Category: World

PARIS: Negotiators will take another stab at reaching a global pact on plastic pollution at talks opening Tuesday in Geneva but they face deep divisions over how to tackle the health and ecological hazard. The coming 10 days of talks involving delegates from nearly 180 nations follows a failure to reach a deal last December… Continue reading Global plastic pollution talks resume in Geneva amid deep divisions

TOKYO: Japan sweltered through its hottest July since records began in 1898, the weather agency has reported, warning of further “severe heat” in the month ahead. Heatwaves are becoming more intense and frequent the world over because of human-caused climate change, scientists say, and Japan is no exception. The average temperature in July was up… Continue reading Japan records hottest July in history as heatwaves intensify

JAKARTA: A volcano erupted in eastern Indonesia early on Saturday, forcing the delay and cancellation of 24 flights at Bali’s Ngurah Rai International Airport, according to the National Disaster Mitigation Agency (BNPB). Despite remaining at the highest alert level (Level IV), the eruption of Mount Lewotobi Laki-Laki on Flores Island has not prompted evacuations or… Continue reading Volcano eruption in eastern Indonesia disrupts Bali flights

HANOI: Eight people have died and three others remain missing following flash floods and landslides in recent days in Vietnam’s northern province of Dien Bien, reported Xinhua quoting a Vietnam News Agency report Saturday. As of 6 am Saturday, around 60 houses had been swept away or damaged by floodwaters, according to the Vietnam Disaster… Continue reading 8 dead, 3 missing in north Vietnam’s flash floods

WASHINGTON: Donald Trump is staking his reputation as a tough negotiator and slick dealmaker — that has served him well throughout his life — with his ultra-muscular, protectionist tariffs policy. On Friday, the White House released a picture of the US president seen with a smartphone pressed to his ear, with the caption: “Making calls.… Continue reading Trump stakes reputation as dealmaker with tariff policy

ROME: Up to a million young Catholic believers are expected to gather for a night-time vigil led by Pope Leo XIV, the highlight of a week-long pilgrimage during the Jubilee holy year. The “Jubilee of Youth” has drawn thousands of young pilgrims from around the world to Rome, with excitement building for the new pope’s… Continue reading Up to 1 million young Catholics gather for Pope Leo vigil in Rome

RAMALLAH: Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas has welcomed Portugal’s decision to begin the process of recognising the State of Palestine, with formal recognition expected in September. The announcement was reported by the Palestine News and Information Agency (WAFA). Abbas described Portugal’s move as “a positive and courageous step that supports the path towards implementing the two-state… Continue reading Abbas praises Portugal’s move to recognise Palestine state

NAIROBI: Kenya’s Ministry of Health has reported 314 cases of mpox and five deaths since the outbreak began in July 2024. Health Cabinet Secretary Aden Duale confirmed the figures in a statement, noting that 33 patients are currently hospitalised while 54 are under home-based care. The coastal city of Mombasa remains the hardest-hit region with… Continue reading Kenya reports 314 mpox cases with 5 deaths as surveillance intensifies

WASHINGTON/BRASILIA: U.S. President Donald Trump stated on Friday that Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva is welcome to call him at any time to address trade disputes and other bilateral concerns. “He can talk to me anytime he wants,“ Trump told reporters at the White House, expressing goodwill toward Brazilians but criticizing the country’s… Continue reading Trump invites Brazil’s Lula to call anytime amid trade tensions

Ghislaine Maxwell has been transferred from a Florida prison to a lower-security facility in Texas to continue serving her 20-year sentence for helping the late financier and sex offender Jeffrey Epstein sexually abuse underage girls, the U.S. Bureau of Prisons said on Friday. Maxwell’s move from FCI Tallahassee, a low-security prison, to the Federal Prison… Continue reading Ghislaine Maxwell moved to prison camp, Trump says no plea for pardon

WASHINGTON: A proposal to move the retired Space Shuttle Discovery from its current home at the Smithsonian’s National Air and Space Museum to Houston has triggered a legal standoff. The plan, embedded in recent federal legislation, faces resistance from the Smithsonian, which asserts full ownership of the historic spacecraft. “The Smithsonian Institution owns the Discovery… Continue reading US Space Shuttle Discovery relocation plan sparks legal dispute

ALMOLOYA DE JUÁREZ, MEXICO: A Mexican man walked free after nearly 20 years behind bars Friday, finally acquitted in a case that strained relations with France and became emblematic of delayed justice in the Latin American country. Israel Vallarta had been held in preventive custody since his 2005 arrest alongside his former girlfriend Florence Cassez,… Continue reading Mexican walks free, acquitted after 20 years behind bars

BELGRADE: Eleven people, including a former minister, were arrested in Serbia on Friday over a train station disaster in which 16 people died. The concrete canopy of the newly renovated station in the northern city of Novi Sad collapsed on November 1, 2024 in a disaster widely blamed on corruption and poor oversight. It sparked… Continue reading Eleven new arrests over Serbian train station disaster

BRASÍLIA: Brazilians set fire to effigies of Donald Trump in protests across several cities Friday, denouncing the US president’s politically motivated trade tariffs. Anti-Trump demonstrations were held in Brasília, São Paulo, and Rio de Janeiro, signaling worsening relations between two of the Americas’ largest economies. The protests, though modest in attendance, reflected widespread anger over… Continue reading Brazilians protest Trump tariffs with effigy burnings

WASHINGTON: Ghislaine Maxwell, convicted accomplice of disgraced financier Jeffrey Epstein, has been relocated from a Florida prison to a minimum-security federal facility in Texas, according to the Bureau of Prisons. The transfer follows a rare two-day interview with Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche last week, though details of their discussion remain undisclosed. Maxwell’s lawyer, David… Continue reading Ghislaine Maxwell moved to Texas prison amid Epstein case scrutiny

MEXICO CITY: A combination of tact and tenacity is credited for Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum’s successful dealings with US counterpart Donald Trump, most recently convincing him to delay a sky-high import tariff meant to come into effect Friday. The pair are known to get along despite sitting on opposite sides of the political aisle, earning… Continue reading Sensible and steely: how Mexico’s Sheinbaum has dealt with Trump

PARIS: Elon Musk-owned social network X on Friday accused Britain’s government of “overreach” with a new law designed to protect children from harmful online content such as pornography. The Online Safety Act’s “laudable intentions are at risk of being overshadowed by the breadth of its regulatory reach,“ X said in a post to its Global… Continue reading Musk’s X accuses Britain of online safety ‘overreach’

PARIS: France said Friday it could not seize $9.7 million worth of women’s contraception products that the United States plans to destroy, after media reports suggested the stockpile would be incinerated in the country. The contraceptives were purchased by the US foreign aid agency USAID under former president Joe Biden to be provided to women… Continue reading France says it cannot save contraceptives US plans to destroy

GAZA CITY, PALESTINIAN TERRITORIES: President Donald Trump’s special envoy promised a plan to deliver more food to Gaza after inspecting a US-backed distribution centre on Friday, as the United Nations said Israeli forces had killed hundreds of hungry Palestinians waiting for aid over the past two months. The visit by US envoy Steve Witkoff came… Continue reading US promises Gaza food plan after envoy visit

NEW YORK: Faced with closed restrooms, vandalized facilities and lavatory deserts, New Yorkers and visitors to the city alike confront a host of hurdles to relieve themselves when out and about. In its latest efforts to combat this problem, the Big Apple has turned to a Portland-based company that designs modular public conveniences it claims… Continue reading Bog Apple: NYC discovers stand-alone toilet pods

WASHINGTON: The Trump administration is blocking funding for multiple public-health programs managed by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), according to a Wall Street Journal report citing unnamed sources. The affected initiatives include youth violence prevention, research on reducing gun-related injuries and deaths, and programs addressing diabetes, chronic kidney disease, and tobacco use.… Continue reading Trump administration blocks CDC health program funding, WSJ reports

CHISINAU: Moldovan business magnate Vladimir Plahotniuc has declared his intention to return to Moldova to clear his name in a high-profile fraud case. In his first major statement since being detained in Greece, Plahotniuc dismissed the allegations against him as politically motivated. Plahotniuc, a former lawmaker and one of Moldova’s wealthiest individuals, is a key… Continue reading Moldovan magnate Plahotniuc seeks return to clear fraud allegations

WASHINGTON: Federal Reserve Governor Adriana Kugler announced her resignation, effective August 8, cutting short her term originally set to end in January 2026. The move could reshape the Fed’s leadership succession as tensions between the central bank and President Donald Trump escalate. Kugler, who joined the Fed in September 2023, will return to Georgetown University… Continue reading Fed Governor Kugler resigns early, Trump gains appointment power

BOGOTA: Former Colombian President Alvaro Uribe was sentenced to 12 years of house arrest on Friday for abuse of process and bribing a public official. The ruling stems from a long-running case involving alleged ties to right-wing paramilitary groups. Judge Sandra Liliana Heredia delivered the verdict, which also includes a $578,000 fine and an eight-year… Continue reading Colombia ex-president Uribe gets 12-year house arrest, plans appeal

MIAMI: A Florida jury has ordered Tesla to pay $243 million in damages over a fatal 2019 crash involving its Autopilot system. The verdict marks a rare legal setback for the electric vehicle maker, which faces growing scrutiny over its self-driving technology. Jurors awarded $129 million in compensatory damages and $200 million in punitive damages… Continue reading Tesla ordered to pay $243m in fatal Autopilot crash case

WASHINGTON: US President Donald Trump announced the repositioning of two nuclear submarines in response to remarks by former Russian President Dmitry Medvedev, heightening tensions between the nuclear-armed nations. Trump described Medvedev’s statements as “foolish and inflammatory,“ prompting the strategic military move. “Based on the highly provocative statements of the Former President of Russia, Dmitry Medvedev… Continue reading Trump orders nuclear submarines moved after Russian ‘provocative statements’

WASHINGTON/NEW YORK: President Donald Trump dismissed a senior Labor Department official on Friday, accusing her of manipulating jobs data without evidence. The move intensified worries about the reliability of federal economic reports. In a separate development, Federal Reserve Governor Adriana Kugler unexpectedly announced her resignation, offering Trump an earlier-than-expected opportunity to reshape the central bank’s… Continue reading Trump fires US labor official over data

RUETLI (Switzerland): The Swiss government is disappointed by the U.S. tariffs imposed on Switzerland, President Karin Keller-Sutter told Reuters on Friday, with the 39% figure much higher than expected. “The Federal Council is disappointed,“ Keller-Sutter told Reuters on the sidelines of a Swiss national day event in Ruetli. “It is a pity that there is… Continue reading Swiss President disappointed by unexpected US tariffs

BRUSSELS: The European Court of Justice on Friday ruled that carmakers like Volkswagen remain liable for using unlawful defeat devices, such as temperature-sensitive emissions software, even if the vehicles met EU standards, which doesn’t guarantee the technology’s legality. The case at the European Union’s top court arose from two German lawsuits involving Volkswagen diesel vehicles… Continue reading EU court rules Volkswagen liable for use of defeat devices

WASHINGTON: The Smithsonian’s National Museum of American History removed a label referencing Donald Trump’s two impeachments last month following pressure from the White House, The Washington Post reported. Trump is the only American president to have been impeached twice — first in 2019 for abuse of power and obstruction of Congress, then in 2021 for… Continue reading Smithsonian removes Trump impeachment display label

LONDON: Pfizer and its German partner BioNTech on Friday lost their bid to overturn a ruling that their Covid-19 vaccine infringed one of Moderna’s patents at London’s Court of Appeal. Last year, the High Court ruled that one of Moderna’s patents relating to the messenger RNA (mRNA) technology which underpinned its Covid-19 vaccine was valid… Continue reading Pfizer, BioNTech lose UK appeal in Moderna patent case

BERLIN: Germany’s Bundeswehr armed forces have started dropping aid supplies over Gaza, starting with two Luftwaffe flights carrying almost 14 tonnes of supplies, the defence ministry said on Friday. “The flights can only make a very small contribution to providing those affected on the ground with the bare essentials,“ Defence Minister Boris Pistorius said, adding… Continue reading Germany begins aid airdrops over Gaza, sends 14 tonnes

MOSCOW: Russian President Vladimir Putin said on Friday that he hoped peace talks between Russia and Ukraine would continue and that working groups could discuss potential compromises, but said Moscow’s goals remained unchanged. Speaking one week before the expiry of a deadline set by U.S. President Donald Trump for Russia to agree a ceasefire in… Continue reading Putin hopes Ukraine talks continue despite Trump deadline

MOSCOW: President Vladimir Putin said on Friday that Russian forces were advancing along the entire front line in Ukraine despite the West’s desire to halt its offensive. Putin, who was talking alongside Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko, said the Russian army had taken control of the town of Chasiv Yar in Ukraine’s Donetsk region a few… Continue reading Putin: Russia advancing across entire Ukraine front

MOSCOW: Russian President Vladimir Putin said on Friday that the first batch of mass-produced Oreshnik ballistic missile systems had been delivered to the Russian army. – Reuters

KYIV: Ukraine’s partners had “confirmed positive signals” about imminent White House pressure on Russia following President Volodymyr Zelenskiy’s conversations with British, French, German and Italian counterparts, a top Ukrainian official said. “Our partners confirmed positive signals from the White House regarding firm actions against the Russian Federation — particularly on sanctions targeting Russian oil and… Continue reading Zelenskiy aide: Allies confirm US set to pressure Russia