More than 100 civilians including children were killed by ground fighting, explosive remnants, and air raids in Libya between April and June, according to the United Nations. The figure is an increase of 65 percent from the first three months of the year, the UN Support Mission in Libya (UNSMIL) …
Read More »Big Tech results move center stage after Congressional bruising
Four of the United States’ big tech firms, accounting for nearly a fifth of the S&P 500’s total value, report results on Thursday on the heels of a bruising Congressional hearing to look into alleged abuse of their global dominance. It will be the first time Apple Inc, Amazon.com Inc, …
Read More »China says UK has poisoned relations, some want new Cold War
China blamed the United Kingdom on Thursday for deteriorating ties after Prime Minister Boris Johnson slapped a 5G ban on Huawei, accusing London of poisoning the relationship by meddling in Hong Kong’s affairs. “These actions have seriously poisoned the atmosphere of China-UK relationship,” China’s ambassador to London Liu Xiaoming told …
Read More »‘So far, so good’ on leading COVID vaccine, says AstraZeneca
Britain’s AstraZeneca said on Thursday that good data was coming in so far on its vaccine for COVID-19, already in large-scale human trials and widely seen as the front-runner in the race for a shot against the novel coronavirus. The drugmaker, Britain’s most valuable listed company, also announced second-quarter results …
Read More »Iran passing peak of coronavirus: Rouhani
Iranian President Hassan Rouhani said that the country is currently passing over the peak of the novel coronavirus pandemic. He made the remarks in a ceremony held via videoconference on the inauguration of the biggest medium-density fibreboard (MDF) production unit in the northern Iranian province of Mazandaran. “All Iranian provinces, …
Read More »Tropical Storm Isaias hits Puerto Rico with wind, heavy rain
Tropical Storm Isaias was battering Puerto Rico early Thursday with high winds and heavy rains, according to the U.S. National Hurricane Center. Isaias was located about 100 miles (160 kilometers) west southwest of Ponce, Puerto Rico, and about 160 miles (257 kilometers) southeast of Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic. It had …
Read More »Why Trump’s tough-on-crime message is not breaking through in suburban America
As President Donald Trump’s support in the U.S. suburbs erodes amid concerns about his handling of the coronavirus pandemic, he has returned to a familiar campaign theme: trying to scare voters away from backing Democrat Joe Biden in November. From deploying federal agents to confront protesters in cities such as …
Read More »Australia reports record spike in coronavirus cases, 14 deaths
Australia recorded its deadliest day of the coronavirus pandemic on Thursday with 14 deaths and more than 700 new infections mainly in Victoria state, where the government ordered all residents to wear face-coverings outside. The toll takes the country’s total fatalities from the novel coronavirus to 190, more than half …
Read More »US agents in Portland to pull back, but tensions remain
The Trump administration and Oregon leaders declared victory after it was announced that U.S. agents guarding a federal courthouse during violent demonstrations in Portland will pull back, but it wasn’t clear the agreement will reduce tensions that have led to more than two months of protests. Oregon Gov. Kate Brown …
Read More »Belarus says it’s arrested Russian mercenaries, as rift grows between strongmen Putin and Lukashenko
Authorities in Belarus have announced the arrest of more than 30 Russian mercenaries accused of trying “to destabilize” the country ahead of August’s presidential election, the state-run news agency Belta reported. The detentions come as tensions grow between the neighboring countries and as a rift emerges between their two strongmen …
Read More »EU’s Hong Kong proposal prompts Beijing’s censure
China has denounced a decision by the European Union to restrict the export of ‘sensitive’ technology to Hong Kong in response to a new security law in the semi-autonomous city. On Tuesday, the EU agreed to a proposal made by France and Germany to restrict the export of technology to …
Read More »Afghan people, officials call for permanent ceasefire
In Afghanistan, the public and officials have called for a lasting ceasefire in the wake of the government and the Taliban’s commitment to observe a three-day truce for the Muslim holiday of Eid al-Adha, starting Friday. Fawzia Koofi, a member of the government’s negotiating team, said on Twitter Wednesday that …
Read More »Trump once again defends using unproven hydroxychloroquine as covid-19 cure
US President Donald Trump has once again defended his decision to promote using an anti-Malaria drug, called hydroxychloroquine, as a treatment for covid-19. On Tuesday, the EU agreed to a proposal made by France and Germany to restrict the export of technology to Hong Kong that might be used for …
Read More »Oregon says federal agents to withdraw from Portland
Oregon’s governor on Wednesday said the federal government agreed to withdraw agents from Portland but the Department of Homeland Security said it would keep officers there until it was certain federal properties would not be attacked. Governor Kate Brown said the government agreed to a phased withdrawal of federal officers …
Read More »UK PM says government doing everything necessary to avoid COVID-19 second wave
Boris Johnson has warned of signs pointing to a “second wave” of coronavirus infections in Europe as he tries to deflect criticism about the sudden change of travel advice to Spain. Coming on the heels of the Spanish Prime Minister’s description of the quarantine measures as “unjust”, Johnson tried to soften …
Read More »GOP coronavirus bill is ‘selling out working families’
The GOP is “selling out working families” in an attempt to “enrich the corporate interests” with its new coronavirus relief proposal, the US Congress top Democrats say. US House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and Senate minority leader Chuck Schumer issued a joint statement Tuesday, attacking the Republicans in control of the …
Read More »Leader: The Islamic Ummah’s cry for unity should fall on the heads of the US & its chained dog, the Zionist regime
The following is the full text of a message delivered on July 28, 2020, by the Leader of the Islamic Revolution, Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei on the occasion of the annual Hajj pilgrimage. In the message, His Eminence points to the inability of many Muslims to participate in this year’s …
Read More »China says disputed islands in East China Sea are its territory
Beijing says the Diaoyu Islands, which Japan disputes, are Chinese territory and that it has the right to conduct law enforcement activities there, after a US military commander said China had conducted “unprecedented incursions” around the islands. Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Wang Wenbin said on Wednesday that Beijing hoped the …
Read More »Select group of Muslims begins Hajj pilgrimage
Hajj pilgrimage is usually one of the world’s largest religious gatherings but this year only up to 10,000 people already residing in the kingdom will participate in the ritual as the Saudi hosts try to prevent the spread of virus pandemic. Muslim pilgrims have begun the annual Hajj, dramatically downsized …
Read More »Watchdog accuses Trump campaign of hiding $170m in spending
US President Donald Trump’s re-election effort allegedly hid nearly $170m in spending from mandatory public disclosure by routing payments through companies tied to his former campaign manager, a government oversight group claimed on Tuesday. The use of firms linked to former campaign manager Brad Parscale masked the ultimate recipients of …
Read More »