England pacer <a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/football-injures-england-cricketer-rory-burns-271899">James Anderson</a> has been ruled out of the remaining Test matches against South Africa due to an injury.

The bowler had sustained a left rib injury during the second Test between the two countries at Cape Town.

"Anderson felt tightness and discomfort at the end of the morning session during day five and as a result, he was able to bowl just eight overs in the day," <a href="https://www.wionews.com/entertainment/prince-harry-meghan-markle-quit-royal-front-line-in-shock-move-273083">England</a> Cricket Board (ECB) said in a statement.

In the second match against Proteas, the pacer finished with the figures of 2-23 in the second innings.

Now, the 37-year-old will be returning to the United Kingdom in the next few days.

England managed to defeat <a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/south-africa-beat-england-by-107-runs-in-first-test-270868">South Africa</a> by 189 runs in the second Test to level the four-match series.

Both sides will now lock in the third Test, slated to begin from January 16.

England pacer James Anderson has been ruled out of the remaining Test matches against South Africa due to an injury. The bowler had sustained a left rib injury during the second Test between the two countries at Cape Town.

England pacer James Anderson has been ruled out of the remaining Test matches against South Africa due to an injury. The bowler had sustained a left rib injury during the second Test between the two countries at Cape Town. "Anderson felt tightness and discomfort at the end of the morning session during day five and as a result, he was able to bowl just eight overs in the day," England Cricket Board (ECB) said in a statement. In the second match against Proteas, the pacer finished with the figures of 2-23 in the second innings. Now, the 37-year-old will be returning to the United Kingdom in the next few days. England managed to defeat South Africa by 189 runs in the second Test to level the four-match series. Both sides will now lock in the third Test, slated to begin from January 16.

James Anderson ruled out of Test series against South Africa

Two-thirds of&nbsp;Puerto&nbsp;Ricans&nbsp;remained&nbsp;without&nbsp;power&nbsp;and nearly a quarter lacked drinking water on Wednesday&nbsp;after&nbsp;earthquakes&nbsp;battered the Caribbean island, including the&nbsp;most&nbsp;powerful to strike the US&nbsp;territory in 102 years.

The&nbsp;quakes, including one of magnitude 6.4 on Tuesday, killed at least one person and destroyed or damaged some 300 homes, provoking a state of emergency on the island of 3 million people and the activation of the National Guard.

<img alt="Earthquake" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="efeb7d92-dc36-4348-84ac-a688436cac78" src="//cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/inline-images/Untitled%20design%20%2852%29.jpg" />

The south of the island was hardest hit, with dozens of homes collapsing in towns like Yauco, Guanica, and Guayanilla.

Thousands prepared to spend another night&nbsp;sleeping&nbsp;outdoors, fearful their houses might fall down if there was another major quake.

"Many&nbsp;apartments collapsed, everything was lost in some houses," said Yauco resident Luiz Cruz Aponte, standing in a community parking lot filled with cots, mattresses, and shelters for people who had lost or fled their homes.

About 500,000 of the island's 1.5 million customers had electricity on Wednesday, up from 100,000 on Tuesday night, and the island was generating 955 megawatts of electricity, the&nbsp;power&nbsp;authority AEE said, well short of demand of around 2,300 megawatts.

The&nbsp;power&nbsp;outages evoked memories of the&nbsp;aftermath of <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/hurricane-maria-killed-2975-in-puerto-rico-study-162171">Hurricane Maria</a> in 2017 when&nbsp;Puerto&nbsp;Ricans&nbsp;endured lengthy blackouts following a disaster that killed nearly 3,000 people.

About 24 per cent of the population had no running water and more than 2,200 people left homeless had taken refuge in government shelters, said Carlos Acevedo, commissioner of disaster agency NMEAD.

In Guanica, supermarket owner Santo Manuel Ruiz Pietri began cleaning up collapsed shelves and surveying structural damage to his building.

"It was nearly complete devastation at our Guanica location, inside and outside," said Ruiz Pietri, estimating the damage to be in the hundreds of thousands of dollars.

Public health emergency

The earthquakes&nbsp;followed a series of natural and man-made disasters to afflict the US&nbsp;territory in recent years. The island is also going through bankruptcy and its former governor resigned amid a political scandal and massive street protests last year.

US&nbsp;President <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/bloomberg-trump-to-air-dueling-super-bowl-ads-272836">Donald Trump</a> on Tuesday declared an emergency in&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/puerto-rico-justice-secretary-says-she-doesnt-want-to-be-governor-239149">Puerto&nbsp;Rico</a> and authorized the Federal Emergency Management Agency to coordinate disaster relief with&nbsp;Puerto&nbsp;Rican officials.

The US&nbsp;Department of Health and Human Services declared a public health emergency on the island to ensure local hospitals had funding to meet medical needs.

Power&nbsp;and water returned to some areas of the capital, San Juan, but resident Luis Borri had neither at his home. He said he got a message from the AEE that electricity services for all customers would not resume until the weekend.

<img alt="Earthquake" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="7c668fa1-f28a-4cd1-9ee3-600b99a4592d" src="//cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/inline-images/Untitled%20design%20%2853%29.jpg" />

More than 500 earthquakes&nbsp;occurred in the south of the island between December&nbsp;28 and Tuesday, including 32 greater than magnitude 4, putting the US&nbsp;territory's biggest&nbsp;power&nbsp;plant out of service and damaging energy infrastructure.

The 6.4 magnitude earthquake on Tuesday morning was the&nbsp;most&nbsp;powerful to hit&nbsp;Puerto&nbsp;Rico since 1918, when a 7.3 magnitude quake and tsunami killed 116 people, according to the&nbsp;Puerto&nbsp;Rican seismology institute, Red Sismica.

Puerto&nbsp;Rico is accustomed to hurricanes, but&nbsp;powerful&nbsp;quakes&nbsp;are rare.

Two-thirds of Puerto Ricans remained without power and nearly a quarter lacked drinking water on Wednesday after earthquakes battered the Caribbean island, including the most powerful to strike the US territory in 102 years.

Two-thirds of Puerto Ricans remained without power and nearly a quarter lacked drinking water on Wednesday after earthquakes battered the Caribbean island, including the most powerful to strike the US territory in 102 years. The quakes, including one of magnitude 6.4 on Tuesday, killed at least one person and destroyed or damaged some 300 homes, provoking a state of emergency on the island of 3 million people and the activation of the National Guard. The south of the island was hardest hit, with dozens of homes collapsing in towns like Yauco, Guanica, and Guayanilla. Thousands prepared to spend another night sleeping outdoors, fearful their houses might fall down if there was another major quake. "Many apartments collapsed, everything was lost in some houses," said Yauco resident Luiz Cruz Aponte, standing in a community parking lot filled with cots, mattresses, and shelters for people who had lost or fled their homes. About 500,000 of the island's 1.5 million customers had electricity on Wednesday, up from 100,000 on Tuesday night, and the island was generating 955 megawatts of electricity, the power authority AEE said, well short of demand of around 2,300 megawatts. The power outages evoked memories of the aftermath of Hurricane Maria in 2017 when Puerto Ricans endured lengthy blackouts following a disaster that killed nearly 3,000 people. About 24 per cent of the population had no running water and more than 2,200 people left homeless had taken refuge in government shelters, said Carlos Acevedo, commissioner of disaster agency NMEAD. In Guanica, supermarket owner Santo Manuel Ruiz Pietri began cleaning up collapsed shelves and surveying structural damage to his building. "It was nearly complete devastation at our Guanica location, inside and outside," said Ruiz Pietri, estimating the damage to be in the hundreds of thousands of dollars. Public health emergency The earthquakes followed a series of natural and man-made disasters to afflict the US territory in recent years. The island is also going through bankruptcy and its former governor resigned amid a political scandal and massive street protests last year. US President Donald Trump on Tuesday declared an emergency in Puerto Rico and authorized the Federal Emergency Management Agency to coordinate disaster relief with Puerto Rican officials. The US Department of Health and Human Services declared a public health emergency on the island to ensure local hospitals had funding to meet medical needs. Power and water returned to some areas of the capital, San Juan, but resident Luis Borri had neither at his home. He said he got a message from the AEE that electricity services for all customers would not resume until the weekend. More than 500 earthquakes occurred in the south of the island between December 28 and Tuesday, including 32 greater than magnitude 4, putting the US territory's biggest power plant out of service and damaging energy infrastructure. The 6.4 magnitude earthquake on Tuesday morning was the most powerful to hit Puerto Rico since 1918, when a 7.3 magnitude quake and tsunami killed 116 people, according to the Puerto Rican seismology institute, Red Sismica. Puerto Rico is accustomed to hurricanes, but powerful quakes are rare.

Most Puerto Ricans still without power, many sleeping outdoors after quakes

In balmy&nbsp;southern Taiwan, with its rural hamlets, industrial belts and slower-paced cities, a rising tide of residents are pushing back against opposition&nbsp;presidential&nbsp;hopeful<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/taiwan-to-vote-in-shadow-of-china-pressure-hong-kong-protests-272816">&nbsp;Han Kuo-yu</a>, fearing he'll sell out core Taiwan interests to&nbsp;China.

Han, the mayor of the&nbsp;south's biggest city of Kaohsiung, had been expected to build his support base over the past year since winning office on a promise to help citizens "make a big fortune" by forging better economic ties with&nbsp;China.

Instead, as he prepares for the election on Saturday against incumbent president Tsai Ing-wen and her independence-minded <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/taiwan-has-urgent-need-for-infiltration-law-in-face-of-china-president-tsai-ing-wen-270657">Democratic Progressive Party</a> (DPP), he has seen his fortunes wane, hammered by criticism over controversial public remarks and failing to deliver on campaign promises, including oil exploration in the&nbsp;South&nbsp;China&nbsp;Sea.

Last month, a coalition of groups called "Wecare Kaohsiung" held a mass anti-Han rally that drew tens of thousands, some holding signs with the words "Dismiss pro-Communist mayor".

"Every Taiwan leader needs to find a balance between the US&nbsp;and&nbsp;China, but with Han, he has completely shifted towards&nbsp;China," said Aaron Yin, one of the leaders of the movement.

Taiwan's&nbsp;vote for a new president and parliament comes at a delicate moment for its giant neighbour, and sentiment in&nbsp;southern Taiwan has become a key factor for the election, which could set the democratic island's future course with autocratic&nbsp;China.

In March last year, Han, whose Kuomintang Party favours close ties with&nbsp;China, paid a high-profile visit to Hong Kong and&nbsp;China, where he met with senior Chinese officials and reiterated his commitment to "one&nbsp;China" as a core of cross-strait relations.

Han's red-carpet treatment raised alarm bells, as many Taiwanese harbour a deep mistrust of&nbsp;China, especially after Chinese President <a href="https://www.wionews.com/photos/pm-modi-president-xi-jinping-a-study-in-contrast-255342">Xi Jinping</a> threatened Taiwan with force.

<img alt="Taiwan's city of Tainan" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="32f0fabd-2b96-4a06-a327-e2c729cef7f2" src="//cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/inline-images/Untitled%20design%20%2857%29.jpg" />

"The main aim of this election is to reject any rapprochement with&nbsp;China," Yin told Reuters in a small office stacked with anti-Han pamphlets and those pledging solidarity with the pro-democracy protesters in Hong Kong.

Han, 62, has proven a divisive figure since reappearing in politics in 2017 to make a failed bid for the chairmanship of the Kuomintang. Known for fiery rhetoric, his ability to electrify crowds helped him clinch the mayorship of Kaohsiung in late 2018.

Although Han has said "one country, two systems" isn't an acceptable model for Taiwan, he has promised to restart dialogue with&nbsp;China&nbsp;if elected president and called for an agreement between&nbsp;China's Communists and the Kuomintang that both sides belong to "one&nbsp;China", with each having their own interpretation of what that means.

Han has described&nbsp;Taiwan's&nbsp;formal independence as scarier than syphilis and warned that Tsai's re-election could lead to a "volcano eruption" of tensions with&nbsp;China.

Wang Lin Chiao, a Kuomintang politician seeking a parliamentary seat in the&nbsp;southern township of Meinong, said that stability is paramount, and that continued engagement with&nbsp;China&nbsp;is the only way forward.

"The 21st century belongs to&nbsp;China," Wang said as she campaigned on a quiet street with a three-person support team, struggling to find people to speak to.

<img alt="Taiwan's city of Tainan" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="77de2807-231f-4aa2-932e-f4c74f826a1c" src="//cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/inline-images/Untitled%20design%20%2858%29.jpg" />

"Taiwan needs a good future, so we don't want to meddle in sensitive political issues and change things. People only care about money here, and having a safe life," she said, noting a decline in Chinese tourists and exports of agricultural produce to&nbsp;China&nbsp;after curbs by Beijing last year.

But some, such as Chiu Yi-Ying, a DPP lawmaker competing against Wang for the 222,700-voter constituency, say Taiwan must further deepen its "New&nbsp;Southbound Policy" of economic engagement with 18 countries in&nbsp;South-east Asia, rather than rely on&nbsp;China.

Chiu peppers her lobbying with Hong Kong references, telling older voters that an influx of Chinese immigrants and tourists into Hong Kong since the city returned to Chinese rule in 1997 had substantially lengthened queues at public hospitals and depleted supplies of essentials like milk-powder.

"That's when they really understand that Hong Kong today is&nbsp;Taiwan's&nbsp;tomorrow," she told Reuters in her campaign office, where massive billboards feature her smiling beside Tsai.

Some farmers and pigeon breeders in the&nbsp;south's rural patchwork of ponds and fields say they've been scarred by past decades of conflicts with&nbsp;China&nbsp;and want to avoid that. But they can't ignore the realities of Hong Kong and the dangers faced by a more aggressive&nbsp;China&nbsp;under Xi.

"One country, two systems is not good," said Chen Jin-Wen, a pigeon breeder in the north of the historic port city of Tainan as he exercised his birds along a stretch of coastline overlooking the Taiwan Strait, referring to the model by which&nbsp;China&nbsp;has been ruling Hong Kong.

"You see what's happening in Hong Kong. The Hong Kong people are used to freedom, like Taiwan people," he said, as his racing birds pecked about in a wooden cage before bolting skywards.

"But mainland&nbsp;China&nbsp;is taking it away from them now," he said. "It's like my birds, they can fly free for a while but they always end up back in a cage."

In balmy southern Taiwan, with its rural hamlets, industrial belts and slower-paced cities, a rising tide of residents are pushing back against opposition presidential hopeful Han Kuo-yu, fearing he'll sell out core Taiwan interests to China.

In balmy southern Taiwan, with its rural hamlets, industrial belts and slower-paced cities, a rising tide of residents are pushing back against opposition presidential hopeful Han Kuo-yu, fearing he'll sell out core Taiwan interests to China. Han, the mayor of the south's biggest city of Kaohsiung, had been expected to build his support base over the past year since winning office on a promise to help citizens "make a big fortune" by forging better economic ties with China. Instead, as he prepares for the election on Saturday against incumbent president Tsai Ing-wen and her independence-minded Democratic Progressive Party (DPP), he has seen his fortunes wane, hammered by criticism over controversial public remarks and failing to deliver on campaign promises, including oil exploration in the South China Sea. Last month, a coalition of groups called "Wecare Kaohsiung" held a mass anti-Han rally that drew tens of thousands, some holding signs with the words "Dismiss pro-Communist mayor". "Every Taiwan leader needs to find a balance between the US and China, but with Han, he has completely shifted towards China," said Aaron Yin, one of the leaders of the movement. Taiwan's vote for a new president and parliament comes at a delicate moment for its giant neighbour, and sentiment in southern Taiwan has become a key factor for the election, which could set the democratic island's future course with autocratic China. In March last year, Han, whose Kuomintang Party favours close ties with China, paid a high-profile visit to Hong Kong and China, where he met with senior Chinese officials and reiterated his commitment to "one China" as a core of cross-strait relations. Han's red-carpet treatment raised alarm bells, as many Taiwanese harbour a deep mistrust of China, especially after Chinese President Xi Jinping threatened Taiwan with force. "The main aim of this election is to reject any rapprochement with China," Yin told Reuters in a small office stacked with anti-Han pamphlets and those pledging solidarity with the pro-democracy protesters in Hong Kong. Han, 62, has proven a divisive figure since reappearing in politics in 2017 to make a failed bid for the chairmanship of the Kuomintang. Known for fiery rhetoric, his ability to electrify crowds helped him clinch the mayorship of Kaohsiung in late 2018. Although Han has said "one country, two systems" isn't an acceptable model for Taiwan, he has promised to restart dialogue with China if elected president and called for an agreement between China's Communists and the Kuomintang that both sides belong to "one China", with each having their own interpretation of what that means. Han has described Taiwan's formal independence as scarier than syphilis and warned that Tsai's re-election could lead to a "volcano eruption" of tensions with China. Wang Lin Chiao, a Kuomintang politician seeking a parliamentary seat in the southern township of Meinong, said that stability is paramount, and that continued engagement with China is the only way forward. "The 21st century belongs to China," Wang said as she campaigned on a quiet street with a three-person support team, struggling to find people to speak to. "Taiwan needs a good future, so we don't want to meddle in sensitive political issues and change things. People only care about money here, and having a safe life," she said, noting a decline in Chinese tourists and exports of agricultural produce to China after curbs by Beijing last year. But some, such as Chiu Yi-Ying, a DPP lawmaker competing against Wang for the 222,700-voter constituency, say Taiwan must further deepen its "New Southbound Policy" of economic engagement with 18 countries in South-east Asia, rather than rely on China. Chiu peppers her lobbying with Hong Kong references, telling older voters that an influx of Chinese immigrants and tourists into Hong Kong since the city returned to Chinese rule in 1997 had substantially lengthened queues at public hospitals and depleted supplies of essentials like milk-powder. "That's when they really understand that Hong Kong today is Taiwan's tomorrow," she told Reuters in her campaign office, where massive billboards feature her smiling beside Tsai. Some farmers and pigeon breeders in the south's rural patchwork of ponds and fields say they've been scarred by past decades of conflicts with China and want to avoid that. But they can't ignore the realities of Hong Kong and the dangers faced by a more aggressive China under Xi. "One country, two systems is not good," said Chen Jin-Wen, a pigeon breeder in the north of the historic port city of Tainan as he exercised his birds along a stretch of coastline overlooking the Taiwan Strait, referring to the model by which China has been ruling Hong Kong. "You see what's happening in Hong Kong. The Hong Kong people are used to freedom, like Taiwan people," he said, as his racing birds pecked about in a wooden cage before bolting skywards. "But mainland China is taking it away from them now," he said. "It's like my birds, they can fly free for a while but they always end up back in a cage."

Taiwan's China-friendly presidential hopeful faces backlash in divided south

Ten&nbsp;years&nbsp;and billions of dollars of aid later,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/at-least-42-killed-in-haiti-protest-violence-united-nations-259338">Haiti</a>&nbsp;is still rebuilding itself from one of the deadliest earthquakes in history and the devastation it caused.

Recovery has been&nbsp;slow&nbsp;and&nbsp;uneven.

The 7.0 magnitude&nbsp;quake&nbsp;on January&nbsp;12, 2010, killed tens of thousands of people and left much more homeless, leveling many of the most recognizable buildings in <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/thousands-protest-against-haitis-president-moise-257138">Port-au-Prince</a>.

"Haiti&nbsp;has neither a mother nor a father,"&nbsp;Haitian Jean Brune Wilga said near the remains of the National Palace, the president's former residence. "Because of 10&nbsp;years&nbsp;after&nbsp;the earthquake, the palace should not still be in ruins."

It and other iconic buildings, including the Notre Dame l'Assomption cathedral, have not been rebuilt. Tens of thousands of people still live in provisional housing.

Estimates of the number of dead vary widely, from below&nbsp;100,000 to as high as 316,000, the official government figure.

Worshippers attend what Father Guy Chrispin described as a "temporary cathedral", a steel-framed edifice that seats 1,500 people in open-air built by the ruins of the original church.

<img alt="Haiti" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="34940fe6-48b3-4616-b4ed-71762d10bea3" src="//cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/inline-images/Untitled%20design%20%2851%29.jpg" />

"We say temporary because we're planning to rebuild the other one, but that requires a lot of money," Chrispin said.&nbsp;After&nbsp;the&nbsp;quake, more than 12,000 aid groups launched one of the largest ever humanitarian and reconstruction operations.

Since then, their efforts have come under intense criticism. UN&nbsp;peacekeepers also accidentally started a cholera epidemic that killed 9,300 people and sickened another 800,000. Other aid workers stand accused of abusing women and children.

In a country where nearly 60 per cent of the population survives on less than $2.40 a day, reconstruction of the Hospital of the State University of&nbsp;Haiti, the capital's main public hospital, is one of the more advanced projects.

Building materials lay stacked outside the building next to the stretched but still functioning General Hospital.

Jean Rodney, whose son was being treated in the facility, said he appreciated efforts by medical staff working with such limited resources. Like most&nbsp;Haitians, he had high hopes for the new medical center.

"We all need it - it's been too long for us," Rodney said. "It should have been finished a long time ago. But we know that this is because of the country's political problems."

Haitian President <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/haiti-president-moise-breaks-silence-after-week-of-violent-unrest-197517">Jovenel Moise</a> has called on international support to tackle an ongoing humanitarian crisis. More than one-in-three&nbsp;Haitians, nearly 3.7 million people, need urgent assistance to meet their daily food requirements.

Ten years and billions of dollars of aid later, Haiti is still rebuilding itself from one of the deadliest earthquakes in history and the devastation it caused. Recovery has been slow and uneven.

Ten years and billions of dollars of aid later, Haiti is still rebuilding itself from one of the deadliest earthquakes in history and the devastation it caused. Recovery has been slow and uneven. The 7.0 magnitude quake on January 12, 2010, killed tens of thousands of people and left much more homeless, leveling many of the most recognizable buildings in Port-au-Prince. "Haiti has neither a mother nor a father," Haitian Jean Brune Wilga said near the remains of the National Palace, the president's former residence. "Because of 10 years after the earthquake, the palace should not still be in ruins." It and other iconic buildings, including the Notre Dame l'Assomption cathedral, have not been rebuilt. Tens of thousands of people still live in provisional housing. Estimates of the number of dead vary widely, from below 100,000 to as high as 316,000, the official government figure. Worshippers attend what Father Guy Chrispin described as a "temporary cathedral", a steel-framed edifice that seats 1,500 people in open-air built by the ruins of the original church. "We say temporary because we're planning to rebuild the other one, but that requires a lot of money," Chrispin said. After the quake, more than 12,000 aid groups launched one of the largest ever humanitarian and reconstruction operations. Since then, their efforts have come under intense criticism. UN peacekeepers also accidentally started a cholera epidemic that killed 9,300 people and sickened another 800,000. Other aid workers stand accused of abusing women and children. In a country where nearly 60 per cent of the population survives on less than $2.40 a day, reconstruction of the Hospital of the State University of Haiti, the capital's main public hospital, is one of the more advanced projects. Building materials lay stacked outside the building next to the stretched but still functioning General Hospital. Jean Rodney, whose son was being treated in the facility, said he appreciated efforts by medical staff working with such limited resources. Like most Haitians, he had high hopes for the new medical center. "We all need it - it's been too long for us," Rodney said. "It should have been finished a long time ago. But we know that this is because of the country's political problems." Haitian President Jovenel Moise has called on international support to tackle an ongoing humanitarian crisis. More than one-in-three Haitians, nearly 3.7 million people, need urgent assistance to meet their daily food requirements.

Slow and uneven, Haiti rebuilds 10 years after devastating quake

Asian&nbsp;stocks rebounded on Thursday and&nbsp;oil&nbsp;edged&nbsp;up&nbsp;as the United States and Iran backed away from the brink of further conflict in the Middle East and investors unwound safety plays.

US&nbsp;President <a href="https://www.wionews.com/opinions/what-made-us-president-donald-trump-threaten-iran-271452">Donald Trump</a> responded overnight to an Iranian attack on US&nbsp;forces with sanctions, not violence. Iran offered no immediate signal it would retaliate further over a January&nbsp;3 US&nbsp;strike that killed one of its senior military commanders.

MSCI's broadest index of <a href="https://www.wionews.com/business-economy/global-markets-asian-shares-lower-as-investors-book-decade-end-profits-271229">Asia-Pacific&nbsp;shares</a>&nbsp;outside Japan rose 1 per cent, as did Hong Kong's Hang Seng and Shanghai blue chips, reversing Wednesday's&nbsp;losses.

Japan's Nikkei rose 1.8 per cent, lifting stocks to their highest for the year so far, while Australian stocks climbed 1 per cent&nbsp;to just below December's record high.

"I think today is a bit of a relief rally," said Shane Oliver, Chief Economist at AMP Capital in Sydney.

"Yesterday, investors were fearing the worst, that this was the escalation now underway. The news overnight has been more along the lines that Iran pulled its punches and Trump is toning things down," he said, "which is seen by investors as substantially reducing the risk of war."

Investors quit the safe-haven Japanese yen, sending it sliding from a three-month high to a two-week low of 109.25 yen per dollar.

Oil&nbsp;now sits just about where it was before the killing of the Iranian commander, <a href="https://www.wionews.com/opinions/the-killing-of-qasem-soleimani-will-lead-to-the-strengthening-of-iranian-hardliners-272109">Qasem Soleimani</a>, in Baghdad, a strike that raised fears of an escalating regional conflict.

Brent futures prices crept&nbsp;up&nbsp;from month lows hit overnight to $65.84 per barrel, about where they began the year.

Gold gave back sharp gains made on Wednesday but remains dearer than before Soleimani's death, in an indication that investors' fears have not completely evaporated.

It drifted higher to $1,560.00 per ounce.

Iran fired missiles at military bases housing US&nbsp;troops in Iraq on Wednesday in response to Soleimani's killing. But Trump said no Americans were hurt and made no direct threats of a military response in an address to the nation on Wednesday.

"Iran appears to be standing down, which is a good thing for all parties concerned and a very good thing for the world," he said. He announced economic sanctions on Iran without giving details.

Iranian Foreign Minister <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/european-union-invites-iranian-foreign-minister-zarif-to-brussels-amid-rising-middle-east-tension-272290">Mohammad Javad Zarif</a> had earlier said the strikes "concluded" Tehran's response to the killing of Soleimani.

On Wall Street stocks rose, led by the Nasdaq which added 0.67 per cent, while the Dow Jones Industrial Average and the S&amp;P 500 &nbsp;each rose roughly half a percentage point.

US&nbsp;Treasuries, which had soared in the flight to safety a day ago also settled back, with yields on the benchmark 10-year US&nbsp;Treasury note at 1.8598 per cent, after dropping as low as 1.705 per cent.

Risk appetite was also evident in currency markets, with China's trade-exposed yuan standing at a five-month high of 6.9283 per dollar and the Aussie creeping higher.

"All is well so said,&nbsp;Trump! That is the mood today," said Bank of Singapore Currency Strategist Moh Siong Sim, a reference to Wednesday's&nbsp;upbeat tweet from the president.

"I think that neither side wants to have a further escalation in tension, and both parties seem to be standing down."

Asian stocks rebounded on Thursday and oil edged up as the United States and Iran backed away from the brink of further conflict in the Middle East and investors unwound safety plays.

Asian stocks rebounded on Thursday and oil edged up as the United States and Iran backed away from the brink of further conflict in the Middle East and investors unwound safety plays. US President Donald Trump responded overnight to an Iranian attack on US forces with sanctions, not violence. Iran offered no immediate signal it would retaliate further over a January 3 US strike that killed one of its senior military commanders. MSCI's broadest index of Asia-Pacific shares outside Japan rose 1 per cent, as did Hong Kong's Hang Seng and Shanghai blue chips, reversing Wednesday's losses. Japan's Nikkei rose 1.8 per cent, lifting stocks to their highest for the year so far, while Australian stocks climbed 1 per cent to just below December's record high. "I think today is a bit of a relief rally," said Shane Oliver, Chief Economist at AMP Capital in Sydney. "Yesterday, investors were fearing the worst, that this was the escalation now underway. The news overnight has been more along the lines that Iran pulled its punches and Trump is toning things down," he said, "which is seen by investors as substantially reducing the risk of war." Investors quit the safe-haven Japanese yen, sending it sliding from a three-month high to a two-week low of 109.25 yen per dollar. Oil now sits just about where it was before the killing of the Iranian commander, Qasem Soleimani, in Baghdad, a strike that raised fears of an escalating regional conflict. Brent futures prices crept up from month lows hit overnight to $65.84 per barrel, about where they began the year. Gold gave back sharp gains made on Wednesday but remains dearer than before Soleimani's death, in an indication that investors' fears have not completely evaporated. It drifted higher to $1,560.00 per ounce. Iran fired missiles at military bases housing US troops in Iraq on Wednesday in response to Soleimani's killing. But Trump said no Americans were hurt and made no direct threats of a military response in an address to the nation on Wednesday. "Iran appears to be standing down, which is a good thing for all parties concerned and a very good thing for the world," he said. He announced economic sanctions on Iran without giving details. Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif had earlier said the strikes "concluded" Tehran's response to the killing of Soleimani. On Wall Street stocks rose, led by the Nasdaq which added 0.67 per cent, while the Dow Jones Industrial Average and the S&P 500 each rose roughly half a percentage point. US Treasuries, which had soared in the flight to safety a day ago also settled back, with yields on the benchmark 10-year US Treasury note at 1.8598 per cent, after dropping as low as 1.705 per cent. Risk appetite was also evident in currency markets, with China's trade-exposed yuan standing at a five-month high of 6.9283 per dollar and the Aussie creeping higher. "All is well so said, Trump! That is the mood today," said Bank of Singapore Currency Strategist Moh Siong Sim, a reference to Wednesday's upbeat tweet from the president. "I think that neither side wants to have a further escalation in tension, and both parties seem to be standing down."

Asian shares erase losses as Mideast tensions ease, oil ticks up

Yemen's <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/after-yemen-ex-presidents-death-houthi-leader-reaches-out-to-salehs-party-25930">Houthi </a>group did not launch an attack on Saudi Arabia's oil facilities in September, according to a confidential report by&nbsp;UN&nbsp;sanctions monitors seen by Reuters on Wednesday, bolstering a US&nbsp;accusation that Iran was responsible.

The United States, European powers and <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/saudi-arabia-appeals-for-calm-after-killing-of-iranian-general-qasem-soleimani-272563">Saudi Arabia</a> blamed Iran for the September&nbsp;14 attack on the Saudi Aramco oil plants in Abqaiq and Khurais, dismissing a quick claim of responsibility by the Iran-allied Houthis. Tehran denied any involvement.

The report by the independent&nbsp;UN&nbsp;experts to the Security Council Yemen sanctions committee said, "That despite their claims to the contrary, the Houthi forces did not launch the attacks on Abqaiq and Khurais on 14 September 2019."

The findings of the&nbsp;UN report come amid escalating tensions in the region after the United States killed Iranian General <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/now-its-time-for-iraqi-response-to-us-drone-strike-says-paramilitary-chief-qais-al-khazali-272966">Qasem Soleimani</a> in Baghdad and Tehran retaliated by firing missiles at military facilities housing US&nbsp;troops in Iraq.&nbsp;

The&nbsp;UN&nbsp;investigators said they doubted that the drones and land-attack cruise missiles used in the September 14&nbsp;attack "have a sufficient range to have been launched from Yemeni territory under the control of the Houthis."

"The panel notes that Abqaiq and Khurais were approached respectively from a north/northwestern and north/northeastern direction, rather than from the south, as one would expect in the case of a launch from Yemeni territory," the report said.

The investigators, who monitor sanctions on Yemen, also said they do not believe that "those comparatively sophisticated weapons were developed and manufactured in Yemen." They were not tasked with identifying who was responsible for the Saudi attack.

The attacks that targeted the Abqaiq and the Khurais oil plants caused a spike in oil prices, fires, and damage, and shut down more than 5 per cent&nbsp;of global oil supply. Saudi Arabia said on October 3 that it had fully restored oil output.

The Saudi minister of state for foreign affairs, Adel al-Jubeir, signaled in September that Riyadh was waiting for results of&nbsp;UN&nbsp;investigations before announcing how his country would respond.

"The United Nations sent people to be part of the investigation, other countries have sent experts to be part of the investigation," he told reporters in New York. "When the team that's investigating has concluded its investigations we will make the announcements publicly."

Reuters reported in November that Iran's Supreme Leader <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/we-fully-respect-iraqs-sovereignty-says-irans-un-ambassador-after-ballistic-missile-strike-273064">Ayatollah Ali Khamenei</a> had approved the attack on the Saudi oil facilities, but with strict conditions: Iranian forces had to avoid hitting any civilians or Americans. Iran rejected the version of events that four people described to Reuters.

UN&nbsp;experts monitoring&nbsp;UN&nbsp;sanctions on Iran and Yemen traveled to Saudi Arabia days after the September attack.

UN&nbsp;Secretary-General Antonio Guterres told the Security Council in a separate report on December&nbsp;10 on the implementation of an arms embargo and other restrictions on Iran - that the United Nations was "unable to independently corroborate" that missiles and drones used in the attacks "are of Iranian origin."

The report seen by Reuters on Wednesday is from the independent panel of experts that reports twice a year to the Security Council on the implementation of sanctions related to the conflict in Yemen that were imposed in 2014 and 2015.

It was submitted to the&nbsp;UN&nbsp;Security Council Yemen sanctions committee on December 27, but will not be made public until later this month or next month.

A proxy war has been playing out in Yemen between Iran and Saudi Arabia. The Saudi-led coalition intervened in 2015, backing government forces fighting the Iran-allied Houthis. The Houthis have been subject to a separate arms embargo since 2015. Iran has repeatedly denied supplying weapons to the Houthis.

"The Houthi forces continue to receive military support in the form of assault rifles, rocket-propelled grenade launchers, anti-tank guided missiles, as well as more sophisticated cruise missile systems," the report found.

"Some of those weapons have technical characteristics similar to arms manufactured in Iran," it said.

Yemen's Houthi group did not launch an attack on Saudi Arabia's oil facilities in September, according to a confidential report by UN sanctions monitors seen by Reuters on Wednesday, bolstering a US accusation that Iran was responsible.

Yemen's Houthi group did not launch an attack on Saudi Arabia's oil facilities in September, according to a confidential report by UN sanctions monitors seen by Reuters on Wednesday, bolstering a US accusation that Iran was responsible. The United States, European powers and Saudi Arabia blamed Iran for the September 14 attack on the Saudi Aramco oil plants in Abqaiq and Khurais, dismissing a quick claim of responsibility by the Iran-allied Houthis. Tehran denied any involvement. The report by the independent UN experts to the Security Council Yemen sanctions committee said, "That despite their claims to the contrary, the Houthi forces did not launch the attacks on Abqaiq and Khurais on 14 September 2019." The findings of the UN report come amid escalating tensions in the region after the United States killed Iranian General Qasem Soleimani in Baghdad and Tehran retaliated by firing missiles at military facilities housing US troops in Iraq. The UN investigators said they doubted that the drones and land-attack cruise missiles used in the September 14 attack "have a sufficient range to have been launched from Yemeni territory under the control of the Houthis." "The panel notes that Abqaiq and Khurais were approached respectively from a north/northwestern and north/northeastern direction, rather than from the south, as one would expect in the case of a launch from Yemeni territory," the report said. The investigators, who monitor sanctions on Yemen, also said they do not believe that "those comparatively sophisticated weapons were developed and manufactured in Yemen." They were not tasked with identifying who was responsible for the Saudi attack. The attacks that targeted the Abqaiq and the Khurais oil plants caused a spike in oil prices, fires, and damage, and shut down more than 5 per cent of global oil supply. Saudi Arabia said on October 3 that it had fully restored oil output. The Saudi minister of state for foreign affairs, Adel al-Jubeir, signaled in September that Riyadh was waiting for results of UN investigations before announcing how his country would respond. "The United Nations sent people to be part of the investigation, other countries have sent experts to be part of the investigation," he told reporters in New York. "When the team that's investigating has concluded its investigations we will make the announcements publicly." Reuters reported in November that Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei had approved the attack on the Saudi oil facilities, but with strict conditions: Iranian forces had to avoid hitting any civilians or Americans. Iran rejected the version of events that four people described to Reuters. UN experts monitoring UN sanctions on Iran and Yemen traveled to Saudi Arabia days after the September attack. UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres told the Security Council in a separate report on December 10 on the implementation of an arms embargo and other restrictions on Iran - that the United Nations was "unable to independently corroborate" that missiles and drones used in the attacks "are of Iranian origin." The report seen by Reuters on Wednesday is from the independent panel of experts that reports twice a year to the Security Council on the implementation of sanctions related to the conflict in Yemen that were imposed in 2014 and 2015. It was submitted to the UN Security Council Yemen sanctions committee on December 27, but will not be made public until later this month or next month. A proxy war has been playing out in Yemen between Iran and Saudi Arabia. The Saudi-led coalition intervened in 2015, backing government forces fighting the Iran-allied Houthis. The Houthis have been subject to a separate arms embargo since 2015. Iran has repeatedly denied supplying weapons to the Houthis. "The Houthi forces continue to receive military support in the form of assault rifles, rocket-propelled grenade launchers, anti-tank guided missiles, as well as more sophisticated cruise missile systems," the report found. "Some of those weapons have technical characteristics similar to arms manufactured in Iran," it said.

UN investigators find Yemen's Houthis did not carry out Saudi oil attack

A medium-level fire broke out at a paper printing press in Delhi's Patparganj Industrial Area on Thursday, news agency ANI reported.

As per reports, one person has been killed in the blaze.&nbsp;

As many as 35 fire tenders have been rushed to the spot to douse the fire.&nbsp;

<div class="ui-state-default" contenteditable="false">
<div class="twitter-block" draggable="false">
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
Delhi: Fire broke out at a paper printing press in Patparganj Industrial Area today, one person dead. 35 fire tenders are present at the spot. <a href="https://t.co/7syFT5yF7V">pic.twitter.com/7syFT5yF7V</a>
— ANI (@ANI) <a href="https://twitter.com/ANI/status/1215089284744531968?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 9, 2020</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>
<a class="close-mark close-div" href="#" id="jqclosemark">×</a></div>

The cause of the fire is being ascertained, more details are awaited.&nbsp;

<div class="ui-state-default" contenteditable="false">
<div class="twitter-block" draggable="false">
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/UPDATE?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#UPDATE</a> Delhi Police: One person died in the fire which has broken out in Patparganj Industrial Area. <a href="https://t.co/YFHoDeKG9C">https://t.co/YFHoDeKG9C</a>
— ANI (@ANI) <a href="https://twitter.com/ANI/status/1215086445519486976?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 9, 2020</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>
<a class="close-mark close-div" href="#" id="jqclosemark">×</a></div>

This comes a month after over 40 people were killed in a massive <a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/magisterial-probe-ordered-into-anaj-mandi-fire-delhi-cm-arvind-kejriwal-266943">blaze that broke out at Delhi's Anaj Mandi</a>&nbsp;in December.&nbsp;

Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal had announced a compensation of Rs 10 lakh to families of those who lost their lives in the tragic incident and additional assistance of Rs 1 lakh for the injured.

(With inputs from ANI)&nbsp;

A medium-level fire broke out at a paper printing press in Delhi's Patparganj Industrial Area on Thursday, news agency ANI reported. As per reports, one person has been killed in the blaze.

A medium-level fire broke out at a paper printing press in Delhi's Patparganj Industrial Area on Thursday, news agency ANI reported. As per reports, one person has been killed in the blaze. As many as 35 fire tenders have been rushed to the spot to douse the fire. Delhi: Fire broke out at a paper printing press in Patparganj Industrial Area today, one person dead. 35 fire tenders are present at the spot. pic.twitter.com/7syFT5yF7V — ANI (@ANI) January 9, 2020 × The cause of the fire is being ascertained, more details are awaited. #UPDATE Delhi Police: One person died in the fire which has broken out in Patparganj Industrial Area. https://t.co/YFHoDeKG9C — ANI (@ANI) January 9, 2020 × This comes a month after over 40 people were killed in a massive blaze that broke out at Delhi's Anaj Mandi in December. Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal had announced a compensation of Rs 10 lakh to families of those who lost their lives in the tragic incident and additional assistance of Rs 1 lakh for the injured. (With inputs from ANI)

Delhi: Fire breaks out at paper printing press in Patparganj, one killed 

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/business-economy/twitter-makes-global-changes-to-comply-with-privacy-laws-265881">Twitter&nbsp;Inc</a>&nbsp;has suspended more than a&nbsp;dozen&nbsp;accounts&nbsp;associated with Venezuela's government and&nbsp;military, including the OPEC nation's oil ministry and the armed forces' operational command.

Officials criticised the move shortly after the&nbsp;accounts&nbsp;were first suspended on Tuesday, without explanation or any announcement from&nbsp;Twitter. Some of the&nbsp;accounts&nbsp;initially suspended, including those of the central bank and finance ministry, were later restored.

"Alert! People of Venezuela, the oppressive government of the USA blocked the&nbsp;Twitter&nbsp;account for CEOFANB and others,"&nbsp;military&nbsp;commander <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/venezuelas-maduro-seeks-to-display-military-loyalty-in-political-crisis-215491">Remigio Ceballos</a> wrote on&nbsp;Twitter, referring to the Bolivarian Armed Forces' Strategic Operational command.

Twitter&nbsp;in a statement Wednesday said the service has "proactive systems" which aim to detect "platform manipulations," but that such systems can commit errors which account owners are welcome to appeal.

The company, which offered no further comment on the&nbsp;Venezuelan&nbsp;matter, often discloses takedowns of information operations that seek to manipulate its platform.

In December,&nbsp;Twitter&nbsp;suspended tens of thousands of&nbsp;accounts&nbsp;linked to a Saudi company digging up political dissidents' personal data, and in September it blocked the account of Cuban Communist Party leader <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/raul-castro-to-remain-head-of-cubas-communist-party-until-2021-131481">Raul Castro</a>.

It also announced three separate removals of&nbsp;Venezuelan&nbsp;accounts&nbsp;last year, two in January and one in June, representing a total of nearly 2,000&nbsp;accounts, some of them part of "a state-backed influence campaign targeting domestic audiences."

While&nbsp;Twitter&nbsp;initially suspected the removed&nbsp;Venezuelan&nbsp;accounts&nbsp;were associated with Russia's Internet Research Agency, in June it said it had new indications they were being operated by "a commercial entity originating in Venezuela."

Social media companies globally are under pressure to stem illicit online political influence campaigns.

Twitter's suspension of the official&nbsp;Venezuelan&nbsp;accounts&nbsp;came about two months after the country's foreign ministry briefly lost access to its account with the social media service. At the time, a&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/twitter-suspends-thousands-of-accounts-that-were-linked-to-saudi-arabia-269402">Twitter</a>&nbsp;spokeswoman said the account was accidentally caught in a spam filter, which occasionally happens when an account tweets in sudden high volume.

Twitter Inc has suspended more than a dozen accounts associated with Venezuela's government and military, including the OPEC nation's oil ministry and the armed forces' operational command.

Twitter Inc has suspended more than a dozen accounts associated with Venezuela's government and military, including the OPEC nation's oil ministry and the armed forces' operational command. Officials criticised the move shortly after the accounts were first suspended on Tuesday, without explanation or any announcement from Twitter. Some of the accounts initially suspended, including those of the central bank and finance ministry, were later restored. "Alert! People of Venezuela, the oppressive government of the USA blocked the Twitter account for CEOFANB and others," military commander Remigio Ceballos wrote on Twitter, referring to the Bolivarian Armed Forces' Strategic Operational command. Twitter in a statement Wednesday said the service has "proactive systems" which aim to detect "platform manipulations," but that such systems can commit errors which account owners are welcome to appeal. The company, which offered no further comment on the Venezuelan matter, often discloses takedowns of information operations that seek to manipulate its platform. In December, Twitter suspended tens of thousands of accounts linked to a Saudi company digging up political dissidents' personal data, and in September it blocked the account of Cuban Communist Party leader Raul Castro. It also announced three separate removals of Venezuelan accounts last year, two in January and one in June, representing a total of nearly 2,000 accounts, some of them part of "a state-backed influence campaign targeting domestic audiences." While Twitter initially suspected the removed Venezuelan accounts were associated with Russia's Internet Research Agency, in June it said it had new indications they were being operated by "a commercial entity originating in Venezuela." Social media companies globally are under pressure to stem illicit online political influence campaigns. Twitter's suspension of the official Venezuelan accounts came about two months after the country's foreign ministry briefly lost access to its account with the social media service. At the time, a Twitter spokeswoman said the account was accidentally caught in a spam filter, which occasionally happens when an account tweets in sudden high volume.

Twitter suspends over a dozen Venezuelan government, military accounts

Two military personnel were killed in a helicopter crash on Wednesday in Porchaman District of Farah province, Afghan Defence Ministry said.

"An AAF helicopter (MI-35) crashed just before noon today in Porchaman District, Farah province, due to technical issues. Sadly two of our brave pilots were martyred", Sputnik quoted <a href="https://www.wionews.com/south-asia/afghanistan-hopes-the-us-iran-tensions-wons-impact-chabahar-project-272800">Afghanistan</a>'s Ministry of Defence as saying.

Farah Governor Mohammad Shoaib Sabet specified that the chopper was transporting ammunition to the province's district of Parchman.&nbsp;

Two military personnel were killed in a helicopter crash on Wednesday in Porchaman District of Farah province, Afghan Defence Ministry said. "An AAF helicopter (MI-35) crashed just before noon today in Porchaman District, Farah province, due to technical issues.

Two military personnel were killed in a helicopter crash on Wednesday in Porchaman District of Farah province, Afghan Defence Ministry said. "An AAF helicopter (MI-35) crashed just before noon today in Porchaman District, Farah province, due to technical issues. Sadly two of our brave pilots were martyred", Sputnik quoted Afghanistan's Ministry of Defence as saying. Farah Governor Mohammad Shoaib Sabet specified that the chopper was transporting ammunition to the province's district of Parchman.

Afghanistan: 2 military personnel killed in chopper crash in Farah province

The Lahore High Court (LHC) will hear a petition by Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (<a href="https://www.wionews.com/south-asia/imrans-government-denies-maryam-nawaz-permission-to-travel-abroad-269631">PML-N) vice president Maryam Nawaz</a> -- seeking removal of her name from the Exit Control List (ECL) -- on January 15.

A two-judge bench comprising Justice Muhammad Tariq Abbasi and Chaudhry Mushtaq Ahmad will take up the petition on the said date, The News International reported.

The petition filed on December 21, last year, seeks the removal of Maryam's name from the no-fly list as well as one-time permission to travel abroad.

Maryam, the daughter of former Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif who is currently undergoing treatment in London, had first approached the court with this request on December 7.

The petition was disposed of two days later. Maryam and her father were placed on the ECL on August 20, 2018.

Maryam is currently free on bail in the Chaudhry Sugar Mills case, in which she is a suspect, but her name remains on the no-fly list.

Nawaz Sharif, on the other hand, travelled to London in November, last year, after the government and courts granted him permission to fly abroad on medical grounds. 
&nbsp;

The Lahore High Court (LHC) will hear a petition by Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) vice president Maryam Nawaz -- seeking removal of her name from the Exit Control List (ECL) -- on January 15.

The Lahore High Court (LHC) will hear a petition by Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) vice president Maryam Nawaz -- seeking removal of her name from the Exit Control List (ECL) -- on January 15. A two-judge bench comprising Justice Muhammad Tariq Abbasi and Chaudhry Mushtaq Ahmad will take up the petition on the said date, The News International reported. The petition filed on December 21, last year, seeks the removal of Maryam's name from the no-fly list as well as one-time permission to travel abroad. Maryam, the daughter of former Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif who is currently undergoing treatment in London, had first approached the court with this request on December 7. The petition was disposed of two days later. Maryam and her father were placed on the ECL on August 20, 2018. Maryam is currently free on bail in the Chaudhry Sugar Mills case, in which she is a suspect, but her name remains on the no-fly list. Nawaz Sharif, on the other hand, travelled to London in November, last year, after the government and courts granted him permission to fly abroad on medical grounds.

Lahore High Court to hear Maryam Nawaz's petition on removal of name from ECL on January 15

Sri Lanka Foreign Minister Dinesh Gunawardena arrived on Wednesday for a two-day visit to India.

He is set to hold several meeting including with External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar.

He will also hold meetings with Minister of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship Dr Mahendra Nath Pandey and Minister of Labour Santosh Kumar Gangwar.

This is his first visit after taking office as the foreign minister Gunawardena is also scheduled to visit Mahabodhi Temple in Bihar. He will emplane for Sri Lanka on January 10.&nbsp; 
&nbsp;

Sri Lanka Foreign Minister Dinesh Gunawardena arrived on Wednesday for a two-day visit to India. He is set to hold several meeting including with External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar.

Sri Lanka Foreign Minister Dinesh Gunawardena arrived on Wednesday for a two-day visit to India. He is set to hold several meeting including with External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar. He will also hold meetings with Minister of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship Dr Mahendra Nath Pandey and Minister of Labour Santosh Kumar Gangwar. This is his first visit after taking office as the foreign minister Gunawardena is also scheduled to visit Mahabodhi Temple in Bihar. He will emplane for Sri Lanka on January 10.

Sri Lankan foreign minister arrives in Delhi for two-day visit

Authorities issued new warnings and evacuation notices across southeast Australia on Thursday, as a return of hot weather fanned <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/smoke-from-australia-bushfires-reaches-brazil-272837">huge bushfires</a> threatening several towns and communities.

A disaster level notice in large parts of Victoria state, already in place for the past week, was extended by 48 hours and people in danger zones were advised to leave if it was safe to do so.

"Don't get complacent from the rain we have had recently," Victoria Emergency Services Minister Lisa Neville said in a televised briefing, referring to several days of cool weather that has allowed firefighters to strengthen containment lines around blazes that have been burning for months.

"These fires are absolutely still moving, still growing in our landscape and they pose significant risk to communities," Neville said.

Twenty-six people have died, thousands have been made homeless and thousands of others have had to evacuate repeatedly as the monster fires have scorched through more than 10.3 million hectares (25.5 million acres) of land - an area the size of South Korea.

<img alt="Bushfire" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="8e48e029-e762-4dc3-87ed-b3c8c6ccf912" src="//cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/inline-images/bushfire.jpg" />

Authorities have said the blazes will continue to burn, posing extreme danger at times of high temperatures and winds, until the country experiences significant rainfall.

The official weather agency on Thursday confirmed fears that there was no sign of that happening in the next few months as it released its annual report, which also showed that 2019 was Australia's hottest and driest year on record.

Also read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/australia-over-10000-camels-to-be-culled-in-a-bid-to-save-water-273033">Australia: Over 10,000 camels to be culled in a bid to save water</a>

The current crisis was sparked into life following a three-year drought that has left much of the country's bushland vulnerable to fires.

Many towns were without power and telecommunications and some were running low on drinking water supplies. Smoke has blanketed Sydney, Melbourne and Canberra, and drifted as far as South America.

Parts of Kangaroo Island, a wildlife-rich tourist spot off the country's southeast coast where Prime Minister Scott Morrison on Wednesday made a plea for foreign tourists not to be deterred by the fires, were again evacuated on Thursday. A third of the island has already been destroyed by fires.

The following are some highlights of what is happening in the <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/australia-bushfires-over-180-people-arrested-for-blaze-related-crimes-deliberately-starting-fire-272914">bushfire</a> crisis:

- Victoria state officials said "strike teams" of firefighters were being sent into high-risk areas, but new blazes could start anywhere given a forecast for extreme heat and potential lightning strikes. Officials credit the evacuation of tens of thousands of people in recent weeks with keeping the death toll from the fires low.

<img alt="Australia bushfire" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="cecdcb83-1d6c-455c-8201-5c172b0820bd" src="//cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/inline-images/bushfire_0.jpg" />

- New South Wales state on Thursday announced new funds of A$1 billion (£524.51 million) ($686 million) to rebuild infrastructure and communities affected by the bushfire.

- The majority of the fires that have devastated much of Australia's east coast occurred in New South Wales, where 1,870 homes have been destroyed so far, authorities said.

- Prime Minister Scott Morrison on Wednesday urged foreign tourists not to be deterred by deadly wildfires, fearing a lack of holiday-makers could hurt the economy. Some normally crowded resorts have already turned into ghost towns.

- Moody's Analytics said the cost of the fires could easily surpass that of the deadly 2009 Black Saturday fires that destroyed 450,000 hectares of land, which cost an estimated A$4.4 billion.

- Prime Minister Scott Morrison has pledged A$2 billion ($1.4 billion) to a newly created National Bushfire Recovery Agency.

- Ecologists at the University of Sydney on Wednesday doubled their estimate of the number of animals killed or injured in the fires to 1 billion.

- The fires have already emitted 400 megatonnes of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere and produced harmful pollutants, the EU's Copernicus monitoring programme said.

- Smoke has drifted across the Pacific, affecting cities in South America, and may have reached the Antarctic, the UN&nbsp;World Meteorological Organization said.

Authorities issued new warnings and evacuation notices across southeast Australia on Thursday, as a return of hot weather fanned huge bushfires threatening several towns and communities.

Authorities issued new warnings and evacuation notices across southeast Australia on Thursday, as a return of hot weather fanned huge bushfires threatening several towns and communities. A disaster level notice in large parts of Victoria state, already in place for the past week, was extended by 48 hours and people in danger zones were advised to leave if it was safe to do so. "Don't get complacent from the rain we have had recently," Victoria Emergency Services Minister Lisa Neville said in a televised briefing, referring to several days of cool weather that has allowed firefighters to strengthen containment lines around blazes that have been burning for months. "These fires are absolutely still moving, still growing in our landscape and they pose significant risk to communities," Neville said. Twenty-six people have died, thousands have been made homeless and thousands of others have had to evacuate repeatedly as the monster fires have scorched through more than 10.3 million hectares (25.5 million acres) of land - an area the size of South Korea. Authorities have said the blazes will continue to burn, posing extreme danger at times of high temperatures and winds, until the country experiences significant rainfall. The official weather agency on Thursday confirmed fears that there was no sign of that happening in the next few months as it released its annual report, which also showed that 2019 was Australia's hottest and driest year on record. Also read: Australia: Over 10,000 camels to be culled in a bid to save water The current crisis was sparked into life following a three-year drought that has left much of the country's bushland vulnerable to fires. Many towns were without power and telecommunications and some were running low on drinking water supplies. Smoke has blanketed Sydney, Melbourne and Canberra, and drifted as far as South America. Parts of Kangaroo Island, a wildlife-rich tourist spot off the country's southeast coast where Prime Minister Scott Morrison on Wednesday made a plea for foreign tourists not to be deterred by the fires, were again evacuated on Thursday. A third of the island has already been destroyed by fires. The following are some highlights of what is happening in the bushfire crisis: - Victoria state officials said "strike teams" of firefighters were being sent into high-risk areas, but new blazes could start anywhere given a forecast for extreme heat and potential lightning strikes. Officials credit the evacuation of tens of thousands of people in recent weeks with keeping the death toll from the fires low. - New South Wales state on Thursday announced new funds of A$1 billion (£524.51 million) ($686 million) to rebuild infrastructure and communities affected by the bushfire. - The majority of the fires that have devastated much of Australia's east coast occurred in New South Wales, where 1,870 homes have been destroyed so far, authorities said. - Prime Minister Scott Morrison on Wednesday urged foreign tourists not to be deterred by deadly wildfires, fearing a lack of holiday-makers could hurt the economy. Some normally crowded resorts have already turned into ghost towns. - Moody's Analytics said the cost of the fires could easily surpass that of the deadly 2009 Black Saturday fires that destroyed 450,000 hectares of land, which cost an estimated A$4.4 billion. - Prime Minister Scott Morrison has pledged A$2 billion ($1.4 billion) to a newly created National Bushfire Recovery Agency. - Ecologists at the University of Sydney on Wednesday doubled their estimate of the number of animals killed or injured in the fires to 1 billion. - The fires have already emitted 400 megatonnes of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere and produced harmful pollutants, the EU's Copernicus monitoring programme said. - Smoke has drifted across the Pacific, affecting cities in South America, and may have reached the Antarctic, the UN World Meteorological Organization said.

Australia issues new evacuation alerts as monster bushfires regenerate

Author

Zee News Rajasthan

Editor

Sparshita

Home

Live Tv

Latest

World

India

Business

Entertainment

Sports

Opinions

Videos

Photos

Gravitas

Lifestyle

Science

Tech

Rajasthan News in Hindi: In-depth coverage of Rajasthan Crime, Political News, Education, Rajasthan Weather Update and Latest Rajasthan News on Zee News Rajasthan.