TEHRAN (DNA) – Pakistan’s Independence Day is being celebrated in Iran, with local administration in several cities adorning the public places with Pakistani flags and banners and hoardings inscribed with Happy Independence Day in Persian.
Turkey must keep US onside to maintain delicate balancing act
The escalating US-Turkish spat, with tit-for-tat sanctions being imposed, raises the question of whether we are witnessing the end of the US-Turkish alliance that has been a feature of Middle East politics for decades.Scenes of Turks burning dollar bills might suggest so, as might US sanctions on both the Turkish interior and justice ministers.
Before getting too involved in tracking the fusillade of hostile statements and tweets between the two leaderships, a careful assessment of the long-term strategic interests of those involved is salutary.
Asian shares, euro trampled as Turkish rout spreads
SYDNEY, (DNA) – Turkey’s lira recouped some of its losses as the country’s central bank took steps to stem the currency’s freefall while Asian shares were a sea of red as investors fled to safer assets such as the dollar, Swiss franc and yen.The run from risk dragged MSCI’s broadest index of Asia-Pacific shares outside Japan down 1.5 percent to a near one-year low. Japan’s Nikkei lost 2.0 percent with every bourse in the region in the red.
Children among 39 civilians dead in Syria arms depot blast: monitor
SARMADA, (DNA) – An explosion at a weapons depot that toppled buildings in a rebel-held town of northwest Syria killed at least 39 civilians including a dozen children Sunday, a monitor said.An correspondent at the site in Sarmada in Idlib province near the Turkish border said the explosion of unknown origin caused the collapse of two buildings.
Afghan Taliban delegation visits Uzbekistan to talk security, power lines
KABUL, (DNA) – A delegation from the Afghan Taliban met officials in Uzbekistan during a five-day trip to the country last week to discuss issues including transport and power lines and peace in Afghanistan, the movement´s political office said.
Aircraft taken from Seattle airport by mechanic crashes
An aircraft made an unauthorized takeoff from Seattle Tacoma International Airport on Friday night and crashed in the south Puget Sound, local media reported.Other flights were temporarily grounded.Horizon Q400 plane was piloted by a 29-year-old Pierce County man and crashed on Ketron Island, the Pierce County Sheriff’s Office said. There were no other passengers on the plane.
Massive power breakdown hits parts of Balochistan
QUETTA, (DNA) – Most parts of Balochistan suffered a major power breakdown on Wednesday night following technical fault in the 220KV Sibbi-Uch transmission line.Most cities of Balochistan, including Quetta, Sibbi, Pishin, Chagai, Noshki, Mastung, Bolan and Qila Abdullah, were plunged into darkness after the power breakdown.
China opposes any unilateral sanctions against Iran
DUBAI, (DNA) – China’s business ties with Iran are open, transparent and lawful, its foreign ministry said on Wednesday, after US President Donald Trump said companies doing business with Iran would be barred from the United States.China has consistently opposed unilateral sanctions and “long-armed jurisdiction”, the ministry said in a statement.
Egypt’s record-breaking keeper El-Hadary retires aged 45
CAIRO, (DNA) – Veteran Egyptian goalkeeper Essam El-Hadary has retired from international duty aged 45, after breaking the record for oldest player to appear at a World Cup in Russia.“After reflecting at length and asking God, I have decided to retire from international football,” El-Hadary wrote on Facebook .
Malaysian ex-PM Najib charged with money-laundering
KUALA LUMPUR, (DNA) – Malaysia’s former prime minister Najib Razak was hit with new charges Wednesday linked to a multi-billion-dollar financial scandal that contributed to his shock election defeat in May.Appearing at a court in Kuala Lumpur, Najib was charged with three counts of money-laundering over claims he pocketed 42 million ringgit ($10.3 million) from a former unit of scandal-hit sovereign wealth fund 1MDB.
