Unidentified aircraft struck oil-rich areas in eastern Syria held by government and Iran-aligned groups on Saturday, an opposition war monitor said. The British-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said there were no casualties or material losses …
FIFA says ‘dossier closed’ on Algeria’s World Cup appeal
FIFA has rejected Algeria’s desperate bid to have their World Cup play-off with Cameroon replayed, saying on Saturday “they consider the dossier closed”. Algeria won the first leg of the play-off 1-0 in March but lost the return leg 2-1 at home after e…
Explosive device found in Russian media agency in Berlin
An explosive device has been found in a Berlin building housing the office of a Russian news agency, German media reported Saturday. German police said the device was discovered Friday afternoon in the basement of a building “housing the office of a Ru…
Libya’s Tobruk parliament to participate in election talks
A dissident Libyan parliament that does not recognise the country’s internationally-backed authorities will participate in renewed talks seeking to pave the way for delayed elections, the Libya adviser to the head of the United Nations said Friday. Ste…
Militant attack kills 11 Egypt troops: army
Eleven Egyptian soldiers were killed on Saturday attempting to thwart a “terrorist” attack on the Suez canal zone abutting the Sinai Peninsula, a hotbed of militant activity, the army said. Five soldiers were also wounded, the army said, adding that se…
Offensive launched against Taliban rule: armed group
An Afghan insurgent group led by the son of late anti-Taliban commander Ahmad Shah Massoud claimed Saturday to have seized three northern districts from the hardline Islamists, after announcing a wide military offensive. The National Resistance Front (…
Jordan King Abdullah talks boosting defence ties in US trip
Jordan’s King Abdullah II talked with senior American officials about boosting defence and military ties with Washington while in the US state of Florida on Friday. King Abdullah spoke separately with US Central Command chief Michael Kurila and Special…
Pakistan police arrest 8 men over apparent religious killing
Pakistani police say they arrested eight men of the Ahmadi sect of Islam on Saturday who had opened fire on a group of Sunni Muslims the night prior, killing one and wounding another. Senior officer Faisal Mukhtar said the Ahmadis shot at the Sunnis wh…
UK MP calls on govt to help free activist Alaa Abdel Fattah
A Labour Party lawmaker on Friday became the first parliamentarian to publicly call on the British government to help free imprisoned Egyptian dissident Alaa Abdel Fattah since he became a UK citizen. Zarah Sultana, who represents the Coventry South co…
Ukraine says sank Russian landing craft at Snake Island
Kyiv said Saturday it has destroyed another Russian warship near the Black Sea’s Snake Island, where Ukrainian forces were awarded for heroism after rebuffing Russian demands to surrender. Ukraine’s defence ministry said in a statement an armed drone h…