International

The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge marked their 10th wedding anniversary Thursday by releasing photographs showing the couple snuggling in happy embrace, a contrast to the tensions that have gripped Britain’s royal family in recent weeks. The images show Prince William, second-in-line to the throne, and the former Kate Middleton in complementary shades of blue. One image is reminiscent of …

India set another global record in new virus cases on Thursday, as millions of people in one state cast votes despite rising infections and the country geared up to open its vaccination rollout to all adults amid snags. With 379,257 new infections, India has now reported more than 18.3 million cases, second only to the United States. The health ministry …

Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi on Thursday received his German counterpart, Heiko Maas, at the Foreign Office (FO) during the latter’s brief visit to Islamabad. In a statement, the FO said that Qureshi underlined the importance of regular high-level exchanges between Pakistan and Germany and maintaining a steady upward trajectory in the relationship. “The two foreign ministers reviewed bilateral cooperation …

MIAMI: A private school in Florida has decided to bar teachers who have been vaccinated against Covid-19 from coming into contact with students, arguing against all evidence that the educators pose a health risk. Critics have held up the move by the Centner Academy as a particularly glaring example of the dangers of misinformation as the US works to get …

NEW DELHI: Authorities in the Indian capital ordered a luxury hotel to be converted into a Covid-19 health facility for the exclusive use of high court judges and their families, drawing outrage in a city that has no hospital beds or life-saving oxygen for hundreds of people. The local government said in a public notice on Monday night that it …

MOSCOW: Russia has imposed a $12.1 million fine on Apple for “abusing” its dominant position in the market by giving preference to its own applications, a government regulator said on Tuesday. The move comes as Russia ratchets up pressure against Western tech companies, with authorities aiming to bring the Russian segment of the internet under state control. It also comes …

BANGKOK: Ethnic Karen guerillas said they captured a Myanmar army base on Tuesday near the border with Thailand, representing a morale-boosting action for those opposing the military’s takeover of the country’s civilian government in February. Myanmar’s military staged air strikes several hours later on villages in territory controlled by the Karen forces, said a guerilla spokesman, a senior Thai official …

TEHRAN: Iran’s government said on Tuesday an investigation had been ordered into leaked audio of Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif bemoaning the military’s influence, after its emergence stirred controversy ahead of presidential elections. President Hassan Rouhani ordered the probe to identify who leaked the “stolen” three-hour recording that has sparked anger among conservatives. Rouhani’s moderate government has sought to downplay …

JERUSALEM: An international rights watchdog accused Israel on Tuesday of pursuing policies of apartheid and persecution against Palestinians — and against its own Arab minority — that amount to crimes against humanity. New York-based Human Rights Watch published a 213-page report which, it said, was not aimed at comparing Israel with apartheid-era South Africa but rather at assessing “whether specific …

India’s toll from the coronavirus surged past 200,000 on Wednesday, the country’s deadliest day, as shortages of oxygen, medical supplies and hospital staff compounded a record number of new infections. The second wave of infections has seen at least 300,000 people test positive each day for the past week, overwhelming healthcare facilities and crematoriums and fuelling an increasingly urgent international response. The …