Zika scare in Vietnam
Ho Chi Minh, Dec 22 (IANS) There are 145 Zika cases reported in Vietnam’s Ho Chi Minh City alone, the municipal preventive medicine centre said on Thursday. The cases were spotted in 23 out of…
International
Paralysed Pakistani convict to be hanged on Saturday
Islamabad, Dec 22 (IANS) A paralysed Pakistani murder convict will be hanged on Saturday after his mercy appeal was turned down by the President, police said on Thursday. Khan Iqbal, in his 80s, was arrested…
Facebook has emerged as a new kind of media platform: Zuckerburg
New York, Dec 22 (IANS) Facebook is neither a “traditional” media company, nor it is a “traditional” technology company, CEO Mark Zuckerburg has said, adding that it is a new kind of platform. Zuckerburg on…
Disney to make TV series for Snapchat
New York, Dec 22 (IANS) Disney’s television arm will produce several original shows for Snapchat photo-sharing and mobile service starting with “Watch Party: The Bachelor” show from January 3, 2017. According to a report in…
Beijing lifts red alert after 5 days
Beijing, Dec 22 (IANS) Beijing lifted its red alert for air pollution on Thursday after the smog dispersed in the wind and the skies cleared once again over the Chinese capital. As the particulate matter…
NASA space laser maps polar ocean plants key to life
Washington, Dec 22 (IANS) A NASA satellite instrument orbiting Earth that can see through fog, clouds and darkness has given scientists their first continuous look at the boom-and-bust, or peak and decline, cycles of phytoplankton…
YouTube star speaks Arabic, ‘kicked off’ flight
New York, Dec 22 (IANS) Two YouTube stars were removed from a Delta Air Lines flight in London on Wednesday following complaints by other passengers of them speaking in Arabic, the media reported on Thursday….
62% Democrats, independents don’t want Clinton to run again
Washington, Dec 22 (IANS) A majority of Democratic and independent voters made clear that they do not foresee Hillary Clinton in their 2020 vision of the presidential election, according to a USA Today/Suffolk University poll….
Trump vows to cut F-35 spending
Washington, Dec 22 (IANS) US President-elect Donald Trump has vowed to cut the costs of the Air Force’s F-35 fighter jet programme, stressing again his eagerness to trim down government spending. “It’s a programme that’s…
Uber suspends its pilot programme in San Francisco
Los Angeles, Dec 22 (IANS) Cab-hailing app firm Uber announced that it has suspended its pilot experience with autonomous vehicles (without a driver) in San Francisco, California. The move on Wednesday came after California regulators…
China launches satellite to monitor global carbon emissions
Beijing, Dec 22 (IANS) China on Thursday launched a global carbon dioxide monitoring satellite via a Long March-2D rocket, authorities said. It was launched at 3.22 a.m. from Jiuquan Satellite Launch Centre in the Gobi…
Trump picks special adviser for regulatory reform
Washington, Dec 22 (IANS) US President-elect Donald Trump announced his pick of billionaire investor Carl Icahn as his special adviser for regulatory reform. The 80-year-old Icahn, a well-known figure on Wall Street, has devoted himself…
Car bomb hits Australian Christian group
Canberra, Dec 22 (IANS) A van reportedly carrying gas cylinders drove into the Australian Christian Lobby (ACL) headquarters in capital city of Canberra on Wednesday night, authorities said. According to the police, there were no…
Chinese shares open mixed
Beijing, Dec 22 (IANS) Chinese stocks opened mixed on Thursday, with the benchmark Shanghai Composite Index down 0.17 percent to open at 3,132.16 points. The smaller Shenzhen Component index opened 0.03 per cent lower at…
Chinese yuan strengthens
Beijing, Dec 22 (IANS) The central parity rate of the Chinese currency renminbi, or the yuan, strengthened 54 basis points to 6.9435 against the US dollar on Thursday, according to the China Foreign Exchange Trading…
Tokyo shares open lower
Tokyo, Dec 22 (IANS) Tokyo shares opened lower on Thursday on the fall of US stocks overnight as well as lower oil prices. The 225-issue Nikkei Stock Average fell 94.35 points, or 0.49 per cent,…
China passes plan to boost health service
Beijing, Dec 22 (IANS) China’s State Council has passed a plan on healthcare and medical system reform for the 13th Five-Year Plan period (2016-2020). Health care development is basic to the drive for a “Healthy…
Trump picks Peter Navarro to head national trade council
Washington, Dec 22 (IANS) US President-elect Donald Trump picked Peter Navarro, an economist and professor, to head the newly-created National Trade Council at the White House. “The formation of the National Trade Council further demonstrates…
US dollar declines despite upbeat data
New York, Dec 22 (IANS) The US dollar fell against most major currencies despite positive housing data from the country. In late New York trading on Wednesday, the euro rose to $1.0428 from $1.0392, and…
Europol enhances internet security cooperation
Brussels, Dec 22 (IANS) The European Police Office (Europol) has signed an agreement with EURid, the European Commission-appointed internet registry manager, to enhance internet security cooperation. According an Europol press release on Wednesday, the cooperation…