Putin Says Russians to Start Withdrawing From Syria, as Peace Talks Resume
President Vladimir Putin announced out of the blue that “the main part” of Russian armed forces in Syria would start to withdraw, telling his diplomats to step up the push for peace as UN–mediated talks resumed on ending the five-year-old war.
Trump Seeks Key US Primary Wins, Says Campaign is ‘A Lovefest’
US Republican presidential front-runner Donald Trump is hunting for votes in three states ahead of a crucial round of nominating contests, dismissing outbreaks of violence at his campaign events as “a little disruption.”
Turkish Warplanes Strike Iraq after Ankara Bombing Blamed on Kurdish Militants
Turkish warplanes struck Kurdish militant camps in northern Iraq, after 37 people were killed in an Ankara car bombing that, security officials say, involved two fighters – one female – from the Kurdistan Workers Party.
Myanmar Military Questions Suu Kyi Picks Ahead of Presidential Vote
Myanmar’s powerful military questioned Aung San Suu Kyi’s picks for president and vice president as tension simmered between the two sides a day before parliament votes on who should get the top job.
Will Conduct Nuclear Warhead Test Soon, Says North Korea Leader
North Korean leader, Kim Jong Un said that his country will soon conduct a nuclear warhead test and test-launch ballistic missiles capable of carrying nuclear warheads, the official KCNA news agency reports.
In Secret Meetings, Taliban Rejected Pakistan Pressure on Peace Process
Pakistani officials threatened to expel Afghanistan’s Taliban from bases in Pakistan if they did not join peace talks this month, but the militants rebuffed their traditional patron, two officials say, casting doubt on how much influence Islamabad retains over them.
Al Qaeda Gunmen Drank in Bar Before Unleashing Ivory Coast Attack
Gunmen from al Qaeda’s North African branch drank beer at a beachside bar before launching a shooting rampage at an Ivory Coast resort town that left at least 18 people dead, the group’s third major attack in West Africa in four months.
US Republican Party Gears up to Fight Obama Court Nominee
The Republican Party stepped up its fight against any US Supreme Court nominee put forward by President Barack Obama, while the president’s allies hit back against a conservative group’s attack on a judge who had been considered for the job.
US Vows to Push for UN Action on Iran Despite Russian Opposition
The United States vowed to continue pushing for Security Council action on Iran’s recent ballistic missile tests and accused Russia of looking for reasons not to respond to Iranian violations of a UN resolution.
(At The Quint, we are answerable only to our audience. Play an active role in shaping our journalism by becoming a member. Because the truth is worth it.)