Category: WORLD

Damascus, Dec 12 (IANS) The Syrian constitution and parliament have reportedly been suspended for three months, according to Sawt al-Asima, a news outlet supportive of militant groups that overthrew the Assad government.

The outlet reported the development on Thursday, citing unnamed sources, but did not provide details on how the suspension would be implemented.

Earlier, Syria’s Military Operations Administration announced Wednesday that it has lifted the curfew previously imposed on Damascus and its surrounding areas, calling on residents to resume their daily activities and return to their workplaces.

In a statement, the administration encouraged citizens to “contribute to building the new Syria” as the country attempts to normalize conditions following the recent fall of Bashar al-Assad’s government.

The lifting of the curfew came as Mohammed al-Bashir, previously a regional leader in northwestern Syria, announced Tuesday that he had been tasked with heading a transitional government in Syria until March 2025.

It was also reported by Xinhua news agency that fighters have gained full control of the eastern Syrian city of Deir al-Zour following the reported withdrawal of the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) to areas east of the Euphrates River.

According to Hassan Abdel Ghani, a commander of the Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS), the fighters now hold all of Deir al-Zour city and continue to advance in rural areas.

The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said Wednesday the SDF had pulled out of Deir al-Zour and the nearby city of Al-Bukamal, returning to areas east of the Euphrates River.

The SDF had taken control of Deir al-Zour earlier following the collapse of Bashar al-Assad’s government.

The Kurdish forces, previously seen as a dominant force in parts of northeastern Syria, appear to have ceded ground as militant groups led by the HTS stake their claims on strategic territories and key population centers.

–IANS

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Seoul, Dec 12 (IANS) Concerns are emerging in South Korea about the military’s emergency readiness against North Korean threats, as multiple Generals and commanders have been removed or suspended from their duties for potential involvement in last week’s short-lived imposition of martial law.

In addition to former Defence Minister Kim Yong-hyun, who stepped down and was arrested on charges of playing a key role in President Yoon Suk Yeol’s martial law declaration on December 3, six Generals have so far been suspended for their involvement, including the chiefs of the Defence Intelligence, Capital Defense and Special Warfare commands.

In the latest such action on Thursday, the Defence Ministry suspended the duties of Army Chief of Staff General Park An-su, who served as the Chief martial law commander during the brief martial law rule.

Shortly after the martial law announcement, a military decree barring all political activities was issued under Park’s name. Park has argued he was not responsible for the drafting of the document.

The suspensions have left a vacuum in the top commands of major warfare units — the Capital Defence Command, the Army Special Warfare Command, the Counterintelligence Command and the Defence Intelligence Command.

Their commands are seen as crucial missions in the military’s operations against North Korea, from guarding the greater Seoul area to collecting military intelligence at home and abroad and conducting special operations against enemy entities.

Following Kim’s departure, Choi Byung-hyuk, a retired Army General who currently serves as the ambassador to Saudi Arabia, has been tapped as the new Defense Minister, but it remains unclear when a parliamentary confirmation hearing for Choi’s appointment could take place, Yonhap news agency reported.

Further stoking uncertainties is the fact that the chief command of the entire armed forces still lies with President Yoon.

“Legally, (the control of military forces) currently lies with the commander in chief,” Jeon Ha-kyou, the Defence Ministry’s spokesperson, said in a regular briefing on Monday, a day after the president was booked as a suspect on insurrection charges.

When asked about concerns about the military’s emergency readiness in the fallout of the martial law declaration, the Defense Ministry still maintains that it sees ‘no insufficiency’ in maintaining a firm operational and readiness posture.

“(The ministry) has clearly named substitutes and they are carrying out their duties,” Jeon said in a press briefing earlier in the day.

“Under such a command system, field and operations units are currently conducting duties and no insufficiency is believed to exist regarding their readiness and operational posture,” he added.

Breaking a weeklong silence, Pyongyang’s state media on Wednesday reported on South Korea’s martial law turmoil for the first time, followed by back-to-back coverage of the issue the following day.

The state media reports detailed the opposition’s push to impeach Yoon, while blaming the president for causing nationwide chaos. Photos of candlelight protests were also published.

The North has carried out no reported military provocations against the South so far this month after sending some 40 trash-filled balloons across the border in late November.

–IANS

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Seoul, Dec 12 (IANS) South Korea’s main Opposition Democratic Party (DP) introduced a new impeachment motion against President Yoon Suk Yeol on Thursday over his failed bid to impose martial law, days after Yoon avoided impeachment because most ruling party lawmakers boycotted a vote.

The DP’s move comes after a motion to impeach Yoon was scrapped on Saturday due to a lack of quorum as nearly all lawmakers from Yoon’s ruling People Power Party (PPP) boycotted the vote. The second motion was co-sponsored by five other opposition parties.

Following the scrapping of the first motion, the DP said it will continue to push for Yoon’s impeachment every week.

Like the first motion, the new motion listed as grounds for Yoon’s impeachment his December 3 declaration of martial law, which the Opposition said was in violation of the Constitution and laws because it did not meet the requirements.

The DP plans to report the motion to a plenary session Friday and put it a vote at 5 p.m, on Saturday.

By law, an impeachment motion must be put to a vote between 24 and 72 hours after it is reported to a plenary session.

An impeachment motion also requires the support of at least two-thirds of the 300-member Assembly in order to pass.

The Opposition bloc comprises 192 lawmakers, meaning the motion would pass with support from only eight of the 108 PPP lawmakers, Yonhap news agency reported.

As of Thursday, seven PPP lawmakers had publicly voiced their support for Yoon’s impeachment.

The National Assembly Secretariat said it plans to fully restrict access to the parliament by external visitors on Friday and Saturday during the impeachment-related proceedings.

“All events involving external participants within the National Assembly premises will also be prohibited,” the secretariat said, adding that only those with employee ID or an access pass will be allowed entry.

–IANS

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United Nations, Dec 12 (IANS) India has joined 157 other nations in supporting a United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) resolution demanding an “immediate, unconditional, and permanent” ceasefire in the war-torn Gaza Strip.

The UNGA overwhelmingly approved two resolutions on Wednesday, one calling for a ceasefire in Gaza and the other backing the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA), which Israel has sought to ban.

The first resolution, demanding an immediate ceasefire, was passed with 158 votes in favour, nine, including the United States, Israel, Argentina, Czechia, Hungary, Nauru, Papua New Guinea, Paraguay, and Tonga, against, and 13 abstentions.

The second resolution, supporting the mandate of UNRWA, received 159 votes in favour, nine against, and 11 abstentions.

The resolutions follow two days of debate at the 193-member General Assembly, where speeches overwhelmingly highlighted the need to end the 14-month-long conflict between Israel and Hamas. Delegates also called for unhindered humanitarian access in Gaza to address the growing crisis.

Although General Assembly resolutions are not legally binding, they carry significant weight as a reflection of global opinion. This vote came after the United States vetoed a UN Security Council resolution on November 20 that had also called for an immediate ceasefire in Gaza.

The US veto stemmed from the absence of a clause linking the ceasefire to the release of hostages taken during the October 7, 2023, Hamas attacks on Israel, which triggered the conflict.

The second resolution expressed support for UNRWA, established in 1949 to provide assistance to Palestinian refugees. It criticised a new Israeli law, adopted on October 28, banning the agency’s activities in Palestinian territories — a measure set to take effect in 90 days.

Israel has accused some UNRWA employees of having ties to Hamas militants, citing over 100 individuals allegedly involved in the October 7 attack, which left approximately 1,200 people dead and saw around 250 others abducted as hostages.

India has consistently condemned the October 7 attacks, calling them acts of terror, and has emphasised the immediate and unconditional release of all hostages.

At the same time, India has repeatedly stressed the need for a ceasefire, continued humanitarian aid, adherence to international humanitarian law, and a commitment to restraint, dialogue, and diplomacy.

New Delhi has also voiced concerns about the escalating violence in West Asia, repeatedly urging all parties to exercise restraint and pursue peaceful resolution through dialogue.

–IANS

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Dhaka, Dec 12 (IANS) As temperatures have plummeted in recent weeks in Bangladesh, the capital city Dhaka’s air quality has worsened to a large extent, creating untold suffering for millions of people in the megacity.

Dhaka, which has long been grappling with air pollution issues, ranked third on the list of cities worldwide with the worst air quality with an air quality index (AQI) score of 206 at 9 a.m. local time on Thursday. With an AQI score of 241 at 9:00 a.m. local time Tuesday, Dhaka ranked first in the cities with the most polluted air, Xinhua news agency reported.

An AQI between 151 and 200 is considered “unhealthy”, while 201-300 is “very unhealthy” and 301-400 is considered “hazardous”, posing severe health risks to residents.

Noting that the air quality in Dhaka and its surrounding areas has deteriorated to unhealthy and sometimes hazardous levels (AQI above 250), the Bangladeshi interim government Tuesday advised the public to wear masks when outdoors, while sensitive individuals are requested to avoid going outside unless necessary.

Asadullah Al Ghalib, a lawyer of Bangladesh Environmental Lawyers Association (BELA), told Xinhua that there are several main sources of pollution in Dhaka, including construction, vehicle emission and household pollution in and around Dhaka during the winter season.

Experts here said that the pollution level in Dhaka is on a steady rise with the temperature dropping fast and other meteorological factors, like wind speed slowing down and haze setting in, while saying the dry northwesterly wind has started breezing in, and it is expected to push temperatures down further soon aggravating the entire air pollution situation.

As per the World Health Organization (WHO), air pollution kills an estimated seven million people worldwide every year, largely as a result of increased mortality from stroke, heart disease, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, lung cancer, and acute respiratory infections.

Mohammad Mushtuq Husain, the former adviser to the Institute of Epidemiology, Disease Control and Research under Bangladesh’s Ministry of Health and Family Affairs, said the health risk grows manifold with exposure to high concentrations of PM2.5 for day labourers, particularly those who work in the air. He said breathing in such toxic air can lead to a host of health issues, including respiratory infections, heart disease, stroke, and lung cancer.

He stressed the need for immediate short-term, medium-term, and long-term measures to protect people from the adverse impacts of airborne diseases because of which hospitals and clinics during this time of the year witness a big rush of patients with respiratory distress.

Syeda Rizwana Hasan, adviser to the Ministry of Environment, Forest, and Climate Change, said recently that the government has developed the National Air Quality Management Action Plan for strategic actions to tackle the sources of air pollution, improve air monitoring, and enhance enforcement mechanisms.

It provides a roadmap for implementing stringent regulations and promoting cleaner technologies in industries, transportation, and urban development.

The Environment Adviser said the action plan is a part of Bangladesh’s broader strategy to achieve sustainable environmental targets, with a focus on reducing the alarming levels of pollution that affect both rural and urban areas.

–IANS

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Seoul, Dec 12 (IANS) Han Dong-hoon, the chief of South Korea’s ruling People Power Party (PPP) on Thursday expressed support for impeaching President Yoon Suk Yeol over his declaration of martial law last week, calling on his party’s lawmakers to vote based on their own “conviction.”

Han Dong-hoon made the remarks as the opposition Democratic Party (DP) is set to file a new motion to impeach Yoon after a parliamentary impeachment vote failed Saturday as the majority of PPP lawmakers boycotted it, Yonhap news agency reported.

“We must stop further confusion. There is only one effective method now,” Han said in a press conference. “In the next (impeachment motion) vote, our party’s lawmakers should enter the assembly hall and take part in the vote based on their own conviction and conscience.”

When asked whether he supported Yoon’s impeachment, Han affirmed, “Yes,” adding that there is no other way.

Han said Yoon has no intention of stepping down from office early, effectively breaking his promise to leave all decisions, including his term, to the PPP during his address last Saturday.

–IANS

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Seoul, Dec 12 (IANS) South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol on Thursday defended his botched martial law declaration as an act of governance and denied insurrection charges facing him, while vowing to fight until the last moment against whether it is impeachment or a martial law probe.

Yoon defied calls to resign during a public address, as police and prosecutors are widening their investigation into his short-lived martial law declaration last Tuesday, Yonhap news agency reported.

Yoon said he used his presidential power to declare martial law “to protect the nation and normalise state affairs” against the Opposition that paralysed the government, calling it a “highly calibrated political judgment.”

“Whether I am impeached or investigated, I will fairly confront it,” he said.

–IANS

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Sydney, Dec 12 (IANS) Two Australian teenagers were arrested on Thursday after police believe they are linked to a crash, car fire and shooting in western Sydney.

Police in Australia’s state of New South Wales said in a statement on Thursday that officers responded to reports of gunshots fired at a barbershop in Mount Druitt, about 40 kilometres west of central Sydney, at about 2:20 a.m. local time on Thursday, reports Xinhua news agency.

Upon arrival, police found several bullet holes in the shop’s window.

The shooting was reported shortly after officers arrested two 17-year-old teens at the site of a crashed vehicle in a neighbouring suburb.

The vehicle, which police said was stolen, had failed to comply with a police order to stop, triggering a pursuit that ended with the crash. The two teens were uninjured and arrested on the scene.

“During a search of the vehicle, police located and seized two firearms, a jerry can of petrol and two balaclavas,” NSW Police said.

At about 2:10 a.m., emergency services were called to reports of a nearby car fire.

Following initial inquiries, police believe all three incidents are linked, Australia’s 9News network reported.

Crime scenes have been established at the sites of the shooting and the car fire. The investigation is ongoing.

–IANS

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Geneva, Dec 12 (IANS) United Nations (UN) human rights experts condemned the US for its “double standards” in addressing violations of international law in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, urging an end to impunity for both Israel and its supporters.

At a press conference in Geneva, four experts, who serve as Special Rapporteurs to the UN Human Rights Council, urged the international community to hold Israel accountable for alleged violations of international law, including disproportionate violence, humanitarian blockades, and settlement expansion in the Occupied Palestinian Territory, Xinhua news agency reported.

Margaret Satterthwaite, Special Rapporteur on the independence of judges and lawyers, criticised the US government for undermining the International Criminal Court with “outrageous” threats and stressed the need for international justice to be equitably applied to all.

“It’s time to end the double standards,” Satterthwaite said.

Francesca Albanese, Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in the Palestinian Territory occupied since 1967, cited high civilian casualties and attacks on UN personnel as evidence of systemic violations by Israel, facilitated by a lack of international accountability.

“There are never sanctions on Israel,” Albanese said. “Judicial processes are either ignored or circumvented, trade continues, and diplomatic ties remain intact. Member States seem paralysed or awestruck, many of them still normalising the occupation.”

Ben Saul, Special Rapporteur on the promotion and protection of human rights and fundamental freedoms while countering terrorism, criticised Israel’s use of counterterrorism rhetoric to justify extreme violence against Palestinians and the chronic dehumanisation of the Palestinian people over the past 14 months.

He called for credible investigations and an end to impunity, noting that violations have largely “gone unchallenged by the states that matter and that can have a real influence to change Israel’s behaviour.”

Saul specifically criticised the US as a major supplier of military hardware to Israel, accusing its lack of action to use its leverage to address human rights violations effectively.

George Katrougalos, Special Rapporteur on the promotion of a democratic and equitable international order, echoed the concern for the broader consequences of impunity for the international order, warning that Israel’s actions risk creating a two-tiered system where some states are immune to consequences.

–IANS

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Beirut, Dec 12 (IANS) An Israeli airstrike targeted a neighbourhood in the town of Bint Jbeil in southern Lebanon killing three people, the Lebanese Health Ministry reported.

Earlier on Wednesday, three others were killed and one more injured in Israeli airstrikes on the town of Khiam and the villages of Aainata and Beit Lif, reports Xinhua news agency quoting Lebanon’s official National News Agency.

Also on Wednesday, Lebanese Prime Minister Najib Mikati called on the five-member monitoring committee to work to stop Israel’s violations of a ceasefire agreement with Hezbollah.

“It is also required to ensure Israel’s complete withdrawal from all the areas it occupies and its actual commitment to implementing UN Security Council Resolution 1701,” Mikati said in a statement released by his office.

Noting the army units’ deployment to Khiam and Marjeyoun towns, Mikati said the reinforcement represents a fundamental step in implementing the ceasefire deal.

The Lebanese army said in a statement on Wednesday that its units, in coordination with the UN Interim Force in Lebanon, were stationed in five locations surrounding Khiam in the border area of southern Lebanon.

The ceasefire between Israel and Hezbollah in Lebanon, brokered by the US and France, went into effect on November 27, aiming to halt over 14 months of fighting between the two sides.

Under the agreement, Israel will withdraw from Lebanese territory within 60 days, the Lebanese army will be deployed on the border, and Hezbollah will retreat north of the Litani River.

Despite the truce, tensions remain as both sides exchange accusations of ceasefire violations, raising concerns about the agreement’s durability.

–IANS

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