New U.S.-backed Syrian rebel alliance launches offensive against Islamic State
BEIRUT (Reuters) – A newly formed U.S.-backed Syrian rebel alliance on Saturday launched an offensive against Islamic State in the northeast province of Hasaka, a day after the United States said it would send special forces to advise insurgents fighti…
Guinea’s constitutional court validates Conde’s re-election
CONAKRY (Reuters) – Guinea’s constitutional court on Saturday validated President Alpha Conde’s victory in an Oct. 11 election that handed him a second five-year term with a clear majority.
Seven arrested after Maldives boat blast probe leads to weapons find
MALE (Reuters) – Maldives police arrested seven people after an investigation into a boat explosion that targeted President Abdulla Yameen led to the discovery of weapons hidden on the sea bed, officials said on Saturday.
President Aliyev’s party seen easily winning election in Azerbaijan
BAKU (Reuters) – President Ilham Aliyev’s ruling party is poised to sweep the board in a parliamentary election in Azerbaijan on Sunday, a vote the mainstream opposition and international monitors are shunning.
Romanian nightclub fire kills 27, national mourning declared
BUCHAREST (Reuters) – Romania’s government declared a three-day national mourning on Saturday, after an overnight fire in a Bucharest nightclub killed 27 people and injured 184 during a rock concert that featured fireworks used indoors.
Lebanon army kills three militants near Syria border: security source
BEIRUT (Reuters) – Lebanon’s army on Saturday fired at a vehicle carrying Islamist militants, killing three of them and wounding two others in the north of the country near the Syrian border, a security source said.
Crunch talks for Merkel on refugee crisis as thousands more arrive
BERLIN (Reuters) – Nearly 10,000 refugees continued to arrive in Germany daily, police said on Saturday, highlighting the scale of the challenge facing the country’s stretched border staff ahead of a crunch meeting between Angela Merkel and a Bavarian …
Ex-U.N. refugee agency chief urges Japan to do more to help
TOKYO (Reuters) – Japan, which accepted less than a dozen asylum seekers last year, should show more leadership on refugees and craft an immigration policy given its need for foreign workers, a former U.N. High Commissioner for Refugees said on Thursda…
Peru’s Garcia promises 6 percent growth if elected to third term
LIMA (Reuters) – Peru’s former president Alan Garcia kicked off his campaign for a third term with a promise to deliver economic growth of at least 6 percent per year through more public works and mining investments.
U.N. and ICRC chide states for ‘paralysis’ in face of conflict
GENEVA (Reuters) – U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon and International Committee of the Red Cross President Peter Maurer made what they called an “unprecedented joint warning” on Saturday for states to stop conflicts, respect international law and aid…
