WORLD
Chinese FM to be special guest at OIC meet hosted by Pak
Pakistan has invited Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi to attend the upcoming conference of Foreign Ministers from the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) in Islamabad as a "guest of honour", a rare move to accord this opportunity to a top diplomat from a non-OIC country, The Express Tribune reported. Wang will address the conference scheduled for March 22 and 23 as a special guest.
Indian Judge votes against Russia as ICJ asks Moscow to halt military operations
Indian Judge Dalveer Bhandari was among the 13 judges at the International Court of Justice who on Wednesday voted against the Russian invasion and ordered Moscow to immediately halt the military operations against Ukraine. “The Russian Federation, pending the final decision in the case, must immediately suspend the military operations it commenced in the territory of Ukraine on February 24, 2022,” the order said.
Neo-Nazi Azov Battalion blew up theatre where they were holding hostages: Russia
Russian military was aware of reports that "Azov" militants had kept civilians inside the theatre as human shields, and did not consider the building a target for airstrikes for that reason, Ministry representative Major-General Igor Konashenkov said in a statement. "Previously, it was known from the refugees who got out of Mariupol that the Nazis of the Azov Battalion could hold civilians hostage in the theatre building" RT News quoted Konashenkov
Australia threatens China with sanctions for backing Russia
Asked whether any penalties were in store for China over its refusal to condemn the ongoing Russian assault, the Prime Minister said that Australia would join with allies in sanctioning the country, RT reported."We will move in lockstep with our partners and allies on these issues, and the United States has made some very clear statements about this and we support those statements," he said on Wednesday, calling on "the whole world" to "put an end to this terrible violence and aggression by Russia".
China FM Wang Yi likely to visit India by March end: Reports
If the visit is confirmed, it will be a first trip for a high-level leader of the Chinese government to visit India since the 22-months old military tensions at the LAC, which began after a violent clash in the Pangong lake areas, peaked in June 2020 in the Galwan valley where 20 Indian soldiers were martyred following a violent confrontation triggered by China.
Political polarisation in Libya may lead to instability: UN official
"Libya is now facing a new phase of political polarisation. It risks dividing its institutions once again and reversing the gains achieved over the past two years," Xinhua news agency quoted DiCarlo as saying during a briefing to the Security Council on Wednesday. "We know from experience what unilateral actions, divided government, and an unending transition may hold in store for Libya."
Police close freeway exits in US capital amid drive-by protest
The police on Wednesday announced that the move was intended to "keep traffic moving safely", saying that "these rolling road closures are occurring in real-time as they are needed, and will be lifted as soon as they are no longer", reports Xinhua news agency, In an earlier tweet, the police asked motorists to expect traffic delays, as well as demonstration activity on highways in and around the US capital.
FAO chief economist warns of Ukraine conflict's toll on food security
To assess the potential impact on international food prices caused by a conflict-induced reduction in cereal and vegetable oil exports from Ukraine and Russia, simulations have been carried out, Xinhua news agency quoted Torero as saying to reporters at the UN Headquarters in New York. On the basis of their already elevated baseline values, wheat price would increase by 8.7 per cent in a moderate-shock scenario and by 21.5 per cent in a severe-shock scenario, he said.
FB removes deepfake video of Ukrainian President
In the video, Zelensky appears to stand behind a presidential podium and in front of a backdrop, both of which feature the Ukrainian coat of arms. Wearing a green shirt, Zelensky speaks in Ukrainian, appearing to tell his countrymen to put down their weapons, reports Sky News. However, Nathaniel Gleicher, Meta's head of security, on Wednesday tweeted that the video had been removed from the company's platforms.
Omicron subvariant makes up nearly one quarter of new Covid cases in US
This data is up from around 1 in 10 new cases just a week prior, Xinhua news agency reported. The BA.2 variant is spreading fast in the country, with infections nearly doubling every week, according to CDC data. Early studies showed that BA.2 may be up to 30 per cent more transmissible than the original Omicron.
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