Saturday, 28 Dec, 2024

International

Erdogan reaffirms commitment to EU membership

The Turkish president on Thursday reaffirmed Türkiye's commitment to become a member of the European Union, describing it as the country's "strategic goal." “Full membership in the European Union is our strategic goal. It is in our common interest for the

Biden falters in fiery debate with Trump

A halting Joe Biden struggled Thursday to allay concerns he is too old for a second term in the White House in a fiery debate with Donald Trump marked by personal insults. A bombastic Trump lashed out at his successor, calling him a failure on the economy and the world stage. Biden

US tells China that Philippines support ‘ironclad’

A top US official on Thursday told a Chinese counterpart that Washington’s defense commitments to the Philippines were “ironclad” after a violent clash in the South China Sea. Deputy Secretary of State Kurt Campbell “raised serious concerns” about Chinese

'Record' number sleeping on streets of London

The number of people sleeping on the streets of London has hit a record high of nearly 12,000, latest figures showed Thursday, as the impact of the UK's cost-of-living crisis bites. Britain, the world's sixth-biggest economy, saw decades-high inflation in 2023 and a shortage of

Maldives state minister arrested over 'black magic' spell on president

Police in the Maldives have arrested a state environment minister, officers said Thursday, with media in the Indian Ocean nation reporting she was accused of performing "black magic" on the president. State Minister for Environment, Climate Change and Energy, Fathimath

Rare bilingual inscription unearthed in Saudi Arabia

The Saudi Heritage Commission has announced the discovery of a bilingual inscription in Tabuk. The piece, found during an archaeological dig in the village of Alqan, comprises two lines in Thamudic script and one in early Arabic, the Saudi Press Agency reported on Wednesday. The

Israeli strike on Syria kills two: state media

Two people were killed in an Israeli strike on southern Syria on Wednesday, the official SANA agency reported, citing a military source. According to the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, the strike targeted the service center of a foundation affiliated with pro-Iranian groups

North Korea tests ‘multiwarhead missile’, coveted by Kim

North Korea has said it had successfully tested a multiwarhead missile, a sophisticated weapon coveted by leader Kim Jong-un to overwhelm missile defences in the continental United States. The launch tested the separation and guidance control of individual mobile warheads to ensure the

Bolivian police arrest leader of coup attempt

Bolivian police have arrested the leader of an attempted coup, hours after the presidential palace in the capital La Paz was stormed by soldiers. Armoured vehicles and troops had taken up position on Murillo Square where key government buildings are located. They all later withdrew.

More than 500 die in six days as Pakistan swelters

As the temperatures rose in southern Pakistan, so did the body count. The Edhi ambulance service says it usually takes around 30 to 40 people to the Karachi city morgue daily. But over the last six days, it has collected some 568 bodies - 141 of them on Tuesday alone. It is too

Assange banned from entering US without permission

The United States has banned Julian Assange from returning unless he is granted permission, the justice department said Tuesday, as the Australian native was freed in a US territory and boarded a plane for Canberra. "Pursuant to the plea agreement, Assange is prohibited from

Russia bans access to over 80 Western media outlets

Moscow on Tuesday banned Russians from accessing 81 Western media sites from 25 EU nations, accusing them of "systematically distributing inaccurate information" about Russia's "special military operation" — the official name the Kremlin has given its

Suspect, 5 others dead after shootings near Las Vegas

A man who fatally shot five people and critically injured a 13-year-old girl at apartments near Las Vegas has killed himself, authorities said Tuesday. The North Las Vegas Police Department said the suspected shooter, 47-year-old Eric Adams, killed himself Tuesday morning as he was

New York judge partially lifts Trump gag order in hush-money case

A judge partially lifted a gag order on Donald Trump in his hush-money case in New York, where he was found guilty of falsifying business records last month. Trump is now allowed to make public comments about witnesses in the case and speak generally about jurors in his trial, Justice

Five killed and parliament ablaze in Kenya tax protests

At least five protesters have been shot dead by police in Kenya and a section of parliament has gone up in flames as demonstrations against new tax proposals escalate. An angry crowd broke through police lines to storm parliament in the capital Nairobi before setting parts of it

Israeli forces will move to Lebanon border as Rafah winds down

Israel’s prime minister has said the "intense phase” of fighting Hamas in Gaza is nearly over, allowing forces to move to the northern border with Lebanon to confront its ally Hezbollah. In his first Israeli media interview since the start of the war in October,

Japanese royals to receive red-carpet treatment

Emperor Naruhito and Empress Masako of Japan are beginning a three-day state visit to the UK. They will receive a ceremonial welcome and a carriage ride up the Mall, with a state banquet hosted by King Charles III at Buckingham Palace. But because of the general-election campaign,

Wikileaks: Julian Assange freed in US plea deal

Wikileaks founder Julian Assange is expected to plead guilty to a felony US crime as part of a deal that will see him return to his native Australia, according to court documents filed Monday evening. Assange was released from a UK maximum security prison earlier Monday and boarded a

Mass shootings across US mark first weekend of summer

The first weekend of summer brought a tragic yet familiar pattern for American cities wracked by gun violence as mass shootings left dozens dead or wounded at a party in Alabama, an entertainment district in Ohio and a grocery in Arkansas. It was the second straight weekend that saw an

Criminal charges recommended against Boeing - reports

US prosecutors have recommended that the Justice Department (DOJ) brings criminal charges against Boeing, according to the BBC's US partner CBS. It comes after the DOJ said the plane maker had violated a settlement related to two fatal crashes involving its 737 Max aircraft, which