Saturday, May 21, 2022 | Last Update : 08:32 PM IST
Columns
Sensitivity to each other’s feelings and aspirations has to be a mutual affair
One reason wheat prices have shot up has to do with the intense heatwave that struck parts of India from March
It was obvious long before and reconfirmed after political strategist Prashant Kishor’s firm but polite refusal of party’s membership offer
The recent appointment of Archana Goyal Gulati, former member of Niti Aayog and CCI, at Google, has revived the old debate
South Asia
Imran Khan nominates former chief justice Gulzar Ahmed as caretaker PM
Under Article 224-A(1) of the constitution of Pakistan, a caretaker government is set up to organize elections in the country
Pak PM Imran Khan on way out as no-confidence vote looms
Whoever takes over will still have to deal with the issues that bedevilled Khan -- soaring inflation, a feeble rupee and crippling debt
Pak Parliament's crucial session begins to vote on no-trust motion against PM Khan
Leader of the Opposition Shehbaz Sharif called on Speaker Qaiser to conduct proceedings in accordance with the court's directives
Lankan fuel pumps may go dry by April end; India's credit line exhausting fast
People have been protesting for weeks over lengthy power cuts and shortage of gas, food and other basic goods
Pakistan Parliament approves chemical castration of habitual rapists
The bill is a response to a public outcry against a recent spike in incidents of rape of women and children in the country
Asia
China says military spending to grow 7.1 percent in 2022
Some 1.45 trillion yuan ($230 billion) has been set aside for national defence, according to a government budget report
Omicron likely to be dominant strain globally in 2022: Singapore experts
The World Health Organization (WHO) has called for the world to pull together to end the COVID-19 pandemic next year
China expands lockdowns as COVID cases climb
China has followed a 'zero-Covid' strategy of tight border restrictions, lengthy quarantines and targeted lockdowns
Wear all-covering burqa, Taliban tells Afghan women
Women have also been ordered to visit parks in the capital on separate days from men
Middle East
Taliban urges US to release frozen funds in Doha talks
It was the second round of talks between the two sides in Qatar since the US ended its 20-year occupation of Afghanistan
Taliban welcomes US measure to allow humanitarian assistance to Afghanistan
Afghanistan is in complete turmoil and is in a state of chaos after the takeover of the Taliban and is in dire need of humanitarian aid
Pakistan opens air route to Afghanistan for commercial cargo
Earlier on Thursday, Pakistan International Airlines said that it had immediately suspended its operation in Kabul citing 'security reasons'
Taliban leaders meet with UK, Iran delegations amid economic woes
The meeting marked Britain’s first diplomatic visit to the country since the Taliban took control of Afghanistan following the U.S. exit
Taliban PM calls for Muslim nations to recognise Afghan government
No country has yet recognised the Taliban government, with Western nations watching to see how the Taliban will rule this time around
Africa
Toddlers make up 10% of hospital cases in Omicron epicenter in S.Africa
More kids are being admitted than during the early stages of the country entering the current fourth wave of infections
'It was scary': How South African scientists spotted the Omicron COVID variant
The samples, tested in the Lancet laboratory, all bore a large number of mutations, especially on the spike protein
WHO to meet on Friday to assess new COVID-19 variant detected in South Africa
The latest variant is the most heavily mutated version discovered so far
South Africa hospitalization rate falls 91% in Omicron wave
Only 1.7% of identified Covid-19 infections in the second week of the fourth wave of infections were admitted to the hospital
Europe
It is time for meaningful security talks with Moscow, says Ukraine's Zelenskiy
Zelenskiy said Russian forces were deliberately blocking the supply of humanitarian supplies to cities under attack
Mayor: More than 10,000 civilians dead in Ukraine port city
Mariupol has been the site of some of the heaviest attacks and civilian suffering in the 6-week-old war
Ukrainian leaders predict more gruesome discoveries ahead
Kremlin forces devastated the northern city of Chernihiv as part of their attempt to sweep south toward the capital before retreating
TASS: more than 1 million Ukrainians taken to Russia
Civilians were evacuated to the territory of the Russian Federation from dangerous regions of Donetsk, Lugansk and other parts of Ukraine
Last women and children evacuated from Ukrainian steel mill
Moscow was aiming to complete its conquest of Mariupol in time for Victory Day celebrations on Monday
Americas
US sanctions Russia for 'beginning' invasion of Ukraine
Russia's upper house, the Federation Council, gave Putin unanimous approval to deploy 'peacekeepers' to two breakaway Ukrainian regions
US Senate sinks Biden push for major voting rights reforms
The legislation would have guaranteed the right to mail-in voting, ballot drop boxes and at least two weeks of early voting
United States reaches 65,000 H-1B visa cap for 2022: USCIS
The H-1B visa programme is the most sought-after work visa among foreign professionals, including Indians
Joe Biden agrees to meet Putin, on a condition, as Ukraine tensions soar
Both leaders have said yes in principle to the summit, proposed by French President Emmanuel Macron
Oceania
Scuttlebutt! Australian PM Scott Morrison denies soiling himself in McDonald's
Australian PM Scott Morrison abruptly decided to squash the rumour -- which has turned 'Engadine Maccas' into internet folklore
New Zealand PM Ardern extends lockdown in Auckland to Sept 21
New Zealand imposed a national lockdown on August 17 when the first case of Delta variant was found in the community
New Zealand extends Delta outbreak lockdown
PM Jacinda Ardern said the initial three-day lockdown, which would have expired overnight Friday, would be extended by another four days
New Zealand Covid cases hit record despite vaccination push
Health authorities announced 94 new virus cases, exceeding the previous daily record of 89 set in April last year during the first wave
Priyanca Radhakrishnan becomes New Zealand's first-ever Indian-origin minister
Radhakrishnan, who is from the 2017 intake of new MPs, is a minister outside of the Cabinet