Pakistan top court tells army to stay out of politics
ISLAMABAD, Feb 06 (Agencies): Pakistan's Supreme Court rebuked the powerful military and intelligence agencies on Wednesday, calling for them to uphold free speech and stay out of politics in a country ruled by the generals for nearly half its existence.The unusually strong criticism was issued in a judgement released criticising...
Read more
Trump calls for hard line on immigration
WASHINGTON, Feb 06 (AP): Face to face with emboldened Democrats, President Donald Trump called on Washington to cast aside "revenge, resistance and retribution" and end "ridiculous partisan investigations" in a State of the Union address delivered at a vulnerable moment for his presidency.Trump appealed Tuesday night for bipartisanship but refused...
Read more
Venezuela's military bars humanitarian aid shipment
CARACAS, Feb 06 (AFP): Venezuelan military officers blocked a bridge on the border with Colombia ahead of an anticipated humanitarian aid shipment on Tuesday, as opposition leader Juan Guaido stepped up his challenge to President Nicolas Maduro's authority.The opposition-dominated National Assembly had earlier warned the armed forces, which make up...
Read more
Myanmar moves to amend constitution
YANGON, Feb 06 (Reuters): Myanmar's parliament on Wednesday voted to set up a committee to discuss amending the country's constitution, despite objections by military-aligned lawmakers against a move that is likely to challenge the army's power.Aung San Suu Kyi's ruling National League for Democracy (NLD) submitted an "emergency proposal" last...
Read more
Taliban attend second day of Moscow talks
MOSCOW, Feb 06 (AFP): The Taliban entered a second day of unprecedented talks on Wednesday with powerful Afghan politicians in Moscow, sidestepping the Kabul government as it pursues a leading stake in the war- torn country.The rare public appearance that kicked off a day before saw Taliban officials spell out...
Read more
Netanyahu rival speaks of West Bank withdrawal
JERUSALEM, Feb 06 (AFP): Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's main rival in an April election has raised the possibility of pulling back from the occupied West Bank, in remarks published Wednesday that drew right-wing criticism.Benny Gantz, the former armed forces chief of staff, spoke positively of Israel's pullout from the...
Read more
NATO leaders to meet in London
BRUSSELS, Feb 06 (AFP): The leaders of NATO's 29 countries will gather in London in December for a special meeting to mark the alliance's 70th anniversary, Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg announced on Wednesday.Stoltenberg tweeted that the British capital was "the ideal setting to mark 70 years of transatlantic military cooperation,...
Read more
Kidneys grown in rats could pave way for human use
TOKYO, Feb 06 (AFP): Scientists said on Wednesday they have successfully used mice stem cells to grow kidneys in rat embryos, using a technique that could one day help grow human kidneys for transplant.But the researchers cautioned that their success was only a first step and that "serious technical barriers...
Read more
News in Brief (7-2-2019)
Amnesty for halt to arms sales to Saudi-led coalitionCAIRO, Feb 06: An international rights group has urged Western governments to stop supplying weapons to parties to the conflict in Yemen after reports that they were ending up in the hands of extremist groups. Amnesty International's arms control and human rights...
Read more