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.
Five children hurt in school attack in southeast Turkey blamed on PKK
DIYARBAKIR, Turkey (Reuters) – Five children were hurt on Friday when an explosive ripped through a schoolyard in Turkey’s mainly Kurdish southeast, a region gripped by violence between militants and state security forces for months, security sources s…
Pakistan Taliban commander vows more school attacks in video
DERA ISMAIL KHAN, Pakistan (Reuters) – A senior Pakistani Taliban commander released video footage on Friday of four fighters he said carried out Wednesday’s deadly assault on a university in Pakistan’s northwest that killed 20 people and vowed more at…
French PM says refugee crisis threatening idea of EU: BBC
LONDON (Reuters) – French Prime Minister Manuel Valls said Friday Europe cannot cope with the number of refugees arriving at its borders and that the influx was threatening the idea of the European Union.
World Islamic body backs Saudi stance in Iran spat
JEDDAH (Reuters) – The world’s largest Muslim body backed Saudi Arabia in its weeks-long diplomatic spat with Iran in a statement issued on Thursday night, accusing Tehran of backing terrorism and meddling in other countries’ affairs.
Iraq to start Mosul offensive against IS in first half of 2016: Minister
CAIRO (Reuters) – Iraq plans to launch the operation to dislodge Islamic State from the northern city of Mosul in the first half of 2016, Defense Minister Khaled al-Obeidi told Reuters on Thursday.
At least 15 migrants drown as boats capsize off Greek islands
ATHENS (Reuters) – At least 15 migrants including eight children drowned when their boats capsized off the Greek islands of Kalolimnos and Farmakonisi early on Friday, a coastguard official said, as the refugee flow towards Europe continues despite the…
Don’t read too much into military drills, China says after Taiwan alarm
BEIJING (Reuters) – China’s Defence Ministry said on Friday people shouldn’t read too much into a state media broadcast of live-fire military and landing drills, just days after a landslide election win by an independence-leaning opposition party in Ta…
