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UK PM ‘won’t resign’ over Mandelson scandal

LONDON: British Prime Minister Keir Starmer insisted on Wednesday that he would not resign, claiming allegations of misleading MPs over his appointment of a party loyalist as UK envoy to Washington had been “put to bed”. Starmer, facing pressure to resign, addressed MPs after firing the Foreign Ministry’s most senior official, Olly Robbins, blaming him for failing to disclose Mandelson’s clearance problems. The premier spoke to lawmakers a day after the foreign ministry’s most senior official, Olly Rob­bins, gave evidence to a parliamentary committee, having been fired by Starmer over the affair last week. Starmer has accused Robbins of failing to tell him about problems that emerged during Mand­elson’s security clearance. He has repeatedly insisted that, despite previously stating that “all due process” had been followed, he would not have allowed the appointment to proceed if he had known that independent vetting officials had recommended security clearance be denied. Starmer tol...
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Man City go top and relegate Burnley with narrow Turf Moor win

Manchester City ended Arsenal’s six-month stay on the Premier League summit and condemned Burnley ​to relegation with a laboured 1-0 victory at Turf Moor on Wednesday. Erling Haaland’s clinical finish after five minutes could have ‌paved the way for a boost to City’s goal difference but they lacked a cutting edge as Burnley dug deep. Haaland hit the post and had other chances as City tried to give themselves a safety margin but Pep Guardiola’s side had to make do with a surprisingly narrow victory. After reeling Arsenal in they now lead the ​table on goals scored with both sides on 70 points from 33 games and with an identical goal difference of plus ​37. For Scott Parker’s Burnley the inevitable has now become a reality as they are stuck on 20 points, 13 ⁠points behind the safety zone with only four games remaining. “We played a really good game, unfortunately we missed a lot of chances. We defended ​better in the second half. Second half we had less problems,” Guardiola, whose s...
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Interpol issues red notice for Lyari gangster Wasiullah Lakho

KARACHI: Interpol has issued a red notice for a fugitive Lyari gangster, Wasiullah Lakho, who is reportedly hiding abroad and wanted by Karachi police, South Deputy Inspector General (DIG) Syed Asad Raza told Dawn on Wednesday. A red notice is a request to law enforcement agencies by Interpol to locate and provisionally arrest a person pending extradition, surrender, or similar legal action. DIG Raza said the Interpol secretariat in Lyon, France had issued the notice against Lakho on the request of Pakistani authorities. According to the notice, seen by Dawn , Lakho had been involved in murders, extortion and assault on police in Karachi. It said Lakho was wanted for prosecution in more than 60 cases of “heinous nature”. Among them, Interpol issued a red notice for his arrest in a 2014 case registered at Karachi’s Kalri police station under Sections 353 (assault or criminal force to deter public servant from discharge of their duty), 324 (attempt to murder) and 34 (acts done by ...
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No woman in race as 666 file papers for GB polls

GILGIT: Over 650 candidates have filed their nomination papers for the Gilgit-Baltistan Assembly elections scheduled for June 7 in 24 constituencies. A total of 666 candidates have submitted their nomination papers; however, no woman candidate has filed nomination papers for the assembly elections. According to a press release issued by the GB Election Commission Secretariat, polling for the general election will be held on June 7, while the election process is underway in all 24 constituencies. The secretariat has convened a multi-party conference on Thursday (tomorrow) at the Election Commission Secretariat in Gilgit. The aim of the conference is to consult political parties to advance the election process in a fair, transparent and coordinated manner. Nawaz says if elected, PML-N will focus on region’s development The conference will discuss in detail the election process, code of conduct, mutual consultation, coordination in election matters and other related issues so that ...
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Israeli army jails soldiers for vandalising Jesus statue in Lebanon

The Israeli military on Tuesday said two soldiers would receive 30 days of military detention and be removed from combat duty over the destruction of a statue of Jesus in southern Lebanon. The decision comes after widespread condemnation of a photo shared online showing an Israeli soldier using a sledgehammer to strike the head of a statue of the crucifix. The sculpture was located in the Christian village of Debl in south Lebanon, near the border with Israel. Publishing the conclusions of an inquiry into the incident, the military said: “The soldier who damaged the Christian symbol and the soldier who photographed the act will be removed from combat duty and will receive 30 days of military detention”. It said six additional soldiers who “were present at the scene and did not act to stop the incident or report it” had been summoned for “clarification discussions”. Israel has conducted airstrikes across Lebanon and invaded the country’s south after Hezbollah entered the Middle...
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Is Israel replicating Gaza’s ‘Yellow Line’ in south Lebanon?

BEIRUT: Israel says it has established a “Yellow Line” in south Lebanon near the border, where its forces are operating despite a 10-day ceasefire with Iran-backed Hezbollah group. What is the so-called “Yellow Line”, how does it resemble an Israeli military demarcation in the Gaza Strip and where does it leave Lebanon? What has Israel announced? Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Israel agreed to the truce, which took effect on Friday, but would maintain a 10-kilometre (six-mile) deep “security zone” along the border in southern Lebanon. On Saturday, Israel’s military announced a “Yellow Line” in the country’s south. Hezbollah vows to bring down ‘arbitrary boundary’ through its resistance The following day, it published a map identifying a “forward defence line”, stretching from the Mediterranean in the west up to Lebanon’s border with Syria in the east. It said “five divisions, alongside Israeli navy forces” were operating in the area to dismantle Hezbollah in...
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Apple says chief executive Tim Cook stepping down in September

Apple on Monday announced that Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Tim Cook will step down in September, handing the job to company veteran John Ternus. The announcement answers long-simmering questions about who would succeed Cook, 65, and comes as Apple strives to show it is not being left behind in the age of artificial intelligence. Ternus, who joined Apple in 2001, has recently overseen the company’s hardware engineering efforts and has played a key role in reigniting sales of products such as Apple’s Mac computers, which have gained market share in recent years. Cook, who has led Apple since 2011, will become the company’s executive chairman, Apple said in a statement. “It has been the greatest privilege of my life to be the CEO of Apple and to have been trusted to lead such an extraordinary company,” Cook said in a release. In naming Ternus chief executive, Apple is shifting from Cook, a supply chain guru who helped turn Apple into a global brand that churns out hundreds of milli...
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