WASHINGTON: There is no definitive conclusion on the origin of COVID-19 and the intelligence community and the rest of the US government are still looking at this, the White House has said following a report that the Energy Department has concluded the virus most likely leaked from a lab in China....
The Philippines has signed a logistics support agreement with New Zealand and is nearing a military access deal with Japan that will enable joint military exercises and logistical support, enhancing Manila’s strategic capabilities to better counter Beijing’s assertiveness in the South China Sea.
Analysts say the moves align with both...
Tibetans who want to get public sector jobs must comply with a harsh Chinese rule requiring them to denounce the Dalai Lama, the leader of Tibetan Buddhism.
The move would seem to violate China’s constitution, which officially protects the freedom of religion.
An official directive from Beijing released this month advertised...
As we mark Africa Day on 25 May, we are reminded of the formation of the Organization of African Unity (OAU) on this day in 1963, which transformed into the African Union in July 2002. Both organizations have faced challenges to peace and security, often relying on external support.
The...
It was only a year ago that Sri Lanka dominated international headlines, as its worst economic crisis in more than 70 years contributed to severe domestic strife, including deadly riots, and severe shortages of fuel, food and critical medicine. The crisis was created by a confluence of domestic policy blunders under the Rajapaksa...
Last fall, a coalition of rebel groups known as the Three Brotherhood Alliance launched a rapid-fire offensive across Myanmar’s northern Shan state, quickly overrunning more than 100 military outposts and seizing several key towns along the country’s border with China.
This in itself was not unusual. Myanmar’s military government has...
Bengaluru, Aug 23: In a giant leap for its space programme, India's Moon mission Chandrayaan-3 touched down on the lunar south pole at 6.04 pm on Wednesday, propelling the country to an exclusive club of four and making it the first country to land on the uncharted surface.
India scripted...
Islamabad , December 3: Pakistan Peoples Party Chairman Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari (PPP) urged Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) supremo Nawaz Sharif to contest elections based "on an ideology" and not with "the help of administration."
Addressing a press conference in Quetta on Saturday, Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari said, "Mian Sahib, respect the vote, don't...
China has sought to "cheat" and "steal" its way to matching Taiwan in chip technology, but has yet to succeed despite investing huge sums, Taiwan's de facto ambassador to Washington said on Wednesday, while holding out the prospect of more Taiwanese semiconductor investment in the U.S.
Taiwan's representative Alexander Yui...
India and Iraq on Monday discussed ways to further increase and diversify trade from oil to non-oil sectors, while stressing the importance of expanding economic partnership and technology engagement. The two sides held wide-ranging talks during the second round of the India-Iraq Foreign Office Consultations in Baghdad where the Indian delegation...
