China mounts detailed defense of South China Sea reclamation
BEIJING (Reuters) – China on Thursday sketched out plans for the islands it is creating in the disputed South China Sea, saying they would be used for military defense as well as to provide civilian services that would benefit other countries.
U.S., allies conduct 7 air strikes in Syria, 12 in Iraq: military
WASHINGTON (Reuters) – U.S.-led forces targeted Islamic State militants in Syria with seven air strikes from Wednesday to Thursday morning, with Canada taking part in the strikes for the first time, the U.S. military said on Thursday.
U.N. chief urges Syria mediator to focus on political process
UNITED NATIONS (Reuters) – United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon said on Thursday he had asked his Syria mediator to “focus much more to re-launch a political process” in a bid to end the four-year civil war that has killed some 220,000 people a…
Iran’s leader says Saudi air strikes causing genocide
ADEN (Reuters) – Iran’s leader on Thursday condemned as genocide the military intervention by its main regional rival Saudi Arabia in Yemen, escalating Tehran’s rhetoric against the two-week-old air strike campaign.
U.S. man charged with trying to support Islamic State
WASHINGTON/MADISON, Wis. (Reuters) – An American man has been charged with trying to provide support for the Islamic State militant group, the U.S. Justice Department said on Thursday.
Italian right-wing leader says Facebook blocks his personal page
ROME (Reuters) – Matteo Salvini, leader of Italy’s anti-immigration Northern League party, said on Thursday Facebook had blocked his personal page for 24 hours because he used the word “gipsy” in posts.
Amnesty International reports killings of captured Ukrainian soldiers
KIEV (Reuters) – Human rights group Amnesty International said on Thursday at least four Ukrainian soldiers had been shot dead in what it described as “execution-style” killings by pro-Russian separatist groups earlier this year.
French broadcaster TV5Monde hit by Islamist hackers
PARIS (Reuters) – Hackers claiming to be supporters of Islamic State knocked out channels of French public television station TV5Monde and posted material on its social media feeds to protest against French military action in Iraq.
Sudan summons Libyan ambassador over consul’s arrest
KHARTOUM/BENGHAZI, Libya (Reuters) – Sudan’s foreign ministry said on Thursday it had summoned the Libyan ambassador in Khartoum to protest against the arrest of a Sudanese consul in the eastern Libyan city of Benghazi.
Colombia to extend suspension of bombing raids on rebels
BOGOTA (Reuters) – Colombia will extend its halt on bombing raids against Marxist FARC rebels for another month, President Juan Manuel Santos said on Thursday after ordering a one-month suspension of the air raids in March to abet talks to end 50 years…
