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A senior Afghan judge said he feels “heartbroken” and “backstabbed” by the British government who refused to offer him sanctuary despite a high court ruling in his favour. The Afghan, kept anonymous for his own protection, worked closely with British and American forces to prosecute the Taliban, Islamic State group [IS], Al-Qaeda and Haqqani, reported The Guardian. Yet, despite a high court ruling in April supporting his claim for UK refuge, the British government said the judge does not meet their policy criteria. Officials said he made a “minimal” effort to UK counter-terrorism efforts in th… Continue reading “Afghanistan: Judge feels betrayed by UK government”

Pakistan and Saudi Arabia on Sunday said they would discuss extending the terms of a $3 billion loan to help Islamabad’s faltering economy. The Gulf nation has long been an intelligence partner of Pakistan as well as a regular source of financial relief for successive governments. The latest sign of support follows a visit to Saudi Arabia by new Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, who has inherited a crippling national debt, galloping inflation and a feeble rupee. A joint statement said the kingdom would continue to support the Pakistani economy and had discussed “augmenting the $3 billion deposit … Continue reading “Pakistan, Saudi Arabia to discuss extending term of $3b loan”

The Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) is looking forward to drawing at least 1 million tourists per month during the high season in the final quarter thanks to a less cumbersome entry process. The agency reported a spike on Friday in Thailand Pass registrations thanks to the new entry rules enacted on April 1. “Even though there are challenging factors such as low travel confidence, a poor economy, the Russia-Ukraine conflict, a labour shortage in the tourism sector and heated competition from other destinations, our goal of 7-10 million arrivals remains within sight,” said TAT governor Yuth… Continue reading “TAT sees 1m arrivals per month during last quarter”

A fire broke out on Friday in the compound belonging to the most revered Shia shrine in Iran but was quickly extinguished, the country’s state-run news agency reported. No one was injured. The report by IRNA said one of the cleaning machines, that was in the yard of the Imam Reza shrine in the northeastern city of Mashhad, caught fire. Fire engines quickly arrived at the scene and put it out. IRNA also said the cause of the incident was under investigation. A fire broke out at #Iran’s Imam Reza Shrine in Mashhad. Follows a stabbing attack there earlier this month. pic.twitter.com/uqQPnzwCrn — … Continue reading “Iran: Fire at Mashhad’s Shia shrine causes no injuries”

A bomb blast in the Afghan capital ripped through a Sunni mosque and killed at least 10 worshippers on Friday, interior ministry officials said. The attack was one of a number of recent violent episodes in the country during Ramadan. Dozens of civilians have been killed. Some of the attacks were claimed bythe Islamic State group – targeting members of the Shia and Sufi Muslim communities. Grisly images of Friday’s blast posted on social media showed survivors running out of the mosque, with some carrying victims including children. Patches of blood could be seen on the floor of the mosque com… Continue reading “Afghanistan: 10 killed in bomb blast in Kabul mosque”

The Islamic State (IS) terror group claimed two bomb blasts aboard minibuses that killed at least nine people on Thursday in Afghanistan’s Mazar-i-Sharif, a week after a deadly explosion at a Shia mosque in the northern city. The number of violent public attacks across Afghanistan has fallen since the Taliban returned to power last August, but the Sunni extremist Islamic State group has continued to target Shia Muslims, whom they view as heretics. A string of deadly bombings targeting minority communities has convulsed the country in the past two weeks during the fasting month of Ramadan. Thur… Continue reading “Afghanistan: Islamic State claims deadly minibus bombings”

Two bomb blasts aboard separate minibuses killed at least nine people on Thursday in Mazar-i-Sharif, police said, a week after a deadly explosion rocked a Shia mosque in the northern Afghan city. The number of violent public attacks has fallen since Taliban Islamists seized control of Afghanistan last August after 20 years out of power, but the Sunni extremist Islamic State group has continued to target Shia Muslims, who they view as heretics. Thursday’s blasts occurred within minutes of each other in different districts of Mazar-i-Sharif as commuters were heading home to break their dawn to d… Continue reading “Afghanistan: Nine killed in two minibus bomb blasts”

Pakistan’s new Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif begins his maiden foreign trip Thursday to Saudi Arabia, seeking financial support from a country where he spent years in exile. The kingdom has long been an intelligence partner for Pakistan as well as a regular source of relief for its struggling economy. “Today I am embarking on a visit to Saudi Arabia to renew & reaffirm our bonds of brotherhood & friendship,” Sharif said on Twitter Thursday, adding that the country “has a special place in all our hearts”. Today I am embarking on a visit to Saudi Arabia to renew & reaffirm our bonds of brotherho… Continue reading “Pakistan PM Sharif heads to Saudi for first foreign visit”