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Guterres wants Bangladesh military, political authorities to work for peaceful democratic transition

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Guterres wants Bangladesh military, political authorities to work for peaceful democratic transition

United Nations, Aug 6 (IANS) UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres wants the Bangladesh military and political authorities to work together for a peaceful democratic transition following the resignation of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, his spokesperson said.

“We want to make sure that all of the authorities, the political authorities, the military authorities, and anyone else who has a say in the current transition, work together so that there will be a peaceful and democratic transition,” Guterres’s Deputy Spokesperson Farhan Haq said on Monday.

He said that Guterres stands “in full solidarity with the people of Bangladesh at this time, and we call for full respect of their democratic and human rights”.

The UN, he said, was in touch with governments in the region, and the UN country team with authorities in Bangladesh.

Sheikh Hasina’s resignation was announced by Bangladesh Army Chief General Waker-Uz-Zaman who, in a national broadcast, said that he was in charge.

“We will form an interim government,” he said.

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Haq said that Guterres continues to closely follow developments in the country, including the resignation of Hasina and the Army Chief’s plans for an interim government.

Hasina’s resignation came after weeks of civil unrest during which, according to some reports, about 300 people, including security personnel, have been killed, thousands injured and jailed.

“The Secretary-General deplores the further loss of life during protests in Bangladesh over the weekend”, “urges calm and restraint by all sides” and “continues to underscore the need for a full, independent, impartial and transparent investigation into all acts of violence”, Haq said.

The protest started with students demanding the abolition of government job reservation for the family freedom fighters who won Bangladesh its independence from Pakistan.

The protests continued even after the Supreme Court cut the job reservations from 30 per cent to 5 per cent and in a tidal wave of violence over the weekend about 100 people were killed, including several police personnel.

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Besides his priorities of democracy and human rights, Guterres is concerned about the large UN refugee programme covering nearly 1 million Rohingya refugees who fled Myanmar.

(Arul Louis can be contacted at arul.l@ians.in and followed at @arulouis)

–IANS

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Lee Hsien Yang seeks refuge in United Kingdom

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Lee Hsien Yang, the youngest son of Singapore’s founding father, the late Lee Kuan Yew, announced on Tuesday that he is now a political refugee in the United Kingdom after seeking asylum from the British government “as a last resort.”

“I remain a Singapore citizen and hope that someday it will be safe to return home,” Lee stated in a Facebook post, as reported by Channel News Asia (CNA).

Citing what he described as the Singapore government’s “attacks” against him, Lee, who is the younger brother of former Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong, revealed that he sought asylum protection in 2022.

Lee Hsien Yang and his late sister, Lee Wei Ling, who passed away earlier this month, have been in conflict with their brother Lee Hsien Loong over the fate of their father’s home following his death in 2015, resulting in a public dispute that has estranged the siblings.

In an interview with the UK-based newspaper The Guardian, Lee alleged that a “campaign of persecution” compelled him to seek asylum in Britain.

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In response to his claims, the Singapore government stated that there is “no basis” for his allegations of “a campaign of persecution” or other assertions regarding political repression in the country.

“Singapore’s judiciary is impartial and makes decisions independently. This is why Singaporeans have a high level of trust in the judiciary,” a government spokesperson remarked.

The spokesperson added that there are no legal restrictions preventing Lee and his wife, lawyer Lee Suet Fern, from returning to Singapore. “They are and have always been free to return to Singapore,” the spokesperson said.

Lee and his wife have been outside of Singapore since 2022, having opted not to attend a scheduled police interview regarding potential offenses related to providing false evidence in judicial proceedings concerning their father’s will and the family home.

Lee and his late sister, who had been living at the property, alleged they felt threatened while trying to fulfill their father’s wish to demolish the house. They also accused their elder brother, former Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong, of abusing his governmental influence to advance his personal agenda.

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Indo-Russian ties are stronger than ever before at BRICS

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Kazan, Russia: Prime Minister Narendra Modi held a bilateral meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin on the sidelines of the 16th BRICS Summit.

During the meeting, President Putin remarked, “I recall our meeting in July, where we had productive discussions on various issues. We’ve also spoken over the phone several times. I am very grateful you accepted the invitation to come to Kazan. Today, we will attend the BRICS Summit’s opening ceremony, followed by dinner.”

PM Modi responded by expressing his appreciation, saying, “I sincerely thank you for your friendship, warm welcome, and hospitality. It’s a great pleasure to visit such a beautiful city as Kazan for the BRICS Summit. India shares deep historical ties with this city, and the opening of our new embassy here will further strengthen these connections.”

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Laos seeks to enhance nutrition amid climate change concerns

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Laos seeks to enhance nutrition amid climate change concerns

Laos seeks to enhance nutrition amid climate change concerns

Vientiane (Laos), Aug 22 (IANS) Representatives from the Lao government and development partners have attended a conference here titled “Climate Change and Nutrition in Laos: Intersections and Interventions” to discuss the impact of climate change on nutrition in the Southeast Asia country and potential solutions.

Speaking at the conference, deputy director general of the Department of Hygiene and Health Promotion under the Lao Ministry of Health Viengkhan Phixay, said, “We gather to address a critical and interwoven issue: the impact of climate change on nutrition and how we can work together to tackle these challenges,” Xinhua news agency reported.

The Lao government is actively engaged in this endeavor, with numerous policies and initiatives aimed at addressing both climate change and nutrition, Lao National Television reported on Thursday.

“By leveraging the Scaling Up Nutrition network in Laos, which is led by the government, and supported by civil society, donors, and the United Nations, we have a robust platform to tackle the negative impacts of climate change while improving nutrition and overall health for everyone in Laos,” Viengkham said at the conference held on Monday.

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The conference featured a series of presentations that not only detailed evidence-based research but also introduced innovative tools for measuring and enhancing nutrition under the impact of climate change.

The conference stressed the critical need for integrated approaches to tackle the intertwined challenges of climate change and nutrition, and setting the stage for impactful future collaborations.

–IANS

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One killed, seven injured in shootout in Iraq

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One killed, seven injured in shootout in Iraq

One killed, seven injured in shootout in Iraq

Baghdad, Aug 22 (IANS) A civilian was killed while seven others were injured on Thursday in a tribal shootout in Iraq’s holy Shiite province of Najaf, according to a local security source.

The shootout erupted in the early hours between armed men from the local tribe in the al-Zarga area in northern Najaf, some 160 km south of Baghdad, a local police officer told Xinhua on condition of anonymity.

The clash resulted in the killing of an Iraqi civilian and the injury of seven others, including three Iranian Shiite pilgrims, the source added.

A joint force from the Interior Ministry’s emergency response division and Najaf provincial police arrested 53 gunmen from both sides of the shootout and seized weapons and ammunition, the Interior Ministry said in a statement.

It added that search operations are ongoing to locate additional gunmen and weapons, with more details to be released later.

The incident took place as numerous pilgrims traveled to the city of Karbala to observe Arbaeen, which marks the end of a 40-day mourning period for the killing of Imam Hussein, the grandson of Prophet Muhammad, in the Battle of Karbala in 680 A.D.

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Typically, these pilgrims also visit Najaf as part of their journey to Karbala.

–IANS

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Bangladesh seeks $1 billion budget support from World Bank

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Bangladesh seeks  billion budget support from World Bank

Bangladesh seeks $1 billion budget support from World Bank

Dhaka, Aug 22 (IANS) Bangladesh’s interim government has sought $1 billion from the World Bank as budgetary support.

The call came from the country’s Power, Energy and Mineral Resources Adviser Muhammad Fouzul Kabir Khan’s meeting with Abdoulaye Seck, the World Bank’s Country Director for Bangladesh and Bhutan, in Dhaka on Wednesday.

He made the plea as the ministry owes more than 2 billion dollars to suppliers in import costs of power and energy, Xinhua news agency reported.

Khan mentioned that the interim government, which was formed with many pressing mandates, is due to settle a $2 billion debt left by the previous government in the power sector.

He said they have already suspended activities under the much-criticized Quick Enhancement of Electricity and Energy Supply Act 2010 and abolished the government’s power to set energy prices without any public hearing.

On August 5, the former Prime Minister of Bangladesh, Sheikh Hasina, was ousted from her country and power, ending her rule since January 2009.

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This event was seen as a massive escalation, with what initially started as student’s protests and resulted in a major crisis in Bangladesh.

Earlier on August 8, Nobel laureate Muhammad Yunus took oath as the head of Bangladesh’s interim government.

–IANS

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