IRSA says water shortage in Pakistan is worse than expected
May 15, 2022, at 03:54 am
Islamabad: Pakistan is battling an acute shortage of water for irrigation purposes amid the Kharif season which commenced on April 1 with the sowing of major crops, including cotton, sugarcane, rice and maize, media reports said on Saturday.
Pakistan: 2 militants killed in Peshawar
May 15, 2022, at 12:07 am
Islamabad: Two militants were killed in an exchange of fire with police in Peshawar, the capital city of Pakistan's northwestern Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province, the Counter Terrorism Department (CTD) of police said on Saturday.
Pakistan: Christian community demands justice over shooting incident in Rawalpindi
May 14, 2022, at 11:44 pm
Rawalpindi, Pakistan: Members of the Christian community, led by family members of the two young Christian boys who were shot and injured by local influential people in broad daylight, demonstrated outside Wah Saddar police station in Pakistan's Rawalpindi city recently.
A non-controversial person should be next army chief of Pakistan: Maryam Nawaz
May 14, 2022, at 11:39 pm
Islamabad: Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) leader Maryam Nawaz appreciated Pakistan Army's decision to remain apolitical but at the same time said non-controversial professional should be appointed the army chief who can command respect within the army and among the public.
May 14, 2022, at 11:36 pm
Karachi, Pakistan: Pakistan Jamaat-e-Islami (JI) Chief Hafiz Naeem-ur-Rehman has announced he will launch protests against the increasing severity of power outages and water scarcity in Karachi.
Pakistan's SBP forex reserves hit 23-month low
May 14, 2022, at 11:32 pm
Islamabad: Pakistan's foreign exchange reserves has now moved down to touch its lowest level since December 2019 at USD 16.4 billion.
Relief chief underlines need for urgent support as millions face drought in Horn of Africa
May 14, 2022, at 06:39 pm
New York: Humanitarians continue to call for scaling up assistance in the Horn of Africa, where the worst drought in 40 years is affecting some 15 million people across Kenya, Ethiopia, and Somalia.
Ukraine: Amid fresh Russian claims, no trace of secret bioweapons programme
May 14, 2022, at 06:29 pm
New York: Amid new claims by Moscow of a covert biological weapons programme in Ukraine, the Director of Disarmament Affairs (UNODA) affirmed on Friday that the UN is not aware of any such programme and has neither the mandate nor the technical operational capacity to investigate it - a message first delivered to the Security Council on 11 and 18 March, by High Representative Izumi Nakamitsu.
Unity among nations, in push for greater space security at UN-led talks
May 14, 2022, at 06:21 pm
New York: A new UN-led push to prevent an arms race in outer space has received wide-ranging support and participation from civil society and Member States – including all five permanent members of the Security Council - at talks in Geneva.
‘Coalition of the willing’ to ensure healthy diets from sustainable food systems
May 14, 2022, at 06:03 pm
New York: Ensuring everyone has access to a healthy diet is among the goals of a UN-backed initiative launched on Friday in line with efforts to transform food systems globally.
Sustainable Development Goals in peril due to overseas aid cuts: Guterres
May 14, 2022, at 05:33 pm
New York: Recent deep cuts to overseas aid budgets by governments, will have “direct, negative impacts” on the ability of the world to reach the 2030 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), the UN chief warned on Friday.
New Zealand: Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern tests COVID-19 positive
May 14, 2022, at 02:34 pm
Wellington: New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern on Saturday said she had tested positive for Covid-19.
Canadian businesses help Afghan refugees by offering jobs, training, upgrading skills
May 14, 2022, at 05:41 am
Ottawa/IBNS: Recognizing the contributions of the refugees to the Canadian workforce, larger business employers across Canada stepped up their efforts to offer jobs to Afghan newcomers by providing them with the opportunities, skills, and work experience they need to be successful.
Canada: British Columbia's skyrocketing mortgage rate brings down home sales
May 14, 2022, at 05:22 am
Vancouver/IBNS: British Columbia (B.C,)'s Real Estate Association has reportedly estimated that a balanced market is at least a year away adding that a sharp increase in mortgage rates is pushing the province's home sales down a path to normalizing.
Ukraine war: Russia expels Bulgarian, Romanian diplomats in tit-for-tat move
May 14, 2022, at 01:10 am
Moscow/UNI/Sputnik: The Russian Foreign Ministry said on Friday said it had ordered 10 Romanian and one Bulgarian diplomat to leave the country in response to the expulsion of its diplomats last month.
Afghanistan: Blast rocks Ayuob Saber Mosque in Kabul, 3 injured
May 14, 2022, at 01:03 am
Kabul: A blast rocked the Ayuob Saber Mosque in Kabul city of Afghanistan on Friday which left three people hurt, media reports said.
Mariupol evacuations ‘a glimmer of hope’ in Ukraine war
May 14, 2022, at 12:56 am
New York: The United Nations continues to explore all options to reach civilians affected by Russia’s brutal assault on Ukraine, deputy humanitarian affairs chief Joyce Msuya said in an update to the Security Council on Thursday.
Elon Musk puts Twitter deal on hold
May 14, 2022, at 12:44 am
New York: Tesla chief Elon Musk on Friday announced his $44bn deal to buy micro-blogging site Twitter is on hold after he queried the number of fake or spam accounts on the social media platform.
Russia in spotlight over Ukraine atrocities as Human Rights Council meets
May 14, 2022, at 12:39 am
New York: The UN Human Rights Council met in special session on Thursday in Geneva, prompted by increasing concern over atrocities committed against civilians, linked to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine on 24 February.
Another European war ‘not an impossibility’; unity crucial in Bosnia and Herzegovina
May 14, 2022, at 12:35 am
New York: Amidst rising tensions, a months-long political stalemate and increasing speculation about yet another conflict in Europe, the international community must stand firm behind a peaceful, unified Bosnia and Herzegovina, the country’s UN envoy told the Security Council on Wednesday.
Yemen: $33 million pledged to address decaying oil tanker threat
May 14, 2022, at 12:30 am
New York: Donors on Wednesday pledged $33 million towards a UN-coordinated plan to prevent an ageing oil tanker moored off the west Coast of Yemen from sparking a potential ecological and humanitarian disaster.
Dialogue and cooperation needed over ‘interlinked global crises’ UN chief says in Austria
May 14, 2022, at 12:26 am
New York: The world is facing “multiple and interlinked global crises,” the UN chief told journalists in Austria on Wednesday during a joint press conference with Chancellor Karl Nehammer and Foreign Minister Alexander Schallenberg.
UN officials call for probe into killing of Al Jazeera journalist Shireen Abu Akleh
May 14, 2022, at 12:22 am
New York: Senior officials from across the United Nations are calling for an investigation into the killing on Wednesday of well-known Al Jazeera correspondent Shireen Abu Akleh.
Ukraine: UN labour agency update shows 4.8 million jobs lost to war
May 14, 2022, at 12:02 am
New York: An estimated 4.8 million jobs have been lost in Ukraine since Russia’s 24 February invasion, according to a brief published on Wednesday by the UN’s labour agency.
New UN campaign aims to bring more young voices to halls of power
May 13, 2022, at 11:36 pm
New York: To support young people’s political participation and amplify their voices in public life, the UN launched a campaign on Wednesday in collaboration with the Youth Envoy.
United Arab Emirates President Sheikh Khalifa Bin Zayed Al Nahyan dies
May 13, 2022, at 11:17 pm
Dubai: United Arab Emirates President Sheikh Khalifa Bin Zayed Al Nahyan died on Friday, officials said.
Bangladesh: Unknown gunmen shoots down businessman in Khulna
May 13, 2022, at 09:09 pm
Khulna: Unknown gunmen shot dead a businessman when he was heading home to Fultola Upazila in Khulna region of Bangladesh with his wife on a motorcycle, media reports said.
Pakistan: Road mishap leaves 12 people dead
May 13, 2022, at 08:17 pm
Islamabad/Gujranwala: Two cans collided with a third vehicle in Pakistan's Gujranwala region which left at least 12 people dead, media reports said.
Pakistani drops by over Re1 against US dollar
May 13, 2022, at 07:03 pm
Islamabad: Pakistani Rupee dropped by over Re1 against the US dollar during intraday trading in the interbank market on Friday, media reports said.
Sri Lanka: Ranil Wickremesinghe assumes charge as PM amid nation's economic crisis
May 13, 2022, at 06:47 pm
Colombo: Newly-appointed Sri Lankan Prime Minister and UNP leader Ranil Wickremesinghe has assumed duties at the PM's office on Friday.