Al-Qaeda's Syrian branch kidnaps activists in northJanuary 11, 2016 - 12:24 AMT PanARMENIAN.Net - Syria's extremist Nusra Front group has seized two prominent media activists in the country's north, shutting down their radio station and burning rebel flags in the process, the Associated Press reports. The opposition radio station, Radio Fresh, says on its social media pages that Raed Fares and Hadi Abdullah were abducted by Nusra, al-Qaeda's Syrian affiliate, early Sunday, January 10 morning in a raid in the town of Kafranbel. The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, a Britain-based group that tracks the country's civil war, says Fares, who runs the station, was taken because he had criticized the group, AP says. In January 2014, Islamic State militants sprayed his car with 40 bullets, hospitalizing him for three months, and in December of that year, Nusra detained and beat him for three days. Top stories Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev arrived in Moscow on April 22 to hold talks with Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin. Authorities said a total of 192 Azerbaijani troops were killed and 511 were wounded during Azerbaijan’s offensive. In 2023, the Azerbaijani government will increase the country’s defense budget by more than 1.1 billion manats ($650 million). The bill, published on Monday, is designed to "eliminate the shortcomings of an unreasonably broad interpretation of the key concept of "compatriot". Partner news | Armenia, Turkey discuss restoration of historic bridge The meeting took place on May 17 in Ashgabat on the sidelines of an international conference of ministers of culture. India wants Armenia’s proposals on use of Chabahar port India is expecting proposals from Armenia regarding the use of Chabahar port in Iran, Indian ambassador says. EU welcomes Armenia-Azerbaijan “progress” The EU has welcomed “progress” made in the framework of the Armenia-Azerbaijan border delimitation process. Belarus opposition leader slams Lukashenko for Karabakh trip Belarusian opposition politician Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya has harshly criticized the visit of Lukashenko to Karabakh. |