Russian election chiefs to investigate Reuters findings of irregularities

MOSCOW (Reuters) - Russia's national election authority said it would look into evidence found by Reuters of inflated turnout figures and people voting more than once at three polling stations in two regions during a parliamentary election at the weekend.

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Rocket attack from Syria hurts 6, including 5 children, in Turkish town: officials

DIYARBAKIR, Turkey (Reuters) - Six people, including five children, were wounded when a rocket from Syria hit the Turkish border town of Kilis on Thursday, officials said, the first such attack since Ankara-backed rebels cleared Islamic State from Turkey's southern border this month.

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Iraqi army says it reached center of key town south of Mosul

TIKRIT, Iraq (Reuters) - Iraq's military backed by air strikes from a U.S.-led coalition on Thursday seized the center of Shirqat, a northern town seen as a stepping stone in the campaign to recapture Mosul from Islamic State.

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Britain's MI6 intelligence agency to get 40 percent more spies: BBC says

LONDON (Reuters) - Britain's foreign intelligence service is to get 40 percent more spies in one of the biggest expansions since the Cold War as MI6 seeks to harness new technology, the BBC said.

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Senate clears way for $1.15 billion arms sale to Saudi Arabia

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The U.S. Senate cleared the way for a $1.15 billion sale of tanks and other military equipment to Saudi Arabia on Wednesday, defending a frequent partner in the Middle East recently subject to harsh criticism in Congress.

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Obama tells Netanyahu of U.S. concern on settlements, urges peace

NEW YORK (Reuters) - President Barack Obama told Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Wednesday he had concerns about Israeli settlement expansion in the occupied West Bank and hoped the United States could still help to achieve Israeli-Palestinian peace.

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Kerry demands Russia, Syria ground warplanes to save truce

UNITED NATIONS/BEIRUT (Reuters) - U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry demanded on Wednesday that Russia and the Syrian government immediately halt flights over Syrian battle zones, in what he called a last chance to salvage a collapsing ceasefire and find a way "out of the carnage".

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Saudi-led coalition air strike kills at least 19 in Yemen: residents

SANAA (Reuters) - At least 19 civilians were killed on Wednesday when a Saudi-led coalition air strike hit a house in western Yemen, according to residents, medics and a local official.

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U.S. tests for mustard agent after rocket attack near Iraq base

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The U.S. military is testing to see if a chemical agent may have been used in a rocket attack in Iraq by Islamic State that came within hundreds of yards (meters) of U.S. forces but injured no one, a U.S. military official said on Wednesday.

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Islamic State may have used chemical weapon on U.S., Iraqi troops: CNN

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Islamic State forces on Tuesday fired a shell that may have contained a mustard agent onto a military base in northern Iraq used by U.S. and Iraqi troops, CNN reported on Wednesday, citing several U.S. officials.

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Turkey village guard killed in militant clash, aerial operation underway: sources

ANKARA (Reuters) - A Turkish village guard was killed on Wednesday in clashes with Kurdish militants in the southeastern town of Siirt, security sources said, adding that an ariel operation was underway against the insurgents.

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As Obama's term wanes, so does focus on Israeli-Palestinian issue

UNITED NATIONS (Reuters) - In his first major United Nations speech eight years ago, President Barack Obama said he would not give up on Israeli-Palestinian peace.

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Schools in Canadian province evacuated over potential threat: police

CHARLOTTETOWN, Prince Edward Island (Reuters) - All schools in the small Canadian province of Prince Edward Island were evacuated because of a "potential threat" on Wednesday, the Royal Canadian Mounted Police said.

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Japan's Abe: aging, shrinking population not burden but incentive

NEW YORK (Reuters) - Prime Minister Shinzo Abe said Japan's aging, shrinking population was not a burden for the world's third largest economy, but an incentive to boost productivity through innovations like robots, wireless sensors, and Artificial Intelligence.

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Migrant boat carrying 600 capsizes off Egypt coast killing at least 29: local officials

CAIRO (Reuters) - A boat carrying around 600 migrants has capsized off the Egyptian coast, killing at least 29 people, security sources and local officials told Reuters on Wednesday.

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Taiwan asks Google to blur images showing new South China Sea facilities

TAIPEI (Reuters) - Taiwan's defense ministry said on Wednesday it is asking Google to blur satellite images showing what experts say appear to be new military installations on Itu Aba, Taipei's sole holding in the disputed South China Sea.

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Assailant shot outside Israeli embassy in Turkey: officials

ANKARA/JERUSALEM (Reuters) - A suspected assailant was shot and wounded near the Israeli embassy in the Turkish capital Ankara on Wednesday, an Israeli Foreign Ministry spokesman and Turkish police said.

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Iran parades newest weapons at time of Gulf tension with U.S.

BEIRUT (Reuters) - Iran marked the anniversary of its 1980 invasion by Iraq by parading its latest ships and missiles and telling the United States on Wednesday not to meddle in the Gulf.

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Brexit prompts some Jewish Britons to reconcile with German roots

LONDON (Reuters) - For London rabbi Julia Neuberger, Britain's vote to leave the European Union has had a very personal impact: she has decided to seek German citizenship, laying to rest her family's painful legacy of the Nazi era.

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Air raid kills several medical workers, insurgents near Aleppo: monitors

BEIRUT (Reuters) - An air raid carried out overnight by Syrian or Russian warplanes killed four medical workers and at least nine rebel fighters near Aleppo, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights monitoring group said on Wednesday.

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U.S. bombers fly over South Korea for second time since North nuclear test

OSAN, South Korea (Reuters) - Two U.S. supersonic bombers flew over South Korea on Wednesday, with one of them landing at an air base 40 km (25 miles) south of the capital, according to a Reuters witness, the second such flight since North Korea's Sept. 9 nuclear test.

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U.S. says some 360,000 refugee spots pledged at United Nations

UNITED NATIONS (Reuters) - A summit hosted by U.S. President Barack Obama garnered pledges from dozens of countries to resettle or allow the lawful admission of some 360,000 refugees, doubling the number of slots that were available last year, the U.S. envoy to the United Nations said.

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Top CIA analyst sees likely Putin re-election bid

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Russian President Vladimir Putin is likely to run for re-election in 2018 and may impose tougher authoritarian rule to curb unrest over the slumping economy, the CIA’s top Russia analyst said on Tuesday.

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Turkey's Erdogan urges world to act against U.S.-based Gulen

UNITED NATIONS (Reuters) - Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan on Tuesday called on world leaders at the United Nations to take measures against a U.S.-based cleric's "terrorist network" that he said threatened their security.

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Brazil's ex-president Lula to stand trial for corruption

SAO PAULO (Reuters) - Brazil's former president Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva will stand trial on corruption charges, a crusading federal judge ruled on Tuesday, adding more turbulence to the country's chaotic political landscape.

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Pope and world religious leaders vow to oppose terror in God's name

ASSISI, Italy (Reuters) - Pope Francis and leaders of other world religions said "No to War!" on Tuesday, vowing to oppose terrorism in God's name and appealing to politicians to listen to "the anguished cry of so many innocents".

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Merkel offers Bavaria 'mea culpa' in hint at fourth term

BERLIN (Reuters) - Angela Merkel's shock admission that she wishes she could turn back the clock on her migrant policy is a clear attempt to mend fences with her allies in Bavaria and a strong hint she will seek to run for a fourth term as German chancellor.

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Phantom voters, smuggled ballots hint at foul play in Russian vote

UFA/SARANSK Russia (Reuters) - Voters across Russia handed a sweeping victory to President Vladimir Putin's allies in a parliamentary election on Sunday. But in two regions Reuters reporters saw inflated turnout figures, ballot-stuffing and people voting more than once at three polling stations.

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Iraqi forces launch operation to drive Islamic State from town south of Mosul

TIKRIT, Iraq (Reuters) - Iraqi forces launched an operation on Tuesday to retake the northern town of Shirqat from Islamic State, a stepping stone in their campaign to recapture the jihadists' stronghold of Mosul before the end of the year.

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U.S. embassy construction site in Norway evacuated over suspicious object

OSLO (Reuters) - The building site that will house the United States' new embassy in Oslo was evacuated on Tuesday following the discovery of a suspicious object, Norwegian police said.

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Palestinian assailant with knife shot dead in West Bank: Israeli army

HEBRON, West Bank (Reuters) - A Palestinian armed with a knife attempted to stab an Israeli soldier at a checkpoint in the occupied West Bank on Tuesday and was shot and killed, the Israeli army said.

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Syrian army, Russian aviation repel rebel attack near Aleppo: RIA

MOSCOW (Reuters) - Syrian government troops, supported by Russian air forces, repelled an offensive by militants on the northern fringes of Syria's largest city of Aleppo on Tuesday, killing 40 attackers, RIA news agency quoted Russia's Defence Ministry as saying.

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Turkey's Erdogan: U.S. should 'not harbor a terrorist' like cleric Gulen

NEW YORK (Reuters) - Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan told Reuters in an interview on Monday that the United States should "not harbor a terrorist" like U.S.-based cleric Fethullah Gulen and that his activities should be banned around the world.

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Iran's president meets Castros in Cuba to reaffirm friendship

HAVANA (Reuters) - Iran's President Hassan Rouhani met with his Cuban counterpart Raul Castro on Monday in Havana to reaffirm friendly ties between the two countries and express a commitment to deepening their collaboration, Cuban state media reported.

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U.S., China agree to step up cooperation at U.N. on North Korea

NEW YORK (Reuters) - U.S. President Barack Obama and Chinese Premier Li Keqiang agreed on Monday to step up cooperation in the United Nations Security Council and in law-enforcement channels after North Korea's fifth nuclear test, the White House said.

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North Korea's Kim guides new rocket engine test, calls for satellite launch

SEOUL (Reuters) - North Korean leader Kim Jong Un has supervised a ground test of a new rocket engine to launch satellites, the North's state media reported on Tuesday, the latest in a rapid succession of missile-related tests this year by the isolated state.

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Obama hopes there will be progress on Mosul by year-end

NEW YORK (Reuters) - U.S. President Barack Obama said on Monday that the battle against the Islamic State militant group in Mosul would be challenging but he was confident it would move forward rapidly.

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London 'lifejacket graveyard' aims to send message to U.N. summit

LONDON (Reuters) - Aid organizations laid out 2,500 lifejackets symbolizing refugee crossings to Europe in a demonstration outside the British parliament on Monday timed to coincide with a United Nations summit on the worldwide migrant crisis.

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Air strikes hit aid trucks near Aleppo: Syrian Rights Observatory

BEIRUT (Reuters) - Syrian or Russian warplanes bombed aid trucks near Aleppo late on Monday after a fragile week-long ceasefire ended, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights reported.

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Putin firms control with big win for Russia's ruling party

MOSCOW, Russia (Reuters) - Vladimir Putin won even greater supremacy over Russia's political system after the ruling United Russia party took three quarters of the seats in parliament in a weekend election, paving the way for him to run for a fourth term as president.

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Weakness at home hobbles once-powerful Merkel in Europe

BERLIN (Reuters) - It is hard to think of what more Angela Merkel could have done over the past weeks to nudge fellow European leaders toward a post-Brexit consensus.

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China says Japan trying to 'confuse' South China Sea situation

BEIJING (Reuters) - China on Monday accused Japan of trying to "confuse" the situation in the South China Sea, after its neighbor said it would step up activity in the contested waters, through joint training patrols with the United States.

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U.S., Japan, South Korea ministers discuss tougher measures against North Korea

NEW YORK (Reuters) - Foreign ministers for the United States, Japan and South Korea met in New York on Sunday, ahead of U.N. meetings, to discuss stepped-up measures against North Korea and expand collaboration with one another after Pyongyang's fifth and largest nuclear test.

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Clinton, Trump to both meet with Egyptian president at U.N.

WHITE PLAINS, N.Y. (Reuters) - An adviser to U.S. Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump's campaign said on Sunday that Trump will meet with Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi on Monday during the United Nations General Assembly, just as Hillary Clinton, the Democratic presidential nominee, is also scheduled to do.

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Merkel suffers drubbing in Berlin vote due to migrant angst

BERLIN (Reuters) - Chancellor Angela Merkel's conservatives suffered their second electoral blow in two weeks on Sunday, with support for her Christian Democrats (CDU) plunging to a post-reunification low in a Berlin state vote due to unease with her migrant policy.

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Warplanes hit Aleppo city for first time since truce: monitor

BEIRUT (Reuters) - Warplanes struck the northern Syrian city of Aleppo on Sunday for the first time since a seven-day ceasefire came into effect almost a week ago, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said.

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In Hungary's migrant vote, only the turnout is in doubt

ASOTTHALOM, Hungary (Reuters) - On a recent evening on Hungary's border with Serbia, a fleet of police trucks raced along the dusty boundary.

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Mission accomplished? Britain's anti-EU party fights to retain influence

BOURNEMOUTH, England (Reuters) - "We won!" was the anti-European Union UK Independence Party's rallying cry at its annual conference as members celebrated Britain's vote to leave the EU, but underneath the euphoria lurked a fresh anxiety: what now?

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Merkel faces setback in Berlin vote due to migrant fears

BERLIN (Reuters) - German Chancellor Angela Merkel's conservatives look set to suffer a second electoral blow in two weeks in a Berlin city vote on Sunday as voters are expected to express their unease with her refugee-friendly policy.

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Pro-Putin party seen winning even greater sway in Russia's parliament

MOSCOW (Reuters) - The ruling United Russia party is expected to win even greater dominance over Russia's lower house in a parliamentary election on Sunday, showing that support for President Vladimir Putin is holding up despite sanctions and a deep economic slowdown.

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Syria says U.S.-led jets hit its troops, dozens reported killed

BEIRUT (Reuters) - U.S.-led coalition forces bombed Syrian troops near Deir al-Zor airport on Saturday, the Syrian army said, allowing Islamic State fighters to briefly overrun their position and putting new strains on a ceasefire in effect elsewhere in the country.

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U.S.-led jets kill dozens of Syrian soldiers: Russia, monitor

BEIRUT (Reuters) - U.S.-led coalition jets bombed a Syrian army position at Jebel Tharda near Deir al-Zor airport on Saturday, killing dozens of Syrian soldiers, Russia and a war monitoring group said, paving the way for Islamic State fighters to overun it.

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False alarm leads to major police operation in central Paris

PARIS (Reuters) - Parts of central Paris were cordoned off on Saturday after a false alarm triggered a major security operation, French police said.

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Venezuela summit draws few leaders in blow to Maduro

MARGARITA ISLAND, Venezuela (Reuters) - Only a handful of leaders have traveled to a meeting of a large Cold War-era bloc in Venezuela this week, in an embarrassment for the crisis-hit socialist government.

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Al Shabaab attacks Somali town near Kenyan border, kill seven troops

MOGADISHU (Reuters) - Somalia's Islamist militant group al Shabaab attacked a town in a region near Kenya's border, killing at least seven Somali soldiers, the group and Somali officials said.

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Israeli forces kill Palestinian who stabbed soldier: army

JERUSALEM (Reuters) - Israeli forces shot dead a Palestinian who stabbed and wounded a soldier in the West Bank on Saturday, the military said, as a flare-up of a nearly year-old wave of Palestinian street attacks entered a second day.

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Russia, U.S. seek to prolong Syria truce but aid blocked, violence spreads

BEIRUT/CILVEGOZU, Turkey (Reuters) - The United States and Russia said on Friday they wanted to extend the four-day-old ceasefire in Syria they have co-sponsored, although the agreement looked increasingly shaky, undermined by increasing violence and a failure to deliver aid.

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Obama to meet with Iraq, Nigeria, Colombia leaders at U.N. Assembly

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - President Barack Obama will meet with the leaders of Iraq, Nigeria and Colombia on the sidelines of the annual United Nations General Assembly gathering next week, the White House said on Friday.

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TNT traces on EgyptAir plane debris split investigators: Le Figaro

PARIS (Reuters) - Investigators from France's institute for criminal research found traces of the explosive material TNT last week in Cairo on debris from an EgyptAir plane that crashed in May, triggering a dispute between French and Egyptian authorities, French newspaper Le Figaro reported on Friday.

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U.S. military says air strike killed Islamic State propaganda chief

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The Pentagon said on Friday that a U.S.-led coalition air strike on Sept. 7 killed an Islamic State leader who oversaw the militant group's propaganda.

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Exclusive: U.N. inquiry blames Syrian military for chlorine bomb attacks - source

THE HAGUE/UNITED NATIONS (Reuters) - An international inquiry has identified two Syrian Air Force helicopter squadrons and two other military units it holds responsible for chlorine gas attacks on civilians, a Western diplomat told Reuters.

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Suicide bomber kills at least 25 in Pakistani mosque

MOHMAND AGENCY/PESHAWAR, Pakistan (Reuters) - A suicide bomber shouted "Allahu akbar" and blew himself up in a packed mosque in northwestern Pakistan, killing at least 25 people and wounding 30 during Friday prayers, a local official said.

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Russia says using influence to get Syrian army to fulfill truce deal

MOSCOW (Reuters) - The Kremlin said on Friday it was using its influence to try to ensure the Syrian army fully implemented a shaky ceasefire agreement and that it hoped the United States would use its own influence with rebel groups too.

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Swedish court upholds Assange warrant, clears way for questioning in October

STOCKHOLM (Reuters) - A Swedish appeals court decided to uphold the arrest warrant for Wikileaks founder Julian Assange on Friday, prolonging the six year long legal stand off with prosecutors and clearing the way for the Wikileaks founder to be questioned in London next month.

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London's Muslim mayor backs Clinton for U.S. president

CHICAGO (Reuters) - London's first Muslim mayor, Sadiq Khan, voiced support for Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton on Thursday, warning that anti-Muslim views like those espoused by Republican Donald Trump “plays into the hands" of Islamic State.

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Syria ceasefire deal in balance as Aleppo aid plan stalls

BEIRUT/GENEVA (Reuters) - Russia said the Syrian army had begun to withdraw from a road into Aleppo on Thursday, a prerequisite for pressing ahead with international peacemaking efforts as the government and rebels accused each other of violating a truce.

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Clinton says success of Syria agreement rests with Russia

GREENSBORO, N.C. (Reuters) - Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton said on Thursday the success of the Syrian ceasefire brokered by the United States and Russia depends on whether Moscow decides it is in its interest to follow through with the agreement.

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Japan to boost South China Sea role with training patrols with U.S.: minister

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Japan will step up its activity in the contested South China Sea through joint training patrols with the United States and bilateral and multilateral exercises with regional navies, Japanese Defense Minister Tomomi Inada said on Thursday.

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EU leaders must react to post-Brexit crisis, summit chair says

BRATISLAVA (Reuters) - European Council president Donald Tusk called on EU leaders to take a "brutally honest" look at the bloc's problems when they meet in Bratislava to find a way forward after Britain's shock vote to leave.

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UK approves Chinese-backed nuclear plant, sets tighter controls

LONDON (Reuters) - Britain gave the go-ahead for a $24 billion nuclear power plant on Thursday, ending weeks of uncertainty that had strained ties with China, which will help pay for it, and France, which will build it.

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Malaysia confirms debris found in Tanzania is from MH370

KUALA LUMPUR (Reuters) - Malaysia said on Thursday that a large piece of aircraft debris discovered on the island of Pemba, off the coast of Tanzania, in June, was from the missing Malaysia Airlines jet MH370.

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Philippine 'hit-man' says overheard Duterte order killings

MANILA (Reuters) - A former militiaman testified to a Philippine senate hearing on Thursday that President Rodrigo Duterte had personally given assassination orders while mayor of a southern city in which activists say hundreds of summary executions took place.

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Ex-Afghan leader attacks new U.S. combat rules

KABUL (Reuters) - Former Afghan President Hamid Karzai has sharply criticized new authorities giving the U.S. military greater freedom to fight Taliban insurgents, saying they were a further erosion of the country's sovereignty.

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Rebel says Aleppo due to get aid Friday, but has little hope it will

BEIRUT (Reuters) - Humanitarian aid is due to be delivered to Aleppo on Friday following a withdrawal of combatants from a contested road leading to the city on Thursday, a Syrian rebel official said.

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Pakistan train crash kills at least six, injures more than 150: Geo TV

ISLAMABAD (Reuters) - A Karachi-bound express train collided with a freight train in Pakistan's central Punjab region early on Thursday, killing at least six people and injuring more than 150, Geo TV said.

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Saudi prince warns Iran against using force to pursue rivalry

DUBAI (Reuters) - A senior Saudi official, responding to Iranian criticism of Riyadh's management of the haj pilgrimage, urged Iran to end what he called wrong attitudes toward Arabs and warned it against any use of force in its rivalry with the kingdom.

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U.S. confirms two more freed Guantanamo inmates rejoined militant groups

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - In the first six months of 2016, two more militants released from the U.S. naval base at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, have returned to fighting, the U.S. government said on Wednesday.

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Aligned with Russia in Syria, Pentagon awkwardly treads on new terrain

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - For Pentagon officers who cut their teeth during the Cold War, the prospect of U.S. battlefield cooperation with Russia in Syria is not only uncomfortable. It's also unprecedented.

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China says opposes 'unhelpful' unilateral North Korea sanctions

BEIJING (Reuters) - Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi told his Japanese counterpart that China opposes "unhelpful" unilateral sanctions on North Korea but will work within the United Nations to formulate a necessary response to its fifth nuclear test.

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Kerry, Lavrov agree Syria truce holding, extend it by 48 hours

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The United States and Russia agreed that the Syrian cessation of hostilities that began on Monday had largely held and should be extended for another 48 hours despite sporadic violence, the U.S. State Department said on Wednesday.

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U.S., Israel sign $38 billion military aid package

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The United States will give Israel $38 billion in military aid over a decade, the largest such aid package in U.S. history, under an agreement disclosed this week and signed on Wednesday.

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Kerry defends Syria deal with Russia, says Obama backs plan

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry on Wednesday sought to diffuse criticism of a U.S.-Russian ceasefire agreement on Syria arguing that without it violence would increase significantly with many more Syrians slaughtered or forced to flee the war-torn country.

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Suu Kyi to meet Obama in Washington for first time as Myanmar leader

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Myanmar's Aung San Suu Kyi meets with President Barack Obama on Wednesday in her first visit to the United States since her party won a sweeping victory in last year's election, capping a decades-long journey from political prisoner to national leader.

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Top diplomats from U.S., Japan, South Korea to meet on North Korea

SEOUL/BEIJING (Reuters) - U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry will meet with his Japanese and South Korean counterparts in New York on Sunday to discuss responses to North Korea's latest nuclear test, South Korea's foreign ministry said on Wednesday.

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North Korea ramps up uranium enrichment, enough for six nuclear bombs a year: experts

SEOUL (Reuters) - North Korea will have enough material for about 20 nuclear bombs by the end of this year, with ramped-up uranium enrichment facilities and an existing stockpile of plutonium, according to new assessments by weapons experts.

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China sets up new logistics force as part of military reforms

BEIJING (Reuters) - China's military has set up a new logistics support force as part of efforts to reform and modernize the world's largest armed forces, state media has reported.

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Syria truce largely holds as aid preparations begin

BEIRUT/GENEVA (Reuters) - A new ceasefire in Syria brought a full day with no combat deaths in the war between President Bashar al-Assad and his opponents, a monitoring body said on Tuesday, as efforts to deliver aid to besieged areas got cautiously under way.

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U.S. says strikes in Syria may have resulted in civilian casualties

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The U.S. military said on Tuesday that three strikes against Islamic State targets in Syria in the past six days may have caused civilian casualties.

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Record new U.S. military aid deal for Israel to be signed in days: sources

WASHINGTON/JERUSALEM (Reuters) - The United States and Israel have reached final agreement on a record new package of at least $38 billion in U.S. military aid and the 10-year pact is expected to be signed within days, sources close to the matter told Reuters on Tuesday.

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Philippines guarantees U.S. deal intact as Duterte's salvos test ties

MANILA (Reuters) - The Philippines moved to shore up relations with the United States on Tuesday with guarantees that a treaty between them would be honored and security ties were "rock solid", despite President Rodrigo Duterte's railings against Washington.

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Israel targets Syrian positions after bomb lands in Golan: army

JERUSALEM (Reuters) - Israeli aircraft attacked targets in Syria on Tuesday, hours after a stray mortar bomb from fighting among factions in Syria struck the Golan Heights, the Israeli military said.

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U.S. bombers fly over South Korea in show of force after nuclear test

SEOUL (Reuters) - Two U.S. B-1 bombers flew over South Korea on Tuesday in a show of force and solidarity with its ally after North Korea's nuclear test last week, while a U.S. envoy called for a swift and strong response to Pyongyang from the United Nations.

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U.S. strategic bombers fly over South Korea in show of force after North Korea nuclear test

SEOUL (Reuters) - Two U.S. supersonic B-1 Lancer strategic bombers flew over South Korea on Tuesday morning in a show of force and solidarity with its ally amid heightened tension following North Korea's fifth nuclear test on Friday.

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China says should maintain South China Sea peace with Vietnam

BEIJING (Reuters) - China and Vietnam should work together to maintain peace and stability in the South China Sea and manage and control disputes, Chinese Premier Li Keqiang told Vietnamese Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc.

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Pentagon confirms Islamic State leader was killed in Aug. 30 air strike

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The Pentagon confirmed on Monday that Islamic State leader Abu Muhammad al-Adnani was killed in a U.S. air strike on Aug. 30 in Syria.

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Duterte says he wants U.S. special forces out of southern Philippines

MANILA (Reuters) - Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte on Monday called for the withdrawal of U.S. military from a restive southern island, fearing an American troop presence could complicate offensives against Islamist militants notorious for beheading Westerners.

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Syria ceasefire approaches with Assad emboldened, opposition wary

BEIRUT (Reuters) - An emboldened President Bashar al-Assad vowed on Monday to take back all of Syria, hours before the start of a ceasefire brokered by the United States and Russia, which Assad's opponents described as stacked in his favor.

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Gulf states condemn law letting 9/11 families sue Saudi Arabia

DUBAI (Reuters) - The Saudi-dominated Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) on Monday condemned a law passed by the United States Congress last week that would allow the families of victims of the Sept. 11 attacks to sue the kingdom's government for damages.

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With eye on West, Belarus holds slightly freer election

MINSK (Reuters) - Lawmakers loyal to hardline Belarussian President Alexander Lukashenko retained power in an election on Sunday, but the opposition's win of a seat for the first time in 20 years could help the ex-Soviet nation further improve ties with the West.

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North Korea ready for another nuclear test: Yonhap

SEOUL (Reuters) - North Korea has completed preparations for another nuclear test, South Korea's Yonhap News Agency reported on Monday, citing South Korean government sources who said the North may use a previously unused tunnel at its mountainous test site.

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North Korea says sanctions push after nuclear test 'laughable'

TOKYO/SEOUL (Reuters) - North Korea said on Sunday a push for further sanctions following its fifth and biggest nuclear test was "laughable", and vowed to continue to strengthen its nuclear power.

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Syria rebels tell U.S. they back a ceasefire, but voice concerns at deal

BEIRUT (Reuters) - Syrian rebel groups wrote to the United States on Sunday, saying they would "cooperate positively" with a ceasefire but voicing deep concerns over details of the deal as relayed to them, the text of the letter as confirmed by two rebel officials said.

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France arrests 15-year-old boy for planning 'imminent' Paris attack: sources

PARIS (Reuters) - A 15-year-old boy has been arrested in Paris suspected of preparing imminent "violent action", two judicial sources said, the second alleged plot with links to Islamic State discovered in France this week.

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France's premier warns of new attacks, 15,000 people on police radar

PARIS (Reuters) - French Prime Minister Manuel Valls said on Sunday there would be new attacks in France but proposals by former president Nicolas Sarkozy to boost security was not the right way to deal with threats.

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Iran welcomes Syria deal, urges political solution

DUBAI (Reuters) - Iran, a close ally and military backer of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, welcomed a U.S.-Russian deal for a truce in Syria, saying on Sunday the conflict should be ended through politics.

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Cracks in building hamper search after Bangladesh factory fire

DHAKA (Reuters) - The fire at a food and cigarette packaging factory in Bangladesh that killed at least 26 people has been extinguished, but heavy smoke and the risk of the building collapsing further were hampering the search of the premises, officials said on Sunday.

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At least 21 civilians killed in Saudi-led air strikes in Yemen: residents

SANAA (Reuters) - At least 21 civilians were killed in two separate air strikes by the Saudi-led coalition in northern Yemen on Saturday, residents said on Sunday, as fighting intensified in the country before the Muslim Eid al-Adha feast.

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Turkey removes 28 municipal mayors over alleged Kurdish militant links

DIYARBAKIR, Turkey (Reuters) - Turkey has removed local mayors deemed to support Kurdish militants and appointed new administrators in more than two dozen municipalities mostly in the largely Kurdish southeast, a provincial governor's office said on Sunday.

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China, Russia naval drill in South China Sea to begin Monday

BEIJING (Reuters) - China and Russia will hold eight days of naval drills in the South China Sea off southern China's Guangdong province starting from Monday, China's navy said.

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U.S.-Russian Syria peace deal raises rebel doubts as fighting rages

AMMAN/GENEVA (Reuters) - The United States and Russia reached a breakthrough deal early on Saturday to try to restore peace in Syria, but air strikes hours later on a busy market place that killed and injured dozens added to rebels' doubts that any ceasefire could hold.

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U.S. envoy says North Korea could face unilateral sanctions

TOKYO (Reuters) - The United States may launch unilateral sanctions against North Korea, a U.S. special envoy for the isolated state said on Sunday, two days after it carried out its fifth and biggest nuclear test in defiance of U.N. sanctions.

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France's Sarkozy outlines measures to get tough on militants- report

PARIS (Reuters) - France needs to get tough on militants by creating special courts and detention facilities to boost security, the country's former President Nicolas Sarkozy said in a interview published in Sunday newspaper Le Journal du Dimanche (JDD).

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Venezuela opposition says blocked from meeting near summit

CARACAS (Reuters) - The leader of Venezuela's opposition-led parliament accused President Nicolas Maduro's government on Saturday of blocking legislators from Margarita island for a session alongside this week's Non-Aligned Movement summit.

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China eyes closer military ties with Myanmar

BEIJING (Reuters) - China's military wants to strengthen ties with neighboring Myanmar by having more exchanges and greater cooperation, a top officer told Myanmar leader Aung San Suu Kyi during a visit to the Southeast Asian country, state media said on Saturday.

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Bangladesh garment factory fire kills 12

DHAKA (Reuters) - A fire broke out in a garment packaging factory just outside the Bangladeshi capital on Saturday, killing at least 12 people, police and witnesses said.

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U.S., Russia clinch Syria cooperation deal

GENEVA (Reuters) - The United States and Russia hailed a breakthrough deal on Saturday to put Syria's peace process back on track, including a nationwide ceasefire effective from sundown on Monday, improved aid access and joint targeting of banned Islamist groups.

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Living like ghosts in the ruins of Syria's besieged Aleppo

BEIRUT/AMMAN (Reuters) - Even if it were somehow possible to escape eastern Aleppo, Abdullah Shiyani, a 10-year-old boy who dreams of being a doctor, says he wouldn't leave. It would mean leaving behind too many people who need help.

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U.N. says U.S.-Russia talks on Syria crucial as aid stops rolling in

GENEVA (Reuters) - The Syrian government has effectively stopped aid convoys this month and the besieged city of Aleppo is close to running out of fuel, making U.S.-Russian peace talks in Geneva on Friday even more urgent, the United Nations said.

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Syrian army secures road to Aleppo: state TV

BEIRUT (Reuters) - The Syrian army secured a road into the government-held side of Aleppo that was captured by rebels last month and was expected to soon open it for civilians, state-owned al-Ikhbariya TV reported on Friday.

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Arrested militants planned attack on Paris railway station, France says

PARIS (Reuters) - Three women arrested in connection with a car loaded with gas cylinders found in a side road near Notre Dame cathedral had been planning an attack on a Paris railway station, the French interior ministry said.

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Iraq gears up for late-year push to retake Mosul from Islamic State

QAYYARA AIRBASE, Iraq (Reuters) - The U.S.-led war on Islamic State has depleted the group's funds, leadership and foreign fighters, but the biggest battle yet is expected later this year in Iraq's northern city of Mosul, where Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi declared his "caliphate" two years ago.

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North Korea suspected to have conducted fifth nuclear test

SEOUL (Reuters) - A seismic tremor was recorded in an area around North Korea's known nuclear site on Friday, and was suspected to be the fifth nuclear test by the isolated nation, South Korea's Yonhap news agency said.

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U.S. links Venezuelan official related to Maduro to drug probe

NEW YORK (Reuters) - A U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration agent testified on Thursday that a probe of two nephews of Venezuela's first lady began after a drug trafficker cooperating with authorities told him of a meeting arranged by her brother, a top police official.

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Three suspected female militants seized in France, policeman stabbed

BOUSSY-SAINT-ANTOINE/PARIS (Reuters) - Three women arrested on Thursday in connection with a car laden with gas cylinders found abandoned near Paris's Notre Dame cathedral were likely planning an imminent attack, French Interior Minister Bernard Cazeneuve said.

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In about-face, Kerry heads to Geneva to meet Russia's Lavrov

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry will meet Russia's foreign minister in Geneva about a ceasefire deal for Syria, the State Department said on Thursday in a sudden about-face after saying it did not believe a meeting was worthwhile.

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U.N. nuclear agency says Iran sticking to nuclear deal

VIENNA (Reuters) - Iran has kept to a nuclear deal it agreed with six world powers last year limiting its stockpiles of substances that could be used to make atomic weapons, a report by the U.N. nuclear agency found.

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Syrian army and allies regain southern Aleppo district: monitor

BEIRUT (Reuters) - Syria's army and its allies have regained an important Aleppo district lost to rebels last month, state media and a war monitor said on Thursday, and were pressing an offensive south of the city to further squeeze the insurgents.

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Duterte tells regional leaders, U.S. not to lecture Philippines on rights

VIENTIANE (Reuters) - Philippines President Rodrigo Duterte on Thursday defended his country's human rights record at a regional summit in Laos, urging East Asian leaders and the United States to help Manila eradicate the scourge of illicit drugs.

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Palestinian leader Abbas was KGB spy in 1980s: Israeli researchers

JERUSALEM (Reuters) - Soviet-era documents show that Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas worked in the 1980s for the KGB, the now-defunct intelligence agency where Russian leader Vladimir Putin once served, Israeli researchers said on Thursday.

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Asia leaders tiptoe around South China Sea tensions

VIENTIANE (Reuters) - Asian leaders played down tensions over the South China Sea in a carefully worded summit statement on Thursday, but even before it was issued Beijing voiced frustration with countries outside the region "interfering" in tussles over the strategic waterway.

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Second couple arrested after car with gas cylinders found in Paris: judicial source

PARIS (Reuters) - French police investigating the discovery of a car packed with gas cylinders near Notre Dame cathedral in Paris have arrested a second couple and also established that the vehicle contained three jerry cans of diesel fuel, a judicial source said.

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Taliban forces sweep into provincial capital in Afghanistan: officials

KABUL (Reuters) - Taliban forces were fighting within the capital of Afghanistan's central province of Uruzgan on Thursday, threatening government offices as the leadership fled to the airport, officials said.

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Iraq militia fighters join battle for Syria's Aleppo

BEIRUT/BAGHDAD (Reuters) - An Iraqi Shi'ite militia said on Wednesday it had dispatched more than 1,000 fighters to the frontline in neighboring Syria, escalating foreign involvement in the battle for Aleppo, the biggest prize in five years of relentless civil war.

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U.S., Russia 'not there yet' on Syria deal: State Department

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The United States and Russia have not reached a ceasefire deal for Syria, the U.S. State Department said on Wednesday, saying it could not confirm Moscow's announcement that the U.S. and Russian foreign ministers would meet in Geneva on Thursday.

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U.S. says Libya close to eliminating Islamic State from Sirte

LONDON (Reuters) - U.S.-backed Libyan forces are close to vanquishing Islamic State from its last holdouts in the city of Sirte, U.S. Defense Secretary Ash Carter said on Wednesday.

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Exclusive: ACT partners with test-prep firms despite signs of cheating in Asia

LONDON/SHANGHAI/SEOUL (Reuters) - Standardized testing giant ACT Inc continues to partner with Asian test-preparation operators, despite widespread cheating at overseas education centers it licenses.

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Russian jet carries out intercept of U.S. spy plane: U.S. officials

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The pilot of a U.S. spy plane flying a regular patrol over the Black Sea reported that a Russian fighter jet carried out an "unsafe and unprofessional" intercept, two U.S. defense officials told Reuters on Wednesday.

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Syrians begin returning home, two weeks into Turkish offensive

ISTANBUL (Reuters) - A group of 292 Syrians went back to the Syrian town of Jarablus from Turkey on Wednesday, marking the first formal return of civilians since Ankara launched a military incursion two weeks ago to try to secure the border region, a Turkish official said.

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After insult, U.S. and Clinton call for Duterte to show respect

(Note: Paragraphs 1 and 9 contain strong language that might offend some readers)

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Ahead of summit, Philippines shows images of Chinese boats at disputed shoal

VIENTIANE (Reuters) - The Philippines' defense ministry released pictures on Wednesday showing what it said were Chinese boats near a disputed shoal in the South China Sea, just hours before Southeast Asian nations were due to meet China's premier at a summit in Laos.

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Iranian vessel sails close to U.S. Navy ship in Gulf: U.S. officials

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - A U.S. Navy coastal patrol ship changed course after a fast attack craft from Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps came within 100 yards (91 meters) of it in the central Gulf on Sunday, two U.S. Defense Department officials told Reuters on Tuesday.

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Suspected Aleppo chlorine attack chokes dozens: rescue workers, monitors

BEIRUT (Reuters) - A suspected chlorine gas attack on an opposition-held neighborhood in the Syrian city of Aleppo caused dozens of cases of suffocation on Tuesday, rescue workers and a monitoring group said.

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A year on, migrant crisis hangs over votes in Hungary, Austria

VAMOSSZABADI, Hungary/NICKELSDORF, Austria (Reuters) - On a warm morning in late August, two dozen migrants carrying stuffed plastic bags and backpacks boarded a bus outside a refugee center in Vamosszabadi, a village in northwest Hungary.

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Obama says Asia foreign policy focus not 'a passing fad'

VIENTIANE (Reuters) - President Barack Obama said on Tuesday his push to rebalance U.S. foreign policy to focus more on Asia was not "a passing fad" of his presidency and, in a clear reference to China, said bigger countries should not dictate to smaller ones.

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G20 a success for China, but hard issues kicked down the road

BEIJING (Reuters) - China is lauding its successful hosting of the G20 summit in scenic Hangzhou, with open confrontation largely avoided and broad consensus reached over the fragile state of the global economy and the need for a wide range of policies to fix it.

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Turkish air strikes hit 12 targets in north Iraq: military

ANKARA (Reuters) - Turkish warplanes destroyed 12 targets in northern Iraq late on Monday, the military said, striking a region where Ankara says the leadership of Turkey's outlawed Kurdish militant group PKK is based.

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Afghan police battle holdout gunman after suicide attacks hit Kabul

KABUL (Reuters) - Afghan security forces sealed off the center of Kabul on Tuesday as they battled gunmen who barricaded themselves inside the offices of an international aid group after a car bomb attack on Monday night.

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China's Xi calls for appropriate handling of disputes with Britain

BEIJING (Reuters) - China and Britain should increase mutual political trust and appropriately handle disputes, Chinese President Xi Jinping told British Prime Minister Theresa May, as the two nations grapple with a delayed $8 million nuclear power investment from China.

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Obama cancels meeting with Philippines' Duterte after insult

VIENTIANE (Reuters) - President Barack Obama canceled what would have been his first meeting with Filipino President Rodrigo Duterte, after Duterte described Obama in vulgar terms, a White House spokesman said on Tuesday.

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Explosions in Afghan capital Kabul kill at least 24

KABUL (Reuters) - A loud explosion hit the center of Kabul late on Monday, just hours after a Taliban suicide attack near the Defence Ministry killed at least 24 people, including a number of senior security officials, and wounded 91 others, officials said.

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G20 summit warned of risks to economy as North Korea test-fires missiles

HANGZHOU, China (Reuters) - North Korea fired three ballistic missiles off its east coast on Monday in a defiant reminder of the risks to global security, as world leaders including U.S. President Barack Obama gathered at a G20 summit in China for the second day.

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Blasts hit govt-held and Kurdish parts of Syria: state media, monitor

BEIRUT (Reuters) - Five explosions hit government-controlled areas and a city held by a Kurdish militia in Syria on Monday morning, killing several people, state media and a monitor said.

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U.S., Russia meeting on Syria ends without a deal

HANGZHOU, China (Reuters) - A meeting between U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry and Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov ended on Monday without a deal on Syria and differences remain, a senior State Department Official said.

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North Korea fires three ballistic missiles into sea - S.Korea

SEOUL (Reuters) - North Korea fired three ballistic missiles into the sea off its east coast on Monday, said South Korea, as the leaders of the Group of 20 major economies held a summit in China, the North's main diplomatic ally.

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China wary after record voter turnout for crucial Hong Kong election

HONG KONG (Reuters) - Hong Kong residents voted on Sunday in record numbers for a bitterly contested legislative election, with a push for independence among a disaffected younger generation of candidates and voters stoking tension with China's government.

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As bodies pile up in Philippines, many fear to talk about Duterte’s war

MANILA (Reuters) - The body of 22-year-old pedicab driver Eric Sison lies in a coffin in a Manila slum with a chick pacing across his casket, placed there in keeping with a local tradition to symbolically peck at the conscience of his killers.

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German anti-immigrant party beats Merkel in her home district

BERLIN (Reuters) - German Chancellor Angela Merkel's Christian Democrats were beaten into third place by the anti-immigrant and anti-Islam Alternative for Germany (AfD) party in a north-eastern state election on Sunday, TV exit polls showed.

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Philippines worried, says more Chinese boats spotted at disputed shoal

VIENTIANE (Reuters) - The Philippines expressed "grave concern" on Sunday and demanded an explanation from China's ambassador over what it said was an increasing number of Chinese boats near the disputed Scarborough Shoal in the South China Sea.

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Syria ceasefire deal with Russia close, but Obama says 'not there yet'

HANGZHOU, China (Reuters) - President Barack Obama said the United States and Russia were working on Sunday to try to finalize a ceasefire in Syria that would allow more deliveries of humanitarian aid in the war-torn country.

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Mother Teresa to be made saint at Vatican ceremony

VATICAN CITY (Reuters) - Mother Teresa of Calcutta, a Nobel peace laureate known as the "saint of the gutters" during her lifetime, will be made a saint of the Roman Catholic Church on Sunday.

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Venezuela's Maduro jeered, dozens detained: activists

CARACAS (Reuters) - Venezuelan authorities have arrested more than 30 people on Margarita island for heckling President Nicolas Maduro, activists said on Saturday, in what appeared to be a rare public confrontation with the unpopular leader.

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U.S., China ratify Paris climate deal, setting stage for G20

HANGZHOU, China (Reuters) - China and the United States ratified the Paris agreement to cut climate-warming emissions on Saturday, marking a major step toward the enactment of the pact as early as the end of the year and setting the stage for other countries to follow suit.

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Obama, in China for G20 summit, expects 'candid' talks with Xi

HANGZHOU, China (Reuters) - U.S. President Barack Obama told his Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping on Saturday he wanted candid talks on thorny bilateral issues such as cyber security, human rights and maritime concerns.

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Turkish tanks cross in Syria from Kilis province: Dogan agency

ISTANBUL (Reuters) - Turkish tanks crossed into northern Syria from Kilis province on Saturday, while howitzers pounded Islamic State positions in the area, Dogan news agency said.

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South Korea's president calls on Russia, others, to pressure Pyongyang over nuclear program

VLADIVOSTOK, Russia (Reuters) - South Korean President Park Geun-hye called on Russia and other major global players on Saturday to increase pressure on North Korea to abandon its nuclear program which could open the road for cooperation with Pyongyang.

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Clashes overnight in southeast Turkey kill 8 security force members: sources

DIYARBAKIR, Turkey (Reuters) - Eight members of Turkey's security forces and 11 militants from the outlawed Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK) were killed in clashes overnight in southeast Turkey, security sources said on Saturday.

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After huge Venezuela protest march, government says foils coup

CARACAS (Reuters) - Venezuela's socialist government said on Friday it thwarted a coup plot this week as opponents planned to build on their biggest protest in more than a decade with further street action demanding a referendum to remove the president.

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China, Turkey pledge to deepen counter-terrorism cooperation

HANGZHOU, China (Reuters) - Chinese President Xi Jinping and his Turkish counterpart Tayyip Erdogan agreed on Saturday to deepen counter-terror cooperation, as the two set aside previous disagreements over China's treatment of a Turkic-speaking Muslim minority.

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China parliament ratifies Paris climate change agreement

BEIJING (Reuters) - China's parliament on Saturday ratified the Paris agreement on climate change, the Xinhua state news agency said, which could help put the pact into force by as early as the end of the year.

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Exclusive: Ahead of Suu Kyi visit, Obama weighs Myanmar sanctions relief - sources

By Patricia Zengerle, Matt Spetalnick, David Brunnstrom and Antoni Slodkowski

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Obama urges China to stop flexing muscles over South China Sea: CNN

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - China needs to be a more responsible power as it gains global influence and avoid flexing its muscles in disputes with smaller countries over issues like the South China Sea, U.S. President Barack Obama told CNN in an interview to be aired on Sunday.

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U.S., Russia said nearing deal on Aleppo truce, aid access

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The United States and Russia are nearing a deal that would set a 48-hour ceasefire in Aleppo, allow U.N. humanitarian access and limit Syrian government aircraft flights, diplomatic sources said on Friday.

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Turkey pushes west in offensive against Islamic State in Syria

ANKARA (Reuters) - Turkey renewed air strikes on Islamic State sites in Syria on Friday, extending operations along a 90-km (56-mile) corridor near the Turkish border which Ankara says it is clearing of jihadists and protecting from Kurdish militia expansion.

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Obituary: Veteran Uzbek leader Karimov battled Islamists, suppressed dissent

(Reuters) - Uzbek President Islam Karimov, who the government said on Friday had died aged 78 after suffering a stroke, saw himself as the protector of his Central Asian nation against the threat of militant Islam. To his critics, he was a brutal dictator who used torture to stay in power.

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Explosion in Philippine president's home city kills 10-president spokesman

MANILA (Reuters) - An explosion at a market in the home city of Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte killed at least 10 people on Friday and wounded dozens more, his spokesman said, adding the cause of the blast was unknown.

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Yemen's Houthi leader says U.S. provides political cover for Saudi strikes

SANAA (Reuters) - The leader of Yemen's Iran-allied Houthi faction accused the United States of providing logistical support and political cover for Saudi-led air strikes in the 18-month Yemeni conflict.

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Turkey has cleared Islamic State, Kurdish force from area of north Syria: president

ANKARA (Reuters) - Turkey has swept Islamic State and the Kurdish YPG militia from an area of northern Syria, but Syrian Kurdish forces have still not met a Turkish demand to withdraw to the east of the Euphrates river, President Tayyip Erdogan said on Friday.

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Sturgeon announces new Scottish independence drive after 'seismic' Brexit

EDINBURGH (Reuters) - Scotland's first minister, Nicola Sturgeon, launches a new independence drive on Friday, asking supporters to engage in the country's "biggest ever political listening exercise" so she can gauge support for a fresh referendum.

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Russia's Putin: I have no idea who hacked U.S. Democratic Party - BBG

MOSCOW (Reuters) - Russian President Vladimir Putin said he did not know who was behind the hacking of U.S. Democratic Party organizations but it was important the information had been made public, Bloomberg news agency reported on Friday.

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At least 12 killed, 52 wounded in attack on Pakistan court: rescue official

PESHAWAR, Pakistan (Reuters) - At least 12 people were killed and 52 wounded when two bomb blasts were detonated outside a district court in northwestern Pakistan on Friday, a rescue official said.

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U.S. fights Zika mosquitoes with limited arsenal

(Reuters) - Over Wynwood, the Miami neighborhood where Zika gained a foothold in the continental United States, low flying planes have been spraying naled, a tightly controlled pesticide often used as a last resort. It appears to be working, killing at least 90 percent of the target mosquitoes.

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Militants attack Christian area in Pakistan, one guard dead: army

PESHAWAR, Pakistan (Reuters) - At least four suicide bombers attacked a Christian neighborhood in northwestern Pakistan early on Friday, killing at least one security guard, the military said.

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Putin seeks 'compromise,' not 'trade' in Japan isle dispute

TOKYO (Reuters) - Vladimir Putin has said Russia is willing to compromise on a territorial dispute that has bedevilled relations with Japan for eight decades, but said this would not include the trade or sale of the islands held by Moscow and claimed by Tokyo.

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China says developing new type of long-range bomber

BEIJING (Reuters) - China is developing a new long-range bomber, the head of the Chinese air force was quoted as saying in state media on Friday, the latest move in its ambitious military modernization program.

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U.S. imposes sanctions on 'Putin's bridge' to Crimea

MOSCOW/WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Companies building a multi-billion dollar bridge to link the Russian mainland with annexed Crimea, a project close to the heart President Vladimir Putin, were targeted by the United States in an updated sanctions blacklist on Thursday.

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After sweeping into northern Syria, Turkey faces hard choices

JARABLUS, Syria (Reuters) - Flashing victory signs and firing in the air, the young rebels who took this Syrian town from Islamic State a week ago may be jubilant, but their ability to hold territory will hinge on Turkey's appetite for keeping its forces inside Syria.

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U.S., others agreed 'secret' exemptions for Iran after nuclear deal: think tank

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The United States and its negotiating partners agreed "in secret" to allow Iran to evade some restrictions in last year's landmark nuclear agreement in order to meet the deadline for it to start getting relief from economic sanctions, according to a think tank report published on Thursday.

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Venezuelan opposition floods Caracas in vast anti-Maduro protest

CARACAS (Reuters) - Dressed in white and chanting "this government will fall," hundreds of thousands of opposition supporters flooded Venezuela's capital on Thursday to press for an end to President Nicolas Maduro's rule.

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Heavy air strikes target rebel-held areas in western Syria

BEIRUT (Reuters) - Heavy air strikes targeted areas of Hama province captured by Syrian insurgents from government forces in recent days, as Damascus counter-attacked on Thursday in an area of strategic importance to President Bashar al-Assad.

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