US Senate passes $770 billion defense bill, Biden’s signature next
Washington: The US Senate passed the National Defense Authorisation Act, or NDAA, on Wednesday, which authorises roughly $770 billion in defense spending — $25 billion more than requested by President Joe Biden — sending the measure to the White House for the president’s signature. The vote was 88-11, with strong support from both Democrats and […]
Wuhan lab leak more likely origin of Covid-19, UK Parliament panel told
London: A Canadian molecular biologist, on Wednesday, told cross-party members of Parliament (MPs) on the House of Commons Science and Technology Committee that a leak from a laboratory in Wuhan region of China is now the more likely origin of the Covid-19 global pandemic. Dr Alina Chan, specialising in gene therapy and cell engineering and […]
President Kovind attends Victory Day Parade as Bangladesh marks 50 yrs of Liberation war
Dhaka: President Ram Nath Kovind on Thursday attended the Victory Day Parade as the “Guest of Honour” here as Bangladesh marked 50 years of victory in the Liberation War against Pakistan by showcasing its military might which included spectacular aerobatics and display of defence acquisitions. A 122-member strong tri-services contingent from India also took part […]
FAO: Virus hits Asian food security, as millions go hungry
Bangkok: The prolonged pandemic and surging prices are undermining food security for millions of people in Asia, with 1.8 billion lacking access to healthy diets, a report by the UN’s Food and Agricultural Organization said Wednesday. The report says access to food worsened in 2020 and deteriorated further this year as governments struggled to keep […]
Reports: Iran will allow new UN cameras at nuclear site
Tehran: Iran will allow the United Nations’ nuclear watchdog to reinstall cameras damaged at a site where it has centrifuge parts and manufacturing material, semiofficial Iranian news agencies reported Wednesday. The decision will see cameras put back at Karaj, which came under what Iran describes as a sabotage attack in June. Iran since had refused […]
Karzai ‘invited’ Taliban to stop chaos
Kabul: The Taliban didn’t take the Afghan capital — they were invited, says the man who issued the invitation. In an Associated Press interview, former Afghan President Hamid Karzai offered some of the first insights into the secret and sudden departure of Afghan President Ashraf Ghani — and how he came to invite the Taliban […]
Russia vetoes UN resolution linking climate change, security
New York: Russia has vetoed a first-of-its-kind UN Security Council resolution casting climate change as a threat to international peace and security, a vote that sank a years-long effort to make global warming a more central consideration for the UN’s most powerful body. Spearheaded by Ireland and Niger, the proposal on Monday called for “incorporating […]
Blinken vows more US military might in Indo-Pacific
Jakarta: The United States will expand its military and economic relationships with partners in Asia to push back against China’s increasing assertiveness in the Indo-Pacific, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken said Tuesday. Blinken said the Biden administration is committed to maintaining peace and prosperity in the region and will do that by boosting U.S. […]
British PM Boris Johnson says UK and India are natural partners
London: British Prime Minister Boris Johnson on Tuesday described the UK and India as “natural partners” who are working together on many “fantastic projects” from partnership on 5G and telecom to startups that will transform people’s lives and promote the principles of freedom, openness and peace. Addressing the Global Technology Summit via video link, Johnson […]
EU has little appetite to join US diplomatic Games boycott
Brussels: Several European Union nations have made it clear they have little appetite to join the US initiative for a diplomatic boycott of the Beijing Winter Games because of concerns over China’s human rights record. EU foreign ministers were seeking a united front on how to handle the issue, following France’s position last week that […]
