Day: September 8, 2022

The UN chief will arrive in Pakistan on Friday for a two-day visit to express solidarity with the South Asian country ravaged by devastating floods that have affected over 33 million people.

In a statement, Pakistan’s Foreign Ministry said during his visit UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres will have meetings with Pakistani leadership and senior officials to exchange views on the national and global response to the catastrophe caused by climate change.

He will also visit the flood-hit areas and interact with displaced families and oversee the UN’s humanitarian response work in support of the government’s rescue and relief efforts for millions of affected people.

The ministry hoped the UN chief’s visit will further raise global awareness about the massive scale of this calamity and the loss of life and widespread devastation.

“It will contribute towards enhancing commensurate and coordinated international response to the humanitarian and other needs of the 33 million affected Pakistanis,” said the ministry.

So far, Pakistan received over 50 humanitarian assistance flights from Türkiye, the United Arab Emirates, China, Qatar, Uzbekistan, France, Turkmenistan, Jordan, UNHCR, UNICEF and World Food Program.

On Aug. 30, the UN and Pakistan’s government also issued a flash appeal for $160 million to cope with the devastation caused by unprecedented rains and floods.

The death toll from floods also reached 1,355 after 12 more people lost their lives during the past 24 hours, while 12,722 people have been injured in the rain and flood-related incidents across the country since mid-June.

Over 33 million of the country’s approximately 220 million population have been affected by the raging floods, causing a staggering loss of $10 billion in damages to an already weakened infrastructure.

Almost 45% of the country’s cropland has already been inundated by the floods, posing a serious threat to food security and further adding to the already skyrocketing inflation.

Hundreds of thousands of displaced people are also dealing with outbreaks of waterborne, skin and eye diseases, with health experts warning of a higher number of deaths from diarrhea, typhoid, malaria, dengue, gastrointestinal and other infections than from rains and floods.

“The UNSG (Antonio Guterres) has been consistently stressing the linkage of such disasters with the impacts of climate change and warning the international community about the existential threat to our planet in case climate change was not addressed in a timely and effective manner,” said the statement.

Source: Anadolu Agency

A recent UN report on human rights violations against ethnic Uyghurs and other Muslim minorities in China “confirms the concerns expressed” by Türkiye and the international community, the Turkish Foreign Ministry said on Thursday.

“In this note, it is important to acknowledge the findings and evaluations included in the report,” spokesman Tanju Bilgic said in a statement.

Last week, the UN said in its report that China, in its treatment of Uyghurs, may have committed “crimes against humanity.”

The report found that mass detention in the Xinjiang region from 2017 to 2019 was marked by credible documentation of torture, sexual violence, and forced labor, as well as forced abortions and sterilizations.

The 48-page document concluded that “serious human rights violations” were committed by the Chinese government against the Uyghurs and other Muslims under China’s policies to fight terrorism and extremism.

Bilgic affirmed that Türkiye’s “expectations and sensitivities concerning the welfare and peaceful life of the Uyghur Turks and the protection of their fundamental rights and freedoms are emphasized both in our bilateral contacts with the Chinese authorities and on international platforms, especially the United Nations.”

Source: Anadolu Agency

The UK household energy bills will be capped at £2,500 ($2,876) per year for a period of two years amid the energy crisis, Prime Minister Liz Truss said on Thursday.

Speaking at the House of Commons in her first major policy announcement as the new leader of the country, Truss said businesses and public sector will also receive government support over the winter months.

“Earlier this week, I promised I would deal with the soaring energy prices faced by families and businesses across the UK,” she said.

“And today I am delivering on that promise.”

The intervention will also include a financial aid of £40 billion to firms operating in the wholesale energy market.

Source: Anadolu Agency

European markets opened higher Thursday ahead of the European Central Bank’s monetary meeting, where it is expected to increase the policy rate by 75 basis points for the first time in its history.

Investors are being focused on governor Christine Lagarde’s clues about the bank’s stance in the face of the war-driven energy crisis affecting the region and record levels of inflation.

The STOXX Europe 600, which includes around 90% of the market capitalization of the European market in 17 countries, was up 0.54% at 413.3 at Thursday’s opening compared to the previous close.

The UK’s FTSE 100 index increased 0.37%, or 21.92 points, to 7,264.

Germany’s DAX 30 was up by 0.69% to 13,706 points.

France’s CAC 40 rose 0.57% to open the day at 6,141 points.

Italy’s FTSE MIB went up 0.54%, or 21.605 points, to 21,509, while Spain’s IBEX 35 was up 0.13% at 7,865.

Source: Anadolu Agency

Galatasaray are intent on signing Argentine striker Mauro Icardi from Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) on loan, the Istanbul football club said as they started talks on Wednesday.

Icardi, who formerly played for Sampdoria, Inter Milan, and PSG helped the Parisians clinch two Ligue 1 titles in 2020 and 2022.

He became 2015 and 2018’s top scorer in the Italian Serie A when he played for Inter Milan.

The 29-year-old produced 38 goals and 10 assists in 92 matches for Inter.

Source: Anadolu Agency

The US has approved a potential deal to provide F-16 equipment to Pakistan to strengthen its forces in the ongoing counterterrorism efforts.

In a statement, the US Defense Security Cooperation Agency said it has delivered the required certification notifying Congress of this possible sale.

“The State Department has made a determination approving a possible foreign military sale to the government of Pakistan of F-16 Case for Sustainment and related equipment for an estimated cost of $450 million,” said the agency in its statement issued on Wednesday.

According to the agency, Pakistan has requested the US to consolidate prior F-16 sustainment and support cases to support the country’s F-16 fleet.

However, under the proposed deal, the US will not provide any new capabilities, weapons, or munitions.

“This proposed sale will support the foreign policy and national security objectives of the United States by allowing Pakistan to retain interoperability with the US and partner forces in ongoing counterterrorism efforts and in preparation for future contingency operations,” said the agency, adding it will improve Pakistan’s ability to support counterterrorism operations through its robust air-to-ground capability.

The agency clarified that its proposed deal will also not alter the basic military balance in the region.

Source: Anadolu Agency