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Washington, Jan 6: India's economy battered by the Covid-19 pandemic is forecast to crater by 9.6 per cent during the current financial year but can recover by 5.4 per cent next financial year if there is wide vaccination against the disease and it is contained, the World Bank reported on Tuesday. The Bank's Global Economic Prospects Report said that the optimistic forecast for 2021-22 "assumes

Washington, Jan 6: U.S. President Donald Trump Tuesday signed an executive order banning transactions with eight Chinese software applications, including Ant Group's Alipay that is resulting in escalating tensions with Beijing before President-elect Joe Biden takes office this month. "The following actions shall be prohibited beginning 45 days after the date of this order, to the extent permitted

Geneva, Jan 6: The 'UK' coronavirus variant had been detected in 41 countries/territories, the World Health Organization (WHO) said in a statement. "As of 5 January 2021, the VOC-202012/01 variant initially detected in the United Kingdom has been detected in a small number of cases in 40 other countries/territories/areas in five of the six WHO regions, and the 501Y.V2 variant initially detected in

London, Jan 5: British Prime Minister Boris Johnson on Tuesday spoke to Prime Minister Narendra Modi to express his regret over not being able to visit India as planned for Republic Day on January 26 due to the growing crisis created by the new variant of coronavirus. His call with Modi came a day after he addressed Britain in a televised address to plunge the country into a new stay-at-home

New Delhi, Jan 5: The Union Health Ministry on Tuesday said that it is prepared to roll out the coronavirus vaccine within next few days, paving way for mass vaccination drive in the country. "We are prepared to roll out COVID-19 vaccines within 10 days of granting emergency use authorisation date, based on dry run feedback," said Health Secretary Rajesh Bhushan at a press conference. Approval to

New Delhi, Jan 5: Union Minister for Minority Affairs Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi on Tuesday said arrangements are being made to administer coronavirus vaccines to those going from India for the Haj pilgrimage. He was speaking after chairing a meeting of the Haj Committee of India officials and Haj Group organisers at Haj House in south Mumbai. The last date for submission of application forms for Haj

Beijing, Jan 5: Chinese president, Xi Jinping on Monday ordered his country's army to be ready to 'act at any second', stressing on 'full-time combat readiness'. He urged the armed forces to enhance training in real combat conditions to ensure readiness at all times, reported Xinhua. "People's Liberation Army (PLA) must be ready to 'act at any second' and should remain on 'full-time combat

Islamabad, Jan 5: The Pakistan Supreme Court (SC) on Tuesday directed relevant authorities to start the restoration of the Hindu temple in Karak within two weeks besides summoning details of all temples from the Evacuee Trust Property Board (ETPB), reported ARY News. On December 30, a mob of over a hundred people led by local Muslim clerics had destroyed and set on fire a Hindu temple in the Karak

Kasaragod, Jan 5: The bus accident at Panathur in Kasaragod that claimed seven lives and left several others injured might have been caused by the driver’s negligence and his lack of experience. Regional Transport Officer (Kasaragod) A.K. Radhakrishnan said preliminary investigation had revealed that the vehicle had no mechanical problems. Its tyres were in good condition and brakes were intact

Riyadh, Jan 5: Gulf Arab leaders gather in Saudi Arabia on Tuesday for a summit that is expected to see formal agreement towards ending a long-running dispute with Qatar that shattered Gulf unity at a time of heightened regional tensions with Iran. Riyadh, the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain and non-Gulf Egypt severed diplomatic, trade and travel ties with Qatar in mid-2017 over allegations Doha