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June
UN rights chief seeks to establish presence in China and India
Written by Nur Yasmin
The U.N. human rights chief called on Monday for greater support for his office as he seeks to expand its work by establishing a first-time presence in the world's two most populous countries India and China, whose rights records are drawing more scrutiny.
The U.N. human rights office, established after World War Two, is present in 95 countries and its leader plays a key role in calling out suspected abusers as well as working with countries in question to bring about change.
Volker Turk, who took over as high commissioner in late 2022, used his opening speech to the U.N. Human Rights Council on Monday to urge greater cooperation and singled out states such as Syria, Iran, Israel and Russia that should do more.
"We would now like to scale up engagement," he told the Geneva council at the opening of its four-week session, saying the world was at a "critical juncture" 75 years after adopting the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.
"I also believe that it is important for us to establish a presence for the first time in China and India."
There was no immediate response to a request for comment from China or India's diplomatic mission in Geneva.
Setting up in China might prove difficult for Turk's office.
Negotiations went on for years to clear the way for a 2022 trip there by his predecessor, Michelle Bachelet, spurred in part by concerns about Beijing's treatment of Uyghur Muslims. China denies any abuses.
The U.S. said it is monitoring a rise in rights abuses in India by officials. New Delhi has said it values human rights.
A U.N. rights spokesperson added that Turk had discussed the idea of the two new offices during meetings with governments but did not elaborate on their reaction.
More broadly, Turk had voiced concern about a "strangulation of civil society in several countries", without naming them.
Turk said he would like to double his office's budget to step up global monitoring although this may prove challenging given that many countries oppose further scrutiny on sovereignty grounds.
While human rights comprise one of the four United Nations "pillars", alongside peace and security, the rule of law and development, it gets just 4% of the general budget.
Turk also called on the United States to act urgently on racial discrimination and to ratify six human rights treaties, including one on child rights. (Reuters)
June
Thais justify talks with Myanmar as key ASEAN members stay away
Written by Nur Yasmin
Thailand on Monday justified hosting talks aimed at re-engaging with Myanmar's shunned military, saying dialogue was necessary to protect its border with the strife-torn country, even as key Southeast Asian neighbours stayed away.
Myanmar's generals have been barred from high-level meetings of the 10-member Association of Southeast Nations (ASEAN) since they seized power in a 2021 coup and unleashed violence on those who challenged their takeover.
But Thailand's outgoing military-backed government invited ASEAN foreign ministers, including the one appointed by Myanmar's junta, to discuss a proposal for the bloc to "fully re-engage Myanmar at the leaders' level", according to an invitation seen by Reuters and verified by sources.
Critics see the meeting as undermining a unified ASEAN approach to the crisis in Myanmar but Thai Prime Minister Prayuth Chan-ocha said talks were necessary to protect his country, which shares a long border with Myanmar.
"We suffer more than others because Thailand has more than 3,000-km shared land border as well as a maritime border," Prayuth told reporters. "That is why the talks are necessary. It is not about taking sides."
Thailand's foreign minister, Don Pramudwinai, said earlier that Myanmar's crisis was sending refugees across the border into Thailand and it had hit trade hard.
"We can say that Thailand is the only country in ASEAN that wants to see the problems end as soon as possible," he told broadcaster Thai PBS.
He said other ASEAN countries "should be thanking us for doing something to help support their main goal".
Myanmar's junta-appointed foreign minister, Than Swe, was due to join the talks, two sources with knowledge of the meeting told Reuters.
But some ASEAN members declined to attend in a clear indication of their disapproval, while others sent junior officials.
Indonesia, which as the current ASEAN chair has for months been trying to engage key stakeholders in Myanmar's conflict in an effort to kick-start a peace process, did not join the talks.
Its foreign minister, Retno Marsudi, said ASEAN had "arrived at no consensus to re-engage or develop new approaches to the Myanmar issue", according to a letter seen by Reuters and verified by a source.
'BETRAYAL'
The military took over in Myanmar in 1962 and suppressed all opposition for decades until it launched a tentative opening up in 2011. But its experiment with democracy, which included elections swept by Nobel Peace Prize laureate Aung San Suu Kyi, came to end when the military ousted her government, reimposed strict military rule and crushed protests.
With Myanmar again drawing Western condemnation and sanctions, ASEAN drew up a five-point plan, including an end to violence, dialogue and humanitarian assistance, but Myanmar's generals have ignored ASEAN's effort to the increasing frustration of the bloc.
Malaysia's foreign minister also declined to attend the talks in Thailand, his ministry said in a statement, adding that it was important for ASEAN to demonstrate unity in support of Indonesia's effort.
Singapore's foreign minister, Vivian Balakrishnan, told a press conference in Singapore with his U.S. counterpart last week that it was "premature to re-engage with the junta" at a high level. It was not immediately clear on Monday if an official from Singapore was attending the talks in Thailand.
Cambodia said Foreign Minister Prak Sokhonn, who last year served as an ASEAN special envoy to Myanmar, would be represented by his deputy. It had said on Friday Prak Sokhonn would lead the Cambodian delegation.
An organisation of Southeast Asian lawmakers, ASEAN Parliamentarians for Human Rights, called the talks a "betrayal of the Myanmar people and an affront to ASEAN unity". (Reuters)
June
Dollar nudges up, sterling near 14-month highs ahead of BoE decision
Written by Nur Yasmin
The dollar edged higher and the UK pound was near a 14-month peak on Monday as investors digested a slew of monetary policy decisions by central banks last week and looked ahead to a crunch decision by the Bank of England on Thursday.
Currency market moves have been dominated by central bank efforts globally to curb high inflation, with the dollar index sliding to its biggest weekly fall since January last week after the U.S. Federal Reserve skipped a rate rise.
The dollar index , which measures the U.S. currency against six major counterparts, ticked up 0.1% to 102.420. It remained not far from a one-month low of 102.00 it touched on Friday. U.S. markets are closed on Monday for a holiday.
Investors expect the Bank of England to hike rates by at least 25 basis points when it meets on Thursday, as it battles inflation running at more than four times its target.
The pound is changing hands near 14-month highs against the dollar on expectations UK rate rises will outpace other major economies. The pound edged down 0.1% at $1.28080.
Money markets place a 74% chance of the BoE opting for a 25 basis points hike and a 26% likelihood of a 50 basis point jump.
In a busy week for central banks last week, the European Central Bank on Thursday raised rates by 25 basis points and left the door open to more hikes, while the Bank of Japan's decision on Friday to stick with its ultra-easy policy kept the yen fragile.
Euro zone inflation is at risk of overshooting recently lifted forecasts and the ECB should err on the side of raising rates too much rather than too little, ECB board member Isabel Schnabel said on Monday.
The bloc's chief economist Philip Lane earlier said the ECB was likely to raise rates again next month but the September meeting is too far away and the decision will be shaped by incoming data.
The euro dipped 0.2% to $1.09230, trading close to a one-month peak, while the yen was broadly flat at 141.840, near a seven-month low of 142.005 earlier on Monday.
Traders will closely watch U.S. congressional testimony scheduled to be given by Federal Reserve chair Jerome Powell on Wednesday and Thursday this week for any hints on the future path for rates in the world's largest economy.
Currency analysts at MUFG said in a note that the testimony was one of the important risk events for the dollar this week, but said they expected similar messaging following the Fed decision last week.
"The Fed was clear that they now felt they could slow the pace of hikes but that the decision to skip a hike this month did not mean the hiking cycle was over," the analysts said.
Markets are pricing in a 72% probability of the Fed hiking by 25 basis points next month, the CME FedWatch tool showed. (Reuters)
June
New Zealand PM Hipkins to visit China, meet President Xi Jinping
Written by Nur Yasmin
New Zealand Prime Minister Chris Hipkins said on Monday he would visit China from June 25 to 30, leading a trade delegation that includes some of the country's biggest companies.
Hipkins will meet President Xi Jinping, Premier Li Qiang, and the chairman of the standing committee of the National People's Congress Zhao Leji during his visit.
"I'm looking forward to meeting with China's leadership through various face to face bilateral meetings, where topics such as climate change, economic stability, regional and global security, human rights, and the war in Ukraine will be discussed," Hipkins said in a statement.
A spokeswoman for China's foreign minister declined to offer details on the upcoming visit, when asked at a regular briefing on Monday.
"What I can tell you is that China values its relations with New Zealand and looks forward to strengthening cooperation with New Zealand in various fields, including the economy and trade," spokeswoman Mao Ning told reporters. (Reuters)
June
China 'deplores' UK security minister's Taiwan meeting
Written by Nur Yasmin
The Chinese embassy in London on Sunday condemned a meeting last week between Britain's security minister, Tom Tugendhat, and Taiwan's digital minister, saying it violated international relations.
Reuters reported on Friday that Tugendhat had met the Taiwanese Digital Affairs Minister Audrey Tang on Wednesday during a rare high-level ministerial trip to Britain. One source said they had discussed mutual security interests.
China considers democratically governed Taiwan as part of its territory and fiercely objects to perceived foreign interference with the island.
"This move seriously violates the one-China principle and the basic norms of international relations," a spokesperson for the Chinese embassy in London said in a statement.
"It sends a seriously wrong signal to the separatist forces for 'Taiwan independence' and grossly interferes in China's internal affairs. China strongly deplores and firmly opposes this."
Britain only has formal diplomatic relations with Beijing, but maintains a de facto embassy in Taipei. Although junior British ministers hold talks with their Taiwanese counterparts, the convention was that senior British ministers do not meet with Taiwanese officials.
Tugendhat, who was sanctioned by China two years ago for speaking out about alleged human rights abuses in Xinjiang, is not a full cabinet minister but attends cabinet meetings in his role as security minister, where he is responsible for countering terrorism, domestic state threats and economic crime.
"We want to make it clear to the UK side that any actions that undermine China's interests will be met with resolute responses," the Chinese embassy spokesperson said. (Reuters)
June
Support for Japan PM Kishida's cabinet slumps, Mainichi Shimbun poll shows
Written by Nur Yasmin
Support for Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida's cabinet slid 12 percentage points to 33%, coming off a peak during a Group of Seven leaders summit in Hiroshima, the Mainichi Shimbun reported on Sunday, citing its own poll.
The disapproval rate rose to 58% from 46% in the previous survey in late May, after a scandal involving Kishida's eldest son and a series of technical problems with the national identity card system, according to Mainichi, which conducted the poll over the weekend.
Approval for the Kishida government had been on the upswing in the run up to the G7, reaching the highest level last month since August 2022, Mainichi said. Some had speculated Kishida would call a snap election in advance of the party leadership race next year.
A separate poll conducted by the Kyodo news agency showed on Sunday that support for Kishida's cabinet sank to 40.8% from 47% in May. (Reuters)
June
North Korea says botched satellite launch was 'gravest failure'
Written by Nur Yasmin
An unusually candid North Korea has said the botched launch of a military satellite last month was the "gravest failure" but it vowed it would soon succeed in its quest, state media reported on Monday.
North Korea's ruling party made the assessment of its May 31 launch at a three-day meeting that ended on Sunday, ordering workers and researchers to analyse the mission that ended with the rocket and its spy satellite pay load plunging into the sea, and to prepare for another launch soon.
Officials "who irresponsibly conducted preparations" for the failed launch were "bitterly criticised" at the meeting, the KCNA state news agency reported.
The rocket failed "after losing thrust due to the abnormal starting of the second-stage engine", North Korea said at the time.
Nuclear-armed North Korea had earlier said it would launch its first military reconnaissance satellite to boost monitoring of U.S. military activities, another step in a military programme that has raised fears of war.
South Korea's navy last week recovered a large, cylindrical part of the rocket, raising it from the sea off the west coast, which experts said could provide clues to the North's rocket development.
The North's state media said the ruling Workers' Party Central Committee also discussed bolstering nuclear capabilities and stepping up production of nuclear weapons.
Leader Kim Jong Un attended the meeting, KCNA said, but it made no mention of whether he made a speech or delivered a report, as he usually does at such important policy-making sessions.
A spokesperson for South Korea's Unification Ministry, which handles relations with the North, said the absence of a report of a speech by Kim was "extremely rare".
That and the blaming of low-ranking officials for the failure of the launch could indicate a loss of confidence, the ministry said.
The party also discussed ensuring sufficient food supplies.
South Korea recently said the food situation in the North, which has in the past suffered famines, "seemed to have deteriorated".
Isolated North Korea is under international sanctions over its nuclear weapons and ballistic missile programmes and its economy was further strained by self-imposed border lockdowns aimed at stopping COVID-19.
Separately, KCNA reported that Kim Yong Chol, a top official who was believed to have been sidelined after a 2019 summit with the U.S. ended in failure, had been named as an alternate member of the Political Bureau of the Party Central Committee. (Reuters)
June
South Korea's Yoon begins foreign tour for 2030 expo bid, Vietnam state visit
Written by Nur Yasmin
South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol departed Seoul for Paris on Monday to support his country's bid to host Expo 2030, part of a foreign trip that will also include meetings with the leaders of France and Vietnam, his office said.
Yoon will address the general assembly of the International Bureau of Expositions (BIE), the organiser of the world fair, to promote South Korea's bid. The meeting runs from June 20-21.
The southeastern South Korean city of Busan faces competition from Saudi Arabia's Riyadh, Italy's Rome and Ukraine's Odesa for the global event. The host country for the 2030 expo is expected to be decided in November.
Yoon will meet with French President Emmanuel Macron on Tuesday.
The two leaders last met in June 2022 in Madrid on the sidelines of a NATO summit and agreed to expand cooperation in the space and nuclear energy sectors.
Yoon will then head to Vietnam on Thursday for a three-day state visit, accompanied by a 205-person business delegation, his office said.
Yoon, who calls himself "the No. 1 salesman" for South Korea, has made business deals and "sales diplomacy" a core element of his foreign trips since taking office.
"It will be the largest business delegation since the launch of the Yoon Suk Yeol administration," Choi Sang-mok, senior presidential secretary for economy, said on Tuesday. (Reuters)
June
Climate change impacts scar Europe, but increase in renewables signals hope for future
Written by nuke
The World Meteorological Organization is the United Nations System’s authoritative voice on Weather, Climate and Water -
Climate change is taking a major human, economic and environmental toll in Europe, the fastest warming continent of the world.
The year 2022 was marked by extreme heat, drought and wildfires. Sea surface temperatures around Europe reached new highs, accompanied by marine heatwaves. Glacier melt was unprecedented.
According to a release received by Voice of Indonesia on Saturday, the State of the Climate in Europe 2022 report, the second in an annual series, was produced jointly by the World Meteorological Organization and the European Union’s Copernicus Climate Change Service.
But, in a sign of hope for the future, renewable energy generated more electricity than polluting fossil fuels for the first time last year. Wind and solar power generated 22.3% of European Union (EU) electricity in 2022, overtaking fossil fuel (20%).
“For the first time, more electricity was generated by wind and solar than by fossil fuel in the EU. Increasing use of renewables and low-carbon energy sources is crucial to reduce dependence on fossil fuels,” said WMO Secretary-General Prof. Petteri Taalas.
“Climate services play a key role in ensuring the resilience of energy systems to climate-related shocks, in planning operations, and in informing measures to increase energy efficiency,” he added.
The report has a special focus on energy and highlights how more extreme weather, including intense heat, heavy precipitation and droughts have growing implications for the supply, demand and infrastructure of Europe’s energy system.
According to a survey of National Meteorological and Hydrological Services (NMHSs) conducted by the WMO, 83% of Members in Europe reported providing climate services for energy.
However, less than half provide climate predictions for the energy sector. There is therefore untapped potential of NMHSs to support the energy transition.
The WMO State of the Climate in Europe 2021, is the second edition of climate reports to be published annually by the World Meteorological Organization’s Regional Association for Europe (WMO-RA6) and the European Union's Earth observation programme, Copernicus Climate Change Service (C3S)//VOI
June
Australian war hero found complicit in Afghan murders says he is devastated by ruling, but will not apologise
Written by Nur Yasmin
Australia's most decorated war veteran, found by a civil court to have played a part in the murder of four Afghans while serving in Afghanistan, said he was devastated by what he called an "incorrect" judgement and he would not apologise for his actions.
In his first public comments since the court ruling, Ben Roberts-Smith, holder of the Victoria Cross and other top military honours, said he remained proud of his actions in Afghanistan, where he served in the Special Air Service on six tours from 2006 to 2012.
An Australian federal court judge on June 1 dismissed Roberts-Smith's defamation case against three newspapers for articles accusing him of violating the rules of engagement and killing unarmed Afghans. In his ruling the judge said the newspapers had proven substantial truth in their reporting. read more
"I'm devastated with the result, it's a terrible outcome and it's the incorrect outcome," Roberts-Smith told television network Nine Entertainment (NEC.AX) at Perth Airport baggage claim late on Wednesday.
"We haven't done anything wrong so we won't be making any apologies," he added.
Asked if he remained proud of his actions in Afghanistan, Roberts-Smith replied "of course I am."
The civil court defamation finding required a lower threshold of proof than a criminal court would. Roberts-Smith, 44, whose portrait hangs in the Australian War Memorial, has not been charged with any crimes.
Still, the judgment was embraced by the defendants and representatives of the media and defence industries as a win for public interest journalism and transparency in relation to Australia's military conduct abroad.
Roberts-Smith was not in court for the judgment, which followed 110 days of hearings spread over a year, and was photographed by media in Bali, Indonesia, at the time. He was more recently photographed in New Zealand, where he caught a flight to Australia.
"We will look at it (the judgement) and consider whether or not we need to file an appeal," Roberts-Smith said in the brief airport interview. "We'll just have to work through it and I'll take the advice as it comes." (Reuters)