Author: Mubarak Ahsan

Moscow (28/2). Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu said that non-governmental organizations in Central Asia have stepped up their anti-Russian activities amid the ongoing invasion of Ukraine by the Russian army. Shoigu said this at the board of the Russian Ministry of Defense on February 27. According to him, there are more than 100 “large pro-Western non-governmental organisations” operating in Central Asia, which have more than 16,000 representative offices and branches. “Against the backdrop of the special military operation, these NGOs have significantly increased their anti-Russian activities in order to reduce military-technical, economic and cultural cooperation between the Central Asian states and Russia.…

Shares in Donald Trump’s media company soared as the firm made its formal debut on the stock market. Shares surged past $70 in early trade, giving the firm a market value of more than $9bn. They ended the day at about $58, still up more than 16%. The long-awaited moment will inject more than $200m into Trump Media & Technology Group and hands the former president a stake worth more than $4bn. Analysts say that is far more than the firm’s performance warrants. Trump Media’s Truth Social, a Twitter-like service, brought in just $3.3m in revenue in the first nine…

Key Moment Third-quarter woes appear to be a thing of the past for the Boston Celtics, as they’ve emerged from the All-Star break with two straight wins, both of which were fueled by big runs right after halftime. On Thursday night a 37-21 third-quarter advantage sparked a 129-112 win in Chicago. Then on Saturday night, a 33-13 third-quarter stretch served as the climax for a 116-102 victory in New York. Now, let’s dive into the latter performance that just took place at Madison Square Garden. It was a close game for most of the first half and it was all…

A golden assault rifle from one of Saddam Hussein’s palaces is going on display for the first time. The AK-47 is thought to have been gifted to someone by the Iraqi dictator. The weapon is part of a new exhibition at the Royal Armouries in Leeds. Re:Loaded examines the cultural power of guns and whether deadly weapons can be “disarmed” by transforming them into works of art. The golden AK-47 was found by UK Customs and Excise at Heathrow Airport in 2003 and is likely to be from a palace in Iraq, according to the Royal Armouries. It was discovered…

Israel’s war in Gaza may take “more than several months”, the country’s defence minister has told US National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan. Mr Sullivan arrived in Israel earlier on Thursday to meet with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and other top officials. Earlier this week, Joe Biden said Israel’s “indiscriminate bombing” of Gaza was costing it support globally. The UN this week warned of a dire humanitarian situation in Gaza. During a meeting with Mr Sullivan on Thursday, Israeli Defence Minister Yoav Gallant said that “Hamas is a terrorist organisation that built itself over a decade to fight Israel”. “They built…

More than 60 migrants are believed to have drowned in a shipwreck off the coast of Libya, the International Organization for Migration (IOM) said. Citing survivors, the UN agency said on Saturday the vessel left the city of Zuwara with around 86 people on board. It said high waves swamped the boat and that 61 migrants, including children, were missing and presumed dead. Libya is among the main departure points for migrants trying to cross the Mediterranean and enter Europe. The IOM estimates that more than 2,200 people have drowned while attempting the crossing this year alone, making it one…

London (06/11 – 58) France and the United Kingdom (UK) have jointly made a request in favour of Sri Lanka to the court of the Southern District of New York, for a six-month freeze on any litigation in the Hamilton Reserve Bank case until Sri Lanka’s external debt restructuring is completed, the Financial Times reported. Accordingly, last week the two countries filed a joint “amicus curiae” to the New York judge hearing the case, arguing in favour of Sri Lanka’s request for a six-month freeze on any litigation. The co-signatories in their “amicus curiae” want the judge to grant Sri…

Copenhagen (14/11 – 40) The massive mobilization and sustained pressure jolted the Sri Lankan presidency of the previously all-powerful Gotabaya Rajapaksa, prompted mass resignations from the government at the time, and solidified existing spaces and created new spaces for dissent and discussions on much-needed reforms. Sri Lanka is facing an exceptional political and economic crisis that has sparked months-long protests across the country. The new leadership under President Ranil Wickremesinghe struggles with the economic situation and seemingly failed to uphold basic human rights and pursue accountability for grave crimes towards the people of Sri Lanka. Despite troubling trends of authoritarianism,…

Brussels (16/11 – 83) Sri Lanka is still dealing with the aftermath of its most devastating economic crisis since independence, a government without popular support and intensifying geopolitical competition in its neighborhood, a year after the Sri Lanka’s massive unrest. Known as the Aragalaya protests which were spurred by the economic crisis, the protests led to mass resignations across the government with former President Gotabaya Rajapaksa fleeing the country in July 2022. In the year since, the country has secured an IMF agreement, and its economy has ambled toward a slow path of recovery. However, there have still been concerns on the human rights front as the current government of Ranil Wickremesinghe has…

A Palestinian family of six insists on staying in its home in the city of Deir Al-Balah in the central Gaza Strip despite it being reduced to rubble as a result of an Israeli airstrike, Anadolu Agency reports. The family continues to live in difficult conditions after Israeli warplanes destroyed its two-storey home last month. The attack also seriously wounded the head of the family, 51-year-old Khaled Naji. 27 Amid the ruins of the house, his wife, Siham Naji, is cutting tomatoes and peppers, preparing breakfast for her family, with the help of Khaled and one of their children. Despite the dire…