Facing uncertainty after overthrow of al-Assad, Biden orders airstrikes on Islamic State in Syria

Dec92024 by thestatelineNo Comments

Facing uncertainty after overthrow of al-Assad, Biden orders airstrikes on Islamic State in Syria

New York: Facing uncertainty in Syria after the rapid overthrow of Bashar al-Assad, Washington bombed sites controlled by Islamic State, a group on the terrorist list, as President Joe Biden’s administration tried to recalibrate its policy for that country. The US faces a quandary because the rebels who have captured Damascus and sent al-Assad into exile in Russia are led by an organisation that is also listed as terrorist, Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS), for its al-Qaeda link. While celebrating the fall of al-Assad, Biden addressed the “risk and uncertainty” in Syria to Washington and the region and the initial US response. “Just today, US forces conducted a dozen precision strikes, airstrikes, within Syria targeting ISIS camps and ISIS operatives”, he said. “We’re clear-eyed abou...

Dec92024 by thestatelineNo Comments

Australia: 100 arrested in police operation targeting Sydney drug dealers

SPECIAL, SPORTS, TOP STORIES, WORLD

Sydney: Over 100 people have been charged and arrested in a major police operation targeting Sydney drug dealers, police in Australia's state of New South Wales (NSW) said on Monday. Among the 108 people who were arrested and have been charged following the operation across Sydney over three weekends, 64 have been charged with supply of a prohibited drug and 44 with drug possession offences. One person was also charged with a domestic violence-related offence, reports Xinhua news agency. Anyone convicted of supplying a prohibited drug in NSW faces a maximum penalty of 15 years imprisonment. During the arrests, police officers from Strike Force Northrop seized cocaine, MDMA, cannabis, ketamine and methamphetamine with an estimated street value of 210,000 Australian dollars ($134,33...

Dec92024 by thestatelineNo Comments

Four dead, ten missing as minibus plunges into canal in Egypt’s Asyut

SPECIAL, SPORTS, TOP STORIES, WORLD

Cairo: Rescue teams in Egypt's Asyut province recovered the bodies of four people after a minibus carrying 14 passengers plunged into a canal in the Dayrout district. Search efforts are ongoing for the remaining missing passengers, while divers and water police are currently involved in the operation, state-run Al-Ahram newspaper reported. Egypt has a high rate of traffic accidents. Some blame the situation on careless driving, while others say the real cause is the poor condition of Egypt's roads. According to the official statistics agency CAPMAS, road accidents in the country claimed 5,861 lives in 2023. --IANS

Dec92024 by thestatelineNo Comments

Healthy diets reduce chronic pain: Australian study

SOUTH ASIA, SPECIAL, SPORTS, TOP STORIES, WORLD

Canberra: Adopting a healthy diet can reduce the severity of chronic pain, an Australian research has found. In a new study, researchers from the University of South Australia found a direct link between greater consumption of food within the federal government's Australian Dietary Guidelines and lower levels of body pain, particularly among women, reports Xinhua news agency. "It's common knowledge that eating well is good for your health and well-being. But knowing that simple changes to your diet could offset chronic pain could be life-changing," Sue Ward, a co-author of the study, said. Previous research has found that over 30 per cent of people globally suffer from chronic pain, with women and people who are overweight or obese more likely to be affected. The new study foun...

Dec92024 by thestatelineNo Comments

The Wheel Of The Time Season 3: Teaser and release date revealed

ENTERTAINMENT, SPECIAL, TOP STORIES, WORLD

Mumbai: Prime Video has unveiled the teaser for Season 3 of its fantasy series "The Wheel of Time" along with its release date. The third season will premiere globally on March 13, 2025. The teaser was revealed at the Thunder Stage at CCXP24 in São Paulo, Brazil. Showrunner Rafe Judkins and cast members Josha Stradowski (Rand al'Thor) and Madeleine Madden (Egwene al'Vere) participated in a panel, sharing a fun and insightful conversation with hosts Aline Diniz and Ikaro Kadoshi. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=erxeLAg85fg They previewed the series' upcoming action and shared what's in store for many fans' favorite characters. The teaser showcases a changing world, where the Shadow’s roots have taken hold and the battle between Light and Dark has become so consequential that Moirai...

Dec92024 by thestatelineNo Comments

28 killed, 37 injured in bombardment of fuel station in Sudan’s capital

SOUTH ASIA, SPORTS, TOP STORIES, WORLD

Khartoum: At least 28 people were killed and 37 others injured in a bombardment targeting a fuel station south of the Sudanese capital Khartoum, according to a volunteer group and local media. "The ammonia fuel station, in the new Market 6 in Mayo neighborhood, north of Bashair Hospital, was bombed, resulting in significant human and material losses," South Khartoum Emergency Room, a local volunteer group, said in a statement on Sunday. The injuries included 29 burn cases, three of which were first-degree burns, and eight cases of shrapnel wounds, Xinhua news agency reported. The group said medical efforts were going on to deal with the incident, calling for additional medical assistance for the injured. The Sudanese news portal Al-Rakoba confirmed on Sunday that 28 people were...

Dec92024 by thestatelineNo Comments

Pakistan: 22 terrorists, 6 security members killed in military operations

SOUTH ASIA, SPORTS, TOP STORIES, WORLD

Islamabad: Twenty-two terrorists and six security members were killed in separate military operations in Pakistan, the military said. Security forces conducted the operations in various districts of the northwest Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province, the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR), the media wing of the Pakistani military, said in a statement on Saturday. During an intelligence-based operation in Tank district, nine terrorists were killed and six others injured, Xinhua news agency reported. In another operation, 10 terrorists were killed after security forces engaged terrorists' location in North Waziristan district of the province. Separately, security forces successfully thwarted terrorists' attempt to attack a security check post in Hangu district and killed three terrori...

Dec42024 by thestatelineNo Comments

CEO of largest US healthcare company shot dead in mid-town New York

SPORTS, TOP STORIES, WORLD

New York: The CEO of the largest US health insurance company was shot dead early Wednesday in a brazen attack outside a mid-town hotel in New York. Brian Thompson, who heads UnitedHealthcare (UHC), was killed in what officials said was a “targeted attack” and the masked assailant escaped on a bicycle. The killing happened as the city was flooded by tourists as it goes into the holiday season with the lighting of the iconic Christmas tree at the Rockefeller Centre near the site of the shooting set a few hours later. To reassure visitors, Mayor Eric Adams said: "We want to be clear to New Yorkers that this does not appear to be a random act of violence". Concern over crime – 62 per cent of Americans expressed fears in a survey – was a factor in the presidential election. Repor...

Dec32024 by thestatelineNo Comments

Israel buys advanced drones to bolster battlefield capabilities: Ministry

INDIA, SOUTH ASIA, SPORTS, TOP STORIES, WORLD

Jerusalem: Israel's Defence Ministry announced on Tuesday the purchase of $40 million worth of advanced drones and autonomous systems from Elbit Systems, an Israeli weapons and defence manufacturer. Under the contracts, Elbit will supply intelligence-collection drones, mission-specific drones, and mini-drones designed for precision strikes in urban areas, Xinhua news agency reported. The new systems feature "advanced capabilities and are designed for various missions, including precise intelligence gathering and targeted strikes," said the ministry, adding that it strengthens the military's autonomous combat capabilities on the battlefield. Since October 7, 2023, Israel has been engaged in multi-front conflicts involving Lebanon, Syria, Yemen, Iraq, and a major military campaign i...

Dec32024 by thestatelineNo Comments

Nearly 4,000 families displaced by floods in Kenya

INDIA, SOUTH ASIA, SPORTS, TOP STORIES, WORLD

Nairobi: About 4,000 households have been displaced by floods in Kenya, a government official said Tuesday. Raymond Omollo, principal secretary in the Ministry of Interior and National Administration, said the most affected families are in the western part of the country. "Busia and Kisumu counties are among the hardest-hit following heavy rainfall over the past week, which has displaced 3,970 households. The displacement has been largely attributed to the overflow of rivers Nzoia, Nyando, Yala, Miriu and Awach," Omollo said in a statement issued in the Kenyan capital of Nairobi. He said that as part of a long-term strategy, the government will relocate communities at risk to better housing facilities and redesign 30-meter riparian corridors along the rivers and other large water ...