Suicide car bomber wounds 19 in south Beirut
BEIRUT (Reuters) – A suicide bomber blew up his car in southern Beirut on Monday night near an army checkpoint, killing himself and wounding several people watching the soccer World Cup in a nearby cafe.
U.S. ship to start loading Syrian chemical agents next week
WASHINGTON (Reuters) – An American cargo ship converted into a mobile chemical weapons destroyer is expected to take charge of some of Syria’s most dangerous materials next week, a U.S. defense official said.
Kerry promises ‘intense and sustained’ support for Iraq
BAGHDAD (Reuters) – Secretary of State John Kerry on Monday promised “intense and sustained” U.S. support for Iraq, but said the divided country would only survive if its leaders took urgent steps to bring it together.
Fighting strains Ukraine ceasefire, Putin urges dialogue
MOSCOW/KIEV (Reuters) – Fighting flared between Ukrainian and pro-Moscow separatist forces, both sides reported on Sunday, further straining a unilateral ceasefire declared by Ukraine as Russian President Vladimir Putin pressed Kiev to talk to the rebe…
Sudan court frees woman sentenced to death for changing faith
KHARTOUM (Reuters) – A 27-year-old woman who was sentenced to death in Sudan last month for converting to Christianity from Islam was freed on Monday after what the government said was “unprecedented” international pressure.
Russia asks Twitter to block a dozen accounts
MOSCOW (Reuters) – Russia asked Twitter on Monday to block access to a dozen accounts it deems “extremist”, the head of the country’s telecoms watchdog said, as Moscow seeks greater control over Internet sites based beyond its borders.
U.N. urges Israeli restraint in hunt for teens, warns of violence
UNITED NATIONS (Reuters) – A senior United Nations official on Monday urged Israel to exercise restraint in its search for three missing teenagers it accuses the Hamas Islamist group of kidnapping, while warning the Security Council that violence in th…
Egypt jails Al Jazeera journalists, U.S. calls sentences ‘chilling’
CAIRO (Reuters) – Three Al Jazeera journalists were jailed for seven years each by an Egyptian judge on Monday, in what Washington called “chilling, draconian sentences” that must be reversed.
Spain High Court dismisses China rights cases
MADRID (Reuters) – Spain’s High Court on Monday dismissed two judicial investigations into alleged cases of genocide and human rights violations by Chinese authorities under a new law that limits Spanish judges from probing international cases.
Magnitude 7.2 quake strikes off Kermadec Islands, no damage reported
LONDON (Reuters) – A magnitude 7.2 earthquake struck off New Zealand’s Kermadec Islands on Tuesday, the U.S. Geological Survey said, but there were no initial reports of any damage.
