Asia

Bangladeshis form human chain to protest against terrorism by Pakistan on 26/11 anniversary
Asia, USA

Bangladeshis form human chain to protest against terrorism by Pakistan on 26/11 anniversary

On the 12th anniversary of 2008 Mumbai terror attacks, an anti-terrorism organisation in Bangladesh on Thursday formed a human chain in protest against Pakistan’s role in the 26/11 Mumbai attacks and the 2004 grenade attack in Dhaka.Participants in the human chain programme said terrorism would never be accepted on the soil of Bangladesh, adding that terrorism had no religion. Thousands of people participated in the human chain event in an effort to build a terrorism-free Bangladesh and protect human rights in the country.On November 26, 2008, ten terrorists trained by the Pakistan-based terrorist organisation Lashkar-e-Tayyiba (LeT) carried out a series of coordinated attacks against multiple targets in Mumbai including the Taj Mahal hotel, the Oberoi hotel, the Leopold Cafe, the Nariman ...
India, Nepal discuss boundary issue as Indian foreign secretary meets top leadership
Asia

India, Nepal discuss boundary issue as Indian foreign secretary meets top leadership

As Indian foreign secretary Harsh Shringla met Nepal’s top leadership on Thursday, both the countries discussed ways to handle the boundary issue, which had recently worsened bilateral ties, and bolster cooperation in key areas such as connectivity and infrastructure.On the first day of his two-day visit to Nepal, Shringla met Nepal Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli, foreign minister Pradeep Gyawali and foreign secretary Bharat Raj Paudyal.Ties between the two nations took a hit when Nepal issued a new political map in May that laid claim to the Kalapani region, which is controlled by India, after New Delhi opened a new road to the strategic Lipulekh region. India rejected the map but said it was open to discussing the matter through appropriate mechanisms.Sources familiar with developments sai...
7000 PIA employees to be laid off: Pak aviation minister
Asia, USA, World

7000 PIA employees to be laid off: Pak aviation minister

Pakistan’s Federal aviation minister Ghulam Sarwar Khan on Tuesday announced that as many as 7,000 employees of the Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) will be laid off voluntary Separation Scheme (VSS).As per media reports, Sarwar said while PIA requires only 7000 employees to operate, it employs over 14,000 currently due to the politically influenced recruitments in the past by ruling parties.He further said that out of 14,000 employees currently working, half of the staff will be let go through VSS. “They will be given compensation,” he added.This comes despite the Pakistan Peoples' Party (PPP) criticism of the Imran Khan government last week over its plan to sack thousands of employees of the Pakistan International Airlines (PIA), Steel Mills and Railways and termed the decision ille...
Covid-19 lockdown: 221 people stranded in Pakistan return to India
Asia

Covid-19 lockdown: 221 people stranded in Pakistan return to India

A total of 221 people, who were stranded in Pakistan for almost eight months due to the coronavirus-induced lockdown returned to India on Monday."Out of the total passengers, 135 are NORI (No Obligation to Return to India) visa holders, 11 are Pakistan nationals and 75 Indians. These people were stranded due to the lockdown," an officer at the Attari border said.He added that a medical team from a local hospital would conduct COVID-19 test of all the people arriving in India.A returnee, who had gone to Pakistan to attend the last rights of her mother, said that she was unable to return home because of the lockdown."I had gone to Pakistan because my mother had passed away, but due to the lockdown, we could not return home. With great difficulty, after eight months, I have come back home," H...
Pi Jam launches programme to bring affordable digital education in J&K
Asia

Pi Jam launches programme to bring affordable digital education in J&K

The Pi Jam Foundation, a not-for-profit, award winning organization that aims to integrate affordable technology with education for school students, celebrated the launch of its program in the Indian union territory of Jammu and Kashmir.Pi Jam has been tirelessly working in the field of digital education and literacy, even in remote areas and low-income schools to make the present generation future-ready and technologically competent.In Kashmir particularly, the role of organizations like Pi Jam becomes even more important as it lags behind other states of India in the fields of computer education and digital skills.The launch event was attended by more than 300 participants across Zoom and FB Live, with the diverse audience including academicians, lawyers, student scholars, IT professiona...
Stanford University enlists Kashmiri among top scientists
Asia, Singapore, USA

Stanford University enlists Kashmiri among top scientists

Bringing laurels to Kashmir, a young scientist, Dr Ahsanulhaq Qurashi has been enlisted in the top two percent scientists of 2020 by Stanford University.The list has been compiled on the basis of “multiple citation indicators and their composite across scientific disciplines.”Hailing from Karnah area of Kupwara district in the Indian union territory of Jammu and Kashmir, Dr Qurashi was listed in energy discipline. His major research work is based on developing new materials for clean energy generation and storage, environment, and biomedical applications.Dr Qurashi completed his PhD in Nanotechnology, in 2008, from Chonbuk National University, Jeonju, South Korea and later completed his two-year post-doctoral fellowship from Toyama University, Toyama, Japan. He joined as an Assistant Profe...
BaharAdab organizes scholarly function to promote literary work
Asia

BaharAdab organizes scholarly function to promote literary work

To highlight the literary contributions of two well-known poets - Rasheed Roshan and Ghulam Hasan Darvesh – a literary organization in the Indian union territory of Jammu and Kashmir, Bahar-I-Adab, organised a scholarly function at Palpora, Pattan.During the proceedings of the function, two poetry collections titled ‘Khabe Halem’ and ‘Drav Ne Poshe Wathrun Waash’ were released.The Deputy Commissioner of Baramulla district, Dr G.N Itoo presided over the function as the chief guest, whereas a prominent Kashmiri writer and critic Prof. Bashar Bashir was present as the Guest of Honour at the event.The function was organized in collaboration with Jammu and Kashmir Academy of Art, Culture and Languages.On the occasion, an array of cultural activities was organised wherein a number of well-known ...
J&K govt restrains Private schools from charging admission fee
Asia

J&K govt restrains Private schools from charging admission fee

The Jammu and Kashmir government’s Fee Fixation Committee (GFFC) has restrained private schools of the Indian union territory Jammu and Kashmir from collecting admission fee from the students.Besides restraining the private school management from charging fee, the Committee for Fixation and Regulation of Fee of Private Schools has ordered the management to pay back the admission fee amount to those guardians who have already paid it.The newly appointed chairman for GFFC, Muzaffar Hussain Attar in an order said, “All the management and owners of the private schools are restrained from collecting admission fee from the guardian of the children at the time of admission in their respective schools.”He said that if any private school has collected admission fee shall be paid back to the concern...
Billionaire Jack Ma pays a hefty price for offending the Chinese regime
Asia, China, World

Billionaire Jack Ma pays a hefty price for offending the Chinese regime

The year 2020 could have been the best year for Jack Ma, the billionaire founder of fintech giant Ant Group Co. Ltd. But now, he is paying an extremely high price for challenging the Chinese Communist Party.The state has pulled the plug on the ANT group, which could have been the biggest Fintech Company in the world. The initial public offering of Ant Group, the internet finance giant, was ready with its $34 billion stock debut in Shanghai and Hong Kong.This would have been the biggest IPO, or first sale of stock in the world - greater than the listing of Saudi Aramco, the state-run oil giant, when it went public last year. But the initiative received a huge blow from the Chinese authorities as the government suspended the public listing of the company abruptly.This caused a severe setback...
J&K: Industrial Association Kashmir hold oath ceremony of newly elected body
Asia, Market

J&K: Industrial Association Kashmir hold oath ceremony of newly elected body

In the Indian union territory of Jammu and Kashmir (J&K), Industrial Association Kashmir held an oath ceremony to welcome a newly formed body headed by Imran Murtaza and senior vice President Zahoor Ahmad Malik of Agrino Snacking.During the event, the speakers stressed upon entrepreneurship and the scope of the manufacturing sector in Kashmir. Also, the speakers applauded the role of J&K Bank regarding the industrial sector in the estate.Industrial estate Khanmoh produces a great variety of products like POP, bakery, cement products, milk, and furniture, mainly for the consumption of the local market.Dignitaries who were present at the function included MD SIDCO, Agha Aijaz Hussain; J&K Bank zonal officer, Rais Maqbool; FCIK president, Shahid Kamili; Sheikh Ashiq, President KCC...