Imran Khan had tried to sidestep a no-confidence vote, saying it was a foreign conspiracy. The supreme court has said the vote must proceed. Imran Khan again faces being turfed out of power after the nation’s supreme court ruled Pakistan’s parliament should be restored so that he can face a …
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China: UNHRC’s suspension of Russia sets a ‘dangerous precedent’
The United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC)’s suspension of Russia’s membership will set a dangerous precedent, the Chinese Foreign Ministry said on Friday. The UN General Assembly on Thursday adopted a resolution suspending Russia’s membership in the Geneva-based UNHRC over reports of “gross and systematic violations and abuses of human rights” …
Read More »Massive fire reported in northern occupied Palestinian lands
Local media in the occupied Palestinian lands reported a massive fire in northern occupied lands on Friday. The fire is reported to be burning a structure in the northern city of Acre on Friday afternoon. Hebrew-language media reported that a fire broke out in a structure under construction and rescue …
Read More »Iraq, Iran FMs stress implementation of bilateral agreements
The foreign ministers of Iraq and Iran discussed bilateral relations, the Ukraine conflict as well as regional developments in a phone call on Friday. Fuad Hussein and his Irani counterpart Hossein Amir-Abdollahian held a telephone conversation on Friday morning. The two sides exchanged congratulations on Nowruz as well as the …
Read More »Four troops injured as drones, rockets hit US-run bases in Iraq, Syria
Unmanned aerial vehicles have reportedly hit targets inside a major airbase in Iraq’s western province of Anbar, which houses American military forces, who are in the country on alleged training and advisory missions. Citing a security source speaking on condition of anonymity, news outlets reported that two combat drones had …
Read More »Oil prices drift lower, set for 3% weekly fall due to massive stocks release
Oil prices drifted lower on Friday and were set to drop around 3% for the week as consuming countries’ planned release of 240 million barrels from emergency stocks offset some concerns over reduced supplies from Russia due to western sanctions. Brent crude futures edged lower by 55 cents, or 0.6% …
Read More »UN suspends Russia from human rights body, Moscow quits
The United Nations General Assembly on Thursday suspended Russia from the U.N. Human Rights Council over reports of “gross and systematic violations and abuses of human rights” in Ukraine, prompting Moscow to announce it was quitting the body. The U.S.-led push garnered 93 votes in favor, while 24 countries voted …
Read More »Sri Lanka opposition to move no-confidence motion if economic crisis unaddressed
Sri Lanka’s main opposition party on Friday asked the government to take effective action to resolve an economic crisis or face a no-confidence motion, as business leaders from garments, tea and other industries warned exports could fall 20 to 30 percent this year. The heavily indebted country has little money …
Read More »At least 2 killed in martyrdom-seeking operation in Tel Aviv (Video)
At least two people have been killed and several seriously wounded in a martyrdom-seeking operation in Tel Aviv’s city centre. Israel’s Magen David Adom emergency service said it received reports of a shooting at “several scenes” around downtown Tel Aviv. It said it had evacuated six people to a nearby …
Read More »DHL cargo plane breaks in two during emergency landing in Costa Rica (Video)
A cargo plane carrying mail and packages skidded off the runway and broke in two during an emergency landing in Costa Rica on Thursday, causing the temporary closure of the international airport in San Jose. Smoke was billowing from the bright yellow plane of German logistics giant DHL as it …
Read More »UNMAS, UNICEF call for an Iraq clear of explosives
The United Nations Mine Action Service (UNMAS) and the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) on Monday released a joint statement calling for action to be taken towards an Iraq free of mines and explosive ordnance, coinciding with International Mine Awareness Day. UNMAS and UNICEF stated that over 519 children have …
Read More »Spain PM in Morocco to mend ties after Western Sahara shift
Spain says the meeting is an opportunity to open a ‘new stage’ in ties with Morocco-based on ‘mutual respect’ and ‘avoid future crises’. Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez is set to meet Moroccan King Mohammed VI during a two-day visit to Rabat that seeks to mark an easing of diplomatic …
Read More »Armenia, Azerbaijan prepare for peace talks after flare-up in Nagorno- Karabakh region
Armenian and Azerbaijani leaders order their foreign ministers to begin the preparation for a future peace treaty. Armenia and Azerbaijan are preparing for peace talks, their officials said on Thursday, after a recent flare-up in the disputed Nagorno-Karabakh region. Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan and Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev met …
Read More »Famed Japan manga artist Fujiko Fujio A dies at 88
Famed Japanese manga artist Fujiko Fujio A, known for beloved children’s cartoons including “Ninja Hattori” and “Little Ghost Q-Taro,” has died aged 88, local media reported on Thursday. The artist, whose real name was Motoo Abiko, was found outside his home near Tokyo on Thursday, private broadcaster TBS and others …
Read More »Microplastics Found Deep in Lungs of Living People for First Time
Tiny polymer particles infiltrate the human body to an unforeseen extent Researchers in the UK have discovered microplastics in live lung tissue for the first time, which adds to growing evidence that humans breathe these extremely small particles. The study was published last month in Science of the Total Environment. …
Read More »Turkey halts Khashoggi murder trial and transfers it to Saudi Arabia
The trial in absentia of 26 Saudi suspects will be transferred from Istanbul to Riyadh A Turkish court has suspended the trial in absentia of 26 Saudis accused of the gruesome killing of Washington Post columnist Jamal Khashoggi and said the case should be transferred to Saudi Arabia. The decision …
Read More »Oil rises from 3-week low as supply concerns linger
Oil prices rose on Thursday from a three-week low touched in the previous session after consuming nations announced a huge release of oil from emergency reserves, as worries over tight supplies still clouded the market outlook. Brent crude futures climbed $1.42 or 1.4%, to $102.52 a barrel at 0651 GMT, …
Read More »Ex-president Hadi transfers ‘powers’ to ‘leadership council’ in new victory for Yemen’s resistance
The former Yemeni president, a staunch ally of Riyadh, has handed over his self-proclaimed powers to a newly established body, in what appears to be another sign of the failure of the Saudi-led war that began seven years ago with the main goal of reinstalling him by force. A Thursday …
Read More »Meta suspends Facebook accounts to tackle misinformation ahead of Philippines polls
Meta Platforms Inc on Wednesday suspended a network of over 400 accounts, pages, and groups ahead of general elections in the Philippines as the Facebook parent moves to crack down on hate speech and misinformation. Concerns about online hate speech have increased as candidates and supporters increasingly turn to social …
Read More »Sydney flooding: Evacuations as Australian city receives a month’s rain in one night
Heavy rain triggered evacuation orders in Sydney on Thursday, as swollen rivers threatened homes and flooded roads in the latest wild weather to lash Australia’s east. Residents in several suburbs of Sydney’s south and southwest were told to leave for safety as fast-flowing rivers rose. “We have seen exceptionally sharp, …
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