Funding cuts, insurgency hamper Afghan goal to clear mines by 2023
SALANG PASS, Afghanistan (Reuters) – Afghanistan’s campaign to clear millions of landmines left by the Soviet invasion and ensuing civil war is in danger of stalling, as international aid slumps and militant violence makes more of the country inaccessi…
Russian naval and land forces carrying out logistics training in Crimea: RIA
MOSCOW (Reuters) – Russian naval and land forces were carrying out logistics training in Crimea, a peninsula which Moscow annexed from Ukraine in 2014, Russian RIA news agency said on Friday, citing Russian defense ministry.
Saudi-led coalition says it regrets MSF decision to evacuate staff from Yemen
DUBAI (Reuters) – The Saudi-led coalition expressed deep regret over a decision by Medecins Sans Frontieres (MSF) to evacuate staff from northern Yemen and said it was trying to set up “urgent meetings” with the medical aid group.
China eyes artificial intelligence for new cruise missiles
BEIJING (Reuters) – China is eyeing the use of a high level of artificial intelligence and automation for its next generation of cruise missiles, a senior designer was quoted as saying on Friday.
China says navy carries out drills in Sea of Japan
BEIJING (Reuters) – China’s navy has carried out drills in the Sea of Japan, the Chinese military’s official newspaper said on Friday, describing the exercises as routine and done in accordance with international law and practice.
Mexico says police executed 22 on ranch, in ‘grave’ rights abuse
(Reuters) – Mexican police arbitrarily executed nearly two dozen suspected gang members on a ranch last year, the government’s National Human Rights Commission said on Thursday, one of the worst abuses by security forces in a decade of grisly drug viol…
Child soldier ‘nightmare’ could be imminent in South Sudan: UNICEF
NAIROBI (Thomson Reuters Foundation) – A spike in the forced recruitment of child soldiers in South Sudan could be imminent, the United Nations’ children’s agency said on Friday, amid fears that the world’s youngest nation is on the brink of renewed ci…
U.S. State Department finds briefing video cut but unclear why
WASHINGTON (Reuters) – A U.S. State Department video of a press briefing about secret U.S.-Iran nuclear talks was deliberately edited but there is no evidence to suggest the cut was intended to hide information, a U.S. spokesman said on Thursday after …
Islamic State suicide bombings hit Libyan forces in Sirte
SIRTE, Libya (Reuters) – Suicide bombings against Libyan forces battling to oust Islamic State from their former North African stronghold of Sirte killed at least 12 fighters and wounded about 60 there on Thursday, a hospital spokesman said.
U.S. says payment to Iran used as leverage for prisoners’ release
WASHINGTON (Reuters) – The U.S. State Department said on Thursday it released $400 million in cash to Iran under a tribunal settlement only once it was assured that American prisoners had been freed and had boarded a plane.
