More than 40 killed, 180 injured in Russian strike on Ukraine

At least 41 people were killed and more than 180 injured Tuesday in a Russian missile strike on central Ukraine, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said.

School bus ploughs into crowd in China killing 11

A school bus ploughed into a crowd of people killing at least 11, including five students, in China’s Shandong province, state media report.

41pc Pakistani women anaemic: survey

The National Nutrition Survey report ‘Cost of In Action Tool’ revealed that more than 41 percent of Pakistani women are anaemic, while 22.4 percent are vitamin A deficient.

Fitch downgrade exposes Maldives’ severe economic strain under Muizzu administration

Fitch Ratings recently downgraded the Maldives’ Long-Term Foreign-Currency Issuer Default Rating (IDR) to ’CC’ from ’CCC+’, signaling a very high risk of default. This downgrade reflects growing concerns about the Maldives’ ability to meet its financial obligations, with a heightened risk of default.

US calls on China to end repression of Uyghurs, religious minority groups

The US State Department expressed disappointment on Friday, on the second anniversary of a United Nations report on human rights in Xinjiang, and called on China to take action and end the current repression of Muslim Uyghurs and other ethnic and religious minority groups.

India, Singapore to sign pact on semiconductors during PM Modi’s visit

India and Singapore are set to sign a significant agreement on semiconductors during Prime Minister Modi’s upcoming visit to the country. The Indian Prime Minister will be travelling to Singapore on 4-5th September, during which he will be holding meetings with Singapore President Tharman Shanmugaratnam and Prime Minister Lawrence Wong.

Striking images reveal depths of Titanic’s slow decay

It was the image that made the Titanic’s wreck instantly recognisable - the ship’s bow looming out of the darkness of the Atlantic depths.

China condemned for human rights abuses against Tibetans

The Tibetan Centre for Human Rights and Democracy (TCHRD) has reported that the Chinese government is perpetuating human rights abuses against Tibetans, simply because of their religious beliefs or cultural identity.

Grammy-winning rapper dies after collapsing on stage during US show

Rapper Fatman Scoop, 53, has died after collapsing on stage in front of a crowd of horrified fans.

UAE launches visa amnesty for illegal residents

The United Arab Emirates (UAE) has announced a visa amnesty program to allow people living illegally in the country to legalise their residency status or depart without facing any penalties.

Brazil block on social media platform X comes into effect after Supreme Court order

A block on Elon Musk’s X social network in Brazil started to take effect early Saturday after a Supreme Court judge ordered its suspension, according to AFP.

Taiwan tracks 13 Chinese military aircraft, 10 ships

The Ministry of National Defense (MND) tracked 13 Chinese military aircraft, eight naval vessels, and two official ships around Taiwan between 6 a.m. on Wednesday (Aug. 28) and 6 a.m. on Thursday (Aug. 29).

Minicorns, Unicorns tripled in USD 100 billion Indian fintech ecosystem: BCG, Z47

New Delhi: The Fintech ecosystem of the country now cumulatively valued at over USD 100 billion, is at a pivotal stage of evolution, with the potential to create two to three times its current value over the next decade, as per a report by BCG and Z47.

Govt fails to secure targeted loan in July

Pending approval of the $7 billion bailout by the IMF’s executive board, the government made a poor take-off and received just $436.4 million in foreign assistance and grants in July, almost 85pc lower than the same month last year.

India to develop 12 new industrial smart cities

India will soon wear a grand necklace of Industrial Smart Cities as in a landmark decision on Wednesday, the Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi has approved 12 new project proposals under the National Industrial Corridor Development Programme (NICDP) with an estimated investment of Rs. 28,602 crore.

North Korea challenges China’s border telecoms plans in rare protest

North Korea has taken a stance opposing China’s plans to install telecommunications facilities near the border in a recent email to an international frequency management organisation - a rare revelation of a diplomatic action by Pyongyang to express dissatisfaction with Beijing.

Millions told to evacuate as typhoon pummels Japan

Almost 4 million people in southern Japan have been urged to evacuate as Typhoon Shanshan made landfall Thursday, leaving thousands of residents without power and lashing Kyushu island with hurricane-force winds, torrential rain and dangerous storm surges.

Tiny shards of plastic are increasingly infiltrating our brains, study says

Human brain samples collected at autopsy in early 2024 contained more tiny shards of plastic than samples collected eight years prior, according to a preprint posted online in May. A preprint is a study which has not yet been peer-reviewed and published in a journal.

Japan, for first time ever, accuses China of airspace violation

Japan on Monday said that a Chinese military plane had violated its airspace, local media reported that it was the first such move by a Chinese aircraft.

Multiple Palestinians killed as Israel launches major operation

Israel launched a major military operation in multiple areas of the northern occupied West Bank early Wednesday, with Palestinian health authorities saying at least nine people have been killed.

BLA claims 62 military personnel killed in Blockades under “Operation Herof”

The Baloch Liberation Army (BLA) has claimed responsibility for the deaths of 62 Pakistani military personnel and the capture of two others during blockades and attacks carried out under its ongoing “Operation Herof” across Balochistan.

The dark side of China’s Tibet strategy

China’s Tibet policy has been one of the most controversial aspects of the Chinese Communist Party’s (CCP) seventy-five-year rule. While the CCP has claimed to develop Tibet as a global center, the reality is much grimmer than Beijing projects.

Surging seas are coming for us all, warns UN chief

The United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres has said that big polluters have a clear responsibility to cut emissions – or risk a worldwide catastrophe.

Canada to impose 100 pc tariff on Chinese-made electric vehicles: Justin Trudeau

Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has announced that Canada will introduce higher tariffs on Chinese-made electric vehicles (EV) and Chinese steel, Canada-based Global News reported.

Seven killed in ’most massive’ Russian air attack, Ukraine says

Russia has launched one of its biggest air attacks on Ukraine of the war so far, the head of the Ukrainian air force has said.

Philippines says flares fired from a Chinese island base threatened its fisheries plane

A Philippine fisheries bureau plane was threatened by flares fired from a Chinese island base while conducting a routine patrol in the South China Sea, Philippine officials said Saturday, the latest territorial spat between Beijing and Manila over one of the world´s busiest trade routes, with confrontations spreading from the disputed waters to the airspace above.

Australians get ’right to disconnect’ after hours

A ’’right to disconnect’’ rule has come into effect in Australia, offering relief to people who feel forced to take calls or read messages from employers after they finish their day’s work.

China suspected of using ’White Hat’ hackers in cyberattacks: Report

China is increasingly suspected of involving ’’white hat’’ hackers--who typically identify cybersecurity weaknesses--in cyberattacks.

Israel and Hezbollah exchange heavy fire in major escalation

Israel has said it carried out a wave of pre-emptive strikes across southern Lebanon to thwart a large-scale rocket and drone attack by Hezbollah.

Economic crisis in Maldives threatens stability as President Muizzu seeks foreign aid

The Maldives is facing a severe economic crisis that endangers its social fabric and political stability. Under President Mohamed Muizzu, the nation’s financial troubles have escalated, characterized by soaring debt, shrinking reserves, and an increasing dependency on foreign aid, particularly from China.