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Showing posts from August, 2025

Indonesia cuts lawmaker perks as it tries to quell protests

Indonesia cut financial perks for lawmakers on Sunday, after at least five people were killed in protests against economic hardship that have escalated into anger against police. Southeast Asia's biggest economy was rocked by protests in major cities in recent days after footage spread of a motorcycle taxi driver being run over by a police vehicle at a rally against lucrative perks for lawmakers. "The parliament leadership conveyed that they would revoke several policies, including the amount of allowance for lawmakers, and a moratorium on overseas visits," President Prabowo Subianto said, without specifying which allowance he was referring to. The ex-general said protests should take place peacefully and if people destroyed public facilities or looted private homes "the state must step in to protect its citizens". "The rights to peaceful assembly should be respected and protected. But we cannot deny that there are signs of actions outside the law, even aga...

Governor decries Trump troop deployments

US President Donald Trump's ultimate aim in sending troops to American cities is to seize control of elections in 2026, Illinois Governor JB Pritzker said Sunday, calling such deployments an invasion. Trump — who has unleashed unprecedented military patrols in Los Angeles and Washington to curb protests against his immigrant deportation drive and combat what he deems out-of-control crime — has said he's also considering sending troops to cities like Baltimore and Chicago. Democrat Pritzker said there had been no effort by the Trump administration to coordinate such plans with officials in Illinois, a Democratic stronghold. "So it's clear that, in secret, they're planning this, well, it's an invasion with US troops, if they in fact do that," Pritzker told CBS Sunday show "Face the Nation." Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem earlier said any decision to send National Guard reservists or other troops was up to Trump. from Latest World News, I...

Indonesian parties agree to cut lawmakers’ perks amid deadly protests

Indonesian political parties have agreed to cut lawmakers' benefits, President Prabowo Subianto said on Sunday, in a bid to calm anti-government protests that have killed at least five people in the country's worst violence in decades. Protests began on Monday over what demonstrators called excessive pay and housing allowances for parliamentarians, escalating into riots on Friday after a motorcycle rideshare driver was killed during police action at a protest site. Homes of political party members and state buildings were ransacked or set ablaze, shaking investor confidence in the Southeast Asian economy and triggering a steep selloff on its stocks and currency markets on Friday. Also Read: At least three dead as Indonesian parliament building torched amid protests Looters broke into a house owned by Finance Minister Sri Mulyani Indrawati outside the capital Jakarta overnight, state news agency Antara reported on Sunday. She was not in the house at the time and it was not clear...

PM of Yemen's Houthi govt killed in Israeli strike

The prime minister of Yemen's Houthi government and several other ministers were killed in an Israeli strike on the capital Sanaa, the news agency run by the group said on Saturday, citing a statement by the head of the Houthi Supreme Political Council, Mahdi al-Mashat. A number of others were wounded in Thursday's strike, it said, without providing details. Israel said on Friday that the airstrike had targeted the Iran-aligned group's chief of staff, defence minister and other senior officials and that it was verifying the outcome. Mashat's statement did not make clear whether the Houthi defence minister was among the casualties. The Houthi-run news agency ran a statement from the defence minister shortly after it confirmed the prime minister's death and quoted him as saying the group was ready to confront Israel. The statement did not mention Thursday's airstrike and it was unclear if it was made before or after the attack. Ahmad Ghaleb al-Rahwi became prime m...

Turkiye’s first lady urges world to help flood victims in Pakistan

Turkiye’s First Lady Emine Erdoğan has expressed high concern on devastating floods in Pakistan and urged the international community to extend immediate support to the victims.  In a message posted on social media platform X, Erdoğan said she had personally witnessed the plight of flood-hit families during her trip to Pakistan 14 years ago in 2010. “At that time, Turkiye was among the first nations to extend a helping hand to Pakistan,” she wrote. “Today, the prayers, hearts, and aid of the Turkish people are once again with Pakistan and its people.” 2010 yılındaki sel felaketinde Pakistan’a gitmiş, oradaki gözyaşına ve çaresizliğe yakından şahit olmuş biri olarak, yeniden aynı acıyla sınanan kardeşlerimize geçmiş olsun dileklerimi iletiyorum. O zaman da Türkiye, Pakistan’ın yaralarını sarmak için elini ilk uzatan… pic.twitter.com/45D7Ov9zZW — Emine Erdoğan (@EmineErdogan) August 29, 2025 She said the Turkish Red Crescent (Kızılay) was closely monitoring the situation in affected ...

Mass evacuation of Gaza City unsafe, unfeasible: Red Cross chief

The head of the Red Cross warned on Saturday that it would be impossible to keep people safe during a mass evacuation of Gaza City, as Israel intensifies its assault. Israel is pushing ahead with its plan to take full control of the whole Gaza Strip, starting with Gaza City, with the goal of destroying Hamas after nearly 23 months of war, while facing a global outcry over starvation in the besieged enclave. "It is impossible that a mass evacuation of Gaza City could ever be done in a way that is safe and dignified under the current conditions," Red Cross President Mirjana Spoljaric said in a statement. Read More: Pakistan seeks decisive action on Gaza An evacuation would provoke a massive population displacement that no other area in the Gaza Strip is equipped to absorb, amid severe shortages of food, shelter, and medical supplies, Spoljaric said. The Israeli military said on Friday that it "will continue to support humanitarian efforts alongside ongoing manoeuvring and ...

E3 sets terms for Iran to avert UN curbs

Britain, France and Germany urged Iran at the United Nations on Friday to meet three requirements so their threat of re-imposing UN sanctions can be delayed to allow space for talks on a deal to address their concerns about Tehran's nuclear programme. UN envoys for the three countries — known as the E3 — issued a joint statement before a closed-door Security Council meeting, a day after they launched a 30-day process to re-impose UN sanctions on Iran over its disputed nuclear programme. The E3 offered to delay reinstating sanctions — known as snapback — for up to six months if Iran restored access for UN nuclear inspectors, addressed concerns about its stock of enriched uranium, and engaged in talks with the United States. "Our asks were fair and realistic," said Britain's UN Ambassador Barbara Woodward, who read the statement. "However, as of today, Iran has shown no indication that it is serious about meeting them," she added. "We urge Iran to reconsi...

Trump thumbs nose at decades of India courtship

India once united US policymakers like few issues. For nearly three decades, US presidents of both parties courted New Delhi as an emerging ally, politely overlooking disagreements for the sake of larger goals. Donald Trump has abruptly changed that. The US administration on Wednesday slapped 50 percent tariffs on many Indian products as Trump seeks to punish India for buying oil from Russia. India was a Cold War partner of Moscow but since the 1990s US leaders have hoped for a joint front with fellow democracy India in the face of the rise of China, seen by Washington as its top long-term adversary. In striking timing, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi heads to China this weekend, the latest meeting between the world's two most populous nations as they explore areas of common ground. Trump has accused India of fueling Moscow's deadly attacks on Ukraine by purchasing Russian oil. Trump trade advisor Peter Navarro even called Ukraine "Modi's war" in a Bloomberg T...

Thai court removes PM Paetongtarn Shinawatra in ethics ruling

Thailand’s Constitutional Court on Friday dismissed Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra for an ethics violation, the latest blow to the powerful Shinawatra family and a move that has set off a scramble to form a new government. Paetongtarn, 39, Thailand’s youngest premier, becomes the sixth Shinawatra-linked leader removed from power by either the courts or the military in nearly two decades of bitter political rivalry. The court ruled she violated ethics in a leaked June phone call in which she appeared to defer to Cambodia’s former leader Hun Sen at a time of heightened tensions between the two countries. The decision leaves her Pheu Thai Party weakened, with rivals quickly maneuvering to take advantage. The Bhumjaithai Party, which had left Paetongtarn’s coalition, emerged as an early frontrunner, with leader Anutin Charnvirakul lobbying other parties and pledging to dissolve parliament within four months if he takes office. Court’s Ruling In a 6–3 decision, the Constitutional Cou...

Egypt arrests teen TikTokkers over morality, laundering charges

Egyptian authorities have detained dozens of teenage TikTok influencers in recent weeks, accusing them of offences ranging from violating family values to laundering money. Police have announced multiple arrests, while prosecutors say at least 10 cases of alleged unlawful financial gains are under investigation. Travel bans, asset freezes, and the confiscation of devices have also been imposed. Critics argue the crackdown is part of a broader effort to police speech and tighten state control in a country where social media has long served as one of the few alternatives to heavily state-influenced media. Many of those detained were children during the 2011 uprising that toppled President Hosni Mubarak. Lawyers say vague indecency laws give authorities wide latitude, allowing them to scour old posts for material deemed unlawful and then charge influencers with financial crimes. A star detained One of the most prominent detainees is 19-year-old Mariam Ayman, known online as Suzy El Ordoni...

Russia batters Kyiv in overnight strikes, hits EU mission, British Council offices

Russia launched one of its heaviest barrages of missiles and drones on Ukraine’s capital overnight Thursday, killing at least 23 people, including four children, and damaging the European Union’s mission and the British Council offices in Kyiv. Kyiv Mayor Vitali Klitschko confirmed a five-storey residential block was destroyed while several other buildings were severely damaged, describing it as one of the biggest assaults in recent months. Thirty-eight people were injured in the hours-long attack, which struck 13 locations across the country. The attack was the first major combined Russian drone and missile attack on Kyiv since US President Donald Trump met Russian leader Vladimir Putin in Alaska earlier this month to discuss ending the war in Ukraine. [Reuters] Ukraine’s air force said Moscow fired nearly 600 drones and 31 missiles, including nine ballistic missiles, in the overnight barrage. Air defences intercepted 563 drones and 26 missiles, though 13 targets suffered direct hits....

Iran ready for ‘fair’ nuclear talks if West acts in good faith

Iran is ready to resume "fair " negotiations over its disputed nuclear programme if the West shows goodwill, Iran's foreign minister, Abbas Araqchi, said on Thursday. "Araqchi reaffirmed Iran's readiness to resume fair and balanced diplomatic negotiations, on the condition that the other parties show seriousness and goodwill and avoid actions that harm the chances of success," he said in a letter sent to European Union foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas. However, Britain, France and Germany, also known is E3, have launched a 30-day process to reimpose UN sanctions on Iran over its disputed nuclear programme, a step likely to stoke tensions two months after Israel and the United States bombed Iran. The renewed sanctions threat has stirred frustration inside Iran, where leaders are divided between hardliners advocating confrontation and moderates urging diplomacy. Read: Tehran accuses E3 of harming diplomacy, vows defiance against sanctions Iran has enriched ura...

Tehran accuses E3 of harming diplomacy, vows defiance against sanctions

Britain, France and Germany on Thursday launched a 30-day process to reimpose UN sanctions on Iran over its disputed nuclear programme, a step likely to stoke tensions two months after Israel and the United States bombed Iran. A senior Iranian official quickly accused the three European powers of harming diplomacy and vowed that Tehran would not bow to pressure over the move by the so-called “E3” to trigger the snapback mechanism. The E3 feared they would otherwise lose the prerogative in mid-October to restore sanctions on Tehran that were lifted under a 2015 nuclear accord with world powers. Read More: Iran envoy expelled from Australia rejects arson attack claims as 'lies' French Foreign Minister Jean-Noel Barrot said the decision did not signal the end of diplomacy. His German counterpart Johann Wadephul urged Iran to cooperate fully with the U.N. nuclear watchdog and commit to direct talks with the United States over the next month. Iran dismissed the move as “illegal and ...

Iran envoy expelled from Australia rejects arson attack claims as 'lies'

Iran’s ambassador Ahmad Sadeghi, departing Sydney Airport on Thursday before an expulsion deadline, rejected as “lies” Australia’s accusation that Tehran directed antisemitic arson attacks in Sydney and Melbourne. Australia gave Sadeghi 72 hours on Tuesday to leave the country, marking its first expulsion of an ambassador since World War Two. Three other Iranian embassy officials were ordered to depart within seven days. Read More: Iran says killed 13 militants in restive southeast Prime Minister Anthony Albanese was briefed on Monday by the Australian Security Intelligence Organisation, which cited evidence of payments to criminals allegedly linking two attacks — on a synagogue and a kosher restaurant — to offshore individuals and Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC). “These are all baseless allegations and lies,” Sadeghi told reporters from local television networks Nine and Seven at Sydney Airport on Thursday evening. Earlier in Canberra, Sadeghi stepped outside his resid...

Gunman kills two children in Minneapolis church, injures 17

A gunman opened fire Wednesday on school children attending a church service in Minneapolis, killing two pupils and wounding 17 children and adults, police said, in the latest violent tragedy to jolt the United States. City police chief Brian O'Hara told a media briefing that the shooter sprayed bullets into the Annunciation Church as dozens of students were at a Mass marking their first week back to school. The church sits next to an affiliated Catholic school in southern Minneapolis, the largest city in the Midwestern state of Minnesota. "Two young children, ages eight and 10, were killed where they sat in the pews," O'Hara said, adding that 17 people were injured, including 14 children. Two were in critical condition, he said. The gunman fired a rifle, shotgun and pistol before he took his own life in the parking lot, according to the police chief. He said the shooter was in his early twenties, did not have an extensive criminal history and was believed to have act...

IAEA inspectors' return not full resumption of cooperation: Iran

Iran said Wednesday that the return of UN nuclear inspectors did not represent a full resumption of cooperation, which was suspended in the aftermath of June attacks by Israel and the United States. Inspectors from the International Atomic Energy Agency began work at the key nuclear site of Bushehr in southwestern Iran, the nuclear watchdog's chief Rafael Grossi said, the first team to enter the country since Tehran formally suspended cooperation with the UN agency last month. "No final text has yet been approved on the new cooperation framework with the IAEA and views are being exchanged," Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said, quoted by state television. The agency's inspectors left Iran after Israel launched its unprecedented attack on June 13, striking nuclear and military facilities as well as residential areas and killing more than 1,000 people. Washington later joined in with strikes on nuclear facilities at Fordo, Isfahan and Natanz. Iran retaliated with missil...

Trump administration moves to tighten visas duration for students, media

The Trump administration aims to tighten the duration of visas for students, cultural exchange visitors and members of the media, according to a proposed government regulation issued on Wednesday, part of a broader crackdown on legal immigration. US President Donald Trump, a Republican, kicked off a wide-ranging immigration crackdown after taking office in January. The latest move would create new hurdles for international students, exchange workers and foreign journalists who would have to apply to extend their stay in the US rather than maintain a more flexible legal status. The proposed regulation would create a fixed time period for F visas for international students, J visas that allow visitors on cultural exchange programs to work in the US, and I visas for members of the media. Those visas are currently available for the duration of the program or US-based employment. There were about 1.6 million international students on F visas in the US in 2024, according to US government dat...

At least 25 dead in Afghanistan bus crash

At least 25 people were killed and 27 injured when a bus overturned in eastern Afghanistan on Wednesday, authorities told AFP, a week after the country's deadliest road accident in years, AFP reported. The crash happened "due to the driver's negligence" on a highway near the capital Kabul leading to the southern city of Kandahar, interior ministry spokesman Abdul Mateen Qani said. Qani said 25 people were killed and 27 were being treated at hospitals for injuries, the extent of which was not specified. Deadly traffic crashes are common in Afghanistan, due in part to poor roads after decades of conflict, dangerous driving on highways and a lack of regulation. Last Tuesday, 78 people, including more than a dozen children, were killed in western Herat province when a bus carrying migrants returning from Iran collided with a motorcycle and a truck, according to authorities. In December last year, two bus accidents involving a fuel tanker and a truck on a highway through c...

Germany says to begin admitting Afghans stranded in Pakistan

Germany is to begin the process of admitting some of the Afghans threatened with deportation from Pakistan whom Berlin had previously offered sanctuary, a government source said Tuesday. More than 2,000 Afghans were left stranded in Pakistan after the government of conservative Chancellor Friedrich Merz took office in May and froze a scheme meant to offer Afghans safe haven from the Taliban. Pressure had mounted on the German government to reverse course in recent weeks as Pakistani authorities intensified a crackdown on Afghans living in the country without residency. Last week the German government said around 450 Afghans waiting to come to Germany had been detained, of whom more than 200 had been sent back to their Taliban-run homeland. The government source said on Tuesday that Afghans for whom "courts have found that Germany is legally obliged to issue visas" will travel to Germany "in stages" once they have cleared security checks. No indication was given of h...

India to probe giant zoo run by Ambani's son

India's Supreme Court has ordered an investigation into allegations of illegal animal imports and financial misconduct at a vast private zoo set up by the son of Asia's richest person. Vantara, which bills itself as the "world's biggest wild animal rescue centre", is run by Anant Ambani, son of Mukesh Ambani, the billionaire head of the multinational conglomerate Reliance Industries. The site in the western state of Gujarat is home to more than 200 elephants, as well as 50 bears, 160 tigers, 200 lions, 250 leopards and 900 crocodiles, among other animals, according to India's Central Zoo Authority. Wildlife activists have criticised the facility, saying it is housing endangered species on baking flatlands next to a giant oil refinery complex without any plan to return them to the wild. And on Monday, India's Supreme Court said it had ordered a panel led by retired judges to investigate alleged unlawful acquisition of animals — particularly elephants — othe...

Germany to resume entry of 2,000 Afghans stranded in Pakistan

Germany will lift its months-long ban on the entry of vulnerable Afghan nationals it had pledged to admit, a foreign ministry official said on Tuesday, following mounting legal pressure at home and a deportation push by Pakistan. Around 2,000 Afghans approved for relocation under a programme for those deemed at risk under Taliban rule have been stranded in neighbouring Pakistan for months, after Berlin froze admissions amid a pledge to curb migration. “In Pakistan, individuals are at different stages of the departure process. The various verification procedures are currently resuming,” the official said. “Personnel from the competent authorities are on the ground in Pakistan to continue the admission procedures.” Read More: Afghan teen resists forced marriage The decision follows several lawsuits filed by groups and dozens of Afghans challenging the freeze. The interior ministry, which initially halted the programme, confirmed that Afghan nationals promised admission were undergoing in...

Trump predicts Gaza war end soon, condemns hospital Strike

US President Donald Trump, “displeased” with the attack on Al Nasser Hospital, signaled the Gaza conflict will end within two to three weeks. “I think within the next two to three weeks, you’re going to have [a] pretty good, conclusive ending,” Trump told reporters at the White House. “It’s got to get over with because between the hunger and all of the other problems – worse than hunger, death, pure death — people [are] being killed. I’m not happy about it. I don’t want to see it. At the same time, we have to end that nightmare.” Read: Turkish first lady urges Melania Trump to speak out on Gaza Trump said there was a “very serious” diplomatic effort under way, with the US and Israel pressing Hamas to release hostages. US Secretary of State Marco Rubio added: “It has never stopped. We have always sought a solution, and ultimately, as the president said, we want it to end. It has to end without Hamas.” Israeli protests for hostage deal Protesters in Tel Aviv and other cities demanded an ...

Australia expels Iranian diplomat over 'antisemitic' arson attacks

Australia accused Iran on Tuesday of executing two antisemitic arson attacks in the cities of Sydney and Melbourne and gave Tehran's ambassador seven days to leave the country, its first such expulsion since World War Two. Since the Israel-Gaza war began in October 2023, Australian homes, schools, synagogues and vehicles have been targeted in antisemitic vandalism and arson, while Islamophobic incidents have surged. Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said the Australian Security Intelligence Organisation (ASIO) had gathered credible intelligence that Iran had directed at least two attacks. "These were extraordinary and dangerous acts of aggression orchestrated by a foreign nation on Australian soil," Albanese told a press briefing. "They were attempts to undermine social cohesion and sow discord in our community." Iran had sought to "disguise its involvement" in last year's attacks on a kosher restaurant in Sydney and the Adass Israel Synagogue in Mel...

Dar meets Turkish counterpart on OIC sidelines

Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar met Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan in Jeddah on Tuesday to express appreciation for his chairmanship of the 21st Extraordinary Session of the Organisation Islamic Cooperation (OIC) Council of Foreign Ministers.  The two parties reaffirmed firm solidarity with the Palestinian people. Dar also stressed on “strengthening our [Pakistan and Turkey's] multifaceted cooperation”. Pleased to meet my brother, FM of Türkiye, H.E. Hakan Fidan @HakanFidan, today on sidelines of 21st extraordinary session of #OIC CFM. I expressed my deep appreciation to Türkiye for its leadership role in the capacity of the Chair of the 51st OIC Council of Foreign Ministers.… pic.twitter.com/43CUVX778E — Ishaq Dar (@MIshaqDar50) August 26, 2025 Read: Pursuit of 'Greater Israel' threatens region: Dar Earlier, Dar also held meetings with other officials, including Bangladeshi Advisor for Foreign Affairs Mohammad Touhid Hossain...

Trump says seven jets shot down in Pakistan-India conflict

US President Donald Trump said that seven jets shot down during Pakistan-India conflict in May. He took credit for preventing what he described as a potential nuclear conflict between India and Pakistan earlier this year. Speaking at a White House press briefing, Trump said the situation in South Asia was "raging" when fighter jets were shot down during the brief war in May. "The war with India and Pakistan was the next level that was going to be a nuclear war... They already shot down seven jets," he told reporters. "I said, 'You want to trade? We are not doing any trade or anything with you if you keep fighting, you've got 24 hours to settle it'. They said, 'Well, there's no more war going on'." Trump claimed that his use of tariffs and trade pressure was decisive. "I had tariffs and trade, and I was able to say, 'If you go fight and want to kill everybody, that is okay, but I am going to charge you each a 100% tariff whe...

Spain heatwave was 'most intense on record'

A 16-day heatwave Spain suffered this month was "the most intense on record", the national meteorological agency said on Sunday. With forest fires still burning across northern and western Spain, the AEMET meteorological agency said provisional readings for the August 3-18 heatwave exceeded the last record, set in July 2022, and showed an average temperature 4.6C higher than previous events. AEMET said a 10-day period from August 8 to August 17, was the hottest 10 consecutive days recorded in Spain since "at least 1950". The August heatwave exacerbated tinderbox conditions that have fuelled wildfires which have killed four people and forced thousands out of their homes. Four people have also died in fires in Portugal, where emergency services are still struggling to control the blazes. More than 1,100 deaths in Spain have been linked to the August heatwave, according to an estimate released Tuesday by the Carlos III Health Institute. The institute had already said t...

S Korea prosecutors seek arrest of ex-PM Han over martial law

South Korean prosecutors on Sunday filed an arrest warrant for former prime minister Han Duck-soo, accusing him of aiding ex-president Yoon Suk Yeol in declaring martial law in December and later lying in court. A court is set to review the validity of the warrant to detain the 76-year-old career bureaucrat in the coming days. If approved, it would be the first time in South Korean history that both a former president and a prime minister are imprisoned. Former first lady Kim Keon Hee is also behind bars on stock manipulation charges. "Prosecutors requested an arrest warrant against Han on charges including aiding the ringleader of insurrection, perjury, fabricating official documents, and damaging public records," prosecutor Park Ji-young told reporters at a news briefing. As prime minister, Han stood "as the foremost state institution guaranteeing the president's duty to safeguard the nation and the constitution", she said. "These considerations regarding...

Typhoon Kajiki prompts mass evacuations in Vietnam, closures in southern China

Vietnam announced plans to evacuate more than half a million people and ordered boats to stay ashore, while the southern Chinese city of Sanya closed businesses and public transport on Sunday as both braced for an intensifying Typhoon Kajiki. The storm is forecast to "brush past" the southern coast of China's island province of Hainan from Sunday evening before heading for Vietnam, China's National Meteorological Center said. As of 0900 GMT, the storm had gained strength, with winds reaching 166 kph (103 mph), according to Vietnam's national weather forecast agency. It is likely to strengthen further with wind speeds as high as 180 kph, China's weather forecaster said. Read More: Torrential rains trigger flooding across Pakistan, dam levels near capacity Authorities in Vietnam plan to evacuate more than 586,000 people from the central provinces of Thanh Hoa, Quang Tri, Hue and Danang, where the typhoon is forecast to make landfall early on Monday, state media ...

Iran kills six 'terrorists' linked to Israel

Iranian forces have killed six militants in a raid in the restive southeast, state media reported Saturday, saying they were members of a "terrorist" group linked to arch enemy Israel. "During an intense exchange of fire with terrorists in Sistan-Baluchistan province, six assailants were killed and two others arrested," official news agency IRNA said, citing a statement from the intelligence services. The report did not provide an exact location or say when the raid took place. Sistan-Baluchistan, which borders Pakistan and Afghanistan, has long been a flashpoint for clashes between security forces and armed groups, including drug traffickers and separatists. IRNA said there were "documents" indicating "the Zionist nature" of the group targeted in the latest raid, adding that its members had planned to attack a "vital" facility in Iran's east, without elaborating. from Latest World News, International News | Breaking World News ht...

Anil Ambani, Reliance communications face criminal probe after bank complaint

India's federal investigating agency said on Saturday it had opened a criminal case against industrialist Anil Ambani and his company Reliance Communications Ltd following a complaint by India's largest bank about alleged fraud. State Bank of India alleged that Anil Ambani, the younger brother of billionaire Mukesh Ambani, and Reliance Communications defrauded the bank, causing 30 billion Indian rupees ($344 million) of losses. India's Central Bureau of Investigation conducted search operations in Mumbai at Anil Ambani's house and the offices of the now insolvent Reliance Communications, the agency said in a press statement. Read More: India approached US for ceasefire, reiterates Dar A spokesperson for Ambani told Reuters that the searches at his residence concluded early this afternoon. "Mr. Ambani strongly denies all allegations and charges, and will duly defend himself," the spokesperson said. The agency said Anil Ambani and his company misused and diverte...

India's SC amends stray dog policy

India's Supreme Court modified its order on stray dogs on Friday, directing that those picked up from streets in and around Delhi be released after sterilisation and immunisation, after a storm of protests from animal lovers. Earlier this month, the court ruled that all stray dogs in Delhi and its suburbs be moved to shelters following a surge in dog bites and cases of rabies. Critics of the ruling had said it could not be implemented because there were not enough shelters. Many animal lovers took to the streets to protest against the order. Animal rights activists signed online petitions asking the court to revoke its decision. The court ruling also drew criticism from politicians and celebrities. opposition leader Rahul Gandhi called it a "step back from decades of humane, science-backed policy". On Friday, the court said that dogs picked up in the past few weeks in Delhi and its suburbs would be released after sterilisation and immunisation, barring those showing aggre...

Indonesia minister charged with extortion

Indonesia's Deputy Manpower Minister Immanuel Ebenezer was dismissed and charged with extortion on Friday after anti-graft investigators accused him of benefiting from illegal fees for the processing of safety permits. Ebenezer, a member of President Prabowo Subianto's political party, was arrested with 10 other people investigated over the case, who include officials with the manpower ministry and two employees of a training provider company, anti-graft agency chief Setyo Budiyanto said at a press conference. The graft investigation was the first to implicate a cabinet member, led by Prabowo, who was sworn in last October, and had campaigned against corruption. Immanuel, brought into the press conference apologised to the president and the Indonesian people, without saying what he was apologising for. from Latest World News, International News | Breaking World News https://ift.tt/GLOTFVR via IFTTT

Head of Pentagon’s intelligence agency fired, lawmaker says

The head of the Pentagon’s intelligence agency has been fired, a move that the top Democrat on the Senate Intelligence Committee on Friday condemned as the latest example of politicizing intelligence under President Donald Trump’s administration. “The firing of yet another senior national security official underscores the Trump administration’s dangerous habit of treating intelligence as a loyalty test rather than a safeguard for our country,” said US Senator Mark Warner, vice chair of the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence. Lieutenant General Jeffrey Kruse, who led the Defense Intelligence Agency (DIA), could not immediately be reached for comment. The Pentagon did not respond to a request for comment. The dismissal was first reported by the Washington Post. The move marks the latest instance of the Trump administration penalizing current and former military, intelligence and law enforcement officials whose views have clashed with Trump. While it was not clear why Kruse was remov...

At least five Iranian police officers shot dead in ambush

At least five policemen were killed in southeastern Iran on Friday after unidentified gunmen opened fire on two police patrol vehicles, Iranian news agencies reported. Iran's southeast has been the scene of sporadic clashes between security forces and armed groups, including Sunni militants and separatists who say they are fighting for greater rights and autonomy. Tehran accuses some of them of ties to foreign powers and involvement in cross-border smuggling and insurgency. Read More: Europe has no right to extend deadline for snapback sanctions: Iran According to the Yahoo News, the officers were patrolling in two police cars when they were attacked on the road near the city of Iranshahr, some 1,300 kilometers (800 miles) southeast of the capital, Tehran, according to the official IRNA news agency. It did not say how many policemen were injured in the attack. No group has so far taken responsibility for the attack. Also Read: Govt makes trade breakthrough with Iran The province, b...

Suspended Thai PM faces ouster

Thailand's suspended prime minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra testified on Thursday in a case seeking her removal from office over her handling of the kingdom's border row with Cambodia. Paetongtarn, daughter of controversial but influential billionaire ex-prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra, is accused of failing in her duties by not standing up for the country properly in a call with former Cambodian leader Hun Sen, audio of which was leaked online. The Constitutional Court, which ousted her predecessor as prime minister a year ago in a separate ethics case, will rule next Friday on whether Paetongtarn should be thrown out of office. The court suspended Paetongtarn from office last month and summoned her to answer questions in the case on Thursday -- her 39th birthday. Dressed in a black business suit, Paetongtarn smiled and greeted reporters as she arrived at court in Bangkok with Prommin Lertsuridej, a top adviser who is named in the case with her. from Latest World News, Inte...

Egypt reveals 2,000-year-old ruins in Alexandria waters

Egypt on Thursday unveiled parts of a sunken city submerged beneath waters off the coast of Alexandria, revealing buildings, artefacts and an ancient dock, all dating back over 2,000 years. Egyptian authorities said the site, located in the waters of Abu Qir Bay, may be an extension of the ancient city of Canopus, a prominent centre during the Ptolemaic dynasty, which ruled Egypt for nearly 300 years, and the Roman Empire, which governed for around 600 years. Over time, a series of earthquakes and rising sea levels submerged the city and the nearby port of Heracleion, leaving behind a treasure trove of historical remains. On Thursday, cranes slowly hoisted statues from the depths, while divers in wetsuits, who had helped retrieve them, cheered from the shore. "There's a lot underwater, but what we're able to bring up is limited, it's only specific material according to strict criteria," Egyptian Tourism and Antiquities Minister Sherif Fathi said. from Latest Wor...

Putin demands Ukraine surrender Donbas and abandon NATO bid, sources say

Vladimir Putin is demanding that Ukraine give up all of the eastern Donbas region, renounce ambitions to join NATO, remain neutral and keep Western troops out of the country, three sources familiar with top-level Kremlin thinking told Reuters. The Russian president met Donald Trump in Alaska on Friday for the first Russia-US summit in more than four years and spent almost all of their three-hour closed meeting discussing what a compromise on Ukraine might look like, according to the sources who requested anonymity to discuss sensitive matters. Speaking afterwards beside Trump, Putin said the meeting would hopefully open up the road to peace in Ukraine - but neither leader gave specifics about what they discussed. Read More: Russia seeks say in Ukraine peace deal In the most detailed Russian-based reporting to date on Putin's offer at the summit, Reuters was able to outline the contours of what the Kremlin would like to see in a possible peace deal to end a war that has killed and i...

Google's latest Pixel phones packed with AI unveiled

Google on Wednesday unveiled new Pixel 10 smartphones that promise more artificial intelligence capabilities, as it seeks to elbow out competition in the emerging AI-assistant market. Comedian Jimmy Fallon hosted a launch event in Brooklyn that blended Google product pitches with stars such as The Jonas Brothers band and Stephen Curry of the Golden Gate Warriors basketball team. "This is exciting," Fallon, host of NBC's "The Tonight Show," said in an opening monologue. "It's like a Taylor Swift announcement for nerds." The line-up of new products included a foldable phone, improved Pixel smartwatch, and ear buds all synced to work with AI and each other. "Pixel continues to be the best way for people to try out the latest bleeding-edge AI from Google," product manager Tyler Kugler said during a briefing with journalists. from Latest World News, International News | Breaking World News https://ift.tt/kzOPIHl via IFTTT

US sanctions four ICC judges, prosecutors over war crimes investigations

US President Donald Trump's administration on Wednesday imposed sanctions on two judges and two prosecutors at the International Criminal Court, as Washington ramped up its pressure on the war tribunal over its targeting of Israeli leaders and a past decision to investigate US officials. In a statement, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio called the court "a national security threat that has been an instrument for lawfare" against the United States and Israel. The move drew ire from France and the United Nations. Paris urged Washington to withdraw the sanctions, while the ICC said it deplored the designations, calling them "a flagrant attack" against the independence of an impartial judicial institution. Washington designated Nicolas Yann Guillou of France, Nazhat Shameem Khan of Fiji, Mame Mandiaye Niang of Senegal, and Kimberly Prost of Canada, according to the US Treasury and State Department. All officials have been involved in cases linked to Israel and the U...