Category: World

MUMBAI: India’s foreign minister said on Saturday that trade negotiations with U.S. are still going on but there are lines that New Delhi needs to defend. Indian goods face additional U.S. tariffs of up to 50%, among the highest imposed by Washington, due to its increased purchases of Russian oil. A 25% tariff has already… Continue reading India says trade negotiations with US are still going on

SHANGHAI: China proposed rules for internet platform pricing on Saturday, seeking public comment after a raft of complaints by merchants and consumers of unfair or misleading pricing by big platforms. The draft rules for platforms selling goods or services are meant to encourage price transparency and fairness, the National Development and Reform Commission said in… Continue reading China proposes draft rules on internet platform pricing

HONG KONG: A journalist who works for Bloomberg News in Hong Kong said Saturday she has to leave the city after a foreign journalists’ club revealed that authorities had denied renewal of her working visa. Rebecca Choong Wilkins, Bloomberg’s Asia government and economy correspondent, said on social media that “after six years of reporting in… Continue reading Hong Kong rejects renewal of Bloomberg reporter’s visa

DHAKA: Pakistan’s foreign minister flew to Bangladesh on Saturday as the nations, once bitter enemies after they split in 1971, seek to rebuild ties with regional power balances shifting. Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar is the most senior Pakistani official to visit Dhaka since 2012, with Islamabad calling it a “significant milestone in Pakistan-Bangladesh relations”. The… Continue reading Pakistan FM heads to Bangladesh, highest level visit in years

LOS ANGELES: The global phenomenon “KPop Demon Hunters” is now expanding from Netflix dominance to cinema screens following its record-breaking summer success. This animated musical featuring demon-fighting KPop stars has achieved 210 million views while claiming five spots in Spotify’s global top ten songs. Industry analysts predict the film will reach number one at the… Continue reading KPop Demon Hunters film hits cinemas after Netflix and music chart success

NEW DELHI: India has announced a collaboration with a French company to develop and manufacture fighter jet engines within the country. Defence Minister Rajnath Singh confirmed the partnership during a speech at a conference in New Delhi on Friday. “We are moving forward to manufacture aircraft engines in India itself,“ Singh stated in comments broadcast… Continue reading India partners with French firm to develop domestic fighter jet engines

LOS ANGELES: A California judicial commission has denied parole to Joseph Lyle Menendez, maintaining his imprisonment for the 1989 murder of his parents alongside his brother Erik. The California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation confirmed the decision in a brief statement following an eleven-hour closed hearing. “Joseph (Lyle) Menendez was denied parole for three years… Continue reading Lyle Menendez denied parole in 1989 Beverly Hills parents murder case

NEW YORK: Starbucks will implement a five-day production schedule at its five United States coffee roasting and packaging facilities starting in January. Bloomberg News reported the reduction, citing people familiar with the matter, as the coffee chain undergoes an overhaul under CEO Brian Niccol to cut costs and reinvest in stores. The company has been… Continue reading Starbucks cuts US coffee plant production to five-day schedule in January

MENLO PARK: Meta has signed a deal with generative artificial intelligence lab Midjourney to license the startup’s aesthetic technology for the social media company’s future models and products. The technical collaboration will link the companies’ research teams, according to Alexandr Wang, the Facebook parent’s chief artificial intelligence officer. This move signals Meta’s push to differentiate… Continue reading Meta partners with Midjourney to license AI aesthetic technology

OTTAWA: Canada will remove all tariffs on US goods that are compliant with the existing North American free trade agreement, Prime Minister Mark Carney said Friday, matching exemptions affirmed earlier this month by Washington. President Donald Trump called the move “nice.” Speaking to reporters a day after a lengthy call with Trump, Carney said Canada… Continue reading Canada removes tariffs on US goods compliant with free trade agreement

WASHINGTON: United States President Donald Trump announced he will make a significant decision regarding Ukraine peace efforts within two weeks. Trump stated he would determine whether to impose massive sanctions or tariffs on Russia or potentially take no action at all. He expressed dissatisfaction with a recent Russian strike on a United States-owned factory in… Continue reading Trump to decide on Ukraine response in two weeks amid peace talks

CALI: Colombia’s defence minister pledged to defeat desperate armed groups following twin guerrilla attacks that killed nineteen people and intensified the country’s worst security crisis in decades. Minister Pedro Sanchez convened with top security officials in Cali where a truck bomb exploded on a busy street killing six civilians and wounding sixty on Thursday afternoon.… Continue reading Colombia defence minister vows to defeat armed groups after attacks kill 19

WASHINGTON: President Donald Trump announced that computing giant Intel has agreed to provide the United States government with a 10% equity stake in the company. “I said, I think you should pay us 10 percent of your company,“ he told reporters about a meeting with Intel last week. Trump stated that having the United States… Continue reading Trump claims Intel agreed to give US government 10% equity stake

THE HAGUE: Dutch Foreign Minister Caspar Veldkamp resigned on Friday following a cabinet meeting that failed to reach agreement on sanctions against Israel. Last month Veldkamp declared far-right Israeli ministers Itamar Ben-Gvir and Bezalel Smotrich unwelcome in the Netherlands. The Netherlands was also among 21 countries that signed a joint declaration on Thursday condemning Israel’s… Continue reading Dutch foreign minister resigns over Israel sanctions deadlock

WASHINGTON: Prospects for a Russia-Ukraine summit diminished on Friday as US mediation efforts stalled and Moscow dismissed plans for direct talks between the leaders. President Donald Trump indicated waning patience with peace negotiations while comparing Russian and Ukrainian leaders to incompatible “oil and vinegar.” Trump announced he would make a significant decision within two weeks… Continue reading Hopes fade for Putin-Zelensky peace summit as Trump weighs options

PARIS: French Prime Minister Francois Bayrou has pledged to identify lawmakers and officials receiving improper benefits amid widespread public belief that politicians are enriching themselves improperly. Bayrou revealed this public suspicion emerged strongly during his recent appeal for ideas to reduce France’s substantial budget deficit. The prime minister faces significant opposition to his austerity measures… Continue reading French PM vows to eradicate undue political benefits amid public distrust

NEW YORK: Multiple tourists were killed and others injured when a bus carrying more than 50 sightseers home from a visit to Niagara Falls crashed in New York state. Police said many of the passengers heading back to New York City were of Indian, Chinese and Filipino descent. State police spokesman James O’Callaghan told reporters… Continue reading Multiple tourists killed in New York state bus crash near Niagara Falls

WASHINGTON: President Donald Trump has appointed his close political aide Sergio Gor as the new United States ambassador to India. The 38-year-old Gor rose quickly in conservative politics to become one of the most powerful aides in the White House with responsibility for vetting approximately 4,000 appointees to ensure loyalty to Trump. Gor’s enemies include… Continue reading Trump names close political aide Sergio Gor as ambassador to India

WASHINGTON: President Donald Trump has threatened new tariffs on imported furniture while announcing a major investigation into the sector. “We are doing a major Tariff Investigation on Furniture coming into the United States,“ Trump stated on his Truth Social platform. The investigation will be completed within the next fifty days according to the US leader.… Continue reading Trump threatens new tariffs on furniture imports with US probe

WASHINGTON: The head of the US Defence Intelligence Agency and two other senior officers are being removed in the latest series of military dismissals this year. Lieutenant General Jeffrey Kruse will no longer serve as DIA director after the agency produced a preliminary assessment contradicting presidential claims about Iran strikes. The assessment stated US strikes… Continue reading US Defence Intelligence Agency chief among latest military officers ousted

SEOUL: North Korea has accused South Korean troops of firing warning shots near their heavily fortified border this week. State media outlet KCNA reported the incident occurred on Tuesday as North Korean soldiers worked to permanently seal the border. Army Lieutenant General Ko Jong Chol called the shooting a serious provocation that risked raising tensions… Continue reading North Korea accuses South of firing warning shots near border

MUNICH: The Gulf Coast of the United States faces growing hurricane vulnerability two decades after Katrina’s devastation according to a new scientific review. Meteorologist Marc Bove from German reinsurer Munich Re documented increasing landfall risks for major hurricanes in the region. His analysis indicates that post-Katrina flood defense systems will gradually lose effectiveness over time.… Continue reading Gulf Coast hurricane risks rising 20 years after Katrina, scientist warns

PARIS: French Foreign Minister Jean-Noel Barrot confirmed on Friday that talks would be held next week between Iran and European powers over Iran’s nuclear programme. “We just had an important call involving my colleagues David Lammy, the Germany foreign minister, and Kaja Kallas with our Iranian counterpart regarding the nuclear program and the sanctions against… Continue reading France confirms talks between Iran and European powers next week

KYIV/BUDAPEST: Russian oil supplies to Hungary and Slovakia could be suspended for at least five days after a Ukrainian strike on a facility in Russia, Hungarian and Slovakian officials said on Friday, in a widening of the fallout of Russia’s war in Ukraine. Russia and Ukraine have stepped up attacks on each other’s energy infrastructure,… Continue reading Ukrainian attack suspends Russian oil flows to Hungary, Slovakia

LONDON: A British woman has regained her original speaking voice after twenty five years of silence caused by motor neurone disease, thanks to groundbreaking artificial intelligence technology. Sarah Ezekiel lost her ability to speak when diagnosed with MND at age thirty four while pregnant with her second child a quarter century ago. The progressive neurological… Continue reading AI restores UK woman’s original voice after 25 years of silence

BERLIN: Germany’s postal service has announced temporary restrictions on package deliveries to the United States following new tariffs imposed by President Donald Trump. DHL, which operates Deutsche Post, will temporarily suspend its standard package delivery service to the US starting Saturday. “The reason for the restrictions, which we expect to be temporary, are new processes… Continue reading German post office restricts US packages over Trump tariff changes

KYIV: NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte has called for robust security guarantees for Ukraine during his official visit to Kyiv. Rutte emphasised that such guarantees would ensure Russia upholds any potential peace agreement and never attempts to seize Ukrainian territory again. “Robust security guarantees will be essential and this is what we are now working… Continue reading NATO chief calls for robust security guarantees during Ukraine visit

BUDAPEST: Hungary’s Prime Minister Viktor Orban has requested American assistance following Ukrainian military actions that disrupted critical oil supplies. Orban complained directly to US President Donald Trump after Ukraine’s strikes against Russian infrastructure affected the Druzhba pipeline. Hungary has experienced its third oil supply interruption in recent days through this crucial energy conduit. A Ukrainian… Continue reading Hungary seeks US help over Ukraine war oil supply disruptions

JERUSALEM: Israeli police have pressed charges against a man suspected of seeking religious permission to assassinate the country’s attorney general. The 36-year-old suspect was arrested in Jerusalem on Wednesday after delivering a letter to influential rabbi Yitzhak Yosef. Yosef immediately alerted the police, who traced the man to his home and took him into custody.… Continue reading Israeli man indicted for seeking rabbi’s approval to kill attorney general

BEIJING: Twelve people have been confirmed dead with four others missing after a bridge under construction collapsed in northwest China on Friday. State media reported the incident occurred when the middle section of the bridge’s arch suddenly gave way and plunged into the Yellow River below. The cause of the collapse was identified as a… Continue reading Twelve dead and four missing after bridge collapse in northwest China

PARIS: The leaders of France, Germany and Poland will visit Moldova on August 27 to demonstrate support for the European Union candidate country. French President Emmanuel Macron, German Chancellor Friedrich Merz and Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk will travel to Chisinau at the invitation of pro-European President Maia Sandu. The visit coincides with Moldova’s 34th… Continue reading Macron, Merz, Tusk visit Moldova to support security and sovereignty

WASHINGTON: The United States Commerce Department has initiated a national security investigation concerning wind turbine imports and their components. This action follows President Donald Trump’s consistent criticisms regarding wind energy sources. The White House recently expanded its existing 50% steel and aluminium tariffs to incorporate wind turbines and associated parts. Additional tariffs, quotas or other… Continue reading US launches national security probe into wind turbine imports

COLOMBO: Sri Lanka’s former president Ranil Wickremesinghe was arrested on Friday for allegedly “misusing government funds”, a senior police detective told AFP. Wickremesinghe was taken into custody after being questioned about a September 2023 visit to London to attend a ceremony for his wife at a British university while he was head of state, the… Continue reading Sri Lanka ex-president Wickremesinghe arrested for misusing funds

JERUSALEM: Israel has firmly rejected a United Nations-backed food security report confirming famine conditions in Gaza City. The foreign ministry statement on Friday dismissed the Integrated Food Security Phase Classification (IPC) findings as based on “Hamas lies laundered through organisations with vested interests”. “There is no famine in Gaza,“ the ministry declared, asserting that recent… Continue reading Israel rejects UN-backed famine report, says no starvation in Gaza

ROME: The United Nations officially declared a famine in Gaza on Friday, marking the first such occurrence in the Middle East. UN experts confirmed that 500,000 people are currently facing catastrophic hunger conditions. UN aid chief Tom Fletcher stated that the famine was entirely preventable, blaming systematic obstruction by Israel for preventing food from reaching… Continue reading UN declares first-ever famine in Gaza, affecting 500,000 people

SULAIMANIYAH: Three members of the security forces in the autonomous Iraqi Kurdistan region were killed and 19 wounded during the arrest of an opposition figure on Friday. Lahur Sheikh Jangi, a member of the influential Talabani family, which is one of two ruling clans in the autonomous region, “surrendered” while “his brother Bolad was injured… Continue reading Iraqi Kurdistan opposition figure arrested after deadly clashes in Sulaimaniyah