Politics

Beirut / AP Russian President Vladimir Putin spoke with key players in the Syria conflict, including President Bashar Assad, ahead of a US-Russia-engineered cease-fire, as the opposition voiced concerns that the truce due to begin later this week will only benefit the Syrian government. Government troops backed by Russian warplanes waged fierce battles to regain control of a strategic road ...

Beirut / AFP The Syrian army retook a strategic town from the IS group on Thursday, paving the way for the reopening of its sole supply route to main northern city Aleppo. The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said troops still needed to clear the extremists from hills overlooking the key highway before it could be fully secured. The road ...

Geneva / AFP All sides in Libya’s chaotic conflict are likely guilty of war crimes, including torturing, raping and executing prisoners, the UN said on Thursday, urging the world to do more to bring the perpetrators to justice. “A multitude of actors, both state and non-state, are accused of very serious violations and abuses that may, in many cases, amount ...

Benghazi / AP French special forces have been helping Libyan troops fight IS militants in the eastern Libyan city of Benghazi for two months, two Libyan military officials said. The French combat squad, consisting of 15 special forces, carried out four military operations against IS and other militant groups in Benghazi, the officials said. They said that French forces work ...

Sydney / AFP Australia unveiled a massive new investment in the nation’s defence capabilities on Thursday to address what Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull called “high stakes” and “momentous times” in Asia. Citing increased defence spending around the region and potential flashpoints in the South China Sea and the Korean peninsula, he said the government was committed to combating the most ...

SYDNEY / AP Australia’s government warned on Thursday that terrorists may be in the advanced stages of preparing attacks in Indonesia, and urged travelers to exercise a high level of caution when visiting the southeast Asian nation, including the popular tourist island of Bali. The Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade issued the travel advisory, which said only that there ...

BEIJING / AP China’s Defense Ministry says the commander of US forces in the Pacific smeared China while seeking additional defense funding from Congress. Ministry spokesman Col. Wu Qian on Thursday strongly criticized Adm. Harry Harris Jr.’s testimony before Congress this week, in which Harris said China was militarizing the South China Sea. Wu said he understood Harris was seeking ...

Brussels / AFP NATO on Thursday overcame sharp differences between long-time rivals Greece and Turkey to finalise an unprecedented mission to tackle migrant smugglers in the Aegean Sea. US-led NATO launched the operation two weeks ago, aiming to help the EU cope with its worst migrant crisis since World War II, but longstanding disputes between Athens and Ankara over Aegean ...

Bloomberg With no wins to show after the first four contests in the Republican presidential primary, Marco Rubio’s supporters are growing nervous that their candidate’s chances of becoming the party’s nominee may already be slipping way. “He’s got to do something, he’s got to stir up the mix a bit,” said Steve Hosheinz, a 55-year-old accountant from Houston who was ...

Hong Kong / Agencies Rising political turmoil in Hong Kong could hurt economic growth in the freewheeling southern Chinese business hub, the city’s finance chief, John Tsang said as he unveiled measures on Wednesday to counter the impact of global weakness. Tsang warned that political unrest would “unavoidably” damage the economy after riots rocked the city earlier this month, predicting ...