WASHINGTON: Russia has expelled the US deputy chief of mission to Russia, Bart Gorman, a State Department spokesperson said today, warning of a US response amid heightened fears of a Russian invasion of Ukraine. “Russia’s action against our DCM was unprovoked and we consider this an escalatory step and are […]
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BRUSSELS: The United States has seen Russia stocking up on blood supplies, inching troops closer to Ukraine’s borders and flying in more combat aircraft, US Defence Secretary Lloyd Austin said today, dismissing Moscow claims of withdrawal. “I was a soldier myself not that long ago. I know firsthand that you […]
TEHRAN: Iran’s supreme leader said today that it will further develop peaceful nuclear capacities to preserve the country’s independence, amid talks between it and world powers to revive a 2015 nuclear pact. “We will sooner or later need peaceful nuclear energy. If we do not pursue it … our independence […]
NEW YORK: US stocks were set to open lower today after stronger-than-expected retail sales data gave the Federal Reserve more ammunition to tighten policy, while geopolitical tensions over Russian and Ukraine added to caution. Retail sales rose 3.8 per cent in January, data showed, rebounding sharply from the previous month, […]
MADRID: German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock said today that Russia needed to take concrete steps, such as troop withdrawals, towards de-escalation with Ukraine, as so far it had given only words. “Every real step towards de-escalation would be cause for hope,” Baerbock said at a news conference with her Spanish […]
LAHORE: Pakistani appeals court today acquitted the brother of social media star Qandeel Baloch of her murder, a 2016 killing that sparked national outrage and changes in laws covering so-called “honour killings”. Muhammad Waseem appealed against his 2019 murder conviction and life sentence. A court in the central city of […]
PARIS: French far right presidential candidate Marine Le Pen was dealt a fresh blow today as her party’s only senator became the latest member to throw his support behind rival Eric Zemmour ahead of April’s election. Polls currently show Le Pen reaching a second round run-off against President Emmanuel Macron, […]
WASHINGTON: White House National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan said today that a Russian invasion could begin any day and the United States will continue to share intelligence with the world to deny Moscow the ability to stage a surprise “false flag” operation to launch an attack. Sullivan, speaking on CNN’s […]
US Secretary of State Antony Blinken has said the “imminent” threat of Russian military action in Ukraine justifies evacuating the US embassy in Kyiv. His words came after Ukraine’s president urged calm, saying the biggest enemy was panic. More than a dozen countries have urged their citizens to leave Ukraine. […]
PARIS: Thousands of opponents of Covid rules were encamped on the outskirts of Paris early Saturday after driving in convoys from across France, intent on entering the city in defiance of a ban by authorities who are determined to prevent any blockade of the capital. Nearly 7,200 police and gendarmes […]