Pakistan registers 4,757 new cases of COVID-19

Mar 31, 2021, at 10:49 pm

Islamabad/UNI: Pakistan on Wednesday reported 4,757 fresh cases of novel coronavirus during the past 24 hours, pushing the country caseload to 6,03,126.

Pakistani celebrities take part in ‘tuk tuk' march to highlight issues of people with disabilities

Mar 31, 2021, at 10:44 pm

A host of Pakistani celebrities, including actress Mahira Khan, former cricket team captain Wasim Akram, actor-producer Humayun Saeed, and actor-model Feroze Khan, participated in the ‘Tuk Tuk March’ to highlight the issues of people with disabilities and to encourage them to pursue their rights to work and mobility.

Family of slain Pakistani immigrant raises $800,000 in US

Mar 31, 2021, at 10:32 pm

The family of a Pakistani immigrant, who was killed in a carjacking incident in the US last week, raised around $800,000 in the US, reported Dawn. The family, however, had just sought $100,000.

‘Desire peaceful, cooperative relations’: Pakistan PM Imran Khan writes to Indian PM Modi

Mar 31, 2021, at 09:20 pm

Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan wrote to Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi stating that the people of Pakistan also “desire peaceful, cooperative relations with all neighbors, including India”.

Grave concern for women and children targeted in northern Mozambique

Mar 31, 2021, at 05:33 pm

New York: Disturbing reports of targeted attacks against civilians have continued to emerge from the northern Mozambique town of Palma, marking a serious escalation of violence and volatility in the Cabo Delgado region.

World leaders call for new international treaty to improve pandemic response

Mar 31, 2021, at 05:26 pm

New York: A group of world leaders have joined the head of the World Health Organization (WHO) in calling for an international treaty to improve pandemic preparedness and response in the wake of COVID-19, for the sake of future generations.

Teacher's protest: Balochistan government imposes section 144 in Quetta amid rising COVID-19 cases

Mar 31, 2021, at 04:26 pm

Quetta: The Balochistan government recently imposed Section 144 in Quetta district to ban all public gatherings by keeping in mind the rising COVID-19 cases, amid a protest sit-in call given by the teachers’ association against the government’s failure to announce any increase in their salaries, media reports said.

US leaving Afghanistan by May 1 deadline ‘dangerous’ - House Armed Services Chair

Mar 31, 2021, at 02:29 pm

Washington/Sputnik: Trying to keep former President Donald Trump's May 1 deadline for a total US military withdrawal from Afghanistan is unrealistic and dangerous, House Armed Services Committee Chairman Adam Smith said at virtual panel discussion.

China praises work of WHO experts who prepared report on COVID origin after visit to Wuhan

Mar 31, 2021, at 02:14 pm

Beijing/Sputnik: China highly appreciates the professionalism and scientific approach of the World Health Organization (WHO) experts who contributed to the publication of the report after a visit to China's Wuhan to study the origin of COVID-19, the Chinese Foreign Ministry said in a statement.

Putin says Russia's COVID-19 situation is much better than in other countries

Mar 31, 2021, at 01:58 pm

Moscow/Sputnik: The coronavirus dynamics in Russia is much better than in other countries, which encourages domestic tourism, President Vladimir Putin said on Tuesday.

Canada commits $34.5mln for anti-islamic state coalition efforts: Statement

Mar 31, 2021, at 01:35 pm

Toronto/Sputnik: Canada is committing $34.5 million to projects aimed at defeating the Islamic State terror group (banned in Russia), Global Affairs Canada said.

Tip-off by Pakistan intelligence on Easter bombings were ignored by Sri Lanka

Mar 31, 2021, at 12:15 am

A Pakistan intelligence agency had provided intelligence input to Sri Lankan authorities about a Sri Lankan national involved in the development and planning of explosives prior to the Easter Sunday bombings, but the input was ignored by Sri Lanka authorities, said an inquiry report.

Sri Lanka to ban groups promoting LTTE ideology and separatism

Mar 31, 2021, at 12:03 am

The Sri Lankan government will ban all groups that are involved in promoting LTTE ideology and separatism in the country, reported Daily Mirror. LTTE is a banned terrorist organization that had waged an armed insurgency for almost three decades in Sri Lanka for a separate Tamil homeland.

Pollution forces to Nepal to shut schools, colleges for four days

Mar 30, 2021, at 11:49 pm

Kathmandu: Schools and colleges in Nepal had remained closed for most of the time last year. But on Monday they have been ordered to remain close for four more days. And this time not because of Covid-19; it is the air pollution.

Unidentified gunmen kill three polio vaccination campaign workers in Afghanistan

Mar 30, 2021, at 11:47 pm

Kabul: Unidentified gunmen allegedly gunned down three polio vaccination campaign workers in separate attacks in Jalalabad  city of Afghanistan on Tuesday, media reports said.

Pakistan records 100 COVID-19 deaths for first time this year

Mar 30, 2021, at 11:35 pm

Islamabad: Pakistan has reported 100 deaths due to COVID-19 in a single day for the first time this year.

Crown Prince MBS invites Imran Khan to visit Saudi Arabia

Mar 30, 2021, at 11:06 pm

Saudi Crown Prince Muhammad Bin Salman (MBS) and Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan had a telephonic conversation where the former inquired about Khan’s health and invited him to visit the Kingdom, reported The Express Tribune.

Global actions needed to tackle liquidity crisis, debt burden: PM Sheikh Hasina

Mar 30, 2021, at 11:01 pm

Dhaka: Ambitious and concentrated action plans are needed to address the problems of liquidity crisis and sovereign debt burdens now and in the post-Covid-19 era, Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina said in a virtual program on the International Debt Architecture and Liquidity.

Pakistan PM Imran Khan changes his finance minister

Mar 30, 2021, at 10:55 pm

Islamabad: This is the second time since 2018 that Pakistan Prime Minister Imran has changes its finance minister. Federal Information Ministry Shibli Faraz has replaced Abdul Hafeez Sheikh as finance minister, reported Dawn.

Comprehensive political settlement needed to end Afghan conflict: Pakistan foreign minister

Mar 30, 2021, at 10:44 pm

Islamabad: There is no military solution to the Afghan conflict, and an inclusive, broad-based, and comprehensive political settlement was the only way forward to achieve peace in the war-torn country, Pakistan Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi conveyed to Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu.

Action for Peacekeeping: Progress made, but the work’s ‘far from done’

Mar 30, 2021, at 06:19 pm

New York: Three years since the UN Secretary-General launched his Action for Peacekeeping (A4P) initiative to strengthening peacekeeping operations worldwide, “significant progress” has been made “but our work is far from done”, the peacekeeping chief said on Monday.

Guterres urges ‘decisive action’ to stave off debt crisis in developing world

Mar 30, 2021, at 06:14 pm

New York: Though significant steps have been taken to prevent debt crises across the world sparked by the COVID-19 crisis, they have not been sufficient to restore economic stability in many developing countries, according to a policy brief issued by the UN Secretary-General on Monday.

‘No respite’ for civilians in Syria, UN officials urge international support

Mar 30, 2021, at 05:46 pm

New York: Senior United Nations officials have called on the international community to step up funding for relief programmes supporting millions of people in Syria and the region, who depend on the life-saving assistance and livelihood support after a decade of brutal conflict.

Myanmar: Top UN officials condemn military’s ‘shameful, cowardly’ attacks on peaceful protesters

Mar 30, 2021, at 05:28 pm

New York: Two senior UN officials denounced on Sunday, “systematic” attacks on peaceful demonstrators in Myanmar and flagged that the international community has a responsibility to protect the people from atrocities. 

Pakistan President Arif Alvi tests COVID-19 positive after taking first jab of Chinese made vaccine  

Mar 30, 2021, at 03:02 pm

Islamabad: Pakistan President Arif Alvi has tested COVID-19 positive after taking the first shot of the Chinese made vaccine.

Canada advisory committee recommends pausing AstraZeneca vaccine shots: Statement

Mar 30, 2021, at 02:48 pm

Toronto/Sputnik: Canada’s National Advisory Committee on Immunizations (NACI) is recommending a pause in inoculating Canadians under the age of 55 with the Oxford-AstraZeneca coronavirus vaccine citing safety concerns.

Traffic resumes in Suez Canal after giant stranded ship refloated

Mar 30, 2021, at 02:43 am

Cairo/IBNS: Shipping traffic through Egypt's Suez Canal resumed on Monday after a giant container ship blocking the waterway has been refloated in the early hours.

Russia highlights Northern Sea route's potential after Suez Canal mishap

Mar 30, 2021, at 12:06 am

Moscow/Sputnik: The Northern Sea Route (NSR), which runs along Russia’s Arctic coast, dramatically slashes journey times for goods shipped from Asia to Europe and has a huge potential to ramp up cargo traffic, the Russian Ministry of Energy said on Monday after a stranded megaship caused almost a week-long shutdown of the Suez Canal.

President of Egypt says operation to unblock Suez Canal successfully ended

Mar 30, 2021, at 12:02 am

Cairo/Sputnik:  Egyptian President Abdel Fattah Sisi said on Monday that an operation to refloat giant container ship Ever Given that was stuck for nearly a week in the Suez Canal has successfully ended.

Pakistan: Stepfather arrested for allegedly raping, murdering five-year-old

Mar 29, 2021, at 11:25 pm

Islamabad: Pakistan police have arrested the stepfather for allegedly raping and murdering a five-year-old girl, media reports said.