AFP, Beirut
The Islamic State group has released 270 of more than 400 civilians it had abducted during its assault on the eastern Syrian city of Deir Ezzor, a monitor said.
Those released included women, children under 14 years old, and the elderly, said Rami Abdel Rahman, head of the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights.
Pakistan test-launches cruise missile
AFP, Islamabad
Pakistan conducted a successful flight test of a locally developed cruise missile named “Ra’ad” with a range of 350 km, the military said on Tuesday .
“The state of the art Ra’ad ALCM (air-launched cruise missile) is equipped with highly advanced guidance and navigation system that ensures engagement of targets with pin point accuracy,” the military said in a statement.
Climate change fuels bushfire risk
AFP, Sydney
“A sunburnt country… with a pitiless blue sky”, so the famous poem goes, but where once Australia could rely on “steady, soaking rain”, a trend of hotter and drier weather as the climate warms is making it more vulnerable to severe bushfires.
US government scientists are widely expected to announce today that 2015 was the planet’s hottest year in modern times.
Canada excluded from anti-IS meeting
AP, Toronto
Canada has been excluded from a meeting of defense ministers in Paris this week to discuss the fight against Islamic State militants.
The apparent snub follows new Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s vow that he would remove the country’s six fighter jets from the anti-IS coalition and at a time the U.S. is looking for its allies to step up their contributions.
US general faces possible demotion
AFP, Washington
US Defense Secretary Ashton Carter is considering stripping retired general David Petraeus of his fourth star after he loaned his mistress classified Afghan war journals, the Daily Beast news site reported.
Three people with knowledge of the matter told the US media outlet in a story published Monday that Carter is willing to overrule an earlier Army recommendation that Petraeus not have his rank reduced.
