Seeks to overcome differences, unite fractious parties Veteran Iraqi politician and now Prime Minister designate Adel Abdel Mahdi on Wednesday began the tough task of forming the next government, seeking to overcome sharp differences and unite fractious political parties. In a surprise move on Tuesday, new President Barham Saleh handed …
Read More »Trio gets Chemistry Nobel
They harnessed the power of evolution to produce novel proteins Two Americans and a Briton won the 2018 Nobel Prize for Chemistry on Wednesday for harnessing the power of evolution to produce novel proteins used in everything from environmentally friendly detergents and biofuels to cancer drugs. The fruits of this …
Read More »‘Will return to Maldives come what may’
Former President of the Maldives and exiled leader Mohamed Nasheed on Wednesday said he intends to return to the troubled island nation soon, “come what may”. Regarded a “fugitive” by the outgoing President Abdulla Yameen’s administration, Mr. Nasheed has been living in exile the last couple of years, largely in …
Read More »Tory candidate under fire for attack on Hindu, Muslim festivals
Multiculturalism is robbing Britain of its communities, wrote Shaun Bailey The Conservative Party found itself mired in a controversy after it emerged that its candidate for London Mayor Shaun Bailey had written a pamphlet warning that multiculturalism was robbing Britain of its communities, pointing to the celebration of Hindu and …
Read More »UN urges India not to deport seven Rohingya
Nations must ensure deportees’ safety: Bangladesh Speaker As India prepares to deport seven Rohingya “illegals” to Myanmar on Thursday, two UN agencies urged the government to refrain from doing anything that would endanger the lives of those it plans to deport. “UN High Commissioner for Refugees has expressed its view …
Read More »Support Dhaka on Rohingya crisis: Guterres
Describing India as a ‘pillar of multilateralism’, UN Secretary-General urges it to play a bigger role in responding to the situation India must support Bangladesh in dealing with the Rohingya crisis and put pressure on Myanmar for their return, Antonio Guterres, on his first official visit to India as the …
Read More »Mexico’s dwarf wrestlers overcome mockery to become stars
‘Microstars’ is a show that mixes sport, circus and collective catharsis in what Mexicans call “fights” He is just 90 centimetres (less than three feet) tall, but he packs muscles, power and swagger in a little frame: meet Microman, the smallest star in Mexican professional wrestling. Mexico’s “lucha libre,” a …
Read More »Give us space to resolve our problems, says Sirisena at UN
Sri Lanka does not want any foreign power exerting influence, President Maithripala Sirisena has said, while appealing to the international community for “room to resolve” the country’s problems. Mr. Sirisena made the remarks while addressing the 73rd session of the United Nations General Assembly in New York. “As an independent …
Read More »G-4 for UN Security Council reform, multilateralism
India and other Group-4 (G-4) countries reaffirmed their commitment to multilateralism and called for the early reform of the UN Security Council (UNSC) on Tuesday. Hours after U.S. President Donald Trump pilloried multilateralism in this address to the UN General Assembly, Foreign Ministers of Brazil, Japan and Germany — Aloysio …
Read More »Yameen trying to hold on to power, says Opposition
Barely 48 hours after outgoing Maldivian President Abdulla Yameen conceded poll defeat, the Opposition coalition that dislodged him has raised alarm over his alleged attempts to hold on to power. Its members on Wednesday accused Mr. Yameen of preparing to move the Supreme Court, seeking annulment of Sunday’s presidential election, …
Read More »