Dozens detained in India over social media comments after Babri Mosque ruling on November 11, 2019AYODHYA: Dozens of people in India have been detained on suspicion of publishing inflammatory social media posts and setting off celebratory firecrackers after the Supreme Court ruled to give a disputed religious site to Hindus, police said on Sunday. The statement added that authorities had acted against more than 8,270 posts, with steps including “reporting […]
Iran to start enriching uranium at Fordow amid reports UN nuclear inspector detained on November 6, 2019VIENNA: Iran briefly held an inspector for the UN nuclear watchdog and seized her travel documents, diplomats familiar with the International Atomic Energy Agency’s (IAEA) work said on Wednesday, some describing it as harassment. The incident appears to be the first of its kind since Tehran’s landmark deal with major powers was struck in 2015, imposing […]
Car blast kills 8 in northwest Syria as US redeploys near Turkish border on October 31, 2019QAHTANIYAH: At least eight people were killed on Thursday when a car bomb exploded in a busy market in the northwest Syrian city of Afrin, under control of Turkey-backed rebel groups, witnesses and a rescuer said. They said the blast also wounded at least 30. The Turkish military helped by its Syrian rebel allies seized […]
Islamic State leader Baghdadi killed in US operation: reports on October 27, 2019WASHINGTON: The US military conducted an operation against the elusive militant Islamic State leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi on Saturday, a US official said, as US President Donald Trump prepared to make a “major statement” at the White House on Sunday morning. The official, speaking on condition of anonymity, was unable to say whether the operation against […]
China plans to replace Hong Kong leader as authorities withdraw extradition bill on October 23, 2019BEIJING: Beijing is drawing up a plan to remove Hong Kong’s beleaguered Chief Executive Carrie Lam, the Financial Times reported Wednesday, after nearly five months of pro-democracy unrest. The pro-Beijing leader has faced sustained criticism from protesters in the semi-autonomous city. So far, the Chinese central government has given its support to her and the […]
Turkish forces intensify bombardment as US says troops come under fire on October 12, 2019ISTANBUL/WASHINGTON: Turkish forces stepped up their bombardment around a town in northeast Syria on Saturday, the fourth day of an offensive against a Kurdish militia, after US troops in the region came under artillery fire from Turkish positions. The United States has ramped up its efforts to persuade Ankara to halt the incursion against the […]
US to withdraw troops as Turkey launches Syria operation: White House on October 7, 2019US troops in northern Syria will no longer be near the border with Turkey, nor will they support Ankara’s “long-planned operation” into the country, the White House said on Sunday. “Turkey will soon be moving forward with its long-planned operation into Northern Syria. The United States Armed Forces will not support or be involved in […]
‘Storm Area 51’ fails to materialise as only 40 people show up on September 21, 2019NEVADA: Several dozen people — rather than the two million feared — showed up on Friday near a secretive US military base in the Nevada desert, answering a meme-inspired Facebook event to storm the site in search of aliens. The revelers, some wearing alien masks or tin foil hats, began gathering at the suggested time […]