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20-04-2024 Bureau Report + Agencies NEW DELHI: In India’s election is the world’s largest electoral exercise with more than 18 million people voting for the first time. While polls project Prime Minister Narendra Modi will win a third term, new voters like Roushan Kumar are determined to make their voices …

20-04-2024 TEHRAN/ JERUSALEM: Explosions echoed over an Iranian city on Friday in what sources described as an Israeli attack, but Tehran played down the incident and indicated it had no plans for retaliation – a response that appeared gauged towards averting region-wide war. The limited scale of the attack and …

20-04-2024 CAPRI: Foreign ministers from the Group of Seven (G7) major democracies have identified “specific steps” needed to help Ukraine fight Russia, Kyiv’s foreign minister said on Friday, warning Europe would be engulfed by war if Russia triumphed. “We identified specific steps which Western partners will make to help Ukraine,” …

20-04-2024 LONDON/ BEIJING/ CAIRO: Countries around the globe have been calling on both Iran and Israel to show restraint after this latest strike, amid fears the conflict could escalate across the region. UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak avoids commenting on reports of an Israeli attack on Iran, saying it “wouldn’t …

20-04-2024 WASHINGTON/ JERUSALEM: US officials have again raised concerns with their Israeli counterparts about Israel’s plans for military operations in the southern Gaza city of Rafah. The White House said representatives of Israel’s prime minister had agreed “to take these concerns into account”. The US has repeatedly urged Israel not …

19-04-2024 UNITED NATIONS: The United Nations (UN) Security Council is scheduled to vote Friday on a Palestinian request for full UN membership, said diplomats, a move that Israel ally the United States is expected to block because it would effectively recognize a Palestinian state. The 15-member council is due to …

19-04-2024 WASHINGTON: US President Joe Biden has called for a tripling of tariffs on some steel and aluminium from China. It is the latest protectionist policy to be embraced by Biden as he campaigns for re-election against Donald Trump, who was known for his tough trade stance against China. The …

19-04-2024 STOCKHOLM: Sweden’s parliament has passed a law lowering the age at which people can change their legal gender from 18 to 16, and making the process easier. The law passed with 234 votes in favor and 94 against in Sweden’s parliament. Though Sweden was the first country to make …

19-04-2024 DOHA: Qatar is reassessing its role as a mediator between Israel and Hamas, the country’s prime minister has said. Qatar has had a key role along with Egypt and America in trying to secure a ceasefire between Israel and Hamas and the release of Israeli hostages but Sheikh Mohammed …

19-04-2024 TORONTO: Canadian police have made arrests and issued nine warrants in the biggest gold theft in the country’s history. More than 6,500 gold bars worth C$20m ($14.5m/£11.6m), were stolen from Toronto Pearson Airport, in April 2023, along with millions in cash. The alleged driver was arrested in the US …