By Angus McDowall | BEIRUT BEIRUT When President Bashar al-Assad turns from the wreckage of Aleppo to assert his authority across a fractured Syria, it will be as a figure who is virtually unassailable by rebels, but still faces great challenges in restoring the power of his state. The expected fall of Aleppo would mean rebels have almost no chance of ousting Assad, but their revolt has […]
Those living in warmer climes will know that colds and flu appear to have little to do with actually being cold. In winter – when temperatures in the UAE are usually pleasant – many people get hit by the flu bug. “The influenza virus survives better in colder and drier climates, and therefore is able to infect more people, especially those who spend more time indoors with […]
AMMAN Russian air strikes forced Islamic State fighters to retreat to the outskirts of Palmyra on Sunday, a day after they had stormed the ancient city in eastern Syria, a war monitor said. The militants were now fighting in orchards on the fringe of Palmyra, the British-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said. Russia’s Defence Ministry said its jets had launched 64 strikes and killed more than […]
ANKARA Turkey’s Deputy Prime Minister Numan Kurtulmus said on Sunday that the outlawed Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK) may be behind the attack that killed 29 people and wounded 166 outside a soccer stadium in Istanbul. In comments broadcast on CNN Turk, Kurtulmus also said that countries offering messages condemning the bombing should also show solidarity with Turkey’s fight against terrorism. “The arrows point at the PKK. It […]
PTI BOGOR (INDONESIA)President Joko Widodo Saturday said Indonesia and India must cooperate closely in the key areas defence, security and counter-terrorism as no country is immune to a terror attack and also sought stepping up of bilateral trade ties.“I am very much looking forward to have discussions with Prime Minister Modi,” Widodo told PTI in an interview ahead of his state visit to India, beginning Monday.Widodo said […]
By Ayman al-Warfalli | BENGHAZI BENGHAZI Just 10 people left a besieged neighbourhood in the east Libyan city of Benghazi on Saturday after forces surrounding the area said they would grant safe passage to trapped civilians, security and Red Crescent officials said. The eastern-based Libyan National Army (LNA) has been besieging the district of Ganfouda for months as it tries to take full control of Benghazi following […]
Bombs outside Istanbul soccer stadium kill 29, wound 166 – minister | Reuters Top News | Sun Dec 11, 2016 | 7:53am IST ‘+Reuters.inlinevideo.title+’ ‘+Reuters.inlinevideo.length+’ ‘); } ISTANBUL A car bomb followed by a suicide bombing less than a minute later killed 29 people and wounded 166 outside a soccer stadium in Istanbul on Saturday night, Turkish Interior Minister Suleyman Soylu said. All but two of those […]
By Dominic Evans and Stephanie Nebehay | BAGHDAD/GENEVA BAGHDAD/GENEVA The Iraqi army said it took full control of two more districts of east Mosul on Saturday, pushing back Islamic State militants in a slow and hard-fought advance into the city whose 1 million residents face growing shortages of fuel, water and food. A military statement said elite Counter Terrorism Service (CTS) troops took over the neighbourhoods of […]
Photo Syrian Army soldiers driving past the Arch of Triumph in Palmyra, in the Homs Governorate. Credit Omar Sanadiki/Reuters BEIRUT, Lebanon — Islamic State fighters appeared close to retaking Palmyra, Syria, on Saturday, just nine months after Syrian government forces drove them from the desert city, where they had terrorized residents and blown up irreplaceable ancient monuments. Residents said Islamic State militants were battling soldiers in the […]
KABUL Hardline cleric Mullah Haibatullah Akundzada has reinforced his position as the new leader of the Afghan Taliban by winning the support of two senior members, the insurgent group said on Saturday. Former Taliban interior minister Mullah Abdul Razaq Akhund and Mullah Abdul Sata Akhund “pledged their full support” to Akundzada during a meeting of Taliban scholars at an undisclosed location on Friday, the group said on […]
Your daily guide to community and cultural activities across the Emirates for December 11, 2016, including performances, festivals, art exhibitions, film screenings, health and fitness events, talks, classes, workshops and family fun. newslide Abu Dhabi Kids’ camp Register your children, ages 7 to 18, for the ZSC Academy Tennis Camp, led by highly qualified coaches. Intermediate- and higher-level players can keep on top of their game this […]
By John Irish | PARIS PARIS Backers of the Syrian opposition appeared resigned to the fall of eastern Aleppo on Saturday, with the United States urging Russia to show “grace” when officials meet in Geneva to try to reach a deal for civilians and fighters to leave the city. Syrian government and allied forces have in the last two weeks driven rebels from most of their territory […]
AMMAN Islamic State militants entered the ancient city of Palmyra on Saturday in eastern Syria after advancing to its outskirts for the first time since losing the city earlier this year, a war monitor said. The UK-based Syrian Observatory for Human rights said the militants had entered Palmyra after they had taken strategic heights near the city and captured the northern part of the city and mountains […]
newslide Taylor Swift and Zayn Malik debut new duet on film soundtrack American pop star Taylor Swift and former One Direction member Zayn Malik released a surprise duet on Friday, December 9 after joining forces for the upcoming Fifty Shades Darker movie soundtrack. I Don’t Wanna Live Forever will feature in the sequel to the Fifty Shades of Grey film, based on the hugely successful trilogy by […]
Photo President Recep Tayyip Erdogan of Turkey visiting the mausoleum of an Islamic scholar in Samarkand, Uzbekistan, last month. Credit Pool photo by Kayhan Ozer, via Associated Press ISTANBUL — Almost a century after the disintegration of the Ottoman Empire, Turkey’s president, Recep Tayyip Erdogan, and his supporters believe that they can restore the empire’s former glory. Stroll through the streets of any Turkish city and you […]
newslide Taylor Swift and Zayn Malik debut new duet on film soundtrack American pop star Taylor Swift and former One Direction member Zayn Malik released a surprise duet on Friday, December 9 after joining forces for the upcoming Fifty Shades Darker movie soundtrack. I Don’t Wanna Live Forever will feature in the sequel to the Fifty Shades of Grey film, based on the hugely successful trilogy by […]
By Laila Bassam and John Davison | ALEPPO, Syria/BEIRUT ALEPPO, Syria/BEIRUT Syrian’s military and Russian warplanes bombarded rebel-held districts of Aleppo on Saturday as Damascus’s allies said victory was near, but insurgents fought back and army advances halted after rapid gains during the week. The United States said it was meeting a Russian team in Geneva to find a way to save lives, but an agreement looked […]
ANKARA Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu said on Saturday that Syrian rebel forces risk being killed elsewhere if they left the city of Aleppo, and doubted that talks among their backers in Paris would yield concrete results. “What is going to happen to rebel forces if they leave Aleppo? Will they not get killed in other places?” Cavusoglu told Turkish broadcaster TRT from Paris, adding “nobody is […]
MANAMA The United States is sending 200 additional military personnel to Syria to help the campaign to drive the Islamic State militant group from Raqqa, U.S. Defense Secretary Ash Carter said on Saturday. Speaking in Bahrain at the Manama Dialogue conference on Middle East security, Carter said the 200, including special forces trainers, advisers and explosive ordnance disposal teams, would join 300 U.S. special force troops already […]
Yet Mr. McLaren suggested that the full extent of the cheating might never be known. “It is impossible to know just how deep and how far back this conspiracy goes,” he said on Friday, calling the “immutable facts” of his report clear but far from comprehensive. “For years, international sports competitions have unknowingly been hijacked by the Russians.” Continue reading the main story Mr. McLaren concluded last […]
December 10, 2016 by: Joe Leahy in São Paulo Former Brazilian president Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva and one of his sons have been accused by prosecutors of influence peddling and other crimes in relation to a landmark $4.5bn Saab Gripen fighter jet deal in Latin America’s largest country. Prosecutors in Brasília accused Mr Lula da Silva’s son, Luís Cláudio Lula da Silva, of receiving nearly R$2.6m […]
Submitted by Steven Horowtiz via The Foundation for Economic Education, The headlines tell us that the Dow Jones is up around 1,000 points since Donald Trump won the election on November 8th. The conventional wisdom is that this shows how much confidence people have in Trump’s ability to generate a healthy American economy. The argument is that if people are willing to buy stock in American firms, […]
SAO PAULO Brazilian federal prosecutors on Friday formally accused former president Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva of having interfered in a government tender to buy new fighter jets in favour of Swedish plane maker Saab AB. Lula, who was no longer in the presidency when the suspected illegal practices happened, was accused of having used its influence over the subsequent Workers Party government to help Saab win […]
Donald Trump wants Wilbur Ross, the billionaire investor tapped for Commerce secretary, to oversee his trade policy, in a controversial move that could spark a battle between the incoming administration and Congress. Mr Trump has agreed to give Mr Ross, a close friend, responsibility for handling one of his signature campaign issues, the Financial Times has learnt. The move, which would cut the influence of the US […]
