Category: World

WASHINGTON: A US court on Friday began hearing Federal Reserve Governor Lisa Cook’s challenge of President Donald Trump’s attempt to fire her, in a legal battle set to have major implications for the US central bank and its independence. The session ended with no immediate ruling, with more arguments to be submitted Tuesday. In the… Continue reading Hearing ends without ruling on Trump attempt to oust Fed Governor Cook

WASHINGTON: US President Donald Trump has withdrawn former vice president Kamala Harris’s Secret Service protection, officials said Friday, in what critics called a fresh act of revenge against his political rivals. The Republican’s move comes just weeks before Democrat Harris is set to go on a tour to promote a new book about her failed… Continue reading Trump withdraws Kamala Harris’s Secret Service protection

WASHINGTON: US President Donald Trump has moved to cut nearly $5 billion of congressionally-approved foreign aid, the White House said Friday — raising the likelihood of a federal shutdown as Democrats oppose the policy. The $4.9 billion in cuts target programs of the Department of State and the United States Agency for International Development (USAID),… Continue reading Trump moves to cut more foreign aid, risking shutdown

INTEL said on Friday it amended the CHIPS Act funding deal with the U.S. Department of Commerce to remove earlier project milestones and received about $5.7 billion in cash sooner than planned. The move will give Intel more flexibility over the funds. The amended agreement, which revises a November 2024 funding deal, retains some guardrails… Continue reading Intel amends CHIPS Act deal with US Commerce Department, gets $5.7 billion early

WASHINGTON: U.S. Department of Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem said on Friday that there had been an IT breach at the Federal Emergency Management Agency, the American disaster response agency that has been buffeted by deep cuts and is slated for elimination. Noem’s statement gave few specifics about the nature of the breach except to… Continue reading DHS chief Noem fires two dozen FEMA employees citing cybersecurity failures

THE U.S. Food and Drug Administration has approved an injectable version of Eisai and Biogen’s Alzheimer’s disease drug Leqembi, the companies said on Friday, allowing for an easier treatment option following an initial intravenous infusion. The approval makes Leqembi the first Alzheimer’s treatment that can be administered at home as a weekly under-the-skin injection, reducing… Continue reading US FDA approves injectable version of Eisai-Biogen’s Alzheimer’s drug

UNITED NATIONS: Deadly missile and drone strikes on Ukraine “cast doubt on the seriousness of Russia’s desire for peace,“ the United States told the U.N. Security Council on Friday, warning that Washington could punish Moscow with economic measures if it continues the war. “The United States calls on the Russian Federation to avoid these consequences… Continue reading US tells UN: Russian strikes on Ukraine cast doubt on its desire for peace

KYIV: President Volodymyr Zelenskiy urged allies on Friday to swiftly elevate talks on security guarantees for Ukraine to the level of leaders, as European Union defence ministers pledged to train Kyiv’s troops on Ukrainian soil in the event of a truce. Kyiv is engaged in a diplomatic push to try and bring to an end… Continue reading Zelenskiy wants higher-level talks on security guarantees next week

WASHINGTON: The U.S. ended tariff exemptions for parcel imports on Friday without the logistical hiccups that dogged prior attempts, while consumers, e-commerce companies and small businesses using online marketplaces braced for cost increases and supply chain disruptions. The U.S. Customs and Border Protection agency began collecting normal duty rates on all package shipments valued under… Continue reading US tariff exemption for low-value packages ends with few hiccups but higher costs loom

NEW YORK: A divided U.S. appeals court ruled on Friday that most of Donald Trump’s tariffs are illegal, undercutting the Republican president’s use of the levies as a key international economic policy tool. The court allowed the tariffs to remain in place through October 14 to give the Trump administration a chance to file an… Continue reading Most Trump tariffs are not legal, US appeals court rules

BEIJING: Russia and China jointly oppose “discriminatory” sanctions in global trade that hinder the world’s socio-economic development, Russian President Vladimir Putin said in a written interview with China’s official Xinhua news agency. The two countries will continue to work to reduce mutual trade barriers, Putin said in the interview published on Saturday on the eve… Continue reading Russia, China oppose ‘discriminatory’ sanctions in global trade, says Putin

WASHINGTON: President Donald Trump’s administration has fired some Environmental Protection Agency employees after they signed a letter critical of the Trump administration’s policies in late June, the EPA said on Friday. The EPA did not mention how many people were fired and said the June petition had information that the agency called inaccurate. The Washington… Continue reading US EPA fires some employees who signed letter criticizing Trump administration

SEOUL: North Korean leader Kim Jong Un promised “a beautiful life” for the families of “martyrs” who perished fighting for Russia in the war against Ukraine, state media said on Saturday, praising the bereaved for the heroism of their sons and husbands. Kim on Friday hosted the families of soldiers and expressed “grief at having… Continue reading North Korea leader Kim promises ‘beautiful life’ for families of ‘martyrs’ killed in Russia

U.S. NO-FRILLS pioneer Spirit Airlines filed for bankruptcy protection on Friday for the second time in a year after a previous reorganization failed to put it on firmer financial footing. The Florida-based carrier, which emerged from its first bankruptcy in March, has been grappling with dwindling cash and mounting losses. In the three months to… Continue reading Spirit Airlines files for second bankruptcy in a year as financial challenges persist

KYIV: President Volodymyr Zelensky has called for accelerated delivery of American weapons purchased for Ukraine by NATO member states. Zelensky specifically emphasised the need for faster implementation of the weapons procurement arrangement during his address on Friday. “We want this ‘corridor’ to work, to work a little faster,“ the Ukrainian president stated regarding the defence… Continue reading Zelensky urges faster US weapons delivery under NATO arms deal

WASHINGTON: President Donald Trump has moved to block five billion dollars of congressionally-approved foreign aid according to a White House announcement on Friday. This action significantly raises the likelihood of a federal government shutdown as Democrats strongly oppose the policy. The cuts specifically “affect programs of the Department of State and the United States Agency… Continue reading Trump blocks $5 billion foreign aid raising US shutdown risk

GENEVA: The United Nations has documented at least 841 executions in Iran since the beginning of this year. UN human rights office spokeswoman Ravina Shamdasani stated that this figure represents “a major increase in executions” during the first half of 2025. “The real situation might be different,“ she added. “It might be worse, given the… Continue reading UN reports 841 executions in Iran this year amid rights concerns

BANGKOK: Former Thai prime minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra declared on Friday that her actions during a controversial phone conversation with Cambodian leader Hun Sen were motivated solely by national interest. She maintained that her intentions focused entirely on serving the country rather than pursuing any personal advantage during the discussion that ultimately led to her dismissal.… Continue reading Sacked Thai PM says acted for country’s benefit in Cambodia call

JERUSALEM: The Israeli military has expressed regret following a drone explosion that killed two Lebanese soldiers in southern Lebanon on Thursday. Lebanon’s army reported that an officer and a soldier died while inspecting the crashed Israeli drone in the Naqura area. President Joseph Aoun described this as the fourth deadly incident for Lebanon’s army since… Continue reading Israel expresses regret after drone blast kills two Lebanese soldiers

JAKARTA: Indonesian police deployed tear gas against hundreds of protesters demonstrating over the death of a motorcycle taxi driver in the capital on Friday. President Prabowo Subianto promised a thorough investigation into the death of gig motorcycle driver Affan Kurniawan hours before the clashes erupted. “I have ordered the last night’s incident to be thoroughly… Continue reading Indonesia police fire tear gas at protesters after motorcycle driver’s death

JERUSALEM: The Israeli military announced on Friday it had recovered the remains of two hostages during an operation in the Gaza Strip. “In an IDF (Israeli military) operation, the body of Ilan Weiss was recovered, along with remains of another fallen hostage whose name has not yet been released, from the Gaza Strip,“ the army… Continue reading Israel recovers remains of two hostages from Gaza in military operation

VIENNA: Austria’s data protection authority has ordered YouTube to comply with European Union regulations regarding user data access requests. The authority confirmed it demanded YouTube respond to user requests for access to personal data held by the platform. This decision follows a 2019 complaint filed by Austrian privacy campaign group Noyb against eight streaming services… Continue reading Austria orders YouTube to comply with EU data access requests

JERUSALEM: The Israeli military has officially declared Gaza City a dangerous combat zone ahead of an impending offensive to capture the Palestinian territory’s largest urban centre. This declaration comes after nearly two years of devastating conflict that has displaced the vast majority of Gaza’s population and prompted the United Nations to declare a famine in… Continue reading Israel declares Gaza City a dangerous combat zone ahead of offensive

BANGKOK: Thailand’s ruling coalition remains united and the Pheu Thai party maintains confidence in forming the next government according to the acting premier. Acting premier Phumtham Wechayachai confirmed the alliance’s solidarity during a Friday press conference following the court’s dismissal of the prime minister. “We remain together and Pheu Thai will form the government and… Continue reading Thai acting premier confirms coalition unity, PM nomination imminent

SINGAPORE: American comedian Sammy Obeid has accused Singaporean authorities of censorship after they refused to grant a permit for his stand-up performance addressing Palestine and Israel. Obeid claimed in a social media post that his Sunday show was cancelled because regulator Infocomm Media Development Authority rejected his script despite submitting a heavily toned-down version. “I… Continue reading US comedian accuses Singapore of censorship over cancelled Palestine show

TERMEZ: Central Asian nations are prioritising economic cooperation with Taliban-led Afghanistan through new trade initiatives like the Airitom customs-free zone near Termez. Uzbekistan’s Airitom complex symbolises growing regional trade links, hosting 300 businesses and offering visa-free access for Afghans alongside modern medical facilities. Taliban representative Sayed Zaher Shah stated, “We have big plans for Central… Continue reading Central Asia boosts economic ties with Taliban despite security concerns

JAKARTA: Indonesia’s president promised Friday to investigate the death of a motorcycle taxi driver in clashes between protesters and police. Hundreds of protesters rallied near the Indonesian parliament complex Thursday as anger rose over hefty pay for lawmakers. This included a monthly housing allowance of 50 million rupiah (US$3,034), nearly ten times the minimum wage… Continue reading Indonesia president orders probe into driver’s death during protests

MOSCOW: Russian composer Rodion Shchedrin has died at the age of 92 according to an announcement from Moscow’s Bolshoi Theatre. The theatre described his passing as an “enormous tragedy” in a statement released on Friday. Shchedrin was the husband of late ballet legend Maya Plisetskaya and was hailed as “one of the greatest contemporary geniuses”.… Continue reading Russian composer Rodion Shchedrin dies aged 92 in Munich

BANGKOK: Thailand’s Constitutional Court began delivering its verdict on suspended Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra on Friday. The court could remove her from office over her handling of the country’s border dispute with Cambodia. Paetongtarn, daughter of controversial billionaire ex-prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra, was suspended from office last month after being accused of failing to stand… Continue reading Thai court rules on PM’s fate after Cambodia phone call controversy

COLOMBO: A former Sri Lankan government minister surrendered to court on Friday after evading authorities for two months. This detention represents the latest high-profile arrest in the country’s sweeping anti-corruption campaign. Anti-graft units have significantly intensified investigations since President Anura Kumara Dissanayake assumed power in September with a mandate to combat corruption. Former fisheries minister… Continue reading Sri Lankan ex-minister surrenders in anti-corruption crackdown

LONDON: Israeli government representatives will not receive invitations to a major London arms fair next month amid deteriorating diplomatic relations over the Gaza conflict. A UK defence ministry spokesperson confirmed on Friday that no Israeli delegation would attend the DSEI UK 2025 event in September. Israeli defence companies will still be permitted to participate in… Continue reading UK bars Israeli officials from London arms fair amid Gaza tensions

RENNES: The last surviving member of the French resistance force that withstood a German advance in a key battle in the north African desert in World War II has died aged 103, authorities announced. Paul Leterrier fought in the 1942 battle of Bir-Hakeim in Libya with the Free French Forces who had evaded the German… Continue reading Last French survivor of key WWII desert battle dies aged 103

ROME: Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni has urged women to immediately report intimate photographs shared online without their consent after discovering she was among the victims. Meloni expressed disgust after doctored photos of high-profile women including herself and opposition leader Elly Schlein appeared on a pornographic website. The images originated from photographs at political rallies… Continue reading Italy’s Meloni urges women to report intimate photo sharing online

NEW DELHI: The head of India’s powerful Hindu nationalist Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) said that Indian families must have three children each, warning about the long-term risks from the current trend of declining birth rates. At 1.46 billion, India is the world’s most populous nation but the total fertility rate has dropped to less than… Continue reading India’s powerful Hindu group chief urges three-child families as fertility rates fall

DEMAND for physical gold in India picked up slightly this week, despite a recovery in prices, as jewellers stocked up ahead of the festive season, while activity remained subdued elsewhere. Indian dealers were charged a premium of up to $4 per ounce over official domestic prices, inclusive of 6% import and 3% sales levies, compared… Continue reading Indian jewellers stock up for festive season; activity muted elsewhere

SEOUL: Kim Keon Hee, the wife of South Korea’s ousted former President Yoon Suk Yeol, has been indicted for bribery and other charges, a special prosecution team said on Friday, amid a widening probe into the country’s martial law crisis and scandals involving the once powerful couple. Both Yoon and Kim have been arrested and… Continue reading South Korea’s former first lady Kim Keon Hee indicted for bribery

BILLIONAIRE Elon Musk filed a motion on Thursday to dismiss the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission’s (SEC) civil lawsuit that accused him of waiting too long in 2022 to reveal his large stake in social media platform Twitter, later renamed as X. In a complaint filed in Washington, D.C. federal court in January, the SEC… Continue reading Musk seeks dismissal of SEC lawsuit on his 2022 Twitter stake