International - The Purbottar

10 Aug

After UNSC maritime session, Pak threatens continued militarisation

editor0 CommentsBreaking News, International, worldPAKISTAN

Pakistan has threatened to continue militarising citing what it claimed was a “geo-strategic competition and the pursuit of military dominance by some states”, while mentioning India. After Monday’s high-level meeting on maritime security at the UN Security Council, Pakistan’s Permanent Representative Munir Akram sent a written statement to the Indian Mission to be included in the record of the session. India is the current President of the Council and the meeting was presided over by Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Akram asserted that “India has nuclearised the Indian Ocean and continues to induct advanced weapons systems and naval delivery platforms” with…

09 Aug

Rupee snaps 5-day winning streak, drops 11 paise against US dollar

editor0 CommentsBusiness, India, InternationalECONOMY, INDIA

Halting its five-session winning run, the rupee on Monday declined by 11 paise to close at 74.26 (provisional) against the US dollar, tracking the firm American currency. At the interbank foreign exchange market, the domestic currency opened at 74.21 against the American currency and slipped further to close at 74.26, registering a decline of 11 paise over its previous close. On Friday, the rupee had settled at 74.15 against the US dollar. During the session, the local unit touched an intra-day high of 74.21 and a low of 74.29 against the US currency. The dollar index, which gauges the greenback’s…

08 Aug

Covid-19: UK eases travel restrictions for India

editor0 CommentsCovid-19, International

The United Kingdom moved India from its “red” to “amber” list easing travel restrictions for fully vaccinated Indians. The Indian passengers traveling to UK no longer need to follow the 10-day institutional quarantine on arrival at Britain if they can furnish their full vaccination certificate. According to the Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) all arrivals from India who have been vaccinated with both the doses can choose to isolate at home. The individuals no longer need to shell out 1, 750 pounds per head for 10 day quarantine at a government-approved facility. Moreover, people vaccinated in UK or…

08 Aug

Taliban capture northern Afghan city of Kunduz

editor0 CommentsBreaking News, InternationalTaliban

Afghan forces and the Taliban were fighting fiercely Sunday in the centre of Kunduz.The Taliban said Sunday they had captured the key Afghan city of Kunduz, a claim confirmed by an AFP correspondent in the vicinity, as fierce fighting raged in the centre of a second northern capital, Shar-e-pul. officials and residents confirmed, that the insurgents did capture two other provincial capitals in the last 48 hours.The Taliban have taken two provincial capitals since Friday, but Kunduz would be the most significant to fall since the insurgents launched an offensive in May as foreign forces began the final stages of…

07 Aug

Taliban captures Afghan provincial capital Zaranj

editor0 CommentsInternationalAfghanistan, Taliban

The Taliban has captured an Afghan provincial capital after pleas for reinforcements by local security forces went unheard, in a major blow to the western-backed government. Zaranj, in the south-western province of Nimroz, fell after just three hours of fighting becoming the first provincial capital to be taken by the insurgents who have intensified their nationwide offensive as foreign forces withdraw from Afghanistan after 20 years of war. Late on Friday, heavily armed Taliban fighters driving captured Humvees were patrolling the streets of Nimroz, one of the country’s main financial hubs, where Taliban commanders declared an overnight curfew. “Nowhere in…

06 Aug

Johnson & Johnson applies for Emergency Use Authorization of its single-dose Covid vaccine in India

editor0 CommentsIndia, InternationalCovid-19 vaccine

Johnson & Johnson has applied for the Emergency Use Authorisation (EUA) of its single-dose Covid-19 vaccine, said an official statement issued by the US-based pharmaceutical company on Friday. "On August 5, 2021, Johnson & Johnson Pvt. Ltd applied for Emergency Use Authorisation (EUA) of its single-dose covid-19 vaccine to the Government of India," read the statement. Johnson & Johnson claimed that its single-shot vaccine, in clinical trials, proved to be 85 per cent effective in preventing severe disease. The vaccine also showed protection against Covid-19 related hospitalisation and death, it said. "The EUA submission is based on topline efficacy and…

06 Aug

Pakistan Air Force Aircraft Crashes During Training Exercise In Punjab Province

editor0 CommentsInternationalPAKISTAN, plane crash

A Pakistan Air Force (PAF) trainer aircraft crashed on Friday during routine training exercise near Attock area of Punjab province."Both pilots have ejected successfully. No loss of life or property has been reported so far on ground," the PAF said in a statement. It said a Board of Inquiry has been ordered to investigate the cause of the accident. This is the third such crash reported by the PAF in the last 18 months. In September 2020, a PAF trainer aircraft crashed in the Attock district during a routine flight.That same year in February, a PAF Mirage aircraft crashed near…

06 Aug

LAC: India and China disengage in Gogra, all temporary structures dismantled

editor0 CommentsIndia, InternationalChina, INDIA

India and China have disengaged their troops in the Gogra Heights area of eastern Ladakh. This comes nearly a week after the two sides held the 12th Corps Commander-level talks at Moldo on the Chinese side of the Line of Actual Control (LAC). The disengagement has taken place around Patrol Point 17A in eastern Ladakh. This had been one of the friction points between the two countries amid the military tussle that has been on for more than a year. "All temporary structures and other allied infrastructure created in the area by both sides have been dismantled and mutually verified.…

06 Aug

Taliban kills Afghan government’s top media officer

editor0 CommentsBreaking News, InternationalTaliban

The Taliban claimed responsibility for killing Dawa Khan Menapal, head of the Government Media and Information Centre (GMIC). The assassination was the latest in a series conducted by the hardline Islamist group to weaken Ghani's democratically elected, western backed regime. U.S. diplomat in Afghanistan condemned Taliban fighters killing the Afghanistan government's top media and information officer in the capital Kabul.They condemned the act as an affront to human rights and free speech. Menapal had also served as a spokesperson in Afghan President Ashraf Ghani's outreach team.

05 Aug

PM Modi hails Indian hockey team’s medal win as historic

editor0 CommentsIndia, International, SportsTokyo Olympics

Hailing Indian men’s hockey team’s bronze medal win in the Tokyo Olympics as historic, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said on Thursday that this day will be etched in the memory of every Indian.With this feat, they have captured the imagination of the entire nation, especially the youth, Modi said, adding that India is proud of its hockey team.The Indian men’s hockey team rewrote history as it claimed an Olympic medal after 41 years, beating a plucky Germany 5-4 to claim the bronze in an edge-of-the-seat play-off match of the ongoing Games here on Thursday.Modi tweeted, “Historic! A day that will…