LONDON – British Prime Minister David Cameron opened an emergency session of the House of Commons on Thursday by saying the debate on Syria is about “how to respond to one of most abhorrent uses of chemical weapons in a century” — not about regime change or invasion. “Put simply, is it in Britain’s national…
LONDON – The UK is to put a resolution to the UN Security Council later on Wednesday “authorising necessary measures to protect civilians” in Syria. The resolution will be put forward at a meeting of the five permanent members of the council, UK Prime Minister David Cameron said on Twitter. Earlier a team of UN…
WASHINGTON – American forces are “ready” to launch strikes on Syria if President Barack Obama chooses to order an attack, US Defence Secretary Chuck Hagel says. “We have moved assets in place to be able to fulfil and comply with whatever option the president wishes to take,” Mr Hagel told the BBC. US Secretary of…
DAMASCUS – Unidentified snipers have opened fire on a convoy of UN experts investigating suspected chemical weapons attacks in Syria’s capital, the UN has said. One car was shot at “multiple times”, forcing the convoy to turn back. The UN promised to continue with the inquiry as soon as it could replace the car. Syrian…
DAMASCUS – Chemical weapons attacks have killed hundreds on the outskirts of Damascus, Syrian opposition activists say. Rockets with toxic agents were launched at the suburbs of the Ghouta region early on Wednesday as part of a major bombardment on rebel forces, they say. State-run news agency Sana said the claims were “baseless” and an…
LONDON – The police will be asked to justify the detention of a journalist’s partner under terror laws, the chairman of the Home Affairs Select Committee has said. Keith Vaz said the full facts of David Miranda’s nine-hour detention at Heathrow must be established quickly. Mr Miranda’s partner is the Guardian’s Glenn Greenwald, who has…
WASHINGTON – Old wounds appear to be opening between Russia and the US over Moscow’s decision to grant asylum to Edward Snowden. Relations between the US and Russia have hit a new low, with Barack Obama, the US president, openly stating that their partnership just is not working. Washington is still fuming at Moscow’s decision…
MOSCOW – Russia’s highest court has reduced 11-year prison terms for jailed former oil tycoon Mikhail Khodorkovsky and his business partner – by two months. The pair had asked the court to overturn their guilty verdicts and release them immediately. The ruling means Khodorkovsky, once Russia’s richest man, is set to be released in August…
WASHINGTON – The US State Department has told citizens and non-emergency government staff to leave Yemen “immediately” due to security threats. It comes after the sudden closure of 20 US embassies and consulates on Sunday. This was prompted by intercepted conversations between two senior al-Qaeda figures, including top leader Ayman al-Zawahiri, US media said. The…
WASHINGTON – The US state department has said it is issuing a global travel alert because of an unspecified al-Qaeda threat. In a statement, the department said the potential for an attack is particularly strong in the Middle East and North Africa. The move comes shortly after the US announced the closure of embassies in…
