Russian Orthodox nationalists hope for tsar’s return
Their slogan is Orthodoxy or Death. They are convinced Russia should be ruled by an autocratic monarch. They believe the coming of a new tsar may be imminent.
Indonesia president picks top cleric as running mate in 2019 election
Indonesian President Joko Widodo has chosen Ma’ruf Amin, the head of Indonesian Ulema Council, as his running mate for the 2019 election, he told a press conference on Thursday.
Aftershock jolts Indonesia’s Lombok as death toll jumps to 259
A magnitude 6.2 aftershock rocked Indonesia’s Lombok on Thursday, sparking fresh panic on the tropical tourist island as the official death toll from a powerful earthquake four days earlier almost doubled to 259.
Russia and Iran keen to avoid bloodbath in Syria’s Idlib: U.N.
Russia, Iran and Turkey told a meeting of the Syria humanitarian taskforce on Thursday that they would do their utmost to avoid a battle that would threaten millions of civilians in rebel-held Idlib, U.N. humanitarian adviser Jan Egeland said.
Saudi-led coalition says Saada air strikes targeted missile launchers -SPA
The Saudi-led coalition fighting the Houthi group in Yemen said its air strikes in Saada on Thursday were aimed at missile launchers used to attack Jizan industrial city in southern Saudi Arabia, a statement carried by state news agency SPA said.
Death toll rises to 259 from Sunday’s quake in Indonesia’s Lombok island
The number of confirmed deaths from a strong earthquake that hit the Indonesian island of Lombok on Sunday has risen to 259 and would rise as more victims are found in the rubble, the disaster mitigation agency said.
HK court rejects British ex-banker’s last bid to appeal murder conviction
Hong Kong’s highest court on Thursday rejected the final attempt by a British former banker to force a new trial over his jailing in 2016 for the cocaine-fueled murder of two Indonesian women he tortured and raped.
Italy uncovers massive load of hash in ship’s fuel tanks
Italian police said on Thursday they found 20 tonnes of hash worth as much as 200 million euros ($232 million) in the fuel tanks of a Panama-flagged ship that was stopped in international waters and escorted to Sicily.
Russia reels, cries foul after U.S. sanctions spiral escalates
Russia condemned a new round of U.S. sanctions as draconian on Thursday after news of the measures sent the rouble tumbling to two-year lows and sparked a wider asset sell-off over fears that Moscow was locked in a spiral of never-ending sanctions.
Kremlin calls new U.S. sanctions illegal, says financial system stable
The Kremlin on Thursday said a new batch of sanctions on Moscow announced by the United States was illegal under international law and that Russia’s financial system was stable.
