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IOC 'fully committed' to Tokyo Games despite virus: Olympics Chief

Tokyo: The International Olympic Committee is “fully committed” to holding the 2020 Games in Tokyo as planned despite the widening new coronavirus outbreak, the body’s president has pledged.

The IOC “is fully committed to a successful Olympic Games in Tokyo starting July 24”, Thomas Bach told Japanese media in a conference call late Thursday, according to Kyodo News.

The comments came as…

Facebook sues data analytics firm for harvesting users' data

Stung by the Cambridge Analytica scandal, Facebook has filed a federal lawsuit in California court against New Jersey-based data analytics firm OneAudience for secretly harvesting its users` data.

According to the lawsuit, OneAudience improperly accessed and collected user data from Facebook and other social media companies by paying App developers to install a malicious Software Development…

Afghan govt team leaves for Doha to meet Taliban members

A six-member Afghan government team has left for Qatar where they will meet Taliban members after the militant groups sign the long-awaited peace deal with the US on Saturday in Doha, according to the sources.

In a statement on Thursday, the Presidential Palace called the team “a group to establish initial contacts” with the Taliban and they were meeting with the militant group at their…

Hong Kong police arrest 3 pro-democracy figures over anti-government protest

Three pro-democracy figures, including a newspaper founder, were arrested and charged in Hong Kong on Friday over a banned protest held in August 2019 amid anti-government demonstrations that gripped the city.

In the early hours of the day, police arrested Apple Daily founder and media mogul Jimmy Lai for illegal assembly and intimidating a reporter using foul language during anti-government…

Qatar govt invites India to attend signing of landmark peace deal between US and Taliban in Doha tomorrow

New Delhi: India’s Ambassador to Qatar will attend the signing of the landmark peace deal between the US and the Afghan Taliban in Doha on Saturday, official sources said on Thursday.

The deal would allow for the withdrawal of US forces from Afghanistan. The US has lost over 2,400 soldiers in Afghanistan since late 2001.

Sources said India has been invited by the Qatar government for the…

Coronavirus: Saudi Arabia sterilizes Grand Mosque 4 times a day

Makkah: Grand Mosque in Saudi Arabia is being washed and sterilized four times a day due to the fear of contagious Coronavirus that has claimed the lives of thousands of people across the globe.

In order to ensure the safety of pilgrims and visitors, workers associated with Cleaning and Carpets Department are folding 13500 huge prayer rugs before washing and sterilizing the floor. After…

Canada to no longer pay for Harry and Meghan security

London: Canada will no longer pick up the security tab for protecting Prince Harry and his wife Meghan starting in March, the office of Public Safety Minister Bill Blair said Thursday.

The Duke and Duchess of Sussex have been living part-time in an oceanside mansion in westernmost British Columbia province since November.

Last month, they made a shock exit from life as working royals.

Th…

33 Turkish soldiers killed in Syria's Idlib after air strike

Ankara: At least 33 Turkish soldiers were killed in Syria’s Idlib province after an air strike blamed on Damascus, prompting condemnation from Washington and a UN warning on the rapidly-rising risk of escalation.

Dozens more soldiers were injured and taken to Turkey for treatment, Rahmi Dogan, governor of Turkish Hatay – bordering Syria – said Friday.

The heavy losses in northwestern Idlib…

Sajith Premadasa to contest 2020 SL general elections

Sajith Premadasa, a former Sri Lankan presidential hopeful, has decided to contest the island nation’s general elections slated to take place this year, according to informed sources.

The development comes almost four months after he was defeated in the November 16, 2019 presidential election by the current President Gotabaya Rajapaksa. The election was seen as a two-way contest between…

Auto Registrations Fall 7% In January As Weak Buyer Sentiment Prevails: FADA

Vehicle registrations across the country declined by more than 7 per cent in January year-on-year due to continuing weak consumer sentiment, the Federation of Automobile Dealers Associations (FADA) said on Thursday.

Auto sales continue to be in the negative territory except for three-wheelers with many consumers still not concluding on their decisions, said FADA President Ashish Harsharaj…

Inspirational Lemon Tree – Enabling the Differently Abled

HERE IS an inspirational story that comes from the hospitality industry.

Lemon Tree Hotels has hired and trained over 3,000 people from the most marginalized sections of Indian society including disability i.e. Speech and Hearing Impaired, Physical Disability, Down Syndrome, Slow Learner, Intellectual and Developmental Disability, Autism, Acid Survivor as well as orphans/abandoned girls,…

Michael Bloomberg On Carbon Emissions : India "Bigger Problem" Than China

New Delhi: When it comes to fighting climate change, India poses a bigger problem than China, particularly on reducing carbon emissions, Democratic presidential aspirant and former New York mayor Michael Bloomberg has said.

During his maiden appearance on a Democratic presidential primary debate in Las Vegas on Wednesday, Bloomberg said it was “ridiculous” of the Trump administration to take…

Easy ticket to Britain: Indians with immigration dreams get a 'Great Boost' with UK's new point-based system

New Delhi: Indians set to benefit the most from the point-based immigration system, that will give top priority to individuals with highest skills and the greatest talents, including scientists, innovators, and academics from the European Union and other countries including India.

UK Home Secretary Priti Patel introduced the new immigration system on Wednesday, which will take effect from…

Coronavirus: China lab says conspiracy theories hurting efforts to control virus

An outbreak of disinformation in China and elsewhere has hurt global efforts to combat the new coronavirus, said a specialist infectious disease lab located at the epicentre of the epidemic — and at the heart of a number of conspiracy theories.

In a statement issued on Wednesday, the state-backed Wuhan Institute of Virology said “internet rumours” had “received close attention from all walks…

Thai House votes down anti-coup motion

Thailand’s House of Representatives on Thursday voted down the Future Forward Party’s (FFP) motion for a committee to study ways to prevent future military coups.

The House rejected the proposal with 242 votes against and 215 MPs supporting it, with two abstentions, reports the Bangkok Post newspaper.

FFP Secretary-General Piyabutr Saengkanokkul had proposed the motion earlier this month.