U.S. conducts air strikes as fighting rages in Afghan province
KABUL (Reuters) – U.S aircraft carried out a dozen strikes in Helmand province in southern Afghanistan on Wednesday as fierce battles continued with Taliban insurgents around the town of Marjah near the provincial capital, a U.S. army spokesman said.
Iraq offers to mediate between Saudi and Iran, fearing for IS campaign
BAGHDAD (Reuters) – Iraq dispatched its foreign minister to Tehran on Wednesday with an offer to mediate in an escalating feud between Saudi Arabia and Iran, reflecting Baghdad’s fears that new sectarian conflict could unravel its campaign against Isla…
Gaza Strip gets first new hospital in a decade, two more due this year
GAZA (Reuters) – The Gaza Strip’s struggling healthcare system will get some much needed help in 2016 after the first new hospital in a decade opened its doors in the territory last month and as two more foreign-funded clinics are set to launch this ye…
Islamic State threatens to destroy Saudi prisons after executions
RIYADH (Reuters) – Islamic State threatened to destroy Saudi Arabian prisons holding jihadists after Riyadh’s execution of 47 people including 43 convicted al Qaeda militants.
Islamic State video turns British attention to banned group
LONDON (Reuters) – If London-born convert Abu Rumaysah is confirmed as the front man in the latest Islamic State video, then he will be just the latest in a long line of militants to emerge from a banned group the authorities say breeds easy prey for j…
Britain’s ‘shoddy’ security under fire after militant slips away to Islamic State
LONDON (Reuters) – Six weeks after a British militant who is suspected of being an Islamic State executioner slipped out of the country, police sent a letter asking him to surrender his passport, a security bungle that has drawn criticism from oppositi…
China again lands planes on disputed island in South China Sea: Xinhua
BEIJING (Reuters) – China on Wednesday landed two test flights on an island it has built in the South China Sea, four days after it angered Vietnam with a landing on the same runway in the disputed territory, the Xinhua state news agency said.
U.S., allies stage 19 strikes in Iraq against Islamic State: statement
WASHINGTON(Reuters) – The United States on Tuesday led 19 strikes targeting Islamic State in Iraq and one in Syria, the coalition leading the operations said in a statement on Wednesday.
Coca-Cola blames ad agency for map showing Crimea as part of Russia
MOSCOW/KIEV (Reuters) – U.S. drinks firm Coca-Cola on Wednesday blamed a marketing agency for a map used in an online advertising campaign that showed Crimea to be part of Russia and which drew protests and threats of a boycott from angry Ukrainians.
German police give all-clear over packages at Merkel’s office
BERLIN (Reuters) – German police gave the all-clear after investigating five items delivered to Chancellor Angela Merkel’s office in central Berlin on Wednesday.
