World

Kabul, Dec 29: Allegations over Russia and Iran's deepening ties with the Taliban have ignited concerns of a renewed "Great Game" of proxy warfare in Afghanistan that could undermine US-backed troops and push the country deeper into turmoil. Moscow and Tehran insist their contact with insurgents is aimed at promoting regional security, but local and US officials who are already frustrated with

Washington, Dec 29: US secretary of state John Kerry tore into Israel on Wednesday for settlement-building, accusing Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of dragging Israel away from democracy and forcefully rejecting the notion that America had abandoned Israel with a controversial UN vote. Netanyahu accused the Obama administration of a biased bid to blame Israel for failure to reach a peace deal

Laiza (Myanmar), Dec 28: Ethnic Kachin rebels long at war with Myanmar troops say the government has only escalated fighting since Aung San Suu Kyi took over as leader, crushing the hopes that had led many ethnic minorities to support her party and leaving them with no confidence in the peace process that Suu Kyi has identified as a priority. Rebels and observers say government offensives

Jerusalem, Dec 28: Doubling down on its public break with the Obama administration, a furious Israeli government on Tuesday said it had received “ironclad” information from Arab sources that Washington actively helped craft last week's UN resolution declaring Israeli settlements in occupied territories illegal. The allegations further poisoned a toxic atmosphere between Israel and the outgoing

Jakarta, Dec 27: Six people, including a nine-year-old child, were found dead in Jakarta, after suffocating in a tiny bathroom where armed robbers had locked them the previous day. Petty crime is common in Jakarta, a teeming city of 10 million people, but violent crime including armed robbery is rare. Up to four intruders broke into the house in an upmarket neighbourhood on Monday, Jakarta police

Washington, Dec 27: President Barack Obama said in an interview released Monday that he could have beaten Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump "if I had run again." In his most pointed critique yet, Obama said Hillary Clinton's campaign acted too cautiously out of a mistaken belief that victory was all but certain. "If you think you're winning, then you have a tendency, just like in sports

Beijing, Dec 26: China has tested an improvised version of its stealth fighter and plans to sell it at half the price of the US variant to break Western monopoly over the high-tech aircraft, which will have strategic implications for India as Pakistan has already shown interest in acquiring it. An improved version of China's fifth-generation FC-31 Gyrfalcon stealth fighter jet has conducted its

Manila, Dec 26: A powerful typhoon threatened to bring heavy rains and winds to the heavily-populated Philippine capital as it dragged its way across the archipelago on Monday, spoiling the Christmas holidays. Typhoon Nock-Ten, which made landfall on the eastern island province of Catanduanes on Sunday, is forecast to move westward towards the country's heartland, packing winds of 230 kilometres

Moscow, Dec 25: A Russian military plane crashed today in the Black Sea as it made its way to Syria with 92 people onboard, including Red Army Choir members heading to celebrate the New Year with troops. Local news agencies, citing the defence ministry, said the Tu-154 plane had crashed shortly after take-off from the southern city of Adler at 5:40 am local time. Defence ministry spokesman Igor

West Palm Beach, Dec 25: President-elect Donald Trump today said he will dissolve his charitable foundation amid efforts to eliminate any conflicts of interest before he takes office next month. The revelation comes as the New York attorney general's office investigates the foundation following media reports that foundation spending went to benefit Trump's campaign. Trump said in a statement that