Bombs outside two five-star Baghdad hotels kill at least 10
BAGHDAD (Reuters) – Car bombs exploded in the parking lots of two heavily fortified five-star hotels in central Baghdad late on Thursday, killing at least 10 people, police and medical sources said.
South Korea to ban taxi services by private drivers in blow to Uber
SEOUL (Reuters) – South Korean lawmakers passed a bill early on Friday to ban taxi services provided by private drivers, marking what is likely the first nationwide legislation to outlaw Uber Technologies Inc’s low-cost uberX service.
Libya’s rival government conducts air strikes on Islamic State in Sirte: official
TRIPOLI (Reuters) – Military aircraft belonging to a rival Libyan government on Thursday attacked Islamic State positions in and around the central city of Sirte, where the radical group claimed to have seized an air base, a government official said.
Rebels capture last Syrian town in Idlib province
AMMAN (Reuters) – The Syrian army has pulled back from the northwestern city of Ariha after a coalition of insurgent groups seized the last city in Idlib province in northwestern Syria near the Turkish border that was still held by the government.
Islamic State photos purport to show unharmed Palmyra ruins
BEIRUT (Reuters) – Islamic State posted photographs online which it said were taken in the central Syrian city of Palmyra and appeared to show its ancient ruins unharmed since the hardline group seized it from government forces.
Outgoing U.N. aid chief paints harrowing portrait of Syria war
UNITED NATIONS (Reuters) – The United Nations’ outgoing humanitarian chief on Thursday painted a harrowing portrait of savagery in Syria’s civil war, now in its fifth year, and urged the Security Council to take collective action to put an end to the c…
Fractious handover clouds Buhari’s Nigeria succession
ABUJA, Nigeria – As he entered his final week in office, Nigerian President Goodluck Jonathan offered up a prayer for the success of Muhammadu Buhari, the former military ruler who takes the helm of Africa’s biggest economy on Friday.
U.S. hopes Chinese island-building will spur Asian response
WASHINGTON (Reuters) – By releasing video of Beijing’s island reclamation work and considering more assertive maritime actions, the United States is signaling a tougher stance over the South China Sea and trying to spur Asian partners to more action.
Islamic State settles into Ramadi, but the lull unlikely to last
BAGHDAD (Reuters) – The blind man with just one hand arrived at the main mosque in the center of the Iraqi city of Ramadi at dusk on Wednesday, flanked by Islamic State fighters.
UK takes hard line on EU reform as Cameron starts European tour
LONDON/PARIS (Reuters) – Prime Minister David Cameron said Britain’s relationship with the European Union was “not good enough” after his foreign minister warned the bloc had to change its founding treaties and give London a meaty reform deal to keep i…
