World

Microsoft founder Bill Gates slammed conspiracy theories on social media that accuse him of inventing the coronavirus that has killed more than 600,000 across the globe. “It’s a bad combination of pandemic and social media and people looking for a very simple explanation,” he said during a CNN Town Hall …

BEIJING: China will aim to launch its first independent mission to Mars today (Thursday) as it gears up to take the leadership in space missions across the world with the US, European and Indian spacecraft either orbiting Mars or on its surface with other missions underway or planned already. The …

The NTI (Nuclear Threat Initiative) Nuclear Security Index 2020 ranked Pakistan as the ‘most improved country’ with weapons-usable nuclear materials on Wednesday. According to the report, Pakistan improved its score by seven points with its Security and Control Measures score increasing by 25 points due to actions to strengthen its …

SRINAGAR: Indian-held Kashmir on Wednesday imposed a strict lockdown for a week as authorities warned of rising coronavirus cases, one day after cancelling a major annual Hindu pilgrimage. India, which has recorded almost 1.2 million infections and is the world’s third-most infected nation, had significantly eased a months-long shutdown to …

KUALA LUMPUR: A Pakistani man has been fined eight buffaloes and eight gongs by a court on the Malaysian part of Borneo for insulting indigenous groups, an official said on Wednesday. The island is home to a kaleidoscope of tribes and, in the Malaysian part, special courts deal with indigenous …

TEXAS: The US Interstate Oil and Gas Compact Commission (IOGCC) has passed a resolution to investigate dumping of crude on US markets by Saudi Arabia and Russia. The effort was initiated by Railroad Commission Chairman Wayne Christian, a Republican from Texas, demanding that the government investigate excessive dumping of crude …

NEW DELHI/COPENHAGEN: US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo urged India on Wednesday to focus on domestic supply chains and reduce its dependence on China for telecommunications and medical supplies, as Washington’s ties with Beijing deteriorate dramatically. India had a chance to move “supply chains away from China and reduce its …

WASHINGTON: The United States has ordered China to close its consulate in Houston and accused it of ramping up spying operations, dramatically escalating diplomatic tensions between the feuding superpowers. Wednesday’s announcement infuriated Beijing, which vowed to retaliate as the two countries squabble over a slew of issues ranging from trade …

While two US Navy carrier strike groups drilled in the South China Sea last week, Chinese People’s Liberation Army Air Force (PLAAF) jets practiced anti-ship attacks nearby. For weeks, several US aircraft carriers have carried out drills in waters near China, including in the Philippine Sea and South China Sea. …

LONDON: US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said on Tuesday the United States wants to build a global coalition to counter China as he accused Beijing of exploiting the coronavirus pandemic to further its own interests. US President Donald Trump identifies China as the United States’ main rival, and has …