Alleging illegal content, France charges Telegram boss; Russia gives warning
London — Russia on Thursday warned France not to turn the investigation of Pavel Durov, the boss of Telegram, into a “political persecution” after the billionaire 39-year-old CEO was put under formal investigation relating to activities on his social media…
Latvia, Lithuania, Estonia building Baltic defense line
Baltic countries are moving to protect NATO’s eastern flank in the face of Russian aggression. The Baltic defense line — a new fortification system along their borders with Russia and Belarus — is meant to shield NATO allies from potential…
US second quarter growth stronger than estimated, government says
Washington — The U.S. economy expanded more than initially estimated in the second quarter this year, the Department of Commerce said Thursday, on stronger consumer spending than originally anticipated. The world’s biggest economy grew at an annual rate of 3.0%…
Snakehead fish: The invasive species disaster that wasn’t
Invasive plants and animals disrupt food supplies, carry diseases and cause an estimated $423 billion in damage every year around the world. When an Asian fish called the snakehead invaded waterways near Washington, experts warned it might devour the competition…
Floods, landslides wreak havoc across South Asia
The worst affected regions are Chattogram and Sylhet, where major rivers are “flowing well above danger levels”, further aggravating the situation, according to the UN Children’s Fund (UNICEF). Initial estimates suggest that around five million people – including two million…
Guterres highlights Timor-Leste’s ‘growing international influence’
António Guterres is there to take part in celebrations to mark 25 years on Friday since the country’s vote for independence, which was organised by the UN mission in what was then East Timor. Independence duly came in 2002 following…
West Bank crisis: UN chief calls for immediate halt to Israeli strikes
Mr. Guterres’s intervention late Wednesday comes amid one of the biggest Israeli Security Forces (ISF) operations in the West Bank in years – the ISF insists against terrorists – with raids, airstrikes including drones that by Thursday had killed 17…
Security Council debates Gaza as WHO announces polio pauses for lifesaving vaccination campaign
The UN Security Council met in emergency session in New York on the continuing crisis in Gaza and the occupied West Bank on Thursday. Earlier, the World Health Organization (WHO) announced agreement had been reached with Israel to allow a…
Telegram boss’ lawyer dismisses probe against Durov as absurd
PARIS — A lawyer for Telegram boss Pavel Durov, who is being investigated in France, said it was “totally absurd” to suggest the head of a social network was responsible for any criminal acts committed on the platform, French media…
FAA grounds SpaceX after rocket falls over in flames
SpaceX launches are on hold after a booster rocket toppled over in flames while landing Wednesday. The Federal Aviation Administration grounded the company’s Falcon 9 rockets and ordered an investigation following the predawn accident off the Florida coast. No injuries…