Over 300 dead in Pakistan floods

Today's headlines: Israel wants to transfer Gazans to South Sudan, Hamas “softens” demands; Diplomatic success for Moscow, but no agreement on Ukraine after Putin meets Trump in Alaska; Seoul baulks at Japanese ministers visit to the war shrine; Hundreds poisoned in Indonesian President Prabowo's free meal programme; The UN says there were “war crimes” in last March's sectarian violence against Alawites.

PAKISTAN

Over 300 people have died in recent days due to severe monsoon floods and landslides in Pakistan and in the Islamabad-administered Kashmir. Most of the deaths, 180, were recorded in the mountainous province of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. At least 30 houses were destroyed and a rescue helicopter crashed during the operations, killing the five crew members. Heavy rains are expected until 21 August.

ISRAEL - PALESTINE

South Sudan and Israel are discussing an agreement to resettle Palestinians from war-torn Gaza in the troubled African nation, a plan already rejected and branded unacceptable by Palestinian leaders. On the talks front, Hamas negotiators have signalled a willingness to ease the demands that caused previous rounds of negotiations to collapse, although the gap between the sides remains wide. Finally, yesterday, National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir visited in prison the long-time Palestinian leader, telling him ‘you will not win,’ while a government colleague promised to ‘bury’ the idea of a Palestinian state.

RUSSIA - UNITED STATES

A diplomatic success for Moscow, which shows that it is not as isolated as its enemies claim, and a substantial stalemate in terms of progress on the conflict in Ukraine. This is the summary of the meeting that took place yesterday in Alaska between US President Donald Trump and his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin, the first time they have met on US soil since 2007, apart from meetings at the UN. The tycoon wanted to sign a ceasefire in Ukraine, while the Kremlin leader reiterated that “security threats” must first be eliminated (blocking Kiev's entry into NATO and substantially reducing its military force). After three hours of talks, including 10 minutes alone and without interpreters, the two leaders held a very brief press conference without answering questions from journalists.

SOUTH KOREA - JAPAN

The South Korean government expressed ‘deep disappointment and regret’ over yesterday's visit by Japanese officials to the Yasukuni Shrine, which Seoul says ‘glorifies Japan's war of aggression and sanctions crimes.’ The delegation also included two ministers from the Tokyo government, which yesterday celebrated the 80th anniversary of (defeat in) World War II. Emperor Naruhito expressed ‘deep remorse’ for the events related to the conflict.

INDONESIA

Over 360 people showed symptoms of poisoning in Sragen, central Java, after eating free school lunches as part of the “free meals” programme strongly promoted by President Prabowo Subianto. This is the largest case of food poisoning since the programme was launched last January, marked by similar events across the archipelago with a thousand cases.

SYRIA

Members of the interim government forces linked to HTS and fighters loyal to the former regime of Bashar al-Assad have most likely committed “war crimes” in sectarian violence in March, in which around 1,400 people died. This is according to a UN report focusing on clashes in the Alawite-majority area. Meanwhile, foreign fighters and others who joined the civil war from abroad have applied for citizenship from the Islamist government.

AZERBAIJAN - RUSSIA

Azerbaijan did not send any representatives to the meeting of interior ministers of the former Soviet countries of the CIS in St Petersburg, with an explicit refusal from the minister in Baku, Vilayat Ejvazov. This decision highlighted the deepening crisis in relations between Azerbaijan and Russia, with Russian Minister Vladimir Kolokoltsev denouncing an attempt to “rewrite our history”.

TURKMENISTAN - IRAN

Turkmenistan and Iran have agreed to build two new railway lines in the border area of Sarakhs. This was announced by the head of the Iranian railways, Jabbar Ali Zakeri, and the Turkmen transport minister, Mammet Akmammedov, after negotiations in Turkmenbashi during the UN conference. The aim is to “ensure a crucial hub for relations between Iran and Central Asia in the North-South Corridor”.

• Asia
• Today