Saudi and Omani delegations have been holding talks with Houthi officials in the Yemeni capital Sanaa as Riyadh seeks to end its military involvement in the latest chapter of conflict in Yemen’s modern history. Following is a timeline of Yemen’s slide into conflict: 1990: North and South Yemen unified to form a single state under President Ali Abdullah Saleh. 1994: In a civil war, Saleh prevents southern Yemen – angered by what it sees as its lower status – from splitting with northern Yemen. 2003-09: A Houthi group in northern Yemen protests marginalisation of the local Zaydi Shia Muslim sect,…
Author: National Tone
A series of documents, purporting to contain highly classified Pentagon intelligence related to the Ukraine war and information gathering on close US allies, have emerged online in recent weeks. As United States media has increasingly reported on the apparent leak, officials have walked a careful line in their response, with Pentagon spokesman Chris Meagher saying that the circulating photos “appear to show documents similar in format” to those provided to senior military leaders, but stressing that defence department staff were still assessing their authenticity. Several officials have also warned that at least some of the documents appear to be doctored,…
UN says negative consequences of the crisis for Afghan people will be the responsibility of the de facto authorities.The United Nations is being forced to make an “appalling choice” about whether to continue operations in Afghanistan while the Taliban government bans women from working for the organisation. Taliban authorities have imposed a slew of restrictions on Afghan women since seizing power in 2021, including banning them from higher education and many government jobs. In December, they banned Afghan women from working for domestic and foreign non-governmental organisations, and on April 4 extended that to UN offices across the country. In…
On an early spring afternoon, Tregantle Beach is bathed in a dazzling light reminiscent of a painting by British landscape artist JMW Turner as sea, sky and sun merge. “It’s beautiful, right? But look at your feet,” says Rob Arnold, 65, an environmental activist and artist, crouching down to pick tiny plastic balls out of the Cornwall sand. The bits of plastic are the size of a lentil and are used by industry to manufacture plastic products. They are known as nurdles and are sometimes nicknamed “mermaids’ tears” because when spilled at industrial facilities, they can be swept into drains…
Up to a quarter of a million appointments could be postponed in the longest stoppage of the wave of unrest in the UK.Junior doctors across England have launched a four-day strike over pay that is likely to cause unprecedented disruption to the health service, leaving up to a quarter of a million appointments postponed. Doctors mounted picket lines outside hospitals from 7am on Tuesday to run until Saturday morning in the longest stoppage of the wave of unrest, which has seen nurses, ambulance crews and other health workers take action since last year. Tens of thousands of junior doctors –…
Police say the woman was ‘caned 82 strokes’ and ‘stoned 80 times’ with small brick pieces after an imam issued a ‘fatwa’, a religious decree.A Muslim scholar and three village elders have been arrested in Bangladesh on charges of ordering a woman to be caned and stoned after she was accused of an extramarital affair, according to police. Police on Monday said the woman was “caned 82 strokes” and “stoned 80 times” with small brick pieces after an imam issued a fatwa, a religious decree, punishing her last week. Police inspector Zakir Hossain said on Tuesday officers arrested four people,…
A decent evening card at Dunstall Park looks set to be headlined by some very intriguing colts clashing in a maiden, live on Sky Sports Racing. 5.30 Wolverhampton – Beaufort bids for third victoryGeorge Scott runs Margaret Beaufort in this At The Races App Market Movers Handicap (5:30) and looks to have a leading chance when compared to her rivals’ form of late. She has won two of three starts in handicap company and now gets the services of champion all-weather jockey Daniel Muscutt in the saddle.Assuming she handles the step up in trip, she will take a world of…
North Korean leader orders expansion of war deterrence to counter ‘frantic’ aggression from US and South Korea.Leader Kim Jong Un has called for the strengthening of North Korea’s war deterrence in a “more practical and offensive” manner in a meeting with senior military officials to discuss the country’s preparations for conflict, according to state media. The meeting of the Central Military Commission of the ruling Workers’ Party on Monday came amid heightened tensions as the pace of joint military drills by the United States and South Korea have intensified. North Korea’s official Korean Central News Agency said the commission’s members…
Tsai Ing-wen says Beijing’s military drills are a risk to stability as authorities say eight PLA ships remain around island.Taiwan’s President Tsai Ing-wen has condemned China over its three days of military exercises around the self-ruled island, saying they were irresponsible and a threat to regional stability. Beijing wrapped up its war games, which simulated strikes on the territory of 23 million people, on April 10 although Taiwan’s Ministry of National Defense said that eight Chinese vessels continued to operate “in the waters surrounding Taiwan” on Tuesday morning. The drills began after Tsai returned home from a visit to Central…
ARLINGTON, Texas (AP) — Texas Rangers left-hander Andrew Heaney tied an AL record by striking out nine consecutive batters on Monday night against the Kansas City Royals. Heaney matched a record shared by Detroit reliever Tyler Alexander against Cincinnati on Aug. 2, 2020, and Detroit reliever Doug Fister against Kansas City on Sept. 27, 2012. The major league record for consecutive strikeouts is 10, set by the New York Mets’ Tom Seaver on April 22, 1970 and matched by the Philadelphia Phillies’ Aaron Nola on June 25, 2021 and the Milwaukee Brewers’ Corbin Burnes on Aug. 11, 2021. Heaney recorded…