Mikhail Bogdanov, a seasoned Russian diplomat and long-time aide to President Vladimir Putin, has resigned from his position as deputy foreign minister, according to the country’s news agency. The 74-year-old, who also served as Putin’s special envoy to the Middle East and Africa, vacated the post at his own request, reportedly for personal reasons, the news agency quoted a source as saying. President Putin’s order, confirming the acceptance of Bogdanov’s resignation, was issued on Wednesday. Bogdanov graduated from the Moscow State Institute of International Relations in 1974 during the Soviet era and immediately embarked on a diplomatic career as a…
Author: Raja Zahid Khanzada
Indian election officials have imposed a strict deadline, giving voters in Bihar state only weeks to provide proof of their citizenship. This requirement for documents, which few individuals possess, is part of a voter registration overhaul slated for nationwide implementation, thereby triggering significant fears of widespread disenfranchisement. The Election Commission of India (ECI) announced this revision of voter rolls in June, in anticipation of upcoming elections in the eastern state. The ECI stated that this exercise will subsequently be replicated across the entire nation, which has a population of 1.4 billion people. According to the ECI, the “intensive revision” was…
Indian election officials have granted voters in Bihar state a mere few weeks to establish their citizenship, demanding documents that few possess, in a voter registration overhaul slated for nationwide implementation. This development has ignited widespread fears of disenfranchisement. The Election Commission of India (ECI) announced the revision of voter rolls in June, ahead of upcoming polls in the eastern state. The ECI stated that this exercise would subsequently be replicated across the entire nation of 1.4 billion people. According to the ECI, the “intensive revision” was deemed necessary, partly to prevent the “inclusion of the names of foreign illegal…
The anti-poverty charity Oxfam stated in a report released on Thursday that Africa’s four wealthiest individuals possess more assets than approximately half of the continent’s 750 million inhabitants. The report warned that this widening inequality is actively hindering democratic progress. Oxfam specifically named only Nigerian billionaire Aliko Dangote, the continent’s richest man, in its publication. However, according to Forbes, the top four richest Africans also include South Africans Johann Rupert and Nicky Oppenheimer, along with Egyptian businessman Nassef Sawiris. Over the past five years, African billionaires have witnessed a remarkable 56% surge in their wealth, with the most affluent among…
The death toll from the Texas flash floods climbed to 119 on Wednesday, raising concerns that the figure could more than double with over 160 individuals still reported missing. Recovery crews in central Texas continued to sift through muddy debris from the July 4 floods, as Governor Greg Abbott ordered flags to be lowered to half-staff in recognition of the tragedy. Officials in Kerr County, the epicenter of the flooding, confirmed on Wednesday that 161 people were known to be missing within the county. Kerr County, part of the “Flash Flood Alley” region in central Texas, sustained the most severe…
Jemima Goldsmith has strongly condemned the Pakistani government for allegedly threatening to prevent her sons from contacting their father, former Prime Minister Imran Khan, who has been imprisoned for nearly two years. The 71-year-old former cricketer and politician has been incarcerated since August 2023, facing multiple charges ranging from corruption to terrorism since his removal from power by an opposition no-confidence motion in April 2022. Jemima and Khan were married in 1994 and divorced approximately a decade later in 2004. Her statement comes in response to recent remarks by senior government officials suggesting that Khan’s sons could face arrest if…
Torrential rainfall, commencing at 5 AM on Thursday, lashed Lahore for over six hours, inundating low-lying areas, bringing traffic to a standstill, and causing structural damage across several districts in Punjab. The downpour subsided around 11:30 AM, but drainage operations by WASA teams are still underway. Nishtar Town bore the brunt of the heavy rain, recording 182mm, while homes in Dharampura, Shah Jamal, Choburji, and surrounding localities were flooded. Vehicles and motorcycles were left stranded in deep water, particularly in underpasses and along major thoroughfares. A house and a mosque in Shah Jamal also experienced significant flooding. Incidents of wall…
Pakistan’s top military leadership has reaffirmed its commitment to taking decisive and comprehensive actions at all levels against proxies supported and sponsored by India, as announced by the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) on Thursday. The 271st Corps Commanders’ Conference (CCC), chaired by Field Marshal Syed Asim Munir, Chief of Army Staff, in Rawalpindi, observed that India is intensifying its hostile actions against Pakistan following its recent defeat in a conflict. Pakistan and India engaged in a military conflict in May after New Delhi launched attacks on Islamabad, alleging its involvement in an attack on tourists in Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu…
The Sindh government has successfully evacuated nine buildings declared unsafe in Lyari, as announced by senior provincial minister Sharjeel Memon on Thursday. This action follows the collapse of a multi-story residential building in the densely populated inner-city Lyari district last week, an area predominantly inhabited by working-class and low-income families residing in aging apartment blocks. Memon stated that authorities have initiated the demolition of one of the dilapidated buildings in Lyari. He also confirmed that affected families would receive three months’ rent. The minister further added that the new Director General of the Sindh Building Control Authority (SBCA) has mandated…
Two individuals, including Awami National Party (ANP) leader Maulana Khan Zaib, were fatally shot on Thursday near the Khar Tehsil headquarters in Bajaur. According to Bajaur District Police Officer (DPO) Waqas Rafiq, the ANP leader was gunned down while actively campaigning for the July 13 peace movement. The senior police official further disclosed that the shooting also left three of Maulana’s associates injured, who have since been admitted to the hospital. Maulana Zaib held the position of head of ANP’s Ulema Council and had previously run as a candidate for the National Assembly. Following the tragic incident, ANP workers and…
