BUDAPEST: The largest broadcasters in Hungary criticised a new law banning the “display and promotion of homosexuality” among under-18s as a threat to freedom of expression, and one said it could impact showings of some Harry Potter films and classic TV shows. Prime Minister Viktor Orban’s nationalist government pushed the law through parliament on Tuesday despite criticism from rights groups …

ISLAMABAD: European Union’s Special Envoy for Afghanistan Tomas Niklasson on Wednesday warned of surge of violence in Afghanistan and emphasised the urgent need for the warring sides to make progress in their talks at Doha. “We could, unfortunately, see an increased level of violence over the next few weeks and months,” Mr Niklasson said while talking to Dawn at the end of …

Blake Shelton and Gwen Stefani are excited for the start of a new chapter in their life. The duo, who is head over heels in love, exchanged rings a few months ago. “Ever since they got engaged, they have both been adamant that no wedding will happen until it’s safe for family and friends to attend. Gwen expressed early on …

Princess Diana had a dream of settling down in California right before her tragic demise. As  revealed by her former voice coach and butler, the Princess of Wales had floor plans designed and printed of her future estate. This was when Diana had just started her relationship with businessman Dodi Fayed who bought a property in Malibu. “She said, ‘This …

THE HAGUE: Britain’s Karim Khan took office on Wednesday as the new prosecutor of the International Criminal Court with a promise to “revive” the troubled tribunal after several high-profile failures. Khan, who inherits a bulging file of tough cases including in the Palestinian territories, Afghanistan and the Philippines, lamented the previous track record of the Hague-based ICC in terms of …

LONDON: Prime Minister Boris Johnson warned on Wednesday he will take “necessary steps” to unilaterally alter Britain’s post-Brexit trade terms unless the EU changes the way it is implementing them in Northern Ireland. His comments, the latest salvo in a sausage-centred spat between London and Brussels, came as his government confirmed it has asked the EU to extend a grace …

SINGAPORE: Two centuries-old shipwrecks packed with ceramics and other artefacts have been found off Singapore in a rare discovery that will shed light on the city-state’s maritime heritage, archaeologists said on Wednesday. The prosperous island nation has long been a key trading hub on global shipping routes connecting the Indian Ocean and the South China Sea. The wrecks were found …

Under bright blue morning skies, China launched its first crewed space mission in five years on Thursday, sending three science-minded military pilots rocketing to a new orbiting station they’re expected to reach around midafternoon. The astronauts, already wearing their spacesuits, were seen off by space officials, other uniformed military personnel and a crowd of children waving flowers and flags and …

JIUQUAN: China will send three astronauts into orbit on Thursday (today) in a high-stakes mission, the first of four crewed space flights to complete the country’s space station by the end of next year. China will launch Nie Haisheng, Liu Boming and Tang Hongbo into orbit aboard the spacecraft Shen­zhou-12 at 9:22am on June 17 from Jiuquan in northwestern Gansu …

Britain is looking at easing travel restrictions, including allowing those who are double vaccinated against Covid-19 to enjoy a foreign holiday without intrusive red tape, a step that indicates vaccine passports are firmly back on the agenda. Countries in the European Union (EU) last week agreed to an easing of travel restrictions over summer that will allow fully vaccinated tourists to avoid …