STAR TV

As the toll from Russia's invasion of Ukraine rises, the US says Beijing has a "duty to utilize leverage with Putin." President Joe Biden of the United States and his Chinese counterpart, Xi Jinping, have began their first direct conversations since November, amid mounting US concerns over Beijing's connection with Russia and stance on the increasingly violent war in Ukraine. The White House said Biden and Xi began conversing at 13:00 GMT on Friday, amid warnings from Washington that China may consider giving military assistance to Russia. US Secretary of State Antony Blinken said earlier in a briefing that Biden would use the call to "make plain that China will bear responsibility for any steps it takes to encourage Russia's aggressiveness," and that such acts would have "costs." "China, in particular, has a responsibility to utilize its clout with President Putin to protect the international standards and principles that it claims to uph...

All remaining Covid travel restrictions for passengers entering the UK have now been abolished. Unvaccinated passengers will no longer be required to take tests as of 04:00 GMT (the rule had already been repealed for the vaccinated), and passenger locator forms will be phased out. It comes almost exactly two years after the UK implemented the first Covid lockout measures. Lifting the rules, according to travel executives, was the "ultimate game-changer." "Everything we've worked for - every jab, every test, and the sacrifices made by the entire country means that, finally, nearly two years later, we may all travel without bureaucratic constraints," Aviation Minister Robert Courts said. The move was scheduled to coincide with the Easter holidays, according to the government, but contingency measures have been made up to deal with any future Covid variants. Bookings have increased in recent months, according to Derek Jones, CEO of Kuoni, a tourism company. "T...

Kanye West's Instagram account has been suspended for 24 hours after he made a racial slur in reference to comedian Trevor Noah. After saying Kanye's behaviors against his ex-wife Kim Kardashian were "terrifying," the rapper made a post about him. Kanye has been chastised for making disparaging remarks about Kim, their children, and her boyfriend Pete Davidson on social media. The rapper broke Instagram's hate speech and bullying regulations, according to Meta, which owns the platform. The business also stated that its harassment regulations had been broken. Despite the fact that his account is still visible, Kanye is unable to post, remark, or send direct messages. Kanye has also accused Kim of preventing him from seeing their children in recent posts, which she has disputed. Meta stated in a statement that if it sees more infractions of its regulations, it will take "additional steps." "We frequently take additional steps against accounts that con...

Jussie Smollett, a black actor from Chicago, has been released on bond awaiting an appeal against his conviction for falsely claiming he was the victim of a hate crime. The former Empire actress, 39, was sentenced to 150 days in prison last week after being found guilty of lying to police. His lawyers filed an appeal after he was sentenced. Smollett has always maintained that the hoax incident in Chicago in 2019 was genuine. Prior to his release, he had to sign a $150,000 (£114,000) recognizance bail and made no statement as he walked out of the Cook County jail, flanked by security. According to CBS News, Smollett's defense team said they were "very, very thrilled" with the appeal courts' decision and that he was the victim of a racist justice system. His legal team contended that his incarceration - for what was classified as a low-level, non-violent offence - was excessive and that his health and safety were jeopardized while he was in custody. They also questioned...

After years of captivity in Iran, Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe and Anoosheh Ashoori have been reunited with their families in the United Kingdom. In the early hours of Thursday, the British-Iranian nationals were greeted by their loved ones at RAF Brize Norton. Gabriella, Mrs Zaghari-seven-year-old Ratcliffe's daughter, ran forward to hug her mother, whom she hadn't seen in years. Elika Ashoori, Mr Ashoori's daughter, expressed her joy upon seeing her father and shared a video of the two arriving. "Is that mummy?" Gabriella was heard asking. before her mother descended the plane's stairwell at the Oxfordshire airport. Mrs Zaghari-Ratcliffe, 43, and Mr Ashoori, 67, were eventually allowed to leave Tehran on Wednesday after months of discussions. The couple's departure from Iran had been questionable until the last minute, but they were in excellent spirits, according to UK Foreign Secretary Liz Truss. Gabriella had asked MP Tulip Siddiq if her father Richard w...