Category: World

FARYAB: Over four decades of war left Afghanistan with limited control over five major river basins flowing into neighbouring nations. The Taliban’s rise to power has seen them assert water sovereignty by launching infrastructure projects to harness scarce resources. Dams and canals have heightened tensions with downstream states, complicating the Taliban’s efforts to build regional… Continue reading Afghanistan’s water crisis sparks regional tensions amid drought

BEIJING: A flash flood in northern China has left eight dead and four missing, according to state media. The incident occurred late Saturday in Urat Rear Banner, where 13 people were camping outdoors. Xinhua news agency reported one person was rescued by Sunday morning, with search operations continuing. China’s emergency ministry has mobilised full-scale rescue… Continue reading Flash flood kills 8 in Inner Mongolia, 4 missing amid China rains

DAMASCUS: Syrian state media reported a car bomb explosion in the capital on Saturday evening. The blast occurred in the upscale Mazzeh area, known for housing embassies and UN offices. State news agency SANA confirmed the explosion but stated no casualties were reported. State television attributed the blast to an explosive device planted inside an… Continue reading Car bomb blast in Damascus causes no casualties, say reports

MOSCOW: Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov held separate calls with his Turkish and Hungarian counterparts on Saturday. The discussions followed the inconclusive US-Russia summit in Alaska, where no agreement was reached on ending the Ukraine war. The Russian foreign ministry confirmed the call with Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan was initiated by Ankara. Both ministers… Continue reading Lavrov discusses Alaska summit with Turkey, Hungary after US-Russia

BRASÍLIA: Brazil’s former president Jair Bolsonaro temporarily left his house arrest on Saturday for medical examinations. The 70-year-old right-wing leader faces a Supreme Court ruling next month over alleged coup plotting after his 2022 election defeat. Bolsonaro has been confined to his home since early August for violating a court order banning social media use… Continue reading Bolsonaro leaves house arrest for medical tests ahead of coup trial

WARSAW: US President Donald Trump has expressed support for a Russian proposal allowing Moscow to take full control of two Ukrainian regions while freezing the front line in two others, according to a source. The source familiar with the matter stated that Russian President Vladimir Putin “de facto demands that Ukraine leave Donbas,“ referring to… Continue reading Trump supports Putin’s Ukraine land proposal amid ongoing conflict

MADRID: Firefighters and military units are struggling to contain wildfires in northwest and western Spain as a prolonged heatwave intensifies the crisis. Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez confirmed a coordination meeting was held to manage firefighting efforts. France and Italy have dispatched water bombers to assist at an air base near Salamanca. “The government continues to… Continue reading Army deployed as wildfires rage in western Spain amid heatwave

PORT SUDAN: Sudanese paramilitary forces shelled North Darfur’s besieged capital El-Fasher on Saturday, killing at least 17 civilians and injuring 25 others, a medical source told AFP. The source at El-Fasher hospital, speaking anonymously for safety, said the toll only includes those who reached medical facilities. Many victims were buried by families unable to access… Continue reading RSF shelling kills 17 in Darfur’s El-Fasher amid worsening crisis

SYDNEY: Former Hong Kong pro-democracy lawmaker Ted Hui has been granted asylum in Australia. Hui, wanted by Hong Kong authorities, confirmed his protection visa approval in a social media post. He called on Australia to increase support for jailed activists still in Hong Kong. The former British colony has faced tightened political controls since Beijing… Continue reading Former Hong Kong lawmaker Ted Hui granted asylum in Australia

WASHINGTON: The US government announced the suspension of visitor visas for Gazans on Saturday. The decision followed complaints by far-right influencer Laura Loomer, who accused the State Department of granting visas to wounded Palestinians. Laura Loomer, known for promoting conspiracy theories, claimed in social media posts that Gazans receiving medical visas were linked to Hamas.… Continue reading US suspends Gaza visitor visas after far-right influencer outcry

WASHINGTON: Donald Trump has abandoned his push for a Ukraine ceasefire, opting instead to pursue a full peace agreement. The shift came hours after his high-stakes Alaska summit with Russian President Vladimir Putin failed to produce a clear breakthrough. Previously, Trump and European leaders had demanded an immediate halt to hostilities, warning of “severe consequences”… Continue reading Trump shifts Ukraine stance after Putin summit, drops ceasefire demand

LAGOS: Nigerian security forces have arrested two senior leaders of the Ansaru terror group responsible for a 2022 jailbreak near Abuja. National Security Adviser Nuhu Ribadu confirmed the capture of Mahmud Muhammad Usman and Mahmud al-Nigeri during operations between May and July 2025. “These two men have been on Nigeria’s most-wanted list for years,“ Ribadu… Continue reading Nigeria arrests Ansaru terror leaders behind 2022 Abuja jailbreak

BELGRADE: Fresh clashes broke out between protesters and riot police in Serbia’s capital and other cities late Saturday, marking the fifth consecutive night of unrest. In Valjevo, a group of masked individuals set fire to the empty offices of the ruling Serbian Progressive Party before clashing with police. Protesters hurled fireworks and rocks while officers… Continue reading Serbia protests escalate as clashes continue for fifth night

TORONTO: Air Canada cancelled hundreds of flights on Saturday as a strike by flight attendants disrupted operations. The airline urged passengers with tickets for Air Canada or Air Canada Rouge not to proceed to airports. Flights operated by Air Canada Express, a third-party service, remain unaffected by the strike. “Air Canada deeply regrets the effect… Continue reading Air Canada cancels flights as cabin crew strike disrupts summer travel

WASHINGTON: Hurricane Erin rapidly strengthened into a catastrophic Category 5 storm on Saturday. The storm lashed Caribbean islands with heavy rain and strong winds. Weather officials warned of potential flash floods and landslides across the region. The US National Hurricane Center reported maximum sustained winds of 160 miles per hour. Erin was located about 135… Continue reading Hurricane Erin strengthens to Category 5, threatens Caribbean with floods

KYIV: The US has proposed security guarantees for Ukraine similar to NATO’s collective defence agreement but separate from the alliance. The proposal emerged during a call between US President Donald Trump, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, and European leaders on Saturday. Italy’s Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni confirmed the US suggested a security guarantee “inspired” by NATO’s… Continue reading US proposes NATO-style security guarantees for Ukraine amid talks

KYIV: Pavlo Nebroev stayed awake late into the night in Kharkiv, waiting for the press conference between Donald Trump and Vladimir Putin. The US and Russian leaders met in Alaska to discuss Russia’s ongoing invasion of Ukraine, now in its fourth year. From Kharkiv, a city heavily bombarded by Russian forces, the meeting appeared to… Continue reading Ukrainians sceptical of Trump-Putin meeting outcomes

SWEIDA: Hundreds of protesters gathered in Syria’s Druze-majority province of Sweida on Saturday, demanding the right to self-determination following last month’s deadly sectarian violence. The demonstrations came after weeks of clashes between Druze fighters and Sunni Bedouin, which escalated into broader violence involving government forces. Syrian authorities claim their intervention aimed to stop the fighting,… Continue reading Druze protests in Syria demand self-determination amid sectarian violence

TEHRAN: Gunmen killed a police officer during a clash with security forces in Iran’s restive southeast. The incident occurred in Sistan-Baluchistan province, known for frequent violence involving rebels, extremists, and drug traffickers. “In an exchange of fire… between Iranshahr police and armed men, one officer was wounded and another killed,“ Fars news agency reported. ISNA… Continue reading Iran policeman killed in clash with jihadists in southeast

COPENHAGEN: Danish police confirmed an express train was moving at a relatively high speed when it collided with a farm truck, resulting in one fatality and 27 injuries. The accident occurred on Friday at a railway crossing in Bjerndrup, southwest Denmark, where both the train and truck drivers were critically injured. A 60-year-old woman lost… Continue reading Danish train crash kills one as high-speed collision hits farm truck

TRIPOLI: Hundreds of thousands of Libyans are voting in the second phase of municipal elections under heightened security measures. The elections follow delays caused by security incidents and irregularities at several polling stations. This vote is seen as a crucial test for democracy in Libya, which remains divided since the 2011 uprising. Polling is taking… Continue reading Libya municipal elections face security challenges amid voting delays

KYIV: Russia launched 85 attack drones and a ballistic missile at Ukraine overnight, according to Kyiv officials. The assault occurred hours after Russian President Vladimir Putin and US President Donald Trump concluded talks in Alaska. The high-profile meeting ended without progress toward stopping Russia’s prolonged invasion of Ukraine. Ukraine’s air force confirmed Moscow used an… Continue reading Russia launches 85 drones and missile on Ukraine after Putin-Trump talks

BRUSSELS: European leaders have voiced support for a three-way summit involving Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, Russian leader Vladimir Putin, and US President Donald Trump. This comes after a recent US-Russia meeting failed to secure a ceasefire in Ukraine. French President Emmanuel Macron, German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer, and European Commission President… Continue reading European leaders endorse Putin-Trump-Zelensky peace summit

GAZA STRIP: Gaza’s civil defence agency reported that Israeli attacks killed at least 22 people on Saturday. The agency warned that intensifying strikes on Gaza City’s Zeitun neighbourhood are putting remaining residents in grave danger. Civil defence spokesman Mahmud Bassal described rapidly deteriorating conditions in Zeitun. He said residents have little to no access to… Continue reading Gaza civil defence reports 22 killed in Israeli strikes amid crisis

ANCHORAGE: U.S. President Donald Trump’s wife, Melania Trump, raised the plight of children in Ukraine and Russia in a personal letter to Russian President Vladimir Putin, two White House officials said on Friday. President Trump hand-delivered the letter to Putin during their summit talks in Alaska, the officials told Reuters. Slovenian-born Melania Trump was not… Continue reading Melania Trump sends letter to Putin about abducted children

PARIS: French President Emmanuel Macron on Saturday said support for Kyiv and pressure on Russia needed to continue until “a solid and durable peace” had been achieved in Ukraine. Following a meeting of US President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin, Macron on X called for “unbreakable” security guarantees for any future peace deal,… Continue reading Macron urges ‘pressure’ on Russia until ‘solid peace’ in Ukraine

WASHINGTON: Hurricane Erin strengthened rapidly to a Category 3 storm early Saturday as it churned towards the Caribbean, with a warning issued that flash floods and landslides were possible. The US National Hurricane Center (NHC) said the storm’s maximum sustained winds had increased to 120 miles (193 kilometers) per hour by 0900 GMT, making it… Continue reading Hurricane Erin intensifies to category 3 storm as it nears Caribbean

KYIV: President Volodymyr Zelenskiy said on Saturday that Ukraine needed a real, long-lasting peace and not “just another pause” between Russian invasions. “Security must be guaranteed reliably and in the long term, with the involvement of both Europe and the U.S.,“ he said on X following his call with the European leaders. Zelenskiy stressed that… Continue reading Ukraine needs peace not pause between Russian invasions, Zelenskiy says

PESHAWAR: Rescuers were struggling to retrieve bodies from debris after flash floods triggered by heavy monsoon rains across northern Pakistan killed at least 321 people in the past 48 hours, authorities said on Saturday. The majority of deaths, 307, were reported in mountainous Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province, the Provincial Disaster Management Authority said. Most were killed… Continue reading Pakistan rescuers recover bodies after monsoon rains kill 320

WASHINGTON: US President Donald Trump early Saturday ruled out an immediate ceasefire between Russia and Ukraine after his summit with Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin in Alaska and said a direct peace agreement would end the war. “It was determined by all that the best way to end the horrific war between Russia and Ukraine is… Continue reading Trump rules out immediate ceasefire in Ukraine, pushes for direct ‘peace agreement’

KHARKIV: Pavlo Nebroev stayed up until the middle of the night in Ukraine’s northeastern city of Kharkiv to wait for a press conference between Donald Trump and Vladimir Putin thousands of kilometres away. The US and Russian leaders had met in Alaska to discuss Russia’s more than three-year invasion of his country. But they made… Continue reading Ukrainians see ‘nothing’ good from Trump-Putin meeting

COPENHAGEN: Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen said Saturday that Israeli leader Benjamin Netanyahu has become a “problem”, adding she would try to put pressure on Israel over the Gaza war as her country currently holds the EU presidency. “Netanyahu is now a problem in himself,“ Frederiksen said in an interview with the Jyllands-Posten daily, adding… Continue reading Netanyahu has become a ‘problem’, says Danish PM

PESHAWAR: More than 300 people are dead in northwest Pakistan after two days of intense rains and floods, local officials said on Saturday. Rescue efforts and clearing of blocked roads were ongoing with the release of emergency funds, they said, adding that the heavy rains would continue until August 21. Cloud bursts, flash floods, lightning… Continue reading More than 300 people dead in Pakistan after heavy rains, floods

BUDAPEST: The world is a safer place following the meeting of U.S. President Donald Trump with his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin in Alaska, Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban said on Saturday. “For years, we have watched the two largest nuclear powers eliminate the framework of their cooperation and send messages to each other,“ Orban wrote… Continue reading Hungarian PM Orban says world is safer after Trump-Putin summit

WASHINGTON: Donald Trump held a lengthy phone call with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy and subsequently spoke to NATO leaders after the U.S. president’s Friday summit in Alaska with Russian President Vladimir Putin, the White House said. Trump held the calls on his way back to Washington, landing in the early hours of Saturday morning. European… Continue reading Trump speaks with Zelenskiy, NATO leaders after summit with Putin

BEIJING: Chinese foreign minister Wang Yi will visit India from Monday to Wednesday, China’s foreign ministry said in a statement on Saturday, for talks about a disputed border in the Himalayas. This is only the second such meeting since a deadly clash in 2020 between Indian and Chinese troops at the border. Relations between the… Continue reading Chinese foreign minister Wang Yi to visit India from Monday, China’s foreign ministry says

TALKS between Donald Trump and Vladimir Putin in Alaska showed that the Russian president is not looking for peace and wants to weaken Western unity, Czech Defence Minister Jana Cernochova said on Saturday. “The Trump-Putin talks in Alaska did not bring significant progress toward ending the war in Ukraine, but they confirmed that Putin is… Continue reading Alaska talks showed Putin is not looking for peace, says Czech minister