International

BEIRUT, June 12, (AFP): USbacked Syrian fighters battling the Islamic State group pushed closer to the Old City in the jihadist stronghold of Raqqa on Monday, a monitor said. The Kurdish and Arab fighters of the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) entered Raqqa for the first time almost a week ago, …

MARAWI, Philippines, June 12, (Agencies): Filipinos marked the country’s Independence Day by raising the national flag Monday in a southern city where troops pressed assaults to quell a three-week siege by Islamic State group-aligned militants that has left 270 combatants and civilians dead. Many were teary-eyed during the flag-raising ceremonies …

A powerful 6.3 magnitude earthquake struck the western coast of Turkey and the Greek island of Lesbos on Monday, rattling buildings from the Aegean Turkish province of Izmir to Greece’s capital of Athens. The epicentre of the quake was about 84 kms (52 miles) northwest of the Turkish coastal city …

DOHA SAYS GULF CITIZENS CAN STAY – BOYCOTT COALITION MAY EASE EXPULSIONS Qatar hires 9/11 Attorney General Ashcroft to audit end to terror funding KUWAIT CITY, June 11, (Agencies): Kuwait stressed on Sunday the “inevitability” of resolving the rift between several neighbouring Gulf Arab states through dialogue as it continues …

TIRKIT, Iraq, June 11, (Agencies): Iraqi forces repelled an offensive launched in the early hours of Saturday by Islamic State on the Sunni town of Shirqat, south of Mosul, during which 38 military and civilians were killed and about 40 more wounded, security sources said. Islamic State lost 24 fighters …

GCC citizens impacted by diplomatic crisis DOHA, June 11, (AFP): Rashed al-Jalahma, 22, has lived almost his whole life in Qatar, but he now faces the decision of whether to stay or return “home” to Bahrain. The aeronautical engineer student is one of thousands of “Khaleejis” — Gulf citizens — …

MARAWI, Philippines, June 11, (Agencies): From the third-story window of a barren government office building he now squats in as a refugee, Nasir Abdul is watching his city being destroyed. Nearly every day for the past three weeks, the Philippine military has pounded the lakeside town of Marawi with rockets …

LONDON, June 11, (RTRS): Iran has arrested almost 50 people in connection with twin attacks on Tehran that killed 17 people last week, officials said, as security forces stepped up efforts to crack down on suspected militants. Islamic State claimed responsibility for the suicide bombings and gun attacks on parliament …

Crisis hinders US military actions WASHINGTON, June 10, (Agencies): The US supports mediation efforts of His Highness the Amir of Kuwait to bring about a peaceful resolution to the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) dispute with Qatar, as well as progress toward eliminating all forms of support for terrorism — military, …

DUBAI, June 10, (RTRS): Iranian authorities have arrested seven people it suspects of helping militants involved in this week’s attacks in the capital Tehran, a judiciary official said on Saturday. Islamic State claimed responsibility for the suicide bombings and gun attacks on parliament and the mausoleum of the Islamic Republic’s …