Iran confirms air strikes in Iraq against Islamic State: Guardian newspaper
BAGHDAD (Reuters) – A senior Iranian official has confirmed his country carried out air strikes in neighboring Iraq against Islamic State fighters at the request of Iraqi authorities, Britain’s Guardian newspaper reported.
Russia’s Gazprom receives prepayment from Ukraine for gas supplies
MOSCOW (Reuters) – Russian natural gas producer Gazprom said on Saturday it had received a prepayment of $378.22 million from Ukraine for natural gas supplies, paving the way for the first shipments to Kiev since Moscow cut supplies in June.
Massive evacuation as Typhoon Hagupit nears Philippines
MANILA (Reuters) – More than half a million people in the Philippines have fled from a powerful typhoon in one of the world’s biggest peacetime evacuations, as the storm threatens to wreak more destruction on areas still bearing the scars of a super ty…
Hagel, in Kabul, says Afghans to battle back Taliban threat
KABUL (Reuters) – Outgoing U.S. Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel expressed confidence in the ability of Afghan forces to defend Kabul following a spike in Taliban strikes as he arrived in the Afghan capital on Saturday for his final trip to Afghanistan as…
China arrests ex-security chief for corruption, leaking secrets
BEIJING (Reuters) – Chinese authorities have arrested former domestic security chief Zhou Yongkang and expelled him from the ruling Communist Party, accusing him of crimes ranging from accepting bribes to leaking state secrets and setting the stage for…
Myanmar should investigate girl’s killing, say rights groups
YANGON (Reuters) – Myanmar’s government should investigate the military’s alleged killing of a 14-year-old girl whose father is being prosecuted for making “false charges” after filing a complaint about the attack, rights groups said Saturday.
UK says signs deal to expand naval presence in Bahrain
LONDON (Reuters) – Britain said on Friday it had sealed a deal to expand and reinforce its naval presence in Bahrain that would allow it to operate more and bigger ships in the Gulf on a long-term basis.
Syria’s al Qaeda offshoot Nusra says it killed Lebanese soldier
BEIRUT (Reuters) – Syria’s al Qaeda offshoot Nusra said on Friday it killed a captive Lebanese soldier in retaliation for the arrest by Lebanese authorities of women identified as wives of Islamist militants.
Obama promises more aid, loan guarantees to Jordan
WASHINGTON (Reuters) – President Barack Obama said on Friday that the United States and its allies are making slow but steady progress in the fight against Islamic State militants in Iraq and Syria, and he pledged new aid to Jordan to grapple with Syri…
Ukraine’s Poroshenko tells army not to give up Donetsk airport
KIEV/DONETSK, Ukraine (Reuters) – The whole of Ukraine will be within reach of the “enemy” if its armed forces lose control of the international airport in the eastern city of Donetsk to separatists, President Petro Poroshenko said on Friday.
