Current Final

Category: FOREIGN

  • Israel tells 1.1m people to evacuate Northern Gaza within 24 hours: what we know about day seven

    Israel tells 1.1m people to evacuate Northern Gaza within 24 hours: what we know about day seven

    Where do they go?

    The Gaza Strip consists of 2.3 million people. More than 1.1 million Palestinians living in the northern part of the Strip are being asked to move towards the South by Israeli forces — that too, within 24 hours as there are plans of ground operations.

    The UN has deemed the call as “impossible”, stating that it can lead to a serious humanitarian crisis: “It is ‘impossible for such a movement to take place without devastating humanitarian consequences,” the UN said.

    Israeli military sent a warning to Gaza saying, “This evacuation is for your own safety. You will be able to return to Gaza City only when another announcement permitting it is made. Do not approach the area of the security fence with the State of Israel.”

    Hamas, however, has told Palestinians to not give into the “fake propaganda”“Remain steadfast in your homes and stand firm in the face of this disgusting psychological war waged by the occupation”, stated the Hamas Authority for Refugee Affairs.

    Nowhere to sleep

    The International Committee of the Red Cross has revealed that as a large number of people in Gaza are being displaced, “hundreds of thousands have nowhere to sleep”.

    It added that more than 2 million people lack basic necessities, water and electricity; ambulances cannot reach the wounded.

    423,000 people displaced

    The United Nations has revealed that 423,378 people have been displaced after forcibly fleeing their residences in Gaza.

    The UN’s Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (UNOCHA) said that this number has reportedly risen by an addition of 84,444 people on Thursday.

    ‘Genocide’ in Gaza, says Hamas

    In a video statement, senior Hamas official Ghazi Hamad describes the current Israeli moves as “genocide” which are being backed by the Western countries who, he added, are not seeking a resolution.

    “There is no safe area for the people in Gaza to seek refuge or shelter,” he said.

    “Every area and every building is under possible attack. Everyone is targeted and vulnerable to Israel’s killing, including women, children, the elderly and even disabled people.”

    “The Israeli leaders are giving clear instructions to their army to carry out a genocide [against] more than two million citizens in the Gaza Strip. We are facing unprecedented crimes in modern history,”

    30 airstrikes in one night

    Israel conducted 30 airstrikes during the night in a span of just one hour.

    This indicates the intensification of attacks in the northern part of the Gaza Strip after excessive attacks in the southern part, targeting Rafah.

    Use of white phosphorus

    The use of white phosphorus has now been confirmed by Human Rights Watch.

    “Human Rights Watch verified videos taken in Lebanon and Gaza on October 10 and 11, 2023, respectively, showing multiple airbursts of artillery-fired white phosphorus over the Gaza City port and two rural locations along the Israel-Lebanon border, and interviewed two people who described an attack in Gaza,” they have stated.

    Additionally, Lama Fakih, Middle East and North Africa director at Human Rights Watch explains that “Any time that white phosphorus is used in crowded civilian areas, it poses a high risk of excruciating burns and lifelong suffering,

    “White phosphorous is unlawfully indiscriminate when airburst in populated urban areas, where it can burn down houses and cause egregious harm to civilians.”

    Lebanese forced to flee too

    After Palestinians, thousands of people from southern Lebanese villages are forced to leave their houses due to high chances of Israel-Hezbollah war.

    Hezbollah is a Lebanese Shia Islamist political party and militant group. They have a frictional history with Israel and both of them have, time and again, attacked each other’s territory.

  • World reacts to Israel’s breach of international laws

    World reacts to Israel’s breach of international laws

    While many of its old allies still support Israel as it continues to bomb Gaza, a number of countries are now raising concerns over Israel’s breach of international laws.

    Russia

    President Vladimir Putin responded to the Israel-Palestine escalation by condemning the “catastrophic” deaths and criticised Washington’s involvement in the Middle East peace settlement.

    During a meeting with Iraqi Prime Minister Muhammad Shia al-Sudani, he said “This is a vivid example of the failure of Middle East policies of the United States [as it] tried to monopolise the [peace] settlement”.

    “But, unfortunately, [the US] was not concerned about the search for compromises for both sides and, vice versa, promoted their own conceptions about how it should be done, [and] pressured both sides,” he added.

    Moscow has also refused to label Hamas as a terrorist organisation.

    “We maintain contact with [both] sides of the conflict,” Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov said.

    “Of course, Russia continues to analyse the situation and keeps its position as a nation that has the potential to participate in the settlement process.”

    China

    On Thursday, China’s top diplomat and foreign minister Wang Yi stated that the issue of Palestinian is central to the Middle East conflict, and that denial of “justice” to the Palestinian people was at its core.

    Turkey

    Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan spoke to German Chancellor Olaf Scholz, asserting that a lasting solution to the conflict lies in the establishment of a sovereign Palestinian state with its capital in East Jerusalem within the 1967 borders .

    Ireland

    Irish Prime Minister Leo Varadkar has criticised Israel for violating international humanitarian law and halting water, food and electricity supply into the Gaza Strip.

    “Israel is under threat. They do have a right to defend themselves, but they don’t have the right to breach international humanitarian law,” he said in an interview with TVE.

    “To me, it amounts to collective punishment. Cutting off power, cutting off fuel supplies and water supplies, that’s not the way a respectable democratic state should conduct itself.”

    He has, however, also urged Hamas to release all the Israeli captives, saying that Israel is “justified in attacking Hamas in Gaza and elsewhere.”

    Former Irish President Mary Robinson has also commented on the escalation, deeming Israel’s response to Hamas attacks as collective punishment.

    Robinson asserted that Ireland has been a “very good voice in acknowledging the suffering of occupation and the continual problems of Palestinians over decades.”

    Richard Boyd Barrett, Irish MP, addressed the Dáil Éireann, the lower house of the Irish parliament, during a discussion on the Irish Government’s response to the situation in Gaza.

    “The Israeli Government has brazenly, publicly and openly declared its intention to commit a war crime, and has commenced that war crime against the people of Gaza”, he said.

    Scotland

    Hamza Yousaf, the first minister of Scotland, has also spoken up against the Israeli attacks on Gaza.

    He posted on X (formerly Twitter), quoting the latest UN statement that warns about the dire consequences of Israeli orders of evacuation of Gaza.

    “The international community must step up and demand an end to collective punishment. Enough. There can be no justification for the death of innocent men, women & children.”

    He also shared a video of his mother-in-law, Elizabeth El-Nakla, calling for help.

    She was visiting her relatives with her husband when Hamas attacked on Saturday.

    Norway

    The Norwegian foreign minister, Anniken Huitfeldt, has said on Thursday that while Israel has the right to defend itself against Hamas, a total blockade of Gaza cannot be supported.

    “The establishment of a full blockade, including on access to electricity, water, food, and other goods that are indispensable for the survival of the civilian population in Gaza, is unacceptable,” she stated.

    She further pointed out that self-defense measures must be taken within international law.

    “The scale of destruction in Gaza is enormous. A large number of civilians have been killed. Given a full blockade by Israel, closed border crossings, and continued Israeli attacks, I fear that the civilian population in Gaza will face even greater hardship in the days to come,” Huitfeldt said.

    She also warned that suspension or decrease in assistance to Gaza can worsen the matter.

    “Functioning Palestinian institutions and the delivery of basic services are crucial to avoid further destabilisation and preserve the objective of the two-state solution.”

  • Blast in restaurant in China kills at least 31 people

    At least 31 people have been killed and seven injured on Wednesday as the result of a gas explosion at a restaurant in northwestern China. The blast was caused by a leaking liquefied petroleum gas tank.

    “A leak of liquefied petroleum gas … caused an explosion during the operation of a barbecue restaurant,” state news agency Xinhua said on Wednesday.
    The owner, shareholders, and staff of the restaurant were among the nine people who were detained by police after the explosion.

    According to media accounts, the BBQ restaurant in Yinchuan, the region’s capital, is very popular among locals. High school students and pensioners were among those killed in the explosion, which occurred during the busiest dining hours.

  • Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and Cori Bush join Ilhan Omar in boycotting Modi’s Washington address 

    Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and Cori Bush join Ilhan Omar in boycotting Modi’s Washington address 

    Congresswoman Cori Bush and member of the U.S. House of Representatives Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez have joined Congresswoman Ilhan Omar in boycotting Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s Washington speech. 

    Both politicians announced their decision via Twitter. The development came shortly after Omar announced that she would be boycotting Modi’s speech, citing human rights abuse.

    Both Ocasio-Cortez and Bush have made their decision to boycott for the same reasons. In her statement on Twitter, Ocasio-Cortez pointed out how Modi had been denied a U.S. visa in 2005 due to his alleged complicity in the 2002 Gujarat riots. 

    She goes on to explain that a joint address to Congress is among the most prestigious invitations the U.S. can extend, and it should not be done so to individuals with a record of human rights violations. 

    Bush also alleges Modi’s history of committing human rights abuses, undermining democracy, and targeting journalists. 

    In February this year, BBC offices in India had been raided by tax department officials, just weeks after the release of a documentary revealing evidence of Modi’s responsibility in Gujarat riots. The documentary was later blocked by the government.

    Modi had been invited by top U.S. lawmakers to join Biden in a joint address to Congress on June 22nd. As China’s influence grows in the Indo-Pacific region, the U.S. is anxious to secure India’s cooperation as a counterbalance.

  • Modi to celebrate International Yoga Day on UN’s Lawn during U.S. visit

    Modi to celebrate International Yoga Day on UN’s Lawn during U.S. visit

    In celebration of the ninth annual observance of International Day of Yoga, Indian prime minister Narendra Modi will be leading a yoga session on the north lawn of the UN headquarters in New York on Wednesday morning.

    Modi, a practicing Hindu, often presents himself as devoutly religious. Considering yoga has its origins in ancient Hindu religious practices, the exercise seems a fitting ode to both his faith and culture.

    But there are other, more important concerns surrounding his crucial visit to Washington.

    Congresswoman boycotts speech

    Earlier today, United States’ Congresswoman Ilhan Omar published a tweet ahead of Indian prime minister Narendra Modi’s speech to Congress. She stated she will not be attending the address, holding a briefing with human rights groups instead to discuss ‘Modi’s record of repression and violence.’ 

    She accused his government of repression of religious minorities, emboldening Hindu nationalist groups, and targeting journalists/human rights advocates ‘with impunity’.

    At the beginning of June, top lawmakers in the U.S. had invited Modi to address Congress on the 22nd of June, during his visit to Washington, DC. Addressing Congress is a rare opportunity that is granted only to the country’s closest allies.

    Biden asked to raise concerns

    A letter was sent to U.S. President Joe Biden on the eve of Modi’s visit to Washington, asking him to raise concerns around democratic norms and human rights in India with its prime minister. 

    A total of 75 American Senators and Representatives have signed the letter. The U.S. lawmakers that drafted it said they were concerned about religious intolerance, press freedoms, internet access and the targeting of civil society groups. 

    They cited “a series of independent, credible reports” reflecting “troubling signs” in India, as reported by Reuters. 

    “We do not endorse any particular Indian leader or political party — that is the decision of the people of India — but we do stand in support of the important principles that should be a core part of American foreign policy,” said the letter.

    A strategic ceremony

    According to BBC, the discussions between the two states not only have potential to infuse new energy into India-U.S. relations, but also have an impact on the global order.

    As China’s influence continues to grow in the Indo-Pacific, the U.S. needs India’s influence more than ever, viewing it as a counterbalance to China’s. While India is reluctant to claim this tag, China is one of the main catalysts driving India-U.S. relations.

    Human rights advocates worry that geopolitics might overshadow humanitarian issues. U.S. rights groups have planned protests against Modi’s state visit to Washington, citing India’s deteriorating human rights record, as reported by Reuters.

  • Largest virus outbreak: China relies on TCM to fight Covid-19

    Largest virus outbreak: China relies on TCM to fight Covid-19

    Shanghai is distributing to residents millions of boxes of traditional Chinese medicine (TCM), such as herbal products and flu capsules, which it says can treat Covid-19 in the battle to control its largest virus outbreak.

    China’s commercial capital, now under an extended lockdown, reported more than 17,000 new Covid-19 infections on April 5, including 311 symptomatic cases, among a population of more than 26 million.

    “Facing the extremely transmissible Omicron variant, we should use TCM treatment as soon as possible,” said Fang Min, president of the city’s Shuguang Hospital.

    “For general public, including high-risk groups, taking TCM treatment when the epidemic is severe has good preventive effect,” he told a news briefing on Tuesday, adding that such treatments for more than 21 million people had been handed out.

    Several residents told Reuters they had received free boxes of over-the-counter flu medicine Lianhua Qingwen from neighbourhood committees in recent weeks. Others who caught Covid said they got TCM medication to be dissolved in hot water.

    About 98% of Shanghai’s Covid-19 patients are taking TCM treatment, and teams of TCM workers have fanned out to designated hospitals and quarantine sites since the latest outbreak began in March, Fang said.

    China’s health authority has recommended several TCM drugs and ingredients, such as Lianhua Qingwen, for use by Covid-19 patients, although a lack of reliable clinical data limits their use outside the country.

    China approved several treatments including Pfizer’s Paxlovid and Brii Biosciences Ltd’s antibody-based medicine to treat Covid patients, but it is not clear how widely they are used.

    Reuters

  • China reports highest daily covid tally since pandemic starts

    China reported more than 20,000 Covid-19 cases on Wednesday, the highest daily tally given since the start of the pandemic, as millions in locked-down Shanghai began a new round of testing.

    The country’s “zero-Covid” strategy has come under immense strain as cases spike, with around 25 million residents of Shanghai — China’s largest city and economic engine room — ordered to stay-at-home as the authorities struggle to contain the outbreak.

    Until March, China had kept daily cases low with snap localised lockdowns, mass testing, and strict restrictions on international travel.

    But the caseload has hit thousands per day in recent weeks, with Shanghai driving the surge of the highly transmissible Omicron variant.

    The city locked down its residents in phases last week, prompting scenes of panic-buying and mass testing.

    But state broadcaster CCTV reported that the city will launch a fresh round of tests on the entire population on Wednesday.

    Shanghai is “testing its strength against the virus,” senior city health official Wu Qianyu said at a press conference Wednesday, the latest dour warning from authorities suggesting a long run in lockdown may be ahead.

    The city is converting its landmark National Exhibition and Convention Center into a makeshift Covid hospital for 40,000 people, state news agency Xinhua reported Wednesday, just days after setting up a temporary quarantine centre in another expo hall.

    – Extended lockdown –

    The China’s National Health Commission said in a statement it is the country’s highest-ever daily infection number given by authorities, even during the peak of the initial outbreak which centered around Wuhan.

    The majority of the cases are, however, asymptomatic.

    Authorities reported no new deaths, in a country which says only one person has died of the virus in nearly two years.

    In Shanghai quarantine facilities are bulging with people who test positive — even if they are asymptomatic — as city officials stick rigidly to virus protocols.

    Those include separating Covid-positive babies and children from parents who test negative, a policy that has stirred anxiety and anguish from worried families.

    City officials said on Wednesday that parents of some child patients with “special needs” would now be allowed to remain with their Covid-positive children.

  • Protests mounting as Lankan president loses majority

    The embattled Sri Lankan president lost majority in parliamentary as former allies have urged his resignation in the wake of raging street protests over the island nation’s crippling economic crisis.

    Unprecedented shortages of food and fuel along with record inflation and blackouts have inflicted widespread misery in the country’s most painful downturn since independence from Britain in 1948.

    Once-powerful ruling coalition of President Gotabaya Rajapaksa is in turmoil after a string of defections and the new finance minister’s resignation just one day after taking office.

    On the other hand, anti-Rajapaksa demonstrations continued for a fifth straight day and the government warned of retaliation if rallies turned violent.

    “Security forces will not hesitate to enforce the law against those involved in violence,” defence ministry secretary Kamal Gunaratne said in a statement.

    More than 60 people had been arrested in connection with unrest since Friday and many have said they were tortured in police custody.

    The UN Human Rights Council said it was closely watching the deteriorating situation in Sri Lanka, which is already facing international censure over its human rights record.

    “The drift towards militarisation and the weakening of institutional checks and balances in Sri Lanka have affected the state’s ability to effectively tackle the economic crisis,” the UNHRC said.

  • Indian Muslim women ‘up for sale’ on app again

    Indian Muslim women ‘up for sale’ on app again

    BBC News Correspondent Yogita Limaye claims that Indian Muslim women find themselves ‘up for sale’ for a second time on an application called Sulli [a derogatory term used to refer to Muslim women in India] application.

    In a tweet, she said, “In the span of six months, Indian Muslim women find themselves ‘up for sale’ for a second time. The info tech minister says the content has been blocked. Perpetrators yet to be found.”

    This is not the first time that Muslim women were put up “for auction” online in India. In July, images of hundreds of women were uploaded via an auctioning app called “Sulli Deals”.

    Hana Khan, a commercial pilot whose name was on the list revealed that she was alerted to it when a friend sent her a tweet.

    Police opened an investigation but refused to say who could be behind the app.

    The experience had left women scarred. Those who featured on the app were all vocal Muslims, including journalists, activists, artists and researchers. A few have since deleted their social media accounts and many others said they were afraid of further harassment.

  • New Zealand: Multiple people injured in knife attack by an ISIS-inspired man

    New Zealand’s Prime Minister  Jacinda Ardern has said in an official statement that at least six people were hurt in a knife incident at a supermarket in Auckland, Al Jazeera has reported. The attacker was killed within 60 seconds after beginning the attack, she said. Ardern further added that the had been inspired by the ISIS group.

    “It was hateful, it was wrong. It was carried out by an individual, not a faith,” Ardern said. She described the attacker as a Sri Lankan national who arrived in New Zealand in 2011. “He alone carries the responsibility for these acts.”

    Police Commissioner Andrew Coster said the man was acting alone and police were confident there was no further threat to the public, Reuters has reported.

    “We were doing absolutely everything possible to monitor him and indeed the fact that we were able to intervene so quickly, in roughly 60 seconds, shows just how closely we were watching him,” Coster said.

    Videos of panicked people in the shopping mall after the attack has gone viral on social media.