Sri Lanka parliament shuts early after petrol runs out

Colombo, June 23 (AFP/APP):Sri Lanka’s parliament has cancelled its remaining sittings for the week to save fuel, officials said Thursday, with a disastrous economic crisis rapidly depleting the island nation’s already scarce petrol supplies. A foreign currency shortage has prevented the import of food, oil […]

NGOs urge UN to pick ‘courageous’ rights chief

Geneva, June 22 (AFP/APP):Rights groups appealed Wednesday for the next UN rights chief to be appointed through a swift, open process, calling for a “courageous” nominee to stand up to powerful countries. More than 60 non-governmental organisations, including Amnesty International, Human Rights Watch and the […]

Heartbreak and shock at Afghan quake hospital

Sharan, Afghanistan, June 22 (AFP/APP): Bibi Hawa’s face is distorted by tears as she tries to grasp her predicament from a hospital bed in Sharan, capital of Afghanistan’s Paktika province. At least a dozen members of her family were among over 1,000 people killed by […]

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