Asia, Middle East, News Watch, Side Feature, South Asia

News Review 08/03/2023

Details:
China Foreign Minister Warns of Potential for Conflict with US
Zionist Entity’s Judicial Reform Protests Spread
Pakistan Bans Airing of Imran Khan Speeches

China Foreign Minister Warns of Potential for Conflict with US

The US and China are heading towards inevitable conflict if Washington does not change its approach, China’s new foreign minister has said in a fiery press conference in which he defended his country’s strengthening relationship with Russia. In his first media appearance as foreign minister, Qin Gang outlined China’s foreign policy agenda for the coming years, presenting China and its relationship with Russia as a beacon of strength and stability, and the US and its allies as a source of tension and conflict. Qin said the US side claimed that it wanted to outcompete China but didn’t seek conflict “but in reality, the US side’s so-called competition is all-out containment and suppression, a zero-sum game where you die and I live. Qin reiterated that China could offer solutions to global challenges, but others “were hogging the microphone”. These are fighting words from China, they just now need to be translated into firm practical actions.

Zionist Entity’s Judicial Reform Protests Spread

Fighter pilots in a Zionist Air Force squadron have vowed not to attend training, in an unprecedented protest against the government. Nearly all of the 40 reservist pilots from 69th Squadron have refused to join a one-day training exercise due to the unparalleled political move by some of the Zionists entity most strategically important reservists. One unnamed pilot told the Ynet news website that the squadron was “signalling that we won’t be prepared to serve a dictatorial regime”. This is just the latest sign of growing opposition to the ruling coalition’s plans to overhaul the legal system. Benjamin Netanyahu’s new government — which took office in December 2022 — first unveiled the judicial reforms in January. The changes would give the government full control over who is appointed to the Supreme Court (as opposed to the committee system that currently includes judges and judicial experts); block the Supreme Court from overturning the country’s quasi-constitutional Basic Laws (The zionist entity has no formal written constitution) and enable the Zionist parliament to override Supreme Court decisions with a majority vote. The government and its right-wing supporters claim the reforms are aimed at reining in a court system that they say acts too often in the interests of a narrow segment of society against the will of the masses. The Zionist entity despite its arrogance has a divided politics system, with multiple parties who are trying to pull the settler nation in different direction. This latest act is creating a huge fracture, that has been growing for some time.

Pakistan Bans Airing of Imran Khan Speeches

Pakistan’s media regulator has banned television channels from broadcasting speeches and news conferences by Imran Khan, accusing the former prime minister of attacking the state’s institutions and promoting hatred. The Pakistan Electronic Media Regulatory Authority (PEMRA) imposed the ban after Khan gave a speech in the eastern city of Lahore, where he alleged that former army chief General Qamar Javed Bajwa was behind his removal from power in April last year. The cricketer-turned-politician made the speech after police from the capital Islamabad made an attempt to arrest him in a corruption case. Khan, who denies the charges, evaded the arrest. In its notification, the PEMRA said Khan was “levelling baseless allegations and spreading hate speech through his provocative statements against state institutions and officers which is prejudicial to the maintenance of law and order and is likely to disturb public peace and tranquillity”. Imran Khan was once the darling of the establishment and was swept to power by his calls for tabdeeli (change) and a new Pakistan based on the Madina state. Fast forward 4 years nd Khan’s in the same position as most of Pakistan’s previous leaders who are thrown aside when their use is no longer needed. Khan is playing a dangerous game against the army leadership, but he feels he has sufficient ground support to carry on undermining the army leadership.