New Zealand will hold a binding referendum in 2016 on changing the national flag, with Prime Minister John Key hoping to drop the current design featuring Britain’s Union Jack in favour of a silver fern. Key announced a schedule Wednesday for New Zealanders to vote on the contentious issue, sayingRead More

Washington, The US and India will continue to work together to further strengthen their military-to-military relations as the top defence officials of the two countries have discussed a range of bilateral security issues. Top defence officials from India and the US yesterday discussed bilateral military-to-military relationship, strategic ties and globalRead More

Beijing, At least six people were listed missing after a cargo ship sank off the Yangtze River in central China’s Hubei Province. The accident happened last night in Yichang City when the ship ‘Honghai 001′ was transporting crushed stones, according to the municipal government. Two out of eight crew membersRead More

United Nations, A UN human rights investigator said Tuesday that he was surprised and gratified that North Korean officials raised the possibility of allowing him to visit their country, but the prospect of such a trip remains deeply uncertain because of demands theNorth Koreans made in exchange. Marzuki Darusman said NorthRead More

Atlanta (US), A nurse who fueled Ebola fears by flying to Cleveland after being infected by her dying patient was released from a hospital isolation unit, where doctors defended her as a courageous front-line caregiver. Another nurse, held for days in a medical tent in New Jersey after volunteering inRead More

United Nations, UNSecretary General Ban Ki-moon has criticised the travel bans and closing of borders by countries in response to the Ebola outbreak and asked the nations not to incite panic, saying “the only way to stop Ebola is to stop it at its source.” “The gravity of the (Ebola) outbreakRead More

Washington, An unmanned private rocket contracted by NASA to carry cargo into the space has exploded seconds after its launch along the eastern Virginia coast of the US. “There was failure on launch. There was no indicated loss of life,” NASA spokesman Jay Bolden said after the Orbital Sciences Corporation’sRead More

Chandigarh, There is a growing clamour for Punjab Congress president Partap Singh Bajwa to step down with a section of party workers protesting against his continuance in the post and the ruling Akali Dal upping its offensive against the Congress leader. A section of party men, reportedly owing allegiance toRead More

Amritsar, In a daring daylight robbery here today, unidentified miscreants allegedly robbed Rs 15 lakh from a man after throwing red chilli powder in his eyes. According to police, the incident occurred as one Rajesh Kumar, who is employed with an automobile retailer, was on his way to the bankRead More

Chandigarh, The Punjab Congress President, Mr Partap Singh Bajwa, today strongly condemned what he described as the malicious, motivated and highly mischievous smear campaign against him dictated by ruling party conspirators to malign him and tarnish his image by levelling allegations against him of the so called links with anti-socialRead More