Iraqi political expert shot dead
Baghdad: Hisham al-Hashimi, a well-known Iraqi political and security expert, was shot dead by unidentified gunmen in the capital Baghdad, an Interior Ministry source said.
The incident took place on Monday in Zaiyouna district when the gunmen on two motorcycles opened fire at al-Hashimi’s car near his house, the source told Xinhua news agency. Al-Hashimi was shot more than 20 times and was transferred to a hospital where he was pronounced dead, the source said. (IANS)
Official charged with treason
Moscow: An adviser to the director of Russia’s state space corporation has been detained on treason charges, the nation’s top security agency said on Tuesday.
Ivan Safronov, an adviser to Roscosmos head Dmitry Rogozin, was detained in Moscow by agents of the Federal Security Service (FSB), the main KGB successor agency. The FSB said that Safronov is accused of relaying sensitive data to a spy agency of an unspecified NATO member. It said in a statement that the information he provided referred to military-technical cooperation, defense and security of the Russian Federation. Safromov could face up to 20 years in prison if convicted. (AP)
7 killed in Karachi rain
Karachi: At least seven people were killed and several others injured in Pakistan’s Karachi city in separate rain-related incidents.
After weeks of extremely hot weather, the residents of Karachi on Monday found solace when the first monsoon rain in the ongoing summer season hit the port city of over 20 million people, but at the same time the unfortunate incidents of electrocution, roof collapse and uprooting of trees and billboards claimed seven lives, reports Xinhua news agency. (PTI)
Aus Parl set for virtual sittings
Canberra: The Australian Parliament is preparing for virtual sittings due to the fresh coronavirus outbreaks in the country, media report said on Tuesday.
Nine Entertainment newspapers reported on Tuesday that parliamentary officials have started working on plans that will allow MPs to debate and vote on legislation via video conference in March, reports Xinhua news agency. The model is similar to a hybrid model adopted in the UK Parliament in April whereby MPs could participate in the legislative process both in-person and virtually using video conferencing software. (IANS)
