Nicosia, 10 July 2020 (PIO-TRNC) Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs Kudret Özersay asked for clearance of the trenches of portable heavy weapons that were placed near the crossing points. Minister Özersay indicated the dissatisfaction about the issue to the Special Representative of the Secretary-General (SRSG) in Cyprus and Head of UNFICYP Elizabeth Spehar...

Ankara, 30 June 2020 (Anadolu News) A conference in Turkey called on Tuesday for the secretary-general of the UN to appoint a special envoy to resolve the dispute surrounding Kashmir and for it to start mediation efforts on holding a UN-sanctioned plebiscite in the region. In a 13-point joint declaration issued at the end of...

Islamabad, 30 June 2020 (Washington Post) The European Union’s aviation safety agency said Tuesday that Pakistan’s national airline will not be allowed to fly into Europe for at least six months after the country’s aviation minister revealed last week that nearly a third of Pakistani pilots had cheated on their pilot’s exams. Pakistan International Airlines...

Doha, 28 June 2020 (QNA) Based on the available public health data and COVID-19 spread indicators, including passing the peak, flattening the curve, and reducing the virus reproduction rate, the Supreme Committee for Crisis Management has decided to launch phase 2 of the gradual reopening plan on July 1st 2020 as initially planned. Phase 2...

Islamabad, 30 June 2020 (The Express Tribune) Prime Minister Imran Khan on Tuesday urged world leaders to speak up against India's illegal annexation of Indian Occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IOJK) and its attempt to alter the demographic structure. The premier took to microblogging website Twitter and underscored that India's attempt to alter IOJK's demographic structure...

Doha, 29 June 2020 (Qatar Tribune) By Ashraf Siddiqui Qatari authorities have taken all necessary steps to handle the coronavirus (COVID-19) crisis very responsibly, Ambassador of Belgium to Qatar HE Bart De Groof has said, lauding Qatar’s healthcare system for its professional approach in managing the situation and curbing the spread of the virus. In...

New Delhi, 27 June 2020 (Anadolu News) India moves air defense missile system into Ladakh sector following increased fighter aircraft activities by China in region. India on Saturday deployed advanced quick-reaction surface-to-air missile defense systems, called Akash, on its borders with China in the northern Himalayan region of Ladakh. The deployment comes after the Chinese side...

Doha, 27 June 2020 (Aljazeera News) Up to 25,000 people have been granted domicile certificates in Indian-administered Kashmir since May 18, raising fears of the beginning of  demographic changes in the Muslim-majority Himalayan region. The certificate, a sort of citizenship right, entitles a person to residency and government jobs in the region, which till last...

Doha, 20 June 2020 (Qatar Tribune) Ashraf Siddiqui Pakistan’s Ambassador to Qatar HE Syed Ahsan Raza Shah has rejected reports recently published by a section of media that Pakistan had questioned Qatar over unpaid wages to 700 Pakistani workers employed by a construction company involved in the FIFA 2022 World Cup stadium construction. Talking to...

Doha, 15 June 2020 (Qatar Tribune) The US State Department has named Greta C. Holtz as Chargé d’Affaires of the US Embassy in Doha. In this capacity, Ambassador Holtz will represent the United States government and lead the embassy in its diplomatic engagement with Qatar. Ambassador Holtz is a senior career US diplomat with extensive...