Pope Francis on Iraq visit has called for an end to violence.

Pope Francis has called for an end to violence and extremism, on the first ever papal visit to Iraq. The pontiff is making his first international trip since the start of the current pandemic. Pandemic and security fears have made this his riskiest visit yet, but the 84-year…

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At least 1 in 7 children and young people putting mental health and well-being at risk.

At least 1 in 7 children – or 332 million globally – has lived under required or recommended nationwide stay-at-home policies for at least nine months since the start of the current pandemic, putting their mental health and well-being at risk, UNICEF warned today. While almo…

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Oil prices surge as OPEC and its allies extend production cuts till April.

A group of major oil producers has agreed to extend production cuts for another month despite a recent price surge, choosing to limit supply until the global economic recovery is more firmly established. The Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) and allied…

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India signs pact with Philippines for supply of BrahMos missile.

India and the Philippines have signed a key agreement to facilitate government-to-government deals on military hardware, including the potential supply of BrahMos cruise missiles. The signing of the “implementing arrangement” for procuring of defence materials and equipment …

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SoftBank Strategy Chief Plans Exit.

SoftBank Group Corp.’s Chief Strategy Officer Katsunori Sago is planning to quit after less than three years at the company, as other executives gain prominence at the Japanese investment conglomerate. Katsunori Sago veteran who joined SoftBank in June 2018 will resign on Ma…

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Smartphone application for reading SARS-CoV-2 test results.

Researchers report the development of a smartphone application that combines smartphone camera imaging with machine learning to interpret SARS-CoV-2 serological rapid diagnostic test (RDT) results, the visual interpretation of which can be highly subjective. The application …

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US President Joe Biden appoints two more Indian-Americans to key administration position.

US President Joe Biden has appointed two more Indian-Americans in key administrative positions, according to the latest list announced by the White House. Chiraag Bains has been appointed as Special Assistant to the President for Criminal Justice and Pronita Gupta has been n…

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Sri Lanka rated as ‘partly free’ in democracy report.

Sri Lanka status as a democracy and free society has been rated to “partly free” in the latest annual report on global political rights and liberties by Freedom House, a US government-funded NGO that studies political freedom around the world. The report titled “Freedom in …

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BTS : World's best-selling artists of 2020.

Pop group BTS have been named the best-selling artists of 2020 by the IFPI, the organisation that represents the global recorded music industry. The accolade caps a stellar year for the Korean boyband, who released two chart-topping albums in 2020 - Map of the Soul: 7 and Be…

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Facebook rainforest ads: Inquiry ordered into Amazon land sales.

Brazil's Supreme Federal Court has ordered an inquiry into the sale of protected areas of the Amazon rainforest via Facebook. It follows a BBC investigation, which revealed plots as large as 1,000 football pitches listed among the platform's Marketplace classified ad…

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Archaeologists uncover skeletons of WWII-era nuns murdered by Russian soldiers.

Polish archaeologists have recently identified previously uncovered skeletons of three Catholic nuns who were killed by Russian soldiers at the end of World War II.  The Russian army invaded Poland in 1944 after Germany's occupation, hoping to gain control by imprisoning…

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ICC opens 'war crimes' investigation in West Bank and Gaza.

The International Criminal Court's chief prosecutor has opened a formal investigation into alleged war crimes in the Palestinian territories. Fatou Bensouda said the probe would cover events in the Israeli-occupied West Bank, East Jerusalem and Gaza Strip since June 2014…

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Ranitha Gnanarajah to receive 2021 IWOC award by US Secretary of State.

Sri Lankan Activist and Lawyer Ranitha Gnanarajah is among the recipients of the 2021 International Women of Courage (IWOC) award presented by the United States Secretary of State. The US State Department said on Monday, March 8th Secretary of State Antony J. Blinken will ho…

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U.S. House passes 'George Floyd' police reform bill, Senate prospects unclear.

The U.S. House of Representatives passed a bill on Wednesday 03 March 2021 banning controversial police tactics and easing the way for lawsuits against officers violating suspects’ constitutional rights, although the measure’s Senate prospects were uncertain. Democrats pushe…

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The United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) has declared the year 2023 as ‘International Year of Millets’.

The UN General Assembly adopted by consensus a resolution sponsored by India and supported by over 70 nations declaring 2023 as the International Year of Millets, aimed at raising awareness about the health benefits of the grain and their suitability for cultivation under c…

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'Exceptional' 15th-Century Ming Dynasty bowl unearthed at US yard sale.

A small bowl bought for just $35 (£25) at a market sale in the US state of Connecticut has turned out to be a rare 15th-Century Chinese artefact. The white porcelain bowl was spotted by an unidentified antiques enthusiast near New Haven last year, and they quickly sought an …

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Indian Scientists Develop Low-Cost Optical Spectrograph.

Indian scientists have indigenously designed and developed a low-cost optical spectrograph. This can locate sources of faint light from distant quasars and galaxies in a very young universe, regions around supermassive black-holes around the galaxies, and cosmic explosions. I…

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The Himalayan hazards nobody is monitoring.

Retreating glaciers in the Himalayas are not only dangerously filling up glacial lakes but they are also causing other hazards that are not being monitored, scientists have warned. The recent flash flood disaster in India's Uttarakhand state, they say, is the latest exam…

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Kieron Pollard becomes 3rd Man to Hit 6 Sixes in an over

Kieron Pollard hit six sixes in an over to guide West Indies to a comprehensive four-wicket win against Sri Lanka in the first game of their three-match T20 series. Pollard joins former India batsman Yuvraj Singh as the only other player to hit six sixes in an over in T20 c…

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Only 10 Countries Have Full Equal Rights for Women.

There are only ten countries in the world which offer full legal protections to women, according to the report Women, Business and the Law 2021, recently published by the World Bank. Belgium, France, Denmark, Latvia, Luxembourg, Sweden, Canada, Iceland, Portugal and Ireland…

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Australia building world's first platypus sanctuary.

Australian conservationists on Wednesday (March 03) unveiled plans to build the world's first refuge for the platypus, to promote breeding and rehabilitation as the duck-billed mammal faces extinction due to climate change. The Taronga Conservation Society Australia and …

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Hurun Global Rich List 2021

The 10th Edition of Hurun Global Rich List 2021 was released, which ranked 3228 billionaires from 2,402 companies and 68 countries. Elon Musk Tops Hurun Global Rich List 2021.  The report showed that despite the pandemic, the world added 8 billionaires every week in 2020 and…

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Myanmar Committee of parliamentarians announces acting ministers.

The committee of parliament members elected to the Myanmar parliament in the Nov. 8 elections last year have announced a list of acting ministers for the country. Calling the military overthrow of the government headed by State Counsellor Aung San Suu Kyi as unjust and illeg…

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Celebrating the world's largest female afro.

Guinness World Records certified Simone Williams' hair as the largest female afro on Earth in 2020. Ms Williams sees her hair, which measures nearly 1.5m in circumference, as a symbol of pride. Read Full News

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Global Food wastage total 900 million tonnes.

More than 900 million tonnes of food is thrown away every year, according to a global report. The UN Environment Programme's Food Waste Index revealed that 17% of the food available to consumers - in shops, households and restaurants - goes directly into the bin. Some 60…

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US birth rate falls during pandemic period.

Despite spending more time at home due to the pandemic, the US is in the midst of a baby bust, not a baby boom. US births have been falling for nearly a decade and 2019 saw the fewest births in 35 years, but the final numbers for 2020 could slip even lower. An estimated 300…

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'Space hurricane' that rained electrons observed for the first time.

When it comes to extreme weather, it's safe to say a "space hurricane" qualifies. Scientists said last week they observed a previously unknown phenomenon — a 620-mile-wide swirling mass of plasma that roiled for hours in Earth's upper atmosphere, raining el…

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China set to overhaul Hong Kong electoral system.

China announced at its biggest political meeting that it will overhaul Hong Kong's electoral system to ensure "patriots" are in charge, a sign that the government will no longer tolerate dissent in the city. The reform comes after a crackdown and tightened cont…

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Virat Kohli: First Cricketer To Reach 100 Million On Instagram.

India captain Virat Kohli has recorded another century, albeit not on the pitch this time, as he became the first cricketer in the world to have 100 million followers on social media platform Instagram. Portugal football star Cristiano Ronaldo tops the chart with 265 million…

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India is now only 'partly free'.

India's status as a free country has changed to "partly free", according to an annual report on global political rights and liberties. Civil liberties in India have been in decline since PM Narendra Modi came to power in 2014, said Freedom House in its report D…

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