Explosion hits Chinese embassy and UN office
An explosion rocked Kabul Saturday morning, but there were no immediate reports of casualties, a government spokesman said. The explosion took place close to the Chinese embassy and a UN office, said Zamarai Bashary, a spokesman for the interior ministry.
By DPA | DPA, Kabul
UPDATED ON JUN 26, 2010 12:03 PM IST
An explosion rocked Kabul Saturday morning, but there were no immediate reports of casualties, a government spokesman said.
The explosion took place close to the Chinese embassy and a UN office, said Zamarai Bashary, a spokesman for the interior ministry. There were no reports of casualties.
The blast, which occurred on the same road where the foreign ministry is located, was caused by an Afghan army vehicle packed with explosives, said a security official who did not want to be named.
Congress weighs reforms to troubled US Postal Service over finance woes
Reuters
PUBLISHED ON FEB 24, 2021 11:38 PM IST
"Our dire financial trajectory, operational and network misalignment to mail trends, outdated pricing, infrastructure underinvestment, inadequate people engagement, and an insufficient growth strategy – all demand immediate action," Postmaster General Louis DeJoy told lawmakers.
EU mulls vaccination passports to resurrect tourism after Covid-19
Reuters, Brussels
PUBLISHED ON FEB 24, 2021 11:12 PM IST
However, France and Germany appear more reluctant, as officials there say it could create de facto vaccination obligation.
J&J’s Covid-19 vaccine closes in on FDA’s nod
By Yashwant Raj
PUBLISHED ON FEB 24, 2021 11:06 PM IST
According to papers submitted by Johnson & Johnson to the FDA seeking emergency use go-ahead, the vaccine has demonstrated an overall efficacy level of 66% - 72% in the United States and 57% in South Africa, a country that is dealing with a highly contagious strain of the coronavirus.
PNB scam case: UK judge to rule on Nirav Modi extradition case on Thursday
Posted by Prashasti Singh | PTI
UPDATED ON FEB 24, 2021 11:01 PM IST
The 49-year-old is expected to appear via videolink from Wandsworth Prison in south-west London at Westminster Magistrates’ Court, where District Judge Samuel Goozee is set to hand down his judgment on whether the jeweller has a case to answer before the Indian courts.
CIA nominee pledges to provide 'unvarnished' intelligence
PTI, Washington
PUBLISHED ON FEB 24, 2021 10:48 PM IST
William Burns said the president "wants the agency to give it to him straight, and I plan to do just that and to defend those who do the same."
UN says 41 Europe-bound migrants fleeing Libya drown in Mediterranean
AP
UPDATED ON FEB 24, 2021 10:09 PM IST
- The UN migration and refugee agencies said in a joint statement that the dead were among at least 120 migrants on a dinghy that left Libya on February 18.
FATF to take a call on Pakistan's efforts to counter terror financing tomorrow
PUBLISHED ON FEB 24, 2021 10:06 PM IST
- FATF’s latest plenary is also being held at a time when the US has been irked by the Pakistan Supreme Court’s acquittal of terrorist Omar Saeed Sheikh, the principal accused in the 2002 murder of American journalist Daniel Pearl.
Pakistan military personnel punished over escape of Taliban figure: Spokesperson
Reuters, Rawalpindi
PUBLISHED ON FEB 24, 2021 09:40 PM IST
Liaqat Ali, the former public face of the militant Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), escaped last year three years after he handed himself in to the military.
US to admit asylum seekers from hard-hit camp at Texas border
Reuters, Washington
PUBLISHED ON FEB 24, 2021 09:11 PM IST
The camp, across the Rio Grande from Brownsville, Texas, is home to hundreds of migrants, most from Central America, hoping to be granted refuge across the border.
Over 23 tonnes of cocaine seized in Europe's biggest haul
Reuters
PUBLISHED ON FEB 24, 2021 09:04 PM IST
The two shipments together represented a street value of roughly $730 million, the Dutch prosecutors said.
North Korea enslaving political prisoners to fund weapons programme: Report
Reuters
PUBLISHED ON FEB 24, 2021 08:54 PM IST
According to the report, Pyongyang had been operating a "pyramid fraud-like" scheme to force those held in prison camps to produce quotas of coal and other goods for export.
Number of women on UK corporate boards rises 50% in 5 years
AP
PUBLISHED ON FEB 24, 2021 08:43 PM IST
The number of women on the boards of directors of Britain’s 350 top publicly traded firms has jumped by more than 50% since 2015, meaning that 34.3% of all board seats are now held by women, an independent panel said in a report published Wednesday.
Pak, India can resolve Kashmir issue through dialogue: Imran Khan says in Lanka
PTI, Colombo
PUBLISHED ON FEB 24, 2021 08:29 PM IST
"Our only dispute is Kashmir and it can only be resolved through dialogue," he said.
Vietnam's first batch of Covid-19 vaccine arrives from South Korea
Reuters
PUBLISHED ON FEB 24, 2021 08:27 PM IST
The vaccines, which arrived at Ho Chi Minh City on a flight from South Korea, will be used to inoculate more than 50,000 people who are seen as high risk, the government said in a statement.
Neera Tanden's committee vote delayed as doubts about confirmation mount
Posted by Ayshee Bhaduri | Bloomberg
UPDATED ON FEB 24, 2021 08:26 PM IST
Neera Tanden’s chances of nomination had already narrowed this week as Republicans and at least one Democrat -- Joe Manchin of West Virginia -- have said they won’t support her.
