By Phil Stewart MUENSTER, Germany (Reuters) – The United States said on Monday it would contribute special operations forces, intelligence and other high-end military assets to a new NATO rapid response force that aims in part to deter any future actions by Russia. U.S. Defense Secretary Ash Carter made the announcement during a trip to Germany, where he delivered an address accusing Moscow of trying to re-create a Soviet-era sphere
WASHINGTON (Reuters) – U.S. and coalition forces launched 18 air strikes against Islamic State targets in Iraq on Saturday, with four each in Tal Afar and Mosul, the U.S. military said in a statement. The air strikes hit near nine Iraqi cities in all, destroying Islamic State buildings, tactical units, heavy machine guns and vehicles, the Combined Joint Task Force said in a statement Sunday. Near Haditha, two air strikes
Islamic State has planted mines and bombs in the ancient part of the central Syrian city of Palmyra, home to Roman-era ruins, a group monitoring the war said on Sunday. The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said it was not immediately clear whether the group was preparing to destroy the ancient ruins or planted the mines to deter government forces from advancing towards the city, also known as Tadmur. Maamoun
A Palestinian stabbed an Israeli paramilitary policeman at the entrance to the walled old city of Jerusalem on Sunday and was then shot by the policeman, police said. Israel’s Magen David Adom ambulance service said both men were seriously wounded. Police spokeswoman Luba Samri said the border policeman had been stabbed in the neck.
Arab air strikes killed 15 people and wounded dozens across Yemen late on Saturday, the Houthi-run Saba news agency reported. A Saudi-led Arab coalition has been bombarding Houthi rebels and allied army units since March 26 in a campaign to restore exiled President Abd-Rabbu Mansour Hadi to power. Hadi, Riyadh’s ally, was pushed aside last year when Houthis advancing from their northern strongholds overran the government in the capital Sanaa
SEOUL/BANGKOK (Reuters) – South Korea reported three new cases of Middle East Respiratory Syndrome on Sunday, bringing the total to 169 in the largest outbreak outside Saudi Arabia, but Thailand said it had no new infections. South Korea’s Health Ministry late on Saturday reported the 25th fatality, a patient who had suffered a heart ailment and diabetes. Thailand, which discovered its first case last week, says 175 people were exposed
By Philip Pullella TURIN, Italy (Reuters) – Pope Francis said on Sunday the mistreatment of migrants escaping war and injustice “makes one cry” as he visited the northern Italian city of Turin, stopping to pray before an icon some Christians believe is Jesus’ burial cloth. The Church has not taken an official position, saying the mysterious cloth known as the Shroud of Turin that has baffled scientists is at least
MOSCOW (AP) — A Russian activist who works with opposition leader Alexei Navalny has been hospitalized after being attacked while on a campaign trip in Russia’s far east.
LONDON (AP) — Authorities have arrested a 42-year-old man for endangering the safety of a plane after a United Airlines flight from Rome to Chicago was forced to divert to Northern Ireland.
Lebanon’s Justice Minister Ashraf Rifi pledged a full investigation and announced two arrests on Sunday after video emerged showing guards beating detainees at the country’s largest and most infamous prison. “We will see through an investigation until the end. This crime cannot go unpunished,” Lebanon’s official National News Agency quoted him as saying.