Friday, December 31st, 2021
45 journalists killed in 2021: media watchdog
Brussels, DEC 31: A total of 45 journalists were killed worldwide in 2021, the International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) said on Friday — “one of the lowest death tolls” it has recorded for any year. The figure tracked closely with a toll of 46 killings of journalists given two weeks ago by another media watchdog, Reporters Without Borders (known by its initials RSF), which also noted it as its lowest-ever since starting its tallies in 1995. “While this decrease is welcome news, it is small comfort in the face ofRead More
Shaukat Tarin presides over ECC of cabinet
LAHORE, DEC 31 (DNA) — Federal Minister for Finance and Revenue Shaukat Tarin, presided over Economic Coordination Committee (ECC) of the Cabinet Friday. Federal Minister for National Food Security and Research Syed Fakhar Imam, Federal Minister for Planning, Development and Special Initiatives Asad Umar, Federal Minister for Industries and Production Makhdoom Khusro Bakhtiar, Federal Minister for Energy Hammad Azhar, Federal Minister for Privatization Muhammedmian Soomro, Federal Minister for Railways Muhammad Azam Khan Swati, Federal Minister for Maritime Affairs Syed Ali Haider Zaidi, Federal Secretaries and senior officers participated in the meeting. TheRead More
FS Sohail Mahmood meets OIC Heads of Mission
ISLAMABAD, Dec 31 (DNA): Foreign Secretary Sohail Mahmood invited the Heads of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) resident Missions, today, to thank them for the Member States’ support tothe success of the 17th Extraordinary Session of OIC-CFM hosted by Pakistan on 19 December 2021 on the humanitarian situation in Afghanistan. The Foreign Secretary highlighted thathigh-level participation by Foreign Ministers and other Senior Representatives, at such short notice, was not only an expression of the OIC’s strong support and solidarity for the Afghan people but also affirmed the OIC’s leading roleRead More
Wildfires burn hundreds of homes in Colorado, thousands flee
Tens of thousands of Coloradans driven from their neighborhoods by wind-whipped wildfires anxiously waited to learn what was left standing of their lives Friday after the flames burned an estimated 580 homes, a hotel and a shopping center. At least one first responder and six other people were injured in the blazes that erupted outside Denver on Thursday morning, unusually late in the year, following an extremely dry fall and amid a winter nearly devoid of snow so far. Boulder County Sheriff Joe Pelle said there could be more injuriesRead More
Desperate Afghan parents selling their children not to face hunger
In a sprawling settlement of mud brick huts in western Afghanistan housing people displaced by drought and war, a woman is fighting to save her daughter. Aziz Gul’s husband sold their 10-year-old into marriage without telling his wife, taking a down-payment so he could feed his family of five children. Otherwise, he told her, they would all starve. He had to sacrifice one to save the rest. Many of Afghanistan‘s growing number of destitute people are making such desperate decisions as their nation spirals into a vortex of poverty. Afghanistan’s aid-dependent economy was alreadyRead More
Four soldiers embrace martyrdom, two terrorists killed in separate IBOs
ISLAMABAD, DEC 31 (DNA) — The security forces on Friday conducted separate Intelligence Based Operations (IBOs) on reported presence of terrorists in Tank and Mir Ali area of North Waziristan. In Tank IBO, as many as two terrorists got killed who were identified as Shahzeb alias Zakir and Daniyal. The security forces recovered weapons and ammunition from the slain terrorists. These terrorists were involved in terrorist activities against security forces, target killing and kidnapping for ransom, it added. In an another operation, it said the security forces conducted IBO inRead More