WORLD ROUNDUP: ‘No King’ protest rocks US, Israel-Iran war escalates, death toll mounts in India
Yinka ADETUNJI
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Some parts of the world are convulsing. Here is a brief.
Israel – Iran war enters 3rd day
The alleged advance in Iran’s nuclear program has continued to alarm the State of Israel believing that should Iran develop nuclear warheads it will pose existential threats to it. Iran is committed to destroying Israel and the latter knows if it has nuclear weapons its nation will be imperiled. Though Iran has insisted its nuclear program is not intended for weapons but safe energy, Israel under Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is taking no chances. US has been holding nuclear talks with Iran to have a deal on the matter even as the UN has accused Iran of shirking obligations on the matter. The U.N.’s atomic watchdog censured Iran last week for not complying with its obligations. But fearing the talks between US and Iran could hold it back and ultimately endanger its survival, Israel launched preemptive airstrikes against nuclear program sites and other military targets in Iran on Friday, leading to about 78 deaths according to reports. Top military personnel as well as about eight scientists were decimated in the sudden attacks. Over 320 others including civilians reportedly also died. US President Donald Trump has urged Iran to come to the discussion table or “nothing will be left of Iran.” Iran has also launched reprisal attacks against its archenemy during which a total of thirteen persons reportedly died and over 100 others injured. The war has now entered its third day even as world leaders have called for de-escalation of the strikes. But Israel says it is just starting – it codenamed its campaign “Operation Rising Lion.” Iran’s allies through which it fought proxy wars against Isreal in the past have been badly degraded and only offered sympathy to Iran, no military aid. Domestic political concerns, as well as tough losses suffered in nearly two years of regional conflicts and upheavals, appear to have led these Iran allies to take a back seat in the latest round convulsing the region. Hamas in Gaza, Hezbollah in Lebanon and Shiites militias in Iraq have lost much of their capabilities sequel to recent encounters with Israel. Houthi rebels in Syria is geographically far removed and and poses no danger. After Iran was accused of targeting civilian populations Israel has vowed, “Tehran will burn,” its latest strikes which hit fuel terminals in the capital has really ensured “Tehran is burning.”
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‘No King’ protest in US
Cities in the United States of America are experiencing protests and demonstrations over what is termed President Trump’s high handedness especially its government’s crackdown on immigrants. Protests are spreading blaring anti-authoritarian chants mixed with support for protecting democracy and immigrant rights. The protesters, said to be in their millions, are claiming the people are the “Kings” and not the President. Organizers of the “No Kings” demonstrations said millions had marched in hundreds of events. Governors across the U.S. had urged calm and vowed no tolerance for violence, while some mobilized the National Guard ahead of marchers gathering. The situation is escalating.
Death toll from Air India crash mounts
India woke to a devastating plane crash in Ahmedabad on Thursday. The death toll according to doctors has risen to 270.
The London-bound aircraft crashed into a residential area shortly after take-off killing all but one of the 242 passengers, a 40-year-old British man.
Officials have also been trying to establish how many people were killed on the ground and have been continuing the slow process of matching DNA samples to confirm the victims’ identities.
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