Iraqi and Kurdish forces bid to break Islamic State siege of town
BAGHDAD (Reuters) – Iraqi army and Kurdish forces closed in on Islamic State fighters on Saturday in a push to break the Sunni militants’ siege of the Shi’ite town of Amerli, army sources said.
Philippine peacekeepers rescued from militants on Golan: U.N.
UNITED NATIONS/EIN ZIVAN Golan Heights (Reuters) – Thirty-two Philippine U.N. peacekeepers were rescued on Saturday from Islamists who fired at their post on the Syrian side of the Golan Heights and trapped them for two days, U.N. officials said, while…
Modi seeks Japan’s help for ‘inclusive vision’ on first big trip
NEW DELHI (Reuters) – Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi arrived in Japan on Saturday seeking to capitalize on his affinity with Japanese counterpart Shinzo Abe to strengthen security and business ties on his first major foreign visit since his landsl…
Philippine peacekeepers rescued from militants on Golan: U.N.
UNITED NATIONS/EIN ZIVAN Golan Heights (Reuters) – Thirty-two Philippine U.N. peacekeepers were rescued on Saturday from Islamists who fired at their post on the Syrian side of the Golan Heights and trapped them for two days, U.N. officials said, while…
EU names Tusk, Mogherini to top jobs, ready Russian sanctions
BRUSSELS (Reuters) – European Union leaders on Saturday chose Poland Prime Minister Donald Tusk to chair their Council and named Italian Federica Mogherini to run the bloc’s foreign relations, as the EU prepared to threaten Russia with new sanctions ov…
Ukraine says Russian tanks flatten town; EU to threaten more sanctions
KIEV/BRUSSELS (Reuters) – Ukraine said Russian tanks had flattened a small border town and pro-Russian rebels had made fresh gains in its east, as EU leaders signaled on Saturday they would threaten more sanctions against Moscow over the crisis.
22 miners rescued from Nicaragua gold mine after landslide
BONANZA Nicaragua (Reuters) – Rescue workers have freed 22 miners who were trapped in a gold mine after a landslide in northern Nicaragua, and the government on Saturday vowed to continue search efforts for several workers that remained stuck undergrou…
Captives held by Islamic State prove tough quandary for Obama
WASHINGTON (Reuters) – After Islamic State’s beheading of journalist James Foley, President Barack Obama’s administration is making little headway in efforts to secure the release of three other Americans held by the insurgent group in Syria, officials…
Heavy fighting in Libya’s Benghazi city; airport hit
BENGHAZI Libya (Reuters) – Heavy clashes broke out between the forces of a renegade general and Islamist fighters in Libya’s eastern city of Benghazi on Saturday, killing at least 10 people and showering the airport with rockets, medical and military s…
Bahrain detains Shi’ite rights activist on arrival at airport
MANAMA (Reuters) – Bahraini authorities detained prominent human rights activist Maryam al-Khawaja on Saturday on her arrival at the Gulf state’s airport, her mother told Reuters.
