UN chief pledges to keep ‘memories alive’ of those who died in service during 2020
May 07, 2021, at 06:00 pm
New York: The United Nations paused on Thursday to honour 336 personnel who lost their lives in the line of duty in 2020: the highest number ever in a single year.
UN launches key initiative to protect seafarers’ human rights amid COVID-19 crisis
May 07, 2021, at 05:43 pm
New York: Around 200,000 cargo ship crew members are stranded at sea, beyond the length of their contracts due to COVID-19 restrictions, placing a major strain on their physical and mental health. New UN guidelines were published on Thursday, aimed at helping the industry better protect human rights at sea, as new COVID variants threaten to further delay crew turnover.
USA: Rights expert decries wave of anti-protest laws ‘spreading through the country’
May 07, 2021, at 04:37 pm
New York: A UN independent human rights expert has slammed new laws in several American states aimed at suppressing racial justice protests and the Black Lives Matter movement, according to a statement on Wednesday.
Former TV presenter gunned down in Afghanistan
May 07, 2021, at 01:14 pm
A former TV presenter in an Afghan news channel was on Thursday gunned down in the southern province of Kandahar, thus adding one more name to the long list of assassinated people, associated with the country’s media industry.
Ahead of confidence motion, Nepal PM Oli reaches out to opposition leader
May 07, 2021, at 01:03 pm
Soon after the Oli government in Nepal was reduced to a minority government, Oli reached out to Sher Bahadur Deuba, the leader of the Nepali Congress, a key opposition party, on Wednesday.
Pakistan PM lauds working of Indian embassies, reprimands its own diplomats
May 07, 2021, at 01:01 pm
Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan has lauded the working of Indian embassies in foreign countries, saying they work better and remain engaged to attract foreign investment in India. He advised Pakistani diplomats to adopt course corrections in their functioning.
Sri Lankan prime minister elected to head of board of governors of ADB
May 07, 2021, at 12:59 pm
Sri Lankan Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa has been elected to the chair of the board of governors of the Asian Development Bank (ADB), reported Colombopage. Rajapaksa, who also holds the charge of the ministry of finance in Sri Lanka, will remain in the position for 2021-2022.
Ex-Maldives President Mohamed Nasheed injured in suspected bomb blast
May 07, 2021, at 05:23 am
Male/IBNS: Former Maldives President and current Parliament Speaker Mohamed Nasheed was on Thursday injured in a suspected bomb blast, media reports said.
Beijing receives jolt: EU suspends efforts to ratify controversial investment deal with China
May 07, 2021, at 01:42 am
Brussels: Amid ongoing tension between Brussels and Beijing, the European Union has suspended efforts to ratify an investment deal with China, media reports said.
Human Rights and China: Uyghur School Director jailed for 14 years
May 07, 2021, at 01:12 am
A Uyghur academic director and prolific translator who is the brother of an RFA reporter has been sentenced to a lengthy prison sentence following two years spent in an internment camp in China’s Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region (XUAR) for “religious extremism", an episode surely highlighting the aggressive stance taken by China over the people of the region.
China arm-twists local news channels in Hong Kong: Reports
May 07, 2021, at 01:01 am
Hong Kong: China is taking up a more aggressive stance against Hong Kong’s main broadcaster as there has been sudden reshuffles from the top while journalists were even removed from their positions, which experts believe is Beijing's attempt to target the local media of the region.
Is Pakistani economy sinking as the trade deficit widens to $23.8b in 10 months?
May 07, 2021, at 12:02 am
Islamabad: Pakistan seems to be struggling in the economic front and it is evident from the trade deficit as it widened to $23.8 billion and exceeded the annual target by $4.1 billion in 10 months of the current fiscal year.
Afghanistan Alert: Taliban threatens media outlets over gov’t collusion
May 06, 2021, at 11:57 pm
Kabul: Taliban terror group has warned the Afghan media outlets to halt what they called one-sided publications and broadcastings.
May 06, 2021, at 11:30 pm
Islamabad: A senior Pakistan journalist has pointed out that a large number of children in the country are sexually abused and are vulnerable to assault and this is a reality that can no longer be ignored.
Japan's ruling opposition parties agree on bill for amending referendum law: Reports
May 06, 2021, at 10:30 pm
Tokyo/Sputnik: Japan's ruling Liberal Democratic Party and the main opposition Constitutional Democratic Party reached an agreement on Thursday to approve a modified bill on a nationwide referendum law, the Kyodo news agency reported.
Beijing indefinitely suspends China-Australia strategic economic dialogue: Commission
May 06, 2021, at 09:43 pm
Beijing/UNI: Beijing decided on Thursday to indefinitely suspend the China-Australia Strategic Economic Dialogue over what it describes as Canberra's measures to disrupt normal exchanges and cooperation, the Chinese National Development and Reform Commission (NDRC) said.
EU approves bringing US, Canada, Norway, into Bloc's PESCO Defence initiative
May 06, 2021, at 09:34 pm
Brussels/Sputnik: The Council of the European Union on Thursday approved inviting the United States, Canada and Norway to participate in the bloc's Permanent Structured Cooperation (PESCO) defense initiative.
German broadcaster DW says China's New Silk Route is full of cracks
May 06, 2021, at 07:10 pm
Deutsche Welle, the leading German public state-owned international broadcaster and news agency, has said cracks are appearing in China's Belt and Road Initiative (BRI).
New Australian missions in the Marshall Islands and French Polynesia to counter China
May 06, 2021, at 06:43 pm
The Australian government has opened embassies in the Marshall Islands and French Polynesia on Tuesday amid rising influence and challenge from China in the Pacifric region, media reports said.
Sky News host highlights China's threat to world democracies, urge countries to stand together
May 06, 2021, at 04:20 pm
Sky News host Andrew Bolt has said all the world's democracies should stand together or they will fall separately as China is engaged in war in the grey zone where it conducts strategic operations short of an all-out war.
US report alerts: Taliban's return to power may undo women's advancement in Afghanistan
May 06, 2021, at 02:53 pm
Kabul: A US intelligence has warned in its classified report that in case Taliban forces return to power in Afghanistan then it would risk undoing the gains made in women's rights since the group's ousting nearly two decades ago.
Two-Thirds of Americans support removing US troops from Afghanistan by September: Poll
May 06, 2021, at 02:50 pm
Washington/Sputnik: Two-thirds of Americans support the Biden administration’s decision to pull US troops from Afghanistan by September, a new Charles Koch Institute poll revealed on Wednesday.
Malian woman gives birth to nine children, two more than expected
May 06, 2021, at 05:29 am
Morocco/IBNS: A 25-year-old Malian woman has given birth to nine children, two more than the seven that had been detected in the ultrasound, the country's Ministry of Health said.
Aggressive Dragon: Japan protests presence of Chinese research vessel close to Okinawa
May 06, 2021, at 04:45 am
Okinawa: The Japan Coast Guard recently chased away Chinese research vessel from its exclusive economic zone where Japanese authorities believe it was conducting research, media reports said.
Pakistan minister says govt won't follow Western advice on tackling Islamist group TLP
May 06, 2021, at 04:31 am
Islamabad: Amid its worsening ties with France over Islam, Pakistan's Information Minister Fawad Chaudhry on Tuesday said the government would not take any dictation (from the West) to settle internal issues, including action against the banned far-right Islamist group Tehreek-i-Labbaik Pakistan (TLP).
US report alerts: Taliban's return to power may undo women's advancement in Afghanistan
May 06, 2021, at 04:20 am
Kablu: A US intelligence has warned in its classified report that in case Taliban forces return to power in Afghanistan then it would risk undoing the gains made in women's rights since the group's ousting nearly two decades ago.
Pakistan records 4113 new COVID-19 cases in past 24 hours
May 06, 2021, at 02:28 am
Islamabad: Pakistan, a country hit by COVID-19 pandemic, has registered 4,113 new coronavirus infections in the past 24 hours, media reports said on Wednesday
Release jailed dissident on medical grounds, UN experts urge Iran
May 06, 2021, at 01:57 am
New York: United Nations independent human rights experts, on Tuesday, called on Iranian authorities to immediately release a political activist, said to be at risk of severe health complications and even death, if not provided with appropriate medical care.
Pakistan: Local tribal leader mysteriously killed
May 05, 2021, at 11:44 pm
Islamabad: A local tribal leader has been mysteriously gunned down by unknown men in Datta Khel area of Pakistan, media reports said.
Pakistan: Three cops snatch cash from a person, booked
May 05, 2021, at 11:32 pm
Police have booked three cops in Pakistan on the charge of snatching cash from a citizen, media reports said.