07-07-2020 By SJA Jafri + Bureau Report + Agencies LONDON/ RIYADH, MOSCOW: The UK is imposing sanctions on 49 people and organizations behind the most “notorious” human rights abuses of recent years. Individuals implicated in the death of Russian lawyer Sergei Magnitsky in 2009 will have their UK assets frozen …

06-07-2020 By SJA Jafri + Bureau Report + Agencies NEW DELHI/ BEIJING/ ISLAMABAD: China has begun pulling back troops from along its contested border with India, Indian government sources have said, following the worst clash between the two nuclear-armed neighbors in nearly 50 years, which left 20 Indian soldiers dead. …

05-07-2020 By SJA Jafri + Bureau Report + Agencies GENEVA/ LONDON/ HOUSTON: Over 212,000 new coronavirus cases were reported globally by the World Health Organization (WHO) – the highest single-day increase since the start of the pandemic. WHO said that it was discontinuing its trials of the malaria drug hydroxychloroquine …

04-07-2020 By SJA Jafri + Bureau Report + Agencies NEW DELHI: Ever since the government of India announced a ban on 59 Chinese apps including TikTok, several reports have claimed that TikTok plans to take legal action against the ban in India. However, the company has now refuted the claims …

03-07-2020 By SJA Jafri + Bureau Report SHEIKHUPURA/ LAHORE: A passenger train crashed into a bus carrying Sikh pilgrims at an unmanned railway crossing in eastern Pakistan, martyring at least 19 people and injuring several others, officials said. The accident took place on Friday in Sheikhupura district in Punjab province, according to a statement …

03-07-2020 By SJA Jafri + Bureau Report + Agencies NEW DELHI/ ISLAMABAD/ BEIJING: Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi flew into the northern Himalayan region of Ladakh on Friday, officials said, weeks after Indian and Chinese troops clashed on their disputed border there, escalating tension between the Asian giants. Modi, who …

03-07-2020 By SJA Jafri + Bureau Report + Agencies ISTANBUL/ WASHINGTON/ RIYADH: A Turkish court is set to open the trial of 20 Saudi officials indicted over the killing of Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi. The trial will begin at Istanbul province’s main court in the district of Caglayan at 10am …

02-07-2020 By SJA Jafri + Bureau Report QUEENSLAND/ MELBOURNE/ SYDNEY: Supermarkets have reissued calls not to panic buy, as shoppers begin to strip shelves again. Woolworths and Coles have today urged customers to be considerate, saying there’s plenty of supply for everyone. Both supermarkets brought back toilet paper limits nationwide just …

01-07-2020 By SJA Jafri + Bureau Report + Agencies CANBERRA: Australia says it will significantly increase military spending and focus on the Indo-Pacific region amid rising tensions between the US and China. PM Scott Morrison pledged A$270bn (£150bn; $186bn) to Australia’s arms budget over 10 years – a 40% boost. …

29-06-2020 By SJA Jafri + Bureau Report + Agencies TEHRAN/ WASHINGTON/ LYON (FRANCE): Iran has issued an arrest warrant and asked Interpol for help in detaining President Donald Trump and dozens of others it believes carried out the drone strike that killed a top Iranian general in Baghdad. Tehran prosecutor Ali …