Category: World

HANOI: Sipping green tea in his garden of roses, ex-communist party official Nguyen Van Cuong says he is “jobless but happy” after Vietnam cut 80,000 state roles this week. But fretting at home after leaving public employment once considered a job-for-life, Nguyen Thi Thu told AFP she feels “empty” over a future that is no… Continue reading Vietnam’s laid-off communist officials face uncertain future

HONG KONG: China said on Sunday it has opened a third extension of the M503 flight route, which is just west of an unofficial dividing line in the Taiwan Strait, with Taipei protesting this was a “unilateral” move aimed at changing the strait’s status quo. China last year moved the M503 route closer to the… Continue reading China opens third extension to sensitive Taiwan Strait flight path

BOGOTÁ: Colombian police probing the attempted assassination of a prominent right-wing presidential candidate arrested on Saturday a man they believe hired the teenager accused of pulling the trigger. Elder Jose Arteaga Hernandez was described by police as a key planner of the June 7 attack on conservative senator Miguel Uribe, who remains hospitalized in serious… Continue reading Colombia arrests man suspected of organizing hit on politician

BENGALURU: Investment firm Azoria Partners said on Saturday it will postpone the listing of its Azoria Tesla Convexity exchange traded fund after Tesla CEO Elon Musk said he was forming a new U.S. political party. Musk made the announcement a day after polling his followers on the X social media platform he owns, declaring, “Today… Continue reading Investment firm Azoria postpones Tesla ETF after Musk plans political party

TULKAREM: In the West Bank city of Tulkarem, the landscape has been transformed after Israeli army bulldozers ploughed through its two refugee camps in what the military called a hunt for Palestinian militants. The army gave thousands of displaced residents just a few hours to retrieve belongings from their homes before demolishing buildings and clearing… Continue reading Israel army bulldozers plough through homes at West Bank camps

HUNT: Rescuers searched Saturday for 27 girls missing from a riverside summer camp in Texas, after torrential rains caused devastating floods that killed 50 people in the US state. Multiple flash flood warnings remained in place across central Texas after water surged through communities, with the Guadalupe River rise by 26 feet (eight meters) in… Continue reading Rescuers search for missing girls as Texas flood death toll hits 50

COMFORT: Tonia Fucci, a Pennsylvania resident visiting her grandmother for the Independence Day weekend, woke early on Friday to the sound of heavy rain “coming down in buckets.” Along with the rain, she heard something else – loud, startling cracking noises. “It’s indescribable, the sounds, of how loud they were, which turned out to be… Continue reading Texas flood witness recalls furniture, trees and RVs swept down river

HIROSHIMA: Trudging through the ruins of Hiroshima after the US atom bombing four days before in 1945, five-year-old Masaki Hironaka clutched his mother’s hand and silently vowed to protect her. It’s one of many scenes from 80 years ago this August still etched in the octogenarian’s memory — and now depicted vividly by Japanese teenagers… Continue reading Hiroshima teens relay atom bomb horror with art

RIO DE JANEIRO: BRICS leaders meeting in Rio de Janeiro on Sunday are expected to decry US President Donald Trump’s “indiscriminate” trade tariffs, saying they are illegal and risk hurting the global economy. Emerging nations, which represent about half the world’s population and 40 percent of global economic output, have united over “serious concerns” about… Continue reading BRICS nations voice ‘serious concerns’ over Trump tariffs

HUNT: With a drizzle falling on Camp Mystic, the flood-ravaged Christian summer camp on the Guadalupe River in Texas, a father navigated the debris in search of his eight-year-old daughter. “My daughter was here,“ he said Saturday, examining a stone-walled cabin with shattered windows, eventually finding a towel with her name, a bracelet and a… Continue reading Father’s desperate search for daughter after deadly Texas flood

RIO DE JANEIRO: Finance ministers from the BRICS group of developing nations called on Saturday for reform of the International Monetary Fund, including a new distribution of voting rights and an end to the tradition of European management at the helm. The joint statement by the group’s finance ministers marks the first time the BRICS… Continue reading BRICS finance ministers make unified proposal for IMF reforms

TEHRAN: Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei appeared publicly for the first time Saturday since the end of a war with Israel to participate in Ashura ceremonies in Tehran, according to Anadolu Ajansi (AA). Khamenei was absent from ceremonies during the start of the Muslim New Year, Muharram, held at his residence on Palestine Street… Continue reading Iranian supreme leader Khamenei appears in public after Israel war

SYDNEY: Australian police have charged a man in connection with an alleged arson attack on a Melbourne synagogue with worshippers in the building, the latest in a series of incidents targeting the nation’s Jewish community. There were no injuries to the 20 people inside the East Melbourne Synagogue, who fled from the fire on Friday… Continue reading Australia police charge man over alleged arson on Melbourne synagogue

WASHINGTON: The tattered bromance between Republican President Donald Trump and his main campaign financier Elon Musk took another fractious turn on Saturday when the space and automotive billionaire announced the formation of a new political party, saying Trump’s “big, beautiful” tax bill would bankrupt America. A day after asking his followers on his X platform… Continue reading Musk announces forming of ‘America Party’ in further break from Trump

MONROVIA: President Joseph Boakai offered a state apology to Liberians Saturday over the brutal violence and lingering trauma caused by the country’s two civil wars, as the nation grapples with how to remember its troubled past. The president made the formal gesture during a reconciliation ceremony in the capital, Monrovia. He spoke just days after… Continue reading Liberia president offers state apology over civil wars

ATLANTA: Some 43 people, including 15 children, have been confirmed dead following flash floods in central Texas, authorities said on Saturday as rescuers continued a frantic search for campers, vacationers and residents who were still missing. Officials said more than 850 people had been rescued, including some who were clinging to trees, after a sudden… Continue reading Death toll from Texas floods reaches 43; many still missing

ISTANBUL: Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said he asked US President Donald Trump to intervene to stop shootings at Gaza aid centres, which the UN says have killed more than 500 people. Erdogan said when he met Trump at a NATO summit in late June, he asked him to step in and halt the bloodshed.… Continue reading Erdogan says asked Trump to intervene over shootings at Gaza aid centres

ISTANBUL: President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has expressed confidence Turkey would be readmitted to the US F-35 programme and receive the stealth fighter jets in line with “an agreement” with US President Donald Trump. Washington booted Turkey out of its F-35 programme in 2019 and a year later imposed sanctions on Ankara over its purchase of… Continue reading Erdogan confident Turkey to be readmitted to US F-35 programme in stages

PARIS: French-Algerian writer Boualem Sansal will not appeal his five-year prison sentence to Algeria’s supreme court, said sources close to the author on Saturday, saying they remain hopeful for a pardon. The 80-year-old dual national writer was sentenced to five years behind bars on March 27 on charges related to undermining Algeria’s territorial integrity over… Continue reading French writer jailed in Algeria won’t appeal, still hopeful of pardon: supporters

LONDON: Police on Saturday arrested protesters in London for supporting activist group Palestine Action, which was on Friday banned under anti-terror laws. “Officers are responding to a protest in support of Palestine Action in Parliament Square. The group is now proscribed and expressing support for them is a criminal offence. Arrests are being made,“ Metropolitan… Continue reading Supporters of banned Palestine Action group arrested at London protest

UNITED NATIONS: UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres condemned Saturday Russia’s biggest drone and missile attack yet in the three-year war in Ukraine. “The Secretary-General strongly condemns the latest series of large-scale drone and missile attacks by the Russian Federation,“ Guterres said in a statement referring to the assault Friday and also calling for a full,… Continue reading UN condemns Russia’s largest drone assault on Ukraine

QASTAL MA’AF: Syrian emergency workers were battling forest fires raging in the coastal province of Latakia on Saturday for a third day in tough conditions as neighbouring Turkey sent assistance. An AFP correspondent saw strong winds fanning the flames in forest areas and farmland in Qastal Maaf, around a dozen kilometres (eight miles) from the… Continue reading Syria battles forest fires for third day as Turkey sends help

MADRID: A false fire alarm aboard a Ryanair jet preparing for takeoff from Spain’s Palma de Mallorca airport saw several passengers injured as they left the plane via inflatable ramps, the Irish carrier said Saturday. Friday evening’s Manchester-bound flight was suspended owing to a false fire alarm warning indication. “Passengers were disembarked using the inflatable… Continue reading Several hurt in Ryanair false fire alarm

GAZA CITY: Gaza’s civil defence agency said Israeli military operations killed 32 people across the war-battered territory on Saturday, the latest deaths in nearly 21 months of war. Israel has recently expanded its military operations in the Gaza Strip, where the war has created dire humanitarian conditions for the Palestinian territory’s population of more than… Continue reading Gaza civil defence says 32 killed in Israeli operations

ISTANBUL: President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said on Saturday that peace efforts with Kurds would gain momentum after PKK militants begin laying down their weapons. His remarks came ahead of a planned ceremony by the PKK in Iraqi Kurdistan to begin destroying its weapons, which the group said could happen between July 10 and 12. “The… Continue reading Peace with Kurds to gain momentum as PKK starts laying down arms: Erdogan

GAZA CITY: Israel was mulling its response on Saturday after Hamas said it was ready to start talks “immediately” on a US-sponsored proposal for a Gaza ceasefire. The security cabinet was expected to meet after the end of the Jewish sabbath at sundown to discuss Israel’s next steps as Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu prepares to… Continue reading Hamas says ready to start Gaza ceasefire talks ‘immediately’

LYON: A French court sentenced a doctor to a 10-year prison term on Saturday for raping nine of his patients during medical consultations, according to a lawyer representing some of the victims. Thirty women filed complaints against the gynaecologist, in his 60s, accusing him of sexual assault during medical exams. The Haute-Savoie Court in eastern… Continue reading French doctor handed 10-year jail term for abusing patients

WASHINGTON: One person was killed and six others wounded in a shooting in the US city of Indianapolis early Saturday, police said, a day after the country celebrated its independence day. The shooting occurred around 1:27 am (0527 GMT) as officers were investigating disturbances, deputy police operations chief Tanya Terry told a news conference. One… Continue reading One dead, six wounded in Indianapolis shooting

JERUSALEM: The US- and Israeli-backed Gaza Humanitarian Foundation said two American staff were wounded Saturday in an “attack” on one of its aid centres in southern Gaza. “This morning, two American aid workers were injured in a targeted terrorist attack during food distribution activities at SDS-3 in Khan Yunis,“ the organisation said, adding that reports… Continue reading Two US aid workers wounded in Gaza ‘attack’: GHF

JERUSALEM: Israel said Saturday it was still mulling its response to a positive reaction from Hamas to the latest US-sponsored proposal for a Gaza ceasefire. “No decision has been made yet on that issue,“ a government official told AFP on condition of anonymity as they were not authorised to speak publicly about it. Israel’s security… Continue reading Israel says ‘no decision yet’ on Hamas response to Gaza truce proposal

SYDNEY: Australia’s prime minister on Saturday condemned an arson attack on a busy city synagogue, saying it was a “cowardly” act of antisemitism. Police are searching for a man who set the front door of a Melbourne synagogue ablaze on Friday night as around 20 people ate dinner inside. The worshippers — eating a meal… Continue reading Australian PM condemns synagogue arson attack

BANGKOK: Myanmar’s ruling junta on Saturday made a rare call for the armed groups it is fighting to cooperate with it ahead of a slated election, an invitation anti-coup forces swiftly rejected. The unexpected appeal comes as the junta continues to suffer major battlefield reverses to ethnic minority armed groups and pro-democracy “People’s Defence Forces”… Continue reading Myanmar armed groups rebuff junta’s “cooperation” appeal

LOS ANGELES: A massive wildfire raging in California for the past three days has ravaged more than 70,000 acres, as hundreds of firefighters fought to bring it under control. The “Madre Fire” broke out on Wednesday in San Luis Obispo, a rural county in the heart of the US state. Around 200 people were ordered… Continue reading California’s biggest wildfire of the year spreads to 70,000 acres

BEIRUT: Lebanon said one person was killed on Saturday in an Israeli strike in the country’s south, the latest deadly raid despite a ceasefire between Israel and militant group Hezbollah. An “Israeli enemy drone strike on a vehicle” in Bint Jbeil “killed one person and wounded two others”, Lebanon’s health ministry said in a statement… Continue reading Lebanon says 1 killed in Israeli strike on south

ISTANBUL: Turkey arrested three more opposition mayors early on Saturday as part of an investigation into alleged graft, officials from the main opposition CHP said. The early morning arrests were the latest move in a growing number of probes targeting elected officials of the Republican People’s Party (CHP) as the government of President Recep Tayyip… Continue reading Turkey arrests three more opposition mayors: party

WASHINGTON/KYIV: U.S. President Donald Trump said Ukraine would need Patriot missiles for its defenses, after speaking with President Volodymyr Zelenskiy on Friday, and voiced frustration over Russian President Vladimir Putin’s failure to end the fighting. Trump told reporters aboard Air Force One that he had a good call with Zelenskiy, repeating that he was “very… Continue reading Trump says Ukraine will need Patriot missiles for its defense, chides Putin

KYIV: Ukraine’s special forces struck Russia’s Borisoglebsk military airfield in the Voronezh region on Saturday, hitting a glide bomb store and a trainer aircraft, the Ukrainian military said in a statement on social media. The military said that other aircraft were also likely hit, without giving details. “This airfield is the home base of enemy… Continue reading Ukraine says it hit Russian military airfield