Wang stressed that China will continue to stand firmly with Pakistan in the face of the Covid-19 pandemic….reports Asian Lite News
Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi said that he expects Beijing and Islamabad to take the opportunity of the 70th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic ties to open up a brighter prospect for bilateral relations.
In a telephone conversation on Saturday with his Pakistani counterpart Shah Mahmood Qureshi, Wang said the all-weather strategic cooperative partnership between China and Pakistan is unique, and bilateral relations have become a model of friendly cooperation between countries, reports Xinhua news agency.
Wang noted that over the past 70 years since the establishment of diplomatic ties, the two sides have firmly supported each other on issues concerning each other’s core interests.
Wang stressed that China will continue to stand firmly with Pakistan in the face of the Covid-19 pandemic.
Beijing is also is ready to work with Pakistan to step up efforts to implement the outcomes of the video conference of Foreign Ministers of China, Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Nepal, Pakistan and Sri Lanka on Covid-19 and play a bigger role in regional economic recovery, he added.
Noting that Pakistan has an important traditional influence on the Afghan issue, Wang said China recognises and appreciates Pakistan’s efforts to achieve peace in Afghanistan and calls for all parties to reach a political arrangement acceptable to all sides under the “Afghan-led and Afghan-owned” framework.
For his part, Qureshi congratulated the landing of China’s Tianwen-1 probe on Mars, and said bilateral relations have achieved fruitful results since the establishment of diplomatic ties.
He said his country hopes to jointly celebrate the 70th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic ties between the two countries and push forward the all-weather strategic cooperative partnership with China.
Qureshi thanked China for its strong support for Pakistan’s fight against Covid-19 and expressed hope that his country would continue to enhance anti-pandemic cooperation with China.
Pakistan appreciates the joint statement on the Afghan issue issued at the China+Central Asia foreign ministers’ meeting, and maintains that US and NATO troops should leave Afghanistan in an orderly and responsible manner, and supports Afghanistan’s neighbouring countries in playing a bigger role in pushing forward the peace process in Afghanistan, he added.
Israeli army Artillery Corps fire into the Gaza Strip near the southern Israeli city of Sderot amid escalating tension on May 12, 2021. (JINI via Xinhua/IANS)
With regard to the Security Council, , UN chief’s spokesman Stephane Dujarric said the more unified the council is, the stronger its voice and the stronger its impact, reports Asian Lite News
UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres on Friday called for a unified Security Council over the Israeli-Palestinian conflict and regretted the lack of multilateralism.
Asked what the secretary-general expects from Sunday’s emergency meeting of the Security Council on the ongoing Israeli-Palestinian escalation, Guterres’ spokesman Stephane Dujarric said: “What we would like to see is … a strong, unified voice for de-escalation, for a cessation of hostilities and a push to get the parties back on track to find a political solution to this conflict that has been going on and on and on.”
UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres (Xinhua/Xu Jinquan/IANS)
Asked for the secretary-general’s comment on the fact that one single Security Council member blocked the proposal for a Friday meeting on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, just days after all council members pledged support for multilateralism, Dujarric said Guterres is concerned about the state of multilateralism “as we’ve seen it during the pandemic and as we’ve seen it in other aspects.”
“We would like to see member states put to action the ideals that we all have to live up to within this organization,” he added.
With regard to the Security Council, he said the more unified the council is, the stronger its voice and the stronger its impact.
Palestinians inspect their destroyed houses in the northern Gaza Strip town of Beit Hanoun, on May 14, 2021. (Photo by Rizek Abdeljawad/Xinhua)
The Security Council on May 7 held a high-level debate on the need to uphold multilateralism and all council members came out in support of it. Yet days later, the United States, an ally of Israel, blocked the proposal for a Friday Security Council meeting, according to diplomats. The Security Council later agreed on such a meeting on Sunday.
No sign of ceasefire
Tensions between Israel and the Islamic Hamas movement, the worst since 2014, have continued unabated in the Gaza Strip with no sign of any ceasefire between the two sides to end the violence.
Rockets are fired by the Palestinian Islamist movement Hamas from Gaza City towards Israel, amid the escalating flare-up of Israeli-Palestinian violence. Photo: Mohammed Talatene/dpa/IANS
Overnight and at predawn on Friday, the tit-for-tat violent military confrontations between the two sides were intensified, reports Xinhua news agency.
Hamas militants fired more barrages of rockets into Israel, and Israeli fighter jets kept striking on the enclave.
The Hamas-run Ministry of Health said that 122 Palestinians have been killed, including 31 children and 20 women, and 900 others injured since Monday in the Gaza Strip.
Israeli security forces stand guard at the site of an attack which took place outside the settlement of Ariel. (Xinhua/Nidal Eshtayeh/IANS)
Witnesses and Palestinian security sources told Xinhua that Israeli army artillery on Friday struck the eastern area of Gaza city with tanks, killing at least two.
Tanks hit the northern Gaza town of Beit Lahia, killing a mother and her four children, according to medical sources.
An Israeli army spokesman said in a statement that the forces have intensively attacked posts that belong to Hamas, adding that 160 war jets, artillery, and tanks participated in the military operation.
Palestinian Territories, Gaza City: Fire and smoke rise from the collapsing Al-Shorouk Tower building after it was hit by an Israeli airstrike, amid the escalating flare-up of Israeli-Palestinian violence. (Photo: Ahmed Zakot/SOPA Images via ZUMA Wire/dpa)
The statement said 150 targets were hit overnight and on Friday morning, adding that many of the targets were underground.
It said the Israeli army will continue its strikes on the militants who fire rockets at Israel.
As the Israeli bombardments intensified, Hamas and Islamic Jihad militants announced that their militants fired more barrages of rockets into Israel.
An Israeli man injured after a rocket from the Gaza strip landed is evacuated in central Israeli city of Holon, on May 11, 2021. (Gideon Markowicz/JINI via Xinhua/IANS)
Al-Qassam Brigades, Hamas’ armed wing, claimed responsibility for launching 100 rockets at the Israeli city of Ashkelon, in response to Israel’s “targeting of civilians” in the enclave.
Al-Quds Brigades, the armed wing of Islamic Jihad, also said that its militants carried out intensive rocket strikes at Israeli cities in southern and central Israel.
The Israeli army said Gaza militant groups have fired more than 1,750 rockets at Israel, most of which were intercepted by the Iron Dome defense system.
Fire billows from a building hit by an Israeli airstrike on the Gaza Strip, amid the escalating flare-up of Israeli-Palestinian violence(Photo: Mahmoud Khattab/Quds Net News via ZUMA Wire/dpa/IANS)
The rockets fired from Gaza killed at least nine Israelis and wounded 200 others.
Meanwhile, Palestinian sources said the contacts to reach calm between the two sides had so far failed, adding that Egypt, Qatar and the UN lead the mediation between the two sides for reaching a truce. (with inputs from (ANI/Xinhua)
The newly-achieved calm along the LoC as a result of the renewed ceasefire has brought warmth, which has been displayed on several occasions by the two neighbours….Reports Asian Lite News
On the occasion of Eid-ul-Fitr in Kashmir on Thursday, sweets were exchanged between the Indian and Pakistani armies at the Line of Control (LoC).
Eid-ul-Fitr has ushered renewed warmth and harmony along the LoC as old traditions are being revived. The Indian Army said that meetings were held at the Tithwal crossing on Kishanganga River in Tangdhar Kupwara and the Kaman Aman Setu in Uri where sweets and pleasantries were exchanged between the two sides.
The newly-achieved calm along the LoC as a result of the renewed ceasefire has brought warmth, which has been displayed on several occasions by the two neighbours.
Exchange of youths who inadvertently crossed over to the other side of the border on three occasions in the last two months at the Zero line in Tithwal bode well for the future.
The army said that sweets and pleasantries were exchanged following all the Covid protocols by both sides.
Meanwhile, President Ram Nath Kovind, Prime Minister Narendra Modi, former Congress president Rahul Gandhi and his sister and party General Secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra on Friday greeted the nation on the occasion of Eid-ul-Fitr.
“Eid Mubarak to all fellow citizens! This festival is an occasion to strengthen the spirit of fraternity and rededicate ourselves to the service of humanity. Let us resolve to deal with Covid-19 by following the guidelines and to work for the well-being of the society and the country,” the President tweeted.
The Prime Minister also took to Twitter and wrote, “Best wishes on the auspicious occasion of Eid-ul-Fitr. Praying for everyone’s good health and well-being. Powered by our collective efforts, may we overcome the global pandemic and work towards furthering human welfare. Eid Mubarak!”
Rahul Gandhi said, “In this difficult time, helping each other with brotherhood is the lesson of every religion — this has been the tradition of our country. Happy Eid to all.”
Best wishes on the auspicious occasion of Eid-ul-Fitr. Praying for everyone’s good health and well-being. Powered by our collective efforts, may we overcome the global pandemic and work towards furthering human welfare.
“Wish you all a very happy Eid. On this auspicious occasion of Eid, I pray for good health and happiness of all. Help everyone. Standing together during happiness and sorrow has been the strength of our country. Eid Mubarak,” Priyanka Gandhi tweeted.
Modi, Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi also greeted the nation on the birth anniversary of Lord Parshuram and Akshaya Tritiya.
In a tweet, Modi said: “Greetings to the citizens of the country on the occasion of Akshaya Tritiya. The holy festival associated with all good works should give us the power to realise our resolve to overcome the Covid pandemic.”
In another tweet, greeting the people on birth anniversary of Lord Parshuram, Athe sixth incarnation of Lord Vishnu, Modi said, “Greetings to the citizens of the country on the birth anniversary of Lord Parshuram.”
The LHC had granted conditional permission to the PML-N President to travel abroad once for medical treatment last week…reports Asian Lite News
The Pakistani Interior Ministry has been directed to add opposition leader Shahbaz Sharif to the country’s Exit Control List (ECL) after the approval from the Federal Cabinet on Thursday.
Sources told Geo News that the ministers gave go ahead through a circulation summary on the request of the National Accountability Bureau (NAB). A sub-committee of the federal cabinet had recommended including Shahbaz in the ECL.
Addressing a press conference in Islamabad to announce the development on Wednesday, Minister for Interior Shaikh Rasheed had said that the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) president may petition for a review of the decision within 15 days.
“The court’s decision came with regard to a blacklist. Shahbaz Sharif was not on a blacklist. He was […] under an order of May 7, 2021,” he said.
Meanwhile, this news did not sit well with the PML-N, as party spokesperson Marriyum Aurangzeb lashed out at Prime Minister Imran Khan, saying that despite Eid holidays, he is obsessed with Shahbaz.
Imran Khan
Speaking to media after the development, Aurangzeb said that instead of thinking about the poor and needy on the occasion of Eid, Prime Minister Imran Khan could only think about Shahbaz to the extent that he ordered the opening of offices so that his name could be placed on the ECL, reported Geo News.
“PM Imran Khan ordered placing the name of Shahbaz Sharif on the ECL but I wished he had resigned from his position on Eid day as a gift to the nation,” she said.
“I wish you had apologised to the masses on the occasion of Eid or had ordered the arrest of wheat, sugar, and medicine mafia instead,” she added.
Reiterating that the Lahore High Court had already granted the PML-N president permission to go abroad to seek medical treatment, Aurangzeb alleged that Khan was deliberately trying to disrespect the court’s order, terming it as an attack on the judiciary.
Last week, the LHC had granted conditional permission to the PML-N President to travel abroad once for medical treatment.
Shehbaz Sharif(wikipedia)
However, hours after he was granted permission, Shahbaz was reportedly stopped from flying to the United Kingdom at Lahore airport on Saturday morning.
According to the Dawn newspaper, Pakistan’s Federal Investigation Authority (FIA) has allegedly placed his name on “another list”, preventing him from leaving the country.
“When Shahbaz Sharif came to the airport today, FIA officials stopped him and said he could not travel because there was another list, a ‘person-not-in-list’,” said PML-N spokesperson Marriyum Aurangzeb on Saturday.
Shahbaz had earlier approached the LHC to challenge the placement of his name on a travel blacklist/no-fly list and seek one-time permission to go abroad for medical treatment.
In the petition, the opposition leader, who is on bail in multiple references of the National Accountability Bureau (NAB), contended that the government had previously placed him on the ECL.
Last month, the LHC granted Shahbaz post-arrest bail in a money laundering case. Shahbaz, the brother of former Pakistan Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif who is in London since 2019, was arrested on September 28, 2020, in the money laundering reference after the LHC refused to further extend his pre-arrest bail. (ANI)
Sherpa first reached the top of the mountain in the evening of May 7 as a member of a rope-fixing team, and then performed the feat again on the morning of May 11….reports Asian Lite News
Mingma Tenji Sherpa, a Nepali mountain guide, has created a world record by scaling Mt. Everest, the world’s highest peak, twice in the shortest span of time in a season, organisers said on Thursday.
Sherpa first reached the top of the mountain in the evening of May 7 as a member of a rope-fixing team, and then performed the feat again on the morning of May 11, while guiding an expedition team consisting of Bahraini Prince Sheikh Mohammed Hamad Mohammed Al Khalifa, according to the company which organised both expeditions.
“He climbed Mt. Everest twice in the gap of just four days which is a world record,” Mingma Sherpa, chairperson of the Seven Summit Treks, told Xinhua news agency.
“He took nearly 86 hours to do double ascents.”
Previously, Indian mountaineer Anshu Jamsenpa had held the record for fastest dual ascents on Everest, doing so in 118 hours and 15 minutes in 2017.
She however, still holds the record for fastest dual ascent on the peak by a woman.
Mingma Tenji Sherpa has been working as a mountain guide with the Seven Summit Treks.
Other climbers have set their own records on the 8848.86-meter-high Mt. Everest this season from the Nepali side, including Kami Rita Sherpa, a Nepali mountain guide who broke his own record by climbing the mountain for the 25th time on May 8, and three Nepali Sherpa sisters from the same family, who reached the top on May 12.
A health worker is seen at an isolation ward of a hospital in Kathmandu, Nepal,
Eleven patients died in Corona Special Hospital in Butwal, while three passed away in Bhairahawa-based Bhim Hospital of Rupandehi district…report Asian Lite News
A total of 14 COVID-19 patients, undergoing treatment at two different hospitals in Nepal’s Lumbini province, died after the hospitals ran out of medical oxygen on Wednesday afternoon.
Eleven patients died in Corona Special Hospital in Butwal, while three passed away in Bhairahawa-based Bhim Hospital of Rupandehi district, Kathmandu Post reported.
One of the health workers at the Bhim Hospital told the Post, that “Covid-19 patients, who lost their lives on Wednesday, were in need of high flow oxygen supplement. But they did not receive high flow oxygen on time. We had to see patients dying in their beds helpless and hear their families’ grief-stricken wails.”
Nepal
This news comes as several hospitals in and around Kathmandu have started turning down patients following the government’s decision to cap the supply of life-saving medical oxygen.
The Crisis Management Center (CCMC) in Nepal has capped the number of oxygen cylinders to each hospital. As per the government figures, demand for oxygen at the hour of pandemic stands at 15,000 cylinders while the supply stands as low as 10,000.
The death rate of Nepal has continued to soar in recent days as hospitals around the nation face a crunch in the supply of life-saving gas.
On Sunday, Nepal recorded 88 deaths due to COVID-19 while on Monday it rose to 139, and on Tuesday it reached 225. On average, one COVID-19 patient is dying every six minutes. (ANI)
Oli, who was reappointed on Monday night, is planning to take the oath of office and secrecy on Friday afternoon, according to his office….reports Asian Lite News
After opposition parties failed to form a coalition government, Nepal President Bidhya Devi Bhandari has reappointed KP Sharma Oli as the 42nd Prime Minister on the basis of leading the largest party in Parliament.
Oli, who was reappointed on Monday night, is planning to take the oath of office and secrecy on Friday afternoon, according to his office.
Sher Bahadur Deuba, leader of the primary opposition Nepali Congress party, was the frontrunner for the post of Prime Minister but he couldn’t garner a majority vote as fourth largest party, Janata Samajbai Party (JSP), was divided to support Oli.
However, the Nepali Congress and the Communist Party of Nepal (Maoist Centre) could not cobble together the numbers to prove a majority.
A faction of the JSP decided to stay neutral, making it difficult for Deuba to stake claim.
The Mahantha Thakur-Rajendra Mahato’s 19-member faction of the JSP decided to throw its weight behind Oli. The Party has 32 lawmakers overall.
Oli’s Communist Party of NepaleUML has 121 members in the House.
Since no party commands a majority in the House, as the parliamentary party leader of UML, Oli was elected Prime Minister as per constitutional provision.
He again has to prove his majority in the house within a month.
If he fails to garner a majority, either he will dissolve the House or any other individual lawmaker can stake claim over the post of Prime Minister.
But leaders close to Oli said that he preferred to dissolve the house and was interested in holding early elections.
Continuing to stand beside its partner India, Japan flew in 2 aircraft of life-saving equipment that included oxygen concentrators, said the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA)…reports Asian Lite News.
Global aid continues to pour in as India battles a massive second wave of the Covid-19 pandemic.
Major consignments of medical supplies and equipment were received from South Korea, Japan, France, Italy and UK on Thursday, including oxygen concentrators, ventilators and rapid testing kits.
Continuing to stand beside its partner India, Japan flew in 2 aircraft of life-saving equipment that included oxygen concentrators, said the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA).
Aid from Britain (MEA)
“Cooperation with Japan continues. 2 aircrafts carrying a total consignment of 100 oxygen concentrators arrive from Japan. 4 aircrafts in 2 days from Japan have delivered a cumulative of 200 oxygen concentrators. Appreciate this continuing support from our partner Japan,” MEA Spokesperson Arindam Bagchi tweeted.
Another East Asian partner, the Republic of Korea, sent a shipment of 10,000 rapid testing kits that were received by India on Thursday.
“Our continuing cooperation with Republic of Korea. Welcome the shipment of 10,000 rapid testing kits from Republic of Korea that arrived today,” said another tweet by the Bagchi.
Republic of Korea gifts 200 oxygen concentrators (Photo:MEA)
Two ISO containers arranged by France and facilitated by Qatar on board INS Trikand also reached Mumbai.
“A partnership across the seas brings tangible benefits on ground 2 ISO containers arranged by France, facilitated by Qatar & transported by @indiannavy on #INSTrikand reach Mumbai (India). Kasturba Hospital, Mumbai receives LMO. Others to also benefit,” the MEA Spokeperson’s tweet said.
A gift of 1,200 oxygen cylinders from British Oxygen Company arrived from UK on Thursday. This is in addition to the 1,350 oxygen cylinders that arrived from the UK on Tuesday. This is part of UK’s generous contribution of 5,000 oxygen cylinders.
“Welcome the gift of another 1200 oxygen cylinders from British Oxygen Company that arrived from the UK today. Appreciate the logistical support from Qatar Airways for this shipment,” the MEA Spokesperson mentioned.
Government of India has been receiving international donations and aid of COVID-19 relief medical supplies and equipment since April 27 from different countries and organisations to augment its efforts in fighting the unprecedented surge in COVID in the country, said an official statement from the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare.
Cumulatively, 9,294 Oxygen Concentrators; 11,835 Oxygen Cylinders; 19 Oxygen Generation Plants; 6,439 ventilators/Bi PAP; nearly 4.22 L Remdesivir vials delivered/ dispatched through road and air, from April 27 to May 12.
🇮🇳🇶🇦 Taking forward our deep-rooted friendship & multi-faceted cooperation. Grateful to H.H. Sheikh Tamim Bin Hamad Al Thani the Amir of The State of Qatar & the government of Qatar for the gift of 200 oxygen concentrators, 40 ventilators & 4300 Remdesivir vials. pic.twitter.com/s3BzK3qSld
Major consignments received on Thursday from Kuwait, Singapore, Gilead, Switzerland, Spain and Egypt included 86,595 vials of anti-viral Remdesivir, 4,802 oxygen cylinders, 10 oxygen concentrators and 141 Ventilator/ BiPAP/ CPAP.
Effective immediate allocation, and streamlined delivery to the recipient states/UTs and institutions is an ongoing exercise.
The Union Health Ministry is comprehensively monitoring this on a regular basis. A dedicated Coordination Cell has been created in the Union Health Ministry to coordinate the receipt and allocation of foreign COVID relief material as grants, aid and donations.
This cell started functioning from April 26 this year. A Standard Operating Procedure has been framed and implemented by the Health Ministry since May 2. (INN)
Palestinian Territories, Gaza City: Rockets are fired by the Palestinian Islamist movement Hamas from Gaza City towards Israel, amid the escalating flare-up of Israeli-Palestinian violence. Photo: Mohammed Talatene/dpa/IANS
Since the start of outbreak of clashes, Gaza militants fired more than 1,600 rockets into Israel, while the Israeli army said it struck over 600 targets of Gaza militants’ facilities and posts….reports Asian Lite News
Tension between Israel and militant groups in the Gaza Strip continued on Thursday, while the Hamas-run health ministry officials said the death toll in the besieged coastal enclave has climbed to 83.
The health ministry in Gaza said in a short text message sent to reporters that since the start of tension on Monday, 83 Palestinians were killed, including 17 children and seven women, adding that 487 were injured.
On Thursday, hundreds of Palestinian mourners joined the funeral of nine top militants of the armed wing of the Islamic Resistance Movement (Hamas), who were killed in the Israeli aerial attacks on the enclave, the Xinhua news agency reported.
While carrying the bodies, wrapped by Palestinian flags and Hamas green flags, on their shoulders, the mourners chanted slogans that called on militants in the Gaza Strip to revenge for their killing.
Israel-Gaza violence spirals
Overnight and on Thursday morning, Hamas armed wing militants and other minor groups continued firing barrages of rockets from Gaza into central and southern Israel.
Since the start of escalation on Monday, Gaza militants fired more than 1,600 rockets into Israel, while the Israeli army said it struck over 600 targets of Gaza militants’ facilities and posts.
Local media outlets in the Gaza Strip said that regional and international efforts to end the growing tension and reach a truce between the two sides had not achieved any progress yet.
With the Nepali Congress failing to form the new government with the support of opposition parties, Oli will continue as the Prime Minister as the leader of the largest political party…reports Asian Lite News
Nepal’s opposition parties have failed to form a new coalition government by the 9 p.m. Thursday deadline set by President Bidhya Devi Bhandari.
After Prime Minister K.P. Sharma Oli lost the vote of confidence on Monday, the President, on the same day, called on political parties to form an alternative government. However, they were unable to muster a majority.
“We, the opposition parties, have failed to garner the required votes to form the new government,” Prakash Sharan Mahat, Joint Secretary General of the Nepali Congress, the primary opposition in the house, said after a party meeting.
“As the primary opposition, the Nepali Congress has claimed the leadership of the government and started talks with the Communist Party of Nepal-Maoist Centre and the Janata Samajbadi Party Nepal. After the Janata Samajbadi Party refused to support our party President Sher Bahadur Deuba as next Prime Minister, our effort to form the government have come to an end,” he added.
With the Nepali Congress failing to form the new government with the support of opposition parties, Oli will continue as the Prime Minister as the leader of the largest political party or will form a coalition government with the Janata Samajbadi Party.
The third largest party in the house, the Communist Party of Nepal-Maoist Centre, also concluded that chances of forming the government had come to an end after the Janata Samajbadi Party failed to extend support to Deuba as Prime Minister.
After the Communist Party of Nepal-Maoist Centre withdrew the support to the Oli government, he, as per the constitutional provision, proposed to seek a vote of confidence but lost.
Meanwhile, Oli remained busy in political manoeuvres and talks with his party leaders and the dissidents, including Madhav Kumar Nepal. Oli also withdrew the action taken against lawmakers of his Communist Party of Nepal-Unified Marxist-Leninist on Thursday morning in order to stop them from supporting Deuba as Prime Minister.
On the other hand, Oli was also cultivating one section of the Janata Samajbadi Party to remain in power.
President Bhandari is preparing to re-appoint Oli as Prime Minister on Friday.
