Huawei calls Canada 5G ban an ‘unfortunate political decision’ By: AFP on May 20, 2022Ottawa: Huawei said Friday a ban on the Chinese telecoms giant from Canada’s 5G networks was “an unfortunate political decision” that cannot be justified on national security grounds raised by Ottawa. “Huawei Canada is disappointed by the Canadian government’s decision,” the company’s Canadian subsidiary said in an email. “This is an unfortunate political decision that […]
UN expert calls US sanctions on Iran ‘devastating’ By: AFP on May 20, 2022An independent United Nations expert said that the impact of sanctions imposed by the United States on Iran was “devastating”, describing them as illegal and urging they be lifted. “During our visit, we were able to identify (the) devastating humanitarian impact of sanctions,” said Alena Douhan, the UN special rapporteur focused on the impact of unilateral sanctions. “The measures imposed against Iran violate […]
Hindu extremists target Muslim sites in India, even Taj Mahal By: app/afp on May 20, 2022New Delhi: Thirty years after mobs demolished a historic mosque in Ayodhya, triggering a wave of sectarian bloodshed that saw thousands killed, fundamentalist Indian Hindu groups are eyeing other Muslim sites — even the world-famous Taj Mahal. Emboldened under Hindu nationalist Prime Minister Narendra Modi, aided by courts and fuelled by social media, the fringe […]
‘We are going to die’: Sri Lanka warns of food shortages By: Reuters on May 20, 2022Sri Lanka’s prime minister has warned of a food shortage as the island nation battles a devastating economic crisis and vowed the government will buy enough fertiliser for the next planting season to boost productivity. A decision in April last year by President Gotabaya Rajapaksa to ban all chemical fertilizers drastically cut crop yields and […]
Indian court convicts Yasin Malik of ‘terrorism’ By: Agencies on May 20, 2022An Indian court on Thursday convicted top Kashmiri leader Yasin Malik in a terrorism-related case that carries a maximum sentence of the death penalty or life imprisonment. Malik had been charged with ‘terrorist acts’, illegally raising funds, being a member of a ‘terrorist’ organisation and criminal conspiracy and sedition. Judge Praveen Singh set May 25 […]
Bush gaffe on ‘unjustified’ war draws Iraqi ire By: AFP on May 20, 2022An embarrassing slip of the tongue by former US president George W. Bush may have drawn laughter from his American audience, but it raised the ire of Iraqis. In a speech Wednesday evening in Dallas about Russia’s war on Ukraine, Bush called the invasion of Iraq, which he himself ordered, “unjustified and brutal” — before […]
French diplomats to strike over reforms By: AFP on May 20, 2022French diplomats are to strike next month for only the second time in their history, protesting an “avalanche” of reforms that unions say are undermining the foreign service at a time of global tensions. “The Quai d’Orsay is disappearing little by little,” read a statement from six staff unions, using a familiar name for the […]
US supermarket shooting suspect back in court By: AFP on May 20, 2022The white teenager accused of gunning down 10 Black people during a racist rampage at a supermarket in New York state was back in court Thursday. Payton Gendron, 18, wore orange prison fatigues and a white face mask as he appeared for the pre-trial felony hearing at the county court in Buffalo. He said nothing […]
French diplomats to strike over reforms By: AFP on May 20, 2022French diplomats are to strike next month for only the second time in their history, protesting an “avalanche” of reforms that unions say are undermining the foreign service at a time of global tensions. “The Quai d’Orsay is disappearing little by little,” read a statement from six staff unions, using a familiar name for the […]
Indian court convicts Kashmiri leader Yasin Malik of ‘terrorism’ By: AP on May 19, 2022An Indian court on Thursday convicted top Kashmiri leader Mohammed Yasin Malik in a terrorism-related case that carries a maximum sentence of the death penalty or life imprisonment. Malik had been charged with ‘terrorist acts’, illegally raising funds, being a member of a ‘terrorist’ organisation and criminal conspiracy and sedition. Judge Praveen Singh set May […]