Asif Zardari set to be the president of Pakistan again, PTI lost the game



International Desk, Barta24.com
ছবি: সংগৃহীত

ছবি: সংগৃহীত

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After 2013, Asif Ali Zardari, co-chairman of Pakistan People's Party (PPP), the former president of the country, is going to be the president again for the second time. Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) and PPP finalized such a decision in a midnight meeting on Tuesday (February 20). The PML-N-PPP gave the information on Wednesday (February 21) after the consensus.

This information has been reported by the Pakistani media Dawn and news agency AFP.

According to the report, Pakistan, which is plagued with economic tension, is almost bankrupt. As of January 26, the country's reserves were only 8.21 billion dollars. By the end of the year, the global debt will be 7 billion dollars.

The report also says that Shehbaz Sharif, the younger brother of Pakistan's former prime minister and PML-N leader Nawaz Sharif, is going to be the country's prime minister. Shehbaz became the prime minister in 2022 after ousting popular leader and former prime minister Imran Khan. The Sharifs are one of the Pakistani families that have ruled Pakistan for decades. On the other hand, Khan's party Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) is set to lose to the alliance despite getting more votes.

Asif Ali Zardari was born in 1955 into a prominent Baloch family of the Nawabshah of Sindh. His political career began in 1987. Zardari was also jailed for several years on corruption charges. He was married to a prominent political family of Pakistan. His wife Benazir Bhutto was the daughter of the former Prime Minister of the country. who herself later became the prime minister. A year after their marriage, Benazir Bhutto assumed the post of prime minister in 1987. Pakistan's first woman prime minister.

The same year, Zardari began his own political career as a member of the National Assembly. While prime minister, Bhutto invited Ali Zardari to join his administration as Pakistan's minister of Investment and Environment which created a lot of controversy. The opposition accused Zardari of widespread corruption during his time in the cabinet. He was also accused of embezzling public funds. Since then, due to corruption and scandal, he was called 'Mr. 'Ten Percent' is given the title. In other words, without 10 percent commissions, he would not advance a step forward. Both the opposition and government investigators alleged that Zardari had smuggled hundreds of millions of dollars out of the country. He was in jail from 1997 to 2004, although the charges were not proved.

Before 2007, Ali Zardari was not a well-known face outside of Pakistan. But after militants killed his wife, Zardari's name came to the international stage. After the death of Benazir Bhutto, he was easily elected to the presidency in 2008, gaining public sympathy. But his journey to higher political power was once again marred by controversy and allegations of widespread corruption. He has repeatedly faced allegations of misconduct and corruption in his political career. However, nothing was proved in court. He is also known as a shrewd political leader. Last year Dawn reported that Asif Ali Zardari is undoubtedly one of the most intelligent political figures in the country.

During his tenure as president, he signed two bills to provide harsher punishments for various crimes against women. The first bill called for severe punishment for forcibly marrying women under various customs and depriving them of their rightful inheritance. The second bill demands stricter punishment for those involved in acid attacks.

   

Netanyahu in fear of ICC arrest



International Desk, Barta24.com
photo: Collected

photo: Collected

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Israel's attack on Gaza did not stop. The death procession is increasing every day under the orders of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. The Israeli army is not paying attention to the ongoing movement around the world. On the other hand, Tel Aviv is listening to the calls of pro-Palestinian world leaders.

Killing, torture and destruction are being carried out indiscriminately in violation of international law. The blockaded area is being gradually completed, including women and children. On the other hand, the world is not able to do anything about such activities in Israel.

But now it is known that the International Criminal Court (ICC) may issue an arrest warrant against the Prime Minister of Israel.

This is what the country's local media reported on Saturday (April 27). According to The New Arab, citing unnamed sources, Maariv newspaper reported that Netanyahu is under stress and panic over the threat of an ICC arrest warrant.

Not only Netanyahu, but also some of his prominent officials may receive this arrest notice, according to reports in the Israeli media.

According to Israeli media reports, the names of the country's Defense Minister Yoav Galant and Army Chief of Staff Herzi Halevi will be included in the list. Senior government officials held an emergency meeting in Tel Aviv this week to discuss that possibility.

In the meantime, Netanyahu has spoken on the phone with international friends, especially US President Joe Biden, to prevent the arrest warrant. It is not clear when an arrest warrant may be issued, and it is not standard for courts to disclose such information.

But fears of an arrest warrant against Netanyahu were first aired on Thursday by British-pro-Israel commentator Douglas Murray in an opinion piece in the US tabloid New York Post.

A warrant could be issued within days, Murray wrote. Netanyahu will not immediately face trial. But it would be a major blow to the prime minister on the world stage and put pressure on Israel's allies and ICC members to act.

Earlier in an interview on Friday, Netanyahu wrote, "Israel's natural and self-defense rights are undermined, and this country will not accept any such efforts by the ICC under my leadership." Threats to seize military officers of the Middle East's only democracy and the world's only Jewish state are outrageous. We will never bow down to it.'

Senior Israeli officials are said to be concerned about what such a warrant would mean for military operations against Hamas in Gaza.

Israel's Channel 13 broadcaster quoted officials as saying they believed the tribunal would target policy makers rather than junior soldiers.

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20 soldiers were killed in an explosion at an army base in Cambodia



International Desk, Barta24.com
Picture: Collected

Picture: Collected

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An ammunition explosion at a military base on Cambodia's western border has killed 20 soldiers. Prime Minister Hun Manet said the explosion happened on Saturday afternoon.

Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Manet said on Facebook that the explosion occurred at a military base in Kampong Speu province in western Cambodia.

He said, we are deeply shocked by this. However, the cause of the explosion is not yet known.

Expressing his condolences to the families of the slain soldiers, he said that the funeral expenses of the deceased would be paid.

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Endangered hippos stranded in dry rivers in Botswana amid severe drought



International Desk, Barta24.com , Dhaka
photo: collected

photo: collected

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African countries are suffering from severe drought. A herd of endangered hippos trapped in the mud of a dry reservoir in the drought-stricken African country of Botswana is at risk of dying.

South Africa has been hit by severe drought due to El Nino weather, AFP reported. Crops in the region are under threat, millions of people are starving. Several countries in the region have recently declared national disasters.

Herds of hippos become trapped in dried-up rivers near the vast wetlands of the Okavango Delta in northern Botswana.

Lesego Moseki, spokesman for the Department of Wildlife and National Parks (DWNP) in Botswana's capital Gaborone, said the river system had dried up and the animals were in a compromised situation.

Botswana is home to the world's largest population of hippos living in the wild. According to the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN), there are approximately 2,000 to 4,000 hippos.

Moseki said hippos in Ngamiland (North West District) depend on water flowing through the Okavango Delta system. They are still investigating how many hippos died in the pools.

Hippos have thick but sensitive skin. They need to bathe regularly in water to avoid sunburn and they usually live in humid areas.

Without water they can become aggressive and approach villages. Local authorities have called for the hippos to be relocated to protected areas to avoid conflict with humans.

El Niño is a naturally occurring climate pattern usually associated with global warming, leading to drought in some parts of the world and heavy rainfall in others.

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India has allowed onion export to 6 countries including Bangladesh



International Desk, Barta24.com, Dhaka
Photo: Barta24

Photo: Barta24

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India has approved the export of 99 thousand 150 tons of onions to 6 countries including Bangladesh. Other countries are - United Arab Emirates, Bhutan, Bahrain, Mauritius and Sri Lanka.

This information was given on the website of the Government of India on Saturday (April 27).

It said onion exports were banned to ensure domestic supply due to lower kharif and rabi seasons in the country in 2023-24 compared to the previous year. This increases the demand in the international market. Indian agency National Cooperation Exports Limited (NCEL) exports onions to these countries. They procure onions from internal sources through e-platform at lowest price (L1). Then, on a 100% advance payment basis, the rates are negotiated and supplied to the agencies or government-designated agencies in the destination countries.

NCEL fixes the prices with the buyers taking into consideration the prices of the countries where onion is bought, international and domestic prices. Now the quotas are allocated according to the demand of the countries where onion export is allowed.

Maharashtra is the largest onion producer in India. They are the largest supplier of onions to NCEL for export.

Earlier, Bangladesh had sent a formal letter to the Indian government to allow the export of certain quantities of onion to reduce the price of onion in the country's market during the holy month of Ramadan.

In addition, the country's government has allowed the export of additional 2000 metric tons of white onion. These onions are mainly exported to Middle East and some European countries. Due to the high production cost of white onion, its price is relatively high.

India is the world's largest onion exporter. The country's government had imposed a ban on onion exports till March 31, 2024 in December last year to maintain supply in the domestic market. Later it was extended indefinitely. The new decision to export onions is good news for India's friendly countries.

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