Category: 2. World

JEDDAH:

Pakistan and Turkiye on Tuesday noting the worsening humanitarian crisis and famine, reaffirmed their solidarity with Palestine and stressed the urgent need for humanitarian aid and relief.

The matter was discussed as Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar met with Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan in Jeddah on the sidelines of 21st extraordinary session of the Council of Foreign Minister of the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation.

The deputy prime minister expressed his deep appreciation to Turkiye for its leadership role in the capacity of the Chair of the 51st OIC Council of Foreign Ministers.

Both the leaders also reaffirmed the brotherly Pakistan-Turkiye relations, and looked forward to further strengthening the bilateral multifaceted cooperation.

Meanwhile, the deputy prime minister reaffirmed Pakistan’s commitment to further strengthening ties with North African countries including Algeria and Egypt through enhanced connectivity and broader cooperation across diverse fields.

He noted a “meaningful interaction” with Foreign Minister of Egypt Badr Abdelatty and of Algeria Ahmed Attaf, on the sidelines of 21st extraordinary session of the Council of Foreign Ministers of the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation.

Israel has launched hundreds of strikes across Syria following the fall of the Bashar al-Assad regime last December.

Six Syrian army officers have been killed in Israeli drone strikes south of Damascus, Syria’s state-run El Ekhbariya TV reported, a day after Syria condemned a new Israeli “military incursion” outside the capital.

Israeli drones targeted Syrian army positions in the Damascus countryside near the city of al-Kiswah, the broadcaster reported early on Wednesday.

Following the fall of the Bashar al-Assad regime last December, Israel has launched hundreds of strikes targeting military sites and assets across Syria.

Israel also expanded its occupation of the Syrian Golan Heights by seizing the demilitarised buffer zone, a move that violated a 1974 disengagement agreement with Syria.

Syria’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs said on Monday that Israel had sent 60 soldiers to take control of an area inside the Syrian border around Mount Hermon, near a strategic hilltop that overlooks Beit Jinn, close to the border with Lebanon in southern Syria. Israel did not immediately comment on the accusation.

Syrian Minister of Foreign Affairs Asaad al-Shaibani accused Israel of establishing intelligence facilities and military posts in demilitarised areas to advance its “expansionist and partition plans”.

Earlier this month, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu shared his vision for a “Greater Israel“, a concept supported by ultranationalist Israelis that lays claim to the occupied West Bank, Gaza, and parts of Lebanon, Syria, Egypt and Jordan.

A coalition of 31 Arab and Islamic countries and the Arab League said the stance was a “blatant and dangerous violation of the rules of international law and the foundations of stable international relations”.

The latest Israeli military action in Syria follows deadly clashes in the Druze-majority Syrian province of Suwayda, where a week of sectarian violence in July killed 1,400 people, before a ceasefire put an end to the bloodshed. Israel had carried out strikes on Syrian troops and bombed the heart of the capital, Damascus, under the pretext of protecting the Druze people.

As the Shanghai Cooperation Organization prepares to hold its summit in Tianjin on Sunday and Monday, it finds itself at a crossroads of opportunities. With members such as China, Russia, India, Pakistan, Iran, and Central Asian countries like Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan, the SCO is poised to strengthen its role as a key facilitator of Eurasian cooperation.

Despite not being a defense alliance, the SCO remains the most significant multilateral security structure in Central Asia. The organization is unique because it brings together major countries like Russia, China, India and Pakistan along with other member states.

While SCO members differ in their perspectives and priorities on economic and security issues, the differences create an opportunity to foster more inclusive collaboration. For example, discussions at the recent Qingdao SCO Defense Ministers” Meeting emphasized the importance of open dialogue to address all member states’ security concerns, including their concerns over terrorism.

The SCO brings together countries that face common economic, security and development issues, with all of them calling for greater economic integration among member states and urging the grouping to do more in this regard.

Additionally, the SCO members aim to deepen security cooperation, which could significantly improve regional integration and help them reach consensus on burning issues. Their shared viewpoints offer opportunities for the SCO to devise strategies that align with member states’ needs, promote a spirit of cooperation that transcends individual interests, and facilitate collective action.

Despite challenges, the SCO has shown resilience by making cooperative efforts, which could lead to greater unity in the future. In this regard, the annual joint military exercise could, in the future, help consolidate the consensus on terrorism-related issues.

In 2024, security forces from SCO members including China, Russia, India and Pakistan simulated counter-terrorism operations in China’s Xinjiang Uygur autonomous region, in order to build mutual trust and ensure interoperability. The 2024 exercise was the first time security forces from all SCO member states participated in a joint counter-terrorism exercise. Such exercises involve specialized counterterrorism operations, which are crucial to restoring trust between countries like Pakistan and India.

This exercise held during China’s presidency of the SCO not only set the stage for future joint defense cooperation but also fostered ties among the military leaders. The good news is that China has pledged to work with other SCO member states to promote the Shanghai Spirit and deepen defense cooperation.

On the economic front, projects such as the China-Kazakhstan pipeline, which became operational earlier this year, have boosted regional energy security and benefited several SCO member states.

Similarly, in the fight against drugs and drug-trafficking, the organization’s Regional Anti-Terrorist Structure has been coordinating operations, and preventing tons of narcotics from reaching the markets. Drugs are a common threat faced by all SCO members.

These successes show how SCO members can work together for mutual benefit. To further strengthen unity and cooperation among member states, the SCO must implement targeted measures that emphasize dialogue, institutional reform and inclusive initiatives.

The SCO can intensify counter-terrorism efforts by working out a dedicated anti-terrorism protocol that includes all members’ security concerns. Such a protocol could help establish a transparent framework, which will ensure all voices are heard and mutual trust among members is strengthened.

The organization can deepen economic integration by encouraging member states to sign free trade agreements. Economic integration can also be deepened by leveraging the Belt and Road Initiative and building interdependent supply chains through joint infrastructure projects across the region. The example of the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor and other projects in Central Asia stands out in this regard.

The SCO must foster confidence-building among member states through regular high-level dialogues. It could consider organizing an annual SCO unity forum for foreign ministers to achieve this goal. Such a forum could serve as a platform for open discussion and ensure that different perspectives are taken into consideration. By creating space for dialogue, the SCO can turn potential differences into opportunities to foster mutual understanding and stronger partnerships.

The forum can benefit from deepening cooperation on non-traditional security issues such as climate change and tourism. And initiatives like the “SCO+” Young Scholars’ Salon hosted by China could be opened to civil society to boost the joint fight against climate change and promote cultural exchanges.

The different views and perspectives of SCO member states present challenges, but they also offer an opportunity to build a more inclusive organization. By learning from joint counterterrorism exercises that involve countries like Pakistan and India, and implementing measures promoting inclusive security and economic ties, the SCO can foster unbreakable unity among member states.

The SCO Summit in Tianjin, under the presidency of China, provides a unique opportunity to transform the organization into a major force promoting harmony in Eurasia.

The author is a Pakistani research analyst at the US-based Diplomat Risk Intelligence. The views don’t necessarily represent those of China Daily.

If you have a specific expertise, or would like to share your thought about our stories, then send us your writings at opinion@chinadaily.com.cn, and comment@chinadaily.com.cn.

The United Nations General Assembly has approved the creation of a new advisory body dedicated to artificial intelligence (AI), as governments worldwide grapple with the rapid rise of the technology and its potential risks.

In a resolution adopted Tuesday, member states agreed to establish the Independent International Scientific Panel on Artificial Intelligence. 

The body will comprise 40 experts serving three-year terms and will be tasked with producing evidence-based assessments of AI’s opportunities, risks, and global impacts.

The move follows mounting concern among governments that the swift advance of AI could undermine democracy, erode human rights, and deepen inequalities if left unchecked. 

The panel will serve as a platform for dialogue among governments and experts, offering guidance on governance frameworks.

The resolution also calls for an annual global dialogue on AI, beginning next year in Geneva at a world summit. 

The gatherings will bring together governments, private-sector representatives, civil society, and researchers to exchange best practices, promote cooperation, and ensure AI supports the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals.

Costa Rican ambassador Maritza Chan Valverde, who co-led the negotiations alongside Spain, said the resolution reaffirms the UN’s “central role in guaranteeing that AI will serve humanity.”

Secretary-General António Guterres is now expected to begin the selection process for panel members, drawing from diverse scientific and technological fields.

AI’s rapid development has sparked debate over regulation, with calls for a global governance framework to prevent misuse, particularly in areas such as surveillance, disinformation, and autonomous weapons.

The United Nations has set up a new advisory body on artificial intelligence (AI), aiming to help countries navigate both the opportunities and dangers posed by the fast-evolving technology.

In a resolution passed Tuesday, the UN General Assembly approved the creation of the Independent International Scientific Panel on Artificial Intelligence. The 40-member body, to be appointed by Secretary-General António Guterres, will consist of leading scientists and experts tasked with providing impartial research assessments for governments. Each will serve a three-year term.

The panel’s work will include analysing existing research, identifying risks and benefits, and offering evidence-based recommendations for policymakers. Officials say the group will play a key role in addressing concerns about AI’s potential to undermine human rights, destabilise democracies, and increase inequality if not properly regulated.

In addition, the resolution outlines plans for an annual global dialogue on AI governance. The first session is scheduled to take place in Geneva next year during a world summit on artificial intelligence. Participants will include governments, civil society organisations, researchers, and private-sector representatives, with discussions expected to focus on international cooperation, lessons learned, and best practices.

Costa Rica’s ambassador, Maritza Chan Valverde, who co-chaired negotiations with Spain, stressed the global importance of the initiative. “The development of artificial intelligence affects all states,” she said, noting that the UN must ensure AI “serves humanity rather than undermines it.”

Good morning and welcome back to FirstFT Asia. In today’s newsletter:

• India digs in ahead of Trump’s tariffs

• Australia blames Iran for antisemitic attacks

• The unsustainable boom in India’s Silicon Valley

• Should you thank ChatGPT?

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India is holding firm on its long-standing ties to Moscow as US President Donald Trump’s punitive tariffs over New Delhi’s purchases of Russian oil are set to take effect later on Wednesday. Here’s what you need to know.

Looming deadline: Hopes are dimming that Trump, who threatened to double levies on Indian exports to 50 per cent last month over New Delhi’s purchases of Russian oil, will lower or postpone the tariffs before Wednesday’s deadline. A planned visit to New Delhi by US trade negotiators this week was called off, Indian officials said. A draft notice published on Monday said the extra tariff would hit Indian goods after 12.01am on Wednesday, eastern US time (09.30am Wednesday, India).

India and Russia’s ‘political comfort’: Amid the stalemate with Washington, top Indian officials have made recent trips to Russia. Foreign minister Subrahmanyam Jaishankar met President Vladimir Putin last week in Moscow, where Indian national security adviser Ajit Doval was also warmly received. Putin is expected to visit India later this year.

“There is a political comfort in the relationship with Russia which is quite different from the flip-flops and the cyclical relationships we’ve had with the Americans,” said Pankaj Saran, former Indian ambassador to Russia. Read more about Moscow’s significance to New Delhi.

• More trade news: Bargain ecommerce platform Temu has resumed shipping goods from Chinese factories directly to US consumers, following a trade truce between Washington and Beijing.

Here’s what else we’re keeping tabs on today:

• Economic data: Australia reports July inflation data and China releases industrial profit figures for the month.

• Nvidia results: Wall Street’s faith in the artificial intelligence boom will be put to the test when the $4tn chipmaker unveils its quarterly earnings report.

Five more top stories

1. The US has said it is prepared to provide intelligence assets and battlefield oversight to any western security plan for postwar Ukraine as well as take part in a European-led air defence shield for the country, European and Ukrainian officials said. The US offer represents a significant shift in stance from the Trump administration — which earlier this year ruled out any US participation in protecting post-conflict Ukraine.

• Ukraine news: Young men will be allowed to leave Ukraine after the government changed its border crossing rules, modifying a law introduced after Russia’s full-scale invasion.

• EU defence: A 70-year-old Dutch biologist, nicknamed the “peatland pope”, believes salvaging drained wetlands is a cost-effective way to keep Vladimir Putin’s forces out of Europe.

2. The Australian government has accused Iran of being behind a spate of violent antisemitic attacks in the country and ordered the expulsion of its ambassador from Canberra. Australia blamed Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps for being involved in at least two attacks last year, including the firebombing of a synagogue in Melbourne and an arson attack on a delicatessen in Bondi, Sydney.

3. Trump’s move to fire Federal Reserve governor Lisa Cook has triggered bets of lower near-term interest rates, but higher inflation in the future, as worries grow over the US president’s attack on the central bank. The gap between long and short-term yields climbed yesterday to its widest in three years.

• ‘Unprecedented’: Trump’s moves against the institutions that have upheld the US economic establishment for decades have unsettled investors.

• Opinion: The Fed’s independence and role in the international financial system could hang on Cook’s fate and experience with US judges, writes Chris Giles.

4. Nissan shares tumbled 6.3 per cent yesterday after its second-biggest shareholder Mercedes-Benz offloaded its entire 3.8 per cent stake in the embattled Japanese auto producer. The German carmaker’s pension fund sold shares worth about ¥47.83bn ($323mn), piling pressure on Nissan as it fights to execute a turnaround plan.

5. French borrowing costs rose to their highest since March and a stock sell-off continued yesterday, as investors reacted to the prospect of a government collapse as soon as next month. Prime Minister François Bayrou on Monday called a confidence vote for September 8 over his deficit-cutting budget proposals.

The Big Read

In Bengaluru, southern India’s booming tech hub, the campuses for companies such as Google and Microsoft feature multi-cuisine canteens, crèches and gyms much like their Silicon Valley counterparts. But unlike in California, these swanky offices lack access to piped water, and the typical weekday commute can take almost four hours. It has become one of the starkest illustrations of the country’s struggles to build the infrastructure necessary to keep up with explosive growth in Bengaluru’s tech sector.

We’re also reading . . . 

• US politics: The FT visited Bethlehem, Pennsylvania, to try to understand the rightward shift in the former steel city at last year’s US election.

• Thank you, ChatGPT: How polite should we be to machines? Stephen Bush explains why we should watch our manners.

• Four-day work week: The Netherlands is emerging as a case study for the advantages and trade-offs of cutting workplace hours, writes Sarah O’Connor.

Graphic of the day

Disruption to seabed gas pipelines and telecoms cables has focused military planners’ minds on finding ways to protect underwater assets that are crucial to modern economies. Narrowing the gap are some of the world’s best-known defence companies, which are investing heavily in cutting-edge technologies for navies around the world.

Take a break from the news . . . 

Should I be taking creatine? HTSI speaks to experts who weigh in on the wellness buzz surrounding the compound that supplies energy to our muscles.

Five Palestinian journalists were killed in an Israeli double-tap strike on Nasser hospital in southern Gaza on Monday.

Israel struck a building at the hospital, killing Reuters journalist Hussam al-Masri and others. Then, after journalists and rescue workers ran to the scene to help their colleagues, a second bomb hit the same spot 15 minutes later.

The five journalists join their now more than 247 Palestinian colleagues killed in Gaza over the last 22 months, according to UN statistics.

This is the deadliest conflict for journalists recorded, killing more journalists than both world wars, the Vietnam war, the Yugoslavia wars and the US war in Afghanistan combined.

The strike on Nasser hospital was captured by a live broadcast and showed unarmed medics and journalists holding up their hands to shield themselves moments before they were killed.

The images of their deaths have provoked outrage across the globe and calls to protect Palestinian journalists while they are doing their jobs.

Here are their stories.

Moaz Abu Taha

Moaz Abu Taha was a 27-year-old freelance video journalist whose work had been published by Reuters, among other outlets.

Journalism had not been Abu Taha’s original career, but he felt compelled to begin filming during the Gaza war and soon found a passion in photography and video journalism. He could not afford a proper camera, so he filmed and photographed with his phone.

Over the last five months, as Gaza’s humanitarian crisis worsened and hunger began to spread throughout the strip, his family said Abu Taha began to work as a humanitarian. He focused on specific cases through his video reports, sending urgent appeals for sick children and the wounded who needed aid.

Moaz Abu Taha with colleagues while reporting in Gaza

He had been preparing for his engagement when he was killed.

“Moaz was the youngest in our family, the spoiled one. He loved his work deeply, even though it hadn’t been his original career. He was very social and enjoyed making new friends everywhere,” said Adly Abu Taha, Moaz’s older brother.

Hussam al-Masri

Hussam al-Masri was a 48-year-old cameraman who worked with Reuters and was the father of two sons and two daughters.

Al-Masri started his career at a young age, helping his mother, a journalist, set up her a camera.

“He held his first camera in 1993 and from that year until now, almost 32 years, there was never a day without a camera by his side,” said Ezz al-Din al-Masri, Hussam’s mother.

He was known for his bravery in the field and his commitment to the story. His mother recounted how he was the last journalist to remain in Nasser hospital during Israel’s first invasion of Khan Younis in southern Gaza.

“To my surprise, he called me, saying he was still broadcasting from inside the hospital as the army surrounded them. I fought with him, demanding he leave immediately,” Ezz al-Din said.

Al-Masri continued his coverage throughout the war, despite his wife’s deteriorating health as she struggled to get treatment for cancer. In the days before his death, he had been seeking her evacuation from Gaza. His friends and fellow journalists have kept up his appeal, advocating for her medical evacuation.

“Hussam, even though he was nearing 49 years old, always carried the spirit of a child and an innocent, tender heart. I never felt that he could grow old or become an elder. I always treated him as my mischievous little boy,” Ezz al-Din said.

“But now, after his death, I was struck by the fact that he had aged without me realising it.”

Ahmed Abu Aziz

Ahmed Abu Aziz was a 29-year-old freelance journalist who worked for various outlets, such as Middle East Eye and Quds Feed.

He was described as “the journalist who never stopped” by his colleagues at Middle East Eye, and was known for his bravery. He travelled across the Gaza Strip to get his story, despite the danger it posed. He based himself in Nasser hospital, where he covered the impact of Israel’s attacks on people across Gaza.

Abu Aziz was acutely aware of the danger he was in as a journalist in Gaza. He lost two colleagues dear to him early on in the war, driving home how fragile his own safety was. Writing a first-person piece for Middle East Eye last year, he said his work often made him feel lonely, but he would persist.

“It felt like I was all alone and the only one left on the ground as so many more of my colleagues were being killed,” Abu Aziz wrote.

Abu Aziz married in July 2024. His wife, Lurzan Abu Aziz, who found his body after the strike, described how much he supported and encouraged her to further her education. She was studying for her PhD in law, and he a PhD in media.

“His dream was for us to earn our doctorates together. He always urged me to defend my dissertation no matter what, and he encouraged me endlessly. We were supposed to defend our theses together this year, but he left and I am alone, grieving his loss,” said Lurzan, 28.

Mohammad Salama

Mohammad Salama was a 24-year old photojournalist and cameraman who worked with Al Jazeera.

He grew up just east of Khan Younis and knew he wanted to be a photojournalist from a young age, earning a diploma in photography and shadowing more established journalists. He joined Al Jazeera in Feburary 2024.

According to the news outlet, he was known for his professionalism, dedication, cheerful smile and lighthearted spirit.

Mohammed Salama and his wife, Hala Asfour, while they were filming a documentary inside Nasser hospital

On his birthday in November, Salama become engaged to fellow journalist Hala Asfour. He and Asfour were excitedly planning their wedding day, to be held after a ceasefire in Gaza.

He was the 10th Al Jazeera journalist killed in the Gaza war.

Mariam Dagga

Mariam Abu Dagga was a 33-year-old photojournalist and mother of a 13-year-old boy, Ghaith. She studied journalism at university and began working in 2015, covering major events in Gaza such as the 2018 “great march of return”.

During the Gaza war, she began working for the Associated Press and Independent Arabia, primarily covering humanitarian issues.

Her photography highlighted the human suffering in Gaza, with pictures depicting starving children and people grieving their loved ones after Israeli strikes. Her last report for the Associated Press covered the plight of malnourished children in Nasser hospital, where she was killed on Monday.

Fellow journalists said Dagga was always ready to work, even in dangerous areas of Gaza, to get the story out to the world. Friends and family said she was overwhelmingly kind and an inspiration to those around her.

“Mariam loved her work, was passionate about it, very fast in covering events and never stopped documenting everything. She was very kind and deeply cared about her family. She loved everyone and everything,” said Siddiq Abu Dagga, Mariam’s brother.

Mariam Dagga reporting from Khan Younis in July

Outside work, Dagga was a dedicated mother, speaking to her son Ghaith daily. She left behind a letter for him, in which she told him how proud she was.

“You are my love, my heart, my support, my soul and my son whom I am always proud of,” Dagga wrote in a letter to Ghaith before she was killed.

Israel is facing a global outcry after it launched a deadly strike on a hospital in southern Gaza.

Yesterday’s attack was a “double-tap” strike. After the initial blast at the Nasser Hospital, people gathered around the site to tend to the casualties, while journalists arrived to report. Then, Israel fired again.

At least 20 people were killed in the attacks, including five journalists. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said the incident was a “tragic mishap.”

Here’s how the world has reacted:

• United Nations: The UN human rights office called for “justice and accountability” after the strike. At least 247 Palestinian journalists have been killed since October 7, 2023, spokesperson Thameen Al-Kheetan said Tuesday at a press briefing, a figure he said should “shock the world.”

• European Union: An EU spokesperson said Israel’s strike was “completely unacceptable.” It urged Israel to “ensure that these attacks are investigated,” since “there have been too many fatalities in this conflict.”

• United Kingdom: Downing Street on Tuesday condemned Israel’s “indefensible strike.” On Monday, Foreign Minister David Lammy said he was “horrified” by the Israeli attack and called for an immediate ceasefire.

• United States: When asked for his reaction, President Donald Trump yesterday said he had not heard about the strike, but that he was “not happy about it.” “We have to end that whole nightmare,” he said.

• Germany: Chancellor Friedrich Merz, however, said he did not believe that Israel’s attack targeted journalists, Reuters reported today. Merz said he would like to wait for the results of Israel’s investigation “before making a final judgment.”

• Spain: The foreign ministry said Israel’s strike was a “flagrant and unacceptable violation of international humanitarian law, which must be investigated.” It said journalists must be given “special protection” and not be targeted.

• France: President Emmanuel Macron said Israel’s strike on the hospital was “intolerable” and stressed that “civilians and journalists must be protected in all circumstances.”

• Canada: The foreign ministry condemned “all violence directed against journalists and media workers” and called once again for “an immediate and permanent ceasefire.”

Iran directed at least two attacks against Australia’s Jewish community, the domestic spy agency has determined, prompting the Albanese government to expel Tehran’s ambassador from Australia. The prime minister announced on Tuesday that Asio had ‘credible intelligence’ to determine the Iranian government was behind the attacks against the Adass Israel synagogue in Melbourne and Lewis’s Continental Kitchen in Bondi, in Sydney.

Nour Haydar speaks with political correspondent Tom Mcilroy and senior reporter Ben Doherty about why the Albanese government has taken this historic step against Iran