Category: World

A preliminary report depicted confusion in the cockpit shortly before an Air India jetliner crashed, killing 260 people last month, after the plane’s engine fuel cutoff switches almost simultaneously flipped, starving the engines of fuel. The Boeing 787 Dreamliner bound for London from the Indian city of Ahmedabad immediately began to lose thrust and sink… Continue reading Air India crash report shows pilot confusion over engine switch movement

GOOGLE has hired Windsurf CEO Varun Mohan, co-founder Douglas Chen, and select members of the coding tool’s research and development team to join its DeepMind division, a Google spokesperson said on Friday, in a move to strengthen itself in the race for AI leadership. Mohan and the Windsurf team will focus on agentic coding initiatives… Continue reading Google hires Windsurf CEO and researchers to advance AI ambitions

A preliminary report into the Air India crash that killed 260 people last month showed the plane’s engines fuel cutoff switches almost simultaneously flipped from run to cutoff, starving the engines of fuel. Here is the sequence of events – by the seconds – on June 12, as detailed by Indian investigators in their preliminary… Continue reading Inside the cockpit: How Air India’s Boeing Dreamliner flight ended in disaster

GENEVA: The U.N. rights office said on Friday it had recorded at least 798 killings within the past six weeks at aid points in Gaza run by the U.S.- and Israeli-backed Gaza Humanitarian Foundation and near convoys run by other relief groups. The GHF uses private U.S. security and logistics companies to get supplies into… Continue reading UN reports 798 deaths near Gaza aid hubs amid ongoing conflict

ROME: Fatigue over the war in Ukraine and U.S.-led foreign aid cuts are jeopardising efforts to support people fleeing hardship, the head of the U.N. migration agency warned in an interview on Friday. International Organization for Migration (IOM) Director General Amy Pope was speaking a day after a Ukraine recovery conference in Rome mobilised over… Continue reading UN migration chief warns of Ukraine war fatigue and aid cuts impact

BRUSSELS: The European Union braced on Friday for a possible letter from U.S. President Donald Trump, outlining planned duties on his largest trade and investment partner after a broadening of his tariff war in recent days. The EU initially hoped to strike a comprehensive trade agreement, including zero-for-zero tariffs on industrial goods, but months of… Continue reading EU awaits Trump tariff letter as trade tensions escalate

GENEVA: Essential services for the Rohingya refugee population in Bangladesh are at risk of collapsing unless more money is found, the United Nations refugee agency said on Friday, with its appeal for $255 million to support them just 35% funded. More than 1 million Rohingya have been crammed into the camps in southeastern Bangladesh, the… Continue reading Rohingya refugee crisis in Bangladesh nears collapse as funding dries up

BERLIN: A planned vote on appointing three new judges to Germany’s Constitutional Court was shelved on Friday, as conservative Chancellor Friedrich Merz’s coalition struggled to muster a parliamentary majority for the second time in three months. Other parties, including his Social Democrat coalition partners, charged the Christian Democrats with bringing Germany’s highest court into disrepute… Continue reading German coalition crisis as top judge vote postponed over plagiarism claims

ISLAMABAD: A Pakistani court on Friday suspended an order seeking to ban the YouTube channels of more than two dozen critics of the government including former Prime Minister Imran Khan, a defence lawyer said. Alphabet-owned YouTube this week told 27 content creators that it could block their channels – including those of journalists and Khan… Continue reading Pakistan court suspends YouTube ban order on govt critics

MIGRATION into the European Union pushed its population to a record 450.4 million people last year, offsetting a natural population decline for the fourth straight year, EU data released on Friday showed. WHY IT MATTERS Since 2012, the EU has recorded more deaths than births annually, making migration the sole driver of population growth. The… Continue reading EU population reaches 450 million driven by migration boost

LONDON: U.S. singer Chris Brown on Friday pleaded not guilty to a charge of assault causing actual bodily harm by allegedly attacking a music producer with a bottle in a London nightclub two years ago. Brown last month denied a more serious charge of attempting to inflict grievous bodily harm in what prosecutors said was… Continue reading Chris Brown pleads not guilty to assault charge in London court

KUALA LUMPUR: ASEAN Foreign Ministers have reaffirmed their support for Myanmar’s efforts to restore peace and stability in Rakhine State, while underscoring the importance of safe and voluntary repatriation of displaced persons. In a joint communique issued at the end of the 58th ASEAN Foreign Ministers’ Meeting here, on Friday, the bloc reiterated its commitment… Continue reading ASEAN backs Myanmar peace efforts and Rohingya repatriation

KUALA LUMPUR: ASEAN Foreign Ministers look forward to strengthening regional coordination to enhance halal food trade, responding to the rising global demand for halal products. In the Joint Communique issued Friday following the 58th ASEAN Foreign Ministers’ Meeting on Wednesday (July 9), ministers emphasised the need to harmonise national halal standards with regional and international… Continue reading ASEAN aims to boost halal food trade amid rising global demand

KUALA LUMPUR: The United States (US) has emphasised cybersecurity as a key area of cooperation with ASEAN, highlighting the strong shared commitment among member countries to tackle cyber threats and safeguard the region’s rapidly-expanding digital economy. US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said tackling cybercrime syndicates that prey on citizens across borders was a key… Continue reading US and ASEAN boost cybersecurity cooperation to combat cyber threats

KUALA LUMPUR: ASEAN foreign ministers commended the ASEAN Digital Ministers (ADGMIN) for their active role in strengthening regional digital cooperation and boosting economic growth. In the Joint Communique of the 58th ASEAN Foreign Ministers’ Meeting on July 9, 2025, the ministers highlighted that the ADGMIN’s contributions in digitalising the region include the development of ASEAN… Continue reading ASEAN ministers praise digital progress in 5G, AI, and cybersecurity

BERLIN: Germany has no plans to procure additional F-35 fighter jets, a defence ministry spokesperson said on Friday, denying a Politico report that the country planned to grow its planned fleet to 50. So far, Germany has ordered 35 of the U.S.-made jets to replace a total of 85 ageing Tornado fighter jets that will… Continue reading Germany denies plans to buy more F-35 jets beyond current order

JAKARTA: Mount Lewotobi Laki-Laki, located in Indonesia’s East Nusa Tenggara province, erupted on Friday afternoon, prompting a flight warning, according to the country’s Centre for Volcanology and Geological Disaster Mitigation, reported Xinhua. The eruption occurred at 2.10 pm local time, sending a column of ash up to 4 kilometres (km) into the sky. Thick gray… Continue reading Mt. Lewotobi Laki-Laki erupts, triggers flight warning in Indonesia

KUALA LUMPUR: ASEAN has reiterated its commitment to admitting Timor-Leste as its 11th member by 2025, as confirmed during the 47th ASEAN Summit preparations. The bloc emphasised its support for Timor-Leste’s early accession to key economic agreements to ensure seamless integration. Foreign ministers, in a joint communique issued after the 58th ASEAN Foreign Ministers’ Meeting,… Continue reading ASEAN reaffirms commitment to Timor-Leste membership by 2025

SINGAPORE: Singapore will launch two new initiatives in 2026 to support the Palestinian Authority (PA), including a Young Leaders’ Programme designed to share the city-state’s expertise in governance and public administration with emerging Palestinian leaders. Singapore Foreign Minister Dr Vivian Balakrishnan also announced that the other initiative is a joint training programme with Japan aimed… Continue reading Singapore to launch initiatives supporting Palestinian Authority in 2026

KUALA LUMPUR: The United States (US) has dismissed concerns that its newly announced global tariffs could alienate ASEAN partners, reiterating that the measures are necessary to address long-standing trade imbalances. US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said the tariffs, which will take effect on August 1, are part of a broader strategy to tackle unsustainable… Continue reading US dismisses ASEAN concerns over new global tariffs

KUALA LUMPUR: The ASEAN foreign ministers expressed grave concern over the dire humanitarian situation in Gaza, urging all parties to resolve differences through diplomacy and dialogue in the interest of maintaining peace and stability. In a joint communique issued at the end of the 58th ASEAN Foreign Ministers’ Meeting here, the ministers condemned all attacks… Continue reading ASEAN calls for Gaza ceasefire, humanitarian access amid crisis

KUALA LUMPUR: United States (US) President Donald Trump’s visit to China is expected to proceed, with both sides now working on finding the right date, said US Secretary of State Marco Rubio. He said the summit between Trump and China’s President Xi Jinping is likely to take place, following his first face-to-face meeting with his… Continue reading Trump’s China visit in discussion, says US Secretary Rubio

KYIV: Kyiv will allocate 260 million hryvnias ($6.2 million) for a drone interceptor program to defend the capital’s skies from Russian drones, city authorities said on Friday. Russia has stepped up its combined attacks on the Ukrainian capital in recent weeks, launching hundreds of drones and missiles in hours-long night assaults which caused damage to… Continue reading Kyiv invests $6.2m in drone interceptors to counter Russian attacks

KUALA LUMPUR: U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio met with Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi in Kuala Lumpur on Friday, their first in-person meeting at a time of simmering trade tensions between the two major powers. Washington’s top diplomat is in Malaysia on his first trip to Asia since taking office, attending the East Asia… Continue reading Rubio meets China’s Wang Yi in Malaysia amid rising trade tensions

NAIROBI: Kenya’s President William Ruto has approved a new chairperson and commissioners to head the elections commission, a legal notice showed, filling positions of critical influence in a country with a long history of contentious polls. The East African nation’s next general election will be held in 2027, but Ruto is already under pressure from… Continue reading Kenyan president appoints new elections body officials ahead of 2027 polls

MOYGASHEL (Northern Ireland): A model of refugees in a boat, placed on a bonfire in a pro-British town near Belfast, was set alight on Thursday night, weeks after migrants’ homes were attacked nearby. The display prompted condemnations by politicians across Northern Ireland’s political divides, and police said they were investigating it as a hate incident.… Continue reading Refugee effigy bonfire sparks outrage in Northern Ireland

LONDON: The Anglican Communion is exploring diluting the Archbishop of Canterbury’s role as its central symbolic leader, in an attempt to prevent internal divisions over ordination of women and inclusion of the LGBTQ+ community from tearing apart the world’s third-largest Christian faith. For centuries, the man who crowns British monarchs as the seniormost bishop in… Continue reading Archbishop of Canterbury may reduce global role to prevent Anglican split

HAMBURG: A 26-year-old man has died after being dragged by a train at Hamburg’s central station in northern Germany. The incident occurred overnight when the victim reportedly kicked the approaching train, lost his balance, and became trapped between the train and the platform. Police confirmed the man’s brother was present and witnessed the accident. The… Continue reading Man dies at Hamburg station after being dragged by train

VICTORIA Police have arrested a man for alleged racial abuse of a National Basketball League (NBL) player via social media in a first for the sport in Australia, the national governing body said on Friday. Basketball Australia said that on July 2 police arrested and charged a 37-year-old Huntingdale man who allegedly sent the message… Continue reading Australia police arrest man over online racial abuse of player

MOSCOW: Ukraine’s overnight and early Friday morning drone attacks killed two people in Russia and attempted to hit targets in Moscow, Russian authorities said. Russian air defences downed 155 Ukrainian drones between 11 p.m. on Thursday (2000 GMT) and 7 a.m. on Friday, including 11 bound for Moscow, Russia’s defence ministry said on the Telegram… Continue reading Ukraine drone attacks kill two in Russia, target Moscow, Russia says

TESLA will open its first India showroom in Mumbai next week, having imported $1 million worth of cars and merchandise, marking its entry into the world’s third-largest car market despite CEO Elon Musk’s complaints about high import tariffs. In an invitation to media late Thursday, the carmaker said the July 15 event was the “launch… Continue reading Musk’s Tesla marks formal India entry with Mumbai launch event

SYDNEY: Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese leaves for Shanghai on Saturday on an official visit to China where regional security tensions and efforts to grow economic ties are likely to dominate talks. Australia’s exports to China, its largest trading partner, span agriculture and energy but are dominated by iron ore, and Albanese will travel with… Continue reading Security, trade in focus as Australia PM Albanese heads to China

ROME: The founder of Italian fashion house Giorgio Armani issued a message as he turned 91 on Friday to say that he will be back in September, after a health problem forced him to miss the Milan and Paris fashion shows in recent weeks. It was the first time Giorgio Armani has missed one of… Continue reading Recovering Giorgio Armani says he will be back in September

SINGAPORE: The U.S. dollar rose on Friday, fuelled by upheavals in the global trade landscape, as U.S. President Donald Trump announced more import tariffs, ranging from 35% on neighbouring Canada to plans for blanket levies of 15% or 20% on most trade partners. Most currencies initially held in tight ranges in early Asian trade, though… Continue reading Dollar rises after Trump unveils new tariffs; bitcoin at record

LOS ANGELES: Federal agents conducted immigration enforcement raids on Thursday on state-licensed marijuana nurseries in an agricultural region of coastal Southern California, where they were confronted by throngs of angry protesters. As word and video images of the raids spread on social media, dozens of migrant-rights activists converged on the area in vehicles leading to… Continue reading Immigration raids on California cannabis nurseries spark protests

U.S. PRESIDENT Donald Trump’s plans to impose 50% tariffs on copper would include semi-finished products such as those used for power grids, the military and data centers, Bloomberg News reported on Thursday, citing people familiar with the matter. Trump on Wednesday announced a new 50% tariff on copper starting August 1, in a bid to… Continue reading Trump’s copper tariffs plan to include semi-finished products, Bloomberg News reports

SINGAPORE: Saudi Arabia’s crude oil exports to China are set to rise to the highest in more than two years in August, five trade sources said on Friday, as the top exporter seeks to regain market share in the world’s biggest importer. State oil firm Saudi Aramco will ship about 51 million barrels to China… Continue reading Saudi oil exports to China to rise to over two-year high in August, sources say

WASHINGTON: U.S. President Donald Trump said on Thursday the United States would impose a 35% tariff on imports from Canada next month and planned to impose blanket tariffs of 15% or 20% on most other trading partners. In a letter released on his social media platform, Trump told Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney the new… Continue reading Trump to Impose 35% Tariff on Canadian Imports Aug 1