HANOI: A haul of frozen tiger carcasses found in a car in Hanoi has led to the arrest of a key wildlife trafficking suspect, Vietnamese state media said yesterday, as the country tries to tackle a well-worn smuggling route from Laos. Nguyen Huu Hue, who is believed to have smuggled
BRUSSELS: The European Union on Thursday flatly rejected an aggressive push by Britain’s new prime minister Boris Johnson to rewrite the Brexit agreement. Chief Brexit negotiator Michel Barnier warned EU member states that Johnson was trying to divide them by amping up the threat of a damaging “no-deal” divorce. And
TUNIS: Tunisia has less than two months to organise snap elections following the death of president Beji Caid Essebsi, amid uncertainty over who could step forward to run the North African country. Essebsi, the country’s first head of state elected in nationwide polls, died Thursday at the age of 92,
TRIPOLI / GENEVA: About 115 people are missing and feared to have drowned and another 134 were rescued by Libyan coast guards and local fishermen after a wooden boat carrying migrants capsized off Libya, a Libyan navy official said on Thursday. Earlier, the UN refugee agency UNHCR said that up
When foreigners think of Swiss specialities that might excite their taste buds, world-renowned chocolate and cheese likely come to mind. Swiss wine? Not so much. But the global reputation of Switzerland’s winemakers may be set for a boost, backed by a new export promotion strategy that aims to see Swiss
Nestled in the mist-covered foothills of Taiwan’s central mountain range, Ruan Chiao village is virtually devoid of young people, but artist Wu Tsun-hsien is coaxing the Instagram generation back by transforming local homes into a canvas of colour. Dipping his brush into a tin of beige emulsion, he carefully applies
From his top cabinet ministers down to his communications staff, Britain’s new Prime Minister Boris Johnson has surrounded himself with colleagues who helped him win the 2016 Brexit vote. His decision to get the ‘Vote Leave’ campaign team back together emphasises how determined he is to take Britain out of
BEIJING: China outlined plans to build a modern, high-tech army in a national defence plan published yesterday, while accusing Washington of undermining global strategic stability and warning against Taiwanese independence. The first white paper since 2012 gives rare insight into the world’s largest army and Beijing’s military ambitions. “International strategic
WASHINGTON: Pressure mounted on Robert Mueller, who headed the probe investigating Russian meddling, to spell out clearly in Congressional testimony yesterday if he believes President Donald Trump committed a crime. Three months after releasing the final report on his two-year investigation into the 2016 presidential election, much of the American
LONDON: Incoming British Prime Minister Boris Johnson took power yesterday with an array of issues looming large — from resolving Brexit amid growing uncertainty to managing an unfolding geo-political crisis with Iran. Here are the top challenges confronting the new British leader as he enters Downing Street: Britain’s stalled departure