DHAKA: Humanity is at risk from a series of dangers of our own making, according to Professor Stephen Hawking.Nuclear war, global warming and genetically-engineered viruses are among the scenarios which he singles out.And he says that further progress in science and technology will create

DHAKA: After over three, Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) unblocked the popular video-sharing website, YouTube, for the Internet users in Pakistan.However, digital rights groups and other stakeholders, who had originally opposed the blocking of the website, still have concerns

YEMEN: At least 35 people were killed and dozens injured in airstrikes throughout Yemen since Sunday, the Defense Ministry said.The deadliest strike targeted police in a densely populated downtown area of Yemen’s capital, Sanaa, reports CNN.Yemen has become a proxy battleground for

DHAKA: Australian Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull announced on Monday a small increase in the Australian troop commitment to the NATO-led force supporting the Afghan central government during a surprise visit to Kabul.Australia, which lost 41 soldiers in Afghanistan during its more than

DHAKA: Iranian President Hassan Rouhani will visit Italy and France next week on his first trip to Europe since the lifting of sanctions against his country.A diplomatic source said on Monday, reports The Jerusalem Post.The source said Rouhani would be in Italy on January 25-26 and leave

DHAKA: Candidates for the Democratic race for the White House have clashed on gun control and healthcare in their liveliest TV debate so far.Hillary Clinton attacked Bernie Sanders' record on gun control, and said his healthcare plan risked derailing recent legislation, reports the

DHAKA: The US and French scientists have launched a new satellite capable of measuring the height of the world’s oceans to within 4cm.The $180m mission, named Jason-3, is expected to provide them with vital data to track long-term changes to climate and the ocean’s role in global

DHAKA: The US embassy in Baghdad has confirmed that ‘several’ Americans have been kidnapped there.‘We are working with the full co-operation of the Iraqi authorities to locate and recover the individuals,’ said a state department official, the BBC reports.Unconfirmed reports from

DHAKA: The richest 1% now has as much wealth as the rest of the world combined, according to Oxfam.It uses data from Credit Suisse from October for the report, which urges leaders meeting in Davos this week to take action on inequality.Oxfam also calculated that the richest 62 people in

DHAKA: The three candidates for the Democratic nomination in the US presidential race are taking part in a TV debate, as the contest appears to be getting tighter.While Hillary Clinton leads nationwide, she is facing a threat from Vermont senator Bernie Sanders in key states.Hours before

DHAKA: The US has imposed fresh sanctions on Iranian companies and individuals over a recent ballistic missile test.The new sanctions prevent 11 entities and individuals linked to the missile program from using the US banking system, reports the BBC.The move came the day after

DHAKA: A landmark Christian holy site in Jerusalem was vandalized with Hebrew graffiti in what appears to be the latest attack by extremist Jews.Police spokeswoman Luba Samri said anti-Christian slogans were found on Sunday on the outer walls of the Dormition Abbey, a Benedictine

DHAKA: Islamic State (IS) militants in Syria are said to have abducted 400 civilians during a bloody assault on the eastern city of Deir al-Zour.The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, an opposition monitoring body, said people were taken from areas in the north-west of the city.The

DHAKA: Four Iranian-Americans, including Washington Post reporter Jason Rezaian, have been freed in Iran in a prisoner swap deal.Iranian and US officials said, reports Al Jazeera.Rezaian, who was taken into custody in July 2014 and convicted on espionage charges last year, was to be flown

DHAKA: Taiwan should abandon its ‘hallucinations’ about pushing for independence as any moves towards it would be a ‘poison’.Chinese state-run media said after a landslide victory for the island’s independence-leaning opposition, reports Al Jazeera.The comment comes after Taiwan

DHAKA: Dozens of people have died in an offensive by so-called Islamic State on government-held areas of Deir al-Zour in eastern Syria, local media say.The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said 85 civilians were killed in the attack, as well as 50 Syrian soldiers, reports the

DHAKA: International sanctions on Iran have been lifted after a watchdog confirmed it had complied with a deal designed to prevent it developing nuclear weapons.The EU foreign policy chief, Federica Mogherini, said the deal would contribute to improved regional and international peace and

DHAKA: Pro-independence candidate Tsai Ing-wen has effectively won Taiwan’s presidential elections after Eric Chu, the candidate and chairman of the ruling Kuomintang (KMT), conceded defeat.Tsai of Taiwan’s main opposition party was on course for a landslide election victory on

DHAKA: A siege is over at a Burkina Faso hotel seized by suspected Islamist gunmen, the government says, but reports say a nearby hotel is now under attack.In all, 126 hostages were freed at the Splendid Hotel in the West African state's capital, Ouagadougou, the interior minister said,

DHAKA: International sanctions on Iran will be lifted in hours when the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) issues its final report on Tehran’s nuclear program.Iran’s foreign minister Mohammad Javad Zarif was quoted as saying, reports Al Jazeera.Zarif arrived in Vienna earlier