Author: News Desk

Russia will take legal action if the West tries to force it to default on its sovereign debt, Finance Minister Anton Siluanov told the pro-Kremlin Izvestia newspaper on Monday, sharpening Moscow’s tone in its financial wrestle with the West. “Of course we will sue, because we have taken all the necessary steps to ensure that investors receive their payments,” Siluanov told the newspaper in an interview. “We will present in court our bills confirming our efforts to pay both in foreign currency and in roubles. It will not be an easy process. We will have to very actively prove our…

The Russian rouble weakened sharply in jittery trade on Monday, reversing some of the previous week’s gains, after the central bank decided to relax temporary capital control measures aimed at limiting a drop in the currency. Late on Friday the central bank said it will scrap a 12% commission for buying foreign currency through brokerages from April 11 and lift a temporary ban on selling foreign exchange cash to individuals from April 18. The rouble fell to 82.09 against the dollar at the market opening in Moscow, from the 71 roubles hit on Friday for its strongest since Nov. 11.…

Elon Musk rejected Twitter Inc’s offer to join its board, a dramatic turn in a week when the billionaire became its biggest shareholder, with the social media company warning of “distractions ahead”. The company’s board held many discussions with Musk, Twitter Chief Executive Officer Parag Agrawal said in a note posted to the site on Sunday, but did not disclose the reason for the Tesla chief’s decision. Twitter shares were down about 2% at $45.31 in premarket trading on Monday. They soared 27% on April 4, when Musk made his stake public, but have since shed 7.5% of those gains. The planned…

Pakistan’s Prime Minister Imran Khan has been ousted from power after losing a no-confidence vote in his leadership. The vote was held past midnight after opposition parties brought a motion against him, which was upheld by the Supreme Court. Mr Khan had said he would not recognise an opposition government, claiming – without evidence – that there was a US-led conspiracy to remove him. The assembly will now appoint a new prime minister. That person will be able to hold power until October 2023 when the next election is due to be held. Mr Khan becomes the first Pakistani prime…

Deputised by His Majesty King Hamad Al Khalifa, His Highness Shaikh Nasser bin Hamad Al Khalifa, HM the King’s Representative for Humanitarian Work and Youth Affairs, attended the Ramadan Gathering, which was organised by the This is Bahrain Society, at the Cathedral Our Lady of Arabia in Awali. HH Shaikh Nasser bin Hamad said that Bahrain, in the era of HM the King, has become an oasis of security and safety and a country of coexistence among all religions, beliefs and sects. “The Kingdom of Bahrain has a long history as a beacon of fraternity, coexistence and tolerance among all religions and…

His Majesty King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa delegated Deputy Prime Minister His Highness Shaikh Mohammed bin Mubarak Al Khalifa to open the 28th Bahrain Heritage Festival, being held under the theme “Our Golden Heritage”. HH the Deputy Prime Minister expressed pride at opening, on behalf of HM the King, the  festival, and stressed royal interest in this national cultural event which was first launched in 1992. He stressed the importance of the festival in revitalising the cultural scene and showcasing Bahrain’s rich heritage, civilization an openness to different cultures. “The festival’s comeback represents a qualitative addition to the cultural…

Minister of Foreign Affairs Dr. Abdullatif bin Rashid Al Zayani and Russia’s Minister of Foreign Affairs Sergey Lavrov held a press conference following the official talks in the presence of the delegations from the two countries. Al Zayani expressed his happiness to visit Russia, noting its standing at the global level due to the importance of its key historical role over decades in strengthening international peace and security and ensuring global energy supplies. He expressed his appreciation of the international standing of Russia, a permanent member of the Security Council, which contributed to maintaining regional and international security and stability.…

French President Emmanuel Macron on Friday accused his far-right challenger Marine Le Pen of lying to voters about her campaign platform as he sought to rally support two days before the presidential election’s first round. Macron, whose re-election seemed a foregone conclusion just weeks ago, is now facing a stiff challenge from Le Pen. Her solid comeback in opinion polls has put her victory within the margin of error in some surveys, Reuters said. “Her fundamentals have not changed: it’s a racist programme that aims to divide society and is very brutal,” Macron told Le Parisien newspaper. “There was a…

More than 1,000 people were crowded into a railway station in eastern Ukraine when it was hit by rockets on Friday, an eyewitness told. Forty people died, including 10 children when missiles exploded at Kramatorsk station as civilians were queuing to evacuate, according to the local mayor. Images from the scene show bodies and abandoned bags lying on the platform. Ukraine said Russia targeted civilians, but Russia has denied the attack. Nathan Mook, an aid worker who saw people crowding at the station, counted between five and 10 explosions: “Two minutes after we had driven by, you feel it before…

Mariupol has been under Russian siege for five weeks, but many residents have managed to flee to other towns in Ukraine. They tell about the conditions in the besieged city – and the loved ones they left behind. People arriving in the town of Zaporizhzhia, which is acting as a hub for refugees, describe a merciless assault on Mariupol in which airstrikes and shelling have flattened entire districts. They have risked journeys through Russian and Ukrainian lines that the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) describes as an evacuation “from hell”. Waiting inside one aid facility was Yuliia, her…