BenArmani

The man accused of murdering 19 disabled people at a Japanese care home in one of the country’s worst ever mass killings pleaded not guilty yesterday to the horrifying attack as his trial began. Satoshi Uematsu, a former employee of the care centre outside Tokyo, did not dispute his involvement in the horrifying stabbing rampage during his first court...

It will be “basically impossible” to negotiate all aspects of the future relationship between the European Union and Britain by the end of this year, the head of the European Commission said yesterday, adding that both sides must pick priorities. Speaking at the London School of Economics before meeting British Prime Minister Boris Johnson, Ursula von der Leyen cast doubt...

Pedro Sanchez was yesterday sworn in as prime minister, becoming head of Spain’s first coalition government since the return of democracy in the 1970s. He took the oath before King Felipe VI a day after being narrowly confirmed as premier in parliament and will take office as head of a minority coalition government with the radical leftwing Podemos. In a brief...

Millions went on strike throughout India yesterday, unions said, as workers angry at the government’s labour policies brought travel chaos across the country. The widespread action was in opposition to what unions called the “anti-worker and anti-people policies” of right-wing Prime Minister Narendra Modi. They highlighted the recent privatisation of public firms and natural resources and demanded a rise in the...

Thundery rain is expected in some places of the country Thursday, the Qatar Met department has said. Offshore areas, too, are likely to see thundershowers Thursday along with strong winds and high seas, according to the weather office. The Met department had said in a report on Tuesday that there are chances of scattered rain in the country during...

The fifth edition of #bigbmeetup will be celebrating the “Artists in Qatar” at Sheikh Faisal Bin Qassim Al Thani Museum Saturday. The event will be followed by a six-week exhibition in The Museum’s contemporary art space The White Majlis, according to a statement. A panel discussion moderated by multidisciplinary artist Othman Kunji is to feature local artists such as Bouthayna al-Muftah,...

The Public Works Authority has announced a traffic shift on G Ring main road between Interchange 31 and Interchange 32 from midnight to 5am tomorrow. The shift, implemented in co-ordination with the General Directorate of Traffic, is to allow completion of the installation of the ITS Gantry. Ashghal will install road signs advising motorists of the temporary closure and...

Aspire Zone Foundation (AZF) and Truxtun Capital yesterday announced the details of the Qatar Esports Wega Global Games Grand Ceremony, to be held at Khalifa International Stadium at 8pm on January 16 to launch the long-term partnership signed on March 24, 2019. Hosted by AZF and organised by fintech company Truxtun Capital, the Qatar Esports Wega Global Games invite fans...

Al Meera Consumer Goods Company inaugurated the new Rawdat Al Hamama branch in the presence of senior officials and government executives in an opening ceremony held yesterday. In a statement, Al Meera said the opening of the Rawdat Al Hamama branch marks an important milestone in the development of local communities, bringing the total number of Al Meera stores in...

Sudan has seized the assets of ousted president Omar al-Bashir's now-dissolved party, a senior member of the country's ruling sovereign council said. Assets of the National Congress Party (NCP) were seized under a law that was passed in November and that ordered the party's dissolution. The law's implementation is widely seen as a test of how far Sudan's transitional authorities are willing or...

Fears have emerged that heightened tensions between Iran and the United States could hamper investigations into a Ukrainian airliner that crashed in the outskirts of the Iranian capital. Ukraine International Airlines Flight 752 crashed less than three minutes after taking off from Tehran's Imam Khomeini International Airport on Wednesday, killing all 176 people on board. More: 'No survivors': Ukrainian jet crashes in Iran with 176 on board In Pictures: Ukrainian passenger...

NATO chief Jens Stoltenberg spoke with US President Donald Trump on Wednesday and agreed that the Western allies should take a more prominent role in the Middle East. "The President asked the secretary general for NATO to become more involved in the Middle East," a NATO statement said, after the call between Washington and Brussels. More: Trump: US imposing new 'powerful' sanctions on Iran...

US President Donald Trump said on Wednesday that Iranian missile strikes on bases in Iraq did not harm any US troops stationed there and damage was minimal, an outcome he said showed Tehran wanted to de-escalate a standoff. Iran "appears to be standing down", Trump said at the White House amid heightened tensions between Washington and Tehran over the US killing of Iranian...

Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia - An attack in the Middle East. Oil prices surge as investors fear supply disruptions. Once it becomes clear that those disruptions are not materialising, traders calm down and so do oil prices. Life on the global markets returns to business as usual. It's a cycle that's been repeated several times over the last 12 months, to varying degrees. The most recent...