Russia suspended from UN rights body

The United Nations General Assembly on Thursday suspended Russia from the UN Human Rights Council over reports of "gross and systematic violations and abuses of human rights" in Ukraine, prompting Moscow to announce it was quitting the body.

The US-led push garnered 93 votes in favour, while 24 countries voted no and 58 countries abstained. A two-thirds majority of voting members in the 193-member General Assembly in New York — abstentions do not count — was needed to suspend Russia from the 47-member Geneva-based Human Rights Council.

Speaking after the vote, Russia's deputy UN Ambassador Gennady Kuzmin described the move as an "illegitimate and politically motivated step" and then announced that Russia had decided to quit the Human Rights Council altogether.

Read More: Act immediately on Russia or dissolve UN: Zelensky

"You do not submit your resignation after you are fired," Ukraine's UN Ambassador Sergiy Kyslytsya told reporters.

Russia was in its second year of a three-year term. Under Thursday's resolution, the General Assembly could have later agreed to end the suspension. But that cannot happen now Russia has quit the council, just as the United States did in 2018 over what it called chronic bias against Israel and a lack of reform.

The United States was last year re-elected to the council. Suspensions are rare. Libya was suspended in 2011 because of violence against protesters by forces loyal to then-leader Muammar Gaddafi.

US Ambassador to the United Nations Linda Thomas-Greenfield said the United Nations "sent a clear message that the suffering of victims and survivors will not be ignored."

"We ensured a persistent and egregious human rights violator will not be allowed to occupy a position of leadership on human rights at the UN," she said in remarks to be delivered to the General Assembly later on Thursday.

The Human Rights Council cannot make legally binding decisions. Its decisions send important political messages, however, and it can authorise investigations. Last month the council opened an investigation into allegations of rights violations, including possible war crimes, in Ukraine.

The resolution on Thursday was the third adopted by the 193-member General Assembly since Russia invaded neighbouring Ukraine on February 24. The two previous General Assembly resolutions denouncing Russia were adopted with 141 and 140 votes in favour.

After abstaining on the previous two General Assembly votes, Russia's partner China opposed the resolution on Thursday.

"Such a hasty move at the General Assembly, which forces countries to choose sides, will aggravate the division among member states and intensify the confrontation between the parties concerned — it is like adding fuel to the fire," China's UN Ambassador Zhang Jun said before the vote.

The General Assembly text on Thursday expresses "grave concern at the ongoing human rights and humanitarian crisis in Ukraine," particularly at reports of rights abuses by Russia.

Russia says it is carrying out a "special military operation" that aims to destroy Ukraine's military infrastructure and denies attacking civilians. Ukraine and allies say Moscow invaded without provocation.

Russia had warned countries that a yes vote or abstention will be viewed as an "unfriendly gesture" with consequences for bilateral ties.

 

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PM Imran Khan to address nation today

Prime Minister Imran Khan said on Thursday that he has summoned a meeting of the federal cabinet on Friday after Supreme Court reinstated the national assembly, and ordered parliament to reconvene to hold a no-confidence vote.

The Supreme Court’s decision after four days of tense hearings came as a big blow to Khan, whose aides had described his actions as a masterstroke against the combined opposition.

Read more: Pakistan issues visas to India's Sikh pilgrims for Baisakhi celebrations

Supreme Court on Thursday struck down National Assembly Deputy Speaker Qasim Suri s controversial move to dismiss a no-confidence motion against Prime Minister Khan.

The court, in its short order, ruled that the deputy speaker s ruling was "contrary to the Constitution and the law and of no legal effect, and the same are hereby set aside".

The apex court ruled that President Dr Arif Alvi s decision to dissolve the National Assembly was also "contrary to the Constitution and the law and of no legal effect", noting that the prime minister could not have advised the president to dissolve the assembly as he continues to remain under the bar imposed under clause (1) of Article 58 of the Constitution."

In a statement issued on Thursday, the prime minister said that he has also summoned a parliamentary committee meeting on Friday.

Imran Khan said that he will also address the nation on Friday evening. The PM said that he has always fought for Pakistan till the last ball and will fight even now.

Earlier, reacting to the decision of the Supreme Court, Federal Minister for Information and Broadcasting Fawad Chaudhry has said that this unfortunate decision has greatly aggravated the political crisis in Pakistan.

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Pakistan issues visas to India's Sikh pilgrims for Baisakhi celebrations

On the eve of Baisakhi celebrations, the Pakistan High Commission in New Delhi had issued over 2200 visas to Sikh pilgrims from India to participate in the annual festival scheduled to be held in Pakistan from 12-21 April 2022.

The issuance of visas was covered under the framework of the Pakistan-India Protocol on Visits to Religious Shrines of 1974. Every year, a large number of Sikh Yatrees from India visit Pakistan to observe various religious festivals/occasions. The visas issued from New Delhi were in addition to the visas granted to Sikh pilgrims participating in these events from other countries.

Read more: ECP says elections can be held in Oct, needs 4 more months to complete delimitation

The issuance of pilgrimage visas to religious pilgrims by the High Commission was in line with the Government of Pakistan’s commitment to fully implement the Bilateral Protocol on Visits to Religious Shrines between the two countries.

Expressing his views on the auspicious occasion, Charge d’Affaires Aftab Hasan Khan, extended his heartfelt felicitations to the pilgrims and wished them a rewarding and fulfilling yatra. Pakistan took immense pride in preserving sacred religious places and providing necessary facilitation to the visiting pilgrims, he added.

During the visit, the pilgrims would, inter alia, go to Panja Sahib, Nankana Sahib and Kartarpur Sahib. They would enter Pakistan on 12 April and return back to India on 21 April 2022.

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PM Imran Khan to address nation today

Prime Minister Imran Khan said on Thursday that he has summoned a meeting of the federal cabinet on Friday after Supreme Court reinstated the national assembly, and ordered parliament to reconvene to hold a no-confidence vote.

The Supreme Court’s decision after four days of tense hearings came as a big blow to Khan, whose aides had described his actions as a masterstroke against the combined opposition.

Read more: Pakistan issues visas to India's Sikh pilgrims for Baisakhi celebrations

Supreme Court on Thursday struck down National Assembly Deputy Speaker Qasim Suri s controversial move to dismiss a no-confidence motion against Prime Minister Khan.

The court, in its short order, ruled that the deputy speaker s ruling was "contrary to the Constitution and the law and of no legal effect, and the same are hereby set aside".

The apex court ruled that President Dr Arif Alvi s decision to dissolve the National Assembly was also "contrary to the Constitution and the law and of no legal effect", noting that the prime minister could not have advised the president to dissolve the assembly as he continues to remain under the bar imposed under clause (1) of Article 58 of the Constitution."

In a statement issued on Thursday, the prime minister said that he has also summoned a parliamentary committee meeting on Friday.

Imran Khan said that he will also address the nation on Friday evening. The PM said that he has always fought for Pakistan till the last ball and will fight even now.

Earlier, reacting to the decision of the Supreme Court, Federal Minister for Information and Broadcasting Fawad Chaudhry has said that this unfortunate decision has greatly aggravated the political crisis in Pakistan.

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US looking into Amazon e-commerce tactics, report

US regulators are investigating whether e-commerce colossus Amazon used information from merchants using its platform to create its own products, the Wall Street Journal reported Wednesday.

The Securities and Exchange Commission is asking for copies of emails and other communications by executives regarding how seller information was used by Amazon employees, the Journal reported, citing people familiar with the situation.

Read more: Samsung sees Q1 profit up 50% on memory chip prices, weak won

Neither the SEC nor Amazon responded to a request for comment.

In a previous report, the newspaper cited former Amazon employees as saying the online retail titan used data of other sellers on its platform without their permission.

Amazon gathered information about sales trends by third parties at its website to develop private-label products, the Journal reported.

The House Judiciary Committee has been looking into Amazon’s practices since 2019, and has grilled founder Jeff Bezos and others on the topic during hearings.

In March, members of the committee called on US Attorney General Merrick Garland to investigate whether the Seattle-based company broke the law.

They accused an Amazon executive of lying under oath by saying the company did not use any data from third-party vendors.

Amazon has denied the allegations, but failed to provide supporting documentation requested by elected officials, according to the commission.

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Tesla, Elon Musk Open Austin Gigafactory With 'Cyber Rodeo'

Tesla welcomed throngs of electric car lovers to Texas Thursday for a huge party dubbed a "cyber rodeo" to inaugurate a manufacturing plant the size of 100 soccer fields.

Online buzz has swelled ever since Tesla’s colorful but controversial founder and chief executive Elon Musk tweeted word of the event, with reports of perhaps as many as 15,000 guests taking part in the official plant opening in the state capital Austin.

Read more: Amazon signs on launch partners for ‘space internet’

Photos and videos began flooding Twitter after the doors of the cavernous factory opened to guests late in the afternoon with the plant decked out in a distinctive nightclub look.

Visitors mingled under red and blue lights while production machinery and Tesla models were displayed like museum artwork. Outside, cars were parked in the pattern of the Texas flag.

"I think Tesla is going to bring another level of sizzle and high tech into our community," Austin resident Karin Richmond told AFP at the event.

Bulldozers were still at work near the so-called "gigafactory," which signs indicated was constructed with more steel than New York City’s famed Empire State Building.

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Pakistan issues visas to India's Sikh pilgrims for Baisakhi celebrations

On the eve of Baisakhi celebrations, the Pakistan High Commission in New Delhi had issued over 2200 visas to Sikh pilgrims from India to participate in the annual festival scheduled to be held in Pakistan from 12-21 April 2022.

The issuance of visas was covered under the framework of the Pakistan-India Protocol on Visits to Religious Shrines of 1974. Every year, a large number of Sikh Yatrees from India visit Pakistan to observe various religious festivals/occasions. The visas issued from New Delhi were in addition to the visas granted to Sikh pilgrims participating in these events from other countries.

Read more: ECP says elections can be held in Oct, needs 4 more months to complete delimitation

The issuance of pilgrimage visas to religious pilgrims by the High Commission was in line with the Government of Pakistan’s commitment to fully implement the Bilateral Protocol on Visits to Religious Shrines between the two countries.

Expressing his views on the auspicious occasion, Charge d’Affaires Aftab Hasan Khan, extended his heartfelt felicitations to the pilgrims and wished them a rewarding and fulfilling yatra. Pakistan took immense pride in preserving sacred religious places and providing necessary facilitation to the visiting pilgrims, he added.

During the visit, the pilgrims would, inter alia, go to Panja Sahib, Nankana Sahib and Kartarpur Sahib. They would enter Pakistan on 12 April and return back to India on 21 April 2022.

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