Philippines says militants control 20 percent of besieged city
MANILA (Reuters) – The Philippines military said on Tuesday that Islamist militants hold 20 percent of the Marawi City, disputing an earlier claim by Islamic State’s news agency Amaq that its “fighters are spread in more than two-thirds” of the souther…
Panama establishes ties with China, ditches Taiwan in win for Beijing
PANAMA CITY/BEIJING (Reuters) – Panama has established diplomatic ties with China and broken with Taiwan in a major victory for Beijing, as it lures away the dwindling number of countries that have formal relations with the self-ruled island.
No indication Russia wants positive relationship with U.S.: Mattis
WASHINGTON (Reuters) – U.S. Defense Secretary Jim Mattis said on Monday there was no indication that Russia wanted a positive relationship with the United States, saying it had chosen to be a strategic competitor.
Panama breaks with Taiwan as it establishes ties with China
PANAMA CITY (Reuters) – Panama’s government said on Monday it had broken diplomatic ties with Taiwan as it established formal relations with China.
North Korea ‘most urgent’ threat to security: Mattis
WASHINGTON (Reuters) – U.S. Defense Secretary Jim Mattis said on Monday that North Korea’s advancing missile and nuclear programs were the “most urgent” threat to national security and that its means to deliver them had increased in speed and scope.
Panama ex-president, accused of political espionage, arrested in Florida
(Reuters) – Fugitive former Panamanian President Ricardo Martinelli, wanted by the Central American nation on charges of political espionage, was arrested by U.S. authorities on Monday near Miami, officials for U.S. Marshals Service said.
Package explodes at South Korean university, one injured
SEOUL (Reuters) – A package exploded at South Korea’s Yonsei University in central Seoul on Tuesday, injuring a faculty member who opened it in his office, police and fire officials said.
Guatemala arrests five over shelter blaze, opposition accuses president
GUATEMALA CITY (Reuters) – Guatemala arrested three human rights officials and two police officers on Monday for their alleged responsibility in the death of 41 girls who died in a blaze in a children’s shelter, the attorney general’s office said.
Britain, France to join forces to combat online extremism: May
LONDON (Reuters) – Britain and France will join forces to press companies to do more to tackle online extremism, Prime Minister Theresa May will say on Tuesday, her first foreign trip since her Conservative Party lost its majority in a parliamentary el…
Iran’s Khamenei blames U.S. for regional instability, creation of Islamic State
ANKARA (Reuters) – Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei on Monday blamed the United States for instability in the Middle East and said Washington’s fight against the Islamic State militant group was “a lie”.
