Afghan talks Taliban peace process with Pak

Islamabad: An Afghan official on Monday met top Pakistani diplomat and discussed a host of issues, including the fate of Afghan peace process after the death of Taliban chief Mullah Akhtar Mansour in a US drone attack recently.

China angry as boats detained in Indonesia

Jakarta: Beijing insisted on Monday a Chinese boat detained close to Indonesian islands had been fishing legally, in a fresh flare-up of tensions between the countries in the South China Sea. The Indonesian Navy seized the Chinese boat in waters near the Natuna Islands on Friday for allegedly fishing “illegally”.

54 Muslim rebels killed in south: Philippine

Manila: Intense fighting between Philippine troops and a little-known Muslim group apparently inspired by the ISIS group has killed 54 militants and two soldiers, officials said on Monday.

Bleaching kills 35% of corals in Reef

Melbourne: Mass bleaching has killed 35 per cent of corals on northern and central sections of Australia’s iconic Great Barrier Reef, scientists said on Monday, with the current event at the World Heritage Site much more extreme than measured before.

Rodrigo proclaimed Philippines’ next prez

Manila: The Philippine Parliament on Monday proclaimed Rodrigo Duterte the nation’s next president following his landslide election win this month, but he snubbed the event.

ISIS bombings in Baghdad kill  24

Baghdad: A wave of bombings claimed by the ISIS group targeted commercial areas in and around Baghdad on Monday, killing at least 24 people in attacks that came as Iraqi troops poised to recapture Fallujah.

Kuwait jails 3 royals for insulting emir

Kuwait City: A Kuwait court on Monday sentenced three members of the Al-Sabah ruling family and four others to jail terms for insulting the emir and the judiciary on the Internet.