JSP absent in the ruling coalition meeting, Dahal's secretariat warns Yadav
Janata Samajbadi Party (JSP) leaders were absent from the ruling coalition meeting held to decide seat distribution. JPS leaders did not participate in the meeting expressing their dissatisfaction with the seat distribution. According to JSP sources, leaders including Chairman Upendra Yadav are in final preparations for electoral alliance with CPN-UML. After getting only 16 seats in the ruling coalition, Yadav reached Balkot, KP Oli's residence on Thursday expressing disagreement with the alliance. According to sources, there is also a draft agreement with UML Chairman Oli. But the JSP sources say that there is still few things left to finalize the agreement. Meanwhile, CPN (Maoist Center) Chairman Pushpa Kamal Dahal has expressed displeasure saying that JSP is going to destroy the alliance. His secretariat has mentioned that an alliance was formed to protect the constitution and if it is destroyed, the federalism and the political achievements will be attacked. "The regressive, anti-federal democratic forces may be daydreaming of plotting to destroy the coalition without agreeing on seat distribution and leading the country towards regression. But the coalition was built on the foundation of ideological and political objectives. There may be some disagreement. But it is the wish of all of us that this coordination should continue until the federalism is institutionalized and the regression is completely defeated. If someone deviates from this basic principle, it will be an attack on democracy, federalism and the achievements we have achieved," Dahal's secretary Ganga Dahal wrote on Facebook. She mentioned that the alliance was formed to protect the constitution against regression and respect the votes of the Nepalis in favor of progress rather than any political gain.
Nepal votes against the western resolution on human rights violations in China
UN human rights council meeting in Geneva has rejected an American-led call for a debate on the report that accused Beijing of serious human rights abuses and possible crimes against humanity in Xinjiang province.
The 47-member by 19 to 17 rejected an American-led call for a debate on the report at the next human rights council in spring. Eleven countries abstained. A simple majority was required.
China criticizes strengthening of US military alliance in Asia Pacific
China has reaffirmed that dialogue and consultation are the only way to resolve the Korean Peninsula issue, urging the US side to take action, show sincerity, and create conditions for the resumption of dialogue, Global Times reported. "All parties concerned should focus on the overall situation of peace and stability on the Peninsula and prevent the situation from escalating, " Geng Shuang, China's deputy permanent representative to the United Nations, said at Wednesday's UN council on the situation of the Peninsula. The UN members met after North Korea test-fired a ballistic missile on Tuesday. Geng said that China has noticed North Korea's recent missile launches, and also noticed the joint military drills held by the US and other countries in the region. Geng said the recent strengthening of the US' military alliance in the Asia-Pacific region heightened the risk of military confrontation, practiced double standards on the nuclear issue, and poisoned the regional security environment. Against this background, the situation on the Peninsula inevitably becomes tense, Geng said. "Historical experience shows that dialogue and consultation are the only correct way to resolve the Korean Peninsula issue. If the dialogue progresses smoothly, the situation on the Peninsula will be relatively stable; if the dialogue stalls or even reverses, the situation on the Peninsula will escalate," Geng said. "We call on the US side to take action, show its sincerity and effectively address the legitimate and reasonable concerns of the North Korean side, in order to create the conditions for the resumption of dialogue," he said, according to Global Times. Geng also stressed that the UN Security Council should play a constructive role on the Korean Peninsula issue, and should not blindly exert force and pressure. As a close neighbor, China pays close attention to the situation on the Peninsula and will always insist on maintaining peace and stability on the Peninsula, realizing the denuclearization of the Peninsula and resolving issues through dialogue and consultation.
EU lawmaker cuts off her hair in support of Iran protests
A European lawmaker cut off her hair during a debate in the Parliament to express solidarity with Iranian women amid the ongoing protest in the country, following the death of Mahsa Amini. Addressing the EU debate in Strasbourg, Swedish politician Abir Al Sahlani said, "We, the people and the citizens of the EU, demand an unconditional and immediate stop of all the violence against men and women in Iran." "Until the women of Iran are free, we will stand with you," Al Sahlani said as she cut off her hair using a pair of scissors in front of members of the European Parliament, according to a video she posted on her Twitter handle. More than 100 people have been killed in nationwide protests over the death of Mahsa Amini, according to the Norway-based group Iran Human Rights (IHR) NGO. Iranian schoolgirls and women have come out in huge numbers to demonstrate by removing their hijabs and staging rallies in protest over Amini's death. Many women have even cut off their hair while chanting anti-government slogans. Abir Al-Sahlani, a member of the European Parliament, pointed out that three weeks of continuous courage have been shown by the women of Iran. "They are paying the ultimate price for freedom with their lives." "Enough of the press releases now, enough of the mumbling, it's time to speak out, it's time to act. The hands of the regimes of the mullahs in Iran are stained with blood. Neither history or Allah of god almighty will forgive you for crimes against humanity that you are committing against your own people," she added. Amini, 22, died in custody after being arrested by Iran's "morality police" in Tehran on September 13 for allegedly violating the strict dress code. She later fell into a coma shortly after collapsing at a detention center and died three days later from a heart attack, according to authorities. Since her death, thousands have joined anti-government demonstrations throughout the country. Security forces have responded at times with live ammunition, and many people have been killed, injured and detained in the protests. Last week, the UN chief Antonio Guterres said he was becoming "increasingly concerned" about reports of the rising death toll. He said he had been following events closely, and he called on security forces to stop using "unnecessary or disproportionate force". Breaking his silence on the protest, Iran's Supreme leader Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei on Monday blamed the United States for the ongoing protest in the country. Speaking at a graduation ceremony in Tehran, Khamenei said he was heartbroken at the death of the 22-year-old girl in police custody. However, he did not approve of the large-scale demonstrations following the death of Amini. "We were heartbroken, too. But the reaction to this incident, while no investigation has been done and nothing has been certain, should not have been this that some people come and make the streets insecure, cause the people to feel unsafe, harm the security, burn the Quran, remove the hijab of a woman, burn mosques and husainiyah, and arson banks and people's cars," he was quoted as saying by news agency IRNA. (ANI)



