UN and partners announce Afghan peace summit will convene in Turkey this month
Apr 14, 2021, at 04:55 pm
New York: The UN together with Turkey, and Qatar, announced on Tuesday that a high-level conference aimed at ending decades of conflict in Afghanistan will go ahead beginning on 24 April, bringing together representatives of both the Afghan Government and the Taliban.
Burundi refugees in Tanzania living in fear: UN rights experts
Apr 14, 2021, at 04:37 pm
New York: The rights of refugees and asylum seekers who have fled Burundi for Tanzania must be respected, experts appointed by the UN Human Rights Council said on Tuesday in an appeal to authorities in both countries.
Rights experts sound alarm over Uganda ‘brutal’ election crackdown
Apr 14, 2021, at 04:13 pm
New York: UN-appointed independent rights experts on Tuesday condemned the killing of more than 50 people by “brutal policing methods”, linked to disputed national elections held in January.
Myanmar heading towards a ‘full-blown conflict’, UN human rights chief warns
Apr 14, 2021, at 04:03 pm
New York: The ongoing repression of protests in Myanmar could spark a “full-blown conflict” on a par with Syria, the United Nations’ top human rights official warned on Tuesday, urging States with influence to take immediate and impactful action to halt the “slaughter” of civilians.
Review ‘disproportionate and unwarranted’ measures, rights experts urge Cambodia
Apr 14, 2021, at 03:52 pm
New York: United Nations independent human rights experts on Monday called for the review of new legal and administrative measures adopted by the Government of Cambodia in response to the COVID-19 pandemic, which they said appear to be “disproportionate and unwarranted”.
Bipartisan US bill would grant priority refugee status to China's Uyghurs: Lawmakers
Apr 14, 2021, at 03:39 pm
Washington/Sputnik: China’s Uyghur minority subject to government repression would become eligible for prioritized US refugee status under legislation introduced by Senators Marco Rubio and Chris Coons.
Reconciliation center says terrorists shelled Syria's Idlib de-escalation zone 22 times
Apr 14, 2021, at 03:30 pm
Moscow/Sputnik: Rear Adm. Alexander Karpov, deputy head of the Russian Defense Ministry's Center for Reconciliation of Opposing Sides in Syria, said at a briefing that the Jabhat al-Nusra terrorist group (banned in Russia) had shelled Syria's Idlib de-escalation zone 22 times over the past 24 hours.
Canada will not ‘hesitate’ to change AstraZeneca vaccine licensing if more issues emerge
Apr 14, 2021, at 03:05 pm
Toronto/Sputnik: Canadian health regulators will not hesitate to change the terms of the AstraZeneca coronavirus vaccine license if additional safety issues emerge, Health Minister Patty Hajdu said.
Pakistan: Blast during football match in Karachi leaves seven hurt
Apr 14, 2021, at 02:51 pm
Karachi: A blast during a football match in Karachi's Hub area in Pakistan on Tuesday left at least seven people hurt, media reports said.
UK adds Pakistan in high-risk country for terror financing; Pakistan opposes
Apr 14, 2021, at 12:22 am
The United Kingdom government has put Pakistan on the list of 21 countries that are considered high-risk countries for money laundering and terror financing. The country still remains on the grey list of the global terror watchdog, the Financial Action Task Force (FATF). Pakistan’s Foreign Office on Monday expressed reservations on the inclusion, calling the move “devoid of facts”.
Colombo Port city to become Chinese colony: Sri Lankan opposition party
Apr 14, 2021, at 12:16 am
The proposed Colombo Port City Economic Commission Bill will turn the Colombo Port City--a dream project of Sri Lankan Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa--into a Chinese colony, an opposition party in Sri Lanka alleged.
Two killed in violence as Pakistan arrests chief of Islamist group
Apr 14, 2021, at 12:12 am
At least two people have been killed and several wounded in violence that spread across major cities in Pakistan following the arrest of a radical Islamist leader, reports say. Lahore, Gujranwala, Islamabad, and Peshwar were the worst affected cities on Monday.
Nepal has $9.2 billion untapped export potential: World Bank
Apr 13, 2021, at 11:57 pm
Nepal has untapped export potential worth an estimated $9.2 billion, The Kathmandu Post reported quoting a new World Bank finding.
Global peace more challenging due to Covid: Bangladesh PM Hasina
Apr 13, 2021, at 11:48 pm
Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has said ensuring global peace is now far more challenging than in the past due to the Covid-19 pandemic.
South China Sea issue: Philippines, US to start two-week joint military drills
Apr 13, 2021, at 11:47 pm
Manila: The Philippine armed forces will hold joint exercises with hundreds of US soldiers over the next two weeks amid a conflict with China over the South China Sea issue, media reports said.
Victims of ‘forced confessions’ ask Western powers to ban Chinese TV channels
Apr 13, 2021, at 11:40 pm
Thirteen people who describe themselves as “victims of forced confessions broadcast on Chinese television” have asked European satellite operator Eutelsat to reconsider carrying channels like CGTN and CCTV4, media reports said.
Hong Kong activist gets new jail term for illegal assembly, breaking anti-mask law
Apr 13, 2021, at 11:36 pm
Hong Kong/Sputnik: Joshua Wong, a prominent activist from Hong Kong, was sentenced to serve four more months in prison on Tuesday for joining an unsanctioned protest and violating the anti-mask law in 2019, local media reported.
Beijing attempting to frame innocent Hong Kong activist: Report
Apr 13, 2021, at 11:35 pm
Hong Kong: Anti-slavery activist Luke de Pulford has said the Chinese government is trying to “make an example” of imprisoned Hong Kong activist Andy Li after he was arrested trying to flee to Taiwan.
COVID-19: Anthony Blinken slams China over lack of 'transparency'
Apr 13, 2021, at 11:31 pm
Washington: A top US leader once again slammed China for showing lack of transparency in sharing information during the earlier stages of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Pakistan seeking investment through economic diplomacy: Qureshi
Apr 13, 2021, at 11:29 pm
Pakistan Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi has said Islamabad is inviting the world's attention towards investment opportunities in Pakistan through economic diplomacy, Radio Pakistan reported.
G20: Pakistan hopes to get $1bn debt relief
Apr 13, 2021, at 11:24 pm
Islamabad: COVID-19 hit Pakistan is expecting to get around $1 billion relief from G-20, media reports said.
Austrian Health Minister Anschober announces resignation over health issues
Apr 13, 2021, at 11:20 pm
Vienna/Sputnik: Austrian Health Minister Rudolf Anschober announced on Tuesday his intention to step down from the ministerial post due to health problems and exhaustion from combating the coronavirus pandemic.
Tech War: US intensifies pressure on China with proposed new policy
Apr 13, 2021, at 11:20 pm
Beijing: The US Senate’s new legislation, the Strategic Competition Act of 2021, lays out a wide-ranging strategy for the first time to contain China's attempt to expand globally, media reports said.
US climate envoy John Kerry to visit China soon
Apr 13, 2021, at 11:14 pm
Washington: Special U.S. envoy on climate John F. Kerry might travel to China next week amid rising tension between the two nations, media reports said.
Clashes in Pakistan leave several Sikh pilgrims stranded in Lahore
Apr 13, 2021, at 11:13 pm
Islamabad: Several Sikh pilgrims, who were headed for Gurdwara Panja Sahib in Pakistan on the occasion of Baisakhi, are stranded en route, media reports said on Tuesday.
Pakistan reports 118 COVID-19 deaths in past 24 hours
Apr 13, 2021, at 11:09 pm
Islamabad: Pakistan reported 118 deaths related to COVID-19 in the past 24 hours, marking the highest-single-day hike in the fatality numbers this year, media reports said on Tuesday.
UK puts Pakistan to a list of high-risk states
Apr 13, 2021, at 11:03 pm
Islamabad: The British government has put Pakistan in the list of undesirable 21 high-risk countries with unsatisfactory money laundering and terrorist financing controls, media reports said.
Several Pakistan cities witness massive protests over detention of Tehreek-i-Labbaik Pakistan chief
Apr 13, 2021, at 10:18 pm
Islamabad: Several cities in Pakistan witnessed protests over the detention of Tehreek-i-Labbaik Pakistan (TLP) chief Saad Hussain Rizvi on Monday.
Canadian Intelligence alleges China, Russia of 'Cold War' level of espionage, foreign interference
Apr 13, 2021, at 10:06 pm
Ottawa/UNI: A fresh report by the Canadian Security Intelligence Service (CSIS) pointed to an unprecedented surge in espionage activities, especially by Russia and China, toward the North American country, similar to that during the Cold War era.
Overseas cyberattacks paralyses internet in China’s Hunan province
Apr 13, 2021, at 10:02 pm
Beijing/UNI: Internet service providers in China's southern Hunan province believe that cyberattacks from overseas were behind the mass outage of local internet services.