Monday, 5 January 2026

Author: AFP

Skygazers watch Ring of Fire eclipse

ALBUQUERQUE (United States): Skygazers across the Americas turned their faces upwards Saturday for a rare celestial event: an annular solar eclipse. A crowd of people wearing protective eyewear gathered in Albuquerque, New Mexico, one of many across the western United States watching as the Moon passed between the Sun and Earth

Thousands rally in UK for Palestinians

LONDON: Tens of thousands of people rallied Saturday in London and other UK cities at pro-Palestinian demonstrations, amid police warnings that anyone showing support for the militant group Hamas could face arrest. Protesters marching through the heart of the British capital were shadowed by a heavy police presence of more

Italy cruise as Denmark edge towards spot

PARIS: Reigning champions Italy eased to a 4-0 victory over Malta in Euro 2024 qualifying on Saturday, while Denmark strengthened their position and dented the hopes of outsiders Kazakhstan. Giacomo Bonaventura curled in his first Italy goal and Domenico Berardi produced a fine strike of his own to double the

Taylor Swift and political needs

ANOTHER day, another Taylor Swift media circus: talk of the pop phenomenon is omnipresent, from her forthcoming concert film to her dating life to her wildly successful global tour. And as the 33-year-old’s power grows all-consuming, renewed discussion of her potential political weight has followed. Swift is taking a break

JPMorgan Chase profits jump, warns on inflation

NEW YORK: JPMorgan Chase reported another highly profitable quarter Friday, but warned inflation could persist and said wars in Ukraine and the Middle East mean this “may be the most dangerous time the world has seen in decades.” The lender, the biggest US bank in terms of assets, reported third-quarter

NZ centre-right parties surge to early lead

WELLINGTON: A centre-right coalition Saturday surged to an early lead in New Zealand’s election, as voters punished an incumbent Labour government rocked by Jacinda Ardern’s surprise resignation earlier this year. The National Party and its coalition partner ACT were projected to win 65 seats with more than 30 per cent

Madonna kicks off tour

THREE-and-a-half months after she was hospitalised with a bacterial infection that forced the cancellation of her 40th anniversary “Celebration” tour, Madonna returns with the start of a 78-date tour. At 65, the singer looks set to put her health woes behind her with a six-month-long tour of Europe and North

Thousands flee north Gaza after Israel warning

GAZA CITY (Palestinian Territories): Thousands of Palestinians fled Saturday to southern Gaza seeking refuge after Israel warned them to evacuate before an expected ground offensive against Hamas in retaliation for the deadliest attack in Israel’s history. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu warned that nearly a week of fierce bombardment was “just

US astronaut gets used to Earth

HOUSTON: After spending more than a year in space, Frank Rubio now has to get used to that pesky thing Earthlings call gravity. “Walking hurts a little bit the first few days, the soles of your feet and lower back,” he said at a news conference Friday at NASA’s Johnson

Zelensky seeks defences for winter on visit to NATO

BRUSSELS: President Volodymyr Zelensky urged Ukraine’s allies on Wednesday to arm his country to survive the winter, on his first visit to the alliance’s headquarters since Russia’s all-out invasion. Zelensky made a plea for air defence, long-range missiles and ammunition in the face of fears that the Hamas attack on