International

Colombo: Sri Lanka and the International Monetary Fund (IMF) have reached staff-level agreement on economic policies to conclude the combined fifth and sixth reviews of the island nation's reform programme, the global body said in a statement Thursday. An IMF team was here in Sri...

Islamabad:  Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has set up a special body to deal with the effects of the West Asia conflict on the economy and security of the country. The National Coordination and Management Council (NCMC) was constituted hours ahead of the two-week ceasefire achieved...

Tehran: A ceasefire deal to pause the war in Iran appeared to hang by a thread Wednesday after the Islamic Republic closed the Strait of Hormuz again in response to Israeli attacks in Lebanon. The White House demanded that the channel be reopened and sought...

Washington: Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri Wednesday launched the India-US Trade Facilitation Portal as the two countries eye the USD 500 billion bilateral trade target. Misri, who is on a three-day visit to the US, launched the portal at a virtual event that was attended by...

Kathmandu:  Nepalese President Ram Chandra Paudel will address a joint session of both houses of the Parliament Friday. The Office of the President has sent a letter to the Parliament Secretariat requesting necessary arrangements for the address. President Paudel has called the joint session of...

Beirut: Israeli strikes hit several dense commercial and residential areas in central Beirut without warning Wednesday afternoon, hours after a ceasefire was announced in the US-Israeli war with Iran. Lebanon's health ministry said at least 89 people were killed and 700 were wounded. US President...

Beijing: Iran will allow ships to pass through the Strait of Hormuz during the two-week ceasefire, but any decision to open the Strait entirely in future will depend on the results of the peace talks with the US, a senior Iranian diplomat said Wednesday. So...

Kathmandu: The Kathmandu District Court has reportedly issued an arrest warrant against former Nepali Prime Minister Sher Bahadur Deuba and his wife, former Foreign Minister Arzu Rana Deuba, in connection with a money-laundering investigation. The Kathmandu Post reported that the arrest warrants were issued Tuesday...

Washington: The White House Wednesday said "nothing is final" over plans for in-person talks over Iran. In response to questions about whether US Vice President JD Vance would be participating in US-Iran talks expected to be held later this week in Pakistan, White House press...

Islamabad: Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian has confirmed Tehran's participation in Pakistan-facilitated peace talks with the US in Islamabad, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif said Wednesday. Shehbaz said he held a warm and substantive telephone conversation with President Pezeshkian, hours after the US and Iran agreed on...