Rainstorms affect thousands in China

Beijing (IANS) Incessant rainstorms have affected hundreds of thousands of people in China's Jiangxi and Hunan provinces, authorities said on Tuesday.

In Jiangxi, the flood control and drought relief headquarters upgraded the flood control…

5.9-magnitude earthquake jolts Taiwan

Taipei (IANS) A 5.9-magnitude earthquake jolted Taiwan's Hualien county on Monday.

According to the China Earthquake Networks Centre (CENC), the epicentre of the quake that struck at 9.05 a.m. was monitored at 23.66 degrees north latitude…

Qantas, Airbus announce $200 mn biofuel investment

Canberra (IANS) Australian flag carrier Qantas has announced a $200 million joint investment with Airbus into the country's sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) industry, designed to drive down carbon emissions.

The landmark deal, announced…

Covid virus likely leaked from Wuhan lab: WHO chief

London (IANS) Just days after saying that the Covid lab leak theory needs "further investigations", the World Health Organisation (WHO) chief has privately confided to a senior European politician that the pandemic originated from China's infamous…

Europe faces unusual mid-June heatwave

Paris (IANS) As Europe is facing an unusually early and intense heatwave coming from North Africa, governments of many countries have issued warnings and instructions to the public on how to "survive" it.

In France, monthly heat records were…

Pakistan one step away from exiting FATF grey list

Islamabad (IANS) Pakistan is one step away from exiting the grey list of the Financial Action Task Force (FATF) as it has successfully complied with all points of the 2018 action plan items, securing approval from the global watchdog and initiating…

Kabul gurdwara attack ends, 2 killed

Kabul (IANS) The Taliban-led government in Afghanistan on Saturday confirmed that an attack at a gurdwara in Kabul has ended, adding that two people were killed and seven others injured in the incident.

At about 6.30 a.m., three explosions…

Cambodia to host ASEAN Defence Ministers' meeting on June 22

Phnom Penh (IANS) Cambodia is ready to host the 16th ASEAN Defence Ministers' Meeting (ADMM) on June 22 in Phnom Penh, which will be chaired by the country's Defence Minister Gen. Tea Banh, an official statement said on Friday.

According…

UK Home Secy approves Julian Assange's extradition to the US

London (IANS) UK's Home Secretary Priti Patel has approved Wikileaks founder Julian Assange's extradition to the US, noting that the courts found that the measure would not be "incompatible with his human rights", reports said on Friday.

Aus states introduce extra year of early education

Sydney (IANS) Children in Australian states of Victoria and New South Wales (NSW) will get an extra year of early education as part of major generational reform in both states.

Victoria Premier Daniel Andrews and NSW Premier Dominic Perrottet…