World News

UN says forced into 'appalling choice' by Taliban ban on women

The United Nations is being forced to make an "appalling choice" over whether to continue operations in Afghanistan while the Taliban government bans women from working for the organisation, the world body said Tuesday.. "Through this ban, the Taliban de facto authorities seek to force the United Nations into having to make an appalling choice between staying and delivering in support of the Afghan people and standing by the norms and principles we are duty-bound to uphold," it said.

Tue, Apr 11, 2023 3 mins read

World News

Bold Chinese vessels frustrate Taiwan's fishing communities

Taiwanese fisherman Wang Chia-wen contends with Chinese incursions every day, although not usually the kind staged by Beijing's military during its latest round of war games.. Some officials say it could be part of Beijing's "grey zone" tactics, a non-military means of coercion that keeps pressure on the self-ruled island.

Tue, Apr 11, 2023 3 mins read

World News

Punching Pooh: unofficial airforce badge all the rage in Taiwan

Patriotic badges showing Winnie the Pooh being punched in the face by a Taiwanese black bear -- a humourous dig at China's leader Xi Jinping -- have gone viral across the self-ruled island. . They noticed on the sleeve of his jacket a patch featuring an illustration of a flag-wielding Formosan black bear pounding Winnie the Pooh.

Tue, Apr 11, 2023 2 mins read

World News

Pakistan mega-mosque muezzin summons the faithful

Moments before dawn, Noor ul Islam ascends the steps of one of the world's biggest mosques, enters its cavernous hall and says a private prayer before a faintly buzzing microphone.. When he steps up to the microphone, Islam plugs his ears with his fingers in order to block all sounds apart from his voice.

Tue, Apr 11, 2023 2 mins read

World News

Inside Nigeria's centres for jihadists and their captives

On an arid plot of land in northern Nigeria, veiled women hurry past vegetable stalls and men idle outside endless rows of tarpaulin tents in what, at first glance, appears to be a typical camp for displaced people.. The large majority of those who turned themselves in are not former fighters but rather men, women and children who lived under jihadist rule.

Tue, Apr 11, 2023 6 mins read

World News

England's health service set for 'catastrophic' doctors' strike

The public health service in England was on Tuesday braced for "the most disruptive industrial action" in its history as junior doctors walk out over pay and working conditions.. "This is set to be the most disruptive industrial action in NHS history, and the strikes tomorrow will bring immense pressures, coming on the back of a challenged extended bank holiday weekend for staff and services," he said on Monday.

Tue, Apr 11, 2023 2 mins read

World News

Philippines, US kick off largest-ever joint military drills

The Philippines and the United States launched their largest-ever joint military exercises on Tuesday, as the longstanding allies seek to counter growing Chinese assertiveness in the region.. News of the expanded base access had prompted China to accuse the United States of "endangering regional peace and stability".

Tue, Apr 11, 2023 3 mins read

World News

Taiwan detects Chinese warships, planes around island after drills end

Chinese warships and aircraft were still operating around Taiwan on Tuesday, the island's defence ministry said, a day after Beijing declared an end to its massive war games.. Taiwan's defence ministry said it had detected nine Chinese warships and 26 aircraft around the island as of 11:00 am (0300 GMT) on Tuesday.

Tue, Apr 11, 2023 2 mins read

World News

Cuba announces surprise reversal of US dollar deposit ban

Cuba's government on Monday announced a surprise lifting of its ban on US dollar deposits in banks, reversing a policy which had been in place across the communist island nation since June 2021.. "From this moment on, financial and banking institutions will accept cash deposits of US dollars in bank accounts," said a Central Bank of Cuba (BCC) resolution published Monday in the country's Official Gazette.

Tue, Apr 11, 2023 1 mins read

World News

Biden heads to Belfast for N. Ireland peace anniversary

US President Joe Biden will arrive in Belfast Tuesday to launch high-profile commemorations of the 25th anniversary of the deal that brought peace to Northern Ireland.. He will head home on Saturday, with Northern Ireland continuing its peace accord commemorations the following week, including a three-day conference starting April 17 hosted by former US secretary of state Hillary Clinton.

Tue, Apr 11, 2023 3 mins read