Day: May 14, 2025

राष्ट्रपति इमानुएल म्याक्रोनले मङ्गलबार फ्रान्सले युक्रेनमा रुसको आक्रमणका कारण ‘तेस्रो विश्वयुद्ध’ सुरु गर्न नचाहेको बताउनुभएको छ । उहाँले म्याराथन टेलिभिजन प्रस्तुतिमा आफ्नो जनादेशको बाँकी दुई वर्षका लागि आफ्ना लक्ष्यहरू प्रस्तुत गर्दै महत्त्वपूर्ण मुद्दाहरूमा जनमत सङ्ग्रहको प्रतिबद्धता जाहेर गर्नुभयो । सन् २०१७ मा आमूल परिवर्तनको वाचा गर्दै सत्तामा आउनुभएका म्याक्रोनले संविधानअन्तर्गत अनुमति दिइएको अधिकतम दुई कार्यकाल पूरा गरेपछि सन् २०२७ मा पदबाट राजीनामा दिनुहुनेछ । विशेष गरी संसदीय चुनाव गराउने आफ्नो निर्णयले उल्टो प्रभाव पारेपछि, अति–दक्षिणपन्थी दललाई संसद्मा सबैभन्दा ठूलो दल बनाएर र आफ्नै दललाई अल्पसङ्ख्यक उपस्थितिमा सीमित गरेपछि पछिल्लो वर्षमा कहिलेकाहीँ म्याक्रोन ल्याम डक (अर्थात शक्तिविहीन) जस्तै देखिनुभएको छ । तर हालैका महिनाहरूमा रुसले युक्रेनमा गरेको आक्रमणबाट...

Pakistan and India each announced on Tuesday the expulsion of one diplomat from the other country, with both sides accusing the respective officials of engaging in espionage activities. Pakistan declared a staff member of the Indian High Commission in Islamabad as persona non grata. The official has been ordered to leave the country within 24 hours, said the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. The Indian Charge d'Affaires was summoned to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, where a formal démarche was issued conveying the decision, the foreign office said, adding that it called on the Indian mission to ensure that its personnel refrain from actions inconsistent with their diplomatic responsibilities. According to Indian media, the Indian government announced earlier it had expelled an off...

Uttar Pradesh: All zoos and safari parks in Uttar Pradesh have been temporarily closed as a precautionary measure following the death of a tigress, Shakti, from Avian influenza at Gorakhpur's Shaheed Ashfaqullah Khan Zoological Park On Wednesday, Etawah Lion Safari Park Director Anil Kumar Patel informed ANI, stating, "After a tigress at Gorakhpur zoo died of Avian influenza, all zoos and safaris in the state have been temporarily closed for a week till 20th May." Patel added that the park has taken necessary precautions and is conducting health checks on staff members. "Health monitoring of zookeepers is being done. We are taking all precautions. There are no symptoms of bird flu in any animal in our park," Patel said. While speaking to ANI, Uttar Pradesh Forest Minister Arun Saxena ...

Following reports of Qatar's gifting of a luxury Boeing 747-8 to the US, President Donald Trump emphasised that the aircraft will be used temporarily until the new Boeing planes arrive, highlighting the cost savings of hundreds of millions of dollars. Defending his decision, Trump emphasised that accepting the gift would save hundreds of millions of dollars, which would instead be spent to "Make America Great Again." Trump further said that it would be foolish not to accept this gift on behalf of Qatar. Sharing a post on social media platform Truth Social, Trump wrote, "The Boeing 747 is being given to the United States Air Force/Department of Defence, NOT TO ME! It is a gift from a nation, Qatar, that we have successfully defended for many years. It will be used by our Government a...

Diplomats and experts from China and the European Union (EU) on Wednesday called for strengthening cooperation amid rising global challenges, as the two sides celebrate the 50th anniversary of diplomatic relations this year. Organized by the EU Delegation to China, the conference titled "Encouraging Balance, Upholding Commitments, Embracing Responsibilities" brought together around 500 participants from both sides in Beijing. Michel Barnier, former prime minister of France and former EU commissioner, delivered a keynote speech, noting that the EU and China must work together on economic stability, global free and fair trade, as well as climate change and other global challenges. He underscored people-to-people exchanges as the foundation for fostering deeper relations. L...

Gaza rescuers said Israeli strikes in the vicinity of a hospital in the south of the Palestinian territory killed at least 28 people Tuesday, after Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu announced the military would enter Gaza "with full force" in the coming days. A day earlier, the release of 21-year-old US-Israeli Edan Alexander, who had been in Hamas captivity since their October 2023 attack on Israel, offered a brief pause in the fighting. Gaza's civil defence agency said at least 28 people were killed Tuesday in Israeli strikes surrounding the European hospital in Khan Yunis, where the Israeli military said it hit a Hamas "command and control centre". AFPTV footage from the aftermath of the strike showed large craters gouged into the ground and cracks in the courtyard outside the hospit...

More than 84,000 people have been affected by flash floods in Somalia since mid-April, the United Nations said. According to a report from the UN humanitarian agency OCHA, flash floods caused by heavy seasonal rains have killed 17 people and affected over 84,000 people in several areas since mid-April. Critical infrastructure has been damaged, OCHA added, noting that water points had been submerged, and almost 200 latrines were destroyed. According to the UN report, meteorologists have warned that more rain is expected in the coming days across southern and central Somalia. The Horn of Africa is one of the regions most vulnerable to climate change, and extreme weather events are becoming increasingly frequent and intense. Somalia was hit by intense floods in 2023. More than 100 people...

UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres called for strengthening peacekeeping operations to make them more relevant to contemporary and future challenges. He emphasized that peacekeeping remains a central tool for achieving peace, commending the sacrifices and contributions of peacekeepers in conflict zones around the world. Addressing the Ministerial Meeting on the Future of Peacekeeping, hosted by Germany, Guterres stated that "the UN was founded on the conviction that peace is possible if we work as one united human family." He explained that UN peacekeepers, or Blue Helmets, are "the most globally recognized symbol of the world's ability to come together to help countries move from conflict to peace." The UN Secretary-General cited a number of countries that have achieved durable peace...

United Nations relief chief Tom Fletcher on Tuesday called on the UN Security Council to take action "to prevent genocide" in Gaza, delivering a scathing account of Israel's actions in the Palestinian territory. Fletcher, the UN Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs, demanded that Israel lift its aid blockade on Gaza, where its offensive has killed tens of thousands and reduced much of the enclave to rubble. "For those killed and those whose voices are silenced: what more evidence do you need now?" asked Fletcher. "Will you act -- decisively -- to prevent genocide and to ensure respect for international humanitarian law?" He alleged that Israel was "deliberately and unashamedly imposing inhumane conditions on civilians in the Occupied Palestinian Territory." Fletcher said UN...

President Emmanuel Macron said Tuesday that France did not want to unleash "World War III" over Russia's invasion of Ukraine and vowed referendums on key issues as he outlined his aims for for the remaining two years of his mandate in a marathon television appearance. Macron, who came to power in 2017 promising radical change, will step down in 2027 after serving the maximum two terms allowed under the constitution. On occasion over the last year, Macron has appeared as a lame duck especially after his decision to hold snap legislative elections backfired, leaving the far-right as the biggest party in parliament and his own party a diminished, minority presence. But recent months have seen a newly energised Macron, boosted by his presence on the international front as he seeks to ...