Bollywood superstar Padukone summoned in drugs probe

Bollywood superstar Deepika Padukone has been summoned for questioning as part of an escalating drugs probe into the suicide of actor Sushant Singh Rajput, Indian police said late Wednesday.

US records over 7 million Covid-19 cases

The number of novel coronavirus cases in the United States topped 7 million - more than 20% of the world’s total - as Midwest states reported spikes in Covid-19 infections in September, according to a Reuters tally.

Farmers have lost all faith in Mod govt: Rahul

Congress leader Rahul Gandhi said on Friday farmers do not trust the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi as thousands of agriculturists participated in a ‘Bharat Bandh’ to protest the farm bills that were recently passed by Parliament.

Two US police shot as protests erupt over Breonna Taylor case

Two police officers were shot as angry protests rippled across the United States after authorities announced no one would be charged with the killing of Breonna Taylor.

Israel toughens second lockdown as virus cases surge

Israel toughened its coronavirus measures on Thursday as a second nationwide lockdown failed to bring down the world’s highest infection rate a week after it was imposed.

UK to impose sanctions on Belarus over ‘rigged election’ crackdown

Britain said Thursday it was preparing sanctions against those in Belarus responsible for “rigging” the August 9 presidential election and for the subsequent crackdown on protests against President Alexander Lukashenko. Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab said the UK was initiating its own sanctions, in coordination with the United States and Canada, after the European Union’s measures were delayed by Cyprus.

Lukashenko abruptly sworn in, Belarus opposition calls for more protests

Ignoring calls for an end to his 26-year grip on power, President Alexander Lukashenko of Belarus was sworn in for a sixth term on Wednesday after an election that the opposition and several foreign governments say was rigged.

Navalny released from Berlin hospital

Poisoned Russian dissident Alexei Navalny has been discharged from Berlin’s Charite hospital after 32 days of treatment, doctors he will make a complete recovery, the facility said on Wednesday.

Johnson tightens Covid rules

Prime Minister Boris Johnson on Tuesday announced tighter social distancing rules after a surge in coronavirus infections across Britain this month.

Iranian coronavirus chief warns of ‘third wave’

Iran’s top official on fighting the coronavirus, Alireza Zali, warned on Tuesday of worse to come in the country’s battle against the pandemic.

India’s Covid-19 tally crosses 5.5 million mark

India reported 75,083 fresh cases of the coronavirus disease (Covid-19), the lowest since late August, and 1,053 deaths in the last 24 hours, according to the Union home ministry

Britain ‘faces 50,000 Covid cases daily’ without tougher measures

Britain could face up to 50,000 new coronavirus infections daily by next month unless it takes tougher measures to curb the spread of the virus, the country’s chief scientist said on Monday.

India’s coronavirus infections pass 5.4 million

India’s tally of the coronavirus disease (Covid-19) went past the 5.4 million mark and the country reported 4,303,043 recoveries so far, the Union health ministry’s data showed on Sunday. The number of active cases stood at 1,010,824 and the country’s death toll rose to 86,752, according to the health ministry’s coronavirus dashboard at 8am.

Thai protesters challenge monarchy as huge protests escalate

Openly challenging the monarchy of Thai King Maha Vajiralongkorn, thousands of protesters marched in Bangkok on Sunday to present demands that include a call for reforms to curb his powers.

Britain at Covid ‘tipping point;’ new lockdown possible

Britain faces a “tipping point” in a second wave of coronavirus infections, forcing the government to take tougher lockdown measures unless people obey social distancing rules, Health Secretary Matt Hancock warned on Sunday.

China holds military exercises near Taiwan as US diplomat visits

China said Friday it was conducting military exercises near the Taiwan Strait, as a top US diplomat visits the self-ruled island in a move that has angered Beijing.

Climate change plays role in US fires: climate expert

The wave of devastating forest fires currently sweeping parts of the western United States are in part a result of man-made climate change, according to an expert at Germany’s Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact Research (PIK).

Coronavirus cases top 30 million worldwide: WHO

The number of coronavirus cases registered worldwide topped 30 million on Thursday, according to an AFP tally based on official sources.

Trump contradicts health chief on masks and vaccine

President Donald Trump expressed renewed confidence Wednesday that a viable Covid-19 vaccine would be ready by October, directly contradicting a top administration health expert and facing fierce criticism from his Democratic election rival Joe Biden.

‘Wake-up’ call in Europe as virus surges back

The World Health Organisation on Thursday warned of “alarming rates of transmission” of Covid-19 across Europe and cautioned against shortening quarantine periods as countries in the region scrambled to find ways to reduce infections without resorting to new lockdowns.

Trump admits he wanted to assassinate Assad

President Donald Trump has admitted he wanted to “take out” Syrian President Bashar Assad in 2017 but was deterred by then Defence Secretary James Mattis after having previously denyied an assassination was even discussed.

Iranian president slams Gulf states for normalizing ties with Israel

Iranian President Hassan Rowhani has strongly criticized Bahrain and the United Arab Emirates for normalizing ties with Israel.

Trump dismisses climate concerns as he visits fire-ravaged western US

President Donald Trump suggested global warming will reverse itself and dismissed climate change as a cause of the ferocious fires engulfing the west of the United States.

Navalny says ‘amazing’ to breathe unaided, eyes Russia return

Opposition leader Alexei Navalny said Tuesday he was able to breathe unaided in his first public comments after his suspected poisoning in Siberia, while his aide said he planned to return to Russia once recovered.

Navalny allies claim symbolic win in Russian regional vote

Russia’s political opposition Monday claimed a symbolic victory in regional elections while the ruling party said exit polls showed they were headed for a win in a vote observers said was marred by fraud.

As US wildfires burn search on for survivors

Crews were to resume searching for the dead on Sunday among blackened ruins left by massive wildfires raging in three western U.S. states, where millions of acres have burned in weeks and “mass fatality” incidents are feared in Oregon.

S.Korea eases social distancing for two weeks

South Korea on Sunday eased its tough social distancing policy for the next two weeks in the densely populated Seoul metropolitan area, with new daily novel coronavirus cases hovering stubbornly within triple digits.

Israel to enter full-blown lockdown

Israel is poised to declare the whole country a “red zone” due to a spike in Covid-19 cases, limiting people’s movements to a 500-meter radius from home and closing all non-essential businesses that serve customers in person.

Israel faces possible lockdown

Israel’s coronavirus cabinet met on Thursday, with a nationwide lockdown on the cards as the number of daily infections continued to climb towards 4,000.

Huge fire at Beirut port weeks after deadly blast

A huge fire raged in Beirut port on Thursday, sparking alarm among Lebanese still reeling from the devastating dockside explosion that disfigured the capital last month.