Sunday, April 18th, 2021
EU hints it might not order AstraZeneca jab again
The EU’s internal markets commissioner Thierry Breton hinted Sunday that the bloc might decide not to order AstraZeneca‘s coronavirus jab again following delays in delivering the first batches of the vaccine. “We’re pragmatic. My priority, as far as the vaccines are concerned, is to ensure that the firms we have contracts with deliver them punctually,” Breton told BFMTV television. Brussels had originally ordered 120 million doses of the Anglo-Swedish group’s jab for the 27 member states in the first quarter and 180 million in the second quarter. But the drug maker “only deliveredRead More
NATO supports Czech investigation of Russia’s ‘malign activities’
Military alliance NATO said it supported member the Czech Republic as it investigates Russia‘s “malign activities” on its territory and that this followed a pattern of “dangerous behaviour” by Moscow, a NATO official said on Sunday. Prague is expelling 18 Russian diplomats over suspicions that Russian intelligence services were involved in an ammunition depot explosion in 2014. “This follows a pattern of dangerous behaviour by Russia. We express our sympathy to the loved ones of the victims of the explosion in Vrbetice. Those responsible must be brought to justice,” the NATO official said.
Pakistan and Indian FMs in crossover visits to UAE
The foreign ministers of India and Pakistan made crossover visits to the United Arab Emirates this weekend, after it was revealed the Gulf nation has been mediating between the hostile neighbours. “Good to be in the #UAE,” Pakistan’s Shah Mahmood Qureshi tweeted late Saturday, after announcing a three-day trip which ends Monday. His Indian counterpart Subrahmanyam Jaishankar visited the emirate of Abu Dhabi on Sunday, a spokesman for New Delhi’s ministry of external affairs tweeted. Pakistan’s foreign ministry said there was no scheduled meeting between the two ministers. Islamabad suspended trade and diplomatic tiesRead More
Russia to retaliate hard against Czech Republic over diplomat expulsions
MOSCOW, APR 18 – Russia‘s Ministry of Foreign Affairs said on Sunday it would take tough retaliatory measures against the Czech Republic over Prague’s expulsion of 18 Russian diplomats on what Moscow said were unfounded and absurd grounds. The Czech Republic expelled 18 Russian embassy staff on Saturday over the suspected involvement of Russia‘s intelligence services in a 2014 ammunition depot explosion that killed two people. “We will take retaliatory measures that will force the authors of this provocation to fully understand their responsibility for destroying the foundation of normal ties between our countries,” the ministry said in a statement.
Masood welcomes UN report on human rights situation in IIOJK
ISLAMABAD, Apr 18 (DNA): While welcoming a letter written by the UNhuman rights experts to Indian government regarding human rightssituation in Indian Occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IOJK), AJK PresidentSardar Masood Khan said that the situation is far worse than the humanrights violations mentioned in the letter. He said that the UN rapporteurs have confined their report to mentioningonly the violation of some of the rights of Muslims and otherminorities, while we believe that the Modi government of India isengaged in hatching conspiracies against the very existence of Muslimsin Jammu andRead More
Smart lockdown imposed in 10 areas of Rawalpindi
RAWALPINDI, Apr 18 (DNA): Amid the steep rise in coronavirus cases, atleast ten areas in Rawalpindi have been put under smart lockdown. According to the notification issued by the local administration, thelockdown has been imposed in Tabarak Line, Adiala Road, JudicialApartments Civil Line, Kashmir House Mundra, Mohalla Gulshan, Kamalabadstreet no 3, Peshawar Road line number 5, Wah Cant, Dhok Chanial, GojjarKhan, Hashmi Colony and other localities. The lockdown will remain intact in the above-said localities ofRawalpindi until April 27. Punjab remains the worst-hit province interms of deaths followed by SindhRead More