News

Tunisia’s PM decides against relying on more external debt, will freeze salaries

TUNIS: Tunisian Prime Minister Elyes Fakhfakh said on Sunday he had decided against the use of more external debt and that all new expenses that arise for the country would be funded only through internal loans. He said that he will freeze increases in the wages of public employees because of the critical state of public finances which was worsened…

UN agency to discuss increased risk of violence against women during COVID-19 in Arab states

DUBAI: Regional United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) will organize a virtual symposium on the rise in risk of violence against women and girls during the coronavirus pandemic. The UNFPA’s Arab States Regional Office will organize the one-hour virtual event for journalists and media professionals in the region, according to their statement. The UNFPA – which is the United Nations organization…

Egypt parliament allocates 25% of seats to women

The Egyptian Parliament has approved an amendment to an article in the constitution to allocate 25 percent of seats to women, local daily Egypt Today reported. During the years of 1979, 1984 and 2010, when Egypt applied a quota for women in the House, the Parliament witnessed high female representation, according to a report by The Egyptian Center for Women’s…

Uncertainty as Spain puts virus death toll ‘on hold’

For days now, Spain’s daily coronavirus death toll has been on hold, generating widespread uncertainty about the real state of the epidemic that has claimed more than 27,000 lives. The health ministry’s emergencies coordinator Fernando Simon, who for months has given a daily briefing on the pandemic’s evolution, acknowledged the “astonishment” and “confusion” generated by the figures. On May 25,…

US police torn between shame and pride for their badge

US police officers at the center of demonstrations that have roiled the country are caught between their commitment to the job and recognition that reforms are needed to address institutional racism within their ranks. From California to Massachusetts, several officers interviewed by AFP said they were horrified by the killing of George Floyd while in police custody — a tragedy…

Record spikes in new coronavirus cases, hospitalizations sweep parts of US

New coronavirus cases and hospitalizations in record numbers swept through more US states, including Florida and Texas, as most push ahead with reopening and President Donald Trump plans an indoor rally in Tulsa, Oklahoma. Alabama, Florida and South Carolina reported a record number of new cases for the third day in a row on Saturday, which many state health officials…

Pentagon surplus handouts stoke the militarization of US police

When US police flooded the streets around the country to confront protesters two weeks ago, for many it appeared like the army had deployed, with camouflage uniforms and combat gear, heavily armored anti-mine vehicles, and high-powered assault weapons. That’s not by accident. For years the US Defense Department has been handing its surplus equipment over for free to police departments…

Earthquake with 5.7 magnitude hits eastern Turkey, three injured

An earthquake with a 5.7 magnitude shook Bingol province in eastern Turkey on Sunday, causing the collapse of a military observation tower which injured three people, Interior Minister Suleyman Soylu said. Turkey’s Disaster and Emergency Management Directorate (AFAD) said the epicentre of the quake was in the Karliova district of Bingol.

AIR CHIEF PAYS GLOWING TRIBUTE TO PAF WAR VETERAN GROUP CAPTAIN (RETD) SAIF UL AZAM, WHO BREATHED HIS LAST IN BANGLADESH

Group Captain (Retd) Saif-ul-Azam, Sitara-i-Jurrat, war veteran of 1965 Indo-Pak war, breathed his last in Bangladesh after prolonged illness. Air Chief Marshal Mujahid Anwar Khan, Chief of the Air staff, Pakistan Air Force has expressed heartfelt grief on the sad demise of the great war veteran. While paying rich tributes to Group Captain (Retd) Saif ul Azam, the Air Chief…

Defence Minister offer to Manzor Pashteen for negotiation

ISLAMABAD: Minister for Defence Pervaiz Khattak has invited Pakhtoon Tehafuz Moment (PTM) leaders to come and discuss all the contentious issues. He said that we pakhtoons belong to the same province thus we should collectively work for the development of Khyber-pukhtoonkhawa.

Covid-19 cases may surge to 1.2 million next month

Minister for Planning, Development and Special Initiatives Asad Umar on Sunday expressed fear that the coronavirus cases can surge to 1.2 million by the end of July if strict action was not taken against the violators of standard operating procedures (SOPs) issued by the government to prevent the spread of Covid-19.

Four more MPAs test positive as nationwide tally soars to 142,000

The nationwide tally of Covid-19 patients jumped to 141,517 on Sunday, with 52,601 cases reported in Punjab, 53,805 in Sindh, 17,450 in KhyberPakhtunkhwa, 8,028 in Balochistan, 1,095 in GilgitBaltistan, 7,934 in Islamabad and 604 in Azad Jammu and Kashmir.The virus has claimed at least 2,632 lives while around 51,735 coronavirus patients have recovered.