30-07-2023 Bureau Report + Agencies CANBERRA/ SYDNEY: Australia has paused a military exercise with the United States after a helicopter crash left four aircrew missing. The Australian Defence Force MRH-90 Taipan helicopter crashed into waters off the northeastern state of Queensland at around 10:30pm on Friday (12:30 GMT), Defence Minister …
Read More »Putin promises debt write-off as Russia seeks Africa allies
30-07-2023 MOSCOW: Russian President Vladimir Putin says his country and the African leaders attending a summit in St Petersburg have agreed to promote a multipolar world order and fight “neocolonialism” as he offered debt write-offs and grain to woo allies. “Russia’s attention to Africa is steadily growing,” Putin said on …
Read More »Thousands evacuated from Beijing as storm hits Northern China
30-07-2023 BEIJING: Rain has soaked northern China as Typhoon Doksuri, one of the strongest storms to hit the country in years, forced authorities to evacuate thousands in Beijing after pummeling the Philippines and Taiwan, and lashing China’s coast. A broad area encompassing the capital faces a medium to high risk …
Read More »Kashmiris allowed Muharram procession after three decades
29-07-2023 SRINAGAR/ ISLAMABAD: After more than three decades, thousands of Shia Muslims in Indian-administered Kashmir took part in a procession to mark 8th, 9th and 10th day of Muharram, the first month of the Islamic lunar calendar. Dressed in customary black, the mourners beat their chests and chanted elegies as …
Read More »Indian Federal Police to probe sexual assault video
29-07-2023 Bureau Report + Agencies NEW DELHI: Authorities in India say the federal police will investigate a case of sexual assault of women seen in a video which has sparked global outrage. Federal Home Minister Amit Shah said the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) would take over the case from …
Read More »Singapore executes first woman in almost 20 years
29-07-2023 SINGAPORE CITY: Singapore has hanged a 45-year-old citizen who was caught with 31 grams of heroin, the first time the city-state has executed a woman in nearly 20 years. Saridewi Binte Djamani was hanged on Friday after being convicted of trafficking “not less than 30.72 grams” of the drug …
Read More »Trump accused of asking employee to delete footage
29-07-2023 WASHINGTON: Donald Trump is accused of pressuring an employee to delete security footage at his Florida home, in new criminal charges related to his alleged mishandling of classified files. The new indictment adds one count of willful retention of defence information and two of obstruction, making 40 charges in …
Read More »Quran burnings put Sweden’s freedom of speech to test
29-07-2023 STOVKHOLM: A spate of Quran burnings in Sweden has badly affected the country’s image abroad and led to a deterioration of the security situation at home, security service Sapo has warned. Many Muslim-majority countries have expressed outrage. Last week protesters set fire to Sweden’s embassy in Iraq after learning …
Read More »Wagner Boss spotted in Russia during Africa summit
29-07-2023 MOSCOW: Wagner leader Yevgeny Prigozhin was photographed in St Petersburg during this week’s Africa-Russia summit. He was seen shaking hands with Ambassador Freddy Mapouka, a senior official in the Central African Republic (CAR). The image was posted on Facebook by Dmitri Syty, who reportedly manages Wagner’s operations in CAR. …
Read More »Deadly blast near Damascus Shia shrine ahead of Ashura
28-07-2023 DAMASCUS: At least six people have been killed and more than 20 wounded after a bomb exploded near a Shia Muslim shrine south of the Syrian capital Damascus a day ahead of Ashura, a day of mourning observed by Shia Muslims, according to the interior ministry. The blast near …
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