Category: World

President Donald Trump on Monday called for a “major investigation” into celebrities such as Beyoncé and Bruce Springsteen, claiming — without providing evidence — that they were paid millions to endorse Democratic candidate Kamala Harris during the 2024 election. In a tirade laced with accusations, Trump alleged, for example, that Beyoncé received $11 million to appear at a Harris rally—a claim the Harris campaign has denied. Despite having defeated Harris six months earlier to begin his second term, Trump argued that such payments, if true, could constitute illegal campaign contributions.…

Read More

By Muhammad Sohail It is with deep sadness that we announce the passing of Jana Hynková, a distinguished Czech diplomat who dedicated her entire professional life to the service of the Czech Republic and international diplomacy. She passed away after a serious illness on Thursday, May 15, 2025. ” I got to know Ambassador Jana Hynková as a true diplomat. She always sought and found a way to her goal, but she tended to conceal her own merits. It is not always easy for a woman to achieve such successes…

Read More

By Muhammad Sohail Minister of Foreign Affairs Jan Lipavský will attend the meeting of the EU Foreign Affairs Council (FAC) in Brussels on 20 and 21 May 2025. The main points of discussion will be the Russian war against Ukraine and the situation in the Middle East region. On Wednesday, the FAC will be followed by talks between EU ministers and their colleagues from the African Union. Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andriy Sybiha will join the first item under discussion. The meeting between the Russian and Ukrainian delegations in Istanbul, the…

Read More

By Muhammad Sohail On May 18, 2025, Czech Foreign Minister Jan Lipavský spoke at the opening of the international conference Stronger Together – Europe, Israel, and the Middle East in a Turbulent World, organized by the non-governmental organization The European Leadership Network (ELNET), which will take place on May 18 and 19, 2025 in Paris. “Today, we are not only facing danger from terrorist groups. They are supported by states like Russia and Iran. And this is not just a short-term partnership – it is a dangerous alliance from which…

Read More

LONDON: UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer is poised to finalise an agreement to strengthen ties with the European Union at a landmark summit on Monday, marking a potential turning point five years after Britain’s contentious departure from the bloc. According to EU diplomats, an agreement was reached to reset UK-EU relations following late-night negotiations that resolved several key areas of disagreement. The deal includes approval by EU member states of three key documents, focusing especially on defence cooperation and, after a last-minute breakthrough, the long-disputed issue of fishing rights. Starmer…

Read More

Former US President Joe Biden has been diagnosed with an “aggressive form” of prostate cancer that has metastasised to the bone, his office said in a statement on Sunday. Biden, 82, was diagnosed on Friday after having experienced urinary symptoms, and he and his family are reviewing treatment options with doctors, the statement said. “While this represents a more aggressive form of the disease, the cancer appears to be hormone-sensitive, which allows for effective management,” his office said. Biden, who served as president from 2021 to 2025, abruptly ended his…

Read More

The Indian authorities have detained a professor over a social media post, castigating the Bharatiya Janata Party’s (BJP) discriminatory stance towards Muslims and questioned the military briefings on India’s Operation Sindoor against Pakistan. The development follows a military confrontation between Pakistan and India over New Delhi’s allegations against Islamabad about a deadly attack in Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir’s (IIOJK) Pahalgam. Ali Khan Mahmudabad, an associate professor at Haryana’s Ashoka University, was detained on Sunday in New Delhi, according to local media. His arrest came more than a week…

Read More

In a sign of improving relations between Riyadh and Tehran, a Saudi airline has resumed direct flight from Iran for Hajj pilgrims after a decade. “Flynas resumed Iranian pilgrims flights from Imam Khomeini (airport) in Tehran on Saturday,” a Saudi civil aviation authority official told AFP, speaking on condition of anonymity. The official said flights would also be added from Mashhad in Iran, allowing more than 35,000 pilgrims to travel to Saudi Arabia on the airline. The official stressed that the flights were not commercial and were only for the Hajj…

Read More

Pope Leo XIV set the tone for his papacy on Sunday with a call to stop exploiting nature and marginalising the poor at a mass attended by world dignitaries including Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and US Vice President JD Vance. Ten days after Chicago-born Robert Francis Prevost became the first US head of the world’s 1.4 billion Catholics, an estimated 200,000 people gathered to see his inaugural mass in St Peter’s Square. The 69-year-old made his debut tour in a popemobile, smiling, waving energetically and blessing the cheering crowds at…

Read More

ABU DHABI: US President Donald Trump has finalised over $200 billion worth of agreements with the United Arab Emirates, covering aviation, trade, technology, and artificial intelligence during his visit to to the Gulf state. After Trump’s meeting with UAE President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, the White House said he announced deals including a $14.5 billion commitment from Etihad Airways to invest in 28 Boeing 787 and 777x aircraft powered by engines made by GE Aerospace. The US Commerce Department said the two countries would also establish a US–UAE…

Read More