DUBAI: Dubai police have seized 500 kilograms of cocaine worth more than half a billion dirhams ($136 million) in the “region’s biggest drugs bust.”
Officers received a tip-off that an “international drug syndicate” was attempting to smuggle “a huge amount of drugs into a seaport with the assistance of an accomplice in the emirate.”
An investigation team was formed which monitored a male Middle Eastern suspect as he entered the city via a local airport, Dubai police said on Sunday.
The suspect’s movements were monitored and he was seen visiting a warehouse. He was also spotted buying cutting tools.
The suspect was then seen heading to a warehouse where he unloaded the drugs. He was arrested and searched at the warehouse, and drugs and cutting tools were found in his vehicle.
Drugs hidden in a container were also uncovered and he was arrested.
Dubai police seize 500kg of cocaine in ‘region’s biggest drugs bust’
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Dubai police seize 500kg of cocaine in ‘region’s biggest drugs bust’
- Officers received a tip-off about the drug smuggling attempt and started to follow the suspect
- The suspect was arrested after drugs and cutting tools were found in his car
Istanbul residents spend the night outdoors after a strong earthquake and aftershocks
- The magnitude 6.2 quake tremor that struck Wednesday deeply impacted the city of 16 million residents
- There were no reports of serious damage but the temblor prompted widespread panic and scores of injuries
The magnitude 6.2 quake tremor that struck Wednesday deeply impacted the city of 16 million residents, leaving many inhabitants shaken and wary of a possible more destructive tremor. There were no reports of serious damage but the temblor, the strongest felt in Istanbul in recent years, prompted widespread panic and scores of injuries.
The earthquake had a shallow depth of 10 kilometers, according to the United States Geological Survey, with its epicenter about 40 kilometers southwest of Istanbul, in the Sea of Marmara. It was felt in several neighboring provinces.
At least 236 people were treated for injuries they suffered while trying to jump from buildings or for panic attacks. Most of the injuries were in Istanbul, where residents remain on edge because the city is considered at high risk for a major quake.
In fear of a stronger earthquake that could demolish homes, residents sought refuge by sleeping in their cars or setting up tents in parks and other open spaces. Many lit campfires to keep warm after the temperature dipped.
Turkiye is crossed by two major fault lines, and earthquakes are frequent.
For many, the memory of a devastating earthquake that struck 11 southern and southeastern provinces two years ago, remains vivid.
The 7.8-magnitude earthquake on February 6, 2023, claimed more than 53,000 lives and destroyed or damaged hundreds of thousands of buildings. Another 6,000 people were killed in the northern parts of neighboring Syria.
The Turkish disaster and emergency management agency, AFAD, said Wednesday’s earthquake was followed by 184 aftershocks – seven of them of a magnitude 4 or stronger.
Environment, Urbanization, and Climate Change Minister Murat Kurum stated that authorities had received 378 reports of structural damage in various buildings. At least 12 buildings had been evacuated as a precautionary measure, he said.
Only one building – a derelict, long-abandoned structure in the city’s historic Fatih district – collapsed.
Germany’s GFZ seismological research institute said the earthquake was the strongest in the area in over 25 years and extended the fault zone toward Istanbul.
The institute said the development presented two possibilities: either the region could experience a temporary decrease in seismic activity, or the stress caused by the earthquake could lead to a more destructive tremor.
“The area beneath the Sea of Marmara south of Istanbul is the only area of the entire plate boundary that hasn’t generated a strong earthquake in over 250 years and is therefore overdue for an earthquake with a magnitude of up to 7.4,” the seismology center said.
Jordanian military foils attempt to smuggle drugs using a drone
- The drone was intercepted and brought down, and the seized narcotics were handed over to the authorities for further investigation
DUBAI: The Jordan Armed Forces on Wednesday evening announced that it had foiled an attempt on the southern border to smuggle narcotics into the country using a drone.
A military source from the General Command told Petra news agency that Border Guard Forces in the southern military zone, in coordination with military security agencies and the anti-narcotics department, detected and tracked a drone attempting to cross into Jordanian territory.
The drone was intercepted and brought down, and the seized narcotics were handed over to the authorities for further investigation.
The source reaffirmed the Jordan Armed Forces’ commitment to using all its capabilities to prevent any form of infiltration or smuggling, emphasizing the military’s ongoing efforts to protect Jordan’s security and stability.
Israeli strikes across Gaza kill at least 28 people
- Hamas has said it will only release the remaining 59 captives, 24 of whom are believed to be alive, in exchange for the release of Palestinian prisoners, a lasting ceasefire and a full Israeli withdra
- An airstrike on a home in Gaza City killed four children and their parents, the Health Ministry said.
DEIR AL-BALAH,GAZA: Israeli strikes across the Gaza Strip have killed at least 28 people, mostly women and children, the territory’s Health Ministry said Thursday.
Israel ended its ceasefire with Hamas and renewed its air and ground war over a month ago. It has sealed off Gaza’s 2 million Palestinians from all food and other imports since the beginning of March to pressure Hamas to release hostages.
Hamas has said it will only release the remaining 59 captives, 24 of whom are believed to be alive, in exchange for the release of Palestinian prisoners, a lasting ceasefire and a full Israeli withdrawal. Israel has vowed to destroy Hamas.
The war began when Hamas-led militants stormed into southern Israel on Oct. 7, 2023, killing some 1,200 people, mostly civilians, and abducting 251 hostages. Most have since been released in ceasefire agreements or other deals. Israel’s offensive has killed over 51,000 Palestinians, mostly women and children, according to Gaza’s Health Ministry, which does not say how many of the dead were civilians or combatants. Israel says it has killed around 20,000 militants, without providing evidence.
Here’s the latest: At least 28 dead as Israel pounds Gaza
Israeli strikes across the Gaza Strip have killed at least 28 people, mostly women and children, according to the territory’s Health Ministry.
At least nine people were killed in a strike on a police station in the northern Jabaliya area, the ministry said. The Israeli military said it targeted a command and control center for Hamas and the smaller Islamic Jihad militant group.
At least seven people were killed, including a mother and her two children, and another two children, in three strikes on the southern city of Khan Younis. Strikes in central Gaza killed six people, including two women and two children. An airstrike on a home in Gaza City killed four children and their parents, the Health Ministry said.
Iraqi foreign minister departs for US for talks
- The visit is part of ongoing diplomatic engagement between the two countries amid evolving regional dynamics
DUBAI: Iraqi Foreign Minister Fuad Hussein departed for the United States on Thursday to take part in a series of bilateral meetings aimed at strengthening ties between Baghdad and Washington.
In a statement shared on the X platform and reported by the Iraqi News Agency, Hussein said the visit will focus on enhancing Iraqi-American relations and coordinating efforts on key regional and international issues.
“We will discuss ways to enhance joint security and cooperation in various fields,” the foreign sinister said.
The visit is part of ongoing diplomatic engagement between the two countries amid evolving regional dynamics.
Lebanon receives $250 million World Bank loan to ease power problems
- The World Bank said Lebanon would need around $11 billion for reconstruction and recovery
DUBAI: The World Bank has granted Lebanon a $250 million loan aimed at helping alleviate persistent power cuts worsened by last year’s war between Israel and Hezbollah, the country’s finance ministry said on Thursday.
Even before the conflict, Lebanon had for years been struggling with a severe shortage of imported fuel and poor infrastructure.
Following the conflict, however, the World Bank said it would need around $11 billion for reconstruction and recovery.
The fighting between the Iran-backed group and Israel ended for the most part in November through a brittle ceasefire brokered by the United States, though the two sides accuse each other of failing to fully implement the deal.
Lebanon had said it received preliminary approval to increase a World Bank reconstruction loan to $400 million from $250 million. The loan is part of a $1 billion reconstruction program, with the remainder of the financing to come from international aid.
