Category: World

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

SAN FRANCISCO: Sony on Wednesday said it is bumping up the price of PlayStation 5 video game consoles by $50 in the United States due to a “challenging economic environment.” Tariffs imposed by President Donald Trump hike the cost of goods brought into the US, leaving companies like Japan’s Sony to decide whether to pass… Continue reading PlayStation 5 price increase due to US tariffs explained

WASHINGTON: All-caps hyperbole, wild accusations and idiosyncratic spelling: not just an average Wednesday on Donald Trump’s Truth Social feed, but a new digital media strategy for California Governor Gavin Newsom that is delighting Democrats — and riling Republicans. Newsom — hotly-tipped for the 2028 Democratic presidential nomination — has been parodying Trump with a series… Continue reading Gavin Newsom trolls Trump with memes, riles Republicans

HOUSTON: Texas Republicans were on course Wednesday to approve a contentious new electoral map pushed by President Donald Trump to eke out more seats and defend their razor-thin majority in the US House of Representatives, with the midterm elections looming. The vote had been delayed by two weeks after Democratic legislators fled the state to… Continue reading Texas redistricting map reignites US voting rights battle

COLOGNE: Games publisher Kepler Interactive has notched up two of the breakout titles of the year with “Clair Obscur: Expedition 33” and “Rematch”, reaping the rewards for developing independent projects on tight budgets. “It’s almost impossible to predict a success like ‘Expedition 33’,“ Kepler chief Alexis Garavaryan told AFP ahead of the Gamescom trade show… Continue reading Kepler Interactive success with Expedition 33 and Rematch games

JERUSALEM: Israel’s defence minister on Wednesday approved a military plan for the conquest of Gaza City, authorising the call-up of about 60,000 reservists, piling pressure on Hamas as mediators push for a ceasefire. The Palestinian militant group said in response that it showed Israel’s “blatant disregard” for efforts to broker a halt in fighting and… Continue reading Israel approves Gaza City conquest plan amid ceasefire talks

BUENOS AIRES: Argentine lawmakers have delivered a significant rebuke to President Javier Milei’s austerity agenda. The lower house of Congress voted to overturn the president’s veto of a law increasing disability allowances. The legislation, approved by Congress in July, enhances healthcare benefits for people with disabilities. It also guarantees pension payments for disabled individuals. Additionally,… Continue reading Argentine MPs reject Milei veto on disability spending increase

WASHINGTON: President Donald Trump’s newfound and vague willingness to consider security guarantees for Ukraine represents a potential policy shift. His right-wing base is already warning him against moving too far from his previous isolationist stance. Trump spent much of last year’s campaign criticising predecessor Joe Biden over billions in aid to Ukraine. He publicly upbraided… Continue reading Trump Ukraine security shift faces base backlash over vague promises

WASHINGTON: US President Donald Trump is deploying three warships off the coast of Venezuela as part of efforts to curb drug trafficking, a source familiar with the move said Wednesday. The deployment comes as the Trump administration steps up pressure on Venezuelan leader Nicolas Maduro, doubling its bounty to $50 million earlier this month on… Continue reading US deploys warships near Venezuela to combat drug trafficking

ATME: Syrian state media confirmed that US-led coalition forces killed a senior Islamic State group leader during an operation in northwest Syria on Wednesday. State television reported that coalition forces conducted an air drop targeting a house in the town of Atme within Idlib province. The operation specifically targeted Iraqi national Salah Numan, known as… Continue reading US-led coalition kills senior IS leader in Syria operation

GENEVA: The United States-European Union trade agreement has reduced global economic uncertainty without eliminating it entirely according to European Central Bank President Christine Lagarde. She stated that the deal maintains effective US tariff rates on EU goods within a 12% to 16% range during her World Economic Forum panel discussion in Geneva. Lagarde noted these… Continue reading EU-US trade deal reduces but does not eliminate global uncertainty

WARSAW: Polish authorities confirmed on Wednesday that an overnight explosion in the country’s eastern region may have involved a military drone of unknown origin. Police received reports of a blast occurring in a cornfield near the village of Osiny, located approximately 100 kilometres from the capital Warsaw. The incident site lies in close proximity to… Continue reading Military drone suspected in overnight blast near Warsaw

GENEVA: Nestle has developed a groundbreaking method to produce chocolate using up to 30% more of the cocoa fruit as climate change continues to diminish farmers’ yields worldwide. The Swiss food giant announced this innovative approach on Wednesday, addressing the growing challenges facing cocoa production. Traditional chocolate manufacturing uses only cocoa beans from inside the… Continue reading Nestle develops new cocoa method to boost yields amid climate change

ISTANBUL: President Recep Tayyip Erdogan informed Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin that Turkey supports a peace process involving all parties for Ukraine during their Wednesday phone conversation. The Turkish presidency stated that Erdogan emphasised Ankara’s sincere efforts towards achieving a just peace since the conflict’s beginning. “Turkey has sincerely strived for a just peace since the… Continue reading Erdogan tells Putin Turkey supports Ukraine peace talks with all parties

NEW DELHI: India’s government has introduced legislation that would remove top politicians from ministerial positions if they face arrest and detention for 30 days on serious criminal charges. Opposition parties have condemned the proposed law as a chilling attempt to undermine constitutional protections and target political rivals. Several prominent opponents of Prime Minister Narendra Modi… Continue reading India proposes law to sack ministers facing serious criminal charges

MOSCOW: Jordan’s foreign minister declared on Wednesday that Israel’s military assault on Gaza has resulted in massacres and widespread starvation while systematically destroying any possibility for regional peace. His statement followed Israeli Defence Minister Israel Katz authorising plans to capture Gaza City, a densely populated urban area housing hundreds of thousands of Palestinians in the… Continue reading Jordan FM says Israel killing all prospects for regional peace

MOSCOW: Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov declared on Wednesday that any Western discussions about security guarantees for Ukraine excluding Russian participation constitute a futile endeavour. NATO military chiefs planned to deliberate details of potential security assurances for Ukraine while seeking to mediate an end to Russia’s ongoing offensive. Lavrov emphasised that “seriously discussing security guarantees… Continue reading Russia warns Ukraine security talks without Moscow are futile

JERUSALEM: Israeli authorities have approved a major settlement construction project in the sensitive E1 area of the occupied West Bank. The international community has repeatedly warned that building in this territory threatens the viability of a future Palestinian state. Israel has long pursued ambitions to develop the approximately 12 square kilometres known as E1 located… Continue reading Israel approves E1 West Bank settlement threatening two-state solution

TEHRAN: Iran cannot completely sever cooperation with the United Nations nuclear watchdog despite recent tensions, Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi stated on Wednesday. The minister clarified that the return of International Atomic Energy Agency inspectors now depends on approval from Iran’s security chiefs. These comments follow Iran’s suspension of cooperation nearly two months ago after its… Continue reading Iran maintains partial UN nuclear cooperation amid security review

STOCKHOLM: Europe has registered a record number of outbreaks of mosquito-borne illnesses such as chikungunya and West Nile virus this year, the EU health agency said Wednesday, saying climate change was contributing to a “new normal”. Europe is experiencing longer and more intense transmission seasons for mosquito-borne diseases, said the European Centre for Disease Prevention… Continue reading Europe faces record mosquito disease outbreaks due to climate change

BRUSSELS: NATO military chiefs will discuss details of eventual security guarantees for Ukraine during a virtual meeting on Wednesday. This meeting advances the intense global diplomatic efforts to broker an end to Russia’s war against its neighbour. Diplomatic efforts continued even as Russian forces claimed fresh territorial advances and Ukrainian officials reported additional civilian casualties… Continue reading NATO chiefs to discuss Ukraine security guarantees amid fresh Russian strikes

WASHINGTON: North Carolina’s coastal communities are preparing for life-threatening flooding as Hurricane Erin maintains its Category 2 strength offshore. The storm underwent historically rapid intensification and briefly peaked at Category 5 on the Saffir-Simpson scale before swamping homes and roads in Puerto Rico. Meteorologists express concern over Erin’s large size despite its core remaining far… Continue reading North Carolina coasts prepare for flooding as Hurricane Erin churns offshore

OSLO: A former security guard at the United States embassy in Oslo has appeared in court facing charges of espionage for allegedly sharing classified information with Russian and Iranian intelligence services. The defendant, a Norwegian national in his late twenties, stands accused of providing detailed embassy information between March 2024 and his arrest on 20… Continue reading Former US embassy guard in Norway on trial for spying for Russia, Iran

LISBON: A man has died while assisting wildfire suppression efforts in Portugal, raising the death toll to three as multiple fires continue to rage across the country. The victim was working for a company contracted to help the northern municipality of Mirandela combat the flames when the fatal accident occurred. Commander Paulo Santos of the… Continue reading Portugal wildfires death toll rises to three as heatwave fuels blazes

MOSCOW: Russian forces have announced the capture of three Ukrainian villages in the eastern Donetsk and Dnipropetrovsk regions. The defence ministry stated on Telegram that troops “continued to advance deep into the enemy defences” in the embattled Donetsk region, taking the villages of Sukhetske and Pankivka. These locations lie near a section of the front… Continue reading Russia captures three Ukrainian villages amid US peace efforts

COTONOU: Rescuers have recovered ten additional bodies from a Beninese river where a bus plunged during the weekend, raising the accident’s total death toll to thirty-seven. Civil protection authority director Abdel Aziz Bio Djibril confirmed six people remain missing after the bus fell from a bridge into the Oueme river between Saturday and Sunday night.… Continue reading Benin bus accident death toll rises to 37 after river search

JAKARTA: China’s assertiveness in the disputed South China Sea and tensions in the Taiwan Strait threaten international security and European interests, Germany’s foreign minister said on Wednesday. “What happens here in the Indo-Pacific has a direct impact on European security and vice versa,“ Johann Wadephul said in a speech in Jakarta, using an alternative description… Continue reading German minister warns China’s assertiveness threatens European interests