Author: News Desk

Pakistan Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi on Saturday termed Indian Defence Minister Rajnath Singh’s statement over a possible change in its “no first use” nuclear policy as a “damning reminder of India’s unbridled thirst for violence”. In a post on Twitter, Rajnath Singh said on Friday that while India had remained firmly committed to the doctrine of “no first use”, what would happen in the future would depend on circumstances. Responding to the remark, Qureshi said in a tweet: “Another damning reminder of India’s unbridled thirst for violence. Contrast to Pakistan’s aggressive efforts to galvanize diplomacy as the UN Security…

A 33-year-old man in India’s Jharkhand state has modified a scrapped motorcycle into a low-cost tractor tiller, using his experience as a two-wheeler mechanic. Mahesh Karmali, a resident of Uncha Ghana village in Hazaribagh, some 40km from the district headquarters town, was employed by the Baja Auto Showroom at Pune in Maharashtra until January this year but financial troubles in the company left him suddenly jobless. The Grade VI dropout returned to his village, hoping to engage in farming as a way of eking out a living for his family. The jobless man, however, was shocked when he was told…

A drone attack launched by Yemen’s Houthi group on an oil field in eastern Saudi Arabia on Saturday caused a “limited” fire at a gas plant but had no impact on oil production, state-run oil company Saudi Aramco said. A Houthi military spokesman said earlier on Saturday that the group had targeted the Shaybah oil field with 10 drones, in what he said was the “biggest attack in the depths” of the kingdom, the world’s top oil exporter, by the Iran-aligned group. But a Saudi industry source told Reuters the attack most probably involved only three drones and caused no…

Sudan’s main opposition coalition and the ruling military council on Saturday signed a final power-sharing agreement, paving the way for a transitional government following the overthrow of longtime leader Omar al-Bashir. Stability in Sudan, which has been grappling with an economic crisis, is seen as crucial for a volatile region struggling with conflict and insurgencies from the Horn of Africa to Egypt and Libya. The Transitional Military Council (TMC) has ruled Sudan since April when the military ousted Bashir following months of protests against his rule during which dozens of demonstrators were killed. Bashir is wanted for war crimes in…

The U.S. Commerce Department is expected to extend a reprieve given to Huawei Technologies that permit the Chinese firm to buy supplies from U.S. companies so that it can service existing customers, two sources familiar with the situation said. The “temporary general license” will be extended for Huawei for 90 days, the sources said. Commerce initially allowed Huawei to purchase some American-made goods in May shortly after blacklisting the company in a move aimed at minimizing disruption for its customers, many of which operate networks in rural America. An extension will renew an agreement set to lapse on August 19,…

The United States has issued a warrant to seize an Iranian oil tanker caught in the standoff between Tehran and the West in the last-ditch effort to prevent the vessel from leaving Gibraltar. The Grace 1 was seized by British Royal Marines at the western mouth of the Mediterranean on July 4 on suspicion of violating European Union sanctions by taking oil to Syria. Gibraltar lifted the detention order on Thursday after the British territory’s chief minister said he had secured written assurances from Tehran that the cargo would not go to Syria. But with the vessel and its 2.1…

The US Justice Department has issued a warrant to seize a detained Iranian oil tanker, a day after its release by the Gibraltar government. Gibraltar’s authorities released the oil tanker despite a previous US request to seize it. The ‘Grace 1’ supertanker was released after Iran had guaranteed in writing that it was never destined to an EU-sanctioned entity, such as Syria. US Federal prosecutor, Jessie Liu, said that the Grace 1 supertanker, which is carrying more than 2 m barrels of oil, was subject to seizure. The US federal court warrant called for the seizure of the tanker and…

Three limited-edition bottles of Heinz Tomato Ketchup based on the tattoos of British songwriter Ed Sheeran, a dedicated fan of the condiment, sold at auction in London on Thursday, with one going under the hammer for £1,500 . Only 150 of the Ed Sheeran X Heinz Tomato Ketchup, the Tattoo Edition bottles, featuring a copy of Sheeran’s own Heinz inking, will be available across the world. The first three were sold for £1,050 pounds, £1,100 pounds and £1,500 pounds on Thursday. Nigel Dickie, Kraft Heinz director of corporate affairs, said 150 of the bottles were made to mark Heinz 150th…

The Customs Intelligence Department and Jebel Ali Customs Center in Dubai thwarted an attempt to smuggle 251.2 kg of crystal meth and 6.4 kg of heroin, with an estimated market value of Dh25 million. The operation was nicknamed “Gear Box” – the illegal drugs were concealed inside used vehicle spare parts. Despite the fact that the drugs were hidden carefully – a press release from the authorities stated – the inspectors uncovered the illegal shipment using a combination of tools including an in-house smart detection system and a canine unit. The shipment owner added different types and sizes of spare parts,…

The Los Angeles Opera has declined to release any details of its promised investigation into allegations of sexual harassment against opera legend Placido Domingo, the company’s longtime general director, including whether it has already started. The union that represents opera singers said on Friday that it plans a meeting in Los Angeles next week to address its members’ concerns ahead of the LA company’s season opener September 14. Len Egert, the executive director of the American Guild of Musical Artists, said that the union has been receiving its own reports from members since an AP story earlier this week detailing…