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15-02-2021 By SJA Jafri + Agencies MANAMA: Small and sporadic demonstrations took place in Bahrain on Sunday amid a hefty police presence, marking 10 years since the Gulf nation’s Arab Spring-inspired uprising. On February 14, 2011, tens of thousands of people took to the streets to demand an elected government …

14-02-2021 DUBAI: The United Arab Emirates’ Hope mission has returned its first picture of Mars. The spacecraft entered into an orbit around the Red Planet on Tuesday, making the UAE the first Arab nation in history to have a scientific presence at Earth’s near neighbor. This first image will be …

14-02-2021 KABUL/ TEHRAN/ ISLAMABAD: A massive fire has engulfed a customs post in Afghanistan after fuel trucks caught alight, injuring many people and prompting authorities across the nearby Iranian border to send fire engines and ambulances, officials said. Several local people battled to control Saturday’s blaze in the border town …

14-02-2021 WASHINGTON: Former US President Donald Trump has been acquitted on a charge of “incitement of insurrection” in relation to the January 6 riot at the United States Capitol. After a five-day impeachment trial in the US Senate, the vote was largely split along party lines with 57 lawmakers voting to …

13-02-2021 WASHINGTON: US President Joe Biden has no plans to call the de facto ruler of Saudi Arabia Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman (MBS), the White House said. Biden said he intends to make human right a key issue in US-Saudi relations, which he pledged during the 2020 election campaign. …

13-02-2021 Bureau Report + Agencies KABUL/ ISLAMABAD: Dozens more Afghan security force members, including a commander, have been killed and seven critically injured in blasts in eastern and southern provinces, officials say, adding that three civilians were injured in the east. No armed group immediately claimed responsibility for the three …

13-02-2021 WASHINGTON/ GUANTANAMO BAY: The Biden administration has launched a formal review of the future of the US military prison at Guantanamo Bay in Cuba with the goal of reviving efforts to close the controversial facility, a White House official said on Friday. Aides involved in internal discussions are considering …

13-02-2021 Bureau Report CANBERRA/ MELBOURNE: Australia will next week introduce landmark legislation to force Alphabet’s Google and Facebook to pay publishers and broadcasters for content, a senior government official said on Friday. The legislation, which Google says will be “unworkable”, will make Australia the first country to require Facebook and …

12-02-2021 PARIS/ LONDON/ BERLIN/ TEHRAN: The United Kingdom (UK), France and Germany have condemned Iran’s decision to produce uranium metal, which they said was in breach of commitments made by Iran to the international community. The United Nations’ nuclear watchdog said earlier this week that Iran had followed through on …

12-02-2021 WASHINGTON: Donald Trump’s defence lawyers are set to present evidence in the US Senate, denying charges he incited insurrection in the Capitol riots of 6 January. The team has indicated it may take up only four of its 16 hours, and so move the impeachment trial to a speedy …