Strategic Affairs Archives - Page 295 of 303

12 Dec

British-Indian cop ‘cooks-up’ story about transphobia for promotion

London, Dec 12 (IANS) An Indian-origin policewoman in the UK has been found guilty of gross misconduct for fabricating a story about workplace transphobia during an appraisal interview for promotion. Sergeant Sarah Srivastava lied about colleagues discriminating against a transgender officer and how she took steps to challenge their behaviour, the News Times UK reported. Srivastava was slammed for bringing "discredit to the police service" and undermining "public confidence" in the force by the West Midlands Police's attorney during the misconduct hearing. "I am sorry for lying, it was stupid. I'm caught up in the moment," she was quoted as saying…

12 Dec

Police discover 27 dead bodies of foreigners in Zambian capital

Lusaka, Dec 12 (IANS) Police in Lusaka, the Zambian capital, has discovered 27 dead bodies of suspected foreigners dumped by unknown people, police said. The bodies of suspected Ethiopians were discovered in the early hours of Sunday in the Ngwerere area on the outskirts of the Zambian capital after the police were alerted by members of the public. Danny Mwale, the Deputy Police Public Relations Officer, said in a statement that police have since launched an investigation into the matter while all the 27 bodies have been deposited in the mortuary at the University Teaching Hospital, Xinhua news agency reported. The…

12 Dec

Ukrainian Prez holds talks with French, Turkish leaders (Ld)

Kiev, Dec 12 (IANS) Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has said that he had separate conversations with French President Emmanuel Macron and Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan. Zelensky tweeted on Sunday that he discussed with Macron "the implementation of our ten-step peace formula, cooperation on defense and energy stability" of Ukraine, Xinhua news agency reported. In the conversation with Erdogan over the phone, Zelensky thanked Turkey for "sheltering Ukrainian children and providing hundreds of generators for our cities". Zelensky and Erdogan also discussed the "Grain from Ukraine" programme and the possible expansion of the Black Sea Grain export deal. Turkish President Recep…

12 Dec

Afghan forces fire rockets into Pak territory killing 6 civilians

Quetta, Dec 12 (IANS) At least six civilians were killed while over two dozen sustained injuries when Afghan forces fired rockets into the Pakistani territory from across the Chaman border on Sunday evening, in a major escalation in tensions between the two neighbours since Taliban's return to power in Kabul, local media reported. The rockets landed in Killi Sheikh Lal Muhammad, a senior administration official told The Express Tribune on the condition of anonymity because of the sensitivity of the matter. Rocket attacks from the Afghan side left six civilians dead and dozens of others injured. The military also confirmed the…

11 Dec

Iran slams US bid to oust it from UN women’s commission

Tehran, Dec 11 (IANS) The Iranian envoy to the UN has denounced the US bid to cancel Tehran's membership in the UN Commission on the Status of Women (CSW) as a move to serve America's own "political objectives" and going against principles of the UN Charter. Amir Saeed Iravani, Iran's permanent representative to the UN, made the remarks in a letter to the UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, official news agency IRNA reported on Saturday. Iravani warned that had the US move succeed, it would set a "dangerous" precedent in the international organisation and cast doubt on the principle of equality among…

11 Dec

Cold bites as Syria battles fuel shortage amid US-led sanctions

Damascus, Dec 11 (IANS) As plummeting temperatures hit Damascus with a shroud of winter fog, people in the Syrian capital have been battling fuel shortage and other adversities. Although the locals are not new to fuel crises under the impact of US-led economic sanctions and lack of access to key oil and gas fields in rebel-controlled areas, the cold wave in the past two weeks has made their fuel shortage all the more gruelling. The shortage has disrupted the supplies at gas stations across major Syrian cities, forcing many to either reduce the use of cars or buy fuel from the…

11 Dec

Iran summons UK envoy over ‘meddlesome’ remarks, sanctions

Tehran, Dec 11 (IANS) The Iranian Foreign Ministry has summoned the British ambassador over the "meddlesome" remarks of some British officials regarding Iran's internal affairs and the imposition of sanctions against a number of Iranian nationals. In the meeting with Simon Shercliff, the Head of the third bureau of the Iranian Foreign Ministry's Western Europe, condemned the continuation of the "interventionist and impolite" remarks about Iran's internal affairs by British officials and the support of the British government and media for the "riots" and acts of "terror" in the country, according to a statement on the Ministry's website on Saturday. The…

11 Dec

S.Korea top nuclear envoy leaves for Indonesia to meet US, Japanese counterparts

Seoul, Dec 11 (IANS) Kim Gunn, special representative for Korean Peninsula peace and security affairs, left for Indonesia on Sunday for meetings on North Korean nuclear issues with his counterparts from the US and Japan. In Jakarta, Kim is scheduled to meet with Sung Kim, US special representative for North Korea, on Monday, and a meeting with his Japanese counterpart, Takehiro Funakoshi, the next day, according to officials. The three will also hold a trilateral meeting Tuesday, Yonhap News Agency reported. It marks the first gathering of the three top nuclear envoys since their last meeting in Tokyo in September. They…

11 Dec

Yogi’s team in Toronto woos Canadians for Lucknow investor summit

Toronto, Dec 11 (IANS) Pitching Uttar Pradesh as the engine of India's growth, a high-level Uttar Pradesh delegation here wooed investors to the state's Global Investors Summit 2023 in February. The Yogi Adityanath government, which is aiming to attract over Rs 10 lakh crore from investors, has sent delegations to 17 countries to woo investors. Around 10,000 investors are expected to attend the three-day summit in Lucknow from February 10 to 12 . At a dinner hosted on Friday for the visiting delegation, led by Uttar Pradesh Assembly Speaker Satish Mahana and comprising Agriculture and Animal Husbandry Minister Dharampal Singh Saini,…

10 Dec

UN envoy voices concern over insecurity in Congo

United Nations, Dec 10 (IANS) The top UN envoy for Congo has voiced grave concern over insecurity in the eastern part of the country. While the announcement of the 2023 electoral calendar could make a significant contribution to the strengthening of democracy and stability in Congo, one of the most significant challenges the country faces is insecurity, particularly in the east, said Bintou Keita, the UN Secretary-General's Special Representative for Congo, on Friday. Over the past weeks, the security situation in eastern Congo has deteriorated dramatically. Since October 20, the M23 rebel movement has resumed hostilities and extended its control over…