PARIS: One of the leaders of the “yellow vest” demonstrations in France was detained by police in Paris, signalling a harder line from the government that sparked a wave of criticism from opponents on Thursday. Eric Drouet — who already faces a trial for carrying a weapon at a previous protest — was arrested late Wednesday for organising an unauthorised …

THIRUVANANTHA-PURAM: Clashes broke out in southern India for a second day on Thursday as Hindu hardliners went on the rampage, seeking to enforce a general shutdown in protest at two women entering one of the country’s holiest temples. A day after violence among rival groups and with police left one man dead and 15 people injured, authorities said that 266 …

SEOUL: North Korea’s top diplomat in Italy has sought asylum and gone into hiding, Seoul lawmakers told reporters after a closed-door meeting with South Korean intelligence officials on Thursday. It would mark the latest high-profile defection by a senior North Korean env­oy since the deputy ambassador in London abandoned his post in 2016. “Acting ambassador Jo Song Gil’s term was …

WASHINGTON: The United States issued a pre-emptive warning to Iran on Thursday against pursuing three planned space rocket launches that it said would violate a UN Security Council resolution because they use ballistic missile technology. Iran rejected the warning, issued by Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, saying its space vehicle launches and missile tests were not violations. Pompeo said Iran …

NEW DELHI: India rejected US President Donald Trump’s comments mocking Prime Minister Narendra Modi for funding a library in Afghanistan, saying on Thursday that New Delhi has provided $3 billion in development assistance to the war-torn country. The US president on Wednesday took a swipe at what he claimed were Modi’s frequent comments on building the library: “You know what …

LONDON: Opec oil supply fell in December by the largest amount in almost two years, a Reuters survey found, as top exporter Saudi Arabia made an early start to a supply-limiting accord while Iran and Libya posted involuntary declines. The 15-member Organisation of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (Opec) pumped 32.68 million barrels per day last month, the survey on Thursday …

The Supreme Court on Friday ordered that Bahria Town and Malir Development Authority’s (MDA) accounts all over the country be unfrozen, clarifying its previous orders. Bahria Town counsel Aitzaz Ahsan, who had filed the miscellaneous petition on Thursday, told a three-member SC bench today that private banks all over the country have sealed his client’s accounts on the orders of …

SARAJEVO: Bosnian prosecutors on Thursday charged seven people, including two Pakistani men, with people smuggling. The group is suspected of ferrying at least 46 people through Bosnia into EU member state Croatia, the prosecutor’s office said in a statement. They made at least $40,800 from the trade, it added. One Iraqi and two Pakistanis, who allegedly ran the criminal group, …

LAHORE: Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) leader Maryam Nawaz, her husband retired Capt Mohammad Safdar and some other party leaders met former prime minister Nawaz Sharif at the Kot Lakhpat jail here on Thursday. When Mr Sharif’s daughter arrived at the jail, the PML-N workers and supporters showered her car with rose petals and chanted slogans in favour of the party …

LAHORE: An accountability court on Thursday issued warrants for the arrest of Kamran Kayani, brother of former army chief retired Gen Ashfaq Parvez Kayani, Paragon City Housing Society’s director Nadeem Zia and another in the Ashiyana-i-Iqbal Housing Scheme scam. As the court resumed hearing on the reference in the housing scam, the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) produced three suspects, including former …