Japan environment minister latest to deny illegal funding
TOKYO (Reuters) – Japan’s environment minister denied wrongdoing on Friday after a newspaper said his office appeared to have received improper funds, the latest embarrassment for Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, three of whose ministers have quit over fundi…
Missing Canadian teens believed headed to fight with Islamic State: reports
TORONTO (Reuters) – Canadian authorities believe four young men and two women who disappeared from Quebec in January have traveled to the Middle East to fight with Islamic State, media reported on Thursday.
China bans ivory imports ahead of royal visit: Xinhua
SHANGHAI (Reuters) – China has announced a one-year ban on the import of African ivory carvings ahead of next week’s visit by Britain’s Prince William, a strong critic of the ivory trade.
Libya needs international maritime force to help stop illicit oil, weapons: U.N. experts
UNITED NATIONS (Reuters) – Libyan authorities are unable to halt the illicit trade in oil or the flow of weapons in and out of the country, and they need an international maritime force to help, United Nations sanctions monitors said in a new report.
U.S.-led coalition launches 14 air strikes against Islamic State: statement
WASHINGTON (Reuters) – The United States and its partner nations launched 14 air strikes against Islamic State militants in Iraq and Syria since Wednesday morning, the Combined Joint Task Force said on Thursday.
Peru seeks extradition of Greenpeace activist over Nazca damage
LIMA (Reuters) – Peru is seeking the extradition of a Greenpeace activist from Argentina to face charges he damaged the country’s iconic Nazca Lines during a widely criticized stunt last year, a court said on Thursday.
‘Jihadi John’ killer from Islamic State beheading videos unmasked as Londoner
LONDON/WASHINGTON (Reuters) – The masked “Jihadi John” killer who fronted Islamic State beheading videos has been identified as Mohammed Emwazi, a British computer programming graduate from a well-to-do London family who was known to the security servi…
UK must appoint Arctic ambassador or risk being ‘outmaneuvered’: lawmakers
LONDON (Reuters) – Britain should appoint an ambassador on the Arctic or risk being “outmaneuvered” in the region by other countries, a committee of lawmakers from Britain’s upper house said on Friday.
Further cuts to UK’s foreign affairs budget could be ‘disastrous’: lawmakers
LONDON (Reuters) – Britain’s ability to project its global influence is threatened by spending cuts and further reductions to its foreign affairs budget could be “disastrous”, a committee of lawmakers said in a report published on Friday.
Lesotho prepares for early vote in bid to ease political crisis
MASERU (Reuters) – Feuding parties in Lesotho’s ruling coalition will face off on Saturday in early national elections staged in a bid to restore stability six months after an attempted coup.
