The work affects the property of the historic St. Mark's Church, founded in 1882. For its pastor, Rev Din, three times more land has been taken without the church’s consent. Protesters are calling on Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz Sharif to act. The protest reflects minority concerns over land rights and the protection of religious property.
As many as 55 Missionaries of Charity had been removed from the electoral roll, as had thousands of other people – mostly Bengalis – in the controversial revision imposed by the central government in New Delhi. Exit polls suggest the BJP is in the lead, but there are many doubts about their reliability as the controversy has driven turnout up to almost 93%. Official results on 4 May.
Among the causes are uncontrolled price rises, rising costs, ageing trees and the ‘stepchild’ treatment of a crop once considered gold. Field productivity levels are set to halve by 2025. Yet this sector has played a key role in the island’s economic development, driving employment and mitigating the impact of climate change.
Today's headlines: Oil prices hit 2022 highs amid rumours of possible US military action in the Strait of Hormuz; Further sentence reduction for Aung San Suu Kyi (but prison term remains 18 years with no proof of her survival); China bans the sale and entry of drones into Beijing for ‘security reasons’; Ambani’s son wants to bring Pablo Escobar’s hippos from Colombia to India.
Foreign Minister Abbas Arakhchi’s visit to St Petersburg has confirmed that, following the invasion of Ukraine, Iran has become an “irreplaceable supplier” to the Russian army, which has been weakened by problems with arms production and heavy losses at the front. Meanwhile, Moscow’s know-how is now making Tehran’s drone attacks more effective in terms of navigation and precision.
Oceania’s small island nations are among the hardest hit by the fuel crisis. As the world's most diesel-dependent region, domestic transportation, food supplies, and access to healthcare are already under pressure, with Tuvalu declaring a state of emergency. China is watching, while New Zealand is asking the United States for help.
