Prime Minister Shinzo Abe defends handling of hostage crisis
By MARI YAMAGUCHI and ELAINE KURTENBACH Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe defended his policy toward terrorism, as the flag at his official residence flew at half-staff Monday in a mark…
Middle East
Egypt releases imprisoned Al-Jazeera reporter
By SARAH EL DEEB A reporter for Al-Jazeera English was released from an Egyptian prison and deported Sunday after more than a year behind bars, but his two Egyptian colleagues…
Analysis: The world’s problems enter Japan’s psyche, again
By KEN MORITSUGU The Japanese, who inhabit one of the safest countries in the world, have been brutally reminded that the world is a dangerous place. In a shock to…
Japan mourns Kenji Goto as caring and courageous reporter
By YURI KAGEYAMA Whether in tsunami-stricken northeastern Japan or conflict-ridden Sierra Leone, the stories of the vulnerable, the children and the poor drove the work of journalist Kenji Goto. The…
Iraqi libraries ransacked by Islamic State group in Mosul
By SINAN SALAHEDDIN and SAMEER N. YACOUB When Islamic State group militants invaded the Central Library of Mosul earlier this month, they were on a mission to destroy a familiar…
Battle with IS kills senior Kurdish general, 8 of his troops
By IMAD MATTI and SAMEER N. YACOUB Clashes with Islamic State militants killed a senior Kurdish military commander and eight of his fighters just outside the disputed northern Iraqi city…
Human Rights group blasts IS for atrocities
By BASSEM MROUE Human Rights Watch on Thursday blasted Islamic State militants over their atrocities, but also criticized the “sectarian and abusive” policies of the Syrian and Iraqi governments, saying…
Bulgaria extradites man suspected of link to French attacks
A Frenchman wanted in connection with deadly terrorist attacks in Paris has been extradited from Bulgaria to France, where he is facing charges of links to terrorism. Fritz-Joly Joachin was…