Friday, November 29
Pakistan's independent human rights commission said Monday there is little chance of free and fair parliamentary elections in the country next month because of "pre-poll rigging." It also expressed concern about authorities rejecting the candidacies of former Prime Minister Imran Khan and most other members of his party. At a news conference in Islamabad, the co-chairperson of the Human Rights Commission of Pakistan, Munizae Jahangir, said other political parties have been subjected to similar tactics to varying degrees.
Unidentified militants shot and killed six barbers from Pakistan's Punjab province after abducting them from the restive northwest region, police said. The incident took place in the Mir Ali area of the North Waziristan district of the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province bordering Afghanistan, ARY News reported on Tuesday. However, no one immediately claimed responsibility for the killings. The latest incident from North Waziristan came after five labourers were killed in the same province by unidentified militants while they were in their tents.
The acceptance of Nawaz Sharif's nomination papers from Lahore's national assembly seat for the general elections was on Monday challenged by senior members of Imran Khan's party, saying the three-time former prime minister was disqualified for life by the apex court in 2017. Khan's party approached the appellate tribunal after the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) rejected the nomination papers of Khan and 90% of important leaders of his Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf party. The ECP, however, approved the candidature of Sharif from two national assembly seats from Mansahara and Lahore.
Crown Prince Frederik of Denmark, set to become the next king after Queen Margrethe II abdicates on January 14, 2024, embodies a blend of tradition and modernity. He has undergone significant transformation, from a rebellious youth to a responsible family man. Frederik has a younger brother, Prince Joachim, and four children with his wife, Mary Donaldson. He is fluent in Danish, French, English, and German, and has a keen interest in science, technology, and innovation. As a passionate advocate for the environment, Frederik has discreetly established himself as a key figure in Denmark's efforts to address the climate crisis.
A powerful earthquake struck central Japan triggering tsunami warnings for coastal prefectures. The quake caused waves along the Sea of Japan coast and knocked out power to thousands of homes. The Japan Meteorological Agency issued the first major tsunami warning since the 2011 earthquake and tsunami. Russia also issued tsunami warnings in its far eastern cities. The extent of the damage is still being assessed, and there is a possibility of more strong quakes in the area.
Ukraine foiled a record number of Russian drones on New Year's eve. Russian shelling killed one person in the Odesa region and another person in Kherson. The Ukrainian air force destroyed 87 out of 90 Iranian-made Shahed drones. Moscow launched missiles in the Kharkiv region, Zaporizhzhia, and Kherson. Odesa and Lviv were also targeted, causing damage to a university and museum. Ukrainian drone attacks were reported in Russia's Belgorod region. Recent days have seen escalated attacks between Moscow and Kyiv, including a Ukrainian attack on Belgorod that resulted in 24 deaths on Saturday.
Japan issued tsunami alerts and told people to evacuate coastal areas after a series of strong quakes on its western coastline. The Japan Meteorological Agency reported quakes off the coast of Ishikawa and nearby prefectures. Tsunami warnings were issued for Ishikawa and lower-level warnings or advisories for the rest of the western coast of Japan's main island of Honshu. Japanese public broadcaster NHK TV warned of high tsunami waves and urged people to flee to high land or nearby buildings. Government spokesman Yoshimasa Hayashi emphasized the importance of immediate evacuation for people in coastal areas.
Bangladeshi Nobel peace laureate Muhammad Yunus and three of his Grameen Telecom colleagues have been convicted under labour laws and sentenced to six months in simple imprisonment. The case has been widely criticized as politically motivated. Yunus, known for his microfinance bank that lifted millions out of poverty, has been accused by prime minister Sheikh Hasina of exploiting the poor. Hasina is expected to win another term in the upcoming elections. In August, global figures including Barack Obama and Ban Ki-moon denounced the judicial harassment of Yunus.
