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 […]

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 […]

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 […]

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 […]

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, […]

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 […]

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 […]

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,” […]

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 […]

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 […]

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 […]

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 […]

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 […]

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 […]

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 […]

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 […]

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 […]

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 […]

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 […]

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 […]

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 […]

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 […]

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, […]

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 […]

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 […]

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 […]

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 […]

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 […]

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 […]

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 […]

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 […]

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 […]

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 […]

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, […]

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 […]

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 […]

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 […]

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 […]

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 […]

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 […]

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, […]

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 […]

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 […]

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 […]

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 […]

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 […]

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 […]

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 […]

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 […]

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 […]

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 […]

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 […]

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 […]

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 […]

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 […]

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 […]

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 […]

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 […]

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, […]

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 […]

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 […]

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 […]

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 […]

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 […]

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 […]

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 […]

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 […]

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 […]

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 […]

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, […]

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, […]

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 […]

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 […]

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 […]

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 […]

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 […]

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 […]

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 […]

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 […]

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. […]

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 […]

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 […]

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 […]

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 […]

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 […]

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 […]

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 […]

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 […]

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 […]

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 […]

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 […]

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 […]

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 […]

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 […]

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 […]

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. […]

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 […]

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 […]

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 […]

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 […]

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 […]

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, […]

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, […]

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 […]

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 […]

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 […]

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 […]

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 […]

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 […]

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 […]

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 […]

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 […]

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 […]

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 […]

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 […]

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 […]

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 […]

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 […]

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 […]

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 […]

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 […]

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 […]

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 […]

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 […]

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 […]

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 […]

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 […]

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. […]

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 […]

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), […]

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 […]

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 […]

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 […]

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 […]

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 […]

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, […]

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 […]

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 […]