Category: World

US President Donald Trump has received a personal portrait from Russian President Vladimir Putin, just as he publicly criticised an existing painting of himself hanging in the Colorado State Capitol. The Kremlin has not released an image of the new portrait, with spokesman Dmitry Peskov confirming it as a private gift. Meanwhile, Trump’s representative, Steve Witkoff, described it as a “beautiful portrait” by a renowned Russian artist and said the president was “clearly touched” by the gesture. The timing of the gift coincides with US-Russia negotiations in Saudi Arabia aimed…

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WASHINGTON: US President Donald Trump has defended a planned visit by his delegation to Greenland, dismissing criticism from Denmark and insisting the trip is a gesture of goodwill rather than a provocation. Greenland’s prime minister and Denmark’s foreign minister both denounced the visit, announced for this week by Trump’s national security adviser, Mike Waltz, and Usha Vance, the wife of Vice President JD Vance. “This is friendliness, not provocation,” Trump told reporters at the end of a cabinet meeting. Trump insisted that the visit was at the invitation of Greenland, where…

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WASHINGTON: Senior defence officials in Donald Trump’s administration mistakenly included a journalist in a private messaging group where they discussed confidential military plans for strikes on Yemen’s Houthis, sparking concerns over a serious security lapse, according to a firsthand account by The Atlantic magazine. The Atlantic’s editor-in-chief, Jeffrey Goldberg, reported on Monday that he was inadvertently invited on 13 March to an encrypted chat group on the Signal messaging app called the “Houthi PC small group.” In the group, National Security Adviser Mike Waltz tasked his deputy, Alex Wong, with setting up a…

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RIYADH: American and Russian officials met in Saudi Arabia to discuss a partial ceasefire in Ukraine on Monday, a day after US-Ukraine talks there and as President Donald Trump pushes to quickly end the war. The US and Russian teams huddled behind closed doors at a luxurious hotel in Riyadh, the Saudi capital, with a possible revival of a 2022 Black Sea ceasefire on the table. The Ukrainian team, which held talks with United States officials in the same venue on Sunday, is expecting a second meeting with the Americans…

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JEDDAH: In a significant move to safeguard the health of millions of pilgrims, the Saudi Ministry of Hajj and Umrah has announced that the meningitis vaccine will be mandatory for all participants of the Hajj 2025 pilgrimage. This decision applies to both Saudi citizens and foreign nationals, according to the ministry. Additionally, the ministry stressed that vaccination is a non-negotiable requirement for Hajj participation to ensure comprehensive protection against the potentially life-threatening disease. “Hajj will not be allowed without vaccination,” stated a ministry spokesperson, highlighting the seriousness of the measure. “Preventing the…

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Pope Francis returned home to the Vatican on Sunday after more than five weeks in hospital with pneumonia, taking time before leaving to thank well-wishers for their support. Looking tired and worn, the 88-year-old Catholic leader waved to a crowd outside Rome’s Gemelli hospital from a balcony, the first time he has been seen in public since he was admitted on February 14. “Thank you, everyone,” a weak-sounding Francis said into a microphone, seated in a wheelchair, as hundreds of pilgrims chanted his name. He waved his hands from his…

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SEOUL: South Korea’s Constitutional Court on Monday reinstated impeached Prime Minister Han Duck-soo on Monday, reinstating him as acting president — a role he took after the president was suspended for declaring martial law. The court ruling is the latest development in South Korea’s complex and sprawling political crisis, which President Yoon Suk Yeol started with a short-lived attempt to subvert civilian rule in December. Lawmakers defied armed soldiers at parliament to vote down Yoon’s December 3, 2024, martial law declaration and impeached him soon after, with Han stepping in as…

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A massive grassroots movement took shape across Turkey as millions of citizens participated in a symbolic opposition vote, expressing support for jailed Istanbul ex-mayor Ekrem Imamoglu, AFP reported. The vote, originally a CHP primary to select its presidential candidate, became a wider democratic statement following Imamoglu’s arrest on March 19. “We won’t give in to despair,” said 38-year-old Aslihan, one of the many voters waiting in long lines to cast their ballots. In a significant move, the CHP expanded eligibility beyond its 1.7 million members, turning the primary into an open vote…

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OTTAWA: Canada’s new Prime Minister Mark Carney on Sunday called a snap election for April 28, seeking a stronger mandate as his country fights off a trade war and annexation threats from US President Donald Trump. “I’ve just requested that the governor general dissolve parliament and call an election for April 28. She has agreed,” Carney said, referring to King Charles III’s representative in Canada, a member of the British Commonwealth. “There is so much more to do to secure Canada. To invest in Canada, to build Canada, to unite…

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BEIJING: China’s Prime Minister Li Qiang on Sunday called for diplomatic “dialogue” with Washington during a meeting attended by major business icons and President Donald Trump’s key ally. Ties between the world’s two largest economies have plunged in recent weeks, as tariffs imposed by US president threaten China’s trade prospects. Premier Li Qiang’s comments came during a meeting with Trump supporter Steve Daines, a Republican senator from Montana. His visit has been viewed as a bid to ease strained relations, to set up a summit between Trump and Chinese President…

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