Hundreds of thousands gather in South Korea for fifth week of protests against Park
SEOUL (Reuters) – Hundreds of thousands rallied in central Seoul on Saturday for a fifth week of protests against President Park Geun-hye, in the largest ongoing series of demonstrations in the country since the 1987 movement to democratize South Korea…
Syrian army captures part of rebel-held east Aleppo
BEIRUT (Reuters) – The Syrian army said it had taken control of an important district in rebel-held eastern Aleppo on Saturday after fierce fighting, with rebels blaming intense air strikes and lack of hospitals for their collapsing frontline.
Pakistan PM Sharif names General Bajwa as new army chief
ISLAMABAD (Reuters) – Pakistan’s prime minister on Saturday picked Lieutenant General Qamar Javed Bajwa to replace outgoing army chief Raheel Sharif, the popular military leader credited with improving security and driving back Islamist militant groups…
Sister, militant source deny woman arrested in Libya is wife of veteran Islamist
BENGHAZI, Libya (Reuters) – A Tunisian woman who Libyan authorities said they had arrested and was married to veteran Algerian militant Mokhtar Belmokhtar is not his wife, her sister and an al Qaeda source have told local media.
Yemen’s exiled president visits civilians in Aden
ADEN, Yemen (Reuters) – Yemen’s President Abd-Rabbu Mansour Hadi arrived in the southern city of Aden on Saturday from Saudi Arabia to address civilian grievances including complaints about deteriorating services and delays in paying salaries, army and…
Closer Moscow ties don’t change Turkey’s stance on Assad: Deputy PM
LONDON (Reuters) – Turkey’s rapprochement with Russia has not changed Ankara’s position that Syrian President Bashar al-Assad must go to restore peace in the country, Turkish deputy prime minister Numan Kurtulmus said on Saturday.
Iran backtracks on Russian fighter purchase reports: news agencies
DUBAI (Reuters) – Iran’s Defense Ministry said it plans to modernize the air force fleet but denied reports earlier on Saturday that it wanted to buy Russian Sukhoi Su-30 fighter planes, news agencies reported.
Castro’s death could change Cuba reform dynamic, much depends on Trump
HAVANA (Reuters) – Fidel Castro’s death could give his younger brother, President Raul Castro, more space to pursue economic reforms, but change will also depend on whether U.S. President-elect Donald Trump decides to work with or challenge Cuba’s comm…
Libyan forces face deadly Islamic State defense in Sirte holdout
SIRTE, Libya (Reuters) – Libyan forces faced fierce resistance on Saturday from Islamic State militants defending a final strip of land in their former stronghold of Sirte, losing at least five men, officials said.
Rouhani urges Iran-Turkey joint efforts in Iraq, Syria
DUBAI (Reuters) – Iranian President Hassan Rouhani called on Saturday for greater cooperation between regional rivals Iran and Turkey to help establish stability in Syria and Iraq.
