Latest news with #WorkingGroup
Scoop
20-07-2025
- Politics
- Scoop
UN Experts Call For End To Anguish Of Families Seeking Truth About Disappeared Loved Ones In The OPT And Israel
GENEVA (18 July 2025) – About 4,000 Palestinians, including children and the elderly and 51 Israelis are still missing since 7 October 2023, UN experts* said today, calling on authorities in both Israel and the Occupied Palestinian Territory to disclose the fate and whereabouts of all victims of enforced disappearance. 'Enforced disappearances can never be justified, even during a state of war, instability or public emergency,' the experts said. Twenty months of assault by the Israeli army have resulted, among others, in widespread patterns of enforced disappearances among Palestinians in Gaza and other parts of the Occupied Palestinian Territory, including health and care workers, journalists, and other professionals, as well as women and children, the experts said. 'This has been facilitated through military orders and legislation allowing for indefinite detention without trial of so-called 'unlawful combatants' and others, in breach of international human rights and humanitarian law,' they said. The experts said attacks perpetrated by Palestinian armed groups on 7 October 2023 led to many Israeli civilians being killed and 251 victims taken hostage. The whereabouts of at least 51 hostages remain unknown. These acts are tantamount to enforced disappearances, they said. 'The urgent need is for an end to hostilities, unconditional freeing of all hostages, and certainty on the fate and whereabouts of all those forcibly disappeared, no matter the circumstances, whether in detention or deceased,' the experts said. Through its humanitarian procedure, the Working Group continues to register cases and see patterns of disappeared persons and victims whose fate and whereabouts are unknown, in particular with persons last seen while trying to cross from the north of Gaza to the south or vice-versa at checkpoints, from hospitals and persons arrested by officers of the Israeli Defence Forces during ground operations. 'These detentions are not properly reported to families, registration of deprivation of liberty cannot be verified, and those in custody are unable to communicate with their families or legal representatives or to seek legal review of the grounds of their detention,' they said. 'The pain and suffering for relatives of the disappeared can constitute a form of psychological torture and other inhumane treatment.' 'In cases of death in custody, authorities must promptly, impartially, independently and thoroughly investigate to establish the cause and manner of their deaths and return the bodies of victims to their families,' the experts said. Palestinian armed groups and Israeli Defence Forces must immediately, investigate and prevent enforced disappearances and acts tantamount, the experts said, calling for prompt, independent, impartial and thorough investigation, prosecution and sanction of those responsible. 'It is concerning that the figures for Palestinians who have been forcibly disappeared and missing are hugely underreported,' the experts said. They noted that relatives of victims are often reluctant to report cases or exchange information with Israeli Government officials, for fear of reprisals or lack of trust. 'We call for the immediate and unconditional release of the remaining hostages held in Gaza as well as the immediate disclosure of the fate, whereabouts, legal status and state of health of all Palestinians who have been forcibly disappeared,' the experts said. They called for their immediate release, unless they are charged with an internationally recognisable criminal offence and prosecuted in proceedings that comply with international standards. They urged families and civil society to report enforced disappearances and acts tantamount to relevant Special Procedures, including the Working Group on Enforced or Involuntary Disappearances. The Working Group's primary task is to assist families in determining the fate and whereabouts of their relatives who have reportedly disappeared. The Working Group on Enforced or Involuntary Disappearances raised these concerns in a communication to the Government of Israel, which is yet to provide a response. *The experts: Gabriella Citroni (Chair-Rapporteur), Grażyna Baranowska (Vice-Chair), Aua Baldé, Ana Lorena Delgadillo Pérez, and Mohammed Al-Obaidi, Working Group on Enforced or Involuntary Disappearances; Francesca Albanese, Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in the Palestinian territory occupied since 1967; Morris Tidball-Binz, Special Rapporteur on extrajudicial, summary or arbitrary executions; Alice Jill Edwards,.
News18
18-07-2025
- Sport
- News18
ICC To Set Up 'Working Group' To Sort Out LA28 Qualification, Format Restructuring
Last Updated: ICC to form a Working Group to decide LA28 Olympic qualification, review cricket formats, and explore Test restructuring. Minimum age for internationals remains 15. The International Cricket Council (ICC) is set to form a Working Group to take care of some of the pressing issues globally. This was among the key takeaways of the Chief Executives' Committee (CEC) meeting held in Singapore on Friday. The meeting was chaired by new ICC CEO Sanjog Gupta, and ICC Chair Jay Shah attended in his ex-officio capacity. According to Cricbuzz, the Working Group will look after the structure of various formats of the game and the qualification pathway for the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics. Also, the formation of this group is expected to be fast-tracked and could be finalised as early as Saturday, during the upcoming ICC Board meeting. The Working Group will reportedly include members from both the CEC and the Board, and will be given clear responsibilities — the top priority being to recommend a qualification system for the LA28 Olympics. The gentlemen's game will return in the Olympics with six teams each in the men's and women's categories. However, the qualification process still remains a concern. The global body seems divided on this, as many believe that world rankings should be used to determine the qualifiers, whereas some have suggested organising a qualifying tournament. But holding a tournament seems unlikely due to the tight schedule and a packed Future Tours Programme (FTP). Meanwhile, the proposal for a two-tier Test format — a hot topic in recent times — was not discussed at the CEC meeting. However, it is expected that the Working Group will explore this issue and suggest whether changes are needed in the structure of Test cricket. The same applies to possible adjustments in ODI and T20I formats. Minimum Age To Play International Cricket Another key decision taken at the meeting was to keep the minimum age for playing senior international cricket at 15, based on recommendations from the ICC's Medical Advisory Committee. However, exceptions may be allowed in special circumstances. view comments First Published: Disclaimer: Comments reflect users' views, not News18's. Please keep discussions respectful and constructive. Abusive, defamatory, or illegal comments will be removed. News18 may disable any comment at its discretion. By posting, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy.
Sydney Morning Herald
15-07-2025
- Politics
- Sydney Morning Herald
WA councils want to outlaw roaming cats. Here's what's stopping them
Stopping cats from roaming is a priority for Western Australia's local councils, but many say they need help in overcoming obstacles to enforce responsible cat ownership. A new survey of local government areas has revealed that only three out of 26 councils have been successful in bringing in 'permanent containment' laws that would compel cat owners to keep their pets at home, on a leash or in a cat enclosure. Seven councils have tried more than once but have been disallowed by a government committee that viewed the laws as in conflict with the state Cat Act. Yet 78 per cent of council respondents told the survey they would add the permanent containment law if there was a clear pathway to implementation. The survey, Taking the pulse on responsible cat ownership across WA local governments, was released today by the WA Feral Cat Working Group. It demonstrated a strong desire by local government areas for help in getting effective cat control laws, according to Working Group executive leader Dr Bruce Webber. 'With so many local governments interested in implementing permanent containment, Western Australia could quickly go from national laggards to national leaders when it comes to responsible ownership for pet cats,' Webber said. 'Our voluntary survey was completed by 74 per cent of the 139 local governments, an unusually high rate of return suggesting keen interest in the topic.' Many councils say they suffer from poor levels of responsible pet ownership, with 42 per cent reporting a low level of awareness among residents and low compliance with laws.
The Age
15-07-2025
- Politics
- The Age
WA councils want to outlaw roaming cats. Here's what's stopping them
Stopping cats from roaming is a priority for Western Australia's local councils, but many say they need help in overcoming obstacles to enforce responsible cat ownership. A new survey of local government areas has revealed that only three out of 26 councils have been successful in bringing in 'permanent containment' laws that would compel cat owners to keep their pets at home, on a leash or in a cat enclosure. Seven councils have tried more than once but have been disallowed by a government committee that viewed the laws as in conflict with the state Cat Act. Yet 78 per cent of council respondents told the survey they would add the permanent containment law if there was a clear pathway to implementation. The survey, Taking the pulse on responsible cat ownership across WA local governments, was released today by the WA Feral Cat Working Group. It demonstrated a strong desire by local government areas for help in getting effective cat control laws, according to Working Group executive leader Dr Bruce Webber. 'With so many local governments interested in implementing permanent containment, Western Australia could quickly go from national laggards to national leaders when it comes to responsible ownership for pet cats,' Webber said. 'Our voluntary survey was completed by 74 per cent of the 139 local governments, an unusually high rate of return suggesting keen interest in the topic.' Many councils say they suffer from poor levels of responsible pet ownership, with 42 per cent reporting a low level of awareness among residents and low compliance with laws.
Business Recorder
12-07-2025
- Health
- Business Recorder
World Population Day: Message from Dr Azra Fazal Pechuho, Minister for Health & Population Welfare, Sindh
The Government of Sindh is commemorating World Population Day on July 11,2025, to draw attention to the alarming rate of population growth and its far-reaching impact on all sectors of society. Following the devolution of powers, Sindh has undertaken several key policy initiatives. These include aligning Family Planning and Reproductive Health efforts with Pakistan's international commitments made at the London Summit 2012; implementing the Costed Implementation Plan (CIP); formulating the Sindh Population Policy 2016; and developing the FP2030 Roadmap. These efforts aim to improve the quality of life for people across Sindh through a rights-based approach and by introducing family planning services at tertiary and secondary care hospitals through public-private partnerships. These initiatives help foster an enabling environment to transform social and gender norms—a hallmark of a progressive society. On the legislative front, the enactment of the Early Marriage Restraint Act 2013 and the Reproductive Health Rights Act 2022, which includes provisions for pre-marital counselling, telehealth and self-care, has provided crucial support to family planning efforts. Sindh has maintained contraceptive commodity security since 2015-16. Innovative methods like Sayana Press—a three-month self-injectable contraceptive—have been introduced and scaled up. The focus has shifted toward long-acting reversible contraceptives (LARCs) such as implants and intrauterine contraceptives (IUCs), with 50% of the allocated contraceptive procurement budget earmarked for LARCs this year. All stakeholders from the public and private sectors are represented in the Sindh FP2030 Working Group, which meets on quarterly basis under my chairpersonship. Additionally, Sindh's Population Taskforce, chaired by the Chief Minister, tracks the implementation of recommendations from the Council of Common Interests (CCI), as mandated by the Supreme Court of Pakistan's suo moto notice on population growth. The Government of Sindh remains committed to consolidating reforms in family planning and reproductive health through an integrated and programmatic approach. We are focusing on service quality, youth and adolescent engagement through Life Skills-Based Education (LSBE) and Social and Behavior Change Communication (SBCC). Sindh is steadfast in pursuing the FP2030 goals, aiming to increase the contraceptive prevalence rate (CPR) to 47% by 2025 and 57% by 2030. Population Welfare Department (PWD), Department of Health (DoH), PPHI Sindh, and our private partners are working in close coordination to meet these targets. World Population Day is an opportunity to reaffirm our commitment to these goals. I commend the Department of Population Welfare for organizing meaningful activities to mark this important occasion. Copyright Business Recorder, 2025
