Category: World

GAZA CITY: Gaza’s civil defence agency said Israeli forces killed at least 36 Palestinians on Saturday, six of them in a shooting near a US-backed aid distribution centre. The Israeli military told AFP that troops had fired “warning shots” at individuals that it said were “advancing in a way that endangered the troops”. The shooting… Continue reading Gaza rescuers say Israel fire kills 36, six of them near aid centre

BOGOTÁ: A Colombian right-wing opposition senator and candidate to next year’s presidential election was shot and wounded during a campaign event in Bogota on Saturday, the government said. A video circulating on social media shows 39-year-old Miguel Uribe giving a speech in front of several people when gunshots suddenly ring out. In other images he… Continue reading Colombian presidential candidate shot and wounded

ZAMBIA on Saturday declared seven days of national mourning in honour of the country’s former president Edgar Lungu, who died in South Africa on Thursday, the government said. Lungu, who died at the age of 68, ruled the large but sparsely populated southern African nation from January 2015 until August 2021, when he lost to… Continue reading Zambia declares national mourning for ex-president Edgar Lungu

LOS ANGELES: Federal agents clashed with angry protestors in the Los Angeles area for a second day Saturday, shooting flash-bang grenades into the crowd and shutting part of a freeway amid raids on undocumented migrants, reports said. The standoff took place in the suburb of Paramount, where demonstrators had gathered near a Home Depot that… Continue reading US agents, protesters clash again in Los Angeles over immigration raids

AN OVERNIGHT Ukrainian drone attack sparked a short-lived fire at the Azot chemical plant and injured two people in Russia’s Tula region, a regional governor said early on Sunday. “The fire has been extinguished,“ Governor Dmitry Milyaev said on the Telegram messaging app. He said that there is no threat to the air quality near… Continue reading Ukraine’s drone attack sparks fire at chemical plant in Russia’s Tula region, governor says

HANOI: Vietnam welcomed more than 9.2 million international tourists in the first five months of 2025, up 21.3 per cent from the same period last year, with Malaysia among its top 10 source markets. In May alone, the country recorded 1.53 million international arrivals, a 10.5 per cent year-on-year increase, Vietnam News Agency (VNA) reported,… Continue reading Vietnam welcomes over 9.2 million foreign tourists in first five months

WASHINGTON: Rainbow flags flooded Washington’s streets on Saturday as the US capital celebrated WorldPride with a massive show of support for LGBTQ rights, which are facing an assault by the Trump administration. “We just have to show this administration, that we are united, that we cannot be broken,“ said Amy Froelich, a 46-year-old artist and… Continue reading WorldPride March in Washington thumbs nose at Trump

HUNDREDS of thousands of people marched through the streets of Rome on Saturday to protest the war in Gaza in a rally called by opposition parties denouncing the government’s alleged “complicity” in the conflict. “Stop the massacre, stop complicity!” read a wide banner held by protestors at the start of the march, amid a sea… Continue reading Thousands march in Rome to protest ‘complicity’ on Gaza war

THESSALONIK: A 5.3-magnitude earthquake on Saturday rocked the Greek Orthodox religious enclave of Mount Athos in northern Greece, Athens’ Institute of Geodynamics said. The undersea quake had a depth of just 12.5 kilometres (7.7 miles) and struck northwest of the enclave’s administrative capital of Karyes, the institute said on its website. A fire department source… Continue reading 5.3-magnitude quake rocks Greece’s Mount Athos religious enclave

MOSCOW: Russian President Vladimir Putin has signed a Bill that ratifies the treaty between Russia and the Republic of Seychelles on mutual legal assistance in criminal matters, the Kremlin said on Saturday, according to Ria Novosti. “The president signed the federal law on ‘Ratification of the Treaty between the Russian Federation and the Republic of… Continue reading Putin signs bill ratifying Russia-Seychelles treaty on mutual assistance in criminal cases

ANKARA: At least 54,772 Palestinians have been killed in Israel’s genocidal war since October 2023, Anadolu Ajansı (AA) reported, citing the Health Ministry on Saturday. A ministry statement said that 95 bodies were brought to hospitals in the last 48 hours, while 304 people were injured, bringing the total number of injuries in the Israeli… Continue reading Gaza death toll nears 54,800 as Israel strikes continue during Eid al-Adha

KYIV: Russia’s claims that Ukraine is delaying exchange of soldiers’ bodies are untrue, Ukrainian officials said on Saturday, urging Moscow to stop “playing dirty games” and return to constructive work. Kremlin aide Vladimir Medinsky said on Saturday that Ukraine had unexpectedly postponed exchanging prisoners of war and accepting the bodies of killed soldiers for an… Continue reading Kyiv rejects Russia’s claims that Ukraine is delaying exchange of soldiers’ bodies

BUENOS AIRES: Argentina’s President Javier Milei held his first official audience with Pope Leo at the Vatican on Saturday where he confirmed that the pontiff will visit the South American country, according to the presidential spokesman. No further details of the planned visit were disclosed on Saturday. Milei had a tense relationship with Pope Francis,… Continue reading Milei meets Pope Leo, confirms visit to Argentina

CAIRO: The spokesperson of Hamas’s armed wing said on Saturday that the Israeli army besieged the location where Israeli hostage Matan Zangauker was held in Gaza. The Israeli army would not be able to retrieve him alive, he said.

LONDON: Overnight missile and bomb strikes by Russia on the Ukrainian city of Kharkiv left three people dead and 22 hurt, while a Ukrainian drone attack in the Moscow region wounded two people, officials from both countries said separately on Saturday. Russian forces used high-precision long-range weapons and drones to hit designated military targets in… Continue reading Three killed in Russian attack on Ukraine’s Kharkiv; Ukrainian drones injure two near Moscow

BERLIN: A Ukrainian drone attack last weekend likely damaged around 10% of Russia’s strategic bomber fleet and hit some of the aircraft as they were being prepared for strikes on Ukraine, a senior German military official said. “According to our assessment, more than a dozen aircraft were damaged, TU-95 and TU-22 strategic bombers as well… Continue reading Ukrainian attack damaged 10% of Russia’s strategic bombers, Germany says

ANKARA: Philippe Lazzarini, the Commissioner-General of the UN agency for Palestinian refugees (UNRWA), on Saturday condemned Israel’s ongoing ban on international journalists entering Gaza, calling it an unprecedented act in modern conflict. “This is unprecedented in any other conflict in modern history,” Lazzarini said in a statement, Anadolu Ajansı reported. “It is a ban on… Continue reading UNRWA slams Israeli ban on foreign media access to Gaza

BEIJING: An earthquake with a magnitude of 5.5 jolted 289 kilometres (km) South-Southeast (SSE) of Ushuaia, Argentina at 1106 GMT on Saturday, according to the US Geological Survey, Xinhua reported. The epicentre, with a depth of 10.0 km, was initially determined to be at 57.25 degrees south latitude and 66.70 degrees west longitude.

MAKKAH: Saudi Arabia’s Ministry of Human Resources and Social Development significantly contributed to this year’s Hajj season (1446 AH) by providing a suite of digital services designed to streamline procedures, overcome challenges, and elevate service quality for pilgrims. According to the Saudi Press Agency (SPA), these efforts were coordinated with various government agencies across the… Continue reading Saudi’s Human Resources Ministry leverages digital services to enhance Hajj experience

WASHINGTON: A fire on a cargo ship carrying electric vehicles off the coast of Alaska was left burning with salvage teams expected to intervene on Monday, according to media reports. The Alaskan coastguard received a distress call on Tuesday reporting a fire onboard the Morning Midas, a British-managed cargo ship with 22 crew members and… Continue reading Fire on cargo ship off Alaska carrying EVs left burning

GAZA CITY (Palestinian Territories): Gaza’s civil defence agency said Israeli forces killed at least 13 Palestinians on Saturday, six of them in a shooting incident near a US-backed aid distribution centre in the territory’s south. Civil defence spokesman Mahmud Bassal told AFP that at around 7:00 am (0400 GMT), “six people were killed and several… Continue reading Gaza rescuers say Israeli fire kills 13 including six near aid centre

MOSCOW: Ukraine has unexpectedly postponed exchanging prisoners of war and accepting the bodies of killed soldiers for an indefinite period, Kremlin aide Vladimir Medinsky said on Saturday. Russia and Ukraine held the second round of peace talks in Istanbul on Monday where they agreed to exchange more prisoners – focusing on the youngest and most… Continue reading Russia accuses Ukraine of ‘postponing’ POW swap

BISHKEK (Kyrgyzstan): Russian ally Kyrgyzstan on Saturday quietly dismantled Central Asia’s tallest monument to Vladimir Lenin, the revolutionary founder of the Soviet Union. Ex-Soviet states across the region are seeking to strengthen their national identities, renaming cities that have Russian-sounding names and replacing statues to Soviet figures with local and national heroes. Russia, which has… Continue reading Kyrgyzstan dismantles Central Asia’s tallest Lenin statue

BANGKOK: Thailand temporarily closed two of its border crossings with Cambodia to tourists on Saturday after a Cambodian soldier was killed in a recent military clash between the two uneasy neighbours. There has been sporadic violence between the two Southeast Asian neighbours since fighting first broke out in 2008, resulting in at least 28 deaths.… Continue reading Thailand closes two border crossings to tourists after Cambodia clash

LOS ANGELES (United States): Masked and armed federal agents carried out sweeping immigration raids in Los Angeles Friday, while others pounced on migrants at a New York courthouse in forceful displays of US President Donald Trump’s crackdown on people without papers. From courthouses to hardware store parking lots in two of the most diverse cities… Continue reading US steps up immigration crackdown with LA raids, NY courthouse arrests

MADRID: A blaze erupted in a retirement home in northeastern Spain killing an 93-year-old man died and injuring 19 others, officials said Saturday. The fire broke out in a ground-floor room at around 11 pm on Friday at the home in the northeastern city of Zaragoza, local emergency services wrote on social network X. The… Continue reading One dead, 19 injured in Spain retirement home fire

TAIPEI: A senior Taiwanese official said on Saturday he had this week visited the site of a potentially enormous new liquified natural gas (LNG) project in Alaska that the Trump administration has been pushing hard to allies in Asia as a supply option. Energy developer Glenfarne had said on Tuesday that 50 firms had formally… Continue reading Senior Taiwan official visits site of new Alaska LNG project

KYIV: Ukraine’s air forces shot down a Russian Su-35 fighter jet on Saturday morning, the Ukrainian military said. “This morning, on June 7, 2025, as a result of a successful Air Force operation in the Kursk direction, a Russian Su-35 fighter jet was shot down,“ the military said on the Telegram messenger. It gave no… Continue reading Ukraine says it shot down Russian Su-35 fighter jet

VIENTIANE: The fifth Lao-Thai Friendship Bridge, linking Bolikhamxay province in Laos to Thailand’s northeastern province of Bueng Kan, is set to open in December 2025, enhancing regional and international connectivity while fostering trade, investment, tourism, and people-to-people exchanges between the two countries, reported Xinhua. A concrete-pouring ceremony of the fifth Lao-Thai Friendship Bridge was held… Continue reading New Lao-Thai friendship bridge to enhance trade, connectivity

BRUSSELS: European Council President Antonio Costa said that the European Commission is preparing a legal report for action against Israel, which is expected to be presented to the Council of EU Foreign Ministers on June 23. The Palestine News and Info Agency (WAFA), in its report citing press sources, said the anticipated report could open… Continue reading EU to present legal report on Israel to foreign ministers’ council

CAIRO: An aid ship with 12 activists on board, including Swedish climate campaigner Greta Thunberg, has reached the Egyptian coast and is nearing the besieged Palestinian territory, organisers said on Saturday. The Madleen, part of the Freedom Flotilla Coalition, left Sicily last week with a cargo of relief supplies “to break Israel’s blockade on Gaza”.… Continue reading Activist aid ship nears Gaza after reaching Egypt coast: organisers

CAIRO: The Israeli military has retrieved the body of Thai hostage, Nattapong Pinta, who had been held in Gaza since Hamas’ October 7, 2023 attack on Israel, Defence Minister Israel Katz said on Saturday. Pinta’s body was held by a Palestinian militant group called the Mujahedeen Brigades, and was retrieved from the area of Rafah… Continue reading Israeli military retrieves body of Thai hostage from Gaza, defence minister says

SHANGHAI: China is willing to accelerate the examination and approval of rare earth exports to European Union firms and will also deliver a verdict on its trade investigation of EU brandy imports by July 5, its commerce ministry said on Saturday. Price commitment consultations between China and the EU on Chinese-made electric vehicles exported to… Continue reading China says it may speed up rare earths application approvals from EU

BANGKOK: Thailand has reinforced its military presence along a disputed border with Cambodia, following an increase in troops on the other side, Thailand’s defence minister said on Saturday. Tensions between the two Southeast Asian countries have been simmering since a Cambodian soldier was killed on May 28 in a brief skirmish in an undemarcated border… Continue reading Thai army says it will take control of checkpoints on border with Cambodia

PARIS: An international operation against child pornography led by Spanish police has resulted in the arrest of 20 people in 12 nations across the Americas and Europe, Interpol said. The operation was initiated by Spain in late 2024, when officers carried out online patrols and identified instant messaging groups dedicated to the circulation of child… Continue reading Child pornography swoop leads to 20 arrests in 12 nations

SEOUL: Four members of K-pop supergroup BTS — RM, V, Jimin and Jungkook — will be discharged from mandatory military service next week, their agency BigHit Music announced on Saturday. RM and V are scheduled to complete their service on Tuesday, followed by Jimin and Jungkook on Wednesday, Yonhap news agency quoted the agency as… Continue reading Four K-pop BTS members to complete military service next week

KYIV, UKRAINE: Russia unleashed a barrage of missiles, drones and bombs across Ukraine early Saturday, killing five people as it retaliated for a brazen attack on air bases days earlier. The Kremlin has accelerated its attacks on Ukraine in recent weeks, while the latest ceasefire negotiations have failed to broker an end to the three-year… Continue reading Russia launches major attack on Ukraine, killing 5

TEHRAN: Tehran denounced on Saturday the US travel ban on Iranians and citizens of 11 other mostly Middle Eastern and African countries, saying Washington’s decision was a sign of a “racist mentality”. US President Donald Trump signed on Wednesday an executive order reviving sweeping restrictions that echo his first-term travel ban, justified on national security… Continue reading Iran says US travel ban reflects ‘racist mentality’

BEIJING: Hopeful parents accompanied their teenage children to the gates of a busy Beijing test centre on Saturday, among millions of high school students across China sitting their first day of the highly competitive university entrance exam. Nationwide, 13.35 million students have registered for the multi-subject “gaokao” series this year, according to the Ministry of… Continue reading Millions sit China’s high-stakes university entrance exam

FRANKFURT: The ongoing economic crisis has cost German industry more than 100,000 jobs within a year, with the country’s key automotive sector hit the hardest, according to an analysis by auditing and consulting firm EY shared with German Press Agency (dpa). In the auto sector, around 45,400 jobs were cut on a net basis. By… Continue reading German industry cuts 100,000 jobs within a year

NEW YORK: A Japanese company has halted construction on a US$1.6 billion factory in South Carolina to help make batteries for electric BMWs, citing “policy and market uncertainty,“ reported Xinhua quoting the Associated Press. “While Automotive Energy Supply Corp. (AESC) didn’t specify what those problems are, South Carolina’s Republican governor said the company is dealing… Continue reading Billion-dollar battery plant pauses construction in US amid electric vehicle, tariff uncertainty

PARIS: A Palestinian man arrested on Friday for throwing a chair at a rabbi in a Paris suburban cafe has been sent to hospital for a psychiatric evaluation, French authorities said. The reason for the attack was unknown, but France’s main Jewish association condemned it as an antisemitic assault, and French Prime Minister Francois Bayrou… Continue reading Palestinian under psychiatric evaluation after hitting rabbi in France