[지구촌 오늘] “Russia launches ICBM into Ukraine”… Security Council resolution on ‘immediate ceasefire in Gaza’ rejected

host) We deliver major news from countries around the world. ‘global village today’no see. Let’s find out what’s happening at this moment with reporter Kim Hyun-sook.. hello?

Reporter) Yes. hello?

host) What news do you have today??

Reporter) Yes. The Ukrainian Air Force claimed that Russia launched an intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) into Ukraine on the 21st. The Kremlin declined to comment on Ukraine’s announcement. A UN Security Council resolution calling for an immediate and unconditional ceasefire in the Gaza Strip was once again rejected due to opposition from the United States. Former Congressman Matt Gates, who was nominated as Attorney General in the second term of the Donald Trump administration, resigned. It was confirmed that another 1,500 Central and South American migrants were heading to the southern border of the United States. I will continue to report this news.

Host) This is the first news from the global village today. The war between Russia and Ukraine is rapidly escalating recently?

Reporter) That’s right. On the 21st, the Ukrainian Air Force claimed that Russia launched an intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) in an attack on Ukraine. If Ukraine’s claims are confirmed to be true, it will be the first ICBM launch since Russia invaded Ukraine in February 2022.

Host) Would you like to learn more about what the Ukrainian Air Force announced?

Reporter) Yes. The Ukrainian Air Force said in a statement that Russia launched a missile attack targeting businesses and major infrastructure in Dnipro, a city in central-eastern Ukraine, on the morning of the 21st, and that an ICBM was launched from Russia’s Astrakhan region. The Ukrainian Air Force announced that it shot down six ‘KH-101’ cruise missiles launched by Russia.

Host) Astrakhan is a city in southern Russia, right?

Reporter) That’s right. It is a city near the Caspian Sea and is about 600km away from the Ukrainian front. ICBMs are missiles with a range of thousands of kilometers. ICBMs can be equipped with nuclear warheads, but they can also be operated with conventional warheads. In a statement, the Ukrainian Air Force did not specify what type of ICBM was launched, what it was targeting, or what damage was caused.

Host) Russia refused to comment on Ukraine’s claims?

Reporter) Yes. The American network CNN reported that Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov refused to comment on the Ukrainian military’s claims in a call with reporters on the 21st, saying, “I have nothing to say.” “That is a question to ask our military,” Peskov continued.

Host) But there was talk earlier that Russia was preparing a large-scale airstrike, right?

Reporter) That’s right. Several Western embassies, including the U.S. Embassy in Kyiv, closed their embassies on the 20th, saying they had received information about the possibility of a large-scale Russian airstrike. The U.S. Embassy reopened on the 21st. Afterwards, the Ukrainian government claimed that Russia had carried out so-called ‘information psychological warfare’ by spreading fake information to incite fear.

Host) In the past few days, the war has become quite tense and appears to be entering a new phase. Here, the United States made another important announcement, right?

Reporter) That’s right. Major media such as AP, Reuters, and the Washington Post all reported that President Joe Biden approved sending anti-personnel mines to Ukraine on the 20th. U.S. Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin confirmed this at a press conference on the 20th. Let’s listen to Secretary Austin’s remarks directly.

[로이드 오스틴 미 국방부 장관]”What we’ve seen most recently is because the Russians have been so unsuccessful in the way that they have been fighting, they’ve kind of changed their tactics a bit in that they don’t lead with their mechanized forces anymore…So that’s what the Ukrainians are seeing right now. And they have a need for things that can help slow down that effort on the part of the Russians. They’re fabricating their own anti-personnel landmines right now. The landmines that we would look to provide them would be landmines that are not persistent. We can control when they would self-activate, self-detonate, and that makes it far more safer eventually than the things that they are creating on their own.”

Reporter) Secretary Austin said that Russia has recently made some changes to its combat strategy and that Ukraine needs something to help slow down Russia’s advance. Secretary Austin also said that Ukraine is now building its own anti-personnel mines, and that what the United States is trying to provide is something that is not persistent, can be deactivated and controlled on its own, and is ultimately much safer than what Ukraine is making.

Host) So you are saying that it is better for the United States to send safely made anti-personnel mines rather than for Ukraine to use poorly made anti-personnel mines?

Reporter) That’s how it can be interpreted. However, human rights groups are criticizing non-persistent landmines as being unsafe. Human rights groups have criticized the use of anti-personnel mines, saying that they can kill indiscriminately and that unexploded mines in particular can pose a risk to civilians even years later. President Biden completely banned the use of anti-personnel mines outside the Korean Peninsula in June 2022.

Host) This is another important policy change from the Biden administration.

Reporter) That’s right. Although the U.S. government is not officially confirming this, major media outlets have reported that it has approved the use of ATACMS long-range missiles previously provided to Ukraine in mainland Russia. And in fact, Ukraine launched six ATACMS missiles targeting military facilities in Bryansk, Russia’s western border area, in the early morning of the 19th. Following the lifting of restrictions on the use of ATACMS, the approval of anti-personnel mines can be said to be an important policy change.

Host) Why is President Biden, who is two months away from leaving office, reversing his existing policy direction despite various criticisms and controversies?

Reporter) The analysis is that this is because Russia’s offensive is that threatening. In particular, it is reported that the pace of advance has become faster recently, and an area twice the amount of territory occupied last year has been newly occupied in the past two months. There is analysis that this may be a measure to slow down Russia’s advance even a little before the second Trump administration takes office and intervenes in the ceasefire in earnest.

Robert Wood, the U.S. Deputy Ambassador to the United Nations, speaks at the United Nations Security Council held at the United Nations Headquarters in New York on the 20th.

Host) This is the next news from Global Village Today. The UN Security Council has rejected the Gaza Strip ceasefire resolution again?

Reporter) Yes. On the 20th, the Security Council voted on a resolution calling for a ceasefire in the Gaza Strip and the release of hostages. It was rejected again due to a veto exercise by the United States, a permanent member of the council.

Host) 15 member countries participated in the vote?

Reporter) That’s right. Among the five permanent members, including the United States, the United Kingdom, France, China, and Russia, and the ten non-permanent members, including Korea, Algeria, and Japan, the United States was the only one to oppose and exercise its veto. A Security Council resolution cannot be adopted if any of the five permanent members with the right to veto objects. This is the fourth time the United States has exercised its veto on a resolution related to the Gaza Strip since the war between Israel and the Palestinian armed faction Hamas began 14 months ago.

Host) Why did the United States oppose this resolution?

Reporter) The resolution stated, “We demand an immediate, unconditional, and permanent ceasefire respected by all parties, and the immediate and unconditional release of all hostages.” The United States took issue with the “unconditional ceasefire.” Let’s listen to the remarks by Robert Wood, the U.S. Deputy Ambassador to the United Nations.

Reporter) The United States has made it clear throughout the negotiations that it cannot support an unconditional ceasefire that does not result in the release of hostages. Deputy Ambassador Wood said a sustainable end to the war must be achieved along with the release of hostages, and that these two urgent goals are linked, but the resolution abandoned that need and the United States could not therefore support it. In particular, they argued that this resolution sent a dangerous message to Hamas that “there is no need to return to the negotiating table.”

Host) How did other board members react?

Reporter) This resolution was proposed by 10 non-permanent members, but they all expressed disappointment and opposed it. Algeria, the only Middle Eastern country among the 15 Security Council members, warned that it would soon return with a much stronger resolution. Slovenia’s Deputy Ambassador also said that the war in Gaza shows everything that the UN Charter opposes, and that he regretted that the veto was exercised. Korean Ambassador Hwang Joon-guk also expressed regret over the rejection of the resolution, saying that an immediate ceasefire is not an option but the only way to save lives in Gaza.

Host) How did the parties, Israel and Palestine, react?

Reporter) Danny Danon, Israel’s ambassador to the United Nations, said the resolution sent the message that terrorists can act with impunity and was not a road to peace but a roadmap to more pain and bloodshed. At the same time, he expressed gratitude that the United States exercised its veto and stood on the side of morality and justice and did not abandon the hostages and their families. Majed Bamya, deputy representative of the Palestinian Authority (PA) to the United Nations, criticized the resolution’s proposed ceasefire, saying it would not solve all problems but would be a first step and that a veto could not be justified when atrocities continued.

Host) Meanwhile, the U.S. special envoy visited the Middle East.

Reporter) Yes. The front lines are currently expanding as the Lebanese armed faction Hezbollah intervenes in the war between Israel and Hamas. Amos Hochstein, special envoy for the Middle East, visited Lebanon and Israel one after another to discuss ceasefire negotiations. Special Envoy Hochstein arrived in Lebanon first on the 19th and discussed the ceasefire plan with Lebanese politicians, including National Assembly Speaker Nabih Berri. On the 20th, I had a meeting with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. Special Envoy Hochstein said there had been progress in ceasefire discussions and that some details were being worked out.

Host) Meanwhile, the U.S. Senate rejected a resolution calling for opposition to arms sales to Israel?

Reporter) Yes. A resolution to block arms sales to Israel was overwhelmingly rejected in the U.S. Senate on the 20th. This resolution was led by independent Representative Bernie Sanders, a representative progressive politician in the United States. It was rejected with 18 votes in favor, 79 against, and 1 abstention. In the current 118th Senate, out of a total of 100 seats, the Democratic Party has 51 seats and the Republican Party has 49 seats. It is said that not only Republican but also Democratic lawmakers voted against the resolution.

Former Congressman Matt Gates was nominated as the next administration’s attorney general but resigned on the 21st.

host) global village today, continuously Let’s look at American politics. Former Congressman Matt Gates nominated to be next administration’s attorney general That’s news?

Reporter) That’s right. Gates’ nominee suddenly resigned. In a post posted on social networking service (SNS) on the 21st, he stated that his nomination was being unfairly hindered. After meeting with senators on the 20th, nominee Gates said, “I have no time to waste on an unnecessarily prolonged Washington brawl.”

host) Didn’t the controversy surrounding Rep. Gates grow before former Rep. Gates announced his intention to resign??

Reporter) That’s right. The U.S. House of Representatives Ethics Committee discussed on the 20th whether to release a report on Gates, who was under investigation for suspicions of prostitution. In the end, no agreement was reached. The House Ethics Committee consists of five members each from the Republican Party and the Democratic Party. Representative Michael Guest, a Republican who chairs the ethics committee, said the committee was unable to reach an agreement to release the report.

Host) What kind of suspicions did the Ethics Committee investigate about former Congressman Gates?

Reporter) Former congressman Gates was investigated regarding suspicions that he had paid women for sex in the past and that he had taken illegal drugs. The House Ethics Committee was scheduled to release a report this month after investigating for more than a year. With the ethics committee’s investigation nearing completion, President-elect Trump nominated former lawmaker Gates as his candidate for attorney general. Former lawmaker Gates resigned from his position as a member of the House of Representatives just hours after news of his nomination for Attorney General came out on the 13th. With this, the Ethics Committee investigation has effectively ended.

Host) But wasn’t former Congressman Gates nominated as a candidate for U.S. Attorney General, the highest law enforcement position?

Reporter) That’s right. Therefore, there is more controversy over whether to release the report on former Congressman Gates. While Democratic lawmakers were of the position that the investigation report should be made public even if former lawmaker Gates resigned from his position, Republican lawmakers opposed the case, saying that since former lawmaker Gates is no longer subject to the ethics committee’s jurisdiction, there is no need to disclose the unfinished report. .

host) The Ethics Committee investigation was conducted privately., Known about former Congressman Gates’ misconduct Does it have content?

Reporter) Yes, according to reports from American media such as ABC News and the Washington Post, the Ethics Committee found that former lawmaker Gates paid more than $10,000 to two women from July 2017 to January 2019. We have secured the details. The media reported that these two women, who were examined as witnesses by the Ethics Committee, testified that some of the money they received was in exchange for sex. However, Trump’s transition team refuted these reports. Spokesperson Alex Pfeiffer said, “The Department of Justice looked at most of Gates’ financial transactions and concluded that there was no criminal context,” and claimed that the report was “intended to undermine the people’s mandate to reform the Department of Justice.”

host) Was only the House Ethics Committee conducting a related investigation into former Congressman Gates??

Reporter) No. Separately from the Ethics Committee, the federal Department of Justice also conducted an investigation. The Justice Department decided earlier this year not to prosecute the case. However, Democratic members of the Senate Judiciary Committee, which has the authority to process former Representative Gates’ confirmation proposal, have demanded that the FBI’s investigation records be submitted to the confirmation hearing. The FBI investigation records also include records of former Congressman Gates’ alleged prostitution of a 17-year-old minor.

host) President-elect Trump’s selection process to form the next administration continues.?

Reporter) Yes, President-elect Trump nominated former Acting Attorney General Matthew Whitaker as the next ambassador to the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) on the 20th. President-elect Trump has continuously criticized NATO member countries during the presidential election, saying their defense spending burden is not sufficient. President-elect Trump said in a statement that Whitaker was a “strong warrior and loyal patriot” who would “advance and defend America’s interests, strengthen our relationships with our NATO allies, and stand strong against threats to peace and stability.” It was stated. Whittaker served as acting attorney general during the first term of the Trump administration. As with many other nominees, some say the nominee’s professional background does not match the new position.

On November 20, 2024, a caravan began moving from Tapachula, Chiapas, near the border with Guatemala, in the southernmost part of Mexico.

host) Today in the global village, let’s look at one more news related to the United States.. A large number of Central and South American migrants are heading to the United States.?

Reporter) That’s right. A caravan of about 1,500 migrants, mainly from Central and South America, departed from southern Mexico toward the U.S. border on the 20th. The Associated Press reported that the caravan began moving from Tapachula, Chiapas, near the border with Guatemala, in the southernmost part of Mexico. Initially, the number was in the thousands, but it was reported that people who did not have permission to enter Mexico were unable to join the caravan.

host) I think we recently reported that a caravan had started moving.?

Reporter) That’s right. Reuters reported that on the 5th, the day of the U.S. presidential election, a procession of approximately 3,000 migrants departed for the southern U.S. border. It was also a caravan formed in Tapachula at that time.

reporter) When did immigrants start coming to the United States in caravans like this??

Reporter) Migrant caravans began forming in 2018. When migrants travel to Mexico alone or in small groups, they are often detained by Mexican authorities or deported to their home country. It is difficult for the authorities to detain them when they move in groups of hundreds, so they move in large caravans like this.

doer) There are also safety reasons for joining a caravan.?

Reporter) Yes, because large groups move at the same time, the risk of robbery, rape, kidnapping, etc. is relatively low. Additionally, caravans are mainly used by people who cannot afford to pay brokers to help them enter the United States. But the threat from Mexico’s notorious drug cartels still exists. Hot weather and long distances can also be obstacles. For example, the shortest route, from Tapachula to the Matamoros checkpoint across from Brownsville, Texas, is over 1,770 km. It is a distance that must be walked non-stop for 16 days. Considering that many migrants come with children, it can be said to be a very dangerous and difficult journey.

host) There must be a reason why many migrants join the caravan despite all these hardships.?

Reporter) Yes, immigrants who left their home countries to escape economic hardship and other difficulties are desperately heading to the United States because they cannot find jobs when they arrive in Mexico. In particular, migrants seem to be rushing more ahead of President-elect Donald Trump’s inauguration. President-elect Trump

They announced plans to deport the largest number of illegal immigrants ever from the U.S.-Mexico border. Migrants told The Associated Press that they feel a sense of urgency because it will become more difficult to enter the United States after former President Trump’s inauguration on January 20 next year.

host) The Joe Biden administration also took measures to prevent caravans from forming.?

Reporter) Yes, this year the U.S. government expanded the scope of online asylum applications to prevent migrants from flocking to the southern border. Before crossing the U.S. border, we had to proceed with the asylum application process through the smartphone app ‘CBP One’ launched by Customs and Border Protection (CBP). The app, which was initially only available in northern and central Mexico, was expanded to southern Tapachula to prevent people from recklessly traveling toward the U.S. border. However, President-elect Trump has announced that he will terminate the app and reduce legal entry routes after taking office.

host) Global village ends today. It was reporter Kim Hyun-sook..

* Given the stated ​goals of both ‌deterring illegal immigration and addressing the “root causes” of migration, how can the United States develop a coherent ⁤and compassionate immigration policy that balances these objectives?

## Open-Ended Discussion Questions for the ​Radio Interview

This interview covers ​several important topics: ethical concerns surrounding a political appointment, the complex issue of immigration, and political strategies ⁢regarding border security. Here are ​some open-ended ‍questions to ​stimulate discussion on each part:

**Section 1: ‍ Ethics and Political ⁣Appointments**

* **Beyond legal implications, what ethical obligations should​ be considered when appointing someone to a high-profile position like Attorney General?**

* ‍**How should the public weigh allegations against a nominee even if ⁢they haven’t resulted⁤ in convictions? Does the “innocent ⁢until proven guilty” principle apply in this context?**

* **Should the House Ethics Committee have released the report on former Congressman Gates, even though he resigned? What factors should be considered in making such ​a decision?**

* **Do⁤ you think the​ decision​ to appoint Gates despite the allegations​ reflects a ⁤broader trend in⁣ political appointments? What are the potential⁢ implications of this trend?**

**Section 2:⁣ Immigration and Caravans**

* **The article highlights⁢ the reasons why​ migrants choose to make the perilous journey in caravans. ‌What are‍ the root causes⁢ of these migrations, and how⁣ can they be addressed effectively and humanely?**

* **What are the‍ potential short-term and long-term consequences of​ using technology like⁣ the​ “CBP One” app to ⁢manage‌ immigration? Does this technology address the root causes of migration?**

* **The article mentions that some ‌migrants feel a sense of urgency due to changes in U.S. immigration policy.⁣ What effects can ‌changes in immigration policy have on individual lives and communities?**

* **Should the United ‌States prioritize border security or humanitarian needs when it comes to immigration? How can⁤ a balance be struck between ⁣these competing priorities?**

**Section 3: Political Strategies and the Border**

* **How might President-elect Trump’s policy proposals regarding immigration​ and‌ border security impact the flow of migrants? What are‌ the potential consequences of his policies,​ both positive and negative?**

* **The article mentions that some perceive a mismatch between⁣ nominees’ professional backgrounds and their appointed positions. What criteria should be prioritized‌ when making political appointments?**

* **How can the United States effectively address issues related to migration and border security while maintaining its international commitments and humanitarian⁢ values?**

* **What role can ‌international cooperation play in addressing the root causes of ⁤migration and finding solutions to the ⁢border crisis?**

**Remember:** ⁤ These are⁤ just ‌starting points⁢ for discussion. Encourage participants to share their perspectives, challenge assumptions, and explore⁢ the complexities of ‌these issues.