Paris / AFP Engaged in a fierce tug of war with unions and some of his own party over labour reforms, France’s embattled Prime Minister Manuel Valls has staked his political career on staring down the crisis. Valls finds himself in a devilish position, says Frederic Dabi of polling firm IFOP. “If he withdraws the law, he will no ...

Seoul / AFP North Korea on Saturday warned South Korea of “merciless retaliatory strikes”, a day after the South fired warning shots at North Korean boats near their disputed sea border. The North’s military General Staff said from now on it would open fire without warning at any South Korean ships if they intrude “even 0.001 millimetres” into disputed waters ...

  BEIRUT / AP IS militants entered a Syrian opposition stronghold in the country’s north on Saturday, clashing with rebels on the edges of the town as the extremist group built on its most significant advance near the Turkish border in two years, Syrian opposition groups and IS media said. More than 160,000 civilians are trapped in the fighting, which ...