11 missing after tugboat capsizes in Philippines

Manila (IANS) The Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) on Thursday said that at least 11 people were missing after a tugboat capsized off Cagayan province.

According to the PCG, the tugboat with seven crew onboard went missing on Wednesday while typhoon…

UN transfers oil from decaying tanker to avert environmental disaster

Aden (IANS) A UN emergency team has started transferring crude oil from the decaying super oil tanker FSO Safer moored off Yemen's western coast as part of an urgent mission to avert a potential environmental catastrophe.

Safer, originally…

Japanese population falls in all 47 prefectures for 1st time

Tokyo (IANS) The population of Japanese nationals totaled 122,423,038 across the country in 2022, down by 801,000, marking the biggest drop and the first time all 47 of the country's prefectures have seen a decline, government data showed Wednesday.

Death toll from Algeria wildfires rises to 34

Algiers (IANS) The death toll from the raging wildfires in Algeria has increased to 34, including 10 soldiers, the Interior Ministry said in an update.

The Ministry said some 8,000 people were battling the blazes across 11 provinces, supported…

Intense heat grips Japan

Tokyo (IANS) The Japan Meteorological Agency (JMA) on Tuesday that intense extreme heat is expected to spread across wide areas from western to northern regions of the country.

The JMA said a high-pressure system from the Pacific is covering…

Norway to shut down SL mission, shift operations to New Delhi

Colombo (IANS) Norwegian government has announced that it will shut down its embassy in Sri Lanka on July 31, and from August 1, its New Delhi-based diplomatic mission would be responsible for the country’s bilateral relationship with Sri Lanka and…

11 dead in arson attack in Mexico, accused arrested

Mexico City (IANS) At least 11 people were killed and six others injured after a man who was removed from a bar for disrespecting women, returned and threw a lit object in San Luis Rio Colorado city in Mexico's Sonora state, said local authorities.

Erdogan holds phone talks with Zelensky over grain deal revival

Istanbul (IANS) Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has discussed "in detail" the renewal of the Black Sea Grain Initiative during a phone call with his Ukrainian counterpart Volodymyr Zelensky, the Turkish presidency said in a statement.

Erdogan…

WH confirms Ukraine using US cluster munitions

Washington (IANS) The White House has confirmed that Ukraine is using the controversial cluster munitions supplied by the US "effectively".

In a statement on Thursday, White House National Security Council spokesman John Kirby said: "They (Ukraine)…

Russia's external debt-to-GDP ratio falls to historic low

Moscow (IANS) Russia's external debt-to-GDP ratio plummeted to a historic low of 15 per cent by the end of the first quarter, local media said on Friday.

Data from Russia's Central Bank reveal that the ratio, which stood at 16.6 per…