New Delhi: As the world observes Population Day on July 11 every year, it reminds itself of the challenges faced globally due to overpopulation. The alarming trend shows that after hundreds of thousands of years the population reached 1 billion, and then in just another 200 years, it grew sevenfold, as per United Nations. 

The worldwide population reached the 7 billion mark in 2011, and today it has climbed to about 7.7 billion. It is expected to grow to nearly 8.5 billion in 2030, 9.7 billion in 2050, and 10.9 billion in 2100, the worrying UN trend shows. 

History:

July 11 marks World Population Day when people remind themselves of the hazards of overpopulation and raise awareness about how overpopulation can harm ecosystems and hamper progress of humanity. The United Nations Development Programme’s Governing Council created World Population Day in 1989. On July 11, 1987, the population day witnessed the Five Billion Day, or the estimated day when the world’s population surged above five billion people. Further, the day was commemorated by the United Nations General Assembly in December 1990 with Resolution 45/26.

The topics of discussion on the day include family planning, poverty, sexual equality, maternal health, civil rights, among others. 

The theme this year for World Population Day- Rights and choices are the answer: Whether baby boom or bust, the solution to shifting fertility rates lies in prioritizing the reproductive health and rights of all people. 

India has the world’s second-largest population after China. While China contributes to 18.47 % of the world’s share, India is not far behind with 17.70 % share of the global population. Following India, the United States has a share of 4.25 % of the entire world population, according to data by Worldometer. 

Why has the population grown so dramatically?

As UN states, the growth in populace has been driven largely by ‘increasing numbers of people surviving to reproductive age, and has been accompanied by major changes in fertility rates, increasing urbanization and accelerating migration’. It warns that these trends will have far-reaching implications for generations to come.

In order to overcome the problem of overpopulation, focus must be on population management on a worldwide scale. 

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Islamabad: Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan on Thursday said that his country accepted China’s version regarding the treatment of Uighurs in Xinjiang province courtesy Islamabad’s “extreme proximity and relationship” with Beijing.

He added that China’s version was completely different from what was being reported in the western media.

“Because of our extreme proximity and relationship with China, we actually accept the Chinese version,” he said.

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The Prime Minister, who was interacting with the Chinese journalists as Beijing marked the centenary of the ruling Communist Party, said it was hypocritical that attention was not being given to the human rights violations in “occupied Kashmir”, while the Uighur situation and Hong Kong was being highlighted.

“It is hypocritical. There are much worse human rights violations taking place in other parts of the world such as in occupied Kashmir. But Western media hardly comments on this,” The Dawn quoted Khan as saying.

Lauding the Communist Party of China (CPC) for its unique model, the Pakistan Prime Minister said: “Until now, we had been told that the best way for societies to improve was through Western democracy.”

Khan added the “CPC has introduced an alternative model and they have beaten all Western democracies in the way they have highlighted merit in society”.

Asserting that a society only succeeds when it has systems in place for holding the ruling elite accountable and ensuring meritocracy, Khan said: “Until now, the feeling was that electoral democracy is the best way to bring leaders on merit and hold them accountable.”

“But the CPC has achieved much better [outcomes] without democracy. Their system for sifting through talent and bringing it up is better than the democratic system,” he added.

The Prime Minister Imran also praised Chinese President Xi Jinping and said “one can only become a leader after going through a long struggle”.

“This process is not present in Western democracies. An American president doesn’t go through this rigorous process,” he added.

Throwing light on Pakistan’s strong ties with China, he said Beijing “has always stood with us” whenever Islamabad “has been in trouble, politically or internationally”.

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Emphasizing that the ties between the two sides have only gotten stronger, Khan said “the people of China have a special place in the hearts of Pakistanis”.

“You see a strange great power rivalry in the region. The United States is wary of China and has formed a regional alliance called the ‘Quad’. We think that it is unfair of the US and Western powers to expect countries like Pakistan to take sides,” he added.

The Prime Minister also used the occasion to target neighbouring nation India.

“China is too strong. India will reap far greater benefits by engaging in trade with China rather than trying to act as a counter balance. If anyone is going to lose out, it will be India,” he said, adding Pakistan is committed to strengthening its relations with China, be it politically or economically.

The Pakistan Prime Minister’s remarks come as several other nations across the world have been criticizing China over its treatment of the Uighur population.

The United Nations had issued a statement last month on behalf of 42 nations urging Beijing to allow immediate, meaningful and unfettered access to Xinjiang for independent observers.

Berlin: Germany’s defense minister said on Friday that 12 German troops and a soldier from another country were wounded following an attack on soldiers taking part in a United Nations mission in Mali. The U.N. Mission in the country, MINUSMA, had earlier said that 15 peacekeepers were wounded when a temporary operational base in the Gao region was targeted with a vehicle bomb.

German Defense Minister Annegret Kramp-Karrenbauer said three of the soldiers were seriously wounded. She told reporters in Bonn, Germany that two soldiers were in a stable condition while the third was still undergoing surgery. All of the wounded soldiers were flown by helicopter to Gao, where they were being treated at German, French and Chinese medical facilities, the minister said. “The military operations on site aren’t completed yet,” she said.

A German medevac plane will fly to Gao overnight to bring the wounded soldiers back to Germany on Saturday, said Kramp-Karrenbauer. Germany has hundreds of troops taking part in U.N. Stabilization and European Union training missions in the West African nation. Mali has been trying to contain an Islamic extremist insurgency since 2012.

Islamic extremist rebels were forced from power in Mali’s northern cities with the help of a French-led military operation in 2013.

However, the insurgents quickly regrouped in the desert and began launching frequent attacks on the Malian army and its allies fighting the insurgency.

The extremists have expanded their reach well into central Mali, where their presence has inflamed tensions between ethnic groups in the area. 

New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi will hold an all-party meeting with the leaders of Jammu and Kashmir today. There are reports of panic in Pakistan ahead of this meeting held by Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan visited the headquarters of the intelligence agency ISI yesterday. The meeting was attended by Imran Khan, the Chief of Army Staff of Pakistan, and senior officers of ISI. 

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This is Imran Khan’s second visit to the ISI headquarters within a month. According to sources, the meeting was held by a High-Level Intelligence Committee formed earlier this month. But Imran Khan visiting the ISI office for the second time in a month is being viewed with suspicion. 

Pakistan is closely monitoring the ongoing activities pertaining to Kashmir in India and is worried over the smooth functioning of the government in the erstwhile state. Pakistan has also written several letters to the United Nations regarding Kashmir, but the UN did not consider it. Questions are also being raised in Pakistan on the country’s strategy regarding Kashmir.

Bomb blast outside Hafiz Saeed’s house,3 killed.

3 people were killed, and 21 others were injured in a massive car bomb blast outside the residence of Jamaat-ud-Dawa chief Hafiz Saeed. He is the mastermind behind the Mumbai terror attack in Lahore. Reports from the Police department.

According to the police, a bomb exploded at the police check post located outside Saeed’s house in BOR Society of Jauhar town, injuring several police officers guarding the residence. The police informed that the injured have been admitted to Jinnah Hospital, and 6 people are said to be in critical condition.

International Widows’ Day: Every year on June 23, the world commemorates International Widows’ Day. Loss of a partner or spouse is a devastating loss that can drive a person to their lowest point. The loss gets amplified when a person is left to fend for herself while grieving. A woman who has been emotionally or financially reliant on her partner her entire life is left without a confidante, a support system, or a companion.

Women who have been widowed must fight for their rights – both emotional and professional – for the rest of their lives. According to the United Nations (UN), there are over 258 million widows worldwide. Every year on June 23, the United Nations commemorates International Widows’ Day to honour these widows. 

Widows are ‘left unseen, unsupported, and unmeasured’: UN

For years, widows have been “unseen, unsupported, and unmeasured,” according to the UN. Several women have been widowed as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic since 2019. Women who need to be recognised, helped, and encouraged rather than judged. Widows must be granted their rights, as a result of previous experiences with HIV/AIDS and Ebola.

In the past, widows were denied inheritance rights, had their property taken after the death of a partner, and were stigmatised and discriminated against. Not only that, but they have also been accused of being responsible for the deaths of their significant others. Many countries around the world regard widows as bad omens and forbid their presence on happy occasions.

Even in the 21st century, when the world is advancing technologically, there are evil practises associated with widows. Efforts must be made to ensure their well-being and to deconstruct the societal lens that refuses to see them as human beings.

On International Widows’ Day, efforts must be made to protect widows’ rights and to encourage them in their lives. Widows must be provided with educational opportunities, pensions, an equitable share of inheritance, and freedom from social stigma.

According to the UN, governments of all member countries must take action to ensure the rights of widows as enshrined in international law, including the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women and the Convention on the Rights of the Child.  People must be made aware of the importance of equality and resilience as we work to create a better world for ourselves and others.

United Nations: India has abstained on a UN General Assembly resolution on Myanmar, saying its views have not been reflected in the draft and New Delhi does not believe the resolution, tabled hastily, is conducive to “aiding our joint efforts towards strengthening democratic process” in the country.

The UN General Assembly adopted the draft resolution ‘The situation in Myanmar’ on Friday (June 18, 2021) with 119 Member States voting in favour, including Myanmar while 36 nations abstained, including Myanmar’s neighbours – India, Bangladesh, Bhutan, China, Laos, Nepal and Thailand. Russia also abstained. Belarus was the sole country voting against it.

“This resolution was tabled in the UN General Assembly in a hasty manner without adequate consultations with neighbours and regional countries. This is not only unhelpful but may also prove counter-productive to the efforts of the ASEAN to find a solution to the current situation in Myanmar,” India’s Permanent Representative to the UN Ambassador T S Tirumurti told PTI.

In the explanation of the vote in the General Assembly hall, Tirumurti said as Myanmar’s immediate neighbour and close friend of its people, India is cognizant of the ‘serious impact of political instability’ and the potential of its spillover beyond Myanmar’s borders.

India has been calling for greater engagement with the objective of peacefully resolving all issues.

“We already have such an ongoing initiative under the aegis of ASEAN (Association of Southeast Asian Nations). It is important that we extend support to the ASEAN efforts,” Tirumurti said.

“During the discussions on this resolution, we had engaged in a spirit of finding a constructive and pragmatic way forward and had accordingly shared our suggestions to those who piloted this resolution,” he said.

“However, we find that our views have not been reflected in the draft being considered for adoption today. We would like to reiterate that a consultative and constructive approach involving the neighbouring countries and the region, remains important as the international community strives for the peaceful resolution of the issue,” Tirumurti said.

He emphasised that the fact that there is a lack of support from all neighbouring countries as well as several countries in the region itself should, hopefully, serve as an eye-opener to those who chose to pursue a hasty course of action.

“We, therefore, do not believe that the tabling of this resolution for adoption at this juncture, is conducive to aiding our joint efforts towards strengthening the democratic process in Myanmar. We are therefore constrained to abstain,” Tirumurti said.

The resolution expressed ‘grave concern’ at the February 1 coup and called upon Myanmar’s military junta to immediately and unconditionally release President Win Myint, State Counsellor Aung San Suu Kyi and other government officials, politicians and those arbitrarily detained or arrested.

It also called ‘upon all Member States to prevent the flow of arms into Myanmar’.

The resolution called on the Myanmar armed forces to end the state of emergency and respect all human rights of all the people of the country.

It also called on Myanmar to allow the sustained democratic transition, “including the opening of the democratically elected parliament and by working towards bringing all national institutions, including the armed forces, under a fully inclusive civilian government that is representative of the will of the people.”

It voiced concern at the human rights situation of persons belonging to ethnic, religious and other minorities in Myanmar, “including the Rohingya Muslim minority, in particular with respect to the violations committed against them and their rights related to citizenship status.”

Tirumurti said as Myanmar’s neighbour, India has direct stakes in the maintenance of peace and stability in the country and welcomes the ASEAN initiative on Myanmar and the ‘Five-Point Consensus’.

“Our diplomatic engagements will be aimed at strengthening these efforts. We also call for upholding the rule of law and release of detained leaders,” he said.

Tirumurti also noted that Security Council has expressed strong support for ASEAN’s positive and constructive role in facilitating a peaceful solution in support of the people of Myanmar.

The ASEAN Five-point consensus states that there shall be an immediate cessation of violence in Myanmar and all parties shall exercise utmost restraint and constructive dialogue among all parties concerned shall commence to seek a peaceful solution in the interests of the people.

It also states that a special envoy of the ASEAN Chair shall facilitate mediation of the dialogue process, with the assistance of the Secretary-General of ASEAN.

ASEAN shall provide humanitarian assistance through the AHA Centre (ASEAN Coordinating Centre for Humanitarian Assistance on disaster management) and the special envoy and delegation shall visit Myanmar to meet with all parties concerned, it states.

Stressing that India’s position on the situation in Myanmar has been ‘clear and consistent’, Tirumurti said New Delhi has expressed its deep concern on the developments in Myanmar and strongly condemned the use of violence and urge maximum restraint.

“We are firm that the path to democracy in Myanmar should continue to move forward through the process of democratic transition, which India has steadfastly supported,” Tirumurti said.

“There can be no turning back on this. India will continue to engage with measures to accelerate and support the democratic transition in Myanmar so that the hopes and aspirations of the people of Myanmar are fully respected and met,” he said.

On the issue of repatriation of displaced persons from Rakhine state, he said India has the highest stakes in resolving this issue at the earliest since it is the only country that shares a long border with both Bangladesh and Myanmar.

“We have continued to counsel our partners on the need for a balanced and constructive approach to this issue. Our support has been for people on the ground, at both Cox’s Bazar and in the Rakhine State,” he said.

He said that it was important to ensure efforts towards safe, speedy and sustainable repatriation of the displaced persons currently in Bangladesh to the Rakhine State of Myanmar, be expedited.

“We call on both sides to engage actively on this,” Tirumurti said.

India also commended Bangladesh for hosting a million displaced persons in its territory.

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Antonio Guterres was re-elected as the United Nations Secretary General for a second five-year term on Friday (June 18).

He was appointed as the UN chief by the 193-member United Nations General Assembly.

Guterres has been serving as the Secretary General since 2017. He was the ninth person to assume the position.

He also served as the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees from 2005 to 2015.

Prior to that, Guterres was the prime minister of Portugal from 1995 to 2002. He was voted as the best prime minister of the previous 30 years by the Portuguese public in two separate polls conducted in 2012 and 2014.

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New Delhi: India has expressed its desire for having “normal neighbourly relations” with Pakistan, stating that the onus is on Islamabad to create a conducive atmosphere by taking “credible, verifiable” action to not allow any territory under its control to be used for cross terrorism.

During a debate on the annual report of the UN Security Council to the General Assembly, India said that issues between India and Pakistan should be resolved bilaterally.

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Besides this, New Delhi slammed Pakistan for raising the matters of Kashmir during the debate as India maintains the issues pertaining to the union territory as being an internal matter.

Delivering India’s statement on the Report of the Security Council to the General Assembly 78th plenary meeting, R. Madhu Sudan, Counselor at Permanent Mission of India to the UN, said Pakistan continued to indulge in theatrics not “befitting the dignity of this august Forum.”

India’s remarks came after Pakistan Ambassador to the UN, Munir Akram, raised the issue of Kashmir in the assembly during the debate. “It is rather unfortunate that Pakistan continued to indulge in theatrics not befitting the dignity of this august Forum. It is clear that the international community is not getting fooled by this delegation anymore,” Sudan said.

“The decision taken by Parliament of India regarding Union Territories of Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh are matters internal to India,” Sudan added. Sudan said issues between India and Pakistan should be resolved bilaterally and peacefully, in an “atmosphere free of terror, hostility and violence”.

“India desires normal neighbourly relations with Pakistan. Our consistent position is that issues, if any, between India and Pakistan should be resolved bilaterally and peacefully, in an atmosphere free of terror, hostility and violence,” the counselor said.

“The onus is on Pakistan to create such a conducive atmosphere, including by taking credible, verifiable action to not allow any territory under its control to be used for cross terrorism against India in any manner,” Sudan added.

In recent months, Pakistan seems to have toned down its rhetoric against India. Pakistani Army Chief General Qamar Javed Bajwa in April said that a stable relationship between India and Pakistan is important to unlocking the potential of South and Central Asia by ensuring connectivity between East and West Asia.

“We feel it is time to bury the past and move forward,” he said, adding that the onus for meaningful dialogue rests with India. Pakistani Prime Minister Imran Khan had also said that India would have to take the first step for improving bilateral relations by addressing the Kashmir issue.

In February, India and Pakistan had announced that they had agreed to a ceasefire along the Line of Control (LoC) which was followed by Indus water talks, sporting visas and other measures.

(With Agency Inputs)

United Nations: Maldives Foreign Minister Abdulla Shahid was on Monday elected as President of the 76th session of the UN General Assembly, garnering 143 votes out of the 191 ballots cast. The 193-member General Assembly voted on Monday to elect the President, who will preside over the 76th session of the UN body that will commence in September.

In the fray for the election was Shahid as well as former foreign minister of Afghanistan Dr Zalmai Rassoul, who got 48 votes. “Hearty congratulations to Maldives Foreign Minister @abdulla_shahid for the robust victory and for being elected as the 76th President of the UN General Assembly,” India’s Permanent Mission to the UN tweeted.

India had already voiced its strong support for Shahid’s candidature for President of the 76th session of the UNGA, saying he is best equipped to preside over the General Assembly of 193 nations of the world.

In an interview to WION in April, Maldives FM appreciated India’s backing. He told WION, “Maldives candidature and the support of the Indian government for the Maldives candidature is very much appreciated and it is a great honour for the country.”.

In his vision statement titled “A Presidency of Hope: Delivering for People, Planet and Prosperity”, FM Shahid listed 5 priority themes—called “Five Rays of Hope”. These key areas are –Recovering from COVID, rebuilding sustainably, responding to the needs of the planet, respecting the rights of all, revitalizing the United Nations.

He said, in the vision statement, In the visions statement, he called on, “efforts to make the United Nations efficient, effective and accountable” with aim to “continue, together with efforts to reform the Security Council, revitalise the General Assembly, and strengthen the Economic and Social Council.”

Highlighting, “As a Maldivian, it is in my ethos to persevere—to both hope and work for a better tomorrow. Hope lets us stand up, dust ourselves off, and once again, work on rebuilding this world. Hope is what can bring us together.”

The Maldives FM began his career in 1983 as foreign service officer and has played prominent roles at the international stage as well as domestically in his country.

In accordance with the established regional rotation, the President of the seventy-sixth session of the General Assembly is to be elected from the Group of Asia-Pacific States. The other candidate for the UNGA President’s post was Afghanistan’s Dr Zalmai Rassoul. He has been the former Foreign minister of Afghanistan and had initiated and led the launch of Heart of Asia Istanbul process in 2011 and expanded his country’s engagement in regional platforms like Shanghai Cooperation Organization.

According to the established rules of regional rotation, the President of the 76th session of the General Assembly was to be elected from the Group of Asia-Pacific States. Shahid will succeed Turkish diplomat Volkan Bozkir who was UNGA President for the 75th session that came amid the unprecedented COVID19 pandemic. The President of the General Assembly is elected every year by a secret ballot and requires a simple majority vote of the General Assembly.

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Beni: At least 55 people were killed overnight in two attacks on villages in eastern Congo, the United Nations said on Monday, in potentially the worst night of violence the area has seen in at least four years.

The army and a local civil rights group blamed the Allied Democratic Forces (ADF), an Islamist armed group, for raiding the village of Tchabi and a camp for displaced people near Boga, another village. Both are close to the border of Uganda. Houses were burned and civilians abducted, the U.N. office for humanitarian affairs said in a statement.

Albert Basegu, the head of a civil rights group in Boga, told Reuters by telephone that he had been alerted to the attack by the sound of cries at a neighbour`s house. “When I got there I found that the attackers had already killed an Anglican pastor and his daughter was also seriously wounded,” Basegu said.

The Kivu Security Tracker (KST), which has mapped unrest in restive eastern Congo since June 2017, said on Twitter the wife of a local chief was among the dead. It did not attribute blame for the killings.

“It`s the deadliest day ever recorded by the KST,” said Pierre Boisselet, the research group`s coordinator.

The ADF is believed to have killed more than 850 people in 2020, according to the United Nations, in a spate of reprisal attacks on civilians after the army began operations against it the year before.

In March the United States labelled the ADF a foreign terrorist organisation. The group has in the past proclaimed allegiance to Islamic State, although the United Nations says evidence linking it to other Islamist militant networks is scant.

President Felix Tshisekedi declared a state of siege in Congo`s North Kivu and Ituri provinces on May 1 in an attempt to curb increasing attacks by militant groups.

Uganda announced earlier this month that it had agreed to share intelligence and coordinate operations against the rebels but that it would not be deploying troops in Congo.

New Delhi: Indian Army Personnel’s part of the UN Peacekeeping forces deputed in the Democratic Republic of Congo or DR Congo have played a key role in reaching out to the local population and saving UN assets amid a major volcanic eruption from Mount Nyiragongo. Mount Nyiragongo, which is an active volcano started spewing lava at 6.30 pm local time on Saturday sparking panic in nearby Goma town with a population of 600,000.

The Indian Army Personnel are part of the MONUSCO or United Nations Organization Mission in the Democratic Republic of the Congo with Indian Brigade Headquarter located adjacent to the Goma airfield. Within hours of the eruption, the Indian Brigade jumped into action to ensure there is no threat to UN and National assets but also made sure real-time updates on the volcanic eruption were passed on to United Nations. The timely information by Indian peacekeepers, also known as blue helmets since they serve under the UN helped in bringing orderly civilian evacuation.  

While the Indian Brigade HQ has been thinned out, with 70% with camp being sent to Himbi Company Operating Base (COB) for safety, a minimum strength continues to hold on to camp to ensure it continues to be in operation. “Actions by the Indian contingent in the face of imminent danger has facilitated the smooth evacuation and protection of civilians and other UN personnel in Goma”, Indian Army officials aware of the development on the ground told WION. 

Indian Army has a Brigade consisting of Two Infantry Battalion Groups,  one Level III Hospital, and sizeable strength of Officers as Military Observers and Staff Officers in the mission. The total strength stands at around 2200+. MONUSCO has 14000 Military personnel with India the largest troop-contributing country to it. Other countries that are contributing troops to the UN Mission in Congo are Pakistan, Bangladesh, South Africa, Nepal, Brazil, Malawi, Ghana, Uruguay, and Tanzania.

MONUSCO took over from an earlier UN peacekeeping operation – the United Nations Organization Mission in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (MONUC) – on 1 July 2010. The new mission has been authorized to use all necessary means to carry out the protection of civilians, humanitarian personnel and support the Central African country’s government.

According to the latest updates, most of the lava has flown towards neighbouring Rwanda, with a small quantity flowing towards Goma city. The United Nation in an internal security alert had informed the various country contingents as of now no immediate evacuation is required. But a majority of the country contingents including aviation contingents have been evacuated. As of now, according to the latest ground reports, lava is unlikely to reach Goma. Meanwhile, the area is witnessing earthquakes of very low intensity Intermittently.
 

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Dhaka: A Bangladeshi court on Sunday granted interim bail to a senior woman investigative journalist who was arrested on charges of violating a colonial-era official secrecy law that triggered widespread protests, including by the UN.

Rozina Islam, a senior reporter of Bangla daily Prothom Alo, the largest daily newspaper based on circulation, was on Monday last detained for over five hours by Health Ministry officials for allegedly clicking a picture of a document with her cell phone without permission. She was later arrested by the police.

The court of Metropolitan Magistrate Mohammad Baki Billah granted her bail on a bond of Tk 5,000 (approximately USD 59) with two guarantors — one of whom must be a lawyer, and the other a legal guardian. She was also granted bail on condition of submitting her passport, The Daily Star newspaper reported.

While pronouncing the bail order, the magistrate said, “It is the duty of journalists to protect the image of society and state. I hope that from now on, we will all act responsibly.”

Islam was lodged in Kashimpur Central Women’s jail.

The health ministry filed a case against Islam under the draconian 1923 Official Secrets Act that carries harsh penalties, including a possible death penalty.

Reacting to reports of Islam’s arrest, UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres’ spokesperson Stephane Dujarric on Tuesday said it is obviously “something concerning”. 

“Journalists need to be able to do their work free of any sort of harassment or physical threat anywhere around the world. And, obviously, that includes Bangladesh and every other country. I think we have seen the very important work that journalists all around the world have done during the pandemic, and they need to be able to continue that work, wherever they may work,” Dujarric said at a regular media briefing at the United Nations headquarters in New York.

Rozina, who earned the reputation of being an investigative journalist, has in recent months published several reports exposing the health ministry’s alleged malpractices during the COVID-19 pandemic, drawing public attention.

She also published several reports involving the health sector which included alleged graft in procurement at the health ministry, corruption in doctors’ recruitment and how urgent medical equipment for coronavirus treatment were left at Dhaka airport for months.

Several legal experts and senior lawyers said they could not recall any instance when the 1923 Official Secrets Act was used against any journalist.

Journalists’ unions and different media platforms have been staging demonstrations in Dhaka and other districts, demanding Islam’s immediate release and punitive actions against the officials who “harassed” her. 

Gaza: In a significant development, a truce between Israel and Hamas began on Friday (May 21, 2021) at the hour set by Egyptian mediators, and U.S. President Joe Biden pledged to salve the devastated Gaza Strip with humanitarian aid after the worst fighting in years.

An official from the Palestinian militant Hamas group said that Israel’s declaration of a cease-fire represented “a victory to the Palestinian people” and a defeat for Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. 

Speaking to Associated Press, Ali Barakeh, a member of Hamas’ Arab and Islamic relations bureau, said, “militants will remain on alert until they hear from mediators who have been working for days between Hamas and Israel.”

The office of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu announced that the Israeli security cabinet approved the Egyptian-brokered ceasefire with Hamas in the Gaza Strip on Thursday night (May 20, 2021), Xinhua reported. 

According to a statement issued by the office, the decision came after a discussion that lasted a couple of hours and was “unanimously” approved by the ministers.

The top world leaders, including United Nations and US President Joe Biden, welcomed this much-awaited development.

“Palestinians and Israelis equally deserve to live safely, security and to enjoy equal measures of freedom, prosperity, and democracy,” Joe Biden said after the announcement of Israel and Hamas’s unconditional ceasefire. 

UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres welcomed the ceasefire between Israel and Palestine and called on all parties to observe it.

“I welcome the ceasefire between Gaza and Israel after 11 days of deadly hostilities,” Guterres said on Thursday. “I call on all sides to observe the ceasefire.”

Additionally, Gaza health officials confirmed that over 232 Palestinians, including 65 children, had been killed, while more than 1,900 people have been wounded in airstrikes. On the other hand, Israel’s officials revealed that it had killed at least 160 combatants.

(With agency inputs)

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Jerusalem: The top United Nations envoy to Israel and the Palestinian territories is welcoming the cease-fire in the latest war between Israel and the Hamas- militant group that rules Gaza.

Tor Wennesland, UN special coordinator, said early Friday (May 21) on Twitter that he extends his “deepest condolences to the victims of the violence & their loved ones.”

He also thanks Egypt and Qatar for their work with the UN in brokering the deal that ended 11 days of fighting.

He added that now “the work of building Palestine can start.”

The United States on Thursday defended its efforts to broker a ceasefire in renewed fighting between Israel and Palestinian militants after Washington found itself isolated at the United Nations over its opposition to any Security Council action.

“We have not been silent,” U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations Linda Thomas-Greenfield told the 193-member U.N. General Assembly as it met to discuss the violence. “In fact, I don`t believe that there`s any country working more urgently and more fervently toward peace.”

The United States has repeatedly objected to a U.N. Security Council statement since fighting erupted 11 days ago between Israel and Hamas militants and other groups in Gaza. The United States then expressed opposition on Wednesday to a French push for a council resolution on the conflict.

When U.S. President Joe Biden spoke to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Wednesday, he said the United States believes “Israel is now in a position to begin winding down the conflict and we expect a significant de-escalation to begin,” Thomas-Greenfield said.

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Gaza: A truce between Israel and Hamas began on Friday (May 21, 2021) at the hour set by Egyptian mediators, and U.S. President Joe Biden pledged to salve the devastated Gaza Strip with humanitarian aid after the worst fighting in years.

President Joe Biden on Thursday (May 20, 2021) pledged humanitarian and reconstruction aid for Gaza as the US President hailed a deal to end 11 days of fighting between Israel and Hamas. The US President was also criticized by fellow Democrats in the state for not speaking out more forcefully against Israeli actions.

Joe Biden addressed the media at the White House shortly after the news of the ceasefire agreement came out. US President while promising to replenish Israel’s Iron Dome missile defense system, said, “We remain committed to work with the United Nations and other international stakeholders to provide rapid humanitarian assistance and to marshal international support for the people in Gaza and in the Gaza reconstruction efforts.”

US President also added that this reconstruction aid for Gaza would not be provided in partnership with Hamas, which the United States labels a terrorist organization, but with the Palestinian Authority.

Additionally, President Biden also defended his remarks and approach in handling the crisis after many Democratic lawmakers in the country urged him to adjust his stance defending Israel’s right to self-defense.

The US President revealed that he made over six phone calls to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, followed by conversations with Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi and President of Palestine Mahmoud Abbas on the issue.

“I believe the Palestinians and Israelis equally deserve to live safely and securely and enjoy equal measures of freedom, prosperity and democracy,” Biden said.

“My administration will continue our quiet, relentless diplomacy toward that end. I believe we have a genuine opportunity to make progress and I am committed to working for it,” he said.

Palestinians, many of whom had spent 11 days huddled in fear of Israeli shelling, poured into Gaza’s streets. Mosque loud-speakers feted “the victory of the resistance achieved over the Occupation (Israel) during the ‘Sword of Jerusalem’ battle.”

In the countdown to the 2 a.m. (2300 GMT Thursday) cease-fire, whose timing Hamas had publicly confirmed but Israel had not, Palestinian rocket salvoes continued and Israel carried out at least one air strike. Each side said it stood ready to retaliate for any truce violations by the other.

Meanwhile, Gaza health officials confirmed that over 232 Palestinians, including 65 children, had been killed, while more than 1,900 people have been wounded in airstrikes. On the other hand, Israel’s officials revealed that it had killed at least 160 combatants.

Authorities put the death toll in Israel at 12, with hundreds of people treated for injuries in rocket attacks that caused panic and sent people rushing into shelters.

U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said, “Israeli and Palestinian leaders had a responsibility beyond the restoration of calm to address the root causes of the conflict,” he told reporters with serious dialogue.

“Gaza is an integral part of the future Palestinian state and no effort should be spared to bring about real national reconciliation that ends the division,” he said.

(With inputs from Reuters)

Gaza: With Israeli planes renewed airstrikes in Gaza, the age-old cross border conflict between Israel and Palestine entered seventh day on Monday (May 17, 2021). The Israeli air strike killed 42 Palestinians, including 10 children, on Sunday, health officials revealed. 

As the U.N. Security Council convened to discuss the worst Israeli-Palestinian violence in years, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Israel’s campaign in Gaza was continuing at “full force”.

The death toll in Gaza jumped to 192, including 58 children, its health ministry said, amid an intensive Israeli air and artillery barrage since the fighting erupted last Monday, while ten people have been killed in Israel, including two children, Israeli authorities say.

Gaza fighting ”utterly appalling’

The United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres told the UN Security Council on Sunday that hostilities in Israel and Gaza were “utterly appalling” and called for an immediate end to fighting.

Opening the 15-member council’s first public meeting on the conflict, Guterres said the United Nations is “actively engaging all sides toward an immediate ceasefire” and called on them “to allow mediation efforts to intensify and succeed.”

“Each time Israel hears a foreign leader speak of its right to defend itself it is further emboldened to continue murdering entire families in their sleep,” Palestinian Foreign Minister Riyad al-Malki told the Security Council.

Israel’s UN Ambassador Gilad Erdan said Israel’s response to indiscriminate attacks by Hamas strictly adhered to international law and that the country was taking “unparalleled steps to prevent civilian casualties.”

“Israel uses its missiles to protect its children. Hamas uses children to protect its missiles,” Erdan said.

Diplomatic talks

The truce efforts being made by Egypt, Qatar and the United Nations have so far offered no sign of progress in decelerating the age-old conflict. The United States sent an envoy to the region and President Joe Biden spoke with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas on Saturday as well.

On the other hand, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken discussed the violence in Israel, the West Bank and Gaza in phone calls with the Qatari, Egyptian and Saudi foreign ministers, the State Department said on Sunday.

Blinken and Qatar`s Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al-Thani discussed “efforts to restore calm in Israel and the West Bank and Gaza in light of the tragic loss of civilian life”, the State Department said.

The Egyptian Foreign Ministry said in a statement that the two ministers agreed on “the importance of working to reach an immediate ceasefire between the two sides, and they also agreed to continue coordination in the bilateral framework, as well as in regional and international ones, regarding what is in the interest of the Palestinian people and reaching a ceasefire.”

Israeli PM Netanyahu says airstrikes will continue

Israeli PM Netanyahu said Israel’s air and artillery barrage had eliminated dozens of Hamas militants and taken out “hundreds” of the Islamist militant group’s sites including missile launchers and a vast tunnel network.

“The party that bears the guilt for this confrontation is not us, it’s those attacking us,” Netanyahu said in a televised speech.

“We are still in the midst of this operation, it is still not over and this operation will continue as long as necessary,” he said.

(With Agency Inputs)

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Gaza: Israel destroyed a 12-storey tower block in Gaza housing the offices of the U.S.-based Associated Press and other news media on Saturday (May 15), saying the building was also used by the Islamist militant group Hamas.

The al-Jalaa building in Gaza City, which also houses the offices of Qatar-based broadcaster Al Jazeera as well as other offices and apartments, had been evacuated after the owner received advanced warning of the impending strike.

A Palestinian journalist was wounded in the strike, Palestinian media reported, and debris and shrapnel flew dozens of yards away. 

The Israeli military said its “fighter jets struck a multi-story building which contained military assets belonging to the intelligence offices of the Hamas terror organization”. 

It said it had provided advance warning to civilians in the building, allowing them to get out.

AP President and CEO Gary Pruitt called the strike “an incredibly disturbing development”. He said a dozen AP journalists and freelancers had been in the building and had been evacuated in time.

“We are shocked and horrified that the Israeli military would target and destroy the building housing AP’s bureau and other news organizations in Gaza,” he said in a statement https://blog.ap.org/announcements/ap-statement-on-destruction-of-gaza-bu….”The world will know less about what is happening in Gaza because of what happened today.”

The U.S. government said it had told Israel to ensure the safety of journalists.

“We have communicated directly to the Israelis that ensuring the safety and security of journalists and independent media is a paramount responsibility,” White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki tweeted.

The acting director-general of Al Jazeera Media Network, Dr Mostefa Souag, called the strike “barbaric” and said Israel should be held accountable.

“The aim of this heinous crime is to silence the media and to hide the untold carnage and suffering of the people of Gaza,” he said in a statement.

Israeli military spokesman Lieutenant Colonel Jonathan Conricus rejected the notion that Israel was seeking to silence the media. “That is totally false, the media is not the target,” he told Reuters.

Conricus called the building a legitimate military target, saying it contained Hamas military intelligence. He said Hamas might have calculated that by placing their “assets” inside a building with news media offices in it “they probably hoped that would keep them safe from Israeli attack”.

The Israeli military has said during nearly a week of intense conflict that its strikes on buildings in Gaza are aimed at hitting targets used by Hamas, the Islamist group that runs the enclave. 

Hamas militants have fired more than 2,000 rockets at Israel during the latest violence. Palestinian medics say at least 139 people, including 39 children, have been killed in Gaza. Israel has reported nine dead, including two children.

U.S. ENVOY IN ISRAEL

The destruction of the building came the day after U.S. President Joe Biden`s envoy Hady Amr arrived in Israel amid diplomatic efforts to restore calm and ahead of a U.N. Security Council meeting on Sunday.

Asked why the entire building was destroyed, Conricus said: “There was no way of taking down only the Hamas facilities that were in the building. They occupied several floors in the building and it was impossible only to take down those floors. It was deemed necessary to take down the whole building.” 

Rashida Tlaib, a Democratic member of the U.S. House of Representatives and the daughter of Palestinian immigrants, accused Israel on Twitter of targeting media so that “the world can’t see Palestinians being massacred”.

An Al Jazeera report on the strike on its English-language website quoted journalist Safwat al-Kahlout as saying: “I have been working here for 11 years. I have been covering many events from this building, we have lived personal professional experiences. Now everything, in two seconds, just vanished.”

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New Delhi: With Israeli planes renewed airstrikes in Gaza and Hamas militants’ retaliatory rockets launched into Israel, the age-old cross border conflict between Israel and Palestine entered fifth day on Saturday (May 15, 2021).

The Palestinian religious affairs ministry said Israeli planes destroyed a mosque. A military spokesman said the army was checking the report. Sirens sounded in two major southern Israeli cities warning of incoming fire from Gaza. Hamas claimed responsibility for launching rockets.

132 people killed in Gaza

The Palestinian authorities also revealed that at least 132 people have been killed in Gaza since the violence broke out on Monday, including 32 children and 21 women, and 950 others have been wounded in theb area.

Additionally, over 11 people were killed in the occupied West Bank amid clashes between protesters and Israeli security forces.

Israel launched day-long attacks on Friday in order to destroy, what Israeli defence forces claim to be, several kilometers (miles) of tunnels, launch sites and weapons manufacturing warehouses used by the militants in an effort to halt the rocket attacks.

UN chief calls for unified Security Council 

On the other hand, UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres on Friday called for a unified Security Council over the Israeli-Palestinian conflict and regretted the lack of multilateralism.

“What we would like to see is … a strong, unified voice for de-escalation, for a cessation of hostilities and a push to get the parties back on track to find a political solution to this conflict that has been going on and on and on,” questioned Guterres’ spokesman Stephane Dujarric on the issue, adding that, Guterres is concerned about the state of multilateralism “as we’ve seen it during the pandemic and as we`ve seen it in other aspects.”

“We would like to see member states put to action the ideals that we all have to live up to within this organization,” he added.

With regard to the Security Council, he said the more unified the council is, the stronger its voice and the stronger its impact.

Israel’s president warns of civil war

Across central and southern Israel, from small towns bordering Gaza to metropolitan Tel Aviv and southern Beersheba, people have adjusted to sirens wailing, radio and TV broadcast interruptions and the beeps of cellphones bearing red alerts that send them rushing for cover.

The aftermaths of cross-border hostilities between Israel and Palestinian militants in Gaza has also been seen entering the small cities now, with increased number of violence and street fights in mixed communities of Jews and Arabs, the Israel’s president has now warned of civil war.

Diplomatic talks underway

Egypt was leading regional efforts to secure a ceasefire. Egypt’s pushing for both sides to cease fire from midnight on Friday pending further negotiations, two Egyptian security sources said, with Egypt leaning on Hamas and others, including the United States, trying to reach an agreement with Israel.

“The talks have taken a real and serious path on Friday,” a Palestinian official said. “The mediators from Egypt, Qatar and the United Nations are stepping up their contacts with all sides in a bid to restore calm, but a deal has not yet been reached.”

The United Arab Emirates on Friday called for a ceasefire and negotiations while offering condolences to all victims of the fighting.

More than 2,000 rockets fired

Meanwhile, the Israeli military said more than 2,000 rockets had been fired from Gaza into Israel since the start of the conflict, around half of them intercepted by missile defence systems and 350 fell into the Gaza Strip.

Civil unrest between Jews and Arabs in Israel itself dealt a strong blow to efforts by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s opponents to unseat the Israeli leader after a series of inconclusive elections, giving rise to expectations Israelis will go to the polls for an unprecedented fifth time in just over two years.

(With Agency Inputs)

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The Hague, Netherlands: Individuals involved in a new eruption of Israeli-Palestinian bloodshed may be targeted by an International Criminal Court investigation now under way into alleged war crimes in earlier bouts of the conflict, its top prosecutor said in an interview.

In March, the ICC announced it would investigate war crimes in the Israeli-occupied West Bank and in the Gaza Strip with the Israeli military and armed Palestinian groups such as Hamas – which rules Gaza – named as possible perpetrators.

Below are some facts about the court, based in The Hague, Netherlands.

* The ICC was established in 2002 to prosecute war crimes, crimes against humanity, genocide and the crime of aggression when member states are unwilling or unable to do so themselves.

It can prosecute crimes committed by nationals of member states or on the territory of member states by other actors. It has 123 member states and an annual budget of some 150 million euros ($180 million). Israel is not a member, while the Palestinian Authority is a party to the ICC.

* The ICC has convicted five men for war crimes and crimes against humanity, all African militia leaders from Democratic Republic of Congo, Mali and Uganda. Terms range from nine to 30 years in prison. The maximum possible term is life imprisonment.

* The ICC is now conducting 13 other formal investigations, including into Afghanistan, Bangladesh/Myanmar and Georgia. It has a further 13 so-called preliminary examinations, including in Venezuela, Philippines and Ukraine.

* The ICC`s top fugitive is former Sudanese leader Omar al Bashir, wanted for genocide in Darfur. The first former head of state ever to appear before the ICC, former Ivorian president Laurent Gbagbo, was acquitted of all charges in 2019 after a three-year trial.

* Although the court is supported by many United Nations members and the European Union, other major powers like the United States, China and Russia are not members, arguing it could be used for politically motivated prosecutions.

* The court`s prosecutor, Fatou Bensouda, finishes a nine-year term on June 15 and will be replaced by British barrister Karim Khan, who is known for heading the U.N. special investigative team looking into Islamic State crimes in Iraq.

* A five-year preliminary examination by Bensouda`s office into violence in the Palestinian territories concluded that there is a reasonable basis to believe that:

– Israeli forces committed war crimes during hostilities in the Gaza Strip in 2014, including disproportionate attacks and wilful killing on the part of the ground or airborne forces.

– “In the context of Israel’s occupation of the West Bank, including East Jerusalem, members of the Israeli authorities have committed war crimes” by allowing settlers to live there. Israel denies that its settlements violate international law.

– Hamas and other Palestinian armed groups committed intentional attacks on civilians, including through the firing of rockets into Israel, as well as willful killings and torture in Gaza in the same period since 2014.

– Israeli forces used lethal and non-lethal force against demonstrators in March 2018 near the border fence between the Gaza Strip and Israel that allegedly resulted in the killing of over 200 people and the wounding of thousands of others. Israel denies that its forces deliberately target civilians.
 

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Gaza: Amid the accelerating unrest between Israel and Palestine, the death toll in Gaza has reached 103 people, including 27 children, on Friday (May 14, 2021) as the Hamas group launched a new barrage of airstrikes. Over 580 others have been wounded, as per Al Jazeera’s reports.

As the cross border violence entered fourth day, which is also the first day of the Eid al-Fitr religious holiday, reports of violent confrontations between Jewish Israelis and Palestinian citizens of Israel in several cities of Israel have also surfaced.

The tensions between Israel and Palestine escalated in the region, even as Egyptian negotiators held in-person mediation talks with the two sides to diffuse the violence.

A heavy barrage of numerous rockets were targeted towards Israel and the investigation into the source continues. Additionally many rockets were fired towards the cities of Ashdod and Ashkelon which were intercepted by the Iron Dome air-defense system.

“A short while ago, three rockets were fired from Lebanon into the Mediterranean Sea off the coast of northern Israel,” tweeted Israel Defense Forces (IDF).

BREAKING: A short while ago, three rockets were fired from Lebanon into the Mediterranean Sea off the coast of northern Israel.

— Israel Defense Forces (@IDF) May 13, 2021

The Israeli government also issued orders to divert the flights coming to the Ben Gurion international airports to Eilat’s Ramon Airport.

Meanwhile, the United States on late Wednesday (May 13, 2021) blocked a public virtual meeting of the UN Security Council to address the escalating conflict between Israel and Palestine, informed diplomats.

The open meeting was requested by China, Tunisia and Norway to be held on Friday, but the US said that such a meeting will not support these de-escalatory efforts, diplomats told Anadolu Agency.

The US has instead asked for an open debate on Tuesday. This follows a second council briefing from UN Special Envoy for Israeli-Palestinian Peace Tor Wennesland.

“Council members demanded immediate cessation of all acts of violence, provocation, incitement and destruction. They called for respect for international law, including international humanitarian law and the protection of civilians,” it said.

The ongoing violence between Israel and Palestine marks a dramatic escalation of tensions linked to the potential eviction of Palestinian families from East Jerusalem by Israeli settlers and access to one of the most sacred sites in the city, which is a key hub for Islam, Judaism and Christianity.

With ramping up of rocket attacks and airstrikes from both sides, concerns have emerged that the conflict is likely to evolve into a full-blown war. About 1,750 rockets have been fired from the Gaza Strip toward Israel since the conflict escalation, the Israeli military said on Thursday, reported Sputnik.

“To date, approximately 1,750 rockets have been launched from the Gaza Strip into Israel, of which approximately 300 launches were unsuccessful, the rockets exploded in the Gaza Strip,” the military said in a statement.

The conflict escalated after Israeli forces raided the Al-Aqsa Mosque in Jerusalem amid eviction protests, which left scores of Palestinians and police officers wounded. Palestinian resistance groups in Gaza vowed to retaliate for Israeli assaults on Al-Aqsa and Jerusalem’s Sheikh Jarrah neighborhood.

(With ANI inputs)

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New Delhi: In its Weekly Epidemiological Update, the World Health Organization listed various contributing factors for the Covid surge in India including “several religious and political mass gathering events which increased social mixing”.

WHO also stated that B.1.617 variant were first reported in India in October 2020.

ALSO READ: 12-16 Week Gap Between Covishield Doses, Covid Recovered Patients Should Defer Jab For 6 months, Says Govt Panel

“The resurgence in COVID-19 cases and deaths in India has raised questions on the potential role of B.1.617 and other variants (e.g., B.1.1.7) in circulation,” the update said.

“A recent risk assessment of the situation in India conducted by WHO found that resurgence and acceleration of COVID-19 transmission in India had several potential contributing factors, including increase in the proportion of cases of SARS-CoV-2 variants with potentially increased transmissibility; several religious and political mass gathering events which increased social mixing; and, under use of and reduced adherence to public health and social measures (PHSM). The exact contributions of these each of these factors on increased transmission in India are not well understood,” it said.

On Wednesday, Government of India issued a clarification stating that WHO has not associated the term “Indian Variant” with the B.1.617 variant of the coronavirus in its 32 page document. The GOI statement came after several reports were published recently about how B.1.617 variant was found in almost 44 countries. The B.1.617 variant is considered responsible for the devastating second wave in India.

The WHO update said that “the prevalence of several VOCs including B.1.1.7 and B.1.612 sublineages increased concurrent to the surge in COVID-19 cases reported in India.”

Earlier this week, the World Health Organization classified the B.1.617 variant spreading in India as “of concern”. WHO Chief Scientist Soumya Swaminathan in an exclusive interview with the news agency ANI said that the country’s spread “worrying” and called on the government to report actual numbers.

Islamabad: Prime Minister Imran Khan said on Tuesday (May 11) that Pakistan would not hold talks with India until New Delhi reverses its decision of scrapping the special status of Jammu and Kashmir.

India abrogated the special status of Jammu and Kashmir under Article 370 on August 5, 2019 and bifurcated it into two Union territories.

“Unless India retreats from the steps taken on August 5, the Pakistani government will not talk to India at all,” Khan said while responding to questions from the public during a live broadcast session.

Earlier in the day, Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi said that no talks presently were taking place with India but parleys could be held if New Delhi revisited its policy regarding Kashmir and provided relief to the people of Kashmir.

“Jammu and Kashmir cannot be an internal issue of India as it is on the agenda of the UN and there are several Security Council resolutions on it,? he said while addressing a news conference in Islamabad.

India has repeatedly said Jammu and Kashmir is an integral part of India and the country is capable of solving its own problems.

New Delhi has told Islamabad that it desires normal neighbourly relations with it in an environment free of terror, hostility and violence. 

Indo-Pak relations deteriorated after India announced withdrawing special powers of Jammu and Kashmir and bifurcation of the state into two union territories in August, 2019. India has maintained that issue related to Article 370 of the

Indian Constitution was entirely an internal matter of the country.

However, lately, there has been some improvement when the two countries agreed in February to restore peace on the Line of Control. It is said that the rival officials have been interacting through backchannel diplomacy to ease tension. 

Khan also responded to several questions about domestic issues and defended the performance of his government which came to power in August 2018.

(inputs from PTI)

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