Sameera Casmod | sameerac@radioislam.co.za
07 March 2024 | 10:08 a.m. SAST
2 minute read

Australia and the leaders of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN)  on Wednesday called for an “immediate and durable” ceasefire in the besieged Gaza Strip.

A meeting held in Melbourne, Australia, concluded with a call for an immediate and durable ceasefire in the besieged Gaza Strip.

This is indicative of a global shift towards solidarity with Palestine and condemnation of Israel’s onslaught on Palestine, Ashraf Patel, a Master of Arts graduate from the Graduate School of Public and Development Management at WITS , said earlier this morning on Radio Islam International.

“The nations urge for an immediate and durable ceasefire, and they call for rapid, safe, unimpeded, and sustained humanitarian access to those in need, including at border crossings and the sea,” Patel reports.

In a shift in stance, Canada has also called for an immediate ceasefire and announced plans to refund the UN Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA) for Palestine refugees.

In Thailand, 10 million people were treated for pollution-related illnesses in 2023, reports state. Widespread farm burnings and forest fires, particularly in the northern regions, contribute to the country’s poor air quality. Prime Minister Thavisin has pledged to address the issue, with lawmakers endorsing a new air quality bill. However, concerns persist about the impact of pollution on public health and the emergence of “bad air quality refugees.”

“Nations like Thailand, India, and others are having a lot of refugees leaving the megacities for rural areas and other parts of the world because of the high pollution and smog,” Patel says.

Four Filipino crew members were injured in a collision in the disputed South China Sea. Involved in the collision earlier this week were a Phillippine and Chinese vessel. As competition between China and the United States intensifies, the South China Sea has become a

A collision between Philippine and Chinese vessels in the disputed South China Sea highlights ongoing tensions in the region. As competition between China and the U.S. intensifies, the South China Sea has become a strategic hotspot.

“As global competition gets more intense, you’re going to see, basically, the Chinese Navy becoming more assertive and definitely beginning to police the corridors of the South China Sea, which is a strategic strait for trade, global trade,” Patel explains.

Analysts warn of the potential for a larger naval confrontation between the two powers, with the Philippines navigating complex alliances and the return of the Marcos dynasty to power.

Listen to the Asia-Pacific Report on Sabaahul Muslim with Moulana Sulaimaan Ravat.