WORLD

Couples in China can now officially have three children and everybody has taken notice. After all, till about five years back nobody could have more than one child in that country. Concerns over a rapidly ageing population had made China’s Communist Party leaders first relax its stringent one-child policy, but now that licence to have two children has been found not to have helped, they have promptly announced that three children is the way forward. The situation on the ground suggests though that while the country could do with a demographic boost, most people think they can’t afford more children.

In the 1970s, China had a per capita income of less than $200, according to World Bank data. To ease the growing population pressures and meet the challenge of poverty, the Communist Party brought in a one-child policy in 1979. To give birth to more than one child per family was outlawed and violators received stringent punishment, including fines and loss of employment.

North Atlantic Treaty Organisation (NATO) Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg said on Monday (May 31) that personnel at Belarus' diplomatic mission to NATO will have their access restricted at the alliance's headquarters. This step comes just days after a passenger plane en route to Lithuania was diverted and forced to land in Belarus.

Belarus is not a member of NATO but has had ties with the military alliance since 1992 following the fall of the Soviet Union, and has maintained a diplomatic mission to NATO since 1998.

Prime Minister Imran Khan said on Sunday that Pakistan would hold talks with India if New Delhi restores the pre-August 5, 2019 status of Jammu and Kashmir. India abrogated the special status of Jammu and Kashmir under Article 370 on August 5, 2019 and bifurcated it into two Union territories.

"If Pakistan revives its relations with India (without the latter restoring the status of Kashmir), it will be similar to turning our back on the Kashmiris,” Khan said during a live question-answer session with people. Khan said that if India takes back the steps it took on August 5, "then we can definitely hold talks".

The United States said Friday it is seriously considering creating a vaccine passport for Americans traveling abroad.

“We’re taking a very close look at that," Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas said of the idea of special documentation for vaccinated Americans who want to travel overseas, as inoculation drives allow Europe and other regions of the world to start opening up from pandemic restrictions.

The administration of President Joe Biden, Mayorkas told an international news channel, wants to ensure that “any passport that we provide for vaccinations is accessible to all and that no one is disenfranchised."

At a special session of the United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC) on Palestine, India has welcomed the ceasefire between Israel and Hamas. The ceasefire was announced earlier this month after over 10 days of rocket firing and violence from both sides.

India said, "We welcome the diplomatic efforts of the international community and regional countries that have resulted in bringing ceasefire between Israel and armed groups in Gaza."

Notably, India did not directly refer to Hamas in its statement but mentioned them as "armed groups".