Climate summit calls for stronger action to curb global warming

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has strongly criticised New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani, accusing him of “fomenting hate” and attempting to divide the city’s population. The sharp exchange follows comments by Mamdani asserting that Netanyahu is unwelcome in New York City due to ongoing International Criminal Court (ICC) war crimes charges linked to the war in Gaza, and urging federal authorities to execute the court’s arrest warrant when the prime minister attends the United Nations General Assembly in September. Appearing on Fox News Channel, Netanyahu dismissed the ICC charges as “bogus” and claimed the allegations were designed to divert attention from internal misconduct within the prosecutor’s office. He expressed concern over eroding bipartisan support for Israel within the United States, warning that political rhetoric from progressive Democrats risks fueling rising anti-Semitism in major American cities. Despite the mayor’s stance, US President Donald Trump has publicly assured Netanyahu that he will face no risk of arrest during his visits to the United States.

Pakistani American physician and human rights advocate Dr Asif Mahmood has been unanimously elected as chair of the US Commission on International Religious Freedom, becoming the first South Asian to lead the independent bipartisan body. Dr Mahmood, who previously served as the commission’s vice chair, described his election as a great honour and reflected on his journey from a small village in Pakistan to leading one of the world’s leading organisations focused on protecting freedom of religion and belief. In his acceptance remarks, he said he remains committed to defending the rights of people from all religious backgrounds as well as those who do not follow any faith. He expressed hope for a world where religious freedom, human dignity and peaceful coexistence are respected and protected. His appointment follows his reappointment to the commission for a second term in May 2026, extending his service until 2028. Earlier this year, he noted that he was the first Pakistani, the first Muslim and the first Asian American to serve consecutive terms on the commission. The US Commission on International Religious Freedom was established in 1998 under legislation signed by former President Bill Clinton. It serves as an independent advisory body that monitors religious freedom around the world and provides policy recommendations to the White House, the US State Department and Congress. The commission is made up of nine members appointed by the US president and congressional leaders from both major political parties. Dr Mahmood was reappointed by House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries and now succeeds former congresswoman Vicky Hartzler as chair. Political observers have described his election as significant because of his Democratic Party affiliation despite receiving his latest appointment during the Trump administration. His leadership is expected to draw international attention, particularly because of his work on religious freedom issues in South Asia. Dr Mahmood has played a leading role in preparing reports examining allegations of religious freedom violations in India. He has publicly called for greater international scrutiny of the treatment of religious minorities and urged the United States to consider stronger measures in response to concerns raised by the commission. The commission has also recommended that US officials seek independent assessments of religious freedom conditions in India and consider targeted measures against individuals or organisations found responsible for serious violations. Those recommendations have generated considerable debate and have been strongly rejected by Indian authorities in the past. Beyond his work on religious freedom, Dr Mahmood has remained active in public service and politics. In 2022, he contested California’s 40th Congressional District as the Democratic candidate but was defeated by Republican incumbent Young Kim. Earlier, he also ran for California Insurance Commissioner and received hundreds of thousands of votes. A native of Kharian in Pakistan’s Punjab province, Dr Mahmood completed his medical education at Sindh Medical College before moving to the United States. He later completed his medical training at the University of Kentucky Medical Center and pursued a fellowship in pulmonary medicine at Harlem Hospital, which is affiliated with Columbia University. He currently serves on the Medical Board of California after being appointed by Governor Gavin Newsom in 2023. Over the years, he has also worked with several humanitarian and community organisations and has received recognition for providing free medical care to patients who could not afford treatment. His election as chair marks another milestone in a career that combines medicine, public service and advocacy for human rights.

BEIJING: Former Chinese Premier Zhu Rongji, a key figure in the country’s economic transformation during the 1990s, has died at the age of 97. Zhu was known for his direct speaking style and his strong support for economic reform. His tenure was marked by major changes aimed at restructuring China’s state-dominated economy and opening it further to global markets. He served as China’s vice premier from 1991 to 1998 before becoming premier, a position he held until early 2003. Zhu’s political career began decades earlier. He graduated from Tsinghua University and joined the Communist Party in 1949. During the Cultural Revolution, he was sent to work in the countryside and experienced a period of political hardship. He was later rehabilitated and gradually returned to senior government positions. In 1987, Zhu became mayor of Shanghai. During his tenure, he helped guide the city through early economic reforms and development that eventually contributed to its emergence as a major international financial centre. He moved to Beijing in 1991 after joining the central government. As vice premier and later premier, Zhu became closely associated with efforts to tackle economic overheating, inflation and financial instability. His government introduced wide-ranging reforms to state-owned enterprises. Many inefficient state companies were closed, restructured or privatised, while large numbers of workers were laid off. Zhu also strengthened the central government’s control over taxation and introduced reforms that encouraged private home ownership. Those changes played a major role in reshaping China’s housing market. One of his most significant achievements was helping China secure membership of the World Trade Organization in 2001, following years of difficult negotiations. China formally joined the organisation in December that year. The WTO accession accelerated China’s integration into the global economy and helped expand international trade and investment. However, Zhu’s reform programme also had critics. Some observers argued that changes to agricultural policy, tax arrangements and state-owned enterprises created difficulties that later governments had to address. Despite those criticisms, Zhu remained widely regarded as one of the most influential economic reformers in modern Chinese history. His reputation for blunt remarks became particularly prominent after a collection of his speeches was published in 2011. The books contained unusually candid assessments of corruption, government debt, banking problems and weaknesses in public administration. The speeches attracted significant public attention because they addressed many of the economic and social challenges facing China at the time. Zhu warned about corruption, inequality and problems created by local officials. His comments continued to attract interest among reform-minded officials, academics and members of the public long after he left office. His death marks the passing of a leader who played a central role in one of the most consequential periods of China’s economic development. Zhu’s legacy is closely linked to the difficult reforms of the 1990s, when China moved towards a more market-oriented economy while maintaining the political control of the Communist Party.

Cameroon’s 93-year-old President, Paul Biya, the world’s oldest sitting head of state, has enacted a strategic reshuffle of the country’s military leadership from abroad, issuing decrees to promote senior officers and appoint new commanders while remaining in Geneva, Switzerland. Among the key appointments, Biya promoted five colonels to the rank of brigadier general. Notably, Brigadier General Raymond Jean Charles Beko’o Abondo was reappointed to lead the elite Presidential Guard, an essential security unit responsible for the president’s personal protection that he has commanded since 2013. The administrative shifts coincide with growing domestic anxiety regarding Biya’s absence from Cameroon, which has extended to nearly two months following his departure on 7 June for what officials termed a “brief private stay”. Opponents and civil society groups have voiced concern over an institutional vacuum, noting that a newly created vice-presidential seat remains vacant and a promised cabinet overhaul has yet to materialise. Government representatives, including Communication Minister René Emmanuel Sadi, dismissed claims of administrative paralysis or health crises, maintaining that the president remains fully operational and continues to sign official decrees and financial agreements from abroad.