Two Trekkers Died In India’s Himachal Pradesh

NEW DELHI, Feb 9 (NNN-PTI) – Two trekkers, including a woman, died during their expedition, in the northern Indian state of Himachal Pradesh, officials said, yesterday. The bodies were found in Bir Billing, in the Kangra district, about 195 km north of Shimla, the capital city of Himachal Pradesh. Bir…

UN Rights Chief Concerned By Widespread Destruction Of Civilian Infrastructure In Gaza

GENEVA, Feb 9 (NNN-XINHUA) – The widespread destruction by Israeli forces of civilian infrastructure in Gaza, to create a “buffer zone” for general security purposes, does not appear consistent with the narrow “military operations” set out in international humanitarian law, United Nations (UN) Human Rights Chief, Volker Turk said, yesterday.…

Sydney To Throw 16-Day Party For Year Of Dragon

SYDNEY, Feb 9 (NNN-AAP) – A launching ceremony was held yesterday, in the city centre of Sydney, for a 16-day festival to ring in the Year of the Dragon. From tomorrow to Feb 25, the renowned Australian metropolis will be radiant with joy, under an event named “Sydney Lunar Festival,”…

Lebanon, Iraq Signed MoU To Boost Agriculture Cooperation

BEIRUT, Feb 9 (NNN-NNA) – Lebanon and Iraq signed yesterday, a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU), to boost cooperation in the agriculture sector, a statement by the Lebanese Council of Ministers reported. The MoU was signed in Beirut by Lebanese Agriculture Minister, Abbas Hajj Hassan and his Iraqi counterpart, Abbas Jabr…

U.S.-British Airstrikes Do Not Affect Houthis “Military Capabilities:” Group Leader

SANAA, Feb 9 (NNN-SABA) – The Leader of Yemen’s Houthi group, Abdulmalik al-Houthi, yesterday said, the U.S.-British coalition airstrikes, have not affected its military capabilities. “The American-British airstrikes on our country this week, amounted to 86 strikes and have not affected or limited our armed capabilities,” he said, in a…

30 Rockets Fired From Lebanon At N. Israel: Army

JERUSALEM, Feb 9 (NNN-MA’AN) – Some 30 rockets were fired from Lebanon at northern Israel last night, the Israeli Defence Forces (IDF) said in a statement. The IDF said that, the rockets, which triggered sirens in Upper Galilee of northern Israel, landed in open fields. There were no immediate reports…

Mongolia’s Inflation Eased To 7.6 Percent In Jan

ULAN BATOR, Feb 9 (NNN-APA) – Mongolia’s inflation, as measured by the consumer price index, eased to 7.6 percent in Jan, data from the country’s National Statistics Office showed, yesterday. The office said, the rate was down by 0.3 percentage points, from a month earlier, and 4.7 percentage points from…

U.S. Drone Strike Pushes Iraq To End U.S.-Led Coalition Mission: Military Spokesman

BAGHDAD, Feb 9 (NNN-NINA) – The Iraqi government said yesterday that, the U.S. drone strike in eastern Baghdad Wednesday evening, pushed the Iraqi government more than ever to end the mission of the U.S.-led coalition forces in Iraq. The drone bombarded a sport utility vehicle of paramilitary Hashd Shaabi Forces,…

Voting For Pakistan’s General Elections Concluded, Counting Starts

ISLAMABAD, Feb 9 (NNN-APP) – The voting process in Pakistan’s parliamentary elections concluded last night, and the counting of ballots has started, said a statement from the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP). The ECP said that, polling started at 8:00 a.m. local time (0300 GMT) yesterday, and continued uninterrupted until…

5.5 Tonnes Of Radioactive Water Leaked From Fukushima Nuclear Plant: Media

TOKYO, Feb 8 (NNN-NHK) – Approximately 5.5 tonnes of water, containing radioactive materials, leaked, at Japan’s Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant, local media reported, yesterday. At about 8:53 a.m. local time yesterday, workers discovered water leaking from the outlet of a device, used to purify nuclear-contaminated water, during an inspection…