Warplanes drop incendiary bombs in Syria’s Idlib, Hama – activists, monitor
BEIRUT (Reuters) – Syrian or Russian warplanes dropped incendiary bombs on areas of Idlib and Hama provinces just days after a deadly gas attack in the region, activists and a monitoring group reported on Monday.
Russia’s Putin awards medals to buyers of Rosneft stake
MOSCOW (Reuters) – Russian President Vladimir Putin awarded state medals to executives with the Qatari investment fund, Swiss-based commodities trading firm Glencore and Italian bank Intesa Sanpaolo, according to a decree published on Monday.
Lone freight train stranded at Mosul’s wrecked rail hub
MOSUL, Iraq (Reuters) – The freight train cars have been waiting idle in Mosul since Islamic State fighters stormed in more than two years ago – and with the main station bombed and tracks pulled up they won’t be going anywhere soon.
Merkel challenger wants Germany to back disarmament, not arms spending
BERLIN (Reuters) – The leader of Germany’s Social Democrats said on Monday he would stress disarmament rather than military spending if he becomes chancellor after September’s election, rejecting U.S. pressure to spend more on defense.
Russia’s Foreign Ministry says U.S. strike on Syria an aggressive act
MOSCOW (Reuters) – Russia’s Foreign Ministry said in a statement on Monday that the missile strike on Syria carried out by the United States was a aggressive act against a sovereign state and violated international law.
Suspected Islamic State cell was planning attacks on U.S. forces in Kuwait – report
KUWAIT CITY (Reuters) – Suspected Islamic State militants arrested in Kuwait and the Philippines were planning to carry out bombings against U.S. military forces in Kuwait, the Gulf country’s al-Rai newspaper reported on Monday.
Families gather after Egypt church attack, state of emergency approved
ALEXANDRIA/TANTA, Egypt (Reuters) – Families of victims of Sunday’s bombing at Alexandria’s Coptic cathedral gathered at the Monastery of Saint Mina under heavy security on Monday as Egypt’s cabinet approved a three-month state of emergency ahead of a …
Sweden falls silent to honor truck attack victims
STOCKHOLM (Reuters) – Sweden’s Prime Minister said on Monday the country would never yield to terrorism, as he led a minute’s silence for those killed and injured when a truck driver mowed down pedestrians on a Stockholm shopping street.
After praise and death threats, Ukraine’s central bank governor quits
KIEV (Reuters) – Ukraine’s central bank governor, Valeria Gontareva, resigned on Monday, depriving the country of a tough reformer capable of taking on vested interests at a time when the economy is just recovering from a steep recession.
South Africa’s Zuma says marches against him highlight racism
JOHANNESBURG (Reuters) – South African President Jacob Zuma said on Monday that marches last week across the country that drew tens of thousands of protesters demanding his resignation demonstrated that racism was real.
