Islamic state fighters pressed an advance east of Ramadi on Friday after breaching Iraqi defenses outside the city the insurgents overran last weekend in a major defeat for the Baghdad government. The fall of Ramadi is the most significant setback for Iraqi forces in almost a year and has cast doubt on the effectiveness of U.S. strategy in helping Iraq to fight Islamic State. While pro-government forces are seeking to
Islamic state fighters pressed an advance east of Ramadi on Friday after breaching Iraqi defenses outside the city the insurgents overran last weekend in a major defeat for the Baghdad government. The fall of Ramadi is the most significant setback for Iraqi forces in almost a year and has cast doubt on the effectiveness of U.S. strategy in helping Iraq to fight Islamic State. While pro-government forces are seeking to
By Padraic Halpin and Conor Humphries DUBLIN (Reuters) – The Irish voted on Friday on whether to allow gay marriage, just two decades after decriminalizing homosexuality, with a strong early turnout likely to favor the ‘Yes’ side. With the once mighty Catholic Church’s influence ravaged by child abuse scandals, opinion polls indicated the proposal would pass by as much as two-to-one, making Ireland the first country to adopt same-sex marriage
By Padraic Halpin and Conor Humphries DUBLIN (Reuters) – The Irish voted on Friday on whether to allow gay marriage, just two decades after decriminalizing homosexuality, with a strong early turnout likely to favor the ‘Yes’ side. With the once mighty Catholic Church’s influence ravaged by child abuse scandals, opinion polls indicated the proposal would pass by as much as two-to-one, making Ireland the first country to adopt same-sex marriage
By Feroz Sultani and Kay Johnson KUNDUZ, Afghanistan/KABUL (Reuters) – The Afghan government has enlisted hundreds of militia fighters controlled by local commanders to battle Taliban militants near the northern city of Kunduz, officials said, underlining how the armed forces are struggling to tackle the insurgency alone. The recruitment of unofficial armed groups in Kunduz is on a larger scale than previous attempts by the government and NATO forces to
By Feroz Sultani and Kay Johnson KUNDUZ, Afghanistan/KABUL (Reuters) – The Afghan government has enlisted hundreds of militia fighters controlled by local commanders to battle Taliban militants near the northern city of Kunduz, officials said, underlining how the armed forces are struggling to tackle the insurgency alone. The recruitment of unofficial armed groups in Kunduz is on a larger scale than previous attempts by the government and NATO forces to
Colombia’s FARC guerrillas said Friday they are suspending their six-month-old unilateral ceasefire over a government air strike that killed 26 rebels. “FARC suspend unilateral ceasefire,” said a blog post by the rebel delegation at peace talks to end the five-decade conflict. It accused President Juan Manuel Santos’s government of forcing it to end the ceasefire with the air strike and ground attack Thursday in the western Cauca region and other
Colombia’s FARC guerrillas said Friday they are suspending their six-month-old unilateral ceasefire over a government air strike that killed 26 rebels. “FARC suspend unilateral ceasefire,” said a blog post by the rebel delegation at peace talks to end the five-decade conflict. It accused President Juan Manuel Santos’s government of forcing it to end the ceasefire with the air strike and ground attack Thursday in the western Cauca region and other
Up to nine civilians, including an aid worker for a European charity, were killed after rebels withdrew from a village they had seized in northern Mali, armed loyalist and anti-government groups said on Friday. The west African nation’s main Tuareg-led rebel alliance, the Coordination of Movements of Azawad (CMA), said in a statement overnight that “the Malian army conducted the summary and public executions of nine people in the town
Up to nine civilians, including an aid worker for a European charity, were killed after rebels withdrew from a village they had seized in northern Mali, armed loyalist and anti-government groups said on Friday. The west African nation’s main Tuareg-led rebel alliance, the Coordination of Movements of Azawad (CMA), said in a statement overnight that “the Malian army conducted the summary and public executions of nine people in the town