Saudi court commutes Palestinian poet’s death sentence to jail, lashes: lawyer
DUBAI (Reuters) – A Saudi court has commuted the death sentence against a Palestinian poet on charges of apostasy and abandoning his Muslim faith to eight years in jail and 800 lashes, his lawyer said.
Slovenia to offer military instructors in fight against ISIS
LJUBLJANA (Reuters) – Slovenia is likely to offer weapons and military instructors to the US-led coalition against the Islamic State (ISIS), the national Radio Slovenia said on Wednesday, citing unofficial sources.
Australian asylum ruling paves way for deportation of infants
SYDNEY (Reuters) – Australia’s High Court threw out a challenge to offshore immigration detention camps on Wednesday, clearing the way for the deportation of dozens of infants born in Australia to detained asylum seekers.
Japan readies military to shoot down North Korean rocket
TOKYO (Reuters) – Japan’s Defence Minister Gen Nakatani on Wednesday ordered ballistic missile defense units, including Aegis destroyers in the Sea of Japan and Patriot missile batteries onshore, to be ready to shoot down any North Korean rocket that t…
Canadian who says he fought Islamic State detained in Australia
SYDNEY (Reuters) – A Canadian who said he fought alongside Kurdish forces against Islamic State in Syria has been detained while trying to enter Australia and told he will be deported, his father said on Wednesday.
Murder rate dips, but Venezuela still global hotspot
CARACAS (Reuters) – Venezuela’s murder rate fell last year to 58 per 100,000 inhabitants, the government said on Tuesday, but the violence-racked nation remains one of the world’s most dangerous.
Swiss say Malaysian Prime Minister Najib not accused in 1MDB probe
WASHINGTON (Reuters) – Malaysian Prime Minister Najib Razak is not among those accused of wrongdoing in an investigation by Switzerland’s chief prosecutor into alleged corruption involving the 1Malaysia Development Berhad (1MDB) sovereign fund, a Swiss…
Iraqis running out of food and medicine in besieged Falluja
BAGHDAD (Reuters) – Tens of thousands of trapped Iraqi civilians are running out of food and medicine in the western city of Falluja, an Islamic State stronghold under siege by security forces, according to local officials and residents.
Hezbollah kills four Qaeda-linked militants in north Lebanon: security source
BEIRUT (Reuters) – Hezbollah fighters killed at least four members of the al Qaeda-linked Nusra Front in a rocket attack on their car in northeastern Lebanon on Tuesday, a security source said.
Tusk’s plan to keep Britain in EU draws mixed response
CHIPPENHAM, England/BRUSSELS (Reuters) – European Council President Donald Tusk set out a plan on Tuesday for keeping Britain in the European Union to a mixed reception which underlined the challenges Prime Minister David Cameron faces convincing Brito…
