Indian-origin Rishi Sunak will become UK’s next PM after rivals drop out of race

Indian-origin Rishi Sunak will become UK’s next PM after rivals drop out of race

LONDON: Rishi Sunak has won the race to be leader of the Conservative Party and will become Britain’s next prime minister — the third in seven weeks, and the fifth Prime Minister since 2016. The former Treasury chief will be Britain’s first leader of color, and faces the task of stabilizing the party and country […]

India, Pakistan on cusp of history to share pride as Sunak likely to be first non-White British PM

India, Pakistan on cusp of history to share pride as Sunak likely to be first non-White British PM

Islamabad: With Rishi Sunak on the threshold of becoming the first non-White Prime Minister of Britain, arch-rivals India and Pakistan are on the cusp of history to share a pride, though none of them played a role in it. Sunak’s grandparents originated from British India but their birthplace Gujranwala lies in modern day Pakistan’s Punjab […]

German lawmakers oppose China military threats toward Taiwan

German lawmakers oppose China military threats toward Taiwan

Taipei: Any changes to the China-Taiwan relationship must come about peacefully, a visiting German lawmaker said on Monday, two days after China’s ruling Communist Party wrote its rejection of Taiwan independence into its charter. A German parliamentary delegation focusing on human rights met Taiwan President Tsai Ing-wen at her office on Monday. The lawmakers expressed […]

Ethnic group says Myanmar air attack kills 60 at celebration

Bangkok: Air strikes by Myanmar’s military killed more than 60 people, including singers and musicians, attending an anniversary celebration of the Kachin ethnic minority’s main political organisation, members of the group and a rescue worker said Monday. The reported attack comes three days before Southeast Asian foreign ministers are to hold a special meeting in […]

WHO head in Middle East ‘disturbed’ by report over its Syria director squandering millions

LONDON: The head of the World Health Organization’s (WHO) Eastern Mediterranean region told staff in an internal email that he is “very disturbed” by allegations reported by the Associated Press last week that the U.N. health agency’s Syria director misspent millions, abused staff and violated the organization’s own COVID-19 protocols as the pandemic swept across […]

Chinese President Xi creates history, wins record third term in power

Chinese President Xi creates history, wins record third term in power

Beijing: Chinese President Xi Jinping on Sunday created history, becoming the first leader of the ruling Communist Party after party founder Mao Zedong to get re-elected for an unprecedented third term in power with the prospect of ruling China for life. Xi, 69, was elected Sunday morning as General Secretary of the Communist Party for […]

Russia’s Sergei Shoigu says Ukraine could use ‘dirty bomb’ in conflict

Russia’s Sergei Shoigu says Ukraine could use ‘dirty bomb’ in conflict

MOSCOW: Russia’s defence minister Sergei Shoigu told his French counterpart in a telephone call on Sunday that Moscow was concerned Ukraine could use a “dirty bomb”, the Russian defence ministry said. According to a readout of a phone call between Shoigu and France’s defence minister Sebastien Lecornu published by the Russian defence ministry, Shoigu also […]

Russian warplane crashes into building in Siberia

Russian warplane crashes into building in Siberia

MOSCOW: A Russian warplane crashed into a residential building in the Siberian city of Irkutsk on Sunday, regional authorities said. There was no immediate information on casualties. Irkutsk governor Igor Kobzev said the plane came down on a two-storey building in the city. The local branch of Russia’s emergencies ministry said the Su-30 fighter jet […]

Hackers breach Iran’s atomic energy agency, protests persist

Dubai: Iran’s atomic energy agency alleged on Sunday that hackers acting on behalf of an unidentified foreign country broke into a subsidiary’s network and had free access to its email system. An anonymous hacking group claimed responsibility for the attack on Iran’s Atomic Energy Organisation, demanding Tehran release political prisoners arrested in the recent nationwide […]

Pakistan requests China to rollover USD 6.3 billion debt

Islamabad: Pakistan has requested China to rollover its USD 6.3 billion debt that is maturing in the next eight months as part of its overall plan to arrange USD 34 billion in the current fiscal year to meet its debt and external trade-related obligations, according to a media report on Sunday. Another proposal was also […]