International

25-02-2025 VATICAN CITY: Pope Francis remains in a “critical” condition but “has not presented any further respiratory crises”, the Vatican said in a statement on Sunday. He was still receiving high-flow oxygen therapy and had undergone blood transfusions. Blood tests also showed he had “initial, mild, renal insufficiency”, a kidney …

25-02-2025 KYIV: Volodymyr Zelensky said he would be willing to “give up” his presidency in exchange for peace ahead of the third anniversary of Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine. “If you need me to leave this chair, I am ready to do that. And I also can exchange it for …

25-02-2025 BERLIN: Germany’s center-right Christian Democratic Union (CDU) is set to return to power with the far-right Alternative for Germany as second-largest party, exit polls show, after snap elections dominated by concerns over immigration, the economy and the return of Donald Trump. The CDU’s party headquarters were filled with cheers …

25-02-2025 JERUSALEM/ GAZA/ CAIRO: As the first phase of the ceasefire between Israel and Hamas in Gaza is meant to be drawing to an end, it has once again been put in doubt. After the last six living Israel hostages due to be released in this phase were freed, more …

24-02-2025 SYDNEY: Australia’s Labor government on Saturday promised an extra AU$8.5 billion ($5.4 billion) for the country’s universal healthcare system if re-elected at a national election due by May, amid sagging popularity for Prime Minister Anthony Albanese. Centre-left Labor traditionally sees its protection of Australia’s cherished Medicare universal healthcare scheme …

24-02-2025 WASHINGTON: The Trump administration sent emails on Saturday evening to US federal government employees telling them to detail their work accomplishments from the previous week by Monday night or risk losing their jobs. The emails came shortly after Elon Musk, the billionaire head of the Trump administration’s Department of …

24-02-2025 Bureau Report + Agencies NEW DELHI: Indian authorities are looking into “deeply troubling” information about US governmental activity in the country, New Delhi said on Friday, after President Donald Trump suggested that a US government agency had spent money trying to influence Indian elections. The Indian foreign ministry comment …

24-02-2025 KINSHASA: Congolese President Felix Tshisekedi will launch a unity government, his spokesperson said on Saturday, as he faces domestic pressure over his handling of an offensive by Rwanda-backed M23 rebels in eastern provinces. The M23’s capture of swathes of eastern Congo and valuable mineral deposits has fanned fears of …

24-02-2025 WELLINGTON: Seven churches have been targeted in a suspected arson attack that occurred overnight in New Zealand. Four churches in the town of Masterton, north of the capital Wellington, sustained “moderate to significant” damage, while evidence was found to suggest three more buildings had been targeted but did not …

24-02-2025 JERUSALEM: Israel says it is indefinitely delaying the release of more than 600 Palestinian prisoners, in another potentially major setback in the ceasefire process. It came after six Israeli hostages, including four kidnapped during the 7 October 2023 deadly Hamas attack on Israel, were released on Saturday. Israeli Prime …