Sudan warring parties agree ‘in principle’ to 7-day truce: S. Sudan govt

Khartoum, May 2 (AFP/APP): Warring generals in Sudan have agreed “in principle” to a seven-day ceasefire, the government of neighbouring South Sudan said Tuesday, after regional envoys denounced repeated violations of previous truces. Diplomatic efforts have intensified to end more than two weeks of war […]

Freedom of press under attack worldwide: UN Chief

UNITED NATIONS, May 03 (APP): Disinformation, hate speech and deadly attacks against journalists are threatening freedom of the press worldwide, UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said Tuesday, calling for greater solidarity with the people who bring us the news. The appeal comes in his message ahead […]

World Press Freedom Day to be celebrated on today

ISLAMABAD, May 2 (APP): World Press Freedom Day will be celebrated on Wednesday (today) to create awareness about the importance of press freedom and the role of journalists in promoting democracy and defending human rights. The day is celebrated annually on May 3 to raise […]

Greece bans party linked to neo-Nazi group from May vote

Athens, May 2 (AFP/APP): Greece’s Supreme Court on Tuesday banned a party linked to the neo-Nazi Golden Dawn group from contesting the May 21 general election, a legal source said. The far-right Hellenes party of Ilias Kasidiaris, a convicted leader of the now disbanded Golden […]

Covid vaccine requirement for international travelers ends May 11: W.House

Washington, May 2 (AFP/APP): The White House on Monday announced a May 11 end to vaccine requirements for travelers to the United States and for government employees across the world’s biggest economy. “Today, we are announcing that the administration will end the Covid-19 vaccine requirements […]

UN says more than 800,000 could flee fighting in Sudan

Geneva, May 1 (AFP/APP):The fighting raging in Sudan could spur more than 800,000 people to flee into neighbouring countries, the United Nations warned Monday. The UN refugee agency UNHCR said that it was now working with a planning figure of hundreds of thousands of people […]

Freight train derailed in Russia by ‘explosive device’

Moscow, May 1 (AFP/APP):A freight train derailed Monday in Russia’s western region of Bryansk bordering Ukraine after an “explosive device” detonated on the tracks but caused no casualties, authorities said. Belarus, a close ally of Russia, said the train was Belarusian and was going from […]

Pope warns against indifference, meets refugees in Orban’s Hungary

Budapest, April 29 (AFP/APP): Pope Francis warned on Saturday against indifference while thanking Hungary for taking in Ukrainians despite the anti-refugee policies of nationalist Prime Minister Viktor Orban. On his arrival of the three-day visit Friday, the 86-year-old Argentine in his first speech to Orban […]

Diplomats from 14 countries visit Xinjiang

BEIJING, April 28 (APP): Envoys from 14 countries, including Pakistan, Brazil, Iran, Indonesia, Ecuador and Senegal, visited northwest China’s Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region from April 24 to 28 at the invitation of China’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Consul Generals of 14 countries, stationed in different […]

Poland announces $2.4 bn air defence deal with Europe’s MBDA

Warsaw, April 28 (AFP/APP): Poland on Friday announced it had signed a £1.9-billion ($2.4-billion) air defence deal with the UK arm of Europe’s MBDA, which will provide missiles and missile launchers. The government of the EU member — one of the staunchest supporters of war-torn […]