World

Colombo, Aug 23: Sri Lanka has ended a four-month state of emergency declared after Easter suicide bombings by Islamist extremists that killed 258 people, officials said Friday. President Maithripala Sirisena has been extending the emergency on the 22nd of each month since the April 21 attacks on three hotels and three churches. However, his office confirmed that Sirisena had not extended it for

United Nations, Aug 23: UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres is urging the world to "stamp out anti-Semitism, anti-Muslim hatred, the persecution of Christians and other religious groups" on the first international day to remember people targeted for their religion and beliefs. He said that "Jews have been murdered in synagogues, their gravestones defaced with swastikas; Muslims gunned down in

London, Aug 22: A London Westminster Magistrates' Court on Thursday extended the judicial custody of fugitive diamantaire Nirav Modi till September 19 in connection with Rs 13,500- crore Punjab National Bank (PNB) fraud and money laundering case. The 48-year-old businessman appeared before the court via video link from Wandsworth prison in south-west London, where he is currently lodged. Judge Tan

Paris, Aug 21: France has said that Kashmir is a bilateral issue between India and Pakistan, asking them to resolve their differences over it through political dialogue and refrain from any step likely to aggravate tensions. French foreign minister Jean-Yves Le Drian's remarks came as his Pakistani counterpart Shah Mahmood Qureshi called him on Tuesday to discuss the situation in Kashmir after

Washington, Aug 21: US President Donald Trump offered on Tuesday to mediate the "explosive" situation in Kashmir amid mounting international concern over a flare-up in violence between India and Pakistan in the divided region. Speaking a day after phone calls with the premiers of both countries, Trump said he was happy to try and help calm the situation in Kashmir where tensions have spiked since

Islamabad, Aug 20: Saudi Crown Prince Mohammad bin Salman on Monday discussed the Kashmir issue with Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan over a phone call. During the telephonic conversation that took place late on Monday, both leaders discussed the current situation in the region after India revoked Article 370 in Jammu and Kashmir, reported Dunya News. The development comes at a time of simmering

Hong Kong, Aug 20: Twitter and Facebook have accused the Chinese government of backing a social media campaign to discredit Hong Kong's pro-democracy movement and sow political discord in the city. The American tech giants announced on Monday they had suspended nearly 1,000 active accounts linked to the campaign, while Twitter said it had shut down about 200,000 more before they could inflict any

Washington, Aug 20: US President Donald Trump has in a telephonic conversation urged Pakistani Prime Minister Imran Khan to "moderate rhetoric" with India over the situation in Jammu and Kashmir in an effort to reduce tensions. Trump's call with Khan - the second in less than a week - came soon after a 30-minute conversation with Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday, during which the Indian

Dhaka, Aug 18: At least 10,000 people are homeless after a massive fire swept through a crowded slum in the Bangladesh capital and destroyed thousands of shanties, officials said on Sunday. The fire broke out at in Dhaka's Mirpur neighbourhood late on Friday and razed around 2,000 mostly tin shacks, fire services official Ershad Hossain told AFP. "I could not salvage a single thing. I don't know

Aug 18: A suicide bomber killed 63 people and wounded 182 in an attack on a wedding reception in the Afghan capital on Saturday night, the interior ministry said. The Taliban denied responsibility for the blast at a west Kabul wedding hall, in a minority Shi`ite neighbourhood, packed with people celebrating a marriage. The attack came as the Taliban and the United States are trying to negotiate an