U.S. ambassador attack renews focus on contentious South Korean security law
SEOUL (Reuters) – Efforts by South Korean police to charge a nationalist over a knife attack on the U.S. ambassador have renewed debate about the use of a state security act as a political weapon and an attempt to gloss over security shortcomings.
Iraqi Kurds say Islamic State used chlorine gas against them
ARBIL, Iraq (Reuters) – Iraqi Kurdish authorities said on Saturday they had evidence that Islamic State had used chlorine gas as a chemical weapon against their peshmerga fighters in northern Iraq in January.
Biden, Poroshenko call on Russia, separatists to implement ceasefire deal
WASHINGTON (Reuters) – U.S. Vice President Joe Biden and Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko spoke by phone on Saturday and both called on Russia and pro-Russian separatists fighting in eastern Ukraine to implement the Minsk ceasefire agreements, the …
Vatican official says force may be needed to combat Islamic State: interview
ROME (Reuters) – The Vatican’s ambassador in Geneva has said the use of force will be necessary to protect minority groups from Islamic State aggression if a political solution cannot be achieved.
U.S. Embassy in Saudi Arabia on heightened security
(Reuters) – U.S. citizens are urged to take precautions in Saudia Arabaia and U.S. consular services in the country have been canceled for Sunday and Monday due to heightened security concerns, the U.S. Embassy in Riyadh said on Saturday.
Venezuela stages military exercise to counter U.S. ‘threat’
CARACAS (Reuters) – Venezuela on Saturday staged a military exercise to counter an alleged U.S. threat, deploying soldiers and partisans across the country to march, man shoulder-fired missiles and defend an oil refinery from a simulated attack.
Kerry says unclear whether interim Iran deal within reach
SHARM EL-SHEIKH, Egypt (Reuters) – On the eve of fresh talks with Iran, U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry said it was unclear whether an interim agreement over its nuclear power program was within reach.
Sierra Leone vice president says requested asylum at U.S. embassy
FREETOWN (Reuters) – Sierra Leone’s Vice President Samuel Sam-Sumana said he had requested asylum at the U.S. embassy in Freetown after soldiers surrounded his residence on Saturday following his expulsion from the ruling party last week.
Flagging as election looms, Netanyahu ramps up rhetoric
JERUSALEM (Reuters) – Flagging in opinion polls before Tuesday’s election in Israel, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is trying to rally rightists by casting his center-left challengers as tools of a global campaign to usurp power.
Islamic State fighters and force allied with Tripoli clash in central Libya
TRIPOLI (Reuters) – Clashes erupted in central Libya on Saturday between Islamic State fighters and a force loyal to a Tripoli-based faction, a military official and residents said.
