Asia

Pakistan tightens security in Balochistan to protect CPEC projects
27Feb mmBy Joe RodriguezNo Comments
Asia

Pakistan tightens security in Balochistan to protect CPEC projects

Pakistan military has increased the security in Balochistan province amid a rise in attacks on China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) projects.“We have raised two division-size security settlements which are dedicated to providing security to CPEC, besides that, we have increased the number of paramilitary troops’ units from one to two in the province to ensure security,” said Major General Babar Iftikhar, Director General of the military’s media wing Inter-Services Public Relations.The security for the CPEC has been beefed up directly and indirectly by providing more security to CPEC projects and enhancing security in the whole province to ensure smooth work at CPEC projects after recent attacks on the facility.Though Balochistan is the largest province of Pakistan with ample natural res...
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India to invest 530 million for reconstruction 25 health posts in Nepal
27Feb mmBy Joe RodriguezNo Comments
Asia

India to invest 530 million for reconstruction 25 health posts in Nepal

The Embassy of India in Nepal on Friday said that it has signed four Memorandums of Understandings (MoUs) with Nepal for the reconstruction of total 25 health posts“Twelve health posts are located in Dhading district and 13 are located in Sindhupalchowk district and these health posts, damaged during the 2015 earthquake will be reconstructed at a cost of NR 530 million,” said a release from the Indian Embassy.“On the same occasion, four Contract Agreements, award the work to successful bidders were also signed between CLPIU (Building) and Contractors,” it further added.Head of Development Partnership and Reconstruction wing of the Embassy of India, Nepal and Project Director of Central Level Project Implementation Unit (Building) of National Reconstruction Authority signed the agreement, a...
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Hong Kong govt calls for tighter supervision of city’s public broadcaster
24Feb mmBy Joe RodriguezNo Comments
Asia, USA

Hong Kong govt calls for tighter supervision of city’s public broadcaster

In a move which is seen as an attempt to curtail freedom of the press, the Hong Kong government has called for tighter supervision of city’s public broadcaster.In a 157-page report, the Hong Kong government accused the public broadcaster Radio Television Hong Kong (RTHK) of often reporting critically on officials and lacking transparency and objectivity.The report came hours after the government announced that the head of the public broadcaster would leave his post six months before his tenure ended. However, his replacement is a civil servant from outside the broadcasting service with no journalism experience.For supporters of Hong Kong’s pro-democracy movement, RTHK’s troubles signalled the fate of independent journalism under an intensifying crackdown on dissent. Often compared to the B...
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China backs New Delhi’s hosting of BRICS summit; Xi Jinping may visit India
24Feb mmBy Joe RodriguezNo Comments
Asia, China

China backs New Delhi’s hosting of BRICS summit; Xi Jinping may visit India

After months of tension between India and China due to the standoff along the Line of Actual Control (LAC), Beijing has said that it supports India’s chairmanship of the BRICS summit this year.India has assumed chairmanship of the annual summit of the BRICS (Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa) grouping of emerging economies.Chinese President Xi Jinping may visit India later this year for the summit.Asked about Xi’s possible attendance at the summit and whether the border tension would affect their multilateral cooperation, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Wang Wenbin said BRICS had become an influential grouping and Beijing supported New Delhi’s efforts as host.“China attaches great importance to the BRICS mechanism,” Wang said at a regular press conference.“The Chinese side ...
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Sri Lanka seeks India’s support ahead of UNHRC session
23Feb mmBy Joe RodriguezNo Comments
Asia

Sri Lanka seeks India’s support ahead of UNHRC session

Ahead of the United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC) session in March, Sri Lanka has sought India’s support in UNHRC’s probe in Colombia’s record in human rights and related accountability.According to media reports, Sri Lankan President Gotabaya Rajapaksa has written to Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, seeking support during the upcoming session of the UNHRC.Foreign Secretary Jayanath Colombage said that it was part of the president’s efforts to secure the support of the member states.“We made the first request from India. When he (Rajapaksa) meets with the envoys of the respective countries, he hands over these letters to be sent to their leaders,” the Foreign Secretary said.The core group of countries that work on Sri Lanka’s issue at the UNHRC has indicated that it will move a ...
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Relationship with China ‘complex’; ties cannot be normal without peace in border areas: Indian Foreign Secretary
19Feb mmBy Joe RodriguezNo Comments
Asia, China

Relationship with China ‘complex’; ties cannot be normal without peace in border areas: Indian Foreign Secretary

The relationship with China is “complex”, there cannot be a normal bilateral relationship if there is no peace and tranquillity in border areas, said Indian Foreign Secretary Harsh Vardhan Shringla at the Diplomatic Academy of Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs on Wednesday.“The relationship with China is complex. It was in the 1980s where both countries decided that they would set aside our differences on the boundary,” he said.He said developments last year, in terms of the “very large number” of troops amassed on the border area, multiple transgressions along the Line of Actual Control, did create a situation that impacted the “larger relationship”.“As we mentioned to our friends in China, we cannot have (a) normal bilateral relationship if there is no peace and tranquillity in our bor...
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Mountain rescue team trains J&K police to help victims of natural disasters
12Feb mmBy Joe RodriguezNo Comments
Asia

Mountain rescue team trains J&K police to help victims of natural disasters

The Mountain Rescue Team (MRT) is currently providing 15-day training to around 50 Jammu and Kashmir police personnel near Nad village in Samba to help them equip in helping victims of natural disasters."Initially the trainees had some fear but it was overcome when they were convinced of the sophistication of the equipment we use in the training. They get training on how to ascend and descend the mountain with or without a victim. They are also trained on how to search for a person who is lost in an avalanche. We also give them training on zip-lining and river crossing," said Mohammad Salim, instructor MRT J&K Police."Some trainees requested to be sent to the flood-affected area of Uttarakhand to be part of the rescue team there. That shows the confidence they have gained during the tr...
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Indian govt’s scheme helping youth in business, generating employment in J&K’s Pulwama
12Feb mmBy Joe RodriguezNo Comments
Asia

Indian govt’s scheme helping youth in business, generating employment in J&K’s Pulwama

The youth of Pulwama district of Jammu and Kashmir now have plenty of opportunities to create employment opportunities for the people of the Valley with the help of the Indian government’s Prime Minister's Employment Guarantee Program (PMEGP).A prime example of the benefit of the scheme is young entrepreneur Muhammad Asgar Bhat from Wahibugh from the district of South Kashmir who has started a unit of shoe, slippers or Chappal making under the Centre sponsored scheme."PMEGP gave me Rs 25 lakh loan to start my business and I have completed five to six months. Over 20 people work in this unit. I appeal to the people who are unemployed to take benefit of the scheme like me," said Bhat, the owner of the Shoe/Slipper manufacturing unit.Bhat further said that he was grateful to the Centre's sche...
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Commentary: Implications of ‘long COVID’ mean faster vaccination programmes needed now
12Feb By Desk TeamNo Comments
Asia, World

Commentary: Implications of ‘long COVID’ mean faster vaccination programmes needed now

We need to spend whatever it takes on wartime-style mobilisation to make, distribute and inject vaccines, says the Financial Times’ Simon Kuper. LONDON: When I listen to scientists talk about where we might be a year from now, two main scenarios emerge. The first one is good: COVID-19 keeps circulating but loses its sting. Most people in rich countries, and the most vulnerable in developing countries, get vaccinated in 2021. The vaccines prevent disease caused by all strains. COVID-19 weakens. Once it finds potential victims protected either by vaccination or past infection, it becomes at worst a nasty cold. “The most likely thing is that it will mutate into a more benevolent form. That may solve the problem,” says Anthony Costello, a former director at the World Health Organizatio...
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Former PTI lawmaker confesses to accepting bribe ahead of Pak 2018 Senate polls
11Feb mmBy Joe RodriguezNo Comments
Asia

Former PTI lawmaker confesses to accepting bribe ahead of Pak 2018 Senate polls

Former Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) lawmaker Ubaid Ullah Mayar has confessed to taking bribe worth Rs 10 million before the Senate elections of 2018.This comes after a video went viral on social media on Tuesday that showed Imran Khan-led PTI lawmakers receiving bribes ahead of the 2018 senate elections. The video showed a couple of PTI Members of National Assembly (MNAs) taking money from Mohammad Ali Bacha, former MPA of the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) before the Senate elections in 2018.In the video, stacks of currency are seen in the video atop a table in front of the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa PTI Members of Provincial Assembly (MPAs).Speaking to the media, Mayar said that he took the money on the directives of then Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Pervez Khattak, adding that the PTI-led ...
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