International

WASHINGTON: “To be honest about differences, that’s important, to be honest,” said Bob Casey, a senior member of the US Senate while describing how he thinks relations between the United States and Pakistan can improve. Senator Jeanne Shaheen, a member of the Senate Committee on Foreign Relations, pointed out that historically the United States and Pakistan “have been very good …

WASHINGTON: US President Donald Trump on Thursday cancelled a planned visit to the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, later this month amid a shutdown of the federal government, signalling he was prepared for the political showdown to stretch into late January. The president headed for the US-Mexico border in the evening to push his demand for the wall, a …

JERUSALEM: An Israeli former cabinet minister admitting to spying for Iran on Wednesday in a plea deal in exchange for an 11-year prison sentence, the Israeli Justice Ministry said. Gonen Segev, energy minister from 1995 to 1996, was indicted in June. The Shin Bet internal security service said at the time had been recruited by Iranian intelligence while living in …

RIYADH: Six suspects wanted over unrest in Saudi Arabia’s Shia minority stronghold of Qatif were killed in a police raid this week, the kingdom’s secret service said on Wednesday. One person was lightly wounded and arrested in the “preemptive” raid on “terrorists” holed up in a house in the eastern town of Jish on Monday, a statement carried by the …

An Australian man was charged on Thursday with sending dozens of packages believed to contain asbestos to embassies and consulates around the country. Savas Avan appeared in a Melbourne court after being arrested at his home in rural Victoria state on Wednesday, the same day several consulates in Melbourne received the suspicious packages, authorities said. Local media reported that Avan, 49, attended …

BEIJING: The United States and China on Wednesday concluded three days of extended talks to resolve their trade war, with a member of the American delegation saying negotiations “went just fine”. The US officials arrived in Beijing on Monday for the first sit-down talks since President Donald Trump and Chinese leader Xi Jinping agreed on Dec 1 to a three-month …

BEIJING: A special train believed to be carrying Kim Jong-un departed Beijing on Wednesday after a two-day visit by the North Korean leader to the Chinese capital. Kim could not be seen, but he was presumed to be on board the long train as it crossed on elevated tracks over a busy Beijing street and headed towards eastern China and …

LONDON: British MPs voted on Wednesday to force Prime Minister Theresa May to quickly set out an alternative plan for Brexit if she loses a crucial vote on her EU withdrawal deal next week, in a second parliamentary defeat in 24 hours. The House of Commons voted to reduce the time the government has to outline a “plan B” from …

WASHINGTON: The US military is drafting plans to withdraw a few thousand troops from Afghanistan, The Washington Post reported on Wednesday, adding that the reduction will not affect major missions. The drafting follows instructions from US President Donald Trump to send him options for pulling out from a war, the longest in American history. The Post reported that the Pentagon …

KABUL: Afghan Chief Executive Abdullah Abdullah said on Wednesday that the Taliban’s refusal to involve the government in peace talks means the end to a conflict that has lasted 17 years can only remain a dream. Abdullah’s remarks came a day after the Taliban called off a fourth round of talks with US officials in Qatar, due to start this …