Ukraine and the EU have amended and extended their agreement on freight transport liberalisation, which was due to expire on June 30, for another year, the Ukrainian government press service reported.

The updated deal includes provisions for prolonging the cancellation of special permits for haulers travelling between Ukraine and the EU, Xinhua news agency reported.

At the same time, the agreement created new mutual obligations between the parties regarding transport licenses and the labelling of trucks.

Ukrainian Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal said the “transport visa-free regime” with the EU would contribute to Ukraine’s integration into the European economic space and spur the country’s economy.

“It will ensure positive dynamics of exports to the EU countries, which will make us more economically sustainable,” Shmyhal added.

According to him, in the past 18 months, Ukraine’s exports to the EU increased by 48 per cent backed by permit-free freight transport travel.

Ukraine and the EU signed the freight transport deal in June 2022.

At the end of last year, Polish carriers staged protests at several checkpoints on the Ukrainian border, demanding the return of the permit regime for Ukrainian haulers crossing into the EU.

The updated agreement includes a clause that a permit-free regime for Ukrainian carriers could be automatically extended until the end of 2025. AGENCIES

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky is planning to expand the country’s construction of solar systems to stabilise the energy grid, which has been significantly impacted by Russian attacks.

“The government has been tasked with immediately presenting a program to encourage the installation of solar generation and energy storage systems in Ukraine,” Zelensky said in his daily video address on Thursday.

According to the plan, citizens who install solar panels will be able to receive an interest-free loan.

The President said that measures were taken to protect energy facilities from ongoing attacks by Russia and specific deadlines were established for the completion of the protective structures.

Zelensky pledged to build more facilities for decentralised energy supply to ensure administration and critical infrastructure buildings had an alternative energy source during power outages.

Ukraine has been defending itself against a full-scale Russian invasion for more than two years.

Official figures show that about half of Ukraine’s energy production capacity has been lost due to systematic Russian attacks on Ukrainian energy facilities with drones and missiles.

Strict energy rationing and daily power cuts have been implemented, with concerns about the situation worsening in the winter. AGENCIES

In yet another horrifying incident of mob lynching, a local tourist in Pakistan’s Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) province’s Swat district was brutally lynched to death and his body burnt to ashes in the middle of the road over accusation of blasphemy.

The incident occurred in Madyan, a beautiful hill station in Swat, which gets flooded with tourists during the summer season.

The mob first brutally thrashed the alleged blasphemer, a tourist from Punjab province’s Sialkot who was visiting Madyan and other areas around it.

Later, as the police authorities arrested the tourist and took him into custody, the mob took matters into their own hands, torching the Madyan police station, dragging the tourist’s body outside and setting it on fire right in the middle of the road.

The incident occurred after some individuals announced in a market that a man had committed blasphemy.

The accused was apprehended by some people and handed over to police. But shortly afterward, announcements were made in the local mosques, calling on people to come out and punish the alleged blasphemer.

“Announcements were heard from mosques, calling on people to come out and reach the Madyan police station,” said a local resident of Madyan.

“The mob asked police to hand over the suspect to them but it was refused. Protesters forced their way into the police station. Police tried to disperse the crowd and shot some rounds of fire, which injured about eight people but could not stop the mob,” an eyewitness stated.

“People then set fire to the police station and a police vehicle, while the accused was burnt alive,” confirmed Swat District Police Officer (DPO) Zahidullah.

While an investigation has been initiated to ascertain the facts of the incident, this is not the first time that such an incident has occurred in Pakistan.

Recently, a man from a minority community was killed in Punjab’s Sargodha city on similar allegations. The tragic incident in Jaranwala where a Muslim mob torched dozens of Churches, houses and even graveyard of Christian minorities over alleged blasphemy accusations, still haunts and exposes the dangerous situation of religious polarisation that persists in Pakistan and is a ticking bomb ready to explode.

Last month, a mob protested and attacked multiple houses, broke windows, and set household belongings on fire in Punjab’s Sargodha over allegations of Quran desecration. A week later, a Christian man, who was severely injured in the attack, died at a hospital in Rawalpindi.

Pakistan faces massive challenges in terms of curbing religious extremism. In a recent report released by the Human Rights Commission of Pakistan (HRCP), religious minorities in Pakistan and the state of religious freedom in the country are fast deteriorating.   AGENCIES

Thousands of Israelis turned out for fresh protests against Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s government in a renewed show of anger at the failure to agree on a ceasefire in Gaza and bring about the return of hostages.

According to Israeli media on Thursday, the largest rally took place in front of a private home of the Prime Minister in the city of Caesarea.

The demonstrators demanded new elections and the release of the hostages held in the Gaza Strip.

Hundreds also gathered in Jerusalem for a protest, according to reports.

These are the latest in months of protests as people accuse Netanyahu of bowing to the demands of the ultra-orthodox partners in his right-wing coalition and obstructing a deal to release the Israeli hostages held by Palestinian Islamist organisation Hamas.

Some Ministers oppose an agreement with Hamas as it would also provide for a ceasefire and the release of Palestinian prisoners from Israeli jails.

Israel continues to seek to eliminate Hamas, which attacked sites in southern Israel on October 7, killing nearly 1,200 people and abducting about 250 more to Gaza.

Israel responded by pounding Gaza with airstrikes and launched a ground offensive into the sealed-off Palestinian territory at the end of October.

More than 37,300 people have been killed and more than 85,000 injured in the course of the Israeli offensive in the Gaza Strip, according to the Hamas-controlled health authority in Gaza.

Months of efforts have failed to bring about a breakthrough in indirect negotiations to persuade Israel to agree to a ceasefire and Hamas to release around 120 hostages. AGENCIES

Thailand is pushing forward with its plan to become a member of the BRICS group of emerging economies as early as October at the bloc’s next summit in Russia, a Thai Foreign Ministry official said.

Thailand submitted a formal letter of intent to join during the BRICS ministerial meeting more than a week ago and hoped to receive positive feedback, said Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Nikorndej Balankura on Thursday, in a bid to become the group’s first member from Southeast Asia.

Joining BRICS would allow Thailand to leverage further in advancing South-South cooperation as well as to play a more proactive role and contribute to crafting the global architecture, Nikorndej told a news conference as quoted by Xinhua news agency report.

Thailand places importance on prioritising multilateralism and strengthening the role of developing countries in the international arena, which aligns with BRICS principles, and participating in the group would also enhance the kingdom’s opportunities on the international stage, a government statement said.

The BRICS is the acronym for an emerging-market cooperative mechanism that initially included Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa.

In January, the bloc expanded its membership to include Saudi Arabia, Egypt, the United Arab Emirates, Iran, and Ethiopia. AGENCIES

 Russian President Vladimir Putin has said South Korea would be making a “big mistake” if it supplies arms to Ukraine.

“If that happens, then we will make corresponding decisions that will not please the current leadership of South Korea,” Putin said on Thursday during a trip to Vietnam.

The South Korean government had earlier expressed concern over a new Russia-North Korea strategic partnership that includes a vow of mutual aid if either country is attacked.

Seoul said the security commitments violated UN sanctions imposed on Pyongyang.

It also suggested it could reconsider its long-standing policy of not supplying weapons to Kiev.

North Korea, ruled by President Kim Jong Un, is subject to far-reaching UN sanctions and import bans due to its nuclear weapons programme, including the trade in weapons and the transfer of military technologies to the country.

During a state visit to Pyongyang on Wednesday, Putin signed the partnership agreement with Kim.

At a press conference in Hanoi on Thursday, Putin called Seoul’s concerns unfounded.

He said South Korea had nothing to fear as the pact would only apply if either Russia or North Korea was attacked by a third country.

“As far as I know, (South Korea) is not planning any aggression” against North Korea, he said.

This means that “there is no need to fear our cooperation”.

Putin also said that he would not deploy any North Korean soldiers in Ukraine.

However, he threatened to deliver high-precision weapons to North Korea as a response to Western arms deliveries to Ukraine. AGENCIES

The International Day of Yoga is being celebrated in several countries across the world, including Japan, New Zealand, Thailand, and Malaysia, which witnessed enthusiastic participation in events organised by the Indian missions.

These events underscored the global appeal of yoga and its benefits for a healthy lifestyle.

In Japan, despite the inclement weather, the Indian Embassy in Tokyo celebrated the 10th International Day of Yoga at Tsukiji Hongwanji Temple. The event saw overwhelming participation from a large number of people.

The embassy shared pictures on X saying, “Rain or shine Yoga in Japan: Celebrations of the 10th IDY by the Indian Embassy in Tokyo at Tsukiji Hongwanji Temple witnessed an overwhelming participation from Japanese leadership, diplomats, Yoga enthusiasts & friends of India in Japan.”

In New Zealand, the Indian High Commission celebrated the day with Indian community members, Kiwi friends, and representatives of various yoga institutes.

The embassy posted, “10th International Day of Yoga 2024 was celebrated at the High Commission with Indian community members, Kiwi friends & representatives of various Yoga Institutes. Yoga has indeed become a global movement with a positive impact on many lives.”

In Thailand, several universities and institutions hosted yoga events in collaboration with the Indian Embassy.

At Siam University, an event saw significant participation from students and faculty and was graced by Thailand President Pornchai Mongkhonvanit.

In Papua New Guinea, the High Commission of India organised a yoga event in Port Moresby, attended by diaspora members, PNGeans, and diplomats.

“Diaspora, PNGeans and Diplomats joined to practice yoga at an event organised by the High Commission of India in Port Moresby. NCD Governor Powes Parkop encouraged the community to make it a mass movement spreading the benefits of yoga to communities,” the embassy shared in a post on X.

In Malaysia, a mega yoga celebration was held at the iconic Batu Caves in Kuala Lumpur, commemorating the yoga day. This event highlighted the widespread appreciation and adoption of yoga across diverse cultures and regions, further solidifying its role as a global movement for wellness and unity. AGENCIES

 Suffering from the prolonged walkout by junior doctors and the subsequent disruptions to the healthcare system in South Korea, patients will hold a rally on an unprecedented scale next month, officials said on Friday.

In support of the junior doctors’ move, the Seoul National University (SNU) hospitals suspended their operations indefinitely on Monday, except for emergency rooms and services for critical patients, and other senior doctors were to decide whether to join their SNU colleagues.

“It is really hot these days, but we’ve decided to make our voice heard,” Ahn Gi-jong, chief of the association, said.

“We’ve had meetings with high-ranking government officials and lawmakers, but nothing has changed. Nobody has listened to us, and we want to make an appeal directly to the people.” AGENCIES

A Palestinian teenager was killed by the Israeli army in the West Bank city of Qalqilya, the Palestinian Health Ministry said.The Ministry added on Thursday that 15-year-old Naeem Abdullah Naeem Samha died after being hit by live bullets fired by the Israeli army, Xinhua news agency reported.

Local Palestinian sources told Xinhua that Israeli forces stormed the city, leading to confrontations with young men.

The Israeli army has not yet commented.

At least 549 Palestinians have been killed by the Israeli army across the West Bank and East Jerusalem since October 2023, according to the Palestinian Health Ministry. AGENCIES

The influential sister of North Korea’s leader Kim Jong-un on Friday hinted about launching more trash-carrying balloons into South Korea as she condemned “human scum” for sending what she described as “dirty wastepaper and things.”

On Thursday night, a North Korean defectors’ group sent 20 balloons carrying some 300,000 leaflets, US dollars and USB sticks containing a hit K-drama and songs across the border in the border city of Paju — the latest in a series of tit-for-tat leaflet campaigns between the two Koreas, reports Yonhap news agency.

North Korean defector Park Sang-hak, who has been leading an anti-Pyongyang leaflet campaign, has vowed to continue sending propaganda leaflets to the North until North Korean leader Kim Jong-un apologizes for the North’s sending of trash-carrying balloons to the South.

“It is natural that there would be something trouble to happen as they did again what they had been urged not to do,” Kim Yo-jong said in a statement carried by the North’s official Korean Central News Agency, an indication that the North will launch more trash-carrying balloons to South Korea.

North Korea sent more than 1,000 trash-carrying balloons toward the South in recent weeks in retaliation for South Korean activists’ leaflet campaigns.

In retaliation, South Korea resumed loudspeaker broadcasts on June 9 for the first time in six years. But it did not turn on the loudspeakers the next day in an apparent bid to prevent the situation from spiralling out of control.

For years, North Korean defectors in the South and conservative activists have sent anti-Pyongyang leaflets to the North via balloons to help encourage North Koreans to eventually rise up against the Kim family regime.

North Korea has bristled at the propaganda campaign amid concern that an influx of outside information could pose a threat to the North Korean leader. AGENCIES