- US duo win Nobel for gene regulation breakthrough
- Masood hits first ton for four years to power Pakistan to 233-1
- Fritz wins delayed match to reach Shanghai Masters third round
- Naomi Osaka pulls out of Japan Open with back injury
- Weather may delay launch of mission to study deflected asteroid
- China to flesh out economic stimulus plans after bumper rally
- Artist Marina Abramovic hopes first China show offers tech respite
- Asian markets track Wall St rally on US jobs data
- Pakistan 122-1 at lunch in first England Test
- Kazakhs approve plan for first nuclear power plant
- World marks anniversary of Oct. 7 attack on Israel
- 'Second family': tennis stars hunt winning formula with new coaches
- Philippines, South Korea agree to deepen maritime cooperation
- Mexico mayor murdered days after taking office
- Sardinia's sheep farmers battle bluetongue as climate warms
- Japan govt admits doctoring 'untidy' cabinet photo
- Israel marks first anniversary of Hamas's October 7 attack
- Darvish tames Ohtani as Padres thrash Dodgers
- Asian markets track Wall St rally on jobs data
- Family affair as LeBron, Bronny James make Lakers bow
- Cancer, cardiovascular drugs tipped for Nobel as prize week opens
- As Great Salt Lake dries, Utah Republicans pardon Trump climate skepticism
- Amazon activist warns of 'critical situation' ahead of UN forum
- Mourners pay tribute to latest victims of deadly Channel crossing
- Tunisia incumbent Saied set to win presidential vote: exit polls
- Phillies win thriller to level Mets series
- Yu bags first PGA Tour win with playoff win
- PSG held by Nice to leave Monaco clear at top of Ligue 1
- AC Milan fall at Fiorentina after De Gea's penalty heroics
- Lewandowski treble for leaders Barca as Atletico held
- Fresh Israeli strikes hit south Beirut
- Sucic stunner earns Real Sociedad draw against Atletico
- PSG draw with Nice, fail to reclaim top spot in Ligue 1
- Gudmundsson downs AC Milan after De Gea's penalty heroics for Fiorentina
- 'Yes' vote prevails in Kazakhstan nuclear plant vote: TV
- 'Difficult day': Oct 7 commemorations begin with festival memorial
- Commemorations begin for anniversary of attack on Israel
- Lewandowski hat-trick powers Liga leaders Barca to Alaves victory
- 'Nothing gets in way of team,' says Celtics' MVP hopeful Tatum
- India maintain Pakistan stranglehold as Windies cruise at Women's T20 World Cup
- 'We will win!': Mozambique's ruling party confident at final vote rally
- Tunisia voting ends as Saied eyes re-election with critics behind bars
- Florida braces for Milton, FEMA head slams 'dangerous' Helene misinformation
- Postecoglou slams 'unacceptable' Spurs after 'terrible' loss at Brighton
- Marmoush double denies Bayern outright Bundesliga top spot
- Rallies worldwide call for Gaza, Lebanon ceasefire
- Maresca hails Chelsea's 'fighting' spirit after draw with 10-man Forest
- New 'Joker' film, a dark musical, tops N.America box office
- Man Utd stalemate keeps Ten Hag in danger, Spurs rocked by Brighton
- Drowned by hurricane, remote N.Carolina towns now struggle for water
Western powers sanction Iran over missiles to Russia
Western powers on Tuesday announced fresh sanctions on Iran for supplying Russia with short-range missiles for imminent use against Ukraine, calling it a dangerous escalation of the conflict that threatened European security.
Britain, France and Germany said they would cut aviation agreements with the Islamic republic and look set to sanction its national carrier Iran Air, claiming Tehran had repeatedly defied warnings about the weapons transfers.
London said the move would "restrict Iran Air's ability to fly in to the UK".
"This is a further escalation of Iran's military support to Russia's war of aggression against Ukraine and will see Iranian missiles reaching European soil, increasing the suffering of the Ukrainian people," the so-called E3 powers said.
"This act is an escalation by both Iran and Russia, and is a direct threat to European security," a joint statement read.
In London, visiting Secretary of State Antony Blinken said the United States would also impose sanctions on Iran and that Russia could use the Iranian missiles against Ukraine "within weeks".
Dozens of Russian military personnel have trained in Iran using the Fath-360 missile, which has a range of 75 miles (120 kilometres), he added.
"Iran's new president and foreign minister have repeatedly said that they want to restore engagement with Europe," he said.
"They want to receive sanctions relief. Destabilising actions like these will achieve exactly the opposite."
But Iran's foreign ministry spokesman, Nasser Kanani, in a post on X, said that the Western claims were false and a distraction from US backing for Israel in its war against Hamas militants.
- Joint Ukraine visit -
"Spreading false and misleading news about the transfer of Iranian weapons to some countries is just an ugly propaganda and lie with the aim of concealing the dimensions of the massive illegal arms support of the United States and some Western countries for the genocide in the Gaza Strip," he added.
On Ukraine, the State Department said that Blinken would travel to Kyiv on Wednesday in a solidarity trip with UK Foreign Secretary David Lammy.
"We are the closest of allies, so I'm delighted that we will travel together, demonstrating our commitment to Ukraine," Lammy said, calling it the first such joint trip in years.
UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer will visit the White House on Friday -- his second trip to Washington since his Labour Party triumphed in July elections and swept out the Conservatives after 14 years.
Since Russia's invasion, Britain has been at the forefront of pushing for more assistance to Ukraine, including loosening restrictions on the use of Western weapons on Russian territory.
Asked about reports that Britain is waiting for a US green light to let Ukraine use long-range Storm Shadow missiles against Russia, Lammy said he would not discuss "operational issues" as "the only person who could benefit" is Russian President Vladimir Putin.
Last week, the UK said that it would send Ukraine 650 new specialist missile systems after President Volodymyr Zelensky complained of slow deliveries from the West.
- 'Special relationship'-
While the US-UK "special relationship" has persevered across partisan lines, Labour has traditionally been closer in its core principles to President Joe Biden's Democratic Party.
But for Starmer, a full alignment with the Democrats' agenda could carry risks just two months before US elections in which Biden's political heir Kamala Harris is running neck and neck with Republican Donald Trump.
While backing Ukraine, Starmer, a former human rights lawyer, has taken a harder line than the Conservatives on Israel, which relies on the United States as its foremost backer in the Gaza war.
His Labour government last week announced restrictions on some weapons to Israel, voicing concern that they could be used to violate international humanitarian law.
The Labour government has also dropped its Conservative predecessor's plans to challenge the right of the International Criminal Court to seek the arrest of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
The United States -- while backing The Hague-based court when it comes to Russia -- has denounced the bid to target Netanyahu, arguing that Israel has its own ways to ensure accountability.
Asked if Britain would oppose a formal move to seek Netanyahu's arrest, and with Blinken by his side, Lammy said that "we believe in international law".
"We believe in the statute of Rome," he added, referring to the treaty that founded the International Criminal Court.
"But these must be decisions for the international courts to determine."
M.Thompson--AMWN