Tsunami warning for South Pacific region after 7.7 magnitude earthquake

Feb 11, 2021, at 07:21 am

Sydney/IBNS: A Tsunami generated after a 7.7 magnitude earthquake shook the South Pacific region has put the island nations in the area under threat.

PPP Chairperson Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari slams Imran Khan over inflation

Feb 11, 2021, at 12:09 am

Islamabad: PPP Chairperson Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari on Tuesday targeted PM Imran Khan over the issue of inflation.

Publisher Foisal Arefin Dipon murder case: 8 militants awarded death sentence

Feb 10, 2021, at 10:02 pm

Dhaka: Eight activists of banned militant outfit Ansar al-Islam have been awarded death sentences in connection with the case related to 2015 murder of Jagriti Prokashony Publisher Foisal Arefin Dipon.

Afghanistan: Kabul blast leave police chief dead

Feb 10, 2021, at 09:53 pm

Kabul: Mohammadzai Kochi, police chief of Kabul's police district 5 (PD5), was killed as a blast targeted his vehicle in Afghanistan capital Kabul city on Wednesday, media reports said.

Without ‘constructive international diplomacy’ Syria’s peace process will not move forward

Feb 10, 2021, at 05:02 pm

New York: The UN Special Envoy for Syria said there had to be “constructive international diplomacy” if the peace process is to move forward in any way, appearing before the Security Council behind closed doors on Tuesday. 

New ICC ruling ‘opens the door’ for justice in occupied Palestine – Independent UN expert

Feb 10, 2021, at 04:36 pm

New York: The ruling of the International Criminal Court (ICC) that is does have jurisdiction over grave crimes committed in occupied Palestinian territory is a “significant step forward in the quest for justice and accountability”, an independent UN human rights expert said on Tuesday.

Myanmar: UN office expresses ‘strong concern’ at use of force against demonstrators

Feb 10, 2021, at 03:56 pm

New York: The United Nations in Myanmar has voiced strong concerns over Tuesday’s reported use of force by security forces against demonstrators protesting the military takeover and arrests of elected leaders and politicians.

UN chief welcomes Colombia’s ‘act of solidarity’ with 1.7 million Venezuelans

Feb 10, 2021, at 03:49 pm

New York: The United Nations Secretary-General, on Monday, applauded the announcement by the President of Colombia that the country will provide temporary protection to all Venezuelans in its territory.

Biden says not watching impeachment trial, focused on pandemic

Feb 10, 2021, at 02:46 pm

Washington/Sputnik: US President Joseph Biden on Tuesday said he has his own obligations including fighting the pandemic and does not plan to watch former President Donald Trump's impeachment trial.

Senators reintroduce Bill to offer US refugee status to Hong Kong citizens: Rubio

Feb 10, 2021, at 02:40 pm

Washington/Sputnik: Twelve US senators have reintroduced bipartisan legislation to offer refugee status in the United States to citizens of Hong Kong who protested against the government of China, Senator Marco Rubio said in a press release.

Afghanistan govt claims Taliban maintains close ties with Al-Qaeda

Feb 10, 2021, at 05:51 am

Kabul: Afghanistan Foreign Ministry has said the Taliban still have close ties to Al-Qaeda and other terrorist groups, media reports said.

Pakistan: Farmer leader arrested in Lahore

Feb 10, 2021, at 05:36 am

Raiwind police in Lahore have arrested Pakistan Kissan Ittehad (PKI) president Chaudhry Anwar from his residence on Monday, media reports said.

No room for 'debate or compromise': Hong Kong now launches national security rules for schools

Feb 10, 2021, at 05:27 am

Months after China imposed a new national security law which gave wide-ranging powers to crack down on vaguely defined political crimes to authorities, Hong Kong has now introduced new restrictions for how schools operate, media reports said.

US conducts joint Guam drill with Australia, Japan to counter China

Feb 10, 2021, at 04:54 am

The United States is conducting a joint exercise with Australia and Japan on Guam, an  unincorporated territory of the United States in Micronesia subregion of the western Pacific Ocean, in an attempt to counter the increasing vulnerability to attack from Russia or China, media reports saiad.

Taiwan should join global semiconductor supply chain alliance against China, feels expert

Feb 10, 2021, at 04:45 am

Taipei: Taiwan should join any global semiconductor supply chain alliance against China to protect its technological advantage and national security, said assistant research fellow at the government-funded Institute for National Defense and Security Research Wang Che-jen.

Canada Housing First program provides safety to homeless people in the pandemic, say advocates

Feb 10, 2021, at 04:29 am

Canada/IBNS: Canadian provinces and cities including Regina, Edmonton, Calgary, Vancouver, Victoria, Hamilton, and Fredericton, experiencing frigid temperatures are being provided with an essential lifeline right now by the Housing First program in providing safe permanent housing to homeless people, without preconditions, addiction, and mental health challenges, media reports said.

Pakistan: One terror suspect killed in Karachi

Feb 09, 2021, at 11:49 pm

Karachi: One terror suspect was killed and five others were arrested during an operation conducted in Pakistan's Karachi city on Monday, media reports said.

Nepal to hold mid-term elections in 40 districts in first phase: Cabinet

Feb 09, 2021, at 10:26 pm

Kathmandu/UNI: Nepal will be holding the mid-term polls in 40 districts of the nation on April 30 and in the remaining 37 districts on May 10, a Cabinet communique said on Tuesday.

Australia says respects China's legal system amid row over Journalist's arrest

Feb 09, 2021, at 10:11 pm

Moscow/Sputnik: Canberra is not interfering in China’s legal system and respects it, but will continue to push for justice toward Australian national Cheng Lei, who has been recently arrested on suspicion of espionage, Foreign Minister Marise Payne said in an interview, in the wake of Beijing's criticism.

UN chief welcomes Colombia’s ‘act of solidarity’ with 1.7 million Venezuelans

Feb 09, 2021, at 09:59 pm

New York: The United Nations Secretary-General, on Monday, applauded the announcement by the President of Colombia that the country will provide temporary protection to all Venezuelans on its territory.

Ethiopia: Government approves ‘first step’ towards Tigray emergency assistance

Feb 09, 2021, at 09:53 pm

New York: UN agencies have received approval from the Ethiopian Government for 25 international staff to provide humanitarian assistance inside the country’s conflict-torn Tigray region, the UN Spokesperson said on Monday.

Pakistan: Documents reveal that PTI allowed paid employees to receive funds

Feb 09, 2021, at 09:48 pm

Islamabad/UNI: In what is being seen as significantly impacting the PTI's foreign funding case, a documented list has been leaked on Monday which claims to name Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf employees who were authorised by the party to receive donations from within and outside of Pakistan.

Guterres welcomes US decision to re-engage with the Human Rights Council

Feb 09, 2021, at 09:39 pm

New York: The UN Secretary-General has welcomed a commitment from the new US administration to “re-engage immediately and robustly” with the Human Rights Council, following the withdrawal of the United States from the multilateral body nearly three years ago.

China forced labour issue in Xinjiang: Solar companies now tracing supply chains

Feb 09, 2021, at 06:13 pm

Beijing: Several solar companies have pledged to oppose forced labor in their supply chains as concern over the sector's reliance on China’s Xinjiang region has been raised in recent times.

China’s new coastguard law: Indonesian official voices concern

Feb 09, 2021, at 06:01 pm

Beijing: China’s new coastguard law has spiked the risk of a “spillover conflict” into Indonesia’s territorial waters around the Natuna Islands, warned Indonesia’s Maritime Security Agency  chief.

Pakistan: Commission submits report to SC which depicts dismal picture of major Hindu sites

Feb 09, 2021, at 05:54 pm

Islamabad: The seventh report of the one-man Dr Shoaib Suddle commission submitted to the Pakistan Supreme Court has unveiled a dismal picture of the major Hindu sites in the south Asian country.

Pakistan's Justice Isa says media is not free in the country

Feb 09, 2021, at 05:47 pm

Islamabad: Justice Qazi Faez Isa of Pakistan has remarked that the media is not free in the country.

First Maldivian on USA's OFAC terrorist list Mohamed Ameen allowed house arrest

Feb 09, 2021, at 05:44 pm

Male: Mohamed Ameen, the first Maldivian on the list of terrorists publicised by America'sTreasuries Office of Foreign Affairs Control  Department of the   (OFAC), has been allowed by authorities for house arrest transfer, media reports said.

Hong Kong Police seize 682 kg of ketamine shipped from Pakistan

Feb 09, 2021, at 05:36 pm

Hong Kong: Hong Kong Police have made their biggest-ever seizure of ketamine which was  shipped into the city from Pakistan in packages labelled "macaroni", media reports said.

UN rights experts alarmed by rise in use of lèse-majesté laws in Thailand

Feb 09, 2021, at 04:31 pm

New York: United Nations independent human rights experts on Monday voiced grave concerns over increasingly severe use of lèse-majesté laws in Thailand, warning that a rise in their usage is further restricting civic space and the enjoyment of fundamental freedoms in the country.