World

A Russian oil tanker nearing Cuba has opened a narrow lifeline for the island as US President Donald Trump insisted the shipment would do little to change the trajectory of Havana's communist government. Even as the expected delivery promised some badly needed relief, Mr Trump sharpened his warnings toward Cuba's leadership, saying the government would collapse "within a short period of time." The Anatoly Kolodkin, carrying 730,000 barrels of crude, was positioned off Cuba's northeastern coast yesterday evening and was due…

President Donald Trump struck an upbeat note on the standoff with Iran, saying the two sides have been in contact "directly and indirectly" and describing Tehran's new leadership as "very reasonable", even as additional US troops arrived in the region and Iranian officials vowed they would not submit to humiliation. The comments, made last night, followed word from Pakistan — acting as an intermediary between Tehran and Washington — that it was preparing to host "meaningful talks" in the coming days in an effort to bring the…

With the snowy owl — famously associated with the Harry Potter saga — now under new international safeguards, the United Nations has expanded protection for 40 additional migratory species in a move conservationists hope will slow mounting wildlife losses. The decision was finalized at the close of the COP15 summit on migratory species in Campo Verde, Brazil, where delegates from 132 countries and the European Union gathered for talks. The conference ranks among the most significant global forums devoted to wildlife…

"Not at all. Not once. Not for a single second." Kimberly Prost, a Canadian judge placed under US sanctions, says she has never wavered in her decision to serve at the International Criminal Court (ICC), despite finding herself effectively cut off from much of the global banking network. Washington argues the ICC has overstepped by intruding on US sovereignty. The United States does not accept the court's jurisdiction, yet the ICC moved ahead with an investigation into possible war crimes in Afghanistan, including…

After days of uncertainty at sea, two sailboats carrying humanitarian aid to Cuba arrived in Havana yesterday, ending an overdue voyage from Mexico that had prompted a search-and-rescue operation. The nine crew members — among them American, French and German citizens, as well as a four-year-old boy — appeared healthy and upbeat as they docked in the capital beneath clear skies, smiling and flashing thumbs-up signs. The vessels delivered the last shipments of the Our America Convoy, an international aid campaign aimed at…

North Korea has taken another step in its weapons buildup, with state media reporting that leader Kim Jong-un personally oversaw a ground test of an upgraded solid-fuel rocket engine, underscoring Pyongyang’s drive to sharpen its strategic arsenal. The launch test points to what appears to be Mr Kim’s continuing effort to expand and modernise a stockpile of intercontinental ballistic missiles (ICBMs) designed to reach the United States mainland. The announcement came just days after Mr Kim used a speech to North Korea’s…

A standoff at one of Christianity’s holiest sites upended Palm Sunday in Jerusalem, with the Latin Patriarchate saying Israeli police barred the Latin Patriarch of Jerusalem from reaching the Church of the Holy Sepulchre — an unprecedented interruption to ceremonies it said had not occurred in centuries. The Latin Patriarchate of Jerusalem said police stopped Cardinal Pierbattista Pizzaballa and Friar Francesco Ielpo as they walked toward the church, which stands on the site where Christians believe Jesus was crucified and…

Live Explosions rock Iran’s capital in a series of blasts Middle East

Anger at President Donald Trump erupted into massive demonstrations across the United States and overseas, with millions turning out to denounce what they describe as authoritarian rule and a pattern of harsh, law-defying governance. The mobilization marks the third nationwide surge in less than a year under the grassroots banner "No Kings," which has become the most visible and forceful outlet for resistance to Trump since the start of his second term in January 2025. Protesters now have a fresh target for their outrage:…

A widening Middle East conflict moved closer to a broader confrontation with Iran yesterday after Yemen’s Iran-aligned Houthis launched their first attacks on Israel since the war began, even as more US forces arrived in the region. Washington has sent thousands of Marines to the Middle East during the month-old conflict. The first of two contingents arrived on Friday aboard an amphibious assault ship, the US military said yesterday. The Washington Post reported that US officials said the Pentagon was preparing for weeks of…