Sri Lankan Ports Authority says 'unaware' of Adani’s claim on WCT

Mar 17, 2021, at 10:34 pm

A day after India’s Adani Group claimed that it would acquire a 51 percent stake in West Container Terminal of Colombo port, Sri Lankan Ports Authority (SLPA) has now said they are "unaware" of such claims.

IEA slightly upgrades forecast for world oil demand growth in 2021 to 5.5 mbd: Report

Mar 17, 2021, at 10:20 pm

Moscow/Sputnik: The International Energy Agency (IEA) in a report on Wednesday slightly upgraded the forecast for world oil demand growth in 2021 by 0.1 million barrels a day (mbd) to 5.5 mbd as the global consumption is driven up by cold weather.

COVID-19 surge in Pakistan: Traders reject decision to close business at 6 pm

Mar 17, 2021, at 10:12 pm

Islamabad: Certain sections of Pakistani traders have objected to the country's government's decision to close businesses at 6 pm under new coronavirus (Covid-19) restrictions, media reports said.

Chinese Coast Guard could harass Taiwan soon, warns expert

Mar 17, 2021, at 10:09 pm

Taipei: Experts believe that China's Coast Guard vessels could soon join People's Liberation Army's warplanes to harass Taiwan, media reports said.

Hong Kong now faces brain drain with large number of educated people planning to shift abroad

Mar 17, 2021, at 09:31 pm

Hong Kong could risk a brain drain in the next five years after a new survey found a quarter of the city’s university-educated under-35s were planning on leaving to work elsewhere, a new chapter which might be seen by the city already troubled by Chinese treatment, media reports said.

UN envoy warns of ‘dramatic’ deterioration in Yemen conflict

Mar 17, 2021, at 09:13 pm

New York: The UN’s top official in Yemen has warned of a “dramatic” deterioration in the country’s ongoing conflict, telling the Security Council on Tuesday that fighting has expanded on several fronts amid the world’s worst humanitarian crisis.

Gender equality means business, Secretary-General chief tells corporate leaders

Mar 17, 2021, at 09:06 pm

New York: The UN Secretary-General has urged corporate leaders to achieve gender equality, highlighting the benefits for the private sector and society at large.

Syria’s decade of conflict takes massive toll on women and girls

Mar 17, 2021, at 08:49 pm

New York: This week, Syria marks a grim anniversary: 10 years since the start of the country’s grinding conflict. Today, one decade into the catastrophe, about half the country’s population has been uprooted, with some 12 million people internally displaced or living as refugees. 

Myanmar: UN rights office ‘deeply disturbed’ over intensifying violence against protesters

Mar 17, 2021, at 08:37 pm

New York: The UN human rights office (OHCHR) said on Tuesday it is “deeply disturbed” that the crackdown on peaceful protesters in Myanmar “continues to intensify”, with a soaring death toll on the streets, increasingly aggressive use of lethal force, arbitrary arrests, and reports of torture in custody.

Bangladesh: Bangabandhu’s birth anniversary, golden jubilee of independence celebrations start

Mar 17, 2021, at 03:27 pm

Dhaka: Bangladesh on Wednesday started 10-day celebration of 50 years of its independence and birth anniversary of founding father Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman.

Four children killed, 2 other people injured in Siberia fire: Russian Emergencies Ministry

Mar 17, 2021, at 03:09 pm

Krasnoyarsk/Sputnik: Four children were killed, another child and an adult were injured in a fire in an apartment building in the Russian town of Lesosibirsk, Siberia's Krasnoyarsk Territory, the regional department of the Emergencies Ministry told reporters.

China targeting US West Coast mobilization centers with new weapons, says General

Mar 17, 2021, at 02:48 pm

Washington/Sputnik: China is developing precision weapons to target US military logistical centers on the West Coast and a new generation of hypersonic weapons, Northern Command and North American Defense Command (NORAD) chief General Glen VanHerck told the Senate on Tuesday.

At least 30 civilians killed in militant attack in southwestern Niger: Reports

Mar 17, 2021, at 02:41 pm

Moscow/Sputnik: At least 30 people were killed after armed militants attacked civilians in southwestern Niger, the RFI radio broadcaster reported on Tuesday, citing local security sources.

US: Eight killed in shootings at three spas in Atlanta

Mar 17, 2021, at 02:27 pm

Atlanta/UNI: At least 8 people, including four women, were killed in three separate shootings at spas in Atlanta, police said on Tuesday.

No final decision on burqa ban: Sri Lankan foreign minister

Mar 17, 2021, at 04:27 am

Pakistan: Blast rocks Karachi, Rangers personnel dies

Mar 17, 2021, at 12:51 am

Islamabad: A blast rocked Karachi's Orangi Town on Monday which left at least a Pakistani ranger official dead and 10 others, including two Rangers personnel, injured, media reports said on Tuesday.

Import cotton yarn from India: Pakistan textile exporters urge Imran Khan govt

Mar 17, 2021, at 12:41 am

Islamabad: Pakistan's textile exporters association has asked PM Imran Khan-led government to import cotton yarn from India to ensure continuity in export growth as the country is facing a rise in unavailability of cotton yarn.

Three Afghan soldiers guarding dam killed in attack

Mar 17, 2021, at 12:33 am

Three members of Afghan security forces guarding a dam in western Herat province have been killed on Tuesday morning in an attack by unknown gunmen, reported TOLOnews.

India’s Adani group set to acquire 51 % stakes in Sri Lanka’s West Container Terminal

Mar 17, 2021, at 12:22 am

Maldives president meets Qatar Emir, first since reinstating ties

Mar 17, 2021, at 12:16 am

Maldives President Ibrahim Mohammad Solih has met with Emir of Qatar Sheikh Tamim Bin Hamad Al Thani during his visit to Qatar, the visit is the first high-level visit undertaken by the Maldivian president after re-establishing diplomatic ties with the Gulf country.

Detained Sri Lankan student dies in Japan

Mar 16, 2021, at 11:21 pm

A 33- year-old Sri Lankan woman, who had been in the Japanese Immigration detention Centre for seven months, has died, The Daily Mirror reported. Officials of the Sri Lankan embassy in Tokyo visited the center and were assured of an impartial investigation into the case by Japanese authorities.

Pakistan raises concern over Sri Lankan burqa ban

Mar 16, 2021, at 11:11 pm

Islamabad: Days after Sri Lanka announced the plan to ban burqa wearing in public Pakistan has expressed concern over it and said the ban would further strengthen the apprehensions about the situation of minorities in Sri Lanka. 

India gifts training aid to Sri Lankan Navy

Mar 16, 2021, at 11:05 pm

New Delhi: India has handed over $111,000 million worth of training aids to Sri Lanka Navy. Indian High Commissioner Gopal Baglay witnessed the handing over ceremony of the equipment. 

Pakistan tech startup raises $1.4 mn from Silicon Valley

Mar 16, 2021, at 10:49 pm

RemoteBase, a technology start-up based in Islamabad, has raised $1.4 million in investments from Silicon Valley investors, reflecting, what some feel, the growing tech ecosystem of Pakistan.

Independent UN expert says ‘tsunami of hate’ targeting minorities must be tackled

Mar 16, 2021, at 09:59 pm

New York: Social media has too often been used with “relative impunity” to spread hate, prejudice and violence against minorities, an independent UN human right expert said on Monday, calling for an international treaty to address the growing scourge.

Facebook strikes content revenue-sharing deal with Australian news corp media company

Mar 16, 2021, at 09:55 pm

Moscow/Sputnik: Facebook has signed a multi-year content deal with one of Australia's largest media companies, News Corp, to be able to use its materials on its own platforms following the introduction of media bargaining laws in Australia, News Corp said in a press release.

COVID-19 has exposed endemic gender inequality, Guterres tells UN Women’s commission

Mar 16, 2021, at 08:36 pm

New York: The COVID-19 pandemic is having a devastating impact on women and girls, and the fallout has shown how deeply gender inequality remains embedded in the world’s political, social and economic systems, UN chief António Guterres said in his address to the Commission on the Status of Women, on Monday.

Allies of South Sudan militias must be held accountable: UN human rights report

Mar 16, 2021, at 05:26 pm

New York: Military and political officials in South Sudan supporting community-based militias in the Greater Jonglei region, must be held accountable for violence that killed more than 700 people over a six-month period last year, the UN human rights office, OHCHR, said on Monday. 

Myanmar crisis: UN chief 'appalled' by escalating violence with dozens reported killed over weekend

Mar 16, 2021, at 05:17 pm

New York: The UN chief on Monday issued a statement saying he was "appalled" by the reported killing over the weekend of dozens of protesters calling for the restoration of democracy, at the hands of the country's military.

France temporarily suspends use of AstraZeneca’s COVID-19 Vaccine: Macron

Mar 16, 2021, at 03:35 pm

Paris/Sputnik: France is temporarily suspending the use of a COVID-19 vaccine, developed by UK drugmaker AstraZeneca, President Emmanuel Macron said on Monday.