Category: Asia News

“I reiterate my call on the government of Israel to immediately halt all settlement activity, which is a major obstacle to the achievement of the two-state solution, and a just, lasting and comprehensive peace,” said Guterres…reports Asian Lite News.

UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres has called for an end to Israel’s settlement activity in occupied Palestinian territory, for the resumption of peace talks.

The UN remains committed to supporting Palestinians and Israelis to resolve their conflict and bringing an end to the suffering, Xinhua news agency quoted Guterres as saying on Thursday while addressing the opening session of the Committee on the Exercise of the Inalienable Rights of the Palestinian People.

“I reiterate my call on the government of Israel to immediately halt all settlement activity, which is a major obstacle to the achievement of the two-state solution, and a just, lasting and comprehensive peace,” he said.

Persistent acts of violence in occupied Palestinian territory as well as Israeli movement and access restrictions and other violations of international humanitarian and human rights law exacerbate mistrust between Israelis and Palestinians and make peace less attainable, according to the UN chief.

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The committee plays an important role in mobilizing international opinion and assisting Palestinians and Israelis to re-engage in meaningful negotiations, he said.

The long-agreed goal is clear: to end the occupation and realise a two-state solution on the basis of the pre-1967 borders, in line with international law, relevant UN resolutions, and bilateral agreements, with Jerusalem as the capital of both states, Guterres noted.

Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas’ call for an international peace conference under the auspices of the UN and an expanded Middle East Quartet provides a positive opportunity to advance peace in the region, he said.

“I call on the parties to refrain from unilateral acts that can jeopardize the possibility of restarting the peace process.”

The Secretary-General also welcomed the presidential decree issued by Abbas to hold legislative, presidential and Palestinian National Council elections this year.

The holding of elections in the occupied West Bank, including East Jerusalem, and in Gaza will be a crucial step toward Palestinian unity. It will give renewed legitimacy to national institutions, including a democratically elected parliament and government in Palestine, he said.

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“Elections are a vital part of building a democratic Palestinian state founded on the rule of law with equal rights for all. The committee’s support to these efforts will be crucial.”

Guterres also commended the committee’s efforts to mobilize support for the UN agency for Palestinian refugees in a way that is sustainable, predictable, and long-term as Palestinian refugees need and deserve.

“Together, let us strive to uphold the values of the UN Charter as our shared framework of cooperation for the realisation of the rights of Israelis and Palestinians, the Middle East region and beyond.”

According to the Palestine Liberation Organization, about 124 Israeli settlement outposts have been built in the West Bank since the 1990s without any official approval.

Palestinian rights groups said about 700,000 settlers have been living in the West Bank and East Jerusalem since 1967.

Also read:Netanyahu commends India for safeguarding Israeli diplomats

The ongoing protests first broke out across Russia on January 23 when thousands of people took to the streets against the detention of opposition figure and Kremlin critic, Alexei Navalny….reports Asian Lite News

The detention of protesters at the recent “illegitimate rallies” in Russia is a police measure against law violators, not an act of repression, Kremlin Spokesman Dmitry Peskov said.

The ongoing protests first broke out across Russia on January 23 when thousands of people took to the streets against the detention of opposition figure and Kremlin critic, Alexei Navalny.

Addressing a daily briefing on Thursday, Peskov said that claims of repression were emotionally charged, and added that there were multiple direct assaults on police officers during these demonstrations in support of Navalny.

While overcrowded detention centres are under pressure, all possible measures are currently being taken to tackle paperwork problems, he said.

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Peskov also slammed a US Congress bill on sanctions against Russia over the Navalny case.

“We consider such approaches in bilateral relations unacceptable,” the spokesman said.

A Moscow court on Tuesday ruled to replace a suspended sentence in 2014 for Navalny with three and a half years in jail due to his breaches of probation conditions by failing to show up for regular checks.

The Kremlin critic was detained on January 17 upon his landing at a Moscow airport from Germany, where he had received medical treatment for alleged poisoning over the past few months.

Navalny’s detention sparked the mass protests in major Russian cities, including capital Moscow, St Petersburg, Novosibirsk, Yakutsk, Omsk and Yekaterinburg, during the past two weekends as his supporters took to the streets demanding his release.

Western countries have also pressured Moscow to free him.

Also read:Politeness over Navalny not a sign of weakness: Russian FM

The 80-year-old patron, who is believed to be one of Suu Kyi’s trusted confidants, was taken to a district police station in Nay Pyi Taw on Thursday night…reports Asian Lite News

U Win Htein, patron of former Myanmar State Counsellor Aung San Suu Kyi’s National League for Democracy (NLD) party, has been arrested in the wake of the military coup in the South Asian country, a top official said on Friday.

The 80-year-old patron, who is believed to be one of Suu Kyi’s trusted confidants, was taken to a district police station in Nay Pyi Taw on Thursday night, Xinhua news agency quoted Kyi Toe, a member of the party’s information committee, as saying in a social media report.

Meanwhile, former President U Win Myint and Suu Kyi have been remanded in custody for violating the National Disaster Management Law and Import-Export Law until February 15, according to a senior military official.

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The Oresident and the State counsellor were detained by the military, along with other NLD officials early Monday morning just ahead of declaring the coup.

The NLD had posted a statement on its social media page demanding the release of the detained leaders, acknowledge the results of 2020 general elections and stop any disturbances which are hindering the process of convening the third parliamentary session.

After the military seized control of the country, the President’s Office declared a one-year state of emergency and the state power was handed over to Commander-in-Chief of Defence Services Sen-Gen Min Aung Hlaing.

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The coup was staged over the disputed results of the November 8, 2020 parliamentary polls in which the NLD obtained more than 80 per cent of the seats and increased its parliamentary majority.

The military or the Tatmadaw had called for an investigation into voting lists, alleging fraud and discrepancies.

But the Union Election Commission rejected the allegations of election fraud on January 29.

Monday’s actions reversed a 10-year period of democratic transition following 50 years of military rule.

Also read:Myanmar dismisses rumours about Demonetisation

Without providing further details of the march, Rehman added that the PDM will also contest the Senate elections this year….reports Asian Lite News

The Pakistan Democratic Movement (PDM), an alliance comprising 11 of the country’s opposition parties, has said that it will begin its anti-government long march to Islamabad on March 26, the media reported on Friday.

“The decision to hold a long march towards Islamabad has been taken. Caravans from all over the country will leave for Islamabad on March 26,” Dawn news quoted Jamiat Ulema-i-Islam chief and PDM president Maulana Fazlur Rehman as saying at a briefing on Thursday.

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Without providing further details of the march, Rehman added that the PDM will also contest the Senate elections this year.

The announcements came following a meeting of the alliance which was also attended by Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) co-chairman Asif Zardari, former Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif via video link, PPP chairman Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari and Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) Vice President Maryam Nawaz.

Thursday’s development came after the PDM in December 2020 set a deadline for the incumbent Imran Khan-government to resign by January 1, 2021.

Following its inception last year, the PDM held a total of six power shows against the government.

Also read:‘Chinese hegemony in Asia is unacceptable’

What would the 70-odd farmers who died braving rain, bone-chilling cold on Delhi roads who may have considered Sachin Tendulkar a role model be thinking now? The ‘God’ of cricket, who was conferred the Bharat Ratna, seems to have proved that he is nothing more than a “sarkari celeb.”

His Twitter statement on Wednesday urging those “foreigners” to keep off farmers protest hasn’t gone down too well.

Since Tendulkar was conferred the highest civilian award in 2014, he has been the mascot of the Mumbai India IPL team, which is owned by Reliance Industries. The Mukesh Ambani-led company now finds itself in the center of the contentious farm laws along with the Adani Group.

India’s sovereignty cannot be compromised. External forces can be spectators but not participants.
Indians know India and should decide for India. Let's remain united as a nation.#IndiaTogether #IndiaAgainstPropaganda

— Sachin Tendulkar (@sachin_rt) February 3, 2021

Since his cricket career which began in 1989, why has the ‘God of cricket’ found his voice now on social and political issues 32 years hence?

During his stint as Rajya Sabha MP, the cricketer held the ignominious record of 7.3% attendance in Parliament. As per Parliament records, Tendulkar attended just 29 of the nearly 400 Parliament sessions, asked just 22 questions and introduced no bills. The fiver year stint earned him nearly Rs 1 crore (Rs 86.23 lakh to be precise).

What is more intriguing is Tendulkar’s timing of the tweet, it took a foreign pop singer, foreign climate and an international porn actor to wake up the former Test cricketer and ex-MP to back the government?

While critics have panned Tendulkar for his message, Right-wing trolls have welcomed his “awakening.” Many said the “God has spoken,” while others saw it as the cricketer’s coming of age. Whatever the reason may be, it seems that the “Little Master” is following the “Master’s” call.

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