Moscow, Oct 23 (AFP/APP): Blooming algae was behind a recent mass death of sea animals that saw octopuses and seals wash up on the shore off a Russian peninsula, scientists said on Friday in the final conclusion to their probe. Locals in Kamchatka, a volcanic peninsula in Russia's Far East, raised the alarm in September after the animals were found dead and surfers complained of stinging eyes.
RAWALPINDI, Oct 23 (APP): The 50th meeting of the Governing Body Rawalpindi Development Authority (RDA) has banned the commercial constructions up to 100 meters along Rawalpindi Ring Road. The meeting was held here under the chairmanship of RDA Chairman Tariq Mehmood Murtaza here on Friday. Chairman RDA said that the purpose of this ban is to bring the constructions along the Ring Road in accordance with the Town Planning Regulation.
Washington, Oct 23 (AFP/APP): More than 50 million Americans have voted early in the White House race pitting President Donald Trump against Democrat Joe Biden, a group monitoring balloting said Friday. Voters are smashing records for casting ballots ahead of Election Day on November 3 in order to avoid crowded polling centers and long lines out of fear of catching the coronavirus.
MANSEHRA, Oct 23 (APP): Federal Minister for Narcotics Control Azam Khan Swati Friday said the PTI government is working on strict legislation to give exemplary punishment to drug traffickers and peddlers. Addressing an awareness seminar on narcotics control here at Hazara University, he said that there are several loopholes in the existing legislative system due to which the drug peddlers escape the punishments.
MULTAN, Oct 23 (APP): Dr. Jassu Mal, a prominent business and industry figure from Sindh, has strongly criticised the world for not doing enough to enable the people of IIOJK to exercise their right to self determination under UN resolutions. Talking to APP here, the newly elected chairman of Pakistan Cotton Ginners Association said that in India not only Muslims but all other minorities are facing cruelties.
Madrid, Oct 23 (AFP/APP): The "real number" of coronavirus cases in Spain is more than three million, Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez said on Friday in a televised address. Earlier this week, Spain officially surpassed one million confirmed COVID19 infections but Sanchez said the actual figure was much higher because the number of cases detected at the start of the pandemic was very low.
MULTAN, Oct 23 (APP): The Environmental Protection Department (EPD) Friday sealed a small industrial unit causing environment pollution as step to avert smog. EPD Deputy Director Zafar Iqbal led the operation in Industrial estate area and sealed universal chip board plant under the directions of Deputy Commissioner Aamer Khattak.
Istanbul, Oct 23 (AFP/APP): Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan on Friday confirmed the first test last week of a controversial Russian missile defense system, as he dismissed US criticism. "It is true about the tests, they have been done and will continue", he told reporters in Istanbul after reports last Friday the Turkish army conducted the test firing of the S-400 system.
ANKARA, Oct 23 (AA/APP): The Philippines released nearly 82,000 prisoners since mid-March to decongest the overcrowded jails in the country amid the COVID19 pandemic, the country’s top judge revealed on Friday. Chief Justice Diosdado Peralta said in a virtual news conference that 81,888 inmates were released from March 17 to Oct. 16, daily Phil Star reported.
Geneva, Oct 23 (AFP/APP): The national ceasefire signed Friday between Libya's two rival factions takes place with immediate effect, the UN's Libya envoy said following the signing ceremony at the United Nations in Geneva. "Today is a good day for the Libyan people", Stephanie Williams told a press conference, saying the delegations "signed a complete, country-wide and permanent ceasefire agreement with immediate effect".
ISLAMABAD, Oct 23 (APP): Pakistan and Argentina, in their fourth round of bilateral political consultations, have exchanged views on a wide range of bilateral, regional and multilateral matters of mutual interest. The two sides also took stock of the under-process bilateral agreements and MoUs. The Foreign Minister of Argentina was invited to Pakistan on behalf of Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi.
ISLAMABAD, Oct 23 (APP): Minister for Information and Broadcasting Senator Shibli Faraz on Friday said PMLN’s absconding leader Nawaz Sharif would hopefully be brought back from London by January 15 as optimum legal and diplomatic efforts are under way. “I assure you, by the Grace of Allah Almighty, by January 15, Nawaz Sharif will be in any jail of Pakistan..."
ISLAMABAD, Oct 23 (APP): The IT & IT enabled Services (ITeS) export remittances comprising of computer services and call center services have surged to $379.251 million at a growth rate of 43.55% during the first three months (July-September) of FY 2020-21. The export was $264.187 million during the during the first three months of FY 2019-20, according to the performance report of Pakistan Software Export Board (PSEB)
ISLAMABAD, Oct 23 (APP): Five persons including women and children were killed when a passenger bus they were travelling on caught fire and overturned in Khuzdar on Friday. According to details, Rescue sources said the deadly incident took place in the area of Naach, Khuzdar, where a passenger bus caught fire. As a result five persons were burnt to death.
ISTANBUL, Oct 23 (AA/APP): The European Union's laptop imports reached an all-time high in April due to work or study from home amid the coronavirus pandemic, the 27-member bloc's statistical department announced on Friday. People also rely on virtual meetings and video talks with their friends and families during the period, Eurostat said.
ANKARA, Oct 23 (AA/APP): A total of 10,603 new companies were established in Turkey in September, up 37.77% on an annual basis, the country's top trade body said on Friday. The figure also marked a monthly rise of 13.38%, according to data released by the Turkish Union of Chambers and Commodity Exchanges. Some 1,470 companies went out of business last month, up 18.45% year-on-year.
BEIJING, Oct 23 (Xinhua/APP): China and Bangladesh will continue to firmly support each other on issues involving their core interests and major concerns, Chinese State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi and his Bangladeshi counterpart AK Abdul Momen agreed in their phone conversation on Thursday. The friendship between China and Bangladesh has been lifted to a higher level in the joint fight against the coronavirus pandemic, said Wang
Washington, Oct 22 (AFP/APP): Microsoft and Alaska Airlines announced a partnership Thursday to use sustainable jet fuel to offset emissions from the technology giant's employee travel. Under the agreement, Microsoft will cover the costs of fuel produced from sustainable resources, like waste oils and agricultural residues, which will result in reduced carbon emissions.
New York, Oct 22 (AFP/APP): Wall Street advanced slowly at the open Thursday as data showed some improvement in the employment situation even as congressional lawmakers showed few signs of agreeing to new US stimulus package. About 20 minutes into trading, the benchmark Dow Jones Industrial Average rose 0.2 percent to 28,262.58.
ISLAMABAD, Oct 22 (APP): As many as 25 teams of the Prime Minister's Corona Relief Tiger Force are actively assisting the Islamabad Capital Territory (ICT) administration in curbing profiteering and hoarding in urban and rural areas of the federal capital. “Each team comprises 10 to 15 members of the Tiger Force who are assigned to identify hoarding and profiteering in the assigned areas", the ICT admin spokesman told APP on Thursday.
ISLAMABAD, Oct 22 (APP): On invitation of the Speaker National Assembly Asad Qaiser a Seventeen Members Afghan Parliamentary delegation led by Speaker of the Wolsey Jirga (Afghan Parliament) Mir Rahman Rahmani would arrive in Islamabad on October 23 on a six-day official visit.
Washington, Oct 22 (AFP/APP): New jobless benefit claims in the United States fell to 787,000 last week, the Labor Department said, around 100,000 fewer than the week prior. The drop was significantly more than expected and came both from a 55,000 decline in the number of claims filed in the week ended October 17, and a 56,000 downward revision to the previous week's level of reported claims, according to the data.
GUANGZHOU, Oct 22 (Xinhua/APP): Chinese smartphone manufacturer Vivo has announced to launch its business in Poland, Germany, France, Spain, Italy, and Britain, extending its fanbase in European markets. The Guangdong-headquartered company set up its European offices in November 2019, and its European headquarters in Dusseldorf, Germany, currently has employees from 16 nations.
MULTAN, Oct 22 (APP): Chief Minister's Advisor on Transport Haji Javed Akhtar Ansari said that the incumbent Government has boosted Kashmir issue at international level through best foreign policies. Talking to APP here on Thursday, Haji Javed Akhtar Ansari said that Pakistan always stand by the people of Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IIOJ&K).
SWABI, Oct 22 (APP): President Azad Jammu and Kashmir Sardar Masood Khan has said that India is the most violent state of the world which has illegally occupied Kashmir since last seven decades till date. He said India is conducting massive human rights violations in Held Kashmir and has desecrated every known international law.
ISLAMABAD, Oct 22 (APP): The Paris-based journalists’ body, Reporters without Borders (RSF), has denounced the sealing of the English daily Kashmir Times in Srinagar by the Indian authorities, in Indian illegally occupied Jammu and Kashmir. The officials of Delhi-run Estate Department evicted journalists from the office of the English-language Kashmir Times newspaper on Monday in Srinagar and then sealed the premises, Kashmir Media Service reported.
RIYADH, Oct 22 (Xinhua/APP): Saudi Arabia launched a national strategy on Wednesday to become a global leader in artificial intelligence (AI) by 2030, Saudi Press Agency reported. Abdullah bin Sharaf Alghamdi, president of the Saudi Data and AI Authority, announced the launch of the National Strategy for Data and AI at the Global AI Summit, which kicked off virtually on Wednesday.
Montpellier, France, Oct 22 (AFP/APP): Tonga prop Toma'akino Taufa has signed a two-month deal as international cover for Montpellier, the French Top 14 club announced on Thursday. The outfit will be without three front-rowers -- France's Mohamed Haouas and Georgian pair Levan Chilachava and Misha Nariashvili -- for up to six league games due to upcoming Test matches and next month's Autumn Nations Cup.
PESHAWAR, Oct 22 (APP): A delegation of tribal elders from Kurram district on Thursday met with Chief Minister Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Mahmood Khan to discuss regional issues and development projects. The delegation led by special assistant Zahoor Shakir and Malik Habib Orakzai exchanged views on . health, education, electricity and road construction development programs.
PESHAWAR, Oct 22 (APP): Former Secretary Security erstwhile Fata, Brigadier (R) Mahmood Shah here Thursday said life has become a nightmare for innocent Kashmiris after abolishment of the special status of Indian Illegally Occupied Jummu and Kashmir (IIOJK). “India has broken all records of atrocities, sexual violence and humans rights’ abuses in Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IIOJK) after abolishment of its special status on August 5, 2019
