Category: World

WASHINGTON: German Chancellor Friedrich Merz credited U.S. President Donald Trump with persuading Russia’s President to agree to a meeting with his Ukrainian counterpart. This meeting, to which Vladimir Putin agreed during a phone call with Trump, would take place at a yet-to-be-determined location, the German chancellor said. “We don’t know whether the Russian president will… Continue reading Putin and Zelenskiy to meet within two weeks, says German chancellor

WASHINGTON: Three U.S. Aegis guided-missile destroyers will arrive off the coast of Venezuela in the next 36 hours as part of an effort to address threats from Latin American drug cartels, two sources briefed on the matter said on Monday. President Donald Trump has wanted to use the military to go after Latin American drug… Continue reading US sends three destroyers off Venezuela to combat drug cartels

BRASILIA/SAO PAULO: Brazil submitted its formal response to a U.S. trade investigation on Monday, rejecting the allegations while challenging the legitimacy of the probe itself. While calling for “constructive dialogue,“ the Brazilian government stated that it does not recognize Washington’s authority to launch the unilateral investigation. The probe, initiated in July under Section 301 of… Continue reading Brazil disputes US trade probe legitimacy, seeks WTO intervention

RUSSIAN President Vladimir Putin and U.S. President Donald Trump discussed the idea of “raising the level of representatives” at Ukraine talks in a 40-minute call following the U.S. leader’s meeting with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy, the Kremlin said on Tuesday. “The idea was discussed that it would be worthwhile to explore the possibility of raising… Continue reading Putin and Trump discuss raising Ukraine talks level, Kremlin confirms

SAO PAULO: A Brazilian subsidiary of China’s ride-hailing company DiDi Global sued Chinese rival Keeta on Monday in a Sao Paulo court alleging trademark infringement and unfair competition, according to court documents seen by Reuters. The lawsuit comes days after Keeta, which is entering the Brazilian market, sued DiDi’s Brazilian unit, 99, in Brazil, alleging… Continue reading Chinese firms clash in Brazil over food delivery trademarks

WASHINGTON: U.S. President Donald Trump called his Monday meeting with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy and other European partners as “very good” and said he began arrangements for a meeting between Russian President Vladimir Putin and Zelenskiy after a subsequent call with Putin. He said security guarantees for Ukraine -provided by the European countries with a… Continue reading Trump announces plans for Zelenskiy-Putin meeting after Ukraine talks

KYIV: Ukraine’s Air Force said early on Tuesday that two Russian strategic bombers took off from Russian airfields for a possible attack on Ukraine. “We will provide additional updates if the situation changes,“ the Air Force said on the Telegram messaging app. – Reuters

LIMA: Peru hopes to increase agricultural investment with a significant reduction in income tax for large export companies, the sector’s minister told Reuters on Monday. The Peruvian Congress last week passed a law that reduces income tax to 15% from the current 29.5% for large agricultural exporters over the next 10 years. Medium-sized businesses would… Continue reading Peru aims to boost agro-exports with tax cuts, targets $15b by 2025

WASHINGTON: U.S. President Donald Trump has interrupted his talks in Washington with European leaders to call Russian President Vladimir Putin, an EU diplomat told Reuters on Monday. The talks are due to resume after the call, which Trump had initially said would take place after he consulted with European leaders, added the diplomat. Germany’s Bild… Continue reading Trump pauses EU talks to call Putin during Ukraine discussions

WASHINGTON: Ukraine will promise to buy $100 billions of U.S. weapons financed by Europe as part of a deal to get guarantees from the United States for its security after a peace settlement with Russia, the Financial Times reported on Monday, citing a document seen by the newspaper. The newspaper added that under the proposals,… Continue reading Ukraine proposes $100 billion weapons deal for US security guarantees

CANADA’S jobs minister, Patty Hajdu, said on Monday she had ordered a probe into allegations of unpaid work in the airline sector, saying it would start immediately. “If employers are exploiting loopholes in the Canada Labour Code, we will close them. Nobody should be expected to work for free,“ Hajdu said in a post on… Continue reading Canada probes unpaid work claims in airline sector

FRENCH President Emmanuel Macron, at peace talks with U.S. President Donald Trump, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy and other EU leaders on Monday, proposed a future four-way meeting about Ukraine that would include Europe. He said the idea of a trilateral meeting – involving the United States, Russia and Ukraine – is “very important, because this… Continue reading Macron proposes four-way Ukraine meeting with Europe involvement

SEOUL: North Korea leader Kim Jong Un said his country needed to rapidly expand its nuclear armament and called U.S.-South Korea military exercises an “obvious expression of their will to provoke war,“ state media KCNA reported on Tuesday. South Korea and its ally the United States kicked off joint military drills this week, including testing… Continue reading Kim Jong Un warns US-South Korea drills show war provocation intent

TEL AVIV/SYDNEY: Israel’s foreign minister said on Monday he had revoked the visas of Australian diplomats to the Palestinian Authority, following a decision by Canberra to recognise a Palestinian state and cancel an Israeli lawmaker’s visa. The Australian government said it had cancelled the visa of a lawmaker from Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s governing coalition… Continue reading Israel revokes Australian diplomats’ visas amid Palestinian state recognition

WASHINGTON: President Donald Trump’s approval rating held at 40% in recent weeks, matching the lowest level of his current term, amid weak ratings from Hispanic voters, according to a Reuters/Ipsos poll that closed on Monday. The six-day poll was conducted as economic data showed signs the U.S. labor market is weakening and as Trump oversees… Continue reading Trump approval steady at 40%, hits term low in Reuters/Ipsos poll

WASHINGTON: The last time Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelenskiy visited the White House, his dark military-style outfit drew scorn from U.S. President Donald Trump, who wears suits every day. Zelenskiy’s garb at that February meeting featured in a disastrous session with Trump in which the two leaders bickered and the Ukrainian president was escorted out of… Continue reading Zelenskiy changes attire for high-stakes Trump meeting in Washington

WASHINGTON: U.S. President Donald Trump on Monday said he expected Russian President Vladimir Putin to release over 1,000 Ukrainian prisoners soon after a trilateral meeting was set up with Ukrainian leader Voldymyr Zelenskiy. “I think you’ll see that President Putin really would like to do something also,“ Trump said at the start of a meeting… Continue reading Trump expects Putin to release Ukrainian prisoners soon

WASHINGTON: U.S. President Donald Trump pledged on Monday to issue an executive order to end the use of mail-in ballots and voting machines ahead of the 2026 midterm elections, a move likely to disproportionately favor his Republican Party. Federal elections are administered at the state level, however, and it is unclear if the president has… Continue reading Trump pledges to ban mail-in ballots before 2026 midterms

MONTREAL: Air Canada’s CEO on Monday defended the airline’s offer of a 38% boost in compensation to striking flight attendants but said there was a big gap compared to the union’s demand and did not offer a path to return to negotiations. CEO Mike Rousseau’s comments to Reuters followed the striking union’s refusal of a… Continue reading Air Canada strike: CEO cites big gap in pay offer vs union demands

CHICAGO/MONTREAL: Air Canada CEO Mike Rousseau said on Monday the airline was “amazed” by the decision of its flight attendants’ union to defy an order by the Canada Industrial Relations Board, which has declared the union’s strike unlawful. The Canadian Union of Public Employees has said the strike would continue until the carrier negotiates on… Continue reading Air Canada CEO “amazed” by union’s strike defiance amid flight chaos

LOS ANGELES: A California woman known as the “ketamine queen” has agreed to plead guilty to supplying the drug that killed “Friends” actor Matthew Perry, prosecutors said on Monday. Jasveen Sangha, who had been scheduled to go on trial in September, will plead guilty to five federal charges in total, according to a Justice Department… Continue reading Ketamine supplier to plead guilty in Matthew Perry drug death case

BURKINA FASO has declared United Nations regional coordinator Carol Flore-Smereczniak persona non grata over a U.N. report alleging violations against children in the West African country, a government spokesperson said on Monday. Burkinabe authorities were neither involved in the preparation of the U.N. report, titled “Children and Armed Conflict in Burkina Faso”, nor informed of… Continue reading Burkina Faso expels UN coordinator over child rights report

WASHINGTON: U.S. President Donald Trump said on Monday a peace agreement for the war in Ukraine is attainable as he met Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy and European leaders. Trump, speaking with reporters present at the White House, said all would prefer an immediate ceasefire but that he was optimistic that an agreement can be reached… Continue reading Trump says Ukraine peace deal is possible after Zelenskiy meeting

WASHINGTON: U.S. President Donald Trump on Monday said he covered “a lot of territory” in his meeting with Ukrainian President Volydymr Zelensky, saying the day had been successful thus far. Trump, speaking at the start of a meeting with seven European leaders and Zelenskiy, said he would try to work a trilateral meeting with the… Continue reading Trump discusses Ukraine talks with Zelenskiy covering key issues

WASHINGTON: President Donald Trump said on Monday that the United States would help Europe in providing security for Ukraine as part of any deal to end Russia’s war in Ukraine, as he and President Volodymyr Zelenskiy began a hastily arranged White House meeting to discuss a path to peace. But he also suggested to reporters… Continue reading Trump pledges US security aid for Ukraine in peace deal talks

WASHINGTON: Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy on Monday said he was open to holding an election in his country, if the war with Russia comes to an end and it was safe to do so. Zelenskiy made the comments at a press briefing in the Oval Office ahead of a high-stakes meeting with U.S. President Donald… Continue reading Zelenskiy open to Ukraine election if war ends safely

WASHINGTON: The administration of President Donald Trump has revoked more than 6,000 student visas for overstays and breaking the law, including a small minority for “support for terrorism,“ a State Department official said on Monday. The move, first reported by Fox Digital, comes as the Trump administration has adopted a particularly hard-line approach toward student… Continue reading Trump administration revokes 6,000 student visas over legal violations

CAIRO: Hamas has agreed to a 60-day ceasefire proposal with Israel that includes the return of half the hostages held in Gaza and Israel’s release of some Palestinian prisoners, an Egyptian official source said on Monday. Senior Hamas official Basem Naim confirmed the group’s approval on Facebook. Hamas said other Palestinian factions informed mediators of… Continue reading Hamas accepts ceasefire deal with Israel for hostage release, Egypt confirms

MONTREAL: A leader of the union on strike against Air Canada said on Monday he would risk jail time rather than allow cabin crews to be forced back to work by a federal labor board, raising the stakes in a battle that has disrupted flights for hundreds of thousands of travelers during tourist season. The… Continue reading Air Canada strike leader vows jail over forced arbitration

RESIDENTS in the Bahamas and Turks and Caicos on Monday braced for the Atlantic season’s first hurricane, the Category 4 Erin, after it strengthened over the weekend while sweeping past Caribbean islands. While Erin is not on track to make direct landfall and has yet to cause major damage, its growing size and strength are… Continue reading Hurricane Erin threatens Bahamas with dangerous seas and flooding

CONFLICTS of interest on the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s vaccine advisory committee were at historic lows around the time when Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. fired all 17 members in June, new data published in a medical journal on Monday showed. Kennedy had said, based on findings from a 2007 report,… Continue reading Vaccine panel conflicts at historic low when Kennedy fired members

THE measles outbreak in West Texas has ended, state health officials said on Monday, after meeting the criteria of six weeks since the last reported case. Texas is now shifting focus to vaccination campaigns to strengthen immunity and prevent future outbreaks, the Department of State Health Services (DSHS) said. The outbreak, which began in late… Continue reading Measles outbreak in West Texas declared over by health officials

WASHINGTON: U.S. President Donald Trump said on Monday he would call Russian President Vladimir Putin after his meeting with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy and it was possible the three leaders could hold a meeting. Trump also told reporters in the Oval Office that he had just spoken to Putin indirectly. – Reuters

PHNOM PENH: A leading Cambodian demining agency has called on Thai troops to refrain from crossing into the Kingdom’s territory, warning that border areas remain contaminated with landmines, remnants of past wars. The Cambodian Mine Action and Victim Assistance Authority (CMAA), involved in clearing unexploded ordnance (UXO) in the country, said the country has been… Continue reading Cambodia urges Thai troops not to enter landmine-littered border areas

KANO: A young son of Boko Haram’s founder has been arrested in Chad, where he was allegedly leading a jihadist cell, according to both an intelligence source and a former insurgent. Muslim Mohammed Yusuf was arrested alongside five other suspected members of the movement, which was founded in neighbouring Nigeria a few years before his… Continue reading Boko Haram founder’s son arrested in Chad: sources

OSLO: The son of Norway’s crown princess has been charged with 32 offences including four rapes and assault, a Norwegian prosecutor said on Monday. Marius Borg Hoiby, who was born as a result of a relationship before Crown Princess Mette-Marit’s marriage to Crown Prince Haakon, has been under investigation since his arrest on August 4… Continue reading Son of Norway princess charged with four rapes: prosecutor

OSLO: Some 200 climate activists including Greta Thunberg of Sweden blocked Norway’s largest oil refinery on Monday in a protest demanding an end to the country’s oil industry, organisers and police said. Activists from Extinction Rebellion sat on the road, blocking the entrance to the Mongstad refinery in Bergen on Norway’s southwestern coast, while kayaks… Continue reading Greta Thunberg, activists block Norway oil refinery

BRUSSELS: The European Union imported liquefied natural gas (LNG) from Russia worth around €4.48 billion (US$5.2 billion) in the first half of 2025, up from €3.47 billion over the same period last year, according to EU statistics agency Eurostat on Monday. Overall, the EU imported LNG valued at approximately €26.9 billion during the first six… Continue reading EU imports €4.4 billion of russian LNG in first half of 2025

LONDON: Hong Kong democracy activist Tony Chung, who once called for the city’s independence and was the youngest person to be jailed under its national security law, has been granted asylum in the UK. Chung, 24, posted a letter from the UK interior ministry on his Instagram page on Sunday, which read: “Your claim for… Continue reading UK grants asylum to Hong Kong democracy activist Tony Chung

MADRID: Thousands of firefighters, supported by military personnel and water-bombing aircraft, are battling dozens of wildfires across Spain and Portugal. The death toll has risen to six since the outbreaks began, with two firefighters killed in separate road accidents on Sunday. The Iberian peninsula has been severely affected by forest fires intensified by heatwaves and… Continue reading Spain and Portugal wildfires death toll rises as firefighters battle blazes

NEW DELHI: Torrential rains disrupted daily life in India’s financial hub Mumbai on Monday, forcing school closures and causing traffic snarls on waterlogged roads. India’s weather department issued an alert for more heavy rains in the city and many coastal districts in the western state of Maharashtra. Waterlogging was reported in many parts of the… Continue reading Heavy rains cripple daily life in Mumbai City

KYIV: Russian drones on Monday intentionally attacked an oil depot belonging to Azerbaijani state oil company SOCAR in Ukraine’s southern Odesa region for the second time in two weeks, Ukrainian officials said. President Volodymyr Zelenskiy, writing on X, said the “deliberate Russian strike…was an attack not only on us but also on our relations and… Continue reading Russia striking Azerbaijan’s SOCAR oil facilities in Ukraine on purpose, Kyiv says

BUNER: Rain on Monday halted search and rescue operations in northern Pakistan after flash floods that have killed nearly 350 people with around 200 still missing, officials said. Torrential rains across the country since Thursday have caused flooding, rising waters and landslides that have swept away entire villages and left many residents trapped in the… Continue reading Rain halts rescue operation after Pakistan floods kill hundreds