Category: World

WASHINGTON: Nels Nordquist, a top economic aide to U.S. President Donald Trump, is leaving the White House to take a senior role at the International Labor Organization in Geneva, five sources familiar with the plans said. Nordquist had served as deputy director for international economics at the National Economic Council, giving him a key role… Continue reading Trump economic aide Nels Nordquist to leave White House for UN agency, sources say

STOCKHOLM: Sweden and the Netherlands have urged the European Union to adopt sanctions against both Israel and Hamas over the ongoing conflict in Gaza. The two nations specifically called for targeted sanctions on Israeli government ministers and Jewish settlers in occupied Palestinian territories. They also demanded new sanctions against the political leadership of Hamas, which… Continue reading Sweden and Netherlands urge EU sanctions on Israel and Hamas leaders

LONDON: Liberal Democrats leader Ed Davey will boycott a state banquet hosted by King Charles during Donald Trump’s upcoming visit to Britain. Davey stated his decision aims to send a strong message regarding Trump’s position on the Gaza conflict. The US president is scheduled to visit the UK from September 17 to 19 for his… Continue reading UK Liberal Democrats leader to boycott Trump state dinner over Gaza

BANGKOK: The death toll from Typhoon Kajiki in northern Thailand has increased to five people with fifteen others injured due to landslides and flooding. Officials confirmed the updated casualty figures on Thursday as heavy rainfall is expected to continue throughout the week. The storm initially made landfall in Vietnam on Monday, forcing tens of thousands… Continue reading Typhoon Kajiki death toll rises to five in Thailand with heavy rain forecast

BRUSSELS: The European Union summoned Moscow’s envoy in Brussels on Thursday following a massive attack on Kyiv that killed at least 14 people and damaged the bloc’s diplomatic mission. European Commission chief Ursula von der Leyen addressed the press in Brussels after the strike, calling it proof “the Kremlin will stop at nothing” and vowing… Continue reading EU summons Russian envoy after Kyiv strike damages diplomatic mission

KYIV: Russian missiles and drones struck apartment blocks in the Ukrainian capital early Thursday, killing at least 15 people including four children. President Volodymyr Zelensky declared the attack demonstrated Moscow’s rejection of peace negotiations despite international ceasefire efforts. Russia continued aerial assaults on Ukrainian cities despite US President Donald Trump’s push for a ceasefire and… Continue reading Russian missile attack kills 15 in Kyiv amid collapsed peace talks

MINNEAPOLIS: Investigators are seeking to determine why a heavily armed shooter opened fire on children at a church service in Minneapolis on Wednesday. City police chief Brian O’Hara confirmed the attacker sprayed bullets through the windows of the Annunciation Church as dozens of young students attended a Mass marking their first week back at school.… Continue reading Investigation underway after US shooting kills two children, injures 17

A man in Jiangsu, China, has been sentenced to two years in jail for breaking into a woman’s home, sedating her and drawing her blood, claiming he did it to relieve stress. According to South China Morning Post, the man named Li, entered the home of a woman called Yu while her husband was out… Continue reading Man breaks into woman’s home and draws her blood for ‘stress relief’

BEIJING: North Korean leader Kim Jong Un will attend a major military parade in China next week commemorating eighty years since the end of World War II. Both nations confirmed his participation on Thursday alongside Russian President Vladimir Putin and Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian. The event will showcase China’s latest military equipment and feature President… Continue reading Kim Jong Un to attend China’s military parade with Putin and Pezeshkian

WASHINGTON: Climate-driven wildfires are reversing decades of air pollution progress across North America according to a new study released Thursday. The Air Quality Life Index annual report reveals the United States and Canada experienced the sharpest pollution increases globally due to record-breaking wildfires supercharged by climate change. Michael Greenstone, an economics professor at the University… Continue reading Climate-driven wildfires reversing pollution progress in N. America: study

GEORGETOWN: Guyana holds a pivotal election today to determine leadership of South America’s fastest-growing economy following its transformation into an oil superpower. The nation’s economic fortunes changed dramatically after ExxonMobil discovered massive offshore crude deposits in 2015. Guyana achieved world-leading economic growth of 43.6% in 2024 driven entirely by surging oil revenues. The government aims… Continue reading Guyana votes on oil wealth management amid economic boom and disputes

THE city of Toyoake in Aichi, Japan, has proposed an ordinance urging residents to limit smartphone use to two hours a day outside work or school. The draft, however, does not impose penalties for exceeding the recommended limit. According to The Japan Times, Toyoake Mayor Masafumi Koki said on August 22 that the proposal aims… Continue reading Japanese city proposes two-hour daily smartphone guideline

BEIJING: President Xi Jinping will host global leaders including Russia’s Vladimir Putin and India’s Narendra Modi for a major regional summit this weekend. The Shanghai Cooperation Organisation gathering represents China’s effort to showcase non-Western collaboration models ahead of a significant military parade. Twenty world leaders will attend the bloc’s largest meeting since its 2001 founding,… Continue reading China hosts SCO summit to strengthen non-Western alliances amid global tensions

KABUL: The Taliban government has announced it will resume pension payments for Afghanistan’s nearly 150,000 retired military and civil servants after a four-year suspension. They will be the last public sector workers to receive any payments, after the cash-strapped authorities announced an end to the public pension scheme last year. “When you’re jobless sitting at… Continue reading Taliban resumes Afghan pension payments after four-year suspension

WASHINGTON: The Trump administration confirmed it had terminated the head of America’s top public health agency after she refused to resign during a confrontation with vaccine-sceptic Health Secretary Robert F Kennedy Jr. The escalating dispute over Kennedy’s comprehensive overhaul of United States vaccine policy also prompted five other senior officials at the Centers for Disease… Continue reading White House fires CDC head after vaccine policy dispute with RFK Jr

SEOUL: South Korean Foreign Minister Cho Hyun said on Thursday that the U.S. and South Korea agreed to discuss nuclear fuel reprocessing following a summit between U.S. President Donald Trump and South Korean President Lee Jae Myung this week. “We operate 26 nuclear power plants, buying and bringing in fuel for them every time… We… Continue reading South Korea minister says agreed with US to discuss nuclear fuel reprocessing

MADRID: Irish budget airline Ryanair plans to cut the number of flights to and from regional airports in Spain in reaction to a fee increase by state-controlled airport operator Aena, Europa Press reported on Wednesday, citing senior executive Eddie Wilson. The airline will officially announce next Wednesday a reduction of its capacity to and from… Continue reading Ryanair to cut one million more passenger seats in Spain next winter, Europa Press

TOKYO: Japanese toilet giant TOTO has launched a service allowing those caught short in public to locate the nearest washrooms and see how busy they are real-time with a phone and QR code. Japan like other countries struggles with managing long queues outside public toilets, particularly for women, in its teeming train stations and other… Continue reading Need a pee? Japan has QR code for that

POREPUNKAH: Australian police said Thursday they will not rest until they catch a 56-year-old gunman who fled into the bush two days earlier after allegedly killing two officers. Detectives said they were speaking to the man’s partner and searching rugged, forested terrain near the small town of Porepunkah, in the northeast of Victoria state. The… Continue reading Gunman still at large after Australian police killings

GOLD prices inched lower on Thursday, as market participants took profits after a recent rally and held back from placing massive bets ahead of U.S. economic data that could clarify the Federal Reserve’s interest rate outlook. Spot gold was down 0.2% at $3,389.73 per ounce, as of 0538 GMT. Earlier in the session, bullion touched… Continue reading Gold subdued as investors await US data for Fed guidance

BANGKOK: Myanmar’s military chief Min Aung Hlaing will visit China to attend a summit of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization, state media said on Thursday, ahead of the war-torn country’s first election in nearly five years, which has been backed by Beijing. Myanmar has been in chaos since the military ousted the democratically elected government led… Continue reading Myanmar’s military chief to visit China to attend SCO summit, state media says

WASHINGTON: President Donald Trump’s administration moved Thursday to impose stricter limits on how long foreign students and journalists can stay in the United States, the latest bid to tighten legal immigration in the country. Under a proposed change, foreigners would not be allowed to stay for more than four years on student visas in the… Continue reading Trump moves to limit US stays of students, journalists

BUENOS AIRES: Argentine President Javier Milei was rushed out of a public event by his security team in Buenos Aires province on Wednesday after protesters threw rocks and other objects at his car, according to Reuters witnesses. The president was standing in the back of a moving pickup truck with security team members and his… Continue reading Argentina’s Milei rushed from campaign event as protesters throw rocks at car

SEOUL: South Korea has passed a bill banning the use of mobile phones in school classrooms nationwide, officials said Thursday, joining other countries in efforts to curb social media use among minors. One of the world’s most wired nations, South Korea has recently sought to tighten rules on electronic devices in schools, citing concerns over… Continue reading South Korea to ban mobile phones in school classrooms

LONDON: The personal details of almost 200 survivors of abuse in the Church of England have been leaked in a data breach from a scheme that was set up to offer them compensation, a victims’ group and officials said. It was another blow for the Church, which has been working to restore trust after a… Continue reading Personal details of Church of England abuse victims leaked, say survivors

MINNEAPOLIS: An assailant armed with three guns fired through stained-glass windows into a Catholic church where parish school students were attending Mass on Wednesday, killing two children and wounding 17 other people, officials said. The shooting ended when the lone suspect, identified as Robin Westman, 23, “took his own life” at the rear of the… Continue reading Shooter kills two Minneapolis school children in Catholic church, wounds 17 others

DAMASCUS: Israeli ground troops raided a Syrian site it had already bombed on Wednesday and a day prior, Syrian state media reported. Israel had struck the site near Kisweh, outside Damascus on Tuesday, killing six Syrian soldiers according to Damascus’ foreign ministry, and bombed it again on Wednesday according to state television. Quoting a government… Continue reading Israeli troops raid bombed Syria site: state media

UNITED NATIONS: A group of seven countries including the United States on Wednesday asked the UN Security Council to strengthen the multinational force tapped to combat gang violence in Haiti, according to a letter seen by AFP. The letter also announced the seven countries will form a “group of partners” to oversee the mission, which… Continue reading UK car exports to US rebound on trade deal: industry

BOGOTÁ: The 15-year-old shooter of Colombian presidential candidate Miguel Uribe, who was attacked in June and died in August, was sentenced Wednesday to seven years in juvenile detention. The right-wing politician was shot in the head during a campaign event in Bogota by the teenager, who “must remain in a specialized care center for seven… Continue reading Teen shooter of Colombian presidential hopeful sentenced to 7 years

BRUSSELS: All NATO members will hit a longstanding target of spending 2% of GDP on defence this year but only three currently reach a new, higher goal set by alliance leaders in June, NATO data released on Thursday showed. Many NATO countries have substantially increased military spending in recent years, following Russia’s 2022 invasion of… Continue reading All NATO members hit old spending target, only three meet new goal

AN Israeli official accused of trying to meet a 15-year-old girl for sex outside Las Vegas has been ordered to appear via videolink next week after he missed his arraignment hearing on Wednesday, local media reported. Tom Alexandrovich, a senior cybersecurity official with the Israeli government, was one of eight people arrested as part of… Continue reading Israeli official accused of Nevada sex crime ordered to appear in court via Zoom

YOUTUBE and Fox said on Wednesday they have reached a short-term agreement that will keep Fox News, Fox Sports and other Fox channels available to YouTube TV subscribers. The extension buys time for the parties to reach a new distribution agreement. Negotiations continue as the college football season prepares to kick off, with an anticipated… Continue reading YouTube reaches short-term extension with Fox to prevent disruption

WASHINGTON: U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Director Susan Monarez has left the agency less than a month after being sworn in, the Department of Health and Human Services confirmed on Wednesday, and three senior officials have resigned. CDC Chief Medical Officer Debra Houry and National Center for Immunization and Respiratory Diseases Director Demetre… Continue reading US CDC chief exits after weeks in role, three top officials resign

WASHINGTON: Iran has launched a speedy clean-up operation at a nuclear-related site in northern Tehran hit by Israeli airstrikes that will likely remove evidence of any nuclear weapons development work, a research group said on Wednesday. Satellite imagery “shows a significant effort by Iran to rapidly demolish damaged or destroyed buildings, likely to sanitize any… Continue reading Clean-up of Iran site likely to erase any evidence of nuclear work, research group says

LAHORE: Pakistani authorities conducted a controlled explosion of a dam embankment to manage surging floodwaters from three rain-swollen rivers. The emergency measure at Qadirabad dam on the Chenab River aimed to reduce water pressure and prevent structural failure amid unprecedented monsoon flooding. “To save the structure, we have breached the right marginal embankment so that… Continue reading Pakistan blows up dam embankment to control monsoon flood surge

ISTANBUL: A groom tragically died from injuries sustained during celebratory gunfire following his wedding ceremony in northern Turkey. The 23-year-old identified as Ali K was wounded as newlyweds were being escorted home after their wedding celebration. State news agency Anadolu reported the fatal shooting allegedly came from a female relative of the bride. Authorities detained… Continue reading Groom killed by celebratory gunfire at Turkish wedding ceremony

COPENHAGEN: Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen has formally apologised to more than 4,500 Greenlandic victims of Denmark’s forced contraception campaign. From the 1960s until 1992, Danish authorities forced about half of the island’s 9,000 fertile Inuit women to wear a contraceptive coil without their or their family’s consent. Many of the women were left sterile… Continue reading Danish PM apologises to Greenland victims of forced contraception

BERLIN: The German cabinet has approved new measures to strengthen military recruitment and readiness amid heightened NATO-Russia tensions. Defence Minister Boris Pistorius stated the initiative aims to attract volunteers to the Bundeswehr while including provisions for potential compulsory service if recruitment targets are not met. Starting January 1 next year, all young German men and… Continue reading German cabinet approves new military recruitment and conscription measures

GAZA CITY: Israeli forces intensified operations around Gaza City on Wednesday amid growing international pressure to end the nearly two-year military campaign. President Donald Trump prepared to host a White House meeting to discuss post-war plans for the devastated Palestinian territory. The United Nations has declared a famine in Gaza governorate while mediators circulate a… Continue reading Israel intensifies Gaza City operations as Trump prepares post-war plan

MOSCOW: Russia has firmly rejected the possibility of European peacekeeping troops deploying to Ukraine while casting doubt on an imminent meeting with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov stated that Moscow views discussions about European military presence in Ukraine “negatively” during a briefing with reporters. “We view such discussions negatively,“ Peskov said when… Continue reading Russia rejects EU troops in Ukraine and delays Zelensky meeting