Ambiguity in US treaty ‘could add to chaos,’ Philippines’ defense chief warns MANILA: Vagueness of the Philippines-US Mutual Defense Treaty (MDT) could further worsen the situation, not serve as deterrence during critical times, Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana said on Tuesday. Lorenzana underscored the need to review the decades-old document because of its ambiguous provisions. In…
Ambiguity in US treaty ‘could add to chaos,’ Philippines’ defense chief warns MANILA: Vagueness of the Philippines-US Mutual Defense Treaty (MDT) could further worsen the situation, not serve as deterrence during critical times, Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana said on Tuesday. Lorenzana underscored the need to review the decades-old document because of its ambiguous provisions. In…
LONDON: UK police say counter-terrorism investigation launched after small improvised explosive devices were found at Heathrow Airport, City Airport and Waterloo Station on Tuesday. Officers from Counter Terrorism Command have launched an investigation after three suspicious packages were received at The Compass Centre #Hounslow, near #Heathrow Airport, London Waterloo Station and City Aviation House #Newham…
BEIRUT: US Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for Near Eastern Affairs David Satterfield said in Beirut that Lebanon should reject “options dictated from abroad,” stressing that the “US will do everything in its power to support Lebanon’s national options.” Satterfield, who had been assigned the territorial and naval border dispute file between Lebanon and Israel on…
BAGHDAD: Behind the dilapidated storefronts and collapsing colonnades of Rasheed Street lie the treasures of the Iraqi capital’s cultural boom years: Old cinemas, artisan shops and smoky cafes playing classic ballads. But with young Iraqis listening to modern music and spending hours in hipster-style coffee shops, the boulevard that bustled non-stop in the 1970s is at…
BAGHDAD: Behind the dilapidated storefronts and collapsing colonnades of Rasheed Street lie the treasures of the Iraqi capital’s cultural boom years: Old cinemas, artisan shops and smoky cafes playing classic ballads. But with young Iraqis listening to modern music and spending hours in hipster-style coffee shops, the boulevard that bustled non-stop in the 1970s is at…
KHARTOUM: A one-day strike shuttered businesses and emptied streets in the Sudanese capital, Khartoum, and other parts of the country on Tuesday, as pressure mounted on longtime autocratic President Omar Al-Bashir to step down following more than two months of deadly protests. Initially sparked by rising prices and shortages, the unrest quickly turned to calls…
JEDDAH: A major initiative aimed at propelling Saudi Arabia to the top of the class for education provision has been launched in the Kingdom.The two-day Global Educational Exhibition of Development and Support (GEDS), which kicked off on Monday at the Hilton Hotel in Jeddah, is the first event of its kind to be staged in…
Saudi Arabia pledges $500 million in support for UN humanitarian plan for Yemen JEDDAH: Saudi Arabia has pledged $500 million to finance the United Nations Humanitarian Response Plan for Yemen, it was announced on Tuesday. The announcement was made during a Saudi cabinet meeting headed by King Salman. Following the meeting, Information Minister Turki Abdullah Al-Shabana said in…
Saudi Arabia pledges $500 million in support for UN humanitarian plan for Yemen JEDDAH: Saudi Arabia has pledged $500 million to finance the United Nations Humanitarian Response Plan for Yemen, it was announced on Tuesday. The announcement was made during a Saudi cabinet meeting headed by King Salman. Following the meeting, Information Minister Turki Abdullah Al-Shabana said in…
DUBAI: Forbes Middle East just released its 30 Under 30 list of the region’s young movers and shakers. From fashion to music, we picked out some notable names — in no particular order. Aya and Mounaz Abdel Raouf The Egyptian sisters founded accessories brand Okhtein in 2013 and haven’t looked back since — with the…
DUBAI: A meeting of “genre-shattering” musicians is set to take place at the New York University of Abu Dhabi’s Barzakh Festival this weekend — and if you’re ready to push the boundaries of your taste in music, this is the spot to be. The Arts Center, a complex of theaters and performance venues within the…
SYDNEY: The captain of Australia’s women’s rugby team has been banned for six weeks after admitting biting an opponent on the arm during a domestic match.New Zealand-born Liz Patu faced a 12-week suspension for biting Rebecca Clough during a Super W match between Queensland and Rugby WA on Saturday. Clough alerted the referee to the…
DUBAI: The Dubai International Financial Center (DIFC) investment hub reported its best-ever year for new company registrations in 2018 on the back of strong interest from Asian firms and fintech (financial technology) companies. Some 437 companies set up in the center last year, a 39 percent increase and the highest number in its 15-year history,…
GENEVA: Production of BMW’s Mini will still be disrupted if there is a delay to Brexit, the carmaker’s CEO said on Tuesday, signaling the auto industry faces upheaval even if Britain avoids crashing out of the European Union without a withdrawal deal on March 29.Britain’s car industry, which employs around 850,000 people and is largely…
LONDON: Oil edged higher toward $66 a barrel on Tuesday as the market balanced OPEC-led efforts to tighten supply with the restart of Libya’s biggest oilfield and the prospect of weaker demand.Supply curbs by the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries and allies have helped to drive a 20 percent gain for Brent crude this…
NEAR BAGHOUZ, Syria: The wife of French extremist Jean-Michel Clain told AFP Tuesday in Syria that her husband was killed last month after a coalition strike killed his brother Fabien, another notorious extremist.“The drone killed my brother-in-law and then the mortar killed my husband,” Dorothee Maquere said at a screening area after exiting the Daesh…
Sri Lanka’s toilet trouble: finance minister pledges millions to resolve a very dirty issue COLOMBO: Sri Lanka’s government allocated money to build toilets in over a quarter million homes Tuesday, under an ambitious project to flush out the practice of “open defecation” within a year.Finance Minister Mangala Samaraweera told parliament the government will spend 4,000…
ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s government sacked a provincial minister on Tuesday for making offensive comments about Hindus, amid easing tensions with India after the two nuclear-armed neighbors came to the brink of war last month.Punjab provincial Information Minister Fayyaz Chohan referred on Monday to Hindus, who number more than four million in Muslim-majority Pakistan, as “cow urine…
OTTAWA: In a serious blow to Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, a second member of his Cabinet resigned on Monday, saying she had lost confidence in how the government had dealt with an escalating political scandal.The departure of recently appointed Treasury Board President Jane Philpott, who was in overall charge of government spending, deprives Trudeau…
