International

29-06-2026 PARIS: A group of women, who have alleged sexual assault or rape in France, are calling for the abolition of the statute of limitations which they say has prevented them seeking justice in criminal proceedings. It is the first time more than 50 women alleging sexual assault and rape …

28-06-2026 TEHRAN/ WASHINGTON: The US has conducted new strikes on Iran, following a drone attack on a Panama-flagged vessel in the Strait of Hormuz on Saturday. US Central Command (Centcom) said it hit multiple targets across Iran in direct response to “continued aggression” against commercial shipping. In retaliation, Iran’s Islamic …

28-06-2026 WASHINGTON: The White House has asked lawmakers to approve $87.6bn (£66.5bn), mostly for “urgent needs” connected with the US war on Iran, a day after Congress passed a resolution rebuking the military action. The bulk of the funding, $67bn is for the Defence Department, including $21bn for munitions, $17.3bn …

28-06-2026 By SJA Jafri + Agencies QUETTA/ KARACHI: When Dr Mahrang Baloch was a teenager, she joined hundreds of families across Pakistan’s south-western province of Balochistan to search for her father, who was allegedly arrested by security forces and later killed. Years on, the doctor-turned-activist became one of the most …

28-06-2026 MADRID/ PARIS/ LONDON: A heatwave gripping western Europe has led to a series of unprecedented temperature highs, with France experiencing its hottest day ever, the UK seeing record heat for June and Spain reaching its highest daily average since 1950. Tens of millions of people are grappling with punishing …

28-06-2026 BEIJING: China has displaced the United States on an influential ranking of the world’s fastest supercomputers, underscoring Beijing’s growing capability to compete with the world’s leading superpower in cutting-edge technology. China’s LineShine is the most powerful system on the planet, overtaking the US-based El Capitan, according to the biannual …

28-06-2026 Bureau Report NEW DELHI: India is drawing up plans to prepare for weaker-than-usual monsoon rains and the likely impact on crops in the world’s most populous nation. The monsoon season has so far brought rains about 43 percent below average and India’s Meteorological Department has forecast continued weak precipitation …

28-06-2026 MANAMA/ WASHINGTON: US Secretary of State Marco Rubio vowed to protect Gulf allies’ interests as Washington presses ahead with Iran talks, while President Donald Trump said negotiations were ‘doing great’. Iran’s Revolutionary Guard warned ships against using an unapproved route through the Strait of Hormuz, saying vessels outside Tehran-approved …

28-06-2026 CARACAS: Venezuela has been struck by powerful back-to-back earthquakes, levelling buildings in the capital, Caracas, and prompting fears of mass casualties. A magnitude 7.2 earthquake struck near San Felipe, about 284km (176 miles) west of Caracas, at 22:04 GMT on Wednesday, followed almost immediately by a magnitude 7.5 quake …

27-06-2026 TEHRAN: Iran’s parliamentary speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf says deal to end the war with US was not the result of pressure and coercion. Israel’s army says it attacked Hezbollah fighters in southern Lebanon. Israel’s defence minister Israel Katz says military will not withdraw from Lebanon, even if US demands …