Category: World

GOOGLE has struck a major cloud computing deal worth more than $10 billion with Meta Platforms, The Information reported on Thursday, citing two people familiar with the matter. Under the agreement, Meta will use Google Cloud’s servers, storage, networking and other services, the report said. Reuters could not immediately verify the report. – REUTERS

MADRID: Spain’s environmental prosecutor has instructed officials to verify whether municipalities affected by recent wildfires complied with their legal obligation to adopt prevention plans. The investigation follows mounting tensions between Socialist Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez’s government and conservative-led regional authorities over fire management strategies. Under Spain’s decentralised system, regional governments lead the response to disasters… Continue reading Spain investigates wildfire prevention plans after record blazes

TUNIS: Hundreds of members and supporters of Tunisia’s largest trade union rallied Thursday in support of the organisation facing mounting pressure from President Kais Saied. This marked the largest demonstration Tunisia has seen in recent months, coinciding with what rights groups have denounced as a rollback of freedoms in the birthplace of the Arab Spring.… Continue reading Tunisians rally in support of union facing government pressure

STOCKHOLM: Swedish jihadist Osama Krayem has appealed the life sentence he received in July for the 2015 murder of a Jordanian pilot burned alive by the Islamic State group. The Stockholm district court became the first judicial body to try an individual for this internationally condemned killing. Krayem’s lawyer filed the appeal on Thursday to… Continue reading Swedish jihadist appeals life sentence for Jordan pilot murder

GENEVA: United Nations human rights experts have condemned widespread atrocities against Syria’s Druze minority in the southern Sweida region over the past month. A panel of more than a dozen UN specialists denounced what they described as an outbreak of massacres, sexual violence and kidnappings targeting the religious minority. “The scale of violence reported —… Continue reading UN experts denounce massacres and sexual violence against Syria’s Druze

SULAIMANIYAH: A court in Iraqi Kurdistan extended the detention of opposition leader Shaswar Abdulwahid following his arrest last week. Abdulwahid heads the New Generation party, which holds 15 of the 100 seats in the autonomous northern region’s parliament. He was taken into custody on August 12 after receiving a six-month prison sentence handed down in… Continue reading Iraqi Kurd court extends opposition leader Shaswar Abdulwahid’s detention

BERLIN: A Ukrainian national has been arrested in Italy for allegedly orchestrating the 2022 sabotage of the Nord Stream gas pipelines connecting Russia to Europe. German prosecutors identified the suspect as Serhii K., accusing him of coordinating a cell that planted explosive devices on both Nord Stream 1 and Nord Stream 2 pipelines. The group… Continue reading Ukrainian suspect arrested in Italy over Nord Stream pipeline sabotage

GENEVA: United Nations human rights experts have accused Russia of systematically using sexual torture against Ukrainian civilians as a deliberate intimidation tactic. The independent experts mandated by the UN Human Rights Council documented ten cases of Ukrainian civilians tortured under Russian occupation in newly-seized territories. All victims endured repeated electric shocks applied directly to their… Continue reading UN experts accuse Russia of systematic sexual torture in Ukraine

JERUSALEM: The Israeli military has instructed medical personnel and aid organisations in northern Gaza to begin preparing evacuation plans before a major offensive operation. Military officials this week informed “medical officials and international organizations in the northern Gaza Strip to prepare for the evacuation of the population to the southern Gaza Strip”. This announcement follows… Continue reading Israel orders Gaza hospitals and aid groups to prepare for evacuations

KYIV: Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky revealed he asked former US President Donald Trump to pressure Hungary into abandoning its veto against Ukraine’s European Union membership bid. Zelensky made this request during his Monday meeting with Trump, who has promised his team would address the matter. Ukraine submitted its EU application shortly after Russia’s February 2022… Continue reading Zelensky asks Trump to pressure Hungary on Ukraine EU bid veto

WASHINGTON: Frank Caprio, a United States judge who became an internet sensation for his compassion and courteous demeanour in court, has died at 88. His family announced the news on social media, describing his peaceful passing surrounded by loved ones. The retired Rhode Island judge served on the bench for nearly four decades before retiring… Continue reading Judge Frank Caprio, viral for courtroom compassion, dies at 88

WARSAW: Poland’s military command confirmed no violations of its airspace occurred during Russian missile strikes targeting Ukrainian territory on Thursday. The Operational Command of the Polish Armed Forces announced the conclusion of Polish and allied aircraft operations following reduced threat levels from Russian aviation attacks. “Due to the reduction in the level of threat from… Continue reading Poland confirms no airspace violations during Russian Ukraine strikes

MOSCOW: Russian authorities are implementing new legislation that fines internet users for searching online content deemed extremist by the government. This law represents a significant expansion of digital surveillance following Russia’s offensive in Ukraine in 2022, which already restricted press freedom and online speech. It will slap fines on internet users who search for web… Continue reading Russia fines internet users for searching extremist content online

TAIPEI: Taiwan’s government plans to increase its 2026 defence budget to more than three percent of GDP, the premier said Thursday, as it faces US pressure to invest more in its own protection. Taipei has ramped up investment in military equipment and weapons over the past decade in response to intensifying pressure from China, which… Continue reading Taiwan plans defence budget increase to over 3% of GDP

LHASA: President Xi Jinping called for ethnic unity and religious harmony during his first visit to Tibet since 2021, attending ceremonies marking the region’s 60th anniversary as an autonomous area. The Chinese leader emphasised that safeguarding political and social stability remains fundamental to governing and developing Tibet. “To govern, stabilise and develop Tibet, we must… Continue reading China’s Xi promotes ethnic unity and development in rare Tibet visit

LONDON: Prince William and his family are relocating to a permanent home on the Windsor estate, creating uncertainty about the future role of Buckingham Palace as the monarch’s official London residence. The future king and his family will move into Forest Lodge, an eight-bedroom mansion dating to the late 18th century that is larger than… Continue reading Prince William’s Windsor move raises questions over Buckingham Palace future

KYIV: Russian military strikes on multiple cities in western Ukraine resulted in one fatality and numerous injuries according to regional officials. Moscow launched combined unmanned aerial vehicle and cruise missile attacks targeting civilian areas amid ongoing international ceasefire negotiations. Lviv regional military administration head Maksym Kozytskyi confirmed one civilian death and two injuries from the… Continue reading Russian attacks on west Ukraine kill one person and wound multiple civilians

BUENOS AIRES: Ten people sustained injuries and 90 individuals faced arrest following violent clashes between rival supporters during Wednesday’s Copa Sudamericana match. The last-16 second-leg encounter between Argentina’s Independiente and Chile’s Universidad de Chile at Libertadores de America stadium witnessed chaotic scenes before being abandoned. A stun grenade was among various objects hurled by fans… Continue reading 10 injured and 90 arrested after fan violence halts Argentina match

YOKOHAMA: United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres declared that Africa possesses all necessary elements to emerge as a renewable energy superpower during his address at a major development conference. Guterres emphasised the urgent need for increased investment in green energy across the resource-rich continent while speaking at the Tokyo International Conference on African Development. “We must… Continue reading Africa could become renewable energy superpower, says UN chief

PETALING JAYA: Three pupils from Sengkang Green Primary School, Singapore have been suspended for bullying a female classmate, with one of them caned after sending death threats to the victim’s mother, said Singapore’s Ministry of Education (MOE). The victim, who had stopped attending school due to repeated bullying, will now return under a safety plan… Continue reading Three Singapore pupils suspended for bullying, one caned after death threats

LOS ANGELES: Lyle and Erik Menendez will appear before California’s parole board to seek freedom this week, more than 35 years after the shotgun murders of their parents in the family’s luxury Beverly Hills home. The separate hearings – Erik on Thursday, Lyle on Friday – are the latest chapter in a long campaign waged… Continue reading Menendez brothers seek parole after 35 years for parents’ murder

TOKYO: McDonald’s Japan has cancelled its upcoming “One Piece” manga promotion after a similar Pokemon campaign caused chaos and food waste concerns. The fast-food chain announced the cancellation in a brief Thursday statement just days before the promotion’s scheduled Friday launch. The campaign would have distributed “One Piece” game cards with Happy Set meals, the… Continue reading McDonald’s Japan cancels One Piece promotion after Pokemon chaos

BANGKOK: Suspended Thai prime minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra appeared in court on Thursday to testify in a case seeking her removal from office over her handling of a border dispute with Cambodia. The Constitutional Court will rule next Friday on whether she should be ousted for allegedly failing her duties during a leaked phone conversation with… Continue reading Thai PM faces court case over Cambodia border call leak

YANGON: Myanmar’s military government has released details for its planned December election, confirming the first voting phase will cover approximately one third of the nation’s townships despite ongoing nationwide conflict. The military-led administration announced this week that polling would occur in phases beginning December 28, presenting the election as a solution to the war that… Continue reading Myanmar junta announces phased election details amid conflict

JAKARTA: A 4.9-magnitude earthquake struck near Jakarta on Wednesday night, damaging houses and public buildings in West Java, but no casualties were reported, officials said. The quake hit at 7.54 pm local time and lasted several seconds. It occurred inland, approximately 14 kilometres southeast of Bekasi at a depth of 10 kilometres. The earthquake was… Continue reading 4.9 magnitude earthquake damages West Java houses and school

SEOUL: North Korean leader Kim Jong Un praised “heroic” North Korean troops who fought for Russia in the war against Ukraine, in a meeting with officers of the army’s overseas operation, state media KCNA said on Thursday. Kim “highly appreciated their feats of leading the combat units of our armed forces, which participated in the… Continue reading Kim Jong Un praises North Korean troops in Russia for Ukraine war

WASHINGTON: Microsoft said on Wednesday it has scaled back some Chinese companies’ access to its early warning system for cybersecurity vulnerabilities following speculation that Beijing was involved in a hacking campaign against the company’s widely used SharePoint servers. The new restrictions come in the wake of last month’s sweeping hacking attempts against Microsoft SharePoint servers,… Continue reading Microsoft restricts Chinese access to cyber early warning system

WASHINGTON: President Donald Trump’s administration has said it will assess applicants for U.S. work, study and immigration visas for “anti-Americanism” and count any such finding against them, sparking concern about implications for free speech. The U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services said in a “policy alert” dated Tuesday that it gave immigration officers new guidance on… Continue reading Trump administration to vet visa applications for anti-Americanism

HONG KONG: AIA Group reported a 14 percent increase in its first-half value of new business on Thursday. This growth was driven by strong demand for its insurance products in the key markets of China and Hong Kong. The insurer said VONB, a key barometer that gauges expected profit from new premiums, was $2.84 billion… Continue reading AIA Group first-half new business value rises 14% on strong demand

WASHINGTON: President Donald Trump ramped up pressure on the US central bank Wednesday with a call for Federal Reserve Governor Lisa Cook to step down, as he repeatedly criticizes Fed Chair Jerome Powell for not lowering interest rates. “Cook must resign, now!!!” Trump wrote on his Truth Social platform, sharing a Bloomberg news report on… Continue reading Trump demands Fed governor Cook resign over mortgage scrutiny

NEW DELHI: India said Wednesday it had successfully test-fired an intermediate-range ballistic missile which, when operational, should be capable of carrying a nuclear warhead to any part of China. The Agni-5 missile was successfully launched in India’s eastern Odisha state, with authorities saying it “validated all operational and technical parameters.” India and China, the world’s… Continue reading India test-fires Agni-5 nuclear-capable ballistic missile

NEW YORK: Google has officially launched its new Pixel 10 smartphone series, packed with advanced artificial intelligence capabilities. The announcement was made at a star-studded event in Brooklyn hosted by comedian Jimmy Fallon. Product manager Tyler Kugler stated that Pixel continues to be the best way for people to try out the latest bleeding-edge AI… Continue reading Google Pixel 10 launch with advanced AI features unveiled

TORONTO: The threat from a wildfire that engulfed a mountain in western Canada was downgraded Wednesday, with local officials saying there was “no longer a risk to life and safety” in the area. The Mount Underwood fire on Vancouver Island was one of several major blazes this summer in Canada, which is enduring its second… Continue reading Canada wildfire threat eases as Mount Underwood fire stabilises

MOSCOW: A French researcher who is serving three years in a Russian prison is now being investigated for espionage, according to a court filing seen by AFP on Wednesday. Documents showed that Laurent Vinatier is facing a new court hearing on August 25 on espionage charges, which carry a sentence of up to 20 years… Continue reading French researcher faces new Russia espionage charges

MEXICO CITY: Thirteen individuals face arrest for alleged involvement in the murders of two close aides to Mexico City’s mayor three months ago. Mayor Clara Brugada confirmed the arrests occurred on Wednesday. Brugada’s personal secretary Ximena Guzman and advisor Jose “Pepe” Munoz were shot dead during rush hour on a busy avenue on May 20.… Continue reading Thirteen arrested for Mexico City officials’ murders