WASHINGTON: A US aircraft carrier passed the Strait of Hormuz to enter the Gulf on Friday amid Washington threats to enforce “UN” sanctions without the backing of Security Council partners, the Navy announced. A strike group led by the USS Nimitz and including two guided-missile cruisers and a guided-missile destroyer sailed into the Gulf to […]
JERUSALEM: Palestinian leaders on Sunday called for demonstrations against the “shameful” deals the United Arab Emirates and Bahrain are set to sign with Israel. Officials from both Gulf states are due to attend a ceremony at the White House on Tuesday to formalise ties with Israel, prompting Palestinian factions to unite in appeals for protest. “We invite our population, […]
SALEM: Around half a million people in Oregon were ordered to evacuate as dozens of extreme, wind-driven wildfires scorched US West Coast states on Friday, destroying thousands of homes and killing at least 24 people, state and local authorities said. In southern Oregon, an apocalyptic scene of burned residential subdivisions and trailer parks stretched for […]
Afghanistan’s warring sides started negotiations in Doha on Saturday for the first time aimed at ending decades of war, bringing together delegates appointed by the Afghan government and the Taliban. US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo attended the opening ceremony, which was held in Qatar where the meetings will take place. It’s the latest in a flurry […]
China on Friday staunchly defended Pakistan’s record in fighting terrorism, saying its all-weather ally has made “tremendous efforts and sacrifices”, countering calls by India and the US that Islamabad must ensure that its territory is not used for terror activities. India and the US in a joint statement after the 17th meeting of the India-US […]
KABUL: Afghanistan’s vice president Amrullah Saleh sustained minor injuries on Wednesday when an explosion targeted his convoy and killed at least 10 people, as government-backed negotiators and the Taliban prepared to meet in Doha for long-delayed peace talks. The attack in the capital Kabul was quickly condemned as an attempt to frustrate the peace process, […]
A Pakistan anti-corruption court on Wednesday indicted former president Asif Ali Zardari and ex-prime minister Yusuf Raza Gillani, while declared former premier Nawaz Sharif an absconder in the Toshakhana graft case that allegedly caused a heavy loss to the national exchequer. Hearing the case, Judge Asghar Ali also sought details of the movable and immovable […]
A roadside bomb in Kabul targeted First Afghan Vice President Amrullah Saleh on Wednesday morning, but he escaped unharmed, his spokesman said. The blast killed at least four people and wounded 16, a health ministry spokesman said, including some of Saleh’s bodyguards. There was no immediate claim of responsibility for the attack, which comes just […]
External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar is reaching Moscow Tuesday evening, his first trip abroad since the Covid-19 pandemic began. He will participate in the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) meeting of foreign ministers, where he will come face-to-face with his Chinese counterpart Wang Yi. Jaishankar is believed to be accompanied by officials from the China desk of the ministry […]
Beijing, China: China has passed “an extraordinary and historic test” with its handling of the coronavirus, President Xi Jinping said Tuesday at a triumphant awards ceremony for medical professionals decorated with bugle calls and applause. The nation’s propaganda machine has churned out praise for China’s Covid-19 response, reframing the public health crisis as an example […]