Sri Lanka bans travellers from India with immediate effect

Several countries like UK, UAE, Australia and Singapore have already banned travellers from India as well as other South Asian countries

US to send COVID-19 supplies worth $100 million to India

The first shipment includes 960,000 rapid tests, which can detect Covid in 15 minutes, and 100,000 N95 masks for frontline health workers

Biden promises supplies to help India beat COVID-19

Prime Minister Modi thanks Japan PM for providing assistance to India for combating the pandemic in 'summit phone talk'

Boris Johnson cancels his visit to India

India on UK's red list, 103 cases of Indian variant had been identified in the UK

Brazil sees record-high ICU occupancydue to COVID-19 surge

The South American country has the world's second-largest COVID-19 outbreak after the US, with 340,776 deaths and 13,193,205 infections

Japanese Health Ministry finds new virus variant

Japan was working with other nations, the WHO and other medical experts to analyze the new version of the virus

China admits 5 military officers, soldiers killed in Galwan clash with Indian Army

This is the first time China has acknowledged casualties and details of these officers and soldiers' sacrifice

China urges US to lift trade restrictions, stop interference

China faces more opposition than ever in Washington due to its trade record, territorial disputes with neighbours

Facebook bans Myanmar military accounts citing the coup

The move, which takes effect immediately, applies to the military and entities controlled by the armed forces on both Facebook and Instagram

Myanmar's Suu Kyi to face court after deadly crackdown

Hundreds of thousands of people have taken to streets regularly over the past month to oppose the coup

Saudi Arabia issues new COVID-19 guidelines for Umrah pilgrims

From the 1st of Ramadan, only those who have received coronavirus vaccines will be allowed to enter the holy mosques

Donald Trump announces peace between Israel and Bahrain

In Jerusalem, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu hailed the agreement.

Israel to set new nationwide lockdown as virus cases surge

Lockdown is credited with having brought down what were much lower infection numbers, but it wreaked havoc on Israel's economy

Kuwait's emir names security czar Sheikh Meshal as crown prince

The new emir, Sheikh Nawaf al-Ahmad al-Sabah, assumed power following the death of his brother Sheikh Sabah al-Ahmad last week

Israel signs pacts with UAE, Bahrain in White House ceremony

The agreements do not address the decades-long conflict between Israel and the Palestinians, who view the pacts as a stab in the back

2 tugboats speed to Egypt’s Suez Canal as shippers avoid it

The tugboats will nudge the 400-meter-long Ever Given as dredgers continue to vacuum up sand from underneath the vessel

Ever Given starts to move in Suez Canal: maritime traffic tracking sites

Each day of the blockade could be costing global trade some $6-10 billion, according to a study published Friday by German insurer Allianz

Over 200 vessels blocked as 'maritime traffic jam' grows outside blocked Suez Canal

An initial investigation showed the vessel ran aground due to strong winds and ruled out mechanical or engine failure as a cause

Poorer and developing nations face vaccine wait as West locks down supply

Based on advance purchase agreements signed with Pfizer, it is calculated that 1.1 billion doses had been snapped up by wealthy nations

UK quarantines travelers from South Africa as one more Covid variant detected

Hancock said the new variant has ‘mutated further’ than the one that recently prompted the British government to tighten restrictions

Moscow court confirms prison time for Kremlin critic Navalny

During Tuesday's hearing Navalny said the case was meant 'to intimidate a huge number of people'

After Rihanna, Greta Thunberg extends support to farmers' protest

Thunberg tweeted soon after singer Rihanna shared a news article highlighting the Centre's crackdown on the farmers

Germany halts AstraZeneca jabs for under-60s over clot risks

The cities of Berlin and Munich, as well as Brandenburg state had announced earlier that they were suspending the vaccine for younger people

A dozen countries suspend AstraZeneca shots over fears of blood clots

WHO has said countries should continue to use the vaccine while also set to hold an expert meeting today on the issue

Girls Takeover: Finland PM hands her post to teenager for one day

Although Finland scores highly in gender equality comparisons, women are still heavily under-represented in technology firms and boardrooms

No change in policy on Jammu and Kashmir, says US

A longstanding goal of US policy in South Asia has been to prevent India-Pakistan conflict from escalating to interstate war

Colorado supermarket shooter kills 10, including police officer

Police said the suspected gunman was believed to be the only individual with serious injuries who survived the bloodshed

Trump plans social media return with his own platform

Twitter last week said it would seek public input on when and how it should ban world leaders, saying it was reviewing policy

Biden, Modi commit towards greater Indo-US ties; work against COVID, terrorism

A veiled message to Pakistan was also sent, with both countries resolving to 'stand together against the scourge of global terrorism'

Trump may run for 2024; says we've gone from America first to America last in 1 month

In his speech, the former president reiterated his allegation that there was massive electoral fraud in the 2020 presidential elections

Priyanca Radhakrishnan becomes New Zealand's first-ever Indian-origin minister

Radhakrishnan, who is from the 2017 intake of new MPs, is a minister outside of the Cabinet

New Zealand reports three new COVID-19 local cases, first since January

The country remains on alert level 1 for COVID-19, its lowest level, with no restrictions

New Zealand detects first community virus case in two months

It is the second time a returnee has developed coronavirus symptoms after being cleared to leave an isolation facility in New Zealand

Facebook to restore Australia news pages as deal reached on media law

Prime Minister Scott Morrison had angrily accused Facebook of making a decision to 'unfriend' Australia

New Zealand sees first case-free day in five weeks

Friday’s report also marked the fourth consecutive day without any cases of community transmission