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India tightens grip on Kashmir amid calls for protests by separatists

SRINAGAR: Authorities in the main city of Indian Kashmir tightened security ahead of Friday prayers after separatists called for a protest march to a UN office, with streets bristling with paramilitary personnel and some blocked by checkpoints. Posters appeared overnight

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China could decimate US military bases in Asia within hours of conflict

China’s military would be able to use missiles to overwhelm American military bases in Asia within hours, a think tank has warned. The US defence strategy in the Indo-Pacific is “in the throes of an unprecedented crisis”, according to a

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Incarcerated Kashmir separatists urge protests over loss of autonomy

SRINAGAR: Separatist leaders in Indian Kashmir have urged people to defy a ban and join a mass march after Friday prayers this week, the first such call since the federal government revoked the region’s autonomy, stirring anger in the region

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Making the case for violence in Hong Kong protests

HONG KONG: Pun sees himself as a peaceful, middle-class Hong Kong student. Yet since the beginning of June, he has been building barricades and throwing bricks at police, risking his own liberty to fight, as he sees it, for the

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Former Indian finance minister Chidambaram arrested for corruption

NEW DELHI: Police arrested former Indian finance minister P. Chidambaram late yesterday in relation to alleged corruption and money laundering, a day after the Delhi High Court rejected his application to seek exemption from arrest. Chidambaram was arrested by federal

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China’s Parliament rules out allowing same-sex marriage

BEIJING: Limiting marriage to a relationship between a man and a woman will remain China’s legal position, a parliament spokesman said on Wednesday, ruling out following neighbouring Taiwan in allowing same-sex marriage, despite pressure from activists. Taiwan’s parliament passed a

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Two dead in Kashmir gun battle

SRINAGAR: Indian security forces killed a suspected militant in a gun battle in Kashmir today, police said, the first clash since the federal government removed the special status of the territory this month, fuelling anger. Two policemen were wounded in

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KLCI opens lower due to regional decline, stays below 1,600-level

KUALA LUMPUR: The FBM KLCI started lower in early trade, tracking the decline at regional markets, weighed by select index-linked stocks. At 9.05am, the FBM KLCI fell 3.06 points to 1,599.69. The early decliners included Focus Lumber Bhd, Sime Darby

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Trump: I have to take on China despite impact on economy

WASHINGTON: US President Donald Trump said yesterday he had to confront China over trade even if it caused short-term harm to the US economy because Beijing had been cheating Washington for decades. Trump’s strongly worded comments came hours before his

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Kashmir remains tense despite partial easing of restrictions

SRINAGAR: India further eased movement restrictions in Kashmir’s main city Srinagar yesterday, even as large swathes of the historically-restive old quarter remained locked down to curb protests over New Delhi’s move to strip the region of its autonomy. Small groups

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