Author: News Desk

Two months after warning that Beijing appeared poised to help Russia in its fight against Ukraine, senior U.S. officials say they have not detected overt Chinese military and economic support, a welcome development in the tense U.S.-China relationship. U.S. officials told Reuters in recent days they remain wary about China’s long-standing support for Russia in general, but that the military and economic support that they worried about has not come to pass, at least for now. The relief comes at a pivotal time. President Joe Biden is preparing for a trip to Asia later this month dominated by how to…

Russia’s foreign ministry accused Israel on Tuesday of supporting neo-Nazis in Ukraine, escalating a row that began when Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov claimed Adolf Hitler had Jewish origins. Israel said on Monday Lavrov’s comment was an “unforgivable” falsehood that tried to minimise the horrors of the Holocaust – the slaughter of 6 million European Jews and other minority groupsby Nazi Germany. Leaders from several Western nations denounced Lavrov, who had been asked how Russia could be pursuing its stated goal of “denazifying” Ukraine when President Volodymyr Zelenskiy himself is a Jew. Zelenskiy, whose country is a parliamentary democracy, accused…

Russian troops shelled and bombed the Azovstal steel plant in Ukraine’s southern port city of Mariupol on Tuesday, confirming earlier reports of strikes on the encircled plant, where the mayor said more than 200 civilians were still trapped. According to the RIA news agency, Russia’s defence ministry said its forces had started to destroy Ukrainian firing positions established after the defenders “took advantage” of a U.N.-brokered ceasefire that had allowed several groups of civilians to escape the plant in the previous two days. A Mariupol police official told the public broadcaster Suspine that Russian forces had begun trying to seize…

Russia looked poised to swerve a looming sovereign default after overdue payments on two of its sovereign Eurobonds were sent to some of its creditors, a source familiar with the situation said on Tuesday. Russia had made what appeared to be a late U-turn to avoid a default on the bonds after the finance ministry announced on Friday it had paid nearly $650 million it owed in coupons and principal to holders of the bonds ahead of the grace period expiring on May 4. A senior U.S. official confirmed Moscow had made the payment without using reserves frozen in the…

Rich tributes are pouring in for Indian expat nurse from Abu Dhabi, Sheba Mary Thomas (33), who died in a road accident near Salalah, Oman, on May 1, Sunday. Sheba leaves behind her elderly parents, husband Sajimon Raju, 35, daughter Evelyn Maria Saji, 5 and son Edvin Samuel Saji, 2. P.D. Thomas, Sheba’s father from Cheppad in the Indian state of Kerala, confirmed the death of his daughter to Gulf News on Monday. The family said she was in a four-wheel drive along with her family and friends when a truck hit the vehicle near Haima in Salalah. Seven people…

Bahrain today marked Eid Al-Fitr, with worshippers, including citizens and residents, performing the Eid prayers at mosques and musallas (open-air praying areas), as per the Sunna of Prophet Mohammed (PBUH) to perform Eid prayers at musallas, in an atmosphere of joy and tranquility. The imams called on worshippers to benefit from the great values of the holy month of Ramadan, by consolidating the Islamic precepts and spreading peace and good deeds. They also prayed to Allah the Almighty to protect His Majesty King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa and His Royal Highness Prince Salman bin Hamad Al Khalifa, the Crown…

His Majesty King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa today performed Eid Al-Fitr prayers at Al-Sakhir Palace Mosque. His Royal Highness Prince Salman bin Hamad Al Khalifa, the Crown Prince and Prime Minister, HM the King’s sons and senior members of the Royal Family also performed the prayers. Dr. Shaikh Mohammed Ali Bu Jandal delivered a sermon in which he highlighted the noble values embedded in Eid Al-Fitr, namely fraternity, cordiality and compassion. He prayed to Allah the Almighty to bless HM King Hamad with abundant health, happiness and long life so as to continue bringing about more achievements to the…

Apple faces a possible hefty fine and may have to open its mobile payment system to competitors after EU antitrust regulators charged the iPhone maker with restricting rivals’ access to its technology used for mobile wallets. This marks the second EU charge against Apple after EU regulators last year accused the company of distorting competition in the music streaming market following a complaint from Spotify. The European Commission said on Monday it had sent a charge sheet known as a statement of objections to Apple, detailing how the company had abused its dominant position in markets for mobile wallets on iOS…

Israel denounced Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov on Monday for suggesting that Adolf Hitler had Jewish origins, accusing Lavrov of spreading anti-Semitism and belittling the Holocaust. “Such lies are intended to accuse the Jews themselves of the most horrific crimes in history that were committed against them,” Israeli Prime Minister Naftali Bennett said in a statement. “The use of the Holocaust of the Jewish people for political purposes must stop immediately,” he added. Israeli Foreign Ministry Yair Lapid demanded an apology from Lavrov over his comments, which were made on Sunday in an interview with Italian television, and called in…

Poland is ready to help Germany wean itself off Russian oil, its climate minister said on Monday, adding that she hoped a European Union embargo could come into force before the end of the year. Poland advocates tough measures against Russia, but with many EU countries heavily reliant on Moscow for their energy needs the bloc has appeared split on how sanctions should be enforced. “As Poland, we are ready to support Germany’s ambitions of de-russification with our refinery in Gdansk,” minister Anna Moskwa said. “I hope that will be the last voice that will … block these sanctions on…