Category: World

CHICAGO: Police records and witness accounts from a Chicago suburb where a man was fatally shot by a federal immigration enforcement agent earlier this month complicate the picture of the event presented by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, which said the agent fired his weapon after the man drove his vehicle toward agents. Silverio… Continue reading Footage of deadly ICE shooting in Chicago suburb challenges official narrative

WASHINGTON: The White House budget office is instructing federal agencies to prepare reduction-in-force plans for mass firings during a possible U.S. government shutdown, Politico reported on Wednesday. The Office of Management and Budget is set to send a memo to federal agencies on Wednesday night to prepare to permanently reduce government workforce if there is… Continue reading White House to tell agencies to prepare mass firing plans for possible shutdown, Politico reports

TORONTO: A flock of Canadian ostriches set to be culled, after two dead birds tested positive for avian flu, has been granted a last-minute stay of execution from Canada’s highest court – for now. Canada’s Supreme Court issued an order Wednesday granting an “interim-interim stay” of a culling order made on December 31. The Canadian… Continue reading Canada pauses cull of ostrich flock that had cases of avian flu amid US push to save them

WASHINGTON: US President Donald Trump demanded an investigation Wednesday into what he called “triple sabotage” after an escalator, teleprompter and sound system malfunctioned as he addressed the United Nations. The UN has said the events that happened while Trump was at its headquarters in New York on Tuesday were accidental, and partly blamed them on… Continue reading Escalatorgate: Trump demands probe into UN ‘triple sabotage’

AIR CANADA expects a hit of C$375 million ($269.82 million) to its operating income, citing labor disruptions, after its flight attendants went on a four-day strike in August, the carrier said on Wednesday. The company also provided a revised outlook for 2025 results, after it withdrew its forecast due to operation disruptions from the strike.… Continue reading Air Canada expects operating income hit of $270 million due to labor disruptions

TAIPEI: Taiwan’s fire department on Thursday revised down to 14 the death toll from a typhoon this week on its remote east coast, but said 33 people were still unaccounted for. The deaths happened after Super Typhoon Ragasa’s outer bands brought heavy rain to Taiwan’s Hualien county, causing a barrier lake in the mountains to… Continue reading Taiwan revises down Super Typhoon Ragasa death toll to 14, but 33 missing

INTEL has approached Apple about securing an investment in the struggling chipmaker, Bloomberg News reported on Wednesday, citing people familiar with the matter. The iPhone maker and Intel have also discussed how to work more closely together, the report said, adding that the talks are at an early stage and may not lead to an… Continue reading Intel seeks investment from Apple, Bloomberg News reports

WASHINGTON: Millions of people tuned in to “Jimmy Kimmel Live!” on Tuesday, watching the host’s return to late-night television after nearly a week off the air due to a suspension over remarks that drew fire from President Donald Trump and officials in his administration. ABC said 6.26 million viewers watched Kimmel as he mixed humor… Continue reading Jimmy Kimmel returns from suspension, show sets 10-year ratings high

WASHINGTON: NASA has tapped startup Katalyst to save a $500 million orbiting observatory from falling into Earth’s atmosphere by launching a spacecraft meant to push it farther in space, a short-notice mission that will demonstrate space-docking technology at the center of the U.S.-China space rivalry. The U.S. space agency said on Wednesday it awarded Arizona-based… Continue reading To save aging space observatory, NASA taps startup to push it farther in space

An earthquake of magnitude 6.31 struck Venezuela on Wednesday, the German Research Center for Geosciences (GFZ) said. The quake was at a depth of 10 kilometers (6.21 miles), GFZ said- REUTERS

WASHINGTON: President Donald Trump said on Wednesday he will sign an executive order this week to dismantle “domestic terrorism networks,“ which he has previously alleged are funded by left-wing groups inciting violence against conservatives. “The continuing violence from Radical Left Terrorists, in the aftermath of Charlie Kirk’s assassination, must be stopped,“ Trump wrote on Truth… Continue reading US judge blocks Trump from tying states’ disaster aid to immigration enforcement

WASHINGTON: President Donald Trump said on Wednesday he will sign an executive order this week to dismantle “domestic terrorism networks,“ which he has previously alleged are funded by left-wing groups inciting violence against conservatives. “The continuing violence from Radical Left Terrorists, in the aftermath of Charlie Kirk’s assassination, must be stopped,“ Trump wrote on Truth… Continue reading Trump says he will sign executive order to dismantle left-wing groups he claims incite violence

MCKINNEY: A gunman who wrote “ANTI-ICE” on an unused bullet killed one detainee and wounded two others on Wednesday when he fired on an Immigration and Customs Enforcement field office in Dallas from a nearby rooftop before taking his own life, officials said. FBI Director Kash Patel posted a photo on X of what he… Continue reading Gunman wrote ‘ANTI-ICE’ on unused bullet in fatal attack on Dallas immigration office

SRINAGAR: Five people were killed in India on Wednesday as police clashed with hundreds of protesters demanding greater autonomy in the Himalayan territory of Ladakh. Police confirmed dozens were injured during the violent demonstrations in the main city of Leh. Protesters set fire to a police vehicle and the offices of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s… Continue reading Five killed in Ladakh autonomy protests as police clash with demonstrators

MADRID: A judge investigating Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez’s wife, Begona Gomez, for alleged embezzlement has ordered that she face trial in a case that is roiling national politics. The long-running probe is one of several into Sanchez’s family and former close allies that have embarrassed the Socialist leader and heaped pressure on his minority… Continue reading Spanish PM’s wife ordered to stand trial for embezzlement

ATHENS: A landmark trial concerning the illegal wiretapping of politicians and journalists using Predator spy software commenced in Greece on Wednesday. The Athens Criminal Court will hear the case against four individuals accused of violating telephone communication secrecy laws. Two Israeli and two Greek defendants could receive maximum prison sentences of five years if found… Continue reading Greece wiretapping trial opens for politicians and journalists scandal

NUUK: Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen has arrived in Greenland to personally apologise to victims of a forced contraception programme that ran for more than three decades. Frederiksen described the apology as an important marking of a dark chapter in our shared history in a social media post after landing. Greenlandic MP Aaja Chemnitz told… Continue reading Danish PM apologises to Greenland women in forced contraception scandal

BERLIN: German Chancellor Friedrich Merz has firmly rejected accusations that his government is undermining the fight against climate change. He insisted that protecting Germany’s industrial base is essential for reviving the crisis-hit economy while still pursuing climate goals. Critics argue the conservative-led coalition is slowing the green energy transition through measures like expanding gas power… Continue reading Germany’s Merz rejects claims he is slowing green energy transition

MOSCOW: The Kremlin stated on Wednesday that it had no alternative but to continue its military offensive in Ukraine while firmly rejecting US President Donald Trump’s characterisation of Russia as a “paper tiger”. Spokesman Dmitry Peskov asserted that Russia is proceeding with its special military operation to secure its national interests and achieve the goals… Continue reading Russia vows to continue Ukraine offensive, rejects Trump paper tiger jibe

NICE: French police arrested 101 Roma fans, some found with weapons, in Nice on Tuesday ahead of the teams’ scheduled Europa League clash. A source told AFP that the Italian supporters were carrying sticks, shovels, and knuckle dusters in the city centre on the French Riviera. The local prefecture announced that more than 400 police… Continue reading Over 100 Roma fans arrested with weapons in Nice before Europa League

COLOMBO: The Sri Lankan agent for a Singapore-registered ship has paid one million dollars in damages for causing the island’s worst marine pollution disaster. Environmental activist Hemantha Withanage confirmed the payment represented a token amount compared to the one billion dollars in total damages awarded by the court. The Sea Consortium made the payment in… Continue reading Singapore ship agent pays token damages for Sri Lanka pollution

YANGJIANG: Typhoon Ragasa struck the southern coast of China on Wednesday after causing significant destruction and loss of life in Taiwan. The National Meteorological Centre confirmed the storm made landfall on Hailing Island in Yangjiang City, Guangdong Province, at approximately 5 pm local time. Ferocious winds associated with the typhoon tore signs from buildings, uprooted… Continue reading Typhoon Ragasa hits southern China after causing deaths in Taiwan

ATHENS: Organisers of a Gaza-bound flotilla carrying humanitarian aid and pro-Palestinian activists stated on Wednesday that several of their boats had been targeted by multiple drones. The Global Sumud Flotilla reported that more than a dozen explosions were heard around the flotilla as it sailed off Greece late on Tuesday. Damage was reportedly caused by… Continue reading Gaza aid flotilla organisers report multiple drone attacks at sea

HUALIEN: At least 14 people were killed when a decades-old barrier lake burst in eastern Taiwan after Super Typhoon Ragasa deluged the island with torrential rain. The lake in Hualien county, formed by a series of landslides that created a natural dam wall, burst on Tuesday and sent a torrent of mud and sludge into… Continue reading 14 killed, 152 missing in Taiwan after barrier lake burst

SEOUL: The criminal trial for Kim Keon Hee, the wife of impeached former president Yoon Suk Yeol, commenced on Wednesday in a landmark case marking the first time a former first lady has faced trial in South Korea. Kim was arrested in August on multiple charges including stock manipulation and corruption, following her husband’s removal… Continue reading South Korea’s ex-first lady Kim Keon Hee goes on trial for corruption

SAN JOSÉ: President Rodrigo Chaves strongly criticised a congressional vote that unsuccessfully attempted to remove his immunity from prosecution. Legislators rejected the motion to strip his immunity during a special session on Monday with 34 votes in favour and 21 against. Chaves described the case as a “show” and “disguised political persecution” during a fiery… Continue reading Costa Rica president slams failed vote to lift his immunity

BOGOTÁ: Former FARC commander Rodrigo Londono has declared that modern Colombian guerrilla fighters operate essentially as drug lords with excessive government tolerance. Londono served as the final leader of the FARC guerrilla army before its disarmament under a 2016 peace agreement that failed to resolve Colombia’s six-decade armed conflict. A tribunal recently sentenced him and… Continue reading Ex-FARC commander labels Colombian guerrillas as modern drug lords

MOSCOW: The Salavat petrochemical complex, one of Russia’s largest which is located in Bashkortostan region, was attacked by Ukrainian drones, the local governor said on Wednesday via his channel on Telegram, the second such attack in less than a week. “Gazprom Neftekhim Salavat has been subjected to another terrorist drone attack. We are assessing the… Continue reading Ukraine drones hit major Russian petrochemical plant again

THE World Health Organization said on Wednesday there is currently no conclusive scientific evidence confirming a possible link between autism and the use of paracetamol during pregnancy. At this time, no consistent association between autism and paracetamol use has been established, the WHO said in a statement. U.S. President Donald Trump on Monday linked autism… Continue reading WHO: No autism link to paracetamol use in pregnancy

THE U.S. House committee on China has urged Washington to ensure funding for the Philippines to counter Beijing’s “aggressive and destabilising actions” in the South China Sea, according to a letter to Secretary of State Marco Rubio, which warns cuts could threaten U.S. security interests. In the letter reviewed by Reuters on Tuesday, the House… Continue reading House panel urges Rubio to secure PH Funds vs China threat

AS Typhoon Ragasa, the world’s most powerful tropical cyclone this year, approached Hong Kong this week, mass flight cancellations and lost revenue were not the only headache for airlines based at one of the world’s busiest airports. Ahead of the arrival of hurricane-force winds and torrential rain on Wednesday, about 80% of the aircraft belonging… Continue reading Hong Kong airlines evacuate planes as Typhoon Ragasa hits

HOLLYWOOD (United States): US President Donald Trump lashed out Tuesday hours before Jimmy Kimmel’s late-night talk show was due to be back on the air in the United States, insulting the host, and threatening to “test ABC” over the move. Kimmel’s show returns Tuesday night after a week-long hiatus following government pressure on broadcasters that… Continue reading Trump slams Kimmel ahead of controversial show return

ANKARA: Turkey jailed two men late on Tuesday pending trial after prosecutors said their online show included a joke referencing a hadith or teaching of the Prophet Muhammad, which they allege could incite religious hatred. An Istanbul court ordered the detention of YouTuber Bogac Soydemir, host of the programme “Soguk Savas,“ and his guest Enes… Continue reading Turkey jails comedian, rapper over Islam-related joke

HANOI: Vietnam’s prime minister said Hanoi was pursuing new trade deals this year to mitigate the impact of tariffs imposed on its goods by the United States, its largest market. The statement came days after estimates by the United Nations Development Programme showed U.S. duties risked slashing by up to one-fifth of Vietnam’s exports to… Continue reading Vietnam seeks new trade deals to offset US tariff impact

CANADIAN Prime Minister Mark Carney said he had “constructive” trade talks with Chinese Premier Li Qiang and expected the dialogue to deepen over time, as both countries seek to navigate a way out of a tariff conflict. Ties deteriorated after Canada imposed tariffs on imports of China-made electric vehicles, as well as Chinese steel and… Continue reading Canada, China eye deeper trade ties after ‘constructive’ talks

UNITED NATIONS (United States): The leader of the Democratic Republic of the Congo asked UN member states on Tuesday to recognize a “silent genocide” in his country, as France announced it will host an emergency conference on the conflict there next month. “All the signs of planned extermination are present… This is not just a… Continue reading France to host DRC crisis meet as Tshisekedi seeks UN aid