WORLD
China airport cancels flights amid Covid outbreak
All inbound and outbound domestic passenger flights are cancelled from Friday to Saturday, Xinhua news agency quoted the Guangzhou Baiyun International Airport as saying in a statement.
Canada plans to reopen embassy in Ukraine
According to a CTV report, Joly said before the Senate foreign affairs and international trade committee on Thursday that her objective is to do so in the coming days, weeks, reports Xinhua news agency. "We just need to make sure that there is a secure environment for staff and also we're looking at what our other Five Eyes colleagues and allies are doing," Joly was quoted as saying.
60 countries join hands for open, free & secure global internet
The declaration represents a political commitment among partners to advance a positive vision for the internet and digital technologies, the White House said in a statement late on Thursday. "It also reaffirms and recommits its partners to a single global Internet - one that is truly open and fosters competition, privacy, and respect for human rights," it added. The declaration said that globally, we are witnessing a trend of rising digital authoritarianism where some states act to repress freedom of expression, censor independent news sites, interfere with elections, promote disinformation, and deny their citizens other human rights.
German Parliament approves delivery of heavy weapons to Ukraine
A corresponding proposal, which was passed on Thursday by a vote of 586 to 100, allows the "supply of effective, including heavy, weapons and complex systems" to Ukraine, reports Xinhua news agency. Deliveries were also to be accelerated.
IMF chief tests positive for Covid-19
"She is experiencing mild symptoms and is working remotely while isolating at home. She is fully vaccinated and boosted," Gerry Rice, IMF spokesperson, said in a statement on Thursday. "Standard IMF and CDC (US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention) Covid protocols are being followed," the statement added.
US could punish countries for shunning sanctions, but not those 'rethinking' their ties with Russia
India's ties with Russia, especially its refusal to condemn the Russian invasion of Ukraine, and continued imports of Russian oil and gas have been raised by US officials along with, in one case of egregious overreach, a threat of "consequences". More generally, the US has said it does not want to see India jack up its import of Russian energy beyond past levels because of discounted prices on offer.
Biden requests $33bn from Congress in aid to Ukraine
Delivering remarks from the White House, Biden on Thursday elaborated on how the newly proposed supplemental funding will be used. Of the $33-billion sum, according to a fact sheet by the White House, $20.4 billion will be military and security assistance to Kiev, $8.5 billion will be spent in economic assistance for the Ukrainian government and people.
Judicial commission to probe ethnic profiling of Baloch students
The court on Thursday ordered the Home Secretary to put in place a mechanism to redress complaints from Baloch students, Samaa TV reported. IHC Chief Justice Athar Minallah said that ethnic profiling cannot be accepted and courts would not turn a blind eye to human rights violations, Samaa TV reported. He criticised the present government -- which recently took charge -- and reminded the ministers that they must walk the talk on the issues they used to highlight while in opposition.
Russia deploys military dolphins at Black Sea naval base
The US Naval Institute (USNI) reviewed satellite imagery of the naval base at Sevastopol harbour, and concluded that two dolphin pens were moved to the base in February at the start of Moscow's invasion of Ukraine, The Guardian reported. Russia has a history of training dolphins for military purposes, using the aquatic mammal to retrieve objects or deter enemy divers.
NATO ready to support Ukraine for years to come in war against Russia
Speaking at a youth summit in Brussels, Stoltenberg said, "We need to be prepared for the long term," BBC reported. He added that "there is absolutely the possibility that this war will drag on and last for months and years", the report said. NATO countries -- alongside nations that are not part of the alliance -- met in Ramstein, Germany, earlier this week to discuss how they can support Ukraine's defence and security.
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