International

KYIV: Russian missiles hit an apartment block and kindergarten in the Ukrainian capital Kyiv on Sunday, in strikes US President Joe Biden condemned as “barbarism” as world leaders gathered in Europe to discuss further sanctions against Moscow. Up to four explosions shook central Kyiv in the early hours, in the first such attack on the city in weeks. “The Russians …

WASHINGTON: Former US President Donald Trump, who made it possible for the Supreme Court to take away abortion rights from American women, is now worried that the ruling could hurt his reelection chances, the US media reported on Sunday. The New York Times (NYT) called Trump “the man most responsible” for Friday’s 5-4 decision that overturned the Roe vs Wade precedent after …

LONDON: Charity donations accepted by Britain’s Prince Charles were handled correctly, his office said after a newspaper reported that he received 3 million euros ($3.2 million) in cash from a former Qatari prime minister, some of it in shopping bags. The Sunday Times said that Charles accepted three lots of cash that were given to him personally by Sheikh Hamad bin Jassim …

The Foreign Office (FO) on Monday confirmed that a member of the five-nation summit BRICS “blocked Pakistan’s participation” in a dialogue for non-member states held virtually on the sidelines of the event last week. The BRICS (Brazil-Russia-India-China-South Africa) brings together five of the largest developing countries in the world, representing 41 per cent of the global population, 24pc of the …

Troops in Sri Lanka handed tokens on Monday to people queueing for petrol amid a severe fuel shortage in the nation battling its worst economic crisis in seven decades, while schools shut in Colombo and public employees were asked to work from home. With its foreign exchange reserves at a record low, the island of 22 million is struggling to …

LONDON: Britain’s railway system once again came to a virtual standstill on Saturday as union workers staged their third walkout of the week in strike action billed as the biggest in decades. Tens of thousands of rail workers staged the latest day-long walkout over pay and job security, hampering weekend plans for those already hit by strikes on Tuesday and …

WASHINGTON: The US Supreme Court’s ruling to overturn a 50-year-old legal precedent recognising a woman’s right to abortion sparked countrywide protests in the United States on Saturday, as chanting, shouting and weeping marchers filled the streets. While abortion rights demonstrators took to the streets in cities across New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Maryland, Michigan, Illinois, Wisconsin, Texas, New Mexico and California by …

WASHINGTON: US President Joe Biden on Saturday signed into law his country’s first gun-control bill in decades that seeks to prevent people with criminal records and mental problems from acquiring firearms. The bill — now known as the Bipartisan Safer Communities Act 2022 — passed the House of Representatives on Friday evening by 234 to 193 votes. The US Senate …

DHAKA: Bangladesh on Saturday opened an important bridge near the capital Dhaka after a long construction plagued by delays, graft allegations, and even deadly lynchings sparked by rumours of human sacrifice. The inauguration of the Padma Multipurpose Bridge — now officially the country’s longest — caps a key infrastructure goal by Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina in the nearly eight years …

PARIS: “Vladimir, firstly one thing!” says President Emmanuel Macron as he seeks to make a point to his Russian counterpart. “Listen Emmanuel,” interjects the Russian leader. One of the final calls between the presidents of France and Russia, just four days before Putin issued the order for Moscow to invade Ukraine, is filled with tension, occasional expressions of respect and moments of …