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Canberra, March 20 (IANS) Record-breaking heat, mass coral bleaching, and biodiversity loss continue to threaten Australia's ecosystems, according to the latest Australia's Environment Report published on Thursday.

The report, produced annually by the Australian National University (ANU) and the Terrestrial Ecosystem Research Network (TERN) after analysing extensive satellite, station, and field data, said Australia's environment showed a slight improvement in 2024, marking the fourth consecutive year of above-average conditions.

However, Australia experienced its second-hottest year on record after 2019, with sea surface temperatures reaching all-time highs, which led to the fifth mass bleaching event in the Great Barrier Reef in under a decade and severe bleaching in Western Australia's Ningaloo Reef, the report said.

Habitat destruction, invasive species, and climate change continue to endanger native ecosystems. While 41 species were added to the threatened species list in 2024, down from a record 130 in 2023, it remains well above the long-term average of 25 per year, it said.

The Threatened Species Index shows an average 58 per cent decline in threatened species populations since 2000. However, report co-author Tayla Lawrie from the TERN noted a slight recent improvement, suggesting possible stabilisation for some species, Xinhua news agency reported.

In 2024, Australia's environmental score reached 7.7 out of 10, a significant recovery from the disaster years of 2019 and 2020, when scores ranged from 0.4 to 2 after the Black Summer bushfires damaged the country's biodiversity, the report showed.

Despite favourable rainfall improving vegetation and soil health, ANU Prof. Albert Van Dijk, lead author of the report, warns the environmental improvements of the last four years do not negate long-term concerns.

As Australia's per capita greenhouse gas emissions remain among the highest in the world, Professor Van Dijk calls for investment in renewable energy, stronger land management policies, and enhanced biodiversity conservation efforts.

--IANS

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Cape Town, March 19 (IANS) South African President Cyril Ramaphosa on Thursday offered his condolences to the family, friends, and associates of Ashwin Trikamjee, President of the South African Hindu Maha Sabha and Chairperson of the National Religious Leaders Forum, who passed away at the age of 80 in a Johannesburg hospital earlier in the day.

"The passing of Mr Ashwin Trikamjee, President of the South African Hindu Maha Sabha and Chairperson of the National Religious Leaders Forum, deeply saddens me," Ramaphosa posted on X.

"He was an attorney who served as President of the then Natal Law Society, President of the Association of Law Societies of SA, Chairperson of the African Regional Forum of the International Bar Association and member of the Human Rights Committee of the IBA. As a Black Consciousness activist, he also led the Durban Central component of the Natal Indian Congress, and he was a Vice-President of the South African Football Association," the President mentioned.

"Ashwin's deep spiritual devotion extended beyond his Hindu affiliation as he advocated tolerance and collaboration among the diverse religious communities in our country. We will miss his gentle, serene presence, wise counsel and humble yet industrious service to many sectors of our nation. May his soul rest in peace," wrote the South African President.

Trikamjee was deeply engaged in South Africa's social and cultural transformation. As President of the South African Hindu Maha Sabha, he was a respected voice on religious and ethical issues. Beyond his formal roles, he was also known for his unwavering commitment to justice, community upliftment, and mentorship of young legal professionals. As a non-white practitioner in a system that long excluded non-whites from leadership positions, Trikamjee built a formidable career in the legal profession becoming a trailblazer.

"Condolences to the family members and friends on the demise of Mr. Ashwin Trikamjee. Mr. Trikamjee was the President of the South African Hindu Maha Sabha & Chairperson of the National Religious Leaders Forum," the High Commission of India in Pretoria, posted on X.

The African National Congress (ANC) also mourned the passing of Trikamjee, calling it a "great loss" to South Africa.

"Trikamjee was a distinguished legal professional, a committed activist, and a respected religious leader whose life was dedicated to justice, transformation, and interfaith unity. As an attorney, he served with distinction in the legal fraternity, holding key leadership positions, including President of the then Natal Law Society, President of the Association of Law Societies of South Africa, and Chairperson of the African Regional Forum of the International Bar Association. His work on the Human Rights Committee of the IBA reflected his unwavering commitment to justice, equality, and the rule of law," read a statement issued by the ANC.

--IANS

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Washington, March 19 (IANS) Ukranian leader Volodymyr Zelensky has agreed to a partial ceasefire in the war against Russia that was discussed by US President Donald Trump and his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin, the White House said on Wednesday.

Trump briefed Zelensky on a phone call about his conversation with Putin on Tuesday.

The two leaders “agreed on a partial ceasefire against energy", Karoline Leavitt, the White House spokesperson said from a readout of Trump and Zelensky’s phone call to be issued by Secretary of State Marco Rubio and National Security Adviser Mike Waltz.

“Technical teams will meet in Saudi Arabia in the coming days to discuss broadening the cease fire to the Black Sea on the way to a full cease fire,” Levitt said further, adding, “They agreed this could be the first step toward the full end of the war in ensuring security.”

While President Trump had earlier proposed a 30-day ceasefire, which was accepted by President Zelenskyy, he and President Putin agreed instead on a limited ceasefire regarding only the energy and infrastructure sectors.

Levitt described the Wednesday phone call between Trump and Zelensky as “fantastic”.

“President Trump fully briefed President Zelensky on his conversation with Putin and the key issues discussed. They reviewed the situation in Kursk and agreed to share information closely between their defense staffs as the battlefield situation evolved. President Zelensky asked for additional air defense systems to protect his civilians, particularly Patriot missile systems. And President Trump agreed to work with him to find what was available, particularly in Europe,” Levitt said.

She added: “President Zelensky was grateful for the President's leadership in this effort, and reiterated his willingness to adopt a full ceasefire. President Trump also discussed Ukraine's electrical supply and nuclear power plants. He said that the United States could be very helpful in running those plants with its electricity and utility expertise. American ownership of those plants would be the best protection for that infrastructure and support for Ukrainian energy infrastructure.”

--IANS

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Beirut, March 19 (IANS) Aroldo Lazaro Saenz, head of the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL), reaffirmed on Wednesday the mission's steadfast commitment to supporting stability, fully implementing UN Resolution 1701, and reducing tensions through dialogue to achieve a permanent ceasefire.

The UNIFIL chief made the remarks at a ceremony marking the 47th anniversary of the mission's establishment at its headquarters in southern Lebanon's Naqoura, which was attended by local Lebanese leaders, senior Lebanese army officers, other UN officials, and peacekeeping forces.

"Our hearts go out to those who have lost their loved ones and homes," he said, also paying tribute to the 339 peacekeepers who have lost their lives in pursuit of peace in southern Lebanon since 1978.

The UN official emphasised that following the ceasefire understanding reached between Israel and Lebanon in November last year, the mission is "entering a new phase, working alongside the Lebanese army to clear roads, carry out repairs, and remove explosives."

However, he stressed that cooperation with the Lebanese government and local authorities is essential to ensuring the mission's safe and efficient operation, adding, "The Lebanese Armed Forces must remain the sole guarantor of security in the south."

He also underscored that "the successful implementation of Resolution 1701, which calls on Lebanon and Israel to work toward a permanent ceasefire and forms the basis of UNIFIL's mandate, can only be achieved through joint efforts to prevent escalation, maintain stability, and strengthen state authority in southern Lebanon," Xinhua news agency reported.

The UN Security Council established the UNIFIL in March 1978 to monitor the withdrawal of Israeli forces from southern Lebanon and assist the Lebanese government in restoring effective control over the area. Its mandate has been expanded following the 2006 war to include supervising the ceasefire and supporting Lebanese forces in maintaining security.

The mission has adhered to its duties during the latest round of cross-border fire between Israel and Hezbollah in Lebanon since October 2023, which was triggered by the Gaza conflict.

--IANS

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New York, March 19 (IANS) US-based advocacy group Human Rights Watch (HRW) on Wednesday urged that Pakistan should immediately end the forced return and deportation of Afghan refugees.

Pakistan has set a March 31 deadline for the deportation of all Afghan refugees. However, much before the deadline, the Pakistani authorities have been accused of intensifying abusive tactics and other pressure on Afghan refugees to return to Afghanistan.

Several reports revealed that Afghan refugees are facing massive harassment and abuse in Pakistan. Asking various human rights organisations to take action on their behalf, the Afghan refugees stated that despite holding valid legal documents, they are facing the threat of illegal detention, deportation, and discrimination.

The deportation would pose serious risks to the refugees of persecution and economic hardship under Afghan Taliban rule.

"Pakistani officials should immediately stop coercing Afghans to return home and give those facing expulsion the opportunity to seek protection," said Elaine Pearson, Asia Director at the Human Rights Watch.

According to the rights watchdog, Pakistani police have raided houses, beaten and arbitrarily detained people, confiscating their refugee documents, including residence permits. They have also demanded bribes to allow Afghans to remain in Pakistan.

The United Nations has reported that most Afghans who have returned to Afghanistan have cited fear of detention by Pakistani authorities as the reason they left.

Masood Rahmati, an Afghan journalist, said that even Afghans who are registered with the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) or who had valid residence cards were not safe in Pakistan.

"We had PoR cards. But the police cut our cards and sent us to Afghanistan," an Afghan refugee stated.

Narrating their harrowing experience in Pakistan, Afghan refugees told HRW that Pakistani police raided their houses or neighbourhoods both during the day and at night and took them or relatives to police stations to extort money.

A 33-year-old Afghan woman living in Islamabad said the house raids in her area began at 4 am "as if they were looking for criminals. It's a very traumatizing experience".

"They brought trucks and arrested people. If you don't open the door, they will enter through the windows. They don't care about children or older people. I know of people with valid visas who had to pay between Rs 20,000 and 100,000 Pakistani rupees (US$70 to $400) not to be arrested," HRW quoted Zahra, an Afghan refugee who has lived in Pakistan since 2023, as saying.

A previous wave of deportations and expulsions from September 2023 through January 2024, drove over 800,000 Afghans – many born in Pakistan or living there for decades – to Afghanistan. Since November 2024, Pakistani authorities have renewed pressure to expel Afghans. More than 70 per cent of those returning have been women and children, including girls of secondary school age and women who will no longer have access to education.

Returning Afghan refugees have generally had to abandon property and savings in Pakistan, and have few livelihood opportunities or little land in Afghanistan, the HRW stated.

Last November, Pakistan's Interior Ministry announced that Afghans could not stay in Islamabad after December 31. By the end of December, police had detained over 800 Afghans in Islamabad. Since then, Pakistani authorities have called again for the expulsion of all Afghan refugees, the advocacy group stated.

--IANS

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Dhaka, March 19 (IANS) In yet another sign of fast deteriorating law and order situation in Bangladesh under the interim government led by Muhammad Yunus, an alarming increase has been reported in the number of highway robberies, targetting mostly expatriates.

According to Bangladesh Highway Police headquarters, such robberies have surged since the fall of the Awami League government in August 2024.

In February 2025, some 74 robbery cases were registered, compared to 71 in January. On February 27 and March 1, two separate robberies took place in Chauddagram, Comilla, districts of Bangladesh targetting a Malaysian expatriate and a Kuwaiti expatriate, Bangladesh's leading daily Prothom Alo reported on Wednesday.

Several such incidents are being reported on other major highways, including Dhaka-Sylhet, Dhaka-Mymensingh, Dhaka-Tangail, Dhaka-Bogra, Dhaka-Rangpur, and Dhaka-Madaripur

Along with several other highways, the Dhaka-Chattogram highway is reported to be the most unsafe in the nation.

Quoting the Highway Police sources, the newspaper revealed that trucks and vans carrying readymade garments, soybean oil, rods, and various goods are also often robbed by criminals posing as members of the Rapid Action Battalion (RAB) or the Detective Branch (DB) of the police.

Passenger buses on various highways are also targetted, with robbers boarding in disguise as passengers before carrying out the crime.

A businessman in Bangladesh stated that his factory in Gazipur recently lost an entire shipment to robbers. According to him, many business owners avoid legal action as cases rarely result in recovery. When stolen goods are not retrieved, shipments are cancelled, leading to huge financial losses and damaging relationships with foreign buyers.

The crimes, the report mentioned, are not limited to nighttime with the robbers intercepting passenger buses by blocking roads with felled trees even in broad daylight.

Many organisations alleged that the rise in robberies is due to the inaction and lax patrols of law enforcement agencies. A surge in highway robberies and muggings across Bangladesh has raised serious concerns about travel safety, Dhaka Tribune reported

According to reports, many robberies have occurred on highways across the country in recent weeks, with businessmen, expatriates, and even ordinary people falling victim, sparking widespread panic and raising concerns about the effectiveness of law enforcement.

--IANS

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Sanaa, March 19 (IANS) Yemen's Houthi group said Wednesday that it has targetted the USS Harry S. Truman aircraft carrier in the Red Sea for the fourth time in the past 72 hours.

In a statement aired by the group's al-Masirah TV, Houthi military spokesperson Yahya Sarea said the operation was conducted with cruise missiles and drones, claiming it had succeeded in thwarting a "hostile US air attack."

Sarea also vowed in the statement that the group would continue attacks on Israel until "the brutal aggression against Gaza ceases," referring to Israel's heavy bombardment of Gaza since early Tuesday, which has killed more than 400 people.

The tension between the Houthis and the US military escalated as the United States launched new airstrikes on Yemen on Saturday after the Houthi group threatened last week to resume attacks on Israeli targets until humanitarian aid is allowed into Gaza.

According to al-Masirah TV, the US military conducted fresh strikes on Yemen's northern province of Saada and the port city of Hodeidah on Tuesday night, following a Houthi missile attack on Israel's Nevatim Air Base earlier in the day, Xinhua news agency reported. So far, no casualties were reported from either side.

The incident came after the Houthi group said earlier in the day that it "targetted the Nevatim Air Base (in Israel) with a 'Palestine-2' hypersonic missile, which successfully achieved its goal."

The Israeli military said in a statement that the missile was "intercepted by the IAF (Israeli Air Force) before crossing into Israeli territory."

The United States launched new airstrikes on Yemen on Saturday after US President Donald Trump vowed to continue attacks until the Houthis end attacks on Red Sea shipping.

Last week, the Houthi group said it would resume attacks on Israeli ships in the Red Sea, Arabian Sea, Gulf of Aden, and Bab al-Mandab Strait until crossings into Gaza are reopened and humanitarian aid is allowed in.

On Tuesday, Houthi leader Abdulmalik al-Houthi threatened in a televised speech aired by al-Masirah to "resume escalation at its highest levels and will do everything we can against" Israel if the renewed Israeli assault on Gaza does not stop.

--IANS

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Washington, March 19 (IANS) US President Donald Trump and his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin on Tuesday agreed to a ceasefire in the Russia-Ukraine war with a pause on attacks on energy and infrastructure and to begin negotiations for a full ceasefire and permanent peace starting immediately.

The two leaders also discussed bilateral relations and the situation in West Asia in a lengthy phone call that lasted nearly two hours.

The plan agreed by them will need to be affirmed by Ukraine.

"The leaders agreed that the movement to peace will begin with an energy and infrastructure ceasefire, as well as technical negotiations on implementation of a maritime ceasefire in the Black Sea, full ceasefire and permanent peace," said the White House in a readout of the call.

"These negotiations will begin immediately in the Middle East (West Asia)."

The two leaders "agreed this conflict needs to end with a lasting peace".

The readout also said Trump and Putin "stressed the need for improved bilateral relations between the US and Russia" and that "a future with an improved bilateral relationship between the US and Russia has huge upside. This includes enormous economic deals and geopolitical stability when peace has been achieved".

They also discussed West Asia "broadly", the readout said "as a region of potential cooperation to prevent future conflicts".

Iran also figured in their discussion.

"The two leaders shared the view that Iran should never be in a position to destroy Israel."

An hour into the phone call, Dan Scavino, the Deputy Chief of Staff to President Trump, posted on X: "Happening Now -- President Trump is currently in the Oval Office speaking with President Vladimir Putin of Russia since 10 a.m. EDT."

"The call is going well, and still in progress."

He posted an update 40 minutes later: "Update: Call still in progress..."

President Trump first announced his plans for a call late Sunday on the way back to Washington D.C. from his Mar-a-Lago residence in Florida.

The call follows talks between Steve Witkoff, Trump's West Asia envoy, and President Putin in Moscow last week.

Witkoff has said the meeting lasted three to four hours.

That meeting came on the heels of a meeting between US' Secretary of State Marco Rubio and the National Security Advisor (NSA) Mike Waltz with Ukrainian officials in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia.

Ahead of the Tuesday call, H.R. McMaster, former NSA to Trump in the first term, told Fox News that Putin's strategy is "to get Trump and the US to accept a deal that is unacceptable to the Ukrainians and then try to turn the US not only against Ukraine but against Europe".

The call marks a significant step in President Trump's efforts to end the Russia-Ukraine war, which he has maintained would never have taken place if he was in office at the time.

--IANS

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Washington, March 18 (IANS) US President Donald Trump and Russia's President Vladimir Putin have been on the phone for more than an hour and the White House said "the call is going well".

A readout of the call will be issued later.

The two leaders are expected to discuss the US plan for a 30-day ceasefire in the war between Russia and Ukraine.

Kyiv has already conveyed its acceptance of the plan.

Putin has supported it in-principle but put forward certain conditions: chiefly, Ukraine will not use the ceasefire to mobilise or train troops or receive military support.

"Happening Now -- President Trump is currently in the Oval Office speaking with President Vladimir Putin of Russia since 10 a.m. EDT," Dan Scavino, Deputy Chief of Staff to President Trump, wrote on X.

"The call is going well, and still in progress."

He posted an update 40 minutes later: "Update: Call still in progress..."

President Trump first announced his plans for a call late Sunday on the way back to Washington D.C. from his Mar-a-Lago residence in Florida.

The call follows talks between Steve Witkoff, Trump's West Asia envoy, and President Putin in Moscow last week.

Witkoff has said the meeting lasted three to four hours.

That meeting came on the heels of a meeting between the US's Secretary of State Marco Rubio and the National Security Advisor (NSA) Mike Waltz with Ukrainian officials in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia.

Ahead of the Tuesday call, H.R. McMaster, former NSA to Trump administration in the first term, told Fox News, Putin's strategy "to get Trump and the US to accept a deal that is unacceptable to the Ukrainians and then try to turn the US not only against Ukraine but against Europe".

The call marks a significant step in President Trump's efforts to end the Russia-Ukraine war, which he has maintained would never have taken place if he was in office at the time.

--IANS

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Kabul, March 18 (IANS) Afghanistan has urged Pakistan to stop expulsion of Afghan refugees as Islamabad is preparing to expel even the holders of Afghan Citizen Cards (ACC) after the deadline ends on March 31.

At a meeting of the High Commission for Refugee Affairs, chaired by Afghan Deputy Prime Minister for Administrative Affairs Abdul Salam Hanafi, officials emphasised the need for a coordinated and mutual strategy for the return of Afghan refugees, Afghan media outlet TOLOnews reported on Tuesday.

"Our request to neighbouring countries, especially Pakistan, is to reconsider this decision. A unilateral decision is not in their interest, nor in ours," said Abdulmutalib Haqqani, Afghan spokesperson for the Ministry of Refugees and Repatriation.

Several Afghan refugees holding ACC in Pakistan have complained about increasing challenges in the country. They stated that despite holding these cards they are faced with forcible deportation. "Refugees holding ACC cards are not illegal. They are Afghan refugees who have been living here for the past 25 years," TOLOnews quoted Malik Awal Shinwari, one of the Afghan refugees in Pakistan, as saying.

The Pakistani government has made it clear that all Afghan refugees including the ones with legal documents have been asked to leave Pakistan before March 31, which has been set as the deadline to leave the country voluntarily. In case any illegal foreigner was found in the district, he/she would be rounded up and deported back to their home countries.

Earlier, the ruling party of Pakistan's province of Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa (KP) slammed the centre's policy to deport Afghan refugees back as "inhumane". Chief Minister Ali Amin Gandapur of KP denounced the policy of Pakistan's federal government on Afghan refugees as "inhumane and oppressive", stating that his government would decide whether to follow the Centre's directives to expel Afghans residing in the province after March 31.

KP hosts the largest Afghan refugee population in Pakistan, with Peshawar accommodating the highest number. According to the United Nations, more than 800,000 Afghans have returned to Afghanistan since Pakistan started its repatriation policy.

Many refugees have been living in the province for decades, running businesses or working in various sectors. Afghan refugees living in KP have also urged Pakistani authorities not to force them into leaving the country by March 31.

Several media reports revealed that Afghan refugees are facing continuous harassment and abuse in Pakistan. They have called on the Afghan Government and Human Rights organisations to take action on their behalf.

Many refugees stated that despite holding valid legal documents, they face the threat of illegal detention, deportation, and discrimination. "Pakistani police have been conducting brutal raids, even in the middle of the night, storming homes and arresting Afghan refugees," said an Afghan journalist.

--IANS

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