Taliban overrun northern Afghan cities of Kunduz, Sar-e Pul, Taloqan

Taliban fighters overran three provincial capitals including the strategic northeastern city of Kunduz on Sunday, local officials said, as the insurgents intensified pressure on the north and threatened further cities.
9 August 2021, 06:27 AM

China punishes 30 officials for pandemic failing

More than 30 Chinese officials have been fired or received other punishments over accusations they failed to respond properly to the latest surge of the coronavirus in the country.
9 August 2021, 06:24 AM

Attack in Burkina Faso kills at least 12 soldiers, sources say

At least 12 soldiers were killed in an attack in northwestern Burkina Faso on Sunday and seven others are missing, three security sources said.
9 August 2021, 02:32 AM

This day in history

1945 - The United States dropped a second atomic bomb on Japan, this time on the city of Nagasaki; a wide area was reduced to ashes and more than 70,000 people were killed.
8 August 2021, 18:00 PM

Quotes of the day

The United States views the regime’s latest undemocratic, authoritarian actions — driven by Ortega’s fear of an electoral loss — as the final blow against Nicaragua’s prospects for a free and fair election.
8 August 2021, 18:00 PM

‘Starkest warning yet’

An upcoming UN report on climate change gives the international community its clearest ever warning about the dangers of accelerating climate change, Britain’s COP26 President Alok Sharma said yesterday. 
8 August 2021, 18:00 PM

Taliban seize government buildings in Afghan cities Kunduz, Sar-e Pul

Taliban fighters have seized key government buildings in the northeastern Afghan city of Kunduz, leaving government forces hanging onto control of the airport and their own base, a provincial assembly lawmaker said on Sunday.
8 August 2021, 10:43 AM

Floods in Sudan damage thousands of homes

Thousands of homes have been damaged in Sudan after torrential rains caused heavy flooding, with many streets in the capital Khartoum deep in water, AFP correspondents said Sunday.
8 August 2021, 09:48 AM

Saudi Arabia opens Umrah pilgrimage to vaccinated worshipers from abroad

Saudi Arabia will gradually begin receiving Umrah pilgrimage requests from abroad for vaccinated pilgrims starting Aug. 9 after about a year and a half of not receiving overseas worshippers due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the state news agency (SPA) reported early on Sunday.
8 August 2021, 04:24 AM

This day in history

1786 - US Congress unanimously chooses the dollar as the monetary unit for the United States of America.
7 August 2021, 18:00 PM

Japan commuter knife attacker wanted to kill ‘happy women’

The man alleged to have wounded 10 people in a knife attack on a Tokyo commuter train late on Friday told police he became incensed when he saw
7 August 2021, 18:00 PM

India approves emergency use of Johnson & Johnson’s single-dose vaccine

India has given US pharmaceutical giant Johnson & Johnson's single-dose Covid-19 vaccine emergency use permission in the country.
7 August 2021, 10:09 AM

'Waging conflict against govts of India, Bangladesh': NIA takes over case involving 3 Bangladeshis

India’s counter-terrorism organization, National Investigation Agency (NIA), has taken over the probe into a case related to three Bangladeshi nationals entering India illegally and allegedly hatching a conspiracy to wage a conflict by recruiting and motivating vulnerable Muslim youth against the governments of India and Bangladesh.
7 August 2021, 09:51 AM

‘East Pakistan’ tag to be removed from certificates of Bangalees in India’s Uttarakhand

Bangalees who migrated to what is now the northern Indian state of Uttarakhand’s Udham Singh Nagar district are finally getting a chance to live without the tag of “East Pakistan” in caste certificates issued to them to avail social welfare schemes.
7 August 2021, 05:38 AM

2 Myanmar men arrested in US for plotting to kill UN envoy

Two Myanmar citizens have been arrested in New York state for plotting with an arms dealer in Thailand - who sells weapons to the Burmese military - to kill or injure Myanmar's ambassador to the United Nations, US authorities said on Friday.
7 August 2021, 04:22 AM

40 migrants feared dead after boat capsizes off Western Sahara

About 40 migrants were feared dead after a boat carrying about 50 people travelling from Western Sahara to Spain's Canary Islands capsized, a Spanish non-governmental organisation, said on Friday.
7 August 2021, 04:12 AM

Early signs Covid-19 vaccines may not stop Delta transmission, England says

There are early signs that people who have been vaccinated against Covid-19 may be able to transmit the Delta variant of the virus as easily as those who have not, scientists at Public Health England (PHE) said on Friday.
7 August 2021, 03:17 AM

UN appeals for funds to fight hunger in Myanmar

The UN World Food Programme (WFP) warned on Friday it may not have enough funding for the next six months to help millions of people in Myanmar facing food insecurity amid a wave of Covid-19 infections and political unrest in the southeast Asian nation.
6 August 2021, 09:49 AM

Hiroshima marks 76th anniversary of US atomic bombing

Hiroshima on Friday marked the 76th anniversary of the world’s first atomic bombing, as the mayor of the Japanese city urged global leaders to unite to eliminate nuclear weapons, just as they are united against the coronavirus.
6 August 2021, 09:32 AM

South Africa's Zuma admitted to hospital from prison

South Africa's jailed former president, Jacob Zuma, was admitted to hospital for medical observation on Friday, the government's Correctional Services department said.
6 August 2021, 09:15 AM