Global Tensions Escalate: Harris and Trump Clash, UN Chief Condemns Israel’s Crackdown on Refugee Aid
Host) This is ‘Global Village Today’, which brings you important news from various countries around the world. Let’s find out what’s happening at this moment with reporter Kim Jeong-woo.
Host) What news is there today?
Reporter) Yes. Democratic presidential candidate Vice President Kamala Harris held a large rally in Washington. Candidate Harris criticized Republican presidential candidate former President Donald Trump, saying he is not a person who thinks about creating a better life. UN Secretary-General António Guterres has sent a letter to Israel protesting the Israeli parliament’s passage of a law that would significantly limit UN aid agencies’ operations in the Palestinian territories. The Onagawa Nuclear Power Plant, which had been shut down after an explosion during the Great East Japan Earthquake, has restarted operations after 13 years. Lastly, we would like to inform you that former Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte testified at a hearing about the ‘war on drugs’ waged during his term in office.
Host) Today in the world, first, news of the US presidential election. Democratic presidential candidate Vice President Kamala Harris held a large-scale campaign here in Washington, D.C.?
Reporter) That’s right. On the night of the 29th, there was a campaign rally for candidate Harris at Ellipse Park, overlooking the White House. Reuters reported that more than 75,000 people gathered at this rally. This Ellipse Park, where candidate Harris’ campaign rally was held, is where former President Trump gave a controversial speech on January 6, 2021. At that time, former President Trump gave a speech and supporters stormed the Federal Capitol.
Host) Many media outlets are highlighting the fact that candidate Harris campaigned at the site of candidate Trump’s speech, which provided a clue to the storming of the Capitol. What did candidate Harris say in the speech?
Reporter) Yes. They called on us to reject candidate Trump’s efforts to sow division and fear. Let’s listen to candidate Harris.
“This is someone who is unstable, obsessed with revenge, consumed with grievance, and out for unchecked power. Donald Trump has spent a decade trying to keep the American people divided and afraid of each other.”
Reporter) Yes. Candidate Trump is a person who is unstable, obsessed with revenge, full of dissatisfaction, and seeks unchecked power. Harris said Trump has spent a decade trying to keep Americans divided and afraid of each other. He also emphasized, “I promise to seek common ground and common sense for a better life for you,” and “I am not trying to score political points, but to make progress.”
Host) Candidate Harris again presented key pledges in her speech on this day (the 29th)?
Reporter) That’s right. He renewed his detailed plan to help middle-class Americans financially. He also mentioned the Republican Party’s efforts to reduce abortions and reiterated that the government should not tell women what to do with their bodies. He also said his administration will be different from the Biden administration because the challenges it faces are different.
Host) What kind of schedule did candidate Trump have on the 29th?
Reporter) Yes. I campaigned in Florida and Pennsylvania. In his speech in Florida, candidate Trump made a remark that took into account the fact that a supporting speaker at a campaign rally at Madison Square Garden in New York on the 27th disparaged Puerto Rico, a U.S. territory in the Caribbean. At the time, there was controversy when a supporting speaker called Puerto Rico a “floating island of garbage.” Let’s hear what candidate Trump had to say about this.
“I don’t think anybody has ever seen anything like what happened the other night at Madison Square Garden. The love, the love, the love in that room. It was breathtaking.”
Reporter) Yes. “I don’t think anyone has ever seen anything like what happened at Madison Square Garden before,” Trump said. He also said, “There was love there and it took my breath away,” and “It was like a festival of love, and it was an honor to be there.”
Host) The person who made the controversial comment was comedian Tony Hinchcliffe, but candidate Trump did not apologize for Hinchcliffe’s remarks?
Reporter) That’s right. Previously, candidate Trump said at a conference with the US ABC on the 29th, “Someone put him on the podium without knowing Mr. Hinchcliffe,” and “I did not hear the problematic words at the time.” However, I am interested in what effect Mr. Hinchcliffe’s remarks will have on the votes of Pennsylvania, which has many Puerto Rican voters. In this regard, former U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations Nikki Haley pointed out that now is not the time for anyone to criticize Puerto Rico or Latinos. Former Ambassador Haley competed against candidate Trump in the Republican presidential primary.
Host) In the past, when candidate Trump was president, Puerto Rico suffered significant damage from a hurricane, and there were voices criticizing the Trump administration’s response at the time, right?
Reporter) Yes. At the time, there were people who criticized the Trump administration for delaying the injection of billions of dollars in recovery aid and only providing it right before the 2020 presidential election. However, candidate Trump said at an event in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania on the afternoon of the 29th, “I don’t think there is a president who has done as much for Puerto Rico as I have.”
Host) Meanwhile, President Joe Biden’s remarks on the 29th are also causing controversy, right?
Reporter) Yes. President Biden said on the 29th, “The only trash floating around in Puerto Rico is Trump candidate supporters.” President Biden later explained that his remarks were a reference to the Republican Party’s rhetoric. Meanwhile, candidate Trump said President Biden’s words were “horrible.” Vice Presidential candidate JD Vance called it “disgusting.”
On the 11th, UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres attended the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) meeting held in Vientiane, Laos.
Host) Global Today, followed by news from the Middle East. There was news that Israel was restricting the activities of UN aid agencies. UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres protested this measure?
Reporter) That’s right. Secretary-General Guterres sent a letter to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on the 29th, protesting against the Israeli parliament’s passage of a bill that significantly restricts the activities of the UNRWA (Palestinian Refugee Relief Agency). According to AFP, Secretary-General Guterres pointed out in the letter that the bill could have serious consequences because there is no reasonable alternative to UNRWA, which provides necessary relief and support to people in Gaza and the West Bank.
Host) What does the bill approved by the Israeli parliament contain?
Reporter) Yes. There are two laws. One banned UNRWA from operating in Israel and East Jerusalem. The second law prohibited contact between UNRWA staff and Israeli officials. Many media outlets predicted that this law would significantly curtail UNRWA’s activities in the Gaza Strip and the occupied West Bank. These two laws will not take effect immediately, but will take effect three months later.
Host) Secretary-General Guterres said that no organization has replaced UNRWA. What will happen to aid if the two laws actually go into effect?
Reporter) Yes. Secretary-General Guterres demanded that the Israeli government take responsibility. He emphasized that, in accordance with international law, the occupying power must implement a system to assist the population of the occupied territories.
Host) There has been criticism from the international community regarding this law. Is there anything new from the U.S. government?
Reporter) Yes. The State Department commented on the 29th that it was deeply concerned about the current situation. Let’s listen to what spokesman Matthew Miller has to say.
“It could shutter UNRWA operations in the West Bank, in Gaza and East Jerusalem. It poses risks for millions of Palestinians who rely on UNRWA for essential services, including health care and primary and secondary education.”
Reporter) Yes. A law passed by the Israeli parliament could halt UNRWA activities in the West Bank, Gaza Strip, and East Jerusalem. It also poses a risk to the millions of Palestinians who rely on UNRWA for essential services, including health care and primary and secondary education, Miller said.
Host) Meanwhile, Hamas, a Palestinian armed organization designated as a terrorist organization by the United States, mentioned ceasefire negotiations?
Reporter) That’s right. Sami Abu Zuhri, a senior Hamas official, said in a televised speech on the 29th that “Hamas is open to all ideas and proposals to end the suffering of the Gaza people, achieve a permanent ceasefire, and the withdrawal of the occupying forces (Israel) from the Gaza Strip.” . He also emphasized that the ceasefire agreement must end Israel’s blockade of Gaza, allow unrestricted aid, rebuild Gaza and exchange Israeli hostages for Palestinian prisoners in Israel.
Host) On the other hand, there is news that the negotiating countries have prepared a new ceasefire plan, right?
Reporter) That’s right. Citing a source familiar with the negotiations, AFP reported on the 30th that senior officials from the United States, Qatar, and Egypt discussed proposing a short-term ceasefire of less than a month. The new ceasefire calls for an exchange of Israeli hostages and Palestinian prisoners and increased aid for the Gaza Strip. “US officials believe a short-term ceasefire could lead to a permanent ceasefire agreement,” a source quoted by AFP said.
Nuclear power plant in Onagawa, Miyagi Prefecture, Japan.
Host) Global Village Today we go to Japan. One of the nuclear power plants that shut down during the Great East Japan Earthquake is restarting?
Reporter) That’s right. Japan’s Tohoku Electric Power Company restarted the reactor at Unit 2 of the Onagawa Nuclear Power Plant in Miyagi Prefecture near Fukushima Prefecture for the first time in 13 years. Tohoku Electric Power Company announced on the 29th that the power plant has resumed operation and is scheduled to begin generating power in early November. This is the first time that a nuclear power plant in an area affected by the Great East Japan Earthquake has restarted.
Host) Didn’t some nuclear reactors explode during the Great East Japan Earthquake? Is the Onagawa Power Plant being restarted this time also the nuclear power plant where the explosion occurred?
Reporter) That’s not it. On March 11, 2011, when a 9.0-magnitude earthquake and a 13-meter-high tsunami struck eastern Japan, nuclear fuel melted from three reactors that had lost power at the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant, releasing a large amount of radioactive material. However, fortunately, the Onagawa Power Plant, located about 100 km north of the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant, did not experience an explosion like the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant. All three reactors were safely shut down with their main cooling systems running.
Host) There was no damage during the earthquake, but it has been out of operation for over 10 years?
Reporter) Yes, because after the Great East Japan Earthquake, the Japanese government stopped the operation of all 54 domestic nuclear reactors. Instead, safety inspections and improvement work began for all nuclear power plants. It was not until 2015 that the Sendai nuclear power plant in Kagoshima Prefecture restarted operation. With Unit 2 of the Onagawa Nuclear Power Plant entering operation this time, the total number of reactors that have been restarted has reached 13. Tohoku Electric Power Company said that the restart of the Onagawa nuclear power plant shows that the region has recovered from the disaster.
Host) Are you saying that the recent restart of the Onagawa Nuclear Power Plant is related to Japan’s energy policy?
Reporter) Yes, the Japanese government has set a goal to secure a stable energy supply and achieve carbon neutrality, that is, a society without carbon emissions, by 2050. To achieve this goal, we plan to make the most of nuclear power generation, including restarting closed nuclear power plants, extending the operating life of old nuclear power plants, and developing next-generation nuclear reactors. Japanese government spokesperson Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshimasa Hayashi said at a press conference on the 29th, “Nuclear power is an important power source for decarbonization along with renewable energy,” and “We will utilize it to the fullest extent possible while ensuring safety.”
Host) Are there any criticisms regarding the restart of the Onagana Nuclear Power Plant?
Reporter) According to Japanese local media, there are voices of concern about safety in the area around the Onagawa nuclear power plant. However, Tohoku Electric Power Company carried out construction to prepare safety measures against tsunamis and earthquakes in 2013 to restart the Onagawa nuclear power plant. We also built a seawall 29 meters above sea level. Onagawa Unit 2 received safety approval from the Nuclear Regulatory Commission in 2020.
Host) Other nuclear power plants that have stopped operating will gradually restart, right?
Reporter) Yes, according to NHK, nuclear power plants across Japan, including those in Nikata Prefecture and Ibaraki Prefecture, are planning to restart after receiving consent from local residents. On the other hand, there are nuclear power plants that are completely shut down. Japan’s 21 nuclear reactors, including 6 Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plants and 1 Onagawa nuclear power plant, are being retired. That’s because operating utilities decided to close the reactors instead of investing heavily in equipment that would meet stricter safety standards following the Fukushima nuclear accident.
Former Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte appears at a Philippine Senate hearing on the 28th and is being investigated.
Host) Global Village Today, the final news goes to the Philippines. The former Philippine president appeared at a congressional hearing?
Reporter) That’s right. Former Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte appeared at a Philippine Senate hearing on the 28th and testified about the ‘war on drugs’ waged during his term. This is the first time that President Duterte has testified before Congress about the war on drugs since leaving office in 2022. The hearing that day was broadcast on television and attracted the attention of the entire nation.
Host) What did former President Duterte testify at the hearing?
Reporter) Former President Duterte, 79, asserted the legitimacy of his war on drugs. Former President Duterte, who said, “I will not apologize or make excuses, so please do not question my policies,” clearly stated, “I did what I had to do for the country,” but emphasized, “I hate drugs.” I did it.
Host) Former President Duterte defended his policies like this, but the war on drugs was also criticized a lot, right?
Reporter) Yes, the Philippine National Police estimates that more than 6,000 people have been killed in the war on drugs, but human rights groups claim that tens of thousands of people have been killed. He also pointed out that people have been killed by police and vigilantes without evidence of drug involvement, and that most of the dead were poor men.
Host) What kind of policy was the War on Drugs?
Reporter) This is an anti-drug campaign that former President Duterte implemented immediately after taking office in 2016. Former President Duterte ordered police to kill suspects if they believe their lives are in danger. Although many people have since lost their lives at the hands of police, only nine Philippine police officers have been convicted of killing drug suspects. An international investigation has also begun into these harsh crackdown measures. The International Criminal Court (ICC) has opened a formal investigation into allegations that state-sanctioned “crimes against humanity” have been committed during the 2021 war on drugs.
Host) Is the war on drugs over?
Reporter) The war on drugs has continued since former President Duterte’s successor, Ferdinand Marcos Jr., took office. However, there has been a shift towards a greater focus on prevention and rehabilitation. Despite the rift between President Marcos and his predecessor Duterte, President Marcos said the Philippine government would not cooperate with the ICC investigation. As the ICC began a preliminary investigation into the war on drugs, the Duterte government withdrew from the ICC in 2019.
Host) What position did former President Duterte express on criticism that he unjustly murdered people?
Reporter) At the hearing, former President Duterte denied the accusation that he permitted extrajudicial killings of drug suspects and insisted that there were no “state-sponsored killings.” However, he did admit that when he was mayor of Davao before becoming president, he organized a “death squad” made up of gang members to eliminate criminals.
Host) Former President Duterte seems to be taking the stance that he is not at fault even though an international investigation has been launched.
Reporter) That’s right. Former President Duterte even testified that if given another chance, he would “eliminate all” drug dealers and criminals. Meanwhile, the families of the victims who claimed to have been innocently killed by the police during a drug bust operation also attended this hearing. Randy Delos Santos, who testified about his slain nephew, told The Associated Press it was like reliving a nightmare. “It was scary that thousands of innocent people could be shot again,” he said.
Host) Global Village concludes today. This was reporter Kim Jeong-woo.