Tag: international news

  • Xi tells Blinken US, China should be ‘partners, not rivals’

    Xi tells Blinken US, China should be ‘partners, not rivals’

    Chinese President Xi Jinping on Friday told top US diplomat Antony Blinken that the world’s two biggest economies should be “partners, not rivals”, but that there were a “number of issues” to be resolved in their relations.

    Meeting Blinken in Beijing’s Great Hall of the People, Xi said the two countries had “made some positive progress” since he met with US President Joe Biden last year, according to state broadcaster CCTV.

    “There are still a number of issues that need to be resolved, and there is still room for further efforts,” Xi said.

    “I proposed three major principles: mutual respect, peaceful coexistence, and win-win cooperation,” the Chinese leader added.

    “The earth is big enough to hold the common development and… prosperity of China and the United States,” he continued.

    “China would be pleased to see a confident and open, prosperous and developing United States,” Xi said.

    “We hope the US can also take a positive view of China’s development,” he added.

    “When this fundamental problem is solved… relations can truly stabilise, get better, and move forward.”

  • Iran’s ‘morality police’ back in action 10 months after nationwide protests 

    Iran’s ‘morality police’ back in action 10 months after nationwide protests 

    Iran’s notorious morality police have resumed patrolling the streets of the country, after policing efforts had been scaled back following nationwide protests that broke out across the country last year. 

    Following the death of 22-year-old Kurdish woman Mahsa Amini while she was held in police custody, tens of thousands of Iranians took to the streets to protest, in what some analysts say was the ‘biggest challenge‘ posed against the government since the 1979 Islamic Revolution.

    During the mass protests, which lasted for months, the morality police were largely absent from Iranian streets, refraining from highly confrontational methods of enforcing mandatory hijab laws that were imposed shortly after the ‘79 revolution. There were even some reports – later denied – that they had been disbanded.

    The protests largely died down earlier this year, after a brutal crackdown in which more than 500 protestors were killed and nearly 20,000 detained by authorities. 

    Saeid Montazeralmahdi, the spokesperson for the Iranian law enforcement force, confirmed on Sunday that police patrols were now operational on foot and with vehicles to crack down on people whose head covering is not deemed appropriate in the Islamic Republic, according to Al-Jazeera.

    The Guardian reported that in Tehran, morality police has been seen patrolling the streets in marked vans.

    For the past few months, morality police have also been employing surveillance cameras with face-recognition software to identify hijab violators. The violators are given warnings, fines, or sent to appear in court.

    Mahsa Amini was detained last year on September 13th, on accounts of violating the draconian dress code law the Iranian government has in place, which mandates women wearing the hijab. According to authorities, Mahsa Amini was not wearing her hijab ‘properly’.

    Witnesses reported that she was beaten by morality police after her arrest in Tehran. The morality police maintain that Mahsa Amini suffered a heart attack and died. 

    Demonstrators initially gathered outside Kasra hospital in Tehran, where Amini was being treated. Human rights groups reported that security forces deployed pepper spray against protesters and that several were arrested.

    This year alone, there have been many high-profile hijab related incidents, including an incident in Mashadd, where a man dumped yoghurt on two women for not wearing the hijab properly. All three parties were arrested by authorities.

  • Nation will understand the value of Babar-Rizwan after this series says Shadab Khan

    Nation will understand the value of Babar-Rizwan after this series says Shadab Khan

    Afghanistan thrashes Pakistan and leading the three match series by 2-0 by defeating Pakistan in the second T20 at Sharjah cricket ground. Rashid khan led Afghanistan cricket team exposed the young Pakistan cricket team’s weaknesses.

    Shahdab Khan the substitute captain for Afghan series while talking to media in post-match press conference says “Nation will now give more respect and honor yo our legends after this series.

    Whenever Babar Azam and Muhammad Rizwan not performing or even when they are performing the sword of strike rate is hanging on their head now when they are not with us in the team we have all seen the importance of Babar and Rizwan.”

    Shadab khan more said that nation and media was forcing to take youngster in the team who have just perform in one PSL edition and some ex-players forcing management to give rest to the senior players like Babar and Rizwan now they will know the value of our legends.

  • 125 people die in football stadium stampede in Indonesia

    125 people die in football stadium stampede in Indonesia

    A football game in Indonesia turned deadly Saturday night as security personnel clashed with soccer fans, prompting a stampede and leaving 125 dead with dozens of others injured, officials and eyewitnesses said.

    Four people present at the game told The Washington Post that armed security officers in uniform discharged what seemed to be tear gas into the crowd randomly and directly, which caused panic. It was predicted that 42,000 people would attend the event.

    Frustrated supporters of the losing home team invaded the pitch in Malang in the province of East Java late on Saturday. To control the situation, police officers fired tear gas which triggered the stampede and led to suffocation.

    “I can still hear the voices of children calling for their mothers,” said Bima Andhika, 25, who escaped the stampede with his 14-year-old sister. His uncle and three of his neighbors are among the dead, he said.

    A police spokesperson said 323 people were injured, up from the initial count of 180.

  • ‘I am PM of Pakistan and we stand with Palestine’ – PM Khan on Twitter

    ‘I am PM of Pakistan and we stand with Palestine’ – PM Khan on Twitter

    Bloodshed between Israel and Hamas escalated overnight, with at least 35 Palestine Muslims killed in Gaza and five people killed in Israel in the most intensive aerial exchanges for years.

    https://twitter.com/aqadir97/status/1392337789480431619

    Israel carried out hundreds of air strikes in Gaza into the early hours of Wednesday, and Gazans fired multiple rocket barrages at Tel Aviv and Beersheba in response.

    One multi-story residential building in Gaza collapsed and another was heavily damaged after they were repeatedly hit by Israeli air strikes.

    Prime Minister Khan tweeted in solidarity with Palestine, saying “I am PM Khan and we stand with Palestine”.

    As tensions rise between Palestinians and Israelis, the international media, social media noticed that the coverage of the international press was incredibly one-sided.

    Financial times wrote: “Hamas rocket attacks provoke Israeli retaliation in Gaza.”

    The Economist’s headline for the brutality of Israel on the Palestinians was : “Israel exchanges fire with Hamas as tensions in Jerusalem boil over.”

    BBC reported saying, “Pleas for calm as Israel-Gaza violence erupts”.

    The New York Times read: “After raid on Aqsa Mosque, Rockets From Gaza and Israeli Airstrikes”.

    As tensions rose between Palestinians and Israelis, people voiced their concerns and sympathies on social media.

    U.N. Middle East peace envoy Tor Wennesland tweeted: “Stop the fire immediately. We’re escalating towards a full scale war. Leaders on all sides have to take the responsibility of de-escalation.

    “The cost of war in Gaza is devastating & is being paid by ordinary people. UN is working w/ all sides to restore calm. Stop the violence now,” he said.

    The world reminded the people of Palestine that they are not alone is such devastating times.

    Human Rights Minister in PM Khan cabinet, Shireen Mazari said, “Palestinians prevented from praying in Al Quds mosque & killing of innocent Palestinians in Gaza incl children – & all UN can do is express ‘concern’.”

    ” OIC also needs to move beyond rhetoric on Palestine & Kashmir,” she added.

    However, this has been the heaviest offensive between Israel and Hamas since a 2014 war in Gaza, and prompted international concern that the situation could spiral out of control.

  • VIDEO: US President Joe Biden stumbles twice while boarding Air Force One

    President of the United States of America Joe Biden stumbled three times while climbing the stairs to board Air Force One. The video of him losing his footing is being widely shared on social media.

    Boarding a flight to Atlanta, where he was to speak to the Asian-American community about a shooting there earlier this week, Biden stumbled slightly about halfway up the 25 or so stairs, recovered, then stumbled again and briefly went down on one knee, according to video footage.

    The president appeared to rub his left knee before getting back up, then completed the stairs at a slower pace. He stopped at the top of the stairs, turned around and offered a crisp salute.

    Following the incident, Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre told White House reporters that the president was “doing fine” after the fall.

    “It was very windy. I almost fell coming up the steps myself. He is doing 100 percent,” she told reporters.

    “He’s doing fine. He’s preparing for the trip just fine,” she added.

    Biden’s stumbling has raised concerns about the 78-year-old President’s health, was the oldest person ever to assume the presidency. In late November, Biden suffered a hairline fracture in his right foot while playing with one of his dogs.

    In November 2020, Biden won an extremely close US election battle against former president Donald Trump. He was sworn in as the 46th President of the United States in January 2021.

  • Israelis thought they could visit Saudi Arabia: Saudi says No

    Israelis thought they could visit Saudi Arabia: Saudi says No

    Israel had officially given its citizens the right to travel to Saudi Arabia for religious and business visits but the Saudi foreign minister, in response, said that Israelis are not welcome to Saudi Arabia “at the moment”.

    The Israeli interior ministry announced the decision saying that they approve the travel to Saudi Arabia for Hajj or Umrah and also that business travellers must have an invitation and arranged visitation approval.

    Although Israel has made the decision, the gesture was seen as a warming of ties between the two countries since Saudi Arabia does not recognise the State of Israel.

    Travelers to Middle Eastern countries would use this border crossing into Jordan to go to other countries

    Israelis travel to Saudi Arabia through countries like Jordan and Egypt, which have peaceful ties with Israel. The visits were never official but nonetheless, they take place.

    Israel has had difficult ties with Saudi Arabia and the Gulf countries due to its illegal occupation of Palestine and the atrocities it has committed against the Palestinian people.