BANGLADESH
Survey to document refugees
Authorities began a survey to determine the number of Rohingya Muslims who have fled persecution in majority-Buddhist Myanmar. About 33,000 Rohingya have been documented in two official camps in the southern coastal district of Cox’s Bazar that borders Myanmar, but officials said another 300,000 to 500,000 remain unaccounted for. Bangladeshi Bureau of Statistics began the exercise this week with the help of the Geneva-based International Organization of Migration, survey director Alamgir Hossain said.
INDIA
Bird classification decried
The chief minister of the popular tourist state of Goa yesterday moved to smooth ruffled feathers after a proposal to reclassify the national bird, the peacock, as vermin sparked an outcry. Laxmikant Parsekar appeared to rule out including peacocks in a list of “nuisance animals” being drawn up by the state to make them easier to cull, the Press Trust of India said. After complaints the colorful birds were becoming a widespread menace in rural areas, the Minister for Agriculture suggested including them in a list of vermin along with wild boar, bison and monkeys. The peacock is India’s national bird and is protected under the country’s Wildlife Protection Act of 1972.
INDONESIA
Quake cuts communications
A strong earthquake near an eastern island late on Friday knocked out telephone and radio communications and roads, but there were no reported casualties, local residents and a government official said yesterday. The US Geological Survey said a magnitude 6.5 earthquake at a depth of 30km was reported about 3km from Andekantor, a town on Sumba island in East Nusa Tenggara province. “Not yet,” Sutopo Purwo Nugroho, a spokesman for the National Disaster Mitigation Agency, said yesterday when asked whether there were any casualties. Roads had suffered the most damage local residents said. Nugroho said his agency would continue to monitor the situation.
UNITED STATES
Pakistan F-16 sale approved
The nation on Friday said that it had approved selling up to eight Lockheed Martin F-16 jets to Pakistan, along with training, radar and other equipment, worth a total of US$699 million. The US Defense Security Cooperation Agency, which coordinates such foreign arms sales, said it had informed US Congress of the plans on Thursday. “This proposed sale contributes to US foreign policy objectives and national security goals by helping to improve the security of a strategic partner in South Asia,” it said in a statement. “The proposed sale improves Pakistan’s capability to meet current and future security threats.” The F-16 aircraft would allow Pakistan’s air force to operate in all kinds of weather, at night, as well as “enhance Pakistan’s ability to conduct counter-insurgency and counterterrorism operations.” Pakistan’s archrival India said it was “disappointed” by the possible sale. “We are disappointed at the decision of the [US President Barack Obama’s] administration to notify the sale of F-16 aircraft to Pakistan,” Indian Ministry of Foreign Affairs spokesman Vikas Swarup said on Twitter. “We disagree with their rationale that such arms transfers help to combat terrorism.” He said India planned to summon the US ambassador “to convey our displeasure.” However, the US agency said that “the proposed sale of this equipment and support will not alter the basic military balance in the region.”
Republican US lawmakers on Friday criticized US President Joe Biden’s administration after sanctioned Chinese telecoms equipment giant Huawei unveiled a laptop this week powered by an Intel artificial intelligence (AI) chip. The US placed Huawei on a trade restriction list in 2019 for contravening Iran sanctions, part of a broader effort to hobble Beijing’s technological advances. Placement on the list means the company’s suppliers have to seek a special, difficult-to-obtain license before shipping to it. One such license, issued by then-US president Donald Trump’s administration, has allowed Intel to ship central processors to Huawei for use in laptops since 2020. China hardliners
Conjoined twins Lori and George Schappell, who pursued separate careers, interests and relationships during lives that defied medical expectations, died this month in Pennsylvania, funeral home officials said. They were 62. The twins, listed by Guinness World Records as the oldest living conjoined twins, died on April 7 at the Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania, obituaries posted by Leibensperger Funeral Homes of Hamburg said. The cause of death was not detailed. “When we were born, the doctors didn’t think we’d make 30, but we proved them wrong,” Lori said in an interview when they turned 50, the Philadelphia Inquirer reported. The
RAMPAGE: A Palestinian man was left dead after dozens of Israeli settlers searching for a missing 14-year-old boy stormed a village in the Israeli-occupied West Bank US President Joe Biden on Friday said he expected Iran to attack Israel “sooner, rather than later” and warned Tehran not to proceed. Asked by reporters about his message to Iran, Biden simply said: “Don’t,” underscoring Washington’s commitment to defend Israel. “We are devoted to the defense of Israel. We will support Israel. We will help defend Israel and Iran will not succeed,” he said. Biden said he would not divulge secure information, but said his expectation was that an attack could come “sooner, rather than later.” Israel braced on Friday for an attack by Iran or its proxies as warnings grew of
A prominent Christian leader has allegedly been stabbed at the altar during a Mass yesterday in southwest Sydney. Bishop Mar Mari Emmanuel was saying Mass at Christ The Good Shepherd Church in Wakeley just after 7pm when a man approached him at the altar and allegedly stabbed toward his head multiple times. A live stream of the Mass shows the congregation swarm forward toward Emmanuel before it was cut off. The church leader gained prominence during the COVID-19 pandemic, amassing a large online following, Officers attached to Fairfield City police area command attended a location on Welcome Street, Wakeley following reports a number