Nigerian army arrests leader of Islamist militant group Ansaru
LAGOS (Reuters) – Nigeria’s army arrested the leader of Islamist militant group Ansaru, a splinter faction of Boko Haram that has been accused of kidnapping and killing Westerners.
Cambodia parliament approves PM’s ‘healthier’ new cabinet
PHNOM PENH (Reuters) – Cambodia’s parliament endorsed a new 26-member cabinet on Monday in a rare shuffle of an aging leadership as Prime Minister Hun Sen prepares for a 2018 election set to be his toughest political fight yet.
U.S., Philippines begin military exercises as maritime tension simmers
MANILA (Reuters) – About 8,000 U.S. and Filipino troops began annual military exercises on Monday against a backdrop of tension over China’s greater assertiveness in the South China Sea though a Philippine commander played that down as the reason for t…
Russia says demands that Assad should leave hinder Syria’s political process: RIA
MOSCOW (Reuters) – Demands for Syria’s President Bashar al-Assad to step down restrict perspectives for political settlement in this country, Russia’s RIA news agency on Monday quoted Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov as saying.
Australian tax office probes hundreds for possible tax evasion after Panama leak
SYDNEY/WELLINGTON (Reuters) – The Australian Tax Office (ATO) said on Monday it is investigating more than 800 wealthy clients of a Panama law firm for possible tax evasion.
Peru’s Fujimori signs pledge to avoid authoritarian ways of father
LIMA (Reuters) – Peru’s presidential front-runner Keiko Fujimori signed a pledge at a debate on Sunday committing her to avoiding the authoritarian ways of her father, in a final appeal to middle-ground voters ahead of next week’s ballot.
Coalition planes destroy Islamic State-occupied Turkish consulate in Mosul: ministry
ANKARA (Reuters) – Aircraft from a U.S.-led coalition on Monday destroyed the Turkish consulate compound in Mosul in northern Iraq which has been occupied by Islamist State militants since June 2014, the Turkish foreign ministry said.
Syrian forces seize Islamic State-held town near Palmyra
BEIRUT (Reuters) – Syrian and allied forces backed by Russian air strikes drove Islamic State militants out of the town of al-Qaryatain on Sunday after encircling it over the past few days, Syria’s military command said.
Uncertainty prevails on day before Greece starts returns of migrants
LESBOS, Greece/CESME, Turkey (Reuters) – There was little sign of preparation on either side of the Aegean less than 24 hours before Greece was due to begin returning migrants to Turkey, and Greek and Turkish officials gave conflicting information on t…
Syrian Nusra Front’s Abu Firas killed in suspected drone strike: rebels
AMMAN (Reuters) – A prominent leader in Syrian al Qaeda offshoot Nusra Front was killed on Sunday in what rebel sources said appeared to be a U.S. drone strike in the rebel-held northwestern province of Idlib.
