16 militants arrested in Pakistan's Swat Valley
Sixteen militants were arrested and a huge cache of arms recovered by security forces in Pakistan's nothwestern Swat Valley.
By HT Correspondent | PTI, Islamabad
UPDATED ON FEB 09, 2008 04:13 PM IST
Sixteen militants were arrested and a huge cache of arms recovered by security forces in Pakistan's nothwestern Swat Valley on Saturday.
A fresh search operation was launched in the area around Tutan Bande and Manja villages after authorities imposed a night curfew in parts of the valley to facilitate the safe movement of troops.
The search was done following reports that radical cleric Maulana Fazlullah, who leads the militants in Swat, was hiding in the region, TV channels reported.
Fazlullah has been on the run since the army and paramilitary forces launched a major operation against his Shaheen Commando Force in November last year.
The cleric and his men had been running a parallel government in nearly 60 villages in Swat.
Close to 300 people, a majority of them militants, have been killed during operations in Swat.
China conducts drill in South China sea, US steps up vigil: Report
ANI, Beijing
PUBLISHED ON FEB 28, 2021 01:19 PM IST
The Chinese military's Southern Theatre Command conducted a live-fire drill to test its response to repeated missile attacks in a "far sea", state broadcaster CCTV reported on Saturday without saying when or where the exercise took place.
Sunak to freeze few income tax rate thresholds: Times
Bloomberg
PUBLISHED ON FEB 28, 2021 01:05 PM IST
About 800,000 people who currently aren’t paying income taxes will do so before the next election is due, the paper said.
China’s to adopt clean energy; cut usage of coal in energy mix to 52% by 2025
Bloomberg
PUBLISHED ON FEB 28, 2021 12:56 PM IST
Coal use accounted for 56.8% of the country’s total energy consumption last year, down 0.9 of a percentage point from 2019, according to figures released Sunday by the National Bureau of Statistics.
German radio jockey Matthias Matuschik compares BTS to Covid-19
AP, Berlin
UPDATED ON FEB 28, 2021 12:16 PM IST
- The uproar came after a live show Wednesday, in which Matuschik derided BTS's version of “Fix You” as “blasphemy” and compared the band to COVID-19
OPEC+ faces calls to cool oil market frenzy with extra barrels
Bloomberg
PUBLISHED ON FEB 28, 2021 12:09 PM IST
Prices have rallied to pre-virus levels, while US production has taken a hit from freezing storms.
Prince William warns against anti-vaccination messages on social media
AFP
PUBLISHED ON FEB 28, 2021 12:00 PM IST
The royal family is speaking out as health officials have voiced concerns over lower take-up among ethnic minority communities.
Jamal Khashoggi killing: For some, US report 'vindication' of Prince Salman
Bloomberg
UPDATED ON FEB 28, 2021 11:08 AM IST
For the prince’s supporters, the report represented a practical victory, because it contained no new details, didn’t disclose any evidence on which it was based, and used equivocal words like “probably.”
Pakistan's debt continues to mount, owes $6.7 billion to foreign lenders: Report
ANI, Islamabad
UPDATED ON FEB 28, 2021 10:53 AM IST
In January alone, the government received USD 960 million in foreign loans, including USD 675 million from commercial banks, which were the most expensive loans.
Virginia votes to legalize marijuana, end disparate treatment of people of color
AP, Richmond
PUBLISHED ON FEB 28, 2021 10:29 AM IST
With a compromise bill clearing the House and Senate, Virginia becomes the first Southern state to vote to legalize marijuana, joining 15 other states and the District of Columbia.
UK's NHS to invite 'over-60s' to book Covid-19 vaccine jabs at nearest centres
PTI
PUBLISHED ON FEB 28, 2021 10:15 AM IST
Almost 2 million people aged 60 to 63 will be invited after over 64s had been covered in the previous phase and letters will start arriving from Monday explaining how they can make an appointment for the jab.
Coup stalls democracy, protesters gather in Myanmar after hundreds arrested
Reuters
PUBLISHED ON FEB 28, 2021 09:26 AM IST
State television announced that Myanmar's UN envoy had been fired for betraying the country, after he urged the United Nations to use "any means necessary" to reverse the Feb. 1 coup
Biden says Saudi announcement to come Monday; White House plays down new steps
Reuters, Washington
PUBLISHED ON FEB 28, 2021 08:27 AM IST
Khashoggi, a US resident who wrote opinion columns for the Washington Post critical of MbS policies, was killed by a team of operatives linked to the prince in the kingdom’s consulate in Istanbul in 2018.
Saudi Arabia says Huthi missile attack on Riyadh thwarted
AFP
PUBLISHED ON FEB 28, 2021 08:19 AM IST
The Saudi-led coalition said it intercepted a Huthi ballistic missile targeting Riyadh, according to the official SPA news agency.
Another former aide accuses New York governor Cuomo of sexual harassment
AP
PUBLISHED ON FEB 28, 2021 08:04 AM IST
The accuser told New York Times that Andrew Cuomo asked her inappropriate questions about her sex life. Cuomo, in turn, denied making advances towards her.
'Are you available?': Doc appears in court video call while performing surgery
AP, Sacramento
PUBLISHED ON FEB 28, 2021 06:40 AM IST
When Link appeared and saw the doctor on the screen, the judge hesitated to proceed with the trial out of concern for the welfare of the patient.
