WORLD
Russia blames New Year missile attack on troops' phone use
In a social media post on Wednesday, the Russian military said the main cause of the attack that hit a college for conscripts in Makiivka shortly after midnight on January 1 was the presence and "mass use" of mobile phones by troops in range of Ukrainian weapons, despite this being banned, the BBC reported.
Amnesty International asks Baloch government to restore net services, lift ban on gatherings in Gwadar
"Such disruptions are neither necessary nor proportionate, and inhibits the ability of the people of Gwadar to communicate, access information, seek safety and work," the organisation stated in a series of tweets, Express Tribune reported. Amnesty International further said that the imposition of Section 144 in "the name of public security should not become a pretext for more human rights violations.
5 countries start responsibilities as newly elected members of UNSC
Their two-year term officially started on January 1, but the first business day of the Security Council for 2023 after the New Year holiday break is Tuesday, January 3, Xinhua news agency reported. A flag installation ceremony was held on Tuesday to mark the start of their responsibilities. The ceremony was initiated by Kazakhstan in 2018. Kazakhstan's permanent representative Akan Rakhmetullin, who presided over the ceremony, voiced confidence that the five new council members will bring much depth and focus to the pressing issues of global peace and security.
Australia's population smaller, older following Covid-19 pandemic
According to the data released on Wednesday from the government's annual population report, the Australian population grew by just 0.1 per cent, or 33,000 people, in the first full financial year of Covid-19, Xinhua news agency reported. The Centre for Population now projects the population will grow to 26.3 million by the end of financial year 2022-23, down 600,000 from pre-pandemic expectations.
Poland asks UN to help secure WWII damages from Germany
"The United Nations system offers instruments for dialogue as well as for introducing the international community to the scale of the damages caused by the German aggression and occupation during the war, and Poland intends to use them," Poland's Deputy Foreign Minister Arkadiusz Mularczyk said during a press conference on Tuesday, Xinhua news agency reported.
Israeli minister's visit to Jerusalem holy site triggers furious backlash in Mideast
Nabil Abu Rudeineh, the spokesman of the Palestinian presidency, slammed Ben-Gvir's visit to Al-Aqsa on Tuesday, the first by an Israeli minister in nearly five years, as "a challenge to the Palestinian people, the Arab nation, and the international community", Xinhua news agency reported. "The Israeli authorities' attempts to change the existing historical and legal reality in Al-Aqsa by perpetuating its temporal division by dividing it spatially are rejected and doomed to failure," he said, warning that Jerusalem and its holy sites are "a red line that cannot be crossed".
Consecutive ballots fail to elect US House Speaker
US Congressman Kevin McCarthy, a Republican from California, lost the second ballot for House speaker after 19 Republicans again voted against him. A third vote was underway, a scenario that hasn't been seen in a century. A candidate needs 218 votes to become House speaker if no member skips the vote or votes "present".
Biden renominates Garcetti as envoy to India
The White House announced Garcetti's renomination along with a bunch of others on Tuesday, the first day of the new Congress, that included two Indian Americans - Anjali Chaturvedi, to be General Counsel, Department of Veterans; and Ravi Chaudhary, to be Assistant Secretary of the Air Force. Biden had first nominated Garcetti, once a rising star in the Democratic party, in July 2021, his first year in White House.
Maryam Nawaz promoted to PML-N Senior Vice President
"Pursuant to the powers conferred under the Constitution of Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz, the undersigned is pleased to appoint Ms Maryam Nawaz Sharif as 'Senior Vice President' with immediate effect," stated the notification. It said that Maryam Nawaz is authorised to re-organise the party at all functional tiers/levels as "chief organiser", Geo News reported.
Will Pokhara Int'l Airport be another Hambantota? India maintains watch
The Hambantota Port is in Sri Lanka and was built with financial support from China. In 2018, after failing to repay the loan, Sri Lanka was forced to lease out nearly 70 per cent control of the port to Chinese companies. Today, Chinese vessels, including warships and submarines of the People's Liberation Army Navy (PLAN), berth at Hambantota regularly, ostensibly to refuel or pick up supplies. What bothers India is that the port is uncomfortably close to the country's coast.
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