Category: World

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

MONTREAL: Canada has finalised a bilateral free trade agreement with Indonesia designed to eliminate or reduce tariffs on more than 95% of Ottawa’s exports to its largest market in Southeast Asia. Experts indicate the strategic pact responds to global economic instability intensified by United States protectionist policies. Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney described the deal… Continue reading Canada and Indonesia sign free trade agreement to cut tariffs

MUMBAI: Red stencils above stairways in Mumbai’s Dharavi slum serve as eviction notices for lifelong residents like government employee Bipinkumar Padaya. The 58-year-old sighed that his family has lived there for three generations but now faces compulsory relocation. Bulldozers will soon enter Asia’s largest slum to flatten its labyrinth of alleyways for a new neighbourhood… Continue reading Mumbai’s Dharavi slum redevelopment sparks resident eviction fears

MANILA: The Philippines has evacuated approximately 400,000 people and confirmed at least three fatalities as Severe Tropical Storm Bualoi batters the country. Civil defence officials in the southern Luzon’s Bicol region reported the deaths resulted from collapsing walls and uprooted trees. The storm is currently moving west by northwest with sustained wind speeds of 110… Continue reading Philippines evacuates 400,000 as severe tropical storm Bualoi hits

NEW YORK: South Korea’s president has declared that North Korea is in the final stage of developing an intercontinental ballistic missile capable of striking the United States with nuclear weapons. President Lee Jae Myung stated that Pyongyang’s relentless weapons programme continues despite international efforts to halt it. “Whether to gain leverage in talks with the… Continue reading North Korea at final stage of ICBM development, says South Korea

LONDON: Liam O’Hanna, a member of the Northern Irish rap group Kneecap, appeared at Westminster Magistrates’ Court on Friday to challenge a terrorism charge. The 27-year-old performer, known as Mo Chara, faces allegations of supporting the banned militant group Hezbollah by displaying its flag during a London concert last November. His legal team argued that… Continue reading Kneecap member in UK court to challenge Hezbollah terror charge

CIUDAD DE MÉXICO: Artificial intelligence holds a promising future in Latin America despite being hampered by a significant training deficit according to Google’s regional leadership. Google Latin America vice-president Adriana Norena revealed that AI adoption rates across the region are nearly equivalent to those in the United States and Europe. She identified the critical shortage… Continue reading Google sees AI future bright in Latin America despite training deficit

NEW YORK: The Trump administration is negotiating an equity stake in Lithium Americas, marking the latest government entry into private enterprise and testing American free-market traditions. This move follows announcements of government holdings in semiconductor firm Intel and rare earth company MP Materials. President Trump also secured a “golden share” for Washington in United States… Continue reading Trump administration takes stakes in private firms, testing US free market

SEOUL: Shares of South Korean drugmakers declined on Friday following US President Donald Trump’s threat to impose new tariffs on pharmaceuticals. Samsung Biologics dropped 1.6%, moving away from a more than eight-month low, while SK Biopharmaceuticals slid 2.6%. Celltrion bucked the trend by rising 1.3% after recovering from earlier losses. The company announced on Tuesday… Continue reading South Korean drugmaker shares fall after Trump threatens new drug tariffs

JERUSALEM: The Israeli military announced on Thursday that 700,000 Palestinians have fled Gaza City since late August as its offensive intensifies. Contacted by AFP, the military confirmed that “700,000 Palestinians have evacuated” from the northern city to the south of the Gaza Strip. The United Nations humanitarian agency OCHA reported on Thursday that 388,400 displacement… Continue reading Israel says 700,000 Palestinians have fled Gaza City to south

LONDON: UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer has dismissed US President Donald Trump’s claim that London’s mayor plans to impose Islamic law on the British capital as “nonsense”. Trump made his comments in a speech to the United Nations General Assembly in New York on Tuesday where he targeted Sadiq Khan, the first Muslim to become… Continue reading Starmer dismisses Trump’s sharia law claim about London as nonsense

WASHINGTON: Amazon has agreed to pay 2.5 billion dollars to settle allegations that it used deceptive practices to enroll consumers into its Prime service. The Federal Trade Commission’s lawsuit alleged the online retailer knowingly tricked customers into signing up for the annual subscription during the checkout process. FTC Chairman Andrew Ferguson stated the settlement puts… Continue reading Amazon pays US 2.5 billion dollars to settle Prime enrollment lawsuit

SANA: Israeli strikes hit Yemen’s rebel-held capital on Thursday, killing at least eight people and wounding more than 140 others according to the Huthi movement. The attack came one day after the Iran-backed rebels launched a drone strike on the southern Israeli tourist resort of Eilat. Israeli officials confirmed their forces struck several Huthi-linked targets… Continue reading Israeli strikes kill eight in Yemen’s Huthi-held capital Sanaa

JERUSALEM: An Israeli panel confirmed Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s nominee for domestic security chief on Thursday. The prime minister’s office announced the confirmation of army Major General David Zini to lead the Shin Bet domestic security service. Netanyahu first named Zini as his choice for the role back in May. This nomination followed a prolonged… Continue reading Israel confirms Netanyahu’s pick for domestic security chief

UNITED NATIONS: The head of the UN agency for Palestinian refugees insists it must play a central role in Gaza’s reconstruction despite being sidelined from a new US peace plan. UNRWA Commissioner-General Philippe Lazzarini told AFP that the agency, with its 12,000 staff in Gaza, possesses the best expertise for delivering primary health and education… Continue reading UNRWA chief says agency vital for Gaza reconstruction and ceasefire

SAN FRANCISCO: Microsoft has restricted an Israeli defence unit’s access to certain cloud services amid concerns they were used for mass surveillance operations in Gaza. The technology giant conducted a two-month investigation following a Guardian report alleging the Israeli Defense Force utilised Azure cloud services for storing data from civilian phone call surveillance. Microsoft president… Continue reading Microsoft cuts cloud services to Israel over Gaza surveillance concerns

WASHINGTON: Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth will address a significant gathering of senior United States military officers next week. President Donald Trump confirmed the unusual meeting to reporters in the Oval Office on Thursday. “I love it. I mean, I think it’s great,“ Trump said about the event. The president added, “Let him be friendly with… Continue reading Pentagon chief to address rare gathering of top US military leaders

UNITED NATIONS: The UN Security Council will again address the dispute over Iran’s nuclear program on Friday. China and Russia are seeking more time for diplomacy just before new sanctions against Tehran take effect. European powers have triggered the return of sweeping UN sanctions due to Iran’s lack of cooperation. These sanctions are scheduled to… Continue reading UN to vote on Iran sanctions as China and Russia seek delay

WASHINGTON: A coalition of former United States Treasury secretaries, central bank chiefs, and other economic leaders has urged the Supreme Court to block President Donald Trump’s immediate removal of a key Federal Reserve official. The group warned in a legal brief that allowing the instant ouster of Fed Governor Lisa Cook while she legally challenges… Continue reading Former US economic leaders oppose immediate removal of Fed governor

WASHINGTON: United States President Donald Trump has announced new tariffs targeting pharmaceuticals, heavy trucks, and home renovation materials. Starting October 1, his administration will impose a 100% tariff on all branded or patented pharmaceutical products unless companies build manufacturing plants in America. Trump announced the measure on his Truth Social platform to encourage domestic pharmaceutical… Continue reading Trump announces new tariffs on drugs, trucks and home renovation materials

WASHINGTON: Former FBI director and prominent Donald Trump critic James Comey was indicted Thursday on two criminal counts as the US president escalated a campaign of legal retribution against political foes. The charges came days after Trump took the highly unusual step of publicly urging Attorney General Pam Bondi to take action against Comey and… Continue reading Former FBI director James Comey indicted as Trump escalates revenge drive

LONDON: UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer will urge centre-left leaders to embrace patriotism as a tool to counter the “grievance” politics of the hard right. He will address a London conference attended by world leaders including Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese, Canadian premier Mark Carney, and Denmark’s Mette Frederiksen. Starmer will also assert that left-wing… Continue reading Starmer urges liberals to use patriotism to counter far-right politics

WASHINGTON: United States President Donald Trump urged Turkish counterpart Recep Tayyip Erdogan to stop purchasing Russian oil due to the ongoing conflict in Ukraine. Trump hinted he might remove the ban preventing Ankara from acquiring advanced US stealth fighter jets if an agreement is reached. Erdogan’s White House visit marked his first since 2019, the… Continue reading Trump offers Turkey F-35 jets if Erdogan stops buying Russian oil

WASHINGTON: Donald Trump signed an executive order outlining a proposed deal for a United States version of TikTok that reduces Chinese ownership to 20% and places control with the president’s allies. At a White House ceremony, Trump announced the app would be managed by “highly sophisticated” investors including Oracle founder Larry Ellison, tech investor Michael… Continue reading Trump allies to control TikTok under new US ownership deal

PARIS: International doctors and nurses who treated patients in Gaza have described wounds more severe than those seen in civilians during other modern conflicts. A peer-reviewed study published in the BMJ journal on Friday detailed the accounts of 78 humanitarian healthcare workers, mostly from Europe and North America. These workers answered survey questions describing the… Continue reading Foreign doctors describe Gaza wounds as worst seen in modern conflicts

SAN FRANCISCO: A United States judge has granted preliminary approval to a settlement requiring artificial intelligence company Anthropic to pay $1.5 billion to resolve a class action lawsuit. The lawsuit accused Anthropic of building a library of pirated books to train its Claude AI chatbot. Anthropic deputy general counsel Aparna Sridhar expressed satisfaction with the… Continue reading US judge approves Anthropic’s $1.5 billion AI copyright settlement

UNITED NATIONS: US President Donald Trump has pledged to prevent Israel from annexing the West Bank while intensifying efforts to conclude the Gaza war. Trump made his declaration ahead of a significant visit by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who will speak at the United Nations and meet the US president in Washington. Israeli ministers… Continue reading Trump vows to block Israel annexation of West Bank amid Gaza talks

PARIS: Drone threats are presenting an increasingly difficult challenge for airports worldwide as the technology rapidly evolves. Russia’s recent airspace incursions have amplified these security concerns for aviation authorities. Denmark experienced multiple drone overflights at its airports this week in what the prime minister described as hybrid attacks. These incidents forced airport closures and heightened… Continue reading Drone threats pose growing problem for airports worldwide

WASHINGTON: United States President Donald Trump declared on Thursday that his Turkish counterpart Recep Tayyip Erdogan understands “rigged elections better than anybody.” Trump made these remarks while drawing common ground with the leader frequently accused of autocratic behaviour. The American president, who falsely claims election fraud thwarted his 2020 presidential bid, noted that he and… Continue reading Trump praises Erdogan’s election knowledge amid rigging claims

HOUSTON: Alabama will execute a death row inmate using nitrogen gas on Thursday evening alongside a lethal injection in Texas. Geoffrey West faces execution at 6:00 pm US Central Time for murdering gas station clerk Margaret Berry during a 1997 robbery. The 50-year-old was convicted of killing Berry, a 33-year-old mother of two, in the… Continue reading Alabama and Texas to execute two inmates by nitrogen gas and lethal injection