Washington, Aug 6 (IANS) US President Donald Trump on Wednesday announced that he has signed an executive order imposing an additional 25 per cent tariff on imports from India, citing the country’s continued purchase of Russian oil.The White House said the decision is aimed at strengthening measures taken under earlier sanctions against Russia following its actions in Ukraine. The US President had announced a 25 per cent tariff on India last week.The order states that India is directly or indi…

Vientiane, Aug 6 (IANS) Laos has raised public awareness, especially among vulnerable groups, to prevent human trafficking.Laos’ Ministry of Labour and Social Welfare held a campaign to commemorate the World Day Against Trafficking in Persons, aiming to strengthen joint efforts against human trafficking and promote legal employment, the ministry said on Wednesday.The event aimed to raise public awareness about the dangers of human trafficking, a serious crime that violates human rights, inflicts…

Islamabad, Aug 6 (IANS) The Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) leader Asad Qaiser has announced that the party will hold the second phase of its protest movement on August 14, the country’s Independence day, to demand the release of its founder and former Prime Minister Imran Khan. During the party’s protest rally to mark the anniversary of Imran Khan’s arrest in Swabi, Qaiser said, “The second phase of our protest will be on August 14, then we will go to Sindh.”Deputy Inspector General of Police Fa…

Ashgabat, Aug 6 (IANS) Kazakh President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev on Tuesday called for stronger global partnerships, enhanced regional connectivity, and inclusive, sustainable development to address the numerous challenges currently facing landlocked developing countries (LLDCs).In his address at the Third UN Conference on LLDCs, Tokayev said that LLDCs, home to over 500 million people across various continents, face major, persistent obstacles including limited access to finance, global markets, a…

Islamabad, Aug 6 (IANS) At least 71 people have been killed and 86 others injured in rain-related incidents in Pakistan’s Khyber Pakhtunkhwa since the start of the monsoon season in late June, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa’s Provincial Disaster Management Authority (PDMA) revealed in its latest figures, on Wednesday. The deceased, reported local media citing the latest figures shared by the PDMA, include 40 children, 17 men and 14 women. Monsoon rains have wreaked havoc in Pakistan since June, triggering d…

Beijing, Aug 6 (IANS) China’s mega project, Medog Hydropower Station on the Yarlung Tsangpo River in Tibet, poses a grave threat to the cultural, spiritual, and geographical foundations that have anchored the Tibetan identity for millennia, a report cited on Wednesday.The Medog Hydropower Station, envisioned as the most powerful dam, has been hailed as a “Project of the Century”, promising clean energy, economic growth, and strategic advantage. Yet behind the “triumphant narrative” lies a troubl…

Dhaka, Aug 6 (IANS) The International Crimes Tribunal of Bangladesh on Wednesday formally framed charges against 30 individuals accused in the murder of Abu Sayed, a student of Begum Rokeya University in Rangpur, during the last year’s Anti-Discrimination Student Movement. The tribunal, led by Chairman Justice Nazrul Islam Chowdhury along with two other members, issued the order. Out of the 30 accused, 24 remain cleared out and as they have failed to appear before the court despite public notice…

Islamabad, Aug 6 (IANS) Pakistan’s Ministry of Interior has announced that the repatriation of Afghan nationals holding Proof of Registration (PoR) cards who do not opt to return voluntarily will start on September 1. As per the notification issued by Pakistan’s Ministry of Interior, the voluntary repatriation process of PoR cardholders will start immediately while the compulsory repatriation of remaining Afghan people will begin on September 1, The Express Tribune reported.The decision was take…

Canberra, Aug 6 (IANS) The Australian government’s Online Safety Commissioner has criticised technology giants for failing to prevent child sexual abuse. In a report published on Wednesday, the federal government’s eSafety Commissioner said that global technology giants have failed to prioritise the protection of children by leaving “significant gaps” in their efforts to combat the spread of abuse content on their platforms, Xinhua News Agency reported.The report singled out Apple services and Y…

Hiroshima, Aug 6 (IANS) Japan’s Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba on Wednesday offered condolences to those who lost their lives in the US atomic bombing of Hiroshima as the nation marked the 80th anniversary of the incident. He reiterated his commitment to uphold Japan’s three principles of not possessing, producing or permitting the introduction of nuclear weapons. In his address at the Hiroshima Peace Memorial Ceremony, Ishiba said, “80 years ago today, the violent explosion of a single atomic bo…