Tue, 21-Oct-2025

PM urges Grant-Based support for developing countries

PM

ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Friday reiterated the importance of providing predictable, flexible, and grant-based financial assistance to developing countries, enabling them to establish resilient infrastructure and advance sustainable development. “Without such support, the path to climate adaption and green transformation will remain elusive,” the prime minister stated in a video message at the … Read more

Fintech Users in Pakistan and Other Countries Targeted by Cyber Hackers

Fintech Users

Fintech users in Pakistan and other countries are under cyber attacks. DeathStalker hacker group linked to global cyber attack targeting fintech and trading sectors, including Pakistan. Attackers use Telegram to distribute Trojan spyware, specifically DarkMe malware, designed to steal sensitive data. A global cyber attack targeting individuals and businesses in the fintech and trading sectors, … Read more

Russia adds Norway to list of ‘unfriendly’ countries

Russia adds Norway to list of 'unfriendly' countries
  • Russia has added Norway to a list of unfriendly nations.
  • Norway has been restricted to hiring 27 employees.
  • Norway has not acted unfriendly towards Russia.

Norway has been added to a list of unfriendly nations engaged in hostile activities against Moscow’s foreign diplomatic missions abroad, according to reports from Russian media on Thursday.

According to the statement issued by the cabinet, it stated: “We adopted the Russian presidential decree ‘On the application of measures against the unfriendly actions of foreign states.’”

“The decree stipulates restrictions, up to a complete ban, on the ability of unfriendly countries to hire staff for their embassies, consulates, representative offices of state bodies and state institutions from among persons resident in Russia,” the statement said.

“So, according to the new order, Norway is assigned a limit of 27 employees,” the cabinet stated.

In May 2021, the government enforced restrictions on the diplomatic missions of the United States and the Czech Republic. In July 2022, they extended this measure to include the diplomatic missions of Greece, Denmark, Slovenia, Croatia, and Slovakia, prohibiting their activities.

“The list approved by the government is not definitive and may be expanded, taking into account the ongoing hostile actions by foreign countries against Russian missions abroad,” the cabinet underlined.

“There is another list apart from this one prepared in 2022 to implement the decree on the temporary procedure for the fulfillment of obligations to foreign creditors,”

In April, Norway expelled 15 Russian diplomats on suspicion of espionage. In response, Russia retaliated by expelling 10 Norwegian diplomats.

Norway asserted that it had not acted unfriendly towards Russia, despite sharing a border in the Arctic with the country. The list of countries involved in this situation includes the US, Canada, EU, the UK, Ukraine, various other European countries, Japan, South Korea, Australia, and countries supporting anti-Russian sanctions.

“Today’s situation is the result of Russia’s war on Ukraine. Russia can itself choose to end the war,” Norwegian Foreign Minister Anniken Huitfeldt said in a statement to Reuters.

“As neighbouring countries we both have an interest in functioning diplomatic relations and channels of contact, not least in difficult times,” Huitfeldt said.

A spokesperson from the Norwegian foreign ministry stated that they have not yet received an official notification from Moscow. They also refrained from discussing any particular ramifications of Russia’s decision.

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INDIA TO INVEST MORE IN SRI LANKA

Sri Lanka declared a nationwide state of emergency on Wednesday, hours after President Gotabaya Rajapaksa fled the country. Protests against the economic crisis have simmered for months and came to a head last weekend when hundreds of thousands took over government buildings in Colombo. After providing $3.8 billion in aid to its neighbouring Sri Lanka … Read more

Pakistan needs to tap export potential of Thar coal

KARACHI: Pakistan needs to tap the export potential of Thar coal and also ensure the usage of coal for power generation in a sustainable, environment-friendly manner to limit the impact of imported liquid fuels on the national economy. These views were expressed by the engineering and environmental experts at a seminar organised by the Citizens … Read more

Developing countries left ‘disappointed’ at climate talks

Developing countries express disappointment at lack of progress in assisting vulnerable countries cope with effects of global warming. Developed nations want dedicated finance infrastructure to assist impoverished countries. Poor countries want the issue discussed at the COP27 summit in Sharm el-Sheik in November.   BONN (Germany) — As climate talks in Germany came to a … Read more

Cazoo World Cup of Darts affirms contending countries for 2022 competition

Cazoo World Cup

The 32 contending countries in the 2022 Cazoo World Cup of Darts have been affirmed in front of June’s competition in Germany. Following one-year nonattendances, New Zealand and Latvia will get back to the 2022 line-up, while Switzerland will go after the initial time beginning around 2018. The 2021 occasion saw Peter Wright and John … Read more

Countries hope to gain from Russian tech brain drain

Russia

Russia’s tech workers are looking for safer and more productive professional pastures as up to 70,000 computer specialists, have left the country since Russia invaded Ukraine five weeks ago. Many more are expected to follow. For some countries, Russia’s loss is being seen as their potential gain and an opportunity to bring fresh expertise to … Read more

World Bank loans South Africa $750 million to fight Covid

World Bank

JOHANNESBURG: The World Bank has approved a $750-million (660-million-euro) loan to support South Africa’s Covid response and to bolster the economic recovery from the pandemic, the Treasury said on Friday. In a statement, the Treasury said the loan aims at “protecting the poor and vulnerable from the adverse socioeconomic impacts of the pandemic and supporting … Read more

Taxes to tackle inequality

Taxes

WASHINGTON: Public debt ratios in Latin America and the Caribbean (LAC) increased by about 10 percentage points of GDP in 2020. With debt service costs rising, countries in the region are under pressure to cut public spending and/or raise taxes, even in the face of widespread needs to respond to the pandemic. Our latest Regional … Read more

Rebuilding a temple

The Hindu pilgrims from neighboring India and other countries have started visiting the ancient Teri temple in the historic town of Karak in Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa. The temple has recently been reconstructed and opened for the pilgrims. Recently, a delegation of international pilgrims comprising 215 Hindus, of which 159 were from neighboring India, performed their religious rituals … Read more

COVID-19 hospitalizations hit 10-month high in Portugal

COVID-19

LISBON, Jan. 5 (Xinhua) — A total of 1,203 COVID-19 patients are in hospital in Portugal on Tuesday, the highest number in the last 10 months, said the country’s Directorate-General for Health (DGS). An additional 36 people were hospitalized over the past 24 hours, with 147 patients in intensive care units. Meanwhile, 25,836 new infections … Read more

China’s inclusion in WTO helped developing countries: envoy

China’s inclusion

BEIJING: China’s inclusion in the World Trade Organisation (WTO) has not only helped China open up and promote free and inclusive trade liberalisation, but also the other countries, especially the developing world. Many developing nations have benefited since China’s inclusion in the WTO, Ambassador of Pakistan to China Moin Ul Haque told CGTN on the … Read more

Opec+ delays technical meetings to review market conditions

Opec

RIYADH: The Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries and its allies, a grouping known as Opec+, is moving two technical meetings to later this week after oil’s rout last Friday, Bloomberg reported. The move seeks to allow its committees more time to evaluate the impact of a new strain of the coronavirus. A joint technical committee meeting … Read more

Draft COP26 text urges nations to speed up emissions goals in 2022

GLASGOW: A draft text at the COP26 climate summit urged countries on Wednesday to revisit their emissions cutting goals by 2022, three years ahead of schedule, after data showed current plans were far from limiting heating to 1.5°C. After 10 days of technical discussions among delegates from nearly 200 nations in Glasgow on how the world … Read more

Which Asia-Pacific countries are re-opening to foreign visitors?

KUALA LUMPUR: Thailand’s re-opening to vaccinated foreign tourists marks a major easing of border controls for Asia, where governments have been far slower to roll back coronavirus travel curbs than in much of the West. Here is a look at which countries are opening up across the Asia-Pacific region and those staying sealed off from … Read more

Saudi-Swiss investment to hit $3.2 billion by 2030

RIYADH: The newly-formed Saudi-Swiss Investment Forum, which will support investment in both countries, aims at hitting SR12 trillion ($3.2 billion) of financing by 2030, the Saudi Press Agency reported. The body, launched on October 25, 2021 in Riyadh, will also back Swiss companies who want to invest in the kingdom. Minister of Investment Khalid Al-Falih … Read more

Chinese Premier urges expedited negotiations of the COC

BEIJING: Chinese Premier Li Keqiang on Tuesday said that China and the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) countries should expedite the Code of Conduct in the South China Sea (COC) negotiations and strive for its early conclusion. Li made the remarks when attending the 24th China-ASEAN Summit. He said that peace in the South … Read more

Pakistan’s regional exports rise 31% in July-September 2021

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s exports to the seven regional countries witnessed an increase of 31.60 per cent during the first three months of the current financial year (2021/22), compared with the corresponding months of the last year. The country’s exports to the regional countries, including Afghanistan, China, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, India, Nepal, and the Maldives account for … Read more

Around 75 countries including China call for global solidarity for vaccine equity

UNITED NATIONS:  Some 75 countries, including China, on Friday called for global solidarity for vaccine equity at the General Debate of the Third Committee of the UN General Assembly. The pandemic knows no borders. The only solution lies in global solidarity, unity and multilateral cooperation, said the countries in a joint statement. “We call on … Read more

Biden, Merkel discuss issues with Chinese President over telephone conversation

BEIJING: Chinese President Xi Jinping had a telephonic conversation with the US President Joe Biden and German Chancellor Angela Merkel on Friday regarding the bilateral ties between the countries. “Getting the China-US relationship right is not an option, but something the two sides must do and must do it well,” Xi told his US counterpart … Read more

Saudi Arabia to impose 3-year travel ban for citizens who visit ‘red list’ states

Hajj 2021

RIYADH: Saudi Arabia will impose a three-year travel ban on citizens travelling to countries on the kingdom’s ‘red list’ under efforts to curb the spread of coronavirus and its new variants, state news agency SPA quoted as saying on Tuesday. It cited an unnamed interior ministry official as saying some Saudi citizens, who in May … Read more

In Japan, we strive for cutting-edge science, technology, and innovation

In Japan, we strive for cutting-edge science, technology, and innovation

The Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science, and Technology (MEXT) of Japan has stressed the importance of being a world leader in science and technology.

Japan’s economy and society are undergoing significant changes. Energy, resources, food shortages, a declining birth rate, an aging population, as well as underdeveloped rural economies and communities, are the most pressing issues in Japan today.

Japan’s global status in science and technology has recently fallen as a result of these challenges, even while other countries continue to strengthen their science, technology, and innovation (STI) policies.

However, as in the past, Japan must continue to be a country that actively contributes to humanity’s growth by using its STI capability to address global concerns and improve the quality of life in underdeveloped countries. Japan also aspires to actively contribute to global growth that is sustainable.

The Science and Technology Policy Bureau, which is part of Japan’s Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science, and Technology (MEXT), is in charge of planning and designing basic policies to promote science and technology in the country.

Its goal is to develop human resources in science and technology, benefiting everyone from students to senior researchers and engineers, and to support international activities and science and technology promotion in a variety of places.

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Dubai Ruler Opens $1 Million Coding Plan For Graduates

UAE's Sheikh Mohammed Conveys Christmas Greetings

DUBAI: His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice-President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, on Sunday called upon graduates of the initiative to develop projects and solutions using the skills they acquired during the programme, according to Emirates News Agency (WAM). The grand prize for the most innovative coding … Read more

42 countries ask G20 to take steps to freeze debt service payments

42 countries ask G20 to take steps to freeze debt service payments

Saudi Finance Minister Muhammad al-Jadaan said that 42 countries have asked the G20 to take steps to freeze debt service payments. [embedpost id=”50366″ slug=”pakistan-will-continue-to-fight-for-justice-for-kashmiris”] The G20 will consider extending the debt freeze initiative beyond 2020, Saudi Finance Minister The IMF has approved 77 requests for USD 80 billion in aid, Group of Twenty. Coronavirus epidemic has … Read more

West African countries changes common currency

West

At least Eight West African countries decided collectively to change the name of their common currency in a move to strengthen economic ties. According to the details, countries decided to change the name of their common currency to Eco and severed the CFA franc’s (former currency) links to former colonial ruler France. The CFA franc … Read more

‘Pakistan is willing to promote defense and trade relations with African countries’

FM Shah Mahmood

Foreign Minister of Pakistan Shah Mahmood Qureshi said on Wednesday that Pakistan’s forces have served in many African countries under UN peacekeeping missions for peace. Addressing a two-day conference of diplomats in Islamabad, Pakistan and other countries in the region are facing challenges including security threats. The minister said Pakistan is willing to promote defense … Read more