World news

Cape Town International wins another award for best airport in Africa

It was the third year in a row Cape Town International won the award. Cape Town International Airport was once again ranked the best in Africa at the Skytrax World Airport Awards held in Stockholm, Sweden, the Western Cape Economic Opportunities Minister Alan Winde said on Thursday. It was the t

Prime suspect in attack on Palestinian PM dead after shootout with security forces

The main suspect in last week’s attempted assassination of Palestinian Prime Minister Rami Hamdallah died of his wounds after a gun battle on Thursday with Hamas-run security forces in the Gaza Strip, a security official said. Another gunman and two security officers were also killed in the shootout

IS suicide bomber kills 29 as Afghans celebrate new year

KABUL: An Islamic State suicide bomber struck on the road to a Shiite shrine in Afghanistan's capital on Wednesday, killing at least 29 people as Afghans celebrated the Persian new year. The Public Health Ministry said another 52 people were wounded in the attack, which was carried out by a bombe

Govt being insensitive to kin of 39 Indians killed in Iraq, should apologise: Cong

The Congress today accused the NDA government of being "insensitive" towards the families of 39 Indians killed in Iraq and giving them "false hopes", and charged External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj with "playing politics" on the matter. The party also demanded that Prime Minister Narendra Mod

UN concerned for safety of thousands fleeing Syria's Ghouta

GENEVA: The United Nations said Tuesday it was "deeply concerned" over the safety of tens of thousands of civilians fleeing Syria's Eastern Ghouta as well as the security screening procedures for those trying to leave. As Syrian government forces have advanced on the last opposition bastion outsi

World’s last male northern white rhino, Sudan, dies

The world’s last male northern white rhino, Sudan, has died after “age-related complications,” researchers announced Tuesday, saying he “stole the heart of many with his dignity and strength.” A statement from the Ol Pejeta Conservancy in Kenya said the 45-year-old rhino was euthanized on Monday

Vladimir Putin wins Russia presidential election, re-elected for another 6 years

Vladimir Putin rolled to a crushing re-election victory Sunday for six more years as Russia’s president, and he told cheering supporters in a triumphant but brief speech that “we are bound for success.” There had been no doubt that Putin would win in his fourth electoral contest; he faced seven mino

Pak ‘must do more’ against Taliban, terror groups: US

The US has told Pakistan that it “must do more” against Taliban and other terror groups operating in the country, warning that the Trump administration is ready to take unilateral measures if Islamabad failed to stop cross-border attacks from its soil. The warning, given at a news briefing yester

Lawmakers say UK should consider postponing Brexit

LONDON: Britain should consider postponing Brexit because there may not be enough time to strike a deal with the European Union before the U.K. leaves the bloc a year from now, a key committee of British lawmakers said Sunday. The House of Commons Exiting the EU Committee said if major aspects of

Russian election: Putin’s opponents allege voters were ordered to go to polling stations

Opponents of Russian President Vladimir Putin alleged that voters in Sunday’s presidential election were being compelled to show up at polling stations in a Kremlin drive to ensure Putin’s likely win is not tarnished by a low turnout. Ivan Zhdanov, an aide to opposition leader Alexei Navalny, who

Diplomats harassment row: Pakistan decides to skip WTO meet in New Delhi

Pakistan has decided to stay away from the World Trade Organisation meet in New Delhi next week in protest against alleged harassment of its diplomats in India. India last month invited Pakistan Commerce Minister Pervez Malik to participate in the informal WTO ministerial meeting scheduled to be

Vijay Mallya appears before UK Court in extradition case

Embattled liquor baron Vijay Mallya was produced before London's Westminster Magistrates Court for hearing in connection with extradition case against him, on Friday. Mallya is facing a trail in a UK Court, to rule if he can be extradited to India to face charges for financial irregularities invo

U.K. to cut high-level contacts with Russia

British Prime Minister Theresa May said on Wednesday that her government will suspend all high-level bilateral contacts with Russia over the poisoning of Sergei Skripal, the former Russian double agent. No Ministers or members of the Royal Family will attend the Summer World Cup in Russia, Ms. May t

Death toll rises to 6 after florida footbridge collapse

MIAMI, UNITED STATES: The death toll from the collapse of a pedestrian bridge has risen to at least six, Miami police said Friday as crews searched under the huge concrete slabs which fell onto a busy highway. The operation has shifted from rescue to body recovery, with engineers fearing the supp

Islam doesn’t belong to Germany, new Interior Minister Horst Seehofer says

New Interior Minister Horst Seehofer said Islam did not belong to Germany, in an interview published on Friday, setting him on a collision course with Chancellor Angela Merkel who has stressed the need to integrate Muslims. Seehofer also set out a range of hardline policies on immigration, as the

Indians are an unhappy lot, but Pakistanis get more joyful: UN report

NEW DELHI: Indians, it appears, are getting unhappier by the year, while their not-so-well-off neighbours in Pakistan are becoming more joyful, shows the latest United Nations ranking of the world's happiest countries. India, which dropped four places in the 2017 World Happiness Report, fell a fu

Sri Lanka lifts ban on Facebook after assurance from social media giant

The Sri Lankan government today lifted a week-long ban on access to the Facebook, after officials from the US social media giant agreed to step up efforts to remove hate speech posted on its platform during the anti-Muslim violence in Kandy district. The government imposed a state of emergency Ma

Foreign powers obstruct more Assad gains in Syria

Syria’s war is reaching a point where President Bashar al-Assad’s will not be able to win back much more territory without risking conflicts with foreign powers that have sent military forces to the country. The expected conquest of eastern Ghouta will be another milestone in Assad’s effort to crush