Category: World

MANILA: The death toll from Severe Tropical Storm Bualoi rose to 11 in the Philippines on Saturday as the cyclone bore down on Vietnam, authorities said. Bualoi battered small islands in the centre of the Philippines on Friday, toppling trees and power pylons, ripping roofs off homes, unleashing floods and forcing 400,000 people to evacuate.… Continue reading Philippines death toll rises to 11 as storm Bualoi bears down on Vietnam

U.S. PRESIDENT Donald Trump said on Friday that Microsoft should fire Lisa Monaco, who had served in the administrations of two Democratic presidents and is now Microsoft’s global affairs president. The move appears to be the latest effort by Trump to exact retribution on those he sees on political enemies and comes one day after… Continue reading Trump says Microsoft should fire its global affairs president Lisa Monaco

NEW DELHI: Pakistan’s Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif told the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) on Friday that US President Donald Trump played a decisive role in averting a “catastrophic war” in South Asia in May this year when his country and India were involved in a four-day military confrontation. Amid international concerns over the clashes,… Continue reading Trump intervention helped in averting ‘catastrophic’ war in South Asia, Pakistan PM tells UNGA

BUENOS AIRES: Shocked and in tears, relatives on Friday laid to rest two women and a girl whose live-streamed torture and murder caused an outcry in Argentina, where activists are planning a weekend protest against femicide. The bodies of Morena Verdi and Brenda Del Castillo, cousins aged 20, and 15-year-old Lara Gutierrez were found buried… Continue reading Argentine victims of live-streamed murder laid to rest on eve of protest

WASHINGTON: US President Donald Trump’s granddaughter has unveiled a clothing brand bearing her name, with promotional photos taken at the White House featuring the teen in a $130 sweatshirt. Don Jr.’s daughter stood near the 79-year-old Republican on Friday wearing one of her brand’s pullovers, as he answered reporters’ questions outside the White House. “This… Continue reading Trump’s granddaughter launches clothing brand from White House

U.S. PRESIDENT Donald Trump has escalated his criticism and actions against executives, corporations and institutions. His unprecedented actions — from novel export deals to frozen university grants — have upended the status quo between the government, law, academia and corporate America. On Friday, Trump called for the firing of Lisa Monaco, Microsoft’s global affairs president,… Continue reading From Wall Street to academia, who is in Trump’s line of fire?

WASHINGTON: U.S. President Donald Trump said on Friday talks on Gaza with Middle Eastern nations were intense and that Israel and Palestinian Hamas militants were aware of the discussions, which he said would continue as long as required. Trump met leaders and officials from multiple Muslim-majority countries this week to discuss the situation in Gaza,… Continue reading Trump says Gaza talks with Middle East countries are intense, will continue

CHELSEA: A U.S. immigration officer shoving a woman in a New York City courthouse to the floor. Protesters dispersed with tear gas outside a Chicago detention center. A woman injured during an arrest in the Boston area. The incidents on Thursday and Friday highlight the growing tensions in major U.S. cities over President Donald Trump’s… Continue reading ICE tactics inflame tensions in New York, Chicago and other cities

THE British government will offer to pay more for medicines that it buys for the National Health Service, the Financial Times reported on Friday, hoping to defuse one of U.S. President Donald Trump’s top complaints after he announced steep tariff increases on branded medication. British Prime Minister Keir Starmer’s chief business adviser, Varun Chandra, will… Continue reading UK to offer to pay more for some drugs to appease Trump, FT reports

U.S. Congressional Democrats released on Friday daily schedules belonging to the late financier and sex offender Jeffrey Epstein from 2014 to 2019, which show Epstein had plans to meet with Republican donors Elon Musk and Peter Thiel and conservative commentator Steve Bannon. The documents, which Democrats on the House Oversight Committee said came from Epstein’s… Continue reading US House Democrats release Epstein schedules showing plans to meet Musk, Thiel

U.S. PRESIDENT Donald Trump on Friday said he is ordering the declassification and release of all U.S. government records related to the disappearance of aviation pioneer Amelia Earhart, who vanished while attempting a round-the-world flight in 1937. In a post on Truth Social, Trump said the mystery surrounding Earhart’s final flight has “captivated millions.” “I… Continue reading Trump orders release of records related to Amelia Earhart

POTENTIAL tropical cyclone nine formed in the Atlantic and is s expected to track across the central and northwestern Bahamas this weekend and approach the southeast U.S. coast early next week, the U.S. National Hurricane Center said. It was located about 200 miles (325 km) south south east of the Central Bahamas, packing maximum sustained… Continue reading Potential tropical cyclone nine forms in Atlantic, NHC says

THE man who killed four people at a midtown Manhattan office tower housing the NFL’s head office suffered from a traumatic brain injury commonly associated with football players, the New York City Medical Examiner’s Office said on Friday. Shane Tamura, 27, a Las Vegas casino security officer and former high-school football player, had left a… Continue reading Gunman who targeted NFL’s New York offices suffered from CTE, examiner finds

U.S. energy firms this week added oil and natural gas rigs for a fourth week in a row for the first time since February, energy services firm Baker Hughes said in its closely followed report on Friday. The oil and gas rig count, an early indicator of future output, rose by seven to 549 in… Continue reading US oil and gas rig count rises to highest since June, Baker Hughes says

LONDON: King Charles and his wife Queen Camilla will pay a state visit to the Holy See next month, Buckingham Palace said on Saturday, making a trip which they had been forced to cancel in April because of the failing health of the late Pope Francis. The British royals were due to visit the Vatican… Continue reading King Charles to pay state visit to Vatican to see Pope Leo

GENEVA: The United Nations human rights office released a long-awaited update to its database of companies with activities in Israeli settlements on Friday. The non-exhaustive list now contains 158 firms from 11 different countries. Major international companies such as Airbnb, Booking.com, Motorola Solutions, and Trip Advisor remain included on the updated list. Several companies including… Continue reading UN updates database with 158 firms linked to Israeli settlements

KATHMANDU: After Nepal’s deadliest unrest in decades, caretaker Prime Minister Sushila Karki is working to forge her cabinet, restore order and prepare for elections within six months. Karki, a 73-year-old former chief justice, faces the challenge of balancing her limited mandate with public pressure for reforms, especially on corruption and accountability. Youth-led protests that began… Continue reading Nepal’s new PM faces uphill battle after deadly unrest and economic crisis

GENEVA: The United Nations human rights chief warned on Friday that South Sudan stands on the brink of renewed war. Volker Turk stated that nearly 2,000 civilians have been killed in a surge of violence throughout this year. The UN documented 1,854 killings, 1,693 injuries, 423 abductions, and 169 cases of sexual violence from January… Continue reading UN rights chief warns South Sudan on brink of new war

ANTANANARIVO: The streets of Madagascar’s capital were largely deserted on Friday as residents assessed the damage from a day of violent protests over frequent power cuts and water shortages. Hundreds of mostly young demonstrators were met with a heavy police response on Thursday, with rubber bullets and tear gas used to disperse the crowd. The… Continue reading Madagascar capital deserted after violent protests over power cuts

LEH: Indian police have detained prominent activist Sonam Wangchuk following violent protests in the Himalayan territory of Ladakh that resulted in at least five deaths. Demonstrations demanding greater political autonomy for the sparsely populated region bordering China and Pakistan turned deadly on Wednesday when security forces opened fire. New Delhi attributed the unrest to what… Continue reading Indian police detain activist Sonam Wangchuk after Ladakh protests

WASHINGTON: US President Donald Trump labelled former FBI director James Comey “a dirty cop” hours after his indictment on two criminal counts. Comey was charged on Thursday with making false statements and obstruction of justice concerning his probe into Russian interference in the 2016 election. “He is a Dirty Cop, and always has been,“ Trump… Continue reading Trump calls indicted ex-FBI director Comey a ‘dirty cop’

LONDON: UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer has urged centre-left leaders to tackle uncontrolled migration and confront the “lies” being told by hard-right politicians. Speaking at a global conference on Friday, Starmer addressed the rise of right-wing populism alongside leaders like Australia’s Anthony Albanese and Canada’s Mark Carney. “I don’t accept that argument that somehow our… Continue reading Starmer urges liberals to fight far-right lies at global conference

LONDON: A UK court dismissed a terrorism support charge against Liam O’Hanna, a member of the Northern Irish punk rap group Kneecap, on Friday due to a procedural error. Cheers erupted inside and outside Woolwich Crown Court as the judge declared the charge unlawful and O’Hanna free to go. O’Hanna stated outside the court that… Continue reading UK court drops terror charge against Kneecap rapper on technicality

PARIS: International medical professionals have described witnessing the most severe injuries they have ever encountered while treating patients in Gaza. A new peer-reviewed study published in the BMJ journal on Friday details the accounts of 78 humanitarian healthcare workers, primarily from Europe and North America. These workers responded to survey questions about the nature and… Continue reading Gaza doctors describe worst wounds ever seen in modern conflict

TOKYO: Japanese authorities have arrested a Ukrainian YouTuber with over 6.5 million subscribers for livestreaming himself trespassing inside a house located within the Fukushima nuclear exclusion zone. Two other Ukrainian nationals were also arrested on Wednesday morning for entering the unoccupied property in Okuma Town, Fukushima prefecture. A Fukushima police official confirmed that officers discovered… Continue reading Ukrainian YouTuber arrested in Japan for Fukushima livestream trespass

MILAN: Italy’s antitrust authority has imposed fines exceeding 936 million euros on six major oil companies for anti-competitive practices in the fuel market. The regulator stated that Eni, Esso, Ip, Q8, Saras, and Tamoil coordinated to manipulate the bio component value factored into fuel pricing. This coordinated action caused the bio component’s value to triple… Continue reading Italy fines six oil firms over 936 million euros for fuel price cartel

WARSAW: Warsaw’s central business district is booming alongside Poland’s economy, but those teaching yoga and taking coffee orders in bustling premises under the glass and steel office towers are often Ukrainian. Economists and entrepreneurs agree that refugees from the Russian invasion of Ukraine have proven a huge boost to Poland’s economy, but now their contribution… Continue reading Poland’s Ukrainian refugees face legal limbo as protection law expires

UNITED NATIONS: US Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr rejected a United Nations political declaration on non-communicable diseases on Thursday. Kennedy stated the declaration pushes destructive gender ideology while ignoring the most pressing health issues. The World Health Organization described the declaration as a new, ambitious, and achievable roadmap for disease prevention and mental health… Continue reading US rejects WHO non-communicable diseases declaration over gender ideology

CHANDIGARH: India has officially retired its Russian-built MiG-21 fighter jets after nearly six decades of service. A grand farewell ceremony was held for the final two MiG-21 squadrons, comprising approximately 36 aircraft, at an air force base in the northern city. The retirement marks the end of an era for India’s first supersonic fighter jet,… Continue reading India retires MiG-21 fighter jet after 60 years of service

PARIS: A close aide to former French president Nicolas Sarkozy has publicly urged current leader Emmanuel Macron to grant him a presidential pardon. Henri Guaino, who served as a special adviser to Sarkozy, described the situation as exceptionally serious during an interview with broadcaster RTL. He characterised Sarkozy’s conviction as a humiliation for the French… Continue reading Sarkozy aide urges Macron to pardon former French president

UNGENI: Pensioner Valentina Safciuc remains undecided on her vote in Sunday’s parliamentary election in this western Moldovan town bordering the European Union. The election pits the pro-European PAS party, which won power comfortably in 2021, against a largely pro-Russian opposition that has regained political ground. Safciuc says she feels aligned with neither the European Union… Continue reading Moldova’s border town divided over EU future ahead of parliamentary vote

WASHINGTON: Donald Trump on Thursday signed an executive order laying out a proposed deal for a US version of TikTok that would put control of the app in the hands of the president’s allies. The deal would see Chinese ownership of TikTok reduced to 20 percent in the United States, and Beijing on Friday reiterated… Continue reading TikTok’s US future secured with Trump-approved ownership deal

HONG KONG: Asian markets declined on Friday as strong United States economic data and fresh tariff threats from former President Donald Trump weighed on investor sentiment. Wall Street recorded its third consecutive loss after hitting record highs earlier in the week, setting a negative tone for regional trading. Traders remain uncertain about the Federal Reserve’s… Continue reading Asian markets fall on US data, Trump tariff threats and rate uncertainty

BANGKOK: A digital reconstruction of a million-year-old skull indicates humans may have diverged from ancient ancestors 400,000 years earlier than previously believed and possibly in Asia rather than Africa. These findings stem from the reconstruction of a crushed skull discovered in China in 1990, potentially resolving the longstanding “Muddle in the Middle” period of human… Continue reading Million-year-old skull discovery challenges human evolution timeline

PARIS: A European pharmaceutical industry group warned Friday that tariffs on medicines “would create the worst of all worlds”, after US President Donald Trump announced steep import duties on the sector. Trump announced a raft of new tariffs on multiple industries on Thursday, including a 100 percent duty on “any branded or patented” pharmaceutical product,… Continue reading Europe pharma group warns drug tariffs create worst of all worlds

NEW DELHI: South Asia’s annual monsoon rains are becoming increasingly erratic and deadly due to climate change, threatening the billion people who depend on them. Farming, water supplies, and hydropower across the region rely on these seasonal rains, which now feature longer dry spells broken by extreme downpours. The monsoon is a seasonal reversal of… Continue reading Climate change makes South Asia monsoon rains more erratic and deadly

TOKYO: A frontrunner in Japan’s leadership race was forced to apologise on Friday after his campaign admitted trying to flood a popular live-streaming platform with flattering comments. Shinjiro Koizumi has routinely topped polls in the five-way contest to become head of the Liberal Democratic Party and Japan’s fifth prime minister in as many years. A… Continue reading Japan PM race frontrunner apologises for live-streaming comment scandal

UNITED NATIONS: Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu delivered a defiant message to the United Nations General Assembly on Friday against Palestinian statehood while facing rare pressure from US President Donald Trump. Netanyahu’s address came days after France, Britain and several other Western powers took the landmark step of recognising a state of Palestine out of… Continue reading Netanyahu defiant at UN as Trump warns against West Bank annexation

ISTANBUL: Turkish Airlines has finalised a significant agreement to purchase up to 225 Boeing aircraft just one day after President Recep Tayyip Erdogan concluded his first White House visit since 2019. The carrier confirmed a firm order for 150 jets scheduled for delivery between 2029 and 2034, alongside an option for an additional 75 planes.… Continue reading Turkish Airlines signs major Boeing deal after Erdogan’s US visit

UNITED NATIONS: Sweeping United Nations sanctions appear certain to return on Iran despite a last-ditch effort by China and Russia to delay their implementation for further negotiations. European powers have been urging Iran to reverse several steps it took following Israeli and American airstrikes on its nuclear facilities in June. The Europeans triggered the return… Continue reading UN sanctions on Iran set to return after China-Russia delay bid fails

LONDON: UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer has announced plans to introduce free digital identification for both nationals and residents as part of a strategy to reduce illegal migration. The government stated that this initiative will also simplify applications for essential services such as driving licences, childcare, and welfare benefits while streamlining access to tax records.… Continue reading UK to launch digital ID scheme to combat illegal migration