The death toll due to the raging Israel-Hamas war is nearing 11,000 at the time of filing The Capitals this week, and is set to rise further with no ceasefire in sight. The US Secretary of State Antony Blinken is back in West Asia.&nbsp;On Nov 5, <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/blinken-makes-surprise-west-bank-visit-meets-palestinian-president-abbas-655424">Blinken&nbsp;met the Palestine Authority President Mahmoud Abbas</a> in Ramallah — the de-facto administrative capital of Palestinian territories, and thus&nbsp;a step towards the resumption of US-mediated dialogue towards ceasefire.

<img src="https://cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/styles/story_page/public/2023/11/05/391323-succession-2023-11-05t180317089.jpg?imwidth=1920" />

The previous such effort failed last time when Blinken was to ensure a four-way summit between the US President Joe Biden and the leaders of Egypt, Jordan, Palestine Authority.

Biden had then <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/spotlight-on-washingtons-waning-political-capital-after-gaza-hospital-blast-sinks-bidens-jordan-summit-648187">returned from West Asia</a> after meeting Israel's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and the leaders in Tel Aviv.&nbsp;&nbsp;

Unlike the war in Ukraine, in Gaza, there is no impasse. Israeli troops know in and out of Gaza Strip, having left it just 18 years ago in 2005.&nbsp;Reports in Israeli media suggest that a forward-plan has been prepared if any attempt for ceasefire fails. Washington wants Gaza in Palestine Authority's control, once&nbsp;— or if (and that is a big if)&nbsp;— Israel manages to dismantle Hamas, as is its stated goal.&nbsp;

This is all you need to know from the capitals of Israel and the United States. Here's what else you need to know.&nbsp;

<h2>Beijing, China</h2>

<img alt="China's Central Military Commission Vice Chairman Zhang Youxia and Russian Defence Minister Sergei Shoigu arrive for the Beijing Xiangshan Forum on October 30 | Reuters" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="39a5018f-d3b4-477c-b70b-b1fe5287cedd" src="//cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/inline-images/Untitled%20design%20%2858%29_0.png" />

China's Central Military Commission Vice Chairman Zhang Youxia and Russian Defence Minister Sergei Shoigu arrive for the Beijing Xiangshan Forum on October 30 | Reuters

Delegations from more than&nbsp;100 countries met&nbsp;at a Beijing military forum where Washington was slammed by the host Beijing&nbsp;— apart from Moscow&nbsp;— as a global agent of instability.&nbsp;"The Western policy of steady escalation of the conflict with Russia carries the threat of a direct military clash between nuclear powers, which is fraught with catastrophic consequences,"&nbsp;Russia’s defence minister, Sergei Shoigu said. The view was echoed by&nbsp;Zhang Youxia,&nbsp;the vice chairman of China’s Central Military Commission, who accused&nbsp;"some countries" of "deliberately creating turbulence and interference in other countries’ internal affairs".&nbsp;

The Xiangshan Forum is usually&nbsp;hosted by China’s defence minister but occurred without one as, Li Shangfu, was fired last week without explanation following a nearly two-month absence.&nbsp;

<h2>Nairobi, Kenya</h2>

<img alt="Britain's King Charles sits on the beach with community elders during a visit to the Kuruwitu Marine Conservation Reserve as part of his state visit to Kenya" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="85783a23-3de1-4131-b72d-2f32e907d725" src="//cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/inline-images/Untitled%20design%20%2859%29_2.png" />

Britain's King Charles sits on the beach with community elders during a visit to the Kuruwitu Marine Conservation Reserve as part of his state visit to Kenya | Reuters

The colonial-era abuses committed in the name of Elizabeth II, then the Queen of England, came back to demand their place in history this week. King Charles III faced scrutiny for his reluctance to offer restitution or a comprehensive apology. He met with families and representatives of Kenya's independence movement, attempting to address these concerns in Nairobi.&nbsp;

Kenyans expressed disappointment in King Charles's "greatest sorrow and deepest regret" statement regarding colonial atrocities committed by British forces, considering it insufficient. President William Ruto described Britain's colonial suppression of Kenya's freedom movement as "monstrous in its cruelty."

The Kenya Human Rights Commission (KHRC) maintains that during the 1952–1960 Mau Mau uprising, also known as "the emergency," approximately 90,000 Kenyans were killed or injured, with 160,000 imprisoned, many enduring torture. UN investigators noted that British colonialists also violated the human rights of hundreds of thousands in western Kenya over decades through actions like homicides, sexual assault, and land theft.

<h2>Dhaka, Bangladesh</h2>

<img alt="Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina | Reuters" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="a5a02cd4-084e-409c-a53d-09a4aee8db0c" src="//cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/inline-images/Untitled%20design%20%2860%29_1.png" />

Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina | Reuters

Nineteen. That's the number of reported assassination attempts the world's longest-serving female head of the state, Bangladesh's Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, has reportedly faced so far. But in the recent past, armed supporters of the main opposition Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) have clashed with the security forces. The BNP has vowed to boycott the election as they had in 2014 and 2018 unless a caretaker government&nbsp;— just like the one which has been formed in Pakistan before scheduled February elections&nbsp;— is formed by Hasina's government.&nbsp;

But all is not well as Hasina suggests. More than 100,000 people took to the streets in the latest protest against Sheikh Hasina over the weekend.

The western media has reported that the country has taken "an authoritarian turn" under Hasina and her Awami League party; a charge Hasina's party has denied.&nbsp;

The last two elections were condemned by the United States, European Union and others for irregularities, including stuffed ballot boxes.

She won 84 per cent and 82 per cent of the vote&nbsp;respectively.

Hasina told TIME magazine she is confident that Bangladesh will elect her again in January polls.&nbsp;

Bangladesh is the largest single contributor to United Nations peacekeepers and regularly joins exercises with the US Indo-Pacific Command.

Under Hasina, Bangladesh has gone from struggling to feed its people to a food exporter with a GDP rising from $71 billion in 2006 to $460 billion in 2022, making it South Asia’s second largest economy after India.

Having already won more elections than Britain's Margaret Thatcher or India's Indira Gandhi, Hasina is determined that she will win again.&nbsp; 
 
"I am confident that my people are with me."

The death toll due to the raging Israel-Hamas war is nearing 11,000 at the time of filing The Capitals this week, and is set to rise further with no ceasefire in sight.

The death toll due to the raging Israel-Hamas war is nearing 11,000 at the time of filing The Capitals this week, and is set to rise further with no ceasefire in sight. The US Secretary of State Antony Blinken is back in West Asia. On Nov 5, Blinken met the Palestine Authority President Mahmoud Abbas in Ramallah — the de-facto administrative capital of Palestinian territories, and thus a step towards the resumption of US-mediated dialogue towards ceasefire. The previous such effort failed last time when Blinken was to ensure a four-way summit between the US President Joe Biden and the leaders of Egypt, Jordan, Palestine Authority. Biden had then returned from West Asia after meeting Israel's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and the leaders in Tel Aviv. Unlike the war in Ukraine, in Gaza, there is no impasse. Israeli troops know in and out of Gaza Strip, having left it just 18 years ago in 2005. Reports in Israeli media suggest that a forward-plan has been prepared if any attempt for ceasefire fails. Washington wants Gaza in Palestine Authority's control, once — or if (and that is a big if) — Israel manages to dismantle Hamas, as is its stated goal. This is all you need to know from the capitals of Israel and the United States. Here's what else you need to know. Beijing, China China's Central Military Commission Vice Chairman Zhang Youxia and Russian Defence Minister Sergei Shoigu arrive for the Beijing Xiangshan Forum on October 30 | Reuters Delegations from more than 100 countries met at a Beijing military forum where Washington was slammed by the host Beijing — apart from Moscow — as a global agent of instability. "The Western policy of steady escalation of the conflict with Russia carries the threat of a direct military clash between nuclear powers, which is fraught with catastrophic consequences," Russia’s defence minister, Sergei Shoigu said. The view was echoed by Zhang Youxia, the vice chairman of China’s Central Military Commission, who accused "some countries" of "deliberately creating turbulence and interference in other countries’ internal affairs". The Xiangshan Forum is usually hosted by China’s defence minister but occurred without one as, Li Shangfu, was fired last week without explanation following a nearly two-month absence. Nairobi, Kenya Britain's King Charles sits on the beach with community elders during a visit to the Kuruwitu Marine Conservation Reserve as part of his state visit to Kenya | Reuters The colonial-era abuses committed in the name of Elizabeth II, then the Queen of England, came back to demand their place in history this week. King Charles III faced scrutiny for his reluctance to offer restitution or a comprehensive apology. He met with families and representatives of Kenya's independence movement, attempting to address these concerns in Nairobi. Kenyans expressed disappointment in King Charles's "greatest sorrow and deepest regret" statement regarding colonial atrocities committed by British forces, considering it insufficient. President William Ruto described Britain's colonial suppression of Kenya's freedom movement as "monstrous in its cruelty." The Kenya Human Rights Commission (KHRC) maintains that during the 1952–1960 Mau Mau uprising, also known as "the emergency," approximately 90,000 Kenyans were killed or injured, with 160,000 imprisoned, many enduring torture. UN investigators noted that British colonialists also violated the human rights of hundreds of thousands in western Kenya over decades through actions like homicides, sexual assault, and land theft. Dhaka, Bangladesh Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina | Reuters Nineteen. That's the number of reported assassination attempts the world's longest-serving female head of the state, Bangladesh's Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, has reportedly faced so far. But in the recent past, armed supporters of the main opposition Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) have clashed with the security forces. The BNP has vowed to boycott the election as they had in 2014 and 2018 unless a caretaker government — just like the one which has been formed in Pakistan before scheduled February elections — is formed by Hasina's government. But all is not well as Hasina suggests. More than 100,000 people took to the streets in the latest protest against Sheikh Hasina over the weekend. The western media has reported that the country has taken "an authoritarian turn" under Hasina and her Awami League party; a charge Hasina's party has denied. The last two elections were condemned by the United States, European Union and others for irregularities, including stuffed ballot boxes. She won 84 per cent and 82 per cent of the vote respectively. Hasina told TIME magazine she is confident that Bangladesh will elect her again in January polls. Bangladesh is the largest single contributor to United Nations peacekeepers and regularly joins exercises with the US Indo-Pacific Command. Under Hasina, Bangladesh has gone from struggling to feed its people to a food exporter with a GDP rising from $71 billion in 2006 to $460 billion in 2022, making it South Asia’s second largest economy after India. Having already won more elections than Britain's Margaret Thatcher or India's Indira Gandhi, Hasina is determined that she will win again. "I am confident that my people are with me."

The Capitals: Can Sheikh Hasina sail through stormy season of Dhaka politics?

Members of Bangladesh's opposition BNP-NUF alliance on Tuesday walked out of an Election Commission meeting, alleging that the behaviour of its chief was "inappropriate" and he was not taking their arguments into consideration during the talks.&nbsp;

The opposition delegation led by National Unity Front (NUF) convenor and eminent jurist Kamal Hossain met Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Nurul Huda to discuss the alleged arrests of the coalition's supporters in police crackdown ahead of the <a href="http://www.wionews.com/south-asia/bangladesh-at-least-10-journalists-attacked-ahead-of-poll-186456">general elections</a> this week.&nbsp;

In the meeting, the alliance also raised the issue of debarring it from holding its wrap up election rally in the capital. It also accused police of playing a "biased role" against <a href="http://www.wionews.com/south-asia/10500-arrests-ahead-of-bangladesh-poll-opposition-186427">opposition supporters</a>.&nbsp;

"We walked out of the meeting as the CEC was not taking into consideration our words," BNP's secretary general Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir told reporters after coming out of the meeting within half-an-hour it began.&nbsp;

The CEC's "behaviour was inappropriate", he added.

Alamgir is leading the party in the absence of jailed BNP chairperson and ex-premier Khaleda Zia and her convicted "fugitive" son and party's acting chief Tarique Rahman.&nbsp;

The opposition alleged police have arrested about 10,500 of their activists in a crackdown ahead of elections this week with an intention to create a "climate of fear". However, police said no one was detained without specific charge and warrant.

BNP spokesman Rizvi Ahmed called the charges "fictitious" and an attempt to expose their activists to "ghost" cases" to favour the ruling Awami League party of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina.

Hasina and Zia have been political foes since the introduction of democracy in 1991. They have traditionally alternated in power but Hasina's current rule has lasted since 2009 and Zia's jail term this year prevented her from taking part in the election.

Members of Bangladesh's opposition BNP-NUF alliance on Tuesday walked out of an Election Commission meeting, alleging that the behaviour of its chief was "inappropriate" and he was not taking their arguments into consideration during the talks.

Members of Bangladesh's opposition BNP-NUF alliance on Tuesday walked out of an Election Commission meeting, alleging that the behaviour of its chief was "inappropriate" and he was not taking their arguments into consideration during the talks. The opposition delegation led by National Unity Front (NUF) convenor and eminent jurist Kamal Hossain met Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Nurul Huda to discuss the alleged arrests of the coalition's supporters in police crackdown ahead of the general elections this week. In the meeting, the alliance also raised the issue of debarring it from holding its wrap up election rally in the capital. It also accused police of playing a "biased role" against opposition supporters. "We walked out of the meeting as the CEC was not taking into consideration our words," BNP's secretary general Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir told reporters after coming out of the meeting within half-an-hour it began. The CEC's "behaviour was inappropriate", he added. Alamgir is leading the party in the absence of jailed BNP chairperson and ex-premier Khaleda Zia and her convicted "fugitive" son and party's acting chief Tarique Rahman. The opposition alleged police have arrested about 10,500 of their activists in a crackdown ahead of elections this week with an intention to create a "climate of fear". However, police said no one was detained without specific charge and warrant. BNP spokesman Rizvi Ahmed called the charges "fictitious" and an attempt to expose their activists to "ghost" cases" to favour the ruling Awami League party of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina. Hasina and Zia have been political foes since the introduction of democracy in 1991. They have traditionally alternated in power but Hasina's current rule has lasted since 2009 and Zia's jail term this year prevented her from taking part in the election.

Bangladesh polls: Opposition storms out of Election Commission meeting

At least 10 journalists were injured as <a href="http://www.wionews.com/south-asia/10500-arrests-ahead-of-bangladesh-poll-opposition-186427">ruling party activists</a> allegedly attacked a motel in a central Bangladesh town when they were covering this week's national election, a senior journalist said Tuesday.

A group of baton-wielding men attacked the motel in Nawabganj town late Monday, where journalists from several local media were staying overnight, Masud Karim, a special correspondent of the Bengali national daily Jugantor said.

"The miscreants vandalised 16 cars. At least 10 journalists from Jugantor and Jamuna TV were injured during the attack," he told AFP, alleging the police delayed responding to their distress call.

The newspaper also said one of its reporters has been missing since Monday evening.

It blamed the student and youth wings of the ruling Awami League party for the attack, although police said they did not know the identity of the attackers.

"We rescued them (the journalists) from the situation," district police chief S.M Shafiur Rahman told AFP, rejecting the allegations police did not respond to the attack in time.&nbsp;

The chiefs of both outlets demanded immediate arrests of the attackers but the police chief said no formal complaints had been filed.

Violent clashes have marred the run-up to the December 30 election, with the opposition saying hundreds of its activists and dozens of candidates have been injured in attacks by followers of the ruling party.&nbsp;

Six people have been killed, including two from the ruling party. &nbsp; &nbsp;

Two news cameramen were also attacked by alleged pro-government activists in the central Munshiganj district on Tuesday, the online edition of the private NTV station said.

Top journalist lobby group Bangladesh Federal Union of Journalists (BFUJ) demanded the attackers be punished.

"The state and the government will have to shoulder the responsibility and take steps to curb such attacks," BFUJ President Molla Zalal said.

Press freedom has been under the spotlight in the South Asian nation as opposition and rights group have accused Prime Minister's Sheikh Hasina's government of muzzling dissent through controversial anti-press laws.

At least 10 journalists were injured as ruling party activists allegedly attacked a motel in a central Bangladesh town when they were covering this week's national election, a senior journalist said Tuesday.

At least 10 journalists were injured as ruling party activists allegedly attacked a motel in a central Bangladesh town when they were covering this week's national election, a senior journalist said Tuesday. A group of baton-wielding men attacked the motel in Nawabganj town late Monday, where journalists from several local media were staying overnight, Masud Karim, a special correspondent of the Bengali national daily Jugantor said. "The miscreants vandalised 16 cars. At least 10 journalists from Jugantor and Jamuna TV were injured during the attack," he told AFP, alleging the police delayed responding to their distress call. The newspaper also said one of its reporters has been missing since Monday evening. It blamed the student and youth wings of the ruling Awami League party for the attack, although police said they did not know the identity of the attackers. "We rescued them (the journalists) from the situation," district police chief S.M Shafiur Rahman told AFP, rejecting the allegations police did not respond to the attack in time. The chiefs of both outlets demanded immediate arrests of the attackers but the police chief said no formal complaints had been filed. Violent clashes have marred the run-up to the December 30 election, with the opposition saying hundreds of its activists and dozens of candidates have been injured in attacks by followers of the ruling party. Six people have been killed, including two from the ruling party. Two news cameramen were also attacked by alleged pro-government activists in the central Munshiganj district on Tuesday, the online edition of the private NTV station said. Top journalist lobby group Bangladesh Federal Union of Journalists (BFUJ) demanded the attackers be punished. "The state and the government will have to shoulder the responsibility and take steps to curb such attacks," BFUJ President Molla Zalal said. Press freedom has been under the spotlight in the South Asian nation as opposition and rights group have accused Prime Minister's Sheikh Hasina's government of muzzling dissent through controversial anti-press laws.

Bangladesh: At least 10 journalists attacked ahead of polls