Saturday, 01 Feb, 2025

International

Iran tanker seizure: Images of captured British-flagged crew released

Iranian state media has released images of crew members on a British-flagged tanker that was seized in the Gulf. Video footage and a photo appear to show cooks preparing meals and crew members being briefed by an Iranian official onboard the Stena Impero. A meeting of the

Trump claims Modi asked him to mediate; India denies

US President Donald Trump on Monday stunned India by offering to mediate in the Kashmir issue while claiming that PM Narendra Modi had sought his help in the matter. “I was with Prime Minister Modi two weeks ago and we talked about this subject and he actually said: ‘Would you like

US brings new fast-track deportation rule

The US government is introducing a new fast-track deportation process that will bypass immigration courts. Under the new rules, any undocumented migrants who can't prove they've been in the US continuously for more than two years can be immediately deported. The policy is

Iran and the crisis in the Gulf explained

A crisis has erupted between Iran and Western countries - in particular the UK and US - after a series of incidents in and around the Gulf, a strategically important waterway in the Middle East. Both sides are blaming the other and there are fears it could lead to war. What is the

India launches second Moon mission

India has successfully launched its second lunar mission a week after it halted the scheduled blast-off due to a technical snag. Chandrayaan-2 was launched at 14:43 local time (09:13 GMT) on Monday from the Sriharikota space station. India's space chief said his agency had

Lightning strikes kill 32 in Uttar Pradesh

As many as 32 people were killed in Uttar Pradesh due to lightning on Sunday, said officials. A day earlier, the lightning had claimed one life in the state, while two others had died of snake bites on July 18 and 20 respectively, the statement said. Thirteen others were injured due

UK PM to chair Cobra meeting on Iran crisis

UK prime minister will chair the government's emergency committee Cobra on Monday after a British-flagged tanker was seized by Iran in the Gulf. Theresa May is expected to receive updates from ministers and officials and discuss maintaining the security of shipping in the area.

Armed mob storms Hong Kong train station

Dozens of masked men armed with batons stormed a train station in the Hong Kong district of Yuen Long on Sunday. Footage posted on social media showed the men, all in white T-shirts, violently attacking people on platforms and inside train carriages. Forty-five people were injured,

Wildfires sweep through central Portugal

Hundreds of firefighters have been deployed to central Portugal where several wildfires have forced people to flee their homes. One person has suffered serious injuries. At least seven firefighters have also been hurt. Helicopters and planes have been used to douse three blazes in

Philip Hammond plans to quit if Johnson becomes PM

Philip Hammond has said he intends to resign as chancellor if Boris Johnson becomes the UK's next prime minister. He said a no-deal Brexit, something Mr Johnson has left open as an option, was "not something I could ever sign up to". Asked if he thought he would be sacked next

UK urges Iran to reverse 'illegal' ship seizure

UK foreign secretary has urged Iran to reverse its "illegal" seizure of a British-flagged tanker in the Gulf. Jeremy Hunt said it "raises very serious questions" about the security of British and international shipping in the Strait of Hormuz. It comes as Iran released new footage

World celebrates 50th anniversary of Moon landing

Thousands of people have been celebrating the 50th anniversary of the first moon landing. On 20 July 1969, the Eagle module from Apollo 11 landed at Tranquility Base. Hours later, at 21:56 CT (0356 GMT), Neil Armstrong made history by becoming the first person to walk on the moon.

Delhi ex chief minister Sheila Dikshit dies

The former chief minister of Delhi Sheila Dikshit has died aged 81, following a long illness. The veteran politician was the longest-serving chief minister of the Indian capital, serving for three terms from 1998 to 2013. Dikshit also served as the governor of the southern state of

Tear gas attack on London underground train

A suspected CS gas attack has occurred on a London Underground train. It happened at 09:13 BST on board a Victoria line Tube train at Oxford Circus in central London. British Transport Police said a number of people were treated at the scene by paramedics for coughing and lack of

US to send troops to Saudi Arabia amid tensions with Iran

The Pentagon has said US troops are being deployed to Saudi Arabia to defend American interests from "emergent credible threats". The move comes amid heightened tensions with Iran over the safety of shipping lanes in the Gulf. Saudi Arabia confirmed that King Salman had approved the

Dangerous heatwave starts hitting US and Canada

Extremely hot weather has started to hit most of the United States, with temperatures set to peak over the weekend, meteorologists say. The heatwave could affect about 200 million people in major cities like New York, Washington and Boston in the East Coast, and the Midwest region too.

Iran seizes British tanker in Strait of Hormuz

There will be "serious consequences" if Iran does not release a British-flagged tanker seized in the Gulf, Foreign Secretary Jeremy Hunt has said. The Stena Impero's owners say they have been unable to contact their vessel, which had 23 personnel on board and was "heading north

Priyanka Gandhi taken into preventive custody

Congress general secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra was taken into preventive custody Friday when she went to meet the victims of Sonbhadra incident in Uttar Pradesh in which 10 people, including three women, were killed over a land dispute.  The Gandhi scion sat on dharna in Mirzapur

Explosion outside Kabul University kills at least 6

A powerful bomb exploded outside the gates of Kabul University in the Afghan capital on Friday, killing at least six people and wounding 27, according to police and health officials. No group immediately claimed responsibility for the attack, the latest to target Kabul. Both the

Saudi Arabia to host Hajj for Christchurch terror victims’ families

Saudi Arabia will host 200 Hajj pilgrims from families of victims of the March twin terrorist attacks in Christchurch, New Zealand, the country’s official news agency reported Wednesday, says Anadolu Agency. According to the Saudi Press Agency (SPA), Saudi King Salman bin Abdulaziz