Russian envoy urges Syrian refugee return
A senior Russian official on Thursday urged Syrian refugees to return to Syria where he said they faced no threat from President Bashar al-Assad’s government or the Syrian security apparatus.
Paraguay agriculture minister among four dead in plane crash: official
Paraguay Agriculture Minister Luis Gneiting and three others died when the twin engine airplane carrying them to the capital Asuncion crashed into a wetland on Wednesday night, an official told reporters on Thursday.
More than 100 South African gold miners treated for smoke inhalation
Hundreds of South African gold mine workers were rescued and over 100 treated for smoke inhalation after an underground fire, the National Union of Mineworkers (NUM) said on Thursday.
BRICS emerging economies reaffirm support for multilateral trade under WTO rules
Leaders of the BRICS bloc of emerging economies, meeting in the wake of tariff threats by U.S. President Donald Trump, signed a declaration supporting an open and inclusive multilateral trading system under World Trade Organization rules at their summi…
Ramaphosa to Putin: weak economy means South Africa can’t sign nuclear deal yet
Russian President Vladimir Putin raised the issue of a nuclear power deal at a private meeting with South African President Cyril Ramaphosa in Johannesburg on Thursday, but his host said Pretoria could not sign such a deal for now, Ramaphosa’s spokeswo…
U.S. threatens sanctions unless Turkey releases American pastor
U.S. President Donald Trump on Thursday threatened to slap “large sanctions” on Turkey unless Ankara freed an American pastor whose detention has further strained relations between the NATO allies.
U.N. rights experts tell Bahrain to release jailed activists
United Nations human rights experts called on Bahrain on Thursday to release detained activists, end restrictions on freedom of expression, and end discrimination against women.
Lone suspect in blast near U.S. embassy in Beijing caught
A bomb exploded outside the U.S. embassy in Beijing on Thursday, wounding the lone assailant, the embassy said in a statement, although police described the weapon merely as a “firework device”.
Syrian flag raised in Quneitra on Syrian side of Golan Heights
Pro-Assad forces raised the Syrian flag in the largely ruined city of Quneitra on Thursday, regained from surrendering rebels as the government tightens its hold on the Syrian sector of the Golan Heights, strategic territory bordering Israel and Jordan…
‘Kaptaan’ Khan’s slog from sports icon to Pakistan’s likely new leader
For Pakistani cricket legend-turned-politician Imran Khan, his party’s first place in a national election, putting him on the brink of becoming the country’s next prime minister, is the culmination of a battle that started more than two decades ago.
