International

The UK, France and Canada have warned Israel they will take “concrete actions” if it continues an “egregious” expansion of military operations in Gaza. Sir Keir Starmer joined the French and Canadian leaders to call on the Israeli government to “stop its military operations” and “immediately allow humanitarian aid to enter Gaza”. Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu responded by saying ...

Pope Leo XIV received US Vice President JD Vance and Secretary of State Marco Rubio at the Vatican on Monday, a day after his inauguration mass as the new head of the Catholic Church. Photos released by the Vatican showed the Chicago-born pontiff warmly greeting Vance and Rubio. The meeting marked a notable moment in the early days of Leo ...

At least 17 people were killed and many others injured on Sunday after a massive fire broke out in a building in the southern Indian city of Hyderabad, officials said. The fire broke out in the morning inside a residential building in Gulzar House near the iconic Charminar area of the city. “The fire broke out around 6:00 a.m., and ...

An American-Lebanese man was sentenced to 25 years in prison on Friday for trying to kill novelist Salman Rushdie in a 2022 knife attack at a New York cultural center, reports AFP. Hadi Matar, 27, was convicted in February of attempted murder and assault for the stabbing, which left Rushdie blind in one eye. Matar received the maximum sentence of ...

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio was to meet with top Turkish and Ukranian officials Friday after landing in Istanbul ahead of the first direct Russia-Ukraine talks in three years, a US official said. Rubio had on Thursday played down hope of progress at the meeting, saying “we don’t have high expectations” but has nonetheless flown in to throw his ...

US President Donald Trump said Thursday a deal was close on Iran’s nuclear programme that would avoid military action, sending oil prices tumbling as he boasted of raising “trillions of dollars” on a Gulf tour. “We’re not going to be making any nuclear dust in Iran,” Trump said in Qatar, the second stop of his multi-day Gulf tour. “I think ...

India on Tuesday expelled an official working at the Pakistan High Commission for “indulging in activities not in keeping with his official status” and asked him to leave the country within 24 hours. India also issued a demarche to Pakistani Charge d’ Affaires in New Delhi on the activities of the official. Following India’s action, Pakistan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs ...

Former Uruguayan President José Mujica, known as “Pepe”, has died at the age of 89. The ex-guerrilla who governed Uruguay from 2010 to 2015 was known as the world’s “poorest president” because of his modest lifestyle. Current President Yamandú Orsi announced his predecessor’s death on X, writing: “thank you for everything you gave us and for your deep love for ...

Ukraine’s Volodymyr Zelensky urged Donald Trump to help secure a meeting with Vladimir Putin in Turkey on Thursday, accusing the Russian leader of not seriously wanting to negotiate an end to the war, reports AFP. Zelensky told reporters in Kyiv on Tuesday that the West should respond with massive sanctions if Putin skips the meeting, emphasising that he would do ...

US President Donald Trump has arrived in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, marking the beginning of his first significant overseas visit since starting his second term in office. Air Force One touched down at 2:49 am. ET (9:49 a.m. local time), where Trump received a ceremonial welcome at the Royal Terminal. A royal purple carpet was laid out for his arrival, and ...