15-05-2026 Bureau Report NEW DELHI: India and Russia are in advanced talks to sign a preliminary agreement on ‌critical minerals covering exploration, processing and technological collaboration; two sources familiar with the matter said. The deal is expected to focus on lithium and rare earths, with the two governments also set …

15-05-2026 ABUJA: After successfully launching Nigeria’s only operational oil refinery in 2024, billionaire businessman Aliko Dangote has set his sights on East Africa as the next location for another mega refinery project, according to recent reports. It comes as African countries are actively seeking ways to make energy more secure, …

15-05-2026 KYIV: Pleas and photos of four emaciated soldiers roiled Ukraine in late April. The group had reportedly been starving on the front line after up to 17 days without food deliveries and months without rotation. “Fighters faint because of starvation, they drink rainwater,” Anastasia Silchuk, whose husband serves in …

14-05-2026 BEIJING: Chinese President Xi Jinping has warned his United States counterpart, Donald Trump, that missteps on Taiwan could push their two countries into “conflict”, a stark opening salvo as the two leaders meet in Beijing for a summit. Trump arrived in China with accolades for his host, calling Xi …

14-05-2026 TEHRAN/ DUBAI: Iran has begun allowing some Chinese vessels to transit through the Strait of Hormuz following an understanding over Iranian management protocols for the waterway, the semi-official Fars news agency said on Thursday, citing an informed source. The Fars report came as US President Donald Trump, who is …

14-05-2026 By SJA Jafri KARACHI: Farhat Qureshi had been cooking most of her life without watching the clock. Now, at 60, her mornings begin with one question; how much can she finish before the gas in her kitchen disappears once again? The cooking gas at her Karachi home comes in …

14-05-2026 SYDNEY: A body found in New South Wales (NSW) is thought to be that of a man wanted over the murder of three people in a small Australian town in January. Julian Ingram was on bail for domestic violence offences at the time of the killings of his pregnant …

14-05-2026 TBILISI: Orthodox Christian bishops in Georgia elected a new patriarch, Shio III, on Monday, in what is ‌a pivotal juncture for the South Caucasus country where the Church plays an influential role in social and political life. Born Elizbar Mujiri, 57-year-old Shio III was elected overwhelmingly by Georgia’s Holy …

14-05-2026 DUBAI/ WASHINGTON: President Donald Trump’s swift rejection of Iran’s response to a US peace proposal has fueled concerns that the 10-week-old conflict will drag on and continue to paralyze shipping through the Strait of Hormuz, pushing oil prices higher on Monday. Days after Washington floated a proposal aimed at …

14-05-2026 Bureau Report NEW DELHI: India has declined Russia’s offer ​to sell it liquefied natural gas subject to U.S. sanctions despite a shortfall driven by Middle East tensions, ‌said two sources with direct knowledge of the matter, leaving a tanker bound for India in limbo as talks continue on permitted …