Security Council upholds role of multilateralism in a complex world
May 08, 2021, at 05:36 pm
New York: The President of the UN General Assembly on Friday urged countries to “do better” in making COVID-19 vaccines available to everyone, everywhere, warning that “good intentions are no match for vaccines in arms.”
Pakistan: Punjab govt imposes complete lockdown from May 8 to 15
May 08, 2021, at 05:31 pm
Islamabad: Pakistan's Punjab government has decided to impose complete lockdown in the province from May 8 to 15 in line with the National Command and Operations Centre (NCOC) decision to restrict movement of people during the Eid holidays amid rising COVID-19 cases.
European Parliament resolution on the deplorable state of human rights in Pakistan was overdue
May 08, 2021, at 05:20 pm
It would not have come as a surprise to any Pakistan-watcher that the European Parliament, in view of the “alarming” increase in the abuse of blasphemy laws in Pakistan, last week adopted a resolution calling for a review of the GSP+ status, the EU’s most beneficial trading relationship, which it had granted to the country. Once Pakistan’s Prime Minister Imran Khan decided to put his stock behind the extremist and violent Tehrik-i-Labaik Pakistan (TLP) and its demand that the French Ambassador be evicted from Islamabad as punishment for French President Macron’s espousal of free speech in his country, a strong response from the European Union (EU) was no longer in doubt.
Killed Afghanistan journalist laid to rest
May 08, 2021, at 05:11 pm
Kabul: Nemat Rawan, former TOLO news anchor and a media official at the Ministry of Finance, who was killed by gunmen in Afghanistan's Kandahar on Thursday has been laid to rest, media reports said.
Stop evictions in East Jerusalem neighbourhood immediately, UN rights office urges Israel
May 08, 2021, at 05:01 pm
New York: The UN’s human rights office (OHCHR), on Friday, called on Israel to immediately halt all forced evictions, including those in the Sheikh Jarrah neighbourhood of East Jerusalem, as well as to exercise maximum restraint in the use of force while ensuring safety and security there.
Brazil: UN rights office urges independent probe into deadly police operation in Rio de Janeiro
May 08, 2021, at 04:48 pm
New York: The UN's human rights office (OHCHR) on Friday called for an independent, thorough and impartial investigation into a major police operation in a favela in the Brazilian city of Rio de Janeiro, in which at least 25 were reportedly killed, including a police officer.
Maldives announces curfew across five islands
May 08, 2021, at 12:51 pm
As Covid-19 cases remain unchecked in the Maldives, authorities on Friday have announced further restrictions, putting five islands under curfew, reported Raajje TV. The measures came after the archipelago over 700 daily cases on Thursday.
$354 million power extension project in Pakistan awarded to Chinese firm
May 08, 2021, at 12:44 pm
Authorities in Pakistan have awarded a hydropower extension project worth $354 million to a Chinese firm, reported Dawn. The contract was signed following an international bidding process.
Resentment among Pakistani diplomats after Khan’s ‘colonial’ remark
May 08, 2021, at 12:41 pm
Anger has been brewing among Pakistan’s foreign service community since the country’s Prime Minister Imran Khan rebuked them publicly for what he said their “colonial” mindset while dealing with the expatriate community.
Taliban to stop hostilities in Afghanistan for 3 days after Ramadan: Source
May 08, 2021, at 12:38 pm
Kabul/Sputnik: The Taliban Islamist movement will cease hostilities in Afghanistan for three days after Eid al-Fitr, the holiday that marks the end of the Ramadan holy month, a source close to the group told Sputnik.
COVID stings Pakistan: Islamabad seals Durand Line with Afghanistan
May 08, 2021, at 05:09 am
Islamabad: Pakistan this week sealed the Torkham land crossing with Afghanistan in an attempt to control the passage of new variants of the coronavirus into the country.
Balochistan witnesses protest after Quetta Police gun down youth
May 08, 2021, at 02:52 am
Quetta: Pakistan's Quetta city witnessed protests recently after the Eagle Squad of Balochistan Police allegedly opened fire on the car being driven by a 22-year-old youth, killing him on Wednesday night in Quetta, media reports said.
G7 targets China on its treatment towards Taiwan, Hong Kong, Xinjiang and South China Sea
May 08, 2021, at 02:35 am
London: The foreign ministers of Group of Seven (G7) countries have targeted China on issues like Hong Kong, human rights violations in Xinjiang, and military build-up in the South China Sea.
Hague: Pro Uyghur body stages demonstrate outside Chinese Embassy
May 08, 2021, at 02:09 am
Hague: Celebrating Doppa Day on May 5, a demonstration was staged in front of the Chinese Embassy here in the Netherlands by Hague based non-profit group Global Human Rights Defence (GHRD) and World Uyghur Congress (WUC), media reports said.
Helmed by a Pakistani, this London eatery serves 500 free mails daily
May 07, 2021, at 06:48 pm
The brainchild of a Pakistani activist and businessman, an Asian community kitchen in West London is serving over 500 hot meals to low-income families, the homeless, and refugees for free each day.
Taliban takes control of of key dam in Afghanistan
May 07, 2021, at 06:46 pm
The Taliban, the Afghan insurgent group, has taken control of the Dahla dam- the second biggest dam in Afghanistan- in the southern province of Kandahar where intense fightings have been raging for months.
Afghanistan border: Four Pakistani soldiers killed in 'terror' ambush
May 07, 2021, at 06:40 pm
Islamabad: As many as four Pakistani soldiers were killed in a terrorist attack near the Pakistan-Afghanistan border in Balochistan, officials said on Friday.
Rising number of poverty-induced child marriages makes Pakistan no country for girls
May 07, 2021, at 06:29 pm
Increasing poverty and spike in the number of child marriages due to it are becoming major causes of concern for young girls in Pakistan.
One dead, 3 injured as explosion hits repair plant in Southern China: Reports
May 07, 2021, at 06:13 pm
Beijing/Sputnik: A powerful explosion has hit a repair plant in China's southern Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, leaving one person dead and three more injured, media reported on Friday.
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.