Iraq cleric pushes anti-corruption fight as protests flare
BAGHDAD (Reuters) – Iraq’s top Shi’ite Muslim cleric called on the prime minister on Friday to “strike with an iron fist” against corruption, as fresh anti-government protests erupted in Baghdad and Basra.
Greece says cannot handle migrants; UNHCR calls crisis ‘shameful’
LESBOS, Greece/GENEVA (Reuters) – Greek Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras asked Europe to help in handling tens of thousands of refugees coming in from Syria, Afghanistan and other war zones, saying on Friday his cash-strapped country could not deal with t…
Islamic State executed 2,000 Iraqis in Nineveh: defense minister
BAGHDAD (Reuters) – More than two thousand Iraqis in the northern province of Nineveh have been executed by Islamic State militants controlling the area, the defense minister said on Friday in a recorded statement.
Saudi soldier killed in cross-border shelling from Yemen
DUBAI (Reuters) – A Saudi soldier was killed by shelling from across the Yemeni border, Saudi state news agency SPA said on Friday.
Islamic State abducts dozens of Christians from Syrian town: monitor
BEIRUT (Reuters) – Islamic State militants have captured dozens of Christian families after seizing a strategically located town in the central Syrian province of Homs, a monitor said on Friday.
Brazil VP dismisses rumor of split with President Rousseff
BRASILIA (Reuters) – Brazilian Vice President Michel Temer denied rumors on Friday that he was dropping the job of handling President Dilma Rousseff’s relations with her coalition allies in Congress.
U.S. adds Russian oil field to sanctions list
WASHINGTON (Reuters) – The United States has added a Russian oil and gas field, the Yuzhno-Kirinskoye Field, to its list of energy sector sanctions prompted by Moscow’s actions in Ukraine, drawing a prompt rebuke from the Kremlin on Friday.
Islamic State targeted in 15 air strikes by U.S., allies: statement
WASHINGTON (Reuters) – The United States and its coalition partners have carried out an additional 15 air strikes on Islamic State targets in Syria and Iraq, the Command Joint Task Force said in a statement on Friday.
Swedish plan to question Assange at Ecuador embassy in UK stalled
STOCKHOLM (Reuters) – Swedish prosecutors’ plan to question WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange at Ecuador’s embassy in London has stalled as Ecuador has demanded Sweden give him asylum as a condition of the meeting, a Swedish official said on Friday.
U.N. envoy says Myanmar denied her access to troubled Rakhine state
YANGON (Reuters) – A U.N. human rights investigator said on Friday Myanmar’s government had denied her access to the state which is home to the Rohingya Muslim minority and security officials had photographed people she met on previous visits.
