A strike Thursday by a suspected Iranian-made drone killed a US contractor and wounded six other Americans in northeast Syria, and US forces retaliated with airstrikes on sites in Syria used by groups affiliated with Iran’s Revolutionary Guard, the Pentagon said. Activists said the US bombin
Syria and Saudi Arabia have agreed to reopen their embassies after cutting diplomatic ties more than a decade ago, three sources with knowledge of the matter said, a step that would mark a leap forward in Damascus's return to the Arab fold. Contacts between Riyadh and Damascus had gathered momentu
Authorities in the northern Indian state of Uttar Pradesh canceled the manufacturing licence of the pharmaceutical firm, Marion Biotech, whose cough syrups were linked to the death of 18 children in Uzbekistan, officials said Thursday. "Marion Biotech's licence was canceled as the company couldn't
China threatened "serious consequences" Friday after the U.S. Navy sailed a destroyer around the disputed Paracel Islands in the South China Sea for the second day in a row, in a move Beijing claimed was a violation of its sovereignty and security. The warning comes amid growing tensions between C
Maritime issues between the Philippines and China remain a "serious concern", a Philippine official said on Friday, as the countries pledged to use diplomacy to resolve differences peacefully during high-level talks. The Philippines hosted this week the first in-person meeting between diplomats fr
India's parliament on Friday disqualified the leader of the main opposition Congress party, Rahul Gandhi, a day after a court jailed him for two years in a defamation case loosely linked to the Prime Minister Narendra Modi, parliament said in a statement. Gandhi "stands disqualified from the membe
Hong Kong's government announced a series of measures on Friday to attract wealthy family offices to set up in the financial hub as authorities try to restore business confidence and investor allure after three years of severe COVID-19 rules. A revamped investment migration scheme, new tax c
India's opposition leader Rahul Gandhi faces the risk of being immediately disqualified as a lawmaker after being convicted in a defamation case and sentenced to two years in jail. Here are some examples of how that might play out: WHAT DOES THE LAW SAY? The Representation of the People Act, 195
An Indian court has sentenced opposition leader Rahul Gandhi to two years in jail on charges of defamation for a 2019 speech in which he referred to thieves as having the surname Modi. Gandhi will appeal against the order in a higher court, but it is potentially a big blow for his Congress party a
At least nine people were killed and 47 others injured in northwest Pakistan in the 6.5-magnitude earthquake which jolted the country on Tuesday evening, an official statement said on Wednesday. Provincial Disaster Management Authority (PDMA) of Pakistan's northwest Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province sai
Taiwan's defence ministry has contingency plans for any moves by China during Taiwan President Tsai Ing-wen's overseas visit, Deputy Defence Minister Po Horng-huei said on Wednesday ahead of Tsai going to the United States and Central America next week. China, which claims democratically governed
India dampened foreign airline hopes for more access to its airports on Tuesday, with its aviation minister urging domestic carriers to fly long-haul and help establish new hubs as it seeks to recapture control of Indian travel from foreign rivals. It is also asking aerospace companies to step-up
Muslims in Saudi Arabia will start fasting from dawn to dusk for the month of Ramadan on Thursday. The kingdom’s Supreme Court announced the date as the Ramadan moon was not sighted on Tuesday, Arab News reports. Typically, Ramadan starts in Bangladesh a day after Saudi Arabia. That means M
