World

Manila, Jan 6: The death toll from a storm that devastated the Philippines shortly after Christmas rose to 126, authorities said Sunday, adding landslides caused by torrential rain were the top cause. The storm hit central and eastern Philippine islands on December 29 and caused massive flooding and landslides. More than 100 people died in the mountainous Bicol region southeast of Manila, regional

Dhaka, Jan 6: Sheikh Hasina will be be sworn in as the new Prime Minister of Bangladesh on January 7, following her party's sweeping victory in the 11th Parliamentary elections, which were held across the country on December 30. Hasina, along with her new Cabinet, will take oath on Monday, after Bangladesh's President Abdul Hamid formally invited her to form the government for a third straight

Jan 6: Jeanne Calment died in 1997 in the southern French town in which she was born, and her death drew a flurry of attention. At 122, an age that had been certified by the Guinness World Records as well as public health researchers, she was the oldest documented person to ever have lived. But a Russian mathematician is casting doubt on her record. Nikolay Zak, of the Moscow Center For Continuous

Islamabad, Jan 5: The United Arab Emirates (UAE) has finalised a bail-out package worth around USD 6.2 billion to assist Pakistan's struggling economy. The package will enable Pakistan to deal with its balance-of-payments crisis. Dawn newspaper has reported that the bail-out package will be announced by the Crown Prince Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan of UAE, who will be embarking on his two

Ankara, Jan 5: Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan has pitched for friendly relations with India while opining that the "basic problem" between the two countries is Kashmir. "We are trying to have a dialogue, trying to move towards a friendly relationship with India...Pakistan obviously wants stability because we want economic progress," Khan remarked during a joint press conference held with

Shanghai, Jan 5: China's armed forces must strengthen their sense of urgency and do everything they can to prepare for battle, President Xi Jinping told a meeting of top brass on Friday. China is keen to beef up its armed forces amid territorial disputes in the South China Sea and escalating tension with the United States over issues ranging from trade to the status of Taiwan. The official Xinhua

London, Jan 4: US politicians plan to use a new financial disclosure law aimed at foreign media companies to force more transparency from Al Jazeera and other Qatari outlets. The law, introduced last year, requires foreign-owned TV stations broadcasting in America to register and file regular reports with the US media regulator, the Federal Communications Commission (FCC). The reports must include

Washington, Jan 4: Nancy Pelosi knew this moment would come, even if others had their doubts — or worked to stop her. Pelosi was elected Thursday as House speaker, the only woman who has held the office and now one of few elected officials who have returned to it. The last time a speaker regained the gavel was more than a half-century ago. The California Democrat has spent her political career

Geneva, Jan 4: Switching from beef to alternative proteins could save millions of lives and dramatically slash greenhouse gas emissions, the World Economic Forum said Thursday. New research conducted by the Oxford Martin School for WEF showed that efforts to replace meat and especially beef could provide huge benefits for human health and the environment. The organisation, famous for the plush

US President Donald Trump on Wednesday mocked Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi for funding a library in Afghanistan, suggesting it was of no use. Trump brought up India's aid during a rambling press appearance at a cabinet meeting as he defended his push for the United States to invest less overseas. While stating that he got along with Modi, Trump said the Indian leader was "constantly telling