Malaysia scrambles jets to intercept Chinese planes
KUALA LUMPUR: Malaysia scrambled jets to intercept 16 Chinese military aircraft off the country’s coast in the South China Sea, a rare incident that the foreign minister angrily denounced on Tuesday as an “intrusion”. It took place on Monday off the Malaysian part of Borneo island over the fiercely contested waters, where China and Malaysia […]
Members agree to strengthen World Health Organisation
GENEVA: World Health Organisation members agreed on Monday to strengthen the global body at the heart of the pandemic response and give it a more secure financial base from which to tackle future health crises. Many of the details of the concrete measures had to be left to a future date, as members continue to […]
Don’t cross ‘red lines’, Iran’s judiciary tells candidates
TEHRAN: A senior Iranian judiciary official on Sunday warned candidates running in the forthcoming presidential election against crossing the “red lines” of the Islamic republic. Iranians are set to elect a successor to President Hassan Rouhani on June 18, amid widespread discontent over a deep economic and social crisis. The Islamic republic’s candidate-vetting Guardian Council […]
China rails at Biden move to probe virus origins
BEIJING: China hit out at the “dark history” of the US intelligence community on Thursday, after President Joe Biden ordered a probe into the Covid-19 origins which threatens to set the course for relations between world’s top economies. Washington is reviewing its diplomatic position with China on issues spanning trade, technological supremacy and rights, while […]
Japan sees no impact on Tokyo Games from US travel advice
TOKYO: Top Japanese officials said on Tuesday they did not expect a US advisory against travel to Japan due to coronavirus (Covid-19) concerns to affect the Tokyo Olympics — less than two months away — and that US support for the Games was unchanged. The US State Department’s ‘Do Not Travel’ advisory and guidance for […]
OIC states seek UN probe into Israeli actions during Gaza conflict
GENEVA: Muslim countries are calling on the United Nations to investigate possible crimes committed during the 11-day conflict between Israel and Hamas and to establish command responsibility. The UN Human Rights Council will hold a special session on the latest conflict on Thursday, at the request of Pakistan, as coordinator of the Organisation of Islamic […]
Myanmar: Ousted Leader Aung San Suu Kyi Makes First In-Person Court Appearance Since Coup
Myanmar’s ousted leader, Aung San Suu Kyi, appeared in court in person on Monday for the first time since the military arrested her when it seized power on February 1. Myanmar state television MRTV broadcast on its evening news program the first photo of Suu Kyi, 75, since the coup. It showed her sitting straight-backed […]
UN calls for ‘political process’ amid Gaza reconstruction
GAZA CITY: A UN official in Gaza on Sunday called for a “genuine political process” to avert further bloodshed after Israeli atrocities ravaged the Palestinian enclave. As thousands of Gazans slowly tried to piece back together their lives, top UN staff visited the territory after an Egyptian-brokered ceasefire on Friday halted 11 days of bombardment. On Sunday, […]
Magnitude 7.3 Earthquake Strikes Central China
A 7.3-magnitude quake hit Southern Qinghai, China early Saturday. The quake was centered about 10 kilometers (6 miles) deep in central China, about 1,000 kilometers (621 miles) north of an earlier quake. US Geological Survey (USGS) geophysicist Jonathan Tytell said the agency expects “significant economic losses” and damage from the quake, but that it’s centered […]
Israel-Hamas truce after 11 days of fighting
An Egyptian-mediated truce between Israel and Hamas began on Friday, but Hamas warned it still had its “hands on the trigger” and demanded Israel end the violence in Jerusalem and address the damages in Gaza Strip after the worst fighting in years. US President Joe Biden pledged to salve the devastated Gaza. Aerial bombardment of […]
