Militants have killed six troops in Pakistan after crossing into the country from Afghanistan, the Pakistan military said on Monday. Eleven militants were reportedly killed during the fighting on Sunday in the northwestern Upper Dir region. The Pakistani Taliban says their fighters carried out the attack, AP reports. But the statement does not say whether the attackers had crossed over from Afghanistan. The Taliban also said Pakistani claims of militant casualties were false.
Nine wounded in Nigeria blast
An explosion near a group of bars in the northern Nigerian city of Bauchi has injured nine people. The home-made explosive device planted in an unfinished building went off late on Sunday in the city's Tudunwadan Dan-Iya neighborhood, Bauchi state police commissioner Mohammed Ladan told AFP. No group has claimed responsibility for the attack. The city has previously been targeted by the Boko Haram Islamist sect.
Syrian general, soldiers defect from army - reports
A Syrian general, two colonels, two majors, one lieutenant and 33 soldiers have defected from President Bashar al-Assad's armed forces. The defectors arrived in Turkey, Turkish state television said on Monday. The CNN Turk news channel also reported the defections of the soldiers. However, it said they had arrived with members of their families, making a total of 224 individuals.
Spain formally requests 100 billion euro EU lifeline
Spain formally requested European aid of up to 100 billion euro for its banks on Monday. Economy Minister Luis De Guindos told Eurogroup chairman Jean-Claude Juncker that the final amount of the financial assistance would be set at a later stage, Reuters reports. But it should be enough to cover all banks' needs plus an additional security buffer, the minister said. He will sign a memorandum of understanding for the package by July 9.
Egypt's president to expand Iran ties
Egypt's Islamist President-elect Mohammed Morsi has said he wants to expand ties with Tehran to create a strategic “balance” in the region. Diplomatic relations between mainly Sunni Muslim Egypt and predominantly Shiite Iran have been severed for more than 30 years. Better relations with Tehran “will create a balance of pressure in the region, and this is part of my program,” Fars news agency quoted Morsi as saying. He was speaking hours after being declared the winner of the presidential run-off.
Pyongyang calls use of its flag in US, S. Korea military exercises ‘provocation’
North Korea on Monday called the use of its flag during US-South Korean military exercises last week evidence of US hostility. “It is an extremely grave military action and a politically-motivated provocation to fire live bullets and shells at the flag of a sovereign state without a declaration of war,” said the North's statement, as cited by AP. The US-South Korean drills on Friday were the allies' biggest since the Korean War. South Korean military officials called them a warning to North Korea. A huge North Korean flag wasn’t hit, but it disappeared behind flames and smoke as South Korean jets and US helicopters fired rockets.
Malaysia to extradite Iranian over bomb attacks targeting Israelis
A Malaysian court on Monday ordered the extradition of an Iranian to Thailand on suspicion of being involved in an alleged bomb plot against Israeli diplomats. Masoud Sedaghatzadeh was arrested at Kuala Lumpur's airport on February 15. He is one of several Iranian suspects held over incidents in Bangkok that followed bomb attacks targeting Israeli embassy staff in India and Georgia. Sedaghatzadeh has said he is a car parts dealer who came to Malaysia on business, AFP reports. Malaysian authorities say he was looking to travel back to Iran when he was detained.
India arrests suspect in Mumbai attacks
Indian police have arrested a key suspect accused of coordinating the 2008 Mumbai terror attacks in which 166 people were killed and more than 300 wounded. Abu Hamza, known as Sayed Zabiuddin, is an Indian-born member of the Pakistani militant group Lashkar-e-Taiba. Hamza was allegedly one of the handlers based in Karachi, Pakistan who issued instructions by telephone to the 10 Islamist gunmen, AFP reports. They stormed two luxury hotels, a Jewish center, a restaurant and a train station in Mumbai.
Police officer shot dead at Colorado jazz festival
A police officer has been shot dead during Denver’s popular City Park Jazz festival, the Denver Post reports. Multiple shots were heard, but it remains unclear whether other people were also targeted or hit. Crowds reacted to the shootings by fleeing the scene, with some people tripping over each other. Police arrested a person in connection with the incident, though it remains unclear whether he was the sole gunman.
New Greek PM, FM to miss EU summit
Greek Prime Minister Antonis Samaras has undergone an eye surgery and will miss the next EU summit, scheduled on June 28-29, Reuters reports. Vassilis Rapanos, who had not been sworn in as finance minister due to nausea, will not be going either. Instead, Greece's foreign minister and outgoing finance minister will attend the meeting to discuss the terms of the 130 billion-euro bailout. At the summit, European leaders are expected to discuss specific steps towards a cross-border banking union, closer fiscal integration and the possibility of a debt redemption fund.
Heavy rainfalls kill at least 16 in China
At least 16 people have been killed in heavy rainfalls throughout China, the country’s Xinhua News Agency reports. Over a million people were affected by the rainfall in the southern provinces of Guangdong, Jiangxi and Guangxi. Local officials say direct economic losses from the disaster will amount to over $20 million. There have also been reports of flooding in China’s northern Inner Mongolia region.
California police arrest teacher, four students in hazing case
Police in California have arrested a teacher and four students on suspicions that they took part in a classroom hazing incident in which at least one pupil suffered injuries. The teacher is alleged to have facilitated some students to carry out the hazing to curb behavioral problems in the classroom. Local media also report that one of the detained students was charged with assault, child cruelty and attempted sodomy.
Ousted Paraguay president to establish parallel cabinet
Former Paraguayan President Fernando Lugo will set up a parallel cabinet with ministers loyal to him, Augusto Dos Santos, the country’s former minister of social communication said. Lugo said he would resign from his position as president of regional bloc UNASUR, but would try to upstage the country’s new leaders at an upcoming summit. He also called Paraguay’s new government “bogus” and said it had “no legitimacy.” Lugo was ousted by the country’s Senate Friday, prompting a cascade of negative reactions from Paraguay’s neighbors, with many leaders saying they will not recognize the new government.
North Korea vows to boost nuclear deterrence
North Korea has vowed to further strengthen its nuclear deterrent to cope with what it calls hostile US policy. Pyongyang "will further bolster its nuclear deterrent for self-defense” as long as the US “persists in its hostile policy towards” the North, a Foreign Ministry spokesman said. The statement came amid leveling criticism at a South Korea-US joint military drill, during which North Korea's flag was fired at. Pyongyang regularly accuses the US and South of plotting against the North.
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