Palmyra’s Baalshamin temple ‘blown up by IS’
Islamic State militants have destroyed Palmyra’s ancient temple of Baalshamin, Syrian officials and activists say. Syria’s head of antiquities was quoted as saying the temple was blown up on Sunday. The UK -based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights (SOHR) reported that it happened a... read more »
North Korean troops ordered onto war footing by Kim Jong-un
Korea Central News Agency has issued a lengthy rant about South Korean “puppet war maniacs,” Julian Ryall in Tokyo writes. The statement warns the South Korean military to act with “discretion” and threatents them with “harsh punishment” for their provocation. It... read more »
Bangkok bomb: Thai TV apologises for bomb re-enactment
The re-enactment on Thursday evening sparked outrage among Thais at the shrine and online. Executives at Nation TV have since acknowledged it was insensitive and disrespectful to the dead. The bomb blast on Monday evening killed 20 people and injured scores more. Police are hunting for the... read more »
Sri Lanka: Ranil Wickremesinghe takes office as new Prime Minister
Ranil Wickremesinghe was sworn in as Sri Lanka’s new Prime Minister on Friday as the island nation’s two major political parties signed an agreement to work together in the new parliament. His victory in Monday’s election thwarted a political comeback bid by the country’s former strongman... read more »
