The United States has warned that the toughest crackdown in years on Chinese activists threatens to cloud the high-profile state visit by President Xi Jinping. Yet human rights is unlikely to dominate the agenda when Xi is welcomed at the White House on Friday. As China emerges as an economic and military rival that Washington both competes and cooperates with, ...

The passport of Kashmiri separatist Syed Ali Shah Geelani suspended by the government on Tuesday to prevent him from flying to New York for an event where he was likely to have spoken against India. The government action came after reports that the hardline Hurriyat faction leader was planning to travel to New York to attend the annual meeting of ...

At least 38 Islamic State group fighters were killed in air strikes by the Damascus regime against three jihadist-held towns in central Syria, a monitoring group said on Tuesday. Monday’s strikes hit Palmyra and two other towns in Homs province, Syrian Observatory for Human Rights director Rami Abdel Rahman told AFP.

Iran’s armed forces are the best defence against “terror” in the Middle East, President Hassan Rouhani said today, urging regional countries not to rely on world powers. “Today, the largest power against intimidation and terror is our armed forces,” Rouhani said at a massive military parade in Tehran. Iran has played a major role in the fight against the Islamic ...

A US drone strike killed two suspected members of Al-Qaeda east of the Yemeni capital during the night, a local official said on Tuesday. “Two members of Al-Qaeda were killed when a missile from a US drone hit their vehicle” on the outskirts of the city of Marib, the official told AFP. Marib province has seen fierce fighting in recent ...

Hundreds of thousands of pilgrims from around the world on Tuesday began moving from the holy city of Mecca to nearby Mina for the start of the hajj, the world’s largest annual gathering. Almost two million people are expected to take part in this year’s pilgrimage, undeterred by a crane collapse in Mecca earlier this month that killed 109 people ...

Colombians have been crossing the border on foot since the main crossings were closed on 19 August President Nicolas Maduro of Venezuela and his Colombian counterpart, Juan Manuel Santos, have agreed to gradually reopen their common border. Venezuela closed the border a month ago and launched a major anti-smuggling operation. Mr Maduro says smuggling has led to shortages in parts ...

Sourav Ganguly, the joint secretary of the Cricket Association of Bengal, has become the face of Bengal cricket after Jagmohan Dalmiya’s death. The next Board presidential candidate must find a proposer from the East Zone in order to contest. News from the BCCI is that there will be no interim arrangement in terms of nominating a successor for the late ...

Mohammad Amir: “I’m not worrying over when I will play for Pakistan, instead I am just focussing on my domestic form and then leaving the rest to the selectors.” Pakistan fast bowler Mohammad Amir has said that a return to international cricket is not his current focus and has stressed that domestic cricket will be his top priority in the ...

Chelsea striker Diego Costa has been charged with violent conduct by the Football Association after his side’s 2-0 win over Arsenal on Saturday. Costa, 26, put his hands in the face of Arsenal centre-back Laurent Koscielny prior to clashing with Gunners defender Gabriel, who was sent off. The FA has also charged Gabriel, 24, with improper conduct and both clubs ...