02-03-2021 By SJA Jafri + Bureau Report JALALABAD/ KABUL/ ISLAMABAD: Three female media workers lost their lives after unknown assailants shot at them in the eastern Afghan city of Jalalabad on Tuesday, their TV network said, in what appeared to be the latest targeted killing to rock the war-torn country. …

02-03-2021 PARIS/ RIYADH/ WASHINGTON/ ISTANBUL: Media watchdog ‘Reporters Without Borders’ (RSF) has filed a criminal case in a German court against Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman and four other high-ranking officials for “crimes against humanity” in connection with the murder of journalist Jamal Khashoggi. The media watchdog’s lawsuit announcement …

02-03-2021 ABUJA: Kidnappers have released all the girls abducted from a boarding school in the northwestern Nigerian state of Zamfara on Friday, the governor told media, as President Muhammadu Buhari expressed “overwhelming joy” over the news. Bello Matawalle said on Tuesday the nearly 300 students were safe with authorities and …

01-03-2021 JERUSALEM/ TEHRAN: Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has accused Iran of being behind last week’s blast on an Israeli-owned ship in the Gulf of Oman days after Israeli officials, including the defence minister, pointed fingers of blame at Tehran. Netanyahu made the accusation in an interview that aired Monday with …

01-03-2021 By SJA Jafri + Bureau Report CANBERRA/ MELBOURNE: Chinese investment in Australia collapsed by more than 61 per cent in 2020, according to new figures from the Australian National University (ANU). This followed a 47 per cent fall in 2019 and is the lowest number recorded over the past …

01-03-2021 TEHRAN/ WASHINGTON/ UNITED NATIONS: Iran has ruled out holding an informal meeting with the United States and European countries to discuss ways to revive its 2015 nuclear deal with major powers, insisting that Washington must first lift all its unilateral sanctions. “Considering the recent actions and statements by the …

28-02-2021 ANKARA/ TEHRAN/ BAGHDAD: Turkey summoned the Iranian ambassador to the country on Sunday over remarks alleging Ankara has violated Iraq’s sovereignty, state media reported. Ambassador Mohammad Farazmand was called in to Turkey’s foreign ministry after Iran’s ambassador to Iraq made the comments about Ankara’s cross-border military offensive against Kurdistan …

28-02-2021 NAYPYIDAW/ MYANMAR: As many as 18 people have been killed and dozens wounded across Myanmar in the most violent crackdown yet by security forces against peaceful demonstrators protesting against a February 1 military coup, according to the United Nations human rights office. “Throughout the day, in several locations throughout …

28-02-2021 DUBAI/ JERUSALEM: An Israeli-owned cargo ship that suffered a mysterious explosion in the Gulf of Oman has arrived at Dubai’s port for repairs, days after the blast revived security concerns about the Middle East’s waterways amid heightened tensions with Iran. The hulking Israeli-owned MV Helios Ray sat at dry dock …

28-02-2021 WASHINGTON/ NEW BRUNSWICK: The United States of America (USA) has authorized Johnson & Johnson’s COVID-19 vaccine for emergency use, adding a third jab to its medical toolbox to fight one of the world’s worst coronavirus outbreaks. The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) said on Saturday that Johnson & Johnson’s …