Iranian to strengthen missile program: commander-in-chief
ANKARA (Reuters) – Iran will continue to develop its missile program and it should not be considered a threat to neighboring and friendly countries, the semi-official Fars news agency quoted the head of the army as saying on Thursday.
Afghanistan’s Abdullah expects talks with Taliban in months
NEW DELHI (Reuters) – Afghanistan expects to restart peace talks with the Taliban within six months, chief executive Abdullah Abdullah said on Thursday, pinning hopes on factions within the Islamist militant group he said might be ready to give up viol…
Churches offer sanctuary as U.N. criticises Australian asylum policy
SYDNEY (Reuters) – An Australian court ruling paving the way for the deportation of over 250 asylum seekers to an offshore immigration camp drew criticism from The United Nations and sparked protests on Thursday, while church leaders publicly offered t…
Russian military trainer was killed in Syria’s Homs: newspaper
MOSCOW (Reuters) – A Russian military adviser died in a hospital in Syria on Feb. 1 after sustaining serious wounds in a shelling of a Syrian army training center in the province of Homs, Russia’s Novaya Gazeta wrote on Thursday, citing Russia’s Defenc…
Two Israeli Arab girls held for stabbing security guard: police
RAMLE, Israel (Reuters) – Israeli police said two 13-year-old girls from Israel’s Arab minority stabbed and lightly wounded a security guard in a town near Tel Aviv on Thursday and were arrested.
Italy summons Egyptian ambassador over suspicious Cairo death
ROME (Reuters) – Italy’s Foreign Ministry on Thursday summoned the Egyptian ambassador to Rome to express concern about the suspicious death of an Italian man in Cairo and to urge a joint investigation, according to a statement.
North Korea’s mobile missile launcher seen moving: Japan’s NHK
TOKYO (Reuters) – North Korea’s mobile missile launcher, carrying a ballistic missile, has been seen moving near the east coast and activity has also been seen at a long-range rocket launch pad on the west coast, Japanese public broadcaster NHK said on…
To silence propaganda, Iraq seeks to take Islamic State offline
DUBAI (Reuters) – Iraq is trying to persuade satellite firms to halt Internet services in areas under Islamic State’s rule, seeking to deal a major blow to the group’s potent propaganda machine which relies heavily on social media to inspire its follow…
Syrian army source sees Aleppo encircled soon
BEIRUT (Reuters) – Rebels in Aleppo will soon be completely encircled, a Syrian army source said on Thursday, as the military continues operations near the city after cutting the insurgents’ most important supply route from the Turkish border.
Turkey rejects Russian request for routine observation flight
ANKARA/MOSCOW (Reuters) – Turkey has rejected a Russian request for a routine observation flight over its territory under a decade-old pact meant to enhance mutual confidence, a move Moscow said set “a dangerous precedent”.
