Mali opposition leaders refuse to back challenger in presidential run-off
The third and fourth-place finishers in the first round of Mali’s presidential election declined on Thursday to endorse opposition leader Soumaila Cisse in Sunday’s run-off, dealing a blow to his hopes of defeating President Ibrahim Boubacar Keita.
Myanmar to ICC: Rohingya jurisdiction request ‘should be dismissed’
Myanmar said on Thursday a request by the International Criminal Court (ICC) prosecutor to seek jurisdiction over suspected deportations of Rohingya Muslims from Myanmar to Bangladesh was “meritless and should be dismissed”.
Gaza rocket hits outside major southern Israel city, Army Radio says
A long-range rocket fired from Gaza struck an uninhabited area outside the largest city in southern Israel on Thursday, Israeli Army Radio reported, hours after a Palestinian official said an end to a surge in cross-border fighting could be near.
U.S. can’t be trusted, Iran says, as North Korea slams continued U.S. pressure
Iranian President Hassan Rouhani told North Korea’s foreign minister that the United States cannot be trusted, Tehran’s state media said, as the United States seeks a deal to rein in the North’s nuclear and missile programs.
Hezbollah says Lebanon government delay risks ‘slide towards tension’
The parliamentary bloc of Lebanon’s Hezbollah group said on Thursday that delay in forming a new government risked Lebanon sliding “towards tension”.
Assange considering offer to appear before U.S. Senate committee, lawyer says
WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange is considering an offer to appear before the U.S. Senate Intelligence Committee to discuss alleged Russian interference in the 2016 U.S. election, his lawyer said on Thursday.
Hezbollah says Lebanon govt. delay risks ‘negative implications’
The parliamentary bloc of Lebanon’s Hezbollah group said on Thursday that a delay in forming a new government risked Lebanon sliding “towards tension”.
North Korea urges U.S. not to adhere to ‘old scenarios’ after summit
North Korea’s Foreign Ministry said on Thursday progress on denuclearization promises made in a historic U.S.-N.Korea summit in June cannot be expected if the United States adheres to “old scenarios” that have failed.
Russia to work on retaliatory measures against new U.S. sanctions: Foreign Ministry
Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said on Thursday that Moscow was starting to work on retaliatory measures after the United States announced a new round of sanctions against Moscow.
Syrian army urges people in Idlib to agree return of state rule
The Syrian army dropped leaflets over Idlib province on Thursday, urging people in part of the last big swathe of territory still held by rebels to agree to a return of state rule, telling them the seven year war was nearing its end.
