British PM wishes ‘partner’ India on Republic Day
london: UK Prime Minister David Cameron on Saturday described the Indo-British ties as “a partnership between equals” in his special message to India ahead of the country’s 65th Republic Day. “As millions of people mark this important milestone, we can reflect on the enduring and special relationship between our two nations – the world’s oldest democracy and its largest,” said a statement from his Downing Street office.
Charlie Hebdo weekly circulation hits 7 million
Paris: Circulation of the “survivors’” issue of Charlie Hebdo, published after a deadly attack on the French satirical weekly’s Paris office, is set to top seven million, the distributor has said. A total of 6.3 million copies were for France alone, amid an outpouring of grief and anger over the attack by two Islamist gunmen this month, which left 12 people dead, including some of Charlie Hebdo’s top cartoonists. Five more people were killed in related attacks by a separate gunman.
World leaders head to Saudi to meet new King Salman
Riyadh: Dignitaries and leaders from around the world were to arrive in Saudi Arabia on Saturday to offer their condolences to its new King Salman, a day after the death of his half-brother King Abdullah. British PM David Cameron, Prince Charles and French President Francois Hollande were among the first leaders expected while US Vice-President Joe Biden was due to visit in the coming days.
UN accuses Israel of razing homes of 77 Palestinians
Jerusalem: The United Nations has accused Israel of illegally demolishing the homes of 77 Palestinians, mostly children, this week in annexed east Jerusalem and the occupied West Bank. “In the past three days, 77 Palestinians, over half of them children, have been made homeless,” the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) said in a statement.
UK Queen becomes world’s oldest monarch
london: Britain’s Queen Elizabeth II is now the world’s oldest monarch following the death of King Abdullah of Saudi Arabia. Abdullah, who was 90 and passed away on Friday, was two years older to the Queen, who will be 89 in April this year.
Spain arrests four suspected jehadists
Madrid: Police on Saturday arrested four suspected Islamist extremists in the Spanish territory of Ceuta bordering Morocco and were investigating whether they were planning attacks in Spain, the Government said.
Boko Haram gunmen kill 15 in Nigeria’s northeast
Maiduguri: Boko Haram gunmen killed 15 people including a village leader near Maiduguri, the heartland of the Islamist group blamed for thousands of deaths in its six-year insurgency, security sources and residents said on Saturday.