US House passes defense bill authorizing record spending
By Patricia Zengerle WASHINGTON (Reuters) -The U.S. House of Representatives passed its version of a sweeping bill setting policy for
2023-07-14 23:28
Second heat wave in as many weeks grips Mediterranean while fires hit Spain, Switzerland and Greece
Officials are warning residents and tourists packing Mediterranean destinations to stay indoors as a second heat wave in as many weeks hits the region and Greece, Spain and Switzerland battle wildfires
2023-07-18 19:18
'Breaking Bad' actor Mike Batayeh dead at 52 after suffering a heart attack while sleeping
Mike Batayeh did the role of a manager at Gustavo Fring's laundromat in Breaking Bad from 2011-2012
2023-06-10 05:48
Libyan rivals 'co-ordinating over flood disaster'
More than 5,300 people died after dam bursts brought devastating floods to the eastern city of Derna.
2023-09-14 12:26
Hezbollah leader denies reports linking the Iran-backed group to Syria's drug dealer
The leader of Lebanon’s Hezbollah militant group has denounced as "baseless lies" reports that one of Syria’s most well-known drug dealers, who was killed earlier this week in an airstrike near the Jordanian border, was linked to the Iran-backed group. Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah's televised speech on Friday came four days after the rare strike that some Syrian opposition activists claimed was carried out by Jordan’s air force. The activists and a war monitor said the amphetamine Captagon kingpin killed Monday was among the most wanted by Jordanian authorities for drug smuggling across the border with the backing of a small militia. Syrian activists say Merhi al-Ramthan, who was killed with his wife and six children, worked closely with militias linked to Syrian President Bashar Assad and Iran-backed Hezbollah. Western governments estimate that Captagon has generated billions of dollars in revenue for Assad, his Syrian associates and allies. Damascus has denied the accusations. “Had we been making billions of dollars it would have been noticed,” Nasrallah joked about the charges. Speaking about linking al-Ramthan to Hezbollah, Nasrallah said “these are lies and unjust charges.” Nasrallah added that had it not been for Hezbollah’s help, the Lebanese state would not have been able to carry out raids against drug dealers in Lebanon. Hezbollah enjoys wide influence in northeast Lebanon, a region that for decades has been a center of drug production. Monday’s strike in southern Syria that killed al-Ramthan and another that destroyed a factory came a day after Arab governments reinstated Syria to the Arab League following the country’s suspension for its crackdown on protests that ultimately led to a lengthy civil war. As Arab governments gradually restore ties with Damascus, one of the key topics of discussion has been Syria’s illicit drug industry, which has flourished during the ongoing conflict — especially the illegal amphetamine Captagon. “These are baseless lies. For us Captagon and other types of drugs are religiously prohibited,” said Nasrallah, a Shiite Muslim cleric and major political figure in Lebanon. Speaking about reconciliation between Syria and oil-rich Arab countries, Nasrallah said anti-Syrian politicians in Lebanon are “disconnected from reality” and are working to keep Beirut’s relations with Damascus cold. “It is in Lebanon’s interest to fix relations with Syria,” Nasrallah said, adding that the Lebanese government should send a high-ranking delegation to Damascus to discuss ways to address the refugee crisis that has pushed hundreds of thousands of Syrians to flee into in Lebanon. Sentiments against Syrian refugees have been rising in Lebanon since the country’s massive economic meltdown that started in 2019 that has left three quarters of the Lebanese population living in poverty. Hezbollah sent thousands of fighters to battle alongside Syrian government forces during the 12-year war, helping tip the balance of power in Assad’s favor. Read More Ukraine war’s heaviest fight rages in east - follow live Charity boss speaks out over ‘traumatic’ encounter with royal aide Inflation in Argentina leaves familes struggling to feed themselves Nissan reports surging profit amid strong sales, easing chip crunch Arab governments vote for Syria's return to the Arab League
2023-05-13 02:21
Dodgers pitcher Julio Urías arrested near Los Angeles stadium where Messi was playing MLS game
Los Angeles Dodgers pitcher Julio Urías was arrested near BMO Stadium, where Lionel Messi was playing in a Major League Soccer game with numerous celebrities in attendance
2023-09-05 03:59
Curtains, sleeping with teachers: 2024 Republican debate takes strange turns
By Alexandra Ulmer Two White House hopefuls squabbled over curtains on live television, while a third boasted he
2023-09-28 12:56
Ukraine hits HQ of Russia's symbolic Black Sea navy
One soldier is missing, says Moscow, after a missile hits a flagship unit of the Russian navy.
2023-09-22 22:45
Disney to hike streaming prices and crack down on password sharing amid pressure on earnings
Walt Disney Co. CEO Bob Iger vowed to make its streaming services profitable via a planned October price hike on its ad-free Disney+ and Hulu plans and a crackdown on password sharing expected to extend through next year
2023-08-10 07:54
India's Reliance appoints Ambani children to board in succession plan
By Munsif Vengattil and Dhanya Skariachan BENGALURU (Reuters) -India's Reliance Industries Ltd on Monday appointed the three children of Chairman
2023-08-28 20:27
Dan Walker responds to 'bonkers' backlash to Lee Anderson interview
Dan Walker has bit back after facing backlash for interviewing Lee Anderson. Walker used to work for BBC Breakfast but now covers news and current affairs at Channel 5. For his latest assignment he sat in a park to have tea and biscuits with the controversial deputy chair of the Conservative party. But when he posted an image on Twitter teasing the release of the interview, people got annoyed and suggested he wasn't an appropriate person to interview, given he has made a series of outlandish statements including saying asylum seekers should "f*** off back to France" and claiming that those who use food banks have issues managing their budgets. After a sustained Twitter backlash, Walker issued a response. He said: He added in a follow-up tweet: "I’ve never interviewed a politician who expects everyone to agree with them but they all know that their views & policies will be challenged" and said he had also interviewed Angela Rayner and Ed Davey. And Anderson said: The interview comes out today on Channel 5. But given the Twitter reaction, it doesn't seem that people will be desperate to tune in. Sign up to our free Indy100 weekly newsletter Have your say in our news democracy. Click the upvote icon at the top of the page to help raise this article through the indy100 rankings.
2023-08-31 18:56
In Cannes, standing ovations stretch on and on — but they're designed to
The Cannes Film Festival is on, which means stopwatches are out
2023-05-23 01:56
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