Saudi Arabia rejects rights criticism after flogging of blogger
RIYADH (Reuters) – Saudi Arabia defended its human rights record on Saturday in its first public reaction to international criticism over last year’s sentencing of liberal Saudi blogger Raif Badawi to 1,000 lashes and 10 years in jail for “insulting Is…
Iraq says Islamic State militants raze ancient Hatra city
BAGHDAD/ERBIL,Iraq (Reuters) – Islamic State militants have destroyed ancient remains of the 2,000-year-old city of Hatra in northern Iraq, officials said on Saturday, in their latest attack on Iraqi antiquities which the United Nations condemned as ba…
Six killed in gunmen attack on Sufi place of worship in Kabul
KABUL (Reuters) – Attackers with guns fixed with silencers killed six people after storming a Sufi place of worship in the Afghan capital Kabul on Saturday evening, according to a government statement.
Czech, Austrian, others missing after Libya oilfield attack
PRAGUE/TRIPOLI (Reuters) – Around 10 foreigners are missing after an attack on a Libyan oil field and there is a possibility they have been taken hostage, Czech Foreign Minister Lubomir Zaoralek said on Saturday.
Two detained after grenade explodes outside Bangkok court
BANGKOK (Reuters) – Thai police detained two people for questioning on Saturday after a grenade exploded outside a criminal court in Bangkok.
Israel fires at Gaza boats, kills Palestinian fisherman: hospital officials
GAZA (Reuters) – The Israeli navy opened fire on boats off the coast of the Gaza Strip on Saturday, killing one Palestinian fisherman, Gaza hospital officials said.
U.S., France ‘on same page’ over Iran, want stronger deal
PARIS (Reuters) – The United States and France sought on Saturday to play down any disagreements over nuclear talks with Iran, saying they both agreed the accord now under discussion needed to be strengthened.
Syrian air strike kills two Islamic State commanders
BEIRUT (Reuters) – The Syrian army has killed two Islamic State commanders in an air strike in central Syria along with at least 24 other members of the ultra-hardline group, a monitoring group said on Saturday.
UK police defend actions over teenage girls who flew to Syria
LONDON (Reuters) – British police on Saturday denied accusations that they had failed to pass on crucial information that could have allowed families to stop three teenage girls from traveling to Syria to join Islamic State militants.
Spain arrests Moroccan woman suspected of trying to join Islamic State
MADRID (Reuters) – Spanish authorities on Saturday arrested a Moroccan woman resident in Spain on suspicion of attempting to join Islamic State militants in Syria, the interior ministry said.
