International Affairs

Pakistan blames India for ‘blocking regional integration’ Terrorism remains the single largest threat to peace and stability in South Asia, External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj told an informal meeting of her counterparts from the region on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly (UNGA). Ms. Swaraj left the meeting after …

But Foreign Minister says they do not want to challenge America’s pre-eminence China on Friday denounced “blackmail” by President Donald Trump over trade but insisted it had no plan to challenge U.S. pre-eminence, as relations between the world’s two largest economies deteriorate. Days after Mr. Trump slapped $200 billion in …

Sweden’s centre-right Opposition and the far right ousted Prime Minister Stefan Löfven in a vote of no-confidence on Tuesday, as the left and right blocs wrangle over who can form a new government after neither won a majority in September 9 elections. Mr. Löfven’s departure was widely anticipated. The head …

The Right Livelihood Award, also known as the Alternative Nobel, was awarded on Monday to three jailed Saudi human rights defenders and two Latin American anti-corruption crusaders. The prize foundation said the 1 million kronor ($113,400) cash award for 2018 would be shared by Abdullah al-Hamid, Mohammad Fahad al-Qahtani and …

What seemed a like a crazy idea turned out to be just that: a 1980s experiment that saw 25,000 car tyres dumped into the crystal-clear waters of the Mediterranean to create a sanctuary for sealife off the French coast is being cleaned up after it was found to be polluting. …

Iranian President Hassan Rouhani on Sunday appeared to blame Arab separatists for a deadly attack on a parade, accusing an unnamed U.S.-backed Gulf state of supporting them. Tehran also summoned diplomats from Denmark, the Netherlands and Britain for allegedly hosting members of the group suspected of links to Saturday’s attack …

A British Muslim has been detained in Syria on suspicion of being a member of the Islamic State. Anwar Miah, who claims to be a pharmacist from Birmingham, was reportedly seized by Kurdish forces near the Iraqi border, according to U.K. media reports. Source : https://www.thehindu.com/todays-paper/tp-international/british-muslim-held-in-syria-on-suspicion-of-being-isis-member/article25023780.ece

Women Foreign Ministers meeting for the first summit of its kind vowed on Saturday to bring a ‘women’s perspective’ to foreign policy. The two-day meeting, which began on Friday in Montreal and brought together more than half of the world’s top women diplomats, focussed on topics such as conflict prevention, …

The U.S. is increasingly diverse and census calculations project that by the year 2044, the White population of the country will be less than half of the total. The growing diversity appears to be reflecting on the political arena, though differentially, for the Democrats and the Republicans. In the current …

On a recent August evening, fishing boats from France and England were filmed ramming each other, in the Baie de la Seine in the English Channel, off the northern French coast, while rocks and other projectiles were tossed at one another. The sight, while alarming, is not entirely unknown in …

Bangladesh readied a new law giving sweeping powers to the police to crack down on cyberoffences and arrest any potential offender without a warrant. The Digital Security Act, passed in Parliament on September 19, drew criticism from journalists and civil society leaders as they said that the law would muffle …

The Vatican on Saturday announced a historic accord with China on the appointment of Bishops in the Communist country as Pope Francis recognised seven Beijing-appointed Bishops in a move that could pave the way for a rapprochement between the Catholic Church and the world’s most populous country. Beijing immediately said …

Many poll observers were denied visa Around 2,60,000 Maldivians will cast their vote on Sunday in the nation’s third-ever multi-party presidential election since 2008. The election has come under focus amid fears of possible poll rigging and violence. In a statement issued on Saturday, the Asian Network for Free Elections …

“Not the last station from the South, but the first station towards the North”, reads a signboard at the Unification Platform of Dorasan station, hardly 650 metres from the southern border of the Korean Demilitarized Zone (DMZ). Dorasan is on the Gyeongui Line that connects North Korea with the South. …

Woman goes to court over passport A Saudi court has ruled in favour of a woman who challenged her father’s decision to not let her have a passport, media reports said, stirring an online debate on the contentious male guardianship system. The conservative kingdom requires women to seek permission from …

Vox Patris will be housed in a tower in Brazil One of the largest swinging bells in the world was unveiled in the Polish city of Krakow on Thursday ahead of being installed at a major pilgrimage site in Brazil. It weighs 55 tonnes. The “Vox Patris” bell, four metres …

Islamabad High Court says NAB could not bring evidence against the Sharifs in corruption case Members of Nawaz Sharif’s party celebrated his release on Wednesday after the Islamabad High Court suspended the jail sentences handed to the former Prime Minister, his daughter Maryam and son-in-law Captain Muhammad Safdar (retd.). National …

The Marvelous Mrs Maiseltook home eight awards overall, including one for best comedy HBO’s record-breaking fantasy epic Game of Thrones stormed back onto the Emmys stage on Monday, winning the coveted best drama series prize on a night full of surprises, including an on-air marriage proposal that stunned the audience. …

They include James Comey’s messages U.S. President Donald Trump declassified a trove of documents related to the early days of the FBI’s Russia investigation, including a portion of a secret surveillance warrant application and former FBI Director James Comey’s messages. Mr. Trump made the extraordinary move on Monday in response …

Syria accidentally shot down a Russian military aircraft, on Monday killing all 15 crew members, when its air defences swung into action against an Israeli missile strike, Russian and Israeli forces said on Tuesday. The Russian Ilyushin dropped off the radar over the Mediterranean moments after Turkey and Russia announced …