White Island's volcano eruption death toll hits 15

Wellington (IANS) A recovery team landing on White Island to search for the two deceased who remained unaccounted for was not able to find the bodies while the death toll of the volcanic eruption increased to 15, the New Zealand Police said on Sunday.

Nearly 900,000 need humanitarian assistance in Libya: UN

Tripoli (IANS) Nearly 900,000 people in Libya would need humanitarian assistance in 2020, said the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA).

"An estimate of 897,000 people are considered to be in need of humanitarian assistance…

British-Muslims fear for their future under Johnson govt

London (IANS) British-Muslims have said that they feared for their future under a new Boris Johnson government after his landslide win in the December 12 general election, a media report said on Saturday.

The Muslim Council of Britain (MCB)…

US envoy defends sanctions on Iran amid doubts

Washington (IANS) Brian Hook, the US Special Representative for Iran, has defended the American sanctions policy on Tehran when experts raised doubts about its effectiveness.

"The sanctions we have imposed on the (Iranian) regime are the toughest…

Suu Kyi rejects Rohingya genocide charge in UN court

The Hague (IANS) Nobel Peace Prize winner Aung San Suu Kyi on Wednesday rejected the genocide allegations against Myanmar's military amid accusations of mass killings, rape, and expulsion of the Rohingya Muslim minority.

In her opening…

N.Korea warns Trump to stop 'abusive language' against Kim

Pyongyang/Seoul (IANS) North Korea has warned US President Donald Trump to stop "abusive language" that may offend its leader Kim Jong-un, Pyongyang's state media reported.

"The recent words and expressions spouted one after another by…

Hong Kong court lifts ban on face masks

Hong Kong (IANS) A Hong Kong court on Tuesday lifted a ban on face masks by refusing the governments request to suspend an earlier ruling that found it unconstitutional.

Acting chief judge of the High Court Jeremy Poon Shiu and Court of Appeal…

People remain unaccounted for after NZ volcano erupts

Wellington (IANS) At least 50 people were believed to be on or near a volcano on New Zealand's White Island when it erupted on Monday, "with a number" of them remain unaccounted for, police said.

The police were working with the National…

N.Korea conducts 'very important test' at satellite launching site

Seoul (IANS) North Korea said on Sunday that it has conducted a "very important test" at its western satellite launching site, saying the successful testing will play a key role in changing the country's "strategic position" in the near future.

California firm to pay $13.5bn to wildfire victims

San Francisco (IANS) Californian utility giant Pacific Gas and Electric (PG&E) has agreed on a $13.5 billion settlement with victims of wildfires in the state, it was reported on Saturday.

The company's equipment has been linked to several…