Lebanon’s speaker indicates presidency deal almost ready
BEIRUT (Reuters) – The influential speaker of Lebanon’s parliament signaled on Friday that a deal to elect a president was almost ready, raising hopes that a presidential vacuum which has paralyzed the political system for nearly two years could soon b…
Japan to showcase submarine to Australia in joint military exercises
SYDNEY (Reuters) – Japan’s most advanced attack submarine will participate in joint military exercises with Australia next month, its Ministry of Defense said, in what analysts see as a bid to win a A$50-billion ($37-billion) defense contract.
Russia to ship first S-300 missile system to Iran in Aug-Sept: RIA cites official
MOSCOW (Reuters) – The first delivery of Russia’s S-300 missile defense system to Iran will take place in August or September this year, RIA news agency on Friday quoted Sergei Chemezov, the head of Russia’s industrial conglomerate Rostec, as saying.
Pentagon says captured Islamic State chemical weapons chief in February
WASHINGTON (Reuters) – The Pentagon said on Thursday it captured the Islamic State’s chemical weapons chief in Iraq during an operation in February.
China premier urges more efforts in restive Uighur heartland
BEIJING (Reuters) – China’s violence-prone western region of Xinjiang needs to make more efforts at development in its ethnic Uighur heartland to ensure young people there have “something to do and money to earn”, Premier Li Keqiang told its top offici…
Former Russian press minister died in U.S. of blunt force injuries
WASHINGTON (Reuters) – Former Russian Press Minister Mikhail Lesin, who was found dead in a Washington hotel room last year, died of blunt force injuries to the head, U.S. authorities said on Thursday.
‘You won’t get rid of me!’ Venezuela’s Maduro tells foes
CARACAS (Reuters) – Venezuela’s President Nicolas Maduro insisted on Thursday his opponents would fail in a new push to oust him this year and end 17 years of socialist rule in the OPEC nation.
Key powers mulling possibility of federal division of Syria
UNITED NATIONS (Reuters) – Major powers close to U.N.-brokered peace talks on Syria are discussing the possibility of a federal division of the war-torn country that would maintain its unity as a single state while granting broad autonomy to regional a…
Islamic State defector brings ‘goldmine’ of details on 22,000 supporters
LONDON (Reuters) – A disillusioned former member of Islamic State has passed a stolen memory stick of documents identifying 22,000 supporters in over 50 countries to a British journalist, a leak that could help the West target Islamist fighters plannin…
Peru’s Guzman seeks foreign allies in fight for presidential ticket
LIMA (Reuters) – Julio Guzman said on Thursday he was rallying international support for his bid to be reinstated as a candidate for Peru’s presidency after the electoral board barred him on a technicality one month before the election.
