Lok Sabha election in India:Voting to be held from April 19 in 7 phases, results to be announced on June 4

New Delhi, Mar. 17: The Election Commission of India announced the schedule for the Lok Sabha polls on Saturday. The elections will be held in 7 phases with voting to kick off on April 19 to June 1. Thecounting of votes will be on June 4, the poll panel announced. According…

03/17/2024

Japan high court says same-sex marriage bar is unconstitutional

Tokyo, Mar. 14: Japan’s bar on same-sex marriage is unconstitutional, the high court in the northern region of Sapporo said on Thursday, the first such ruling by an appeals court on a matter that has divided the lower levels of the judiciary. While Japan is the only Group of Seven nation…

03/14/2024

US President Biden is issuing a budget plan that details his vision for a second term

Washington, Mar. 11: US President Joe Biden is issuing a budget plan Monday aimed at getting voters’ attention: tax breaks for families, lower health care costs, smaller deficits and higher taxes on the wealthy and corporations. Unlikely to pass the House and Senate to become law, the proposal for fiscal…

03/11/2024

Imran Khan terms presidential polls ‘unconstitutional’, calls for nation-wide protests tomorrow

Islamabad, Mar. 9: Jailed former prime minister Imran Khan’s party called Saturday’s election of the President of Pakistan “unconstitutional and unacceptable” and urged the people to hold peaceful protests across the country against poll robbery on Sunday. Asif Ali Zardari was elected as the 14th president of Pakistan massively beating…

03/09/2024

Modi inaugurates India’s first underwater Metro in Kolkata

Kolkata, Mar. 6: Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday inaugurated India’s first underwater Metro line in Kolkata and took a ride on the train from Esplanade to Howrah Maidan along with several school students. Modi also virtually inaugurated several other Metro services across the country. The Howrah Maidan-Esplanade section underwater Metro…

03/06/2024

India-US relationship now can be as ambitious as we choose to be: Deputy Ambassador Ranganathan

Washington, Mar. 5: Highlighting the journey of change between India and the US, especially the significant progress made in the last 20 years, a top Indian diplomat has said the relationship between the world’s two largest democracies now can be “as ambitious as we choose to be.” India’s Deputy Ambassador…

03/05/2024

Shehbaz Sharif becomes Pakistan’s Prime Minister for a second time

Islamabad, Mar. 3: Shehbaz Sharif on Sunday became the prime minister of Pakistan for a second time to lead a coalition government after he comfortably won a majority in the newly-elected Parliament. Shehbaz, 72, who was the consensus candidate of the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) and the Pakistan Peoples Party…

03/03/2024

Pak court confirms interim bail of Imran Khan in 4 cases related to May 9 violence and others

Lahore, Mar. 2: A Pakistani court has confirmed the interim bail of jailed former Prime Minister Imran Khan in four cases related to the May 9 violence and others, according to a media report on Saturday. The 71-year-old Pakistan-Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) party founder is currently incarcerated at Rawalpindi’s high-security Adiala jail in…

03/02/2024

Thailand replaces its Ambassador to WTO following strong protest by India on her remarks

Abu Dhabi, Mar. 1: Thailand has replaced its Ambassador to WTO Pimchanok Vonkorpon Pitfield from here following a strong protest lodged by India on her contentious comment on New Delhi’s rice procurement programme, a top government official said on Friday. The official said that Pitfield has been asked to report…

03/01/2024

Save the date: Macron says he’ll swim in River Seine as he inspects Paris’ new Olympic village

Paris, Feb. 29: French President Emmanuel Macron boldly promised to swim in the River Seine being cleaned up for the Paris Olympics as he toured the new complex that will house athletes on Thursday. Macron cited pollution-reduction in the Seine as one of the Games’ positive long-term impacts. He noted…

02/29/2024

Indian PM Modi introduces 4 astronauts of India's maiden human space flight mission

New Delhi, Feb. 27: India has unveiled four Air Force pilots who have been shortlisted to travel on the country's maiden space flight scheduled for next year. The Gaganyaan mission aims to send three astronauts to an orbit of 400km and bring them back after three days. India's space agency Isro…

02/27/2024

India in touch with Russia for early ‘discharge’ of Indians working as support staff to Russian Army

New Delhi, Feb. 23: India on Friday said it was in touch with Moscow for early “discharge” of Indians working as support staff to Russian Army and urged its nationals to stay away from the conflict zone in Ukraine. The comments by Indian External Affairs Ministry spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal came…

02/23/2024

Indian PM Modi seeks support of women to make 1 crore ‘lakhpati didis’

New Delhi, Feb. 20: Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday sought the support of the country’s women folk and said he wants to make one crore women in India “lakhpati didis”. The prime minister Modi lauded the beneficiaries of the Centre’s major schemes in Jammu and Kashmir for setting an…

02/20/2024

Ursula von der Leyen is seeking a second term as head of the EU’s powerful Commission

Brussels, Feb. 19: Germany’s Ursula von der Leyen will seek a second term as head of the European Union’s powerful Commission in a move that could make her the most significant politician representing the bloc’s 450 million citizens in a over a generation. Following five years of leading the 27-nation…

02/20/2024

Macron says recognising a Palestinian state not a ‘taboo’ for France

Paris, Feb. 17: French President Emmanuel Macron says recognising a Palestinian state is not a ‘taboo’ for France, as international frustration grows with Israel’s actions in the Palestinian territories. France and the EU have long supported a two-state solution in the Mideast, but as part of a negotiated settlement. With…

02/17/2024

Alexei Navalny, jailed Russian opposition leader, dies in prison

Moscow, Feb. 16: Jailed Russian upposition leader Alexei Navalny has been declared dead by the prison service of the Yamalo-Nenets region, where he had been serving his sentence. In a statement published on its website, the Federal Penitentiary Service of the Yamalo-Nenets Autonomous District said that Navalny “felt unwell” after a walk…

02/16/2024

Trump to stand trial on March 25 in NY criminal hush money case

New York, Feb. 15: Donald Trump will become the first former U.S. president to stand trial on criminal charges after a New York judge on Thursday denied his request to dismiss an indictment stemming from hush money paid to a porn star and set a March 25 trial date. Justice…

02/15/2024

Donald Trump backs daughter-in-law Lara Trump as Republican National Committee co-chair

Washington Feb. 13: Donald Trump on Monday endorsed North Carolina Republican Party Chair Michael Whatley as the next chair of the Republican National Committee and his daughter-in-law Lara Trump as co-chair, moving to cement his grip over the organisation as he closes in on the presidential nomination. Trump, the frontrunner…

02/13/2024

NATO leader says Trump puts allies at risk by saying Russia can ‘do whatever the hell they want’

Warsaw, Feb. 12: The head of the NATO military alliance warned on Sunday that Donald Trump was putting the safety of US troops and their allies at risk after the Republican presidential frontrunner said Russia should be able to do “whatever the hell they want” to NATO members who don’t…

02/12/2024

Hungary president resigns after outcry over pardon to man convicted in child sexual abuse case

Budapest, Feb. 11: Hungary’s conservative president resigned on Saturday amid public outcry over a pardon she granted to a man convicted as an accomplice in a child sexual abuse case, a decision that unleashed an unprecedented political scandal for the long-serving nationalist government. Katalin Novák (46) announced in a televised…

02/11/2024

Jaishankar says India will surely get Security Council seat but not easily

Perth, Feb. 10: External Affairs Minister of India S. Jaishankar said on Saturday that he was 100 per cent confident that India will get a permanent seat at the United Nations Security Council but it won’t be easy as there are a lot of countries who want to “block us”.…

02/10/2024

US Supreme Court to hear landmark case on Trump’s re-election eligibility

Washington, Feb. 8: The US Supreme Court on Thursday will hear former President Donald Trump’s appeal to remain on the 2024 ballot, the justices’ most consequential election case since Bush v. Gore in 2000. The court will be weighing arguments over whether Trump is disqualified from reclaiming the White House…

02/08/2024

Blasts near Pakistan candidate’s office kill 26 on eve of election

Islamabad, Feb. 7: At least 26 people were killed and over 40 others injured in two bomb blasts near election offices in Pakistan’s restive Balochistan province, a day before the general elections, raising concerns over security in the country. Pakistan goes to the polls amid rising militant attacks in recent…

02/07/2024

Indian PM Modi: Justice at the root of independent self-governance, nation can’t exist without it

New Delhi, Feb. 3: Justice is at the root of independent self-governance and the existence of a nation is not possible without it, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi said on Saturday. Inaugurating the Commonwealth Legal Education Association (CLEA) – Commonwealth Attorneys and Solicitors General Conference (CASGC) 2024 at Vigyan Bhawan…

02/03/2024

US drone sales to India: Biden admin says routinely consult with members of Congress to address any ‘questions’ before formal notification

Washington, Feb. 1: The US did not comment on a media report that it has put a hold on the proposed sale of 31 armed drones to India under a USD 3 billion deal but said it routinely consults with members of the Congress to address any “questions” over the…

02/01/2024

India has 718 snow leopards, shows first-ever survey

New Delhi, Jan. 31: Snow leopards have been dubbed the "ghosts of the mountains" for their elusive behaviour, but Indian researchers have successfully photographed more than 200 in a landmark study estimating at least 718 across the country. This first-of-its-kind largescale survey conducted under the Snow Leopard Population Assessment in…

01/31/2024

Pakistani court sentences former Prime Minister Imran Khan to 10 years for revealing state secrets

Islamabad, Jan. 30: A Pakistani court on Tuesday sentenced former Prime Minister Imran Khan and one of his party deputies to 10 years in prison each, after finding them guilty of revealing official secrets. The verdict drew swift criticism from Khan’s followers. It was also another blow to Khan, a…

01/30/2024

Opposition party readies to move impeachment motion against Maldives President Muizzu

Male, Jan. 29: The main opposition MDP, which holds a majority in the Maldivian Parliament, is planning to submit a motion to impeach President Mohamed Muizzu, according to media reports on Monday. The development comes a day after clashes broke out in Parliament on Sunday between pro-government MPs and opposition…

01/29/2024

Trump must pay $83.3m for defaming E Jean Carroll

Washington, Jan. 27: Donald Trump was handed a stinging defeat on Friday by a Manhattan jury that ordered him to pay $83.3 million to the writer E. Jean Carroll, who said he destroyed her reputation as a trustworthy journalist by denying he raped her. Jurors needed less than three hours…

01/27/2024

Indian PM Modi to interact with young voters on National Voters’ Day

New Delhi, Jan. 24: Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi will speak to a large number of young voters on National Voters’ Day on Thursday through a programme organised by the youth wing of the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). Bharatiya Janata Yuva Morcha (BJYM) president Tejasvi Surya said that young…

01/24/2024

NATO signs 1.1 billion euro contract for 155mm artillery ammunition

Brussels, Jan. 23: NATO signed a 1.1 billion euro ($1.2 billion) contract for hundreds of thousands of 155mm artillery rounds on Tuesday, some of which will be supplied to Ukraine after Kyiv complained of ammunition shortages. “The war in Ukraine has become a battle of ammunition,” NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg told reporters…

01/23/2024

‘Legacy of centuries of wait, marker of a new era’, Indian PM Narendra Modi says after Ayodhya temple consecration

New Delhi, Jan. 22: Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday inaugurated the majestic Ram Mandir in Ayodhya capping centuries of struggle to build the temple to the deity at his birthplace and hailed the moment as epoch-changing, one that will herald the rise of a new, grand and prosperous…

01/22/2024

Indian PM Modi visits Ram Setu’s origin point in Tamil Nadu ahead of ‘Pran Pratishtha’ ceremony

New Delhi, Jan. 21: Ahead of the grand Pran Pratishtha of the Ram temple in Ayodhya, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday visited Arichal Munai point in Dhanushkodi, which is said to be the place from where the Ram Setu was built. He also offered prayers at Sri Kothandarama Swamy…

01/21/2024

India-Myanmar border will be fenced like that of Bangladesh, Centre reconsidering Free Movement Regime: Amit Shah

New Delhi, Jan. 20: Union Home Minister of India Amit Shah Saturday formally announced that the Union Government has decided to fence the entire length of the currently porous Indo-Myanmar border and end the Free Movement Regime (FMR) with the neighbouring country. According to the Indian Media, India and Myanmar share…

01/20/2024

For Biden, another Trump nomination presents opportunity — and great risk

Washington, Jan. 17: To be clear, no one in President Joe Biden’s White House would ever root for Donald Trump. To a person, they consider him an existential threat to the nation. But as they watched Trump open the contest for the Republican presidential nomination with a romp through Iowa,…

01/17/2024

Indian-American Preesha Chakraborty listed in world’s brightest students list

Washington, Jan. 16: Preesha Chakraborty, a nine-year-old Indian-American schoolgirl, was named in the “world’s brightest” students list by the prestigious Johns Hopkins Centre for Talented Youth, based on the results of above-grade-level tests of over 16,000 students across 90 countries. Preesha is a Warm Spring Elementary school student in Fremont,…

01/16/2024

Indian PM Modi Inaugurates India's Longest Sea Bridge "Atal Setu" in Mumbai

Mumbai, Jan. 12: Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated Atal Bihari Vajpayee Sewari - Nhava Sheva Atal Setu in Mumbai on Friday. Atal Setu is the longest bridge in India and also the longest sea bridge in the country. It will provide faster connectivity to Mumbai International Airport and Navi Mumbai International…

01/12/2024

‘Clearly unacceptable’: India’s UN representative on death of civilians in Israel-Hamas war

Washington, Jan. 10: India has said that it is in constant touch with the leaders of Israel and Palestine and its “clear and consistent” message since the start of the latest Middle East conflict has been to prevent escalation to ensure continued delivery of humanitarian aid and early restoration of…

01/10/2024

Imran Khan arrested in connection with attack on Pakistan Army headquarters on May 9

Islamabad, Jan. 9: Jailed former prime minister Imran Khan was on Tuesday arrested in a case related to the attack on the Pakistan Army headquarters in Rawalpindi on May 9 last year, soon after his release warrant was issued in the cipher case. An anti-terrorism court (ATC) in Rawalpindi had…

01/09/2024

South Korea says North Korea has fired artillery near their sea boundary for a third straight day

Seoul, Jan. 8: South Korea says North Korea has fired artillery shells near the rivals’ tense sea boundary for a third straight day. South Korea’s military says the North fired more than 90 rounds on Sunday afternoon. It says South Korea strongly urges North Korea to halt provocative acts. The…

01/08/2024

Major Japan quake triggers tsunami waves, residents told to run

Tokyo, Jan. 1: The 7.5-magnitude quake struck the Noto region in Ishikawa prefecture on the Sea of Japan side of the main central island of Honshu at around 4:10 pm (0710 GMT), the US Geological Survey (USGS) said. Japan's weather agency put the magnitude at 7.6 and said that it…

01/01/2024

Nine top PLA generals dismissed from China’s Parliament

Beijing, Dec. 30: In a major purge of the Chinese military, nine senior generals of the People’s Liberation Army (PLA), including senior officials of the country’s Rocket Force, have been dismissed from China’s Parliament, official media reported on Saturday. Those dismissed from the National People’s Congress (NPC), the country’s Parliament,…

12/30/2023

Pakistan confirms India asked to extradite Mumbai attack mastermind Hafiz Saeed

Islamabad, Dec. 29: Pakistan on Friday confirmed that India has sought the extradition of Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) founder Hafiz Saeed, the 2008 Mumbai attack mastermind and a UN-proscribed terrorist, who is wanted by Indian probe agencies in several terror cases. Indian Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) spokesperson Arindam Bagchi on Friday…

12/29/2023

Three-member probe committee formed in Balkumari incident

Kathmandu, Dec. 29: The Ministry of Home Affairs has formed a three-member committee to probe the incident in Balkumari that resulted in the death of two individuals. The probe committee, led by DIG Lalmani Acharya of Kathmandu Valley Police Office, includes Assistant Chief District Officer (CDO) of Lalitpur Amardeep Sunuwar…

12/29/2023

Storm Gerrit disrupts trains and leaves thousands without power as it batters northern UK

London, Dec. 28: A storm that battered the U.K. with high winds and heavy snow and rain damaged houses, canceled trains and left thousands of people without electricity on Thursday across Scotland and parts of northern England. Workers faced wind speeds of 80 miles (128 kilometers) per hour in some…

12/28/2023

China, India Top Buyers Of Russia's Oil Product Exports: Russian Deputy PM

Moscow, Dec. 28: Russia's deputy prime minister says most of the country's oil and petroleum product exports are heading to China and India. The move is a major shift away from Europe since Moscow invaded Ukraine. Alexander Novak made the comment in an interview aired Wednesday on Russian television. He…

12/28/2023

Jaishankar says Indo-Russia ties ‘very strong, very steady’ as he meets Russian counterpart Lavrov

New Delhi, Dec. 27: External Affairs Minister Of India S Jaishankar on Wednesday said that the relationship between India and Russia has been “very strong, very steady” as he met his Russian counterpart Sergey Lavrov to discuss bilateral cooperation in different spheres, the international strategic situation, conflicts and tensions. Jaishankar,…

12/27/2023

US lawmakers condemn vandalism of Hindu temple in California

New York, Dec. 24: Several US lawmakers, including three prominent Indian-American Congressmen, have strongly condemned the vandalism of a Hindu temple in California and asserted that those responsible for the act must be held accountable. The Shri Swaminarayan Mandir Hindu Temple in Newark, California was vandalised with anti-India graffiti and…

12/24/2023

‘Extremists shouldn’t be given any space’: Jaishankar on Hindu temple in California being defaced with anti-India graffiti

New Delhi, Dec. 23: India has sought an investigation into a prominent Hindu temple in California being vandalised with pro-Khalistan slogans and anti-India graffiti. The incident came to light when images were shared on X (formerly Twitter) by the Hindu-American foundation. The photos showed walls of Newark's Swaminarayan Mandir Vasana…

12/23/2023

White House: US Steel deal needs 'serious scrutiny'

Washington, Dec. 22: The US administration has indicated that the government will closely examine a bid by Japan's largest steel maker to acquire US Steel. Washington says the company is a core part of American steel production, which in turn is critical to national security. National Economic Advisor Lael Brainard…

12/22/2023

Indian PM Modi speaks to Netanyahu on Israel-Hamas war, highlights India’s stand for early restoration of peace

New Delhi, Dec. 19: Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi Tuesday spoke with his Israeli counterpart Benjamin Netanyahu and highlighted India’s stand in support of early restoration of peace in the Israel-Gaza region that has continued to be a conflict zone for months now. In a post on X, previously Twitter,…

12/19/2023

UK warns of deteriorating security in Red Sea, Royal Navy ship joins taskforce

London, Dec. 19: Britain warned that the security situation in the Red Sea was deteriorating and ballistic missile and drone attacks were an increased threat, as it agreed for a Royal Navy Destroyer to join a US-led operation to safeguard commerce in the region. The United States said earlier on…

12/19/2023

Pakistan’s jailed Imran Khan uses AI-crafted speech to lure votes

Islamabad, Dec. 18: Pakistan's jailed former prime minister, Imran Khan, whose party isn't allowed to hold public rallies, used an audio clip generated by artificial intelligence (AI) late Sunday to address a virtual rally in the first event of its kind in the country, APA reports citing Reuters. The audio clip,…

12/18/2023

Over 60 drown in a migrant vessel off Libya while trying to reach Europe, UN says

Cairo, Dec. 17: A boat carrying dozens of migrants trying to reach Europe capsized off the coast of Libya, leaving more than 60 people dead, including women and children, the U.N. migration agency said. Saturday's shipwreck was the latest tragedy in this part of the Mediterranean Sea, a key but…

12/17/2023

Voter apathy and concerns about violence mark Iraqis’ first provincial elections in a decade

Baghdad, Dec. 16: Iraqis have begun voting for the first time in a decade to select new provincial council members, who in turn will appoint governors, with the outcome seen as a bellwether for the parliamentary elections due to take place in 2025. Saturday’s vote is restricted to military and…

12/16/2023

Donald Tusk appointed Polish PM, setting stage for warmer EU ties

Warsaw, Dec. 11: Poland has seen tens of billions of euros of European Union funds frozen due to a dispute with Brussels over democratic standards, but Tusk, a former European Council president, has vowed to mend relations and unblock the cash. 248 were in favour of Tusk becoming prime minister and…

12/11/2023

3 people killed and 1 wounded in shooting at Atlanta apartment building, police say

Atlanta, Dec. 10:  A shooting in Atlanta killed three people and left one victim wounded Saturday evening, police said. The Atlanta Police Department said officers responded to an address on Peachtree Road NE in the city’s Buckhead district Saturday. Police said three victims in their 20s were pronounced dead at…

12/10/2023

Joe Biden mocks Donald Trump during California fundraising trip

Los Angeles, Dec. 9: US President Joe Biden kicked off a three-day, star-studded fundraising trip in California on Friday by mocking Republican frontrunner Donald Trump for claiming he would be a dictator just on his first day in office if he became president again. Trump said on Tuesday that he will not become a…

12/09/2023

India strategic partner but those behind assassination plot need to be held accountable: White House

Washington, Dec. 8: Describing India as a strategic partner, the US has said it wants to deepen the relations with the country unabated on a range of issues but at the same time wants it to fully investigate the plot to assassinate a Sikh separatist in New York and hold…

12/08/2023

Indian ambassador granted access to meet 8 ex-Navy men on death row in Qatar: MEA

New Delhi, Dec. 7: Days after Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi met Qatar’s Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al-Thani on the sidelines of the COP28 summit, the Ministry of External Affairs said that India was allowed consular access to the eight former Navy personnel who have been sentenced to death…

12/07/2023

‘Bow to Janta Janardan,’ says Indian PM Modi as BJP cruises towards win in Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh

New Delhi, Dec. 3: With the BJP cruising to thumping victories in three states – Chhattisgarh, Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday said the election results show that the people of the country have chosen the politics of “good governance and development”. PM Modi thanked…

12/03/2023

Two Palestinians open fire at Jerusalem bus stop, killing three: Police

Jerusalem, Nov. 30: Two Palestinian attackers opened fire at a bus stop during the morning rush hour on Thursday at the entrance to Jerusalem, killing at least three people and wounding eight others, Israeli police said. “The terrorists arrived at the scene by car in the morning, armed with an…

11/30/2023

US issued record number of visas to Indian students last year, says official

Washington, Nov. 29: American universities and colleges are being supported by their federal government in ramping up their competitive offer to students in India. The latest sign came last week when the US ambassador to India, Eric Garcetti, announced that the US would open more consulates in India and expand…

11/29/2023

North Korea says its new spy satellite photographed White House, Pentagon

Seoul, Nov. 28: North Korea’s government is claiming its spy satellite photographed the White House and the Pentagon. According to the state-run Korean Central News Agency (KCNA), North Korean leader Kim Jong Un has seen satellite photos of the Pentagon and the White House, as well as Naval Station Norfolk and Newport…

11/28/2023

'Is it necessary?' Indian PM Modi questions destination weddings abroad, advocates celebrating in India

    New Delhi, Nov. 26: Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi voiced his unease on Sunday regarding the growing trend of "big families"organizing wedings oversease. He encouraged individuals to opt for hosting such celebrations within India to prevent the outflow of the country's funds. During his Mann Ki Baat Radio…

11/26/2023

Avalanche in west Iran kills 5 mountain climbers and injures another 4

Tehran, Iran, Nov. 25: Five climbers have died and four others have been injured in an avalanche in western Iran. The state media gave information about this incident on Saturday. A report by the IANS news agency said rescue teams recovered the bodies of five climbers from San Boran peak,…

11/25/2023

India, Australia hold 2+2 talks, Jaishankar says real momentum in comprehensive strategic partnership

New Delhi, Nov. 21: External Affairs Minister of India S Jaishankar on Tuesday said that there is real momentum in the India-Australia comprehensive strategic partnership as he and his Australian counterpart Penny Wong concluded the 14th Foreign Ministers Framework Dialogue in Delhi. Addressing a joint press briefing alongside Australian Minister…

11/21/2023

Shakira reaches deal to avoid $15 million tax fraud trial in Spain

Barcelona, Nov. 20: Shakira agreed to a deal with Spanish authorities on Monday (Nov. 20) on the first day of a $15 million tax fraud trial in Barcelona that could have resulted in a significant prison sentence for the singer. According to the Associated Press, after maintaining her innocence for…

11/20/2023

Detained Iranian rapper Toomaj Salehi released on bail after year in jail

Dubai, Nov. 19: A popular Iranian rapper has been released on bail after spending more than a year in jail for supporting a wave of antigovernment protests sparked by the death in custody of Masha Amini. Toomaj Salehi, 32, posted on X, formerly known as Twitter, on November 18 that he…

11/19/2023

IMF revises Pakistan's foreign loan requirement to USD 25 billion: Report

Islamabad, Nov. 18: The IMF has revised down Pakistan's foreign loan requirements to USD 25 billion for the ongoing fiscal year -- reducing it by USD 3.4 billion in a big relief for its cash-starved economy, according to a media report on Saturday. The Washington-based global lender also lowered the…

11/18/2023

UN aid supplies to Gaza halted again, says starvation imminent

Gaza, Jerusalem, Nov. 17: UN aid deliveries to Gaza were suspended again on Friday due to shortages of fuel and a communications shutdown, deepening the misery of thousands of hungry and homeless Palestinians as Israeli troops battled Hamas militants in the enclave. The United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) said…

11/17/2023

India to host 2nd Voice of Global South Summit

Kathmandu, Nov. 16: India is hosting the 2nd Voice of Global South Summit on 17 November 2023, in a virtual format. It may be recalled that India hosted the inaugural Voice of Global South Summit (VOGSS) on 12-13 January 2023, in a virtual format. This unique initiative brought together 125…

11/16/2023

A rescue operation for 40 workers trapped under a collapsed tunnel in north India enters third day

New Delhi, Nov. 14: More than a hundred rescuers in northern India on Tuesday struggled for a third day to save workers trapped underground after the road tunnel they were building collapsed. Excavators have been removing debris since Sunday morning from the site in the Himalayan state of Uttarakhand to…

11/14/2023

Iceland’s Blue Lagoon spa closes temporarily as earthquakes put area on alert for volcanic eruption

Husavik, Iceland, Nov. 12: The Blue Lagoon geothermal spa — one of Iceland’s biggest tourist attractions — closed temporarily as a swarm of earthquakes put the island nation’s most populated region on alert for a possible volcanic eruption. Guests rushed to leave the spa’s hotels in the early hours of…

11/12/2023

Pak court orders return of ex-PM Nawaz Sharif’s seized property, assets

Islamabad, Nov. 11: In a temporary relief to Pakistani ex-PM Nawaz Sharif, an accountability court in Pakistan has ordered authorities to release all movable and immovable properties seized from the former prime minister in 2020 in connection with a corruption case. Judge Muhammad Bashir of the Islamabad accountability court on…

11/11/2023

Indian-origin poet Rupi Kaur declines Kamala Harris’ Diwali party invite over stance on Israel-Gaza war

Washington, Nov. 9: Rupi Kaur a renowned Canadian poet, declined an invitation to the White House to attend a Diwali celebration on Wednesday, saying she is opposed to the Biden administration's policies in the Israel-Gaza war. In a statement posted on social media Kaur, who was born in India, said…

11/09/2023

20+ attendees report burning eyes after NFT festival in Hong Kong

Hong Kong, Nov. 8: More than 20 people have complained of eye irritation and vision problems after attending a party for NFT owners in Hong Kong last weekend, organizers said Tuesday. The gathering was part of ApeFest, a three-day event organized by the Bored Ape Yacht Club, a group of…

11/08/2023

General elections in Pakistan to be held on Feb 11, poll body informs Supreme Court

Islamabad, Nov. 2: General elections in Pakistan will be held on February 11, the election commission informed the Supreme Court on Thursday, putting an end to months-long uncertainty over the polls. The Election Commission of Pakistan's counsel, Sajeel Swati, said the process of drawing constituencies would be completed by January…

11/02/2023

Brazil offers to share ethanol production tech with India to resolve sugar-related dispute at WTO

New Delhi, Oct. 31: Brazil has extended an offer to India, aiming to share its ethanol production technology, as a step towards resolving a sugar-related dispute between the two nations within the World Trade Organization (WTO). In its proposal, the South American nation has emphasized that sharing ethanol production technology would…

10/31/2023

Indian PM Modi, Egyptian Prez discuss deteriorating security, humanitarian situation in West Asia

New Delhi, Oct. 29: Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi met with Egyptian President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi and discussed the region’s deteriorating security and humanitarian circumstances in West Asia. After his telephonic conversation with Sisi, Modi said that “we share concerns regarding terrorism, violence and loss of civilian lives”. In a…

10/29/2023

Foreign Minister Saud leaving for US on October 29

Kathmandu, Oct. 28: Foreign Minister Narayan Prakash Saud is scheduled to leave for the United States of America for an official visit on October 29. During the visit, Minister Saud is scheduled to have a bilateral meeting with the US Secretary of State Antony J Blinken on October 30, the…

10/28/2023

WHO cites reports of 1,000 unidentified bodies under Gaza rubble

Geneva, Oct. 27: A World Health Organisation official said on Friday the agency had received estimates that some 1000 unidentified bodies are still buried under the rubbbel in Gaza which are not yet included in death tolls. “We also get these estimates that there are still 1000 plus people under…

10/27/2023

Indian-Americans Ashok Gadgil, Subra Suresh awarded US’s highest scientific awards

New Delhi, Oct. 25: US President Joe Biden has presented United States’ highest awards for science and technology and two recipients are Indian-Americans. POTUS presented the prestigious National Medal of Science to top Indian-American scientist Dr Subra Suresh and the National Medal for Technology and Innovation to Ashok Gadgil, among others. Biden…

10/25/2023

At least 16 killed in Maine mass shooting; gunman at large, say reports

Washington, Oct. 25: At least 16 people are dead in multiple shootings in the US state of Maine, with a manhunt underway for the suspected gunman. Fifty to 60 people are injured in the incidents in the city of Lewiston, though it's unclear how many are injured due to gunfire, sources…

10/25/2023

20 killed, several injured in collision between two trains in Bangladesh

Dhaka, Oct. 23: At least 20 people have been killed while several others were left grievously injured after a freight train collided with a passenger train in Bangladesh’s northeastern Kishoreganj district on Monday, officials said. Many people are still feared trapped under the dilapidated wagons, however, rescue operations are underway.…

10/23/2023

Iran sentences 2 journalists for collaborating with US. Both covered Mahsa Amini’s death

Dubai, Oct. 22: An Iranian Revolutionary Court sentenced two journalists to years in prison for their coverage of the death in custody of Kurdish-Iranian Mahsa Amini last year, state media reported on Sunday. The death of 22-year-old Amini last September while in the custody of the morality police for allegedly…

10/22/2023

British PM Rishi Sunak suffers crushing by-election defeats

London, Oct. 20: British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak’s governing Conservatives suffered two crushing defeats in previously safe parliamentary seats on Friday, raising doubts about his party’s ability to win the general election expected next year. The double defeat showed a dramatic slump in support for the Conservatives, who have won…

10/20/2023

India aims to set up Bharatiya Antariksha station by 2035, send first Indian to Moon by 2040

New Delhi, Oct. 17: In a major boost to India’s space program, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday announced that the country aims to send an astronaut to the moon by 2040. He also directed the Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO) to develop a space station by 2035. These ambitious…

10/17/2023

US President Biden To Make Wartime ‘Solidarity’ Visit To Israel On Wednesday, Blinken Announces

Washington, Oct. 17: Israel agreed to develop plan to enable humanitarian aid for Gaza civilians White House announces. Diplomats from the United Nations, the US and other member nations are trying to set up a humanitarian corridor for Palestinians in peril. They have seen more than 4,200 people killed in…

10/17/2023

US to provide employment authorisation cards for 5 years; move to benefit thousands of Indians

Washington, Oct. 14: The US Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) said it will provide employment authorization cards to some non-immigrant categories for five years.   The United States has recently announced a move that would benefit thousands of Indians, particularly those waiting for the US green card. The US Citizenship…

10/14/2023

Israel orders unprecedented evacuation of 1 million in Gaza as possible ground offensive looms

Jerusalem, Oct. 13: Israel’s military told some 1 million Palestinians on Friday to evacuate northern Gaza and head to the southern part of the besieged territory, an unprecedented order applying to almost half the population ahead of an expected ground invasion against the ruling Hamas militant group. The U.N. warned…

10/13/2023

Heavy flooding in southern Myanmar displaces more than 10,000 people

Bangkok, Oct. 9: Flooding triggered by heavy monsoon rains in Myanmar’s southern areas has displaced more than 10,000 people and disrupted traffic on the rail lines that connect the country’s biggest cities, officials and state-run media said Monday. A senior official at the Ministry of Social Welfare, Relief and Resettlement, Lay…

10/09/2023

Jailed Iranian Activist Narges Mohammadi Wins Nobel Peace Prize

Oslo, Oct. 6: Jailed Iranian human rights activist Narges Mohammadi won the Nobel Peace Prize on Friday for fighting against women's oppression in Iran and advocating for human rights. Berit Reiss-Andersen, head of the Norwegian Nobel Committee, said in a news conference in Oslo that "her brave struggle has come…

10/06/2023

Trump’s lawyers seek to postpone his classified documents trial until after the 2024 election

Washington, Oct. 5: Lawyers for former US President Donald Trump have asked a judge to postpone his classified documents trial until after next year’s presidential election, saying they have not received all the records they need to review to prepare his defense. The trial on charges of illegally hoarding classified documents,…

10/05/2023

Indian PM Modi and British PM Rishi Sunak extend greetings ahead of Hindu Temple inauguration in New Jersey

New Delhi, Oct. 4: Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his British counterpart Rishi Sunak exchanged greetings ahead of the inauguration of the Akshardham Temple in Robbinsville city of New Jersey. This temple is said to be the largest Hindu temple built outside India in the modern era. “This is…

10/04/2023

India tells Canada to withdraw 41 diplomats, says report

Washington, Oct. 3: India has told Canada to withdraw around 40 diplomats from the country, according to a report published on Monday. Citing sources familiar with the matter, the Financial Times said that New Delhi has set a deadline of Oct. 10 for their repatriation and has threatened to revoke…

10/03/2023

US-Saudi defence pact tied to Israel deal, Palestinian demands put aside

Riyadh, Sept. 29: Saudi Arabia is committed to obtaining a military agreement with the US that would oblige the US to defend the kingdom in exchange for establishing diplomatic relations with Israel, Reuters reported citing three sources familiar with the matter. The kingdom is determined to proceed with the deal even if…

09/29/2023

Deadly violence continues in Sweden. 3 people killed in overnight shootings and an explosion

Stockholm, Sept. 28: Three people were killed overnight in separate incidents in Sweden as deadly violence linked to a feud between criminal gangs escalated. Late Wednesday, an 18-year-old man was shot dead in a Stockholm suburb. Hours later, one man was killed and another was wounded in a shooting in…

09/28/2023

Told Canada this is not India’s policy: S Jaishankar on allegations over Hardeep Nijjar’s killing

New Delhi, Sept. 27: Responding to Canadian allegations about the Indian government’s alleged involvement in the killing of Sikh separatist leader Hardeep Singh Nijjar, External Affairs Minister of India S Jaishankar on Tuesday said that Ottawa was informed that such acts are not the Indian government’s policy. Nijjar, the chief…

09/27/2023

20 dead in gas station explosion as Nagorno-Karabakh residents flee to Armenia

Yerevan, Armenia, Sept. 26: Separatist authorities in Nagorno-Karabakh said Tuesday that at least 20 people were killed and nearly 300 others injured by an explosion at a crowded gas station as thousands of people rushed to cross into Armenia. More than 13,500 people — about 12% of the region's population…

09/26/2023

The Biden administration is poised to allow Israeli citizens to travel to the US without a US visa

Washington, Sept. 24: The Biden administration is poised to admit Israel this week into an exclusive club that will allow its citizens to travel to the United States without a U.S. visa despite Washington's ongoing concerns about the Israeli government's treatment of Palestinian Americans. U.S. officials say an announcement of…

09/24/2023

Global threats need global approach, says Indian PM, calls for cooperation framework

New Delhi, Sept. 23: The Indian Prime Minister, Narendra Modi inaugurated the ‘International Lawyers’ Conference 2023’ at Vigyan Bhawan in New Delhi today. The conference aims to serve as a platform for meaningful dialogue and discussion on various legal topics of national and international importance, foster exchange of ideas and…

09/23/2023

India wants reduction in Canada diplomats, cites Ottawa’s ‘interference in internal matters’

New Delhi, Sept. 21: The government today said it had asked Canada to downsize its diplomatic presence in India and cited the "interference of Canadian diplomats in Indian affairs", as the diplomatic row over the killing of a Khalistani terrorist escalated sharply. This was hours after India suspended visa services…

09/21/2023

UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak delays ban on new gas and diesel cars by 5 years

London, Sept. 20: UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak announced Wednesday that he’s delaying by five years a ban on new gas and diesel cars that had been due to take effect in 2030, watering down climate goals that he said imposed “unacceptable costs” on ordinary people. The move angered green…

09/20/2023

Britain says to continue trade talks with India despite Canada allegations

London, Sept. 19: Britain will continue trade talks with India despite allegations from Canada that the Indian government was involved in the murder of a Sikh separatist leader on its soil, Prime Minister Rishi Sunak's spokesperson said on Tuesday. Britain was in touch with Canada about the "serious allegations" but…

09/19/2023

Indian PM Modi launches Vishwakarma Scheme for traditional artisans and craftspersons, urges people to be ‘vocal for local’

New Delhi, Sept. 17: Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday launched the 'PM Vishwakarma' scheme on the occasion of 'Vishwakarma Jayanti', under which traditional craftsmen and artisans will be provided loan assistance at a minimal interest rate without the need for collateral. According to the Indian Media, With a…

09/17/2023

Indian American Vivek Ramaswamy says he would fire 75 per cent of federal workforce if elected US President

Washington, Sept. 15: Indian American-Republican presidential aspirant Vivek Ramaswamy has said he would fire more than 75 per cent of the federal workforce and shutter several major agencies like the FBI if he wins the 2024 election, as he continued to put forward strident proposals that have helped him stand…

09/15/2023

‘PM Modi doing right thing by promoting Make in India,’ says Russian President Putin

Moscow, Sept. 13: Russian President Vladimir Putin praised Prime Minister Narendra Modi's promotion of the "Make in India" programme. He highlighted the importance of using domestically made product and commended India's policies under PM Modi's leadership as a positive example. In an address at the 8th Eastern Economic Forum (EEF), Putin said, "You…

09/13/2023

North Korea’s Kim Jong Un in Russia amid US warnings not to sell arms

Moscow, Sept. 12: North Korean leader Kim Jong Un has arrived in Russia, Japanese media reported on on September 12, for what the Kremlin said would be a comprehensive discussion with Russian President Vladimir Putin amid warnings from Washington they should not agree on an arms deal. Both Moscow and…

09/12/2023

Indian PM Modi announces conclusion of G20 Summit, urges members to organise virtual meet again in November

New Delhi, Sept. 10: Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi has suggested hosting a virtual G20 session towards the end of November to assess the recommendations and resolutions put forth during the recently concluded leaders' summit. As reported by PTI, during the closing session of the two-day G20 summit, Modi pointed out that…

09/10/2023

Modi opens G20 summit as PM of 'Bharat'

New Delhi, Sept. 9: Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi made his opening address to the G20 summit Saturday with his country nameplate labelled "Bharat" -- an ancient Sanskrit word -- in the biggest signal yet of a potential official change. The gesture came days after invitations to the summit dinner…

09/09/2023

G20 contributed to making India world-ready and world India-ready: Jaishankar

New Delhi, Sept. 9: The G20 has contributed to making “India world-ready and the world India-ready”, External Affairs Minister of India S Jaishankar said on Saturday as he underlined that India’s presidency of the grouping prioritised addressing urgent concerns of the Global South. Addressing a press briefing on the G20…

09/09/2023

G20 Summit: 'Bharat' displayed in front of Indian PM Modi during inaugural address

New Delhi, Sept. 9: As Indian PM Narendra Modi delivered his inaugural address to begin the G20 Summit in Delhi, the placard in front of him read 'Bharat' instead of India. Videos and photos widely shared on social media showed a placard displaying the name 'Bharat'. The development comes after…

09/09/2023

Summit will chart new path in inclusive and human-centric development: Modi

New Delhi, Sept. 8: Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday expressed confidence that the New Delhi G20 Summit will chart a new path in human-centric and inclusive development. He emphasised that India’s G20 Presidency has been inclusive, ambitious, decisive, and action-oriented where the developmental concerns of the Global South…

09/08/2023

Hong Kong’s heaviest rain in at least 140 years floods city streets, metro

Hong Kong, Sept. 8: The Asian financial hub of Hong Kong was drenched on Friday by the heaviest rain since records began 140 years ago, killing one person and injuring 83, media reported, as unusually wet weather caused by typhoons brought more disruption to southern China. Videos showed cascades of…

09/08/2023

Australian minister says invasive examinations were part of reason Qatar Airways was refused flights

Canberra, Australia, Sept. 7:  Australian Transport Minister Catherine King said on Thursday that invasive gynecological examinations conducted on passengers at Doha’s international airport in 2020 were part of the reason she refused to allow Qatar Airways to double its services to Australia. King has faced intense questioning over why she…

09/07/2023

Rishi Sunak's praise for PM Modi: ‘India right country for G20 presidency’

New Delhi, Sept. 6: India's diversity and its extraordinary successes means it is the "right country" at the "right time" to hold the G20 presidency, UK prime minister Rishi Sunak said, praising Narendra Modi's leadership over the last year. India’s presidency of the bloc came when the world is facing…

09/06/2023

Saudi, Russia plan to extend 1.3 mn barrel a day oil cut through the end of the year

Dubai,Sept. 5: Saudi Arabia and Russia agreed Tuesday to extend their voluntary oil production cuts through the end of this year, trimming 1.3 million barrels of crude out of the global market and boosting energy prices. The dual announcements from Riyadh and Moscow pushed benchmark Brent crude above $90 a barrel…

09/05/2023

Modi-Biden bilateral ahead of G20 meet: White House

Washington, Sept. 2: The White House on Saturday said that US President Joe Biden will travel to India next week to participate in the G20 Summit. Biden is expected to arrive on September 7 and then hold a bilateral meet with Prime Minister Narendra Modi on September 8. India, President…

09/02/2023

Singaporeans vote to elect ninth president; Indian-origin ex-minister Tharman Shanmugaratnam in the race

Singapore, Sept. 1: Indian-origin Singapore economist Tharman Shanmugaratnam has won the Presidential election in the country. Tharman Shanmugaratnam defeated two contenders of Chinese origin in the country's first contested presidential polls since 2011. In the presidential elections, Tharman Shanmugaratnam secured 70.4 per cent votes. The other contenders – Ng Kok…

09/01/2023

Indian Cabinet Resolution on celebrating the historic success of the Chandrayaan-3 Mission

New Delhi, Aug. 29: The Union Cabinet of India joins the Nation in celebrating the historic success of the Chandrayaan-3 Mission to the Moon. The Cabinet also appreciates the monumental achievement of our scientists. This is not just a victory for our space agency but is a bright symbol of…

08/29/2023

Sri Lanka’s welfare board to disburse 5 Bn rupees to state banks for Aswesuma relief

Colombo, Aug. 28: Sri Lanka’s Welfare Benefits Board will disburse five billion rupees to state-run banks on Monday August 28 which will subsequently be credited to some 800,000 Aswesuma beneficiaries in the coming days, an official said. State Minister of Finance Shehan Semasinghe told reporters Monday morning that beneficiaries will…

08/28/2023

Vivek Ramaswamy show’: Indian-American’s popularity surges post-debate; pulls in Rs 3.7 crore donations

Washington, Aug. 25: Indian-American entrepreneur Vivek Ramaswamy experienced a surge in popularity and online fundraising following the Republican presidential debate. According to his campaign, Ramaswamy raised over $450,000 within the first hour after the debate, with an average donation of $38. Popular news outlet Axis reported, "In Trump's absence, Ramaswamy takes the…

08/25/2023

Modi, Xi seen having brief exchanges in Johannesburg

New Delhi, Aug. 24: Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Chinese President Xi Jinping were on Thursday seen having brief exchanges ahead of a media briefing by the BRICS leaders in Johannesburg. Modi and Xi are in the South African city of Johannesburg to attend the annual summit of BRICS…

08/24/2023

Indian PM Modi backs BRICS expansion, calls for bloc’s space exploration consortium

Johannesburg, Aug. 23: Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday addressed the open plenary session of the 15th BRICS Summit in Johannesburg, South Africa. In his speech, Modi highlighted the bloc's contribution towards the developmental efforts of the global south.  Modi started his speech by thanking President Cyril Ramaphosa of South Africa,…

08/23/2023

Chandrayaan-1: The first time India ‘touched’ the Moon

New Delhi, Aug. 23: India on Wednesday landed a spacecraft near the moon’s south pole, an unchartered territory that scientists believe could hold vital reserves of frozen water and precious elements, as the country cements its growing prowess in space and technology. A lander with a rover inside touched down on…

08/23/2023

Indian PM Modi leaves for BRICS Summit in Johannesburg

New Delhi, Aug. 22: Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi left for South Africa on Tuesday to attend the 15th BRICS (Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa) Summit being held in Johannesburg under the South African chairmanship from August 22-24. “BRICS has been pursuing a strong cooperation agenda across various…

08/22/2023

India’s first 3D-printed post office inaugurated in Bengaluru: How does 3D printing work?

New Delhi, Aug. 18: Union minister of India Ashwini Vaishnaw inaugurated India's first “3D-printed post office” in Karnataka's Bengaluru on Friday. The building is located in Cambridge Layout near Ulsoor Bazaar and spans an area of 1100 square feet. This new approach to construction involves 3D-printing technology, which requires minimal…

08/18/2023

Indian Lunar Mission Closer To Moon

New Delhi, Aug. 17: India's third lunar mission is inching closer to the Moon's little-explored south pole where it aims to set down a lander and rover on 23 August. On Thursday, the lander will detach from the propulsion module, which carried it close to the Moon, and "they will…

08/17/2023

Four more Chinese nationals arrested in connection with gold smuggling

Kathmandu, Aug. 16: The Central Investigation Bureau (CIB) of Nepal Police has arrested four more Chinese nationals in connection with the 60.716 gold recovered from a taxi outside the Tribhuvan International Airport on July 19. The central spokesperson of Nepal Police, DIG Kuber Kadayat said that those arrested are three…

08/16/2023

Inauguration of School Building of Bishnudevi Secondary School at Chandragiri built under India’s assistance

Kathmandu, Aug. 15: On the occasion of 77th Independence Day of India, the new school building of Shree Bishnudevi Secondary School at Chandragiri, Kathmandu, Nepal was jointly inaugurated today by Karun Bansal, First Secretary, Embassy of India, Kathmandu; Ghanshyam Luitel, Ward Chairperson, Chandragiri Municipality; Indra Bahadur Subedi, Chairperson, School Management…

08/15/2023

In address to nation on eve of 77th Independence Day, Indian President Murmu talks of G20, economy & ISRO

New Delhi, Aug. 14: Indian President Droupadi Murmu on Monday hailed India's GDP growth despite challenges and said a large number of people have come out of poverty in the last decade. Addressing the nation on the eve of 77th Independence Day, President Murmu lauded India's space agency ISRO for…

08/14/2023

4 people dead and 1 missing after explosion destroys 3 structures in western Pennsylvania

PLUM  PA,  (Pennsylvania), Aug. 13: Four people were dead and a fifth was unaccounted for following a house explosion in western Pennsylvania that destroyed three structures and damaged at least a dozen others Saturday morning, authorities said. Allegheny County officials said three people were taken to hospitals after the blast…

08/13/2023

Eiffel Tower evacuated after bomb threat: French Police

Paris, Aug. 12: The Eiffel Tower was closed to the public on Saturday after being evacuated as a precautionary measure following a bomb threat, a Paris police source said. SETE, the body which runs the site, said that bomb disposal experts and police were scouring the area, including a restaurant…

08/12/2023

India fastest-growing economy in world today: FM Nirmala Sitharaman during No-Confidence Motion debate

New Delhi, Aug. 10: Indian Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on Thursday (10 August) said that India is now the fastest growing economy in the world due to the efforts of Modi government. Taking jibe at the previous UPA government during the debate on the No-Confidence Motion moved by the…

08/10/2023

India to launch BRICS startup forum to facilitate collaborations among entrepreneurs: Piyush Goyal

New Delhi, Aug. 8: India is all set to initiate the BRICS Startup Forum in 2023 to promote collaboration and knowledge sharing among startups, investors, incubators, and emerging entrepreneurs, said Indian commerce and industry minister Piyush Goyal, during the virtual 7th BRICS Industry Ministers’ meeting, hosted by South Africa as…

08/08/2023

Cambodia king approves PM's son Hun Manet as next premier

Phnom Penh, Aug. 7: Cambodia’s king has approved the nomination of the eldest son of Prime Minister Hun Sen to become the next premier, according to a decree published on Monday, confirming a long-awaited transition of power. The decree endorsing Western-educated army general Hun Manet, 45, was shared on the…

08/07/2023

Ex-Vice President Pence does not rule out being witness for Trump’s prosecution

Washington, Aug. 6: In a surprising development, former Republican Vice President Mike Pence has left the door open to potentially becoming a prosecution witness in the trial against his former boss, Donald Trump. Pence’s refusal to categorically rule out the possibility adds a new layer of complexity to the legal…

08/06/2023

Pakistan ex-PM Khan given three-year jail sentence

Islamabad, Aug. 5: Former Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan has been given a three-year jail sentence over corruption allegations. A court in Islamabad found him guilty of not declaring money he had earned from selling state gifts. He denies the charges and says he will appeal. After the verdict, Khan was…

08/05/2023

Typhoon Khanun pounds Japan’s Okinawa, injures over 30 people as it moves toward China

Tokyo, Aug. 2: A powerful typhoon slammed Okinawa and other island in southwestern Japan Wednesday with high winds injuring more than 30 people as it moved west making its way toward mainland China. The Japan Meteorological Agency said the typhoon is heading to the East China Sea, but may change course…

08/02/2023

Another Indian-American launches US Presidential bid: Who is Hirsh Vardhan Singh

Washington, July 30: Hirsh Vardhan Singh, an Indian-American engineer, has announced his bid for the White House, becoming the third person of Indian descent after Nikki Haley and Vivek Ramaswamy to join the crowded Republican field of candidates vying to become US President in 2024. In a video message posted…

07/30/2023

India, Japan Confirm Cooperation Toward Free And Open Indo-Pacific

New Delhi, July 28: The top diplomats of Japan and India have confirmed their cooperation with the aim of realizing a free and open Indo-Pacific region, a concept promoted by the Japanese government. Japan's Foreign Minister Hayashi Yoshimasa met India's External Affairs Minister Subrahmanyam Jaishankar in New Delhi on Thursday.…

07/28/2023

North Korea’s Kim shows off banned missiles to Russian minister

Seoul, July 27: Russia’s defense minister accompanied North Korean leader Kim Jong Un to a defense exhibition that featured the North’s banned ballistic missiles as the neighbors pledged to boost ties, North Korean state media reported on Thursday. The Russian minister, Sergei Shoigu, and a Chinese delegation led by a…

07/27/2023

Powerful typhoon Doksuri lashes Philippines, threatens Taiwan, China

Manila, July 26: At least one person died as powerful Typhoon Doksuri lashed the coastline of the northern Philippines with gale-force winds and torrential rain on Wednesday (Jul 26), bursting banks of rivers and leaving thousands without electricity. The rain bands of Doksuri pounded coastal communities, including isolated villages tucked…

07/26/2023

UK opens second ballot for Young Professionals Scheme visas for Indians

London, July 25: The UK government has announced the opening of the second ballot of the Young Professional Scheme for Indian citizens between 18 to 30 years of age. The ballot, which opened on Monday, will close at 1.30 p.m. on Thursday, the British High Commission announced in a tweet.…

07/25/2023

North Korea Fires Multiple Cruise Missiles Into Yellow Sea

Seoul, July 22: The South Korean military says North Korea has fired multiple cruise missiles into the Yellow Sea west of the Korean Peninsula. South Korea's Joint Chiefs of Staff said the launches took place from around 4 a.m. on Saturday. The South Korean and US militaries are conducting a…

07/22/2023

India has come out strong from challenges posed by Covid, need to sustain momentum: World Bank President Ajay Banga

New Delhi, July 19: World Bank president Ajay Banga, the first-ever Indian-American to head the top global financial institution, on Wednesday, praised India's economy saying India doing lot of things to stay ahead during global slowdown. India has come out strong from challenges posed by Covid and it needs to…

07/20/2023

Finance Minister Dr Mahat calls on Indian counterpart Nirmala Sitaramana

New Delhi, July 18: Finance Minister Dr Prakash Sharan Mahat called on his Indian counterpart, Nirmala Sitaraman, and discussed mutual cooperation and bilateral relations on the sideline of the 3rd finance ministers and central bank governors of G-20 country meeting being held in Gujrat on 17-18th July. During the meeting, the…

07/18/2023

South Korea flood death toll rises to 39, Yoon blames botched responses

Seoul, July 17: South Korean President Yoon Suk-yeol on Monday (Jul 17) blamed authorities' failure to follow disaster response rules as the death toll from days of torrential grew to 40, including a dozen people found dead in a submerged underpass. Deluges have pummelled central and southern regions since Thursday as…

07/17/2023

India-UAE to start trade settlement in local currencies: PM Modi in Abu Dhabi

Abu Dhabi, July 15: Reserve Bank of India and Central Bank of the United Arab Emirates (UAE) on Saturday signed two MoUs for the use of local currencies for cross-border transactions and cooperation for interlinking their payment and messaging systems, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced during an official visit…

07/15/2023

At least 20 dead after torrential South Korea rain

Seoul, July 15: Twenty-two people have died, 14 were missing and thousands evacuated in South Korea as of Saturday, according to ministry data, as a third day of torrential rains caused landslides and the overflow of a dam. By Saturday evening, local time, 4,763 people had been evacuated nationwide, according to…

07/15/2023

India launches historic mission to land spacecraft on the moon

Sriharikota, India, July 14:  An Indian spacecraft blazed its way to the far side of the moon Friday in a follow-up mission to its failed effort nearly four years ago to land a rover softly on the lunar surface, the country's space agency said. Chandrayaan-3, the word for "moon craft"…

07/14/2023

Italy rail strike strands commuters and tourists in sweltering weather at height of tourism season

Rome, July 13: Commuters and tourists alike were stranded by a major train strike across Italy on a sweltering Thursday, with cancellations affecting even high-speed lines that are usually guaranteed during Italy’s frequent work stoppages. Transport Minister Matteo Salvini signed a decree ordering the two-day strike be cut in half,…

07/13/2023

Israelis block highways in nationwide protests of government’s plan to overhaul judiciary

Jerusalem, July 11: Israeli protesters blocked highways leading to Jerusalem, Haifa and Tel Aviv at the start of countrywide demonstrations Tuesday against the government’s planned judicial overhaul that has divided the nation. The demonstrations came the morning after Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s parliamentary coalition gave initial approval to a bill to limit the…

07/11/2023

North Korean leader’s powerful sister says warplanes repelled US spy plane

Seoul, South Korea, July 10: The powerful sister of North Korean leader Kim Jong Un alleged that the country's warplanes repelled a U.S. spy plane flying over nearby waters Monday and warned of “shocking” consequences if the U.S. continues reconnaissance in the area. The United States and South Korea dismissed the…

07/10/2023

Japan marks a year since former PM Abe was gunned down

Tokyo, July 8: Japanese political and business leaders on Saturday marked one year since the assassination of former leader Shinzo Abe, with Prime Minister Fumio Kishida pledging to tackle pressing political goals as a way of honoring Abe’s wishes. At a Buddhist temple Zojoji in Tokyo, Kishida and his governing…

07/08/2023

Any attack on Indian High Commission completely unacceptable: UK Foreign Secretary

 New Delhi, July 7: Against the backdrop of reported plans by pro-Khalistan elements to carry out a so-called “Kill India” rally to the Indian high commission in London on July 8, British foreign secretary James Cleverly said on Thursday that any attacks on the mission are “completely unacceptable”. Several accounts…

07/07/2023

SCO Summit: Indian PM Modi invokes regional connectivity, fight against terrorism

New Delhi, July 5: Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi hosted the virtual summit of Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) on Tuesday. He urged China, Iran, Pakistan, Russia and central Asian countries to jointly fight terrorism and tackle global challenges including food, fuel, and fertiliser shortages. Modi added that the impact of…

07/05/2023

Turkey says Quran burning in Sweden raises questions about its reliability as a possible NATO member

Ankara, Turkey, July 4: Turkey’s foreign minister said Tuesday that Swedish authorities’ failure to prevent Quran-burning protests in the country is raising security concerns and questions about Sweden’s credentials for possible NATO membership. But Hakan Fidan said Turkey would still approve Sweden’s membership in the military alliance if Stockholm “completes…

07/04/2023

Israel’s air force attacks Syria and Syrian air defense missile explodes over northern Israel

Beirut, July 2: Israel carried out airstrikes on areas near the central Syrian city of Homs early Sunday causing material damage but no casualties, the Syrian military said in a statement. A Syrian anti-aircraft missile exploded over Israeli territory, the Israeli military said, prompting another round of strikes. Syrian state…

07/02/2023

France’s Macron postpones state visit to Germany amid domestic crisis

Berlin, July 1:  French President Emmanuel Macron has postponed a state visit to Germany that was to begin on Sunday due to unrest in France, both countries announced on Saturday. The announcement comes as more than 1,300 people were arrested in France during a fourth night of rioting. Family and…

07/01/2023

Putin, Modi discuss situation in Ukraine, Wagner mutiny in telephonic call

New Delhi, June 30: Russian President Vladimir Putin and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi spoke on a telephone call on Friday and discussed the recent Wagner Group mutiny in Russia which threw the country on edge, erupting internal chaos over the possibility of a coup. PM Modi and President Putin discussed…

06/30/2023

UK court rules plan to relocate asylum seekers to Rwanda is unlawful

London, June 29: A British court ruled Thursday that a government plan to send asylum-seekers on a one-way trip to Rwanda is unlawful, delivering a blow to the Conservative administration's pledge to stop migrants making risky journeys across the English Channel In a split two-to-one ruling, three Court of Appeal…

06/29/2023

Would not allow Sri Lanka to be used as base for threats against India: President Wickremesinghe

Colombo, June 26: Sri Lankan President Ranil Wickremesinghe reiterated that there is no military agreement with China and he will not allow the island nation to be used as a base for any threats against India. President Wickremesinghe said in an interview with the French media, “We are a neutral…

06/26/2023

With ‘Order of Nile’, ‘strategic partnership’ agreement, Indian PM Modi concludes two-day visit

Cairo, June 25: Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday concluded his two-day State visit to Egypt, headlined by him being conferred with the African country's highest state honour, visit to a 1,000-year-old mosque and tribute to World War 1 braves. “My visit to Egypt was a historic one. It will…

06/25/2023

Indian PM Modi lands in Cairo for maiden State visit, will hold bilateral talks

New Delhi, June 24: :Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi arrived in Egypt’s capital Cairo for the first state visit on the second leg of his two-nation tour. PM Modi arrived in Cairo for after wrapping up a “successful visit to the US.” The visit is at the invitation of Abdel…

06/24/2023

US-India: Major critical technology collaborations for the future

Washington, June 23:Sealing a key deliverable during Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s state visit to Washington DC, the United States (US) administration has completed the executive approvals for the manufacture of F414 jet engines in India. Besides the Memorandum of Understanding between General Electric (GE) and Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) jet…

06/23/2023

PM Modi, US President Biden to hold talks on defence, space, clean energy and critical technologies: White House

Washington, June 22: Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and US President Joe Biden will have a one-on-one meeting in the Oval Office of the White House on Thursday before holding high-level talks to further boost the growing Indo-US strategic relations in areas like defence, space, clean energy and critical technologies.…

06/22/2023

Yoga is ‘truly universal…it is a way of life,’ says Indian PM Modi as he leads 9th International Yoga Day celebrations in New York

New York, June 21: Indian Prime Minister leads the Yoga Day celebration at the UN Headquarter in New York. The prime minister welcomed the sight of several world leaders, celebrities and people coming together for the grand event. He called upon the people to use the power of Yoga to…

06/21/2023

At the heart of Indo-US ties: Economics & Strategy

Washington, June 20: With Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi on an official state visit to the US at the invitation of President Joe Biden, the bipartisan consensus in Washington on developing bilateral ties is exemplified by the invitation extended to the Indian Prime Minister by the leaders of both houses…

06/20/2023

After escaping the Taliban, hundreds of Afghans languish in Albania in a prolonged US visa process

Shengjin, Albania, June 18:  Almost two years since he fled Afghanistan to escape the Taliban takeover, Firooz Mashoof is still haunted by the memory of his last day in Kabul — the bus that took him to the airport, getting on a packed plane and taking off as gunfire echoed…

06/18/2023

41 killed by rebels in Uganda school attack

Kampala, Uganda, June 17: Ugandan authorities recovered the bodies of 41 people, including 38 students, who were burned, shot or hacked to death after suspected rebels attacked a secondary school near the border with Congo, the local mayor said Saturday. At least six people were abducted by the rebels, who…

06/17/2023

India, not China, better suited for resolving Ukraine crisis, says US Congressman

Washington, June 16: India is much better suited than China to play a leading role in resolving the war in Ukraine because of New Delhi's old relationship with Moscow, a top Indian American Congressman has said. Congressman Ami Bera said he would love to see the Indian administration use its…

06/16/2023

Greece boat disaster leaves 79 dead, hundreds missing

Athens, June 15: At least 79 people have died and more than 100 have been rescued after their fishing vessel capsized off the coast of southern Greece. But survivors and Greek officials say that hundreds more migrants were on board. The government says this is one of Greece's biggest migrant…

06/15/2023

Biden family to host intimate dinner for Modi on June 21; hot ticket state dinner on June 22

Washington, June 13: A senior administration official revealed that the Biden family intends to host a private dinner for Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi on 21 June, a day before the State Dinner at the White House. United States  President Joe Biden, along with First Lady Jill Biden, invited PM Modi…

06/13/2023

North Korea’s Kim vows to ‘hold hands’ with Putin for strategic cooperation

Seoul, June 12: North Korean leader Kim Jong Un has vowed to "hold hands" with Russian President Vladimir Putin and bolster strategic cooperation on their shared goal of building a powerful country, state media KCNA reported on Monday. Kim made the pledge in a message to Putin marking Russia's National…

06/12/2023

The US and Canada saw dangerous smoke this week. It’s a routine peril for many developing countries

Washington, June 10: Thick, smoky air from Canadian wildfires made for days of misery in New York City and across the U.S. Northeast this week. But for much of the rest of the world, breathing dangerously polluted air is an inescapable fact of life — and death. Almost the entire world…

06/10/2023

Indian PM Modi’s US visit will set new benchmarks for bilateral ties: Pentagon

Washington, June 9: :Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit to the US this month will set new benchmarks for bilateral ties and some “really big, historic and exciting” announcements are likely to be made on defence cooperation and boosting India’s indigenous military industrial base, the Pentagon has said. Prime Minister…

06/09/2023

India is a vibrant democracy, go to Delhi and see for yourself: White House

Washington, June 7: India is a vibrant democracy and anybody who happens to go to New Delhi can see that for themselves, the White House said on June 5, as it appeared to dismiss concerns about the health of democracy in India. Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi will be on…

06/07/2023

Prince Harry’s battle with British tabloids heads for courtroom showdown

London, June 5: Prince Harry’s battle with the British press is headed for a showdown in a London courtroom this week with the publisher of the Daily Mirror. The Duke of Sussex is scheduled to testify in the High Court after his lawyer presents opening statements Monday in the first…

06/05/2023

Earthquake jolts eastern Japan, no tsunami warning yet: Report

Tokyo, May 26: A strong earthquake shook eastern Japan on Friday evening, but there was no tsunami warning, according to public broadcaster NHK. The temblor struck at 1003 GMT with a magnitude of 6.2, according to the Japan Meteorological Agency. It shook buildings in Tokyo as well as surrounding prefectures,…

05/26/2023

As India's electrical grid strains, rural hospitals and clinics find reliable power in rooftop solar

Raichur, India, May 25: In the searing heat that often envelops Raichur, an ancient town in southern India, a ceiling fan that spins without interruption brings sweet relief for the newborn babies and their mothers at the Government Maternity Hospital. But such respite wasn't always guaranteed in a region where…

05/25/2023

Indian PM Modi arrives in Australia on last leg of his three-nation tour: What’s on the agenda?

Sydney, May 22: Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi arrived in Sydney on Monday for the third and final leg of his three-nation tour during which he will hold talks with his Australian counterpart Anthony Albanese and attend a community event to celebrate the country's dynamic, diverse Indian diaspora. Modi is…

05/22/2023

‘Will do whatever we can for resolution of war’: PM Modi meets Ukraine Prez Zelenskyy for first time since Russian invasion

Tokyo, May 20: Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, currently in Tokyo for the G7 summit, held a meeting with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, marking their first encounter since Russia's military action against Ukraine in February 2022. The meeting took place on the sidelines of the summit, and both leaders discussed…

05/20/2023

US official explains why Green Card wait is so long for Indians

New Delhi, May 19: The long and agonising wait for green cards for people from India, China, Mexico and the Philippines is mainly due to the country-based quota system in its allocation which can be changed only by the US Congress, a senior official has said. A Green Card, known…

05/19/2023

Indian FM Nirmala Sitharaman meets IMF MD Georgieva on sidelines of G7 meeting

  New Delhi, May 12: Indian Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman meets IMF MD Kristalina Georgieva on sidelines of G7 meeting. FM Nirmala Sitharaman on Friday met International Monetary Fund (IMF) managing director Kristalina Georgieva on the sidelines of G7 Finance Minister Central Bank Governors meet. She is on a two-day…

05/12/2023

New India Assurance loses tag of Air India’s ‘lead insurer’ to Tata firm

New Delhi, May 12: After the Tata Group's acquisition of Air India, the public sector firm New India Assurance has lost its title as the airline's "lead insurer," with the title now transferred to an insurance firm within the conglomerate.  The public company had been the leading insurer of Air…

05/12/2023

Former Pakistani Prime Minister Imran Khan arrested amid tensions with military

Islamabad, May 9: Former Pakistani Prime Minister Imran Khan was arrested Tuesday at a court in the capital Islamabad by paramilitary officers. Footage of the arrest shows dozens of paramilitary personnel surrounding Khan and pushing him into an armored vehicle before driving him away. Khan, who heads Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI),…

05/09/2023

Uzbek president calls snap poll under new constitution

Tashkent, May 8: Uzbek President Shavkat Mirziyoyev said on Monday he was calling a snap presidential election on July 9 to give himself a new mandate to help deal with "sharp and complex processes" going on in the world. Uzbek voters approved a package of constitutional amendments in a referendum…

05/08/2023

King Charles III crowned at London’s Westminster Abbey

London, May 6: King Charles III was crowned on Saturday in Britain's biggest ceremonial event in seven decades. It was a ceremony built on ancient traditions at a time when the British monarchy faces an uncertain future. Charles' second wife Camilla, 75, was also crowned queen. Ceremonial gun salutes blasted out across land and…

05/06/2023

Indian PM Modi to attend Bastille Day Parade in Paris as guest of honour on July 14

New Delhi, May 5: Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi will be the guest of honour for this year’s Bastille Day Parade in Paris scheduled to take place on July 14.  In a statement, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) of India said the Indian armed forces’ contingent will also partake…

05/05/2023

Man jailed for threatening British Indian ex-minister Priti Patel

London, May 1: A 65-year-old man was sentenced to five months in jail by the Westminster Magistrates’ Court in London last week, for sending a threatening letter to former Home Secretary Priti Patel. Pooneeraj Canakiah admitted to sending a grossly offensive letter to Patel. The Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) in…

05/01/2023

On May Day, workers rally for better labour conditions

Seoul, May 1: A large number of workers and activists globally marked May Day on Monday with rallies calling for higher salaries, reduced working hours and other better working conditions. May Day, which falls on May 1, is observed in many countries as a day to celebrate workers' rights with rallies, marches and…

05/01/2023

Sudan fighting continues; ceasefire set to end at midnight

Khartoum ( Sudan), Apr. 30: Army forces clashed with paramilitaries in Khartoum as deadly hostilities have entered a third week despite the latest ceasefire, which was formally set to expire at the end of the day.  "There has been very heavy fighting and loud gunfire ... since the early morning on…

04/30/2023

India, EFTA countries discuss resumption of talks for trade pact

New Delhi, Apr. 28: India and the European Free Trade Association (EFTA) countries have taken steps towards resuming their negotiations for a Trade and Economic Partnership Agreement (TEPA) during a meeting held in New Delhi on Wednesday. The EFTA is a regional trade organisation comprising four European states - Iceland,…

04/28/2023

UK House of Commons set to back controversial migration bill

London, Apr. 26: British lawmakers on Wednesday approved a sweeping bill that will dramatically curb migrants’ ability to seek asylum in the U.K., despite critics’ allegations that it breaks international law. Members of the House of Commons voted by 289 to 230 to back the Illegal Migration Bill, which the Conservatives…

04/26/2023

Indian-American Neeli Bendapudi to be conferred with this year’s Immigrant Achievement Award

Washington, Apr. 25: Indian-origin Neeli Bendapudi will be conferred the prestigious Immigrant Achievement Award this year for her contribution to higher education in the United States. The 59-year-old President of Penn State University will be presented with the award at the DC Immigrant Achievement Awards reception on April 28. “As an…

04/25/2023

Special forces rescue US embassy staffers in warring Sudan

Washington, Apr. 23: U.S. special operations forces carried out a precarious evacuation of the American embassy in warring Sudan on Sunday, sweeping in and out of the capital, Khartoum, with helicopters on the ground for less than an hour. No shots were fired and no major casualties were reported. With…

04/23/2023

UK Parliament panel criticises lack of information on FTA talks with India

London, Apr. 22: A cross-party Parliament committee in charge of scrutinising the UK government's trade affairs on Friday strongly criticised the lack of information provided around Britain's ongoing negotiations with India for a free trade agreement (FTA). The House of Commons International Trade Committee, which is set to be dissolved…

04/22/2023

‘Prepare contingency evacuation plan’: Indian PM Modi to officials during high-level meet on Sudan crisis

New Delhi, Apr. 21: Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday assessed the developments in Sudan with a specific focus on safety of over 3,000 Indian citizens currently located throughout the violence-hit country. According to an official statement, Modi, at a high-level meeting, instructed relevant officials to remain vigilant, closely…

04/21/2023

NATO chief visits Kyiv for first time since Russian invasion

Kyiv, Apr. 20: NATO chief Jens Stoltenberg defiantly declared Thursday that Ukraine deserves to join the military alliance and pledged continuing support for the country on his first visit to Kyiv since Russia’s invasion just over a year ago. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy urged Stoltenberg, who has been instrumental in marshaling…

04/20/2023

India, Russia to work for unlocking full potential of economic ties

New Delhi, Apr. 19: India and Russia on Tuesday agreed to unlock full potential of bilateral trade and economic relationship. The Indian Ministry of External Affairs said in a statement that the 24th India-Russia Inter-governmental Commission on Trade, Economic, Scientific, Technological and Cultural Cooperation was held in New Delhi on…

04/19/2023

Sudanese army, rival forces agree to 24-hour cease-fire

Khartoum, Apr. 18: A US Embassy convoy came under fire in Sudan, Washington's top diplomat said Tuesday as he stepped up efforts for a cease-fire between the country's two top generals. Still, forces of the two rivals pounded each other for a fourth day with heavy weapons in the capital…

04/18/2023

Lanka debt: India, Japan and France launch recast platform

Washington, Apr. 15: India, Japan and France have announced a common platform for discussion among creditors to address the debt restructuring programme of Sri Lanka, which is grappling with one of its worst economic crisis. The representatives of the three creditor countries, including finance minister Nirmala Sitharaman, held a press…

04/15/2023

7.0 magnitude earthquake shakes Indonesia’s main island

Jakarta, Apr. 14: A strong earthquake shook parts of Indonesia’s main island of Java and tourist island of Bali on Friday, causing panic but there were no immediate reports of serious damage or casualties. The U.S. Geological Survey said the magnitude 7.0 quake was centered 96.5 kilometers (59.8 miles) north of Tuban, a…

04/14/2023

Trump back in New York for questioning in state civil fraud case

Washington, Apr. 13: Former US president Donald Trump was back in New York on Thursday for questioning in a $250 million civil fraud lawsuit against him by the state's attorney general. The questioning will take place behind closed doors and has not generated the kind of attention that his historic…

04/13/2023

US President Biden is not ‘anti-British’, White House official says

Washington, Apr. 12: The White House has denied Joe Biden is “anti-British”, as the US president prepared for talks with Rishi Sunak. Biden will hold a meeting with the prime minister in Belfast on Wednesday after arriving in Northern Ireland to mark the 25th anniversary of the Good Friday Agreement Downing…

04/12/2023

Indian-American mathematician C R Rao awarded math ‘Nobel Prize’

Washington, Apr. 10: Prominent Indian-American statistician Calyampudi Radhakrishna Rao has been awarded the 2023 International Prize in Statistics, often referred to as the Nobel prize of statistics, earlier this week. “We are delighted to announce that the 2023 International Prize in Statistics has been awarded to C.R. Rao whose work…

04/10/2023

Tensions build around Jerusalem shrine after Syria rockets

Jerusalem, Apr. 9: Israeli warplanes and artillery struck targets in Syria following rare rocket fire from the northeastern neighbor, as Jewish-Muslim tensions reached a peak Sunday at a volatile Jerusalem shrine with simultaneous religious rituals. Thousands of Jewish worshippers gathered at the city's Western Wall, the holiest place where Jews can…

04/09/2023

Ukraine’s first deputy foreign minister to visit India on Sunday

New Delhi, Apr. 8: The first Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine, Ms. Emine Dzhaparova will be on a four-day visit to India from Sunday. During the visit, Ms. Dzhaparova will hold talks with Sanjay Verma, Secretary (West) in the Indian Ministry of External Affairs. Both sides are expected…

04/08/2023

Indian-origin data analyst killed after struck by bus at Boston airport

New York, Apr. 3: Indian-American data analyst was killed in an accident after a bus hit him at the Logan international airport in US’s Boston while he was waiting for his friend. The deceased, identified as Vishwachand Kolla, had gone to pick up a friend when the mishap happened. Kolla…

04/03/2023

Gen (retd.) Bajwa put pressure on me to develop friendly ties with India, claims Imran Khan

Islamabad, Apr. 2: Pakistan's former prime minister Imran Khan has alleged that former army chief Gen (retd) Qamar Javed Bajwa pressurised him to extend friendship with neighbouring India. Khan suggested that apparently, Bajwa wanted to develop cordial relations with New Delhi.  Dunya News reported on Saturday (April 1) that the…

04/02/2023

Air India to introduce premium economy class in US flights

New Delhi, Apr. 1: Air India on Friday said it will introduce premium economy class for travel from May 15 in select flights to the US. The premium economy class will initially be available in select flights operated with Boeing 777-200LR aircraft on Bengaluru-San Francisco, Mumbai-San Francisco, and Mumbai-New York…

04/01/2023

After attack on Indian Embassy in Washington, US says committed to protecting diplomatic missions

Washington, Mar. 29: The United States is committed to taking all appropriate steps to protect diplomatic missions and diplomats in the country, a senior US official has said.     At a news conference on Tuesday, US State Department Deputy Spokesperson Vedant Patel condemned the incidents of violence at Indian diplomatic facilities…

03/29/2023

North Korean Fired Two More Ballistic Missiles

Tokyo, Mar. 27: Japan's Defense Ministry says North Korea fired two ballistic missiles on Monday morning. Ministry officials say the missiles appear to have fallen outside Japan's exclusive economic zone. The officials say the projectiles were fired from near North Korea's west coast toward the northeast. The ministry estimates the…

03/27/2023

Indian delegation calls on Sri Lankan President Ranil Wickremesinghe

Colombo, Mar. 26: A high-level Indian delegation called on Sri Lankan President Ranil Wickremesinghe here on Sunday and briefed him on the developments in the jointly-identified priority areas for collaboration in the energy sector. President Wickremesinghe provided his insights on the early implementation of these initiatives, the Indian High Commission…

03/26/2023

Eric Garcetti sworn in as US Ambassador to India

Washington, Mar. 25: Eric Garcetti on Friday was formally sworn in as the next US Ambassador to India, over two-and-half years after his name was originally announced for the position.  Garcetti was sworn in by US Vice President Kamala Harris at an event which saw the presence of Garcetti's daughter…

03/25/2023

British king’s visit to France cancelled amid mass protests

Paris, Mar. 24:  French President Emmanuel Macron’s office said Friday that a state visit by Britain’s King Charles III has been postponed amid mass strikes and protests in France. The king had been scheduled to arrive in France on Sunday on his first state visit as monarch, before heading to…

03/24/2023

Japan's PM Kishida Invites Modi To G7 Summit In Hiroshima

New Delhi, Mar. 21: Japanese Prime Minister Kishida Fumio has invited his Indian counterpart Narendra Modi to the G7 summit in May and Modi accepted. The two leaders met in New Delhi, the capital of India on Monday. Both countries agreed to continue to commit to maintain a rules-based world…

03/21/2023

Global Millets Conference by Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi to celebrate the International Year of Millets

Kathmandu, Mar. 18: The Embassy of India, Kathmandu live-streamed and virtually participated in the inauguration of the Global Millets (Shree Anna) Conference  by Prime Minister of India Narendra Modi in New Delhi on Saturday to celebrate the International Year of Millets (IYM) 2023.     An event held at the…

03/18/2023

Japan, South Korea renew ties at Tokyo summit

Tokyo, Mar. 17: Japan and South Korea agreed to resume regular visits between their leaders and took steps to resolve a trade dispute as a highly anticipated summit began Thursday, a sign that the two countries are rebuilding their nations’ security and economic ties as they try to overcome a…

03/17/2023

India approves capital acquisition of military hardware worth Rs 70,584 crore

New Delhi, Mar. 16: India on March 16 approved the capital acquisition of indigenously-developed military hardware worth 70,584 crore as part of a mega procurement plan that is expected to significantly boost domestic defence manufacturing. The approval to the procurement proposals was accorded by the Defence Acquisition Council (DAC) chaired…

03/16/2023

North Korea launches ballistic missile toward sea

Seoul, South Korea, Mar. 14: North Korea test-fired two short-range ballistic missiles in another show of force Tuesday, a day after the United States and South Korea began military drills that Pyongyang views as an invasion rehearsal. The missiles launched from the southwestern coastal town of Jangyon flew across North Korea…

03/14/2023

Storm Freddy kills more than 60 on return to Mozambique, Malawi

Blantyre, Malawi, Mar. 13: An unrelenting Cyclone Freddy that's battering southern Africa has killed more than 100 people after striking the continent for a second time on Saturday night, authorities in hard-hit Malawi and Mozambique countries have confirmed. The Red Cross on Monday put the overall death toll from the weeks-long…

03/13/2023

India, US ink MoU on semiconductor supply chain, innovation partnership

New Delhi, Mar. 10: India and the United States on Friday signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on establishing a semiconductor supply chain and innovation partnership under the framework of the India-US Commercial Dialogue. The pact was signed after the annual commercial dialogue 2023 between the two sides. At the…

03/10/2023

India launches portal to ensure availability of power during peak demand at high price

New Delhi, Mar. 10: Union Power Minister of India R K Singh on Thursday launched a portal to ensure greater availability of power during the peak demand season at a price higher than the ceiling of Rs 12 per unit by a certain category of sellers. The government has launched…

03/10/2023

Pakistan has to give assurances on financing balance of payments deficit: IMF

Karachi, Mar. 6 : Pakistan will be required to give an assurance that its balance of payments deficit is fully financed for the fiscal year ending in June to unlock the next tranche of IMF funding, the fund's resident representative said on Monday. The funding is critical for the South…

03/06/2023

Fire hits crowded Rohingya refugee camp in Bangladesh Cox’s Bazar

Cox’s Bazar, Bangladesh, Mar. 5: A massive fire raced through a crammed refugee camp for Rohingya Muslims in southern Bangladesh on Sunday, leaving thousands homeless, a fire official and the United Nations said. No casualties were reported immediately at Balukhali camp in Cox’s Bazar district, said Emdadul Haque, a fire service…

03/05/2023

Belarus court jails Nobel Peace Prize winner Ales Bialiatski for 10 years

Moscow, Mar. 3: Belarus on Friday handed a 10-year jail term to veteran activist Ales Bialiatski, a Nobel Prize winner and founder of the ex-Soviet authoritarian country's most prominent rights group. Bialiatski was in the dock with two allies after they were jailed in the aftermath of historic demonstrations against the disputed…

03/03/2023

Migrant boat breaks apart off Italy; many dead, 58 survivors

Rome, Feb. 26: The Italian coast guard and firefighters have recovered more than 30 bodies after a wooden migrant boat broke apart in rough seas Sunday near the southern coast of Italy’s mainland, authorities reported. State TV quoted the local prefect’s office as saying that by late morning 33 bodies…

02/26/2023

Gaza rockets, Israeli strikes follow deadly West Bank raid

Tel Aviv, Feb. 23: Palestinian militants in the Gaza Strip launched rockets at southern Israel and Israeli aircraft struck targets in the coastal enclave early Thursday after a deadly gun battle with Israeli troops during a raid in the occupied West Bank that killed 10 Palestinians. The bloodshed extends one…

02/23/2023

How North Korea could use Pacific Ocean as a ‘firing range’ to perfect its missiles

Seoul, Feb. 22:  If North Korea follows done connected its threat to move nan Pacific Ocean into a "firing range", it would let nan isolated and nuclear-armed authorities to make method advances successful summation to signalling its subject resolve, analysts said. North Korea launched 2 short-range ballistic missiles (SRBMs) connected…

02/22/2023

Russian President Vladimir Putin delivers a nuclear warning to the West over Ukraine

Moscow, Feb. 21: Russian President Vladimir Putin on Tuesday delivered a nuclear warning to the West over Ukraine, suspending a bilateral nuclear arms control treaty, announcing new strategic systems had been put on combat duty and warning that Moscow could resume nuclear tests. Speaking nearly a year to the day…

02/21/2023

Taliban plans to turn former foreign bases into special economic zones

Kabul, Feb. 19: The Taliban administration will go ahead with plans to turn former foreign military bases into special economic zones for businesses, the acting deputy prime minister for economic affairs said in a statement on Sunday.  Acting Commerce Minister told reuters in December that his ministry was working on a plan…

02/19/2023

UK will help other countries willing to send aircraft to Ukraine, Sunak says

Munich, Feb. 18: Britain offered to help other countries which were willing to send aircraft to Ukraine now, Prime Minister Rishi Sunak said on Saturday, as he urged allies to maintain their support in the war against Russia. Sunak has joined former British leaders Boris Johnson and Liz Truss in…

02/18/2023

Bipartisan resolution introduced in US Senate recognising Arunachal Pradesh as integral part of India

Washington, Feb. 17: United States (US) Senators introduced a resolution on Thursday in the United States (US) Senate that reaffirms that the state of Arunachal Pradesh as an “integral part of India”, supports India’s “sovereignty and territorial integrity”. The resolution also condemns China for the “use of military force” to…

02/17/2023

US President Joe Biden , 80, to have closely watched physical exam

Washington, Feb. 16: A routine medical checkup will be completed by Joe Biden on Thursday which is an important step for the oldest-ever president of the United States before he flights for reelection in 2024.  The White House has confirmed that it will be releasing the report made by the…

02/16/2023

IT problems disrupt Lufthansa flights at Frankfurt Airport

Brussels, Feb. 15: A major disruption to the computer systems of German airline Lufthansa caused delays and cancellations at its main hub in Frankfurt and beyond Wednesday. The airline said in a statement that Lufthansa Group, which also includes subsidiaries such as Swiss International Air Lines and Eurowings, “are affected…

02/15/2023

Aero India 2023 shining example of India’s growing capabilities: Indian PM Modi

New Delhi, Feb. 13: : Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday inaugurated the 14th edition of India's biennial aerospace exhibition 'Aero India' which will showcase the country as an emerging hub for manufacturing military aircraft, helicopters, equipment and new-age avionics. He emphasised that Aero India 2023 is not only…

02/13/2023

First time, India-US exercise includes response to nuke & bio terror attacks

  New Delhi, Feb. 11: For the first time, India-US exercise includes response to nuclear and bio-terrorist attacks   With chemical and biological warfare being recognized as an emerging threat to the world, “Chemical, Biological, Radiological and Nuclear (CBRN) Terror Response” has been included for the first time in the…

02/11/2023

Amsterdam to ban cannabis outdoors in red-light district

Amsterdam, Feb. 10: The city of Amsterdam is banning the smoking of marijuana outdoors in its red-light district. The ban is part of a host of changes to appease those who live in the popular neighborhood, which attracts millions of tourists each year. "Residents of the old city center are…

02/10/2023

South African president Cyril Ramaphosa declares ‘state of disaster’ over power crisis

Johannesburg, Feb. 9: South Africa’s president Thursday declared a national state of disaster with immediate effect to enable the government to deal with the ongoing electricity crisis crippling Africa’s most industrialized economy. “The Minister of Cooperative Governance has just gazetted the declaration of the State of Disaster, which will begin…

02/09/2023

2004-14 was a lost decade, current one will be known as India’s decade, says Indian PM

New Delhi, Feb. 8: Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, in his reply to the debate on the Motion of Thanks to the President’s address in Lok Sabha on Wednesday, targeted the Opposition Congress saying the period of “2004-2014 was a decade of scams and violence” and that the “UPA’s trademark…

02/08/2023

WHO says earthquake could affect up to 23 million

Geneva, Feb. 7: Up to 23 million people could be affected by the massive earthquake that has killed thousands in Turkiye and Syria, the WHO warned on Tuesday, promising long-term assistance. “Event overview maps show that potentially 23 million people are exposed, including around five million vulnerable populations,” the World…

02/07/2023

Turkey Earthquake: Hours after more than 1,500 killed in deadly earthquake, second one hits Turkey

Istanbul, Feb. 6: A 7.5-magnitude earthquake hit southeastern Turkey Monday afternoon, the U.S. Geological Survey reported, mere hours after a temblor killed more than 1,500 people in the Turkish and Syrian parts of the region. That one was followed by at least 20 aftershocks. The earlier quake, a magnitude 7.8,…

02/06/2023

Pakistan blocks Wikipedia: Report

Islamabad, Feb. 4: Pakistan has banned Wikipedia over the website's refusal to remove what the establishment termed as ‘blasphemous content’, Pakistan website The News reported. The restoration of the services will be subjected to consideration if the website removes the content. The blacklisting of Wikipedia comes days after the Pakistan Telecom…

02/04/2023

US and China talk about better ties but things have only become worse

Bloomberg, Feb. 3: The US keeps saying it wants to set a “floor” under the relationship with China. Its recent moves against Beijing and new pressure from Congress make achieving that look increasingly unlikely. Two months after US President Joe Biden met Chinese President Xi Jinping in Bali with a promise…

02/03/2023

Indian Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman presents budget 2023

New Delhi, Feb. 2: Finance Minister of India Nirmala Sitharaman presented Union Budget for 2023-24 in Parliament today. She said that Indian economic is on the right track and is heading towards a bright future, despite challenging times. Ms Sitharaman said the economic growth in the current year is estimated…

02/02/2023

Eight rockets fired at Turkish base in Iraq – Kurdish security group

Erbil, Feb. 1: Unidentified attackers fired eight rockets at a Turkish military base in northern Iraq on Wednesday, two of which landed inside the facility, said the Counter-Terrorism Group, a security organization in Iraq's autonomous Kurdish region. An Iraqi contractor in the base was wounded, said an Iraqi security source…

02/01/2023

WHO says Covid-19 remains a global health emergency

London, Jan. 30: The World Health Organization (WHO) said on Monday that COVID-19 continues to constitute a public health emergency of international concern, its highest form of an alert. The pandemic was likely at a "transition point" that continues to need careful management to "mitigate the potential negative consequences", the…

01/30/2023

Maldives President Solih wins presidential primary, party says

Male, Jan. 29: Maldives President Ibrahim Mohamed Solih won the ruling Maldivian Democratic Party's (MDP) presidential primary election, the first time an incumbent has faced a primary challenge, according to preliminary results on Sunday. But his challenger, former President Mohamed Nasheed has not accepted the results reported by the party.…

01/29/2023

Thai activist sentenced to 28 years for online posts on king

Bangkok, Jan. 27: A court in Thailand sentenced a 27-year-old political activist to 28 years in prison on Thursday for posting messages on Facebook that it said defamed the country’s monarchy, while two young women charged with the same offence continued a hunger strike after being hospitalized. The court in…

01/27/2023

Japan PM Fumio Kishida prioritises arms buildup, reversing low birthrate

Tokyo, Jan. 23: Japan Prime Minister Fumio Kishida said Monday that Japan faces the severest security environment in the region since the end of World War II and pledged to push a military buildup under a newly adopted security strategy, as well as tackle rapidly declining births so the country can…

01/23/2023

10 people killed, 10 injured in mass shooting at Monterey Park dance studio

California, Jan. 22: Ten people were killed and at least 10 others were injured when a gunman opened fire at a ballroom dance studio in Monterey Park on Saturday night, the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department said. The mass shooting, one of California’s worst in recent memory, happened in the…

01/22/2023

Pakistan govt ready to meet all IMF demands to revive bailout programme: Report

Islamabad, Jan. 20: The Pakistan government has requested the IMF to send its mission to the country at the earliest, preferably next week, to conclude a long-awaited agreement to revive the bailout programme, as it conveyed its willingness to accept all the four major conditions set by the global lender,…

01/20/2023

Ukraine’s Interior Minister, deputy killed in a helicopter crash near Kyiv, says police

Kyiv, Jan. 18: Ukrainian Interior Minister Denys Monastyrsky and several children are among at least 16 people who died in a helicopter crash Wednesday, after the aircraft slammed into a kindergarten in Brovary, an eastern suburb of Kyiv. "As of this minute, three children died. It is an indescribable pain,"…

01/18/2023

Brazilian police gather at camp of Bolsonaro supporters in capital Brasilia

Brasilia, Jan. 9: Brazilian police have gathered at a camp where supporters of former President Jair Bolsonaro have settled outside army headquarters in the capital city Brasilia, Reuters witnesses said on Monday. The heavily armed police, many on horseback, could be seen lining up in front of the camp, where…

01/09/2023

Israel revokes Palestinian FM’s travel permit over UN move

Jerusalem, Jan. 8: The Palestinian foreign minister said Sunday that Israel revoked his travel permit, part of a series of punitive steps against the Palestinians that Israel's new hard-line government announced days ago. Riad Malki said in a statement that he was returning from the Brazilian president's inauguration when he…

01/08/2023

India to host Voice of Global South Summit

New Delhi, Jan. 7: In a major initiative to reconnect India to developing countries, the government on Friday announced the Global South summit. The summit which will be in a virtual mode will bring together more than 120 countries of the global south. And these youths during the special virtual summit…

01/07/2023

Japan to tighten Covid border controls for travellers from China

Tokyo, Jan. 4: Japan will toughen from Sunday its Covid-19 border control measures for travellers from China, Prime Minister Fumio Kishida said, in response to a surge of infections among such visitors. Additional measures will require negative coronavirus tests before passengers board direct flights from China, Kishida said on Wednesday,…

01/04/2023

Iran’s judiciary indicts two French nationals and Belgian for espionage

Dubai, Jan. 3: Iran has indicted two French nationals and a Belgian for espionage and working against the country’s national security, the judiciary spokesperson said on Tuesday according to the semi-official Student News Network. The Islamic Republic has accused foreign adversaries of fomenting unrest that erupted in Iran three months…

01/03/2023

Mexico prison attack kills 14, dozens of inmates escape

Mexico City, Jan. 2: At least 14 people died in a brazen armed assault on a prison in the Mexican border city of Juarez on Sunday, officials said. The Chihuahua state attorney general’s office said in a statement, that 10 security guards and four prisoners were killed and 13 others were…

01/02/2023

“Blast outside Kabul’s military airport, multiple casualties feared: Report”

Kabul, Jan. 1: An explosion outside the military airport in Kabul on Sunday has caused multiple casualties, a spokesman for the Taliban-run interior ministry said. “Today morning an explosion took place outside Kabul military airport, due to which a number of our citizens were martyred and injured,” spokesman Abdul Nafi…

01/01/2023

Former Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI dies at 95: Vatican

Vatican City, Dec. 31: Former pope Benedict XVI, the first pontiff in six centuries to resign, has died at the age of 95. Benedict, the Pope Emeritus, died on Saturday at the Mater Ecclesiae Monastery in the Vatican, a spokesman for the Holy See confirmed. He had headed the Roman Catholic church from April 2005…

12/31/2022

India makes negative RT-PCR mandatory for flyers from China, five other nations

New Delhi, Dec. 29: Passengers arriving in India from China, Hong Kong, Japan, South Korea, Singapore and Thailand will be mandatorily required to provide negative Covid reports from January 1, Union Health Minister  of India Mansukh Mandaviya said on Thursday. According to the Indian Media, They will have to upload…

12/29/2022

Hong Kong scraps vaccine pass, COVID-19 tests for travellers

Hong Kong, Dec. 28: International travellers to Hong Kong will no longer need to do a mandatory PCR COVID-19 test on arrival, local broadcaster TVB said on Wednesday citing sources, adding that the city’s vaccine pass required to enter most venues would also be scrapped. Hong Kong leader John Lee…

12/28/2022

South Korea scrambles jets, fires warning shots as North Korean drones intrude

Seoul, Dec. 26: South Korea scrambled warplanes and attack helicopters and fired warning shots on Monday after North Korean drones violated its airspace, the South Korean military said. South Korea tracked the drones crossing from North Korea over what is known as the Military Demarcation Line between the two countries…

12/26/2022

Dhaka Test: Ashwin, Shreyas Iyer rescue India with narrow win over Bangladesh

Dhaka, Dec. 25: Ravichandran Ashwin and Shreyas Iyer saved India from an embarrassing defeat by pulling them from a deep 74 for 7 to chase down a target of 145 before lunch on the fourth morning of the second Test against Bangladesh in Dhaka. 2-0 series win.  India were just…

12/25/2022

20 dead in fire at Russian nursing home

Moscow, Dec. 24: Russian officials say at least 20 people have died in a fire in a nursing home in the Siberian city of Kemerovo. State media said the building was not officially registered as a nursing home. The cause of the fire and how many people lived at the…

12/24/2022

India, China, Russia abstain on first UNSC resolution on Myanmar in 74 years

United Nations, Dec. 23: India, China and Russia abstained in the UN Security Council on a draft resolution that demanded an immediate end to violence in Myanmar and urged the military junta to release political prisoners, including State Counsellor Aung San Suu Kyi. The 15-nation Security Council, under India’s Presidency…

12/23/2022

Department of Immigration to issue ticket to deport Charles Sobharaj today

Kathmandu, Dec. 23: The Department of Immigration (DoI) is making necessary preparations to deport Charles Sobhraj, who has been released from jail following an order from the Supreme Court. The DoI will be issuing flight tickets to deport Sobhraj as soon as possible. Director General of the Department of Immigration…

12/23/2022

Japan reverses nuclear phaseout plan adopted after Fukushima

Tokyo, Dec. 22: Japan on Thursday adopted a new policy promoting greater use of nuclear energy to ensure a stable power supply amid global fuel shortages and to reduce carbon emissions, in a major reversal of its phase-out plan following the Fukushima crisis. The new policy says Japan must maximize…

12/22/2022

Absolutely don’t believe that Britain is a racist country: Rishi Sunak

London, Dec. 20: Britain’s first Indian-origin Prime Minister Rishi Sunak has defended the UK’s record on race amid a brewing row over controversial remarks by a columnist attacking Prince Harry’s wife Meghan Markle, who is of African-American heritage. Sunak was addressing questions posed by reporters during a visit to the…

12/20/2022

Fuel tanker tunnel blast kills at least 19 in Afghanistan

Kabul, Dec. 18: At least 19 people were killed and 32 injured when a fuel tanker exploded in a tunnel north of the Afghan capital Kabul, a local official said Sunday. The Salang Tunnel, which is around 80 miles north of Kabul, was originally built in the 1960s to assist…

12/18/2022

Thailand’s king, queen test positive for COVID-19

Bangkok, Dec. 17: Thailand’s king and queen have tested positive for COVID-19, and so far have only mild symptoms, the royal palace said Saturday. Doctors prescribed treatment for King Maha Vajiralongkorn, 70, and Queen Suthida, 44, and requested them to refrain from duties for a while, the Royal Household Bureau…

12/17/2022

At least 16 campers dead in Malaysia landslide

Kulalumpur, Dec. 16: At least 16 people including children have been killed after a landslide enveloped a holiday campsite in Malaysia's Selangor state, officials say. Families were sleeping in their tents when a landslide happened around 03:00 Friday (19:00 GMT Thursday) at a farm stay in Batang Kali township. Hundreds…

12/16/2022

South Africa leader fights for political future over scandal

Johannesburg, Dec. 15: The president of South Africa is fighting for his political future amid an unfolding scandal that has tainted his reputation as an anti-apartheid icon once widely admired for tackling the problems of Africa’s most developed economy. Cyril Ramaphosa, 70, says he's innocent of charges that he hid…

12/15/2022

China says situation ‘stable’ at border with India after clashes

Beijing, Dec. 13: Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson Wang Wenbin said on Tuesday that the situation at the India-China border was "generally stable", a few days after troops from both sides clashed at the border. A face-off on Friday at the Tawang sector of India's Arunachal Pradesh state resulted in injuries…

12/13/2022

Indian PM Modi flags off sixth Vande Bharat Express, inaugurates phase-1 of Nagpur-Mumbai Samruddhi Mahamarg Expressway

New Delhi, Dec. 11: Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi on 12 December flagged off India's sixth Vande Bharat Express between Bilaspur (Chattisgarh)-Nagpur (Maharashtra) route. Modi flagged off the train from Nagpur railway station and was accompanied by Maharashtra CM Eknath Shinde, Deputy CM Devendra Fadnavis and Union Minister for Road…

12/11/2022

India will not be an ally of US, it will be another great power, says White House official

Washington, Dec. 10: India, which has a unique strategic character, will not be an ally of the US, but another great power, a top White House official has said, asserting there is no other bilateral relationship that is being "deepened and strengthened" more rapidly than between the two countries over…

12/10/2022

Saudi prince MBS made personal mediation efforts for Brittney Griner release, says foreign minister

Riyadh, Dec. 10: Saudi Arabia’s Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman extended “personal mediation efforts” to facilitate the release of American basketball star Brittney Griner in a Russia-U.S. prisoner swap, the kingdom’s foreign minister said on Thursday. Washington has denied any mediation, saying the talks were between the United States and…

12/10/2022

Germany arrests 25 suspected of planning to overthrow government

Berlin, Dec. 8: In a nationwide raid, 25 suspected members and supporters of a terrorist organization in Germany were arrested early Wednesday. Officials said the network, part of a wider right-wing movement, was already well established with a concrete plan to overthrow the German state by force and install a new government. The raids…

12/08/2022

Rishi Sunak caves in again to UK Tory MPs — this time over onshore wind

Bloomberg, Dec. 7: Prime Minister Rishi Sunak The UK has agreed to end an effective ban on new onshore wind farms, their second major climbdown in two days due to a rebellion among Conservative members of parliament.  The Department for Leveling Up said in an emailed statement on Tuesday that the…

12/07/2022

Taliban allow high school graduation exams for Afghan girls

Islamabad, Dec. 6: Afghan girls will be allowed to take their high school graduation exams this week, an official and documents from the Taliban government indicated Tuesday — even though they have been banned from classrooms since the former insurgents took over the country last year. According to two documents…

12/06/2022

India, Germany sign mobility partnership pact; Jaishankar calls it ‘strong signal for more contemporary partnership’

New Delhi, Dec. 5: India and Germany on Monday inked a mobility partnership pact and held comprehensive discussions on key global challenges including the Ukraine conflict, situation in Afghanistan and cross-border terrorism emanating from Pakistan. At a media briefing after talks with his German counterpart Annalena Baerbock, External Affairs Minister…

12/05/2022

Indonesia raises volcano warning to highest after Semeru erupts, evacuates 90 people

Stefanno Sulaiman and Angie Teo-  JAKARTA, Dec 4: Indonesian authorities raised the warning on Semeru volcano on the island of Java to the highest level on Sunday after an eruption spewed a column of ash high into the air. The evacuation of people, which includes children and seniors, living near…

12/04/2022

Islamic State chief is dead and new one is picked. Both are unknown.

Istanbul, Dec. 1: The jihadists of the Islamic State announced on Wednesday that their leader, whose identity had remained shrouded in mystery, had been killed in battle less than nine months after taking charge of the terrorist organization. A spokesman for U.S. Central Command, which oversees American troops in Syria,…

12/01/2022

Taliban: At least 10 killed by bombing of religious school

Islamabad, Nov. 30: A Taliban official says that at least 10 students were killed Wednesday when a bomb blast hit a religious school in northern Afghanistan. Interior Ministry spokesman Abdul Nafi Takor says several others were wounded in the blast at the madrassa in Aybak, capital of the northern Samangan…

11/30/2022

Qatar says worker deaths for World Cup ‘between 400 and 500’

Doha, Qatar, Nov. 29: A top Qatari official involved in the country's World Cup organization has put the number of worker deaths for the tournament “between 400 and 500” for the first time, a drastically higher number than any other previously offered by Doha. The comment by Hassan al-Thawadi, the…

11/29/2022

Taiwan president resigns as party leader after election loss

Taipei, Taiwan, Nov. 27: Taiwan President Tsai Ing-wen resigned as head of the ruling Democratic Progressive Party following local election losses on Saturday suffered by her party. Voters in Taiwan overwhelmingly chose the opposition Nationalist party in several major races across the self-ruled island in an election in which lingering…

11/27/2022

India launches 9 satellites onboard PSLV rocket

New Delhi, Nov. 26: The Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO) on Saturday launched earth observation satellite EOS-06 and eight nano-satellites into their intended Sun-synchronous polar orbits onboard a Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle (PSLV-C54) rocket, officials said. The PSLV-C54/EOS-06 mission was launched at the Satish Dhawan Space Center (SDSC) in Sriharikota,…

11/26/2022

India’s efforts to sanction perpetrators of 26/11 attacks blocked for ‘political reasons’, says UN envoy of India

United Nation, Nov. 25: :India has said its efforts to sanction perpetrators and facilitators of the 26/11 Mumbai terror attacks have been blocked in the past for “political reasons”, enabling those responsible to walk free and organise further cross-border assaults against the country. India’s Permanent Representative to the UN, Ambassador…

11/25/2022

India successfully test-fires intermediate range ballistic Agni-3 missile

New Delhi, Nov. 24: India successfully performed the training launch of the Agni-3 Intermediate Range Ballistic Missile(IRBM) from APJ Abdul Kalam Island, Odisha on Wednesday. According to the Indian Media, The test of Agni-3 was a part of routine user training launches which are performed under the aegis of the…

11/24/2022

Five dead, 18 injured in shooting at gay nightclub in Colorado: police

Colorado, Nov. 20: A shooter opened fire in a gay nightclub late Saturday, killing five people and wounding 18 in the latest mass shooting to befall the country in a year in which anti-gay rhetoric has been amped up among extremists. Lt. Pamela Castro of the Colorado Springs Police Department said…

11/20/2022

Ban on beer is latest flashpoint in World Cup culture clash

Doha, Qatar, Nov. 19: The tiny but fabulously wealthy Gulf nation of Qatar has spent 12 years preparing to host soccer’s World Cup, a marathon of planning and patience during which it has redrawn an entire nation by building stadiums and hotels, roads and sidewalks, even a gleaming new subway…

11/19/2022

Afghan Taliban say group will stick to strict Islamic law

Kabul, Afghanistan, Nov. 18: The Taliban will stick to their strict interpretation of Islamic law, or Sharia, a spokesman said Thursday, underscoring the group's intention to continue hard-line policies implemented since they took over the country more than a year ago. During their previous years in power in the late 1990s, the…

11/18/2022

UK PM Rishi Sunak green lights new Indian youth visa scheme

London, Nov. 16: UK PM Rishi Sunak has given the go-ahead for 3,000 visas for young Indian professionals to live and work in the country each year. The British government said India is the first visa-national country to benefit from such a scheme, highlighting the strength of the UK-India Migration…

11/16/2022

‘World will not have a solution’Indian PM Modi highlights fertilizer shortage at G-20 summit

New Delhi, Nov. 15: India's Prime Minister Narendra Modi at the ongoing Group of 20 Summit in Bali on Tuesday said that 'today's fertilizer shortage is tomorrow's food crisis'. Addressing a session on ‘Food and energy security’ the Prime Minister said that the crisis of essential goods and lack of…

11/15/2022

Three dead, two injured in University of Virginia campus shooting

Washington, Nov. 14: A shooting on the campus of the University of Virginia has killed three people and wounded two others, police said in a tweet. The university police identified a student, Christopher Darnell Jones, as the suspect, and said multiple agencies were engaged in an active search. “As of…

11/14/2022

India, ASEAN countries promise to boost cooperation against terrorism

Phnom Penh, Nov. 12: India and ASEAN international locations vowed to determine a complete strategic partnership and improve cooperation in opposition to terrorism after Vice President of India Jagdeep Dhankhar addressed the nineteenth ASEAN-India Summit in Phnom Penh on Saturday. Dhankhar is in Cambodia for his three-day go to. This…

11/12/2022

Narendra Modi, Joe Biden have productive, very practical relationship, says US NSA

New Delhi, Nov. 11: : Ahead of the bilateral between US President Joe Biden and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi on the sidelines of the G-20 summit in Indonesia, US National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan said that the two leaders have a productive and very practical relationship. “I would point…

11/11/2022

Climate activists, including scientists, are arrested in protests at private airports

  Moonachie, Nov. 11: Climate activists across Europe and the United States blocked entrances to airports Thursday to protest emissions from the aviation industry and call for a ban on private jets. Activists with three groups — Extinction Rebellion, Scientist Rebellion and Guardian Rebellion — descended on the airport terminals…

11/11/2022

Ron DeSantis’s re-election in Florida puts 2024, and Trump, in sight

Bloomberg, Nov. 9: Florida voters have given Republican Ron DeSantis a second term as the state's governor. DeSantis overcame a challenge from Charlie Crist, a former Democratic congressman who, as a Republican, served as Florida governor more than a decade ago. DeSantis won with nearly a 20-point margin. And he did…

11/09/2022

Aruna Miller first Indian-American to win Maryland Lieutenant Governor race

Washington, Nov. 9: Indian American Aruna Miller is the next Lieutenant Governor of Maryland by defeating her Republican challenger Gordana Schifanelli, according to The Associated Press. The 57-year-old Indian American is the running mate of the celebrity author, Army veteran, and former nonprofit executive, Wes Moore, who won the election…

11/09/2022

Thailand scraps plan to allow foreigners to buy land

Bangkok, Nov. 8: Thailand is walking back a policy that would have allowed limited land ownership by wealthy foreigners, a government official said on Tuesday (Nov 8), after a public backlash against the plan. Earlier this year, the government announced the plan aimed at attracting investment from overseas, limiting foreigners…

11/08/2022

Egypt has days to save jailed activist’s life, warns head of Amnesty International

Cairo, Nov. 7: Amnesty International's head on Sunday warned that the proceedings of COP27 in Egypt could be stained by the death of one of the country's leading rights activists from a hunger and water strike in prison if Egyptian authorities do not release him within days. Secretary General of…

11/07/2022

Plane crashes into Lake Victoria in Tanzania, 19 dead

Kenya, Nov. 6: A small passenger plane crashed Sunday morning into Lake Victoria on approach to an airport in Tanzania, and the country's prime minister says 19 people on board were killed. Prime Minister Kassim Majaliwa gave the new death toll, up from three. Earlier, local authorities said 26 of…

11/06/2022

Russian President Putin lauds India again, calls its citizens ‘talented’, ‘purposeful’

Moscow, Nov. 5: For a second time within a week, Russian President Vladimir Putin has praised India’s growth story and said its people are “very talented” and “purposeful” and will help the country to achieve outstanding results in its development. Putin’s comments came just ahead of External Affairs Minister of…

11/05/2022

Imran Khan shot at Gujranwala rally, out of danger

Islamabad, Nov. 3: Former Prime Minister of Pakistan Imran Khan was shot at and injured on Thursday at a rally in Pakistan’s Gujranwala. Unidentified assailants opened fire on a container-mounted-truck carrying Khan in Pakistan’s Punjab province, according to local media reports. The former Pakistan PM was seen with a bandage…

11/03/2022

North Korea fires 17 missiles, one landing off South Korean coast for first time

Seoul, Nov. 2: North Korea on Wednesday launched 100 projectiles, including ballistic missiles, in a single day in a show of power amid ongoing joint military exercises by South Korea and the US. Seoul found one missile landing across its de facto maritime border with Pyongyang, the first time since…

11/02/2022

Netanyahu bids for comeback in tight Israeli election

Jerusalem, Nov. 1: Israelis began voting for the fifth time in less than four years on Tuesday, with former premier Benjamin Netanyahu bidding for a comeback in a race likely to turn on a far-right party that has risen from the fringe to become a potential coalition kingmaker. After years…

11/01/2022

Saudi, UAE back OPEC cuts as US envoy warns of ”uncertainty”

Abu Dhabi, Oct. 31: Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates are defending a decision by OPEC and its allies to cut oil production. The development came on Monday at a conference in the United Arab Emirates —­ even as an American envoy warned of “economic uncertainty” ahead for the…

10/31/2022

US Secretary of State Blinken speaks to Indian External Affairs Minister Jaishankar; discusses Ukraine war

New Delhi, Oct. 30: US Secretary of State Antony Blinken held a telephonic conversation with External Affairs Minister of India S. Jaishankar and discussed the ongoing Ukraine war, counterterrorism and other regional and global issues. Jaishankar thanked Blinken for his “strong and clear message” on counter-terrorism as well as his…

10/30/2022

UK PM Sunak could freeze foreign aid for two more years, says report

London, Oct. 29: New British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak is considering freezing the country’s foreign aid budget for an additional two years, the Telegraph reported on Friday, citing sources. Britain’s spending on foreign aid is set at 0.5 percent of national income. The government had cut its foreign aid spending…

10/29/2022

‘Indian PM Modi a true patriot’: Russian President Vladimir Putin praises Narendra Modi, ‘Make in India’ scheme

Moscow, Oct. 28: Russian President Vladimir Putin on October 27, 2022 praised India's foreign policy regarding the crisis in Ukraine and described Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi as a "great patriot". Addressing the 19th annual meeting of the Valdai Discussion Club on the theme of "A Post-Hegemonic World: Justice and Security…

10/28/2022

Nuclear option shouldn’t be resorted to by any side, Rajnath tells Russian Defence Minister

New Delhi, Oct. 26: Defence Minister of India Rajnath Singh on Wednesday (October 26) told his Russian counterpart Sergei Shoigu that the Ukraine conflict should be resolved through dialogue and diplomacy and the nuclear option should not be resorted to by any side. In telephonic talks, Shoigu briefed Singh on…

10/26/2022

US: Bidens thank Asian-Americans for reflecting the soul of ‘who we are as a nation’

New York, Oct. 25: Hosting a Diwali reception at the White House, which was attended by more than 200 prominent Indian-Americans, US President Joe Biden thanked the community for making the festival of lights a joyous part of the American culture. More than a billion Hindus, Jains, Sikhs, and Buddhists…

10/25/2022

Rishi Sunak set to become UK’s first Indian-origin PM

London, Oct. 24: Rishi Sunak became the first Indian-origin politician to head the United Kingdom, as he has been chosen as the Tory leader in the British parliament after rival Penny Mordaunt backed out pledging full support. Sunak who has been lost the race to the leadership just six weeks…

10/24/2022

‘Women in Indian army will boost our strength’: Indian PM Modi in Kargil to celebrate Diwali with soldiers

New Delhi, Oct, 24: India has always viewed war as the last resort, but the armed forces have the strength and strategies to give a befitting reply to anyone who casts an evil eye on the nation, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi said on October 24. Addressing the armed forces…

10/24/2022

Rishi Sunak declares candidacy to be new UK PM, says he wants to fix economy

London, Oct. 23: Indian-origin former chancellor Rishi Sunak on Sunday formally declared his candidacy to contest the Conservative Party leadership election to replace Liz Truss as British Prime Minister and fix the economy.      The 42-year-old is the clear frontrunner as he raced ahead with the backing of at least…

10/23/2022

Indian PM Modi hails PMAY for helping bring socio-economic change, slams Revdi culture

New Delhi, Oct. 22: The Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojna (PMAY) housing scheme has become a major instrument of socio-economic change in the country, Prime Minister of India Narendra Modi said on Saturday even as he slammed the political culture of `Revdi’ or freebies. He was speaking after conducting, virtually, the ‘grih…

10/22/2022

Imran Khan disqualified from Parliament: What just happened in Pakistan?

Islamabad, Oct. 21: Pakistan’s election commission (ECP), in a unanimous decision, has found former Prime Minister Imran Khan guilty of “corrupt practices” and disqualified him from being a member of parliament. Khan’s Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) party immediately rejected Friday’s ruling and called on supporters to take to the streets. Faisal…

10/21/2022

Indian PM Modi to launch employment fair, 75,000 to get appointment letters ahead of Diwali

New Delhi, Oct. 20: Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi will virtually launch Rozgar Mela on Saturday - a recruitment drive for 10 lakh personnel. During the ceremony, appointment letters will be handed over to 75,000 newly inducted appointees, a statement from Prime Minister's Office said on Thursday. Prime Minister will…

10/20/2022

Mallikarjun Kharge elected president of Indian National Congress

New Delhi, Oct. 19: Mallikarjun Kharge has been elected the Congress party’s president in India beating rival Shashi Tharoor by a huge margin. He secured 7,897 votes to 1,072 received by Tharoor, The Wire reported. Tharoor released a statement soon after the results were announced, conveying his “warm congratulations” to…

10/19/2022

Indian PM Modi: There can be no safe havens for corrupt, terrorists, drug cartels; global response needed to check them

New Delhi, Oct. 18: Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday said there can be no safe havens for the corrupt, terrorists, drug cartels, poaching gangs and organised crime, and called for a global response to tackle these dangers. He said a safe and secure world is "our shared responsibility"…

10/18/2022

Japan PM orders probe of Unification Church problems

Tokyo, Oct. 17: Japan’s Prime Minister Fumio Kishida ordered an investigation Monday into the Unification Church in an apparent move to calm the public outrage over his governing party’s cozy ties with the controversial group, which were revealed in the wake of Shinzo Abe’s assassination. Former Prime Minister Abe was…

10/17/2022

UK leader Liz Truss goes from triumph to trouble in 6 weeks

London, Oct. 16: When Liz Truss was running to lead Britain this summer, an ally predicted her first weeks in office would be turbulent. But few were prepared for the scale of the sound and fury -– least of all Truss herself. In just six weeks, the prime minister’s libertarian…

10/16/2022

Pakistan with nuclear weapons without cohesion is ‘one of the most dangerous nations in the world’, says US President Biden

Washington, Oct. 15: US President Joe Biden has described Pakistan as one of the most dangerous nations in the world which holds nuclear weapons without any cohesion. The US President made these remarks at a Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee Reception in Los Angeles, California yesterday.  The remarks on Pakistan were…

10/15/2022

Submarine INS Arihant successfully test fires ballistic missile

New Delhi, Oct. 14: India on Friday successfully test-fired a Submarine Launched Ballistic Missile (SLBM) from INS Arihant, the defence ministry of India said in a statement. The missile was tested to a predetermined range and impacted the target area in the Bay of Bengal with very high accuracy, it…

10/14/2022

Indonesia gears up to start its first high-speed rail line

Bandung, Indonesia, Oct. 13: Indonesia is preparing to start Southeast Asia’s first high-speed rail service that will cut travel time between two cities from the current three hours to about 40 minutes. The railway line, which connects Indonesia's capital Jakarta and Bandung, the heavily populated capital of West Java province,…

10/13/2022

UK opposition Labour Party to prioritise trade links with India

London, Oct. 12: The UK’s Opposition Labour Social gathering is gearing as much as an election footing and has dedicated to prioritising bettering commerce hyperlinks with India, particularly within the sphere of inexperienced applied sciences. Labour Chief Sir Keir Starmer met the Indian Excessive Commissioner to the UK, Vikram Doraiswami,…

10/12/2022

Russian President Vladimir Putin warns Ukraine of harsh response to any attack

Moscow, Oct. 10: Russian President Vladimir Putin on Monday warned Ukraine that there would be a harsh response if there were any further attacks such as that on the Crimean Bridge. Following are Putin's remarks, translated by Reuters, at the opening of a meeting of Russia's Security Council. "This morning,…

10/10/2022

Jaishankar raises difficulties faced by Indian students in New Zealand with Kiwi leadership

Wellington, Oct. 9: External Affairs Minister of India S. Jaishankar on October 9 said that he has urged New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern and Foreign Minister Nanaia Mahuta to take a sympathetic view on the difficulties faced by Indian students, who were impacted during the COVID-19 pandemic. Mr. Jaishankar,…

10/09/2022

New weapon systems branch approved for IAF: Air Chief Marshal V R Chaudhari

Chandigarh, India, Oct. 8: The central government has approved the creation of a weapon system branch for the officers of the Indian Air Force, which would save it Rs 3,400 crore in flying training, Air Chief Marshal V R Chaudhari said here on Saturday. This is the first time since…

10/08/2022

India among countries with most Android malware, ‘GB WhatsApp’ among responsible apps: ESET report

Mumbai, Oct. 7: A new report has indicated that India is among the countries with the highest number of infections with Android devices. ESET Malware Protection & Internet Security T2 2022 Threat Report indicates that India was among the countries where Android/Spy Agent Trojan malware was detected as Android threat…

10/07/2022

Thailand mass shooting: Ex-cop kills 34, including 22 kids, at children’s day-care centre, dies by suicide

Bangkok, Oct. 6: A former policeman killed 34 people including 22 children in a gun rampage at a daycare centre in eastern Thailand on Thursday, later shooting dead his wife and child at their home before turning his weapon on himself, police said. Police identified the attacker as a former…

10/06/2022

Taiwan vows to respond to China’s military flight incursions

Taipei, Oct. 5: Taiwan's defence minister on Wednesday said the island will respond to incursions into its airspace by Chinese warplanes and drones, but gave no details on specific actions. Responding to questions from legislators, Chiu Kuo-cheng said China's newly aggressive stance had changed what Taiwan would define as a…

10/05/2022

3 scientists share Nobel Prize in Physics

Stockholm, Oct. 4: This year’s Nobel Prize in physics has been awarded to Alain Aspect, John F Clauser and Anton Zeilinger for their work on quantum information science. Hans Ellegren, Secretary General, Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences, announced the winner Tuesday at the Karolinska Institute in Stockholm. A week of…

10/04/2022

Iran’s supreme leader breaks silence on protests, blames US

Dubai, United Arab Emirates, Oct. 3: Iran’s supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei responded publicly on Monday to the biggest protests in Iran in years, breaking weeks of silence to condemn what he called “rioting” and accuse the United States and Israel of planning the protests. The unrest, ignited by the death…

10/03/2022

Indian Air Force gets first made-in-India light combat helicopters; important milestone, says Rajnath Singh

New Delhi, Oct 3: The Indian Air Force on Monday received the first batch of indigenously developed light combat helicopters. Defense Minister of India Rajnath Singh today attended the induction ceremony of the first indigenous Light Combat Helicopter (LCH) in Jodhpur, Rajasthan. According to the Indian Media, At the induction…

10/03/2022

Powerful earthquake shakes Indonesia’s Sumatra, kills 1

Jakarta, Indonesia, Oct. 1:  A strong and shallow earthquake shook Indonesia’s Sumatra island on Saturday, killing a resident, injuring 11 and damaging more than a a dozen houses and buildings, police said. The magnitude 5.9 earthquake struck about 40 kilometers (24.8 miles) northeast of Sibolga, a coastal city in North…

10/01/2022

Thai court rules PM can stay, did not exceed term limit

Bangkok, Sept. 30:  Thailand’s Constitutional Court ruled Friday that Prime Minister Prayuth Chan-ocha can remain in his job and did not violate a constitutional provision limiting him to eight years in office. Opposition lawmakers had petitioned the court to decide on their contention that Prayuth, who took power as army…

09/30/2022

Tensions in Iran Spill Across the Border Into Iraq

New York, Sept. 29: 9 individuals have been killed, and at the very least 32 others, together with kids, have been injured within the semi-autonomous Kurdistan area of Iraq on Wednesday after Iranian forces bombarded the area for the fifth straight day, the Iraqi News Company reported, citing the regional…

09/29/2022

N Korea test launches missile on eve of Harris trip to Seoul

Seoul, Sept. 28: North Korea fired two short-range ballistic missiles toward its eastern waters on Wednesday, its neighbors said, a day before U.S. Vice President Kamala Harris is to visit South Korea. Seoul's Joint Chiefs of Staff said in a statement that the North Korean missiles lifted off 10 minutes…

09/28/2022

Sri Lanka to back bids of India and Japan for permanent member status at UNSC: President Wickremesinghe

Colombo, Sept. 27: Sri Lankan President Ranil Wickremesinghe on Tuesday said his government will back the bids of India and Japan for permanent member status at the UN Security Council. President Wickremesinghe is currently in Japan to attend the state funeral of the former Japanese prime minister Shinzo Abe. During…

09/27/2022

13 dead in Russian school shooting, gunman kills self

Moscow, Sept. 26: At least 13 people were killed, including five children, in a shooting at a school in the city of Izhevsk in central Russia, investigators said Monday. "Nine people were killed because of this crime, including two security guards of the educational institution and two teachers, as well…

09/26/2022

Florida emergency declared as Tropical Storm Ian strengthens

Fla., Tallahassee, Sept. 25: Governor Ron DeSantis expanded a previous warning on Saturday to cover the whole state and urged people to prepare for landfall. It activates the state's national guard and frees up emergency funding. "This storm has the potential to strengthen into a major hurricane and we encourage…

09/25/2022

India was wary of US for 5 decades, overcame assumptions after much efforts: Jaishankar

New Delhi, Sept. 22: External Affairs Minister of India S Jaishankar said on Wednesday that for nearly five decades, India looked at the United States with suspicion and that its overall foreign policy assessment of the US was of deep caution, but the country has now decided to forge a…

09/22/2022

Leaders of Israel and Turkey hold first in-person talks since 2008

New York, Sept. 21: The leaders of Israel and Turkey met for their first face-to- face talks in well over a decade on Tuesday. The bilateral dialogue between Israeli Prime Minister Yair Lapid and Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan took place on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly in New York…

09/21/2022

UN chief warns global leaders: The world is in ‘great peril’

United Nations, Sept. 20: In speeches and remarks leading up to the start of the leaders’ meeting Tuesday, Secretary-General Antonio Guterres cited the “immense” task not only of saving the planet, “which is literally on fire,” but of dealing with the persisting Covid-19. He also pointed to “a lack of access…

09/20/2022

India condemns ‘violence perpetrated against Indian community in Leicester’

London, Sept. 19: The High Commission of India in London on Monday condemned the violence perpetrated against the Indian community in Leicester and has sought immediate action against those involved in the attacks. The High Commission issued a statement on Monday saying that it has taken up the matter with…

09/19/2022

Powerful typhoon pounds southern Japan; thousands evacuated

Tokyo, Sept. 18: A powerful typhoon slammed ashore in southern Japan on Sunday as it pounded the region with strong winds and heavy rain, causing blackouts, paralyzing ground and air transportation and prompting the evacuation of thousands of people. The Japan Meteorological Agency said Typhoon Nanmadol was heading north after…

09/18/2022

Not era of war, Indian PM tells Putin who says will try to end Ukraine conflict soonest

New Delhi, Sept. 17: Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday, September 16, told Russian President Vladimir Putin that it was not a time for war, with food, fertiliser and fuel security among the major concerns of the world at present. “I know that today’s era is not an era…

09/17/2022

At SCO summit, Indian PM Narendra Modi raises issue of transit rights in presence of Pakistan’s Shehbaz Sharif

New Delhi, Sept. 16: Participating at the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation summit, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday said that the SCO member countries should grant rights to transit and improve connectivity. According to the Indian Media, Modi’s reference was clearly to Pakistan, whose Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif was present at the…

09/16/2022

Putin to Xi: Russia values China’s ‘balanced position’ on Ukraine

Samarkand,Uzbekistan, Sept. 15: Russia’s President Vladimir Putin told Chinese leader Xi Jinping on Thursday that Moscow backs Beijing’s “One China” policy, opposes “provocations” by the United States in the Taiwan Strait, and values China’s “balanced position” on Ukraine. The two leaders were meeting on the sidelines of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation…

09/15/2022

Want number of Indian students in France to climb to 20,000 by 2025: French minister

New Delhi, Sept. 14: France wants the number of Indian students in the country to rise to 20,000 by 2025, French Foreign Minister Catherine Colonna said on Wednesday. Colonna is currently on a three-day visit to India. “We want the number of Indian students to rise up to 20,000 by…

09/14/2022

UK King Charles inherits untold riches and passes off his own empire

London, Sept. 13: UK King Charles III constructed his personal empire lengthy earlier than he inherited his mom’s. Charles, who formally acceded to the British throne Saturday, spent half a century turning his royal property right into a billion-dollar portfolio and probably the most profitable moneymakers within the royal household…

09/13/2022

Pakistan court extends Imran Khan’s bail on terrorism charges

Islamabad, Sept. 12: A court in Pakistan has extended the pre-arrest bail of former Prime Minister Imran Khan in a “terrorism” case till September 20. Khan on Monday appeared before the anti-terrorism court in the capital Islamabad that adjourned the case until September 20 after the state prosecutors asked for…

09/12/2022

Turkey says Greek coast guard fires on cargo ship in Aegean

Istanbul, Sept. 11:  Greek Coast Guard ships opened fire on a cargo vessel sailing in international waters in the Aegean Sea, the Turkish Coast Guard said, escalating tensions between the regional rivals that have mounted in recent weeks. There were no casualties in the shooting 13 miles southwest of the…

09/11/2022

King Charles III Officially Proclaimed Britain’s New Monarch, Says Deeply Aware of Duties

London, Sept. 10: King Charles III was officially proclaimed as Britain’s monarch on Saturday in a historic ceremony at St. James’ Palace. Soon after his proclamation, King Charles said he is deeply aware of his duties. While the late Queen Elizabeth II’s eldest son assumed the monarchy automatically under the…

09/10/2022

Queen Elizabeth II dead at 96 after 70 years on the throne

London, Sept. 9: Queen Elizabeth II, who defined the monarchy for generations of Britons, died on Thursday, plunging the U.K. into mourning and giving the country its first new head of state in 70 years, her son, King Charles III. Buckingham Palace said the 96-year-old queen who ascended the throne when Winston…

09/09/2022

India, China troops begin disengagement from Gogra-Hotsprings in Ladakh

New Delhi, Sept. 8: The Indian and Chinese troops have begun to disengage from the area of Gogra-Hot Springs in eastern Ladakh, according to a joint statement issued on Thursday. The development comes based on the consensus reached at the 16th round of the India-China Corps Commander level meeting, the statement…

09/08/2022

After Priti Patel, Indian-origin Suella Braverman appointed UK Home Secretary

London,  Sept. 7 : Suella Braverman, an Indian-origin barrister, was appointed as the UK’s new Home Secretary, replacing fellow colleague Priti Patel who is also of Indian descent. The new Prime Minister of the United Kingdom Liz Truss had appointed Suella Braverman as her Home Secretary. “Great to be at…

09/07/2022

Chile votes on proposed constitution with big changes

Santiago, Chile, Sept. 4: Chileans are voting in a plebiscite Sunday on whether to adopt a far-reaching new constitution that would fundamentally change the South American country. The proposed charter is intended to replace a constitution imposed by a military dictatorship 41 years ago. For months, opinion polls have shown…

09/04/2022

Afghan mosque blast kills 18, including pro-Taliban cleric

Kabul, Sept. 2: A blast outside a mosque in the city of Herat in western Afghanistan on Friday killed at least 18 people including a high-profile pro-Taliban cleric in what authorities said was an attack. “18 have been killed and 23 have been injured,” spokesman for the interior ministry Abdul…

09/02/2022

UN inspectors head to Ukraine nuclear plant despite fighting

Kyiv, Ukraine, Sept. 1: A team from the U.N. nuclear agency has arrived at the site of Europe’s largest nuclear plant to inspect security conditions, the agency and Ukraine's nuclear energy operator said Thursday, amid fighting between Russian and Ukrainian forces that prompted the shutdown of one reactor. Enerhoatom said the…

09/01/2022

Indians get nearly twice as many US student visas as Chinese this year

New Delhi, Aug. 30: China stays the highest general supply of worldwide college students to America, however Indians have gotten nearly twice the variety of pupil visas because the Chinese within the first seven months of this 12 months, reveals an evaluation of non-immigrant visas issued by the US State…

08/30/2022

UK PM race: Rishi Sunak’s California references may have impacted chances By Aditi Khanna

London, Aug. 28: Former UK Chancellor and prime ministerial hopeful Rishi Sunak’s workforce feels his references to the Silicon Valley in California early on within the marketing campaign to succeed Boris Johnson as British Prime Minister might have impacted his possibilities within the Conservative Party management contest. ‘The Daily Telegraph’…

08/28/2022

In first reaction to Salman Rushdie stabbing, India condemns ‘horrific attack’

New Delhi, Aug. 25:  In its first reaction to the stabbing of Salman Rushdie, India on Thursday condemned the “horrific attack” on the celebrated novelist and wished him a speedy recovery. Rushdie, 75, was stabbed in the neck and torso at the Chautauqua Institution in New York on August 12.…

08/25/2022

Thai PM, coup-maker and ballad composer, dealt setback by suspension

Bangkok, Aug. 24: For eight years, nothing seemed to shake the hold on power for Thai Prime Minister Prayuth Chan-ocha, who first came to office in a 2014 coup and has survived a hotly disputed election, mass street protests and four no-confidence votes. Wednesday's decision by Thailand's Constitutional Court to…

08/24/2022

Indian PM Modi to interact with participants of Smart India Hackathon finale on August 25

New Delhi, Aug. 23: Chandigarh University is all set to host the grand finale of Smart India Hackathon 2022 from August 25 to August 26. As the usual tradition since the Hackathon's inception, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi will be interacting with the students this year too. PM Modi will…

08/23/2022

Russia detains IS bomber planning to target ‘ruling’ party politician over Prophet remarks

Moscow, Aug. 22: An Islamic State terrorist from a Central Asian country, who was plotting a suicide attack against a member of India's leadership elite for the offensive comments on the Prophet, has been detained in Russia, the country's top intelligence agency said on Monday. According to Russia's Federal Security…

08/22/2022

Want ‘permanent peace’ with India; war never an option to resolve Kashmir issue: Pak PM Sharif

New Delhi, Aug. 20: Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has said that Pakistan wants to have “permanent peace” with India through dialogue as war is not an option for either of the countries to resolve the Kashmir issue, according to a media report on Saturday. Speaking to a delegation of…

08/20/2022

Pakistan PM Shehbaz Sharif expresses desire for peaceful ties with India, Kashmir issue resolution

Islamabad, Aug. 19: Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has expressed his desire for peaceful relations with India based on the principles of “equity, justice and mutual respect" and the resolution of the Kashmir issue, according to a media report on Friday. Sharif also urged the international community to play a “facilitative…

08/19/2022

Trains paralysed again in UK as unions stage fresh strikes

London, Aug. 18: Thousands of train workers in Britain began a fresh round of strikes Thursday, paralyzing rail service across the country in an ongoing dispute over pay and work conditions exacerbated by a deepening cost-of-living crisis. Only around one in five trains ran across the U.K. as a result…

08/18/2022

Donetsk leader calls for ‘beneficial’ ties with North Korea

Seoul, South Korea, Aug. 17:  The head of Russian proxy forces in eastern Ukraine’s Donetsk region has sent a message to North Korean leader Kim Jong Un calling for cooperation amid signs the North is considering sending laborers for restoration projects in Russian-occupied regions of Ukraine. North Korea last month…

08/17/2022

Indian President Droupadi Murmu, PM Narendra Modi lead tributes to Atal Bihari Vajpayee on 4th death anniversary

New Delhi, Aug. 16: Indian President Droupadi Murmu with Vice President Jagdeep Dhankhar, Prime Minister Narendra Modi, former president Ram Nath Kovind and other dignitaries after paying tribute to former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee on his death anniversary at his memorial Sadaiv Atal, in New Delhi. According to the…

08/16/2022

India Celebrates Independence Day 2022: “India is Mother of Democracy,” Indian PM Modi

New Delhi, Aug. 15: Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi said the completion of 75 years of Independence was a time to step towards a new direction with a new resolve. Prime Minister Modi today led the Independence Day celebrations from the ramparts of the Red Fort in New Delhi. "Our…

08/15/2022

Independence Day 2022 of India: 167-year-old steam engine to run on August 15

New Delhi, Aug. 14: To mark the seventy fifth 12 months of Independence on August 15, Southern Railway will placed on monitor the oldest steam locomotive within the nation for a heritage run from Chennai Egmore to Kadambakkam. According to the Indian Media, In keeping with a tweet by Divisional…

08/14/2022

Chinese research ship steers clear of Sri Lanka's port, for now: Report

Colombo, Aug. 13: A high-tech Chinese research ship that was supposed to dock at Sri Lanka's southern port of Hambantota has not berthed as planned, the country’s ports authority said on Friday, days after India expressed security concerns over its presence in the island nation. Chinese ballistic missile and satellite…

08/13/2022

Taiwan crisis: India calls for restraint, de-escalation of tensions

New Delhi, Aug 12: In its first reaction on the Taiwan crisis, India on Friday said it is concerned over the developments and called for avoiding unilateral action to change the status quo in the region. India also pitched for exercising restraint and underlined the need for efforts to maintain…

08/12/2022

Gas prices dip just below USD 4 for the first time in 5 months in US

Washington, Aug. 11: Gasoline prices dipped to just under the $4 mark for the first time in more than five months — good news for consumers who are struggling with high prices for many other essentials. American Automobile Association (AAA) said the national average for a gallon of regular was…

08/11/2022

Security expert warns UN Africa could be future IS caliphate

United Nations, Aug. 10: The threat from the Islamic State extremist group is growing by the day in Africa and the continent could be “the future of the caliphate,” an African security expert warned the U.N. Security Council on Tuesday. Martin Ewi said the Islamic State “has expanded its influence…

08/10/2022

Antony Blinken meets South Africa leader Cyril Ramaphosa, heads to Congo

Johannesburg, Aug. 9: U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken met with South African President Cyril Ramaphosa and marked the country's Women's Day holiday, before embarking on a flight to Congo to continue his three-nation tour of Africa. Blinken met with Ramaphosa Tuesday morning for brief talks that also included South Africa's International Relations…

08/09/2022

US, Australia, Japan urge China to immediately cease military exercises around Taiwan

Washington, Aug. 7: The United States, Australia and Japan have urged China to immediately cease its military exercises and reaffirmed their commitment to maintaining peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait. A joint statement was issued by US Secretary of State Tony Blinken, Australian Foreign Minister Penny Wong, and Japanese…

08/07/2022

Sri Lanka’s economic woes to last another year; need to look at new sectors for recovery: Prez Wickremesinghe

Colombo, Aug. 6: Sri Lankan President Ranil Wickremesinghe has said that Sri Lanka’s economic woes will last another year and that it needs to think outside the box and look at new sectors such as logistics and nuclear energy to revive its bankrupt economy. Speaking at a two-day conference titled…

08/06/2022

India bids to sell fighter jets to Malaysia, says six other countries interested

New Delhi, Aug. 5: India has offered to sell 18 light-combat aircraft (LCA)"Tejas" to Malaysia, the defence ministry said on Friday, adding that Argentina, Australia, Egypt, Indonesia, the Philippines, and the United States were also interested in the single-engine jet. The Indian government last year gave a US$6 billion contract…

08/05/2022

Nancy Pelosi vows support to denuclearise North Korea, plans to visit Korea border

Seoul, Aug. 4: U.S. House of Representatives Speaker Nancy Pelosi and her South Korean counterpart vowed on Thursday to support efforts to maintain a strong deterrence against North Korea and achieve its denuclearization. A joint statement was issued after Pelosi met South Korea’s National Assembly Speaker Kim Jin-pyo in Seoul, during…

08/04/2022

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi says the U.S. will not abandon Taiwan as China protests

Taipei, Taiwan, Aug. 3: US House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, meeting leaders in Taiwan despite warnings from China, said Wednesday that she and other members of Congress in a visiting delegation are showing they will not abandon their commitment to the self-governing island. "Today the world faces a choice between democracy…

08/03/2022

Pelosi Goes to Singapore, but Is Silent on Taiwan

Washington, Aug. 1: Speaker Nancy Pelosi began a fraught tour of Asia on Sunday that administration officials say they now expect will include a stop in Taiwan, despite China’s increasingly sharp warnings in recent days that a visit to the self-governing island would provoke a response, perhaps a military one.…

08/01/2022

Indian PM Modi, UN Secretary-General Guterres talk over phone, discuss attack on peacekeeping mission in Congo

New Delhi, July 31: Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday discussed with UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres the attack on UN mission personnel in Congo, in which two Indian peacekeepers were killed, and called for an expeditious investigation to bring the perpetrators of the incident to justice. During their telephonic…

07/31/2022

India’s first monkeypox death: Kerala youth had tested positive abroad; probe ordered

New Delhi, July 31: A youth who died in Kerala’s Thrissur on Saturday had tested positive for monkeypox in another country, State Health Minister Veena George said. This would be India’s first monkeypox death and the fourth one outside Africa. The 22-year-old, a native of Punniyoor in Thrissur, had died at…

07/31/2022

New York Governor declares state emergency as monkeypox cases rise

New York, July 30: The New York governor declared an emergency in the state late on Friday amid the monkeypox outbreak. “I am declaring a State Disaster Emergency to strengthen our ongoing efforts to confront the monkeypox outbreak,” Kathy Hochul said on Twitter. She also said the move will enable…

07/30/2022

For Taiwan, Pelosi visit is about US, China controlling risk

Taipei, Taiwan, July 29: The crisis sparked by House Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s potential visit to Taiwan misses a key point, experts say: that the real focus should be on how the United States and China manage their differences so the risks of confrontation don’t spiral out of control. News of a…

07/29/2022

Kim Jong Un threatens to use nukes amid tensions with US, South Korea

Seoul, July 28: North Korean leader Kim Jong Un warned he’s ready to use his nuclear weapons in potential military conflicts with the United States and South Korea, state media said Thursday, as he unleashed fiery rhetoric against rivals he says are pushing the Korean Peninsula to the brink of…

07/28/2022

Govt. ready to listen to democratic public protests: Sri Lanka PM Dinesh Gunawardena

Colombo, July 27: The government is ready to listen to the democratic public protests, Prime Minister Dinesh Gunawardena said today. He told Parliament that however, they could not accept the acts of terrorism. Making a statement in Parliament he said terrorism was the greatest threat to democracy and that he…

07/27/2022

Russia to quit International Space Station after 2024

Moscow, July 26: Russia will opt out of the International Space Station after 2024 and focus on building its own orbiting outpost, the country's newly appointed space chief said Tuesday. Yuri Borisov, who was appointed earlier this month to lead the state-controlled space corporation Roscosmos, said during a meeting with…

07/26/2022

India makes history as Murmu takes oath, PM Modi calls it ‘watershed moment for poor’

New Delhi, July 25: Droupadi Murmu on Monday was sworn in as 15th President of India at the Central Hall of the Parliament in New Delhi followed by a 21 gun salute. “Your faith in me has given me strength. I have got this responsibility at such an important time…

07/25/2022

Britain's PM hopefuls promise to get tough on illegal migration

London, July 24: The UK's two contenders to replace Boris Johnson as prime minister promised on Sunday to tackle illegal immigration as a priority, with both backing the government's policy of sending migrants to Rwanda. Former finance minister Rishi Sunak and foreign secretary Liz Truss are battling to become the…

07/24/2022

India, six others vote against the resolution to grant UN accreditation to 6 rights groups

United Nations, July 23: India, along with six others, voted against a draft resolution presented by the United States recommending six human rights groups, blocked for years in the UN NGO Committee, to obtain special consultative status in the Council. economic and social issues of the United Nations. At the…

07/23/2022

Japan warns of rising global tension, Russia-China arms ties

Tokyo, Julu 22: Japan warned of escalating national security threats stemming from Russia’s war on Ukraine and China’s tensions with Taiwan in an annual defense paper issued Friday, as Japan tries to bolster its military capability and spending. The annual defense white paper, approved by Prime Minister Fumio Kishida’s Cabinet…

07/22/2022

Presidential Election of India 2022 : Droupadi Murmu ahead of Yashwant Sinha after first round of counting

New Delhi, July 21: National Democratic Alliance's (NDA) Droupadi Murmu and Opposition's Yashwant Sinha are in the fray to become the country's 15th president. Indian PM Narendra Modi will be hosting a farewell dinner for outgoing President Ram Nath Kovind tomorrow 5:30 pm onwards at Hotel Ashoka in Delhi, news…

07/21/2022

Pakistan ‘gang rape’: Arrests after US woman reports being attacked in Dera Ghazi Khan hotel

Islamabad, July 20: At least two people have been arrested after a 21-year-old American woman reported she was gang raped at a hotel in Pakistan. The alleged victim was visiting a tourist resort in the eastern Punjab province, officials said on Wednesday, having arrived in Pakistan three weeks ago. Police said…

07/20/2022

Where’s Boris? Johnson takes back seat as Conservatives feud

London, July 18: It was the most striking moment so far in the U.K. Conservative Party's contest for a new leader. The five remaining candidates were asked during a televised debate to raise their hands if they would let Boris Johnson serve in their Cabinet. Not a single hand went…

07/18/2022

Israel strikes Gaza target in response to rocket fire

Jerusalem, July 16: The Israeli military says it has attacked a Hamas military site in the Gaza Strip in response to a pair of rocket attacks overnight. Saturday’s exchange took place hours after U.S. President Joe Biden concluded a visit to Israel and the Palestinian territories. The army says fighter…

07/16/2022

Sri Lanka President Rajapaksa Flees to Maldives, Air Force Says

Colombo, July 13: Sri Lankan President Gotabaya Rajapaksa left the country for the Maldives on a military aircraft, an air force spokesman said on television, hours ahead of his expected resignation on Wednesday.     The Sri Lankan Air Force provided an aircraft for the 73-year-old leader to leave the…

07/13/2022

UN to monitor Ukraine war for violations against children

United Nations, July 12: The United Nations announced Monday it will start monitoring the war in Ukraine and conflicts in Ethiopia, Mozambique and Africa's central Sahel region for violations against children, including killings, injuries, recruitment, rape and other forms of sexual violence. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said in his annual report…

07/12/2022

UK PM race widens with Foreign Minister Liz Truss entering the fray

London, July 11: The race to replace Boris Johnson as Conservative Party leader and the next British prime minister widened further on Monday as Foreign Secretary Liz Truss became another high-profile contestant entering the fray to go head-to-head with British Indian former Minister Rishi Sunak.  Ms. Truss' junior Minister in the Foreign,…

07/11/2022

Sri Lanka protesters plan to occupy president and PM's residences until they quit

Colombo, July 10: Leaders of the protest movement in Sri Lanka who have forced the president and prime minister out of their official residences said on Sunday they will occupy the buildings until the two quit office. "The president has to resign, the prime minister has to resign and the…

07/10/2022

2 men gored while running with bulls at Spain’s Pamplona festival

Pamplona, Spain, July 9: The third bull run of Pamplona’s San Fermín Festival ended Saturday with the event’s first gorings of the year. Two men were injured in the leg by a bull horn, Pamplona hospital spokesperson Estrella Petrina said. A total of seven people needed to be treated at…

07/09/2022

Japanese former prime minister has died after being shot twice, says report

Tokyo, July 8: Japan’s longest-serving Prime Minister, who was shot at during an election campaign in western Japan’s Nara city, has died, news agency said quoting Japanese media house NHK. The Nara fire department had earlier said that the 67-year-old Abe was in cardiopulmonary arrest before he was taken to the hospital. They said…

07/08/2022

Inauguration of School Building for Shree Secondary School, Buddhabhumi built under Government of India grant assistance

Kathmandu, July 8: Karun Bansal, First Secretary, Embassy of India, Kathmandu inaugurated the School Building of  Shree Secondary School, Buddhabhumi Municipality in Kapilvastu District From Nepali side, Brijesh Kumar Gupta, Member of Parliament, Kapilvastu-2, District Coordination Commitee Chief  Baburam Acharya, Mayor of Buddhabhumi Municipality Keshav Shreshtha were among those present…

07/08/2022

WHO reports two new monkeypox deaths, cases in new areas

Geneva, July 7: The World Health Organization reported two new deaths from monkeypox since its previous disease update on June 27, bringing the total to three since the start of the year and said the disease had spread to new areas. Cases have shot up 77 percent since the last report…

07/07/2022

Will resign if govt unable to move on: UK PM amid crisis after resignation of Cabinet ministers

London, July 6: Amid a deepening crisis for the Conservative Party government n the UK with the resignation of senior Cabinet ministers, British Prime Minister Boris Johnson Wednesday said if he “felt it was impossible for the government to go on, he would resign.” “My job is to keep going,”…

07/06/2022

NATO nations sign accession protocols for Sweden, Finland

Brussels, July 5: The 30 NATO allies signed off on the accession protocols for Sweden and Finland on Tuesday, sending the membership bids of the two nations to the alliance capitals for legislative approvals. The move further increases Russia’s strategic isolation in the wake of its invasion of neighbouring Ukraine in February and…

07/05/2022

India’s Tejas aircraft emerges as Malaysia’s top choice for its new fighter jet programme

New Delhi, July 3: India’s Tejas light combat aircraft has emerged as the top choice for Malaysia as the Southeast Asian nation looks at replacing its ageing fleet of fighter jets and the two sides are holding negotiations to firm up the procurement. Malaysia has narrowed down on the Indian…

07/03/2022

At least five killed in magnitude 6.1 quake on Iran Gulf coast

Tehran, July 2: At least five people were killed and 49 injured by a magnitude 6.1 earthquake in southern Iran early on Saturday, state media reported, with the area also hit soon after by two strong quakes of up to 6.3 magnitude. Some 24 tremors, two with a magnitude of…

07/02/2022

Indian PM Modi Speaks With Putin Over Phone; Reiterates India's Position on Russia-Ukraine War

New Delhi, July 1: Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday spoke with Russian President Vladimir Putin and reiterated India’s long-standing position in favour of dialogue and diplomacy on the Ukraine situation. During their telephonic conversation, both leaders reviewed the implementation of the decisions taken during Putin’s visit to India in December 2021.…

07/01/2022

Indian-origin US Congressman Raja Krishnamoorthi wins Democratic primary from Illinois

Washington, June 30: Indian-American Congressman Raja Krishnamoorthi has won the Democratic primary from Illinois with a decisive mandate, successfully overcoming a highly communal campaign run by his opponent Junaid Ahmed. Mr Krishnamoorthi, who is very popular in the eighth Congressional District of Illinois, defeated Junaid Ahmed with over 71 per…

06/30/2022

Israel’s parliament dissolves, sets 5th election in 4 years

Jerusalem, June 30: Israel’s parliament voted Thursday to dissolve itself, marking the end of a year-old experimental coalition government, and sending the country to the polls in November for the fifth time in less than four years. Yair Lapid, Israel’s foreign minister and architect of the outgoing coalition government, will…

06/30/2022

The significance of Indian PM Modi’s visit to the UAE

Dubai, June 29: Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi arrived in the United Arab Emirates on Monday, just weeks after a top official's remarks about the Prophet Muhammad set off anger in the Gulf. According to the Indian Media, Modi shared an embrace with UAE President Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan,…

06/29/2022

IMF delivers targets to Pakistan in step toward restoring bailout

Islamabad, June 28: Pakistan stated on Tuesday that it has obtained financial and monetary targets from the International Monetary Fund (IMF) that after agreed and ratified ought to pave the best way for multilateral lender to unlock a suspended bailout programme. Pakistan desperately wants the cash to avert a stability…

06/28/2022

Seoul urges China, Russia to prevent North Korean nuke test Seoul

Seoul, South Korea, June 27: A top South Korean official says North Korea is increasingly targeting the South with its nuclear arms program, and urged China and Russia to persuade the North not to conduct a widely expected nuclear test. Unification Minster Kwon Youngse’s comments come after North Korean leader…

06/27/2022

Norway mass shooting is being investigated as terrorism, police say

Oslo, Norway, June 26:  A gunman opened fire in Oslo's night-life district early Saturday, killing two people and leaving 10 seriously wounded in what police are investigating as a possible terrorist attack during the Norwegian capital's annual Pride festival. Investigators said the suspect, identified as a 42-year-old Norwegian citizen originally…

06/26/2022

With 23 new cases Coronavirus national tally reaches 979,512

Kathmandu, June 25: The Ministry of Health and Population informed 23 new cases of coronavirus on Saturday. With this, the national coronavirus tally has reached 979,512.  According to the Ministry, 23 persons tested positive for the coronavirus at various labs across the country in the past 24 hours.

06/25/2022

Joe Biden signs landmark gun measure, says ‘lives will be saved’

Washington, June 25: US President Joe Biden on Saturday signed the most sweeping gun violence bill in decades, a bipartisan compromise that seemed unimaginable until a recent series of mass shootings, including the massacre of 19 students and two teachers at a Texas elementary school. “Lives will be saved,” he…

06/25/2022

Russia fully supports revival of Iran nuclear deal-Russian Foreign Minister

Dubai, June 23:  Moscow fully supports the revival of the 2015 nuclear deal between Iran and major powers, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said on Thursday in Tehran at a press conference alongside his Iranian counterpart. For his part, Iran’s Foreign Minister Hossein Amirabdollahian blamed Washington for stalling talks that…

06/23/2022

Indian PM Modi amid Agnipath row: Some decisions seem unfair but are important for building nation

New Delhi, June 20: At a time when protests against the Centre’s newly inaugurated Agnipath scheme have spread across the country, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday said that several decisions may look unfair at first, but help in building the nation later. “Several decisions look unfair at present.…

06/20/2022

Sri Lanka to resume flights from Jaffna to India in July: Sri Lankan Aviation Minister

Colombo, June 19: In a bid to support country's tourism industry and help in easing the economic crisis, Sri Lankan Aviation Minister Nimal Siripala de Silva on 18 June said it will resume flights from the northern Jaffna peninsula to India next month. "The northern Jaffna peninsula’s Palaly airport is…

06/19/2022

Ukraine president visits soldiers on southern front line

Kyiv, June 18: Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy visited soldiers on the southern front line during a working trip to the Mykolaiv region, he said on Saturday, without specifying when the visit took place. In his trademark khaki t-shirt, the president handed out medals and posed for selfies with the servicemen…

06/18/2022

Energy crisis: Sri Lanka awaits Indian nod for new credit line

Colombo, June 17: Sri Lanka is waiting for main verification from India on a brand-new line of credit that would certainly enable the cash-strapped country to have products of petroleum and also diesel for the following 4 months, Power Priest Kanchana Wijesekara stated on Friday. Sri Lanka is presently encountering its…

06/17/2022

North Korea reports another disease outbreak amid Covid-19 wave

Seoul, South Korea, June 16: North Korea on Thursday reported the eruption of another infectious disease in addition to its ongoing COVID-19 outbreak, saying leader Kim Jong Un has donated his private medicines to those stricken with the new disease. It’s unclear how serious the new epidemic is, but some…

06/16/2022

Satellite images suggest Iran is preparing for rocket launch

Dubai, June 15: Satellite images appear to show Iran readying for a space launch on Tuesday, with a rocket seen on a rural desert launching pad, as tension remains high over the country’s nuclear program. At Imam Khomeini Spaceport in Iran’s rural Semnan province, the site of frequent recent failed…

06/15/2022

Court refuses to halt UK deportation plan for migrants

London, June 14: A British court on Monday refused to stop the government from deporting asylum-seekers to Rwanda despite arguments that the planned flights would undermine the “basic dignity” of people escaping war and oppression. The Court of Appeal in London rejected an appeal filed by immigration rights advocates and…

06/14/2022

Indian spiritual leader meets President Biden, suggests ‘peace education’ to tackle gun violence in US

Washington, June 13: An Indian spiritual leader has met US President Joe Biden and suggested introducing “peace education” in American schools to tackle the rising incidents of gun violence in the country. Jain Acharya Lokesh Muni on Saturday visited the United States and met President Joe Biden. During his visit…

06/13/2022

India Among 12 Economies On Currency Monitoring List Of US Treasury

New Delhi, June 12: India on Friday remained on the US treasury department's currency Monitoring List of major trading partners as Washington placed India along with 11 other major economies that merit close attention to their currency practices and macroeconomic policies. The countries are China, Japan, South Korea, Germany, Italy, India, Malaysia,…

06/12/2022

Presidential elections of India on July 18, counting, if needed, on July 21: Indian Election Commission

New Delhi, June 9: As the term of Indian President Ram Nath Kovind is about to complete on July 24, the Election Commission of India has announced the date for the Presidential Elections. In a press briefing on Thursday, Chief Election Commissioner Rajiv Kumar said that the elections, if required,…

06/09/2022

India makes world record for making the longest stretch of road laid continuously

New Delhi, June 8: The National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) has created a world record, the Guinness World Records certified. The confirmation comes from Indian Minister for Road Transport & Highways Nitin Gadkari, who tweeted a certificate from the Guinness World Records authorities confirming the same. “The longest piece…

06/08/2022

Sri Lanka will need $5 bln in next six months for essentials: Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe

Colombo, June 7: Sri Lanka will need $5 billion over the next six months to ensure basic living standards, and is renegotiating the terms of a yuan-denominated swap worth $1.5 billion with China so as to fund essential imports, the prime minister said on Tuesday. The island nation's worst economic…

06/07/2022

9 killed, dozens wounded in three mass shootings across US

Washington, June 6:  At least nine people have been killed and two dozen others wounded after shootings in three cities in the United States. The shootings on Saturday night and Sunday morning were the latest outbreaks of gun violence that have left legislators scrambling to tackle the crisis. In Philadelphia,…

06/06/2022

Philadelphia: 3 dead, several wounded in shooting, say police

Washington, June 5: Three people were killed and 11 others wounded on Saturday after multiple shooters opened fire into a crowd in the US city of Philadelphia, according to police. The shooting took place on a busy street known for its nightlife. Police Inspector D. F. Pace told reporters that…

06/05/2022

DCGI okays Corbevax as India’s first heterologous booster vaccine for Covid

New Delhi, June 4: Hyderabad-based vaccine manufacturer BiologicalE’s protein subunit Covid-19 vaccine Corbevax has become the first to be approved by the country’s drug regulator as a heterologous booster in adults, meaning those who have received Covishield or Covaxin as their first two doses can take Corbevax for their third shot. So far,…

06/04/2022

‘Vote bank politics in international relations’: India hits out at US report on attacks on minorities

New Delhi, June 3: The Indian Ministry of External Affairs on Friday reacted sharply to the US State Department’s report alleging attacks on minorities in India, calling it “ill-informed comments” by senior US officials. According to the Indian Media, The MEA, in its statement, said: “It is unfortunate that vote…

06/03/2022

WHO believes Covid getting worse, not better in North Korea

London, June 2: A top official at the World Health Organization said the UN health agency assumes the coronavirus outbreak in North Korea is “getting worse, not better,” despite the secretive country’s recent claims that Covid-19 is slowing there. At a briefing on Wednesday, WHO’s emergencies chief Dr. Mike Ryan appealed…

06/02/2022

Saudi Arabia is planning the largest buildings ever constructed

Bloomberg, June 1: The Middle East is already home to the world’s tallest building, Dubai’s Burj Khalifa. Long before the rise of Prince Mohammed, Saudi Prince Alwaleed bin Talal had announced plans to build the world’s tallest building near Jeddah. The skyscraper remains only partially completed. Some of Saudi Arabia’s…

06/01/2022

Children among 31 killed at church fair stampede in Nigeria

Abuja, Nigeria, May 29: A stampede Saturday at a church charity event in southern Nigeria left 31 people dead and seven injured, police told The Associated Press, a shocking development at a program that aimed to offer hope to the needy. One witness said the dead included a pregnant woman…

05/29/2022

US issues sanctions targeting North Korean weapons of mass destruction program

Washington, May 28: The United States on Friday imposed sanctions on four entities, including a North Korean national, for supporting North Korea’s weapons of mass destruction development programs, the Department of Treasury said. The move comes after North Korea fired three ballistic missile, including an intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM), earlier…

05/28/2022

UK PM Johnson says he takes responsibility for lockdown breaches

London, May 25: British Prime Minister Boris Johnson said he took responsibility for COVID lockdown breaches at his Downing Street office and corrected a previous statement to parliament that guidance had been followed at all times. "I take full responsibility for everything that took place on my watch... I have…

05/25/2022

Inauguration of School Building of Shree Arwa Bijaya Secondary School Kaski built under Government of India grant assistance

Kathmandu, May 24: Namgya C. Khampa, Charge’d Affaires, Embassy of India, Kathmandu inaugurated the new School Building of Shree Arwa Bijaya Secondary School, Pokhara Metropolitan City-13, Dhand Bensi, Kaski District on Tuesday.        Shree Arwa Bijaya Secondary School is an old established school in Kaski District. The project was undertaken with…

05/24/2022

India-Japan ‘natural partners’, relationship of spirituality, cooperation: Indian PM Modi in Tokyo

Tokyo, May 23: Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday interacted with the Indian diaspora in Japan, drawing out the close bond between the two nations along the lines of knowledge, development, and religion. Welcomed among chants of 'Bharat Mata Ki Jai', and 'Jai Shri Ram', the Prime Minister expressed his…

05/23/2022

Biden pushes economic, security aims as he ends South Korea visit

Seoul, May 22: US President Joe Biden tended to both business and security interests Sunday as he wrapped up a three-day trip to South Korea, first showcasing Hyundai’s pledge to invest at least $10 billion in the United States and later mingling with troops at a nearby military base. Biden’s…

05/22/2022

Modi-Biden talks beyond bilateral, will look at global issues: India

New Delhi, May 21: Saying that Prime Minister Narendra Modi can be assembly US President Joe Biden on Might 24 on the sidelines of the Quad leaders’ summit in Tokyo, India Saturday mentioned that the Quad cooperation is anchored in shared values and dedication to the ideas of democracy, worldwide…

05/21/2022

German parliament OKs 3 months of cheaper public transport

Berlin, May 20: Germany’s parliament has gave final clearance to a plan that will allow people to use local transport across the country for just 9 euros ($9.50) per month this summer, a plan that has drawn praise but also plenty of criticism. The government also plans a three-month cut…

05/20/2022

Indonesia to lift palm oil export ban from Monday -president

Jakarta, May 19: Indonesia will lift its palm oil export ban from Monday, May 23, following improvements in the domestic cooking oil supply situation, President Joko Widodo said on Thursday. The decision to lift the ban was taken despite the price of bulk cooking oil having not yet reached the…

05/19/2022

Sri Lanka’s ex-strongman Mahinda Rajapaksa makes first appearance in Parliament since quitting as PM

Colombo, May 18: Sri Lanka’s former strongman Mahinda Rajapaksa on Wednesday made his first appearance in Parliament since he was forced to resign as prime minister and take shelter in a navy camp under high security amidst violent protests against the economic crisis largely blamed on the Rajapaksas. Mahinda Rajapaksa, 76,…

05/18/2022

Sri Lankan Parliament defeats no-trust motion against President Gotabaya Rajapaksa

Colombo, May 17: A no-confidence motion tabled by the Opposition against Sri Lankan President Gotabaya Rajapaksa was defeated in Parliament on Tuesday, in a comfortable win for the embattled President amidst nationwide protests demanding his resignation due to the country’s worst-ever economic crisis. The motion by Opposition Tamil National Alliance…

05/17/2022

10 dead in Buffalo supermarket attack at New York

New York, May 15: A teenage gunman entranced by a white supremacist ideology known as replacement theory opened fire at a supermarket in Buffalo on Saturday, methodically shooting and killing 10 people and injuring three more, almost all of them Black, in one of the deadliest racist massacres in recent…

05/15/2022

Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan becomes UAE’s president

Dubai, May 14: Rulers in the United Arab Emirates announced Saturday that they appointed Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan as the president of this hereditarily ruled nation on the Arabian Peninsula. The state-run WAM news agency said the rulers of the country’s seven sheikhdoms made the decision at a meeting. It…

05/14/2022

Ranil Wickremesinghe sworn in as PM of crisis-hit Sri Lanka

Colombo, May 12: Five-time former Sri Lankan Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe has been reappointed for a sixth time in an effort to bring stability to his country amid a political and economic crisis that has engulfed the island nation. Wickremesinghe, 73, took his oath before President Gotabaya Rajapaksa at a…

05/12/2022

India refutes speculative media reports on sending troops to Lanka: Indian mission

Colombo, May 11: The Indian High Commission in Sri Lanka on Wednesday categorically refuted speculative media reports about New Delhi sending its troops to Colombo, saying India is fully supportive of Sri Lanka’s democracy, stability and economic recovery. The denial from the Indian mission came a day after it refuted as…

05/11/2022

Marcos Jr. won Philippine presidency, unofficial count shows

Manila, May 10:  The namesake son of late Philippine dictator Ferdinand Marcos appeared to have been elected Philippine president by a landslide in an astonishing reversal of the 1986 “People Power” pro-democracy revolt that booted his father into global infamy. Marcos Jr. had more than 30.5 million votes in the…

05/10/2022

Mahinda Rajapaksa steps down as Sri Lankan Prime Minister; ruling party MP killed in clashes

Colombo, May 9: Following anti-government protests across the island nation, Sri Lankan Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa has reportedly resigned on Monday. This comes days after President Gotbaya Rajapaksa in a special meeting requested the PM to step down as a solution to the ongoing political crisis in the country. Now…

05/09/2022

17 Hindu refugees from Pak granted Indian citizenship

New Delhi, May 9: Indian citizenship has been conferred to 17 Hindu refugees from Pakistan by Ahmedabad Collector Sandip Sagale, said an official release Saturday. The Collector also held a dialogue with the refugees. According to the Indian Media, The refugees, in turn, thanked the Ahmedabad district administration for showing…

05/09/2022

S Korea’s next leader faces escalating N Korean threat

Seoul, May 8: During his election campaign, South Korean President-elect Yoon Suk Yeol had tough words for North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, saying he would teach his rival some manners and sternly deal with his provocative missile tests with a strengthened alliance with the United States. But as he…

05/08/2022

Taliban announce women must cover faces in public, say burqa is best

Kabul, May 7: The Taliban on Saturday ruled Afghan women must cover their faces, according to a decree from the group’s supreme leader, an escalation of growing restrictions on women in public that is drawing a backlash from the international community and many Afghans. A spokesman for the Ministry for the…

05/07/2022

Sri Lanka Under State Of Emergency Again Amid Its Worst Economic Crisis

Colombo, May 7: Sri Lanka President Gotabaya Rajapaksa on Friday declared a state of emergency giving security forces sweeping powers for the second time in five weeks to deal with escalating anti-government protests. A spokesman for the President said he invoked the tough laws to "ensure public order" after trade…

05/07/2022

Building collapse in China’s Changsha kills 53

Beijing, May 6: A building collapse one week ago in central China killed 53 people, state media reported Friday as the search of the large pile of debris ended after rescuers found 10 survivors. Authorities said at a news conference that all the missing had been accounted for as of…

05/06/2022

Indian PM Modi discusses Ukraine with Nordic leaders, meets Macron in Paris

New Delhi, May 5: Underlining the “shared values of freedom and democracy and rules-based order” with Nordic nations, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi mentioned the state of affairs in Ukraine with the Prime Ministers of Denmark, Sweden, Finland, Norway and Iceland on the second India-Nordic summit in Copenhagen Wednesday. According to the…

05/05/2022

North Korea fires ballistic missile as South prepares for new president

Seoul,  May 4: North Korea fired a ballistic missile toward the sea off its east coast on Wednesday, South Korea and Japan said, about a week after Pyongyang vowed to develop its nuclear forces “at the fastest possible speed”. The North’s 14th known weapons test this year comes days before…

05/04/2022

We have appealed for immediate ceasefire in Ukraine, says Indian PM Modi in Denmark

  New Delhi, May 3: Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi said Tuesday that India has appealed for an immediate ceasefire in Ukraine. He made the statement at a press conference following his arrival in Denmark as a part of the second leg of his three-nation Europe trip. PM Modi was…

05/03/2022

"My Europe Visit Comes At A Time When...": Indian PM Modi On 3-Nation Trip

New Delhi, May 2: Ahead of his visit to Germany, Denmark and France, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday said his trip to Europe comes at a time when the region faces many challenges and choices, and that he intends to strengthen the spirit of cooperation with India's European…

05/02/2022

Covid’s new Omicron sub-lineages can dodge immunity from past infection: Study

Johannesburg, May 1: Two new sub-lineages of the Omicron variant can dodge antibodies from earlier infection, as per a new study. This may trigger a new wave, but the sub-lineages are far less able to thrive in the blood of vaccinated people. The scientists from multiple institutions were examining Omicron’s BA.4…

05/01/2022

Powerful explosion at Kabul mosque kills at least 10 people

Kabul, Apr. 29: A powerful explosion ripped through a mosque in the Afghan capital of Kabul on Friday, killing at least 10 people and wounding 20, a Taliban spokesman said. Hundreds of worshippers had gathered for prayers on the last Friday of the Muslim holy month of Ramdan and the…

04/29/2022

Biden to meet PM Modi at Quad summit in Tokyo next month: White House

Washington, Apr. 28: US President Joe Biden will travel to South Korea and Japan next month and attend the QUAD summit in Tokyo, during which he will also meet India’s Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the White House has said. Biden’s trip to South Korea and Japan has been scheduled for…

04/28/2022

Sri Lankan court orders arrest of police officers over death of protester in shootout

Colombo, Apr. 27: A Sri Lankan court on Wednesday ordered the arrest of police officers involved in the death of a protester after the police opened fire at unarmed anti-government protestors demonstrating against the fuel price hike in southwestern region of Rambukkana. A 41-year-old father of two was killed and…

04/27/2022

India approves two Covid vaccines for children under 12

Bengaluru, Apr. 26: India has approved two homegrown vaccines for children under the age of 12 amid a slight rise in Covid cases. Covaxin, made by Bharat Biotech, has been granted emergency use permission for the six-12 age group, health minister Mansukh Mandaviya tweeted. It is already administered to children…

04/26/2022

India thanks Oman on release of seven Indian sailors in Yemen

New Delhi, Apr. 26: India on Monday thanked Oman and other concerned parties for the release of seven Indian sailors who were in detention of the Houthis in Yemen since January 2. The Indians were among 14 foreigners released from the Houthi-controlled Yemeni capital of Sanaa on Sunday. The Ministry…

04/26/2022

Indian PM Modi Tells Kashmir valley youth: ‘You won’t suffer way your parents did’

Samba, Apr. 25: Inaugurating a string of projects in Jammu and Kashmir as part of a strong infrastructure push, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday assured the youth of Kashmir Valley that they “will never face the kind of sufferings” their parents and grandparents faced in the past. The newly…

04/25/2022

At least 12 dead, another 10 missing as four migrant boats sink off Tunisia

Tunis, Apr. 24: At least 12 African migrants died and another 10 were missing after four boats carrying 120 migrants sank off Tunisia as they tried to cross the Mediterranean to Italy, a security official told Reuters on Saturday. Ali Aayari, a lieutenant colonel in the Tunisian Coast Guard, added…

04/24/2022

Modi "Intervened Several Times With Putin": Boris Johnson

New Delhi, Apr. 23: India has been pushing for peace in Ukraine and wants the Russians out of that country, British Prime Minister Boris Johnson said on Friday after holding wide-ranging talks with his Indian counterpart Narendra Modi. At a press conference, Johnson said Indian PM Modi has been "very…

04/23/2022

Korean leaders exchange friendly letters in rare break from tensions

Seoul, Apr. 22: North Korean leader Kim Jong Un has exchanged letters with outgoing South Korean President Moon Jae-in and thanked him for trying to improve relations, state media KCNA reported on Friday, amid tension over Pyongyang’s weapons tests. The exchange of letters came against a backdrop of strained cross-border…

04/22/2022

Indian PM Modi: Ayush visa will be introduced for foreigners who want to come to India for traditional treatments

Gandhinagar, Apr. 20: Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced Wednesday that the Centre would soon introduce a special Ayush visa category for foreign nationals who want to come to India to take advantage of traditional medicine, as part of initiatives to promote medical tourism. “With this visa, it will make travel…

04/20/2022

South Africa launches relief for Durban flooding; 443 dead

Johannesburg, Apr. 20: Declaring a national state of disaster, South Africa has allocated $67 million to help those hit by floods that have killed at least 443 people in the eastern city of Durban and the surrounding Kwazulu-Natal province. Nearly 4,000 homes have been destroyed and more than 40,000 people…

04/20/2022

US CDC lifts Covid ‘Do Not Travel’ recommendations on about 90 countries

Washington, Apr. 19: The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) said on Monday it had dropped its “Do Not Travel” COVID-19 recommendations for about 90 international destinations. Last week, the CDC said it was revising its travel recommendations and said it would its reserve Level 4 travel health notices…

04/19/2022

Germany in a dilemma amid calls to do more to stop Russia

Berlin, Apr. 18: Earlier this month in Hamburg, Halyna Yanchenko, a 33-year-old member of Ukraine’s Parliament, spoke via video link from Kyiv at a panel discussion about Europe after Putin’s war on Ukraine. Among others on the panel, which included international experts, was a high profile German politician. Wolfgang Schmidt,…

04/18/2022

Seek meaningful talks with India, peaceful ties: Shehbaz to Modi

New Delhi, Apr. 17: Looking for “peaceable and cooperative” ties with India, Shehbaz Sharif, Pakistan’s new Prime Minister, has written to Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, saying this may be achieved by way of “significant dialogue”. The Sunday Specific has learnt that in a letter acquired Saturday, Sharif additionally mentioned…

04/17/2022

Russia says flagship of Black Sea fleet badly damaged by blast

Moscow, Apr. 14: Russia on Thursday said the flagship of its Black Sea fleet was seriously damaged and its crew evacuated following a fire that caused an explosion, as a Ukrainian official said the vessel had been hit by missiles. The incident on the Moskva missile cruiser occurred after ammunition…

04/14/2022

Brooklyn subway shooting: Police focus on van renter in NYC subway shooting that injured at least 20

New York, Apr. 13: Police mounted an intense manhunt Tuesday for a gunman who set off two smoke bombs and opened fire in a New York subway car, injuring at least 20 people in a morning rush-hour attack that prompted new calls to fight a surge of violence in the…

04/13/2022

Shehbaz Sharif elected new prime minister of Pakistan

Islamabad, Apr. 11: Shehbaz Sharif, the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) president, was elected unopposed as the new Prime Minister of Pakistan by Parliament on Monday after rival candidate Shah Mahmood Qureshi announced that his Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf party will boycott the voting and staged a walkout. Shehbaz, 70, was the only…

04/11/2022

Pak PM loses midnight trust vote after SC prod: Imran Khan goes, kicking & screaming

Islamabad, Apr. 10: Pakistan’s Prime Minister Imran Khan lost power late on Saturday night, voted out by parliament in a test of strength that the Speaker had stalled all day. The motion was taken up after Pakistan’s Supreme Court prepared to step in to enforce compliance of its April 7 order…

04/10/2022

Europe agrees to ban Russian coal, but struggles on oil, gas

Brussels, Apr. 9: The European Union nations have agreed to ban Russian coal in the first sanctions on the vital energy industry over the war in Ukraine, but it has underlined the 27 countries’ inability to agree so far on a much more sweeping embargo on oil and natural gas…

04/09/2022

UK Opposition questions Rishi Sunak over wife Akshata Murty’s tax status

London, Apr. 8: The UK Opposition has questioned the non-domicile tax status of India-born Akshata Murty, daughter of Infosys co-founder Narayana Murthy, and demanded an urgent explanation from her husband –UK chancellor Rishi sunak. A non-domicile status means Murty, who owns shares in Infosys, is not legally bound to pay…

04/08/2022

Heavy rains in Sydney flood downtown streets, trigger evacuations

Sydney, Apr. 7: Torrential rain pummelled Australia’s east coast on Thursday with Sydney receiving nearly a month’s rain overnight, turning suburban roads into rivers and triggering evacuations as authorities warn of more rain through the day. A man swept away by floodwaters in the city’s northwest was rescued by emergency…

04/07/2022

Sri Lanka Economic Crisis: President Gotabaya Rajapaksa revokes state of Emergency

Colombo, Apr. 6: Sri Lankan President Gotabaya Rajapaksa late Tuesday night revoked the state of Emergency with immediate effect on his island nation. In a gazette notification number 2274/10, the President said he has withdrawn the Emergency rule ordinance which gave security forces sweeping powers to curb any disturbance in…

04/06/2022

Sri Lanka Economic Crisis : Amid protests, govt imposes 36-hour curfew across country

Colombo, Apr. 3: Amid protests over the country’s worst economic crisis in decades, Sri Lanka government has imposed a curfew across the country from Saturday 6pm to Monday 6 am, Reuters reported. Sri Lankan President Gotabaya Rajapaksa also declared a nationwide public emergency late on Friday. The President invoked tough…

04/03/2022

Yemen’s warring parties agree two-month truce in major breakthrough

Aden, Apr. 2: The warring sides in Yemen’s seven-year conflict have for the first time in years agreed a nationwide truce, which would also allow fuel imports into Houthi-held areas and some flights operating from Sanaa airport, the UN envoy said on Friday. The UN-brokered deal between a Saudi-led coalition and…

04/02/2022

‘India in favour of resolving disputes via diplomacy’: Jaishankar during meeting with Russian Foreign Minister Lavrov

New Delhi, Apr. 1: Acknowledging that the meeting between the Indian and Russian Foreign Ministers were taking place in a “difficult international environment”, External Affairs minister S Jaishankar said New Delhi has “always been in favour of resolving differences and disputes through dialogue and diplomacy”. According to the Indian Media,…

04/01/2022

US intelligence suggests that Putin’s advisers misinformed him on Ukraine

Washington, Mar. 31: President Vladimir Putin of Russia has been misinformed by his advisers about the Russian military’s struggles in Ukraine, according to declassified U.S. intelligence. The intelligence, according to multiple U.S. officials, shows what appears to be growing tension between Putin and the Ministry of Defense, including with Russian…

03/31/2022

Joe Biden unconvinced of Russia’s promise to scale back operations in Kyiv

Washington, Mar. 30: US President Joe Biden on Tuesday said he wasn’t yet convinced that Russia’s announcement that it would scale back military operations near the Ukrainian capital of Kyiv will lead to a fundamental shift in the war. Biden, during an appearance with Singapore Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong following…

03/30/2022

India, Sri Lanka must collectively combat terrorism, violent extremism, cyber-attacks: Jaishankar

New Delhi, Mar. 29: Indian External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar Tuesday participated in the 18th BIMSTEC Ministerial Meeting in Colombo, where he emphasized India’s commitment to intensify and expand cooperation in connectivity, energy and maritime. “Participated at the 18th BIMSTEC Ministerial Meeting in Colombo today. Thank FM Prof. G.L. Peiris…

03/29/2022

Kremlin says Russia-Ukraine talks could start in Turkey on Tuesday

Moscow, Mar. 28: The Kremlin said on Monday that peace talks between Russia and Ukraine may get underway in Turkey on Tuesday and said it was important that the talks would be held face-to-face despite scant progress in negotiations so far. Turkey said the talks could begin as early as…

03/28/2022

Rocket attacks hit Ukraine’s Lviv as Biden visits Poland

Lviv, Mar. 27: Russian rockets struck the western Ukrainian city of Lviv on Saturday while US President Joe Biden visited neighbouring Poland, a reminder that Moscow is willing to strike anywhere in Ukraine despite its claim to be focusing its offensive on the country’s east. The back-to-back airstrikes shook the city that…

03/27/2022

US President Biden meets Ukrainian foreign, defence ministers in Warsaw

Washington, Mar. 26: US President Joe Biden met the Ukrainian foreign and defence ministers at the Marriott Hotel in central Warsaw in his first talks with top Kyiv officials since Russia’s invasion began, news agency AFP reported. Biden is due to give a speech in the late afternoon on Saturday…

03/26/2022

300 feared dead in Mariupol theatre bombing; Ukrainian forces advance east of Kyiv as Russians fall back

Kyiv, Mar. 25: As many as 300 people are feared dead in the bombing of a theater in the Ukraine city of Mariupol last week, reported news agency AFP quoting local authorities. “From eyewitnesses, information is emerging that about 300 people died in the Drama Theatre of Mariupol following strikes by…

03/25/2022

Indian Foreign secretary Harsh Vardhan Shringla in US ahead of key UNGA meet on Ukraine

New Delhi, Mar. 24: Indian Foreign secretary Harsh Vardhan Shringla has embarked on an unannounced visit to New York ahead of a crucial special emergency session of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) on Wednesday that will take up a draft resolution seeking condemnation of Russia’s offensive against Ukraine. India’s…

03/24/2022

Modi speaks to Boris Johnson, reiterates India’s appeal for cessation of hostilities

New Delhi, Mar. 23: Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi spoke to his British counterpart Boris Johnson on Tuesday about the situation unfolding in war-torn Ukraine. According to the Indian Media, During their discussion, PM Modi reiterated India’s consistent appeal for cessation of hostilities and a return to the path of…

03/23/2022

With 41 new cases Coronavirus national tally reaches 978,196

Kathmandu, Mar. 21: The Ministry of Health and Population informed 41 new cases of coronavirus on Monday. With this, the national coronavirus tally has reached 978,196.  According to the Ministry, 41 persons tested positive for the coronavirus at various labs across the country in the past 24 hours.

03/21/2022

At Warsaw Central, a city welcomes war refugees, a Putin dartboard provides some relief

Warsaw, Mar. 21: It’s Day 25 of the Russian invasion of Ukraine and amid one other spherical of talks for an elusive truce — this time, it’s Turkey claiming some frequent floor — the buses hold coming. Bringing fleeing youngsters, ladies and aged males. Hungry and drained, carrying no matter…

03/21/2022

Japan PM's India Visit: Kishida Announces $42 Billion Investment In India, Discusses Ukraine With Modi

New Delhi, Mar. 20: Japanese Prime Minister Kishida Fumio on Saturday announced an investment of up to $42 billion (5 trillion Yen) in India over next five years. According to the Indian Media, During the 14th India-Japan Annual Summit, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday held "productive" talks with Kishida on a…

03/20/2022

Putin appears at big rally in Moscow; Zelenskyy says it is time for meaningful security talks

Moscow, Mar. 19: Vladimir Putin appeared at a huge flag-waving rally at a packed Moscow stadium Friday and lavished praise on his troops fighting in Ukraine, three weeks into the invasion that has led to heavier-than-expected Russian losses on the battlefield and increasingly authoritarian rule at home. Meanwhile, Ukrainian President…

03/19/2022

Russian court fines woman for anti-war protest on state TV

London, Mar. 16: A Russian court fined a woman 30,000 roubles ($280) on Tuesday after finding her guilty of flouting protest legislation when she interrupted a live news bulletin on state TV and denounced the war in Ukraine, the RIA news agency reported. Marina Ovsyannikova, a Channel One employee, held…

03/16/2022

India has substantial dealings with both Russia & Ukraine, assessment in this regard by the Govt underway: Jaishankar

New Delhi, Mar. 15: Reiterating India’s position at the UN Security Council, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar on Tuesday said there is no other choice but the path of diplomacy and dialogue and the need for respect for territorial integrity. He underlined that the Ukraine conflict has major economic implications where…

03/15/2022

5 Indian students killed in Canada road accident; Jaishankar offers condolences

Toronto, Mar. 14: In a tragic incident, five Indian students have been killed here in a road accident in Canada’s Ontario, Canadian police said. The Canadian Press reported that the incident, between a van and a tractor trailer, took place on Saturday on Highway 401 in the Quinte West city…

03/14/2022

Saudi Arabia puts 81 to death in its largest mass execution

Dubai, Mar. 13: Saudi Arabia on Saturday executed 81 people convicted of crimes ranging from killings to belonging to militant groups, the largest known mass execution carried out in the kingdom in its modern history. The number of executed surpassed even the toll of a January 1980 mass execution for…

03/13/2022

Russian rockets destroy airfield near Kyiv; Ukraine says mosque housing 80 civilians shelled in Mariupol

Kyiv, Mar. 12: In two separate incidents, Russian rocket attacks destroyed an airfield in Vasylkiv in Kyiv region and a mosque housing 80 civilians was shelled in Mariupol, news agencies Reuters and AFP reported Saturday. This comes as British intelligence agencies warned Ukraine of the intensifying Russian offensive. Ukrainian President…

03/12/2022

US Senate gives final approval to Ukraine aid, huge budget bill

Washington, Mar. 11: A USD 13.6 billion emergency package of military and humanitarian aid for besieged Ukraine and its European allies easily won final congressional approval Thursday, hitching a ride on a government-wide spending bill that’s five months late but loaded with political prizes for both parties. With Russian President Vladimir…

03/11/2022

South Korea elects conservative outsider as president in tectonic shift

Seoul, Mar. 11: Conservative South Korean opposition candidate Yoon Suk-yeol rode to victory in a tight presidential election on a wave of discontent over economic policy, scandals and gender wars, reshaping the political future of Asia’s fourth-largest economy. His victory in Wednesday’s bitterly fought election marks a stunning turnaround for…

03/11/2022

Indonesia’s Merapi volcano unleashes lava, hundreds evacuate

Yogyakarta, Mar. 10: Indonesia’s Mount Merapi volcano spewed avalanches of hot clouds in eruptions overnight Thursday that forced about 250 residents to flee to temporary shelters and left ash blanketing nearby villages and towns. No casualties were reported. The volcano on the densely populated island of Java unleashed clouds of…

03/10/2022

Poland ready to place all its MIG-29 jets at the disposal of US

Warsaw, Mar. 9: Poland is ready to deploy all its MIG-29 jets to Ramstein Air Base in Germany and put them at the disposal of the United States, and urges other NATO members that own planes of that type to do the same, the Foreign Ministry said on Tuesday. US…

03/09/2022

Suspected ‘9/11 hijacker’ released from Guantanamo to Saudi Arabia

Washington, Mar. 8: A Saudi prisoner at the Guantanamo Bay detention centre who was suspected of trying to join the 9/11 hijackers has been sent back to his home country for treatment for mental illness, the Department of Defense said. Mohammad Ahmad al-Qahtani was flown back to Saudi Arabia, to…

03/08/2022

Indian PM Modi speaks with Russia’s Putin, calls for safe evacuation of Indians in Ukraine’s Sumy

New Delhi, Mar. 7: For the third time since the conflict in Ukraine began last month, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi Monday spoke to Russian President Vladimir Putin and conveyed to him the importance of the safe evacuation of Indian citizens from war-torn country’s Sumy city at the earliest, official sources…

03/07/2022

Russian forces widen offensive after Ukraine partial ceasefire collapses

Moscow, Mar. 6: Russia’s defence ministry said late on Saturday that it has resumed “offensive actions” in Ukraine after announcing a ceasefire earlier in the day to allow residents of two besieged cities to evacuate. The ministry also said that Russian forces in a wide offensive in Ukraine have taken…

03/06/2022

Russian forces near Ukraine’s second-largest nuclear facility, warns US official

Kyiv, Mar. 5: Russian forces closing in on Ukraine’s second-largest nuclear facility, and is currently only 32 km away from it, said United States ambassador to the United Nations Linda Thomas-Greenfield. Her comments followed news that Russia had, on Friday, seized Euroe’s largest nuclear power plant in Ukraine. Meanwhile, Ukraine President…

03/05/2022

Europe’s largest nuclear power plant on fire after Russian shelling, says Ukraine minister

Kyiv, Mar. 4: A spokesman for Europe’s largest nuclear plant said the facility is on fire after Russia attacked the power station in the southern Ukrainian city of Enerhodar. The fire broke out at the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant in Ukraine and the Russian army was shelling it from all…

03/04/2022

ICC prosecutor to probe potential war crimes in Ukraine

The Hague, Mar. 3: The International Criminal Court’s prosecutor opened an investigation Wednesday into possible war crimes, crimes against humanity or genocide in Ukraine dating back to 2013, but also covering the conflict sparked by Russia’s invasion. Prosecutor Karim Khan said he launched the probe after 39 of the court’s…

03/03/2022

Putin met wall of strength, says Joe Biden in State of Union address

Washington, Mar. 2: US President Joe Biden vowed to make Vladimir Putin “pay a price” for Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in his first State of the Union address. Russian forces escalated their attacks on crowded urban areas Tuesday, bombarding the central square in Ukraine’s second-biggest city and Kyiv’s main TV tower…

03/02/2022

After a fumbled start, Russian forces hit harder in Ukraine

Brussels, Mar. 1: When Russia launched its invasion of Ukraine with nearly 200,000 troops, many observers — and seemingly President Vladimir Putin himself — expected that the force would roll right in and the fighting would be over quickly. Instead, after five days of war, what appears to be unfolding…

03/01/2022

Ukraine agrees to hold talks with Russia; UN to hold emergency meet

Kyiv, Feb. 28: President Volodymyr Zelensky of Ukraine agreed on Sunday to have Ukrainian officials take part in talks with Russia “without preconditions,” even as President Vladimir Putin further escalated tensions by placing his nuclear forces on alert. “We agreed that the Ukrainian delegation would meet with the Russian delegation…

02/28/2022

Ukraine president Zelenskyy speaks with PM Modi, seeks India’s political support at UNSC

Kyiv, Feb. 27: Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelenskyy on Saturday spoke with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and sought India’s political support at the UN Security Council to stop Russia’s military offensive against his country. President Zelenskyy’s telephonic conversation with Prime Minister Modi came hours after India abstained on a UN…

02/27/2022

Russian forces close in on Kyiv; Moscow vetoes UNSC resolution on Ukraine attack

Kyiv, Feb. 26: Invading Russian forces closed in on Ukraine’s capital Friday, in an apparent encircling movement after a barrage of airstrikes on cities and military bases around the country. With growing signs that Russia aims to overthrow him, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy told European Union leaders in a video link-up…

02/26/2022

Ukraine says 137 civilians, soldiers killed; president says ‘left alone’ to fight Moscow

Kyiv, Feb. 25: Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said 137 people, including 10 military officers, have been killed and 316 people injured so far in the Russian invasion. The dead included all border guards on the Zmiinyi Island in the Odesa region, which was taken over by Russians. Zelenskyy said Kyiv…

02/25/2022

India-US partnership critical to vaccinating world against Covid-19: Envoy Sandhu

Washington, Feb. 23: The partnership between India and the US in the healthcare sector is critical to vaccinating the world against the coronavirus, India’s Ambassador here Taranjit Singh Sandhu said.   According to the Indian Media, Observing that vaccinating the world must be the priority strategy against the Covid-19 pandemic, Sandhu on…

02/23/2022

India tells diplomats’ kin, other nationals to leave Ukraine

New Delhi, Feb. 21: Striking a note of urgency, India Sunday asked the family members of Embassy officials in Ukraine as well as students and citizens whose stay is not vital to leave the eastern European nation amid its rising tensions with Russia. According to the Indian Media, The directions…

02/21/2022

Storm Eunice batters Europe, killing at least 9

London, Feb. 19: An Atlantic storm battered northwestern European on Friday with record winds of up to 122 miles per hour, killing at least nine people, knocking out power for tens of thousands and shredding the roof of London’s O2 arena. Storm Eunice, which brewed in the central Atlantic and…

02/19/2022

Police warn Canada protesters of ‘imminent’ action to clear them

Ottawa, Feb. 18: Police warned protesters occupying central Ottawa of “imminent” action to clear them from the capital and began making some arrests on Thursday to end a crisis that Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau warned was threatening public safety. Truckers opposing coronavirus mandates have blocked roads in downtown Ottawa for nearly…

02/18/2022

No Ukraine attack 'in the coming month' says Russia's EU ambassador

London, Feb. 16: Russia's envoy to the European Union Vladimir Chizhov, has rejected suggestions that his country is about to attack Ukraine. The New York Times cited a US intelligence source as saying that Moscow was discussing this Wednesday (February 16) as a date for military action in Ukraine, which Chizhov denied in…

02/16/2022

Justin Trudeau plans record number of immigrants to Canada through 2024

Ottawa, Feb. 15: Canada, a country that relies heavily on immigration to grow its labour force, has set an ambitious plan to bring in more than 1.3 million newcomers over the next three years to support its post-pandemic growth. Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s government aims to add more than 431,000…

02/15/2022

India’s homegrown mRNA Covid vaccine: Human trials over; data to be sent to regulator

Pune, Feb. 15: PHASE 2/3 human trials of the country’s first homegrown mRNA vaccine developed by Pune-based Gennova Biopharmaceuticals have been completed and the firm is in the process of submitting data to the national regulatory authority. Plans are also afoot to test the vaccine in the paediatric population initially…

02/15/2022

Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelenskyy asks for evidence on new invasion warnings

Moscow, Feb. 14: Ukraine’s president played down intensified warnings of a possible Russian invasion within days, saying he had yet to see convincing evidence even as the US warned Sunday of more Russian troops pressing closer to Ukraine’s borders and some airlines canceled or diverted flights there. The White House…

02/14/2022

Key bridge to US remains closed as Canada police clear protesters

Windsor, Feb. 14: Canadian police cleared protesters and vehicles that had blocked a vital trade route on the border with the United States, making some arrests, but the bridge was not yet open to traffic on Sunday. The officers moved in after a tense standoff between Canadian police and demonstrators since…

02/14/2022

India faces ‘very significant challenges’, especially from China, says White House

Washington, Feb. 13: India is beset with significant geopolitical challenges, in particular from China and its behaviour on the Line of Actual Control, the White House has said, while releasing its Indo-Pacific Strategic Report. The strategic report, released on Friday, is the US President Joe Biden-led administration’s first region-specific report.…

02/13/2022

US pulls most diplomats from Ukraine as tensions mount

Kyiv, Feb. 13: President Joe Biden warned President Vladimir Putin of Russia that invading Ukraine would result in “swift and severe” costs to Russia, diminish his country’s standing and cause “widespread human suffering,” the White House said Saturday as Western officials made a forceful diplomatic push to dissuade Putin from…

02/13/2022

Taliban free detained UNHCR staff, 2 foreign journalists

Kabul, Feb. 12: The Taliban released two foreign journalists working with the UN refugee agency and several of the aid organisation’s Afghan staff on Friday, UNHCR said, hours after news broke about their detentions in the capital, Kabul. The announcement followed a tweet by the Taliban-appointed deputy minister of culture…

02/12/2022

France to get 6 new reactors as Macron bets on nuclear in carbon-neutrality push

Paris, Feb. 11: France will build at least six new nuclear reactors in the decades to come, President Emmanuel Macron said Thursday, placing nuclear power at the heart of his country’s drive for carbon neutrality by 2050. Macron said the new plants would be built and operated by state-controlled energy…

02/11/2022

Police arrest convoy protesters at New Zealand’s Parliament

Wellington, Feb. 10: Police on Thursday began arresting dozens of protesters who were camped out on the grounds of New Zealand’s Parliament on the third day of a convoy protest against coronavirus mandates. The arrests came after Parliament Speaker Trevor Mallard took the rare step of closing the grounds. Police…

02/10/2022

Kamala Harris’ husband, Doug Emhoff, whisked off school event after bomb threat

Washington, Feb. 9: Doug Emhoff, the husband of Vice President Kamala Harris, was whisked out of an event Tuesday at a Washington high school by Secret Service agents following a bomb threat.   Emhoff was at Dunbar High School to help commemorate Black History Month and was in the school’s…

02/09/2022

Hyundai row: South Korean foreign minister calls up Indian EAM Jaishankar, says ‘regret the offence’

New Delhi, Feb. 8: Days after car manufacturer Hyundai’s Pakistan offshoot tweeted about “remembering the sacrifices” of people in Kashmir and asked for people to stand in support as these people continued to “struggle for freedom”, South Korean Foreign minister Chung Eui-yong called up External Affairs minister of India S…

02/08/2022

US approves $100 million sale to upgrade Taiwan’s Patriot missile defense system

Washington, Feb. 8: The United States has approved a possible $100 million sale of equipment and services to Taiwan to “sustain, maintain, and improve” the Patriot missile defense system used by the self-ruled island claimed by China, the Pentagon said on Monday. A statement from the US Defense Security Cooperation…

02/08/2022

Top Biden aide says Ukraine invasion could come ‘any day’

Wilmington, Feb. 7: White House national security adviser Jake Sullivan said Sunday that Russia could invade Ukraine “any day,” launching a conflict that would come at an “enormous human cost.” The senior adviser to President Joe Biden offered another stark warning the day after U.S. officials confirmed that Russia has…

02/07/2022

Minneapolis police release video of fatal shooting of Black man during raid

Washington, Feb. 5: Minneapolis police fatally shot a 22-year-old Black man during a raid on an apartment on Wednesday, newly released video recorded by a police body camera showed.   The Minneapolis Police Department released the video and a still image on Thursday showing the man, Amir Locke, holding a…

02/05/2022

US says it stands with India against Chinese aggression

Washington, Feb. 4: The United States has asserted that it stands with India against Chinese aggression, as several lawmakers slammed China for choosing a PLA soldier, who was part of the military command that attacked Indian soldiers in the Galwan Valley in 2020, as a torchbearer for the Beijing Winter…

02/04/2022

Kim Jong Un’s wife makes a rare public appearance in North Korea

Seoul, Feb. 3: North Korean leader Kim Jong Un’s wife and influential aunt made a rare appearance in state media on Wednesday, as the ruling family has maintained a low profile during the coronavirus pandemic.   Kim’s wife, Ri Sol Ju, and his aunt, Kim Kyong Hui, attended an art performance at…

02/03/2022

At UNSC meet on Ukraine, India walks the tightrope

New Delhi, Feb. 1: On a day when a senior Russian official visited India and met his counterparts in the Indian Ministry of External Affairs, New Delhi on Monday played a tightrope walk with a slight tilt towards the Russian position at a meeting of the UN Security Council on…

02/01/2022

North Korea confirms test of missile capable of striking US territory Guam

Seoul, Jan. 31: North Korea confirmed Monday it test-launched an intermediate-range ballistic missile capable of reaching the US territory of Guam, the North’s most significant weapon launch in years, as Washington plans to show its commitment to its Asian allies with an unspecified move.   Sunday’s launch could be a…

01/31/2022

Germany, Denmark pounded by intense storm

London, Jan. 30: Storm Malik struck the UK, Denmark, northern Poland and Germany, killing at least four people. An intense storm continued to pound northern Europe early Sunday, causing coastal surges and forcing public transport to be canceled. The storm system, which is known as Nadia in Germany and Malik…

01/30/2022

Biden calls Ukrainian president; commits to supporting its sovereignty and territorial integrity

Washington, Jan. 28: US President Joe Biden spoke to his Ukrainian counterpart Volodymyr Zelenskyy to reaffirm his commitment towards the sovereignty and territorial integrity of his country, as his administration mounted a global pressure campaign against Russia to prevent it from invading Ukraine.   “President Joseph R. Biden, Jr. spoke…

01/28/2022

England lifts COVID restrictions as omicron threat recedes

London, Jan. 27: Most coronavirus restrictions including mandatory face masks were lifted in England on Thursday, after Britain’s government said its vaccine booster rollout successfully reduced serious illness and COVID-19 hospitalisations.   From Thursday, face coverings are no longer required by law anywhere in England, and a legal requirement for COVID passes for…

01/27/2022

Burkina Faso army deposes president in West Africa’s latest coup

Ouagadougou, Jan. 25: Burkina Faso’s army said on Monday it had ousted President Roch Kabore, suspended the constitution, dissolved the government and the national assembly, and closed the country’s borders.   The announcement cited the deterioration of the security situation and what the army described as Kabore’s inability to unite…

01/25/2022

Ukraine receives second batch of US weapons in Russian stand-off

Washington, Jan. 24: Ukraine’s Defence Minister Oleksii Reznikov said on Sunday the country had received a second consignment of weapons from the United States as part of defensive aid totalling $200 million.   Washington has said it would continue to support Ukraine amid concerns in Kyiv and among its Western allies…

01/24/2022

Britain says Russia seeking to replace Ukraine government

London, Jan. 23: The British government on Saturday accused Russia of seeking to replace Ukraine’s government with a pro-Moscow administration, and said former Ukrainian lawmaker Yevheniy Murayev is being considered as a potential candidate.   Murayev is head of the small pro-Russian party Nashi, which currently has no seats in…

01/23/2022

NYC police officer killed, 2nd critical in Harlem shooting

New York, Jan. 22: A New York City police officer lay in a hospital Saturday after being critically wounded in a shooting in a Harlem apartment that left a fellow officer dead, authorities said.   The man who shot them with a stolen gun was also in critical condition, wounded…

01/22/2022

‘They’re innocent people’: Phone call shows brother pleading with Texas hostage-taker

London, Jan. 21: A British man who held four people hostage in a Texas synagogue ranted against Jews and American wars in countries like Afghanistan as his brother pleaded with him to give up and free the captives, a recording of the conversation shows.   In the expletive-filled recording posted on…

01/21/2022

Joe Biden says nation weary from Covid-19 but US in a better place

Washington, Jan. 20: US President Joe Biden acknowledged Wednesday that the pandemic has left Americans exhausted and demoralized but insisted at a news conference marking his first year in office that he has “outperformed” expectations in dealing with it.   Facing sagging poll numbers and a stalled legislative agenda, Biden…

01/20/2022

Debt crisis looms, Lanka Prez vows rights reforms

Colombo, Jan. 19: Sri Lankan President Gotabaya Rajapaksa on Tuesday promised human rights reforms and “justice” for missing persons from the country's civil war, after years of resisting calls for such measures. Rajapaksa was speaking before a new session of Parliament as the Sri Lankan Government looks for international support…

01/19/2022

US bald eagles comeback diminished by lead poisoning from bullets

New York, Jan. 17: Bald eagles have lifted themselves from the brink of extinction in the United States but deaths caused by lead poisoning from ingesting hunters’ bullets left in wildlife remains are holding back their population recovery, scientists say.   Population increases of the majestic bird recognized as the…

01/17/2022

Texas synagogue attack: One of four hostages released unharmed

Texas, Jan. 16: Authorities said a man took hostages Saturday during services at a Texas synagogue where the suspect could be heard ranting in a livestream and demanding the release of a Pakistani neuroscientist who was convicted of trying to kill US Army officers in Afghanistan.   At least four…

01/16/2022

WHO recommends two new drugs to treat patients with COVID-19

Kathmandu, Jan. 15: The drug baricitinib (a type of drug known as a Janus kinase (JAK) inhibitor, also used to treat rheumatoid arthritis) is strongly recommended for patients with severe or critical covid-19 in combination with corticosteroids, says a WHO Guideline Development Group of international experts in peer reviewed journal…

01/15/2022

Strong quake shakes Indonesia’s capital; no tsunami alert

Jakarta, Jan. 14: A powerful earthquake shook parts of Indonesia’s main island of Java on Friday, causing buildings in the capital to sway, but there were no immediate reports of serious damage or casualties. Officials said there was no danger of a tsunami.   The U.S. Geological Survey said the…

01/15/2022

Russia-led bloc starts Kazakhstan pullout after possible coup bid crushed

Almaty, Jan. 14: A Russia-led military bloc began pulling out from Kazakhstan on Thursday after a week-long deployment amid an explosion of unrest during which authorities in the Central Asian nation said the former security chief was suspected of attempting a coup.   Russia said the withdrawal of the troops…

01/14/2022

Biden imposes first sanctions over North Korea weapons program after missile tests

Washington, Jan, 13: The Biden administration on Wednesday imposed its first sanctions over North Korea’s weapons programs following a series of North Korean missile launches, including two since last week. The sanctions targeted six North Koreans, one Russian and a Russian firm Washington said were responsible for procuring goods for…

01/13/2022

Afghanistan’s China envoy leaves after months without pay

Beijing, Jan. 12: Afghanistan's ambassador to China, Javid Ahmad Qaem, left his post earlier in January after months without pay from Kabul, following the Taliban’s seizure of power, he said on Twitter.   In a handover letter dated Jan 1, also posted on Twitter, Qaem said that many diplomats at…

01/12/2022

14th military meeting with China: India hopes for constructive dialogue

New Delhi, Jan. 11: India is looking towards a constructive dialogue in the upcoming 14th round of military discussions with China on Wednesday.   On Monday, sources in the security establishment said that the Indian side is “looking forward to constructive dialogue to resolve the balance [remaining] friction areas”. According…

01/11/2022

No concessions: Russia takes hard line before vital talks with U.S.

Moscow, Jan. 10: Russia said on Sunday it would not make any concessions under U.S. pressure at talks this week on the Ukraine crisis and its demands for Western security guarantees, and that there was a risk they might end quickly.   The hard line from Moscow underscored the fragile…

01/10/2022

Indian PM Modi chairs review meet; nearly 400 Parliament staffers test positive

New Delhi, Jan. 9: As the Omicron variant of the Covid-19 continues to fuel a surge in the infection count across the country, Prime Minister of India Narendra Modi on Sunday chaired a meeting through video conferencing to review the situation.   According to the Indian Media, Just ahead of the…

01/09/2022

India delivers two tonnes of medicines to Afghanistan

New Delhi, Jan. 8: India on Friday delivered two tonnes of essential medicines to Afghanistan, in what is the third consignment of humanitarian assistance to the country since Taliban took over the government in Kabul.   According to the Indian Media, After mid-August, when Kabul fell to the Taliban, India…

01/08/2022

India records first death due to Omicron variant of Covid-19

New Delhi, Jan. 5: India on Wednesday recorded the first death linked to the Omicron variant of Covid-19 after the samples of a man in Rajasthan’s Udaipur, who died last week, showed the presence of the variant.   Confirming the development, Luv Aggarwal, Joint Secretary of Indian Health Ministry, said: “Technically it…

01/05/2022

Navy captain becomes 1st woman to command US nuclear carrier

San Diego, Jan. 5: The USS Abraham Lincoln deployed this week from San Diego under the command of Capt Amy Bauernschmidt, the first woman to lead a nuclear carrier in US Navy history.   Bauernschmidt, who previously served as the Abraham Lincoln’s executive officer from 2016 to 2019, took over…

01/05/2022

Biden and Putin to speak on Thursday amid Ukraine tensions

Washington, Dec. 30: US President Joe Biden and Russian President Vladimir Putin will speak on Thursday, the White House said, as Washington crafts a common response to Russia’s military build-up on the Ukraine border with European allies. The two leaders will discuss a range of topics, including upcoming security talks between the…

12/30/2021

Indonesia to let Boeing 737 Max fly again after '18 crash

Jakarta, Dec. 29: Indonesia said on Wednesday it was lifting ban on Boeing's 737 Max aircraft, three years after one crashed into the Java Sea shortly after takeoff killing all 189 persons on board. The Transportation Ministry said in a statement that the aircraft would be permitted to fly in…

12/29/2021

BBC journalist says he has left Russia for British exile

Moscow, Dec. 28: An investigative journalist for the BBC’s Russian-language service in Moscow said in a video released on Monday that he had felt compelled to leave Russia for self-imposed exile in Britain due to what he called unprecedented surveillance.   Russian authorities designated Andrei Zakharov a “foreign agent” in…

12/28/2021

In abortion rights debate, Joe Biden doesn’t often use the word

Washington, Dec. 27: US President Joe Biden insists that he strongly believes in the rights spelled out in the Roe v. Wade Supreme Court decision that are now under the most dire threat in decades. But he barely even uses the word “abortion” and when his administration has been asked…

12/27/2021

Greece: 13 dead, others missing in new migrant boat accident

Athens, Dec. 25: At least 13 people died after a migrant boat capsized in the Aegean Sea late Friday, bringing to at least 27 the combined death toll from three accidents in as many days involving migrant boats in Greek waters.   The sinkings came as smugglers increasingly favour a…

12/25/2021

US authorizes Merck’s at-home antiviral COVID-19 pill

Washington, Dec. 24: The US Food and Drug Administration on Thursday authorized Merck & Co’s antiviral pill for Covid-19, after giving the go-ahead to a similar treatment from Pfizer Inc a day earlier.   Merck’s drug, molnupiravir, developed with Ridgeback Biotherapeutics, was shown to reduce hospitalizations and deaths by around…

12/24/2021

Covid-19: China orders lockdown of up to 13 million people in Xi’an

Beijing, Dec. 23: China on Wednesday ordered the lockdown of as many as 13 million people in neighborhoods and workplaces in the northern city of Xi’an following a spike in coronavirus cases.   State media reported that city officials ordered all residents to stay home unless they had a pressing reason…

12/23/2021

Shringla visits Myanmar today in first outreach after coup

New Delhi, Dec. 22: In what is India’s first official outreach to Myanmar’s military-ruled regime, Indian Foreign Secretary Harsh Vardhan Shringla will pay a two-day working visit to Myanmar on December 22 and 23. This will be his first visit to Myanmar since the coup in February this year.  …

12/22/2021

US records first death believed related to Omicron variant, media report

Washington, Dec. 21: Health officials in Texas said the state recorded the first death related to the Omicron Covid-19 variant, ABC News reported on Monday. It is believed to be the first known recorded Omicron death in the United States, ABC said in its report, citing Harris County health officials.   The victim…

12/21/2021

Islamic states’ meeting agrees to set up trust fund for Afghanistan

Islamabad, Dec. 20: A meeting of foreign ministers from the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation agreed on Sunday to establish a humanitarian trust fund to address the growing economic crisis in Afghanistan which has left millions facing hunger over the winter.   The fund will be set up under the Islamic…

12/20/2021

Only India-made equipment for our forces, US, Russia told: Rajnath Singh

New Delhi, Dec. 19: Defence Minister of India Rajnath Singh said on Saturday that India had conveyed to the US, Russia, France and many of its partner countries that military platforms and equipment required by the Indian armed forces had to be manufactured in the country. Referring to regional geopolitical…

12/19/2021

Explosion at Pakistan bank branch kills at least 15

Karachi, Dec. 19: At least 15 people were killed and 16 others injured in an explosion on Saturday at a bank branch in Karachi’s industrial area, police said.   A senior police officer said the blast at a branch of Habib Bank Limited, Pakistan’s largest lender, could have been caused…

12/19/2021

Pfizer study tests extra covid-19 vaccine dose for kids under 5 in setback

New York, Dec. 18: Pfizer said Friday it was changing plans and testing three doses of its COVID-19 vaccine in babies and preschoolers after the usual two shots didn’t appear strong enough for some of the children.   Pfizer announced the change after a preliminary analysis found 2- to 4-year-olds didn’t…

12/18/2021

EU leaders warns of sanctions with ‘massive cost’ if Russia invades Ukraine

Brussels, Dec. 17: The European Union is ready to impose sanctions with a “massive cost” for Russia if the Russian military invades Ukraine, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said on Friday. “Let there be no doubt. If Russia were to move against Ukraine, the Union will be in…

12/17/2021

UK Covid-19 cases hit record high for second day

London, Dec. 17: New cases of COVID-19 in Britain hit a record high for the second day running on Thursday, as England's Chief Medical Officer warned daily hospital admissions could also hit new peaks due to the fast-spreading Omicron coronavirus variant. Britain reported 88,376 new infections, the highest since the start of the…

12/17/2021

UK records highest daily Covid cases since start of pandemic

London, Dec. 16: The United Kingdom recorded its highest daily coronavirus cases since the start of the pandemic on Wednesday as a senior British health chief said there could be a “staggering” rise in cases over the next few days.   A further 78,610 COVID-19 infections were reported, about 10,000 more than…

12/16/2021

Some forces out to spoil India-Nepal ties, says Indian Defence Minister Rajnath Singh

New Delhi, Dec. 15: Defence Minister of India  Rajnath Singh on Wednesday said "some forces" want to spoil India's ties with Nepal, but asserted the government would not allow that to happen at any cost. Addressing the ground breaking ceremony of "Sainya Dham" (martyrs memorial) here, he also said the…

12/15/2021

Vaccine effectiveness against severe COVID drops slightly, still ‘significant protection’-WHO

Geneva, Dec. 15: COVID-19 vaccines appear to have become slightly less effective in preventing severe disease and death but do provide “significant protection”, the World Health Organization (WHO) said on Tuesday.   The Omicron variant first detected in South Africa and Hong Kong last month has now been reported by 77…

12/15/2021

Pfizer confirms Covid-19 pill’s results, potency versus omicron

Washington, Dec. 14: Pfizer said Tuesday that its experimental COVID-19 pill appears effective against the omicron variant.   The company also said full results of its 2,250-person study confirmed the pill’s promising early results against the virus: The drug reduced combined hospitalizations and deaths by about 89 per cent among high-risk…

12/14/2021

Indian PM Modi flags off new Kashi corridor as a bridge from past to future

Varanasi, Dec. 14: The Kashi Vishwanath Dham Corridor, which has revamped and renovated the temple premises and its link to the Ganges, is a testament to a resurgent nation bridging its ancient civilisation and modernity, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi said here Monday after he inaugurated the Rs 339-crore project…

12/14/2021

Austria ends lockdown restrictions for vaccinated people

Vienna, Dec. 13: Austria ended lockdown restrictions for vaccinated people across most of the country on Sunday, three weeks after reimposing strict rules to combat a rising wave of coronavirus infections.   The rules, which vary by region within the country, largely allow for the reopening of theaters, museums and other…

12/13/2021

India looking at five Central Asian leaders as R-Day chief guests

New Delhi, Dec. 13: Delhi is working on plans to get leaders of five Central Asian countries, three of which share a border with Afghanistan, as chief guests for the Republic Day parade and celebrations on January 26, sources told.   According to the Indian Media Indian Express, An informal…

12/13/2021

Dozens dead as tornadoes, storms strike US states

Washington, Dec. 12: A monstrous tornado, carving a track that could rival the longest on record, ripped through the middle of the U.S. in a stormfront that killed dozens and tore apart a candle factory, crushed a nursing home, derailed a train and smashed an Amazon warehouse.   “I pray…

12/12/2021

Pakistani gunmen attack police guarding polio team, 1 killed

Peshawar, Dec. 11: Gunmen attacked two police providing security for polio vaccination workers in northwest Pakistan, shooting and killing one and wounding the other, officials said Saturday.   Mohammad Khurasani, spokesman for Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan, known as the Pakistani Taliban, claimed responsibility. It was the first attack since the TTP on…

12/12/2021

FDA expands Pfizer COVID booster, opens extra dose to age 16

Washington, Dec. 10: The US is expanding COVID-19 boosters, ruling that 16- and 17-year-olds can get a third dose of Pfizer’s vaccine. The US and many other nations already were urging adults to get booster shots to pump up immunity that can wane months after vaccination, calls that intensified with the…

12/10/2021

Indian PM Modi, Rajnath likely to pay tributes to Rawat, others at Palam airport

New Delhi, Dec. 9: Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Defence Minister Rajnath Singh will pay respects to CDS Bipin Rawat and other Armed Forces personnel, who were killed in the chopper crash in Tamil Nadu’s Coonoor, at around 9 PM today. National Security Advisor Ajit Doval and three Services…

12/09/2021

Gen Bipin Rawat chopper crash: General Bipin Rawat, wife among 13 killed

New Delhi, Dec. 8:  Chief of Defence Staff Bipin Rawat, his wife were among 13 killed after an IAF chopper they were travelling in crashed near Coonoor in Tamil Nadu on Wednesday. “With deep regret, it has now been ascertained that General Bipin Rawat, Mrs Madhulika Rawat and 11 other persons on board have…

12/08/2021

Gunman opens fire in Moscow services center, kills two people

Moscow, Dec. 8: A gunman opened fire in a Moscow government services center and killed two people Tuesday, reportedly after being told to put on a face mask, authorities and Russia media said. Four other people were wounded. Moscow Mayor Sergei Sobyanin said on Twitter that a suspect was detained.…

12/08/2021

India, Russia sign 4 deals; New Delhi brings up China aggression

New Delhi, Dec. 7: India signed four agreements with Russia at the first 2+2 meeting between the foreign and defence ministers of the two countries on Monday, and talks included the mention of Chinese aggression by New Delhi and the Covid-19 pandemic. Until now, India has held a 2+2 format of…

12/07/2021

Western countries express concern over Afghan reprisals, Taliban reject accusations

Berlin, Dec. 6: The United States and a group of Western countries including Germany, France and Britain have expressed concern over reported killings and disappearances of former members of the Afghan security forces after the Taliban took power in Afghanistan in August. In a joint statement issued over the weekend,…

12/06/2021

India developing indigenous anti-drone technology, forces will get it soon: Amit

New Delhi, Dec. 5: India is developing indigenous technology to thwart the growing threat of drones on the country’s borders and it will soon be made available to the security forces, Union Home Minister of India Amit Shah said Sunday. “The best technology available in the world will be given…

12/05/2021

Omicron variant may have picked up a piece of common-cold virus

New York, Dec. 5: The Omicron variant of the virus that causes COVID-19 likely acquired at least one of its mutations by picking up a snippet of genetic material from another virus – possibly one that causes the common cold – present in the same infected cells, according to researchers.…

12/05/2021

Armed man outside UN arrested after standoff, lockdown

New York, Dec, 3: The United Nations headquarters in New York City was locked down for several hours Thursday after a man was seen pacing outside one of its main gates with a loaded shotgun, holding it under his chin at times, police said. The man, who appeared to be…

12/03/2021

First known US Omicron case detected in California

Washington, Dec. 2: The United States on Wednesday identified its first known Covid case caused by the Omicron variant, discovered in a fully vaccinated patient in California who travelled to South Africa, as scientists continue to study the risks the new version could pose. Public health officials said the infected person,…

12/02/2021

Russia says some US embassy staff must leave in January

Moscow, Dec. 1: Russia said on Wednesday it was ordering U.S. embassy staff who have been in Moscow for more than three years to fly home by Jan. 31, a retaliatory move for what Moscow said was a U.S. decision to limit the terms of Russian diplomats. The step, the…

12/02/2021

Sweden’s first female premier returns days after quitting

Stockholm, Nov. 30: Sweden’s first female prime minister Magdalena Andersson was reappointed on Monday days after she quit amid political turmoil and jostling ahead of elections. Lawmakers narrowly elected her premier for the second time in less than a week after she set out plans for a minority government made…

11/30/2021

South Africa to remain on lowest lockdown level; calls for immediate end to travel ban

Johannesburg, Nov. 29: South Africa will remain on the lowest ‘Level One’ of its five-level lockdown strategy to fight the Covid-19 pandemic despite the global panic around the detection of the Omicron variant in the country, President Cyril Ramaphosa announced on Sunday. Ramaphosa also called on more than 20 countries that have imposed travel…

11/29/2021

Dutch government apologizes for discredited transgender law

The Hague, Nov. 28: The Dutch government made a public apology Saturday for a now discredited and scrapped law that required transgender people to undergo surgery and sterilization if they wanted to change their gender on their birth certificate. “Nobody should have experienced what you have experienced. I am truly…

11/28/2021

US imposes travel ban from eight African countries over Omicron variant

Washington, Nov. 27: The United States will bar entry to most travelers from eight southern African countries starting on Monday, after a potentially more-contagious new coronavirus variant was identified in South Africa, President Joe Biden said on Friday. The new variant, dubbed Omicron, poses a new challenge for Biden, who…

11/27/2021

India to resume international flights from December 15

New Delhi, Nov. 26: India will resume scheduled international flights from December 15 after the coronavirus-induced suspension, the Aviation Ministry informed on Friday. According to the Indian Media, The Indian Civil Aviation Ministry, in a statement, said the matter of resumption of scheduled commercial international passenger services has been examined in…

11/26/2021

Migrant boat capsizes in English Channel; at least 27 dead

Paris, Nov. 25: British and French officials traded blame on Wednesday after 27 migrants died when their dinghy deflated as they made a perilous crossing of the English Channel. The accident was the worst disaster on record involving migrants in the narrow seaway separating the two countries. The Channel is…

11/25/2021

India to release 5 million barrels of crude oil from strategic reserves to cool prices

New Delhi, Nov. 23: India will release 5 million barrels of crude oil from its emergency stockpile in tandem with the US, China, Japan, and other major economies to cool international oil prices, the government announced on Tuesday. This is the first time ever that India, which stores 5.33 million…

11/23/2021

White House says Joe Biden intends to run again in 2024

Washington, Nov. 23: U.S. US President Joe Biden intends to run for re-election in 2024, White House spokeswoman Jen Psaki told reporters on Monday. Biden, 79, has suffered a dip in his job approval ratings in recent months, leading some Democrats to wonder whether he might not seek another four-year…

11/23/2021

India reaches out, leaders of Bimstec could attend Republic Day 2022

New Delhi, Nov. 22: Efforts are on to have leaders of the Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multi-Sectoral Technical and Economic Cooperation (Bimstec) countries in New Delhi for the Republic Day celebrations next year, it is learnt. Besides India, the seven-nation subregional grouping includes Bangladesh, Myanmar, Sri Lanka, Thailand, Nepal,…

11/22/2021

Thousands protest upcoming lockdown in Vienna

Vienna, Nov. 21: Thousands of protesters gathered in Vienna on Saturday after the Austrian government announced a nationwide lockdown to contain the quickly rising coronavirus infections in the country. The far-right opposition Freedom Party was among those who have called for the protest and vowed to combat the new restrictions. Demonstrations…

11/21/2021

Two wounded as Dutch police fire shots at protest over new Covid-19 restrictions

Amsterdam, Nov. 20: Crowds of rioters in the port city of Rotterdam torched cars and threw rocks at police who responded with shots and water canon, as protests against Covid-19 measures turned violent on Friday night. “We fired warning shots and there were also direct shots fired because the situation was…

11/20/2021

British Columbia deals with flooding as first troops arrive

Vancouver, Nov. 19: A team of Canadian soldiers was in British Columbia on Thursday to assess the needs of local authorities who are dealing with floods and mudslides that forced evacuations, blocked major highways, caused the death of at least one person and killed thousands of farm animals. British Columbia…

11/19/2021

India on China, month after frigid Round 13 of talks: ‘Both agree on ensuring stable ground, no untoward incident’

New Delhi, Nov. 18: More than a month since India and China hardened their position after making no headway within the thirteenth spherical of Corps Commander-level talks, diplomats from the 2 nations agreed Thursday on the “need to find an early resolution to the remaining issues along the LAC in Eastern…

11/18/2021

Biden and Xi agree to look at possible arms control talks: US advisor

Washington, Nov. 17: US President Joe Biden and Chinese leader Xi Jinping agreed at a virtual meeting to look into the possibility of arms control talks, US national security adviser Jake Sullivan said on Tuesday. Biden and Xi agreed to “look to begin to carry forward discussion on strategic stability,”…

11/17/2021

Russian anti-satellite missile test endangers space station crew, says NASA

Washington, Nov. 16: A missile Russia fired into one of its own satellites in a weapons test on Monday generated an orbital debris field that endangered the International Space Station and will pose an ongoing hazard to space activities “for years to come,” US officials said. The seven-member space station crew…

11/16/2021

Biden names former new Orleans Mayor Mitch Landrieu to oversee infrastructure plan

Washington, Nov. 15: US President Joe Biden named former New Orleans Mayor Mitch Landrieu to oversee implementation of the $1 trillion infrastructure plan, the White House said on Sunday. Landrieu, also a Democratic former Louisiana lieutenant governor, led New Orleans from 2010 to 2018. He played a key role in…

11/15/2021

Indian students to be allowed to enter Australia soon: Scott Morrison

New Delhi, Nov. 13: Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison on Friday said in Melbourne that international students and travellers from India would soon be allowed to enter the country. “We’re looking forward to Indian students coming back to Australia…not too long now. We've recognised Indian-manufactured vaccines that will be facilitating…

11/12/2021

German leader Merkel says people have duty to get vaccinated

Wellington, Nov. 12: German Chancellor Angela Merkel said Friday that people have a duty to get vaccinated against the coronavirus to protect others. She spoke as Germany grapples with a new surge of infections, which reached a record daily high of 50,000 on Thursday. Merkel talked for 30 minutes with…

11/12/2021

'Well that was a bedtime fail': New Zealand PM's daughter gatecrashes livestream

New Zealand, Nov. 11: A tiny gatecrasher twice grabbed centre stage from New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern as she updated the nation on curbs being enforced to combat Covid-19. "You're meant to be in bed, darling ... Pop back to bed, I'll come and see you in a second,"…

11/11/2021

Fumio Kishida reelected Japan PM in parliamentary vote

Tokyo, Nov.10: Fumio Kishida was re-elected as Japan's PM on Wednesday after his governing party scored a major victory in key parliamentary elections. Elected just over a month ago by parliament, Kishida called a quick election in which his Liberal Democratic Party secured 261 seats in the 465-member lower house,…

11/10/2021

Germany’s infection rate hits new high

Berlin, Nov. 9: Germany's coronavirus infection rate climbed to its highest recorded level yet on Monday as what officials have called a “pandemic of the unvaccinated” gathers pace. The national disease control centre, the Robert Koch Institute, said the country has seen 201.1 new cases per 1,00,000 residents over the…

11/09/2021

WHO, UNICEF launch Afghan polio vaccine campaign with Taliban backing

Kabul, Nov. 8: The World Health Organization (WHO) and the United Nations children’s agency kicked off a polio vaccination campaign in Afghanistan on Monday, the first nationwide campaign to fight the disease in three years. Naikwali Shah Momim, the National Emergency Operations Coordinator for the polio programme at Afghanistan’s health…

11/08/2021

India at COP26 says its solar energy capacity increased 17 times in 7 years; now at 45 GW

Glasgow, Nov. 8: India on Sunday told the UN climate summit here that its solar energy capacity stands at about 45 gigawatts after it increased 17 times in the last seven years, asserting that although the country represents 17 per cent of the global population, its historical cumulative emissions are…

11/08/2021

India, France agree to expand partnership in defence, security

New Delhi, Nov. 7: India and France agreed to strengthen defence and security partnership by enhancing intelligence and information sharing, bolstering capabilities, expanding military drills and pursuing new initiatives in maritime, space and cyber domains, the Indian embassy in Paris said on Saturday. According to the Indian Media, The two…

11/07/2021

Oil tanker explodes in Sierra Leone, killing at least 92

Freetown, Nov. 6: An oil tanker exploded near Sierra Leone’s capital, killing at least 92 people and severely injuring dozens of others after large crowds gathered to collect leaking fuel, officials and witnesses said Saturday. The explosion took place late Friday after a bus struck the tanker in Wellington, a…

11/06/2021

Pfizer says antiviral pill cuts risk of severe Covid-19 by 89%

Washington, Nov. 5: A trial of Pfizer Inc’s experimental antiviral pill for COVID-19 was stopped early after the drug was shown to cut by 89% the chances of hospitalization or death for adults at risk of developing severe disease, the company said on Friday. The results appear to surpass those seen…

11/05/2021

EU says talks on 2015 Iran nuclear deal to resume November 29

Brussels, Nov. 4: The European Union announced on Wednesday that talks between world powers and Iran to revive the troubled 2015 Iran nuclear deal will resume in Vienna on November 29. The EU said the meeting of the commission of the so-called Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action will be attended…

11/04/2021

World should respond to climate change as if hit by a global war, Pope tells COP26

Glasgow, Nov. 3: Pope Francis said on Tuesday that the twin wounds inflicted by the COVID-19 pandemic and climate change were comparable to those caused by a global conflict and should be confronted in the same way. In a message to the U.N. COP26 climate talks read in Glasgow by Vatican…

11/03/2021

Indian PM Modi surprises climate summit with 2070 net-zero vow for India

Glasgow, Nov. 2: Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi surprised delegates at the COP26 climate summit with a bold pledge: the world’s third-biggest emitter will reach net-zero by 2070. The announcement injected new life into talks that had been set back by a disappointing outcome from the Group of 20 meeting…

11/02/2021

Indian PM Modi in Glasgow for COP26 Summit

London, Nov. 1: British Prime Minister Boris Johnson Monday opened the global climate summit saying the world is strapped to a “doomsday device.” He likened the Earth’s position to that of fictional secret agent James Bond — strapped to a bomb that will destroy the planet and trying to work…

11/01/2021

Indian Prime Minister Modi’s plane flies over Pak airspace en route to Italy

New Delhi, Oct. 31: Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s special VVIP flight, en route to Italy for the G20 Summit, flew over the Pakistani airspace on Friday and the aircraft will use it again on its return journey after getting formal permission from Islamabad, according to a media report here…

10/31/2021

Trump wants call logs, aide’s notes hidden from January 6 panel

Washington, Oct. 31: Former President Donald Trump is trying to block documents including call logs, drafts of remarks and speeches and handwritten notes from his chief of staff relating to the January 6 Capitol insurrection from being released to the committee investigating the riot, the National Archives revealed in a…

10/31/2021

Make India a partner in economic recovery: Indian PM Modi at G-20 summit

Rome, Oct. 30: Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi called upon G-20 countries to make India their partner in economic recovery and resilient global supply chains. Speaking at the G-20 Summit’s inaugural session on economy and Covid in Rome on Saturday, he touched on India’s economic reforms and its willingness to…

10/30/2021

Modi holds extensive discussions with top EU leaders on trade, Covid-19, global issues

Rome, Oct. 29: Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday held wide-ranging talks with the top leaders of the European Union here during which the two sides discussed deepening the India-EU friendship, particularly in areas such as trade, commerce, culture and the environment. Prime Minister Modi, who arrived here earlier…

10/29/2021

Airstrike in Ethiopia’s Tigray kills 10, including children

Nairobi, Oct. 29: Children were among 10 people killed when an Ethiopian military airstrike hit the capital of the country’s Tigray region on Thursday, a doctor said. It was the deadliest of a new round of airstrikes that began last week as the year-long war intensifies. International calls for a cease-fire…

10/29/2021

World needs $5 trillion in annual climate finance by 2030 for rapid action

Climate finance needs to rise sharply to 5 trillion U.S. dollars a year globally by 2030 to fund measures to fight climate change, researchers said on Thursday warning that transformation across economies is too slow to meet international temperature goals. From transport to agriculture and electricity, progress is lagging in…

10/28/2021

India successfully test-fires surface-to-surface ballistic missile Agni-5

New Delhi, Oct. 28: In a major boost to its military might, India on Wednesday successfully test-fired surface-to-surface ballistic missile Agni-5 that can strike targets at ranges up to 5,000 km with a very high degree of accuracy, officials said. The test-firing was carried around 7:50 PM from APJ Abdul…

10/28/2021

Indian-origin Anita Anand is Canada’s new Defence Minister

Toronto, Oct. 27: Indian-origin Canadian politician Anita Anand was on Tuesday appointed as the country’s new Defence Minister in a Cabinet reshuffle by Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, over a month after his Liberal Party returned power in the snap polls and amid calls for major military reforms. Anand, 54, will…

10/27/2021

US set to appeal UK refusal to extradite WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange

London, Oct. 27: The US government is scheduled to ask Britain’s High Court on Wednesday to overturn a judge’s decision that WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange should not be sent to the United States to face espionage charges. In January, a lower court judge refused an American request to extradite Assange…

10/27/2021

Sudan’s prime minister, detained after coup, returns home

Cairo, Oct. 27: Sudan’s deposed prime minister and his wife were allowed to return home Tuesday, a day after they were detained when the military seized power in a coup, according to a statement issued by his office. The release of Prime Minister Abdallah Hamdok and his wife followed international…

10/27/2021

Who are Japan's Princess Mako and her husband, Kei Komuro?

Tokyo, Oct. 26: Japan's Princess Mako, the emperor's niece, on Tuesday married her college sweetheart, a commoner named Kei Komuro, by submitting documents to register her marriage, after a long engagement marked by intense media scrutiny and opposition. The two, both 30, will move to New York, where Komuro works…

10/26/2021

US issues new rules for vaccinated air travellers; lifts severe restrictions on India

Washington, Oct. 26: US President Joe Biden on Monday signed an order imposing new vaccine requirements for most foreign national air travellers and lifting severe travel restrictions on China, India and much of Europe effective Nov. 8, the White House said. The extraordinary US travel restrictions were first imposed in…

10/26/2021

PM, officials detained, internet down in apparent Sudan coup

Cairo, Oct. 25: Sudan's interim prime minister and a number of senior government officials were arrested on Monday, the information ministry said, describing the actions as a military coup. The internet in the country was largely cut off and military forces closed bridges, according to the ministry's Facebook page. It…

10/25/2021

IS claims responsibility for bomb attack in Uganda

Cairo, Oct. 25: Islamic state claimed responsibility for a bomb attack that killed at least one person in Uganda’s capital Kampala on Saturday night, the militant group said in a statement posted in an affiliated Telegram channel late on Sunday. The group said that some of its members detonated an…

10/25/2021

US urges North Korea to stop missile tests and return to talks

Seoul, Oct. 24: A senior US diplomat on Sunday urged North Korea to refrain from additional missile tests and resume nuclear diplomacy between the countries, days after the North fired-off its first underwater-launched ballistic missile in two years. Sung Kim, the top US official on North Korea affairs, spoke after…

10/24/2021

Deal on Biden’s USD 2T plan edges closer; Harris is ‘confident’

Washington, Oct. 24: A deal within reach, President Joe Biden and Congress’ top Democrats edged close to sealing their giant domestic legislation, though the informal deadline appeared to slip as they worked to scale back the measure and determine how to pay for it. Negotiations were expected to continue into…

10/24/2021

Austrian chancellor threatens lockdown for unvaccinated

Vienna, Oct. 23: Unvaccinated people in Austria could face new lockdown restrictions if coronavirus case numbers continue to rise, Chancellor Alexander Schallenberg said. The news came after a Friday evening meeting between Schallenberg and state-level leaders to discuss their response to rapidly increasing case numbers. “The pandemic is not yet in…

10/23/2021

‘Science-born, science-driven, science-based’, Modi on India’s vaccination programme

New Delhi, Oct. 23: Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, while addressing the nation on Friday after the country’s milestone of 100 crore vaccinations, said the vaccination programme was “science-born, science-driven and science-based”, and asserted that it had been ensured there was no “VIP culture” in the drive. From the development…

10/23/2021

First female head of Japan labour lobby vows to empower women

Tokyo, Oct. 22: The first female president of Japan’s powerful labour union federation said Friday she will work to correct the gender gap in wages and working conditions to help empower women. “Progress is extremely slow,” said Tomoko Yoshino, who was elected this month as head of the 7 million-member…

10/22/2021

Queen Elizabeth back home after first night in hospital in years

London, Oct. 22: Britain’s 95-year-old Queen Elizabeth spent a night in hospital for the first time in years for what royal officials termed ‘preliminary investigations’ but was in good spirits and back at work at her Windsor Castle home on Thursday. The world’s oldest and longest-reigning monarch cancelled an official…

10/22/2021

New Zealand swears in first indigenous woman as Governor-general

Wellington, Oct. 21: New Zealand’s first indigenous Maori woman to be named Governor-general, Dame Cindy Kiro, was formally sworn into the largely ceremonial role in parliament in Wellington on Thursday, pledging to reach out to migrants and marginalised citizens. Speaking to a small audience at the swearing-in ceremony, Dame Cindy…

10/21/2021

Three US-Indians appointed White House fellows

Washington, Oct. 20: The White House on Monday named 19 young emerging leaders as its fellows for 2021-22, three of whom are Indian-Americans. The prestigious White House Fellowship programme embeds professionals from diverse backgrounds for a year of working as a full-time, paid fellow for White House staff, cabinet secretaries…

10/20/2021

Indian PM flags off Kushinagar airport, says will help region’s economy

New Delhi, Oct. 20: Inaugurating the third international airport of Uttar Pradesh in Kushinagar on Wednesday, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said the project is a tribute to the devotion of Buddhist society across the world. He also said completion of the project comes as fulfilment of one of his “commitments”…

10/20/2021

Indian diplomat’s mike goes silent at UN conference while criticising China’s BRI

Beijing, Oct. 20: India has voiced its strong opposition to China’s Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) and its flagship project - the CPEC - at the just concluded second UN Sustainable Transport Conference where the Indian diplomat’s mike curiously went silent while she was highlighting New Delhi’s objection to the…

10/20/2021

Chinese, Russian naval vessels jointly sail through Japan strait

Tokyo, Oct. 20: A group of 10 naval vessels from China and Russia sailed through a strait separating Japan’s main island and its northern island of Hokkaido on Monday, the Japanese Government said, adding it was closely watching such activities. It was the first time Japan has confirmed the passage…

10/20/2021

North Korea fires ballistic missile into sea in latest test

Seoul, Oct. 19: North Korea fired a ballistic missile into the sea on Tuesday in a continuation of its recent weapons tests, the South Korean and Japanese militaries said, hours after the US reaffirmed its offer to resume diplomacy on the North's nuclear weapons programme. The South's Joint Chiefs of…

10/19/2021

Myanmar to free more than 5,000 jailed for anti-coup protests: junta chief

Yangon, Oct. 18: Myanmar will release more than 5,000 people jailed for protesting against a February coup which ousted the civilian government, the country's junta chief said Monday. A total of 5,636 prisoners will be freed to mark the Thadingyut festival later in October, Min Aung Hlaing said, days after…

10/18/2021

US offers payments, relocation to family of Afghans killed in botched drone attack

Washington, Oct. 16: The Pentagon has offered unspecified condolence payments to the family of 10 civilians who were killed in a botched US drone attack in Afghanistan in August during the final days before American troops withdrew from the country. The US Defense Department said it made a commitment that…

10/16/2021

Scotland Yard probes Islamist terror link to British MP’s fatal stabbing

London, Oct. 16: Scotland Yard on Saturday said its Counter Terrorism Command is leading the investigation into the killing of Conservative Party parliamentarian David Amess as they probe a potential Islamist terrorism link to the fatal stabbing at Leigh-on-Sea in Essex on Friday. A 25-year-old British man, believed to be…

10/16/2021

Indian-American nominated to key Pentagon post

Washington, Oct. 15: US President Joe Biden has announced his intent to nominate Indian-American aerospace and defence expert Ravi Chaudhary to a key position in the Pentagon, the White House has said. A former US Air Force officer and pilot, Chaudhary was on Thursday nominated for the position of the…

10/15/2021

Bangladesh temple attacks: Those involved will be ‘hunted down and punished,’ says Sheikh Hasina

Dhaka, Oct. 15: Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina said on Thursday that those involved in the recent vandalism of Hindu temples in the country will be “hunted down and punished.” At least four persons were killed in violence after some Hindu temples in Bangladesh were vandalised by unidentified Muslim bigots…

10/15/2021

Russia marks pandemic high of infections, deaths

Moscow, Oct. 14: Russia on Thursday recorded the highest daily numbers of coronavirus infections and deaths since the start of the pandemic, a rapidly surging toll that has severely strained the nation’s health care system. The government’s coronavirus task force reported 31,299 new confirmed coronavirus cases and 986 deaths in…

10/14/2021

India: Include Chabahar Port in North-South Transport Corridor

New Delhi, Oct. 13: Stressing the need for enhanced connectivity, External Affairs Minister of India, S Jaishankar on Wednesday proposed that the strategic Chabahar Port in Iran be included in the North-South Transport Corridor that has the potential to bridge connectivity barriers, as he agreed on a roadmap for future…

10/13/2021

Climate change: England must ‘adapt or die’, warns agency

London, Oct. 13: England will be hit hard by floods like those that devastated Germany this summer if the country does not improve its defence against more extreme weather brought by climate change, a governmental agency said Wednesday. In a report, the Environment Agency warned of hotter, drier summers, more…

10/13/2021

Justice Department again presses to halt Texas abortion law

Austin, (Texas), Oct. 12: The Biden administration urged the courts again Monday night to step in and suspend a new Texas law that has banned most abortions since early September, as clinics hundreds of miles away remain busy with Texas patients making long journeys to get care. The latest attempt…

10/12/2021

North Korean leader Kim Jong Un vows to build ‘invincible’ military while slamming US

Seoul, Oct. 12: North Korean leader Kim Jong Un reviewed a rare exhibition of weapons systems and vowed to build an “invincible” military, as he accused the United States of creating tensions and not taking action to prove it has no hostile intent towards the North, state media reported on…

10/12/2021

Nobel Prize 2021 in Economics awarded to David Card, Joshua Angrist and Guido Imbens

New York, Oct. 11: Three US-based economists won the 2021 Nobel prize for economics on Monday for pioneering research on the labour market impacts of minimum wage, immigration and education, and for creating the scientific framework to allow conclusions to be drawn from such studies that can’t use traditional methodology.…

10/11/2021

16 killed, 7 injured after Russian skydiver plane crashes in Tatarstan region

Moscow, Oct. 10: A plane carrying a group of parachute jumpers crashed in the Russian region of Tatarstan on Sunday, killing 16 people and injuring six, the Emergencies Ministry said. The aircraft, which came down near the city of Menzelinsky, had been carrying 20 parachutists and two crew members. Six…

10/10/2021

With 849 new cases Coronavirus national tally reaches 799,615

Kathmandu, Oct. 6: The Ministry of Health and Population informed 849 new cases of coronavirus on Wednesday. With this, the national coronavirus tally has reached 799,615.  According to the Ministry, 849 persons tested positive for the coronavirus at various labs across the country in the past 24 hours.

10/06/2021

India, Lanka to deepen fiscal ties; connectivity thrust area

New Delhi, Oct. 4: Foreign Secretary of India Harsh Vardhan Shringla on Monday said it is important for India and Sri Lanka to jointly combat the adverse impact of Covid by deepening their economic partnership. In this respect, he identified connectivity between the two countries as a thrust area. “As…

10/04/2021

UK eases travel rules, but upsets nations not on list

London, Oct. 4: Simplified international travel rules took effect on Monday in the UK, easing quarantine and testing requirements for fully vaccinated travelers from more than 50 countries, and the Conservative government vowed it will seek to regularly expand the rules to more nations. Still, the rules have sparked anger…

10/04/2021

Iran asked US to unfreeze $10 bln to show good will, Iran official says

Dubai, Oct. 3: Iran’s foreign minister said on Saturday that US officials tried to discuss restarting nuclear talks last month, but he insisted Washington must first release $10 billion of Tehran’s frozen funds as a sign of good will. Iran has rejected direct talks with the United States, and indirect…

10/03/202

Air ambulance crashes in UAE, killing 4

Dubai, Oct. 2: An Abu Dhabi air ambulance flown by the emirate’s police crashed Saturday, killing four people. The Abu Dhabi police gave no details on the location or cause of the crash. Police said the dead included two pilots, a civilian doctor and a nurse. Abu Dhabi is the…

10/02/2021

India, Sri Lanka to conduct 12-day military exercise; focus on counter-terror cooperation

New Delhi, Oct. 2: India and Sri Lanka will carry out a 12-day mega military exercise from Monday with a focus on enhancing counter-terror cooperation. The eighth edition of the ‘Mitra Shakti’ exercise will be conducted at Combat Training School in Sri Lanka’s Ampara from October 4 to 15, the…

10/02/2021

Fire at COVID-19 hospital in Romania kills nine people

Bucharest, Oct. 1: Nine people died on Friday when a fire broke out in an intensive care unit at a Romanian hospital treating COVID-19 patients, officials said, the country’s third deadly hospital fire in less than a year. Firefighters extinguished the fire at the hospital in the eastern city of Constanta…

10/01/2021

Developments in Afghanistan will have very, very significant consequences: Jaishankar

New Delhi, Oct. 1: India was not taken into confidence on various aspects of the Doha deal inked between the US and the Taliban last year and the latest developments in Afghanistan will have “very, very significant consequences” for the region and beyond, External Affairs Minister of India S Jaishankar…

10/01/2021

France’s Nicolas Sarkozy found guilty of illegally financing 2012 election bid

Paris, Sept. 30: Former French President Nicolas Sarkozy was found guilty of illegal campaign financing over his failed 2012 re-election bid by a Paris court on Thursday. It was the second guilty verdict this year for Sarkozy, who led France from 2007 to 2012 and retains influence among conservatives despite…

09/30/2021

North Korea accuses US of hostility, continues weapons tests

Seoul, Sept. 28: North Korea on Monday accused the United States of keeping up its “hostile policy” and demanded the Biden administration permanently end joint military exercises with South Korea even as it continued its recent streak of weapons tests apparently aimed at pressuring Washington and Seoul over slow nuclear…

09/28/2021

Taliban ask airlines to resume international flights to Afghanistan

Islamabad, Sept. 27: The Taliban government in Afghanistan appealed on Sunday for international flights to be resumed, promising full cooperation with airlines and saying problems at the Kabul airport had been resolved. The statement from the foreign affairs ministry comes as the new administration has stepped up efforts to open…

09/27/2021

Canada lifts ban on direct flights from India

Toronto, Sept. 26: Canada will allow direct flights from India from Monday, lifting the ban on them after a gap of more than five months.                                 Announcing the decision, Transport Canada on Saturday in a tweet said: “Beginning at 00:01 EDT on September 27, direct flights from India…

09/26/2021

Indo-US alliance to define security, economic landscape, says Modi-Biden Joint Statement

New Delhi, Sept. 25: The decisions taken at the bilateral meeting between Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and US President Joe Biden in Washington on Friday would define the economic and security landscape of the next century, said a Joint Statement.   The two sides will build a strategic partnership…

09/25/2021

Modi, Japanese PM reaffirm commitment for free, open Indo-Pacific ahead of Quad meeting

Washington, Sept. 24: Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his Japanese counterpart Yoshihide Suga have reaffirmed their commitment towards a free, open and inclusive Indo-Pacific region, as they reviewed the multi-faceted bilateral relationship and exchanged views on recent global developments, including in Afghanistan, ahead of the first in-person Quad meeting…

09/24/2021

Indian PM Modi to meet Kamala Harris, hold bilaterals with Japanese and Australian PMs

Washington, Sept. 23: Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday is scheduled to have as many as eight meetings, including with Vice President Kamala Harris, on the first working day of his current US trip. Apart from meeting Harris at the White House, the Prime minister will also have two…

09/23/2021

Modi leaves for US, says visit occasion to strengthen strategic ties

New Delhi, Sept. 22: Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday said his visit to the United States would be an occasion to strengthen the Indo-US Comprehensive Global Strategic Partnership and consolidate ties with Japan and Australia. In a statement just before leaving for the US, Modi said he would…

09/22/2021

Biden promises era of ‘relentless diplomacy’ post Afghan pullout

New York, Sept. 21: US President Joe Biden defended the chaotic US withdrawal from Afghanistan on Tuesday in a speech to the United Nations, arguing it was a necessary step to pivot US policy to focus on a global challenge from anti-democratic systems, the Covid-19 pandemic and climate change. “We’ve…

09/21/2021

India to resume export of Covishield vaccines from next month, neighboring countries to get first priority

New Delhi, Sept. 20: India has announced to resume export of Covishield vaccines from next month. India's Union Minister for Health Mansukh Mandaviya said on Monday that India will resume export and donations of surplus vaccines from October. He also announced that India would give the first priority to neighboring…

09/20/2021

Indian Minister S. Jaishankar, Saudi FM talk Covid curbs, Afghanistan

New Delhi, Sept. 20: Indian External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar met his visiting Saudi counterpart Prince Faisal bin Farhan Al Saud here on Sunday. The first ministerial visit from Saudi Arabia to India since the outbreak of the Covid-19 pandemic took place against the backdrop of both countries having to…

09/20/2021

France says Australia-US submarine deal ‘huge mistake’

Canberra, Australia, Sept. 18: France’s ambassador to Australia has described as a “huge mistake” Australia’s surprise cancellation of a major submarine contract in favor of a U.S. deal, in an unprecedented show of anger among the allies.   French envoy Jean-Pierre Thebault delivered his comments Saturday as he left his…

09/18/2021

Indian PM Modi turns 71; Dalai Lama, Rahul Gandhi extend wishes; auction of Neeraj Chopra's javelin to mark birthday

New Delhi, Sept. 17: Indian Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, Tibetan head The Dalai Lama, Amit Shah, President of India were among the first to wish Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi on his birthday. PM Modi turned 71 years on Friday. Among the plans for the celebration is e-auction of gifts and mementos received…

09/17/2021

Afghan Deputy PM Mullah Baradar releases video after death rumours

Kabul, Sept. 16: Under intense pressure and questions over his whereabouts, the Taliban’s Deputy Prime Minister of Afghanistan Mullah Abdul Ghani Baradar has now released a video message. “There had been news in the media about my health and death. Over the past few nights, I have been away on…

09/16/2021

Indian PM Narendra Modi to attend Quad summit in US on September 24

New Delhi, Sept. 15: Afghanistan, more than the Indo-Pacific, may occupy centre stage at the first-ever in-person Quad summit to be hosted by US President Joe Biden on September 24. Indian PM Narendra Modi will participate along with PMs of Japan and Australia. The meet will review progress made since…

09/15/2021

US, Japan and South Korea meet after North Korea missile test

Tokyo, Sept. 14: Senior envoys from Japan, the US and South Korea have held talks in Tokyo that focused on North Korea’s missile and nuclear programs. The three diplomats agreed that “dialogue was urgent to accomplish the complete denuclearization of the Korean peninsula.” according to South Korea’s foreign ministry. Close…

09/14/2021

Taliban breaking promises, including over women, says UN

Geneva, Sept. 13: Afghanistan’s Taliban rulers have contradicted public promises on rights, including by ordering women to stay at home, blocking teenage girls from school and holding house-to-house searches for former foes, a United Nations official said on Monday. High Commissioner for Human Rights Michelle Bachelet said Afghanistan was in…

09/13/2021

Afghan musicians flee Kabul, fearing for their lives and dire future for art under Taliban rule

Peshawar, Sept. 12: Ashraf Gulzar, an Afghan singer, mentioned the Taliban have banned all music programmes in Kabul which is a matter of concern for the individuals related to the music trade. The scheduled music occasions organized with Pakistani artists in Kabul, Jalalabad, and different large cities of Afghanistan have…

09/12/2021

India, Australia emphasise on importance of combating terrorism without compromise

New Delhi, Sept. 11: In a high-level foreign and defence ministerial dialogue, India and Australia on Saturday set out an ambitious framework for defence with Afghanistan as a major subject of discussion. During the inaugural ‘two-plus-two’ talks between External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar and Defence Minister Rajnath Singh and their…

09/11/2021

Interim Taliban govt does not reflect what international community hoped to see: US

Washington, Sept. 10: The interim Taliban government does not reflect what the international community and the United States hoped to see, the Biden Administration said on Thursday. "We have spoken about our reaction to the initial caretaker government. You have heard us say that the lack of inclusivity, the track…

09/10/2021

Indo-Canadian lawmaker condemns killing of Indian youth, says fight to eradicate racism must continue

Toronto, Sept. 9: An Indo-Canadian lawmaker on Thursday condemned the murder of an Indian youth in Canada’s Nova Scotia province, saying hate, violence and racism have no place in the country and the fight to eradicate these menaces must continue. Prabhjot Singh Katri, 23, was found murdered at an apartment…

09/09/2021

China, Pakistan and Russia trying to figure out what to do with Taliban, says Biden

Washington, Sept. 8: China, Pakistan, Russia and Iran are trying to figure out what do they do now with the Taliban, US President Joe Biden said on Tuesday. Hours after the Taliban announced the details of its interim government, Biden told reporters that China had a "real problem" with the…

09/08/2021

Mullah Hasan Akhund to head proposed Taliban govt, Mullah Baradar to serve as his deputy: Media report

Peshawar, Sept. 7: Mullah Mohammad Hassan Akhund, the head of the powerful Taliban decision-making arm, the Rehbari Shura, has been named as the new head of Afghanistan by the group’s top leader, Mullah Hebatullah Akhundzada. This has been claimed in a news of Pakistani media. The newspaper The News International,…

09/07/2021

Taliban suicide bomber blows himself up in Pakistan; 3 killed, 20 injured

Karachi, Sept. 5: A suicide bomber of the outlawed Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan blew himself up in the country’s restive Balochistan province on Sunday, killing at least three security personnel and injuring 20 people, according to officials. The attack targeted a Frontier Corps (FC) checkpost on the Mastung road in Quetta, the…

09/05/2021

At least 17 killed in celebratory gunfire in Kabul: Reports

Kabul, Sept. 4: At least 17 people were killed in celebratory gunfire in Kabul, news agencies said on Saturday, after Taliban sources said their fighters had seized control of Panjshir, the last province in Afghanistan holding out against the Islamist group. Leaders of opposition to the Taliban have denied that…

09/04/2021

Afghan govt formation by Taliban postponed, to be announced on Saturday: Spokesperson

Peshawar, Sept. 3: The formation of a new Afghan government by the Taliban, which was to be announced on Friday, has now been delayed by a day, according to the spokesman of the insurgents Zabiullah Mujahid. Mujahid said the announcement about the formation of the new government will now be…

09/03/2021

Green signal from Taliban; Afghanistan board eyes Australia, India tours

Kabul, Sept. 2: In an indication that the brand new Taliban regime in Afghanistan could permit sporting occasions to go forward, a high official of the Afghan Cricket Board advised The Indian Express on Wednesday that the group’s tour of Australia this yr, which is able to embody the primary…

09/02/2021

India in chair, UNSC adopts resolution on Taliban; Russia and China abstain

New Delhi, Sept. 1: Around the time the last US soldier was exiting Kabul, the United Nations Security Council, under India’s presidency, adopted a resolution that gave de facto recognition to the Taliban as a state actor in Afghanistan. The resolution, sponsored by France, UK and the US, was adopted…

09/01/2021

20-year military presence in Afghanistan ends, says US President Joe Biden

Washington, Aug. 31: America's 20-year-old military presence in Afghanistan has ended, President Joe Biden announced, hours after the United States withdrew all of its soldiers from the war-ravaged country. “Now, our 20-year military presence in Afghanistan has ended,” he said, thanking armed forces for their execution of the dangerous retrograde…

08/31/2021

India holds talks with senior Taliban official, first since fall of Kabul

New Delhi, Aug. 31: India's ambassador to Qatar held talks with a top Taliban leader on Tuesday, the Indian foreign ministry said, the first formal engagement since the hardline Islamist group took over Afghanistan. The envoy, Deepak Mittal, met Sher Mohammad Abbas Stanekzai, the head of the Taliban’s Political Office…

08/31/2021

Indian President Ram Nath Kovind visits Ayodhya temple construction site, offers prayers to Ram Lalla

New Delhi, Aug. 29: Indian President Ram Nath Kovind Sunday offered prayers to Ram Lalla, visiting the site where a Ram temple is being constructed in Ayodhya, a city which he said was nothing without the deity. “Without Ram, Ayodhya is not Ayodhya. Ayodhya exists where there is Ram. Lord…

08/29/2021

US, India to continue coordination on Afghanistan

New Delhi, Aug. 29: Indian External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar spoke on Sunday with US Secretary of State Antony Blinken to discuss continued coordination on Afghanistan and in the UN. The news was noticed in Kabul as Blinken and Jaishankar agreed to remain closely coordinated on “shared goals and priorities”…

08/29/2021

21 killed as boat capsizes in Bangladesh

Dhaka, Aug. 28: At least 21 people were killed after a boat carrying over 100 passengers capsized in Bangladesh's Titas river following a head-on collision with a sand-laden vessel, which got hit by another ship from behind, authorities said on Saturday. A passenger, Ali Akhter Rizvi, told IANS that the…

08/28/2021

'We will hunt you down and make you pay', Biden warns Kabul airport attackers

Washington, Aug. 27: US President Joe Biden has vowed to “hunt” down the terrorists and make them “pay” for the twin blasts at the Kabul airport in Afghanistan that killed 13 American soldiers and injured 18 others, and ordered his commanders to develop plans to strike back at them. Two…

08/27/2021

Situation in Afghanistan critical, evacuating Indian personnel top priority, govt says at all-party meet

New Delhi, Aug. 26: Evacuating Indian personnel from Afghanistan, where the situation is "critical", was a top priority, the government said on Thursday at the all-party meet, convened to brief them on the Afghan situation. External Affairs Minister of India S Jaishankar briefed the leaders on the latest situation in…

08/26/2021

Western nations race to complete Afghan evacuation as deadline looms

Kabul, Aug. 25: Western nations rushed to complete the evacuation of thousands of people from Afghanistan on Wednesday as the Aug. 31 deadline for the withdrawal of foreign troops drew closer with no sign that the country's new Taliban rulers might allow an extension. In one of the biggest such…

08/25/2021

CIA director held secret meeting with Taliban leader Baradar in Kabul: Report

Washington, Aug. 24: America’s top spy held a secret meeting with the Taliban’s de facto leader Abdul Ghani Baradar in Kabul on Monday in the highest-level face-to-face encounter between the two sides since the militant group seized the Afghan capital, a media report said on Tuesday. The Taliban seized power…

08/24/2021

India brings back 146 of its evacuated nationals from Doha

New Delhi, Aug. 23: India on Monday brought back 146 of its nationals in four different flights from Qatar's capital Doha, days after they were evacuated from Afghanistan by NATO and American aircraft in view of the deteriorating security situation in the war-torn country. People familiar with the development said…

08/23/2021

Malaysia’s new PM strikes conciliatory tone in 1st address

Kuala Lumpur, Aug. 22: Malaysia’s new Prime Minister Ismail Sabri Yaakob struck a conciliatory tone in his first national address Sunday, saying he would embrace the opposition in an effort to tackle the runaway pandemic and revive a slumping economy. A day after being sworn in, Ismail said the political…

08/22/2021

India Approves World’s first DNA Covid Vaccine

New Delhi, Aug. 21: India on Friday granted emergency use authorization to the “world’s first and India’s indigenously developed DNA-based vaccine for COVID-19,” an official statement said. According to the Indian Ministry of Science and Technology, Zydus Cadila, an Indian pharmaceutical company was granted approval for its three-dose ZyCoV-D vaccine.…

08/21/2021

UK will work with Taliban if necessary, says PM Johnson

London, Aug. 21: British Prime Minister Boris Johnson has said the UK’s diplomatic efforts to find a solution in Afghanistan remain ongoing, which leaves open the prospect of working with the Taliban “if necessary”. Speaking to the media after an emergency Cabinet Office Briefing Rooms (COBRA) meeting to discuss the…

08/21/2021

Indians released from Taliban custody await evacuation at Kabul

New Delhi, Aug. 21: The Indian Government is likely to send an aircraft to evacuate Indians from Kabul after they were released from Taliban custody and have been asked to wait near the airport.    Earlier in the morning, the Taliban released over 200 people, many of them Indian nationals and…

08/21/2021

Destructive, terror forces can dominate for some time, but their existence is not permanent: Modi

Somnath (India), Aug. 20: Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday said destructive forces and people who followed the ideology of creating empires through terror could dominate for some time, but their existence is not permanent as they could not suppress humanity forever. He was speaking while virtually inaugurating a…

08/20/2021

Afghan President Ashraf Ghani releases video, first since fleeing Kabul

Dubai, Aug. 19: Afghan President Ashraf Ghani on Wednesday defended his decision to flee Kabul in the face of the Taliban advance, describing it as the only way to prevent bloodshed. He also denied claims by his country's ambassador to Tajikistan that he had stolen millions of dollars from state…

08/19/2021

India announces new category of visa for Afghans

New Delhi, Aug. 17: Keeping in view the prevailing situation in Afghanistan, the Union Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) of India on Tuesday said it had worked out new category of electronic visa to fast-track their applications for entry into India. A senior MHA official said, "The Ministry has reviewed…

08/17/2021

India Independence Day 2021: ‘Sabka Prayaas’ crucial for building new India, says Indian PM Modi

New Delhi, Aug. 15: India is celebrating its 75th Independence Day and marking another milestone in the history of the world’s largest democracy. Addressing the nation from Red Fort, Indian PM Modi lauded the Tokyo Olympic winners and Covid warriors. Giving a call for ‘Sabka Prayas’ along with ‘Sabka Saath, Sabka…

08/15/2021

Indian President cites Tokyo lesson for parents of daughters

New Delhi, Aug. 15: Highlighting India’s “stellar performances” at the recently concluded Tokyo Olympics, Indian President Ram Nath Kovind Saturday appreciated the success of women in all walks of life, including sports, and urged parents to learn from the families of such daughters and provide opportunities to their daughters also…

08/15/2021

Afghan president says in urgent talks as Taliban take key town near Kabul, attack northern city

Kabul, Aug. 14: Afghanistan's President Ashraf Ghani said he was in urgent talks with local leaders and international partners as Taliban rebels pushed closer to Kabul, capturing a key town south of the capital that is one of the gateways to the city. Afghan President Ashraf Ghani delivered a televised…

08/14/2021

Japan’s Defence Minister Nobuo Kishi visits war shrine; South Korea upset

Tokyo, Aug. 14: Japan’s Defence Minister Nobuo Kishi on Friday visited a Tokyo shrine viewed by China and both Koreas as a symbol of Japanese wartime aggression to pray for the war dead just days before the nation marks the 76th anniversary of its World War II defeat. Victims of…

08/14/2021

Taliban capture Afghanistan’s biggest cities Kandahar and Herat

Kabul, Aug. 13: The Taliban have captured Afghanistan’s second biggest city of Kandahar, officials said on Friday, fueling fears the U.S.-backed government could fall to the insurgents as international forces complete their withdrawal after 20 years of war. The Taliban also captured the towns of Lashkar Gah in the south…

08/13/2021

Three Indians airlifted from Taliban area, embassy sounds alarm

New Delhi, Aug. 13: Three Indian engineers had to be airlifted from a Taliban-controlled area in Afghanistan, prompting the Indian embassy in Kabul to reiterate on Thursday its security advisory for Indian nationals in the war-ravaged country. Meanwhile, reports emerged from Afghanistan that Herat, Afghanistan’s third-largest city located close to…

08/13/2021

As Taliban gain ground, Afghanistan army chief ‘replaced’

Kabul, Aug. 12: As the Taliban seized three more provincial capitals in Afghanistan and a local army headquarters, a Defence Ministry official and local media reports said President Ashraf Ghani had replaced the country’s army chief. Sources said Gen Hibatullah Alizai had replaced Gen Wali Ahmadzai as the Afghan army…

08/12/2021

Taliban tighten control of Afghan north as UN fears erasure of human rights

Kabul, Aug. 10: Taliban fighters tightened their grip on captured territory in Afghanistan on Tuesday as civilians hid in their homes and a pro-government commander vowed to fight to the death to defend Mazar-i-Sharif, the biggest city in the north. President Ashraf Ghani called on regional strongmen to support his…

08/10/2021

Indian PM for joint efforts to fight maritime threats

New Delhi, Aug. 10 : In an oblique reference to China, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday called for maritime disputes to be resolved peacefully and in accordance with international law. Speaking at one of the best-attended UN Security Council debates (UNSC) where other members, barring China, fielded Presidents,…

08/10/2021

Maritime routes are being misused for piracy and terrorism, says Indian PM

New Delhi, Aug. 9: Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi is chairing a UN Security Council open debate on “Enhancing Maritime Security — A Case for International Cooperation” on Monday evening via video conferencing. The focus of the debate was to focus on ways to effectively counter maritime crime and insecurity,…

08/09/2021

Another northern Afghan province falls to Taliban: Officials

Kabul, Aug. 9: Provincial Afghan lawmakers say the Taliban have taken control of another provincial capital, the fourth to fall into insurgent hands in less than a week, in a punishing blow to government forces. The Taliban forces overran Taleqan, the capital of the northern Takhar province on Sunday, capturing…

08/09/2021

Joe Biden praises Olympians for inspiring Americans with courage

Wilmington, Aug. 8: US President Joe Biden praised US Olympians for navigating the difficulties of a coronavirus-tarnished games with “moral courage” that made Americans’ “hearts swell” with pride. Biden, along with first lady Jill Biden, spoke with Team USA in a Zoom call Saturday evening from their home near Wilmington,…

08/08/2021


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New Delhi, May 5: Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi will be the guest of honour for this year’s Bastille Day Parade in Paris scheduled to take place on July 14.  In a statement, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) of…

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