DHAKA: Senior officials from 21 countries are gathering in London to discuss efforts to tackle the jihadist militant group, Islamic State (IS), in Syria and Iraq.Those taking part in the one-day conference include US Secretary of State John Kerry and Iraqi prime minister Haider

DHAKA: United States president Barack Obama will co-host Indian prime minister Narendra Modi’s regular monthly radio phone-in show next week as part of his packed three-day visit to New Delhi.The announcement was made in a tweet by Modi, who called on listeners to send in their

DHAKA: The head of Germany’s ‘anti-Islamisation’ movement Pegida has quit after disparaging anti-refugee comments and a photo showing him apparently posing as Hitler emerged.Lutz Bachmann apologised for Facebook comments he made in which he reportedly called refugees ‘animals’

DHAKA: US and Cuban officials claimed a good first day in historic talks in Havana on Wednesday despite disagreements over migration policies ahead of negotiations to restore diplomatic ties.Each side described the first of two days of talks as productive and constructive even though

DHAKA: The United States and Cuba opened two days of historic talks in Havana on Wednesday to end decades of Cold War-era animosity and reestablish diplomatic relations.The meetings in Havana follow the historic decision by US president Barack Obama and Cuban leader Raul Castro in

DHAKA: Germany’s population rose to 81.1 million people in 2014, the fourth annual increase in a row, boosted by the highest level of net migration in more than two decades.German Federal Statistics Office said on Wednesday, reports The Straits Times.Germany, the European Union’s

DHAKA: Chinese health authorities on Wednesday described the gender imbalance among newborns as ‘the most serious and prolonged’ in the world, a direct ramification of the country’s strict one-child policy.The statement will add to growing calls for the government to scrap all

DHAKA: Russia hit back on Wednesday at US president Barack Obama’s State of the Union speech, saying it showed the United States believes it is ‘number one’ and seeks world domination.Obama said his country was upholding ‘the principle that bigger nations can't bully the

DHAKA: US president Barack Obama called on the US Congress to pass a new authorisation of force against the Islamic State (IS) militant group. Obama said a US-led coalition of countries is stopping the advance of the ISIS in Iraq and Syria, The Straits Times publishes this report on

DHAKA: Japanese prime minister Shinzo Abe was rushing home from the Middle East Wednesday to take charge of Tokyo’s response after Islamic militants threatened to kill two nationals unless he pays a US$200 million ransom.A defiant Abe vowed he would not bow to ‘terrorism’ as

DHAKA: At least eight civilians including women and children were killed when their van struck a roadside bomb in southern Afghanistan on Tuesday.The officials confirmed the matter, report the NDTV.Deputy Provincial Governor Mohammad Ali Ahmadi said the incident occurred in the Jaghuri

DHAKA: Scuffles broke out in Nepal’s parliament and police arrested protesters in the capital as tensions rose before a deadline to draft a new national constitution.Opposition lawmakers threw chairs and microphones and attacked the parliamentary speaker early on Tuesday.The Maoist

DHAKA: The People's Court of Vietnam sentenced eight people, including two women, to death in Hoa Binh province for heroin trafficking.State-controlled English daily ‘The Tuoi Tre’ publishes this report on Tuesday.They were convicted of trafficking 189 kilograms of heroin after a

DHAKA: Political earthquakes could be in store for Europe in 2015, according to research by the Economist Intelligence Unit for the BBC’s Democracy Day.It says the rising appeal of populist parties could see some winning elections and mainstream parties forced into previously

DHAKA: At least 20 of up to 80 people taken hostage by Boko Haram militants in Cameroon at the weekend are reported to be free.Cameroon’s defence ministry said the hostages were freed ‘as defence forces pursued the attackers who were heading back to Nigeria’.Many of those kidnapped

DHAKA: China said on Monday it hoped for continued ‘cooperation’ with Sri Lanka despite a pledge by the new government in Colombo to review Chinese infrastructure projects awarded under the previous administration.The remarks by China’s foreign ministry come two days after a junior

DHAKA: EU foreign ministers will meet on Monday to discuss the terror threat in Europe in the wake of recent attacks.Europe is on high alert after a failed terrorist plot in Belgium and a deadly attack in Paris in which gunmen killed 17 people.The talks will also focus on EU relations

DHAKA: Sri Lanka’s new government will review Chinese infrastructure projects awarded under the previous administration, a junior minister said, a move bound to please Indian and Western powers concerned about Beijing’s access in the island state.On Friday, the government said it

DHAKA: Almost half of French oppose publication of cartoons depicting Islam’s Prophet Muhammad, according to a poll Sunday, as global debate deepened on the limits of free speech in the wake of the ‘Charlie Hebdo’ killings.The Ifop poll found 42 percent believe the prophet

DHAKA: Chinese authorities have rolled out its long-expected plan to increase salaries for civil servants.Hong Kong-based Wen Wei Po reported on Sunday, says The Straits Times.The pay raise plan, released by the State Council on January 12, covers grass-roots officials to ministerial