World news

Typhoon Phanfone kills at least 16 in Philippines

A typhoon that swept across remote villages and popular tourist areas of the central Philippines on Christmas Day claimed at least 16 lives, authorities said Thursday. Typhoon Phanfone, with winds of 195 kilometres (120 miles) an hour, tore roofs off houses and toppled electric posts as it cut ac

Brazil President lost memory after fall that left him hospitalised

Sao Paulo: Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro temporarily lost his memory after hitting his head in a fall at his official residence, he said in an interview on Tuesday. The 64-year-old slipped Monday night in a bathroom at the Alvorada Palace, the latest health scare for the Brazilian leader who

US man robs bank, throws stolen cash at people and wishes ‘Merry Christmas’

A white-bearded man robbed a bank two days before Christmas, but threw the stolen cash in the air and wished passers-by a merry Christmas, US media reported. Colorado police confirmed in a statement an “older white male” robbed the Academy Bank in Colorado Springs after threatening workers with a

Boeing CEO Muilenburg steps down amid 737 MAX crisis

Boeing has announced the resignation of Chief Executive Officer Dennis Muilenburg and named Chairman David Calhoun as his successor. CEO Dennis Muilenburg has resigned from his position and current Chairman David Calhoun has been named by the Board of Directors as his successor, the US aircraft m

IMF says India in midst of significant economic slowdown, calls for urgent policy actions

Washington: India is now in the midst of a significant economic slowdown, the International Monetary Fund has said, urging the government to take urgent policy actions to address the current prolonged downturn. In its report released Monday, the IMF Directors noted that India's rapid economic exp

18 Indians kidnapped by pirates near Nigerian coast released

Eighteen Indians, kidnapped by pirates from a commercial vessel near the Nigerian coast on December 3, have been released, the Indian mission in Nigeria said on Sunday. The Indian nationals were kidnapped from a Hong Kong-flagged vessel off the Bonny island after a group of pirates took control o

Indian-origin head of S Africa's largest Independent TV news channel sacked over racist remarks

Johannesburg: An Indian-origin head of a news channel in South Africa has been sacked by the broadcaster following an uproar over his alleged racist remarks to a resigning employee. Kanthan Pillay, head of South Africa's largest independent TV news channel eNCA, had called journalist Samkelo Maseko,

Bill to promote Mahatma Gandhi's legacy introduced in US House of Representatives

Washington: America's legendary civil rights leader Congressman John Lewis has introduced a bill in the House of Representatives to promote the legacy of Mahatma Gandhi and Martin Luther King Jr and sought a budgetary allocation of USD 150 million for the next five years. Introduced to mark the 1

Pakistani academic Junaid Hafeez sentenced to death for blasphemy

Islamabad, Pakistan - A court in Pakistan has convicted a university lecturer of blasphemy and sentenced him to death in a case rights groups have long cited as emblematic of fair trial concerns in such prosecutions in the country. Junaid Hafeez, a lecturer at the Bahauddin Zakariya University in

UK govt unveils new rules for fast-track visas

The UK government on Thursday confirmed plans to introduce a new visa for qualified doctors and nurses from countries around the world, including India, to address workforce shortages in the state-funded National Health Service (NHS). Prime Minister Boris Johnson had made references to such a new

Australian state declares emergency as wildfires surround Sydney

Sydeny: Australia's most populous state declared its second emergency in as many months on Thursday as extreme heat and strong winds stoked scores of uncontrolled bushfires, some on Sydney's doorstep. In the same week the continent experienced its hottest day on record, thick smoke blanketed the

Donald Trump impeached by US House for abuse of power, faces Senate test

Washington: President Donald Trump was impeached for abuse of power and obstructing Congress by refusing to cooperate with a Democratic-led impeachment investigation in a historic vote in the House of Representatives on Wednesday, setting up a Senate trial on removing him from office after three tur

Will take back Bangladeshi citizens staying in India illegally if evidence provided: Dhaka official

Kolkata, Dec 17: An advisor to Bangladeshi Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on Tuesday said the country will take back any citizen of the neighbouring nation staying in India illegally if the evidence is provided. The issue of the amended Citizenship Act is an internal matter of India, Advisor to Has

Pak PM summons emergency meeting to discuss Musharraf verdict

Islamabad: Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan Wednesday summoned an emergency meeting of his party’s core committee to discuss the conviction of former military dictator Pervez Musharraf, a day after the powerful army said the verdict caused “pain and anguish” in the armed forces. The meeting wil

India slips to 112th place on gender gap: World Economic Forum Report

India has slipped four places to rank 112th globally in terms of gender gap amid widening disparity in terms of women’s health and survival and economic participation — the two areas where the country is now ranked in the bottom-five, an annual survey showed on December 17. While Iceland remains

Ex-Pak President Pervez Musharraf sentenced to death by special court for high treason

Former Pakistan President Pervez Musharraf was on Tuesday sentenced to death for high treason by a special court. He is the first former military ruler to have been tried and convicted for treason. The case, along with a bunch of others, was filed against him in 2013 after his return to Pakistan

Five killed, 24 missing as New Zealand island volcano erupts

A volcano on a New Zealand island erupted on Monday with a towering blast of ash and scalding steam as tourists were exploring the moon-like surface, killing five people and leaving perhaps two dozen others missing and presumed dead. Eighteen others were rescued, some of them severely burned. Pol

US secretly expelled two Chinese diplomats who entered sensitive military base: Report

Washington DC: The United States secretly expelled two Chinese embassy officials earlier this year after they drove onto a sensitive military base in Virginia, New York Times reported on Sunday, citing people with the knowledge of the episode. Six people with the knowledge of the expulsion have t