Category: World

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

BRUSSELS: A cyberattack at a service provider for check-in and boarding systems has disrupted operations at several major European airports including London’s Heathrow, Brussels and Berlin, causing flight delays and cancellations on Saturday. Collins Aerospace, which provides check-in and boarding systems for several airlines across multiple airports globally, is experiencing a technical issue that may… Continue reading Cyberattack disrupts operations at European airports including Heathrow, Brussels

SYDNEY: The Australian government declared that telecommunications firm Optus had failed its citizens after three fatalities occurred during a major network outage. This disruption prevented emergency service calls across South Australia, Western Australia, and the Northern Territory for over ten hours on Thursday evening. Approximately 600 people were affected by the service failure, with authorities… Continue reading Australia telco outage leaves three dead after emergency call failure

JAKARTA: A volcano in eastern Indonesia has erupted multiple times, sending a massive ash column kilometres into the sky after authorities raised its alert level to the highest status. Mount Lewotobi Laki-Laki, a 1,584-metre-high twin-peaked volcano on Flores island, began a series of eruptions on Friday evening with the largest blast occurring at 10:46 pm… Continue reading Indonesia volcano erupts with highest alert level after multiple blasts

KYIV: Russian overnight strikes in Ukraine’s Dnipropetrovsk region killed one person and wounded 13 others, according to Ukrainian officials on Saturday. Sergiy Lysak, the head of the regional military administration, confirmed the casualties on the Telegram platform. He stated that Russian forces used drones and missiles, damaging residential buildings and causing fires. One man remains… Continue reading Russian strikes kill one and wound 13 in Ukraine’s Dnipropetrovsk region

PARIS: Growing numbers of Western artists across music, film, and publishing industries are advocating for a cultural boycott of Israel due to the Gaza war. These figures hope to replicate the success of the apartheid-era blockade against South Africa through increased public pressure. British actor Khalid Abdalla expressed confidence that global opinion is reaching a… Continue reading Celebrities and artists join cultural boycott of Israel over Gaza war

WASHINGTON: President Donald Trump announced on Friday that the Republican Party will hold a national convention for the 2026 midterm elections as his party strives to retain its narrow congressional majority. National party conventions traditionally occur only during presidential election years, making this announcement a significant departure from standard political practice. Trump declared on his… Continue reading Trump announces Republican convention for 2026 midterm elections

WARSAW: Polish and allied aircraft were activated early Saturday to safeguard national airspace following Russian airstrikes on western Ukraine near the Polish border. The armed forces of the NATO-member nation confirmed the deployment in response to the escalating regional security situation. Polish operational command stated that both aircraft and ground-based air defence systems were placed… Continue reading Poland scrambles aircraft after Russian strikes on Ukraine border

WASHINGTON: A federal prosecutor resigned on Friday after reportedly facing pressure over investigations into two of Donald Trump’s political foes. Erik Siebert, the US attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia, informed staff of his resignation via email according to multiple media reports. The resignation came just hours after Trump told reporters in the Oval… Continue reading US prosecutor resigns after pressure to charge Trump political foes

ARIZONA: Tesla has received regulatory approval to begin testing autonomous robotaxi vehicles with safety monitors in Arizona. The state transportation department confirmed the approval in an email to Reuters on Friday following Tesla’s application in June for a permit to trial an autonomous vehicle ride-sharing service. Tesla now plans to test its robotaxis in the… Continue reading Tesla approved to test autonomous robotaxis in Arizona with safety monitors

WASHINGTON: President Donald Trump announced another US military strike against an alleged drug trafficking vessel in international waters, resulting in three fatalities. Unlike previous announcements, Trump did not specify whether this strike occurred near Venezuela, where the US Navy has deployed significant forces. He stated only that the operation took place within the US Southern… Continue reading Trump announces new US military strike on alleged drug boat

BRUSSELS: The European Union has proposed moving its ban on Russian gas imports forward by one year as part of new sanctions designed to weaken Moscow’s war funding and satisfy US President Donald Trump. This 19th package of EU sanctions since Russia’s 2022 invasion of Ukraine also targets companies, banks, and traders in China and… Continue reading EU proposes earlier Russian gas ban in new sanctions to please Trump

THE HAGUE: Russia has formally appealed to the International Court of Justice against a ruling that found Moscow responsible for shooting down Malaysia Airlines flight MH17 over Ukraine in 2014. The appeal challenges the court’s decision which held Russia accountable for the incident that killed all 298 people on board the Amsterdam to Kuala Lumpur… Continue reading Russia appeals ICJ ruling on MH17 downing over Ukraine conflict

WASHINGTON: US President Donald Trump announced he will welcome Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan to the White House next week and expects a resolution to their long-running fighter jet dispute. This marks Erdogan’s first bilateral White House visit since 2019 during Trump’s initial term, contrasting with former president Joe Biden’s tense relationship with the Turkish… Continue reading Trump to host Erdogan at White House, expects F-35 jet deal resolution

WASHINGTON: President Donald Trump declared negative media coverage illegal while defending FCC actions that have sparked national free speech concerns. Trump criticised US media outlets for transforming positive stories into negative coverage during an Oval Office press gathering. The president specifically targeted television networks while repeating his claim that 97% of coverage about his administration… Continue reading Trump claims negative media coverage is illegal amid free speech debate

MIAMI: A federal judge has dismissed US President Donald Trump’s $15 billion defamation lawsuit against The New York Times in a sharply worded ruling. District Judge Steven Merryday described Trump’s initial complaint as improper and impermissible while granting his legal team 28 days to submit a refiled version in a professional and dignified manner. The… Continue reading Judge dismisses Trump’s $15 billion lawsuit against New York Times

WASHINGTON: US President Donald Trump has dramatically increased the fee for H-1B visas to $100,000 as part of a broader immigration crackdown. The new fee represents a massive jump from the current cost of just under $1,000 for the visa category extensively used by high-tech workers. This move targets a visa program that Silicon Valley… Continue reading Trump raises H-1B visa fee to $100,000 in major immigration crackdown

CARACAS: Venezuela has formally accused the United States of conducting an undeclared war in the Caribbean region following recent American military actions. Defense Minister Vladimir Padrino Lopez declared these operations constitute an undeclared war during his attendance at military exercises responding to the perceived US threat. He specifically referenced the execution of individuals in the… Continue reading Venezuela accuses US of undeclared war in Caribbean, seeks UN probe

WASHINGTON: French President Emmanuel Macron and his wife Brigitte will present scientific evidence and photographs to prove she is a woman in their US defamation lawsuit. Their attorney Tom Clare confirmed the couple plans to testify against conservative American commentator Candace Owens, who they accuse of spreading online rumours about Brigitte Macron being transgender. Clare… Continue reading Macron lawsuit presents scientific evidence against gender rumours

BEIRUT: Israeli air strikes in southern Lebanon killed two people and wounded eleven on Friday according to the country’s health ministry. The ministry confirmed an Israeli air strike on a vehicle outside a public hospital in Tibnin killed one person and wounded eleven others. Another strike on a vehicle in Ansar killed one additional person… Continue reading Israeli strikes kill two in south Lebanon despite ceasefire agreement

GAZA CITY: The Israeli military has warned it will operate with unprecedented force in Gaza City while instructing residents to evacuate immediately. This announcement comes as Israel intensifies its ground offensive on the territory’s largest urban centre nearly two years into the devastating conflict. Gaza City has endured continuous air strikes and tank fire as… Continue reading Israel warns of unprecedented force in Gaza City as ground assault intensifies

NEW YORK: A Chinese company executive has received a 25-year prison sentence for trafficking chemicals used to manufacture fentanyl. Qingzhou Wang, the 37-year-old principal executive of Wuhan-based Amarvel Biotech, was convicted alongside marketing manager Yiyi Chen for fentanyl precursor importation and money laundering. District Judge Paul Gardephe imposed the sentence on Friday following their February… Continue reading Chinese exec gets 25 years for fentanyl trafficking in US court

CARACAS: Venezuela has conducted military exercises and deployed troops to its borders in response to a major United States naval build-up near its waters. President Nicolas Maduro accused the United States of pursuing regime change under the guise of combating drug trafficking. Washington dispatched eight warships and a nuclear-powered submarine to the southern Caribbean alongside… Continue reading Venezuela claims impregnable defences amid US naval build-up