U.N. wants ‘understanding’ of Western Sahara human rights situation
UNITED NATIONS (Reuters) – U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon is calling for an “independent and impartial understanding” of human rights in the disputed North African territory of Western Sahara, according to a report seen by Reuters on Friday.
U.S. to triple military aid to Tunisia
TUNIS (Reuters) – The United States will increase military aid to Tunisia threefold this year and help train its troops, a senior U.S official said on Friday, weeks after the country suffered its deadliest militant attack in more than a decade.
U.S., allies conduct nine air strikes in Iraq, seven in Syria
WASHINGTON (Reuters) – U.S.-led forces targeted Islamic State militants with nine air strikes in Iraq and seven in Syria since early on Thursday, the U.S. military said on Friday.
Islamic State attacks Iraqi provincial capital
BAGHDAD (Reuters) – Islamic State militants attacked the capital of Iraq’s vast Anbar province on multiple fronts on Friday, seizing two areas on the city outskirts in a setback for a government campaign to retake the desert terrain.
Pakistan court frees on bail accused mastermind of Mumbai attack: lawyer
ISLAMABAD (Reuters) – A Pakistani court freed on bail on Friday a man accused of plotting a 2008 assault on India’s financial capital Mumbai that killed 166 people, his lawyer said.
U.S. targets Iran’s record on women’s rights at United Nations
UNITED NATIONS (Reuters) – The United States targeted Iran’s record on women’s rights on Friday by calling a rare vote on the country’s “wholly inappropriate” bid to join the executive board of the United Nations gender equality body.
Six wounded after explosion at shopping mall on Koh Samui
BANGKOK (Reuters) – An explosion in an underground car park at a shopping mall on the popular tourist island of Koh Samui in southern Thailand wounded six people and damaged about 10 cars late on Friday, a police spokesman said.
Hearing date set for Canada Valentine’s Day massacre plot suspects
HALIFAX (Reuters) – The hearing for a Canadian man and American woman accused of plotting a shopping mall massacre in the Atlantic Canadian city of Halifax will begin in June, a judge ruled on Friday.
Nigerians to vote for powerful governors in state elections
LAGOS, (Reuters) – The final stage of Nigeria’s election will begin on Saturday with state governorship polls, two weeks after a presidential vote saw an incumbent leader unseated at the ballot box for the first time.
Pakistan declines Saudi call for armed support in Yemen fight
ADEN (Reuters) – Pakistan’s parliament voted on Friday not to join the Saudi-led military intervention in Yemen, dashing Riyadh’s hopes for powerful support from outside of the region in its fight to halt Iranian-allied Houthi rebels.
