UK’s Sunak unveils bid to be leader amid calls for Johnson to go now

London, July 8 (AFP/APP): Former finance minister Rishi Sunak Friday declared his candidacy to become Conservative leader and Britain’s next prime minister, days after helping to kickstart the cabinet revolt that led to Boris Johnson’s downfall. Sunak resigned his role as Chancellor of the Exchequer […]

Syria’s Assad in first official visit to Aleppo since war

Damascus, July 8 (AFP/APP):Syria’s President Bashar al-Assad on Friday visited the former rebel bastion of Aleppo, including its historic Old City, for the first time since war broke out 11 years ago. The visit to Syria’s second city and previously the economic capital is highly […]

UN Security Council calls for swift formation of govt in Lebanon

UNITED NATION 8 July (Online): The United Nations Security Council has called for swift formation of government in Lebanon after its parliamentary elections. In a statement, the UN also urged all political actors to work together to prioritize the national interest and to rise to […]

900 firefighters battle ‘mega-fire’ in southern France

BESSEGES 08 July (Online): More than 900 firefighters backed by aircraft were deployed on Friday to battle a massive blaze in France’s southern Gard region that burned 600 hectares (1,500 acres) overnight. “This fire is far from being done, there are fronts in hard-to-reach areas […]

Lavrov walks out of G20 talks as West presses Moscow on Ukraine

Bali, Indonesia, July 8 (AFP/APP): Russia’s top diplomat stormed out of talks with G20 foreign ministers meeting in Indonesia on Friday as Western powers criticised Moscow over its invasion of Ukraine. Washington and allies condemned Russia’s assault ahead of the meeting before Foreign Minister Sergei […]

Trauma of Greenland’s forced contraception

Ilulissat, Denmark, July 8 (AFP/APP):”I had to spread my legs, and when it was put in it hurt terribly,” said Britta Mortensen, who was 15 she when was forced to have a coil, or intrauterine device (IUD), fitted. Like thousands of young Greenland Inuit, she […]

One million pilgrims arrive in Arafat with religious zeal, zest

MAKKAH, Jul 08 (APP):One million pilgrims hailing from every nook and cranny of the world including Pakistan on Friday arrived in the ground of Arafat to perform the most essential rite of Hajj called ‘Waqoof-e-Arafah’ with religious zeal and zest. In a bid to manage […]

Scholz says ‘aghast and deeply sad’ over Abe murder

Berlin, July 8 (AFP/APP): German Chancellor Olaf Scholz expressed shock and solidarity with Japan on Friday after the killing of former prime minister Shinzo Abe. “The deadly attack on Shinzo Abe has left me aghast and deeply sad,” the German leader tweeted. “I extend deep […]

Japan PM Kishida ‘lost for words’ after Abe assassination

Tokyo, July 8 (AFP/APP): Prime Minister Fumio Kishida said he was “lost for words” after the assassination of ex-premier Shinzo Abe on Friday, vowing that Japan’s democracy would “never yield to violence”. “I was praying that his life would be saved, but despite that, I […]