British PM Boris Johnson digs in as ministers, lawmakers desert govt
British Prime Minister Boris Johnson was defiantly hanging onto power on Thursday despite the resignation of four top ministers and a seemingly unstoppable revolt by his own lawmakers, threatening to paralyse the government. More than 50 ministers have quit the government in less than 48 hours, saying Johnson was not fit to be in charge […]
Finland, Sweden sign to join Nato but need ratification
BRUSSELS: Nato’s 30 allies signed an accession protocol for Finland and Sweden on Tuesday, allowing them to join the nuclear-armed alliance once parliaments ratify the decision, the most significant expansion of the alliance since the 1990s. The signing at Nato headquarters follows a deal with Turkey at last week’s Nato summit in Madrid, where Ankara […]
Sydney floods force thousands more to flee
Rain-swollen rivers spilled mud-brown waters across swathes of Sydney on Tuesday, swamping homes and roads while forcing thousands to flee. Emergency services have now instructed about 50,000 people to evacuate or to prepare to escape the rising waters in New South Wales, officials said. Emergency workers carried out 22 flood rescues in Sydney overnight, they said, with […]
North Korea slams US plan for ‘Asian Nato’
SEOUL: North Korea criticised the United States, South Korea and Japan’s recent agreement on strengthening military cooperation to be a means to materialise a US plan for a military alliance like Nato in the region. North Korea’s foreign ministry spokesperson said as much to a question put by KCNA, the state news agency reported on […]
At least 5 killed as 3 earthquakes of up to 6.3 magnitude strike Iran Gulf coast
At least five people were killed by a 6.1-magnitude earthquake in southern Iran early on Saturday, state media reported, with the area also hit later by two strong quakes of up to 6.3 magnitude. “Five people have died in the earthquake … and so far 12 are hospitalised,” Mehrdad Hassanzadeh, head of emergency management in […]
Ukraine fetes Russian pullback from strategic Snake Island outpost
KYIV: Russia on Thursday withdrew from Snake Island, a craggy speck of land in the Black Sea, handing Ukraine a symbolically-potent political victory and depriving Moscow of a strategic outpost for its air defences and electronic warfare systems. The island’s capture by Russian forces on the first day of their invasion entered Ukrainian folklore. Just […]
Expanding Nato squares up to Russia threat
MADRID: The United States vowed on Wednesday to shore up Europe’s defences in the wake of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, as Nato declared Moscow the West’s greatest threat. Meeting in Madrid, alliance leaders said Russia “is the most significant and direct threat to allies’ security and to peace and stability in the Euro-Atlantic area”. This […]
UK military chiefs urge army ‘mobilisation’ over Russia threat
LONDON: British military leaders warned on Tuesday that UK armed forces must “mobilise” in response to the threat posed by Russia, with the army’s new chief invoking the Allies’ struggle against Nazi Germany. Defence Secretary Ben Wallace and Patrick Sanders, a general and the army’s most senior officer, both argued in separate speeches that Britain’s […]
Biden, Xi may speak in ‘next few weeks’
SCHLOSS ELMAU (Germany): US President Joe Biden and Chinese President Xi Jinping are expected to speak in the next few weeks, US national security adviser Jake Sullivan said on Monday, citing growing convergence among Nato and G7 members about the challenge China poses. The Group of Seven rich democracies will address China’s non-market economic practices, […]
Iraqi PM visits Saudi Arabia and Iran to discuss regional stability
TEHRAN: Iraq’s prime minister met with leaders in rivals Saudi Arabia and Iran on Sunday, discussing regional stability as part of Baghdad’s efforts to mediate between the two Middle East heavyweights. Mustafa al-Kadhemi visited Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi in Tehran, after earlier meeting with Saudi Arabia’s de facto leader Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman in […]
