London, June 4

British police on Saturday briefly evacuated London's Trafalgar Square, close to where celebrations are to be held later to mark Queen Elizabeth's Platinum Jubilee, after reports of a suspicious vehicle but said the security alert had concluded.

"This was investigated and after police took action we have no further concern. This was not terrorism-related," police said on Twitter.

A police spokesman said earlier lots of checks were being carried out in the area, a short distance from where a concert is to be staged outside Buckingham Palace later in the day. Reuters

Islamabad, June 3

The Pakistan Government is mulling to launch a sedition case against former Prime Minister Imran Khan and the Chief Ministers of Gilgit-Baltistan and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa for allegedly planning an "attack" on the federation during a protest here last month.

A meeting of the special committee of the Cabinet held under the chairmanship of Interior Minister Rana Sana Ullah Khan on Thursday deliberated on the issue of bringing sedition charges against Khan and others following their "Azadi March" that left a trail of destruction in the capital Islamabad. The May 25 march aimed at forcing the government to call snap polls, but failed to achieve its objective as clashes erupted between protestors and police.

Brussels, June 3

The European Union (EU) on Friday formally approved an embargo on Russian oil and other sanctions targeting major banks and broadcasters over Moscow's war on Ukraine.

The EU headquarters says Russian crude oil will be phased out over six months, and other refined petroleum products over eight months.

It says that "a temporary exception is foreseen" for landlocked countries ndash; like Hungary, the Czech Republic and Slovakia ndash; that "suffer from a specific dependence on Russian supplies and have no viable alternative options". EU leaders say the move means that around 90 per cent of Russia's oil exports to Europe will be blocked by year's end. The EU imports around 25 per cent of its oil from Russia. — AP

Houston, June 3

Harini Logan, a 14-year-old Indian-American eighth-grader from Texas, barely took a breath as she correctly spelled 22 words during a marathon, first-of-its-kind 90-second spell-off to win the 2022 Scripps National Spelling Bee, beating Vikram Raju in the prestigious contest where children of Indian origin have ruled the roost.

Logan, who took home the USD 50,000 cash prize and Scripps Cup trophy on top of awards from Merriam-Webster and Encyclopedia Britannica, was declared champion on Thursday night after she was reinstated by the judges in the final round.

She spelled 22 out of 26 words correctly, while Raju, a 12-year-old boy from Denver, got 15 out of 19 words right during the first-of-its-kind spell-off, a format that tested the contestants on how many words they could correctly spell within 90 seconds. Vihaan Sibal, a 13-year-old from Texas, finished third, while Saharsh Vuppala, a 13-year-old eighth-grader from Washington, was fourth.

Ames, June 3

A man shot two women to death and then apparently killed himself on Thursday night outside a church in Ames, authorities said.

The man killed the two women outside the Cornerstone Church, a mega church on the outskirts of Ames, Story County Sheriff's Office Capt Nicholas Lennie told the Des Moines Register. Investigators didn't know the ages of those killed, Lennie said.

The shooter appeared to have then shot himself but his death is still being investigated, Lennie said.

The church is near Interstate 35, about 30 miles (48.28 km) north of Des Moines.

The sheriff's office didn't identify those killed or give details about what led to the shooting. A news conference is planned for Friday morning.

The sheriff's office told KCCI-TV that they received multiple calls at 6.51pm.

New Delhi, June 2

India and Senegal inked three MoUs during the ongoing visit to Dakar by Vice President M Venkaiah Naidu, who is on a three-nation tour. He also held wide-ranging talks with Senegalese President Macky Sall.

The first MoU pertains to visa-free regime for diplomatic and official passport-holders to strengthen cooperation by seamless travel of officials and diplomats. The second agreement relates to renewal of the Cultural Exchange Programme for 2022-26. The third MoU seeks to enhance bilateral cooperation in youth matters, recognising that both countries have a relatively young population. Union Minister of State for Health Bharati Pawar and Senegalese Foreign Minister Aiuml;ssata Tall Sall signed and exchanged MoUs.

Washir (Afghanistan), June 2

Afghanistan's Taliban rulers have started a campaign to eradicate poppy cultivation, aiming to wipe out the country's massive production of opium and heroin, even as farmers fear their livelihoods will be ruined at a time of growing poverty.

On a recent day in Washir district in southern Helmand province, armed Taliban fighters stood guard as a tractor tore up a field of poppies. — AP

New Delhi, June 2

Sri Lankan President Gotabaya Rajapaksa has said Prime Minister Narendra Modi has assured fertiliser supplies will be delivered under a Line of Credit for the paddy sowing Yala season.

It was while speaking to a group of irrigation officials on the next harvesting season's requirements on Wednesday that President Rajapaksa said PM Modi had assured the supply of 65,000 tonnes of urea and it would be distributed within 20 days of the consignment reaching Colombo, reported the Lanka media.

Colombo is attempting to ensure that the Yala season does not suffer the fate of the earlier Maha season when there was a 30 to 40 per cent drop in paddy cultivation. Yala season of paddy cultivation in Sri Lanka lasts between May and August. Simultaneously, Sri Lanka has reached an agreement with the World Bank for financial assistance to import chemical fertilisers.

Peshawar, June 2

A Pakistani court on Thursday granted a three-week pre-arrest bail to ousted Prime Minister Imran Khan in 14 cases registered against him in connection with the arson and vandalism by his supporters during the recent azadi march organised by his Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) party, according to media reports.

The Peshawar High Court (PHC) granted Khan the bail to the 69-year-old former Prime Minister against a surety of Rs 50,000. Khan reached out to the court for protection against his possible arrest in case he marches to Islamabad again. PHC Chief Justice Qaiser Rasheed accepted the plea. Khan attended the hearing in-person.

Beijing, June 2

China's government on Thursday accused Washington of jeopardising peace after US envoys began trade talks with Taiwan aimed at deepening relations with the self-ruled island democracy claimed by Beijing.

Talks that started on Wednesday cover trade, regulation and other areas based on "shared values" as market-oriented economies, according to the Office of the US Trade Representative. It did not mention China but the talks add to gestures that show US support for Taiwan amid menacing behaviour by Beijing, which threatens to invade. —AP

London, June 2

Queen Elizabeth will no longer attend Friday's Service of Thanksgiving for her seven decades as monarch after experiencing some mobility discomfort when she appeared at a military parade on Thursday, Buckingham Palace said.

The queen had been due to attend the service at St Paul's Cathedral on the second day of celebrations for her Platinum Jubilee.

Earlier on Thursday she appeared on the balcony of Buckingham Palace, waving to thousands of well wishers.

"The Queen greatly enjoyed today's Birthday Parade and Flypast but did experience some discomfort," the palace said.

"Taking into account the journey and activity required to participate in tomorrow's National Service of Thanksgiving at St Paul's Cathedral, Her Majesty with great reluctance has concluded that she will not attend."

London, June 1

British Prime Minister Boris Johnson has been forced to explain, by his own independent ethics adviser, why he believed that the partygate fine slapped on him by Scotland Yard did not breach the country's Ministerial Code.

Lord Christopher Geidt, who reports directly to the PMin an advisory capacity, said in an annual report on ministerial interests released on Tuesday that a "legitimate question" has arisen as to the fixed penalty notice issued by the Metropolitan Police over a Covid lockdown-breaching birthday party in June 2020.

Libreville (Gabon), May 31

Vice President M Venkaiah Naidu on Tuesday held wide-ranging talks with Gabon's top leadership and expressed India's readiness to work with the central African country in various sectors and broaden regional and multilateral cooperation.

Naidu, who arrived here on Monday on the first leg of his three-nation tour of Gabon, Senegal and Qatar, met Gabon Prime Minister Rose Christiane Ossouka Raponda followed by delegation level talks.