US sanctions Bangladesh's elite paramilitary unit

New Delhi (IANS) The US Treasury Department has imposed sanctions on the Rapid Action Battalion (RAB), Bangladeshs elite paramilitary unit, after widespread allegations of serious human rights abuse.

The Treasury said as part of the Bangladeshi…

Virtual Nobel Prize award ceremony for 2nd time due to Covid

Stockholm (IANS) In the wake of the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic, the Nobel Prize award ceremony was streamed online for a second time in a row from Stockholm's City Hall.

The Laureates received their awards respectively at their homes, and…

World Bank offers $600mn loan to boost Philippines' recovery

Manila (IANS) The World Bank on Saturday approved a $600 million loan to support the Philippine government's reform programme to position the Southeast Asian country for a competitive and resilient economic recovery.

The World Bank said…

TTP chief asks fighters to resume attacks against Pak govt

New Delhi (IANS) The Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) militant outfit has declined to extend the month-long ceasefire with the Pakistan government, accusing it of failing to honour the decisions reached earlier. The announcement has put the nascent…

Diplomatic boycott of China Winter Games triggers deep freeze with US

Beijing (IANS) Amid vaulting China-US one-upmanship and US President Joe Biden's recriminations against Russia, East-West tensions spilling onto the turf of sports didn't raise many eyebrows as Washington announced a diplomatic boycott of…

Terror threat looms again as TTP declines ceasefire extension

Islamabad (IANS) Pakistan is bracing for a new wave of increased terror outburst from the dreaded Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), the Pakistani faction of the Afghan Taliban, which had agreed for a month-long ceasefire with the Imran Khan-led government,…

French police foil stabbing attack planned for Christmas

Paris (IANS) Members of the French intelligence service have detained two men suspected of planning a stabbing attack during the Christmas holidays, local newspaper Le Parisien reported.

During their interrogation on November 29, the two men,…

Israeli FM, Egyptian President meet in Cairo to strengthen ties

Jerusalem (IANS) Israel's Foreign Minister Yair Lapid on Thursday made an official visit to Cairo to meet Egypt's President Abdel-Fattah al-Sisi in a bid to strengthen bilateral ties.

"Strengthening Israel-Egypt relations is a very…

Iraq, UK discuss withdrawal of US-led coalition forces

Baghdad (IANS) Iraqi Prime Minister Mustafa al-Kadhimi and British Foreign Secretary Liz Truss discussed the withdrawal of US-led coalition forces from Iraq.

During their phone call on Monday, Al-Kadhimi and Truss discussed the coordination…

China's exclusion from democracy summit delays Pak decision

New Delhi (IANS) Pakistani decision makers are holding extensive consultations on whether to attend the virtual summit on democracy convened by US President Joe Biden this week, as certain issues are making it difficult for Islamabad to make the final…