Headlines in This News Package:

• Socialist Party of Zambia Leader Fred M’membe Released After Arbitrary Detention

• South Korea and U.S. Will Hold Yet Another Joint Military Exercise Explicitly Aimed at North Korea

• Israel Kills Over 100 Palestinians in Massacre at Dawn

• Colombia’s Defense Minister Denounces Plot to Assassinate Gustavo Petro

[NEWS ITEM TEXT]

Socialist Party of Zambia Leader Fred M’membe Released After Arbitrary Detention

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Fred M’membe, the president of the Socialist Party Zambia, was released from Twin Palm Police Station on August 12, after having been jailed on August 8.

The circumstances around M’membe’s detention were legally dubious at best. M’membe was arrested on charges of sedition for publishing a newspaper article reporting an incident of severe corruption, in which Congolese President Felix Tshisekedi allegedly boasted that he had paid off Zambia $20 million for support.

While detained, the socialist leader requested a writ of habeas corpus to direct the Zambia Police Service to show why he had not been released immediately, as he was refused bail and never given an appearance in court on a bondable offense.

Dr. M’membe was arrested numerous times in 2023, including on charges of “espionage” in November and “political violence” and “libel” in August, two separate arrests that same month. These arrests were made in relation to M’membe’s criticism of the Zambian government. The Socialist Party Zambia as a whole has engaged in criticism of the government for entering into austerity agreements while the high cost of living is taking a toll on the working class.

“What we are seeing are actions of little frightened men, scared of their own shadows, because of the many crimes they have committed against the Zambian people,” said M’membe upon release. “They promised things they can’t do. They promised police bonds for bondable offenses, they don’t do it.”

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South Korea and U.S. Will Hold Yet Another Joint Military Exercise Explicitly Aimed at North Korea

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South Korea and the U.S. have announced yet another joint military drill. The drill will be explicitly aimed at countering the alleged nuclear threat from North Korea, and will involve the civilian administration of South Korea as well, spokespersons from both the U.S. and South Korean militaries said in a joint press conference on August 12.

South Korea’s joint chiefs of staff declared that the drill, which will be part of the annual Ulchi Freedom Shield (UFS) exercises, will be the “first-ever government drill that simulates North Korea’s [alleged] nuclear attack,” the Korea Times reported.

The U.S. spokesperson Ryan Donald did not specify the number of U.S. troops to participate in the exercises. However, he confirmed that the “exercise will reflect realistic threats [coming allegedly from North Korea] across all domains.”

Nodutdol, a Korean diaspora and anti-imperialist organization based in the United States, has staged a response against escalating military drills by launching their new campaign, “US out of Korea”

Alleged threats from North Korea have been used by the U.S. military to carry out various drills in the region. The proposed drills would be the second of such exercises in less than three months. Between June 26 and 29, South Korea, Japan, and the U.S. forces held a joint military exercise called “Freedom Edge,” which North Korea denounced as an attempt to create an Asian NATO.

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Israel Kills Over 100 Palestinians in Massacre at Dawn

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On August 10 at dawn, Israeli warplanes targeted Al-Tabeen school in Gaza City, killing over 100 people and injuring dozens of others. The attack took place when many people were performing dawn prayers at the school, where thousands of displaced people were sheltering.

The Israeli Occupation Forces (IOF) falsely claimed that the airstrike targeted a command center run by Hamas within the school, which Hamas’s political bureau member Izzat al-Rishq denied. Al-Rishq, who confirmed that no resistance fighters were present at the school, accused the IOF of fabricating lies to justify the mass killing of Palestinian civilians.

The Palestinian Government Media Office in Gaza held the United States responsible for the massacre along with Israel, as it came hours after the U.S. approved $3.5 billion in military funds and shipments of new weaponry for Israel. This is part of the $14.1billion supplemental funding bill for Israel, passed by the U.S. Congress in April 2024.

Commenting on the massacre, the White House stated that it was “deeply concerned” about the Israeli strike on the Gaza City school compound and that it was reaching out to some Israeli officials to get further details about the massacre.

The Palestinian Authority also blamed the United States for the massacre. Nabil Abu Rudeineh, a spokesperson for Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas, called on the United States to stop its “blind support that leads to the killing of thousands of innocent civilians, including children, women, and the elderly.”

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Colombia’s Defense Minister Denounces Plot to Assassinate Gustavo Petro

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On August 8, Iván Velásquez Gómez, Colombia’s Minister of Defense, announced to the press that the government had uncovered a plot to assassinate President Gustavo Petro on July 20, the country’s independence day.

He also added that this is not the first time the government has received security alerts concerning the president’s safety, and that is why the intelligence team of the Ministry of Defense works tirelessly to ensure the integrity of Petro’s life. “On many occasions, information of various natures has been presented, regarding possible actions that could be taken against the president in which intelligence has been timely and moreover, necessary measures taken,” he said.

His public comments came in the wake of different rumors swirling over the same, sparked by Petro’s late arrival to the customary military parade on July 20. The parade which was scheduled to start at 9:00 am, was delayed for more than three hours on account of the president, sparking harsh criticism from his political opponents.

Carlos Galan, mayor of Bogotá, wrote, “The soldiers and police of Colombia must be respected and thanked, today and always, for their commitment and sacrifice for this country.”

Faced with criticism, Petro said that his delay to the military parade was due to an alleged alert that came from the U.S. Embassy.