America is sleepwalking into a new global conflict because President Joe Biden has no idea where he is steering the country, his predecessor Donald Trump has said.
Writing on Truth Social on Saturday, the 45th US president stated that “we are heading to World War III because of grossly incompetent leadership, headed by a President that doesn’t have a clue.”
However, Trump mockingly praised Biden for joining Truth Social, a right-wing platform that he founded after he was banned on Facebook and Twitter (now known as X) in 2021 following the attack on the US Capitol in Washington. “Congratulations Joe, at least, on that!” he quipped.
The Biden presidential campaign opened a Truth Social account called Biden-Harris HQ with a banner image reading “Malarkey ends here” earlier this week. Writing on X, the president’s team said they did that “mostly because we thought it would be very funny.”
“Well. Let’s see how this goes. Converts welcome!” the campaign wrote in its first post on the platform.
Trump, who is considered the frontrunner for the Republican nomination in the 2024 presidential election, has repeatedly criticized Biden over his foreign policy decisions, most notably on Ukraine, warning that arms shipments to Kiev could trigger a global conflict.
Earlier this year, the ex-US president also suggested that if he “were president, the Russia/Ukraine war would never have happened.” He also argued that even if it did, he “would be able to negotiate an end to this horrible and rapidly escalating war within 24 hours.”
Commenting on these remarks, Kremlin Press Secretary Dmitry Peskov noted that Trump was “not far away from the truth” in the sense that the US, which emerged as Kiev’s key backer, could have quickly put an end to the conflict.
The first trucks carrying humanitarian aid for the Gaza Strip began to enter the exclave from Egypt through the Rafah border crossing, the Al-Arabiya broadcaster reported on Saturday.
The trucks are delivering medical supplies among other things, according to the report.
On Friday, Sputnik correspondent reported that about 200 trucks with humanitarian aid were waiting to cross into the Gaza Strip .
The United Nations said the 20-truck convoy included life-saving supplies that would be received by the Palestinian Red Crescent, but the aid was a fraction of the quantity needed and it was unclear how much aid will be allowed to pass in coming days.
Rafah is the main route in and out of the Gaza Strip that is not controlled by Israel, and the focus of efforts to deliver relief to Gaza's 2.3 million residents.
U.N. officials say at least 100 trucks a day are required in Gaza to cover urgent needs, and that any delivery of aid should be sustained and at scale. Before the outbreak of conflict, an average of about 450 aid trucks were arriving there daily.
"The humanitarian situation in Gaza – already precarious – has reached catastrophic levels," U.N. humanitarian chief Martin Griffiths said in a statement.
"I am confident that this delivery will be the start of a sustainable effort to provide essential supplies – including food, water, medicine and fuel," he said.
Israel imposed a total blockade and launched air strikes on Gaza in response to a deadly attack on Israeli soil by Hamas on Oct. 7. The Rafah crossing has been out of operation since shortly afterwards, and bombardments on the Gaza side damaged roads and buildings that needed repairs.
The U.N. has warned that food has been running out in Gaza and supplies of fuel needed to keep hospital back-up generators running have reached dangerously low levels.
Israel has said it will allow no aid to enter from its territory until Hamas releases the hostages it took during its attack, and that aid can enter through Egypt as long as it does not end up in the hands of Hamas.
International donors have been flying aid into Al Arish, about 45 km (28 miles) west of Rafah in Egypt's Sinai Peninsula.
No large-scale relief effort has been operated from Egypt during previous conflicts in Gaza, when aid passed through the Kerem Shalom crossing, controlled by Israel.
The Israeli military said on Saturday that aid entering Gaza did not include fuel and would only go to southern areas of the enclave, where Israel has urged civilians to congregate.
Many of Gaza's residents have crammed into southern areas to avoid air strikes in the north, though they also say that nowhere in the territory is safe.
"We have upped the logistical and operational abilities of the Red Crescent by adding more volunteers and cars. We have rented storages in Khan Younis and Rafah," said Mahmoud Abu Atta, of the Palestinian Red Crescent, as he entered the Rafah Crossing to receive aid.
Western states have been pushing to evacuate foreign passport holders from Gaza and the U.S. Embassy in Israel said any border opening on Saturday could enable foreigners to leave the territory.
U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres visited the border on Friday in a push to get the aid in, saying a mechanism for inspection of the aid demanded by Israel was still being worked out and that delivery of relief should not be tied to the release of hostages or evacuation of foreigners.
Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas refused to hold a phone call with US President Joe Biden during the latter’s visit to Israel on Wednesday, Israeli state media reported on Friday.
Citing a Palestinian source in the West Bank, the Kan news agency said that Biden’s team had attempted to arrange a conversation between the leaders, but Abbas rejected the request.
Biden and Abbas did speak by phone on Saturday, with the US president pledging to support efforts to “bring urgently needed humanitarian assistance to the Palestinian people,” according to a readout of the call provided by the White House.
The two leaders were set to meet with Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi and Jordan’s King Abdullah II in Jordan on Wednesday. However, the summit was canceled by the Jordanian side after a deadly explosion at the al-Ahli Arab Hospital hospital in Gaza the night before.
The Israelis and Palestinians blamed each other for the blast, which the Palestinian Health Ministry claimed killed around 500 people. Jordanian Foreign Minister Ayman Safadi sided with the Palestinians, accusing Israel of attacking the hospital in what he called “a heinous war crime.”
With the summit scrapped, Biden spent Wednesday in Israel, where he publicly endorsed Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s claim that the hospital was hit by a wayward Palestinian rocket.
Egypt will host a summit in Cairo on Saturday to address the ongoing war. Abbas is expected to attend, along with multiple Gulf and European leaders, and representatives from the EU. American and Israeli officials will not attend the gathering.
Lavrov explains how truth about Gaza hospital strike can be established
The US could publish satellite images of Gaza taken during a deadly strike on one of its hospitals, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said on Friday. The high-profile tragedy that took place earlier this week saw Palestinian militant groups and the Israeli military trading blame for the incident. America could clear this situation up if it wanted to, the Russian diplomat believes.
“Now, when everyone is talking about the Gaza tragedy, in which a hospital was attacked and hundreds of people died … one could ask the Americans for the satellite data,” Lavrov told Russia 1, adding that Washington “must surely be monitoring this area with its satellites.”
“An attack like this could not have gone unnoticed,” the minister said, adding that a goodwill move on the part of the US could make the world a “calmer place.” Lavrov criticized US officials for focusing their attention on Moscow’s dealings with Pyongyang instead.
Earlier this week, US National Security Council spokesman John Kirby claimed that North Korea had supposedly sent around 1,000 containers of “equipment and munitions” to Russia between early September and early October.
A London-based Royal United Services Institute (RUSI) think tank published what it called satellite images allegedly proving Russia had received munitions from North Korea. According to RUSI, the photos were specifically taken by a US-based private company, Planet Labs, which owns a fleet of satellites equipped with powerful telescopes and cameras.
The same company pictured the Israeli heavy equipment deployed to Gaza’s northern border, according to several media reports published this week. AP reported on Friday that another US-based company, Maxar Technologies, had taken satellite images of the aftermath of the Israeli strikes on Gaza.
Iran’s Tasnim news outlet claimed in its exclusive report on Tuesday that the US and France had been helping the Israeli military by providing imagery taken by a total of 27 satellites monitoring Gaza from the early stages of West Jerusalem’s operation against Hamas.
The strike on the hospital in question took place late on Tuesday and killed around 500 people, according to Gaza health officials. Many Muslim nations, including Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, Egypt, Türkiye, and Jordan, have blamed the Israeli military for bombing the health facility.
The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) has strongly denied responsibility, claiming the strike came from a failed rocket launched by Islamic Jihad. Washington supported West Jerusalem by also blaming Palestinian militants.
Russia has demanded a thorough and impartial investigation that would bring all those responsible to justice.
Russian forces have destroyed 500 Ukrainian combat aircraft and more than 250 helicopters since the start of the special military operation in Ukraine, Russia’s Defense Ministry reported on Friday.
"In all, the following targets have been destroyed since the start of the special military operation: 500 aircraft, 252 helicopters, 8,104 unmanned aerial vehicles, 441 surface-to-air missile systems, 12,778 tanks and other armored combat vehicles, 1,165 multiple rocket launchers, 6,837 field artillery guns and mortars and 14,463 special military motor vehicles," the ministry said in a statement.
Russian forces destroy 12 Ukrainian combat aircraft over past week
Russian forces destroyed 12 Ukrainian combat aircraft over the week of October 14-20, including seven enemy warplanes in the past 24 hours, the ministry reported.
"Fighter aircraft and air defense forces destroyed 12 airplanes over the past week by their effective operations, among them 10 MiG-29s [fighter jets] and two Su-25 attack aircraft, and also two Ukrainian Air Force Mi-8 helicopters," the ministry said.
In the last 24 hours alone, Russian air defense capabilities shot down seven Ukrainian MiG-29 fighters, the ministry reported.
Russian forces improve forward edge positions in Kupyansk area over week
Russian forces repelled 61 Ukrainian counterattacks in the Kupyansk area and improved their forward edge positions over the past week, the ministry reported.
"Air strikes and artillery fire inflicted damage on the personnel and equipment of the Ukrainian army’s 25th airborne, 14th, 43rd, 44th and 115th mechanized, 68th jaeger and 95th air assault brigades in areas near the settlements of Sinkovka, Ivanovka and Timkovka in the Kharkov Region and Makeyevka in the Lugansk People’s Republic. The Russian battlegroup’s units improved their forward edge positions as a result of combat operations," the ministry said.
Professional operations by units of Russia’s western battlegroup helped repulse 61 Ukrainian counterattacks over the reporting period, it said.
"The enemy’s losses over the reporting period amounted to over 995 personnel, 10 tanks, 27 armored combat vehicles, 20 motor vehicles and 18 field artillery guns," the ministry reported.
Russian forces repulse 18 Ukrainian attacks in Krasny Liman area over week
Russian forces repulsed 18 Ukrainian army attacks in the Krasny Liman area, destroying more than 940 enemy troops and 42 pieces of military hardware over the past week, the ministry reported.
"In the Krasny Liman direction, units of the battlegroup Center, aircraft, artillery and heavy flamethrower systems repulsed 18 attacks by assault groups of the Ukrainian army’s 63rd and 67th mechanized brigades and 12th special operations brigade over the past week," the ministry said.
The Ukrainian army’s losses in the Krasny Liman direction over the past week amounted to "over 940 personnel, two tanks, 21 armored combat vehicles, 14 motor vehicles and five artillery guns," the ministry specified.
Russian forces destroy over 2,000 Ukrainian troops in Donetsk area over week
Russian forces destroyed over 2,000 Ukrainian troops, four tanks and 14 armored vehicles in the Donetsk area over the past week, the ministry reported.
"In the Donetsk direction, units of Russia’s southern battlegroup inflicted damage on combat groups of the Ukrainian army’s 28th, 56th, 67th and 93rd mechanized brigades in areas near the settlements of Kurdyumovka, Andreyevka, Kleshcheyevka and Maryinka in the Donetsk People’s Republic. Over the past week, they repulsed 25 enemy attacks in that direction. The Ukrainian army’s losses in that direction amounted to 2,065 personnel, four tanks, 14 armored combat vehicles, 27 motor vehicles and 28 field artillery guns," the ministry said.
Russian combat aircraft and missile troops also wiped out five Ukrainian ammunition and military hardware depots in the Donetsk area over the past week, it said.
Russian forces destroy over 1,010 Ukrainian troops in south Donetsk area in past week
Russian forces destroyed over 1,010 Ukrainian troops and nine armored combat vehicles and gained advantageous positions in the south Donetsk area over the past week, the ministry reported.
"In the south Donetsk direction, Russian units gained more advantageous frontiers and positions and repulsed two attacks by assault groups of the Ukrainian army’s 58th motorized infantry, 72nd mechanized and 128th territorial defense brigades in areas near the settlements of Ugledar, Urozhainoye and Staromayorskoye in the Donetsk People’s Republic," the ministry said.
Over the week of October 14-20, the enemy lost over 1,010 Ukrainian personnel, nine armored combat vehicles, 19 motor vehicles, 8 field artillery guns and a multiple rocket launcher in the south Donetsk area, the ministry specified.
Russian forces repel 10 Ukrainian attacks in Zaporozhye area over week
Russian forces repelled ten Ukrainian army attacks in the Zaporozhye area over the past week, the ministry reported.
"In the Zaporozhye direction, Russian units conducted active defense operations, repelling ten enemy attacks in areas near the settlements of Verbovoye and Rabotino in the Zaporozhye Region," the ministry said.
The enemy’s losses in the Zaporozhye direction over the past week amounted to over 475 Ukrainian personnel, 11 tanks, 22 armored combat vehicles, 18 motor vehicles and 14 field artillery guns, the ministry specified.
Russian forces eliminate 345 Ukrainian troops in Kherson area over week
Russian forces eliminated roughly 345 Ukrainian troops and 11 field artillery guns in the Kherson area over the past week, the ministry reported.
"In the Kherson direction, the enemy made a series of unsuccessful attempts by forces of the 36th and 38th marine infantry brigades to seize bridgeheads on islands and on the left bank of the Dnieper River. As a result of pre-emptive strikes by Russian troops and artillery barrages, the Ukrainian army lost as many as 345 personnel, 11 field artillery guns, 48 boats and 38 motor vehicles," the ministry said.
Russian air defenses intercept 35 US-made HIMARS rockets over week
Russian air defense forces intercepted 35 rockets of the US-made HIMARS multiple launch rocket system, two S-200 missiles, six American JDAM smart bombs and destroyed 314 Ukrainian unmanned aerial vehicles over the past week, the ministry reported.
"Over the week, air defense capabilities destroyed 314 Ukrainian unmanned aerial vehicles and intercepted 35 HIMARS rockets, five tactical missiles, two S-200 missiles converted into strike weapons and six JDAM guided air bombs," the ministry said.
Russian forces deliver 4 multiple-launch strikes on Ukrainian military sites over week
Russian forces delivered four multiple-launch strikes on Ukrainian military sites, destroying a naval drone depot, a missile assembly workshop and units of the Azov formation (outlawed in Russia as a terror group) over the past week, the ministry reported.
The Su-34 is a Russian twin-seat, all-weather strike fighter jet. It is designed for air-to-air and air-to-ground combat, and is known for its speed and maneuverability
"Over the period of October 14-20, Russian forces delivered four multiple-launch strikes by high-precision weapons and unmanned aerial vehicles against missile/artillery armament, fuel and lubricants depots, production workshops of enterprises rolling out armament and military hardware and deployment sites of Ukrainian troops, nationalists and foreign mercenaries," the ministry said.
"The strikes destroyed the following targets: a depot storing naval drones, explosives production workshops, a workshop for the assembly of tactical missiles, units of the Neo-Nazi Azov formation, foreign instructors and mercenaries," the ministry reported.
Peneliti sekaligus Guru Besar Tetap Fakultas Kehutanan dan Lingkungan IPB University Trisna Priadi mengatakan mutu kayu cepat tumbuh yang saat ini banyak digunakan di sebagian besar bangunan dan rumah rentan dari ancaman 'Biodeteriorasi' dan menjadi target serangan organisme perusak, seperti rayap yang mengakibatkan kayu cepat keropos dan lapuk
"Lebih dari 80 persen rumah di Bogor, Jakarta, Lembang, Serang, diserang rayap dan jamur pelapuk sehingga kayu cepat keropos," kata Trisna pada wartawan saat Orasi Ilmiah Guru Besar IPB.
Menurut Trisna, data tersebut meupakan hasil survei yang menyatakan jika rumah ancaman biodeteriorasi pada kayu dari pohon cepat tumbuh yang banyak digunakan masyarakat, terutama di wilayah Jabodetabek sehingga kayu cepat keropos. "Serangan Jamur pelapuk banyak menyerang komponen bangunan yang sering terbasahi, sedangkan rayap dapat menyerang kayu kering maupun basah," kata dia.
Trisna mengatakan tingginya permintaan dan penggunaan kayu struktur bangunan rumah di wilayah Jabodetabek menyebabkan peningkatan produktivitas kayu dari hutan tanaman umumnya dari jenis cepat tumbuh, "Padahal mengandung kayu muda, bermasalah dalam stabilitas dimensi dan ketahanannya dari organisme perusak," kata dia.
Tingginya risiko biodeteriorasi kayu pada bangunan di Indonesia juga, menurut Trisna, didukung dengan iklim tropis yang hangat, lembab dan curah hujan yang tinggi sepanjang tahun. "Hasil uji lapang tanpa menyentuh tanah selama 45 hari mengungkapkan bahwa kayu sengon, mahoni, mangium dan nangka mengalami penurunan berat jenis yang signifikan oleh serangan jamur," kata dia.
Sedangkan untuk pemanasan di atas 150 derajat Celcius meningkatkan stabilitas dimensi kayu sengon dan mangium dengan nilai anti swelling efficiency yang meningkat seiring dengan peningkatan suhu dan waktu pemanasan. "Modifikasi ini dilakukan agar sifat higroskopisitas kayu juga berkurang sehingga mengurangi resiko serangan jamur," kata Trisna.
Dalam perlakuan panas pada kayu cepat tumbuh berhasil meningkatkan stabilitas dimensi dan ketahanan terhadap jamur pelapuk. "Ini menurunkan sifat higroskopisitas kayu serta memodifikasi warnanya," kata dia.
Bahkan penggunaan minyak nabati, terutama kemiri dengan pemanasan 140 derajat Celcius meningkatkan efektivitas pengawet kayu senyawa boron dalam menahan pencucian, serangan jamur pelapuk dan rayap sehingga mendukung penggunaan kayu dalam fungsi eksterior.
"Memang biaya produksi kayu agar terhindar dari ancaman biodeteriorasi cukup mahal, tapi dengan modifikasi ini kualitas kayu pun terjamin," kata Trisna.
