IS On ‘last Legs’ In Mosul
The Islamic State group is on the verge of defeat in its former Iraqi stronghold of Mosul, where the jihadists will be fully ousted by next week, a coalition general said Thursday. Canadian Brigadier...
Tag: Geography of Asia
Saudi Arabia Accuses Qatar of Using Twitter To Stoke Dissent
Saudi Arabia, which is leading a four-country blockade of Gulf neighbour Qatar, on Thursday accused Doha of being behind over 23,000 Twitter accounts it blames for trying to stoke dissent in Saudi...
Once Tax-Free, Saudi Arabia Starts Expat Levy
Saudi Arabia on Thursday said it had begun taxing foreigners working in the private sector as part of fiscal reforms aimed at coping with a drop in oil revenues. Long a tax-free haven for...
In East Aleppo, Industrial Zones Emerge From the Rubble
In a formerly rebel-held district of Syria's Aleppo, factory owner Karam allows himself a small smile as he watches his machines back in action, churning out plastic goods. Six months after Syria's...
Yemen Famine Risk Rising As Cholera Diverts Resources
Aid groups have pulled resources from the fight against malnutrition to battle cholera in Yemen, raising the risk of famine as they struggle to find funds, a UN official said Thursday. More than two...
Thailand Auctions Seized Supercars After Stolen Foreign Vehicles…
Thai customs officials sold off hundreds of seized luxury vehicles on Thursday, including dozens of supercars -- although many lots were removed last minute after it emerged they were stolen from...
Hong Kong Seizes 7.2 Tonnes of Ivory
More than seven tonnes of ivory worth over US$9 million was seized in Hong Kong, officials said Thursday, the largest bust of its kind in the city in three decades. The 7,200 kilogramme (16,000...
Bangladesh Eatery Bans Foreigners Fearing Extremist Attack
An upscale Bangladeshi restaurant has banned foreign guests, fearing a repeat of last year's deadly terrorist attack in a Dhaka cafe, the owner said Thursday. Lake Terrace, a reputed rooftop barbeque...
Indian Kashmir Tense As Key Anniversary Looms
In a crowded hospital in Kashmir a 17-year-old student is recovering from gunshot wounds, one of thousands of civilians injured in protests against Indian rule that have exploded since the death of a...
Huge Floods Sweep Southern Japan, One Dead, 18 Missing
At least one person is dead and 18 others are missing in huge floods that are surging through southern Japan, with authorities warning hundreds of thousands of people to flee. Unprecedented...
Thailand Leads the Pack For Asia’s Abused Tourist Elephants
Twice as many elephants work in Thailand's tourism industry as the rest of Asia combined, with the vast majority kept in "severely inadequate conditions", a new report revealed Thursday. The world's...
With Demolitions, China Squeezes Buddhist Academy
The hills around revered Tibetan Buddhist academy Larung Gar were once a seamless carpet of vibrant red, dominated by the homes of thousands of monks, nuns and devotees who crowded the remote valley...
UN Political Chief In Kuwait To Discuss Gulf Crisis
The UN's political chief, Jeffrey Feltman, is in Kuwait for talks on ending the diplomatic crisis between Qatar and its Gulf neighbors, a spokesman said Wednesday. The senior UN envoy stepped in as...
Barcelona’s Football Star Alba Steps Into Gulf Crisis
Barcelona star Jordi Alba has become the latest Spanish footballer to enter the Gulf diplomatic crisis after he was shown signing a T-shirt of Qatar's leader on Wednesday. A video of Alba...
Saudi-Led Bloc Regrets ‘negative’ Qatar Response To Demands
Foreign ministers of the Saudi-led bloc that imposed an embargo on Qatar said Wednesday they regretted the emirate's "negative" response to a list of demands to end a diplomatic crisis. The ministers...
Israel To Lift Ban On Politicians Visiting Holy Site
Israel will lift a two-year-old ban preventing politicians visiting a Jerusalem holy site for five days later this month, following a legal challenge, the government said. Prime Minister Benjamin...
US Envoy Haley Leading Anti-Palestinian ‘crusade’
A senior Palestinian official on Wednesday blasted US President Donald Trump's United Nations envoy, accusing her of carrying out a "crusade" against the Palestinian people. Hanan Ashrawi, an senior...
Bus Crash Kills 11 In Central Pakistan
A passenger bus hit a tree and overturned in central Pakistan Wednesday, killing 11 people and wounding 36 others on board, officials said. The tragedy came days after a devastating oil tanker...
For Families Fleeing IS, A Waystation In Aleppo
Syrian escapees from the Islamic State group languished for hours on the sizzling concrete pavements at Aleppo's main bus station, their faces gaunt and eyes rimmed by dark circles. Just six months...
Key Powers Thrash Out Safe Zones Plan At Syria Talks
Powerbrokers Russia, Iran and Turkey sought Wednesday to hammer out a plan for four safe zones in Syria at a fifth round of peace talks in the Kazakh capital Astana. Moscow and Tehran, which back...