MONTREAL, 14 December 2022, (TON): Industry executives have joined activists and negotiators from nearly 200 countries at this month’s UN nature summit in Montreal, where negotiations on a global pact to protect nature could lead to tougher disclosure requirements for businesses.

Sectors such as mining, agriculture, oil and fashion are under scrutiny at the COP15 talks, due to their heavy impact on nature with activities that can contaminate soil, foul waterways or pollute the air.

As negotiators work to agree on conservation targets by the summit’s scheduled end on Dec 19, momentum is building for a measure to require businesses to disclose their harm to the environment.

BEIJING, 14 December 2022, (TON): China said I”t was shocked by a deadly attack on a Kabul hotel popular with Chinese business people, adding that five of its nationals were wounded.”

Foreign ministry spokesman Wang Wenbin said “this terror attack is abominable and China is deeply shocked. We firmly oppose all forms of terrorism. We express our grief for the Afghan military police who died, and express sympathies for the injured.”

At least three people were killed when gunmen attacked the hotel in the Afghan capital Monday, with witnesses reporting multiple blasts and several bursts of gunfire.

NEW DELHI, 14 December 2022, (TON): Indian troops prevented their Chinese counterparts from entering Indian territory on Dec 9 during a border scuffle that led to injuries on both sides, Indian defence minister Rajnath Singh told parliament, as Beijing assured the situation was “stable” in the border region and called on New Delhi to “together uphold peace”.

The statements come after a clash between the two sides in the Tawang sector of India’s northeastern Himalayan state of Arunachal Pradesh, which borders China’s south and is also claimed by Beijing.

Singh said “Indian troops suffered no fatality or serious injuries in the incident.”

BRUSSELS, 14 December 2022, (TON): The European Parliament removed Greek MEP Eva Kaili as a vice president of the assembly on Tuesday after she was accused of accepting bribes from Qatar in one of the biggest corruption scandals to hit Brussels.

Kaili, one of 14 vice presidents in the parliament, was among four people arrested and charged in Belgium over the scandal that has triggered outrage in Brussels and risks damaging the European Union’s image.

The case, in which police discovered stacks of cash, casts a shadow over the European Parliament which seeks to be a moral compass, criticising global rights abuses and taking EU governments to task over any hint of impropriety.

KYIV, 14 December 2022, (TON): Russian forces pounded targets in eastern and southern Ukraine with missiles, drones and artillery, Ukraine’s General Staff said, while millions remained without power in subzero temperatures after further strikes on key infrastructure.

European Union foreign ministers agreed to put an­other two billion euros ($2.1 billion) into a fund that has been used to pay for military support for Ukraine, after it was largely depleted during almost 10 months of the war.

The EU ministers were also due to to discuss a ninth package of sanctions on Russia over its invasion of Ukraine, while Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelens­kiy was set to address an online gathering of Group of Seven leaders about the war.

By Namer Afzal Khan

India stood isolated at UN Security Council during its presidency. New Delhi did not vote in favor of a resolution starting a ‘humanitarian carve out’ to the asset freeze measures imposed by the UN sanctions regime. On 9, December 2022, the Security Council adopted resolution 2664 with 14 members of the Security Council voting in favor and one abstaining India. The resolution seeks to exempt humanitarian aid from the UN sanctions that would facilitate the work of humanitarian organizations towards the delivery of basic human needs.

On Friday the United Nations Security Council adopted a resolution to allow humanitarian aid to endure unimpeded into countries besieged by UN sanctions, mainly frozen assets. The text stated that "payments of moneys," "financial resources" or "the provision of goods and services essential to safeguard the timely delivery of humanitarian assistance are permitted and are not a defilement of the asset freezes imposed by this Council.

The resolution applied to UN agencies as well as humanitarian organizations contributing in UN charitable work. The humanitarian community has been calling for the Council to guarantee that "unintentional, second-order impacts don't impede their work," said US ambassador to the UN. She said they wanted was a "clear, standard carve-out" for all UN sanctions regimes. she said, adding that the resolution would "protect lives”. The text which was also supported by several dozen states even outside the Security Council got 14 votes in favor in the Council, with only India abstaining.

The United States and Ireland as co-pen holders of the resolution dispersed the draft resolution earlier in the council under silence procedure that was broken by China and Russia and numerous rounds of talks took place during which India continued to make attempts to manipulate the deliberations. Failing to achieve its purposes, India abstained by being the only country to do so on this resolution in what was yet another attempt to politicize the proceedings of the Council.

India has continued to misuse the platform of the UN Security Council for internal politics agendas during its two-year membership. It has made recurrent efforts to use counter-terrorism issues for propaganda purposes with a singular mania of keeping a narrative against Pakistan that has zero hearers in the UN Security Council. India’s concern was not to permit a window of humanitarian help to the people of Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IIOJK) where it is trying to massive repression under the appearance of combatting terrorism. Indian fascist regime of RSS and terrorist Indian Army have unleashed unprecedented wave of oppression and violence against innocent people of Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IIOJK).

Almost all human right organizations have continuously raised their voice against human right abuses in IIOJK. Human Rights Watch, Amnesty International, Genocide Watch and US Commission on International Religious Freedom call for addressing the ongoing human rights violations and deliver justice for all people in Kashmir. These reports demand a commission of inquiry to conduct a comprehensive independent international investigation into allegations of human rights violations in Kashmir.

IIOJK has become the largest prison of the world; peace can be established in South Asia only with the resolution of Kashmir issue according to the wishes of Kashmiri people.The latest abstention by India once again demonstrates the fact that India is not interested in working with the international community for joint global action on issues beyond its domestic national agendas.

NEW DELHI, 13 December 2022, (TON): MEA said in a statement “External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar will be visiting New York to preside over two High-Level Ministerial signature events under India's G20 presidency.”

During his three-day visit starting from December 13 -15, Mr Jaishankar, will preside over the High-Level Ministerial Open Debate on the theme of 'New Orientation for Reformed Multilateralism'.

And, on the very next day, Mr Jaishankar will preside over the High-Level Briefing on 'Global Approach to Counter Terrorism Challenges and Way Forward'. Both these themes have been key priorities for India during its current tenure at the UN Security Council.

The primary focus of the Open Debate on Reformed Multilateralism is to encourage all member states to seriously address the pressing need for reforms in the global governance multilateral architecture, including the long-standing reforms of the UN Security Council.

NEW DELHI, 13 December 2022, (TON): Indian and Chinese troops briefly clashed at the Line of Actual Control in Arunachal Pradesh last week before disengaging.

The face-off on December 9 led to minor injuries to a few personnel from both sides and the two sides immediately disengaged from the area.

The face-off took place at the Tawang Sector of Arunachal Pradesh. Chinese troops crossed the LAC, which was contested by Indian soldiers in a firm and resolute manner.

This is the first time in a long time that such clashes have been reported between Indian and Chinese troops since skirmishes at Eastern Ladakh.

AMMAN, 13 December 2022, (TON): Jordan News Agency reported “the Netherlands has announced a €14 million ($14.8 million) contribution to the UN High Commissioner for Refugees in Jordan which will support the basic needs of 31,400 refugee families.”

The Dutch Embassy in Jordan said “the additional funding comes in response to recent UNHCR and Jordanian calls for more assistance to refugees in the country.”

It added “the rising cost of living has significantly affected vulnerable people in the Jordan, particularly refugees.”

Dutch Ambassador to Jordan Harry Verweij said “the €14 million contribution of the Netherlands to UNHCR’s cash assistance program aims to alleviate the immediate needs of the most vulnerable refugees and will help them pay bills for food, housing and energy.”

CAIRO, 13 December 2022, (TON): Top officials from Egypt and the EU are to pursue plans to set up a joint business forum aimed at attracting increased European investment in the north African country.

Egyptian minister of trade and industry, Ahmed Samir, recently held talks with the EU’s envoy to Cairo, Christian Berger, about ways to boost economic cooperation.

In a statement, the Egyptian ministry said the two sides had agreed to work together on promoting investment opportunities for European companies in Egypt along with related incentive packages being offered by the Egyptian government.

Samir noted that through the African Continental Free Trade Agreement, Egypt was looking to become a center for the manufacture of European products and a conduit to African markets.