Xi denies China turning artificial islands into military bases
WASHINGTON (Reuters) – U.S. President Barack Obama expressed concerns about Chinese militarization of artificial islands in the South China Sea to China’s President Xi Jinping on Friday, but Xi denied any plan to establish military strongholds there.
Armenian soldiers killed in clashes with Azeri troops near Karabakh
YEREVAN (Reuters) – Four Armenian soldiers were killed in an attack by Azeri forces on Friday near the breakaway Nagorno-Karabakh region, in a new outburst of violence in the region, Nagorno-Karabkh’s defense ministry said.
Saudi suggests pilgrims at fault over haj deaths, Iran angry
MINA, Saudi Arabia (Reuters) – Saudi Arabia on Friday suggested pilgrims ignoring crowd control rules bore some blame for a crush that killed over 700 people at the haj pilgrimage in the annual event’s worst disaster for 25 years.
Assad must go but might need to talk to him: UK’s Hammond
UNITED NATIONS/PARIS (Reuters) – Syria’s President Bashar al-Assad must go, but it might be necessary to talk with him as part of a deal on a transition of power, British Foreign Secretary Philip Hammond said in an interview published by French daily L…
Russia summons Polish ambassador after Soviet graves vandalized
MOSCOW/WARSAW (Reuters) – The Russian Foreign Ministry summoned the Polish ambassador to Moscow on Friday after graves of Soviet soldiers were vandalized in a Polish village, an act which Poland’s Foreign Ministry also condemned.
Egypt says police killed militants who attacked Italian consulate
CAIRO (Reuters) – Egyptian security forces on Friday killed nine militants who took part in a bomb attack at the Italian consulate in Cairo in July, the Interior Ministry said.
Hezbollah leader confirms localised ceasefire deal in Syria
BEIRUT (Reuters) – Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah confirmed on Friday that a deal had been reached between Syrian pro-government forces and insurgents in two areas of the country that included a six-month ceasefire.
Croatia lifts border blockade with Serbia
BAJAKOVO, Croatia (Reuters) – Croatia lifted a blockade on its border with Serbia on Friday, ending a week-long standoff that had plunged relations between the two Balkan states to their lowest since Yugoslavia broke up in bloodshed in the 1990s.
Iraq says winning battle against Islamic State, wants more bombing
NEW YORK (Reuters) – Iraqi Foreign Minister Ibrahim al-Jaafari said on Friday that he wanted the U.S.-led coalition to bomb more Islamic State targets in his country to help local forces on the ground, who were “winning” the fight against the radical g…
U.S. urges Iraqi forces to move ‘as quickly as possible’ to retake Ramadi
WASHINGTON (Reuters) – The United States is encouraging Iraqi forces to move to retake the city of Ramadi from Islamic State militants “as quickly as possible” to deny them the chance to regroup, a U.S. military spokesman said on Friday.
