Index Shows Over Half Of Lebanon’s Population In Poverty

BEIRUT, Mar 17 (NNN-NNA) – An official Multidimensional Poverty Index (MPI) for Lebanon, revealed yesterday that, 53.1 percent of the country’s residents are poor and 16.2 percent categorised as extremely poor. Issued by the Central Administration for Statistics and the World Bank, the index is derived from 19 indicators across…

Lebanon’s Cabinet Approves Plan To Reform Electricity Sector

BEIRUT, Mar 17 (NNN-NNA) – Lebanon’s cabinet approved an electricity reform plan yesterday, a critical step in addressing the country’s financial crisis, according to a statement by the Council of Ministers, or Lebanon’s cabinet. The plan includes the construction of new power plants and the establishment of an electricity regulatory…

Yemen’s Houthi Militia Ready For Peace Talks With Saudi-Led Coalition

SANAA, Mar 17 (NNN-YPA) – Yemen’s Houthi militia announced yesterday that, it is ready to negotiate with the Saudi-led coalition, to end the country’s seven-year civil war. The Houthis said, they “welcome dialogue with the coalition countries in any neutral country” which did not join the war in Yemen, Houthi-run…

Bangladesh Reports No New COVID-19 Deaths For Second Consecutive Day

DHAKA, Mar 17 (NNN-BSS) – Bangladesh yesterday reported no new COVID-19 deaths for the second consecutive day, the Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS) said. After about three months, Bangladesh on Tuesday logged zero deaths. The official data showed a total of 29,112 people in the country have died, due…

Roundup: Pakistan Decides To End All COVID-19 Restrictions Amid Dwindling New Cases

by Raheela Nazir ISLAMABAD, Mar 17 (NNN-XINHUA) – The Pakistani government decided to scrap all COVID-19 related restrictions nationwide, amid a continuous downward trend in the number of new cases, with experts and officials calling for continued surveillance and vaccination process. Asad Umar, chairman of the National Command and Operation…

7.3-Magnitude Quake Strikes North-Eastern Japan, Injures Reported

TOKYO, Mar 17 (NNN-NHK) – A 7.3-magnitude earthquake hit north-eastern Japan late last night, leaving several people injured, according to local government. The temblor occurred at around 11:36 p.m. local time (1436 GMT), with a latitude of 37.7 north, and a longitude of 141.7 east, and at a depth of…

Saudi Arabia Committed To Keeping Global Oil Market Stable

DHAKA, Mar 17 (NNN-SPA) – Saudi Arabia is committed to keeping global oil market stable, visiting Saudi Arabian Foreign Minister, Prince Faisal bin Farhan Al Saud, said here yesterday. The pledge came, after the Saudi foreign minister met with his Bangladeshi counterpart, AK Abdul Momen, earlier in the day. Responding…

11 Killed, 486 Injured During Fire Festival Celebrations In Iran

TEHRAN, Mar 16 (NNN-IRNA) – At least 11 people died and 486 others injured, during celebrations of Chaharshanbe Suri, or Fire Festival, the Iranian state TV reported, on Tuesday. Among the wounded, 49 people were amputated for severe injuries, Mojtaba Khaledi, spokesman of Iran’s Emergency Organisation, was quoted as saying.…

Iraqi Parliament To Elect New President On Mar 26

BAGHDAD, Mar 16 (NNN-NINA) – Iraq’s parliament said yesterday that, it will hold a session to elect the new president on Mar 26. It “was decided to set Saturday, Mar 26, as the date for the Council of Representatives (parliament) session, to elect the President of the Republic,” said a…

S. Korean Military Says DPRK Fires Unidentified Projectile But Fails

SEOUL/TOKYO, Mar 16 (NNN/YONHAP/NHK) – The Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (DPRK) fired an unidentified projectile, but the launch seemed to have failed, South Korea’s Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCS), said today. Earlier, Japan’s NHK cited the Japanese Defence Ministry as reporting that, the DPRK appeared to have launched a…