JERUSALEM – A Catholic Church official in Israel says a Christian cemetery has been desecrated, with graves damaged and crosses smashed. Wadie Abunassar said some 20 gravestones at the cemetery in Kufr Birim in northern Israel were found vandalized early Wednesday. He said some were shattered, with pieces of stone …
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BRUSSELS – Hundreds of migrants have been reported missing and at least 10,000 more have been rescued in the Mediterranean and brought to Europe in the last week, highlighting the scope of the challenge facing the European Union and further exposing weaknesses in its migration policy. Here’s a look at …
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THE HAGUE, Netherlands – The police officer leading of a team of experts working to identify people killed when Malaysia Airlines Flight 17 was brought down in Ukraine has criticized an anthropologist for showing images of victims at a lecture for medical students. Arie de Bruijn says in a statement …
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MOSCOW – Russia is set to tighten its ban on food imports from Europe by restricting re-exports of fruit and vegetables through European countries. The deputy head of Russia’s agricultural regulator, Yulia Shvabauskene, says Russia has already stopped re-exports through Bulgaria because it suspects companies there of using false documents …
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KABUL, Afghanistan – The International Committee of the Red Cross says it is concerned about a rise in civilian casualties as the Taliban wage their spring offensive. The Taliban launched the annual offensive last week with an attack in northern Kunduz province, signaling a violent fighting season to come. Dominik …
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BELFAST, Northern Ireland – Northern Ireland police say they have arrested a 41-year-old man on suspicion of involvement in the killing of one of Belfast’s senior Irish Republican Army veterans. Detectives declined to provide other details on the man arrested Wednesday in Belfast. Under the terms of British anti-terror legislation, …
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BERLIN – The German military says it has rescued some 430 migrants in the Mediterranean in its first mission there that comes among stepped-up European Union efforts. The dpa news agency reported Friday that the frigate Hessen rescued 250 people who had been aboard a wooden boat that was in …
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KIEV, Ukraine – The Ukrainian parliament has given preliminary approval to allowing foreigners to serve in its army. A military conflict between Russia-backed separatist rebels and Ukrainian government forces in eastern Ukraine has claimed more than 6,100 lives. Thousands of Russians have been fighting along with the rebels since the …
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MANILA, Philippines – The Philippine military says troops overran a bomb factory of Abu Sayyaf militants after a firefight that killed three insurgents and a soldier in the country’s restive south. Military commander Rear Adm. Reynaldo Yoma said troops clashed with 25 militants who also included one Malaysian on Basilan …
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BRUSSELS – Germany, France and Italy have pledged cooperation to jointly develop a “Euro-drone” for intelligence-gathering and surveillance of the skies. The three on Monday committed to a two-year study to have a Remotely Piloted Aircraft System ready within a decade. They said in a statement that “once operational, the …
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