https://english.almayadeen.net/news/health/shanghai-reports-zero-covid-cases-for-1st-time-in-months

Shanghai reports zero Covid cases for 1st time in months

For the first time since March, zero new Covid-19 infections were reported in Shanghai today, Saturday, as China's recent outbreak subsides months after lockdowns and restrictions.

Being the last major economy committed to a zero-Covid strategy, China was able to put an end to all infections with a package of targeted lockdowns, mass testing, and long quarantine periods.

Beijing closed its schools and businesses for weeks and Shanghai was forced to have a painful 2-month long lockdown due to the fast-spreading Omicron variant this spring; however, with infections slowing to a trickle recently, Shanghai reported zero locally transmitted cases on Saturday for the first time since before the outbreak in March.

"There were no new domestic Covid-19 confirmed cases and no new domestic asymptomatic infections in Shanghai," the city said in a statement.

The lockdown on Shanghai's residents was mostly lifted in early June, but the metropolis has struggled to go back to normal as individual neighborhoods have reimposed restrictions over new cases.

Restrictions imposed in Beijing in the month of May were eased later on as the cases declined; they have tightened again this month after a nightlife-linked infection cluster emerged.

The "Heaven Supermarket infection chain", named after a famous bar that the patients have been to, was effectively blocked, according to Beijing authorities last week.

All elementary and middle school students can go back to their classrooms for in-person learning on Monday, as per the city's education bureau.

On Saturday, Beijing reported only two new infections.

However, China's southern manufacturing powerhouse of Shenzhen said today it would shut wholesale markets, gyms, and cinemas in a central district that borders Hong Kong for three days since Covid cases were detected there.

A zero-Covid policy is insisted on by Chinese officials who believe it is a must to avoid a healthcare disaster, pointing to unevenly distributed medical resources and low vaccination rates among the elderly.

https://english.almayadeen.net/news/politics/ukraine:-best-friends-play-a-blame-game-with-national-securi

Ukraine: Best friends play a blame game with national security

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky is purportedly set to fire Ivan Bakanov, head of Ukraine’s Security Services (SBU), according to four Ukrainian officials cited in a Politico report published on Thursday.

Bakanov is Zelensky’s childhood friend, and have known each other since high school. Prior to Zelensky assuming Presidency, when he was still a comedian, Bakanov served as his manager. Supposedly, and according to the above-mentioned report, the head of the BSU has expressed anger toward the President’s alleged unprofessionalism.

On the other hand, President Zelensky reportedly blames Bakanov for allowing a series of calamities and mass desertions in his agency since the start of the war with Russia. The President is now set to replace him with someone “more suitable to serve as the wartime chief of the SBU.”

According to a senior Ukrainian source who spoke with Politico on the condition of anonymity, Kiev officials have allegedly been "very unsatisfied" with Bakanov's performance as the country's top spy and have been aggressively attempting to "get rid of him."

“We are not satisfied with his managerial, you know, [skills] because now you need … anti-crisis management skills like we don’t think that he has,” the anonymous official said.

Bakanov was directly chosen for the job by Zelensky in 2019 after he assumed the Presidency office, given that Bakanov has been one of his most trusted confidants and business colleagues. Before taking over as the organization's overall leader later that year, he started off as the agency's First Deputy Head, managing its anti-corruption division.

Moreover, Bakanov has been under fire from Ukrainian opposition groups ever since he started working for the SBU. These parties contend that Bakanov's experience in the show industry makes him unqualified to lead the country's main intelligence agency.

https://english.almayadeen.net/news/politics/new-alliance-formed-in-the-pacific-orchestrated-by-the-us

New alliance formed in the Pacific orchestrated by the US

A new group allegedly aimed to improve economic and security concerns and interests with the Pacific island was formed between the US, Japan, Australia, New Zealand, and the UK.

A joint statement on Friday announced the formation of the informal alliance, labeled Partners in the Blue Pacific (PBP), purportedly aimed to boost the efficacy of ongoing efforts “to support prosperity, resilience, and security” in the region.

According to the statement, PBP will operate “according to principles of Pacific regionalism, sovereignty, transparency, accountability, and most of all, [will be] led and guided by the Pacific islands.”

The fundamental goals of the group, as read in the statement include the expansion of prospects for cooperation between the Pacific island nations and the rest of the world.

The statement also read that the region is faced with the “most urgent challenges,” including the climate crisis, Covid-19, and “growing pressure on the rules-based free and open international order.”

Furthermore, White House Indo-Pacific coordinator Kurt Campbell said on Thursday that more high-level US officials will visit the Pacific islands in the future, “recognizing that nothing replaces, really, diplomatic boots on the ground.”

“Sovereignty is central in terms of how we see the Pacific overall. Any initiative that compromises or calls into question that sovereignty, I think we would have concerns with,” Campbell said, without mentioning China specifically.

In a different statement, Kurt Campbell, White House Indo-Pacific coordinator, said on Thursday that more high-level US officials will visit the Pacific islands in the future “recognizing that nothing replaces, really, diplomatic boots on the ground.”

The official added “Sovereignty is central in terms of how we see the Pacific overall. Any initiative that compromises or calls into question that sovereignty, I think we would have concerns with.”

Previously in the Pacific

The Campbell and PBP statements appear to be a reference to China’s regional approach to economic and political sustainability. As well as the security pact China signed with the Solomon Islands earlier in April.

Moreover in the Pacific, Australia was worried that the Solomon island security pact could be a step toward a Chinese military presence less than 2,000 km away.

On the other side, the US, UK, and Australia had formed their AUKUS alliance amid China concerns. The alliance was based on enhancing Australia's nuclear capabilities through advanced technology and nuclear submarines in order to increase the alliance's strength in the South Pacific as China grows more influential in its region.

Late in September of 2021, the US, UK, and Australia formed a military alliance to boost nuclear capabilities and "strengthen stability in the Indo-Pacific region" as the West grows warier of China, although they did not mention that in their announcement.

The military alliance is known as AUKUS and was announced during a trilateral virtual meeting between US President Joe Biden, UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson, and Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison.

Conversely, the Prime Minister of the Solomon Islands Manasseh Sogavare accused Australia of hypocrisy, saying that Canberra should have been more transparent with other Pacific nations when signing the AUKUS pact before accusing the new Honiara-Beijing security agreement of secrecy.

China and the Solomon Islands signed a framework agreement on security cooperation on April 19th. The construction of a Chinese military base in the Solomon Islands, according to Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison, will be a "red line" for Canberra and Washington.

On his account, Manasseh Sogavare told parliament, as cited by Australian broadcaster ABC News, that "one would expect that as a member of the Pacific family, the Solomon Islands and members of the Pacific should have been consulted to ensure this AUKUS treaty is transparent since it will affect the Pacific family by allowing nuclear submarines in Pacific waters."

Sogavare stated that he learned about Australia's security agreement with the United Kingdom and the United States from the media.

Furthermore, a senior Solomon Islands official has defended his country's freedom to pick its friends, saying that the security arrangement agreed between the Solomon Islands and China was necessary to protect domestic security and aid in the battle against climate change.

https://english.almayadeen.net/news/politics/indirect-talks-between-tehran-and-washington-will-resume

Nuclear deal talks to soon resume with Washington: Iran, EU officials

Iran's Foreign Minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian said in a joint news conference, in Tehran, with the EU’s foreign policy chief Josep Borrell that indirect talks between Iran and the US regarding the 2015 nuclear pact will resume soon.

"We are prepared to resume talks in the coming days. What is important for Iran is to fully receive the economic benefits of the 2015 accord," said Amir-Abdollahian, adding that he had held a "long but positive meeting" with Borrell.

The EU official, in turn, stated that "We are expected to resume talks in the coming days and break the impasse. It has been three months and we need to accelerate the work. I am very happy about the decision that has been made in Tehran and Washington."

Previously, Amir-Abdollahian had said that had the US dealt "realistically" during the last round of talks in Vienna, the member states would have been closer than ever to signing an accord.

Earlier, on June 8, the International Atomic Energy Agency's Board of Governors adopted a draft resolution submitted by the US and the E3, criticizing Iran for what they claim were incomplete answers given to the IAEA on uranium traces at "undeclared sites". These claims were quickly refuted by the Head of the Atomic Energy Organization of Iran (AEOI), Mohammad Eslami, who said that Iran has neither secret nor unwritten nuclear activities nor unreported nuclear sites.

Following that report, Iran had abandoned all commitments beyond the Safeguards Agreement in response to the IAEA's Board of Governors' adoption of an anti-Iran resolution, an Iranian lawmaker revealed, condemning the resolution passed by the agency.

https://english.almayadeen.net/news/politics/uk-pm-fears-bad-peace-deal-in-ukraine

UK PM fears 'bad peace' deal in Ukraine

The economic effects of the conflict in Europe, according to British Prime Minister Boris Johnson, might put pressure on Ukraine to reach a peace agreement with Russia that is not in its best interests.

"Too many countries are saying this is a European war that is unnecessary… and so the pressure will grow to encourage - coerce, maybe - the Ukrainians to a bad peace," Johnson told news anchors in the Kigali, the capital of Rwanda, where he attended a Commonwealth summit.

Johnson said the consequences of Russian President Vladimir Putin being able to get his way in Ukraine would have "a long-term economic disaster" and will be a danger to international security.

Earlier, on the first day of a trip to Kigali, which is hosting a Commonwealth summit this week, he praised Rwandan President Paul Kagame and his tiny African country's achievements, despite widespread concerns about its human rights record.

It is worth noting that the London-Kigali scheme, which involves Britain deporting asylum seekers to Rwanda thousands of miles away, has sparked outrage.

However, Johnson told reporters, "The critics need to keep an open mind about the policy."

Furthermore, Johnson praised Rwanda's "moral stance" on the war in Ukraine, according to a statement issued by his Downing Street office following his meeting with Kagame.

The two men talked about how to deal with the fallout from the war in Ukraine most notably the sharp rise in food prices that has hit African countries hard.

https://english.almayadeen.net/news/politics/hochstein-discussed-lebanese-proposition-with-israelis:-isra

Hochstein discussed Lebanese proposition with Israelis: Israeli media

Amos Hochstein, the US mediator between "Israel" and Lebanon, held a "professional meeting" with the Israeli negotiations team on the demarcation of the southern Lebanese maritime borders on Friday, Israeli media said.

Hochstein and the Israeli negotiations team discussed the Lebanese proposition on breaking the deadlock on the maritime borders, the media reported.

"The meeting between Hoschstein and the Israeli crew took place via videoconference," they added.

Lebanese President Michel Aoun received the mediator on June 13 and presented him with a written proposal regarding the maritime border demarcation with the Israeli occupation, which was approved by Aoun, Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri, and Prime Minister Najib Mikati.

Additionally, caretaker Prime Minister Najib Mikati met with the American mediator in the presence of US Ambassador Dorothy Shea, where Hochstein was informed of the unified Lebanese position on the issue of border demarcation and adherence to the continued mediation from Washington.

https://english.almayadeen.net/news/politics/ballistic-weapons-stockpiles-enough-for-decades:-sanaa

Ballistic weapons stockpiles enough for decades: Sanaa

Yemen and the Yemeni leadership in Sanaa prioritize achieving security, stability, and peace in a manner that does not affect the country's sovereignty and independence, Sanaa government Defense Minister Mohammad Nasser Al-Atifi said on Saturday.

"We are with the peace that highly prioritizes the interests of the Yemeni people and their pride and independence, as well as the success of their national causes," Al-Atifi said during a meeting with the Chairman of the National Military Committee, Major General Yahya Abdullah Al-Razami, and other members of the committee.

He also addressed the Saudi-led coalition, stressing that they must understand the core values of the Yemeni leadership and people and that the only thing preventing them from committing any offensives against the coalition of aggression was the standpoint announced by the leader of the revolution, Sayyed Baderddine Al-Houthi.

"We have worked on specifying and updating a list of military objectives in the depths of the soil and capitals of the countries of aggression, and they will be astonished if they were to uphold their siege and aggression," he added, addressing the coalition of aggression. "We assure them that the stockpile of strategic and ballistic deterrent weapons is sufficient for decades of continuous confrontations."

"The Yemeni defense industry and military experts are working around the hour and in full swing to enhance our military arsenal of strategic and tactical ballistic missiles, as well as our tactical and high-tech UAVs for a long-term confrontation," he stressed.

Al-Atifi also called on the Saudi-led coalition and its backers and followers not to test the patience of the Yemeni people, "for we can inflict great damage to them."

He underscored that Sanaa was still adhering to the armistice signed with Riyadh despite the latter's continuous violations. "They sought a ceasefire during which they could regroup and remobilize."

https://english.almayadeen.net/news/politics/iran-progresses-in-building-360-megawatt-nuclear-power-plant

Iran progresses in building 360-megawatt nuclear power plant

Without foreign assistance, Iran is progressing in its plan to build a new 360-megawatt nuclear power plant, according to Mohammad Eslami, president of the Iranian Atomic Energy Organization on Saturday.

"We started another work this year. We designed a 360-megawatt Iranian power station that we planned to build in partnership with other countries. We have decisively changed this plan to use the national potential," Mohammad Eslami was quoted as saying by the ISNA news agency.

The project, according to Eslami, will turn Iran into a leading nuclear industry power. In addition, he invited Iranian construction companies to join the project.

Since 2008, Iran has been working on a project to build a 360-megawatt power plant in Darkhoveyn in the southwestern Khuzestan province.

Earlier this month, the IAEA declared that Iran plans to disconnect 20 IAEA surveillance cameras and other monitoring equipment.

This comes after the IAEA's Board of Governors adopted a draft resolution submitted by the US, France, UK, and Germany, criticizing Iran for what they claim were incomplete answers given to the IAEA on uranium traces at "undeclared sites". These claims were quickly refuted by the Head of the Atomic Energy Organization of Iran (AEOI), Mohammad Eslami, who said that Iran has neither secret or unwritten nuclear activities nor unreported nuclear sites.

https://english.almayadeen.net/news/politics/iraqi-pm-visit-to-iran-ksa-to-start-today:-exclusive

Iraqi PM visit to Iran, KSA to start today: Exclusive

Iraqi premier Mustafa Al-Kadhimi's visit to Iran and Saudi Arabia will kick off today, and he will be heading a senior delegation, sources familiar with the matter told Al Mayadeen on Saturday.

The sources explained that Al-Kadhimi’s successive visits to the two countries fall within the framework of the latest talks which were held in Baghdad between Saudi Arabia and Iran.

"The meetings will take place in Riyadh, and Tehran will discuss various key issues regarding the Iraqi mediation to open the diplomatic relations between Saudi Arabia and Iran," the sources noted. "The Riyadh-Tehran meetings definitely have positive impacts on Iraq, especially in terms of bettering regional partnership and cooperation."

The visit, the sources confirmed, has no internal implications, "and all the talk going around about the formation of a new government is untrue."

"Al-Kadhimi's visit to Tehran and Riyadh has a set agenda, and its goal is to establish communication with foreign parties to serve the interest of Iraq and enhance its regional and international role and presence," the sources clarified.

Sources had told Al Mayadeen earlier today that Al-Kadhimi would soon visit the two countries successively.

On June 16, Iranian Foreign Minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian held a phone conversation with Iraqi Foreign Minister Fouad Hussein during which the latter confirmed that "his country's government is determined to facilitate direct talks between Saudi Arabia and Iran in Baghdad."

Al-Kadhimi revealed in early June that the Iran-Saudi talks taking place in Baghdad had reached advanced stages.

https://english.almayadeen.net/news/politics/biden-to-head-to-the-g7-summit-in-germany:-wh

Biden to head to the G7 summit in Germany: WH

The White House announced that US President Joe Biden will travel to Germany on Saturday to attend the G7 Summit.

In a statement, the WH said that Biden and his G7 counterparts will discuss a wide array of global issues that it claimed were "the most pressing", which include G7 support for Ukraine, economic and democratic resilience, the climate crisis, the development of infrastructure, global health, and the ongoing energy and food crisis.

The G7 countries had held their last meeting in Germany last month, where they discussed the Ukraine war, China, and the situation in the Indo-Pacific region, Afghanistan, Africa, and West Asia.

The US president will then head to Madrid on June 28 for a NATO meeting, according to the WH.

The US Secretary of State Antony Blinken and his German counterpart Annalena Baerbock held a joint news conference on Friday ahead of the G7 summit.

During the news conference, Blinken said that the G7 summit “will focus intensely on our ongoing support for Ukraine, and some of the second-and third-order consequences of Russia’s aggression against Ukraine”.

“In terms of support for Ukraine, the G7 has been remarkably united – starting from before Russia’s aggression when we worked together, first to find a diplomatic solution if there was one,” he added.

The two meetings come about four months after the start of the war in Ukraine, exposing Biden's leadership failures, particularly in sanctioning Moscow over its oil, on which Europe is more dependent than the US.

It is worth noting that Western nations have imposed harsh sanctions on Russia, but it is unclear how long they will remain in place in the face of skyrocketing inflation and high food prices.

https://english.almayadeen.net/news/politics/uk-would-be-better-off-without-johnson:-senior-tories

UK would ‘be better off’ without Johnson: Senior Tories

Top conservative figures are urging Boris Johnson to resign following his historic double by-election defeat, as rebellious MPs plot new ways to depose him.

Former Conservative leader Michael Howard was among those who demanded that the prime minister step down following the losses in Tiverton, Honiton, and Wakefield, which prompted the party's co-chair, Oliver Dowden, to resign immediately.

Dowden told the prime minister in his pointed resignation letter, widely regarded as a call to others to act, “We cannot carry on with business as usual. Someone must take responsibility.”

Johnson's detractors are hoping to gain a majority on the executive of the influential 1922 Committee of Tory backbenchers in order to change the party's rules to allow a fresh confidence vote without having to wait a year.

As the magnitude of the twin defeats became clear – both with larger-than-expected swings against the Conservatives – a number of senior Conservatives joined those calling for Johnson's resignation. When asked if the prime minister should resign, Howard replied, "I do."

“The party and more importantly the country would be better off under new leadership,” he added. “Members of the cabinet should very carefully consider their positions. It may be necessary for the executive of the 1922 Committee to meet and to decide to change the rules so another leadership election could take place.”

Former Foreign Secretary Malcolm Rifkind suggested that disgruntled ministers would work together to persuade Johnson to resign.

“I think it is hugely in the public interest that preferably the prime minister seeks their views. If he’s not willing to see their views because you might be rather worried of what they might say to him, then they must, at least in some number, come together and go and see him,” he said.

At a press conference in Kigali, Rwanda, where he is attending the Commonwealth Heads of Government summit, Johnson struck a defensive tone, refusing to admit anything about his own behavior was to blame for the byelection debacle.

He has been grappling with calls to resign after a series of leaks showed that several social gatherings were held at his offices throughout 2020 and 2021, flouting Covid-19 social distancing rules, which later became known as the Partygate scandal. The scandal gravely affected his party's standing.

https://english.almayadeen.net/news/politics/somalias-new-pm-barre-takes-office

Somalia's new PM Barre takes office

Hamza Abdi Barre became Somalia's 21st prime minister Saturday after receiving unanimous approval from Lower House MPs, as per Somalia's Radio Dalsan.

On June 15, Somalia's President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud appointed lawmaker Hamza Abdi Barre as the new Prime Minister.

At the time, Somalia's President said: “I have based on my decision after assessing the knowledge, experience, capability of Hamza, and I came to the conclusion he is the right person who can discharge this new responsibility in this new Somalia at this new time.”

He ordered lawmakers to approve the new prime minister "as soon as possible," adding that he had asked Barre to advance the new government's key priorities most notably security, drought response, reconciliation, community development, and climate shock response.

Four consecutive failed rainy seasons, combined with high inflation, have left millions of Somalis facing food insecurity. Barre vowed to form a capable government capable of rescuing the country and its people.

“I pledge to you as president and to the Somali people that I will work day and night and will stand up in discharging by obligation,” he said.

Who is Hamza Barre?

Last December, Barre, 48, was elected to parliament for the first time. He was previously the chairman of the Jubaland regional electoral commission.

From 2011 to 2017, Barre was the secretary-general of Mohamud's Peace and Development Party. He is also a former senior adviser to the federal government and the Ministry of Constitutional Affairs.

He taught for many years in Mogadishu and Kismayo. He is a senior lecturer at Mogadishu University and a co-founder of Kismayo University.

Barre's appointment came exactly one month after Mohamud was elected president in a parliamentary vote, defeating Mohamed Abdullahi Mohamed.