Long-lived cyclone continues slow progress through the Coral Sea towards the Australian coast. About 3,000 homes north of New Caledonia’s main island Grand Terre lost power in the last 24 hours after Tropical Cyclone Oma hit the French territory in the South Pacific. According to local media, trees were brought down and with rainfall totals in excess of […]
Officials say 26 people have died across Pakistan, while winter storm also affected northern India and Afghanistan. A winter storm has lashed Pakistan, causing torrential rains and flash floods. At least 26 people have been killed in flash floods in several Pakistani cities, AP news agency reported on Thursday, citing Pakistani authorities. The provincial Disaster Management Authority […]
Japanese islanders to hold non-binding referendum as pressure mounts on government to halt multibillion-dollar project. Okinawans will vote in a local referendum on Sunday over the landfill construction of a US Marine Corps base in Henoko, a plan that has been at the centre of controversy since its announcement in 1996. The prefecture of Okinawa, […]
MEXICO CITY (Reuters) – Mexico’s central bank cautioned against steering monetary policy toward helping the country’s stagnant economy, even as tension on its board over how much further interest rates should fall became apparent in a report published on Thursday. Minutes of the Bank of Mexico’s last rate-setting meeting on Feb. 13 suggested that most […]
NEW YORK (Reuters) – The NYSE Arca options exchange said on Thursday that it had resolved a delay in trades being reported to the Options Clearing Corporation (OCC) for options on the SPDR S&P 500 ETF Trust (SPY.P). The exchange, which is owned by Intercontinental Exchange Inc (ICE.N), had previously stated that the delay had […]
WASHINGTON (Reuters) – The fast-spreading coronavirus will clearly have an impact on global economic growth and the International Monetary Fund is likely to downgrade its growth forecast as result, a spokesman for the International Monetary Fund said on Thursday. “Clearly the virus is going to have an impact on growth,” IMF spokesman Gerry Rice told […]
NEW DELHI – National Security Adviser Ajit Doval usually deals with defence policy and international affairs. Yet, the powerful official has been hitting the streets of the riot-torn parts of capital city Delhi in a public outreach, interacting with locals and assuring them of protection following mounting criticism that the government had failed to contain […]
KUALA LUMPUR (XINHUA) – A Malaysian woman tested positive for the Covid-19 coronavirus, days after returning from Japan, the Health Ministry said on Thursday (Feb 27). The 53-year-old woman who returned to Malaysia on Feb 23 started showing symptoms shortly after her return and is being treated at a hospital in Kuala Lumpur, the ministry said in a […]
LONDON (Reuters) – Britain unveiled a negotiating mandate on Thursday for talks with the European Union that puts it on a collision course with Brussels, saying it was ready to walk away if “good progress” was not made by June. After officially leaving the EU last month, Britain has until the end of the year […]
OSLO (Reuters) – Norway’s $1.1 trillion wealth fund, the world’s biggest fund and a long-time advocate of companies being more transparent about their impact on the climate, on Thursday welcomed a shift among European oil and gas firms towards greener policies. Top energy firms including BP, Repsol, Royal Dutch Shell and Total – as well […]