Indonesia, Russia to work together to fight terrorism
AFP, Jakarta
Indonesia and Russia pledged Wednesday to strengthen cooperation in cyber-security and counter-terrorism as concern grows about the spread of radicalism in Southeast Asia.
Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov, who is on a two-day visit to Indonesia, said the two countries would work together more closely to counter the spread of Islamic State (IS) ideology.
Deposed Pakistani PM begins 2 days of rallies
Reuters, Islamabad
Ousted Pakistani Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif began a rally on Wednesday in a defiant show of political power after a Supreme Court decision disqualified him from office late last month over undeclared assets.
Sharif launched the “caravan” from Islamabad to his eastern hometown of Lahore, despite the concerns of close advisers about security for himself and the crowds he is expected to draw.
France opens anti-terrorist inquiry after hit-and-run on soldiers
Reuters, Paris
French counter-terrorist investigators have been asked to probe an incident in which a car rammed into a group of soldiers in a Paris suburb on Wednesday, a source in the judiciary said.
A judicial source told Reuters that the department had taken up the matter and was working alongside colleagues from the DGSI internal intelligence agency – a move that in France shows the matter is being treated as a probable act of terrorism.
Israel soldier begins manslaughter prison term
AFP, Rishon LeZion
An Israeli soldier convicted of manslaughter for shooting dead a prone Palestinian assailant in a trial that deeply divided the country arrived alongside motorcycle-riding supporters Wednesday to begin his 18-month prison term.
Elor Azaria, 21, entered the Tserifin military base near the city of Rishon LeZion to begin serving his sentence, his car driven by his father festooned with photographs of him and Israeli flags.
Suicide bomber kills four Pakistani soldiers
Reuters, Islamabad
A suicide bomber killed four Pakistani soldiers in an attack in the troubled northwest near the border with Afghanistan, the army said on Wednesday, at least the second major attack since Prime Minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi came to power a week ago.
Pakistan began a military offensive against fighters affiliated with the Islamic State group along the northern part of the border last month, saying the region was fast becoming a safe haven for multiple terrorist organizations.
Vehicle hits soldiers in Paris suburb, injuring 6
AP, Levallois-Perret
French police are searching for a driver who slammed his BMW into a group of soldiers in a Paris suburb Wednesday, injuring six of them in what appeared to be a carefully timed ambush before speeding away, officials said.
The driver’s motive is unclear, but officials said he deliberately aimed at the soldiers, and counterterrorism authorities opened an investigation.
