Over 60 die in Congo flooding amid cholera, continued fighting: UN

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United Nations, May 13 (IANS) Amid fighting and disease, deadly floods posed additional dire challenges in South Kivu province of the eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), UN humanitarians said.”Local authorities in South Kivu report that overnight flooding in Fizi territory between May 8-9 killed more than 60 people,” the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) said on Monday.”Many people are still missing, and search efforts continue. More than 150 houses were also destroyed, leaving 1,000 people homeless.”The office said the officials warned that continued heavy rainfall threatens further damage and have issued an urgent appeal for humanitarian assistance. The deluge worsens existing vulnerabilities, where ongoing clashes and a recent surge in cholera cases heighten the risk of a major public health crisis.OCHA said local authorities convened an emergency meeting in Uvira to coordinate response efforts.In North Kivu province, the humanitarians said hostilities also continue, and officials report that nine civilians were killed and 50 others injured in an overnight attack in a village of Lubero territory on Wednesday and Thursday.Further north, in Ituri province, OCHA said assessments by its humanitarian partners indicate that more than 40,000 people arrived in the Fataki and Rety areas of Djugu territory between February and April. The new arrivals were mainly fleeing violence in other regions or returning home from previous displacement during a period of calm.”The crisis is overwhelming already strained services in these areas, affecting 155,000 people,” OCHA said.”Humanitarian partners report acute needs across all sectors, including shelter, food and healthcare.”The office said the world body continues to mobilise assistance despite access constraints and funding gaps, Xinhua news agency reported.According to the World Health Organization, Cholera outbreaks occur regularly in some countries. In others, they are less frequent, and it may be years between outbreaks. Cholera is linked to limited access to safe water, basic sanitation facilities and poor hygiene practices.This may be due to conflict, population displacement, climate events like cyclones, floods or drought, and lack of investment in maintaining and improving WASH services and infrastructure. Preventing and controlling cholera involves a combination of strengthening surveillance, improving water, sanitation and hygiene, increasing risk communication and community engagement, improving access to quality treatment and implementing oral cholera vaccine campaigns.–IANSint/jk/

Australia: Sussan Ley becomes first woman to lead Liberal Party

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Canberra, May 13 (IANS) Sussan Ley has been appointed as the leader of the Liberal Party, becoming the first woman to lead the federal party in its 80-year history.

She defeated her rival Angus Taylor in a tight party room ballot, taking over as Australia’s first female opposition leader, according to local media report.Ley took over the position from former opposition leader Peter Dutton.The Liberal-National coalition, which is presently Australia’s main opposition party, suffered a historic defeat in the elections on May 3.Dutton, who led the coalition, also became the first federal leader of an opposition to lose his own parliamentary seat, Australian news agency ABC reported.In an address to the nation as the leader for the first time, Ley said she planned to “do things differently” and would adopt a “fresh approach” after the coalition’s massive election loss.Later speaking to reporters gathered in the Liberal party room, she said she was humbled, honoured and “up for the job.””I want to harness the talents of every single person in our party room going forward to develop the clear, articulate policy agenda that does meet Australians where they are,” she said.Taylor congratulated Ley, stating that her success was a milestone for the party, which needed to come together.”The Liberal Party has suffered a historic defeat, and we have lost many good people in this election. This result shows we must do more to convince Australians that the coalition is the best party to support aspiration, economic opportunity, and the Australian dream,” he said.Meanwhile, Ley dismissed the claims that her appointment to the Liberal leadership is an example of the “glass cliff effect.”The glass cliff effect refers to women being more likely to be appointed to leadership positions when an organisation is in a precarious position, ABC reported.”I don’t accept that. I do say it sends a signal to the women of Australia that the Liberal Party has elected its first woman leader, but my agenda is much more than that. It’s about connecting with women and listening to where we went wrong,” she said.–IANSint/scor/sd/

South Korea: PPP candidate says not considering expulsion of impeached Yoon from party

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Seoul, May 13 (IANS) South Korea’s People Power Party (PPP) presidential candidate Kim Moon-soo said on Tuesday that he is not considering expelling impeached South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol from the conservative party ahead of the June 3 election.Kim resisted growing calls from his own party to sever ties with Yoon, who was removed from office last month over his short-lived martial law declaration on December 3 and now faces trials on charges of leading an insurrection.”Whether former President Yoon decides to leave the party or not is up to him,” Kim told reporters during his campaign stop in the southeastern city of Daegu.”If we judge that former President Yoon did something wrong and demand that he leave, then our party also bears responsibility,” he added.Kim, who apologised on Monday for the public’s suffering from Yoon’s martial law attempt, described the move as “one of the most extreme measures,” emphasising that it is not an appropriate approach to resolve political disputes.The former labour minister urged the party to overcome controversies related to Yoon’s martial law and impeachment and move forward to win the election.After Kim registered as the PPP’s candidate on Sunday following days of an internal feud over a unified candidacy with former Prime Minister Han Duck-soo, Yoon urged conservatives to rally behind Kim for the race, Yonhap news agency reported.If elected, Kim said he would push for an early summit with US President Donald Trump to negotiate a trade deal that would ease broad tariffs.He also unveiled support measures for the Artificial Intelligence sector to foster 200,000 young professionals in the field and create a private-public fund worth 100 trillion won ($71.2 billion) by drawing foreign investment.On security, Kim vowed to develop Nuclear-powered submarines to counter Pyongyang’s Nuclear threats and pursue unification with North Korea to save its people suffering from hunger and oppression.”Progressivism should bring prosperity, not poverty. I want to tear apart fake progressivism,” Kim said.–IANSint/jk/rad

Taiwan spots 31 Chinese aircraft, 7 warships in its territory

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Taipei, May 13 (IANS) Taiwan on Tuesday said that it spotted 31 Chinese aircraft (30 of which crossed the median line of the strait and entered the northern and southwest airspace), 7 Chinese warships, and one official ship, continuing to operate around the Taiwan Strait. The Taiwanese army used mission aircraft, ships, and shore-based missile systems to closely monitor and respond.”31 sorties of Chinese army aircraft, 7 Chinese navy vessels and 1 official ship operating around Taiwan were detected up until 6 a.m. (UTC+8) today. 30 out of 31 sorties crossed the median line and entered Taiwan’s northern and southwestern Air Defence Identification Zone,” the Ministry of National Defence posted on X.The defence ministry also stated that China carried out a satellite launch mission that passed through central Taiwan toward the western Pacific Ocean, and as the altitude is outside the atmosphere, it posed no threat to Taiwan.These satellites were launched from Xichang Satellite Launch Center (XSLC) in China’s southwest Sichuan Province in the early hours on Tuesday.”At 02:09 (UTC+8) today, China launched satellites from XSLC with the flight path over central Taiwan toward the Western Pacific. The altitude is beyond the atmosphere, posing no threat. Taiwan’s Armed Forces monitored the process and remain ready to respond accordingly,” the ministry said.Last month, Taiwan strongly condemned China’s joint military drill when it detected 19 Chinese Navy ships around Taipei, and stated that Beijing’s provocations threatened regional peace.The Taiwanese defence ministry called the move a disruption to the status quo and said it had deployed military vessels and aircraft in response to the threats.Taiwanese President Lai had also labelled China a “foreign hostile force” and ramped up national security measures in the face of growing threats and a string of spying cases.China claims Taiwan to be a part of its territory that must be reunified with the mainland by force if necessary. In recent years, Beijing has increased military exercises in the Taiwan Strait to intensify pressure on Taiwan.Meanwhile, the US and its allies consider the Taiwan Strait as an international waterway and routinely send warships through the strait, asserting their influence in the Indo-Pacific region and countering the growing influence of China.–IANSint/scor/sd/

India informs WTO of tariff plan to counter US duties on steel

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New Delhi, May 13 (IANS) India has informed the World Trade Organisation (WTO) that it proposes to impose retaliatory tariffs on select American goods, to counter the duties on Indian steel and aluminium exports levied by the US as safeguard duties.

According to a WTO communication, these US safeguard measures would impact $7.6 billion worth of imports of Indian products, with an estimated duty collection of $1.91 billion.In April, India requested consultations with the US under the WTO’s safeguard agreement when the decision to levy the tariffs was announced.The US stance at the WTO was that the tariffs on Indian goods were imposed on national security grounds and should not be regarded as safeguard measures.India, in its notification to the WTO, announced its intent to suspend concessions and other obligations in response to the US safeguard measures on steel, aluminium, and related products, as outlined in a Presidential Proclamation dated February 10, 2025, with the measures set to take effect on March 12.The WTO communication, dated May 9, 2025, was circulated at India’s request. It noted that although the US has not formally notified these measures to the WTO, they are effectively considered safeguard measures.”India maintains that the measures taken by the US are not consistent with the General Agreement on Trade and Tariff (GATT) 1994 and Agreement on safeguards (AoS),” it said, adding that as consultations provided for under a provision of the AoS have not taken place, India reserves the right to suspend concessions or other obligations that are substantially equivalent to the adverse effects of the measure to India’s trade,” India’s notification said.Without prejudice to the effective exercise of its right to suspend substantially equivalent obligations, India reserves its right to suspend concessions after the expiration of 30 days from the date of this notification, it further said.While the proposed duties are still at the WTO notification stage, India is also close to finalising a new bilateral trade agreement with the Trump administration.–IANSsps/svn

India to brief foreign Defence Attaches on ‘Operation Sindoor’ today

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New Delhi, May 13 (IANS) India will brief Defence Attaches (DAs) from various countries based in New Delhi on Tuesday at 3:30 p.m., providing them with technical details of ‘Operation Sindoor’, the country’s recent anti-terror military offensive. The Indian armed forces are set to share critical insights and operational data, including the performance of the indigenous air defence systems and outcomes of the strike missions carried out between May 7 and May 10.Sources confirmed that the session will cover a wide array of developments, including the destruction of Chinese and Turkish-made drones and PL-15 missiles by India’s air defence forces, preventing any breach into Indian airspace.The move comes a day after Director General of Military Operations (DGMO) Lt Gen Rajiv Ghai addressed the media, stating that the budgetary and policy support received by the armed forces over the past decade enabled the creation of a robust multi-layered air defence grid.He said the system proved to be a decisive shield during Pakistan’s retaliatory aerial attacks on May 9 and 10. “Our battle-proven systems performed exceptionally, and the indigenous Akash missile system played a critical role,” Lt Gen Ghai noted.The briefing to the Defence Attaches will also include details of a hotline conversation that took place on Monday evening around 5 p.m. between the Indian and Pakistani DGMOs.Lt Gen Ghai and his Pakistani counterpart, Maj Gen Kashif Abdullah, reportedly discussed methods to restore calm along the Line of Control and reiterated commitments to the ceasefire understanding reached after the Indian operation halted at Pakistan’s request on May 10.Official sources said that Pakistan conveyed it would not escalate the conflict and expressed willingness to adhere to the ceasefire agreement. The hotline exchange between the two military leaders also included discussions on maintaining restraint and monitoring the situation moving forward.Meanwhile, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday addressed the nation for the first time following the understanding that ended the intense military exchanges.He reiterated India’s hardline stance against Pakistan, stating unequivocally that New Delhi will not hold any dialogue with Islamabad except on issues related to terrorism and Pakistan-occupied-Kashmir (PoK).”The Kashmir issue cannot be viewed in isolation from Pakistan’s continuous export of terrorism,” the Prime Minister said.He strongly criticised Pakistan’s military and government for protecting and promoting terror outfits, warning that such support could bring about their eventual downfall.PM Modi’s remarks also come amid reports that Pakistan attached certain conditions to the ceasefire, including a proposal to revive the Indus Waters Treaty, which India had suspended as a non-military strategic pressure tactic.However, India has maintained that talks, if any, will remain confined strictly to terrorism and PoK.–IANSsd/rad

Australian PM Albanese, ministers sworn in following election victory

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Canberra, May 13 (IANS) Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese and his ministers have been sworn in after the Labor Party won a second term in power at the federal election.Albanese, his Cabinet, outer ministry and assistant ministers were officially sworn in to their roles by Governor-General Sam Mostyn, the representative of the British monarchy in Australia, at a ceremony at Government House in Canberra on Tuesday morning.During the ceremony, the 42 members of the ministry took an oath of office, declaring that they will “well and truly serve” the Commonwealth of Australia in their respective offices, reports Xinhua news agency.The 42 members consist of 23 members of the Cabinet, the innermost sanctum of the government, seven members of the outer ministry and 12 assistant ministers.The Cabinet and outer ministry is largely unchanged from the end of Albanese’s first term, with the vast majority of senior leadership figures continuing in their roles, including Deputy Prime Minister and Defense Minister Richard Marles, Treasurer Jim Chalmers and Foreign Affairs Minister Penny Wong.Announcing the list of ministers on Monday, Albanese said that it was the largest Labor caucus — referring to the number of the party’s politicians elected to the federal parliament — in history following the landslide result at the May 3 election.He said the ministers and party had an “extraordinary opportunity” to change Australia “for the better.””I am deeply humbled by the trust that was put into my government with the election, and we certainly won’t take it for granted,” he said.Among the changes from Albanese’s previous ministry is the appointment of Michelle Rowland as Attorney-General, replacing Mark Dreyfus, who was dumped from the ministry along with former Science and Industry Minister Ed Husic due to factional negotiations.The new ministry also includes a new assistant minister role for international education, which has been filled by Julian Hill.–IANSint/sd/