The Northern Herald

  • Djokovic, Williams lead tennis old guard into new decade

    Jan 19, 2020

    Melbourne, January 19: Old stagers Novak Djokovic and Serena Williams will aim to keep the younger generation of players waiting in the wings as Grand Slam tennis enters a new decade at the Australian Open on Monday. After recent bushfire smog largely cleared in Melbourne, the view is all too familiar with Djokovic and Williams, who is seeking a record-equalling 24th Major title, installed as the bookies' favourites.

  • Hong Kong protesters call for boycott of Communist Party

    Jan 19, 2020

    Hong Kong, January 19: A public park in Hong Kong on Sunday overflowed with thousands of protesters calling for electoral reforms and a boycott of the Chinese Communist Party. Sporting their movement's trademark black clothing and face masks, rally participants packed into Chater Garden, not far from the city's Legislative Council building. They held up signs that read "Free Hong Kong" and waved American and British flags.

  • Filipinos turn volcano's ash, plastic trash into bricks

    Jan 18, 2020

    Binan, Jan 18 : Ash spewed by a Philippine volcano is being mixed with plastic waste to make bricks in an inventive response to the country's persistent problems of pollution and frequent natural disasters. The Taal volcano burst into life nearly a week ago, sending towering dust columns into the sky and leaving nearby Binan city coated in fine grey powder.

  • Regional stability, situation in Iran, Afghan tops the talks between Qureshi and Pompeo

    Jan 18, 2020

    Washington, Jan 18: Pakistan Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi has stressed on Islamabad's commitment toward "security and stability" in South Asia as he met US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo here and held wide-ranging talks on bilateral issues, the situation in Afghanistan and the Middle East. Qureshi called on Pompeo on Friday during his two-day visit to the US. He is scheduled to meet US National Security Advisor Robert O'Brien.

  • China and Myanmar ''stand together'' despite Rohingya backlash

    Jan 18, 2020

    Naypyidaw (Myanmar), Jan 18: China and Myanmar are set to ink mammoth infrastructure deals following a meeting on Saturday between President Xi Jinping and fallen rights icon Aung San Suu Kyi, who pledged to stand with Beijing "till the end of the world". The Chinese leader's two-day state visit to Myanmar's purpose-built capital comes as Western investors cast a wide berth around the country due to the Rohingya crisis.

  • China defends raising Kashmir issue at UNSC to de-escalate Indo-Pak tensions

    Jan 17, 2020

    Beijing, Jan 17 : Stoutly defending its decision to raise the Kashmir issue at the UN Security Council as an attempt to de-escalate Indo-Pak tensions and out of "goodwill", China on Friday claimed that "most of the members" of the Council have voiced their concern over the situation in the Valley.

  • Khamenei: 'Bitter' plane tragedy should not cloud Soleimani's 'sacrifice'

    Jan 17, 2020

    Tehran, Jan 17 : Iran's supreme leader called the accidental downing of a Ukrainian airliner a "bitter" tragedy Friday but said it should not overshadow the "sacrifice" of a top commander killed in a US drone strike. "The plane crash was a bitter accident, it burned through our heart," Khamenei said. "But some tried to...

  • China birth rate hits lowest level since 1949

    Jan 17, 2020

    Beijing, Jan 17 : China's birth rate dropped last year to its lowest level since the Communist country was founded in 1949, adding to concerns that an ageing society and shrinking workforce will pile pressure on a slowing economy. To avoid a demographic crisis, the government relaxed its one-child policy in 2016 to allow people to have two children, but the change has not resulted in an increase in pregnancies.

  • Not ready for peace with India without resolving Kashmir issue in just manner: Pak FM

    Jan 17, 2020

    Washington, Jan 17: Pakistan is not prepared to pay any price for peace with India and certainly not without resolving the Kashmir issue in a just manner, Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi has said. Addressing the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS) think-tank here on Thursday, Qureshi reiterated Pakistan's demand that US President Donald Trump should mediate to resolve the Kashmir issue.

  • More than nine lakh people speak in Hindi in US says Indian diplomat

    Jan 17, 2020

    Washington, Jan 17: More than nine lakh people speak Hindi in the US, a top Indian diplomat has said, as the Indian Embassy here conducts free Hindi classes for Americans and foreign nationals. Happy to note that Hindi is spoken and taught widely in the US, Amit Kumar, Charge d' Affairs, Indian Embassy here, said in his remarks during the 'Vishwa Hindi Divas' celebrations at the Indian Embassy.

  • 11 US troops wounded in last week's Iran attack on Iraq base

    Jan 17, 2020

    Washington, Jan 17: At least 11 American troops were injured in an Iranian attack on an Iraqi base where American soldiers were deployed, US Central Command said Thursday, although the US military had previously maintained there were no casualties. "While no US service members were killed in the Jan.

  • Pak again fails to raise Kashmir issue at UNSC; members say bilateral matter

    Jan 16, 2020

    United Nations/Islamabad, Jan 16 : India has slammed Pakistan for repeatedly trying to raise the Kashmir issue at the UN Security Council with China's help where it failed again to find any support, with New Delhi asserting that Islamabad needs to focus on the "hard tasks" it has to address to ensure normal bilateral ties.

  • External Affairs Minister Jaishankar holds talks with Iranian FM Javad Zarif

    Jan 16, 2020

    New Delhi, Jan 16: External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar and his Iranian counterpart Javad Zarif on Thursday held extensive talks on the fast-evolving situation in the Gulf region in the wake of frayed Iran-US ties over the killing of Commander Qasem Soleimani. Zarif apprised Jaishankar about the overall situation and Tehran's position on it in the meeting held over breakfast, officials said.

  • Pakistan again fails to raise Kashmir issue in UNSC; members say bilateral matter

    Jan 16, 2020

    United Nations, Jan 16: India has slammed Pakistan for again trying to raise the Kashmir issue in the UN Security Council where it failed one more time to find any support, with New Delhi asserting that Islamabad needs to focus on the hard tasks it has to address in order to ensure normal relations with India.

  • Russian prime minister submits resignation to Putin

    Jan 15, 2020

    Moscow, January 15: The Tass news agency reports that Russian Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev submitted his resignation to President Vladimir Putin on Wednesday. Russian news agencies said Putin thanked Medvedev for his service but noted that the prime minister's Cabinet failed to fulfill all the objectives set for it. Russian media said Putin plans to name Medvedev as deputy of the presidential Security Council.

  • China makes fresh bid to raise Kashmir issue in UNSC

    Jan 15, 2020

    New Delhi, Jan 15: China has made a fresh pitch to raise the Kashmir issue in a closed-door meeting of the UN Security Council in New York on Wednesday, but the attempt is likely to fail as all other member countries of the body are set to oppose it.

  • Sikhs to be counted as separate ethnic group in US census for first time

    Jan 15, 2020

    Washington, Jan 15: For the first time, Sikhs in the US will be counted as a separate ethnic group in the 2020 census, an organisation of the minority community said on Tuesday, describing it as a milestone moment. President of the Sikh Society of San Diego Baljeet Singh said the Sikh community's efforts have come to fruition.

  • Former Trump advisor Flynn asks to change plea in Russia probe

    Jan 15, 2020

    Washington, Jan 15: US President Donald Trump's former national security advisor Michael Flynn asked a judge on Tuesday for permission to withdraw his guilty plea in the Russian election interference probe. In a big reversal, Flynn's lawyers argued that prosecutors violated a plea agreement that he struck with them because they demanded he gives false testimony.

  • India's way not to be disruptive, it is decider rather than abstainer: Jaishankar

    Jan 15, 2020

    New Delhi, Jan 15 : India's way is not to be disruptive and it is more of a decider than an abstainer, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar said on Wednesday. In remarks that come at a time that several countries have called for a greater Indian role in the Indo-Pacific, the minister also said it is not the India way to be mercantilist.

  • JuD chief Hafiz Saeed pleads not guilty in terror financing cases: court official

    Jan 14, 2020

    By M Zulqernain Lahore, January 14: Mumbai attack mastermind Hafiz Saeed on Tuesday pleaded "not guilty" in two terror financing cases against him as the Jamaat-ud-Dawah chief recorded his statement in a Pakistani anti-terrorism court here, amidst mounting international pressure on Islamabad to rein in militant groups.

  • Canada yet to decide if it will pay Harry and Meghan security costs

    Jan 14, 2020

    Montreal, Jan 14 : The Canadian government is yet to decide whether it will assume the security costs associated with Prince Harry and Meghan Markle's decision to split their time between Canada and Britain, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has said. "I think that is part of the reflection that... needs to be had, and there are discussions going on," Trudeau said in an interview with Canadian television channel Global on Monday.

  • Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi offers condolences over demise of Sultan Qaboos bin Said al Said

    Jan 14, 2020

    Muscat, Jan 14 : Minority Affairs Minister Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi met Oman's Sultan Haitham bin Tariq Al Said and conveyed India's condolences over the demise of Sultan Qaboos bin Said al Said, one of the longest-serving rulers in the Gulf region and a close friend of New Delhi. Naqvi, who is leading India's delegation to Oman to convey condolences, also handed over to Sultan Haitham a personal letter from Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

  • Heavy snowfall, rain claim 35 lives in Pakistan

    Jan 14, 2020

    slamabad, Jan 14 : Avalanches and landslides triggered by heavy snowfall and incessant rain across Pakistan have left at least 35 people, including women and children, dead and dozens injured, a media report said on Tuesday. The harsh weather conditions have created immense hardship for people across the country, with road transport and communication severely affected.

  • Both sides in Libya conflict accept ceasefire

    Jan 12, 2020

    Tripoli, January 12: Both sides in Libya's conflict agreed to a ceasefire that started early Sunday following weeks of international diplomacy and calls for a truce by power-brokers Russia and Turkey. The oil-rich North African country has been wracked by bloody turmoil since a NATO-backed uprising killed long-time dictator Muammar Gaddafi in 2011.

  • Pak FM Qureshi embarks on visit to Iran, Saudi amidst regional tension

    Jan 12, 2020

    By Sajjad Hussain Islamabad, January 12: Pakistan's Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi on Sunday embarked on a visit to Iran and Saudi Arabia amidst regional tension over the killing of a top Iranian general in a US drone strike in Iraq. Qureshi's visit came after Prime Minister Imran Khan directed him to travel to the region following the tension between the US and Iran.

  • Top Guards commander briefs Iran parliament: report

    Jan 12, 2020

    Tehran, January 12: Iran's Revolutionary Guards chief briefed parliament on Sunday over the killing of a top general by the US, Tehran's retaliation and the subsequent downing of an airliner, ISNA news agency said. Major General Hossein Salami addressed the members of the Majles in a closed session, the semi-official news agency reported.

  • North Korea says will resume US talks if demands fully met

    Jan 11, 2020

    Seoul, Jan 11 : North Korea said Saturday it had received Donald Trump's letter wishing a happy birthday to leader Kim Jong Un, but warned it would only return to nuclear talks if Washington fully accepts its demands. The US president and Kim have held three meetings since June 2018 but negotiations over denuclearisation have been largely deadlocked since the breakup of a summit in Hanoi last February.

  • Indian-American among NASA's new astronauts; all set to conquer Moon, Mars

    Jan 11, 2020

    Houston, Jan 11 : Raja Jon Vurputoor Chari, an Indian-American US Air Force colonel, is among 11 new NASA graduates who have successfully completed their over two years' of basic astronaut training and are all set to be a part of the space agency's ambitious future missions to the International Space Station, Moon and Mars. The successful astronauts were selected among 18,000 applicants in 2017 after NASA announced its Artemis program.

  • US gives Ukraine 'important data' on Iran plane crash

    Jan 10, 2020

    Kiev, January 10: US officials have given Kiev "important data" about the crash of a Ukrainian airliner in Iran, Ukrainian Foreign Minister Vadym Prystaiko said on Friday. All 176 people on board died when Ukraine International Airlines Boeing 737 went down near Tehran on Wednesday, shortly after Iran launched missiles at US forces in Iraq in response to the killing of a top Iranian general in a US drone strike in Baghdad.

  • Pak police says murder of Sikh man plotted by fiancee

    Jan 10, 2020

    Peshawar, Jan 10 : The death of a 25-year-old Sikh man in Pakistan has turned out to be a "contract killing", according to the police, who have arrested her fiancee, who did not want to marry him. On Saturday, Parvinder Singh was shot dead by unknown gunmen weeks before his marriage in Pakistan's northwestern Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province.

  • Meghan Markle returns to Canada amid UK royal crisis

    Jan 10, 2020

    London, Jan 10 : Meghan Markle, the Duchess of Sussex, left the UK for Canada amid the ongoing crisis talks within the British royal family following her and husband Prince Harry's bombshell announcement to distance themselves from frontline duties.

  • China rejects Trump's call to break away from Iran deal

    Jan 09, 2020

    Beijing, Jan 9 : China on Thursday rejected US President Donald Trump's call to "break away" from the Iranian nuclear deal and work for a new one, saying the agreement is a "hard-won outcome" adopted by the UN and "all parties" should abide by it.

  • Iran says Ukrainian plane was on fire tried to turn back

    Jan 09, 2020

    Tehran, Jan 9 : The crew of a Ukrainian jetliner that crashed in Iran, killing 176 people, never made a radio call for help and were trying to turn back for the airport when their burning plane went down, and initial Iranian report said on Thursday. Ukraine, meanwhile, said it considered a missile strike or terrorism as possible theories for the crash, despite Iran's denials.

  • Iran state media claims 80 Americans killed by missiles

    Jan 08, 2020

    Tehran, Jan 8 : Iranian state television claimed that Wednesday missile strikes on bases in Iraq killed 80 Americans, in a report citing what it called an informed Revolutionary Guards source. Iran launched 22 missiles overnight at the Iraqi bases used by US and other US-led coalition troops, the Iraqi army said. "At least 80 American military (personnel) were killed in this attack," the state television website reported.

  • Australia firefighters race to contain blazes as heatwave looms

    Jan 07, 2020

    Sydney, Jan 7 : Firefighters raced to contain massive bushfires in southeastern Australia Tuesday, taking advantage of a brief drop in temperatures and some much-needed rainfall before another heatwave strikes later this week. Exhausted volunteers cleared ground vegetation and carried out controlled burns before temperatures and winds were expected to pick up again by Friday.

  • Iran designates US forces 'terrorists' for killing general

    Jan 07, 2020

    Tehran, Jan 7 : Iran's parliament passed a bill on Tuesday designating all US forces "terrorists" over the killing of a top Iranian military commander in a US strike last week. Qasem Soleimani, the popular head of the Revolutionary Guards' foreign operations arm, was killed in a US drone strike outside Baghdad airport on Friday, ratcheting up tensions between the arch-foes.

  • Two Indian-origin women appointed judges in New York City

    Jan 07, 2020

    New York, Jan 7 : Two Indian-origin women have been appointed as judges to the criminal and civil courts by New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio. Judge Archana Rao has been appointed to the Criminal Court while Judge Deepa Ambekar, 43, was reappointed to the Civil Court in New York. Rao was first appointed as an Interim Civil Court Judge in January 2019 and has been serving in Criminal Court.

  • Pak Rangers handover 20 released fishermen to BSF at Wagah Border

    Jan 06, 2020

    Lahore/Attari, Jan 6: The 20 Indian fishermen, who were released from a Pakistani jail on Sunday in a goodwill gesture amidst tense bilateral ties, crossed over to the Indian side through the Attari-Wagah border on Monday. The fishermen, most of whom hail from Andhra Pradesh, were handed over to the Border Security Force by the Pakistan Rangers, officials said.

  • Trump's Iraq sanctions threat 'not very helpful': Germany

    Jan 06, 2020

    Berlin, Jan 6 : US President Donald Trump's threat to slap sanctions on Iraq should Baghdad expel US troops based there "is not very helpful", German Foreign Minister Heiko Maas said Monday. "I don't think you can convince Iraq with threats, but with arguments," Maas told Deutschlandfunk radio after Iraqi lawmakers voted to end an agreement with a US-led international coalition to fight the hardline Islamist group IS in the region.

  • Main accused in Nankana Sahib vandalism held in Pakistan

    Jan 06, 2020

    Lahore, Jan 6 : The main accused in the recent incident of vandalism at Gurdwara Nankana Sahib in Pakistan has been arrested and charged with anti-terrorism act, a top official said on Monday. Gurdwara Nankana Sahib, also known as Gurdwara Janam Asthan, is a site near Lahore where the first Guru of Sikhs, Guru Nanak, was born. According to media reports, a violent mob had attacked the Gurdwara and pelted it with stones on Friday.

  • Australia bushfire crisis: PM Morrison announces 2 bn dollars for relief support

    Jan 06, 2020

    Melbourne, Jan 6 : Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison on Monday announced an additional 2 billion dollars over two years to a new agency to coordinate a national response to rebuild communities and livelihoods following the deadly bushfire crisis. The National Bushfire Recovery Agency, headed by former federal police chief Andrew Colvin, will help bushfire affected communities recover.

  • Somali jihadists attack military base in Kenya

    Jan 05, 2020

    Nairobi, January 05: Jihadists from Somalia's Al-Shabaab group on Sunday stormed a military base used by US forces in Kenya's coastal Lamu region, destroying aircraft and military vehicles, according to Kenyan police and army officials. A group of attackers breached security at Camp Simba in the early hours but were repelled and four jihadists were killed, said army Colonel Paul Njuguna.

  • After Afghanistan, Pak says it will not allow its soil to be used against anyone

    Jan 05, 2020

    Islamabad, January 05: Pakistan said on Sunday that it will not allow its soil to be used against anyone, amidst raging tensions between Iran and the US after the killing of top Iranian military commander Qasem Soleimani in an American drone strike in Iraq. "We will not allow our soil to be used against anyone," Army spokesman Maj Gen Asif Ghafoor was quoted as saying by the ARY News.

  • Fury, tears as thousands mourn Iran commander killed by US

    Jan 04, 2020

    Baghdad, Jan 4: Thousands of Iraqis chanting "Death to America" on Saturday mourned an Iranian commander and others killed in a US drone attack that sparked fears of a regional proxy war between Washington and Tehran. The killing of Iran's Major General Qasem Soleimani on Friday was the most dramatic escalation yet in spiralling tensions between Iran and the United States, which pledged to send thousands more troops to the region.

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