International

US President Joe Biden will mark the one-year anniversary of George Floyd’s murder by hosting his family at the White House to hold talks with them. Floyd’s daughter Gianna, his mother, sister and brothers will be among those attending private talks with Biden, Press Secretary Jen Psaki said. “The courage and grace of his family, and especially his daughter Gianna, …

The Foreign Office (FO) has denied the presence of any US military or air base in Pakistan, stating that any speculation is “baseless and irresponsible” and should be avoided. In a statement issued late Monday night, FO spokesperson Zahid Hafeez Chaudri said: “There is no US military or air base in Pakistan, nor was any such proposal envisaged. Any speculation …

LONDON: The BBC said on Monday it would review its editorial policies and governance after an independent report found one of its journalists used deception to secure a landmark interview with Princess Diana. The British broadcaster’s board said the internal probe would be conducted by a group of non-executive directors led by Nick Serota, its senior independent director, and report back by …

KARACHI: The first lunar eclipse of the Year 2021 will take place on Wednesday, May 26 (tomorrow). The lunar eclipse being named as Super Flower Blood Moon will not be visible in Pakistan due to daylight. The eclipse of the moon will be started at 11:39am in day. The total lunar eclipse will start from 4:11pm, and it will end …

NEW DELHI: An Indian couple chartered a passenger jet to stage a mid-air wedding that hijacked coronavirus restrictions by taking more than 160 guests, reports said Monday. India´s civil aviation authority has ordered an investigation and suspended the crew of the jet, officials said. Because of a brutal new coronavirus wave — that saw India´s death toll pass 300,000 on …

PARIS: Scientists have for the first time managed to partially restore the sight of a blind patient by altering his cells, according to the results of a groundbreaking study published on Monday. The technique known as optogenetics, which has been developed in the field of neuroscience over the last 20 years, involves genetically altering cells so they produce more light-sensitive …

MIHTARLAM: Afghan forces clashed with the Taliban in a provincial capital about 120 kilometres from Kabul, officials and witnesses said, prompting the defence minister to take charge of a counteroffensive. Violence has soared in Afghanistan since US forces began their final pullout on May 1, as the insurgents press on with a campaign to seize new territory. Fierce fighting erupted …

BRUSSELS: European countries moved to isolate Belarus on Monday by cutting air ties after it provoked an international outcry by forcing a commercial airliner to land so it could arrest an opposition activist. EU leaders meeting in Brussels eyed proposals to stop Belarus’ state airline flying to the bloc and prevent European carriers from using the country’s airspace, after several nations started …

BEIJING: Twenty-one people were killed when extremely cold weather struck during an ‘ultramarathon’ in rugged Gansu province in northwestern China, sparking public outrage on Sunday over the lack of contingency planning. The 100-km (62-mile) race began on Saturday from a scenic area at a bend in the Yellow River known for its sheer cliffs and rock columns. The route would …

DUBAI: Two pictures purportedly showing Dubai’s Sheikha Latifa were published on an unverified Instagram account this week, months after the United Nations asked for proof that the royal was still alive. In February, the UN Human Rights Office asked for evidence about the daughter of Dubai’s ruler Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, after the BBC broadcast a video shot by Latifa …