Foreign Tit Bits Today
By Yadnom Awu/Asaba
Angola
Angolans Protest Rising Cost of Living
Thousands of Angolans have protested the rising cost of living as prices of essentials skyrocket.
The protests in Luanda are the biggest so far in the recent history of the country whose demography is steeped in poverty despite being the second largest exporter of crude oil after Nigeria.
The cost of living in the country has risen steeply of late following significant cuts to government ‘s funding of utilities and rising cost of petrol after the review of subsidies.
The Angolan government recently exfoliated its subsidy on petrol, the major fuel of the country’s major land- based transport module..
Greece
Greece Seeks EU’s Help Over Active Fires
Greek has sought the support of the European Union( EU) to battle raging fires near Athens.
The fires have been burning since last week, and show no signs of abating.
Thousands of square kilometres of wild fires have been burning since last week, fuelled by unusually strong winds and hot weather.
However, there appears to be relief in the horizon, following forecasts of ebbing wings and coming rains.
The wild fires have devastated large swathes of land in and around the ancient city of Athens.
Thousands of persons have been displaced by the fires.
Thailand
Thai, Cambodian Leaders Laud Trump On Intervention As Conflict Enters Fourth Day
Leaders of both Thailand and Cambodia have separately commended American President Donald Trump, for his intervention in their common border crisis.
In separate responses to the intervention of the American President, both said they were ready to end the conflict and resume diplomatic relations.
Trump had, aside from diplomatic intervention, threatened to impose stiff sanctions on both counties if they failed to reach an agreement for a peace deal.
He gave no deadline.
The Trump intervention came as both countries continued to trade heavy artillery fire across their common border.
More than 200,000 persons have been displaced on both sides of the border.
Meanwhile, hostilities have continued between the troops of both countries for a fourth day.
Early this morning, both sides exchanged heavy artillery fire, even as the war of words continued.
Official accounts say that 31 persons have been killed on both sides.
Scotland
Hundreds Protest Trump’s Gaza Policy, Others
Hundreds of Scots have protested against the policies of the American government on Gaza, Climate Change
and immigration.
The protests in Turnberry came as the President of America, Donald Trump, spent his first day in the small Scottish town during his five -day visit.
The protesters called for an end to Israel ‘s war in Gaza and for the significant upscaling of humanitarian supplies into the enclave, under the aegis of the United Nations, UN.
Other grounds of protests included Trump’s immigration policy and its position on Climate Change.
Trump had ordered a stricter immigration policy typified by the forced deportation of migrants as well as lax support for efforts to remediate and reverse the effects of Climate Change.
He has also threatened to scrap the Constitutionally- guaranteed birthright citizenship for children born in America.
America, despite growing popular criticisms, remains a staunch supporter of Israel’ s policies in Gaza and the occupied West Bank.
Trump, who is maternally from Scotland, is due to open his second Golf Course in Aberdeen, which is the crude oil headquarters of Europe, during his visit.
Israel..
Israeli Commandos Intercept Humanitarian Boat In International Waters
Israeli troops, on Saturday night, intercepted an aid boat.
The boat was headed for the embattled enclave of Gaza when it was Intercepted and boarded by heavily armed troops
.
All 21 activists and journalists on board were promptly arrested by the Commandos in international waters off the Gaza Coast.
The boat, Hamdala, was ferrying baby formula and teddy bears for starving Gazans children.
By official accounts, 85 Gazan children have died of starvation since Israel began its war on Gaza 21 months ago.
The interception of the boat brings to two, the number of humanitarian vessels seized on the seas by Israeli Commandos,after a similar incident involving Madleen.
For decades, Israel has imposed a sea, land and air blockade on Gaza, citing its security concerns.
Gaza
Israel Offers Aid Corridors, Combat Pauses
Israel has announced paltry measures to enhance aid distribution in Gaza, as criticism.mounts over its conduct in Gaza and the West Bank.
It now says it would enforce a combat pause in designated densely populated areas, and also create aud corridors for the enhanced humanitarian supplies.
An Israeli Defence Force (IDF) statement said it would observe a 10 – hour pause daily to ensure enhanced deluveries to the needy in the Gaza strip , and also create safe corridors for the delivery and distribution of humanitarian supplies into the embattled strip .
The move comes as Israel ‘s traditional allies, including Britain, France and Germany, have called out Tel- Aviv for its crippling blockade on Gaza and its extreme restrictions in humanitarian supplies in the strip.
The latest moves of the Jewish state come against the backdrop of the developments in Israel where the courts and the Parliament, popularly called the Knesset, have proceeded on annual holidays.
