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Washington, DC – In a United States Congress that is largely unconditional in its support for Israel, many lawmakers have condemned the killing of Al Jazeera journalist Shireen Abu Akleh, who was fatally shot by Israeli forces on Wednesday.

Still, few Congress members mentioned Israel by name as the perpetrator of the deadly incident, while some legislators who serve in leading roles on foreign policy and press freedom panels ignored the shooting altogether.

Congresswoman Rashida Tlaib, a Michigan Democrat, has been the most outspoken.

The progressive lawmaker, who is of Palestinian descent, called for a moment of silence for the slain journalist on the floor of the House of Representatives on Wednesday and condemned the killing in several statements and media appearances.

“An American journalist clearly marked with press credentials was murdered. Doing and saying nothing just enables more killings,” she wrote in a tweet directed at President Joe Biden, invoking US military aid to Israel, which totals $3.8bn annually.

“Whether you’re Palestinian, American, or not, being killed with US funding must stop,” Tlaib said.

In a TV interview with Al Jazeera later on Wednesday, she also called for a US-led probe into the incident.

“We need to investigate, ourselves, the killing of an American citizen. Somebody that was out there being a guardian of truth and doing her job was murdered by an apartheid government that we continue to fund with unconditional aid,” she said.

Abu Akleh was a US citizen – a fact emphasized by several American officials.

Congressman Mark Pocan, a key House progressive, also suggested restricting US aid to Israel.

“Restrictions on aid may be necessary if human rights and universally acceptable norms can’t be followed,” he wrote on Twitter.

The US government’s condemnation of the killing of an American journalist is a welcome reaction to an untenable situation in Israel and Palestine. Restrictions on aid may be necessary if human rights and universally acceptable norms can’t be followed. https://t.co/I5yiv1FONk

— Rep. Mark Pocan (@repmarkpocan) May 12, 2022

The congressional statements on the killing of Abu Akleh came from Democratic Party lawmakers, most of whom are part of the party’s progressive wing.

Al Jazeera was not able to find any statement by Republican legislators denouncing the killing.

Ilhan Omar, a left-wing, Muslim-American member of the House, was unambiguous in blaming Israel for the Palestinian journalist’s killing.

“She was killed by the Israeli military, after making her presence as a journalist clearly known,” she wrote on Twitter. “We provide Israel with $3.8 billion in military aid annually with no restrictions. What will it take for accountability for these human rights violations?”

Omar’s fellow Muslim lawmaker Andre Carson also called on the US government to “hold the Israeli government accountable for this and all other acts of unjust violence it commits.”

I join countless others in mourning the death of @AlJazeera journalist, #ShireenAbuAkleh, who was killed by Israeli military while on assignment. The US must hold the Israeli government accountable for this and all other acts of unjust violence it commits.

— André Carson (@RepAndreCarson) May 11, 2022

Several top Democrats joined progressive members of the party in paying tribute to Abu Akleh and calling for an investigation, but they did not point the finger at Israel.

“The killing of American journalist Shireen Abu Akleh is a horrific tragedy,” House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, a staunch supporter of Israel, wrote on Twitter.

“A thorough, objective investigation is needed now. Congress is committed to the defense of press freedoms worldwide and protection of every journalist, particularly those in conflict zones.”

Senator Ben Cardin, a senior Democrat and outspoken backer of strong US-Israel ties, said he was “disturbed” by the killing of Abu Akleh.

“Abu Akleh’s death is an attack on a journalist who was wearing her press gear,” he said in a statement. “No journalist should be killed while simply doing their job. I strongly condemn her death and call for an independent and thorough investigation into the incident.”

Senator Chris Van Hollen also urged an independent probe into the incident.

.@SpeakerPelosi is right. Anyone who believes in press freedom and justice should call for a thorough and independent investigation into the killing of American journalist Shireen Abu Akleh. https://t.co/eUqO133GwO

— Senator Chris Van Hollen (@ChrisVanHollen) May 12, 2022

So did Senator Chris Murphy of Connecticut. “Veteran American journalist Shireen Abu Akleh was simply doing her job when she was shot and killed early this morning,” he said in a statement on Wednesday.

“Her heartbreaking death should be considered an attack on freedom of the press everywhere. There must be a thorough investigation and full accountability for those responsible.”

Adam Schiff, chair of the House Intelligence Committee and co-chair of the Congressional Caucus for the Freedom of the Press, also called the fatal shooting of the Palestinian-American journalist a “terrible tragedy”.

“The Israeli military must conduct a thorough and objective investigation into Abu Akleh’s death, and be transparent about its findings,” Schiff said in a statement. “My prayers are with her family, with her colleague, Ali Al-Samudi, who was also wounded, and with members of the press everywhere who risk their lives to bring us the truth.”

Palestinian rights advocates have rejected calls by US officials for Israel to conduct its own investigation, arguing that the Israeli government should not be trusted to hold itself accountable for alleged war crimes.

Steve Chabot, the Republican co-chair of the Press Freedom Caucus, has not released any formal statement about the killing on his congressional webpage or social media accounts. His office did not return Al Jazeera’s request for comment by time of publication.

Congressman Andy Levin, a Jewish-American representative from Michigan, who is facing off in a primary against fellow Democratic incumbent Haley Stevens after redistricting, said he was “horrified” by the killing of Abu Akleh.

“Globally, in places as diverse as Palestine, Mexico and Russia, the international community must come together to defend the rights of the free press,” he wrote in a series of tweets.

Stevens, who is backed by numerous pro-Israel groups, including the American Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC), has said nothing about the incident on her social media accounts or on her congressional website.

Debbie Dingell, another Michigan legislator, who represents a large Arab-American community, said press freedom is “paramount in any democracy”.

The killing of Palestinian American journalist Shireen Abu Akleh is horrifying & heartbreaking. Freedom of the press is paramount in any democracy.

I join the Admin in calling for a thorough investigation to hold those responsible to account.https://t.co/M1QWe1n0l0

— Rep. Debbie Dingell (@RepDebDingell) May 11, 2022

The chairs of the House and Senate foreign policy panels did not address the incident in formal statements. The House Foreign Affairs Committee shared Pelosi’s post on the killing via its Twitter account.

The fatal shooting of Abu Akleh coincided with a busy week in Washington, which is preoccupied with domestic issues, including a baby formula shortage and a failed attempt to pass legislation protecting abortion rights.

Ro Khanna, a progressive House representing a district in California, wrote in a social media post, “The killing of American journalist Shireen Abu Akleh is devastating and a blatant assault on the freedom of the press.”

New York Representative Yvette Clarke said the killing is “yet another reason why we need a path to a two-state solution in the region”.

I want to express my sincere condolences to the family of journalist, Shireen Abu Akleh. Some of them call New York’s 9th District home. This tragedy is yet another reason why we need a path to a two-state solution in the region. https://t.co/rBt2yM9bsK

— Yvette D. Clarke (@RepYvetteClarke) May 11, 2022

Congresswoman Marie Newman, who often criticizes Israeli abuses against Palestinians, said she was “extremely concerned by reports that Al Jazeera reporter Shireen Abu Akleh was shot and killed by Israeli forces while wearing a press vest and reporting in the West Bank”.

“We must protect the press and hold those accountable for this heinous crime,” she wrote on Twitter.

Congresswoman Cori Bush, a progressive supporter of Palestinian rights, condemned the “unacceptable attack”.

Congresswoman Betty McCollum, who has championed Palestinian human rights in Congress and introduced bills to restrict US aid to Israel, also said the killing must be “condemned and investigated”.

The Israeli military killing of Shireen Abu Akleh is devastating and infuriating. I condemn this unacceptable attack on her, on Palestinians and the freedom and safety of everywhere.

There must be accountability, and we must demand an end to Israeli apartheid. https://t.co/q3SfPFVQ6G

— Congresswoman Cori Bush (@RepCori) May 12, 2022

Ukrainian women and children account for 90 percent of the refugees who have fled the war-torn country.

More than six million refugees have fled Ukraine since Russia’s invasion began on February 24, according to figures from the UN refugee agency.

The UN showed on Thursday that a total of 6,029,705 people had fled Ukraine by May 11.

Many of the refugees travelled to neighboring countries Ukraine before continuing their journey onward, according to the UN agency’s dedicated website, with Poland hosting the largest number of Ukrainians.

Women and children accounted for 90 percent of the refugees as Ukrainian men aged 18-60 are unable to leave the country due to being eligible for military service.

Daily refugee flows across Ukraine’s borders have decreased since the outbreak of war.

In March alone, almost 3.4 million Ukrainians fled their country. That figure dropped to about 1.5 million in April.

Since the beginning of May, almost 493,000 Ukrainians have sought refuge abroad, and the UN has estimated that more than eight million people could flee Ukraine this year.

A further eight million people have also been internally displaced, according to a study by the International Organization for Migration.

Ukraine’s Finance Minister Serhiy Marchenko told Reuters on Thursday that his country has been forced to spend $8.3bn on its war with Russia.

The spending went on everything from buying and repairing weapons to emergency support for internally displaced people, the minister said.

There are 2.7 million people officially registered as internally displaced, according to data from Ukraine’s social policy ministry, although the real figure is thought to be many times higher.

Marchenko said that Kyiv urgently needed foreign support to be ramped up as it is being forced to funnel billions of additional dollars into war-time emergency spending.

Ukraine’s prewar population was 37 million, excluding the annexed Crimea Peninsula and two separatist regions in the east controlled by pro-Russia separatists.

Canada NewsWire

OTTAWA, ON, May 12, 2022

OTTAWA, ON, May 12, 2022 /CNW/ – Healthy plants are essential to people and animals, the environment and the economy. Canada is proud to join the United Nations and countries around the world in recognizing today as the first International Day of Plant Health.

This day follows the efforts devoted to the International Year of Plant Health in 2020 in raising awareness on a global scale about the value of our precious plant resources and the need to protect them with increasing vigilance.

Plant pests are a main cause of loss in biodiversity and crop productivity, and invasive species continue to pose a threat to Canadian ecosystems. Insects, plants, snails and slugs that threaten health plants can harm the environment when they spread to new parts of the country or abroad, whether on their own or via cargo, human activity, transportation, extreme weather or other means.

The Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) is on high alert for pests like the spotted lanternfly, which is particularly a threat in eastern Canada along the border with the United States. If introduced to Canada, this striking and colorful invasive insect could cause serious damage to grape, fruit tree and forestry industries. The ongoing infestation in neighbor Pennsylvaniafor example, is an active threat to our Niagara region’s famous wine industry.

Actions we take can lead to destroyed ecosystems and massive damage to agriculture, which is why everyone has a role to play. One example is to avoid moving firewood. This simple action can help prevent the spread of emerald ash borer, spongy moth, brown spruce longhorn beetle, Dutch elm disease and other pests to new parts of the country. If you heat your home or cottage with wood or you love to go camping, buy and burn only locally grown or heat-treated firewood. That way, invasive species hiding in or under the bark can’t hitch a ride. Another way to help is by planting native or local plants instead of invasive or exotic ones.

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Canadians can help by reporting to the CFIA suspected sightings of invasive species new to their area.

Most new findings of invasive pests have been reported by the public, so it’s important to know what grows and lives locally.

We can protect plant health for generations to come if we each take action to minimize risks.

In January 2022the Council of Canadian Academy released Cultivating Diversitya report commissioned by the CFIA to identify the current and emerging risks to plant health in Canada.

As Canada’s National Plant Protection Organization, the CFIA will continue its work with partners domestically and internationally to raise awareness and protect global plant resources.

Quotes

“The International Day of Plant Health is an opportunity to be reminded of how important plant health is to the overall viability of agriculture. I would like to take this opportunity to thank the team at the CFIA who are mandated to mitigate and manage the risks to our crops. Together, we support our farmers in their mission to feed our growing world population.”

– The Honorable Marie-Claude Bibeau, Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food

“The International Day of Plant Health is an opportunity to raise awareness about the important need to protect plant health and safeguard our crops, ecosystems, forests and natural habitats. Everyone has a favorite park that they love to frequent. Keep an eye out and report invasive insects and other plant pests to the CFIA—whether at home, your favorite park or camps, the farm, an industrial area or elsewhere.”

– David BaileyChief Plant Health Officer for Canada and Executive Director, Plant Health and Biosecurity, CFIA

“Plants define our planet and play a crucial role in all our lives, but I don’t think many people are aware of the extent to which they support us and other life on Earth. They supply oxygen we breathe, make up the food we eat, help to generate soil, filter water, and are extensively used for medicines. Unless threats to health plants are recognized and effectively managed, we face risks that have the potential to be incredibly disruptive of ecosystems and put human and animal health, biodiversity, and food production in jeopardy.”

– Deborah BuszardChair of the Expert Panel on Plant Health, Council of Canadian Academics

Quick facts

• Plants are the main sources of economic security for many communities. They are also essential to maintaining food security, environmental sustainability and public health, and are of cultural, physical, and spiritual importance to people across Canada.

• Healthy plants provide us with 80 per cent of the food we eat and 98 per cent of the oxygen we breathe.

• Plant pests are responsible for losses of up to 40 per cent of food crops globally.

• The CFIA is the National Plant Protection Organization for Canada and is responsible for setting and implementing plant-health regulations, policies and programs that are consistent with international standards and trade rules.

Associated links

Stay connected

Twitter: @InspectionCan
Facebook: CFIACanada
LinkedIn: canadian-food-inspection-agency

SOURCE Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA)

A baby formula shortage in the United States is driving parents to swap, sell and offer leftover supplies to each other, while President Joe Biden plans to speak with manufacturers and retailers Thursday about the plight facing families.

The problem is the result of supply chain disruptions and a safety recall, and has had a cascade of effects: Retailers are limiting what customers can buy, and doctors and health workers are urging parents to contact food banks or physicians’ offices, in addition to warning against watering down formula to stretch supplies or using online DIY (do it yourself) recipes.

The shortage is weighing particularly on lower-income families after the recall by formula maker Abbott stemming from contamination concerns. That recall wiped out many brands covered by the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC), a federal program like food stamps that serves mothers, infants and children, though the program now permits brand substitutes.

Jennifer Kersey, 36 of Cheshire, Connecticut, said she was down to her last can of formula for her seven-month-old son, Blake Kersey Jr, before someone saw her post on a Facebook group and came by with a few sample cans.

“At first I was starting to panic,” she said. “But, I’m a believer in the Lord, so I said, ‘God, I know you’re going to provide for me and I just started reaching out to people, ‘Hey do you have this formula?'”

She said she and others in the group are helping each other, finding stores that may have the formula in stock and getting formula to mothers who need it.

“If someone offers me and says, ‘I have these three,’ I’ll say ‘I’ll take the purple can and then put the other ones on that website.’ I’m not going to howard stuff. I’m making sure that everybody has.”

Kimberly Anderson, 34, of Hartford County, Maryland, said her 7 1/2-month-old son takes a prescription formula that’s nearly impossible to find locally. She turned to social media and said people in Utah and Boston found the formula, which she paid to have shipped.

“They say it takes a village to raise a baby,” she said. “Little did I know my village spans the entire US as I ping friends/family for their zip codes so I can check their local Walmarts to have them ship directly to me.”

Erika Thompson, 28, a mother of three in Wallingford, Connecticut, said it’s become almost a full-time job for her to track down the hypoallergenic formula her 3 1/2-month-old daughter, Everly, must have. She said friends out of state have also been looking for her and shipping cans if they find them.

She is down to one small sample can, which she said might last a couple more days.

“You can travel everywhere — countless towns, stores, Amazon, online,” she said. “Honestly, it’s heartbreaking. Certain stores have absolutely nothing and now they’re limiting you. So what do you do?”

She said it’s been upsetting to read comments online telling her she should have breastfed instead. She said she was unable to produce an adequate supply of milk, but she should not have to explain that to people.

“It’s not our fault,” she said. “Someone posted that people should just have abortions basically. No. It’s not our fault for having kids. Stupid stuff like that aggravates me.”

In Washington, White House Assistant Press Secretary Kevin Munoz said on Twitter that the administration will also announce “additional actions” to address the formula shortage.

Shortages of basic goods have been a problem since the start of the coronavirus pandemic in early 2020. Access to medical supplies, computer chips, household appliances, autos and other goods has been hurt by closed factories and outbreaks of the virus, as well as storms and other climate-related events.

A safety recall compounded the challenges regarding baby formula.

The UD Food and Drug Administration (FDA) warned consumers on February 17 to avoid some powdered baby formula products from a Sturgis, Michigan facility run by Abbott Nutrition, which then initiated a voluntary recall. According to findings released in March by federal safety inspectors, Abbott failed to maintain sanitary conditions and procedures at the plant.

Abbott said in a statement that the recall involved four complaints about an environmental bacteria found in infants who consumed formula from the plant. Two infants became sick, while two died. “After a thorough review of all available data, there is no evidence to link our formulas to these infant illnesses,” the company said.

Abbott said that pending FDA approval, “We could restart the site within two weeks.” The company would begin by first producing EleCare, Alimentum and metabolic formulas and then start production of Similac and other formulas. Once production began, it would take six weeks to eight weeks for the baby formula to be available on shelves.

On Tuesday, the FDA said it was working with US manufacturers to increase their output and streamlining paperwork to allow more imports. The agency noted that supply chain issues associated with the pandemic were part of the problem and that consumers bought more baby formula in April than in the month before the recall.

White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki said this week that the FDA was “working around the clock to address any possible shortages”.

SEOUL, South Korea — North Korea fired three short-range ballistic missiles toward the sea on Thursday, its neighbors said, in the latest of a series of weapons demonstrations this year that came just hours after it confirmed its first case of the coronavirus since the pandemic began.

The launches could underscore North Korea’s determination to press ahead with its efforts to expand its arsenal despite the virus outbreak to rally support behind the leader, Kim Jong Un, and keep up pressure on its rivals amid long-dormant nuclear diplomacy.

North Korea testing new ICBMs, US says, warns more coming

Thursday’s launches were the North’s first weapons fired since the inauguration of new conservative South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol on Tuesday.

North Korea has a history of rattling new governments in Seoul and Washington in an apparent bid to boost its bargaining chips in future negotiations. The North Korean nuclear threat will likely top the agenda when Yoon meets visiting US President Joe Biden in Seoul next week.

Both South Korea and Japan condemned the launches from the North’s capital region on Thursday afternoon.

The missiles plunged into the waters between North Korea’s eastern coast and outside of Japan’s exclusive economic zone, Japanese Defense Minister Nobuo Kishi said. There was no report of damage to aircraft or vessels.

South Korea’s military said it boosted its readiness and monitoring while maintaining close coordination with the United States. It called on the North to immediately halt its repeated missile firings.

South Korea and Japan released similar flight details, saying the weapons traveled about 350-360 kilometers (217-224 miles) at a maximum altitude of 90-100 kilometers (56-62 miles).

Earlier Thursday, North Korean state media confirmed the country’s first COVID-19 infections as Kim ordered nationwide lockdowns to slow the spread of the virus. Kim also ordered officials to bolster the country’s defense posture to avoid any security vacuum.

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In recent months, North Korea has tested-launched a spate of missiles in what experts call an attempt to modernize its weapons and pressure the United States and its allies into accepting it as a nuclear state and relax sanctions on the North. Some observers say that despite the elevated anti-virus steps, North Korea would likely continue to build its arsenal with weapons tests to boost public morale and strengthen loyalty for the Kim leadership.

“North Korea’s latest missile firings appear excessive to what would be needed to test and improve military capabilities,” Leif-Eric Easley, a professor at Ewha University in Seoul, said. “These launches look like a show of strength after the Kim regime publicly admitted to a coronavirus outbreak.”

A statement issued after a meeting chaired by Yoon’s national security adviser Kim Sung-han said South Korea would seek “practical” and “stern” measures in cooperation with the international community to respond to the growing North Korean threat.

The North Korean weapons tested recently included a variety of nuclear-capable missiles that could potentially reach South Korea, Japan or the mainland US In March, North Korea ended its self-imposed suspension on huge weapons tests since 2018 with a launch of its biggest missile tests capable of reaching the entirety of the American homeland.

The UN Security Council has typically imposed punishing sanctions on North Korea after it carried out nuclear and long-range missile tests. But that didn’t happen in March because veto-wielding members are divided over Russia’s war in Ukraine.

Last Saturday, South Korea detected a North Korea ballistic missile launch likely from a submarine, the first such test since last October. There are also signs that the North is preparing to conduct its first nuclear test in nearly five years at a remote testing ground in its northeast.

Yamaguchi reported from Tokyo.

Bogota, Colombia – “It was terrifying.”

That is how a resident of Tierralta, in Colombia’s northern department of Cordoba, described a days-long siege imposed earlier this month by one of the country’s largest paramilitary groups, the Autodefensas Gaitanistas de Colombia (AGC), also known as the Gulf Clan.

From the morning of May 5 until midnight on May 9, the armed group enforced a self-declared “armed strike” across the country’s northwest in response to the extradition to the United States of its former detained leader Dairo Antonio Usuga, also known as Otoniel .

The Gulf Clan took control of 11 of Colombia’s 32 departments over the four-day span. It imposed strict lockdowns, shuttered local businesses, closed off roads, disrupted transportation links, and warned residents to stay inside or risk being shot or having their vehicles destroyed.

Several towns ran out of basic supplies such as food and gas, while local hospitals faced staff shortages. Elsewhere, families were stranded at transport terminals, unable to get home due to blocked roads, local media reported.

“You live with the concern that it could happen again tomorrow,” said another resident of Tierralta, Raul, who also asked to use a pseudonym because of security concerns. “Because the Gulf Clan are showing that they have the power to create fear,” he told Al Jazeera.

Hundreds of rights violations

The Gulf Clan’s armed strike took place three weeks before Colombians will vote for their next president, raising concerns about the possibility of repeated violence as the population heads to the polls on May 29.

“The government response to this event leaves people more dissatisfied with their ability to express their political ideas or to participate in democracy. This event is very, very detrimental to the quality of democracy in Colombia and to the local perceptions of security,” said Sergio Guzman, director of the Colombia Risk Analysis consultancy group.

During the course of the “strike”, the Gulf Clan committed at least 309 acts of violence, according to the Special Jurisdiction of Peace (JEP) tribunal, which also registered the forced closure of 26 roads, the destruction of at least 118 vehicles and the disruption of 54 transport terminals.

A total of 178 different municipalities in the country were under Gulf Clan control, with 138 of them under strict lockdown rules.

“They wanted to demonstrate their military strength to show that in many areas of the country they are the de facto authority and not the state,” said a JEP representative, who spoke to Al Jazeera on condition of anonymity in order to speak freely.

The JEP was formed in the wake of a 2016 peace deal between the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC) group and the government, with a mandate to investigate, prosecute and punish those responsible for the most serious human rights violations.

Twenty-four civilians were killed during the “strike”, the JEP also said, and a further 15 attempted murders were recorded. The Ministry of Defense reported six deaths, while NGO Indepaz recorded 18 over the course of the strike.

The official told Al Jazeera that three social leaders – a term used in Colombia to describe, the community defenders and representatives and – were among those rights killed.

‘Robust failure’

The Colombian government hailed Otoniel’s capture in October of last year and subsequent extradition to the US this month as a success – and a definitive blow to the Gulf Glan’s operations.

However, last week’s armed strike proved the group, which local NGO Pares has said counts as many as 3,260 members, is by no means on shaky ground, analysts said.

Since the 2016 peace agreement under which the FARC demobilised, armed groups such as the Gulf Clan have taken advantage of the power vacuum in much of Colombia’s rural areas. The Gulf Clan operates clandestinely in approximately 109 municipalities across the country, according to group Indepaz rights, but most predominantly in the north. It controls numerous drug trafficking routes and cocaine processing labs, and uses violence to extort and intimidate populations.

“This event underscores how much the government underestimated the nature of the [Gulf Clan’s] threat. This is very complicated for the government to somehow spin this towards anything but a robust failure of their security strategy,” Guzman told Al Jazeera.

Despite the strike being announced early on May 4, no military response from the government was seen until May 7, when troops were to join the affected Bolivar, Sucre, Cordoba and Antioquia regions to accompany vehicles and secure the roads. According to Ministry of Defense figures, more than 19,000 troops were across the area.

“They seek to generate intimidation through isolated events and cowardly attacks, which they seek to maximise online and in the media,” President Ivan Duque told reporters last Saturday. “They are desperately trying to show a strength that they do not have.”

But Guzman said the Gulf Clan will “likely be emboldened by the lack of confrontation with the military”.

“The government doesn’t want to contribute to the ‘we are back to war’ narrative, so escalating the situation could not just have very significant collateral damage concerns, but could also subtract significantly from the government’s narrative that they’re keeping order in the country,” he said.

“The Gulf Clan just ripped a hole through the narrative by making it difficult for the government to assert its authority over one-third of its territory.”

Colombia’s Defense Ministry did not immediately respond to Al Jazeera’s request for comment.

Meanwhile, the JEP representative described the government’s response as “not very efficient” while residents subjected to the four days under Gulf Clan control were equally critical, saying they felt abandoned.

“The state demonstrated that it is a weak institution that does not have the capacity to confront an armed group that has proven to have control of national territory and a great strength at the national level,” said Jose David Ortega, a resident and human rights defender in the city of Monteria, which was besieged by the group.

Raul, the Tierralta resident, added, “What hurts the most is that the state never came out to defend the rights of its citizens.”

Video verification shows that Palestinian fighters were not in the vicinity of Shireen Abu Akleh when she was shot.

A video used by Israel to suggest that the shot that killed Al Jazeera’s journalist Shireen Abu Akleh in the occupied West Bank was fired by Palestinian fighters is not connected to her death, an Al Jazeera investigation has shown.

On Wednesday, Israeli government social media accounts, as well as that of Israeli Prime Minister Naftali Bennett, referenced a video purporting to show Palestinian fighters firing guns in an alleyway in Jenin, arguing that the video proved that there was a strong chance Abu Akleh was shot by Palestinians, and not by Israeli forces, as witnesses and Al Jazeera have said.

However, an investigation by Al Jazeera’s Sanad news verification and monitoring unit, revealed that the Palestinian fighters shown in the video were not located near Abu Akleh in the Jenin refugee camp at the time of her shooting.

Sanad geolocated the video to an area approximately 300 meters (985 feet) away from where Abu Akleh was shot, in an area surrounded by residential buildings, and without any clear line of fire to Abu Akleh’s location.

The Israeli human rights group B’Tselem also conducted its own research into the claims and released a video on Wednesday that cast doubt on the Israeli army’s narrative of the killing of the journalist.

B’Tselem wrote in a series of tweets that its field researcher in Jenin documented the exact locations in which the Palestinian fighter, depicted in a video distributed by the Israeli army, had fired the shots.

The researcher also identified the exact location in which Abu Akleh was shot and killed.

“Documentation of Palestinian gunfire distributed by Israeli military cannot be the gunfire that killed Journalist Shireen Abu Akleh,” the organization wrote in a tweet.

The organization provided coordinates for the two locations, which were separated by walls and buildings, and corroborated Sanad’s verification.

This morning, B’Tselem’s field researcher in Jenin documented the exact locations in which the Palestinian gunman depicted in a video distributed by the Israeli army, fired, as well as the exact location in which Journalist Shireen Abu Akleh was killed. pic.twitter.com/6VbEJJuF7z

— B’Tselem בצלם B’Tselem (@btselem) May 11, 2022

The Sanad investigation also found that Israeli forces were present on the same street that Abu Akleh was shot on, with timestamps showing that a video showing them in the location was recorded at 6:25am (03:25 GMT), approximately the same time Abu Akleh was shot, as is shown on the map.

Israel now appears to be walking back some of its initial claims.

Israel’s military chief, Lieutenant General Aviv Kochavi, has said that it is unclear who shot Abu Akleh.

The Israeli army’s initial investigation, cited by Israeli newspaper Haaretz also showed that Abu Akleh was about 150 meters (328 feet) away from Israeli forces when she was shot and killed and that they had fired bullets during the raid.

“Soldiers from the elite Duvdevan Unit fired a few dozen bullets during the raid in Jenin, the investigation shows, but whether it was Israeli or Palestinian gunfire that killed the Al Jazeera reporter is unknown,” the newspaper said.

Call for an independent probe

The European Union called for an “independent” investigation into Abu Akleh’s death, while the office of the United Nations human rights chief Michelle Bachelet said it was “appalled”, and also called for “an independent, transparent investigation”.

But the US Department of State said Israel was capable of a thorough probe into the death of Abu Akleh.

“The Israelis have the wherewithal and the capabilities to conduct a thorough, comprehensive investigation,” spokesman Ned Price told a news briefing.

Palestine’s Ambassador to the UN Riyad Mansour said his country would “not accept” an investigation by the “Israeli occupying authority” and has held the Israeli army responsible for the “assassination” of Abu Akleh.

Iran is engaged in a brazen policy hostage taking of foreigners to extract concessions from the West, located say, with further Western nationals arrested and others even facing execution.

Campaigners blame Iran of a systematic policy of hostage taking over four decades from the earliest period of the Islamic republic after the ousting of the shah, starting with the 1979-1981 siege at the US embassy in Tehran.

France said Thursday that two of its citizens had been detained in Iran, with sources identifying them as a French teachers’ union official and the unionist’s spouse, and the foreign ministry denouncing a “baseless arrest”.

Meanwhile, Swedish-Iranian academic Ahmadreza Djalali is at risk of an execution that media reports say is due to be carried out by May 21, over his 2017 conviction on spying charges that are vehemently denied by his family.

Iran denies any such policy of hostage taking and insists all foreigners are tried according to due legal process. However it has repeatedly shown a willingness for prisoner exchanges and taken part in swaps in the past.

“It is diplomacy by coercion: not settling international disputes simply by classic negotiation between states,” said a Western specialist on the issue, asking not to be named due to the sensitivity.

– ‘Call it hostage taking’ –

Even after the recent high-profile by Tehran of British detainees Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe and Anoosheh Ashoori, say at least a dozen Western releases including Americans, British and German citizens remain held in Iran.

German citizen Jamshid Sharmahd is on trial in Tehran on charges that could see him hanged, as is Swedish national Habib Chaab. Supporters say both men were abducted in third countries before being brought to Iran.

These tensions are also growing at a hugely sensitive moment in the talks to revive the 2015 deal on curbing Iran’s nuclear programme, with Europe warning that Tehran has a last chance to strike a deal.

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Mahmood Amiry-Moghaddam, founder of the Iran Human Rights NGO, said there was “no doubt” the Westerners were being held as hostages, saying Europe needed to take a firmer line and condemn Iran’s actions as hostage taking.

“Iran has carried out hostage taking for a long time, for the last 40 years. It has been successful as a policy, as Western countries have always responded. So Iran continued,” he told AFP.

“It is a big problem for Europe that they are not calling the hostage taking for what it is. It is a huge mistake that puts human lives in danger,” he said.

Wary of adding further complications into the already prickly nuclear talks, major European powers have generally steered clear of public accusations that Iran is carrying out hostage taking.

In a rare moment of candour, French Foreign Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian said in an interview in January that France was pressing Iran “to ensure that these hostages — and we have to call it this — who are held in Iran are freed “.

But contacts continue between Europe and Iran, with the EU’s foreign policy number two Enrique Mora in Tehran this week for talks on salvaging the nuclear deal.

– ‘Blatant extortion’ –

Amiry-Moghaddam described the fate of Djalali as a “very important test” for Europe, saying “whether they can save him will be decisive.”

Warnings by Iranian media and officials that he faces execution have coincided with the conclusion of an early trial in the Swedish capital Stockholm of former Iranian official Hamid Noury, who was arrested in 2019 over the 1988 massacres of thousands of opposition prisoners.

The trial, taking place under the principle of universal jurisdiction, has infuriated Tehran, which this month summoned the Swedish ambassador. Meanwhile, another Swedish man was arrested in Iran this month.

“The Iranian government is engaging in blatant extortion,” said Hadi Ghaemi, executive director of the US-based Center for Human Rights in Iran (CHRI).

He accused Iran of “collecting dual nationals to use in its arsenal of human bargaining chips”.

Raphael Chenuil Hazan, director of the France-based NGO Together Against the Death Penalty (ECPM), said Europe “cannot remain silent” in the face of the risk of executions of dual nationals.

“The death penalty should not be used as a political bargaining tool. Iran must understand that this execution would inevitably have a strong political cost,” he said.

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WASHINGTON, May 12 (Reuters) – The United States has no current plans to share vaccines with North Korea, a spokesperson for the White House National Security Council said on Thursday, after Pyongyang reported its first COVID-19 outbreak.

The spokesperson said North Korea had repeatedly refused vaccine donations from the COVAX global vaccine sharing project, and added, referring to the country by the initials of its official name:

“While the US does not currently have plans to share vaccines with the DPRK, we continue to support international efforts aimed at the provision of critical humanitarian aid to the most vulnerable North Koreans.”

The first public admission of COVID infections by North Korea highlights the potential for a major crisis in a country that lacks medical resources, has refused international help with vaccinations and kept its borders shut. (Reporting by David Brunnstrom Editing by Chizu Nomiyama)

Shipments from Russia via Ukraine are set to fall by about 30 percent on Thursday following interruptions at a cross-border entry point as a result of the war in Ukraine.

European natural gas prices jumped following disruptions to a key transit route through Ukraine, and as Germany said Russia was using energy as a weapon in an escalating clash over supply.

The benchmark contract surged more than 22%, with shipments from Russia via Ukraine set to fall by about 30% on Thursday following interruptions at a cross-border entry point as a result of the war. It adds to the market’s concerns as Moscow halted shipments to Gazprom Germania GmbH and its units in retaliation.

Moscow late Wednesday sanctioned the former Gazprom PJSC subsidiary — which is now under the control of the German energy regulator — including energy supplier Wingas GmbH and London-based unit Gazprom Marketing & Trading Ltd. The move could also upend LNG markets, and bring even greater supply worries.

Still, German Economy Minister Robert Habeck downplayed the impact, saying the Russian cuts amount to just 3% of the country’s imports. The nation was getting shipments from alternate sources and can cope with the disruption, he said. Utility RWE AG said Russia’s new sanctions are “not material.”

The new risks come just as a solution appeared to be emerging for what has been the main headache for weeks — Moscow’s demand for ruble payments for its gas. Companies were confident they could keep buying supplies without breaching sanctions, with Italian Prime Minister Mario Draghi on Wednesday appearing to back such a move. More European buyers are opening ruble accounts.

“The developments are only the latest in a string of a steady deterioration of security of supply during the war,” Eurasia Group said in a note. “The ongoing disruptions will therefore mean EU states will step up preparations for bigger gas supply disruptions from Russia this year.”

Dutch front-month gas, the European benchmark, was 20% higher at 113.01 euros per megawatt-hour as of 1:54 pm in Amsterdam. The UK equivalent was up 37%. German power also surged, with next month’s contract rising as much as 17%.

Concerns over Russian supplies have hung over the market for months. Flows via Ukraine could hit the lowest since late April, grid data show. This should affect a key gas-transit route crossing Slovakia and Austria. Authorities in Vienna said there are currently no limitations on delivery.

Supplies via the Nord Stream link to Germany, the biggest pipeline route from Russia to Europe, remain stable. But, separately, flows from Norway are set to decrease on Thursday.

Ukraine’s gas grid on Wednesday stopped accepting Russian fuel at one of the two key entry points, saying it could no longer control relevant infrastructure in the occupied territory in the eastern part of Ukraine. Gazprom said it wasn’t able to reroute all supplies to another entry point because of how its system currently works.

No Russian gas is flowing into the Sokhranivka station on the Ukrainian border for a second day. Sokhranivka had handled about a third of Russia’s gas flows crossing Ukraine before the halt, with the rest passing through Sudzha, the other entry point.

“Lost Sokhranivka supply is not dramatic, but it sends a signal for what might come down the road,” analysts at SEB said in a note. “This does not scream crisis, but it is a wake-up call for what is to come. We could likely see more supply disruptions going forward.”

Market news, analysis

• RWE Says Next Gas Payment to Russia Due End of May
• Commerzbank Would Have to Review Provisions If Gas Stopped: CFO
• LNG WRAP: Asian Buyers Seek More Term Supply as Spot Rates Rise
• Spot LNG Prices in Asia Could Rise on Low Inventories: BNEF

–With assistance from Todd Gillespie.