By Yadnom Awu/Asaba
Bangladesh
Court Sentences Ex-PM Hasina To Death
..Convict Rejects Verdict
A court in Dhaka, the capital of Bangladesh, has sentenced the former Prime Minister, Sheikh Hasina, to death for crimes against humanity.
Delivering judgment today in the case which was held in absentia because the former Prime Minister had fled the country to India during a massive student -led protest at her employment policy which critics said was skewed in favour of a certain section of the society, the court held her guilty of the massacre of protesters by security personnel under her watch as Commander-In- Chief
It is estimated that more than 187 protesters were killed by security men and in excess of 1,000 others arrested during the uprising.
Reacting to the verdict, Hasina in a release to the media from her base in India, Hasina described the judgment as biased and politically- motivated.
She said she was ready to face trial before a transparent and competent court where the charges against her and the evidence adduced by the state could be weighed on an even scale.
Sudan
UN Seeks Urgent Access To Al- Fasher
The United Nations (UN) is seeking urgent unimpeded access to the city of Al-Fasher.
The UN Humanitarian Chief, Tom Fletcher, made the disclosure.
He told the media that the UN had requested the rebel Rapid Support Forces (RSF) which controls the area, to grant it urgent access to enable it to deliver humanitarian supplies
.
Fletcher said the UN was deeply worried that hundreds of thousands of civilians trapped in the city remained without adequate food, water, sanitation and medicines because of the obstruction caused by the RSF.
The UN and other credible sources had said that more than 200,000 civillians remained trapped in the city after about half of that number fled in protest at the activities of the RSF which has been roundly accused of mass rape, extortion, massacres and abductions.
Civilians who fled the city have alleged that the rebel group had deployed summary executions and mass rape as instruments of war.
The city fell to the RSF three weeks ago after it was besieged for nearly two years.
France
Zelensky, in Paris, Signs military Assets Deal With Macron
The President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelensky, has signed an testament to interest deal with his host and President of France, Emmanuel Macron.
The deal includes the purchase of 100 units of advanced fighter jets from France over the next 10 years
It equally provides for the procurement of air defence systems and radar.
This afternoon,both leaders had a working luncheon in Paris.
The visit is part of the working tour of European states by Zelensky who is eager to shore up the support of the EU for his country in the face of slow but steady battle field gains by invading Russian forces.
Both France and Britain have been at the forefront of the formation of the so- called Coalition of the Willing by European states.
The coalition hopes to form and fund a peace keeping force to protect Ukraine, once a peace deal is signed with Russia.
United Kingdom
UK Unfolds New Migration Policy Today
The Labour- led British Government is set to announce tight new migration rules today.
To be unfolded later today in London, the new policy would significantly curb migrants and asylum seekers ‘ rights, ease deportation processes, and exponentially increase the time asylum seekers apply for permanent residency.
It is expected to reduce the initial period granted asylum seekers before they can apply for permanent residency from 5 years by half,to two- and- a- half years.
By the same token, it is expected to increase from 5 years to 20, years the period for asylum seekers to apply for permanent residency.
Some 39,000 migrants have entered the country this year, according to data from the office of the Secretary for zhime Office , Shabana Mahmood.
The new policy to be unfolded today apes the Danish module which has helped the country to reduce miigrants number to a 40- year low.
America
Trump Asks Republicans To Vote For Full Release of Epstein Files
In a dramatic volte- face, the President of America, Donald Trump, has urged members of his party ( Republicans) in the Congress to vote for the full release of the Jeffrey Epstein files.
The dramatic move by Trump maybe due to intelligence that many of his party members were reluctant to heed his earlier call for them to vote against the full release of the files.
The Democrats recently released 2,300 pages of the files which critics say named Trump in at least three places.
Both Democrats and many Republicans fear a cover up by the Presidency, whom critics, including journalists, say knows more than he is publicly acknowledging regarding the activities of Jeffrey Epstein, a serial sex offender who died in prison, allegedly by suicide, while serving conviction terms.
Trump has repeatedly denied any links to Epstein but media publication of the mutual exchange of affectionate letters have done little to douse public suspicions of his cover up.
He has threatened to order the Federal Bureau of Investigations and the Department of Justice to probe the alleged links of top Democrats, including Bill Clinton, to Epstein.
