Portman among 47 GOP senators to sign letter to Iran WASHINGTON — In a move Democrats denounced as trying to sabotage the Obama administration’s foreign policy, Sen. Rob Portman and 46 other Senate Republicans yesterday warned Iran’s leadership that any agreement to limit Tehran’s apparent efforts to build a nuclear bomb would need Senate approval to stay in effect beyond 2016. More
Philippines mulls pullout of Syria peacekeepers The Philippine foreign secretary says he is recommending to President Benigno Aquino III to pull out all Filipino U.N. peacekeepers from the Golan Heights following the abduction of four by Syrian rebels. More
Iran president still a force even as his era ends When many struggling families in this eastern Iranian city take stock of outgoing President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad's legacy, it's not about the oratory full of bluster and menace or his tussles with Iran's ruling clerics that are known to much of the world. More
Kerry: Russia sells missile defense to Syria Secretary of State John Kerry says the transfer of advanced missile defense systems from Russia to Syria would be a "destabilizing" factor for Israel's security. More
Oil prices could spike 11% as Middle East turmoil sparks a decades-long inflation spiral, market veteran says Iran's attacks against Israel over the weekend could send Brent crude towards $100 a barrel, Ed Yardeni said in a Monday note. 04/15/2024 - 4:53 am | View Link
Daily on Energy: House pivots to Iran legislation, including a measure on oil sales Following Iran’s first direct attack on Israel over the weekend, House Republicans have expedited consideration of legislation retaliating against Iran – and that includes a bill that would aim to counter China’s purchases of Iranian crude oil. 04/15/2024 - 12:49 am | View Link
Decorated Chinese athlete He Jie had been stripped of his Beijing half-marathon win Friday after an investigation found that the three African runners who competed alongside him had “actively slowed down” to let him cross the finish line first during the race on Sunday, April 14.
He won the 21 km.
ISLAMABAD — An important ally of Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif demanded the government lift a two-month-old ban on the social media platform X, saying on Friday that it violates citizens’ right to speech and expression.
The ban on X has been in place since February, when the party of imprisoned former Prime Minister Imran Khan announced a nationwide protest against alleged election rigging ahead of the Feb.
BEIJING — San Francisco is the latest U. S. city preparing to receive a pair of pandas from China, in a continuation of Beijing’s famed “panda diplomacy.”
San Francisco Mayor London Breed announced the panda loan in Beijing on Friday, alongside officials from China Wildlife Conservation Association, or CWCA. It will be San Francisco’s first time hosting the beloved animals long-term—the result of a yearlong advocacy campaign, Breed said.
[time-brightcove not-tgx=”true”]
San Diego previously announced it was receiving two pandas back in February.
China is home to the only natural habitat for pandas and owns most of the black-and-white bears in the world.
Earlier this month, two Indian writers published an ode to their Prime Minister, Narendra Modi. Written in lyric form and titled “Forever In Our Hearts,” it recounts his achievements while singing his praises in highly effusive language. “With courage and wisdom/you show citizens the way,” it gushes. “Oh Modi, oh Modi/their hopes never sway/A people’s beacon, in whom they see light/Oh Modi, oh Modi, guiding day and night.”
[time-brightcove not-tgx=”true”]
Such reverence captures the essence of Modi’s popularity.
The U. S. blocked on Thursday a draft resolution that would have allowed the United Nations General Assembly to vote on allowing a Palestinian state to become a full member state of the U. N. The move has triggered backlash from other states and pro-Palestinian groups, as global divisions continue to sharpen over Israel’s war on Gaza.
[time-brightcove not-tgx=”true”]
The U.
Apple Inc. said that it removed Meta Platforms Inc.’s WhatsApp and Threads from its China apps store after an order from the country’s internet regulator, which said the services pose risks to the country’s security.
The order comes on the heels of a cleanup program Chinese regulators initiated in 2023 that was expected to remove many defunct or unregistered apps from domestic iOS and Android stores.