08-07-2026 WASHINGTON: President Donald Trump has berated and belittled many of his European counterparts expected to attend next week’s NATO summit in Turkey but host Recep Tayyip Erdogan has drawn on his close ties with the US leader to secure his presence at the Ankara event, an appearance that may …

08-07-2026 WELLINGTON: Like plenty of local boys before him, Neil has come home to the stretch of Australian coast where he was born. Unlike most of them, he trails fame, fans and property damage in his wake. He is also a 1,000 kg (2,200 pound) elephant seal. In June, the …

07-07-2026 BEIJING/ TAIPEI: China said on Saturday it had launched a new coast guard patrol ‌east of Taiwan, drawing a sharp response from Taipei after a task force last month off the island’s coast caused alarm in some Western capitals. China’s military operates almost daily around Taiwan, which Beijing views …

07-07-2026 BERLIN: Thousands of opponents of the far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) party have blocked roads leading to the party’s annual conference ahead of regional elections. An estimated 20,000 people flocked to Erfurt, in Thuringia state, on Saturday, according to German police. Protesters from unions, civil society groups and left-wing …

07-07-2026 NEW YORK: American pop megastar Taylor Swift and NFL footballer Travis Kelce have married at New York City’s Madison Square Garden, in one of the most highly anticipated showbiz weddings in years. The ceremony was officiated by actor and comedian Adam Sandler, according to a statement from the singer’s …

07-07-2026 WASHINGTON/ NEW DELHI: Last month, the United States military renamed its Indo-Pacific Command back to Pacific Command. The Pentagon claimed it was just a return of history, going back to its old name while the jurisdiction remained the same but Geopolitics 101 will tell you names are never just …

07-07-2026 MOSCOW: A wave of Ukrainian long-range drones has struck the St Petersburg region overnight, hitting an oil terminal and a Baltic Sea port in one of the largest deep-strike operations targeting President Vladimir Putin’s home city. Leningrad region Governor Alexander Drozdenko said air defences shot down 72 unmanned aerial …

07-07-2026 ROME: Pope Leo XIV has urged Europe to do more to protect and integrate migrants during a visit to Italy’s Lampedusa Island, a key arrival point for people crossing the Mediterranean from North Africa. The pope made the appeal on Saturday during a symbolic trip to the island, which …

07-07-2026 BAMAKO: Armed men have launched ⁠attacks in five ⁠locations across Mali, the army says, more than two months after gunmen attacked the capital and other parts of the country. The attacks took place on Saturday in areas including ‌a northern town where government forces and Russian fighters are ⁠based, …

06-07-2026 NEW TORK: Taylor Swift and her American football-player fiance Travis Kelce have kicked off rumored wedding celebrations at Madison Square Garden in New York City. High-profile friends of the couple, from actress Lena Dunham to frequent collaborator Jack Antonoff were spotted Thursday evening in formal attire. Aerial footage showed …