Transcription
Fires and smoke at the Thailand-Cambodia border continue in the US. Amidst conflict negotiations taking place in Columber this morning, the 28th, Cambodia unexpectedly accused Thailand of attacking with toxic gas, while denying launching missiles into Laos. Also on the 28th, Thailand bombed a building used by Cambodia as an artillery base. They accused Phnom Penh of using this headquarters to attack civilians. Thousands of Cambodians in Thailand rushed back to their country amidst the tension. At the Kalamberg negotiation table, the US sent a representative to engage in a confrontation between Thailand and Cambodia. ASEAN's central role is being questioned. On the Eastern European battlefield, Russia massively deployed over 100 Geran UAVs to attack Ukrainian territory. A Chinese icebreaker unexpectedly approached Alaska. The US issued a security alert for the Arctic region. In Germany, a train derailed due to storms, causing significant casualties. Let's follow the global security situation right after this. [Music] You are returning to the World Security program on BNC Now. The program will open with the latest security news from around the globe in the past 24 hours. Ladies and gentlemen, as Thai and Cambodian leaders meet in the Malaysian capital of Colalumber this afternoon to discuss a ceasefire, artillery shelling that shakes the border between the two sides continues fiercely. Lieutenant General Mali Soita, spokesperson for the Cambodian Ministry of Defense, today, the 28th, accused Thai forces of continuing cross-border attacks into Cambodian territory, despite high-level reconciliation efforts between Prime Minister Humanetes and the acting Prime Minister of Thailand. At a press conference, Ms. Sita announced that from 3:00 to 5:00 this morning, Thai forces launched attacks on Tamontom and Takra. Specifically, they used jet aircraft to conduct toxic gas attacks in An Vnom. She accused Thailand of seeking to control the W calcury temple area and reinforce its positions in areas such as Chop Koki, Sm, View in Try Smoky, Tatap, and Ansess. She stated that the intense attacks began at 3:10 AM and lasted until 5:07 AM. Nevertheless, she affirmed that the Cambodian army held its ground, fighting with unwavering determination and without fear of sacrifice against the Thai attack. General Soita also refuted new accusations from Thailand claiming Cambodia launched long-range BHL03 missiles into Laotian territory, calling them baseless, misleading, and malicious statements. She said this is a deliberate fabrication to justify increasingly violent and inhumane attacks from Thailand. Furthermore, Ms. Soita condemned accusations from Thailand that Cambodia deliberately fired missiles into Laos, calling it a low-level and deceitful strategy aimed at damaging Cambodia's reputation before the international community. She affirmed that Cambodia has never and will never take any action that violates the sovereignty of its neighboring countries. "We are committed to respecting the territorial integrity of all sovereign nations." She emphasized that the Thai army is deliberately fabricating false stories to legitimize its attacks and blame Cambodia as the instigator. These accusations are merely pretexts to hide their true objectives: to escalate military conflict and destabilize the region. On the Thai side, the country later denied information about toxic gas attacks on Cambodia. Also today, the Thai army confirmed it had bombed a building located on Cambodian territory near the border, stating that the building was used by the Cambodian army to attack Thai civilians. In a statement released by the Army Region 2 Command Center, the Thai side asserted that the targeted building was an abandoned structure but had been used by the Cambodian army to install weapons for launching attacks against Thai civilian communities. The Thai army accused Cambodia of using civilian areas and non-military structures to deploy weapons, an act considered a violation of international law, particularly the prohibition of using civilians as human shields. The statement read that the deployment of weapons in residential areas is a deliberate act to shield military operations, a serious violation of the Geneva Conventions and humanitarian principles. The center stated that the decision to bomb was a necessary defensive measure to neutralize a direct threat to Thai civilians after attacks from Cambodia resulted in the deaths of many innocent people. This statement also aimed to respond to accusations circulating on social media that Thailand had shelled and attacked a civilian building on Cambodian territory without just cause. However, the Thai side asserted that they had closely monitored the target and clearly identified it as a location used by the Cambodian army to launch projectiles. Regarding information circulating on social media that Lieutenant General Busen Bang, commander of Thailand's 2nd Army Area, was killed in clashes with Cambodia, he himself on the 28th denied this, stating it was fake news intended to undermine the morale of Thai soldiers in the border area. The Nation Thailand cited Lieutenant General Busin as stating that some individuals had spread false rumors about his death, even circulating fake images of Thai soldiers holding his picture with the acronym "ORI" meaning "Rest in Peace." He believes this is a deliberate act to weaken the fighting spirit of Thai forces and cause public confusion. "I am still present on the front lines of the Thai-Cambodian border, directly commanding and standing with the soldiers to protect the safety and security of the people. I will continue to carry out my mission to protect national sovereignty until the situation stabilizes." Lieutenant General Buusin also warned about the distortion of information from Cambodia and urged the Thai public to only follow official news sources and avoid being misled by false information. Cambodia has not yet commented on the accusations. Ladies and gentlemen, a recent report indicates that thousands of Cambodians living in Thailand have rushed back to their country to escape the escalating violence along the border. This is considered the worst crisis in over ten years between the two Southeast Asian neighbors. Shelling, airstrikes, and small-scale clashes have caused heavy casualties, with at least 30 people killed, including more than 20 civilians. Authorities from both countries stated that over 200,000 people have been displaced from the conflict zones, creating a severe humanitarian crisis. Observers warn that if a ceasefire agreement is not reached soon, the border crisis between Thailand and Cambodia risks spreading and threatening regional stability. Ladies and gentlemen, the two world powers, the United States and China, have officially joined special negotiations in Columber to find a solution to the escalating armed conflict between Cambodia and Thailand. According to previous information, the meeting took place at 3:00 PM today with the participation of Prime Minister Cuch Humanet, acting Thai Prime Minister Full Time Waj Trai, and high-level representatives from both countries. However, the most notable aspect is the presence of the US and China, marking a rare and decisive diplomatic intervention by the two countries in the Southeast Asian regional conflict. According to a statement from Prime Minister Humanet, the conference was organized in response to a proposal from US President Donald Trump with the consensus of all parties involved. Mr. Hanet shared on his personal Facebook that "I thank Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim for coordinating the conference, as well as President Trump for the US's mediating role." Meanwhile, the official Facebook page of the US Embassy in Bangkok posted a statement from US Secretary of State Marco Rubio, affirming Washington's active role in the upcoming high-level dialogue to resolve the conflict between Cambodia and Thailand. Alongside the US, China has also sent high-level representatives to attend the conference as a dialogue partner and observer. Despite maintaining a more neutral stance than the US, Beijing is seen as playing a balancing role in the region, especially as both Cambodia and Thailand have strategic relationships with China. Ladies and gentlemen, according to an analysis recently published on the website of the L Institute, the escalating clashes between Thailand and Cambodia in the Emerald Triangle region not only pose a threat to regional security but also clearly demonstrate the weakening of ASEAN's central role, a core principle in the Southeast Asian security architecture. Although holding the ASEAN chairmanship in 2025, Malaysian Prime Minister Ang Ibrahim has only been able to issue calls for de-escalation of disputes in an ASEAN manner. However, the reactions of the parties involved expose the bloc's practical limitations. Cambodia has submitted the issue to the UN Security Council, while Thailand wishes to keep the conflict within a bilateral framework. The current crisis not only violates two fundamental principles of the ASEAN Treaty of Amity and Cooperation – non-interference and the renunciation of the use of force – but also exposes the organization's limited capabilities. Previously, ASEAN was also powerless in dealing with the widespread consequences of the Myanmar conflict and repeatedly failed to issue joint statements on the South China Sea. Since its establishment in 1967, ASEAN has often prided itself on the absence of wars between its members. But this is now seriously questioned as Thailand and Cambodia, which previously clashed between 2008-2011, are once again in armed confrontation. At that time, ASEAN only played a mediating role after being authorized by the Security Council and the then-chairman of the bloc, Indonesia. The border dispute itself remains unresolved to this day. What is even more concerning is the international factor. Cambodia and Thailand respectively have deep strategic relations with China and the United States, two global competitors. With both the US and China participating in the emergency summit hosted by Malaysia, ASEAN's central role is further eroded as the bloc is no longer the main arena for reconciliation efforts. History witnesses a similar consequence. The Cambodia-Vietnam border war from 1975-1979, internationalized in the context of the Cold War, became a hot spot for Sino-Soviet competition, drawing in the US. At that time, ASEAN sided with the US and China in supporting the Khmer Rouge to maintain its UN seat, rather than recognizing the People's Republic of Cambodia government supported by Vietnam. Ladies and gentlemen, the current crisis risks following the same path. If ASEAN continues to allow external powers to shape the situation, Thailand's possibility of reopening bases for the US military or Cambodia allowing China to increase its presence at the Ram naval base could turn the region into a geopolitical chessboard and completely lose the autonomy of Southeast Asian nations. There are no signs that the military escalation between Thailand and Cambodia can bring a sustainable solution. The personalization of the conflict through the relationships between political clans like the Watra in Thailand and the Hun family in Cambodia makes concessions even more difficult. According to the article, the only solution remains a diplomatic agreement led by ASEAN based on the principles of consensus, dialogue, and reconciliation. But to achieve this, it is necessary to overcome internal paralysis and assert its role as a credible mediator in the region. Otherwise, ASEAN will only remain a symbolic entity, overshadowed by major powers and excluded from decisive processes for regional security that the organization should be leading. Regarding the Eastern European conflict, the military website Evapro on the 28th cited monitoring sources in Ukraine warning that Russia is planning to conduct a large-scale coordinated attack on Ukrainian territory involving strategic bombers and dozens of attack unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs). According to regional media, the Russian Air Force deployed six strategic bombers that took off during the night. Among them, two Tu-95 MS aircraft departed from the Olia base, and two Tu-95 MS and two Tu-160 aircraft departed from the Andros base in Saratov province. The estimated time of approach to the first launch area near Andros is around 2:00 AM local time. The Caspian Sea operational area is expected to be approached between 3:00 AM and 3:20 AM. Simultaneously, about 70 attack UAVs were deployed in the Ukrainian sky. Most of these aircraft were detected operating in the region of Jenny Hiff province in northern Ukraine. According to flight path data, the UAVs are moving westward, raising concerns that the target of this attack is strategic facilities in western Ukraine. In response to these developments, Ukrainian authorities issued an urgent warning, calling on citizens nationwide to remain vigilant, adhere to safety guidelines, and be prepared to respond in case of a large-scale attack. This is considered one of Russia's largest military movements in weeks, occurring amidst escalating tensions on the eastern and southern fronts of Ukraine. Ladies and gentlemen, following the plans reported in the early hours of the 28th, Russia launched a large-scale attack using Geran unmanned aerial vehicles. These kamikaze drones, similar to Shahed drones developed by Iran, targeted various regions across Ukraine. According to Ukrainian monitoring channels, between 80 and 100 Geran UAVs simultaneously entered Ukrainian airspace during the attack. The Ukrainian Air Force confirmed that groups of UAVs appeared in several provinces, including Kharkiv, Chernihiv, Kyiv, Zhytomyr, Dnipropetrovsk, Sumy, Mykolaiv, and Odesa. Air defense forces have been deployed to counter them. Air raid warnings were also issued in Volyn province in northwestern Ukraine, indicating the widespread scale of the attack. Observers believe this could be Moscow's response to a recent attack on Russia's Lening Cr region. On the 27th, Russia reduced the scale of its Navy Day celebrations, an important annual event, due to security concerns as Ukrainian drone attacks continue to increase, posing a direct threat to key cities. The authorities canceled naval parades in Sevastopol, Kaliningrad on the Baltic Sea, and Vladivostok port in the Far East. These are annual events to showcase Russia's naval power and patriotism. When asked about the cancellation of the parade in Sevastopol, even though President Vladimir Putin still visited his hometown to visit the naval headquarters, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov stated that the decision was made due to the general situation, particularly security reasons. The Russian Ministry of Defense announced that air defense forces shot down 99 Ukrainian drones in a single night, covering many areas across the country. Subsequently, local authorities also reported more downed UAVs near Sevastopol. Due to the drone threat, Pultkovo Airport in St. Petersburg was forced to suspend dozens of flights on the morning of the 27th. During his visit, Mr. Putin went to the historic Admiralty building to receive a report on the naval exercises held in July, which concluded on the same day after four days. This large-scale exercise involved 150 warships from the Baltic to the Pacific fleets. The Russian President declared that the country will continue to build more warships and strengthen naval training. He emphasized that the offensive power and combat capability of the Russian Navy will be raised to a new level. The reduction in the scale of the celebrations reflects Moscow's growing concerns about Ukrainian drone attacks, which have caused significant damage to the Russian Navy. Earlier, in a daring attack, Ukraine sank several Russian warships in the Black Sea, forcing Moscow to withdraw its main fleet from Crimea, a region occupied by Russia, to the port of Novorossiysk. The Reuters news agency recently reported that over 1,000 Jewish clerics from around the world have accused Israel of using starvation as a tool of war in Gaza, calling on the Israeli government to allow humanitarian aid to access the blockaded territory. According to Philip Laini, head of the UN Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA), about 90,000 women and children in Gaza are suffering from severe malnutrition. Aid organizations describe this as man-made starvation, a direct consequence of the blockade imposed. In an open letter, Jewish clerics and scholars from the US, UK, the European Union, and Israel stated that the Jewish people are facing a serious moral crisis. The letter emphasizes that the strict limitation of humanitarian aid into Gaza and the deliberate policy of cutting off supplies of food, water, and medicine to a desperate civilian population go against the core values of Judaism. The clerics called for large-scale humanitarian aid to be allowed into Gaza, while emphasizing the need to prevent aid from falling into the hands of Hamas. They also demanded that the Israeli authorities quickly return the hostages by all possible means and end the fighting. In response to international criticism, Israel claims that the current situation is a result of poor coordination from international organizations and Hamas stealing food and attacking distribution points. Israeli officials also assert that Hamas is exploiting the starvation narrative as a tool to pressure in hostage negotiations. Israel has pledged to improve its humanitarian response, including resuming airdrops and implementing tactical pauses over the weekend to allow more than 100 aid trucks into Gaza. However, Mr. Lazarini dismissed these measures as a smokescreen to deceive public opinion, accusing Israel of whitewashing its image. He stressed that instead of taking symbolic measures, Israel needs to open the way for over 6,000 aid trucks being blocked outside Gaza. Ladies and gentlemen, in recent weeks, US President Donald Trump has accused former President Barack Obama of treason after the Director of National Intelligence, John Ratcliffe, released documents alleging a plot to sabotage Trump's 2016 election campaign. However, according to legal experts, any attempt to prosecute Mr. Obama will face serious legal obstacles. Mr. Trump made a strong statement on the 22nd, saying that "Obama is guilty. This is treason. They tried to manipulate the election, to disrupt everything." However, he did not provide any concrete evidence to support his claim. Professor James Stell of Houston University emphasized that prosecuting a former president for official actions during his term is almost impossible. He said, "If the goal is to bring criminal charges, then legally they are in a very disadvantageous position." Mr. S also stated that the Supreme Court itself, in a case filed by Mr. Trump, had previously affirmed that presidents, whether in office or out of office, are immune from prosecution for official acts during their tenure. He questioned, "What is more official than investigating foreign interference in US elections?" implying that Obama's decision to conduct the investigation related to Russia was entirely legal and within a president's responsibilities. Ladies and gentlemen, the US Coast Guard announced last week that it had detected a Chinese-flagged research vessel operating off the coast of Alaska in an area Washington claims as its extended continental shelf (ECS). The vessel was identified as the Xue Long 2, a Chinese polar research icebreaker, located approximately 290 nautical miles north of the city of Avic, Alaska, within the North American Arctic region. According to the US Coast Guard, a C-130J Hercules long-range surveillance aircraft was deployed to monitor the vessel, and field images were released. Washington considers the ECS to be the seabed extending beyond 200 nautical miles from the baseline of US territory, as stipulated in the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS). However, the US has not yet officially ratified this convention. The US's unilateral claim to sovereignty over the ECS, estimated to extend by about 1 million square kilometers, is currently causing international controversy. In response, China denies suspicions about the purpose of the trip, calling the US action an exaggeration of the threat from China to justify its interference and expansion of influence in the Arctic. Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Wang Wenbin affirmed that the Xue Long 2 is conducting legitimate and transparent maritime research activities in accordance with international law, including UNCLOS. He also emphasized that China hopes relevant parties will not harbor unfounded suspicions or misinterpretations about this research activity. Some Chinese experts believe that Washington's actions are a prime example of a preemptive strike tactic to gain the moral high ground, while accusing the US of fabricating a lawbreaker image to justify its presence and actions that influence the Arctic, a region of increasing strategic importance amidst climate change and growing geopolitical competition. A bipartisan coalition of US senators is warning of a quiet but concerning trend in the American heartland. More and more agricultural land is falling into the hands of foreign investors, with China being the most active buyer. This concern has become more urgent as data shows a clear trend: Chinese investment in US agriculture has increased tenfold in the past decade. Senator Joni Ernst of Iowa, the leader of the Agricultural Land Act initiative, highlighted this issue. Her bill aims to curb China's growing influence by granting the federal government broader oversight over the ownership of agricultural land by foreign individuals or entities. The overall goal of this effort is to prevent the expansionist ambitions of China, one of America's top geopolitical rivals. Burns emphasized in an interview with the Daily Mail, "Over the past decade, China has significantly increased its investment in agricultural land in the US. Restricting foreign entities' access to land, especially from rival countries like China, is absolutely necessary." He warned that if left unchecked, China could acquire agricultural land to prevent the US from using that land for food production, thereby affecting domestic food security. While there is bipartisan consensus that China poses a threat to the US, from intellectual property theft to economic competition, the two parties still have many disagreements on the most effective way to respond to Beijing. Regarding Korean Peninsula security, in its first reaction to the peace proposal from South Korean liberal President Yoon Suk-yeol, North Korea flatly rejected any possibility of dialogue, stating that the country is not interested in any reconciliation policies or initiatives from Seoul. Kim Yo Jong, the powerful sister of leader Kim Jong Un and a high-ranking official in the ruling party, declared on the 28th that Mr. Yoon's offer is merely emotional and no different from previous South Korean administrations with confrontational ideologies. Ms. Kim stated in a statement released by the Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) that "If South Korea thinks it can reverse the consequences of its hostile actions with just a few flowery words, that is a serious mistake." Mr. Yoon took office on June 4th after winning a special election held after former President Park Geun-hye was impeached for an attempted coup. During his election campaign, Mr. Yoon pledged to mend inter-Korean relations, which have been at an extremely tense level for many years. However, experts believe North Korea will not be easily persuaded. Analyst Chun Yung-woo of Yonsei University commented, "If South Korea truly wants to reduce tensions, the first step is to stop the joint military exercises with the US, scheduled for next month." However, this is difficult to implement as Seoul considers its alliance with Washington as the foundation of its national security. According to Chun, a more feasible solution is to reduce the scale of the exercises and limit the deployment of US strategic weapons to the Korean Peninsula as a gesture of goodwill. In an effort to de-escalate, President Yoon has halted the campaign of anti-North Korean propaganda broadcasts at the border, and also banned civilian groups from dropping leaflets into North Korean territory. These actions have angered Pyongyang in the past. However, Ms. Kim Jong Un believes that South Korea's actions are merely a temporary withdrawal of provocative actions that should not have happened in the first place. She emphasized, "We do not appreciate these actions. Once again, we clearly reaffirm our position: regardless of the policy pursued by the government or any proposal made, we are not interested. We will not sit down for negotiations because there is nothing to discuss." According to the Bild newspaper, citing local police, at least three people were killed in a serious train accident in the southwestern German state of Baden-Württemberg recently. The incident occurred on the evening of the 27th local time when a train carrying about 100 passengers derailed in a wooded area about 50 kilometers west of the city. The head of the Baden-Württemberg Interior Ministry, Thomas Strobl, stated that dozens of people were injured in the accident and all passengers on the train were evacuated. However, he also warned that people might still be trapped under the overturned carriages and debris. According to local media and rescue forces, 34 people were confirmed injured, including three in critical condition. Officials have not yet made an official comment on these numbers. German Chancellor Olaf Scholz expressed his deep condolences to the families of the victims and said he was shocked by the incident, but did not mention casualty figures. According to the police, the train involved in the accident was a regional express train en route to Munich. Dozens of rescue teams and at least six helicopters were dispatched to the scene. Photos published by German media show several carriages tilted or overturned in a ravine near the tracks. The cause of the accident has not yet been determined. However, Bild reported that the area where the accident occurred experienced heavy rain and strong winds just before the train derailed. Ladies and gentlemen, prolonged heavy rainfall today, the 28th, has caused flooding in many areas of the capital, Beijing, and northern provinces of China, increasing the risk of severe landslides and flash floods. According to local meteorological authorities, over 4,000 people have been evacuated to safety. In Mentougou District, a northwestern suburb of Beijing, continuous heavy rainfall caused flash floods and landslides, severely affecting many villages. China Central Television (CCTV) reported that in Shuangji Village, Shang Town, near the Guanting Reservoir, another 100 residents were urgently evacuated to a primary school for shelter. Earlier, on the 27th, Beijing authorities confirmed that the water flow into Guanting Reservoir had reached a record level of over 6,500 cubic meters per second, the highest ever recorded there. Not only Beijing, but many other areas in northern China are also severely affected by this heavy rainfall. In Shanxi Province, according to images released by state media, many roads were submerged by floodwaters, and trees and crops were deeply inundated. The authorities in Datong City are carrying out search and rescue operations after a driver was reported missing while driving through floodwaters. As of July 27th, in Hebei Province, at least two people were killed and two others went missing after record rainfall of up to 145 mm/h poured down on Fangshan County, Baoding industrial city. The Chinese Ministry of Water Resources has issued flood warnings in 11 provinces and regions, including Beijing and Hebei, due to the risk of flash floods in medium and small rivers and mountainous areas. According to experts, the extreme rainfall in recent years in northern China, a traditionally arid region, may be related to global climate change, along with the impact of the East Asian monsoon. Extreme weather is posing significant challenges to the old flood control system, while seriously threatening the lives of millions of people and the country's trillion-dollar agricultural sector. And that information concludes the World Security program. On behalf of the production team, thank you for your attention. Goodbye and see you in the next broadcasts. Ja. [Music]