Page 6 - International News

Former UK ambassador to US Peter Mandelson arrested amid Epstein probe

Peter Mandelson, theUK's formerambassador to the US,wasarrestedfrom his north London home on Monday onsuspicion of misconduct in public office, the Metropolitan Police said. Mandelson hadresigned from the House of Lords andLabour Party earlier this month following damaging allegations related to his association with sex offender Jeffrey Epstein. The Met Police had confirmed soon after that the force had opened aninvestigation into the former frontlineLabour politician, who served in the Cabinet underprimeministers Tony Blair and Gordon Brown. "Officers have arrested a 72-year-old man on suspicion of misconduct in public office,"said a Met Police spokesperson. "He was arrested at an address in Camden on Monday, 23 February and has been taken to a London police station forinterview.This follows search warrants at two addresses in the Wiltshire and Camden areas. "We are not able to provide further information at this stage to preventprejudicing the integrity of the investigation," ..

UK police arrest Peter Mandelson in misconduct probe over Epstein ties

British police arrested former UK Ambassador Peter Mandelson on Monday in a misconduct probe stemming from his ties with Jeffrey Epstein. London's Metropolitan Police force said "officers have arrested a 72-year-old man on suspicion of misconduct in public office" at an address in north London. It did not name Mandelson, in keeping with British police practice, but the suspect in the case has previously been identified as Mandelson. Police are investigating Mandelson over documents suggesting he passed sensitive government information to Epstein a decade and a half ago. He does not face any allegations of sexual misconduct.

Robotaxis set to enter London market; black cab drivers skeptical

The Ford Mustang Mach-E cruises down a London road choked with traffic, using its onboard AI system to avoid jaywalkers and cyclists, and navigate roadwork as it drives to its destination. The autonomous vehicle from British startup Wayve Technologies is on a test run ahead of the UK government's robotaxi trials set to launch in the spring. Tech companies, including US company Waymo and China's Baidu, also plan to take part in the pilot program, making London the latest arena in the global robotaxi competition. While self-driving cabs aren't new, London's ancient road layout and busy streetscapes could pose special challenges for the technology. There's also scepticism from London's famed black cab drivers, who must pass a gruelling training course known as "The Knowledge," which requires memorising hundreds of routes and takes years to complete. They've previously opposed technology that's disrupted their industry and protested the arrival of Uber. Self-driving taxis are "a soluti

Rob Jetten, 38, sworn in as Netherlands' youngest prime minister

Dutch King Willem-Alexander has sworn in a new minority Dutch coalition government led by the Netherlands' youngest-ever prime minister, who will have to use all his bridge-building skills to pass laws and see out a full four-year term in office. Rob Jetten, 38, heads a three-party administration made up of his centrist D66, the centre-right Christian Democrats and the centre-right People's Party for Freedom and Democracy. The parties together hold only 66 of the lower house of parliament's 150 seats, so Jetten will have to negotiate with opposition lawmakers to find support for every piece of legislation his government wants to pass. Jetten and his team of ministers were sworn in by the king in the ornate Orange Hall of the royal palace in a forest on the edge of The Hague 117 days after national elections. Following a traditional photo of the new Cabinet on the steps of the palace, the new government plans to begin work with its first Cabinet meeting in the afternoon. The king .

How Britain's royal family can weather former Prince Andrew's arrest

Britain's royal family now faces one of its biggest modern-era tests after Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor's arrest

Nasa moon rocket faces another glitch, March crew launch at risk

NASA's new moon rocket has suffered another setback, putting next month's planned launch with astronauts in jeopardy, the space agency announced Saturday. Officials revealed the latest problem just one day after targeting March 6 for humanity's first flight to the moon in more than half a century. Overnight, the flow of helium to the rocket's upper stage was interrupted, they noted. Solid helium flow is required for launch. NASA said it is reviewing all the data and preparing, if necessary, to return the Space Launch System rocket to the hangar for repairs at Florida's Kennedy Space Centre. It's possible the work could be done at the launch pad; the space agency said engineers are protecting for both options. "This will almost assuredly impact the March launch window," NASA said in a statement. Hydrogen fuel leaks had already delayed the Artemis II lunar fly-around by a month. A second fuelling test on Thursday revealed hardly any leaks, giving managers the confidence to aim for a

'It's a shame': Trump on ex-Prince Andrew's arrest over Epstein probe

Andrew has now been released under investigation on suspicion of misconduct in public office linked to his tenure as the United Kingdom's trade envoy and his alleged ties with Epstein

Former Prince Andrew released 11 hours after his arrest amid Epstein probe

Former Prince Andrew has been released after his arrest on suspicion of misconduct in public office. The Thames Valley Police force said the former prince was released Thursday evening. Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor was photographed in a car leaving the station near his home in eastern England about 11 hours after his arrest. He was released under investigation, meaning he has neither been charged nor exonerated. Mountbatten-Windsor was arrested early Thursday at his home by detectives investigating his ties to the late Jeffrey Epstein. Police said they had finished searching Mountbatten-Windsor's home but were still searching another property. The former Prince Andrew was arrested by British police Thursday on suspicion of misconduct in public office related to his links to Jeffrey Epstein, an extraordinary move in a country where authorities once sought to shield the royal family from embarrassment. It was the first time in nearly four centuries that a senior British royal was plac

Nestle in talks to sell ice cream business as overhaul gathers pace

Nestle had already handed the reins of its European and US ice cream units to Haagen-Dazs owner Froneri, a joint venture it established with European buyout firm PAI Partners in 2016

Amazon becomes world's largest company by annual sales, dethrones Walmart

Walmart is having more success developing its e-commerce operation than Amazon is having in creating a physical stores business despite its 2017 acquisition of Whole Foods Market

Youth discontent could trigger another rebellion, warns Nepal PM Karki

Nepal's interim Prime Minister Sushila Karki on Thursday warned that failing to address youth discontent could trigger another rebellion. Speaking on the 76th Democracy Day celebrations at the Nepali Army Pavilion in Kathmandu, she said democracy must deliver results, protect citizens' rights and ensure accountability. Referring to the Gen Z-led protests in September last year that led to the ouster of K P Sharma Oli-led coalition government, Karki said, "That movement sought an end to corruption, nepotism and discrimination. It sought good governance and equitable justice." "The state must respond to this not only with generosity, but also with humility and a deep sense of duty," she added. She warned that failing to address youth discontent could trigger another rebellion. "No nation can progress by undermining the youth," Karki, who became interim prime minister on September 12 last year, said. "The youth have energy, aspiration for change and moral anger," she said, adding ..

India likely to join US-led 'Pax Silica' strategic bloc on Friday: Report

India is likely to formally join a US-led strategic alliance, known as 'Pax Silica', which is aimed at building a resilient supply chain for critical minerals and artificial intelligence. The move comes amid efforts by the two sides to finalise the proposed trade deal and move forward on several other initiatives to solidify the bilateral ties after a spell of severe strain in the relations. India is likely to formally join the 'Pax Silica' initiative on Friday, people familiar with the matter said. The initiative was launched in December to build a secure, resilient, and innovation-driven supply chain for critical minerals and artificial intelligence (AI). The Pax Silica Summit was held in Washington on December 12 where partner nations signed the Pax Silica declaration. The declaration lays out a shared vision of deep economic and technology cooperation across supply chains -- from raw materials through semiconductors and AI infrastructure -- and commitment to mutual prosperity

Former UK Prince Andrew arrested for 'misconduct in public office'

Thames Valley Police issued a statement confirming the arrest of a man in his sixties from Norfolk as part of an ongoing investigation

ECB chief Lagarde tells colleagues rumoured early resignation not imminent

Recipients of the message said this indicated that Lagarde did not want to leave the ECB immediately but she did not firmly close the door to such a step either

Big Food pours millions into rebrands as obesity drugs reshape US demand

Peter ter Kulve, CEO of Magnum Ice Cream, said GLP-1 users continue to eat treats, but they exhibit "a stark reduction of mindless munching and binge eating"

B'desh PM Tarique Rahman chairs first cabinet meeting, sets 180-day agenda

Bangladesh Prime Minister Tarique Rahman on Wednesday chaired the first meeting of his newly formed cabinet, which set a 180-day priority plan with a focus on controlling commodity prices, maintaining law and order and stabilising supply chains. Rahman, the 60-year-old chief of the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP), was sworn in as the 11th prime minister on Tuesday after leading his party to a forceful victory in the 13th Parliamentary polls held on February 12. The first meeting of the new cabinet was held at the Cabinet Division in the Secretariat. Briefing reporters after the meeting, Home Minister Salahuddin Ahmed said it is customary for a newly formed government to hold a session on its first day in office. The government has set a 180-day priority plan, with initial focus on controlling commodity prices, maintaining law and order, stabilising supply chains, and ensuring uninterrupted gas and electricity supply, Ahmed was quoted as saying by The Daily Star newspaper. He ad

Warner Bros reopens takeover talks with Paramount after waiver from Netflix

Warner Bros Discovery is briefly reopening takeover talks with Skydance-owned Paramount to hear the company's "best and final" offer, while the Hollywood giant continues to back the studio and streaming deal it struck with Netflix. In a Tuesday regulatory filing, Warner said it had received a waiver from Netflix to reopen talks with Paramount for the next seven days, or until Monday. Warner said this will allow the companies to discuss unresolved "deficiencies" and "clarify certain terms" of Paramount's latest bid. But in the meantime, Warner's board is still recommending shareholders support of its proposed merger with Netflix. A special meeting is now scheduled for Friday, March 20 to hold a vote on that deal. In a statement, Netflix said it was confident that its proposed transaction "provides superior value and certainty" - but recognised "the ongoing distraction for WBD stockholders and the broader entertainment industry caused by PSKY's antics." The streaming giant noted it ha

YouTube down for more than 320,000 users in US, shows Downdetector

There were 321,958 incidents of people reporting issues with the social media platform

Freed after 43 years, Indian-origin man denied bail in deportation case

An Indian-origin man who spent 43 years in prison before his murder conviction was overturned - only to be taken straight into immigration custody - was denied bail Tuesday while he fights deportation. Subramanyam Vedam, 64, will remain in custody while he appeals a 1999 deportation order. The Board of Immigration Appeals agreed this month to hear his appeal based on what it called exceptional circumstances. The Trump administration had initially pursued a quick deportation and moved Vedam to a detention centre in Louisiana last fall, before two separate courts intervened. Vedam's lawyer argued Tuesday that he would have likely been spared deportation and become a citizen if not for the murder case, given immigration laws in place at the time. Vedam would have left prison on a drug charge by 1992, lawyer Ava Benach said. "It was delivery of LSD on a very small scale. This is not importing tons of cocaine," Benach said Tuesday. "He is not a danger to the community. We are talking ab

Eli Lilly eyes India as global manufacturing hub amid rising drug demand

Sales of the blockbuster weight-loss drug doubled within months of its launch in India, and became its top-selling medicine by value