World

MOSCOW: Russian President Vladimir Putin and his US counterpart Donald Trump will meet Friday in Vietnam, Kremlin aide Yuri Ushakov told Russian news agencies on Thursday. The meeting “will be on November 10,” but the exact time is being decided, Ushakov told the official TASS agency. Both leaders will attend the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation summit in the Vietnamese city of Danang. The pair last met at the G20 summit in Germany in July. On Sunday Trump said he thinks “it’s expected we’ll meet with Putin” to discuss North Korea. Relations between Moscow and Washington have plummeted as a US probe has accused Trump’s former campaign aides of secretly meeting Kremlin-connected officials. Russia has vehement...

November 9, 2017 at 4:12 pm | News Desk

KABUL: Afghan President Ashraf Ghani accepted on Monday the resignation of the defence minister and army chief of staff after more than 140 government soldiers were killed in a Taliban attack on an army base last week, the president´s office said. "Defence Minister Abdullah Habibi and Army Chief of Staff Qadam Shah Shahim stepped down with immediate effect," the presidential palace announced in a post on its Twitter account. Shah Hussain Murtazawi, acting spokesman for Ghani, told Reuters the resignations were because of Friday´s attack in the northern city of Mazar-i-Sharif. At least 140 soldiers were killed and many wounded, an official in the city said on Saturday. Other officials said the toll was likely to be even higher.

April 24, 2017 at 1:01 pm | News Desk

Brexit negotiations have yet to begin but already the prospect of the UK splitting from the rest of the European Union has roiled the world of business, sending shockwaves through a slew of sectors. Thousands of jobs look set to move and while it’s impossible to attach a price tag to Brexit, industry bodies, consultants, economists and accountants have already published dozens of reports on the possible impact of new tariffs and a restriction on the movement of people. Here’s an overview of what we know. The broader economy  The most dramatic and salient economic impact of the Brexit decision came on the night of the decision itself. The pound suffered its biggest one-day fall against the dollar on record as currency trade...

April 22, 2017 at 4:19 pm | News Desk

WASHINGTON: The arrest of WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange is a US “priority,” Attorney General Jeff Sessions said Thursday, as media reports indicated his office was preparing charges against the fugitive anti-hero. “We are going to step up our effort and already are stepping up our efforts on all leaks,” Sessions, America’s top cop, said at a news conference in response to a reporter’s question about a US priority to arrest Assange. The Justice Department chief said a rash of leaks of sensitive secrets appeared unprecedented. “This is a matter that’s gone beyond anything I’m aware of. We have professionals that have been in the security business of the United States for many years that are shocked by the number ...

April 21, 2017 at 11:48 am | News Desk

LONDON: British Prime Minister Theresa May called Tuesday for an early general election on June 8 in a surprise announcement as Britain prepares for delicate negotiations on leaving the European Union. "We need a general election and we need one now. We have at this moment a one-off chance to get this done... before the detailed talks begin," May said, despite previously denying that she would do so. Speaking outside her Downing Street residence in London, May warned that "division in Westminster will risk our ability to make a success of Brexit". She said parliament would be asked to vote Wednesday to decide on whether or not to hold an election. The dramatic announcement comes after months of tumult in British politics followi...

April 18, 2017 at 4:34 pm | News Desk

Donald Trump called Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan to congratulate him on winning a referendum granting him sweeping new powers that exposed bitter divisions in the country. The White House said they also discussed a US missile strike in Syria and the fight against the Islamic State group. Trump's congratulations on Monday were in contrast with EU leaders who have been reserved in their reaction to the narrow victory and even his own State Department, which earlier noted concerns expressed by international observers over the "uneven playing field". Returning in triumph to his presidential palace in Ankara, Erdogan angrily rejected the criticism, telling the monitors: "Know your place." The referendum was seen as crucial ...

April 18, 2017 at 3:54 pm | News Desk

The United Nations on Monday rejected a call by the Saudi-led coalition battling rebels in Yemen for the key port of Hodeida to be placed under its supervision. The coalition made the appeal following an attack on a boat carrying Somali refugees off the coast of Yemen that killed 42 people, and as the country faced famine. UN spokesman Farhan Haq said the warring sides in Yemen have a responsibility to protect civilian infrastructure and civilians. “These are not obligations they can shift to others,” Haq said. Hodeida, which is a key transit point for desperately-needed imports, is controlled by Houthi rebels fighting the Saudi-backed government. The coalition said in a statement Sunday that it was not responsible for th...

March 21, 2017 at 12:50 pm | News Desk

BEIJING: China’s government has been seeking advice from its think-tanks and policy advisers on how to counter potential trade penalties from US President Donald Trump, getting ready for the worst, even as they hope for business-like negotiations. The policy advisers believe the Trump administration is most likely to impose higher tariffs on targeted sectors where China has a big surplus with the United States, such as steel and furniture, or on state-owned firms. China could respond with actions such as finding alternative suppliers of agriculture products or machinery and manufactured goods, while cutting its exports of consumer staples such as mobile phones or laptops, they said. Other options include imposing tax or other res...

March 21, 2017 at 12:17 pm | News Desk

China is eager to see Russia join The China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) project, according to a recently published article in Globaltimes, though the Russian embassy in Islamabad denied the reports. “Russia’s participation in the CPEC, including the use of the Gwadar Port, could give a boost to Sino-Russian cooperation and be a demonstration project of One Belt and One Road (OBOR) that will enhance future multinational cooperation,” writes Li Xing. That’s certainly true. A sound infrastructure is a pre-condition for the economic integration of neighboring countries. But the real reason behind China’s eagerness to bring Russia to CPEC project is elsewhere in my opinion: use Russia to appease India, which claims control ...

January 9, 2017 at 7:54 pm | News Desk

Russia says US allegations that it ran a hacking campaign to influence the American presidential elections are "reminiscent of a witch-hunt". Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters Moscow was tired of the accusations. He said a report released by US intelligence agencies detailing the allegations was groundless. It is the first official reaction from Russia since President-elect Donald Trump received the report on Friday. The unclassified report contains allegations that Russian President Vladimir Putin had ordered the hacking of Democratic Party emails to damage Donald Trump's Democrat rival, Hillary Clinton, and influence the election. In his comments on Monday, Mr Peskov said Russia "categorically denied that Mosco...

January 9, 2017 at 7:24 pm | News Desk

DOHA, QATAR. Qatar Airways is regarded as one of the most luxurious airlines in the world, and has received numerous awards for their onboard service. Flight attendants Saga and Gina testify about the other side of the glamour. How employees are forced to sign contracts that prevent them from governing their own life choices. Swedish newspaper Expressen's reporter Johanna Karlsson commutes between Doha and small Swedish towns in her depiction of a five-star airline. Gina knows she is not allowed to speak to the guard. Not while he's been stationed at his post for twelve hours and is starting to get sleepy. Not while he's longing for his Nepalese family and she is just coming off a flight to Kathmandu. Not while he mentioned that he earns...

April 26, 2016 at 5:01 pm | News Desk

Washington: The US government said on Friday it had approved the sale to Pakistan of up to eight F-16 fighter jets built by Lockheed Martin Corp, radar and other equipment in a deal valued at $699 million (Dh2.5 billion). The Pentagon’s Defence Security Cooperation Agency, which oversees foreign arms sales, said it had notified lawmakers about the possible deal. The agency said the F-16s would allow Pakistan’s Air Force to operate in all-weather environments and at night, while improving its self-defence capability and bolstering its ability to conduct counter-insurgency and counter-terrorism operations. Lawmakers have 30 days to block the sale, although such action is rare since deals are well-vetted before any formal notifica...

February 14, 2016 at 9:06 am | News Desk

MANCHESTER: Bernie Sanders won a commanding victory over Hillary Clinton in the New Hampshire primary Tuesday, and Donald Trump also scored a big win in a triumph of two candidates who have seized on Americans' anger at the Washington political establishment. Both outcomes would have been nearly unthinkable not long ago. Sanders, a self-described democratic socialist, beat a former secretary of state and first lady once seen as the all-but-certain Democratic nominee. While Clinton remains the favourite in national race for the Democratic nomination, the win by the Vermont senator could be a springboard into a competitive, drawn-out primary campaign. For Trump, the brash real estate magnate and television personality who has neve...

February 10, 2016 at 4:26 pm | News Desk

MANILA, PHILIPPINES – The Asian Development Bank (ADB) has approved a $400 million loan to help the Government of the Philippines further expand its flagship conditional cash transfer (CCT) program, which provides regular health and education grants to millions of the country’s poorest households. “The support, which builds on ADB’s initial loan to the project of the same amount, will help the government support more families, now also including high school students,” said Karin Schelzig, Senior Social Sector Specialist in ADB’s Southeast Asia Department. “This is important, as impact evaluation shows that the CCTs are keeping vulnerable young people at school, opening the door to a better future.” The CCT program, kno...

February 9, 2016 at 2:44 pm | News Desk

CANBERRA, AUSTRALIA - Asian Development Bank (ADB) President Takehiko Nakao today met with Minister for Foreign Affairs Julie Bishop, Minister for International Development and the Pacific Steven Ciobo, and other high-level officials in Canberra. He signed a new framework for cooperation to reinforce ADB’s partnership with Australia to reduce poverty and achieve inclusive and sustainable economic growth in Asia and the Pacific. “I am delighted to be signing this partnership agreement with Australia. The country has been a strong partner in tackling the region’s development challenges over the last 50 years,” Mr. Nakao said. “In particular, Australia has strongly supported, through contributions to trust funds and cofinancing, A...

February 9, 2016 at 12:28 pm | News Desk

YANGON, MYANMAR – The Asian Development Bank (ADB) and the International Finance Corporation—IFC, a member of the World Bank Group—are providing loans of $300 million to Ooredoo Myanmar for the rollout of a mobile telecommunication network across Myanmar, which will help extend affordable telecom services across the country, boosting economic growth and job creation. ADB and IFC are extending a loan of $150 million each to Ooredoo Myanmar, a fully owned subsidiary of Ooredoo Q.S.C, to expand a nationwide “greenfield” mobile telecom network using advanced 3G technology. “Myanmar has one of the lowest rates of telecom connectivity in Southeast Asia, with poor communities and women the least likely to have access to these inc...

February 8, 2016 at 11:47 am | News Desk