International

Sudanese women are taking a leading role in protests against President Omar al-Bashir, which have gained added inspiration from the demonstrations in Algeria, opposition figures said at a London conference. Sara Abdelgalil, head of the UK branch of the Sudan Doctors´ Union, told AFP that Bashir had tried to suppress women during the 30 years he has been in power. …

TEHRAN: Iranian authorities on Monday evacuated patients from a hospital threatened by floodwaters in the southwestern city of Ahvaz, the semi-official news agency ISNA reported. Iran has been hit by several weeks of unprecedented flooding across most of the usually arid country that has killed 70 people, according to the emergency services. On Monday, authorities were battling to prevent floods …

NEW DELHI: Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday vowed to spend more than $1.4 trillion on new infrastructure over five years to create much-needed jobs and to pursue his nationalist agenda if he wins an election that starts this week. Modi´s right-wing Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) also promised $300 billion for the country´s hard-pressed farmers and rural development as …

RIYADH: Saudi Arabia and the UAE, which lead a military coalition against the Huthi rebels in Yemen, offered Monday $200 million in aid to the country for the holy fasting month of Ramadan. The donation, announced simultaneously in Riyadh and Abu Dhabi, is part of a $500 million aid package announced by the allies in November to tackle widespread hunger …

Jordan´s parliament on Monday amended marriage laws to allow judges in “exceptional” cases to permit minors to wed from the age of 16, up from a previous minimum of 15. The move was approved by both the house of representatives and the senate. The country´s minimum marriage age is 18 under normal circumstances — but unions involving minors can be …

NEW YORK: A 55-year-old New York man has been arrested and charged with threatening to assault and murder Democratic Representative Ilhan Omar, a Muslim US Congress member from Minnesota, federal prosecutors said. Patrick Carlineo Jr. of Addison, New York, faces up to 10 years in prison and a $250,000 fine if convicted, the US Department of Justice said on Friday …

KHARTOUM: Thousands of Sudanese demonstrators marched in Khartoum on Saturday, many reaching the army headquarters for the first time since deadly protests against President Omar al-Bashir erupted last year, witnesses said. Chanting “One Army, One People,” the protesters rallied in the capital’s streets following a call by organisers to march on the compound, which also includes Bashir’s residence. The crowds …

TRIPOLI: Forces loyal to Libyan commander Khalifa Haftar on Saturday pressed on with an offensive on Tripoli, defying international calls to halt hostilities which risk plunging the country into civil war. Pro-Haftar fighters have been slowed in their advance by forces loy­al to Libya’s internationally-recognised Government of National Acc­ord (GNA), which sits in the capital. For the first time, forces …

Turkey on Sunday criticised Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu as “irresponsible” for saying he would annex Israeli settlements in the occupied West Bank if he wins Tuesday’s election. Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu said the West Bank, which Israel seized in the 1967 Middle East war, was Palestinian territory and Israel’s occupation violated international law. Take a look: Netanyahu won’t move ‘even …

Maldives President Ibrahim Mohamed Solih’s party is leading in the vote count in the parliamentary election and has already declared a landslide victory that could give him a free hand in efforts to restore political freedoms and tackle corruption. The official results are expected later on Sunday. Local reports say Solih’s Maldivian Democratic Party is leading in 60 out of …