RIYADH: The Coalition to Restore Legitimacy in Yemen has “categorically denied” Houthi allegations that Saudi Arabia was threatening to target tribal and civilian gatherings.The claims are false and completely baseless and reflect continuous attempts to mislead public opinion, a coalition statement posted on the X account of spokesman Maj. Gen. Turki Al-Maliki said.The allegations also aimed to divert attention from the militia's own crises and draw Yemeni tribes into the conflict, the statement

DHAHRAN: Houthi attacks on Saudi civilian and energy infrastructure killed four people in the Eastern Province on Wednesday, underscoring the growing threat posed by the Iran-backed militia’s widening terror campaign against the Kingdom. With airports, residential areas and energy facilities increasingly caught up in the escalation, the attacks are bringing the consequences of Yemen’s war into the lives of ordinary Saudis and foreign nationals living and working in the country. Although the vast

Despite a decline in hotspots, Indonesia remains on high alert for wildfires due to insufficient rainfall. Students in Kalimantan have protested the government’s response.

BEIJING: A magnitude 7 earthquake hit China’s Tibet region on Thursday evening, killing at least 16 people, injuring 32 and collapsing hundreds of homes in the northern regional city of Nagqu, official media said. Search and rescue efforts continued following the collapse of at least 339 homes, the Nagqu media office said, citing city government officials. Among the injured, 11 people were in serious condition and the other 21 sustained minor injuries, the media office said. Rescue teams fr

WASHINGTON: The United Nations’ climate loss and damage fund moved Thursday to provide $20 million in aid sought by flood-stricken Nepal, the first time it has set aside money for any country, in a key test of the body’s credibility. In an extraordinary meeting, the fund’s board agreed to earmark the modest sum for the Himalayan country, which was hit in August by tsunami-like floods triggered by a climate-induced ice and rock avalanche that killed more than 1,400 people and left over 5,000 mi

A drone attack of unknown origin in Bamina, a border town in Chad, resulted in four deaths and 14 injuries. The conflict in Sudan continues to spill over into neighboring Chad.

PARIS: Bayer Leverkusen made it three straight wins in the Europa League with a Jonas Hofmann double earning a 2-0 away win at OFI Crete as both Juventus and Sunderland lost ground in Thursday’s third matchday. The once mighty Hungarian side Ferencvaros kept pace with Leverkusen on nine points thumping Portuguese outfit Torreense 4-1, while Belgium’s Union Saint-Gilloise won 4-0 against Israeli outfit Hapoel Be’er Sheva. Saint-Gilloise, Sunderland and Juve all have seven points from three gam

UEFA has fined Lyon, Hajduk Split, and Trabzonspor for their fans’ conduct during recent European matches, including racist chants and pyrotechnic use. Lyon faces a 20,000 euro fine, while Hajduk Split and Trabzonspor incur larger penalties for more severe violations.

Egypt’s foreign minister, Badr Abdelatty, and his Greek counterpart, Giorgos Gerapetritis, on Thursday reaffirmed their nations’ rejection of the ratification by the Libyan parliament on Tuesday of a 2019 maritime agreement with Turkiye on maritime boundaries in the Mediterranean. Ambassador Nader Zaki, a spokesperson for the Egyptian Foreign Ministry, said the ministers stressed the importance of respecting international law and the provisions of the 1982 UN Convention on the Law of the Sea reg

Wayne Rooney criticized Manchester United players as ‘selfish’ following comments from captain Bruno Fernandes questioning the team’s tactics. The remarks come after a significant 4-1 Champions League defeat by Como.

NEW YORK: The horse-drawn carriages that have cruised through Central Park for more than 150 years are set to be banished from New York City, ending an iconic tradition beloved by tourists but long opposed by animal welfare activists. For the carriage drivers, it’s unclear what comes next. “No one can come up with an appropriate answer because there is none,” said Alexus Lawson, a 28-year-old carriage driver from Queens who grew up with horses and has worked as a riding instructor. Now, she w

ANKARA: Canada, locked in a trade war with the United States, opened talks with Turkiye Thursday on a free trade agreement during a landmark visit by Prime Minister Mark Carney. The two sides pledged to deepen cooperation on defense, energy and efforts to tackle climate change, as Carney became the first Canadian prime minister to pay an official visit to fellow NATO member Turkiye. Carney, a former central banker, has made reducing dependence on Washington and diversifying Canada’s partnerships

WASHINGTON: US President Donald Trump called Elon Musk and asked him to lift restrictions on Ukraine’s use of Starlink, the Wall Street Journal reported on Thursday, citing US officials. The Starlink system was working more normally on Thursday, shortly after the Trump-Musk conversation, according to US and Ukrainian officials ⁠cited by the ⁠Journal. Some Ukrainian officials told the newspaper the system was not restored to full functionality but was working at higher speeds than under the ca

LONDON: Israeli forces used US-made electroshock weapons to torture Palestinian detainees, according to a report published by The Guardian on Thursday. An investigation, conducted by the newspaper and Arab Reporters for Investigative Journalism, identified four former Palestinian detainees who said Israeli personnel tortured them with weapons resembling Tasers manufactured by the American company Axon Enterprise. The findings raised questions about the continuing supply of American-made energy w

British teenager Freddie Slater is poised to make his Formula One debut representing Audi during a practice session at the upcoming Mexican Grand Prix.

Melody Bryant, a resident of Washington state, has pleaded not guilty to charges of conspiracy related to a Canadian school shooting. She allegedly assisted the shooter by providing financial support and promoting a livestream of the attack.

Hundreds of thousands of students and their supporters gathered in Belgrade for a final rally before Serbia’s parliamentary election. This demonstration represents a significant challenge to current leader Aleksandar Vucic.

DAMMAM: Matchday 11 of the Saudi Pro League kicked off on Thursday with two matches, while Al-Ahli and Al-Khaleej’s fixture was moved to Friday after King Fahd International Airport in Dammam was targeted in an attack on Wednesday evening, preventing the latter from catching their flight to Jeddah. Al-Hazem hosted Al-Fayha in Qassim, with Bonheur Mugisha opening the scoring for the hosts with a header in the fifth minute before Al-Fayha icon Fashion Sakala equalized at the half-hour mark. In the

LONDON: The European Parliament called on Thursday for the Houthi militia in Yemen to be included on the EU’s list of terrorist organizations. MEPs overwhelmingly backed a resolution that said the Iran-backed group’s military and political wings, leadership, and military and security apparatus, should be designated. The text called for all channels of financing for the Houthis to be dismantled and for the EU to freeze funds and economic resources belonging to the group and its facilitators.

The IUCN has warned that 96 percent of the world’s coral reefs could face collapse by 2075 due to escalating climate change impacts. Coral reefs, classified as “critically endangered,” are highly vulnerable to rising temperatures.