JERUSALEM: Two Israeli carriers on Sunday launched nonstop commercial flights to Marrakesh from Tel Aviv following the upgrading of diplomatic relations last year between Morocco and Israel. Israel and Morocco agreed last December to upgrade diplomatic ties and relaunch direct flights — part of a deal brokered by the United States that also included Washington’s recognition of Moroccan sovereignty over …

PAPEETE: French President Emmanuel Macron faced pressure to apologise for the devastating impact of decades of nuclear testing as he kicked off his first official trip to French Polynesia. During his four-day visit, Macron plans to address the legacy of nuclear testing from 1966 to 1996 as France developed atomic weapons, as well as discuss the South Pacific territory’s strategic …

NINGBO: Typhoon In-Fa uprooted trees and drenched communities in knee-deep water in parts of eastern China, but there were no reports of major damage as it made landfall on Sunday. Sea, air and rail traffic had been shut down across a swathe of the coast centered on the major shipping port of Ningbo, where the weakening typhoon rumbled ashore around …

LONDON: British health minister Sajid Javid apologised for and deleted a tweet urging people to take a Covid-19 vaccine and not to “cower” from the virus, saying on Sunday he had made “a poor choice of word”. Javid, who replaced Matt Hancock as health minister last month after his predecessor stepped down for breaking Covid rules by kissing an aide …

MUMBAI: The death toll from flooding and landslides triggered by heavy monsoon rains in India climbed to 127 on Sunday, officials said, with rescuers searching for dozens more missing. The country’s western coast has been inundated by torrential rains since Thursday, with the India Meteorological Department warning of further downpours over the next few days. Flooding and landslides are common …

Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Faisal Bin Farhan Al Saud will visit Pakistan on Tuesday to discuss bilateral ties as well as “regional and international issues” with his Pakistani counterpart, Shah Mahmood Qureshi, the Foreign Office (FO) said on Monday. “The two foreign ministers will exchange views on the entire gamut of Pak-Saudi ties, and regional and international issues,” the FO …

BERLIN: German politicians across the political spectrum on Sunday criticised a warning by Chancellor Angela Merkel’s chief of staff that restrictions for unvaccinated people may be necessary if Covid-19 infection numbers reach new heights in the coming months. Chief of staff Helge Braun told the newspaper Bild am Sonntag that he doesn’t expect another coronavirus-related lockdown in Germany. But Braun said that …

KABUL: The United States will continue air strikes in support of Afghan forces fighting the Taliban, a top US general said on Sunday, as the insurgents press on with offensives across the country.“The United States has increased air strikes in the support of Afghan forces over the last several days, and we are prepared to continue this heightened level of …

LONDON: Around two-thirds of female veterans in the British armed forces have experienced bullying, harassment or discrimination in their careers, a parliamentary report said on Sunday. The report also said that women who reported serious sexual offences are denied justice by an inadequate military court system and complaints process. Parliament’s defence committee found that 64pc of female veterans and 58pc …

ISLAMABAD: Minister for Planning, Development and Special Initiatives Asad Umar on Sunday said over 25 million doses of Covid-19 vaccine had been administered in the country and all major cities were aiming to vaccinate 40pc of the eligible population by the end of August. Moreover, 2,819 new cases and 45 deaths were reported in a single day, with the positivity …