Afternoon Global Tit Bits
Compiled by Yadnom Awu/ Asaba
Austria
An urgent session of the Governing Board of the International Atomic Energy Agency, IAEA, is holding in Vienna, Austria.
Called at the instance of nuclear super power, Russia, the session is discussing the ongoing Israeli military onslaught on the nuclear facilities of Iran.
The bombardments are into the fourth day, and the meeting is likely to reiterate its earlier call for the cessation of attacks on the facilities,which experts fear could trigger radioactivity at the sites and endanger human life and the environment.
The IAEA had, at the onset of the bombardments, called them a dangerous development that was illegal under international law.
Canada
A meeting of the Group of Seven (G-7) holds later today in Alberta, Canada.
It comes against the backdrop of the unilateral high heel tariff regime imposed on more than 100 different countries by the administration of American leader, Donald Trump.
The meeting also comes against the recent visit to that country by King Charles, the British monarch, Her Head of State and Head of the Commonwealth.
During the visit, King Charles affirmed the British support for Canada, a member of the Commonwealth, but which Trump had consistently hinted could become America’s 51st state, an indirect reference to its possible annexation.
Leaders of the North American country and geographic neighbour to America had described the Trump hints as unrealistic and an overreach.
The G-7 meeting is likely to dwell on the tariff regimes and the security situation in the Middle East, where Israel is waging war against both Palestine,its occupied territory, and Iran.
Iran
Israeli airplanes continued their sorties on targets across Teheran and other Iranian cities today as residents began to flee the capital city.
On the fourth day of such assaults, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu boasted today that the Israeli Air Force had established control over Iranian airspace.
He did not elaborate but if confirmed, could signal a remarkable breakthrough for the pilots who had been firing from Iraqi airspace, well away from Iran’ s air defence systems.
Netanyahu ‘s claim comes against the backdrop of the release of official figures of casualties of the Israeli military campaign
Teheran said 220 persons had been killed and up to 800 others wounded in the strikes by the Israeli military, since Friday.
Israel
The Israeli government today admitted that 24 persons had been killed in Iranian military strikes on Tel-Aviv and other parts of the country.
It also said that around 400 others had been injured in the attacks which entered their fourth day today
The government ‘s tally of casualties implies that at least 11 new deaths were recorded in overnight strikes.
The fatality figure had stood at 13 by nightfall on Sunday, and the significant increase comes against the backdrop of two developments: the deployment of new projectiles by Teheran in its attacks and the adoption of a swifter , earlier pre- strike warning system by Israel.
In most cities and towns, Israeli citizens are huddled in underground air shelters in an attempt to significantly reduce the impact on humans by incoming enemy fire.
Iran began deploying its manoeuvreable ballistic missiles in the war situations on Sunday
India
The death toll in the Indian Dream liner aircraft crash has climbed to 270, according to the Indian government.
Officials had said that the plane which crashed just minutes after take- off from the Ahmedabad Airport enroute Gatwick Airport in London, had 242 passengers and crew, out of which only one survived.
The aircraft crashed into a residential area, specifically into a hostel for medical doctors in training.
The doctors were having lunch when the giant liner smashed into their hostel.
Many doctors are among those who eventually died In the impacted area.
The air crash was the first in a series of mishaps to afflict India in the week.
A second air crash, this time involving a chopper, followed, before last night’s bridge collapse in which there are feared to be scores of casualties.
America
The Federal Bureau of Investigations,FB, has announced the arrest of the man suspected of shooting a Minnesota lawmaker, Melissa, and her husband, John.
Both died in the assault.
Vance L Boelter, 57, also allegedly shot another Democrat lawmaker, John Hoffman, and his spouse, Yvette, though both survived and have undergone successful surgeries.
The police believe that Boelter acted alone , though the motive for his actions had yet to be established.
The FBI said Boelter is a private security operative, who had helped in training American human military assets.
