Yemen’s warring sides say ceasefire to begin on Monday
DUBAI (Reuters) – A seven-day ceasefire in Yemen will start on Monday, the day before planned U.N.-sponsored peace talks in Switzerland, senior officials on both sides of the civil war that has killed nearly 6,000 people said on Saturday.
U.S., allies launch 17 strikes against Islamic State in Iraq and Syria: U.S. military
WASHINGTON (Reuters) – The United States and its allies targeted Islamic State with 12 strikes in Iraq and five in Syria on Friday, the U.S. military said.
Rights group ‘concerned’ for Thai Facebook user arrested for royal insult
BANGKOK (Reuters) – Human Rights Watch expressed “grave concerns” on Saturday for the safety of a factory worker in Thailand arrested and taken to an undisclosed location for allegedly criticizing the country’s monarchy and junta.
Niger to audit electoral register ahead of February vote
NIAMEY (Reuters) – Niger will audit its electoral register ahead of a presidential election in February 2016 following demands from opposition parties, Prime Minister Brigi Rafini said on state television.
U.S. asks Germany for more military help in fight against IS
BERLIN (Reuters) – The United States has asked Germany for more military help in the fight against Islamic State, a German magazine reported on Saturday, a week after parliament approved a plan to join the campaign in Syria.
North, South Korea talks end without agreement
SEOUL (Reuters) – The first high-level talks between North and South Korea since an August agreement to end an armed confrontation across their border ended inconclusively on Saturday with no date set for a further meeting.
Saudi Arabian women vote for first time in local elections
RIYADH (Reuters) – Saudi Arabian women voted for the first time on Saturday in local council elections and also stood as candidates, a step hailed by some activists in the Islamic patriarchy as a historic change, but by others as merely symbolic.
Islamic State bomber kills six Iraqi police near Saudi border: officials
BAGHDAD (Reuters) – At least six Iraqi border guards were killed on Saturday when a suicide bomber drove a truck packed with explosives into an outpost near the border with Saudi Arabia in an attack claimed by Islamic State.
Russia says Riyadh talks do not speak for entire Syrian opposition
MOSCOW (Reuters) – A meeting of Syrian opposition groups in Riyadh on Thursday did not represent all opposition groups from the country, the Russian Foreign Ministry said on Saturday.
Malaysia Airports says yet to verify who owns abandoned planes
KUALA LUMPUR (Reuters) – Malaysia Airports Holdings Berhad said on Saturday it is still trying to verify who owns three Boeing jets abandoned at Kuala Lumpur International Airport for which it issued a rare lost-and-found newspaper notice last week.
