Category: World

(BBC): One of Pakistan’s most prominent and contentious TV hosts, Aamir Liaquat Hussain, has died aged 50 after being found unconscious at home in Karachi. The anchor was taken to hospital but pronounced dead on arrival. A post mortem exam is being carried out. Aamir Liaquat Hussain switched from televangelism to politics, becoming an MP… Continue reading Aamir Liaquat Hussain: Pakistan’s shock televangelist dies at 50

(Al Jazeera): A group of Hajj pilgrims from Indonesia has landed in the city of Medina from where they will be travelling to the holy city of Mecca, marking the arrival of the first batch of pilgrims from outside the kingdom after two years due to the coronavirus pandemic, according to state media. Saudi Arabia… Continue reading Saudi Arabia receives 1st foreign Hajj pilgrims since COVID began

UVALDE, Texas (AP): An 18-year-old gunman opened fire Tuesday at a Texas elementary school, killing at least 19 children as he went from classroom to classroom, officials said, in the deadliest school shooting in nearly a decade and the latest gruesome moment for a country scarred by a string of massacres. The attacker was killed… Continue reading Gunman kills 19 children in Texas school rampage

(BBC): Women presenters and reporters on TV channels in Afghanistan went on air with their faces covered on Sunday, in line with a Taliban order. The day before, some of them had defied the edict and kept their faces visible. One presenter said women working in TV had resisted but their employers had come under… Continue reading Afghanistan’s female TV presenters cover their faces

(BBC): Israel, Switzerland and Austria are the latest countries to confirm cases of monkeypox, bringing the total number of nations reporting outbreaks to 15. Israel and Switzerland both said they identified one infected person who had recently travelled abroad. Israel is investigating other suspected cases. Monkeypox does not tend to spread easily between people and… Continue reading Monkeypox detected in several countries

(BBC): One of the richest monarchs in the world, President Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed al-Nahyan of the United Arab Emirates, has died at the age of 73. Sheikh Khalifa had been president of the UAE since 2004, but his role had been largely ceremonial since he suffered a stroke in 2014. His half-brother, Mohamed bin… Continue reading UAE President Sheikh Khalifa dies at 73

(BBC): Sri Lankan security forces have been ordered to shoot law-breakers on sight in a bid to quell anti-government protests on the island. Demonstrators are calling for the resignation of President Gotabaya Rajapaksa over the island’s worst economic crisis in history. On Monday, his brother, Mahinda Rajapaksa, stepped down as prime minister amid violent street… Continue reading Sri Lankan troops ordered to open fire on looters and vandals as protests continue

(BBC): Afghan women will have to wear the Islamic face veil for the first time in decades under a decree passed by the country’s ruling Taliban militants. Any woman who refuses to comply and ignores official warnings to male members of her family could see a male guardian jailed for three days. The Taliban enforced… Continue reading Taliban to force Afghan women to wear face veil

(BBC): Dozens of civilians have been evacuated from the Azovstal steelworks in Mariupol to Russian-controlled territory after weeks under siege. The massive industrial area is the last hold-out of Ukrainian troops in the strategically significant city. Russia said dozens of civilians have arrived in a village it controls. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said a large… Continue reading Mariupol civilian evacuation begins to Ukraine and Russia-held territories

(AP): Russia hit railway infrastructure across Ukraine on Monday with the aim of disrupting foreign weapons supplies, while the US declared it would provide more weapons despite Moscow’s objections. At least five people were killed and 18 wounded in Russian strikes in the Vinnytsia region, according to Ukrainian officials. The railways are also used by… Continue reading Ukraine round-up: Russia hits railways as US pledges extra weapons