South Korea’s Samsung Electronics has denied withholding crucial information from workers about which chemicals they have been exposed to at its factories. The families of workers say there are about 200 cases of employees contracting serious diseases, including cancer, an investigation by the Associated Press news agency found. Samsung withheld ... Read More »
Russia accuses Ukraine of attempted Crimea ‘incursions’
Russia has accused Ukraine of trying to carry out armed incursions into Crimea – the territory annexed by Russia in 2014 after an unrecognised referendum. The FSB intelligence agency said two attempted incursions had taken place over the weekend and a Russian soldier and an FSB employee had been killed. ... Read More »
Libyan forces say they have captured Isis base in Sirte
Libyan forces battling to oust Islamic State from Sirte say they have made significant advances, gaining control of a large convention centre previously used as a base by the jihadi group. “Our forces have complete control of the whole of the Ouagadougou [convention] complex – they even advanced some distance ... Read More »
Isis ranks dwindle to 15,000 amid ‘retreat on all fronts’, claims Pentagon
A top US commander has claimed the military campaigns in Iraq and Syria have taken 45,000 enemy combatants off the battlefield and reduced the total number of Islamic State fighters to as few as 15,000. Lieutenant General Sean MacFarland said both the quality and number of Isis fighters was declining, ... Read More »
Seven people killed in two bomb attacks in south-east Turkey
At least seven civilians have been killed in two separate bomb attacks blamed on Kurdistan Workers’ party (PKK) militants in south-east Turkey. A regional security force said four were killed on Wednesday in a car bomb attack in the centre of the city of Diyarbakir, and three lost their lives ... Read More »
Scientists develop dissolving battery
scientists have developed a self-destructing battery capable of dissolving when exposed to heat or liquid. It delivers 2.5 volts and can power a desktop calculator for 15 minutes. It could be used to keep military secrets confidential, and in environmental monitoring devices . Iowa State University mechanical engineering professor Reza ... Read More »
Texas baby dies from Zika-linked defect
A baby born in Texas with the Zika-linked birth defect microcephaly has died, health officials say. The baby was infected in the womb while the mother was travelling in Latin America, though state officials have not identified where. The defect causes abnormally small heads and other developmental damage. Florida Governor ... Read More »
Jordanian reversal on Syrian work permits starts to bear fruit
In a sun-baked field just outside the Jordanian city of Ramtha, a young group of Syrian men and women weave their way up and down rows of green peppers. Refugees have long been working illegally on farms in Jordan but risked being deported back to Syria if they were caught. ... Read More »
Saudi Arabia close to deal to buy $1.15bn worth of military equipment from US
The United States has approved the possible sale to Saudi Arabia of up to 153 tanks, hundreds of machine guns and other military gear in a deal worth $1.15bn. The announcement coincided with news that Saudi-led coalition warplanes had resumed air strikes on Yemen’s capital for the first time in ... Read More »
Donald Trump hints at assassination of Hillary Clinton by gun rights supporters
Donald Trump has been accused of a making an “assassination threat” against rival Hillary Clinton, plunging his presidential campaign into a fresh crisis. The volatile Republican nominee was speaking at a rally in Wilmington, North Carolina, about the next president’s power to appoint supreme court justices. “Hillary wants to abolish, ... Read More »