Islamic Council’s VPN decree raises concerns about privacy in Pakistan
WASHINGTON — Pakistan’s top cleric has declared that virtual private networks, or VPNs, are unlawful, igniting a debate on privacy rights and access to information amid a government crackdown on the internet. Allama Raghib Naeemi, head of the Council of…
US to send antipersonnel mines to Ukraine
The U.S. is planning to send Ukraine antipersonnel land mines to help Kyiv’s forces fend off the advance of Russian ground troops, U.S. defense chief Lloyd Austin said Wednesday. The decision is the second U.S. policy reversal in recent days…
G20 wraps summit highlighting Global South issues
Leaders of the 20 largest economies, the G20, ended a two-day summit in Brazil with a statement supporting developing world priorities on climate change, poverty reduction and taxing billionaires. The final communique did not include strong language on Ukraine and…
Judge strikes down Wyoming abortion ban, including explicit ban on pills
CHEYENNE, Wyoming — A state judge on Monday struck down Wyoming’s overall ban on abortion and its first-in-the-nation explicit prohibition on the use of medication to end pregnancy. Since 2022, Teton County District Judge Melissa Owens has ruled consistently three…
California reports possible bird flu case in child
California’s public health department reported a possible case of bird flu in a child with mild respiratory symptoms on Tuesday, but said there was no evidence of human-to-human transmission of the virus and that the child’s family members tested negative….
Iran slams new EU, UK sanctions as unjustified
TEHRAN, IRAN — Iran’s Foreign Ministry on Tuesday slammed as unjustified the new sanctions by the European Union and United Kingdom against Tehran over its support for Russia’s war on Ukraine. “While the president of Ukraine has admitted that no…
The impact of 1,000 days of Russia’s war on a Ukrainian family
This week marks 1,000 days of fighting in Ukraine. The mounting death toll, the air raid sirens and explosions have been a grim reality for millions of Ukrainians, including 32-year-old Kyiv resident Oleh Reshetnyak and his loved ones. Anna Kosstutschenko…
Zambia, Zimbabwe seek move to wind, solar to avert power shortages
VICTORIA FALLS, ZIMBABWE — Zimbabwe and Zambia are holding a summit this week in Victoria Falls to identify ways to attract investors for energy projects and development. The talks come as the neighbors experience their worst recorded drought, which is…
Slow progress on climate finance fuels anger as COP29 winds down
London — As the COP29 climate summit in Baku, Azerbaijan enters its final days, there are growing frustrations over the apparent lack of progress toward securing a deal on climate finance, which is seen as a crucial step in reducing…
Cracks emerge in G20 consensus over Ukraine as US ramps up aid
RIO DE JANEIRO — With just two months remaining in President Joe Biden’s administration, the United States is ramping up financial, military and diplomatic support for Kyiv’s effort to defend itself against Russian aggression. At the G20 summit in Rio…