Category: World

Seoul: A North Korean who crossed the heavily fortified land border into the South has been detained and taken into custody, Seoul’s military said Friday. The North Korean, identified as a male civilian, managed to cross the Military Demarcation Line in the midwestern part of the Demilitarized Zone on Thursday, Seoul’s Joint Chiefs of Staff… Continue reading North Korean detained after crossing land border: Seoul military

MOSCOW: A woman was killed when a Ukrainian drone crashed into an apartment building in southern Russia, the region’s acting governor said early Friday. A two-storey building in the village of Dolotinka in Rostov was “damaged by a UAV crash, a floor slab collapsed, and as a result, a retired woman, a former teacher, died”,… Continue reading Ukrainian drone crash kills one in southern Russia

WASHINGTON: U.S. President Donald Trump said early on Friday he came away disappointed from a telephone call with Russian President Vladimir Putin because it does not appear the latter is looking to stop Russia’s war against Ukraine. U.S. attempts to end Russia’s war in Ukraine through diplomacy have largely stalled, and Trump has faced growing… Continue reading Trump, disappointed by call with Putin, to speak with Zelenskiy on Friday

BERLIN: Tesla’s sales in Germany slumped 60 per cent in June compared to a year earlier, even as overall battery electric vehicle (BEV) registrations rose, reported Xinhua. Germany’s motor vehicle authority (KBA) said on Thursday, the US electric vehicle maker sold 1,860 cars in June, down from 4,645 units a year earlier. For the first… Continue reading Tesla struggles in Germany with 60 pct drop in June sales

DES MOINES, IOWA: U.S. President Donald Trump took a victory lap in friendly territory on Thursday, celebrating passage of his massive tax-cut and border security bill among supporters at the Iowa State Fairground. Trump flew to the state, which voted for him by large margins during the last three presidential elections, directly after the U.S.… Continue reading Trump celebrates tax bill victory at Iowa fairground rally

LOS ANGELES: US actor Michael Madsen — best known for his frequent collaborations with director Quentin Tarantino including “Reservoir Dogs” and “Kill Bill” — died Thursday at age 67 after suffering cardiac arrest, his management team said. The actor was found unresponsive early Thursday at his home in Malibu, they said. “Michael Madsen was one… Continue reading Michael Madsen, ‘Reservoir Dogs’ and ‘Kill Bill’ actor, dies at 67

US President Donald Trump – Photo by ANDREW CABALLERO-REYNOLDS / AFP WASHINGTON: US President Donald Trump said he made no progress with Vladimir Putin on ending the Ukraine war in a call Thursday, as the Kremlin insisted the Russian president would stick to his aims in the conflict. Trump’s grim assessment came as US-led peace… Continue reading Trump says ‘didn’t make any progress’ with Putin on Ukraine

GAZA CITY, PALESTINIAN TERRITORIES: Israeli premier Benjamin Netanyahu vowed to bring home all the hostages still held by militants in war-stricken Gaza, where the civil defence agency said 73 people were killed Thursday in his country’s ongoing offensive. Netanyahu has come under strong pressure to get the hostages back after US President Donald Trump said… Continue reading Netanyahu vows to bring all Gaza hostages home

WASHINGTON: President Donald Trump said he plans to start sending letters informing trading partners of their tariff rates as soon as Friday, as negotiations to avoid higher US levies enter the final stretch. “My inclination is to send a letter out and say what tariff they’re going to be paying,“ he told reporters on Thursday.… Continue reading Trump says likely to start informing countries of US tariffs Friday

NEW DELHI: Two days after India’s capital stopped fuel sales to ageing vehicles to tackle the sprawling megacity’s hazardous air pollution, authorities on Thursday said the ban was not practical. New Delhi is regularly ranked as one of the most polluted capitals globally with vehicular emissions being one of the worst offenders, according to several… Continue reading New Delhi says fuel ban on old vehicles not feasible

BERLIN: Germany’s interior minster on Thursday said he wanted direct contact with the Taliban authorities in a bid to enable criminals to be deported back to Afghanistan. “I envision us making agreements directly with Afghanistan to enable deportations,“ Alexander Dobrindt said in an interview with Focus magazine. Berlin currently has only indirect contact with the… Continue reading Germany to seek direct contact with Taliban on deportations

AARHUS: The EU is “ready for a deal” with the United States, European Commission president Ursula von der Leyen said Thursday before negotiators meet in Washington before a July 9 deadline. EU trade chief Maros Sefcovic is in Washington and due to meet his US counterparts later Thursday. The commission, leading trade policy for the… Continue reading EU chief says Brussels ‘ready’ for US trade deal ahead of talks

LISBON: Portugal’s former prime minister Jose Socrates went on trial on Thursday on corruption charges in a long-running case already being dubbed the “trial of the century” in local media. Socrates, who led the country between 2005 and 2011, is accused of amassing a fortune of more than 34 million euros ($40 million) while he… Continue reading Portugal’s ex-PM goes on trial in corruption case

WASHINGTON: The US trade deficit widened more than expected in May, government data showed Thursday, with both imports and exports declining as US President Donald Trump’s tariffs sent shock waves through the economy and snagged supply chains. The world’s biggest economy logged an overall trade gap of $71.5 billion, in the month after Trump imposed… Continue reading US trade deficit widens in May as Trump tariffs fuel uncertainty

LONDON: The BBC said Thursday it would no longer live-broadcast musical performances deemed “high risk” following controversy over the behaviour of punk-rap duo Bob Vylan during their Glastonbury set. The British broadcaster has attracted criticism for having failed to pull a livestream of the performance after its frontman made anti-Israel comments at the festival in… Continue reading BBC to stop showing ‘high-risk’ acts live after Bob Vylan row

PARIS: France announced Thursday a record 40 million-euro fine against e-commerce giant Shein over “deceptive commercial practices” after a competition inquiry, saying it misled customers on price deals and on its environmental impact. The French competition and anti-fraud office said the investigation found Shein used “deceptive commercial practices towards consumers regarding… price reductions”, with the… Continue reading France fines Shein 40 mn euros over ‘deceptive’ sales practices

PARIS: France said on Thursday it would decide whether to reimpose sanctions against Iran over its nuclear programme depending on whether Tehran released two French detainees charged with spying for Israel. “Freeing Cecile Kohler and Jacques Paris is an absolute priority for us,“ Foreign Minister Jean-Noel Barrot said. “We have always told our interlocutors from… Continue reading France says Iran sanctions decision depends on detainees’ release

MOSCOW: A high-ranking Russian general serving as deputy commander of the navy was killed during “combat operations” in the Kursk region, officials said Thursday, amid ongoing fighting in the area. Mikhail Gudkov, 42, had served in the military since 2000 and was made “Hero of the Russian Federation” by President Vladimir Putin in 2023 —… Continue reading Russian deputy navy chief killed in Kursk region

VIENNA: Austria on Thursday deported a Syrian criminal convict back to Syria, becoming the first EU country to do so officially “in recent years”, the interior ministry said. Austria has been pushing to be able to deport Syrians back since the ouster of Syria’s leader Bashar al-Assad in December. “The deportation carried out today is… Continue reading Austria deports Syrian convict in EU first since Assad fall

AARHUS: Denmark will do everything in its power to help Ukraine join the EU, Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen said Thursday as she welcomed Ukrainian leader Volodymyr Zelensky. “Ukraine belongs in the European Union. It is in both Denmark’s and Europe’s interest,“ Frederiksen, who has been a fervent supporter of Ukraine, said in a statement. “Therefore,… Continue reading Denmark says will do ‘everything we can’ to help Ukraine join EU

CHARTRES-DE-BRETAGNE: US-European automaker Stellantis group has begun a recall of hundreds of thousands of Peugeot, Citroen, Fiat, Opel and DS cars equipped with the 1.5 BlueHDi diesel engine, a group spokesperson told AFP Thursday. Produced between 2017 and 2023, the models concerned have experienced problems with the timing chain that synchronises the opening and closing… Continue reading Stellantis recalls 636,000 units over diesel engine

PARIS: Pollen levels were so extreme in parts of Europe during spring that even people not known to suffer allergies felt the effects of hay fever, new data showed on Thursday. The Copernicus Atmosphere Monitoring Service (CAMS) observed a seasonal rise in grass and olive pollen release and transport across southern Europe and “extreme levels”… Continue reading Spring pollen hit ‘extreme’ levels in Europe: EU monitor

HONG KONG: Hong Kong proposed new rules on Thursday that could restrict prisoners from seeing certain visitors and lawyers, changes that officials say are needed to combat “national security risks”. The city’s prison population has swelled in recent years after authorities arrested more than 10,200 people in connection with the huge and sometimes violent pro-democracy… Continue reading Hong Kong to tighten prison rules, citing national security

BRUSSELS: Dozens of Europe’s biggest companies urged the EU to hit the pause button on its landmark AI rules on Thursday, warning that going too fast could harm the bloc’s ability to lead in the global AI race. The European Union’s sweeping rules on artificial intelligence entered into force last year but the bloc has… Continue reading European companies urge EU to delay AI rules

Kabul: Afghanistan’s Taliban authorities on Thursday denied involvement in the disappearance of a US citizen in Kabul, after Washington announced a $5 million reward for information on his whereabouts. Mahmood Shah Habibi, an Afghan-American businessman who worked for a telecommunications firm, was abducted along with his driver in the Afghan capital in 2022, according to… Continue reading Afghan Taliban deny role in US citizen disappearance

MANILA: The nuclear-powered US carrier George Washington arrived off the Philippine capital Thursday for a port visit, as the two allies increase defence cooperation aimed at contesting China’s sweeping claims in the South China Sea. The Nimitz-class vessel’s port call came the same day that China’s first domestically produced aircraft carrier, the Shandong, sailed into… Continue reading US aircraft carrier makes Philippines port call

BERLIN: The new German government faced its first major roadblock on Thursday after its constituent parties failed to defuse an internal row over whether to reduce electricity prices for individual consumers. Despite holding a meeting for more than five hours late into Wednesday evening, the conservative CDU/CSU alliance and the centre-left Social Democrats (SPD) failed… Continue reading First roadblock for German government over electricity tax

TOKYO: Japanese authorities urged the 89 residents of a small southern island to evacuate after a strong earthquake on Thursday, the latest of more than 1,000 recent jolts to hit the area. Residents were urged to evacuate to “a school playground in Akuseki Island”, a municipal official told AFP. Akuseki is part of the Tokara… Continue reading Japan urges evacuation of small island as 1,000 quakes hit region

PARIS: French air traffic controllers launched a two-day strike on Thursday to demand better working conditions, disrupting travel for tens of thousands of people at the start of a summer holiday season. The DGAC civil aviation authority has asked airlines to cancel some of their flights to ensure there are enough controllers on duty. The… Continue reading Strike by French air traffic controllers disrupts summer travel

BERLIN: German Chancellor Friedrich Merz on Thursday urged the European Union to strike a “quick and simple” deal on tariffs with the United States, with just days to go before a negotiating deadline. “It is better to achieve a quick and simple solution than a lengthy and complicated one that remains in the negotiation stage… Continue reading Merz urges EU to strike ‘quick, simple’ tariff deal with US

TOKYO: Japan will from January attempt to extract rare earth minerals from the ocean floor in the deepest trial of its kind, the director of a government innovation programme said Thursday. Earlier this week the country pledged to work with the United States, India and Australia to ensure a stable supply of critical minerals, as… Continue reading Japan plans ‘world first’ deep-sea mineral extraction

BRUSSELS: Facebook owner Meta said it will appeal a 200-million-euro fine slapped on it by the EU after the bloc accused the company of breaking digital competition rules. The EU fined Meta in April over its “pay or consent” system because of how it said the company used personal data on Facebook and Instagram. “This… Continue reading Meta says will appeal ‘unlawful’ EU fine

KYIV: Russian attacks on the eastern Ukrainian city of Poltava killed two people, wounded nearly a dozen and also struck a military recruitment centre, officials said Thursday. The Ukrainian army reported there were “dead and wounded” at the recruitment office. Moscow has stepped up its drone and missile bombardments on Ukraine as peace talks stall… Continue reading Russian strikes kill two in Ukraine, hit military office

JAKARTA: Indonesia’s chief economic minister told AFP on Thursday that Jakarta would step up its energy, agriculture and merchandise imports from the United States to avoid tougher tariffs due to come into force next week. Trump announced sweeping, harsher-than-expected global levies in April, punishing allies like security partner Indonesia for running a trade surplus with… Continue reading Indonesia to boost US imports to avoid tougher tariffs: minister

BEIJING: A senior Chinese official accused the United States defence chief on Thursday of “inciting confrontation and conflict” after he urged American allies to bolster their militaries to counter Beijing. China and the United States last month said they had reached an understanding on a trade deal — a truce after bruising tit-for-tat tariffs on… Continue reading Top China official says US defence chief ‘inciting conflict’

ISTANBUL: Two wildfires that began overnight near the western Turkish resort of Izmir were raging out of control on Thursday, fuelled by high winds, officials said. “Strong winds are making firefighting efforts difficult in Izmir,“ Turkey’s forestry directorate said on X as aerial firefighting planes and helicopters resumed their sorties at sunrise. Locals in at… Continue reading High winds fuel wildfires near Turkish resort of Izmir

BEIJING: China warned on Thursday against trade deals that “hurt third parties” after US President Donald Trump said he had struck an agreement with Vietnam. “China has always advocated that all parties resolve economic and trade differences through equal dialogue and consultation,“ foreign ministry spokeswoman Mao Ning said. “At the same time, relevant negotiations and… Continue reading China warns against trade deals that ‘hurt’ others after Vietnam-US pact

LONDON: Four Palestine Action activists were due in court Thursday over a break-in at a UK air force base that has provoked Britain’s government to move to ban the protest group. Two aircraft in southern England were sprayed with red paint last week, causing an estimated £7 million ($9.55 million) in damages and prompting the… Continue reading Palestine Action activists charged over UK base break-in

DHAKA: Bangladesh, the world’s second-biggest garment manufacturer, aims to strike a trade deal with the United States before Donald Trump’s punishing tariffs kick in next week, the country’s top commerce official told AFP. Dhaka is proposing to buy Boeing planes and boost imports of US wheat, cotton and oil in a bid to reduce the… Continue reading Major garment producer Bangladesh eyes US trade deal

SYDNEY: An Australian man has died from an “extremely rare” rabies-like infection transmitted by a bat bite, health officials said Thursday. The man in his 50s was bitten by a bat carrying Australian bat lyssavirus several months ago, the health service in New South Wales said. “We express our sincere condolences to the man’s family… Continue reading Australian man dies from bat bite

MOSCOW: Debris from a Ukrainian drone killed an elderly woman and wounded two others in Russia’s Lipetsk region, its governor said Thursday. They fell on a building in Lipetsk, which lies about 400 kilometres (250 miles) southeast of Moscow, killing a woman in her seventies, Igor Artamonov wrote on Telegram. Two other people received non-life-threatening… Continue reading Ukrainian drone debris kills elderly woman in Russia

TOKYO: Campaigning for Japan’s upper house election started Thursday, with unpopular Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba fighting to maintain the ruling coalition’s majority. Ishiba, 68, has been head of a minority government since October when he led the long-dominant Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) to its worst general election result in years. The ruling coalition of the… Continue reading Japan PM sweats for majority in upper house election

WASHINGTON: Donald Trump’s signature tax and spending bill was in limbo early Thursday as Republican leaders in the US Congress scrambled to win over a group of rebels threatening to torpedo the centerpiece of the president’s domestic agenda. Trump is seeking final approval in the House of Representatives for his Senate-passed “One Big Beautiful Bill”… Continue reading Trump tax bill stalled by Republican rebellion in Congress