World News

New Delhi (The Hawk): Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi held a bilateral meeting with Prime Minister of Japan H.E. Mr. Fumio Kishida. Prime Minister conveyed his deepest condolences for the demise of former Prime Minister Shinzo Abe. Prime Minister noted the contributions of late Prime Minister Abe in strengthening India-Japan partnership as well in conceptualizing the vision of a free, open and inclusive Indo-Pacific region.
The two leaders had a productive exchange of views on further deepening bilateral relations. They also discussed a number of regional and global issues. The leaders renewed their commitment towards further strengthening the India-Japan Special Strategic and Global Partnership, and in working together in the region and in various international groupings and institutions.

 Minister Shri Narendra Modi held a bilateral meeting with Prime Minister of Japan H.E. Mr. Fumio Kishida. Prime Minister conveyed his deepest condolences for the demise of former Prime Minister Shinzo Abe. 

PM Modi's Meeting With Prime Minister Of Japan

Mexico City: At least two people were killed and minor material damage was made after a 6.9 magnitude earthquake struck central Mexico early Thursday morning, following the 7.7 magnitude quake recorded Monday, President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador reported.
A woman lost her life after falling down the stairs of her home, while another man died of a heart attack, Lopez Obrador told journalists at the National Palace in Mexico City, Xinhua news agency reported.
The President also said there was no major damage reported, after lamenting the deaths of the two people.
Thursday's tremor, an aftershock of Monday's quake, occurred at 1:16 a.m. local time, with an epicenter 84 km south of the municipality of Coalcoman in the state of Michoacan.
Hundreds of people left homes and buildings on Thursday after a seismic alert was activated in some regions of Mexico, while some other areas reported power outages.&nbsp;
—IANS

At least two people were killed and minor material damage was made after a 6.9 magnitude earthquake struck central Mexico early Thursday morning, following the 7.7 magnitude quake recorded Monday, President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador reported.

 Quake aftershock in Mexico leaves 2 dead

America

Islamabad: The overall death toll in Pakistan from the devastating floods has increased to 1,596, with 12,863 others injured, the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) said. In the last 24 hours, 20 new fatalities were reported, reports Xinhua news agency citing the NDMA as saying. The victims included 17 children and most of the deaths were reported in the worst-hit Sindh province. The heavy monsoon rain-triggered flash floods since mid-June have also destroyed a total of 2,016,008 houses, while an estimated 1,040,735 livestock has perished in the rains across the country, according to the latest NDMA figures. It further added that 12,716 km of roads and 374 bridges were damaged. Rescue and relief operations by the NDMA, other government organisations, volunteers and NGOs were underway in the affected areas.&nbsp;
—IANS

The overall death toll in Pakistan from the devastating floods has increased to 1,596, with 12,863 others injured, the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) said.

 Death toll in devastating Pakistan flooding reaches 1,596

South Asia

London: Prime Minister Narendra Modi has a powerful, influential voice on the world stage and the Russian leadership respects India's position on the global arena, United Kingdom Foreign Secretary James Cleverly has said, emphasising that London hopes President Vladimir Putin listens to those voices who are calling for peace amid the Ukraine conflict.Cleverly was responding to a question on the Russian-Ukraine conflict and Modi telling Putin last week on the sidelines of the 22nd meeting of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation in Uzbekistan's Samarkand that 'today's era is not of war'."Prime Minister Modi has a powerful, influential voice on the world stage. We know the Russian leadership respects India's voice and position on the world stage. I think Prime Minister Modi's intervention is very, very welcome. And we really hope that Vladimir Putin listens to those voices who are calling for peace and for de-escalation. So we very much welcome Prime Minister Modi's intervention," Cleverly told PTI in an interview.He also said that there has been a terrible loss of life in the Ukrainian conflict."Obviously, we have seen the terrible loss of life in the Ukrainian conflict, both loss of life of Ukrainians but also of young Russian men and women, which is terrible," Cleverly, the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs of the United Kingdom, said in New York on Wednesday on the margins of the high-level United Nations General Assembly session.He underlined that the challenges that pre-existed with regard to food security and people at risk of food insecurity and famine have been amplified by Russia's invasion of Ukraine."We've always been very, very clear that our sanctions do not target food exports, they do not target fertilizer exports, they do not target ammonia exports. But nevertheless, people in the world who are already hungry, their situation has been made worse by Putin's invasion of Ukraine. And that's why Prime Minister Modi's intervention is important and very welcome," he said.Cleverly added that 'obviously India is an incredibly important and influential country on the world stage. I think with so much turbulence going on in the world, our close partnership and working relationship with India is incredibly important'.As world leaders gather at the UN headquarters for the high-level week amid turbulent global times and humanitarian and geo-political crises, Cleverly said the UN is still relevant."The world is changing in many areas and changing very, very quickly. And it's important that international institutions adapt and evolve to meet those changing challenges and circumstances. And multilateral fora like the UN will always be an important part of our relationship."He added that bilateral relationships are also very, very crucial. Meeting counterparts collectively at UNGA provides a 'fantastic opportunity' to have really key bilateral meetings.Cleverly, in New York for the high-level UNGA session, met External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar on the UNGA margins late Wednesday evening.Earlier in the day, Cleverly said he was looking forward to meeting his Indian counterpart.Jaishankar 'knows us well. He's worked with my predecessors. And I'm very, very much looking forward to discussing both global issues, regional issues and also our bilateral relationship'. —PTI

Prime Minister Narendra Modi has a powerful, influential voice on the world stage and the Russian leadership respects India's position on the global arena, United Kingdom Foreign Secretary James Cleverly has said, emphasising that London hopes President Vladimir Putin listens to those voices who are calling for peace amid the Ukraine conflict.

Modi's Intervention Welcome, Putin Listens To Him: UK

Europe

New York: External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar on Wednesday stated that there is greater support for India's case to be a permanent member of the UN Security Council and that there is a broad global consensus over the need to reform the Council.
"I do believe that each passing year, I sense in the world that there is greater and greater support for India to be there (UNSC)." The Minister said that a reform particularly as it does not reflect the realities of the world, asserting that an expanded Council is not only in India's favour but also in favour of other unrepresented areas.
"Within a few years India will be the third largest economy in the world, it will be the most populous society and not to have such a country in the council- it's obvious it's not good for us, but I also think it's good for the global council," Jaishankar said while speaking at the Columbia University, New York.
Earlier, he also said that it is in the mutual interest of India and China to find a way to accommodate each other as the "Rise of Asia" is contingent on the economies of the two countries getting along well.
"The biggest thing we have seen in the world is the rise of China. It has risen in a dramatic manner. It's in mutual interest to accommodate each other because the rise of Asia is contingent on the three biggest economies getting along with each other," said Jaishankar at an event at Columbia University.
Over the last three days, Jaishankar has met with envoys and heads of states from around the world on the sidelines of the annual United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) and has more than 50 official engagements in total. The highlights of Jaishankar's meetings particularly with developing countries from Asia, Africa, Latin America, the Caribbean and Small Islands are sharply focused on the reform of the UN Security Council. " We do command the confidence and trust of a very large part of the world. I do not want to compare it with the current permanent 5 (P5) but I would say a lot of countries, perhaps think that we speak for them with a high degree of empathy and accuracy," Jaishankar added. Jaishankar will address world leaders at the General Assembly on Saturday, after which he will leave for Washington and a meeting with US Secretary of State Antony Blinken. —ANI

External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar on Wednesday stated that there is greater support for India's case to be a permanent member of the UN Security Council and that there is a broad global consensus over the need to reform the Council.

India Has Growing Support For UNSC Permanent Membership: Jaishankar

New York: The Ministers participating in the India-Brazil-South Africa Trilateral Cooperative Forum (IBSA) held discussions on several global and regional issues, including cooperation in multilateral organizations, UNSC reform, climate change and the Ukraine situation.
On the sidelines of the 77th United Nations General Assembly, India hosted the 10th Ministerial Commission of Foreign Ministers of the IBSA. External Affairs Minister, S Jaishankar met with his Brazilian counterpart Carlos Franca and South African Health Minister Dr Joe Phaahla. The trio reaffirmed the cooperation between India, Brazil and South Africa.
According to the Ministry of External Affairs statement, global issues such as cooperation in multilateral organizations, South-South cooperation, UNSC Reform, 2030 Agenda &amp; Sustainable Development Goals, Climate Change, countering terrorism, financing for development, WTO, and G20 were discussed. While Regional including African Union, the Middle East Peace Process, and the situation in Ukraine were discussed in the meeting.
External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar chaired the meeting on September 21. As per the ministry, the Ministers reviewed the entire gamut of IBSA cooperation. They welcomed new initiatives within IBSA, such as the inaugural meeting of the IBSA National Security Advisors, the launch of cooperation amongst the Development Cooperation Agencies in the form of IBSA Working Group on International/Trilateral Development Partnerships and the inaugural IBSA Senior Officials Meeting on Traditional Medicines.
IBSA exemplifies the spirit of South-South cooperation. The IBSA Fund is a special feature of the IBSA collaboration. It has since its inception, allocated over USD44 million, supporting 39 South-South cooperation development projects in 35 partner countries, the majority being Least Developed Countries. The Ministers supported the legitimate aspiration of African countries to have a permanent presence in the UNSC and supported Brazil's and India's endeavour to occupy permanent seats in the Security Council. The Ministers also noted the upcoming G20 Presidencies of India and Brazil in 2023 and 2024, as useful opportunities to cooperate and steer the G20 Agenda and work with a developmental perspective, the MEA said.
Meanwhile, Jaishankar, on day 3 interacted with his counterparts of four countries. He met with his Estonia counterpart Urmas Reinsalu, Norway Foreign Minister Anniken Huitfeldt, Bolivia's Foreign Minister Rogelio Mayta and UK Foreign Secretary James Cleverly.
Jaishankar will address world leaders at the General Assembly on Saturday, after which he will leave for Washington and a meeting with US Secretary of State Antony Blinken. —ANI

The Ministers participating in the India-Brazil-South Africa Trilateral Cooperative Forum (IBSA) held discussions on several global and regional issues, including cooperation in multilateral organizations, UNSC reform, climate change and the Ukraine situation.

Regional, Global Issues Discussed In 10th IBSA Ministerial Meet Hosted By India

Kyiv, Brussels, Vienna (The Hawk): The war in Ukraine has caused immense human suffering and destruction to infrastructure as well as to the natural environment, with long-term implications for the Ukrainian people and economy. More than 6 million people have no or limited access to clean water, and over 280,000 hectares of forests have been destroyed or felled.
While the end of the war is still unknown, it is clear that Ukraine will need the largest reconstruction plan in Europe since World War II. Planning for post-war reconstruction has already started with the Ukrainian government presenting a draft recovery plan at the high-level international Ukraine Recovery Conference in Lugano on 4-5 July 2022. At the conference key actors committed to sustainability as one of the key principles of recovery.
The WWF-BCG report provides a pathway to achieve these sustainability goals. It shows that, while circumstances are dire, if sustainability is at the core and reforms are properly implemented, this effort could shape a sustainable model of economic development for Ukraine, Europe and the world. Developed with WWF-Ukraine, who work closely with other social and environmental organizations, academia and businesses, the report aims at bringing a civil society voice into the reconstruction agenda.
Modernizing Ukraine’s economy and infrastructure in a way that works with nature rather than against it would generate many benefits, including enhanced security with less dependence on imports of fossil fuels and accelerated economic development and job creation. Such reconstruction can accelerate Ukraine’s integration in the EU and alignment with key policies such as the European Green Deal, to which Ukraine has already committed.
Dr Bohdan Vykhor, CEO WWF Ukraine, said:
“Environmental security must be part of the security paradigm for Ukraine as it provides a basis for Ukraine’s economic development, well-being and survival. It's about building a more sustainable and resilient country for the people of Ukraine”.
Hubi Meinecke, Global Leader, Climate &amp; Sustainability, Boston Consulting Group, said:&nbsp;
“Even under the most tragic circumstances, there is hope. The extent of suffering and destruction brought by the war is staggering. We know from our engagement with leaders in the Ukraine that they want the international community to start to mobilize now for the recovery. At BCG, we strongly believe that to achieve the best outcome for Ukrainians, reconstruction should be planned with climate and nature at its heart. With WWF, we show the path for a sustainable recovery plan.”
Invest in the future, don’t reconstruct an unsustainable past
The recovery plan should not simply aim to rebuild what has been destroyed, but rather focus on the future: investments must be transformative and sustainable, working with rather than against nature. Starting with climate change, the plan should ensure that Ukraine can at least deliver on, and potentially raise, its pre-war ambitions to reduce GHG emissions by 65% by 2030 vs. 1990 and reach Net Zero by 2060 — all while adapting to a future with growing impacts from climate change. The natural environment is the foundation of a strong and resilient economy as well as a healthy society. Ecosystem goods and services are valued at ~$185 bn/year, which is roughly equivalent to Ukraine’s GDP. In every sector covered by the report (covering two-thirds of GDP and ca 90% of exports), there are opportunities to de-carbonize, reduce resource use and leverage nature-based solutions.&nbsp;
The report defines ten key recommendations as well as further specific recommendations regarding three environmental issues (Forests, Wildlife Biodiversity, Freshwater), six economic sectors (Housing, Transport, Energy and Power, Agriculture, Industry, Tech &amp; Digital) as well as Governance.
Tomislav Corak, Managing Director &amp; Partner at BCG, declared:&nbsp;
“Having grown up in Croatia, I have experienced firsthand the difficulties and uncertainties of recovery after the Homeland War ended in 1995. Ukrainians will have access to new technologies and can use their digital skills to build people-friendly housing and infrastructure, sustainable agriculture as well as low carbon industrial, transportation and energy solutions. It will take strong leadership and persistence to rebuild Ukraine in an economical and environmentally friendly way. Both are possible, but to deliver them we need to start planning now.”
The report is an important step in WWF’s efforts to support reconstruction in Ukraine. It is a basis for engaging with decision-makers inside and outside of Ukraine as well as stakeholders from the private sector, civil society and communities across key sectors for development. “The war is still ongoing, and the challenges are complex, so this report offers our current perspectives and not definitive answers. It has been developed as a basis for discussion, planning and cooperation with decision-makers and stakeholders both inside and outside of Ukraine. We expect the analysis and ideas presented here to develop further as this dialogue unfolds,” Dr Vykhor said.

The war in Ukraine has caused immense human suffering and destruction to infrastructure as well as to the natural environment, with long-term implications for the Ukrainian people and economy.

Ukraine Needs A Sustainable, Climate And Nature-Positive Reconstruction To Ensure Long-Term Security

New York: Speaking at an event in New York on the sidelines of the ongoing UN General Assembly, Pakistan’s Foreign Minister Bilawal Bhutto Zardari claimed that the “Hindutva ideology being promoted in India fuelled violence against its Muslim minority in the country”.
He made the remarks during a high-level meeting on the effective promotion of the Declaration on Rights of Persons Belonging to National or Ethnic, Religious and Linguistic Minorities, reports Geo News. When he started speaking about India, Bilawal said that “unfortunately, there is a state where the minority rights are being suppressed”.
He claimed that minorities are being suppressed in this state under its policy, adding: “India was once a secular state, but now it’s becoming a Hindu-dominated country.” “India’s Muslim minority is the largest in the world and Muslims are killed by mobs over the issue of cows,” Geo News quoted the Foreign Minister as saying.
He also stressed that the protection of rights of minorities was the “basic tenet of the protection of human rights in Pakistan”. “Kartarpur Corridor is a reflection of our efforts for interfaith harmony and it is a corridor of hope,” Bilawal said, adding that Pakistan celebrates Minority Protection Day on August 11 every year. The Minister made similar comments at a separate event also in New York where he said that “today, one of the worst manifestations of such Islamophobia is in Hindutva-inspired India”.
“Driven by the ideology of hate against Muslims, the (ruling) BJP-RSS regime is executing its century-old plan to obliterate India’s Islamic legacy and to transform India into an exclusive Hindu state.” —IANS&nbsp;

Speaking at an event in New York on the sidelines of the ongoing UN General Assembly, Pakistan’s Foreign Minister Bilawal Bhutto Zardari claimed that the “Hindutva ideology being promoted in India fuelled violence against its Muslim minority in the country”.

Hindutva Ideology In India Has Fuelled Violence Against Muslim Minority:  Bilawal

Lhasa (Tibet): After China's participation in Queen Elizabeth II funeral was opposed over the suppression of Xinjiang's Muslim Uyghurs, the spotlight on Beijing's brutal suppression attracted global attention.
A group of UK lawmakers objected to the invitation to Chinese government leaders to attend the state funeral of the late Queen Elizabeth II, reported Tibet Press.
A week ago, United Nations Human Rights Office (UNHCR) released a report on the Xinjiang region, reporting widespread repression of minority Turkic Muslims by the Beijing government. The report concluded that "serious human rights violations have been committed" in Xinjiang.
Despite China trying to hide, suppress or play down what happening in Xinjiang, the political pressure, activism and struggle of Uyghurs will keep the issue alive, reported Tibet Press.
Protests in support of Uyghur Muslims are held by human rights activists across the world regularly. Even Uyghurs living outside China are trying to keep the flame alive. All of this suggests that the Xinjiang issue will continue to feature in global discussions.
In the letter to the country's Foreign Secretary, the UK lawmakers raised concerns over the invitation to the "architects" of genocide against the Uyghur minority. They said the decision was "extraordinary" since the UK Parliament had voted to recognise the "genocide committed by the Chinese government."
The UK has already banned Chinese officials from visiting the Queen's body lying in state at Westminster Hall in London. Now calls are made for withdrawing the invitation to the Beijing government, reported Tibet Press. "Inviting the Chinese government is an insult to the memory of the Queen and should be rescinded immediately, "Tim Loughton, an MP from the ruling Conservative Party. The growing opposition to China's participation in the funeral comes as a humiliation for China. The Xi Jinping-led communist government in China has been facing criticism for state-sponsored arbitrary and discriminatory detentions, enforced disappearances, forced labour, forced sterilisation of women, sexual violence, intimidation and mass surveillance, reported Tibet Press.
Global activists and leaders of many western countries have expressed their concerns over the repressive governance in Xinjiang.
Protests are regularly held in the UK, US, Germany and other countries, seeking action against Beijing. Even calls were made to boycott Beijing Olympics and Chinese goods. The US, UK, Canada, Japan, and Australia had diplomatically boycotted the Beijing Olympics. The US has banned Chinese cotton that is suspected to be produced using forced labour in Xinjiang.
Now the European Union (EU) has proposed a ban on all Chinese goods made using forced labour, expressing concerns about the human rights situation in Xinjiang.
Henrike Hahn, the German representative to the European Parliament, said "We are not like-minded friends of the totalitarian regime in China. We demand a ban on imports of products from Chinese forced labour and on products from Chinese companies in general produced with forced labour."
The UNHCR report on Xinjiang was released despite the resistance from its chief Michelle Bachelet, who did not want to alienate China, reported Tibet Press.
Confirming the reports of government excesses in Xinjiang, the report sought "adequate remedy and reparation to victims" of human rights Violations. I appealed to the international community to support efforts "to strengthen the protection and promotion of human rights in Xinjiang.
Despite China denying the charges of human right violations, which often comes in the form of threats, there have been sustained efforts by the Uyghur and Kazakh communities to express their plight to the world. —ANI

After China's participation in Queen Elizabeth II funeral was opposed over the suppression of Xinjiang's Muslim Uyghurs, the spotlight on Beijing's brutal suppression attracted global attention.

China's Suppression Of Uyghurs Attracts Global Attention After Nation's Participation In Queen's Funeral Opposed

Southeast Asia

New York (The Hawk): External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar on Wednesday met Ukrainian Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal at the UN headquarters in New York and apprised him of India's principled position that emphasises cessation of all hostilities and return to dialogue and diplomacy.
Jaishankar met the Ukrainian leader on the margins of the high-level UN General Assembly session in New York, hours after Russian President Vladimir Putin ordered a partial mobilisation of some 300,000 reservists, saying the move was essential to protect Russia's sovereignty as the "West is seeking to weaken, divide and finally destroy this country."
"At the UN Headquarters this morning, called on Prime Minister of Ukraine @Denys_Shmyhal," Jaishankar tweeted.
Jaishankar said he apprised Prime Minister Shmyhal of "India's principled position that emphasises cessation of all hostilities and return to dialogue and diplomacy."
The minister thanked "him for sharing his perspectives and assessment of the ongoing conflict. Discussed their consequences, including for food security, energy security and safety of nuclear facilities."
Jaishankar assured him that India would continue to provide humanitarian assistance.
India has not yet condemned the Russian invasion of Ukraine and it has been maintaining that the crisis must be resolved through diplomacy and dialogue.
Since early September, Ukraine forces have swiftly recaptured large swaths of land in Ukraine's Kharkiv region that Russian troops took over in early weeks of the war which began on February 24.
Russian Defence Minister Sergey Shoigu on Wednesday disclosed that a total of 5,937 Russian troops have died during the military operation in Ukraine while fatalities on the Ukrainian side are ten times higher, with 61,207 Kiev troops killed.
It's the first time that Russia announced its losses during the military operation since late March when the casualties stood at 1,351. —PTI

External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar on Wednesday met Ukrainian Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal at the UN headquarters in New York and apprised him of India's principled position that emphasises cessation of all hostilities and return to dialogue and diplomacy.

Jaishankar Apprises Ukrainian PM Of India's Stand

United Nations: External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar met Turkey's Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu for a wide-ranging discussion on global affairs, hours after Ankara's President Recep Tayyip Erdogan made a neutral-sounding reference to Kashmir in his General Assembly address. In a tweet after the meeting on Tuesday, Jaishankar said they held a "wide-ranging conversation that covered the Ukraine conflict, food security, G20 processes, global order, NAM (Non-aligned Movement) and Cyprus". Turkey is embroiled in the confrontation on the divided island of Cyprus between its ethnic compatriots who hold the breakaway northern part of it and the Greek Cypriots. In his speech on Tuesday morning, Erdogan struck a neutral-sounding stance and said: "We hope and pray that fair and permanent peace and prosperity will be established in Kashmir." He avoided internationalising Kashmir by even invoking UN resolutions as he had last year or criticising India in strong terms in the years before that. Besides Pakistani politicians, Erdogan is the only other leader to mention Kashmir in recent years in speeches at the 193-member Assembly. Turkey has assumed a pivotal role in negotiations between Russia and Ukraine, and with the UN it helped open up Kiev's ports for foodgrain exports through the Black Sea. Also on Tuesday, Jaishankar met Austria's Foreign Minister Alexander Schallenberg, whom he called "my dear friend" in a tweet that said that they "discussed expanding our cooperation in mobility and education". "Appreciate his insights on the Ukraine conflict and its consequences," he added. Schallenberg said in his tweet that they "had the opportunity for another excellent exchangea covering "bilateral relations, including in the area of migration". "Also discussed global consequences of Russiaa's unprecedented aggression against Ukraine," he added. Jaishankar also met with Libya's Foreign Minister Najla Elmangoush and tweeted" "Appreciated her perspectives on the evolving situation in Libya". Earlier on Tuesday, his second day of diplomacy on the sidelines of the General Assembly, Jaishankar held high-level meetings with Presidents Nana Akufo-Addo of Ghana and Azali Assoumani of the Comoros. Jaishankar tweeted that he and Akufo-Addo "discussed our ongoing cooperation in the UN Security Council, especially on counterterrorism. Appreciated the achievements of our development partnership". India has close developmental relations with Ghana and supports several projects there in infrastructure, education and technology. Jaishankar tweeted that Assoumani appreciated "India's outreach in combating Covid-19 and dengue". He added that they "discussed taking forward our development partnership and working together on maritime security". Jaishankar also met with Nicaragua's Foreign Minister Denis Moncada and tweeted: "Interesting discussion on the global situation and its multilateral implications."&nbsp;
—IANS

External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar met Turkey's Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu for a wide-ranging discussion on global affairs, hours after Ankara's President Recep Tayyip Erdogan made a neutral-sounding reference to Kashmir in his General Assembly address.

Jaishankar meets Turkish FM after Erdogan tones down Kashmir reference

Juba: The South Sudanese government announced that it is stepping up vigilance along the borders following an Ebola outbreak in neighbouring Uganda. Victoria Anib Majur, the undersecretary in the Ministry of Health, advised communities living along the border with Uganda and the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) to report any suspicious case to health authorities, reports Xinhua news agency. "We are very concerned about the Ebola outbreak in Uganda because we share the border. We have a lot of movement across the border, our families are in Uganda and Ugandans are on this side," Majur told journalists here on Tuesday. She also urged the public to refrain from eating bushmeat since Ebola spreads to humans through animals. Majur disclosed that national assessment teams will be deployed in the border areas of Yambio and Nimule bordering both DRC and Uganda, respectively. On August 21, the DRC government announced an Ebola outbreak after detecting a 46-year-old woman living in the city of Beni, in the province of North Kivu. Majur added that they would be partnering with the Unicef to promote public awareness of the Ebola virus disease. Fabian Ndenzako, the acting WHO Representative for South Sudan, said that the Health Ministry has already activated the incident management system for Ebola virus disease. "There is a lot of movement across the border, so it's really important that this incident management system is really activated. We don't have a case in South Sudan but given the proximity and closeness, we have to prepare," Ndenzako said. Since its discovery in 1976, the majority of cases and outbreaks of Ebola have occurred in Africa. The 2014�2016 outbreak in West Africa was the largest and most complex Ebola outbreak ever, according to the World Health Organization. The virus is transmitted to people from wild animals and then spreads to humans through direct contact with the infected people.
—IANS &nbsp;

The South Sudanese government announced that it is stepping up vigilance along the borders following an Ebola outbreak in neighbouring Uganda.

 S.Sudan on high alert after Ebola outbreak in Uganda

Africa

Nicosia: In two separate operations, at least 477 migrants were rescued off the coast of Cyprus in a span of just 24 hours, the country's Joint Rescue Coordination Centre (JRCC) said. The JRCC said that in one operation, it responded to a distress call for an 18-meter boat with more than 300 people on board, which was drifting about 110 nautical miles off the west coast, reports Xinhua news agency. A JRCC spokesman said on Tuesday that the call was received by the Centre's Larnaca headquarters at 7 p.m. on Monday. The boat was experiencing engine trouble. After a helicopter spotted the boat, two navy ships and a nautical police patrol boat were dispatched to the area and at the same time, all ships sailing nearby were asked to help in the rescue operation. "The weather in the region was bad, but fortunately a Russian-owned cargo vessel registered in the Marshal Islands was very close and responded to the call. It took aboard all the passengers from the boat in distress," the spokesman said. He said that the captain of the cargo vessel was asked to take the migrants to the Cypriot port of Limassol, but he opted to follow his company's instructions and head to his original destination of Istanbul. The JRCC spokesman said the second rescue operation was mounted in the early hours of Tuesday after a distress call, also citing engine trouble, was received from a boat that was drifting with 177 people on board about 30 nautical miles south of Larnaca. The spokesman said that the two navy ships returning from the first rescue operation and a marine police vessel were diverted to the Larnaca area. The rescue operation lasted well past midday. The rescue boats docked at Larnaca late in the afternoon, where civil defence groups and medical staff cared for the exhausted migrants. The migrants told the authorities that they had sailed from Lebanon and headed for Italy.&nbsp;
—IANS

In two separate operations, at least 477 migrants were rescued off the coast of Cyprus in a span of just 24 hours, the country's Joint Rescue Coordination Centre (JRCC) said.

 Cyprus rescues 477 migrants in 24 hrs

In two separate operations, at least 477 migrants were rescued off the coast of Cyprus in a span of just 24 hours, the country's Joint Rescue Coordination Centre (JRCC) said.


Paris: Over 300 French companies have alerted the country's government to the negative effects of the surging energy prices, Minister Delegate for Industry Roland Lescure has said here. Lescure told French broadcaster Sud Radio that the risk of the companies going under remains limited, and that the government has no plans to extend the energy tariff shield to companies with more than 10 employees, Xinhua news agency reported. According to Lescure, these companies have long-term supply contracts that protect them from the increase in energy prices. More than one out of two French industrial companies said they had suffered consequences from the energy crisis and that their production bottlenecks had affected profitability. According to recent surveys, 80 per cent of the country's small and medium-sized enterprises fear for their survival. Glassware manufacturer Duralex said that the company's energy bill increased from 2 million euros ($2 million) the previous year to 13 million euros this year. The energy price crunch has also led to employers resorting to short-time working in France. The Arc glass factory has put 1,600 of its workers on two days per week of partial activity until December. At a press conference after a Council of Ministers meeting on September 14, Economy and Finance Minister Bruno Le Maire said the energy tariff shield would concern all companies depending on the percentage of the turnover they use to cover their energy bills.&nbsp;
—IANS

Over 300 French companies have alerted the country's government to the negative effects of the surging energy prices, Minister Delegate for Industry Roland Lescure has said here.

 Over 300 French companies urge govt action on energy price crisis

Harare: The International Monetary Fund (IMF) has lauded Zimbabwe's efforts to stabilise the foreign exchange rate and lower inflation amid significant internal and external shocks. Zimbabwe's economy had shown resilience in the face of significant shocks such as poor rainfall and price pressures against the background of the Covid-19 pandemic, the IMF said in a statement issued Tuesday after the conclusion of its staff visit to Zimbabwe from September 12-19, Xinhua news agency reported. "The IMF mission notes the authorities' efforts to stabilise the local foreign exchange market and lower inflation. In this regard, the recent tightening of monetary policy and the contained budget deficits are policies in the right direction and have contributed to the narrowing of the parallel market exchange rate gap," IMF team leader Dhaneshwar Ghura said. The renewed price and exchange rate depreciation pressures emerged in the second quarter of 2022, with inflation in August reaching 285 per cent year on year. After recording a growth rate of 7 per cent in 2021, real GDP growth is expected to decline to about 3.5 per cent in 2022, reflecting a slowdown in agricultural and energy outputs owing to erratic rains and rising macro-economic instability, amidst a recovery in mining and tourism, Ghura said. He said uncertainty remains high and the outlook will depend on the evolution of external shocks, the policy stance, and the implementation of inclusive growth-friendly policies. The Zimbabwean government has put in place a raft of measures to stabilize the exchange rate and curb inflation, among them introducing gold coins and raising the bank policy rate from 80 per cent in April to 200 per cent in June 2022. The IMF said further efforts were needed to durably anchor macroeconomic stability and accelerate structural reforms. "The near-term macroeconomic imperative is to curb inflationary pressures by further tightening monetary policy, as needed, and allowing greater exchange rate flexibility through a more transparent and market-driven price discovery process, tackling foreign exchange market distortions and eliminating exchange restrictions," he said.&nbsp;
—IANS

The International Monetary Fund (IMF) has lauded Zimbabwe's efforts to stabilise the foreign exchange rate and lower inflation amid significant internal and external shocks.

 IMF commends Zimbabwe's efforts to stabilize economy amid shocks

 IMF commends Zimbabwe's efforts to stabilise economy amid shocks

Mogadishu: The number of drought-related displacements has increased to over 1.1 million in Somalia between January 2021 and August 2022, the United Nations humanitarian agency has said. The UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) said on Tuesday some 98,900 people were displaced by drought in August, an 18 per cent increase compared to the previous month, Xinhua news agency reported. The UN agency said the new arrivals have been observed in the Bay region (29 per cent) and Banadir region (28 per cent), followed by the Bari region (12 per cent) and Gedo region (10 per cent). "The significant flow of arrivals in Bay is a continued displacement trend that was initially observed in July 2022, when Bay Region received 40 per cent of new arrivals, compared to only 2 per cent in June 2022," OCHA said in its drought displacement monitoring report released in Mogadishu, the capital of Somalia. The latest figures come as humanitarian partners have quickly expanded drought response activities, reaching 5.3 million affected people with assistance and protection by August, up from 3.4 million in June. According to OCHA, the aid agencies have prioritised areas of highest need, bolstering coordination in 38 districts and delivering emergency response packages to those most in need among newly displaced people. OCHA has warned that needs are expected to increase in the months ahead, including with the forecast for a fifth failed rain, and the crisis expected to extend into 2023. The UN projects that famine will be a reality in parts of the country during October-December unless life-saving assistance is urgently ramped up to reach the people most in need.&nbsp;
—IANS

The number of drought-related displacements has increased to over 1.1 million in Somalia between January 2021 and August 2022, the United Nations humanitarian agency has said.

 Severe drought displaces over 1.1 mn Somalis: UN

Tehran: Iran needs reassuring guarantees as well as the closure of the ongoing inquiry into the Islamic republic by the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) before a nuclear deal can be reached, Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi has said. According to a statement published on the Iranian presidency's website, Raisi on Tuesday made the remarks in a meeting with his French counterpart Emmanuel Macron on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly in New York, Xinhua news agency reported. Iran is ready to reach a "fair and stable" nuclear agreement, but considering the unilateral withdrawal of the United States from the 2015 nuclear deal, Iran's demand to "receive reassuring guarantees" is "completely reasonable and logical", said Raisi. The Iranian president also described the IAEA's inquiry as "a serious obstacle to reaching an agreement," noting that "we believe that without the closure of Iran's cases, it is not possible to reach an agreement". As for Iran-Europe relations, Raisi said that the improvement of Iran's relations with Europe depended on the independence of the countries of the European continent from the will and opinion of the US. Iran signed the nuclear deal, formally known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), with world powers in July 2015, agreeing to curb its nuclear program in return for removing sanctions on the country. However, former US President Donald Trump pulled Washington out of the agreement and reimposed sanctions on Tehran. The talks on the JCPOA's revival began in April 2021 in Vienna but were suspended in March this year because of political differences between Tehran and Washington. The latest round of the nuclear talks was held in the Austrian capital in early August after a five-month hiatus. On August 8, the EU put forward its final text of the draft decision on reviving the JCPOA. Iran and the US later indirectly exchanged views on the EU proposal in a process that has so far failed to produce any favorable outcome. The IAEA has recently reiterated that Tehran had not provided "technically credible explanations" for uranium particles found at three undeclared sites.
—IANS &nbsp;

Iran needs reassuring guarantees as well as the closure of the ongoing inquiry into the Islamic republic by the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) before a nuclear deal can be reached, Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi has said.

 Iran's Prez calls for nuclear deal guarantees, closure of IAEA inquiry

Sao Paulo: At least nine people were killed and as many as 28 injured when part of a container depot collapsed in Brazil's southeastern state of Sao Paulo, the fire department has reported. The incident occurred on Tuesday in the city of Itapecerica da Serra, at a depot belonging to Multiteiner, a company that sells and leases containers to businesses that export goods, Xinhua news agency reported. About 64 employees were in a meeting at the depot when a platform collapsed, according to fire department spokesperson Luciana Soares, who added that rescue workers were sifting through the rubble to help the victims. The incident took place as two candidates for deputy seats, Jones Donizette and Ely Santos, were visiting the facility on a campaign trail in the lead-up to the October 2 elections. "As they were saying goodbye to the workers, part of the concrete structure broke and they were trapped in the rubble," a press team for the candidates posted on social media.&nbsp;
—IANS

At least nine people were killed and as many as 28 injured when part of a container depot collapsed in Brazil's southeastern state of Sao Paulo, the fire department has reported.

 Nine dead in container depot collapse in Brazil

United Nations: World leaders begin their high-level meeting of the UN General Assembly (UNGA) on Tuesday under the dark clouds of global polarisation, Russia's invasion of Ukraine, food and energy crises, economic problems and natural disasters grasping for silver linings of hope. "A Watershed Moment: Transformative Solutions to Interlocking Challenges", is the theme of the meeting encapsulating the problems and promises. Looking at solutions - especially the intractable deadlock at the Security Council - reform of the Security Council is expected to get renewed attention during the meeting. It will be high on India's External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar's agenda when he meets with leaders from around the world and when he participates in two meetings focused on the reforms. Giving the efforts a boost, the US has signalled that President Joe Biden will present new ideas for moving the stalled reform process forward and hold wide consultations about it. Prime Minister Narendra Modi is not attending the meeting this year and Jaishankar is scheduled to speak for India on Saturday. About 150 heads of government or state are expected at the meeting formally known as the general debate of the Assembly that is held amid high security. Setting the mood for the meeting, Secretary-General Antonio Guterres in his opening address to the assembled presidents, prime ministers, royalty and ministers is expected to outline the problems but also signal optimism. His Spokesperson Stephane Dujarric said, "You can expect the Secretary-General to deliver a sober, substantive and solutions-focused report card on the state of our world where geopolitical divides are putting all of us at risk." "There will be no sugar coating in his remarks, but he will outline reasons for hope," he said. As the world emerged from the worst of the Covid pandemic, the high-level meeting is taking place in-person after two years - it was all virtual in 2020 and hybrid 2021. But it has met head-on another crisis, Russia's invasion of Ukraine and its fallout are likely to figure in some form in the speeches by the representatives of 193 countries during the six days of the high-level meeting that stretches into next Monday. Any relief from the waning of the Covid pandemic from its horrific effects have been offset by the economic crisis and the threats of famine spawned by the war. Although his country will be much-discussed, Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelensky will not be there but the Assembly has given him special permission to speak through a video link at the meeting where all countries are to attend in person. Russia's President Vladimir Putin will not be there, either in person or virtually, but will cast a dark shadow over the meeting. While the world is focused on the war, which is a failure of diplomacy and UN's role in maintaining peace, Guterres is expected to highlight one victory: the intense diplomacy that led to the agreement to allow shipments of foodgrains from Ukraine to countries in Africa threatened with starvation. In a departure from tradition, Biden is pencilled in to speak on Wednesday because he was away in the UK for Queen Elizabeth II's funeral on Monday. Customarily the president of Brazil is the first leader to speak, followed by the US president but this time, Jair Messias Bolsonaro will be followed by Senegal's President Macky Sall. Turkey's President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and Franceaes President Emannuel Macron are among the speakers at the morning session. China's President Xi Jinping is among notable absentees at the high-level meeting. Fom South Asia, the wo newly elected leaders of troubled countries, Pakistan's Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and Sri Lanka's President Ranil Wickremesinghe are among the scheduled participants along with Prime Ministers Sheikh Hasina of Bangladesh, Sher Bahadur Deuba of Nepal and Lotay Tshering of Bhutan.&nbsp;
—IANS

World leaders begin their high-level meeting of the UN General Assembly (UNGA) on Tuesday under the dark clouds of global polarisation, Russia's invasion of Ukraine, food and energy crises, economic problems and natural disasters grasping for silver linings of hope.

 World leaders meet at UNGA under dark clouds, grasping for silver lining

Paris: France detected an increase of highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) cases in coastal birds since mid-May, the French Ministry of Agriculture and Food has said. "The national health situation with regards to avian influenza had improved in France since the beginning of May, with the return to a level of risk classified as 'negligible'. However, since mid-May a sharp increase in cases has been observed in 'indigenous' wildlife on the Channel coast and more recently on the Atlantic coast," the ministry was quoted as saying by Xinhua news agency. "Since mid-May, grouped mortalities of coastal birds have been observed," it said in a press release. "The situation is exceptional (never encountered in France before) due to its scale and the period of when the detections are held," the ministry said, adding that "strict compliance with biosecurity rules and bird monitoring" were reinforced. In these cluster areas, "various measures have been introduced, the aim of which is to strengthen the surveillance of the wildlife and poultry farms," the ministry noted. On Monday, 19 clusters of HPAI, 12 in breeding farms and seven in poultry yards, were detected in the country, the ministry said. An avian flu cluster has been detected on Saturday in a farm of 36,000 poultry which located in the city of Cere-la-Ronde, Indre-et-Loire department, west-central France, the local prefecture of the department revealed on Monday. According to the prefecture, in order to avoid the spread of the avian flu, culling of the animals in the farm was "carried out as soon as possible." A three-km protection zone and 10-km surveillance zone were established on Saturday around the cluster, where hunting of waterfowl and other birds were also prohibited, the prefecture added. Since August 2021, HPAI outbreaks have been detected in wildlife or farms in Europe and 36 countries are affected by the avian flu on the continent.&nbsp;
—IANS

France detected an increase of highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) cases in coastal birds since mid-May, the French Ministry of Agriculture and Food has said.

 France detects avian flu case increase in coastal birds since mid-May

France detected an increase of highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) cases in coastal birds since mid-May, the French Ministry of Agriculture and Food has said.
