DAMASCUS, SYRIA: US President Barack Obama said he is “not optimistic” about Syria’s future, as the UN warned time is running out to avoid a humanitarian catastrophe in Aleppo which has been pounded by air strikes for nearly a week. More than 300,000 people have been killed in Syria since the conflict began Government forces launched a ferocious assault last Tuesday to recapture eastern Aleppo, killing 115 civilians so far. In fresh... 

BAGHDAD/ERBIL: Residents of Mosul said ISIS was using civilians as human shields as Iraqi and Kurdish forces captured outlying villages in their advance on the terrorists‘ stronghold. Around 1.5 million people are still living in Mosul. The leader of ISIS and one of its main explosives experts were reported to be among thousands of the hardline terrorists still in Mosul, suggesting the group would go to great lengths to fend off any ground... 

WASHINGTON: The US today said it does not support declaring Pakistan a ‘terrorist state’ but will continue to work with the governments in the region to eliminate safe havens which also pose a threat to India. File photo of Pakistan Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif and US President Barack Obama The US also called for a “meaningful dialogue” between India and Pakistan to address differences including the Kashmir issue and to bring... 

Syria Democratic Forces greet civilians who were evacuated from neighbourhood of Manbij. BEIRUT: US backed forces have seized full control of the northern Syrian city of Manbij near the Turkish border after the last remaining ISIS fighters, who had been using civilians as human shields, left, a spokesman for the group said on Friday. Syria Democratic Forces (SDF) were now sweeping the city after the departure of a last remaining group of militants...