13/05/2025

TUESDAY | MAY 13, 2025 9 Poland blames Russia for shopping mall fire WARSAW: Polish authorities accused Russian intelligence services on Sunday of orchestrating a fire that destroyed a large shopping centre last year in Warsaw. Since Russia’s February 2022 offensive against Ukraine, Poland claims to be the target of sabotage attempts which they blame on Russia. In May last year, a fire destroyed a large shopping centre in Warsaw and the 1,400 small businesses it housed, most of them owned by members of the Vietnamese community. Authorities had until now refrained from blaming Moscow. “We now know for sure that the Marywilska shopping centre fire in Warsaw was caused by arson ordered by the Russian special services,” said Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk on X. The justice and interior ministries said in a separate statement on Sunday that some of the alleged perpetrators were already in custody, while others had been identified but still at large. “Their actions were organised and directed by a specific person residing in Russia,” the two ministries said, adding that they were cooperating with Lithuania, “where some of the perpetrators also carried out acts of diversion”. Since the invasion, Poland has convicted several individuals suspected of sabotage on behalf of Russian intelligence services, accused of assaults, arson or attempted arson. In May 2024, Poland imposed restrictions on the movements of Russian diplomats on its soil, due to Moscow’s “involvement” in a “hybrid war”. Five months later, Warsaw ordered the closure of the Russian consulate in Poznan, in western Poland, accusing Moscow of orchestrating “sabotage attempts”. In December, Polish diplomacy said it was willing to close all Russian consulates in Poland if acts of “terrorism” continued. Russia closed in January the Polish consulate in Saint Petersburg in retaliation. Bordering Ukraine, Poland is one of the main countries through which Western nations supply weapons and ammunition to Kyiv. – AFP Bomb disposal aid worker killed in Ukraine SYDNEY: An Australian been killed in Ukraine, Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese confirmed yesterday, with media reporting the victim was a former Australian soldier working for a charity which helps clear landmines. The man and his British colleague died last week near the eastern Ukrainian city of Izyum from injuries suffered when an improved explosive device went off in a building, the Australian Broadcasting Corp said in a report, citing an unidentified military source in Ukraine. Details had yet to be formally verified, the ABC added. Albanese said the Foreign Affairs Ministry was providing support for the man’s family, but did not provide any specifics. “Out of respect for the family’s privacy and consistent with our obligations, there is a limit to what we can say publicly at this time,” Albanese told reporters. “I can confirm he wasn’t a participant in the conflict, he was volunteering with a humanitarian organisation.” The Australian man was working for the US based Prevail Together, the ABC said. Prevail Together, which provides support to Ukrainian government agencies with landmine clearance, trauma medical care and humanitarian assistance, said in a statement that some team members were severely injured in an incident on May 6. “We are still gathering information and working alongside military and police officials to uncover the details,” it said. Australia has deployed soldiers to Britain to help train Ukrainian troops there and it is one of the largest non-Nato contributors to the West’s support for Kyiv, supplying aid, ammunition and defence equipment to defend against Russia’s invasion. – Reuters

Hamas to free hostage o Israel says no ceasefire TEL AVIV: Hamas will release Israeli American hostage Edan Alexander from Gaza, the group said, although Israel’s prime minister said there would be no ceasefire and plans for an intensified military campaign would continue. Fighting will pause to allow for Alexander’s safe passage, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said, a day after Israel was told of Hamas’ decision to free the last surviving US hostage in Gaza as a goodwill gesture to President Donald Trump. The release, after four-way talks between Hamas, the United States, Egypt and Qatar, could open the way to freeing the remaining 59 hostages held in the Gaza Strip, 19 months after the Oct 7, 2023 attack. But Netanyahu said Israel had agreed only to allow safe passage for Alexander, and its forces would continue recently announced preparations to step up operations. “Israel has not committed to a ceasefire of any kind,” his office said, adding that military pressure had forced Hamas into the release. “The negotiations will continue under fire, during preparations for an intensification of the fighting.” Israeli jets continued to pound Gaza before the expected release, killing at least 15 people sheltering in a school housing displaced families in Jabalia in the north of the enclave, local health authorities said. On Sunday, Hamas said it had been talking to the US and had agreed to release Alexander. Qatar and Egypt called it an encouraging step towards a return to ceasefire talks. Special envoy Steve Witkoff, who helped arrange the release, is expected in Israel, two Israeli officials said. Alexander’s family thanked Trump and Witkoff, saying in a statement that they hoped the decision would open the way for the release of the other hostages – only 21 of whom are thought to still be alive. “We urge the Israeli government and the negotiating teams: please don’t stop,” they said. US officials have tried to calm fears in Israel of a growing distance between Israel and Trump, who last week announced an end to US bombing of Yemen. But Israel’s government has faced criticism over a deal which laid bare the priority given to hostages able to rely on the support of a foreign government. Raanan Shaked, a columnist for Yedioth Ahronoth newspaper, said the deal “is exactly what total failure looks like: a hostage who is an American citizen is being freed directly by

Football fans outside Tottenham Hotspur Stadium in London holding banners calling for the release of hostages on Sunday. – REUTERSPIC

Netanyahu and Gallant. In April the ICC’s appeals chamber ruled that the judges of the pre-trial chamber which issued the warrants must review Israel’s objections regarding the court’s jurisdiction and the legality of the arrest warrants. It is not clear what form the ordered review will take and there are no specific deadlines set for decisions on Israel’s request to withdraw the warrants and halt the international court’s investigation. – Reuters could be seized entirely by Israeli forces. Following a ceasefire agreement that halted fighting in Gaza for two months and allowed the exchange of 38 hostages for Palestinian prisoners and detainees in Israeli jails, Israel resumed its offensive in March. Since then, it has extended its control of the territory, clearing around a third as what it has described as a “security zone” and blocked off the entry of aid into Gaza, leaving the 2 million population increasingly short of food. Huckabee last week outlined plans for a new system of aid deliveries by private contractors that would not be run by Israel but many details are unclear, including on funding. – Reuters

President Trump and the Israeli government isn’t involved.” US Ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee has said that while Trump wants all hostages freed, his “primary responsibility” as president is to secure the release of the Americans. Families of the hostages and their supporters in Israel want a deal to secure the release of those still held in Gaza, have lobbied hard in the US and have met Trump several times. But Netanyahu, who is on trial for corruption, has also faced heavy pressure from hardliners in his Cabinet not to end the war. Last week, he announced plans to step up the operation in Gaza, which officials said

‘Withdraw Netanyahu arrest warrant’ THE HAGUE: Israel has asked judges at the International Criminal Court (ICC) to withdraw arrest warrants against its prime minister and defence minister while the ICC reviews Israeli challenges to its jurisdiction over the conduct of the Gaza war. The ICC issued arrest warrants on Nov 21 for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his former defence chief, as well as a Hamas leader, Ibrahim al-Masri, for alleged war crimes and crimes against humanity in the Gaza conflict.

The ICC said in February that judges had withdrawn the arrest warrant for al-Masri, also known as Mohammed Deif, following credible reports of his death. Israel, which rejects the jurisdiction of the Hague-based court and denies war crimes in Gaza, is contesting the warrants against

Documents published on the ICC website late on Sunday also show Israel has asked the court to order the prosecution to suspend its investigation into alleged atrocity crimes in the Palestinian Territories. The documents dated May 9 are signed by Israeli Deputy Attorney General Gilad Noam.