NewsBytes

Twenty-five countries, including Britain, France and a host of European nations, issued a joint statement on Monday saying the war in Gaza “must end now” and Israel must comply with international law. The foreign ministers of countries including Australia, Canada and Japan said “the suffering of civilians in Gaza has reached new depths” and condemned “the drip feeding of aid and the inhumane killing of civilians, including children, seeking to meet their most basic needs of water and food."  “The Israeli government's aid delivery model is dangerous, fuels instability and deprives Gazans of human dignity,” the statement said. The signatories included the foreign ministers of about 20 European countries as well as Canada, Australia and New Zealand, and the EU commissioner for equality, preparedness and crisis management. The US and Germany did not sign the statement. The signatories called for an immediate ceasefire, adding they are prepared to take action to support a political pathway to peace in the region.

Sri Lanka is considering the purchase of crude oil from the US as part of its efforts to correct the trade imbalance with Washington, an official said on Monday. The development comes ahead of the August 1 deadline for negotiations on tariffs imposed by the Donald Trump-led administration. Head of the state fuel entity Ceylon Petroleum Corporation (CPC) Janaka Rajakaruna told reporters that the West Texas Intermediate (WTI) crude oil would be invited to participate in Sri Lanka's competitive tender bids to buy crude oil. Sri Lanka currently buys its entire crude oil requirements from Middle Eastern sources. Since April, with the imposition of 44 per cent tariffs by the US, Sri Lanka has been negotiating with the US Trade Representative's Office. The US brought the tariff down to 30 per cent in a letter sent by the Trump administration.

Former Kerala Chief Minister V S Achuthanandan, one of India's most respected Communist leaders and a key figure in Kerala's political history, died on Monday at the age of 101, CPM state secretary M V Govindan said here. The veteran leader died at a private hospital here while undergoing treatment following a cardiac arrest nearly a month ago, he told reporters.  Achuthanandan, a founding member of the Communist Party of India (Marxist), was a lifelong champion of workers' rights, land reforms, and social justice. He served as Kerala's Chief Minister from 2006 to 2011 and was elected to the state assembly seven times, serving three terms as Leader of the Opposition.

The Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) has amended affiliation norms to mandate schools to install CCTV cameras with real-time audio-visual recording at all places other than toilets, an official said on Monday.  "Safety of students is one of the paramount responsibilities of a school and ensure that the students get a safe and cohesive eco-system in the school. The Safety has two aspects- (a) safety from scrupulous unsocietal elements (b) safety for the overall well-being of the children with reference to bullying and other implicit threats. All of such probablities can be prevented with a vigilant and sensitive staff and with the usage of the latest technology," CBSE Secretary Himanshu Gupta said.  To ensure the safety of students in the school premises, the board has made an amendment in Chapter 4 (Physical Infrastructure) of Affiliation Bye Laws-2018 by incorporating a clause about CCTV installation. As per the Manual on Safety and Security of Children in Schools, NCPCR, "School Safety" has been defined as creating a safe environment for children, starting from their homes to their schools and back.