after meeting with their Filipino counterparts, Gilbert Teodoro and Enrique Manalo, at a so-called “2+2” meeting in the Philippine capital. It was the first time the meeting was held in the Southeast Asian country, a key U.S. ally in the region that has opened nine military bases to American troops.
Separately, the U.S. was looking to double its investment in Philippine military sites where American troops have access to under the Enhanced Defense Cooperation Agreement.
