International

TRIPOLI: An airstrike on a detention centre for migrants in the Libyan capital has killed at least 40 people, according to the country’s UN-supported government. The airstrike targeting the detention centre in Tripoli’s Tajoura neighbourhood, also wounded 80 migrants, said Malek Merset, a spokesman for the health ministry. Merset posted …

By SJA Jafri + NDTV TEHRAN/ NEW DELHI: India ceased purchasing Iranian oil last month after the United States refused to extend waivers on its oil trade with Iran. India was the second largest buyer of oil from Iran after China and Iranian oil exports have come down to less …

By SJA Jafri + Times of Israel WASHINGTON: US President Donald Trump warned Monday that Iran was “playing with fire” after Tehran said it exceeded a limit on enriched uranium reserves under a 2015 nuclear deal abandoned by Washington. Israel urged European states to sanction Iran, while Russia voiced regret …

By SJA Jafri + Agencies WASHINGTON: Amazon founder Jeff Bezos has reportedly agreed to pay the world’s biggest divorce settlement that will include his former partner MacKenzie Bezos receiving a 4 percent stake in the online shopping giant. It’s believed a judge will sign legal papers transferring the shares worth …

Monitoring Desk HONG KONG: Thousands of protesters faced off with riot police early on Monday, the anniversary of Hong Kong’s return to Chinese rule, ahead of an annual rally that is expected to draw huge crowds amid widespread anger over a controversial extradition bill. More than a million people have …

TOKYO: Japanese whaling fleets set sail Monday to hunt whales for commercial purposes for the first time in 31 years, a day after Tokyo formally left the International Whaling Commission. As an IWC member, Japan halted commercial whaling in 1988 but hunted whales for what it claims were research purposes, …

Report is compendium of unsubstantiated & biased assertions: Pakistan By SJA Jafri (Courtesy Messenger) 29 June, 2019 WASHINGTON/ ISLAMABAD: The Annual Report of the US Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) 2019 claims that Pakistan has once again failed to control sectarian and religious intolerance across the country during 2018 …

By SJA Jafri TOKYO: The Xinhua News Agency of China reports that the US has agreed to not levy new tariffs on Chinese exports following talks between the two countries’ leaders. China and the US have agreed to restart trade talks and will have discussions on specific issues, Xinhua said. …

By SJA Jafri + M6 BREST: France: A gunman opened fire outside a mosque in northwestern France on Thursday, wounding the local imam and another person, before fleeing the scene and later being found dead, officials said. It was not immediately clear what motivated the incident in the port city …

PARIS: Thousands of schools in France have been ordered shut on Friday as the southern part of the country grapples with an unprecedented heat wave. Some 4,000 French schools will remain closed on Friday or will host families escaping an unprecedented heatwave in the south of the country. State weather …