BenArmani

A South African advisory panel yesterday backed land redistribution without compensation for owners, but only in limited circumstances, as the government pushes ahead with the controversial policy. President Cyril Ramaphosa established the panel of experts last year after he took power and embraced enforced land reform as a flagship policy, despite warnings that it could scare off investors. “The panel endorses...

Jeremy Corbyn has said Labour is ready to fight an election campaign against Boris Johnson but refused to express a preference between leaving with a Labour-negotiated deal or staying in the EU. The Labour leader said he was “absolutely” gearing up for an election, with a summer campaign plan, new policies on a green industrial revolution and candidates already selected...

Russian police arrested nearly 1,400 people as they gathered in Moscow at the weekend to demand free and fair elections, a monitor said yesterday, the biggest such crackdown in years. About 3,500 people took part in the unauthorised protest on Saturday according to official figures, after authorities blocked prominent opposition candidates from taking part in municipal elections. Police used batons on...

India is hailing a Hindu pilgrimage to a cave high in the snow-capped mountains of Jammu and Kashmir as an example of communal harmony. India and Pakistan have fought two wars over Kashmir, and came close to a third in February after a suicide-bomb attack by Pakistan-based militants on Indian paramilitary police near the pilgrimage route. Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s government...

Vice President M Venkaiah Naidu yesterday called on government agencies, civil societies and NGOs to step up the fight against human trafficking by co-ordinating their efforts. He said that the war against human trafficking must continue until the last victim was rescued and rehabilitated and the last perpetrator was brought to justice. In his address at an event to release the...

Veteran Congress leader and former federal minister S Jaipal Reddy died after a brief illness in Hyderabad yesterday, his family said. He was 77. Reddy died at 1:30am at a hospital, where he was admitted recently and was diagnosed with pneumonia. He is survived by two sons and a daughter. Born in Mahabubnagar district of Telangana, Reddy was elected to the...

A day before new Karnataka Chief Minister B S Yediyurappa faces a trust vote, Speaker K R Ramesh Kumar yesterday disqualified 14 rebel legislators of the Congress and Janata Dal – Secular (JD-S) for defying their parties’ whip to attend the assembly on July 23. The 14 legislators remained absent from the assembly on July 23, when former chief minister...

Pakistan has underscored the need for adequately equipping United Nations peacekeepers operating in hot spots around the world with all critical enablers, including air assets and hospitals, to help them better achieve their mandates. Speaking at a meeting of the Group of Friends of Troop and Police Contributing Countries that Pakistan co-chairs with Morocco, Pakistan’s ambassador to the UN Maleeha...

Qatar Computing Research Institute (QCRI), part of Hamad Bin Khalifa University (HBKU), recently concluded its annual summer internship programme for undergraduate computer science students from universities across Qatar. During the eight-week summer programme, 35 student interns worked with 26 mentors on 22 projects covering real computing challenges across QCRI’s five research departments: Arabic Language Technologies, Cybersecurity, Data Analytics, Social Computing,...

Qatar has strongly condemned the aerial bombing of Al-Sawani field hospital, south of the Libyan capital Tripoli, in which five medical workers were killed and others injured. In a statement issued yesterday, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs said that the bombing of the hospital is a flagrant violation of international humanitarian law which aims to ensure the safety of patients...

Ooredoo has announced an amazing offer for its Qatarna and Al Nokhba 750 customers, giving them the chance to experience its 5G network at no extra charge. All Qatarna and Al Nokhba 750 customers with 5G-compatible devices will be able to use their local data allowances via Ooredoo’s groundbreaking 5G network at no extra charge until January 28, 2020, simply...

Swansea University in Wales, UK, has recently awarded HE the Minister of State and Free Zone Authority chairman, Ahmad Mohamed al-Sayed, an honorary doctorate in recognition of his contribution to economic development around the world. The award was presented by Chancellor Dame Jean Thomas and the ceremony was attended by university delegates and members of the minister’s family. On receiving the...

To demonstrate its commitment to adopting new technologies aimed at providing its customers with convenient and cost-effective services, Doha Bank has forged a partnership with Habib Bank Limited (HBL), one of the leading commercial banks in Pakistan, to offer on-the-go remittance solutions to Pakistani expats in Qatar. The new online service will enable Doha Bank customers to transfer money instantly...

Thousands take to streets in cities across Colombia demanding government action over the killing of social leaders. Bogota, Colombia - Thousands have marched in cities across Colombia to protest against the alarming rate of killings of activists and human rights defenders since the country's 2016 peace deal. The "march for life" protests took place on Friday in more than 80 cities in Colombia. In the...