WORLD
India, Australia leaders to hold virtual summit on March 21
External Affairs Ministry Spokesperson Arindam Bagchi said India and Australia virtual summit will be held on March 21 where Indian and Australian leaders will hold the summit. "This summit follows the historic first virtual summit which was held on June 4, 2020 when our bilateral relationship was elevated to comprehensive strategic partnership," Bagchi said. He also said that during this forthcoming virtual summit the leaders will take stock of progress made on various initiates under the comprehensive strategic partnership.
Amid war, Ukraine sees surge in HIV, TB, Covid cases
Russian forces invaded Ukraine on February 24. While many have fled the country, those remaining are huddled in basements, subway stations and temporary shelters to protect themselves from bombardment, increasing the risk of Covid spread. Besides, with lack of water and sanitation, cases of diarrhoeal diseases are certain to rise, and the risk of polio and measles outbreaks is also high.
Two dozen disgruntled lawmakers of Pak ruling party aim to vote against Imran Khan
Raja Riaz claimed that if Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan assures all MNAs that no action will be taken against those who decided to vote against him on the day of the no-confidence motion, they are ready to go back to the Parliament Lodges. PTI MNAs Malik Nawab Sher Waseer and Riaz said that around 24 PTI members have been staying in the Sindh House right now.
Japanese PM to visit India on March 19, discuss global, regional issues
Kishida is coming to India for two days on the invitation of Modi. Both the leaders are expected to hold deliberation over the situation in Ukraine. The war has entered into 22nd day with Russia making all efforts to take over cities after cities. President Vladimir Putin has said Russia was ready to discuss Ukraine's neutral status but that Moscow would still achieve the goals of its military operation.
Pakistan's democratic institutions facing a new threat
Pakistan's democratic institutions are facing a new threat, Human Rights Watch has said. On march 8, opposition political parties sought a no-confidence motion in parliament to remove Pak Prime Minister Imran Khan. Government officials responded by threatening violence and briefly detaining two members of parliament (MPs). The situation risks spiraling into a dangerous confrontation.
Pak confident to get positive nod during 7th review of IMF
The IMF mission had raised reservations over the budget allocation in the Prime Minister's Relief Package on various commodities, including petrol, diesel, electricity prices and tax amnesty for industrial sector during the last review. However, this time, Pakistan Finance Minister Shaukat Tareen is confident that all concerns have been explained in detail and would not cause any further discrepancies.
US court dismisses Pakistan's plea in Reko Diq case
The ICSID imposed a billion dollar fine on Pakistan on July 12, 2019 for revoking a mining contract at Reko Diq in the country's Balochistan province. The case was also reviewed by the British Virgin Island (BVI) court, which gave the ruling into the case and attached assets of Pakistan International Airline (PIA) in New York and Central Paris to enforce the award.
Taliban says healthcare should be denied to female patients who do not observe hijab
Rights groups have accused the Taliban of imposing gender apartheid in Afghanistan, with fears that girls and women will be excluded from public life. The Taliban has dramatically rolled back women's rights in recent months, including closing most girls' secondary schools and banning women from most forms of employment.
Efforts underway to refloat giant container vessel stuck in US bay
Efforts are underway to refloat a giant container vessel stuck in the Chesapeake Bay, the largest inlet in the Atlantic Coastal Plain of the eastern US. William Doyle, executive director of the Port of Baltimore, tweeted on Wednesday that technical experts boarded the Ever Forward on Monday and Tuesday to evaluate its condition, reports Xinhua news agency.
Russia's offensives in Ukraine have largely stalled on all fronts: UK
Russia's offensives in Ukraine have "largely stalled on all fronts", the UK's Defence Ministry said in its latest assessment of the ongoing Moscow-Kiev war. According to Ukraine's military, Russia's efforts have now switched to aerial attacks, bombing and shelling civilian populations, because they've been "unsuccessful" in their ground operations. Moscow has only recorded about 500 troop deaths so far, but US intelligence estimates it to be closer to 7,000 personnel, said the BBC report.
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