DHAKA, 09 August 2022, (TON): Bangladesh has condemned the violent attack against civilians including women and children in Gaza and Al Aqsa Mosque by the Israeli forces which has invoked concern around the world.

In a statement issued on Monday, Bangladesh expressed deep concern and urged the international community to take sustained measures to end such kind of heinous attacks in the occupied territories.

Statement of the ministry of foreign affairs said “Bangladesh firmly supports the inalienable rights of the people of Palestine for a sovereign and independent homeland and reaffirms its position in favor of establishing an independent state of Palestine on the basis of two-state solution.”

BAMAKO, 09 August 2022, (TON): Burkina Faso and Niger, Mali’s army said “at least 17 soldiers and four civilians were killed Sunday in an attack in a strategic border zone between Mali.”

Some 22 troops were injured while nine other soldiers are missing, the army said, adding that the toll could still rise.

The army had blamed the attack on terrorists in an earlier announcement late Sunday, using the term it typically uses for terrorists.

It had said “its troops had been repelling an attack by the Daesh in the Greater Sahara (ISGS) group, affiliated with the Daesh organization.”

The previous death toll was four soldiers and two civilians.

KYIV, 09 August 2022, (TON): Kyiv and Moscow traded blame “for the weekend shelling of Ukraine’s Zaporizhzhia nuclear complex amid international alarm that their battle for control of the plant could trigger catastrophe.”

Calling any attack on a nuclear plant suicidal, United Nations chief Antonio Guterres demanded UN nuclear inspectors be given access to Zaporizhzhia, the largest complex of its kind in Europe.

Russia’s invading forces seized the southern Ukrainian region containing Zaporizhzhia in March, when the site was struck without damage to its reactors.

The area, including the city of Kherson, is now the target of a Ukrainian counter-offensive.

By TON Nepal

New dispute in offing over judiciary with and justices at odds in Nepal. The recent rift is over whether to allow the anti-graft body to scrutinize the construction of a new court building. A new building is being built on the Singha Durbar locations to house the Supreme Court Supreme Court justices are up in arms over acting Chief Justice recent letter to the anti-graft body to continue investigation into supposed corruption in the continuing construction of a new building for the Supreme Court.

Most of the senior justices, according to insiders, have questioned acting Chief Justice, over his letter to the Commission for Investigation of abuse of Authority inviting it to probe into the alleged corruption. A new building for the Supreme Court is being constructed just behind its current location, on a plot on the Singha Durbar premises.

The development indicates that fissures have grown between justices and acting chief justice, who together fought against the former Chief Justice. He became acting chief justice after former chief justice’s suspension on February 13 subsequent to the process of an impeachment motion against him in the Parliament Secretariat by three ruling parties.

According to Supreme Court sources, the acting chief register had sent a letter in response to a enquiry about the objections filed at the Commission for the Investigation of Abuse of Authority (CIAA) on April 17. In the letter, acting chief registrar said the anti-graft body “cannot investigate” into decisions taken by the former Chief Justice of the Supreme Court.

However, stating that the registrar sent the letter by keeping him in the dark, acting chief justice on July 13 wrote to the anti-graft in which he said “it can continue the investigation. Both the letters have been seen by the Post. It seems the justices fear that this could set a example for the anti-graft body to investigate into their justices actions also.

On October 2 the acting chief justice will retire, and most of the senior justice will succeed to helm the judiciary. Nepal’s top court has been entangled in a series of disagreements, with the judiciary taking the center stage for all the erroneous aims during the tenure of former chief justice.

Months after former chief justice’s suspension, it is enmeshed in another disagreement with senior justices and the acting chief justice at odds. As most of the senior judges have objected and expressed their displeasure to both the letters. They had demanded on Friday that acting chief justice should call a meeting of the full court to deliberate the matter which the acting chief justice rejected.

Acting Chief Justice also started a movement to clean-up the judiciary, by taking action against at least five judges for misconducts and failure to meet the standards. The dispute between the head of the Supreme Court and other justices could further stain the image of the judiciary, which has been facing a disaster of reliability.

Earlier the former chief justice’s suspension the acting chief justice was the senior most justice and he and other justices were united against former chief justice accusing him with supporting exploitation. They alleged him of declining to implement a report set by a Justice proposing reform processes. They had even rejected to attend a full court meeting called by former chief justice and later refused the benches that they had to share with him.

One of the senior justices of the Supreme Court admitted there are some issues. However it can be solved the issue through discussions. Let’s not amplify it as it could damage the positive progress that we have developed in the judiciary after the ouster of former chief justice.

As the justices are not happy with the way Registrar refused to allow the anti-graft body to investigate the construction works and the way acting Chief Justice sent another letter through his secretariat instead of using the proper channel of the chief registrar.

The latest controversy has arisen just as the Supreme Court was starting to implement the report of a Justice. Acting Chief Justice had also started a campaign to clear the judiciary, by taking action against at least five judges for wrongdoings and failure to meet the criteria. Some say such recurring controversies could make it impossible for the judiciary to earn its gone magnificence, at a time when ordinary people and the intellectuals are questioning its integrity.

Many former justices of the Supreme Court had also pinned hopes that the judiciary would be back on track after former chief justice’s ouster. Though, the judiciary needs improvements, not a fight between the acting chief justice and justices.

The ongoing controversy in the judiciary has stemmed from the fact that some people don’t want the anti-graft body to investigate court-related corruption. Some court officials don’t want the commission to investigate corruption charges involving construction of court building. Barring the commission from investigations will only encourage corruption. However, the investigation should focus on administrative wrongdoings only.

There appears to be attempts not to allow acting Chief Justice to endure his reform measures and the continuing controversy against him is also a part of such efforts. The acting chief justice has been trying to carry reforms in judiciary and is making to take a decision on the 52 constitutional appointees and therefore efforts are being made to dishonor him.

By Usman Khan

On Thursday, the Nepalese government decided to hold general and provincial elections on November 20. Around 18.6 million voters projected to have been listed for the future elections. Around 1 million added since the May 13 local level elections. The general elections have 107 days which are enough for preparations.

As the Cabinet meeting finalized to conduct the polls on November 20 in a single phase as per the approval of the Election Commission. The government conclusion comes a day after the five parties in the ruling coalition got an accepting on holding the elections on the said date. Political parties have decided on ongoing the current House until a day before the proposal filing.

The coalition’s general understanding is that the term of the House will expire once the nominations are filed. In 2017, federal and provincial polls were held in two phases on November 26 and December 7.

The poll body now has 107 days for the arrangements, even still the Election Commission Act 2017 calls for 120 days from the declaration of the election date to the polling day. Section 2 clause (I) of the Election Commission Act 2017 says: ‘Election period’ means the 120 days earlier to the election until the day when the election results are held.

However, according to the act in the case where such period would be fewer than 120 days, the period between the date of statement and the day on which the final outcomes are made public shall be measured the election period. With the announcement of the date, the Election Commission has halted the voter roll update programme.

Chief Election Commissioner said about one million new electorates have been listed afterward the local polls in May and the election commission will declare the total number of voters soon. For the May 13 local polls, 17.73 million voters were listed of which 11.54 million applied their franchise. According to the Election Commission the preliminary estimates suggest there could be 18.6 million voters for the imminent polls.

At the press meeting organized closely after the government proclaimed the poll date said the commission now will gearup its preparations. The election commission will make the election timetable in such a way that the nomination will start right after the Dashain festival on October 5.

The term of incumbent lawmakers and provincial assembly members will officially end on December 7, given the fact that they were elected for five years and they are believed to have been elected on December 8, 2017.

Though, in cases of those who file the nominations, their term will be considered to have ended that very day. The principle that all the candidates must have a level playing field is likely to create misunderstanding as the parties are saying the House will exist until a day earlier nominations.

Now that the elections have been announced, the Election Commission said that it has learned from some errors made during the local level polls and that it would make better during the approaching to not repeat the mistakes.

During the local polls, there were reports that even deceased persons were on the voter list and many polling booths were unreachable to voters in the distant areas. The May 13 local polls also saw a significant number of illegal votes, which the commission officials and observers accused on the complex ballot papers and an absence of voter education.

This time the Election Commission says it has prepared separate ballot papers for the First-Past-The-Post (FPTP) and Proportional Representation (PR) systems for both the House of Representatives and provincial assemblies.

This facility will entail to print around 80 million ballot papers but it will help decrease illegal votes as they will only be published after the candidates are confirmed. During the local polls, the ballot papers were published even for those areas where there were no contenders. This led to a surge in the number of invalid votes.

On November 20, Nepal will elect to elect 275 members for the House of Representatives 165 under the FPTP system and 110 under the PR system. Concurrently, 550 members for the seven provincial assemblies will be chosen 330 under the FPTP system and 220 under the PR system.

The election commission is also making to form a separate office at its central office next week as political parties will start registering themselves for the November 20 elections. The parties will have to submit their PR lists before nominations for the FPTP candidates start.

The five parties in the governing coalition the Nepali Congress, the CPN (Maoist Centre), the CPN (Unified Socialist), the Janata Samajbadi Party and the Rastriya Janamorcha have agreed to contest the imminent elections under an electoral coalition, like they did in the local level polls. Seat-sharing, however, is going to be a tough task for the parties.

The five-party coalition has called a meeting on Friday morning, which is predictable to deliberate seat-sharing for the November 20 polls. Congress is eyeing at least 100 seats under the direct election system, with 65 seats to be distributed among the remaining partners. However, the alliance constituents are demanding at least 80 seats for them. The alliance aims to keep the CPN-UML, which had emerged as the largest party in 2017, in check.

If the local poll results are anything to go by, the Congress is likely to arise as the largest party, with the CPN-UML coming second and the Maoist Centre third. If no party wins a majority, government then it will be matter of the number game. The constitution has barred a no-confidence motion for two years.

WASHINGTON, 08 August 2022, (TON): President Joe Biden deplored the killings of four Muslim men in New Mexico, which police say may be linked.

The US president said “I am angered and saddened by the horrific killings of four Muslim men in Albuquerque.”

“While we await a full investigation, my prayers are with the victims’ families, and my Administration stands strongly with the Muslim community. These hateful attacks have no place in America.”

Police in Albuquerque, New Mexico’s largest city, said “they are investigating the murders of three Muslim men that they now suspect are related to a fourth homicide from last year.”

The Albuquerque police department said in a statement they had discovered the latest victim.

His body was discovered near a Lutheran Family Services office that provides assistance to refugees.

Police did not identify the man but said he was in his mid-20s, Muslim and a native from South Asia.

LONDON, 08 August 2022, (TON): Britain on Saturday called for a swift end to the violence in the Gaza Strip, the worst escalation in hostilities since a war last year.

Foreign Secretary Liz Truss tweeted “the UK stands by Israel and its right to defend itself.”

“We condemn terrorist groups firing at civilians and violence which has resulted in casualties on both sides.”

“We call for a swift end to the violence.”

At least 15 people, including a five-year-old girl, have been killed inside Gaza in the latest eruption of hostilities, according to Gaza health authorities.

Israel hit Gaza with deadly air strikes and a Palestinian militant group retaliated with a barrage of rocket fire.

WASHINGTON, 08 August 2022, (TON): US Secretary of State Antony Blinken landed in South Africa on Sunday to kick off a three-nation visit aimed at countering Russian influence on the continent.

The visit came after Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov undertook an extensive tour of Africa late last month.

South Africa, a leader in the developing world, has remained neutral in the Ukraine war, refusing to join Western calls to condemn Moscow, which had opposed apartheid before the end of white minority rule in 1994.

Blinken will hold talks on Monday with South African counterpart Naledi Pandor and also make an announcement on the US government’s new Africa strategy, Pretoria said in a statement.

It said “they will discuss ongoing and recent developments relating to the global geopolitical situation.”

The State Department last month called African countries geo-strategic players and critical partners on the most pressing issues of our day, from promoting an open and stable international system, to tackling the effects of climate change.

UNITED NATIONS, 08 August 2022, (TON): A senior UN official has said “nuclear weapons will continue to pose a risk to humanity unless countries fully adhere to the treaty that prohibits their testing.”

At a news briefing at UN Headquarters in New York, Robert Floyd, Executive Secretary of the body that oversees the Comprehensive Nuclear Test-Ban Treaty, said “the treaty which opened for signature 25 years ago, has yet to enter into force because it requires ratification by a handful of key countries that have nuclear capabilities.”

He said “once in force, the CTBT will serve as an essential element of a nuclear weapons-free world. In order to achieve this world, we all aspire to, a universal and effectively verifiable prohibition on nuclear testing is a fundamental necessity.”

Floyd was speaking against the backdrop of the latest nuclear non-proliferation conference, which began last week at UN Headquarters after two years of pandemic-related delays.

BEIJING, 08 August 2022, (TON): The Chinese military will from now on conduct regular drills on the eastern side of the median line of the Taiwan Strait, Chinese state television reported on Sunday, citing a commentator.

The median line in the narrow strait between the island of Taiwan and mainland China is an unofficial line of control that military aircraft and battleships from either side normally do not cross.

The median line has never been legally recognized, and is an imaginary line drawn up by the US military for their combat requirements in the previous century, according to the state television commentator.

Earlier, China’s largest-ever military exercises surrounding Taiwan drew to a close on Sunday following a controversial visit last week to the self-ruled island by US House Speaker Nancy Pelosi.