KABUL: A fresh round of violence gripped Afghanistan on Saturday and explosions shattered weeks of relative calm in the capital Kabul, one day after the Taliban launched their annual spring offensive. The bloodshed comes as the US pushes for a peace settlement with the Taliban, and ahead of a new
KATHMANDU: A small plane veered off the runway and hit two helicopters while taking off near Mount Everest yesterday, killing three people and injuring three, officials said. The accident happened at Lukla airport which is the main gateway to the Everest region and is reputed to be one of the
BEIJING: Police have detained six more suspects linked to a chemical plant blast in eastern China last month which killed 78 and left hundreds injured, local authorities said. The explosion in Jiangsu province’s Yancheng city last month was one of the worst industrial accidents in the country in recent years
French tourism figures reached a new record in 2018 despite weeks of violent “yellow vest” protests that caused a late slump, the national statistics institute (INSEE) said Tuesday. The number of nights spent by people at French tourist accommodation, including hotels, campsites and youth hostels, rose to 438.2 million in
STOCKHOLM: Ikea will start renting and recycling furniture worldwide as part of an eco-friendly drive to address concerns its affordable, flat-pack business model leads to overconsumption and waste. Sceptics see the Swedish giant’s initiative as a mere marketing ploy, while supporters see a genuine sea change. Either way, Ikea says
Elephants with hearts and flowers painted on their bodies sprayed water at revellers celebrating Thailand’s traditional new year Thursday, in an annual event which has animal protection groups crying foul over animal cruelty. In Thailand’s former capital Ayutthaya, a tourist hotspot famed for its ancient temple ruins, more than a
The Hong Kong Sevens is getting ready to farewell its long-term home and move to a new stadium in a major reboot as rival cities up their game. The 40,000-seat Hong Kong Stadium has witnessed rugby greats including Jonah Lomu and David Campese, inspiring a thriving sevens world series and
SHANGHAI: Lewis Hamilton won the 1,000th Formula One Grand Prix yesterday after grabbing the lead from Mercedes team-mate Valtteri Bottas at the first corner and powering to victory in blustery Shanghai. Hamilton, who started from second on the grid, took the world championship lead after romping home to win the
PARIS: Marseille kept up their hunt for Champions League football on Saturday despite losing in-form striker Mario Balotelli to injury after VAR saw them escape last-gasp penalty drama to beat Nimes 2-1. Balotelli has helped kick-start Marseille’s chase for European football with seven goals in 11 Ligue 1 appearances since
LONDON: Manchester United needed two Paul Pogba penalties to stay in contention for a top-four Premier League finish by beating West Ham 2-1, while Tottenham moved up to third thanks to Lucas Moura’s hat-trick in a 4-0 win over Huddersfield on Saturday. United had lost four of their previous five