Israel to be shut down hermetically: PM Netanyahu
Jerusalem, Jan 25 (IANS) Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said on Sunday that Israel is going to be “shut down hermetically” for about a week, citing fears for the arrival of new coronavirus variants. “We are closing the country hermetically,” Netanyahu said at the start of his weekly cabinet meeting, according to a statement issued […]
Read MorePrachanda faction expels Prime Minister Oli from party
Kathmandu, Jan 24 (IANS) Discord and division continue inside the Nepal Communist Party, which has not split formally but has virtually fallen apart after Prime Minister K.P. Sharma Oli unilaterally decided to dissolve the House of Representatives on December 20 without the party’s consent. Since then, the Nepal Communist Party is acting like two parties […]
Read MoreBeijing issues alert for heavy air pollution
Beijing, Jan 24 (IANS) Beijing has issued a yellow alert for heavy air pollution that took effect from Sunday, local authorities said. A series of measures will be taken from Sunday, including the suspension of a number of outdoor construction operations, and halting or restricting production by manufacturing companies, according to the municipal air pollution […]
Read MorePak okays Russian vaccine for ’emergency use’
Islamabad, Jan 24 (IANS) The Pakistan government has approved Russias Sputnik V Covid-19 vaccine for “emergency use authorisation” (EUA) and also gave a go-ahead to a local pharmaceutical company for its import and distribution, an informed official has confirmed. The Sputnik V has become the third vaccine to be approved for emergency use in the […]
Read MorePakistan to get 5G by 2022-23: Report
Islamabad, Jan 24 (IANS) The Pakistan government is developing a comprehensive roadmap aimed at making 5G internet services commercially available to consumers in 2022-23, a media report said on Sunday. In an annual report, the Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) said the roadmap is targeted at auctioning “spectrum for 5G services in fiscal year 2023”, The […]
Read More11 workers rescued from China gold mine after 2 weeks
Beijing, Jan 24 (IANS) Eleven miners were rescued on Sunday after being trapped underground for two weeks following a blast in a gold mine in China’s Shandong province. Rescuers lifted two workers, bringing the overall number to 11, Xinhua news agency. The first rescued miner was lifted from the mine early Sunday morning. The worker, […]
Read More3 injured in Kabul blast
Kabul, Jan 24 (IANS) Three civilians were injured as a blast struck a vehicle in Kabul on Sunday, a police spokesman said. “The blast occurred at 8.12 a.m. local time in Police District 8 injuring three civilians,” the spokesman told Xinhua news agency. The official did not provide more details, saying investigation is underway. The […]
Read MoreS.Korea reports 392 more Covid-19 cases
Seoul, Jan 24 (IANS) South Korea on Sunday reported 392 more coronavirus cases, raising the total number of infections to 75,084. The daily caseload hovered around 400 for the past week, after peaking at 1,240 on December 25, 2020, Xinhua news agency reported. The virus spread showed signs of moderating this year, but the daily […]
Read MoreHasina orders evacuation of heritage building for museum
By Sumi KhanDhaka, Jan 24 (IANS) Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has ordered the evacuation of a 150-year-old heritage building in Chittagong which was once the law chamber of freedom fighter Jatindra Mohan Sengupta and his father advocate Jatra Mohon Sengupta, to be converted into a museum. Following the Prime Minister’s demand, Chittagong district authorities […]
Read MoreChinese mainland reports 80 new Covid cases
Beijing, Jan 24 (IANS) The Chinese mainland has reported 80 new coronavirus cases, of which 65 were locally transmitted and 15 arrived from outside the mainland, the National Health Commission said on Sunday. Of the locally transmitted cases, 29 were reported in Heilongjiang, 19 in Hebei, 12 in Jilin, three in Shanghai and two in […]
Read MoreInt’l working group reiterates backing for Libyan ceasefire deal
Tripoli, Jan 24 (IANS) The International Follow-Up Committee for Libya Security Working Group has reiterated their full and continued commitment to the implementation of the war-torn country’s ceasefire agreement. “They reiterated their commitment to facilitating the work of the 5+5 JMC (Joint Military Commission), through enhanced cooperation and their continued support to the political process,” […]
Read More‘Iran not interested in direct contact with Biden admin for now’
Tehran, Jan 24 (IANS) A top Iranian official has said that the Islamic Republic has had no contact with the administration of new US President Joe Biden, stressing that any possible talks could only be held within the “right format” of a 2015 multilateral nuclear agreement signed between Tehran and major world powers. “Currently, we […]
Read MoreIran FM to start 5-nation tour over bilateral, regional issues
Tehran, Jan 24 (IANS) Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif will embark on a five-nation tour starting from Monday for talks on bilateral as well as regional issues, Foreign Ministry spokesman Saeed Khatibzadeh announced. Zarif’s tour will cover Azerbaijan, Russia, Armenia, Georgia and Turkey, Xinhua news agency quoted Khatibzadeh as saying in his announcement on […]
Read MoreHouthi rebels arrive in Jordan for UN-sponsored prisoner swap talks
Sanaa, Jan 24 (IANS) Yemen’s Houthi militia announced the arrival of its delegation in Jordan’s capital Amman for UN-sponsored talks with the Yemeni government on exchange of prisoners. Houthi-run al-Masirah TV reported on Saturday that the new round of talks is due to begin within days. The office of UN Special Envoy to Yemen Martin […]
Read MoreUNSC to discuss Abbas’s initiative to hold int’l peace conference
Ramallah, Jan 24 (IANS) The UN Security Council (UNSC) will hold a session to discuss the situation in the Middle East region including Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas’s initiative to hold international peace conference, a senior official said here. “The session will be held on Tuesday,” Xinhua news agency quoted Riyad Mansour, Palestinian envoy to the […]
Read MoreChina to issue commemorative coin for Year of the Ox
Beijing, Jan 24 (IANS) China’s central bank will issue a commemorative coin on Friday to celebrate the upcoming Chinese zodiac Year of the Ox. The round, copper-alloy coin is 27 mm in diameter and has a face value of 10 yuan ($1.55), Xinhua news agency quoted the People’s Bank of China as saying in a […]
Read MoreCovid-19 vaccination to start soon in Iran: Rouhani
Tehran, Jan 24 (IANS) Iranian President Hassan Rouhani said that vaccination against the novel coronavirus in the country will start in the next few days. In a statement on Saturday, Rouhani said that the use of foreign vaccine is necessary before the domestic vaccine is produced, reports Xinhua news agency. Iranian officials started human trial […]
Read MoreSL to receive 1st batch of Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccines
Colombo, Jan 24 (IANS) Sri Lankan President Gotabaya Rajapaksa said that the first batch of the Oxford-AstraZeneca Covid-19 vaccines manufactured in India is expected to arrive in the island nation on Wednesday. Sri Lanka will be receiving 600,000 vials of doses with the first vaccine consignment, reports Xinhua news agency. Addressing an event on Saturday, […]
Read MoreFighting continues in Afghanistan amid progress in peace talks
Kabul, Jan 24 (IANS) In the war-torn Afghanistan, fighting continues as more than 50 rebels mostly militants have been killed in the past 24 hours amid progress in the ongoing peace talks in Doha, officials said. In the latest wave of violent incidents, the armed insurgents attacked police in Kocha-e-Dash area of Police District 11 […]
Read MoreSri Lankan Health Minister tests coronavirus positive
Colombo, Jan 24 (IANS) Sri Lankan Health Minister Pavithra Wanniarachchi has tested positive for the novel coronavirus, Health Ministry officials confirmed. The 56-year-old Minister had undergone a Rapid Antigen Test on Friday which came in positive on Saturday, after which she was been taken to a treatment centre, Xinhua news agency quoted the officials as […]
Read MoreIndonesia to develop new capital city after vaccine drive
Jakarta, Jan 24 (IANS) Indonesia remains committed to developing a new capital city in East Kalimantan province, which will start after the national Covid-19 vaccination program scheduled for completion in March 2022, according to a media report. The country started its massive Covid-19 inoculation program on January 14 with health workers across the archipelago getting […]
Read MoreBeijing’s PM2.5 density drops 53% over past half decade
Beijing, Jan 24 (IANS) Beijing reported a 53 per cent decrease in PM2.5 density in the past five years, achieving the goal set for the city’s 13th Five-Year Plan period (2016-2020), local authorities said on Saturday. The city’s PM2.5 density was reduced by over a half in 2020 compared to that of 2015, giving the […]
Read MoreIran reports 6,207 new Covid-19 cases, tally mounts to 1.36mn
Tehran, Jan 24 (IANS) Iran’s health ministry reported 6,207 daily Covid-19 cases on Saturday, raising the total nationwide infections to 13,67,032. The pandemic has so far claimed 57,294 lives in Iran, up by 69 in the past 24 hours, said Sima Sadat Lari, the spokeswoman for Iranian Ministry of Health and Medical Education, during her […]
Read More3 rockets fired at Baghdad airport
Baghdad, Jan 23 (IANS) The Iraqi military said on Saturday that three rockets were fired at the Baghdad airport, just three days after the capital city witnessed two back-to-back suicide bombings. The rocket attack took place late on Friday night, Xinhua news agency quoted the media office of the Iraqi Joint Operations Command as saying […]
Read MorePIA pays $7mn after plane seizure in Malaysia
Islamabad, Jan 23 (IANS) The Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) confirmed that it has paid around $7 million o a jet company after a plane of the flag carrier was seized by Malaysian authorities over the non-payment of aircraft lease dues, the media reported on Saturday. On Friday, the PIA informed the London High Court that […]
Read More13 killed in Philippines shootout
Manila, Jan 23 (IANS) At least 13 people were killed, including a police officer, and four others injured on Saturday during a shootout in the Philippines’ Maguindanao province, according to authorities. In a statement, the authorities said the shootout erupted when the police went to the hideout of a fugitive in Sultan Kudarat town at […]
Read MorePalestinian PM, new UN envoy discuss stalled peace process
Ramallah, Jan 23 (IANS) Palestinian Prime Minister Mohammed Ishtaye and new UN envoy Tor Wennesland discussed reviving the stalled peace process. In a statement, Ishtaye said that he held a telephone conversation with Wennesland, the Special Coordinator for Middle East Peace Process, and expressed the Palestinian side’s openness to any political process sponsored by the […]
Read MoreInt’l meeting held to discuss Libyan economic issues
Tripoli, Jan 23 (IANS) The co-chairs of the International Follow-Up Committee on Libya’s Economic Working Group on Friday held a meeting to discuss the war-torn country’s economic issues, according to the UN. “The meeting was convened to discuss urgent economic issues including the need to manage the impacts of a unified exchange rate as well […]
Read MoreIraqi security forces launch new anti-IS operation
Baghdad, Jan 23 (IANS) Iraqi security forces have launched a new operation to hunt down Islamic State (IS) militants from all across the country after 32 people were killed in the twin suicide bombings in Baghdad earlier this week. In a statement on Friday, the country’s Counter-Terrorism Service (CTS) said that acting on intelligence reports, […]
Read MoreBaghdad security breach won’t be repeated: Iraqi PM
Baghdad, Jan 23 (IANS) In the wake of the twin suicide bombings in Baghdad earlier this week, Iraqi Prime Minister Mustafa al-Kadhimi pledged that a security breach in the capital city “would not be repeated”, stressing the need to urgently address the challenges facing by the country’s intelligence services. A statement by his office issued […]
Read MoreUS to operationalise India as Major Defence Partner: Austin
New Delhi, Jan 22 (IANS) US Secretary of Defense nominee, Lt Gen Lloyd Austin (retd) has said that he would further operationalise India’s major “Major Defence Partner” status. During his confirmation hearing in Congress, the former US Central Command chief was asked on how he would enhance the overall defence relationship between the US and […]
Read MoreSL grants approval for Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccine’s emergency use
Colombo, Jan 22 (IANS) Sri Lankan authorities on Friday granted approval for the emergency use of the Oxford-AstraZeneca Covid-19 vaccine, Minister for Pharmaceutical Production and Regulation Channa Jayasumana said. Jayasumana said the National Medicines Regulatory Authority (NMRA) had granted the approval for the emergency use of the British vaccine while several other vaccines were also […]
Read MoreTwitter locks account of Chinese Embassy in US over Uyghur tweet
New Delhi, Jan 21 (IANS) Twitter has locked the official account of China’s Embassy in the US over a controversial post that referred to Muslim Uyghur women as “baby-making machines” prior to government intervention. The tweet was originally shared on January 7. The micro-blogging platform removed the tweet, with a notification that it is no […]
Read More21 killed in Baghdad twin suicide bombings (2nd Ld)
Baghdad, Jan 21 (IANS) At least 21 people were killed and 53 others injured on Thursday in twin suicide bombings at a crowded market area in Baghdad, according to Iraqi officials. A suicide bomber blew up his explosive belt in a crowded market in Bab al-Sharji area, and a second one detonated his a few […]
Read More5 killed in Baghdad market suicide blast
Baghdad, Jan 21 (IANS) At least five people were killed and 10 others injured on Thursday in a suicide blast at a marketplace in Baghdad, an Iraqi Interior Ministry source confirmed. A suicide bomber detonated an explosive belt in Bab al-Sharji area, and another blast followed a few minutes later, the source told Xinhua news […]
Read MoreSri Lanka’s Covid-19 caseload tops 50,000
Colombo, Jan 21 (IANS) Sri Lanka’s overall coronavirus caseload surpassed the 55,000 mark on Thursday after over 700 people tested positive for the disease, the Health Ministry announced. According to official figures, out of the 55,189 patients reported to date, 47,215 patients have recovered and been discharged from hospitals, with the number of active cases […]
Read MorePalestine’s Abbas congratulates Biden
Ramallah, Jan 21 (IANS) Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas congratulated Joe Biden for his inauguration as the new President of the US and Kamala Harris as the Vice President. On Wednesday, Abbas expressed his “deep wishes for President Biden and Vice President Harris to succeed in confronting the big challenges”, Xinhua news agency quoted state media […]
Read MoreLibyan parties agree to hold constitutional referendum
Tripoli, Jan 21 (IANS) The Constitutional Committee comprising Libya’s eastern-based House of Representatives and the Tripoli-based High Council of State have agreed to hold a constitutional referendum ahead of the elections later this year, according to the UN On Tuesday and Wednesday, the Constitutional Committee held a meeting in the Egyptian city of Hurghada, and […]
Read MoreIsraeli leaders congratulate Biden
Tel Aviv, Jan 21 (IANS) Israeli President Reuven Rivlin and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu have congratulated Joe Biden as he was sworn in as the 46th president of the US. Taking to Twitter on Wednesday, Rivlin said: “Congratulations to President Joe Biden, 46th President of the United States, and to Vice President Kamala Harris. The […]
Read MoreSyria demands immediate withdrawal of US forces
Damascus, Jan 21 (IANS) The Syrian government has demanded the “immediate and unconditional withdrawal” of US forces from the war-torn country due to their “hostile practices”. In a statement issued on Wednesday the Foreign Ministry condemned what it called the “hostile practices” of the US forces in northeastern Syria, reports Xinhua news agency. It accused […]
Read MoreTehran slams ‘hostage-taking’ of Iranian national by US
Tehran, Jan 21 (IANS) The Tehran government has slammed the “blatant hostage-taking of Iranian national” by the US government for allegedly acting as an unregistered “foreign agent”. The remark was made by Foreign Ministry spokesman Saeed Khatibzadeh to a media outlet on Wednesday when asked about the arrest of Iranian university professor Kaveh Lotfolah Afrasiabi […]
Read MoreBiden urged to adopt fair path towards Palestinian cause
Ramallah, Jan 21 (IANS) A senior Palestinian official has called on the newly sworn in US President Joe Biden to adopt a fair path towards resolving the Palestinian cause under international resolutions. Nabil Shaath, an aide to President Mahmoud Abbas, told Xinhua news agency on Wednesday that the Palestinian side is willing to reconsider resuming […]
Read MoreJapan witnesses largest foreign arrivals’ decline in 56 yrs
Tokyo, Jan 21 (IANS) The number of foreign visitors arriving in Japan in 2020 plummeted 87.1 per cent from a year earlier, marking the largest decline in 56 years when comparable record keeping began, it was announced. In a statement on Wednesday, the Japan Tourism Agency said that in in 2020 the number of foreign […]
Read MorePak values relations with EU: FM Qureshi
Islamabad, Jan 21 (IANS) Pakistani Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi said that Islamabad greatly valued its relations with the European Union (EU), which are based on shared values and common objectives of peace, prosperity and development. The Pakistan-EU relationship has strengthened steadily over the years and is pursued through sound institutional mechanisms and dialogue processes, […]
Read MoreJapan to receive Pfizer vaccine for 72 mn people
Tokyo, Jan 21 (IANS) The Japanese government has signed agreements with US pharmaceutical company Pfizer Inc. to receive the drugmaker’s Covid-19 vaccine doses enough for a total of 72 million people within this year, the Health Ministry said. The additional supply added to the country’s agreement last year with the drugmaker to acquire doses for […]
Read MoreDalai Lama congratulates US President Biden
Dharamsala, Jan 21 (IANS) Tibetan spiritual leader the Dalai Lama on Thursday wrote to Joe Biden to offer his profound congratulations to the latter on becoming the 46th President of the US. “As someone deeply concerned with the ecological crisis our planet faces, I am so pleased that you are elevating the issue of climate […]
Read MoreChina sanctions Trump officials after Biden takes office (Ld)
Beijing, Jan 21 (IANS) A Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson announced on Thursday that the government has decided to impose sanctions against former US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo and 27 other high-ranking officials of the Trump administration, accusing them of “prejudice and hatred” against Beijing. The announcement came a day after Joe Biden was sworn […]
Read MoreChina announces sanctions on 28 US individuals including Pompeo
Beijing, Jan 21 (IANS) China has decided to sanction 28 US individuals, included former Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, for seriously violating Beijing’s sovereignty, a Foreign Ministry spokesperson announced on Thursday. The announcement came a day after Joe Biden was sworn in as the 46th President of the US on Wednesday. Former President Donald Trump […]
Read MoreUN humanitarian chief voices concern over Syrian economic crisis
Damascus, Jan 21 (IANS) UN Undersecretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs Mark Lowcock has voiced concern over the continuing economic crisis in Syria. Syrians are starting 2021 with a currency whose value has drastically declined and food prices at historically high levels, partly because subsidies for key commodities like bread have been cut, Xinhua news agency quoted […]
Read MoreChinese mainland reports 126 new locally transmitted Covid cases
Beijing, Jan 21 (IANS) The Chinese mainland on Wednesday reported 144 newly confirmed Covid-19 cases, including 126 locally transmitted and 18 arriving from outside the mainland, the National Health Commission said on Thursday. Of the locally transmitted cases, 68 were reported in Heilongjiang, 33 in Jilin, 20 in Hebei, two each in Beijing and Shanxi, […]
Read MoreBiden’s oath in a fortress: Decline of the American empire?
By Aarti Tikoo SinghNew Delhi, Jan 20 (IANS) More than 25,000 troops guarding the Capitol Hill in Washington DC for the oath taking ceremony of 78-year-old President-elect Joe Biden is in many ways symptomatic of the decline of the American empire. Till four years ago, the superpower US took pride in its democracy and despite […]
Read MoreB’desh logs 8 virus deaths, lowest daily count since May
Dhaka, Jan 20 (IANS) Bangladesh recorded 656 new cases of coronavirus in the past 24 hours, taking the tally of infections so far to 5,29,687, according to the latest data released by the government. A total of 617 patients recovered from the illness through treatment at home and in hospital care, taking the total number […]
Read MoreMeet this Chinese man with world’s ‘fastest hands’
Beijing, Jan 20 (IANS) Xia Yan (29) from Xi’an, the capital city of northwest China’s Shaanxi Province, is keen on time challenges. Xia currently holds eight Guinness World Records for his mind-blowing speed skills, including one for taking the shortest time to type the alphabet on a touchscreen smartphone, the Xinhua news agency reported. Despite […]
Read MoreHumans used chopping tools half million years ago: Study
Jerusalem, Jan 20 (IANS) Israeli and Italian researchers have discovered that early humans about half a million years ago used stone chopping tools to break animal bones and consume the bone marrow, Tel Aviv University (TAU) in central Israel said on Wednesday. In their study, published in the journal PLOS ONE, researchers from TAU and […]
Read MoreTurkey starts vaccination at nursing homes
Istanbul, Jan 20 (IANS) Turkey started vaccinating citizens residing or working in nursing homes against Covid-19 on Tuesday, Turkish Health Minister Fahrettin Koca announced on Wednesday. Speaking at a meeting with the provincial health directors on Monday, Koca said the vaccinations would also cover people in disabled care centres and care homes, as well as […]
Read MoreHigh-speed rail is success of Chinese innovation: Xi
Zhangjiakou, Jan 20 (IANS) Chinese President Xi Jinping, also General Secretary of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, has underlined that high-speed rail is a proof of China’s independent innovation. Jinping made the remarks on Tuesday during an inspection tour of the preparation work on the Beijing 2022 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games in […]
Read MoreAverage life expectancy in Tibet reaches 71.1 in 2020
Lhasa, Jan 20 (IANS) The average life expectancy in southwest China’s Tibet Autonomous Region hit 71.1 in 2020, said Qizhala, chairman of the regional government. The key health indicators of maternal mortality rate and infant mortality rate both fell close to 50 per cent from 2015, dropping to 50 per 1,00,000 and eight per 1,000, […]
Read MoreBeijing restricts residents from leaving city
Beijing, Jan 20 (IANS) Beijing’s Daxing District issued a notification on Wednesday banning all people in the district from leaving the capital in the wake of new Covid-19 cases. Those who need to travel outside the city should obtain approval from local authorities and have a negative Covid-19 nucleic acid test result taken within three […]
Read MoreChina’s Jilin reports 46 new confirmed, 7 asymptomatic Covid-19 cases
Changchun, Jan 20 (IANS) Northeast China’s Jilin Province reported on Tuesday 46 new confirmed Covid-19 cases and seven new asymptomatic infections, the provincial health commission said on Wednesday. Of the new confirmed cases, 10 were reported in the provincial capital of Changchun and the other 36 in the city of Tonghua. The new confirmed cases […]
Read MoreChinese mainland reports 88 new locally transmitted Covid cases
Beijing, Jan 20 (IANS) The Chinese mainland on Tuesday reported 103 newly confirmed Covid-19 cases, including 88 locally transmitted cases and 15 arriving from outside the mainland, the National Health Commission said on Wednesday. Of the locally transmitted cases, 46 were reported in Jilin, 19 in Hebei, 16 in Heilongjiang, and seven in Beijing, the […]
Read MoreIndia, US defence ties to strengthen further in face of rising China
By Sumit Kumar SinghNew Delhi, Jan 19 (IANS) The defence relationship has emerged as a major pillar in ties between India and the US over the last few years with intensification in defence trade, joint exercises, personnel exchanges, and cooperation in maritime security and counter-piracy. The strategic partnership between both countries is expected to strengthen […]
Read MoreMedical experts sent to assist trapped Chinese miners’ rescue
Beijing, Jan 19 (IANS) China’s National Health Commission (NHC) on Tuesday sent an expert team to Qixia in Shandong province to guide and assist the rescue mission for the trapped gold mine workers. The team consists of five medical experts from leading hospitals in Beijing, Xinhua news agency quoted the Commission as saying. The NHC […]
Read More26 US soldiers, 5 civilians test Covid positive in S.Korea
Seoul, Jan 19 (IANS) Twenty-six more American soldiers and five civilians have tested positive for the novel coronavirus upon their arrival in South Korea, the US Forces Korea (USFK) said on Tuesday. In a statement, it said that the 31 USFK-affiliated individuals were infected with the COVID-19 after arriving in South Korea between December 29, […]
Read MoreOver 470k sampled for Covid-19 testing in Beijing
Beijing, Jan 19 (IANS) Beijing’s Daxing district has sampled over 470,000 people for nucleic acid tests as part of an extensive testing campaign against the novel coronavirus in the wake of new confirmed cases, local authorities said on Tuesday. The testing, launched by the district on Monday, is expected to cover about 522,000 people in […]
Read MoreAfghan President, NATO chief discuss peace talks
Kabul, Jan 19 (IANS) Afghan President Mohammad Ashraf Ghani and NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg held a phone conversation during which they discussed the peace talks between the Kabul government and the Taliban, an official statement said here on Tuesday. The two sides on Monday discussed “the Afghan peace process and NATO’s continued support for […]
Read MorePak Army recovers American mountaineer’s body near K2
Islamabad, Jan 19 (IANS) The Pakistan Army has recovered the body of an American climber near K2, the second highest peak of the world, making the second death of a foreign mountaineer in the area in less than a week, the media reported on Tuesday. A helicopter team spotted Alex Goldfarb-Rumyantzev’s remains during a search […]
Read More23 killed in clashes between Yemeni army, Houthis
Sanaa, Jan 19 (IANS) At least 23 fighters from both Yemeni army and Houthi militia were killed in clashes in Yemen’s Red Sea port city of Hodeidah, a local government military source said. “The clashes erupted after the Houthis attempted to infiltrate to the army positions in the liberated areas in the district of Al-Durayhimi […]
Read MoreUAE temporarily suspends visa-free deal with Israel
Tel Aviv, Jan 19 (IANS) The Israeli Foreign Ministry has announced that the United Arab Emirates (UAE) has temporarily suspended a visa-exemption deal with the Jewish state, citing coronavirus fears. In a statement on Monday, Ministry spokesman Lior Haiat said that the UAE government has notified its Israeli counterparts that the implementation of the agreement […]
Read More‘Israel racing to increase settlements before Biden takes office’
Ramallah, Jan 19 (IANS) Palestinian Prime Minister Mohammed Ishtaye said that the Israeli government was racing to build more settlements before US President-elect Joe Biden takes office on Wednesday. “The Israeli decision to construct 760 new settlement units in the West Bank shows that Israel races time before the departure of the current administration,” Ishtaye […]
Read MoreIraqi political bloc confirms commitment to withdrawing foreign forces
Baghdad, Jan 19 (IANS) A leading Iraqi political bloc has confirmed it would not retreat from demanding the government to implement Parliament’s decision to withdraw foreign forces from the country. Monday’s confirmation by the al-Fatih Coalition, headed by Hadi al-Ameri, came because “the decision of ending the presence of foreign forces from Iraq was already […]
Read MoreNumber of unemployed people in Israel reach over 657,000
Tel Aviv, Jan 19 (IANS) Amid an ongoing complete lockdown imposed due to the Covid-19 pandemic, the number of unemployed people in Israel has increased to more than 657,000, official data revealed. The data issued on Monday by the Central Bureau of Statistics and the Israeli Employment Service said that the new figure was an […]
Read MorePak approves Sinopharm Covid vaccine for emergency use
Islamabad, Jan 19 (IANS) The Drug Regulatory Authority of Pakistan (DRAP) has approved a Covid-19 vaccine by China’s Sinopharm for emergency use amid an unabated resurgence in the country. A handout by DRAP on its official website late Monday said that Sinopharm, one of the two vaccines approved by the authority, has been given emergency […]
Read MoreThe Kamala Harris saga continues with another biography
New Delhi, Jan 18 (IANS) “Kamala, you may be the first to do many things, but make sure you are not the last,” the US Vice President-elect’s mother Shyamala Harris told her once, says this revelatory and inspiring biography of the female icon of the moment, to be released on the day she takes office […]
Read MoreNew Covid variant detected in Nepal
Kathmandu, Jan 18 (IANS) Nepal’s Health Ministry has confirmed the detection of cases of the new coronavirus variant, which was first discovered in the UK late last year. Three people whose samples were sent to Hong Kong for testing via gene sequencing have been confirmed to have contracted the mutated varian. A 28-year-old woman and […]
Read MoreEconomic plan, budget discussed at N.Korea Supreme People’s Assembly
Seoul, Jan 18 (IANS) North Korea held the Supreme People’s Assembly to mainly discuss the country’s five-year economic and budget plans, state media reported on Monday. In a report, Pyongyang’s official Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) said that the fourth session of the 14th Supreme People’s Assembly (SPA) was held in Mansudae Assembly Hall in […]
Read MorePETA India organises vegan celebration in Kamala Harris’ ancestral village
Chennai, Jan 18 (IANS) Residents of Thulasendrapuram village in Tamil Nadu are enjoying a vegan celebration ahead of Kamala Harris’ inauguration as the next US Vice President on Wednesday. Harris’ maternal family hails from this village which has witnessed non-strop celebrations ever since she made US history as the first woman, the first person of […]
Read MoreSome 522k people in Beijing to undergo Covid testing
Beijing, Jan 18 (IANS) About 522,000 people in Beijing’s Daxing district will undergo mass nucleic acid testing on Monday after the Chinese capital city reported two new locally transmitted Covid-19 cases 24 hours ago. The two cases were detected in Tiangongyuan street, Xinhua news agency reported. The people who will be tested are residents of […]
Read MoreS.Korea reports 389 more Covid cases
Seoul, Jan 18 (IANS) South Korea reported 389 more Covid-19 cases on Monday, raising the total number of infections to 72,729. The daily caseload fell below 400 in 54 days since November 25, 2020, but it hovered above 100 since November 8 owing to small cluster infections in Seoul and its surrounding Gyeonggi province as […]
Read MoreEU-initiated payment system not working due to US sanctions: Iran
Tehran, Jan 18 (IANS) The Central Bank of Iran (CBI) said that the European Union (EU)-initiated payment system did not work because its operation was under the influence of US sanctions. The system, known also as the Instrument in Support of Trade Exchanges (INSTEX), is a mechanism set up by France, Germany and the UK […]
Read More96 dead, nearly 70k displaced as quake, floods hit Indonesia
Jakarta, Jan 18 (IANS) The death toll from a strong earthquake and floods that hit Indonesia has increased to 96, with nearly 70,000 people currently displaced, the National Disaster Management Agency said on Monday. A total of 81 people were killed after the 6.2-magnitude quake and the 5.9-magnitude aftershock struck West Sulawesi province on January […]
Read MoreChinese mainland reports 93 new locally transmitted Covid cases
Beijing, Jan 18 (IANS) The Chinese mainland on Sunday reported 109 newly confirmed Covid-19 cases, including 93 locally transmitted cases and 16 arriving from outside the mainland, the National Health Commission said on Monday. Out of the locally transmitted cases, 54 were reported in Hebei, 30 in Jilin, seven in Heilongjiang, and two in Beijing, […]
Read MoreS.Korea to extend social-distancing rules
Seoul, Jan 16 (IANS) South Korea on Saturday announced its decision to extend the tightened social-distancing rules for two more weeks until the end of January amid an unabated Covid-19 resurgence. The Seoul metropolitan area, which covers the capital city, its surrounding Gyeonggi province and Incheon, will be placed under the second-highest Level 2.5 social-distancing […]
Read MoreTurkish president reports no side effects after Covid-19 vaccine
Istanbul, Jan 16 (IANS) Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said he did not see any side effects of the Covid-19 vaccine that he received the previous day. Speaking to the reporters after Friday prayers in Istanbul, Erdogan noted that he is so far feeling good and will take the second dose of the vaccine 28 […]
Read MoreChina blasts Trump admin for imposing new sanctions on Chinese firms
Beijing, Jan 16 (IANS) A Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman rebuked the Trump administration for blacklisting some Chinese companies with alleged military ties, which he said has shown the world exactly what bullying is. Spokesman Zhao Lijian told a press briefing on Friday that China firmly opposed the United States’ repeated sanctions against Chinese firms, adding […]
Read MoreWHO experts start quarantine in Wuhan
Beijing, Jan 16 (IANS) An international expert team of the World Health Organization (WHO) arrived in China and started quarantine at a hotel in Wuhan on Thursday, Foreign Ministry spokesperson Zhao Lijian said. The 13-member team will conduct joint scientific research with Chinese scientists on the origin-tracing of the novel coronavirus, Zhao told a press […]
Read MoreShun Pfizer’s mRNA Covid vax after Norway deaths: Chinese media (Lead)
Beijing, Jan 15 (IANS) In a disturbing news coming ahead of India beginning its mass vaccination drive from Saturday, Chinese publication Global Times on Friday said that health experts in the country have called on Norway and other countries to suspend the use of Pfizer’s mRNA-based Covid-19 vaccine, after at least 23 deaths were reported […]
Read MoreChinese health experts call to shun Pfizer’s mRNA-based Covid vaccine
Beijing, Jan 15 (IANS) Amid the news of deaths of 23 elderly Norwegian people who received Pfizer’s mRNA-based Covid-19 vaccine, Chinese health experts have called on Norway and other countries to suspend the use of it, especially among elderly people due to the vaccines’ safety uncertainties. According to a Chinese immunologist, the new mRNA vaccine […]
Read MorePakistan International Airlines plane seized in Malaysia
Islamabad, Jan 15 (IANS) Malaysian authorities on Friday seized a Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) plane at the Kuala Lumpur Airport over the non-payment of aircraft lease dues, a media report said. The PIA plane was seized on the orders of a local Malaysian court, the Geo News report said citing sources as saying. PIA had […]
Read MorePak schools to reopen from Jan 18
Islamabad, Jan 15 (IANS) Pakistan Education Minister Shafqat Mahmood on Friday confirmed that grades 9-12 will resume from January 18 as planned, while primary classes will reopen nationwide from February 1. While briefing the media after a meeting of the National Command and Operation Centre (NCOC), Mahmood said grades 1-8 will begin on February 1, […]
Read MoreChinese mainland reports 144 new Covid-19 cases
Beijing, Jan 15 (IANS) The Chinese mainland on Thursday reported 144 new Covid-19 cases, of which 135 were locally transmitted and the rest nine arrived from outside, the National Health Commission said on Friday. Of the locally transmitted cases, 90 were reported in Hebei, 43 in Heilongjiang, and one each in Guangxi and Shaanxi, the […]
Read MoreTurkey begins mass Covid-19 vaccination with Sinovac’s jabs
Istanbul, Jan 15 (IANS) Turkey launched the mass vaccination program against Covid-19 with the vaccines developed by China’s Sinovac company. According to the Turkish Health Ministry, the first doses will be given to over 1 million health workers across the country, followed by adults living in nursing homes, Xinhua news agency reported on Thursday. The […]
Read MoreIndonesia starts massive Covid-19 vaccination drive
Jakarta, Jan 15 (IANS) Indonesia launched its massive Covid-19 vaccination program with health workers as the main priority group, a day after President Joko Widodo received the first shot developed by China’s biopharmaceutical company Sinovac Biotech. On Thursday morning, a mass vaccination was held at state-run Cipto Mangunkusumo Hospital in central Jakarta, Xinhua news agency […]
Read MorePak madrasa students to be stopped from attending PDM rallies
Islamabad, Jan 14 (IANS) Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan has directed Interior Minister Shaikh Rashid Ahmad to ensure that madrasa students do not attend any rallies staged by the PDM opposition alliance in the future, the media reported on Thursday. According to a report by The News International, Rashid has been directed to sit with […]
Read MorePak records highest jump in Covid-19 cases
Islamabad, Jan 14 (IANS) Pakistan reported its biggest jump in novel coronavirus cases in nearly a month as infections in Sindh rose by 1,769 in the past 24 hours, official data revealed on Thursday. Data issued by the National Command and Operations Centre (NCOC) showed that 3,097 people tested positive for Covid-19 across the country […]
Read MoreWith some millstones, US-India strategic partnership likely to thrive under Biden
By Aarti Tikoo SinghNew Delhi, Jan 14 (IANS) The US-India strategic partnership is likely to continue on the same upward trajectory, albeit with some millstones under Joe Biden’s presidency which will assume office next week on January 20. Even as outgoing President Donald Trump lost in the November 3, 2020, elections, his broader foreign policy […]
Read MoreIndonesian Prez Widodo receives Chinese Covid-19 vaccine
Jakarta, Jan 14 (IANS) Indonesian President Joko Widodo received the Covid-19 vaccine shot developed by China’s biopharmaceutical company Sinovac Biotech. The president, widely known as Jokowi, is the first Indonesian vaccinated to show that the vaccine is safe, Xinhua news agency reported on Wednesday. After the president, the Indonesian military chief, the national police chief […]
Read MoreProtests in Yemen’s Aden as currency value slashes
Aden, Jan 14 (IANS) Scores of Yemeni people took to the streets in the country’s southern port city of Aden protesting against the sharp deterioration of their national currency. In different neighbourhoods of Aden, protesters burned tyres and blocked main roads, forcing many business stores to shut down. The protest organisers demanded the newly power-sharing […]
Read MoreJapan to suspend entry of non-resident foreign nationals
Tokyo, Jan 13 (IANS) Japanese Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga on Wednesday said the entry of all non-resident foreign nationals into the country will be suspended as part of a coordinated effort to curb the further spread of the Covid-19 pandemic. The majority of entries were suspended in December, although travelers arriving on business and associated […]
Read MoreSL detects first patient with new Covid variant
Colombo, Jan 13 (IANS) Sri Lanka has detected the new strain of the Covid-19 virus after a British national who has arrived here recently tested positive for the new variant, Chief Epidemiologist of the Health Ministry’s Epidemiology Unit Sudath Samaraweera said on Wednesday. This is the first case of the new variant to be reported […]
Read MoreBlack box of Indonesia’s crashed plane retrieved
Jakarta, Jan 13 (IANS) Divers retrieved a black box of the Sriwijaya Air Boeing 737-500 plane that plunged into the water off the coast of the Indonesian capital Jakarta on Saturday, local TV reported here. The black box was found on Tuesday on the seafloor between Lancang Island and Laki Island of Jakarta Gulf, Xinhua […]
Read MoreMalaysia declares state of emergency to contain Covid-19 surge
Kuala Lumpur, Jan 13 (IANS) Malaysian Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin said that King Sultan Abdullah Sultan Ahmad Shah has consented to declaring a state of emergency in the country to stop the Covid-19 outbreak. In a televised speech on Tuesday, Muhyiddin said the emergency would last till August 1 or earlier depending on the Covid-19 […]
Read MoreJapan PM set to expand virus emergency
Tokyo, Jan 12 (IANS) Japanese Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga is set to expand a state of emergency against the Covid-19 pandemic for the Greater Tokyo area to include Osaka, Kyoto and Hyogo prefectures, informed sources said on Tuesday. According to the sources, Suga told executives of the ruling Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) that he intends […]
Read More13 dead, 250 injured as record snowfall blankets Japan
Tokyo, Jan 12 (IANS) At least 13 people died and around 250 others injured as record snowfall blanketed regions along the coast of the Sea of Japan coast, according to the latest report by the Fire and Disaster Management Agency. The agency said that three people aged in their 60s and 80s died in Fukui […]
Read More‘Collusion between Taiwan and US will face resolute countermeasures’
Beijing, Jan 12 (IANS) Collusion between Taiwan and the United States will face resolute countermeasures from the mainland, a mainland spokesperson said. Zhu Fenglian, a spokesperson for the Taiwan Affairs Office of the State Council, made the statement on Monday when asked about US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo’s recent remarks about lifting the restrictions […]
Read MoreIndonesia extends ban on foreign visitors
Jakarta, Jan 11 (IANS) The Indonesian government on Monday decided to extend its travel restrictions for foreign nationals for two more weeks due to Covid-19 concerns, a Minister said. At a press conference here, Economic Minister Airlangga Hartarto said that the government on Monday started implementing stricter restrictions on community activities for two weeks, reports […]
Read More37 US soldiers, 5 civilians test Covid-19 positive in S.Korea
Seoul, Jan 11 (IANS) Thirty-seven more American soldiers and five civilians have tested positive for Covid-19 upon their arrival in South Korea, the US Forces Korea (USFK) said on Monday. The USFK said in a statement that the 42 individuals arrived in South Korea between December 28, 2020, and January 8, reports Xinhua news agency. […]
Read More4 killed in B’desh cylinder blast
Dhaka, Jan 11 (IANS) Four people were killed and 20 injured after a gas cylinder exploded on Monday inside a community kitchen in Gazipur on the outskirts of Bangladesh capital Dhaka, according to an official. Kabirul Alam, an officer of local Kaliakoir fire service station, told the media that “a woman along with three men […]
Read MoreMissing persons in Indonesia landslides increase to 27
Jakarta, Jan 11 (IANS) The number of missing persons in the devastating landslides that struck Indonesia’s West Java province over the weekend increased to 27, while the death toll stood at 13, a senior disaster official said on Monday. Heavy rains were blamed for the natural disaster at Cihanjuan village of Sumedang district on Saturday, […]
Read MoreN.Korea holds 1st plenary of 8th Party Central Committee
Seoul, Jan 11 (IANS) North Korea held its first plenary meeting of the eighth Central Committee of the ruling Workers’ Party of Korea with a focus on strengthening discipline, state media reported on Monday In the report, Pguongyang’s official Korean Central News Agency (KCNA), said: “Kim Jong-un, General Secretary of the Workers’ Party of Korea, […]
Read MoreS.Korea can hold dialogue with Pyongyang anytime: Prez
Seoul, Jan 11 (IANS) South Korean President Moon Jae-in said on Monday that his government can hold a dialogue with North Korea anytime, anywhere and even in a contactless way. “Our willingness to meet at anytime and any place and to hold dialogue even in a contactless way has not been unchanged,” Moon said in […]
Read MoreIndonesia expands search area for crashed plane (Ld)
Jakarta, Jan 11 (IANS) Indonesia’s search and rescue (SAR) team on Monday expanded the operation area to locate the debris and victims of the Sriwijaya Air plane, which crashed in the Java Sea over the weekend, according to authorities. “While yesterday we focused on a narrower area, today we decided to expand the range of […]
Read MoreLibyan committee presents plans on constitutional basis for polls
Tripoli, Jan 11 (IANS) The Legal Committee of the Libyan Political Dialogue Forum (LPDF) presented proposals on constitutional basis for this year’s general elections during its virtual meeting with UN officials. “The Libyan Political Dialogue Forum’s Legal Committee held a virtual session today, during which the Committee’s members presented their proposals regarding the constitutional basis […]
Read MoreIndia may revise import duties of critical raw materials to boost manufacturing
By Mahua VenkateshNew Delhi, Jan 11 (IANS) India is not likely to immediately lower tariff rates even as the US and European Union (EU) raised their concerns over “rising trade barrier” as sources said that the steps have been taken to eliminate instances of dumping. They said that the prime concern of the government is […]
Read MoreS.Korea reports 451 more Covid-19 cases
Seoul, Jan 11 (IANS) South Korea reported 451 new coronavirus cases on Monday, raising the total number of infections to 69,114. The daily caseload fell below 500 in 41 days since December 1, 2020, but it hovered above 100 for 64 days since November 8, 2020, owing to small cluster infections in Seoul and its […]
Read MoreChinese mainland reports 103 new Covid-19 cases
Beijing, Jan 11 (IANS) The Chinese mainland has reported 103 new coronavirus cases, out of which 85 were locally transmitted and the rest 18 arrived from outside, the National Health Commission said on Monday. Of the locally transmitted cases, 82 were reported in Hebei province, two in Liaoning, and one in Beijing, the Commission said […]
Read MoreIran demands release of frozen assets in S.Korea
Tehran, Jan 11 (IANS) During a meeting between Iranian Deputy Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi and visiting South Korean First Vice Foreign Minister Choi Jong Kun, Tehran demanded the release of its frozen foreign exchange assets in Seoul. The First Vice Foreign Minister arrived in Tehran on Sunday in an effort to seek an early release […]
Read MorePalestine starts technical meetings over preparations for polls
Ramallah, Jan 11 (IANS) The Palestinian Central Elections Commission (PCEC) has started technical meetings over preparations for the state’s first general elections after a 15-year hiatus. Hana Nasser, chairman of PCEC, convened an online meeting on Sunday with the Comission’s members in the Gaza Strip to discuss the latest developments of the planned legislative and […]
Read MoreIsrael starts Covid-19 vaccination for educational workers
Tel Aviv, Jan 11 (IANS) Israel has started a nationwide Covid-19 vaccination campaign for all teachers and other educational workers, the Ministry of Education said. The Israeli education system has more than 203,000 employees, who are in daily contact with more than 2.4 million students on a normal day when there is no lockdown, reports […]
Read MoreJordan to start Covid-19 vaccination campaign from Jan 13
Amman, Jan 11 (IANS) Jordan will start a nationwide vaccination campaign against the novel coronavirus from Wednesday onwards, Health Minister Nathir Obeidat said. Addressing a press conference in the capital Amman, Obeidat said on Sunday that the quantity of Covid-19 vaccines is enough for 20 per cent of Jordan’s population, reports Xinhua news agency. Vaccination […]
Read MoreKim Jong-un elected General Secy of ruling Worker’s Party
Seoul, Jan 11 (IANS) North Korea has endorsed the country’s supreme leader Kim Jong-un as the General Secretary of the ruling Workers’ Party of Korea at its ongoing eighth Congress, a state-media report said on Monday. Pyongyang’s official Korean Central News Agency said in the report that the election took place at the sixth-day session […]
Read MoreIndonesian authorities claim to have located crashed plane’s black boxes
Jakarta, Jan 11 (IANS) Indonesian military chief Hadi Tjahjanto announced that a joint search and rescue team has located the black boxes suspected to belong to the Sriwijaya Air plane that crashed into the Java Sea. The rescuers, he said on Sunday night, were trying to find black boxes after marking their positions, reports Xinhua […]
Read MoreIraqi prez warns against foreign interference in Iraq’s internal affairs
Baghdad, Jan 11 (IANS) Iraqi President Barham Salih warned against any foreign interference in Iraq’s internal affairs and urged respect for Iraq’s sovereignty. Salih’s comments came during his meeting with the head of the Hashd Shaabi forces Falih al-Fayadh, according to a statement by the Presidency’s media office released on Sunday, Xinhua news agency reported. […]
Read MoreSadyr Zhaparov leads presidential elections in Kyrgyzstan
Bishkek, Jan 11 (IANS) Preliminary data from automatic ballot boxes show that Sadyr Zhaparov is leading in the presidential elections held in Kyrgyzstan, the Central Election Commission (CEC) said. CEC chairwoman Nurzhan Shildabekova said at a briefing on Sunday that turnout was more than 36 per cent, Xinhua news agency reported. “According to preliminary estimates […]
Read MoreWill retrieve Nepali territory from India, asserts Oli
Kathmandu, Jan 10 (IANS) Ahead of crucial Nepal-India Foreign Minister level talks that are likely to focus on seeking long-term solution of the boundary dispute, Nepal’s Prime Minister K.P. Sharma Oli on Sunday said they will retrieve the Nepali territories of Kalapani, Limpiyadhura and Lipulekh which have long been “occupied” by India. Addressing the National […]
Read MoreHuman body parts retrieved from Indonesian plane crash site (3rd Ld)
Jakarta, Jan 10 (IANS) Five bags of human body parts and three bags of debris were collected by search and rescue officials on Sunday from the waters off the Indonesian capital of Jakarta where a Sriwijaya Air plane crashed the previous day shortly after take-off “We received three bags containing the debris of the plane […]
Read MoreConflicts displace 18,000 Afghan families in a month
Kabul, Jan 10 (IANS) Afghan government figures have revealed that at least 18,000 families have been displaced due to conflicts in six provinces over the last month. In a statement on Saturday, the State Ministry for Disaster Management said if the current level of violence prevail, aid agencies will not be able to reach vulnerable […]
Read MoreImran visits Quetta, meets families of slain coal miners
Quetta, Jan 10 (IANS) Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan visited Quetta where he met the families of the 11 coal miners who were killed by armed men in Balochistan’s Machh area on January 3, the media reported on Sunday. In a video released by Khan’s office on Saturday, the Prime Minister can be seen interacting […]
Read MorePakistan’s Covid-19 cases exceed 500,000 mark
Islamabad, Jan 10 (IANS) A total of 2,899 people have tested positive of Covid-19 in Pakistan over the last 24 hours, taking the overall infection tally to 502,416, the National Command and Operation Center (NCOC) said on Sunday. Sindh province has been the worst-hit with 225,509 cases followed by Punjab province where 144,909 people have […]
Read MoreBlast kills 3 in Kabul
Kabul, Jan 10 (IANS) At least three people were killed and another person was injured in a blast in Kabul on Sunday, Afghan Interior Ministry spokesman Tareq Arian said. The blast, according to the official, took place at 8.30 a.m. in Police District 8, Xinhua news agency reported. Arian said that the victims included Zia […]
Read MoreS.Korea reports 665 more Covid-19 cases
Seoul, Jan 10 (IANS) South Korea on Sunday reported 665 more cases of the novel coronavirus, raising the total number of infections to 68,664. The daily caseload stayed below 700 for three straight days, but it hovered above 100 for 63 days since November 8 due to small cluster infections in Seoul and its surrounding […]
Read MoreIndonesian ship catches signal believed to be from crashed plane (2nd Ld)
Jakarta, Jan 10 (IANS) Indonesian military chief Hadi Tjahjanto said on Sunday that a naval ship deployed to search for the Sriwijaya Air plane that crashed into the waters off Jakarta has caught a signal at the accident site. The Boeing 737-500 aircraft, flying from the capital Jakarta to Pontianak city in West Kalimantan province […]
Read MorePresidential election, referendum kick off in Kyrgyzstan
Bishkek, Jan 10 (IANS) An early presidential election and a referendum to determine the form of government kicked off in Kyrgyzstan on Sunday. At 8 a.m., all 2,474 polling stations opened throughout the country and will close at 8 p.m., Xinhua news agency reported. In addition, 48 polling stations will be opened abroad. According to […]
Read MoreChinese mainland reports 69 new Covid-19 cases
Beijing, Jan 10 (IANS) The Chinese mainland has reported 69 newly confirmed coronavirus cases, of which 48 were locally transmitted and the 21 others arrived from outside, the National Health Commission said on Sunday. Of the locally transmitted cases, 46 were reported in Hebei province and one each in Beijing and Liaoning, the Commission said […]
Read More‘Stop hypocritical statements regarding freedom of speech in B’desh’
By Sumi KhanDhaka, Jan 10 (IANS) In a social media post, Sajib Wazed Joy, Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina’s son, warned the US and other western embassies in the country against “hypocritical statements regarding freedom of speech in Bangladesh”. “I want the US Embassy in Dhaka, as well as other western embassies to take note […]
Read More11 killed, 14 missing in Indonesia landslides
Jakarta, Jan 10 (IANS) Eleven people were killed, 17 injured and 14 others were reported missing as landslides struck Indonesia’s West Java province, a senior disaster agency official said on Sunday. Heavy downpours triggered the landslides at Cihanjuan village of Sumedang district at about 4 p.m. on Saturday, burying eight people, head of Emergency Unit […]
Read MorePower distribution system breakdown plunges Pak into darkness
Islamabad, Jan 10 (IANS) Hundreds of millions of Pakistanis were left without power due to a technical fault in the country’s power distribution system, government officials said on Sunday. The blackout began at about 11.50 p.m. on Saturday when power failures were reported in all major cities, including Islamabad, Lahore, Peshawar, Karachi and Rawalpindi, reports […]
Read MoreUN welcomes Libyan PM’s support for political dialogue
Tripoli, Jan 10 (IANS) The UN has welcomed Libyan Prime Minister Fayez Serraj’s support for the political dialogue backed by the world body. “PC (Presidency Council) President Fayez Serraj and ASRSG Stephanie Williams met today in Rome to discuss ways to push forward the Libyan political dialogue, ahead of the meeting of the LPDF’s (Libyan […]
Read MoreChile reports record single-day Covid-19 cases since June 2020
Santiago, Jan 10 (IANS) The Chilean Ministry of Health reported 4,361 new coronavirus cases in the last 24 hours, the highest single-day spike since the peak of the pandemic in June 2020. With the new figure, the country’s overall infection tally surged to 637,742, Xinhua news agency quoted the Ministry as saying on Saturday. According […]
Read More130 airstrikes target IS positions in Syrian desert
Damascus, Jan 10 (IANS) More than 130 airstrikes have targeted the positions of the Islamic State (IS) terror group in the Syrian desert in the last two days, a war monitor reported. The intensified airstrikes were carried out by Russian warplanes against the IS positions in the Syrian desert as the latter attacked and captured […]
Read MoreNetanyahu gets second dose of Covid-19 vaccine
Tel Aviv, Jan 10 (IANS) Three weeks after receiving the first dose of the Covid-19 vaccine, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu received the second at the Sheba Medical Center in Tel Aviv. Netanyahu is the first Israeli to receive both doses of the vaccine, weeks after a major roll-out of the vaccinations began in the […]
Read MoreIraq warns of reimposing curfew
Baghdad, Jan 10 (IANS) The Iraqi Ministry of Health has warned of reimposing a nationwide curfew if there was an increase in new coronavirus infections due to the non-compliance of citizens with the protective measures. Health teams have spotted non-compliance and resumption of social customs such as shaking hands, hugging, and kissing like situation before […]
Read MoreIndonesian airliner crashes into waters off Jakarta with 62 aboard, including 10 children (Ld)
Jakarta, Jan 10 (IANS) Indonesia’s Transportation Minister Budi Karya Sumadi has confirmed the crash of a Boeing 737-500 plane of an Indonesian airlines with 62 people on board that lost contact with the air traffic controller. At a virtual press conference held on Saturday evening, the minister said the Sriwijaya Air flight SJ-182 heading from […]
Read MoreIsrael reports record high of Covid-19 patients in serious condition
Jerusalem, Jan 10 (IANS) The number of Covid-19 patients in serious condition in Israel increased from 920 to 964, out of 1,646 hospitalised patients, the state’s ministry of Health said. The latest figure released on Saturday marked a new record of patients in serious condition since the pandemic outbreak in the country in late February, […]
Read MoreIndonesian plane with over 60 people crashes in waters off Jakarta
Jakarta, Jan 10 (IANS) A passenger plane of Indonesia’s Sriwijaya Air carrying over 60 people crashed into waters off Jakarta. Human body parts and debris of the plane were found, Captain EKo Surya Hadi, commander of Trisula coast guard ship, told a local TV on Saturday. The Boeing 737-500 plane was carrying 62 people, including […]
Read More‘Iran to expel IAEA inspectors if US sanctions not removed by Feb 21’
Tehran, Jan 10 (IANS) A senior Iranian lawmaker warned that Iran will expel the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) inspectors if the US anti-Iran sanctions are not lifted by February 21, semi-official Mehr news agency reported. “If the sanctions against Iran, particularly in the fields of finance, banking and oil, are not lifted by Feb. […]
Read More‘China ready to work with WHO Covid-19 probe team’
Beijing, Jan 9 (IANS) China is ready to receive a World Health Organization (WHO) expert team which would conduct investigations into the origins of the novel coronavirus, a senior health official said here Saturday. China and the WHO have reached a consensus on specific arrangements of the investigation with four video conferences, Zeng Yixin, deputy […]
Read MoreKim Jong-un urges US to end hostile policy
Seoul, Jan 9 (IANS) North Korean leader Kim Jong-un, has urged the US to end its hostile policy towards Pyongyang, state media reported on Saturday. In the report, the state-run Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) said Kim made the remarks at the ongoing eighth Congress of the ruling Workers’ Party, reports Xinhua news agency. Kim […]
Read MoreS.Korea reports 641 new Covid-19 cases
Seoul, Jan 9 (IANS) South Korea on Saturday reported 641 new coronavirus cases, raising the total infection tally to 67,999. The daily caseload stayed below 700 for two straight days, but it hovered above 100 for 62 days since November 8, 2020 due to small cluster infections in Seoul and its surrounding Gyeonggi province as […]
Read MoreChinese mainland reports 33 new Covid-19 cases
Beijing, Jan 9 (IANS) The Chinese mainland has reported 33 newly confirmed Covid-19 cases, of which 17 were locally transmitted and the rest 16 arrived from outside, the National Health Commission said on Saturday. Fourteen locally transmitted cases were reported in Hebei province and three in Liaoning, the commission said in its daily report. Of […]
Read More7 wounded in West Bank clashes with Israeli soldiers
Ramallah, Jan 9 (IANS) At least seven Palestinians were injured during clashes with Israeli soldiers in the West Bank, according to witnesses. The witnesses told Xinhua news agency that the clashes broke out on Friday when the soldiers used force to disperse dozens of Palestinians who were protesting against the Israeli construction of a settlement […]
Read MoreFrance to host summit for nature protection
New Delhi, Jan 9 (IANS) Organised by France, in cooperation with the UN and the World Bank, the ‘One Planet Summit’ for biodiversity on January 11 aims to advance the protection of nature, organisers said on Saturday. French President Emmanuel Macron, UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, and World Bank Group President David Malpass are organising the […]
Read MorePalestine condemns Israeli closure of mosque for 10 days
Ramallah, Jan 9 (IANS) Palestinian authorities have condemned Israel’s decision to close the ancient Ibrahimi Mosque site in the southern West Bank city of Hebron for 10 days. Mahmoud al-Habbash, an advisor to Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas on religious affairs and Islamic relations, said in a statement on Friday that Israel’s closure of the mosque […]
Read MoreKhamenei bans import of Covid-19 vaccines from US, UK
Tehran, Jan 9 (IANS) Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei announced in a televised address a ban on the import of coronavirus vaccines from the US and the UK, saying the two countries were “not trustworthy”. “I have already said it to government officials, and now announce it publicly. The import of American and British […]
Read MorePreparations continue for mass vaccination: Turkish prez
Istanbul, Jan 9 (IANS) Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said the mass vaccination process against the Covid-19 pandemic would soon start. Speaking to reporters in Istanbul after Friday prayers, Erdogan said that Turkey’s Health Ministry has been continuing its works to launch the vaccination process in line with a calendar, Xinhua news agency reported. “Currently, […]
Read MoreIran’s top leader calls West to ‘immediately stop sanctions’
Tehran, Jan 9 (IANS) The Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei said in a televised speech that the West has a duty to immediately stop the sanctions against Iran, and Iran will resume its commitments if its counterparts fulfill theirs. “The western front must put an end to this vicious sanctions against the Iranian people, […]
Read MoreChinese foreign ministry condemns Pompeo’s ‘lying diplomacy’
Beijing, Jan 9 (IANS) Chinese Foreign Ministry hit back at “lying diplomacy” practiced by US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, saying it has unprecedentedly damaged US external relations, national image, and reputation. Spokesperson Hua Chunying made the remarks at a daily press briefing when asked to comment on Pompeo’s tweet, in which he claimed that […]
Read MoreTaliban attacks pushed back in Kandahar: Afghan official
Kabul, Jan 8 (IANS) Taliban attacks on various parts of Afghanistan’s Kandahar province in the last few weeks have been “pushed back” and the group has suffered heavy casualties, a senior security official said on Friday. The attacks took place in the districts of Arghandab, Zherai, Panjwai, Dand, TOLO News quoted Farid Mashal, the security […]
Read MoreProminent HK pro-democracy activist arrested
Hong Kong, Jan 8 (IANS) Joshua Wong, a prominent Hong Kong pro-democracy activist, was arrested on Friday over “subverting the state power” under the national security law which China imposed in the city last year. Opposition politician Tam Tak-chi was also arrested along with Wong, who was the head of disbanded Demosisto — a pro-democracy […]
Read MoreBilawal re-elected as PPP Chairman
Islamabad, Jan 8 (IANS) Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari has been re-elected unopposed as Chairman of the opposition Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) for another four years, the media reported on Friday. In a statement on Thursday, the party’s media office said that Bhutto-Zardari’s re-election was confirmed after intra-party elections at the federal level were held in Karachi on […]
Read MoreJapan ordered to pay damages to WWII sex slavery victims
Seoul, Jan 8 (IANS) A Seoul court on Friday ordered the Japanese government to pay damages to South Korean victims who were forced into sex slavery during World War II. The Seoul Central District Court ruled that Japan should pay reparations of 100 million won ($91,20) to each of 12 plaintiffs, who filed a petition […]
Read MoreKim Jong-un vows to advance social construction
Seoul, Jan 8 (IANS) North Korean leader Kim Jong-un has vowed to further improve social system and foreign relations at the ongoing party congress, a state media report said on Friday. In the report, the official Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) said that Kim suggested practical ways to give full play to the advantages of […]
Read MoreS.Korea reports 674 new Covid-19 cases
Seoul, Jan 8 (IANS) South Korea on Friday reported 674 new coronavirus cases, raising the total number of infections to 67,358. The daily caseload stayed below 1,000 for four straight days, but it hovered above 100 for 62 days since November 8, 2020m due to small cluster infections in Seoul and its surrounding Gyeonggi province, […]
Read MoreBeijing-Islamabad nexus turns the heat on Pakistan’s religious minorities
By Ateet SharmaNew Delhi, Jan 8 (IANS) Soon after the brutal murder of 11 coal miners of the Pakistans Hazara minority community, which drew international condemnation, human rights of Pashtuns have also come under the scanner. The Pashtuns have been rocked with a series of arbitrary detentions by state authorities at the behest of Pakistans […]
Read MoreAngry twitterati: Indians watch US Capitol violence with dismay, strong feelings
By Rahul KumarNew Delhi, Jan 8 (IANS) The extraordinary situation that engulfed Washington after thousands of President Donald Trumps supporters, egged on by his speech, rioted in the US Capitol, made the day for the Twitterati. The formal, boring, administrative capital city of the US turned into a spectacle for a day as mobs indulged […]
Read MoreNepal stops importing all poultry items from India
Kathmandu, Jan 8 (IANS) Nepal has stopped importing all kinds of poultry item from India after some states in the neighbouring country recently reported the outbreak of bird flu. The ban came into effect on Thursday, officials said. Nepal’s Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock Development has directed all its offices to halt the import of […]
Read MoreIsrael tightens Covid-19 lockdown
Tel Aviv, Jan 8 (IANS) Israel has imposed new coronavirus restrictions, tightening an ongoing nationwide lockdown. The strict lockdown came into effect on Thursday midnight after Parliament, or Knesset, approved the measure earlier in the day, reports Xinhua news agency. The tight measures will be lifted on January 21, according to a joint statement issued […]
Read MoreChina’s Chang’e-4 probe resumes work for 26th lunar day
Beijing, Jan 8 (IANS) The lander and rover of China’s Chang’e-4 probe on Friday resumed work for the 26th lunar day on the far side of the moon. The lander woke up at 3.13 a.m. on Friday (Beijing time), and the rover Yutu-2, or Jade Rabbit-2, woke up at 10.29 a.m. on Thursday, according to […]
Read MoreChinese mainland reports 53 new Covid-19 cases
Beijing, Jan 8 (IANS) China’s National Health Commission on Friday said that there were 53 new cases detected in the mainland, of which 37 were locally transmitted and the rest 16 arrived from outside. Of the 37 locally transmitted cases, 33 were reported in Hebei, two in Liaoning, and one each in Beijing and Heilongjiang, […]
Read MoreWarrant issued for Trump over Iraqi paramilitary commander’s death
Baghdad, Jan 8 (IANS) An Iraqi court has issued an arrest warrant for outgoing US President Donald Trump over the killing of deputy chief of Abu Mahdi al-Muhandis, commander of the paramilitary Hashd Shaabi forces, in January 2020. On January 3, 2020, a US drone strike struck a convoy near Baghdad International Airport that killed […]
Read MoreFishermen on Yangtze embrace new life as Xi urges conservation
Beijing, Jan 8 (IANS) Located along the Yangtze River, former fisherman Song Bin’s fish restaurant touts the finest view of the Liziba station, a landmark of southwest China metropolis Chongqing where sky trains running through a residential building are an everyday feature. Song, 47, used to serve his guests with delicious dishes aboard his own […]
Read MoreJapan PM declares state of emergency in Tokyo
Tokyo, Jan 7 (IANS) Japanese Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga on Thursday declared a state of emergency in the Tokyo metropolitan area, which also included the Saitama, Chiba and Kanagawa prefectures, authorising tougher measures to fight a recent Covid-19 resurgence. The state of emergency will come into effect on Friday until February 7, Xinhua news agency […]
Read MoreBeijing records coldest morning in over 50 years
Beijing, Jan 7 (IANS) The mercury dipped to minus 19.6 degrees Celsius in Beijing on Thursday as a strong cold wave swept the city, marking the coldest morning in the Chinese capital since 1966. The Nanjiao station, located in Beijing’s Daxing District, is a national-level meteorological station founded in 1912, reports Xinhua news agency. Its […]
Read MorePak hails resumption of Afghan peace talks
Islamabad, Jan 7 (IANS) Pakistan has welcomed the resumption of the second round of the Afghan peace talks in Qatar between representatives of the Kabul government and the Taliban, which commenced after a three-week break. In a statement, the Pakistan Foreign Ministry said that the two teams have made significant progress by finalising the rules […]
Read MorePak soldier killed in firing from across Afghan border: Army
Islamabad, Jan 7 (IANS) The Pakistan Army said on Thursday that a soldier was killed in firing from across the Afghan border. In a statement, the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) said that terrorists fired on a Pakistani military post from the Afghan side of the border in the Mohmand tribal district, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, on Wednesday […]
Read MoreKim Jong-un vows to boost defence capabilities
Seoul, Jan 7 (IANS) At a rare Party Congress, North Korean leader Kim Jong-un pledged to strengthen Pyongyang’s military capabilities, a state media report said on Thursday. According to the Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) report, Kim made the remarks on the second-day session of the eighth ruling Workers’ Party Congress on Wednesday. The report […]
Read MoreIsraeli missile attack targets Syrian military sites
Damascus, Jan 7 (IANS) Syrian air defences responded to an Israeli missile attack on south of the capital Damascus, a state media report said on Thursday. The sounds of Syrian anti-air weapons were heard in Damascus following the attack on Wednesday night, Xinhua news agency quoted the report as saying. The report cited a military […]
Read MoreUN envoy, Yemeni President meet in Riyadh
Sanaa, Jan 7 (IANS) UN Special Envoy for Yemen Martin Griffiths met with President Abd Rabbu Mansour Hadi in the Saudi capital of Riyadh, state media reported here. During the meeting on Wednesday, they discussed a UN-brokered plan to push forward peace in Yemen, Xinhua news agency quoted the state media report as saying. Griffiths […]
Read MoreCong expresses concern over violence in Washington
New Delhi, Jan 7 (IANS) The Congress party on Thursday expressed concern over chaos in the US capital Washington D.C., where a woman was killed after outgoing American President Donald Trump’s supporters stormed the Capitol building, disrupting the functioning of the US Congress while it was in the middle of ratifying Joe Biden’s election as […]
Read More‘All those culpable in Ukrainian plane crash should be judged’
Tehran, Jan 7 (IANS) Iranian President Hassan Rouhani said that “all those culpable” of dereliction of duty in the crash of the Ukrainian plane near Tehran in January 2020 should be judged. “The judiciary will prosecute all the perpetrators of the incident, this trial is important for us,” Xinhua news agency quoted Rouhani as saying […]
Read MoreUpcoming Covid-19 lockdown in Israel to cost $2 billion: Central bank
Jerusalem, Jan 7 (IANS) The upcoming nationwide coronavirus lockdown in Israel will cost about $2 billion, the state’s central bank said on Wednesday. The tightened lockdown will last for 14 days, starting overnight between Thursday and Friday, shuttering schools and most businesses, the Xinhua news agency reported. The bank noted that this is only the […]
Read MoreSouth Korea extends UK flight ban for 2 more weeks
Seoul, Jan 6 (IANS) South Korea decided on Wednesday to extend the suspension of direct flights from Britain for two more weeks to block a more transmissible coronavirus variant first detected in the European country. Health authorities have confirmed a total of 11 cases of the new strain, most recently two cases Tuesday, and one […]
Read MoreS. Korea, US conduct combined air exercise amid coronavirus
Seoul, Jan 6 (IANS) South Korea and the United States conducted their wintertime combined exercise last month amid concerns over the new coronavirus pandemic, a military source said on Wednesday. The allies held a scaled-back version of their original wintertime drills, codenamed Vigilant Ace, from December 7-11, involving fighters, such as F-15K and KF-16 jets […]
Read MoreHold hearings on minister nominees: Moon to lawmakers
Seoul, Jan 6 (IANS) South Korean President Moon Jae-in has formally requested that the National Assembly hold confirmation hearings on the nominees to lead the justice and environment ministries, Cheong Wa Dae said on Wednesday. Moon signed relevant documents, which were later submitted to the parliament at around 5 p.m., according to Cheong Wa Dae […]
Read MoreS. Korean delegation to negotiate with Iran ship seizure
Seoul, Jan 6 (IANS) A South Korean delegation is set to depart for Iran soon to negotiate the early release of a seized tanker and its crew, officials said on Wednesday. The delegation, led by Koh Kyung-sok, director-general of the South Korean Foreign Ministry’s Africa and Middle Eastern affairs, will board a plane around Thursday […]
Read More102 new Covid cases reported in Afghanistan
Kabul, Jan 6 (IANS) The Ministry of Public Health of Afghanistan on Wednesday reported 102 new positive cases of Covid-19 out of 1,691 samples tested in the last 24 hours. The Public Health Ministry of Afghanistan also reported nine deaths and 174 recoveries from Covid-19 in the same period, TOLO news reported. The new cases […]
Read More6 Taliban killed in Baghlan operation: Officials
Baghlan, Jan 6 (IANS) At least six Taliban were killed and four others were wounded during an operation in northern Baghlan, local officials said. The operation was launched on the Baghlan-Samangan highway on Tuesday to clear the highway from “Taliban”, said Mohammad Wais Samimi, the provincial police chief, TOLO news reported. “The enemies have been […]
Read MoreDozens held in largest crackdown on Hong Kong opposition
Hong Kong, Jan 6 (IANS) Hong Kong has arrested dozens of pro-democracy activists and politicians, accusing them of trying to “overthrow” the city’s government. The group, arrested under a controversial new security law, were involved in an unofficial “primary” vote to select opposition candidates ahead of the postponed 2020 elections, the BBC reported on Wednesday. […]
Read MoreChinese mainland reports nine new imported Covid cases
Beijing, Jan 6 (IANS) The Chinese mainland reported nine new imported Covid-19 cases on Tuesday, bringing the total number of imported cases to 4,348, the National Health Commission said in its daily report on Wednesday. Three new imported cases were reported in Guangdong and Shaanxi each, two in Shanghai, and one in Tianjin, Xinhua news […]
Read MoreIsraeli leaders agree to tighten nationwide Covid-19 lockdown
Jerusalem, Jan 6 (IANS) Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Alternate Prime Minister Benny Gantz reached an agreement to impose a full nationwide lockdown to curb the spread of the coronavirus. Spokespersons of both leaders said on Tuesday in separate statements that the entire education system will be closed. In addition, most gatherings will be […]
Read MoreDalai Lama congratulates Pelosi on 4th term as US Speaker
Dharamsala, Jan 5 (IANS) Tibetan spiritual leader the Dalai Lama has congratulated Nancy Pelosi on securing a fourth term as Speaker of the US House of Representatives. He also wished her a Happy New Year. “I have no doubt,” he wrote, “that as Speaker of the House, you will continue to play a crucial role […]
Read MoreS.Korea calls for early release of tanker seized by Iran (Ld)
Seoul, Jan 5 (IANS) The South Korean government on Tuesday called for the early release of an oil tanker which was seized by Iran’s Islamic Revolution Guards Corps (IRGC) in the Gulf over what Tehran claimed to be “repeated violations” of environmental protocols. Following the seizure on Monday, the IRGC said: “The tanker (Hankuk Chemi), […]
Read MoreFirst batch of Iran’s 20% enriched uranium products ready
Tehran, Jan 5 (IANS) An official of the Atomic Energy Organization of Iran (AEOI) announced on Tuesday that the country has produced its first product a few hours after restarting the enrichment of uranium up to a purity level of 20 per cent at the Fordow nuclear facility. “The process of producing 20 per cent […]
Read MoreAfghan negotiators leave for Qatar to resume peace talks
Kabul, Jan 5 (IANS) The negotiating team of the Afghan government left for Qatar on Tuesday where they will resume the second round of the peace talks with the Taliban. The second round, which will begin after a three-week break, will focus on a ceasefire and reduction in violence in the war-torn country, TOLO News […]
Read MoreHazaras refuse to end sit-in against Balochistan massacre
Quetta, Jan 5 (IANS) Members of the Hazara minority community have refused to end their sit-in in Quetta against the killing of 11 coal miners in Pakistan’s Balochistan province, while demanding justice over the carnage. The sit-in started on Monday at the provincial capital’s Western Bypass and continued after talks between the protesters and Interior […]
Read MorePDM poses no threat to govt: Imran
Islamabad, Jan 5 (IANS) Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan has said that the the 11-party PDM opposition alliance poses no threat to his government. Addressing the meeting of his spokespersons on Monday, Khan said: “The PDM has almost lost and died its own death, so it is no more a threat to the government.” The […]
Read MoreUN holds meeting with Libyan Political Dialogue Forum’s Advisory Committee
Tripoli, Jan 5 (IANS) A UN representative held a virtual meeting with the newly established Advisory Committee of the Libyan Political Dialogue Forum (LPDF) to discuss the latter’s tasks and other agendas, In a statement on Monday, the UN Support Mission in Libyan (UNSMIL) said Stephanie Williams, acting special representative of the UN Secretary-General in […]
Read MoreHamas agrees to hold elections in Palestine
Ramallah, Jan 5 (IANS) A senior Hamas official said the Islamic movement has agreed to hold general elections in the Palestinian territories after four countries have guaranteed the success of the polls. The guarantees were given by Egypt, Qatar, Turkey and Russia, Xinhua news agency quoted Taher al-Nono, an aide to Hamas chief Ismail Haniyeh, […]
Read MoreLibya’s UN-backed govt accused of destabilising security
Tripoli, Jan 5 (IANS) The east-based Libyan National Army (LNA) led by Khalifa Haftar has accused its UN-backed rival, the Government of National Accord (GNA) of trying to destabilise security in the southern part of the warn-torn country. Local media reported that clashes erupted between forces of the UN-backed government based in capital Tripoli and […]
Read MoreEnvironmental hazards kill 3,000 people yearly in Israel
Tel Aviv, Jan 5 (IANS) Some 3,000 people die in Israel every year as a result of exposure to environmental hazards, said a report issued by the Ministry of Health. The report, written by the Ministry and the Israeli Environment and Health Fund, said on Monday that the deaths are caused by exposure to air […]
Read MoreLebanon imposes total lockdown for 25 days
Beirut, Jan 5 (IANS) Lebanon’s Covid-19 ministerial committee has approved a 25-day lockdown set to start from Thursday until February 1 in an attempt to curb the spike in the number of new cases, which increased to an unprecedented level over the past few days. “The situation in the country has reached a very dangerous […]
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