WORLD HEADLINES

Iraqi panel finds Maliki, others responsible for fall of Mosul: report

An Iraqi parliamentary panel called on Sunday for dozens of security and political officials, including former Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki, to be referred to court in connection with the fall of the northern city of Mosul to Islamic State. The indictment of Maliki, who remains a powerful figure in Iraq’s complex political landscape, and other senior officials comes a week after Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi launched a sweeping campaign to

Blast kills Pakistani provincial minister in PM's political heartland

By Mubasher Bukhari LAHORE, Pakistan (Reuters) – A bomb killed a Pakistani provincial minister and at least 16 other people on Sunday at the minister’s home in the political heartland of Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif, Punjab province officials said. Police said the blast caused the roof to cave in as Punjab Home Minister Shuja Khanzada held meetings with around 20 people in his hometown of Attock in northern Pakistan. Two

Huge blasts at Chinese port kill 50, injure more than 700

By Sui-Lee Wee and Adam Rose TIANJIN, China (Reuters) – Two huge explosions tore through an industrial area where toxic chemicals and gas were stored in the northeast Chinese port city of Tianjin, killing at least 50 people, including at least a dozen fire fighters, officials and state media said on Thursday. At least 700 people were injured, more than 71 seriously, the Tianjin government said on its Weibo microblog,

Greek ruling party heads toward split before bailout vote

By George Georgiopoulos and David Stamp ATHENS (Reuters) – Greece’s ruling Syriza party edged toward a formal split on Thursday, hours before rebel leftist lawmakers plan to vote against a new bailout deal to keep the country afloat. With opposition support, the government is asking parliament to approve a 85 billion euro bailout deal that Greece needs to avoid defaulting on a debt repayment next week. The vote, expected in

Decades of skullduggery on both sides at U.S. embassy in Cuba

By Daniel Trotta HAVANA (Reuters) – The seven-story building on Havana’s famed “Malecon” seafront has for decades been a flashpoint in the Cold War’s most enduring rivalry. Spy games and dirty tricks have been directed by and against the U.S. officials working inside the beige structure, which is nondescript architecturally but among the most famous in Havana. Cuba’s Communist government regularly organized protests outside and once tried to seize the

Britain says to protest to Ecuador over Assange asylum

Britain said on Thursday it would make a formal protest to Ecuador over its decision to provide asylum to WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange in its London embassy and so prevent his extradition to Sweden over alleged sex crimes. “Ecuador must recognize that its decision to harbor Mr Assange more than three years ago has prevented the proper course of justice,” British Foreign Office minister Hugo Swire said in a statement.

Greek island bears brunt as people-smugglers take Turkish route

By Lefteris Karagiannopoulos KOS, Greece (Reuters) – Michel Allatuain waited beneath the 14th century fortress at the port of this Greek island on Thursday, desperate for a ferry ticket to the European mainland and a better life. The 30-year-old pharmaceutical firm employee from Aleppo, Syria, has been sleeping rough in Kos since he paid 2,000 euros to cross from the Turkish coastal city of Bodrum last week. One example: traffickers

Al Qaeda leader Zawahiri pledges allegiance to new Taliban chief: websites

Al Qaeda leader Ayman al-Zawahiri, in an online audio message, pledged allegiance to the new head of the Afghan Taliban in a move that could bolster his accession after the death of Taliban founder Mullah Mohammad Omar. “We pledge our allegiance … (to the) commander of the faithful, Mullah Mohammad Akhtar Mansour, may God protect him,” said Ayman al-Zawahiri, believed to be hiding in a border area between Afghanistan and