Category: Uncategorized

  • Israeli army arrests Al-Shifa Hospital director; Gaza Health Ministry blames WHO

    Israeli army arrests Al-Shifa Hospital director; Gaza Health Ministry blames WHO

    While the terms of a ceasefire deal are being finalized Israel and Hamas, the Israeli army has reportedly arrested the director of al-Shifa Hospital on Thursday.

    According to media reports, hospital director Muhammad Abu Salmiya and several other medical personnel have been detained as Israel continues its Gaza offensive.

    The arrest has been reported by Khalid Abu Samra, a department chief at the hospital via AFP news agency as well as the Israeli Broadcasting Authority.

    “Dr Muhammad Abu Salmiya, the director of al-Shifa medical complex, has been arrested by the Israeli occupation forces. And even earlier, two Palestinian paramedics had been arrested by the Israeli occupation forces,” said Al Jazeera’s Tareq Abu Azzoum, reporting from southern Gaza.

    “This gives a clear sign that there is no immunity inside the Gaza Strip, neither for medical workers, civil defence crews or even journalists, as the attacks have reached all classes in the Palestinian community.”

    Al Jazeera has also revealed that according to spokesperson Ashraf al-Qudra, Gaza’s Health Ministry has decided to put a halt on coordination with the World Health Organization (WHO) in the evacuation of wounded people and medical staff.

    He claims that Israel and the UN are responsible for the arrest of medical personnel, further stating that Israeli forces have mistreated medical staff and patients.

  • PTI ko ‘ballay’ ka nishan milna mushki hogaya

    PTI ko ‘ballay’ ka nishan milna mushki hogaya

    The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) has ruled against the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) in a matter related to the party’s intra-party elections and the issuance of election symbols, as per Geo News.

    The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) on Thursday ruled that the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf’s (PTI) intra-party polls were not transparent, ordering the party to hold new elections if it wishes to retain its ‘bat’ symbol.

    The PTI has been asked by the commission to hold fresh elections within 20 days in a reserved verdict announced today.

    “PTI’s intra-party elections cannot be accepted,” stated the verdict, directing it to hold polls and submit the record within seven days.

    “If PTI fails to hold elections within 20 days then it will have to face severe consequences. In case of failure to hold [intra-party] elections, the [PTI] will not be eligible to secure an election symbol,” said the verdict.

    During the hearing, PTI’s legal counsel, Barrister Gohar, revealed that the intra-party elections were conducted before amendments to the party constitution and were later reverted.

    According to the Election Commission’s previous reserved decision on September 13, it was stated that PTI’s intra-party elections were not transparent and did not adhere to the party constitution.

    Speaking to Geo News, PTI spokesperson Barrister Gohar Ali asserted that the PTI Chairman can contest elections and will do so as long as the ballot symbol remains with them.

    He emphasized that the Chairman cannot be disqualified, and the Election Act, under Articles 62 and 63, does not bar Imran Khan from participating in elections.

    Barrister Gohar further clarified that the Chairman was only penalized in one case, which was declared void by the High Court, and he remains eligible for all offices. He reiterated that the Chairman has the authority to lead the elections and will continue to do so.

    In response to the Election Commission’s decision, the PTI spokesperson expressed disappointment, stating that the commission did not fulfill the demands of justice, and the decision seemed to be delayed for some specific purpose.

    He announced that they would challenge the order at the appropriate forum and asserted that the ballot symbol will remain with them.

  • Schools, colleges to be closed in Punjab on Friday, Saturday

    Schools, colleges to be closed in Punjab on Friday, Saturday

    The caretaker government in Punjab has announced a long weekend off due to uncontrolled toxic smog. The Punjab Cabinet Anti-Smog Committee has announced the closure of all schools, colleges, and universities on Friday, while markets, gyms, cinemas, theatres, and factories are to be completely shut on Saturday as well.

    Restaurants will also be told to close for dine-in on Saturday with permission to be granted only for takeaway and home delivery. The government identified six districts that are stricken by smog the most. These are Lahore, Gujranwala, Faisalabad, Multan, Sahiwal and Sargodha.

    The meeting also proposed limiting public and private vehicles in Lahore, they said, adding that in government offices, only half of the employees will be asked to come to work.

    “Only cycles will be allowed till five in the evening on Lahore’s Mall Road,” added caretaker Chief Minister Punjab.

  • Mysterious pneumonia outbreak: WHO asks China for more data on respiratory illness

    Mysterious pneumonia outbreak: WHO asks China for more data on respiratory illness

    Beijing (AFP) – The World Health Organization has asked China for more data on a respiratory illness spreading in the north of the country, urging people to take steps to reduce the risk of infection.

    Northern China has reported an increase in “influenza-like illness” since mid-October when compared to the same period in the previous three years, the WHO said.

    “WHO has made an official request to China for detailed information on an increase in respiratory illnesses and reported clusters of pneumonia in children,” the UN health body said in a statement on Wednesday.

    China’s National Health Commission told reporters last week that the respiratory illness spike was due to the lifting of Covid-19 restrictions and the circulation of known pathogens, namely influenza and common bacterial infections that affect children, including mycoplasma pneumonia.

    The Chinese capital of Beijing, located in the north of the country, is currently experiencing a cold snap, with temperatures expected to plummet to well below zero by Friday, state media said.

    Temperatures plummeted as the city “entered a high incidence season of respiratory infectious diseases”, Wang Quanyi, deputy director and chief epidemiological expert at the Beijing Center for Disease Control and Prevention, told state media on Wednesday.

    Beijing “is currently showing a trend of multiple pathogens coexisting”, he added.

    Calls for transparency

    Over the course of the Covid-19 pandemic, the WHO repeatedly criticised Chinese authorities for their lack of transparency and cooperation.

    More than three years after cases were first detected in Wuhan, heated debate still rages around the origins of Covid-19.

    Scientists are divided between two main theories of the cause: an escape from a laboratory in the city where such viruses were being studied and an intermediate animal that infected people at a local market.

    Earlier this year, WHO experts said they were sure that Beijing had far more data that could shed light on the origins of Covid, and called it a moral imperative for the information to be shared.

    A team of specialists led by the WHO and accompanied by Chinese colleagues investigated China in early 2021, but there has not been a team able to return since and WHO officials have repeatedly asked for additional data.

    WHO chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus has stressed that getting to the bottom of the mystery could help avert future pandemics.

  • Bethlehem, birthplace of Jesus, removes Christmas decor ‘in solidarity’ with Gaza

    Bethlehem, birthplace of Jesus, removes Christmas decor ‘in solidarity’ with Gaza

    The Christian leadership in Bethlehem have announced they will not have Christmas celebrations in the West Bank this year in light of Israel’s bombardment of Gaza which has resulted in killing more than 13,000 people.

    In a letter, the Patriarchs and Heads of Churches in Jerusalem have unanimously agreed to cancel the commemoration of Christmas to conform to the spiritual significance of the holiday while Palestinians are being brutally killed by Israeli forces.

    “Each year during the sacred seasons of Advent and Christmastide, our Christian communities throughout the Holy Land take great delight in their preparations for the commemoration of the birth of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ,” the patriarchs wrote in a joint letter.

    “In addition to attendance in religious services, these celebrations have normally involved participation in numerous public festivities and the large-scale display of brightly lit and expensive decorations as a means of expressing our joy at the approach and arrival of the Feast of the Nativity.”, it further stated.

    “But these are not normal times. Since the start of the War, there has been an atmosphere of sadness and pain. Thousands of innocent civilians, including women and children, have died or suffered serious injuries,” the bishops continued. “Many more grieve over the loss of their homes, their loved ones, or the uncertain fate of those dear to them. Throughout the region, even more have lost their work and are suffering from serious economic challenges. Yet despite our repeated calls for a humanitarian ceasefire and a de-escalation of violence, the war continues.”

    City officials in Bethlehem have also been taking down Christmas decorations in solidarity with Palestinians.

    “Bethlehem Municipality crews announced the dismantling of Christmas decorations installed several years ago in the city’s neighbourhoods and removing all festive appearances in mourning for the martyrs and in solidarity with our people in Gaza,” the city posted on Facebook on November 14.

    Why Bethlehem is significant for Christians?

    Bethlehem is located 10 kilometres south of the city of Jerusalem. Since at least the 2nd century AD, people have believed that Jesus was born where now stands the Church of the Nativity, Bethlehem.

  • Pakistan imposes hefty exit fees on Afghan refugees

    Pakistan is being widely criticised for instituting exit fees amounting to hundreds of dollars for Afghan refugees awaiting relocation to the United Kingdom and other Western nations.

    The imposition of exit fees, totalling around $830 (PKR 236,387), for Afghan refugees seeking resettlement in Western countries has drawn strong condemnation from Western diplomats and the United Nations.

    Mumtaz Zahra Baloch, the spokesperson for Pakistan’s foreign ministry, stated that there are no current plans to modify the existing policy.

    Five senior Western diplomats in Pakistan while talking to The Guardian termed the hefty fee imposed by Pakistan as ‘unprecedented’.

    “I know it is very tough economically for Pakistan but really, to try to make money off refugees is unattractive,” said one diplomat.

    He continued by adding, “The issue has also been raised by the two UN agencies in the lead on this mess, the [UN refugee agency] UNHCR and [International Organization of Migration] IOM,” the diplomat added. “It has also been raised in capitals and headquarters. I suspect everyone has also passed the message to their [Pakistani contacts].”

    Another diplomat said that when concerns were raised regarding the imposed fee, the Pakistani officials explained that the initial proposal was to charge $10,000 per person, but it had been subsequently reduced to $830.

    A different diplomat noted that the exit permit must be paid through a credit card, which poses an added difficulty for many Afghan refugees who lack access to such payment methods. This complicates the situation further, as the fee is mandated for payment by the refugees, a considerable portion of whom do not possess credit cards.

    “I think we need a cooperative approach of working together to help the refugees and we expect Pakistan would help,” he added.

    The United States government intends to relocate nearly 25,000 Afghans within the country, while the United Kingdom has announced plans to resettle 20,000 individuals.

    Separately, the United Nations Refugee Agency has expressed apprehension regarding Pakistan’s directive for undocumented foreigners to leave, citing its adverse impact on Afghan nationals. This includes registered refugees and individuals possessing valid documents, raising concerns about the potential humanitarian consequences of the orders.

  • 41 Indian construction workers trapped in tunnel closed to be rescued

    41 Indian construction workers trapped in tunnel closed to be rescued

    The men became trapped after a portion of the 4.5-kilometer (2.8-mile) tunnel, which was under construction in the mountainous vicinity of the Himalayas, caved in on itself after a landslide. The tunnel collapsed around 200 meters (656 ft.) from its entrance.

    Construction of the tunnel is part of the Chardham all-weather road, a flagship project of the government of Prime Minister Narendra Modi that aims to connect Hindu pilgrimage sites, so that the state can better accommodate the growing influx of pilgrims and tourists to the region.

    The workers trapped in a collapsed tunnel in northern India for over a week are getting their first hot meals on Tuesday through a new six-inch wide steel pipe as rescuers pursue an alternative plan to free them. “We will bring you out safely, do not worry,” rescuers told the men, according to translations by Al Jazeera.

    Indian rescuers have drilled two-thirds of the way through debris toward 41 workers trapped in a collapsed road tunnel, officials said Wednesday, warning that the next 24 hours could be critical.

    Engineers are working to drive a steel pipe through at least 57 metres (187 feet) of the tonnes of earth, concrete, and rubble that has divided the trapped men from freedom since a portion of the under-construction tunnel in the northern Himalayan state of Uttarakhand collapsed 11 days ago.

    Looking into the Silkyara tunnel entrance on Wednesday, an AFP journalist could see sparks flying as workers welded metal tube sections together, with the site busy as excavators and heavy trucks brought in equipment.

    “I am very happy to share… that 39 metres of drilling have been completed,” said Mahmood Ahmad, a road and highways ministry official involved in the operations.

    “If there is no blockage, we hope there could be happy news late tonight or tomorrow,” Ahmad told reporters at the site.

    “We are moving forward at a fast pace,” he added.

  • Court summons PM Kakar in missing Baloch students case

    Court summons PM Kakar in missing Baloch students case

    The Islamabad High Court (IHC) summoned caretaker prime minister Anwaar ul Haq Kakar in person on November 29 in a case pertaining to Baloch missing students.

    In today’s verdict, the court asked the federal government to present 55 Baloch missing students as per the recommendation of the Baloch Enforced Disappearance Commission.

    The court has asked the defence and interior ministers and the sectaries from both ministries to present before the court in person and has sought a report within a week from the federal government committee.

    “We are sitting in Islamabad and talking about the rights of Balochistan. I’m giving [you] seven days time to ensure the implementation,” IHC Justice Mohsin Akhtar Kayani remarked.

    On the other hand, the additional attorney general for Pakistan requested the court not to summon the prime minister and federal ministers.

    IHC Justice Mohsin Akhtar Kayani was not happy with the report presented before the court by the federal government.

    “This report is a matter of shame for this court,” the judge remarked. He also said that caretaker prime minister should have realised that it’s a matter of Baloch students, as he also belongs to Balochistan.

    Justice Kayani also said, “Should we send this matter to the United Nations? Should we dishonour our country?”

  • SHOs to be taken to task if underage driver causes accident, says Lahore High Court

    SHOs to be taken to task if underage driver causes accident, says Lahore High Court

    “If an underage driver causes a road accident, the relevant SHO and sector in-charge will be taken to task,” Justice Ali Zia Bajwa remarked during the hearing of a petition of Afnan Shafqat, the prime suspect in the DHA car accident that resulted in deaths of six members of a family, reports Dawn.

    The underage suspect approached the court against alleged harassment by the police and for the protection of his right to fair trial.

    However, the court ordered traffic police to continue its crackdown on underage drivers and warned it against any harassment to law-abiding citizens.

    CTO Traffic police Mustansir Feroze told the court that a crackdown was underway against driving vehicles without licences and as many as 2,986 cases had been registered in three days.

    Talking to the media, the CTO said more than 4,000 cases had been registered during the crackdown against underage driving. He said hundreds of vehicles had been confiscated in police stations and over 16,000 learner permits had been issued in a single day.
    He said the city had 30 licencing offices, ten mobile vans, and three 24-hour open centres. He said three new licence centres were being established in the city.

    Consequently, Traffic Police in Attock arrested 26 underage drivers, 14 were arrested in Attock City, eight in Fatehjang and four in Jand.

  • Netanyahu says “We are at war – and will continue the war” amid ceasefire deal

    Netanyahu says “We are at war – and will continue the war” amid ceasefire deal

    Israel has agreed to a temporary ceasefire deal with Hamas as prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu faces pressure from the Israeli public since October 7 — particularly of families of hostages held by Hamas in Gaza where more than 13,000 people have been killed because of Israeli attacks.

    Netanyahu reportedly met with some of the families last night, assuring them that bringing their loved ones back was “a sacred and supreme task”.

    The Israeli prime minister, however, has asserted that he has no intention of ending Israel’s attacks on Gaza.

    “Let me make it clear,” he said earlier, “we are at war – and will continue the war”.

    He set the record straight that Israel will not stop until they succeed in their aim i.e. “eliminating Hamas, returning all of our hostages and assuring that … Gaza will no longer threaten Israel.”