Kinshasa, Aug 19 (IANS) The World Health Organisation (WHO) has said that the Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) remains a public health emergency of international concern (PHEIC), as the epidemic surpasses 5,000 cases, spreads into new areas and prompts authorities to pursue experimental vaccines and treatments. The outbreak is now the second-largest Ebola outbreak ever recorded and is spreading faster than all previous ones, WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebrey…

Sydney, Aug 19 (IANS) Police have commenced an investigation after a man was fatally stabbed at a residence in Sydney’s inner-south on Tuesday night, the security agencies stated on Wednesday. A police statement said that officers were called to an assault at a unit in Waterloo, 3 km south of central Sydney, around 7:20 p.m. on Tuesday and arrived to find a man had been stabbed.The man, believed to be in his 30s, was treated by ambulance paramedics before being taken to hospital in a critical co…

Abidjan, Aug 19 (IANS) Experts from the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) have reaffirmed their commitment in Abidjan to strengthening the response to epidemics and other public health emergencies. Health experts, representatives of member states and technical partners are participating in a four-day workshop from Tuesday, focused on the technical validation of the third Regional Strategic Plan for Epidemic Preparedness and Response and other Public Health Emergencies of the ECO…

Yangon (Myanmar), Aug 19 (IANS) The launch of a new Small Development Project (SDP) for construction of a warehouse in Yangon for disaster relief and assistance materials along with the groundbreaking ceremony of a pre-school building was held in Naypyitaw on Wednesday, the Embassy of India in Yangon stated. The Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on Government of India’s assistance for the ‘Construction of warehouse in Dagon Myothit District, Yangon’ for storing disaster relief and assistance mat…

New Delhi/Mumbai, Aug 19 (IANS) Defence Minister Rajnath Singh will hold a bilateral meeting with his Japanese counterpart, Shinjiro Koizumi, in New Delhi on Thursday to further strengthen defence cooperation between the two nations and promote peace in the Indo-Pacific region. Shinjiro Koizumi arrived in Mumbai on Wednesday for his maiden visit to India. Upon arrival, he inspected a Guard of Honour at the Western Naval Command in Mumbai. The Japanese Defence Minister also laid a wreath at the G…

Guwahati, Aug 19 (IANS) Padma Shri awardee and renowned Assamese master weaver, Hemoprova Chutia, on Wednesday met All India United Democratic Front (AIUDF) President, businessman, philanthropist and Binnakandi MLA, Badruddin Ajmal, at his residence in Hojai, describing the meeting as a personal interaction with no political motive.Hemoprova Chutia, who is widely recognised for her intricate handloom work, including weaving religious scriptures and other significant texts, presented Ajmal with a…

Chennai, Aug 19 (IANS) Tamil Nadu Chief Minister C. Joseph Vijay on Wednesday said files relating to alleged irregularities in three departments under the previous DMK government were on his table and indicated that the findings would be made public with supporting evidence at an appropriate time. The Chief Minister made the remarks during a heated exchange in the Legislative Assembly, where demands for grants for the Water Resources, Rural Development and Panchayat Raj, Tourism, and Art and Cul…

New Delhi, Aug 19 (IANS) Senior Congress leader Renuka Chowdhury came out in defence of Sonia Gandhi amid the controversy over the alleged disruption of Vande Mataram at the Congress headquarters, questioning the premise of allegations that the former Congress president had tried to stop the recitation of full national song. Chowdhury dismissed the controversy as an attempt to divert attention from real issues and accused the BJP of targeting the Opposition.Speaking to IANS, Chowdhury said that …

Kolkata, Aug 19 (IANS) A crucial hearing at the Calcutta High Court on a petition by Trinamool Congress General Secretary and the party’s Diamond Harbour Lok Sabha MP, Abhishek Banerjee challenging the freezing of his personal bank account, was postponed for a day by a single-judge Bench of the court on Wednesday afternoon.Abhishek Banerjee, also the nephew of former West Bengal Chief Minister, Mamata Banerjee, approached the Calcutta High Court single-judge Bench of Justice Krishna Rao challe…

New Delhi, Aug 19 (IANS) Defence Minister Rajnath Singh will hold a meeting with his Japanese counterpart Shinjiro Koizumi here on Thursday to further strengthen bilateral defence relations, enhance strategic trust and cooperation, promote stability and security in the Indo-Pacific region, and identify new areas of collaboration, according to a Defence Ministry statement issued on Wednesday.The two ministers will exchange views on deeper maritime security cooperation and closer defence equipment…