Data from Wuhan animal market yields clues about origins
LONDON: Data from the early days of the Covid-19 pandemic, briefly uploaded to a global database by Chinese scientists, gives crucial information on the outbreak’s origins, including on an animal market in the Chinese city of Wuhan, researchers said. The virus was first identified in Wuhan in December 2019, with many suspecting the Huanan live […]
ICC prosecutor urges Russia to ‘repatriate Ukrainian children’
LONDON: International Criminal Court (ICC) prosecutor Karim Khan urged countries on Monday to find “the stamina to deliver on justice,” as ministers from dozens of capitals met to discuss boosting support for ICC probes into the war in Ukraine. The gathering of more than 40 ministers in London follows the issue on Friday of arrest […]
Assad in UAE, gets president’s nod for return to Arab fold
DUBAI: UAE President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan on Sunday told his Syrian counterpart it was time for diplomatically isolated Damascus to be reintegrated into the wider Arab region during a meeting in Abu Dhabi, state media reported. The trip by Syrian President Bashar al-Assad — his second to the oil-rich United Arab Emirates […]
Actor Lance Reddick, police chief on ‘The Wire,’ dead at age 60
Actor Lance Reddick, best known for his commanding presence as a no-nonsense police chief on the acclaimed television drama “The Wire” and for his supporting work in the “John Wick” action-film series, died on Friday at age 60, his publicist said. Reddick died suddenly on Friday morning of natural causes, according to a statement issued […]
China wants Russia and Ukraine to hold peace talks
BEIJING: China is concerned about an escalation of the war in Ukraine and wants Moscow and Kyiv to hold peace talks, senior Chinese diplomat Qin Gang told his Ukrainian counterpart over a phone call on Thursday. China, which has refrained from condemning Russia for its invasion of Ukraine, has urged both sides to agree to […]
Saudi Arabia could invest in Iran ‘very quickly’, says minister
RIYADH: Saudi Arabia could start making investments in Iran “very quickly” after they agreed to restore diplomatic ties, the Saudi finance minister said on Wednesday, despite sweeping US sanctions against Tehran. Mohammed Al Jadaan said there were “a lot of opportunities” in Iran and that he could not see any reason to prevent investments from […]
China to fully reopen borders to foreigners but near-term hurdles remain
China will reopen its borders to foreign tourists for the first time in the three years since the Covid-19 pandemic erupted by allowing all categories of visas to be issued from Wednesday. The removal of this last cross-border control measure imposed to guard against Covid-19 comes after authorities last month declared victory over the virus. […]
Saudi Arabia-Iran détente: a setback for Israel and wake-up call on relations with US
JERUSALEM: The Saudi-Iran detente sets back Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s efforts to isolate Tehran, but time will tell whether it also hinders his outreach to Riyadh or planning for any eventual military strike against Iranian nuclear sites. The more pressing worry for Israel, some experts argue, is that Friday’s Chinese-brokered deal between the top […]
Li Qiang, Xi confidant, takes reins as China’s premier
Li Qiang, the former Communist Party chief of Shanghai, took office on Saturday as China’s premier, the country’s No.2 post, putting the close ally of President Xi Jinping in charge of reviving an economy battered by three years of Covid-19 curbs. Widely perceived to be pragmatic and business-friendly, the 63-year-old Li faces the daunting task […]
Chinese minister warns of conflict unless US changes course
Beijing:China’s foreign minister has warned Washington of “conflict and confrontation” if it fails to change course in relations with Beijing, striking a combative tone amid conflicts over Taiwan, COVID-19 and Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. Qin Gang’s language appeared to defy hopes China’s might abandon confrontational “wolf warrior” rhetoric. It followed an accusation by Chinese leader […]
