International

An Indian court on Tuesday upheld a ban on the hijab in class in the state of Karnataka, observing that the headscarf was not essential to Islam, several Indian media outlets reported. The ruling might have a bearing in the rest of the country that has a big Muslim minority. “Prescription of uniform is a reasonable restriction on fundamental rights,” a …

The United States said on Monday it had “no indication” that India’s missile launch into Pakistan last week was “anything other than an accident”. US State Department Spokesperson Ned Price made the remarks while responding to a question about the incident, advising the journalist to reach out to the Indian Defence Ministry for a follow-up. “We have no indication, as you also …

ISLAMABAD: In an apparent balancing act, Pakistan will send emergency aid to Ukraine as a message of solidarity to the war-stricken people. A decision to this effect was taken by the federal cabinet through circulation of an emergency summary for allocation of about Rs60 million along with two aircraft to deliver aid goods in Poland. Informed sources said a decision …

ISLAMABAD: The federal government has given final touches to arrangements for the 48th meeting of foreign ministers of member states of the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC). Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi on Sunday presided over a meeting to review the arrangements. “Pakistan is once against becoming the focus of global attention,” the foreign minister said. According to a press …

BANGKOK: Thousands of Russian tourists in Thailand are struggling to find a route home, Thai officials said on Sunday, as international sanctions imposed over the war in Ukraine hit holiday-makers. Russia’s invasion in February provoked a host of international measures targetting businesses and banks, with some Russian carriers cancelling flights and global payment firms suspending services. Russians tourists have been …

CHONBURI: Nearly 60 elephants enjoy­­ed a huge fruit banquet at a Thai botanical park on Sunday as the Southeast Asian country marked its annual Elephant Day. Elephants are a source of national pride and cultural identity for Thailand and are used for labour, transport, and battlefield triumphs by warriors and kings. The event is commonly observed in various other parts …

MOSCOW/FRANKFURT: Russia detained more than 800 people for protesting Moscow’s “military operation” in Ukraine on Sunday, as the conflict continues for a third week. OVD-Info, which monitors arrests during protests, said police had detained 800 people during demonstrations in 23 Russian cities. A journalist present at a protest in the capital Moscow witnessed at least a dozen arrests and said …

DUBAI: Iran has suspended talks with regional rival Saudi Arabia, a website affiliated to Iran’s top security body reported on Sunday, without giving a reason for the decision which comes as a fifth round of negotiations was due to start this week. A day earlier Saudi Arabia carried out mass executions that activists said included 41 Shias. Meanwhile talks on …

KUNDUZ: An Afghan group opposed to Taliban rule rejected on Sunday the police’s accusation that its members had killed polio vaccinators on a campaign to eradicate the crippling virus. Police had said two members of the National Resistance Front (NRF) had been arrested in connection with killing seven vaccinators on February 24 in the northern province of Kunduz. The NRF …

BEIJING: China placed all 17 million residents in one of its biggest cities under lockdown on Sunday, as virus cases doubled nationwide to nearly 3,400 and anxiety mounted over the resilience of its ‘zero-Covid’ approach in the face of the worst outbreak in two years. The southern tech hub of Shenzhen told all residents to stay at home as the …