Abu Dhabi includes Hindi as third official court language
PTI, Dubai
In a landmark decision, Abu Dhabi has included Hindi as the third official language used in its courts, alongside Arabic and English, as part of a move designed to improve access to justice.
The Abu Dhabi Judicial Department on Saturday said it has extended the adoption of interactive forms of statement of claims filed before courts by including the Hindi language alongside Arabic and English in labour cases.
21 Afghan civilians killed in airstrikes
AP, Kabul
Airstrikes in Afghanistan’s southern Helmand province have killed 21 civilians, including women and children, a lawmaker from the region said Sunday.
Mohammad Hashim Alkozai said 13 civilians were killed in one strike and eight in another. Both were carried out late Friday in the Sangin district, where heavy fighting is underway between NATO-backed Afghan forces and the Taliban. Alkozai said at least five other people were wounded in the airstrikes.
Pakistan refuses to remove Sharif’s name from exit control list
PTI, Islamabad
The Pakistan government on Saturday rejected former prime minister Nawaz Sharif, his daughter and son-in-law’s requests seeking removal of their names from the Exit Control List (ECL), which is preventing them from flying abroad.
In October last year, Sharif, his daughter Maryam and son-in-law Mohammad Safdar had separately applied to the Interior Ministry seeking removal of their names from the ECL, the Geo News reported.
In their petitions, the trio argued that the Exit From Pakistan Rules 2010 did not apply to them as they were not involved in corruption, misuse of authority, terrorism or any conspiracy and thus their names should be removed from ECL.
Prince Philip surrenders driving licence after car crash
AFP, London
Queen Elizabeth II’s 97-year-old husband Prince Philip on Saturday surrendered his driving licence after causing a car crash that outraged the media and stirred a debate about old age and driving.
Buckingham Palace said Philip-formally known as the Duke of Edinburgh-took the decision on his own after rolling over his Land Rover last month.
Anti-India protests erupt in Kashmir after 5 rebels killed
AP, Srinagar
Five rebels were killed in fighting with government forces in disputed Kashmir on Sunday, the Indian army said, triggering anti-India clashes in which at least 10 civilians were injured.
The fighting began after Indian government forces cordoned off a village in the Himalayan region’s southern Kulgam area following a tip that militants were hiding there, said Col. Rajesh Kalia, a spokesman for the Indian military in Kashmir. The searches led to an exchange of gunfire in which five militants were killed, he said.
