Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi and his foreign minister died when their helicopter crashed as it was crossing mountain terrain in heavy fog, an Iranian official told news agency Reuters. The servant of Iranian nation, Ayatollah Ebrahim Raisi has achieved the highest level of martyrdom whilst serving the people,” state television said today. The incident occurred during President Raisi’s return flight...
WORLD
UK PM Rishi Sunak, Wife Akshata Murty’s Wealth Soars In 2024 Rich List
British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak and wife Akshata Murty, who made their debut in the annual ‘Sunday Times Rich List’ two years ago, have moved up the ranks in the 2024 edition released on Friday thanks to the Akshata Murty’s lucrative Infosys shareholding. The couple, both 44, have risen from 275th last year to 245th with an estimated wealth of...
US House Passes Bill To Force Biden To Send Weapons To Israel
The Republican-led U.S. House of Representatives passed a bill on Thursday that would force President Joe Biden to send weapons to Israel, seeking to rebuke the Democrat for delaying bomb shipments as he urges Israel to do more to protect civilians during its war with Hamas. The Israel Security Assistance Support Act was approved 224 to 187, largely along party...
AstraZeneca Covid Vaccine Linked To Another Fatal Blood Clotting Disorder
British-Swedish pharma giant AstraZeneca’s Covid-19 vaccine, made in collaboration with Oxford University has been found to raise the risk of vaccine-induced immune thrombocytopenia and thrombosis (VITT) — a rare but fatal blood clotting disorder, claimed researchers today. While not new, VITT emerged as a new disease following adenovirus vector-based Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccine — sold as Covishield in India and Vaxzevria in...
PoK on boil as 3 civilians shot dead during clashes
At least three civilians were killed and several others injured after the Pakistani Rangers, a paramilitary force operating under the Pakistan Army, on Monday opened fire at them, who were protesting against rising prices in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir. The incident happened on a day when Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif announced the immediate release of PKR 23 billion for the region after an emergency meeting...
For Dh4,000, visitors can soon explore multiple Gulf countries
Travel agencies in the UAE and abroad are all set to roll out packages for tourists visiting the Gulf region ahead of the launch of the unified GCC tourist visa or GCC ‘Grand Tours’ visa. Travel and tourism industry executives said packages, which will include a couple of night stays, travel and sightseeing in three countries in the region, could...
Maldives Defence minister admits their pilots Can’t fly aircraft given by India
The Maldives’s Defence Minister Ghassan Maumoon has admitted that its military lacks pilots capable of operating three aircraft donated by India, days after the last of the Indian defence personnel left the island nation. “There aren’t any people licenced to fly the aircraft,” said Defence Minister Ghassan Maumoon at a media briefing in Male on Sunday. Maumoon explained that Maldivian soldiers who...
Israel hits Rafah despite US warning on arms transfers
Israeli warplanes struck Gaza’s crowded southern city of Rafah Thursday after US President Joe Biden vowed to stop supplying artillery shells and other weapons to Israel if a full-scale assault goes ahead. It was the starkest warning yet from the United States, Israel’s main military provider, over the civilian impact of its war against Hamas. An AFP correspondent and witnesses on Thursday...
“Bear Hugs Didn’t Work”: Biden Pulls Away From Netanyahu Embrace Over Rafah
Days after the October 7 attack, Joe Biden walked onto the tarmac in Tel Aviv and offered a warm bear hug to Benjamin Netanyahu, a sign both of solid support for Israel and the US president’s long, if not uncomplicated, relationship with the prime minister. Seven months into the devastating conflict, the gentle approach is over. Biden, who memorably once...
Development of India-Maldives ties based on mutual interests, reciprocal sensitivity: Jaishankar to Maldivian counterpart
External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar on Thursday conveyed to his Maldivian counterpart Moosa Zameer that the development of India-Maldives ties is based on “mutual interests” and “reciprocal sensitivity”. Jaishankar’s remarks came amid a downturn in the bilateral ties between the two countries since pro-China president Mohamed Muizzu assumed office six months back. “As close and proximate neighbours, the development of...
US reveals it paused shipment of bombs for Israel over Rafah concerns
The shipment consisted of 1,800 2,000lb (907kg) bombs and 1,700 500lb bombs, the official told the BBC. Israel has not “fully addressed” US concerns over the humanitarian needs of civilians in Rafah, they added. An Israeli military official appeared to play down the US move. The delayed arms shipment comes as US President Joe Biden faces mounting domestic pressure –...
AstraZeneca Withdraws Covid Vaccine Globally
AstraZeneca has initiated a global withdrawal of its COVID-19 vaccine, days after it was reported that the British pharmaceutical company admitted that the jab can cause rare side effects. The vaccine, developed by AstraZeneca and Oxford University, was produced by the Serum Institute of India as Covishield. The vaccine maker has said the worldwide withdrawal was initiated because of commercial...