A forum of scientific advisers set up by the government had warned Indian officials in early March of a new and more contagious variant of the coronavirus taking hold in the country, five scientists who are part of the forum told Reuters. Despite the warning, four of the scientists said the federal government did not seek to impose major restrictions to stop …

NEW YORK: The UN special envoy on Myanmar told the Security Council on Friday that in the absence of a collective international resp­onse to the country’s coup, violence is worsening and the running of the state risks coming to a standstill, according to diplomats who attended the private meeting. Christine Schraner Burg­ener briefed the 15-member council from Thailand, whe­re she …

WASHINGTON: A bipartisan bill was moved in the US Senate on Friday to establish duty-free export zones along the Pak-Afghan border. The Pakistan-Afghanistan Economic Development Act “would serve as an important instrument to support that outcome,” said an official statement issued with the proposed legislation. “The bill would establish Reconstruction Opportunity Zones (ROZs) in Afghanistan and Pakistan’s border regions to …

WASHINGTON: The US State Department has approved the potential sale of six Boeing-made P-8I patrol aircraft and related equipment to India for an estimated cost of $2.42 billion, the Pentagon said on Friday. India’s potential purchase of P-8 aircraft would help expand its maritime surveillance capabilities. The package would include tactical radio, missile warning sensors, GPS systems, support equipment, spares …

• Non-binding resolution links GSP+ status to religious freedoms, anti-France sentiment • Pakistan rejects criticism of judicial system as regrettable, urges dialogue on issues LONDON: The European Parliament this week adopted a resolution calling for a review of trade relations with Pakistan and ending its eligibility for the Generalised Scheme of Preferences (GSP) status. The resolution linked the review to Pakistan’s blasphemy …

WASHINGTON: Acclaimed diplomat Henry Kissinger said on Friday that US-China tensions threaten to engulf the entire world and could lead to an Armageddon-like clash between the two military and technology giants. The 97-year-old former US secretary of state, who as an adviser to president Richard Nixon crafted the 1971 unfreezing of relations between Washington and Beijing, said the mix of …

Pakistan has joined the United States, China and Russia in urging the Afghan government and the Taliban to ensure that Afghan soil is not used to threaten the security of any other country. The four nations — known as the Extended Troika on Peaceful Settlement in Afghanistan — are also urging the Afghan government to engage openly with their Taliban …

ISLAMABAD: The launch of work on the proposed 7th Avenue Interchange at the junction of Srinagar Highway and 7th Avenue near Aabpara is facing an inordinate delay. On the other hand, citizens are facing traffic congestion on a daily basis at the junction. However, the project, which was initially conceived in 2008, is yet to be launched. According to CDA …

ISLAMABAD: Aftab Memon, a former secretary of Land Utilisation Department, Sindh Board of Revenue, was granted post-arrest bail on Friday after two years of detention in the fake bank accounts case. An Islamabad High Court division bench, headed by Justice Mohsin Akhtar Kayani, granted post-arrest bail to Mr Memon against Rs1 million surety bonds. Mr Memon has been facing charges …

ISLAMABAD: The Pakis­tan Telecommunication Au­­thority (PTA) has extended training and technical support to the Telecom­mu­nica­tions Regulatory Commis­sion of Sri Lanka for successful implementation of Mobile Number Portability (MNP) in the country. The Sri Lankan regulator has planned to introduce MNP for mobile phone users in the country and intends to follow processes adopted by the PTA. Pakistan is the first …