The United States has objected to a request by China, Norway and Tunisia for a public, virtual meeting of the United Nations Security Council on Friday to discuss the worsening violence between Israel and Palestinian militants, diplomats said.The United States, a close ally of Israel, cited diplomatic efforts as the reason for the objection, saying a council discussion would not be productive, but left the door open for a possible meeting on Tuesday, the diplomats said.The 15-member council has met privately twice this week on the worst hostilities in the region in years, but has so far been unable to…
Author: Mike Harrison
Britain is anxious about the spread of the novel coronavirus variant first detected in India and rules out nothing when it comes to re-introducing local restrictions, Prime Minister Boris Johnson said on Thursday.Johnson has laid out a “cautious but irreversible” route out of lockdown for England, with the next step planned for next week. He has warned new variants, such as the B.1.617.2 variant, pose a risk to that plan.”We are anxious about it – it has been spreading,” Johnson said, adding that there would be meetings later on Thursday to discuss what to do.”We’re ruling nothing out,” Johnson said.There…
Gas pumps remained shrouded by plastic bags Thursday at thousands of service stations across more than a dozen US states, but the situation could improve as a pipeline company reported “substantial progress” in resuming operations after a computer hack led to its shutdown.Despite signs of progress in restarting the pipeline, nearly 70% of North Carolina’s gas stations on Thursday were still without fuel, as were about half the stations in South Carolina and Georgia, GasBuddy.com reported. Drivers on the East Coast were also having trouble, with more than half the stations tapped out in Virginia. Washington, DC, was among the…
A Japanese freelance journalist in Myanmar who was jailed and charged with spreading false news or information that could cause public unrest will be freed by the country’s ruling junta as a gesture of friendship with Japan, a state television report said Thursday.The announcement on Myanmar’s army-run Myawaddy TV said Yuki Kitazumi had been arrested on April 18 for “inciting” the country’s anti-military civil disobedience movement and riots.“Although the journalist is a lawbreaker, the case will be closed and he will be released at the request of the Special Envoy of the Japanese Government for National Reconciliation in Myanmar, in…
K P Sharma Oli was set to be reappointed as Nepal Prime Minister as the Opposition alliance of Nepali Congress and the Communist Party of Nepal (Maoist Centre) on Thursday failed to muster majority support to form the next government.President Bidya Devi Bhandari had asked the Opposition parties to come up with the support of majority lawmakers to form a new government by 9 PM on Thursday after Oli lost a crucial trust vote in the House of Representatives on Monday.As the Opposition parties failed to claim majority government under article 76 (2) of the Constitution, President Bhandari is likely…
Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte on Thursday approved the easing of some coronavirus restrictions in the capital and nearby provinces, with daily Covid-19 infections well down from a peak six weeks ago.Religious gatherings and dining in restaurants will be allowed in Metro Manila and in the provinces of Bulacan, Rizal, Laguna and Cavite for two weeks beginning on Saturday, but non-essential travels will remain prohibited.Outdoor tourist attractions may be opened but only at 30% capacity.The quarantine status of Metro Manila and the adjacent provinces will be reviewed before May 31.Since the government reimposed stricter rules on movement, new daily infections have…
After 16 years of rule under Angela Merkel, a small party that believes in big tax cuts and legalising cannabis wants to play kingmaker in Germany’s next government. They might just pull it off.The latest opinion polls indicate that no two parties will command a comfortable majority after September’s national election, offering the liberal Free Democrats (FDP) the chance to make up the numbers and wield outsized influence in the era following Merkel’s exit after four terms as chancellor.Polling 10-12% now, the business-friendly FDP would likely be the third party to join the conservatives and the ecologist Greens if they…
(Photo : Pexels/Stas Knop) Nokia flip phone service Although there are numerous Android handsets HMD releases on the market today, it is the remakes of Nokia’s classics that generate the most hype from the public. Nokia announced that the Nokia 2720 flip phone is coming to the United States via Verizon on May 20. Nokia 2720 Flip Phone Availability According to Engadget, the phone will come with a subscription plan and a Google Assistant service. The best thing about a flip phone is that you can just clasp it shut to end a call, which is more satisfying than thumbing…
The trial of three former Minneapolis police officers charged with aiding and abetting in the death of George Floyd will be pushed back to March 2022, a judge ruled Thursday.Thomas Lane, J. Kueng and Tou Thao were scheduled to face trial Aug. 23 on charges they aided and abetted both murder and manslaughter. The officers’ co-defendant, Derek Chauvin, has already been convicted of murder and manslaughter counts. All four officers also face federal charges that allege they violated Floyd’s civil rights during his May 25 arrest.Judge Peter Cahill said he changed the date so the federal case can go forward…
Speaking after attending Eid al-Fitr prayers in the city of Multan on Thursday, Shah Mehmood Qureshi also said Pakistan has had a decline in cases since last month, when troops were deployed to force people to adhere to social distancing rules. AP | | Posted by Karan Manral PUBLISHED ON MAY 13, 2021 08:54 PM IST Pakistan’s foreign minister is warning that the next two months are very crucial for the country’s coronavirus outbreak and that people must continue observing social distancing.Shah Mehmood Qureshi made the comments Thursday after Eid al-Fitr prayers in the city of Multan.He noted that the…