World Today: Peace Council Talks Delayed by Iran War

Indonesian Foreign Minister Sugiono said that talks on the Gaza Board of Peace, formed by US President Donald Trump, have been postponed because of the war in the Middle East. The US and Israel air campaign against Iran has killed dozens of civilians, disrupted global air transport, and driven oil prices higher after the Strait of Hormuz was closed. ‘All BoP talks are on hold, with all attention shifted to the situation in Iran,’ Sugiono said. ‘If our BoP remains the same, we are consulting with our Gulf partners, because they are also being attacked and are members of the BoP.’ Indonesia’s participation in the board has drawn criticism from experts and Muslim groups who say it undermines long-term support for the Palestinian cause. Dozens of Iranian sailors’ bodies have been found. The US military attacked an Iranian warship off Sri Lanka, where police have found the bodies of 87 sailors to date. This occurred as Donald Trump said the US was making ‘tremendous progress’ against Iran. Türkiye said NATO air defence had destroyed ballistic missiles fired by Iran into its airspace, marking the first time a member of the alliance has become involved in the widening conflict. The Nepal general election is taking place today (05/03), the first since youth-led protests in September demanding an end to corruption. Nepal has changed its government 32 times since 1990, hindering its largely agrarian economy and forcing millions to work abroad. Nearly 19 million of Nepal’s 30 million people are eligible to vote for 275 MPs, with 165 directly elected and 110 through proportional representation. Around one million voters, largely young, have strengthened calls to overhaul Nepal’s political system and reform the economy to create better-paying jobs. The partner of a serving UK Labour MP is reported to be one of three men arrested on suspicion of assisting Chinese intelligence. Counter-terrorism officers arrested a 39-year-old in London, a 68-year-old, and a 43-year-old in Wales; all three were detained. Their names were not disclosed, in line with UK police practice, but British media reported that one of the men is the partner of a serving Labour MP. Joani Reid, the Labour MP for East Kilbride, Glasgow, said she had ‘never seen anything that would make me suspect my husband has broken the law.’