Friday, November 29
The Balochistan government has suspended 44 government employees, including officers, in Turbat and Kohlu for participating in a protest sit-in and rally against the alleged killing of Balaach Mola Bakhsh. The suspensions were confirmed by the commissioner of Makran Division, who cited the employees' support for the anti-government protest. The disciplinary action includes suspending 30 employees from grade 1 to 15 and initiating action against officials of grade 16 and above. In addition, 14 government employees in Kohlu were suspended for participating in the sit-in.
Harvard University's president, Claudine Gay, resigned due to controversy surrounding allegations of plagiarism and her handling of anti-Semitism on campus during the Israel-Hamas conflict. The criticism heightened after reports accused her of not properly giving credit to sources in her work, including recent anonymous accusations. Gay is the second Ivy League president to resign in the past month following the congressional testimony - Liz Magill, president of the University of Pennsylvania, resigned December 9. Initially supported by Harvard's governing body, the Harvard Corporation, Gay faced increasing pressure from lawmakers, alumni, and donors to step down.
The high court in Pakistan reserved its verdict on the review pleas filed by the election commission against the suspension of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf party's organisational polls and the revocation of its election symbol, a cricket bat. Imran Khan's PTI party faces uncertainty over its electoral symbol as the Election Commission rejected its intra-party elections. Barrister Gohar Khan was elected as the party's new chairman. The court heard arguments from both PTI and ECP counsels and issued a notice to PTI for the completion of arguments.
Turkey on Tuesday announced the detention of 33 people suspected of planning abductions and spying on behalf of Israel's Mossad intelligence service. Interior Minister Ali Yerlikaya said the suspects were rounded up in raids across eight provinces in and around Istanbul. It was not immediately clear if they were Israeli nationals or locals allegedly working with Mossad. "We will never allow espionage activities to be conducted against the national unity and solidarity of our country," Yerlikaya said on social media.
President Xi Jinping vows to strengthen economic momentum and job creation amid domestic headwinds in China. He acknowledges the challenges faced by enterprises and citizens in 2023 and emphasizes the need for economic recovery and development. Xi pledges to improve education, career opportunities, and healthcare, especially for the youth and elderly. China's youth unemployment and property market crisis are pressing concerns. The government aims to avoid deflation and achieve a growth goal of around 5%. Confidence in China's policymaking and stability is crucial after concerns and capital outflows in 2023.
As Russia begins its 2024 Brics chairmanship, President Vladimir Putin emphasizes positive and constructive cooperation with all concerned countries. The chairmanship now includes 10 countries, including Egypt, Ethiopia, Iran, Saudi Arabia, and the United Arab Emirates. Russia aims to integrate new participants into all formats of BRICS activities and work on a new category of BRICS partner countries. They will promote Brics partnership in politics and security, economy and finance, and cultural and humanitarian contacts.
