Number of terrorist attacks globally dropped in 2016: U.S. government
WASHINGTON (Reuters) – The number of terrorist attacks worldwide and deaths from such attacks dropped in 2016 for the second straight year, driven by decreases in Afghanistan, Syria, Nigeria, Pakistan and Yemen, the U.S. State Department said on Wednes…
Merkel urges Iraq to probe alleged human rights abuses in Mosul
BERLIN (Reuters) – German Chancellor Angela Merkel on Wednesday urged Iraqi President Haidar al-Abadi to investigate alleged human rights abuses that occurred during military operations to regain control of the city of Mosul from Islamic State militant…
Uruguayans begin buying cannabis in pharmacies in world first
MONTEVIDEO (Reuters) – Pharmacies in Uruguay began selling cannabis directly to consumers on Wednesday, culminating a long and pioneering legalization effort that began over three years ago.
U.N. hopes for lull in Syria battles with Islamic State for polio campaign
GENEVA (Reuters) – The United Nations is hoping that battles against Islamic State in Syria will calm sufficiently for it to carry out a vaccination drive against polio, starting on Saturday, U.N. agencies said on Wednesday.
Saudi national carrier says laptop ban on U.S. flights ended
KHOBAR (Reuters) – A ban on laptops and other large electronic devices from the cabins of direct flights to the United States from Saudi Arabia has been lifted, Saudi Arabian Airlines said on Wednesday.
Israel’s struggle to integrate ultra-Orthodox and Arabs raises economic fears
BNEI BRAK, Israel (Reuters) – Chaim Rachmani spends his days studying Jewish religious texts in the Israeli town of Bnei Brak, whose crowded streets brush up against the office towers of Tel Aviv. He has no plans to look for work – ever.
New Zealander’s death puts mental patients’ restraint in Japan under spotlight
TOKYO (Reuters) – A Japanese campaign group whose members include lawyers and academics called on Wednesday for a change in psychiatric hospitals’ practice of putting patients under prolonged restraint after the death of a New Zealand man.
Addiction and intrigue: Inside the Saudi palace coup
(Reuters) – On Tuesday June 20 Mohammed bin Nayef, a powerful figure in Saudi Arabia’s security apparatus for the past two decades and the next in line to the throne, was summoned to meet King Salman bin Abdulaziz on the fourth floor of the royal palac…
In camps and ruins, Mosul civilians’ ordeal is far from over
MOSUL, Iraq (Reuters) – The battle for Mosul is all but over after nine months of devastating urban warfare between government forces and Islamic State militants, but Iraqi civilians are suffering in a humanitarian crisis of monumental scale.
Poland put on notice as EU calls for halt to judicial shake-up
BRUSSELS/WARSAW (Reuters) – The European Union on Wednesday gave Warsaw a week to halt judicial reforms it said would put courts under direct government control, or face punishment for undermining democracy in the largest ex-communist member of the blo…
