SYDNEY Fri Sep 26, 2014 12:32am EDT (Reuters) – The head of Australia‘s Defense Force apologized on Friday after an officer withdraw allegations he had been attacked by two men “of Middle Eastern appearance”, allegations that had fueled tensions during a crackdown by counter-terrorism authorities. The officer had claimed he was approached on Thursday by two men who assaulted him, causing minor bruising, according to police. But Air Chief Marshal Mark Binskin said the 41-year-old […]
International
French, U.S. planes strike Islamic State, Britain to join coalition
By Arshad Mohammed and Tom Perry NEW YORK/BEIRUT Fri Sep 26, 2014 1:08am EDT (Reuters) – French fighter jets struck Islamic State targets in Iraq on Thursday, and the United States hit them in Syria, as a U.S.-led coalition to fight the militants gained momentum with an announcement that Britain would join. The French strikes were a prompt answer to the beheading of a French tourist in Algeria by militants, who said the killing was […]
Hong Kong school children join student protest demanding democracy
BY DIANA CHAN AND KINLING LO (Reuters) – Hundreds of school children joined university students demanding greater democracy on Friday, capping a week-long campaign that has seen a large cut-out depicting Hong Kong’s leader as the devil paraded through the city and calls for him to resign. About 200 students camped outside the home of chief executive Leung Chun-ying on Thursday night after he ignored a 48-hour ultimatum to meet them to discuss the former […]
New York officials scramble to reassure city after security threat
(Reuters) – A warning by Iraq’s prime minister that Islamist militants planned to attack New York City sent political leaders scrambling on Thursday to assure the public it was safe to ride the subways and travel the streets of the nation’s largest city. New York Governor Andrew Cuomo and New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio each had the same idea – take a subway ride to a busy transit hub to announce that everything […]
FBI: Militant in Syria beheading videos identified
(Reuters) – A masked Islamic State militant seen wielding a knife in videos at the beheading of two Americans has been identified, FBI Director James Comey said on Thursday, but he declined to give the person’s name or nationality. The videos released in August and September of American journalists James Foley and Steven Sotloff showed a masked Islamic State militant brandishing a knife and speaking English with a British accent. A European government source familiar […]
Iraqi PM says Islamic State plans subway attacks in U.S. and Paris
(Reuters) – Iraq has “credible” intelligence that Islamic State militants plan to attack subway systems in Paris and the United States, the prime minister said on Thursday, but U.S. and French officials said they had no evidence to back up his claims. Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi’s comments were met with surprise by security, intelligence and transit officials in both countries. New York’s leaders scrambled to ride the subway to reassure the public that the nation’s […]
Almost 1000 foreign fighters join ISIS
Almost 1,000 foreign fighters from the Asia-Pacific region have joined ISIS with possibility of more joining. To stop foreign fighters from joining the militant group, the United Nations recently adopted a resolution to that effect.
At least 14 militants dead in U.S.-led strikes in Syria: monitor
(Reuters) – At least 14 Islamic State fighters were killed in air strikes by U.S.-led forces overnight in northeast Syria, a group monitoring the war said on Thursday. The strikes also killed at least five civilians, said Rami Abdulrahman, who runs the Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights. A third night of U.S.-led air strikes late on Wednesday targeted Islamic State-controlled oil refineries in eastern Syria as the United States and its allies tried to […]
Islamist fighters advance in Syria despite U.S. strikes
BY KINDA MAKIEH AND JONNY HOGG (Reuters) – U.S. and coalition planes pounded Islamic State positions in Syria again on Wednesday, but the strikes did not halt the fighters’ advance in a Kurdish area where fleeing refugees told of villages burnt and captives beheaded. U.S. President Barack Obama, speaking at the United Nations, asked the world to join together to fight the militants and vowed to keep up military pressure against them. “The only language […]
U.N. backs strong laws against foreign extremist fighters
World leaders at the UN General Assembly in New York turned its focus on the situation in Iraq and Syria.
Islamist fighters advance in Syria despite U.S. strikes
By Kinda Makieh and Jonny Hogg DAMASCUS/MURSITPINAR Turkey Wed Sep 24, 2014 9:03pm EDT (Reuters) – U.S. and coalition planes pounded Islamic State positions in Syria again on Wednesday, but the strikes did not halt the fighters’ advance in a Kurdish area where fleeing refugees told of villages burnt and captives beheaded. U.S. President Barack Obama, speaking at the United Nations, asked the world to join together to fight the militants and vowed to keep […]
Obama at U.N. pledges steps to more open government
By Ellen Wulfhorst NEW YORK Wed Sep 24, 2014 8:59pm EDT (Reuters) – President Barack Obama pledged on Wednesday that the United States would provide easier access to federal spending information, part of a global effort to create more open governments. Governments that are responsive, transparent and accountable lead to prosperity and opportunity and discourage corruption, Obama said at a meeting of the Open Government Partnership, a group of 64 nations meeting at the United […]
