State prosecutors in Thailand announced Thursday that they don’t intend to press charges against an American academic arrested for royal defamation, an offense punishable by up to 15 years in prison. The arrest last month of Paul Chambers, a political science lecturer at Naresuan University in the northern province of…
A Gaza “freedom flotilla” says one of its vessels is on fire and has issued an SOS, after what it claimed was a drone attack off the coast of Malta in international waters. Acar said the ship had “sent out SOS calls to the surrounding countries, including Malta” and that…
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Thursday that defeating Israel’s enemies is more important than securing the release of the remaining hostages in Gaza. While the prime minister acknowledged that freeing the 59 remaining hostages is a “very important goal,” he described Israel’s fight against its enemies as the “supreme…
Hip hop Irish trio Kneecap is being investigated by UK counter-terrorism police after videos emerged allegedly showing the band calling for politicians to be killed and shouting “up Hamas, up Hezbollah.” It comes after the group, who are vocal critics of Israel’s war in Gaza, came under fire for their…
A “no photograph upon landing” announcement punctured the serene silence of the cabin as I gazed at the snow-capped peaks outside our airplane window, a stark reminder that we were entering a land of profound beauty and immense political sensitivity. Our Air China flight from Beijing carried not just my…
Ukraine managed to wrangle some more favorable terms out of the United States before signing the long-awaited minerals deal on Wednesday. The agreement on natural resources was finally struck late on Wednesday, after weeks of tense bargaining that at times turned sour and temporarily halted Washington’s aid to Ukraine. Kyiv…
British comedian and actor Russell Brand arrived at court on Friday after he was charged last month with rape and sexual assault. London’s Metropolitan Police charged Brand, 49, with one count of rape, one count of indecent assault, and one count of oral rape, as well as two counts of…
Mo Abudu has a vision for Africa’s creative economy, and the next stage will start in an old lecture hall in South London. The Nigerian media mogul plans to turn the building into a hub for Nigerian food, culture and cinema. Abudu first found fame in 2006 as the host…
The United States is stepping up pressure on India and Pakistan to avoid conflict in Kashmir after a tourist massacre in an Indian-administered area of the divided territory last week. US Vice President JD Vance said Thursday that Washington hopes Pakistan will help hunt down the militants behind the attack,…
The hard-right party Reform UK led by Nigel Farage won a seat in Parliament by a handful of votes and looked set to make more gains in results Friday from local elections the party hopes will show it is a major player in British politics. Reform’s Sarah Pochin was declared…