INTERNATIONAL

  Apple has officially unveiled its latest iPhone lineup, led by the all-new iPhone Air, now the thinnest iPhone ever, replacing the previous Plus models. The launch focuses on sleek design, energy efficiency, and seamless integration within the Apple ecosystem, rather than revolutionary changes. The iPhone Air features a redesigned camera plateau that smartly houses the cameras, chipset, and system modules, while leaving room for a high-density battery that delivers all-day usage. Powered by AI-enhanced photography and advanced battery optimization software, the iPhone Air offers performance comparable to larger Pro models without compromising portability. Hardware upgrades across the new lineup include the Apple A19 chip, a 48MP main camera, brighter Super Retina XDR displa...

A powerful earthquake struck eastern Afghanistan late on Sunday night, killing at least 259 people and injuring more than 530 across several districts, officials and state media reported on Monday. According to the provincial disaster authority, the 6.0-magnitude quake hit Kunar and Nangarhar provinces around 11:47 p.m. local time on August 31. The U.S. Geological Survey said the epicenter was located 27 kilometers northeast of Jalalabad, the capital of Nangarhar, at a shallow depth of eight kilometers. Strong tremors were felt in Kabul and nearby provinces, and local reports said internet services and communications were disrupted in several areas. The Bakhtar News Agency confirmed that casualties were spread across remote mountainous districts, where rescue teams are still strug...

Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei reaffirmed on Sunday that the Islamic Republic will never surrender to U.S. demands, stressing that Washington’s hostility stems from its desire to see Iran “obedient”,  an expectation he called “insulting and unacceptable.” Speaking in Tehran, Khamenei dismissed the idea of direct negotiations with the United States, noting that American aggression against Iran has been unrelenting since the 1979 Islamic Revolution. He underlined that Iran’s independence and resilience have repeatedly frustrated U.S. and Israeli attempts to weaken the nation. Referring to the June 13 Israeli and U.S. attacks on Iranian facilities, Khamenei revealed that Washington’s proxies even met in Europe to draft plans for a “post-Islamic Republic” order, including p...

In mid-August 2025, Israel has moved on two tracks that critics say could eliminate the possibility of a Palestinian state. In Gaza, the Israeli military announced the first stage of an operation to capture Gaza City. Tens of thousands of reservists were called up, and fighting intensified around Jabalya and the city’s outskirts. U.N. Secretary-General António Guterres warned that an urban offensive risked “massive civilian casualties” and again urged an immediate ceasefire. Israeli officials defended the operation, saying civilians had been warned to evacuate. “This is a necessary stage of the war,” one military spokesperson said, adding that Israel was continuing humanitarian airdrops and trucked aid. While Gaza dominated headlines, the government advanced a major settlement project i...

Frank Caprio, the Rhode Island judge celebrated worldwide for his compassionate approach to justice, has died at the age of 88 after a prolonged battle with pancreatic cancer, his family announced on Wednesday. Caprio served for more than three decades as a municipal court judge in Providence. His unique style of balancing firmness with empathy gained global recognition through the reality show Caught in Providence (2018–2020), which received multiple Daytime Emmy nominations. Clips from the programme, often showing light-hearted exchanges and moments of compassion, went viral, earning him the nickname “America’s Nicest Judge.” Unlike most judges globally who deny compassion by pointing at the rulebook,  Caprio became known for going beyond legal texts to consider the human circum...

Israel’s security cabinet has approved a plan by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to militarily occupy Gaza City and take full control of the enclave, in what Palestinians view as another stage of a decades-long process of displacement and domination. The decision, reached after an all-night meeting, comes despite warnings from within the Israeli military that such a move could entangle forces in prolonged urban combat and further endanger hostages still held in Gaza. According to Gaza’s Health Ministry, more than 60,000 Palestinians have been killed since the war began in October 2023. UN agencies and humanitarian groups believe the true number is higher, with many bodies still under rubble and others dying from hunger and disease. Over half of the dead are women and children. In r...

The United Nations has said that an average of 28 children are being killed every day in Gaza, a toll that highlights the devastating impact of the ongoing war and the blockade on the delivery of humanitarian aid. UN Children’s Fund (UNICEF), in a post on X, said, “Death by bombardments. Death by malnutrition and starvation. Death by lack of aid and vital services. In Gaza, an average of 28 children a day – the size of a classroom – have been killed. Gaza’s children need food, water, medicine and protection. More than anything, they need a ceasefire, now.” Since the Hamas-led attack on southern Israel on October 7, 2023, more than 18,000 children have reportedly been killed in Gaza, averaging roughly one child every hour. The total Palestinian fatalities have crossed 60,933 and more ...

Congress leader and Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi has intensified his criticism of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, linking the PM's silence over former US President Donald Trump's recent tariff threats to an ongoing American investigation into the Adani Group. In a post on X, Gandhi alleged that Modi’s inability to respond to Trump stems from fears that the US probe could expose financial ties between Modi, industrialist Gautam Adani, and alleged dealings involving Russian oil. “India, please understand: The reason PM Modi cannot stand up to President Trump despite his repeated threats is the ongoing US investigation into Adani. One threat is to expose the financial links between Modi, Adani, and Russian oil deals. Modi’s hands are tied,” Gandhi wrote. Rahul Gandhi and other opp...

US President Donald Trump has said he plans to raise tariffs on India within the next 24 hours, citing concerns over India’s continued purchase of Russian oil and what he described as an imbalanced trade relationship. In an interview with CNBC on Tuesday, Trump criticized India as “not a good trading partner,” claiming that while India does “a lot of business” with the US, the reverse is not true. “So we settled on 25 percent, but I think I'm going to raise that very substantially over the next 24 hours, because they're buying Russian oil,” he said. He further claimed that India imposes some of the highest tariffs in the world and that the US does “very little business” with the country. Trump also directly linked India’s energy trade with Russia to the ongoing conflict in Ukraine, a...

The Indian rupee continued its downward spiral on Tuesday, slipping 29 paise to open at 87.95 against the US dollar, teetering dangerously close to the psychologically critical 88 mark. The decline came in the wake of a sharp escalation in US-India trade tensions, after US President Donald Trump imposed steep new tariffs targeting Indian exports and accused New Delhi of economically aiding Russia through discounted oil deals. In a significant policy shift, Trump on August 1 signed an executive order titled “Further Modifying The Reciprocal Tariff Rates”, slapping a 25% duty on a wide range of Indian imports. The move, justified by the White House as a response to India’s “unfair trade advantages” and energy cooperation with Moscow, has rattled Indian policymakers and markets alike. T...