Ex-adviser says U.N. Syria envoy ‘out of his depth’: report
UNITED NATIONS (Reuters) – A former political adviser to U.N. peace mediator for Syria Staffan de Mistura sharply criticized his former boss on Thursday for his failed efforts at securing local ceasefires in the four-year-old civil war.
Pentagon dismisses Moscow claim of U.S. troops in Ukraine combat zone
MOSCOW/WASHINGTON (Reuters) – The Russian Defense Ministry said on Thursday that U.S. troops were training Ukrainian forces in the conflict zone in eastern Ukraine, but the Pentagon flatly denied it, accusing Moscow of a “ridiculous attempt” to obscure…
U.S. strike inadvertently killed U.S., Italian hostages; Obama apologizes
WASHINGTON (Reuters) – A U.S. drone strike in January targeting an al Qaeda compound in Pakistan near the Afghan border inadvertently killed an American and an Italian who had been held hostage for years by the group, U.S. officials said on Thursday.
Saudi-led coalition launches air strikes throughout Yemen: residents
ADEN (Reuters) – Warplanes from a Saudi-led coalition pounded Houthi militiamen and military bases with at least 20 air strikes throughout Yemen on Thursday, residents said, despite Riyadh saying it was winding down its campaign.
Nigeria military says still in Boko Haram stronghold despite mines
BAUCHI, Nigeria (Reuters) – Nigeria’s military said on Thursday it was still advancing in Islamist group Boko Haram’s last known stronghold, dismissing reports that land mines had forced them to retreat.
Fighting in South Sudan’s Upper Nile drags into third day
JUBA (Reuters) – Opposing groups of government soldiers in South Sudan’s Upper Nile state fought for a third day on Thursday, a ruling party official said, adding that the defense minister will travel to the region in a bid to defuse the situation.
Chechen leader tells security forces to shoot if Russian police intrude
MOSCOW (Reuters) – The leader of the Russia’s southern region of Chechnya has ordered his police to “shoot to kill” if servicemen from other parts of the country encroach on their territory.
On 100th anniversary, German president condemns Turkish ‘genocide’ against Armenians
BERLIN (Reuters) – German President Joachim Gauck on Thursday condemned the massacre of 1.5 million Armenians by Ottoman Turkish forces a century ago as “genocide”, a term that the Berlin government had long rejected.
Experts tell U.N. council: Feeling left out drives youth to Islamic State
UNITED NATIONS (Reuters) – Most European youth who travel to Iraq and Syria to fight with Islamic State militants do so because they do not feel at home in Europe, academics told a United Nations Security Council meeting chaired Thursday by Jordan’s 20…
Pentagon says evicted Russian hackers, global cyber threat grows
PALO ALTO, California (Reuters) – The United States on Thursday disclosed a cyber intrusion this year by Russian hackers who accessed an unclassified U.S. military network, in a episode Defense Secretary Ash Carter said showed the growing threat and th…
