Bomb attack on Bangladesh mosque kills one, wounds dozen
DHAKA (Reuters) – A bomb attack on a Bangladeshi mosque during Friday prayers killed one person and wounded at least a dozen, police said, the latest in a series of attacks in the Muslim-majority nation.
Confusion, corruption among Afghan forces hit Helmand defense
KABUL (Reuters) – More foreign troops died fighting in Helmand than in any other province in Afghanistan but little more than a year after NATO left, the region risks being overrun by the Taliban because of confusion, corruption and mismanagement in Af…
Australians flee bushfires, lose homes to flames on Christmas Day
MELBOURNE (Reuters) – Fire crews battled into the night on Friday after raging bushfires reduced homes to ashes in a famous Australian beauty spot on Christmas Day, sending residents fleeing for their lives to the sound of blaring sirens.
Qatar opposes creation of opposition lists before Syria peace talks
MOSCOW (Reuters) – Qatari Foreign Minister Khaled al-Attiyah said on Friday he opposed the creation of lists of opposition before peace talks on Syria.
Iraq’s top Shi’ite cleric Sistani calls for the release of Qatari hunters kidnapped in Iraq
BAGHDAD (Reuters) – Iraq’s top Shi’ite Muslim cleric Grand Ayatollah Ali al-Sistani called for the release of a group of Qatari hunters kidnapped in the south of the country, his representative said on Friday. A large group of unidentified armed men ab…
Death sentence for Myanmar men prompts protest at ‘shameless’ Thais
YANGON/BANGKOK (Reuters) – Hundreds called for the release of two Myanmar migrant workers in a protest in Yangon, Myanmar’s biggest city, on Friday, a day after a Thai court sentenced the two to death for the 2014 murders of two young British tourists….
Russia’s air force conducted 5,240 sorties in Syria since Sept. 30
MOSCOW (Reuters) – Russia’s air force has made 5,240 sorties since it started the strikes in Syria on Sept. 30, including 189 sorties on Thursday alone, Russia’s defense ministry told reporters on Friday.
Nepal seeks China’s support to escape energy crisis
BEIJING (Reuters) – Nepal’s foreign minister asked China on Friday for help in dealing with an energy crisis that crippled the landlocked country over the past three months and China said it would look at the request favorably.
Iraqi forces to retake Mosul from Islamic State after Ramadi secured: PM
BAGHDAD (Reuters) – Iraq’s armed forces will move to retake the major northern city of Mosul from Islamic State once they capture the western city of Ramadi, Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi said on Friday.
Modi heads to Pakistan in first visit by Indian PM in over decade
NEW DELHI/KABUL (Reuters) – Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi will make a surprise stopover at Pakistan to meet his counterpart, Nawaz Sharif, on Friday, in what will be an Indian’s premier’s first visit to the arch rival in more than a decade.
