(MENAFN) Iraqi politician Ammar Hakim recently held a meeting with the Iranian Ambassador to Iraq, Mohammad Kazem Al Sadeq, where they engaged in discussions concerning political developments in Iraq and the broader West Asia region, according to reports by Tasnim. The meeting took place in the office of Hakim, the leader of the Iraqi National Wisdom Movement, located in Baghdad.
During the meeting, Hakim expressed his appreciation for the efforts aimed at bridging the gaps between regional countries and the resumption of diplomatic relations between Iran and Saudi Arabia. He called for the continuation of these positive steps until all outstanding issues are fully resolved. Emphasizing the importance of regional stability, Hakim underlined that the presence of various nations in the region is an unalterable reality.
Hakim further stressed the need for all parties involved to work towards common interests and collaborate on matters that benefit the nations and their respective populations. In his view, this collective approach is essential to ensure that the people of the region can fully enjoy the prosperity and blessings of their respective countries.
Recognizing the challenges faced by the region, Hakim underscored the importance of coordination on issues of shared concern. He highlighted the significance of a regional system in which all nations participate, working together to advance national interests and effectively address the challenges at hand.
It is noteworthy that Ammar Hakim has been actively involved in the region, particularly amid recent developments leading to a thaw in relations between Iran and several Arab countries, including Saudi Arabia and Egypt. Reports suggest that Hakim has undertaken visits to Saudi Arabia and Egypt, with rumors circulating that he may have been seeking to mediate between Iran and these Arab nations.
In summary, the meeting between Ammar Hakim and the Iranian Ambassador signifies ongoing efforts to address political developments in Iraq and the wider West Asia region. Hakim's engagement with various countries in the area reflects a commitment to fostering dialogue and collaboration among regional actors, with the aim of promoting stability, pursuing common interests, and achieving favorable outcomes for all nations involved.
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(MENAFN- Jordan Times) AMMAN - Transport Minister Maher Abu Al Samen on Wednesday held a meeting with Swedish Ambassador in Amman Alexandra Rydmark to discuss ways to enhance cooperation in areas related to the Ministry of Transport and its entities.
During the meeting, Abu Al Samen emphasised the importance of strengthening relations between the two friendly countries.
Talks also went over expertise exchange related to road safety and potential collaboration in support of maritime administrations.
The two sides also discussed working together to combat environmental protection, as well as on search and rescue missions and ship inspections.
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Pakistan advises worldwide society to stick by Afghanis
(MENAFN)The Pakistani prime minister, Imran Khan advised the worldwide society to support Afghanis since there is an uncommon chance now to stop the fight in Afghanistan that continued for four decades.
Khan stated that this moment must not be wasted during the 20th Shanghai Cooperation Organization's (SCO) Heads of State meeting in Dushanbe, Tajikistan.
He added during his address aired on the state-run Pakistan Television “The sudden change of the previous government which surprised everyone, the takeover by the Taliban, and the full withdrawal of foreign forces, have established a new reality in Afghanistan.”
“That all this happened without bloodshed, without civil war, and without mass exodus of refugees should be a matter of relief.”
The prime minister underscored by saying “Equally urgent priorities are to prevent a humanitarian crisis and an economic meltdown. We must remember that the previous government depended heavily on foreign aid and its removal could lead to economic collapse.”
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(MENAFN- Trend News Agency) BAKU, Azerbaijan, June 2. Work is
underway to train highly qualified specialists in the field of
alternative energy in Azerbaijan, Vice-President of SOCAR Khalik
Mammadov said during the Baku Energy Week, trend reports.
According to him, the liberated territories of
Azerbaijan [from Armenian occupation after the Second Karabakh War]
have a huge potential for renewable energy.
Mammadov noted that the potential for generating solar
energy in the liberated territories is about 7,200 megawatts, and
wind energy is 2,000 megawatts.
"Restoration works in Karabakh are carried out on the
basis of green technologies, and it is planned to create a green
zone in Karabakh by 2050. These goals are also reflected in the
national strategy for socio-economic development until 2026,"
"A total of 43 million specialists in the energy
sector are expected to be trained in the world by 2050. This figure
is 12.7 million people as of 2021," he said.
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Ministry of Labor and Skills has signed an agreement with a Chinese company, Orient International Holdings to enhance the efficiency of professionals in the textile sector and create more job opportunities in Ethiopia.
The agreement is expected to help produce capable human power in the textile industry and create more job opportunities in the sector, it was indicated.
Speaking on the occasion, State Minister of Labor and Skills, Dr. Teshale Berecha said that Ethiopia will work in collaboration with the Chinese government to empower citizens in the field of education and training.
According to him, as the agreement will help to enhance the development activity that the country has embarked upon in the textile sector, due attention will be given for its implementation.
" The textile industry has enormous potential to economic growth in Ethiopia and else where in the world. We have been working relentlessly towards improving the skills of workforces in the sector to meet the demand of the industry and we belive that collaboration with the company will further boost the sector's overall role in skill development and knowledge transfer."
The State Minister further said that the agreement will help to expedite the ongoing efforts to realizing sustainable development, job creation and skills development in Ethiopia.
He stated that the company will carry out skills development activities both in the country and abroad noting that the company has plan to establish a training center in Ethiopia.
Orient International Holding Chairman Tong Jisheng said that the textile industry sector requires qualified and skilled workers and technology.
Essential support will be extended to realizing this requirement in Ethiopia, the Chairman added.
Mentioning that the Shangtex textile manufacturer under the company has extensive experience in the field, Jisheng expressed commitment to extend essential support in producing qualified manpower in Ethiopia.
"We strive to introduce high level skills and technology in textile industry in Ethiopia," further stating that some 100 Ethiopians will travel to China to receive training in the field.
Source: Ethiopian News Agency


The Chairman, Police Service Commission (PSC), Mr Solomon Arase and Inspector General of Police (I-G), Mr Usman Baba, have expressed commitment to promote harmonious working relationship between the commission and police force.
This commitment was made when the I-G paid a courtesy call on the chairman on Monday in Abuja.
Arase, while addressing newsmen said the commission and the police force had insisted on collaboration in their relationships.
He added that they had agreed that synergy between PSC and the police high command was needed to ensure a properly motivated police force.
He said they were ready to change the negative narratives about the frosty relationship that had existed between the commission and Nigeria Police Force in recent time.
According to him, there will be a paradigm shift going forward.
“We don’t have to quarrel about their promotions; we don’t have to quarrel about their recruitment.
So, everything will be seamlessly done in such a way that everybody will be happy and it will be a win, win situation for everybody,” he said.
On the recruitment of police personnel, the PSC boss said “that a small team would set up to sit together, and take a look at the issue to enable the police high command and the commission review the process’’.
He said that the recruitment of police personnel was not supposed to be an issue, saying that both the commission and police force needed understanding to achieve results.
He assured that the commission under his leadership would ensure that the best personnel would always be recruited into the police force to enhance competence and professionalism.
The I-G Baba, said the visit was to assure the commission of the readiness of the police force to work in harmony and improve their relationship.
He said proper leadership, guidance; sense of direction, proper maintenance of discipline, promotion and appointment in the police force, personnel would be motivated to do the right things.
Source: News Agency of Nigeria


Ranchi: Jharkhand Chief Minister Hemant Soren said that his government was committed to bring back all the trapped workers and students for which preparations have been commenced.
Chairing a video conferencing with the MPs and MLAs of Palamu and Kolhan division he asked them to also give their suggestion in this regard. He said that the government has already appointed Nodal officers. Hemant said that all precautions have to be maintained while bringing the people back so that Coronavirus is also defeated.
He asked the elected representatives to assure the trapped workers that the state government will bring them back. He said that with the help of different social organisations his government was reaching to all the workers who are trapped in other states. He also lauded the works being done across the state by the Corona warriors including doctors, healthcare staff, policemen and Panchayati raj representatives.
The Chief Minister said that the state government was also working to create employment opportunities for the workers who will be brought back and soon the plans will be executed on the ground. He said that the government was working to come out with a new guideline for Mnrega and workers will be provided jobs in their villages.
He also assured that farmers who have sustained losses due to bad weather they would be provided compensation by the state government as an order in this regard has been given to the officials to make an assessment of the losses. Moreover, he said that the farmers are being also provided payment for paddy.
He asked the representatives to make sure that the vaccination work should not be hit during lockdown especially that of children and asked to take special care of the old people. He asked them to also create awareness among the representatives at the panchayat level so that they are present with the people when foodgrains are distributed in the villages.
He laid stress on social policing for the people who are coming back as they might be infected for them there was no need to panic as the government was fully aware. Hemant asked the representatives to inform the local administration regarding those who have come from outside so that spread of infection can be stopped.
The meeting was attended by Jamshedpur MP Vidyut Baran Mahto and different MLAs of both the regions.


Srinagar: Former CM and Opposition National Conference working president Omar Abdullah said the government was trying to divide the Opposition to evade issues in the ongoing autumn session. Omar, who was leading the protest outside the Assembly complex over the suspension of four party members from both the Houses said the coalition government was trying to evade every issue on the pretext that the matter was “sub-judice”.
“We were compelled to sit outside the Assembly to protest against the suspension of our members in both Houses,” Omar told reporters. According to him, the legislators were suspended as part of a “well-designed” ploy on the behest of the ruling coalition government to weaken the Opposition voices.
Omar also doubted the intentions of the Speaker, saying “Congress members also stormed into the well of the Assembly but only NC members were suspended”.


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India orders 36 French-made Rafale fighter jets
Modi in France to promote Make in India, as Paris pushes Rafale nuclear deals
Indian Prime Minister Modi to visit France mid-April
Le Drian in Delhi again as India dithers over Rafale deal
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Heavy storms have hit the Sacramento area, impacting local businesses that rely on foot traffic.
Businesses in Midtown Sacramento have reported a significant decrease in the number of customers since the beginning of the year, with back-to-back storms worsening the situation.
One local restaurant owner, Vaizey Davis, said that their business relies heavily on foot traffic, and the storms have caused a huge impact on the amount of business they have seen.
While some customers are still braving the weather to visit their favorite eateries, many businesses are struggling to make ends meet.
The situation has been compounded by the COVID-19 pandemic, which has already forced many restaurants to close.
However, some customers like Nile Maloney are determined to support their favorite local businesses despite the bad weather.


(MENAFN) The goods trade shortage of the EU reached €34 billion (USD34.4 billion) two months ago, failing from a surplus of €14 billion (USD14.2 billion) in June in 2021, as reported by the EU's statistical office on Tuesday.
Shipments of goods to the rest of the world jumped 19.4 percent to €224.9 billion (USD225.6 billion), whereas imports rose 48.5 percent to €258.9 billion (USD259.8 billion) during this period.
Intra-euro area trade surged to €366.6 billion (USD367.9 billion), increasing 23 percent from 2021.
"In the first six months of 2022, the highest increases were recorded in the imports and, with a lower value, exports of energy, leading to a significant increase in the EU trade deficit in energy," it also showed, pointing out that the shortage in January-June was negative €290.8 billion, in comparison with negative €105.6 billion in the same months in 2021.
The US was the main market for EU exporters in the first half of 2022, with an overall capacity of €247 billion, surging 29.1 percent from the same span of time last year.
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ISLAMABAD (APP) – Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif has said that resources are being provided on priority basis for provision of basic amenities of life to the people.
Talking to different members of National Assembly who called on him in Islamabad, Nawaz Sharif said the government is working tirelessly for the welfare of masses and each penny is being spent honestly for the progress and prosperity of the people.
The Prime Minister stated that different development projects were being completed speedily to bring improvement in the living standard of people. He vowed early completion of infrastructure projects like China Pakistan Economic Corridor.
The elected representatives apprised the Prime Minister about the ongoing development schemes in their constituencies and discussed political matters with him.
The members said the people fully support the Prime Minister’s development initiatives and policies.
Those who called on the Prime Minister included Nasir Iqbal Bosaan, Malik Shakir Bashir Awan and Najaf Abbas Sial.


The Dalit leader and MP Thol Thirumavalavan said that the VCK and the left parties, CPI and CPI-M, which were together to hold the rally against the RSS, were political parties and not following the sectarian politics of RSS.
CHENNAI — The founder leader of Dalit party, the Viduthalai Chiruthaigal Katchi (VCK), Thol Thirumavalavan on Friday lashed out against the DMK-led Tamil Nadu government’s decision to ban his party rally on October 2.
The Dalit leader and MP said that the VCK and the left parties, CPI and CPI-M, which were together to hold the rally against the RSS, were political parties and not following the sectarian politics of RSS.
Speaking to reporters here on Friday, Thirumavalavan, however, welcomed the ban on the RSS march of October 2. He said that he would accept the fear expressed by the state government that allowing the RSS to carry out ‘route marches’ in 50 places immediately after the ban inflicted on the Popular Front of India (PFI) could lead to law and order issues.
He said that while the VCK and the left parties participate in democratic elections, the RSS was not like them and was spreading hate and fascism in the society.
Thirumavalavan said: “The state government considers both PFI and the RSS as religious organizations. However, the decision to disallow the rally planned by the VCK and the left parties for social harmony is really shocking.”
He said that several other political parties and democratic organisations had expressed their support for the rally and said that these organisations were not religious and were not spreading hate among the people of the state. — IANS
Photo: VCK leader Thol Thirumavalavan.


One patient who was unable to deal with a COVID-19 diagnosis died by suicide.
The disclosure came from Head of Psychiatry at the North Central Regional Health Authority, Professor Gerard Hutchinson, during Monday’s Ministry of Health Media Conference.
Professor Hutchinson said the NCRHA has had to adapt its Stress Relief Centre to include more mental health support services as issues increased by 40% during the pandemic.
Some of the concerns raised by people who visited the Centre include domestic violence issues, financial issues, managing uncertainty, and isolation.
He also revealed that increased suicidal tendencies are being seen among one of the country’s most vulnerable groups.
Although he admitted that the population has been resilient, he said activities such as exercise, meditation, and yoga can help to manage the psychological difficulties associated with the pandemic.


“We must also be clear that we are all borrowing from the future generations,” Kotak said in his note to employees. “This encompasses both spends, with governments having spent huge amounts of money, as also the climate. We owe it to the future generations that we do not overspend on their account just for protecting our lives alone.”
Kotak stressed that a change in mindset was in order for the well-being of the future generations.
“This change in mindset that we are the trustees of Planet Earth and trustees for future generations is extremely important as we look ahead,” he said.
Kotak added that the public discourse for the most part of 2021 will be dominated by the availability and distribution of the Coronavirus vaccine.
“2021 will be dominated by the vaccine, especially in the first half of the year,” he said. “The questions on people’s minds will be around which vaccine to take, when to take the vaccine, what is the vaccine’s efficacy & effects and will it cure COVID-19 forever or will we have to take vaccines frequently.”
Kotak also said that 2020 has established that digital is here to stay and that institutions will have to find newer ways of doing work more productively and efficiently than before.
Kotak also said that going forward investment and increased focus on education will be the key.
“As we go through these changes, we also owe it to others to increase our focus in areas that were neglected in 2020,” he said. “One of them is education – the education of our future generation.”


26th March, 2018
The Federal Government under its Amnesty Programme, on Monday trained ex-militants, drawn from the nine oil producing states in the country on fish farming.
Mr Charles Odemwingie, Managing Director, Nolia Consult Limited said during the training held in Benin that it was part of the federal government’s programme to re-integrate the ex-militants into the society.
Odemwingie, also the programme facilitator said the training would be in three phases adding that, the first phase was to train them on fish farming.
He noted that the second phase would be to empower them with all the equipment and tools needed for the business and open an account for them.
Odemwingie said that the third phase will be to monitor and mentor them for three months to ascertain their challenges and ensure that they achieve success.
He explained further that the training was in line with the presidential directive to integrate restive youths in the Niger-Delta region into the society through the presidential Amnesty Programme.
According to Odemwingie, to ensure success of the programme, the federal government allowed the trainees to choose what business they want to go into.
He charged the participants to take the training seriously as government cannot employ everybody, adding that, they will be empowered to start the business.
Mrs Patricia Danyil, a fish farmer and trainer said that participants would be equipped with knowledge and skills, needed to grow their business.


ISLAMABAD, Aug 2 (APP):Minister of State for Climate Change Zartaj Gul on Monday said that opposition had used various tactics to destabilize the government but due to dynamic leadership of Prime Minister Imran Khan, they have badly failed in their nefarious designs.
Talking to a private news channel, she said that Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf representing the federation across the country including Gilgit Baltistan and Azad Jammu and Kashmir which has been proved in recent elections that public rejected their narrative.
She said, the government has invited opposition repeatedly for electoral reforms but they refused to cooperate.
The minster said that opposition was only focusing over vested interest and hiding corruption which they have done in their past regimes.
Replying to a question, she said Pakistan Muslim League Nawaz (PML-N) could not come out from inherent and family politics who has destroyed many institutions by appointing their own people as an head.
She said honorable courts has disqualified and punished Nawaz Sharif, not the government.


President Uhuru Kenyatta’s government has finally taken action after public backlash over the death of Dr. Stephen Mogusu.
Speaking yesterday, Health CAS Mercy Mwangangi disclosed that the state had contacted the doctor’s friends and family with the aim of providing aid.
She further noted that the state regretted the death of the young doctor and promised to take care of health workers.
“It’s actually heartbreaking.”
“We have seen the concerns in the media from the union members, we have talked to friends of the doctor who passed on.”
“We are well aware of the heartbreak that they are going through and we are in discussions to ensure that the family is able to get the aid they require but additionally that we are able to ensure that this isn’t a situation that recurs among other healthcare workers,” stated Mwangangi.
Mogusu, who died of Covid-19 on Monday, had expressed his frustration with the mismanagement in the health sector that has seen a section of doctors serve for nearly five months without a salary.
The youthful doctor had been serving in Machakos County under the Universal Health Coverage (UHC) pilot programme which is run by the Ministry of Health.
His family stated that the late doctor had left an outstanding bill of Ksh400,000.
The family also asked the government to prioritise the protection and welfare of medics who are on the frontline in the fight against Covid-19.
Mwangangi also confirmed that the state was planning to take care of the health workers.


(MENAFN- UkrinForm) The Canadian Armed Forces have shown how they are preparing Leopard 2 tanks before shipping them to Ukraine.
The relevant video was posted by the Canadian Army on twitter , an Ukrinform correspondent reports.
“Another batch of Leopard 2s is on its way to Europe as part of the Government of Canada's commitment to help Ukraine defend itself from Russia's illegal invasion,” the report states,
The Canadian Armed Forces noted that they continue to support“our Ukrainian friends who are fighting to protect their homeland”.
A reminder that earlier Canada vowed to hand over Leopard 2 tanks to Ukraine. Four of them were delivered to Poland, where the Ukrainian military underwent training to operate them.
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The Lancet Commission to End Stigma and Discrimination in Mental Health says that about one billion people around the world live with mental health conditions. He says. This is one out of every eight people in the world. People with mental health problems and their families all over the world face stigma and are treated badly because of it. On October 10, which was World Mental Health Day, the Lancet Commission released a report with key suggestions for ending stigma and discrimination against people with mental health problems.
The report says that one in seven people ages 10 to 19 has a mental health condition.
When someone has a mental health problem, they face a double threat. One threat comes from the effects of mental health conditions, and the other comes from the bad effects that stigma and discrimination have on people’s lives.
During the first year of the Covid-19 pandemic, there was a rise in depression and anxiety.
During the Covid-19 pandemic, more people have become aware of how important mental health is around the world. Depression and anxiety were thought to have become 25% more common during the first year of the pandemic.
What kinds of problems do people with mental health issues have in their social lives?
Even though a lot of people all over the world have mental health problems, stigma and discrimination are common when it comes to mental health. Since mental health problems are seen as taboo, people who have them are often looked down on or denied basic human rights like jobs, education, and access to health care, which includes mental health care.
What is it that the Commission wants?
The work of more than 50 people from all over the world, including people who have had mental health problems, has been put together by the Lancet Commission. The Commission has stories and poems from people who have been through it, and it looks at the evidence about what works to reduce stigma around mental health.
The commission wants governments, international organizations, employers, healthcare providers, the media, and people who have been stigmatized or discriminated against because of their mental health to act right away and work together to end stigma and discrimination.
In a statement published by The Lancet, Commission co-chair Professor Sir Graham Thornicroft said that many people who have lived with mental health conditions say that the stigma is “worse than the condition itself.” He also said that there is no clear evidence that researchers know how to reduce stigma and discrimination and eventually get rid of them. He also said that the Commission makes eight recommendations for how to help millions of people around the world who are socially isolated, treated unfairly, or have their human rights violated because of stigma. These recommendations are based on facts and are both practical and radical.
Covid-19 has caused a rise in the number of people with mental health problems.
Charlene Sunkel, a co-author of the report, said in the statement that the covid-19 pandemic has led to a rise in the number of people with mental health problems and that urgent action is needed to make sure these people don’t face potentially serious effects of stigma and discrimination. She also said that people who have lived experience with mental health conditions should be given the tools and support they need to take an active role in efforts to reduce stigma.
How discrimination goes against basic human rights
Stigma about mental health comes in many different forms. Stigma has a lot of effects that people don’t think about enough. The Lancet Commission looked at the evidence about how stigma and discrimination affect mental health and also did its own survey of people with mental health conditions from more than 40 countries around the world. According to the report, people who have had mental health problems in the past often face stigma and discrimination, which hurts their basic human rights in all areas of life. This makes you feel worse mentally.
For example, because of the stigma and discrimination they face in school and the workplace, people with mental health problems often have less money and fewer job opportunities.
Other problems that people with mental health issues have to deal with
Especially in low- and middle-income countries, mental health problems and poverty have bad effects when they happen together. The report says that some people with mental health problems don’t have the right to vote, get married, or inherit property.
A big problem is that doctors and nurses don’t always know how to diagnose and treat people with mental health problems in the best way. Also, the life expectancy of people with mental health problems is lower than that of the rest of the population. The average amount spent on mental health is two percent of the total amount spent on health. Unlike most physical health problems, most health insurance plans do not cover mental health problems at all.
One of the report’s authors, Zeinab Hijazi, said that stigma and discrimination affect everyone with a mental health condition, but it’s especially important to recognize how young people and their caregivers are affected. One in seven people ages 10 to 19 has a mental health condition, and too many young people around the world still have a hard time because people don’t understand mental health and don’t accept it.
Stigma can be lessened by talking to other people.
The analysis done by the Commission shows that social contact, both in person and over the phone, between people who have lived experience with mental health conditions and those who have not, is the most effective, evidence-based way to reduce stigma and discrimination. The Commission also says that people with mental health problems need strong support to lead or co-lead interventions that use social contact to reduce stigma and discrimination.
Dr. Petr Winkler, Director of the WHO Collaborating Center for Research and Development of Public Mental Health Services in the Czech Republic, said that the Commission found that social contact, in which people with mental health problems shared their experiences with people who did not have these problems, helped reduce stigma when it was adapted to different contexts and cultures. He also said that the world needs to see more organized social contact between people with and without lived experience of mental health conditions to end stigma and discrimination.


(MENAFN- Gulf Times) A prominent critic of the Bangladesh government has been found safe a day after his family reported him missing, sparking fears he had been abducted, police said Tuesday.
Farhad Mazhar, a well-known poet, writer and dissident, was found by police travelling on a coach around 200 kilometres (120 miles) from the capital Dhaka, where he lives.
It is not clear what he was doing there, but police deputy inspector general Didar Ahmed told reporters it ‘did not look like a case of abduction'.
Bangladesh's elite Rapid Action Battalion (RAB) began a trace of Mazhar's mobile phone after his wife said Monday she had received a call from him saying he was being taken away and feared for his life.
She also told police she had received a ransom demand of 3.5 million taka ($43,300) for her husband.
CCTV footage of Mazhar's neighbourhood in Dhaka showed him walking away with a man early Monday morning.
The 69-year-old is a supporter of the country's main opposition Bangladesh Nationalist Party.
BNP officials have said tens of thousands of their activists and supporters have been arrested by the government in recent years.
There have also been allegations of so-called enforced disappearances -- where authorities detain people unofficially and hold them in secret jails.
But local RAB spokesman Utpal Roy told AFP: ‘He (Mazhar) was found on the bus, unharmed. He has been taken to Dhaka.'
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Ukraine plans to restart buying Turkmen natural gas
(MENAFN) Ukrainian Energy and Coal Industry Minister, Eduard Stavytsky, stated that during the current year, his country will restart buying natural gas from Turkmenistan, reported Xinhua News.
Stavytsky said that the aim of the move is to reduce Ukraine's reliance on gas supplies from Russia, as they are expensive, however, Moscow says that the move breaches the two countries energy agreement inked in 2009.
Under the deal, Kiev consented to import 52 billion cubic meters of Russian gas per year or pay for at least 80 percent of that volume, in spite of the actual amount taken.
In 2012, the country bought 24.9 billion cubic meters of Russian gas, with the latter demanding Kiev in January 2013 to pay USD7 billion as it failed to purchase the contracted amount of gas.
It is worth noting that Ukraine will import around 10 billion cubic meters of gas from Turkmenistan during the current year.
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ISLAMABAD: Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) chairman and former prime minister Imran Khan has said that powerful circles seem to be disturbed by the ongoing political and economic crisis and the government will be sent packing in a month and a half after the budget.
During a meeting with anchor persons and senior journalists in Bani Gala, Imran Khan said that strong leadership is needed to face the current situation in the country and the strong leadership can only emerge through transparent elections.
He said that the IMF will not accept the current budget in any case, adding that at present, the IMF and other countries are not providing assistance to Pakistan.
“The international organizations are also convinced of the incompetence of the present government,” he said and added the IMF and other countries believe that the people are not with this government.
He said that no one should think that the long march is over. “I will visit Islamabad in the coming days, adding that we have brought a large number of people on the streets.”
The former PM further main that along with the Election Commission, other important appointments are also being made and large scale transfers are also taking place in the Punjab Police. The sole purpose of key appointments and transfers is to prepare rig election. “We know the issues and are fully prepared to compete.”
The PTI chairman further added that it seems that the powerful circles have been disturbed by the ongoing political and economic crisis and after the budget, it seems that the government will be sent packing in a month and half. The only way out of the current political turmoil is through general elections, he added.


Bhubaneswar: The two mediators handpicked by the Naxals to negotiate the release of the Malkangiri district collector and a junior engineer will hold discussions with the Orissa government on Saturday on the demands made by the Maoists.
“Prof Someswar Rao and Prof Hargopal (both from Andhra Pradesh) will reach here today … then we will start discussions on the demands made by the Maoists,” Orissa Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik said in a statement in the state assembly here.
The two mediators were handpicked by the Naxals to negotiate the release of 30-year-old IAS officer R V Krishna and junior engineer Pabitra Mohan Majhi.
Noting that the Maoists have extended the deadline for fulfilment of their demands, the chief minister said the government has requested the Naxals not to harm the duo.
The state government has already stopped anti-Naxal combing operations across the state paving the way for negotiations, he said.


KUANTAN, June 19 — Children and senior citizens are allowed to dine-in at food premises as well as rest and recreational (R&R) areas in Pahang during the Recovery movement control order (RMCO), with immediate effect.
Pahang Mentri Besar Datuk Seri Wan Rosdy Wan Ismail said the food premises include food courts, hawker center, roadside stalls and food trucks throughout the state.
“The permission is also given to use facilities at the R&R areas in the state such as surau and public toilets. However, the ban on public parks and playgrounds in the areas remains.
“The permission is granted after taking into account the current situation and needs during the implementation of RMCO,” he said in a statement here today.
Wan Rosdy said the state government had also decided not to limit the number of customers that are allowed to sit per table at food premises.
He also reminded the public to continue to adhere to the standard operating procedure set by the government which includes observing social distancing. — Bernama


Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday said that India will see an investment of USD 67 billion in the energy sector in next 5 to 6 years as he invited global investors to participate in India’s growth story.
Inaugurating the second edition of the India Energy Week here, Modi said the Indian economy is growing at the rate of more than 7.5 per cent and the country will soon become the world’s third-largest economy.
He invited global players to participate in India’s energy sector growth, saying that the country is expected to increase its refining capacity from 254 MMTPA (million metric tonne per annum) to 450 MMTPA by 2030.
He said, “In next 5-6 years, the investment of USD 67 billion is going to be done in energy sector in India.”
The prime minister further said that India is investing unprecedented money in the energy sector that has never happened before.
He also said that the country’s primary energy demand will be doubled by 2045.
India, Modi said, is the third-largest consumer of crude oil and LPG and the fourth-largest importer of LNG.
Petrol and diesel prices reduced in India in last two years, said the prime minister recounting the country’s energy management strategy in face of global problems.


Three United Nations agencies have said that almost 80 percent of the Children in Yemen need immediate humanitarian assistance.
The UN has made the statement amidst a time when the country’s healthcare system has collapsed amidst a ranging civil war in the nation which has last for almost more than two years.
The heads of the World Health Organization, UNICEF, and World Food Program released a joint statement on Wednesday saying at around 2 million Yemeni children are malnourished which makes then highly vulnerable for diseases like cholera.
Reports stat that Yemen is currently facing the world’s worst cholera outbreak in years, with thousands of children dying in the country due to the disease.
The UN health and child welfare agencies have called on the international community to assist in helping these children and to intensify their support for the people of Yemen who are living in dire circumstances, without proper medical care.
A two-year Saudi-led campaign against Yemen’s Shiite Houthi rebels has damaged infrastructure and caused medicine shortages in the Arab world’s poorest country.
The civil war in the country has ended up taking more than 10,000 civilian lives and has displaced at least three million people. The war has also pushed the nation to the brink of famine.
The executive director of UNICEF, Anthony Lake, and the director-general of the World Health Organisation (WHO) last month had said that “more than 1,300 people have died — one quarter of them children — and the death toll is expected to rise.”
The international health authorities said that they suspect that more deaths because of the disease the country now has more than 200,000 cases of Cholera it is struggling with and the number of the cases are growing rapidly, and estimate of nearly 5,000 cases per day.
Source: NY Dailynews


The number of deaths of IS terrorists in an airdrop operation on IS positions in Iraq's central province of Salahudin have increased to 15 on Monday, according to the Iraqi military.
Spokesman of the Iraqi Joint Operations Command, said that Counter-Terrorism Service (CTS) carried out an airdrop operation on IS positions in Mteibijah close to the provincial border.
He also added that 15 IS terrorists were killed and 9 others were captured, several hideouts were destroyed along with tunnels and training camps.
Mohammed al-Bazi from Salahudin's provincial police said that the CTS airdrop operation killed six IS militants and captured four others earlier in the day.
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AT News Report
KABUL: Religious scholars say that the peace process was the victim of government’s political goals.
These clerics said on Friday in the eastern province of Nangarhar that also there were some certain circles that oppose peace process because of their personal interests.
They added that the circles in the government and among Taliban still emphasize on the continuing of war because they see their political privileges in the war.
They called on the war parties to hold intra-Afghan talks soon after a ceasefire was observed, because Afghans were tired of war.
The clerics said that war parties should meet people’s demands that is only peace and they should agree on a ceasefire.
They said that this is the people who pay for the war cost, and the government and Taliban are fighting for political privileges.
They opposed the peace talks postponement by the government.
They said that peace was a national process that should not be hunted by political and illegal privileges.


(MENAFN) People aged 50 and above, and younger adults with underlying health conditions were advised to take part of a study of a life-saving cure for epidemic.
The study is open to those who test positive for the virus and had improved symptoms in the last five days.
Based on what Prof Sir Jonathan Van-Tam, the deputy ruler medical officer for England had stated, the study is going to assist in knowing how antiviral medicines are going to be used.
Health Secretary Sajid Javid requested everyone qualified to "step forward" and "help us to learn more about medicines which could save thousands of lives".
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Saakashvili can attend tomorrow's trial on November 7 episode, doctor says
(MENAFN- Trend News Agency) Georgia's ex-president Mikheil Saakashvili will be able to attend tomorrow's trial on the November 7 episode, doctor Nikoloz Kipshidze said on Sunday, Trend reports citing 1TV .
“The three commissions [medical] will likely have a conclusion the Justice Ministry should consider. But Mikheil Saakashvili has the final word,” Kipshidze noted.
Tbilisi City Court will resume the trial on the November 7 episode tomorrow.
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(MENAFN- Kuwait News Agency (KUNA))
KUWAIT, Jan 24 (KUNA) -- Kuwait on Tuesday strongly condemned and denounced the tearing and burning of a copy of the Holy Quran by an extremist in The Hague, according to a statement by Foreign Minister Sheikh Salem Abdullah Al-Jaber Al-Sabah.
'This is a new provocative act that came only one day after a similar shameful act in Sweden,' the minister regretted, warning that such acts risk fueling Muslim anger worldwide.
The minister urged all nations and international organizations to double their efforts and shoulder their responsibilities in stopping such unacceptable, deliberate and repeated offenses.
He also urged others to do all in their power to promote the values of dialogue and tolerance and to counter hatred and extremism instead of carrying out actions that instigate violence. (end) tab.ibi
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Rethinking the public health workforce
With only 40,000 people estimated to be part of the core public health workforce, and in light of the crisis in lifestyle and health issues, this report calls for anyone who has ‘the opportunity or ability to positively impact health and wellbeing through their work’ to joing the wider public health workforce. It identifies a number of services, such as the fire service, hairdressing and the postal service which has the capacity to support public health work.
See the full report here- Rethinking the public health workforce
See the link for more details- https://www.rsph.org.uk/en/policy-and-projects/areas-of-work/wider-public-health-workforce/index.cfm?utm_source=The+King%27s+Fund+newsletters&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=5937597_ICB+2015-08-12&dm_i=21A8,3J9H9,FNH0UY,CPXAD,1


No public recommendations added yet.
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India has reported the biggest single-day rise in Covid cases in six months, with 3,824 new cases recorded in the past 24 hours. This surge in cases has raised concerns over a possible second wave of the pandemic, particularly with the emergence of new variants of the virus.
The Health Ministry announced the latest figures on Friday, bringing the total number of cases in the country to 12.3 million. Maharashtra accounted for more than half of the new cases, with 2,771 reported. The state has been experiencing a rapid surge in cases in recent weeks, with the authorities imposing new restrictions and ramping up vaccination efforts.
Other states that reported a significant number of new cases include Punjab, Karnataka, Gujarat, Tamil Nadu, and Chhattisgarh. The government has advised people to continue following Covid-appropriate behavior, such as wearing masks and maintaining social distancing, to prevent the spread of the virus.
The rise in cases comes amid concerns over the emergence of new variants of the virus, which are believed to be more infectious and potentially more resistant to existing vaccines. The Health Ministry has said that it is closely monitoring the situation and has stepped up efforts to identify and contain any new outbreaks.
The government has also ramped up its vaccination drive, with more than 65 million doses administered across the country so far. The authorities have set a target of vaccinating 300 million people by August, but there have been concerns over vaccine shortages in some states.
The surge in cases has also raised concerns over the impact on the economy, which is still recovering from last year's lockdowns. The government has said that it is closely monitoring the situation and will take steps to mitigate any negative impact on the economy.
Experts have called for a more aggressive approach to containing the spread of the virus, including increased testing and tracing, targeted lockdowns, and a focus on vaccinating high-risk groups. They have also called on the public to remain vigilant and continue following Covid-appropriate behavior, particularly as the country enters into the festival season.
The rise in cases in India comes as several other countries are also experiencing a surge in cases, including Brazil, France, and Italy. The World Health Organization has warned that the pandemic is far from over and has called on countries to continue taking strong measures to prevent the spread of the virus.
The recent surge in Covid-19 cases in India has raised concerns over a possible second wave of the pandemic. The authorities have advised people to continue following Covid-appropriate behavior and have stepped up efforts to contain the spread of the virus. The government has also ramped up its vaccination drive, but concerns over vaccine shortages remain. Experts have called for a more aggressive approach to containing the virus, and the public has been urged to remain vigilant as the country enters into the festival season.


(MENAFN- Kuwait News Agency (KUNA)) By Meshari Al-Kandari
KUWAIT, May 26 (KUNA) -- Developing the youth and harnessing their capabilities is an important task ahead for those reaching the Abdullah Al-Salem hall after the 2023 National Assembly election, said an academic on Friday.
Speaking to KUNA, Econometrics professor Dr. Abdullah Al-Shami said the increasing number of 25-26 aged youth eligible for work required the upcoming parliament to legislate laws that would harness their skills for the betterment of the country.
He stressed the importance of establishing more government-run universities in addition to producing more national cadres to cover jobs in the health sector.
Forming government-owned companies and hiring Kuwaiti youth would hopefully prove beneficial to the country and its people, said Al-Shami who called on the future parliament to put that into consideration.
On his part, head of the Kuwait Youth Assembly -- a consultative entity -- Nawaf Al-Azmi stressed that development could not be achieved unless there was stability, especially in parliament.
The National Assembly must and should focus on youth-centric matters and issues for the country to develop in the future, affirmed the official, saying that obstacles facing the youth must not be left unresolved.
He revealed that he was looking forward to cooperation amongst the legislative and executive authorities, saying that such collaboration would stabilize and would enable youths to shine and excel in each of their respective fields. (end)
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Thiruvananthapuram: Three more persons have been confirmed with COVID-19 infection today in Kerala. Chief Minister, Pinarayi Vijayan, said that the result of two persons from Malappuram and Kasaragod was positive. This has taken the total number of COVID-19 infected persons in the state to 24.
Today, 72 persons have been admitted to isolation wards in hospitals across the state with symptoms of the virus infection. A total of 12, 470 people are under observation in Kerala.
The Chief Minister asked the people to avoid close contacts and take precautionary measures to prevent getting the virus. He asked the people to wash hands and to avoid giving handshakes.
The Kerala government launched the ‘Break the Chain’ initiative, yesterday, to stop the spread of the virus and to contain the infection.


People moving to N.D. drives state’s population growth
FARGO – North Dakota’s ability to attract people to the state continues as the main driver of its population gains.
The number of people migrating to North Dakota during a recent period was more than three times the number of births over deaths, new census figures show.
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(MENAFN- Trend News Agency)
The second in-person summit of Quadrilateral Security Dialogue
(Quad) leaders, where Japan, the US, India and Australia are
participants, started in Tokyo on Tuesday. The summit opening was
broadcast by the national public TV, Trend reports citing TASS .
Key topics of forthcoming talks are expected to be regional
security, deepening of quadrilateral cooperation and implementation
of the free and open Indo-Pacific Region concept.
The dialog was founded in 2007 as the mechanism of interaction
in the Asia-Pacific Region and in the Indian Ocean zone. The first
Quad summit was staged in March 2021.
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Manyinga district has already vaccinated 75 percent people exceeding the prescribed 70 percent target.
Speaking when a combined team from Disaster Management and Mitigation Unit, Health and Zambia News and Information Services paid a courtesy call on District Commissioner Brenda Mukwakwa said the target has been achieved through concerted efforts from various stakeholders.
“As a district we have managed to reach the 75 percent target and we are now working towards reaching 100 percent vaccination in the district” Ms Mukwakwa said.
She said COVID-19 activities are being undertaken in every corner of the district to ensure that every eligible resident is captured.
The District Commissioner, however, bemoaned lack of transportation to reach far flung areas.
“We have no vehicles, there is only our vehicle which is always moving but also because of the financial position of this office we don’t have enough that can facilitate for the fuel because we have to travel about 80 kilometres from here”, Ms Mukwakwa said.
In a related development, Kabompo district has also made positive strides in the fight against COVID-19 pandemic.
District Commissioner, Herbert Chinyanga said the district is almost reaching its set target as they have already managed to score 52 percent.
“The exercise is going on well, we even have a task force in place and the response is quite genuine”, Mr Chinyanga said.
Meanwhile, Mercy Makosa a Kabompo resident who got her first vaccine today, said she was quite hesitant to get the jab before due to myths that were surrounding it but she has now proved that they were all false.
Ms Makosa said there is nothing strange connected to the vaccine as she has proved for herself that it only offers protection.


Bangladesh Finance minister AMA Muhith told reporters that in the aftermath of the BDR rebellion, government and businesses have suffered.
He said this will have a negative impact on the economy. He said the government will face budgetary pressure because of the amount of arms and ammunition that was wasted and the pensions and financial benefits that will be paid to the families of the deceased.
Finance Minister Muhith also said that however, he expects the nation will recover within a short period.
Amir Khasru has more on the story.


(MENAFN- Tribal News Network) Stray dogs continue to pose a threat in Khyber district, with recent attacks reported in Jamrud and Bara, leaving residents concerned.
In Jamrud, a girl named Wajiha was bitten by a stray dog in the Malikabad area, prompting immediate medical attention. Similarly, in Bara, an eighth-grade student named Ziyad was seriously injured by a dog attack.
Also Read: Peshawar High Court Issues Notices to KP Assembly Speaker and Deputy Speaker Over Oath Controversy
Residents are expressing frustration over the situation, highlighting the pervasive presence of stray dogs across different areas of Jamrud. They criticize the District Administration, Tehsil Municipal Administration (TMA), and Livestock Department for failing to address the issue effectively. Responsibility-shifting among these authorities has only exacerbated the problem.
Demanding action residents are calling upon elected representatives, including the tehsil chairman, Members of the Provincial Assembly (MPA), and Members of the National Assembly (MNA), to intervene.
They urged officials to coordinate efforts and conduct a comprehensive campaign to tackle the growing menace of stray dogs in the Khyber district.
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A new health trainer service to help deprived people in Reading make healthy lifestyle changes has been launched.
NHS Berkshire West has welcomed five health trainers who will help in areas such as stopping smoking, reducing alcohol intake, weight management, healthy eating, managing stress and doing more exercise.
Ukonu Obasi, a senior health trainer with Parkwood Healthcare Ltd, which is providing the trainers, said: “We want people to use this service so they can make lifestyle changes such as stopping smoking or doing more exercise which will make them healthier.
“We’ll also refer people to other local primary health care services as well as encouraging them to maintain their participation in these services so they can really feel the benefit.”
Claire Masding-Taylor, health improvement practitioner for NHS Berkshire West, added: “The health trainers should have a big impact on getting more people to lead healthier lifestyles.
“Our aim is to reach out to the more deprived communities helping to reduce health inequalities in Berkshire West.”
Around 30 health care staff and members of the public gathered in Greyfriars Church to celebrate the new service.


National Bank of Oman (NBO) continues its Rawabit Program, a thorough series of interactive workshops focusing on reinforcing the bank's values to deliver superior services. Launched in 2022, the Rawabit Program focuses on how NBO employees interact with the bank's values and shape the workplace culture by promoting teamwork and collaboration, embracing change and engaging effectively. The program also aims to promote professional conduct in the workplace, integrate the Bank's values into day-to-day operations, and create linkages between employees from different regions.
NBO strives to connect, build and grow with its customers, and for 50 years the bank has built strong bonds with customers by delivering more intuitive and seamless banking . Enhancing the capabilities and effective deployment of NBO's people through empowering career development programs have been identified as key to achieving and delivering the bank's strategic and business objectives. The bank will continue to equip its employees with the skills required to better serve its customers.
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(MENAFN- The Peninsula)
Qatar participated yesterday in a meeting on strengthening consensus for the Afghan peace process, which was organised by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan via video communication technology. Qatar was represented in the meeting by Acting Charge d’Affaires of the Embassy of Qatar in Afghanistan Fahad Ali Al Sulaiti. The meeting also dealt with providing humanitarian assistance.
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IMPHAL, November 24: The two BJP candidates who emerged winners in the Thangmeiband and Thongju Constituencies bye-election today said the election result is an indication that the people want to bring a change in the State and that they will not be subdued by muscle and money power anymore.
The two assured to fulfil the aspiration and assurances they had promised to the people of Thongju and Thangmeiband Constituencies.
Speaking to media persons at the Imphal West DC office complex after receiving the election winning certificate, Thangmeiband Constituency MLA Khumukcham Joykishan said he will soon work to strengthen the BJP before the 2017 general election and help bring a corruption free government in the State.
He said that the Congress led government is a corrupted government.
Stating that he was always confident of winning the bye-election, Joykishan elaborated although the Congress tried to buy off votes using money, he knew that the people will not conform to such practice anymore.
The results have made it crystal clear that the people are against corruption, he observed.
Joykishan said development of Thangmeiband constituency had nothing to do with the election result.
He said he continued taking up developmental works in his constituency even when he was disqualified and will continue to do so.
Joykishan said he will also raise several issues relating to the State on the floor of the Assembly.
He further thanked his supporter for the win.
Thongam Bishwajit of Thongju Constituency said his main objective is to develop Thongju to be a model constituency.
Construction of infrastructure in his constituency including roads and bridges will be completed before 2017 he said and added further that he will work to strengthen the basic sectors like education, sports and culture.
Speaking to media persons at the Porompat DC office complex, Bishwajit also said he was confident of winning the bye-election.
To bring good governance in Manipur is not just his but also the BJP’s main objective, he added.
Bishwajit also lauded and thanked his supporters and workers.
BJP Manipur president Thounaojam Chaoba said the thumping majority of the BJP in both constituencies shows that the people want change.
Choaba said the bye-election result will certainly have a bearing on the 2017 election.
This is the peoples’ victory and today is a dark day for the Congress, he added.
He said his party will try to come to power after the 2017 general election and bring good governance in the State.
He said the party has already informed Prime Minister Narendra Modi about the result and that the Prime Minister is very happy and will be coming to Manipur this month.


(MENAFN- Wadsam) The Group of 20 major economies has committed to tackling the humanitarian crisis in Afghanistan.
United States President Joe Biden, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and many European leaders joined the G20 virtual summit, organized by Italy.
China's President Xi Jinping and Russia's President Vladimir Putin sent representatives rather than attending themselves.
The Group agreed to work together to avoid a humanitarian disaster in Afghanistan, even if it involves coordinating efforts with the Taliban.
The EU emphasised its money would go to international organisations working on the ground rather than the Taliban, which has not been recognised by any other government.
Much of the G20 aid effort will be channelled through the United Nations, but there will also be direct country-to-country assistance.
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Joint ventures amid Saudi, foreign investors increase in 1H of 2021
(MENAFN)During the first six months of 2021, the number of business amid Saudi and foreign investors increased with the Kingdom witnessing a doubling in the total amount of investment licenses issued to Saudis and non-Saudis.
The Saudi Press Agency quoted Saudi Arabia’s Investment Ministry as saying that the number of licenses issued to new investors in the mentioned period of 2021 stood at 1,054, an improvement of 108 percent in comparison to the previous year same time span.
Joint investment licenses amid Saudi and foreign investors reached 45 percent of the total licenses issued in the January-June period of 2021, as the figure amounted at 27 percent in the same period in 2020.
The second three months of 2021 registered an improvement during which the retail sector took place number one in the number of licenses issued with 24 percent followed by the industrial sector with 20 percent.
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Says he wants to help those in need
Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) Chief Executive Wasim Khan said he will donate Rs1.5 million to the institution’s welfare fund to help staff during the coronavirus pandemic.
A PCB press release said the money will support former players, match officials, scorers and ground staff. “Wasim took the voluntary decision to make this donation as a way of giving back to the game’s key stakeholders at a time when there was a greater need.”
Wasim said he wanted to help staff who were in dire financial straits.
“This small contribution is to support the Chairman’s Welfare Fund that is already in place and to show solidarity with him as we look to provide as much support to the players, match officials, scorers and ground staff facing hardships in these tough economic times,” he said.
The PCB official went on to say that he wanted to take the first step given the fact that he is the head of the executive team.
Wasim added that the cricket board has decided to tighten its expenses for the next 12 months.


Telangana TDP to Contest GHMC Polls
Hyderabad: L Ramana, who was reappointed as the Telangana TDP president by party national president N Chandrababu Naidu, has said he would strive for strengthening the party in the state.
To a question, he stated that the TDP will focus on polls to the Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation (GHMC).
Ramana has mentioned that the TDP will field its candidates in the forthcoming MLC, elections. Responding to human and property loss in Hyderabad due to incessant rains, Ramana alleged that the ruling TRS government has failed to take resume and relief measures much in advance.


PESHAWAR: A spokesman for the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government, Barrister Muhammad Ali Saif on Friday said that the coronavirus was spreading rapidly and that it was at the discretion of the deputy commissioners to impose a lockdown in areas where more than 10 percent cases were reported.
In a statement to the media, Barrister Muhammad Ali saif said the provincial government was making cogent efforts to contain the spread of omicron, however, adding that the KP government has no intentions to impose a complete lockdown in the province.
The spokesman further said the situation had not reached the point where large-scale sanctions were imposed in the province.
He urged the people to take all precautionary measures against the virus and administer booster doses. He said that steps were being taken across the province to expedite the vaccination process and enhance the capacity of medical tests.


Federal minister for Information and Broadcasting says 'decision of DG ISI's appointment will be made in atmosphere of trust'
ISLAMABAD: Federal Minister for Information and Broadcasting Fawad Chaudhry has said that Prime Minister Imran Khan and Chief of Army Staff General Qamar Javed Bajwa "settle every issue together through consultation".
"The same mechanism was adopted on the matter of the appointment of ISI DG,” Chaudhry said while speaking during a press conference in Islamabad on Thursday.
The minister said that "the ambiguity regarding the appointment has been cleared".
"The decision regarding the appointment of the director-general of the Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) will be made in an atmosphere of trust".
“PM Imran Khan said that civil-military relations have never been as good in the entire history of the country as they are now,” said Chaudhry.
He said that the premier gave the credit for this to the Army Chief Gen Bajwa who has “always lent institutional support to the democracy and civil leadership”.
He said that the premier said that the honour and the dignity of the army are dear to the entire country.
The minister said that the DG ISI will be appointed "soon" with the process already "underway".
Briefing the media about the matters discussed in the meeting, Chaudhry said that Afghanistan remained the focus of discussions.
He said that PM Imran Khan took the parliamentarian party members into confidence over the situation in the neighbouring country.
“Currently, Pakistan’s stance is that we shouldn’t abandon Afghanistan in this situation and assistance for it on humanitarian grounds must continue,” said Chaudhry
“We are helping our Afghan brothers and want that the entire world to help the Afghans.”
He said that Pakistan relaxed visa conditions for Afghans and increased bilateral trade.
The international community should also put its effort into maintaining stability in Afghanistan, he added.
Chaudhry said that PM Imran Khan also talked about inflation and said the increase in international prices is the reason behind the recent surge in inflation in Pakistan.
The minister said that the international price for petrol, which was earlier at $40 per litre has now crossed $80.
Chaudhry said that the government has framed a new economic policy to deal with the issue of inflation.
The minister announced that the government is going to launch three big projects in the month of November — Sehat Card, Kisan Card and Ehsas Card.
“The Sehat Card has been distributed in the entire province of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and now it is Punjab’s turn,” said Chaudhry.


(MENAFN- Trend News Agency)
BAKU, Azerbaijan, September 22. Azerbaijan is
joining another international convention, Trend reports.
At a meeting of the Azerbaijani Parliament's Committee on
Family, Women and Children Issues held on September 21, a bill on
the approval of the Convention on Recovery of Child Support and
Other Forms of Family Maintenance was submitted for discussion.
The Committee Chairman Hijran Huseynova noted that Azerbaijan
has a strong legislative base in in the field of protecting
'Joining international conventions contributes to the further
improvement of the mechanism for protecting the rights of
children,' she said.
Following discussions, the document was proposed for
consideration at the plenary session of the parliament.
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Kathmandu, Oct 6: The Nepali Congress (NC) President Girija Prasad Koirala has said that the Maoist leaders are deceiving the people in the name of blending democracy and communism in Nepal.
Addressing the Nepali Congress activists here on Sunday, Koirala said that the Maoist activities have gone out of consensus politics. "The Maoists activities have posed a threat to the country which would eventually lead the country to nowhere," he added. He also said that it was meaningless on the part of the Maoists to talk about nationality by moving away from politics of consensus.
Koirala said that all political parties should come together to strengthen democracy, Kantipur reported.


Police officers deployed to Borno State on special duty on Monday took to the streets,barricading the highway to protest six months of unpaid allowances.
The police officers were said to have been deployed to Borno State from various unitsacross Nigeria to help in the fight against insurgency.
The angry police officers were also shooting in the air on Monday morning forcing motorists nearby to scamper for safety.The Commissioner of Police in Borno State, Damian Chukwu, who spoke to journalists on the development, said the police was aware of the situation.
He explained that the unpaid allowances had to do with the delay in signing the 2018budget.
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ISLAMABAD: Federal Planning and Development Minister Asad Umar said on Friday that the entire world is coming to the same decision on lockdown against the pandemic, as Prime Minister Imran Khan earlier envisaged and emphasised in his speeches.
The federal minister said that the government is saying since day one that it is imperative to save people from financial woes.
Umar said that the countries around the world have started to ease the lockdown restrictions as ‘they started to see what Imran Khan saw two months ago’.
“We do not blindly follow the West and we are not ashamed of it,” said the federal minister.
Giving example of the UK, Umar said that the country saw more deaths than Sweden which enforced a targeted lockdown.
‘Cases on the rise but situation still under control’
The federal minister said that in Pakistan, the coronavirus cases are mounting day by day but the situation is still under control.
Umar said that data has shown that the disease will not spread so quickly that the entire health system gets crumbled down.
The minister said that the world has a chance against the disease if there is a vaccine available.
He said that across the country, there were more than ‘500’ virus hotspots identified and appropriate action was taken to quarantine those areas.
“Today there are 70 labs in Pakistan which can do tests for the coronavirus,” he said.
The minister said that Pakistan has equally capable doctors and experts as around the world.
“Today, more than 13,500 tests were conducted. Will increase this number too,” he added.
The minister informed said that the government is also ramping up number of ventilators across the country and more than 100,000 health workers were also trained regarding safety gear usage.
Umar said that under the Ehsaas programme, more than one billion rupees have been disbursed to more than 800,000 families. The minister warned that the world, including Pakistan, will now have to ‘co-exist’ with the virus as even China’s Wuhan is having new cases despite bringing the situation under control.


Staff turnover hurts BIA’s efforts to protect children at Spirit Lake
By Patrick Springer
FARGO — Turnover of staff to investigate suspected child abuse and neglect cases has hampered efforts by the Bureau of Indian Affairs to improve child protection services on the Spirit Lake reservation.
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After returning from from a recent fact-finding trip to Afghanistan, the leaders of the Senate and House intelligence committees, Sen. Dianne Feinstein and Rep. Mike Rogers, had some bad news to report: Contrary to President Obama's assertion that the Taliban's momentum has been broken as a result of his [failed] policies in Afghanistan, both Feinstein and Rogers said that the Taliban has grown stronger over the last three years.
During his visit to Afghanistan last week, the President said that the "tide [of the Taliban] had turned" and that "we broke the Taliban's momentum."
Feinstein and Rogers, however, disagreed with the President's campaign rhetoric.
"I think we'd both say that what we've found is that the Taliban is stronger," said Feinstein during an interview on Sunday. Rogers agreed with that assessment.


Srinagar (Jammu and Kashmir) [India], May 31 (ANI): A total of 105 more COVID-19 cases were reported in Jammu and Kashmir on Sunday, taking the total number of cases to 2,446 including 1,491 active cases, Jammu and Kashmir administration said.
According to the official data, 90 infected people have been detected in Kashmir division and 15 people were identified in Jammu.
"105 more COVID-19 positive cases have been reported in Jammu and Kashmir; 90 from Kashmir division and 15 from Jammu division. Total positive cases in the Union Territory stand at 2,446 including 1,491 active cases," the administration said.
A total of 1,82,143 confirmed cases of COVID-19 have been reported in India. 86,983 persons have recovered or migrated, the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare said on Sunday.
There are 89,995 active cases of COVID-19 in the country at present. As many as 5,164 people have lost their lives due to coronavirus in the country. (ANI)


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Kuwait- OIC condemns Iraq's terrorist bombing
(MENAFN- Kuwait News Agency (KUNA)) JEDDAH, Nov 21 (KUNA) -- The Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) strongly condemned a terrorist car bomb explosion that rocked the northern Iraqi city of Tuz Khurmatu, killing some 20 people and injuring over 40 others.
OIC Secretary General Dr. Yusuf Al-Othaimeen said in a statement these terrorist acts which targeted innocent civilians contradicted with Islamic teachings and humanitarian values.
He urged the Iraqi government and people to confront terrorism in full force.
The OIC, he said, was committed to helping the Iraqi government hold a national reconciliation conference in the Saudi holy city of Makkah.
He extended condolences for families of the victims and wished speedy recovery for the wounded.
A car bomb went off near a popular market in the center of Tuz Khurmatu of Saladin Governorate. (end) nh.bs
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Punjab finance minister Parminder Singh Dhindsa here on Wednesday said the SAD-BJP government was working for the betterment of the masses. He said the government was working for the development in the state and it was the Congress party which had always misled the general public.
Dhindsa is on a two-day 'Sangat Darshan' visit in Lehragaga constituency.
Talking to media, he said during the Congress regime, the state was under loan debt of 42% which has come down to 30% during the SAD-BJP government rule. He said the Congress party was misleading and spreading rumours that the government was cash-strapped.
"Development projects are being launched. People-centric policies are being framed and implemented successfully. Even the government schools are equipped with computer labs to provide computer education to all students across the state. The government will soon conduct interviews to hire teachers as well," added Dhindsa.
He said the work for water courses in Ladbanjara village has been started and within this year, Kotla Branch project would also start. "The government will spend Rs 85 crores on underground water supply for better irrigation facility to farmers," said Dhindsa.
The finance minister visited seven villages on day one of his visit.


Our View: ‘Hamburger today’
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Grain truck hung up: Willmar traffic snarled by semi mishap
WILLMAR -- Traffic at a key intersection in Willmar had to be rerouted Sunday for more than five hours after a semi got stuck while turning the corner at Litchfield Avenue and First Street.
Willmar Police were sent to the scene at 10:47 a.m. after receiving a call that the truck was blocking traffic.
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Story | Dec 23, 2014 | 3:38 PM
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A fugitive connected to four killings, with ties to the local Toonerville gang and considered one of the Los Angeles Police Department’s most wanted criminals has been caught, federal authorities announced. Eduardo Rodriguez, 35, was captured by...


On Tuesday, Chief of the Baloch Republican Party, Brahumdagh Bugti, thanked Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi for the support of Indian government in the Baloch separatist movement.
He mentioned that the leadership of Pakistan has been extremely unjust with the people of the province and has denied them the basic rights. He further exclaimed that the government of Pakistan has been negligent towards the development in the region and he hopes that the Indian Prime Minister will raise this issue in the international forums to further aid them in their movement.
On the other hand, a representative of the government of Balochistan has denied solidarity with Bugti’s sentiments and claims that the people have rejected the separatists and the government will take all measures to not let this anti-Pakistan conspiracy prevail in the province.
Speaking to an interview with a local new channel, former President of Pakistan, Pervez Musharaf called Bugti a traitor who was praising Modi while he was not even present in Pakistan.


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Director Darren Aronofsky and actor Woody Harrelson have teamed up to make a 30-second spot on climate change that will run in key states during primetime and the World Series. The spot -- which warns of climate change deniers, and features an image of...


Sen. Sanders on the Sequestration
Regardless of the fact that large numbers of Americans believe the best way to fix the budget crisis is to tax the wealthy and profitable corporations, Sen. Bernie Sanders says, $85 billion in across-the-board spending cuts are taking effect Friday.
“The American people are not divided on the issue,” Sanders told MSNBC host Chris Jansing on “Jansing & Co.” on Wednesday. “They don’t want to see cuts in Social Security, Medicare, education and other important programs. They do want to ask the wealthy and other large corporations to start paying their fair share. It’s unfortunate that Congress is not listening.”
— Posted by Alexander Reed Kelly.
SenatorSanders:Wait, before you go…
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(MENAFN- The Peninsula) The Peninsula
Doha, Qatar: The Qatar Chamber Trading Committee conducted its inaugural meeting for the new council at the Chamber's venue, presided over by Mohamed bin Mahdi Al Ahbabi, a QC board member and the Committee Chairman, along with other members in attendance.
During the meeting, the committee reviewed its vision following the reforms, discussed strategic objectives, and outlined mechanisms of work. Attendees engaged in a discussion on the future vision of the commercial sector, emphasizing its significance as a major and crucial segment within the private sector.
Furthermore, the committee deliberated on the importance of maintaining constant communication between the committee and relevant government bodies. It was decided that several visits would be made to the concerned authorities in the coming period.
The meeting also addressed obstacles facing the sector, and members agreed to conduct a survey by the Chamber's Committee and Business Council Department to identify obstacles and explore ways to develop the commercial sector in the period ahead.
The survey results will be reviewed in the upcoming meetings.
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Weather Forecast For Friday
(MENAFN- Saudi Press Agency) Riyadh, Jun 24, 2022, SPA -- The National Center of Meteorology (NCM) has issued its daily forecast report for the weather in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.
The report said that sky will be partly cloudy on most regions, while some parts of Jazan, Asir and Baha regions are forecasted to witness thunderstorms, extending to some parts of Makkah heights and the coastal parts of eastern region will witness high humidity.
The report showed that the surface wind movement in the Red Sea will be northerly to northwesterly at speed of 20-40 km/h, on northern and central parts and northwesterly to westerly at speed of 15-30km/h on southern part, while the surface wind movement in the Arabian Gulf will be northerly to northeasterly on northern part and southeasterly to northeasterly on southern part at speed of 30-10 km/h.
09:59 LOCAL TIME 06:59 GMT
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(MENAFN- Trend News Agency) President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev cast his ballot in the 2023
Election of the Majilis and maslikhat deputies at the polling
station opened in the Al-Farabi Palace of Schoolchildren, the
Akorda press office says, trend reports citing kazinform .
The election of the Majilis and maslikhat deputies is underway
in Kazakhstan. 12,032,550 nationals of Kazakhstan are eligible to
vote in the current parliamentary elections. The biggest number of
voters has been registered in Turkistan region - 1,177,507, and the
lowest number was recorded in Ulytau region - 138,277.
MENAFN provides the information “as is” without warranty of any kind. We do not accept any responsibility or liability for the accuracy, content, images, videos, licenses, completeness, legality, or reliability of the information contained in this article. If you have any complaints or copyright issues related to this article, kindly contact the provider above.


Barcelona coach Luis Enrique is coy over the future of Cesc Fabregas.
"In principle, we have not taken any decisions like that because we still have time," said Enrique.
"Some players are now focused on the World Cup finals, which is their job, and how it should be.
"We need to assess and evaluate now and when the time is right we will go into that and we will talk about everything."
For the big stories and the banter follow us on Twitter: @tribalfootball


Nearly 400 Burundians living in Rwanda have been forced out of the country.
The government of Rwanda expelled the Burundi refugees accusing some of them of espionage.
“We were accused of being envoys of Burundi government and sent there to spy on Rwanda,” said one of the refugees while speaking to Reuters.
A local government official from Bugabira district near the border with Burundi where the incident occured, confirmed the evictions and said that it occured on Thursday and Friday.
The incident brings the number of expelled Burundians to at least 1,700 and comes less than a month after Rwanda expatriated more than 1,300 refugees.
The expulsions have soured relations between the neighbouring countries.
Burundi’s government accuses Rwanda of interfering in its political crisis that has led to the death of more than 400 people while over 250,000 have fled the country.
The government of Rwanda however continues to deny the allegations and says that the Burundians being expelled were in the country illegally.


Two Maldivian nationals were arrested by the Sri Lankan police on Monday (April 30) for allegedly harassing passengers and crew members on a flight which had been returning to Colombo from Bangkok.
A senior police officer speaking to Haveeru said that the two Maldivian nationals had been intoxicated at the time they had boarded the Sri Lankan Airlines flight in Bangkok.
“As soon as they boarded the aircraft they were reported to have been consuming alcohol in the flight. Some of the passengers had complained that the two Maldivian nationals had been verbally harassing few of the passengers. While the aircraft had taken flight, the two had begun to continue with their harassment of passengers,” he said.
He said that the two Maldivian nationals had even tried to manhandle the cabin crew and few passengers while onboard the flight.
“When they were behaving in such a manner the cabin crew had warned the two to calm themselves down,” he said.
Once the flight had landed in the Bandaranaike International Airport (BIA), the two Maldivian nationals were taken into custody by the Sri Lankan Airport police.
The two Maldivian Nationals who have been identified as Hanif Mushaf and Washeed Ibrahim are expected to be produced before a Magistrate today (May 1).
Sri Lanka’s Ministry of External affairs said that the Maldivian High Commission in Colombo has been notified of the issue.


Nelos - Fotolia
Veeam has seen its customer base expand during the pandemic, as users reached out for data backup and management tools to help them over the past few months.
The firm’s recent second quarter numbers indicated that the business had grown at a channeling time and the focus is on working with the channel to convert those fresh users into something permanent.
Alex Walsh, manager of channels for the UK and Ireland (UK&I) at Veeam, said there had been a strong demand from Office 365 users for backup tools and its partners had been able to meet that need.
“It’s the largest second quarter we have had in UK&I. We have been trying to make sure we approach the partner and the customer in the right way and we have done a really good job of that,” he said. “O365 has been huge for us, with 89% growth globally and licensing has increased.”
He said it had seen growth across all partner tiers, revealing the strength of the demand from users right across the market.
Walsh said that it was working with the channel to make sure they could keep existing customers content and encourage those that had reached out in the pandemic to build on that choice.
“The channel has done a very good job in engaging those customers correctly and we are all in this together. Customers that have joined us in the past few months will be Veeam customers because of the way we have engaged with them,” he said. “They will stay with us not just because the technology makes sense but because they like the engagement with Veeam and its partners.”
A period of reflection
There is a growing feeling across the industry that customers have moved from a period of reaction to one of reflection, and they are now being much more critical of the technologies they are choosing to use to keep staff connected and operations running.
Walsh agreed that there was a change in approach, “good enough isn’t good enough anymore”. But he said that it had the technology to argue its case and had the partners ready to back that up with high service levels.
Veeam has been supporting partners around digital marketing efforts, aware of the challenges reaching out to fresh customers during lockdown, and Walsh said those efforts were continuing.
He said that the most important thing was to continue to focus on delivering the basics right, including protecting margins and being open with partners.
“If we can continue to do what we do around the basics and keeping clear communication lines open [the partners will benefit],” he said. “We have always wanted to help partners, and the recent situation has just redefined what the help looked like.”


Political stability is guarantee of national security: Nasser Janjua
ISLAMABAD (92 News) – National Security Adviser Nasser Khan Janjua has on Tuesday said that the political stability is a guarantee of national security.
Addressing a ceremony in Islamabad on Tuesday, he said that the national security should also be seen in regional and global perspective.
The adviser said that the national security is also closely related to good governance, human resource development, food security, provision of health facilities to people and taking care of the needs of the poor.
Nasser Janjua said that monitoring and vigilance of the international borders of the country has been strengthened as part of the strategy to beef up national security.
He said protection of cyber information is also necessary to ensure national security.