African films make waves at Berlinale festival on February 15, 2022Berlin: African films are enjoying a high profile at this year’s Berlinale festival, with debuts from South Sudan and the Central African Republic (CAR) turning heads along with a new take on “Nollywood”. While there are no African films in the main competition at Europe’s first major film festival of the year, several documentaries and […]
Japan PM to call Ukraine leader over invasion fears: media on February 15, 2022Tokyo: Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida will speak with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky later Tuesday, local media reported, as Tokyo expressed “grave concerns” about the risk of a Russian invasion. There was no immediate official confirmation of the call, which Japanese media said would happen on Tuesday evening local time, citing government sources. The call […]
Ending poverty, hunger must spearhead efforts to overcome pandemic-driven setbacks: Pakistan on February 15, 2022UNITED NATIONS: With the COVID-19 pandemic casting a pall over the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, Pakistan has called for greater international cooperation at this point in time to accomplish the development targets, while highlighting national efforts towards resilient inclusive recovery and growth. Addressing the UN Commission on Social Development — a subsidiary body of […]
‘Deeply worried’ UN chief says time to defuse Ukraine crisis on February 15, 2022United Nations: United Nations chief Antonio Guterres warned Monday it was time to “defuse tensions” between Russia and the West over the Ukraine crisis, saying he was “deeply worried” about the threat of conflict. “The time is now to defuse tensions and de-escalate actions on the ground,” said Guterres, who earlier spoke to the foreign […]
US asks Honduras to extradite ex-president Juan Orlando Hernandez: source on February 15, 2022Tegucigalpa: The United States has asked Honduras to extradite its former president Juan Orlando Hernandez, who left office last month and is suspected of drug trafficking, a source close to the matter told AFP Monday. The Honduran Foreign Ministry had said earlier on Twitter that an “official communication from the US Embassy” had been sent […]
Asian markets track Wall St losses on Ukraine conflict fears on February 14, 2022Hong Kong: Asian markets fell and oil prices rallied Monday after the United States warned Russia could attack Ukraine within days as diplomatic efforts to prevent a war appeared to fail, while fears over inflation were also keeping traders on edge. The losses matched a sell-off in New York and Europe on Friday as Western […]
Key US-Canada border crossing reopens after Covid protests on February 14, 2022Windsor, Canada: A major US-Canada border crossing reopened late Sunday almost a week after it was forced shut by truck driver-led protests against coronavirus restrictions, prompting police to quell the demonstration with a series of arrests. The blockading of the Ambassador Bridge, which handles an estimated 25 percent of trade between the two countries, had […]
US to reopen Solomon Islands embassy after 29 years on February 12, 2022Nadi, Fiji: The United States plans to re-establish an embassy in the Solomon Islands, a senior State Department official said Saturday, as Washington seeks to beef up its presence in a region where China is rapidly expanding its influence. Secretary of State Antony Blinken is set to announce the opening of a new embassy on […]
Turkmen leader in ‘young leaders’ succession hint on February 12, 2022Ashgabat, Turkmenistan: Turkmenistan leader Gurbanguly Berdymukhamedov dropped on Friday the strongest hint yet that he intends to step down, with his son widely tipped to succeed him in the tightly controlled Central Asian country. Berdymukhamedov, 64, said he reached “a difficult decision” about his leadership because of his age and that the country needed “young […]
Webb telescope spots its first star — and takes a selfie on February 12, 2022Washington: Star light, star bright, the James Webb Space Telescope has seen its first star (though it wasn’t quite tonight) — and even taken a selfie, NASA announced Friday. The steps are part of the months-long process of aligning the observatory’s enormous golden mirror that astronomers hope will begin unraveling the mysteries of the early […]