World

The director of the New York office of the UN high commissioner for human rights has left his post, protesting that the UN is “failing” in its duty to prevent what he categorizes as genocide of Palestinian civilians in Gaza under Israeli bombardment and citing the US, UK and much of Europe as “wholly complicit in the horrific assault”. Craig Mokhiber wrote on 28 October to the UN high commissioner

Several international organizations have warned that the Israeli regime has imposed a complete communication blockade on the Gaza Strip, which it has brought under a relentless war for the past three weeks. The World Health Organization (WHO), UNICEF, the United Nations Children's Fund, Oxfam, a UK-based charity, and Doctors Without Borders raised the alarm on Friday. Speaking through separate

US President Joe Biden has called for another package of military assistance worth $75 billion for Ukraine and Israel. Biden argued in an impassioned Oval Office speech on Friday that the huge sums involved -- a total of $105.85 billion, including $61 billion in military aid for Ukraine and $14 billion for Israel -- would secure US interests for generations, Reuters reported. Fresh off a trip to

A former British diplomat and human rights activist has been detained under the country's counterterrorism laws after declaring support for the people of Palestine and criticizing Israel's atrocities against them. Craig Murray was detained on Monday under the UK's so-called Prevention of Terrorism Act after he returned from a trip to Iceland. Before his arrest, he had taken part in a pro

A 71-year-old white man in the US state of Illinois motivated by anti-Palestinian rhetoric has stabbed a 6-year-old Muslim boy 26 times and seriously injured his mother. The incident happened on Sunday amid US politicians and media’s ceaseless rhetoric against Muslims over Israel’s war against the Palestinians in the besieged Gaza Strip. Officials and Muslim rights activists said the man was

Poppy cultivation in Afghanistan, the long-standing centre of global opium production, is estimated to have fallen by 85 per cent following the Taliban’s rise to power, new analysis shows. In April last year, the group’s religious leaders prohibited poppy farming across the country. More than 12 months on, the ban is being described by experts as “the most successful counter-narcotics effort in

Scientists Katalin Kariko and Drew Weissman won the 2023 Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine for discoveries enabling the development of Covid-19 vaccines, the award-giving body said on Monday. The prize, among the most prestigious in the scientific world, is selected by the Nobel Assembly of Sweden's Karolinska Institute medical university and also comes with 11 million Swedish crowns (about $1

Karachi, Sept 29: Around 55 people were killed and over 130 injured in a suicide blast near a mosque in Pakistan's restive Balochistan province on Friday when people were gathering for a rally to celebrate the birthday of Prophet Muhammad, according to media reports. The explosion occurred near Madina Mosque in the Mastung district, Geo News reported. Mastung's Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP

Mosul (Iraq) Sept 27: A raging fire seemingly caused by fireworks set off to celebrate a Christian wedding consumed a hall packed with guests in northern Iraq, killing at least 110 people and injuring 150 others as authorities warned on Wednesday the death toll could still rise. Authorities said that flammable building materials also contributed to the latest disaster to hit Iraq’s dwindling

Toronto, Sept 26: Updating travel advisory for its citizens in India, Canada has asked them to “remain vigilant and exercise caution” in the wake of a diplomatic row over the killing of Khalistani leader Hardeep Singh Nijjar. “In the context of recent developments in Canada and in India, there are calls for protests and some negative sentiment towards Canada on social media. Please remain vigilant