Trump confronts govt in court battle over seized papers

Trump confronts govt in court battle over seized papers

WEST BEACH: An increasingly high-stakes standoff between Donald Trump and federal investigators lands in court on Thursday, after days of headline-grabbing revelations surrounding highly classified documents seized by the FBI from the former president’s Florida home. Trump’s lawyers are asking that an outside party — a “special master” — be named to reassess the government’s […]

G20 climate talks end without communique

G20 climate talks end without communique

BALI: Group of 20 climate talks in Bali ended without a joint communique on Wednesday despite host Indonesia warning the world’s leading economies they must act together to combat a warming planet or risk plunging into “uncharted territory”. The one-day meeting on the resort island concluded with Indonesia’s environment chief saying G20 chair Jakarta would […]

China, Taiwan trade barbs over drone sorties into island

China, Taiwan trade barbs over drone sorties into island

TAIPEI: Taipei and Beijing have traded barbs over a recent string of drone sorties from the Chinese mainland to an outlying Taiwanese island, as Taiwan’s president on Tuesday vowed “strong countermeasures” against such incursions. Photos and video taken by Chinese drones of the Kinmen islands have been circulating on both Taiwa­nese and Chinese social media, […]

Clashes in Libya leave 32 dead before tentative calm

Clashes in Libya leave 32 dead before tentative calm

TRIPOLI: Flights resumed and shops re-opened in Libya’s capital Tripoli on Sunday after clashes between backers of rival governments killed at least 32 people and sparked fears of major new conflict. Armed groups had exchanged fire that damaged several hospitals and set buildings on fire starting on Friday evening, the worst fighting in the Libyan […]

Ukraine narrowly escapes nuclear disaster as plant loses power

Ukraine narrowly escapes nuclear disaster as plant loses power

KYIV: The world narrowly escaped a radiation disaster when electricity to Europe’s largest nuclear power plant was cut off for hours, Ukraine’s president said on Thursday, urging international bodies to act faster to force Russian troops to vacate the site. President Volodymyr Zelen­sky said Russian shelling had sparked fires in the ash pits of a […]

Russian attack kills 25 civilians on Ukraine’s Independence Day

Russian attack kills 25 civilians on Ukraine’s Independence Day

KYIV: A Russian attack killed 25 civilians when missiles struck a railway station and a residential area in eastern Ukraine, officials in the capital Kyiv said, as the nation marked its Independence Day under heavy shelling. The European Union condemned Russia’s deadly bombardment and warned those “responsible for Russian rocket terror will be held accountable”. […]

Japan national police chief resigns over ex-PM Shinzo Abe’s assassination

Japan national police chief resigns over ex-PM Shinzo Abe’s assassination

The head of Japan’s National Police Agency announced his resignation on Thursday after an investigation confirmed “shortcomings” in the security plans for assassinated former prime minister Shinzo Abe. Abe, the country’s best-known politician and longest-serving premier, was shot and killed while delivering a stump speech on July 8 in the city of Nara in western […]

Defiant Ukraine marks Independence Day six months after invasion

Defiant Ukraine marks Independence Day six months after invasion

Ukrainians mark 31 years since they broke free from the Russia-dominated Soviet Union on Wednesday in what is certain to be a day of defiance against the Kremlin’s six-month-old war to subdue the country once again. Ukraine’s Independence Day falls six months after Russia’s February 24 invasion and will be observed with subdued celebrations under the threat […]

Despite frustration with Taliban, US agrees to asset talks

Despite frustration with Taliban, US agrees to asset talks

WASHINGTON: US President Joe Biden’s administration will press ahead with talks on releasing billions of dollars in Afghanistan’s foreign-held assets despite the late Al Qaeda leader’s presence in Kabul and foot-dragging by the Taliban and Afghan central bank, according to three sources with knowledge of the situation. The decision to pursue the initiative to help […]