Category: World

ISTANBUL: An armed man has been arrested at State Farm Stadium in Arizona for allegedly impersonating a police officer ahead of a memorial event for conservative activist Charlie Kirk. Joshua Runkles, 42, was taken into custody by the Arizona Department of Public Safety and charged with carrying a weapon into a prohibited place and impersonating… Continue reading Armed man arrested at US stadium for impersonating police before memorial

SAN FRANCISCO: Panic and confusion spread among H-1B visa holders from India and China as they scrambled to return to the United States following President Donald Trump’s new immigration order imposing visa fees. Tech companies and banks sent urgent memos advising employees abroad to return before the Sunday deadline and to avoid leaving the country… Continue reading H-1B visa holders race back to US amid Trump order confusion

KUALA LUMPUR: Rampasan dadah bernilai hampir RM600 juta, kebanyakannya jenis ekstasi, daripada beberapa makmal pemprosesan di Lembah Klang harus menjadi peringatan kepada negara, kata Pengerusi Alliance for a Safe Community Tan Sri Lee Lam Thye. Beliau berkata pengumuman terbaharu oleh Ketua Polis Negara, Datuk Seri Mohd Khalid Ismail, menekankan betapa seriusnya ancaman dadah, dengan jumlah… Continue reading Rampasan dadah RM600 juta peringatan untuk tindakan segera – Lee

BEIJING: Chinese journalist Zhang Zhan has been sentenced to an additional four years in prison after documenting the early phases of the COVID-19 outbreak from Wuhan. Reporters Without Borders announced on Saturday that the 42-year-old received the sentence on Friday under China’s “picking quarrels and provoking trouble” charge. This marks the same charge that led… Continue reading Chinese COVID whistleblower Zhang Zhan sentenced to four more years in jail

DAMASCUS: Saudi Arabia is deploying substantial financial aid and strategic investments to expand its influence within Syria following the overthrow of long-time president Bashar al-Assad. The kingdom has provided millions of dollars in assistance alongside major investment pledges aimed at drawing Syria into its political orbit. Syria served as a battleground for external powers throughout… Continue reading Saudi Arabia expands influence in Syria with aid and investment pledges

AJMER: Stepping through the gates of India’s Mayo College feels like journeying back 150 years to an era of royal grandeur and tradition. This historic institution originally reserved for princes now educates a new generation of elite students from diverse backgrounds. The school’s rich history began in 1875 when the first student arrived with immense… Continue reading India’s Mayo College educates new elite with royal heritage and modern vision

QUITO: Ecuador’s constitutional court has suspended a presidential decree seeking to establish a special body for toughening laws against drug trafficking and organised crime. The suspension remains effective while the court evaluates five claims of unconstitutionality against the proposed measure. This decision deepens the ongoing crisis between President Daniel Noboa and the judiciary, which has… Continue reading Ecuador court suspends president’s decree for new constitution

WASHINGTON: President Donald Trump has publicly urged his Justice Department to take legal action against his political opponents in an extraordinary break from traditional independence. In a social media post addressing Attorney General Pam Bondi, Trump expressed frustration over the lack of charges against California Senator Adam Schiff and New York Attorney General Letitia James.… Continue reading Trump urges Justice Department to charge political enemies in public call

LONDON: Britain and Portugal are expected to formally recognise a Palestinian state on Sunday ahead of a key week at the United Nations General Assembly. A growing number of longtime Israeli allies have shifted their positions in recent months as Israel intensified its Gaza offensive following Hamas’s unprecedented 2023 attack. The besieged Palestinian territory has… Continue reading UK and Portugal to recognise Palestinian state ahead of UN debate

MANILA: Thousands of Filipinos gathered in Manila to protest against a massive corruption scandal involving fraudulent flood-control projects that allegedly cost taxpayers billions of dollars. Public anger has been mounting across the Southeast Asian nation since President Ferdinand Marcos highlighted the issue during his July state of the nation address following weeks of deadly flooding.… Continue reading Thousands protest in Manila over Philippines flood control corruption scandal

HOUSTON: Martina Grifaldo begins each day by posting a special safety message on Facebook for her immigrant community in Spanish. She writes “May everyone who goes out today make it home safely” to her 171,000 followers as a precautionary measure. Grifaldo manages the page alongside fellow activist Francisco Mendoza to warn migrants about possible immigration… Continue reading Texas migrants use social media to warn of ICE raids and avoid arrests

NEW YORK: The Statue of Liberty makes a cameo in the Metropolitan Opera’s season opener, invoking a time when New York stood as a beacon of hope for Jews desperately fleeing Nazism. The image from “The Amazing Adventures of Kavalier & Clay” — which kicks off the Met’s 2025-26 cycle on Sunday — resonates at… Continue reading Met Opera’s new superhero production tackles fascism and immigration

CARACAS: Venezuela organised military training for civilians on Saturday in response to US naval deployments near its coast and new threats from President Donald Trump. The training occurred nearly a month after Washington positioned warships in international waters off Venezuela alongside F-35 fighters in Puerto Rico for anti-drug and anti-terrorism operations. Venezuelan Defense Minister Vladimir… Continue reading Venezuela trains civilians for military defence amid US threats

BUSAN: The K-pop fantasy megahit “KPop Demon Hunters”, Netflix’s most-watched film, held its first singalong screening on Saturday in South Korea, from where the US-produced feature draws its inspiration. “I’m seeing all the beauty in the broken glass,“ fans sang at the climax of the animated film, which follows a K-pop girl group descended from… Continue reading Netflix’s KPop Demon Hunters holds first singalong screening in Busan

WASHINGTON: US President Donald Trump has threatened Venezuela with incalculable consequences if it refuses to accept migrants he claims were forced into the United States. Trump demanded that Venezuela immediately take back all prisoners and individuals from mental institutions allegedly sent to American soil. He stated that thousands of people have been badly hurt or… Continue reading Trump warns Venezuela of incalculable price over migrant returns

CARACAS: Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro’s YouTube channel — which had 233,000 subscribers — has disappeared from the popular video-sharing platform, an AFP search revealed Saturday. “This page is unavailable. We apologize for the inconvenience,“ says a message where Maduro’s channel used to be. YouTube did not immediately respond to an AFP request for comment. The… Continue reading Maduro’s YouTube channel disappears amid US-Venezuela tensions

GAZA CITY: The director of Al-Shifa hospital was marshalling the facility’s response to Israel’s assault when two victims killed in a strike were delivered to the ward: his brother and his sister-in-law. Mohammed Abu Salmiya described being shocked and devastated to see the bodies of his relatives while working in the emergency department of Gaza’s… Continue reading Gaza City assault leaves Palestinians traumatised with heavy casualties

TEHRAN: Iran’s Supreme National Security Council declared that cooperation with the International Atomic Energy Agency will effectively suspend following European actions to reimpose United Nations sanctions. Britain, France and Germany activated the snapback mechanism in the nuclear agreement, accusing Iran of non-compliance with the 2015 deal. The Security Council voted on Friday to restore previously… Continue reading Iran suspends IAEA cooperation after European UN sanctions move

WASHINGTON: The White House issued a major clarification stating that a new $100,000 fee for H-1B visas will be a one-time payment imposed only on new applicants. This announcement came after US Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick had repeatedly stated the fee would be applied annually, causing significant confusion within the tech industry. A White House… Continue reading White House clarifies H-1B visa fee as one-time $100,000 payment

RENNES: French Senator Joel Guerriau will resign from the upper house in early October while facing criminal charges for allegedly drugging a fellow politician. The 67-year-old senator is accused of spiking National Assembly Deputy Sandrine Josso’s champagne with ecstasy in November 2023 with intent to commit sexual assault. Guerriau confirmed his planned resignation to AFP… Continue reading French senator accused of drugging colleague to resign next month

WASHINGTON: US President Donald Trump has threatened Afghanistan with unspecified consequences if the Taliban-controlled government does not return Bagram Airbase to the United States. The 79-year-old leader issued his warning through a post on his Truth Social platform on Saturday. “If Afghanistan doesn’t give Bagram Airbase back to those that built it, the United States… Continue reading Trump threatens Afghanistan over Bagram air base return demand

MANDRES-EN-BARROIS: A proposed underground nuclear waste storage facility in northeastern France triggered significant protests on Saturday, resulting in police intervention with tear gas. Approximately 2,000 demonstrators gathered in Bure village to oppose the CIGEO project by the National Agency for Radioactive Waste Management, though authorities estimated only 700 participants. Protesters marched behind banners reading “Protest… Continue reading French nuclear waste storage project sparks protest with tear gas

BERLIN: A group of German and international musicians on Saturday performed a classical concert in Berlin on the occasion of World Children’s Day, aimed at drawing attention to the plight of children killed in the Gaza Strip during the Gaza genocide, Anadolu Ajansi reported. According to the organiser, the Music for Humanity initiative, the charity… Continue reading Berlin concert commemorates children killed in Gaza

WASHINGTON: Large US companies are urgently advising foreign employees to remain in the United States (US) after President Donald Trump imposed a hefty new fee on visas for qualified foreign workers, German Press Agency (dpa) reported, citing media reports. Employees with H1B visas who are currently abroad should return to the US within 24 hours,… Continue reading US firms scramble to respond to new fee for skilled worker visas

DUBLIN: Dublin Airport on Saturday said it was reopening Terminal 2 after a brief closure due to a security alert. “Dublin Airport confirms Terminal 2 has received the all-clear. Passengers will shortly re-enter & flights are expected to resume within 30 mins,“ the airport said in a statement on X. Police said in a statement… Continue reading Dublin Airport terminal reopens after security incident

PARIS: French President Emmanuel Macron scored a major diplomatic coup by declaring his intention to recognise a Palestinian state but the move risks being followed by bitter retaliation from Israel while not providing concrete benefits to the Palestinians, analysts and sources say. Macron sent a shockwave through the international community with his pledge over the… Continue reading Macron takes risk with Palestinian statehood recognition

MADRID: Firefighters, supported by troops, battled two wildfires on Saturday in northwestern Spain, fuelled by dry conditions and high temperatures. In the province of Lugo in Galicia, 82 brigades and 25 waterbombing aircraft were tackling a fire that erupted on Thursday, which has so far destroyed around 1,400 hectares (3,500 acres), the regional government said… Continue reading Firefighters battle blazes in northwestern Spain

MOSCOW: Russia on Saturday slammed the UN Security Council vote to reimpose economic sanctions on Iran over its nuclear programme and warned of a risk of an “escalation of tensions”. “The Russian side has repeatedly pointed out the provocative and illegal nature of the actions of the European countries participating in the JCPOA,“ the Russian… Continue reading Russia slams UN vote to reimpose Iran nuclear sanctions

KYIV: Russia unleashed a major drone and missile attack on Ukraine overnight, killing three people, injuring dozens more, and damaging infrastructure and residential buildings, President Volodymyr Zelenskiy said on Saturday. Despite diplomatic efforts to find ways to end the war that began when Russia invaded in February 2022, the fighting has intensified in recent months.… Continue reading Russia hits Ukraine with barrage of drones, missiles, kills 3, Kyiv says

NEW DELHI: Imposing a new $100,000 annual fee on H-1B visa applications could disrupt the global operations of Indian technology services companies that deploy skilled professionals to the United States, India’s IT industry body Nasscom said on Saturday. The White House announced the new fee on Friday, prompting some major U.S. tech firms to advise… Continue reading New US H-1B visa fee could disrupt Indian IT operations, says industry body

WARSAW: There are no indications of threats to Polish airports, deputy prime minister and digital affairs minister Krzysztof Gawkowski said on Saturday as cyberattacks disrupted operations at some major European airports. “Information on the situation is being continuously gathered, and Polish authorities are in contact with authorities in other countries,“ Gawkowski wrote on X –… Continue reading No threats at Polish airports after cyberattack disrupts European hubs, deputy PM says

MOSCOW: Russian troops have taken control of the village of Berezove in Ukraine’s southeastern Dnipropetrovsk region, the Russian Defence Ministry said on Saturday. The ministry said its forces had successfully carried out strikes with high-precision weapons on Ukrainian military-industrial facilities overnight. Reuters could not independently verify the battlefield reports – REUTERS

MARSEILLE: A French couple is training in the Mediterranean to prepare for what they hope will be a record-breaking three-month relay swim across the Atlantic. Matthieu Witvoet and Chloe Leger Witvoet plan to set off from the island of Cape Verde, off the African coast, on November 1 for a 3,800-kilometre (2,360-mile) swim to the… Continue reading French couple plan three-month relay swim across the Atlantic