15,000 killed by hot weather in Europe in 2022: WHO

November 08, 2022

 At least 15,000 people have died in Europe because of hot weather in 2022 so far, the World Health Organization said Monday, with Spain and Germany among the worst-affected countries.

       
"Based on country data submitted so far, it is estimated that at least 15,000 people died specifically due to the heat in 2022," the WHO's Regional Director for Europe Hans Kluge said in a statement.

Humanity must cooperate or perish: UN chief at COP27

November 08, 2022

 Humanity must "cooperate or perish" in the face of accelerating climate change impacts, UN chief Antonio Guterres told world leaders Monday at talks in Egypt on curbing global warming.


In the midst of a barrage of international crises -- from the Covid pandemic and Russia's invasion of Ukraine to weather extremes battering economies and shaking international relations -- Guterres said the world is in "the fight of our lives".

"Humanity has a choice: cooperate or perish," he told the UN COP27 summit in the Red Sea resort of Sharm el-Sheik. "It is either a Climate Solidarity Pact, or a Collective Suicide Pact."

Guterres called for a "historic" deal between rich countries and emerging economies that would aim to reduce emissions and keep the temperature rise to the more ambitions Paris Agreement target of 1.5 degrees Celsius above the pre-industrial era.

He warned that, on the current trajectory, "we are on a highway to climate hell with our foot still on the accelerator".

Police finally register FIR over attack on Imran Khan

November 08, 2022

 After the Supreme Court warned that it would initiate suo motu proceedings if the Punjab police failed to register an FIR regarding the assassination attempt on former Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan, the provincial police finally registered the case under terrorism charges, with detained suspect Naveed being nominated as the prime accused.


The FIR lodged on the complaint of Sub-Inspector Amir Shahzad at 11:10pm on Monday under Section 7 of the Anti-Terrorism Act, and Section 302, 324, and 440 of the Pakistan Penal Code was registered after a delay of three days.

Even though the Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) chief accused Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, Interior Minister Rana Sanaullah, and a senior intelligence officer Major General Faisal Naseer of the alleged conspiracy to kill him, the FIR did not mention any of these names.

The senior government and military men were nominated in an application filed by a PTI leader, Zubair Khan Niazi, for the registration of the case.

According to events that transpired before the registration of the case, the applicant and the police staff locked horns over the generation of an e-tag for the application. A police official who shared the details with Dawn said the staff refused to issue the e-tag without receiving the copy of the application and the contents it was carrying.

The applicant was hesitating to drop it at the front desk of the police station saying that his political party leadership wanted to keep the contents of the application secret due to the sensitivity of the matter, the official added. The issue remained unresolved until the police registered the FIR on the complaint of a sub-inspector, he added.

The FIR came after IGP Faisal Shahkar in line with the directives of the apex court ordered the Gujrat district police officer (DPO) to lodge the case so a copy of the FIR could be submitted to the SC today. He also conveyed to the DPO the decision of Chief Justice Umar Ata Bandial who had ordered him to register the case within 24 hours. “The DPO had been conveyed to act as per law as per directions of the SC,” Mr Shahkar said.

China playing games with Canadian democracy: Trudeau

November 08, 2022

 Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said that countries including China were playing "aggressive games" with democracies and Canada's institutions, reports Deutsche Welle.


His comments followed a report by broadcaster Global News in Canada saying that Beijing had funded a "clandestine network" of at least 11 candidates in 2019 federal elections.

China responded early on Tuesday, with foreign ministry spokesman Zhao Lijian telling reporters that Beijing has "no interest" in Canada's internal affairs.

"State-to-state relations can only be built on mutual respect, equality and mutual benefit," Zhao said. "China-Canada relations are no exception. Canada should stop making remarks that hurt China-Canada relations."

What did Trudeau say?

Citing unnamed intelligence sources, Global News reported that intelligence officials briefed Trudeau and "several Cabinet ministers" in January of this year on Chinese efforts to support election candidates and take other steps to further its influence in the country.

"We have taken significant measures to strengthen the integrity of our elections processes and our systems, and will continue to invest in the fight against election interference, against foreign interference of our democracies and institutions," Trudeau said.

"Unfortunately, we're seeing countries, state actors from around the world, whether it's China or others, are continuing to play aggressive games with our institutions, with our democracies," he said.

What did the report allege?

According to the report, Canadian intelligence claims that China's Toronto consulate "directed a large clandestine transfer of funds to a network of at least 11 federal election candidates and numerous Beijing operatives who worked as their campaign staffers."

Reportedly, some, but not all, members of the network were knowing affiliates of the Chinese Communist Party (CCP).

The CCP's United Front Work Department, whose role has been expanded and intensified under President Xi Jinping and which mobilizes society abroad to fulfil CCP objectives, reportedly orchestrated the operations. The body was working out of Chinese consulates and using proxies, to help direct funds into Canada's political system.

Intelligence briefs allege its networks in Canada also facilitate interference operations by China's foreign espionage service, the Ministry of State Security.

Among several claims, the report said the CCP took particular interest in a February 2021 vote in Canada's House of Commons on labeling China's treatment of its Uighur minority in Xinjiang province as "genocide."

Opposition former MP Kenny Chiu, who emigrated to Canada from Hong Kong in 1982, said he believed Chinese agents smeared him as a racist in WeChat and Mandarin-language media reports ahead of February 2021's election. He had advocated for transparent elections in Hong Kong, voted in favor of declaring a genocide in Xinjiang, and tabled a bill calling for a foreign influence registry.

Chiu said he was given the "distancing treatment" by Chinese media and that "during the campaign people were shutting the door in my face" when he tried to reach local Chinese voters. He would go on to lose the seat he had picked up from Trudeau's Liberal party in 2019, although the contested seat in British Colombia has changed hands in each of Canada's last four federal votes.

The report also touched on possible coercion of Chinese nationals via a program known as Fox Hunt that's nominally designed to combat corruption and persuade economic fugitives to return to face prosecution. Last month, the Royal Canadian Mounted Police also said it was looking into reports of "criminal activity in relation to so-called 'police' stations" operated by China.

This follows the Spain-based human rights group Safeguard Defenders saying that the offices have been used by Chinese police to carry out operations on foreign soil and pressure Chinese nationals abroad.

Beijing, meanwhile, says that the locations simply offer services like the renewal of driver's licenses.

Trudeau said Canada would continue to "make the investments and changes necessary" to preserve Canadian rights, freedoms and values.

"The world is changing and sometimes in quite scary ways, and we need to make sure that those who are tasked with keeping us safe every single day are able to do that," he said.

Polls open in crucial US midterm elections

November 08, 2022

 Americans began voting Tuesday in midterm elections, with Republicans chasing a congressional majority that would paralyze President Joe Biden's agenda for the next two years and pave the way for Donald Trump to return to the White House.


Polling stations on the east coast started opening at 6:00 am (1100 GMT). With control of both the House of Representatives and the Senate up for grabs, more than 40 million people have already cast their ballots in pre-poll voting across the country.

China playing games with Canadian democracy: Trudeau

November 08, 2022

 Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said that countries including China were playing "aggressive games" with democracies and Canada's institutions, reports Deutsche Welle.


His comments followed a report by broadcaster Global News in Canada saying that Beijing had funded a "clandestine network" of at least 11 candidates in 2019 federal elections.

China responded early on Tuesday, with foreign ministry spokesman Zhao Lijian telling reporters that Beijing has "no interest" in Canada's internal affairs.

"State-to-state relations can only be built on mutual respect, equality and mutual benefit," Zhao said. "China-Canada relations are no exception. Canada should stop making remarks that hurt China-Canada relations."

What did Trudeau say?

Citing unnamed intelligence sources, Global News reported that intelligence officials briefed Trudeau and "several Cabinet ministers" in January of this year on Chinese efforts to support election candidates and take other steps to further its influence in the country.

"We have taken significant measures to strengthen the integrity of our elections processes and our systems, and will continue to invest in the fight against election interference, against foreign interference of our democracies and institutions," Trudeau said.

"Unfortunately, we're seeing countries, state actors from around the world, whether it's China or others, are continuing to play aggressive games with our institutions, with our democracies," he said.

What did the report allege?

According to the report, Canadian intelligence claims that China's Toronto consulate "directed a large clandestine transfer of funds to a network of at least 11 federal election candidates and numerous Beijing operatives who worked as their campaign staffers."

Reportedly, some, but not all, members of the network were knowing affiliates of the Chinese Communist Party (CCP).

The CCP's United Front Work Department, whose role has been expanded and intensified under President Xi Jinping and which mobilizes society abroad to fulfil CCP objectives, reportedly orchestrated the operations. The body was working out of Chinese consulates and using proxies, to help direct funds into Canada's political system.

Intelligence briefs allege its networks in Canada also facilitate interference operations by China's foreign espionage service, the Ministry of State Security.

Among several claims, the report said the CCP took particular interest in a February 2021 vote in Canada's House of Commons on labeling China's treatment of its Uighur minority in Xinjiang province as "genocide."

Opposition former MP Kenny Chiu, who emigrated to Canada from Hong Kong in 1982, said he believed Chinese agents smeared him as a racist in WeChat and Mandarin-language media reports ahead of February 2021's election. He had advocated for transparent elections in Hong Kong, voted in favor of declaring a genocide in Xinjiang, and tabled a bill calling for a foreign influence registry.

Chiu said he was given the "distancing treatment" by Chinese media and that "during the campaign people were shutting the door in my face" when he tried to reach local Chinese voters. He would go on to lose the seat he had picked up from Trudeau's Liberal party in 2019, although the contested seat in British Colombia has changed hands in each of Canada's last four federal votes.

The report also touched on possible coercion of Chinese nationals via a program known as Fox Hunt that's nominally designed to combat corruption and persuade economic fugitives to return to face prosecution. Last month, the Royal Canadian Mounted Police also said it was looking into reports of "criminal activity in relation to so-called 'police' stations" operated by China.

This follows the Spain-based human rights group Safeguard Defenders saying that the offices have been used by Chinese police to carry out operations on foreign soil and pressure Chinese nationals abroad.

Beijing, meanwhile, says that the locations simply offer services like the renewal of driver's licenses.

Trudeau said Canada would continue to "make the investments and changes necessary" to preserve Canadian rights, freedoms and values.

"The world is changing and sometimes in quite scary ways, and we need to make sure that those who are tasked with keeping us safe every single day are able to do that," he said.

German aid group: 89 migrants allowed to disembark in Italy

November 08, 2022

 A German humanitarian group said its ship docked in southern Italy early Tuesday and disembarked all 89 people on board who had been rescued at sea, ending one migrant rescue saga as three others continued under Italy's new hard-right government.


Mission Lifeline posted videos on social media of the Rise Above docking in Reggio Calabria and said the “odyssey of 89 passengers and nine crew members on board seems to be over.”

The group had made repeated requests to Italy to assign a safe port for the 25-meter (80-foot) freighter after conducting three rescues on Thursday, and said it entered Italian waters over the weekend without consent because of rough seas. Six of the original 95 rescued people on board were evacuated at sea for medical reasons.

The new far-right-led government of Premier Giorgia Meloni has taken a hard line with nongovernmental organizations operating private migrant rescue ships in the central Mediterranean Sea, insisting it is the responsibility of the states whose flags the ships bear to take care of the migrants. In recent days it ordered two other ships to ports but allowed only passengers considered vulnerable to get off, leaving hundreds still on board.

Italian authorities insist those boats must return to international waters, but the boats have refused to budge, saying all the passengers are vulnerable and that international law accords them a safe port.

Mission Lifeline spokeswoman Hermine Poschmann said she didn’t know why the Rise Above was allowed to disembark all its remaining passengers. A fourth ship remains in international waters for a 17th day, its requests for safe port met by silence.

Germany-based and -flagged Mission Lifeline quoted Italian news reports as saying the Italian government had determined the Rise Above was a “distress case at sea.” But Poschmann said at no time did the group ever declare an emergency or mayday.

Italy's interior minister, Matteo Piantedosi, laid the groundwork to close Italian ports to humanitarian rescue ships by drafting measures contending that two of aid groups — SOS Humanity and SOS Mediteranee — were violating procedures by not properly coordinating their rescues. The directive did not include Mission Lifeline. Poschmann said Mission Lifeline followed the same search and rescue procedures as the other ships.

German NGO SOS Humanity on Tuesday confirmed that the 35 people remaining on board the Humanity 1 have submitted fast-track political asylum requests through a court in Catania. It said the condition of the people was deteriorating every day, with some refusing proper meals and growing more distressed.

In desperation, two Syrian men jumped into the sea from one of the ships, the Geo Berents, on Monday, and a third went in after to try to save them, said Doctors Without Borders, which operates the ship. One of the men was taken from the ship by ambulance on Tuesday after getting a fever.

The charity said that the man, identified only as Ahmed, had fled Syria a year ago for Libya, and that he had been subject to abuse and violence in a Libyan prison, where he landed after his first attempt at a crossing was intercepted by the Libyan coast guard.

“He told us that since then he has suffered strong pains in his back due to the violence he suffered,” said Maurizio Debanne, a spokesperson for the aid group.
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