Saturday, September 18th, 2021
EU, US urge others to join methane reduction pledge
The European Union and the United States on Saturday called on more nations to join a pledge to slash methane gas emissions and cut warming by at least 0.2 degrees Celsius by 2050. The initiative — unveiled by President Joe Biden on Friday — means countries would commit to a collective goal of reducing emissions of the powerful greenhouse gas by at least 30 percent from 2020 levels by 2030. “Important step taken with President Biden towards a Global Methane Pledge,” European Commission chief Ursula von der Leyen wrote on Twitter. “We will reachRead More
Biden faced ‘unfair criticism’ over Afghanistan troop withdrawal: PM Imran
ISLAMABAD, SEPT 18: Prime Minister Imran Khan said he believed US President Joe Biden was targeted with “unfair criticism” over troops withdrawal from Afghanistan, terming his decision to pull out troops “the most sensible thing to do.” In an interview with Russian broadcaster RT, the premier referred to former Afghan president Ashraf Ghani fleeing the country and the army surrendering a week before departure of foreign forces. “How can you prepare for that?” he asked. “So there was so much unfair criticism of President Biden, and what he did was the most sensible thing to do,” saidRead More
China getting worse on suppression, tech issues a threat -top U.S. lawmaker
China’s restrictions on free speech and human rights are getting worse and its control of tech data poses a threat to the West, U.S. House of Representatives Speaker Nancy Pelosi said on Thursday during a trip to Britain. “China is tightening. It’s getting worse and worse in terms of democratic reform, freedom of speech or pluralism, or just the ability of people to speak out,” Pelosi, long a China critic, said in a moderated discussion at the Cambridge Union. “They’re not trying to change the government, they’re just trying to expressRead More
Japan’s PM contender Kishida says won’t raise sales tax for a decade
TOKYO: Japan will not raise the sales tax for about a decade as imposing a higher levy on households at this time would cripple the pandemic-hit economy, Fumio Kishida, a key contender running in the ruling party leadership race, said on Saturday. “We won’t raise the sales tax rate for about a decade,” Kishida said in a televised debate with three other candidates to lead the ruling Liberal Democratic Party (LDP). While Japan must keep a pledge to pursue fiscal reform, it must prioritise cushioning the blow from the pandemicRead More
Channel your frustration and anger into your performance, Ramiz Raja tells cricket team
LAHORE, SEPT 18: A day after the Black Caps abandoned their Pakistan tour, newly appointed Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) Chairman Ramiz Raja on Saturday called on players to channel their frustration into their performance. In a video message, the PCB chairman said: “Release your frustration and anger by channeling it towards your performance.” Once you become a world-class team, people will start lining up to play, he said. “Everyone will want to play against you. So I want us to learn from this, move forward and keep strong. There is no needRead More
Pakistan, Canada discuss latest developments in Afghanistan
ISLAMABAD, SEPT 18 (DNA) – Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi received a telephone call from the Foreign Minister of Canada, Mr. Marc Garneau. The two Foreign Ministers exchanged views on the latest developments in Afghanistan. They also spoke about bilateral matters. Foreign Minister Qureshi emphasized that a peaceful and stable Afghanistan was of paramount importance for Pakistan and the region. He also apprised Minister Garneau of his regional outreach efforts regarding the situation in Afghanistan. FM Qureshi underlined the need for achieving an inclusive political settlement and the importance ofRead More