Tel Aviv, April 16 (IANS) Israel on Friday struck several targets in Gaza after Palestinian militants fired a rocket into the Jewish state’s territory. Fighter jets and attack helicopters struck a Hamas weapons production site, a weapons smuggling tunnel and a military post, the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) said in a social media post. “We […]

Islamabad, April 16 (IANS) Pakistan on Friday blocked social media platforms amid fears that activists of a radical Islamist group might use the technology to stoke violent protests against last year’s depiction of the Prophet Muhammad in France. Followers of far-right Tehreek-e-Labaik Pakistan (TLP), a group that supports the country’s controversial blasphemy laws, have blocked […]

Jakarta, April 16 (IANS) Leaders of the Association of South-East Asian Nations (Asean) are expected to meet in the Indonesian capital Jakarta next week to discuss the political crisis in Myanmar following the February 1 military coup, an official source said on Friday. Indonesian President Joko Widodo called for a summit of the 10-member Asean […]

Seoul, April 16 (IANS) South Korean President Moon Jae-in on Friday nominated former Interior Minister Kim Boo-kyum as the new Prime Minister during a cabinet reshuffle, the presidential Blue House said. Kim will become the third Prime Minister of the Moon government, which was inaugurated in May 2017, if the nomination is approved in the […]

By Sanjeev SharmaNew Delhi, April 16 (IANS) The US Treasury Department has sanctioned Pakistani IT firm, Second Eye Solutions (SES), and its owners and employees for acting as a proxy for a Russian troll entity which interfered in the American elections. The Treasury has targeted Yevgeny Prigozhin’s network in Africa as part of the sanctions […]

Ramallah, April 16 (IANS) The European Union (EU) has urged Israel not to obstruct the upcoming Palestinian elections. Sven Kuhn von Burgsdorff, the EU representative in Palestine, said on Thursday that the bloc continues its contact with the Israeli government to allow the legislative elections to be held in the Palestinian territories “without interruption or […]

Islamabad, April 16 (IANS) The Pakistani Foreign Ministry said that it is important that the withdrawal of foreign troops from Afghanistan coincides with progress in the peace process. Pakistan believes there is no military solution to the conflict in Afghanistan, spokesman of the Foreign Ministry Zahid Hafeez Chaudhri said while responding to media queries about […]

Kabul, April 16 (IANS) A day after US President Joe Biden announced the unconditional withdrawal of troops from Afghanistan by September which will end the 20-year old war, Afghan President Mohammad Ashraf Ghani and visiting American Secretary of State Antony Blinken exchanged views on the decision and the war on terrorism. During the meeting held […]

Tel Aviv, April 16 (IANS) The rules to enforce wearing of masks outdoors in Israel will be lifted starting Sunday, Health Minister Yuli Edelstein said. Edelstein said in a statement on Thursday that he had instructed the Ministry’s Director-General, Hezi Levi, to sign an order to cancel the restriction, reports Xinhua news agency. The decision […]

Seoul, April 16 (IANS) North Korean leader Kim Jong-un visited a mausoleum of his late grandfather and the country’s founder, Kim Il-sung, on the occasion of the latter’s birth anniversary, state media reported on Friday. In its report Pyongyang’s official Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) said that Kim Jong-un and his wife, Ri Sol-ju, visited […]

Islamabad, April 16 (IANS) A special economic zone (SEZ) being constructed in Pakistan’s Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province under the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) will create over 200,000 job opportunities for the locals, a top official said. Chief Executive Officer of the state-owned Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Economic Zones Development and Management Company, Javed Khattak told the media on […]

Seoul, April 16 (IANS) North Korea has slammed Japan’s decision to discharge radioactive wastewater into the Pacific Ocean as a “threat to human existence” and demanded its immediate withdrawal to prevent a “new catastrophe for the humanity”, state media reported. In a statement on Thursday, Pyongyang’s official Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) said: “Japan is […]

Kabul, April 16 (IANS) The people of Afghanistan have showed mixed reaction towards the US decision to withdraw its forces from the militancy-battered country by September 11 this year. US President Joe Biden announced on Wednesday that Washington would end its longest war by starting pull-out of troops from Afghanistan on May 1 and would […]

By Hamza AmeerIslamabad, April 15 (IANS) The United Arab Emirates (UAE) is facilitating and mediating back-channel talks between India and Pakistan with an aim to turn their rivalry into a healthy and functional relationship, its envoy in Washington has confirmed. As part of the backdoor talks and meetings, top intelligence officials from both Pakistan and […]

Jakarta, April 15 (IANS) Indonesian police on Thursday shot dead a man allegedly linked to last month’s suicide bombing outside a church in South Sulawesi province, a spokesman said. Members of the police anti-terrorism unit used lethal force after the suspect attacked them with a sickle during a raid on his home in the provincial […]

Islamabad, April 15 (IANS) The Economic Coordination Committee (ECC) of Pakistan has approved to withdraw customs duty on import of cotton yarn till June 30 to facilitate the textile sector, the Finance Ministry here said. The top economic body took the step “to ensure smooth supply of cotton and cotton yarns to the value-added industry, […]

Baghdad, April 15 (IANS) A booby-trapped drone struck a US-led coalition base at the Erbil airport, the capital of the semi-autonomous region of Kurdistan in Iraq, an official statement said. The Kurdish regional authorities investigated an explosion that occurred in Erbil International Airport on Wednesday night and discovered that it was caused by a drone […]

Damascus, April 15 (IANS) The Syrian Foreign Ministry has denied an accusation by a global watchdog about the use of chemical weapons against the population in the country’s northwestern region. In a statement on Wednesday, the Ministry slammed the “misleading” report by the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW), which said that “the […]

Dharamsala, April 15 (IANS) Central Tibetan Administration (CTA) President Lobsang Sangay said that the administration of US President Joe Biden should appoint an envoy to Tibet, who will not only “access the ground situation but will also future play a pivotal role in arriving at a solution acceptable to all”. Sangay made the remarks in […]

Beirut, April 15 (IANS) Lebanese Prime Minister-designate Saad Hariri intends to ask Russia for support in solving the country’s political and economic crisis during his visit to Moscow, a top official said here. “We believe that Russia can help in solving the political deadlock in Lebanon since Moscow has good ties with all political parties […]

Islamabad, April 15 (IANS) Pakistani Prime Minister Imran Khan exchanged views on bilateral, regional and international issues during a virtual summit with Uzbek President Shavkat Mirziyoyev, according to the Foreign Ministry in Islamabad. During the wide-ranging talks on Wednesday, Khan underlined the importance of enhancing political and diplomatic linkages; fast tracking trade and economic cooperation; […]

Jakarta, April 15 (IANS) The death toll from the tropical cyclone Seroja that recently hit Indonesia’s East Nusa Tenggara province has indreased to 181, while 47 people remain missing, according to the latest official data. At a virtual press conference held by the country’s disaster mitigation agency on Wednesday afternoon, the province’s deputy governor Josef […]

Islamabad, April 15 (IANS) Pakistan’s Chief of Army Staff Gen. Qamar Javed Bajwa and US Secretary of State Antony Blinken discussed the Afghan peace process, the military in Islamabad confirmed. In a statement, the military said that during a phone call on Wednesday, Blinken and Bajwa discussed matters of mutual interest, regional security situation including […]

Tehran, April 15 (IANS) Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei has reiterated Tehran’s position that US sanctions must be lifted before the Islamic Republic returns to its compliance with the 2015 nuclear deal, known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA). “The officials’ assessment is to go and negotiate in order to implement that […]

Tokyo, April 15 (IANS) Japanese Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga is set to depart for the US on Thursday for talks with President Joe Biden amid the Covid-19 pandemic and tension with China. Suga is scheduled to hold a summit meeting with Biden at the White House on Friday, becoming the first foreign leader to meet […]

Islamabad, April 14 (IANS) The Pakistan government has decided to impose a ban on the Tehreek-e-Labbaik Pakistan under the anti-terrorism law. Pakistan Interior Minister Sheikh Rasheed announced on Wednesday that the file will be taken to the Federal Cabinet for approval, adding that the decision was taken on the request of the Punjab government. “They […]

By Hamza AmeerIslamabad, April 14 (IANS) The current ruling government of Pakistan, led by Prime Minister Imran Khan, may have come with a vision of progress and open-mindedness to create more acceptability of the country in the globe. But it appears that the one challenge which– like previous governments — remains as the toughest for […]

Kabul, April 14 (IANS) A UN report on Wednesday showed that at least 573 civilians were killed and 1,210 others wounded in the first three months of 2021, which is a 29 per cent increase as compared to the same period last year. The report said that “extraordinary levels of harm inflicted on civilians” in […]

Seoul, April 14 (IANS) South Korea expressed strong regret on Tuesday over Japan’s decision to dump radioactive wastewater from the crippled Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant into the Pacific Ocean. Koo Yoon-cheol, chief of the Office for Government Policy Coordination, said during an emergency vice-ministerial meeting that the South Korean government “expresses strong regret and […]

Tehran, April 14 (IANS) Iranian President Hassan Rouhani on Tuesday called for boosting defence cooperation with Russia, Tasnim news agency reported. Considering the termination of a UN arms embargo on Iran in October last year, Iran expects expansion of military and defence cooperation between Tehran and Moscow, Rouhani said in a meeting with visiting Russian […]

New Delhi, April 13 (IANS) The threat terror outfit Al-Qaeda based out of Afghanistan poses to US national security is a critical factor in the Joe Biden administration deciding whether to withdraw American troops from the war-torn country by May 1. The American military and security experts are backing for a withdrawal only after neutralising […]

Tehran, April 13 (IANS) Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov arrived in Tehran on Tuesday during which he will hold talks with Iranian leaders on topics including how to salvage a nuclear agreement with world powers and the recent cyberattack on a facility. He met his Iranian counterpart Mohammad Javad Zarif and is due to hold […]

Male, April 13 (IANS) Monthly tourism arrivals have been on the rise in the Maldives, with over 330,000 tourists visiting the island nation between January and March, the Ministry of Tourism revealed on Tuesday. Data from the Ministry of Tourism showed that 109,585 tourists arrived in March, up from 96,882 tourist arrivals in February, and […]

Kabul, April 13 (IANS) Afghan President Ashraf Ghani on Tuesday urged the Taliban to halt fighting and observe a ceasefire during the Islamic holy month month of Ramadan aimed at bolstering the peace process. “Once again I am calling upon the Taliban to give up fighting, enmity and observe permanent ceasefire which is the demand […]

Tokyo, April 13 (IANS) The Japanese government on Tuesday announced its decision to start releasing radioactive water accumulated at the damaged Fukushima nuclear plant into the sea after treatment, amid domestic and international opposition. Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga’s cabinet made the decision on Tuesday morning, which comes a decade after the nation’s worst-ever atomic disaster […]

Gaza, April 13 (IANS) The Islamic Hamas movement, which controls the Gaza Strip, has decided to tighten the precautionary measures during the upcoming Islamic holy month of Ramadan in an effort to curb Covid-19 spread. The Hamas-run Interior Ministry said in a statement on Monday that traffic all over the Gaza Strip will be banned […]

Tehran, April 13 (IANS) Iranian Parliament Speaker Mohammad Baqer Qalibaf has called on South Korea to unfreeze Tehran’s assets in its banks. He made the appeal during a meeting with visiting South Korean Prime Minister Chung Sye-Kyun on Monday, reports Xinhua news agency. “Unfortunately, South Korea has lost its position in Iran’s foreign trade and […]

By Sumi KhanDhaka, April 13 (IANS) Additional police have been deployed, while light machine gun posts were also installed following an order by the Dhaka Metropolitan Police (DMP) following a militant attack threat, a top official said on Tuesday. Harun-Ur-Rashid, Deputy Commissioner of Police, Dhaka’s Tejgaon Zone, told IANS that any attack either carried out […]

Islamabad, April 13 (IANS) Pakistan’s remittances remained over $2 billion in March for the 10th month in a row, the country’s central bank said. The remittances rose to $2.7 billion in March 2021, which was 20 per cent higher than those of February and 43 per cent higher than those of March 2020, Xinhua news […]

Jakarta, April 13 (IANS) The death toll from the floods and landslides triggered by tropical cyclone Seroja in Indonesia’s East Nusa Tenggara province has increased to 179 with 45 still missing, the National Disaster Management Agency said. “We have been able to reach all the affected areas and there are no more isolated villages,” East […]

Jerusalem, April 13 (IANS) Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said that his country will never allow Iran to obtain nuclear weapons. He made the remarks while addressing a joint press conference here on Monday with visiting US Secretary of Defence Lloyd Austin. Addressing Austin, Netanyahu said: “We both know the horrors of war. We both […]

Tokyo, April 13 (IANS) Japanese Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga said on Tuesday that his government has decided to discharge contaminated radioactive wastewater from the crippled Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power into the Pacific Ocean amid domestic and international opposition. Suga made the announcement after convening a meeting to formalise plans to release the radioactive water accumulated […]

Tehran, April 12 (IANS) Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif on Monday described the cyberattack on the Natanz nuclear facility as an act of terrorism and blamed Israel for it. The plant in central Iran produces, among other things, new centrifuges for uranium enrichment, dpa news agency reported. “The Zionists want to sabotage Iran’s nuclear […]

Dhaka, April 12 (IANS) Bangladesh has announced plans to ban all international and domestic flights for a week from Wednesday, coinciding with yet another lockdown to counter a spike in new coronavirus cass. All international passenger flights to and from Bangladesh will remain suspended from April 14 to 20, dpa news agency quoted the Civil […]

Phnom Penh, April 12 (IANS) Cambodians are demanding an apology after an Irish artist altered images of the country’s genocide victims, including digitally colouring and adding smiles to prisoners facing execution. As of Monday, a petition calling for the artist, Matt Loughrey to apologise had received almost 1,400 signatures, dpa news agency reported. It also […]

Tehran, April 12 (IANS) Iran’s First Vice-President Eshaq Jahangiri called on South Korea to unfreeze Tehran’s assets in its banks as soon as possible. Blocking Iran’s foreign exchange assets in the South Korean’s banks has marred the image of the country among the Iranian people, Jahangiri said in a joint press conference with visiting Prime […]

Tel Aviv, April 12 (IANS) Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said that struggling against Iran is “a huge task”. He made the remarks on Sunday hours after Iran announced that a blackout at its underground Natanz nuclear facility was an act of “nuclear terrorism”, reports Xinhua news agency “The struggle against Iran and its proxies […]

Baghdad, April 12 (IANS) Five Islamic State (IS) terrorists were killed in an airstrike in Iraq’s eastern province of Diyala, the military said. A statement by the media office of the Iraqi Joint Operations Command (JOC) said the airstrike on Sunday killed the five terrorists and also destroyed four hideouts near Himreen lake in the […]

Sanaa, April 12 (IANS) Yemen’s Houthi militia said they launched bomb-laden drone attacks towards the Jizan Airport and King Khalid Airbase in southwestern Saudi Arabia. “The attacks targeted aircraft hangars in Jizan Airport (in Jizan city) and King Khalid Airbase in Khamis Mushait city,” Houthi military spokesman Yehya Sarea said in a statement on Sunday […]

Tehran, April 11 (IANS) The Iranian parliament has filed charges against President Hassan Rouhani, in an intensifying power struggle between hardliners and moderates in the country. The deputies accuse him of having disregarded laws passed by parliament. Citing the Fars news agency, DPA reported on Sunday that 190 of the 235 lawmakers present voted in […]

Tel Aviv, April 11 (IANS) US Defence Secretary Lloyd Austin ON Sunday began talks with Israeli leaders, in the first visit by a member of new US President Joe Biden’s Cabinet. Austin was received with military honours before meeting his counterpart Benny Gantz, DPA news agency reported. The Israeli minister is expected to raise the […]

Nairobi, April 11 (IANS) The United Nations refugee agency said it has shared with Kenya a proposed set of sustainable and rights-based measures aimed at identifying solutions for refugees living in camps in Kenya. The Dadaab and Kakuma refugee camps, located in Kenya, host some 430,000 refugees and asylum-seekers of more than 15 nationalities, Xinhua […]

New Delhi, April 10 (IANS) India and China have agreed to resolve the outstanding issues aimed at disengagement along the Line of Actual Control (LAC) in Eastern Ladakh, thereby paving the way for complete de-escalation, the Indian government said on Saturday. “The two sides agreed on the need to resolve the outstanding issues in an […]

By Sumi KhanDhaka, April 10 (IANS) At least 12 people were injured in an attack staged by members of the Hefazat-e-Islam militant outfit at a mosque in Bangladesh’s Gaibandha district. Police claimed the incident in Sundarganj area took place on Friday afternoon due to a conflict over the Silamoni mosque’s management committee. Motlob Uddin, the […]

Tehran, April 10 (IANS) Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif has urged the US to return to the 2015 nuclear deal, known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), and lift all sanctions against Tehran. “Iran proposes logical path to full JCPOA compliance: the US, which caused this crisis, should return to full compliance […]

Beirut, April 10 (IANS) German companies have offered a project worth $5 billion to $15 billion for the reconstruction of Beirut’s port which was damaged following the August 2020 twin blasts, Lebanese Public Works and Transportation Minister Michel Najjar said. Najjar said on Friday that the project, expected to create 15,000 jobs, will create a […]

Tehran, April 10 (IANS) The historical Grand Bazaar of Tehran, a major hub for Iran’s economy, will be closed for two weeks following the sharp rise in the number of Covid-19 cases across the country. The authorities on Friday also announced the suspension of other businesses, excluding the suppliers of basic services and commodities, for […]

Kathmandu, April 10 (IANS) Zhang Hong, a 46-year-old visually-impaired Chinese climber, is attempting to summit Mt.Everest this spring, a company organising his expedition said. “If he manages to reach the top of Mt. Everest, he will be the first Asian visually-impaired person to scale the world’s tallest peak,” Dawa Steven Sherpa, chief executive officer of […]

Jakarta, April 10 (IANS) The death toll from the floods and landslides triggered by tropical cyclone Seroja in Indonesia’s East Nusa Tenggara province has increased to 167 with 45 still missing, the National Disaster Management Agency said. The agency’s head Doni Monardo said 165 dead victims were reported in East Nusa Tenggara province and two […]

Gaza, April 10 (IANS) The Islamic Hamas movement has condemned Israel for refusing to cooperate with the International Criminal Court (ICC) over the investigation into the alleged war crimes in Palestine. Hamas spokesman in Gaza Hazem Qassem said in a statement on Friday that the refusal to cooperate with the ICC reflects the Israeli logic […]

Tehran, April 10 (IANS) A senior military commander said that Israel and the US are suspected to be behind the recent attack on an Iranian ship in the Red Sea. Tehran will “definitely” respond to the attack on the country’s ship in the Red Sea, Xinhua news agency quoted Abolfazl Shekarchi, spokesman of the Iranian […]

Dhaka, April 10 (IANS) The Bangladesh’s government is contemplating imposing a “full lockdown” for one week from April 14 in an effort to curb the recent resurgence of new Covid-19 cases, a Minister announced. Road, Transport and Bridges Minister Obaidul Quader’s announcement on Friday came after the government on Monday enforced a one-week lockdown, but […]

Tokyo, April 10 (IANS) The Japanese government may announce plans to dispose of radioactive wastewater from the crippled Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant into the Pacific Ocean, informed sources said. The sources said on Friday that the government will convene a meeting and announce the decision as early as April 13 to formalise plans to […]

Islamabad, April 10 (IANS) Amid te ongoing third wave of the Covid-19 pandemic, the Drug Regulatory Authority of Pakistan (DRAP) has approved China’s Sinovac vaccine against the virus for emergency use, the National Institute of Health in Islamabad announced. According to a statement released by DRAP, the CoronaVac vaccine developed by Chinese pharmaceutical company Sinovac […]

Kathmandu, April 9 (IANS) Nepal’s primary opposition party, the Nepali Congress has begun talks with the Nepal Communist Party-Maoist Centre and the Janata Samajbadi Party to unseat Prime Minister K.P. Sharma Oli and form a coalition government under its leadership. Nepali Congress President, Sher Bahadur Deuba, had called a meeting of the opposition parties on […]

By Hamza AmeerIslamabad, April 9 (IANS) Pakistan and India relations may have hit a small bump with the recent decision by the Imran Khan-led government to refrain from importing cotton and sugar from New Delhi and reopening the trade, a decision approved and then disapproved within 24 hours after deference by the Economic Coordination Committee […]

Seoul, April 9 (IANS) South Korea on Friday announced its decision to extend the tightened quarantine measures for three more weeks amid an resurgence of new Covid-19 cases. Under the country’s five-tier social-distancing guidelines, the third-highest Level 2 will be kept in place until May 2 in the Seoul metropolitan area, with the Level 1.5 […]

Kuala Lumpur, April 9 (IANS) Long-time aspirant Anwar Ibrahim will again try to be Prime Minister whenever parliamentary elections next take place, Malaysia’s opposition alliance announced on Friday. The former deputy premier, who was twice jailed on charges of corruption and sodomy, “will lead the 15th general election campaign”, according to Pakatan Harapan (Alliance of […]

Kuala Lumpur, April 9 (IANS) Long-time aspirant Anwar Ibrahim will again try to be Prime Minister whenever parliamentary elections next take place, Malaysia’s opposition alliance announced on Friday. The former deputy premier, who was twice jailed on charges of corruption and sodomy, “will lead the 15th general election campaign”, according to Pakatan Harapan (Alliance of […]

By Hamza AmeerIslamabad, April 9 (IANS) Top commanders of the Pakistan Army held a Corps Commander Conference (CCC) to review the overall security situation with a detailed review of the situation at the Line of Control (LoC) after the recent agreement of a ceasefire between New Delhi and Islamabad. “The CCC chaired COAS (Chief of […]

Jakarta, April 9 (IANS) Indonesian President Joko Widodo on Friday visited the East Nusa Tenggara province, where cyclone-related disasters have left at least 165 people dead and 45 others missing. Soon after the presidential aircraft landed at Sikka airport, Joko took a helicopter ride to Lambata island, where heavy rains triggered an avalanche of volcanic […]

Nay Pyi Taw, April 9 (IANS) The Myanmar military’s spokesman Zaw Min Tun said the one-year state of emergency imposed by the junta during its February 1 coup could be extended, thereby pushing back potential elections. He did not give a clear timeline for elections, but said the state of emergency could be extended for […]

Seoul, April 9 (IANS) The Foreign Ministry in Seoul said on Friday that Tehran has released a South Korean oil tanker that was detained at an Iranian port since January 4. The ship and its captain’s ‘s release came after the remaining 19 sailors of the MT Hankuk Chemi were set free on February 2, […]

By Hamza AmeerIslamabad, April 9 (IANS) US President Joe Biden’s administration has imposed sanctions on an alleged Pakistan-based human smuggling organisation, after it was found involved and guilty for smuggling migrants to America. In a statement, the US Treasury Department confirmed that it has blacklisted Pakistani national Abid Ali Khan and what it labelled the […]

New Delhi, April 9 (IANS) The US has announced that it conducted the Freedom of Navigation Operation (FONOP) in Indian waters in the Lakshadweep Islands, leaving the Indian security establishment in a surprise leading to an assessment to ascertain if an operational exercise was actually carried out or was it just an innocent passage. The […]

Sanaa, April 9 (IANS) Yemeni government forces claimed to have killed and injured dozens of Houthi rebels following an offensive launched in the country’s oil-rich province of Marib. “The national army forces managed to defeat the terrorist Houthi militia after launching a well-planned military attack and shelling on several rebel-held locations in Marib,” Xinhua news […]

Damascus, April 9 (IANS) The Syrian Foreign Ministry has urged the UN Security Council to take “decisive and immediate measures to prevent the repetition of Israeli attacks on the Syrian territory”. In a statement on Thursday, the Ministry highlighted the need to hold Israel accountable for its “terrorism and crimes committed against the Syrian and […]

Damascus, April 9 (IANS) Syrian President Bashar al-Assad discussed ways to mitigate the impact of the Western sanctions on the country with Alexander Lavrentiev, Russia’s special representative for Damascus. The two sides on Thursday expressed their determination to intensify the efforts to overcome the difficulties caused by the policies of some Western countries against Syria […]

Tel Aviv, April 9 (IANS) The Israeli government Israel said that it will formally reject the International Criminal Court (ICC) investigation into possible war crimes in the occupied Palestinian territories. Israel will formally respond to a notification from the ICC with a letter to clarify that it will not cooperate with the investigation, Xinhua news […]

Hong Kong, April 9 (IANS) The Hong Kong government’s Department of Justice said that 10,242 people have been arrested between June 9, 2019 and February 28, 2021 over the social unrest in city, of which 2,521 are undergoing judicial proceedings. In a statement on Thursday, the Security Bureau said that the 2,521 people, about 720 […]

Shanghai, April 9 (IANS) The Shanghai Disney Resort celebrated the 10th anniversary of its ground-breaking, with president and general manager Joe Schott expressing his great confidence in its future. “We believe in the long-term benefits of the China market. That’s what you’ll see us continue to do,” Xinhua news agency quoted Schott as saying on […]

Jakarta, April 9 (IANS) The death toll from the floods and landslides triggered by tropical cyclone Seroja in Indonesia’s East Nusa Tenggara province has increased to 165 with 45 still missing, the National Disaster Management Agency said. “Two died in Bima district, West Nusa Tenggara province, and 163 others in East Nusa Tenggara province,” the […]

Islamabad, April 9 (IANS) Pakistani Prime Minister Imran Khan said that members of the D-8 Organization for Economic Cooperation should push back against vaccine nationalism and undue export restrictions to let Covid-19 vaccine reach equally to all countries of the world. Addressing the 10th D-8 Summit, hosted in virtual format on Thursday, Khan said the […]

New Delhi, April 9 (IANS) US Special Presidential Envoy on Climate Change John Kerry has welcomed India’s ambitious goal of generating 450 gigawatts of renewable energy by 2030 and said that Washington will help New Delhi achieve it by helping mobilise international funding. Rounding up a three-day visit to India on Thursday, Kerry told reporters: […]

Tel Aviv, April 8 (IANS) Israel paused on Thursday to mourn the 6 million Jews killed by the Nazis during the Second World War on Holocaust Remembrance Day. At about 10 a.m., sirens went off nationwide for two minutes while pedestrians paused and drivers pulled their cars over on streets and highways, reports dpa news […]

Islamabad, April 8 (IANS) Private importers in Pakistan are negotiating to procure more of Russia’s Sputnik V vaccine for commercial sale. AGP Pharma, a pharmaceutical company based in the southern city of Karachi that imported 50,000 doses of Sputnik V, said on Thursday they were trying to get their hands on more. “Our negotiations are […]

By Hamza AmeerIslamabad, April 8 (IANS) The US Department of State has called on both India and Pakistan to hold direct talks and resolve pending issues with an aim to normalise relations. Refraining to comment on the recent approval and then cancellation by Pakistan to import sugar and cotton from India, State Department spokesperson Ned […]

By Hamza AmeerIslamabad, April 8 (IANS) The recent statement by the Pakistani premier Imran Khan about the increasing rape and sexual cases in the country has sparked uproar not within the country but also from across the globe. To add more to his criticism, his former wife Jemima Goldsmith has also slammed him over his […]

Seoul, April 8 (IANS) South Korea’s ruling Democratic Party suffered a crushing defeat in the by-elections for new Mayors of the country’s two biggest cities, the National Election Commission said on Thursday. Oh Se-hoon of the main conservative opposition People Power Party won a landslide victory over Park Young-sun of the Democratic Party 57.50 per […]

Damascus, April 8 (IANS) A fresh Israeli missile attack targeted positions near the Syrian capital of Damascus on Thursday, injuring four soldiers and causing widespread damage. Citing a military source, the state media said that the attack was launched by Israeli warplanes flying over neighbouring Lebanon, and the Syrian air defences responded to the attack, […]

Ramallah, April 8 (IANS) Palestine has condemned Israel’s decision to build 540 new housing units in the Jewish settlement of Har Homa, south of East Jerusalem. Palestinian presidential spokesman Nabil Abu Rudeineh “condemned and rejected” the decision, reports Xinhua news agency “It violates all UN Resolutions that condemn settlements, especially Resolution 2334 which affirmed that […]

Ramallah, April 8 (IANS) Palestine has not received financial aid from any Arab country for more than one year, Prime Minister Mohammed Ishtaye said. “Due to lack of Arab funds, the deficiency in the Palestinian budget climbed to $1 billion,” Xinhua news agency quoted Ishtaye as saying at a press conference here on Wednesday. “The […]

Sanaa, April 8 (IANS) Landmines laid by the Houthi group during the years-long civil war in Yemen killed nearly 8,000 people so far, state-run news agency Saba reported. According to the Saba news agency, the mines and explosives planted by the Houthi militia caused a major humanitarian disaster in Yemen, killing more than 8,000 people, […]

Amman, April 8 (IANS) Jordan’s King Abdullah II said that his step-brother and former Crown Prince Hamza, who was accused by authorities of being part of a plot to destabilise the country, was “with his family, at his palace, in my care”. In a letter to the nation published by the Royal Hashemite Court on […]

By Sumi KhanDhaka, April 8 (IANS) Rafiqul Islam Madani, a preacher of the Hefazat-e-Islam militant outfit in Bangladesh, has been arrested on charges of anti-state speech and inciting chaos. The 28-year-old Madani, also known as ‘Shishu Bokta’ or child preacher, was arrested on Wednesday night by a team of the Rapid Action Battalion (RAB), the […]

Tel Aviv, April 8 (IANS) Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu warned the US that a possible future nuclear agreement with Iran will not obligate the Jewish state. The remark was made on Wednesday during Israel’s national ceremony to mark its Holocaust Remembrance Day, reports Xinhua news agency. “To our closest friends, I say: Make no […]

Baghdad, April 8 (IANS) A total of 60 Islamic State (IS) terrorists were killed in airstrikes in a mountainous area in Iraq’s Salahudin province, the military said. The Iraqi aircraft, in coordination with the Counter-Terrorism Service (CTS), conducted airstrikes on IS hideouts on March 25 in Himreen mountain range, Xinhua news agency quoted Yahia Rasoul, […]

Beirut, April 8 (IANS) Visiting Egyptian Foreign Minister Sameh Shoukry met Lebanese President Michel Aoun here during which he affirmed Cairo’s “solidarity with Lebanon and its support for efforts to form a new government”. During their meeting at the Baabda Palace on Wednesday, Shoukry delivered a “message of solidarity” from Egyptian President Abdel-Fattah al-Sisi to […]

Damascus, April 8 (IANS) The Islamic State (IS) has released 46 people out of the 59 the terror group abducted 24 hours ago in the Syrian desert region, a war monitor reported. The IS militants on Wednesday released 46 and kept 13 people in captivity after capturing them in the desert region in the eastern […]

Islamabad, April 8 (IANS) Visiting Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov met Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan and his counterpart Shah Mahmood Qureshi here during which the two sides agreed to strengthen bilateral ties and deepen cooperation. Lavrov arrived in Pakistan on Tuesday for a two-day visit to discuss bilateral and regional matters, reports Xinhua news […]

Phnom Penh, April 8 (IANS) Cambodia has imposed a two week ban on inter-provincial travel after the country witnessed an increase in the number of new coronavirus cases. The ban took effect from Wednesday with the exception for vehicles transporting goods, officials, healthcare workers, armed forces members and patients, Xinhua news agency quoted Prime Minister […]

Jakarta, April 8 (IANS) The death toll from the floods and landslides triggered by tropical cyclone Seroja in Indonesia’s East Nusa Tenggara province has increased to 138, the National Disaster Management Agency said. The agency’s head Doni Monardo said that the deaths were reported in the districts of East Flores (67), Alor (25), Lembata (32), […]

Tehran, April 8 (IANS) Iran has increased its uranium enrichment capacity to 16,500 separative work units (SWUs), Ali Akbar Salehi, head of the Atomic Energy Organization of Iran (AEOI), said, official Islamic Republic News agency reported. The AEOI announced that it had plans to boost the capacity of its uranium enrichment to 190,000 SWUs, Xinhua […]

Tokyo, April 7 (IANS) Japan’s Osaka on Wednesday declared a state of medical emergency as hospitals in the western prefecture were overwhelmed by the Covid-19 pandemic. Osaka reported 878 new infections on Wednesday, the largest daily spike since the outset of the outbreak, reports dpa news agency. The surge is attributed to more contagious variants […]

Santiago, April 7 (IANS) Chilean President Sebastian Pinera announced that this week’s landmark polls to elect for councillors, mayors and, for the first time ever, regional governors and members of a constituent assembly to draft a new Constitution, will be postponed till May 15-16 due to a Covid-19 resurgence. In a speech at the government […]

Islamabad, April 7 (IANS) Pakistan on Wednesday passed the grim milestone of 15,000 Covid-19-related deaths as the country struggles to contain the spread of the virus amid a third wave of the pandemic. The death toll now stands at 15,026, with 102 fatalities reported during the last 24 hours, according to the Health Ministry. The […]

Kabul, April 7 (IANS) At least 59 people were killed in insurgent activities and clashes in Afghanistan in the past 24 hours, a local independent war monitoring group said on Wednesday. “Within the past 24 hours, our team has documented 59 deaths, including eight civilians, nine Afghan National Defense and Security Forces members, and 42 […]

Ramallah, April 7 (IANS) Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas-led Fatah party and the Islamic Hamas movement have accused Israel of interfering in the upcoming legislative elections scheduled for May 22. Jamal Muheisen, member of the Fatah Central Committee, said a statement issued on Tuesday that Israel is interfering in the Palestinian elections by arresting candidates in […]

By Hamzah AmeerIslamabad, April 7 (IANS) In a major decision aimed at curbing the worsening financial and economic situation of Pakistan due to the Covid-19 pandemic, Prime Minister Imran Khan has announced that his government will reach out to the International Monetary Fund (IMF) again, seeking a second relief package. The announcement by the premier […]

By Sumi KhanDhaka, April 7 (IANS) At least 20 people were injured in a blast at the residence of a Bangladesh municipality Mayor. The incident took place at about 9 p.m. on Tuesday night when Haji Abdus Salam, the Mayor of Mirkadim municipality in Munshiganj district, was attending a meeting with councillors and other officials […]

Tel Aviv, April 7 (IANS) Newly-elected Israeli lawmakers were sworn in amid uncertainties over the possibility of forming a new government two weeks after the country’s fourth election in two years also ended in a stalemate. The swearing in ceremony on Tuesday marked the inauguration of Israel’s 24th Knesset or Parliament, reports Xinhua news agency. […]

Jakarta, April 7 (IANS) The death toll from floods and landslides triggered by Tropical Cyclone Seroja in Indonesian province of East Nusa Tenggara rose to 117, the National Disaster Management Agency said on Tuesday. “The number of bodies that have been found is 117, while 76 people are still missing,” the agency’s head Doni Monardo […]

Manila, April 6 (IANS) Philippines President Rodrigo Duterte said on Tuesday his country’s dispute with Beijing over activity in the South China Sea will not affect “bilateral friendly relations”. “We will continue to resolve the issues on (the Whitsun Reef) through diplomatic channels and through peaceful means,” dpa news agency quoted Duterte as saying in […]

Islamabad, April 6 (IANS) Pakistani authorities announced on Tuesday that most schools would remain closed for another three weeks as thousands of children were infected with Covid-19 amid a third of wave of the pandemic. Students from grades one to eight will remain at home until April 28 before the situation is reviewed again, dpa […]

Jakarta, April 6 (IANS) At least 128 people were killed and 72 others remain unaccounted for due to floods and landslides triggered by tropical cyclone Seroja in the Indonesia’s East Nusa Tenggara province, the country’s disaster mitigation agency said on Tuesday. The National Disaster Management Agency’s spokesman Raditya Jati said in a statement that eight […]

Abuja, April 6 (IANS) The Nigerian Correctional Service (NCS) said that 1,844 inmates escaped following an armed attack on one of its facilities in Owerri city. NCS spokesman Francis Enobore said in a statement that unidentified gunmen stormed the facility at about 2.15 a.m. on Monday and gained entrance into the yard by using explosives […]

Amman, April 6 (IANS) Jordan’s former Crown Prince Hamzah has signed a letter in which he said that he will remain loyal to the King and committed to the country’s Constitution. In the letter, published by the Royal Hashemite Court on its official Facebook page on Monday, Hamzah, King Abdullah II’s half-brother, said: “I place […]

By Sumi KhanDhaka, April 6 (IANS) Of the 30 bodies found after a ferry capsized in the Shitalakkhya river in Bangladesh’s Narayanganj district, two corpses of a woman and her one-year-old daughter were discovered embraced in a tight hug. “I was struggling to retrieve one of the bodies, but finally found that two corpses were […]

Baghdad, April 6 (IANS) At least 34 Islamic State (IS) militants were killed and 99 others arrested during a three-month security operation in the country against the terror group, the military said. Yahia Rasoul, spokesman of the commander-in-chief of the Iraqi forces, said in a statement on Monday that the Counter-Terrorism Service (CTS) conducted 109 […]

Ramallah, April 6 (IANS) Palestinian Prime Minister Mohammed Ishtaye said letter have been addressed to international parties, urging them to exert pressure on Israel for allowing the upcoming Palestinian elections to take place in East Jerusalem. During an online cabinet meeting on Monday, Ishtaye said the letters were addressed to the UN, the European Union, […]

Tokyo, April 6 (IANS) Japanese Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga said he is willing to establish a new agency aimed at spearheading policies related to children. The ruling party lawmakers proposed the children’s agency last week in an effort to woo voters ahead of a general election, reports Xinhua news agency. “We need to eliminate the […]

Santiago, April 6 (IANS) Chilean President Sebastian Pinera said that the country’s health system is at its capacity limit due to Covid-19, amid a new wave of infections that resulted in more than 7,000 cases a day last week. “In Chile we have been hit hard by this resurgence, by this new onslaught that has […]

Jakarta, April 5 (IANS) More than 100 people were killed and dozens are missing after floods and landslides hit East Nusa Tenggara province in Indonesia, officials and media reports said on Monday. Volcanic debris from Mount Lewotolo engulfed homes on Sunday following heavy rain, killing 20 people and leaving more than 60 missing, Thomas Ola, […]

Kuala Lumpur, April 5 (IANS) Former Malaysian Prime Minister Najib Razak’s attempt to overturn his corruption conviction dealt with an early blow after the country’s Court of Appeal refused his request for a one-month adjournment of the hearings, which started on Monday. Judge Abdul Karim Abdul Jalil said there was insufficient grounds to postpone the […]

Tel Aviv, April 5 (IANS) Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu returned to a Jerusalem court on Monday as the corruption trial against him resumed with opening arguments and witness testimony. Netanyahu, 71, is the first sitting premier in Israel’s history to stand trial,reports dpa news agency. He is accused of bribery, fraud and breach of […]

Dhaka, April 5 (IANS) At least 26 people were killed after a ferry capsized in the Shitalakkhya river in Bangladesh’s Narayanganj district, an official said on Monday. The accident site is about 20 km away from the capital Dhaka. Ershad Hossain, senior duty officer of the Fire Service and Civil Defence Headquarters, told Xinhua news […]

Tel Aviv, April 5 (IANS) Israeli President Reuven Rivlin on Monday began consultations with party leaders two weeks after the country held its fourth parliamentary elections in two years which also ended in a deadlock. He met representatives of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s Likud Party, the first in a series of meetings planned for the […]

Kuala Lumpur, April 5 (IANS) Malaysia’s former Prime Minister Najib Razak will return to a court on Monday in a first attempt to overturn his corruption conviction last year. Najib was sentenced to 12 years in jail on July 28, 2020, at the end of the first of five trials related to large-scale graft during […]

Jakarta, April 5 (IANS) At least 18 people were killed and 62 missing after their villages were hit by cold mudflows from a volcano on Indonesia’s Lembata island, an official said on Monday. Volcanic debris from Mount Lewotolok engulfed homes on Sunday following heavy rain, Thomas Ola, the head of Lembata district in East Nusa […]

Dhaka, April 5 (IANS) At least four people were killed after a ferry capsized in the Shitalakkhya river in Bangladesh’s Narayanganj district, an official said on Monday. The accident site is about 20 km away from the capital Dhaka. Ershad Hossain, senior duty officer of Fire Service and Civil Defence Headquarters, told Xinhua news agency […]

Kabul, April 5 (IANS) One soldier was killed and four others were wounded in an IED explosion that targeted an army vehicle in Kabul’s Qarabagh district on Monday, police said in a statement. The incident took place at around 7 a.m. in Sabz Sang village, TOLO News reported. “Another mine was seized and defused by […]

Jakarta, April 5 (IANS) The death toll due to the flash floods and landslides in Indonesia’a East Nusa Tenggara province has increased to 55, a spokesman of the National Disaster Management Agency said on Monday. The spokesman, Raditya Jati, told Xinhua news agency that 44 victims were found in Flores Timur district and 11 others […]

Tel Aviv, April 5 (IANS) The Israeli Defence Ministry said the country’s Air Force has received on a new intelligence aircraft that will provide the military with “unprecedented” reconnaissance capabilities. The so-called “Oron” airplane landed on Sunday in the Nevatim airbase after more than nine years of developments by the Defence Ministry, Air Force, Intelligence […]

Islamabad, April 5 (IANS) A Pakistan anti-terrorism court judge, his wife and two children were killed after unidentified gunmen opened fire at his vehicle in Swabi district, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province, police sources said. The judge was on his way to the national capital Islamabad when the militants ambushed him and killed him with his family […]

Beirut, April 5 (IANS) Lebanese caretaker Foreign Minister Charbel Wehbe said that Beirut must negotiate with Syria about the demarcation of maritime borders, official media reported. “Now is the right time for negotiations to demarcate maritime borders between Lebanon and Syria,” Xinhua news agency quoted Wehbe as saying on Sunday. Wehbe’s comments came after the […]

Amman, April 5 (IANS) Jordan’s Deputy Prime Minister Ayman Safadi said that a “malicious plot” to destabilise the country by former Crown Prince Hamzah, royal court chief Bassem Awadallah, and royal family member Sharif Hassan Ben Zeid, has been foiled. In a statement on Sunday, Safadi, who is also the Foreign Minister, said: “Jordan succeeded […]

Tel Aviv, April 5 (IANS) The Israeli Ministry of Health has announced the lifting of the mandatory obligation to wear a face mask in some of the military training units. The decision follows a sharp drop in the number of active Covid-19 cases among soldiers to only 32, the lowest since June 17, 2020, and […]

Tehran, April 5 (IANS) Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif has urged European participants of the 2015 nuclear agreement to maintain a “constructive” attitude in the meeting scheduled to take place on Tuesday in Vienna. Zarif made the demand in a telephone conversation with his British counterpart Dominic Raab, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs said […]

Tripoli, April 5 (IANS) Charles Michel, President of the European Council, met the Prime Minister of Libya Abdul Hamid Dbeibah in the capital Tripoli, and stressed the European Union (EU)’s support for stability in the war-torn country. “Michel expressed the EU’s readiness to provide all forms of support to the Government of National Unity to […]

Baghdad, April 5 (IANS) Two rockets on Sunday landed near an Iraqi military air base in Salahudin province north of capital Baghdad, the Iraqi military said. A statement by the media office of the Iraqi Joint Operations Command said that the rockets landed at 12:15 p.m. local time (0915 GMT) at the edge of Balad […]

Jakarta, April 5 (IANS) The death toll of the flash floods in the Indonesian province of East Nusa Tenggara stood at 41 on Sunday, with 27 people still missing, the country’s disaster mitigation agency said at a press conference on Sunday evening. Spokesman of Indonesia’s National Disaster Management Agency (BNPB) Raditya Jati said that at […]

Amman, April 4 (IANS) Jordan’s Prince Hamzah said that he was told by the head of the armed forces not to leave his house or communicate with people, in videos released to international broadcasters hours after the military denied he was under house arrest. The head of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, Yousef Ahmed al-Hunaiti, […]

Jakarta, April 4 (IANS) At least 23 people were killed, while two others reportedly missing in flash floods and landslides that hit villages in Adonara Island in eastern Indonesia, an official said. Raditya Jati, a spokesman for the national disaster mitigation agency, said heavy rainfall since Saturday caused the flooding that hit East Flores district […]

Tripoli, April 4 (IANS) Libya has received its first shipment of vaccines against Covid-19, with 101,250 doses from Russia, the Health Ministry said on Sunday. The Sputnik doses arrived in the capital Tripoli and will be stored in the Health Ministry’s warehouses, according to official news agency LNA. No date has been given for when […]

Kabul, April 4 (IANS) At least 82 militants have been confirmed dead as warplanes pounded Taliban hideouts and positions in Afghanistan’s Kandahar province, the former stronghold of the militant group, a top police official said on Sunday. The sorties began on Saturday night in parts of the restive Arghandab district, Xinhua news agency quoted the […]

Tehran, April 4 (IANS) Iran will not engage in negotiations with the US at the meeting in Vienna next week where the 2015 nuclear deal will be discussed, a top official said here on Sunday. “We will not talk directly or indirectly with the US in Vienna,” deputy foreign minister Abbas Araghchi said, denying American […]

Taipei, April 4 (IANS) Taiwanese authorities on Sunday continued the identification process of victims killed in the deadly train derailment in Hualien county, according to the Central Emergency Operation Centre (CEOC). On Friday morning, the Taiwan Railways Administration (TRA) No. 408 Taroko train en route from Shulin, New Taipei, to Taitung, suddenly derailed as it […]

Yangon, April 4 (IANS) Protesters across Myanmar staged “Easter egg strikes” on Sunday, painting and writing anti-military slogans on eggs as a symbol of defiance and opposition to the February 1 coup. The eggs, decorated to mark Easter Sunday, were placed in public areas, while photos were also shared on social media, dpa news agency […]

Jakarta, April 4 (IANS) At least 20 people were killed, nine others injured and five reported missing as flash floods and landslides struck Indonesia’s East Nusa Tenggara province on Sunday, the National Disaster Management Agency said. The natural disaster took place in Flores Timur district at about 1 a.m., Xinhua news agency quoted Raditya Jati, […]

Ramallah, April 4 (IANS) As the May 22 Palestinian legislative elections are fast approaching, the multiplicity of the candidacy has heralded a potential scattering of ballots and divisions in the voters’ attitudes since most of the minor independent lists of candidates are not expected to cross the threshold for a seat, according to analysts. Last […]

Ramallah, April 4 (IANS) Following a flattening coronavirus curve, Palestine has decided to ease lockdown restrictions across the West Bank starting from Sunday until April 12.. In a statement on Saturday, Palestine government spokesman Ibrahim Melhem announced a set of measures for easing restrictions, while keeping some preventative measures, including wearing masks and social distancing […]

Tehran, April 4 (IANS) The head of the Atomic Energy Organization of Iran (AEOI) said Tehran has produced 50 kg of the 20 per cent enriched uranium. The 20 per cent uranium enrichment process has been launched as part of Iran’s Strategic Action Plan to Counter Sanctions bill, which was approved by Parliament in December […]

Islamabad, April 4 (IANS) An active Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) terrorist was killed during an intense exchange of fire with security forces in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province, an army statement said. The security forces conducted an intelligence-based operation in Boya area of North Waziristan on confirmation of the presence of terrorists, the military’s media wing Inter-Services Public […]

Lagos, April 4 (IANS) At least 15 people kidnapped by gunmen in Nigeria’s northern state of Kaduna have been rescued, according to an official. The victims were rescued by police operatives on Thursday at different locations in the Chikun area of the state, Samuel Aruwan, a commissioner for internal security and home affairs in the […]

Bangkok, April 4 (IANS) Five people were killed due to a blaze at a three-storey house in Bangkok, which led to the collapse of the structure, according to authorities in the Thai capital. A firefighter, three rescue workers and a resident of the house were killed at the scene on Saturday and six others were […]

Jakarta, April 4 (IANS) Thousands of houses still remain submerged by floods in Indonesia’s East Java province, but the waters have been receding and a number of evacuees returned home, according to the National Disaster Management Agency. Agency spokesman Raditya Jati on Saturday said houses in Pasuruan district were still inundated with flood waters, reports […]

Manila, April 4 (IANS) Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte has agreed to extend the strict Covid-19 lockdown measures in Metro Manila and four adjacent areas for another week as the virus case count continues to surge, his spokesperson said. Presidential spokesperson Harry Roque announced in a televised address on Saturday that the enhanced community quarantine (ECQ) […]

Tehran, April 4 (IANS) Iranian President Hassan Rouhani said that the fourth wave of the Covid-19 pandemic is already underway in two provinces. “If people in other provinces do not honour (health guidelines), they may experience the fourth wave as well,” Xinhua news agency quoted Rouhani as saying on Saturday. “According to the statistics, compliance […]

Beijing, April 4 (IANS) A truck collided with a passenger bus on Sunday in China’s Jiangsu province, killing 11 people and injuring 19 injured others. The accident took place at around 1 a.m. on the Shenyang-Haikou expressway, as the truck crossed the fence along the middle of the road and crashed into the passenger bus, […]

Jakarta, April 4 (IANS) A 5.9 magnitude quake jolted Indonesia’s eastern province of Maluku early on Sunday, the meteorology and geophysics agency said. The quake struck at 1:42 a.m. on Sunday Jakarta Time (1842 GMT Saturday), with the epicenter at 163 km south of Ambon, the capital of the province, and the depth of 329 […]

Nay Pyi Taw, April 3 (IANS) Five people were killed across Myanmar on Saturday as the military continues to crack down on the ongoing protests against the February 1 coup. Three people died when the armed forces suppressed a protest in Monywa, in the Sagaing region on Saturday morning, dpa news agency quoted the Myanmar […]

Dhaka, April 3 (IANS) The Bangladesh government has decided to enforce a one-week lockdown from April 5 to control the new Covid-19 wave in the country, a Minister announced here on Saturday. Bangladeshi Road, Transport and Bridges Minister Obaidul Quader made the announcement in an online press conference in Dhaka on Saturday. Meanwhile, the country’s […]

Taipei, April 2 (IANS) At least 41 people were killed in a deadly train derailment in Taiwan’s in Hualien county on Friday, officials said, adding 72 passengers were still trapped. At 9.28 a.m. (local time), the Taiwan Railways Administration (TRA) No. 408 Taroko train en route from Shulin, New Taipei, to Taitung, suddenly derailed as […]

Tokyo, April 2 (IANS) Japanese Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga will hold face-to-face talks with US President Joe Biden in Washington on April 16, the Tokyo government said on Friday. Suga will become the first foreign leader to meet Biden in person after he took office on January 20, dpa news agency quoted Japanese government spokesman […]

Taipei, April 2 (IANS) At least 34 people were killed in a train derailment in Taiwan on Friday, authorities said, adding that 72 passengers were still trapped. At 9.28 a.m. (local time), the Taiwan Railways Administration (TRA) No. 408 Taroko train en route from Shulin, New Taipei, to Taitung, suddenly derailed as it entered the […]

Amman, April 2 (IANS) The Jordan government saidit has sent an official note of protest through diplomatic channels, calling on Israel to stop violations and provocations against the Al-Aqsa Mosque and respect its legal and historical status quo. Jordanian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Deifallah Fayez said on Thursday the Israeli acts against Al-Aqsa Mosque are rejected […]

Istanbul, April 2 (IANS) Turkish police have detained three suspects in anti-smuggling operations and seized more than 3,500 ancient coins in Istanbul, local media reported. Police teams acted upon a tip-off that a group of people was about to smuggle historical artefacts abroad and launched operations in two addresses, Xinhua news agency quoted the Sabah […]

Taipei, April 2 (IANS) A train derailed in Taiwan on Friday, causing multiple casualties, according to authorities. The derailment occurred in a tunnel in Hualian, Xinhua news agency quoted the country’s fire fighting agency as saying. By around 10.30 a.m. (local time), three severely wounded people had been rushed to a hospital and some 20 […]

Santiago, April 2 (IANS) Chilean Health Minister Enrique Paris announced that current health restrictions will be tightened, after the country registered a new peak of Covid-19 infections which increased the overall tally to over a million. In the last 24 hours, the Health Ministry reported 7,830 new Covid-19 cases, which surpassed the previous record of […]

Dharamsala, April 1 (IANS) In a first, a US State Department report does not describe Tibet as an “inalienable part of China”. Reacting to the crucial development, the Central Tibetan Administration (CTA), headquartered in this northern India hill station, on Thursday said this year’s report marks a victory for Tibetans, for the report’s Tibet section […]

Ramallah, April 1 (IANS) Less than two months before the May 22 parliamentary elections in the Palestinian territories, 36 party lists have registered to compete. Thirteen of them have been authorised so far, dpa news agency reported on Friday citing the electoral commission as saying. A final decision on the lists is to be published […]

Nay Pyi Taw, April 1 (IANS) Ousted democratic leaders of Myanmar have said that they were rescinding the country’s 2008 constitution, which gave significant power to the armed forces. The Committee Representing Pyidaungsu Hluttaw (CRPH), or Parliament, on Wednesday announced the Constitution would be invalid from March 31, reports dpa news agency. It is however […]

Jakarta, April 1 (IANS) The number of foreign tourists visiting Indonesia was recorded at 117,000 in February 2021, an 86.59 per cent drop compared to the same month last year, a top official announced here on Thursday. Meanwhile, the number of foreigners travelling to Indonesia in February 2021 decreased by 14.74 per cent compared to […]

Kabul, April 1 (IANS) About 60 people lost their lives and many others wounded in targeted attacks across Afghanistan in March, according to official figures released on Thursday. On a single day on Wednesday, seven people were killed in separate targeted killings across the country, according to the figures published by Xinhua news agency. The […]

Hong Kong, April 1 (IANS) Seven Hong Kong pro-democracy figures were convicted on Thursday for taking part in an unauthorised protest in 2019. Prominent pro-democracy activist Martin Lee and media mogul Jimmy Lai were among those found guilty in a Hong Kong court, reports dpa news agency. It was not immediately clear when the group […]

Baghdad, April 1 (IANS) The Iraqi Parliament has endorsed a bill for the 2021 budget with about $89 billion and a deficit of $19 billion after months of delay due to political differences. A statement by the media office of Parliament said 215 lawmakers attended a session chaired by Speaker Mohammed al-Halbousi on Wednesday and […]

Hong Kong, April 1 (IANS) Four men involved in the 2019 rioting and illegal assembly at the Hong Kong International Airport were sentenced to imprisonment for 13 to 45 months by a local court. Two of the men, who were earlier convicted of illegal assembly, were sentenced on Wednesday to 13 months in prison, Xinhua […]