COPENHAGEN, Denmark: As Europe braces for a steady influx of Afghan refugees fleeing the return of the Taliban and economic chaos, a recent shift in political rhetoric indicates Scandinavian countries are less willing to help asylum seekers now than they were in 2015, when they offered sanctuary to tens of thousands of displaced Syrians. More…
COPENHAGEN, Denmark: As Europe braces for a steady influx of Afghan refugees fleeing the return of the Taliban and economic chaos, a recent shift in political rhetoric indicates Scandinavian countries are less willing to help asylum seekers now than they were in 2015, when they offered sanctuary to tens of thousands of displaced Syrians. More…
For Afghans fleeing Taliban rule, experience of Syrian refugees in Scandinavia is a cautionary tale STOCKHOLM: Of the millions of Syrians displaced by civil war since 2011, a significant minority has managed to reach Europe, escaping not only violence and persecution but also forced army conscription and poverty. Even in the initial phase of the…
WASHINGTON: US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin headed to the Black Sea region Sunday aiming to shore up alliances with countries pressured by Russia and show gratitude for their contributions to the two-decade war in Afghanistan. Austin will visit Georgia, Romania and Ukraine before taking part in the in-person defense ministers summit at NATO in Brussels on…
NAIROBI: As food and the means to buy it dwindled in a city under siege, the young mother felt she could do no more. She killed herself, unable to feed her children. In a Catholic church across town, flour and oil to make communion wafers will soon run out. And the flagship hospital in Mekele, the…
NAIROBI: As food and the means to buy it dwindled in a city under siege, the young mother felt she could do no more. She killed herself, unable to feed her children. In a Catholic church across town, flour and oil to make communion wafers will soon run out. And the flagship hospital in Mekele, the…
ISLAMABAD: An animal sanctuary in the Pakistani capital claims to be the first in the country to introduce a dedicated trap-neuter-vaccinate-return program to deal withstray dogs.The initiative is aimed at using humane methods to manage thousands of free-roaming dogs in Islamabad often seen by authorities and the public as a threat due to their aggressive…
ISLAMABAD: An animal sanctuary in the Pakistani capital claims to be the first in the country to introduce a dedicated trap-neuter-vaccinate-return program to deal withstray dogs.The initiative is aimed at using humane methods to manage thousands of free-roaming dogs in Islamabad often seen by authorities and the public as a threat due to their aggressive…
MANILA: Foreigners involved in political campaigning in the Philippines could face deportation, especially if their activity involves electioneering, immigration authorities have said, as the Southeast Asian nation prepares for next year’s presidential election.The presidential and vice-presidential polls are scheduled to be held on May 9, 2022. Registration for candidates closed on Oct. 8, but the…
PARIS: Two European ministerial visits made the headlines in the Saudi capital last week. Meetings with French Minister for Foreign Affairs Jean-Yves Le Drian and High Representative of the European Union for Foreign Affairs Josep Borrell underline the growing European interest in consultations with Saudi Arabia, which is a key player. However, from Riyadh’s point…
PARIS: Two European ministerial visits made the headlines in the Saudi capital last week. Meetings with French Minister for Foreign Affairs Jean-Yves Le Drian and High Representative of the European Union for Foreign Affairs Josep Borrell underline the growing European interest in consultations with Saudi Arabia, which is a key player. However, from Riyadh’s point…
DETROIT, US: Syrians fleeing civil war violence in their home country continue to constitute the largest refugee population in the world, data shows, with many seeking refuge in the US. Many Syrian refugees, however, are finding settlement in the US challenging. “I can’t stay here! I want to go back. Life is hard here,” exclaimed Raghad,…
DETROIT, US: Syrians fleeing civil war violence in their home country continue to constitute the largest refugee population in the world, data shows, with many seeking refuge in the US. Many Syrian refugees, however, are finding settlement in the US challenging. “I can’t stay here! I want to go back. Life is hard here,” exclaimed Raghad,…
ISLAMABAD/LAHORE: The Pakistan capital is leading the country in vaccinating its population against COVID-19, with health ministry data up to Sept. 30 showing more than 85 percent of people in Islamabad had received a first dose and 47 percent were fully vaccinated. This compared to only 15 percent of the target group in the country’s…
ISLAMABAD/LAHORE: The Pakistan capital is leading the country in vaccinating its population against COVID-19, with health ministry data up to Sept. 30 showing more than 85 percent of people in Islamabad had received a first dose and 47 percent were fully vaccinated. This compared to only 15 percent of the target group in the country’s…
DOHA: The Taliban held their first face-to-face talks with a joint EU-US delegation Tuesday in Qatar as the hard-line Islamists pursue their diplomatic push for international support.Afghanistan’s new rulers are seeking recognition, as well as assistance to avoid a humanitarian disaster, after they returned to power in August following the withdrawal of US troops after…
Pope Francis and Grand Imam of Al-Azhar Ahmed Al-Tayeb receive trophies for Zayed Award for Human Fraternity VATICAN CITY/ROME: Pope Francis and the Grand Imam of Al-Azhar Professor Ahmed Al-Tayeb received their respective Zayed Award for Human Fraternity trophies this week. The Zayed Award for Human Fraternity is an independent global award recognizing individuals and entities…
Pope Francis and Grand Imam of Al-Azhar Ahmed Al-Tayeb receive trophies for Zayed Award for Human Fraternity VATICAN CITY/ROME: Pope Francis and the Grand Imam of Al-Azhar Professor Ahmed Al-Tayeb received their respective Zayed Award for Human Fraternity trophies this week. The Zayed Award for Human Fraternity is an independent global award recognizing individuals and entities…
NEW DELHI: Panic over imminent power shortages is unnecessary, the Indian government said on Sunday, following reports from several states that coal stocks at power plants have dropped to critically low levels. Authorities and power companies in the states of Gujarat, Rajasthan, Andhra Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, Punjab and Delhi have been appealing to consumers for the…
‘Father of Pakistan’s bomb’ A.Q. Khan dies at 85 ISLAMABAD: Abdul Qadeer Khan, the founder of Pakistan’s nuclear weapons program who was accused of smuggling technology to Iran, North Korea and Libya, has died at 85, authorities said Sunday. The atomic scientist, who spent the last years of his life under heavy guard, died in…
