United States Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin told a gathering of top security officials Saturday that war with China was neither imminent nor unavoidable, despite rapidly escalating tensions in the Asia-Pacific region, stressing the importance of renewed dialogue between him and his Chinese counterpart in avoiding miscalculations and misunderstandings. Austins...

Thai police have broken up a large network that illegally helped foreigners, mostly Russians, to stay in Thailand long-term through the use of company nominees or shell companies, officials said Friday. Police said a 45-year-old Russian woman who came to Thailand in 2012 operated the scheme with a Thai woman...

German tennis player Alexander Zverevs trial for allegedly causing bodily harm to a woman began Friday, German news agency dpa reported. Zverev, who is playing at the French Open, was not present for the first day of the trial. The prosecution accuses Zverev of pushing his ex-partner against a wall...

At the site of a bloody battlefield that marked the end of Sri Lankas civil war, Singaram Soosaimuthu fishes every day with his son, casting nets and reeling them in. It is a skill he has known for much of his life and one that he had to relearn...

Thailand is kicking off its celebration of the LGBTQ+ communitys Pride Month with a parade Saturday, as the country is on course to become the first nation in Southeast Asia to legalize marriage equality. The annual Bangkok Pride Parade is expected to pack the streets in one of the Thai...

North Korean leader Kim Jong Un supervised drills involving the firing of nuclear-capable multiple rocket launchers to show the countrys ability to carry out a preemptive attack on rival South Korea, state media reported Friday. North Korea has simulated nuclear strikes on South Korea numerous times, but the latest drills...

A Spanish court has reduced the scope of its probe into the Barcelonas payment of millions of dollars over several years to a former vice president of Spains refereeing committee. A Barcelona-based court said Friday that it will no longer investigate club president Joan Laporta for his first stint in...

Tin Oo, one of the closest associates of Myanmars ousted leader Aung San Suu Kyi as well as a co-founder of her National League for Democracy party, has died. He was 97. Tin Oo died Saturday morning at Yangon General Hospital, said Moh Khan, a charity worker citing a member...

On May 31, the United Nations Secretary General Antonio Guterres honoured Indian peacekeeper, Major Radhika Sen with the UN Military Gender Advocate of the Year Award. Major Radhika Sen served in eastern DRC with the UN peacekeeping mission, MONUSCO, from March 2023 to April 2024 as the Commander of...

When Coco Gauffs opponent at the French Open on Friday, 30th-seeded Dayana Yastremska, returned to the locker room in Court Philippe Chatrier, she pulled out her phone to study video clips of her 6-2, 6-4 loss to the American. I just was really curious what I did wrong, explained Yastremska,...

The Tis Hazari Court in Delhi has sent Delhi Chief Ministers Arvind Kejriwal personal secretary Bibhav Kumar to 14 days of judicial custody in the Swati Maliwal assault case. Metropolitan Magistrate Gaurav Goyal allowed the Delhi Polices plea seeking judicial custody for Kumar, who was produced before him on expiry...

A press note issued by the National Statistical Office (NSO), Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation (MoSPI) states that Real GDP has been estimated to grow by 8.2% in FY 2023-24 as compared to the growth rate of 7.0% in FY 2022-23. Nominal GDP has witnessed a growth rate of...

Mexicans will vote Sunday in historic elections weighing gender, democracy and populism, as they chart the countrys path forward in voting shadowed by cartel violence. With two women leading the contest, Mexico will likely elect its first female president a major step in a country long marked by its...

The United States, Japan and South Korea strongly oppose any unilateral attempts to change the status quo in the Indo-Pacific waters and strongly condemned North Koreas recent launches using ballistic missile technology. This joint statement followed a meeting of senior officials in historic Little Washington, Virginia, on Friday. U.S. Deputy...

Thailands government appears set to complete a deal for a Chinese-built diesel-electric attack submarine a one-off purchase first negotiated under its previous military government but experts say at this point, motivation for the deal may more political than military. Under Thailands previous government led by Prime Minister Prayut...

Earning her bachelors degree from the University of California at Riverside was surreal for Angelina Chavez, the culmination of overcoming her imposter syndrome and embracing the efforts of her mothers, who walked the stage with her during the Latinx ceremony. They were both wearing one of my sashes, said Chavez,...

Colombias congress voted Tuesday to ban bullfights in the South American nation, delivering a serious blow to a centuries-old tradition that has inspired famous songs and novels but has become increasingly controversial in the countries where it is still practiced. The bill calls for the banning of bullfights in a...

Partial results in South Africas national election put the long-ruling African National Congress party at well below 50% of the vote as counting continued Thursday, and it could be on the brink of losing its majority for the first time since sweeping to power under Nelson Mandela at the end...

Pakistans imprisoned former prime minister Imran Khan addressed court officials Thursday and said that parliamentary elections held earlier this year were stolen from his party, which he claimed is being victimized. There was no immediate comment from the government about Khans allegation. Before his arrest, Khan had accused the Election...

Government leaders, defense officials and diplomats from around the world are gathering in Singapore for Asias premier security forum this weekend, at a time of increasing tension and competition for influence between the United States and China in the Indo-Pacific region. Beijing in recent years has been rapidly expanding its...

The European Union delegation in South Sudan has denied reports that it is working to delay elections in the country as was alleged by President Salva Kiir. Deputy Head of the EU Delegation Lothar Jaschke said Thursday that his group is fully supporting an environment to enable elections, a constitution...

The conviction of 14 pro-democracy activists Thursday in Hong Kong drew condemnation from human rights groups and expressions of concern from foreign governments. China, which authored the 2020 national security law used to prosecute the activists, backed Hong Kong authorities. The former British colony is part of China but has...

Billons of dollars in gold is smuggled out of Africa each year and most of it ends up in the United Arab Emirates, where it is refined and sold to customers around the world, according to a report published Thursday. Over $30 billion worth of gold, or more than 435...

A Spanish judge expanded her investigation into the Spanish soccer federations deal to take the Spanish Super Cup to Saudi Arabia to include former player Gerard Piqu on Thursday. In court documents made available to the press, judge Delia Rodrigo formally included the former Spain and Barcelona defender in a...

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi has started his 45 hour long meditation session at the Vivekanand Rock Memorial in Kanyakumari, Tami Nadu. Modi will end his meditation on June 1. Vivekananda Rock Memorial in Kanyakumari is a renowned monument dedicated to Swami Vivekananda, one of Indias most revered spiritual leaders....

Delhi Mayor Shelly Oberoi held a detailed meeting with the heads of all the departments of the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (Delhi). On the basis of the discussions, a detailed advisory was issued on the actions required to address the heat wave situation in Delhi and to ensure that that...

England will head into the defense of its T20 World Cup title on the back of a 2-0 series victory over Pakistan after coasting to a seven-wicket win in their fourth and final match at The Oval on Thursday. After restricting Pakistan to 157 all out, England powered to...

The campaigning for the 2024 Lok Sabha polls came to an end on May 30. The seventh and the final phase of voting will take place on June 1 in 57 Parliamentary Constituencies in seven states and the Union Territory of Chandigarh 13 seats will go to poll in the...

Eleven militants accused of being involved in carrying out the deadly March suicide attack on Chinese engineers are in custody, according to Pakistani officials. Following the arrests, Beijing urged Islamabad to continue the investigation. Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Mao Ning said Monday that China was attaching great importance to the...

Vietnam protested what is said was Chinas violation of its sovereignty after Beijing dispatched a navy hospital ship to the Paracels, a group of small coral islands and reefs in the South China Sea currently occupied by China but claimed by Vietnam and Taiwan. China Central Television first reported the...

Partial results in South Africas national election put the long-ruling African National Congress party at well below 50% of the vote as counting continued Thursday, and it could be on the brink of losing its majority for the first time since sweeping to power under Nelson Mandela at the end...

Top United Nations officials and global tech leaders discussed the potential of artificial intelligence Thursday but warned about risks of the technology as the U.N. telecommunications agencys AI for Good conference began. The two-day conference AI for Good has been held yearly in Geneva since 2017. Artificial intelligence is changing...

A Kenyan parliamentary committee is visiting central Kenya to hear from locals about the conduct of a British Army training unit that is accused of human rights violations, including the unresolved death of a woman more than ten years ago. The Kenya National Human Rights Commission prompted the inquiry by...

One of the most influential politicians in Venezuela once deemed images of his fellow citizens abandoning their home country the result of a professionally scripted, Hollywood-type blockbuster. Migration, Diosdado Cabello said, was an issue conjured by a media apparatus. Similarly, his boss, President Nicols Maduro, denied for years, at least...

A group working under the U.N. Human Rights Council has issued a wide-ranging report about rights in Japan, including discrimination against minorities and unhealthy working conditions. The report, issued this week in Geneva, recommended various changes in Japan, such as more training in businesses to raise awareness of rights issues,...

Heat-related howler monkeys deaths have now been reported in two more states in southern Mexico, after two other states reported die-offs earlier this month, environmental authorities said. Mexicos Environment Department said late Tuesday that monkey deaths have now been reported in Chiapas and three states on the Gulf of Mexico:...

Haitis newly chosen Prime Minister Garry Conille vowed to seek unity Wednesday in his first statement since a transitional council selected him to head the government in the troubled Caribbean country under siege by criminal gangs. Conille thanked the civil society groups, political parties and members of the Haitian diaspora...

The Singapore Airlines jetliner that hit severe turbulence last week went through huge swings in gravitational force in less than five seconds, likely causing the injuries to people who werent buckled into their seats, according to a preliminary report Wednesday by Singapores Transport Ministry. The plane dropped 178 feet (54...

The Ministry of Home Affairs said in a press release that the Process of granting citizenship certificates under the Citizenship (Amendment) Rules, 2024 commenced in West Bengal on May 29. The first set from applicants from the State were granted citizenship by the Empowered Committee, West Bengal. The press release...

Borussia Dortmund has signed a new sponsorship deal with German arms manufacturer Rheinmetall and will display the defense companys logo ahead of facing Real Madrid in the Champions League final. Dortmund said Wednesday the three-year deal with Rheinmetall includes wide-reaching advertising space, marketing rights and event and hospitality arrangements in...

After the Delhi LG, VK Saxena issued an advisory directing the officials to take adequate action to address the heatwave situation in Delhi, Delhi Health Minister Saurabh Bhardwaj said that the advisory issued by LG was meant to defame the AAP government of Delhi. Bhardwaj said that his department was...

Prime Minister Narendra Modi campaigned and addressed public meetings in Mayurbhanj, Balasore and Kendrapara, Odisha. This was the last day of Modis election campaign in Odisha. Narendra Modi announced that India is on track to form a majority government for the third consecutive term, marking a significant political milestone after...

Setting off wild celebrations in Athens, Olympiakos won Greeces first European club title by beating Fiorentina 1-0 with a goal in extra time of the Europa Conference League final on Wednesday. Ayoub El Kaabi provided the dramatic ending, diving to nudge in a last-gasp goal in the second period of...

The office of Belgiums federal prosecutor says police searched the residence and offices of a European Parliament employee Wednesday as part of its probe into a suspected Russian interference campaign to pay EU lawmakers to promote Russian propaganda. In April, Belgian Prime Minister Alexander De Croo announced the countrys intelligence...

Australian university leaders held talks Wednesday with their Chinese counterparts over the Canberra governments plans to cut the number of international students. Australia has said the reductions will ease the stress on housing and reduce immigration. Representatives from the Group of Eight Universities, which represents large research-intensive institutions in Australia,...

Justice Samuel Alito is rejecting calls to step aside from Supreme Court cases involving former President Donald Trump and Jan. 6 defendants because of the controversy over flags that flew over his homes. In letters to members of Congress on Wednesday, Alito said his wife was responsible for flying an...

The World Health Organization says urgent action is needed to research how climate change is affecting malaria and neglected tropical diseases (NTDs). Rising temperatures are changing how vector-borne diseases diseases spread by the bite of infected insects are spread, the WHO said in a press release last week....

Action must be taken immediately to address the humanitarian crisis in the Sahel or other countries will be drawn in and it will become a problem for the world, a UNHCR official warned Wednesday. The volatile situations in Niger, Mali and Burkina Faso risks overflowing into neighboring countries, the U.N....

Activist Chan Po-ying is permitted only 15-minute daily visits to see her husband, Leung Kwok-hung, separated by a plexiglass barrier in a highly guarded Hong Kong jail. Leung, 68, is one of 47 activists who were prosecuted in the largest national security law case to date in the former British...

Missile attacks twice damaged a Marshall Islands-flagged, Greek-owned ship Tuesday in the Red Sea off the coast of Yemen, with a private security firm saying radio traffic suggested the vessel took on water after being struck. No group claimed responsibility, but suspicion fell on Yemens Houthi rebels, who have launched...