Friday, 07 Mar, 2025

International

US tornadoes: At least 100 feared dead

US President Joe Biden has pledged support to states affected by a swarm of devastating tornadoes that demolished homes, levelled businesses and left at least 100 people feared dead. Describing the tornadoes as likely “one of the largest” storm outbreaks in history, Biden

G7 warns of ‘massive consequences’ if Russia invades Ukraine

Russia faces “massive consequences” if it invades Ukraine, British Foreign Secretary Liz Truss has said at a meeting of top diplomats from the G7 group of leading industrialised nations. There was a “very much a united voice from the G7 nations who represent 50

More than 50 feared dead in Kentucky's worst ever tornadoes

The governor of the US state of Kentucky has warned that more than 50 people are thought to have been killed by tornadoes overnight. Andy Beshear said the figure could rise to as many as 100 in what he called the worst tornadoes in the state's history. He said the number was

Russia faces consequences if Ukraine invaded - Truss

Foreign Secretary Liz Truss has warned Russia it will face "severe economic consequences" if it invades Ukraine. She said G7 foreign ministers meeting in Liverpool this weekend would put on a show of unity and make clear such a move would be a "strategic mistake".

India farmers end year of protest as govt accepts demands

Indian farmers have said they are ending a year of mass protests a week after the government agreed to abandon controversial agricultural reforms. Thousands of farmers had camped at the borders of the capital, Delhi, with dozens dying from heat, cold and Covid. They will begin

Iran nuclear deal talks resume in Vienna amid frictions

Negotiations between Iran and world powers aimed at salvaging a tattered 2015 nuclear deal have resumed in Vienna after a few days’ pause, with tensions high after Tehran made demands last week that European countries strongly criticised. European Union diplomat Enrique Mora, who

Covid: Pfizer says booster shot promising against Omicron

Pfizer and BioNTech have said a booster jab of their coronavirus vaccine promises to be an effective defence against the new Omicron variant. Three doses provide a similar level of antibodies against Omicron to that of two doses against other variants, the companies said after a small

Bipin Rawat: Tributes for India's top general killed in crash

Tributes have poured in from around the world for India's top military commander, who died in a helicopter crash on Wednesday. Chief of Defence Staff Gen Bipin Rawat, his wife and 11 others died after the Mi-17V5 helicopter crashed in the southern state of Tamil Nadu. An inquiry

Michigan school shooting: Suspect's parents arrested in Detroit

The parents of a teenager suspected of a deadly school shooting have been arrested in a Detroit basement hours after going on the run, police say. James and Jennifer Crumbley were found unarmed hiding in a warehouse after a tip-off from someone who saw their car. The couple had

Biden warns Russia against Ukraine 'red lines'

Joe Biden has warned that he will not accept "red lines" set by Moscow as fears mount that Russia is planning an imminent invasion of Ukraine. The US president said he will make it "very, very difficult" for Russia to invade its neighbour. Meanwhile, US media has

EU unveils €300bn global infrastructure plan to challenge Chinese influence

The EU has revealed details of a €300bn (£255bn; $340bn) global investment plan, described as a "true alternative" to China's Belt and Road strategy, reports BBC. European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said the Global Gateway scheme should become a

Saudi Arabia reports first 'Omicron' case In Gulf

Saudi Arabia confirmed its first case of the new Omicron COVID-19 variant as countries tightened restrictions on international travel in an attempt to slow its spread. Saudi’s state-run SPA quoted a source from the health ministry as saying the infected individual – a Saudi

3 dead, eight wounded in US high school shooting

Three students have been killed and eight others injured, including a teacher, in a high school shooting in the US state of Michigan. Officials say a 16-year-old boy and two girls aged 14 and 17 died. Police allege the suspect, a pupil at the school, used a handgun that his father

Omicron lockdown not needed for now: Biden

US President Joe Biden has called the Omicron Covid-19 variant a "cause for concern, not a cause for panic" a day after it was detected in North America. He said he saw no need for a new lockdown "for now... if people are vaccinated and wear their masks". Cases

Barbados becomes a republic and parts ways with the Queen

Barbados has officially removed Queen Elizabeth II as its head of state and become the world's newest republic. In an overnight ceremony in the capital, Bridgetown, Dame Sandra Mason was sworn in as president. The Prince of Wales and Barbadian singer Rihanna attended the event,

New Covid variant: Will new measures against Omicron work?

In the past week a heavily mutated Covid variant has been identified, rapidly labelled a "variant of concern" by the World Health Organization and named Omicron. It has been detected in countries including the UK. It is a rapidly evolving situation. Omicron's genetic

New Covid variant: US joins EU in restricting flights from southern Africa 

The US will restrict travel from South Africa and seven other southern African countries to try to contain a new coronavirus variant spreading there. From Monday, only US citizens and residents will be allowed to travel from the region. This follows a similar flight ban imposed by

Immigration to UK fell by almost 90 percent in 2020

Net immigration to the United Kingdom fell by almost 90 percent last year to its lowest level since 1993 due to the impact of COVID-19 and Brexit, official figures showed on Thursday. The Office for National Statistics released a first provisional estimate showing that 34,000 more

Channel migrant deaths: UK and France agree need for action 

The UK and France will keep "all options on the table" as they try to stop migrants crossing the Channel. The UK prime minister and French president said trafficking gangs were risking lives, after 27 people died on Wednesday in the worst-recorded migrant tragedy in the

Bulgaria bus crash: Children among at least 45 killed

At least 45 people, including 12 children, have died after a bus crashed and caught fire in western Bulgaria, officials say. The incident happened on a motorway at about 02:00 local time (00:00 GMT) near the village of Bosnek, south-west of the capital Sofia. The bus was registered