Venezuela frees four jailed opponents of President Maduro
CARACAS (Reuters) – Venezuela freed on Tuesday another four opponents of President Nicolas Maduro, but activists demanded the immediate liberation of more than 100 others they say are also unjustly imprisoned.
Islamic State made weapons in Mosul up to military standards: report
ERBIL, Iraq (Reuters) – Islamic State militants have been producing weapons on a scale and sophistication which matches national military forces and have standardized production across their self-styled caliphate, an arms monitoring group said on Wedne…
Battle of Aleppo ends after years of bloodshed with rebel withdrawal
ALEPPO, Syria/BEIRUT/GENEVA (Reuters) – Rebel resistance in the Syrian city of Aleppo ended on Tuesday after years of fighting and months of bitter siege and bombardment that culminated in a bloody retreat, as insurgents agreed to withdraw in a ceasefi…
Malaysian court to decide on Anwar Ibrahim’s last bid for freedom
KUALA LUMPUR (Reuters) – Malaysia’s highest court is due to decide on Wednesday whether to uphold opposition leader Anwar Ibrahim’s conviction and a five-year jail term for sodomy, or overturn it and set him free.
U.S. urges Taiwan to increase defense spending given China threat
WASHINGTON (Reuters) – Defense spending in Taiwan has not kept pace with the threat posed by China and should be increased, a senior U.S. defense official said on Tuesday, days after U.S. President-elect Donald Trump touched off a storm by questioning …
Afghan First Vice President denies abusing rival, West urges investigation
KABUL (Reuters) – Afghanistan’s First Vice President Abdul Rashid Dostum denied on Tuesday accusations that he had beaten and abducted a political rival and threatened him with sexual violence, in a case that sparked Western calls for a full and fair i…
Islamic State claims Cairo cathedral bombing
CAIRO (Reuters) – Islamic State claimed responsibility on Tuesday for a suicide bombing at Cairo’s main Coptic cathedral on Sunday that killed at least 25 people.
U.S. to halt some arms sales to Saudi, citing civilian deaths in Yemen campaign
WASHINGTON (Reuters) – The United States has decided to limit military support to Saudi Arabia’s campaign in Yemen because of concerns over widespread civilian casualties and will halt a planned arms sale to the kingdom, U.S. officials told Reuters.
Iran to work on nuclear-powered vessels after U.S. ‘violation’ of deal
BEIRUT/VIENNA (Reuters) – Iran ordered its scientists on Tuesday to start developing systems for nuclear-powered marine vessels in response to what it calls a U.S. violation of its landmark 2015 atomic deal with world powers.
Migrants in Libya facing ‘human rights crisis’: U.N. report
TUNIS (Reuters) – Migrants in Libya are suffering consistent and widespread abuse, including arbitrary detention, forced labor, rape and torture, a United Nations report said on Tuesday.
