International
New Israeli Government Wins Majority Vote, Ending Netanyahu Tenure
Israel's parliament voted 60-59 in favour of a new government on Sunday, ending Benjamin Netanyahu's 12-year consecutive tenure as premier. Ultra-nationalist Naftali Bennett will head the new cabinet, comprising parties from left to right, for a little over two years before his centrist ally, Yair
Gas explosion in China kills 11, rescue operation ongoing
At least 11 people were killed and 37 others seriously injured when a gas line explosion ripped through a residential compound in central China’s Hubei province on Sunday, local officials said.Rescue efforts were continuing, a statement by the government in Shiyan city said, adding at least
India holds vaccination drive for people with disabilities
Authorities in an Indian city have organized a special drive-through vaccination camp for disabled people in a bid to address low vaccination rates, especially among more vulnerable members of society.Organizers of the weekend campaign in Ahmedabad, the biggest city in Gujarat state, aim to vaccin
Hong Kong democracy activist Agnes Chow released from prison
Hong Kong pro-democracy activist Agnes Chow was released from prison on Saturday after serving nearly seven months for her role in an unauthorized assembly during anti-government protests in the city in 2019.The 24-year-old activist had been convicted together with her long-time activist colleague
Israel to swear in government, ending Netanyahu’s long rule
Israeli lawmakers are to vote Sunday on a “change” coalition government of bitter ideological rivals united by their determination to banish Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu from power.The crunch Knesset vote will either terminate the hawkish premier’s uninterrupted 12-year tenu
Russian COVID-19 Cases Spike 47% In a Week
Russia’s national coronavirus taskforce on Saturday reported that the country’s tally of daily new infections has risen by nearly 50% over the past week and more than doubled in Moscow. It said there were 13,510 infections recorded in the previous day, sharply higher than the 9,163 re
France kills extremist suspected in murder of two French journalists
The French military has killed an extremist linked to Al Qaeda believed to have been behind the murder of two French journalists in Mali. Three other extremists were also killed in a weekend antiterrorist operation around Aguelhok in northern Mali, said French Defence Minister Florence Parly. &n
China urges US, Russian nuclear cuts and progress in Iran talks
Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi urged the United States and Russia on Friday to further cut their nuclear arsenals, days before US President Joe Biden and Russian President Vladimir Putin hold a summit in Geneva.Wang, addressing the UN-backed Conference on Disarmament from Beijing, said that fres
China, US diplomats clash over human rights, COVID-19 pandemic origin
Top US and Chinese diplomats appear to have had another sharply worded exchange, with Beijing saying it told the US to cease interfering in its internal affairs and accusing Washington of politicizing the search for the origin of the COVID-19 pandemic.Senior Chinese foreign policy adviser Yang Jie
Israel’s new government seals coalition deals as Netanyahu era nears end
The new Israeli government set to end Benjamin Netanyahu’s 12-year tenure as prime minister signed its final coalition agreements on Friday, pointedly including term limits.The coalition of parties from far-right to left is expected to focus mostly on economic and social issues rather
Japan says Taiwan ties under ‘1 country, 2 systems’ policy
Japan’s relations with Taiwan are non-governmental and practical, based on the “one country, two systems” policy that recognizes China as the sole legitimate government, a top Japanese official said Friday, following Beijing’s protest over a recent reference to the island a
India’s Bihar state revises COVID-19 death count, up by 70 percent
The Indian state of Bihar has increased its COVID-19 death toll after the discovery of thousands of unreported cases, raising concerns that many more fatalities were not officially recorded.The health department in Bihar, one of the poorest states, on Thursday revised its COVID-19 fatality count t
Philippines reopens gyms, museums as coronavirus surge ebbs
Philippine officials have allowed the reopening of gyms, skating rinks, racket courts and museums in metropolitan Manila and adjacent provinces as a coronavirus surge continues to ease.Trade Secretary Ramon Lopez says Filipinos 65 years old and above who have been restricted to home can now travel
UN: Over 30,000 children risk death in famine-hit Tigray
Tens of thousands of malnourished children risk dying in hard-to-reach areas of Ethiopia's troubled Tigray region, now hit by famine, the United Nations said Friday."Without humanitarian access to scale up our response, an estimated 30,000-plus severely malnourished children in those highly inacce
UK says Delta COVID-19 variant 60 percent more transmissible
The British government said Friday that the new Delta coronavirus variant is 60 percent more transmissible in households than the variant that forced the UK to lock down in January.The Delta variant, which first emerged in India, has caused a rise in cases in Britain, prompting questions about whe
Russia preparing to give Iran advanced satellite system: report
Russia is set to deliver an advanced satellite system to Iran that will vastly improve its spying capabilities, according to a US media report. Moscow is preparing to give Iran a Kanopus-V satellite with a high-resolution camera, the Washington Post reported Thursday. It will allow the Islamic r
Man who slapped Macron to stand trial on Thursday
Damien Tarel, the medieval martial arts enthusiast who slapped French President Emmanuel Macron across the face, will go before a judge in a fast-track trial on Thursday. Tarel had acknowledged striking Macron while the president was on a visit to a professional training college, but told investi
Germany starts rolling out a digital EU vaccination pass
Germany on Thursday started rolling out a digital vaccination pass that can be used across Europe as the continent is gets ready for the key summer travel season.The country’s health minister said starting this week vaccination centers, doctors practices and pharmacies will gradually start g
