ASTANA, Kazakhstan: Syria’s opposition yesterday said it was more important “than ever before” that Russia push Bashar al-Assad’s government towards a political settlement, as new peace talks kicked off in Kazakhstan, reports AFP. A new round of Syria peace talks backed by powerbrokers…

MOSCOW: Russia’s parliament yesterday ratified an agreement with Damascus to expand the Russian military’s naval facility in the Syrian port of Tartus, reports AFP. The agreement was signed in Syria in January and was sent last week by Russian President Vladimir Putin for ratification by…

SEOUL: At least 29 people were killed and 26 injured yesterday in a major blaze at a fitness centre building in the South Korean city of Jecheon, officials…

SHANGHAI: Chinese ride-sharing firm Didi Chuxing said yestersday it had raised $4 billion from investors, months after a funding round that made it Asia’s most valuable startup, as it presses on with a global battle with US giant Uber, reports AFP. Local and foreign groups contributed to the huge…

UNITED NATIONS: Pakistan has raked up the Kashmir issue again at the UN Security Council, linking it to the Palestinian crisis and asserting that the world continues to watch these "egregious" situations without addressing them, reports The Times of India. Participating in an open debate at…

LA PAZ, Mexico: Six bodies were found hanging from bridges Wednesday in Mexico’s Baja California, a region known for its pristine beaches and popular with foreign tourists, authorities said, reports AFP. Grisly killings were once rare in the country’s tourism hotspots but have risen in recent…

MANILA: Four people were killed and 11 others were missing yesterday after a ferry with hundreds on board capsized in stormy weather off the Philippines, rescuers said, reports AFP. Over 200 passengers and crew were plucked to safety after the Mercraft 3 keeled over in heavy seas en route to a remote…

West Bank: More than 80 Palestinians have been injured in fresh protests across the West Bank, two weeks after US President Donald Trump’s recognition of Jerusalem as Israel’s capital, according to the Red Crescent, reports Al Jazeera. At least three people were injured with live bullets,…

MELBOURNE: A car ploughed into a crowd in Australia’s second-largest city on yesterday injuring 19 people in what police said was a “deliberate act” but one they did not believe was terror related, reports AFP. Witnesses said people were thrown through the air after being hit by the…