World – Page 23 – Thesundailymys

Israel warns of unprecedented force in Gaza City as ground assault intensifies

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

Chinese exec gets 25 years for fentanyl trafficking in US court

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

Venezuela claims impregnable defences amid US naval build-up

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

Fitch upgrades Italy credit rating to BBB+ in boost for Meloni

WASHINGTON: Fitch Ratings has upgraded Italy’s credit rating in a significant endorsement of Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni’s two-year fiscal austerity programme. The agency increased Italy’s rating to BBB+ from BBB while maintaining a stable outlook for the eurozone’s third-largest economy. This positive development followed Fitch’s recent downgrade of France’s credit rating from AA- to A+.… Continue reading

UN chief warns against intimidation by Israel over West Bank annexation

NEW YORK: United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres stated that the international community should not feel intimidated by Israel amid its threats of annexing the occupied West Bank. Guterres made these remarks during an interview at UN headquarters ahead of the organisation’s high-level week, where ten countries are expected to recognise Palestinian statehood. He emphasised that… Continue reading

Estonia denounces Russian airspace violation, invokes NATO Article 4

TALLINN: Estonia has condemned a “reckless” violation of its airspace by three Russian MiG-31 fighter jets over the Gulf of Finland. The Estonian defence forces confirmed the unauthorised incursion near Vaindloo Island, where the aircraft remained for approximately 12 minutes without flight plans or active transponders. Italian F-35 fighters attached to NATO’s Baltic Air Policing… Continue reading

Trump administration imposes new federal funding restrictions on Harvard

NEW YORK: The Trump administration has imposed fresh restrictions on Harvard University’s access to federal funds, escalating its ongoing crackdown on the prestigious institution. The Department of Education announced it has placed Harvard under heightened cash monitoring status due to growing concerns about the university’s financial position. Federal officials cited the administration’s accusations of civil… Continue reading

Trump hails progress on TikTok deal and plans China visit

WASHINGTON: US President Donald Trump announced progress on the potential sale of TikTok following a phone call with Chinese President Xi Jinping and revealed plans to visit China next year. Trump stated that Xi had approved the deal during their conversation but noted that final signatures were still required for the agreement to be formalised.… Continue reading

Portugal to recognise Palestinian state on Sunday with other nations

LISBON: Portugal will officially recognise a Palestinian state this Sunday according to a foreign ministry announcement made on Friday. The declaration coincides with next week’s UN General Assembly where approximately ten other countries are expected to follow suit with similar recognitions. Britain, Canada and France are among the Western nations planning to grant recognition to… Continue reading

Trump-backed panel questions Covid-19 vaccine safety and efficacy

NEW YORK: A health advisory panel appointed by former President Donald Trump has raised doubts about Covid-19 vaccine safety and effectiveness while refusing to explicitly recommend them. The Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices stated that obtaining a Covid-19 shot should remain an individual choice made in consultation with medical professionals. The panel also approved language… Continue reading

UN chief warns 1.5C climate goal at risk of collapsing

UNITED NATIONS: UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres has declared that global efforts to limit climate warming to 1.5 degrees Celsius above pre-industrial levels are failing. Guterres told AFP that the world stands on the verge of this critical objective collapsing due to insufficient action from nations. He emphasised the urgent need for countries to submit climate… Continue reading

Notre-Dame’s twin towers ready to thrill visitors after fire

PARIS: French President Emmanuel Macron on Friday reopened the two great mediaeval towers of the Notre-Dame cathedral in Paris for public visits, one of the final steps in its immense reconstruction following a devastating fire. The inauguration of the restored towers by Macron, who has spearheaded reconstruction efforts since the April 15, 2019 fire, comes… Continue reading

OpenAI taps Apple supplier to make AI device, the Information reports

OPENAI has signed a deal with Apple device assembler, Luxshare, to make a consumer device, the Information reported on Friday, citing people familiar with the matter. The device is currently a prototype under development and is expected to be pocket-sized and aware of context, designed to work closely with the ChatGPT parent’s artificial intelligence models.… Continue reading

India says it expects Saudi Arabia to mind ‘sensitivities’ after pact with Pakistan

MUMBAI: India said on Friday it hoped Saudi Arabia would keep in mind mutual interests and sensitivities between the two countries, two days after Riyadh signed a mutual defence pact with New Delhi’s old foe Pakistan. Saudi Arabia and nuclear-armed Pakistan signed the pact on Wednesday, and although few details have been made public, analysts… Continue reading

Three dead in Australia after Optus glitch disrupts emergency calls

SYDNEY: Three people in Australia have died after a technical failure at Optus, the country’s second-largest telecommunications provider, disrupted emergency call services. CEO Stephen Rue said the failure occurred during a network upgrade on Thursday, which potentially impacted 600 customers in the states of South Australia and Western Australia, and in the Northern Territory. Welfare… Continue reading

Under pressure from Trump, EU plans to bring forward Russian LNG imports ban

BRUSSELS: The European Union plans to ban Russian LNG imports into the bloc a year earlier than envisaged as part of a 19th package of sanctions against Moscow, EU officials said on Friday, a change that follows pressure from U.S. President Donald Trump. “Russia’s war economy is sustained by the revenues from fossil fuels. We… Continue reading

Apple used AI to uncover new blood pressure notification feature in Watch

SAN FRANCISCO: Apple Watch Series 11 models that go on sale on Friday can notify users that they may have high blood pressure, in a feature the company has powered using artificial intelligence rather than a blood pressure monitor. The notification feature, which will work with models back to the Apple Watch Series 9, came… Continue reading

Brazil to protect 140 million from dengue with mosquito super factory

CURITIBA: The world’s largest biofactory for breeding mosquitoes infected with Wolbachia bacteria, a method researchers use to combat dengue, hopes to protect some 140 million people from the disease in Brazil over the coming years, the company said. The Wolbito do Brasil plant, backed and used exclusively by Brazil’s health ministry, opened in the city… Continue reading

UK couple freed by Taliban after Qatari mediation, official says

DOHA: A British couple who were detained by the Taliban in Afghanistan in February have been released and flown to Doha following Qatari mediation, an official with knowledge of the matter told Reuters on Friday. Barbie and Peter Reynolds, whose family had voiced serious concerns over their health and their ability to survive Taliban custody,… Continue reading

Blasts kill at least 11 in southwestern Pakistan

QUETTA: Separate blasts in Pakistan’s restive Balochistan province killed at least 11 people, officials said on Friday. Militancy has been rising in mineral-rich Balochistan, which sits on the border with Afghanistan and Iran, and it has been met with a sweeping counter-terrorism crackdown. A suicide bomber drove an explosive-laden car into a convoy of paramilitary… Continue reading

Stars Tim Burton, Monica Bellucci announce separation

PARIS: Hollywood director Tim Burton and Italian actress and model Monica Bellucci are separating, they announced Friday in a statement to AFP. “It is with much respect and deep care for each other that Monica Bellucci and Tim Burton have decided to part ways,“ they said in a joint statement. Bellucci confirmed her romance with… Continue reading

PM contender Takaichi vows fiscal expansion to make Japan a ‘Rising Sun’ again

TOKYO: Japan’s Sanae Takaichi launched a bid on Friday to become the first woman prime minister, pledging state spending and targeted tax relief as part of a master plan for growth that aims to double the economy within 10 years. She and Agriculture Minister Shinjiro Koizumi are seen as frontrunners in the race to lead… Continue reading

Singapore reviewing short seller claim against India’s Vedanta, documents show

LONDON: The Singapore Police Force is reviewing a complaint by short seller Viceroy Research that natural resources conglomerate Vedanta Ltd improperly funded its 2024 dividend, documents viewed by Reuters show. Vedanta Ltd told Reuters it had paid all dividends in full compliance with applicable laws, calling Viceroy’s allegations “baseless”. “We maintain that the allegations in… Continue reading

Ford recalls nearly 102,000 vehicles over risk of door trim detachment, NHTSA says

FORD MOTOR is recalling 101,944 Taurus sedans in the United States due to a defect that could cause door trim to detach while driving, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration said on Friday. The issue involves the B-pillar trim on the driver and front passenger doors, which may come loose during vehicle operation. Detached trim… Continue reading

Spain backs EU efforts to use frozen Russian assets, cuts gas imports from Russia

MADRID: Spanish Economy Minister Carlos Cuerpo said on Friday his government supported the efforts made by the European Commission to monetize underlying frozen Russian assets held in the EU to help finance the Ukrainian government. “From Spain, we’ve been advocating for increasing as much as possible the financing for Ukraine…” Cuerpo said in an interview… Continue reading

Feathers fly in dispute over Ambani zoo’s pursuit of rare parrot

NEW DELHI: This is a story about a bird and a family. But this is no ordinary bird, and this is no ordinary family. Spix’s macaw, a vivid-blue parrot with elaborate mating rituals, was declared extinct in the wild in 2019. A captive-breeding program has since seen some of the birds reintroduced to their native… Continue reading

Feathers fly in dispute over Ambani zoo’s pursuit of rare parrot

Xiaomi to remotely fix assisted driving flaw in 110,000 SU7 cars

BEIJING: Chinese technology giant Xiaomi will remotely fix a flaw in the assisted driving system on over 110,000 of its popular SU7 electric cars. The company and regulators announced the move on Friday, months after a deadly crash involving the model. China’s tech companies and automakers have invested billions of dollars into smart-driving technology, creating… Continue reading

Xiaomi to remotely fix assisted driving flaw in 110,000 SU7 cars

ICE recruitment drive attracts diverse applicants for Trump’s deportation push

PROVO: A diverse crowd of applicants gathered at a recent Immigration and Customs Enforcement recruitment fair in Utah, responding to President Donald Trump’s expanded deportation campaign. Former soldiers, retirees, and Latino candidates lined up alongside others seeking to join the federal agency’s planned hiring surge of 10,000 additional agents. John Wolworth, an unemployed former soldier… Continue reading

ICE recruitment drive attracts diverse applicants for Trump’s deportation push

US comics condemn censorship after Jimmy Kimmel show pulled

WASHINGTON: American comedians have fiercely criticised what they call blatant censorship following ABC’s decision to pull Jimmy Kimmel’s late-night show off the air. The network suspended Kimmel indefinitely after Federal Communications Commission chairman Brendan Carr threatened the licenses of ABC affiliates broadcasting his programme. Stephen Colbert opened his Thursday show by declaring solidarity with his… Continue reading

US comics condemn censorship after Jimmy Kimmel show pulled

Trump applauds Kimmel suspension and threatens broadcaster licenses

LOS ANGELES: President Donald Trump celebrated the suspension of talk show host Jimmy Kimmel and threatened to revoke licenses from broadcasters airing criticism of his administration. ABC pulled “Jimmy Kimmel Live” indefinitely following conservative outrage over Kimmel’s monologue about assassinated activist Charlie Kirk. Trump called Kimmel untalented during his UK state visit and denounced his… Continue reading

Trump applauds Kimmel suspension and threatens broadcaster licenses

New York Democratic officials arrested at ICE jail protest in Manhattan

NEW YORK: Approximately a dozen New York state and local elected officials were arrested on Thursday during protests at a Manhattan building housing US Immigration and Customs Enforcement holding cells. New York City Comptroller Brad Lander and ten state lawmakers were taken into custody inside 26 Federal Plaza after being denied entry to inspect the… Continue reading

New York Democratic officials arrested at ICE jail protest in Manhattan

Disney pulls Kimmel show after Charlie Kirk remarks spark death threats

LOS ANGELES: Disney executives and host Jimmy Kimmel urgently sought to defuse a social media firestorm after his monologue comments about slain conservative activist Charlie Kirk drew widespread anger and death threats. The controversy reached a critical point on Wednesday when threats against Kimmel and his staff raised serious safety concerns according to a source… Continue reading

Disney pulls Kimmel show after Charlie Kirk remarks spark death threats

US clean energy jobs grew 2.8% in 2024 but face Trump policy threat

WASHINGTON: Clean energy employment in the United States expanded at triple the rate of the overall workforce last year according to a new industry report. The sector added 100,000 new positions in 2024, representing a 2.8% growth rate that brought total employment to over 3.5 million people. Environmental advocacy group E2 published these findings in… Continue reading

US clean energy jobs grew 2.8% in 2024 but face Trump policy threat

France suspends counter-terrorism cooperation with Mali, expels diplomats

PARIS: France has suspended its counter-terrorism cooperation with Mali and ordered two Malian diplomats to leave the country following the arrest of a French envoy in Bamako. A French diplomatic source confirmed the measures were taken in response to Mali’s detention of a French national last month on suspicion of working for Paris’s intelligence services.… Continue reading

France suspends counter-terrorism cooperation with Mali, expels diplomats

Young plaintiffs challenge Trump climate agenda in landmark US court case

MISSOULA: Young American activists expressed pride after testifying against President Donald Trump’s fossil fuel policies in a landmark climate change lawsuit. Nineteen-year-old Joseph Lee described the profound significance of participating in the legal challenge against his own federal government. The case targets three executive orders that plaintiffs argue violate their constitutional rights by promoting fossil… Continue reading

Young plaintiffs challenge Trump climate agenda in landmark US court case

Kim Jong Un oversees North Korean drone test, orders AI military development

SEOUL: North Korean leader Kim Jong Un personally supervised a test of new attack drones and instructed military officials to accelerate artificial intelligence development for defence applications. State media released images showing an unmanned vehicle successfully launching and destroying a designated target during the demonstration. The official Korean Central News Agency reported that the exercise… Continue reading

Kim Jong Un oversees North Korean drone test, orders AI military development

Charlie Kirk killing sparks fierce US free speech debate

WASHINGTON: The assassination of right-wing activist Charlie Kirk has ignited a fierce national debate about the limits of free speech in the United States. High-ranking Democrats accused President Donald Trump of waging war on free speech after he celebrated ABC’s suspension of talk show host Jimmy Kimmel. Kimmel had accused the political right of using… Continue reading

Charlie Kirk killing sparks fierce US free speech debate

Gaza and Palestinian future to dominate UN General Assembly gathering

NEW YORK: The annual United Nations General Assembly summit will focus heavily on the future of Palestinians and Gaza when more than 140 world leaders gather next week. Palestinian President Mahmud Abbas will miss the event after Washington denied US visas to him and his officials. Humanitarian conditions in Gaza following Israel’s offensive, triggered by… Continue reading