U.S.-led coalition needs to take back Mosul and Raqqa: Carter
WASHINGTON (Reuters) – The U.S.-led coalition fighting Islamic State needs to take back the cities Mosul and Raqqa and will use “boots on the ground” as part of its strategy in doing so, U.S. Defense Secretary Ash Carter said on Friday.
With days to go, rival camps bicker over teams for Syria peace talks
DAVOS/GENEVA (Reuters) – Syrian peace talks will go ahead in Geneva, U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry insisted on Thursday, but with just days to go, rival camps bickered about who should be invited to take part.
Islamic State claims responsibility for Cairo attack that killed nine
CAIRO (Reuters) – The Islamic State militant group claimed responsibility on Friday for a bomb attack that killed nine people in Cairo.
Texts, Internet, social networks are ‘gift of God’ if used wisely: Pope Francis
VATICAN CITY (Reuters) – Pope Francis, who has acknowledged being “a disaster” when it comes to technology, said on Friday that the Internet, social networks and text messages were “a gift of God” if used wisely.
Myanmar releases political prisoners before power transfer
YANGON (Reuters) – Myanmar began releasing the first of about 100 prisoners on Friday, many of them political detainees, days before a parliament dominated by democracy champion Aung San Suu Kyi’s party sits for the first time after an election win in …
China jails rights activist on spying charges as crackdown widens
BEIJING (Reuters) – A Chinese court has jailed a well-known rights activist for 19 years on state security charges, including supplying intelligence abroad, as the leadership widens a crackdown on rights lawyers that has triggered international condemn…
India, France haggle over $9-billion warplane deal in run-up to Hollande visit
NEW DELHI (Reuters) – Indian and French negotiators were haggling on Friday over the price of 36 combat planes for the aging Indian air force, officials of the two nations said, just days before President Francois Hollande visits New Delhi to cement co…
Russia to strengthen military in response to NATO expanding drills: agencies
MOSCOW (Reuters) – Russia will form four new military divisions this year to strengthen its western and central regions in response to the increase in NATO drills, Russian news agencies cited a senior defense ministry officials as saying.
Laos picks new Communist Party chief
(Reuters) – Laos’s Communist Party on Friday chose Bounnhang Vorachit to be its new leader after a vote by a newly formed central committee that did not include the prime minister and former party chief, signaling their political exits.
Aviation giants tread carefully in test case for post-sanctions Iran
DUBLIN (Reuters) – Freed from nuclear-related sanctions, Iran has signaled its appetite to buy more than 100 Western planes, a prospect that would usually have the giants of the $130 billion-a-year jet industry scrambling for a piece of the action.
