Thursday, November 30, 2023

WATCH: Indian diaspora welcomes PM Modi in Dubai for COP28, says 'the world needs leader like him'

Prime Minister Narendra Modi received a warm welcome at the Dubai airport as soon as he landed there to attend the 28th Conference of Parties (COP28) Summit.

The Prime Minister will be participating in the World Climate Action Summit of COP28 which is scheduled on 1 December.

PM Modi was received by UAE’s Interior Minister and Deputy Prime Minister Sheikh Saif bin Zayed Al Nahayan at the airport.

PM Modi gets rousing welcome in Dubai

The Indian diaspora, waiting outside a hotel in Dubai, were all excited upon PM Modi’s arrival in UAE. They sang ‘Saare Jahan Se Achha’ and chanted slogans of ‘Bharat Mata Ki Jai’, ‘Vande Mataram’, ‘Modi, Modi’, ‘Ab Ki Baar Modi Sarkar’.

 

Taking to X, formerly known as Twitter, PM Modi said, "Deeply moved by the warm welcome from the Indian community in Dubai. Their support and enthusiasm is a testament to our vibrant culture and strong bonds."

'World needs a leader like PM Modi'

The members of the Indian diaspora in Dubai were elated at the opportunity to meet PM Modi and they highlighted his global leadership qualities.

"I have been living in UAE for 20 years but today it felt as if one of my own has come to this country," said a member of the Indian diaspora after meeting PM Modi in Dubai.

After meeting PM Modi, a student said, "It was a very inspiring and motivating moment. We felt good after seeing him."

"The amount of time PM Modi gave us and the events that happened here we are very happy to witness it," said another student after meeting the Indian Prime Minister.

"We are so happy to see PM Modi here. We will never forget this day in our lives. The world needs a leader like PM Modi," said another member of the diaspora after meeting PM Modi.

"We felt good that PM Modi has come here. He shook hands with us. He is a global leader," said another member of the Indian diaspora.

"We have no words to say. We are very happy that PM Modi shook hands with us and he recognised us because of our 'pagdi'," said another member of the diaspora.

"I am big fan of PM Modi. He is favourite leader. I told him about the lotus saree that I am wearing," said a woman of Indian origin after meeting PM Modi in Dubai.

Prime Minister Modi also witnessed cultural performance by members of Indian diaspora upon his arrival at hotel in Dubai.

PM Modi is on a one-day visit to the UAE and has a packed schedule on Friday (1 December, 2023).

The Prime Minister will arrive at the Leadership Pavilion of the COP28 venue at Expo City around 10:30 am (local time). The leaders will then have a welcome photograph with UAE President Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan and UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres.

There will be the traditional family photograph of all the attending delegates (heads of state/heads of government) around 11:30 am (local time).

PM Modi will speak at five events as part of the COP28 summit. These are the opening session of the World Climate Action Summit, ceremonial opening of high-level segment for heads of state/government, presidency's session on transforming climate finance, high-level event on green credits programme, and leadership group for industry transition.

With inputs from agencies



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‘Appropriate move’: Blinken on India setting up probe into alleged murder attempt on Sikh separatist

Soon after New Delhi announced an investigation into allegations by the United States that an Indian official was involved in a foiled plot to assassinate a Khalistani terrorist in the US, Secretary of State Antony Blinken hailed the move as “good and appropriate”.

“The Indian government announced today that it was conducting an investigation, and that’s good and appropriate, and we look forward to seeing the results,” Blinken told reporters travelling with him in Tel Aviv, Israel.

Blinken was responding to a question on the appearance of an unnamed Indian official in an indictment filed by federal US prosecutors in a Manhattan court on Wednesday along with an Indian national, who the Department of Justice alleges hired someone in the US to assassinate Pannun, a vocal critic of India and one espousing the cause of a separate Khalistan.

“This is an ongoing legal matter and it is something we take very seriously. A number of us have raised this directly with the Indian government in the past weeks. The government has announced that it is conducting an investigation and that's good and appropriate. We look forward to seeing the results,” the US State Department Secretary said soon after India launched an investigation into the allegations.

Earlier in the week, the US had alleged that an Indian national was found involved in a plan to assassinate a Sikh separatist on American soil.



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Frenzied negotiations continue to get Israel, Hamas to extend truce once again

Hectic negotiations continued on Friday to renew the pause in fighting between Israel and Hamas in Gaza as a senior Israeli official reiterated plans to resume the war unless the Palestinian militant group agreed to release more hostages.

After two last-minute extensions, the enemies marked on Thursday the seventh day of a Qatari-mediated truce with the exchange of eight hostages and 30 Palestinian prisoners as well as the infusion of more humanitarian aid into the shattered Gaza Strip.

Egyptian and Qatari mediators, who succeeded in achieving the earlier deals, were working to negotiate a further truce of two days, Egypt’s official state media agency said.

Mark Regev, an adviser to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, said Israel was open to continuing the ceasefire if Hamas committed to further hostage releases. Israel had previously set the release of 10 hostages a day as the minimum it would accept to pause its assault.

“We’re ready for all possibilities…. Without that, we’re going back to the combat,” he said on CNN.

Before the prior truce was due to expire early on Thursday, Hamas and its ally, the armed wing of Palestinian Islamic Jihad, put their fighters on alert for a resumption of hostilities.

Israel has sworn to annihilate Hamas, which rules Gaza, in response to the October 7 rampage by the militant group, when Israel says gunmen killed 1,200 people and took 240 hostages.

Israel retaliated with intense bombardment and a ground invasion. Palestinian health authorities deemed reliable by the United Nations say more than 15,000 Gazans have been confirmed killed.

When the ceasefire first came into effect a week ago, Israel was preparing to turn the focus of its operation to southern Gaza after its relentless seven-week assault to the north.

TEENS RELEASED

Mediators faced a daunting challenge on Friday in achieving another truce extension as the obstacles may be greater. With fewer Israeli women and children left in captivity, lengthening the truce could require setting new terms for Hamas to release Israeli men, including soldiers.

The militant group could in turn seek to have Palestinian male prisoners handed over. So far, three Palestinian prisoners have been freed for each Israeli hostage.

One of Qatar’s lead negotiators, career diplomat Abdullah Al Sulaiti, who helped broker the truce through marathon shuttle negotiations, acknowledged in a recent interview the uncertain odds of keeping the guns silent.

“At the beginning I thought achieving an agreement would be the most difficult step,” he said in an article that detailed the behind-the-scenes efforts for the first time. “I’ve discovered that sustaining the agreement itself is equally challenging.”

Thursday’s releases brought the totals freed during the truce to 105 hostages and 240 Palestinian prisoners.

Among the newly released were six women aged 21 to 40 including one Mexican-Israeli dual national and 21-year-old Mia Schem, who holds both French and Israeli citizenship.

Photos released by the Israeli prime minister’s office showed Schem, who was captured by Hamas along with others at an outdoor music festival in southern Israel on October 7, embracing her mother and brother after they were reunited at Hatzerim military base in Israel.

The other two newly released hostages were a brother and sister, Belal and Aisha al-Ziadna, aged 18 and 17 respectively, according to the Israeli prime minister’s office. They are Bedouin Arab citizens of Israel and among four members of their family taken hostage while they were milking cows on a farm.

ISRAEL AGREES TO PROTECT CIVILIANS, BLINKEN SAYS

The truce has allowed some humanitarian aid into Gaza after much of the coastal territory of 2.3 million people was reduced to wasteland in the Israeli assault. More fuel and 56 trucks of humanitarian supplies entered Gaza on Thursday, Israel’s defence ministry and the Palestinian Red Crescent Society said.

But deliveries of food, water, medical supplies and fuel remain far below what is needed, aid workers say.

At an emergency meeting in Amman, Jordan’s King Abdullah on Thursday urged U.N. officials and international groups to pressure Israel to allow more aid into the beleaguered enclave, according to delegates.

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken, in Israel during his third visit to the Middle East since the war began, agreed that the flow of aid into Gaza was not sufficient. Blinken said he told Netanyahu that Israel cannot repeat in south Gaza the massive civilian casualties and displacement of residents it inflicted in the north.

“We discussed the details of Israel’s ongoing planning and I underscored the imperative for the United States that the massive loss of civilian life and displacement of the scale that we saw in northern Gaza not be repeated in the south,” Blinken told reporters in Tel Aviv. “And the Israeli Government agreed with that approach,” he said. This would include concrete measures to avoid damaging critical infrastructure such as hospitals and water facilities and clearly designating safe zones, he said.



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Israel-Hamas War LIVE Updates: More Israeli hostages, Palestinian prisoners are released under truce

08:21 (IST)

Israel-Hamas War LIVE Updates

Israel and Hamas agree to keep truce going for eighth day

According to the Wall Street Journal, quoting Egyptian authorities, Israel and Hamas have agreed to prolong the cease-fire for an eighth day.

There has been no formal announcement of a ceasefire extension from either side, or from Egypt, Qatar, or the United States, which have spearheaded the pause discussions.

According to the source, an additional day would likely result in the release of another ten Israeli captives.

Earlier, a source close to the Palestinian militant organisation Hamas told AFP that it was "willing to extend the truce."

08:12 (IST)

Israel-Hamas War LIVE Updates

Israel releases 30 more Palestinian prisoners

A busload of 30 Palestinian prisoners released by Israel has been welcomed home in the West Bank.

The bus arrived early Friday in the city of Ramallah, hours after Hamas militants released eight Israeli hostages after eight weeks of captivity in the Gaza Strip.

Dozens of men, some holding green Hamas flags, greeted the prisoners. The men were hugged and the crowd chanted, “God is great.”

The exchanges have been taking place each night since last Friday as part of a cease-fire deal between Israel and Hamas.

07:56 (IST)

Israel-Hamas War LIVE Updates

More Israeli hostages, Palestinian prisoners are released under truce

Eight Israeli hostages were released from Hamas captivity in the Gaza strip on Thursday as part of a temporary cease-fire deal that has lasted for seven days, the Israeli military said.

Israel freed 30 Palestinian prisoners in the early hours of Friday under the truce deal, which has paused the deadliest fighting in decades between Israel and Palestinians.

International pressure has mounted for the truce to be upheld as long as possible after weeks of Israeli bombardment and ground campaign following Hamas’ deadly Oct. 7 attack on Israel that triggered the war.

Eight Israeli hostages were released from Hamas captivity in the Gaza strip on Thursday as part of a temporary cease-fire deal that has lasted for seven days, the Israeli military said.

Israel freed 30 Palestinian prisoners in the early hours of Friday under the truce deal, which has paused the deadliest fighting in decades between Israel and Palestinians.

International pressure has mounted for the truce to be upheld as long as possible after weeks of Israeli bombardment and ground campaign following Hamas’ deadly Oct. 7 attack on Israel that triggered the war.

Thousands of Palestinians in Gaza have been killed by Israel, and more than three-quarters of the population of 2.3 million have been uprooted, leading to a humanitarian crisis.



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Wednesday, November 29, 2023

Indian Railways launches 'Gajraj Suraksha', a new AI-based tech to curb elephant-train collisions

Over the past decade, about 200 elephants lost their lives due to collisions with trains, posing a significant threat to both wildlife and railway operations.

In a bid to address the rising concern of elephant deaths in train collisions, Indian Railways has rolled out a groundbreaking, indigenously developed new technology called Gajraj Suraksha, that is aimed at preventing such tragic incidents.

Gajraj Suraksha, which is a kind of Intrusion Detection System or IDS, is based on an AI algorithm and claims to detect 99.5 per cent of potential collisions, providing a much-needed solution to this longstanding issue. What makes this system unique is that it primarily relies on OFCs or Optical Fibre cables for quick transmission of signals.

Union Minister of Railways, Ashwini Vaishnaw announced plans to install these AI-powered systems in West Bengal, Odisha, Jharkhand, Assam, Kerala, certain parts of Chhattisgarh, and Tamil Nadu.

How does the Gajraj Suraksha Intrusion Detection System work?
Gajraj Suraksha senses pressure waves generated by the movement of elephants along the tracks. While explaining how exactly the mechanism works, officials revealed that as elephants move, the optical fibres detect vibrations caused by their footsteps.

These vibrations trigger signals within the optical fibre network, enabling the system to identify the presence of elephants up to 200 meters ahead of their arrival on the track.

The OFC-based Intrusion Detection System works by sending alarms to station masters whenever movement is detected along the tracks.

The network is designed in such a way that it can track the movement of the elephant with great accuracy and report it to nearby station masters. This allows them to promptly inform locomotive drivers in the affected areas.

This quick communication ensures that trains can be slowed down or stopped, preventing potential collisions with elephants.

Cost-effective, easy-to-deploy
One of the key advantages of this technology is its cost-effectiveness. On a vast network spanning 700 kilometres of railway tracks, the implementation cost is estimated at Rs 181 crores, making it a viable and scalable solution for Indian Railways. The Indian Railways plans to deploy this solution across all elephant corridors in the country in the next 8 months.

The Indian Railways has chosen the Northeast Frontier Railways to pilot this programme and implement this new, cutting-edge technology in some of the worst affected areas.

The system is being installed over a large area and is already fully operational along a specific stretch covering approximately 70 kilometres. Authorities believe that this proactive approach will significantly reduce the number of elephant casualties caused by train accidents in the region.

The introduction of this indigenous technology marks a significant step forward in the efforts to protect wildlife and enhance the safety of railway operations.

As India continues to grapple with the delicate balance between modern infrastructure and environmental conservation, innovations like the Gajraj Suraksha, showcase the potential for technology to mitigate the impact on the country’s rich biodiversity.



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Controversial American diplomat and Nobel Prize winner, Henry Kissinger, dies at 100

Henry Kissinger, a controversial Nobel Peace Prize winner and diplomatic powerhouse whose service under two US presidents left an indelible mark on the country’s foreign policy, died on Wednesday, according to Kissinger Associates Inc.

Kissinger died at his home in Connecticut, Kissinger Associates said.

The former US diplomat had been active past his centenary, attending meetings in the White House, publishing a book on leadership styles, and testifying before a Senate committee about the nuclear threat posed by North Korea. In July 2023, he made a surprise visit to Beijing to meet Chinese President Xi Jinping.

In the 1970s, he had a hand in many of the epoch-changing global events of the decade while serving as secretary of state under Republican President Richard Nixon. The German-born Jewish refugee’s efforts led to the diplomatic opening of China, landmark US-Soviet arms control talks, expanded ties between Israel and its Arab neighbors, and the Paris Peace Accords with North Vietnam.

Kissinger’s reign as the prime architect of US foreign policy waned with Nixon’s resignation in 1974. Still, he continued to be a diplomatic force under President Gerald Ford and to offer strong opinions throughout the rest of his life.

While many hailed Kissinger for his brilliance and broad experience, others branded him a war criminal for his support for anti-communist dictatorships, especially in Latin America. In his later years, his travels were circumscribed by efforts by other nations to arrest or question him about past US foreign policy.

His 1973 Peace Prize — awarded jointly to North Vietnam’s Le Duc Tho, who would decline it — was one of the most controversial ever. Two members of the Nobel committee resigned over the selection and questions arose about the US secret bombing of Cambodia.

Ford called Kissinger a “super secretary of state” but also noted his prickliness and self-assurance, which critics were more likely to call paranoia and egotism. Even Ford said, “Henry in his mind never made a mistake.”

“He had the thinnest skin of any public figure I ever knew,” Ford said in an interview shortly before his death in 2006.

With his dour expression and gravelly, German-accented voice, Kissinger was hardly a rock star but had an image as a ladies’ man, squiring starlets around Washington and New York in his bachelor days. Power, he said, was the ultimate aphrodisiac.

Voluble on policy, Kissinger was reticent on personal matters, although he once told a journalist he saw himself as a cowboy hero, riding off alone.

HARVARD FACULTY

Heinz Alfred Kissinger was born in Furth, Germany, on May 27, 1923, and moved to the United States with his family in 1938 before the Nazi campaign to exterminate European Jews.

Anglicizing his name to Henry, Kissinger became a naturalized US citizen in 1943, served in the Army in Europe in World War Two, and went to Harvard University on scholarship, earning a master’s degree in 1952 and a doctorate in 1954. He was on Harvard’s faculty for the next 17 years.

During much of that time, Kissinger served as a consultant to government agencies, including in 1967 when he acted as an intermediary for the State Department in Vietnam. He used his connections with President Lyndon Johnson’s administration to pass on information about peace negotiations to the Nixon camp.

When Nixon’s pledge to end the Vietnam War won him the 1968 presidential election, he brought Kissinger to the White House as national security adviser.

But the process of “Vietnamization” – shifting the burden of the war from the half-million U.S. forces to the South Vietnamese – was long and bloody, punctuated by massive U.S. bombing of North Vietnam, the mining of the North’s harbors, and the bombing of Cambodia.

Kissinger declared in 1972 that “peace is at hand” in Vietnam but the Paris Peace Accords reached in January 1973 were little more than a prelude to the final Communist takeover of the South two years later.

In 1973, in addition to his role as national security adviser, Kissinger was named secretary of state – giving him unchallenged authority in foreign affairs.

An intensifying Arab-Israeli conflict launched Kissinger on his first so-called “shuttle” mission, a brand of highly personal, high-pressure diplomacy for which he became famous.

Thirty-two days spent shuttling between Jerusalem and Damascus helped Kissinger forge a long-lasting disengagement agreement between Israel and Syria in the Israeli-occupied Golan Heights.

In an effort to diminish Soviet influence, Kissinger reached out to its chief communist rival, China, and made two trips there, including a secret one to meet with Premier Zhou Enlai. The result was Nixon’s historic summit in Beijing with Chairman Mao Zedong and the eventual formalization of relations between the two countries.



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Freed Israeli hostages tell families of beatings and death threats

Israeli women and children on their return from Hamas captivity in Gaza speak of being beaten and threatened with death, moved from place to place and forced to whisper during weeks spent with little to do, their families say.

Most hostages released during a six-day-old truce have been rushed to hospitals out of sight in a country still reeling from the shock of their abduction during a Hamas rampage on Oct. 7 in which Israel says 1,200 people were killed.

Danny Brom, director of METIV: The Israel Psychotrauma Center, said some will need medical treatment but others will not. Many will need to talk, and “the main issue that needs to be restored is a sense of control,” he said.

“People coming through horrific things are not sick,” Brom said. “They need to cope with it, they need to get space, time and a warm environment in order to do that, but not necessarily in a medical setting.”

Since the latest round of releases began on Friday, with Israel releasing some jailed Palestinians in exchange, the freed hostages have been kept away from the media.

Their stories have come out through the filter of family members, without independent verification. They offer a hint of their ordeal. Most of the 240 hostages that Israel says were seized on Oct. 7 are still in captivity.

Deborah Cohen told France’s BFM TV she had been told her 12-year-old nephew Eitan Yahalomi and others were beaten by Gazan residents on arrival in the enclave after the Hamas rampage. She said his captors made him watch footage of the Hamas violence.

“Every time a child cried there, they threatened them with a weapon to make them be quiet. Once they got to Gaza, all the civilians, everyone was hitting them … We’re talking about a child 12 years old,” she said.

Hamas portrays the treatment of hostages as humane, and says it has treated the hostages in accordance with Islamic teachings to preserve their lives and wellbeing.

But the Palestinian militant group says some hostages were killed by air strikes during a military offensive that was launched in response to the Oct. 7 assault and has killed more than 15,000 people, according to Palestinian health officials in Hamas-ruled Gaza.

The families of two girls who were held together found it hard to hear their children on their return home because they spoke only in whispers.

“I had to put my ear close to her mouth to hear. In captivity she was told not to make any noise. You can see the terror in her eyes,” Thomas Hand, the father of nine-year-old Emily Hand, told CNN.

On her return, she was told that Narkis, Hand’s former wife who had helped care for Emily, had been killed on Oct. 7.

“Last night she cried until her face was red, she couldn’t stop. She didn’t want any comfort, I guess she forgot how to comfort herself. She got under the covers, covered herself and cried quietly,” he said.

Yair Rotem said his niece Hila Rotem Shoshani, 13, was held with Emily Hand, and was also now speaking in whispers. She spoke of hugging her mother Raaya, still in Gaza, who cried when the girls were taken from her before their return to Israel.

Merav Mor Raviv said captors of her cousin Keren Munder, Keren’s nine-year-old son Ohad and mother Ruth, spoke Hebrew and at times would motion with a finger across their throats as if to warn of death if they didn’t do as asked.

She told Israel’s Channel 12 they were moved from place to place, both underground and above ground. They lost weight as food was scarce at times, and ate mostly rice and pita bread for days.

Officials at Israeli hospitals say hostages experienced poor nutritional health, and many with chronic diseases were denied medical treatment, causing serious health problems.

Elma Avraham, 84, released on Sunday, was in a “fight for her life,” according to hospital staff.

“They held her in terrible conditions,” daughter Tali Amano said. “My mother arrived hours before we would have lost her.”

Yocheved Lifshitz, 85, abducted on Oct. 7 and set free two weeks later, said she confronted Hamas chief Yahya Sinwar while in captivity and asked him how he was not ashamed for having acted violently against peace activists like herself.

“He didn’t answer. He was silent,” she told the Hebrew-language newspaper Davar on Tuesday night.

Ahal Besorai said his niece and nephew, Alma and Noam Or, 13 and 16, and a woman in their room had shared a diary, but the children were prevented from taking it when their captors removed the two of them.

He told CNN the children thought they were being taken to the toilet but the militants “handcuffed them, blindfolded them, (and) took them to the car that took them to the place where they were being handed over to the Red Cross.”

“They tried to hide it from the lady who stayed behind, all on her own,” Besorai said.

One Israeli mother, Daniel Aloni, wrote to thank Hamas’ armed al-Qassam Brigades before her release with daughter Emilia. Their story went viral in Arabic media.

Daniel wrote to thank them for giving Emilia sweets and fruit and treating her daughter like a queen.

“I will forever be thankful that she doesn’t leave here with trauma,” she wrote. “If only in this world we could truly be good friends.”

Reuters was unable to reach Aloni or her family for comment on the letter written in captivity.



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Son of Russian oligarch Pumpyansky wins appeal against EU sanctions

The European Union’s court stated on Wednesday that Alexander Pumpyansky, the son of Russian businessman Dmitry Pumpyansky, has successfully appealed against the sanctions imposed by the EU due to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.

According to the court’s decision, Pumpyansky was placed on the sanctions list because the EU council acknowledged that he was no longer president and board member of Sinara or TMK as of March 9, 2022, six months prior to the first round of sanctions and two weeks after the invasion of Ukraine.

Pumpyansky has to be removed from the list of sanctions, according to the European Union General Court’s decision, which was the first decision made by the Court of Justice of the EU (CJEU), which is headquartered in Luxembourg. Pumpyansky’s claim was denied.

The EU now has two months to appeal the decision before the CJEU, the highest court in the EU, according to a court official.

Gazprom, a Russian energy business, sources steel pipes from OAO TMK. Russian investment bank Sinara. According to the EU, both businesses gain from their partnership with Russian state enterprises and the Russian government.

Longtime ally of Russian President Vladimir Putin, Russian oligarch Gennady Timchenko, filed an appeal against the penalties, but the EU court rejected it in September.

The late Russian mercenary chief Yevgeny Prigozhin’s mother achieved a unique triumph over the sanctions in March. Since she was still being punished by other rulings at the time, the court’s decision had no immediate practical impact.

Because of Russia’s conflict in Ukraine, the EU has placed sanctions on about 1,700 individuals and organisations.

Approximately seventy-four Russians have appealed against EU sanctions to the Luxembourg-based court, according to a court official.

(With agency inputs)



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Tuesday, November 28, 2023

India Rising: NASA to place Indian astronaut on ISS, help ISRO set up Indian Space Station by 2035

NASA is set to train an Indian astronaut for an upcoming mission to the International Space Station (ISS) by the close of 2024, as announced by Bill Nelson, the administrator of the US space agency, during his visit to Delhi. Emphasizing India’s potential as a “great future partner,” Nelson expressed the United States’ openness to cooperating on the development of an Indian Space Station.

During a meeting with Indian Prime Minister [Prime Minister’s Name], the call for the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) scientists to establish an Indian Space Station by 2035 and to send an Indian astronaut to the moon by 2040 was reiterated. Nelson indicated that the US plans to de-orbit its space station in 2031 and anticipates the presence of commercial space stations by then. He affirmed the US’s willingness to provide counsel or collaboration if India seeks assistance.

Nelson highlighted the NISAR satellite program as another significant outcome of the India-US collaboration, scheduled for launch in the first quarter of 2024. According to the agreement between the two space agencies, NASA will assist in training an Indian astronaut, selected by ISRO, who will embark on the ISS mission by the end of 2024. The selected astronaut is likely to be chosen from the pool of four individuals who have undergone basic space astronaut training in preparation for the Gaganyaan mission.

The specifics of the two-week-long mission’s science objectives will be determined by India, as Nelson stressed the importance of the Indian astronaut having the autonomy to focus on scientific research that aligns with India’s priorities.

Following a meeting between Nelson and Union Minister Dr. Jitendra Singh, a joint working group comprising representatives from both space agencies is exploring collaboration on various fronts, including radiation impact studies, micro-meteorite and orbital debris shield studies, and space health and medicine aspects. An implementing arrangement for ISRO-NASA collaborations has been established and is currently undergoing inter-governmental approvals, as per a statement from the Department of Space.

(With inputs from agencies)



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Turkey’s Erdogan tells Guterres Israel must be tried in international courts for Gaza war crimes

Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan on Tuesday told United Nations Secretary General Antonio Guterres that Israel must be held accountable in international courts for what he called war crimes it committed in Gaza, the Turkish presidency said.

Israel has mounted an offensive by air and ground against Hamas militants in Gaza in which more than 15,000 people have been killed, according to Gaza health authorities. The offensive was launched after Hamas went on a rampage in southern Israel on October 7, killing some 1,200 people and taking another 240 hostage.

In a phone call ahead of a UN Security Council meeting on Gaza planned for Wednesday, Erdogan and Guterres discussed the “expectations of the international community regarding Israel’s unlawful attacks”, access of humanitarian aid into the enclave, and efforts for a lasting peace, the Turkish presidency said.

“During the call, President Erdogan said Israel continues to shamelessly trample on international law, the laws of war, and international humanitarian law by looking in the eyes of the international community, and it must be held accountable for the crimes it committed in front of international law,” it said in a statement.

Turkey’s foreign ministry said Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan would attend the UN Security Council meeting in New York.

In a statement, it added that Fidan would also meet his counterparts as part of a so-called contact group of some Muslim countries, formed by the Arab League and Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) this month to discuss Gaza with Western powers and others.

Turkey has harshly criticised Israel’s attacks on Gaza and called for an immediate ceasefire to allow for discussions over a two-state solution to the wider Israel-Palestinian conflict.

Erdogan has called the Israeli attacks on Gaza a genocide and accused Israel of being a “terror state”. Israel rejects such charges and say it is acting in self-defence against a foe bent on it destruction.

Turkey also hosts some members of Hamas, which it does not consider a terrorist group, unlike the United States, European Union, and some Gulf countries. It has accused the West, apart from Spain and Belgium, of complicity due to their support of Israel.



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Australian envoy praises rescue of 41 tunnel workers in Uttarakhand

The rescue of 41 workers who had been stranded within a collapsed section of an under-construction tunnel in Uttarakhand for 16 days was celebrated on Tuesday by Philip Green, the Australian High Commissioner to India.

The Australian diplomat praised the rescue operation, describing it as a “immense achievement” as it worked its way through numerous obstacles over the course of two weeks.

The Australian High Commissioner to India also emphasised the efforts of the Australian tunnelling specialist who monitored the 16-day rescue operation and supplied the technical assistance that ultimately resulted in the safe extraction of every worker who was trapped.

“This is an immense achievement. Well done to the authorities for successfully evacuating all 41 workers trapped in the tunnel in #Uttarkhand,” the Australian High Commissioner posted from his official handle on X.

“Special commendation to Australia’s Professor Arnold Dix who provided important technical support on the ground,” he added.

(With agency inputs)



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Even our wealthiest 10% pollute less than regular earners in rich nations: Study

According to a recent study, even middle-class individuals in wealthy nations emit more carbon dioxide than the richest 10% of individuals in developing nations like Brazil, India, and other countries in Asia and South America.

The study, conducted by the New Delhi-based climate think tank Council for Energy, Environment, and Water (CEEW), was released ahead of the UN climate talks in Dubai. It reveals that the richest 10% of developed countries and China together produce 22% more CO2 than all the developing countries combined.

According to the study, a person’s carbon emissions are six to fifteen times higher than those of a person in the lowest decile of income in Saudi Arabia, the US, or Australia.

Using information from the World Bank and the World Inequality Database, the researchers examined per capita CO2 emissions for various income levels in 14 nations, the EU, and the ASEAN region for this study.

When combined, these nations are responsible for 81% of the world’s emissions, 86% of its GDP, and 66% of its population.

According to CEEW CEO Arunabha Ghosh, the analysis unequivocally demonstrates that not all people bear equal blame for rising global carbon emissions.

In many developing nations, the top 10% of emitters produce fewer emissions per person than the average in wealthy nations. This emphasises the scientific underpinnings of “common but differentiated responsibilities” once more, particularly in light of COP28’s mirror image of previous commitments and unmet promises.

Leading the Lifestyle for Environment (LiFE) movement, Prime Minister Narendra Modi encourages nations to eschew highly consumerist lifestyles and embrace eco-friendly living habits.

Rebalancing the consumption patterns of the Global North and the Global South is called for, given the criticality of this decade (2021–2030) for climate action.

It is clear that different countries have different historical emissions and contributions to global warming. For example, although making up only 4% of the world’s population now, the United States was responsible for 17% of worldwide emissions between 1850 and 2021. On the other hand, India, which accounts for 18% of global population, has only produced 5% of global greenhouse gas emissions to date.

Oxfam International, an independent nonprofit organisation, estimates that in 2015, approximately half of the world’s emissions came from the richest 10% of the population.

Significant emission reductions can result from pushing the wealthiest to adopt low-carbon lifestyles, according to the CEEW study.

More than 3.4 billion tonnes of CO2 might be saved yearly if China and the richest 10% of developed nations cut their carbon footprint even by half. Furthermore, the researchers suggested that a carbon tax on China and the wealthiest 10% of industrialised nations might raise $500 billion and deter very carbon-intensive spending habits.

These monies could be applied to resilience building, de-risking clean technologies, research and development, and climate change mitigation.

‘Developed nations (or regions) and China’ in this study are the US, the UK, Saudi Arabia, Canada, China, Europe, Japan, Russia, Australia, and Turkey. ‘Developing countries (or regions)’ include Argentina, Brazil, India, Mexico, South Africa, and ASEAN.

(With agency inputs)



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Monday, November 27, 2023

Britain’s Sunak cancels scheduled meeting with Greek PM in row over Parthenon sculptures

Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis has accused his British counterpart Rishi Sunak of cancelling a scheduled meeting to be held in London on Tuesday in a diplomatic dispute over the status of the Parthenon Sculptures.

Reportedly Greece has repeatedly asked the British Museum to permanently return the 2,500-year-old sculptures that British diplomat Lord Elgin removed from the Parthenon temple in the early 19th century when he was ambassador to the Ottoman Empire.

“I express my annoyance that the British Prime Minister cancelled our planned meeting just hours before it was due to take place,” Mitsotakis said in a statement. “Greece’s positions on the issue of the Parthenon Sculptures are well known. I had hoped to have the opportunity to discuss them with my British counterpart. Anyone who believes in the rightness and justice of his position is never afraid of confronting arguments,” he said.

The Greek government has been in discussions with British Museum chair George Osborne on a possible loan deal for the sculptures, which have been a source of dispute between the two countries for centuries.

The Greek PM complained in an interview with the that talks over a possible return of the sculptures to Athens were not advancing quickly enough. He said that the continued presence of the sculptures in the British Museum was like cutting the “Mona Lisa in half” and it was not a question of ownership but “reunification”.

A British government official, who asked not to be named, said the row over the marbles meant it was not suitable for the meeting to go ahead. Earlier, a spokesperson for Sunak said there were no plans to return the sculptures.

Asked about Mitsotakis’ statement, Sunak’s office said Britain’s relationship with Greece was “hugely important” and the two countries needed to work together on global challenges like tackling illegal migration.

Deputy British Prime Minister Oliver Dowden was available to meet Mitsotakis to discuss these issues instead, Sunak’s office said.

The British government has always ruled out giving up ownership of the marbles, which include about half of the 160-metre (525-ft) frieze that adorned the Parthenon, and says they were legally acquired.

A law prevents the British museum from removing objects from the collection apart from in certain circumstances, but the legislation does not prohibit a loan.

A meeting between Mitsotakis and British opposition leader Keir Starmer went ahead on Monday as planned. The Financial Times last week reported that Starmer would not block a “mutually acceptable” loan deal for the sculptures.



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To push for more aid for Gaza, Antony Blinken to visit Israel, West Bank, UAE this week

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken is scheduled to visit Israel, the West Bank and the United Arab Emirates later this week, the US State Department has announced, as Washington aims to press for more humanitarian aid for Gaza and help secure the release of all hostages kidnapped by Hamas.

Blinken will travel to Belgium, North Macedonia, Israel, the West Bank, and the UAE from Monday to Saturday, the department said in a statement.

“In Israel and the West Bank, Secretary Blinken will discuss Israel’s right to defend itself consistent with international humanitarian law, as well as continued efforts to secure the release of remaining hostages, protect civilian life during Israel’s operations in Gaza, and accelerate humanitarian assistance to civilians in Gaza,” the department added.

Blinken will discuss what Washington wants to see in Gaza if Israel is able to eliminate Hamas, a State Department official said earlier. Blinken will also discuss the need for an independent Palestinian state as well as attend the UN COP28 climate summit in Dubai, according to the State Department.

It will be his third trip to the region since October 7, when Hamas militants attacked Israel, killed more than 1,200 people and took 240 hostages. In response, Israel has bombarded the Gaza Strip, a densely populated coastal enclave that is home to 2.3 million people, and mounted a ground offensive in the north, killing more than 15,000 Palestinians, according to Gaza health authorities.

Some hostages have been freed last week in exchange for Palestinians held by Israel in a deal mediated by Qatar and Egypt and agreed by Israel, Hamas and the United States.

Since the shocking attack that started one of the bloodiest chapters in the decades-long Israeli-Palestinian conflict, Blinken has conducted high-stakes diplomacy with Israeli and Arab leaders to help ensure the conflict does not broaden, hostages are freed and aid is delivered into the Gaza Strip, where a humanitarian disaster has been unfolding.

This week, he will speak about the future of Gaza and the need for a permanent political solution to the long-standing conflict, after he spelled out Washington’s red lines on a visit to Japan earlier this month for how the strip could be governed if Hamas is defeated.

He ruled out Israeli occupation of Gaza, permanent displacement of its people and reduction in its territory, although a clear plan has yet to emerge in talks with Arab states, Israel and Palestinian leaders.

The top US. diplomat “will also discuss the principles he outlined in Tokyo on November 8, (and) tangible steps to further the creation of a future Palestinian state,” the State Department said.

Blinken landed on Monday evening in Brussels, where he will attend the NATO foreign ministers summit on Tuesday. He will be attending a meeting of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe that is scheduled to take place on Wednesday in Skopje.



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Israel-Hamas War LIVE Updates: Israel releases Palestinian prisoners and Hamas frees 11 hostages as truce extended

08:29 (IST)

Israel-Hamas War LIVE Updates

US thanks Qatar’s efforts to secure release of Israeli captives

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken praised the release of a four-year-old American, Abigail Idan, in a phone chat with Qatari Prime Minister Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani.

“The Secretary thanked the Prime Minister for Qatar’s partnership and critical efforts to secure the release of hostages held by Hamas,” said State Department spokesperson Matthew Miller.

“The Secretary welcomed Prime Minister Al Thani’s update that the sides agreed to extend the humanitarian pause in Gaza over the next 48 hours,” Miller added.

08:14 (IST)

Israel-Hamas War LIVE Updates

200 aid trucks enter Gaza, Israel says

Around 200 container trucks brought humanitarian aid into Gaza on Monday after being inspected by Israel, including a small amount of fuel, according to the Israeli military body that handles civilian affairs.

“Four containers carrying diesel fuel and four containers carrying cooking gas were transferred from Egypt to U.N. humanitarian aid organizations in the Gaza Strip through the Rafah crossing,” COGAT said in a statement.

The aid trucks brough “food, water, shelter equipment, and medical supplies,” the statement said.

08:09 (IST)

Israel-Hamas War LIVE Updates

Israel releases Palestinian prisoners and Hamas frees 11 hostages as truce extended

The crucial mediator Qatar said on Monday that a temporary truce between Israel and Hamas has been extended for two more days, which would have been the cease-fire's final day.

In the fourth transfer under the initial four-day cease-fire, 11 Israeli captives, all women and children, were freed from Hamas custody in Gaza on Monday night. 33 Palestinians detained in Israeli jails were released early Tuesday and taken to the occupied West Bank city of Ramallah.

The truce agreement has increased supply of gasoline and supplies into Gaza, but humanitarian agencies say this hardly scratches the surface of the 2.3 million Palestinians who have been subjected to weeks of Israeli blockade and shelling.

08:07 (IST)

Israel-Hamas War LIVE Updates

Blinken will return to Israel as the US hopes to see further extensions of the Gaza cease-fire

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken will return to the Middle East this week in the hopes of extending a cease-fire in Gaza and freeing more hostages, the State Department announced Monday. His journey to the region will be his third since Israel's battle with Hamas began last month.

Blinken will go to Israel and the West Bank after attending Ukraine-focused talks in Brussels and Skopje, North Macedonia, on Tuesday and Wednesday, when foreign ministers from NATO and the Organisation for Peace and Security in Europe are convening.

In exchange for the gradual release of captives abducted by Hamas during its Oct. 7 strikes on Israel, Israel has agreed to pauses in its military operations. The deal was set to expire on Monday but was extended for two days, meaning the extension would terminate just as Blinken arrives in Israel.

07:57 (IST)

Israel-Hamas War LIVE Updates

Agreement reached to extend Israel-Hamas truce for two more days, says Qatar

The humanitarian cease-fire agreement that has brought the violence in Gaza to a halt has been extended by two days, according to Qatar's minister of foreign affairs on Monday.

Majed Al-Ansari, the spokesperson, did not immediately confirm the terms of the accord, but suggested in a statement early Monday that it may involve further captive releases and relief delivery.

On Sunday, Hamas freed 17 hostages in Gaza, including four-year-old Israeli-American Abigail Mor Edan. In exchange, Israel freed 39 Palestinian inmates.

07:50 (IST)

Israel-Hamas War LIVE Updates

Freed Palestinian prisoners arrive in West Bank City

A Red Cross bus transporting Palestinian inmates freed by Israel landed in Ramallah, West Bank, early Tuesday.

The Israeli prison service announced the release of 33 Palestinian inmates, the fourth such release as part of the cease-fire agreement between Israel and Hamas.

Cheering crowds swarmed the bus as it drove through the streets of the West Bank city, greeting the detainees.

150 Palestinians have been freed from Israeli jails so far.

The humanitarian cease-fire agreement that has brought the violence in Gaza to a halt has been extended by two days, according to Qatar’s minister of foreign affairs on Monday.

Majed Al-Ansari, the spokesperson, did not immediately confirm the terms of the accord, but suggested in a statement early Monday that it may involve further captive releases and relief delivery.

On Sunday, Hamas freed 17 hostages in Gaza, including four-year-old Israeli-American Abigail Mor Edan. In exchange, Israel freed 39 Palestinian inmates.



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Sunday, November 26, 2023

Luxon sworn in as new prime minister of New Zealand

Former airline executive Christopher Luxon was sworn in as New Zealand’s prime minister on Monday, aiming to control inflation and lower interest rates.

Luxon took over six weeks after his conservative National Party won national elections, ending Jacinda Ardern’s six-year Labour Party reign.

Luxon, the former CEO of Air New Zealand, was sworn in as the leader of a new coalition government in Wellington by New Zealand’s governor-general.

“It is an honour and an awesome responsibility,” Luxon told reporters.

“The number one job is to fix the economy. We have to reduce the cost of living and get inflation under control so we can lower interest rates and make food more affordable.”

The last Labour administration has battled to keep growing living costs under control, a worldwide challenge exacerbated by pandemic-related supply concerns and Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.

Labour Party leader Chris Hipkins succeeded Ardern as Prime Minister in January.

She had abruptly quit, bringing her five-year tenure to an end because she no longer had “enough in the tank.”

Luxon is New Zealand’s 42nd prime minister, having cobbled together a coalition government in arduous discussions that ended Friday, six weeks after the election.

To rule in the 123-seat parliament, his National party has established a three-party coalition with the conservative ACT and populist New Zealand First parties.

In a first for New Zealand, the deputy prime minister role will be shared in two 18-month stints.

New Zealand First leader Winston Peters, 78, was sworn in alongside Luxon as deputy prime minister, but will hand over the role at the end of May 2025.

He will be replaced by ACT leader David Seymour for the remainder of the three-year parliamentary term.

Luxon said he would hold his first Cabinet meeting Tuesday and look to quickly finalize a 100-day plan. He said he also planned a visit to Australia before Christmas Day.

Luxon said he needed to get a Treasury briefing on the state of the government’s finances.

“We are concerned and worried that it’s been a deteriorating picture for a number of months now,” Luxon said.

Under the coalition agreement, Luxon has promised to deliver tax cuts and train 500 more police officers within two years.

He has also promised less government bureaucracy, including a 6.5% cut to the public service.

Luxon said it would be up to ministry chief executives to figure out how to make the cuts, whether by stopping programs, not filling vacancies or laying off some workers.

The new government also plans to repeal tobacco restrictions approved last year by the previous government, including requirements for low nicotine levels in cigarettes, fewer retailers and a lifetime ban for youth.

Luxon said his government disagreed with parts of the policy, including concentrating distribution. He said smoking rates had been coming down for 30 years.

“We will continue to make sure we have good education programs and encourage people to take up vapes as a cessation tool,” Luxon said.

But critics said the plan was a setback for public health and a win for the tobacco industry.

Luxon, a father of two, is a wealthy teetotaller and lover of country music who rose to prominence when he ran the national airline for seven years before entering politics.



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Beijing court due to begin compensation hearings for MH370 victims

On Monday, a Beijing court was scheduled to begin compensation hearings for the relatives of Chinese victims who perished on Malaysia Airlines Flight 370, which went missing over ten years ago.

The plane went missing on March 8, 2014, while flying from Kuala Lumpur to Beijing, carrying 239 passengers, the majority of whom were Chinese.

There was little evidence of the jet in a 120,000-square-kilometer (46,000-square-mile) search zone in the Indian Ocean, and the Australian-led effort, the biggest in aviation history, was stopped in January 2017.

Some debris has been collected from the Indian Ocean.

Jiang Hui, whose mother was on flight MH370, wrote on social media this month the court hearings would begin Monday at Beijing’s People’s Court in Chaoyang district and continue until mid-December.

Beijing’s state-run China Daily has also reported the hearings, citing Jiang. The hearing was not listed on the court’s public website.

Families of the victims, as well as media, gathered outside the court on Monday morning, AFP reporters saw.

A US exploration firm launched a private hunt for MH370 in 2018, but it ended after several months of scouring the seabed without success.

The disappearance of the plane has long been the subject of a host of theories — ranging from the credible to outlandish — including that veteran pilot Zaharie Ahmad Shah had gone rogue.

In 2016, Malaysian officials revealed the pilot had plotted a path over the Indian Ocean on a home flight simulator but stressed this did not prove he deliberately crashed the plane.

A final report into the tragedy released in 2018 pointed to failings by air traffic control and said the course of the plane was changed manually.

But they failed to come up with any firm conclusions, leaving relatives angry and disappointed.



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Gaza war truce: Third hostage-prisoner exchange, Hamas says 5 leaders dead

A new group of Israeli and foreign hostages were released from Gaza on Sunday, on the third day of a truce after seven weeks of war, with Palestinian prisoners to be freed later.

Hamas is expected to free a total of 50 hostages in exchange for 150 Palestinian prisoners in Israel over the course of a four-day pause brokered by Qatar, Egypt and the United States.

Gaza militants took about 240 captives from southern Israel in an unprecedented 7 October attack that Israeli officials say killed around 1,200 people, most of them civilians.

In response, Israel has vowed to eliminate Hamas and unleashed an aerial bombing campaign and ground invasion of Gaza that the Hamas government says has killed nearly 15,000 people, also mostly civilians.

Here are four key developments from the past 24 hours:

Third hostage-prisoner exchange

The Israeli army said that 13 released hostages were back Sunday on Israeli territory, and another four were on their way to Egypt.

An earlier statement said the released hostages included three foreign nationals who had been handed over to the Red Cross in the Gaza Strip, on the third day of an agreed pause in the fighting between Israel and Hamas.

Lead mediator Qatar said 39 Palestinians held by Israel are to be released from prison later in the evening, in exchange for the release of 13 Israelis, another one holding Russian citizenship and three Thais.

Late Saturday, Hamas released a second group later than expected after the militant group accused Israel of violating the terms of the agreement, which Israeli officials denied.

Hamas says Russian hostage released

Hamas said it freed a hostage who holds Russian citizenship in support of Moscow’s foreign policy toward Palestinians.

That release was in “response to the efforts of Russian President Vladimir Putin and in appreciation of the Russian position in support of the Palestinian cause”, the militant group said in a statement.

Hamas says 5 leaders dead

The military wing of Hamas said Sunday that the commander of its northern brigade and four other senior leaders had been killed during Israel’s offensive against the Islamist movement.

In a statement, the Ezzedine Al-Qassam Brigades said Ahmed al-Ghandour was a member of its military council, and named three of the others, among them Ayman Siyyam, head of its rocket division, while its West Bank branch confirmed another leader’s death.

Tanker seized off Yemen

A tanker linked to an Israel-affiliated company was seized off the coast of Yemen on Sunday by unidentified armed individuals, a US defence official confirmed, following a series of incidents on the same shipping route.

“There are indications that an unknown number of unidentified armed individuals seized the M/V Central Park in the Gulf of Aden 26 November. US and coalition forces are in the vicinity and we are closely monitoring the situation,” the official told AFP.



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Saturday, November 25, 2023

Somalia floods: Death toll climbs to 96, around 700,000 displaced

The death toll from floods resulting from heavy rains in Somalia has risen to 96, according to the state news agency SONNA on Saturday.

The update, confirmed by Mahamuud Moallim, the head of the country’s disaster management agency, was shared on X, formerly known as Twitter.

Somalia, like the rest of the East and Horn of Africa, has experienced severe rainfall since October, due to the El Nino and Indian Ocean Dipole weather phenomena. These climate patterns influence ocean surface temperatures, leading to above-average rainfall, according to Reuters.

The ongoing flooding is considered the most severe in decades, displacing approximately 700,000 people, according to the United Nations.

The intense rains have caused widespread flooding throughout the country, exacerbating an existing humanitarian crisis stemming from years of insurgency.

In neighboring Kenya, the floods have claimed the lives of 76 people, as reported by the Kenyan Red Cross.

Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) has noted extensive displacement, road and bridge destruction, and shortages of shelter, drinking water, and food supplies, further intensifying the humanitarian challenges in the region.

With inputs from agencies



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Friday, November 24, 2023

US sanctions in Cuba worsening human rights situation: EU envoy

A special European Union envoy Eamon Gilmore said on Friday that US sanctions are worsening the human rights situation in Cuba while reiterating the EU’s call on the communist-led government to release individuals detained during the mass protests in July 2021.

During bilateral talks held over two days with top officials in Havana, discussions covered various aspects, including social and economic rights, as well as civil and political rights such as freedom of expression and the right to assembly or protest.

Gilmore while talking to the media, highlighted that the US sanctions on Cuba, which significantly restrict financial transactions, tourism, and trade, have evident impacts on Cuba’s economy and society. He emphasized that these sanctions are adversely affecting the human rights situation by causing harm to people on the ground.

The people who are impacted are ordinary Cuban citizens who have difficulty accessing food, and medicines,” Gilmore told reporters before departing Havana late on Friday following a packed agenda of meetings.

“That’s why the European Union, when we do impose sanctions, we target the sanctions at individuals and entities that abuse human rights, rather than at general populations.”The US says sanctions are necessary to hold the Cuban government accountable for rights violations and that it makes exceptions for humanitarian purposes and programs to support the Cuban people and private sector.

Gilmore said Cuba had made some progress on women’s rights and gender equality, but doubled down on the bloc’s previous criticisms of Cuba’s handling of protests in 2021, the largest since former leader Fidel Castro’s 1959 Revolution.

The United States and the European Union have both critiqued Cuba’s response to those protests as repressive and heavy-handed. Rights groups say around 1,000 Cubans were jailed for their political beliefs following the demonstrations and several subsequent protests.

Gilmore, who said he met Cubans ranging from President Miguel Diaz-Canel to relatives of jailed protesters, declined to comment on whether he had discussed a potential prisoner amnesty with Cuban officials.

“I don’t want to get into the detail of what we talked about in terms of the prisoners, other than to say the European Union has a long-standing call for the release of prisoners,” he told reporters.

Cuba denies it holds political prisoners and says those detained are guilty of assault, vandalism and sedition, among other crimes. Tensions around the issue flared just days before Gilmore’s arrival after a prisoner died this week in Cuba, prompting a rebuke from the US embassy, which said it was “outraged” by the detainee’s death.

Gilmore said Cuban officials had provided some details to the EU delegation about the case, adding that there is “an investigation underway and we will know the results in due course.

“Gilmore’s visit to Cuba, which concluded with a formal dialogue on Friday with top Cuban officials on human rights, is a stipulation of a 2016 political and cooperation agreement between the bloc and the Caribbean island nation. Gilmore described the European Union’s relationship with Cuba as “constructive but critical.”



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Philippines, Australia launch sea, air patrols in South China Sea

Amid heightened tensions with Beijing over the contested waters, the Philippines and Australia kicked off their first joint maritime patrols on Saturday, days after the Southeast Asian nation concluded a similar activity with the US in the South China Sea.

The Philippines and Australia started their first joint maritime patrols Saturday, days after similar activity conducted by the Southeast Asian nation with the United States in the South China Sea.

The joint patrols with Australia kicked off shortly after Manila took similar measures with the United States, as Pacific nations cautiously monitored an increasingly assertive China. Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr announced the three-day exercises on social media. These joint patrols were established following discussions earlier this year between the Philippines and Australia, aiming to emphasize their commitment to a rules-based order.

China claims virtually the entire South China Sea as its own waters, which has led to disputes not only with the Philippines but also with Vietnam, Malaysia, Taiwan and Brunei. These claims have long been regarded as potential flashpoints in the region, and have fuelled U.S.-China rivalry.

Earlier this week, President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. of the Philippines said the situation in the South China Sea “has become more dire” as China expands its presence in an area where multiple nations have competing territorial claims.

China has shown interest in atolls and shoals that are “closer and closer” to the coast of the Philippines, with the nearest atoll about 60 nautical miles (111 kilometres) away, Marcos said.

“Unfortunately, I cannot report that the situation is improving,” Marcos said Sunday. “The situation has become more dire than it was before.”

The Permanent Court of Arbitration in 2016 said China’s claims had no legal basis. The Philippines is ramping up efforts to counter what it describes as China’s “aggressive activities” in the South China Sea, which has also become a flashpoint for Chinese and US tensions around naval operations.

The South China Sea is a region claimed in almost its entirety by China, serving as a crucial passage for over $3 trillion in annual ship-borne commerce. This includes areas contested by the Philippines, Vietnam, Indonesia, Malaysia, and Brunei.

“Australia and the Philippines are firmly committed to the peaceful, secure and prosperous region, where sovereignty and agreed rules and norms are respected,” Australian Deputy Prime Minister Richard Marles said in a joint statement posted by Marcos.

“The first joint patrol between the Australian Defence Force and the Armed Forces of the Philippines demonstrates this commitment,” Marles said.

The patrols will be carried out in the West Philippine Sea, said Philippine Department of National Defence spokesperson Arsenio Andolong, using Manila’s term for waters in the South China Sea that fall within its exclusive economic zone. The Philippine military said two of its navy vessels and five surveillance aircraft would participate, while Australia would send the frigate Toowoomba and P8-A maritime surveillance aircraft.

“This inaugural Maritime Cooperative Activity and those that may follow are a practical manifestation of the growing and deepening strategic and defence partnership between our countries,” Marcos said on X, the platform formerly called Twitter. The Philippines and the United States concluded three-day joint sea and air patrols on Thursday, starting in waters near Taiwan, a democratically governed island that China claims as its own, and ending in the West Philippine Sea.

In an apparent reference to the United States, the southern theatre command of China’s military said on Thursday that the Philippines “enlisted foreign forces” to patrol the South China Sea and has been stirring up trouble since Tuesday.

With inputs from agencies.



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Israel gets list of hostages to be released on Day 2 of truce by Hamas

Israel has got a list of hostages due to be set free from Gaza on Saturday by Palestinian militant group Hamas, officials said, following the release of 24 hostages during the first day of a planned four-day ceasefire on Friday.

Israeli security officials were reviewing the list, said a statement from the office of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, whose government has promised to work toward the release of all hostages taken by Hamas in an attack on Israel on October 7.

The released hostages, including Israeli women and children and Thai farm workers, were transferred out of Gaza and handed over to Egyptian authorities at the Rafah border crossing, accompanied by eight staff members of the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) in a four-car convoy, the ICRC said. They were then taken to Israel for medical checks and reunions with relatives.

Qatar, which acted as mediator for the truce deal, said 13 Israelis had been released, some with dual nationality, plus 10 Thais and a Filipino – farm workers employed in southern Israel when they were taken hostage. Thirty-nine Palestinian women and children detainees were released from Israeli jails.

The Israeli hostages freed included four children accompanied by four family members, and five elderly women.

US President Joe Biden said there was a real chance of extending the truce and that the pause in fighting was a critical opportunity to get humanitarian aid into Gaza. The pause in fighting was the first break in the war that erupted seven weeks ago.

Biden declined to speculate about how long the Israel-Hamas war would last. Asked at a press conference what his expectations were, Biden said Israel’s goal of eliminating Hamas was a legitimate but difficult mission.

“I don’t know how long it will take,” Biden said.

The Palestine Red Crescent Society said that 196 trucks of humanitarian aid, including food, water and medical supplies, were delivered through the Rafah crossing on Friday, the biggest aid convoy into Gaza since Hamas’ assault on Israel and Israeli bombardment of the territory in retaliation. Some 1,759 trucks have entered the enclave since Oct. 21, it said.

MIXED EMOTIONS IN ISRAEL

The families of the hostages expressed mixed emotions, fearing for those left behind.

“I’m excited for the families who today are going to hug their loved ones,” Shelly Shem Tov, the mother of Omer Shem Tov, 21, said in an interview with Israel’s Channel 12. He was not among those released on Friday. “I am jealous. And I am sad. Mostly sad that Omer is still not coming home.”

According to Israeli tallies, Hamas fighters killed 1,200 people in the October attack and took about 240 hostages.

Since then, Israel has rained bombs on the Hamas-ruled enclave, killing some 14,000 Gazans, around 40% of them children, according to Palestinian health authorities.

Hundreds of thousands of Gaza’s 2.3 million people have fled their homes, including most people in the northern half of the enclave.

After the released hostages underwent initial medical checks and were taken to be reunited with their families, medical authorities said they appeared to be in good physical condition and were undergoing more evaluations.

Roni Haviv, a relative of Ohad Munder, said she was looking forward to giving the nine-year-old his favourite toy.

“I’m waiting to see Ohad and can’t wait to give him his Rubik’s Cube, which I know he really loved and he probably missed it so much and that’s the first thing he takes everywhere he goes,” she said.

Those released on Friday were exchanged for 24 jailed Palestinian women and 15 teenagers. In at least three cases, before the prisoners were released, Israeli police raided their families’ homes in Jerusalem, witnesses said. Police declined to comment.

“There is no real joy, even this little joy we feel as we wait,” said Sawsan Bkeer, the mother of 24-year-old Palestinian prisoner Marah Bkeer, jailed for eight years on knife and assault charges in 2015. Israeli police were seen raiding her Jerusalem home before her daughter was released.

“We are still afraid to feel happy and at the same time, we do not have it in us to be happy due to what is happening in Gaza,” she said.

A source briefed on the negotiations said the release of the Thai workers, who were all men, was unrelated to the truce talks and followed a separate track mediated by Egypt and Qatar.

Both sides said the war would resume as soon as the truce was over.



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Israel-Hamas truce: 13 Israelis, 10 Thais and one Filipino freed, says Qatar

A total of 24 hostages — 13 Israelis, 10 Thais and one Filipino — were handed over Friday to the Red Cross in Gaza by Hamas, Qatar, which mediated the deal, said.

“Those released include 13 Israeli citizens, some of whom are dual citizens, in addition to 10 Thai citizens and a Filipino citizen,” foreign ministry spokesman Majed Al Ansari wrote on X, formerly Twitter.

He said 39 women and children detained in Israeli jails had also been freed under a deal to exchange hostages seized by Hamas for Palestinian prisoners.

Qatar has led weeks of intense negotiations, coordinating with the US and Egypt, to reach an agreement for the freeing of 50 civilian hostages from Gaza in return for the release of Palestinian prisoners, a four-day truce and access for humanitarian aid.

A source with knowledge of the talks confirmed to AFP the 10 Thais and one Filipino freed were in addition to the 50 Israeli hostages earmarked for release.

Their release was secured “following the Thai foreign minister’s visit to Qatar and mediation efforts by the Qataris and Egyptians,” the source said on condition of anonymity because of the sensitivity of the negotiations.

The number of hostages due to be freed under the deal, staggered over the four-day truce, is by far the largest since Hamas gunmen stormed across Gaza’s militarised border on 7 October and carried out the deadliest attack in Israel’s history.

Israel says the attack killed 1,200 people, mostly civilians, and saw around 240 more taken hostage, among them elderly people and children.

In response, Israel launched a relentless bombing campaign and ground offensive in Hamas-ruled Gaza, which the Hamas government says has killed more than 15,000 people, thousands of them children.

Qatar has said the initial four-day truce is designed to be extended if further hostage and prisoner exchanges can be secured.



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Thursday, November 23, 2023

Afghanistan permanently closes its embassy in Delhi, cites ‘lack of support from host government’

The Afghanistan Embassy has announced that it will permanently shut down its offices in New Delhi.

“Effective from November 23, 2023 owing to persistent challenges from the Indian government. The decision follows the embassy’s earlier cessation of operations on September 30, a move made in the hope that the Indian government stance will favourably change to let the mission operate normally,” the Afghan Embassy said in an official statement on the closure of its diplomatic mission in New Delhi.

On September 30, the Afghanistan Embassy had said that it was ceasing its operations from Sunday (October 1), citing “lack of support from the host government”, failure to “meet expectations… to serve the best interests of Afghanistan”, and paucity of resources and personnel.

Earlier in the same month, the Afghan Embassy in New Delhi had “purportedly issued a communication on this issue” regarding shutting down its India operations.

On Friday, the embassy said it was ‘cognisant’ that some may attempt to characterise this move as an internal conflict, allegedly involving diplomats who switched allegiance to the Taliban, adding “that this decision is a result of broader changes in policy and interests”.

“To the Afghan citizens in India, the Embassy extends its sincere gratitude for their understanding and support throughout our mission’s tenure,” it added.

Despite “limitations in resources and power”, the Afghan embassy said it has worked “tirelessly for their betterment and in the absence of a legitimate government in Kabul”.

Over the past two years and three months, the Afghan community in India has witnessed a significant decline, with Afghan refugees, students, and traders leaving the country, the embassy noted in its statement, adding that the number has nearly halved since August 2021, with very limited new visas being issued during this period.

“We assure the Afghan community that the mission operated with transparency, accountability, and a commitment to fair treatment based on the goodwill and interests of Afghanistan considering historic ties and bilateral relations with India,” it added.

“Unfortunately, efforts have been made to tarnish our image and hinder diplomatic efforts in order to justify the presence and work of Taliban-appointed and affiliated diplomats. In the face of these challenges, our committed team worked diligently in the most difficult circumstances, prioritizing the interests of the 40 million Afghans in every possible sphere from securing humanitarian aid and online education scholarships to facilitating ease in trade and advocating for the formation of a broad-based government,” the Afghan embassy revealed further in its statement.

It added that the Afghan embassy “exerted diplomatic pressure in its power on those who defy the will of the Afghan people by failing to form an inclusive government and denying millions of girls the right to attend school”.

Currently, there are no diplomats from the Afghan Republic in India. Those who served in the national capital have safely reached third countries, the embassy informed through its release, adding that the only individuals present in India are diplomats affiliated with the Taliban, visibly attending their regular online meetings.

“The diplomats of the Afghan Republic have handed over the mission solely to the Indian government. It now rests upon the Indian government to decide the fate of the mission, whether to maintain its closure or consider alternatives, including the possibility of handing it over to Taliban diplomats. The responsibility of diplomats appointed by the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan has officially come to an end. The unfortunate end of the Republic mission marks the conclusion of the Afghan Republic in India,” it added.

Earlier, the Afghan embassy announced the closure of its operations on November 1, citing “lack of resources” and “failure to meet Afghanistan’s interests” by the Taliban regime.



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No ‘unusual’ virus behind rising Pneumonia cases China has clarified, reveals WHO

China has reiterated that no unusual or new pathogens have been detected in the upsurge in child respiratory illnesses in the north, the WHO said on Thursday after putting pressure on Beijing for detailed information.

Since mid-October 2023, the World Health Organization has been monitoring data from Chinese surveillance systems showing an increase in respiratory illness in children in northern China.

The UN health agency announced late on Wednesday it had made an official request to Beijing for more data, but the government offered no public comment on Thursday.

The WHO said it held a teleconference on Thursday with the Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention and the Beijing Children’s Hospital, facilitated by the National Health Commission and the National Administration of Disease Control and Prevention.

“Chinese authorities advised that there has been no detection of any unusual or novel pathogens or unusual clinical presentations, including in Beijing and Liaoning, but only the aforementioned general increase in respiratory illnesses due to multiple known pathogens,” the WHO said in a statement.

“They further stated that the rise in respiratory illness has not resulted in patient loads exceeding hospital capacities.”

“WHO is closely monitoring the situation and is in close contact with national authorities in China. WHO will continue to provide updates as warranted.”

The organisation recommended that people in China follow measures to reduce the risk of respiratory illness.

These include recommended vaccines against flu, Covid-19 and other respiratory pathogens; keeping distance from people who are ill; staying home when ill; getting tested and medical care as needed; and wearing masks as appropriate.

“WHO does not recommend any specific measures for travellers to China,” it added.

Next month marks the fourth anniversary since the outbreak of Covid-19 in Wuhan, China, was first reported.

Over the course of the Covid-19 pandemic, the WHO repeatedly criticised Chinese authorities for their lack of transparency and cooperation.



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Israel and Hamas to begin four-day truce on Friday, say Qatar mediators

Israel and Palestinian Islamist group Hamas will begin a four-day truce on Friday morning with a first group of 13 Israeli women and child hostages released later during the day, mediators in Qatar said.

World powers gave the news a cautious welcome. But fighting raged on, with local officials saying a hospital in Gaza City was among the targets bombed as the hours counted down to the start of the first break in a brutal, near seven-week-old war. Both sides also signalled the pause would be temporary before fighting resumes.

The truce is scheduled to begin at 7 a.m. local time (0500 GMT) and involve a comprehensive ceasefire in north and south Gaza, Qatar’s foreign ministry said.

Additional aid would start flowing into Gaza and the first hostages including elderly women would be freed at 4 pm (1400 GMT), with the total number rising to 50 over the four days, ministry spokesperson Majed Al-Ansari said in the Qatari capital Doha.

Palestinians were expected to be released from Israeli jail, he told reporters. “We all hope that this truce will lead to a chance to start a wider work to achieve a permanent truce.”

US President Joe Biden, vacationing in the Massachusetts island of Nantucket for the Thanksgiving holiday, said he was keeping his “fingers crossed” that a 3-year-old American girl would be among those released first.

A US State Department official called the truce a “hopeful moment” but said work would continue to free all the hostages.

Hamas — which had been expected to declare a truce with Israel a day earlier on Thursday only for negotiations to drag on — confirmed on its Telegram channel that all hostilities from its forces would cease.

But Abu Ubaida, spokesman for Hamas’ armed wing, later referred to “this temporary truce” in a video message that called for an “escalation of the confrontation with (Israel) on all resistance fronts”, including the Israeli-occupied West Bank where violence has surged since the Gaza war erupted.

Israel’s military said its troops would stay behind a ceasefire line inside Gaza, without giving details of its position.

“These will be complicated days and nothing is certain… Even during this process there could be changes,” Israeli military spokesperson Daniel Hagari said.

“Control over northern Gaza is the first step of a long war, and we are preparing for the next stages,” he added. Israel had received an initial list of hostages to be freed and was in touch with families, the prime minister’s office said.

Israel launched its devastating invasion of Gaza after gunmen from Hamas burst across the border fence on October 7, killing 1,200 people and seizing about 240 hostages, according to Israeli tallies.

Since then, some 13,000 Gazans have been killed by Israeli bombardment, around 40% of them children, according to Palestinian health authorities. However, they have said it has become increasingly difficult to keep an up-to-date tally as the health service has buckled under the Israeli bombardment.

“People are exhausted and are losing hope in humanity,” UN Palestinian refugee agency UNRWA’s Commissioner-General Philippe Lazzarini said after a visit to Gaza, referring to “unspeakable suffering” in the enclave.

“They need respite; they deserve to sleep without being anxious about whether they will make it through the night. This is the bare minimum anyone should be able to have.”

‘NEED TO KNOW THEY ARE ALIVE’

Ahead of the ceasefire, fighting continued at even greater than normal intensity, with Israeli jets hitting more than 300 targets and troops engaged in heavy fighting around Jabalia refugee camp north of Gaza City.

An army spokesman said operations would continue until troops received the order to stop.

The Indonesian hospital in Gaza City was reeling under relentless bombing, operating without light and filled with bedridden old people and children, Gaza health officials said.

International alarm has focused on the fate of hospitals, especially in Gaza’s northern half, where all medical facilities have ceased functioning with patients, staff and displaced people trapped inside.

Hamas said 30 people had been killed in an Israeli strike on a school affiliated with the UNRWA in Jabalia. There was no immediate comment from UNRWA.

Earlier, from across the border fence in Israel, clouds of smoke could be seen billowing above northern Gaza’s war zone accompanied by the sounds of heavy gunfire and booming explosions.

In Rafah, on the strip’s southern edge, residents combed with bare hands through the ruins of a house smashed in a giant crater. A grey-bearded man wailed amid the shattered masonry while another man lay a hand on his shoulder to comfort him. Neighbour Khaled Hamad told Reuters it was the home of a primary school teacher, killed inside with his children.

Israel says Hamas fighters use residential and other civilian buildings, including hospitals, as cover. Hamas denies this.

The delay to the start of the truce meant another day of worry for Israeli relatives who say they still know nothing about the fate of hostages, and of fear for Palestinian families trapped inside the Gaza combat zone.

“We need to know they are alive, if they’re okay. It’s the minimum,” said Gilad Korngold, desperate for any information about the fate of seven of his family members, including his 3-year-old granddaughter, believed to be among the hostages.

Palestinian media reported at least 15 people killed in air strikes on Khan Younis, Gaza’s main southern city. Reuters could not independently verify the toll there.

In a post on X, Doctors Without Borders said the city’s Nasser hospital, where it treats burn patients and supports the emergency room, was overflowing with patients and families sheltering in the building.

Israel said on Thursday it had detained the head of Gaza’s biggest hospital Al Shifa for questioning over his role in what it said was the hospital’s use as a Hamas command centre.

Hamas condemned the arrest of Shifa director Muhammad Abu Salamiya and other doctors it said were trying to evacuate remaining patients and wounded from the facility.



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Wednesday, November 22, 2023

US President Joe Biden calls Middle East leaders after Israel-Hamas hostage deal

US President Joe Biden spoke with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, Qatari Emir Sheikh Tamim Bin Hamad al-Thani, and Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi about the recent developments in the Middle East following a deal between Israel and Hamas to release hostages.

On Wednesday, Israel and Hamas agreed to a four-day cease-fire to allow the release of 50 hostages held by the militant organisation in Gaza in exchange for the release of 150 Palestinian captives and the admission of humanitarian aid into the beleaguered area.

Once implemented, the agreement will be the first major diplomatic breakthrough and lull in fighting since the war began on October 7, when Hamas attacked Israel.

Biden on Wednesday spoke with Netanyahu to welcome the deal, the White House said in a readout of the call.

The two leaders discussed the pause in fighting, which will allow needed-humanitarian assistance to enter into Gaza, it added.

Netanyahu thanked Biden for his “tireless efforts” and those of his team to help broker the deal, the White House said.

“The two leaders agreed that the work is not yet done and the president assured the prime minister that he will continue working to secure the release of all remaining hostages. The president further emphasised the importance of maintaining calm along the Lebanese border as well as in the West Bank,” it said.

In his call with al-Thani, the US president expressed his appreciation to Qatar and the personal role of the Emir and his team in reaching a deal for the release of hostages held by Hamas, together with a humanitarian pause in Gaza, the White House said.

“The two leaders committed to remain in close contact to ensure the deal is fully implemented and to ultimately secure the release of all hostages. They reiterated the importance of protecting civilian lives, respecting international humanitarian law, and increasing and sustaining humanitarian assistance to Palestinians in Gaza,” according to the White House readout.

“President Biden and Sheikh Tamim agreed to continue close consultation on setting the conditions for a durable and sustainable peace in the Middle East to include the establishment of a Palestinian state,” it said.

In his call with al-Sisi, Biden expressed his appreciation for Egypt’s efforts to reach a deal for the release of the hostages held by Hamas, together with a humanitarian pause in Gaza.

They discussed coordination to further surge humanitarian assistance to Palestinians in Gaza.

“The president reiterated that under no circumstances will the US permit the forced relocation of Palestinians from Gaza or the West Bank, or the besiegement of Gaza, or the redrawing of the borders of Gaza. He also affirmed that under no circumstances can Gaza remain a sanctuary for Hamas where they can threaten Israel and Palestinians alike and  imperil any pathway to a durable peace,” the White House said.

Biden affirmed his commitment to the establishment of a Palestinian state and recognised Egypt’s essential role in setting the conditions for that outcome, it said.

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken spoke with Qatari Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs Mohammed bin Abdulrahman al-Thani about the conflict.

Blinken thanked Qatar’s critical efforts to help broker the deal for the release of at least 50 hostages, including Americans, taken by Hamas during its October 7 assault against Israel.

“They discussed ongoing efforts to obtain the release of the remaining hostages and to urgently increase the flow of humanitarian aid into Gaza.  Blinken and Prime Minister al-Thani also discussed the importance of ensuring the safe passage of foreign nationals out of Gaza,” said Matthew Miller, the state department spokesperson.

“He stressed that the US remains committed to advancing a two-state solution for Israelis and Palestinians and reaffirmed the importance of the strategic partnership between the US and Qatar,” said Miller.

Blinken also spoke with Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan al Saud during which he welcomed the hostage release deal and the pause that will accelerate humanitarian assistance deliveries to civilians in Gaza, the spokesperson said.

“The secretary affirmed the urgency of addressing humanitarian needs in Gaza, preventing further spread of the conflict, and reinforcing regional stability and security. He underscored the continued US commitment to the establishment of an independent Palestinian state,” he said.

According to Miller, “Blinken also welcomed Saudi Arabia’s efforts to secure a durable peace agreement in Yemen,” Miller said.

Meanwhile, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Gen CQ Brown spoke with Chief of the Israeli General Staff Lt Gen Herzi Halevi over phone.

The two military leaders discussed the current security environment throughout the Middle East, a release said.



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