MOSCOW: Russia yesterday said Syrian rebels are preparing a chemical attack in Idlib province which will be blamed on Damascus and used as a pretext for…

TUMBES:  Peru yesterday closed its borders to Venezuelan migrants without a passport, as thousands holding only identification cards reached the…

HONOLULU: Torrential rain pounded Hawaii yesterday as Hurricane Lane, now downgraded to a tropical storm, slowly skirted the Pacific state, dumping enough rain to trigger landslides and “catastrophic” flooding, reports AFP. By 0900 GMT, Lane was located some 135 miles (220 kilometers) south-southwest…

BEIRUT: At least 27 people are being held by the Islamic State group in southern Syria, Human Rights Watch said yesterday as it deplored the hostage-taking as a “war crime”, reports AFP. The group of mostly women and children were abducted by IS during a massive July 25 assault on the Druze…

NEW DELHI: Hospitals are readying anti-venom and flood victims returning home in the Indian state of Kerala have been told to stay alert as receding waters leave behind a glut of snakes, reports AFP. Local media reports warned that snakes may be “hiding in cupboards” or under carpets, among…

BEIJING: A fire early Saturday at a hotel in China has left at least 18 people dead and 19 injured, according to state media, reports AFP. The blaze broke…