April 5, 2024

*) 57 Democrats urge Biden to prevent Israeli invasion of Rafah US President Joe Biden's administration has faced renewed pressure from his fellow Democrats to influence ally Israel not to launch a full-scale invasion of Rafah. Fifty-seven of the 212 Democrats in the House of Representatives signed a letter calling on the administration to take every possible measure to dissuade hawkish Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's government from an all-out assault on the city. "We urge you to invoke existing law and policy to immediately withhold military aid to the Israeli government to preempt a full-scale assault on Rafah," said the letter. *) Australia tiptoes around Indian spy scandal revelations A string of senior Australian ministers have refused to confirm reports that Indian spies had been uncovered in the country and expelled. Australia's prime minister as well as other ministers dodged questions about allegations that Indian spooks tried to steal defence secrets and monitor expatriate communities in 2020. However, Intelligence bosses have revealed that in 2021 they had rumbled what they call a "nest of Indian spies" sent to Australia to steal defence secrets and monitor their country's expats. *) Colombia cuts diplomatic ties with Israel over Gaza war President Gustavo Petro has said that Colombia will cut all diplomatic ties with Israel. "Diplomatic relations with the state of Israel will be severed, for having a genocidal president," Petro told a May Day rally in Bogota. Petro has been a harsh critic of Tel Aviv's war on Gaza. *) US accuses Russia of using chemical weapons against Ukrainian troops The United States has accused Russia of having used "the chemical weapon chloropicrin against Ukrainian forces" in violation of the Chemical Weapons Convention. In addition, Russia has used "riot control agents as a method of warfare in Ukraine, also in violation of the CWC," a statement from the State Department said. *) Female ex-employees sue BBC for discrimination Four female journalists have initiated a gender and age discrimination case against the BBC, claiming they lost their jobs following a "rigged" recruitment exercise. The female journalists who presented on the BBC's television channels were present at a preliminary hearing in London for the employment tribunal. The four women claim that they were paid less than men in equivalent roles and that they unfairly lost their jobs at the BBC News Channel.

*) China says Hamas and Fatah met for Palestinian reconciliation talks in Beijing China has said that two rival Palestinian groups Hamas and Fatah recently met in Beijing for "in-depth and candid talks on promoting intra-Palestinian reconciliation". "Representatives of the Palestine National Liberation Movement and the Islamic Resistance Movement recently came to Beijing," the Chinese foreign ministry said. "The two sides fully expressed their political will to achieve reconciliation through dialogue and consultation, discussed many specific issues and made positive progress," it added, without specifying when the sides had met. *) Paris suspends regional funding for Sciences Po over pro-Palestine protests The Paris region authority has sparked outrage after suspending funding for Sciences Po, one of the country's most prestigious universities, over pro-Palestinian demonstrations. Valerie Pecresse, the right-wing head of the region, said on social media that she had decided to suspend all regional funding for Sciences Po until calm and security are restored at the school. *) Several killed in mosque attack in western Afghanistan At least six people have been killed and several others injured in an attack on a mosque in western Afghanistan, local media reported. Unknown gunmen targeted worshipers at a Shia mosque in Herat province during evening prayers. The interior ministry reported that an unknown armed person shot at civilian worshippers in a mosque. *) Sunak govt reportedly deports first asylum seeker from UK to Rwanda Britain has deported its first asylum seeker to Rwanda. The flight was part of a voluntary scheme separate from a forced deportation programme that Britain is about to embark on in the next few months, seeking to deter asylum seekers from coming to the UK. Under the voluntary scheme, the government has said it would pay asylum seekers up to 3,000 pounds each to move to Rwanda to help clear the backlog of refugees who have arrived in the country in recent years. *) ICJ rejects Nicaragua's plea to stop German arms exports to Israel The International Court of Justice has voiced concern over the "catastrophic living conditions” in Palestine’s Gaza, but refrained from issuing emergency measures to stop Germany’s arms exports to Israel. At a hearing in The Hague, the ICJ President said Germany has been a party to major international arms control treaties, and German authorities have already declared that they have limited arms exports to Israel.

*) Top UN court to rule in Germany 'genocide' case over Gaza The United Nations' top court will rule on charges by Nicaragua that Germany if facilitating genocide in Gaza by supplying arms to Israel. Nicaragua initiated proceedings against Germany at the International Court of Justice, accusing Berlin of breaching the 1948 Genocide Convention. At a hearing earlier this month, Nicaragua requested the court issue emergency measures for Germany to stop its arms exports to Israel. *) Living conditions worsen in Gaza's Rafah amid rising heat, trash piles Meanwhile, garbage piles up and the heat rises in war-torn Gaza as life becomes even more grim for displaced Palestinians living in tents. Last week, temperatures already topped 30°C, turning the makeshift shelters made from plastic tarps and sheets into sweltering ovens. Rafah hosts about 1.5 million displaced, more than half of Gaza's population which has been besieged and bombarded by Israel for nearly seven months. *) Security deal ready for Saudi if it normalises ties with Israel: Blinken The United States is nearly ready with a security package to offer Saudi Arabia if it normalises relations with Israel, Secretary of State Antony Blinken has said. Blinken was visiting the kingdom on his seventh trip to the region since the October 7 Hamas attack on Israel, which has then launched a relentless offensive in Gaza. President Joe Biden's administration, while supporting Israel, has sought moderation from its government by dangling the prospect of formal relations with Saudi Arabia. *) Scores of people dead in western Kenya after dam collapses At least 42 people have died when a dam burst its banks near a town in Kenya's Rift Valley, as heavy rains and floods battered the country. The dam bust in Nakuru county, washing away houses and cutting off a road, with rescuers digging through debris to find survivors. Monday's dam collapse raises the total death toll over the March-May wet season to 120 as heavier than usual rainfall pounds East Africa. *) Scotland's first minister Yousaf steps down after a year Humza Yousaf has announced his resignation as Scotland's first minister, before he was due to face two confidence votes this week. The 39-year-old quit following a turbulent year as head of the devolved administration, during which support for his pro-independence Scottish National Party has fallen. Yousaf had been facing growing calls to resign since unceremoniously ending the party’s power-sharing deal with the Scottish Greens in the Scottish parliament.

*) Israel kills over a dozen Palestinians in Rafah — medics Israeli air strikes have targeted three houses in the southern Gaza city of Rafah, killing at least 13 people and wounding numerous others, according to medics. Additionally, Israeli planes struck two houses in Gaza City in the north of the enclave, which health officials say resulted in several casualties. These strikes occurred amid ongoing Israeli violence and tension, with over a million people in Rafah seeking shelter from previous bombardments. *) World Central Kitchen to resume Gaza ops after Israel killings World Central Kitchen has resumed operations in Gaza after seven of its aid workers were killed in an Israeli strike earlier this month. In a statement, the charity's chief executive officer emphasised the dire humanitarian situation in Gaza and their commitment to providing food assistance with renewed energy and focus. The organisation plans to deliver food to as many Palestinians as possible, including in the northern region, by utilising various transport methods: land, air, or sea routes. *) Heat wave kills two Palestinian children in Gaza The UN refugee agency UNRWA has reported that at least two Palestinian children have lost their lives due to a severe heat wave in Gaza. UNRWA Commissioner-General Philippe Lazzarini expressed deep concern, highlighting the challenges faced by Palestinians in Gaza: death, hunger, disease, displacement, and now extreme heat conditions. This situation compounds the ongoing difficulties caused by a deadly Israeli offensive that killed more than 34,400 people and injured thousands. *) Ukraine signals worsening front amidst Russia's new gains Ukraine's army leader has acknowledged a deteriorating situation on the battlefield as Russian forces seized another village in eastern Ukraine. In a Facebook post, Oleksandr Syrsky admitted that Ukrainian troops had retreated westwards to establish new defensive lines along the front near Donetsk. He noted that Russia holds a significant advantage in manpower and ammunition, allowing them to make advances despite heavy fighting. *) Palestinian writer wins Arabic Fiction Prize after 20 years in Israeli jail Palestinian writer Basim Khandaqji, who was imprisoned in Israel 20 years ago, has been awarded the prestigious 2024 International Prize for Arabic Fiction. He won for his novel "A Mask, the Colour of the Sky” at a ceremony held in Abu Dhabi. Khandaqji was born in Nablus in the Israeli-occupied West Bank in 1983 and began writing short stories until his arrest at the age of 21.

*) Bodies found in Gaza mass graves suggest 'organ theft' by Israel Paramedics and rescue teams involved in retrieving civilian bodies from the mass graves discovered at the Nasser Medical Complex in Khan Younis have reported organ theft by Israeli military and claimed some Gaza victims were buried alive in the recently discovered graves. At least 392 bodies, including 165 unidentified individuals, were unearthed from three mass graves following the withdrawal of Israeli military from Khan Younis. Rights groups expressed concerns over the discoveries around Nasser Hospital where a mutilated body of a young girl in a surgical gown was found, suggesting she may have been buried alive, alongside another victim similarly attired. *) China warns US of 'downward spiral' in ties during Blinken visit China has urged US Secretary of State Antony Blinken to address rising disagreements or risk a "downward spiral" between the two powers as talks opened in Beijing. Blinken, paying his second visit to the rival country in less than a year, voiced hope for progress but said he would directly raise areas of difference, which are expected to include Russia, Taiwan and trade. Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi, receiving Blinken said relations between the world's two largest economies were "beginning to stabilise" after leaders Joe Biden and Xi Jinping met at a November summit. *) WCK founder voices frustration over Israel's explanation for killing staff The seven World Central Kitchen aid workers killed by Israeli air strikes represented the "best of humanity" who risked everything "to feed people they did not know and will never meet," Jose Andres, the celebrity chef who founded the organisation, told mourners who gathered in the US capital to honour the dead. Speaking at Washington National Cathedral, Andres said the official [Israeli] explanation of their killing is not good enough, and there was no excuse for it. "I know we all have many unanswered questions about what happened and why," Andres told mourners, demanding an investigation. *) Students in France join pro-Palestine rally, mirroring US campus protests Students in Paris have protested again after police broke up a pro-Palestine solidarity demonstration the night before at one of France's most prestigious universities. Students at Sciences Po [Paris Institute of Political Studies] accused management of calling in police to break up a pro-Palestinian protest by dozens of students gathered on a central Paris campus on Wednesday night. "The director has crossed a red line by deciding to send in the police," Ines Fontenelle, a member of the Student Union at Sciences Po, said as 150 students gathered again. *) Philippines blocks 'genetically modified rice' production over safety fears A Philippine court has blocked the commercial propagation of genetically modified golden rice after it was found unsafe for health and the environment. Philippines was the first country to approve golden rice, enriched with Vitamin A to combat childhood blindness. However, the Court in Manila revoked a biosafety permit for commercial rice production after opponents filed a challenge.

*) Ben-Gvir evacuated from building besieged by Israeli protesters Israeli police evacuated extremist minister Itamar Ben-Gvir from a building in the occupied West Jerusalem that was surrounded by protesters, including families of hostages in besieged Gaza. Local media reported that hundreds of Israeli protesters gathered in the area near the building with Ben-Gvir inside. The police evacuated the notorious minister from the scene after its officers secured him. *) American-Israeli hostage says Israel killed 70 captives in Gaza strikes Palestinian resistance group Hamas has released a video of an Israeli-American man who was among the soldiers and civilians captured by the fighters on October 7. The video shows Hersh Goldberg-Polin calling on PM Benjamin Netanyahu's far-right government to do more to secure the captives' release. In the video, he also accused the Netanyahu government of abandoning the people who are being held in Gaza by Hamas.. *) Tense stand-offs continue as Gaza war protests spread at US campuses Columbia University has said it was making "important progress" with pro-Palestinian student protesters who set up a tent encampment and was extending a deadline to clear out. Student anti war protests spread across US universities as demonstrators demanded that their institutions condemn Israel’s war on the besieged Gaza and divest from Israeli firms in response. *) US military aid for Taiwan increases conflict risk — China China has warned that US military support for Taiwan only increased the "risk of conflict" along the strait after the US Congress allocated $8 billion in military support for the island. Chinese foreign ministry spokesman has said that the United States and Taiwan strengthening military ties will not bring about security for Taiwan but will only increase tensions and the risk of conflict across the Taiwan Strait. *) Fury as Malala teams up with pro-war Hillary Clinton Nobel laureate Malala Yousafzai is facing a backlash after the premier of a Broadway musical she co-produced with former US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton. The musical, titled "Suffs" and playing in New York since last week, depicts the American women's suffrage campaign for the right to vote in the 20th century. Yousafzai, who was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 2014, has been condemned by various quarters for partnering with Clinton, an outspoken supporter of Israel's invasion of Gaza.

*) UN raises 'war crime' alert as 300+ bodies are found in Gaza mass graves Reports of mass graves found in Gaza over the weekend at Nasser Hospital and Al Shifa Hospital have prompted renewed concerns about possible war crimes by Israel. Some of the Palestinian victims were found stripped naked with their hands tied, according to the UN. UN rights chief Volker Turk said "the intentional killing of civilians, detainees, and others who are hors de combat is a war crime.” *) US Senate overwhelmingly passes $26.6B military aid for Israel Meanwhile, the US Senate has passed a $26.6 billion military package for Israel, the American ally accused of carrying out genocide in Gaza using US weapons. US President Joe Biden pledged to quickly sign the $61 billion bill — which also includes aid packages for Ukraine and Taiwan — after Congress gave its final approval. Israel's war on Gaza, now in its 201st day, has killed at least 34,183 Palestinians — 70 percent of them children and women. *) Malaysian navy helicopters collide, killing all crew aboard Two Malaysian navy helicopters have collided in mid-air during a rehearsal for a naval parade, killing all 10 crew members aboard. The incident occurred at the Lumut naval base in the western state of Perak on Tuesday morning, the navy said. All victims were confirmed dead at the scene and sent to the military hospital for identification, the navy said. *) North Korea officials embark on rare public visit to Iran A North Korean delegation is visiting Iran, the North's official media has said in a rare public report of an exchange between the two countries believed to have secret military ties. The minister for external economic relations, Yun Jong-ho, left Pyongyang on Tuesday by air leading a ministry delegation to visit Iran, the North's KCNA news agency said. It gave no other detail. *) Human rights groups slam UK Rwanda plan after Parliament approves bill The UK’s plans to send some asylum-seekers to Rwanda has been swiftly condemned by international humanitarian organisations. This comes after Parliament approved legislation allowing the deportation flights to begin later this year. Both the UN refugee agency and the Council of Europe called for the UK to rethink its plans because of concerns that the legislation undermines human rights protections.

*) Israel's claims against UNRWA lack evidence: UN review Israel has yet to provide any proof of its allegation that some UN agency staff are members of Palestine's resistance groups. This is according to an independent review of the neutrality of the UN agency for Palestinian refugees (UNRWA). The review was led by former French foreign minister Catherine Colonna to respond to Israeli allegations that some UNRWA staff took part in Hamas’ October 7 attack on Israel. *) Pro-Palestine protests spread across US universities Meanwhile, classes at Columbia University have been shifted online as protests over Israel’s carnage in besieged Gaza heightened tensions across US campuses. A large group of demonstrators had established a "Gaza Solidarity Encampment" on lawns at Columbia. Protests also spread to other campuses, including MIT, New York University and Yale, where at least 47 people had been arrested after refusing requests to disperse. *) Outrage as India's Modi, in quest for votes, calls Muslims 'infiltrators' India's main opposition party has filed a complaint against Hindu nationalist Prime Minister Narendra Modi for "blatantly targeting" minority Muslims in a campaign speech calling them “infiltrators”. The complaint, filed to the country's Election Commission, said Modi’s comments were "divisive,” “malicious" and targeted Muslims in India. The comments were "far worse than any ever made by a sitting Prime Minister in the history of India", it said. *) UK Parliament passes Rwanda deportation plan for asylum-seekers The UK government’s plan to deport migrants and asylum seekers to Rwanda has been cleared by Parliament after a marathon tussle. Members of the upper house repeatedly sent back the plans with amendments to MPs in the lower chamber but eventually agreed to make no further changes, ensuring the bill would now become law. British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak vowed to begin sending asylum seekers to Rwanda within 10 to 12 weeks. *) Militants take 110 civilians hostage in central Mali Suspected militants in central Mali are holding more than 110 civilians they abducted six days ago. Three buses carrying the civilians were stopped by "militants", who forced the vehicles and the passengers to head towards a forest. Mali has since 2012 been ravaged by different factions affiliated with Al Qaeda and Daesh, as well as by self-declared, self-defence forces and bandits.

*) Scores of bodies found in two mass graves at hospital in Gaza’s Khan Younis Palestinians have exhumed scores of bodies from two mass graves at Nasser Hospital in Khan Younis city in southern Gaza, according to officials. The director-general of Gaza’s government media office said “some 150 bodies have been found in the two graves.” He said around 700 people are still unaccounted for since the Israeli withdrawal from Khan Younis on April 7th following a four-month ground offensive. *) Baby in Gaza saved from womb of mother killed in Israeli strike A baby girl has been delivered from the womb of a Palestinian killed along with her husband and daughter by an Israeli attack in the Gaza city of Rafah. The baby was delivered in an emergency C-section. Her mother, Sabreen Al Sakani, had been 30 weeks pregnant. At least 19 people were killed in the overnight Israeli strikes, including 13 children from one family, Palestinian health officials said. *) US House passes aid to Ukraine, Israel and other allies The US House of Representatives has passed a $95 billion aid package for Ukraine, Israel and other US allies overseas. House Speaker Mike Johnson had unveiled a plan to hold votes on four separate foreign aid bills and later combine them into a package, a move that angered some far-right House Republicans. In addition, the House voted in favour of a bill to effectively ban TikTok in the US – if it is not bought by a US company – with a vote of 360-58. *) Pro-China leader's party wins Maldives vote Maldives President Mohamed Muizzu's party has won control of parliament in an election landslide, results showed. Muizzu's People's National Congress (PNC) secured more than two thirds in the 93-member parliament, according to provisional results from election officials. The win indicates voters backed his tilt towards China and away from regional powerhouse and traditional benefactor India. *) Ecuadorians vote in favour of referendum to extradite mafia bosses A solid majority of Ecuadorian voters have approved a referendum paving the way for the extradition of organised crime bosses. Some 65 percent of valid votes were marked "yes" on the matter of extradition, and 35 percent marked "no," according to electoral authorities. President Daniel Noboa hailed the result as Ecuador continues to grapple with a shocking rise in violence, flaring up due to a rise in narcotics trafficking.

*) Iran fires air defence batteries as Israel reportedly strikes Isfahan Iran has activated its air defence system over several cities after its semi-official Fars news agency reported explosions at the central Isfahan airport. Spokesman for Iran's civilian space programme Hossein Dalirian said that several small "quadcopter" drones had been shot down following what a senior US official told ABC News were Israeli missile strikes. *) NY police arrest Columbia University students protesting Israel's Gaza war NYC police said they arrested several students from Columbia University for protesting Israel’s war on Gaza as they rallied in support of Palestine. Students had been protesting on campus since last Wednesday, demanding the school divest from companies they claim "profit from Israeli apartheid" and Israeli military actions in besieged Gaza. Following the arrests, students from Columbia and Barnard College have been suspended from school, including US Representative Ilhan Omar’s daughter. *) Türkiye urges decisive international action against Israel's war on Gaza Türkiye's Deputy Foreign Minister and UN representative Ahmet Yildiz has called for decisive international action to address the ongoing crisis in Gaza. After condemning Israel's actions in Palestine's Gaza, Yildiz said, “the UN Charter, the bedrock of international law, is still routinely breached.” He said that no country is immune from its obligations to international law and questioned the lack of action by the UNSC in response to Israel's "brazen violations.” *) Pakistan police thwart suicide bombing targeting Japanese nationals Pakistan police shot down a suicide bomber and a militant during an attempted attack on a vehicle carrying five Japanese nationals. The police spokesperson, Abrar Hussain Baloch, said the Japanese survivors have been moved to a safe place in police custody. There was no immediate claim of responsibility for the attempted attack from any militant group. *) India begins voting in the world's largest election as Modi seeks third term Over 970 million voters head to the polls in India to elect 543 members for the lower house of Parliament for a five-year term. The six-week election period began today and will run until June 1, with votes being counted on June 4. India’s Hindu-nationalist prime minister Narendra Modi will test the limits of his political dominance as he seeks a third term as the country's leader.