Russia says worried about concentration of Islamist terror groups in Afghanistan
MOSCOW (Reuters) – Russia is concerned about the concentration of Islamist terror groups in northern Afghanistan, Maria Zakharova, a spokeswoman for the Russian Foreign Ministry, said on Thursday.
U.S., allies target Islamic State with 22 fresh airstrikes: statement
WASHINGTON (Reuters) – The U.S.-led coalition fighting Islamic State targeted the militant group with 22 air strikes in Syria and Iraq on Wednesday, according to the Combined Joint Task Force leading the operation.
Special Report: Egypt locks up lawyers in Islamist fight
CAIRO (Reuters) – As Egypt cracks down on its Islamist dissidents, many of the country’s lawyers are finding themselves on the wrong side of the law as well. Attorney Mohsen al-Bahnasy says so many fellow lawyers have been arrested or charged in recent…
China captures corruption suspect thought to have fled overseas
BEIJING (Reuters) – China has caught a top corruption suspect it thought had fled to the United States after discovering he had returned home to stay with his parents in Shanghai, state media said on Thursday.
Iranian president welcomes Khamenei’s conditional approval of nuclear deal
ANKARA (Reuters) – Iran’s president on Thursday welcomed conditional approval of a nuclear agreement with six major powers by the country’s top authority, Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, Iran’s state television reported.
Israel quiet over ‘hotline’ with Russia on Syria
JERUSALEM (Reuters) – It speaks volumes that Russia, rather than Israel, has been going public with details of a “hotline” and joint air exercises they have launched to avoid an accidental clash in the skies over Syria.
Malaysia’s Mahathir says little chance of ousting PM Najib
KUALA LUMPUR (Reuters) – Malaysia’s former premier Mahathir Mohamad conceded on Thursday that the chances of unseating Prime Minister Najib Razak before elections in 2018 are slim, despite his rallying cries for a “people’s power” movement to topple th…
EU calls Burundi to talks in Brussels over crisis
BRUSSELS (Reuters) – Burundi’s government will be invited to talks in Brussels to seek a solution to a political crisis in the Central African country that has killed more than 120 people, EU diplomats say, warning of a suspension of aid if talks fail….
Syria air strikes push Putin’s rating to new high: Russian state pollster
MOSCOW (Reuters) – Russian President Vladimir Putin’s approval rating has hit a record high of almost 90 percent, primarily as a result of his decision to launch air strikes against Islamist militants in Syria, Russia’s state pollster said on Thursday….
Conspiracy theories fill Italy media over pope brain tumor story
VATICAN CITY (Reuters) – Conspiracy theories worthy of a Dan Brown novel sprouted in the Italian media on Thursday, with accusations that Pope Francis’s enemies were looking to undermine him after a newspaper reported he had a brain tumor.
