London

Pope again updates Vatican legal code amid scrutiny, probes

11:58 pm February 16, 2021

Rome: Pope Francis has made another set of changes to the Vatican City State’s legal code, which has come under heightened scrutiny and criticism as Vatican prosecutors seek to crack down on financial crimes and mismanagement by Holy See monsignors and money managers. In a new law published Tuesday, Francis made two modifications to criminal trial procedures when defendants don’t show up, one of which […]

Dubai airport sees passenger traffic drop 70 per cent amid pandemic

12:09 pm February 15, 2021

Dubai: Dubai International Airport saw the coronavirus pandemic push passenger traffic down by an unprecedented 70 per cent in 2020 compared to the previous year, its CEO announced Monday, even as the airport held onto its prized title as the world’s busiest for international travel. While the key east-west transit point started to see an […]

‘Everest’ director Baltasar Kormakur to adapt Olaf Olafsson’s pandemic-set novel

1:47 pm February 8, 2021

Los Angeles: Baltasar Kormakur, known for his films like adventure drama ”Everest” and action/thriller ”2 Guns”, is directing a pandemic-set love story. Tentatively titled ”Touching”, the film is based on Icelandic author Olaf Olafsson’s bestselling novel ”Snerting”, that came out last year. According to Variety, set amid the 2020 pandemic ”Snerting” is a sensual and thrilling love story unfolding across […]

Accused arms dealer Sanjay Bhandari bail in UK extradition case extended to April 9

7:25 pm February 5, 2021

London : AUK court presiding over the extradition case of Sanjay Bhandari, an accused arms dealer and “proclaimed offender” wanted in India on money laundering charges, extended his bail until April 9 at a case management hearing in London on Friday. Bhandari, who was arrested on an extradition warrant in July 2020 and is contesting his extradition to India, appeared at Westminster Magistrates’ […]

Thousands flee Hong Kong for UK, fearing China crackdown

3:25 pm February 1, 2021

Hong Kong: Thousands of Hong Kongers have already made the sometimes painful decision to leave behind their hometown and move to Britain since Beijing imposed a strict national security law on the Chinese territory last summer. Their numbers are expected to swell to the hundreds of thousands. Some are leaving because they fear punishment for supporting the pro-democracy protests that swept the former British colony […]